the ten Fathers before the flood by beliefe of truth reached the Oracle of life from hand to hand through their generations page 53. 54 That God would rather have glorified his mercy in the salvation of the old world then his Iustice in their destruction yet all that perished in that flood perished not eternally p. 55 That upon Noah his offering in a figure Christs satisfactory sacrifice God renewed his mercy universally to the world page 56 57 A particular description how Noahs first off-spring carried themselves to God ungratefully for that mercy and how God proceeded against them for that page 58 From whence all hellish Paganisme did originally spring page 59 Because of mans apostasie from God in the object of justification therefore hee confined the Oracle which conveyed that object to narrow bounds three times pag ibid. What the number of eight did signifie in reference to Noah page 56 In what sense Christ is the Saviour of all men especially of them that believe page ibid. That God the second time predestinated man in Christ by covenant with Abraham man being by his universall apostasie then fitted to destruction page 60 61 In what sense God hated Esau loved Iacob p. 65. 72 73 That the Church of the Gentiles shall never totally depart from Christ as hath the Church of the Jewes p. 122. 123 In what sense God hath mercy on whom he will and whom he will he hardeneth page 74 How man comes now to be necessitated to sin p. 83. 84 85 What most properly is Gods Booke of Life page 88 That in heaven amongst the Saints there is no difference of degrees of glory page 89 90 That God gave rules how hee would have man put Christ to death so as hee would be well pleased with them that did it page 82. 83 That the Saints faith is not the condition of the covenant of grace page 87. 88. The Law of Moses distinctly explained page 67 What absurdities doe follow the misapprehending of Moses Law page 78. 79 What made the way to eternall life narrow to mankinde yet in that narrow way man might and some did attaine eternall life Chap. 7. That God directed the second Adam as well as the first by Allegories to his eternall happinesse in the work of the worlds redemption to which he was borne in five relations P. 100 A definition what that truth is to which Christ was the faithfull and true witnesse page 101 What righteousnesse of Christ it is which is imputed or accounted to man in generall or to the Saints more speciall page 113 That God never reprobated man personally to unavoydable damnation page 112. 113 That his powring out of his spirit extraordinarily upon all flesh was twofold page 115. Of the Jewes rejection in wrath page 85. 86 Of the Jewes reception to mercy page 86. 87 Of the Lords Supper or in what sense Christs flesh is meat indeed and his blood is drinke indeed page 66 Of Baptisme page 37. 38 A definition when the spirit of a man under the covenant of grace is dead in sinnes and trespasses page 121 A definition what man is a righteous man Chap. 11. A threefold degree of justifying faith page 128 Justifying faith defined and also the perfection of it page 131. 132 Other faiths distinguished from justifying faith pag 130 In what sense Christ is a Priest for ever after the order of Melchizedeck page 123. 124 The different operations of justifying faith perfect and imperfect page 138 139 What reward God rendreth to the Saints for their good and evill workes done in the body page 140. 141 142 The manner how God perfecteth Iustifying faith in the Saints pagâ— 134 to 138 That the naturall liberty of the will is no barre to keepe man from an undissoluble union with God in the object of justification page 150 151 Of Manassâ—s Salomons Pauls and Peters different backslidings pag. 149. 150 God loved Abraham Daniel and David being considered personally no more then the persons of other men generally page 150. 151 In what sense the Saints raigned with Christ a thousand yeeres page 166. In what sense justification is referred to faith pag. 77. That the will of man is no more freed from sin and free to righteousnesse then it is freed by Christ therefore to attribute any thing well done by man from the force of his pure naturalls absurd page 150. 151 That God willed not Adams fall to the damnation of man yet God willeth the damnation of all that perish eternally page 150. 154 A briefe description of the Antichrist p. 155. 156 157 From the whole Treatise as opening the maine scope of the Scriptures is definitively laid downe what was Gods decree before the world was after the counsell of his owne will concerning the eternall state of mankinde page 167. 168 Errata PAge 5 line 15. for God reade good p 6. l. 32. erfections r. perfections p. 7. l. 4. boded r. lodged p. 11. l. 12. Adaras r. Adams p. 13. l. 42. farth r. earth p. 19. l. 36. conditiâ—n r. condition p. 23. cap. 4. l. 5. after work r. of p. 73. in marg untorne r. unborne p. 79. l. 29. blot out farre p. 86. in marg externall r. eternall p. 93 l. 25. wrath r. worth p. 99. l. 9. type r. high p. 114. l. 8. uncircumcised r. circumcised p. ib. l. 29. God r. Gods p. 117. l. 14. at Ephesus r. to the Ephesians A TREATISE OF FREE GRACE CHAP. I. Opening the first Adams pure Naturals which was his first Estate THe first Adam in this world passed through foure Estates two before his fall the third was his fall the fourth was that estate after his fall The first produced him good and not evill and this was the estate of the creation The second propounded to him good and evill and this was the State of the Covenant betweene God and him The third was his transgression namely his fall and this produced him the losse of all good and an hereditary possession of evill totally and eternally The fourth was the State of the Restauration of the world by the second Adams Redemption and this propounded to him and all mankind good and evill The Estate of the felicity of the Creâ—tion produced to Adam a fourefold good First his Personall perfections secondly his continuall support of the same thirdly an onenesse or selfenesse with the parts of the whole creation fourthly the perfections of the whole creation led his reasonable soule in love by his senses to a perfect union with God Of these in their order First his Personall Perfections are described by Moses Gen. 2 7 in three particulars first the Lord God formed man of the dust of the earth and that was the perfection of his body secondly he breathed into his nostrils the breath of life and that was his soules creation by infusion thirdly man became a living soule that is compleatly composed in his Vegetative Sensitive and Rationalls or in his Personall
enters not this rest and then with reference to this point saith God spake in a place of the seaventh day on this wise that God rested the seventh day from all his works The reason why Moses in the 2. of Gen. doth bring in all Gods works as made on the seventh day ver 2. is because all which was made perfect on the sixt day and lost by Adam was as it were made anew by Ch ists satisfactory righteousnesse imputed and so declared the seventh day morning to Adam by the Creations putting forward its first step towards perfection to which it travailes untill now and then saith hee there remaines a rest for the people of God meaning by Faith here and in glory hereafter Gen. 2.2 Heb. 4.3.9.19 And from this ground the number of seaven in holy Scriptures is a figure of perfection as in the seaventh of yeares namely the Jubiles and the seaventh yeares of the Lands rest and in the seventh months rest and this seventh daies rest c. and in Enoch the seventh from Adam by ascending into eternall perfection in Soule and Body joyntly together figuring out the Angelike glory intended to man in the * In the 12 Ch. and â—3 Object you may see this Covenant defended Observation Covenant by the worke of the first Adam but now given to the world in the righteousnesse of the second Adam imputed So much for the Proofe of the fift generall point namely that the second Adams first entrance into the worke of the first Adam put on the whole Creation travailing together with man believing truth to that perfection it lost in Adams fall Hence observe because the imputative damnation of Gods Covenant through Adams transgressions was fully removed and taken off by the second Adams satisfactory righteousnesse imputed as ours by Gods free guift upon all men to justification of life so as none of mankinde ever perished for that transgression as precedently is proved Then consequently all mankinde which in Infancy or childhood depart this world they ascend to eternall life in Heaven to Angells glory notwithstanding originall sinne which is in them for that running sore of originall sin in which they are conceiv'd and brought forth doth but fit them successively to receive the salve of salvation in Christ to their eternall felicity for if they had not bin conceived and borne in that seed of sinne and but a seed then they had bin in their production Divells in dispositions totally according to the justice of the Covenant and so capable of no good but evill only or else they must have bin by production conceiv'd and borne in their pure naturalls of holinesse and righteousnesse in an Estate of perfection according to the tendencie of the Covenant and then they had not bin capable of eternall life in Christ by salvation for the whole need not the Physitian but the sicke But because the Serpentine seed is derived to Infants in their conceptions and births and in them reduc'd but to a sâ—ed by grace in Christ because God put the foresaid principle of enmity betweene the seed of the woman and the seed of the Serpent therefore this running sore of originall sinne in them implicitly pleads for the salve of salvation in Gods free guift of Christs righteousnesse imputed to ascend by it to eternall felicity Therefore all mankinde departing this world in Infancy or Childhood ascend by death through him to eternall life Againe the passage of all Infants from the misery of this world by the sharpe separation of Soule and body is to them * Likewise so is the sharpe separation of Infants from their Mothers bowels in their birth so notwithstanding that sharpe travell the mother shall be saved if she continue in beliefe of the object of justification and in the inseparable companion of that beliefe namely inteâ—nall holinesse issuing it selfe into externall sanctification as is proved by the Apostle 1 Tim. 2.15 Therefore Circumcision precedently was as the dipping or washing in Baptisme now is viz. a witnesse that Gods Covenant in Christ reacheth Infants that cannot by Faith reach him wherefore they were and are received into the visible Church by cutting and washing theâ—eby witnessing that the grace of the Covenant gave to the whole nature of man in the promised seed immediatly upon the fall a meetly disposed nature in all to receive eternall life as saved creatures but man remisse passeth by this witnesse and the like mercies but so did not the Queene of Sheba although excluded from the residence of the like mercies from her Kingdome but an implicite tast by a figure of Adams imputed sower herbs of punishment for sinne to relish Gods sweet imputed mercies in Christ the Paschall Lamb to Gods praise in him by the salvation of them to all eternity therefore all mankinde dying in Infancy or childhood ascend through death to glory for ever Againe these sower hearbs by this Separation of Soule and body of all Infants which departed this world before Christ came by it they then were but a figure of him then to come as saith the Apostle Rom. 5. the 14 to tast not only of this Separation which is but a shaddow of death but a figure of him as he was an imputed sinner to tast of death for all men in the substance according to the justice of that Covenant and more therefore it being but a figure of him it was only a passage to them to eternall life by him Againe when God the second time renewed his promise of the Seed of the woman with Abraham to the universall mercy of the Apostate world as will afterwards appeare hee then instituted Circumcision namely to cut off the foremost skin from the member of generation of Infants implying his only mercy in the promised seed was it that cut from the Nature of mankinde the nature of Divells though not totally So fitting them to receive their Eternall felicity by Christ therefore they do enjoy it to all eternity Againe * But they which attribute so much to baptisme as that no baptisme no salvation it is bâ—t to assume the more seeminâ— suâ—e stitions sanctity to draw fâ—om the people the more respect to their aspired Antichâ—stian Priesthood also the Male Infant was precisely to be cut the eighth day after his birth this implicitly told their (a) So baptising of Infants now is an outward seale to the Church that although mans nature at once was totally d abolicall yet the reduction of it to a seed by Christ is the Principle of mans new birth Baptisme further implyes the spirit of Gods helpe to bring it to perfection in his owne way that is to the peâ—fection of parts in this woâ—ld and to perfection of degrees in the next parents that Gods mercifull infusion by putting the foresaid principle of enmity into the nature of all men was the originall principle of mans new birth as risen with Christ whose first step to glory was to
be on an eighth day by his bodies resurrection and therefore then on an eighth day precisely Infants were to be admitted visible members of Christs mysticall body on earth in the Kingdom of grace implying their right by him to his glory (b) Then Infants have much more right to be â—eceived into the Church Militant by Baptisme triumphant in Heaven From which ground when people brought little Children to Christ that he might blesse them hee was angry with the Apostles which kept them from him and commanded them to suffer little (c) Notwithstanding the males onely were admitted to be visible members of Christs body by circumcision yet not onely the women but all the female Infants were then members of Christs body though they received not the seale of the Covenant they being not capable of it in their flesh yet the Grace of the Covenant in Christ received them to be visible members and the ground why that signe of the Covenant was precisely related to the males was to figure that the Lambe of God of the seed of the woman was not to be a female but a male therefore this hinde eth not but that the Infants of believing parents under the Gospel much more may be admitted visible members by baptisme and from the beginning of the world as appeares in the practice of the ten fathers before the flood they esteemed their Infants visible members of Christ for in their infancy they stablished upon their persons by their names the conveyance of the Oracle of life or the object faith once given to the Saints variously to ensuing posterities as appeareth at large in the fifth Chapter of this Treatise Children to come unto him and renders this as a reason of his command for of such is the Kingdome of Heaven therefore so departing this world they ascend to that Kingdome which so belongeth unto them Quest Now the question may be whether circumcision was onely intended to mankinde as in Infancy Answere It was not onely intended unto mankind as Infants but also to men as capable of reason as is Baptisme now for to them it did not â—nely prefigure that the nature of Divels became not totall and the imputed damnation of the Covenant was cut off by Gods mercy in Christ but also to men capable of reason it did prefigure that they submitting in beliefe of truth to receive Gods guift of Christs righteousnesse imputed theâ—r sinne should not onely be cut off in the habite of sinne in them against Christ weakned in this world and in the next world none (d) Hence it is God adding the law to the promise gave this one law viz. that the Paschal Lambe must be eaten with sowre herbs Exod. 12.8 to remaine but also that they in glory with Christ should ever remaine therefore God to Abraham called the sharpe cutting of the fore-skin of the member of Generation his Covenant meaning that to man believing truth that sharpnesse was a seale of Christs imputed righteousnesse which they received by faith including their vivification and mortification and the ground of all happinesse for so it was to Abraham being circumcised at a full age as Rom. 4 And therefore saith Christ hee that believeth in mee hath eternall life Againe although God cut off the fore-skin of the Member of generation yet but the foreskin for hee left the next innermost skin uncut off this