and declares himself to be and so calling upon him in all their wants and needs acknowledging confessing and glorifying him in all things by Jesus Christ even in all his goodness 1 Thess 5.16 17 18. Philip. 4.6 7. Ephes 5.18 19 20. Rom. 6.11 12 13 15 16 17. 1 Cor. 6.20 and gracious Dispensations to and dealings with them or others as manifest to them yielding up themselves and all their powers and members to walk with obey and serve him as his grace afforded instructs and strengthens them 5. Matth. 28.19 20. 26.26 27 28. 1 Cor. 11.25 26 27 28. Acts 2.41 42. Rom. 15.9 10. Col. 3.16 Heb. 3.12 13. 10.25 Ephes 6.17 18. Phillip 3.3 John 4.23 24. Jude 20. Matth. 16.24 Rom. 6.2 3 4 5 6. Gal. 2.19 20 21. 3.25 26 27 28 29. That they attend unto and upon God and Christ in such ways ordinances and appointments of his as He hath made known to them in his Doctrine to be injoyed and appointed of God for them in the present Administration of his Grace and Truth according to his mind therein is manifested to them and perceived by them As in times past they had the Observations of the New Moons Sabbaths Sollemn meetings appointed of God by Moses where they had them Revealed to them So now we have the use of Baptism the Supper and Assemblies of Believers in the Name of Christ as may be warrantably injoyed And such an hearty spiritual and close obedience to God and Christ in the Spirit denying our Selves and going out of all knowledge of our Selves after and confidence in and glorying of the Flesh and being Baptized or Planted into Christ to seek all our Life Peace and Righteousness Wisdom Strength Salvation in him is required of us and is to be held forth by us as required of all Men according to their capacities of obeying in and by the Gospel-Doctrine And this also is good and true in it self and to be held forth with the Gospel to All men not to be first required of men to prepare them for the Gospel nor to be their Righteousness toward God But upon Phil. 3.7 8 9 10. Rom. 10.3 and with the Preaching of the Gospel this they are to be instructed to and admonished That they refuse not the Gospel taught to and to be Believed by them nor refuse to obey it in what it requireth and calls for from them as the way in which sowing to the Spirit they shall be more filled with the Spirit and so be more led into Christ Gal. 6.7 Col. 2.9 10. 3.9 10. in whom God hath given us a full perfect and abiding Righteousness and all things pertaining to Life and Godliness To further which also the Gospel further presents SECT 3. Gospel Terrours GOspel Terrours Arguments of Fear 2 Cor. 5.11 to awaken and quicken men to receive and obey the Truth brought to them in what it says to and requires of them As to give some brief hints as resulting from and presented in the Gospel-Faith or Doctrine 1. 1 Tim. 1.13 14 15. Tit. 2.3 4. It presents sin very loathsom and displeasing to God especially willing and careless sinnings against the light truth and grace brought to men by him The presentation of what Christ hath done to take away sin Heb. 2.2 3 4. 10.26 29. 7.19 9.19 9.22 10.1 6 7. presents sin never a whit the less but the more loathsom to God in as much as it was not nor may be pardoned but through the sufferings death and sacrifice of Christ for men And if sin against God as a Creator was so loathsom how much more is sinning against him willingly Heb. 10.29 12.21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29. Heb. 1. 2.1 2 3 4. now he hath done so much more for us and put so much greater ingagements upon us to be his and to obey and serve him The more he hath done for us the more reason we have to listen to him and the more heinous our rebellions and sins against him and the more he loves his Son who suffered for us the more is he provoked by our disobedience to and rebellions against his Son in his calls and counsels to us for our salvation 2. Matth. 28.18 19. Rom. 14.9 10 11 12. 2 Cor. 5.10 Phil. 2.10 11. Jam. 4.5 12 13. It presents God and Christ armed with infinite power and authority to punish the transgressors and rebels against him all power in Heaven and upon Earth being his and all creatures at his beck to be imployed or made use of by him at his pleasure so as no ability in us by strength or wisdom to shift from him or from any the least part of the punishment or judgment that he will inflict upon us if we rebel against him 1 Cor. 10.22 Ezek. 22.14 3. Eccles 9.10 2 Cor. 6.1 2. Heb. 3.15 Rev. 1.18 19. 3.7 It presents the time of this life the only time for hearing his voice and obeying him and seeking favour and acquaintance with him yea it 's his pleasure whither to wait upon us so long the Keys of Heaven and Hell are in his hands Luke 13.7 8 9 25 26 27. Matth. 10.38 Luke 10.5 6. and as he can open as he pleases and keep open â—he door of life so long as he pleases so he can shut it when he will too yea our â—ives also are in his hand and not in our own He can take away our breath and spirit when he pleases and cast the Transgressors into Hell and there is no withstanding of him therein None hath power over the spirit to retain the spirit neither is there any power in the day of death Eccles 8.8 4. That he can and may 1 Cor. 10.5 6 7 8 9 10. with 9.26 27. 11.30 Rev. 2.4 5 21 22. Deut. 28.2 Thess 2.9 10. 11 12. Act. 13.40 41. and by mens refusing his grace and truth and therein his Son and Spirit and Self is provoked to inflict heavy judgements upon them here in their souls or bodies or both either denying them or depriving them of the comfortable injoyments of such outward mercies and liberties as otherwise he is ready to give them or else imbitter his gifts to them filling them with a curse so as to fill them with vexation and anguish of Spirit or else to blast them in all and curse their spirits as to give them up to delusions lusts and ways of their own to run themselves to destruction 5. Act. 10.42 17.30 31. Rom. 2.16 14.11 12.2 Cor. 5.10 11. Rev. 20.12 13 14.2 Thess 1.6 7 8 9. Jude 14 15. That however he hath absolutely decreed and appointed a day in which he will judge the world in righteousness by Christ Jesus and then will raise all up out of their graves no darkness or shadow of death shall be able to hide or keep them from his presence but before him
entring his Kingdom here in its Spiritual State is We cannot enter his Kingdom but by being born of God nor further enter into it to be under the Regiment Power and Priviledges of it then as we are born of God namely of God as objectively discovered to us and looked to or known by us they that know thy Name will trust in thee and as efficiently and efficaciously working by his Power and Spirit in us And so Regeneration contains in it Healing Confirming and Conforming too or they may in the place above quoted be referred to the words after it and denote the time when they should receive their Honour and Reward viz. In the Regeneration when the Son of man shall sit on the throne of his glory that is In the time of the Resurrection and so it signifies That the Regeneration is not compleated till the Resurrection when the Body also shall be changed and be found in the Spirit and Glory of Christ But here I do as usually men do in speaking of Regeneration speak of its First Acts Of making a man in Christ The overcoming of the Heart to close with and believe in God and Christ and depend on him and so the infusing the Spirit and Principles of new and heavenly Life into him And so I distinguish it from healing conforming Operations and it 's sometime included in Conversion as the end or ultimate acts in it as Conversion is usually meant of the Souls first turning to God for otherwise Souls after Regeneration falling into actual Sins or sinful frames must be Converted from them but as I said before it properly follows upon the heart turned to behold or look upon God and Christ as presented in his Gospel and it stands in the framing strengthning and overcoming the heart to close with rest in and rely on God in Christ in and through which his Spirit and Power Framing and Creating it in Christ doth enter into it possess and act it for and towards Christ Ephes 2.10 Numb 21.9 2 King 5.14 And this is by a certain creative Power whence that Phrase We are his workmanship created in Christ Jesus to good works Somewhat like the healing of the Israelites in their looking to the Serpent of Brass or the healing of Naaman washing in the waters of Jordan and it hath in it 1. A Spiritual quickening or inlivening of the Soul Psal 36.8 in its listening and looking to Christ to living affection to and likement of him and so desire after him through the presentation of the excellency of him as made known to and apprehended by the Soul as Phil. 3.7 2. A Spiritual quickning and strengthening of the Soul through the same Seed of the knowledge or word of Christ cast into the heart to a fleeing or betaking it self for refuge and rest to him and so to close with and hope in him and in God through him Heb. 6 18 19. Psal 9.10 3. A certain Spiritual inlivening of the Soul in him and upon him his mercy Gal. 2.20 goodness power faithfulness love c. and so to an acting in that life infused and put into it both towards God and towards man which the grace seen and believed by it operates works and begets yea and preserves and carries on in it and it unto and in It is set forth in Ezekiel 36.25 26. By the making the Heart and Spirit new by his Spirit and then putting in his Spirit into the Spirit made new the begetting a new judgment bent and disposition in the Soul and a new heart desire love affection toward God and Christ a new will purpose and resolution for him and then a putting his Word Power and Spirit into that Heart and Spirit renewed to live in it feed act and animate it in and for God according to his mind 4. His healing operations are a kin to those Regenerating operations and may be co-incident with his comforting operations too in part they are spoken of as fruits and consequents to Conversion Matth. 