that which none denyeth namely that a Beleever is dead to sin before Marriage-union between Christ and the Soul that is before the act of faith for Marriage-union is not without the act of faith on our part which also is acknowledged by them with whoÌ„ this discours argueth But it doth in no case affirm which must be carefully attended to that we are dead to sin before the grace of faith The death of sin is in order after the grace of faith in Vocation The infusion of faith and grace infers the death of sin the immediate effect thereof as the income of life expelled death in the Shunamites child 2 King 4. The Sum is That before our Marriage union with Christ I mean before in order of nature not in time there is first The grace of faith 1. The death of sin 3. The act of faith and this last according to your own grant before the act of faith is both the grace of faith and the death of sin Before the death of sin is the grace of faith Before the grace of faith nothing that is saving Obj. 2. Matth. 13.44 Selling all is placed before buying But by selling we are to understand parting with sin By buying believing Therefore there is a saving Qualification viz. Selling of all or parting with sin before faith Ans In answer to this Objection it will be convenient First to distinguish the terms viz. selling of all or parting from sin which may be applicable and useful for the resolving of sundry other occasional objections and afterwards speak to the Text. The souls selling of all or parting from sin is either before faith viz. Preparatory or Legal so called not always from the means namely the Law by which such a parting with sin is wrought but also from the state of the soul still continuing under the Law notwithstanding any Gospel-work And it is nothing else but such a measurable conviction of the impotency and unprofitableness of all lusts and carnal confidences which the soul before counted gain as that novv it letteth them all go as loss so far as it ceaseth to live upon them any longer Rom. 11.24 Philip. 3.8 Matth. 18.25 Luke 15.14 17. It is the same in effect with a lost estate This preparatory parting from sin is either external consisting in the conforming of the outward man unto the practise of known duties and the restraint of the outward man from knovvn sin Philip. 3.6 2 Pet. 2.20 Or Internal consisting in the legal restraint of the invvard man from sin for this Restraint being understood savingly and properly is in appearance only but not in truth whether to our selves or others together with such spiritual gifts and enlargements as are wrought by the common Gospel-work of the Spirit Or else the souls parting with sin is after faith viz. saving which is threefold 1. Habitual namely the death of sin or destroying of the body of death Rom. 6.6 Chap. 7.14 which is wrought by the infusion of the Spirit of life in Vocation herein the soul is passive it being the immediate effect thereof as the in-come of life was the expelling of death in the Shunamites child Or as the cessation of darkness is the effect of light coming into the air Here is the cessation of the reign of sin 2. Repentance viz. Evangelical part of which consists in sorrow for sin as sin and aversness from sin as sin in which the soul is active 3. Mortification which is a part of Sanctification wherein the soul is also active The Distinction premised the Text remains to be spoken to vvhich being a parable it is seasonable in the interpretation thereof to make use of that generally received and commanded Rule viz. That the principal Scope is to be attended the Metaphors not to be urged above what is consonant to other Scriptures where the same truth is taught in proper and simple terms Calvin Cartwright Junius Chemnitius Piscator Pareus in their Commentaries upon the place seem not to understand conversion to be the Scope of this Parable but rather that it intends the constancy of such who are already converted in the profession of the truth of the Gospel though they should be called to suffer the loss of all yea of life it self in testimony thereunto But be it supposed That Conversion is the Scope of this Parable and so the main intent thereof to be that the soul must part with all that maketh it preparatorily uncapable of believing before it can believe yet selling of all is to be understood of a preparatory not of a saving selling of all 1. Because Selling preparatorily fully answereth the Scope of the place 2. Because Selling savingly is the act of a living spiritual man vvhich none can be vvithout faith as selling civilly is the act of a natural living man Adde hereunto That it being supposed that by buying vve are to understand the first act of faith wherein the soul is active and by selling all a saving parting with sin which yet with due submission to better Judgements appeareth not to be the true meaning of the place yet even this interpretation concludes only a saving selling of all or parting with sin before the act of faith according to the sence of the distinction and as you may please to see therein which is not the matter here controverted but it doth not conclude any saving selling of all or parting with sin before the grace of faith which is the question The Sum of this Ansvver is The Text in that it is a Parable through our infirmity is the more apt to suffer by a mis-interpretation If it be taken in the first sence according to the Commentators above-mentioned it concerns not the question If taken in the latter sence whether selling of all be interpreted preparatorily or savingly it doth not conclude the question that is It doth in no sence hold forth a saving parting with sin before the grace of faith Obj. 3. Salvation is promised unto hungering thirsting poverty of spirit seeking repentance c. which are qualifications preceding faith therefore salvation may be promised to some qualification before faith Ans All Objections raised from these and the like promises vvhereof there are many in the Scriptures may receive a full answer by the right application of the distinction of qualifications into Preparatory or Legal vvhich go before faith And Saving or Evangelical vvhich follow faith intimated before in the beginning of the Answer to the second Objection Accordingly there is a Poverty Luke 4.18 Revel 3.17 A Hunger Luke 15.14 Isai 65.13 A Thirst Isai 65.13 A Seeking Luke 13.24 A Repentance Mark 1.15 Matth. 27.3 All without faith and in judgement of charity before faith viz preparatory poverty Poenitentia Legalis Poenitentia Evangelica Bucan loc 30. Poenitentia Interna salutaris Poenitentia Externa disciplinaris Spanh Exc. de grâ—â—â— Sect. 32. Sitis totalis indigentiae fruitionis complacentiae partialis Ames Coron Art 5. Recipiscentia
his ordinary Dispensation of the Gospel calleth not sinners as sinners but such sinners i. e. qualified sinners immediately to believe FOr the better handling this Position it may be convenient to observe the following Method 1. Premise some distinctions 2. Describe preparatory work 3. Prove the Point by Texts of Scripture by Types of Conversion by Reason by Examples 4. Satisfie some principal Objections The term preparatory nothing works so fore-going Distinct 1. as that they imply conversion to follow after is to be considered either in respect of God so only those common works which are in the Elect are preparatory i. e. properly preparatory because in them only vocation or conversion followeth thereupon Or in respect of us and so these common works in all are preparatory yet in the judgment of charity only Forasmuch as we are to hope concerning all where we see them that they are the fore-runners of conversion and till conversion we can but hope concerning any the Secret of Gods intention touching this or that person in particular being not revealed until vocation The first may be called Preparatory in respect of Gods intention the second in respect of the judgment of charity Preparatory Work is said to be so Distinct 2. either by way of meer order asserted by the Orthodox according to the Scriptures or by way of Causation Merit and Congruity asserted by the Papists and Arminians contrary to the Scriptures Calling Distinct 3. is either extraordinary as in Elect Infants dying in their Infancy or ordinary Of this last the question speaks Ordinary calling to believe Distinct 4. is either mediate or immediate Mediate when we are called to believe yet so as that some other duty or duties are to be done before we can believe thus all are called to believe that live under the Gospel Immediate when we are not only called to believe but the very next duty we are called unto is to believe so are all they called to believe that living under the Gospel are in measure preparatorily i. e. in respect of Ministerial capacity nextly disposed thereunto By preparatory Work Preparatory Work What we understand certain inherent qualifications coming between the carnal rest of the soul in the state of sin and conversion wrought in the Ministry both of the Law and Gospel by the common work of the Spirit concurring whereby the soul is put into a Ministerial capacity of believing immediately i. e. of immediate receiving of the Lord Jesus Christ Before sinners are invited immediately to believe Arguments from Scripture they must be such sinners qualified sinners 1. Sinners that are sensible of sin as appeareth from these Scriptures Matth. 9.13 Mark 2.17 Luke 5.31 32. I am not come to call the righteous but sinners to repentance He came not to call all sinners for the righteous here mentioned are sinners but such sinners sick sinners the Text can admit no other interpretation Sensible of their death in sin Rom. 7. For I was alive without the Law once but when the commandement came sin revived and I dyed And the Commandment which was ordained to life I found to be unto death Paul was dead before though he thought otherwise but now he is sensible of his death he found that he was dead Sensible of their bondage both in respect of the guilt and power of sin Rom. 8.15 For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear but ye have received the spirit of Adoption whereby we cry Abba Father The state of bondage was alwayes until faith the Spirit of bondage signifieth the sensibleness of that bondage We must distinguish between the state of bondage and the Spirit of bondage Sensible of their want of Christ Ho every one that thirsteth come ye to the waters c. Thirst doth not only signifie a want of water but a sensibleness of that want Luke 15.14 17. And when he had spent all there arose a mighty famine in the Land he began to be in want And when he came to himself he said how many hired servants in my Fathers house have bread enough and to spare and I perish with hunger Hunger especially such hunger doth not signifie only a want of bread but a sensibleness of that want Sensibleness of a lost estate Luke 15.32 For this thy Brother was dead and is alive again and was lost and is found The elder brother was in a lost i. e. a perishing estate as is also every irregenerate Son of Adam but the younger brother was lost i. e. Sensible of his lost estate Lostness signifieth that a man is out of the way perceiveth that he is out of the way and also that he cannot find the way i. e. cannot believe repent desire c. See more Chap. 7. under the Head of a lost estate 2. Sinners that are broken hearted Isai 61.1 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Broken hearted and bruised Luke 4.18 That are weary and heavy laden Matth. 11.28 Sinners that are prisoners in a pit where is no water Zach. 9.11 Sensible of their misery and of their being destitute of any remedy The Prophet comparing the spiritual captivity of the soul to the corporal captivity of the Jews in Babylon sheweth That Christ finds the soul not only in a pit but in a waterless pit in a pit wherein there is no succour He will not mix his blood with our water Sinners that mourn in Sion Isai 61.3 The cable must be unreavelled before it can pass through the eye of a neédle so must the soul be broken before conversion Matth. 19.24 Believers as Abigail had Nabal before she had David have experience of two Husbands the Law and Christ But first of the tyrannical Dominion of the Law in respect of its rigour malediction and irritation before they are married unto Christ Rom. 7.1 3 4 T is not only a truth That the Elect uncalled are foolish things weak things base things despised things nothings but that they also see it so You see your calling Brethren 1 Cor. 1.26 27 28 29. To this purpose the Apostle Gal. 3.24 The Law is our Schoolmaster to lead us unto Christ The Law is threefold Moral Ceremonial Judicial And answerably had a threefold Paedagogical or Schoolmasterly Discipline leading the soul unto Christ The Moral Law by its accidental direction as sickness occasioneth us to seek after the Physician The Ceremonial by direct signification and its duration The Judicial by its distinction of the Nation of the Jews from all other Nations and likewise by its duration This Schoolmasterly Discipline of the Ceremonial and Judicial Law is ceased with the Laws themselves but that of the Moral Law still remains by convincing of sin denouncing of the curse making us to despair in respect of our selves and so enforceth us to seek for help out of our selves in Jesus Christ So John preached Matth. 3.2 Repent ye for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand So Christ preached Matth.
beleeve Paul had a righteousness of his own Phil. 3.9 thought he was alive Rom. 7.9 him Christ came to call though in his conceited righteousness because he was elected but before he obtained mercy to beleeve he is made sensible both of the dung and unrighteousness of his own righteousness Phil. 3.7 8. and also of his sin Rom. 7.9 The second Reason is taken from the Ends that this Preparatory Work serves unto Reason 2. First To convince of sin The Scripture hath concluded all under sin that the promise by faith of Jesus Christ might be given to them that beleeve Gal. 3.22 For God hath concluded all in unbelief that he might have mercy up n ali Rom. 3.19 Secondly To justifie the Law i. e. the Curse The Law is holy and the Commandment holy just and good Rom. 7.12 the Precept holy the Promise good the Curse just Man must acknowledg himself a lawful captive before God will deliver him Shall the prey be taken from the mighty or the lawful captive be delivered Isai 49.24 Before God will justifie man according to the Promise man must justifie God had he proceeded with him according to the Curse We must condemn our selves before God will pardon us Even in this respect God will make his Law honourable Thirdly To teach the Soul the nothingness of all it is and hath without Jesus Christ You see your calling Brethren c. 1 Cor. 1.26 27 28 29. that no flesh should glory in his presence and that not only after they were called but also in the manner of their calling God calleth them that are not Rom. 4.17 Christ is sent to bind up the broken hearted Isai 61.1 His people know him to be the Lord by the manner of his bringing them out of their graves Vt sentiant suam 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Cal. in Dan. 4.35 37. Nostrum esse nihil alâ—ud est quam subsistere in Deo sumus aliqi id in Dâ—o in nobis auteÌ„ nihil idâ—m ibid. Ezek. 37.13 As God in the Creation brought the creature by his Fiat i.e. Let there be Gen. 1. from its term nothing unto its being So in Vocation by his word Vive I said unto thee Live Ezek. 16.6 He bringeth it from its term of a spiritual nothing unto its spiritual being Which in time past were not a people but now are the people of God which had not obtained mercy but now have obtained mercy 1 Pet. 2.10 1 Cor. 13.2 'T is one of the Attributes of God that those that walk in pride he is able to abase I an 4.37 Job 40.11 14. Fourthly To teach the Soul how to esteem of and magnifie the free mercy of God in Christ Rom. 11.32 For God lath concluded them all in unbelief that he might have mercy up n all See Ez k. 16. ult Isai 30.18 Here God getteth unto himself a Name Rom. 4.17 the Quickner of the dead the Caller of those that are not as if they were the Justifier of the ungodly Hence also the people of God receive their name Isai 62.12 And thou shalt be called Sought out A City not forsaken that they might be called the trees of righteousness the planting of the Lord that he might be glorified Hosea 2.1 Say to your brethren Ammi and to your sisters Ruhamah The third Reason is taken from the season of preparatory Work Reason 3. The fittest season to affect the heart with the sensibleness of sin is between the rest of the Soul in sin and the infusion of faith God works upon man not according to his absolute Power but according to the nature of the subject and fitness of the second cause The fittest time to affect the heart of man with fear is whilest he looketh at the danger as in being not when he looketh at the danger as over If Joseph intend to be an object of fear unto his Brethren he acts this part whilest they look at him as a Judg before he revealeth himself to be a Brother The time between the rest of the Soul in sin and the grace of faith is not only the fittest but the only season to affect the Soul with the spirit of bondage The Soul cannot be affected with the spirit of fear whilest it is at ease in sin to be in fear and not to be in fear in the same respect is a contradiction Neither can the spirit of bondage be in a Beleever Ye have not received the spirit of bondage to fear again Rom. 8.15 This fear is the work of the Spirit of God in the working whereof the Spirit doth two things 1. It threatens the Soul with the Curse as justly due to and impending over it in that estate 2. It causeth the Soul to fear this wrath Now the Spirit cannot cause this fear in a Beleever to whom there is no condemnation Rom. 8.1 for in so doing he should affirm and cause the Soul to beleeve and to be affected with an untruth which vvere blasphemy to think besides the spirit of servile fear and the spirit of Adoption are opposite either then there is no spirit of bondage or it is betvveen the rest of the Soul in sin and faith in Christ Jesus Obj. Fear of eternal Wrath may be caused by the Spirit in a Beleever Rom. 8.13 If ye live after the flesh ye shall dye Ans 'T is a threatening of them in respect of their Way not in respect of their Estate 2. 'T is a filial fear not a servile that the Spirit works hereby The fear of punishment for sin is so a means to awe them from sin as they yet fear sin more then the punishment for sin The last Head of Argument Examples is taken from Experiences of the Saints who being asked will bear witness unto this truth The Parable of the Prodigals return unto his Fathers house Senior filius Typum gerit PharisaeoruÌ„ ScribaruÌ„ quemadmodum junior Types est publicanoruÌ„ peccatorum in genere omnium qui ad Christum consugiunt Aret. in loc is propounded as a pattern of a sinners being brought home unto Christ Jesus In him we may see the conscience of sin Thâ—neâ—ar sea mighty famine in that Land ver 14. The sence of this perishing condition under sin And I perish with hunger ver 17. The experience of his lost estate He fain would have filled his belly with the husks the swine did eat And no man gave unto him ver 16. This my Son was lest ver 32. His sight of his need of Christ and seeking after him And when he came to himself he said How many hired servants in my Fathers house have bread enough and to spare I will arise and go to my Father c. ver 17 18. Hereunto may be added many instances recorded in the Scripture Matthew the Publican before he was effectually called was sick of sin as may be well gathered from Mat. 9. ver 9.12 13. Zacheus confesseth his sin Luke 19.8 felt himself lost
just Either Relative Justice is regulated by the Will of God or the Will of God as vvilling relative justice is regulated by it But the Will of God cannot be regulated by any Rule precedaneous unto it because it vvould thence follovv that he vvere not infinitely just Hence the Demerit of sin being according to the Order of Justice for the demerit of sin intends nothing else but that which is due thereto according to the constituted rule of moral righteousness between God and man and the order of justice proceeding from the free good pleasure of God it followeth that the demerit of sin receiveth its nature measure and limits from the Will of God according as he hath revealed himself in the Moral Law so that the damned in Hell suffer not more nor less then they deserved yea had God pleased to have inflicted a greater punishment for sin it had been just as also if he had pleased to have inflicted a lesser punishment for sin it had been just The sinners demerit is such whereupon it is free for God to deny mercy and just for him to punish sin but a sinner which hath been intimated formerly hath not merited that God should shew no mercy for then it would be unjust with God to pardon sin 'T is an unmoved and received Proposition God doth not will things because they are just but things are therefore just because God so willeth them 4. God proceeding to execute justice according to this rule of righteousness doth no wrong can do no wrong Summi boni offensio mercbatur summaÌ„ poenam h. e. creaturae aeternam destructionem Vrsin Expl. Catech. Part 1. qu. 7. God being an infinite Being against whom sin is committed and the person suffering for sin being but finite The Object offended being God the person suffering being but a man the evil of punishment cannot exceed the evil of offence Thus David willing to justifie God mentions the object against whom he sinned as a reason whereupon to infer the justice of the punishment Against thee thee only have I sinned and done this evil in thy sight that thou mightest be justified when thou speakest and clear when thou judgest Psal 51. 4. The offence of the chief good might well deserve the greatest punishment that is the eternal destruction of the creature Christ the Surety suffering death for all his Elect amongst which are children guilty of no actual sin it was therefore just that those children should dye Besides nothing hinders why those words of David personating Christ even in the very hottest of his passion upon the Cross as acknowledging God to be holy O my God I cry in the day time and thou hearest not but thou art holy may not be understood of the justice of the wrath of God The curse being executed upon him who was made sin for the Elect sake and not restrained only unto the Justice of the Promise belonging to the Elect for Christs sake This appears further from the Office of God viz. that he is Judg of the World Is God unrighteous that taketh vengeance God forbid for then how should God judg the World Rom. 3.5 6. So Abraham That be far from thee to do after this manner to slay the righteous with the wicked and that the righteous should be as the wicked that be far from thee Shall not the Judg of all the Earth dâ—right Gen. 18.25 From the Wisdom of God which dictateth this way and no other to serve best to the manifestation of the glory of God Lastly From the Nature of God who is essentially just and his Will as was said before is the Rule of Justice To grant that God can will Injustice as such is to grant that God can be unjust that is to grant that God cannot be God We cannot acknowledg the Justice of God if we do not acknowledg sin The acknowledgment of the righteousness of so great an evil of punishment as is contained in the Curse necessarily presupposeth an answerable evil of offence in sin We cannot acknowledg Grace if we do not acknowledg both sin and Justice Impunity where punishment is not just is but abstaining from an act of Injustice and no act of Grace If Damnation were not just the gift of Salvation in some respect were not Grace The due acknowledgment of the Justice of God makes the sufferer more quiet and patient God the more glorious sin more sinful sinners more awful Unjust therefore in case of punishment for sin is mans complaint of God in point of Justice First Because God punisheth no man but for sin God now having freely bound himself to such an order of Justice is relatively just necessarily yet this relative Justice proceeds to execution by accident that is in case of sin Gods Decree and Justice notwithstanding if man had not sinned he should not have dyed Secondly When God punisheth for sin he delighteth not in the death of a sinner Ezek. 18.23 32. and 33.11 Punishment here is to be considered as it is an execution of Justice but not as it is the destruction of the creature God delights in it as it is the execution of Justice but not as it is the destruction of the creature Punishment is to be looked at as a natural evil or as a moral good As it is the destruction of the creature it is a natural evil i. e. an evil to Nature as it is the execution of Justice it is a moral good O Israel thou hast destroyed thy self but in me is thy help Hosea 13.9 The living man afflicted should complain of his sin not of his suffering But we are not hence to infer that we ought to be content to be damned To justifie God is our duty but to be contented to be damned is no where commanded nay if taken without limitation it is prohibited because to be contented to be damned is to be contented to be an Enemy and to sin against God and that for ever the condition of the damned including an everlasting state of enmity and sin against God Paul Rom. 9.3 wisheth himself for his brethrens sake accursed from the fruit of the love of Christ not from the love of Christ he vvisheth to be vvithout the vision and fruition of Christ not to be the Enemy of Christ he vvisheth to perish not as an Enemy of Christ but as a Saviour to his Brethren he vviseth to them his Salvation but he doth not vvish unto himself their Damnation The like is to be judged of Moses request Exod. 32.32 6. Inexcuseableness is that effect of the legal Work of the Spirit vvhence the Soul lying under conviction of the nature of the Command sin guilt and the Justice of God against sinners notvvithstanding any former shifts cavils contradictions or vvhatsoever else against the mutableness of our Creraion Adams sin original sin actual sin or the Justice of God is vvholly left vvithout any excuse of or defence for it self so as novv God is justified in