implicitly told men capable of reason that although the grace of the Covenant did cut off the serpentine nature yet hee left a seed to remaine to let men understand that as Abraham could not be justified by workes having this serpentine seed remaining in him therefore in this life man must submit to God guift of Christs righteousnesse imputed as did Abraham for justification and his rule for imitation therefore saith the Apostle being justified by faith meaning men capable of reason we have peace with God through our Lord Iesus Christ by whom also we have accesse by faith into this grace wherein wee stand and rejoyce in the hope of the glory of God Rom. 5.1.2 But the question may be here Quest whether mens sins which themselves commit be against the law naturall as supernaturally related to Gods Covenant with the first Adam I answer no for in the second Adam onely after the fall Answ this law of nature in it's perfections was inherent and was related as a meanes to attaine that supernaturall end and then given to us imputatively for justification in him and a rule for imitation for us and therefore all our sinnes are against that law of righteousnesse so manifested to us in him by the Covenant of grace and not as the law was in the first Adam a Covenant of workes and man capable of reason stands bound so to receive it by beliefe of truth in Christ Iesus or the rejection of this rule cuts him from Christ for be that believeth not is condemned already and that by just consequence because he that is guilty of sinne in one is guilty in all for hee that rejects it in point of justification rejects it also as his rule in point of sanctification and from this ground Moses pronounced that man accursed which did not doe all things contained in the Law that is as not intentionally ayming to doe all things contained in that Law as leading to Christ as hereafter in due place will appeare Yet if man did then or now doth but at least intentionally respect this object of Faith as the truth is in Iesus hee is guilty of none although hee actually sinne in many things wherein we offend all Iam. 3. â— and the ground of the point is this that in Christs righteousnesse imputed and by beliefe of truth received as the truth is in Iesus this man wants no righteteousnesse which in heart hee desires to have in Christ nor is guilty of no sinne which in heart hee desires to be freed from Rom. 7.22.25 and Rom. 8.1 Quest Againe another question here to be resolved will be this that in regard Gods mercifull imputation did remove from all mankinde that imputed damnation of the Covenant for Adams sinne then how farre forth doth it also extend to take off the guilt and punishment of mens owne sinnes individually committed against the Law of grace as it is in Iesus Christ Answ It extends exceeding farre in this case also even to any man submitting by beliefe of truth to receive this gift of righteousnesse as the truth is in Iesus for then it takes off all manner of sinne committed against him one sinne onely excepted for saith Christ All manner of sinne and blasphemy against the Sonne of man shall be forgiven unto men but the sinne against the holy Ghost shall not be forgiven unto men Mark 3. And the ground why God thus foreappointed Christ before the world was to be ready as the Ram in the bush in that point of time to enter the worke of the Covenant to take off the just
hath the Iew or what profit is there of circumcision that is of all their peculiar and glorious priviledges To this he answers much every way because unto them was committed the Oracles of God for what if some of them did not believe that is Gods Oracle to be true in the seed promised shall their unbeliefe make Gods object of Faith or Gods faithfulnesse to man in that object of none effect God forbid yea let God be true and every man a lyar yet verse 9. he concludes the Iewes by reason of their proud Apostasie to be no better generally then were the Gentiles as it is written saith he there is * This must needs be understood of all for the most part and not that none did understand aright nor that none were righteous for then there was a time when God had no Church nor Christ no Spouse in this world and that is unpossible for Christ till time shall be no more will in this world be a Priest after the order of Milchizedech to continue a Church on earth see ca. 10. none righteeus no not one there is none that understandeth there is none that seeketh after God they are all gone out of the way c. But it will be here objected that the Apostle contradicts himselfe because that as in this Epistle to the Romans he affirmes man by nature doth the things contained in the Law of Christ to eternall life but in his Epistle to the Corinthians he saith the contrary namely that the naturall man perceiveth not the things of the spirit of God for they are foolishnesse unto him neither can hee know them because they are spiritually discerned 1 Corinth 2. verse 14. Answer There is no contradiction at all for in his Epistle to the Romans by nature hee meanes as not having the Oracle of life as it was among the Iewes but onely the foresaid internall principles in their nature and the voyce of God speaking implicitly by Christ in the creatures but to the Corinthians he meanes men naturallized in the spirit of Satan according to the course of this world for they esteemed the wisedome of God in the creatures as leading to God and especially the Apostles Ministery in the Gospel to be foolishnesse and therefore the Apostle saith to those of Corinth where is the Disputer of this world hath not God made foolish the wisedome of this world 1 Cor. 1.20 Therefore here 's no contradâ—ction but Gods proceedings also in this narrow way to eternall life is according to the first modell if thou dost well shalâ— thou not be accepted if thou dost not well sinnes lies at the dore Observat 1 The first Observation If the vertues of the best of the Gentiles or Heathens having not the Oracle of life did thus by nature obtaine the circumcision of the heart and spirit hence observe that the vertues of the best Heathens were not shining sinnes but of the same nature and kind as are the most holy men on earth Secondly is it so that when the way of life was so narrow that few did finde it yet some did find it without the Oracle of God by retaining the truth of God in their knowledge consequently so might all the rest Observat 2 Hence observe how just that sentence of the Apostle upon them is namely that they are left without excuse Rom. 1.10 Observat 3 Is it so that when the way to life was thus narrow as is described and yet some of them did finde it and consequently so might all the rest by retaining the truth of God in their knowledge and not having the Oracle of life and light Hence observe how just that other dreadfull sentence is which the Apostle applies to all mankind saying Christ in flâ—ming fire shall come taking vengeance on them which know not God and that obey not the Gospel of our Lord Iesus Christ 2 Thes 1.8 Observat 4 Is it so that by the apostasie of the world of Iâ—wes and Gentiles from the object of life the way to eternall felicity at Christs comming into the world was as it were extinguished Hence observe that well might the Lord of glory then affirme and exhort mankinde saying enter in at the strait gate for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leadeth to destruction and many there be which goe in thereat because strait is the gate and narrow is the way which leadeth unto life and few there be that finde it Matth. 7.13 Againe here observe although God doth visit the sinnes of the fathers upon the children through many generations yet hee doth not extend that visitation to their unavoydable damnation but hee onely shewes his type and just displeasure against their apostate parents for contempt of his gracious mercy by making narrow and strait the way to eternall life to them and theirs yet a way is here we see and those children are not delivered up from Gods universall grace mercy nor from receiving his more speciall mercy to life in that narrow way except for their owne detaining that truth in unrighteousnesse wherefore righteous art thou O Lord in all thy wayes and merciful in all thy workes CHAP. VIII Being an Introduction to the third part of time in which the Gentiles were called to life and glory I Call it an Introduction because as Christ being slaine figuratively in the Lambe in the point of time that Adam fell his righteousnesse being committed or imputed to to the world then made way for all blessednesse to man So now also being slaine in the truth and finished all righteousnesse it being in mercy imputed to the world this second time it then brake downe the partition wall of the Moysaicall Ordinances which before excluded the Gentiles and so made an open way to bring in the Gentiles to inherit with the Iewes the blessing of Abraham Therefore it is requisite I should now first show how the Sonne of God did this great worke of restoring the world and so come to shew the calling of the Gentiles to that blessednesse And first take notice that God not only led Adam before the fall and Christs elect Spouse to Eternall felicity by Allegories but also Christ himselfe For as the first Adam was by God assign'd his place for the improvement of his perfect Excellencies to Gods glory for the Supernaturall felicities of the World namely the Garden of Eden with its prefigurations So likewise the second Adam by God for the Improvement of his perfect excellencies to the said end had his place assign'd him namely the Land of Canaan figured first by Gods assigning the particular Place where Isaack the promised seed in the Type was to be Sacrificed that is onely in the Land of Canaan which God appointed Abraham Secondly It was likewise prefigured in this that the Land of Canaan was entail'd to Isaack the promised Seed in the Tipe Likewise the Intaile descended figuratively to Christ as he was the Sonne of King David therefore
the breadth of this Land is thy Land O Emanuel as saith the Prophet Isaiah Chap. 8. ver 8. Thirdly this was likewise Typified to Christ in that all Sacrifices in the Type were excluded from all places in the world and included only in this Land of Canaan neere the Temple restrictively to expire their lives in the Type Therefore in this Land was the Lord Iesus Christ in the truth Personally to performe the worke of the redemption of the world the which accordingly hee did Againe Christ the Sonne of God as he was man was borne under five relations to this worke First by promise the Sonne of Adam as the seed of the woman immediatly upon the fall and therefore bound by the Law of Nature to relieve his Parents in their Lapsed condition Secondly by promise borne the Sonne of Abraham and therefore bound to the Law of circumcision figuring his cutting off the powers of Satan that is of sinne and the consequences thereof for the Covenant was that all the Sons of Abraham must be circumcis'd in their generations therefore hee was borne in subjection to that Law Thirdly hee was by promise borne the seed of David therefore borne under the Law of the Typicall Mediator as added to the law of circumcision therefore bound to love God with al his heart al his strength his Neighbour as himself in the work of the redemption of the world Fourthly as the Sonne of David so hereditarily to the crowne of the Terrestriall Canaan figuratively leading him by Faith to his eternall Throne in the Celestiall Canaan Fiftly at last all these relations meet in one issue by being borne of the blessed Virgin Mary his Mother for when the fulnesse of time was come God sent forth his Sonne made of a woman made under the Law that we might receive the Adoption of Sonnes Gal 4.5 Sixtly he was the Sonne of God also by eternall generation the second person in the sacred Trinity and so personally God man and therefore bound to the fulfilling of all the law and the Prophets to the regaining of Gods glory by restauration of the world by redemption as it was said it shall breake thy head the truth is and so he did for as we first in Adam magnified Satans lies for truths and nullified Gods truth for lyes so likewise at that time when hee came to this worke all the world This definition is an answere to Pilates Question viz. What is truth Ioh. 18.38 For Christ as he was the faithfull and true witnesse against Satans lyes did undoe what he had done and so destroyed the works of the Divell but Satans finall bruise shall be at the day of judgement in â—wo paâ—ticulars first when Satan and all mankinde which from the beginning have refused mercy to adhere to him shall receive by the seed of the woman the sentence of their full damnation in immediate execution to all eâ—ernity Mat. 25.41.46 Secondly by rendring up to God all mankinde from Satans power which from the beginning hath died in infancy and that through all Generations haâ—h adheâ—ed unto Christ in right beliefe of truth and so God by Christs ministeriall ordinance shall be all in all that is fully glorified to all eternity according to the simple and plaine meaning of his truth in the eternall life of the one and in the eternall death of the other and as Christs ministeriall Ordinance shall therein terminate so then shall all Creatures be subjected to him as Iudge of quick and dead and so all knees in Heaven and Earth and under the ea th shall bow and bend to him for ever Rom. 14.10.11 both Jewes and Gentiles generally had made God a lyer as much as in them lay for they were all Apostates from Gods guift of Christ his righteousnesse imputed which came upon all men to the justification of life not believing it but following lying vanities so forsaking their own mercies and the truth is the work of Christ was to witnesse Gods truth which wee thus betrayed wherefore of himselfe hee saith to this end was I borne and for this cause came I into the world that I should beare witnesse unto the truth 1 Ioh 3 8. and for this purpose the Sonne of God was manifested that hee might destroy the works of the Divell Iohn 18 37. And in briefe that truth which Christ made good as the faithfull and true witnesse against Satans lyes may be thus defin'd namely that God never intended his glory upon mâ—nkinde to all eternity but according to two generall Rules First according to the Covenant made with the first Adam a Covenant of works Secondly but according to the Rules of that Covenant as now it is turned by Gods guift of the second Adam into a Covenant of grace and mercy and to the last Christ is the most proper witnesse in Gods behalfe to his glory by the salvation of mankinde as Iohn 3.16 saith hee God so l ved the world that hee gave his only begotten Sonne that whosoever believeth in him shall not perish but have everlasting l fe And he saith God sent not his Sonne into the world to condemne the world but that the world through him might be saved Also he saith He that believeth is not condemned but he that believeth not is condemned already because hee beleeveth not in the name of the only begotten Sonne of God Implying that although sinne simply as sinne did not at that time of grace condemne them yet their persisting in their precedent Apostasie from that grace now light and life is manifested unto them this would be their Condemnation wherefore he saith This is the Condemnation that light is come into the world and Men lâ—ved darkenesse râ—ther then light because their deeds are evill And of himselfe he saith Io. 8.45 I proceeded forth and came from God neither came I of selfe but the Father sent me Also Iohn 5.36 he saith The worke which the Father hath given me to finish the same worke that I doe beare witnes that the father hath sent me the which was his witnessing the truth as before is proved And hee did it in these paticulars First against the Spirit of Sathans lies in the Saints Secondly in Sinners Thirdly against Sathan hand to hand Fourthly against Sathan in flames of Faith in love under Gods most flaming and dreadfull wrath of these in their order and first in the Saints as in Nichodemus who in the Spirit of Sathan being averse to his sacred doctrine as declaring this truth Iesus said unto him art thou a Ruler in Israel and understandest not these things Ioh. 3.9 Likewise to the Spirit of unbeliefe of this Truth in his Disciples Iesus answered and said O faithlesse and perverse Generâ—tion how long shall I be with you how long shall I suffer you Mat. 7. 17. And to the same Spirit in Peter Hee turned and said unto Peter get thee behind mee Satan thou art an offence unto mee for thou savorest not
