Man necessarily supposed for otherwise the refusal to consent would have been a Sin preceding the Transgression in eating the forbidden Fruit. The Equity of this is owned by the universal Justice of all Nations according to which capital Crimes of Parents corrupt the Blood and devest the Posterity of all Privilege conferred upon such Families Thus all the World must justfy the Ways of God to be most equal 9. The Apostacy of Mankind was not only one transient Act of Offence against a positive Command but the Sinfulness of Sin extended to an utter Renunciation of the Love and Fear of God and introduced a Corruption which the Scripture stiles Death in all the Powers and Faculties of a created Life 10. The Justice of God being infinite the rebellious Offence against that Justice must necessarily incur an everlasting Punishment Such as the Infinite Wisdom Righteousness and Holiness of God the Creator determines to inflict to vindicate his Glory 11. The Salvation and Redemption of Man liable to eternal Wrath as it proceeds only from the free Grace of God so it is impossible to be effected without Satisfaction to the infinite Justice of God For without such Satisfaction the Godhead would be exposed to continual Dishonour and the Fountain of all Righteousness residing only in the infinite Justice of God the violation thereof remaining unsatisfied consequently there must be always a failure of common Justice in the World 12. It was impossible for any meer finite Creature to satisfy the Offence done by Sin against the infinite Justice and Majesty of the Creator 13. It was impossible and also unlawful for any finite created Intelligence to imagine or contrive or effect a due Satisfaction for the Rebellion of the Creature 14. It is the undeniable Sovereign Propriety and Right of God blessed for ever the Creator and Possessor of all Beings to contrive appoint and accomplish the Means of Satisfaction to his own infinite Justice and of Salvation for his miserable condemned corrupted Creature 15. Right Reason is the Faculty of discerning the difference between Good and Evil The Lamp of God for intellectual Evidence for the practical Judgment concerning all Objects being derived from and the Exercise of Knowledg which is part of the Image of God in Man but this being lost by Man's sinful Apostacy from God there is necessity of the recovery and renewal of the Faculty of right Reason by supernatural Light and Power 16. Tho the invisible things of God even his eternal Power and Godhead are clearly seen from the Creation of the World so as to leave Man without Excuse Yet the Manifestation of the Grace of God for the Salvation of Sinners through the Satisfaction of his Justice by a Redeemer is and can only be revealed by the Word of God contained in the holy Scriptures of the Old and New Testament and made effectual upon the Heart and Mind of Man by the holy Spirit For the things of God knoweth no Man but the Spirit of God But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit for the Spirit searcheth all things yea the deep things of God 17. God who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the Fathers by the Prophets hath in these last days compleated the whole Canon and comprehensive Cycle of the Revelation of his Will as the only Standard in Truth and Goodness for the Faith and Obedience of Mankind 18. The Word of God contained in the holy Scriptures fully makes known the Love of God in Christ which passeth Knowledg 〈◊〉 the Kindness and Love of God our Saviour towards Man which first appeared in the Promise of a Redeemer confirm'd according to the manifold wisdom of God by the Institution of propitiatory Typical Sacrifices and Ceremonial Worships as Shadows and Pledges and symbols that in the fulness of Time God should be manifested in the Flesh even Jesus Christ the eternal Son of God who is the true God and eternal Life 19. It is impossible for an intelligent Beings to devest the knowledg and obligation of Dependance upon God his Creator and Preserver Consequently the Devotion of continual Worship is indispensable Duty and Felicity in drawing near to God the only infinite eternal all-sufficient and necessary Good It is also undeniably true that the only Rule of acceptable advantagious Worship must be the revealed Will of God For only God can direct and teach how He will be supplicated and worshipped The knowledg of this Rule in the Manifestation of the Light and Perfection of Divine Truth and Goodness is only to be found in the Scriptures of the Old and New Testament wherein is revealed the absolute Simplicity and Perfection of the Christian Religion freed from the Confusion of vain and fabulous Superstition and Will-worship 20. The Covenant of Life and Happiness vouchsafed by God to Man upon his first Creation being by Man's Apostacy forfeited and the Ability to fulfil it utterly lost A second Covenant called the Covenant of Grace absolutely free on God's part but intirely necessary on the part of Man is by God instituted for the Salvation of Man The Tenor of the Engagement to which Covenant is the Institution of Baptism in the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost In which Ordinance is summarily represented the Truth of the Doctrine of the Divine Trinity in the Unity of the Godhead for as the Father is revealed to be the God of Glory so is the Son to be the Lord of Glory and the Holy Ghost the Spirit of Glory The incommunnicable Attributes of the Deity being ascribed unto the Son and 〈◊〉 the Holy Ghost as unto the Father in respect of Creation of Preservation of Regeneration of Omniscience the Necessity of Redemption and Regeneration is evinced by the Misery and Death common to all and by the universal depraved Vitiosity of all Mankind Nor it is impossible that either Redemption or Regeneration can be effected by less Power than Divine Omnipotence and Omniscience The knowledg of the Heart in all the inmost Recesses of Thought and Imagination is ascribed to Jesus Christ and to the Holy Ghost The contrary cannot be fancied without the greatest Absurdity For if the Redeemer and Mediator were not essentially able to know all the Thoughts and Dispositions of the Heart of Man then some profane Hypocrite might mock or defeat with false pretended Devotion the Intercession of our Redeemer or wickedly and securely lie to the Holy Ghost Also something most necessary for a Sinner might escape the discern of our Mediator so that he could not be a Saviour to the uttermost consequently they who come to God by him must remain most miserable The essential Being of God is of such terrible Majesty covered with the Light dwelling in the Light inaccessible so that no created Intelligence can possibly arrive at any due Perception of the Godhead but only according to the Revelation whereby God vouchsafed the
