THE Fullness and Freeness OF GOD'S GRACE IN JESUS CHRIST; DECLARED In the Point of Election, by a middle way between Calvin and Arminius, and different from them both, In an uniform Body of Divinity.  
By Francis Duke.  
LONDON, Printed by Richard Oulton and Gregory Dexter, Anno Dom. 1642.   

THE EPISTLE TO THE READER.  
GENTLE READER,  
IN this Treatise, you have the general scope of sacred Scriptures, cleared from Genesis the first, to Revelations the last; and to induce you to read it without prejudice, you shall find this encouragement, that there is nothing which will lead you to arrogate to yourself that which is not yours, nor to derogate from God's glory, which ever of right is his, and also to induce you to read it heedfully, here is God's good will intended to you, whether you are an Heathen or Christian, within the confines of Christendom, or in the remotest parts of the world; and to either without difference in respect of the end, viz. eternal life, although different in respect of the means leading to that end, the which difference you shall find distinctly and clearly manifested from sacred Scriptures: therefore apply your mind to prudence in true godliness, that is, according to your light, pitch upon the right end, and then by patience in welldoing, orderly apply the means to the end, because to this prudence, our Saviour hath by promise entailed his further assistance herein, saying, I Wisdom dwell with Prudence, and find out the knowledge of witty inventions; if thou keep them within thee, they shall withal be fitted in thy lips, Prov. 22. verse 18. and Chap. 8.12.  
Yours in CHRIST JESUS, F. D.   

The general Method of the whole BOOK.  

CHAP. I. OF the first estate of man.  
Nature perfect rendered Adam a fourfold good.  
1. His Personal perfections.  
2. A continued support of the same.  
3. With the parts of the whole Creation, Adam had an oneness or selfness, from whence in him did the second Table of the moral Law originally spring.  
4. The perfections of the whole creation led Adam to a perfect union with God in the original of the first Table of the moral Law, and also to a perfect righteousness and holiness.   

CHAP. II. Of the second Estate of man.  
Man in his perfect nature entered into a covenant of works with God, which was his second Estate, in which is declared these four particulars.  
1. What the place was wherein this work was to be done.  
2. What the figures of that place were in respect to the work in the Covenant.  
3. What Adam's obedience in the work of the Covenant was.  
4. What was the intended end in the Covenant.   

CHAP. III. Of the third Estate of man.  
Opening the State of the world in the fall of Adam, wherein is handled:  
1. What we lost.  
2. What we lost not.  
3. What we found: first, the evil of sin; secondly, the evil of punishment.   

CHAP. FOUR Of the fourth Estate of man.  
1. That the fallen world was redeemed and restored by the second Adam.  
2. God appointed him so to be, and so to do before the world was.  
3. That in the point of time when the first Adam fell from the work of the Covenant, than the Lord Jesus as the second Adam, entered into the same work.  
4. That this entrance removed for ever that judgement which upon the fall was to pass upon the world to execution, so as never man perished for the same.  
5. By Christ the world together with all mankind was then estated to go on, travelling towards that perfection it lost in Adam's fall.  
6. Fourteen Objections against the premises are answered.   

CHAP. V.  
Wherein is laid down a fifth general point, scil. That God's proceed in this fourth estate of man, is intending & extending eternal life to all and every individual of mankind alike, without any personal respect- through all ages, the which point is referred to three heads.  
1. From the time that Adam was cast out of the garden of Eden to Abraham's time.  
2. From Abraham's to Christ's coming in the flesh, and manifested in the Gospel.  
3. From that time to his coming to judgement the first part of time is handled and finished in this Chapter.  
The second part of time is handled and finished in the sixth Chapter, and ninth Chapter to the Romans is expounded.  
The 7 th'. Chapter is answer to a question propounded at the end of the 6 th'. Chapter, viz. in what estate for eternal life stood all the Gentiles or Heathens till they were called to Christ by the Gospel.  
The eighth Chapter is an introduction to the third part of time.  
The ninth Chapter openeth what was God's extraordinary call of the Gentiles in the third part of time.  
The 10 th'. 11 th'. 12 th'. Chapters openeth what was, and is God's ordinary proceed in the third part of time, and shall be, till time shall be no more, and in the 12 th'. Chapter is answered 13. Objections.    

A Table containing the Particular contents of this TREATISE.  

THe Covenant which God made with Adam was only it which originally gave mankind right and power to inherit the heavenly glory. Page 10. 11.  
How by creation the first Adam was made a living soul, and how by the covenant he was made a quickening spirit, the which quickening spirit is now only originally from the second Adam. page 12, 13.  
That the two globes of this inferior world shall be changed into a nature, for kind near to the spiritual nature of the glorified bodies of the Saints, toward which it groningly traveleth with them. pag● 34, 3●.  
In Adam's fall we lost all good that is communicated to us by the creation, and also that intended by God for us, by instituting the Covenant, as appears, by comparing Gods proceed in our redemption by Christ, Chap. 4. p. 17. 25, 26.  
By God's justice in the covenant for Adam's sin we were more deeply dead in sin then now we can be, although twice dead in sin, and plucked up by the roots. page 20  
The manner how God cast Adam out of the Garden of Eden distinctly explained. p. 48  
The grounds why God so loved the fallen world that he gave his Son the second Adam Christ jesus to redeem it. page 40. 41.  
That man now sinneth not against God by the rule of that covenant then made with the first Adam. page 39  
When we in the fall were internally and totally devils, yet in the restauration of the fallen world by the promised seed God put into the nature of man an internal principle disposing him to come to receive his gift of faith and salvation in Christ. pag. 28  
Gods distinct proceed to Cain and Abel, pag. 95  
Man was justified before faith, and without it. page 32  
Faith and works foreseen nor any respect to man's person was any ground why God accepted or elected man to eternal blessedness. page 33, 61, 65  
All mankind dying in Infancy or natural Idiots, or the like, are saved by Christ, and the grounds why. pag. 36. 37, 38. 44. 45  
How by tradition, the ten Fathers before the flood by belief 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 than his justice in their destruction, yet all that perished in that flood perished not eternally. p. 55  
That upon Noah his offering in a figure Christ's satisfactory sacrifice, God renewed his mercy universally to the world. page 56, 57  
A particular description how Noah's first offspring carried themselves to God ungratefully for that mercy, and how God proceeded against them for that. page 58  
From whence all hellish Paganism did originally spring. page 59  
Because of man's apostasy from God in the object of justification, therefore he confined the Oracle which conveyed that object to narrow bounds three times. pag, ibid.  
What the number of eight did signify 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 universal apostasy then fitted to destruction. page 60 61  
In what sense God hated Esau & loved jacob, p. 65. 72, 73  
That the Church of the Gentiles shall never totally departed from Christ, as hath the Church of the Jews. 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 God's Book 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 he would have man put Christ to death, so as he 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 do follow the misapprehending of Moses Law. page 78. 79  
What made the way to eternal life narrow to mankind, yet in that narrow way man might, and some did attain eternal life. Chap. 7.  
That God directed the second Adam as well as the first by Allegories to his eternal happiness in the work of the world's redemption, to which he was borne, in five relations. P. 100  
A definition what that truth is, to which Christ was the faithful and true witness. page 101  
What righteousness of Christ it is, which is imputed or accounted to man in general, or to the Saints more special. page 113  
That God never reprobated man personally to unavoidable damnation. page 112. 113  
That his pouring out of his spirit extraordinarily upon all flesh was twofold. page 115.  
Of the Jews rejection in wrath. page 85. 86  
Of the Jews reception to mercy. page 86. 87  
Of the Lord's Supper, or in what sense Christ's flesh is meat indeed, and his blood is drink indeed. page 66  
Of Baptism. page 37. 38  
A definition when the spirit of a man under the covenant of grace is dead in sins 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 rendereth, to the Saints for their good and evil works done in the body, page 140. 141 142  
The manner how God perfecteth justifying faith in the Saints. pag● 134 to 138  
That the natural liberty of the will, is no bar to keep man from an undissoluble union with God in the object of justification. page 150 151  
Of Manass●s, salomon's, Paul's and Peter's different backslidings. pag. 149. 150  
God loved Abraham, Daniel and David, being considered personally, no more than the persons of other men generally. page 150. 151  
In what sense the Saints reigned with Christ a thousand years. 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 righteousness, than it is freed by Christ, therefore to attribute any thing well done by man from the force of his pure naturals absurd. page 150. 151  
That God willed not Adam's fall to the damnation of man, yet God willeth the damnation of all that perish eternally. page 150. 154  
A brief description of the Antichrist. p. 155. 156, 157  
From the whole Treatise, as opening the main scope of the Scriptures, is definitively laid down what was God's decree before the world was, after the counsel of his own will, concerning the eternal state of mankind. page 167. 168    

