a Trinity in respect of the manner of his subsisting and working the Father the Son or Word and the Holy Ghost or in other tearms coming up to the same Truth â—th 3.17 â— 19. That God even the Father hath a Son and an holy Spirit the spirit of the Son and of the Father one in Essence and Godhead with himself 4. That this One God is an eternal 1 Tun. 1.17 1 King 8.27 Psal 135.5 8. 139.1 2 3 4 5 6 7. 147.5 1 Sam. 2.2 Psal 100.5 36.5 6 7. Isa 44.6 59.6 1 Cor. 8.6 2 Cor. 5.18 Mic. 2.7 1 John 3.8 infinite and infinitely wise powerful holy and good Spirit who hath his Being of himself and is the Author of all Beings Sin excepted which hath its Being of and from the Sinner and Satan whatsoever 5. That this glorious God is onely perfectly and fully knowable by and known to himself and cannot be known either perfectly or in part by us or any other Creature but in his own Light and Manifestation of himself to us Job 11.7 8 9. Psal 139.6 and 36.9 John 1.18 Matth. 11.27 6. That this glorious God Rev. 4.10.11 Isa 40.28 Col. 1.16 17. Heb. 1.2 3. Job 34.13 did for manifestation of himself and his own Glory Make Create give Beginning and Being to the World and all things therein visible and invisible by his Infinite Power Wisdom and Goodness and is also the Upholder and Governour thereof and of all things therein according to his own wisdom and good-pleasure 7. That amongst Gen. 1.25 26 27. 2.7 21 22. 5.2 and after all other things Man also had his Being and Beginning of or from God and was made by him as his choice visible Creature in one man made of the Dust of the Earth and inspired and inlivened with a living rational Soul and in one Woman made of that Man to be a Meet-help for him Male and Female made he them 8. That man Gen. 1.26.27 Eccles 7.29 Psâ—l 49.12 20. Prov. 8.31 Act. 17.27 28. Gen. 3.22 with 2.17 was in that one Man and one Woman made very honourable happy and glorious in Gods own image and likeness upright and without sin capable of knowing and having converse with God and of serving and living to him in whom he also lives moves and hath his being and so of living for ever The Ruler over the rest of Gods Works and the subordinate end of their Creation they being made for Man's use and service so as nothing was wanting to man that might make for his comfort and happiness so good and bountiful was God to him onely man was mutable and so might if he would be so foolish to Sin and forfeit all And sure the Gospel supposes this both as to the goodness of man's condition otherwise Sin had not been mans or chargeable upon him much less at so high a rate as to deserve such a Penalty to be inflicted upon as the Gospel also implies if man had not been made Righteous and without Sin and both in a capacity and unspeakably obliged to have continued so as also to the mutability of his Condition otherwise he could not have sinned and lost it all 9. That God made also other intelligent Creatures besides Man Col. 1.16 invisible Spirits called Angels made good and excellent glorious Creatures 1 Pet. 3.21 of whom some fell from their Principality and glorious station and are become Devils 2 Pet. 2.4 unclean and wicked Spirits Enemies to God and Men Jude 6. Matth. 8.28 31. 12.24 27 43 45. 25.41 Mark 4.2.12 Gen. 3.1 with Rev. 20.1 2 3 8. with 16.13 14. and to all goodness of whom one is chief and Principal and the rest his Angels who being for their voluntary sin and defection thrust down from God inticed and still endeavour to entice men to revolt from God and Rebel against him that they might by incurring his Wrath become as miserable as themselves that is endlesly and irrecoverably miserable for such they are being forsaken of God and bound over in Chains of Darkness to the Judgment of the great Day to be then for ever Tormented 2 Pet. 2.4 Matt. 25.41 The rest of the Angels keeping their places are happy and glorious Spirits 1 Tim. 5.21 Mark 8.38 Psal 103.20 beholding God's Face rejoycing in his Presence Glory and Works always ready prest to do his Commands employ'd by him as Ministring Spirits for the guard and helpfulness of Mankind especially such as are Heirs of his Protection and Salvation Matth. 18.10 Heb. 1.7 14. 10. That God as it was but meet Gen. 2.16 17. 3.23 and as seemed good to his own infinite Wisdom having made Man so good and happy and having put so great Ingagements upon him to Love and Serve him did also give him a Law very reasonable and easie being but to abstain from one tree or fruit when he had all variety for necessity and delight besides freely given him and a tree of life which had vertue in it to have preserved him from Dying By which Law Man had occasion and advantage given him of testifying his love and obedience to him and to acknowledge his Soveraignty over them adding withal a Penalty That in case he brake it he should surely die 11. That Man having this Law given him Gen. 3.1 2 6. with Rev. 20.1 2. Jam. 1.2 3 4. Eccles 7.29 and being wisely permitted of God to be Tempted by the old Serpent the Devil and Satan that God might try his love and obedience to him and prove his thankful gratitude for so great goodness did foolishly and needlesly by his own meer will incline to the Tempter and break the Commandment given him although such as might so easily have been obstructed by him 12. That Man so Sinning Defiled himself with the Poyson of Satans Temptation Rom. 5.12 18 19. 3.23 Gen. 3.22 23. with Psal 30.5 Rom. 3.9 10 11 12 19.23 Gen. 3.10 11 16 17 18. and incurred the Penalty annexed to the Law even Death upon Himself and his whole Posterity Naturally to descend from him in as much as they were all in him and he the publick Head and Representative of them what God did to him and gave to him he did and gave to us all in him therefore also what he did concerned us all by and from him and so He and all his fell under the displeasure of our Great Creator and thereby into woful misery to be cast out of God's favour and from his presence and fellowship the spring and source of all happiness and blessing and so to be devested of his Image and Glory inward Righteousness and Integrity and outward Lustre or Sanctity or soundness Psal 14.1 2 3 4. Eph. 2.1 2. 1 Joh. 3.8 Heb. 2.14 and to be filled with sin and sinfulness as a loathsome Disease apting us to all vanity and wickedness and to be filled with pain Morality and
only by arguments and motives provoking and moving men to what he would work in them or have them work c. 2. And so understanding it I conceive his workings which are all Supernatural are neither simply of the one kind nor of the other but of a mixed Nature for as I apprehend 1. His framing of the heart by his preventing Operations are more of a Physical nature in the sence last mentioned then of a Moral some what like a mans awakning another out of a Dead Sleep not by arguing and reasoning him awake but by some so loud noise or some so forcible action as somewhat opens his senses and removes the obstructions of them and give him a capacity to heaâ— and speak or like the putting life into a Dead Man so as he is capable of Stirring Moving Hearing Seeing The Dead hear the voice of the Son of God this is somewhat a kin to a Physical yea is that they understand by that phrase of a Physical Operation God in his prevenâ—ing men by his grace so stretches out his hand or puts forth his power as to effect or create in men Capacities of hearing seeing and minding the things hâ— sees before them whence it s compared to an opening the blind Eye or unstopping the deaf Ear as is implyed Ezek. 1â— 2 3. Rebellious people are said to have eyes to see and yet see not ears to hear and yet he or not 2. But then having thus prevented men and given them such capacities by his creative power He by his Light Truth and Grace is reproving counselling exhorting allureing and by diverse arguments and motives is perswading or moving men to see and hear and awake and exercise themselves to such things as he is propounding to them as to behold him behold him Isa 65.1 To listen to his Son and turn at his reproofs in the power and strength and ability that he withall gives them supernaturally and so as it were to feed and soment and use meanes to preserve even by the meanes he gives them too the life or quickning or senses he had infused into them And this is evident in all the Scriptures God shall perswade Japheth and he shall dwell in the Tents of Shem Gen. 9.27 Incline your ears and come unto me hear and your soul shall live Isa 55.2 3. And he that bears namely when made to heal listens shall live John 5.25 Turn ye at my reproofs behold I will pour out my spirit unto you I will make known my words Ye set at nought all my counsels ye set at nought all my reproofs ye did not chuse the fear of the Lord the turning away of the simple slays them but whoso hearkens to me shall dwell safely c. Prov. 1.23 25 31 32.33 All which and multitudes more imply Gods counselling exhorting mourning by arguments and so inclining the will made in some measure at liberty to obey and follow him And thence it is that menâ— may resist the Holy Ghost and vex and grieve him and rebell against him as also they are capable of listening obeying inclining to him and so God works as a man would do upon one awakened by him he may perswade him jog him stir him and perswade him by arguments to awaken more and listen to him and as such a one seeing such a person so awaked wilful in stopping his Ear and resusing to hear him yea using all means to compose himself to sleep again may be provoked by such Rebellion and Obstinacy not to exercise or use all the power he hath to make him keep awake and hear him or seeing a man inlived by him if such a thing might be wilfull in refusing means to preserve or foment his life unto a more perfect state of living might be provoked to leave him and let him die so do men by their Rebellious refusings of life provoke God not to exercise all his power or more power for their good but to leave them to their own will and ways and so to ruine But 3. Men in the power of the grace they are prevented with by the power of that grace set before them and striving with them being willing to look upon or listen to God in Christ in what he sets before them or not obstinately and rebelliously refusing and turning from him he then further exerts his creature power and infuses into and begets in them not new substances but new Principles dispositions yea his divine seed or word and Spirit and so creates them in Christ Jeâ—s to good works to walk in them reâ—enerates renews them and makes them â—e before him Which proceeds not â—â—om their willing and listening to him 〈◊〉 from him and his grace speaking to and working in them whence they are â—d to be born of God and of water and of the Spirit the word knowledge 〈◊〉 grace of God and his power working therein and we are said beholding as 〈◊〉 a glass the glory of God to be changâ—â— into the same image from glory to â—ory as by his Spirit and to be begot 〈◊〉 by his will in the word of truth c. which may be illustrated by the healing of the strung Israelites and Naaman and the blind man at the Poole of Siloam only whereas they had eyes and legs by the â—eative work of God in the womb and 〈◊〉 by natural birth we here say the spiâ—ual or inward faculties and capacities of seeing hearing and discerning Spiritual things and so of coming to them by willing chusing and loving them are given by the preventing grace of God coming to and upon them But as their power of looking going washing being given of God by a certain power and then he affording and presenting to them objects to look to go to and wash in wrought upon their wills by moral perswasions which were resistible and some of the stung Israelites possibly might resist or disobey but then they by them being perswaded and obeying looking going and washing as was prescribed and continuing so to do God by his creative power gave them healing cleansing and sight Even so is it here as hath been expressed I need not inlaâ—gâ— to add that God in some measure having created in Christ regenerated and renewed men affords still means of preserving and maintaining what he hath created and renewed and gives Moral arguments and Motives to make use of them And in their so doing goes on yoâ— further to câ—eatâ— them in Christ renew and regâ—ate them till they be made complear and perfect in the day of Jesus Christ as is also 〈◊〉 illustrated by Naamans washing seven times in Jordan that he might have perfect healing of which had he sailed in doing that he would have missed Search the Scriptures and see if what is here said suit not with them SECT 4. That God so works in Men that they also are said rightly to work sometimes the same things though with some formal difference between what is his and what their working FUrthermore