Aim and Regard to the Glory of God The Effect of this eternal Truth is the Stream of Truth the Law of universal Justice Righteousness Equity by God implanted in the Nature of all Rational Creatures to direct and judg all their Affections and Actions This is Truth scoffed by the Profane vainly discoursed by Morosophists found possessed and enjoyed as the Happiness of all that fear and love God This assigns the End to all Controversy is the Standard of Conscience and the Basis of all Rational Conversation The Manifestation of this Truth is the revealed Will of God For Knowledg in God both satisfyingly comprehends the All-sufficient Perfection of the Divine Essence and effectually determines and appoints the Nature Operation Use and End of all Beings to his Glory According to the Conformity to or Alienation from this Eternal Truth is the Result of Happiness or Misery to every Rational Being For Divine Truth and Goodness are convertible and inseparable God only is good originally essentially infinitely eternally all-sufficiently Goodness is the Root the Branches are Love God is Love Mercy God is the Father of Mercies Consolation God is the God of all Comfort Patience and Long-suffering God is the God of Patience and his Long-suffering is Salvation his Loving-kindness is better than Life Forgiveness is with the Lord that he may be feared Let Israel hope in the Lord for with the Lord there is Mercy and with him is plenteous Redemption But this abundant Mercy is not in any respect Encouragement to Presumption or continuance in Sin for that is to despise the Riches of his Goodness and Forbearance and Long-suffering not knowing that the Goodness of God leadeth to Repentance but after the Hardness and Impenitency of Heart treasureth unto it self Wrath against the day of Wrath and Revelation of the righteous Judgment of God God that dwells in Light inaccessible cannot be perceived and apprehended in any other Manifestation than as he is pleased to reveal himself which can only be in his Word wherein tho there be sufficient Evidence to satisfy a created Intelligence what is the infinite Excellence of the Divine Object of Worship yet it remains absolutely impossible for the most exalted created Mind fully to comprehend the Perfection of the Divine Essence Notwithstanding what is revealed thereof as the Object of Faith is replenished with immense Goodness and Beauty to be the all-sufficient and necessary Felicity of an immortal Rational Creature Thus the highest and deepest Mystery concerning the Deity tho not possible to be investigated by human Capacity yet being revealed by the Word of Divine Truth necessarily constrains the Understanding Will and Affections to adore believe and receive in Love the Truth of this glorious Mystery The Manifestation of the Divine Essence cannot possibly be arrived at but by such Revelation as God is pleased to make of himself No Man knoweth the Son but the Father neither knoweth any Man the Father save the Son and he to whomsoever the Son will reveal him Neither can any Man say that Jesus is the Lord but by the Holy Ghost The Ladder of Divine Knowledge by which the Mind ascends to God the Top whereof reacheth to Heaven is yet set upon the Earth For altho the very Light is a Covering to the Glory of God yet things material visible and humanly intelligible present the Shadows of excellent Evidence subservient unto the incomprehensible Perfection of Light and Truth of the Trinity in Unity of God the Father Son and Holy Ghost the only and true God blessed for ever There are Signatures in the Nature of created Beings to assist the Mind in its Ascent of approach to behold the Goodness of the glorious Mystery of the Trinity of Persons in the Unity of the Divine Essence The Doctrine of the blessed Trinity is shadowed in all Beings viz. a Trinity of Subsistences in Unity of Essence In every individual material Substance there is Height Length and Breadth In every the same Luminary Orb there is Light Heat fructifying Influence In every Man Understanding Will Affection yet the same univocal Soul In the Godhead was always acknowledged Entity Truth Goodness subsisting in Unity always from the Foundation of the World declared to be eternal Truth of God The holy Scripture declares in the Trinity of the Godhead distinct Properties yet one and the same Infinite Essence and in every Person of the Godhead Attributes incommunicable to any but God Creation of all things is assigned to the Son of God to the eternal Word of God John 1.1 2 3. In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and the Word was God The same was in the beginning with God All things were made by him and without him was not any thing made that was made Both the Creation and the Sustentation of all things are assigned to the Son of God Heb. 1.1 2 3. God who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in times past unto the Fathers by the Prophets Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son whom he hath appointed Heir of all things by whom also he made the Worlds Who being the Brightness of his Glory and the express Image of his Person and upholding all things by the Word of his Power when he had by himself purged our Sins sat down on the Right-hand of the Majesty on high The Knowledg of the Heart of every Man is assigned to the Son of God Joh. 2.25 Who needed not that any should testify of Man for he knew what was in Man Compared with I Kings 8.39 For thou even thou only knowest the Hearts of all the Children of Men. Isa 6.1 5. the Prophet saith I saw also the Lord sitting upon a Throne high and lifted up Then said I Wo is me for mine Eyes have seen the King the Lord of Hosts This Vision of Jehova is expresly applied to our Lord Jesus Christ Joh. 12.41 These things said Esaias when he saw his Glory and spake of him Also Joh. 2.24 25. But Jesus did not commit himself to them because he knew all Men And needed not that any should testify of Man for he knew what was in Man I Joh. 5.20 speaking of Jesus Christ This is the true God and Eternal Life Also to the Holy Ghost the Scripture assigns the Creation of the World Gen. 1.2 And the Earth was without Form and void and Darkness was upon the Face of the Deep and the Spirit of God moved upon the Face of the Waters And God said Let there be Light and there was Light Likewise the Works of Divine Providence Isa 63.10 But they rebelled and vexed his holy Spirit Where is he that put his holy Spirit within him The Spirit of the Lord caused him to rest so didst thou lead thy People to make thy self a glorious Name The Work of Regeneration is ascribed to the Holy Ghost John 3.5 Except a Man be born of the Water and of the
Spirit he cannot enter into the kingdom of God Tit. 3.5 According to his Mercy he saved us by the washing of Regeneration and renewing of the Holy Ghost The Knowledg of secret Sins is ascribed to the Holy Ghost Acts 5.3 4. Why hath Satan filled thy Heart to lie to the Holy Ghost thou hast not lied unto Men but unto God Likewise the Sin against the Holy Ghost is declared to be unpardonable Mark 3.29 He that shall blaspheme against the Holy Ghost hath never Forgiveness but is in danger of Damnation These and many other Scriptures evidence the Truth of the Unity of Essence in the Trinity of the Divine Persons Joh. 10.30 I and my Father are one I John 5.7 For there are three that bear Record in Heaven the Father the Word and the Holy Ghost and these three are one Compare also 2 Tim. 3.16 All Scripture is given by Inspiration of God And 2 Pet. 1.21 Holy Men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost Likewise in the last words of David 2 Sam. 23.2 3. The Spirit of the Lord spake by me and his VVord was in my Tongue the God of Israel said c. Thus the Doctrine of the blessed Trinity is not meerly Notional but Real it is not fictitious but eternally true it is infinitely good therefore necessary to be believed and adoringly received in Love as the Principle of Felicity to Intellectual Creatures The Divine Trinity is Incomprehensible therefore to be adored not doubted nor subjected to Human Argumentation which cannot illustrate that which in all respects necessarily excels all Methods of finite Proof or Evidence tho the Reality and Efficacy thereof be most certainly and feelingly perceived and enjoyed The curious Inquiry is like gazing upon the Sun which dazles our weak Eyes For now