13.15 Least they should be converted and I should heal them but by comparing that with Mark 4.12 It includes or stands in the Remission of Sins at least as the necessary mean to it or womb put of which it proceeds for there for healing it is and their sins should be forgiven them Which by way of Metonomy may signifie and take in the consequents of forgiveness also such as 1. The speaking peace to them c. so the quieting pacifying and comforting of the Heart and Conscience in the sight and view of his goodness and knowledge of his love and favour towards it and of the forgiveness of Sins and hope of Happiness in which the heart-broken and disquieted with convincements reproofs and fears is healed 2. A renewing and rectifying the whole man in mind judgment will and affections and conversation sanctifying of him throughout filling him with right wholsome apprehensions and thoughts of God and Christ and himself and all things with right affections to God healing those distempers before in his heart and affections in their out-running after yanities and doting upon Idols taking offence at God and his Truth hateing what should be loved and loving what should either absolutely or comparatively be hated and so healing the passions fears cares anxieties and griefs of mind c. 3. A removing and taking off Wrath and Judgments that might formerly be inflicted on them for their rebellions or stubbornness against him yea and by degrees and in due time taking off altogether the Disease and Judgment that came upon us in Adam and through his Fall the power of natural Corruption â—nd dominion of Sin and the bodily infirmities and Death too in the Resurrection 5. Comforting Operations are in and through his Word or Truth as it is in Christ and by his hand power and spirit working therein and therewith in shewing help and remedy in Christ and in God and causing the Soul to apprehend and see it even suitable helps to all its needs and Exercises and by begetting lively hope in God and Christ for the receipt of that help both under its afflictions and in due time out of them all and by shewing the gracious and good end of God in his afflicting denying crossing suffering or ordering evils to it the lifting up reviving and chearing of the heart and spirit and maintaining the chearfulness and comfort of it in God as in John 14. He comforted the hearts of his Disciples by and through presenting to them God and his goodness towards them as an object therefore worthy to be believed in by them and himself as a constant lover of them that as well went away from them for their good as came and staid with them even for their helpfulness and salvation that he would send them another Comforter who also and more fully should comfort them by leading them into the Truth causing them to understand the Truths he now spake to them and giving them to
know his Presence with them even while to appearance and in his body absent from them c. His comforting Operations may be many or fewer according as he pleases and as he sees good to give and the conditions of his people require and they are meet for but they are all in and through his goodness and grace in Christ discovered as all his other gracious Operations be while he by his Spirit minds men of and opens to them his Love Power Wisdom Faithfulness his undertakings for them promises to them examples of his goodness and faithfulness to others in like cases and therein also sets before them the inconsiderableness of their Enemies Dangers Sufferings the lightness and momentaniss of them in comparison of the good afforded and promised them he raises up and incourages their hearts and fills them with assured hope and consolation 2 Thess 2.16 17. 2 Cor. 4.15 16 17 c. 6. His strengthning and confirming Operations are many of them of the same import and from the same spring with his comforting and healing Operations they are spoken of 1 Cor. 1 Cor. 1.6 7 8. 16.7 8. Eph. 3.15 16. 1 Pet. 5.10 And they differ little the one from the other and therefore I put them both together as under one Head onely his confirming Operations be such efficacies of his grace and workings of his Spirit as in and by which he opening his Truth more clearly to the heart and therein discovering the weakness of all opposite Principles or otherwise also evidencing his Presence with his Truth People and Ways doth make the heart more firm in belief of his Truth and so in resolution to cleave and adhere to it and to him in it and to his people and ways according to it begetting in the heart more assurance of their Rightness and of good success therein His strengthening Operations besides what hath been hinted of them in the foregoing Operations more respect oppositions resistances and assaults against men in Gods way either by Sin in men or by Satan and men from without them as also Afflictions Pressures and the like from the hand of God to stand under which and against all assaults the grace of God in Christ as it is sufficient to strengthen men so it doth it also by presenting such Motives from Rom. 5.5 6 7 8 9 10 11. and considerations of Gods love and goodness Christ's faithfulness to them and care and watchfulness over them and power and promises to save them the good and gracious ends of God in them and assurance of a good Issue out of them with other Arguments as the Gospel or Truth Revealed affords therethrough putting courage and resolution virtue and man-hood as it were into them so as to stand it out with patience and magnanimity to the end 7. His conforming Operations are of the like nature with his Renewing and healing and by the same means or mediums even the beholding the glory of Christ and of God in Christ as opened to men and by his Spirit effectually and by a certain creative force or power working therein as also by the same Spirit he will conform the body to his own glorious body at his coming onely there is this difference that in conforming the Soul Mind and Spirit to himself he works upon men in a way suitable to men living voluntary agents and in their exercise of themselves in the ways in which he leads them as in beholding his Glory presented by him before them and therefore men are capable of hindring themselves of their own good in that by turning away their minds from him unto vanity As Naaman might have hindred the healing of his Leprosie by coming out of the Waters of Jordan too soon viz. before he had washed the Seventh time though in continuing so to wash he could not hinder it God effecting it in him by a creative power But in the Resurrection and conforming of the Body to Christs glorious Body Christ will work purely Physically or Hyperphysically rather and irresistably as he wrought in creating things that had no voluntary agency in themselves at least none before he had made them or as he works upon natural agents or things as to make the Earth to Bud or the Corn to grow or more irresistibly then so to even as in making Heaven and â—arth But this pertains to the manner 〈◊〉 God's operation in these his gratious Workings before we speak to which we shall as we propounded consider the other kind of operations attributed to God and see what the Scriptures signifie to us concerning them CHAP. IX Of Operations in Wrath and Judgment attributed to God as Hardning Blinding Deceiving Men c. SECT 1. That the Scriptures Attribute these kind of Operations to God and that yet we are so to conceive of him in them as not to make him the Author of mens Sinnings GOd is said in the Scriptures to harden blind and deceive men and therefore that such Operations or Workings as tend to these things are Attributed to him is evident both in the Writings of the Prophets and Apostles for God is said by Moses to have hardned Pharaoh's heart and he said to Moâ— when he sent him to him that he wouâ— harden his heart so as he would nâ— let the people go Exod. 4.21 and 7.3 aâ— 9.12 And so he is said to have hardnâ— Sihons Spirit and to have made his heâ— obstinate that he might deliver him inâ— Israels hand Deut. 2.30 And Isaiâ— says by way of Expostulation Lorâ— why hast thou made us to erre from thy wayâ— and hardned our hearts from thy feâ— And Paul saith of God whom he will 〈…〉 hardneth And the Prophet Isaiah 〈…〉 quoted by the Evangelist said God haâ— blinded their eyes and hardned their heartâ— Joh. 12.40 It being God who bade thâ— Prophet go and make the heart of thâ— people fat and their ears heavy and shâ— their eyes lest they see with their eyes anâ— hear with their ears and understand witâ— their hearts and be converted and healed 〈…〉 Isa Zeph. 3.5 Jam. 1.13 17. 6.10 And God said to Ezekiel 〈…〉 If the Prophet be deceived I the Lord have 〈…〉 deceived that Prophet Ezek. 14.9 But 〈…〉 how may these things be looked upon aâ— the works and doings of God seeing the 〈…〉 just Lord will not nor can do iniquity 〈…〉 Let no man say when he is tempted 〈…〉 am tempted of God for God cannot beâ— tempted with evil neither tempteth hâ— any man every good gift and everâ— perfect giving is from above and cometâ— down from the Father of Lights with 〈…〉 whom is no variableness nor shadow oâ— turning Surely those things to deceiveâ— â—nd harden and make men obstinate and â—o blind men are the works of Satan â—nd how then can they be ascribed to God â—e most holy God who is of purer eyes â—en to behold iniquity much less then â—ay he make or impel or stir men up â—o do evil Surely therefore
