be under a Covenant of works properly so called the Lord Christ only excepted therefore it is a mistake to affirm that all men which are not true believers are under a Covenant of works and wrath of God and out of the grace and favour of God in Christ For we see proved at large that the favour of God in Christ pardoned to all mankind eternal death due to them for Adams one offence and that every man is born with the internal light of Christ in him and hath reduced the total nature of sin to a seed and also God hath given the Spirit of Christ to strive with the spirits of all men to keep that seed of original sin from the acquired habits if men will be faithfull in their little and to increase the internal light of Christ in them and to bring them to and to keep them into the said posture that they may receive his gift of life in Christ therefore it must needs follow that the former Doctrine is a great mistake Secondly Is it so That this Rule the Gospel Tenor is the only and alone suitable rule for all men to work in reference to their eternal happiness Then hence observe If any man desires or expects union with God in point of blessedness it must only be by his works in the said posture because only by the reception of the said gift of life wrapt up in Christs righteousness imputed man comes to God the fountain of life for so Christ is only the way the truth and the life therefore those fantastick men which dream of an union with the Divine Essence have an union indeed but not in their sense for only this union they have namely That they live and move and have their being in God as have all creatures as such and so have the Apostate Angels and the damned in hell but not that union which they dream of namely an Union in the Divine Essence essencially the same nature and therefore as they reject all Ordinances so their operations in this posture according to the said suitable rule and yet the Text which affirms we are partakers of the Divine Nature shews wherein it consists namely by operations and workings according to this rule to suppress the effects of the seed of original sin for saith the Text We are partakers of the Divine Nature in that we fly the corruptions that are in the world through lusts and this sin and lusts we came to know by the Law that is the Gospel which was once under a vail for saith the Apostle I had not not known sin except the Law had said thou shalt not lust Now the ground of this blasphemous error is this These men fancie to themselves that the Creation is eternal that is without beginning or end and themselves being a part thereof are therefore eternal yea God himself all which is contrary to the testimonies of the sacred Oracles of God for it positively affirms the world had a beginning it shall have an end and God will according to his sacred Oracles as he shaketh the wicked out of the corners of the earth as Iobe speaks so will he shake and make these men vessels of dishonour in torments to eternity according to the justice of this rule of mercy which they now despise and he will laugh when their fear cometh to their destruction if they return not in to the work of the said posture in time therefore let all men beware of these mens fancies and what God saies in his word we must believe it or else do worse for the Scripture speaks in this tone to man from God Thus saith the Lord as did the Prophets in old time implying what God saies in his word we must believe it and so rest and if we believe the Lord and his Prophets we shall surely prosper Again thirdly Is it so That this is the only rule suitable to all men as is proved hence observe This Rule points us unto a twofold righteousness The first is the rectitude of mans internal intentions and external operations by the force of which man rightly receives the said gift of life and this righteousness is called in Scripeure Sanctification The second righteousness is this When man by the said rectitude hath believingly received Gods gifts of Christs righteousness imputed and because in that righteousness is included life eternal Rom. 4. and acceptance with God therefore this righteousness so received is called our justification Therefore let no man presume to be acceptable with God for his own operations in the said posture that is for works as works as did the Jews before mentioned for if we do it is true we may rejoyce in our selves but not in God no more then could Abraham if he had been of this opinion as the Apostle affirms Fourthly Is it so That God makes all men good or bad according to their works vessels of honour or dishonour as is proved and as will more appear in the next Chapter Then hence observe That the absolute power and soveraign pleasure of the infinite God in reducing the reasonable creature to its final end to eternity as the Potter makes one vessel to honour and another to dishonour of the same lump he doth it only and alone by this rule so suitable to all man kind according to their works and not by a decree of reprobation personally considered upon man as is rendred by reverend Calvin in these words Not mans undeservings is the cause of mans reprobations but the will of God to reprobate the which Point the Scripture speaks not and we see it proved that thus to shape men as is thus described is Gods final end beyond which there is none for Calvins instications in the Margent p. 462. for this end he made all things for his glory as we see