the things of God but the things that be of men Mat. 16.23 And to the same spirit in Iames and Iohn He turned and rebuked them and said yee know not of what Spirit yee are of Lu. 9.34 To the same spirit in the two Disciples that went to Emaus saith hee O fooles and slow of heart to believe all that the Prophets have spoken ought not Christ to have suffered these things and so to enter into his glory Luk 24 26. Likewise saith the Text Hee appeared to the Eleven as they sat at meate and upbraided them wits their unbeliefe and hardnesse of heart Marke 16.14 And to the Virgin Mary his Mother Jesus saith unto her Woman what have I to doe with thee mine houre is not yet came implying in her request something was not sutable to his Spirit of Truth consequently so farre forth according to the lying spirit of Satan Ioh. 2 4. Secondly he also witnessed this truth of God against the lying spirit of Satan in sinners That is Man in the state of unbeliefe as resisting this truth as for instance he proving himselfe to be the light of the world not only by Doctrine but â—lso by a miraculous fact giving sight to the man that was borne blinde then the lying spirit of saâ—an attempted to extinguish this truth by saying give God the praise we knew that God spake with Moses as for this fellow wee know not whence hee is But Christ in the mouth of the man retorts the argument upon them saying herein is a marvellous thing for yee know not whence hee is and yet hee hath opened mine eyes Now wee know that God heareth not sinners but if a man be a worsh pper of God and doeth his will him God heareth and since the world began was it never heard that any man opened the eyes of any that was borne blind Joh. 9.5.6.16.24.29 c. Likewise he being in the Synagogue intermingling this Doctrine of truth with another miraculous fact called to a woman bound by Satan eighteene yeares and by the word of his mouth makes her free from the bondage of satan implicitly telling them that if by the call of his Doctrine they would in beliefe of that truth but as they were able by sense and reason come to him he then would dissolve the power of satan in them and so the truth should make them free but the lying spirit of satan in the Ruler of the Synagogue resisted this truth for he answereth with indignation because that Iesus had healed on the sabbath day and said unto the people are there not six days in which men ought to worke in them therefore come and be healed and not on the Sabbath day But this evill spirit so changed into an Angell of light the Lord discovers and said Thou Hypocrite doth not each of you on the Sabboth day loose his Oxe or his Asse from the stall and leade him to the water and ought not this woman being a daughter of Abraham which Satan had bound loe eighteene yeeres be loosed on the Sabbath day and all his enemies were ashamed likewise hee miraculously fed many with small parcells of bread declaring himselfe thereby as by his doctrine that hee was the bread of life to man by beliefe of this truth to nourish him to everlasting life Likewise by raising up the widowes sonne and lairus daughter and Lazarus foure dayes dead declaring by this as by his doctrine that he was sent of his Father to them the resurrection and life to man by their beliefe of truth in him Or the resurrection of faithlesse man to everlasting death for saith hee If yee believe not that I am hee yee shall die in your sinnes that is and rise to perpetuall shame but all this truth in the lyings spirit of Satan they resist by pretence that Abraham and God was a Father to them but he according to truth witnessed the contrary against them saying I know you are Abrahams seed Joh. 8.37 but vers 39. Iesus said unto them if yee were Abrahams seed yee would doe the workes of Abraham but now yee seeke to kill mee a man that have told you the truth which I have heard of God this did not Abraham implying that although they were Abrahams seed in the flesh yet not Abrahams seed in the faith consequently not children to God but to the Divell verse 44. Yee are of your father the Divell and the lusts of your Father yee will doe For although by light of sacred truth they came to know hee was the heire namely the promised seed from God to Adam Abraham and David and so heire to all yet their minds by pride was lifted up with the glory of the Terrestriall Temple and princely Priesthood as a worldly magnificence to their Nation but not to the celestiall mysterie therein leading to the imputed righteousnesse of the seed as the onely ground of all their glory for in their hearts him they hate and attempt to extinguish both him and his doctrine because it tended to put an end to that typicall magnificence and * Man perversly proue by custome in sinne to attaine a glory adequate to his corporeall part namely his mouldering body is therefore an enemy to Gods way as leading him to an eternal felicity sutable to his unperishing part namely his soule and body made spirituall but so farre as man is led by the spirit of Christ he is of another minde worldly glory Marke 12. from verse 7. to the 12. Matth 21.38 and 45. But the Lord Jesus Christ witnessed the truth in plaine termes and said My Kingdome is not of this world my Kingdome (a) If Christ refused to be an ea thly Monarch in Canaan and Sion hill declaring by plainnesse of speech that his Kingdome is not such consequently this Kingdome of Christs Spouse nationall elect was but a figure of that grace that was most cleaâ—ely powred out under the Gospell and also of his eternall throne in moâ—e then Angels glory and not a type of an earthly Monarchy of his of one thousand yeeres in length see this point more cleare in cap. 9. is not from hence Mat. 18. 36 Likewise he refused to be made a worldly King on Sion hill so proving his doctrine to be true by this fact for saith the Text when Iesus therefore perceived they would come and take him by force to make him King he departed thence c. John 6.15 Likewise to his successoâ—s which were to witnesse this sacred doctrine of truth hee gives the same rule not to (b) In the judgement of the Sonne of God it is a safe way to keepe his ambassadors to the worke of his ambassage by keeping them from worldly government and terrestriall pompe yet they must have a compleate competency as is implyed by the Apostle 1 Cor. 9.12.13 14. but the former is the ruine of simple godlinesse in Christs Spouse for saith Gods Spirit Like Priest like People Hosea 4.9 aspire
to dignities and glory in the government of this world for saith the Text Iesus called them unto him and said yee know that the princes of the Gentiles exercise dominion over them and they that are great exercise authority over them but it shall not be so amongst you Mat. 20. vers 25. Likewise by a remarkeable fact he condemned the pride of the priests and others of this elect Spouse in their proud apostasie after the flesh couched under a pretence of the celestiall doctrine the worship and the Temple for the eternall Son of God rides upon an Asse in a contemptible manner into Ierusalem the Metropolis of this Nation and so despised the vanity of all that glory yet this fact tended to the consolation of the meeke in Sion by beliefe of truth as was fore-prophesied behold thy King commeth unto thee meeke and sitting on an Asse and a Colt the foale of an Asse and the common people and his Disciples gave him high praise and glory at which the proud apostate Priests Scribes and the like their hearts did rise for to him they said Hearest thou this but hee repelled this lying Satanicall spirit in evidence of truth and answered and said If these should hold their peace the stones would cry Also hee fore-prophesied the destruction of all their supposed present felicity Mat. 21. from verse 4. to the 16. Luke 19.36 and 42. So much for the second point his witnessing the truth against the spirit of Satan in sinners Thirdly Christ witnessed this truth hand to hand with Satan himselfe for when hee had denyed himselfe not the fruit of one tree as Adam was to have done but all food forty dayes together dedicating himselfe to the great worke of the Redemption of the world in obedience to his Father so mediating for mercy to the world he afterwards was an hungry then came Satan to him and said If thou be the Sonne of God command this stone that it be made bread and Christ by the word of truth repells his assault For Iesus answered him saying It is written That man shall not live by bread alone but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God implying that as mans temporary life is maintained by an influence from God in bread so his life spirituall here by faith is in every word of God from the influence of his spirit Likewise then the Divell taking him up into an high mountaine shewed him all the Kingdomes of the world in a moment of time and the Divell said unto him All this power will I give to thee and the glory of them for that is delivered unto me and to whomsoever I will I give it if thou therefore wilt fall downe before me all shall be thine Iesus answered and said unto him get thee behind me Satan for it is written Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God and him onely shalt thou serve implying that himselfe was personally God-man and ought therefore to be worshipped by him Likewise he brought him to Ierusalem and set him on a pinacle of the Temple and said unto him if thou be the sonne of God as thy words import then cast thy selfe downe from hence for it is written He shall give his Angells charge over thee to keepe thee and in their hands they shall beare thee up lest at any time thou dash thy foot against a stone And Iesus answering said unto him it is said Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God implying what he had said before was his answer Luke 4. So that although the first Adam believed a lye to the destruction of all yet the second Adam was constant in Gods truth dissolving Satans lies for the restauration of all and Satan saith he hath nought in me He likewise discovers to the world what Satans operations was and is for Iohn 8. he saith Saâ—an was a murtherer from the beginning and abode not in the truth because no truth is in him when he speaketh a lye he speaketh of his owne for hee is a lyar and the fâ—ther thereof verse 44. Fourthly Christ now witnesseth Gods truth against Satans lyes by faith and flames of love to God under Gods most dreadfull wrath so offering himselfe as a whole burnt offering to God yet not but that Gods truth may be witnessed under divine justice and not under wrath likewise under mercy and not under wrath Also under Justice in exceeding great wrath The first was Adams estate in the Covenant before his fall The second is the Estate of the Saints witnessing Gods truth in some conformity to Christ in which respect hee which sanctifieth and they which are sanctified are one Hebr. 2.11 The third was the estate of Christ as the Redeemer of the fallen world for as hee was for our sinnes in Adam and for the Iewes and Gentiles apostasie a sinner imputed Hee therefore in this respect was a man as hated of God as himselfe saith reckoned amongst the transgressors And the truth is so it was with him from his conception to the expiration of his life for although his conception and birth was not in sinne but * Christ partaking mans nature as do children viz. seminally in the womb is a twofold pledge to us first that it was to destroy the workes of Satan in our behalfe secondly after man believeth truth to free him from the feare of death to which precedently all his life long hee was subject Hebr. 2.14 conceived and borne an holy thing the Sonne of God yet his conception and birth was from her in whom was sinne the seed of the Serpent wherefore shee rejoyced in him as her Saviour and salvation So likewise no sooner was he borne but Satan in Herod attempted to bruise his heele Likewise his breeding under his supposed father was but meane a Carpenter Likewise with his kindred which nationally was his Spouse he was reputed but a meane fellow a friend of Publicans and sinners a mad man a conjurer an impostor a blasphemer of God a Divell Therefore rightly doth the Apostle incourage the Saints to undergoe the hatred of the world to consider him that indured such contradiction of sinners against himselfe Hebr. 10.13 Againe the first Adam by the justice of the Covenant in point of triall against Satans lyes was estated not onely in the sweet perfections of the glory of nature but also in the splendor of the Garden relatively drawing him by faith to enjoy God in the heavenly glory but the second Adam not onely under wrath but under exceeding great wrath as appeares in two particulars First by his feares of the neere approach of that wrath Secondly by what it was when he was directly under it first when this houre and power of darknesse did draw neere although it was a thing greatly by him desired as his aspired end to his fathers glory for when he commeth into the world he saith Sacrifice and offrings thou wouldst not have but a body hast thou prepared mee then said I
not for the Covenant required faith in truth and love to God in that relation hee stood but with all his heart and all his soule and all his strength and no more Therefore though hee was at the foresaid brink of desperation yet he sinned not Againe the strength of his humane nature being not able to keepe up from desperation under that vast and dreadfull separation yet hee in his unfained cry why hast thou forsaken mee as the second Adam witnessed Gods truth namely that God really intended death that is this twofold separation as it was said in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt certainly die the death (a) This death of the second Adam proves that God really intended the same to man wâ—th the fi st Adam and so dissolved that lie of Satan who said yee shall not die at all for he being personally God-man and so more powerfull then any meere creature therefore justice required his personall power so farre as need was and therefore although as a meere creature he cryed out Why hast thou forsaken mee yet in the power of his personall operations hee cries out My God my God and so Faith mightily (b) Christ descended not locally into the place of the damned because his faith and love to the full sati faction of divine justice wrought up to God through all interposing difficulties therefoâ—e it was unpossible hee should be held of the sorrowes of death and so hee triumphed over all the enemies of his Fatheâ—s glory which was to result to him out of the good of mankinde Psal 16.8.11 working by love reached the power of an endlesse life from under the most vast depth of separation in an endlesse death I say this was by Faith in Gods truth and Gods righteous justice to him in that relation in which he then stood for his eternall blessednesse for saith hee to God I set thee ever before me and thou wilt open to me the way of life and so with a loud voyce hee renders his soule saying Father into thy hands I commend my Spirit Luk 23 46. And so by the eternall Spirit as saith the Apostle Hee offered himselfe to God without spot to purge our consciences from dead works to sâ—rve the living God he so (c) But now to this point there are three which beare witnesse in heaven namely the thâ—ee persons in the one God in their severall order by upholdâ—ng and maintaining that created Angelicall glory for the members of the second Adam to all eternity which God from time to time here on earth hath promised them and still doth evidence it by three witnesses on earth namely first by Christs blood-shed as the seale of the satisfaction of divine justice which obtained that eternall life Secondly by water namely the worke of Reâ—eneration cleansing mans Spirit in Faith and love to the mystery Thirdly by the Spirit in the ministeâ—y of the word and Sacraments most eminently witnessing the purchase and free gift of that glory to man through aâ—l ages 1 Iohn 5.7.8 witnessed that other truth of Gods against Satans lie namely that God really intended to man the knowledge of good in the glory of Angells by his Covenant with Adam and in the righteousnesse of the second Adam and so dissolv'd that other lye of Satan that God only pretended it but never intended it and to the same end he gave himselfe also a ransome for all men in the fourth estate of man to redeeme them from their Apostacie And for conclusion to this Chapter observe these five particulars First that when in common speech we say that Christ fulfilled the Law we may rightly understand it