and secured in his blessed estate as the holy Angels are and the Saints shall be in glory What his happinesse should have been and when consummate if he had Persevered we do not certainly and distinctly know The hour of Temptation seems to have been the hour of Triall and it 's very Probable that if in that conflict he had proved stedfast and Victorious he and his might have been blessed for ever But Man being in honor abode not § III and being tempted sin'd and aspiring higher and seeking by doing that which God had forbidden to attain the higher pitch of glory was devesâ—ed of his Honour and depriv'd of his happy estate And here Divines take occasion to speak of sin in generall And though I might have entered upon this subject when I spake of the fall and condemnation of many of the Angels yet because the Scripture speaks most of the sin of man therefore I will follow their example and practise and 1. Speak of sin in generall 2. Of the particular Sin of Adam The generall nature of sin is disobedience to the just command of a Superiour and because disobedience is opposed to obedience therefore it will not be amisse to enquire a little into the nature of obedience Obedience is not of Physicall but morall and politicall consideration For it presupposeth an intelligent and free agent and the same subject to the Power and bound by the Laws of a Superiour for where there is no Superiour Power there can be no Law and where there is no Law there can be no obedience or disobedience Whether the immediate subject of obedience be acts or habits was formerly determined in some manner but here you must observe that intelligent and free acts inclinations habits especially Acts are the subject immediat and proper of obedience and the proper and first subject of it is the will and heart the acts whereof are intelligent and free and no other acts else This is the reason why God so much requires the heart and will not accept any the greatest offerings and services if performed without the heart To this obedience 't is necessarily required that the will freely subject it self to the power of the superiour and exactly conforme unto his will and command in all inclinations and motions so far as it is bound in which respect the will must be no will in it self In this particular whereof we speak the subject is man who is an intelligent and free agent The superiour is God according to the power acquired in Creation The rule of obedience is the Law both Positive and morall and his obedience is a conformity both in subjection and acting according to the will and command of God The Principal subject of this obedience as an adjunct and cause of it as an effect is the Will and heart of man which is the proper seat of Integrity and Perversnesse For other Acts are so far good or bad as they depend on the Will and are so called extrinseca dominatione and by Participating their qualification from the Will As it is in this particular obedience required of Adam at the first so it is in all the other acts of obedience performed to God Sin in generall is opposed to this obedience § IV and is a disobedience to the Laws of God not of Man or any other superiour in strict sense Otherwise in a large sense the Laws of men may be the lawes of God and their power his Power and it 's Gods law and will that they should obey their Laws and submit to their Power For as the Wisdome of God is the first rule so the will of God expressed in his law is the first binding law That sin is a disobedience unto a Law and the Law of God the Apostle informs us in these words Sin is the transgression or rather disobedience to the Law of God 1 John 3. 4. For so the Apostle is to be understood as appeares by the context This Sin is so unbeseeming that nature and place of men and Angels wherein God created them as nothing more and so staines them that when they see themselves they loath and abhor themselves so as they cannot endure to look upon themselves It 's the basest thing in the world and most pernicious unto him that is once guilty of it It 's a Deviation from the best rule of divine Wisdom and a disagreement with the most just and holy God It 's a contempt or at least a neglect of the eternall power of this glorious King It makes our own imaginations and the suggestions of the Devil our rules and our own lusts our Masters as though we were not subject unto God It deprives us of eternall light and is the perpetuall fuel of Hell-fire and the desert thereof is very dreadfull For these reasons God hates it forbids it threatens it gave both men and Angels at the first power against it and for it not repented of pardoned he casts both men and Angels out of his presence into utter darknesse and torments them with eternall fire Yet all Sinnes are not equall § V as the punishments deserved are some lesse some greater And here I might enlarge and discover the severall sorts the aggravations the Consequents of Sin in generall 1. For the kinds and distinctions they are many For we hold that some sins are against the Law some against the Gospel some against God some against man Some of omission some of Commission c. And these distinctions may be tolerable in some sense 2. The degrees and aggravations are very many and might be observed out of Scripture and reduced into method as is done by the Learned and most judicious Doctor Chappel in his Method of Preaching The Crucifying of Christ the Lord of glory was an heynous crime yet some who had an hand in it were ignorant For so our Saviour prayes Father forgive them for they know not what they do Luke 23. 34. Yet others did it maliciously and contrary to the clear light of their Conscience and concerning these the supreme Judge is sollicited and desired to add iniquity unto their iniquity Psal. 69. 27. And there is a sin against the Holy-Ghost which according to the rules of Gods eternall justice renders the partyes sinning incapable of remission Such is the Blaspemy against the Holy-Ghost Math. 12. 31. and the Apostacy of Christians having once received the knowledge of the truth Heb. 10. 26 27. Paul was a Blasphemer a Persecutour and injurious yet he sinned ignorantly and in unbelief and upon his repentance obtayned mercy 1 Tim. 1. 13 16. The knowing Servant neglects to do his Masters will so doth the ignorant Servant too yet the sin of the former is greater then the sin of the latter and their punishment must be commensurable to their sin Luke 12. 47 48. These places I observe to let you understand and put you in mind 1. That sin is not in the outward act properly and immediately for
alone so the worshipping of one God in purity according to our duty and His Institution is called Chastity And such as did not pollute themselves with the Worship of Idols are called Virgins Rev. 14. 4. 2. Where there is this pure Virgin-love free from all Idolatry there will be an universal obedience and keeping of God's Commandements especially of the two first which virtually include the rest By Commandements therefore in this place are strictly understood the first and this second with all the Branches thereof Yet because these especially the first are the Root of all the rest therefore the rest may by consequence be understood The extent of this Mercy is to a Thousand Generations that is for ever For if Israel had been faithful to their God they might have continued an happy People unto this day and so God's Promise was God never with-drew His mercy from them nor executed His Judgments upon them but when they forsook him and violated these Commandements It 's true that the last Judgment which lyes upon them at this day had another cause than Image-Worship and it was the rejection of their Saviour and Messias when God had sent Him to save them according to the Promise made unto their Fathers For the more full understanding of this last part of the Commandement § IX in the Commination and Promise we must consider this with the former Commandement 1. As given to the Jews 2. As by the Light of Nature continued to the Gentiles 3. As most clearly manifested to Christians by the Gospel These Promises and Threats are called by some the Sanction that is the confirmation ratification and establishment of a Law Yet they add no binding force unto it for that is wholly from the Will of the Law-giver once expressed Onely this they may do make the Law the more effectual The Threatning is a great restraint from Violation and the Promise of Reward a strong Motive to Obedience These Threatnings and Promises in this place had special reference to Israel in the Land of Canaan and both the Punishments threatned and Mercies promised were Temporal for since the Fall of Adam there is no Promise of Spiritual and Eternal Mercy but in Jesus Christ promised or exhibited And it 's observable 1. That Israâ—ls sin usually if not always began in the Violation of this Commandement 2. That in the publique Judgments executed upon them this is expressed sometimes as the onely sin sometimes the first sin sometimes the chiefest and always implyed as one cause thereof 3. That when they observed this Commandement they enjoyed always this mercy here promised in their Successive Generations 4. The publick judgemâ—nts executed upon them for this sin did seldome at any time lye upon them further then the fourth generation as in the Captivity of Babylon which was the longest continuance of any other which that people suffered so farr as they continued a people Israels Captivity and the penalty of the ten Tribes as a distinct polity lyes upon them to this day For the generality of them were and do continue banished but where we certainly know noâ— A part of them adhered to the Tribe of Judah and Benjamin As for the Gentiles their Apostacy began in the Violation of this and the â—ormer Commandement and theiâ— punishment was not so much temporal as Spiritual For this sin of Idolatry and Image-Worship they were delivered up to vile affections and a reprobate mind and continued excommunicate and accurâ—ed for many yeares This their sin and punishment we may read Rom. 1. from verse 18. to the end And they were never admitted into the Church as Proselytes or Christians but upon renouncing of the Devil and his Pompatical and Idolatrous Worship and their turning from Idols to the living God As for Câ—ristians who turn from the living God and Chriâ—â— their Saviour to Idols and the Worship of the work of mens hands and to receive the cup of Fornication from the hand of the great whore their penaltyes shall be grievous and not onely temporall but spiritual and eternal if they come not out of Babylon and repent betimes as we may read in the book of the Revelation especially Chapters 14 15. 16 17 18. Whether any sin but final unbelief be threatned in the Gospel with death shall be examined God willing when I come to consider the Laws of Goâ— Redeemer as they are a rule of judgement It 's true that the Lawes of God Redeemer pâ—esupposing man as sinfull require a present return by repentance and faith and the continuance in any one sin against the morall Law or any other positive in force is formally a transgression as it is a continuance without repentance and faith There was a special reason why these reasons were given in this Commandement and it was because they were so prone unto this sin and he knew that in time to come this would be the great transgression Thus far the explication of the words of this Commandement § X it followes that we examin What the sins here forbidden and the dutyes here commanded be It 's expresseâ—y negatiâ—e and implicitly and by consequence affirmative The thing forbidden expresly is the making of Images for religious uses and the bowing down to them and worshipping of them The Commandement doth not take any notice whether in this Bowing and Worshipping they terminate their Worship either upon the Image or the thing repreâ—eâ—ted by the Image for both are sins And the distinctions devised by Iconolatrists will not excuse them before God This Image Worship is here represented as not instituted but forbidden by God devised by Men or Devils as corrupting and polluting the Pure Worship of God From hence it followes That 1. All kind of Religious Worship not instituted by God and warranted either by some particular expresse â—uâ—e of Scripture or grounded upon some generall precept is here forbidden 2. So is also all such manner of Worship as is devised and invented by Man or Devil 3. Whatsoever tends to the Corruption of the Pure instituted Worship of God cannot be lawfull 4. To conceive that there is any holinesse or sanctifying power in any such worship or manner of Worship or to think that the observation thereof is acceptabâ—e to God in it self or renders the party performing acceptable to him is a sin here prohibited This sin here forbidden may be called superstition in a large sense For to account that holy and divine as an object of Worship which is not such nor can be proved such by reason or divine revelation and also to invent religious rites and ceremonyes or to use them and this without any warrant from God is superstition It seemes to be an Extream opposed to prophaness For nothing can be holy or unholy but that which God hath made such For man to determin the object the kind the manner of worship and institute rites upon his own head or upon the suggestion of Sathan or any other must needs be an
〈◊〉 onely his Protection and Preservation as Humane Law-givers onely do yet He was willing by Promises to bind Himself to reward him gloriously and after he had lost his power to send Christ to redeem him and give him a new power and first to promise to give him excellent Rewards and in the end actually to reward him for Christs sake with full and everlasting glory and that upon easie and fairest terms For this cause is his Mercy so often magnified in the Scriptures and especially in the Gospel Therefore is it said That God who is rich in mercy for his great love wherewith He loved us even then when we were dead in sins He quickned us by Grace we are saved and raised us up together and made us â—it in Heavenly places in Christ Jesus that in the Ages to come He might shew the exceeding Riches of His Grace in His kindness towards us through Christ Jesus Ephes. 2. 4 5 6 7. And it was His great mercy that He doth threaten no sinners and offenders with punishments unavoidable or unremoveable but final Impenitents and Unbelievers as such From all this His Promises may be described to be A part of the Laws of God-Redeemer whereby He freely bound Himself and did signifie that for Christ's sake He would give all Mercies to Man believing that may make him for ever fully blessed And his Threats are A signification of His Will whereby the party offending should be liable to punishments removeable or unavoible upon certain conditions and onely unremoveable or unavoidable upon â—â—nal unbelief There was one great Promise made presently upon the Fall to give Christ. And this was fully performed in the fulness of time and so to us it 's no Promise and this was not made in consideration of the merit and satisfaction of Christ and did at first include a Promise to call and afford the means of Conversion The rest of the Promises were grounded upon the Satisfaction and Merit of Christ and were better Promises then those of the Law of Works And they are better not onely in respect of the things pâ—omised but of the tearms upon which the Promises were to be performed They are exceeding great and precious that by them we might be partakers of the Divine Nature having escaped the corruption that is in the World through Lust 2 Pet. 1. 4. Some tell us § IV that the Gospel threatens not any sin with Death but final Unbelief And hereupon ariseth a Question about the Threats of the Gospel Whether there be any such Threats of the Gospel which make the Offender liable to Death but onely the final Unbeliever For Solution whereof we must consider 1. That if the Gospel were so strictly taken as it is by many as to contain and consist onely in Promises then it would follow that no sin no not final unbelief could be threatned with Death by the Laws of God-Redeemer as Redeemer 2. We must know that in Scripture by Death is meant punishment in general Whether it be Temporal or Eternal Bodily or Spirituall 3. That every sin deserves Death that is Punishment whether they be sins against the Law of Works or of Grace 4. That the same sins against the morall Law which were threatned with Death by the Law of Works are threatned with Death by the Law of Grace For as that Law bound to obedience or upon Disobedience unto Death so doth this Yet observe 1. That the sins against the Law of grace are sins formally against God-Redeemer as such and giving Laws unto sinful man 2. That these sins have not only the nature of sins as transgressions of a Law of God but also the nature of impenitency and unbelief For whosoever continues in sin or delays if but an hour his return to God Redeemer is not only a sinner against God but an impenitent Sinner against God-Redeemer in Christ requiring repentance and faith instantly and not granting the liberty to continue in sin and to delay repentance for a moment 3. Though the Law threatned every sin against it with punishment and death unremoveable or unavoydable yet the Gospel though it threaten every sin against it with punishment yet it threatens none with punishment unremoveable or unavoyable but finall unbelief or such sins as upon which by his ordination finall unbelief is necessarily consequent 4. This Law of grace threatens not only sins against the morall Law but against the very Ceremonialls of the Gospel How else could the Corinthians have bin guilty of the body and blood of Christ and have suffered so grievous a punishment as many of them did for the unworthy receiving the Lords Supper The rule of this judgment was neither the Law of works as given to Adam nor as given to Israel either in the moralls or positives If any say that Christ died not to satisfie for such sins as finall unbeâ—ief and â—ins unto Death as Blasphemy against the Holy Ghost or some kind of Apostacy it may be said that one immediate effect of Christs death was to satisfie Gods justice and make sin remissible in generall not that it was God's intention that all sins or any sin should be remitted absolutely but upon certain termes defined by his wisdome and justice In this regard these sins as sins in generall were made remissible by Christs Sacrifice Yet in respect of Divine ordination and the termes defined for remission they are irremissible So that as sins by Christs death they are remissible yet made irremissible Per accidens in another respect Yet here we must observe that not only finall unbeliefe and impenitency are sins against the Laws of Redemption and the precepts of the Gospel but every degree of them from the first to the last from the least to the greatest are so too Neither is finall unbelief merely as finall unpardonable but per accidens Because after a certain time granted by God for belief is expired he will never vouchsafe time nor meanes or power for it afterwards and belief he hath made a necessary condition of pardon and hath decree'd never to pardon but upon this condition These promises § V or threats may be considered either formally or materially and in respect of their matter and accordingly may be discovered and summed up in Scripture All such places of Scripture as command and require Repentance and Faith have some promise annexed and the same either expressed or implyed And to such places these promises of God do properly belong For Promises and Duties go together and therefore in most of the promises the duty is expressed And they are made to persons so and so qualified Insomuch that till the person be rightly qualified he hath no immediate right unto the thing promised nor can have any hope of performance For God is only bound to performe his promise when man hath performed his duty This was the Wisdome of God so to make his promises that man might have no cause to presume or deceive himself The
generall qualificatition to which all these promises are annexed is faith and repentance All those places both of the Old and new Testament which prohibit reprove dehort from impenitency unbelief blindnesse and hardnesse of heart have some threatnings or commination annexed either implicitly or expresly And as Duty and Promise so Impenitency and Threatning go together and as the promises many times expresse the duty so these the sin and the same not repented of And as the sins not repented of are many so the punishments threatned are too I might give examples as If ye be willing and obey ye shall eat the good of the Land but if you refuse and rebel ye shall be devoured with the Sword Eâ—ay 1. 19 20. Where 1. To eat the fruit of the Land is a mercy promised 2. To be willing and obdient is the duty and qualification and that 's Repentance as doth easily appear from the context 3. To be devoured with the Sword is the punishment threatned 4. To Refuse and Rebel is the sin threatned and that 's Impenitencie More expresly He that believeth on him is not condemned He that believeth not is condemned already c. Joh. 3. 18 36. Yet we must 1. Distinguish betwixt threatning and peremptory denunciations upon impenitency continued foreseen For those Denunciations are rather Sentences of the Supreme judge or predictions then comminations of the Supreme Lawgiver Thus God did denounce the universall deluge the ruine of Jerusalem the rejection of the Jews 2. We must seperate from these promises and threats those which God signified to Adam innocent and to Israel as a body politick in the Land of Canaan till Christ was exhibited For though these and those might generally and materially be the same yet specifically and formally they were not 3. There is a difference between promises and threatnings in that promises bind God to reward the obedient yet threatnings do not bind him to punish the disobedient For by promises God doth bind himself to reward by threatnings he only binds man to suffer His promise he cannot deny because he is faithfull and just His threatnings signifie what man deserves and how he may justly punish him and the effect thereof is this that the party offending is instantly liable to punishment and bound to suffer it though God be not bound to inflict it If he were bound by it in the same manner as he is by promise he could have no power to pardon sin and if he must make the Law the Rule of his judgment and were bound so to do in the threatning as he is in the promise he must needs punish every sin and pardon no sin But He being slow to wrath and ready to forgive and much inclined to mercy He in his wisdome thought good in his Law so to threaten sin as to reserve a transcendent power above his threatnings to shew mercy Some threatnings may be peremptory but all are not such He also so threatens sin that if man commit it he is not bound absolutely to punish it nor obliged to punish it wholly or in part instantly upon the commission of the sin but hath power to deser his judgment And hence his patience and long-suffering wherâ— by according to the Law of Redemption he gives man time and means of returning and seeks to draw him to Repentance Yet lest any should presume and despise his threatings he lets man know that if he delay his Repentance too long he shall in no wise escape the punishment and there will be a day of the Revelation of his just judgment wherein he will powre out the treasures of his Wrath in full measure upon impenitent Wretches and the more they contemned his patience the more they shall suffer Though God hath power to dispence with his Law in respect of judgment threatned yet he hath bound himself by an eternall decree not to spare or pardon but upon condition of Christs expiation and mans repentance for which there is a limited time granted wherein if we repent not pardon will become impossible These promises in respect of the matter promised § VI may be again distinguished 1. Into promises of blessings or deliverances and as both are bodily or spirituall temporall or eternall so the promises be The Apostle assures us that godlinesse hath the promises of this life and that which is to come 1 Tim. 4. 8. And our Saviour informs us That if we first seek the Kingdome of God and his Righteousnesse then these temporall necessaries shall be added unto us Mat. 6. 33. This is evident from Christs pattern of Prayer wherein as you heard before he taught us Supplications for good and the same not onely Spirituall but temporall and deprecations of evill and that also both spirituall and temporall He promiseth the Kingdome that 's a promise of a spirituall and eternall reward Luke 12. 32. And Food and Rayment and that 's a promise of bodily and temporall blessings verse 31. ibid. So he hath promised to deliver us from temporall evils and also from condemnation and eternall death Yet 1. He binds himself in these promises only to godly men as you heard before and in them unto godly men for temporall mercies in subordination to spiritualls and so far as his Divine wisdome shall see them tending to their eternall good The spirituall promises are such as whereby he bindes himself to give blessings to be received in this life or in the life to come in this life either blessings antecedent to conversion or consequent to it consequent are either the state of justification upon our union with Christ or our continuance of it according to our continuance in Christ. Mercies promised for the life to come are either such as are Sutable to the State of Separation or the State of Resurrection And there may be a distinction in respect of the subject to whom they are made For some are made to single persons some to familyes some to whole Nations some to mankind in generall And some of these are ordinary some extraordinary According to these heads all the promises in Scripture might be reduced to a certain method if some would take paines and it would be a profitable work The threatnings also materially considered § VII may be distinguished according to the matter threatned which is punishment And seeing the punishments are contrary to the rewards and so the threatnings to the promises therefore they may receive the same distinctions which the promises do as to be spirituall or bodily temporall or eternall And so of the rest For as the whole man body and soul sins and all his parts faculties and members participate in iniquity and concurâ—e in tranâ—gression severall wayes and in severall degrees so the punishments both threatned and executed are distinguished and proportioned They may be differenced from those of the Law of Creation For those ranne thus Sin and Dye And in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely dye Gen. 2. 17.
differs in many things from all other Books especially in respect of the Authority thereof which is primarily Divine in the Original Copies secundarily in the Transcripts and Translations These sacred Writings are learned and known several ways and by several means of men that are not infallibly directed further then they follow the Scriptures rightly understood And by these especially Ministers by whom God speaks to men another way they are taught several ways in a certain order How these must be heard understood applyed so as the Hearer may attain to a Divine Faith and a Saving Knowledge Where something of the Tradition of the Church CHAP. III. The Doctrine of this Kingdom is contracted by Christ and His Apostles as such is the ground of all the Apostolical Creeds and Confessions all agreeing in method and matter The manner of the handling of the subject in this Treatise is different from that of ordinary Systems Catechisms and common places where something is said of Faith in general and of Divine Faith A Confession taken out of Tertullian CHAP. IV. Of the Divine Essence and Attributes How God's Essence is intelligible and how represented to us by certain Attributes What Attributes are and certain Rules concerning them The imperfect definition of God including all the Attributes CHAP. V. The Attributes in particular The distribution of them into Greatness Goodness In the Greatness unity infiniteness Infiniteness in Immensity from which ariseth His Incomprehensibility Vbiquity and in Eternity CHAP. VI. God's goodness being one and infinite is known by his excellent and most eminent Acts and Vertues of his Vnderstanding Will Power as His most excellent Knowledge and Wisdom the integrity of his Will and the perfection of his power CHAP. VII The Father Son and Holy Ghost their unity order distinction They are not Three Persons in that sense as Men or Angels are called persons The vanity of the Socinian Argument against the Trinity grounded upon the word person strictly taken How the Soul may be said to be an Image and imperfect resemblance of the Father Son and Holy Ghost CHAP. VIII God considered in his Regal Capacity in respect of his power acquired by Creation and continued by preservation How God is a cause of all things by his Counsel contriving Will decreeing Power actually producing The knowledge of GOD in respect of things out of Himself His Decrees free wise unchangeable The cooperation of the Persons their distinct manner of working The Creation in general the special Creation of Man The Conclusions deducible from this Principle God created Heaven and Earth and all things therein By this Work God hath a propriety in all things and may dispose of them and order them to the ends whereunto He hath made them ordinable Hence his supream universal absolute power How all things created are preserved and ordered Ordination in general the first act of God's Power acquired and continued CHAP. IX The Exercise of God's Power in general CHAP. X. The special Ordination and Government of the Intellectual and Immortall Creatures Angels Men. The government of Angels constituted administred according to certain Laws Judgment whereby some being obedient were confirmed rewarded Others disobeying rebelling and forsaking their station were punished and cast out of God's presence reserved for greater punishments in the end of the World CHAP. XI The special Government of Man which is two-fold 1. Of Justice without Christ. 2. Of Mercy in Christ. The constitution of the first Model The administrations Laws Moral Positive considered as a rule of Man's obedience God's Judgment CHAP. XII The Judgment of God-Creatour passed upon Man according to the Laws of Creation and strict Justice The Object of this Judgment 1. Man obedient rewarded with the continuance of a comfortable condition in Paradise 2. Sinning Sin in general is a disobedience to God's Laws The degrees and the consequents thereof The first sin of our first Parents in particular The causes of it The effects thereof before Judgment CHAP. XIII God's judicial proceeding against Adam Eve the Serpent Satan Their Convention Conviction Sentence Execution More particularly God's Sentence passed upon the old Serpent the Devil In which God new models his Kingdom of mercy in Christ promised and gives Man hope of Pardon and everlasting comfort CHAP. XIV The Penalties more particular both Bodily and Spiritual publike private Temporal Eternal all signified by Death to which Sin made man liable yet all by Christ removable CHAP. XV. Original sin what it is Whether it be properly so Whether Concupiscence in persons baptized be such in proper sense The derivation of Original sin Whether it be derived by Propagation or the just Judgment of God or both CHAP. XVI The principal Attributes of God manifested in this Judgment as Holinesse Justice especially Mercy in the manifestation whereof he exercised his transcendent power above the former Constitution and Laws LIB II. CHAP. I. THe Coherence of this Book with the former The difference of the two Models both the former and latter The acquisition of a New Power by the Word made Flesh and annointed taking upon him the form of a servant and being obedient to the Death of the Cross. A Description of the Redeemer His Person Nature Offices The union and distinction of the two Natures His particular Offices CHAP. II. The Humiliation of the Son of God 1. In taking upon Him the Form of a servant 2. In suffering Death A brief Historical Narration of His Sufferings 1. Before Judgment 2. His Judgment The Preparations of His Tryal His Tryal 1. Before the Ecclesiastical 2. The Civil Judge His Condemnation Execution with the Prodigies which hapned about that time CHAP. III. A more large Discourse concerning the Suffering and Death of Christ. It was an Act of Obedience to His Heavenly Father commanding Him to suffer for the sins of Man whereby He was offended To this Death He became obnoxious not onely by His Fathers Command but His own voluntary submission to be an Hostage and Surety for Man as guilty It was a Sacrifice offered freely to God as Law-giver offended and as supream Judge The effects of this sacrifice accepted are immediate mediate Immediate Satisfaction of Divine Justice and Merit What He merited for Himself what for Man How the benefit of this Sacrifiâ—â— became communicate from Christ as a Representator General and the Will of God the great Soveraign Of the extent of this benefit Whether Propitiation is to be ascribed to His active or passive Obedience severally or to both joyntly Whether this Death prevents all punishments or onely the Eternal And if not what punishments it removes The Attributes manifested in this great Work of Humiliation of the Word made Flesh by which a new Power was acquired CHAP. IV. The exercise of the new Power of God-Redeemer in the Constitution of His New Monarchy The Soveraign and Monarch The Subjects the Officers the Administrator-General the Enemies The manner of reducing Man to subjection the nature
this Government of Angels which no doubt is wonderful we have 1. The Legislation 2. The Judgment of God For no doubt God gave them Laws and according to their obedience or disobedience judged them for both these are evident out of Scripture What Laws God gave them in particular we know not That they were bound to continue righteous and holy as God made them and to love God and one another there can be no question These were Principles written and concreated if I may so speak with them yet that upon the Performance Eternal Glory and Security of the same would follow or that upon the non-Performance eternal punishments would be inflicted could not be so clear by Creation unto them There was another Law whereby they were obliged to observe that order amongst themselves which he at first instituted For there is an Order and Polity amongst the Angels but whether Monarchical or some other we know not If the Devils those Apostate Angels do observe the order of their Creation it seems to be Monarchical For we read of the Prince of Devils the Prince of the World the Prince of the Power of the Air or Darkness as the Word doth sometimes signifie What their Duty was in respect of Man or of the other Creatures is not so evident It 's certain that the Holy Angels are Ministring Spirits for the good of Gods servants and Sons since the fall Though the Pure and Generall Morals of the Decalogue did bind them yet as that Law was given to Adam to Israel or to the Church-Christian it could not bind them For therein there be Duties proper to Man and such as no ways can agree to Angels And here I might take occasion to explain the Morall Law but this I reserve till I come to speak of the Laws of God as Redeemer by Jesus Christ exalted at his right hand and reigning in the Brightnesse of eternall Glory For there were Laws of Righteouâ—nesse and Holinesse and morall duties given to Angels to Adam to the Heathen to Israel to the Church-Christian as shall be made manifest hereafter After Laws Moral and Positive § IV follows Judgment and upon the observation and violation of the same God began to exercise his Jurisdiction and to judge the Angels And this was the first Court God kept and the generall Assises wherein all the Angels were convented and rewarded to punished according to Observation or Violation of the Laws given to them The rule of this judgment were those Laws The Object Angels obeying or disobeying The Retribution was of Rewards or Punishments That many of the Angels sinned and transgressed those Laws and many did obey them the Holy Scriptures make evident And here it 's to be noted that the Sin of Angels was personall For in one sinning all did not sin in one condemned all were not condemned though by one man sin entred upon all mankind and by sin death Some one oâ— few of the Angels might be leaders in this Apostacy and by their example and Perswasion pervert many That vision of the Dragon and his Angels Revel 12. 7. may seem to imply some such thing But whether it be so or otherwise it 's certain a multitude of Angels sinned and revolted under one Head and Prince under whom they continue Revolters unto this day And here I might take occasion to speak of sin in general but I defer it till I speak of the fall and sin of Man What the first sin of these immorall spirits was in particular is not so clear as it 's clear they did sin And therefore we must obâ—erve 1. That they sinned 2. Were judged and condemned 1. They sinned 2 Pet. 2. 4. They kept not their first estate or Principality but left their own habitation Jude v. 6. which seems to imply their Ambition through which they aspired higher as discontented with their Station wherein God placed them at first and so violated the order established by him were murtherers and lyars from the beginning and abode not in the truth Joh. 8. 44. And he sinned from the beginning 1 Joh. 3. 8. That they sinned signifies unto us their Disobedience in generall That they abode not in the truth kept not their first state or Principality seems to be their first sin That they were lyars and murtherers doth point at their Envy and Malice against man which moved them to seek and contrive his ruine And upon this many think their condition desperate and their eâ—ernal punishment unavoydable But this is certain it did aggravate their former sin and made their punishment more grievous which punishment is expresed in the said texts That God spared them not that he cast them down to Hell as some turn it But Jude explaines the meaning That they are reserved in everlasting or invisible Chaines under darknesse unto the Judgment of the great day And he accursed them The sentence passed upon them was a sentence of condâ—mnation and the execution was that curse of excommunication and their Banishment out of Heaven and the light of glory the confining of them in darknesse and the binding them over to the Punishment of the great day of Final Judgment and so that their eternal misery and torment is inevitable And these places with others inform us That their Punishment is not Consummate but shall be far greater then now it is When at the great and last day they shall be cast into the Lake of fire and Brimstone and tormented with eternall paines without any intermission Their Punishment for the Present is loss of Heaven and Light Darknesse imprisonment fear and torment in the remembrance of that dreadfull day And this judgment passed upon them is an example to us sinfull Wretches to take heed of their sins lest we be sent into that eternall fire prepared for the Prince of Devils and his Angels The judgment of the rest of the Angels was passed at the same time § V And therein we may Consider 1. Their obedience 2. Their reward Their obedience is implyed by the disobedience of the Apostate Angels For iâ— this was their sin that they abode not in the Truth then the obedience of the rest of the Angels was that they abode in the truth were contented with their Station and â—oved man upon whom Gods Image was stamped They were found humbly subject unto the Power and obedient to the Laws of their glorious and Eternall Lord and Soveraign and that in the day of their great triall when the rest of their fellow-Angels revolted rebelled and became murderers of mankind Their reward was agreeable to their loyalty and obedience And it may be considered as inchâ—ate and received in part or as Consummate As begun and received in part they continue in the happy condition wherein they were created and are confirmed and secured there in And their joy and happinesse must needs be great because they enjoy the Glorious habitation of Heaven though many times sent from thence They see the
in the end to encline so farr as to look upon the fruit to cover it to touch it and tast it too And so the Vâ—nome of the Serpent infected Soul and Body Neither staid it here but did diffuse and Communicate it self to man who hearkened to his Wiâ—e and did eate and so transgresse Upon which the victory became compleat And though the temptation and plot was deeply laid and managed with greatest subtlety yet they could not be excused For the law was plain the power to observe it sufficient and God did in no wayes desert them in any thing necessary They did both willingly consent and yield They were too precipitate and did too hastily determin and resolve before they had sufficiently considered the matter either severally or joyntly together And their sin was in the issue so much the more heynous because they believed the false suggestions of the Devill and harkened to his damned Counsel contrary to the clear Command and peremptory Commination of their Creator In all this they had not the least cause to complain of God Their Sin and misery was from themselves and there was much of will in the transgression The Woman was first in the sin and was deceived Yet the Man followed her example Otherwiâ—e it might have been better with all mankind And in this place something may be â—aid of the permission of sin and Gods providence in respect of the same No doubt God could have prevented both the sin and the temptation yet being no wayes bound to do either he suffered both And this is one of the deep Counâ—ells of God whereof man can give no reason Arminiuâ— doth discourse of this subject and observes the acts of Divine providence about sin to be reducible to three heads 1. In respect of the Beginning 2. Of the Progress 3. The Consummation of it In respect of the Beginning the Acts of Providence are either permission or hinderance In respect of the Progress Direction and Limitation In respect of Sin Consummate Punishment or Remission But he that will accurately discuss this Point of Doctrine must distinguish 1. Between the first sin of Angels and the first sin of Man and other sinnes following these For in respect of these later that which we call permission may be a Desertion and to a Punishment which in the first sinnes cannot be 2. He must put a difference between a Moral and a Physical permission and also between the sinful Disposition and immediate Act of the Will as sinful and such Acts as follow and are not formally and intrinsecally sinful but bâ— participation 3. He must discern which of these Acts belong to Judgment as the two last evidently do and which not 4. It should be distinctly known what this Permission is For it 's not any Licence or Liberty to sin given by God to the Creature nor any toleration connivence indulgence much less any approbation of sin The proper and immediate first subject and cause of sin is the Will as free Therefore when Scotus had defined sin to be Carentia justitiae actui inesse debitae Occam corrects him and defines it to be Carentia justitiae voluntati inesse debitae And whereas many out of Austin take it for granted that Peccatum non habet causam efficientem sed deâ—icientem He â—aith That 's true onely of sins of Omission not of Commission and doth positively â—ffirm that God is the Author of every sin of Commission because in Commission there is something positive which is forbidden by the Law directly as well as that which is privative yet gives the reason why man is guilty and God not because man is under a Law and bound God is not And whereas some in sins of Commission distinguish between the Act whereof they grant God to be the Author and the Sinfulness of the Act whereof he is not the Author He answers That in sins of Commission the very Act is forbidden and therefore the very Act is so sin that you cannot make it the subject of sin is any ways different from sin In this making of God the Author of all sins he seems to be very bold and heterodox though very acute But let his Judgment in this be true or false these things are certain 1. That all the difficulty in this point ariseth from our ignorance of the manner how God concurs with the Free will of man in sin 2. That God could prevent all sins and every sin though he doth not 3. That God doth not necessitate much less force the intelligent Creature to sin for then sin could be no sin 4. That let Permission be what it will yet he so permits sin that he can justly punish it in the Parties guilty who alone are chargeable with it 5. The reason why God doth not cannot sin is not onely because he is under no Law but because he is absolutely just and holy and hates sin as he doth forbid it threaten it give power against it and punisheth it 6. We must not think that God doth so permit sin as not to order the sinner and out of evil bring good as once out of Darkness he created Light To think that God who is the Universal Judge is a bare Spectator of sin must needs be an Errour The cause of this sin § XI which was blameless was the Law which did forbid sin command obedience promise life to the Obedient threaten death to the Disobedient This could not by any inward native power or quality be a cause of Sin or Death for it was spiritual holy just good and so contrary to sin For every thing acts according to the inward power and quality And how should that be for sin which was the Rule of Holiness and for Death which was given for Life Yet a cause of sin it might be though not per Se yet per Accidens as the Logicians speak Not by any thing in it self yet by something from without in Man or the Devil Some instance in the dashing of a Pitcher against a Wall so that it 's broken The breaking of the Pitcher is an Effect but the Cause thereof is rather the force of him who purposely casts it against the wall then the Wall it self yet this Comparison is not so fuâ—l and perfect If there had been no Law there had been no sin For where there is no Law there is no Transgression saith the Apostle Rom. 4. 15. An if no transgression then no guilt no punishment If there had been no Law man might have done â—omething worthy of punishment yet without a Law he could have contracted no guilt so as to be bound to suffer punishment And though God knew that if he did give a Law it would be disobeyed yet he might justly give it For as he knew man would transgress it yet he knew likewise that he might keep it No Governour will forbear to enact Laws to regulate his People because he knows many will disobey them That the Law
as one And so far as God judged him one and made Adam the Head and Representative of all so far in Adam all men might be bound to obedience or penalty and so far judgments or rewards might be transmitted from him to all and no further And if God had not considered Adam and all his posterity as one person By one man sin could not have entred into the World and by sin Death so as to pass upon all men That this derivation was an act of judgment is evident from the Apostle because Sin and Death which is punishment presupposed a Law To impute sin and punish for sin and that with Death are Acts of Judgment and that according to a Law which was in force when Adam sinned and long before Moses Otherwise how could sin have reigned even over Adam and that from Adam to Moses and this by a Sentence of Judgment in force to this day according to a Law in force when Adam transgressed it For upon that transgression God condemned Adam and in him all Mankind In this respect the doubt how the Soul being made by God becomes corrupted is vain and that conceit that it is polluted by entrance into the body or from the body is false For 1. God in the Creation of the Soul of every individual person is to be considered as a Creatour and a Judge As a Creatour he makes a Soul and gives it Essence and all things necessary flowing from the Essence and appertaining to it As a Judge he denies that person as one with Adam sinning his sanctifying Spirit which Adam received for him and his and in him sinning was lost to him and his 2. It is evident that the Soul is not so much polluted by the body as the body by it and it from it self For there are many Spiritual sins as Pride Envie Malice and such like which are purely from the Soul and in the Soul as they are in Angels who have no bodies but are spirits And those sins which have their Rise from the sensitive appetite could not pollute the Soul except it were depraved in it self And the first sin began in the Soul as may easily be understood from Gen. 3. and was there compleatly moulded before Eve looked upon the forbidden fruit to covet it and desire it as a bodily food Yet whilest we discourse of the Derivation of Original Sin as it is a Deprivation and a depravation following thereupon because man falls under the power of Death yet we must consider that Adam's Posterity derive not onely that original corruption from him but many other evils together with their Being All the evils are reduced to Sin and Death We participate with him in some manner in the first sin and in him sinning we sin and in him being guilty we are guilty in him dying we die And by Death all Punishments God sentenced us to in him are understood not onely that which we call Original Sin but all Actual Sins virtually included in it and issuing purely from it by vertue of the first Desertion And here we may wonder at the severity of God's Judgment yet we must in no wise question the Justice and Equity thereof CHAP. XVI Of the Attributes of God manifested in this Judgment of Men and Angels THE last thing to be considered in this Judgment and Execution is the manifestation of the Attributes § I and perfections of God and of his Supream Power judicial as well as Legislative The Attributes manifested are these His Wisdom his Holiness his Power his Knowledge but principally his Justice and Mercy His Wisdom was wonderful in this particular in that he laid the Foundation of man's Eternal Life to be recovered again in sentencing the Devil to Eternal Death and in a wonderful way so that the Devil himself should be powerfully active to the ruine of his own Kingdom whilest he â—eeks to confirm and enlarge it His Holiness was evident in this that he spared not sin in his most noble Creatures punishing the Devils without mercy as first in the sin not sparing man made in his own Image though tempted to sin and in accursing the Serpent though an irrational Creature and but onely an Instrument abused All this signifies that he detests and abominates sin and being holy Himself requires holiness in Men and Angels made holy and if by sin they pollute themselves he casts them out of his presence His Power appeared in that he so presently and so fully executed his Sentence and makes it good to this day and none can hinder him His Knowledge is as exact for he evidently knew the sin of Men and Angels with the measure and circumstances thereof and proportions his Judgment accordingly But principally his Justice and Mercy shined forth in this judicial Proceeding § II First his Justice must be considered The Justice of God is Legislative or judicial Legislative Justice determines man's duty and binds him unto the performance thereof and also defines the rewards and punishments which shall be due upon the Creatures obedience or disobedience His judicial Justice which is called distributive is that whereby he renders unto the intellectual Creatures according to their Works This is remunerative or vindictive For taking cognizance of their cause he rewards the obedient and punisheth the disobedient The justice manifested in this judgment was punitive and vindictive and it did appear in that 1. He spared not sinners much less rewarded them 2. He punished none but sinners and such as did concur in this sin 3. He punished onely for sin and not out of any absolute and arbitrary power Therefore God said to the Serpent Because thou hast done this therefore thus and thus shalt thou be punished The Woman suffered and is condemned because she hearkened and gave consent to the Serpents temptation The man is judged to death because he had hearkened to the voyce of his wiâ—e 4. The punishments determined and executed did not exceed the measure of their sin 5. The Devil sinned most and therefore his punishment is the greatest and no ways mitigated or allayed by mercy The Woman and Man sinned being tempted and their sin was less and it was allayed by mercy yet the womans sin was greater then Adam's though less then the Devils For she was first in the transgression and brought man into the snare being instrumental to the Devil and therefore she was adjudged to two punishments to which man was not liable This Justice is not an Attribute but the exercise and manifestation of an Attribute as here it 's taken It 's called Anger Wrath Fury Rage Jealousie Indignation as the sin is more or less heinous and he more or less displeased It 's called Revenge in that it renders the evil of punishment for the evil of sin It 's Judgment because he proceeds according to Law upon the evident knowledge of the violation of the same It 's punishment as God inflicts it and the Creatures suffer it The principal
