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
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
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
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
the Dispensations of the knowledge of God and his Truth in respect of certain added Appendages to his words in Ordinances and Miracles in sundry Ages in ten sections p. 220 Sect. 1. That God did diversly 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 Ibid. Sect. 2. That Christ was and is the Foundation of all Ordinances appointed to Fallen Man for his worship of God and that Christ and the grace in him are the things mainly Witnessed to by and in them p. 2â—6 Sect. 3. Of the Ordinances appointed before Moses and first of Sacrifice and therein also of God's clothing man and of two several times before the Law in which the Gospel was revealed to all men p. 230 Sect. 4. Of Circumcision given to Abraham and his seed p. 239 Sect. 5. Of the Passover and how that Typedout Christ p. 247 Sect. 6. Of the Sabbaths Festivals Purifications and other Ordinances of the Tabernacle and Temple p. 256 Sect. 7. Of Baptism p. 270 Sect. 8. Of the Lords Supper p. 277 Sect. 9. Of the too general mistake of the mind of God in his Ordinances and the abuse of them in all ages 281 Sect. 10. Of Miracles confirming the Truth of God p. 291 Chap. VIII Of God's Operations and first of those that are in Mercy and directly his in seven sections p. 296 Sect. 1. That the operations of God are many of them very secret and not to be known or discerned by us but by his Word concerning them and therefore to be soberly treated of Ibid. Sect. 2. Of Gods merciful preventing Operations p. 300 Sect. 3. That God afforded them to the Gentiles also with the lesser means p. 304 Sect. 4. The same were afforded also to the Jews and those that have the greater means of Grace p. 309 Sect. 5. Of the concomitant or accompanying operations p. 314 Sect. 6. Of God's consequent or subsequent operations p. 317 Sect. 7. The said gracious operations otherwise distinguished into convincing converting renewing c. p. 320 Chap. IX Of the Operations in Wrath and Judgment Attributed to God as Hardning Binding Deceiving men c. Sect. 1. That the Scriptures attribute these kinds of operations to God yet we are to conceive of him in them and not to think him the Author of mens Sinnings Ibid. Sect. 2. That those operations as ascribed to God are Judiciary acts consequent both to God's preventing grace and mens abuse of it p. 338 Sect. 3. What that saying of the Apostle That God handens whom he will imports and how it is to be understood by us p. 343 Sect. 4. That God in hardning and blinding men doth it by degrees and with such mixture of mercy that till they be totally hardned there may be a remedy p. 357 Sect. 5. How or in what sense the foresaid operations are attributed to God and how he worketh in or unto them Mr. Mollers Judgment therein p. 362 Chap. X. Of the manner of God's working in men by his Grace preventing accompanying and following them in Four sections p. 371 Sect. 1. That God's gracious operations are according to the counsel of his own will and in some sense different and unlike Ibid. Sect. 2. That in this diversity of operation he observeth in some sense an Vniformity and a likeness with men generally p. 374 Sect. 3. That God's operations in men are neither properly Physical nor properly simply Moral but Supernatural having something like either in them 380 Sect. 4. That God so works in men that they also are rightly said to work sometimes the same things though with some formal difference between what is his and what their working p. 387 Chap. XI Some Scriptures considered whence some gather either that God works all things good and bad in men or so works all that 's good as to necessitate mens Willing and Working irresistibly and so as to confound mens Workings with God's therein in seven sections p. 393 Sect. 1. Phil. 2.12 13. Considered and that God's working in men the to will and to do doth not necessitate the working out exhorted to Ibid. Sect. 2. How God works by Exhortations and whether the working in men to will and to do is by and through the Exhortation to work out their Salvation p. 400 Sect. 3. The foresaid Scripture Phil. 2.12 13. briefly opened p. 406 Sect. 4. Isa 43.14 considered and what some collect therefrom p. 414 Sect. 5. Psal 110 3. considered and what some conclude from it p. 417 Sect. 6. 1 Cor. 4.7 considered and some mens Collections from it p. 420 Sect. 7. 1 Cor. 12.6 considered and what some argue from that in which also is touched Whether Sin be onely a privation p. 426 Chap. XII Concludes this Treatise by way of Conclusions Positions and Heads of Uses briefly laid down in Four Sections p. 432 Sect. 1. Some brief Conclusions drawn from the Premises in this distinction here opened p. Ibid Sect. 2. Twelve Positions concerning God's Grace and Mans Will in the Work of Conversion p. 441 Sect. 3. Some brief hints of Vses of the foregoing Treatise and first of the first member of the Distinction p. 449 Sect. 4. Brief hints of usefulness of the other Branch or Member about God's Purposes Dispensations and Operations and the Diversity in them p. 459 Laus Deo Pax gratia mihi a Deo a Domino nostro Jesu Christo Amen A Distinction between or a Distinct consideration of the Object of Divine Faith or Truth to be Preached unto Men and Believed by Men. The Dispensations and Divine purposes for dispensing the knowledge and benefits of the said Truth to Men and the operations of God with it in Men to whom it is dispensed CHAP. I. The Distinction propounded and something of the first member of it Considered SECT 1. The usefulness and needfulness of rightly distinguishing things that differ and particularly of the Distinction here propounded RIghtly to Distinguish between things that differ Qui bene distinguit bene docet is one property of a skilful Teacher commended by the Apostle to Timothy when he wills him rightly to divide the word of Truth 2 Tim. 2.15 A Point needful to be duly practised for as some by distinguishing too curiously things that differ not run themselves into many Errors and needless fruitless Disputes as the Papists by their distinction of Douleia and Latreia Service and Worship giving this to God and the other to his and their own Creatures And the Dominicans between their next and remote power So by not distinguishing things that do indeed differ and that too according to the difference between them others do run into many no less mistakes and great confusions as they that distinguish not between Christs coming in the weakness of the Flesh or his Spiritual manifestations of himself to mens hearts and consciences and his coming again Personally in the
Power and Glory of God Or the Effects of the one from the Effects of the other or between the Salvation wrought by Christ in his Personal Sufferings Death and Resurrection for all men as Sinners and lost without difference and that Salvation he now worketh for and in men which is with difference more generally for and on all men and more especially for on and in those that believe and the Salvation that he will work in his appearing again which shall be onely upon those that believe or that are graciously so reputed and accepted of him and the like Amongst other things I have often thought the Right Distinguishing between the Doctrine or Truth-praedicable or to be Preached to the World and to be believed by them for bringing them to God and the purposes and dispensations of God respecting the said Truth and his operations in and with it might be of good use if well and rightly explicated For I apprehend that the most material differences between those commonly called Remonstrants Arminians or Vniversalists and those that stile themselves and one another the Contra Remonstrants and Orthodox do mainly spring from a want of duly distinguishing the said particulars and of right apprehensions about them and by consequence that the right distinguishing between them and right apprehensions of them would expedite and deliver either the one or the other or both of them from such mistakes as cause and maintain the said differences and tend much to an happy accommodation and agreement in the Truth It being a very usual thing with them to argue either the Truth and extent of Gods love to and Christs Death for men from their apprehensions of the said Dispensations Purposes and Operations in the said Distinction considerable and to measure the former by the latter or on the contrary to measure the latter by the former and argue them therefrom which though righter than the other yet ought not but with good advisement to be done Now though I cannot arrogate to my self the Title of a skilful Teacher being as Agur said of himself More brutish than man and one that hath not the understanding of the man Prov. 30.2 3. Yet according to the Talent given me of God and through his gracious helpfulness believing every word of God to be true I have here endeavoured to say something hereabout if but to give occasion to such as deserve that Title to take it into their consideration and unfold it better SECT 2. Of the Doctrine to be Preached to men its independency upon mens Knowledge and Faith of it its Vnity in it self and Truth for all men THe Doctrine to be preached to and to be received by men in the Truth of God or his Word which is but one in it self for all true in it self and so fit to be declared to and believed by all whether they do actually know it or not believe it or not It s Truth and fitness to be Preached to them and believed by them depend not upon the Preaching and Believing of it but is Praecedaneous to and in order of Nature and time before them For it is not therefore true because declared or false because not but therefore its fit to be declared and may as revealed and given forth be declared because its true as therefore also its meet to be believed when where and as declared and not therefore true or untrue because it is believed or rejected even as a thing is not therefore visible because it is seen but because its visible therefore it may be seen Indeed the benefit the Doctrine brings to men and good its apt to effect in the believing heart is not effected or met with where rejected yet it is a Doctrine worthy to be believed and apt to effect such good before it be known or believe or whether it be known and believed or not I say it hath an intrinsecal aptitude in it self to do good independently upon its being known or believed though it cannot actually produce those effects but by being known and believed Even as a good Plaister hath in it self an aptitude to heal whether it be applied or no although it cannot actually heal unless applyed It gets no vertue by its application but the Sore to which it 's applyed gets vertue from it to the healing it which if not applyed it could not have had from it This Doctrine also is but one in its substance to or for All not one to one and another to another but the same Truth of God and Object of Divine Faith which holds forth the ground of Mens believing and Object to be believed on is one and the same for All though this our Truth hath in it many particular branches and Contents and all of this one Truth hath not been revealed at once to All nor so much of it to one as to another nor to some at all yet the same is revealable in it self to all and true for All. Though this our Truth hath not been at all times so much revealed or in such form as in some as not so much nor in such form before Christs appearing in the Flesh Suffering for us and Ascention from us as since as to say It was not true then nor might be so affirmed That Jesus Christ was already born of a Virgin had dyed and rose again c. But that which is true now and truly declared as done was then true and might have been declared in the future That it should in due time be done whether it was so declared or not yea it was true then that it was accepted by Christ to do and suffer as in due time he hath and it was with God as virtually though not actually done SECT 3. Two Conclusions drawn from the foresaid Considerations touching the Heathen and persons dead and in Hell before Christs Passion FRom what hath been considered we may gather these Two Conclusions 1. From the Independency of the Truth or Doctrine of God upon mens Knowledge of it and Faith of it it follows That it is no valid or sound Consequence for men to argue because the Heathen had not or in some parts have not the things of Christ Published to them and so had or have not the Knowledg or Faith of them therefore they are not true for or concerning them as that God sent Christ into the World to be the Saviour of them and that Christ hath now Suffered and dyed for them c. Seeing the truth of these things depend not upon their knowing or believing them no more than that they were made Righteous in Adam and sinned and fell in him or that Christ is Lord over them and shall raise and Judge them which are no more declared to them and known and believed by them then the other no more than that God loves no Infants or that Christ Dyed for or is the Saviour of none of them that die in Infancy because they have not the Knowledge and Faith of