Errata.  
PAge 5 line 15. for God read good, p 6. l. 32. erfections r. perfections. p. 7. l. 4. boded, r. lodged. p. 11. l. 12. Adaras. r. adam's. p. 13. l. 42. forth, r. earth. p. 19 l. 36. condition, r. condition. p. 23. cap. 4. l. 5. after work, r. of. p. 73. in marg. untorne r. unborn. p. 79. l. 29. blot out fare. p. 86. in marg. external, r. eternal. 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 Adam's pure Naturals, which was his first Estate.  
THe first Adam in this world, passed through four 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 evil; and this was the estate of the creation.  
The second propounded to him good and evil, and this was the State of the Covenant between God and him.  
The third was his transgression, namely, his fall; and this produced him the loss of all good, and an hereditary possession of evil totally and eternally.  
The fourth was the State of the Restauration of the world by the second Adam's Redemption, and this propounded to him and all mankind good and evil.  
The Estate of the felicity of the Creation produced to Adam a fourfold good:  
First his Personal perfections: secondly, his continual support of the same: thirdly, an oneness or selfness with the parts of the whole creation: fourthly, the perfections of the whole creation, led his reasonable soul in love by his senses to a perfect union with God: Of these in their order.  
First, his Personal Perfections are described by Moses, Gen. 2 7 in three particulars; first, the Lord God form 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 soul's creation by infusion: thirdly, man became a living soul that is completely composed in his Vegetative, Sensitive, and rationals: or in his Personal 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 fearfully and wonderfully made; marvellous are thy works, and that my soul knows right well, Psal. 139. verse 14.  
Secondly God rendered to him by the whole perfections of the creation, a continued supportation of his Personal perfections, and therefore he 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 Personal perfection out of it; Therefore as the spangled sky with Lamps of light in their order, was of his House but the seiled roof: so also the earth with its most perfect fragrancy 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 nutrimental support, so also the virtual force of the celestial and terrestrial globe, in a mutual efflux, did not only with their most sweet imbreathing, internally maintain that compound of Adam's sweet an● subtle life in his Personal perfections; but also to his body externally naked, by their mutual touch, was to it raiment, not only 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 oneness or selfness with the parts of the whole Creation; It is true, Earth, Air, 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 himself.  
Again, 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 nails of his fingers, toes, and other parts, as parts of himself.  
Again, the nature and lives of sensitive Creatures were not the nature of Adam, as in the Beasts and Birds and other of that general nature; yet their kinds of nature was in his: as in his touch, taste, hearing, smelling and seeing, as parts of himself; but the woman's nature was his, and his hers; as flesh of his flesh, a●● bone of his bone, and so the most proper root to produce their own kind.  
And from this universal oneness or selfness of natures did naturally 
* The first original of the second Table of the moral law.  spring in the mind of Adam in his pure Naturals, the second Table of the moral Law, namely, To love thy Neighbour as thyself.  
As for the Essence of Adam's reasonable soul, although he knew it fare more than we do ours, yet he knew it not but by its effects: So also, the intrinsical forms of all creatures, although he knew them by their effects more than we can, and in that respect saw a kind of selfness of the souls of all creatures with himself fare more than we can; yet in respect of their specificating form, which internally gave this thing to be this, and that to be that.  
This to him was invisible: as was his own reasonable soul, which was his intrinsical form primarily specificating him from other creatures.  
And the reason why the internal form or soul, or being of all creatures even to the being of a stone is invisible, is this, because man's reasonable soul being involved in an Elementary body, although perfect, is clouded to perceive his own nature, or the like: For as God's essential perfection, by reason of his unmeasurable perfections, is removed fare from sense and weak reason; and therefore unperceiveable and invisible to man; so also is the manner known only to God, how all things subsist in him, and receive the continuation of their subtle lives and beings individually.  
And the universal ground of this selfness between all creatures and Adam in the creation, is this; because the whole creation consisting of many parts, was but one effect or offspring of God, as his Generation; yet not by any derivation of his Essence essentially, but by his powerful production by creation wondrously.  
As first, from a mere nothing to a formless mass, 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 mankind, but we must believe it, because God hath said it, Acts 17. verse 28.  
Fourthly, the perfections of the whole creation, led Adam's reasonable soul, by his senses, to a perfect union of love in God, which was his most proper blessedness in the state of creation: for although the soul's infusion was the best o his being; yet it was no part of his blessedness, for that was but the uniting of two created natures to make his personal 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 mutual 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 only 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 goodness.  
For, first to his understanding, by all his senses was conveyed the truth of God's power and wisdom, in the wonderful composure of all creatures, in their several shapes, natures, kinds, qualities and virtues, harmoniously amiable, but chief Adam's personal perfections so beautiful, and his reasonable soul, the mirror of God's work of power and wisdom; and all jointly together gave Adam a concludent proof, that God in himself 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 natural property of his understanding, which naturally looks at truths.  
Secondly, also to his will was an agreeableness in goodness: First in respect of the things themselves; all good, yea very good by Gods own testimony: Secondly to Adam as an Ocean of good universally terminating all their forces and virtues of their perfections to his harmonising support, as before is declared.  
Again, Adam himself 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 agreeableness, universally to his will, which naturally looked at God as the eye doth follow the light; So that if Adam was created in knowledge, after the Image of him that created him (as certainly he was) than man's original righteousness in his pure naturals was this, namely, 
Col. 3.10. Eph. 4.24.  man 
* Man's original righteousness.  operating understandingly from the effect to the cause, from the whole creation to the Creator, according to the rules of the perfections of the creation, as to him in whom he and they did live, move, and had their being.  
The reason why thus to operate, was his natural righteousness, is, because it was right according to the perfection of that truth which shined in the perfections of the creatures to him.  
Again, his holiness in his pure naturals was this: his operating according to the perfections of the creatures in the 
Man's original holiness.  purity of his perfect love to God, in all, through all, and above all, living not so much amongst the perfection of the creatures, where he was as in God whom he so loved, and the reason why, in these perfections of love was contained his natural holiness, was this: Because by it he did not only set God above all creatures, but also by it he did rightly dedicate himself to Gods use only, and alone with all his soul, with all his heart, and with all his strength; for it is the property of love to add to the perfection of the thing loved, more than to itself, as we see in jonathan and Moses, etc.  
That Adam had this in the perfection of it, is proved thus; if all love in men generally doth arise from that agreeableness which is between the subject and the object; as certainly it doth, then in Adam most of all, because to him (the Subject) God (the Object) did shine in all the perfection of the creation in a suitable agreeableness, in all things in all respects, as before is proved.  
Therefore in Adam there was the truth of that perfect love to God again; and not only the truth but the uttermost extent of love in the strength thereof: for if the beauty of the Object being transparent to the Subject, will draw forth all the strength, which is in the Subject to itself, as in I●nathan to David, 
2 Sam. 1.26. Exod. 32.32.  and Moses to God then much more did it draw forth Adam's love to God, as the most transparent object of beauty, being an object of infinite goodness excitively drawing out his soul in all his strength in a liking and uniting affections in all, through all, and above all.  
And from this Principle in his mind did naturally 
* The first original of the first Table of the moral law.  spring the first Table of the moral Law, namely, to love God with all the soul, and with all the strength: and here I will note these five observations for conclusion of this Chapter.  
First, that man in his innocency, in the perfections of his righteousness and holiness was but the receiver of all his good; as his being passively by creation; and his blessedness actively by reception, as by his sense, his reason, will and affections, he enjoyed God.  
And what had he that he had not received? for it is proper to God alone to be being and blessedness in himself and of himself; Therefore both men and Angels are but receivers of all their good from God.  
Secondly, here observe, that the perfection of the creation in the estate of pure naturals, had no dependency upon Adam's Personal perfections; or his perfect operations, whereby they could keep, or lose their created perfections by him; therefore it was from some other cause, whereby they became subject to fall into vanity; for in this estate Adam depended upon them for the support of his Personal perfections and operations, but not they upon him; for they were created in their flourishing perfections before Adam was: All being made, first in their immediate dependency upon God; but he last: therefore in this estate they had no such dependency upon him.  
Thirdly, here observe, that man perfect in holiness and righteousness, did not by false apprehensions, interpose the good in the Creatures, betwixt God and him, to cut off his blessed union of love to God, nor God from him, for he by that perfect love loaded himself, and all that created good in Go● from whom it came, and so returning to God the glor● of all his works which he had created and made, and so gave God full content.  
Fourthly, observe that in the estate of perfect Creation of the world, God established his Glory to return to him, in a mutual concordancy of man's good, and no otherwise; and therefore the state of Creation produced man good, and no evil; for God looked upon all, and saw it was all good, as liking it well.  
Fiftly observe, that although Adam did believe God to be being and blessedness in himself and of himself, and communicating all blessedness to him, yet this estate to Adam was not an estate of Faith, for Adam's belief of all this, did arise to him by natural demonstration, from the perfections of the Creation, according with the perfection of his Senses, and Reason, and so to his will.  
Therefore all to him was but Natural; but in an estate of Faith, to live by Faith in God.  
First for the thing believed, it must be Supernatural.  
Secondly, man his mind must depend for the attaining of it upon the credit he gives to the word of God, which only declares the thing to him, but so was not this Estate, and therefore this was not an Estate of Faith to Adam.  
But his next estate to this, was an Estate of Faith; namely, the work of the Covenant, which is the next ground to be treated of.  
And so much for Adam's first Estate, being naturally perfect in all.   