too For he doth not say to our first Parents Go ye cursed into everlasting fire prepared for the Devil and his Angels But you shall suffer Temporal punishments yet so that through my Grace and sanctifying Spirit they shall be Corrections and Chassisements for Humiliation Mortification and Reformation and you shall be banished out of Earthly Paradise and from this Tree of Life that you may more earnestly long after and seek the Paradise and Tree of Life in Heaven For you shall know that it 's a bitter thing to forsake your God and disobey his Command Yet this was the great punishment that the Spirit of Sanctification and Comfort was departed and no ways to be recovered but by Jesus Christ the great Redeemer as a gift of Free-grace And now consider all Mankind in Adam as innocent and obedient they are innocent and obedient Consider them in him as sinful guilty convicted they are sinful miserable convicted and in a lost condition Consider them in him as receiving the Promise of Christ they are in a possibility of Salvation and Deliverance And all such as are born in the Bosome of the Church and under the means of Conversion are in a better condition then such as are strangers from the Covenants of Promise as all Children or Apostlates are Yet we must understand and take special notice of it that after the Fall there is not any thing in man tending either to holiness or happiness or the abatement of sin or misery but from the mere mercy of God which doth shine forth most clearly in two things The first is the giving of Christ or the Promise to give him and this was not upon any merit no nor of Christ himself And howsoever all other Spiritual Mercies may be promised and given for and in respect of the satisfaction and merit of Christ yet the gift of Christ was from purest love without any respect to any merit at all The second is in calling wherein he prevents both by giving the means of Conversion and the grace of his Spirit to make them effectual Therefore the Scripture so much magnifies God's abundant love and free grace manifested in both 1. For the first it 's said God so loved the World that he gave his onely begotten Son Joh. 3. 16. And God commendeth his love towards us in that Christ died for us while we were yet sinners Rom. 5. 8. And in this was manifested the love of God towards us because that God sent his onely Begotten Son into the World that we should live by him Herein is love not that we loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the Propitiation for our sins 1 Joh. 4. 9 10. For some mercies we receive from God loving us before we love him as these two Some after we begin to love him 2. For the second we read that God who is rich in mercy for his great love wherewith he loved us even when we were dead in sins hath quickned us together with Christ by grace we are saved and hath raised us up together and made us sit together with Christ Jesus in Heavenly places Eph. 2. 4 5 6. Yet this latter is merited by Christ. Besides the manifestation of these Attributes it 's remarkable that God exercised his transcendent and absolute power above his Law For to reverse the Law of Works to require and accept satisfaction and the same made by another even Christ and not the Delinquents and thereupon to promise Pardon and Eternal Life upon condition of Faith were acts of Him as above his Law and dispensing with it in his judicial proceedings For if he had according to his ordinary power made the Law of Works requiring perfect and perpetuall obedience as the onely condition of life the rule of judgment he could have done none of the fore-mentioned Acts but must have condemned man unto Death and punished him according to the demerit of his sin which if he had done neither Adam nor any Son of Adam could have had the least possibility of Salvation So that in this Judgment the Foundation of the second Government of greatest mercy was laid and then even then God began to constitute another Form of Government over Man and to administer the same And the former continued but a little while and the latter hath continued long and shall be An everlasting Kingdom The Second Scheme Acquired by the Word made Flesh by His Conception Birth Anointed King Priest Prophet in His Humiliation taking upon Him the form of a servant being obedient unto Death which presupposing His former Holiness and Obedience was an act of Obedience unto the great Command of His Father accepting Him as the Surety and Hostage of Mankind laying on Him the iniquities of us all a Sacrifice offered to God as Supream Judge to expiate the sin of Man and being accepted did satisfie Divine Iustice offended merit for Himself Eternal Glory and Power sinful Man immediately the Abrogation of the Law of Works Covenant of Grace Power of the Spirit to enable Him to keep it These Effects formally include exclude no person mediately upon the Covenant observed Iustification Glorification Exercised in the Constitution which determines the Sovereign God-Redeemer Administrator-General Christ at the right hand of God Enemies Devils Men Rebels Apostates Subjects men who being reduced by Vocation according to Predestination do voluntarily submit and that sincerely to God-Redeemer their Soveraign Administration considered in general according to the degrees alterations from the time of Adam till the Commencement of that glorious Reign wherein God shall be all in all special in giving Laws which being Moral considered as given to Adam Innocent continued to Gentiles Iews Christians with the different Obligations thereof determines man's duty to God Creator Redeemer Man Positive in Ceremonies especially Sacrifices Ilastical Eucharistical Sacraments of the Law extraordinary ordinary Gospel Baptism Eucharist an Examination by whom to whom How these may be admiâ—â— are a rule of Man's duty in Precepts Prohibitions God's judgment in Promises Threatnings Iudgment particular in Punishments Temporal Spiritual in this life upon single persons Societies Ecclesiastical Civil after Death before the Resurrection Rewards Temporal Spiritual in this life Conversion Iustification begun continued in the state thereof after Death before the Resurrection Universal determining and rendring the Eternal Punishments Rewards of Men Angels THE DOCTRINE OF The Kingdom of God OR The Government of God-Redeemer The Second BOOK CHAP. I. Concerning the Power of God-Redeemer and by whom it was acquired WHen the first Government did determine § I the second did begin For after the Fall of two of God's most noble Creatures there followed a great alteration in the World and such that if God had followed strictly the Rules of his former Government all Mankind must needs have perished But this his Mercy could not suffer therefore his Divine Wisdom contriveth a way how to recover Man fâ—llen and began to govern him according
fittest of all others to represent that Priest Jesus Christ who had no Predecessour from whom he might derive his right nor successour because he live in Heaâ—ven a Priest for ever who alone hath right to receive tithes and homage 〈◊〉 his people and blesse them with spiritual and eternall blessings And the Throne and Scepter of David and his successours in his Kingdome did shadow him whose Throne is for ever and ever and his Scepter a right Scepter Faith and obedience to pure morals to be performed to God Redeemer by the power of the renewing Spirit were alwayes required by the Lawes of this Kingdom for the Lawes of Faith and obedience to pure Morals were alwayes the same Yet to these Lawes of Faith and obedience in pure morals were added from the beginning divers positive and ceremoniall precepts especially that of sacrifice And when the promise of the Messias to descend of 〈◊〉 was renewed of Abraham circumcision was instituted as a Seal of the righteousnesse of faith and a solemn right of engagement unto their Saviour and of his admiâ—sion of them into the Church upon their submission And this was by his command to be administred to Infants born in the Church When Israel came out of Aegypt the Passeover was ordained in remembrance of that great deliverance and did continue till that great Paâ—chal Lamb was slain by whose blood we are redeemed from the wrath of God Hell and everlasting death But after that the posterity of Abraham Isacc Jacob being multiplyed into a nation were reduced by God into a Common-Wealth both civil and Ecclesiasticall and presented before God appearing in a glorioâ—s and retrible manner upon Mount Sinai they entred into a solemn Covenant with their God He promiseth to be their God to protect and blesse them and they engage themselves solemnly to be his loyall subjects Upon this Foundation of a Kingdom once layd God proceeds as their Lord and Soverenig to give them morall judiciall ceremoniall Lawes In the morall he reduceth all morall dutyes to certain heads in a brief exact and excellent method in the Ceremonials he reduceth all former rites and ceremonials Instituted by himself into order and adds many more as he saw convenient for that people in that time In the judicials he dilivered them a perfect body of the civill Law These judicials were for direction in judgment and the adminstration of their civil state The moralls and ceremonials were for the Church and looked far higher The moralls tended to give them a more perfect knowledge of morall dutyes to be a rule of moral obedience to let them see their inability to keep it their impossibility to be justified by it to make them sensible of their sin and seek a Saviour who should deliver them from the curse and paenaltyes threatned by the Law and deserved by their disobedience The ceremonial was more mysticall 〈◊〉 therein God did prescribe a Tabernacle a Priest and a solemn 〈◊〉 of service The Tabernacle was a type of the Heavenly Temple the High Priest of the great eternal Universall High Priest and the Services especially that 〈◊〉 Sacrifice and most of all that yearly Sacrifice of expiation to be offered onely by the High Priest the 10th day of the 7th moneth with the blood whereof he ente 〈◊〉 into the most holy place was a type of that sacrifice of Christ by which he obtayned eternal Redemption Besides that these did signifie heavenly things they were given to this people to keep and preserve them pure from Heathenisâ— Idolatry and superstition to continue them seperate especially in Religion and Divine Worship from all other nations of the world Tâ—ey were for the multitude and charge of them a burthen and heavy yoke to keep them undeâ—â— and cause them to long for their Messias who should free them from those dark and mysterious shadows give them a clearer and more glorious light and a perfect liberty and ease from this servitude This time was the time of the infancy and minority of the Church for as the Heyr so long as he is a Child differeth nothing from a Servant though he be Lord of all but is under Tutours and governours untill the time appointed of the Father So they when they were Children that is under age were in bondage under the elements of the world But when the fullnesse of that time that was appointed by God their Father was come God sent his Son made of a Woman made under the law to redeem them that were under the law c. Wherefore after that they were no more Servants but sons Gal. 4. 1 2 3 4. 7. The time of the Gospel therefore is a time of emancipation and liberty not onely from the Ceremonials but from the curse and servitude of the law of works which that law of Moses did threaten and could no wayes free them from it For in that law there was no promise of the Spirit to enable them for to obey the morall law nor of pardon though they did transgresse it Neither was there any Sacrifice Priest or Service that could expiate sin and purge the conscience from dead Works For though their expiations lustrations and purifying ceremonyes might free them from legall pollutions yet from sin they could not This covenant was not the same with that of the seed of the Woman § II which should break the Serpents head nor with the same renued more explicitly unto Abraham That in his seed all the nations of the earth should be blessed much lesse was it the same with the promises of the Gospel made in Christ exhibited And by the way we may take notice that the Apostle Gal. 3. puts a difference between the Promise the Law Faith The promise looks at Christ to come and was made more particularly to Abraham The Faith is the same with the Gospel and looks at Christ already come This law comes in between along time after the promise and a longer time before the Gospel And one end why it entred in between both was that sin might abound Rom. 5. 20. and it was added because of transgression till the seed that is Christ should come and before Faith that is Christ and the Gospel came they were kept under the Law shut up unto the Faith which should afterwards be revealed So that the Law was their School-Master or Tutour unto Christ Gal. 3. 19. 23. 24. By all this we may easily understand that this Law and Covenant made onely with the Jew of whom Christ was to come considered as God intended it was neither against the Promise nor the Gospel but subordinate to both And though it was not the same with the Law of works given to Adam innocent yet it had much affinity with it For it 's said Do this and live and Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things written and contained in it yet it promised no power to observe it nor pardon if not observed as was said before And the
essential And that perfect and perpetual obedience should be that condition upon which perâ—ormed it was God's Will Eternal Life should follow and no ways else was accidental So likewise it was that the sin of one should be the sin of all and His Death their death For the Law might have been a Law without any such thing This Law may be considered § IV 1. As given to Adam and in him to all Mankind 2. As continued yet with several accidental and extrinsecal alterations in the Kingdom of God-Redeemer As it was given to Adam it 's of a two-fold consideration in respect 1. Of him as Innocent 2. Of him as Fallen Adam as Innocent received this Law and it was given unto him as righteous and holy by Creation and he was able to keep it And he was bound to perform it perfectly and perpetually together with other Positives And this perfect and perpetual obedience was the onely condition of life to him and his and one sin one committed made him and his liable to death After that Adam and in him all his had sinned it was a Law of Sin and Death unto them and if God had made it a standing Rule of Judgment in strict Justice man must needs have bâ—en condemned to Eternal Death and there was no hope or possibility of Eternal Life by this Law For suppose God had pardoned this first sin and yet continued this Law in force man could not have been saved by it For he lost the Spirit of Sanctification and if God had continued to say Do this and live because he could not do this he could not live Neither was there any Promise of a Saviour to expiate his sin nor of the Spirit to enable him to keep it nor of Pardon upon expiation made if he afterwards transgressed it After that God in passing Sentence upon the Devil had said § V that the Seed of the Woman should bruise the Serpents Head this Law continued but with a great alteration in respect of man A Redeemer who should satisfie God's Justice and merit God's favour unto man was promised his satisfaction accepted the Spirit restored pardon and eternal life promised Faith in the Redeemer made the condition of life the Law of the forbidden Fruit ceased the Law of Works as the condition of life and rule of judgment for punishments and rewards repealed And all this was done in great mercy by God as Supream and absolute Lord above his own Law which bound not Him the Soveraign but Man His Subject Thus much I observed when I spake of the Judgment which God passed upon the Authors of the first sin But how the Law-Moral continued you shall hear-anon The knowledge of this Law § VI as applyed to the Acts Dispositions Habits of men is commonâ—y called Conscience which is nothing else but the knowledge of a man's Acts Dispositions Habits as agreeable or disagreeable to this or other Laws of God This Knowledge in respect of acts future is the Law of God within him to bind him to obedience and restrain him from disobedience In respect of acts past it 's a Judge within himself or a Witness for or against him before the Tribunal of God This it is properly yet tropically in Scripture it 's several times taken in another sense according to the several adjuncts thereof For the practical judgment of man is sometimes more sometimes less perfect and great is his Ignorance and many his Errours both in matter of Law and of Fact and most of all in applying the Law unto the Fact or Fact unto the Law Sometimes it 's a false Witness and an unjust Judge and hence man's Security in greatest Guilt and Despair when there is hope of Mercy This Knowledge of this Law-Moral in Adam innocent was more perfect § VII in his Posterity more imperfect For the enlightening Spirit was taken from him it was not so purely diligently constantly taught neither was the outward Revelation thereof renewed to all Besides the erroneous Traditions without the Corruptions of man's Heart within with other vicious Habits together with God's just judgment had much impaired this Knowledge though not utterly razed it out For even the wicked Heathen who had not the Law written yet by Nature did something contained in the Law and were a Law unto themselves which did shew the Works of the Law of God written in their hearts Rom. 2. 13 14 15. Yet the knowledge of it was always preserved in the Church by constant Teaching and reiterated Revelations improving the Natural Light of Reason Yet some Positives and Ceremonials were always added and it was joyned to the Law of Faith God renewed the Doctrine of it more perfectly and in a more solemn manner unto Israel both by an audible Voice and by writing it in Tables of stone Moses and the Prophets Christ and His Apostles more fully and clearly explain it And by outward Teaching and inward Illumination God writes it by degrees in the hearts of His people The use of the Law may be considered § VIII 1. In respect of the Gentile 2. Of the Jew 3. Of the Church in general but especially Christian. In respect of the Gentiles who had other positive Laws and Customs either by Tradition or the invention of the Devil and wicked men this Moral-Law so far as it was left written in their hearts taught them their Duty to the onely true God and also unto Man For it was a Rule in matters of Religion and in matters of Justice unto them both as they were single persons and also associated in a Family or a Common-wealth It was the Rule of their Civil Government both in making Laws and in Judgment And according to the violation of this Law God judged single persons Families Nations and Kingdoms And the knowledge thereof which they had or might have had though imperfect did manifest in their own Conscience the justice of God's Judgments executed upon them And so much the more because by His patience long-suffering and bounty together with this law he sought to draw them to Repentance But they holding the truth of God in unrighteousness and continuing impenitent were inexcusable and justly delivered up unto a Reprobate mind as may appear Rom. 1. from ver 18. ad finem Chap. 2. from ver 1. to the 17th And they that disobeyed this clear light of Nature were justly punished by God with the ignorance of Jesus Christ and the want of the Laws and Promises of God-Redeemer It was of singular use to the Jew For § IX 1. It was added to the Promise made to Abraham four hundred and thirty years before 2. It was so revealed that it reduced all Moral Duties to a few Heads and digesteâ— those Heads into an exact and excellent Method and was given with a special application to that People 3. It was Supernaturally written in two Tables of Stone that it might be reserved in the Ark as a rare and lasting Monument from Heaven
4. It had annexed the whole Body of the Judicials and Ceremonials to continue in force whilest they should be a State Civil and Ecclesiastical even till the glorification of Christ and the Revelation of the Gospel 5. It had joyned with it many Temporal Promises and Curses Yet as before 1. It did minister no power of the Spirit to keep it 2. It promised no Pardon or Spiritual Blessing for those belonged unto the Law of grace in Christ who was promised to Abraham 3. It had no Priest that could expiate Sin or Sacrifice which could purge the Conscience from dead Works 4. It ran in strict tearms as Do this and live 5. It was given in such a manner as to strike a terrour into them as guilty Wretches who seemed to be summoned before God not so much to receive a Law as to hear the Sentence of Death passed upon them The special use therefore unto them was to give them a clearer and more perfect knowledge as of their duty so of their sin and misery Of their Sin by the Precepts of their misery by the threatnings And this to humble them cause them to desire a remedy and have recourse unto the Promise of Christ and that with a longing after his Exhibition And seeing there was no promise of power to keep it or of pardon and the Priesthood Sacrifices and other Services being in themselves an heavy burthen could no ways be able to free them from the guilt of sin they had the greater cause to rely upon him and expect his coming It was also a Rule of their lives both as single persons and as Members of a Body Politick that by obedience unto it they might live happily in that good Land of Canaan and not be obnoxious to those fearful judgments God had threatned and their Posterity for their sin did afterwards suffer Other uses of it as joyned with the Ceremonials I have formerly delivered That many of them sought Righteousness and Justification by this Law together with the Ceremonial was their great mistake For 1. There was no power in the Moral Law to justifie them except they could keep it but seeing they could not do it it was added for transgression Gal. 3. 19. 2. The Law Ceremonial had no power to sanctifie them and free them from sin For the Law was weak and unprofitable and made nothing perfect that is it justified and sanctified no man Heb. 7. 18 19. The Priests by their Offerings and Sacrifices could not take away sin Heb. 10. 11. The use of it to the Church § X especially Christian who have a clearer knowledge of Moral Duties by the example of our Blessed Saviour who was the perfect Mirrour of all Heavenly Virtues and by the Doctrine of the Gospel is 1. To discover Sin 2. To be a Rule of Obedience And of this use it was always both to Patriarchs to Israel and to all Christians The first end is to discover Sin For as where there is no Law there is no Sin so where there is no knowledge of the Law there is no knowledge of Sin Therefore it is said that by the Law is the knowledge of sin Rom. 3. 20. And the more clearly and distinctly God in his Law shall represent our Duty and that measure of Righteousness and Holiness which God requires at our hands and we by the Law of Creation were bound to perform or else suffer eternal death the more vile abominable and miserable we plainly see our selves to be We easily understand what need we have of Christ's death and intercession God's mercy and the Spirit of Regeneration lest we run on endlesly upon this heavy score The more we know our vile and sad condition the more we know the freeness of God's grace and the abundance of his mercy if He will be pleased to deliver us And lest the Law should work despair it was always in the Church joyned with Christ either to come or else exhibited Therefore it 's said That the Law entred that the offence might abound but where sin abounded grace did much more abound From which words we may understand 1. That the Law was not given to justifie us 2. It 's never to be separated from Christ and God's abundant grace in Jesus Christ our Lord. And this is one use to be made of the Law not onely before we are in Christ to prepare us for him but also after that we are in Him that we may renew our Faith and Repentance till we be fully sanctified Yet the Law without the power of the Divine Spirit can never so clearly and distinctly represent unto us our sins and make us sensible of them or keep us from despair In this respect the Law may be said to be Evangelical because subservient to the Gospel He that shall preach the Law without Christ is truly a legal Preacher And he that shall preach Christ without the Law to discover sin is an Antinomian This use cannot be made of the Law without Self-examination and a serious and distinct Review of our lives laid to the Line of this Law And though the Moral Law be the principal in this use yet all positive Laws in force serve to the same end This was not the proper and first intended end for as it found man holy and righteous at the first so it required he should continue Obedience and life were the end To discover disobedience and man's sad condition thereupon and to cause him to look and cast about for a Deliverance and desire Christ represented as a Saviour was not intended at the first but made an end by God-Redeemer in Christ to prepare him for Christ. This use was merely accidental to the Law and was super-added by the Divine Wisdom and Mercy and in this respect it can no ways belong to the first Covenant of Works To strike terrour into guilty man cause him to despair of life might be an effect of it according to that Covenant And now if it be represented as first given to Adam it can have no other effect But thus it was not to be understood after God had signified that He would provide a Redeemer Another use in the second place § XI is to be a Rule of Obedience But 1. It 's not a bare Rule to inform our Understanding of the Duty and so give direction but it 's a binding Rule as every Law is It 's not merely given us for Advice Exhortation Perswasion but with a strong Obligation 2. This Obedience is performed by sinful Man by way of Return For this Law finds man sinful guiltys and disobedient both by Nature and Practise Therefore the Scripture calls so often for turning to the Lord which implies two things 1. That turning from our sins we should for time to come subject our selves to God as our Redeemer and acknowledge Him 2. That being subjected we should be obedient unto His particular Commands And this Obedience by way of Return is called Repentance which cannot
be without sorrow for sin past Humiliation hatred of sin a love of God and desire to please Him 3. This Obedience cannot be performed without the Spirit merited by Christ and restored unto us first to prepare us then to dwell in us by degrees renewing the Image of God and imprinting it upon us 4. We must be in Christ as the Branch in the Vine and be conformed unto His Death and Resurrection before we can perform any obedience acceptable to God so as to tend towards the attainment of Everlasting Life For without me saith Christ ye can do nothing Joh. 15. 5. And we are God's Workmanship created in Christ Jesus unto good works Ephes. 2. 10. It 's one thing to do that which is Morally good as the Heathen might do and be rewarded Temporally another to perform Christian obedience 5. It presupposeth Faith whereby we are united unto Christ and sincere Faith is virtually Repentance and all Obedience and a part and beginning thereof 6. This Obedience is imperfect and defective in the best man living upon Earth and therefore is not the condition of life For if the Moral Law should be in force so as it was to Adam at the first to require and bind man unto perfect and perpetual obedience or else upon one act of Disobedience unto Death no man could be saved Therefore that manner of strict Obligation ceaseth unto sinful man for ever To think that the Promises Threats and Obligation of the Law of Works continue under the Gospel or remain at any time in the Kingdom of God-Redeemer is an errour and a great mistake It 's one thing to bind unto perfect obedience another to bind unto perfect obedience as the condition of life This latter was essential even to the Moral-Law as given to Adam at the first and in that respect it 's truly and properly said that the Law of Works is abâ—ogated The Law binds according to the will and pleasure of the Law-giver and no otherwise If Man perform not perfect obedience and yet be bound unto it he is in the hands of his Judge above the Law to dispose of him as he pleaseth 7. This obedience is performed to God-Redeemer as satisfied atoned and propitiated by the bloud of Christ who hath merited that it should be accepted and rewarded In this respect it 's not proper nay it 's not true to say that God in the Moral Law binds man to perfect or perpetual obedience For so He doth not He binds to perfect and perpetual obedience which he neither doth nor can perform or to punishment suffered by his Saviour and upon Faith in him removable not to obedience and punishment too For time-past Man hath been already disobedient and for time to come he will not be perfectly obedient till the time of glory Yet the Suffering of Christ doth not free man sinning from all suffering For it 's the Will of God that even regenerate men should suffer much for their own sins Yet man's suffering cannot satisfie it may dispose him through the help of God's sanctifying Spirit to Repentance and make him capable of the benefit of that Suffering which hath satisfied the Justice of God who hath accepted it for sinful disobedient Man pleading his Saviours suffering This Obligation of the Law is purely Evangelical and in this respect the Precept and the Condition are of equal extent as well as they were in the time of the Law of Works 8. Faith and Repentance as they are Acts of Obedience in general are commanded in the Moral Law Yet as Faith is in God-Redeemer and Repentance a return to obedience to be performed to God in Christ by the Spirit of Christ they are not to be found in the Law at all as such they are purely Evangelical and conditions of life even to sinful guilty man Though Faith and Obedience as different from Faith be conditions of the New-Covenant yet there is both a difference and an inequality between them as a condition Faith unites us unto Christ from whom immediately by viture of the Promise we derive a right to Justification and so to Life In which respect it may be said to be a Title-Condition that is â—a condition upon which follows immediately a right to Righteousness and Life Faith considered as Faith in general in it self cannot be a Title without reference to Christ's merit and God's Promise For Faith this Faith is terminated upon both and as such and no ways else is Saving The Promise is a kind of Donation of Righteousness and Life as purchased by Christ and God's the Donour and the Believer by his Faith becomes the Doneè Good Works are a condition and all obedience which follows and flows from Faith as distinct from Faith yet virtually included in Faith is so too Obedience is two-fold 1. In Morals 2. In Positives Obedience in Morals and good Works as morally good are a condition not to give a right but to render a man capable of communion with God and make him fit for the possession of that life Christ hath purchased For without Holiliness we cannot see God and except we walk in the light as he is light we can have no communion with him and till our obedience in Morals be perfect we can have no full fruition of him Obedience in Positives is a condition yet neither as giving right nor making man capable but because God's institution makes them binding except in case of necessity wherein God dispenseth with Man This is so far a condition that life follows thereupon if it be joyned with Faith and Obedience in Morals and in case of Contempt life will not follow not be communicable From all this we may understand that there is a twofoâ—dness of the Moral Law Evangelically considered 1. To discover sin 2. To be a Rule of Obedience Thus the Composers of our Liturgie did understand it and that rightly according to the Scripture when they added this short Petition Lord have mercy upon us and incline our hearts to keep this Law after every Commandement This Petition is two-fold For 1. Pardon of sin that is past 2. For Grace to enable them to keep it for time to come The first includes a confession of sin a Belief in Christ and a Petition for pardon The second an acknowledgment of their inability to keep it a necessity of the sanctifying Spirit a Petition or the same and the end and effect thereof obtained which is to incline their hearts to keep it And after all the Commandements and every particular they desire God to give them a general pardon of all sins against this Law and such a measure of Grace as that they might perform an Universal Obedience For so the Petition runs Write all these thy Laws in our hearts we beseech thee In the next place § XII let us consider what hath been the binding force of it in all times since it was first given to Man To this purpose we must observe many things
use an Image with that intention Men may make Images to represent other things and by looking upon these Images they may be another act of the Mind remember the things represented if they know them distinctly as such and the more lively the Representations and the more perfect the knowledge of the things represented are the greater help it is to the Memory Yet it doth not follow from hence that in matter of Worship the Worship performed to the Image redounds unto the Samplar For though a man may intend in Worshipping the Image suppose of God to worship God Yet 1. We must consider that this Proposition presupposeth nay expresly saith that the Worship-Divine is first given to the Image which needs must be Idolatry it onely redounds unto the Samplar 2. The Image and the Samplar are really and infinitely distinct and different and cannot possibly make one Object 3. God did never promiâ—e to any man to accept that Worship which is performed to the Image as performed to Himself So that this Image-Worship is an obscure perplexed absurd irrational dangerous thing and altogether unwarrantable Though this Image-Worship be so expresly and peremptorily forbidden both here and in many other places of Scripture and God saith Thou shâ—lt 〈◊〉 bow down thy self to them nor worship them Man yet saith Thou shalt bow down to theâ—â— and worship or serve them That the Heathens should do this is not strange but that Christians should be guilty of this sin cannot but be matter of amazement It 's the Publick Doctrine and the general and constant practise of the Church of Rome and all her Adherents to make and set up Images in their Churches and Places of Publick Worship to bow down before them and to worship them several ways And to justifie this Practise and Doctrine the greatest Wits have been set on work 1. Some of their private Catechisms and Books of Devotion omit these words of making and worshipping Images 2. Some acknowledge the words as part of this Law given by God but say This part was but Positive and onely bound the Jews 3. Some so interpret and expound the words as that they may not be understood to forbid their practise 4. They make many distinctions of Worship and of the manner of Worshipping Images that so they may perswade men that though some manner of Image-Worship be forbidden yet theirs is not 5. Some tell us that the Worship onely of Idols and false Gods are forbidden here to be made and worshipped though this be very false and contrary to the Trent-Catechism Yet notwithstanding all this 1. They even their greatest Schollars and Clerks in this particular differ amongst themselves 2. It 's difficult for their Schollers impossible for the illiterate and Ignorant people to understand these distinctions yet both of them must believe and profess their Doctrine and practise it 3. Suppose they do all agree as they do not and could determine clearly some manner of Image-Worship which might be lawful as they cannot yet this Imageâ—Worship is needless and unprofitable 4. This practise was always dangerous and an occasion at least if not a cause of Idolatry and it 's certainly known that many of the ignorant sort make their Images Idols and are gross Idolaters 5. There is no Commandement no Warrant no Permission no Toleration from God no example of any Saint Patriarch Prophet Apostle of any kind of Imagâ—-Worship in all the Book of God but many Prohibitions of all kind of such Worship 6. It 's a great scandal both to the Jew and Mahumetan and so a great impediment to their Conversion 7. It was the invention of the Devil and his wicked Agents it never had any better Author if we enquire into the original of it 8. It 's no way sutable to the pure and simple Worship of one God in Christ according to the Gospel Yet notwithstanding all these things it being confirmed by so many Laws and long-continued Custome will not without great opposition and resistence be abolished And so much the rather becauâ—e Demetrius with the Crafts-men by Image-making and the Priests by Offerings gain so much and the people love to have it so This is the Cup of Fornication wherewith the Whore of Babylon hath made drunk the Kings of the Earth and in the end She her self shall drink of the Cup of the Lords Wrath. The Reasons and Disswasives follow § VI and the first is from God's jealousie for the Lord your God is a â—ealous God Here He resumes His Titles and signifies that He is very tender of His glory and will not endure His People to glance upon these Images which is a kind of Spiritual toying and playing the Wanton with other Paramours and Corrivals He full well knew their proness and the danger And therâ—fore commands all Monuments of Idolatry to be destroyed and prohibits the very names of other Gods that the very memory with the Monuments may pâ—rish for ever They who have renounced the Devil and all his Pompatical Worship and avouched God to be their God and Christ their Saviour must be pure and chaste yea free from the very appearance of this evil which tends to his dishonour and their ruine This sin begins in Superstition ends in plain Idolatry which is a corruption of his Worship a derogation from his honour a stain of their integrity a diminution of that true love and respect they owe unto him a breach of Covenant and in the end a persidious revolt and apostasie Therefore he cannot endure this Image-Worship but will severely punish it There be distinctions devised by men to maintain this Image-Worship that by them they may puzle and delude us But dare they insist upon them when they are convented before God's Tribunal Will he allow them Can they justifie themselves by them Can they assure us that there is no danger in Imagery and this kind of Worship Can they ever instance in any People that used it who in the end proved not Idolaters Whatsoever man can say in behalf of consecrated Images it 's certain the effect of this jealousie will be severe punishment for it follows that God will visit the sins of the Fathers upon the Children unto the third and fourth Generation of such as hate him And this may be a second Reason or the same with the former as being an effect of that cause a punishment issuing from that jealousie which will burn like fire and not be quenched In this Reason we may observe § VII 1. The cause meritorious of this punishment 2. The subject that shall be liable unto it and suffer it 3. The extent of this punishment upon this subject In these words he seems to give the Rules of Judgment in Comminations and Promises according to which he will proceed with such as shall observe or violate his Laws in general yet these are proper to this Commandement The cause that doth deserve the punishment is sin this sin of Image-worship here called
as refused to relieve His poor Saints and Members in their wants and distresses 5. Justice and Mercy in this kind are great Preservatives of Peace and Prosperity in Humane Societies and therefore God so often calls for the observation of them 6. A little Estate justly gotten wisely used is always accompanied with God's Blessing and transmitted to Posterity without any curse or guilt In this respect a little which the Righteous hath is better then the Riches of many Wicked Psal. 37. 16. 7. Works of Mercy and Benevolence to them who are in want and misery are highly commended and to them a rich Reward is promised For what is given to the Poor God takes as lent unto himself and He engageth to re-pay with Interest And if these be shewed to the Saints in the Name of Christ the least of them to a cup of cold Water shall not lose the Reward or be forgotten either in this life or in the life to come when Christ shall give possession of an Everlasting Kingdom to merciful men 8. Justice and Mercy render men like unto God and are Duties most agreeable to Christians who have believed in Christ and must love their Brethren with a dying-giving love seeing Christ dyed and gave Himself for them and they have so deeply tasted of God's love in Him CHAP. XV. The Ninth Commandement AFter that God had determined the right of persons § I and things by the former laws he here prescribes a rule of judgement For as in the civil law some observe 1. Jus. 2. Judicium as the parts and members of the same and meanes to observe justice So it 's here That which they call Jus Civile is nothing else but the law determining the right of persons things actions both publick and private And that which they call Judicium is nothing else but certain rules regulating judgment which determines whether the law hath been obeyed or disobeyed and the right determined by law observed or violated and proceeds accordingly So that as the former four Commandements determine the right of persons and things to be observed by man so this prescribes a rule for the better ordering of Judgment The end therefore of this law is to regulate Judgement and to prevent unjust and stablish just Judgment amongst men This therefore is the originall of all humane jurisdiction and civil Courts For the better understanding thereof you must observe that all civill power is threefold legislative judicial executive and all governments once constituted begin to act in making laws goes on in judgment according to these laws and end in execution according to this judgment For execution is the last act and consummation of civil power The former Commandements give certain rules for the enacting of humane laws this of ordering humane judgment That some understand this Commandement so as though all sins of the tongue were here forbidden is not true Because Perjury and Blasphemy are forbidden in the first Table reviling words against our betters in the 5th Racha and thou Fool in the 6th Bawdry in the 7th lying for gaine in the 8th Commandement Others think that the end of this is to provide for our Neighbours fame and good name Yet this doth not reach the true scope of this law which is as you heard before to establish just judgment These things observed § II for to cleare the order manifest the scope and give some generall light I proceed to the explication of the words of the Commanment which is negative and therein we may observe 1. A party litigant whose cause is brought before a judge 2. Witnesse to give-in evidence in the cause 3. The testimony 4. The quality of it 1. The party litigant is our Neighbour whether friend Kinsman stranger enemy considered as litigant and in this place it may signifie either the Plaintiff or Defendant For all causes are brought into Courts of judgment by information and complaint And here I need not distinguish of causes which are according to some civil criminall capitall nor of Courts whereof some are supreme receiving last appeals and are not bound to formalities or subordinate and inferiour Courts which have a limited jurisdiction and are bound to a certain form of proceeding 2. The witnesse is one that is or should be indifferent to the cause and in no wise inclined to the partyes and hath or is supposed to have some certaine knowledge in the matter complained of and controverted and so is able to give some evidence to the judge who is bound not onely to know the law but the thing controverted before he give judgment For no man can justly judge of that which he knows not 3. The testimony is an act of a Witnesse as a Witnesse whereby he declares or pretends to declare especially to the Judge his knowledge in the cause controverted The end of it is to give evidence that so the merit or demerit of the cause may be known And because this testimony is given upon examination and interrogation therefore in the originall Not to beare false Witnesse is Not to answer false Witnesse The Testimony in this respect puts on the nature of an Answer which is given especially in doubtfull causes upon Oath and the Oath is taken to make the testimony credible because it 's supposed no man will hazzard his soul and interest in God And because it 's the highest degree of confirmation in such causes it 's therefore said to be an end of all strife Heb. 6. 16. 4. The quality of the Testimony is the last thing in the Commandement and it may be either true or false and so either promote or hinder justice do right or wrong unto our Neighbour litigant Truth and Falshood are not onely essentiall but accidentall qualityes to a testimony and because men are not infallible therefore their testimony may be false as well as true And the quality forbidden is falshood the quality commended is truth for God saith Thou shalt not beare false Witnesse In this Commandement as in severall others there is a Synechdoche For hereby witnesse giving evidence we must understand all partyes that any wayes actively concurr to judgement Whether they be the partyes litigant Plaintiff or Defendant as the Judge or the partyes assistant as Sollicitours Atturnyes Advocates Notaries and Clarks or such as are trusted with the execution either of Writs or Judgment The reason why Witnesse is onely named is because judgement doth so much yea necessarily depend upon Evidence and one kind and the same most usuall is by Witnesses Yet by testimony must be meant all other kind of evidence and in this Word is also a Synechdoche for by it we must understand all judiciall acts as Complaints Apologies convention plea sentence execution The meaning therefore of the Commandement must be this Thou shalt not any wayes concur to unjust judgement neither shalt thou hinder but thou must do thy best to promote justice in all causes and tryalls So that injustice in
Gen. 18. 25. Where he acknowledgeth 1. His Universall jurisdiction He is Judge of all the World 2. His absolute justice Shall He not do right That is certainly he Shall 6. His power is Almighty and as he can easily summon all before his judgment Seat even the greatest so he can execute his judgments to the full whether in punishments or rewards So that this Judgment is free from all the imperfections of humane Courts whether civil or Ecclesiasticall This judgment differs from that which he pass'd upon Men and Angels at the first For it hath another rule and conâ—iders the persons to be judged and their works under another notion and the Judge also is God as Redeemer The obedience or disobedience which are the proper formall object of this judgment are to be measured by the Laws of Redemption The one is faith the other unbelief And these things must seriously be considered lest we confound the several jurisdictions of this supreme Lord. â— This judgment is two-fold § II 1. Particular 2. Universal and final By Particular I meane the judgment of God passed and executed before the Resurrection By Universall that which follows when God shall keep his last and generall Assises And both these shall be considered 1. In the Punishments 2. In the Rewards To begin with the Punishments of the Particular judgment and they are either such as are determined and inflicted upon Collective bodyes or upon Single persons and they are either temporall or spirituall In the discovery of these punishments as likewise of the rewards I might take a Chronological method beginning with the first times of the World after the promise of Christ was made and â—o go through the Scriptures beginning with Gen. 4. and go on unto the end of the Revelation For even in the dayes of Adam God began to open his Court and set himself in the Throne of Justice and shall continue without any vacation or intermission unto the Resurrection Universal And here I might make use of humane Historyes which if true and wisely composed will manifest much of Gods just Judgments which take up a great part of those Voluâ—s But this to do would make these Divine Politicks and brief Treatise swell unto a Vast Volume Yet if any man of ability would single out this subject and enlarge upon it he might thereby much honour God and do great service unto Man There is another method might be taken and the same very usefuâ—l and that is to reduce the severall judgments to their proper places in the Laws of God Redeemer For as some sins are generall against all the Laws of God Some against the Morals Some against the Positives Some against some of the Moral precepts joyntly considered Some against the severall and particular precepts accordingly the punishments might be ranked and the same order might be observed in the rewards But lest we should confound the judgments of the two severall Governments amongst others two rules may be observed whereby we may difference them and this difference once known I may go on without interruption The 1. Rule is from the judgments themselves The 2. From the Laws and works disagreeable to these Laws 1. The judgments which fall and lye upon all mankind indefinitely as Mortality the curse of the earth ejection out of Paradise the perill and paine of Women in bearing and bringing forth Children and the paenal subjection of them unto their Husbands For these are common to all both believers and unbelievers and are inflicted upon all mankind without exception for the first sin Yet because some of these or some part of them may be in some measure removeable or abateable and yet continue they may become penaltyes inflicted by God Redeemer 2. The Lawes of God Creatour require perfect obedience not onely in all things and degrees but in all times and say thus Do this and live and if thou do not this thus thou must dye and there is no remedy but this Law if it be maâ—e the rule oâ—â—udgment as God might have made it The Law of God Redemeer saith Though thou hast sinned and dost sin yet if thou return by the power of my grace and believe thou shalt live and not dye Though thou art guilty and liable to punishment and the same lye upon thee in part yet upon these conditions the penalty may be removed or prevented Some of the sins forbidden in the Law of work are the same materially with those forbidden in the Gospel and so are some of the dutyes yet they differ formally if we speak after the manner of the Schools This you have heard before For any sâ—n after it once put on the notion of impenitency by delay and neglect to return it presently begins to be a sin against the Gospel And such are all sins committed after the first promise of Christ. Such was the Murder of Cain the corruption of the old world the filthinesse of Sodome and all the rest mentioned in the book of God from Gen. 4. to the end So that all the penaltyes as that of Cain the old World the Builders of Babel and the rest were penaltyes as threatned by so inflicted for the sins against God Redeemer All this is evident from the books of Moses and all the Prophets which speak to men as sinfull promise Christ forbid impenitency Preach and urge repentance and make all penaltyes removeable upon that condition which could not have been done if sin and penaltyes had been looked upon according to the Law of works Therefore it 's in vain to argue that because as the Law of Works commanded love to God love to Neighbour did forbid Idolatry Perjury Mâ—rder Theft c did threaten death and punishment for these sins so the Gospel commands the same dutyes forbids the very same things threatneth the same penaltyes and promiseth life that therefore the Law of works continueth especially the Morall Law For the precepts prohibitions promises threats of the Law of works and the Law of grace come under different notions For an instance we may amongst many places single out this one Let the wicked forsake his way and the unrighteous man his thoughts and let him return unto the Lord and he will have mercy upon him and to our God and he will abundantly pardon Esa. 55. 7. The Law of works saith Be not Wicked Sin not at all The Law of Grace saith Though thou hast sinned and art wicked yet forsake thy wicked way and return unto the Lord against whom thou hast sinned The Law of Works saith Thou hast sinned and must dye I have no promise of life or Pardon for thee The Law of Grace saith though thou by thy sin hast deserved to dye yet upon condition of repentance and return thou shalt be Pardoned and live I touch more often upon this point and here stand more largely upon it because some will take no notice of it others who are sufficiently informed are hardly perswaded of this
doth not hence follow that we shall be justified by our works In the matter of Judgment and the Cause to be tried there are two things the Merit and the Evidence And who dare say that good works are the merit of the cause which are only the Evidence Gregory the Great distinguisheth in this case saith we shall be judged and so rewarded Secundum sed non propter Opera Where Promises of Life Blessing Reward and of Glory and of Remission of Sin are made to such as do works of Mercy or suffer for Christ's sake or love God or serve and fear him we must observe that where any one of these is named all the rest are meant and that the Person qualified with one is qualified with all and the reason is because there is such a connexion between them that where one is predominant and in sincerity all the rest are inseparably joyned Yet none of these can be where faith in Christ is not neither can a living faith continue without all these or any of these and where such a faith is not none of these can be in such a Subject or if they could be without it yet without it they could not be acceptable nor rewardable Neither could this qualifie the Person aright nor faith qualify aright if it were not fixed on Christ. The Apostle James indeed saith that Abraham was justified by works and that by works a man is justified and not by faith onely Chap. 2. 23. Yet we must consider 1. That he speaks of the same justification of Abraham wherein Paul instanceth who affirmeth that Abraham was justified by faith and not by works and proves it out of Psal. 32. 12. 2. That James speaks against such as professe â—aith without practise and his principall Scope is to shew that a vain faith a dead faith a faith without works the faith of Devills which may be in Devills cannot justify nor can any man be justified by such a faith and implies that when Paul or any Apostle speaks of justifying faith they do not mean such a faith and that no Solifidian can be justified at all before God He speaks of such works as follow faith and Justification by saith which did evidently prove the sincerity of their faith and the certainty of their Justification One cause of this mistake both in them of Rome and others is 1. Because they do not consider that the Righteousnesse required before the Judgment Seat of God especially at last triall must be perfect and such as the party to be justified cannot by law that Law which should be the Rule of Judgment be chargeable with any the least Sin 2. They do not consider that the party to be justified is in himself a guilty Sinner and as such can in no wise be justifiable before the most just and sin-detesting Judge 3. That the Justification so much spoken of in Scripture especially in the Apostles writings is Remission and onely Remission of Sin in which respect no man guilty can be justified by Works For all the good works a man can do in a thousand years cannot expiate one Sin antecedent intervenient or consequent nor free him from the guilt of eternall death Austin saith truly that our righteousnesse is true because referred to the right end yet in this life it consists potius remissione Peccatorum quà m perfectione Virtutum rather in Remission of Sin then perfection of Virtue For as he manifestly shews our righteousnesse of good works is imperfect many wayes imperfect therefore he exhorts us to give thanks to God for our good works whereby he implies that they are God's gifts and more God's then ours And certainly they are so and God never gave them to us that we should stand upon Terms with God and plead that the Righteousnesse of them was such as that for them he in Justice was bound to justify them No penitent Sinner dare plead so No wise man will plead so and the best of men in that last day of Triall will wave the Plea of Works and will onely plead God'â— Mercy and Christ's Merit and his own faith in the one and the other onely What shall we plead Merit or righteouâ—ness of works or any title to reward by them because God hath freed us from the Dominion of Sin and the Power of Satan and by his Spirit enabled us to do a few good Works and the same through our own default imperfect whereas he might have bound us to a thousand years oâ— Penance and as many of service in good Works without promising any Reward the least Men may dispute acutely and subtilly for justification by Works now and here but then and there summond to be tried before the great glorious and most just King they will recant be ashamed of their arguments and abhor themselvs as in themselvs most sinfull and guilty wretches God did never ordain good works which are the fruits of a sincere faith in Christ to acquire a right unto Remission of Sin and eternall life but to be a means whereby we may obtain the Possession of these Rewards he hath promised And whosoever will take the words of St. James in proper Sense neglecting the true Scope of the Apostle can hardly avoid it but must contradict the Doctrine of St. Paul agree with the Papists in their Doctrine of justification by Works for the main use the same arguments to maintain it and give the same Answers to Objections against it which they do though in some Terms and Circumstances they may differ CHAP. XXIII Of the several Branches Parts and Degrees of Justification and the continuance of them unto us until the Final Judgment HItherto of Justification by Faith in Christ § I in general After which follow the several Branches or Parts and degrees thereof if we may so call them and the continuance of them to us till the final and universal Judgment of our great and glorious Lord and King-Redeemer These are Regeneration Reconciliation Adoption Ministery of Angels and the rest And they may be considered 1 As they free us from the guilt and punishment of sin Whether the punishment be privative or positive 2 As they make the estate of the justified person of miserable to be happy and blessed The first is Regeneration which in the Execution of this great and special Judgment frees us from that great Penalty of Original Unrighteousness the Dominion of sin and slavery under Sathan of this you have heard before and shall hear more distinctly and particularly of it in the continuance hereafter For the first thing in order though not in time seeing all go together is the restoring of the regenerating and sanctifying Spirit to abide in us after it hath prepared us and it is so necessary a part of Justification that if we distinguish between the Sentence removing the guilt and the Execution removing the punishment the Sentence without the Execution could be little advantage unto us nor could it minister any