proved he made the whole world and all its parts for this and he ordained and elected the Lord Christ the seed of the woman to carry on and accomplish this his final end as is proved CHAP. XII In which is handled the sixth Branch of the manifold wisdom of God formerly propounded in the fifth Chapter namely the Executiou of Gods final End upon all men some to honour and some to dishonour by the said Tenor of the Gospel according to their works good or bad to men without the Church and to men within the Church visible yea and the invisible members of Christ ANd first Cain was the first man without the Church from the time he departed from Adams Family the first visible Family-Church of Christ in the world and in reference to this Point Gen. 4.14.16 the Text saith Cain went forth from the presence of Jehovah and saith Cain to him From thy face shall I be hid and saith the Text Cain was of that wicked one and slew his brother and wherefore slew he him The Text answers Because his own works were evil and his brothers righteous wherefore the Spirit of
This inferior World Mans Habitation and his preservation Thirdly This Worlds restoration by redemption And these three comprehend all the Works of God and every one had a threefold beginning known to God as concerning the first namely Angels it will be handled in the thirteenth Chapter Secondly this inferior World and Man its principal part had a threefold beginning First from its original Fountain Gods own Essence its potential and virtual productive cause and so this World in all its parts Man the chief was in God Heb. 7.9 10. as Levy was when he was not but in Abrahams loynes potentially And as that vertue was in Christ which healed the woman of the bloudy Issue before it was extended to her health and as a Rose is in its root in Winter when it is not existent so this World in all its parts had its first beginning in Gods Essence its potentiall virtual and productive cause and therefore this beginning must needs be known to God it being so in himself The second beginning of the world not in time but in the order of Nature was the second step of God to all his Works namely the Councel of his own Will for the Text saith He worketh all things after the Councel of his own Will Eph. 1.11 and so the world was framed in all its parts before it was created and so known to God in this beginning it being also in himself The third beginning of the World was when God reduced the said potency and councel as he purposed in himself Gen. i. to verse last to the production of the Creation in all its parts by his Creative word as appears in Genesis Secondly Gods work of Redemption and Restauration of the World by Christ when the Creation in all its parts in Adams transgression deservedly fell into corruption vanity and bondage but not to its depth because God immediately did interpose the imputation of Adams unrighteousness upon the whole world in all its parts Psal 145.9 Rom. 5.18 with the imputative satisfactory righteousness of Christ the second Adam and so extended his tender mercies over all his works in this inferior world Rom. 8. from 18 to 24. and so put the whole creation into a posture of travelling from that bondage of corruption unto now untill the glorious liberty of the Sons of God for this travel ariseth not from its own will or natural instinct but by God who hath subdued it by Christ's aforesaid righteousness and this work of God had a threefold beginning as well as the Creation for it is manifest by the Oracles of God that Christ the seed of the woman was from Gods potency and his councel as is implyed in that he was fore ordained to be the Redeemer in time before the world was and it is also implyed that then God look'd upon man as in the fallen Mass in Adams loynes as under blame unholy 2 Tim. 1.9 and an object not lovely For saith the Text He chose us in him before the foundation of the world that we should be holy and without blame before him in love so that he saved us and called us with one holy calling not according to our works but according to his own purpose and grace which was given to us through Iesus Christ before the world was 1 Pet. 1.10 which God that cannot lie hath promised before the world began Prov. 8.22 23 24. Therefore the great work of the worlds restauration had the aforesaid threefold beginning and is and was so known from the beginning to God 2 Tim. 1.9 and from the premises thus proved it clearly follows that not only the innumerable number of men and Angels were known to God before they or the world did exist Tit. 1.2 but also all their arbitrary motions operations and contingent workings and all contingent events were known to God as certain and not contingent to him Heb. 1.2 as that the Angels would apostate from their own habitation and tempt man and that man also would apostate from his first estate and that from two particulars First from mans remissness to Gods word and rule Secondly from the natural liberty of his will implanted in him by God which consists in this to chuse and refuse all objects as it likes or as it likes them not From this ground it is that man in his innocency might or might not sin and so the ground how God permitted sin to be both in men and Angels and the ground of all contingency in their operations events and contingencies And therefore when God would make a means to carry on his final end unchangeably he past by that contingent faculties