from Nature by vertue of the Creation as such for that was lost in the fall as is implyed in the Text because it saith The Creation is not subject unto vanity willingly that is by its own natural instinct but by reason of God who caused the Creation to depend first upon the operations of the first Adam and then upon the second Adams as is implyed in the Text namely by reason of him who hath subdued the same in hope from whence the earnest expectation of the Creature or Creation waiteth for the manifestation of the Sons of God Yet again note this by the way That although the Creation by mans fall lost its blessedness to its self and to man yet it lost not its being no more then the Apostate Angels or damned men which detain their being to eternity for the being of all things is grounded on Gods essence only and never depended on either Adams operations and because the Creation thus travels by the force of Gods favour in Christ it was the ground why the Psalmist sweetly sings that Jehovah is good to all and his tender mercies are over all his works and if tender mercy be over all then misery was first over all for misery is mercies most proper object to which mercy is extended from the premisses thus proved Psal 145.9 follows this conclusion That the Voice Language or Speech of the whole Creation of good from God to man in all its force and effects by all creatures ever since Christ was the first-born in the promise to break the Serpents head is the general voice of glad-tidings of God to man by Iesus Christs satisfactory righteousness imputed for we see its tendency and dependancy to blessedness hangeth only upon that so that in a word the whole Creation in general is the voice of the Gospel and that is the reason why in the New Testament and the Old the voice of the Gospel Preached by men is brought in in a sense speaking one and the same thing to mankind yet note that it is with this difference The one a general and remote voice and the other the more distinct and particular as by Writings in the Oracles of God and by the speech and language of man to man by the word Preached and thus David brings them in joyntly saying The heavens declare the glory of God and the firmament shew his handy works day unto day uttereth speech and night unto night sheweth knowledg there is no Speech nor Language where their voyce is not heard their loyne is gone forth throughout all the earth and their words unto the ends of the world in them he hath set a Tabernacle for the Son and so forth and then he joyneth the Gospel thereunto in these words Psal 19. from verse 1 to 8. Note The Creation began thus to preach Christ from its first step into this travel from the bondage of corruption to be partakers of the glorious liberties of the Sons of God and when that first step began you may see in my former Treatise page the 35. The Law of God is perfect converting the soul the Testimony of the Lord is sure and giveth wisdom unto the simple the Statutes of the Lord are right and rejoyce the heart and so forth And Paul speaking of the Preaching of the Gospel concludes Faith is by hearing and hearing by the word of God and then having spoken of Iews and Grecians in the 12 verse concluding That be that is Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him and then puts the Question in the 18 verse saying But I demand Have they not heard meaning the Grecians or Heathens as well as the Iews and then he answers the question namely That the Gospel was heard by them in the said words of the Psalmes No doubt their sound went out throughout all the earth and their words into the end of the world implying That both voices ought to be heard and being rightly heard they both breed vertually in the heart of man faith in Christ Rom. 10.12 17 18. yet with this difference the one implicite and more weak because its voyce is but general and remote the other more clear and strong because his voyce is more clear and near to the spirit of a man So much for the external truth of God in Christ by which Christs Spirit strived with their spirits to direct them in that narrow way to eternal life Secondly The internal truth of God in Christ by which the Spirit of Christ strived with the spirits of the said confounded and scattered off-spring of Noah at Babel in a word is no more but this namely The remainder of the said internal Law and light of Christ in their hearts for as is proved they were excluded the residence of the Gospel with them as is implyed in the Text Rom. 2. it saith Rom. 2.14.15 The Gentiles which have not the Law do by nature the things contained in the Law and are a Law unto themselvs which shew the work of the Law written in their hearts And this Law in the hearts of them all if they had submitted to this inward striving of of the Spirit of Christ with their spirits and not detained it in unrighteousness as they did it would have produced the circumcision of the hearts of them all which is the true rectitude of the mind or sanctification as it did to some of them which did in that little they had seek to do well and so it was effected in them namely