we may find that the same acts or actions are in Scripture ascribed to God and to Man as to purging cleansing making the heart new c. tho yet differently and upon diverse accounts One Scripture saies Circumâ—â—se your selves to the Lord and take away the foreskin of the heart Jer. 4.4 Another saies The Lord will Circumcise thy heart and the heart of thy seed to love the Lord thy God c. Deut. 30.6 One saying Cast away all your transgressions and â—ake you a new Heart and a new Spirit for why will ye die c. Ezek. 38.31 Another saies A new heart will I give you and a new Spirit will I put into you c. Ezek. 36.26 27. Some Scriptures say God and Christ purify and purge Men Acts 15.9 Tit. 2.14 Ephes 5.25 26. And others exhort men to purify and cleanse themselves and say that believers have purified their own hearts by the Spirit in obeying the truth as 2 Cor. 7.1 1 Pet. 1.22 The reason of which may be seen in what hath been said for therein it appears how both work and that there is an evident distinction between the manner of their workings to the same effect and so distint grounds for the attributions of the same works to both as 1. God is said to do those things and most properly in asmuch as he both prevents men with his grace in and by which he capacitates and inables and then also incites and stirs men up to do those things to cleanse purge and waâ— themselves c. and men yielding up themselves to him in the grace given them in his calls and counsels then his grace and God in and by it works also in with them yea acts in them the things required of them and produces the effects renews their hearts purifies their Spirit c. and yet 2. Men are said to do the same things inasmuch as through his grace theâ— yield up themselves to God and his grace to do those things in them in listening to him looking to and waiting upon him in the strength and motion of hiâ— grace preventing and accompanying them and in the meanes he vouchsafes them And so in acting forth by their powers and members the things which grace yielded to worketâ— in them to will and to do of good pleasure as that in Deut. 30 may clear it in that it renders the circumcising work of God to love and obey him as a consequent work to their being brought in the strength of his preventing grace in and with his afflicting them and again returning to them to call and subdue them afforded to them to listen to his voice and turn to him And so also doth that in 1 Pet. 1.22 and that in Rom. 6.12 13. and 8.13 Which speaks of yielding up our Members Weapons and Instruments of Righteousness to Holiness of mortifying the deeds of the body by the Spirit and purifying our souls by the Spirit in obeying the Truth clearly implying that both the Man and the Spirit are Agents differently working together in the same Works Much what like as a Scholar and his Master when the Master guides the Scholars hand and by it frames a Letter the Master doth it by the Scholars hand as an Instrument or Subordinate Agent and the Scholar by the Master as the Principal Agent Director Framer c. The Scholar yields his hand and the Master uses it even so the Spirit doth those things in us by our Faculties and in our Obedience and we in obeying the Spirit do them by the strength power and guidance of the Spirit So as that neither doth the Spirit those things in us without our compliance and obedience nor do we noâ— can we do them in and of our selves but by the Spirit yielded to by us and leading strengthning and governing of us Thence the Scripture also represents the believing Man or Man called of God as a third person between two others calling for his subjection and obedience the new Man and the Old the flesh and the Spirit the flesh moves him to give up his mind and members unto it and its motions and the Spirit on the contrary challengeth them for his and moves excites and provokes to his service If the man yield up to the Flesh it becomes his Master and He its servant framed more into its mind and if the man through the grace of God yield up himself to the Spirit then the Spirit in and by him as his Master works the works of God creates him in Christ Jesus to good works and renews him more and more by his Divine Power and influence as is to be seen Rom. 6.11.12 13 14. c. and 8.2.4.12 13. Gal. 5.16.17 18. Ephes 4.17 18.20 21. But yet let this be also minded that that which God requires of man is not properly and formally Gods working or operation no more then the Childs yielding his hand to his Master and moving it in his Motion is properly and formally his Masters holding and guiding his hand and framing the Letter with it And so neither doth God fault men for not doing that of and by themselves which is properly the work of his power to do nor for not doing that that is properly his operation but for not doing that which is theirs to do by his grace afforded them That is their not yielding themselves to him and moving in his Motion for their two operations are so distinct Ezek. 24.13 Isa 48.17 18. Jer. 13.10 11. Rom. 2.4 5. as that they may be also seperated and the withdrawing of the one prevent or hinder the other whence God is said to have purged Men and yet they not purged to teach Men and yet they not taught by him to make Men cleave to him and yet they not cleave to him but refuse to hear him to lead Men to repentance and yet they not led of him inasmuch as God prevented and followed them with his grace to have moved and provoked them to those things which yet they refusing to yield themselves to him in were not done the effects of Gods grace and profit of his teachings missed by them Which stubbornness of Men in refusing him and his operations provokes him to leave them and then the things he offers to work and in some sence is working in them as the fire burneth under the Pot that purges the Scum from the Water Ezek. 24.3.4 5.13 that it might be cast off by the Servant are never effected nor can be but they perish in their Sins For as God worketh not such effects in Men without their Members and Powers yielded to him and working instrumentally and subordinatly under him So neither can Men work or effect those things in themselves without God and his Spirit or he withdrawing from them which should provoke us to diligence in listening and yielding our selves as obedient Children to him not quenching his Operations in us nor provoking him to wrath against us least in his wrath he
ye mortifie the Deeds of the body ye shall live c. Which all imply the workings of God in the Believer to be such as do not so take in and necessitate mens working but that they may possibly Sin against him and work evil Yea why else says he Grieve not the holy Spirit of God if God's workings so included and necessitated our workings in his working that we cannot grieve him Beside that it 's an evident case that the holy men in whom God by his Grace and Spirit did work the to will and the to do yet did sin against him and that not meerly of infirmity or for defect of his working but against and contrary to his working in them grieving and quenching him that wrought in them Isa 63 10. as in the case of Davids sinning The Scripture speaks of the condition of the Believer in this matter so as may be fitly represented by the case of Israel of old in respect of the Canaanites when brought into Canaan they had the presenâ— of God with them and such furniture of strength and defence afforded them thereby so as they might have kept them under and it was their own great neglect of improving the advantage of God's presence and help with them who subdued their Enemies under them both giving them will and courage to fight them and in their Fight efficacy of subduing them if they let or suffered them to Reign over them as well as it was great imprudence in respect of themselves yet they might possibly make Leagues and confederate with them and so provoke God to withdraw from them and leave them to their power so as to become Servants and Tributaries to them So it is with the Believer God works in him the to will and the to do in his listening to him and in his strength and furniture of grace given he may mortify Sin and not let it reign in his mortal Body yet this grace doth not work so compulsively and irresistibly or so to inforce and work his obedience to it as that he cannot neglect it and by neglecting it confederate with Sin and provoke God to withdraw himself and leave him to Sins Dominion God indeed gives more grace yea more than there is naturally power in envy or other lusts in the Carnal Spirit to make us serve them such as by which we might deny them service and resist them yea mortifie and keep them under though not be without molestation from them as we would and therefore God faults and resists men that yet lift up themselves and will serve their proud or envious humours Jam. 4.5 6 7. So that it seems notwithstanding more grace given them men may possibly yield themselves servants to their Corruptions that have less power in them to enforce their obedience yea and that 's ' the reason God is displeased with men that they serve them was there not more power in God's grace to help them against them then in their corruptions to inslave them they would not be so obnoxious to or worthy of Wrath from God but rather would be pitied and helped by him except where having put away more grace they are inslaved again by their Corruption God withdrawing from them But if God so wrought in men their willings and doings as in the Conception at first mentioned there could be no possibility