CHAP. II. Opening the Covenant between God and man.  
GOD having revealed to Moses the Creation of the World, he in the next place makes known to him a Garden, that was Planted by God himself, without the help of man, in which place comes in the second Estate of Adam. before his fall, and his entrance into this Garden, was to enter into Covenant with God, and God with him, for good and evil, for this Estate did not propose good only to Adam, as did the Estate of Creation 
* Adam was by God fitly enabled to perform the Covenant, in the behalf of God and the world, before God called him to so weighty a business; and the reasons why God led Adam from one perfect State to a higher, a●e primarily two, first because the created perfections of this world, could not direct or admit him to enjoy God, answerable to his vast comprehension, being a Spirit so near the Angelical nature: secondly, because God was delighted to receive his glory at as high a pitch, as his reasonable creature could apprehend or comprehend its felicity, to all eternity. ; but good and evil, was in the Covenant propounded unto him. I call it a Covenant,  
First, because here was Conditions between God and Adam for life and death; I say for life and death, to Adam and all mankind comprehended in general, under the names of good and evil, good to be rendered, if he did obey the Rule of the Covenant, evil if he did disobey it.  
Secondly, those conditions were agreed on by Adam, with a full consent, he being than not only in the perfections of the second Table of the Law, as to love his Neighbour as himself; 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 Soul●, and with all his Strength; therefore he readily concluded this Covenant with God for the world in this different Estate from the former.  
But for the clear opening of this Second Estate, I will propound four things.  
First, what this Garden was.  
2 What its signification was.  
3 What adam's obedience in it was.  
4 What was the end God intended by Adam's obedience in this Covenant,  
First, this Garden was but a part of the Terrestrial 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 Adam's delightful consolation, and some for his nutrimental 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 knowledge of good and evil Gen. 2.8.  
Into this Garden came a River to replenish it in fruitfulness, and coming in but one, there God divided it into four, and from thence it did run down the terrestrial Globe four ways, as saith the Text, And a River went out of Eden to water the Garden, and from thence it was parted, and came into faure heads, etc. 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 took the man, and put him into the Garden of Eden to dress it, and to keep it, Verse 5.  
And so much for what this plantation was.  
Certainly this was for some further end and use, than was the perfections of the whole terrestrial Globe,; for all the trees of this Plantation or Garden, were vegetables in their perfections, as were those on the whole terrestrial Globe: Therefore this Garden, as a plantation by sequestration and signification) made the only difference between it and the world.  
And the signification in general, was but this; that as in future time the land of Canaan, with all it's fruitful splendour, did prefigure the celestial Canaan. As to the second Adam, as appears Chap. 8. So this to Adam in the beginning of time did prefigure the same Angelical felicity of Divine glory in the Heaven of heavens.  
From this ground God made the Garden to excel the glory of the whole terrestrial globe, that by faith Adam's soul might be raised to work by love to God, feeding on Angel's food by belief of truth.  
So much for the general signification.  
Again, more particularly: First, whereas God did not commit the whole terrestrial globe, but only this part, (as the glory of the world) to Adam's dressing and keeping.  
This figuratively implies, that now by virtue of God's Ordinance, the creation had its dependence for its good, natural and supernatural; or for an evil equivalently contrary upon Adam's operations in this Covenant. And here came in the only ground, how by Adam the creation could be raised higher, or lose its supernatural perfections, and become subject to vanity, Rom. 8.  
Whereas God caused to grow up in the midst of the Garden a natural tree, naming it the Teee of life; this figured to Adam, that he (to his natural posterity, in obeying the work of the Covenant by belief of truth) should (from Divine Justice) be as a tree in his branches of natural perfections, growing up to a celestial life; or as a flourishing tree of eternal life. But now this tree of life is only in Christ Jesus the second Adam, to all right believers, Rev. 2.7.  
This River running down its crystal streams four several ways, from this Paradise of terrestrial pleasure as from the Throne of God, prefigured to Adam's faith God's justice, as pure streams of waters of celestial life; for his obedience (according to the Covenant) should successively run down to render eternal 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 loins; but now this River only issues from the second Adam in the doctrine of truth and mercy conveying God's gift of his imputed righteousness 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 evil; prefigured to Adam's faith summarily, all contained in the Covenant; that is, the Knowledge of good equivalent to Angels; or the knowledge of evil 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 Adam's terrestrial perfections, was supernatural; for it is one thing for Adam to know by the perfections of the creation; that God was able to create a supernatural glory, he appearing by it Infinite in Wisdom, Power and Goodness.  
And another thing, that he had created it, and would bring him to it, if he did obey the rule of the Covenant; for the perfections of the creation did demonstrate to Adam, that God was able to do such a thing, but no more but the Covenant by God Word was expressed for a contrary evil.  
And all those prefigurations and significations from the agreeableness of the type with the antitype, did make known to Adam, that the supernatural glory was made, and in being also from the word knowledge of good, that he should ascend to enjoy it to all eternity, if he did obey the rule of the Covenant, or an evil equivalently contrary if he did disobey; and therefore, because supernatural, all was needful to strengthen Adam's faith, to withstand the temptation, in point of trial, 
See this point cleared to the 13. Objection in Chap. 12.  for God doth nothing in vain.  
And so much for what the Garden or Plantations signification was, with respect to Adam's work 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 natural being to be a means to a supernatural end, by eating the fruits of this Garden: for as in the precedent estate of creation, he was to eat of the fruit of the creation for his nutrimental 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 eat freely, Gen. 1.29. Gen. 2.16.  
The negative rule was it by which he was to improve his strength of body and mind to God by obedience, namely, the forbearing to eat of the tree of knowledge of good and evil; but of the Tree of Knowledge of good and evil thou shalt not eat, etc. 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 God's allowance without restraint, yet in this Garden or Plantation, by this rule he was to suffer this restraint, namely, to deny himself to eat of the fruit of this Tree of knowledge of good and evil, upon pain of most dreadful consequences; for, saith the Text, In the day that thou eatest thereof, thou shalt certainly die the ●●●ath, Verse 17.  
Although in the perfection of the creation, God rendered his sweet imbreathing, very good, and no evil, yet in this Garden the obedience of these rules bound them to suffer the imbreathing of the assaults of Satan that evil one in point of trial. 
(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 trial had been no trial to the improvement of their natural perfections of righteousness and holiness to God's Covenant in point of good and evil.  
And again, this negative rule led them to active obedience in two particulars: first the fruits of this tree of good and evil being naturally good food, it required of them a diligent observation of their natural appetite, lest it might dispose them to transgress the rule of the Covenant.  
This rule led them in stead of feeding their bodies with the fruit of this tree, to feed their souls by belief of the signified knowledge of good, equivalent to Angels in glory; or with the signified knowledge of evil equivalently contrary in eternal misery.  
So much for this point, what Adam's obedience in the Covenant was.  
Lastly, the intended end of God's Covenant with Adam, was of great consequence, for it respected God, all mankind, the World, and the Devil; for what if Satan's lie to the woman, pretended that there was no truth in God's word, for their death, if they did transgress, saying, ye shall not die at all: and what if Satan did make God to them to be but a mere imposture, as only pretending, that Angelical good, but never intended it, for to the woman (in the Serpent) he said, God doth know that in the d●y that ye eat thereof, your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as Gods knowing good and evil. He not denying a higher good intended in the Covenant, but implying Gods command, was the only thing that kept him from attaining it.  
I say, what of all this? for if he had (in belief of God's word) abstained from eating the fruit, according to the rule of the Covenant, than they had not only freed themselves, from being murdered, the world had not been destroyed, God's word had not been nullified Satan had not (in the belief of his lies) been magnified b●t on the contrary, from their belief of truth working to God by love; God (over all by his word of truth) had been glorified in two respects. 1 Because 
(b) So that God's justice would have been glorified to all eternity in the ●irst, demonstrating his righteousness and goodness in the eternal felicity of all mankind with Angels. 2. righteously demonst●ating his wrath in the Apostate Angel's o● Devils, by Adam's repeling their lies, yet not but that justice precedently did in the right of God's glory, pass to immediate execution on those Apostate Angels, and by their murdering of Adam, God's justice from thence did superabound upon them by Gods giving way to them to bruise the heel of Christ in the aggravation of their malice, so tha●●hey we●e not o●ly ●●cluded Angels glory at the 〈◊〉 but sh●ll d●●w upon themselves the latitude of God's Attributes, glorious in wisdom power, and his ireful justice to all eternity, when God shall lose their chains of darkness by which they are reserved unto that day, at the remembrance whereof they tremble.  by his Justice according to the Covenant, the natural perfections of the Creatures, together with man in his pure Naturals, for wages to Adam's work should have received a quickening Spirit, and man in the perfection of faith; So travailing together towards their celestial perfections. 2. And Satan's lies (by belief of God's truth nullified, and consequently Satan most justly condemned, for a liar, and murderer of mankind, the destroyer of all the works of God, and adjudged for a most impudent blasphemer of God, and all this would immediately have followed upon Adam's perfect repelling of Satan's temptations.  
For the Justice of the Covenant was express, 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.  
Again, a second reason is drawn from the nature of the Covenant, which was for good and evil, therefore no middle Estate, but good or evil immediately, even as upon Adam's offence, judgement passed upon all to condemnation: So on the contrary, if Adam had obeyed the Rule of the Covenant, there would have been produced a posterity through all Generations, ascending successfully to the Elect Angels in Angelical glory in perfect union, in soul and body, for the Covenant was for all mankind alike in good.  
But it may be objected, man's body in its pure naturals, being but flesh and blood, Object. in an Elementary compound could neither ascend nor be able to inherit the spiritual Glory suitable to the nature of Angels, so powerfully glorious, therefore that Angelical glory was not intended in the Covenant.  
Although man's natural body could not inhabit that Kingdom as St. Paul affirms, 1 Cor. 15.50. Answer. yet that body natural made a spiritual body, is a powerful body as St. Paul affirms. 1 Cor. 15.43. And therefore it could both ascend and inherit with Angels; for if Adam had ●●ept the negative Rule of the Covenant as is declared, then as in the perfection of nature, he was made a living Soul, so in the justice of the Covenant, God would have made him to his posterity a quickening Spirit, not only in the perfection of Faith, living a spiritual life in his pure Naturals, but would also have quickened his natural Elementary body, with a spiritual Nature, powerful to ascend and inherit the glory of Angels, successively to the last man that should live on the Forth; but now in the second Adam only, is this twofold quickening Spirit found, who only is the Resurrection and the life of man, as St. Paul affirms 1 Cor. 15.45.  
Object. But it may be further objected, the second Adam's body and soul were separated, and his body raised from the grave, not a spiritual, but a natural body of flesh and blood, therefore man's natural body of flesh and blood, doth inherit the Kingdom of God in the glory of Angels.  
The second Adam must be considered as a sinner, not in his nature, Answer. nor an actual transgressor, but imputatively a sinner, for he was so made sin for us, that we might be made the righteousness of God, given us imputatively in him.  
But if the first Adam had kept the Covenant, than no sin; therefore no separation of God from him, or the soul from God which was his death, nor of Soul from Body, which was but the shadow of death, but he should have ascended in perfect union of love, natural and supernatural to God and his Neighbour, in the perfect union of Soul & Body, and should have known no separation in either, for their bodies should have been made spiritual by a change, as shall all men's which shall be found living at the general judgement of the second Adam, as Saint Paul affirms 1 Cor. 15.33.  
As for Christ's body being raised a natural body of flesh and blood, and continued so forty days on earth: it was for a special end, that his body was detained from being glorified that space, namely to be a firm object of Faith, even to men's senses to confirm belief in them, that He was He, that had fulfilled all righteousness for the restauration of the world, that he might say to doubting Thomas and truly to● reach hither thy finger and behold my hands, and reach hither thy hand and thrust it into my side, and be not faithless, but believe; and therefore to this purpose he showed himself to five hundred Brethren at once. john 20.27. Lu. 24.39.  
But that touch which he propounded to Thomas, he denied to Mary, saying, touch me not, and gives her this as a reason why she must not touch him, namely, because he was not ascended to his Father: implying by his speeches to these two, Thomas and Mary.  
First, that to man doubting the truth of him, as the object of justification, the touch of his crucified body was a help.  
Secondly, to Faith confirmed in his Resurrection, as was Maries, his body spiritualised and 
* Christ body being now made a spiritual body Essentially considered, and not a body of flesh and blood, then how can that be true, that he will come in the flesh and reign in this Elementary world, 1000 years?  glorified by his Ascension, was its most proper object of belief, joh. 20 17. Col. 3.1.  
Yet I do not mean, that the glorious body of Christ is, or that man's body should have been, nor shall be made a mere Spirit, as is the reasonable Souls of mankind; but I mean, that the Lord jesus Christ is, and man's body shall be changed into a Nature fare nearer the nature of the reasonable Soul, than it was created, or now is, yet a body still, and every man his own body, but every way more able to answer the righteous desires and motions of the reasonable Soul much like the Angels which immediately accord to do Gods will to his eternal praise and glory.  
Again, as concerning the creation, I do not mean, that it should have been, if the first Adam had stood, nor now shall be by the second adam's fulfilling the same Covenant and more be made so spiritual a Nature, as are the highest Heavens, the most immediate expressions that shadowed forth the Divine glory, to men or Angels; but I mean, it should have been and shall be partaker of the same general nature, supernaturallized, as shall be the bodies of mankind in some degree. But if Adam had kept the Covenant, than it should not growingly have travailed, as now it doth, to be delivered from the bondage of corruption, into the glorious liberty of the Sons of God, for then because no sin, no corruption or vanit●, but in its natural perfections together with mankind in his pure Naturals, it should have more sweetly travailed to its supercelestial perfections.  
And so to Man it should have been as the Suburbs of the Celestial glory but now as must man's Body, 
As man's elementary body shall be changed into a spiritual body, so shall the elementary bodies of the terrestrial and and celestial Globes, be changed into a spiritual nature, and thus much of the glorious liberty of the Sons of God shall this universe be partakers of.  so it must be changed, as saith the Text, Thou shalt change them, and they shall be changed; that is, as saith Saint Peter, into a new Heaven, and a new Earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness, implying, it shall then no more detain man evil or unrighteous, or Devils, as now it doth, but as it was made for man righteous in perfection of the Creation, and ordained by the Covenant to a supernatural perfection, with man supernaturally righteous, in the improvement of the Covenant, so it now shall be again by the second Adam, restored to the glorious liberty of the Children of God as Saint Paul affirms, it travails until now. Rom. 8.21, 22, 23, 33. So much for the fourth point namely, what is the issue or intended end, of God's Covenant with the first Adam?  
Here observe,  
First as God shadowed out himself to man's perceivance 
* Or these shadows may be called discoveries or light, because the Apostle gives this definition, that that which manifesteth is light, Eph. 5.13. . 1. by the perfection of the Creation. 2. by the supernatural prefiguration of the Covenant. 3. and will in the glory of the elect Angels, by the most immediate expressions of his essential perfection, whence observe.  
That Gods essential glory, essentially considered is unperceiveable by men and Angels, and only known to himself: and the ground is by reason of that vast distance that is between an infinite Essence, and creatures that are at best but finite.  
But yet further observe, that so fare forth as God doth expressively manifest himself to men and Angels, by objects suitable to their apprehensions, so fare forth he is to them an object of Love, and most tranquil Consolation; and so fare forth as he appears, such a good, and much more than they can comprehend, so fare forth he is to men and Angels, an object of divine worship and adoration; but on the contrary, so fare as God doth shadow out himself to men and Angels in objects proceeding against them, and contrary to them and more than their apprehensions can comprehend, so farforth he is to men and Angels, an object of dolour, dread, and ever sinking desperation.  
Secondly, observe, that in either Estate Adam could not convey to his posterity, more than what himself enjoyed, therefore, as in his second Estate by Covenant, he could not convey his natural perfections alone, if he had kept Covenant, but both natural and supernatural jointly together, because than his natural holiness was a means by improvement to a supernatural end.  
So also in his first estate of the perfection of the creation, he could not convey to his posterity the supernatural good jointly, but his 
* The law of nature properly so called, never was since the fall in any man in its pure naturals, but only in the second Adam, therefore now to refer any thing well done by men to the strength of their pure naturals is a gross mistake.  pure naturals alone: For before he was put in the prefiguration of the Garden, his natural holiness and righteousness were alone, and not by God's Ordinance related a means to a supernatural end; but on the contrary, by his transgressing the covenant, he had power to conve● the loss of both of means and end, not only the loss of right and possession in the knowledge of all good both natural and supernatural things either in faith or fruition with Angels, but also by force of God's justice in the Covenant to convey the knowledge of evil, every way equivalent in evil to all the foresaid good.  
But this evil was Adam's third estate, namely, his fall, which is the next ground to be handled.  
So much for the second ground.   