comfort And God knowing this doth alwayes in this particular declare the Sentence by the Execution and never did justify and person and left him unsanctified And by this Sactification doth plainly testify unto the party justified that he hath freed him from the guilt and obligation to the greatest Punishment of all Yet this Regeneration is not perfect at the first neither shall be fully perfect in Body and Soul untill the Resurrection This must needs be the first part of branch because all that follow depend upon it and without it we are uncapable of them For as God for order so far as our shallow capacity will reach is first conceived to be holy before he be conceived as happy so man must needs be The greatest and first penalty for Sin was to take away the sanctifying Spirit and the greatest mercy is to restore it again And this as all the rest is derived immediatly from Christ believed upon For by faith we first have Union then Communion with him and derive both Grace and Peace from God the Father and his Son Jesus Christ and are blessed in him with all spirituall Blessings It 's called Regeneration because we are by it delivered from that most fearfull death we call the death of Sin and receive a new and spirituall life being created anew according to his Image in Righteousnesse and true Holinesse It may be said to be begun though at some distance in Vocation when ouâ— Hearts are first prepared for then informed with Faith and so we are ingrafted into Christ and made one with him Yet all this was but a preparation for it and tending unto it to complete our union with our Saviour And when we are once united that Spirit which did onely prepare us is given to abide in us constantly and first as a Spirit of Sanctification In this the foundation of eternall Joy and Glory is laid and now we begin to move directly towards our full happinesse This not onely takes away former guilt but the very Root of former guilt of Sin The second Branch is our Reconciliation § XI for being justified by Faith we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ by whom also we have accesse into the Grace wherein we stand This is said to be an effect of Justification strictly taken In the words of the Apostle Rom. 5. 1 2. we must consider 1. The Condition of the party to be reconciled before he be reconciled 2. What this Peace with God is 3. Who they are that are thus reconciled and have this Peace 4. How they have it through Jesus Christ our Lord. 1. Because Reconciliation presupposeth Emnity therefore the condition of the party to be reconciled must be that he is at Emnity with God and God at Emnity with him There is Emnity between them and this is a very sad condition to be at Emnity with that God in whom all our comfort is and upon whose favour depends our spirituall and eternall happinesse The cause of this Emnity is Sin considered either in the habit or in the act or guilt By the habit and the act we are contrary to God as just and holy and God must needs abhorr us Therefore the Scripture represents Sin as base and filthy polluting the Sinner and God as pure and holy hating detesting abominating sin For nothing is so contrary to God and so odious in his sight as sinne Therefore is it said Thou art not a God that hast pleasure in Wickedness neither shall evil dwell with thee The foolish shall not stand in thy sight Thou hatest the Workers of Iniquity â— Psal. 5. 4 5. And thou art of purer eyes then to behold evil and canst not look upon Iniquity Hab. 1. 13. And there shall in no wise enter into the new and holy Jerusalem any thing that defileth Rev. 21. 27. And without as in no wise admitted to enter are Dogs and Sorcerers and Whoremongers and Murderers and Idolaters and who so maketh a Lye Rev. 22. 15. That is men polluted and defiled with sin are uncapable of this Society and communion with the most holy God and his most holy people Nay we are commanded to be holy as He is holy and if we be not so He will not admit us into his presence hear our Prayers accept our Persons or our Service nay He will cast us out of His Presence And though He may love us as Men yet He cannot love us as polluted with sin As sin so the Emnity begins on our part for we first sin and so are alienated and Enemies in or by our mind by wicked Works Col. 1. 21. Where the Learned Bishop of Salisbury observes 1 The miserable estate of those Colossians before they were reconciled it was an estate of Emnity and Hostility And 2 The cause and that was the mind in sin set on sin so he with Beza understands it The first Emnity therefore is from sin as sin But this is not all for sin as a transgression of the Law of God threatning punishment offends God and provokes him to anger as it makes man liable to punishment So as that God who as merciful is inclined to reward as just is bent to punish and so not onely take away his mercies but inflict Positive Penalties to take vengeance upon the sinner for the Transgression and Contempt of His Law And he that continueth in his sin without repentance must needs be an Enemy and the subject of His Wrath. God is an enemy to him not as a man but as a sinful man continuing in sin and as he is unclean he can have no fellowship with God who is Light and in whom there is no Darkness because he walks in Darknessâ— and he is deprived of his special favour and love and lies under His heavy displeasure This is the condition of the party before He be reconciled The 2d Thing to be considered is What this peace with God should be And 1 It 's peace after Emnity Therefore called Reconciliation 2 It 's a removal and taking away the emnity by taking away the cause thereof as you shall hear hereafter 3 This Emnity is so taken away that the state of the Person reconciled is not a bare Neutrality between God and him but a state of special love and favour whereupon follows an acceptation of the person and an admittance into God's presence to come with boldness and confidence unto the Throne of Grace a delight in his Prayers and Service and a Peace and quiet calm of Conscience which cannot be without great joy God before did hate hide his face cast out of his presence and man once sensible of his sin doth fear and fly from God's preâ—ence as from a conâ—uming Fire As Adam hearing the voice of God was afraid and hid himself and Israel trembled before Mount Sinai burning with fire up to the midst of Heaven Now God loves and man is bold and confident This is a special favour God bears unto his
before whose Throne of Grace we may approach without fear We are free Children of a free Mother We are not Servants born of Hagar the Bond-woman but free women of Jerusalem which is above and Mother of us all Gal. 4. 26. And as Jerusalem is our Mother so God is our Father who hath given us the Spirit of Adoption 3 We being adopted enjoy the Ministery of Angels those Blessed and Immortal Spirits who have a charge to keep us in all our ways guard us and pitch their Tents about us If we be in any place in any danger at any time they must be ready at hand If Jacob fear his Brother Esau two Armies of them shall meet him and secure him from danger When man by sin forsakes his God he 's out of God's special Protection and the Angels have no Commission to take care of him But if he return unto his God again they rejoyce upon his Conversion and upon God's Command do pitch their Tents about him And since Jesus Christ the Son of God was made Lord of Angels as soon as any do believe in him and are made the Sons of God he gives them special charge concerning his little Ones For they are all ministring Spirits sent forth to minister for them that shall be Heirs of Salvation Heb. 1. 14. 4 So soon as we are Sons we fall under God's special Providence and so He takes a far greater care of us than of others If we offend He in dearest love will chastise us not to destroy us but correct us because He will not suffer sinne to lye upon us He will try us not vex us but to exercise our Virtues and purifie our Faith that so we may come out of the Furnace of afflictions more pure then finest Gold If we fall He will raise us up again If we grow cold He will quicken us If we fall into danger He will deliver us if into want He will provide for us necessaries For our Heavenly Father knoweth that we have need of all these things 5 He in His excellent Wisdom out of greatest mercy so orders all events all conditions either of Prosperity or Adversity all his Works of Providence so that Heaven and Earth Men and Angels yea all Creatures and all things shall conspire and work together for our good and all shall unite Forces and full power which united as in one single cause shall further our Salvation 6 God loves them as his Children with a special love and pities them far more then any Father in the World pities his Child and nothing shall be able to separate from the love of that Father whom they love 7 He gives his Spirit of Adoption into their Hearts to anoint them seal them assure them of their present right unto and the full Possession in due time of their Heavenly Inheritance God their Father loves them and they must certainly know it Their estate therefore is an estate of unspeakable joy comfort Yet it requires that we should be obedient and dutiful Children and the love of God which is so great and advanceth them so high should deeply engage them to the love and obedience of their Heavenly Father This is the beginning of God's Judgment § VII in dispensing and disposing of his Spiritual Rewards of Conversion and Justification which include all the rest and bring them into an happy and blessed estate After this the continuance of this blessed estate is to be considered For God continues to judge and reward according to the continuance of their Faith and this in all parts of the World where any of his Saints shall be For all jointly and every one severally are the subjects of this Judgment which continually proceeds according to his Laws of Redemption As their Faith and Repentance are not made perfect at the first so their rewards joys and comforts are not consummate but by degrees And as their Faith may be sometimes greater sometimes less so this estate is better or worse or rather not so good Whilest Faith habitual remains rooted in 〈◊〉 heart they are virtually justified When it 's actual their Justification actual will follow When their Faith is lively and continues to act vigorously their estate is so much the more comfortable In this continuance of Rewards the same Rewards formerly given there is required a continuance of the grace of God's Spirit abiding in them to enable them to Duty and observance of his Laws and according to the continuance of this grace a continuance of performances without both which there can be no continuance of Rewards The grace of God is so continued that it doth not prevent all sin and disobedience and therefore we are not free from all punishments Yet as we contract new guilt every day so every day we should renew our Repentance and Faith and so present our selves before the Tribunal of this Heavenly Judge and sue for Pardon in the Name of Christ and suffer no guilt to lye long upon us And as this Court is continually open to dispense Rewards so it is to punish and chastise according as our deserts shall be If our sins shall be greater and our neglect of our renewing our Repentance and Faith longer the greater punishments both of loss and pain shall be as was evident in David This state of Conversion § VIII and Justification may be considered as continued in this Life or after Death until the Resurrection And it 's a continuance of it in the several Branches of Justification as in the continuance of Regeneration Reconciliation Adoption Regeneration which is commonly called Sanctification as continued is the first For that which they call Sanctification which follows Justification is the continuance of the first Regeneration which is a Bâ—anch of Juâ—â—ification and a removing of that great Penalty of loss of the sanctifying Spirit and the woful immediate consequent thereof as Blindness Perversness and the Dominion of Sin from which issue all Actual Transgressions which would multiply to a great number and rise to a higher degree of Malignancy if God by Reâ—â—raint or Renovation did not prevent both To understand this Sanctification continued the better we must distinguish of it as Active and Passive As Active it's an act of God sanctifying us Passive it 's those gifts and graces of the Spirit whereby we are enabled to avoid sin and obey God For though this be an active Power yet in respect of God giving it and us receiving it it may be called Passive though properly it be an effect of God the cause and a cause of an obedience following The active Sanctification is 1 The acting of the Spirit to prepare us convert us work Faith in us and by Faith unite us unto Christ. For all these may be called Acts of Sanctification in a large sense yet in Scripture they are called Vocation whereby God through the power of the Spirit accompanying the Word doth convert us and bring us to Christ. 2 This Sanctification active
of this subjection especially after Christ's Exaltation Men are reduced by Calling Of the nature of Calling whereby Predestination begins to be put in execution What Predestination is considered as a Model or Idea in God Of this special Government and Ordination of Man to His Eternal Estate CHAP. V. The Exercise of this New Power acquired in the Administration considered first in general How this Kingdom was administred from the times of Adam till the Call of Abraham and God's Covenant with him How from his time till Moses How from Moses till John the Baptist. The Covenant made at Mount Sinai The Bondage of the Church under that Covenant according to the Promise in her minority Some alteration begun by John the Baptist. The exaltation of Christ to be Administrator-General The great alteration that followed thereupon in Administration both in Heaven and Earth CHAP. VI. The Administration of the Kingdom of God-Redeemer in particular by Laws Moral Positive as a Rule of Obedience in Precepts and Prohibitions Conscience what it is The Moral Laws of perpetual Obligation The different manner of Obligation to Adam Innocent from that which followed after the first Promise of Christ. The more perfect knowledge of it always continued in the Church which hath its use to the Gentile to the Jew to the Church-Christian How to be understood Evangelically The inequality of the Morality of several Commandments CHAP. VII The First Commandment The Preface of Moses and the Preface of God The meaning of the words How to be understood and how observed Evangelically The sins forbidden reduced to Atheism and Idolatry The Duties commanded and how to be performed to God-Redeemer alone as Supream and that in the highest degree CHAP. VIII The Second Commandment The Analysis of the whole shewing the sinne prohibited the Reasons why it must be avoided the particular and distinct Explication of the whole Commandement and every part what is expresly and in proper sense forbidden what by consequence and analogy The Duties commanded both under the Law and the Gospel both by consequence and analogy CHAP. IX The third Commandement The Order and Connexion of this with the former as of the former with the first The Analysis the proper and immediate sense the sins forbidden and the Duties commanded by consequence and analogy CHAP. X. The Fourth Commandement The order and relation of this Commandement to the former The reason why God instituted a Sabbath and the end of it the Analysis of the words the Explication of every part the Duties commanded the sins forbidden the Reasons to perswade to Sanctification the Jewish Sabbath ceased the Lord Day substituted and both upon sufficient grounds plain in Scripture CHAP. XI The Fifth Commandement The order the difference the inequality of the former and this latter part of the Law This with the four following derive their Morality from the last as that receives Morality from the first of the first Table the Analysis the Explication the Duties commanded the sins forbidden expresly by consequence and analogy as they concern persons in Families States Churches according to their several Relations CHAP. XII The Sixth Commandement The Subject man's life the absolute propriety whereof is in God the use onely in Man and it cannot be taken away without Warrant and Commission from God What Murther is what the degrees thereof what sins are here forbidden what Duties commanded Reasons against Murther CHAP. XIII The Seventh Commandement Adultery presupposeth Marriage what Adultery it is how many ways committed the heynousness of the sin and the Reasons against it what sins here implicitly according to certain Rules are reducible to this Commandement and forbidden The degrees of uncleanness the Causes the Duty in general commanded Chastity inward outward in Marrriage Single life the disswasives from Uncleanness the swasives to Chastity with the means to preserve it CHAP. XIV The Eighth Commandment Which presupposeth Propriety absolute in God derivative and limited in Man The several ways of acquiring it the degrees of it What Theft is The distinction of Thieves and Theft according as it is more or less palpable and as goods are publike or private or sacred committed by such as are trusted by others or have contracted with others The several kinds of Thefts in respect of Contracts The degrees of Theft The Causes What is commanded The meanes whereby Justice in this kind is preserved The reasons perswading to the observation of it CHAP. XV. The Ninth Commandement This Commandement presupposing Laws and the power of Jurisdiction aymes at just Judgment The former determines the right of Persons in the fifth of things as Wife-life Goods in the sixth seventh eighth and this to be observed before Judgment This prescribes our Neighbours right in Judgment The words explained The end why Witnesses are onely mentioned The Duties and Offences judicial of Jnformers Plaintiffs Defendants Sollicitors Atturneys Witnesses Notaries Counsellours Iurors delatory and judicial Judges Executioners The Disswasives from Disobedience Swasives to Obedience of this Commandement CHAP. XVI The Tenth Commandement This Commandement derives morality unto and is the rule root and measure of the five former Commandements and is explained Certain Rules and Observations upon the words explained The sins forbidden the Duties commanded the principal and intended duty which is To love our Neighbour as our selves What love in general is What the love of our Neighbour What the measure and what the end of it is Certain Rules added to give light to understand and use the Moral Law of Moses's Ten Commandements CHAP. XVII Of Positive and Ceremonial Laws of God-Redeemer as a Rule of Obedience The Name and Nature of Ceremonial and Positive Laws The Ceremonials and Positives especially Sacrifices and Sacraments instituted before the Exhibition of Christ and the Revelation of the Gospel The nature of Sacraments in general and their Accidents The Sacraments of the New Testament The Institution of Baptism by Christ in the Name of the Father Son and Holy Ghost The definition of it the Institution of the Eucharist with the definition of it the Explication of the Elements Actions Words mentioned in the Institution who may administer these Sacraments To whom this may be administred Whether Christian Infants as one person with their Parents who are members of the Church and joyned with them in obligations and priviledges may not be baptized Whether the Faith as well as Prayers of one may not profit another Whether these Sacraments ought to be administred upon a divine infallible or humane fallible Judgment CHAP. XVIII Of Prayer Of the nature of Prayer The Lord's Prayer The Preface directing 1 Who must pray 2 For whom 3 To whom 4 In what manner And that since Christ's Glorification all Prayers even the Lord's Prayer is to be offered in the name of Christ and so to God-Redeemer The body of the Prayer contracting the matter of all Prayer to a few Petitions disposed in a most excellent order That which is first matter of
Petition if once received becomes the matter of Thanksgiving A brief Explication of every several Petition and also of the conclusion CHAP. XIX Of Promises and Threatnings The Laws of God both Moral and Positive considered as a Rule of Judgment in Promises and Comminations The nature of Promises in general and of Comminations Their Order as following Precepts and Prohibitions The nature of the Promises of God-Redeemer The nature of Comminations The difference between Promises and Threatnings both in respect of themselves and of the subject and also the matter which are rewards or punishments bodily spiritual of this life of that which is to come CHAP. XX. Of Punishments What the Iudgment of God-Redeemer is It 's Particular Universal Of Punishments which might be reduced to order according to Chronology or according to Laws general or particular for the violation whereof they are inflicted The difference between the punishments upon Mankind for Adam's sinne and those which we are liable to for our sins against the Laws of God-Redeemer Several distinctions of punishments Of Spiritual punishments suffered in this life both by Unbelievers and Believers considered either as single persons or associate in lesser or greater Communities both Ecclesiastical and Civil Punishments suffered after Death before the Resurrection CHAP. XXI Of Rewards What a Reward of God-Redeemer is The distinction of Rewards into those of this life and that which is to come before and after the Resurrection Rewards presuppose the performance of a Duty and the first special Duty pre requires preventing Grace The first special Reward is to take away the Stoney-heart and to give an heart of Flesh. The second is God's writing of His Laws in Mans heart The third God becomes our God Christ our Head and we are made His Subjects His Members CHAP. XXII Of Justification The fourth Spiritual Reward is Justification defined The Judge and how considered The Party judged Man sinful guilty penitent believing in Christ as Propitator and Intercessour What kind of Faith justifying Faith is The Acts of it and what the Objects of these Acts are and what not Where the Iudgment or Iudicial Act is passed and how manifested What it is The proper effect of it Certain observations The greatest punishment Justification frees us froÌ„ is the want loss of the Sanctifying Spirit and the dominion of sin How this Doctrine differs from that of Trent Councel Three Questions 1. Whether God doth always in every Sentence of Justification free the guilty totally or sometimes onely in part 2. Whether there be two parts of Justification as Remission and Imputation 3. Whether good Works be a condition of Justification continued or final so as to give a right upon the Promise CHAP. XXIII Of the Parts of Justification and the continuance of it The Branches or Parts of Justification which some call Effects as Regeneration Reconciliation Adoption from which arises the happy estate of the justified The continuance of these in this Life and after Death before the Resurrection which might be called the Fifth Reward Mortification Vivification The Spiritual War The different Issue of the several Battails The last Issue which is a final Victory Of Perseverance and falling away CHAP. XXIV The Final and Universal Judgment The time of this Judgment The Judge His manner of coming The General Summons Convention and Appearance of Men and Angels The Eternal Rewards of the Godly The Eternal Punishment of impenitent and unbelieving Sinners These several Books following are Printed and to be sold by Francis Tyton at the Three Daggers in Fleet-street MR. Baxter's Saints everlasting Rest Quarto His Apologie containing Exceptions against Mr. Blake The Digression of Mr. Kendal Animadversions on a late Dissertatition of Ludiomeus Colvinus alias Ludovinus Molineus An Admonition to Mr. Eyrs With Mr. Crandon's Anatomy quarto Confession of Faith quarto Christian Concord quarto Defence of the Worcester-shire Petition quarto Advice to the Parliament quarto Letter to Mr. Durry for Pacification quarto Concerning the Saints perseverance quarto The Quakers Catechism quarto Of Infant-Baptism against Mr. Tombs The Unreasonableness of Infidelity Octavo Thirty two Directions for getting and keeping Spiritual Peace Octavo Against Popery Octavo Mr. Lawson's Examination oâ— the Political Part of Hobb's his Leviathan Octavoâ— These several Books of Mr. Gilberts Minister of Limtick in Ireland THe Libertine school'd Or A Vindication of the Magistrates Power in Matters of Religion Quarto A Soveraign Antidote against those sinful Errours that are the Epidemical Disease of our Times quarto A pleasant Walk to Heaven on Ephes. 4. 1. quarto The Blessed Peace-maker Or A Christian Reconciler intended for the healing of our Divisions quarto Innocents no Saints Or A Pair of Spectacles for a dark sighted Quaker By E. Dod. quarto Man's Duty in magnifying God's Work A Sermon preached before the Parliament on the occasion of the Victory obtained against the Spanish Fleet By John How Preacher of the Word at the Abbey-Church Westminster quarto The Perusall of an old Statute of Death and Judgment A Funeral Sermon By Mr. Bedford in quartâ— These several Books following of Mr. Strong HEavenly Treasure Or Man's chiefest good Twelves Communion with God the Saints Priviledge and Duty Twelves Thirty one Sermons preached on select occasions quarto The Will of Man subjected to the Will of God Octavo A Commemoration Sermon preached at Pauls on the 5th of November 1646 quarto A Voice out of the Temple Being also a Sermon on the 5th of November quarto A Confession of Faith of the severaâ— Congregations or Churches oâ— Christ in London commonly called Anabaptists quarto A Discovery of some tâ—oublesome Thoughts By Daniel King quarto Gospel-Glory in the 〈…〉 invisible Worship of God By Edw. Drapes quarto Common-Good Or The Improvement of Commons Forrests 〈◊〉 Chaâ—es by Incloâ—ure By S. T. quarto An Assiâ—e Sermon Preâ—â—â—bed by Thâ— Gilbert quarto The Word of Faith Or The Coâ—lection of the Sermons of a Mâ—neth preached at Martins in the Fields methodically By Mr. Sanger Barton's Translation of the sinâ—ing Psalms Twelves Sydenham's for Infant-Baptism Octavo Renodeus Dispensatory in Folio Spencer's Similies in Folio Dr. Robinson's Endoxa in Octavo Dr. Harrison's Spiritual Logick in Octavo The History of Dreams By Mr. Philip Goodwin Minister at Watford Octavo The Three Theological Graces By Mr. Ward Octavo Biddle dispossest in answer to his Challenge Twelves Habbington's Edward the 4th in Folio His Observations on History in Octavo Allen 's Henry the 7th Octavo Buck on the Beatitudes in quarto Eurialus and Lucretia Octavo Herbert 's Henry the 8th Folio English Law By Charles George-Cock Folio Par on the Romans Folio Hackwel's Argument for the Liberty of the Subject quarto The false Brother quarto Mr. Sedgwick's Sermon at Mr. Strong 's Funeral quarto Hamilton's Case argued by Mr. Steel now Lord Chancellour in Ireland quarto Gospel-Ministery and Gospel-Light and Life By Dornford in octavo The Rise Fall and Ruine of Antichrist By
Haughton octavo Orders of Chancery octavo Illustrious Bashaw in folio The Bloody Inquisition of Spain Twelves Hughs Abridgment of the Common Law Large quarto â—is Abridgment of all the Acts and Ordâ—nances quarto Several Works of Mr. Murret Minister at Dublin in Ireland with his Life quarto A Catalogue of the Chancellours of England quarto A Scripture Chronology By Mr. Al lâ—n Minister in quarto A Catalogue of most Books vendible in England of Divinity History Law c. quarto Annotations upon Job Psalms Proverbs Ecclesiastes Song of Solomon By Arthur Jackson Preacher of God's Word at Faiths under Pauls quarto ERRATA PAg. 6. l. 36. artificiale read inartificiale p. 9. l. 30. yet men r. yet if men p. 17. l. 35. unbelief r. belief p. 17. l. 47. which r. what for it r. is in the Margent by is omitted p. 18. l. 18. Legal r. Regal p 32. l. 36. wrap r. rap p. 23. l. 43. delâ— not p. 36. pro. 34. l. 32. knew r know p. 35. l. 31. if r of p. 39. l. 47. in it is written r it is written p. 40. l. 38. elements r element p. 48. l. 17. they have r God hath l. 35. propriety r variety p. 50. l. 17. resign r reign p. 54. l. 15. r. and attain p. 66. l. 19. convinced r charged p. 70. l. 30. wherein passed r wherein God passed p. 70. l. 21. heart r heel p. 91. l. 26 case r cause p. 94. l. 18. r with godly sorrow l. 40. resently r presently p. 96. l. 8. he r God l. 21. in r to p. 103. l. 50. pardoned r pardonable p. 107. l. 10. charge r care p. 106. l. 7. it is omitted p. 111. l. 16. sure r since p. 147. l. 12. twofoldness r twofold use p. 153. l. 3. ought r would accused r accursed p. 156. l. 39. as he omit as p. 160. l. 47. meer r meerly p. 172. l. 36. because he r man may p. 176. l. 32. to r they who p. 177. l. 35. it is omitted l. 37. omit the word not p. 183. l. 43. rise r risen p. 184. l. 32. the word King is omitted p. 189. l. 27. r in some p. 200. l. 9. is the r its the. l. 16. omit they p. 208. l. 40. all r also p. 233. l. 38. new r mens l. 40. r arbitrary power p. 227. l. 3. unprofitable r profitable p. 242. l. 26. Grenaeus r Iraeneus p. 246. l. 30. Cross r Mass. l. 38. r Heb. 9. 26. p. 264. l. 36. if r that p. 276. l. 49. for nothing r something p. 278. l. 45. but r by p. 285. l. 46. conform r confirm p. 297. Pro. 327. l. 38. was made r was not made p. 328. l. 15. omit the word to p. 330. l. ult r c. p. 394. l. 6. external r eternal The First Scheme Howâ—â—â— the 〈◊〉 the Holy Sâ—riptuâ—â— which being the Word of God written signifie the Mind of God concerning His special Government first known unto Himself alone as contrived by His Wisdom decreed by His Will afterwards revealed from God to Man immediately by inspiration mediately by Man infallibly directed in Words Writings of the Old instrument begun by the Prophets finished by the Apostles New instrument begun by the Prophets finished by the Apostles which are of Divine Authority primarily in the first Origina Languages Copies secondarily in the Transcripts Translations as they agree with the Originals no further fallibly in their Words Writings yet infallibly so far as they follow the infallible Scriptures and attain the knowledg thereof by certain ordinary means appointed by 〈◊〉 communicate the knowledge several ways to others whâ— by Reading Hearing Meditation Prayer Power of the Spiâ—â—â— attain a Divine Faith more Largely in the whole Body of the Canon which upon the Testimony of the Church Reasons added is believed to be Divine Briefly as being contracted in many places of the Holy Scriptures particularly in the words of our Saviours doctrine concerning the Father Son Holy Ghost Math. 28. 19. which is the ground for Matter Method of all Orthodox Creeds Confessions Catechisms Theological Systems declareth the Government of God considered in Himself as onely fit to be the Universal Soveraign Absolutely a most perfect Being great one and onely one alone infinite immense incomprehensible omnipresent eternal existing alwayes necessarily the same in his most eminent Acts perfection of acting by His Understanding knowing himself all things at once fully clearly Will willing indeclinably that which is just readily that which is good Power doing all things exactly according to His Understanding Will. Relatively Father Son Holy Ghost Regal Capacity according to an Actual Power being acquired by Creation continued by Preservation of all things was exercised in the ordering of all things for their ends special Government of Angels who 1. Being created holy became subjects of this Kingdom by their dependence upon God voluntary submission 2. Received Laws Were judged and some of them according to their Disobedience and Apostasie condemned to Eternal Death Loyalty and Obedience justified confirmed rewarded Men according to the Order of Creation in the Constitution of God's Soveraignty Mans Subjection Natural from Creation Moral God's Will Man's voluntary Submission Administration giving Laws Moral Positive concerning the Tree of Life Knowledge of Good Evil. judging Adam and in him all his Posterity according to His Obedience whilest he continued innocent and righteous rewarding him with present comfort hope of future glory Sin which was considered In general as disobedience to the Law of God hath many evil consequents In particular a breach of a positive Law and Committed upon a temptation made yieldedâ— Sentenced to a punishment to be inflicted upon the Tempter 〈◊〉 movable Persons 〈◊〉 as 〈◊〉 by Chrâ—â—â— Transmitted to Posterity by Propâ—â— just 〈◊〉 Redemption and Free-Grace THE DOCTRINE OF The Kingdome of God The First BOOK Chap. I. Shewing the Subject Matter and Method of the ensuing Discourse THE Divine Politicks inform us of the Kingdom of God and of His Power and how it is acquired how exercised both in the Constitution and the Administration of his Government by Laws and Judgments determining both the Temporal and Eternal Rewards and Punishments of Angels and Men according to their Obedience or Disobedience They say little of Angels but much of Men who were first under the Government of Justice and after of Mercy For when Man transgressed the Law given in Creation and made himself liable to the Eternal Displeasure of his Lord and Sovereign the first Government was alter'd and modeâ— anew And thereupon the Laws the Judgments the manner of administration were new and different from the former God acquires a new Power requires a new Obedience and orders Man to Eternal Rewards another way And because these are high Matters great Mysteries glorious Designs and many of them far above the reach of Mans Reason therefore it 's necessary that we have some certain Rules to direct us yet no Direction except from
agreeable to his Counsel and that most exactly For as his Wisdom did dictate so his Will determined and no otherwise and without this will and determination nothing could have bin done or effected From it all things future recâ—ive their â—ututition according to the School-mens expression These Decrees are not strictly and properly eternall as was observed before Yet they are Antecedent to all time as it measures the Existence of things They are said to be many and may be conceived in a certain order according to the multitude and order of the things decreed That this Will should first decree the end and then the meanes is but a fancy and hath no ground either in Scripture or in solid reason Yet though they be many yet they may be reduced to two sorts for tâ—ey may be said to be generall or speciall The general Decrees are those which extend to all things For there neither was nor is nor shall be any thing which God did not Determine The special Decrees are such as are limited to Angels and Men in respect of their Spirituall and Eternall estate and especially to men These are called by a Synechdoche Predestination and Reprobation And these presuppose 1. Their Object intellectual and immortal Creatures especially men considered in a spirituall capacity as dirigible to an eternal estate 2. The Counsel of God contriving a certain order according to which men were to be directed to their final estate The nature of them in speciall is to determine and according to this order to direct certain individual persons unto their last end For in these decrees we may observe 1. Persons 2. Meanes 3. End The End is eternal Happinesse or Misery The Meanes Laws and Judgments The Persons such as are capable of Laws and Judgments But of these Decrees more particularly hereafter These Decrees are free § V For there was no Law to bind or morally necessitate him but his Wisdom and his Justice Neither did these bind him to decree any thing at all but onely if he did decree any thing to decree it wisely and justly Both the Creature and every thing in the Creature were nothing before they did Exist and as such could have no influence to move or incline the Will of God Neither could the Prevision of perfect obedience in the Angels or finall faith in man determin the Will of God much lesse necessitate it to give them eternall glory Neither can finall disobedience or unbelief do any such thing as fore-seen or actually existent determine much lesse necessitate God to passe the Sentence of Eternal Death upon them or to execute the same The determination of Gods will is freely from himself not from my thing without Himself God my foresee the highest degree of obedience in the Creature and yet be no wayes bound to reward it There is no necessary connexion between obedience and reward or between the foresight of obedience and the decree to reward onely the decree it self freely ties them together There can be no efficient cause out of God of the decree of God Some materiall objective Logicall cause there may be The decree to give Christ unto Death for enemies To call Wretched man dead in his sins and trespasses by repentance and saith unto eternall glory was not onely free but also the issue of unspeakable love and compassion and to destinate man upon faith in Christ fore-seen is an act of free grace Faith it self can be no efficient because it is not neither can the fore-knowledge or prevision of this faith though final be any such thing For God may foresee final faith and yet not determine to reward it though without prevision he cannot decree to do so The reason of all this is because nothing but the Being of God and the acting upon himself is or can be necessary These Decrees are not onely free § VI but also Wise Just and Stable They are wise because made according unto and directed by Wisdom His Wisdom and Knowledge are Antecedent to his Will and must be conceived by us so to be otherwise we should affirm that He decreed things ignorantly and rashly But so to think is impious and absurd There are many works and so decrees of God whereof we can give no reason but his absolute will and power He may love Iacob hate Esau without respect to any merit or demerit in the persons and decree the elder to serve the younger Yet thus As it was done so it was decreed wisely and according to Counsel We can give no reason of this yet He can The reason indeed is secret to us as not revealed yet known to Him And though many things may be done by him above the Laws given in Scripture yet they are not against them Though his decrees may be truly said to depend upon his knowledge yet they depend not upon the things known As they are wise so are they just though sometimes they seem to us to be otherwise The wicked prosper many times when the Righteous are afflicted and chastened very much And the innocent suffer and sometimes temporally perish with the Wicked and the children often beare the heavy burthen of their Fathers sins and yet are not guilty of their crimes These things may seem to be unjust yet are not so but exactly agreeable to the eternall rules of justice The reason why they must needs be just is because he is essentially and necessarily justice though his justice in his secret judgements doth not appear to us He made no Decree whereby man or Angels was necessitated to Sin He indeed did decree the freedome of their will their subjection to his power their obligation by his Lawes Yet as he did not Decree that they should sin so he did not decree to prevent all sin but decreed that if they should sin they should be liable to punishment He made as he decreed the Will of man mutable Yet this mutability was no disadvantage to him or any necessary cause of Sin And in the last judgement it will appear that Sin was from the Creature but not from the Decree of the Creator They are also stable For the Counsell of his Will standeth for ever and his thoughts to all generations Psal. 33. 11. And though there be many Devices in the heart of man yet the Counsell of the Lord shall stand Prov. 19. 21. The reason hereof is because they are made in Wisdome and Justice and there can be no cause of alteration Besides he is Almighty and cannot be hindered to do what he hath once determined Upon the stability of these decrees depends the stability of the world and stability of the Church and the certainty of our Eternall glorification The power of God is that whereby he is able to effect all according to the Counsell of his Will SECT VII This power is not Passive for God can neither receive nor suffer any thing It 's active and efficient yet truly Power because it was not is not
Judgment Execution tends no further He is subject to God and accountable and his power is perpetuated by Succession and in the end shall totally determine and be dissolved In this government God is the Governour the souls and consciences of men the Subjects the wisdom justice and power thereof perfect the end is Spirituall Righteousnesse and eternal peace to which the Laws and judgments do effectually tend it continues for ever and the estate which it orders men unto is everlasting and it hath the Civill goverment subordinate unto it and in some respect a part of it That there is a first § IV and second government I take it for graunted and shall afterwards prove it The description of the first is this It 's Gods ordination of man whereby he bound all mankind in one man made holy and righteous and subjected to Him unto Perfect and perpetuall Obedience or death and according to his Obedience or Disobedience passed judgment upon him That there was such a government may be proved from many places in Gods book I will instance in that one As by one man sin entered into the World and by sin death As death passed over all men c. Rom. 5. 12 13 14. In which words we may observe 1. That there was sin entering into the world 2. That sin presupposeth a Law a Law the power of the Law-giver and the subjection of the party sinning 3. We have the sin of one man and the sin of all men 4. That this sin entered by one man and was from him derived unto all 5. There was death which is Punishment and the death of one man and the Death of all and that for sin and the sin of all 6. This death presupposeth Judgment and the execution of the same because death passed and reigned 7. This sin and judgment began with one man and that was Adam 8. As there can be no judgment or punishment but of sin so there could be no sin without a Law 9. This Law was given to Adam and it was the Law of the Tree of knowledge of good and evil annexed to the morall Lawes All this may be clearly understood by the History of Moses Gen. the 2d and the 3d. Chapters In this description We may observe § V 1. The constitution of the government in the Soveraignty of God and the Subjection of man 2. The administration in the Laws Judgment of God For the subjection of man unto God his Soveraign we must consider that it may be threefold according to a threefold ground For it may arise 1. From his totall and absolute dependence upon God both in his Creation and Preservation 2. From his Voluntary submission 3. From Gods Command The two latter add nothing to Gods Power which by his absolute Propriety is absolute and so great that it cannot be greater yet it may add unto the obligation and bind man more strongly both to subjection and obedience There is some resemblance of these degrees of subjection in the Israelites who though they were subject unto God by Creation and Preservation as all other men were yet as they were free men they received a new and better kind of Being by that great deliverance from Egypt and the Egyptian bondage and so 1. Became Subject to God in the first degree 2. They voluntarily submit and receive him for their Lord and God and engage themselves to serve him and obey him Exod. 19. 8. Deut. 5. 27. And they avouched the Lord their God Deut. 26. 17. This was their allegiance and fealty whereby they became his Servants and Vassals 3. God commanded and said They must have no other Gods This Voluntary submission and Promise of obedience on mans part and the Promise of Protection and reward on Gods side seemes to be a kind of contract and together with the condition a Covenant That there was any foederall contract between God stipulating and man restipulating at the first is not so expresse in Scripture But that in the constitution and fundamentall Law of Gods Soveraignty and mans subjection unto God at first there was something Positive wherein God limited his absolute Power is certain And this is evident from the tree of Life and the Law concerning the tree of knowledge of good and evil and the threatning of Death and that God made Adam the head of mankind and as such did stipulate with him and bound both him and his by the same Law And the Contract seems to have bin confirmed by solemnities For the two Trees in the midst of the Garden imply so much And whereas some make the Promise and the threat to be a Sanction to confirm the Law it 's certain that the Command of God did bind with full power without any such Sanction onely the Promise did bind God upon mans performance of his Duty and the threatning made man liable to Punishment upon Disobedience After the Constitution follows the administration of this first Government § VI For constitution must necessarily go before or else there can be no Regular administration and administration must follow or else the constitution will be in vain The body of man must first be made up of all his members united unto the Head and amongst themselves and then the head must give lie sense motion and direction So these bodies politick must first be moulded and made up of Soveraign and Subject and after that it 's once animated and hath received Being and life Political it begins to Act The Soveraign begins to Protect and Direct and order by Laws and judgments and the People continue their subjection loyalty and obedience and accoâ—ding to their regular or irregular motions they are judged And this I call Administration whereof There are two Parts Lawes Judgements The first Work of God after the constitution was Legislation or giving of Lawes For so God dealt with Israel 1. They avouch him to be their God and submitt unto him and promise obedience And after that 2 He gives them Lawes which are not onely rules to direct but have a binding force so as to give the obedient a right to rewards and make the disobedient liable to punishment So Jethro's advice to Moses as Governour of the People as subjects directs him 1. To teach them Lawes then 2. To appoint officers and judges and so to proced to judgment This Legislation was the first part of the administration whereby God bound man holy and righteous to perfect and perpetuall obedience with a promise of Life upon that condition or unto death if he once disobeyed The party to whom God gave these Lawes was Adam and in him all Mankind and he being made in the Image of God righteous and holy had power to understand and perfectly obey these Lawes and continue in subjection and obedience The obligation was strict and required perfect obedience without any promise of Pardon if he once offended and by constant obedience he might obtayne Life These Lawes are Morall § VII
Positive And both may be considered as a rule of Mans Obedience Gods Judgment I mean by Moral such as are contayned in the Decalogue and tend more immediately unto Righteousnesse and holinesse and issue more immediately from the Love of God and our Neighbour which are the Principall dutyes of that eternall Law Positive are such as require obedience in things intrinsecally neither good nor evill but indifferent That there were Morall Lawes given to Adam no man can doubt because he was certainly bound to continue Righteous and holy as God made him and to love his God and his Neighbour and to performe such acts as were intrinsecally and necessarily just That he was bound by Positives is clear and evident as appeares by the Prohibition to eate of the Tree of Knowledge of good and evil The morall precepts required the continuance of mans Fealty and Subjection and prohibited Revolt Rebellion and Apostacy in the first place and in the next place Obedience to all other dutyes depending upon and derived from that loyalty and fidelity and forbad all other disobedience The Positive law was not merely concerning a solemn rite for confirmation of the Covenant as some do conceive but 1. To signifie the absolute Power of God whereby he could bind man to obedience even in things indifferent whereof man knew no reason of obedience from the thing but meerly from the Will and Pleasure of God 2. To try mans heart and whether he would deny his own understanding and renounce his own Will wholly resigne up himself to the Wisdome Will of God and in these two respects the breach of a Positive law may prove most heynous Mans dominion over the Creatures and giving them names and Marriage are rather reducible to the more generall Providence though the dutyes following upon Marriage and required in the Use of the Creatures may have their place amongst the Moralls of this speciall government What other Positivâ—s besides these concerning the Tree in the mid'st of the garden is not easily determined neither is it needfull to know them if there were any other But these Moralls and Positives were the rules of mans obedience in respect of the precepts and prohibitions The one bound man unto good and so to conform to the Will of God The other bound him not to do evill or any thing that God did not approve These Lawes are a rule of Gods judgement in respect of the Promises § VIII Comminations By Promises God bound himself to Man to reward and blesse him for his encouragement to obedience and the reward being sweet excellent and very desireable was a mighty Motive unto Performance of duty By the Commination he made man liable to punishment if once he disobeyed and death was so terrible that to the rationall Creature it was a mighty and strong restraint The thing promised was Life and the same not onely bodily and spiritual but eternall Yet this life was not a new being but the happinesse of the former Being And this happinesse was not meerely a continuance of that present estate he enjoyed in Paradise but a farr higher condition which might reach Heaven and come neere the blisse of Angels This seemes to be intimated because the Tree of Life is used by the Spirit to signifie that Eternall Life which is to be enjoyed in the Heavenly Paradise Rev. 2. 7. Death which was threatened was not onely a dissolution of Soul and Body begun in the miseryes of this Life but also spirituall and eternall punishments For it 's opposed to that eternall Life we obtayne by Jesus Christ Rom. 5. 21. and 6. 23. Without this Promise man could not have had upon his obedience any right unto or certain hope of eternall Life and that felicity which was suitable to his intellectuall and immortall being And if man obeyed God was absolutely bound by this promise to reward If he disobeyed Man was liable to be punished though God was not absolutely bound to Punish Yet to vindicate the honour of his Law his will was that some punishment must be suffered before he would Pardon and Save CHAP. XII Of Sin in generall and the first Sin in particular AFter that God had given man Lawes § I and man began to observe or violate the same God began to exercise his universall and supreme jurisdiction not by Delegates and inferiour Judges but by Himself The proper subject of this judgment was man as subject to Gods Power under his Laws and observing or violating the same For As the Law determins jus observandum and so prescribes mans duty So judgement considers jus aut Observatum aut Violatum as Observed or Violated already The Act of this judgement was to render to man according to his Works in generall and in particular as mens workes are good or bad agreeable or disagreeable to his Laws to reward or punish For judgement is a Retribution and the end of it is justice in the execution of his Laws for the happinesse or misery of Man according to his doings And here by the way we may observe that as the Law is de actibus futuris of future works So judgment is of Acts past And here it may be doubted Whether God gave any command of Habits And this is easily resolved for God bound man to habituall righteousnesse and holinesse so farr as Habits did depend upon Acts For as an habit is acquired by Acts and former habits strengthened and improved and demerit prevented so by disobedient Acts the Active Power to righteousnesse is not only Weakened but in danger upon demerit to be taken away by the just Judge God gave man sufficient power to continue such as he made him and to perform perfect obedience if he by sin did not deprive himself of that Power According to mans obedience § II first and then his disobedience God proceeded to judgement first in rewards then in punishments For man did not sin instantly and immediately upon his Creation but continued subject and obedient for a certain time But how long we cannot punctually determine But long it was not before he was tempted and did transgresse Whilst he performed his duty and observed his Creator's Laws his condition according to Gods promise was very comfortable His Dominion over the Creatures was continued Paradise his habitation the holy Angels his Friends the Creatures his Servants He had free accesse to the Tree of Life enjoyed sweet Communion with his God who continued his Sanctifying Spirit in him and all necessary assistance unto him His peace joy content hope were excellent He was free from that fear shame misery pain curse and punishment which followed upon his Sin and happy he and his had been if he had walked constantly with his God And thus whilst he was innocent without any fault and obedient without any sin God dwelt with him and made him happy without any misery Only this was wanting that as he had not perfected his obedience so he was not confirmed