of any believer to fail of doing God's will but by God's meer voluntary first-leaving him no possibility of letting Sin have dominion over them or grieving the Spirit and so neither ground or need of any of these or the like Exhortations SECT 2. How God works by exhortations and whether his working in men to will and to do is by and through the exhortation to â—k out their Salvation Object EXception is hereunto made That though God work so as above to necessitate mens workings out too yet exhortations to work out our Salvation with fear and trembling and not to grieve the Spirit and the like are nevertheless needful because God worketh those things in men by his exhortations But neither will that stand with the scope of the Scripture above propounded to consideration For. Answ 1. God uses not to principle men by Exhortations but by the discovery of his grace with which he prevents them and puts in principles seeds or capacitates for Operation Psal 9.10 He begets in men a will to trust not by exhorting them meerly to trust but by declaring his Name and causing them to know it and then when he hath so principled them to work or walk c. he uses to exhort men in that power and strength brought to them and given them to work or walk and act forth and by those exhortations further excites and stirs up and puts forward the will or the man to act in those capacities foregiven And in such exhortations he works after the nature of divinely Moral working that is by presenting that to the understanding and judgment which affords rational ground for the willing and doing what he exhorâ—â—o and therefore also usually before or however with those exhortations lays down those grounds and adds such motives which presented to the understanding are as proper means to convey motion to the Soul and excite it to will and do what is exhorted But now the ground or motive here used and presented is such as being interpreted and represented in the sense objected destroys the exhortation and takes away all the motive to it and ground thereof so as that the exhortation can be no means to produce the things exhorted to upon the account of the ground and motive used to inforce it as so understood The exhortation is that they would be always obedient and now much more in the Apostles absence working out their Salvation with fear and trembling which may indeed be a meanes to excite and stir them up to such diligence and obedience with fear and trembling iâ— with all they are made to apprehend need cause and ground for so doing as to say that it being God that works in them to will and to do of good pleasure there is danger least by their negligence and carelessness he may be provoked to withdraw his operations without which they can do nothing and so they may fail of his grace But to represent such a thing as this to the understanding reason and judgment that God doth absolutely and infallibly work so in them to will and to do that he therein also works their working out compleatly and inavoidably so as to leave no room for or possibility of their disobedience or miscarriage in what he requires their working out of is such a ground of security certainty and impossibility of danger oâ— miscarriage as both takes away from the understanding all conception of any need of their diligence and renders it inconceiveable how they should be negligent or disobedient and so leaves no room for their fear and trembling otherwise then as unavoidably it may be
made rich being thereby made capable of acting and Suffering for us so as to procure our Salvation being God and Man in one person 5. That in pursuance of our Redemption he was also made under the Law Gal. 4.4 3.13 Rom. 3.19 both as it was upon and against all men and as given to be observed by the Jews that He might Redeem us from the Law that is that being in Bond as it were with us as a clear man that enters Bond for a grear Debtor he might be liable to be called forth to the Payment of our Debt and procure our discharge from it 6. And accordingly God called him forth to the Judgment Joh. 12.31 Heb. 10.5 6 7 8 9 10. 1 Pet. 2.24 as the onely responsible Person and caused the Judgment of the World to pass upon him to which also he willingly and desirously yielded himself bearing our sins in his own body on the Tree and so gave himself a Ransom for all 1 Tim. 2.6 Rom. 5.12 14 15 16 17 18 19. 1 Cor. 15.17 18 21 22. Joh. 1.29 Phil. 2.6 7 8. with Gen. 3.5 6. Psal 69.4 Gal. 3.10 13. Phil. 2.8 9. Matth. 26.38 39. 27.46 and by the grace of God tasted Death for every man the Second Adam satisfying for the sins of the First and all in and of him as fallen in him both for root and Branch the first Revolt from God in our First Parents and all that Naturally and necessarily spring up from it giving or laying down to that purpose as much as the First Adam usurped or aspired to even the Form of God and enduring all that thereby that the First Adam incurred by way of penalty to himself and all his Posterity equivolently even the Curse of the Law to Death the Death of the Cross in which he sustained and endured not onely great Pains and Torments in his Body but also unspeakable Agonies and Afflictions in his Soul pouring it out to Death John 12.27 Isa 53.8 9 10 11 12. Psal 22.1 2 8 9 10-16 c. 7. That in this his abasement and Death His obedience and sufferings were so well-pleasing Isa 53.10 11 12. Rom. 4.25 1.3 4. Act. 2.24 Rom. 14.9 1 Cor. 15.3 4 5. Matth. 12.40 and satisfactory to God that He in Testimony thereof raised him up from the Dead the third day taking him therein from Prison and Judgment Yea he himself was God-man and so a person not to be swallowed up of Death though to manifest that he was indeed Dead and to sanctifie the Grave to us and Redeem us from it he was pleased to abide in it part of Three Days and Three Nights rose again by his Divine Power and after he had shewed himself by divers infallible proofs to his Disciples Act. 1.1 2 3 4 10. 10.39 40 41. Luk. 24.9.10 50.51 Heb. 9.14 Act. 2.33.36 Heb. 1.3 12.2 Act. 2. 3 4 5. by the space of forty Days after his Resurrection for a manifestation of the Truth of it and confirmation of their Faith in it He in their sight Ascended up visibly into Heaven and there presented his own Crucified and raised Body a spotless Sacrifice to God being taken up thither and there received of God his Father and set down at his Right hand even upon the Throne of Majesty in the Heavens as his after sending forth his Spirit upon his Disciples according to his fore-promise to them and Working many notable Miracles by them also did evidently declare SECT 4. Of the Love of God to fallen Man in glorifying his Son for him and of the compleatness and fitness of Christ as now in Heaven to be the Saviour of all Men and especially of such as Believe SO that now the same Jesus Eph. 4.8 9 10. with Psal 68.18 1 Pet. 3.18 19. Gal. 3.13 Heb. 2.14 2 Tim. 1.10 the Son of God who in love to us was abased and Suffered for us in the weakness of the Flesh and Descended into the lower parts of the Earth to Ransom us from the Sin and Misery fore-come upon us lives also being ascended up on high and having led captivity captive even Sin Death Law Devil who led us Captive at Gods Right hand in the Glory and Power of God thence to succour and Save us in all our Danger Act. 2.33 5 30 31. Matth. 28.18 19 20. Col. 1.19 2.9.10 and from all our Enemies being made in the Name and Authority of the Father the Saviour of all Men and especially of those that Believe unto which also He is compleatly and fully furnished of the Father in that He hath there given gifts in the man for man even for the Rebellious also that the Lord God might dwell amongst them for he hath there made him 1. Lord Act. 2.36 10.36 Phil. 2.10 11. 1 Pet. 13.21 Eph. 1.20 21. Isa 9.6 Joh. 5.22 23. Lord of all giving him all power and all authority in Heaven and in Earth a Name above every Name That at his Name every knee should bow both of things in heaven and in earth and under the earth Angels Men Devils and all Creatures being given into his hand and dispose the whole Government laid upon his shoulders and all Judgment committed into his hand To inable and furnish him in which in the Nature of Man he is also made 2. Christ Act. 2 36. Isa 42.1 61.1.2 11.1 2 3. Act. 10.38 the Anointed one of God filled with the Spirit of God without measure which Spirit is an infinite wise powerful and gracious Spirit inabling and strengthning him to all such Offices and the Works of them as he is anointed and designed to and are needful for our further saving That is to say 1. To be the Great Prophet Act. 3.21 22. the Light of the World to give forth the Light Truth and Knowledge of God and what may concern us to know for our peace and welfare as in his Wisdom he sees fit that whosoever believes in Joh. 1.9 8.12 12.46 Isa 42.1 2 3 4. 49.6 7. 1 Cor. 15.45 John 5.22.23 25. Isa 55.2 3 5. Psal 25.8 9 12 14. Matth. 13.11 1 Pet. 2.25 Joh. 10.2 11. and follows his Light might not abide in Darkness but might see the Light of Life And being a quickning Spirit he is in the Spirit fitted and able so to speak in and through the means he affords to the spirit of Men as to cause the Dead in Spirit to hear and so as that they who in hearing hear or listen to him may live for ever He being more peculiarly ordain'd a further Teacher and Leader to them to shew them the Mysteries of the Kingdom the Secrets of the Lord and as a Shepherd and Bishop of their Souls to feed them with Knowledge and Understanding unto Eternal Life 2. To be the Great Psal 2.1 6.7 8 9. Jer. 10.7 with Rev. 15.4 Isa 33.22 Matth. 28.18 19 20. Psal 149.2 Rev.