wrought in them Again 2. That in the ground and motive That it is God that worketh in you c. being used and laid down as the ground and motive to inforce the exhortation as rendring a reason why they ought to be so careful is as represented by the Apostle rather the means of making them obedient to the exhortation as also it was a means by way of motive to induce the Apostle so to exhort them then the exhortation any meanes by which God works what is asserted in the motive It is not God works in you to will and to do by my exhorting you or because or for he exhorts you by me to be Obedient But because it s he that works in you to will and to do therefore be ye Obedient and therefore I exhort you work out your Salvation with fear and trembling The exhortation might be a means to excite them to work out not a means of Gods working in them asserted in the motive wherewith he urgeth the exhortation the ground of the exhortation is true in it self and so asserted and laid down as a thing to be apprehended by them as true in it self not depending for its truth upon his exhortation as to be made true by it as it must do if the exhortation be the means of it but as giving ground for the exhortation and affording motive to obey it because of its absolute truth As the foundation of a house is firm before the superstructure be built upon it and neither depends upon that nor is laid by it but the superstructure is laid upon it and it is rather as a way or means to further the laying of the superstructure and not the laying of the superstructure a means of laying the Foundation 3. If Gods working in them the to will to do the thing exhorted was by the exhortation then not before the exhortation and so not till the Epistle came to them and so not in the time when Paul wrote it and so he wrote false in saying in the then present time It is God that worketh c. But if God did work in them to will and to do of his good pleasure before the Epistle came to them as is most unquestionable then this superadded exhortation was needless to them if his working in them was such as infallibly included in it their working out also seeing they did it all before and could not but do so so long as God continued his working Which was neither made longer nor shorter by the Epistle writing according to that sense espectly nor depended thereupon but was meerly of his good pleasure And if it should be his good pleasure to cease working in them without their provoking him to it as to it they could not by that interpretation provoke him then was it not possible that they should work out their Salvation much less upon the ground propounded by the Apostle the truth thereof then failing and without that asserted in the ground viz Gods working in them his exhortation would availe them nothing So that that interpretation renders the exhortation needless both in respect of God and in respect of them in respect of God for he wrought so before and of good pleasure And therefore also in respect of them seeing he working their working out so as to effect infallibly their whole operation they could not want any exciting thereunto 4. Yea if God so wrought in them by this Exhortation the working out their Salvation would not all the other Exhortations be needless seeing all that they exhort to are included herein Or how ever 5. Then must this and all other Exhortations be obeyed necessarily and no faultiness in believers for not working out their Salvation with fear and trembling unless that God first failing they were left in an incapacity of so doing which failing of his also consists not with that interpretation which is cross to the Scriptures as we have seen These and other like reasons might be urged against such a sense of the foresaid saying and against the objection of Gods so working by the exhortation let us see then how we are to understand it SECT 3. The aforesaid Scripture viz. Philip. 2.12 Briefly opened THe Apostle having after diverse exhortations as to let their Conversation be such as becomes the Gospel of Christ to be like minded or to mind the same thing to have the same love to be of one accord and of one mind to do nothing out of strife and vain glory but in lowliness of mind to esteem each other above themselves not to mind their own commodity but each to mind the good of others c. to provoke them thereunto the more propounded to them the example of Christ his self abasement for our sake and the great glory he had thereupon received of and with God afterward returns again to exhort them further even in the consideration of Christs sufferings for them and the great honour dignity that God had thereupon exalted him to making him Lord of all as they had always obeyed not only in his presence with them but now much more in his absence to work out or accomplish their Salvation with fear and trembling pressing that exhortation further with this reason or motive which seems to have special respect to their working out with fear and trembling For it is God that worketh or God is the inworker or effectual worker in you both of the to will and to do of good pleasure or of his good pleasure to which he adds do all things without murmuring and disputing c. So that those words For it is God c. are used as a motive and argument to inforce an exhortation given to believers who had already closed with the grace of God wherewith he had prevented them which grace of God may also be understood by their Salvation as sometimes it is called in Act. 28.28 and the word of it the word of Salvation Act. 13.26 Ephes 1.13 to be wrought out by them for that received and believed in their hearts was operative and was framing or working in their hearts to frame them in heart and Conversation unto God to which therefore he exhorts them to yield themselves to work in its working both to will and to do so working out and finishing what that effected and gave them power and motion to in its Operation and this with fear and trembling least they should by neglect or restraint of it grieve that good Spirit of Grace working by and in it or mix something of their own with it or work out their corruption with or instead of it And that upon this account because what the Salvation or grace of God is working in men it is God that works it who is greatly to be feared and reverenced and with fear and trembling to be obeyed and served And the phrase it is God that worketh in you to will or to be willing as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is rendred 2 Cor.
ESSAYS ABOUT General and Special GRACE By way of Distinction between or distinct Consideration of 1. The Object of Divine Faith or the Truth to be Preached to and believed by Men. And 2. Gods Purposes for dispensing And 3. His Dispensations of the said Truth and the Knowledge of it to men And 4. The Operations of God with it in men in the Dispensations of it By Jo. Horne late of Lin-Allhallows 2 Tim. 2.15 Study to shew thy self approved unto God a workman that needeth not to be ashamed rightly Dividing the word of Truth Eccles 11.5 6. As thou knowest not what is the way of the spirit or how the bones do grow in the womb c Tolle liberum arbitrium non erit quod salvetur Tolle gratiam non erit unde salvatur opus hoc sine duobus effici nopotest uno ei quo fit altero cui vel in quo fit Deus Author est salutis liberum arbitrium tantum capax nec dare illam nisi Deus nec capere Valet nisi liberum arbitrium quod ergo a solo Deo soli datur libero arbitrio tam absque consensu esse non potest accipientis quam absque gratia dantis Bernard de Gra. lib. dâ—bit Deus non modo amans sed amor est solam amoris vicem requirit sidem quid ni ametur amans Id Serm. 83. Sup. Cant Prove all things hold fast that which is good London Printed for S. Walsall at the Heart and Bible on the West-side of the 〈…〉 THE PREFACE TO THE READER ZEnophon in his Second Book of Memorable things Records this Saying of Socrates to Entherus That it is not easie for any man to do such a work as for which he shall not be subject to blame For saith he It 's difficult for a man to do any work in which he shall be without Sin or fault and it 's difficult when a man doth any thing faultless not to meet with some unequal Judge that will dislike what â—s rightly done I cannot promise my â—elf freedome in what I have here done Good Reader upon either account For neither can I imagine â—hat in viewing and speaking of â—hings so high and mysterious there should be nothing in so much as I have written that might not have â—een far better spoken to or in which there may be nothing wrong though my weakness happily perceive not wherein Nor can I think that the World is grown so good and charitable and so void of its enmity to God and his goodness as that there are none in it who will pick quarrels against what is rightly done I confess the Greatness of the things treated on as the person and works of Christ the nature of the Truth the Faith Hope and Obedience of the Gospel the terrours of the Lord against evil doers the Purposes Dispensations and Operations of God are all of that nature and height and weight that each of them may deserve a Volume worthily to unfold them and require a far more able head and heart to discuss them then mine be and more labour and industry than I have bestowed or was able to bestow about them and on the other side that such is my weakness and want of exercise of senses to discern things that differ and of judgment rightly and orderly to express them that I may seem not to have followed the advice of Socrates given a little after the sayings above recited viz. Either to undertake such things as one can grapple with or forbear things that one cannot However I may fear that men of greater understandings will find some things defective and not sufficiently spoken to and cleared and other things too often repeated or too unorderly mentioned I am a man and a weak one too and therefore cannot rationally think it strange that humane Infirmities should be incident to me amongst which it is one to be subject to mistakes even sometimes an Homer as the Proverb says may catch a nap and acute Bernard yet sees not all things no great wonder in a long and tedious business to see one grow drousie and sometimes to nod besides the Truth lies as it were in the deep and is not so easily brought to Light I hope therefore that the Ingenuous Readers considering that of the Apostle James 3.1 2. That in many things we offend all Will be ready also to take his advice not to be many Masters that is not to be censorious but will take in good part what I have endeavoured and performed and will bear with the infirmities of my stile and manner of tractation which are extrinsick from the matters handled But from two sorts of men I can expect no such candid dealing that is to say 1. The proud and rich in conceit of themselves and their Learning and such as are seeking after the worldly Wisdome they I know will find no Savour in what I have written because nothing to satisfie their curiosity and please the daintiness of their finer Palates they will slight what I have written because I have not strewed the way of my Discourse with the flowers of quaint and smooth Rhetorications elegant Phrases and apt and witty Allusions nor fenced it with the Testimonies of the Ancient Doctors and Learned Writers nor given the Reader here and there the comfit of a pleasant story to quicken up his dull and tired Spirits and keep him from fainting in a word they will say Here is neither Artifice nor any polite learning the things they look for with the Ancient Grecians 1 Cor. 1.22 To whom I say had it been my design to hunt after applause that indeed had been my direct course to it Populo ut placerent quas fecisset fabulas Terent. especially had I turned aside from the Truth to witty fables for they are the things the people are too usually pleased with Yea had I sought honour with the Leaders of this Age my way had been to have quitted the Truth and shewed my self able to maintain the Ortho-Doct Opinions or at least to have adorned my discourse with a rich Coat for then it may be so accouter'd it might have taken some mens more wanton affections who would have courted it not for the Truth so much as for its ornaments like some that love the person for the gay clothing and so they might have given me their good word for a Scholar or man of Parts though yet some are so capricious upon the account of their dislike of the Truth that nothing will please them that is hearty for the Truth be it never so Elegant but even a Cyprian shall in contempt be Capricianus with them as Lactantius writes But my design being to find out and set forth the Truth and that for the helpfulness and profit of many and they of the meanner capacities and not for the Learned onely I took it to be best to be plain as believing that the Truth is then most beautiful to a