his saying and overcometh vvhen he judgeth Now we know that what things soever the Law saith it saith to them who are under the Law that every mouth may be stopped and all the world may become guilty before God Rom. 3.19 And he was speechless Matth. 22.12 The Preparatory Work of the Gospel may be referred unto these Heads 1. Revelation of Christ so far as is necessary unto salvation 2. Repentance 3. Lost Estate 4. Acknowledgement of the Soveraignty of God and of Christ in shewing mercy 5. Consideration of the special Object of Faith and Arguments moving thereunto 6. Waiting in the fore-mentioned disposition for the Lord Jesus in the use of means with Ministerial and preparatory hope under the If you believe of the Gospel The Revelation of Christ is the historical propounding and illumination of the soul with the propounded Doctrine of the Gospel i. e. the Doctrine of grace namely Election Vocation Justification Adoption Sanctification Glorification in Jesus Christ who hath freely absolutely and infallibly procured for us all things that pertain unto life and godliness The Sum whereof is That God the Father Son and Holy Ghost hath sent forth Jesus Christ God-man into the world to seek and save sinners commanded every one that heareth this glad tidings to believe in him whom he hath sent and promised that whosoever believeth in him shall be saved The Gospel is called a Revelation because it being a Truth exceeding the Nature of the creature the Power of Reason and Doctrine of the first Covenant man could no way attain unto it but by Divine Revelation Truth is either Natural Veritas Naturalis Ethica Lâ—galis Evat gelica which is laid up in the creature or Moral to be gathered by rational inferences from the light of nature and help of right reason or Legal contained in the Law or Evangelical revealed only in the Gospel The creature representeth God unto us as a Creatour Governour and Lord The Law as the Creatour of man after his own Image and giving unto him a Covenant of Works unto Eternal life The Gospel beyond these holds forth the mercy of God in Jesus Christ No Salvation can be expected where the Gospel is not preached For there is none other name under Heaven 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Representat Deum ut Creatorem gubernatorem DominuÌ„ omnium sed nâ—n ut Conservatorem Spanh resp ad 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 given amongst men by which we must be saved Acts 4.12 Neither the Book of the creature nor the Power of reason nor the first Covenant preach Christ Repentance is two-fold Preparatory or Legal going before faith Mark 1.15 Heb. 6.1 Or saving which followeth faith Luke 7.38 Preparatory or legal repentance is a common work of the Spirit wrought by the Ministery both of the Law and Gospel super-adding unto what was wrought by the meer Doctrine of the Law a further discovery unto and affecting of the soul with the sense of its utter present-perishing condition under and fear of the future aggravated punishment for sin whereby the distressed sinner inwardly feeling the into lerable bitterness and heavy load thereof addeth unto outward unrebukableness according unto the Law an external conformity unto the Gospel It is called Legal not so much in respect of the means whereby it is wrought scil the Law for it is wrought not only by the Law but also by the Gospel but in respect of the state wherein the person is in whom it is wrought notwithstanding preparatory repentance namely under the Law and not under grace Under this Work of preparatory Repentance the soul is troubled for sin Sick of sin Contritio non salutaris Salutaris Vrsin Cat. Matth. 9.12 Consesseth its sin Matth. 27.4 Vomits it up 2 Pet. 2.22 Abstains from the external Commission of it Escapes the pollution of the world 2 Pet. 2.20 Reformeth its conversation so as not to omit any external known duty commanded Matth. 19.20 Nor to walk in the practise of any external known sin forbidden either in Law or Gospel Phil. 3.6 Notwithstanding Preparatory Repentance worketh not any change of the heart yet there are in it and accompanying of it certain inward workings that do dispose to a change Ignorance is taken away by illumination pleasure in sin is abated by sorrow for sin that is trouble of conscience Boldness in sinning is abated by the fear of punishment whence followeth a kind of abating the contumacy of the will like a stone that is broken though it yet remains a stone Conceitedness in our own strength is diminished by the sense of our lost condition False confidence by the conviction of the righteousness of Jesus Christ Ministerial and preparatory hope of the change of the heart by grace is increased by our restlesness in our present condition and occasioning an application of our selves to the obtaining of mercy in the use of means Lostness is a principal part of Preparatory Work A lost Estate whereby the soul besides the Work of the Law is further made sensible of its perishing condition by the common work of the Gospel So revealing Jesus Christ to be believed in as withall convincing the soul of the loss of its own righteousness the want of the righteousness of Jesus Christ together with its inability and enmity to believe repent do or desire any good whereby the soul is yet more meetly disposed for the wayting for receiving of and magnifying of received merey Lostness is either taken for the perishing condition of the soul or for the sensibleness of this perishing condition as it is in this place If lostness be taken for the perishing condition of the soul so all are lost by reason of sin whether they are sensible or insensible of it The reprobate totally and finally In this sence Judas is called the Son of perdition John 17.12 That is one justly designed to everlasting perdition or destruction 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Genetivus notat finem Piscat in loc i. e. Electos sibi datos a patre qui peri erant non minus quam reprobi per peccatum Piscat in Luc. 19.10 Anal. Mat. 18.11 Schol. Spanh probat 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. oves perditas domus Israel ad quas Christus missus est esse Electos Exercit. de gratiâ Annot. in Sect. 18. as they used to say a Son of death So Antichrist is called the Son of perdition 2 Thes 2 3. The Beast is said to go into perdition Revel 17.8 Thus all that perish under the light of the Gospel are said to be lost 2 Cor. 4.3 If our Gospel be hid it is hid to them that are lost The Elect are totally but not finally lost Totally in respect of their sin and perishing condition for sin We were by nature the children of wrath even as others Ephes 2.3 But not finally in respect of Gods gracious purpose to them and their relation to him in the everlasting Covenant therefore
electione fides electorum tantū Spanh exer de grat resp ad erot 24. Nam in Dei Decreto haec reciprocātur Christus mortuus est pro credentibus soli sunt credentes pro quibus Christus mortuus est Rhetorf de grat ex 2. c. 2 Twiss de erratis lib. 3. errat 8. S. 2. that is in this present general defection of the whole Nation there is a remnant a portion of Jews made the people of God by effectual vocation according to the Election of grace Faith and vocation in which is faith are expresly mentioned as the effects of election And as many as were ordained to Eteraal life believed Acts 13.48 Called according to his purpose Rom. 8.28 Other faith will not save the many who are only otherwise called are not amongst those few that are chosen Gods willing the futurition of all things is the cause of all things therefore Election which is his will to have mercy of which mercy faith is a part must needs be the cause of mercy which is the whole and consequently of faith which is a part of the whole 1 Pet. 1.20 I obtained mercy of the Lord to be faithful 1 Cor. 7.25 2 Tim. 1.9 Redemption is the meritorious cause of faith God according to Order of Justice hath bound himself for Christs sake to give faith unto the Elect Iesa 53.10 Because the active and passive obedience of Christ was not only satisfactory but meritorious both of grace and glory But redemption is the effect of election that which is the cause of the cause is the cause of the effect following from that cause In Gods Decree those two Propositions reciprocate that is they are true both ways for Wards and Backwards Christ died for believers and believers only that is such as are or shall be believers are those for whom Christ died The Elect and Believers are reciprocated that is All that are elected do or shall believe And all that do or shall believe are elected CHAP. XI What is the first saving gift actually applied unto an Elect Soul THe Person of Jesus Christ Mediator together with his Spirit whereof Faith is a principall part is the first saving gift actually applyed unto an elect person All Beleevers have received both the Person of Christ and the Spirit of Christ The Person of Christ Job 1.12 Col. 2.6 1 Joh. 5.12 Rom. 8.32 1 Cor. 6.15 Heb. 3.14 The Spirit of Christ Rom. 8.9 10. 2 Cor. 13.5 They receive not his Person without his Spirit nor his Spirit without his Person but both his Person and his Spirit together For the clearing of this Proposition consider 1 What the Person of Christ is 2 What the Spirit of Christ is 3 Why it is called the Spirit of Christ 4 Why Faith is called a principal part of the Spirit of Christ 5 What it is to receive the Person of Christ and what it is to receive his Spirit 6 The Arguments concluding the Proposition By the Person of Christ we are to understand God viz. What the Person of Christ is The second Person in the Trinity and man Mediator in one and that an increated Person By the Spirit of Christ What the Spirit of Christ is we are to understand the universal habitual created frame of inherent saving grace The whole body of renewed saving qualities The saving gifts of the Spirit And hereby we know that he abideth in us by the Spirit which he hath given us 1 Joh. 3.24 It is called life Rom. 8.10 The Spirit is Life because of Righteousnesse The Spirit of the command and promise is Life The Divine Nature 2 Pet. 1.4 i.e. The divine qualities of the mind resembling the Nature of God The seed remaining 1 Joh. 3.9 The Image of God consisting of righteousnesse and true holinesse i.e. Of conformity of the understanding and will or the spirit of obedience unto both Tables Eph. 4.24 Col. 3.10 Created in the soul the second time The new man Eph. 4.24 The new creature 2 Cor. 5.17 Here distinguish between the increated Spirit which is the Author the created transient gracious motion of the Spirit which is the efficient cause and saving grace which is the permanent effect thereof It is called the Spirit of Christ Why is it called the Spirit of Christ First Because the Holy Spirit to which the work of saving grace is eminently ascribed notwithstanding it be equally wrought by all the three Persons of the Trinity proceedeth not only from the Father but also from the Son Joh. 14.26 15.26 Gal. 4.6 Secondly Because the motion of the Spirit upon the soul is from Christ as a Head the same individual action proceeds both from the three Persons whose works upon the creature are undivided and from Christ as a Head In the actions of Christ as a Head the whole person acts in way of office the Divine nature principally the Humane nature instrumentally Thirdly Because Christ hath merited the effectual operation of the Spirit Joh. 16.14 15. Fourthly Because the Spirit works according to the wil of Christ Joh. 5.21.26 Joh. 15.26 Fifthly Because the Spirit which we receive in measure is the same in kind with the Spirit which Christ as man received out of measure 1 Cor. 6.17 The soule by faith receiveth the person really and objectively but not personally it were blasphemy so to affirm that is How the soul by faith receiveth the Person of Christ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it apprehends the Person of Christ the immediate object of faith is Christ himself the Divine nature is in the three Persons essentially The second Person of the Trinity dwelleth in the Manhood personally The Spirit is in the Beleever energetically or operatively that is by its saving effects That by faith the soule receiveth the Person of Christ appeareth thus from the nature of Faith whose very being consists in receiving of Christ To receive Christ Jesus as our Lord and Saviour is of the form of faith and principally differenceth it from other saving grace wherewith in respect of its next matter it agreeth we may as well deny a man to be a reasonable creature as deny that the soul by faith receiveth Christ hence faith is called a receiving of Christ John 1.12 Col. 2.6 As therefore by the act of faith the soule actively receiveth Christ so by the habit of faith the soul passively receiveth Christ This appears yet further from the nature of Relates Fides per se est qualitas sed ratione respectus ad objectum vecatur relatio Keck Log. Lib. 1. Sect. 1 cap. 12. faith and the object of faith that is Christ are Relates faith in it selfe considered is a quality but in respect of Christ the object thereof it is a Relate Relates necessarily affirm one the other they are together not onely in time and nature but in knowledge also the one cannot be known without the other as it is impossible to be a Son without an actuall respect unto a
Father so it is impossible there should be faith without an actuall I say not active receiving of Christ As it is a truth That he that hath the Son that is the Person of the Son hath Life so it is a truth That he that hath Life hath the Son because he that hath not the Son hath not Life Joh. 5.12 But every Believer as a Beleever hath Life for it were a strange thing even in notion to suppose a dead Beleever Therefore every Beleever hath the Son He that hath Christ for his Head hath the Person of Christ But every beleever hath Christ for his Head because every beleever is a member of Christ now a member cannot be without a Head therefore every beleever hath the Person of Christ As when God actually makes us his people he actually makes himselfe our God so when the Lord Christ actually makes us his people he makes himself our Lord and Head But in vocation he makes us his people It is a confessed truth that beleevers are not made partakers onely of the gifts of Christ but also of the Person of Christ It holds forth a sweet correspondence with that truth Col. 1.18 That in all things he Christ might have the preheminence that we should not be made partakers of any of his saving gifts before we are made partakers of his Person How shall not he with him give us all things Rom. 8.32 Not any saving thing given from him without the gift of him The soule rests not in saying Vocation is mine Justification is mine Sanctification is mine but in saying Christ is mine Ruth had refreshing in Boaz his kindnesse Ruth 2.14 but not Rest chap. 3.1 untill she had Boaz himself It is a Harlots practice first to have conjugal communion and then to be united and married to the Person But we first must be married to the Person and then have conjugal communion In Vocation we receive Christ in union we are joyned with Christ in the same spiritual third Being by communion we receive from Christ and returne unto Christ now being ours and united unto us By Vocation Christ is in us by union Christ dwelleth in us by communion he communicates the benefits of a Head unto us As we receive the Person of Christ objectively so we receive the Spirit of Christ formally What it is to receive the Spirit of Christ For the soul to receive the Spirit of Christ is for the soul so to be made partaker thereof as to become the formal subject of that universal habitual created frame of inherent saving grace or whole body of renewed saving qualities of which before in the second Particular whereby we are made Evangelically conformable to the revealed will of God This body of renewed saving qualities is infused by the Spirit of grace in receiving whereof the soul is passive as a vessel is a passive receiver of oyl powred thereinto The Arguments concluding the Proposition The habit of faith due Reverence premised to any godly learned that may herein dissent seemeth not to be infused alone before the other habits of saving grace The universal frame of saving grace or of the new creature is infused into the soul at once as one general habit To affirme the presence of faith though but notionally in signo rationis i.e. for a moment of reason though not for a moment of time with the totall absence of all other graces implyeth these improbabilities if not impossibilities 1 It affirmes the Soule under that conception to be dead in part where Christ is for where faith is Christ is as was shewed before but where there is a totall absence of all other graces there the Soule is wholly dead in respect of all the members of the Old man unbelief excepted 2 It affirmes Sin to reigne where Christ is since where faith is Christ is and where many graces are not there the many contrary sins reigne except we should suppose a middle estate of the Soule wherein neither sin nor grace reignes 3 It affirmes the Soule to be both dead and alive at the same instant in eodem momento rationis for this also necessarily followeth in that it is alive in respect of faith and dead in respect of the absence of the life of all other graces and presence of the contrary reigning sins 4 It affirmes also the Old man to be both alive and dead at the same instant dead in respect of unbelief alive in respect of his other members 5 It affirmeth that the Soule is both converted and not converted in the same instant or moment converted because it beleeves not converted because all sinne reignes in it except unbelief Now all contraties being repugnants in Nature are uncapable of meeting together in the same subject in their strength for a moment of reason as well as for a moment of time 6 It affirmes either that the habitual alteration of the Soule in all respects that of its change from unbelief to faith excepted is not conversion which is against reason or else that the Soule is active in respect of this alteration and consequently in respect of so great a part of its conversion which is so farre contrary to the generally received Doctrine of the passiveness of the Soule in conversion The Image of God in Adam a part whereof was his faith in God according to the nature of that Covenan was infused to him at once Faith in Christ was not formally though vertually in the Angels till after the habit of universal obedience but we no where read that justifying faith was in any sense infused into any before the habitual frame of obedience The universal habit as it were of corruption seized upon the Soule at once not first unbeleefe then the principle of universall disobedience why may we not in like manner think the whole frame of inherent saving grace is insused into the Soule at once Grace comes into the Soule as Life into Lazarus dead body infused into and giving life unto every part at once or as Light into the Aire before Dark which is illuminated all at once Obj. 1. If the universall frame of inherent saving Grace the New Creature or whole body of renewed saving qualities be infused into the Soule at once it would thence follow that Sanctification should precede Justification but not so therefore Ans Sanctification may be taken largely or habitually for the universal habitual frame of inherent saving grace or strictly and practically for the exercise of this grace in the latter sense Sanctification followeth Justification because our actions cannot be accepted until our persons be accepted But in the former sense what hinders why Sanctification may not goe before Justification since by Sanctification is understood only the habitual saving grace insused into the Soule together with faith in vocation which the Reasons before argue Vocation precedes Justification Rom. 8.30 't is manifest that this infused grace is sanctifying grace Faith by the Learned and godly Orthodox
the passive voyce as being received by Christ before he makes mention of himselfe in the active voyce as having actively received Christ Receptie respeciu hominis est vel passiva vel activa Medulla l. 1. c. 26. Upon this Text Doctor Ames grounds that Spiritual and profitable distinction of a double receiving of Christ Passive and Active Passive whereby the Spiritual principle of grace is ingenerated Active proceeding from that ingenerated habit of grace and the operation of God fore-going and exciting thereunto we are received of Christ before we doe receive Christ Christ in working the grace of faith receiveth us by the act of faith we receive him Christ taketh the Soul before the Soul taketh him A third place to the same purpose is Ephes 2.1.5 And you hath he quickned who were dead in trespasses and sins even when we were dead in sins he hath quickned us together with Christ The infusion of the habit of Faith or Grace into the Soul is the quickning of the Soul until then the Soul is dead as a dead body so a dead Soul is passive in respect of its quickning or being made alive That the infusion of saving faith or saving grace is the infusion of Life appeares thus The Spirit of the Command and Promise viz. that infused grace which inclineth us to obey the Command and receive the Promise is Life the Image of God in Adam which consisted in a conformity to the Command was his spiritual life the spirit of Faith is the spirit of the Command 1 Joh. 3.23 this is his Commandement That we should beleeve on the name of his Son Jesus Christ that it is the spirit of the Promise is out of doubt Joh. 3.33 As the Image of God in Adam which consisted in conformity to the command was his Spiritual life so the Image of God created anew in the Soul is life either this is life or what can be life As the spirit of sinne is the spirit of death so by the rule of contraries the spirit of effectual saving grace is Spiritual life He that hath the Sonne hath life 1 Joh. 5.12 But every Beleever hath the Sonne From the nature of the grace of faith receiving of Jesus Christ as our Lord and Saviour being of the essence and form thereof as a natural principle of natural sense motion and action is natural life so a supernatural principle of supernatural sense motion and action is supernatural life But such a Principle is saving faith and each other saving grace No Life-lesse principle can enable the Soul to a Life-act it cannot be reasonably conceived how a Beleever as a Beleever should not be alive The summe is this text holds forth an Active-quickning Christ enlivening a dead passive Soul So from Scripture the Arguments follow First from the supernatural nature of the Habit of saving faith or of the habitual frame of the New Creature In receiving a supernatural Habit Theologi vocant habirum infusum per se quiaper se sua natusra postulat ita non alitèr fieri suarez Meraph Tom. post disp 44. sect 13 n. 6. or Principle the Soul is passive saving faith or the habitual frame of the New Creature is a supernatural Habit or Principle therefore in receiving saving faith or the habitual frame of the New Creature the Soul is passive Supernatural is that which exceeds the power of Nature and is received of the Soul by way of inspiration only as the gift of Prophecy or both by inspiration and infusion as the habits of grace such habits the Schools call Habits infused of themselves their very nature denying them to be otherwise attained either by acts or any created cause whereby they are distinguished from Habits infused by accident such as are the gifts of Tongues and the gifts of healing which though they are ordinarily acquired and gotten by acts of study and practise yet have sometime been infused as in the Apostles time In receiving that supernatural saving habit or principle before which the soul hath received no supernatural saving habit or principle the soul is passive But the grace of saving faith is such a supernatural saving habit or principle received before which the soul hath received no supernatural saving habit or principle Therefore in receiving the supernatural saving habit or principle of faith the soul is passive From the nature of the subject of saving faith which is wholly unable to confer any causative power towards the producing of such an effect In receiving a miraculous impression the soule is passive but the infusion of the habit of faith or principle of life in Vocation or Conversion is a miraculous impression Vocation is a miracle it being no lesse a miracle to raise a soul from spiritual than a body from natural death therefore in receiving the infused habit of faith the soul is passive notwithstanding God oft-times makes such use as he pleaseth of men in working a miraculous effect in them yet because in such works the whole efficiency alwayes flows from God and none from man Men are passive in receiving such miraculous effects or impressions Moses putting his hand into and plucking it out of his bosome Exod. 4.7 Naamans dipping himself seven times in Jordan 2 King 5.14 conferred no more power to the curing of their Leprosie nor the womans touching the hem of Christs garment Mark 5.28 29. to the healing of her issue of blood than if they had done nothing In receiving that saving power to do before which there is no such active saving power the soul is passive we cannot do any thing whilst we are but yet receiving power to do but in receiving the habit of faith we receive that saving power to do before which there is no such active saving-power Therefore in receiving the habit of faith the soul is passive Vocation is compared to Circumcision of the heart Deut. 30.6 to Creation to powring out of the Spirit so is the habit of faith there called Tit. 3.6 to quickning or making alive As therefore the person circumcised was passive in Circumcision the creature in its creation the subject quickned in its vivification and the subject into which precious water is powred is passive in respect of the water powred thereinto So the soul in Vocation which is all these spiritually as being that work wherein the heart is circumcised quickned hath inherent saving grace created in it and powred out into it by the Spirit must needs be passive The contrary tenet makes us in the creation of faith to be our own creators in part An assertion as full of pride as empty of reason it makes us in part authors of our faith a high degree of spiritual facrilege against the glory of Christ and grace of the Gospel Obj. 1. The Soul before and in receiving of grace is active in respect of the use of means therefore not meerly passive Sol. Passive is taken either absolutely for that which is simply passive and