in their raised and immortalised bodies they shall appear Matth. 13.40 41 42 49 50. 16.26 27. 25.41 46. 3.12 when he shall appear in flaming fire to render vengeance even armed with the power and wrath of God in unspeakable unconceivable terror with an innumerable company of mighty Angels attending on him ready to execute his commands against them and then shall he utterly destroy the Rebels sentence them to be everlastingly companions with the Devil and his Angels that seduced them Rev. 20.10 12 13 14. Isa 30.33 Mark 9.44 45 46 47 48. and whom they chose to adhere and cleave to rather than to folfollow the Lamb in his Light and Grace wherewith he prevented and followed them And then he shall execute the Doom also upon them Rev. 14.9 10 11 12. Isa 66.24 thrusting them down with the Devil and his Angels into an ever-burning Lake of Fire and Brimstone into the Rivers of the wrath of God to be perpetually kindled upon them by the power of that Spirit that came to them and convinced them and being obeyed would have saved them which Spirit being infinite and eternally wise and powerful Oh! how infinite eternal and unbearably great must needs be the wrath executed upon them by him when their bodies being immortal and insepaâ—able from their souls again they shall be capable of enduring it endlesly and being separated from God and all his Creature-comforts too they shall have pure wrath without mixture no dram of good or ease or comfort afforded with it The fire of his wrath shall torment them perpetually and the Conscience of their own willing sinnings against him and despising their Saviour and his salvation when freely offered them and made attainable to them shall perpetually grieve and confound them and as a Worm that dyes not for ever gnaw them All the good they had from God Luk. 16.23 24 25. and might have had for ever had they hearkned to him being evermore before them on the one side and the remembrance of it infinitely dolorous to them and on the other side the several wickednesses committed contrived thought and acted by them in word and deed Jonas 2.8 with the aggravations of them as for what foolish trivial sorry and vile things and against what checks warnings faithfull means of preventing them they have made the forfeiture and sustain the loss of that eternal glory that others have and they might have had in their obeying Christ in the light and truth offered them shall add unconceivably to their everlasting woe and horror and lamentation Rev. 14.8 10 11 12. and yet no ease after inconceivable times or duration nor no way or possibility of Redemption such the terror of the Lord in that day even such as his goodness abused by men in this day and the good the grace the glory trampled under foot by them the worth of the person and sufferings of Christ sin'd against and the greatness of the glory and majesty of God contemned and 〈◊〉 at nought 2 Pet. 2.1 2. Tit. 1.2 2.13 Matth. 11.29 30. 1 Joh. 5.3 2 Cor. 5.11 and that for vile things inâ—nitely below them deserves to be reveâ—ged with The faith exceeding true and precious The hope firm and infinitely glorious The obedience required exceeding reasonable and not grievous because he is ready at hand to effect it in us and therefore also the Terror and Torment upon the refusers exceedingly and incomprehensibly Dolorous SECT 4. A Digression about the Endlesness of the punishments mentioned in the Gospel-Terrors AGainst this Doctrine of the Terrors of the Gospel and endlesness of the torments or punishment to which Christ will at the Great Day adjudge his enemies Some may object that sure it cannot be consistent with his love mercy and goodness to adjudge his Creatures for any cause whatsoever to such endless misery Probably Mr. Hobbs Yea there is an Anonymous Author that hath put out a Discourse on purpose to prove the the Doctrine of Hell torments false and fabulous Therefore I shall add some Considerations here briefly for confirmation of the truth already said thereabout Yet not by way of particular Answer to that Book which I have also otherwise answered to some Friends for indeed it is so monstrous in its assertion and so self-contradictory that I hope none that give credit to God and are able in any measure to judge of things will be snared by it for it saith Sin is only punisht in this life no greater punishment of it than death quite contrary to the words of Christ that tell us John 5.29 That some shall be raised out of their Graves at the last day to condemnation and Dan. 12.2 That some shall rise to shame and everlasting contempt yea that after the Resurrection some shall be adjudged to a second death a lake that burns with fire and brimstone Rev. 20.13 14 15. True the said Author also confesses a second death but he makes it but the same with the first save only as it is judicially executed for he asserts that Adam and all men should have died had they not sinned but now the death that should have been otherwise natural is now judicially executed and so a man that is hanged for murther or the like he makes to dye there in the second death But how cross this is to the Scripture who is so blind as not to see Seeing the Scriptures plainly make the second death to be a death adjudged to some men after their Resurrection from the first as in Rev. 20. before quoted yea the same nameless Author would perswade men that God works in them their sins wills their sins and falls before they will them that Gods will is the womb in which all the actings of men at first conceived that he was never displeased or unsatisfied with the Being oâ—sin and divers the like monstrous assertions that I suppose none but Atheisâ— or Ranters can easily digest and which indeed could they be proved true would render it unreasonable to conceive that God can or will inflict any punishment upon men for sin at all either in this life or after it much less endless Though indeed it might as reasonably be thought that God will punish his creature with endless torments Psal 5.4 5. Habbak 1.12 though their sins deserve them not as that he can or will be the Author Willer and Worker of their sin seeing sin is more directly contrary to his purity and holiness then the inflicting of Pain or Torments upon his Creature is or can be But not to trouble our selves with the several reasonings of the said Author in the said Book which also broadly enough contradicts it self while sometime it represents God as a punisher of sin in this life only sometimes tell us the wicked shall be burnt up with the earth and that shall be their punishment and sometimes that God was never unsatisfied with the being of Sin and so
Luk. 20.35 36. the Saints shall judge and reign therein receiving double for all their sufferings here yea everlasting rost joy and glory The Children of the Resurrection who shall arise at Christs appearing even the just and they that surviving shall then be changed shall be counted worthy of it and shall be equal to the Angels of God Psal 49.14 15. Isa 66.22 23 24. Rev. 20.6 7. being manifested both in souls and bodies to be his Children and they shall have dominion over the wicked beholding their torments who here had tormented them and shall judge the world even the Nations of the saved or preserved being Kings and Priests unto God beholding his face for evermore and dwelling in his presence impassible immortal Rev. 21.3 4 5 6 7. 22.1 2 3 4. 1 Cor. 15.42 43 44. satisfied with joy and glory for ever where also they shall have their Paradise their Tree of Life their River of pure Water clear as Chrystal in a Spiritual and Heavenly manner without any Serpent to tempt them or curse to afflict and exercise them being fully and perfectly freed from all sin sorrow pain crying and Death their rais'd and changed bodies being made spiritual powerful nimble agile glorious yea they shall shine as Stars in the Kingdom of God ruling with Christ the Nations in righteousness which Nations probably shall consist firstly of the preserved Jews and then of some remnant of the Gentiles miraculously preserved in that great day of perdition of ungodly men Isa 65.17 18 19 20 24 25. Psal 67 4 5 6 7. 96.10 11 12 13. 98.7 8 9. and those as so◠conceive shall under the Governmen 〈◊〉 the raised and changed Saints Till th◠Earth build Houses plant Vineyards beget Children though the Children 〈◊〉 the Resurrection shall neither marry no◠be given in marriage nor dye any more and the earth shall yeild its increase i◠abundance as it would have done before the curse came upon it Discourse on the New Heavens and New Earth But because many things therein are hard to be understood and I have otherwhere more fully delivered my thoughts thereabout 〈◊〉 shall say no more here about them SECT 7. Of two kinds of Lives and Deaths THe Gospel-Doctrine also mentions two Lives 1 Tim. 4.8 and two Deaths the one in this world and the other in the world to come The Life that now is that which we derive from the first Adam Gen. 3.6 4.1 or which God gives us as propagated from him who was made a living soul and begat in his own likeness and because it was not propagated till after the fall Jam. 4.13 14. Job 14.1 Psal 75.3 68.19 20. therefore it is a corrupt and sinful life a vapour a bubble uncertain short and full of misery yet as this old world is upheld by Christ and his mediation that there might be space and opportunity to be born live seek after God and glorifie him in it so is this life given and preserved through him too in a great mixture of mercies and manifold good things to the same purposes But the life that is to come is an Heavenly Spiritual and Eternal Life and it 's said to be to come because as to the whole man it 's not yet come Joh. 5.24 1.13 There is a seed of it here infused and put into the heart and spirit of the Believer by which he is begotten to God and made a spiritual man in some first fruits 2 Cor. 5.16 17. Eph. 2.10 a Son and Heir of God a new creature created in Christ Jesus to good works c. Rom. 8.10 But in as much as this is but the beginning of this life and that only in part in the Spirit the body yet must dye and the soul be loosed from it till the resurrection of the just in which the soul and body shall be reunited and the body be made a living spiritual body and both live in the favour of and in fellowship with God Rev. 21.4 5. and that is yet wholy to come therefore it is called the life to come an everlasting life in which shall be no affliction sorrow decay or death but everlasting uninterrupted health welfare prosperity and happiness 1 Joh. 5.11 12. This is the life which Christ hath purchased for us and which in him is given us to be enjoyed through the faith of him Col. 3.3 4. Act. 17.26 27 28. 