CHAP. III. Opening the State of the world by Adam's fall.  
AS the fall of Adam extended to himself, and to all his posterity, Rom. 5.12. so it brought him and his posterity from the highest spire 
* The infinite God bound himself for Adam's further assistance, according as he did apply his personal perfections by the rules of the Covenant, and the reasons why he did not so, see from pag. 17. to pag. 20. and in cap. 12.  of the knowledge of God, to the deepest gulf of the knowledge of evil.  
And whereas both are referred to the knowledge which is in man; the reason is, because man is most capable of his highest felicity, or of his deepest misery, only by his knowable powers, which was also employed in this, that the tree of trial was called the tree of knowledge of good and evil.  
But here may be demanded, what Adam and we his posterity lost, and what we lost not, and what we found by his fall. Quest.  
First, we lost the perfection of the whole creation wholly. Answ.  
Secondly, we lost the garden of Eden, as it was an object of faith, the figure of the felicity of Angels.  
Thirdly, we lost totally our pure naturals, that is, the perfection of both Tables of the Law, as containing our righteousness and holiness, the most express Image of God by creation.  
Fourthly, we lost the beginning of our supernatural righteousness and holiness contained in the institution of the Covenant for we lost that estate of faith.  
We lost the ultimate perfection of supernatural holiness by which we should enjoy God in his most immediate expressions of his essential perfections in the glory of Angels; and in a word, we lost all the good of this world, and that to come.  
Secondly, that which we lost not, in brief was this:  
First we lost not the being of this creation, but the blessedness of it.  
We lost not the Essence of our reasonable souls, nor their essential faculties; as memory, conscience, will, and understanding, for all these remain in men under eternal death.  
We lost not a body proper to our kind, nor a personal union of both soul and body together; for these, men also have under eternal damnation.  
So much for what we lost, and what we lost not.  
Quest. But what found we by our fall in Adam's transgession?  
Answer. We found the knowledge of evil; as first the evil of transgression: secondly the evil of punishment, and of the evil of transgression, the first root of bitterness, did arise from Adam's remissness of this second state contained in the condition of the Covenant; and this appears by his sin of omission, which brought on his sin of commission, generally in two things, but particularly in six things.  
First his eating the fruits of this plantation generally by Gods more special appointment, as a means to bring him to an higher end than did his food in the perfection of the creation how could he then have omitted this general help to that supernatural end, if he had not been remiss of the conditions comprised in the Covenant?  
Secondly, this Garden being so sequestered from all the terrestrial globe and in plants for pleasantness, transplendently surmounting all the terrestrial globe prefiguring generally to Adam's faith, the pleasures and felicity of Angels, how could he then have omitted this universal help, if he had not been remiss of the conditions comprised in the Covenant? So much for these in general.  
Again, more particularly; first his work assigned him by Divine institution to dress and keep this choice part of the whole creation by the work of his fingers prefiguring unto him, that the perfection of the creation depended on his work in the Covenant for good and evil.  
And how could he then omit this prefiguration for a help, if he had not been remiss by a sleepy faith in this particular.  
Secondly, when he looked on the tree of life, in its flourishing perfections in all the branches thereof, as prefiguring to him his natural branches or offspring, depended on him in the work of the Covenant for celestial felicity, how could he then have omitted this help to lead his faith to the negative rule of the Covenant, if he had not been remiss in this particular?  
Thirdly he knowing all the fruits of the trees in the Garden his, to eat without restraint, excepting this one tree of good and evil, how therefore could he omit the denial of himself, this one thing to attain the good comprised in the Covenant, if he had not been remiss in this particular?  
God threatening him most expressly with death, yea, a most certain death, if he did not abstain from eating that forbidden fruit, how then could he omit this help to repel Satan's assault, by whom or by what meanus soever suggested to avoid so dangerous a consequence, if he had not been remiss of the conditions of the Covenant?  
His eyes seeing that River coming in but one way into the Garden, yet divided into four in that Paradise of pleasure, and thence issuing its crystal streams of waters of life as from the Throne of God, down the terrestrial globe four ways, prefiguring to him the good comprised in the Covenant, as running down from Gods most righteous justice to his posterity throughout all generations, for his glorifying God's truth and faithfulness by denying the fruit of this forbidden tree, how could he then omit this as a help, to set his faith on work, if he had not been remiss of the good comprised in the Covenant?  
When his eyes beheld this tree of Knowledge of good and evil, or the fruit of it, how could he omit to set his faith on work, to feed his soul with its signification, of the good, if he did abstain? or a fall into the contrary evil, if he did eat; and how durst he feed his body with this fruit, to the ruin of him and all the world, and his posterity, if he had not been remiss of all comprised in the conditirn of the Covenant.  
Now, as Adam's remissness brought on this sin of omission, so his sin of omission brought on his sin of commission, namely, the eating of the forbidden fruit; for when the devil in the Serpent told them, saying, ye shall not die at all; and also that their obedience to God's commandment, denying themselves that fruit, was the only thing that kept them from having their eyes opened to be as Gods, to know good and evil, thereupon the Woman seeing the Tree, and that the fruit was good for food (saith the Text) and that it w●s pleasant to the eye, and a Tree to be desired, to make one wise, Gen. 3.16 She took the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave it to her Husband also, and he did eat to God's great dishonour, esteeming his truth as false, and God himself to them as a mere imposture, and so magnified Satan as faithful, believing his lies for truth, because they embraced them with a plenary consent, and thereby they ventured the world, their posterity and themselves, upon his lies, and so became the Generation and Offspring of reprobate Devils, for it was with them now, as it was with the Devils; as the Angels became Devils not by change of their Essence, but by change of their operations, not abiding in the truth; so this made them and us 
* And as we a●e partakers of the diabolical nature, by union with his will, & operations, as I●hn 8.44. so on the contrary, are we partakers of the divine nature, not essentially, but by the union of our will with his word, by which we fly the corruptions that are in the world through lust. 2 Pete 1.4. & 17. john. 17.21.22, 23.  as Devils, by full amity to Satan's will, and enmity to God, in belief of Satan's li●s. And thus was this sin finished.  
And so much for the first branch, namely, The evil of Adam's transgression.  
Secondly, the evil of punishment follows, yet not evil punishment, because it was just, and therefore good, and just because according to the equal Balance of the conditions of the Covenant that was good or evil, as Adam did obey, or disobey, and therefore because Adam transgressed the Covenant justice now required these particulars.  
First, the extinguishing the perfections of the Creation from us, because it was dependant on Adam's work in the Covenant and he by eating the forbidden fruit denied its perfection, therefore it to him in justice must not only be stripped of a●l perfections but on the contrary by God's power turned into defections, cross operations and hideous representations to man's torturous torment, as the first fruits of his remote damnation, because th' s was the contrary evil.  