men even before and though they attain not a distinct knowledge of him yea and for his sake passes by such infirmities and mixtures as through ignorance and weakness and the prevailing customs of places not seen by them to be evil may cleave to them they that by nature do the things contained in the Law or written Doctrine their uncircumcision shall be counted to them for circumcision and glory honour and peace shall be to every one that doth good not only to the Jew that had Instruction and the Law but to the Gentile also that was without Law and had not that Instruction the Jew had Rom. 2.7 9 10 11 14 26 27 28 29. and therefore are said to do it by nature not as corrupted but as prevented only with that goodness and truth of God manifested in men by and through his works without the written and vocal Instruction to the Jews superadded And of such as these probably our Saviour meant inclusively when he said Many shall come from the East Matth. 8.12 and from the West c. and shall sit down in the Kingdom of God when the Children of the Kingdom born and brought up in Gods Church and under the nature of his Instructions and Ordinances should be thrust out for though there can be no salvation but by Christ yet there may be salvation through him to them that distinctly hear not of him 〈◊〉 in the case of Infants dying in their â—fancy may be seen This then is oâ— Medium of Gods making known the Object of Divine Faith or his truth to meâ— in part with reference to their salvation 2. The other way is by his Word aâ— distinguished from that silent language of his Works an express speaking forth by intelligible and vocal sayings or visionary representations to mens Spirits the truths to be believed by men And this also he did and thus dispensed the knowledge of himself to men divers and sundry ways and at divers and several times Heb. 1.1 2. which dispensations as to the acts of dispensing both by Works and Words are to be distinquished from the thing or object dispensed that being but one in it self these very different and divers as in this latter way 1. To some he dispensed the knowledge of himself and truth in some measure by more immediate revelations of himself as to Adam in Paradise Gen. 2.16 Eâ—od 20. 17. 3.8 9. and to Moses and the People at Mount Sinai in the Wilderness but fully and most immediately to Jesus Christ 2. To some by Angels ministring the knowledge of God to them and that either waking as to Abraham Gen. 18.1 2 3. 22.11 15 16. Jacob Gen. 32.1 2. Moses Exod. 3. Zachary the Father of the Baptist Luke 1.9 10 11. Maâ—y the Mother of our Lord vers 28 30 and divers others or in dreams and visions as to Nathan Psal 89.19 Dan. 7. 8. 10. Joseph Matth. 1.20 2.12 and divers others 3. To some by his Spirit more secretly insinuating it self into their hearts with the knowledge of God as to the Prophets and Apostles more ganerally 2 Sam. 23.2 Ephes 3.5 4. In these last days by the personal appearance and vocal ministration of Jesus Christ himself both to his Disciples and to the World Heb. 1.1 2 3. 2 3. 5. To some he more mediately dispensed the knowledge of his Truth by the ministration of those to whom he had more immediately first declared it and that either 1. By their vocal preaching of it as by the preaching of the Prophets and Apostles to the People amongst whom they were sent 2 Pet. 3.2 3. Rom. 16.25 26. Epes 4.11 12. and so by the vocal Preaching of the Evangelists Pastors Teachers though but secondary Ministers of it amongst all which the Preaching of Jesus Christ our Lord in his personal ministration may be reckoned as prime and chief he being both a more or most immediate and also a mediate Revealer of it in divers respects Joh. 1.18 most immediate as the Eternal Word the Son of God in the Bosom of the Father mediate as he was also Man Matth. 4.17 and as the Manhood 〈◊〉 imployed in the making out the Wiâ— the Father brought down by the Woâ— 2. By their Writings the Scriptures 〈◊〉 Truth 2 Pet. 1.19 20 21. 3.2 3. 2 Tim. 3.15 16 17. Joh. 5.39 indited by the instinct and direcâ— on of the Holy Ghost and left upon record for the instruction and helpfulneâ— of after ages also and of all people 〈◊〉 whom they are by providence ordered even such as to and amongst whom 〈◊〉 Prophets Apostles and the rest of thâ— heavenly Pen-men never vocally Preached Now this Preaching by Word â—ther as spoken or written added to 〈◊〉 former the works of God gives a moâ— distinct sound and signification to pâ—dull creatures and brings the knowledgâ— of God as to the declaration of it nearâ— to us yet speaks the same things that 〈◊〉 Works speak The Book of Ecclesiastes both agree to praise anâ— commend God to men Joh. 1.4 5 6 7 1 Cor. 1.21 22 23. Psal 145.9 10. anâ— to cry all flesh is grass and so in debasiâ— of man and all other things as to maâ— happiness that he may be made to enquiâ— after God look to and acquaint himseâ— with him and imbrace his grace and favation through Christ brought to them But the Revelation by word is and muâ— more as added to the former more foâ— and significant and speaks out more aâ— more distinctly what the other did bâ— darkly hint and signifie and thereforâ— also more is required and expected froâ— those which have this latter also thaâ— from those that had or have the former only SECT 2. That the Dispensation of the Word or Oracles of God was neither so Vniversal as that of his Works nor to all Ages the same as to clearness and fulness but different to divers Ages and to divers Persons in the same Ages QUestionless there hath been no Age of the World in which God did not reveal his Mind by his Words unto men Tit. 1.2 from the very Creation and Fall to this day we live in yea we may say there hath scarce been any person if any capable of understanding to whom the Word even Christ as the Light of the World hath not by some means and in some measure of his Light and Truth addrest himself as is signified Joh. 1.4 5 9. yet we may say that in many Ages the words of Truth Psal 147.19 20. Act. 14.16 17. or more express significations of his Mind by Law and Doctrine have not been generally afforded to all men nor in all Ages alike to any men It pleased God in that matter as we have seen in what we said of his purposes to discriminate some people from other Rom. 3.1 2. 9.3 4 9 〈…〉 Cant. 〈…〉 16. 〈…〉 7. 〈…〉 and Elect and Chuse some out from amongst the rest
and City to destruction and both their People and Prince of the Seed of David to Captivity for the space of seventy years Yet was he very gracious in the midst of his judgements to remember mercy and both before and in and after the Captivity he gave them Prophets and Holy Men to and by whom he poured forth the knowledge of Himself and Son for their Eternal Salvation as well as for support under and instruction to profit by all the Calamities that then and in after Ages were to befall them which Calamities also upon them both involving their Kingdom in the Line of David none of his Seed after that Calamity ever sitting any more upon his Throne and their Temple and Temple-worship never restored to its first glory again as to their external form of Worship and testimony of Gods presence with them in it were both ordered as means and helps to make them more spiritual in the understanding of their former promises concerning Davids Seed and the Temple and to look upon the Messiah as the compleatment and fulfilling of both mainly pointed to in both who also with the grace brought in by him was very much insisted upon and more lively set before them together with the mercy of God through him for the gathering them back again to himself after that for their often and constant rejecting him both in the more mystical and typical tenders of him and in his addresses to them by his Spirit by the Prophets and in his personal appearing they should be cast off and given up to spoil and misery and the Gentiles taken into their place and prividges to provoke them to jealousie by the several Prophets in that time sent them As before their Captivity by Isaiah Micha and Jeremy in their captivity by Ezekiel and Daniel and after their captivity by Haggai Zecchary and Malachy who all spake of Jesus Christ the Messiah very clearly and plainly to them and in many things more plainly than had been before spoken Isa 11.1 2 10 11. 42.1 2 3 4. 49.5 6 7 8. Especially Isaiah had that great grace poured forth to him as to instruct him into and furnish him to set forth the whole tenure of the Gospel 〈◊〉 amply particularly that the Meâ— should not only be of the Seed of Daâ— a root of Jesse that should arise and reâ— over the Gentiles upon whom Gods Spirit should gloriously rest so as that theâ— by he should bring forth judgement 〈◊〉 the Gentiles Chap. 7.14 be the light of them 〈◊〉 Gods salvation to the ends of the earth which was also in substance shewed 〈◊〉 and by David but also that he should born of a Virgin should be despised of 〈◊〉 Jews Chap. 53. should suffer death should be 〈◊〉 sed or live again and justifie many by knowledge having borne their sins aâ— many things of like import yea spake of the New Heavens and the Nâ— Earth Chap. 65. 66. and New Jerusalem the Glâ— of the Righteous therein and the evâ— lasting punishment of the Wicked Aâ— in many things the Prophet Micha wâ— prophesied in the same times spake 〈◊〉 very same things and almost in 〈◊〉 same words with him as appears Miâ— 5. Joel also prophesied of the pâ—ring out of the Spirit in the last days â—remy and Ezekiel indeed were much take up about the Sins of the people Jer. 3.16 17. 31. 32. Ezek. 11. 33. 34. 36. 37 c. and the Captivities yet not without intermixâ— very clear prophesies of Christ and 〈◊〉 goodness of God through him to all meâ— especially to them in their returning agaâ— Of the new Covenant and the restauratâ— of the Church to a fuller Glory by him his appearing To Daniel also in the Caâ—tivity was shewed and signified the time 〈◊〉 the Messiah's coming Dan. 9.25 26 27 c. his being cut off but not for himself that he should make an end of sin make reconciliation for iniquity bring in everlasting righteousness seal up the Vision and Prophecie confirm and perfect it and anoint the most holy yea to Dan. 2. 7. 8. 10. 11. 12. and by him were shewed the afflictions and persecutions which that people should be exposed to and tried with till the time of the end and their restauration afterward with the Resurrection of the Dead the Kingdom of Christ and its greatness and glory very plainly also spake the other Prophets of him Hag. 2.5 6 7 8 9. Hagai that he should come into that Second Temple which was then building and fill it with the Glory of his Presence Lachary that he should come meek and lowly riding upon an Ass Zech. 9.9 10 11. 12.10 11 12. and upon a Colt the Foal of an Ass into Jerusalem should be peirced by them should cut off their worldly Props the Chariot from Ephraim and the Horse from Jerusalem should speak peace to the Heathen Chap. 4. 6. 14. have a large or universal Dominion calls him the Branch speaks of him under the name of Zerubbabel as he was then in his loins as pertaining to the flesh as the Author and Finisher of the Faith the Layer of the Foundation the Builder and Bringer up to Perfection of the Spiritual Temple or House of God Yea speaks of the destruction of Jerusalem Mal. 3.1 2 3 4. 4. the coming again of Christ with his Saints and of the times of the restauration of the things prâ—sed Malachy also spake of Christ as 〈◊〉 nigh at hand to come but not to be endured by them when he came and 〈◊〉 the coming of his Messenger or forerunner to come before his face even Joâ— the Baptist and of his coming again to execute vengeance on the proud and save them that look for him and of the coming of Elias before that great day To say nothing of those other Holy Men Ezra and Nehemiah with many others during the times of those Prophets promoting the Knowledge and Worship of God or of the writings of other Good Men though not Prophets who drawing from the words of the Prophets abundance of understanding imployed themselves amongst the people to instruct them such discoveries of God and his truth with manifold Instructions Counsels and Reproofs they had in those Ages yea all those Writings of their Holy Men and Prophets contained in the Scriptures they had the help of till the coming of Christ though under many and great Changes and Afflictions under the Monarchies of the Persians and Grecians often times And though from Malachy to about Christs birth they had no more Prophets sent them vet they had all those discoveries given forth both by Moses and the Prophets in former times to instruct and help them and to furnish them with the truth for the Instruction of others amongst whom they had dealings and began to be dispersed more than in former times and these Ages contained about the
the departure of the Apostles nay they began to be sown before but by reason of their Vigilancy they took not such place in the Churches as afterward they did till they even overtopped the good Seed and its Fruit Ignorance 2 Thess 2.10 11 12. Errour Superstition and Prophaneness sprouting up apace through Mens not receiving the love of the Truth that they might be Saved till God as he threatned gave up the World again to the over-spreadings of Deceit permitting the False Prophet Mahomet to Introduce a false and wicked Religion to the drawing away Multitudes from the Belief of the Truth planted amongst them And the Roman Bishops with their Clergy to Usurp Dominion over the rest and living like Beasts or Monsters to fill the Churches that yet retained the Profession of Christ and the Scriptures amongst them with all manner of Errour Superstition and Prophaness which continued Universally over the face of the World where the most Famous Churches of Christ had been Planted though not without mixture of continual Testimonies of God and his Truth and Goodness both by Works and Word especially as to the most Essential parts of his Doctrine more or less and more or less purely held forth till 5. In these latter times God in his mercy again stirred up a Spirit of Reformation in some of his Servants who through their constancy in Preaching forth and suffering for the Testimony of God according to those measures of Understanding they had of it became successful Instruments in his hand of reviving the Light of the Truth that was almost damped so as that it shines forth again in and by the Scriptures of Truth and the faithful Preachers of them though alas now again too much clouded with the glosles and interpretations of Men that subject not their own wisdoms to God's words much more clearly than in some former Ages So that in this that hath been said in this large running over the times it appears That the Dispensations of God in giving forth unto Men the Knowledge of his Words have been both in several Ages and to several Men in the same Ages very diverse for even in all and every of those Ages when it was fulliest given forth also all had it not alike immediatly or fully opened to them some were dispensers of it to others who received it by them or from their Mouth All were not Apostles nor all Prophets nor all Teachers that were in the Church of God though as he that follows a light carried by others may see and go as well as those that carry it and other men may eat as heartily and be as thriving that buy their Bread by the Loaf as they that carry it out and sell it 〈◊〉 basket fulls so also those that were noâ— so honoured as to be the Dispensers of the Mysteries of God to others either Jews or Gentiles in an humble following 〈◊〉 and feeding upon that Truth of God dispensed by others might walk and live as well and attain to Eternal Life as certainly and happily as they that dispense it to them yea a Judas might prove a Son of Perdition though a Preacher of it and Jeremy and Paul too had they not returned to and walked with