we see through a Glass darkly now we know in part but when we shall know even as also we are known when we are brought into the third Heaven then we shall hear those unspeakable words which in this State of Mortality are not possible to be uttered fully to reveal the Glory of the Divine Trinity What the Lord said unto Moses is also spoken unto us We cannot see the Glory of God and live but the Lord maketh his Goodness pass before us and proclaims his Name before us that he will be gracious to whom he will be gracious and will shew Mercy on whom he will shew Mercy according to the eternal Election of God the Father and the Redemption by God the Son and Sanctification by God the Holy Ghost into which Truth all Believers who shall be saved are baptized The Duty of common Philanthropy obliges deeply to grieve at the Folly and Madness of Epicurean Sensualists who renounce the Glory of the Image of God and the hope of immortal Felicity and corrupt themselves to be like natural Brute Beasts made to be taken and destroyed vainly imagining to evade the impartial Justice of the Almighty God with whom is terrible Majesty No less miserable are the Profane who take up a scoffing Name of Deist to act the Atheist renouncing the Fear of God which is the only Bond of Human Society and rejecting Hope in God which is the only distinguishing Excellency of Man above the Beasts that perish Unreasonable also is the Pride of those who deny the predestinating Prescience of God the Father changing the Glory of the Incorruptible God in 〈…〉 of corruptible Man as if they thought God to be altogether such an one as themselves who upon any Disappointment or unexpected Accident endeavour to patch up a Remedy for unforeseen Inconvenience But let the Potsherds of the Earth strive with and discourse of the Potsherds of the Earth But unto the eternal Wisdom of God are known all his Works from the beginning of the World according to that determinate Counsel and Knowledg of his own Will who hath appointed all things that ever shall come to pass and all for his own Glory so that not any the least thing even the falling of a Sparrow to the Ground befals by chance but by Divine Appointment Also the most flagitious Wickedness that ever was contrived and acted even the crucifying the Prince of Life was to fulfil the determinate Counsel of God for this very end to accomplish the highest Exaltation of Divine Glory and Goodness in the Salvation of Man Which Salvation likewise is made effectual only to such as are ordained to Eternal Life They also deny the meritorious Satifaction to the infinite Justice of God by the Death and Righteousness of Jesus Christ for the Redemption of Sinners from Wrath to come by which miserable Error is effectually and really denied and evacuated the Essential Justice of God They also deny the necessity of the Almighty efficacious Grace of the Spirit of God to sanctify regenerate and quicken those that are naturally dead in Trespasses and Sins under that Corruption and Impotence wherein all are alienated from the Life of God Now concerning the words used by the Orthodox to express the Mystery of the Divine Trinity It ought to be considered that Words of Rational Speech being the Signatures of Things there are many more things to be expressed than are words to represent them For such is the Poverty of every the most copious Language that there is necessity to apply the same syllabical Word to signify various and different things which yet receive the Certainty of Interpretation from the Rational Contexture of the respective Discourse Thus in the Controversies raised by Heretical Blasphemers against the Doctrine of the blessed Trinity The Orthodox to vindicate the Truth of the Scriptures which abundantly testify both the Essenâ—â—â—◠〈◊〉 and the distinct â—â—â—perties of God the Father God the Son and God the Holy Ghost have made use of several words as Person and Co-essential to express and signify the scriptural Truth of the Identical Substance and distinct Properties of the Divine Trinity in Unity Therefore the possession and use of the aforesaid Words or Phrases are duly retained by the Church according to the Meaning and Intention clearly made known in the holy Scriptures which ascribe as before mentioned unto the Father unto the Son and unto the Holy Ghost Attributes of Essential Divine Perfection incommunicable to any but unto the only living and true God who from everlasting to everlasting is God blessed for ever Religious Worship being the absolute Soveraignty of the only living and true God both in respect of the Object of Worship which can only be God and in respect of the Rule of Worship which can only be appointed by God For all other Objects of Worship are despicable vain Idols and all Rules Mediums and Ways of Religion not instituted by God are blasphemous Detraction from the Truth and Majesty of God It must therefore be that the great Temptation to Atheism is Superstition that is a Human Composition of Religion when the Fear
A Scriptural and Rational ACCOUNT OF THE Christian RELIGION PARTICULARLY Concerning Justification only by the Propitiation and Redemption of the Lord Jesus Christ Rom. 5.1 2. Therefore being justified by Faith we have Peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ By whom also we have Access by Faith into this Grace wherein we stand and rejoice in hope of the Glory of God Psal 14.1 2. The Fool hath said in his Heart There is no God they are corrupt they have done abominable Works there is none that doth good The Lord looked down from Heaven upon the Children of Men to see if there were any that did understand and seek God Deut. 32.6 Do ye thus requite the Lord O foolish and unwise Is not he thy Father that hath bought 〈◊〉 Hath he not made thee and established thee London Printed for Jonas Lumley at the Bird in Hand near the Maypole in the Strand 1695. THE PREFACE IT was the usual Saying of an excellent Person That variety of Books tho upon the same Subject concerning the Principles of Religion was very advantagious that every one might be furnished with a Weapon fitted to his Hand For as in Water Face answereth to Face so the Heart of Man to Man As in general so in particular respects Therefore it may be hoped that in the perusing of the following Discourse some also may be gratified with the Agreeableness of a plain Representation of so great a Truth An Interest in Redemption by the Satisfaction of the Death of our Lord Jesus Christ is that by which every Christian must stand or fall before the dreadful Tribunal of the Justice of God Accordingly the Principle of Justification by the Sufferings Death Resurrection and Righteousness of Jesus Christ is the Article of Faith by which every Church must stand or fall It being the Pillar and Ground of Truth the Rock upon which our Lord hath built his Church against which the Gates of Hell cannot prevail This is the Rock upon which the Reformed Churches were recovered from Antichristian Apostacy For other Foundation can no Man lay than that is laid which is Jesus Christ But instead of building upon this precious Corner-Stone with precious Stones to bring up the head-Stone with Praise to Divine Grace many unhappily have not taken heed how they build with Wood Hay Stubble Materials for fewel of Contention to make Jerusalem Babylon and defeat the glorious Things spoken of the City of God That Jerusalem might be a Praise and the Joy of the whole Earth For Peace is the Fruit of Righteousness But this must be for a Lamentation and Prognostick of Desolation if not prevented by infinite Grace and Mercy that after