In this third ●●tate, man was more deeply dead in sins and trespasses, than he can be in this world in his fourth Estate although he be twice dead and plucked up by the roots.  Secondly, under this dreadful Estate. Justice now required, that in it, be that could of stones tell how to raise Children to Abraham, should find a way to raise a Posterity of A●a●, which to the last of man kind must have b●n produced in conceptions, births, breed, dispositions, and operations totally evil, like the generations of Serpents, yea as reprobate Devils; for if all must have been equivalently contrary in evil to the precedent good, as we see it must, therefore so in this particular.  
Thirdly, as the prefiguration of the Plantation, was the most immediate means to lead man by Faith to his highest end in eternal felicity, Justice requireth contrarily, that now th●s Plantation must be turned into the most certain demonstration within the confines of the creation of our full terminating in eternal tortures to all eternity.  
As Adam by refusing God's truth, refused the place and fellowship of Glory with the elect Angels, by choosing Satan's he, so on the contrary, Justice now required, that he and his posterity must descend successively to the place prepared for the Devil and his Angels, in fellowship with them, as to our last and everlasting Habitations; 
Mat. 25.41.  for now all mankind and Devils were in Reprobation.  
As the Latitude of God's glorious Attributes, are displayed in ●aking, shaping and creating the supercelestial Heaven of Heavens, to be the most immediate expressions, which demonstrate the glory of God's Essential perfections to the ultimate felicity that men or Angels can be capable of: On the contrary of this place for Torment, Justice required, that the Latitude of God's Attributes glorious in power, and wisdom, must be stretched out at as equal a distance, to make, shape or create this place with most dreadful visions of the Almighty, in the most torturing torments, that the nature of Devils or man's body (made spiritual) can be capable of, for a Spiritual body is not a body glorified, no more then to be a Spirit, but it is powerfully capable to inherit the glory of Angels, or the misery of Devils, to which we all should have descended, none excepted for the Covenant was for all and all alike, therefore in this vast depth of God's pure justice, we must ever have been sinking in despair, never to come to the bottom thereof, for the wrath of God must have been feeding it, as with Rivers of fire and brimstone to our torturous torments to all eternity; therefore endless, easeless, remediless, in darkness never seeing light. Esay 30.33.  
Again, man's conscience beholding the evil of his sin, how easily, really, certainly he might once not only have avoided this torment, but on the contrary might have attained to the height of all felicity to all eternity.  
This worm would to Adam, and will (to all men which will needs be perishing) be ever gnawing with grief and never cease; and so all mankind should hereditarily (throughout all generations descend, as travailing together to the foresaid place of their ultimate misery, and infelicity with this Creation, as stripped of its precedent perfections, into cross defections and operations, etc.  
Yet man not then sunk down to his ultimate misery, by Separation of his Body from his Soul, as now man doth, but in a personal union both of body and Soul together.  
For the justice of the Covenant could not admit so much rest to man's Body, as to sleep in the dust, nor any time of respite of execution for a day to come to judge the world, bu● immediate execution was to pass according to judgement, In the day ●hou eatest thereof, thou shalt die the death. But this Judgement passed not to execution according to justice, because that as by the offence of one, judgement passed upon all men to condemnation, 
Rom. 5.16.  even so by the righteousness of one, the free gift came upon all men to the justification of life.  
And so we are come to Adam and our fourth Estate, in the restauration of the world by Redemption in the second Adam; and that is the next general ground to be handled.  

Observation.  If this dreadful judgement was not executed, as most certainly it was not; then here observe, that for Adam's offence or evil of sin in transgressing the Covenant by eating the forbidden fruit, not one of mankind was ever damned, or ever shall be, because of the second Adam's righteousness, interposing that judgement by God's gift imputed to all mankind, as will more appear in the next Chapter.  

Observation.  Although mankind was so dead, 
* As is described in Cap. 3.  yet no man but Adam and Eve in the justice of the Covenant, was individually so dead, but radically, all men was so dead, and that two ways, as first in their loins, as in our natural root, but this was not properly it, from whence we came to be totally evil as the Devils, as is described, for this Estate simply considered propounded us no evil but good only, as is proved: Secondly, that wherein they were our most proper root in this point, was the Covenant, for in that God propounded for us evil aswell as good, and from this ground came our evil, in which we might and did become so deservedly, deeply dead in sins and trespasses: but because Chri●t took off the execution of that judgement, therefore although we were deservedly radically so dead, yet therefore neither radically inherently so, neither individually 
* That is not totally according to justice in neither.  so, therefore praise to God ever in him, and for him, Amen.   