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
shall satisfie them with the fountains of living water even of even lasting life pure unmixed and everlasting Consolations which the knowledge favour and presence of God and Christ with them shall uncessantly give them 6. Rev. 20.5 6 11 12 13 14 15. Matth. 25.31 46. 1 Cor. 15.27 That after that Reign of a Thousand Years whether properly taken or Figuratively for a far greater time the rest of the Dead shall be Raised and all whose Names are not found Written in the Lambs Book of Life adjudged to a Second Death and they that there found to Eternal Life and Happiness and Christ shall deliver up the Kingdom to the Father and then God shall be All in All fully and immediately Reigning in the Son and in the Saints for ever and ever in which also Eternal Peace Joy Satisfaction unutterable and unalterable Glory shall be upon them and be their Portion Such the Hope of the Gospel in which are somethings hard to be understood Heb. 5.9 6.13 14 17 18. Rom. 8.17 Gal. 3.29 Tit. 2.13 Heb. 9.28 and not so clearly to be apprehended till seen and enjoyed and this is good also to be propounded to all and every man as we have opportunity and they capacity of Understanding and bearing it being true and certain for all that believe in and obey him they being the Heirs of the Promises of God and of the Covenant made with the Fathers a wonderful great glorious sure and blessed Hope worthy to be considered and looked after by all men and sure and certain to all that do look for him John 3.16 Isa 55.4 28.16 Rom. 5.10 8.32 33 34 35. Heb. 9.15 The Ground Foundation and sure Pledge whereof iâ— the love and faithfulness of God as already testified in Christ in what he hath done for us to and in him The love and grace of Christ to us His Death and Sacrifice and Mediation for all men and Mediation of the New Testament more particularly for the Called that Believe or him that they might have the Content thereof performed to and in them and the Dispensation and Inhabitation of the holy Spirit of God and Christ Eph. 1.14 17 18. 1 Pet. 1 3 4 5. 2 Cor. 5.5 to and in all that obey him to open the said Hope to them and fill them with the assurance and consolations thereof and keep them by his Power to the injoyment of it in their Believing SECT 2. Of the Obedience of the Gospel WHat we have mentioned about the Faith of the Gospel implies also Rom. 1.5 something due from us which we may call the obedience of the Gospel or as the Apostle calls it the Obedience of Faith which though it be not in the Object of Faith otherwise then to believe such Obedience also to be required of us and due from us as that in which we may meet with the good prepared for us and held forth to us in the Gospel Heb. 5.9 which represents Christ through his Sufferings perfected to be the Author of Eternal Salvation to them that obey him yet forasmuch as the Gospel-Faith mentions it 1 Pet. 1.13 14 15 16. Jam. 1.25 26. and represents it as one Great End of God's calling Men by his Grace and as the way in which we are to look for and meet with the further Blessings of the Gospel We shall take a brief view of some general Heads of it and so the Gospel holds forth 1. Prov. 1.20 21 22 23. That as God and Christ are by his Spirit calling Men and in the manifestations of his Truth and Goodness to them preventing them with Light and Power in which he is reproving their ways hopes delights so they ought to listen to and obey him in falling down before the power of the said Truth and in the grace and strength therein afforded according to the measure thereof let go such false and evil ways hopes and delights as are discovered to be evil to them and turn to him that calls them to the Light that enlightens them and the Power and Spirit that works therein seeking to know the Truth more Luk. 24.47 Heb. 6.2 and so to know God and Christ as represented to them therein not preferring their own thoughts and ways before him and his This is that which is called Repentance and Repentance from dead works in which also it is further required 2. Psal 100.1 2. 62.8 Isa 55.1 2 6 7. Prov. 2.1 2 3. c. 3.3 4 5. That by the Light and Power of the Truth afforded them therein and thereunto they yield up unto God to close with Hope Trust in Worship and Serve him according as in the pourings out of his Spirit further his Words and Mind are made known to them So loving and cleaving to God in their Hearts and Affections and walking with him in their Conversations Tit. 2.11 12 13 14. 2 Cor. 5.11 19 20 21. 6 1 2. 1 John 4.8 11 12. Gal. 5.22 23. 6 7 8. as they are thereto directed and help to perceive they ought and as the grace brought to them is saving strengthning and working in them to enable and frame them And so also walking toward Men with such love pity and charity to All Submission and other duties towards Superiors and Relations such affection toward Delight in and cleaving to those that they discern the Light the Truth and the Power of God in and with such sobriety temperance Psal 2.11 12. Luke 16.1 10 11. Matth. 16.24 25. 1 Pet. 2.4 10 11 12 c. Prov. 4.20 27. and abstemiousness from the things of the World and readiness to part with them for God and Christ and to serve God and Men with them such low thoughts of themselves in all their Wisdom and Righteousness Strength and all injoyments here as the grace of God and his Truth appearing to them doth instruct and strengthen them to not turning aside therefrom to the Right-hand or to the Left but walking in the Integrity of their Hearts before him 3. 1 John 1.7 8 9. 1 Kings 8.33 35 c. That wherein at any time they fail and Sin upon the appearance of it to them they acknowledge they said Failings and Sins and through the grace of God and by Jesus Christ their Advocate and Propitiation for their Sins turn back again to God and keep more close to him and walk more stedfastly with him 4. That in all things they acknowledge Psal 62.2 8 12. John 1.7 12. 3.15 16 18. Psal 2.12 96.7 8 9 10. 105.1 2 3. 50.15 own look to and depend upon God in and through Christ according to the manifestations of God and Christ to them for his help light grace strength and all things needful for them ascribing to him by Faith the Glory of his Name believing and holding for true and certain that he is such a one so powerful wise holy good c. as he manifests
of blessing and good through Jesus Christ And so on the other-side when a Righteous Man or People as the Believing Gallatians while they ran well Ezek. 33.13 Gal. 3.4 4.11 5.3.4 with 4.8 9. and were known of God were turned from their Righteousness they miss and deprive themselves of the good purposed to Righteous Men under which they were while Righteous Christ shall now profit them nothing God's purpose toward them is Changed without any Change in the purpose it self for it is not the same purpose they were under before that now they are under but another the purpose of Evil which stands unalterably towards Evil Doers to which they be now changed They now persisting in their Evil way to which they have turned must expect to meet with the Evil and Death purposed against such as do Evil and continue therein Yea this change of purpose proceeds from the immutability of God's Counsels and purposes and not from any changeableness in his purposes as in themselves even as the unchangeable nature of the Sun in giving forth his Light produces different Effects in the Eye that 's changed refreshes the same being sound which it Afflicts being sore Mens changes from Sin to Grace or the contrary bring them under different unchangeable purposes not God's different purposing towards them as personally considered brings them into different States In this Dialect the Lord speaks in Jer. 18.7 8 9. if that Nation turns from their Evil I will repent of the Evil 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which I thought or purposed to do to them So Jer. 26.3 If they will hearken and turn every man from his evil way that I have repented me of the evil that I 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 purpose to do to them because of the evil of their doings Where both his purpose of Evil against them is expresled to respect their evil doings and is represented as reversible because not absolutely against those persons as persons but against evil doers generally as such and against those particular evil Men in such a particular way onely as such evil doers The like is in Jer. 36.3 also Hitherto we might refer that notable passage of God to Eli 1 Sam. 2.30 And the Case of Nineveh Yea what is herein said is agreeable to and confirmed by what is said of writing Mens Names in the Book of Life and Blotting them out being but allusive Expressions signifying the same in substance with what I have here said which being expresly and plainly spoken to in the former part Chap. 5. Sect. 2. I shall thither refer the Reader for it as also hither I might refer that Phrase of God's breaking Numb 44.34 Which some render breach of Promise or alteration of purpose but seeing neither the Word Promise nor Purpose be in the Hebrew Text I shall pass it SECT 7. Of God's purposes as they concern his Dispensations of the means of Grace or Truth of God to Men that they might know and believe it WHat we have hitherto said concerns for the most part the contents of the Gospel-Doctrine and the things Asserted therein and the Judiciary and Retributive Acts and Works of God But the purposes of God as mentioned in the Distinction were more properly such as respect or concern his Dispensations of the knowledge of that Object or Truth of God to Men and h◠dealings with them in order to their knowledge and Faith of it that they might be Saved thereby and so respect his Distributive Acts as distinguished from Retributive and such Distributions too as pertains to Mens Knowledge of and Faith in God which are more clearly distinct from the Faith Truth or Doctrine the Knowledge and Faith whereof is to be and is distributed Though our knowledge of those purposes too is to be ordered or had by what is said of them in the Scriptures which also declare the Gospel-Doctrine and by the Gospel-Doctrine it self so as no apprehension of them that clashes with that can be right Now those purposes are more primarily and properly irrespective and absolute in regard of any previous dispositions found eyed or considered in the persons to whom such Dispensations are or were purposed except of Sin or misery and helplesness rendring such Dispensations needful to them in order to their Knowledge Faith Conversion or usefulness to other Men except in some cases when God gives or dispenses more to them that have by way of use or improvement of what was first and before dispensed meerly out of Mercy and irrespectively to any such goodness found in them and so accordingly purposed to give to such havers or improvers of Fore-given Talents according to that Matth. 13.12 To him that hath shall be given and he shall have more abundance and except in other contrary cases when God takes away former Dispensations or with-holds further Dispensations and so purposed to take away and with-hold in consideration of Neglect to receive or improve former Dispensations according to that From him that hath not shall be taken away even what he hath as God purposed in fore-sight of the Jews not receiving the Gospel to take away the Gospel from them Yea Matth. 21.43 and what Mercies and Dispensations they injoyed before the fuller coming forth of the Gospel to them Rom. 1.21 28. with 2.4 5. Act. 14.17 And purposed to give up the Gentiles for not likeing to retain God in their Knowledge to a mind void of Judgment or to walk in their own ways though yet not without mixture of Mercies bearing Witness of Himself his Being Power and Goodness provoking them to grope after Him and leading them to Repentance during the day of his Patience and purposed to send strong delusions amongst Men that had his Gospel amongst them 2 Thess 2.10 11 12. but received not the love of it that they might be Saved These purposes for dispensing to men his means of grace and grace with the means or withholding his Dispensations from them were indeed respective too being concerning Dispensations of a Retributive or rewarding nature Otherwise his purposes of first preventing men with his grace or the means of it are irrespective as to any good found in them or evil rewarded or punished by him and therefore are meerly according to his good pleasure both as to the manner and measure of his Dispensations And so are his purposes for dispensing and distributing to men grace or means of grace together with and during the time of his Retributing Judgments and Punishments for their neglects and abuses of former means and mercies he usually dispensing and so surely he purposed to dispense much mixture of grace and goodness leading to Repentance Eph. 1.9 11. even with his Judgments and with-holdings of some higher Dispensations from them while he is yet in Measure debating with men and waiting to be gracious to them And his purposes concerning these Dispensations both in the one consideration and the other are very different To some