there is no Blessednesse God is not God Heaven is not Heaven the Creature according to the best namely the Gospel-dispensation of God is capable of no more needs no more can have no more God in Christ doth no more for Man man needs no more from God Hereby the Soul enters into joy Mat. 25.21 23. which is the rest of the wil in its utmost and perfecting end In this Life joy enters into us the Soul here being larger than its joy in the Life to come we are said to enter into joy as into that whereby our Soul is exceeded and wherein as it were we are contained If in the state of faith the Soul is full of joy unspeakable and full of glory how much more shal it be full and running over in the state of fruition Faith is the best Rhetorick to walk so as whether present or absent we may be accepted of him is the best Elocution to admire is short of the cause a holy astonishment answereth not the object The Apostle telling us the good things laid up for the godly in this life exceed our thoughts 1 Cor. 2.9 we must needs grant that those much better things reserved for us in glory doe farre super-exceed our words The Soul separated Consid 3. The Soul separated upon the instant of its dissolution from the Body enjoyeth c. upon the instant of its dissolution from the Body enjoyeth Blessedness in the presence and sight of God and Christ before the eyes of the dead body are closed the Soul with open eyes beholds the face of Jesus Christ then viz. at death shal the dust return to the earth as it was and the Spirit shal return to God who gave it Eccles 12.7 When Christ giveth up the Ghost he commendeth his Spirit into his Fathers hand Luk. 23.46 When the body of Stephen falleth asleep the Lord Jesus receiveth his Spirit Act. 7.59 This Christ saith and that with an asseveration to the Thief upon the Crosse Luk. 23 43. Verily I say unto thee this day shalt thou be with me in Paradise If our earthly house of this Body be dissolved the Soul enters into a house not made with hands No sooner is the cloathing of Mortality put off but the cloathing which is from Heaven is put on Paul dissolved is with Christ Phil. 1.23 the Souls of those Martyrs and Confessors departing during the persecution of Antichrist who came out of great tribulation and have washed their Robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb are before the Throne of God serving him in his Temple Rev. 7.14 15. that is in his immediate presence For the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are the temple of it Rev. 21.22 The Servants of God may rest assured should Antichrist prevail against them unto death their death should afford them an immediate passage unto happinesse And I heard a voyce from heaven saying unto me Write blessed are the dead which dye in the Lord from hence-forth yea saith the Spirit that they may rest from their labours and their works dâ—â— follow them Revel 14.13 Christ is in the presence of God Heb. 9.24 Sits upon the Throne with his Father Revel 3.21 The Souls of the Saints departed are with Christ Phil. 1.23 therefore the Souls of the Saints departed are in the presence of God The Angels behold the face of God Mat. 18.10 The Souls departed are with the Angels Revel 4.8 and 5.8 7.9 Heb. 12.22.23 and like the Angels Mat. 22.30 For if their Bodies at the Resurrection are expresly said to be as the Angels we may wel inferre the same concerning their spirits much more agreeing with the nature of Angels therefore the Saints departed see the face of God They that are in the third Heaven are in the presence of God the Saints departed are in the third Heaven they are in Paradise Luk 23.43 which is the third Heaven 2 Cor. 12.2 4. therefore As the Souls of the wicked depart immediately to the place of Torment so the Souls of the Saints depart immediately to the place of Blessedness Lazarus Soul is as soon in Abrahams bosome Luk. 16.22 that is in the Kingdome of Heaven Mat. 18.11 as Dives his Soul is in Hel. Luk. 16.23 For the fuller understanding hereof Bellar. de Beat. Sanct. lib. 1. c. 2. consider these four following Propositions Prop. 1 The Soul considered in it self is a subject capable of happiness It is a subject capable either of Blessedness or Misery the Promise or the Curse Heaven or Hel. It was a good answer of him that upon the proposal of the Question What the Soul was replied I know not Man since the Fall being lesse than himself understands not himself nor wil he fully til he be fully restored to himself in glory yet as a help to our apprehension we may conceive of it after this or the like manner The Soul is a Spiritual substance created after the Image of God indued with the faculties of Understanding Wil Memory and Affections with a power of reflex acting upon it self whereby it knoweth that it knoweth according to the Latitude of the whole revealed Wil and Works of God infused into the body as the form thereof and being separated there-from subsists by it self to be re-united thereunto at the Resurrection to abide as the form thereof for ever More briefly The Soul of the Saints is a Spiritual and Immortal substance created after the Image of God and renewed after the immortal Image of God in Christ The Soul is a Spirit not a Body consisting of matter Luk. 24.39 It is a real and very being as the body is only of a higher kind the Body is of the Earth the Soul is immediately from God It should not prejudice the being of the Soul because it is not visible to our eyes we may as wel question the being of God himself or of the Angels who are invisible or our own selves to be Men for from the Soul it principally is that we are Men or Women It is a substance not depending in respect of its being upon any other Fellow-creature as accidents doe whose being is by having their in-being in another Fellow-creature as their subject It s subsistence exceeds that of the Body the Soul can subsist without the Body but the Body continueth not a Body without the Soul Hence we read of separated Souls but not of separated Bodies The Soul is compared to a large vessel Rom. 9.22 23. as high as Heaven as deep as the earth Prov. 25.3 more capacious than the world Eccles 3.11 As the capacity of a vessel may be learned by the quantity it is able to contain so the understanding of the word of command which considered alone is exceeding broad Psal 119.90 Promise and Curse together with the works of God helps us to conceive of the largeness of the Soul Solomon in respect of his exceeding much understanding is said to have largeness of heart even as the
17.2 Luk. 9.31.33 Mar. 9.6 The power of the Body containeth vigor activity strength Dos Agilitatis and aptnesse for the Soul to act by Their vigor shal always last in the flower height and excellence of it always in its most absolute and perfect efficacy that which we read of Moses Deut. 34.7 and which Joshua speaks of himself Chap. 14.11 shal be verified concerning glorified Bodies in a more excellent manner Eliah is as lively and fit for action now as at the first moment of his entring into glory Their activity and aptness to action exceeds what we can wel conceive all the Saints in Heaven are such as Pharaoh enquired after Gen. 47.6 persons of activity Much is the activeness which at times God hath been and is pleased to give to Mortal bodies Eliah the hand of God being upon him runneth and out-runneth Ahabs Charriot making haste as is likely that the rain stopt him not 1 King 18.46 Asael was as light of foot as a wild Roe 2 Sam. 2.18 They in their immortal estate shal be like the Sun in respect of its brightness why not in respect of its motion which the Learned allow to move a Million and one hundred sixty thousand miles in an hour if so swift may be the motion of Natural Bodies how swift the motion of Glorious Bodies shal be we shal know when we come to make use of it Vbivolet Spiritus ibi protinus erit corpus August Haec igitur Dos erit facultatis quod potuerunt facere se movere momento quodcunque quocunque volunt Paraeus in 1 Cor. 15 43. out of the Scripture it appears that Angels in their assumed Bodies have moved very swiftly Elias when departing out of the Disciples sight toward Heaven not by assumption that is by extrinsecal help as in fiery Chariot but by the ascension according to the inherent Principle and vertue of his glorified Body Luke 9. goeth up to the cloud easily and quickly and Christ is quickly out of their sight Act. 1.9 As is their condition so also is their strength Sampson yet in a Mortal body makes no more of Cords about his arms than of Flax burnt with fire takes the doors of the Gate of the City and the two Posts Barre and all and put them upon his shoulders and carried them up to the top of the hil Judg. 16.3 breaks the Wit hs as a thread of Towe is broken when it toucheth the fire ver 9. goeth away with the pin of the Beam and with the Web c. May we not wel conclude that the weakest in glory shal be stronger than Sampson in his great strength the Bodies subjection to the Soul is its exquisite aptness and readiness as an instrument for the Soul to operate by with all dexterity and promptness without all retarding and hinderance The distribution of the Body into Natural Dos Subtilitatis Animal and Spiritual is a distribution of the subject in respect of the Adjuncts concerning the manner of the living of the Body before and after the Resurrection and is as if you should say Here it liveth an Animal life after the manner of Sensitive Creatures maintained by Meat Drink Sleep and the like in the necessary observation whereof a great part of our little time if not neer the one half is spent and from the use whereof Adams body in innocency was not exempt but hereafter the Body shal live after the manner of Spirits having no need or use of these things Jesus said unto them You doe erre not knowing the Scriptures nor the power of God for in the Resurrection they neither marry nor are given in marriage but are as the Angels of God in heaven Mat. 22.29 30. Moses though in a corruptible body liveth without bread whilst he is with God in the Mount Que. Consider 6. Whether the blessedness of the Soul shal be greater after the Resurrection than it was before Ans The blessedness of the Soul is considered either Extensively in regard of the extent thereof reaching unto the Body the glory of the Body being an addition of joy unto the Soul in which sense the Soul may be said to be more blessed after the Resurrection than before Or intensively consisting in the Vision of God Valentia To. 2. p. 1. q. 4. punct 2. which is the Essence of Blessednesse it self In this respect the blessedness of the soul is the same both before and after the Resurrection there being the same principle namely the glorified understanding with the concurrence of the light of glory The same subject viz. The blessed soul the same object viz. God and Christ Blessednesse is either essential which consists in the Beatifical Vision it self or accidental comprehending together with Essenital blessednesse those adjuncts of blessednesse which are both antecedent and consequent to the Resurrection in the latter sense the soul may be said to be more blessed after the Resurrection than before The Essential blessednesse of the soul is the same after the Resurrection with that which was before the Resurrection but the joy of the soul after the Re-union of the body and those Adjuncts of blessednesse which are consequent thereunto will be greater than it was formerly We may distinguish between the blessednesse of the person and the blessednesse of the soul the blessedness of the person which consists both of soul and body shall be greater though the Essential blessedness of the soul be the same The frequent consideration of the state of the blessed is useful many wayes Amongst others 1 To provoke us to labour to be such as may be made meet for this inheritance of the Saints that is in light 2 To endeavour to attain and retain the earnest of the Spirit whence we may alwayes be able to say We are confident and willing rather to be absent from the body and to be present with the Lord 2 Cor. 5.8 3 To fill the soul with strong consolation against the sufferings of life and the fear of death 4 To work an answerable conversation That whether absent or present we may so walk as we may be accepted of him 5 To dispose us to a patient waiting for and longing expectation of our change which draweth on apace Here it may not be unworthy the labour to reminde the strong impression which the contemplation of immortality hath left upon the hearts of Heathen Good Authors report of some Indians so affectionately moved with the immortality of the soul separated from the body as that impatient of staying for their dissolution by a natural death they with their own hands built those piles of wood wherein their bodies were to be burned and then behold them set on fire accounting them wisest that dyed soonest The hearers of one Hegesias of Cyrene reading of his Oration touching the state of the soul after death were so taken with it that they looked at death as a thing to be desired Socrates at the point of suffering death
THE Orthodox Evangelist OR A TREATISE Wherein many Great EVANGELICAL TRUTHS Not a few whereof are much opposed and Eclipsed in this perillous hour of the Passion of the Gospel Are briefly Discussed cleared and confirmed As a further help for the Begeting and Establishing of the Faith which is in Jesus As also the State of the Blessed Where Of the condition of their SOULS from the instant of their Dissolution and of their Persons after their Resurrection By JOHN NORTON Teacher of the Church at Ipswich in New England For I determined not to know any thing amongst you save Jesus Christ and him crucified 1 Cor. 2.2 Moreover I will endeavour that you may be able after my decease to have these things always in remembrance 2 Pet. 1.15 LONDON Printed by John Macock for Henry Cripps and Lodowick Lloyd and are to be sold at their shop in Popes head Alley neer Lombard street 1654. Norton's Orthodox Evangelist To the Church and Inhabitants of Ipswich in New-England Grace and Peace in our Emanuel Worshipful Reverend and dearly beloved in our Lord and Saviour PAuls desire to make known nothing but Christ unto the Corinths his Travail until Christ was formed in the Galatians with other like speeches of him that breathed nothing but Christ What were they else but the effects of that Savior-like disposition wherewith the Lord Jesus still inspires the Instrumental Saviours of Mount Sion 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This Ministerial Spirit rested not only upon that great Doctor of the Gentiles but also rests and acts in its measure in all the Ministers of the Gospel for the calling and compleating of the Elect until we all come to be a perfect man So as there is not to be found a more vigorous effusion of the Bowels of Jesus in any of the hearts of the children of men then is in the souls of the Ministry no bowels either of civil or natural relations exceed theirs the love of them is wonderful surpassing the love of Ionathan that passed the love of women By the unbosoming hereof as with a key the Apostle in his Epistle opens the heart of the Reader whilst the Colossians behold the spirit of the writer Col. 2.2 I would to God ye knew what great conflict I have for you Hence I hope in its measure is this present labor for the truths sake for your sake for the sake of any that in the Lord shall accept thereof and for conscience sake To this end was I born and for this cause came I into the world to bear witness unto the truth So our Lord Jesus notwithstanding the Truth was that which the Jews then maligned and Pilate derided see the Spirit of Christ an Hypocrite and a Moralist the difference between piety Malignity and neutrality concerning the truth Nothing is more contended for nothing more contended against then the truth The Gospel truth as it is most dear to God so is it most oppugned by Satan As the Attribute of the Holy One is the Spirit of truth So the wicked one is called a lyar from the beginning Concerning it are the greatest thoughts of heart the most intense endeavors of Tongues Pens and Swords It being much more beloved of its followers then Life and more hated of its opposers then death Truth is the excellency of things where truth is there may be a bad action but where truth is not there cannot be a good action Paul supposeth a man may give his Body to be burned in a good cause and it profit him nothing 'T is not the suffering and the cause alone both suffering cause and Spirit must concur to make a Martyr In a bad cause it holds universally Who hath required these things at your hand Mans interpretation of the Scripture is not Gods mind but mans mistake To confess and suffer in testimony to an error is to be a false-witness not truths witness Pleaders for error not Pillars of the truth To add to the profession of error suffering for it is to add sin unto sin The latter error worse then the first Such sufferers are so far selfe-vassals not Christs Martyrs Such sufferings unto spoyling of goods bonds exile the wilderness or whatsoever are worse then lost a dead birth after sore travel is a double wo Such tears must be wept for again this ungodly sorrow is not to be undone without godly sorrow We may build and work but if it be Wood Hay Stubble we shall suffer loss our work must be burnt though our selves be saved yet as by fire The Scripture mentions Little children Children young-men men Fathers and a perfect man in Christ as concerning your selves unto whom the dreadful bond of office hath endebted me the weakest of many to make known unto you the truth of the Gospel what hath my soul longed or labored for more after your birth in Christ then that you should be not only Babes but men both sound and strong in the faith Sincere and distinct that Christ might not only be formed but perfected That you might not onely have a saving but a satisfactory knowledg of him in whom you beleeve The end of the Gospel is to be known the duty and disposition of the Beleever is to know Even Fundamental Truths which have been the same in all generations have been and shall be transmitted more clear from age to age in the times of Reformation until that which is perfect is come and that which is imperfect be done away Vid. Greynaei praefat locis com Zeged praefix pag. 5. The truth held forth is the same though with more of Christ and less of man Such addition is no innovation but an illustration not new light but new sight The looking glass slurred and cleared more or less is the same glass Columbus did not make a New World when he made a new discovery of the old World Truth wants so much of its glory as it is unseen The understanding wants so much of its perfection as it is short in seeing thereof The Members of the New man have their joynts joynts not fully set are painful and less useful All unbeleif is presumption not faith which hinders nourishment and genders humor Grace Glory and Glorification hold proportion with the truth Though knowledg may be without grace yet there can be no grace without knowledg According to the measure of our approach to an exact total and Adequate Union of the understanding with the truth of the Gospel So is the glory of the truth beleeved and the Communion of the Soul beleeving Men need strong meat at well as Babes need Milk though he who is but a Babe hath not the knowledg of a man yet he that is a Babe labours after the knowledg of a man Babes rest not in being Babes I have endeavored to say something that might entertain the stronger yet so as I hope I have scarce said any thing that weaker capacities may not with due attention attain unto Solid meat
that is best prepared is not digested without yet is digested with time and the labor of nature The Seed which the husbandman soweth with pains the Earth receiveth not without patience 'T is the Prerogative of God 't is not in the power of man to communicate understanding without study and diligence Though it be in Gods power to give yet according to his ordinary Dispensation he doth not give knowledg unto man without labor and prayer but he giveth unto his a spirit by meditating day and night to search into the deep things of God Who refuseth ripe fruit because it groweth higher then can be had without climbing or the treasures hid in the Earth because they cannot be had without digging And who knoweth but that these poor sheets may find a place with some others especially in the houses and hearts of them of whose house I am out of whose heart they cannot be whilst I am That I may not be as one altogether dead to those whom I should have been glad to have lived and dyed with yea whom I should have been glad to have lived and dyed for My absence from them hath named this Wilderness Gersom their acceptance hereof shall so far name it Ephraim It is with God that knoweth the heart of exiles to comfort exiles 'T is not with me as with Hortensius who though he was weak in writing yet was he able to speak Nor as with Albericus who though weak in speech was able in writing but being contious of my infirmity in both I have added the latter to supply in some measure if God so please the defect of the former Sometimes Pauls writing is more weighty then his speech and some of Christs words after his death were more effectual then in his Life Hence I have desired to sow Seed both by Pen and Tongue present and absent Alive and dead Not knowing whether shal prosper most either this or that or whether they both should be alike good Good Books help both the understanding and memory They are both Teachers and Registers like steeled looking-glasses that do not only reflect but continue reflecting the Image to the beholder Segnius irritant animes demissa per auros Quam quae sunt oculis Subjecta sidelibus The speaker hasteth on and cannot wait the leasure of the hearer but the writer is always at hand attending the capacity of the Reader What is sayd of the poor with a little alteration may be applyed to written Treatises Books you have always with you you may receive good from them when you will Solomon admonisheth not to write superfluously Paul encourageth to write profitably Eccle. 12.12 2 Tim. 4.13 'T is with books as with meats he that refuseth eating as the cure of an unwholesome or unreasonable diet acts the part of a murtherer not of a Physitian He is not a man that distinguisheth not between good and bad He is not a wise man that discerneth not between excess and nothing The Pen-men of corrupt Books must hold up their hands as highly guilty of the evil of the times and superfluous Books do but add to the heap of vanity and vexation of spirit These lose precious hours those lose more precious souls By way of Apologie for this Treatise I shall only say the wise mans admonition I have been conscionably awful of and have aimed at Edification The use of Books is to communicate pertinent truth the excellency of Books is to do it Substantially clearly briefly Abuse takes not away their use nay such books are the cure of evil books The opening of Titus lips is the means to stop deceivers mouths the light of the book of the Gospel consumes the Magicians books to ashes Tit. 1.11 Acts. 19.19 one pin must be forced out by another After forgiveness begged in the Blood of Jesus for what is mine herein Pardon I crave of all pardon and acceptance as I hope for from some so especially from your selves to whom as I could bequeath no greater legacy so then from whom whence could I encourage my self with better expectation for YOU are OUR glory and joy forget not the emphasis in the word OUR Ministers compared with other Christians have little to joy in in this world 'T is not with the Ministers of the present as with the Ministers of late times nor with exiles as with the rest nor with your exiles as with some others Let this our or if you please your condition for therein you have been both partakers with us and supporters of us be your provocation A receiving encouragement whereof is the constant remembrance that you are our companions in this Patmos wherein many of you were before divers of us You know the hearts of strangers for ye are strangers The Lord who in rich grace hath not only Sanctified the tongue of the Preacher but also the pen of the Scribe unto the edification of his So bless all our labours that both Speaker and Hearer Writer and Reader may rejoyce together in that day that they have not run in vain This is the prayer of Your Servant for Jesus sake JOHN NORTON Ipswich in N. Eng. Octob. 7. 1652. To the Judicious Christian Reader THe Penning and Reading of godly Books is a singular improvement of the Communion of Saints as whereby we enjoy sweet and gracious conference with the Saints though unknown to us though absent in place distant in time yea many ages before us and so partake in the Communion of their most precious Gifts as if they were present with us or as if we had been of long acquainted with them which maketh me sometimes to wish that though I cannot nor dare not say that Spiritual Gifts are buried when they are only dispenced in a Pulpit for in a Pulpit they are set upon a Candlestick and give light to all that are in the House of this or that particular Church yet where God giveth an eminent measure of light fit to shine forth to a Nation or to a world of Churches That such Gifts might not be confined to a Pulpit but as clusters of ripe Grapes passing under the press are fit to be transported to all Nations So such Gifts and Labors passing under the Press may be fitly Communicated to all Churches It is indeed a true word which the word of truth hath spoken Eccles 12.12 Of making many books there is no end and much reading is a weariness to the flesh But yet some books there be of which I may say as Fernelius and other Physicians speak of their Pills There are Pillulae sine quibus that is sine quibus esse nolo so there be some libelli sine quibus some books sine quibus esse nolo And this is one of them without which I would neither be my self nor wish thee to be Though most books be accommodated to Popular capacity and they do most good extensively yet there had need to be some which speak accurately that
Being of himself and also his giving Being to all creatures and to his Word both Promises and Threatenings 2. Iah Psal 68.4 signifying that God is an absolute Being of himself and gives Being to all creatures 3. Ehjeh asher Ehjeh Exod. 3.14 I am that I am or I will be that I will be It signifieth Gods eternal and unchangeable Being in himself and that he is now and will be for ever that which he was before to Abraham Isaac and Iacob To this Name Christ alludeth Iohn 8.58 Before Abraham was I am 4. El Isai 9.6 signifying that God hath all Power in himself and giveth to all creatures the power which they have 5. Eloah Psal 18.32 of the same signification 6. Elohim Gen. 1.26 signifying that he is the Object of divine Worship he that alone hath power to make happy and miserable it is a word of the plural number aptly pointing us unto a plurality in the divine Essence and so may note the mystery of the Trinity or three Persons of the divine Essence 7. Adonai Psal 2.4 Lord it is also of the plural number and signifieth the absolute Lordship of God also that God sustaineth and upholdeth all things and so holdeth forth the proof of his Providence 8. Shaddai Gen. 17.1 signifying the Alsufficiency of God or that God is he who is alsufficient wanting nothing and able to provide for all 9. Iehovah Tsebaoth Lord of Hoasts who as is well observed hath two general Troops as his Horse and Foot the upper and the lower Troop or the creatures above and beneath already prest and ordered waiting for the word to do him service 10. Ghnel-jon Psal 9.2 translated the most High signifying that God in his Being and Glory is far above all creatures The first three come from Being Pasor in voce 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The second three from Power The third three from Government The last is from Eminence In the New Testament two Names are more especially observable Theos Mat. 4.7 God signifying a Being that is to be feared of all which disposeth of all things and beholdeth all things Kurios Col. 4.1 Lord or Master signifying that God is the only Lord and hath absolute power over all creatures The divine Attributes are certain essential Properties which God is pleased in Scripture to ascribe or attribute unto himself they are also called the Perfections of God or divine Predications or Titles They are not distinguished from the Essence really but notionally that is they are not distinguished at all in God but only to us-ward according to our manner of conceiving All the Attributes in God are one and the same Perfection It is better said of God that he is his Attributes then that he hath Attributes The Attributes are not distinguished in God but in our manner of understanding Est inadequatus conceptus sed non falsus See Weemse Of the Image of God in man cap. 13. who being unable to comprehend that meer act at once do conceive thereof after the manner of many acts The Sun when it is perpendicular had it an eye would behold all that at once which we by reason of the inadequateness and unproportionableness of our sight are necessitated to view by parts In God all things are one and the same according to the Nature of God though out of God many and divers according to their own proper and created nature The same heat in the Sun produceth divers effects according to the various disposition of the objects Hardness in Clay softness in Wax Life in Insects and Plants c. The same lines are one in the Center but distinguished and multiplyed in the Circumference Water that is the same in the Sea out of the Sea is variously and diversly qualified sweet bitter Sulphureous c. The matter in the Liver is the same but the four humors of Blood Choller Melancholy and Flegm that proceed from thence are very divers The Soul which is one and the same produceth very differing effects as appears in the operations of the understanding will and affections The sum is The Attributes as was said before are not distinguished in God that is from the divine Essence or one from another really but only notionally or virtually in our conception and in their objects in respect of the various effects thereupon For every and all the Attributes are the divine Essence it self according to that received Proposition Fenner Theol lib. 1. c. 3. Alsted Theol. sect 3. loc 2. Zanch. de Nat. Dei lib. 2. cap. 5. qu. 2. Whatsoever is in God is God And this is the reason why some well describe the Attributes from the Essence of God which manner of description besides many useful notions clearly intimated thereby doth in the describing of the Relative Attributes principle and fortifie the understanding against that perilous Tenet of Arminianism concerning the Decree passing upon good or bad foreseen with the evil consequences following thereupon The divine Attributes though they can neither exactly be numbered or distributed yet for our better understanding we may consider of them as Negative Relative Positive Negative Attributes are such as remove from God all imperfection Negative Attributes by these we help our understanding in our meditation of God by way of Negation The more principal of them are in number five viz. Simplicity Eternity Immensity Immutability Infiniteness to which or some of which any other of like nature may conveniently be referred Simplicity is God one meer and perfect act without all composition God calleth his Name I am Exod. 3.14 that is meer Essence wherein is nothing past nor to come Because spirits are immixt in respect of bodies to shew that he is not compounded he saith he is a Spirit Iohn 4.24 When we say that God is a meer and perfect Act the meaning is that God is a Cause without any Cause a Being that is not from any Being not compounded of an Act by which he is and Possibility by which he might not have been or may not be of whom it never could nor can be said that any thing was to be in him which was not or cannot be that is That God is a pure and simple Act without all composition is evident Because of his Perfection all composition supposeth imperfection because he is the first Being Were there any composition in God it would follow there were first and second in God Something in God that were not first or that there were more first Beings Because God is a Being of absolute necessity Deus est ens necesse esse Smising de Deo uno tr 2. disp 2. n. 49. Composition implyeth either that there must be more Beings of absolute necessity or that there is something in God that may not be Composition supposeth Succession i. e. something past or to come in God contrary to his Name I am Nay it supposeth that not-being is not repugnant to the Nature of God Where there is Composition