in men and Angels and pitcht only upon the seed of the woman personally God Man ordained thereunto before the world as we see and as will appear in its due place Now the ground why God knows all his works as is proved is this also not only because he made all but also the whole Creation with the innumerable company of men and Angels together with their contingent events in all their works with all circumstances amounts but to a finite thing or things Rom. 4.17 and therefore to the infinite God are as nothing for him to know who calleth things that are not as if they were who discerneth the thoughts and intents of the heart neither is there any creature that is not manifest in his sight Heb. 4.12 13. but all things are open and naked to his eyes and saith the Text All the Nations are as a drop of the bucket and counted as the small dust of the ballance he taketh up the Isles as a very small thing all Nations are before him as nothing and they are counted unto him less then nothing and vanity And therefore it was all one to God to know all things when they were not as now when they are and are as nothing to him so much for the first thing premised namely In what sense known to God are all his works from the beginning of the world The second thing premised is this What Gods final end is for which he made all things namely both men and Angels and all his creative works subservient to them and their use In brief it is no more then this that which is and shall be upon men and Angels executed last that was in creating all things by God in order of nature intended first and that was his final end whatsoever it was But more particular this is his final end namely that he will make both men and Angels by their use of all that he hath indued them with vessels of honour or vessels of dishonour to eternity according to their works good or bad by his rule made suitable to them But as concerning men I must premise one thing before I come to the point That is all mankind departing this world in infancy or the like are considered by God under another capacity for
one extended judgement to condemnation upon all Gen. 12.1 even so we see the other removed the guilt and punishment thereof that is of Adams one offence so as never man perished for it that is for Adams one offence once committed for it came as saith the Text upon all men to justification of life as is proved Again observe That in this universal justification in the Point of remission of the said guilt and punishment so far as to put all men into a capacity to the said posture I say Hence observe That mans faith or belief was of no use in this justification for we see it came upon all men when it was neither thought on nor sought by them even when God said Adam Where art thou Seeking to save that which was lost in the seed of the woman by breaking the Serpents head as is proved Again Though in point of remission of the guilt and punishment of Adams one offence so farr as to put man into a capacity to the said posture his faith was of no use but observe that as that righteousness is a gift which brought in it the said life so also in this point mans belief of this truth is now of use namely as an instrumental qualification in point of reception of that gift for as it is a gift so it must be received for as the imputative gift gives man right unto eternal life so his reception of it gives him possession of that gift from this ground It is said He that believeth hath eternal life but he that receives it not has it not and therefore abideth in death because he hath not believed in the only begotten Son of God Again Observe therefore when the Scripture affirms man is justified by faith it is because by his belief he received this justification as is opened in this Point of Eternal life for then he hath the end of what did precede his reception thereof namely of the remission of Adams one offence and the said capacity to the said posture because he hath so received that gift of eternal life Again If this gift of righteousness thus came upon all men to justification as is described hence observe That to ascribe justification to a mans Faith or Belief is to arrogate to man that which is not his because we see it is in the said gift of righteousness and also this doth derogate from Gods glory in that gift of life as also from the glory of Christ who obtained it by his righteousness as well as the remission of the guilt and punishment of Adams one offence the said capacity to that posture in which by faith he may receive the said gift of life as precedently is proved and as will further appear in due place Again If the said gift of life came upon all men as is proved Hence observe That when the Apostle saith Abraham was justified by faith he means as faith is an instrumental qualification submitting to this righteousness of God by receiving it by belief of the Doctrine in Christ as in opposition to a supposed Doctrine of Works to attain eternal life maintained by the children of Abraham in the flesh but not his children after the faith in this Doctrine of Christ as clearly appears in the drift and scope of the third and fourth Chapter to the Romans Again If this gift of righteousness so came upon all men to justification and that before faith it justifies as in pardon of Adams one offence and so brought all mankind into the said capacity and posture and this gift of life to them then certainly God never