so many Years Gospel-Light there should be regard to false Teachers privily bringing in damnable Heresies even denying the Lord that bought them Privily indeed pretending an Inquiry after sensible Ideas of spiritual and supernatural Truths of Eternal Life Whereas they are not able to give an Idea of the Breath of Natural Life Suborning also a Spectre of Rational Demonstration to determine and judg Things invisible which can only be the Objects of Faith in the Word of God Whereas the use of right Reason is miserably lost and overwhelmed in the Ruins of Apostacy from God Vanity now possessing the Mind the Understanding being darkned and alienated from the Life of God through the Ignorance that is in them because of the Blindness and Hardness of their Hearts Thus being past feeling they give themselves over to Lasciviousness and to work all Uncleanness with Greediness For the Heart is deceitful above all things and desperately wicked even in these pretended Rationalists as well as others That this is the true State and Temper of the universality of Mankind is undeniably evinced by the continual Practice and Conversation of all the World in all Ages and Countries Therefore Natural right Reason is no where to be found directing the Tenor and entire Compass of Human Affections and Actions But those baptized Epicures as they are termed by the most Worthy and Honourable Mr. Boyle that strut under the Name of Deists but are indeed Atheists without God in the World renouncing the Providence of God rejecting the Justice of God denying the Immortality of the Soul and the Future State of Rewards and Punishments Thus Mankind is subjected to a Baseness and Wretchedness inferior to the worst of Brutes And thereby also rescinding the Bond of Security and Peace among all Human Societies and Relations which can only consist in the Fear of God Such happy Infects who desire to live apace may receive their own Idea from Mr. Cowley After Death I nothing crave Let me alive my Pleasures have Happy Insect happy thou Dost neither Age nor Winter know But when thou 'st drunk and danc'd and sung Thy fill thy flow'ry Leaves among Voluptuous and wise withal Epicurean Animal Satiated with thy Summer's Feast Thou retir'st to endless Rest But this is the certain Conviction and inevitable Doom of such Men That the Heart of the Sons of Men is full of Evil and Madness is in their Heart while they live and after that they go to the Dead But as it is appointed unto Men once to die so after this the Judgment A Scriptural and Rational Account of the Christian Religion The invisible Things of God from the Creation of the World are clearly seen being understood by the Things that are made even his Eternal Power and Godhead so that all Men are without Excuse Consequently there is implanted in every intellectual Mind a Conscience of Good and Evil accusing or excusing according to the Work of the Law written in their Hearts so that there cannot but be Trembling at the Apprehension of Judgment to come For the Elements of a Rational Creature are dependent upon the Creator for Life God is our Life and the Length of our Days and for a Rule of Action which can be no other than the Will of God the only Eternal Reason of Good and Evil Not any thing being antecedently good to the Unchangable Eternal Holy Will of God Also for the End and Felicity of Being which is the Glory of God including the Salvation of the Immortal Creature God made Man upright in his Image engraved his Mind with a Law holy just and good a Rule of perpetual Righteousness to direct and judg all Human Affections and Actions But Sin which is the Transgression of the Law alienated Man from the Eise of God who thereby becoming vapid and unprofitable fell miserably short of the Glory of God subjected the Creature to Vanity Vexation and Death renounced the all-sufficient Goodness Truth and Soveraignty of the Infinite Almighty Creator God blessed for ever Shall not then the Judg of all the World do right For according to his Fear due to his Infinite Perfections and Absolute Dominions
such is his Wrath in the Execution of Vindictive Judgment upon all Sinners so that if there could be an Intermission of this providential Circulation an immediate Deliquium of the Universe must ensue The conscientious Awe of this being the only real Security of Human Relation and Society There must then upon every hainous Offence be either Satisfaction to Justice or the Execution of Justice Both which intirely and absolutely depend upon and proceed from the Will of God which cannot be liable to any finite Thought or Assignation Who hath directed the Spirit of the Lord or being his Counsellor hath taught him With whom took he Counsel and who hath instructed and taught him in the Path of Judgment O the Depth of the Riches both of the Wisdom and Knowledg of God! The Riches of his Grace hath abounded towards us in all Wisdom and Prudence according to his Pleasure which he hath purposed in himself To declare his Righteousness that he might be just and the Justifier of the ungodly which believeth in Jesus The Institution and Hope of this Redemption was revealed to our first Parents under the forlorn Consternation of their Fall when God gave the Promise of the Seed of the Woman to bruise the Serpent's Head In the Scriptures relating the History of the World and of the Church before the Ministry of Moses it hath not pleased the Holy Ghost to speak particularly of the Institution of Ceremonial Worship and Religion But as from Adam to Moses Death the Wages of Sin reigned now Sin is not imputed when there is no Law for Sin is the Transgression of the Law So likewise the Salvation of the first Patriarchs and of the whole Church of God particularly of Abel and Enoch could not be obtained but by Faith in the promised Mediator without which it was impossible to please God Neither can Faith be separated from Obedience to a Word of Command and Promise The Object of Faith being from the beginning even Jesus Christ the same yesterday and to day and for ever The Expression of the Prophet Jeremy is to this most apposit A glorious high Throne from the beginning is the place of our Sanctuary That is from the beginning of God's reconciling the World to himself Jesus Christ the Lamb of God slain from the Foundation of the World was the only and necessary Mediator of the Covenant of Grace between God and Man for Redemption and Remission also for Intercession and Acceptance who so became the Author of Eternal Salvation to all that obey him Obedience then to the revealed Will of God is the indispensable Duty of all true Worshippers of God with Acceptance It pleased God in gracious Condescension to Human Frailty before the Fulness of Time came that Jesus Christ should offer up himself once in the End of the World when he appeared to put away Sin by the Sacrifice of himself in that mean time to institute Sacrifices which were not voluntary Devotions by the Will of Man either gratulatory to God or representative to the Offerer but exact Performances according to the express Precept of God For as Lactantius says God only can teach how he would be worshipped The Evidence of this also appears from the words of holy Scriptures concerning Abel offering a more excellent Sacrifice by which he obtained Witness that he was Righteous which could not be unless his Sacrifice were entirely and only such as God commanded so that being dead he yet speaketh and instructeth us in this great Truth That there can be no Righteousness in any Religion but as it is the Observance of the Word of God It evidently also appears that