only of the Morall Law because he by perfect love to God and his Neighbour did fulfill all Lawes that is not only the Covenant as it was with Adam but also as upon these two did hang all the Law and the Prophets with respect of mans fourth estate as before is proved Secondly is it so that Christ rais'd his Soule (a) The first Resurrection of Iesus Christ our Lord. by beliefe of truth and perfect love from that vast depth of death and that that was his first and great resurrection as the second Adam Hence observe that the raising of his body was his second resurrection and most properly by the glory of the Father (b) The second Resurrection of Iesus Christ our Lord. and from Divine Justice his first step to his eternall happinesse for so great a worke as the redemption of the world Phil. 2.9 in this fourth estate of man Thirdly is it so that the works of the Sonne of God was so potent in beliefe of truth to that blessednesse which was set before him Heb. 12. as that it wrought up to God from under so vast a separation in flames of burning love to Gods glory by the redemption of the world Hence observe that to put any worth upon any other mans works as to affirme they can deserve by their obedience to God that he should free them from eternall death or render them the reward of eternall life yea and that they can supererogate for others also I say observe that any of this Doctrine is not only a blasphemous derogating from Christs workes but also against the guift of God imputing it arrogating to man that which is not his also it overthroweth the foundation of mans salvation and that fundamentally for it not only makes voyd the object of Justification but cuts off mans worke of Faith to that object in a justifying relation as before is observed against the Iewes pag. 78. Fourthly is it so that God estated the Covenant with Adam that if it were by him fulfilled God by him should then receive the praise of his justice to all eternity in the foresaid twofold respects as Chap. 2. pag. 12.13 And likewise if the second Adam did fulfill it that by him under divine justice hee also might receive the praise of his justice to all eternity and that Christ accordingly did render him his justice to every tittle and pronounc'd it finished Hence observe that God never intended nor needed to make a personall reprobation of most men to unavoydable destruction to the everlasting praise of his justice For if the Covenant had bin fulfilled by either Adam it it was to the praise of his justice to all eternity as here we see and the Covenant of grace is so full to this point that all mankinde may ascend to eternall life by Christ if they will but apply themselves in what they have received and to what they might receive in him yet by Christ Gods justice is eternally glorifyed as is proved Therefore God never made in vaine such a personall reprobation to passe upon the most of mankinde Fiftly observe that when I say Christs righteousnesse is imputed to all mankinde in generall or to man beleeving truth more speciall as is described I meane not Christ his righteousnesse essentially as God nor
his perfect love as naturally an holy man without sinne nor all those manifold works hee did as personally God man even to blood and death but by his righteousnesse that was imputed I meane only this one worke to which all precedently named were but meanes namely his dissolving Satans lyes * Our second Adam and Saviour improved his personall perfections as our suâ—etâ— against the spirit of Satan his lyes in Saints Sinners Divells and under the 2. fold Separation and so made good his fathers truth namely that God really and simply intended Eteâ—nall glory for man with Angels or the contrary according to his revealed will in either estate the which gave full satisfaction to divine Iustice and was accepted in the behalf of the World and therefore imputed to the worlds felicity and mans the cheife part therein by witnssing Gods truth as is described pag. 101.102.111 And the reason why this only was imputed is this because only this is it which all men should set to their seales in this fourth estate of man and was the first Adams worke in the Covenant and then to be imputed to the supernaturall felicity of the world as Chapt. the 2. Therefore the second Adams witnessing Gods truth to the repelling all the lying powers of Satan is only that righteousnesse which by God is imputed to the supernaturall felicity of the world in Generall or to man beleeving truth more speciall as precedently is described CHAP. IX Declaring Gods impartiall proceedings in the third part of time to the Gentiles when by the Gospell he called them to the blessing of Abraham THe call of the Gentiles I will referre to two generall heads First to the extraordinary call for a time Secondly to the ordinary call to continue till time shall be no more And in the first this was extraordinary that upon the promised seed his fulfilling all righteousnesse the partition wall of the Mosaicall Ordinances of God should be abolished by which the uncircumcised Iewes precedently had insulted over the uncircumcised Gentiles and yet those Mosaicall Ordinances witnessed not only the Gentiles exclusion from the oracle of life but also against the Iewes for their own Apostasie from Christ wherefore he saith unto them even Moses in whom you trust doth accuse you Joh. 5.45 But upon Christs fulfilling all righteousnesse this witnesse against the Gentiles was canceld for so Saint Paul writes to the Gentiles remember saith hee that you being in times past Gentiles in the flesh were called uncircumcised by that which was called the circumcision in the flesh made with hands that at that time yee were without Christ being aliants from the common-wealth of Israel and strangers from the Covenants of promises having no hope and without God in the world But now in Christ Jesus yee who sometimes were afarre off are made nye by the blood of Christ for hee is our peace who hath made both one and hath broken down the middle wall of partition betweene us having ab lâ—shed in his flesh the enmity even the Law of commandements contained in Ordinances for to make in himselfe of twaine one new man so making peace c. Ephes 2.11 Likewise God pouring out his spirit upon all flesh was extraordinary as Acts 2. saith the Apostle this is it which was spoken â—f by the Prophet Joel it shall come to passe in the last days saith God I will powre out my spirit upon all flesh and your sonnes and your daughters shall prophesie and your old men shall dreame dreames c. vers 16. And this powring out of Gods spirit was two-fold that is externall and internall first externall for whereas before God did in his externall call excitively draw the Gentiles to Christ it was but implicit by the voyce of the creatures and as formerly is declared likewise his externall drawing of the Iewes was but by the Gospell as wrapt up in the glorious vaile of Moses therefore the externall way to eternall life to all the world was then but narrow and obscure but now made broad and perspicuous by the naked externall demonstration thereof as in the spirit of prophesie the wonderfull gift of Miracles by the Apostles understanding the Oracles of life more cleare than ever before and divulging the same in burning zeale for the glory of God by the salvation of the world and in the wonderfull gift of tongues by plainnesse of speech excitively drawing the Gentiles or rather God in Christ by them reconciling the world to himselfe not imputing their sinnes and manifesting to them that their precedent ignorance hee regarded not but now admonishing all men to returne from lying vanities to imbrace their owne mercies that the confused fugitives of Babel tasting the waters of life at Ierusalem cryed out saying How heare wee every man in his owne tongue wherein we were borne Parthiaus Medes and Elamites and the dwellers in Mesopotomia and Iudea and in Cappadocia and in Pontus Asia Phrygia and Pamphilia in Egypt and in the parts of Lybia about Cyrene strangers of Rome Iewes and Proselites Cretes and Arabians we doe heare them speake in our tongues the wonderfull works of God and they were all amased Acts 2.8 Thus from Ierusalem as from Paradise or the throne of God now did issue the living streames of eternall life to the families of the earth dead in sinnes and trespasses wherefore precedently Christ said unto his Disciples Yee shall be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria and to the utmost parts of all the earth and accordingly at Ierusalem they first receiv'd this power from above which they thus divulged Luke 24.49 Luke 2.39 and so God perswaded Iaphet to dwell in the tents of Shem and in this extraordinary call he was found of them that sought him not nor asked after him all being gone out of the way and become abominable none seeking after God doing good no not one Thus God who keepeth covenant and mercy for thousands according to his purpose as with Abraham he predestinated and prepared them to this glory So now hee called them to it in Christ Jesus externally and so much for the externall powring out of his spirit upon all flesh Secondly the internall powring out of Gods spirit upon all flesh I say powring out because in comparison of his precedent dropping into the hearts of the Gentiles circumcising their spirits as aforesaid and as to the Iewes but sparingly in comparison of this powring out in this day of Salvation and acceptable yeere of the Lord It was but sparingly as by drops and that which the spirit did now internally powre out upon the spirits of all men may be reduced to two generall heads first wheresoever the Oracle of truth manifested Gods gift of Christs righteousnesse imputed as it went from Kingdome to kingdome by the conduct of the spirit like a Chariot of light and life rising upon the nations as the sunne of righteousnesse with health under his wings the first powring into
by the roots appeares in the 12 Chapt. Is it so that when Christ did thus powre out his Spirit upon all flesh that yet at this time be denyed the spirit of Faith to his Nationall Spouse to the most part for their proud Apostasie to their ensuing rejection Hence observe how rightly the Lord of glory returned the same upon them But I said unto you that yee also have seene mee and beleeve not All that the Father * But at this time the Father giveth me the Gentiles to gather by the word of truth to salvation but of you but few for your call is not given to be at this time but in the future as Rom. 11.25 26 27. giveth mee shall come unto mee but not most of you at this time of grace for that 's implyed Iohn 6.35 36 37 38 39 40. Is it so that when Christ came personally into the world he then found Iewes and Gentiles generally both dead in sinnes and trespasses to him as the object of justification to their life and glory yea even his Nationall Spouse generally Hence observe how rightly spake the Lord Jesus Christ to his proud Apostate Spouse saying none can come to mee unlesse the Father which sent me draw him meaning his extraordinary mercy Ioh. 6.44 Is it so that Christ his righteousnesse as imputed by the Fathers gift and conveyed from Kingdome to Kingdome by the word of truth was and is the only object of life and glory and the removall of mans misery which submitted by beliefe of truth to receive that gift of righteousnesse in that sacred object Then hence observe how rightly spake the Lord Jesus Christ of himselfe saying I am the way and the truth and the life no man can come unto the Father but by mee Joh. 14.6 Againe is it so that this extraordinary calling of the Gentiles to righteousnesse life and glory being dead in sinnes and trespasses by their precedent Apostacie that even the second Adams satisfactory righteousnesse obtained as upon Adams fall so at this time also that this world should be mans day of grace againe as a day of grace to receive in it the gift of eternall glory the world of Gentiles being under wrath Then hence observe that from this ground Saint Paul in the 5 of the Rom. rightly brings in Christs imputative righteousnesse as opposed not only to our unrighteousnesse and misery in Adams transgression but also interminglingly opposing it against all mens own personall sinnes against the grace of God in Christ that whereas sinne in both respects had abounded so Gods grace by his gift of Christs righteousnesse did superabound as appeareth from the 8. verse to the end of that Chapter Againe is it so that at the height of Israels Apostacie and at the brink of their rejection from Christ that then God thus extraordinarily brought in the Gentiles to be his Spouse which were not his people Hence observe how rightly Christ in his life time Ioh. 10.16 opposed the certainty of the Gentiles for life and glory to his Apostate Spouse the Iewes then to bee extinguished ver 26. and in the three next verses grounding the stable felicity of the Church of the Gentiles only on his free gift and his Fathers power opposing it to all contrary powers whatsoever for although the Church of the Iewes became totally separated from Christ as now they stand yet so shall never the Church of the Gentiles nor yet the Iewes when they are againe ingrafted into Christs visible Church as was before Prophecied by * For by this word those days is not only meant the first extraordinary light of grace and truth divulged in the Gospell by the Apostles Ministery but this Prophecy also extends to those dayes of that extraordinary call of the Iewes mentioned Rom. 11.25 26 27. when also shall come in the fulnesse of the Gentiles Ieremiah and the Author to the Hebrewes Ierem. 31.33 32 40. Heb. 8.8.10 CHAP. X. Opening what in the calling of the Gentiles was ordinary to continue untill time shall be no more and that Gods proceedings therein is without respect of persons to all alâ—ke THe second Adam and Saviour of the world was not only a Priest in the dayes of his flesh after the order of Aron Heb. 10. by offering his body of flesh and blood so putting an end to that fleshly or bloody Sacrificing Priest-hood in which respect the Apostles in manifold regards referres things to the * The Apostle attributes so much to Christs blood death to leade us by sense to the more firm faith in his blood death as it was the expiration of his worke as the faithful and true witnesse for Gods truth against Satans lies to regaine Gods glory by the salvation of the world blood of Christ and often reiterates the same but also in his Militant Church he was and is a Priest for ever after the order of Melchizedeck till time shall be no more that is as Melchizedeck Shem I meane descending from the old world did not only in the Apostacie of the new world at Abel abide in the Faith of the first ten Fathers but also in the time of the Apostasie of his own Family remained durably constant in the oracle of life not only King of Salem that is of peace but Priest also of the most high God after the power of an endlesse life for he continued receiving as appeares in Abrahams Tythes the homage of the Sacrifice of praise for God and to God likewise in Gods stead returning comforts and blessings from God upon man Gen. 14.18 Heb 7.7 Likewise so did Christ abide constant by tradition discending in his spirit on men from the beginning of the old world figuratively by the promised seed of the woman through all occurrents or times of the worlds Apostasie remayned figuratively in the ten Fathers not only King of peace as Milchizedeck but also the Priest of the most high God receiving the Sacrifice of praise to God and for God by man believing truth and returning from God blessings upon them not only by his acceptable satisfactory righteousnesse imputed the ground of all acceptation but also in the oracle of life divulging it by his Ambassadors to the world and the imbreathings of his Spirit into the Spirit of man as sometime reproving the world of sinne as to Cain and the old world in the ten Fathers and in the Ministry of Noah sometimes receiving in good part the Sacrifices of the praise of his grace as in Abell his offering by beliefe of truth sometimes pouring out his blessings of consolation as in Noah his Sacrifice he smelt a savor of rest and comfortably renewed his gracious Covenant c. Sometimes in gracious incouragements to submit to this mercy as he did to Cain and sometimes enlivening the Spirit of man dead in sinnes and trespasses as to these Gentiles we see so raising these dead bones to live in his sight Therefore to continue this