unto the Will of the Creator 2. The Law of Nature scil The Impression of the Will of the Creator concerning the creatures stamped upon them from the beginning by virtue of those imperative effectual words Let there be and it was so Gen. 1.3.5.7.9 Hence they are said to have received a Command Job 38.12 To keep covenant with God Jer. 31.6 and 33.20.25 Knowest thou the Ordinances of the Heaven canst thou set the Dominion thereof in the Earth Job 38.23 i.e. The constant Order and Reason of the Motion of the Heavens 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which their Maker hath fixed in them as a Law or Statute according to which they move and act 3. A Propensness of Nature which is a Principle to do according to that Law of Nature In things that have not life it is called an inclination The Sparks flye upward Job 5.7 The Sun knoweth his going down Psal 104.19 In things that have life it is called an instinct whereby some living creatures by instigation of nature act as if they had reason Prov. 6.6 30.24 God ordinarily governeth the creature according to the Law of Nature extraordinarily according to his good pleasure above the course of nature i. e. answerable to the Decree but not according to the Law of Nature as in case of Miracles and Monsters Gods Government of the reasonable creature is his actual ordering Angels and men according to his Decree with such relation unto the Moral Law as containeth them in the acknowledgement thereof by way of obedience or in case of disobedience subjects them unto the curse annexed thereunto The creatures reasonable and unreasonale always are ordered according to the Decree the unreasonable creature ordinarily also is ordered according to its rule man by reason of sin often erreth from his rule God prescribes unto the reasonable creature a rule having in the Creation enabled the Angels in their proper persons man in Adam to yeild obedience unto that rule rewarding obedience according to the Promise either by way of Merit as in the first or by way of Grace as in the second Covenant and punishing disobedience according to the curse Those Nations who are without the Law that is without the written Word of God owe obedience unto the Law being in Adam the root of man-kind created after the image of God Quibus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 nunquam fuit revelatum tales damrabuntur non propter fidem non praestiram vel propter neglectam conditionem sed propter Legi◠vel Naturae vel Scriptae violationem vel propter peccatum ac reatum quibus ab utero sunt abnoxii Spanh Ex de grat Sect. 25. N. 13. and contained in the Covenant of Works Such Nations shall be judged according to the Moral Law for their disobedience thereunto For this cause the Prophets do not only denounce judgement to those who have that Law written though unto such the greater punishment is due For he that knoweth his Lords will and doth it not shall be beaten with many stripes Luke 12.47 But also to the Gentiles who had not the written Law Jer. 10.25 Jeremiah causeth not only Jerusalem but every other Nation there mentioned to drink of the Wine-cup of the Fury of the Lord Jer. 15.15 Writs of Execution are given out against the Ammonites Ezek. 21.28 and Chapt. 25. ◠Against Moah and Seir ver 8. Against Edom. 12. Against the Philistins 12. Against Tyrus Chap. 26 27. Against Zidon Chap. 28.20 Against Egypt Chap. 29.32 Against Assyria Chap. 31. Against Babylon Jer. 50. 51. Against Gog. Ezek. 38. Whence also it is That not only the Jews such as have heard of the written Word of God but likewise the Gentiles which have not heard of the Word of God are reserved unto the Judgement of the great Day Rom. 2.6.9 John 5.28 29. and 1 Cor. 6.2 Do you not know that the Saints shall judge the world then the World shall be judged Those that have the Law and Gospel written owe obedience to the Law and Gospel As many as have sinned in the Law shall be judged by the Law Rom. 2.12 that is Their condemnation will be aggravated because they have sinned against greater light John 15.22 Matth. 11.22 The Elect who in this life both disobey and obey the Rule are for their disobedience punished in their Surety according to the Curse annexed to the Precept and chastened in themselves God truly testifieth against sin and unto duty makes due provision for his own glory and just difference between obedience and disobedience so as the disobedient have always cause of repentance and fear the obedient of encouragement their obedience being rewarded according to the Promise annexed to the Precept So far as the Elect yeild obedience to the Rule they are ordered according to the Decree and the Rule wherin the Elect and Reprobate transgress the Rule even in those violations thereof they are contained in respective and just subjection thereunto and fulfil the Decree The reasonable creatures obeying is ordered and governed according to the Decree and the Rule The reasonable creature disobeying is ordered and governed according to the Decree The Effectual Concurse of the first Cause with the second What the Concurse of the first cause with the second is is an external transient influence of God upon the creature in time exactly answering to the Decree of God before time moving upon co-working with and assisting of the second cause to its operations It is the clearer understood by considering on Gods part the Decree which is an immanent and eternal act abiding in God and his efficiency which is an external and passing act put forth upon the creature in time For the better understanding of the Concurse Co-operation and Co-working of the first cause so far as it concerneth man which also is respectively applicable to other Subjects there are considerable two acts in respect of God viz. an immanent and transient act and two acts in respect of the soul viz. a first and a second act The immanent and as it were indwelling Act in God is his Decree eternal increated and before time The transient Act of Gods Efficiency is a created external passing Act of the Spirit of God upon the soul in time touching man The first act is an active Principle or inherent Habit in the soul The operation is the second act proceeding from that Habit. The Concurse of the first cause is unto the active principle in the second cause as the first mover is unto the inferiour Orbes as an impulse thrust or put on is unto a round body of it self propense to rowl as the Nurses lifting the child up the stairs is unto the child inclined to go up or as the leading power put forth of him that goeth before is to him that is inclined to follow after as the Midwife is unto the deliverance of her that is in travail The Necessithereof in respect of the second cause
ver 10. Had an high esteem of Jesus Christ ver 3.46 Those three thousand Acts 2. ver 37. were pricked in their heart ask what they shall do The like may be observed in the Jaylour Acts 16.29 30. Paul before his conversion was sensible of his sin and death Rom. 7.9 justifieth the Law ver 12. saw the loss of his own righteousness and his need of the righteousness of Christ Phil. 37.8 To this purpose we may read of others else where 'T is certain That many of those who have been converted have had experience of a preparatory work fore-going the conversion but it cannot be proved out of the Scripture That any who have attained unto years of discretion have been converted without some experience thereof Object 1. Objection satissied There is no use of preparatory work because there is no saving work to be wrought upon the Elect which God cannot work without it Answ Were this Objection good there would follow a total uselesness-of any second cause or fellow-creature towards the producing of any effect 2. Not God's Absolute but his Ordinate Power i. e. The common Course of his special Providence is the ordinarily Rule of his proceeding with man the Exercise of his Power is regulated by his Will God is Omnipotent he can do whatsoever he will but he is not Omnivolent he will not do whatsoever he can Obj. 2. Preparatory work seemeth to darken the freeness of grace Ans Preparatory works precede vocation in way of order not in way of causality God giveth Christ after them as the way not for them as the cause Preparatory work is the effect of free common grace as saving work is the effect of free special grace It can therefore be no more prejudice unto grace then a free way is unto a free thing whereunto it is the way No more then freedom prejudiceth freedom i. e. No more then a free act of an inferiour nature prejudiceth a free act of a superiour nature It doth no whit touch it in it self it in many respects cleareth it but no way darkeneth it unto us Obj. 3. The Corinthians 1 Cor. 6.11 that were Idolaters Adulterers Abusers of themselves with mankind received Christ yet we read of no preparatory qualification mentioned Therefore there was no preparatory work Ans It is not said so therefore it was not so is no good consequence 'T is a frequent thing in the Scripture to mention the thing done without mentioning the manner of the doing of that thing Psal 33.9 David speaks of the Creation yet is silent of the Order of creating Matth. 1.2 We read that Abraham begat Isaac but of the manner of his begetting him viz. By faith not considering his own body now dead Rom. 4.19 c. There is no mention Exod. 20.1 The Holy Ghost records the deliverance of Israel out of the Land of Egypt the manner of it namely by signes and wonders and by an out-stretched arme is wholly omitted 'T is in this case between the thing done and the manner of the doing thereof as between the Sacrament instituted and the Order of the institution The Sacrament is sometimes mentioned where the Order of the institution is not observed 1 Cor. 10.16 As therefore he that would inform himself of the Order of the Institution and Administration of the Elements in the Supper is not to learn it from those Texts where though the matter be recited yet the Doctrine of the Order is not held forth so he that would instruct himself concerning Preparatory Work in order to conversion is not to look unto those places where though the work of conversion be recorded yet the teaching of Preparatory Work is not intended but unto such Scriptures where the Doctrine of Preparatory Work is purposely taught Obj. 4. Jeremiah was sanctified before he came out of his Mothers womb Jer. 1.5 John the Baptist was filled with the Holy Ghost even from his Mothers womb Luke 1.15 when they were both uncapable of Preparatory Work Ans Jeremiah's Sanctification from the Womb may be understood not of any actual but only an intentional separation of him to office as Paul speaks in like manner of himself Gal. 1.15 If we understand it actually it seemeth to be but an actual separation of him to the Office of a Prophet By the Holy Ghost whereby John was filled from the Womb we may well understand not the gift of saving grace but eminent gifts of Office to fit this Eliah for that high service whereunto he was appointed Whether we understand by the sanctification of Jeremiah and by the filling of John with the Holy Ghost the grace or gifts of office or the gifts of saving grace The Dispensation of God unto them was extraordinary not ordinary and so teacheth not the question Only in John we clearly see God not only can but doth even in Infants work in a secret manner by his Spirit when he pleaseth CHAP. VII What are the Principal Heads whereunto the Substance of Preparatory Work in the full Extent thereof may be referred IN Answer to this Question Consider 1. What Preparatory Work taken in its Extent is 2. What Parts thereof are wrought by the Ministery of the Law 3. What Parts thereof are wrought by the Ministery of the Gospel 4. Some Cases of Conscience concerning Preparatory Work Preparatory Work taken in its full Extent is the whose frame of inherent Qualifications coming between the Rest of the Soul in the State of Nature and Vocation wrought distinctly and in measure in the Ministery both of the Law and Gospel by the common work of the Spirit concurring therewith whereby the Soul is put into a next disposition or Ministerial Capacity of believing immediately i. e. Of immediate receiving of the Lord Jesus Christ The Parts of Preparatory Work wrought by the Ministery of the Law are 1. Conviction of the Holiness of the Law 2. Conviction of Sin 3. Conviction of Guilt 4. Concluding of the Soul under sin and guilt 5. Conviction of the Righteousness of God in case he should punish us for our sins 6. Inexcusableness 1. The Conviction of the Holiness and Spiritualness of the Law is that Work of the Spirit whereby the Soul is enlightened to see the Conformity of the Command unto the Will of God whether we understand by command the Precept concerning the not eating of the Tree of Life or the Decalogue prescribed unto man in innocency as the rule of life and manners Therefore called the Moral Law or any other Commandement of God Ceremonial Judicial or whatsoever This conviction is called the coming of the Commandement Rom. 7.9 For I was alive without the Law once but when the Commandement came sin revived and I dyed It causeth a Doctrinal Approbation thereof The Law is h ly and the Commandement holy and just and good The Precept is holy the Curse is just the Promise is good I consent unto the Law that it is good 2. Conviction of Sin is the conscience
omnibus illis qui convertuntur alii enim graviâ—rem sentiunt perturbatione n alii vero leviorem sed omnes qui verè convert ntâ—r verè etiam humiliantur Ames for some feel a greater measure of trouble others a lesser But all that are truly converted are truly humbled Quest 3. Whether may it not come to pass through want of light either in the Ministery or our selves or want of due observation of Gods manner of working with the soul or of due care to keep the manner of his working in mind that a soul which hath in its measure been made partaker of preparatory work and sincerely converted may yet be unable distinctly to call to mind its former experiences of some principal part of preparatory work Ans Yes But then these three things will follow First Such a soul assents to and closeth with the substance of the Doctrine of preparatory work being made known unto it Secondly Such a soul assents to accepts of and walks in the practise of the humbling Doctrine of the Gospel concerning a Believer The holy Christ-exalting and soul-humbling Doctrine of the Gospel virtually containeth and evidently presupposeth the Spirit of Preparatory Work The Spirit of Dependance and Repentance from falls and wandrings which straying condition is called the lost condition of a believer Psal 119.176 doth in effect include the conviction of the lost estate of an unbeliever inability without recovering grace to rise from sin to obedience here being like our inability without converting grace to rise from death to life there That is called humiliation this humility In the Work of humiliation which is before faith the soul seeth that as it is nothing so it can do nothing without Christ Poverty of spirit in the regenerate Matth. 5.3 hath its proportion to poverty of spirit in the irregenerate Luke 4.18 Revel 3.17 Thirdly Such a soul must expect unsetlings and as it were an after-bondage before it cometh to be setled and attain assurance of its salvation Whereby God doth two things 1. Take off the Soul from its carnal confidences for the less measure of experience of a lost estate before faith the greater measure of carnal confidence and less measure of sensible dependance upon Christ after faith until this cure 2. God hereby provideth further for his own glory by causing the soul to magnifie the Law to condemn sin judge it self and exalt grace in such a degree as a kindly preparatory work disposed to Assurance of salvation presupposeth and the want of a kindly preparatory work until now eclipsed Many darken A Caution concerning fixing Conversion to such a time if not hide from themselves their experience of a preparatory work by unwarrantably fixing their conversion to such a time Whence notwithstanding upon just examination they cannot deny the substance of preparatory work to have been and the effects of saving grace to be in their souls yet they owning no work for preparatory work which was not wrought before nor any work for converting work which hath not been wrought since such a time they cause much unsetledness and uncomfortableness unto themselves 'T is the duty of all that live under the Gospel to be converted unto God and it is the duty of all that are converted to know they are converted but we are no where commanded to know the time of our conversion If upon better light then formerly we cannot find that to be conversion nor consequently that we were converted at that time which we were wont to reckon from yet if we find the works of God fore-going and accompanying conversion to have been Pemble Of the nature properties of grace and fâ—â—th and to be in our fouls it is our duty to bless God that we are converted and not groundlesly to afflict our selves about the time of our conversion To tell saith Master Pemble the month day or hour wherein they were converted is in most converts impossible in all of exceeding difficult observation though I deny not saith he but the time may be in some of sensible mark CHAP. VIII Whether there be any saving Qualification before the grace of faith viz. Any such Qualification whereupon salvation may be certainly promised unto the person so qualified THe Ensuing Discourse in answer to this Question 1. Explains the terms thereof 2. Recites various judgments concerning it 3. Propounds Arguments against ascertaining Salvation to any such qualificatioÌ„ 4. Endeavoureth to satisfie the more considerable Argnments of the contrary minded 5. Annexeth two Queries Qualifications are gracious Dispensations whereby the soul is in some measure rendred a more capable subject of faith or conversion and these dispose the soul thereunto The Explication of the more difficult terms of the Question either more remotely as the remainders of the Image of God in man after the fall which is called the grace of nature or more neerly as the common works of the Spirit by the Ministery of the Law and Gospel these last properly come under the name of common supernatural grace and are usually called preparatory works The Notion Preparatory is also carefully to be distinguished Works may be said to be preparatory either in respect of Gods ordinary Dispensation so those dispositions which qualifie the soul with a greater Ministerial capacity in order to conversion are to us preparatory in the judgement of charity in all and but in the judgement of charity in any Or in respect of Gods intention whence he purposeth such a work as a means to and a part of the way unto conversion afterwards to be wrought by him So in the Elect unto God they are are preparatory really but unto us only as they are also in the Non-elect in the judgjudgement of charity Because in that which is known they are alike and that wherein they are not alike is unknown Briefly Preparatory Work is so really or in the judgment of charity only To God really as concerning his Elect to man in the judgement of charity only as concerning any Notwithstanding because we know that such who are not elect are partakers of this common work and who are the Elect whom God will not forsake in this common work as justly he may do all we know not until faith and because we are to hope concerning all in whom we see them wrought and to endeavour in the use of means accordingly that God will not leave the soul here but that he will graciously proceed to the ingenerating of the grace of faith in his accepted time yet being ignorant of his intent we can but hope concerning any Hence to us they are preparatory in judgement of Charity in all whether Elect or Non-elect and not in judgement of Certainty in the Elect themselves before faith Saving Qualifications are taken either properly and formally for some effect of special grace such as are the gifts of the Spirit in Vocation Union and Communion all flowing from election having according to the revealed Dispensation of God
Antecedens fidem Recipiscentia Consequens fidem Med. Cap. 26. Num. 31. Quaerere in fide Quaerere sine fide Piscat preparatory hunger c. And there is a Poverty Matth. 5.3 An Hunger and Thrirst Matth. 5.6 A Seeking Matth. 7.8 James 1.6 A Repentance 2 Cor. 7.10 After faith viz. a saving poverty of Spirit a saving hunger c. To this effect Ames distinguisheth thirst into a thirst of total indigence Isai 65.13 And into a thirst of partial complacency 1 Pet. 2.2 The like both he and others teach concerning Repentance Wheresoever any of these or the like qualilifications are mentioned in the Scripture which Salvation ascertained by promise to the person so qualified such qualification or qualifications are saving not preparatory Let one instance throughout the whole Scripture be produced and evinced to the contrary Obj. 4. Matth. 18.11 For the Son of man is come to save that which was lost Here Salvation is promised to those that are lost but the lostness in this place mentioned precedes faith therefore this lostness seems to be some saving qualilification before faith Ans The words are not to be understood Collectively Christus hic loquitur de Ovibus suis h. e. de Electis Synecldâ—che integri of all that are lost but distributively of the Elect that are lost So Piscator expounds the place Christ here speaks of his Sheep that is of his Elect. So is the word Sinners to be understood Matth. 19.13 1 Tim. 1.15 And ungodly Rom. 4.5 Not as if Christ came to save all sinners or that God justifieth all ungodly but elect sinners and elect ungodly Christ maketh his Elect sensible of their lost and sinful estate before he saveth them God maketh his Elect sensible that they are ungodly before he justifieth them but neither doth Christ save nor God justifie all that are lost sinners and ungodly This text is to be interpreted distributively of the Elect lost not collectively of all nor personally of this or that man for who are these Elect cannot be known before faith Obj. 5. That hearing by which faith is wrought in the soul is before faith That hearing by which faith is wrought in the soul is a saving work therefore there is some saving work before faith Ans A Saving Work is taken Formally scil for that which is saving in it self though not for it self nor by it self as being for the kind thereof part of Eternal life and by reason of its necessary connexion with salvation in respect of the Ordination of God hath a promise of salvation made unto it Causally scil instrumentally for the means by which a Saving Work is wrought not for the Saving Work it self The Distinction premised the Minor scil that hearing by which faith is wrought in the soul is a saving work is denyed as labouring of an Equivocation in the word Saving which the question means formally but the Argument intends causally or efficiently Doctour Ames out of whom this Argument is taken never intended it to this purpose who as he affirms in the same tract elsewhere that other preparatory dispositions have not a certain and infallible connexion with salvation so in this very place affirms that that hearing of the word by which faith is wrought hath scil to us no necessary connexion with salvation Disp Theolog de Praep. peccat ad conver for who saith he can promise before hand that God will give faith thereby and concludes it therefore to be saving not formally but causally viz. instrumentally Obj 6. If in the conversion of a sinner there be a term from which namely sin and a term to which namely faith then there must be a departing of the soul from sin the term from which before it can attain unto faith the term to which Ans The In-come of grace to and the out-going of sin from the soul is not in strictness to be compared unto two things for sin is not a thing but a corrupt privation of a thing succeeding one another in the same place after the order of a local mutation properly where one of those things must give way by being outed from its place before the other can come in But the In-come of the Spirit of grace into the soul is after the manner of a habit succeeding in the room of its contrary privation and in such alterations of the subject the privation doth not first go out and the habit then come in but the in-come of the habit causeth the out-going of the privation as we see in knowledge and ignorance in the soul sight and blindness in the eye light and darkness in the air life and death in the body Death did not first go out of the body of Lazarus or of the Shunamites child and then life come in nor doth darkness first leave the air and then light come in but the in-come of life was the expelling of death In actibus voluntatis instantaneis mutatio duntaxat reperitur non autem motus propriè dictus Actus eliciti fiunt sine motu per mutationem duntaxat instantaneam Twiss de permiss 52. Cr. 3. dig 9. Sect. 24. and the coming in of light the expelling of 〈◊〉 and so of the rest The alteration of the subâ—â—â— from a term from which unto a term to which is 〈…〉 way of local mutation or by way of a haâ—◠〈◊〉 in stead of the contrary privation The Objection holds in alterations of its first kind but not in the alterations of the second of which sort is the alteration in question Obj. 7. Matth. 11.28 Come unto me all ye that are weary and heavy laden and I will give you rest Here rest seems to be promised to the qualifications of being weary and heavy laden which precede faith Ans Be it so that weariness and being heavy laden in this place spoken of precede faith though all seem not so to understand it yet we must distinguish between the invitation of the weary and heavy laden to come and the promise made unto the weary and heavy laden if being invited they do come The invitation is made to the qualifications weary Quibus verbis promitâ—it se refocillaturum non omnes qui pecc tis omnisti sunt sed omnes qui peccati onus sentientes ad ipsum veniunt Hoc autem non faciunâ— nisi Electi qui à Patre trahuntur Piscat de praed S. 63 and heavy laden the promise to coming In which words saith Piscator he promiseth not that he will ease all that are heavily laden with their sins but all who feeling the burden of their sin come unto him but this none do but the Elect which are drawn of the Father To this place very probably Doctour Preston looked in that speech The promise is not made to preparation but to coming The invitation is absolute to all so qualified living under the call of the Gospel the promise is conditional to those so qualified if they come Obj.