severall persons may do the same act and yet not be equally sinfull there may be a great inequality in the sin 2. That there are degrees of sins as there shall be of punishments 3. That the more of will there is in any sin the more heynous the sin is and it 's the principall and intrinsecall aggravation of it This greater measure of Will appeares to be and manifests it self 1. In such as have helps meanes power to do that which is just and many and powerfull restraints from sin and yet commit it 2. In such as have many helps meanes motives to repentance and yet continue senslesse and secure 3. Those are most heynons which proceed not from ignorance and infirmity within nor from violence of temptation opposition and impediments without but from the pure and mere malignity of the Will Ignorance infirmity and strength of temptation make sin lesse the more excusable and pardonable Yet we may willfully or at least carelesly cast our selves upon temptation be ignorant through out negligence or willfulnesse we may go on in sin till it prove habitual and make us Slaves unto our own lust We may give way to one sin as Drunkennesse Covetousenesse or Ambition and so necessarily entangle our selves in other sins which those once having possessed our hearts make unavoydable In these cases sin is lesse excusable because we are the cause of our ignorance infirmity and disadvantage If any say that to intend murder and act it is more then barely to intend it the Answer is easy That if any not only intend it but proceed if not hindered to act it that doth manifest more of will and inclination to be in the heart then if he should only intend it and yet when he hath power doth not act it And so of Adultery and other sins 3. There be aggravations extrinsecal as from the qualification of the party offending from the party offended from the circumstances of time and place and such like which I passe by and come to the consequents of sin And they are of three sorts Such as follow 1. In respect of sin it self 2. In respect of the Law-giver and the Law 3. In respect of the Judge and judicial processe 1. In respect of sin it self the consequents are 1. Stain because it 's filthy 2. Shame because it 's base 3. Weakning the inclination to good because it 's contrary 2. In respect of the Law-giver and the law the Consequents are 1. Offence 2. Blame for it makes the party accusable and chargeable with it 3. Guilt because it makes liable to punishment 3. In respect of the Judge and judgement the consequents are fear sorrow conviction condemnation and suffering of punishment if not pardoned And the punishment deserved by mâ—n and inflicted by God is not only losse of that good which we enjoyed whilâ— obedient by obedience might have obtayned but the pressure of all evill threatned in the Law which the party hath justly deserved For God doth punish men in their Persons Bodyes Soules Name Friends Goods and other wayes and doth not onely take away blessings received but denyes and that justly mercyes promised but man suffers many positive evills even in this Life and yet all these are but the Beginning of Woe everlasting if not by mans timely repentance and Gods great mercy prevented These things concerning sin in generall premisd I proceed to the first sin of Adam in particular which was the subject of the first judgement passed upon Adam and all mankind And therein I will consider 1. The Sin it self 2. The causes of it 1. The sin it self was the disobedience to a Law of God and more particularly a positive Law that positive Law concerning the tree of knowledge of good and evill This sin in respect of the matter and the outward Act of eating the fruit of the tree seems not to be heynous And certainly if there had been no divine prohibition the act was in it self indifferent Morally and intrinsecally it was neither good nor evill But to eate of that fruit contrary to Gods prohibition and peremptory commination was heynous as being a contempt of Gods absolute powers and a breach of the first and great command from which all the rest derive their morality And it was a contempt not onely of his absolute power but of his severe justice And he that doth not regard the supreme and legislative power of any Prince will not feare to disobay any of his Lawes And it was more grievous for other reasons For the observation of that Law was very easie because the thing commanded was the forbearance of and abstinence from the fruit of one onely Tree whereof he had not the least need as having such plenty and variety of so many kinds of delicates He that will not yearly pay a pepper-corn in acknowledgment of the eminent dominion of a chief-Lord for a vast estate freely given him upon such easie termes is most unworthy of it Againe the law was cleare and easie to be understood and he knew it well and had full and perfect power to keep it and that without any difficulty Besides upon this petty act of obedience the eternall welfare of him and mankind his Posterity did depend and if he once tranâ—grest it he had not the least colour to expect any thing but absolute condemnation to eternal death Neither could all the Powers of darknesse force or necessitate him to touch â—ast the forbidden fruit To eare it therefore must be a complication of a multitude of heynous sins as ingratitude unbelief cruelty to himself and his posterity Yet though it was so heynous yet it came short of and was lesse grievous then the first revolt of Angels For he was tempted surprized circumvented but so they were not After that we know § VII what the first sin in particular is let 's consider the causes and they are 1. Blameable 2. Blamelesse Blameable were the persons tempting and the Persons tempted The partyes tempting were the Devills united in a body Politick under the Prince of Devills their Generall and Commander in chief To understand this better I will enquire into the nature of temptation examine Who the tempter and what this temptation in particular is 1. Temptation unto evill and Sin is opposed to the truth of God to his law and therein to his Precepts prohibitions promises threats as they are meanes to inform the understanding in the truth and move the Will unto obedience The end of it is to blind the understanding and pervert the Will It blinds the understanding either by taking away or hindering the clear light of the truth or deluding it with falshood or errours by representing that as good and just which is evill and unjust or that which is just and good as evill and unjust and if it once cause the mind to doubt of or deny the truth it 's likely to prevaylâ—e For by this meanes it takes away the feare of punishment
tranâ—gressed by man at first could be no blameable cause of sin is evident because it was just easie to be observed man had power given him to keep it and the Law it self did express what and how great the evil would be whereunto man should certainly be liable if he transgressed and this was done to restrain man from sin for his own good By all this it 's evident that the first sin was neither from God nor the Law of God so as they could be blamed but from the Devil Woman Man who were justly chargable with it and punishable for it Let no man therefore charge God who is most holy nor the Decree of God nor the Law of God with sin as any ways a proper cause thereof Let God be true and every man a Lyaâ— as it is written That thou mightest be justified in thy saying and overcome when thou art judged Rom. 3. 4. But let every one charge his own heart and with all humility and grief confess his own sin It 's true that the temptation of the Devil tends directly to sin yet that could do us no hurt if we did resolutely reject it and not consent unto it CHAP. XIII Of God's Judicial Proceeding against Man upon the Commission of the first Sin HItherto § I I have spoken briefly of Sin in general and the first sin of man in particular as the Object of the Judgment of God which followed upon the perpetration of that sin In this Judgment God was the Judge Man the Party judged the Rule not onely the Moral but positive Law of God He was not bound to this Rule and therefore though in many things he observes it yet in some things he acts above it as supream Lord above his own Law and allays the severity of his Justice with abundance of Free-grace The Law promiâ—ed no mercy if man disobeyed yet he promiseth mercy even in the midst of Judgment and upon fairest terms This Judgment is described exactly in Gen. 3. Wherein we may observe the sin of man and the judgment of God The sin with the causes thereof and the first effects thereof before judgment the observant Reader will easily understand in the first part of that Chapter The Effects were two 1. Shame 2. Fear Shame for they saw their own Nakedness Fear For they heard the Voice of God and were afraid They sought to cover their shame and to hide themselves from God's Presence but both in vain In the Judgment or judicial proceedings â—ive things are most observable 1. The Summons 2. The Charge 3. The Conviction of the Parties summoned and convinced 4. God's Sentence 5. The Execution of the same God being Supream and absolute Lord was no ways bound to observe Formalities yet he omits nothing essential to judgment And this was the first great Court and Solemn Assizes kept on Earth 1. We have the Summons in these words Adam where art thou The end of Summons is Appearance which in respect of God was needless because of his Omnipresence And where could man disappear or hide himself from his All seeing Eye Yet because man had a foolish and fond conceit that he miâ—ht conceal himself God calls him out and by these words lets him know that 't was in vain to hide himself For let him be in the darkest and most secret place in the World yet there God was present and he did appear before his Tribunal For these words were not of ignorance as though God knew not where he was but a judicial Summons commanding him to appear before him where he should have full liberty to plead for himself Yet these words were not a bare Summons but a Charge For they implyed 1. That Adam did hide himself And 2. There must be some cause of it and there could be no cause but sin For why should an innocent person hide himself or seek to escape the presence of a just Judge The Righteous are as bold as a Lyon and dare look the greatest Judge in the face By this flying Gods presence he accused himself as guilty and sought to decline the Tryall This is a generall charge Adam upon this appeares and exuseth his hiding of himself but so that he rather accuseth himself by pretending that the cause of his hiding himself was his Nakednesse and the Presence of God whereas it was guilt of Conscience Therefore God taking hold of his own words proceeds to a Particular charge That surely he had transgressed the Law and had eaten of the Tree whereof God had commanded him that he should not eate Who should tell him that he was naked or how should he know it except he had offended This came so home and the crime was so evident and his own conscience so full a Witnesse that he could not deny it And therefore confesseth his offence yet so that he endeavours to attenuate it and excuse himself Thus the man was convicted yet so that he accuseth his Wife Sin is so odious filthy base that the Sinner himself is ashamed to own it but would charge it upon some other he cares not whom so that he might free himself And if man cannot deny his fact or prove it not to be a Sin yet he will endeavour to make it appeare lesse then it is that his shame and punishment may be lesse For we are not asham'd or affraid to Sin Yet when our Sin is charged upon us we are both ashamed of it and affraid of the punishment deserved Thus whilst Adam excuseth himself to no purpose he accuseth his dearly beloved Spouse and she indeed was two wayes guilty Not onely 1. Because she had eaten the forbidden fruit but 2. Because she had given it her husband to eate She therefor is summoned accused and convicted For she could no wayes plead Not guilty Yet she is willing to excuse her self and pleads she was deceived and the Serpent that is the Devill had deceived her Yet this could by no wayes clear and acquit her seeing she knew the Law and the words were plain and she had power not onely to resist but to overcome the Temptation For the controversie between the Devill and her if she had well considered proved in the issue to be this whether she should believe God saying If thou eate of that Tree thou shalt surely dye or the Devill saying Though thou eate thereof thou shalt not dye in plain contradiction to the Words of God The old Serpent the Devil and Sathan had no excuse none to cast the blame upon His crime was evident and notorious And thus the cause was evident and the partyes clearly convicted After conviction followes sentence § II declaring the Will of the supreme Judg concerning the Delinquents And 1. We must think and know that the Spirit in this History condescends unto our capacity and after the manner of humane judgements describes the judgement of God as in severall places of the new Testament our Saviour doth especially in Math. 25. 2. The order
in the Sin the Tryall the Sentence is observeable In the sin the Devill is first the Woman the second the man third and last In the Tryall Man is first Woman the second the Devill the third In the sentence the Devill is first Woman second Man last 3. The partyes sentenced are not one Devill one Serpent one Woman one Man but the whole body and society of Devills all Serpents all Mankind 4. Yet some kind of Serpents was accused above all the rest the Prince of Devills was principally judged and so Adam and Eve were sentenced as the beginning root head of all mankind And though the seed of the Woman did comprehend a vast multitude yet they had one Head and one principall amongst them which must break the Serpents head 5. The subject of this judgement being guilty persons doth inform us that the sentence did not determine any reward to be rendered but onely punishment to be inflicted by God and suffered by offenders It was a sentence of condemnation not of justification 6. As there was difference in the partyes sinning so there was in the punishments For the punishment of the Serpent was one of the Woman another of the Man another though there might be some punishment generall to them all 7. The punâ—shment of Man was great of Woman greater of the Devill the greatest For the degrees of punishment were equally proportioned to the degrees of Sin These things premised in generall § III I proceed to discourse of and unfold the sentence passed upon the Devill and the Serpent and its certain that as the naturall Serpent is here expressed so he is accursed and most part of the words agree directly to that kind of Creature which is cursed above all the beasts of the field goes crawling on his belly and licks the dust And there is emnity and Antipathy between Woman the Serpent between all kind of Serpents the Posterity and seed of the Woman and Man doth often break his head to take away his Life and he stings man in the Heel and foot and by his poyson sometimes endangers sometimes takes away his Life This by constant and universall experience is sound true and yet the curse was not at the first Creation For then God blessed the Creatures and every thing was good Nor was this enmity from the Creation For man was Lord over these Creatures and they subject unto him so as there was neither harme nor feare from any of these Creatures And though this Beast was irrationall merely an instrument and abused yet to signifie his detestation of sin God did thus accurse him Thus the earth is curâ—ed for mans sake and for the sins of Israel the Land must mourn the inhabitants with the Beasts of the field and the fowles shall languish and the fishes shall he take away Hos. 4. 3. So Christ cursed the Figgâ—ree because fruitlesse Yet § IV this must needs be understood of the Spirituall Serpent the Devill too and that more principally yet in a spirituall sense The Devill was accursed before but much more now Therefore some think that after this their condition became desperate and unalterable And surely As to their former sin they had added Lying and Murder So God in this sentence did add unto their punishment and their condition became very bad and miserable This is signified more plainly in the latter part of the sentence verse 15. Wherein with some learned Commentatours we may observe 1. A perpetuall emnity and thereupon a perpetuall War and the issue of this War The emnity is 1. Between the Serpent the Devill and the Woman 2. Between the Serpents seed and the Womans seed 3. Between the Prince of Devills and some speciall seed of the Woman which was Christ. The issue of this emnity and opposition was the ruine of the Serpent and the hurt of the Womans seed More plainly the ruine of Sathans Kingdome the suffering of Christ and the persecutions of his Church The first emnity is between the Devill and the Woman both present at Gods tribunall and this emnity was by a divine decree made irreconcileable for though they could agree and converse together in sin to the transgression of Gods Law yet now it was Gods will that they should for ever stand at a distance hereafter And it 's very likely that Eve being a true Penitent did for ever hate as much as any other did the Devill who had deceived her as she did abhor the Serpent and detest him as most abominable because he had been an instrument in that damned and dangerous designe against her And the more penitent and pious she was alwayes expecting when God should give her a Child who should take eternal vengeance upon him so the Devill did the more hate her and seek her ruine Yet notwithstanding this decree of eternall emnity how many Cursed Witches have familiarity with the Devill The second emnity is between the seed of the Serpent and the seed of the Woman And by his seed is meant not onely all the rest of the Devills and Powers of Darknesse but also all Wicked Persons especially enemyes and Persecutours of the Power of Godlinesse in the Saints These are called A generation of Vipers that is Serpents the Brood of the Devill Math. 3. 7. To be of their Father the Devill 1 Ioh. 3. 8. So Cain was of that Wicked one the Devill verse 12. By the seed of the Woman is not understood her mere naturall Posterity for many of them as Cain were of the Devill But her posterity according to the Spirit the Regenerate Penitent Pious and Beleevers as she was Yet these are her seed as under Their Head and Generall Jesus Christ. And here as the hatred is bitter so the opposition is cruel and bloody and the contrariety so great that they seek the mutuall destruction one of another The more of God and Heaven is in the seed of the Woman the more they Hate sin and â—eek to break the Power of Sathan both in themselves and others Yet all their strength is in God and Jesus Christ. These the Devill and his brood hate with a dearly hatred and if they cannot overcome their souls they Persecute their Bodyes And hence so many â—earfull dissentions Wars and Bloody Persecutions But the highest degree of this emnity is between the Prince of Devills and the Son of God made Man and so the Seed of the Woman that he was not immediately the seed of any Man He suffered more from the Devill and his Angells and Agents then ever any did and the more holy he was the more he was hated And the more wicked the Devill was the more Christ did oppose him and prevayled against him according to his excellent divine transcendent Power and holy Policy more then all men and Angells could do The issue of the great Battail especially upon the Crosse was a fiâ—all and Fatall Victory For in it and by it he spoyled Principalityes and Powers
and made a shew of them openâ—y triumphing over them Col. 2. 17. For by his Death and Resurrection he brake in pieces the Power of Sathan acquired a right to all flesh and received strength to rescue man out of his hands and to give eternall liâ—e to as many as his Father had given him By him the Prince of the World was cast out Joh. 12. 31. For this end he was partaker of flesh and blood with his Brethren that he might destroy him that had the Power of death that is the Devil Heb 2. 14. And for this end the Son of God was manifested that he might destroy the Works of the Devil 1 Joh. 3. 8. And so profound was the Wisdom of God that he turned the power and policy of Sathan to his own ruine For whilst he did bruise Christs heel and put him to death he overthrew his own Kingdome and gave Christ a glorious Victory And by him having foyled the Devil in his Power all the Saints overcome the Devil and obtayne a final Victory yea are more then Conquerours Other Places of Scripture give us so much light as to understand these Words in this manner which certainly Adam and Eve understood better then we can do Yet this enmity and glorious Conquest was expressed in few Words and some what darkely because the full Knowledge of this great Victory was reserved till the Son of God was glorified and the Gospel revealed This was that dreadfull sentence passed upon the Devil all his Angells and his wicked brood which began to be executed then and shall be Consummate when the Devil Death and Hell shall be cast into the Lake of fire where they shall be tormented for ever The Sentence § V passed upon Woman followes And her proper punishments besides those that are Common to Man and Woman are two 1. God determines to multiply her sorrow in conception In sorrow she must bring forth her Children 2. Her desire must be to her Husband and he must rule over her Both these are cruel punishments For many times the birth and life of the child is the death of the Mother after that she hath suffered many paines in conceiving and bearing and most cruel pangs in her Travaile Sometimes the safety of the Mother is the death of the Child The latter is the more grievous because of the Proud cruel and domineering Spirits of crooked and unfaithfull Husbands and by the wickednesse of both partyes that society which should have been most comfortable proves most miserable If woman had never sinned she must have brought forth Children yet without paine and bin subject to her Husband but without any discomfort Women should remember this sentence acknowledge Gods great displeasure against sin and humble themselves Yet they must not despair but hope for eternallâ—life by Jesus Christ their Saviour and be thankfull to God who mitigates the rigour of his justice and in these two things many times shewes great mercy The sentence passed upon Adam is the last And his Poenalties are many The ground was cursed for his sake in sorrow He must eat of it all the dayes of his life Thorns and Thistles it must bring forth unto him He must eat of the Herb of the field In the sweat of his face he must eat bread till he return to the ground For out of it he was taken and being Dust unto Dust he must return The sum of all is Misery and Mortality He must be in misery and suffer many afflictions in this Life and soul and body must part at death and death will turn his body in the end to dust These penalties are fearfully inflicted upon many yet with many God deales mercifully and removes or prevents many of them and in the end by the Resurrection gives a full and finall deliverance from all After Sentence follows Execution § VII at least in order though many times they go together so that the Sentence and execution are all one though the execution is not finished at the first but continues afterwards This execution began instantly with the Sentence Gods word was his deed For the Serpent instantly was accursed and began to suffer all the penalties denounced So likewise the Devils did The punishment of Woman began to be executed in her first conception bearing bringing forth of Children man became instantly miserable and mortal as the earth was presently accursed for his sake and he found a great alteration and a 〈◊〉 change in his Body his Soul the Earth and others Creatures which were subject unto him and made for his good The execution done upon the Serpent shall continue whilst there shall be any Serpents upon the earth The Punishment of the Devil continued until the Incarnation of Christ and upon his Death and resurrection his head was broken but it shall be Consummate at the Last Judgment The Punishment of the Woman shall not determine till the last child be born And The Punishment of Man and Woman shall not be totally removed till the Resurrection and finall Glorification of all the Children of God And Here severall Particulars are considerable 1. That this was A Generall Assizes wherein passed Judgment upon Beasts Millions of Angels and all mankind 2. In the Sentence passed upon the Devil CHRIST was promised and by that promise The Government of mankind was altered And God did new-model his Kingdom For thereupon followed A New Constitution New Laws and Judgment did proceed afterwards in a New Manner 3. By this promise the Covenant of Works was made voyd and the Law as promising life onely upon condition of Perfect Personall and Perpetuall obedience without any Promise of Pardon of any the least sin was repealed And the Positive Law of the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil did cease 4. Though the Law of works was repealed yet the Sentence passed upon man for the sin he Committed against that Law of works as unrepealed stands in force and shall in part continue unto the Resurrection 6. Though the Law of Works as a Condition and only condition of life be repealed yet the pure Morals continue in force to bind man to obedience or punishment in generall but not to obedience perfect as the condition of life or to punishment as no wayes removeable To argue that because the matter of the morall Laws continues in Precepts and Prohibitions therefore the Law continues is vain For it may continue yet in another manner and to an other end and both the manner and the end far different To say that man is under the Law of works as Adam was at the first until he be in Christ is very false It 's true that he is under the execution of that sentence which passed upon man for his sin against that Law both morall and positive given to Adam and he cannot passe from death to life from the State of Damnation to the State of Salvation till he be in Christ by a true and lively faith And
his bodily life were many For his body became mortal subject to weariness infirmities languishing hunger thirst diseases grievous pangs and torments and monstrous deformities and of it self by little and little mouldred into dust Besides He was exposed to nakednesse cold heat lightening thunderbolts stings of Serpents rage of wild beast unmercifull and cruel murderers treacheries assassinations exquisite tortures and many other accidents destructive of his life which was every moment and in every place in danger to be cut off from without Besides the principles of mortality were alwayes within his body And the danger was the greater because he had lost the Ministery Guardiance and direction of Angels and was deprived of the speciall care and providence of his Lord and maker the Heavens above him were made like iron or brasse and either denied their light and influence or powred down stormes and terrified him with fiery Meteors and strange prodigious Comets or apparitions The earth was cursed barâ—en or fruitfull in proâ—â—cing unprofitable Weeds ingendring Toads Serpents and Pestilent Vermine and other creatures to consume fruites And the best soyl refused to give him bread without sweat labour care and both Heaven and Earth did often threaten him with hunger thirst and so with famine If the Earth and Heaven too did favour him so that through Gods Blessing and his industry they both promised a plentiful harvest and return yet it was subject to many casualties before it could be reaped and inned as to blasting mildew peâ—iâ—ential ayr inundatious fire Locusts Caterpillars and several sorts of worms and devouring Creatures which threaten death to man and beast If the fruits of the earth were layd up in his barnes and store-houses yet they were in danger If his house was furnished and his treasuries stored with rich and precious goods yet he was in peril of thieves Oppressours plunderers by Land and his Merchandise by Sea of Pirats and merciles enemies Neither could the Liberty of his Person be secure because of imprisonment banishment captivity His credit and reputation could not be safe but he might suffer in this particular and be stayned by reproaches slanders his own imprudent or base carriage His publique peace and safety might be disturbed by seditions rebellions civil Wars and forreign invasions and his houses Lands goods possessed by Strangers or made desolate And he might suffer from enemies desertion of Friends treachery ill neighbours bad servants his parents bretheren sisters near kinred nay from his own children issuing out of his own Bowels He might be cursed in his Cattle in his Children in his Lands in all his designs By his sinâ—â—e provoked God armed Heaven Earth Ayr Sea and all Creatures againâ—â— him His spirituall Condition was much prejudiced by evil education bad example pernicious counsail ungodly company and many other wayes These penalties and many more are recorded in the Scriptures and in the great Volum of divine Providence and stored up in the treasures of Gods Almighty and severe Justice To make a more full enumeration of the miseries whereunto Man by his first sin and Gods just judgments is exposed and reduce them into a Method would take up a great Volum Of the Penalties to be endured after this life I will not now say any thing These Penalties 1. Are spiritual § V bodily temporal private publick personal social and all may be reduced to Privative which we call punishments of losse or Positive which we call punishments of Sense 2. There be many degrees of these punishments and the continuance of them might be for ever so far as man is capable for ever to suffer them 3. Though every son of Adam be subject to these yet God doth not inflict them all upon any son of Adam 4. These Punishments may be deserved by other sins Against the Law of nature which the Gentiles violated Against the Law of Moses which the Jews transgressed Against the Gospel which Christians violate And many of Gods own Children may justly suffer For all actuall sins are not merely from Originall Corruption though it be a cursed root of all kind of iniquity 5. These Penalties become unremoveable either by Negative or Positive Impenitency and Unbelief or by Apostacy 6. All these Punishments in Scripture are signified by one word DEATH For the Wages of Sin is DEATH CHAP. XV. Of Original Sin and the Derivation of it from Adam to his Posterity IT s to be known § I 1. What the Authors who write or speak of it mean by Original Sin 2. Whether it be properly a Sin 3. How it is derived from Adam to his Posterity 1. Some distinguish of Original Sin and inform us that its Originans aut Originatum By the first they understand the first sin of Adam and this onely Pighius defines to be Original Sin By the second they understand the want of Original Righteousness and the depravation of our Nature following thereupon And thus it is commonly taken So that in it we may consider two things 1. Not onely the want or absence but the privation of the Righteousness which God gave Adam in the day of his Creation So that it is a want of it in the subject where it should be and was at first Yet this privation may be understood actively or passively Actively and so it 's a taking away from one that had it or denying it to one who never actually received it In the first sense God took it from Adam In the latter sense he denies it to all his Posterity In what manner God is in this Act to be considered or what was the reason why he did thus I do not here inquire Passively considered it respects the Subject from whom it 's taken or to whom iâ—'â— denied Upon this deprivation follows a depravation in the Moral and Spiritual Qualities and of the Acts of the Party deprived And this Depravation is either Negative or Positive Negative as Ignorance Positive as Errour in the Understanding Negative as no affection to good Positive as inclination to evil in the Will This Depravation doth not destroy the Essence of man nor his qualities nor his Acts but the perfection and excellency of them all and doth necessarily presuppose the Being Qualities Acts as the Subject All this doth imply that this Rightâ—ousness being an excellent Quality doth much ennoble and perfect man and did depend both in fieri in facto as they speak upon a superiour and intelligent-supernatural-tree Agent who could give it continue it as also upon cause take it away And if once the Soul lost it upon demerit or any other ways it was made imperfect defective and base and the inclinations and motions were unworthy so noble a Creature and so much the more because a Superiour Spirit had power to delude and deceive the mind and incline the heart to evil This is the reason why so many are said to walk after the Prince of the power of Darkness that now worketh in the
Children of Disobedience But § II secondly Whether is this Corruption which in Scripture is called the Flesh Concupiscence Sin the Body of Sin c. properly a Sin That it is from sinne called sin and is a cause of sin is generally confessed But that it is a sin in proper senâ—e is denied absolutely by Pighius But he is singular and differs from his own Church which generally acknowledgeth it to be a sin but not in such as are baptized Because Baptism being a Sacrament of Remission and Regeneration takes away the nature of sin from it so that the formal part of sin is taken away but the material remaineth For so I understand them because they call that which remains Concupiscence and the Fuel of Sin This were something if Regeneration did always accompany or immediatly follow upon Baptism which cannot be proved or if it did so accompany and follow Baptism as to be perfect and make the soul perfectly righteous and holy which it doth not as experience in God's own Children teacheâ—â— us yet this Doctrine doth confess plainly that it was sin before the formal reason and nature of sin was taken away and by the same reason it will follow that so far as it is not taken away it is properly sin It is placed by many of them especially in the Sensitive Appetite but certainly it 's found in the Rational Appetite and the Will and must needs be morally evil and they confess that it must be resisted and subduâ—d Some Remonstrants and Corvinus amongst the rest deny it to be properly sin upon another account because though it be materially contrary unto the Law yet formally it is not so And why Because the Law forbids future ill acts not habits But yet this is not precisely true because the Law forbids to all such as are under a Law not onely the future evil acts but also dispositions and habits especially such as depend any ways on Acts. But to give a more perfect Resolve of this Question § III we must 1. Distinguish of Sin Habitual and Actual And Actual Sin it is not 2. We may consider it as it 's in us by Conception and Birth and a Naturall Habit if I may so speak or as improved and increased by many Actual Sins and so become an acquired vitious habit and thus in this latter sense Paul seems to take it Rom. 7. and elsewhere In this latter sense few will deny it to be sin and by the same reason it may be sin in the former sense 3. We may conceive of this Original Corruption and the want of Originall Righteousness as taken away or denied upon a former demerit and so it 's certainly a punishment or absolutely in it self as a quality disposition or habit inherent in us and so it 's not properly a punishment but a sin Yet it 's not so a sin in us as it was in Adam For Adam once had Original Righteousness entire we have not Adam lost it by the demerit of an actual sin but Infants have not actual sin for which it 's denied unto them It seems to be rather a punishment then a sin though both in them who never were perfectly and personally righteous especially in such as never had the use of reason It 's certain that God never allowed in Man or Angel any vitious quality or disposition contrary unto his Law But the reason why it is a sin in Adam's Posterity is singular as will appear in the Derivation of sin from Adam which is the next thing In the third place § IV this which we call Original Sin is derived from Adam to his Posterity with many evils besides And first we must prove that it is derived Secondly shew how it is derived from him to us 1. The 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that it is so seems to be evident from those words By one man sin entred into the world and by Sin Death and so Death passed over all men in that or as some turn it in whom all men have sinned Rom. 5. 12. And by those As in Adam all die so in Christ shall all be made alive 1 Cor. 15. 22. The meaning is not as some conceive that one man the first man Adam was the first that sinned and so by his Example sin entred into the World As though his Posterity were sinners onely by imitation But the plain and clear sense is that by the sin offence and disobedience of one man many yea all men were made sinners and so liable to death as appears by the words following This sin was his first sin in eating the forbidden fruit For his after-sins were personal and not derived to Posterity in that manner as the first sin was So that the person from whom sin was derived was one man even Adam the means whereby it was derived was sin one sin the first sin of that one man that first man The parties to whom it was derived were All men The thing that was derived by this one sin was Death the death of all This sin offence disobedience is opposed to the obedience of Christ unto Death the death of the Cross and the Death from this Sir is oppoâ—ed to that Eternal Life which Believers obtain by Jesus Christ. So that the sin of Adam is the sin of all and the guilt of Adam is the guilt of all But the great difficulty is § V How Adam's sin and guilt is transmitted and derived to all The ordinary determination is that it 's derived by Propagation It 's true that without natural propagation it 's not derived because without it we cannot Be or if we could have our Being without it yet we could not be his children and except we be his children we cannot be any subject capable so as to derive any thing from him Yet this natural propagation doth onely make us subjects of this derivation of sin and guilt from him Therefore this participation of sin guilt death from him is an Act of just Judgment This therefore presupposeth 1. That Adam was sinful and guilty 2. That we are descended from him as sinful by Natural Generation 3. That we are some ways one person with him either by Nature or Law or both and God did so account of us 4. That in Adam innocent God judgeth us innocent in him guilty us guilty And though we be descended immediatly from our next Parents yet we deâ—ive the sin and guilt from Adam immediatly though we have our Being from him mediately by intermediate Ancestours and Parents All men were one man in Adam and in none else We were in him by Nature and Law By Nature for he was the Root and all men the Branches and it was God's Will that all Mankind should descend from him By Law for as all Nations account the Parents and Children as one person in many things and Children part of their Parents so that Children and Parents make but one body So likewise God did account Adam and all Mankind
Attribute which God did exercise § III and manifest in this Judgment passed upon man was his Mercy which is his free love of man who had made himself unworthy For after that he had sinned and made himself miserable though his misery were an object of compassion yet his sin did provoke to anger and deserved vengeance God looking upon man in this condition was more willing to pitty him then to punish him to remove the sin then to destroy the sinner He was unwilling all Mankind should perish as they must needs have done if he had proceeded in strict justice against them The sin in it self was no fit subject of mercy yet seeing that Woman was deceived by the subtilty of the Devil and Man by Woman his dearest Wife brought into transgression God took occasion to pitty them yet there could be no mercy for them except it issue out of the abundant goodness of God who is slow to anger and so much inclined to compassion and willing in this particular rather to manifest the glory of his mercy then of his justice Man had made himself unworthy and liable to eternal misery and God might have eternally punisht him and that justly too yet mercy kept justice back mitigated the rigour of it and confined it in a narrow compass to inlarge her self more abundantly This mercy was the Fountain from which issued the Promise of Christ the ruine of Sathan's Kingdom the Redemption of Mankind the Relicks of God's Image the means of Conversion the patience long-suffering bounty and clemency of God the gifts of the Spirit the remission of sin and eternal life And that God might be placable Sin pardonable Man saveable he accepts Christ's propitiation reverseth the Law of Works as requiring and that strictly perfect and perpetual obedience as the condition of life and makes a new Law and Covenant which determines Faith to be the condition of life and that condition to be performed by the power of the Spirit merited by and restored for Christ's sake This mercy did appear in this great Judgment many ways § IV 1. God sentenced the Devils in the first place and that without any mercy and for this very cause even because they had attempted the eternal ruine of man which upon the success of their damned Design had proved unavoidable and the recovery of man impossible if God should not have done some extraordinary work to prevent it Upon this fiery indignation of God against these Liars and Murderers of Mankind expressed in this Sentence it did appear 1. That the punishment to be suffered by these cursed Fiends was grievous unavoidable and unremovable for ever 2. That God was highly displeased at their malice shewed against and the mischief done to Mankind in that he takes so fearful vengeance upon them 3. That there was some pitty in God towards poor man trembling at the Bar of God for though their folly was inexcusable yet their condition considering the temptation was lamentable 2. This mercy was manifest in an high and extraordinary degree and measure in that in this Sentence he promiseth or at least implies a most certain promise of Jesus Christ a Saviour and Redeemer It 's true that this great promise was folded and wrapt up in a few words and the same very mysterious as we read them in Moses Gen. 3. 15. But those very words inform us 1. That the Redeemer should be the Seed of the Woman that Woman whom the Serpent had so deluded and who now stood guilty before God's Tribunal 2. That this Seed of the Woman should bruise the Serpents head and so be the ruine of his Kingdom and Dominion over Man 3. That he should not obtain this Victory without Blood for his Head must be bruised and he put to death And there is not onely an Emphasis but a Mystery in those words The Seed of the Woman The Emphasis is in this That God doth not say an Angel or Spirit or some man more excellent then Adam whom he should create instantly but the Seed a Child a Mortal Man born of that sinful Woman though now contemptible and miserable should encounter the Devil with that power and policy as to foil him The Mystery seems to be this That it 's not said the Seed of Man nor the Seed of Man and Woman but the Seed of the Woman signifying though darkly that Christ should be the Seed and Child immediate of a Woman but of no Man For as he was Man he had an immediate Mother who conceived bare him brought him forth but no immediate Father Upon these words as the condition of Man and Woman became more comfortable so the Kingdom and Government of Mankind began instantly to be altered and a second Adam was appointed their Head to redeem them as the first Adam had undone them We must needs think that our first Parents being sinful guilty and convicted before the Supream Judge of Heaven and Earth stood with sad and heavy hearts expecting their doom and condemnation to Eternal Death until they heard these words The Seed of the Woman should bruise the Serpents Head Then their Despair was turned into Hope and their sinking-dying-hearts began to revive For to them these were words far above all expectation of sweetest comfort Never better words spoken never better heard 3. This mercy was evident in that God did not send the Spirit of Despair nor of Slumber and Security upon them § V nor deliver them up to a reprobate mind as he might justly have done and so made their condition desperate and irrecoverable nor presently execute his judgment Eternal upon them either by taking away their lives in their sin or making their bodies immortal to punishment in body and soul for ever Neither did he take from them the Light of Nature and the sense and power of Conscience but gave them the saving-light of the Gospel and the means of Conversion with the promise of the Spirit All this is evident by the promise of Christ the ruine of Satan's Kingdom a final Victory after a Bloody War in this Sentence of the Devil and it doth further appear by the Education of Cain and Abel and especially in the Faith of Abel That the means of Conversion have been denied several persons whole Tribes many Nations and the greatest part of the World howsoever it might be deâ—erved by this sin of Adam yet usually it 's the punishment of Apostasie as of the generality of mankind before the â—lood of the Gentiles before Christ's incarnation and of the generality of the Jews and many of the Gentiles since the preaching of the Gospel to all Nations And the very Gentiles were not delivered up unto a Reprobate mind before they abused the Light of Nature Yet the very outward means of Conversion were a gift of Free grace for the merit of Christ who was promised of pure and abundant mercy The Sentence of Justice past upon them was allayed § VI and tempered with great mercy
to such Rules as that he might attain Eternal Salvation For there was a Foundation of this new Government laid in that Judgment God passed upon the Devil and he began instantly to act according to the same Yet though he abolished the former Government yet he continued the memory of it and revealed the Doctrine thereof unto the Church and it remains in the same and it serves to let men see their misery and humble them that they may seek for remedy and vehemently desire it and follow the Directions God hath given And by this he may and ought to know that in strict Justice he can expect nothing but Eternal Death and that all hope of life depends upon the mere mercy of God and the merit of a Second Adam This Second Government did not abolish the power acquired by Creation § II for that continues still and will continue whilest man receives his Being from God by Creation and the continuance of his Being by preservation Yet God acquired a new power superadded unto the former and did exercise the same after a new manner In this respect there must needs be a great difference between the former and this latter Government For in the former the Governour was God-Creatour by the Word not incarnate or made flesh but in this he is not onely Creatour but Redeemer by the Word made Flesh. The subject of this latter is not man holy righteous innocent as he was created but sinful guilty miserable in Adam fallen The Laws thereof do not bind man as the former did to perfect and perpetual obedience as the condition of Life but to Faith in the Redeemer Neither in this New-Model doth God alone without a President-general as in the former◠govern Mankind but doth administer all things by his Son made Lord and King at his Right-hand after the Incarnation This Government is that Act of Divine Providence § III whereby he orders sinful man redeemed by Faith in Christ-Redeemer unto Salvation or upon his Unbelief unto Eternal Death unavoidable This is evident out of the sacred Writings both of the Old and New Testament For all the Holy Patriarchs from Adam were saved by their Faith in God Redeemer and the Seed of the Woman And after the exhibition of the Redeemer and his manifestation he himself faith That God so loved the World that he gave his onely begotten Son that whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have Eternal Life And He that believeth on him is not condemned And he that believeth not is condemned already because he hath not believed in the onely Begotten Son of God Joh. 3. 16 18. John the Baptist testifieth that the Father loveth the Son and hath given all things into his hand He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life but the wrath of God abideth on him Joh. 3. 36. And all power in Heaven and Earth was given to Christ Math. 28. 18. And from this Power the Apostles received Commission and Command to go to all the World and to preach the Gospel to every Creature And He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved and he that believeth not shall be damned Mark 16. 15 16. In all which words we have a New Power a New Government New Laws both as a Rule of Man's Duty and God's Judgment differing much from the former This might be called the Government of Mercy as the former the Government of Justice Whereas many tell us that the former Government continues that the Laws are still the same that God as Rectour by Substitution transferred the punishment merited by transgressions of the Law upon Christ and for and in consideration of satisfaction made by him remits sin and this is nothing but a relaxation or interpretation of the former Law they are much mistaken and reach not the truth in this particular And this shall be made evident when we come to speak of the Administration of this Kingdom from the times of Adam till the preaching and baptizing of John the Baptist and the manifestation of Christ's entring upon his Publique Office As in the former Government § IV so in this we must consider 1. Who is the Governour invested with Power 2. How this Power was 1. Acquired 2. Exercised The Governour is God Creatour and Preserver of Mankind the same who was Lord and King by Creation Yet here he must be considered under another notion as God-Redeemer For as the Work of Creation and Redemption differ so the Power acquired by Redemption differs from that acquired by Creation This Power is Supream Universal Eternal Monarchical as the former In the Acquisition we must consider by 1. Whom 2. What it was acquired It was acquired 1. By the Word made Flesh. 2. By the Humiliation of this Word made Flesh. The Person by whom God acquired this new Power was the Word made Flesh for as by the Word he made the World and in particular Man and so acquired a Properiety in Man and a Dominion over Man as a rational free Creature So by this Word incarnate and made Flesh in a wonderful manner he acquired a new propriety in Man fallen and a dominion over him as capable of Spiritual and Eternal Felicity to be recovered by a new way The work whereby this Power was acquired was the Humiliation of this Son of God So that now Man is God's and subject unto God not onely as Creatour and Preserver in general but as Redeemer and Sanctifier For this new Dominion considers Man in his Spiritual Capacity For the better understanding of this acquisition of New-Power § V we must consider 1. Who the Redeemer is 2. What the Work of Humiliation is The Redeemer is Jesus Christ our Lord first promised then exhibited Jesus Christ our Lord who is blessed for ever In himself is the Word made Flesh Ioh. ◠14. As our Redeemer he was anointed with the Holy Ghost and power to be a Prophet Priest and King Universal Act. 10. 38. In Him as the Word made Flesh we may observe 1. His Person 2. His Natures For his Person in a large sense as here I take Person He is the Word which was in the beginning and was with God and was God and by whom all things were made Joh. 1. 1 2. The onely begotten Son of God Joh. 3. 16. The Image of the Invisible God the first-born of every Creature by whom all things were not onely created but do subsist Col. 1. 15 16 17. The brightness of his Father's glory and the express Image of his Person Heb. 1. 3. He was begotten of the Father from Everlasting and is the full expression and representation of Himself unto Himself By these places it evidently appears that the Word did exist before the World was and so exist that He was with God and God To be with God implies some distinction to be God an identity of substance and this is that which we call
who out of his unspeakable love gave him this command to be servant for a while and suffer death for sinful man's salvation This was an Act of transcendent power to give such a Law and Christ willingly out of pitty unto his Brethren submitted to this power and was willing to be bound by this Law and become a servant and was obedient unto this Death Therefore it is written Loe I come to do thy will that is this great Command of suffering death not for himself but for others being guilty and bound in their own persons to suffer which was an act of greatest love that possibly can be expressed In that it was an act of obedience it signifies his willingness and doth teach us that he suffered freely For all obedience is free and willing or else no obedience That it was willing and free is many ways evident For no man saith he taketh my life from me but I laid it down of my self Joh. 10. 18. No man took it from him because no one could do it if he had not bin willing to have parted with it His Prayer wherein he so earnestly three several times deprecated the Cup of his Passion makes it clear by that clause wherein he corrected his natural desire Thy will not mine be done It was often attempted both by fraud and force to take away his life but it could not be done before that hour-wherein he was willing to lay it down himself He offered himself unto the Band of Souldiers which came to apprehend him and said unto them Whom seek ye They said Jesus of Nazareth He answers I am he and resently at that word they went backward fell down to the ground Besides he could have called for 12 Legions of Angels to defend or rescue him and yet he would not do it To be a servant and suffer the death of the Cross was an act of greatest humility For the Son of God the Word made flesh Humane Nature united so nearly to the Deity to deny himself so far as to be below the Angels below so many men to be a Servant in the meanest rank of men subject to the Law to Civill and Ecclesiastical Power and though Lord of Angels yet to abase himself so low as to suffer such reproach and all kind of indignities from the basest sort of Abjects and Refuse of the people and as it were to be trampled upon as though he were a Worm and the baâ—eâ—â— and most guilty Wretch in the World though he was most innocent was humility indeed and a stupendious humiliation This Act of Obedience was performed with greatest patience and charity that ever any was For he opened not his mouth was dumb as the sheep befor the Shearer When he was reviled he reviled not again They curse him blaspheme him deride him and many ways abuse him yet he is quiet and his Soul so calm as though he suffered nothing though he suffered more than ever any did And this was his Charity that he humbled himself and suffered all this for unworthy ungodly sinners and enemies even for the Eternal Salvation of those who did afflict and crucifie him praying to his Father to forgive them for they knew not what they did In that § II as a Servant he was obedient unto Death the Death of the Cross and endured such cruel pains and so shameful a death though he was so excellent and innocent this doth give us occasion to think and consider of many things For 1. By this we may understand that his sufferings were very great not onely in respect of the multitude of them the quality of the persons from whom the parts wherein he suffered and the nature of his sufferings But from this that he died the death of the Cross. And this Death was 1. Violent not Natural 2. Cruel and full of Pain 3. Ignominious and most Reproachful 4. Most accursed 5. Joyned with far greater Torments and trouble of the Soul then we can conceive 2. Seeing Death is the wages of Sin it must be for Sin and seeing he had no sin of his own it must be for the sins of others And because where there is no Law there is no sin therefore must there be some Law transgressed whereby He became liable to this punishment of death The Law of it self made none liable to death but the parties violating it which Christ never did therefore there must be a Law-giver and a Judge above the Law who had power to transfer the punishment from the guilty upon One innocent who was willing to take it upon him The Law-giver was God and He was the Judge and gave a Command to Jesus Christ to suffer this death due to sinful man and he willingly submitted and became Surety or Hostage for man And by vertue of this Command and Christ's Voluntary Submission the Law transgressed had power over him and he became liable to this death And so he who knew no sin became sin for us that we might be the righteousness of God in Him 2 Cor. 5. ult So that in this suffering of death though the Devil and the Jews with Pontius Pilate were active in crucifying Christ We must consider God as Supream Judge did pass the Sentence and execute the same Christ is the Head of and Hostage for Mankind and a general person suffering for many that the benefit might redound to many In this respect that Christ suffered for the sin of others we may conclude that his suffering was a punishment in proper sense and that God in threatning death to Adam and Mankind sinning reserved a power and liberty to himself to punish the party sinning or some other for him Yet because the thing in the obligation was the punishment of the guilty offending and not the Innocent it must needs be an Act of Grace in God by his Command to substitute another and also to accept his Suffering as an Expiation of their sins It was Justice in Him that He would punish Sin but free Mercy to punish it in Christ and be satisfied with that death of another person But of these particulars more hereafter when I shall declare how and how far the benefit of this Redemption may be derived to others This Death was Death § III and Death of the Cross to signifie the justice and severity of God and the desert of sin which is shame pain a Curse For this death was shameful painful accursed Therefore it is said that Christ endured the Cross and despised the shame Heb. 12. 2. and that he became a Curse for us God 3. 13. Therefore the bitter passion of our Saviour may perswade us all for ever to â—ear and hate that sin which so much offended the just God that He punished it so severely in our Saviour For he never suffered death neither did he lay upon him the iniquities of us all to this end that we might have liberty to sin but that we should repent with godly sorrow and ever