Sacrifices were of Divine Institution because they were only to be such Offerings of Beasts and Fowl as were not by natural Distinction but by positive Command selected to be clean and made capable to be sacrificed all other Species being excluded as unclean In the next place must be understood the right End and Intention of Sacrifice The Scripture speaks expresly that without shedding of Blood there is no Remission of Sin yet the Blood of Bulls and Goats could not avail to make the Worshipper perfect so that the continual Sacrifice daily offered and all other extraordinary Burnt-offerings occasionally appointed by the Law were merciful Surrogations of Typical Propitiations with respect to Christ whose Blood only could take away the Sins of the World Whose Blood being the Blood of the everlasting Covenant could only make the Comers unto God perfect Man being made in Honour did not therein abide but because like the Beasts that perish Also being raised up to Hope in the Promise of Grace by Jesus Christ they apostatized quickly becoming vain in their Imagination and their foolish Heart being darkened changed the Truth of God into a Lie and worshipped and served the Creature more than the Creator who is blessed for ever Notwithstanding there remained in the Hearts of the Heathen Idolatrous Nations a Conviction that there was a necessity of Propitiatory Sacrifices to appease the Wrath and atone the offended Justice of Divine Majesty Profane Histories are full of continual Instanccs of the Solemnities of Sacrifices Ilastical to appease the Wrath of God All which Offerings were feigned and imposed as if divinely authorized and instituted And the Ceremonies relating thereunto stiled Mysteries as being the visible Signatures of spiritual Intention and Efficacy For tho the Medium and Object of propitiatory Worship by the Heathen were vain and false yet most rational was the indelible Conviction of the necessity of Propitiation and Atonement towards God for the Remission of Sins committed by the Rebellion and A postacy of Human Creatures The mystery of Godliness great without Controversy represents God manifested in the Flesh believed on in the World This is the Mystery of God and of the Father and of Jesus Christ The Explanation of which is That God was in Christ reconciling the World unto himself not imputing their Trespasses unto them For he hath made him who knew no Sin to be Sin for us that we might be made the Righteousness of God in him This Reconciliation and Remissfion is always expressed under the Notion of Ransom Atonement Redemption Propitiation and Expiation all which is to be performed by the Death of a slain Sacrisice For the Scripture testifies without shedding of Blood there is no Remission of Sins But it is not possible that the Blood of Bulls and Goats should take away Sins The Divine Justice could not take Plcasure in any Sacrifices which were offered tho by the Typical Law for Sin so as thereby to receive Satisfaction Therefore when the Son of God came into the World a Body was prepared for him therein to do the Will of God by the which Will we are sanctified through the offering of the Body of Jesus Christ once for all For it is only the beloved Son of God in whom
Mystery of Iniquity the Doctrine of Devils to suborn the Worship of Baalim of many Lords or middle Gods Mediators between God and Man Now the Spirit speaketh expresly that in the latter Times some shall depart from the Faith giving heed to seducing Spirits and Doctrines of Devils This is the notorious Apostacy from the absolute Simplicity and Purity of Christian Religion unto the fabulous Superstition and Will-worship which gangren'd both Eastern and Western Churches The Mediation of Saints and Angels being introduced as succedaneous to the Heathen Adoration of Baalim Heroes and middle Deities called Dii Medioximi Those Pagan Idols having been cast to the Moles and Bats by the Divine Influence of Gospel Light in the Manifestation of Truth even this faithful Saying and worthy of all Acceptation that Jesus Christ came into the World the only Mediator between God and Men to save Sinners Now also for these last hundred and fifty Years the Gospel-Reformation miraculously both begun and preserved hath again as it were brought Life and Immortality to light exploded the fabulous Legends of Popery evidenced the pretence of Antiquity to be no other than as Defection from Primary Institution precedes Restitution and Reformation convinced the Idolatry of the Mass and the Superstition of their Will-worship and Adoration of Saints and Angels all cherished by an imposed Ignorance the Parent not of Devotion but of crual Persecution But as in the first Manifestation of the everlasting Gospel unto the World that lay in Darkness and the Shadow of Death the Serpent cast out of his Mouth a Flood of deceitful Errors of desperate Wickedness to carry away with that Flood the Church from the Rock of Truth So now the Reformed Churches have been and are infested not only with the Dragon 's great persecuting Wrath but no less dangerously with the Serpâ—â—iâ—â—â—â— Suggestions of false Teachers â—â—vily introducing damnable Heresies even denying the Lord that bought them This being the Master-stroke of Satan by verisimilar Errors to suppress the Fundamental Truth of Salvation for Sinners by the Expiatory Propitiation of the Death of the Lord Jesus Christ in Satisfaction of the Justice of God according to his good Pleasure which he had purposed in himself before the Foundation of the World That this Truth may appear in a right Light it must be considered that all the Divine Attributes are equally of infinite Perfection Consequently to detract from or limit any is to evacuate and effectually to deny the Essential All-sufficiency of God Therefore to retrench the particular and universal efficacious Providence of God and to impeach the supreme absolute Justice of God is under the Prosession of owning God not to glorify him as God but to change the Glory of the incorruptible God into an Image made like to corruptible Man a meer Idol which is nothing in the World and as the Prophet expresses neither able to do Good or Evil. But from everlasting to everlasting the Lord is God Who knoweth the Power of his Anger According to his Fear so is his Wrath according to the infinite Perfections for which God is indispensably to be feared so is his Wrath in the Vindictive Execution of his Justice upon every Violation of his holy just and good Laws the natural Rules of perpetual Righteousness to direct and judg all the Affections and Actions of all Mankind Herein therefore the manifold Wisdom of God is glorified in the Establishment of the infinite Perfections of Justice and Mercy in the Redemption and Salvation of Sinners It being impossible to make way for immense Mercy to be manifested without Satisfaction to infinite Justice which otherwise must be exposed to blasphemous Contempt and Annihilation Accordingly the Apostle Paul expresses that we are justified freely by his Grace through the Redemption that is in Jesus Christ whom God hath set forth for a Propiriation through Faith in his Blood to declare his Righteousness for the Remission of Sins that he might be just and the Justifier of him even of the ungodly which believeth in Jesus So that Faith cannot fly for Refuge unto Mercy until plenary Satisfaction be made unto Justice thereby to obtain the Answer of a good Conscience towards God through the Resurrection of Jesus Christ The Scripture fully and always testifies that Remission of Sins is an Act of absolute Sovereign Justice vouchsafed upon