8. These qualifications before faith are saving in the Elect because God intends them as a means unto a saving work afterwards to be wrought infallibly by him in them in his accepted time Ans This Objection is already answered in the distinction of the Notion Preparatory in the explication of the terms where you may please to see it Thus to argue is as if you should thus speak God intends this work present in it self common unto which he hath made no promise of salvation as a means unto a further work Saving yet to come unto the which he hath promised salvation therefore this preparatory work present is saving Or as if in other words you should say God intends to do such a good therefore he hath done it God intends it therefore he hath promised it that is revealed his intent whereas the truth is God having but intended it therefore he hath not revealed it Who seeth not in this reasoning not only a Non-sequitur but an implyed contradiction The Event in a perfect birth sheweth that God intended the formation thereof when it was yet but an Embrio as preparatory unto the infusion of a reasonable soul But none will say This preparatory disposition of the matter for the infusion of the Soul was the infusion of the Soul it self nor could any man God not having yet signified his Intent in that respect have ascertained the after-infusion of the Soul into such conception It might in it self and to us have proved an abortion Exod. 21.22 Gods Intent that it should proceed to a perfect birth was only known to him the previous disposition of the matter was therefore from the first instant to him preparatory really but not so to us We must distinguish between Gods Intent Praedestinatio nibil penit in praedestinato Tho. 1. q. 23.2 and his execution of his Intent His Intent meerly causeth not any alteration in the creature only the execution thereof causeth an alteration therein his Intent is an immanent work the execution is a transient work his Intent is from Eternity the execution thereof is in time his Intent is himself intending as Election is God electing the execution thereof is a creature Obj 9. Vocation is not a sanctifying work Vocation is a saving work Therefore Every saving work is not a sanctifying work Ans Transeat The whole argument granted concludes not the present question The question is not Whether there be a saving work that is not a sanctifying work but Whether there be a saving work before the grace of faith If any notwithstanding the doctrine of many godly learned distinguishing sanctification into sanctification taken strictly and sanctification taken more generally yet judg faith not to be a part of sanctification they may please to consider the concurrence of our most able and godly Writers asserting the contrary in their Disputations against the Arminians together with the occasion of the Query and their Arguments leading them unto the Affirmative It may yet haply be said Where these qualifications are there may be a seed of faith This may be either supposeth faith where salvation is ascertained if so 't is that we defend and yeilds the Cause Or it supposeth salvation may be ascertained where faith is not Polan Synt. l. 9. c. 6. Ames Cor. Art 4. c. 4. Idem de Praepar pec ad conversionē Span. Ex. de gr erot 28. Credere in Christū non est motus successivus sed instantaneus Twiss l. 3. Errat 8. Sect. 1. which hath been disputed against and how far disproved let the Reader judg Or it supposeth a middle condition wherein the Soul neither hath faith nor is without faith as if faith were ex traduce which both the nature of faith and the concurring Judgment of the godly Learned refuse teaching regeneration and faith to be wrought in an instant not successively To beleeve in Christ saith Dr Twisse is not a successive but an instantaneous motion that is 't is wrought in an instant Query 1. What are the Inconsequences of the affirmative Tenet 1. Laedunt enim gratiam Dei in verbo Dei patefactam quotquot eam obsourant terminos ampliores quam Deo visum fuerit ipsi praefigunt Twiss de Elect. l. 1. par 2. sect 27. It obscures the grace of Christ For they saith Dr Twisse hurt the grace of God made known in his Word whosoever darken it and enlarge its bounds above what hath seemed good unto God 2. It denyeth the power of the Potter over a non-beleever thus qualified and so sins against the freedom of the Soveraignty of God and Christ in making God a Debtor of mercy before his time 3. It is a nourisher of spiritual pride teaching the Soul to think far more highly of it self then it ought to do in thinking it self to be in a safe way when it is in a perishing condition 4. It hinders the work of kindly humiliation in exempting the Soul thus qualified from looking at it self as indeed it ought to be prostrate at the feet of the good pleasure of God in Christ Jesus under the Sicredideris of the Gospel 5. If the Soul by parting with sin understandeth a saving parting therewith it holdeth it under an unwarrantable expectation teaching it to seek power to part from sin in that way sc without Christ wherein Wisdom professeth it is not to be had which is to seek the living amongst the dead 6. If by parting with sin the Soul understands a legal parting therewith it is a dangerous way to presumption thus it procrastinates the conversion of both and troubles the kindly conversion of many Witness their after spiritual sorrows and unsetlings for such former carnal considences when they come to be more clearly enlightened 7. Notwithstanding all scruples are always religiously and tenderly to be removed in any measure more or less questioning the work of faith by other gracious Truths dispensed at the same time with this Tenet yet since no Error is a medium of faith the Spirit of Truth refusing to mix with or work by mans untruth if the Proposition disputed against be found an Ercor it will also be found so far from being a help to faith as that the Spirit never did nor ever will work faith thereby Query 2. What Encouragement doth the Gospel hold forth unto a Soul under Preparatory Work before Faith 1. It is truth that every such Soul may be saved Sufficit ex parte objecti consideratio infiniti valoris meriti Christi ab dignitatem personae gravitatem passionum ex parte subjecti quod Deus ei copiam fecit omnium mediorum externorum quae electis Dei salvandis in Ecclesia adhiberi solent Spanh ex de grat 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 3. 2. The Gospel that is the free tender of Salvation by Jesus Christ a sufficient Saviour to every one that beleeves is to be holden forth to every such perishing Soul with a Command to beleeve 1 John 3.23
and a conditional Promise in particulur If you beleeve you shall be saved Mark 16.16 3. God doth seriously invite beseech and charge them all to beleeve 4. Their beleeving is a high honour pleasure and service done unto Christ above all the dishonour and grief that their unbelief and sin hath been or can be unto him 'T is a greater honour unto them hereby to crown him with his Crown of Glory then to be crowned by him with the Crown of tender Mercy 5. That if they do beleeve in him they shall be saved 6. Notwithstanding the wholesom use even in this place of the Doctrine of the Decree in general yet as they cannot make application of it in particular for them so neither ought they to make application of it in particular against them but to look unto their duty which is to beleeve 7. 'T is a sin for any to beleeve they are not elected and therefore they shall not beleeve 8. As such who live under the Gospel have a ministerial hope Jer. 2.25 Ephes 2.12 Heb. 3.7 Isai 56.3 the Gentiles were far off the Jews were nigh so such to whom God doth not only offer Salvation in the Ministry but moveth upon their hearts by his Spirit they have a preparatory hope Isai 55.6 Psal 27.8 32.6 95.7 8. Acts 2.38 39. 2 Cor. 6.2 Ephes 2.17 9. According as the Preparatory Work doth kindly proceed it admitting degrees so their preparatory hope if you please by that name to let it be distinguished from the ministerial hope before mentioned is encreased Zech. 9.11 12. Mark 12.34 10. The Soul measurably prepared looking unto and thirsting after Christ Jesus as propounded in the Gospel in the diligent use of means is in respect of preparatory work nextly disposed and immediately called to beleeve 11. There can be no Example found in the whole Scripture that ever God forsook such a Soul which did not first forsake him Self-encouragements from qualifications are Legal and therefore please us best Encouragements according to truth are Evangelical and therefore will help us best Error in it self tends not to our furtherance nor Truth to our hinderance Truth is a far better encouragement then Error That there is before faith hope in the use of means and ordinarily not otherwise encourageth unto diligence and deters from negligence That before faith there is not certainty leaveth place for legal humiliation and the spirit of bondage and bloweth upon the glory of all flesh without Christ Hereby the Soul however qualified justifieth God if he sheweth no mercy Mar. 16.16 John 3.16 Revel 3.20 2 Tim. 2.25 Aug. l. 5. de Pers cap. 16. Cavendū est igitur vè dū timeamus vè tepescat hortatio extinguatur oratio accendatur elatio waiteth under the If you beleeve of the Gospel for mercy magnifieth God for free and undeserved mercy being made partaker thereof It is not an inconsiderable part of this Cause that was acted by Augustine one thousand two hundred years since though more tacitly and in its principles where he used that approved speech of his We must take heed lest whilest we fear our Exhortation being cooled Prayer be damped and Pride inflamed That the Soul in measure prepared called immediately to beleeve wait in the use of means with preparatory hope under the If you beleeve of the Gospel for Christ as acting by his special grace to ingenerate faith whereby the Soul passively receives him and whence through assisting grace it may by the act thereof come unto him is the method of the Gospel ought to be the direction of the Ministry and course of the Soul being Christs own way and therefore the most hopeful and most speedy way for the attaining of faith and salvation thereby CHAP. IX Of the first Object of Saving Faith IN the Discussing and clearing of this truth concerning the Object of Faith Consider 1. What an Object in general is 2. The Distribution of the Object of Faith 3. What the special and primary Object of Saving Faith is 4. The Order of Faith 5. That it is the duty of all to believe 6. The Difficulty of believing 7. The Means and Manner whereby Faith is wrought 8. Some principa Motives to believe An Object properly so called An Object in general What Objectum est circa quod res vel rei operatio versatur The Distinction of the Object of Faith is that about which the operation of a thing is primarily excercised and unto which it is of it self naturally ordered and directed So Truth is the Object of the understanding Good is the Object of the Will The Object of Faith is either universal scil the whole revealed Will of God Acts 24.14 Believing all things which are written in the Law and the Prophets Or special scil the Gospel or revealed saving Will of God and this is either Primary viz. God himself Father Son and Holy Ghist and Jesus Christ God-man propounded with a Command to believe 1 John 3.23 And a Promise of Salvation to them that do belieeve Mark 16.16 Or Secondary namely The good obtained by believing which because it is contained in the promises therefore the promises are called the Secondary Object of Faith As a Spouse is first married to the person i. e. her Husband before she enjoyeth any conjugal communion with him so we first by faith receive the Person of Christ before we are made partakers of the benefits of Christ bestowed upon believers Union precedes communion God and Christ are the Object of our Faith the Benefits following upon Christ received are the effect and end of our faith The Special Primary What the Special and Primary Object of Saving Faith is and next Object of saving Faith may briefly be conceived under this Proposition viz. Jesus Christ a Saviour to all believers and consequently unto me believing The Special and Primary Objects of saving Faith more largely considered is that gracious Truth and Testimony of God concerning Christ whereby he is tendered as a free and sufficient Saviour to every one that heareth and receiveth it with a Command to believe and a Promise That whosoever believeth shall be saved This Proposition concerning the Object of Faith containeth in it these particulars 1. That the Merit of Christ is all sufficient i. e. of sufficent virtue to have saved all men 2. That God doth seriously tender Jesus Christ as a sufficient Saviour to all unto whom the sound of the Gospel cometh 3. That every one that heareth the tender of the Gospel is bound to believe 4. That all that hear the Gospel are Ministerially equally capable of believing 5. That whosoever believeth shall be saved This Truth concerning Christ about which saving Faith is firstly and immediately exercised is by judicious Divines properly called the Object of Faith the Gospel Mark 16.15 16. Go ye into the world and preach the Gospel to every creature He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved The Testimony 1 John 5.11
unto God for salvation by Jesus Christ which glorifying of God in way of thankfulness is a more effectual Motive unto obedience vvith a believer notvvithstanding the remainders of sin then the obtaining of life and that according to order of justice was unto Adam though vvithout sin as appears by the Apostacy of the one and perseverance of the other through Grace The means whereby faith is wrought are twofold External Of the means of faith or Internal External scil the Word by divine Institution the Instrument of Conversion hence called the Word of Faith Rom. 10.8 Which moveth by propounding Arguments and by perswading 2 Cor. 5.11 By Woing John 3.29 By Commanding 1 John 3.23 it is by Divines commonly called a Moral Suasion or Moral Cause acting only by way of propounding the Object no cause properly but improperly and Metaphorically it produceth not the effect without the concurrence of the Spirit vvhich is the Efficient Cause The internal means is the supernatural saving and effectual Motion of the Spirit concurring vvith the Word of Faith or which is all one with the Word of Grace and in an accepted time vvorking in the soul that faith which the Word calleth for Hence called the Spirit of Faith 2 Cor. 4.13 Whence the Moral Suasion of the Word becometh effectual by the real persvvasion of the Spirit The Word calleth upon us to believe the Spirit causeth us to believe The Word calls upon us to will and to do the Spirit of Christ worketh in us to will and to do the Word commands us to be according to our duty the Spirit vvorketh in us to be according to the Word God in the Creation spake the Word that such a creature should be and therewithal sent forth a power causing that creature to be according to his Word So whilest the Angel reveals unto Mary the Conception of Christ the Power of the Highest overshadowed her Whence it vvas with her according to his Word Luke 1.35 38. So also whilest Jesus cried vvith a loud voice Lazarus come forth there proceeded from him a Power whereby Lazaras doth come forth John 11.43 44. The Ministery of the Word whether Law or Gospel is but a dead letter and profiteth nothing without the Spirit 1 Cor. 3.7 Neither is he that planteth any thing nor he that watereth but God that giveth the increase After all instructions Timothy must vvait if God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth 2 Tim. 2.25 No Oratory how excellent soever can prevail with the blind to see with the deaf to hear or with the dead to live God is not only an Orator Deus Autor non tantum Orator gratiae Twiss de Elect. l. 1. p. 2. dig 6. Sect. 16. but a Creator of grace Which notwithstanding yet are we vvith diligence to attend upon God in the use of means for though the means cannot work vvithout the Spirit the Spirit ordinarily will not work upon subjects of discretion without the means Man is a reasonable creature therefore God proceedeth with him by vvay of Arguments but because man is a dead creature therefore he must work in him that which he persvvades thereunto The Proposition of the Word of Faith is the External Ames Coron de Convert 4 cap. 1. the Operation of the Spirit of Faith is the Internal Call that as was said before is a moral Suasion this is a real Perswasion that a moral Cause this a physical Cause that commands us who are unwilling to be willing Interna gratiae Efficatia quae praedestinationis decretum exsequitur sine dicenda sit actio physica ut loquuntur Dominica vel potius divina supernaturalis vel occulta cui fortasse aptius nomen non occurrit sicut cautiùs in Augustino nostri fere statuunt uon multum interest Prideaux this through its powerful Efficacy by a real and as it were a physical change of the Will of unwilling makes us willing By the first God stands at the door and knocks Revel 3.20 By the second he opens the door i. e. the hearts of his Elect Luke 24.45.16.14 As the Word is called the Word of Faith Rom. 10.8 And the Spirit the Spirit of Faith 2 Cor. 4.13 So the conjunction of both is called the Door of Faith Acts 14.27 The Manner of the working of faith is irresistable The Manner of working of Faith Non alium enim irresistibilitateÌ„ propugnant nostri quam realem efficacem donationem cujus vi effectum certò vel infallibilitur Existit Coron art 4. cap. 3. that is it is such Whence notwithstanding the resistance made by corrupt nature yet at last prevaileth over all opposition whatsoever and causeth the effect certainly and infallibly to follow Jer. 24.7 I will give them an heart to know me and they shall be my people And Chap. 31.18 Turn thou me and I shall be turned ver 33. I will write my Law in their hearts and they shall be my people Ezek. 36.27 28. I will put my Spirit within you Concursus volunâ—atis cum gratia in opere conversiones non est co-ordinatus sed subordinatus Prideaux Motives to believe and cause you to walk in my Statutes c. And ye shall be my people John 6.37 All that the Father hath given me shall come unto me The Concurrence of the Will with Grace in the Work of Conversion is subordinate not co-ordinate the drawing of the soul is efficacious but not violent God by an Omnipotent Facility on his part and after an experimental impossibility in some measure at least on our part doth not force us unwillingly but of unwilling makes us willing Amongst many other precious means for both the obtaining and confirming of faith Consider 1. The Love of God to man though a sinner Tit. 3.4 'T is not our sin which fell out after the beginning of time that can alter the affection of God which was before time Those of whom the Apostle saith ver 3. That they were sometimes foolish disobedient deceived serving divers lusts and pleasures living in malice and envy hatefull and hating one another When such though not as such God loved God hateth sin loveth not any as sinners but loveth his Elect though sinners Rom. 5.8 2. What Christ hath done for sinners He hath obeyed the Law and suffered the punishment Rom. 5.8 And actually procured the application of grace and reconciliation Col. 2.15 Rom. 5.10 Though there be many strengthless Representatio 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Dei Christi eâ—â—icacissimum medium ad ingenerandaÌ„ fidem Spanh ex de grat resp ad Erot. 14. ungodly sinners enemies whom neither God loveth nor Christ died for yet all whom God hath set his heart upon or that Christ died for either are or have been such If thou neither wert nor art nor becomest such Christ never died for thee 1 Tim. 1.15 The high account which that great Preacher of Free-grace and Doctor of the Gentiles had
The Prison is the place of hope mercy visits the prisoners of unbelief Rom. 11.32 Christ finds them that are lost Luke 15. After the House of Israel say Our bones are dried and our hope is lost we are out off for our parts then God opens their graves this Order of Gods Dispensation we are there called upon to take notice of Behold they say Our bones are dried Behold O my people I will open your graves and cause you to come out of your graves and bring you into the Land of Israel Ezek. 37.11 12. 9. The certain condemnation without faith Let a mans sin be never so great if he believeth he shall be saved the very sin against the Holy Ghost is not unpardonable for want of grace in a Saviour but for want of faith and repentance in the sinner God justly in his righteous judgement punishing that sinner universally with final impenitence Meritum damnationis jux a Evangelium non est peccatum sea perseverantia finalis in peccato infidelitatis impaenitentiae Twiss vinâ—â— dic grat de erratis lib. 3. Sect. 3. Nec quicquam obstat quo minus dicamus eum qui non credit ideo jam condemnatum esse quia non credit in nomen unigeniti Filii Dei quatenus nulla ex condemnatione emergendi ratio datur nisi per fidem in Dei Filium Spanh Exeer de grat univ resp ad Erot. 39. N. 3. and be his sin never so little if he believeth not he shall be damned Go ye into all the world and preach the Gospel to every creature He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved and he that believeth not shall be damned Mark 16.16 The cause of condemnation according to the Law is all sin but the cause of condemnation under the Gospel is unbelief not that all other sin is not as much yea more doubtless under the Gospel then under the Law it self but because there is no way to escape condemnation for sin but by faith and because no sin should condemn those that live under the Gospel if there were not added unto their other sin final perseverance in unbelief CHAP. X. Saving Faith is the Effect of true special Grace that is of Grace flowing from God according to Election and from Christ according to Redemption viz. as the Redeemer and Designed Head of his Elect. FOr the better proceeding in the Discussion of this Question Let us see 1. Consider what Saving Faith is 2. Free the Term of Grace from ambiguity by a just distribution thereof 3. Discribe Free-grace 4. Declare the Nature thereof 5. Shew the use of that exact distinctness in this point which is intended and expressed in the term Special 6. Prove the Proposition Justifying Faith is a Saving Grace of the Spirit Saving Faith What flowing from Election whereby the soul receiveth Jesus Christ as its Lord and Saviour according as he is revealed and propounded in the Gospel Tit. 1.2 John 1.12 Col. 2.6 Grace is Increated Created Natural in Nature Pure The Distribution of Grace Fallen Supernatural Common Saving Effectually i.e. in respect of its efficacy Formally Increated Grace is God himself willing spiritual gifts freely unto men In Order to those spiritual gifts which are peculiar to the Elect it may be called increated special grace and is nothing else but Election In Order to such spiritual gifts as are common both to the Elect and such as are not elected it may be called increated common-grace Natural Grace or the Grace of Nature is that Image of God according to which man was created it is called grace because it is a free spiritual gift Natural because concreated with and infused into the Soul so soon as it had its being in pure nature The Grace of Nature in Nature fallen is the Remainder of the Image of God in the Soul after the fall Rom. 2.14 15. The Gentiles do by nature the things contained in the Law Supernatural common Grace are spiritual gifts flowing from God in Christ whereof those who are not elected are made partakers They are called Supernatural because they are not attainable by the power of free-will strengthened with the Grace of Nature and common in that they are communicated to the Elect and not elected Such are gifts of Edification in the Ministration of the Oracles of God in Christ 1 Pet. 4.10 11. Gifts and Grace of Office in the Church Rom. 12.3.6 Ephes 3.7 Gifts of Miracles of which 1 Cor. 12. Gifts that qualifie for some eminent Service as in Jehu 2 King 9.6 Saving Grace taken for that which is saving effectually i.e. in respect of its efficacy is an Impulse or Motion of the Spirit of Grace working from Christ as a designed or actual Head upon the Soul so as it enables the Soul to yeild obedience in measure unto that Command to the obedience whereof it moveth In it 4 things are diligently to be attended and distinguished 1. The Authour of this Motion viz. the increated Spirit of Grace 2. The Motion it self viz. a created transient act which notwithstanding the effect thereof remaineth yet it self ceaseth and passeth away as the touch of Peters wives mother ceased though the cure remained Matth. 8.15 The Angels motion upon the waters ceased though the healing quality continued John 5. The touch of the Loadstone ceaseth the vertue yet abiding in the needle 3. The Kind of this Motion is from Election from Christ as a Redeemer and Head either designed or actually so unto the person so moved It is not only from Christ who is a Redeemer but from Christ as a Redeemer 'T is peculiar to the Elect and its effect such as accompanyeth salvation in which respect it is called created speciall grace and is such whereof none but the Elect nor they until vocation are made partakers of that by the means of the word Saving Faith and all other formal saving-grace are the next effects thereof As Election is increated special grace so this may be fitly called created special grace Saving Grace which is formally so and according to which sence the words are ordinarily used is a permanent effect accompanying salvation flowing upon such an effectual motion of special grace whether upon the Soul and imputative as in justification and adoption Or in the Soul and inherent as in any other effect of Election viz. Vocation wherein is Faith Sanctification Perseverance Glorification c. Saving Grace is not only above the Power of the grace of nature but also above the Power of supernatural common grace and consequently not attainable by free-will Spiritus Sanctus non operatur vel unicum etiam graduÌ„ fidei salutaris justificantis in non electis Sph. ex de gra univ resp ad Erot. 28. Habitus gratiae gloriae in ipso in nobis unius sunt speciei Twiss de Elect l. 1. p 2. strengthened with both the grace of nature and supernatural common grace Of this kind are all the
is generally affirmed to be a part of Sanctification Sanctification in Scripture is sometimes placed before Justification 1 Pet. 1.2 through sanctification of the Spirit and sprinkling of the blood of Christ i. e. Justification and sometimes before the act of faith 2 Thes 2.13 Obj. 2. Acts 26.18 Wee are said to bee sanctified by faith therefore Sanctification followes faith if so neither can faith be a part of Sanctification nor can Sanctification be together in order of Nature with faith nor can it be before Justification Ans Though Sanctification taken strictly followes Faith we cannot therefore conclude the same of Sanctification taken largely The reason of the mistake of this Text is the omission of the Comma or note of distinction at the word Sanctified which saith Beza seemeth to have deceived Erasmus the putting of the Comma in that place according to the example of the Latine Translators joyns those words by faith to the Verb received and not to the participle sanctified which being done you have the sense as if you read the Verse thus That they may receive by faith in me remission of sins and an inheritance amongst them that are sanctified Vide Calvin Beza in loc This sense is not only agreeable to the analagie of faith but also to the antient Greek Copies which as Beza testifieth are thus pointed Likewise with the sense of the like phrase of Luke the Pen-man hereof And to give you an inheritance among all them which are sanctified Act. 20.32 This text then rightly understood sheweth the quality of those persons that shal obtaine the inheritance viz. that they are such who are sanctified and the manner how such qualified persons heretofore received remission of sins and hereafter shal receive the inheritance viz. by faith not by workes but of the manner how they came to be sanctified it speakes not at all Calvin doth not obscurely insinuate Sanctification sometimes to be used more generally oft-times more specially and in reference to the more general use thereof hee speakes thus God sanctifieth us by effectual calling of us Quod si istae sunt partes vel effectus Sanctificationis Calvin in 1 Pet. 1.2 aliter hic sanctificatio capitur quam saepe apud Paulum hoc est magis generaliter Sanctificat ergo nos Deus efficaciter nos vocando Chamier maketh Faith a part of Sanctification Faith it selfe saith the same Author elsewhere is by it selfe a part of Sanctification Agamus de Sanctificatione Cham. Tom. 3. lib. 10. c. 3 S 1. lib 22 c. 11. â— 5 primo quidem de perfectione deinde de partibus ejus nempâ— fide operibus Est enim sides ipsa per se pars Sanctificatienâ—s The habit of Faith is not before but a part of our Sanctification Pemble of the nature and properties of grace and faith p. 20. Ames Resp ad Grevinch de praedest c. 1. the habits of Grace are co-equal stemmes of one common root of inherent sanctity Pemble Faith saith Ames is a part of inherent sanctity of the Image of God according to which wee are renewed a member of the new Man Sanctitat is internae inhaerent is inchoatae vel naturae illius cujus participes sumus Divinae partem aliquam esse fidem liquidius est ex Natura imaginis Dei gratiae infusae gratiae gratum facientis virtutis denique Theol. spiritualis quam ut iis quidquam opponatur For there is no man but acknowledgeth Faith it selfe to be a part of our Sanctification Twiss de permiss l. 2. cr 4. Sect. 5. Spanhem exercit de grat universali Annot. in S. 13. Doct. Twisse Nam fidem ipsam Sanctificationis nostrae partem esse nemo non agnoscit Sanctification is taken strictly as it is distinguished from internal vocation or in its Latitude whereof that is of Sanctification in its Latitude Faith cannot be denied to bee an effect Spanhemius Quae verò à nobis de Sanctificatione dicta fuêre de Sanctificatione strictè ex usu Scholarum sie dicta prout à vocatione interna distinguitur intelligenda sunt sed de Sanctificatione sumpta in sua Latitudine cujus fidem effectum esse negari nequit c. Fides est primus acius primus fructus spiritus Sanctificantis The infused habit of Sanctification Rhetorf Survey of Antinomianisme c. 60. by order of Nature goeth before Justification Rhetorf As the affirmative is no way prejudicial to the analogy of faith tendeth to the exalting of Christ the abasing of man making the Soule not only passive in the receiving of faith but in the receiving the habits of all saving grace that is in respect of their whole conversion nor only of part thereof so there appeares no concluding reason for the contrary CHAP. XII The Soule is passive in Vocation FOr the clearing and confirming of this Proposition seven things are to be considered 1 What Vocation is 2 What it is for the Soule to be passive 3 What the Habit of Faith or any other Grace is 4 What the second act Life-operation or exercise of Faith or any other Grace commonly called the act is 5 The just distinction between the Habit and the second Act or exercise of Grace which is carefully to be observed 6 That the habit of Faith which also holds in any other Grace precedes the second Act or exercise thereof 7 That in receiving the habit the Soule is passive What Vocation is Vocation is the infusion of a principle of Life or as some speake of the solitary habit of Faith Vocation what in whose sense this Proposition also stands good and untouched by the Spirit into the lost Soule in measure sensible of its inability and enmity to beleeve repent or doe any good by the meanes of and together with the external call of the Gospel in which worke the Soule notwithstanding any preparatory worke is meerly passive i. e. a meere passive receiver This gracious and saving work of the Spirit infusing life into the Soule is called Vocation by a Metonymie i. e. a Figure naming the work it selfe by the name of the instrument and external meanes by which the Spirit works it What it is for the Soule to be passive What it is for the Soule to be passive Passivenesse or suffering is either Perfecting tending to the good and perfection of the subject so the Creature which before was nothing suffered in receiving its being the Life-lesse body of Adam when it was made alive the Soule of Nebuchadnezzar when his reason returned to him Or Corruptive Passio Perfectiva Corruptiva Keck Phys lib. 3. c. 16. tending to the hurt and destruction of the subject so the Creature suffers in being made subject to vanity the body of Adam putrifying in the grave and the Soul of Nebuchadnezzar when it was depriv'd of reason The passivenesse of the Soule is the obediential subjection of a Soule Ministerially prepared wherein being unable to act it