Whence 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 used in the New-Testament and translated Redemption Ransome c. And it signifies a gift or price or something offered to him that hath power of life and death and accepted as a sufficient satisfaction it frees the party liable to death because an Enemy or guilty of some capital Crime from Death and that Obligation unto Death The word Lutron comes from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because it doth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 free from death That which made sinful man liable to death was the Will of the Law-giver expressed in the Law and binding man to Obedience or Death Man disobeying justly deserves Death and God the Supream Judge might justly condemn him and nothing could free man from the Obligation but Pardon Pardon might be granted two ways either ex nudâ voluntate absolutely and freely out of meet mercy without any consideration of or respect unto His Law and Justice or à Satisfactione upon consideration of something done suffered offered for satisfaction unto Divine Justice violated And this satisfaction might be made either by the Party offending or some other taken as a Surety or Hostage whose life is engaged for the life of another In this particular case pardon is granted not without consideration For that could not stand with the honour of the Law and Divine Justice but upon satisfaction to be made This satisfaction could not be made by the Parties offending who were guilty and unworthy Therefore it was made by another Christ Jesus the Word made flesh who became an Hostage for sinful Man and engaged His life And as He had engaged His Life so He gave Himself a Ransome for ALL 1 Tim. 2. 6. And here many things are observable 1. That Christ being the Word made Flesh and Innocent was fit and onely He was fit to be a Hostage 1. As Flesh. 2. As Flesh united to the Word 3. As Innocent 4. As freely upon God's Command and Commission offering Himself 2. That God in strict Justice might have refused the Hostage and the Ransome and Satisfaction offered and made because neither the one nor the other were in the Obligation of the Law 3. Yet He in free mercy accepted both in behalf of and for sinful Man 4. The proper effect in respect of God which followed upon the Ransome or Lutron given and accepted was that God was propitious and willing to pardon and save 5. Yet Divine Wisdome in respect unto His Justice and Holiness determined the tearms upon which Pardon should be actually given and expressed the tearms in the Promise which was grounded upon the Death of Christ accepted 6. For God to be propitious was to be willing to turn away His Wrath and forbear to punish and also to be favourable unto Man In respect of the former Christ's Death is called Satisfaction of the latter Merit yet both are really the same and was a changing of Justice into Mercy which took away or rather immediately made the Punishment of Pain and Loss removable And Christ's Death accepted may be said onely to merit Yet because this Merit was upon a Wrong done and presupposed it 's called Satisfaction Seeing the immediate Effect of this Sacrifice is Merit § V in respect of Christ and Propitiation in respect of God and this Merit in respect of sinful Man is a Propitiation active or a Propitiating God offended and in respect of Christ merit of Reward Therefore let 's consider 1. What Christ merited for Man 2. What He merited for Himself Christ merited for Man 1. The Abrogation of the Law of Works and requiring perfect and perpetuall Obedience as the onely condition of Life 2. The Promises of the NewCovenant making Faith the onely condition of Life 3. Upon these that God should be placable Sin pardonable and Eternal Liâ—e possible 4. The power of the sanctifying Spirit to enable man to keep the Conditions annexed to the Promises without which all the rest had been vain The mediate Effects are such as Christ merited to follow upon the performance of the Condition which are Conversion and Faith And these principally are Justification Reconciliation Adoption Eternal Glory upon the Resurrection The Apostle Heb. 9. beginning at the 11th vers reckons up five Effects of the Sacrifice and Death of Christ. 1. By it He obtained Eternal Redemption The word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifies Expiation and Remission For God upon this Sacrifice offered presented and accepted was willing to grant Eternal Pardon without expectation of any other Sacrifice to be offered or other satisfaction to be made The 2d Is the purging of the Conscience from Dead Works to serve the Living God ver 14. The Conscience is the Immortal Soul Dead Works are sins compared to dead Bodies or unclean things which did legally pollute so that the persons could not be admitted with the rest of God's People to worship God in the Tabernacle or Temple till they were purified To purge is to justifie and sanctifie and free from sinne that so we may be fit to serve our God and when our Purification and Consecration is finished that we may serve the Living God in the Temple of Heaven The 3d Effect is the Confirmation of the New Covenant or Testament as Mediatour and Priest thereof For as the Promises of Remission and the Eternal Inheritance formerly made to the Called for and in the consideration of the Death and Sacrifice of Christ had been void and of none effect if Christ had never dyed So upon this Death and Sacrifice they were firmly established and of full force to convey the Inheritance upon the Called so that if they obey the Heavenly Call they may certainly expect as they shall certainly receive Remission and the Eternal Inheritance ver 15 16 17. The Fourth Effect is His entrance into Heaven to appear in the Presence of God for Us ver 24. For upon our Repentance Faith Prayers upon Earth He as our Advocate and Intercessour pleads before the Throne of God with His own Blood to obtain Remission and Acceptance for Us. This Intercession made by Him as an ever-living Priest is made effectual for us by vertue of this Sacrifice and the efficacy and success depends upon this Vnspotted Blood Therefore is it written for our comfort That if any man sinne we have an Advocate with the Father Jesus Christ the Righteous who is the Propitiation for our sins 1 Joh. 2. 1 2. And His Plea is this That though His Client hath sinned and deserved death yet he ought not to suffer and dye because He Himself hath suffered God accepteth His Death the sinner confesseth repenteth and believeth and God his Father and supream Judge at whose Bar He pleadeth hath promised Pardon and Salvation upon those tearms The Fifth and last Effect is the Actual Collation and enjoyment of Eternal Glory For unto them who look for Him He will appear the second time without sin that is suffering for sin unto Salvation For the
Actual Enjoyment of Salvation and Eternal Glory is granted as merited by this Death ver 28. All these are summed up in that one of the Eternal Consecration of the Sanctified Chap. 10. 14. Seeing Christ merited many and glorious things for sinful man § VI he must needs merit some greater thing for himself and so he did For because he humbled himself so low and took upon him the form of a Servant and was obedient unto death the death of the Cross Therefore God highly exalted Him and gave Him a Name which is above every Name Phil. 2. 9. And God advanced Him far above all Principality and Power and Might and Dominion and every Name that is named not onely in this World but in that which is to come and hath put all things under his feet and gave Him to be Head over all things to the Church Ephes. 1. 21 22. By which we may understand that He merited to Himself a Supream and Universal Power in Heaven and Earth and not onely power over all flesh but over all Creatures even over all Angels And He was invested with this power immediately upon the Resurrection for then He was made universal Prophet Priest and King and upon His Ascension followed His Solemn Inauguration and Coronation as we may so speak when He was set at the right hand of God and then His Eternal and unchangeable Priest-hood was confirmed unto Him by an Oath 2. He merited Immortality the Place and Throne of Glory fulness of joy in His Fathers presence and pleasures at His right hand for evermore He attained Immortality upon His Resurrection the Place and Throne of Glory fulness of joy and Eternal Pleasures upon His Aâ—cension 3. He merited a Judgment to be passed upon the Devil to lose his power over Mankind and the same to be transferred upon Himself and a strength to rescue him out of Sathan's possession aâ— will and pleasure 4. He merited a power to send down the Holy Ghost to reveal the Gospel and in a special manner to head His Church protect it guide it give it everlasting peace and in respect of His highest Dignity that not onely Men but Angels shall worship and honour Him and all such as refuse so to do must be dashed in pieces with His Iron-Scepter and cast into Hell Christ's Sufferings being 1. An Obedience unto the Death of the Cross § VII and a Sacrifice And 2. Having many and glorious Effects one and the same principal being the Acquisition of a new Power over Mankind The 3. Thing in order is the manner and measure of the communication of the benefit thereof unto others That the benefit of this Death and Sacrifice is communicable to sinful Man is express Scripture For as by the offence of One Judgment came upon all men unto condemnation even so by the Righteousness of One the free gift came unto all men unto justification of life And again As by one man's disobedience many were made sinners so by the obedience of One shall many be made righteous Rom. 5. 18 19. And since by man came death by Man came also the Resurrection of the Dead for as in Adam all dye so in Christ shall all be made alive 1 Cor. 15. 21 22. From which places it 's clear that as from Adam Sin and Death were derived upon all men so Righteousness and Life are derived upon Mankind by Christ. But the Question will be 1. How 2. How far this Benefit is derived 1. If we enquire of the manner how Righteousness and Life is derived from Christ being One unto so many we shall find that this cannot be except Christ be a general Head of Mankind and one person with them as Adam was And this He could not be as He was the Word properly but as the Word made Flesh for if He will sanctifie them he must take Flesh and Bloud with the Sanctified and so be Man Yet He may be Man and not a general Person so as to be one with them and we do not read of any but onely two who were general Heads and in some respect virtually all Mankind the first and second Adam Such Christ was not but by the Will of God and His own voluntary Consent The Will of God appoints Him to be the Head of Mankind and their Surety and Hostage and so accounted Him and He did willingly submit and took upon Him the Person of others And the principal cause of this Representation whereby He is one Person with us is the Will of God who as Lord made Him such and as Law-giver and Judge did so account Him But 2. How far is He One Person with us The Answer is 1. In general so far as it pleased God to make Him so and no farther 2. In particular He and We are One so far 1. As to make Him liable to the Penalty of the Law which He suffered not for Himself but for us 2. So far as to free us from that Obligation and derive the benefit of His Death to Us. I may instance in a Debtour and his Surety who are one person and the Law so accounts them so far as 1. The Surety becomes liable to the Debt And 2. If he pay it the Principal is freed from the Obligation Yet the Surety is not the Principal nor if he pay the Debt with his own money doth the Principal pay it with his So though Christ be so far one with us as to be liable to the Penalty of the Law and to suffer it and upon this Suffering we are freed yet Christ is not the sinner nor the sinner Christ. Christ is the Word made Flesh innocent and without sin an universal Priest and King but we are none of these Though we be accounted as one person in Law with him by a Trope yet in proper sense it cannot be said that in Christ satisfying we satisfied for our own sins For then we should have been the Word made Flesh able to plead innocency with perfect and perpetual obedience have dyed upon the Cross when He was crucified and by our own blood entring into the Holy Place to have obtained Eternal Redemption But all these things are false impossible blasphemous if affirmed by any It 's true that we were so one with Him that He satisfied for us and the benefits of this Satisfaction redounds to us and is communicable to all upon certain tearms though not actually communicated to all From this Vnity and Identity of Person in Law if I may so speak it follows clearly that Christ's Sufferings were not onely Afflictions but Punishments in proper sense For it is not material whether He suffer for His own sins which He could not because He was innocent or for the sins of others For if He suffered for sins then His Sufferings were Punishments For Poena is Vindâ—cta noxae sive propriae sive alienae That one may suffer for the sins of others and that justly except we will accuse God of injustice
the Scriptures make evident by Doctrine Threatnings Examples Eating the Forbidden Fruit was not the Personal Sin of any of Adam's Posterity and yet they all are punished for it For by one Man sin entred into the World and by sin Death and Death passed over all men c. Josuah and the Princes of the Congregation of Israel swear unto the Gibeonites not to put them to death Saul 450 years and more afterwards slays them and so violates that Oath For this sin of that King Israelâ—â—â—ers â—â—â—ers three years Famine and this sin is not expiated nor the Judgment turn'd away 〈◊〉 7. of Saul's Son long after were given to the Gibeonites and hanged up unto the Lord. Saul sins Israel suffers Famine and 7 of Saul's Sons are slain and this by the direction of God declaring the Perjury of Saul to be the cause of Israelsâ—â—sfering â—â—sfering Achan commits Sacriledge not onely He but his Sons and Daughters are stoned to death for it But I shall have occasion hereafter to say something more of this Particular The Socinians in opposing this truth deny plain Scriptures and charge God with injustice by consequence and whilest they deny Christ's Sufferings to be Punishments lest they should make God unjust they charge Him with injustice For if it be unjust to punish Christ being innocent for the sinnes of others for whom He voluntarily suffered according to the Appointment and Command of His Heavenly Father much more unjust it must needs be to afflict him and that so grievously without any cause at all or demerit of others And whereas they say That though some may suffer for the sins of others when they are sinful themselves and not otherwise they do but trifle For if one may justly be punished for the sin of another whereof he is not guilty then an innocent person may justly suffer for another who is guilty This was the case of Israel when David sinned He out of Pride numbers the People God is offended herewith and punisheth for this sin and that with death 70000 of his Subjects The King sins the People suffer and they suffer death for the Kings sin whereof they were not guilty as appears by those words of David's Repentance But these sheep what have they done 2 Sam. 24. 17. That is I not they have sinned They are innocent in this particular By all this we may understand how and how far Christ's Sacrifice is communicable to us How we come to be actuall Partakers of these Benefits shall be shewed hereafter Before I proceed § VIII I will take occasion to examine the Extent of Christ's Death Whether He died for all men and so Redemption be universal as some use to speak or no. 1. That Christ dyed for all in some sense must needs be granted because the Scripture expresly affirms it For by the Righteousness of One the free gift came upon All Men to justification of life Rom. 5. 18. And if One died for all then were all dead 2. That onely Believers actually enjoy the Benefit of this Death unto Salvation is as clear also 3. Neither God's love in giving Christ nor Christ's love dying for Man do exclude any as love 4. The benefit of Salvation is communicable to all upon certain tearms expressed in the Covenant which yet limits the actual benefit of Remission and Eternal Liâ—e by prescribing a qualification in the Parties to be saved by Christ's death 5. The Qualification is such that it excludes no man as a man or a sinful man but as impenitent and not believing at least So that it may truly be said that by Christ's Sacrifice all men are save-able some way though all shall not be saved And if any become not save-able it 's upon some demerit and speciall cause antecedent The immediate Effects called Satisfaction and Merit both signified by the word Propitiation make God propitious and in that respect man in a capacity of Salvation or save-able and do not precisely exclude or include any But Justification Reconciliation Adoption Glorification are so simiâ—ed by God's Promise that they formally and immediately belong to none but Believers This Question is needless if men would content themselves with the plain and simple truth of the Scriptures and rather use all means to believe then dispùte For if I once sincâ—rely believe I may be sure I have a right unto those Benefits If I believe not I can have no comâ—ort in this blessed and most meritorious Sacrifice There is another question and the same unprofitably handled Whether the Propitiation which includes both satisfaction and merit be to be ascribed to the active or passive obedience of Christ as their distinction and expression proposeth it For solution whereof it s to be observed 1. That both his active personal perfect and perpetual obedience which by reason of his humane nature assumed and subjection unto God was due and also that obedience unto the great and transcendent command of suffering the death of the Crosse both concur as causes of Remission and justification 2. The Scriptures usually ascribe it to the Blood Death and Sacrifice of Christ and never to the personall active obedience of Christ to the Morall law 3. That yet this active obedience is necessary because without it he could not have offered that great sacrifice of himself without spot unto God and if it had not been without spot it could not have been Propitiatory and effectuall for expiation 4. That if Christ as our surety had performed for us perfect and perpetual obedience so that we might have been judged to have perfectly and fully kept the law by him then no sin could have been chargeable upon us and the death of Christ had been needlesse and superfluous 5. Christs propitiation frees the Believer not onely from the obligation unto punishment of sense but of losse and procured for him not onely deliverance from evil deserved but the enjoyment of all good necessary to our full happinesse Therefore there is no ground of Scripture for that opinion That the death of Christ and his sufferings free us from punishment and by his active obedience imputed to us we are made righteous and the heyres of life 6. If Christ was bound to perform perfect and perpetuall obedience for us and he also performed it for us then we are freed not onely from sin but obedience too and this obedience as distinct and seperate from obedience unto death may be pleaded for justification of life and will be suffiâ—ient to carry the cause For the tenour of the law was this Do this and Live And if man do this by himself or surety so as that the law-giver and supreme Judge accept it the Law can require no more It could not bind to perfect obedience and to punishment too There never was any such law made by God or just men Before I conclude this particular concerning the extent of Christs merit propitiation I thought good to inform the Reader that as the
for an Act of Divine Power as it is a cause of subjection which must â—o before admission To understand this we must consider the Subject of it and that is Man as sub alienâ potestate under the power of Sin and Sathan and so out of God's Kingâ—om and as an Alien to this Heavenly Common-wealth and such is every one by Nature as he is out of Jesus Christ. Yet there are degrees of this distance some are further off some nearer to this Kingdom This is evident from the condition of Jews and Gentiles in former times and always especially since the times of the Gospel Because all men are either in the visible Church or out of it And men may be out of the Church two ways 1. As never admitted into the same Or 2. Such as being in the Church prove Apostates The Gentiles once were not Gentiles For their first Apostate Fathers were in the Church and the Jews in former times were God's people but for their unbelief are cast out and continue LO-AMMI none of God's people and this shall be their condition till such time as the fulness of the Gentiles be come in And we must distinguish of such as are in the visible Church for some are sincerely subjected unto God-Redeemer according to their Allegiance Some are Subjects onely by Name and Profession and by their ignorance unbelief disobedience are little better then Heathens and Aliens Some are subject in some measure but come short of that degree which is required to admission All these excepting one sort are out of this Kingdome as it consists of reall Saints and living members of Christ. Apostates shall never be called much lesse admitted if they be personally and wilfully such For if we sin wilfully after we have received the knowledge of the truth there remaineth no more Sacrifice for sins Heb. 10. 26. and if no more Sacrifice then calling is in vain and to no purpose Yet the posterity of Apostates may be and have been called And if once God vouchsafe the meanes of conversion to Idolators who have forsaken not only God as their Redeemer but as Creatour and Preserver he requires of them to renounce the Devil and turn from their Idols to the living God first and then unto him as Redeemer by Jesus Christ. They which have forsaken Jesus Christ or deny him as their Saviour and yet acknowledge and worship God alone as the Creatour of Heaven and Earth the Preserver and Governour of the World as Turks all Mahumetans and the unbelieving Jews do at this day are bound to acknowledge Christ as their Saviour and Redeemer and sure his incarnation and glorification as already come into the World The case of the Jew in the times of Christ and the Apostles was singular For the sincere Proselyte and Jew had onely this to do to believe in Christ already come as before they believed in him to come and so they became compleat members of the Church Christian and perfectly subjects of the Kingdome of Christ glorified The Ignorant and Prophane as also the Hypocrits must forsake their wicked wayes and sincerely submit themselves Yet none of these things can be done without a power from Heaven and a Vocation which is a gracious work of God Redeemer wherein he by his Word and Spirit reduceth man to subjection so that he is fitted to be a subject of his Blessed Kingdome For by Calling we are delivered from the power of darknesse and translated into the Kingdome of His Dear Son Col. 1. 13. Therefore said to be called out of darknesse into his marveylous light 1 Pet. 2. 9. And upon this they who were not a people are made the people of God verse 10. For God will put his lawes into their mind and write them in their hearts and thereupon He will be their God and they shall be to him a People Heb. 8. 10. In all these Passages and many more it 's evident 1. That by nature and as born of sinfull Adam we are in darknesse out of Gods Kingdome none of Gods People 2. That we passe out of darknesse into light and into Christs Kingdom 3. This is not a work of our own merit or power For it 's God that delivers us translates us writes his lawes in our hearts and this of his free mercy and by his great and wonderfull power 4. By this we become Gods people and subjects of Christ's Kingdom And all this is said to be by calling For he called us out of darknesse into his marvaylous light All these particulars are expressed or implyed in those words of the Apostle who signifies that God would send him to the Gentiles to open their eves and to turn them from darknesse to light and from the power of Sathan unto God that they may receive remission of sins and as inheritance among them which are sanctifyed by saith in Christ Act. 26. 17 18. This Vocation § VII as it is an act of power and great mercy and free grace for by grace we are saved so it s a work which is effected by the Word and Spirit For as we are regenerate so we are called and we are regenerate 1. By the Word 2. By the Spirit By the Word For of his own will he begat us with the word of truth Jam. 1. 18. By the Spirit For except a man be born again of water and the Spirit he cannot enter into the Kingdome of God Joh. 3. 5. In the Word God commands and promiseth The command binds man to submit The promise is a motive to enforce the performance of the precept This we maâ— understand and observe in the Call of Abraham For 1. He is commanded to get him out of his Countrey and from his kindred and from his Fathers house unto a land that God would shew him and to perswade him God promiseth to make him a great nation and to blesse him c. But the principall promise was that in him all the familyes of the earth should be blessed Gen. 12. 1. 2 3. This precept implyes that man is under the domiâ—ion of sin and Sathan and therefore commands him to forsake his sin and Sathan and turn from Satan unto God In this God makes use of the Doctrine of the fall of Adam and the Morall Law as given unto him and binding him to perfect and perpetual obedience and upon disobedience threatning Death And by the precept is discovered mans sin and by threatning his misery to humble him break his heart make him weary of sin and desirous of deliverance and willing upon any termes to accept a Saviour Yet this gives him no Comfort nor any Power to do that which is his duty though God make use of it to prepare mans heart The first dutyes commanded are 1. A sight of sin as sin in our selves whereby we are miserable The 2. Is saith whereby we believe that God being satisfyed and attoned by the blood of Christ will be mercifull and pardon sin This faith
and Mercerus understand it Yea the Apostle himself informs us that the people fore-known Rom. 11. 2. are a Remnant according to the Election of Grace ver 5. And the Election that is the persons elected ver 7. So that to fore-know is to decree to Call and is the same with the decree of Election strictly taken 3. Predestination § X in this place is distinct from Election or Fore-knowledge and is a decree to justifie adopt and glorifie the Elect or Called For in these words of the Apostle To be conformed to the Image of his Son is to be glorified For Image in several places of the Old Testament is taken for Glory So O Lord when thou awakest thou wilt despise their Image that is their Glory Psal. 73. 20. When I awake I shall be satisfied with thy likeness that is thy Glory Psal. 17. 15. The similitude of the Lord shall He that is Moses behold that is his glory Numb 12. 8. In both places the Septuagint turn the word which signifies likeness or image glory And in the New Testament Man is the Image and glory of God 1 Cor. 11. 7. And though not here yet in another place God is said to predestinate us to Adoption Ephes. 1. 15. Where Adoption may be glory for so sometimes it 's taken And it 's implyed That we are Predestinate unto an Inheritance ver 11. 4. Election signifies both when it is written That God hath chosen you that is the Thessalonians to Salvation through Sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth 2 Thess. 2. 13. 5. The Subject of Election is Man but not as Man merely nor as man made nor to be made nor as fallen in massâ corruptâ though man may be considered under all these notions but the immediate subject of Election and Predestination is every person considered in that condition as God shall find him when he calls him For the execution of Election begins in that Calling upon which follows the first sincere Conversion And because in many this Calling goes long before final Faith as final Therefore man as finally believing is not the immediate Object of Election though final Believers be the immediate Subject of Glorification The first Compilers of the Articles of Subscription for the Church of England in King Edward the 6th His Reign do understand Predestination and Election for two distinct and different Acts of God as appears by the 17th Article For they make the Elect to be the Object of Predestination and imply that Election is Antecedent to Predestination But whether they meant by Election a Decree to Call is difficult to determine Neither need we trouble our selves in the search thereof because our Rules is the Scripture and their words are capable of a good sense Thus much may be sufficient for the explication of the words § X The thing signified by the Words in the next place is to be examined Election taken in the larger sense both for the Decree of Calling and Predestination too may be defined from 2 Thess. 2. 13. to be A Decree of God whereby He determined to chuse certain persons unto Salvation through Sanctification of the Spirit and Belief of the Truth Or thus more at large It is a Decree of God whereby He decreed according to His good pleasure before the Foundation of the world to call certain particular persons and by Christ to justifie and glorifie them First the general Nature of Election is a Decree A Decree is an Act of the Will that act which we call a determination or resolution to do something and this is an act of God's Will and according to our manner of understanding and the expression of the Scriptures it doth pre-suppose his counsel and practical knowledge directing the Will For we are said to be predestinate according to the good pleasure of Him who worketh all things according to the counsell of his will Ephes. 1. 11. Where observe 1. That the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is turned Purpose signifies sometimes good pleasure and so it s to be understood there 2. That Counsell is antecedent to the Will and directs the determination thereof As the general Act is a Decree So Secondly the Decree was passed by God before the Foundation of the world and the existence of things and in this respect is not onely Destination but Predestination Yet this Decree is not properly Eternal as the existence of the Deity and the immanent Acts of God upon Himself are 3. This Decree was not onely a free act but an act of free and abundant grace and mercy in Christ therefore said to be according to the good pleasure of His Will to the praise of the glory of His Grace wherein He hath made us accepted in His Beloved Ephes. 1. 5 6. 4. The Object or Subject of this Decree is sinful man yet considered as redeemed by Christ For otherwise He could not be eligible or predestinable to Salvation and Eternal Glory seeing that by the first Law of Works transgressed he was a Vessel of Wrath and as such in no possibility of Salvation For once guilty he was no way save-able but by Christ's Redemption and the New Covenant Therefore we are said to be chosen in Christ to be predestinate unto the Adoption of Children by Jesus Christ Ephes. 1. 4 5. And from hence it followeth that there was no merit in man fore-seen nor any cause out of God that might move God or determine His Will The merit of Christ fore-known could not necessitate His Will yea neither final Faith fore-seen nor the foresight it self of Faith could any ways pre-determine God's Will But this Will did freely determine it self both in general to chuse any and much more to chuse these or those particular persons The fore-knowledge of Christ Faith good-works final perseverance as possible could not make the Salvation of sinful man to be future for the futurition of it depended merely upon his good pleasure yet directed by his Wisdom And the Object of this Decree was not man in general but certain single persons and the same not onely guilty by the first Sin of Adam but by many other actual sins even all their actual transgressions which they had committed before God's effectual Call and their Conversion Yet this is to be understood of such as are Adulti and at age before their Conversion This is evident both out of the Epistle to the Romanes but especially in that to the Ephesians Chap. 1. 4 5 11. and that to the Thessalonians 2 Chap. 2. 13. For we find the subject to be persons and such as were guilty not onely of the first sin but many proper actual sins before their Conversion and their Election pre-supposeth Christ the Redemption the Covenant The Remonstrants inform us that the Decrees of Predestination are these 1. A Decree to give Christ to redeem sinful man 2. A Decree to save all those who shall sincerely and finally believe in Him 3. A Decree
controverted yet Sub judice lis est to this day We have no perfect notions of God's Knowledge and Decrees nor of His manner of Working in the Souls of men Therefore it were wisdom to be silent If we desire to know our own Election we must not curiously pry into God's secret Counsels nor search the Records of Eternity for that we cannot do But let us diligently examine our selves and if our hearts have been sincerely obedient to the Heavenly Call wholly subjected to Christ and feel the power and comforts of God's sanctifying and adopting Spirit having dominion over Sin then we may conclude that our names are registred in Heaven and enrolled in the Book of Life and we are Subjects of this glorious Kingdom Thus you have heard § XII what Subjection is required by the Fundamental Law of this Kingdom and the means whereby we are reduced And this Subjection must be free not forced sincere not seigned It 's true that Man upon the first Summons and Call will stand out and be unwilling to change his old Master and forsake his bosome sin Yet such is the power of this Heavenly Call that in the end it will prevail For when the glorious power of the Spirit with the purest light of the Gospel shall penetrate the inmost parts of the Soul discover unto him his vile base miâ—erable condition the imminent danger of Eternal Death the unspeakable Love of God the bitter Sufferings of Christ the Excellency of him his Saviour the great Deliverance from Hell and Eternal Death and the blessed and glorious Estate which will follow upon his submission then the heart by the power of Grace of unwilling is made most willing and receives with all readiness his Lord as onely Redeemer and will do any thing suffer any thing lose any thing to be one of his Vassals After this brief Discourse of Predestination § XIII which is the first beginning of man's Eternal Salvation and the IDEA and Model of God's special Government according to which He calls Converts admits sinful man as a subject of His Kingdom and directs him unto the full enjoyment of Eternal Peace and also of Calling whereby this Decree begins to be put in execution and sinful Man is reduced it remains that we enquire what the condition of man upon his sincere submission proves to be For this end we must observe 1. That God according to His absolute power calls whom He will For He is bound to none and therefore without any injustice He may pass by not onely particular persons but whole Nations yea the greatest part of Mankind especially upon their demerit 2. That to whomsoever He vouchsafeth the means of Conversion them He may be truly said to Call 3. That the issue and event of this Call is two-fold for some stand our some come in Those who stand out either by their secular employments Earthly care and love of the World are kept back or being spiteful and malicious oppose persecute and murther God's Messengers As these voluntarily refuse to submit so they are for ever shut out of this Kingdom and all of them especially the malicious wilful Wretches are counted Rebels and so adjudged Enemies and so to be dealt withall For here is no different and third sort of people which may be reckoned Neuters For all are either Subjects or Enemies Of such as come in some submit in Hypocrisie some imperfectly some with all their hearts sincerely and the Hypocrites are either gross or not so palpable All this we may learn from that Parable of our Saviour Math. 22. 1 2 3. c. Of those who submit is made the visible Church on Earth which universally considered since the first publication of the Gospel to all Nations are 1. Christians 2. Reduced into several Societies and Flocks for Doctrine and Worship over which are set Ministers and their Priviledges are Word and Sacraments And the Universal Church in all the several parts of the World wheresoever they are dispersed make one Political and Organical Body and are all subject to Christ their Head and to their Ministers as His Officers And in this respect the Government of the Church is Monarchical And as the Word and Sacraments are Priviledges of the Universal Church so Ministers rightly and duâ—y called are Officers of the same And we are first Subjects unto Christ and Members of the great Body before we be Members of this or that particular Church But of this I have spoken in another Treatise 3. They are associated for Discipline the end whereof is to preserve the Doctrine and Woâ—ship pure and the body free from scandalous and infecting Members The Power of the Church thus associated is four-fold 1. To declare and constitute Canons 2. To make Officers 3. To exercise Jurisdiction 4. To dispose of the Churches stock made up of the Charity and Benevolence of the People This power is in the whole Church and Body associated It 's exercised by Officers chosen and constituted according to the Rules of Christ for that purpose The acts of Jurisdiction are to admonish suspend excommunicate or absolve according as they shall see just cause The whole Church particular may trust one man or more with a general inspection without giving any jurisdiction Many particular Congregations instituted for Worship may associate into one Body for Discipline and then the power is not derived from the particular Congregations to the whole but from the whole Association to the Parts These Associations may be of too narrow or too vast an extent of too small a number or too great a multitude And the Parts and Members are most fitly united and conveniently disposed by vicinity of Habitation These particulars I have at large made evident according to my Talent out of the Scripture in a former distinct Discourse All these Associations the great and glorious Lord Redeemer makes use of in administration of His Kingdom But one onely part of these make up the Body of His Spiritual Kingdom which shall inherit the Eternal Glory of the same and they are such as submit at the first sincerely and with their whole heart Yet there be degrees of this Subjection and the best may and must improve their submission until their corruptions be fully subdued and they perfectly sanctified For before they are not capable of full communion with their God and the perfect enjoyment of Eternal Peace Besides there be several degrees of Preparation before we attain to sincere submission and admission into this blessed Common-wealth of Israel The condition of such as sincerely acknowledge their Soveraign and Lord Redeemer is comfortable here in this life and glorious hereafter For the present as they are admitted Subjects unto God their Father so they who were far off are made nigh and by Christ have access by one Spirit to the Father are no more strangers and Forreigners but Fellow-Citizens with the Saints and Houshold of God Ephes. 2. 13 18 19. And by reason of this
1. That as purely Moral it is always in force and God did never at any time dispense with it but made it the Foundation of all other Laws and it shall continue in force in Heaven For in the very estate of perfect glory all the Subjects of that eternal glorious Kingdom shall be bound eternally to love their God themselves and one another 2. God bound Adam in the day of Creation to the perfect and perpetual personal obedience of this Law and of other Positives as the onely condition of life and so that upon one sin he and all his should be liable to death without any remedy as from that Law This was the highest obligation 3. After that Adam and in him all his had once sinned this Law with the Positives did render him liable and bound to death 4. After that Christ was once promised as a Surety and Hostage to satisfie God's Justice offended by the sin of man it made him liable to death and all such punishments as God should inflict upon him 5. After the Fall of Adam it was in force so fa◠as to bind all such as were out of the Church to Temporal and Eternal Punishments for their sins against it without any hope of Pardon and all such as were in the visible Church to Temporal and Eternal Punishments no ways removable but upon Faith in the Death of Christ. 6. It is in force always since sinful Man received the New Law and Covenant of Grace to bind him to repentance present repentance and return unto the sincere obedience of it to be performed by the power of the Spirit 7. It always is in force to bind the Regenerate Children of God here on Earth to endeavour and aym at an universal perpetual and perfect obedience and upon defect or default presently to return to God-Redeemer for mercy and pardon of what is past to be obtained by a Plea of Christ's Satisfaction and Merit and also further for the continuance and increase of His Sanctifying Grace Lastly after that Man is perfectly sanctified it 's so far in force as to bind him to perfect and eternal obedience unto it Such is the excellency of this Law as purely Moral that 1. If Man had kept it God would give life by it 2. That God never gave Man a liberty to be free from the Obligation of it 3. That God would never pardon any sinne against it without satisfaction made by the Blood of Christ believed and pleaded by sinful Man 4. That Christ merited and God restored the Spirit of Sanctification that Man might keep it 5. That He will not spare His own children when they transgress it by heynous and especially scandalous sins 6. That no Man can have union with Christ except he willingly separate from sin and return to the obedience of this Law 7. That no man can have full communion with God before he perfectly obey it 8. That there is one great change in respect of this Law First perfect Obedience unto it with other Positives was made the onely condition of life But afterwards that Promise of Life upon those strict tearms and that severe commination of Death upon Sin were abolished and Faith was made the onely condition of life So that it may be truly said that the Law of Works is abrogated but not the Moral Law considered in it Self Yet this change was but accidental as before These things premised § III concerning the Moral Law in general I proceed unto the Exposition of the DECALOGVE which though it was given to the Jewes contains the Heads and Method of the Morall Law And it may be considered either as a part of the Law of Works or merely as the Moral Law in general or as part of the Gospel in an Evangelical Notion As it was delivered in that terrible manner with these Clauses Do this and live and Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things written in this Book it had something of the Law of Works in it As it was annexed to the Promise made to Abraham and joyned with the Ceremonies typifying Christ it was Evangelical As considered in general abstracted from both these it was an Abridgement of the Moral Law respecting Man in this life not in the life to come It 's to be understood not strictly as given to Israel at that time but in a Latitude as it is explained in other parts of the Books of Moses especially in Deuteronomy in the Prophets and most of all as in the New Testament where it is explained by our Blessed Saviour and the Duties thereof pressed by Him and the Apostles upon all Christians And this is an Argument that some ways it continues in force in the Gospel As delivered in Exodus and repeated in Deuteronomy it rather contains the Heads to which other Duties not there expressed may be reduced rather then the Principles from whence they may be deduced It 's abridged in many places of Moses the Prophets and Apostles Yet that of our Saviour is most perfect wherein according to Moses he reduceth all to Love For Love is the whole Law This Loves either of God or of our Neighbour To love God above all is the first and great Commandement of the first Table To love our Neighbour as our Selves is the last Commandement of the second Table These two are purely Moral especially the former and the rest are such by participation as before Therefore the first is said to be the great Commandement The last to be like it CHAP. VII An Exposition of the Moral Law as methodically reduced to Ten Heads in the Decalogue by God himself And of the first Commandement With the Preface THE Decalogue so called by the Septuagint § I because consisting of ten words or Commands we find first delivered Exod. 20. and repeated Deut. 5. Wherein we have 1. The Preface 2. The Precepts or Commandements themselves The Preface is two-fold 1. Of Moses the Historian 2. Of God Himself The first Preface in these words God spake all these words The meaning is that 1. These Words or Commandements for so the Word in the Original sometimes signifies These I say and none else 2. These and all these 3. Were spoken published and promulgate 4. By God and God alone immediately in a wonderful and extraordinary manner in the hearing of all Israel prepared and assembled before Mount Sina in Arabia By this we understand that God Himself was the La-wgiver and the immediate Author of this Law And therefore it 's more excellent then any Law or Laws of any Nation in the World And seeing He spake these and these onely these and all these it 's not for Man to add and diminish And all and every one are authentick and of Divine Authority in an high degree The second Preface we have in these words I am the Lord thy God who brought thee out of the Land of Aegypt out of the House of Bondage This second Preface is of God
Himself wherein we have both His absolute and relative Titles whereby He asserts both His own absolute and supream Power and their dependence upon Him The Titles are three The first is absolute I am the Lord which signifies His absolute and most perfect Being in Himself who is worthy of all glory honour power and subjection for evermore For all glorious and most excellent perfections agree to Him who is so glorious and so excellent in Himself and the Basis and immovable Foundation of the World and of all created Beings which issue from His infinite and Almighty Power and without His sustentation return to nothing From this we understand that this Lord and Law-giver is onely one and there can be no other For He is the Lord of Lords and King of Kings The second Title which together with the third being relative is Thy God To be the God of Israel was not onely to be creatour preserver and governour in generall for so he was the God of all mankind but it iâ—cludes some speciall relation to them For he was their God and in such a manner as He was to none others He was their God by Election Promise and their voluntary submission and engagement so that they were his Peculiar People By this also we understand their total dependence upon him his absolute power over them and that whatsoever degree of subjection and duty he should require it was justly due unto him and that not onely by vertue of his Power but their solemn engagement Exod. 19. 8. The third Title is Who have brought thee out of the land of Aegypt out of the house of Bondage This doth put them in mind of their Bondage and sad condition in Aegypt and deliverance out of the same If we consider their condition before this deliverance We shall find 1. They were but Sojourners in that Idolatrous nation had no Countrey or habitation hereditary of their own in any place under heaven 2. They were under a cruel bloody Tyrant and had neither governours nor governments independent of themselves 3. Their male Children were born to be murdered and to lose their life so soon as they began to enjoy it in the light of the World 4. They were made absolute slaves and drudges and bound to base and hard service which they were no wayes able to perform and yet liable to grievous punishments if they performed it not Yet out of this sad condition God did deliver them in a wonderfull and glorious manner For 1. God fearfully plagued and punished their enemyes and took vengeance on them for their cruel oppression 2. Brought them out with an high hand 3. They were no sooner departed out of that cursed Kingdome but God took them into his special Protection A Cloud must cover them by day and be a guide and Pillar of fire and light by night The Angels of Heaven not onely going before them but bringing up the reare 4. When Pharoah with the power of Egypt pursued them and took them in the straites he divided the Sea and made way for them through the deep wherein he drowned the host and strength of Egypt with their King pursuing them 5. His Providence over them being a continued course of Miracles had brought them thus far towards that goodly land wherein he intended to settle them and give them peace and prosperity till their Saviour and Redeemer should come and be exhibited And as that land was a type of their heavenly inheritance so this deliverance was of their spirituall and eternall redemption by Jesus Christ. So that as Gods benefits were unspeakable so their engagements unto God were high and very great and so great as they could never be sufficiently thankfull And if he should give them any lawes they were bound in the highest degree to observe them not onely for his glory but their own happinesse For God had delivered them out of the hands of their enemyes that they might serve him in holinesse and righteousnesse before him all their dayes Luk. 1. 74 75. This preface was of greatest force to engage them and the fittest that possibly could be to prepare them for this law and perswade them to obedience And to this end it includes a multitude of most powerfull motives and though it hath speciall reference to the first and great commandement yet it referrs to all the rest as depending upon it And seeing this law was given 430 yeares after the promise of the Blessed seed made to their Father Abraham they might have understood that it was not given for justification and life but to be a School-Master or Tutour to order and direct unto Christ in whom they were to seek Remission of their sins and eternal life Though many of them understood it not in this manner Yet we Christians who have a clearer light can have no excuse if we be ignorant hereof These Commandements were written in two Tables and 1. Are reducible to two heads Such as determine 1. Our duty towards God 2. Our duty towards our Neighbour 2. These bind the conscience and reach the very will and heart of man and not onely acts inward or outward issuing from the heart 3. As they are delivered unto us Exod. 20. They were given to Israel in particular and the word Thou used in every Commandement signifies that God in them spake unto that Israel whom he brought up out of Aegypt and stood before Mount Sinai when God spake these words and it signifies all Israel joyntly as one person collective and every one of them severally in particular 4. As given then at that time to Israel it did neither promise Pardon of any sin nor power of the Spirit to keep it Both these were to be expected from the promise made to Abraham and annexed to that promise it did serve to discover sin and to direct to Christ promised 5. When we find the dutyes of the law pressed upon Believers in Christ we must know that they are to be performed to God Redeemer by the power of the Spirit of Christ as hath been said before 6. There are some dutyes mentioned in Scripture which are so generall as to comprehend all the Commandements Some that extend to all the first table and some to all the second as we use to speak Some are expresly delivered in the severall Commandements Some deducible from the express words Some onely reducible unto these heads by way of analogie or some trope in Rhetorick yet expresly mentioned in other Scriptures and one and the same thing may in severall respects be commanded or forbidden in severall commandements 7. This law is distinct both from the Judicial and Ceremonial yet both are reducible to it The first commandement virtually includes all the rest and is purely morall in the first place as the last is morall in the second place and all the rest derive their Morality from these two as was before hinted Other rules delivered by severall authours for the better understanding of
many rational Servants properly so called Of these be many kinds 1. Such as have little use of Reason and are onely fit to be governed and not to govern yet having health and strength are able to do good service by the direction of others 2. Some through want and penury or a competent Estate or Family of their own became mercenary hired servants who otherwise were free Such are most of our Servants 3 Some for Debt â—ell their Children and sometimes themselves for Servants and Bond-slaves These might be called Vendititii who sold their children and themselves 4. After that a greater multiplication of Mankind into greater Societies as Cities and Civil States They waged War one against another and by the Law and general consent of Nations the goods of the Conquered became a lawful spoyl and the persons captives and slaves to the Conquerours and so Servants were increased These were Servi Capti Servants taken in War who had their life for a prey and their maintainance for their service 5. And if these or any others were detained as servants in a Family and suffered to marry and had children these children were servants called in Latine Verâ—ae 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by the Septuagint Gen. 17. 13. 6. If any were bought they were called in that respect EMPTITII 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 bought with money Yet these being Servants before by this Act became Servants to those who bought them 7. Many were brought into Servitude most unjustly by Men-stealers who are called Plagiarii 8. Amongst these may be reckoned Apprentices who in some Trade or Profession serve under their Masters till the time of manumission and liberty The Duty of all Servants § XII as such is to do service to their Masters willingly faithfully diligently as in the presence of God the great Master of Heaven Their aym must be to preserve and improve their Masters Estate whose work they do and they must know that they are not Sui juris either free or their own Masters and that their Masters Will must be their Will because they are under their Power and Command These two Duties of Faithfulness and Diligence are proper and though they be bound to Reverence Subjection Obedience yet these are common Duties which all Inferiours under the power of another are bound to perform Let all Servants hearken to the Doctrine of the Apostles and practise it They must be obedient to their own Masters in the flesh with fear and trembling in singlenesse of heart as unto Christ not with Eye-service as men pleasers but as the Servants of Christ doing the will of God from the heart with good will doing service to the Lord and not to men Knowing that what good thing any man doth the same shall he receive of the Lord whether he be bond or free Eph. 6. 5 6 7 8. Knowing that of the Lord yee shall receive the inheritance for ye serve the Lord. But he that doth wrong shall receive for the wrong he hath done and there is no respect of persons Col. 3. 24 25. They must not purloin but shew all fidelity Tit. 2. 10. And they must honour not onely their Christian but their unbelieving Masters 1 Tim. 6. 1. and not onely the gentle and good but the froward 1 Pet. 2. 18. In all which places we may observe the Dutyes the Sins the Rewards the Punishments of servants Their Dutyes are fidelity and diligence in their Service Their Sins murmuring purloining unfaithfulnesse negligence The Reward of good servants is not onely maintenance and wages on earth but God's blessing and a reward in heaven The Punishment of bad servants is not onely such as the severity of their Masters shall inflict but the curse of God here and hereafter Amongst servants may be reckoned Factours and such as undertake the businesse of others for wages and thereupon because they are trusted are bound to account Under this head may be reduced all such as are hired to do work for others Besides all these there are in a family such as neither be children nor servants but such as sojourn and dwell with the Master of the family and are in some sort under his power as strangers and sojourners in a forreign State may be said to be unperfectly subjects to the power of the State where they live for a time The Duty of Masters is to give unto their servants that which is just and equal knowing that they also have a Master in Heaven Col. 4. 1. They must not oppress them abuse them or deny unto them any thing which the Lawes of God the just Lawes of men and their own contract doth allow them If it be a sin to be unmercifull to a Beast much more is it to be unmercifull to a man And though servants cannot right themselves yet God will hear their cry and judge their cause Before I conclude this point of the Duty of Servants and Masters one thing is to be observed That christian Masters should be of all others most just unto their meanest servants because they professe their belief of that Master in heaven and as he is mercifull and just to them so they should be unto their servants Christian servants also should remember that they do service not onely unto man but God and to God not onely as Creator but to him as Redeemer and to Jesus Christ who is exalted at the right hand of God and though they be Servants to men yet if they truly believe they are Sons of God and may expect an inheritance in heaven And besides their other sins this is grievous if they run from their Masters as Onesimus did from Philemon A family is the seminary both of the Church § XIII and civil State And as a State or Church may be said to be a great family so a family well ordered may be called a little common-wealth civill or ecclesiastical Therefore I proceed from oeconomical to politick dutyes which by analogy are reducible to this 5th commandement A family which seems to be onely a private society may multiply into severall familyes and they into Vicinityes and greater multitudes And though every family hath an order of superiority and subjection yet the severall families and Vicinityes being distinct have no power one over another but in that respect are equall Yet these may associate and unite themselves into a community and become one body not onely by confederation for friendship and mutuall help commerce and defence but may enter into a stricter bond of Union and become politick and establish an order of superiority and subjection either for matters of this life or for Religion or for both as Israel set at liberty by God and brought out of Egypt was incorporate into one common-wealth civil and ecclesiastical For in the constitution of a common-wealth the community is the subject and matter the order of superiority and subjection is the form There must be a supreme power one universall Will and Power and the subject