God themselves keeping down their Bodies and bringing them into subjection might have done so too while many of their weaker Hearers attained to Happiness by what they Preached It may be said of Prophets Apostles Evangelists Pastors Teachers in respect of their carrying out of the Word to others as was said of the Virgins Conceiving and bringing forth Christ Blessed the Womb that bare thee and the Paps that gave thee suck So Blessed they that were betrusted and came forth with such Mysteries to Men in the Name of the Lord yet so as the same Answer of our Saviour would also fit with respect to the hearing and obeying that Doctrine Yea rather Blessed is every one that hears the word of God and keeps it We might also shew that there is and ever was great diversity and difference in the several Gifts and Administrations of those Gifts of those betrusted with the Word and the Dispensation of it and service of God in it Some Apostles some Prophets some Evangelists some Pastors and Teachers some workers of Miracles c. and of the Apostles and Teachers some Administred more eloquently and some with weaker Language some more plainly and powerfully than others some in one Stile and others in another yet all one and the same Truth and by one and the same Spirit as in 1 Cor. 12. But it suffices but to hint that to avoid further tediousness SECT 9. That in the former Ages and so in all the Four Monarchies there was something of the knowledge of God by his People and Words vouchsafed also to the Gentiles ONely this we may further Note That though the discovery of the Truth and Mystery of God was vouchsafed most peculiarly and properly to the Jews before the Ascension of Christ yet not so hidden with them but that something of it and so means to know more of it was in all former Ages vouchsafed in some measure over and above the Manifestations of God in his Works to the Gentiles or divers of them also as might be shewed from what we find in the Scriptures and by other Writers In Abraham's time while Shem was yâ— living to omit some things fore-mentioned Sect. 4. His over-throw of 〈◊〉 Four Kings Types perhaps of the futâ— Monarchies after to succeed Shinar â—ing Babilon Ellasar some take for Syriâ— Elam is Persia and the Nations migâ— hint to the other Nations subject to the Roman Monarchy made him famous doubtless in those times And after that the advancement of Joseph in Egypt when all Nations or Countries thereabout pinch with a Famine came thither for Bread-corn might afford probably some opportunity for spreading some knowledge of God from him his Father and Brethren then brought into and living in Egyptâ— but especially and certainly to omit the Patriarchs Psal 105.13 14. Travellers into and sojourning in divers Lands and Countries the great Judgments of God upon Egypt and Pharaoh The Miraculous Deliverance of Israel thence and the mighty Works then done for and amongst them spread the Name of God amongst the Countries as is implyed Exod. 9.16 That I might shew in thee in my power and that my Name might be declared in all the earth And it appears by Rahabs confession afterward That they had heard of the mighty work 〈◊〉 God for Israel in those Countries of Canâ— an Josh 2.10 11. And then his drying up the red Sea and Jordan and driving ouâ— the Canaunites so miraculously The standing still of the Sun and Moon c. These yet further famed him and his People among the Nations 1 King 10. with Matth. 12.43 As afterwards the Wars and Successes of David and the Wisdom of Solomon that was famous to the Ends of the Earth to Aethiopia and those
Dispensations of it have been very divers and different some Persons have had nothing of it as to their knowledge and perception knowable to us as Infants dying in Infancy some have had only some darker significations of some things of it by the Works and Providences of God as many of the Heathen some have also had some rumour of the words of God revealed to and in his Churches and opportunities to seek it out and know it as there revealed as many of the Gentiles in all Ages Some have had it more directly in the words of it given to them to some more immediately for themselves and others to some more mediately by others onely as in all Ages amongst the Jews till after Christ's Ascension though in some Ages more darkly and in others more plainly yea and amongst the Churches of God and the holy Men themselves there is and hath been as we have noted diversity of Dispensations and Administrations And it is a certain Rule that as the Lord being good and upright teaches Sinners the way that they might Fear him Psal 25.8 9 12 13 14. Matt. 13.11 Prâ—â— 1.23 so he more especially and in further dispensations of his Truth teaches those that Fear him shews them his secret and makes known to them his Covenant opens to them the Mysteries of his Kingdom pouring out his holy Spirit upon them And this appears clearly as touching the Revelation or Dispensation of the knowledge of the Truth in the more direct and substantial ways of revealing it besides which we may observe that there were in several Ages certain appendages to the Revelation of it by Word or Oracle in and amongst his Churches though so as in the view and sight of the World in which also we may observe great diversity as we shall God-willing shew in the following Chapter CHAP. VII Of the variety of the Dispensations of the knowledge of God and his truth in respect of certain added Appendages to his Word in Ordinances and Miracles in sundry Ages SECT 1. That God did diversâ—y in sundry Ages mind Men of and confirm them in his Truth by his Ordinances and Miracles and therein what be the Ordinances and Miracles here to be treated of THat there were over and besides the General Works of God and the distinct Revelation of Christ by the Words and Oracles of God other additional means by which he furthered the knowledge of himself and of his good will to men amongst them partly by visible Acts and Rites enjoyned to Men to observe and practice in their worship of him and accordingly either more purely according to appointment or more â—orruptly in swerving from his apappointment practised by Men in their several Ages to instruct them in and â—â—ind them of his Truth otherwise revealed to them and these we call Ordinances and partly by visible Works of his own eâ—traordinarily wrought to ratiâ—â—e and confirm the Truth revealed which we call Miracles the Scriptures also every where do testifie which because they were added to the Words and Oracles of God aforesaid we do not make a distinct way of discovery of Truth but rather Appendages to that way of discovery of it by Words and Oracles rending to confirm it to and preserve it with them which though someâ—ing of them have occasionally been mentioned before yet because they require and deserve a more full consideration we shall here speak to more distinctly and yet as briefly and succinctly as with conVenience we may concerning which let this first be noted that it may be first stated what Ordinances and Miracles we have to speak of that I do not speak of them in the largest extent that those words will reach to as to say I do not by Ordinances mean all Rites and Acts of Worship practifed by any People for there were many Heathenish Rites instituted by evil men at the motion and inâ—inct of unclean and wicked Spirits such 〈◊〉 their Plays and Interludes their strewing of Beds and Purifications of their â—ies Sacrifices to Infernal Spirits their detestable and abominable Rites of Bacchus Ceres and others which can no way be within the compass of whâ— have to speak of those being Ordinanâ— of Satan and not of God Job 38.33 Jer. 31.35 36. 33.25 neither 〈◊〉 intend or shall I speak to all that 〈◊〉 called or were God's Ordinances 〈◊〉 we read of the Ordinances of Heaveâ— as for the rising and setting of the Sâ— the making Winter and Summer Seâ—time and Harvest Heb. 9.27 Arcturus and Pleiadâ— c. which belong to the works of God before spoken of Yea and Death is an Ordinance of God in a large sense since it is appointed for men to die but this 〈◊〉 not to be practised but submitted to and suffered by us Eph. 5.30 31. So Marriage too is an Ordinance of God and so was the Sabbath and the Tree of Life in Paradise before the fall And indeed Marriage â—cially the forming of the Woman out of the Man and bringing her to him at the first hath in it a very great and apt resemblance of the conjunction and communion of the two natures of God and Man in Christ and of Christ and his Church and so gives fit occasion of minding us of Christ's great love in descending to seâ— a Wife amongst men as Jacob of old whâ— went down into Syria Matth. 22.1 4. and for a Wiâ—â—â—ept Sheep both in his taking into unâ—on with himself the nature of Man espoâ—sing and wedding it as it were to the eternal word at the wedding whereâ—â— God also made a Feast Isa 25.6 7. the Feast of Fâ— things full of Marrow made for all People and set forth to us in the Gospel 〈◊〉 the fruit and consequent of that Royal union of our nature with God consummated in the Ascension of Christ into Heaven when the new married Bride as it were was taken home to his Fathers house and adorned and glorified with all the Majesty and Royalty of Heaven the Delicates of which Feast are pardon of Sins Peace with and liberty to God by Christ and welcome through him preached to us in the Gospel As also in his seeking for himself and by the Gospel and its Ordinances and by his Spirit with both espousing men in their particular Persons and Spirits and so the Church as the company of persons so espoused to himself The Marriage of whom with Christ God-man is to be consummated or accomplished at the coming of Christ again and Resurrection of the just when they shall be made partakers of the Glory of Christ and be as a new married Wife altogether brought home to Christ and God in Christ and be cloathed with his Majesty and Glory and be fed and satisfied for ever with his blessed presence and the consolation thereof But though this Ordinance of Marriage aptly minds us of and leads us to consider and press after the further understanding and enjoyment of these things yet it
being at first Instituted in Paradise before the promise of Christ and as now continued through Christ it being a civil Ordinancee or an Ordinance pertaining to the things of this life I do not take it here into conâ— ration but only those Ordinances of Goâ— which more directly were appointed 〈◊〉 and pertain to the Religious Worshipâ— him Out of which too I exclude tha◠〈◊〉 the Sabbath and that of the Tree of Life if it might be so called as instituteâ— and given in Paradise before the fall because before the promise of Christ and such as should have been had man nevâ— fallen nor Christ been sent forth for him That of that Tree of Life being now also expired and gone together with the integrity and innocency in which God made man The Sabbath as since 〈◊〉 newed through Christ or by him continued we shall in fit place take inâ— consideration And so only these Ordâ— nances which pertain to his worship and were since the fall injoyned by him to be observed are those we shall speak to Again by Miracles I mean not all the monstrous or unusual providences oâ— things that have happened in the world for there have been not only through Gods Providence many miscarriages as it were of nature but also through hiâ— permission and sufferance many greaâ— and stupendious things wrought by the power of evil Spirits for confirming the minds of Idolaters through Gods just and severe judgements in their impietieâ— which they having rejected the light of his truth had given themselves up to Such as the going or removing of certain mages which Aeneas is said to have â—rought from Troy and Ascanius to have hurried from Lavinium to Alba from which place it 's recorded in the Heathen Histories that they went twice of themâ—ves without any visible appearing hand of man to carry them Such also was that in Tarquinius Priseus his time that Actius Naevius the Augur cut a Whetstone in two with a Rasor and that one of the Vestal Virgins suspected for unchastity to clear her self carryed water from Tyber in a Seive and the like mentioned by Lyvy and out of him by Augustine de Civit. Dei lib. 10. cap. 16. which were all doubtless wrought by Diabolical power Matth. 