plenary Satisfaction represented under the Notion and Terms of Redemption Propitiation Ransom which word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 used by the Septuagint Numb 35.31 32. is duly translated Satisfaction And the learned in the Hebrew observe that the word in the Original imports sufficient Preservation which a Sinner can only find in the compleat Merits of the Death Resurrection and Righteousness of the Lord Jesus Christ applied by Faith and imputed by Grace Accordingly the Scripture stiles the Act of Divine Pardon to be Justification Reconciliation Atonement Righteousness all which words are juridical Phrases evidencing such a Person to be Rectus in Curia right in Court according to the judicial Authoritative Sentence of Law This cannot possibly be obtained or performed unless due Satisfaction were made to the infinite Justice of the Divine Majesty For Pardon upon any other less or diluted account must leave the Justice of God violated and void of Satisfaction Also the Sinner must be without possbility of a Conscience free from Guilt consequently never able to arrive at Peace which flows from being justified by Faith in Jesus Christ who is our Peace with God It is also absurd Contradiction to imagine any Benefit can possibly be obtained by the atoning Virtue of the Death of the Lord Jesus Christ without the quickning regenerating Power of the Spirit of Christ make the Sinner a new Creature There is the manifold multifarious Wisdom of God magnisied to a Sinner that the Work of Grace may be compleatly perfect in respect of the Justice and Mercy of God and of the damning Guilt and deadly Corruption inherent in the desperate Wickedness of every Sin Yet the manifold Wisdom of God decreeing from Eternity and effecting in the fulness of Time the Redemption of Sinners by the Blood of the everlasting Covenant could not possibly have any Cause or Motive antecedent to the Eternal Purpose of God which he purposed in Christ Jesus out Lord and from the beginning of the World was hid in God For it was both impossible for a sinite narrow Intelligence to conceive how God should be manifest in the Flesh And it would have been impious blasphemous Presumption to imagine that the Son of God who knew no Sin should be made a Propitiatory Sacrifice for Sin unless the Will of God had so promised and declared Indeed the immense Goodness of God made this known immediately after Man's Apoltacy by the Promise of the Seed of the Woman to break the Serpent's Head that is to destroy the Works
Man concerning his Justification but only a true and lively Faith which nevertheless is the Gift of God and not Man's only Work without God And yet that Faith does not shut out Repentance Hope Love Dread and the Fear of God to be joined with Faith in every Man that is justified but it shutteth them out from the Office of justifying So that altho they be all present together in him that is justified yet they justify not altogether Nor the Faith also doth not shut out the Justice of our good Works necessarily to be done afterwards of Duty towards God for we are most bounden to serve God in doing good Deeds commanded by him in his holy Scripture all the days of our Life but it excludeth them so that we may not do them to this intent to be made good by doing of them For all the good Works that we can do be unperfect and therefore not able to deserve for our Justification But our Justification doth come freely by the meer Mercy of God and of so great and free Mercy that whereas all the World was not able of themselves to pay any part towards their Ransom it pleased our Heavenly Father of his insinite Mercy without any our desert or deserving to prepare for us the most precious Jewels of Christ's Body and Blood whereby our Ransom might be fully paid the Law fulfilled and his Justice fully satisfied So that now Christ is the Righteousness of all them that truly do believe in him He for them paid their Ransom by his Death he for them fulfilled the Law in his Life So that now in and by him every true Christian Man may be called a Fulfiller of the Law forasmuch as that which their Infirmity lacked Christ's Justice hath supplied Now that the most important Truths which have been represented in this small Treatise may appear in right Light let the following Propositions be duly considered according to Reason enlightned and directed by the Word of God God having given to Man an Intellectual Faculty to judg and discern of the Nature Use and Excellency of Things a Conscience of the Laws of things morally good or evil and the certain inseparable Appendixes of Rewards and Punishments are imprinted upon the Mind with inward experimental Assurances as certain as that we know that we are and have a Being The Demonstrations of which Truths are clearly manifested in the Word of God the Scriptures of the Old and New Testament which do not only move and perswade but effectually constrain and inforce an enlightened Soul to yield Obedience to the incomparable and undeniable Divine Authority thereof as to the Fountain of all saying Knowledg and the Standard and Rule of all holy Practice in order to everlasting Blessedness the supreme End and Felicity of Man Now as Mathematical Theorems tho equally demonstrable yet are not alike perceived and apprehended by every Human Mind the Faculty not being rightly disposed to the Object as in species visible it is not sufficient that the Object and Medium be duly disposed unless the Organ be suifficiently enabled and not disturbed For neither a blind Eye nor a Jaundice Sight can judg of Colours Accordingly the holy Scriptures which are the lively Oracles of God full of Lights and Perfections do fully demonstrate the great Mysteries of Godliness concerning the eternal invisible yet certain and necessary Felicities and Duties of Rational Intelligent Beings whose Immortality also is therein undeniably proved Yet notwithstanding all these glorious and excellent Truths of the Spirit of God are not received by Animal Minds to whom they are Foolishness as all sort of Wisdom is to Fools because of the Blindness and Ignorance of the Understanding the Mind it self the governing Power in Man being vitiated with the sussusion of Vanity and the deceitfulness of Sin until the Power of the Spirit come into the Soul with a quickning renewing restoring Demonstration upon the Intellectual Faculty to make it receive in Love the benign Influences of eternal Truth and Goodness Accordingly consider duly 1. That from everlasting to everlasting God is Infinite in his Perfection of all Divine Incomprehensible Attributes whose Essence is eternally in and of himself and gives and preserves all Beings which were made for his Pleasure and Glory according to his own Will not out of any necessity of Nature his Majesty being exalted above all Blessings and Praise so that his infinite Essential Glory cannot be liable to any Addition or Detraction from any Creature 2. That in the beginning of Time God condescended to manifest his immense Wisdom Power and Goodness in the Creation of the World and all Beings therein by the Word of his Power by which all things are upheld and do consist All being made and preserved for the Glory of God according to the Original Law of the Will of God respectively dispensed to every Being 3. That all things were made for distinct final Causes appointed by the Law of God to be the Rule for the Operation of Life conferr'd upon every Being 4. That the Providence of God doth actually effectually continually govern and over-rule all the Actions and Operations of all Beings to his Glory