ordained nor instituted mans faith or belief for his justification that is for acceptance to pardon of his sin and life eternal but it only comes upon man in his gift of this one righteousness as is described but for what this one righteousness is I refer the Reader to my former Treatise in pag. 113. CHAP. VII In which is handled the third Branch of the manifold Wisdom of God propounded and the first Ingredient in the said posture namely that immediately upon the said Election and Imputation God did by the Spirit of Christ put or infuse an internal disposedness into all mankind hereditarily to descend in their natural generations and so in a capacity to the said posture in which man may receive Gods said gift of eternal life TO this end immediately after the fall of Adam God dissolved the total amity of Will and operations which was between man and the Apostate Angels for God no sooner will'd it but immediately he did it by saying to the Serpent I will put enmity between thee and the woman Gen. 3.15 mans productive root for that is implyed but the foundation of it and the derivation of an internal disposedness in all mankind to the said posture was laid in the seed of the woman namely in Humane Nature in the person of Christ who only made way to it by breaking the Serpents head for as Adam in his fall deservedly brought a total internal darkness as well as death upon all men so Christ the second Adam deservedly John 1.4.9 is life and light in himself for as saith the Text In it was life and that life was the light of men this was the true light which lighteth every man that cometh into the world Thus the Spirit of Christ doth write his Law in the hearts of all mankind Rom. 2.14 as a continued Act in their natural generation from this only ground it is that all mankind do by nature the things contained in Christs Law which as saith the Text sheweth the effect of the Law written in their hearts if written then it must needs be God writ it by Christs Spirit there being no middle state between perfection before his fall and a total devastation of righteousness and holiness in his fall Again If the effect of Christs Law be in the hearts of all mankind and disposeth them naturally to do the same things as saith the Text consequently this is a disposedness to amity with God and consequently this is a disposednesse to enmity to the apostate Angels designe in all mankind according as God said I will put enmity between thee and the woman from this light of Christ in every man it is that their consciences doe accuse and excuse as the Candle of the Lord in every mans breast which he hath thus set up Again We find in men that are apostate from the said posture to Idols by custom or the acquired habits dead in sins and trespasses to that posture to receive the said gift of life yet we find in them the remainders of this light of Christ I do not mean so much remaining only among the best of the Heathens who by a patient well-doing did seek honour and glory immortality and eternal life as in the aforesaid Text Rom. 2. but as for instance those Idolaters mentioned in Jonah as appears in two particulars First they
to receive his said gift of eternal life obtained by himself CHAP. XIV Containing some usefull Observations and Answers to Questions for further clearing the precedent Premisses ANd whereas it appears from proof that God hath passed upon man a fivefold Election and Rejection in prosecution of his final end in respect to their eternal estate The first being out of the faln Mass from being one with Devils into the said posture The second being a continued act of the former by electing and rejecting two Nations the one to be Christs visible Church the other not being but vertually in the loynes of two babes their being but individually in their mothers womb unborn A third being when God electeth and rejecteth men which by their acquired habits in sin are both alike dead in relation to Christ for then we see he chuseth to inliven the minds of some and denies it to the others as he did to us Gentiles and denied it to the Jews at that time A fourth election and rejection being that execution of Christ by the visible Churches on earth chusing or receiving into the Churches men which according to the judgement of charity are believers and rejecting or refusing men which cannot be judged in charity to be believers for in this case Mat. 22.3.14 although many are called by the Gospel yet few are chosen because few believe A fift being the consummation of the precedent elections and rejections in the final execution of his said end at the day of judgement by making all men vessels of honour or dishonour to eternity according to their works good or bad and as for any other elections or rejections upon man in relation to their final estate to eternity the Scripture speaks it not And from the Premisses thus proved it appears there is no personal election of any man from Gods foresight of their faith or works nor any personal election or rejection meerly personal without respect to works good or evil but only after the councel of his own will as he purposed in himself that is to finish his said final end by those seven means formerly proved under which fals in the fivefold elections and rejections and none other But if it be objected If there be not an election personal in any of the twofold respects then by reason of the natural liberty of mans will Gods glory of