Circumcision which is by nature saith the Text verse 27. and in the 29 verse To be circumcision of the heart and spirit whose praise is not of men but of God So much for the internal truth of God in Christ to direct the Heathens in the narrow way to life But the Question may be What life that was that the best of those Heathens did attain unto I answer Neither more nor less but the same eternal life which the believing Iews received by operations in Gods gift of Christs imputative righteousness as appears in the sixth verse God will render every man according to his works that is To them which through a patient well-doing Rom. 2.6.7 10. seek for honour and glory immortality everlasting life and in the tenth verse To every man that doth good shall be glory and honour and praise to the Iew first and to the Grecian for there is no respect of persons with God for to this hath our Lord Christ made his promise They that seek shall find and to him that knocketh it shall be opened From this ground it was that the Apostles were not ashamed to Preach the Gospel in Heathenish Rome to believers his first reason is Because it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth to the Iew first and also to the Grecian His second Reason is Because by it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith that is from
he hath done whether it be good or bad and in reference to this point saith God himself When a righteous man turneth away from his righteousness and committeth iniquity and dieth in them for his iniquity that he hath done shall he die 2 Cor. 5.9 10. and therefore saith God unto the Prophet Thou Son of man say unto the children of thy people The righteousness of the righteous shall not deliver him in the day of his transgression and for the wickedness of the wicked he shall not fall thereby in the day that he turneth from his wickedness neither shall the righteous be able to live for his righteousness in the day that he sinneth Ezek. 18.26 And in reference to this point to these invisible members Ezek. 33.12 the Apostle saith Know ye not that ye are the Temples of God and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you if any man destroy the Temple of God him shall God destroy for the Temple of God is holy which Temple ye are let no man deceive himself and so forth Again in reference to this Point the Lord Christ himself speaks to his eleven Apostles which were invisible members also for John 13.10 11. when he had said Ye are clean but not all for he knew who should betray him therefore he said saith the Text Ye are not all clean but when Iudas was gon forth from them verse 30. then in the fifteenth Chapter and third verse Now saith he unto them ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you that is your hearts are purified by belief and love to me thereupon saith he Abide in me and I in you as the branch cannot bear fruit of it self except it abide in the vine no more can ye except ye abide in me Joh. 13.10 11.30 Joh. 15.3 4 5 6 7 8 10. And saith he I am the Vine he that abideth in me and I in him the same bringeth forth much fruit and yet in the next words he tels them Their evil works will bring them to be vessels of dishonour for ever saying If a man abide not in me he is cast forth as a branch and is withered and men gather them and cast them into the fire and they are burnt implying And so shall you if ye abide not in me But on the contrary If they rightly operate in the said posture they shall be vessels of honour for ever saying If ye abide in me and my words abide in you ye shall ask what ye will and it shall be done unto you herein is my Father glorified that ye bring forth much fruit so shall ye be my Disciples that is ye shall continue so for ever for they were his Disciples before And saith he If ye keep my Commandments ye shall abide in my love even as I have kept my Fathers Commandments and abide in his love that as I abide for ever in his love so shall you if ye keep my Commandments or otherwise not for that is implyed Thus we see that God executes his final end upon the invisible members of Christ some to honour and some to dishonour as to all men else Again That the full consummation and final execution of this final end shall fall in at the great day Jude 6. Joh. 11.24 as Iude cals it and the day of the resurrection as Marcha cals it And then the Sea and the Grave shall render up their dead and then shall every man saith the Text Rev. 20.13 John 5.19 be judged according to his works and shall come forth they that have done good unto the resurrection of life and they that have done evil unto the resurrection of damnation and before him shall be gathered all Nations and he shall separate them one from another as a shepherd his sheep from the goats and he shal set the sheep on his right hand but the goats on his left then shall the King say unto them on his right hand Come ye blessed of my Father Mat. 25.33 34 41 46. inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the foundations of the world then shall he say also unto them on his left hand Depart ye cursed into everlasting