24.24 2 Thess 2.9 10 11 12. As Magicians and Witches may be found by their help to do some such lying wonders to further their designs upon men as it was also foretold by our Saviour and his Apostles that Antichrist should do such things for hardning his followers that they might be damned that believed not the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness But I shall speak only of those far greater certainer and more glorious Miracles wrought of God for the confirmation of the truth of his Doctrine And first I shall begin with his Ordinances SECT 2. That Christ was and is the foundation all Ordinances appointed to fallen 〈◊〉 for his Worship of God and that Châ— and the grace in him are the thâ— mainly witnessed to by them LEt me say this in general of all these Ordinances of God which he haâ— given to man since his fall that Châ— was and is both the foundation of them and the matter chiefly signified and 〈◊〉 forth in and by them they stood and stand upon Christ and all look and poâ— towards or unto Christ like the Cheâ—bims of old that stood upon the Mâ— Seat and looked toward it figuring the Angels peeping down into that grâ— mysterie figured by it 2. Pet. 1.12 Those Ordinaâ—ces mentioned above as given in Parâ—dise before the fall might be some resemblance too of Christ either as he was the word and should have been the 〈◊〉 and life of man as so had he stood 〈◊〉 else as he was in the Divine foreknowledâ— of God to come in the flesh for fallâ— man but certainly they were not foundâ— upon any promise of Christ to come anâ— suffer for us man as then not having sinnâ— Nor were they therefore ordained of God to mind us of him and stir us up to loâ— and wait for him but they were appoinâ— to other ends and uses as the Sabbath 〈◊〉 mans rest from his labours and to miâ— him of Gods resting therein from all 〈◊〉 works and to give him a more devoted opportunity to contemplate the truth and works of God in and to mind him of the more blessed rest he should attain in obeying him The tree of life was for preâ—ving the life of man immortal and free from Diseases and the woman for the comfort society and multiplacation of mankind But the Ordinances given to sinful fallen mankind instituted as external means for or ways of our approaching to God and entring or holding communion with him must needs stand upâ—â— Christ either first as promised or else also as actually come in the flesh for we could not be in Covenant or have Communion with God having sinned and being therefore sentenced to death accurâ—ed and banished from his presence but through a Mediator and therefore always appointed for us thereunto must needs have dependance on him and so both witness of and lead us to him If than had stood in his innocency doubtless he should have worshipped God and that not only inwardly in his heart but also outwardly in bodily actions but sure those should have been more simple and such as in which the Power Wisdom Goodness of God his Maker should have been acknowledged and his blessings sought as in Praisings of him â—hansgivings Invocations c. in which also he might have been in the power of God and his Word and Spirit the immediate Offerer and Priest himself aâ— should not have had need of a Mediatoâ— but being fallen the case was and is altered Now no access or acceptance bâ— by another a person holy and harmlâ— in himself and that makes or hath madâ— peace and attonement for us and hath thereby power and authority to present our suits and services and to be our Righteousness and therefore also it was good and meet that we should in all Ordinances have thereof some apt signification and remembrance Verily the promises of Christ as the seed of the woman to bruise the head of the Serpent and as the Seed of Abraham to bring in blessing to all the Nations and Families of the Earth or rather Christ as so promised was the ground and foundation of those Ordinances appointed in those first Ages before his coming And the exhibition and actual appearance of him the ground and basis of those we have since so as all stand upon his said coming and the things accomplished therein by him and witness to him and to his said coming only differently according to the different times and dispensations of the knowledge of his coming those that were before his coming represented him as then yet to come and 〈◊〉 one that should in his coming makâ— attonement for us by his blood and therefore had something in them generally of blood-shedding but
according to what 〈◊〉 said of God to us and not according to our sight and carnal reasons we â—all be justified with him This was â—ealed by Circumcision and so that righteousness should be imputed to such also though not Circumcised in the flesh as Abraham then was not when his Faith 〈◊〉 imputed to him for righteousness that so he might be the Father of thâ— also as Heirs with him of the promiâ— made to him in Christ and the Father too of the Circiumcision not because of their being outwardly Circumcised for Circumcision did not feal its self or iâ— own Righteousness as to say that men should be justified and imputed righteous and so be Heirs of Abraham and his blessing in Christ for and by being Circumcised but the righteousness of the Faith which he had being yet uncircumcised but if they walked in the steps of the Faith of Abraham which he had before he was Circumcised as the Apostle says Rom. 4.11 12. This Ordinance then witnessed and sealed and the promise oâ— Christ and of Righteousness and Blessing in him for all Nations and that thâ— Faith was committed to and left in the Family of Abraham through which thâ— blessing might be met with and so directed and sealed the way to that blessing And this Ordinance was practised from Fathers to Children by Abraham and 〈◊〉 Seed both that of the Bond-woman anâ— that of the Free and by the Edomites also though both the Israelites and the Edomites degenerated from the Faith witnesed to by it yea and the Israelites also thâ— generality of them resting in the ouâ— ward Circumcision and neglecting thâ— inward of the Spirit witnessed and diâ—ed to by it and because it was a badgeâ— distinction of them from other People and a sign of their being Children of the Covenant of God calling themselves and â—ing called there after the Circumcision as before the Church in distinction from others Gen. 6.2 Rom. 2.17 to the end 3.1 2 9 10 c. were called the Sons of God they lifted up themselves by it and despised the uncircumcised in the flesh as if there was no grace or blessing in and through the Messias for them if not so Circumcised not understanding the right end of it â—nd Gods mind and meaning in it With reference to this Ordinance we read of a Circumcision or Uncircumcision of the Heart of â—ar and of the Lips Lev. 26.41 the heart is uncirumcised 2 Cor. 3.16 Deut. 30.6 Jer. 6.10 2 Tim. 4.3 Exod. 6.12 30. while the carâ—ality of it the fleshly wisdom and affection in it obstructs and hinders its perception and reception of Gods grace and truth and so keep it off from trusting in and loving the Lord. And the taking away that carnality in its turning to the Lord is the Circumcising it to love the Lord. The Ear is Uncircumcised while men cannot endure sound Doctrine or to hear the reproofs of it And the Lip while a man cannot speak distinctly of or to God in prayers to or confessions of him And the taking away that carnality or fleshly frame of Spirit that renders the word offensive and burdensom or that hinders a man from speaking aright and profitably to God and men is the Circumcising of the Ear and Lip and the Circumcision of these parts by the Grace and Spirit of God are exceeding necessary for us that we may hear and understand and so bâ— and love the Lord and his Doctrine aâ— utter them rightly and profitably and 〈◊〉 attending unto Christ this also is to be met with by us This I may further add that that Ordinance though it sealed the Righteousness of Faith Rom. 3.25 yet it also obliged to the observation of all such other Laws or Ordinances as were or should be after given them of God in their waiting for the promised Seed thence though it was long before the Law yet it is said by the Apostle to oblige to keep the Law Gal. 5.3 and therefore when the Seed came to which the Law witnessed and 〈◊〉 the faith of whom they were kept 〈◊〉 under a Schoolmaster then it with the observation of the Law ceased being swallowed up in Christ the end of the Law for righteousness to every one that believeth But in the mean while God as he see good and needful ceased not to mind them of Christ thereby and to that purpose also to add still other outward Rites and Ordinances that by many Witnesses they might be more confirmed and kept to the faith of him from which through their carnality they were apt to be departing And indeed within four hundred years or little more after this Ordinance of Circumcision being in Egypt they there much corrupted themselves from Gods true Faith and Worship learning the ways of the Egyptians and defiling themselves with the â—minations of their Eyes and with 〈◊〉 Idols so as to provoke God to have consumed them there as Ezekiel testifies Ezek. 20.7 8 9. 23.8 there they exercised their Spiritual Whoredoms and the Teats of their Virginity were bruised so as God lifted up his hand to have destroyed them yet for his Names sake wrought their deliverance that so his Name committed to and called upon by them might yet have its Tabernacle amongst them and might not be polluted amongst the Nations as if of â—o profit to them that received it and retained it with them Yea he greatly glorified his Name in his returning to them to take them from the heavy bondage which their sins had brought upon them so as that he made it famous to all the people about them And then also renewing his Covenant made with Abraham concerning them He added another Ordinance called the Passover to be observed by them SECT 5. Of the Passover and how that Typed out Christ PEsech or the Passover of which and of its Institution we read Exo. 12. â—as the next outward and publick Ordinance appointed of God to be observed 〈◊〉 them that worshipped him in the Family of Abraham and that was Inâ—ted upon their Deliverance out of 〈◊〉 to be Annually or every Year obserâ— on the same Evening both in remembrance of that their great Deliverâ— from so heavy a Bondage and as a Tâ— and signification of that far greater 〈◊〉 liverance and Redemâ—tion promised to Mankind in and by the Promised Seed and especially and peculiarly by the 〈◊〉 Israel of God to be enjoyed and so 〈◊〉 the way whereby men might and the Israel of God shall actually escape Sin and Eternal Death by and through him That it was a Type of Christ and his Death and Sacrifice and Mens Redemption thereby from Sin and Satan the Apostle warrants us to believe in saying 1 Cor. 5. â— Christ our â—â—ssover is sacrificâ— for us And indeed almost every thing in that Ordinance fitly represents Christ and the grace in him and the way to pertake thereof As to instance They were to take every man a Lamâ— for his Family
Sacrifice there is provided for men generally a way of cleansing their Consciences and Spirits from sin both guilt and filth of it namely the Faith of the Son of God the truth concerning him as given forth by him in his Spirit in the opening and bringing to mind his Death and Sufferings for us and the love therein testified to us there through men may find cleansing from all their uncleanesses of Flesh and Spirit But he that will retain his filthiness or seek some other way of deansing than by the Bloud of sprinkling and will not obey the Gospel to be purified thereby shall be cut off from part or fellowship in Christ and with his Congregation Heb. 9.13 14 10.22 29. 12.24 25. Joh. 13.8 4. Yea and to add no more the very Tabernacle and Temple themselves the places appointed for the Worship of God as for offering Sacrifices and burning Incense which burning of Incense was also a Type of Christ's Meditation by way of Intercession were clearly Types of Christ Col. 1.19 2 9. as the Spiritual place of our Worship and of the Church in Union with him for he is the Place or Person where God hath placed all his fulness the fulness of the God-head dwells Bodily in him Isa 53.10 56.7 Heb. 17 10 13. he is both the Altar of Burnt offering and Burnt offering it self his Soul being made an Offering for our sinand upon him are all our Offerings to be laid He is the door into the House of God the way by which we may enter into the Holy place to have fellowship with him and his people yea the way into the holy of Holies Joh. 10.9 Heb. 10.20 yea the Molten Sea and Layer for the Priests and Sacrifices to be wash'd in Typified him the Sacrificer and Cleanser of us and our Offerings the Golden Candlest and Table of Shew-bread figured him the light and food of the Soul The Altar of Incense shewed him to be the perfumer of our Prayers and Services as he appears for us within the Vail even in Heaven where also he is the Propitiatory or Mercy Seat and obtaining pardon for and covering our sins mediates the New Testainent and obtains a keeping of Covenant and Mercy with all that Worship God in and by him presenting them acceptable in himself Yea he is the High Priest in the Holy of Holies with the Names of the Tribes of Israel upon his shoulders bearing and presenting them before God for ever the house of Prayer for all people Isa 56.7 and the looking toward the Temple of old in their Prayers or their praying in it instructed them to look to Christ in all their services as also their orders of Porters Singers c. Typed out the Spiritual Worship and Worshippers of God in Christ who is as is said both the door to be opened and kept open or shut in and by the Gospel upon men as they are mere to enter or be excluded Yea he also he is great Door-keeper that hath the Keys of David that opens and no man shuts and shuts and no man opens the matter and Ground of all our Songs and Praises and the great Master of the Musick tuning the heart by his word and Spirit put thereinto so as they may make melody unto God but of most of these things we spake above Christ then was the end and ground of all these Ordinances in which the People were to exercise themselves till his personal appearance and offering up the acceptable Sacrifice when he swallowed them all up in himself being the substance of those many shadows which all vanished at his appearing when he propounded himself in the Gospel to 〈◊〉 as the truth of all and the Spirit of them in which now God without these shâ—â— dows wâ—ll be worshipped by us Thought yet he hath also appointed us some 〈◊〉 outward Ordinances of Worship to â—serve to and amongst ourselves and others a lively remembrance of Gods grace in him towards us Of which it remains that we say something also before we conclude this Discourse about Gods Ordinances SECT 7. Of Baptism QUestionless Christs Ordinances appointed by himself at and since his coming must needs have their ground in him and bear witness to him they are but few in stead of the many before injoyned and practised namely Buptism and the Lords Supper of which in order Baptism as to the outward act of it is a dipping or plunging into Matth. 3.17 18. 