1 Joh. 5.12 and in personal injoyment of and fellowship with him The first life is common to all men as born into the world the second though given in Christ to all yet is had and injoyed only by them that have Christ the rest that rejecting him have him not have not it neither but incur the sentence of death the Death opposed to this Eternal Life the sedond Death For There is also a twofold Death answerable to this twofold Life Rev. 20.13 14. Rom. 5.12 14 18. Heb. 9.27 2 Tim. 1.10 2 Cor. 5.14 Gal. 3.13 Psal 23.4 90.12 2 Cor. 5.8 9. 1 Tim. 6.18 19. Eccles 7.1 Prov. 27.1 Jam. 4.13 14 15. 2 Cor. 12.7 8 9. Isa 57.1 Job 3.12 13 14 15 16. Mat. 25 41 46. Rev. 2.11 〈◊〉 .6.14 with 〈◊〉 Cor. 5.10 11. The first is that which came in by the first Adam and is common to all in their several times but is broken and evacuated by Christ as is before noted the punishment of our sins in Adam being sustained by Christ as to its weight and curse though some shadow and carcase of it is ordered to us to be passed through by us that we might by the consideration of it be stirred up to apply our hearts to wisdom and seek and lay hold of that Eternal Life given us in Christ and be kept humble and low in our selves and always watchful the time and way of it being secret and kept from our foreknowledge so as that we cannot boast our selves of the morrow not knowing what a day may bring forth as also that we might experiment the power and grace of Christ in supporting in it and raising us up out of it and be taken from sorrow and oppression by it and that the wicked might be cut of from doing wickedly and from vexing and oppressing the poor and righteous The second Death is that fearful punishment prepared for the Devil and his Angels forementioned not prepared properly and in Gods first intention for men yet shall be the punishment too of these men that persist in their sins 2 Thes 1.7 8. Heb. 9.27 28. Luke 14.14 1 Cor. 15.23 24. 1 Thes 4.16 17. Rev. 20.6 7 11 12. for their personal rejections of God and Christ and persisting therein to prefer their sins before him But it is not common to all men as the first Death is It is appointed for all men once to dye and out of that all shall be raised and brought to judgement though not all
Unleavened Bread and bitter Herbs as to mind them of their hasty departure from Aegypt that they could not stay till their Bread was Leavened and of the bitter Afflictions they there sustained so also to signifie That we ought to keep the remembrance of the Grace of God in Christ without retaining our Corruptions either the Corruption of our Natures 1 Cor. 5.7 8 9. which we are to be putting off and laying aside as our old Leaven or much less the Leaven of Wickedness Guile and Malice contracted by a wilfull or willing Disobedience to Christ but to walk in the Truth and in truth and sincerity of love to Christ and one another even as he hath sincerely loved us but yet to remember the grace of Christ Zech. 12.10 11 Ezek. 16.61 20.43 with a mindfullness of our own Sin and sinfullness and bewailing our piercings of him with our unkindness as also with a taking down what ever bitter Reproofs or Afflictions attend the Preaching of or Believing on Christ Crucified 16. â—ers 43.45 No Stranger might Eat of it oâ— Servant bought with Money till Circumciled the Foreiner and hired Servant might not eat of it Which might signifie and instruct us That as Men cannot be in Covenant with God or be in Christ 1 Cor. 6.9 10 11. Ezek. 14.3 6 7. 20.3 whom he hath given for a Covenant to the People c. but they must thereto put off their confidence in the Flesh and its Priviledges so neither may or can any feed upon Christ live by the Faith of him and enjoy his Consolations though in Service or Office in the Church but in and by Suffering that grace brought in by him to Crucifie him to himself and that none may expect freedom from the Wrath to come that abuse this grace of God and turn it into wantonness not suffering it to Circumcise their Hearts and conform them to him no Stranger to the grace of God nor Mercenary Professor of it while such may be made partaker of his Consolation 17. vers 46. It was to be Eaten in one House To signifie That God loves and requires Unity and agreement in Faith and Confession in them that Communicate with and live by the Faith of his Son Psal 133. Eph. 4.3 4 5. that they should not make rents and schisms amongst themselves and one from another but endeavour to keep the Unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace and that out of that Unity we cannot be pertakers of Christ 18. vers 46. Not a bone thereof was to be broken which was fullfilled in Christ even in his Sufferings Joh. 19.36 As also to imply God's care of the Members of Christ that Believe in him Psal 34.20 19. vers 47. All the Congregation were to keep that Ordinance To signifie That all that are drawn to God by Christ are to have their spiritual Life and feeding in and upon Christ and therefore are to mind him None of them thinking themselves too bad nor none too high or good to have their Life by the Faith and Rerembrance of him and his Sufferings for them 20. If any Stranger would keep it vers 48. All his Males must be Circumcised and so he might Eat of it Which may surther hinâ— That God likes and requires it that not onely we our selves should submit to Christ but also indeavour what in us lies to subject and disciple all under our care and dispose else come we not so heartily to him or with so good allowance nor can expect such Blessing from him Such was this Ordinance of the Passover and the Ordinances and Rites appertaining to it and it was the First Instituted of God by Moses and though a little before the giving of the Law yet was one of those Laws given by Moses and was Confirmed again afterward Exod. 23. â—vit 23.5 c. And therefore may be counted an Ordinance of the Law and 〈◊〉 was of continuance in the Church of the Jews holding forth to them Chrisâ— and the Grace promised and prepared 〈◊〉 Christ and the way of partaking of thâ— Grace and living by it till the time 〈◊〉 the Actual Sufferings of Christ when in the Night in which he was betrayed having desirously eaten it with his Disciples he Instituted another bearing great Analogy and Proportion with it Of which afterward when we shall have considereâ— other Ordinances that intervened For SECT 6. Of the Sabbaths Festivals Purifications and other Ordinances of the Tabernacâ— and Temple OVer and above the Ordinance of the Passover we find many more given to the Jews all Types of Christ and Instructing to him as the Apostle plainly says Coll. 2.15 16. Heb. 10.1 2. We cannot look into them all particularly I shall here together briefly mention the chief of them As 1. They had divers Sabbaths and days of Rest appointed them as their Seventh Day or Weekly Sabbath their Yearly Sabbath Seventh Year Sabbath and their Seventh Seventh year or Year of Jubilee Of which briefly 1. The Seventh-day Sabbath was first Instituted in Paradise unless Moses speaâ— of it by way of Prolepsis or Anticipa◠〈◊〉 That the Sabbath was afterward appointed for that cause or reason amongst â—hers because God on the Seventh-day â—ted from all his Works that he had â—ade but however as it was appointed before the Fall so it falls not under our Consideration but as it was anew renewed by Moses for from the Creation to Moses we read nothing of the Observation of it But as so given it had in it and that too in common with the rest two things considerable The matter of 〈◊〉 as it were and the Form of it That is it may be looked upon as it was a certain seperate time and as it was a time seperate to some peculiar use 1. As a time of God's Worship and had in it the Number of Seven The seventh-day as in others the seventh-year and seventh seventh So it with those other Sabbaths signified and appointed out Christ the Perfection and Fulness of Time or that in the fulness of Time after many Labours and Changes he should bring in the Grace promised as to the open Revelation and Dispensation of it yea and as some think the perlect Rest from Misery Labour and Toyl brought in by Sin to be brought in by him in the Seventh thousand Year or seventh-day a thousand Years for a Day of the World or upon the Sounding of the seventh Trumpet Rev. 10. 2. As to its Use It with others was appointed for Rest as the Word Sabath also signifies The seventh-day sabbath that 〈◊〉 and Beasts might Rest from their Laboâ— The Seventh year and year of Jubâ— was for the Resting of the Land And so they Typed out Christ to be and 〈◊〉 bring in the true Rest from Labour aâ— Sorrow to the spirits of men now through the grace of his first Appearing Matth. 11.28 Heb. 4.9 Isa 28.12 and to both Bodies and Spirits