fire prepared for the Devil and his Angels and these shal go into everlasting punishment but the righterous into life everlasting So upon this last and final execution of Gods final end then cometh the end when Christ shal have delivered up the Kingdom to God even the Father when he shal have put down all Rule and all Authority and Power that is all Authority Rule and Power raised in a world of ungodly men by the Apostate Angels delusive lies and temptations against the truth of Gods said final end in the foresaid particular branch for till then Christ must reigne 1 Cor. 15.24 25 28. as it is in the next words untill he hath put down all enemies under his feet implying and no longer in this Government by his Spirit striving in the Gospel and its Tenor a just and merciful Rule as is implyed in the 28 verse when all things shal be subdued unto him then shal the Son himself be subject unto him that did put all things under him yet it is one thing that this Administration Heb. 1.6 Psal 45.6 as such shal cease for ever as we see it shal and another thing that the personal union in Christ God-Man shal cease for that shal never be for so he is and ever shal be above the Angels and they shal worship him for ever as it is written Thy Throne is for ever O God and so forth and let all the Angels of God worship him and so shal he be worshiped of all the glorified Saints for ever for if by the Angels much more by them notwithstanding he is their head and they members of his triumphant body yet he as head and members shal as is said before be subject to God the Father in this respect for as there was a time when Christ should have the preheminence in all things for the prosecution of his Fathers final end so now that end being attained and time shal be no more Now God must have the preheminency to all eteruity CHAP. XIII In which is proved how God ordained and executed his final end upon all the Angels to their final ends for ever according to their works some to honour some to dishonour IN the prosecution of this Point I will briefly touch these six particulars First That some of them God elected secondly That some of them he rejected Thirdly lay down the ground of that rejection Fourthly That they transgressed Gods Law Fifthly lay down what that Law was Sixthly I will lay down the ground why God elected the other Angels and to what they were elected more then they had together with the rest before any fel of these in their order First The Text affirms that some of them are elected 1 Tim. 5.21 as appears by Pauls charging
is to chuse and refuse all objects as it likes or as it likes them not and so from this understanding and will man from his own councel and voluntary choice terminates all his works wherefore it is a righteous thing in God to judge man according to his own works good or bad and therefore God made these twofold faculties a fourth means to his said final end Again God implanted in mans internal knowable power in his first estate the Law of Nature that was naturally to love God above all and his neighbour as himself arising in man also by Gods demonstrating his truth and goodness to man in the whole frame of nature in all through all and above all and so man was internally disposed to work aright to any rule that God should make suitable to him and therefore this Law of Nature was a fifth means to Gods said final end for saith the Text Col. 3.10 Gen. 1.27 Man was renewed in knowledge after the Image of him that created him but for a further enlargement of this Law of Nature I refer the Reader to the first Chapter of my former Treatise Again a sixth means to the said final end is that before the fall God instituted a rule suitable to man I say instituted by Gods own word of truth namely not to eat of the fruit of the Tree of knowledge of good and evil upon pain of death and here mans will might nil the evil of sin and the evil of punishment and here mans understanding might adhere to truth that is the truth of God Gen. 2.9 17. and here his will might chuse a good that is the good of obeying Gods command and also the good of eternal life implyed in that word Knowledge of good and also in the name of that Tree of life So thus by this rule God ordained to make man in the estate of innocency a vessel of honour or dishonour to eternity according to his works good or bad and so we are come to Gods final end for which he made all things I now should come to the seventh means but I must first in brief touch upon the fall of man by way of Introduction and so come unto it in the fourth Chapter CHAP. III. In this Chapter is brifly toucht Mans fall by way of Introduction to the seventh means to Gods final End THe fall of man was from God in his truth the chiefest good to the Apostate Angels lies and so to the deepest evil for by this he lost all relation to God but to live move and be as have the Devils and damned and became one with the Apostate Angels not in their angelical nature but their diabolical nature and deserv'd damnation to eternity for men and Angels became Devils not by loss or change of their essence or natures