only receiveth the impression of the Agent The Will in respect of this first reception of Grace hath neither the nature of a free Agent nor of a natural Patient but of an obediential subjection Obediential subjection is that capacity in the subject to receive an impression from the agent whereby as it remaines without ability in itself to put forth any causal vertue in order to such an effect so neither hath it any such repugnancy or contradiction in its nature whereby it is rendred uncapable of being made partaker of such an impression or effect by the power of a supernatural cause Briefly Impossibile Naturâ Naturae there is in such a subject in order to such an effect an impossibility by Nature but not to Nature i. e. an impossibility in respect of its owne power but a possibility in respect to a supernatural power this was the condition of those bones Ezek. 37. in respect of Life though there was in them a simple impossibility to live of themselves yet there was no impossibility but that they might be made alive by the power of God Power to receive a new forme is either Natural or Obediential Natural is in the thing or matter that is changed as in the seed of an Herb there is power to become an Herb Obediential power of a subject to receive a new forme puts not any causal power in the thing or matter to be changed all such power is without it viz. in the efficient there is only a power of reception in the thing or matter all power of causality being without the thing in the efficient So stones are in an obediential power to become men that is there is in them a subjection to become Men but all causality whence they doe become men is without them and in the efficient thereof namely God Obediential subjection is a capacity in the Creature to receive the impression of the first cause For the Soule then to be passive in the work of Vocation is for the Soule to receive the first saving grace and supernatural effect of the Spirit of Christ so as the Soule it selfe in this work is no way active from any such principle of activity as is of any power to produce such an effect no more than there is in a dead man to produce life Tho. 1 â—ae qu. 111. Art 2. in this worke the will is only moved of God but moveth not it selfe The Soule in this passive reception acteth not only it receiveth the impression of the Agent as Adams body was a passive receiver of Life inspired by God thereinto Gen. 2.17 formed and organized but yet life-lesse and breathlesse so were those bones Ezek. 37.8.10 and the body of the Shunamites childe 2 King 4.34 Hence the infusing of life into the Soule is compared to quickning of the dead Ephes 2. As a vessel is a passive receiver of the liquor poured into it the Soule is compared unto a vessel Rom. 9.21.23 and 2 Tim. 2.20 21. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And not only in the application of justifying grace is the love of God said to be poured out abundantly in our hearts Rom. 5.5 but also the creating of inherent grace in the Soule by the Spirit is compared to the infusion or pouring out of precious liquor thereinto God in effectual Vocation makes us vessels of honour In Vocation notwithstanding all preparatory work life is wrought by the quickning active Spirit of Christ Vocare est facere vas in honorem August Epist 105. Twiss vind grat l. 1. par 1. digr 8. S. 4. What the habit of faith or any other grace is in a dead passive Soule What the habit of faith or of any other saving grace is The habit of saving grave in general is an inherent and permanent frame of saving qualities infused into the Soule The habit of faith in particular is an inherent and permanent quality whereby Christ is received infused into the Soule by the Spirit in respect of which the Soule is only a meer passive subject and not any way an efficient The same habitual grace in several respects hath divers names Being considered as a potent quality that is such a quality as is predominant in the subject where it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 non est ad malum qua tale coron Artic. quart de conversione and enabling the Soule through the concurrence of assisting grace to all duties and above all oppositions it is called a power Being considered as a causative quality that is such a quality as is not only first but hath the nature of a cause unto the consequent second acts following from thence it is called a Principle Being considered as an infused inherent and permanent quality disposing the subject to the second acts it is called a Habit. What the second act What the second act Life-operation or c. Life-operation or exercise of faith or of any other grace commonly called the Act is The exercise of faith or of any other saving grace is a Life-operation flowing from the infused power principle or habit through the help of the antecedaneous concurrence of assisting grace in respect of which the beleever is not only a subject but also an efficient co-working cause The just distinction between the habit The just distinction between the habit c. and the second act or exercise of grace is carefully to be observed The supernatural power principle or habit for all those termes mean the same thing is the first act the Life-operation is the second act The habit is the grace it selfe Pemble of grace and faith p. 84 or the nature of grace the Life-operation or Life-act is the exercise of grace The habit is conversion in the first act the Life-operation or Life-act is conversion in the second act The habit is actually or an active principle existing without its causes the Life-act is action The habit is an immanent act i. e. such an act as is inward and abideth The Life-act is a transient act that is such an act as passeth away The habit is the will it self the Life-act is the volition The habit is the inclining of the soule to the object of its action the Life-act is the union of the soule with the object In the infusion of the habit the soule acteth not but is onely acted Haminis vero primtsm passio quòa trahitur à patre deinde act io quòu tractus venit ad Christum Jun. de nat grat collat 11. l. 57. In the Life-act the soule being acted acteth The habit God worketh without us the Life-act God worketh with us In the habit of faith is the being of faith it self the Life-act of saith is the working of this grace now wrought The infusion of the habit is effectuall vocation The Life-act of faith is our answer unto the call of God Effectual vocation is called the drawing of the Father Joh. 6.44 our being taught of God our
hearing and learning of the Father John 6.45 The Life act of faith is the souls immediate comming unto Christ upon its being drawn taught of God and having heard and learned of the Father By the infusion of the habit the immediate and irresistable work of the Spirit of grace God converteth the soul By the Life-act the soule being converted converteth it self unto God By the insusion of the habit God maketh us his people Hos 2.23 1 Pet. 2.10 By the Life-act we avouch him to bee our God we say it in truth and lye not we unsay it not again By the habit we are made good trees by the life-act we bring forth good fruit The habit or first act doth not alwayes infer the second it may be without the second but the second alayes supposeth the first Two contrary habits may be together in the same subject as grace and originall concupiscence in the soul heat and cold in the same water but there cannot be two second acts proceeding from those contrary habits at the same time The habit is a principle inhering in the wil as its subject and denominating it willing after the nature of a quality the life-act floweth efficiently from this principle and is accountable to us as a good act unto which God in his mercy hath appointed a reward The habit unto the act Suarez Meraph Tom. post disp 44. Sect. 8. is as the faculty of sight to actuall seeing or vision Aristotle compareth the habit to a man sleeping the act to a man waking The habit of faith which also holds in any other grace precedes the second act or exercise thereof The habit of faith precedes the second act or exercise of faith The habit of faith which also holds in respect of any other grace goeth before the second act commonly called the act or Life-operation or exercise of faith appeareth thus from the order of the first and second act The habit is the first act the Life-operation is the second act First as before Second The nature of the thing teacheth the being of grace which is life it self to be before the vital operation of that grace the grace of faith is the being of faith it self called the Spirit of faith 2 Cor. 4.13 The vitall operation of faith expressed by the acts of coming to Christ Joh. 5.4 6.44 45. Eating of his flesh vers 54. Drinking of his blood ibid. answering the call of God must needs follow the being of faith we cannot act before we are we cannot act acts of life such as coming eating drinking answering are before we are alive the cause precedeth the effect the grace of faith is an efficient cause the Life-operation is the effect All creature-effects i.e. all such effects as proceed from the creature according to the order of second causes whether acts or habits for acquired habits follow acts presuppose a principle virtually or formally containing such effects But supernatural life-operations are creature-effects whose principle is the same with an habit as hath been cleared in the explication of an habit therefore supernatural life-operations presuppose a principle foregoing such acts That supernatural life-operations are creature-effects is manifest grace the new-creature whether considered in part or whole is a creature That creature-effects presuppose a principle in the subject formally or virtually containing such effects appeareth by this induction All creature-effects or actions are either supernaturall proceeding from a supernatural principle infused or inspired or moral whose principle is the Law written in the heart Rom. 2.14 hence are actions of external conformity to the Law or artificial whose principle is right reason or natural which flow from inclination or instinct Obj. 1. Acquired habits as Arts and Sciences ex gr the knowledge of a Physician the faculty of a Scrivener the skill of a Tradesman c. are gotten and caused by multiplied acts therefore all creature-effects do not presuppose principles in the subject formally or virtually containing such acts Resp 1. Albeit acquired habits were such creature-effects as did not presuppose their principle as before in the subject it weakned onely the argument not the cause which proceeds onely concerning such natural creature-effects as acquired habits are not but the argument ex abundanti proving all creature-effects and consequently acquired habits to presuppose some principle of them in the subject concludes the question much more evidently in respect of supernatural creature-effects 2 Notwithstanding there be many artificial acts that may be done without a habit acquired as he may scrible that hath not the faculty of writing well yet even those acts according to the ordinary course of second causes be not done without some inherent principle they may be done without a habit i.e. Such a principle that so affects the subject as to enable it to act promptly easily and with delight but they cannot be done without a principle simply to enable the subject to act Obj. 2. The act of Prophesying was not by way of habit therefore there were not principles thereof in the subject Answ The gift of Prophesie was miraculous therefore falleth not under the compasse of creature-effects proceeding according to the order of second causes 2 Principles are either transient or inherent the act of Prophesie flowed from the transient and passing inspiration of the Spirit whence they prophesied when they were inspired though not from an inherent principle therefore could not prophesie when they pleased We may distinguish between the matter of Prophesie and the act of publishing that matter of Prophesie the matter of Prophesie was miraculously inspired therefore without the limits of the question as before the publication of that matter was a creature-effect proceeding from principles natural rational and spiritual Obj. 3 The act i.e. the Life-act of faith by which the soule commeth to Christ is given in the work of Vocation without any foregoing habit Ans 1 This as it is barely affirmed without any reason given may untill then be sufficiently answered with a denial 2 We must distinguish between Vocation wherein is infused into the soul a power to come to Christ and the terme of Vocation wherein is contained our actuall coming to Christ If the act of faith be given in Vocation without any habit in order of Nature foregoing it then it will follow Either that the soul is not passive in Vocation or Conversion a pure Arminian affection justly opposed and abhorred by the joynt vote of orthodox Divines Or that Vocation precedes believing that is one may be a Member of the Catholick Church and consequently be a Member of Christ in order of Nature at least before he is a belecver which none will affirme Or that Vocation followeth the act of faith whereby the Soule cometh unto Christ which were to affirme Vocation to follow our union active receiving of Christ and Justification an assertion in no meane degree repugnant both unto Divinity and Reason That they i.e. the Arminians suppose the act
in no respect active so the soul is not passive God doth not work savingly upon us as upon stocks or senselesse creatures or it is taken respectively for that which notwithstanding in some sense it be active yet in some it is passive the soule is passive in this latter sense it is active in respect of the use of means it is passive in respect of any saving efficacie by the use of means Sarah was active in respect of the use of means yet passive in conceiving by the use of means Rom. 4.19 Heb. 11.11 12. the Shunamites childe notwithstanding any natural heat and radical humor yet remaining in its dead body was passive in regard of the re-infusion of the reasonable soule 2 King 4.34 notwithstanding the noyse of the bones there coming together bone to his bone the sinewes and flesh coming upon them and the skin covering them yet those breathleffe bodies remaine passive in respect of life Ezek. 37.7 8. Though there be difference between Gods manner of working upon them who are dead spiritually Quamvis igitur discrimen sit inter modum agendi cum spiritualiter corporaliter mortuos in via ad vivificationem nihil tamen in eo reperiri potest quod in illis quam in istis effectum à Deominus absolutè pendere facit Coron artic 4 c. 4. and upon those who are dead corporally yet there can nothing be found which makes the effect of life lesse absolutely to depend upon God in those than in these We on the one hand against the Enthusiasts affirm not onely the power to use but the duty of using the means and on the other hand against the Arminians deny that man before grace can do any thing having the power of a cause so far forth as cometh from them in order to Life because we are reasonable creatures God proceeds with us in the use of means because we are dead creatures in respect of the efficacy of the means we depend wholly and absolutely upon God Obj. 2. Where there is a Physical or Natural motion of the will there the soul is not meerly passive but In Vocation or receiving the habit of grace there is a Physical motion of the will because there is a gracious motion which necessarily presupposeth a Physical motion Therefore in Vocation the soul is not meerly passive Sol. In the motion or act of the will in Vocation we must distinguish between the Physical or pure natural act of the will and the graciousnesse of that Physical act the soul is active in respect of the Physicall act Velle nob is est bene vesse à Deo Willer Syn. cent 4. error 33. but in respect of the graciousnesse of that Physical act the soul is meerly passive To will is in our own power to will as we should is of God Obj. 3. Conversion the same with Vocation is a Life-act to affirm the soule to be meerly passive in a Life-act were a contradiction therefore the soule in Vocation is not meerly passive Answ Conversion is taken in a double sense either for the immediate work of God infusing a principle of life Suffrag Brit. Thes 1. 2. and so regenerating the soule this is properly Vocation and in it the soul is passive or for the Life-act of faith c. whereby man being now converted converteth himselfe unto God Conversion in this second notion according to which the objection onely holds is not the same with Vocation it selfe but the answer of the soule to its call or some other action of saving grace So by Arguments the Authorities follow The will of man in Conversion Luth. cent 16. l. 8. c. 8. p. 899 is purely passive Luther Voluntas hominis in convevsione habet se merè passivè For faìth in respect of justification is a meer passive thing Calv. instit lib. 3. c. 14. Calvin Fides enim quoad justificationem est res merè passiva Truly man is dead Zdnch. Epist l. 1.94 and wanteth all sense and motion wherefore he can do nothing towards the making of himself alive Zanchy Homo certè mortuus omni sensu motuque caret quare ad sui vivificationem nihil praestat nihil agit In Regeneration we do not work together with God Beza thes theol c. 15. but are meerly passive Beza In Regeneratione non 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Deo sed merè 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 habemus For we are all dead to sin Bucan loc 18 10. but he that is dead is no otherwise than passive to his being made alive Bucanus Sumus enim omnes mortui in peccatis mortuus autem ad vivifieationem non nisi passivè se habet In the beginning of Conversion Perkins of Gods Free Grace and mans free will p. 737. that is in the setting or imprinting of the new qualities and inclinations in the mind will and affections of the heart we are meerly passive not active Perkins Unto that work of Regeneration which noteth the immediate work of God regenerating man Suffrage Brit. art 3 4. man is passive Suffrage of the Britain Divines Ad hoc ipsum opus regenerationis quo denotat immediatum opus Dei hominem regenerantis habet se homo passivè Before Regeneration man is meerly passive Keck Theol. 8. cap. ult unto special good Kockerman Post Lapsum ante regenerationem ad speciale bonum merè passive home se habet In respect of goodnesse inspired into our minds Willet Synop. err 46. p. 958 idem n. 35. our wils are altogether passive the freedome then of the will is the work and the effect of Grace ergo it is passive Willet The Free-will of a naturall man in respect of Gods working upon him is in some fort after the maner of a subject passively Leiden Divines Liberum naturalis hominis arbitrium habet se respectu Dei agentis Synop. pur Theol. Disp 17. ad modum quadantenus naturae subjecti 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 possivè In the application of the first grace man doth not act but suffers Ames In applicatione gratiae primae Ames de trapeccat ad vitam non agit homo sed patitur Our Churches conspire with Luther in that Article namely that in our first conversion we are meerly passive Dr. Twisse Nostrae Ecclesiae conspirant cum Luthero in isto articulo Twiss de errat 204. quod sc in prima nostri ad Deum conversione habeamus nos merè passivè In effectual calling man is altogether passive Assembly at Westminster being quickned and renewed by the holy Spirit he is thereby enabled to answer this call This Doctrine of the passivenesse of the soul in Vocation is a fundamental truth holding forth the Spirit of Christ in a way of special grace to be not onely the adequate but also the sole efficient cause of faith And therefore Free-will in a man yet without Christ partaker of what common grace soever can do
17.7 I will be the God of thee and of thy seed after thee are sanctified and accordingly in due time actually ingrafted into him Beleevers in profession but not really so only externally real beleevers both externally and internally yet Christ is not there excluded whom we are to look at as the Root good Olive and Stock principally and effectually into which Abraham himselfe with all other Beleevers are ingrafted 4 Of incorporation into one mystical body whereof Christ is the Head Beleevers are the Members 1 Cor. 12.12 13. 5 Of a Spiritual conjugal estate wherein Christ is the Husband Beleevers are his Spouse Eph. 5.32 Lastly Of a Building wherein Christ is compared to the foundation or corner Stone Beleevers to a House or living Stones built or layed thereupon Matth. 7.25 and 16.18 1 Pet. 2.4 5. Union is the conjunction of the Person of Christ What Union is and the Person of the Beleever into one third being whence ariseth an everlasting relation and answerable communion of Head and Members between Christ and the Beleever for ever As in Marriage the type of this Union the consent of Parents and Parties is the efficient cause So here the will of God the Father the will of Christ and the voluntary consent of the Beleever caused by the operation of the Spirit are the efficient cause of this Marriage God the Father from all eternity hath willed the Incarnation and Marriage of his Son unto the Elect. The will of Christ is conformable unto the will of his Father Hos 2.19 20. The Elect by beleeving give their consent to be married unto Christ The Ministers of the Gospel are the instrumentall cause Joh. 3.29.2 Cor. 11.2 The matter of this union is the whole person of Christ on the one part and the whole person of the Beleever on the other part Mark it diligently that the whole person of Christ and the whole person of the Beleever are united together The whole Person of Christ is united unto the Beleever else we were not united unto Christ for neither the Divine nor Human nature considered apart is Christ Christ is God-man in one person Christ is not our Head as God alone nor as Man alone but as God-man Secondly Deitas est fons unde fluunt omnia bona vita salus Humanitas est caualis per quem ad nos derivantur omnia haec bona It would else follow that our union would be unprofitable the Humanity profits nothing without the Divinity it is the Spirit that quick neth the flesh profiteth nothing Joh. 6.63 the Divinity wil profit nothing without the Humanity Joh. 6.53 Then sayed Jesus unto them Verily verily I say unto you except yee eat the flesh of the Sonne of Man and drink his blood yee have no life in you The Divinity is the fountaine from which all good things flow the Humanity is the chanel by which all good things are derived unto the Elect. As the whole Person of Christ is united unto the Beleever so the whole person of the Beleever is united unto Christ we are not only one with Christ in respect of our Souls 1 Cor. 6.17 but we are also one with Christ in respect of our bodies For we are members of his Body of his flesh and of his bones Eph. 5.30 One flesh If man and wife by vertue of their Marriage union which is but the Type become one flesh then Christ and the Beleever by vertue of their Spiritual union which is the Antitype must needs be one flesh vers 31. our person being in the same Mystical body with his person our flesh must needs be in the same Mystical body with his flesh where yet we must observe that this conjunction of our flesh with the flesh of Christ is not Corporal but Spiritual and to be understood of our flesh not simply but sanctified As our flesh hath spiritual Communion with the flesh of Christ in the Sacrament so our flesh hath union with the flesh of Christ in regeneration Such as is our Communion such is our Union but our commun on is from the whole person of Christ to the whole person of the Beleever therefore our union is between the whole person of Christ and the whole person of the Beleever Neither is our Soul alone joyned with the Soul of Christ alone Neque anima nostra sola cum sola Christi anima neque caro nostra sola cum sola Christi carne sed tota cujusque fidelis persona cum tota Christi persona verè conjungitur Zanchi Imo tota cujusque fidelis persona anima corpore cum tota per sona Christi verè conjungitur Buc. loc 48. quest 110. nor is our flesh alone joyned with the flesh of Christ alone but the whole person of every Beleever is joyned with the whole person of Christ See the Theses of Zanchy upon Eph. 5.32 treating largely and profitably of this subject See Bucanus also to the same purpose the whole person of every Beleever Soul and Body is truly conjoyned with the whole person of Christ The form of this union is the actual conjoyning of the person of Christ and the person of the Beleever in some third being Of the form of Union by the bands on either part For the better understanding the form of this union three things are to be attended 1. That third being or thing wherein Christ and the Beleever are united 2. The bands on Christs part and on the Beleevers by which they are united 3. The manner of this union Concerning the third being or thing which for readinesse sake in this discourse may be called a tertium wherein Christ and a Beleever are united it being premised and remembred that all union is of two ones or more into a third one arising out of and distinguished from both we are carefully to observe that the Scripture mentions divers Tertiums or third ones whence also so many kinds of union may not unprofitably be collected wherein Christ and the Beleever are united foure whereof are these The first Tertium or third being wherein Christ and the Beleever are united is Sameness of spirit but he that is joyned to the Lord is one spirit the created grace which is in the Beleever is the same in kinde with the created grace that is in the Manhood of Christ Hereby know we that we dwell in him and he in us because he hath given us of his Spirit 1 Joh. 4.13 Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ he is none of his Rom. 8.9 Partakers of the divine nature 2 Pet. 1.4 The second is One Mysticall body For as the body is one and hath many members and all the members of that one body being many are one body so is Christ For by one Spirit we are all baptized into one body 1 Cor. 12.12 13. The third is the Spiritual Marriage estate Eph. 5.32 This is a great Mysterie but I speake concerning Christ and the