rewarder of them that seek him out or diligently seek him the Saviour of all men especially of them that believe in him And to this the Scriptures bear witness telling us that therein even in the works of God God and his truth are held forth to men to their very Hearts and Consciences even that which is to be known of God his Being Power Eternity Goodness so as leading to repentance and to glorifie him as God and be thankful to him feel after him yea and so as affording argument and motive to trust in him in our miseries and dangers as may be seen Rom. 1.18 19 20 21 28. 2.4 5. Job 5.7 8 9. So that even they that have but them and what God by his Spirit is manifesting in men through them if they be not led to repentance by them and if they do not glorifie him as God and become thankful to him are without excuse which glorifying him as God must needs be to have such honourable apprehensions of him and affections towards him as become him according to the measure of the manifestation afforded by him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and their being without excuse must needs with reference to that signifie that they can plead no just excuse for their not so thinking of him and affecting him and so demeaning themselves towards him as becomes the Majesty and Goodness of God they cannot plead ignorance or want of sufficient power and grace afforded to have led them thereunto the things of God being not only outwardly set before them in his Works but also so shined into them as that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 being considered or minded they may be evidently seen 'T is true they do not distinctly discover Christ as made man and suffering and dying for us but that glory goodness and mercy of God which by means of Christ is streamed forth more generally to men is in great measure manifested in them Joh. 1.1 2 3. Col. 1.16 17. Heb. 1.3 And the God they witness and lead to is Christ and God in him inasmuch as it is Christ and the Father in and by Christ who was the Creator Upholder and Orderer of them the heavens declare the glory of God his Greatness Power Majesty and Goodness c. and the Firmament sheweth his handy work who made them day to day teacheth knowledge and night to night uttereth Speech Psal 19.1 2. yea they declare that his name is near so as it may in some measure be seen known and understood of men Psal 75. 〈◊〉 All his Works praise commend and set him forth even him who is God o◠Saviour God in Jesus Christ in by and through whom he only ordere◠and disposeth of them Psal 145 1◠Now concerning this way of evidencing himself and truth let these thing◠further be minded 1. That this is an universal Medium of manifesting himself and truth to men both in respect of times and places in all ages and to all People and Nations he affordeth this discovery of himself as Psal 19.3 there is no Speech or Language where their voyce is not heard their lin◠is gone out into all the earth and their words unto the ends of the world so as that by these Preachers or Declarers of his Name to be called upon by men it is truly said they have all heard Rom. 10.18 and upon whom doth not his light arise Job 25.3 in this Medium Christ the Word with the Father even that word that was made flesh is the true light lighting every man coming into the world Joh. 1.9 2. That it is not good to argue from what men perceive in and by them to what they speak or hold forth to men no more than its from a blind or purblind mans sight to the things presented by way of object to him they speak forth as much of God as any do rightly discern by them yea and more But all that they speak or signifie it to do not perceive or see what they signifie Something may and oft is set before men that they do not see and often more than they see who see something 1 Cor. 1.21 they set forth God in the wisdom of God though man in his wisdom discerns or knows or approves it not the light shines in the darkness Jo◠1.5 though the darkness in which it shines comprehends it not we may not say there is not so much held forth to all Gods Works as some wiser Philosophers and Poets see because all did not see so much as they though probably some see more and better but rather argue there was so much held forth to all because some did see so much to be held forth the difference was in the sight not in the object nay we that have more light see by that light that they testifie by way of interpretation and intimation of the Ransom and Mediation of Christ and sure they do so and did so always and to all since the sall else the light could not discover that they do so The Object is the same in it self in the light and in the dark in more light and in less though it is not so seen in the dark or in a less light as in a greater yea and the light is one in it self to a quicker and duller sight though a duller sight see not so well by it as a quicker 3. That much less are we to confound with the testimony of God in his Works or that his Works give of him the collections and conceptions of men which they have gathered from his Works in their corrupt wisdom while lifting up themselves in their thoughts and boasting themselves to be wise they have become fools and their foolish hearts were darkned in them Rom. 1.21 22 23. as the Apostle speaks plainly distinguishing between what God manifested by his Works to and in men and what they becoming vain in their imaginations and much more when for that vanity they were given up of God to a reprobate mind concluded from them and traditionally laid down for truth concerning him as about the plurality of Gods the acceptableness of Image-worship to him things clearly discovered to be false even by the light of God shining in those Works as by that Paul reproved them Act. 17.24 25 26 27. The Philosophers conceived and taught many things from what they see in Gods Works which yet his Works did not signifie to them even as many now do collect and gather many things from the words of God perverted by them and set up forms of faith and worship which yet were never therein taught by him 4. That without question God that is no respecter of persons Act. 10.34 Rom. 2.11 accepts all in every Nation who by such means as he affords them sincerely grope after him and seek him and therethrough are brought to fear him and work righteousness upon the account of and through Christ the Saviour of the World and Mediator of God and
Earth so as that Terah Abraham's Father was not free from it though both Noah and Shem and divers other good Men it 's likely were then living but that is to be attributed to Mens corrupting themselves God nevertheless was dispensing the knowledge of his word to and amongst them but more fully yea more fully than to the Holy men in former Ages was he pleased to dispense and give it forth to Abraham with Isaac and Jacob and their Children Abraham he called and chose and brought out 〈◊〉 Vr of the Chaldees and made known him self more familiarly and clearly to him by way of Covenant with him finding his heart faithfull Gen. 12.3 18.18 22.18 26.4 28.14 Gal. 3.8 9. as Neh. 9.7 8. with Gen. 12.1 Heb. 11.8 To him he revealed That of him should the promised Seed be and so to Isaac and Jacob after him and that in that Seed all the Families of the Earth should be blessed there blessing should be prepared for them and given unto them with respect to which he called his name Abraham as ordaining him a Father of the many Nations that they might be directed thither to look for blessing To him therefore Melchisedeck also the Priest of the most High God and King of Salem Gen. 14.19 20. gave a most solemn blessing after his return from the slaughter of the Kings Rom. 4.11 12. by which his name was made famous doubtless in all those Nations To him God gave the word of Faith even the promise of blessing in his Seed to all the Families of the Earth to propagate a Spiritual Seed to God by of whom Abraham Ministerially should be the Father and added to it the sign of Circumcision a Seal of the Righteousness of the Faith which he had both as it signifies a gracious believing and as it signifies the Word and Doctrine to be held forth to his Children and Servants and in the World as he had opportunity before he was Circumcised for the Sealing unto men the truth of that Faith that was given to him and held forth by him that therein they that received it might be justified and accepted of God as righteous even they that believed God's Revelation to him of blessing in his Seed to all the Nations and there sought it Which blessing what could it signifie but that in and by his Seed sin should be satisfied for and taken away Rom. 4.6 7. 2 Cor. 5.19 20. and the Curse and Death removed and that access to God and Grace and a fvour with God might through him be had even by them all which same blessing and promise was also given to Isaac and Jacob as may be seen in the Scriptures fore quoted yea to them all also was given further the promise of another Inheritance an Heavenly Countrey figured too by the promise of the Land of Canaan which they believed and hoped for and sought after and plainly declared their Faith and expectation of Heb. 11.9 10 13 14 15 16. Something sure was in this beyond what the former Fathers had revealed to them by vertue of which he obtained the honour of being called the Friend of God and the Father of all that believe 2 Chron. 20.7 Jam. 2.21 23. Rom. 4.16 Gen. 49.10 To and by Jacob also was yet further revealed that the promised Seed should be of his son Judah whom also he calls the Shiloh or Peace-maker as implying his work should be to make peace between God and Men and between Men and Men for unto him should be the gathering of the People or their obedience yea and this famous hint was further given him of the time of Christ's coming that it should be before the Scepter or Tribe should depart from Judah and a Law-giver should cease from between his feet that is they should be continued a Tribe and have the form of a Commonwealth and Government amongst them though for sometime interrupted as to the power with them yet not taken or removed wholly from them till Shiloh should come or be born to him Now this manifestation of God and of the knowledge of himself and Son vouchsafed to those Patriarchs they transmitted to their Children and it was kept by and with them in Egypt till the time of their delivery Heb. 11.25 26. thence by Joseph and his Brethren during their lives and after that by the Fathers that succeeded them though the generality of them declined from walking with God perfectly and defiled themselves with the Idols of the Egyptians even as the Children of Ishmael Abraham's Son by Hagar and his Sons by Keturah and Esau and his posterity too to whom yet their Fathers Abraham and Isaac were not wanting to transmit the knowledge of God they had received from him too generally had done And yet we may not think that because those Worthies onely had the honour and priviledge to be chosen to have such further dispensations of the Mystery of God opened to them and be trusted with them and no others so as they that therefore there were no other holy Men in those times but they or no knowledge of God and means of Salvation afforded to other Nations For beside what we have said Sect. 1. it is evident as we noted above that Shem and Arphaxad and Heber were living a good part of those times yea and there was Lot too and Melchisedech if a man in the days of Abraham and Lot is called a Righteous man 2 Pet. 2.7 8. yea evident it is that amongst the Children of the East there were Job and his Friends good men Job 1.1 5 8. 17.8 9. yea Job highly commended as not inferiour to any for the fear of God and uprightness of his heart and they spoke of Righteous and Innocent men in their discourses as supposing there were such then to be found amongst them and they are probably conceived to have lived about the time of Israel's sojourning in * Colligimus ex libro ejus tertia generatione posteriorem fuisse Jobum quam Israel Aug. de Civit. Dei lib. 18. cap. 47. Egypt And at the time of Israels deliverance out of Egypt God did marvellously make bare his Arm amongst the Naâ—ons that they might know and seek him especially to Israel by the hand of Moses and Aaron Now the Ages spoken to in this Section contain at least eight or nine hundred years according to Bishop Vsher eight hundred fifty seven beginning the 430 years which it is said the sojourning of the Children of Israel in the Land of Egypt continued from Abraham's coming out of his own Countrey into the Land and so from his and his Seeds becoming sojourners and the promise being made to him of Blessing in his Seed for all the Families of the Earth mentioned by the Apostle Gal. 3.8 16 17. which promise he says was confirmed with him four hundred and thirty years before the Law And indeed it is to be minded that the