but by change of their intentions and operations from Gods rules of truth John 8.44 to their own lies But I must in a word premise one thing before I goe any further that is God in Scripture names the innumerable company of Apostate Angels as if they were all but one as by the name of Devil a Lyar a destroyer that evil one and so forth and the ground is no more but this because they are all one in intentions and operations in their designes against Gods glory in this final end Therefore when they saw or understood by Gods instituted Rule to man that he had thus laid the Platform of his Glory in his final end to eternity Mar. 5.9 1 John 3.8 then they laid their Platform how to confound and frustrate Gods final end in reference to his glory in one particular branch and that from a twofold ground First that branch was this Rev 12.9 they envied man as being but a part of this inferior world a sensative creature that he should be put in a posture by his operations to Gods rule and so in a possibility to rise to that glory which primitively was their own The second ground because God justly for their sin rejected them from that glory and so stood reserved in Chains of darkness unto the Judgement of the great day therefore they attempted to spoil God of his glory and as their end led them to their means so their means leads us to see that this was their end for because they knew man in respect of his body was a sensitive creature and therefore they were to man invisible wherefore their first means was a visible creature and subtilly disposed saith the Text Gen. 3.4 Now the Serpent was more subtil then any beast of the field Their second means was the Serpents tongue Num. 22.28.30 by actuating it as the good Angel did the Asses tongue so to convey their minds in speaking to the woman in that speech and language which God had made natural and familiar to man for the Text saith He said to the woman yea hath God indeed said ye shall not eat and so forth Their third means was to wave the man in this business because most strong Gen. 3.14 1 Tim. 2.14 and to pitch upon the woman the weaker vessel and so to compass the man by her the more unperceived by him Again because the woman replyed to the Serpent Gods word from his instituted rule namely that God hath said Ye shall not eat and so forth And by this they did perceive that two things did interrupt and indanger their designe The first was Gods word by his instituted rule the second was the womans credit or belief that she did or might give to it because by the natural liberty of her will she might chuse Gods word and refuse theirs Therefore they betook themselves to a fourth means of their own namely a Lie or Lies to prevent that danger of their desired end wherefore by the Serpent to the woman they said Ye shall not die at all implying unto her there was no truth in those words concerning their dying if they did eat of the forbidden fruit for God doth know in the day that ye shall eat thereof that your eyes shall be opened and ye shall be as Gods knowing good and evil implying Gods rule obeyed was the only thing that kept her from aspiring to so great a happiness therefore God is an imposter to you and not to be believed but disobeyed for your own good upon these Lies Gen. 3.6 the woman looked on the Tree the more wishly for the Text saith When the woman saw the Tree was good for food and that it was pleasant for the eyes and a Tree to be desired to make one wise she hereupon wil'd the Devils lies and nil'd Gods truth believing to operate to his instituted rule for the Text saith She took of the fruit thereof and did eat and gave also to her husband with her and he did eat Thus the Apostate Angels by their four means accomplished their end by frustrating Gods final End in one main branch as they supposed
up the said posture And from this posture it is that most men in the world before they can come to receive Gods gifts of justifying faith Iona 2.8 do apostate to lying vanities so forsaking their own mercies Thus did Cain and the old world before the Flood for which God brought in the Flood Thus did Noah's posterity after the Flood apostate to lying vanities by building the City of Babel and a Tower therein to reach the Heavens for which God confounded and scattered them Thus did Terah in Shems Family Abrahams Father apostate to Idols and so became a Den of Devils But when all Families of the earth was thus sinking Ios 24.2 3 4. Ezek. 16. from 3. to 15. as vessels of dishonour eternally for ought themselves can do from which condition that aforesaid election out of Adams fall relieved man into the said posture yet nevertheless then in that point of time in pursuance of his final end God taketh hold of the universal nature of man and preserves it from sinking for he not only commanded Abraham to depart from his Country and kindred and from his father Terah's house but with reference to that very time saith the Text Verily he taketh not hold on the nature of Angels but of the seed of Abraham he taketh hold These words lead us to a fourfold Querie First why Abraham is named more in