Church For thy Maker is thy Husband the Lord of Hosts is his name and the Redeemer the holy one of Israel the God of the whole earth shal he be called Isa 54.5 Thou shalt no more be termed forsaken neither shall thy Land any more be termed desolate but thou shalt bee called Hephzi-bah and thy Land Beulah for the Lord delighteth in thee and thy Land shall be married Isa 62.4 The fourth is the state of glory And the glory which thou gavest me I have given them that they may be one even as we are one I in them and thou in me that they may be made perfect in one and that the world may know that thou hast sent me Joh. 17.22 23. Touching the bands 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Commissurae vocantur ea omnia quae nos Christo devinciunt ab 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 tango per has commissuras Christus tangit nos nos Christum tangimus see Exod 12.22 Heb. or tyes which hold the Head and Body together so as Christ and the Beleever doe thereby in this union touch one another for so the word turned Bands Col. 2.19 implieth we are to know that according as the third beings or tertiums differ whereinto Christ and a Beleever are united so the bands differ whereby they are united thus If Sameness of spirit be the third being then God in Christ giving his Spirit in a word of grace on the one part and the Soul receiving passively that Spirit of grace as an empty vessel receiveth oyl on the other part are the bands of union When the body mysticall is looked at as that third being then Christ in the gift of the grace of faith giving himselfe as our God actually is the band on his part and either the Souls receiving of Christ actually in its passive receipt of faith or actively by the act of faith is respectively the band on our part When we look at this union Christus suum consensum nobis efficacitèr patefacit suum Spiritum in corda nostra infundendo per hunc enim efficit ut sentiamus eum revera velle idque ex patris etiam voluntate nostrum esse sponsum eòque caput 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 nostrum Zanch. in Eph. cap. 5. Th. 3. in the third being of a Spiritual Marriage-estate the consent of Christ manifested by his infusion of his Spirit is the band on his part and the act of faith drawn forth by the power of assisting grace whereby we receive and take Christ as our Husband is the band on our part Lastly If we consider this union in the third being of a state of glory Christ giving glory is the band on his part our receiving whether passively or actively may respectively bee looked at as the band on our part The just observation of these several kinds of Union may haply be of use to reconcile that tenet which affirmeth Union to be by the habit of faith with that tenet ordinarily held forth in the writing of the Orthodox affirming Union to be by the Spirit and Faith understanding by faith the act of faith The first kinde of union is by the Habit not by the Act the second may be looked at as being by both either Habit or Act the third is by the Act not by the Habit. That proposition of frequent use among Divines sc Union is by the Spirit and faith that is by the Spirit on Christs part and Faith on our part Zauch in Eph. 5. de unione quaest 4. is to be understood of the third kind of union Touching the manner of this Union wherein Christ and the Beleever are united we may not unprofitably consider it First negatively Secondly positively Negatively it is not essential such as is the union of the three Persons in one essence in God Nor personal such as is the union of the Divine and Human nature in one and that an increated person in Christ Not natural whether essential as is the union of the form with the matter or by Local contact i. e. natural touching one of another as water is united to the vessel or by mixture as water is united to Hony or by the coupling together of a common and special nature as the Genus is united to the Species or by Cohesion as when one part of the body cohereth with another or by Adhesion as when Pitch cleaveth to our hands or by Inhesion as an accident inhereth in the subject or any other whatsoever 't is not civil as is the union of many persons into one body Politique Secondly Positively 't is a Spiritual and a Mystical union therefore the whole into which these Members are united is called a Mystical body This Spiritual union in respect of the verity thereof is real in respect of the things united 't is substantial in respect of its way or manner 't is supernatural and secret in respect of the neernesse of it 't is close and intimate 'T is a true not an imaginary union 't is sayed to be real or substantial in respect of the things that are united viz. the substance of Christ and the substance of the Beleever In this union we doe not receive the species or likenesse of Christ as the understanding receiveth the species of the Object but not the Object it selfe not are we thereby made partakers of the Spirit of Christ alone and not of himselfe but we are made partakers of both the very person of Christ and the person of the Beleever are as we saw before united together as the person of the Husband and the person of the Wife notwithstanding Local distance are united together From the neernesse of the union between Christ and his Members the body Mystical is called by the name of Christ Christ is considered either Personally in himselfe or Collectively together with the Church which is his Body so both Head and Members are required to make one Christ that is Christ not Personal but Mystical in which latter sense the Scripture calleth the Head and Body taken together by the name of Christ 1 Cor. 12.12 For as the body is one and hath many members and all the members of that one body being many are one body so is Christ Gal. 3.16 And to thy seed which is Christ that is all his Mystical body Hence the sufferings of Paul and of other Beleevers which we must yet remember were edificatory not satisfactory in way of edification not in way of satisfaction are called the sufferings of Christ Col. 1.24 The end of union is an everlasting and satisfactory communion 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 nempe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Of the order of Union 1 Cor. 1.9 to the glory of God in Christ the good of the whole Mystical body and our own happinesse Union in order of nature though not in order of time followeth Vocation which appeareth by the considering of a being or essence Oneness and Union distinctly A being or essence is the thing
it selfe Oneness is an affection immediatly flowing from the meer being of a thing whereby it is individed in it selfe and divided from all other beings or things Union is the conjunction of two ones or more into a third being for example sake Ens unum unio take a man consisting of Body and Soul the Soul first hath a being then this singular being and not another then it is united unto the body in a third being namely the person of a man the like is true of the body In Vocation we receive our being in Union is the manner of our being In Vocation we are made Beleevers in Union is considered the order between Christ and Beleevers In Vocation is the foundation of our union in Union is the relation built upon that foundation Inter illa quae convertuntur secundum essendi consequentiam illud est prius quod habet rationem subjecti Alsted Metaph. par 1. cap. 25. In Vocation is the spirit of grace infused in Union this infused spirit is made an in-dwelling spirit Without Union there can be no Communion This necessarily pre-supposeth that things cannot act one upon another that doe not reach one the other they cannot give and take one from another that doe not some way meet together yet here we must know that the contact or mutual touch of things is not alwayes Local when their substances or Bodies doe immediatly touch one another but often-times vertual only when notwithstanding they doe not immediately touch one the other yet they reach one the other in their efficacy Instances whereof we have many in Natural causes as the Loadstone and Iron separated in place yet act one upon another that by attracting this by following In Political matters persons though distant in place one from another yet exercise civil communion in the affairs of this life In Spiritual things as namely in the Sacrament the Body and Blood of Christ is united to the Elements vertually that is by vertue of Divine institution and promise not Locally to deny that were to deny the Sacrament to be a Sacrament to say the last were to affirm Ubiquity whether Transubstantiation with the Papists or Consubstantiation with the Lutherans So here the Person of Christ who in respect of his Body is in Heaven and the persons of his Militant members who in respect both of Souls and Bodies are upon the earth are united to and doe Spiritually touch one another I am the Vine yee are the Branches he that abideth in me and I in him the same bringeth forth much fruit for without me yee can doe nothing Joh. 15.5 For the better discerning the order of the dependence of Communion upon Union The order of the dependence of Communion upon Union from whence it floweth we may consider in Union as is also to be done in other relations these foure particulars First The subject of the Relation the person of Christ and the person of the Beleever Secondly The foundation of it on Christs part the Divine institution absolutely considered on our part faith considered only as an infused saving quality in the Soul Thirdly A mutual reference on Christs part superadding a respect to Divine institution whereby according to the appointment of God he looks at the Beleever as his Member superadding also on the Beleevers part a respect unto faith whereby faith which in it selfe is but a quality hath now adhering to it an order to its object whence it looks at Christ as its head In relatis spectanda Subjectum Fundamentum Mutuus ordo Efficacia This mutual order between Christ and the Beleever is the relation it selfe Fourthly The efficacie of the relation The efficacie of a Relation springeth from its foundation the foundation then of this being firstly the absolute grace of God in election and thence flowing downe in the Promise according to the merit of Christ by the effectual operation of the Spirit Needs must the River of life be full ever-flowing Tametsi relatis est ens debilis entitatis tamen est magnae efficaciae and quickning that ariseth from and is mantained by such fountains the influence of the Occan into water-springs of the Sun and Heaven into inferior bodies is not to be compared thereunto Next to the increated Communion of the Trinity in the Divine Essence and the communicated influence from the Divine nature to the Man-hood is the influence of the Lord Jesus Christ unto the members of his mystical body And thou shalt make them drink of the river of thy pleasures for with thee is the fountain of Life In thy light we shall see light Psal 36.8 9. As the union between Christ and the soul The excellency of this communion flowing from union so the communion flowing from this union is mystical a glimpse of whose excellency as it readily shineth forth in this place in respect of the subject object and nature thereof so cannot but be of precious and vigorous use to the serious and spiritual Reader as he passeth along The subject thereof is the Catholick Church or body of Christ The Mystical body of Christ is a spiritual Totum The my stical body of Christ what or Whole consisting of the Person of Christ and all the persons of the Elect effectually called both Angels and Men orderly united by the Spirit unto Christ as their Head and in him one unto another after the manner of the body of a man So as from him is supplied grace suitable to their seveveral relations therein for the effectual and perfect communion both of all the members with the Head and of themselves one with another unto the increasing it self with the increase of God The Militant part of the Mystical body of Christ consisting both of Jews and Gentiles make one new man Eph. 2.15 The Mystical body Triumphant is compared to one perfect man Eph. 4.13 Christus omnia ejus membra constituunt unam personam my sticam Tho. quaest disp de gr ch art 7. ad 11. Davenan Coloss 1.24 Christ and all his members are one Mystical Person This innumerable number as they are but one mystical body so they all have but one soul viz. The Spirit of Christ whence they are united in this life sincerely in the life to come perfectly In point of judgement Eph. 4.13 Till we all come in the unity of the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God c. In point of affection 1 Cor. 12.12 Of perfect communion Joh. 17.22 23. And the glory which thou gavest me I have given them that they may be one even as we are one I in them and thou in me that they may be made perfect in one and that the world may know that thou hast sent me and hast loved them as thou hast loved me Stay yet a little and look upon this spiritual and glorious body walk about Christ mystical go round about him tell the Members mark ye well the
are made perfect Heb. 12.23 The soul shall be in a better estate than it was when it first came from God being now in Christ and having attained perfection in him both in respect of Kind and Degrees Adams soul in Christ is a more excellent spirit than it either was or was capable of being under the first Covenant the Angels in Christ are more blessed than they had been in their first blessed estate without Christ The soul from the moment of its dissolution untill the Resurrection is like to the soul of Christ in Paradise whilst his body lay in the Grave The place of the Blessed is usually known by the name of the third Heaven Consider 4. Of the Adjuncts of blessednesse where first of the place The third Heaven is a simple and shining body created immediately of God to be the Throne of his special presence and of the gracious manifestation of his perfections and the habitation of the Blessed both Angels and Men. The whole Region of the Air unto the Moon is in Scripture called the first Heaven from the Moon to the highest Stats inclusively the second Heaven That which is above these the place of happiness the third Heaven 2 Cor. 12.2 This third Heaven is also called A house not made with hands 2 Cor. 5. A City whose builder and maker is God Heb. 11.10 The City of the living God Heb. 12.22 Christs Fathers house Joh. 14.2 That better and heavenly Country of the Saints Heb. 11.13 14. Paradise Luke 23.43 Heaven the Heaven of heavens 1 King 8.27 The world to come The School-men call it Empyreum from its splendor and shining brightness this third Heaven we have only from the Scripture Aristotle was ignorant therof it being invisible It s place is far above all visible Heavens Eph. 4.10 Christ ascending thereinto Caelo beatorum proprie competit nomen 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quia terminus est sinis ultimus supre nusque mundi 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 est quasi 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is said to be made higher than the heavens Heb. 7.25 Hence it is called the third Heaven and the Greek word turned Heaven intends such a place as is the supreme term and bounds of this present world It is probably thought to be created the first day there being no inconvenience to include the third Heaven in those Heavens mentioned Gen. 1.1 In the beginning God created the Heaven and the Earth Also because the Angels whose habitation is the third Heaven were created the first day Job 38.6 7. It was created immediately of God not of any pre-existing principle and as it is for a more excellent use so doth it consist of more excellent matter distinguished from and excelling of the matter of the other Heavens Gemmes Metals precious Stones or what ever material creature in this visible world It excelleth the quintessence of the Chymists namely that spirit which they extract from Herbs and Metals for those spirits though never so subtile yet are elementary and mixed bodies It excelleth the quintessence of the Philosophers who understand thereby a material substance diverse from the matter of the four Elements whereby all things are compounded In which sense some learned men after Aristotle will have these visible heavens to be quintessential which notwithstanding yet the third heavens are more subtile and pure than they all being not onely immixed Keck Phys◠l. 2. c. 1. but invisible and having its natural place above all these bodies and not descending It is incorruptible because having no principle out of which according to order of nature it did arise there is no principle into which according to the order of nature it can be returned It is uncapable of a Physical change into any other body It is impassible by any creature and as by nature its Maker hath freed it from corruption so by a superadded act of his good pleasure he hath freed it from annihilation It is an house not maile with hands eternal in the Heavens 2 Cor. 5.1 It is clear and shining 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quase 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 totus lucidus The City hath no need of the Sun or Moon to shine in it it is all as a most glorious Sun and therefore called by the Learned as was intimated before Empyreum not from its heat but from its resplendence and most pleasant light All the lustre and shining beauty in these visible Heavens Gems Metals precious Stones c. could it be united into one object were not to be compared to it As the place of the damned is the place of the greatest and most grievous darknesse So the place of the blessed is a place of the greatest and most pleasant light It is spacious containing in it all invisible and visible creatures and consequently this visible world This is the great City of the great King He measured with the reed twelve thousand furlongs the length and the breadth and the height of it are equall Rev. 21.16 It is the Court of God and Christ wherein are habitations for innumerable company of Angels and for the spiritual seed of Abraham which are as the sand of the Sea-shore which is innumerable In my Fathers house there are many Mansions if it were not so I would have told you it Joh. 14.2 As it is said of Topheth though in a contrary sense It is large and deep for the King it is prepared So may it be said of Heaven It is large and high for the blessed it is prepared It is most pleasant free from all evil and full of all good a proportionable object to glorified eyes and a suitable place to glorified bodies The light of it is fitly compared to the light of a Jasper stone Rev. 21.11 which is not darkned by clouds neither doth hurt our eyes but the more we look on it the more it pleaseth us neither doth it leave shining when the Sun shineth nor doth the brightnesse of it go out at any time Solomons Temple was a magnificent building for which Solomons expence excepted David prepared in silver and gold seven hundred millions 1 Chron. 22.14 besides brasse iron without weight about which were occupied seventeen thousand Labourers thirteen thousand and three hundred Over-seers Solomons and Hyrams Builders 1 King 5. together with Hyram and the cunning Artificers of David and Solomon I have sent unto thee a cunning man c. skilful to work in gold and in silver in brasse and in iron in stone and in timber and purple in blew and in fine linnen and crimson also to grave any manner of graving and to find out every device which shall be put to him with thy cunning-men and with the cunning-men of my Lord David thy Father 2 Chron. 2.14 All which help notwithstanding the Temple was seven yeers in building 1 King 6.38 The house which I build is great for the house which I am about to build is wonderful great 2 Chron.
2.5.9 But behold a greater building than Solomons is here a house as was said before not made with hands eternal in the Heavens 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ad excellentiam artificium operis refertur Zanch. whose Builder and Maker is God Heb. 11.10 A most excellent prospect hereof we have in Johns Graphical description of that great City Rev. 21. as a type not onely though haply chiefly of the triumphing Church it self vers 2.9 but also of the place of its everlasting habitation verse 27. where the Holy Ghost gathereth together in a manner the universal excellency of the visible creature to hold forth a legible and heavenly picture of this invisible and supercelestial Mansion Be pleased to take a more orderly view of it as you have it set forth according to its foundations and structure The foundations are twelve garnished with all manner of precious stones and in them the names of the twelve Apostles of the Lamb engraven The first foundation was Jasper the chief of Gems of which before The second a Saphir blew or skie-coloured the fifth in Aarons Breast-plate The third a Calcedomy of purple colour The fourth an Emrald a stone so green that other green things lose their colour while it is present most pleasant to the sight the fourth in Aarons Breast-plate The fifth a Sardonyx white without and red underneath like the nayl of a man The sixth a Sardius of the colour of blood the first in Aarons Breast-plate The seventh a Chrysolite of such a golden colour that gold looketh like silver to it when they are laid together The eighth a Beryl of a Sea-green the tenth in Aarons Breast-plate The ninth a Topaz of a pleasing green colour the second in Aarons Breast-plate The tenth Crysophrasus a green inclining unto gold The eleventh a Jacinct of a violet colour The twelfth an Amathist the chief of violet coloured Gems the ninth in Aarons Breast-plate It s structure is either outward where we have the matter form wall and gates the matter pure gold like unto cleer glasse ver 18. viz. transparent gold the form sour-square ver 16. Twelve thousand furlongs that is fiveteen hundred English miles square The wall of Jasper ver 18. a hundred forty four cubits in height ver 17. situated to the four coasts of Heaven vers 13. strongly founded vers 14. The gates are in number twelve made of twelve pearls every several gate was of one pearl vers 21. situated East West North and South three looking every way vers 13. having ingraven upon them the names of the twelve Tribes of Israel and twelve Angels for the keepers of them Or inward where we have the streets of pure gold as it were transparent glasse vers 21. It s Temple God and the Lamb Its light the glory of God and the Lamb Its inhabitants vers 24. It s peace vers 25 Glory ver 26. Holinesse vers 27. Its waters a pure river of life Chap. 22.1 Its fruits are the fruits of the tree of life vers 2. This heavenly society is made up of God 2 Of their Society and Christ and the blessed The good of this society in respect of the Blessed themselves chiefly consists in their knowledge one of another communion one with another and content flowing from that communion Known and approved is Luthers answer Num in illa aeterna vita simus alter alterum cognituri Melch. Adam in vita Luth. returned affirmatively upon the desire of the hearers that he would be pleased to speak to his own Query to this question propounded by himself a little before his death viz. Whether we should know one another in eternal life which he proved from Adams knowledge of Eve in innocency whom he had never seen before Gen. 2.23 The knowledge of the Beat fical Vision exceeds the knowledge of Adam David implyeth that he shall know his childe when he comforts himself that he shall go unto it 2 Sam. 12.23 Peter seeing Christ transfigured and Moses and Elias appearing with him in glory whom he had never seen no saith Tertullian not so much as in their pictures Tertul. contra Mar. the use of Statues and Images being prohibited by Law among the Jews takes notice of them Maâ—th 17.4 Luke 9.33 The rich man knew Abraham and Lazarus Luk. 16. Surely then Abraham and Lazarus shall know one another The poor shall know their rich Benefacters when they receive them into everlasting habitations Luke 16.9 Poul shall know the Thessalonians whilst he looketh upon them as his crown of rejoycing at the comming of the Lord Jesus 1 Thess 2.9 The Angels know one another Tho. part I. q. â—6 art 7. and know the Elect in glory The very state of blessednesse denyeth the contrary Austin comforts the Lady Italica after her Husbands death Quosdam nostras migrantes non amisimus sed praemifimus August Epist 6. telling her that she shal know him amongst the blessed Society yea both know and love him better than ever she did in this life Their communion and conference one with another may be gathered from the like in the Angels who doubtlesse speak one unto another though not vocally as we now doe yet in their manner viz. Angelically and Spiritually which is nothing else but a spiritual insinuation instillation or communication of their minds notions and meanings one unto another For Spiritual substances to speak together Tho. part 1. q. 10. art 1. is for one spirit to signifie unto another their notions and minds in a spiritual and therefore in a better manner than we doe As the speech of the Angels Zanchi de operibus Dei part i. lib. 3 c. 19. so the speech of the blessed Souls is a power whereby as they please they make known one unto another what they know themselves our thoughts passe unto him whom we communicate them unto by two doors viz. of volition or will and expression whether by word writing or sign The Angels have but one door through which their thoughts pass namely their wil. To think that the Angels and Spirits of the just made perfect doe not speak mentally that is in their heavenly and spiritual manner communicate their minds one unto another as they see cause is against reason and inconsisting with the state of blessedness To think they speak in this manner is not repugnant to Scripture or Reason though the ful resolution of that quere viz. with what tongues the Angels and Souls departed speak seems to be reserved til we come into Heaven After the Resurrection nothing hinders but we may beleeve Synops. pur Theolog. disp 2. n 42. that the Saints shal speak not only mentally after the manner of the Angels but also when they please vocally after the manner that men now speak and as some conceive probably in the Hebrew Tongue Great must needs be the content of their Communion if we consider either the neer relation of the persons being Members of the
same Mystical Body or the manner of their meeting together sweetned with more affecting ingredients and circumstances than the meeting of Jacob Joseph and Benjamin together with their ability unity complacency c. and all this mixed with the immediate presence of Christ If Peter but for a smal time seeing and hearing the faces and discourse of Christ Moses and Elias breaks out It is good for us to be here much more cause is there for them so to doe being not only Spectators and Auditors but also Interlocutors with them and the residue of this ful and blessed Society and that for ever As the communion of the Sanits in this life is a great part of our comfort on earth so the communion of the Saints in glory is no little part of the joys of Heaven The duration of this Blessednesse is for ever 3. The Duration of all Duration is Either increated viz. eternity properly so called this is the duration of God Or created viz. eviternity the duration of the Blessed in glory Or time the duration of the Creature in this world Between Eternity Eviternity and Time some who have more accurately considered the natures thereof distinguish thus Eternity is without beginning without end without succession Eviternity is without end but not without beginning and though without succession in respect of the duration of their Persons yet not without succession in respect of their operations and other accidents Time hath both a beginning succession and end In Eternity all is present nothing past nor to come In Eviternity in respect of the duration of their Persons there is nothing past but in other respects there is both past and to come that is the instant that was in some respect passeth not away but alwayes remaineth but in other respects there are instants to be which are not yet come In Time there is both past present and to come Eternity is a Duration consisting of an eternal Now without beginning or ending Eviternity is a Duration having a continuing Now with a beginning but without an ending Time is a successive Duration having a beginning and ending without any remaining Now. The Body is not so miserable under the Curse Consid 5. Of the condition of the Body after the Resurrection as it is blessed in the Promise as in the state of Corruption it is abased lower than all created Bodies so in the state of glory it is exalted higher than all other Bodies Christs excepted The excellency of the glorified Body consists especially in two things 1 In that we shal see Christ as he is Man with these eyes 2 In certain inherent Caelestial qualities That we shal see Christ as he is Man with these eyes Job manifestly testifieth For I know that my Redeemer liveth and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth and though after my skin worms destroy this body yet in my flesh shall I see God whom I shall see for my self and mine eyes shall behold him and not another cap. 19.25 26 27. The sight of Christ as Man is the next object unto the Beatifical Vision it self as the created grace which the Man-hood received was out of measure Joh. 3.34 yet not simply for being a creature it is bounded but respectively in regard of us we being unable to measure it so the glory of the Manhood is out of measure The Humanity of Christ in respect of its personal union farre exceeds all the glory of Angels and glorified Souls The glory of the Man-hood is as much as the Creature is capable of the glory of the Body is derived both from the Divinity and the glory of his Soul The fulness of the God-head dwelling in him bodily doth as it were radiate through his body hence there must needs arise great joy unto the beholder both from the eminency of and our interest in this object Christ in glory and Christ in glory ours as much of the Creator as is possibly visible in the nature of man wil be to be seen in Christ as much contentation as the Creature can be made partaker of by the sight of any one visible object wil be the portion of the beholders of Christ as he is Man The inherent caelestial qualities of the Body at the Resurrection are principally four viz. 1 Impassibility called Incorruption Clari Subtiles Agiles Impassibilesque omnes quadruplici pollebunt dote Beati Estius Sent. lib. 4. dist 44. Vide Scot. Richard c. in lib. 4. d. 49. 1 Cor. 15.42 43. 2 Clarity called Glory 1 Cor. 15.42 43. 3 Agility called Power 1 Cor. 15.42 43. 4 Subtilty called A Spiritual body 1 Cor. 15.42 43. Impassibilitie doth not only exclude Corruption for the bodies of the Damned cannot dye but it freeth the body from all hurtful passions Dos Impassibilitatis either of grievance or infirmity Rev. 21.4 As it was in an extraordinary manner with the bodies of the three Children in the Babylonish Furnace for a time so shall it be with the bodies of the Saints for ever the Fire hath no power upon their bodies neither can the smel of fire passe upon them neither heat nor cold can trouble them nor the Sword pierce them Darts are not counted so much as stubble they laugh at the shaking of the Speare Dos Claritates Glory is a shining brightnesse a resplendent lightsomness or a Caelestial sparkling splendor of the Body whereby it may be thought to exceed all the beauty and splendor of Gems Pearls Heavens Sun Moon and Stars yea even of the Heaven of Heavens though all were put together The third Heavens though exceeding all inferiour Creatures as we saw before are but the place of these Bodies which shall be like unto his glorious Body Philip. 3.21 The joy of the Spirit shineth in the countenance no wonder if the faces of those shine whose spirits are filled with joy by beholding the face of God the Sun radiates and shews it self thorough the Window the Fire sends forth a bright lustre thorough Chrystal Stephens Face in this life was seen as it were the face of an Angel Act. 6.15 behold how Moses his face shone upon a little speech with God in the Mount what then may be concluded from the perpetual and perfect vision of him so as Aaron and all the Children of Israel were afraid to come nigh him Exod. 34.30 but Then shall the righteous shine forth as the Sun in the Kingdome of their Father he that hath cars to hear let him hear Mat. 13.43 not that they shal not out-shine the Sun but because there is no more shining body visible to us therefore are the Bodies of the Saints in glory compared thereunto When Christ upon the Mount put on the apparition of that glory for a little time which now he wears for ever Peter and James and John were unable to bear the sight of that transfiguration and of Moses and Elias appearing with him in glory Mat.