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
space 700. years according to Bishop Vsher 717. SECT 8. Of the Age of Christ his Incarnation and Manifestation in the Flesh to men and thenceforth to the Destruction of Jerusalem by Titus and so on WHat should I need to speak of the times of Christs appearance and since when the day-spring looked down from on high and visited us more gloriously than ever and what was all along pointed to before as to come was it self brought forth and as to the works of his coming in the Flesh accomplished Surely then God gave forth the truth yet more abundantly And yet we may consider some diversity in his Dispensations then with reference to divers times 1. Immediately before the appearing of Christ his Birth and manifesting amongst men there was given certain notice to some that he was about to come as also by the Writings of the Prophets there was ground to expect him and he was expected about that time but more particularly notice was given to Simeon Luk. 2.26 an holy and devout man and as some write one of Sanhedrim or Great Council of the Nation that he should not 〈◊〉 before he had seen the Lords Christ 〈◊〉 Zachary the Father of the Baptist 〈◊〉 revealed that he should have a Son 〈◊〉 his Wife Elizabeth Luk. 1.13 14 17. that should be 〈◊〉 forerunner and go before his face according to what was prophesied by Malachy Luk. 1. To the Virgin also that she should conceive and bring him forth And both by the Virgin and Zachary and Elizabeth was he witnessed to before his Birth After his Birth he was made known to 2.10 11 12 13 14 17 27 28 29 30 36 37 38. and by the Shepheards by Simeon also and Anna a Prophetess as also to and by certain Wise Men or Magi that came out of the East Country to seek and worship him Matth. 2. Before his being manifested by way of ministration to the people John the Baptist was sent of God to bear witness to him who also did clearly testifie of him and point to him as a person then born and amongst them Behold John 1.5 6 7 15 16 29 30 31 32 33 34. Matt. 3.16 17. saith he to them the Lamb of God that taketh away the sin of the World witnessing that he had seen the heavens open upon him when he was baptized by him and that the Holy Ghost in a visible form like a Dove as it was fore-given him of God as a sign to know him by descended and sat upon him and God himself out of Heaven witnessed to him that he was his well-beloved Son in whom he was well-pleased so that God vouchsafed to John and by him to the people a clearer discovery of him than 〈◊〉 or by any of the Prophets that went before him with respect to which it is said That amongst those that were born of women there had not arisen a greater then John the Baptist Matth. 11.12 2. In the time of Christ's Personal Appearing and Manifesting Himself to and amongst Men from the time of his Baptisme to his Ascention he Ministred the Knowledge of God to Men by his Personal Preaching and Miracles and gave himself a Ransom for many accomplishing by his Death and Resurrection the Prophecies in that behalf going before concerning him Therein both by Words and Works he made manifest the way of Life both to the World and to his Disclples more especially to whom it was given to know The Mysteries of the Kingdom even such Mysteries as many wise Men and Prophets had desired to see and saw not and to hear but heard not they being blessed with a sight and knowledge of these things which were peculiar to that Age even to be Eye-witnesses of the Sufferings and Glory of Christ and to have familiar Converse with him their Eyes feeing and their Ears hearing and their Hands handling of the Word of Life that was before Promised from the Beginning but then was Manifest in the Flesh and Conversed therein with them of which the wise and prudent of the Jews and the greatest part of the People deprived themselves by not seeing what they see and 〈◊〉 hearing what they heard but closeing the Eye least they should see and stopping the Ear lest they should hear and understand with their Hearts and be Converted and Healed by him Matt. 13.11 12 13 14 15 16. For before them also his Doctrine and Miracles were such as might have convinced them that he was the Christ But to his Discipls he opened all things they see and followed him in his Temptations see his Sufferings and Eat and Drank with him after his Resurrection till he was taken up into Heaven of which also they the Apostles especially were Eye-witnesses But yet 3. In the times after his Ascension was the clearest manifestation of the Mystery that ever was vouchsafed by his pouring forth his Spirit the Spirit of Wisdom and Revelation and power into and upon those his Apostles and Disciples giving them to see into and understand the Mystory of his Will even the ends and vertues of and the grace of God to Mankind in all those things of Christ done and suffered by him and the meaning of his Words and Doctrine delivered to them by him by which also they were furnished being thereto before his Ascention Commissionated to open the Mysteries and grace of God to all Men to Jews and Gentiles according to the utmost opportunities thereto given them And they also during their continuance upon Earth reased not faithfully and fully to declare the mind and Testimony of God to men and to endeavour to make them see the fellowship of the Mystery God mightily bearing Witness to them by many Signes and Wonders and Gifts of the Holy Ghost to the filling the Earth with the Knowledg of him and of his Salvation so as that by that time Jerusalem was Destroyed and their Nation dispersed and carried Captive they had sounded forth the word of Truth in and unto most if not all Nations so as that though they were but an handful of Corn in the top of the Mountains yea their Fruit shaked like Lebanon as was fore-told Psal 72.16 Yea and afterwards too the word they had sowed up and down the world took Root and sprang up and filled the world with Fruit till through many Persecutions and Cruelties endured by those that Believed and by the Blood of the Lamb and Word of their Testimony they leavened the face of the World so as that the Emperours and Rulers of it imbraced the Profession of it also and their Word and Doctrine they the Apostles also delivered in Writing to be transmitted to Posterity which even to these times yet remaineth with us Though it is true that 4. In the succeeding times the Watchmen being not so Vigelant as Satan the envious One the Tares of false Positions or Doctrines and of loose and evil Live◠too presently began to be sown in the World after
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
Philopastor and others Recorded both in the Books of the Maccabees and alluded to in Heb. 11. Did they not more brightly sparkle forth the Knowledge of God and notifie him and his Truth professed by them amongst and unto their adverse Nations And as for the Roman Monarchy the Jews were soon known unto them sending to them and entring a League with them as in the Book of the Macchabees is also mentioned They had Wars also with Pompey who took their City Jerusalem their Kings Herod Aristobulus and others held their Kingdoms of them and the Jews and Romans had much converse upon many occasions they had their Synagogues dispersed up and down throughout their Dominions Under that Monarchy was Christ born lived and wrought his Miracles suffered dyed rose ascended sent abroad his Disciples into all Nations yea and beside their going abroad Pilate is said to have certified Tiberius of the Acts of Christ and his Famous Miracles and that Tiberius moved it to the Senate to receive him for a god as Tertullian in his Apology for the Christians Chap. 5. and 21. relates And the Jews having Synagogues all over there were Proselytes and fearers of God also scattered up and down the World as is clearly implyed Joh. 12.20 both by what is related of the Greeks that coming to Worship desired to see Jesus and more plainly by what is said Act. 2. Dr. Hammond on the places Act. 2.5 9 10 11. Of Jews devout men out of every Nation under Heaven abiding at Jerusalem at the feast of Pentecost Parthians Medes Elamites or Persians dwellers in Mesopotamia Judea Cappadocia Pontus Asia Phrygia Pamphidia Egypt and the parts about Lybia about Cyrene and strangers of Rome Jews and Proselytes Cretes and Arabians And in Act. 13.21 it 's said that Moses of old time hath in every City them that Preach him Act. 10.1 2. 11.19 20. 13.5.14.50 14.1 16.12 13 14. 17.1 10. 18.2 4 7 8 12 19. 19.8 28.17 c. being read in the Synagogues every Sabbath day whence also so frequent mention of the Jews and of devout Men and Women worshippers and fearers of God where the Apostle went in his Travels to Preach the Gospel found by him before his Preaching to them So that it appears that in all Ages many of the Gentiles too had some rumors of the God of Israel and opportunities given them to enquire after and acquaint themselves with his Word Oracles and Worship To which we might add if we shall give credit thereto what is recorded of the Sybils and their Prophesies August also De Civitat Dei lib. 18. cap. 23. mentioned both by the ancient Christians and before them by Heathens as by Varro Cicero Virgil Aul. Gellius Amongst the Christians of the first Ages Justin Martyr mentions his sight of one of their places of Residâ—nce in his Exhortation to 〈◊〉 Gentiles and Lactantius is very large 〈◊〉 reciting divers of their Verses in whâ—â—â— they speak very distinctly of the Unity 〈◊〉 Oneness of God vanity of Idols of the coming of the Son of God his Birth of a Virgin his taking away Sin and every evil thing To say nothing â—f Hydaspes Trismegistus Orpheus and others mentiononed in Lactantius and Eusebius his Praepar Evaugel the Destruction of Rome the Resurrection of the Dead and the Great Judgment c. which whoso pleases may if they can Read him see more of in the Works or Writings of Lactantius especially in his Fourth and Seventh Books And indeed the fulness and clearness of the Testimony given to Christ in them as his being the Son of God and God his Healing and working Miracles by his Word his Sufferings and Death and Resurrection and the like hath caused many to suspect their Verses to have been framed by some Primitive Christians out of a Pious Fraud as they call it to draw in the Heathens more to Christ which to me seems an uncharitable thought of those first Christians abundantly spoken to by way of confutation by the Reverend Bistop Montague in his Acts and Monuments I should rather say with Austin Quisquis Alienigena De Civit. Dei lib. 18. cap. 47. c. If any Strangâ— that is not descended of Israel nor received by that People in the Canon of the Holy Scriptures is read to have Prophesied any thing of Christ he may be cited by us over and above not because there is need of him if he were not mentioned but because it is not easily believed that there were also in other Nations some Men to whom this Mystery was revealed and that they were carried out by a certain impulse to foretell it whether they themselves were partakers of the same Grace they spake of or were void of it or were taught it by evil Angels as we know they did profess Christ when he was present whom the Jews acknowledged not nor do I think that the Jews durst deny that some pertained to God besides the Israelites since the time that Esau being rejected Israel gan to propagate and encrease in the World Indeed there was no other people called the People of God properly but they but that there were certain Men Citizens of the Heavenly Countrey and pertaining to the true Israelites not by an Earthy but a Heavenly Society in other Nations also they cannot deny as in the Holy man Job c. Certain it is that the Sybils were made mention of as Prophetesses of great note amongst the Gentiles and their Writings sought for and laid up at Rome by the Senate before the time of Christ's birth what we read in Virgil as uttered by the Cumaean Sybil though applied by him to Augustus Cesar and his times savours of what might be said of them concerning Christ and can be applied to none but him for therein is mention made of Purging away our Sins bringing in Peace and Prosperity renewing the World into its Golden or Paradise Estate And the Acrosticks mentioned in Austin are to the same purpose the initial Letters thereof composing this sentence Jesus Christ the Son of God the Saviour and why might not the Lord reveal something of Christ to them and suffer them to utter it as well as to Balaam who though a false Prophet yet prophesied of Christ as is to be seen Numb 24.17 But enough is said before to shew the truth of our Assertion laid down in the title of this Section viz. That in all Ages and in the times of every of the four Monarchies of the World some Beams at least of the Revelation of God and his Truth as by Words and Oracles have shined forth to and amongst the Gentiles so as they have had some opportunities and advantages of hearing of them and seeking the knowledge of him by them The Summ and Conclusion of this Chapter is That though the Truth of God in it self practicable to men be but one and the same yet the Revelations Manife-stations and