CHAP. FOUR Of the fourth estate of Adam and all mankind, under the second Adam's Restauration.  
IN this Estate is handled six points, whereof five are finished in this Chapter, but the sixth point is handled in the eight ensuing Chapters.  
The first is, that the Lord jesus Christ is the second Adam.  
2. That God appointed him so to be, before the world was.  
3. That in that very point of time that Adam failed in the work the Covenant, the Lord jesus (the second Adam) first entered upon the work of the Covenant.  
4. That by the same entrance, he removed for ever, that judgement which passed upon all men to condemnation, and therefore it never proceeded to execution.  
5. By him also the world, together with all mankind, was estated to go on travailing towards that perfection which by Adam's fall it l●st  
6. That in this fourth State, the proceed of God is equally alike intended, and extended to all mankind, for eternal life and death without respect of persons.  
That the Lord jesus was the second Adam. Saint Paul speaketh expressly, for (saith he) the first man Adam was made a living Soul, the second man Adam was made a quickening Spirit: The first was of the Earth, Earthly, the second was the Lord from Heaven.  
And the same Apostle saith further, as by one man came death, by man came also the 
* All mankind first had a dependence on the first Adam, he being a public person by Covenant, whence all fell in him, so also on the second Adam did all mankind depend to be raised from that fall, and so were all, and therefore none perished for Adam's transgression, so shall all be raised by him out of the dust, they first which by Faith have submitted to receive life in God's gift of Christ's righteousness, shall rise to eternal felicity, and they which refuse so to submit, shall be raised by him to perpetual shame.  Resurrection of the dead, for as in Adam all die, even so by Christ shall all be made alive, but every man in his own order, etc. 1 Cor. 15.  
Again saith he, If by one man's transgression death reigned, by one, much more they which receive abundance of grace, and of the free gift of righteousness, shall reign in life by one Jesus Christ. Therefore as by the offence of one, judgement, came upon all men to condemnation, even so by the righteousness of one, the free gift came upon all to the justification of life: for as by one man's disobedience, many were made sinners, so by t●e obedience of one shall many be made righteous. Rom. 5.17 18, 19 Therefore Christ was the second Adam.  
He was appointed by God so to be before the world was, for St. Paul affirms that that felicity which was lost, and which men now or ever hereafter shall attain unto, was appointed with him for them by God before the world was, Titus 1.5. Ephe. 1.4. 2 Tim. 1.9.  
Again saith Wisdom, or Christ of himself, The Lord possessed me in the beginning of his way; before his works of old was I set up from everlasting, from the beginning before ever the Earth was. Prov. 8 22.  
Again, Christ prayed his Father to glorify him, by his assistance in the work of the Restauration of the world, to attain the glory he had with him before the world was. john 17.1, 2, 3, 4. etc.  
Again, Saint Peter saith, Our Redeemer was a Lamb, without blemish or spot, who verily was fore-ordained before the Foundation of the world, but was manifested in these last times for you. 1 Pet 1.19.20.  
And the ground of God his revealing to the world, that he did fore-appoint Christ before the world was to this work, was not only to give us to understand, that in him he worketh all things after the council of his will, but also that we should know by his merciful appointment he stood ready, as the Ram in the Bush, to save Isaac from his Father's executing knife, as the Male-Lambe without spot, to take off that most dangerous judgement, which was to pass to execution, immediately to the world's unrecoverable misery, for Adam his transgressing the Covenant (man's misery being God's opportunity) for in the Mount will the Lord be se ne. Gen. 22.13. & 14 verses.  
That in that very point of time, wherein Adam failed, in performing the work of the Covenant, the Lord jesus Christ the 
* C●●ist was not the second man by natural production, and so the second Adam; for if so, then must Ca●● have been the second Adam, therefore Christ was the second Adam, because he immediately followed the first Adam in the work of the Covenant to the restauration of the fallen world.  second Adam, than first entered the work of the Covenant, although Saint Peter tells them to whom he wrote his Epistle, that Christ was manifested in the last times for them, yet Christ the second Adam in this work was manifested by God in a figure the same hour that Adam fell, which is implicitly expressed in the new Testament; for, saith the Text, Then they sought to take him (meaning the Lord Christ) but no man laid held on him, saith the Text; and gives this to be the Reason, because his hour was not yet come, Joh. 7.30. So also himself saith, the hour is come, Mark. 14.41.  
Again, and the very hour in which he did finish all righteousness by the expiration of his life, as a satisfactory sacrifice to Divine justice, as the Lamb of God, is expressly set down to be the sixth day of the week, and ninth hour of that day, implying this was the day of the week, and hour of that day in which he first in the Lamb's blood did render up his life figuratively, then in the type, and now in the truth, the one answering the other in the circumstance of time in the agreeableness of the type with the antitype. And therefore rightly doth Saint john take it for granted, that Christ was the Lamb slain from the beginning of the world, Rev. 13.8. For the world received that sixth day a threefold beginning:  
The first was the spire of perfection by creation.  
Secondly, the world received the beginning of supernatural perfection, founded in the covenant with Adam.  
When all being lost by Adam's fall, the foundation for recovery of all, was laid in the second Adam's work of the Covenant, the same sixth day and ninth hour of the same day, and therefore he was the Lamb slain in the beginning; for to God and to faith the work of a perfect rest was then finished by Christ from the foundation of the world, although unbelieving man enters not this rest, neither by faith here, nor by fruition hereafter, as Heb. 4.  
Again, the unconceivable danger required, that Christ as the second Adam in the Lamb's blood, must enter the work in that minute that Adam fell, otherwise justice must have proceeded immediately to bring the judgement passed to condemnation to an unconceivable execution, therefore he entered the work of the Covenant the same minute th●t Adam fell, rendering his dearest life to Divine justice figuratively in the blood of the Lamb as slain from the beginning of the foundation of the world, Revelat. 13. vers. 8.  
Again, he only and alone in that point of time, did undertake this work, because he only and alone, was the spotless Lamb, or the sinless man, in that figure, and therefore only and alone fit for that work.  
Again he only and alone, was the lamb of God personally God-man in this figure: therefore he only and alone, fitly able under flames of scorching wrath, to undertake the satisfaction of the justice of the Covenant, by perfect flames of burning love in his pure naturals, as a means by love supernatural, to attain the supercelestial felicity of the glory of Angels by taking upon him the imputed guilt of Adam's sin, and that dreadful execution which immediately must have passed for the same. So much for the third point.  
That by Christ his undertaking the work of the Covenant, he removed for ever the judgement which passed on all men to condemnation, and therefore it never passed to execution, not so much as to any one man's damnation for Adam's transgression.  
For Christ no sooner undertook to answer the justice of the Covenant in the type but in stead of immediate execution, God in Christ manifested himself, reconciling the world to himself, not imputing their sin, seeking to save that which was lost, saying to Adam, Where art thou? What hast thou done? etc. Gen. 3. verse 9  
Secondly, and that he was so reconciling is more manifest in the 15. verse. For God having cursed the Serpent, he then manifested the deliverance by Christ, saying to Satan in the Serpent, I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between her seed and thy seed, it shall break thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel.  
Thirdly, whereas the justice of the Covenant required, the production of all mankind unnaturally, from cross operations in the powers of the whole creation, as is described, Chapt. 3. yet now comes God and gives us a natural production of all mankind, by a merciful promise in a twofold respect.  
First, to the seed of the woman with no promise of addition of sorrow to his conception or production, that is Christ, as the first in nature borne from the dead fall of Adam, of every creature restoring God's Image in all, Gen. 3.15. Col. 1.15.16, 17, 18, 19  
Secondly, a promise of a natural conception and production of all mankind, but with the addition of the taste of sour herbs of sorrow; for un●o the woman he said, I will greatly increase thy sorrow and thy conception, In sorrow shalt thou bring forth thy children, verse 16.  
Fourthly, justice from the Covenant required man's personal support from the power of God, in the torturous powers of the Universe.  
But now God gives a nutrimental support by food natural, and only with a taste of the sour herbs of sorrow, Gen. 3.17. For unto the man, saith God, because thou hast hearkened unto the voice of thy wife, and hast eaten of the tree which I commanded, saying, Thou shalt not eat of it, but saith not in the words of the Covenant, thou shalt certainly die the death, but saith only this, Cursed is the earth for thy sake, in sorrow shalt thou eat of it all the days of thy life, etc.  
Fifthly, the justice of the Covenant admitted no separation of soul and body, but our descent to our deepest torment, must have been in personal union of soul & body together.  
But now there is a separation, and man's body hath a time of rest in the dust: this is employed in this Text, Dust thou art, and to dust thou shalt return again.  
And now put all this sorrow together, and then it is no more but this, Even sour herbs for man to relish his sweet mercy in the Lamb of God by whom he passeth over all his wrath, for Adam's transgression, by which we were unrecoverably rejected and reprobated with devils from God by the justice of the Covenant: but according as God fore-appointed Christ, and chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy, and without blame before him in love; so he elected us in his beloved, from reprobate devils, with whom in justice we were to remain. But because this deep mystery is wrapped up in that of Genes 3.15. and Rom. 5 18. therefore I will briefly open these two Texts, before I pass to the fifth point. viz. Unto Satan he said. I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel.  
And whereas God saith to the Devil I will put enmity between thee & the woman is first employed that God only could, as the case then stood, produce this enmity in this word I  
Secondly that his will was resolved so to do, in this word. I will.  
That the Devil formerly conceived, if he could but get the woman into amity by belief of his lies, than the justice of the Covenant would not admit to dissolve that amity, much less to put enmity: but to Satan, saith God, I will put enmity between thee and the woman.  
Now, here ariseth a threefold quere: first, what is meant by this word put: secondly, what is meant by this word enmity: thirdly, what is meant by this word woman:  
First, this word put implieth this that by divine Justice, all righteousness and holiness, natural, or supernatural, to the least disposition in either, was lost and gone by the fall of ●dam, and left in the contrary evil; Therefore (in mercy) comes God, and saith, I will put, (that is) I will 
* This gracious and merciful infusion, is only that that since the fall doth originally bend the nature of man towards his ultimate felicity by Ch●ist, yet although it doth so bend nature, it is not therefore the Law of nature properly so called fo● what that is is described, cap. 1. john 1.4.9.  infuse some disposition into man's spirit towards me in Christ, in whom I have chosen them.  
Or by this word, put, I will write or imprint some principles, which shall dispose man to my Law in Christ the second Adam, in whom is life, who is the life of men, and enlighteneth every man which cometh into this world, and in a word, God in Christ now put into the universal nature of man, the effect of the Law written in his heart, from whence he doth by nature the things contained in the Law of Christ and that it is the Law of Christ 
* See in cap. 4. and in cap. 6. . And the truth is the natural force of this infusion being by man improved, he having not the written Oracle of God, it will terminate in the circumcision of man's heart, as is clearly proved in the seventh Chapter following: Secondly, and answerably as there is any disposition of the law in man's heart, tending towards God by Christ, answerably the same tends to this enmity with Satan but more, as the same disposition is reduced to act towards God, according to truth; for the same disposition is enmity to Satan even as the Amity of this world is enmity with God, so amity with God is enmity with Satan; and in a word, this infusion is most properly this enmity with Satan, when it comes to the degree of faith, actually to receive Christ his imputative righteousness, as God's gift to salvation, and his rule for imitation.  
Thirdly, by Woman in this Text is not meant woman's individual person restrictively but this word Woman, is the woman collectively meant, as drawing all mankind in Adam's transgression, into condemnation; for example, in the 16. Verse, when God said to the Woman, I will greatly increase thy sorrows and thy conceptions, in sorrow shalt thou bring forth children.  
Here by Woman he speaks Relatively, as to all women which shall conceive and bring forth, and of all mankind which shall be conceived and borne; so is this word Woman collectively in this Text, to be understood of all mankind, implying, that this amity by internal disposition to God in Christ, was by God infused universally into the nature of mankind, to descend hereditarily in their natural conceptions, whereas in justice, none was left before in the fall, but contrary dispositions to evil.  
Secondly, in the next word, God saith to Satan, and between thy seed and her seed, and because the Text saith not only, I will put enmity 
* See this point cleared to Objection 10. in cap. 12.  between thee and the woman, here is a further matter employed.  
First, by this word Seed, what seed soever it was, it was certainly the seed of the Devil, contained in this word, thy seed, and in a word, this seed was the foresaid dispositions and man's acquired operations, which entered originally into the nature of man, by Adam's sin totally and eternally, to remain according to the justice of the Covenant, as is declared, Chapt. 3.  
And because in this Text God calls it by the name of a seed, it further implies, that by Christ's answering of the justice of the Covenant, in the blood of the Lamb, the nature of Devils (namely original sin) in the nature of man is by grace reduced but to a seed; and it must needs be so, because God's foresaid infusion did imprint the principles of amity to himself.  
And therefore from this ground only mankind now is conceived and borne, but with the seed of original sin, and not devils, totally and eternally, as justice required; and this is the only ground, why men are in natural dispositions better than devils.  
Again, by this word her seed, is implicitly meant. Christ, the second Adam in one nature, and essentially; the one God and second person in the sacred Essence: and also in his other nature, the nature of all mankind in the Woman's seed; and in a word, here is meant his personal union, as God-man, by this restriction, her seed, not of seeds as of many, but of one which is Christ, Gal 3.  
Again this word (and) relates the precedent words, Put and enmity, to Christ also, to be between the Serpent and him, for as I noted before, that the promise of his conception, was without the promise of addition of the taste of sorrow, so also this word, put, as related to him, implies his conception and birth, not only without the internal principle of original sin, but also that his conception and birth was in its pure naturals, totally disposed to righteousness and holiness, in all perfections, for his Mother being overshaddowed, by the holy Ghost, by which God put this enmity in Christ.  
This Seed therefore which was borne, was called a holy thing, and so enmity in a superlative sense; I will put enmity between thy seed and her seed: but here note, that that Amity with God, which was enmity to Satan, which was put into all mankind by infusion, and into Christ's humane nature, more than miraculously, was in the general nature one and the same disposition: for as Christ is pitiful, so mankind is naturally inclined to pity; likewise as Christ is merciful, so mankind is naturally inclined to mercy; and as Christ worshipped God purely, so mankind is inclined to worship a Deity, etc.  
Yet in another respect fare different, for that in men there always remains some seed of the Serpent, at best in this life, and therefore perfect but in part but the perfections in Christ from his conception to his expiration of his life, was in all the degrees of natural righteousness and holiness, a means by Faith and love supernatural, witnessing the truth of God against Satan's lies, or Serpentine seed in men or Devils, dissolving the works of Satan, all comprehended in these words, It shall break thy head, as will appear in the eight Chapter.  
Again, in the third place, to the Serpent saith God, thou shalt bruise his heel, and in this point Christ is considerable in a four fold respect.  
First, as him in whom God elected 
* Note that this universal election is grounded upon the mere favourable mercy of God, so is also that second election or predestination in the beginning of the 6. Chap.  from reprobate Devils, all mankind to grace and glory, when in the justice of the Covenant, all stood rejected and reprobated from him with Devils to the contrary evil, as before is proved. Yet as God then left them, and chose us in Christ from them; so by him then were all men saved from the imputative damnation of Adam's transgression: wherefore in this respect, all mankind is the heel of Christ in this relation. But from this relation Satan draws us in our remissness, by lying vanities to forsake our own mercies, and so to perish, not for Adam's transgression, but for our own, against this grace in Christ, and so are bruised by Satan, for thou shall bruise his heel.  
Secondly, as God is the Saviour of all men from Adam's imputative damnation, so more especially he is the Saviour of them that believe, and that in two respects.  
First, by pardoning their own personal transgressions, against this universal mercy.  
Secondly, by estating them in that eternal life by Faith in Christ, which they lost by their own sin, and in adam's, for saith Christ, he that believeth in me, hath eternal life, and is passed from death unto life: And because these men by belief of truth, set to their Seals that God is true in his gift of Christ and his righteousness imputed, and in the perfection of parts in some degree of inherent righteousness, witness God's truth against Satan's lies, or lying vanities; Therefore Satan by tentations, and other envious operations, as by Cain to Abel, doth bruise this heel of Christ, or but his heel, for this company of the Faithful here Militant in comparison of that with Christ triumphing in heavenly glory, is but the heel of Christ, and thou shalt bruise his heel.  
Thirdly, because the second Adam did apply all the power of his pure Naturals of holiness, and righteousness, a means witnessing God's word of truth for good, and evil, opposing Satan's lies: therefore Satan by himself, or men adhering to him, did by envious operations (as he did by Cain to Abel) crush Christ himself, yet it did not extinguish his Faith and love to God and his Neighbour in the least degree, but drew it out the more, as in due place it will appear.  
Yet all these envious operations, being but extended to the affliction of his body and soul, being his nature humane, the lowest nature in his Sacred Person, therefore it was but his heel, as it was foretold, thou shalt bruise his heel.  
Fourthly again, as if God should say to Satan, true it is, that in the first Adam's faithless fall from me, thou didst devour all, both heel, body and head but against this the second Adam, whom I will raise up in the nature of all men, of the seed of the woman, to him do thy worst, yet thou shalt but bruise his heel, at the most, and thou shalt bruise his heel.  
So much for opening of this first outbreake of the object of Faith; once given to the Saints in this fourth estate of man, Gen. 3.15.  