perfections rightly disposed to operate according to that estate so that Adam might truly say to God of his workmanship in him I will praise thee for I am fearefully and wonderfully made marvellous are thy workes and that my soule knowes right well Psal 139. verse 14. Secondly God rendered to him by the whole perfections of the creation a continued supportation of his Personall perfections and therefore hee made all first and man last Gen. 1.26 implying man could not subsist one minute * It is true man now subsists but not perfect in nature but as the creation is subject to vanity so is the body of man in his Personall perfection out of it Therefore as the spangled skie with Lamps of light in their order was of his House but the seiled roofe so also the earth with it's most perfect fragrancie and ornaments was but the pavement of his habitation And as the creatures vegetable being his appointed food rendering their spirit or life to his nutrimentall support so also the virtuall force of the celestiall and terrestriall globe in a mutuall efflux did not onely with their most sweet imbreathings internally maintain that compound of Adams sweet anâ— subtill life in his Personall perfections but also to his body externally naked by their mutuall touch was to it rayment not onely comfortable but also honourable and glorious for saith the Text They were both naked the man and the woman and were not ashamed implying the foresaid support as needing no other Gen s 2. verse 25. Thirdly an onenesse or selfenesse with the parts of the whole Creation It is true Earth Ayre Water and Fire were not the nature of Adam yet every one of their natures was in his as the principles of his Elementary body and so were to him as himselfe Againe the nature and lives of vegetable Plants and Trees was not the nature of Adam yet their kind of natures and lives were resident in his as in the growth of his bodily stature the nayles of his fingers toes and other parts as parts of himselfe Againe the nature and lives of sensitive Creatures were not the nature of Adam as in the Beasts and Birds and other of that generall nature yet their kinds of nature was in his as in his touch taste hearing smelling and seeing as parts of himselfe but the womans nature was his and his hers as flesh of his flesh aâ—â— bone of his bone and so the most proper roote to produce their owne kinde And from this universall onenesse or selfenesse of natures did naturally * The first originall of the second Table of the morall law spring in the mind of Adam in his pure Naturalls the second Table of the morall Law namely To love thy Neighbour as thy selfe As for the Essence of Adams reasonable soule although he knew it farre more then we doe ours yet he knew it not but by it's effects So also the intrinsecall formes of all creatures although hee knew them by their effects more then we can and in that respect saw a kinde of selfenesse of the soules of all creatures with himselfe farre more then wee can yet in respect of their specificating forme which internally gave this thing to be this and that to be that This to him was invisible as was his owne reasonable soule which was his intrinsecall forme primarily specificating him from other creatures And the reason why the internall forme or soule or being of all creatures even to the being of a stone is invisible is this because mans reasonable soule being involved in an Elementary body although perfect is clouded to perceive his owne nature or the like For as Gods essentiall perfection by reason of his unmeasurable perfections is removed farre from sense and weake reason and therefore unperceiveable and invisible to man so also is the manner knowne onely to God how all things subsist in him and receive the continuation of their subtile lives and beings individually And the universall ground of this selfenesse betweene all creatures and Adam in the creation is this because the whole creation consisting of many parts was but one effect or off-spring of God as his Generation yet not by any derivation of his Essence essentially but by his powerfull production by creation wondrously As first from a meere nothing to a formlesse masse and from thence to that perfection which then it was and so now all things subsist and continue in him but the manner how is invisible and unperceiveable to man if to Adam in his innocency much more now to all mankinde but we must believe it because God hath said it Acts 17. vers 28. Fourthly the perfections of the whole creation led Adams reasonable soule by his senses to a perfect union of love in God which was his most proper blessednesse in the state of creation for although the soules infusion was the best o his being yet it was no part of his blessednesse for that was but the uniting of two created natures to make his personall being which a man may have and be accursed But this was the union of the creature with the Creator by perfect love in a mutuall concordance for as God created Adam fitly and rightly disposed to operate to God as his chiefest good so also God did excitively draw him to this union by leading him from the effect to the cause from the creation to the Creator as from the drop to the Ocean For God to Adam was not onely transparently agreeable by the perfection of the creation to his senses but also to his understanding and his will first to his understanding by the truth of that perfection and secondly to his will in the perfection of goodnesse For first to his understanding by all his senses was conveyed the truth of Gods power and wisdome in the wonderfull composure of all creatures in their severall shapes natures kindes qualities and vertues harmoniously amyable but chiefly Adams personall perfections so beautifull and his reasonable soule the mirror of Gods worke of power and wisedome and all joyntly together gave Adam a concludent proofe that God in himselfe was infinitely beyond all this that he had communicated to the perfection of the creation and therefore this demonstrative Principle of truth was agreeable to the naturall property of his understanding which naturally lookes at truths Secondly also to his will was an agreeablenesse in goodnesse First in respect of the things themselves all good yea very good by Gods owne testimony Secondly to Adam as an Ocean of good universally terminating all their forces and vertues of their perfections to his harmonising support as before is declared Againe Adam himselfe being both in nature and authority over all creatures as their Lord and King under God so that by his senses to his understanding and will was declared the good will of God to him in all by all and above all creatures Therefore here was an agreeablenesse universally to his will which naturally look'd
First because here was Conditions betweene God and Adam for life and death I say for life and death to Adam and all mankinde comprehended in generall under the names of good and evill good to be rendered if hee did obey the Rule of the Covenant evill if he did disobey it Secondly those conditions were agreed on by Adam with a full consent he being then not only in the perfections of the second Table of the Law as to love his Neighbour as himselfe but also in the perfection of the first Table of the Law namely in the truth and utmost extent of his love to God with all his Soulâ— and with all his Strength therefore hee readily concluded this Covenant with God for the world in this different Estate from the former But for the cleare opening of this Second Estate I will propound foure things First what this Garden was 2 What its signification was 3 What Adams obedience in it was 4 What was the end God intended by Adams obedience in this Covenant First this Garden was but a part of the Terrestriall Globe for saith the Text The Lord God planted a Garden Eastward in Eden therefore but a part Gen. 2.8 This Garden was planted by God with Plants some for Adams delightfull consolation and some for his nutrimentall sustentation for saith the Text Out of the ground the Lord God made to grow every tree pleasant to sight and good for food Verse 9. In the midst of the Garden God planted two trees distinguished by two significant names implying some further use for saith the Text God caused to grow the tree of life also in the midst of the Garden and the tree of knowleâ—ge of good and evill Gen. 2.8 Into this Garden came a River to replenish it in fruitfulnesse and comming in but one there God divided it into foure and from thence it did run downe the terrestriall Globe foure wayes as saith the Text And a River went out of Eden to water the Garden and from thence it was parted and came intâ— fâ—ure heads c. Gen. 2.10 This Plantation or Garden being thus finished Adam by God was thither conveyed and the perfections thereof was to depend upon his operations for saith the Text. The Lord God tooke the man and put him into the Garden of Eden to dresse it and to keepe it Verse 5. And so much for what this plantation was Certainly this was for some further end and use then was the perfections of the whole terrestriall Globe for all the trees of this Plantation or Garden were vegetables in their perfections as were those on the whole terrestriall Globe Therefore this Garden as a plantation by sequestration and signification made the onely difference between it and the world And the signification in generall was but this that as in future time the land of Canaan with all it 's fruitfull splendor did prefigure the celestiall Canaan As to the second Adam as appeares Chap. 8. So this to Adam in the beginning of time did prefigure the same Angelicall felicity of Divine glory in the Heaven of heavens From this ground God made the Garden to excell the glory of the whole terrestriall globe that by faith Adams soule might be raised to worke by love to God feeding on Angells food by beliefe of truth So much for the generall signification Againe more particularly First whereas God did not commit the whole terrestriall globe but onely this part as the glory of the world to Adams dressing and keeping This figuratively implies that now by vertue of Gods Ordinance the creation had it's dependence for it's good naturall and supernaturall or for an evill equivalently contrary upon Adams operations in this Covenant And here came in the onely ground how by Adam the creation could be raised higher or lose it's supernaturall perfections and become subject to vanity Rom. 8. Whereas God caused to grow up in the midst of the Garden a naturall tree naming it the Teee of life this figured to Adam that he to his naturall posterity in obeying the worke of the Covenant by beliefe of truth should from Divine Justice be as a tree in his branches of naturall perfections growing up to a celestiall life or as a flourishing tree of eternall life But now this tree of life is onely in Christ Jesus the second Adam to all right believers Rev. 2.7 This River running downe it's chrystall streames foure severall wayes from this Paradise of terrestriall pleasure as from the Throne of God prefigured to Adams faith Gods justice as pure streames of waters of celestiall life for his obedience according to the Covenant should successively run downe to render eternall life first by faith and secondly by fruition to his posterity through all generations to the last of mankind that was to descend of his loynes but now this River onely issues from the second Adam in the doctrine of truth and mercy conveying Gods gift of his imputed righteousnesse as the tree of life Rev. 22.12 The other tree which God caused to grow in the midst of the Garden naming it the tree of Knowledge of good and evill prefigured to Adams faith summarily all contained in the Covenant that is the Knowledge of good equivalent to Angels or the knowledge of evill equivalently contrary in either as he did obey or disobey And the ground why God instituted this Garden thus in all these prefigurations and significations was this Because the heavenly glory to Adams terrestriall perfections was supernaturall for it is one thing for Adam to kâ—ow by the perfections of the creation that God was able to create a supernaturall glory he appearing by it Infinite in Wisedome Power and Goodnesse And another thing that hee had created it and would bring him to it if hee did obey the rule of the Covenant for the perfections of the creation did demonstrate to Adam that God was able to doe such a thing but no more but the Covenant by God Word was exprest for a contrary evill And all those prefigurations and significations from the agreeablenesse of the type with the antitype did make knowne to Adam that the supernaturall glory was made and in being also from the word knowledge of good that he should ascend to enjoy it to all eternity if hee did obey the rule of the Covenant or an evill equivalently contrary if he did disobey and therefore because supernaturall all was needfull to strengthen Adams faith to withstand the temptation in point of triall See this point cleared to the 13. Objection in Chap. 12. for God doth nothing in vaine And so much for what the Garden or Plantations signification was with respect to Adams worke in the Covenant Thirdly now Adam was to obey two rules in the Covenant one affirmative the other negative The affirmative was to this end namely to continue his naturall being to be a meanes to a supernaturall end by eating the fruits of this Garden for as in the precedent estate of
creation hee was to eate of the fruit of the creation for his nutrimentall sustentation so now of the fruits of this Garden also for the Lord God commanded the man saying Of every tree of the Garden thou mayest eate freely Gen. 1.29 Gen. 2.16 The negative rule was it by which hee was to improve his strength of body and mind to God by obedience namely the forbearing to eate of the tree of knowledge of good and evill but of the Tree of Knowledge of good and evill thou shalt not eate c. Gen. 2.17 And this rule led him to be both passively and actively obedient passively in two things First although in the perfection of the creation all things good for food was due to him by Gods allowance without restraint yet in this Garden or Plantation by this rule hee was to suffer this restraint namely to deny himselfe to eate of the fruit of this Tree of knowledge of good and evill upon paine of most dreadfull consequences for saith the Text In the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt certainly die the â—â—â—ath Verse 17. Although in the perfection of the creation God rendred his sweete imbreathings very good and no evill yet in this Garden the obedience of these rules bound them to suffer the imbreathings of the assaults of Satan that evill one in point of triall (a) As did the second Adam Luk. 4.3 2.3.4 And here lay the life of their obedience for without this assault their triall had beene no triall to the improvement of their naturall perfections of righteousnesse and holinesse to Gods Covenant in point of good and evill And againe this negative rule led them to active obedience in two particulars first the fruits of this tree of good and evill being naturally good food it required of them a diligent observation of their naturall appetite lest it might dispose them to transgresse the rule of the Covenant This rule led them in stead of feeding their bodies with the fruit of this tree to feed their soules by beliefe of the signified knowledge of good equivalent to Angels in glory or with the signified knowledge of evill equivalently contrary in eternall misery So much for this point what Adams obedience in the Covenant was Lastly the intended end of Gods Covenant with Adam was of great consequence for it respected God all mankinde the World and the Divell for what if Satans lye to the woman pretended that there was no truth in Gods word for their death if they did transgresse saying yee shall not die at all and what if Satan did make God to them to be but a meere imposture as only pretending that Angelicall good but never intended it for to the woman in the Serpent he said God doth know that in the dâ—y that yee eate thereof your eyes shall be opened and yee shall be as Gods knowing good and evill He not denying a higher good intended in the Covenant but implying Gods command was the only thing that kept him from attayning it I say what of all this for if hee had in beliefe of Gods word abstayned from eating the fruit according to the rule of the Covenant then they had not only freed themselves from being murthered the world had not been destroyed Gods word had not been nullified Satan had not in the beliefe of his lyes bin magnified bâ—t on the contrary from their beliefe