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
not his ways but despised his Law and brake their ingagements to him and not believing his Ordinances fulfilled not his works c. Yea and Stephen saies they always resisted the Holy Ghost that did not obey and submit to him they resisted not man only but also God who is therein implyed to have wrought in and upon them for their Obedience would have gathered Jerusalem but they would not As for those that are brought in to God seeing it 's expresly said that no man can come to Christ except the Father who sent him draw them as we have shewed Joh. 6.44 he also draws them that refuse to return and that of his own will he begat us with the word of truth Jam. 1.18 Eph. 2.1 4 5. Joh. 1.12 13. quickned us when before dead in sinâ— and trespasses that they are not born of blood or of the will of the flesh or of the will of man but of God there is no question to be made of them but that God prevents them before they come to him inlightens quickens or so speaks to them as to make them capable of hearing moves and works in them to look to him and be saved before they do any of those things 〈◊〉 which of themselves as of themselves none are sufficient and therefore I need not inlarge my Discourse about them not will I inlarge to insist upon any particular branching out of Gods preventing operations into the several streams that may be in them only this I may say that there is in them 1. A giving forth or bringing to men some discovery of light or truth to the heart witnessing the being and goodness of God more or less to men and the emptiness and vanity in Men and in the Creature in sin and sinful ways c. And therewith 2. Some discerning of or capacity to see perceive or be sensible of the light and truth discovered And 3. In that is also some reproof of the simplicity folly and evil of man in affecting seeking after and cleaving to such vain things with 4. Some secret drawing to inquire feel after or seek God a better object that can satisfie c. 5. With all this some strength and ability both to behold and mind what is presented to it and to listen to the secret whispers of truth to the heart and also to choose the good it draws to and refuse the evil discovered to be so vain and empty And all this might be distinctly shewed from Prov. 1.20 21 22 23 24 28. with Matth. 13.14 15. but I forbear to inlarge growing too voluminous SECT 5. Of the Concomitant or accompanying Operations NOw though all Operations following after these preventing Operations that come upon a man as in a sleep to awake and rouse him up or as dead to inliven him before he can see or hear or work may be with respect to them called subsequent or following Operations as we have also elsewhere distinguished them yet because some of them accompany men in their closing with and obeying the grace that prevents them and others follow after their having so closed with and obeyed it or else refused to close with it we shall here a little briefly consider them distinctly and so in the next place say 2. There are also Concomitant Operations that accompany men in their choices works or ways upon their being prevented as before as not only Gods considering or minding what men wâ—â— or do for that is no Operation of his in them but also moving and strengthâ—ing them to and in their willing and doing what he moves them to even framing and putting forward their will and so working in them both the to will and desire and the to do or be effectual as that what he moves to may be acted and affected and they not be carried away by violence either of Satan or corruption therefrom but that they may them notwithstanding both will and do and so work out what he is working in them by a sweet and gracious compliance with or rather putting forward their wills begun to be inclined by his grace preventing them thence that 2 Cor. 6.1 2. we beseech you receive not the grace of God in vain for in an accepted time I have heard thee in the day of salvation I have succoured thee or helped thee his preventing grace brings a day of salvation an accepted time through Christs mediating for them whom God hears and helps in his work and business of Mediation and extends his grace to men helping his Servants that are his Instruments in their Ministration and so concurring with the means afforded men and he is also present with men in their receiving his grace assisting and helping them therein against what opposes them that so they may receive it effectually and not in vain otherwise they must receive it in vain and could not avoid it but now he admonishes them as there is good ground for it not to receive it in vain It might be illustrated by the case of Israel in the Wilderness God prevented them with his goodness making a way and liberty for them to depart out of Egypt and follow him in the Wilderness exhorting directing and inciting them to follow hiâ— against all enemies and discouragements and in their obeying he was with them to animate and strengthen them and make their way plain and prosperous to them yea he is strengthning to obey that grace that prevents them and capacitates and excites them to obey doth also run along with them and help and carry them on in their obeying as is implyed in those Sayings of Paul Phil. 4.13 1 Câ—r 15.10 I can do all things through Christ that strengthneth me and I laboured more abundantly than they all yet not I but the grace of God that was with me which being but yeilded up to by him flowed in upon him made use of him as it were Râ—â— 6.12 13 14 16. Gal. 5.16 and acted carryed and wrought with him yea wrought him to will and to do of good pleasure whence also those counsels of yeilding up the Members as Weapons or Instruments of Righteousness to Holiness and those assertions that if we walk in Spirit we shall not fulfil the lusts of the Flesh the Spirit yeilded to shall act and strengthen men against sin so sin shall not have dominion over you for ye are not under the Law but under Grace even to be acted and carried on by grace Whereas God withdraws his concurrence with men and reproves and secretly nips them when they neglect the advantages given them by and rebel against his grace preventing them But those pertain rather partly to his preventing Grace and partly to his Operations in Wrath and Judgements upon men and therefore I shall not insist here on them SECT 6. Of God's Confequent or Subsequent Workings or Operations in men THere be also consequent or subsequent Operations in men upon and after their obeying closing and complying
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
beheld all the sons of men even so beheld and looked upon them with an eye of pitty and compassion as that he hath looked out for himself a Lamb for a burnt-offering to take away their Sin and so bring in Grace and Salvation to them as the same Word is used Gen. 22.8 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Where it is rendred So to look as to provide and thence the Name of that place Jehovah Iireh Vers 14 and then it follows from the place of his habitation or dwelling which is properly and in the truth of it Christ as having Dyed for all men he is raised again ascended and glorified he as so considered as one that hath performed his will in Suffering for us is the habitation of God's holiness his beloved one in whom his Soul delighteth and where it hath pleaseth him that all fulness should dwell even all the fulness of the Godhead bodily from thence even in and through him as having done his will he looketh 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he hath consideratively looked or set his heart to take care of and for them upon all the inhabitants of the Earth As he looked down with pity upon them at first to consider their misery and provide them a Saviour so now having taken up his rest and dwelling in him he through him yet again beholds them to take care of them and to extend his goodness and favour to them to load them with his benefits and afford them discoâ— veries of his Truth and then He fashâ— oneth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He is fashioning or is thâ— fashioner of their hearts together oâ— alike 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in his beholding them dispenâ—sing his goodness and truth to them diâ—covering his Being Power Goodness thâ— vanity of the World and of their Lives and all things here below c. He is secretly convincing them and by his goodness leading and drawing them to and after or toward himself in his Son to repent to grope and feel after him and seek him who is not far from any one oâ— us and so is in like manner or together one with another and one as well as another framing and fashioning their hearts even towards himself who is one and in meeting with or coming to whom they would be together and then it follows He considers 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 mindeth understandingly takes notice of all their work When he hath framed or frames their hearts even the heart of all the Sons of men or Inhabitants of the Earth in their several times together to one object himself as in Christ his dwelling place or aliâ—e as to the manner of his framing them then and not till then he considers their Works and minds how they work whether they yield up to him in his framings of them to work and walk in them or in that truth and goodness by which he is working and framing them or else to rebel against him and then it follow No King is saved by the multitude of an Host a mighty man is not delivered by much strength an Horse is a vain thing for safety neither shall be deliver any by his great strength Behold the eye of the Lord is upon them that fear him upon them that hope in his Mercy to deliver their Soul from Death c. As if he should say upon the Lords framing their hearts a like or together though he leads and draws all men one way yet minding their works there is there great difference some of them withdrawing rebelling or resisting his grace and Spirit and smothering the truth in unrighteousness are chusing their own ways and running to Hosts and Horses and Chariots and to their own strength to creatures Idols which are vain and therein are disallowed of God and meet with disapprovement and destruction but others in his framing their hearts chuse the fear of the Lord â—nd hearkning to his voice do betake themselves to him and to his Mercy to home therein and make him their stay and refuge to own and accept him for their God and Saviour And upon these his eyes are in a further sense to own and take special care of them as his Portion People and inheritance to chuse them to himself and bless them and stand by them in all Conditions 10 deliver their Souls from Death and to keep them alive in Famine when others want and Perish as Isa 65.13 14. According to that in Prov. 1.31.32 33. The refusers of the Lord and of his fear that despise his counsels and set at naught all his Reproofs shall eate the fruit of their own ways and be filled with their own inventions the turning aside of the simple shall slay them and the prosperity of Fools destroy them when who soever hearkneth unto Wisdom in any or every Nation shall dwell safely and shall be quiet from the fear of evil SECT 3. That Gods operations in Men are neither properly Phisical or properly and simply Moral but supernatural having some thing like either in them THere is great contest amongst Men wither God do work Phisically or as a natural Agent or only Morally by swasion and counsel in Men for the converting and regenerating of them That I may cast in my verdeit amongst others towards the deciding that controversy upon which men on both sides lay a great part of the weight of their apprehensions they that are for the Physicalness of them thence argueing their irresistibility and they that are for the Morality of them thence arguing the contrary I shall briefly say 1. That I conceive those terms are not apt and proper to be applyed to Gods Operations for Phisical signifying natural it should imply that they that say he works Physically say he works naturally which must mean either by or according to the nature of the things in which he works but nature being his work and corrupted too since the fall his workings must needs be both distinct from and far above the workings of it or else that he works naturally as opposed to voluntarily or by free Election and choise in himself which is not true neither for though in all his works he according to his own glorious nature and so naturally works most holily righteously wisely c. And it is not possible for him to work otherwise yet in respect of the work it self the matter of it and way of carrying it on he works freely and according to the counsel of his own will as was noted above And again Morally signifies properly after some manner and custome habituated in the subject by often exercise which is not competible with Gods nature and essence But I conceive the mind of that distinction is either as God wrought in his making and giving beings and natures to things or as men work upon one another by arguments and motives perswading to better or other manners in a word whether creatively by introducing by almighty power new species nature principles or the like or whetheâ—