28 19 20. or washing with water into the Name that is to the belief and confession of the Doctrine of Christ and so into or unto the Name of the Father Son and Holy Ghost who were distinctly made manifest in the Baptism of Christ and are distinctly mentioned in the Commission given by Christ for Baptism after his Resurrection The outward act of Baptising was praâ—â—ed before amongst the Jews upon diâ—ers occasions whence we read 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Heb. 9.10 that â—ere were in the Law divers Baptisms or Washings but it was first appointed of God as an Ordinance for manifesting and witnessing to Christ come in the flesh to John the Son of Zachary forerunner of Christ called thence John the Baptist Luke 3.2 3. or Baptizer who was not that Light of men nor witnessed of himself or men as directing them to themselves or him John 1.6 7 29. but came to bear witness to the Light in all his Ministration and so did witness both by Word and Baptism that Jesus was the Christ the Lamb of God that takes away the sin of the world endeavouring to reduce men to him by calling them to repent of their former mistakes and miscarriages in which they had wandred from him either lifting up themselves by their birth of Abraham or by their having and observing the Law and Ordinances of God in the outward acts of them or else by growing altogether prophane and casting Gods Law and Doctrine behind them He therefore pulling down their Mountains or high Thoughts of themselves because of such fleshly priviledges and filling up the Valsies by elevating mens minds to higher thoughts of God and his goodness to them that were ready to fink in fight of their own sinfulness and worthlesness preached Jesus to them and the Kingdom of God brought nigh to them in him and 〈◊〉 further instruction of them in his Doctrinâ— washed them in Water unto repentance saying they should believe in him that came after him in whom they should find forgiveness of their sins and the Spiritual Baptism washing them from their sins and so should meet with Gods grace and blessing in him So that that Ordinance did not witness men to be holy righteous penitent believers or the like though men in coming to it desiring or yeilding to it did at least intimately profess some desire after God belief of the Doctrine Preached and desire to repent and do better yea and were ingaged thereby so to do whence
in 〈◊〉 Profession of Religion to exercise themselves about and be very eager and zealous for the outside and Form of Religion and Godliness the outward Dutâ— Ordinances and ways of Worship with an ignorance and neglect of the bottoâ— and foundation of all right Worship and the very heart life and end of 〈◊〉 Ordinances The Vision of all the preaching and believing of the Cross of Christ and the great grace and love of God in him pointed out in and by and the very foundation and end of all 〈◊〉 Ordinances Isa 29.10 11 12. 1 Cor. 1.22 23. men have not nor yet 〈◊〉 make any great account of but it is sealed Book to them as the Prophet Isaâ— saith or as a stumbling block and offenâ— or else as foolishness to them as the Aâ—stle complains while men are either aâ—lously pursuing after or priding theâ—selves in their riches of other sciences knowledge falsely so called or induâ—â—ly earnest for outward Observances â—ough yet it is the knowledge of Christ Col. 2.2 3. 〈◊〉 of God and his love to Mankind in â—st which is the onely true Science in â—ich all the Treasures of Wisdom and knowledge are contained and which â—oth renews and frames the Heart aright to Worship God in Spirit and Truth and so gives the inward and true Circumcision and Baptism yea and Sacrifice to be offered up by man and Supper and Communion with God and also instructs and leads rightly to look upon and use all outward Ordinances required of and to be observed by them A very dangerous mistake and yet the commonness of it may be seen in what is noted in the Scriptures touching the former Ages and in what is agreeable thereto observable concerning the Men of our own time Thus we find the Prophets faulting Israel of old for rejecting God's Rest wherewith he would have had them cause the the weary to Rest and in which he had provided refreshing for them the Foundation he had laid in Sion the Vision of all and instead thereof Preaching and urging precept upon precept precept upon precept line upon line line upon line Isa 28.12 13 14 15 16 17. 29.9 10 11. here a little and there a little till they went back and stumbled and fell for which God threatned them also that it should be so to them precept upon precept c. as is to be seen Isa 28. makeing much to do and priding themselveâ— their building Temples and Altars Jer. 7.4 5. â—pecially the Temple at Jerusalem 〈◊〉 offering many Sacrifices burning Incâ— and observing the other Ordinances wâ— as in all this the grace of God in Châ— was not so seen believed and yielded 〈◊〉 as to be thereby renewed in their heâ— and conversations otherwise as is to 〈◊〉 seen Isa 1 10-10 and 65 1. 2-6 aâ— 66.1 2 3 4 5. Hos 8.12 Which 〈◊〉 is more evidently to be noted in the Jâ— and Pharisees in Christs and the Apostâ— time for they spent their zeal and heaâ— for and about keeping Sabbaths offeâ— Sacrifices Tithing Mint and Rue aâ— Annise and so in Fasting Praying 〈◊〉 and so in an external holy Walking knowing themselves thereby and liftâ— up themselves therein as if they wereth godly People holyer than their Neigâ—bours the chosen people of God despâ—ing others in comparison of themselve while in the mean time they neglectâ— the weighty things of the Law the Kâ— of Knowledge Judgment and the 〈◊〉 of God And where to profited then their said Zeal and Religiousness but make themselves and others the mâ— Children of Hell even to fill them wâ— proud conceits of themselves and 〈◊〉 tempt of others to the very Opposiâ— Persecuting and Crucifying of the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Glory and Murdering both him 〈◊〉 〈…〉 that bare Witness of him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they sought Righteousness by 〈◊〉 so rested in their Works about God's â—ward Ordinances and Precepts not â—itting themselves to receive the grace God in Christ the Righteousness of â—d that they might have been renewed 〈◊〉 yet they ascribed both all Gods 〈◊〉 abundant Dispensations of Means 〈◊〉 Ordinances to them then to others 〈◊〉 their Zeal and observances to some 〈◊〉 special grace Electing and Destinaâ— them before time and by some kind Irresistible Operation in time bringing â—m thereto for as Josephus Notes Luk. 18.10 11. They â—ed all to a kind of Destiny thence 〈◊〉 God I thank thee that I am not other men are or as this Publican c. 〈◊〉 up a conceit of special Grace to â—selves against the true Grace of God restified in the Gospel and begetting 〈◊〉 indeed to God And who sees not 〈◊〉 be the too common way of the â—orld â—even the professing part of it at 〈◊〉 both Papists and Protestants are â—up and wrangling about the Borm 〈◊〉 ship and Godliness neglecting the 〈◊〉 few receiving the love of the 〈◊〉 amongst us so as to be saved â—ere 〈◊〉 so as to experiment the inward â—ersion of the heart cutting off 〈◊〉 confidences and rejoycings in 〈◊〉 of our selves the in ward 〈◊〉 washing the cheart and conscienâ— dead Woâ—ks and the inward 〈◊〉 or Communion with Christ and one another in the Spirit and its â—lations But the great Zeal about â—gion is spent about the External part as the form and way of Baptizing the way of administring and receiving Supper the form and way of Prayer regulating men in their demeanours conversations thereunto The way Churching or imbodying into Socieâ— and so the Frames and Formes of Kâ—ledge propounded or gathered by 〈◊〉 men at the best too generally Preach Precept upon Precept not knowing lieving or laying the foundation 〈◊〉 Precepts the Son of God the Savioâ— the World and the grace that brings â—vation to all Men by which men 〈◊〉 have the fear of God taught and bâ— and nourished in them and indeed 〈◊〉 fear of God men have otherwise they 〈◊〉 it but by the precepts of Men they 〈◊〉 otherwise daring to believe or praâ— but as warranted thereunto by tâ— But besides while they believe or 〈◊〉 not Gods good will in Christ 〈◊〉 World and have not that as the Kâ— Knowledge to guide them in their aâ—hensions about and use of Ordinance Precepts they also run into many â—ditions of their own as the Jews about their Sabbath-keeping and waâ— their Hands c. according to whâ— they teach men to Worship God â—ditions in Doctrine False Doctrinâ— opposition to the Testimony of God â—ing Jesus Christ and Traditions in â—actise about mens coming to and obâ—ying of Ordinances making those â—ings the badges and characters of their â—ood condition and laying them as the â—oundation or fundamental givers of their â—ope towards God and that Christ came and dyed for them and of their expecting Blessing from him which are not so much as right Superstructures how great their mistake herein Is not the great business of the World now to measure the outward Court and to regulate that which is thrown out and given to the Gentiles Do not
the Miracles wrought by him as they were confirmations of him and his Doctrine so they had also some significant intimation of the grace brought in by him As the spiritual healing enlivening and saving of men But this was the General and first end of all God's Miracles to demonstrate himself his Truth and People to Men touching which Miracles I note 1. That they were not at all times nor ordinarily wrought for then would they not have been taken for Miracles but upon some special times or upon special occasions As 1. When God brought Israel out of Aegypt to manifest himself to be the true God and Israel his People and to prepare them for his Law and evidence it to be his and so in his Call in them to be and setting them up for his Church with whom his Truth and Worship should be deposited that the residue of the Nations all about might know which was the true God and which his Church and 〈◊〉 where to seek and find him and hiâ— Truth Therefore he set his signes in Aegypt and in the Wilderness to get himself a glorious Name or an everlasting Name as Isaias says and to make his Name known in all the Earth as he said by Moses Isa 63.12 14. Exod. 9.16 We read of few Miracles before except we account the preservation of Noah in the Ark and the Destruction of Sodom for such and surely there might be less need then because of the long Lives of the Patriarks and first Fathers amongst men to hold forth the truth to them 2. In the time of the Apostacy of Israel to manifest to the halting People who was the true God and which his Worship and so to turn their hearts back again as in the times of Elias and Elisha 1 King 18.36 37. 2 King 2. and 3. and 4. and 5. and 6. and 7. c. 3. In the time of the Captivity Jonas 1. 2. 3. Dan. 3. 3. 6. Isa 38. 39. Job 20.31 and a little before in Jonah's time for making known himself and his people amongst the Heathen to prepare them to receive his Message and confirm his poor Captives that waited upon him and give them favour amongst their Enemies 4. At the coming of Christ in the Flesh and his Actual Preaching the Kingdom of God and accomplishing the things of our Salvation to make him manifest to be the Christ and that to be the truth that was Preached by Him and his Apostles in his Name Mat. 11.5 6. Heb. 2.3 4. 〈◊〉 In seting up or taking to himself from aâ—ong the Gentiles a people to be his church 〈◊〉 which the residue of men might resort to seek him Dent. 4. Act. 15.3 4 12 14 15 16 17. 2. That though God wrought many of his Miracles so as they were conspicuous to and amongst the Gentiles yet Israel were Witnesses of more of them then the Gentiles till after Christ's Ascention Israel had the preheminence too in this Dispensation 3. That it was not God's mind that people should look for Miracles to be the foundation and ground of their Faith but that they should believe and have their Faith grounded upon his Doctrine to which he bare Testimony by those Miracles and gifts of the holy Ghost as and when he pleased especially after he had by such Miracles evidenced the Truth and therefore he faulted it as an evil and unbelieving and adulterous frame of heart to be requiring signs after he had sufficiently evidenced Himself Psal 44.1.2 3. 77.11 12. Isa 63.7 8 9 c. Psal 78.3 4 5 6 7 105.5 6 7 8. Joh. 20.29 7.37 38. Rom. 4.17 18. Heb. 4.2 and his Truth to men as Matth. 16.1 2 3 4. Joh. 〈◊〉 .48 Directing them to the Wonders and Miracles formerly wrought by him and to acquiesce and rest in his Authority and Truth as Witnessed thereby and not to be doting upon new Signes to satisfie thâ— vanity of their Minde thence we finâ— David and other holy Men of God ofteâ— mentioning and looking back to 〈◊〉 Works and Wonders of old and Goâ— ordering men so to do they that believâ— because they see being not so happy noâ— their Faith usually so firm as they thâ— believe and see not but believe accordiâ— to what is spoken and as the Scripture saith 4. That God having given a full Testimony to his Truth and to the Revelation of his Truth in these Last Days by his Son and confirming it also by divers Signes Miracles and Gifts of the holy Ghost would have us henceforth acquiesce in them and not either look after more Miracles to perswade us to believe nor receive any because they may work them for he hath fore-warned us that he will suffer Antichrist to come with Power and Signes and lying Wonders yea to shew great Signes and Wonders to try whither we will and do heartily love his Son and the Truth Revealed to us by and concerning him that so such as love him not nor acquiesce in his Truth as already witnessed and confirmed might be deceived by him and go to destruction Matth. 24.22 23 24. 2 Thess 2.9 10 11 12. 5. That though the generality of these Miracles wrought of God were wrought by his servants and people yet he gave not to all his People either to have the sight of them or much less power to work them but onely to some few and in some Ages as he pleased So that in these additional Dispensations also both of Ordinances and Miracles God hath used his own liberty and there hath been both as to Persons Peoples and Ages great diversity But we have been large enough upon this Branch of the Distinction as to God's Dispensations Let us now proceed to his Operations in and upon Men in and with these his Dispensations CHAP. VIII Of Gods Operations and first of those of them that are in Mercy and Directly his SECT 1. That the Operations of God are many of them very secret and not to be known or discerned but by his Word concerning them and therefore to be soberly treated of GOds Operations in and with the Dispensations of his Truth and the means thereof are certainly very intricate secret and incomprehensible as to the manner of them and therefore also great sobriety is to be used in our assertions concerning them taking the word of Truth altogether for our guide therein yea it is better soberly hereabout to profess our weakness and ignorance than to be rash and presumptuous for though its evident by the Scriptures that God and his Spirit accompany the means he affords to men Gen. 6.3 whence that My spirit shall not always strive with man implying that during the day of his patience He is striving as it is also asserted in 1 Pet. 3.19 That Christ by his Spirit preached to the Spirits of men now in prison and in Prov. 9.3 That Wisdom cries with and as well as her maidens unto men to call them to