As Adam's transgression and the guilt and punishment was from the justice of the Covenant, reckoned or imputed to all mankind in the fall, even so by God's mercy in the free gift of Christ's righteousness, reckoned or imputed to all, was that sin, guilt, and punishment removed from all, and therefore none ever perished for that transgression; for although adam's eating the forbidden fruit, and the demerit of it, was not any man's individually, but adam's; yet God in the justice of the Covenant, did reckon or impute it to all and every individual of mankind, as if it had been their own act and demerit: even so, although Christ's righteousness and merit of it, was his own only and alone, individually considered, yet that righteousness and merit, being to satisfy God's justice in behalf of the world, it was therefore by God's free gift in mercy, reckoned or imputed to all and every individual of man generally, and to man believing more specially, as is declared; but what this righteousness is, which was so imputed, see the end of the 8. Chap.  Again, Rom. 5.18. the Apostle saith, for as by the offence of one, judgement came upon ●ll men to condemnation, even so by the righteousness of one, the free gift came upon all men, to the justification of life: from these words I will make these brief observations following.  
First, that in the next verse before this, Christ's righteousness is called the gift of righteousness, but in this Text it is spoken as if Christ's righteousness were the procuring cause of the gift of itself, as imputed to come upon all men, and the truth is so it was, for had not Christ's righteousness in the figurative lamb, to the justice of the Covenant in every respect, answered the imputative unrighteousness of Adam, the righteousness of Christ could not imputatively by free gift, have come, as it did upon all men, to the justification of life, for till the justice of the Covenant was so satisfied, (although God was willing to impute it to life) yet he could not, for as God cannot lie, so he cannot deny his truth, but all mankind must certainly have died, (according to Gods-word) that death in the day that Adam did sin.  
Secondly, here note, that this free gift of Christ's imputative righteousness came at this time on all men unfought for, or unthought on by them; for when God brought this gift to them, Adam run away from him, therefore here, God wa● found of them which sought him not.  
Thirdly here observe, that this free gift of righteousness came upon all men, when there was not any 
d) See this justification before man's faith, and without faith cleared in the answer to the 10 Objection in Chap. 4.  Faith in man, for we by Adam faithlessely betrayed God's truth, and at this time as in our natural root in his loins run from the God of truth. Therefore Faith foreseen, was now no cause or instrumental means of all men's salvation or election from Devils, in Adam's imputative damnation.  
4. Again observe, that this gift of imputative righteousness, conferred upon all men, viz: justification, for saith the Text, It came upon all men to justification, 
Therefore man's Faith can be but the receptive instrument of this justification, and justification with Faith. or justification without Faith is all one, except that in the last man's receptive instrument is of use.  and this presents unto us two things, first a definition of justification, what justification then was; men having not as yet the gift of Faith.  
Secondly, what it was not. And first in a word, this justification by Chri●ts imputative righteousness, was this, the pardon and the removal of the imputative sin, guilt and punishment due for Adam's transgression, as fare as the East is from the West, and so gave man a gracious acceptance, and at this time this was the justification of all men.  
Secondly, man's own works of righteousness was not his justification, nor no good works foreseen; for as now man by the fall, his works were only so evil as the Devils, so all men's works but Christ's works in this fourth estate of Restauration, at best are but in the perfection of parts, by reason of the Serpentine seed, which hereditarily runs down, in the nature of all mankind; 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 own purpose, and grace, which was given us in Christ jesus before the World began.  
Again observe that this justification not only freed all mankind, 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, Answer. that then Gods free gift of Christ's righteousness, imputed, conferred upon men, this world to be the day of grace as now they enjoy it, a means for them to receive in this gift of righteousness the life of glory, in the world to come.  
So much for the fourth point, Namely, that Christ entering the work of the Covenant as the second Adam, removed that judgement that was due to all mankind. So as never man perished for Adam's eating the forbidden Fruit.  
Again the second Adam's first entering the work of the Covenant, he then put on the whole Creation travaling towards that perfection it lost in Adam's fall, so saith man believing 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 itself shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption, into the glorious liberty of the Sons of God: and then concludes in the minds of all men which believe truth, for (saith he) we know that the whose creation travaileth in pain until now: and not only they, but our s●lves also, who have the first fruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the Adoption (to wit) the redemption of our bodies. ver. 23.  
So S. Peter (in the minds of men believing truth) saith, and we look for new Heavens and new Earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness. 2 Pet. 3.13.  
And that this travailing of the whole Creation, together with man, was by Christ, is most clearly proved, by what is formerly delivered, that is, when this glorious Image of the Invisible God, 
2 Cor. 4.4.  was lost by Adam's fall, than the second Adam the Son of God, restored the Image of the invisible God, by coming into the work 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 she was now become the Mother of all living, Gen. 3.20. wherefore she also in belief of truth saith, when she had conceived and brought forth Cain, I have gotten a man from JEHOVAH, meaning, not by the force of God's 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 jehovah a man by Christ, in whom was life, and therefore she named him Possession, for so his name signifies, implying she was now again by Christ, in Possession of a living race of mankind, in this day of grace, and so the Mother of all living.  
Secondly, the Mother of all living, together with Adam, by belief 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 Ea●●h, once given to the Saints, from whence they received lif● natural and supernatural, by Faith, as here you see, and therefore nursed up by instruction, their Posterity to the same object, for both Cain and Abel came to offer unto God. and therefore in this second respect, she was also the Mother of all living.  
And so much that this travail of the Creation was by Christ.  
But here ariseth a question, 
[Quest.]  at what time began this travail of the whole Creation, 
lead the faithful befo e the flood, to rest in  together with man believing truth, to their supernatural end?  
The answer is, 
(ans.]  that God having the sixth day about the ninth hour or three of the clock in the afternoon, 
the perfect works of the seed of the woman, which then was to be accomplished in time to come, that is, to rest in belief of it, for the remove all of all misery, and in hop●●f fruition of t●●nall glory, and it was the same mystery of this seaventh day, which God renewed by Moses to Israel, but the eight day now leads the faithful to rest for the same things on that work, 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 Adam's satisfactory righteousness, figuratively in the blood of the Lamb, the seaventh day morning next ensuing, being then the first day & hour of a day's beginning in the Estate of Restauration of the Creation by Christ, as he was the first borne of every Creature opening the womb of its tendency 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 travail, together with man believing truth, from the bondage of corruption, to the glorious liberty of the ●onnes of GOD.  
And from this ground God blessed the seaventh day, and hallowed it, because that in it he rested from a●l his wo●ks which he had created and made, so dependant upon Christ, implying, that God rested fully contented in the perfections of Christ's works, for the Restauration of all his works, to that perfection intended in the Covenant, to which it now but travailed, and 
* 
The Original of the seventh day's Sabbath and all 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 Christ's imputative works for the perfection of all 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 finished from the Foundation of the world, although man unbelieving enters not this rest, and then with reference to this point saith, God spoke 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 sixth day, and lost by Adam, was (as it were made anew by Ch ists satisfactory righteousness imputed, and so declared the seventh day morning to Adam by the Creation's putting forward its first step towards perfection, to which it travails until now.  and then saith he, there remains 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 seven in holy Scriptures is a figure of perfection, as in the seaventh of years, namely the Jubiles, and the seaventh years of the Lands rest, and in the seventh month's rest, and this seventh day's rest, etc. and in Enoch the seventh from Adam, by ascending into eternal perfection in Soul and Body jointly together, figuring out the Angelic glory, intended to man in the 
* In the 12 Ch. and ●3 Object. you may see this Covenant defended. Observation.  Covenant, by the work of the first Adam, but now given to the world in the righteousness of the second Adam imputed.  
So much for the Proof of the fift general point, namely, that the second Adam's first entrance into the work of the first Adam put on the whole Creation, travailing together with man believing truth, to that perfection it lost in Adam's fall.  
Hence observe, because the imputative damnation of God's Covenant through Adam's transgressions was fully removed, and taken off by the second Adam's satisfactory righteousness, imputed as ours by God's free gift upon all men to justification of life, so as none of mankind ever, perished for that transgression, as precedently is proved.  
Then consequently, all mankind which in Infancy or childhood departed this world, they ascend to eternal life in Heaven to Angel's glory, notwithstanding original sin which is in them, for that running sore of original sin, in which they are conceived and brought forth, doth but fit them successively to receive the salve of salvation in Christ, to their eternal felicity, for if they had not been conceived, and borne in that seed of sin, and but a seed, than they had been in their production Devils in dispositions totally, according to the justice of the Covenant, and so capable of no good, but evil only, or else they must have been by production conceived and borne in their pure naturals of holiness and righteousness, in an Estate of perfection, according to the tendency of the Covenant, and then they had not been capable of eternal life in Christ by salvation, for the whole need not the Physician, but the sick.  
But because the Serpentine seed is derived to Infants in their conceptions and births, and in them reduced but to a s●ed by grace in Christ, because God put the foresaid principle of enmity, between the seed of the woman, and the seed of the Serpent: therefore this running sore of original sin in them implicitly pleads for the salve of salvation, in God's free gift of Christ's righteousness imputed, to ascend by it to eternal felicity.  
Therefore all mankind departing this world in Infancy or Childhood ascend by death through him to eternal life.  
Again, the passage of all Infants from the misery of this world by the sharp separation of Soul and body, is to them 
* 