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
8.10 11. and to do or to be operative and effectual of good or of his good pleasure may be thus understood viz. 1. With reference to his preventing Operations if we should apply it also to them as there are Operations preventing believers in what they are to do as well as to other men to bring them to believe but to oary it even to those that respect mens first closing with Christ also though the Apostle writs not to such here as were yet first to close with him we might understand such a saying applicable to such persons Thus 1. God by his preventing grace in the means afforded is operating and working or drawing your hearts to mind and listen to him and to Christ as set forth by him and to be not only willing but actual and effectual doers of his word in yielding up to attend upon him in the means vouchsafed Therefore seeing it is God that is moving and working in you to will and to do those things and he doth so work of Good-pleasure it s his love to you leads him so to work and he is at liberty to cease so to work and may do it if provoked by your resistances and then you can do nothing to purpose therefore in his inclining your wills to himself do you yield up to him and in his exciting stirring and inwardly working you to do and walk forth in his ways in which he is waiting to be gracious to you do ye yield up your Members to obey him And this with fear and trembling least you provoke him that worketh in you these things to withdraw his Operations and then ye can do nothing that will avail you Or 2. It s God that is working or works in you the to will and to be operative or to do It s he that frames the heart to believe and love and to be full of Spiritual inward Motions and efficacies and to walk forth in them Men can do none of these things of themselves but God doth work these things in mens hearing and learning of him in such means as he doth afford in his Church or Sion every one that hears and learns of the of the Father comes to Christ to him he gives the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the power and act of believing frames the heart to trust in him and fills him with effectual operations but he doth it in their attention to God in the means directed to by him such as is listening to the Apostles Doctrine and obeying their wholesome Counsels Therefore be ye obedient to those outward instructions and yield up to follow him in such ways as in which he so works Be swift to hear Slow to speak Jam. 1.18 1â— c. seeing God willing begets men by the word of Truth And as our Saviour says Murmur not lift not up yourselves in your own Wisdom and strength of reason to oppose him or to wave and wind out from his teachings seeing no man can come to Christ but by the Fathers drawing him in and by his teachings afforded in the Ordinances and ways of instruction vouchsafed in Sion especially he that hears and learns comes to him So the Apostle afterward do all things without murmuring or disputing vers 14. and this with fear and trembling least ye fail of the grace of God and deprive you selves of that work of Regeneration without which no Salvation and so I labour in vain in respect of you as vers 16. But 2. With reference to his working in believers already in some measure pertakers of his grace and so that have it working in them as it is as I said before properly directed to such The Apostle then instructs them that what that Grace or Salvation working in them wrought it was God that wrought it either for making them willing or operative and effectual and therefore he would have them act that forth with fear and trembling and so work out their Salvation As if ye should say quench not nor grieve the Spirit of God that is working in you the will to do good and then assisting and working the act when ye are willing withdraw not your selves or members from it for it is God who is a consuming fire and working of good pleasure is so much the more to be awfully obeyed least his love provoked to anger and jealousie it go ill with you He that hath made his Son Lord of all is of his good pleasure working in you to be obedient willingly to this Lord even by that Grace received and believed by you See then that with reverence and trembling ye submit to him and work out your salvation The Apostle in all this implies that God so works in men the will and deed as that the men may put a stop to his working by withdrawing or consulting with their carnal reason and affections and so grieving of him As also the Apostle John supposes the same in 1 John 3.17 He that hath this Worlds Goods and seeth his Brother have need and shall shut up the bowels of his compassion how dwells the love of God in him where he implies that the love of God dwelling in the heart will upon sight of a Brothers need move the bowels of compassion and open them in a man that hath wherewith to relieve him will be working upon his will to be willing and put him forward to do what it moves to i. e. to relieve him yet that man imprisoning that love of God and not letting it dwell richly in him and as the ruler over him may shut up the bowels of his compassion and do little or nothing for him contrary to which the Apostle exhorts here to work out and do what that salvation and grace leads to because it 's God that moves and works in its operations Object But now some stand much upon the Article the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that it signifies properly the very act of the will and the outward work as effectually and inavoidably wrought of God But he that will consider what the Apostle writes to the Corinthians in 2 Cor. 8.10 11 c. Answ will see little force in that for there the Apostle says that they had begun 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not only the to do then but also the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the to will about a year before and â—et writes to them to finish the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the to do was it not God that wrought in them the to will and the do there as much as is supposed here and yet he so wrought it in them that they themselves are said to have begun them and are exhorted to finish them yea and the Apostle sent a Letter to them to stir them up to it yea and intreated Titus too to come with it to them to provoke and further them in it and as he had begun so to finish in them the same Grace vers 6. yea and another Brother with him
lest he should be ashamed of what he had boasted of them in Macedonia touching their forwardness and uses divers arguments to stir them up to go on with what they had begun and to do it cheerfully in that and the following Chapter By which it appears that God so works the will and the deed that men themselves may be said to begin and finish them in his operation Yea and not only the men themselves that will and do but others also may by way of instrumentality and motive be said to begin and finish the same too by divers kinds of efficiencies and operations But how could either the one or the other be said to begin and finish the to will and the to do if they were only patients in them and God wrought and effected the whole business in them and that so irresistably as that they could not but be effected in them yea and what need of taking care lest they should be backward in effecting what God absolutely effects and works wholly in them and out by them too as the conception I oppose herein conceiveth of him God then hath so his efficiency and operation in men to move and act them to will and to do as that men also have a subordinate efficiency too yea and so as they may so listen to corruption and temptation as to hinder and not work out the intendment of Gods operation in them He may purge and yet they not be purged as was before shewed So that need notwithstanding Gods working in us to will and to do yea therefore the rather to be exhorted to work out their own Salvation with fear and trembling SECT 4. Isa 43.14 Considered and what some collect there from AGainst what I have here said touching the resistibility of Gods working in Men and mens stopping or smothering it some oppose that in Isa 43.14 where God says I will work and who shall let it whence they draw a general conclusion that whatsoever God works in anâ— man cannot be letted or hindred But to that I say its good to mind the scope of the Scriptures we alledge and hold to what they properly speak of and therein we cannot so easily miscarry Now its evident that that place in Isa 43. speaks not of his working in men by his gracious operations we are speaking of but of his delivering his people Israel who were precious in his sight and honourable out from their temporal bondages under their enemies as the Chaldees and Babylonians and so from the people of the North and South c. as both the Verses before and after shew and of that he says He will so work and effect it that none shall let or hinder it but maugre all oppositions of Men and Devils he would accomplish it Even as he did bring them out of Egypt mangre the malice of Pharoah and the Egyptians to hinder it but what is this to the business in hand the operations of the grace and truth of God in men and so of God in and by them We deny not but that what ever God will work and effect absolutely engaging thereto his omnipotency and power to effect it be it in men or about men it shall not nor can be letted The things that fall under his absolute Decrees and in and to which he is resolved to ingage his omnipotency absolutely there is no letting or hindring thereof but that I deny to be the way of Gods working by his grace and truth ordinarily in Men but upon condition by the failings or obstinancy rather of men in not yielding to which that which God conditionally offered to work and that he was in such ways working may be and often is hindred and men become as vessels broken upon the wheel as God is framing or working of them as in Jer. 18.3 4. he prevents with grace and moves and excites men to hear and listen to him and in so doing would work in them all his good work and in that way he would so work too as none should let him as he wrought so upon Naaman in his washing in Jordan but men may and often do not hear nor listen to him or having begun in the Spirit they abide not therein but turn away from him and so by observing lying vanities forsake their own mercies as is evident Psal 81.10 11 12 c. where God bids them having set them at liberty open their mouths wide and he would fill them in which he was moving them to listen to him but they refusing deprived themselves of what he would have done for them for he would he says have subdued their enemies and sed them with the finest of the Wheat had they hearkened to him which because they did not hearken they had not effected for and in them so in Jer. 13.11 he says he had caused Israel to cleave to him as the girdle cleaves to the loynâ— of a man even the whole House of Israel and the whole House of Judah that they might be to him for a people and for a name and for a praise and yet they refusing to hear never attained thereto but became as a girdle marredâ— good for nothing So that tho so far as God worketh absolutely in men is wrought nor can any man hinder its being so yet men may provoke him to undo what he hath wrought in many things and to take away what he hath given them and may hinder themselves of what he tenders to work further and would certainly work so as none should hinder it did they hearken to him and walk in his way prescribed to them by him of this I say men may hinder themselves by their refusing to hearken to him as the forecited Scriptures clearly hold forth as may be seen by any that can understand them SECT 5. Psal 110.3 Considered and what some conclude from it MAny alledge that of the Psalmist in Psal 110.3 to prove God's irresistible and infrustrable manner of working in bringing in some to God the words are Thy people shall be a willing people in the day of thy power in the beauties of holiness c. The words may rather be read Thy people free-will offerings in the dâ—y of thy power in the beauties of holiness c. â—mely shall bring or shall be or yield themselves free-will offerings there is no mention there of any compulsive irresistible bringing them in but rather of a free willing running to him and offering themselves to him in the beauties of holiness the Sanctuary that is Christ according to the truth this the posture of â—s people in the day of his power or arâ—es Now most certain it is that those who are Christ's people given to him of the Father that is that hear and learn of him in his teaching them and glorifying Christ to them as those two are put for the same thing in substance in Joh. 6.37 40 45 65. they come voluntarily willingly and freely to Christ and offer free-will offerings to