wherein it must originally reside and also by which it must be exercised must be determined this once done it presently appears who are subject unto this power and in what degree The partyes who are trusted with the exercise of this supreme and publick power make Lawes constitute Officers for peace and warr and execute the Lawes manage publique businesse and affairs and use all meanes to promote the publique good procure the peace and safety of the Whole and defend the Body from violence without and protect the just from injuries within The Subjects severally and jointly submit themselves and promise fealty and obedience There be many common-wealths and they differ one from another in the manner of their constitution and administration If the power be disposed in one it is called a Monarchy which may be Despotical when it 's absolute and unlimited in one person or Regal when that one is trusted with the administration and the executive power If the power be absolute in some few it 's called an Aristocrasy and so it is if they be onely trusted If it abide in the whole body yet wisely disposed it may be called a free State if so that the basest as well as the best have power of administration especially in highest businesse it 's a Democrasy Tyranny Oligarchy Ochlocrasy are corruptions of these constitutions In a common-wealth thus constituted we have higher powers § XIV and the duty of Subjects is to be subject loyall faithfull and acknowledg them as their Governours under God for the matters of this life For every soul must be subject or submit unto the higher powers which are ordained of God Rom. 13. 1. And they must submit themselves to every ordinance of man that is to the government of man over man and the higher powers for the Lords sake Whether it be to the King that is for those times the Emperour as supreme Or unto Governours that is Officers as unto them that are sent that is commissioned by him for the punishment of evill doers and for the praise of them that do well For this is the end of all civill government as ordained of God 1 Pet. 2. 13. 14. This subjection differs from that of Wives to Husbands Children to Parents Servants to Masters for it 's an higher and publick power of the supreme Governours of a State as such And they must be subject not onely for fear but for conscience sake Rom. 13. 5. This fear is not only that of Reverence which is the unto them in respect of their honour and dignity but it 's a featr of violating the Lawes or rebelling against the power because the higher powers do not bear the sword in vain They must obey their just Lawes For Titus must put in mind the Christians of Creet to be subject to principallityes and Powers to obey Magistrates and to be ready to do every good work Tit. 3. 1. Yet this obedience unto man is limited and is so farr due as it is agreeable to the Lawes of God They must also pay Tribute Custome and whatsoever Charge shall be justly imposed For seeing they watch over us and take care of the Whole and we enjoy the benefit of their care prudence and pains it 's fit we should maintaine them and be willing to erogate so much as shall be needfull for the preservation of the State For the publick good and safety is the good and safety of every private person They must also be willing and ready to assist their Governours with their persons states and lives for the safety of their Country And this many Princes included and required in their forms of fealty and allegiance And this Fealty if regular and rational is due first unto the State and then unto the Governours To the Kingdom first and then to the King Out of the words of the Apostle § XV 1 Pet. 2. 13 14. we may observe that goverours are supreme or subordinate and amongst the subordinate there be many degrees according to the severall degrees of power derived unto them for their severall imployments in the distinct and different acts of administration And subjection honour obedience are due unto these according to their measure of power and Authority This subjection and obedience unto the higher powers and Magistrates is limitted not onely by the Lawes of God but the constitution of every severall State These Officers are for peace of Warr by Sea or Land and may command those under them and they must be faithfull and obedient I will not in this place enlarge and declare the duties of souldiers nor debate the Question Whether a souldier in pay and yet in Quarters in his own country when there is no visible Enemy be exempt from the power of the civill Magistrate or no It 's certain that the power of Admirals and Captaines by Sea and Generals and Commanders by Land respect souldiers properly as souldiers and is regulated by Martiall Lawes which are different from the civill Lawes for the administration of Justice in a time or place of peace The duties of souldiers as such are to be faithfull and obedient to their Commanders vigilant in their places resolute in service orderly and quiet in their Quarters contented with their pay The Sins of military men except they be kept in order by severe discipline are to be cowards mutinous treacherous Revolters and likewise to plunder murther commit Rapes and many other kind of Villanies Commanders should be faithfull valiant prudent skilfull in Martiall affaires carefull of their Souldiers The Dutyes of higher powers are § XVI to protect their Subjects make good and wholesome Lawes constitute able and just Officers administer Justice and execute the Laws to have a care of provide for the good education of the people in trade learning husbandry to regulate trade and commerce to found Schools Colledges Universityes Corporations and by all lawfull meanes procure and promote the peace safety welfare and prosperity of the People They should be Fathers and such as tender the good of their Subjects as of their Children As they are called gods and are in God's place so in the administration and ordering of their severall Dominions they should be like God in Counsell Wisdome and Integrity And happy are the people to whom God shall vouchsafe such Governours For it is a great mercy Which if any people shall enjoy their duty is to blesse God for them pray for their happinesse and honour them according to their deserts And so much the rather should we do this because it 's so heavy a Judgment and cruell curse to be subjected and exposed to the pride folly oppression Tyranny of wicked Rulers It 's a sad condition when those who hate us rule over us The Sins of Subjects are § XVII secret Treason and Conspiracy open Rebellion Sedition disobedience to the Lawes contempt of the Power and Persons of their Princes murmuring and complaining of Oppression when there is no cause falsely traducing
and accusing the Government of Injustice and Imprudence denying Tribute Custome and other dues and rights which the just Constitution and Lawes require The Sins of the higher powers are many Some of the chief are these to neglect the publick good commit the administration to unjust and unworthy men make unjust Lawes pervert Judgment ordain insufficient and unjust Officers usurp too much power oppresse the people to enrich and advance unworthy Favourites and Flatterers and to maintain the State Pomp and Pride of a vicious Court to displace just and prudent Officers and to debarr men of parts and worth from the administration to wage unnecessary Warrs and so vainly to exhaust the publick Treasures and expend the Subjects blood to refuse good counsell and to follow bad And the highest Crime of all and which includes the rest is Tyranny and that is to govern contrary to good Lawes and exercise arbitrary power to the ruine of the publick Under this head may be reduced Persecution of the Godly and loyall Subjects for the profession and practise of the true Religion instituted from Heaven Besides these there be many Sins of inferiour Officers and Magistrates in their severall places And here I might take occasion to enquire what power the civill Governours have circa Sacra in matters of Religion 1. They cannot justly establish any false Religion contrary to the Word of God conteined in the Scriptures neither can they or ought they to tolerate any Errours Heresies Blasphemies Idolatries or Corruptions in Religion 2. They may make civill Lawes concerning Religion and execute the same by their coactive power and by these Lawes they may and ought to bind and command their Subjects to worship the true God in Christ and protect them in the same This is that which they call Jus Religionis ordinanda an undoubted right of all higher powers Yet they must be sure they establish nothing in Religion which is not clearly agreeable to the Gospell For as it is unlawfull for any civill powers to establish by Law any thing in Religion contrary to the Gospell so it 's no wayes tolerable to bind the Subjects upon civill penalties to professe things doubtfull and needlesse If all the Subjects in a State professe themselves Christians they cannot have any just cause to complain of their Rulers if by a Law they be commanded to make that Christian faith which is truly and plainly Christian. They are bound unto it by the Lawes of Christ by their own profession by the Lawes of their Country Yet Christian Religion is not to be propagated by the sword but by the Word clearly taught so that their Consciences may be convinced But this presupposeth the Subjects no Christians Yet if they be such the higher powers Christians are bound to use all lawfull means appointed by Christ to make them Christians The first care of King David was to settle the true worship of God The first care of Solomon to build a Temple unto God and the first care of the good Princes of Judah to reform Religion and to destroy the Monuments of Idolatry and all this by their civill power And there is great reason why all Princes and Governours should do thus Because the establishment of their power and the welfare of their Subjects depends principally upon Religion Yet this power of the Magistrate is clearly distinct and different from the power of the Church as a Church which can have no sword nor exercise any civil coactive power This spirituall and ecclesiastical power looks upon every one within their precincts as Subjects of Christ and Members of their spirituall Society and such Princes and Governours should be and they proceed against them in the name of Christ if they do offend and if they continue obstinate they cast them not out of the State but the Church As for liberty of Conscience it 's limited to things indifferent For Christ did never purchase never grant to any liberty to believe Errours false Doctrine or their own Fancyes no wayes grounded on the Word of God much lesse to professe them and least of all upon this belief and profession to associate and continue themselves in severall Societyes seperate from Orthodox Christians raise Schisms in the Church and Factions in the State to the disturbance of both If we look upon the persons who in reformed Churches cry so much for liberty of Conscience upon due examination we shall find the most of them to be factious to have little of the power though they may have much of the form of godlinesse and that which they call liberty of Conscience to be a liberty to professe their Errours and if they had power in their own hands they would give liberty onely to their own Sect and would prove the most bloody persecutors of all others What toleration Princes may grant of different proffessions when they cannot reduce their Subjects to the Unity of profession of the same saving Truth is another case and cloathed with other Circumstances and must be judged of accordingly The truth is when a State is once corrupted and that deeply in Religion it 's an hard thing to reform Publick Confessions are too large and few of them without the mixture of something either superstitious or erroneous or doubtfull and such as weak Christians of tender Consciences cannot well digest After this digression § XVIII which requires a larger debate then here I intend and the consideration of civill Societies and common-weales order requires that I add something of the Church as reducible to this Commandement The Church is a spirituall Society and a multitude professing Christ associated in matters of Religion And though the same persons which are Members of a civill State may be Members of a Church yet they are to be considered under a different notion The Author of this Society is God that in a more special manner who first by extraordinary then by ordinary men especially since the Exhibition of Christ makes them Subjects of this Kingdome which is the matter of this whole Treatise and admits them into this Society When they are once reduced and made Subjects unto God Redeemer they constitute that Common-wealth whereof he is Head and Monarch And this Society since the Revelation of the Gospel may be considered as universall consisting of the Christians of all Nations and in this respect they are all subject unto Christ as their Lord and King Yet this universall Church and these persons scattered and divided in many Nations may be united and associated in severall Vicinityes according to their cohabitations into greater or lesser Bodyes for Doctrine and Worship or for Discipline As associated for Worship and Doctrine they have their Pastours to whose charge they are committed by the holy Ghost And these Pastours may be many and have their severall assignations and their particular flocks or a number of them may take the charge of a greater number in common or every one my have their severall
kind and such as beaâ— Analogie or have Agreement with it are there by a Synechdoche forbidden Where the effect and the end there the causes and meanes are Prohibited And where the Principall there the Accessory are condemned Where the act or outward fact there the thoughts affections inclinations desires purposes gestures Words are determined to be unlawfull According to these rules besides Adultery many other sins which have some affinity and agreement therewith are here forbidden as fornication incest whoredome rapes deflowring of Virgins Sodomy and Bestiality which two lusts are not to be named but with detestation And all lasciviousnesse uncleannesse and abuse of the body in this kind The reason hereof is because God never gave any â—iberty to use their bodies in this kind out of Marriage For so soon as he had created man and given him a power and blessing of propagation and multiplication He brings the Woman to the Man gives her in marriage unto him before they had any warrant to have carnall knowledge one of another In this respect simple fornication as they term it between single Persons and the keeping of Concubins are unlawfull According to the second Rule of cause and effect because intemperance and excesse in eating § V drinking and pampering of the body and idlenesse are causes as of other sins so of these of uncleannesse therefore in that respect but no otherwise they are prohibited Fulnesse of bread and abundance of Idlenesse were two of the great iniquities of Sodom one of the filthiest and leudest places in the World Ezek. 16. 49. Yet intemperance luxury and excess in bodily pleasures may be reduced to this Commandement understood in a latitude as prohibiting all excessive and inordinate enjoyment of worldly and bodily pleasures And the Jews being as sed horses in the morning neighed after their neighbours wives Jer. 5. 8. Lewd company is also another cause Dinah Jacob's Daughter wanders and gads abroad to see the Daughters of the Land falls into lewd company and is deflowred For which sin the City of Shechem is destroyed To gaze unadvisedly upon beauties may kindle the flames of lust Immodest and wanton Apparrell Carriage Gestures Words filthy Communication Lewd Pictures filthy books too much familiarity of Men with Women or Women with Men who have not the gift of continency and converse with them without any calling especially with the temptations of the Devil who will take all advantages are dangerous Not to reckon up particulars which are many this we must know for certain that whatsoever is a cause or occasion of this sin of uncleannesse and gives advantage or opportunity to Sathan is forbidden as such in this place Yet the beginning of this sin as of all other is in the heart for as out of it evil thoughts and murders so adultery and fornication issue Mat. 15. 19. For whosoever looketh on a Woman to lust after her hath committed Adultery with her already in his heart Mat. 5. 28. Till temptations come into the heart we are safe But when the heart begins to entertain unclean suggestions conceive and continue unclean thoughts desire unclean pleasures the devil hath insinuated himself and is entered already But if we yeild consent resolve to fulfill our lusts and deliberate how to accomplish our filthy design then he is fortified and will hardly be forced out we become his captives and slaves the sin is conceived and formed in us And this deliberate consent and resolution is the principal part of this sin and most properly contracts the guilt For where there is Reluctancy within and strong temptation without or a suddain surprizall the sin is not so heynous The inward disposition and willing inclination of the heart doth most offend God the outward act and the use of meanes to accomplish our desires do the greatest hurt to man Yet as there are degrees of these sins within so there be also without and that not onely in respect of the severall kinds of filthinesse for some are more abominable then other in their own nature some by complication because in one act Adultery and Incest may concurre but also in respect of the act and habit For the sins of adultery and murder were not habituall in David his constant temper was far different though some make a Constant practise of this sin Besides all these wayes of contracting guilt in this particular some are guilty though not as Principalls yet as Accessory For many are no better then Bawdes and Panders by being subservient and officious unto other in this sin Thus Jonadab contrives a meanes and gives advice to Amon how be might fulfill his lust upon his Sister Tamar 2 Sam. 13. 5. Thus far the negative part whereby we understand what sins are here forbidden and also how hard a thing it is to be pure and innocent from all uncleannesse for few are found who are not in some measure polluted For the causes and occasions are many and the temptations great and our frailty much and we have continuall need of Gods gracious assistance which without our own constant Vigilancy we cannot expect As for Polygamy and the severall cases of conscience and the distance of degrees in consanguinity and affinity to be observed to avoid incest I leave them to Casuists The affirmative part here implied § VI and often expressed in other places of Scripture is the Precept of Chastity for he that forbids impurity commands Chastity which is not a vertue as it ariseth from the constitution of the body or from some naturall or artificiall causes but as it s rooted in the heart and is Regulated by the Word of God For as the sin of uncleannesse is not in the outward Act of carnal knowledge which ordered according to Gods institution and Law is not only lawfull but a meanes ordained by God to propagate mankind and to continue a Church unto the end of the World So likewise Chastity is not the forbearance of the outward act but a right and constant temper of the heart hating the sin of uncleanness and preserving both Body and Mind pure in free obedience unto God And as the proper and principal subject both of all other also of this verâ—ue is the will So all this will avoids all causes and occasions of the sin here forbidden The inward thoughts desires resolutions deliberations are pure the words gestures apparrell and outward acts are modest and sober so that by a chast soul the Vessel and body is kept in Sanctification and honour And this is the duty here commanded But because there are many meanes to preserve Chastity these therefore ought to be used The fear of God which is the beginning of Wisdome and a Principle-generall of all vertues doth first dispose the soul to this particular duty and reigning in the soul commands all temptations to be resisted evil company and filthy persons to be avoided good and chast Society to be observed prayer frequent prayer against this sin to be
made some honest imployment to be used the Scripture and pious books to be read the reasons against this sin in Scripture to be remembered the motives unto chastity to be observed good examples of Chastity as that most excellent one of Joseph to be followed Yet we must know that in respect of persons its twofold 1. Of single persons 2. Of married persons Single persons are such as were never married or widows both these must be chast so as not onely to have pure and sanctified minds but also to forbear all kind of Carnall copulation Married persons may have the use of one anothers bodies without any sin but then they must be faithfull one unto another for onely they that have right unto their bodies must have the use of them And if they transgresse their sin is adultery and greater then that of simple fornication not only because it is an abuse of the body as simple fornication is but because it is against the marriage-contract and they have a remedy which single persons have not and many more mischiefs follow upon it In this condition of marriage many may think themselves safe yet no persons though married must neglect their watch presume upon their own strength contemne temptations for they may fail as well as others as wofull experience hath taught many Their secret carriage must be chast before God their outward behaviour must be modest before men the one that they may have a good conscience the other that they may give good example And single persons that have not the gift of continency must marry yet wisely and in the Lord lest that estate which was ordained for a comfort and help prove a discomfort and a snare They are happy in this respect and a great mercy of God it is who have their education in chast and modest families and fall not into familiarity with lewd persons For many who in chast Company would have been chast and would have abhorred this sin have bin defiled by lewd and ungodly persons Yet if we fear our God and trust in him he can preserve us pure in the most filthy societies as he did Lot in Sodom and deliver them in the strongest temptations as he did Joseph This Commandement certainly requires temperance § VII as an excellent preservation of Chastity And divers of the School-men and Casuists oppose it to Luxury which they make a generall under which they reduce and rank in a certain order 1. Simple fornication to which they referr whoredome and the use of Concubiâ—s 2. Incest 3. Adultery 4. Deflowring of Virgins in their parents power 5. Rapes 6. Uncleannesse against nature as Sodomy and Bestiality all which were mentioned formerly Yet this temperance more properly taken is opposed to luxury taken more strictly for excesse in diet and apparrel and such things as tend to the preservation of the body It 's contrary to drunkennesse and gluttony and all excesse in that kind and may include abstinence and fasting for we must keep the body under and make no provision for the flesh to fulfill the lusts thereof The body must not be armed against the soul lest the flesh rebel against the spirit The pampering of it is like the warming a frozen Serpent in our bosome to sting us unto death We are commanded to abstain from fleshly lusts which fight against the Soul 1 Pet. 2. 11. Yet temperance is properly and strictly here commanded as tending unto Chastity yet it may come under another notion as it doth dispose us to Heavenly duties and prepare us for our last account There are intemperate persons who are lovers of pleasures more then lovers of God and surfetting and drunkennesse indispose us to divine performances and unprepare us for our latter end And in this respect intemperance is a sin against the first table Drunkennesse absolutely considered is not a sin against this commandement but as inclining and disposing to uncleannesse and in other severall respects against many other For there be divers sins and divers duties reducible to severall parts of this morall Law As there be many disswasives from the sins here forbidden § VIII so there be many Swasives and motives to the duties here Commanded Some are generall motives to Chastity in generall some to Chasity in single life some to Chastity in marriage in particular And every Disswasive in generall and in particular are Swasives either in generall or particular There are disswasives from 〈◊〉 fornication from incest from adultery from rapes and so from the rest whiâ—h are proper The reasons and motives to Chastity in generall especially to Christians are 1. Bâ—cause our bodies are the members of Christ 2. They are the temples of the Holy Ghost 3. We are bought with a price and cannot dispose of our selves as we please but must so use them as our Saviour hath Commanded and we must honour and glorifie him who hath bought them for his they are 4. We have consecrated both soul and body to his service 5. We are Regenerate and sanctified and as in soul so in body and have received a power to perform this duty of Chastity as well as other duties 6. We hope and expect that these bodies shall rise again unto eternall glory and how can we pollute them 7. One Reason in generall to all men Jews Christians Gentiles is that Chaâ—â—ity is the honour of these bodies of ours as uncleannesse is their dishonour For the bodies of all men being tabernacles of the immortall soul and created and redeemed to immortality are far more excellent then the bodies of beasts and therefore must not be abused and made like nay worse and more base then the bodies of brutes There are besides these common reasons others proper to incline married-parties to Conjugall Chastity and fidelity as the honour and Legitimation of our Children the mutuall content and comfort of man and wife the peace and welfare of our Families for the present and of posterity for time to come Gods institution the matrimoniall contract the conâ—inuance of the sacred bond and divers others which may be observed our or Scripture And both the parties must not only be chast and faithfull but wiâ—e in their carriage so as to give no occasion or just suspicion of jealously or be jealous when there is no sufficient cause We should know these things and learn out of Gods word how excellent a virtue Chastity is how pleasing to God how disposing to heavenly duties Out of this knowledge and love to God we should love this duty desire and endeavour to performe it and labour to be chast in our hearts not onely before men but God We must resist temptations and suppresse the first motions unto uncleannesse and with Job make a covenant with our eyes and not think upon a maid Job 31. 1 2 3. unto the 13th In this case if our right eye right hand right â—oot offend us we must cut it off and rather part with our choisest and rarest
judiciall proceedings whether from Law-givers or Judges or Witnesses or Advocate or any person acting in judgment is prohibited and justice Distributive is commanded For the Judges of the Earth should be like unto God whose Deputyes they are and render to every one according to their Works This justice is necessary to the preservation of humane society all civil states which may subsist without this or that form of government so that they have a government but cannot continue long without the administration of justice which is in all Polities like the Sun in Heaven and the World cannot be withit And as Laws are in vain without judgement and execution so judgement is not onely vain but a mischief if it be not just Though the Commandement hath speciall reference to civil judgment in a Common-wealth constituted yet it may extend to all private families and societies Schooles and Colledges of Discipline and Corporations yea and to all Ecclesiasticall Courts And by â—alse Witnesse analogically may be understood all private rash and uncharitable censures whisperings false reports and too much Readinesse to Believe them This sin of false Witnesse § III as also unjust Judgment hath its root and beginning in the heart for out of the heart proceed not onely Murders Adulteries Theft but false Witnesse for the heart must needs be corrupt before the testimony can be false or the judgment unjust For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh Therefore all such as have any desire resolution or intention to pervert and corrupt judgment must needs transgresse this law It goes on in words and writings and ends in actions all which as they tend to hinder just proceedings and promote injustice must needs be unlawfull And in this sin we must neither be principall nor accessary If in this particular our Neighbour suffer either by our silence or neglect or imprudency we cannot be excused By all which we learn that here we are commanded to desire and love justice in our hearts and endeavour by words writings and actions to promote the same And herein we must not be cold and carelesse spectators with Gallio not caring for such things when we see injustice done but we must be zealous and diligent to prevent it if we have power The sins here forbidden § IV and the dutyes commanded are many and may be reduced unto a certain order either according to the acts of judgement from the first information unto the last execution or according to the severall persons who in a certaine order act in judiciall processe as 1. Plaintiff and Defendant which are the parties litigant in the civil law called Actor et Reus 2. Sollicitours 3. Atturneys 4. Advocates and Lawyers who give Counsel or plead 5. Clarks and Notaries 6. Judges 7. Such as are trusted with the execution as Sheriffs Bayliffs Constables who are imployed in serving Writs Summoning Arresting Attaching Imprisoning and Executing of the sentence 8. Witnesses 9. With us Jurors They may be reduced to three sorts 1. The parties 2. The Judge 3. The assistants But before this Commandement can be obeyed the foundation must be well laid in the enacting of just laws Therefore the Law-givers and Supreme governours have two things to do 1. To enact good wise just laws and such as tend to the publick weale peace and prosperity of the subjects 2. To appoint good Judges and Officers and if this be not done and so sin prevented no justice can be expected And it 's a sad thing when these fail and neglect their duty rebel against God neglect the publick good and they which should reform others have need to be reformed themselves and there is none can reform them This foundation of just Laws and good Officers and Judges being laid and a right course taken for a true and faithfull information of publick crimes and private offences just Judgement will very much depend upon the Judges whose duty is after they are commission'd as inferiour or as supreme to be well skill'd in the laws make diligent search into the cause passe sentence impartially according to the merit or demerit thereof and see the same faithfully and fully executed But if they be insufficient negligent in the discussion of the cause corrupt covetous partial devoyd of the fear of God love gifts favour friends hate enemyes fear great ones or despise the poor Fatherlesse and Widdows their sin against this Commandement will be very great Before I proceed to other particulars § V I desire every subject to observe the former laws and love his Neighbour as himself live peaceably in the State where God hath cast him Love will do no evill and if we would thus do we need not feare the sword we should prevent Suites and many ungodly intentions and this should be the design of every good Christian. But seeing this will not be done and we can neither find any State free from evill doers nor Church without scandalous persons the duty of Informers Plaintiffs comes in first to be observed And as publick informers should accuse no man falsly either for gaines or out of spite and for revenge so their duty is to give-in true information and be able to make it good and they ought to spare no offendours whom they certainly know to be such What is to be done in the Church in this particular our Saviour hath informed us fully Math. 18. As for Plaintiffs and Prosecutors in Criminal causes against the publick we should ayme principally at reformation and in capitall at the publick good that others may heare and feare But in private wrongs whether they concern our credit or persons or goods it 's our duty first to seek satisfaction in private between our selves or upon a reference to others But if in this way we cannot prevayl and there is a necessity for in that case suits in law are lawfull though sometimes it will be better to sit down and suffer wrong pray and refer our cause to God then we must not be so unconscionable as to charge our adversary with any thing whereof he is not guilty nor so imprudent as to undertake the charge against him and not be able to make it good If after the suit is commenced and before it receive a finall determination the adversary be willing of transaction and there be any hope of good and it be not likely to prove prejudiciall the Plaintiff ought to accept it and all the time of the controversie and the duration of the tryall he ought to be in Charity As for the Defendant if he be wrongfully charged he may justly defend himself so that he do it not unjustly nor use any unlawfull meanes to free himself In this particular we find many guilty litigious delighting in suits loving to vex their Neighbours and many Defendants who have done wrong and are questioned yet will deny it and that upon Oath and will use the most cursed meanes to put the Plaintiff to the greater
charge to suborne or corrupt Witnesses and delay the finall decision which also is the sin of both partyes sometimes And few men continue charitable whilst they contend in law The many sins of the parties litigant are so well known that I need not give any further account of them As for Sollicitours and Atturneys § VI they must be skilfull allowed diligent faithfull perswading to peace and if that cannot be to be as carefull of their Clients cause as of their own Yet so as to do nothing against a good conscience and the rules of Christianity Their profession is lawfull and good but the design of many of them is to gaine and out of covetousnesse to enrich themselves Their end is not peace and justice They encourage men in their litigious suits perswade them of the justice and good issue of their cause and will undertake it though never so unjust They disswade men from agreement comply one with another to bring grift unto the Lawyers mill delay Judgement protract Suits give advantage to their Client's adversary either ignorantly or negligently or perfidiously They make large accounts exact immoderate fees and pick poor mens purses and so prove not onely Theeves against the former Commandement but enemyes to just Judgement against this The duty of Witnesses is to remember § VII and seriously consider their Oath and accordingly clearly and fully to declare the truth and all the truth they certainly know in that cause wherein they are produced And this must be done without any partiality or respect to any person with a desire to make way for and promote righteous Judgement Such as are willing to be suborned or corrupted and are ready contrary to their Oath and the true end of all judiciall testimonyes to testifie that which they know not or know not certainly or that which they know to be false or conceal any of their knowledge or use doubtfull expressions or equivocations or mentall reservations or contradict themselves or any wayes obscure the cause out of covetousnesse or fear or favour or hatred or any other inordinate passion and affection these directly transgresse against the expresse Words of the Commandement And further let every one know that as he is forbidden here to be a false Witnesse so he is commanded to testifie the truth certainly known unto him in any cause when he is called thereunto and the case of his Neighbour shall require it Nay in some cases we must willingly offer our selves when we understand that by our true and faithfull testimony we may prevent in justice either in clearing and righting the innocent or punishing the guilty The duty of Counsellours in Law § VIII and Advocates who ought to be skilfull in the Law so far as their place requires or else not to undertake the profession is to perswade men to peace if that cannot be done or be not expedient to take full and perfect information before either they give Counsail or undertake the cause If they find it to be unjust they must refuse to meddle in it or manage it They must give good and faithfull Counsail plead wisely justly effectually in a good cause be content with moderate fees remember the condition of poor Clients be faithfull do what they can to bring the matter to a due tryall and with as much expedition as conveniently may be The sins of these are many if they be corrupt or covetous Some take upon them the profession and practise in it though they have no sufficient skil They will undertake any cause though never so unjust their end is gaine not justice their God is their gold They give bad Counsell encourage the Clients to go on in an unjust cause or in such a matter as it 's more then probable they shall be cast if justice take effect They will plead against justice obscure a plaine truth puzzle and daunt a timerous witnesse are senslesse of their Clients condition perfidious will plead vehemently against justice and do what they can to pervert judgement will not use all diligence to promote justice In our judicial proceedings § IX according to the constitution of our government we have Juries or Jurors so called because they are sworn before they can act and in that respect also they are called Sacramentales These are either Delatory or Judiciall Delatory are for information and their businesse is to enquire after Delinquents and to certifie their names and their offences And they are either superiour or inferiour Superiours for a whole County at Assises or Sessions of the peace and this Jury is called the Grand-Inquest Inferiour are such as present and indite in inferiour Courts Judiciall are such as for the substance of the cause determine it for matter of fact before the Judges give the sentence for Law Their judgment is called a Veredict And these according to the causes are such as give their Veredict in civil or Criminal and capitall causes In civil causes belonging to the Common pleas the Judge between subject and subject in criminall betwixt King and subject And because some criminal causes are capiâ—al therefore such as are empaâ—eld and sworn for these are called the Jury for life and death All this makes it evident that amongst us judgement depends much upon these Jurours Their duty in this respect is that according to law they be Boni et legales homines and no wayes chargeable with such crimes as they accuse or judge which words according to the first institution did reach further then we ordinarily conceive It was the wisdome of our Ancestours to appoint these Juryes that every one might be judged per Pares by his Peers and such as were likely to know men best and their quality causes and offences The intention was the preservation ofliberty to prevent the impunity of offenders and to do every one righâ— These must be men of understanding and integrity and must endeavour to be fully informed make just and impartiall presentments and give just and impartiall Verdicts Yet many of these are either unskilfull or unconscionable pact up of such persons as are for the person not the cause wranglers rash carelesse or soul corrupt and so are a great cause why innocent persons are condemned or 〈◊〉 in their cause and the guilty and sometimes such as are polluted with blood are acquitted In judgement also we have Notaries § X and also such as are trusted with the execution The Notaries and keepers of records have their duty prescribed in this Commandement and as they ought to be just and understanding men fitly qualified for their places so they should faithfully and truly record all proceedings from first to last and carefully and safely keep the records They must not be carelesse and negligent much lesse false in altering omitting or falsifying any thing nor unfaithfull in embezeling or making away any thing trusted in their custody Sheriâ—s Bailiffs Pursevants Constables or any imployed in execution must be carefull to give true
Summons to Arrest Attach serve Writs make true returnes content themselves with such fees as are due by Law and execute the Commands of superiour Magistrates and the Judgements of the Judges and honestly and conscionably do all things the Law requires of them in their places But great is the iniquity of many of this kind of Officers To conclude all persons that have any thing to do in judgment should do their best endeavour to advance justice otherwise where innocent just persons should expect right and protection they will find iniquity and the greatest oppression And with the Wise-man of old we shall see under the Sâ—n the place of judgment that wickednesse is there and the place of righteousnesse that iniquity is there Eccles. 3. 16. And in many States we may observe such corruption in all Courts of judgement that the foundations of Laws and justice are overthrown and the righteous have no place of sanctuary on earth but must appeale to God who is in his holy Temple whose Throne is in Heaven Psal. 11. 3. 4. There be many Cases of Conscience reducible to this Commandement wherein such as desire to be satisfied must either consult with the Casuists or with such as are well studied in that kind of learning There be many and weighty reasons given in Scripture § XI to perswade and incline us to the obedience of this Commandement For it 's full and frequent in Prohibitions Reproofs Threatnings against this kind of injustice And we have many examples of Gods judgements severely executed upon Delinquents in this kind Paul condemns it as a sin in Christians to go to Law one with another especially before Heathen Judges and signifies that they should rather suffer themselves to be defrauded 1 Cor. 6. 7. By which words he implyes that Christians should give no cause and that if cause be given we should rather suffer them sin and contend in Law because it gives offence and opens the mouths of prophane persons against our profession of piety and purity in practise And because a false Witnesse perverts judgment leads the Judge aside and wrongs our Neighbour and disappoints him of that right he expected God commanded that a false witnesse should be punished with that punishment the party litigant if condemned should have suffered The Judges must make diligent inquisition and behold if the Witnesse be a false witnesse and hath testified falsly against his Brother then they must do unto him as he had thought to have done unto his Brother so they should put evill from amongst them And those which remaine should hear and feare and from henceforth commit no more any such evill amongst them And their eye shall not pitty but life must go for life eye for eye tooth for tooth hand for hand and foot for foot Deut. 19. 18 19 20 21 For a false-witnesse forsweares himself and so dishonours God wrongs his innocent Neighbour blinds the Judge and so perverts judgement and there is a complication of sins in this one of false witnesse All pâ—rsons that concur any wayes especially willingly make themselves guilty either of dishonour of superiours or Murder or Adultery or Theft as the cause unjustly determined shall be To justifie the Wicked and condemn the innocent are most heynoâ—s crimes and most fearfull woes are denounced against such persons as shall either out of covetousnesse or fear or favour or hatred judge unjustly If either false witnesse or perverting of law or unjust judgement may be suffered no man can be safe or secure of his credit his life his Wife or estate When the administration of justice is neglected much more when Tribunals and Courts of judgement which should be sacred are corrupted with partiality bribery or any other way there must needs follow a liberty to sin impunity in wickednesse the ruine or oppression of the weak the poore the just and innocent and a great confusion thereupon This kind of injustice is contrary to Gods institution of all government and the commission whereby he hath derived jurisdiction unto men and trusted the sword of justice in their hand For it was given unto man to protect the innocent and take vengance on evill doers The effects of it are sad and the event through Gods just judgment is the ruine of many and great familyes the alienation and consumption of many goodly estates the desolation of whole Nations and Kingdomes By receiving false accusations and passing unjust sentence Jesus Christ the Son of God was put to death Steven stoned James slain with the sword and many thousand Saints cut off and others of Gods just ones cruelly persecuted This is reckoned amongst others as a crying sin which brought famin pestilence sword Captivity upon the Jews and the desolation of their goodly City Temple and Kingdome How heavy was the hand of God upon the Jews who so earnestly pressed Pilate to condemn Christ unjustly Neither did Pilate who hearkened unto them escape the hand of God for he murdered himself Rash and unjust censures and judgment extrajudiciall shall not go unpunished All these things briefly mentioned may be sufficient to cause any man to hate this sin and detest to be a false witnesse or an unjust Judge or any wayes concur to pervert judgment If the fear of Gods judgments § XII the love of God and the detestation of unjust judgment cannot disswade us from this and restrain us yet let the commands of God his commendation and approbation of this justice the promises of rewards and the blessed consequents of this virtue move all men to have a speciall care of keeping the affirmative part of this precept As God hath commanded and commended it so hath he promised many mercyes to such as do their duty in this particular desiring endeavouring thirsting after distributive and judiciall righteousnesse Hearken what he saith to the Jews Learn to dowell seek judgment relieve the oppressed Judge the Fatherlesse plead for the Widdow Come now and let us reason together saith the Lord Though your sins be as Scarlet they shall be white as Snow though they be red as Crimson they shall be as Wool If ye be willing and obedient ye shall eat the good of the land But if ye refuse and rebell the sword shall devour you For the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it Esa. 1. 17 18 19 20 Where we may observe that this justice in judgment prevents or averts judgments and renders men capable of mercy peace and plenty It 's a protection to innocency and piety the scourge of sin the purity and honour of a Nation the love and joy of all good people a meanes to preserve peace and safety the terrour of wicked men the support and pillar of Thrones and Kingdomes CHAP. XVI The Tenth Commandment THis is the last § I though not the least Commandement of this Eternal Law It 's the greateâ—â— of the Second Table as the first is the greatest of the First Table So our Blessed Saviour informed us
For when He was asked Which is the greatest Commandement He answered Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thine heart with all thy soul and with all thy mind This is the first and great Commandement And the Second is like to this Thou shalt love thy Neighbour as thy self To love our Neighbour as our selves is the last Commandement as shall appear anon These two are the Epitome of the whole Law and virtually contain all the Precepts of it The first All of the first Table the last All of the Second Table Therefore they are general Commandements the one of the first part of the Law this other of the Second For after that God had in the four first Precepts of the Second Table determined the right of persons and things out of judgment and in the Ninth given a Rule of judgment In this last He prescribes a general Duty which is the measure and Rule of the rest both out of Judgment and also in Judgment This Commandement is Negative wherein we must consider 1. The Act 2. The Object That so we may understand what the Sin prohibited is The Act is to covet the Object something that is our Neighbours To covet is to desire It presupposeth some knowledge at least of apprehension of the thing desired as good and in some respect good to us It 's an Act of the Will and presupposeth the good desired as absent and not possessed or enjoyed and there are degrees of this Act according as we conceive the good desired less or greater That which is best if we be rightly informed is to be desired most and other things in a certain order and measure as they are nearer unto or further distant from the greatest good We may mistake and conceive many things to be better then they are and so deceive our selves and desire that which is not good at all or that which is least good as though it were the greatest So most men are deluded when they covet Earthly Things more then Heavenly and imagine that in them there is a vertue and power to make them happy and so we prefer the World and love it more then God This is a sin against the first Commandement and it's Idolatry Thus ambitious covetous voluptuous men do We covet things as good to us that we may have them and enjoy them and this coveting may be upon a simple apprehension and before a deliberate consent or it may follow it and then the Soul begins to move and use means to compass it Yet Coveting in it self § II is indifferent neither good nor bad Some things may some things must be coveted some things must not Therefore we must know in what respect Coveting is here forbidden when it 's said Thou shalt not covet and what the things are which we cannot lawfully desire to be our own and that is easily understood by the Object the second thing here determined by God The things not to be coveted are here expressed 1. By a particular Enumeration 2. By a general and comprehensive Term. In this particular Enumeration we have House Wife Man-servant Maid-servant Ox Ass Field Deut. 5. 21. Some reduce this to Utile and Jucundum things pleasant or unprofitable The general and comprehensive Word is ANY THING Thou shalt not covet any thing This was added to include all things and to leave nothing excluded Yet these things may be considered materially and so Wife House Field Cattle may be desired or formally as our Neighbours and so we must not covet them We must not covet his House his Wife his Field c. nor any thing that is his that is our Neighbours That which is not ours but his both by the Laws of God and Men must not be the Object of our Desires We may like them but not covet them as his For if we do it 's an evident sign that we love our Selves too much our Neighbour too little Nay we love his and not him or his more than him And this is a want of that love God requireth He requires a love of his Person as of our Selves it forbids a love of his So this Commandement was given to regulate the very motions of the Heart with the Affections and Inclinations of it in respect of our Neighbour This is the plain and genuine sense of the words § IV which inform us of many things 1. That the Law of God prescribing the Duty of Man to Man doth reach the Heart binds the Conscience and requires a conformity and obedience in the Inner-man 2. That God in Judgment will take Cognizance not onely of men's words and actions but of the motions inclinations and dispositions of the Soul 3. That both God's Laws and also his Judgments are far above the Laws and Judgments of men 4. That this Commandement is the Rule and Measure of the five former Commandements according to which we must understand them 5. It reacheth them all and is the principal and they the conclusions which derive their Morality from it so that in obeying it or disobeying it we obey or disobey the rest Therefore sayes the Apostle It 's the fulfilling of the Law Rom. 13. 10. And all the Law that is which requires the Duty of Man unto Man is fulfilled in one word Thou shalt love thy Neighbour as thy self Gal. 5. 14. 6. That whatsoever Duty we perform to Man is not agreeable to the Will of God if it be not done out of love to our Neighbour as our love to our Neighbour is not regular if it issue not from and be subordinate to the love of God 7. That this with the first of the First Table do more clearly discover Original Corruption and the Root of all Sin in us than any of the rest 8. That if we could perfectly obey these two as we never shall in this life we might perfectly obey all the other and might pluck up by the very Roots all other sins 9. That by this we easily understand what necessity we have of Christ and his sanctifying Spirit without both which we can neither hope for remission of sin past or power to avoid sin and transgressions of this Law for time to come For if our hearts be not renewed they will be ever coveting and coveting will be a continual Spring of dishonour of Superiours Murder Adultery Theft False-Witness as our Saviour teacheth us For out of the Heart proceed evil Thoughts Murthers Adulteries Fornications Thefts False-Witness Blasphemies Math. 15. 19. Wars and Fightings are from our Lusts Jam. 4. 1. Achan covets and commits Sacriledge Ahab covets and commits Murder Therefore we must not covet In these words is forbidden all discontentedness with that Estate God hath given us § V â—o as to be any cause or occasion of coveting that which is our Neighbours All Envy likewise must be a sin against this Law but Hatred and Malice in general and Contempt are directly contrary to it In a word the want of Love