his grace in Jesus Christ to eternity stands contingent may fail and fall and come to nothing I answer and deny that the stress and weight of the glory of Gods grace in Christ any way depends upon the natural liberty of mans will but the stress and weight thereof relies upon an infallible means namely the foresaid seventh means It shal bruise thy head that is infallibly and from this ground this seventh means was by the depth of Gods wisdom composed personally God-Man and therefore the stress of Gods glory by Christ depended not upon the natural liberty of Christs humane will but upon his personal operations and accordingly in that person the falne humane nature of man ascended the heavenly glory above the Angels and so the Apostate Angels chief designe in the said branch was destroyed if no more of the falne nature of man had ascended the Angels glory Secondly I answer The stress and weight thereof depends not upon the natural liberty of mans will because so much of the falne nature of man which departs this life in infancy or the like ascends the heavenly glory also notwithstanding the seed of original sin that is in them because the imputation of Christs righteousness upon the world did interpose the imputation of Adams unrighteousness upon the world and so is the Lamb of God which taketh away the sins of the world as is proved Thirdly I answer the stress and weight of the glory of Gods grace in Christ in man having the use of his understanding dependeth not upon the natural liberty of his will but the stress thereof dependeth upon the Spirit of Christ striving with mans spirit in the Gospel for if those men perish by the abuse of the natural liberty of their wils quenching and resisting this Spirit so striving that they put away this eternal life yet nevertheless God has the glory of his grace in Christ in their destruction because no man since the fall is condemned by a Law of works properly such but by the justice of the Law of grace in Jesus Christ namely the Gospel Tenor or Rule of mercy and justice as before is proved From this ground the Ministers of the Gospel are the sweet savour unto God in Jesus Christ in them that perish Fourthly I answer The glory of Gods grace depends not upon the natural liberty of mans will but upon the universal favour of God to man in Christ for had those that are perished been faithfull in the said little which he in Christ hath given them then he would have given them more and more even to his gift of faith rightly to receive Christ and in that faith have given them three degrees that is from babes to young men and Fathers in Christ and in the last degree he would have confirmed them in that union and communion with himself by Christ that nothing should be able to separate them from him nor him from them in that blessed union and communion And because God was thus real towards them the glory of his grace redounds eternally to his praise for it must follow that their destruction is of themselves therefore the glory of Gods grace stands stable to eternity in Christ notwithstanding the liberty of mans will and its contingent events And for conclusion take these following Observations First In regard God created the natural liberty of mans will purposly to be one means to his said final end that from the contingency of its events mens works might be good or bad so to be rendred vessels of honour or dishonour to eternity therefore that opinion of both those personal elections and that of personal rejection falling point-blank to cross this means or to make it of no use must needs be a great mistake Secondly hence observe That although the Spirit of Christ strives as is said with the spirits of all men in all places of the world that it taketh up his dwelling place only in the heart or spirit of man when he is a right believer and not before Quest If it is demanded What the Scripture means by the dwelling of Christs Spirit in the hearts of believers and in none else Answ I answer first Although the infinite Essence of God is not contained in the heaven of heavens that he was pleased for a time to take up his dwelling place only in the Temple in Jerusalem and in no place else in all the world even so he was pleased to take up his dwelling place in the Humane Nature bodily in the person of Christ and so in no humane nature besides of this the said Temple was a
persisted in quenching and also in resisting the said Spirit by following lying vanities and so forsaking his own mercies as did Demas and the seven Churches of Asia till God removed the Candlestick from them and left them in darknesse and Demas to imbrace this present world Is it so That the Gospel and the Universe of this Creation has a tendency and bends joyntly as one in mans universal good and vertually to breed in him the faith of God in Iesus Christ as is proved Then hence observe That those that stand in an universal relation to men at the Stern of Magistracy as Gods stand bound universally to further the good of man not of this life only but of that which is to come namely to set up in their Territories and Dominions in all convenient places the Preaching of the Gospel to beget the belief of God in Iesus Christ in the minds of men CHAP. XI In which is handled the third particular in the said Rule namely to let all men see how suitabble this Rule is to them THe suitableness whereof is opened in nine particulars as first It has its Institution in