with his grace as not onely his approving the heart and conscience but also blessing the Soul pouring out his Spirit into it and thereby making known his words giving it more light and truth and leading it into more good inabling it to go on yet further and follow after God still in his good ways and giving in comfortable encouragements thereunto in which the Soul still closing with and following after the Spirit receives more of its presence concomitancy strength and helpfulness and is followed still with more grace peace blessing goodness c. the holy Spirit entring into it and taking up his abode therein in his light life vertues operations grace as an indwelling Principle as a spring of living water bubling or springing up to everlasting Life Joh. 4.14 filling it with Lustings after God and against the Flesh and its evil and carnal operations For all the operations and workings in the believer Gal. 5.17 19. Rom. 7.20 21 22 23 24. are not the operations of God and his Spirit there is also in him while here the flesh and corrupt Nature and bent lusting and working in him against the Spirit being so far from being of it that it is altogether contrary thereunto But all the fruits of the Spirit as love joy peace patience c are the Spirits and so God's workings in the Soul yea they are the consequents of the Souls entertainment of and obedience to Gods gracious preventing operations and of its walking in his accompanying Influences Now these consequent operations are every where mentioned where God promises more Grace to men upon their listening to and obeying of him Prov. 1.23 35. Chap. 2.1 2 4 5 6. as Turn at my reproofs Behold I will pour out my spirit to you I will make known my words And again Whosh hearkneth to me shall dwell safely and shall be quiet from the fear of evil And My son if thou receive my sayings so that thy heart keep my commandments so that thou incline thine ear to wisdome and apply thine heart to understanding c. then thou shalt understand the fear of the Lord and find the knowledge of God then thou shalt understand righteousness judgment equity and every good path Of the same nature are those sayings in John 14 15 16 17 21 23. And Psal 25.8 9 12 14. Good and upright is the Lord therefore by way of preventing operation he will teach sinners the way and then upon their being meekned by those first Teachings to which they tend it follows as a consequent work or operation The meek will he guide in judgment the meek will he teach that is further teach in his way All the ways of the Lord are mercy and truth to them that keep his Covenant and his Testimonies What man is he that feareth the Lord him shall he teach in the way that he shall chuse his soul shall dwell at ease The secret of the Lord is with them that fear him and he shall shew them his Covenant c. But why should I multiply Expressions here about seeing all the Promises of more Grace and Blessings almost are significations of the said operations onely this I may add That Gods operations of this nature are though not universal as to all men because all close not with his grace in his preventing operations yet universal and uniform in a sort to All that believe and obey the grace of God in every Nation and People and under every Dispensation of the means of Grace and Knowledge of God afforded to men for in every Nation he that feareth God and worketh righteousness is accepted of him there being no respect of persons with him though as to the measure of what he worketh consequently to mens faith and obedience there is and may be great difference yea and as to the things the gifts or graces thereby effected but in the main substance there is an unity and uniformity in his said workings All that follow on to know the Lord shall know him All that with meekness receive his Teachings shall be further taught and guided in judgment All that turn at his Reproof he will pouâ— out his Spirit to and make known his words to more or less his Promises to that purpose being general or universal to all such and He true and righteous in the performance of his Promises A great encouragement to All to close with and obey his Truth and Grace Thus to that distinction of his gracious operations into preventing accompanying and following operations SECT 7. The said gracious operations otherwise distinguished BUt the said gracious Operations may be also otherwise distinguished and are in the Scriptures distinctly mentioned under other Names as convincing converting regenerating or renewing healing comforting strengthning conforming and the like Of which briefly 1. God in and by his words and works and by his Spirit is convincing the hearts and consciences of men of his Being Goodness Truths of their own sinfulness and misery the vanity and worthlesness of their own works and righteousness the emptiness and fadingness of all Creature-injoyments the uncertainty of their lives the vanity and brutishness of their own thoughts and imaginations the evil and sinfulness of their ways c. according to the means afforded them and manifestations of his Truth in and by those means to and in them This kind of operation is often spoken of in the Scriptures as Prov. 1.23 Turnye at my reproofs my arguings or convinements of you Implying That Wisdom is arguing reproving and convincing men Again ver 25.30 John 16.7 8 9 10 11. Ye set at nought all my counsels and would none of my reproofs So our Saviour tells his Disciples That the Spirit which he would send them should reprove argue or convince the World of Sin of Righteousness and of Judgment Of Sin because they believe not on him c. And this is that which is called the Spirit striving with or judging in men Gen. 6.3 Gods standing in the Congregation of the Mighty Rev. 3.20 and judging among the Gods How long will ye judge unjustly and accept the persons of the wicked Psal 82.1 2. Christs standing at the door and knocking And in this operation is 1. A manifesting and evidencing his Truth more or less to men shining it into their Consciences and shewing it them As Rom. 1.19 2 Cor. 4.2 Yea and 2. An opening the Eye of the Mind or Conscience to see and discern it so as â—hey in some measure know or perceive 〈◊〉 both which are implyed in that we â—ake to above Of his preventing operaâ—ons Rom. 1.19 20 21. Act. 26.18 John 1.9 Joh. 5.25 and 6.63 Opening the eyes of the blind inlightning men â—at come into the World which may be also represented under another Metaphor of speaking to the Dead and causing them to hear or perceive what is spoken his words being Spirit and Life 3. As also a discovery of other Objects in and by that light as
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in all namely in all those Spiritual Persons and Gifts and Administrations or also in all toward and unto whom those Gifts and Administrations and Operations are vouchsafed as there are in and by his Gifts and in the exercise and administration of them in some operations of convincement in others of conversion in others of comfort c. all which things one and the same God works in all in whom they are wrought that seems to be plainly the sense of the Apostle and not that God worketh necessitatingly all the good things men act forth so as necessarily to cause them as their going to the places of his Worship their hearing reading c. but all those things effected and wrought in their attending on him in his administrations and by his operations effected in them much less that he works all mens evils evil Thoughts Lusts Blasphemies Adulteries c. as some thence strain which is plain Blasphemy and directly opposite to that of the Apostle James James 1.13 Let no man say when he is tempted I am tempted of God for he is not to be tempted with evil neither tempteth he any man And to that in Psalm 5.4 Thou art not a God that hath pleasure in wickedness or Thou are a God that willest not iniquity I know that such men as so wrest that passage seek to justifie or excuse God again or themselves for their Blasphemy rather by saying that sin is nothing but a privation Which if so then is it not properly a Work or Operation but rather a ceasing to operate or a removal of his operations as darkness is properly no operation but a removal or bare absence of the operation of the light inlightning nor doth darkness operate any thing though by occasion thereof Creatures may operate amiss or operate something upon themselves as by imagination fears c. but surely sins are more than meer privations yea sins of omission are not simply the not doing but the omitting or willing neglect to do what ought or when a thing ought to be done much more are actual sins of commission operations entities and beings such as the setting the heart upon covetuousness loving the World in which is not only a privation of the love of God but a position of the affections due to God upon the World and so in Adultery Murther Blasphemy which if they be not operations positively than are there no workers of iniquity much less can God be the worker or operator of them but not to insist upon the confutation of a thing so openly repugnant to the Scriptures and to Sense and Experience and of so great a Blasphemy as the making God the Author and Worker of those things the workers where of he hates which affection or disaffection rather is not imaginably possible to be in him towards himself as it must needs be if he be a worker yea the great worker of them all in all Men and Devils too he working all their workings of them as that Blasphemy abominable to be conceived or uttered implies The foresaid passage speaks evidently of the workings of God in all the Members of Christ who are therefore afterward compared to the natural body animated and acted by one spirit of life and it speaks of the spiritual operations in them all that they are wrought of God and not of operations sinful and