mother of concord the harmony of the world Therefore let us love our neighbour him more then his and endeavour by all means to observe this Commandement Though I have delivered many things concerning this Law § IX before I entred upon the Exposition of the several Commandements and therefore might immediately proceed to the Ceremonials and Positives yet it will not be amiss to add some Observations unto the former And 1. Obedience to this Law pre-requires the knowledge of the excellency and power of the Law-giver the matter of the Law it â—elf the binding force of it and the measure of this Obligation 2. These things first known we must consider the Wisdom of the Law-giver who knowing the Nature of Man and his very inward frame and so much the more perfectly because He made us He chiefly in this looked at the Immortal Soul and in the Soul at the Heart and Will which is the Queen and hath an Imperial Power over the whole Man and is resident in the Throne of the Soul and in the Heart at Love which is the principal Act of the Heart and is called Pondus Animae the Poise of the Soul inclining and carrying it whither it pleaseth 3. This love He directs by this Law upon the right Objects and gives it a right measure in respect of every Object whether God or our selves or our Neighbour 4. When we consider the right Objects and the right measure of love required in this Law and how far we observe both we shall find our obedience either to be disobedience or to be far short of what is required 5. By this we easily understand that by the obedience to this Law no man living can be justifyed and that after the Fall of Man it was never given or renewed for that end for if it had it must needs have proved ineffectual and such as could never reach that end 6. Yet it was an excellent means to discover unto man his sin let him see his misery and the necessity of a Saviour And when we make use of it to that end we must not onely examine whether we be Worshippers of Images perjured persons Prophaners of the Sabbath disobedient to Superiours Murderers Adulterers Fornicators Thieves False-Witnesses but how our very Hearts stand affected and in what measure we love God and our Neighbours Whether our love be rightly qualifyed fully extended and intended And by this we shall easily find the best imperfect the most abominably corrupted and few sincere and all of us by Nature before we be in Christ to be base and cursed Caitiffs And till by the first and last Commandements we see the inward depravation and the deep stain of our Souls we cannot throughly be humbled noâ— sincerely penitent nor truly reformed nor vehemently and effectually desirous of Christ for pardon of sin past and grace of Sanctification for time to come 7. It 's an excellent Rule of Obedience yet except we have a special care in the first place to observe the first and last Commandements all our performances are greatly defective and no ways acceptable 8. Though Faith as fixed in Christ dying for our sins and rising again for our Justification and Repentance as a return to God Redeemer be not commanded in this Law as given to Adam innocent yet both Faith and Repentance in their general Nature abstracted from their proper and formal notions in the Gospel are required in this Law For Faith as an assent to God's infallible truth revealed or as a reliance on God for his Blessings and Happiness is commanded in the first Precept Repentance as it 's an hatred of sin and an obedience to God in general is required in all the Commandements But Faith as presupposing the Party believing a sinner and guilty and as fixed upon Christ saving from sinne and Repentance as a return to obedience after disobedience and an hatred of that sin which is in us they cannot any ways belong to this Law as given at first or so understood 8. When we fell in Adam we lost our power to believe and return to God again otherwise what need is there to be born again of the Spirit And why are Faith Hope and Charity Gifts of the Spirit merited by Christ and given freely of God Actual Faith in God-Redeemer by the Word made Flesh they never had and therefore could never lose it 9. This Faith considered in general is a Moral Duty required in the Moral Law otherwise it could have no aptitude to be a condition of Justifycation and Eternal Life 10. Yet we by this Faith could not obtain either Justifycation or Eternal Life except Christ had merited and God had promised and ordained and that freely that upon Faith both should follow and Faith as a Moral Duty or a part of inherent Righteousness is not that whereby we are justifyed but as fixed on Christ and uniting us unto him 11. This Faith as a practical assent to the Truths of the Gospel which reveal the love of God in Christ suffering for our sins is a most excellent principle of obedience and love in the highest degree as it 's a confidence in God saving us onely for Christ's sake it tends most effectually to God's Glory and empties man wholly of all power and merit in himself as a base and miserable Wretch CHAP. XVII Of Positive and Ceremoniall Laws ordained by God HItherto of the morall Laws of God § I as a rule of obedience The Ceremonials and Positives come next to be considered And I will first enquire into the nature of a Ceremoniall Law in generall and so proceed to the more particular handling them according to their severall differences and distinctions The generall nature of these is 1. That they are Laws of God have a binding force and that upon the conscience The speciall nature and difference of them whereby they are distinguished from morall Laws is 1. In the matter which in it self is neither good nor evil morally 2. They differ in this also that they are religions rites which are compounded of outward and inward visible and invisible corporeall or sensible and spirituall sacred hidden parts In respect of the invisible and spirituall part and as instituted by God They are called Sacred and Religious Rites and if Ceremonia come of the Hetruscan word Cerus Sanctus then in the same respect they are called Ceremoniall too They are called Positive that is Arbitrary because they principally depend upon the arbitrary institution and position of the Law-giver The outward part may be performed without any respect to the inward and so ignorant and wicked men may observe them Yet the performance of them is never acceptable without the moral qualification of the party performing them in obedience to the institution and also joyning the practise of Morall duties with them This is evident out of many places of Scripture where men are reproved 1. For performing them with impure hearts and polluted hands 2. For neglecting the
weighty and substantiall that is the morall duties of the Law And to be zealous in Ceremonials and careless in moralls was alwayes either hypocrisy or impiety or both These positive Laws which alwayes received their binding force from the institution commanding not from the excellency or goodnesse of the thing commanded are a rule of obedience as well as the morall and the neglect of them is a contempt of the Lawgiver There is an Analogy and proportion between the outward sensible and the sacred part and in that respect they might by the outward senses help the memory informe the understanding stir up devotion and affection set forth Gods worship with greater Solemnity and are an outward testification of inward submission saith obedience unto God and the approbation of Religion which was professed And for these ends and such like they seem to be added to Morals and so much the rather because man hath a body as well as a Soul and is not all Spirit but in part flesh and must serve God in both These kind of Laws are either such as were enacted before the Fall of man § II whil'st he continued innocent or after Those before were the Laws of God concerning the tree of life and the tree of knowledge of good and evil in the midst of the garden of Eden Yet because these were not Laws of God as Redeemer by Christ they â—o not belong to this government whereof I now enâ—reat The positives which followed â—â—e fall of man and the first promise of Christ were either such as God instituted before or which he instituted after that Christ was exhibited Those before the Incarnation were either extraordinary or ordinary and the principall were either Sacrifices or Sacraments so called as now we understand them Again those which constantly continued from the times of Adam till the glorification of Christ were sacrifices and offerings For Adam taught his Children Cain and Abel to offer gifts and sacrifices and no doubt by Warrant Commission from God otherwise the offering of Abel had not bin accepted of God nor offered in faith Yet afterwards to these were added the Circumcision the Passover and many other Ceremonies mention'd in the books of Moses The waters of the flood bearing up the Ark and saving Noah and his family is made a kind of Baptism or baptismall Rite Whether the Rain-bow signifying a temporall blessing could be a Religious Rite may be doubted and so much the rather because the benefit promised was generall to all men and living Creatures Yet if the not destroying by the flood did â—ignifie a spiritual blessing then it had the full nature and essence of a Religious Rite The passing through the Red Sea and under the Cloud the Manna the water out of the Rock all these were extraordinary and rather Sacraments then any otherwise That they were Sacraments both Paul 1 Cor. 10. 1 2 3. and Peter 1 Pet. 3 20. 21. do teach us The ordinary Sacraments before the times of the Gospel were Circumcision and the Passover The rest of the Mosaicall Ceremonies except some few were Religious and Mysticall whether things persons actions times The Priests did serve unto the example and shadow of heavenly things Heb. 8. 4. The Tabernacle was a figure for the time then present Chap. 9. 9. The services and purification shadows of things in Heaven Chap. 10. 1. The person and especially the high Priests were types of Christ Their great sacrifice of expiation and other sin-offerings of the Sacrifice of Christ. The tabernacle typified either heaven or the humanity of Christ wherein the Godhead dwelt bodily So that persons things and actions signified better persons things and actions All their Consecrations Expiations Dedications Purifications and Seperations had some reference to spirituall duties or promises or judgments And this was the sin the usual sin of that people that they neglected moral duties were zealous in Ceremonials expected justification and salvation by them made the redemption of Christ vain and needlesse forgate the promise made to Abraham and so looked not after the better Covenant established upon better promises Yet all these Ceremonies were Laws binding to obedience and it was their misery to want either tabernacle temple solemne services or holy times and their sin if when they enjoyed these they did not observe them They were laws of God Redeemer had speciall reference to Christ to come and the times of the Gospel and were enacted for severall ends as hath bin shewed in the Chapter of the administration of the Kingdom of God Redeemer and the Jews were bound by the Mosaicall Ceremonials in a Speciall manner But when Christ had finished the great work of Redemption and the more glorious light of the Gospel did begin to shine these shadows must vanish and fly away The standing Sacraments of former times must be changed not only because they did signifie some temporall mercy past and had some temporall promise annexed but also chiefly because they were Sacraments of Christ to come or did imply oâ— presuppose that he was not exhibited Because these are abolished § III have left their binding force and their time is expired I will proceed to speak more largely and distinctly of the Ceremonialls of the Gospel which do and shall continue in force till the end of the World But first before I can give any clear account of the Sacraments of the Gospel in particular I must say something of a Sacrament in generall 1. Sacraments are Ceremonies and holy Rites to be used in Gods worship and are parts of that worship and thus they differ from Ceremonialls in generall 2. These Sacraments presuppose the Redeemer the work of Redemption the Laws of God Redeemer as they require obedience and duty and as they promise mercies and benefits merited by the Redemption Others do expresse it thus That Sacraments presuppose the Redemption and the Covenant 3. The Spirituall and heavenly part of the Sacraments of the old and new testament were always for substance and the principall thing in them the same 4. That the Sacraments of former and these latter times agree in many things and differ and that much in some things 5. That Christ contracted all the principall Ceremonials of the old into a few these few are Sacraments for number two for signification clear for observation easie and for man if observed aright very beneficiall These things understood § IV the nature of a Sacrament may be the better understood It 's a Ceremony confirming the Covenant of grace in Christ. The Sacraments of former times required faith as well as these of the Gospel but with this difference that the former required faith in Christ to come the latter required faith in Christ already come To understand the definition we must observe the generall nature and specificall difference The generall nature is that they are Ceremonies and sacred Rites and so they agree with all the other Sacrifices offerings and other mysticall parts of
from his Father because his Father was a Roman If a man for his merits be invested with a Fee or estate of honour and juridiction adherent and the same investiture include him and his Heires then his Heir after his decease from that first investiture of his Father or his father first invested the estate with the honour and jurisdiction is one person with him If a Peer be convicted and condemned for high treason his estate is confiscate and the blood tainted and the Children and Family suffer as one with the person guilty These instances though others more clear and fit may be given may suffice to manifest in things civil and by humane Laws the Father or the Parents and Children to be one person I might further shew that in many cases Prince and People and also the whole State may be considered as one person and are so taken both by God and Men. Let 's inquire whether it be so in matters of Religion and by the Laws of Gods Kingdome That it is so I have made it evident out of the second Commandement of the Law morall both in punishments and blessings For not onely temporall but spirituall judgments lye upon the Children for their Fathers sins which could not be just except they be some ways one person with their Parents And all true believers derive their right unto spirituall and eternall rewards as one person with Christ and in some sort from Abraham since his time as the Father of Believers But the principal thing to be cleared is that Parents and Children are one person in religious obligations spiritual priviledges favours For obligation unto obedience to Gods Laws all Orthodox and understanding Christians will grant that Adam and all mankind were one person as Father and Children insomuch that in Adam sinning we all sinned and in him dying we all dye This could never have bin so if God both in his Laws and Judgments had not considered and accounted that in Adam bound all his were bound But this was under the government of God Creator not Redeemer Yet Abraham was under the government of Redemption and the Kingdom of grace And in him God binds his seed and Posterity yea his bought and born-servants male For thus it is written And God said unto Abraham Thou shalt keep my Covenant Thou and thy seed after thee in their generations Gen. 17. 9. Where we must note 1. That this was the first institution of Circumcision 2. That this was immediately and personally given as a Law at this time only to Abraham 3. That it did not onely bind Abraham himself but his posterity to many generations 4. That the obligation in respect of the Children was so strict that the uncircumcised man-child whose flesh of his fore-kin was not Circumcised that soul should be cut off from his people He had broken the Covenant ibid. vers 14. 5. That this Sacrament was a Sign and Seal of the righteousnesse by faith Rom. 4. 2. And was to continue till the time of the Gospel when the Sign of the Covenant was to be changed into that of washing with water and the faith confirmed then was in Christ to come and by that Abraham was justified but after that time the Gospel-justification was by faith in Christ already come From all this it 's evident that the obligation of the Father was the obligation of the Child And it 's further remarkable that 1. That Covenant did expresly include the Children with the Parents 2. That it was the Covenant of Righteousnesse by faith in Christ. 3. That there is no exception or exclusion nor clause to that purpose in all the Gospel as that God should contract his mercy and not extend it so far even to Christian Children in the times of the Gospel as he did in the times of the Old Testament No man that shall seriously consider this matter but will confesse that Parents are bound not onely for themselves but also for their Children too And therefore they are so oft not onely under the Law but under the Gospel to teach their Children so soon as they are capable and the Children are bound to receive their instruction and to observe the condition of the Covenant into which their Parents entred for them and theirs Therefore God saith that Abraham would command his Children and houshold after him Gen. 18. 19. Which command of Abraham had been of little force except his Children and houshold had been bound by that command which was given to him and in him to them God considering both as one person God hath so far subjected Children to their Parents Servants to their Masters and the houshold or family to the Master or Mistris of a family that neither Servants nor Children are Sui juris or in their own power but in the power of Parents and Masters so that they may command them and not onely in matters of this life but especially in religion And if they were not so much in their power and bound in them it was strange that when the Centution believed his whole houshold became believers John 4. 53. and that Lydia and her houshold the Jaylour and all his or all his house should be baptized at one time Acts 16. 15. 33 34. And surely the Child of Christian Parents is bound in his Christian Parents unto the conditions of the Covenant so as no Child of any Mahumetan Pagan or unbelieving Jew is But the principal point to be cleared in this particular is § XX How Parents and Children are one person by the Laws of God in spiritual favours and priviledges so that what the right of the Parents is the same may be the right of the Children And what these rites and priviledges are which are communicable from the Parents to the Children And here this is a certain rule that so far as God binds Children in their parents to duty so far he binds himself to Children in their Parents by his promise The Apostle saith That if the root be holy so are the branches Rom. 11. 16. Where we may observe 1. That the root are the Parents and the branches are the Children 2. That the root and branches make but one tree So parents and Children make but one body one person Politick 3. That if the root be holy the branches are holy and to be holy is a Spirituall priviledge 4. That as the branches derive their naturall Being from the root so the Children derive their spiritual priviledges to be holy from their holy Parents Yet this holinesse is not either justification or inherent righteousnesse and immediate sanctification of the Spirit For when the unbelieving Husband is sanctified by the believing Wife and the unbelieving Wife is sanctified by the Husband it cannot be meant of any such sanctification neither is the holinesse of the Children of such sanctified parents any such thing It 's something whereby they are nearer the Kingdome of God then the Children of Apostate heathens Mahumetans
Resurrection and last Judgment when God shall be all in all and Reign perfectly without any enemy without any opposition This we pray for here as that special and spiritual Kingdom which is distinguished from the civil government of temporall States opposed to the Kingdom of darknesse of Sin Sathan Death It 's called in Scriptures the Kingdome of God the Kingdome of Heaven the Kingdom of Light the Kingdom of Christ the Kingdom of Grace the Vniversal and Eternall Kingdom The King is God § VIII not merely as Creatour and Preserver of the World but as Redeemer who since Christs Exaltation Reigns by him in Heaven and Earth as by his Administratour-generall Heaven is the place of his speciall residence his glorious pallace and his Royal throne His Territory is the World His speciall subjects men Redeemed by the blood of Christ His Lawes the Rules of the Gospel to direct mans obedience with promises and threats which are the standard of his judgments The eternall holy Spirit is his power His Judgments are spirituall and eternall rewards and punishments with temporall and bodily thereunto subordinate And because men are found in the Kingdom of darknesse and under the power of Sathan they are reduced by the word and spirit unto subjection Which is a work of great and most free mercy The word and Laws must be made known outwardly by man and then written in the heart by the Spirit In this government he doth exercise his severe justice his greatest power his choisest wisdome and his sweetest mercy in the highest degree This Kingdom comes unto a people when God graciously vouchsafeth to give them the word Sacraments Ministers and all the meanes of conversion with a promise in the word of his Spirit to make this used effectual He continues it with them whilst he continues these meanes and doth not take away his spirit and deliver them up to a reprobate mind so that the things that concern their everlasting peace are not eternally hid from their eyes It comes close and effectually when God by these meanes made efficacious by his spirit destroyes the dominion of sin and dispossesseth Sathan It 's then consummate when sin is wholly destroyed and the person made fully subject and perfectly obedient to his eternall Sovereign It 's consummate to the Universall Church upon the execution of the final judgment It 's principally with in us and established in our hearts by God when he there to Reigns as first to take away the Dominion then in the end the very existence as I may so call it of sin For it proceeds by degrees and sin doth first cease to Reign then to Be in us This government therefore is an act of God Redeemer in Christ giving all things doing all things necessary sufficient effectuall for our Conversion confirmation perseverance and consummation as he hath promised and by promise bound himself to us So that in this Petition we pray for and humbly seek of God his Word his Sacraments the Ministery of the Gospel Christian Sabbaths Discipline pious Magistrates the gifts and graces of the spirit the continuance and good successe of these the ordering of all things for the good of the Church the conversion of the Jews the reducement of all Nations to subjection unto Christ justification the continuance and perfection of sanctication the first fruits of the spirit of joy and comfort the destruction of the Kingdom of Sathan and Antichrist and all enemies of his truth and our salvation for the comming of Christ the Resurrection of the last judgment the execution of it in the eternall glorification of his Saints and perdition of their enemies That God by Christ hath thus far reigned in the World in this Nation in our hearts is a matter of thanksgiving and a benefit never to be forgotten The next Petition for spirituall blessings § IX is Thy will be done on Earth as it 's done in Heaven Wherein we have 1. Our Heavenly Father's Will 2. The doing of it 3. The manner and degrees of doing it By Will is not meant the essence of God nor his Decrees but the Lawes of his spirituall kingdom wherein he requires Subjection and Obedience Repentance Faith good works and these to be performed to him as Lord Redeemer by Christ Jesus To do this will is to be really and sincerely subject and obedient in avoyding all sins prohibited and doing all good Commanded by the Laws of his Kingdome having a speciall eye to the rewards promised and the punishments threatned The manner how this duty is to be performed is set down by prescribing a Pattern in Heaven It 's true that the Starrs of Heaven do continually and constantly in their motion observe their order fixed unto them in Creation Yet this is far short though something it be and they continually accuse us of disobedience and exorbitancy seeing they have followed strictly and precisely the rule of Creation from the first time of their Being but we are exorbitant and continually wander The will of God is done in an higher degree and more excellently by the Angels those blessed and immortall spirits who never sinned and are so confirmed that they shall never sin For they do his commandements Hearkening to the voyce of his Word Psal. 103. 20. They subject themselves wholly unto him Whose throne is in Heaven and his Kingdome ruleth over all vers 19. They acknowledge Jesus Christ at Gods right hand to be their Lord. They performe an universall obedience to all his Laws and that 1. Most freely 2. Perpetually 3. In a degree of Perfection It must be our design desire endeavour to follow their example till we reach and attain their perfection And because we have no power to do this will in this manner we therefore in these words pray for Gods sanctifying assisting and confirming power accompanying his Word and that we may wholly subject our selves unto his power and be effectually and continaully inclined and enabled to do his Will in all things at all times with all our hearts The reason why this petition followes the former and is immediately subjoyned is manifest For except we subject our selves unto the power of this King and thus observe the Lawes of this Heavenly Kingdome we cannot be capable of have any right unto or enjoy the honour joy peace and happinesse of the same It hath very near connexion with the former petition and therefore we may desire of God some mercies which in both are the same but in different respects In the former we desire them so as they are such as without which he cannot Reign and give us everlasting peace We desire here the same things as necessary and without which we cannot performe our duty in observing his Laws which is the condition of the rewards promised By them we acknowledge our fall depravation inability the want of Gods divine Spirit to re-instamp his Image upon us and we earnestly desire his sanctifying grace to be given and continued unto
us as without which we can do nothing Upon this account Austin made use of these words to prove against the Pelagian the necessity of grace The fourth petition § X which seeks from God temporall blessings is Give us this Day our Daily Bread The order is clear For we must first seek spirituall then temporall blessings the one as more excellent and necessary to eternal life the other is not necessary nor so excellent The prayer is agreeable to our Saviours doctrine For He that taught us to pray first for spiritualls then for temporalls taught us first to seek the Kingdome of God and his Righteousnesse and then Food and Rayment should be added These Earthly things were given to preserve this bodily life that enjoying health Peace Food Rayment we might not be distracted in the service of our God but chearfully seek eternall life in Heaven Earthly things are given to seek Heavenly and the seeking of Heavenly blessings first is the right and ready way to obtain Earthly Therefore to seek temporalls fust and more is preposterous and a perverting of the order prescribed by our Saviour both for our practise and our prayers By Bread which is the staffe of life is meant all kind of necessaâ—y food rayment lands houses Cattel seasonable times health peace good government Civil and all things necessary for a comfortable life that we may seek a better It 's opposed to famine nakednesse sicknesse poverty war captivity unreasonable times and all such things as make our life uncomfortable and miserable And we are taught by this word not to desire or seek riches daintyes or superfluities This bread is called Our daily Bread because we need it every day it 's suitable to and agreeable to our bodily nature and fit to nourish us and is to be desired in a competent measure between poverty and abundance The word is thus understood by divers learned Authours By This Day we may understand the present time For we must not distract our minds by seeking these earthly things immoderately or inordinately We seek them immoderately when we seek abundance or seek them too eagerly or take into our thoughts too much of future times which are uncertain and both beyond our knowledge and our power We seek them inordinately 1. When we seek them not of God 2. When we trust not in him 3. When we use any unjust meanes to acquire them 4. When we seek not Gods Kingdome and spiritualâ— first and chiefly This dayly bread to day is the thing we must petition foâ— And by these words Christ doth direct and limit us The Petition is in these words Give us which implyes that we have all earthly succour and sustentation from our â—eavenly Father and that by way of Giâ—t. For as you heard in the 8th Commandement the absolute and totall propriety of all things is in God And though they may come to us by occupation donation purchase inheritance labour or any other way yet they are from God who by â—hese meanes doth give them unto us and can take them away at Will and pleaâ—ure and when he hath given them Therefore it 's he and he alone that must continue them ours and blesse and sanctifie them unto us For otherwise all our labours cares forecast are in vaine Our daily bread is no bread unto us without his blessing it cannot seed us And these words imply further that we have a Father in Heaven and if we serve him he will provide for us and will not see his Children want bread This bread must be ours not others justly acquiâ—ed and given us so as to be ours not onely by the laws of men but God This doth not forbid us to take paines be prudent frugal and use just meanes to aâ—quire and keep them Yet we must not set our hearts upon them or abuse them to drunkennesse pride gluttony or any wayes mispend them or in our abundance forget our God After supplication § XI follows depâ—ecation which is sometimes joyned with fasting weeping confession complaints lamentations and other humiliations The matter of it is some evil which either lyes upon us or we are subject unto For since the fall of Adam this kind of petition is needfull The evils which we deprecate arise from many causes and are all reduced to the evils of sin or affliction The evil of sin is either of guilt or of temptation for it 's either past and so the guilt lyes upon us or to come and so we are in danger of it may be tempted to it and so overcome And first we are taught to deprecate the guilt of sin past in these words Forgive us our Trespasses as we forgive them that Trespasse against us In Mathew Forgive us our Debts In Luke Forgive us our Sins That we may understand what we in these words are taught to ask of God we must know 1. What the evill is 2. What it is to forgive 3. To whom the evil is forgiven The evil is sin which makes us guilty in making us such Sin as you heard before is a disobedience to Gods law it displeaseth God who hates it and makes the party sinning both liable to temporall spiritual and eternal punishments For he that shall offend God as a Law-giver may justly be punisht by him as a Judge Sins are called Trespasses because God by them may be said to suffer dammage and his glory due to him from his subject is impaired though not in it self yet in respect of us and if satisfaction be not made we must suffer The expression is from the Chaldy and Syriack languages in which the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chôb signifies to sin to offend God to do wickedly and sometimes to contract a debt And whosoever sins instantly and immediately he becomes a debter and owes a punishment unto God which he is bound to suffer and must suffer when it pleaseth the supreme Judge to inflict it if it be not some wayes prevented The substantive of this verb doth sometimes signifie debt but often sin and guilt One Evangelist as you heard calls it debt another sâ—n yet by sin is meant guilt whereby a man is a debter and bound to punishment The Socinâ—an not digesting and approving Christ's satisfaction takes occasion from the word debts used in Mathew to assert that sins are debts and the obligation contracted by them is obligatio credita whereas 't is obligatio criminis as may easily appear from the whole tenure of the Scripture and even from this place Whether they do this ignorantly or wilfully I know not but if ignorantly they are grossely ignorant For though sins are called debts and such debts as arise from contracts and may be remitted by a free acquittance yet they are but so called Metaphorically Yet no man can prove out of this place that they are so called in that sense but rather the contrary if we throughly examin the words To forgive or remit sin is to take away the guilt
or obligation to punishment and this it is properly and in strict sense and the word remit doth inform us and teach us that it is so and so far as the obligation is remitted so far sin is pardoned and no further If it be wholly remitted the party guilty is wholly freed but if the remission of the obligation be but in part as it may be the pardon is not full and consummate And it 's not to be doubted but if the obligation may be remitted in part and by degrees and is so many times and not wholly at an instant Simul Semel And so far as a guilty person is freed by the supreme Judge from the guilt so far he is freed from the punishment either present and lying upon him by removall or future by prevention And a judge or a party offended may pardon either ex nuda voluntate without requiring any satisfaction or upon satisfaction given and accepted And the satisfaction may be made either by the party offending or some other substituted and accepted The forgivenesse or pardon we here pray for is granted upon satisfaction made unto divine justice not by the sinner but by Jesus Christ substituted and accepted by God Yet this satisfaction must be acknowledged and pleaded in the Court of Heaven by the sinner confessing repenting believing in Christ not onely making satisfaction on earth by his blood but pleading his blood as a Propiâ—iation in Heaven And here forgivenesse Pardon Remission sparing not imputing justifying are all one By this discourse we understand what Forgivenesse is The Party that forgives sin is our Heavenly Father And it is an act of God not as Law-giver but as Judge yet not of him as Judge according to the law of works given to man at his Creation but according to the law of Redemption Whereas some think that pardon is not the act of a Judge as a Judge they surely meane it of an inferiour Judge bound to passe judgment according to the Law in force Otherwise a Judge Supream and above Law may pardon and as a Judge for Pardon actively considered is a Sentence The reason why a subordinate Judge by Commission cannot pardon is not because he is a Judge but because he is a Judge limited by his Commission which is not essential but accidental to a Judge Yet Absolution which declares a man to be innocent upon Proof may be an Act of an inferiour Jurisdiction But howsoever it be in Humane Courts yet it 's certain that Justification by Faith in Christ opposed in the Scripture to Condemnation is a Sentence according to the Law of Redemption in force Yet in many things it differs from all Humane Judgments and is called Pardon because the party pardoned is guilty and unjust in himself and it 's called Justification because the party pardoned is just in Christ. God onely being the Supream Law-giver and Judge can forgive sin in proper sense yet He may use the Ministery of others in doing this according to that measure of Jurisdiction He shall derive unto them Yet as He never gave either Men or Angels infallible Knowledge to know the secrets of men's hearts not power to inflict or remove Spiritual Judgments so He never gave them Authority abâ—olutely to forgive sin or pronounce Sentence in their own name For it 's onely valid and irrevocable so far as He shall by His own Name make it such Yet this Forgiveness is an Act of God as merciful yet just and as sitting in the Throne of Grace pâ—opitiated by the Bâ—oud of Christ upon a person penitent and believing in Christ and pleading his satisfaction or propitiation in â—is Prayers The Party pardoned is 1. Sinful Man § XII 2. Man confessing his guilt and desert of punishment 3. Hating sin and willing to forsake it 4. Believing 5. Pleading the propitiation of Christ as the onely meritorious cause and the Promise of God in Christ. 6. Ready to forgive others who have offended and wronged him This forgiving others is an act of private Jurisdiction for so the power of a private man to pass by offences done unto himself may be truly called Yet this Pardon cannot free him from the punishment due unto him either by the Law of God or Men if God or Man proceed to Judgment against him By this Petition when we say Forgive us our sins we acknowledge our selves and others for whom we pray to be guilty and by this Confession we accuse our selves as guilty justifie God if He should condemn us magnifie His Mercy if He pardon us It must be made with a bleeding heart and godly sorrow that we have offended so just so holy so good and merciful a Father with great humility and importunity not onely for our selves but others and because we daily sin we must daily pray Lord forgive us our trespasses We must not mention our own merits righteousness good works for all righteousness and merit in our selves must be renounced otherwise we lose the cause And if we from our hearts do not forgive others we plead against our selves and cannot obtain pardon This is the reason why our Saviour so much mentioneth and urgeth the Duty of forgiving others though 77 times a day And if we pray in this due manner Christ will plead and God will pardon and we shall depart justified For the most merciful God propitiated and pressed by Christ's Intercession cannot hide his face long from penitent and believing sinners His Promises to tâ—is purpose are many and firm and He is faithful and just and all of them in Christ are Yea and Amen The second Deprecation § XIII is of sin not yet committed yet so possible that it may be easily committed and there is great danger of it The words are Lead us not into Temptation For because it 's to little purpose to be pardoned and freed from the guilt of sin past if we continually return to sin again and so contract a new guilt therefore our Saviour taught us daily to tender this Petition to our Heavenly Father For if we were in Heaven all former sins pardoned yet if we were not fully freed from the danger of sinning again we could not be fully happy because we could not be fully secur'd in that estate of holiness and bliss God in his abundant mercy in Christ doth not pardon sin-past with any intention to give us liberty to sin again that Grace may abound and that we may make new Work for Mercy When He hath once healed and restored us He saith unto us as Christ did to the impotent man whom He had healed at the Pool of Bethesda Behold thou art made whole Sin no more lest a worse thing come unto thee Joh. 5. 14. For we are delivered out of the hands of all our Enemies to serve him without fear in holiness and righteousness before him all our days Luke 1. 74 75. For as we have engaged our selves so it must be our special care to observe and not
said to be the confirmation of Prayer CHAP. XIX Concerning the Laws of God as a Rule of Judgment in the Promises and Comminations HItherto of the Law of God Redeemer § I both Moral and Positive as it 's a Rule of Obedience in Precepts and Prohibitions It remains that we speak of it and consider it as a Rule of God's Judgment in Promises and Threatnings By Precepts God binds Man by Promises He binds Himself Before I proceed one thing formerly omitted is to be added That some Precepts of this Law are mixt and are partly Moral partly positive as Faith and Repentance considered in their general Nature as Duties to be performed to God are Moral For Faith whether it be assent unto the Truth of God's Word or a reliance upon Him promising any Reward or Benefit Repentance as it includes materially in it subjection to God as Supream Lord and Obedience unto His Commands are Duties of the Moral Law as Moral But as Faith assents unto the Truths of the Word concerning Jesus Christ and relies upon God's Promises in Christ and Repentance as it 's a Return unto God-Redeemer in Christ as atoned by his Bloud and so made propitious may be said to be positive as the Objects of both are positive and above the Law of Nature as those positives which are Ceremonial are below it But to return to the Law as a Rule of Judgment we must enquire into 1. The Nature of Promises and Threats in general 2. The Order of this part of Divine Laws 3. The particular Nature of these Promises and Threats in the Laws God-Redeemer 1. For the Nature of Promises and then of Threats The Object of the Promises is Bonum suturum For we cannot promise evil but good at least that which is conceived to be good neither can we properly be said to promise good past or present The act of a promise is a voluntary Obligation whereby the party promising doth bind himself unto another for to do or give some good unto the foresaid party All promises are voluntary otherwise they are not promises The effect of them in respect of the party promising is Obligation in respect of the party to whom the promise is made some kind of right unto the thing promised To threaten is to signifie to another that we intend to do him some hurt or evil The Object is 1. Evil For we cannot properly threaten good 2. It 's evil to come otherwise it 's actual hurt or punishment 3. It presupposeth some intention or resolution to do hurt or inflict evil 4. It signifies by words or other signs this intention as Promises 1. Presuppose some intention to do good 2. A signification of this intention or purpose I will not here spend time in the enumeration of the Accidents or Adjuncts of these Promises to shew how they are private or publike annexed to the Precepts of the Law or not absolute or conditional made by Superiours Inferiours Equals feigned or unfeigned the Promises of such as have power to make them and also strength to perform them or of such as have nor I also pass by the accidental distinctions of Threats which word some think comes of Terreo to terrifie There are Promises and Threats of Man and of God These are of God annexed to His Precepts and Prohibitions as a Rule of Man's Obedience And in this respect they differ from other Promises and Threats The Order of these § II in this Government of God-Redeemer is very evident For 1. They are referred to that part of Government which is concerning Laws 2. In Laws they follow that part which in Precepts and Prohibitions is a Rule of Obedience For as the Law considered as a Rule of Judgment presupposeth something before in it as a Rule of Obedience So these Promises relate unto the Precepts observed as the Threats consider them as violated This is the Order determined by God to manifest His Justice in His Retribution of Rewards and punishments and hereby He signifies that though He be much inclined to reward and do good yet He will judge onely the Obedient a fit Subject of His Bounty and Rewards They that are just and obey His Laws and they onely shall live and enjoy His Mercies And he never threatens as He never inflicts punishments but upon demerit of the Disobedient For He never punished any but such as violated just Laws neither did ever intend it or signifie His intention otherwise The particular and distinct Nature of these Promises § III and Threats is the third thing to be considered They agree with the Promises and Comminations of the Law of Works in Creation with the Law also given to Israel from God by Moses both in that they are Promises and Threats of God and also because they are annexed to the Precepts as a Rule of Obedience These likewise as well as those may be called Sanctions as added to the Precepts for to enforce the Obedience For the Promises are mighty Motives and powerfully perswade to the Observation as Threatnings restrain from the violation of the Precepts And both these were so much the more effectual because there is â—n inward principle in man whereby he naturally desires his own preservation â—nd happiness and abhors to think of his own destruction or misery But these are distinguished from other Promises and Threats even of God 1. Because the Author of them is God-Redeemer as Redeemer 2. The things promised are merited by Christ and so promised and given and to be expected of Free-grace 3. The tearms upon which the Promises are made is Faith in Christ and sincere obedience to God Redeemer 4. The parties who must receive the mercies promised are in themselves 1. Unjust and unworthy 2. Derive their power to perform the Conditions and Precepts of the Law from the Redeemer upon the merit of Christ having satisfied God's Justice whereas the Promises of the Law of Works presupposed man to have power to keep it given in Creation and required perfect and perpetual obedience by that power And if man once lost that power there was no promise in that Law of restoring it again or giving new power It 's said Do this and live Sin in the least and die And so it bound to perfect and perpetual performance or unto death as unavoidable by that Law for there was no promiâ—e of pardon The Law of Moses did strictly command universal and constant obedience for Cursed is he that continueth not saith the Law in all things written in that Book it promised no Spiritual Blessing no Spiritual power nor Spiritual pardon As for the Threats of this Law they make Offenders liable punishment yet they determine Eternal Death as unavoidable to none offending but to final Impenitents and Unbelievers And this was the Imperabundant goodness of 〈◊〉 â—hat whereas He had given Man his Being his Laws his power to keep the 〈…〉 and by his absolute power might have required man's Service without any reward
And this without any Salvô or exception But the Law of Redemption saith Except ye Repent ye shall all likewise perish Luke 13. 3. They give hope of Pardon upon condition of Repentance and do not look at sin merely as sin but as sin unrepented of The one faith the sinner shall dye the other the sinner not repenting not believing shall dye They may be distinguished in respect of the end For some are for destruction some for correction and amendment and the lesser are threatned and inflicted to prevent the greater and the temporall to turn away the eternall Some are exemplary to warn others some are not So likewise in respect of the sins committed they may be distinguished for some are for one sin some for many sins jointly together Some are for personall sins personall others for the sins of others as when Children become liable to punishment for the sins of the Parents Subjects for the sins of the Soveraign and such like They may be differenced according to the measure which is alwayes proportionable to the sin Some are threatned to be inflicted in the same kind by way of reâ—aliation as when a man suffers in that wherein he sins They may be distinguished according to the severall distinctions of the Subjects For some are directed against single Persons some against Families Some against whole Nations Some against the whole World Yet this is a good and true observation made by many that neither the promises nor mercies promised are merited or deserved by sinfull man though he repent and believe yet the punishments threatned are fully deserved by man and God in punishing never did exceed but rather abate and when he afflicts most severely yet he doth it rather â—itra Condignum For we may justly and fully deserve the highest degree of punishments threatned but not the lowest degree of mercies promised We must all say with good Jacob I am not worthy of the least of all the mercies and the truth which thou hast shewed thy servant Gen. 32. 10. I forbear for the present further to inlarge in the doctrine of promises and threats and to descend to particulars because I shall have occasion in my discourse of Gods judgment to speak more particularly of rewards and punishments which are the matter of promises and threats which fully inform man of his destiny and doom and what in judgment he must look for to his own misery or happinesse CHAP. XX. Of the Judgment of God REDEEMER in Rewards and Punishments and of the Object Obedience or Disobedienco to the Laws of God Redeemer and in Particular of Punishments AFter the Laws of God as a rule of mans obedience in the precepts § I and prohibitions and of his judgment in the promises or threats follows the consideration of the judgment of God-Redeemer And it may be described to be An act of the jurisdiction of God-Redeemer whereby he renders to every man according to his workes as agreeable or disagreeable to the Laws of Redemption punishment or rewards In these words we may observe 1. The generall nature of it 2. The speciâ—icall form and difference The generall nature is this 1. That it is not an attribute but an Act of God 2. An act of God Redeemer 3. An act of Juridiction It s not an act of acquiring Power nor of the constitution of his kingdome but of the administration and it s not an act of Legislation but of jurisdiction The power of jurisdiction God acquired as you heard by the humiliation of the word made flesh It was exercised first before the word incarnate by God without any Administratour-generall But after that our blessed Saviour was exalted to the right hand of Majesty He committed all judgment to the Son John 5. 22. To whom he had given all power both in Heaven and Earth Mat. 27. 18. Yet in the excercise and execution of this jurisdiction both before and since the exaltation of Christ there is use made of Angels Men and all Creatures This jurisdiction is supreme Universal Spirituall Independent yet exercised according to Law The subject upon which this jurisdiction is exercised is man even all men and every person from the first Adam unto the last Child that shall be born The act of it is retribution of something for nothing of good for good of evil for evil The Object of this act is the doings or Works of man as man endued with understanding and Free Will For it considers not the acts of man naturall as he is Vegetative or Sensitive which are meerely naturall and agreeable to the acts of Beasts and other Creatures These works are not meerely deeds of the executive power but words of the mouth and the inward acts of the Soul and not onely the acts but the moral habits and dispositions whether naturall or acquired but especially acquired and dependent upon free acts These works are an object of this act of jurisdiction as they are agreeable or disagreeable to some Law and especially to the Laws of God Redeemer and according to these works Man is the formall object of this retribution and so of this judgment The Retribution is twofold 1. Of punishments 2. Of rewards For as mens works are so their retribution shall be If their works be good and they found obedient God will render a most glorious and excellent reward in the end and many other inferiour besides If their works be evil and they prove disobedient their Retribution shall be punishment according to their disobedience both in quantity and quality It shall be Malum triste propter Malum turpe or Malum incommodi propter malum injustitiae Yet we must know that no reward spiritual or eternal is rendered but as merited by Christ for such as shall be rightly qualified and capable thereof And because supreme Judges were never bound to formalities and this Judge is present in all places at all times knows all things even the most hidden both fully aâ—d clearly we need not here in this discourse bind our selves particularly and severally to declare the acts of convention examination testimonyes conviction sentence and execution as though these were alwayes observed distinctly and severally and that actually Hence we may easily understand the perfection of this judgment from the perfection of the Judge For. 1. There can be no question of the jurisdiction because the Judg is Creatour Preserver and Redeemer and his title is most clear 2. His power is universal and none can be exempted from his jurisdiction all are his subjects and his Vassals 3. It 's supreme and there can be no appeale lye from his Tribunall to a Superiour 4. As he is Omnipresent so he is Omniscient and knows all mens works and hearts even the hidden things of Darknesse and every ones Conscience shall acknowledge every charge to be absolutely true 5. He is most just and essentiall justice and cannot possibly judge unjustly Shall not the Judge of all the World do right saith Abraham