Gods word of truth and the natural property of the understanding of all men being as is proved to follow truth as such or as it appears to be such wherefore we see the Apostate Angels came to our first Parents in the appearance of truth therefore it is universally suitable to all mankind in this respect Secondly This rule tenders to man not only a good to be received by his operations according to it but also his sweetest and chiefest good namely to enjoy God in belief of the truth in this life and according to truth to eternity in the next and so this rule is suitable to mans will whose natural property is to follow good or as it appears so to be as the natural property of the eye is to follow the light wherefore the Apostate Angels came to us in our first parents as is proved in appearance of a good wherefore this rule is universally suitable to all men in this respect Thirdly ever since the fall of Adam God in his word requires no man by his workings to attain eternal life for himself or others but only by his workings in the said posture to receive eternal life attained only by the Lord Christ and given imputatively by God himself therefore this rule is universally suitable to all men none excepted but Christ himself Fourthly Because the natural liberty of mans will consists in this namely to chuse and refuse all objects as it likes them or as it likes them not as is proved And because this rule tenders a twofold object to will or nill that is to chuse or refuse namely good or evil that is eternal life or death for it to chuse or refuse therefore it is universally suitable to all in this respect none excepted Fifthly because this just and mercifull rule admits mercy to man after he hath not done well according to his said posture man being ever since the fall imperfect therefore this rule is suitable universally to all men none excepted but Christ the Lord. Sixthly Because it is propper to all men which propound to themselves an end in their workings to ground those workings and operations upon their own belief or faith of a good to be attained and attainable as do Merchants which send or go by Sea or Land for wealth or the like or upon their own belief of some evil or danger as did these Marriners which to avoid the danger of death by their operations cast the wheat out of the Ship into the Sea and therefore because this rule requires mans own belief of Gods truth and the said good and to avoid the contrary evil to be the ground of all their operations in the said posture He that believes shall be saved he that will not believe shall be damned as is proved Wherefore because this Rule requires all men thus to make their own belief as is said the ground of their operations in this posture therefore this rule is universally suitable to all men none excepted but men that are dead in sins and trespasses by acquired habits herein or sots idiots mad men or the like From this ground it is that our Lord saith This is the work of God That ye believe and so forth and from this ground it is that Abrahams believing operations in this posture Rom. 4.4 was so much respected as opposed to men that made their own works as works in this posture to be the ground only of their acceptance with God to eternal life and from this ground namely That man makes his own belief of Gods truth and the said good to be the ground of his operations in this said posture it is that faith is so highly extol'd in Scriptures by the Spirit of Christ for in so doing they render unto God the sole glory of all his truth and goodness revealed in the seed of the woman Christ the Lord and his imputed righteousness and Gods gift of life therein Seventhly Because mans reasonable soul or spirit is of an everlasting duration and never to be extinct and mans body when raised a spiritual body so to be also and because this rule tenders to man an estate of well and woe of an everlasting duration and that all things else under the Sun are only suitable to his moldring body and to a change as also is it therefore this rule is universally suitable to all men in this respect none excepted Eightly Because this rule not only admits man to do well after he hath done evil as is said but when he so returns admits pardon of the guilt and punishment due to him for his sin or sins as is proved therefore this rule is suitable to all men capable to operate to this rule Christ only excepted in whom was no sin Ninthly Because God hath given an impression and dictate of the effect of this rule as it respects its execution in reference to his final end in the minds of all men naturally namely that he will render unto all men according to their works and from this ground it is that the consciences of all men do either excuse or accuse them according to their own works good or bad the which is the dictate of this rule and Gods said final end as is said therefore this rule is universally suitable to all men none excepted From the Premisses thus proved ariseth these following Observations First That this Gospel as carrying along in it this Tenor a just and a mercifull rule is it which all mankind are under to work by in relation to their eternal state and none other as is proved Hence saith the Apostle The Gospel was Preached unto us as to them meaning to us in the last daies as to the Jews and unto all in former ages before them wherefore not any of mankind since the fall ever was or now is nor never shall