him in the day of his power or armies that is of his being glorified at God's right hand and in the Gospel which is the power of God to the salvation of those that believe or credit it and to the making them free and willing to serve him Rom. 1.16 and so in the day of his armies and companies going forth to propagate his Name and fight the good fight of Faith his people those that stand on his side and for him offer themselves freely Nay further it 's granted that no man makes himself willing to serve Christ but they that come to him his people are made free by his power working in his Gospel published to them his truth set before them and abiding by them as in that of John 8.30 31 32. If ye continue in my words that is hearing and receiving or minding them then are ye my disciples that is his people indeed and ye shall know the truth and the truth shall make you free set you at liberty from the love of sin and the world c. to serve and walk with God in holiness and righteousness and so offer up your selves free-will offerings to God Which place fitly expounds the other and yet clearly shews that that is a consequent operation of God following upon mens receiving and continuing in the truth preventing them and so becoming his people in which they are more made his or given up to him and so is propounded conditionally to such as do but begin to credit the truth and listen to it agreeing with that in John 6.44 45. No man can come to me except the Father who hath sent me draw him As it is written in the Prophets And they that is Sion's children the waiters upon God in the Doctrine given forth in Sion Isa 54.13 shall all be taught of God Every one therefore that heareth and learneth of the Father that is thy people shall come to me shall be a willing people Agreeable also to that is Hos 6.3 Then shall we know if we follow on to know c. And Isa 55.5 6. Thou shalt call a Nation that thou knewest not and a Nation that knew not thee shall run after thee shall be willing or voluntaries because of the Lord thy God and for the holy one of Israel for he shall glorifie thee Seek ye the Lord while he maybe found and call upon him while he is nigh c. As if he should say The glory of Christ discovered in his calls by the Father's teaching being beheld shall make people willing and free to follow Christ they that know or take notice of his Name will trust in him seek therefore to know that Name or discern that Glory c. This may indeed shew what we have noted before that they that yield up to the counsels and calls of God afforded with his preventing operations and so look or listen to Christ and God in Christ shall find the creative power of God framing their hearts to the love of Christ and causing them to run freely after him yea that hinders not but that men to whom those preventing operations are afforded may resist and wind out from the counsels and teachings of God therewith given them and so frustrate themselves of the creative operations that follow upon mens not so resisting Isa 53.1 They that believe not the report prove not the arm of the Lord that is to be met with therein by men Naaman not washing in Jordan had not felt the power of God to heal him Some I know urge that of Luke 14.23 Compel them to come in But that being spoken to the servants as to be their act can signifie no more than a more earnest urgency with men on their parts and cannot inforce the signification of any compulsive irresistible working of God and therefore I shall not further insist upon it SECT 6. 1 Cor. 4.7 Considered and Mens Collections from it SOme from that saying of the Apostle Who maketh thee to differ 1 Cor. 4.7 or what hast thou that thou hast not received And if thou hast received it why dost thou then boast argue that it is and must be some more special irresistible grace of God afforded to some men more than to others that working irresistibly differences them in point of believing from others upon whom God doth not so irresistibly work and that they received from God their very doing better as to hearing and learning than others which if God had given to others as well as to them theâ— would have done yea must necessariâ— have done as well as they But here again Men mind not that they swerve from the Apostles scope and business and wrest or carry his words from the thing he treats about which is not of mens hearing the Word of God and giving heed to him in the means of Grace though that also is of God but of believers difference in their gifts and receipts of Gifts from God by occasion of which some were apt to be puffed up above others and some for one who had greater Gifts against another who had less as appears clearly in the former Verse To these he saith even to them who had more excellent Gifts Who made thee to differ or excel What hast thou What Gift or Excellency that thy Brother hath not which thou hast not received And if thou hast received it why dost thou then boast or pride thy self of it as attributing it to thy self and lifting up thy self above thy brother by it This is clearly and evidently the scope of the Apostle in that place which being kept to we cannot err by occasion of his words But if we will take his words and carry them from their scope we may perchance through our reason fall into mistakes as if we should thence argue that we have no cause or ground any of us to commend one mans diligence in the use of his talent and fault another mans slothfulness or that the slothful ought in like manner to be excused or not blamed as the other that hath less Gifts though diligent in them because as the one mans less Gifts proceed from God's good pleasure to give him less as but two talents when another hath five so the other mans slothfulness in like manner proceeded from God's good pleasure too that pleased not to give him such diligence as another hath Surely he that minds the Scriptures would see such an use of those words as so to argue from them to be but an abuse of them And so If we should thence conclude that God made Adam to differ from himself by falling from his created innocency or suppose there had been another man every way as perfect as Adam and no more free and able to stand than Adam and every way alike tempted and assisted as he must he needs have fallen as Adam did if so then how had Adam power to have stood and how was his fall meerly wilful and voluntary nay how can it
general ordinary way or Medium in and with which the power of God is put forth and operates both for bringing in men to himself and keeping them with himself unto eternal life is the discovery or makiâ—â—own of his Name Power goodne◠〈◊〉 And this in the more clear mean◠〈◊〉 making known his Son distinctly 〈◊〉 love in him to mankind or to the wâ— and so to those souls that he works up◠〈◊〉 To which the Law convincing of sin 〈◊〉 â—ching the knowledg of it with all repâ—â—s and chastisements and judgments are but subordinate and superadded means to drive the Soul to take a more ready view of his foresaid Love Goodness Name c. And all the ordinances and commands of duties but either appointments of and injunctions to ways in which his Name and Son are to be sought and soon that being brought in to him he might justify us and be our righteousness or else to witness to and glorify his Name in word or conversation 1 John 4.19 Rom. 1.16 17. and 2.4 5. Psal 9 10. and 36.7 8 9. Rom. 10.17 and 15.9 10 11 12. John 3.3.5.14 15 16 17. and 1.12 13. Tit. 2.11 12 13 14. Philip 1.27 And therefore they that darken and render doubtfull to men the love pity and good will of God in Christ towards them and readiness to save them through him and put men to seek to find it out by their endeavours after works and frames serve not God therein nor do they profit men but are instruments rather in the hand of Sathan to hurt and hinder them Nor are such rightly begotten to or born of God who not believing but neglecting the name of God and his â—ve and good will in Christ to mankin◠〈◊〉 so towards themselves have their hâ—â—wards God begot and Sprung up and â—ed in them from the conceit and â—deration of any frames changes act◠〈◊〉 and endeavours of their own but are â—dren of the Bondwoman Acts 2 8. 〈◊〉 Rom. 9.8 Jam. 1.18 19. Gal. 4.22 23 24. c. Luke 18.10 11 12. Math. 23.13 Isa 28.12 13 14 15 16 17. and 29. 9 10 11 12 13. Psal 118.22 2 Cor. 4.4 1 Thes 2.16 with 2.4 5 6 7. Rom. 9.30 31. and 10.1 2 3. 12. That those who are begotten and born to God in and by the discoveries of himself his Name and goodness in Christ to mankind so as that through his love to them while sinners and ungodly their hearts are overcome to hope in him and love him and so to yield up themselves to him to be his and to live to him they are the Children of God and of the promise the called according to his purpose the Elect and fore known ones whom he hath praedestinated or fore-ordained in Christ and through him to be conformed to him and his image in sufferings and in glory And accordingly such he hath used to call forth to service and sufferings for him and in their faithfulness therein hath justifyed and approved them and afterwards glorifyed them and so he will yet do which may animate such lovers of him for his love to hold them fast by him in all their sufferings either from o◠〈◊〉 him as knowing they are ordained o◠〈◊〉 thereto for their conforming to him 〈◊〉 1.12 13. and 3.3.5.14 15 16. 〈◊〉 3.7 8.9.26 27 28 29. Rom. 9. 〈◊〉 8.28 29 30 31 32. c. 1 Thes 〈◊〉 1 Pet. 2.21 Isa 50.8.9 Jam. 5. 〈…〉 Heb. 11.39 40. and 12.1 2 〈◊〉 Thus for the positions SECT 3. Some brief hints of uses of the foregoing Treatise and first of the first branch thereof WHat we have hitherto say'd in this treatise may be diversly usefull And first that which we have noted â—bout the Gospel doctrine as to the faith hope obedience and terrours of it may serve Vse 1 1. First to inform us of and instruct us into 1. The great love mercy pity and good will of God to us and to all men both as men made by him and more abundantly as and notwithstanding fallen from him in Adam and so become in our selves miserable corrupt loathsom and the great grace of our Lord Jesus towards us in so abasing himself at the will and appointment of the Father for us the great price he hath set upon us and provision made for us for our Salvation and happiness In this was manifested the love of God to us that he sent his only begotten Son into the â—woâ— that we might live through him In 〈◊〉 do men waving this demonstration 〈◊〉 seek to know it some other way by â—ing into themselves and indeavour◠〈◊〉 to frame themselves to love him 〈◊〉 is love not that we loved him 〈◊〉 â—he loved us and sent his only begoâ— Son to be the propitiation for our sins 1 John 4.9 10. And ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ that he being rich became poor that we through his poverty might be made rich 2 Cor. 8.9 So that therein also is discovered to us good ground given us in him of looking to and hoping in him and of loving of and living to him that hath done prepared and set before us so greaâ— things as the word of truth speaks of having not spared his own Son but delivered him up for us all how shall he not with him freely give us all things Rom. 8.32 He dyed for all that they that live should not henceforth live to themselves but to him that dyed for them and rose again 2 Cor. 5.15 God was in Christ reconciling the world to himself not imputing their trespasses to them we pray you in Christs stead therefore be ye reconciled unto God ver 19 20. See also Rom. 12.1 2. The wretchedness and misery of our condition by nature who needed such a remedy to be made and provided for us and so the odiousness of our sins both of that sin of Adam and of us all in him and the sinfulness thence contracted and much more yet of continuing in sin against him after and notwithstanding such mercy and kindness shewed us for our redemption and so also the deadness of us through sin both as to the sentence of the law pronouncing us dead and condemned men and the utter deadness of our selves in our powers to help and remedy our selves and one another yea such deadness as no creature power in our selves or in Heaven or Earth could raise us out of it which is clearly seen in the cross of Christ in that he dyed for us all to save and revive us The love of Christ constraineth us because we thus judge that if one dyed for all then were all dead That we were all sentenced to death appears in this that he that came to succour us was fain to dye for us And that we were so wholly lost and dead in our selves as to our helping our selves from under that sentence is seen in this that such a one as Christ was fain to undertake it and perform the Redemption of us