in testimony that there was but one God comforts himself over his draught of poyson with the meditation of this very subject If I in this erre faith Cato majer that I beleeve the souls of men to be immortal I erre willingly neither will I ever suffer this errour in which I delight to be wrested from me as long as I live If heathens having a dark view and vain hope of the immortality of the soul were so remarkably though passionately affected what and how vigorous then should the effects be flowing from the strong and solid consolations of beleevers who infallibly though darkly see here what they shall hereafter both be and see cleerly Whom God hath wrought for the self-same end who also hath given us the earnest of his Spirit Those are they who are and ought to be in Gods time willing to dye We are confident I say and willing c. 2 Cor. 5.8 Desirous to depart Phil. 1.23 groaning earnestly to be cloathed upon with that house which is from Heaven 2 Cor. 5.2 Rejoycing in the finishing of their course Act 20.24 Yea triumphing over death 1 Cor. 15.55 How would it sweeten the bitter waters of this Wilderness to live and dye in the Mount in the sight of this Canaan unto the comparative speediness of Christs coming at the Resurrection when we shall enjoy the blessedness of our persons which yet in it self considered admits long delay mentioned by the Apostle to the Hebrews Chap. 10.37 as an effectual cordial against the sorrows of this present life Adde this consideration of the blessednesse of our souls which immediately follows upon our dissolution from the body and admits no delay the soul is not sooner out of this earthly than it is in its heavenly house it goeth as fast into a better as it goeth out of this miserable world it is instantly with him in whom it findes all rest upon its ceasing to be with man of whom it shall there find no want In a moment in the twinkling of an eye before the eyes of the dead body are closed the eye of the living soul shall behold the face of Jesus Christ Amen Even so come Lord Jesus A Table of the Chapters contained in this Treatise OF the Divine Essence Chap. 1. Page 1 Of the Trinity c. 2. p. 21 Of Christ c. 3. p. 35 Of the Decree c. 4. p. 50 Of the Efficiency of God c. 5. 9. 101 There are certain preparatory works coming between the carnall rest of the soul in the state of Nature and effectuall Vocation c. 6. p. 129 What are the principal heads whereunto the substance of preparatory work in the full extent thereof may be referred c. 7. p. 141 Whether there be any saving qualifications before the grace of faith viz. any such qualifications whereupon salvation may be certainly promised unto the person so qualified c. 8. p. 163 Of the first object of saving faith c. 9. p. 194 Saving faith is the effect of free special grace that is of grace flowing from God according to Election and from Christ according to Redemption viz. as the Redeemer and designed head of his Elect. c. 10. p. 219 What is the first saving gift actually applyed unto an elect soul c. 11. p. 249 The soul is passive in Vocation c. 12. p. 257 Of the union of the beleever with Christ c. 13. p. 283 Of Justification by faith c. 14. p. 297 Of the state of the blessed where Of the condition of their souls from the instant of their dissolution and of their persons after the Resurrection c. 15. p. 327 An Alphabetical Table of the principal matters contained in this Book A. A Meer act what Ch. 1. Pag. 5 Acts of God of three sorts Essential personal mixt and what c. 2. p. 24 The same act both evitable and inevitable in a diverse sense c. 4. p. 64 The second act or exercise of grace what c. 12. p. 260 The act of faith not given before the habit in Vocation c. 12. p. 261 Adams sin how made ours c. 7. p. 142 143 Adjuncts of blessednesse c. 15. p. 342 We are inabled in Adam to beleave in Christ. c. 9. 202 203 204 Appellations of the three Persons in the Divine nature used in Scripture c. 2. p. 24 Ascertaining salvation before faith stands not with Christs Method in preaching the Gospel c. 8. p. 171 Attributes what c. 1. p. 3 Attributes how distinguished from the Divine Essence and one from another c. 1. p. 4 Attributes distributed c. 1. p. 4 Four Attributes of the beatifical object c. 15. p. 335 B. The Bands whereby Christ and the Beleevers are united c. 13. p. 288 289 The Beatifical Vision What. c. 15. p. 229 230. In it three things considered c. 15. p. 230 Qualified sinners onely invited immediately to Beleeve proved by Scripture and by Types c. 6. p. 133. seq to 139 Reasons c. 6. p. 133. seq to 139 Examples c. 6. p. 133. seq to 139 Arguments moving to Beleeve c. 7. p. 158 This Proposition Whosoever Beleeveth shall be saved containeth a command and a particular conditional promise c. 8. p. 172 Why God commandeth them to Beleeve concerning whom hee hath decreed that they shall not Beleeve c. 9. p. 199 How they have hope to Beleeve whom God hath decreed shall not Beleeve c. 9. p. 199 Of the difficulty of Beleeving c. 9. p. 206 207. seq to 212 Beleevers receive both the Person and the Spirit of Christ c. 11. p. 249 Benignity of God what c. 1. p. 12 The society of the Blessed and wherein the good thereof consisteth c. 15. p. 346 347 The Blessednesse of the soul before and after the Resurrection in what respect the same and in what not the same c. 15. p. 352 353 Frequent consideration of the state of the Blessed usefull many wayes c. 15. p. 268 C. Calling extraordinary or ordinary c. 6. p. 130 Ordinary Calling mediate or immediate c. 6. p. ib. The universal efficiencie of the first cause and the subordinate efficiencie of the second cause consist together c. 5. p. 111. 114 The causes of union efficient c. 13. p. 285 Instrumental p. 285 The matter p. 286 The form 287 The end 291 Nothing falleth out beside the purpose of the first cause c. 4. p. 93 A Caution concerning fixing conversion to such a time c. 7. p. 162 In what sense there is no chance c. 5. p. 123 Some things in Scripture ascribed to chance deny not that all things are ordered by God c. 5. p. 123 124 Christ dyed for his when they were sinners c. 9. p. 215 Christ the cause of the application of the good of election but not of election c. 10. p. 225 Without union no communion c. 13. p. 291 292 The excellency of Communion flowing from union c. 13. p. 225 296 The content of the Communion of the blessed c. 15. p. 347 348 Sores of Composition seven which and what c. 1. p. 6 The Concourse of the
truth c. 12 p. 281 Peace of conscience what c. 14. 324 The state of the beleever is a state of perfect peace with the grounds thereof c. 14. p. 324 325 Perfection in God what c. 1. p. 20 The perfection of the whole creature is in God eminently c. 15. p. 332 A person in the Divine Nature what c. 2. p. 22 What constitutes a person in God ibid. Difference between a created and an increated Person c. 2.23 A Person how distinguished from a Person c. 2. p. 27 A created Person what c. 3. p. 37 The Person of Christ what c. 11. p. 249 The soul by faith receiveth the Person of Christ yet not personally but objectively c. 11. p. 250 A Personal property what c. 2. p. 28 The Personal notions in number five and which c. 2. p. 30 Positive Attributes what in number six c. 1. p. 16 Poverty legal and preparatory before faith and saving after faith c. 8. p. 184 185 Preparatory work what c. 6. p. 130 Preparatory work taken in its extent what c. 7. p. 141 Works Preparatory properly or in the judgement of charity c. 6. p. 129 130 Preparatory works by way of meer order c. 6. p. 130 Four objections against Preparatory work answered c. 6 p. 139 140 Preparatory work no whit darkneth free grace c. 6. p. 139 The heads whereunto the Preparatory work of the Gospel may be referred c. 7. p. 152 Three cases of conscience concerning Preparatory work c. 7. p. 160 161 c. The notion Preparatory as concerning preparatory work distinguished c. 8. p. 164 The peculiar wayes of Gods Presence with divers creatures c. 1. p. 8 A preservative against temptations concerning the justice of God c. 5. p. 122 Actuall Providence what c. 52 p. 102 Q. Soul-Qualifications what c. 8. p. 163 Saving-Qualifications taken properly or improperly c. 8. p. 164 165 Taken properly what c. 8. p. 164 The variety of Judgements touching the relations that Qualifications before faith have unto conversion c. 8. p. 165 Texts of Scripture against the ascertaining salvation to any Qualification before faith c. 8. p. 166 167 Ten arguments to the same effect c. 8. p. 167 to 175 Our best Qualifications as also our operations before faith are sin c. 8. p. 174 Authorities against ascertaining salvation upon a Qualification before faith c. 8. p. 175 to 179 Nine Objections against the not ascertaining salvation upon some Qualification or Qualifications before faith fully answered c. 8. p. 179 to 190 The four Celestial Qualities of the glorified body opened c. 15. p. 350 351 352. R. Receiving Christ is either active or passive c. 12.267 Reconciliation twofold one before the other after our conversion c. 14. p. 316 The Ministry and Word of Reconciliation why so styled 2 Cor. 5 18 19. c. 9. p. 215 Relative Attributes in number seven c. 1. p. 10 Relative Attributes put no change in God ibid. Repentance legal or saving c. 7. p. 153 Preparatory or legal Repentance what c. 7. ibid Repentance legal or preparatory before faith or saving after faith c. 8. p. 184 185 Reprobation is not an act of Justice c. 4. p. 66 67 68 Reprobation is not the cause of sin though the antecedent thereof c. 4. p. 69 None in this life can ordinarily conclude they are Reprobate c. 4 p. 84. The Gospel why called a Revelation c. 7. p. 152 Revelation of Christ so far as is necessary to salvation what c. 7. ibid. The Law not the Decree is the Rule of life c. 4. p. 80 81 Seven Rules to be observed in propounding of the Doctrine of the Decree c. 4. 82 83 84 85 S. Faith in what sense it is affirmed to be a part of Sanctification c. 11. p. 255 256 To ascertain salvation before faith is to ascertain it to a worke or as it were to a worke c. 8. p. 174 Saving faith what c. 10. p. 219 Saving faith the effect of Election c. 10. p. 199 Before the grace of faith there is nothing that is saving c. 8.170 Seeking Christ without faith and with faith what c. 7. p. 159 Though we cannot seek Christ in faith yet it is our duty to pray c. 7. p. ibid. Jesus Christ findeth the soul while it so seeks him as yet it cannot seek him c. 7. p. 160 The souls selling of all is either legal or saving legal what and how distinguished c. 8. p. 182 183 Saving threefold and what ibid. Simplicity in God what c. 1. p. 5 Adams sin original sin actual sin what c. 7. p. 142 143 144 God is not the author of sin c. 4. p. 61 to 67 As God is not the author of sin so be is not a meer permitter thereof c. 4. p. 66 God delighteth not in the death of a sinner c. 4. p. 73 Man is the cause of sin c. 4. p. 70 Sin is the cause of punishment c. 4. p. 71 Acknowledgement of the Sovereignty of God in point of shewing or not shewing mercy is a point of our humiliation c. 7. 158 The term special to be attended in this Proposition faith is the effect of sperial grace c. 10. p. 228 The Spirit of Christ received by beleevers what and why so called c. 11. p. 249 150 How the soule receives the Spirit of Christ c. 11. p. 250 The Angels and Spirits of the just made perfect how they speak one unto another c. 15. p. 347 T. High cause of Thankfulnesse to be seen in the Decree c. 4. p. 99 A Trance what c. 15. p. 339 The usefulnesse of the doctrines of the Trinity c. 2. p. 31 32 33 34 What Terms are to be avoyded in speaking of the Trinity c. 2. p. 29 V. The effects of the beatifical Vision c. 15. p. 334 The fault of Vnbelief lyeth wholly upon our selves c 9. p. 205 206 It is impossible for an Unbeleever how ever qualified to please God c. 8. p. 173 Every Vnbeleever is in such a condition to which the Scripture speaks wrath c. 8. ibid. God to be taken in the best sense in his tender of grace to an Vnbeleever c. 9. p. 215 T is a truth concerning every Unbeleever how ever qualified that if Christ sheweth him mercy it is meer mercy if hee doth not shew them mercy he doth them no wrong c. 8. p. 172 173 The Vnderstanding of God Angels and men in respect of the manner thereof how distinguished c. 1. p. 16 17 The Personal Vnion what c. 3. p. 38 The manner of the Personal Union c. 3. p. 40 Three most eminent Unions and which c. 13. p. 283 284 The Union betwixt Christ and the Beleever held forth in Scripture under divers lively metaphors c. 13. p. 284 Union between Christ and the Beleever what c. 13. p. 285 The whole Person of Christ is Vnited to the whole Person of the Beleever c. 13. p. 286 Vnion between Christ and the Beleever is reall substantial and supernatural c. 13. p. 290 Union followeth Vocation in order of Nature c. 13 p. 291 Vocation what c. 12. p. 257 Vocation is wrought in an instant c. 12. p. 282 283 W. Waiting on the Lord Jesus in the use of means with preparatory hope what c. 7. p. 159 The Will of God is the first and universal cause of all things c. 4. p. 91 The Will of God is one c. 4. ibid. The Will of God is absolute c. 4. p. 93 No motive of Gods Will besides or without himselfe c. 4. p. 58. seq The All-decreeing and All-disposing Will of God is a ground why we should sanctifie him in all our changes c. 4. p. 99 The distinction of the absolute and conditional as also of the antecedent and consequent Will in God both unsound c. 1. p. 17 18 The Will is determined by God in its operations c. 5. p. 110 and 114 Wisdome in God what c. 1. p. 16 Christ as God-man the object of Divine Worship c. 3. p. 47 FINIS
sand which is by the Sea shore 1 King 4.29 yet Solomons heart compared with Adams innocency or his own Soul now in glory was but a narrow heart Between Pauls Soul in the body and in glory there is as great a disproportion as between a childe and Solomon 1 Cor. 13.11 Prop. 2. The Soul separated dependeth not upon the Body in respect of its operations It dependeth not upon the body for the knowledge either of immaterial or material objects both being present to the Soul either by the essence of things themselves or by their intelligible species or by the Divine essence supplying all species Three things are required to the operation of the understanding 1. An intelligent faculty 2. Light to illustrate the understanding 3 The presence of the object with the understanding whatsoever is understood must be united with and touch the understanding which is done either by the eminent presence of things in the Divine Essence Zanch. de operibus Dei part 3. l. 2. c. 2 so the soul understands in glory or by the formal presence of the very things so the Angels understand themselves and so we as some conceive see the Light or by the similitude or image of the thing commonly called a Species so we understand intelligible objects in this Life The soul whilst it is in the body dependeth not upon any corporcal organ phantasie inward or outward sense as an instrument whereby it understands but as an instrument to represent the object to be understood which representative faculty of the phantasie being performed and that in a more eminent manner either by the Divine Essence it self supplying those Species or by way of infusion of them at or immediately upon the instant of its separation after the manner of the concreated Species of things in Angels or by occasional abstraction of them from objects The soul separated remaineth free to its operations without the use of the body Angels understand material and immaterial objects Angeli cognoscunt materialia per hoc quod sunt in iis per suas spocies intelligibiles The par 1. q. 57. art 1. Piscat praesatin Ezech. by the SPECIES or that which answereth the species of such objects without Corporeal organs In an extasie rapture or trance of which some reckon about five thirty in the Scripture which are spiritual Visions of the soul during that space retiring as it were out of the body or at the least not making any use of the body therein so far is the soul from not understanding at all or from not understanding so well as that it then understandeth best in this life Paul is taken into the third Heaven heareth unspeakable words which it is not lawful for a man to utter all which we must needs grant might be done without corporeal organs he himself telling us once and again That whether it was in the body or out of the body he could not tell 2 Cor. 12.2 3. Conimb de de anima l. 3. c. 8. q. 8. art 2. Tollet q. 21. Immaterial Objects may be understood by the soul in the body without corporeal organs or sensible species The soul in its separation from the body undergoeth a privative not a positive change It suffereth a change in respect of its information of the body and operations by the instruments of the body It informed the body before but not now It exerciseth the same operations now that it exercised before though not in the same manner then with but now without the body In the state of glory Tho. 2.2 qu. 175. art 4. Conim de anima l. 3. c. 8. qu. 8 art 3. the soul is free to contemplate materiall objects either in themselves by intelligible and sensible species according to the use of corporeal organs glorified or according to their representation in the Divine Essence As grace doth not destroy but help so glory doth not destroy but perfect nature The soul glorified and reunited to the body at its pleasure useth but dependeth not upon the phantasie for the understanding of material objects Prop. 3. The condition of the body in the state of death prejudiceth not the blessednesse of the soul The soul may be blessed though the body be dead We look too much upon the dead carkass and too little upon the living soul Christs body in the grave interrupts not the happinesse of his soul in Paradise As the body in the grave doth neither good nor evil so it feeleth neither good nor evil It is as if it were not Joseph is not Ger. 42.36 The bodies of the Saints at death cease for ever from sin and from all suffering that is felt there is neither sin nor tear in the grave And from suffering it self at the Resurrection The body is neither sensible of the want of the soul nor doth the soul feel any misse of the body The body is neither sensible of good or evill concerning it self nor concerning the soul the soul though it be not touched with any evill yet it is affected with good concerning the body whilst it looks at it as sown 1 Cor. 15.43 As at rest Isa 57.2 As fallen a sleep 1 Cor. 15.6 As in Covenant with Christ Matth. 22.32 all which phrases are proper to the bodies of the Saints The soul hath no grievance for the absence of the body yet it hath contentation in its Rest and a glad expectation of its future meeting Such is the condition of the body in the grave which yet we must so mind as not forgetting the soul in glory The body is at rest the soul is in blessednesse that the one is at rest hindreth not the blessednesse of the other the body is asleep but the soul putteth forth its perfect operations The body is asleep in the custody of Jesus 1 Cor. 15.18 The soul beholds the face of Jesus Jacobs sleeping body troubleth not his communion with Christ and his Angels Gen. 28. Pauls soul in the third heavens misseth not his body though as may be supposed for the time soul-lesse upon earth 2 Cor. 12.2 The condition of the soul dissolved in the Lord is as it were a blessed rapture lasting from our dissolution to our resurrection though the grave be a land of darkness as darkness it self and of the shadow of death without any order where the Light is as darkness Job 10.22 yet is not that long-home of the body so dark and disorderly as the everlasting home of the soul is light and beautiful The godly soul prepared should be no more afraid of death in regard of the body than of its fall into a kindly sleep after weary labour and as glad of dissolution in respect of it self as of going to be with Christ which is far better Phil. 1.23 Prop. 4. The soul from the instant of its dissolution is freed from all imperfections of sin sorrow and infirmity God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes Rev. 7.17 The spirits of just men