of truth working to God by love God over all by his word of truth had bin glorified in two respects 1 Because (b) So that Gods justâ—ce would have bin glorified to all eternity in the â—irst demonstrating his righteousnesse and goodnesse in the eternall felicity of all mankinde with Angells 2. righteously demonstâ—ating his wrath in the Apostate Angells oâ— Divells by Adams repeling their lies yet not but that justice precedeÌ„tly did in the right of Gods glory passe to immediate execution on those Apostat Angels and by their murthering of Adam Gods justice from thence did supâ—rabound upon them by Gods giving way to them to bruise the heele of Christ in the aggravation of their malice so thaâ—â—hey weâ—e not oâ—ly â—â—cluded Angels glory at the 〈◊〉 but shâ—ll dâ—â—w upon themselves the latâ—tude of Gods Attributes glorious in wisdom power and his iâ—efull justice to all eternity wheÌ„ God shall loose their chaines of darknesse by which they are reserved unto that day at the remembrance whereof they tremble by his Justice according to the Covenant the naturall perfections of the Creatures together with man in his pure Naturalls for wages to Adams worke should have received a quickning Spirit and man in the perfection of faith So travailing together towards their celestiall perfections 2. And Satans lyes by beliefe of Gods truth nullified and consequently Satan most justly condemned for a lyer and murtherer of mankinde the destroyer of all the works of God and adjudged for a most impudent blasphemer of God and all this would immediatly have followed upon Adams perfect repelling of Satans temptations For the Justice of the Covenant was expresse for immediate execution even the same day and minute for in the day thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die the death Gen. 2.17 Againe a second reason is drawn from the nature of the Covenant which was for good and evill therefore no middle Estate but good or evill immediatly even as upon Adams offence judgement passed upon all to condemnation So on the contrary if Adam had obeyed the Rule of the Covenant there would have bin produced a posterity through all Generations ascending successefully to the Elect Angells in Angelicall glory in perfect union in soule and body for the Couenant was for all mankinde alike in good But it may be objected mans body in its pure naturalls being but flesh and blood Object in an Elementary compound could neither ascend nor be able to inherit the spirituall Glory sutable to the nature of Angells so powerfully glorious therefore that Angelicall glory was not intended in the Covenant Although mans naturall body could not inhabit that Kingdome as St. Paul affirmes 1 Cor. 15.50 Answere yet that body naturall made a spirituall body is a powerfull body as St. Paul affirmes 1 Cor. 15.43 And therefore it could both ascend and inherit with Angells for if Adam had â—â—ept the negative Rule of the Covenant as is declared then as in the perfection of nature he was made a living Soule so in the justice of the Covenant God would have made him to his posteritie a quickening Spirit not only in the perfection of Faith living a spirituall life in his pure Naturalls but would also have quickened his naturall Elementary body with a spirituall Nature powerfull to ascend and inherit the glory of Angells successively to the last man that should live on the Farth but now in the second Adam onely is this twofold quickening Spirit found who only is the Resurrection and the life of man as St. Paul affirmes 1 Cor. 15.45 Object But it may be
nature of all mankinde and therefore rightly saith Saint Paul 2. Tim. 1.9 God hath saved us and called us with an holy calling not according to our works but according to his owne purpose and grace which was given us in Christ Iesus before the World began Againe observe that this justification not onely freed all mankinde from dying the death the day that Adam sinned but also brought life upon all men for saith the Text it came upon all men to justification of life But here ariseth a question what in this Text Question with respect to that time is meant by this word life which came upon all men The meaning is no more but this Answere that then Gods free gift of Christs righteousnesse imputed confer'd upon men this world to be the day of grace as now they enjoy it a meanes for them to receive in this gift of righteousnes the life of glory in the world to come So much for the fourth point Namely that Christ entring the worke of the Covenant as the second Adam removed that judgement that was due to all man-kind So as never man perished for Adams eating the forbidden Fruit. Againe the second Adams first entring the worke of the Covenant he then put on the whole Creation travaling towards that perfection it lost in Adams fall so saith man beleeving truth Ro. 8.19 For saith S. Paul the earnest expectation of the Creature waiteth for the manifestation of the Sons of God And in the next verse gives the reason why the creation is in hope because saith he the Creation it selfe shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the Sonnes of God and then concludes in the minds of al men which believe truth for saith hee wee know that the whose creation travaileth in paine untill now and not only they but our sâ—lves also who have the first fruits of the Spirit even we our selves groane within our selves waiting for the Adoption to wit the redemption of our bodies ver 23. So S. Peter in the mindes of men believing truth saith and we looke for new Heavens and new Earth wherein dwelleth righteousnesse 2 Pet. 3.13 And that this travailing of the whole Creation together with man was by Christ is most cleerely proved by what is formerly delivered that is when this glorious Image of the Invisible God 2 Cor. 4.4 was lost by Adams fall then the second Adam the Sonne of God restored the Image of the invisible God by coming into the worke of the Covenant as the first borne of every Creature the beginning and first borne from the dead fall of Adam in the promised seed that in all things he might have the preeminence Coloss 1.15.18 All which when Adam by Faith in the State of the restauration by Christ did see thereupon he named his wife Eve which signifieth life First because in Christ shee was now become the Mother of all living Gen. 3.20 wherefore she also in beliefe of truth saith when she had conceived and brought forth Caine I have gotten a man from IEHOVAH meaning not by the force of Gods word in the State of Creation Gen. 1.28 for that was lost by the fall and therefore God in Christ gives a second word of production to them which was now a word of grace and object of Faith in the promised seed Gen. 3.15.16 By force of which word she now obtained from Iehovah a man by Christ in whom was life and therefore she named him Possession for so his name signifies implying she was now againe by Christ in Possession of a living race of mankinde in this day of grace and so the Mother of all living Secondly the Mother of all living together with Adam by beliefe of truth in the object of Faith namely in the Promised seed and so was to Christ his first borne Church begotten not by blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man but of GOD for to them was delivered by him this object of Eaâ—â—h once given to the Saints from whence they received lifâ— naturall and supernaturall by Faith as here you see and therefore nursed up by instruction their Posterity to the same obiect for both Cain and Abell came to offer unto God and therefore in this second respect she was also the Mother of all living And so much that this travaile of the Creation was by Christ But here ariseth a question Quest at what time began this travaile of the whole Creation lead the faithfull befo e the flood to rest in together with man believing truth to their supernaturall end The answere is ans that God having the sixt day about the ninth houre or three of the clock in the afternoone the peâ—fect works of the seed of the woman which then was to bee accomplished in time to come that is to rest in beliefe of it for the remove all of all misery and in hopâ—â—f fruition of tâ—â—nall glory and it was the same mystery of this seaventh day which God renewed by Moses to Israell but the eight day now leads the faithfull to rest for the same things on that worke of the seed of the woman as it is now already perfected the which as I conceive was the ground of the change of the day and therefore nominated to be the Lords day established the foundation of the Restauration of the world in the second Adams satisfactory righteousnesse figuratively in the blood of the Lamb the seaventh day morning next ensuing being then the first day houre of a daies beginning in the Estate of Restauration of the Creation by Christ as hee was the first borne of every Creature opening the womb of its tendencie to all perfections therefore that seaventh day morning in the first minute thereof was that first particle of time wherein the Creation began to put forth its first most proper step in this travaile together with man believing truth from the bondage of corruption to the glorious liberty of the â—onnes of GOD. And from this ground God blessed the seaventh day and hallowed it because that in it he rested from aâ—l his woâ—ks which hee had created and made so dependant upon Christ implying that God rested fully contented in the perfections of Christs works for the Râ—stauration of all his works to that perfection intended in the Covenant to which it now but travailed and * The Originall of the seventh daies Sabbath and al Sabbaths Therefore this seventh day sanctified by God Gen. 2. did in a figure therefore God set this seaventh day apart for man to rest figuratively leading him also to Christs imputative works for the perfection of al his works here by faith in hope of a full perfection in fruition of glory to come From this ground the Author to the Hebrews takes it for granted that this rest to God and to Faith and in fruition for man was finish'd from the Foundation of the world although man unbelieving
destruction of the world and to state it thus to travell together with man-believing truth to it 's desired felicity was onely this namely Gods love to the world for God so loved the world that hee gave his onely begotten Sonne c. Therefore the world must be onely considered as an object agreeable to Gods will because it was to him an object of love for the truth is God did so consider it and that in a two-fold respect First in all that good which God communicated to the world by creation as involved in the Covenant to it 's ultimate perfection and all this as issuing from himselfe was his owne effect as the off-spring of God and therefore a good every way agreeable to Gods will and an object of love to him But if the justice of the Covenant had passed to execution then God had proceeded to annihilate all this good not onely in part but totally and eternally but this went against his mind therefore hee so loved the world that hee gave his onely begotten Sonne c. That glory which was to result to God out of all the good of the creatures according to the spire of perfection of the Covenant by Adams supernaturall operation was Gods finall end for which he made all namely his glory and this was to God the object of good in the highest respect But if God had in the justice of the Covenant proceeded to execution then this his finall end had beene separated from him and he might in the ruine and destruction of the creatures to all eternitie have glorified himselfe But from the creatures good his glory could never have returned to him in any degree much lesse from the highest spire of perfection intended in the Covenant as was Gods desire but this was contrary to his mind therefore God so loved the world that he gave his onely begotten Sonne as his Lambe to take away the sinnes of the world by regaining his glory in the redundancie thereof to the eternall praise of his mercy Is it so that by this second Adam Observation his satisfaction of Divine justice God in mercy gave to all mankinde alike the meanes and end namely Eternall life and that the good of this world is a remote meanes to the same end as here wee see Then hence observe that all men either poore or rich which desire or indeavour to attaine the good of this world for them and theirs and not as a means to this end they then in their imaginations and all their labours are but a mere lye and vanity whence rightly saith the Psalmist Surely men of low degree are vanity and men of high degree are a lye Psal 62.9 Againe is the good of this world Gods gift in Christ Observation a comfortable and remote meanes amongst many to leade man to Christ to receive in him eternall life then take this rule for a direction not to be dismaid to see some in want for their chastisement and some for triall and some to abound for those men which terminate their rests in wealth and in the pleasures and delights of this world shall attaine but a brutish rest here and never receive eternall rest in Angells glory hereafter for this is but a meanes and a remote one too therefore hee that sits downe in this meanes must needs lose the end and so perish eternally Here follow some Objections made by a Reverend Divine which are accordingly answered and the Objections made by others are answered in the twelfth Chapter Object 1. If Adams omitting to eate of the tree of Life were a Sinne and that Sinne of omission brought on her Sinne of commission shee was not the first occasion of his Sinne but first Sinne a rose intrinsecus Answ Neither in this page nor in any other is it said his omitting to eate of the tree of Life was a sinne nor is it said he did omit to eate the fruit of this Garden or of the tree of Life but it is said hee was remisse of the different end from his former Estate why he was to eate of these fruits as a meanes thereunto and his remisnesse to eate these fruits as such a meanes brought his sinne of omission and that brought on his sinne of commission Because of the naturall liberties of their wills therefore sin might arise from within Also because their righteousnesse and holinesse did spring from naturall causes internally and externally as Chap. 1. therefore righteousnesse and holinesse being not their nature they might mutually turne to good or evill Againe why might not sinne in both of them arise from within this second Estate being so farre different from the former Estate of creation if their understandings were not carefully applyed to Gods rules in the Covenant to keepe them from evill and their wills to God as a good more fully to be communicated to them then by the perfections of the creation and the truth is from the remissenesse of them both it was that shee was the first in the transgression with Satan by the Serpent and he the second in the same by her Object 2. * Pag. 21. Where you say all mankinde were in reprobation if you meane the case of reprobates or guilt of damnation it is true but if you meane of Gods decree it crosseth the doctrine of Election Answ I meane as it is explained in the page namely that in the fall of Adam all mankinde alike were reprobated under the guilt due punishment of eternall condemnation joyned together with reprobate divells as opposed to our conjunction with elect Angels in eternall glory by vertue of the intended end of Gods Covenant with Adam Againe I deny any such decree and in the prosecution of the sixth point I have as I believe explained those Scriptures which reverend Calvin and you I suppose doe thinke doe prove that decree and case of Reprobates and as for that doctrine of Reprobation the Scripture proves it no more then it doth that word Decree which neither in the old Testament or the new is so much as mentioned with reference to the point of Election and Reprobation as I suppose you meane Object 3. Pag. 22. The judgement was executed that very moment that Adam eat of the forbidden fruit in that instant he was dead in sinne and mortality seized upon his body and hee stood guilty of eternall damnation Answ True it is judgement was executed the very moment that Adam eat the forbidden fruit yet not upon the first Adam but onely upon the second Adam as his Saviour and ours as pag. 24. and 25. figuratively in the blood of the Lambe or if not how or why was he as Saint Iohn affirmes the Lambe slaine from the worlds foundation Rev. 13.8 Or how was it that as by one offence judgement passed upon all men to condemnation even so by one righteousnesse the free guift came on all men to justification of life as Saint Paul affirmes Rom. 5.18 and as