as that the Apostle supposes that some of them did or might do by nature that is without such verbal or written instruction as was afforded to the Jews for nature seems to be there plainly opposed not to grace but to outward instruction by Law or Doctrine the things contained in the Law of the Jews as to render them in Gods acceptance as Circumcised Rom. 2.25 26 27 28 29. And so as our Saviour signifie Matth. 8.12 admittable to sit down with Abraham Isaac and Jacob in Gods Kingdom when many of the Jews that had the Law and Circumcision and so were Children of the Kingdom in its outward then administration by breaking of the Law should be accounted as Uncircumcised and be cast out of the Kingdom Deut 30 11 12 13 14. Rom. 10.7 8 9. To which passages of the Apostle we might add that in Act. 17.26 27. signifying Gods nearness to all that they might feel after him and find him in some lower degree answering to that of the word being near to the Jews and to others to whom 〈◊〉 brought in the more plain declarations in the heart and in the mouth that they may believe and do it and that of the working of Gods Spirit in the old world where it s said the Spirit of God was striving judging or reproving in them Prov. 1.20 21 22. Gen. 6.3 compared with 1 Pet. 3.19 where the Spirit of Christ is said to have preached to their spirits while the long suffering of God waited for them and that in Prov. 1. where wisdom cries to them without and in the streets as well to those in the City and reproves them and withall stretches forth her hand puts forth her power to them so as to render them capable of choosing the fear of the Lord vers 24.28 or why else condemnable for not choosing it To say that they were so because in Adam they had that power is to blind mens selves or shew their blindness and want of understanding for how was Adam without or they now without capable in Adam of turning at reproofs when as that condition was not capable of reproof or needed not to turn but abide what it was Who sees not that this is the voice of Wisdom and the working of her power who is Christ and her addresses unto men as fallen simple scorners and so not speaking to them as in Adam standing and therefore also not to continue in but to choose the fear of the Lord brought to them by her that calls them to Repentance in the light and truth wherewith â—he prevents them What power had Adam standing to rise from his fall when fallen Even as much as a living man to rise from the dead when dead so that it 's clear that this speaks of Christs addresses to fallen men and condemning them for not choosing what he brought to them and made chooseable by them in his calls and stretchings out of his hand to them in his preventing them which may be also inferred from all the rebukes and condemnations every where in the Scriptures denounced against the Heathen not for what they did in Adam but in their own persons and in their respective generations as also from the Apostles assertion concerning all that they shall at the last day receive according to what is now done he saies not in Adams body but in the body namely by them personally every one in his own body while here living SECT 4. The same shewed with respect to the Jews and those that have the greater means of grace EVident things need less of demonstration to make them manifest and therefore on the operations and workings of God in the hearts and consciences of men that have more means such as the Law Doctrine and Gospel of God we shall not need much to insist to prove Gods vouchsafement of them that in the Proverbs above quoted reaches to such also and includes them principally and Isa 5. speaks of such more directly in which God is said to have done so much in his Vineyard the House of Israel and the men of Judah that he looked it should have brought forth Grapes and challenges them to judge between him and themselves and to say what could have been done to his Vineyard that he had not done in it and why then they had not brought forth fruits by vertue of what he had done to or in them not in Adam where there was no need of the Wine-press of afflictions nor of gathering out the stones but in themselves to be expected from them And so in Ezek. 24. the operations of the Word and Spirit of God preventing men are fitly resembled by those of the Fire boyling the Water and making the Scum to come aloft so as that the Servant might throw it off and in that sense God is said vers 13. to have purged them as the Fire may be said to have purged the Water when it hath wrought up the Scum and separated it from the Liquor but they like slothful Servants not then casting off the â—â—perfluity or overflowings of naughtness suffering the filthy Soum to boil in and unite with the Water again exposed themselves to rejection never to 〈◊〉 â—urged more till his wrath rested upon them The like is implied in Isai 48.16 17. that God teaches men and leads them to profit as all his teachings and leadings tend to profit and yet they are not taught and led by him hearken not to his Commandments and so meet not with the profit the peace and righteousness his teachings lead to And in Jer. 6.28 29 30. the operations of God prevented them and were like the operations of Fire melting and refining the Meâ—â—ls yet the dross being not separated or purged away Reprobate Silver saies he shall men call them c. The like is to be seen in Hos 11.3 where God saies He was to Ephraim as one that draws with the Cords of Love and Bands of a Man discoveries of love and drawing motives suited to the nature of man and extended through the Man Jesus Christ Mediator of God and Man yea and was as one that took off the Yoke from their Jaws and laid meat before them thus he prevented them with his gracious operations yea and healed them yet they refused to return knew not or took no notice of his healing them vers 2.5 they went back and brake his Bands in peices and threw his Cords from them as in Jer. 5.5 6. Isal 2.3 Such Gods preventing operations and so generally extended that we may conclude that saying of Esdras true in 2 Esdr 7.21 That God hath shewed to men certainly as they came into the world what they should do that they might have life and what they should observe that they might escape punishment but these being not perswaded contradicted him and proposed to themselves vain imaginations and compassing themselves about with a multitude of sins said of the Almighty that he is not and acknowledged
with his grace as not onely his approving the heart and conscience but also blessing the Soul pouring out his Spirit into it and thereby making known his words giving it more light and truth and leading it into more good inabling it to go on yet further and follow after God still in his good ways and giving in comfortable encouragements thereunto in which the Soul still closing with and following after the Spirit receives more of its presence concomitancy strength and helpfulness and is followed still with more grace peace blessing goodness c. the holy Spirit entring into it and taking up his abode therein in his light life vertues operations grace as an indwelling Principle as a spring of living water bubling or springing up to everlasting Life Joh. 4.14 filling it with Lustings after God and against the Flesh and its evil and carnal operations For all the operations and workings in the believer Gal. 5.17 19. Rom. 7.20 21 22 23 24. are not the operations of God and his Spirit there is also in him while here the flesh and corrupt Nature and bent lusting and working in him against the Spirit being so far from being of it that it is altogether contrary thereunto But all the fruits of the Spirit as love joy peace patience c are the Spirits and so God's workings in the Soul yea they are the consequents of the Souls entertainment of and obedience to Gods gracious preventing operations and of its walking in his accompanying Influences Now these consequent operations are every where mentioned where God promises more Grace to men upon their listening to and obeying of him Prov. 1.23 35. Chap. 2.1 2 4 5 6. as Turn at my reproofs Behold I will pour out my spirit to you I will make known my words And again Whosh hearkneth to me shall dwell safely and shall be quiet from the fear of evil And My son if thou receive my sayings so that thy heart keep my commandments so that thou incline thine ear to wisdome and apply thine heart to understanding c. then thou shalt understand the fear of the Lord and find the knowledge of God then thou shalt understand righteousness judgment equity and every good path Of the same nature are those sayings in John 14 15 16 17 21 23. And Psal 25.8 9 12 14. Good and upright is the Lord therefore by way of preventing operation he will teach sinners the way and then upon their being meekned by those first Teachings to which they tend it follows as a consequent work or operation The meek will he guide in judgment the meek will he teach that is further teach in his way All the ways of the Lord are mercy and truth to them that keep his Covenant and his Testimonies What man is he that feareth the Lord him shall he teach in the way that he shall chuse his soul shall dwell at ease The secret of the Lord is with them that fear him and he shall shew them his Covenant c. But why should I multiply Expressions here about seeing all the Promises of more Grace and Blessings almost are significations of the said operations onely this I may add That Gods operations of this nature are though not universal as to all men because all close not with his grace in his preventing operations yet universal and uniform in a sort to All that believe and obey the grace of God in every Nation and People and under every Dispensation of the means of Grace and Knowledge of God afforded to men for in every Nation he that feareth God and worketh righteousness is accepted of him there being no respect of persons with him though as to the measure of what he worketh consequently to mens faith and obedience there is and may be great difference yea and as to the things the gifts or graces thereby effected but in the main substance there is an unity and uniformity in his said workings All that follow on to know the Lord shall know him All that with meekness receive his Teachings shall be further taught and guided in judgment All that turn at his Reproof he will pouâ— out his Spirit to and make known his words to more or less his Promises to that purpose being general or universal to all such and He true and righteous in the performance of his Promises A great encouragement to All to close with and obey his Truth and Grace Thus to that distinction of his gracious operations into preventing accompanying and following operations SECT 7. The said gracious operations otherwise distinguished BUt the said gracious Operations may be also otherwise distinguished and are in the Scriptures distinctly mentioned under other Names as convincing converting regenerating or renewing healing comforting strengthning conforming and the like Of which briefly 1. God in and by his words and works and by his Spirit is convincing the hearts and consciences of men of his Being Goodness Truths of their own sinfulness and misery the vanity and worthlesness of their own works and righteousness the emptiness and fadingness of all Creature-injoyments the uncertainty of their lives the vanity and brutishness of their own thoughts and imaginations the evil and sinfulness of their ways c. according to the means afforded them and manifestations of his Truth in and by those means to and in them This kind of operation is often spoken of in the Scriptures as Prov. 1.23 Turnye at my reproofs my arguings or convinements of you Implying That Wisdom is arguing reproving and convincing men Again ver 25.30 John 16.7 8 9 10 11. Ye set at nought all my counsels and would none of my reproofs So our Saviour tells his Disciples That the Spirit which he would send them should reprove argue or convince the World of Sin of Righteousness and of Judgment Of Sin because they believe not on him c. And this is that which is called the Spirit striving with or judging in men Gen. 6.3 Gods standing in the Congregation of the Mighty Rev. 3.20 and judging among the Gods How long will ye judge unjustly and accept the persons of the wicked Psal 82.1 2. Christs standing at the door and knocking And in this operation is 1. A manifesting and evidencing his Truth more or less to men shining it into their Consciences and shewing it them As Rom. 1.19 2 Cor. 4.2 Yea and 2. An opening the Eye of the Mind or Conscience to see and discern it so as â—hey in some measure know or perceive 〈◊〉 both which are implyed in that we â—ake to above Of his preventing operaâ—ons Rom. 1.19 20 21. Act. 26.18 John 1.9 Joh. 5.25 and 6.63 Opening the eyes of the blind inlightning men â—at come into the World which may be also represented under another Metaphor of speaking to the Dead and causing them to hear or perceive what is spoken his words being Spirit and Life 3. As also a discovery of other Objects in and by that light as