difference and the abrogation of the Law of Works which to a guilty person denyes all possibility of salvation To come nearer to the intended Scope § III These punishments may be distinguished 1. In to those of losse and paine Because some deprive us of that good we have or may have Some vex us with some evil which either lyes upon us or threatens us Some do both But this is a generall distinction and agrees to punishments in generall 2. They may be distinguished in respect of the principall cause or instrumentall For some are from God immediately Some are inflicted from him by some of his Creatures as by fire destroying Sodome by the water drowning Pharoah by the earth swallowing up Dathan and Abiram by the Pestilentiall vapours of the aire infecting many thousands by Wild Beasts Locusts Cater-pillars Frogs and other animate or inanimate Creatures by Angels good or bad and God punisheth man by man and that many wayes For all the just judgments and penaltyes inflicted by humane jurisdiction are punishments of God who judgeth amongst the Gods and rulers of the earth Many times the unjust judgments of man are the just judgments of God For man may be adjudged unjustly to death in a cause wherein he is innocent and yet justly suffer that death from God for some other Crime whereof he is guilty 3. They may be distinguished in respect of the subject whether single persons or societyes lesse or greater A single person may be the subject of these punishments in respect of his goods his body his person his Soul A society may be considered as one body in respect of it self for the present or joyntly with posterity for time to come There are penaltyes proper to Familyes to Cityes to Viâ—inityes to States and whole nations wherein they are involved at one time There may be penaltyes transmitted from Parents to their Familyes as from Gehezi to his posterity and so likewise from Joab and from Judas and so from States and other Societyes But I spake before particularly though briefly of the punishments both of Civil and Ecclesiasticall Polityes 4. The punishments may be distinguished into ordinary and usual incident to the generality of Mankind or extraordinary For the punishment of Cain the old World Babel's builders Sodome Lots Wife and such like were extraordinary and rare and so will be the burning of the World in the end But 5. The principall distinction of punishments is that of Temporal and Spirituall and by temporall I mean all such as are different from spirituall The one deprives men of the comfort and happinesse which we may enjoy in this life and the other touch a man more nearly and tend more directly to his eternall misery hereafter The temporall punishments of single persons are easily known by the History of the Scriptures and others Writers and especially by Gods threatnings against the Jews for their disobedience Levit. 26. and Deut. 28. which though they had some speciall reference to the Law and the Jewes yet are incident to all even those that live under the Gospel The greatest punishments § IV and most to be feared which men do suffer in this life are spirituall When it 's said The Wages of sin is Death Rom. 6. 23 By death is meant not onely that death which is seperation of Soul and body for the time and all the fore-running miseryes of this life but all kind of punishments and especially spirituall because death in that place is opposed to eternall life which is an aggregation of all spirituall mercyes If we should follow the order of time then all the spirituall penaltyes inflicted by God and suffered by man since the first promise of Christ for the sins following are reducible to this head as the rejection of Cains offering his excommunication the Rejection of the greatest part of the World before the flood as being the Sons of men and seperated from the Sons of God After the flood seeing all first in Noah's person then in his family had the Word and other means of conversion yet the greatest part of them for Apostasie were punished with the losse of these meanes and were left without the Oracles of God the promise of Christ and the power of the restoring Spirit and this punishment lay many yeares upon their posterity continuing Apostates After God had singled out the Posterity of Abraham by Jacob and renewed the promise unto them and continued the meanes of conversion in that nation the rest of mankind being rejected were called Heathens Yet to these he left the light of nature and some remnants of the truth continued from their first Apostate-Parents and Ancestours by tradition and some if not very many had not onely a possibility but opportunityes to be Proselytes and so incorporated into the Church of the Jews Yet these did generally not onely neglect these opportunities but held the truth in unrighteousnesse lived contrary to the light of nature left unto them and worshipped the creature above the Creatour God blessed for ever And for this sin God gave them up to vile affections delivered them up unto a reprobate mind whereby they became full of all unrighteousnesse and this was that fearfull judgment and penalty whereby all hope of Salvation was taken from them Their sad condition is described unto us not onely at large Rom. 1. from verse 18. to the end but briefly yet fully Ephes. 2. 1 2 3. 11 12. The taking away the Word and the Spirit of grace and sending upon them the spirit of slamber was also the punishment of the Jew after they refused their Saviour and rejected the Gospel But to proceed to the particular degrees of these punishments § III according to the different nature and degrees of sin against the Law of grace and the Lord Redeemer we must distinguish of persons never sincerely converted and â—o regenerate and of such as have been truly regenerate and are entred the state of justification Amongst those who were never truly regenerate some reject some receive the meanes of conversion and their punishments are inflicted in this life or after death For here I speak not of Heathens which never enjoyed the meanes neither can say that they were tendred unto them For such as to whom God sends his Messengers and by them offers the meanes their sin if they reject them is Rebellion and they refuse to submit themselves to their Lord and Saviour These say We will not have this man reign over us Luk. 19. 14. Their punishment is this for the present that they shall be accounted enemyes be devoted and deâ—â—ined to final and utter destruction verse 27. Such must be sure and they must certainly know this that the Kingdome of God came nigh unto them and their Condition shall be very sad and wofull For Christ himself saith that it shall be more tolerable in the last day for Sodom then for them Luke 10 11 12. Others receive these meanes and proceed to profession
it was in the beginning of civill States and it shall be so unto the end of the World God will have it to be so To all these Punishments must be added the losse of safety peace plenty and all other Blessings and Comforts which God doth usually give to men by good Government In the Execution of these Judgments the great Lord respects no Persons He punisheth many as well as few the mighty Monarchs of the World as well as the meanest Subjects The ruine of so many royall Families of so many large and potent Empires and Kingdomes might teach the Princes of the World to do Justice and to fear this everlasting Judge As there be civill § X so there are spirituall and ecclesiasticall Societies which as such have their proper Sins whereby they make themselves liable to those Punishments which God from Heaven inflicts upon them This Church which we call a spirituall Society began in a Family the first Family in the World of Adam and Eve being penitent and believing in that Seed of the Woman which should break the Serpent's head which was Christ. It encreased and was enlarged in that Family by their Children especially Abel first and then Seth and as mankind was multipled so it multiplied And at length there was a separation of the Sons of men from the Sons of God which Sons of God were in processe of time so degenerate mixed and polluted and the former Worthies and Sons of God translated into a better World that it was reduced again to that one Family of Noah Yet the greatest part of the Posterity of that Family who peopled the Earth did so apostate that a great part of Mankind was ejected and excommunicated out of this blessed Society And out of this great Body God calls Abraham and renews the Promise of Christ unto him more particularly and explicitly then formerly he had done He continues his Church in a more speciall manner in his Family and entailes the great Promise upon his posterity Isaac and Jacob and then in his Children who being multiplied into a Nation he brings out of Egypt and settles them in the Land of Canaan and encloseth them from all Mankind makes them his peculiar People continues the great Promise unto them trusts them with his Oracles and gives them Lawes and Statutes sends them Prophets and takes speciall charge of them till the Son of God was exhibited and incarnate Yet these with the Proselytes had their sins and according to their impenitency besides their temporall their spirituall Punishments But when Christ was once come into the World had finished the work of Humiliation was exalted to the right hand of Glory had powred down the Holy Ghost upon the Apostles God calls the Jewes first then the Gentiles and by them commissioned to go into all Nations he begins to gather a Church Christian For they preach the Jewes and Gentiles bear believe professe their faith and so are admitted as Subjects of God's spirituall Kingdom of Grace As Disciples and Professours were multiplied in any City or Country the Apostles or their Assistants and Commissioners appoint Elders and Ministers of the Word over them to take care of their Souls for to conform the converted and build them up and perfect them that were converted and convert others for to enlarge Christ's territories The Officers of Christ were extraordinary and ordinary and some did plant and some did water but God gave the increase And the Elders and ordinary Officers were trusted with the Word and Sacraments for to dispense the one and administer the other according unto their Commission After that not onely People but Ministers were encreased and severall Congregations setled under severall Ministers they begin to associate and combine for Discipline according to their Vicinities and other conveniences This was the beginning of outward Ecclesiasticalâ— Poâ—â—ties Christian The end of this discipline was to preserve the severall societies in unity and Purity of Doctrine an worship to promote Piety to prevent Errours Heresies Schâ—mâ—s Scandall 〈◊〉 erâ—â—â—tion and Idolatry and so preserve them pure according to the first plantation of the Apostles and institution of Christ. The power of this outward discipline was 〈◊〉 Virtually in the whole body of the Church whether greater or lesse associated into one body but delegated for the exercise thereof in an orderly way unto such persons as should be judged most fit and able for that businesse This power did extend to the making of Canons constituting Officers exercising Spirituall jurisdiction in binding and loosing on Earth which should be made good in Heaven All the particular Churches of the World on Earth at one time make up one body § XI and community Spirituall subject unto Jesus Christ their Monarch I say as one Universall body its subject onely to Christ. For as for outward discipline we cannot find that Christ Instituted any Vicar-generall or erected any Court supreme in any one City or place of the World As God never made an Universall King so He never made a Catholick or Vniversall Bishop Men may fancy such a thing But it 's only a fancy not a reall truth nor ever can be proved to be so In the Church of Christ there are some living members Reall Saints who haâ—e a reall communion with their head and derive Heavenly blessings and comforts from him and these make up that which we call the Mysticall Church of which no Prophane or Hypocriticall Wretch can be a member But in the Churches severall which we call Visible and Instituted there are good and bad sincere Believers and bare Professours and Hypocrites And of these visible societies I now intend to speak when I declare the judgments of God inflicted upon the Churches When Ministers and People begin to neglect the duties of worship are remisse in discipline as the Church of Ephesus Corinth Laodicea and many others were fall from their first Love Purity Piety abate in devotion and the fire of their zeal is quenched Tâ—heir punishments spirituall besides their temporall are Persecutions from without Schism and Heresy from within By the one the body is torn asunder and by the other the members are poysoned And as they abate in their duty God abates in the powerfull and comfortable Workings of the Spirit And if they continue in their sins God in the end will wholly take away his spirit and remove the Golden Candlestick as He once threatned the Church of Ephesus and in it all other Churches in the like case And He will send his Word and Messengers unto another People and will let out his Vineyard unto other Husbandmen which shall render him the fruits in their season Thus He dealt with the Jew Many times God brings in upon their Cities an their Countries where they professe the Gospel but not Practise it Cruel and Barbarous enemies Thus He gave the Northern and Western Churches and Nations to the Goths and Vandals who like a mighty deluge overflowed them and like an
Messengers continually time after time to teach us his Laws to call them to remembrance often and by them to reprove our sins exhort us to obedience and repentance and daily to set life and death before us So unwilling he is to punish so willing to reward And the use we are to make of all the punishments recorded in Scripture both as threatned and executed we may learn from the Apostle For what he saith of the judgments executed upon Israel is true not only of all the rest written in Scripture but of all those which we ourselves both hear of and see and of those we read of in other Histories They all happened unto them for ensamples and they are written for our admonition upon whom the ends of the World are come 1 Cor. 10. 11. God by them speaks unto us in this manner Avoyd such sins and you shall escape such punishments But if you will sin as they did ye shall suffer as they did And we upon whom the ends of the World are come should be more carefull to avoid sin because as we have more examples to warn us So if we sin our guilt will be the greater and our punishment the heavier And though these punishments be a reason yet they are not the principall why we should take heed of disobedience For a wicked man may fear to sin because he fears to suffer But such is the love of God of goodnesse justice virtue in the regenerate that they hate sin because it 's so base and unjust in it self and so offensive to their Heavenly Father CHAP. XXI Some Rewards tendred by God before the Vniversall Judgment as taking out Stony Hearts Writing his Laws in them c. THe Scriptures many times speak of rewards before Punishments § I especially in such places as describe the finall Doom yet here I have changed the order and that for severall reasons and have first declared the punishments and now proceed to the rewards And in this place I take Reward for any mercy and blessing of God which follows by Divine ordination according to promise upon the performance of any duty required by the Laws of God-Redeemer And as the proper and formall object of punishment is disobedience to the Law of Redemption So reward looks at obedience performed according to that Law and the subject immediately capable thereof is the penitent believer Yet no man by obedience faith repentance can merit any thing at God's hands For all rewards given to sinfull man are merited by Christ and onely upon his merit and Gods promise the obedient derive their right unto them God cannot be bound to reward either man or Angel though innocent and perfectly obedient except by promise he bind himself How then can he any other way be bound to sinfull man So that it 's hence Consequent that though man perform his duty yet the reward is free These rewards are either Temporall or Spirituall For as you heard before Godlinesse hath the promises that is the rewards promised of this life and that which is to come whether they be deliverances or blessings We may understand by the holy Scriptures that God did not onely promise but gave unto his obedient Children in all times even Temporall rewards and not onely blessed them with earthly blessings and upon their prayers delivered them out of afflictions and their enemyes hand but also upon their repentance either removed or diverted by way of prevention Temporal judgments And because these are many and may be easily understood by the promises I passe them by forbearing all further mention of them in this place either as they are proper to single persons or to Societies For so Cityes civil have their proper blessings if they be just and well ordered as safety peace plenty prosperity victory over their enemyes and help and comfort from their confederates and allyes Neither will I enlarge my discourse with a debate whether heathens and others out of the Church may not obtaine from God temporal rewards for their moral Virtues That God doth blesse them Temporally for their justice and other deeds virtuous in that low degree is evident Neither will I enquire how far Ahab and other unregenerate persons by their humiliations and repentance such as they are may prevail with God to avert or put off judgments It 's very certain he is mightily inclined to mercy and will encourage the lest degree of goodnesse in any Person He prevents us with many blessings and doth many things even to the great sinners which he was in no wise bound unto He is willing that sinfull man should love him and live for he takes no pâ—easurâ— in our ruine and misery for that 's his strange work and not so suitable to his gracious disposition Rewards spirituall are the principall § II and to these I proceed whether they be proper to single persons or societies and Churches There be some indeed which a society as such may enjoy for a society doth add unto our happinesse both on earth and in heaven If a Church as a Church shall be obedient her reward no doubt will be Gods speciall protection the continuance of the meanes of conversion and confirmation plenteous store of the gifts of the Spirit and other speciall favours To know these we must consider the promises God hath made to the Church as a Church and especially a Church obedient The principall whereof may be observed in his promises to the seven Churches of Asia For there is hardly any Church that is not fearfully degenerate but may be found in the same condition and case with some of them Yet because most of the rewards there promised are such as single persons regenerate may enjoy I therefore single out some of the principall of them Before I can enter upon particulars § III because it 's properly a reward that follows upon duty performed I must shew what is necessarily required and to be presupposed before the performance of any spirituall duty For there is some mercy wherein God must of necessity prevent us before we can serve and obey him so as to be capable of a spirituall reward God made men and so Angels at the first righteous and holy before they could do any acts of righteousnesse And when God at the first promised Christ and commanded men to repent and believe in him in that very promise was included a promise of the meanes of conversion without which man could never have believed so as to have benefit by Christ. It 's true that man by a demerit antecedent may lose these as the first Apostate Gentiles and afterwards the unbelieving Jew caused God to take these from them But no man by any duty prayer or such meanes can merit them no nor obtaine them For God in these mercyes must prevenâ— man because without them it 's not possible for any especially such as have wholly lost them to perform any spirituall duty in this case God must needs say I
which doth not cannot rellish affect heavenly and spirituall things so as to be moved by them effectually Because the word finds the heart of man under the guilt and dominion of sin § V and his corrupt lusts therefore one of the first things man is made sensible of is his sinfull and miserable condition Upon this the heart begins to bleed grieve smart as being deeply and mortally wounded And it may be God doth not at the first represent unto man all his sin but it may be one and the same principall or more predominant or some other nor discover all the punishments due but some few or one especially the eternall This may be called that part of judgment which we tearme to be Conviction upon Summons and a charge and the same confessed For when God hath thus made the heart of man sensible he is convinced confesseth accuseth and condemneth himself And though at the first the work begins with the apprehension and sense of one sin yet afterwards he begins to see his sins to be many and heinous and so his condition to be very miserable And in this case a man may continue a longer or a shorter time as it shall please God and this his sad condition is sometimes made more sad by outward afflictions or inward terrours or both and all this while the sinfull wretch is in danger of dispair if God prevent it not by restraining Satans rage who then will be very busie Yet God gives man no occasion to cast away all hope because he doth not at the first represent sin as unpardonable but pardonable nor the punishment as unavoydable but avoydable Some say this is done by the Law and they meane the morall Law discovering unto man his sin by the precept and his misery by the commination But 1. God doth not use onely the morall law but all other laws or any law in force and he maketh use of the History of the first sin and â—all of man nay of the sufferings and death of Christ of his judgments executed upon others 2. No man ought to preach the law of works unto sinfull man as in force for that makes sin unpardonable and is the high way to cause dispaire He indeed that will onely threaten death and punishments according to the Law of works and silence and conceale the promise of the Gospel is a Legal-Preacher indeed and can be no faithfull Servant unto Christ in this work 3. It 's not the Law nor any other Doctrin preached by man which can break his stony heart without the Spirit and power of the Gospel That Doctrin which used by God in this work is most effectuall is the Doctrin of Christ Jesus crucified for our sins and it must be the law of the Spirit of life that must free us from the Law of sin and death In this sad condition § VI whilst man continues guilty and convicted by his own conscience at the bar of divine Justice he will begin to cast about and look on every side to see whether there be any help deliverance and hope of escape and he finds nothing in himself nothing in any Creature no not in Angels to help him and so despairs of any comfort in any thing excepting Christ and so casts away all confidence in any other things and with the Jews pricked in their hearts cryes out Men and Brethren what shall we do Acts 2. 37. And with the Jaylour Sirs what shall I do to be saved Act. 16. 30. To this question made in the anguish and bitternesse of Spirit the answer is Repent and be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the Remission of sins and ye shall receive the Holy-Ghost Act. 2. 38. And Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved Act. 16. 31 This implyes 1. That the Sinner is Savable and remission possible 2. That Remission and Salvation is onely by Jesus Christ. 3. That the meanes to obtaine both by Christ is repentance and faith Upon this follows an appeal from the Throne of Justice to the Throne of Grace and mercy Christ is pleaded the guilty person offers the sacrifice of a broken heart and bruised Spirit to the supreme Judge and earnest suit is made not onely for pardon of sin past but for power against sin for the time to come And though man desires and endeavours to repent and beleive and quiet his mind in Christ's merits and Gods promises yet he cannot do these things to purpose nor any man in the world can give him effectuall comfort by the application of the promises till God put his laws in his mind and write them in his heart by his Divine Spirit Thus to do is a work of the Divine Spirit who alone can write immedâ—ately and imprint the Divine precepts and promises of the Gospel upon the heart of man and so give him a divine power to repent to believe to understand to do the Laws of God and apply his promises The word now is no longer onely in books or in mens mouths or in their eares but also in the heart Yet it 's here to be noted 1. That this great promise of the Gospel is not absolute as though God pre-required no duty to be performed by man 2. That he doth not this work without the word both taught heard and learned 3. That this Law is not fully and perfectly written in any mans heart in this life 4. That therefore the most illuminated and sanctified man in this life hath need of the written Word This is not any precept or promise of the Law it 's a performance of a promise upon some precepts performed and so an act of judgment and the same not a bare sentence pronounced out of man but executed in the soul of man and not a punishment but a blessed reward Upon this follows another performance § VII and that is repentance and belief and the same of a far higher degree then can be performed by any strength natural and moral They are divine and supernaturall not performed by any acquired power but by a strength from Heaven For in writing these divine precepts in the heart of man God himself so immediately speaks to man that he receives the Word of God as the Word of God indeed is taught of God drawn to Christ and comes unto him never to depart from him again I will not deny but there may be some supernaturall illumination and alteration in the heart of man and some comforts thereupon in an heart not fully humbled But for God so to write his laws in our hearts as to cause us to walk in his statutes and keep his judgments to do them and that sincerely and constantly Ezek. 36. 27. is a far higher degree of grace in Christ and the duty performed thereupon is far more perfect and excellent In this repentance and faith there are severall branches The 1. Is a sincere and totall submission unto Christ alone as our onely Saviour and to
said to be set forth or ordained to be a propitiation through faith in His blood Rom. 3. 25. For we are not immediately made justifiable either by Christ dying or Christ pleading but by Christ dying and pleading believed upon The righteousnesse of God is by faith in Jesus Christ unto all and upon all that believe Rom. 3. 22. This is an unspeakable comfort to sinfull guilty man deserving to be sentenced unto eternall death and the extreme punishments in Hell that 1. There is a Court of Grace Equity and Mercy ever kept in Heaven 2. A propitiated and most merciful God is the Judge 3. Jesus Christ His Son being once tempted and having suffered cruel punishments is very sensible of our miserable condition and full of compassion 4. Every penitent and believing sinner on Earth is his client and he will vndertake his cause and plead it as his own 5. A prayer a sigh a groan will mind him of our cause 6. A most righteous Advocate pleading vehemently and before a Father of eternal mercy for penitent believing and heart-bleeding sinners and that with his own blood and urging Gods own promise must needs prevaile Oh! fear not guilty Wretch thy cause will be carried in Heaven There can be no doubt of it Yet the Saints of God who lived and died before Christ's exaltation to glory had faith in Christ and were justified by it as Abraham was Their faith indeed was implicit and far short of ours yet it pleaded Mercy a Promise a Messias a Sacrifice though very darkly and God did look upon Christ though to come as a Propitiatour and intercessour and for his propitiation and intercession foreseen and fore-accepted and imperfectly yet sincerely believed did justifie them This Faith whereby we are justified is opposed by the Apostle Paul § IV to the Faith of the Jew in his Letter to the Romans to the Faith of the Judaizing Christian in that to the Galatians unto the Faith of Jews of Philosophers of the Worshippers of Angels in that to the Colossians It s opposed to these severall faith 's in a twofold respect 1. As an assent and perswasion 2. As a confidence or reliance The Jew believed that he might be justified by the Works of the Law and so trusted unto and relied upon his own Works alone The Judaizing Christian believed that Christ alone without the Law could not save him but with the Law he might and so his confidence was not in Christ alone but in Christ and the Law The Jew the Jewish Christian the Philosopher the Worshipper of Angels were perswaded either that Christ was needlesse or yet if he was needful he was not sufficient without the Law or without Philosophy or without the Worship of Angels and did either trust in Christ with these or in these without Christ and none of these would be compleate without or with Christ without some of these The Doctrine of the Gospel different from and opposed to all these proposeth Christ and him only and Christ alone as the complete High Priest Sacrificing himself and pleading his Sacrifice as the meanes and only meanes of justification Justifying faith believes all this and out of this belief rests upon Christ and Christ alone and pleads him and him alone and none else nothing else This Faith is not a perswasion that our sins are already forgiven § V nor a speculative assent to the truths of the Gospel concerning Christ as our Saviour which vanisheth with the speculation and doth not pierce the inwards of the soul nor is it any kind of resting upon Christ as our High Priest and Mediatour neither is it a sincere receiving of Christ as our Lord and King much lesse is it a generall act of faith in God Redeemer meerly considered under that generall notion 1. It cannot be a perswasion that our sins for Christs sake are already forgiven For we must believe before we can be justified much more before we can be assured that we are justified But this perswasion follows justification and remission it self It puts the act before the object and the reward before the performance of the duty and so makes justifying faith which is antecedent to be consequent and needlesse and from hence its consequent that a man may be justified without faith by a faith which follows justification But these things are absurd to a considerate Christian. 2. It 's not a mere speculative assent to the truths of the Gospel concerning Christ for it presupposeth practicall acts antecedent and issues from a practicall habit It looketh upon and closeth fast with the object wherein there be the Highest and most powerfull motives unto practise and obedience that ever were or possibly can be How is it possible that a man should believe seriously that stupendious love of God which moved him to give his onely begotten Son That whosoever believeth on him should not perish but have everlasting life and not be powerfully stirred up to love that most loving and mercifull God who loved him so much How can Faith look upon the Son of God bleeâ—ing and dying for his sins upon the Crosse and not hate sin with an eternall hatred and give himself wholly to Christ as infinitely more pretious and beneficiall to him then many Worlds Our reformed Writers had good reason to say that though this faith in receiving Christ Satisfying meriting interceding was Sola yet not Solitaria for it must of necessity work and work by love For it 's a lively principle of all heavenly virtues and sincere obedience That faith which is not predominant over all lusts and a mother of universall obedience is no faith whereby a man can be justifiable and justified 3. It 's not any kind of resting upon Christ as our High Priest and Mediatour For we may rest in part on Christ and in part on the Law and our own Works and in Saints and Angels and Superstitious rites of men We may rest on Christ for benefit and not duty We may rest on Christ and yet continue in sin be Hypocrites and so presume It must be a totall and a sincere dependance with a detestation of sin 4. It 's not a receiving him as Lord and King in that it presupposeth him as so received already For faith it self is a duty of obedience and presupposeth a submission unto him as Lord and King to command and bind us to obedience But it 's one thing to receive Christ for duty another to receive him for benefit Justification is a Benefit a reward not a duty not an act of obedience And though faith receiving Christ as Priest for justification be a duty as doing that which is commanded yet it 's but the generall nature of it whereby it agrees with and differeth not from any duty commanded by God Redeemer And consider it as a duty it 's a work and faith it self as a Work is not justifying But to come more closely up to the point and head of the matter now by some
him the one whereof is called Absolution the other Condemnation it 's that of Absolution called Justification and therefore it 's opposed to Condemnation Rom. 5. 16. Rom. 8. 1 33 34. This Sentence follows Christ's Intercession which is opposed to the Devil's Accusation The party sentenced is a sinner guilty and unjust and so condemnable by the Law of Works yet believing in Christ and so justifiable by the Law of Grace This Sentence is not like the Sentence of Man which many times being onely in words is antecedent unto and separated from the Execution which sometimes follows sometimes fails but it 's pronounced by God with power and is always executed and many times if not always joyned if not the same with execution as the Sentence of Phineas was This Sentence doth not take away sin so as to make it no sin or that which was done not to be done neither doth it take away the desert of sinne committed neither doth it abrogate the Law or relax and abate the power of it either in the Prohibition or the Commination Neither doth it prevent the guilt of sin nor the shame sorrow fear hatred which follow upon sin and go before Judgment But the proper act thereof is known by the effect which is a freedom of the sinner from the guilt of sin wherewith he is chargeable and for which he is condemnable and punishable For the end of it it is not to destroy the sinner but to remove the sin in the consequents thereof so that it be not his ruine Yet ye must observe 1. That to take away the guilt is to take away the condemnation and the punishment too For there is no condemnation to those who are in Christ c. Rom. 8. 1. 2. Though guilt cannot be taken away by prevention but removal yet condemnation and punishment may be taken away both by removal and prevention For if the Sentence of Condemnation be past and the Punishment already inflicted then there is no way to take them away but by removal which is by nulling the Sentence and taking off â—he Punishment Thus the Sentence passed upon Adam and all his is revoke 〈…〉 Justification in Christ and the Punishment removed 3 Freedom from Obligation may be total or partial if it be total the puishment is totally prevented or removed if partial it is not 4 If any punishment lie still upon the party justifyed the Obligation is not wholly taken away for if it were the punishment would be unjust for where there is no guilt there can be no just punishment 5 He that is totally freed from the punishment is totally freed from the guilt and obligation 6 That Believer which is justifyed by God is freed from the Eternal Punishment by way of prevention though not wholly from either Temporal or Spiritual punishments For the state of the justifyed is inconsistent with the Obligation unto Eternal Death whether it be in privative loss or positive torment Otherwise the Apostles arguing from justification to conclude freedom from Condemnation and a certain right unto Eternal Glory was invalid 7 Justifyed persons once entred into the state of Justification may sin and contract new guilt and by the same means they obtained mercy at the first they must seek freedom from new-ly contracted guilt and use the means to secure and evidence their Title to Eternal Glory Yet this new guilt is not a total intercision of Justification or putting them wholly out of the state of Justification to make their condition such as it was before they believed For whilest there is the Root and Habit of justifying Faith in them they have a remote and virtual though not an immediate actual right unto the reward And if God put His fear into their inward parts so as they shall never depart from him Jer. 32. 40. Then certainly He by that Promise is bound to preserve and revive that Faith and not suffer it to be totally lost in it self or to be finally unprofitable That Promise is of the same nature with the former in Chapter 31 33 34. But something of this hereafter 8 There never was any man justified by God but he was instantly put in the state of Justification But this cannot be done without some execution and in this respect though we may distinguish between the Sentence and Execution yet we must not separate them For though the final Judgment be so described Math. 25. from the 31. unto the end of the Chapter as that the Sentence of Eternal Reward is represented as pronounced first and after that the Sentence of punishment and both before the Execution Yet 1. Any man may easily understand that the final Judgment is described there after the manner of Humane Judgments and in some sort parabolically 2. In other places we find the Judgment and Execution the same 3. Neither is it evident from that very place that the Sentence and Execution were separate For though the Sentence be related before as separate from the Execution yet it doth not follow that because it is so in the relation therefore it shall be so indeed For the very saying Go ye cursed c. might be the very casting of the wicked into Hell 4 Suppose it should be so yet it doth not follow that it shall be so in our Justification in this life That the Sentence and the Execution may be considered under distinct Notions I do not deny The Scripture doth sometime so represent them 9 Though the state of Justification be begun Simul Semel yet it 's not perfected but by degrees For all our life after our first entrance into that estate should be a continued Repentance and Faith every day renewed and exercised till we attain perfection 10 This state of Justification once begun doth not prevent all future guilt contracted by sins afterwards committed though it prevents such a guilt as lay upon us before we were first converted The reason hereof will be manifest hereafter Whether there be two parts of this Sentence the one remission of sin the other imputation of Christ's Righteousness shall be examined anon That we may understand the Nature of this Act of Justification more fully § IX we must 1 Remember that it 's a freedom from the guilt and obligation immediately and by consequence from the punishment 2 That it is an Act of the Supream Judge who so justifies that no one can condemn and is passed upon the intercession of Christ who so pleads that none can lay any thing to the charge of God's Elect For who shall lay any thing to the charge of God's Elect for whom Christ not onely dyed but role again and ascended into Heaven to make intercession for them there It 's God that justifieth who is he that condemneth Rom. 8. 33 34. 3 We must consider the punishments whereunto the sinner to be justified is liable as either justly suffering them or bound in strict Justice to suffer them 4 These punishments are Temporal or
Punishment The Learned and profound Bradwardine understands it so that the former of unjust makes a man just and holy the latter renders him of miserable happy The one takes away sin to come the other the punishment of sin past The former is Sanctification as we understand it The latter is Justification properly Here it 's remarkable that He makes both the one and the other to be Remission contrary to the Doctrine of Trent yet to speak properly there is no remission of sin as sin but of the guilt and punishment of sin Before this Chapter be concluded § X three Questions are briefly to be examined 1 Whether God at the first Justifycation or in remission of particular sins after the first Justifycation doth totally remit and justifie at once or sometimes nay often in part 2 Whether there be two parts of Justification the first whereof is remission of sin the second the imputation of Christ's Righteousness 3 Whether good Works be a condition of Justification continued and of final Absolution QVEST. I. FOr this we have the Example of David who after his first justifycation contracts the guilt of two heynous sins Adultery and Murder The Prophet Nathan is sent by God to reprove him and charge him with them Upon this through the mercy of God and the Spirit renewing him he confesseth repenteth prayeth Nathan returns from God declareth the Sentence of Absolution and saith Thou shalt not die Yet withall le ts him know that the Child should die the Sword should not depart from his house his Concubines should be defiled in the sight of the Sun and all Israel And all these things came to pass the event was answerable 2 Sam. 10. 11 12 13 14. where many things are remarkable As 1. That a Regenerate Man though not as Regenerate yet Regenerate may sin grievously and so as to deserve Death and if Death be due to sinne Eternal Death yet in such a person removeable and not onely so but removable in that manner as it is in no unregenerate man For whilest there is Habitual Faith and Repentance though for the time dormant and not acting the Covenant of Grace is not totally violated because the Condition of it is Repentance and Faith both which were in David though through negligence grievous sins divine desertion for a time were laid asleep or stupifyed For onely a total Apostasie and a final Desertion takes these away wholly neither of which can be affirmed and proved of David whom God did not regenerate again but renew and stir up This the Author of Censura Censurae doth confess and further saith That he lost not Spiritum Regenerantem sed obsignantem For the vigour of the Spirit both as sanctifying and sealing was abated and little or none for the time 3 God saith Thy sin is forgiven thee Thou shalt not die Yet he must suffer and for these very sins which are said to be forgiven which doth teach us that The Obligation to Punishment was not wholly taken away but in part onely yet in the principal part The Remission therefore at that time was not total but partial yet it was Remission and Justification 3 In the same kind he sinned he was punished He sinned in Adultery and the Sword By Adultery and the Sword he is punished This is a fair Warning to God's Regenerate Saints To watch and pray and beware of grieving that good Spirit wherewith they are sealed till the Day of Redemption 4 He suffers all this in His Children in the Child begotten and conceived in Adultery in Ammon and Tamar in Absolon and his Concubines This proves clearly that Parents and Children the Head of the Family and the Family are considered by God as one Person in Law and that in Punishments QVEST. II. §. XI Whether there be two Parts of Justification Remission and Imputation of Christ's Righteousness FOr Answer whereunto it may be 1 Remembred what I have said formerly against Imputation of Christs active Righteousness separated or abstracted for Reward from the Passive The Reasons against this Opinion seem to me strong yet when I find the force of them dissolved I shall abate of my confidence 2 If we examine the Doctrine of the Apostle Paul and other Scriptures we shall find if I very much mistake not that Remission and Imputation of Righteousness are taken for the same We read that Abraham believed God and it was counted to him for Righteousness Rom. 4. 3. Now to him that worketh is the Reward not reckoned of Grace but oâ— Debt But to him that worketh not but believeth on him that justifyeth the Ungodly his Faith is counted for Righteousness Vers. 4 5. Even as David describeth also the blessedness of the Man to whom God imputeth Righteousness without Works saying Blessed is the Man whose Iniquities are forgiven and whose sins are covered Blessed is the man to whom the Lord imputeth not sin Vers. 6 7 8. And therefore it was imputed to him for Righteousness Now it was not written for his sake alone that it was imputed to him but for us to whom it shall be imputed if we believe in Him who raised up Jesus our Lord from the Dead Vers. 22 23 24. Here many things are very observable 1 Abraham believed that is as the Chaldie Paraphrast turns it In the word of Johovah in that word which being with God in the beginning was God by which the World was made and who was made flesh and to whom the Lord said Sit thou on my right hand till I make thine Enemies thy Foot-stool 2 It was reckoned to him for Righteousness that is his Faith or in that he believed in that Eternal Word Christ Jesus to be incarnate The plain meaning whereof is that he judged him believing in Christ to be righteous by Christ. 3 To him that worketh that is to him that so worketh or obeyeth as not to disobey nor sin at all the Reward of Righteousness is adjudged to him as righteous perfectly as of Debt by the Law of Works not of Grace by the Law of Redemption 4 God justifieth the Ungodly or the Sinner and the Guilty Person not as such but believing on him that justifieth the guilty yet as Penitent and Believing 5 This Imputation of Righteousness is the forgiveness of sin for to have Faith counted or imputed for Righteousness is explained by David to have sin forgiven covered not imputed 6 The estate of the Party justified even in this life is blessed and very happy Blessed is he whose sin is forgiven c. 7 That the Party to whom Righteousness is imputed is he that believeth on him that raised up Christ from the Dead not he that believeth that Christ performed perfect obedience active to the Law in his Person For though he perfectly obeyed the Law as without which he could not have offered himself an unâ—potted Sacrifice for us yet He did it not that that active personal Righteousness should be imputed to us Though God in His
is great we must often pray humbly depend upon our God and work out our salvation with fear and trembling because it 's God that worketh in us the Will and the Deed of his good pleasure Because of our many foils and falls one worke of our Sanctification is to renew our Repentance and our Faith in Christ and that daily that as we contract new guilt and are weakned so we may be cleansed and strengthned Therefore David after his grievous fall petitions to God to create in him a clean Heart and renew a right Spirit within him Psal. 51. 10. And Peter goes out and weeps bitterly and no doubt prayes fervently Divine Desertions are fearfull and we must take heed of offending the sanctifying Spirit of God By these frequent returnes unto God and our Saviour Jesus Christ our Sanctifycation is renewed and recovered What should be the reason whereupon the Eternal Wisdom of God should determine to put his Regenerate Ones upon this Bloody War sometimes continued long and not wholly destroy sin at once and so in an instant give us perfect and perpetual Security is hard to know Yet this is certain that he thought it best to teach us Humility so as that we might learn that Lesson perfectly and that we should fully know our total and perpetual dependance is upon his grace For Pride and Security was the ruine of Man at first and the â—inal Fall of the Apostate Angels Besides He knew how to turn all the Events of this War unto our good and greatest glory and He would let the Devil plainly see that he by frail man over whom he had so domineer'd and whom he had so insolently trampled under his feet could not onely Resist him but eternally subdue him This is the intermediate Event of this War § XII The final Event is a final and compleat Victory For we are enabled not onely to withstand in the evil day of Temptation but having done all and finished the War to stand victorious in the Field and see all our Enemies subdued Ephes. 6. 13. For this end the compleat Armour of God was given us And this is the Promise that God the God of Peace who will put an end unto this War will bruise Sathan under our feet shortly Rom. 16. 20. And the God of all grace who hath called us to his Eternal Glory by Christ Jesus after we have suffered a while will make us perfect stablish strengthen settle us 1 Pet. 5. 10. We shall overcome the Great Dragon and Old Serpent by the Blood of the Lamb and his Testimony not loving our lives to Death Revel 12. 2. The Reward upon this Victory is an Eternal Crown which will be certain For when Paul had fought this good Fight had finished his Course and kept the Faith from thenceforth there was laid up for him a Crown of Righteousness which the Lord the Righteous Judge would give him at that day and not to him onely but unto them also that love his appearing 2 Tim. 4. 8. This Victory is obtained by final Perseverance which is often in part interrupted by our many failings and falls yet continued by a continual Supply of inward strength and outward Assistance upon which it doth chiefly depend God requires on our part a constant Exercise of that Power He hath given us and humble dependance upon his strength a continual Watchfulness a dayly renewing of our Repentance and Faith For without Duty there is no expectation of solid comfort This Perseverance is never totally interrupted by Apostasie in the Saints of God once regenerate and sealed with the Holy Spirit of Promise who have received the first-fruits of glory as an earnest of the full possession of the great Inheritance That these ever did or may according to the Eternal Rules of this Government fall totally and so finally never any yet could clearly prove That others though baptized enlightened changed in their hearts reformed in their lives so as to forsake in some measure their former sins endued not onely with ordinary but extraordinary gifts of the Spirit and out of an imperfect hope of Salvation have tasted of the joys and comforts of the Gospel may fall will not be denied Yet all these things are not sufficient sufficiently to qualifie the subject of this Question concerning Perseverance For the Question Whether those who by a sincere Faith are living Members of Christ have received the Regenerating Spirit as a Seal and Earnest of Eternal Glory can according to the Laws of God-Redeemer fall away totally from the estate of Justification The Question may be § VII De esse aut Posse or both That any such did ever so fall no man yet did ever prove That they may fall according to the tenour of the Gospel hath not been yet nor I think can be made evident The Scripture doth sometimes take Righteousness Calling Regeneration Sanctification the purging away of sin in a large sense and attribute all these to such as have been baptized made profession of their Faith and have not by Scandal or Apostasie stained their Profession and as the Scripture so the ancient Writers also term these Saints Righteous and Regenerate But a thousand such places will not evince this Fall that 's here denied For they changed the subject of the Question and so the Question it self Many do instance in David who no doubt was regenerated and â—ealed with the Spirit of Promise and he fell grievously and contracted the guilt of Adultery and Murther But what though Was this a total Fall It was not For 1 Though the sins were heynous and did highly offend God and deserved Death yet this Death was removeable For they were not the sins of Apostasie or final Unbelief nor properly nor immediately Impenitency and Unbelief which are the sins directly and formally against the Covenant and Fundamental Law of Redemption Therefore they could not make him of a subject to be no subject neither did God wholly reject him and take his Spirit wholly from him A man may commit heynous offences against the Law and yet be a Subject but if he be guilty of Rebellion or High-Treason he loseth all right of a Subject Thus David was not guilty 2 This Death was more easily removable then that Penalty of that Party which never did believe never was regenerate 3 Though the Sins were actually yet they were not habitually contrary to the Law or to Repentance and Faith For to be an Adulterer and Murderer was not his constant temper 4 God made such promises to David and those personal as were not consistent either with total or final rejection This was one promise and that Personall My mercy will I keep for him for evermore and may Covenant shall stand fast with him And for his seed if they transgresse he would chastise them Neverthelesse his loving kindnesse He would not take utterly from them Psal. 89. 28 29 30. c. And this did include an obligation on Gods part to
impetuous stream did carry all before them This was the judgment of the Eastern and Southern Christians invaded by the Saracens and possessed by them from beyond Babylon and Arabia unto Barbary and Spain where they met the Northern Barbarians In these latter days How many Churches Christian are swallowed up by the Turkish Empire These were not meerly temporall judgments but spirituall Because the enemies did not onely invade and possesse their Countryes but in many places deprive them of their Teachers and the Gospel the glorious light whereof is mightily darkened as in â—ormer times so in these latter dayes by that Smoak and mist of Hell the doctrine of the Alcoran and that in many places of the World This is a just judgment of God which Christ avert from us because they walked not in the light of the Gospel when it so clearly shined upon them And its one of the most feafull punishments of Christians to be delivered up to believe lyes and false doctrine in matters of Salvation Yet Turks and other Mahumetans do not professe themselves Christians as we in this Western Corner of the World do But amongst us there be such as professe their faith in Christ who yet are in the just judgment of God delivered up to superstition Idolatry and most dangerous doctrines which have formerly been and now are dispersed into severall Nations We read That because men received not the Love of the truth that they might be saved for this cause God shall send them strong delusions that they should believe a Lie 2 Thes. 2. 10 11. Where we may observe 1. The sin which is Not to receive the love of the truth that they might be saved 2. The Punishment God shall send them strong delusions that they should believe a lye For when God doth take away his Spirit from such as enjoy the word of God which they will not believe and practise it 's an easy thing for the Devil to delude the wisest and most learned in matters of Religion and then there is no Doctrine so false and absurd which man so deluded will not believe This hath been confirmed by experience of former times especially in that Temple or Church wherein the Son of Perdition shall exalt himself above all Civil and Ecclesiasticall powers The seat of this Wicked one must be some eminent City so the Scripture tells us and this City shall be called Babylon in a mystery and stand built upon seven hills Some say that Constantinople which was called New-Rome is so Yet that cannot be it Because it must be that City which did Reign over the Kings of the Earth when John received the Revelation from Heaven and that was not Constantinople which was obscure at that time The Character of this Whore was 1. That She made the Nations of the Earth drunk with her cup of fornication And 2. She Her self was drunk with the blood of the Saints and the Martyrs of Jesus Fornication is Superstition Image-worship and Idolatry The drinking of the blood of the Saints is the persecution and murder of all such Christians as shall refuse to acknowledge Her power and to receive Her abominable and Idolatrous worship Lest any therefore should be ignorant what City this is The spirit informs us 1. That it 's a City which professeth Christ. 2. It 's the seat of the Son of Perdition arrogating Supreme power not only in temporals but spirituals 3. It 's Idolatrous and Superstitious worshiping of Images 4. It sheds the blood of such Christians as will not acknowledge Her power and drink of Her cup of fornication 5. It 's a City that was built and once stood upon seven hills 6. It Reigned over the Kings of the Earth in the times of John the Divine 7. It 's a City that boasts of many lying signs and wonders and believes lies receives false Doctrine That this City and the man of sin therein should continue so long have so great power delude so many Nations inâ—atuate them seem to be holy profess her self the Mother of all Christian Churches the Temple of God infallible and that society out of which there is no salvation is a spirituall judgment from Heaven and far greater then the Iâ—vasion of the Saracens and Barbarous Nations yea then the damned Doctrine of the Alcoran For that in many things is grosse ridiculous and absurd In this Mysticall Babylon the grossest errours put on the Vizard of saving and infallible truth the most abominable superstition of zealous devotion the greatest pride of deepest humility and he that beareth the title of Servant of Servants will be the Lord of Lords Besides all the transcended perogatives of this Church as of Supremacy Infallibility Authority above Scripture are maintainâ—d by the choisest wits of greatest Schollars And their Sophisms are so effectuall that not only the ignorant sort of people and silly women but persons of greatest power the Princes and Potentates of the Earth men of most excellent parts profoundest Learning and Policy are enchanted and bewitched by this great City This is one of the greatest trialls of Christians and the Church of God that ever came upon the World And if we Seriously consider we may easily understand that it 's God alone who preserves us in the truth And all such as love the truth and endeavour to practise it according to the plainnesse and simplicity of the Gospel may expect this blessing from Heaven even in the midst of these most dangerous times This is a fair warning to us all who enjoy the Scriptures and therein the word of God to take heed least we live unprofitably through our own neglect under the means of salvation For if we do not seriously attend unto the saving doctrine of the truth and give all diligence to practise it so far as we know it it will be just with God to suffer Sathan to delude us be a lying spirit in the mouths of our Prophets and to give us over to believe lyes errours heresies as we see it come to passe with many amongst us at this day By the former sins and neglect of our duty we do not only lose all the benefits and comforts which God hath promised and we might enjoy in a well constituted Church reformed in Doctrine Worship Discipline according to the word of God but also make our selves liable to the former punishments and all others which God hath threatned against us in his Book It 's the great and unspeakable mercy of God § XII which signifies his tender care oâ— our poor souls that he will make known unto us what glorious rewards we upon obedience to his Laws may expect from him and what fearfull punishments will follow upon our disobedience and impenitency The Law-givers and Rulers of the World think it sufficient to publish their Laws once enacted and to leave every man to take notice of them or neglect to do so at their perill But our gracious and most mercifull Lord sends his