whom I will have compassion as if hee should say I respect none of them but with respect to my imputed gift of the Lambs righteousnesse which they reject and apply not themselves to me in it Therefore all those which had seene Gods great workes in the wildernesse and were remisse not answerable by beliefe of truth to this mercy God cut them off from the figure of eternall felicity and caused their carkasses to fall in the wildernesse yea hee spared not Mirriam Aaron nor Moses nor any save Caleb the Sonne of Iephuneh the Kenite and Iâ—shua the Sonne of Nun for they wholly followed IEHOVAH saith the Text clearely proving that God is no respecter of persons but to all and alike Deut. 9.14 Exod. 33.19 Rom. 9.15 Numb 32.10.14.28 and Deut. 32.28 Againe about 407. yeeres after the Law was added to the promise then God gave them a two-fold figure more to lead them to Christ the onely ground of all their good As first that the â—romised seed should come of the seventh sonne of Ishâ—i and the sonne of David King on Sion hill to sit on his Throne figuratively shadowing out in Salomons thronized glory So leading this nationall Spouse by right beliefe of truth to piâ—ch her ultimate felicity in the eternall Throne of the promised seed God-man blessed for evermore 2 Sam. 7.12 13 14. Psal 45 6. Luke 1.32 and 33. Heb. 1.8 The second figure was the glory of the Temple standing in the midst of the Land which also was a figure of the promised seed as to it was related the worship and the most especiall presence of God for to it must the sacrifices be brought and to it did this elect Spouse bring all her divine worship and adoration yea although remote from thence yet towards it must they worship figuratively leading this Spouse in the promised Land to feed on the promised seed as on a tree of life by right beliefe of truth as in the Paradise of God Psal 122.4 2 Chron. 7.12 1 King 8.44.45 Rev. 3.7 Prov. 11.30 Yet although God gave all these severall lines of truth leading by beliefe thereof to the imputed righteousnesse of the seed as it in which hee onely (b) This is the true ground of Election elected them to enjoy this Land to be their day of grace and there to receive his gift of eternall glory Notwithstanding they in the spirit of concision referred their election not to the object of faith but (c) These are false and erroneous grounds of Election to Abrahams flesh whence they were descended and to a worth in their owne workes to the Law as but conversant about the object of Faith and for that cause resisted the doctrine of Christ Esai 8.25 Heb. 10.21 Rom. 10.3 as leading them to submit to that righteousnesse of God imputatively given in him the ground of all their good And therefore Saint Paul Rom. 9. punctually encounters both these errors from the light of Divine truth for having in the 8. Chapter beheld the stable felicity of some Gentiles by belâ—fe of this truth he therefore in this ninth Chapter reflects upon this elect Spouse as neere to the rejection for this resisting of Christ and therefore his griefe for them was beyond measure because they were Israel to whom appertaine the adoption and the glory and the Covenants and the giving of the Law and the service of God and the promises of whom are the Fathers and of whom as concerning the flesh Christ came who is over all God blessed for evermore Amen Vers 1.2 3 4 and 5. Yet hee implies that these glorious priviledges did not make him so conceive of them as if Gods Word of curse according to his Covenant with Abraham had taken none effect upon them to their rejection for saith hee all are not Israel that are of Israel implying all are not of Israels faith that are of Israels flesh consequently Gods Word of curse might be of force to them which refuse Christ as the object of Faith notwithstanding their precedent election Wherefore he further saith neither because they are the seed of Abraham are they all children but in Isaack shall thy seed be called that is saith hee they which are the children of the flesh these are not the children of God but the children of the promise are counted for the seed for saith hee this is a word of promise c. Verse 6.7 8 9. implying this figure of Isaack as the promised childe was intended to lead them to Christ the promised seed as precedently is declared And so he goes on to the next figure namely the manner of Esau and Iacobs conception and birth for saith he not onely this but when Rebeka had also conceived by one even by our father Jacob for the children being not yet borne neither having done any good or evill that the purpose of God according to * By election in this text is meant onely of the Iewes to be Christs elect Spouse Nationally and not of any of the Gentiles election might stand not of workes but of him that calleth it was said unto her the elder shall serve the younger as it is written Iacob have I loved but Esau have I hated that is God to manifest his mind rightly in this mysterie loved to preferre the younger in the fleshly line and hated to preferre the first borne to the greatest honour namely to the Nationall election as the first borne after the flesh wherefore God not onely exprest this betweene Ishmael and Isaac and primarily betweene Esau and Iacob as before but also in Iosephs seed God preferred the younger to the greatest honour and the eldest to be inferiour in honour purposely Gen. 49. So likewise in his choyce amongst the sonnes of Ishai he passed by all the eldest to the lowest in the naturall line even the seventh to David and preferred him to the throne therefore it is evident by the testimony of God this love and hatred to those two babes was but to delare his purpose * So that God hated not Esaus person nor hated he him in respect of the foresight of his sinne nor did he love Iacobs Person more then Esaus nor loved he him for the foresight of his Faith and righteousnesse but the truth is God then looked upon them both alike with love to his present and future purpose that is by those Babes to declare that not from any respect of foresight of faith or righteousnesse nor to Abraham or Israels person as they were the naturall root of the Iewes which moved him to extend his mercy to them and to declare on the contrary that the evill of their father Terahs Idolatrous Apostacy hindeâ—ed him not from predestinating them then untorne and to call them in Isack to espouse them nationally to Christ from that Idolatrous den but that the only moving causes was for the glory of his grace by the promised seed as precedently is clearely explained namely to leade this elect
Spouse from her erroneous works and from Abrahams line after the flesh to Abrahams faith in Christs workes the object of blessednesse and no more For in Scriptures we finde some that were rejected from inheriting this election to life and glory with the promised childe as well as Esau and yet we find them admitted and counted with the true seed of Abraham namely Christs as for example In the Esterne Countries whither Abraham sent his sons which he had by Keturah and gave them portions and sent them thither purposely that they might not inherit this election with the childe of promise Isaack Gen. 25.6 yet there we find just Iob and Eliphaz who was descended from Esau's loynes 1 Chron. 1.35.36 Also Bildad the Shuite descended of Abrahams sonne Shuah and thererefore called the Shuite 1 Chron. 1.32 Also Zophar and Elihu all worshipers of God with just Iob figuratively in the satisfactory righteousnesse of the seed imputed which was promised to Adam and renewed by Covenant to Abraham for the future mercy of the whole world as precedently is declared Therefore if one of Esau's off-spring who in his loynes was rejected from this election as were others as here we see and notwitstanding that rejection were true worshipers in the acceptable righteousnesse of the seed consequently much more might Esau himselfe therefore let no man be prophane as was Esau Hebr. 12.16 So I passe this point being before explained pag. 62.63 Againe to goe on vers 14. the Apostle saith What shall wee say then Is there unrightousnesse with God God forbid for saith the Apostle he saith to Moses I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion that is as before is explained God no wayes had any respect to this elect Spouse more then to others but onely in the promised seed the object of faith as before pag. 70. So then it is not in him that willeth to have it from Abrahams flesh nor in him that runneth to have it from the wrath of his erroneous works to the Law but in God that sheweth mercy in this election of you from your Idolatrous denne to give you the Land of promise your day of grace and his gift of eternall glory to be received by you in beliefe of truth and not for works conversant onely about the object of faith and under the pretence thereof to extinguish the glorious workes of Christ as now you doe Therefore in stead of mercy you shall receive the contrary from God even his proceedings to your remarâ—eble confusion for the Scripture saith unto Pharaoh For the same * For God by Moses sent his Commandements to Pharaoh not to return him to God by obedience but occasionally by those commands to bring his just punishments by drawing out Pharaohs precedent habits of pride to be known to his shame in the wo ld and to cleare Gods justice in his remarkeable destruction as appeareth Exod. 3.9.19.20 6.1 7.3.4 purpose have I raised thee up that I might shew my power in thee and thâ—t my Name may be declared through all the earth and thereupon hee concludes against them saying therefore hee hath mercy on whom he will and whom he will he hardeneth as if hee should say you know your forefathers were as now are you them to whom was committed this Pillar of truth the Oracle of the seed promised to Adam and Abraham and how proudly Pharaoh attempts to extinquish them and consequently this seed the object of faith in the pillar of truth as now doe you more directly then ever did he Therefore much more will God give you up as hee did Pharaoh to you owne insolencies and then provokingly raise you up to a height therein purposely to make his name famous in power and justice by your remarkeable destruction through all the world notwithstanding your descent from Abrahams flesh and his precedent election of you For he will have mercy on whom he will have mercy and whom hee will bee * See this Text further explained in the â—â—rgent towards the later end of thâ—s Chapter hardeneth even amongst you as to Pharaoh for that 's implyed Againe to goe on Verse 19. Thou wilt say unto mee saith the Apostle Why doth he yet complaine for who hâ—th resisted his Will as if they should say if Gods will be so irresistable to glorifie his justice and power in our ruine notwithstanding our peculiar and glorious and ancient priviledges why doth hee so needlessely complaine on us by the Prophets and others for who hath resisted his will To this he answereth Nay But O man who art thou that answereth or disputeth against God Doth the thing formed say to him that formed it why hast thou made mee thus Hath not the Potter power of the * This word the same lump hath no relation to the common masse of all mankinde same lump to make one vessell to honour and another to dishonour As if hee should say when you were all in the sonne of Terahs loynes namely Abraham as one masse or lump of Clay semenally in the hand of God Had hee not then power by Covenant with him in the promised seed thus to shape you for honour or dishonour that is to cursednesse or blessednesse according as you proudly turned his owne talents and mercies against him refusing his abundant mercy and therfore leave you to your own stubbornnesse as vessells of dishonour fitted to this destruction as was Pharaoh or on the contrary if you would but apply your received talents to receive more grace even to his gift of Faith by it to receive the imputed righteousnesse of this seed as it onely in which he received you to grace and glory Therefore O man who art thou that disputest against God And hereupon the Apostle inferres saying What if God willing to make his power knowne endured with long suffering the vessels of wrath fitted to destruction and that hee might make knowne the riches of his mercie on the vessels of mercy which hee had afore prepared unto glory even us whom hee hath called not of the Jewes onely but also of the Gentiles as God saith in Hosea c. As if the Apostle should say what of all this if it be the will and pleasure of God as indeed it is thus in justice and mercy by his covenant with Abraham to fore-appoint you either to honour or dishonour and to proceed accordingly without respect of any mans person more then another In what can you charge God of injustice or excuse your selves as to say Why hast thou made me thus to honour or dishonour But God may justly say to you Thy salvation is of me but thy destruction is of thy selfe O Israel Againe verse 25. as God saith there I will call them my people which are not my people and her beloved which was not beloved and it shall come to passe that in the place where is was said unto them
You are not my people they shall be called the children of the living God The Apostle citing their owne Prophet against them implicitly refels their precedent errors in divers respects as first because the Gentiles were not Abrahams seed of Isaack and Iacob and yet were to be children to the living God This therefore proved that Abrahams naturall line after the flesh was not Gods ground of electing Children unto him but the election must be in Christ as before Againe because these Gentiles were to be Children of God which had not Moses Law to obey no not so much as in works conversant about the object of faith and yet were to be Children unto God consequently their works of righteousnes to the Law was no ground of their Election but the election was of him that called them from their Idolatrous denne and gave them the election in the promised seed Againe the Apostle cites the Prophet Isay against them saying though the number of the Children of Israel be as the sand on the Seashore but a remnant shall be saved And because the Apostle referres salvation but to a remnant consequently their discent from Abrahams flesh was no ground of their election for if so then not a remnant but all Israel must have bin saved but being referred to a remnant therefore the election must be as before And saith the Apostle the same Prophet saith God will make a short cut in righteousnesse and except God had left a remnant they had bin as Sodome and like unto Gomorrah implying Gods impartiall proceedings ordinarily with this elect spouse of Christ as betweene Abell and Caine and as to Abraham in the Covenant for cursednes and blessednesse Therefore to this elect Spouse God was no respecter of persons Againe Verse 30. the Apostle saith What shall wee say then that the Gentiles which followed not after righteousnesse have attained to righteousnesse even the righteousnesse which is of faith by force of Gods precedent predestination with Abraham for that 's implyed but Israel which followed after the Law of righteousnesse saith hee hath not attained the Law of righteousnesse and then hee gives the prime reason wherefore because they sought it not by faith but as it were by workes of the Law And he saith they stumbled at that stumbling stone as it is written Behold I say in Sion a stumbling stone and a rocke of offence and whosoever shall believe on him shall not be ashamed these words imply three things First that Israels glory as Gods Israel was grounded onely upon Christ the Stone laid as a pillar of truth on Sion hill Secondly that by remisnesse Israell fell to pride and so from this stone to Abrahams flesh and their own works of the law to be the ground of all their glory and so stumbled at the Pillar of truth Christs righteousnesse imputed to their own destruction Thirdly to those of this Nation that in right beliefe did submit to the righteousnesse of God that is the righteousnesse of Christ imputed the ground of all their glory them God would uphold in honour for saith the Text hee that beleeveth shall not be ashamed So much for opening the ninth Chap. to the Rom. And here by the way observe that this Chapter giveth no ground to Reverend Calvins error namely that God before the world was did personally reprobate the greatest part of mankinde to unrecoverable damnation and personally elected the rest to unavoydable salvation Againe to goe on against their works of righteousnesse to the law