entring his Kingdom here in its Spiritual State is We cannot enter his Kingdom but by being born of God nor further enter into it to be under the Regiment Power and Priviledges of it then as we are born of God namely of God as objectively discovered to us and looked to or known by us they that know thy Name will trust in thee and as efficiently and efficaciously working by his Power and Spirit in us And so Regeneration contains in it Healing Confirming and Conforming too or they may in the place above quoted be referred to the words after it and denote the time when they should receive their Honour and Reward viz. In the Regeneration when the Son of man shall sit on the throne of his glory that is In the time of the Resurrection and so it signifies That the Regeneration is not compleated till the Resurrection when the Body also shall be changed and be found in the Spirit and Glory of Christ But here I do as usually men do in speaking of Regeneration speak of its First Acts Of making a man in Christ The overcoming of the Heart to close with and believe in God and Christ and depend on him and so the infusing the Spirit and Principles of new and heavenly Life into him And so I distinguish it from healing conforming Operations and it 's sometime included in Conversion as the end or ultimate acts in it as Conversion is usually meant of the Souls first turning to God for otherwise Souls after Regeneration falling into actual Sins or sinful frames must be Converted from them but as I said before it properly follows upon the heart turned to behold or look upon God and Christ as presented in his Gospel and it stands in the framing strengthning and overcoming the heart to close with rest in and rely on God in Christ in and through which his Spirit and Power Framing and Creating it in Christ doth enter into it possess and act it for and towards Christ Ephes 2.10 Numb 21.9 2 King 5.14 And this is by a certain creative Power whence that Phrase We are his workmanship created in Christ Jesus to good works Somewhat like the healing of the Israelites in their looking to the Serpent of Brass or the healing of Naaman washing in the waters of Jordan and it hath in it 1. A Spiritual quickening or inlivening of the Soul Psal 36.8 in its listening and looking to Christ to living affection to and likement of him and so desire after him through the presentation of the excellency of him as made known to and apprehended by the Soul as Phil. 3.7 2. A Spiritual quickning and strengthening of the Soul through the same Seed of the knowledge or word of Christ cast into the heart to a fleeing or betaking it self for refuge and rest to him and so to close with and hope in him and in God through him Heb. 6 18 19. Psal 9.10 3. A certain Spiritual inlivening of the Soul in him and upon him his mercy Gal. 2.20 goodness power faithfulness love c. and so to an acting in that life infused and put into it both towards God and towards man which the grace seen and believed by it operates works and begets yea and preserves and carries on in it and it unto and in It is set forth in Ezekiel 36.25 26. By the making the Heart and Spirit new by his Spirit and then putting in his Spirit into the Spirit made new the begetting a new judgment bent and disposition in the Soul and a new heart desire love affection toward God and Christ a new will purpose and resolution for him and then a putting his Word Power and Spirit into that Heart and Spirit renewed to live in it feed act and animate it in and for God according to his mind 4. His healing operations are a kin to those Regenerating operations and may be co-incident with his comforting operations too in part they are spoken of as fruits and consequents to Conversion Matth. 13.15 Least they should be converted and I should heal them but by comparing that with Mark 4.12 It includes or stands in the Remission of Sins at least as the necessary mean to it or womb put of which it proceeds for there for healing it is and their sins should be forgiven them Which by way of Metonomy may signifie and take in the consequents of forgiveness also such as 1. The speaking peace to them c. so the quieting pacifying and comforting of the Heart and Conscience in the sight and view of his goodness and knowledge of his love and favour towards it and of the forgiveness of Sins and hope of Happiness in which the heart-broken and disquieted with convincements reproofs and fears is healed 2. A renewing and rectifying the whole man in mind judgment will and affections and conversation sanctifying of him throughout filling him with right wholsome apprehensions and thoughts of God and Christ and himself and all things with right affections to God healing those distempers before in his heart and affections in their out-running after yanities and doting upon Idols taking offence at God and his Truth hateing what should be loved and loving what should either absolutely or comparatively be hated and so healing the passions fears cares anxieties and griefs of mind c. 3. A removing and taking off Wrath and Judgments that might formerly be inflicted on them for their rebellions or stubbornness against him yea and by degrees and in due time taking off altogether the Disease and Judgment that came upon us in Adam and through his Fall the power of natural Corruption â—nd dominion of Sin and the bodily infirmities and Death too in the Resurrection 5. Comforting Operations are in and through his Word or Truth as it is in Christ and by his hand power and spirit working therein and therewith in shewing help and remedy in Christ and in God and causing the Soul to apprehend and see it even suitable helps to all its needs and Exercises and by begetting lively hope in God and Christ for the receipt of that help both under its afflictions and in due time out of them all and by shewing the gracious and good end of God in his afflicting denying crossing suffering or ordering evils to it the lifting up reviving and chearing of the heart and spirit and maintaining the chearfulness and comfort of it in God as in John 14. He comforted the hearts of his Disciples by and through presenting to them God and his goodness towards them as an object therefore worthy to be believed in by them and himself as a constant lover of them that as well went away from them for their good as came and staid with them even for their helpfulness and salvation that he would send them another Comforter who also and more fully should comfort them by leading them into the Truth causing them to understand the Truths he now spake to them and giving them to
to Satan and their own hearts to stir up envy and hatred against them Thus we find too God threatning obstinate people that refuse to walk in his ways or be warned by the sound of his Trumpet that he will lay stumbling blocks before them and the Father and Son shall fall together upon them Jer. 6.17 Isa 8.13 14. Rom. 9.33 18 21. Such was Christ's weakness Cross and abasement and the Fathers withdrawing from him 1 Cor. 1 2â— on the Cross to the Jews and Pharisees who out of envy put him to Death and the Preaching of the Cross to the generality of them 4. Yea we may add if we can conceive otherwise of it then as included in what is said By cursing his Blessings and even his own Ordinances to Men as Mal. 2.1 2. That they should be made as snares and traps to them for their abuse of them as in Psal 69.22 23 24 25. Let their table become a snare and that which was for their welfare a trap c. Yet this is so accidentally as it were by reason of their pride covetousness c. which apts them to take offence and boggle at the Word of God which altogether speaks in such was against them vexing galling and inraging them they loving their deeds that are evil and so becoming a Savour of Death unto Death to them Yea the very Spirit of God may work such Discoveries of their resisting and rejecting them to their very hearts as may occasion the heart retaining its love to iniquity to exert its wickedness and so occasionally harden it to desperate Rebellion and so may his Judgment too as in Rev. 16 8 9. And thus I conceive of God's hardening Operations or such Operations as attributed to him I shall close up this Chapter with Mr. Mallers Exposition of those Words in Psal 105.25 He turned their hearts to hate his people Not that God saith he was the Author of Pharaohs and the Aegyptians evil Counsels or that he put those crafty and wicked counsels into their minds For God is a God that wills not Iniquity c. Which sentence is repeared often in the Scriptures as in Deut. 32. Hos 11. Psal 92. Ezek. 33. Which with both hands or rather with our whole Soul is to be held fast by us that we may know that God is not the cause of any Sin nor doth he will effect or approve of the wickedness and obstinacy of the Wicked but the cause of Sin is the corrupt will of Man and the suggestion of the Devil but God is said to have perverted or turned Pharaâ—hs and the Aegyptians hearts in that he forsaking them left their preverse hearts such as they were naturally that they might pour out their hatred conceived against Israel which hatred was not of God but of their inbred malice pride covetuousness which because God did not correct or take away by his Grace he is said to have perverted or turned their hearts that the Godly might understand that those things which happen to them from such evil men come not unto them without his will This says he is the most sincere meaning of it and most consonant to the Scriptures To which agrees Aug. Tom. 2. contra Pelag. p. 300. God hardens not by putting Malice into men but by withdrawing his mercy from them And in his First Book against the 2 Epist of Pelag. chap. 18. No man is compelled by the power of God against his will either to good or evil but God forsaking men deservedly they go into evil and helping them undeservedly they are converted to good That Phrase of perverting them and hardning them used sixteen times in Exodus is not to be understood of any efficacious action of God but of his permission and forsaking as Aust Lib. 5. contrae Julianum For it is usual in the Hebrew Tongue that Verbs or words signifying Actions are put for the causes of Actions either truly such or such as without which they would not be which seeing they are the Will Power Permission it often falls out that they are to be expounded by I will I can I suffer or permit and by their own infinitive as Gal. 5. So many as are justified by the Law that is desire to be justified 1 Cor. 10. I please all men that is desire or endeavour it Luk. 8. Hearing they bear not that is will not hear Why hast thou made us to erre from thy ways and hardned our hearts from thy fear that is Why hast thou left us and suffered us to erre c. And not rather drawn us back and governed us by thy Spirit that by our negligence malice or wickedness we rush not into evil c. Thus he which soberly construed and looked upon as the Judicial acts of God after Grace extended and rejected I conceive to be very right and Orthodox For which cause I have thus noted and transcribed it as worthy to be credited and received And thus much for the kinds of God's operations in which also we have shewed the manner of God's working in operations of this latter kind which respect the working of men to Sin or rather in what sense such operations may be Attributed to God I might have noted also That the same sentence of Truth or providence of God may have diverse operations in divers men as that saying of Christ to the Jews Joh. 8.32 If ye continue in my words then are ye my Disciples indeed and Ye shall know the truth and the truth shall set you free As it occasionally offended and inraged those Jews so it might comfort others and instruct others in the way to obtain freedome and admonish others of and cause them to fear departing from his words and as the same cloud that protected the Israelites blew the Aegyptians into the Sea But I pass it and come to what remains viz. The manner of God's working in his Gracious Operations which are more properly directly and effectively his CHAP. X. Of the manner of God's working in Men by his grace preventing accompanying and following them SECT 1. That God's gracious operations are according to the counsel of his will and in some sense different and unlike IT is most certain that God as the Apostle says Ephes 1.11 worketh all things according to the counsel of his will All things namely that he worketh or we may not say That he worketh â—ens Sins and Evils in them or the works of the Devil which he came to destroy 〈◊〉 all things that he worketh he worketh according as his most infinitely wise â—nderstanding directeth and his will â—herein determineth without asking advice of or submitting himself to the guiâ—ance of any Creature whatsoever â—hough yet heither doth the Apostle thereâ— mean that he worketh nothing with respect to our wills and works for sureâ—y that is not so but in all his punishments and rewards as properly such he hath respect to the wills and workings of Men and so the counsel of his will