according to his determinate Counsels For known unto God are all his Works from the beginning of the World so that all contingent Effects and Actions of all created Beings are not only futurely turned and disposed but primarily decreed and ordered to be infallibly subservient for the Glory of God's eternal Truth Justice and Goodness 5. That as Activity and Operation is the necessary Expression of Life it is also necessary that there be an universal Law to direct regulate and judg the Affections and Actions of all Intelligent Beings Which Law can only be the holy and righteous Will of God the Creator of all Beings who only can righteously reward and punish all Actions 6. God made Man upright in his Divine Image 〈◊〉 Righteousness Knowledg and Holiness with Freedom of Will but under a Covenant of Life upon Obedience and of Death upon Disobedience which is Sin For Sin is the rebellious Transgression of the Law 7. Man tho made upright being left to the Freedom of his Will rebelled against and renounced God his Creator in his all-sufficient Truth and Goodness and sought out and embraced the Vanity and Iniquity of the Devil's Lie by which Apostacy and Rebellion Mankind fell into a state of the Condemnation and Corruption of Death which is endless Misery according to the righteous Judgment of God 8. The first Parents of Mankind were not only Persons individual but common Representatives of all their Posterity The Evidence whereof necessarily flows form the Consideration of the Covenant of Life which God made with Man when created and placed in Paradise The eating of the Tree of Knowledg of Good and Evil being threatned with Death which passed upon all Mankind both Infants and Adult according to the righteous Denunciation of God and the Consent of
Manifestation of his infinite incomprehensible Being which Manifestation of the Deity is given in his Word of Truth to be God the Father God the Son God the Holy Ghost one and the same living and true God blessed for ever 21. The Efficacy of the Covenant of Grace consists in Redemption and Regeneration Redemption by the Propitiation to Divine Justice through the Satisfactory Merits of the Sufferings Death and Righteousness of our Lord Jesus Christ according to the Will of God for the Justification of a Sinner Regeneration by the Holy Ghost in the Renovation of the Soul quickened and sanctified in all the intellectual Faculties unto Newness of Life by a new spiritual Birth The Condition of the Covenant is Faith fiducially resting on Christ and vitally uniting unto Christ for Justification and Sanctification by effectual Vocation The Obligation and indispensable Duty of the Covenant is the Obedience of Faith working by Love in the fulfilling all the Commandments of God 22. The Covenant of Works being made with the first Adam who was a meer Creature and therefore liable to fall when left to the freedom of his Will the Perseverance in his created Uprightness could not be secure But the Covenant of Grace being made with the second Adam the Lord from Heaven both the Performance of the Duty of Obedience to the Precepts of the Covenant and the final Perseverance in the Conditions of the Covenant are according to the Promise of God by the Spirit of God enabled to preserved in and perfected So that no believing Sinner may presume in himself or despair in the Grace of God by whose Power he is kept through Faith unto Salvation The everlasting Covenant is ordered in all things and sure for this is our Salvation that nothing shall be able to separate us from the Love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. 23. That which is stiled Natural Religion is the Rational Conviction upon the Intelligent Mind of Man of indispensable Duty to fear trust obey believe and love God with all his Heart Mind and Strength according to the Commandments of God Therefore there is a necessity of the Revelation of the Will of God by which is made known the compleat Perfection of instituted Religion Instituted Religion is the Rule of true Wisdom to bring Mankind to eternal Happiness by directing all his Affections and Actions in the Fear Faith and Love of God to their proper Objects according to the Will of God and the Glory of God That Religion only is true which is the Practice of Obedience to the Word of God and accordingly brings us to God in Spiritual Worship by Jesus Christ alone who is the only Mediator of Redemption and Intercession That Wisdom which was the Enquiry of Philosophy the Demonstration of Theology is the Possession and Practice of the pure undefiled Christian Religion which removed from all Profaneness Superstition and Will-worship is the commanded and accepted way of Worship to God in Spirit and in Truth of Obedience to all the Commandments of God from Love to God of Righteousness to the Neighbour with Love as to ones self of Holiness and Sobriety in respect of his own Person made and renewed in the Image of God all upon hope of everlasting Blessedness to the Glory of God This Religion is the Characteristick Excellency of Man and is the only true Cement and Security of Mankind in all Conditions and Relations 24. The Felicity to which the Christian Religion gives Title and Possession is both temporary and everlasting In this Life Conversion from Darkness unto Light from the Power of Satan unto God from the Folly and Madness of Vanity and Sin unto the Fear and Love of God which is the beginning of true Wisdom Justification from the Guilt of Sin and thereby Peace with God Sanctification by the renewing of the Image of God in Righteousness Knowledg and true Holiness by the Spirit of God dwelling in the Soul to quicken direct preserve in the Paths of Righteousness from all Apostacy Adoption to be a Child of God an Heir of Heaven and to have Right and Acceptance to cry Abba Father that is to be emboldened to approach the Throne of Grace and to offer continual Sacrifices of Supplication and Thanksgiving upon our only great and glorious Altar the Lord Jesus Christ in him drawing near to God our exceeding Joy This State gives Contentation in every Condition under the assurance that all things shall work together for our good and that all our most difficult Labour to resist Temptation to overcome the World to mortify Corruptions to deny Self shall not be in vain in the Lord but shall receive a full Recompence of Reward in the Kingdom of Heaven Therefore whatsoever is done or suffered is in hope of the Glory of God knowing that the State of this present World is not capable to receive the Blessedness and Glory of Eternity in Heaven The Felicity of Eternity cannot possibly be represented or declared by the Tongues of Men and Angels Unspeakable Words uncapable to be heard or uttered in this Vale of Tears are necessary to set forth what Eye hath not seen nor Ear heard neither have entred into the Heart of Man the things which God hath prepared for them that love him and fear him and wait for him and trust in him before the Sons of Men. This is that immense Felicity when we shall know as we are known and shall be changed into the same Image from Glory to Glory even as by the Spirit of the Lord in the Beatifick Vision of God to all Eternity when the Lord shall bring all his Servants into the Possessions of the Joy and Glory of that Kingdom which God hath prepared for them before the Foundation of the World But most dismal shall be the woful Misery of those who refuse to obey the Gospel commanding to crucify the Flesh with the Affections and Lusts to renounce a vain Conformity to the Pomps and Pleasures of the World to forsake a vain Conversation received by Tradition from our Forefathers to deny self so as to cut off Right-hand and Foot and pluck out right-Eye and to cast them away They that account such Lessons too difficult to be observed must hear and perish under the Sentence Depart from me ye Workers of Iniquity into everlasting Fire where the Worm shall never die and the Fire shall never be quenched The Conclusion and Sum of the whole is this In the beginning i. e. from Eternity was the Essential Word and the Word was with God All things were made by him and without him was not any thing made that was made Who in the fulness of Time was God manifested in the Flesh for of the Seed of Abraham as concerning the Flesh Christ came who is over all God blessed for ever Amen In whom we have Redemption through his Blood even the forgiveness of Sins Who is the Image of the invisible