be taught if he teach he is to be heard but he that praises if he Erre confirms the Errour if he flatter he allures into Errour Let the Righteous smite me it shall be a favour if he reprove me it shall be an excellent oyl it shall not break my head Yet as I would not have my Reader Lib. 3. de Tim. proemio as he says stifly addicted to me So neither would I have my Corrector a Correptory Corrector so addicted to himself let him not love me more then the Faith let him not love himself more than the Truth as I say to him equalise not my Writings with the holy Scriptures but when thou findest in them what thou didst not believe believe without delay or doubting but in these Writings what thou art not sure of be not stiff in till thou understandest the certain so I say to him do not Correct my Writings either by thine own Opinion or out of contention but by the holy Scriptures and most Solid Reason In a Word what I intend thee for thy good and profit do not thou by thy curiosity or pertinancy turn to thine own hurt accept my service in what I have been able and have to my ability done rightly and let me have thy Prayers for further grace and ability to him that is the God of all grace in whom I bid thee Farewel remaining Lin Sept. 28th 1659. Thine to serve thee in the Truth of Christ to his ability John Horne THE CONTENTS This Treatise lays down and explicates a Distinction between the Object of Faith or Doctrine to be Preached to men And the Purposes of God about Dispensing the Knowledge thereof to men and his Dispensations of it accordingly to men and Operations with it in men in 12 Chapters Chapter I. THe Distinction propounded and something of the First Branch or Member considered in Three Sections p. 1 Sect. 1. The usefulness and needfulness of rightly distinguishing things that differ and particularly of the Distinction here propounded Ibid. Sect. 2. Of the Doctrine to be Preached to men its independency upon mens knowledge and faith of it its Vnity in its self and Truth to all men p. 4 Sect. 3. Two Conclusions drawn from the foresaid Considerations touching the Heathens and men dead and in Hell before Christ's Passion p. 6 Chap. II. Of the Doctrine or Faith of the Gospel both more implicitly and Generally and more explicitely and particularly in six sections Sect. 1. Of the faith of the Gospel more implicitely p. 9 Sect. 2. Of the Truths supposed and implyed in the Gospel yet not properly and by themselves Gospel p. 12 Sect. 3. Of Gospel-truths properly such touching God's affection to and provision of a Saviour for fallen Mankind his person suffering and exaltation p. 18 Sect. 4. Of God's love to fallen Man in glorifying his Son for him and of the compleatness and fitness of Christ for us as now in Heaven c. p. 23 Sect. 5. How Christ hath broken and is the breaker of the Head of the Serpent in what he hath done is become and is further to do for and to men p. 32 Sect. 6. How Christ is set forth in the Gospel as the fulfilling and fulfiller of the Promises and Prophecies that fore-went of him and of all the types and shadows p. 37 Chap. III. Of things further contained in the Gospel-Faith and thence observable as therein implyed and signifyed in four sections p. 44 Sect. 1. Of the hope of the Gospel Ibid. Sect. 2. Of the obedience and of the faith of the Gospel p. 53 Sect. 3. Of the Terrors of the Gospel p. 57 Sect. 4. A digression about the endlesness of the Punishment mentioned in the Gospel-Terrors p. 62 Chap. IV. Of some Distinctions signifyed and contained in the Doctrine of the Gospel in eight sections p. 79 Sect. 1. Of the two Adams the first and the last the first and the second Man p. 80 Sect. 2. Of two Covenants with respect to the two Adams p 85 Sect. 3. Of two kinds of Righteousness p. 88 Sect. 4. Of two kinds of Sins p. 90 Sect. 5. Of two General Judgments besides particular ones p. 93 Sect. 6. Of two Worlds the World that now is and the World to come p. 97 Sect. 7. Of two kinds of Life and two Deaths p. 100 Sect. 8. Of a twofold appearance of Christ and the proper Works of them and therein also of his comings and of his saving men p. 104 Chap. V. Enters upon the other Member of the Distinction and speaks of the Purposes of God in seven sections p. 111 Sect. 1. Of God's more General Purposes coincident with the Gospel-Doctrine and therein occasionally of God's permission p. 112 Sect. 2. That the Purposes of God concerning Mens Ends in particular as to their Salvation and Damnation are included in and result from the General Purposes p. 116 Sect. 3. That the great difference between the Remonstrants and Contra-Remonstrants spring from their different apprehensions of God's Purposes of Salvation and Damnation to particular persons and what the said apprehensions be p. 120 Sect. 4. 1 Sam. 2.25 and 2 Chron. 25.16 About Eli 's Sons and Amaziah considered as also about Act. 13.48 p. 126 Sect. 5. Of the distinction of God's Purposes into Respective and Irrespective p. 132 Sect. 6. Of the Reversibility or Irreversibility of God's Purposes p. 139 Sect. 7. Of God's Purposes as they respect the Dispensation of the means of Grace or truth of God to men that they might know and believe it p. 143 Chap. VI. Of God's Dispensations of the knowledge of himself and of his Truth to men in Nine sections p. 154 Sect. 1. Of the means or mediums made use of by God and vouchsafed to men for making known his Truth to them and leading them to Repentance viz. his Works and Words p. 155 Sect. 2. That the Dispensation of the Word or Revelation of his Mind by words though vouchsafed in all ages yet was neither so universal as that by his works nor was in all ageâ— the same but different to diverse persons p. 165 Sect. 3. Of the Dispensation of the knowledg of God and Christ by his words in Paradise and from thence to the Flood p. 171 Sect. 4. Of the Ages after the Flood till Moses p. 179 Sect. 5. Of the times of Moses and after to David p 187 Sect. 6. Of David 's time and the Ages that followed till Israels Captivity p. 190 Sect. 7. Of the times of the Prophets to the Restauration of the Temple and so on till the Coming of Christ in the Flesh p. 193 Sect. 8. Of the times of Christ his Incarnation and being made manifest to men and so to the Destruction of Jerusalem by Titus and so on p. 199 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 to the Gentiles p. 207 Chap. VII Of the variety of
from before him 1 Cor. 10.1 12. According to that in Exod. 32.33 Whosoever hath sinned against me him will I blot out of my Book And that general Assersion to Israel Ezod 19.5 6. If ye will obey my voice indeed and keep my Covenant c. ye shall be a peculiar treasure to me a Kingdom of Priests an holy Nation c. And that in Deut. 7.6 12 13. and 8. 19 20. The Lord thy God hath chosen thee to be a special people to himself c. therefore thou shalt keep the Commandments and the Statutes and if ye harken to these judgments and keep and do them the Lord thy God shall keep with thee the Covenant and the mercy he sware to thy Fathers and he will love thee and bless thee c. but if thou at all forget the Lord thy God and walk after other Gods c. I testifie against you this day that ye shall surely perish as the Nations which the Lord destroyed before your face c. And so we find Israel Rebelling against God and Christ and nor submitting to him not seeking righteousness by faith after much striving of God with them and long-suffering toward them cast off from being his People Rom. 11.20 21 22. Matth. 21.41 42 43 44. as to the body of them the Kingdom taken from them and given to the Nations that were Vessels of dishonour comparatively to them The vessels of dishonour being made vessels of Mercy and the vessels of Honour vessels of Wrath. Such the Soveraignty of God over both the Honoured and Dishonoured notwithstanding his purposes of honouring the one above the other and dispensing that Honour freely to them according to his purpose onely in this the purpose of God toward them the Jews seems Absolute Rom. 11.25 28 29. Jer. 30.11 33.25 26. 46.27 28. and not to be Repented off that a remnant of them shall be reserved in all Ages from Perishing from off the Earth by any or all the Judgments that shall befall them who also shall at length see and be convinced of their Evil way and return to God again though that and the Promise to David of a perpetual Seed may be accomplish'd in Christ the Seed of Jacob and David after the Flesh and a Seed or Church to be always through the grace of God reserved to him which yet may and will be through this or that particular person abusing the grace and honour he is chosen to may be rejected and hardened by him and that also for the Publick good and warning of others not to presume to Sin against God because of any such Honour chosen to even as his more Exemplary mixing of Mercies with his Judgments having Mercy on whom he pleases Act. 9.3 4 5 6. with Gall. 1.16 17. and Act. 26.19 when he might harden and destroy them as on Paul when he Judged him and smote him down upon the Earth and might have destroyed him yet humbling himself in that Judgment and being not Disobedient to the Heavenly Vision he shewed such Mercy as not onely to forgive and spare him but upon his Submission to take him into special Favour and Honour that he might be a Pattern of his Mercy and Long-suffering and readiness to Save Sinners in submitting to him and so might be an Incouragement to others As 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Act. 22.16 is Why tarryest or delayest thou to Believe that do 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 delay to Believe on him 1 Tim. 1.15 16. Such Dispensations of Mercy are for the Publick Good and incurragement of all others to betake themselves to Christ in whom there is such Mercy But I have spoken to these things before Part. 1. Chap. 1. Sect. 3. And am fallen upon God's Dispensations to which it remains that I nextly speak CHAP. VI. Of God's Dispensations of the knowledge of himself and of his Truth to Men. The Preface HItherto we have considered of the Purposes of God touching which it is safer I conceive thus to understand and speak with sobriety as I hope I have done then to climb Metaphorically into the nature of God's Willing Knowing and Purposeing so as to Clash with his Declarations of himself and Pervert the Truth of his Heavenly Doctrine to Mens Destruction making them believe That what ever God says yet he hath purposed Mens Sin and Misery so and upon such termes as they could not possibly avoid them And that they were never their own Mercies that they miss and deprive themselves of never had any thing afforded to them conducing to their Peace c. But now let us come to view the Dispensations of God to Men as briefly as we may not to speak of all his Dispensations which are various yea innumerable not possibly to be comprehended or conceived by us though all according to his good pleasure in Christ Jesus and none of them clashing with the Truth of his Doctrine but onely of the Dispesations of the Knowledge of Himself his Truth and Doctrine to men and so such means and mercies as tend to their Repentance and Salvation as considered in some general heads of them SECT 1. Of the Means or Mediums made use of by God and vouchsafed to men for making known his truth to them and leading them to Repentance GOd vouchsafeth unto men divers Mediums of dispensing or holding forth the knowledge of himself and truth in Christ to them Joh. 1.18 Exod. 33.20 who is not to be known immediately or by any direct sight of his essence and being by us mortals but by some Mediums declaring him to us and those are of two kinds generally by one or both of which he hath always declared his Being and Mind to men viz. 1. By his works of Creation and Providence upheld by Christ Psal 75.1 2 3. and ordered through him for and about sinners since the fall which though they speak not distinctly and audibly who this God is or that Jesus is the Christ or that there hath been such a sacrifice offered up for us as the Scriptures mention yet they do in the wisdom of God more confusedly Psal 19.2 3 4. 145 10. but always truly and righteously though by reason of our great ignorance and darkness less intelligibly to us hold forth the substance of the doctrine to be believed by us 1 Cor. 1.21 Job 1.4 5. Psal 19.1 Rom. 1.19 20 21. Job 5.8 9. Act. 14.15 17. 17.26 27. Rom. 1.32 2.4 5 14. Psal 36.7 145.9 16 17 18. and of the obedience required of us namely that there is a glorious God the Maker and Orderer of all things and that he is Eternal Almighty Infinitely Wise Good c. That he is to be sought after loved worshipped and cleaved to by us that we are sinners against him and deserve death and wrath and yet that God is Gracious and Good to sinners loath to destroy them in a word that God is and that he is the