about the object of Faith the Apostle opposeth Abrahams example who by Faith in the object of Faith by this Pillar of truth terminated in it as the onely ground of all felicity Rom. 4. Of him he saith What shall we say then that Abraham our Father as pertaining to the flesh hath found for if Abraham were (a) The ground of mans Iustification in this fourth estate is Gods guift of Christs righteousnesse reckoned or imputed to man yet the Iustification of a Sinner is this vâ—â— Gods pardon of his sin guilt and punishment for that Righteousnesse so reckoned or imputed as to all mankind upon our fall in Adam as new to all Infants departing this World but when Iustification is reckoned or imputed to Mans Faith it is because that act of right belief is more connexively related immediately to the object of Iustification then any other act of a beleever And when sometimes Iustification is attributed to Faith it is because a right beleeveâ—s submissive receptive instrument of Faith is opposed against the pride of mans supposed woâ—ks of righteousnesse and in this sense S. Paul Rom. 4. brâ—ngs in that text Gen. 15. saying it was imputed to Abraham for righteousnes justified by works he hath whereof to glory but not before God for what saith the Scripture Abraham beleeved God and it was imputed to him for righteousnesse Implying hee beleeved all his good from Gods gift in the righteousnesse of the seed imputed and so was that righteousnesse imputed to him to the remission of his sinnes which was his justification and the ground of all felicity Therefore saith the Apostle Now to him that worketh is the reward not reckoned of grace as it was to Abraham but of debt but to him that worketh not but beleeveth on him which justifieth the ungodly his Faith is counted for righteousnesse Implying that God was Abrahams exceeding great reward only by his gift of the righteousnesse of this seed imputed in the object of Faith which Abraham by beliefe submissively imbraced even as David describeth the blessednesse of the man unto whom God imputeth righteousnesse without works saying Blessed are they whose iniquity is forgiven and whose sinnes are covered blessed is the man to whom thee Lord will not impute sinne from verse 1. to the 8. Againe to goe on the Apostle in divers passages of his Epistles shewes this elect Spouse what absurdities do spring from her conceit of the worth of her works conversant about the object of Faith in the Law First as if hee should say suppose you doe believe the Law to be Gods Law and therefore to the Judiciall Laws are obedient to live in some orderly manner Suppose also from the same grounds you are at paines and costs to bring your Sacrifices to the Priests and Levites for your offerings the Law commanding it Also suppose you love God for the wealth of Canaan and love each other being joynt inhabitants of that land yet in all this to you these Laws are not of Faith because you by beliefe rest upon your deed done to be accepted of God as did Cain and terminate in sensuall delights for you are not led from the letter of the Law in right beliefe to rest in Christ his acceptable righteousnesse the proper end of the Law for righteousnesse to man rightly beleeving truth * The same is â—he Gospel now â—o man not rightly beleeving truth for the Law and the Gospel for substance was one
and the same therefore men meerely Moral and of a civil life must beware left they perish eternally by this deceit for man may not be farre from the Kingdome of God and yet fall short thereof as Mark 12.34 Therefore because you stick in the letter to you the Law is but a dead letter revealing sinne and wrath because you reach not the sense and scope of the Laws prefigurations and significations for the truth is acceptation with God is not of works therefore it is of faith that it might be by Grace to the end that the promise might be sure to all the seed implying Gods gift of Christs imputed righteousnesse is the only stable ground of felicity in it selfe for man and also so to man rightly believing truth for man may beleeve divine Testimony as divine Testimony and yet not beleeve justifyingly as chap. 10. Againe their election to inherit the Temporall felicity of Canaan as the figure of eternall felicity could not be a debt due to the worth of their works and to the imputed righteousnesse of Christ too for these are contraries Wherefore saith the Apostle if the election be by grace then it is no more of works otherwise grace is no more grace but if it be by works then it is no more grace otherwise worke is no more worke Rom. 11.6 Againe the worth of their works by the Law did tend to overthrow the Foundation of the salvation of the world because it makes voyd the object of Justification and also the use of Faith to that object in a justifying relation and therefore saith the Apostle if they of the Law be heires Faith is made voyd and the promise of none effect Rom. 4.14 Againe this conceited worth of works to the Law put a nullitie to the Sonne of God his glorious expiration of his life for the completion of all righteousnesse to the salvation of the world for saith the Apostle if righteousnesse come by the Law that is as they would have it then Christ died in vaine Gal. 2.21 Againe he gives them to know the Law is not of Faith his meaning is not to any living man on Earth but only to Christ as bound to believe and do the perfection of the Law in every tittle as their Doctrine of works did import for in this respect hee only and alone is the man that could do them and did live in them as a perfect man to take off the cursednesse from all that believe his righteousnesse imputed Gal. 3.11 12 13 14. Againe when Christ is manifested by the Apostles Doctrine without the prefigurations of the Law yet now this People would believe in Christ his righteousnesse for salvation but would then joyne their righteousnesse in the obedience of the Law to his as necessary to their salvation and by this they runne upon a two-fold Rock at once First they binde themselves to observe all the Laws from which now by Christs perfect obedience they were freed Secondly by this they made a nullitie to themselves of all happinesse by Christ as saith the Apostle Gal. 5.2 Behold I Paul say unto you that if yee be Circumcised Christ shall profit you nothing for I testify againe to every man that is Circumcised that he is a debtor to doe the whole Law Christ is become of none effect unto you whosoever of you are justified by the Law yee are farre fallen from Grace And Rom. 7. hee shewes that this error of theirs is as if one should joyne a dead Corps to a living man and as if a woman should esteeme her selfe bound to the Law of her Husband when he is dead we are saith hee now delivered from the Law that being dead wherein we are held that we should serve him in newnesse of Spirit and not in the oldnesse of the letter from verse 1. to the 6. Againe although Christ by the Apostles Ministry was now manifested without the authority of the Law it being abolished yet Rom. 3.21 22. hee grants to the Law and the Prophets still this honour that they witnesse to this righteousnesse of God which is by Faith of Iesus Christ that it only is it which is man Justification to salvation wherefore verse 27. saith hee where is boasting then it is excluded by what law of works Nay but by the law of Faith Therefore we conclude saith hee that a man is justified by Faith without the deeds of the law That is without such deeds as their erronious Doctrine of works did import Quest But here may rise a queâ—â—â—on namely In what sense Moses laws are of perpetuall use to Christ his Church on Earth Answ First so farre forth as they precedently were figurative shaddowes of Christ to come they now all are of no use but as a dead letter and without that Spirit or life that they precedently had because they all ended their efficatious force in the satisfactory righteousnesse of Christ sealed with his blood to the expiration of all the Law and the Prophets Secondly as the Morall laws expiration is in Christ Iesus so it is of a double use First we are to receive by Faith the Morall laws perfections in him as given of God imputatively to justification and so to receive the remission of sinnes and salvation Secondly we are to apply our selves to it as our rule of imitation in love to God and our Neighbour and having done our best continually to submit to his as imputed for our continued acceptation here and for eternall life hereafter Rom. 8.1 2 3 4. And the ground why the perfections of the Morall law onely in Christ Iesus doth free man beleeving truth from the law of sinne and of death so conveying to him eternall life by salvation is this because the Morall law originally in its pure naturalls was instituted by God a meanes in the Covenant to a supernaturall end in the first Adam as is proved wherefore no sooner did the Morall law in Christ his sacred person by his birth in the promise subsist in him as the spotlesse Lambe but in that instant of time it was ingaged in him being the second Adam as a meanes to attaine that supernaturall end by perfect love to God and his Neighbour and therefore it was immediatly put upon all mankinde freeing man from the law of sinne and of death because it came upon all men to justification of life for it removed Adams imputed damnation which was to passe according to the justice of the Covenant and so it removed the totall nature and prevalency of sinne and obtained the foresaid dispositions of Amity to God and enmity to Satan as also the good of this world to be mans day of grace to receive in Gods gift the day of eternall glory Againe I say it must be by beliefe of this truth in the object of Faith or the object of Justification And the ground why man capable of the use of reason must receive all blessednesse by beliefe of this truth is First because as
God Therefore this fact committed against these transcendent rules thus manifested to them justly called to God for their transcendent punishment and they were no way necessitated to this fact by God but the contrary secondly I grant also that in some respect they were necessitated to this unrighteous fact but it was from themselves and the first step that brought on this necessity The first step to fall from Christ totally was this their remissenesse to God in all his wayes for their good for to them God made it manifest that in the satisfactory righteousnesse of this seed as imputed he conferr'd all good to the universall world figured in the Lambe slaine famously descending by tradition to them from Adam by the ten Fathers as before is proved Likewise God manifested it to them by renewing the same to the universall world by Noah and his sonnes Likewise by renewing the same with Abraham by predestinating in this seed both Iewes and Gentiles to glory Likewise hee manifested it to them in the satisfactory righteousnesse of this seed sealed with his blood figuratively in the paschall Lambe that hee delivered them from the bondage of Egypt and brought them to the blessednesse of Canaan a figure of eternall felicity for applying the Lambs blood upon their dwellings figured that onely in the righteousnesse of Christ imputed God was their safety in the day of wrath Exod. 12.13 All this and more successively was presented before their eyes in that glorious addition of Moses Law to the promise in those prefigurations and significations and all left upon record in holy Writ through their generations Therefore it must needs follow by undeniable consequence that their first step to this ungodly necessity proceeded from their owne remissenesse to God in all his wayes for their good for had they considered these things they would never have destroyed him by whom all felicity came to them And then their remissenesse to that object of faith Celestiall brought on their inordinate intensnesse to sensuall objects terrestriall and to Idolatrous imaginations and so came on their second step necessitating them to this transcendent fact The second step as for example their remissenesse to Moses the Mediator in the type brought on their Calfe and terminating in things sensuall and terrestriall and consequently their crucifying of Christ to themselves by absenting their mindes from Moses in that mysterie for they then not onely worshiped the Calfe but also they did eate and drinke and rose up to play The third step Likewise they so brought on a further necessitie as a third step for the future namely custome in evill hence it is God said to them can the Blackmore change his skinne or the Leopard his spâ—ts Ierem. 13.23 then may yee also doe good that are accustomed to doe evill and now sense commands reason under the pretence of the doctrine celestiall to terminate in a good adequate to sensuality Mat. 26.61 for from this ground they made the Temple and Moses Chaire their plea against Christ and his doctrine not from love to the mysterie included therein as leading to Christ but onely in love to the glory of the Temple as a terrestriall magnificence of their Nation Likewise in their princely Priesthood as it was a worldly ordinance correspondent to worldly pompe and dignity but rejected Christ the inclosed mysterie of that figure Thus by voluntary choyce in the spirit of concision they became necessitated to evill in things that were good in themselves as the felicity of Canaan was good in it selfe and to kill Christ in the truth as Abraham did in the type to the redemption of the world was good but to them evill because they did it in hatred to him as Iohn 8. 40. because his doctrine was an enemy not to them but to their pride in terrestriall felicitie and proud consanguinity and operations And therefore they slew the Lord of glory in the same mind as Cain slew Abel Mat. 23.35 (a) Thus wee may rightly conceive how Pharaoh is said to harden and God to harden Pharaohs heart Wherefore instead of giving them the Spirit of Faith from the speciall grace of the Covenant God delivered them to their owne wills from the universall mercy of the Covenant made with Abraham for them The fourth step and so came on a fourth step of their necessity in sin and consequently their universall rejection from him as the just punishment of their precedent apostasie from Gods salvation imply'd in the words of the Lord Jesus Christ saying O Ierusalem Ierusalem which killest the Prophets stonest them which are sent unto thee how oft would I have gathered thy children together as a Hen gathereth her brood under her wings and ye would not therefore your (b) That is the Temple implying theiâ— separation from Gods favour in Christ the most proper Temple of Gods speciall presence in the Truth as the Temple was in the Type Luke 13.34 house is left unto you desolate And he further saith Verily verily I say unto you yee shall not see me untill the time come when you shall saâ— blessed is he that commeth in the name of the Lord. These words imply two things the first is because they precedently refuse to see him according to their light as their reason was able in their day of grace therefore God now denyed them the gift of Faith to see his glory in beliefe of truth even when their eyes did looke upon the Lord of glory and saw his great workes Luke 10 8.22 Likewise when he beheld Ierusalem he wept and said O that thou hadst knowne even in this thy day those things which belong unto thy peace but now they are bid (a) That light of truth which formerly men did see would not for that ther may come a time when the light Eternally by Gods spirit shines more cleer yet the sight thereof shall be denied to them as in this elect Spouse we see from thine eyes Luke 19.24 Likewise Saint Iohn in his 12 Chapter saith although Christ had done so many miracles before them yet they beleeved not on him that the saying of Esayas the Prophet might be fulfilled that he said Lord who beleeved our report and to whom is the arme of the Lord revealed and Saint Iohn saith therefore they could not believe because Esayas saith againe hee hath blinded their eyes and hardned their hearts that they should not see with their eyes nor understand with their hearts and should be converted and I should save them And further saith Saint Iohn these things said Isaiah when he saw his glory and spake of him ver 37. That is These things hee spake of their rejection when in the Spirit of Faith he saw the Lord of Glory rejected by this elect Spouse Likewise Saint Paul Acts 13.40 speaking to this people rejecting the Doctrine of Christ saith behold you despisers and wonder for I worke in your daies a worke which