Diabolical though if we do carry it to all natural and animal operations rightly simply and as regularly such it may truly also be extended so far in a sober sense that they are wrougth by and in the strength power and motion given them of him yet so as that they are either natural or voluntary operations of the creatures too according to the natures that he hath given them and as touching voluntary operations are such and so upon the will of the rational creature as not to necessitate its action or divest it of the power he hath given it and preserves in it for chusing or refusing freely objects propounded to it without his necessitating its determination so as that it 's commendable in its choice and faulty in its refusal of such good objects as are propounded to its choice and election But I shall proceed no further in this Discourse about God's Operations The sum of it is That all the good that is wrought in us it is of God in and by such means and ways as he pleases to afford us and in such a way as seems good to him and to the counsel of his own will yea and all the good wrought by us it is of and in and from him yet so as we are therein acters with and under him free and voluntary agents And all the evil wrought in us is of Sathan and our own Wills contrary to the approvement or likement of God though not without his sufferance which his sufferance is also approved by him and so we may say of all the evil wrought or acted by us yea and that oft-times he doth not only suffer men to do evil and and to have evil things wrought in them but also doth wisely and holily deliver or yield up men to Sathan and their own Lusts either in part for their own correction and others admonition or else wholly to their own destruction and other mens warning And lastly That the good he worketh in us he worketh it diversly according to his good pleasure both as to means and power exercised with and by the means for working it as hath more largely been explicated so as in many he certainly and effectually overcometh their hearts to believe in him and abide with him in the Faith when others are not so overcome by his Grace yet so as he neither offers violence or force to the wills of the one nor is defective or wanting to the other but that as the salvation of the one is of him in a way of their willing and free obedience so the destruction of the other is of themselves in and as the just reward of their own voluntary unnecessitated disobedience To which I shall add nothing further but only some brief Conclusions from the whole distinction as thus largely in the several Branches of it spoken to with some Positions about the Grace of God and Freedom of Will in the Conversion of Men And last of all Some brief hints of some Uses naturally resulting from the whole Treatise and the several Heads of Considerations therein which may offer the profit of it to our Minds and Meditations CHAP. XII Concludes this Treatise Byway of 1. Conclusions 2. Positions 3. Heads of Vses briefly laid down therein SECT I. Some brief Conclusions drawn from the Premises in this Distinction as hitherto opened COnclude we at length this large Discourse Conclus 1. and to that purpose first From what we have said about this Distinction and the several Branches of it we shall lay down these following Conclusions 1. That the Truth of the Gospel
even by his own Death and sufferings which concludes against all flesh yea against the ability of all creatures to have helpt us much more against our own sufficiency to have helped our selves for if there had been a law that could have given life then doubtless God would have spared his Son and righteousness should have been by that Law if either our sins had not been infinitely displeasing unto God but that he could have passed them by without any great satisfaction to his truth and holiness and to his righteous law Or if we or any other creature for us could have helpt us or given the satisfaction requisite he would not have taken such a course for our deliverance But in this glass iâ— seen at once both sins hainousness and mans helplesness yea Gods infinite power love and goodness toward us yea and further our deadness in our selves to help or animate our selves and so the falseness of that conception that man hath free will by nature to any Spiritual good or that such a conceit or opinion springeth from the bowels of such a doctrine as makes Gods good will to be towards all men and Christs Death for all is hereby plainly discovered also for if we by nature had or have any such sparks or principes of life and liberty to what purpose was it that Christ dyed for us to procure into himself for us in the nature of man the power and Spirit of God that living therein he might call and quicken us and cause the dead to hear his voyce that in hearing they might live John 5 25. So that no doctrine so clearly bears witness against man that he is dead in sins and trespasses by nature and hath no sufficiency of himself as of himself so much as to think a good thought as that doth upon which the odium of the contrary conception is usually but falsely fastened we thus judge not as the denyers of those truths infer that if one dyed for all then all must needs be eternally saved but with the Apostles that if one dyed for all then were all deâ—d 2 Cor. 5.14 3. The unspeakableness and certainty both of the happiness of all those that accept of this Grace of God Submit to him and seek their Righteousness and Salvation in and through Christ seeing he hath done so much for all while Sinners that men through him might be Saved And his Son is such a Mighty Merciful and Compleat Saviour as hath been shewed set up on purpose that whosoever Believes in him might assuredly be saved and have everlasting Life John 3.14 15 16 17. and 6.40 Rom. 5.9 10. and 8.32 33 34 c. And also of the Misery and Destruction of all that after all this done for them reject and rebel against him and persist so doing till the day of Grace be out with them In as much as they despise the riches of God's goodness and forbearance that is leading men to repentance and after their impenitent hearts treasure up to themselves wrath against the day of wrath c. Yea are guilty of treading under foot the Son of God counting the Blood of the Covenant shed for their sanctifying an unholy thing and do despite to the Spirit of Grace And therefore as on the one hand if being enemies he hath reconciled us to himself by the death of his Son Faith leads us to reason or infer how shall we not much more be saved by his life so on the other hand it leads to say How shall we escape if we neglect so great salvation And of how much forer punishment than Death without mercy as the Law inflicted on the despisers of it shall he be counted worthy of who hath trampled under foot Christ and done such indignities to God and to his Grace as were before mentioned Rom. 2.4 5. and 5.9 10. Psal 68.19 20 21. Heb. 2.3 4. and 10.26 27 28 29. and 12.25 c. Vse 2 2. Again It may move provoke and incourage us to many things As 1. With thankfulness and gladness of heart to receive the tydings of so great Grace and acknowledge it and bless God for it and for all procured for us and streamed forth to us Acts 8.8 Psal 100. and 117. 1 Tim. 1.15 2. To betake our selves to him in Christ to seek him wait upon him hope in him yeild up our selves to him in the obedience of faith and love required of us by him Be reconciled to him Deny ungodliness and worldly lusts living soberly righteously godly in this present evil World living to him that dyed for us and rose again both in our bodies and spirits which are his being bought with so great a price as the Death and Blood of his Son to glorifie and serve him with all chearfulness and faithfulness pressing after the hope set before us in him and taking heed that we incur not those terrors or terrible judgments of the Lord prepared for scorners that that Doctrin presents us with to warn us of sin and arm us against and deter us from sin Isa 55.1 to the 7th Psal 100. 2 Cor. 5.10 11 15 19 20 21. and 6.1 2. Tit. 2.11 12 13 14. Heb. 12.15 16 17 25 28 29. 3. To exercise Love and Charity to others both as it evidenceth such love and goodness in God towards our selves more unworthy of it from him than any others can be of love from us and as it evidences them loved and pitied of him even when yet sinners and unconverted and in a possibility of salvation So it leads us to be followers of God pitying the ignorant and those out of the way and indeavouring their helpfulness as he hath and doth pity help us and hath provided help for them and is graciously extending means of it unto them also embracing and owning those that embrace and own him as we our selves and they are embraced by him doing good to all but chiefly to those of the houshold of Faith and not to retain such a selfish and Cainish disposition as to say Am I my Brothers keeper So be it I know Christ dyed for me what need I care for knowing whether he dyed for my neighbour as if my neighbours welfare pertained nothing to me yea and furnisheth us with matter of truth and goodness to propound to them in all cases both for instructing them in knowledge what to believe and how to walk and for incouraging them in the way of faith and obedience by minding them what they may expect and shall meet with therein and for comforting them in distress and admonishing and warning them of and reproving them for sin and wickedness propounding Gospel Terrours to them without turning them to the Law of Works 1 Joh. 4.9 10 11 12. Eph. 5.1 2. 2 Cor. 5.10 11 14 15 16 19 20 21. Prov. 22.17 18 19 20. And so Vse 3 3. It is also a good Directory to Preachers what to hold forth to the People both for matter of and motive to Faith