God the first-born of every Creature For by him were all things created that are in Heaven and that are in Earth visible and invisible whether they be Thrones or Dominions or Principalities or Powers All things were created by him and for him And he is before all things and by him all things consist And he is the Head of the Body the Church who is the beginning the first-born from the dead that in all things he might have the Preheminence For it pleased the Father that in him all Fulness should dwell And having made Peace through the Blood of his Cross by him to reconcile all things unto himself whether things in Earth or things in Heaven God who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the Fathers by the Prophets hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son whom he hath appointed Heir of all things by whom also he made the Worlds Who being the Brightness of his Glory and the express Image of his Person and upholding all things by the Word of his Power when he had by himself purged our Sins sat down on the Right-hand of the Majesty on high For unto the Son he saith Thy Throne O God is for ever and ever a Scepter of Righteousness is the Scepter of thy Kingdom Because God hath appointed a Day in the which he will judg the World in Righteousness by that Man whom he hath ordained whereof he hath given Assurance unto all Men in that he hath raised him from the dead Now it is easier for Heaven and Earth to pass than one tittle of the Law to fail The Son of Man shall come in his Glory and all the holy Angels with him then shall he sit upon the Throne of his Glory and before him shall all Nations be gathered Then the foolish Virgins that neglected opportunity to provide Oil shall be excluded Heaven They that in divers Instances agreed in one Consent to prefer and over-value present Animal Enjoyments before the Lord's Invitation to his Marriage-Supper shall never taste of Eternal Life They that thought it a hard Saying and not to be born the Command of our Lord to crucify the Flesh with the Affections and Lusts to renounce a vain Conversation and a Conformity to the Fashion of the World which passeth away that refuse to deny self to take up the Cross to cut off right Hand and Foot and pluck out right Eye and cast them away All such must hear and perish for ever under that dreadful Word Depart from me ye cursed into everlasting Fire prepared for the Devil and his Angels But on the other side to those who believed the Truth as it is in Jesus without contradicting or blaspheming received it in Love and the Obedience of Faith not holding it in Unrighteousness the King shall say Come ye blessed of my Father inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the Foundation of the World But where shall ungodly Sinners appear that send after the Lord Jesus into Heaven this Rebel Message We will not have this Man to reign over us That renounce the Satisfaction and Redemption of Christ that blasphemously deny the Deity of Jesus Christ the Lord of Glory they shall say to the Mountains and Rocks Fall on us and hide us from the Face of him that sitteth on the Throne and from the Wrath of the Lamb For the great Day of his Wrath is come and who shall be able to stand Few Men have been found in any Age or Country to have filled their Hearts with such profligate Madness to deny God Indeed Cicero saith that Epicurus while in words he allowed a Deity he did really and by pretended Notions utterly disavow the Providence of God without which the Name of God must be an empty and contemptible Sound For as Cicero observes if the Fear of God and Reverential Regard to the actual Providence of God be denied or weakened thereby also the common Faith and Security of human Society and the Ground and Foundation of universal commutative and distributive Justice is altogether subverted The Psalmist affirms that the Fool hath said in his Heart there is no God That is the Disposition and working of his Heart in the desperate Wickedness and unexpressible Deceitfulness of all its Purposes and vain Imagination to avow the casting off the regard of God Therefore the Psalmist immediately adds They have done abominable Works there is none that doth good Accordingly the Psalmist again expresses The Transgression of the wicked saith within my Heart that there is no Fear of God before his Eyes For he flattereth himself in his own Eyes until his Iniquity be found to be hateful It is therefore most irrational Dementation to detract from the infinite Perfections of the Eternal God for thereby Man is left in a wretched Condition more abject than that of the Beast which perishes liable to the Miseries of this Life without the help of the Awe and Encouragement of future Punishments and Rewards There needs not any Foreign Topick of Argumentation to prove the Existence of God and his absolute Soveraignty over all Beings For the Conscience of Good and Evil radicated in every human Intelligence is a continual and unanswerable Evidence of the infinite Perfections of the Eternal God blessed for ever It is most absurd Folly and Contradiction to own a Nominal God and to deny the Essential Attributes of the infinite Perfection of the Deity Eternal Being Truth and Goodness are the infinite Perfections of one Almighty All-sufficient God Eternity of Being implies Original Essential Existence absolutely simple altogether independent wholly immutable universally powerful every-where present From whence flows Almighty Power to create and uphold all things according to his Will to be the only Cause of all other Beings and of all Causes of their Life with all distinct and proper Abilities thereof of their Operation with all the Powers of Exercise Rules or Limits to direct and govern and End of Performance Of their Subsistence with all Circumstances of Time and Place for the Beginning Continuance or Progress and finishing their Course with all diversity and alterations of Condition therein Sustentation and Regulation as necessarily flowing from and depending upon God as Origination Truth is original eternal infinite Righteousness and Holiness and Knowledg the Perfection of excellent Eminence whereby the Divine Majesty and Essence is infinitely exalted above and separated from all possibility of Communion with or Respect unto Vanity Impurity Unrighteousness or Wickedness and doth satisfyingly rest in his own All-sufficient Soveraignty Thence derives and dispenses to all Creatures the Law of Truth to guide and direct inherently the Sustentation Operation and final Determination of all Beings according to their several respective Natures for the mutual Support Preservation and Comfort of the Universe all in subordinate necessary Subjection to the supreme Obedience unto the Will of God and ultimate