this businesse then any other man Secondly Why Abraham is named in reference to the seed of man as in his loynes he being Terah's son Thirdly Heb. 2.16 Why was not Abraham's person assum'd in personal union with the second in the one God he being thus named by way of eminency in the Text 4 Why this word he taketh hold as to the nature of Angels is spoken negatively and to the common nature of man affirmatively both being in the fall one in apostacy as is proved nay now all Nations of men were in a relapst apostacy to them we see and as will more appear in due place For Answer unto the first Querie Gen. 12.1 Why Abraham is named more in this business then any other man It was because when all the Families of the earth did apostate at Babel except Semes wherefore in his Family the Oracle of Christ was only resident and because Abrahams father Terah was the first in that Family that did apostate from this posture to Idols and became a den of Devils Abraham being his son was therefore named rather then any other man implying mans misery is Gods oportunity for in the Mount will the Lord be seen as to all mankind in the falne mass he was Answer to the second Question Why Abraham is named in reference to the seed of man in his loynes he being Terah's son the meaning is no more but this the proper subject of election is not only man as corrupt but as universally corrupt Therefore God names the common seed of man in the loynes of one of this idolatrous brood the fittest Emblem of the continued act of God in Election of man out of the falne mass as in Adams loyns and therefore the seed of Abraham is named in the Text. Answer to the third Query Why was not Abrahams person assum'd into personal union with the second in the one God he being thus named by way of eminency in the Text Answer If Abrahams person or any mans else had been assumed to the second in the one God it would have pointed out a personal election and rejection of mankind and therefore to remove that he assumed not the person of any man but the nature of every man and so elected humane natures falne mass out of that estate into the said posture either to honour or dishonour for ever as is proved Answer to the fourth Query Why this word he taketh Hold as to the nature of Angels is spoke negatively and to the common nature of man affirmatively both being in the fall one in Apostacy nay now all Nations of men were relapst in Apostacy as we are Answer The meaning is no more then this When men universally do apostate from the said posture so sinking unto destruction then sometimes in this case in pursuance of his final end God as a continued act to the nature of Angels letteth the nature of Angels sink lower and lower into destruction and as a continued act taketh hold of the nature of man to stay it from sinking and therefore the Text speaketh negatively to them and affirmatively to man for first he taketh hold of the nature of man by promise into personal union with the second in the one God when the seed of the woman was first named and in these words to Abraham In thy seed shall all Nations be blessed God saith not of seeds as of many but as of one that is Christ saith the Text and here he taketh not hold of the nature of Angels but here we see he takes hold of the seed of Abraham in Christ's person Again the extent of this taking hold reacheth all Nations for God did not only take hold of the humane nature into the person of Christ as is said but also taketh hold of a seed of humane nature in a national extent at that time by promise in Abrahams loynes in the seed to be when they were not and to this end to be a means to return the blessing of Christ upon humane nature over all Nations that is to return them to the aforesaid posture in which they might receive the said gift of eternal life and all comprehended in these words to Abraham I will make of thee a great Nation and thou shalt be a blessing in thee shall all the Families of the earth be blessed that is that now lie under a curse in my wrath in Heathenism And here again God taketh not hold of the nature of Angels but in the election of this one Nation in Abrahams loyns of the seed of Abraham he taketh hold as a continued act of the universal election of Adams falne mass But if you ask me what was that wrath they lie under and how all Nations but one became Heathens I answer It was when Jehovah looked down from heaven upon the children of men to see if there were any that did understand and seek God and saw that they were all gone out of the way and all corrupt and abominable which made God wrath with them under which wrath they then lay If you ask me when this was God came down to see I answer It was when Jehovah came down to see the City of Babel and the Tower that the offspring of Noah was building in the Plain of Shinor for then and there he confounded their Language and so scattered them upon the face of all the earth to walk in their own waies and so they all became Heathens excepting a very few untill by vertue of the said continued Act of a twofold laying hold of the seed of Abraham they were put into