Likewise so is the sharp separation of Infants from their Mother's bowels in their birth, so notwithstanding that sharp travel the mother shall be saved, if she continue in belief of the object of justification, and in the inseparable companion of that belief, namely internal holiness issuing itself into external sanctification, as is proved by the Apostle. 1 Tim. 2.15.  
Therefore Circumcision precedently was, as the dipping or washing in Baptism now is, viz. a witness, that God's 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, thereby witnessing, that the grace of the Covenant gave to the whole nature of man, in the promised seed immediately upon the fall, a meetly disposed nature in all, to receive eternal life as saved creatures; but man remiss passeth by this witness, and the like mercies, but so did not the Queen of Sheba, although excluded from the residence of the like mercies from her Kingdom.   but an implicit taste (by a figure) of Adam's imputed sour herbs of punishment for sin, to relish Gods sweet imputed mercies in Christ the Paschall Lamb to God's praise in him by the salvation of them to all eternity, therefore all mankind dying in Infancy or childhood, ascend through death to glory for ever.  
Again, these sour herbs by this Separation of Soul 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 taste not only of this Separation, which is but a shadow of death, but a figure of him, as he was an imputed sinner, to taste 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 eternal life by him.  
Again, when God the second time renewed his promise of the Seed of the woman with Abraham to the universal mercy of the Apostate world, as will afterwards appear, he 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 mankind, the nature of Devils though not totally. So fitting them to receive their Eternal felicity, by Christ therefore they do enjoy it to all eternity.  
Again 
* But they which attribute so much to baptism, as that no baptism, no salvation, it is b●t to assume the more seeming su●e stitions sanctity to draw f●om the people the more respect to their aspired Antich●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 seal to the Church that although man's nature at once, was totally d abolicall, yet the reduction of it to a seed by Christ, is the Principle of man's new birth. Baptism further implies the spirit of Gods help to bring it to perfection in his own way, that is, to the perfection of parts in this wo●ld, and to perfection of degrees in the next.  parents that Gods merciful infusion by putting the foresaid principle of enmity into the nature of all men was the original principle of man's new birth, as risen with Christ, whose first step to glory, was to be on an eighth day by his body's resurrection, and therefore then on an eighth day precisely, Infants were to be admitted visible members of Christ's mystical 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 ●eceived into the Church Militant by Baptism  triumphant in Heaven.  
From which ground when people brought little Children to Christ that he might bless them, he was angry with the Apostles which kept them from him and commanded them to suffer little 
(c) Notwithstanding the males only were admitted to be visible members of Christ's body by circumcision; yet not only the women, but all the female Infants were then members of Christ's body, though they received not the seal 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 sign of the Covenant was precisely related to the males, was to figure, that the Lamb of God of the seed of the woman was not to be a female, but a male; therefore this hindereth not, but that the Infants of believing parents under the Gospel, much more may be admitted visible members by baptism, and from the beginning of the world, as appears in the practice of the ten fathers before the flood, they esteemed their Infants visible members of Christ; for in their infancy, they established 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 Kingdom of Heaven, therefore so departing this world, they ascend to that Kingdom which so belongeth unto them.  
Quest. Now the question may be, whether circumcision was only intended to mankind as in Infancy?  
Answer. It was not only intended unto mankind as Infants, but also to men as capable of reason as is Baptism now; for to them it did not only prefigure that the nature of Devils became not total; and the imputed damnation of the Covenant was cut off by God's mercy in Christ, but also to men capable of reason, it did prefigure, that they submitting in belief of truth, to receive God's gift of Christ's righteousness imputed, the●r sin should not only be cut off, in the habit of sin in them against Christ weakened 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 Lamb must be eaten with sour herbs, Exod. 12.8.  to remain, but also that they in glory with Christ, should ever remain; therefore God to Abraham called the sharp cutting of the foreskin of the member of Generation, his Covenant, meaning, that to man believing truth that sharpness was a seal of Christ's imputed righteousness, which they received by faith, including their vivification and mortification, and the ground of all happiness; for so it was to Abraham being circumcised at a full age, as Rom. 4 And therefore saith Christ, he that believeth in me hath eternal life.  
Again, although God cut off the foreskin of the Member of generation, yet but the foreskin; for he 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 he left a seed to remain, to let men understand, that as Abraham could not be justified by works, having this serpentine seed remaining in him, therefore in this life man must submit to God gift of Christ's righteousness 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 jesus Christ, by whom also we have access by faith into this grace, wherein we stand and rejoice in the hope of the glory of God, Rom. 5.1.2.  
But the question may be here, Quest. whether men's sins which themselves commit be against the law natural, as supernaturally related to God's Covenant with the first Adam?  
I answer no, for in the second Adam only, after the fall, Answ. this law of nature in its perfections, was inherent, and was related as a means to attain that supernatural end, and then given to us imputatively for justification in him, and a rule for imitation for us; and therefore all our sins are against that law of righteousness so manifested to us in him by the Covenant of grace, and not as the law was in the first Adam a Covenant of works, and man capable of reason stands bound so to receive it by belief of truth, in Christ jesus, 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 sin in one, is guilty in all; for he 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 do all things contained in the Law, that is, as not intentionally aiming to do all things contained in that Law, as leading to Christ, as hereafter in due place will appear.  
Yet, if man did then, or now doth, but at least intentionally respect this object of Faith, as the truth is in jesus, he is guilty of none, although he actually sin in many things, wherein we offend all, 
jam. 3. ●.  and the ground of the point is this, that in Christ's righteousness imputed, and by belief of truth received, as the truth is in jesus, this man wants no righteousness, which in heart he desires to have in Christ, nor is guilty of no sin which in heart he desires to be freed from, Rom. 7.22.25. and Rom. 8.1.  
Quest. Again, another question here to be resolved will be this, that in regard God's merciful imputation did remove from all mankind, that imputed damnation of the Covenant for Adam's sin, then how fare forth doth it also extend, to take off the guilt and punishment of men's own sins, individually committed against the Law of grace, as it is in jesus Christ?  
Answ. It extends exceeding fare in this case also, even to any man submitting by belief of truth, to receive this gift of righteousness, as the truth is in jesus; for than it takes off all manner of sin committed against him, (one sin only excepted) for, saith Christ, All manner of sin and blasphemy against the Son of man shall be forgiven unto men, but the sin 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 work of the Covenant, to take off the just destruction of the world, and to state it thus, to travel together with man-believing truth, to it's desired felicity, was only this: namely, God's love to the world; for, God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, etc.  
Therefore the world must be only 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 twofold 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 himself, was his own effect, as the offspring 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, than God had proceeded to annihilate all this good, not only in part, but totally and eternally; but this went against his mind, therefore, he so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, etc.  
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 Adam's supernatural operation, was Gods final 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, than this his final end had been separated from him, and he might in the ruin and destruction of the creatures to all eternity have glorified himself.  
But from the creatures good his glory could never have returned to him in any degree, much less from the highest spire of perfection intended in the Covenant, as was God's desire, but this was contrary to his mind; therefore God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, as his Lamb, to take away the sins of the world, by regaining his glory in the redundancy thereof, to the eternal praise of his mercy.  
Is it so, that by this second Adam, 
Observation.  his satisfaction of Divine justice, God in mercy gave to all mankind alike, the means and end, namely, Eternal life, and that the good of this world is a remote means to the same end, as here we see?  
Then hence observe, that all men, either poor or rich, which desire or endeavour to attain 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 lie and vanity; whence rightly saith the Psalmist: Surely men of low degree are vanity, and men of high degree are a lie, Psal. 62.9.  
Again, is the good of this world, God's gift in Christ, 
Observation.  a comfortable and remote means amongst many, to lead man to Christ, to receive in him eternal life? then take this rule for a direction, not to be dismayed to see some in want for their chastisement, and some for trial, and some to abound; for those men which terminate their rests in wealth, and in the pleasures and delights of this world, shall attain but a brutish rest here, and never receive eternal rest in Angel's glory hereafter; for this is but a means and a remote one too: therefore he that sits down in this means, 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 adam's omitting to eat of the tree of Life were a Sin, and that Sin of omission brought on her Sin of commission, she was not the first occasion of his Sin, but first Sin a rose intrinsecus.  
Answ. Neither in this page nor in any other is it said his omitting to eat of the tree of Life was a sin, nor is it said, he did omit to eat the fruit of this Garden, or of the tree of Life, but it is said, he was remiss of the different end from his former Estate: why he was to eat of these fruits, as a means thereunto, and his remissness to eat these fruits as such a means brought his sin of omission, and that brought on his sin of commission.  

Because of the natural liberties of their wills, therefore sin might arise from within: Also because their righteousness and holiness did spring from natural causes internally and externally, as Chap. 1. therefore righteousness and holiness being not their nature they might mutually turn to good or evil.  Again, why might not sin in both of them arise from within, this second Estate being so fare different from the former Estate of creation? if their understandings were not carefully applied to God's rules in the Covenant, to keep them from evil, 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 remissness of them both, it was that she 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 mankind were in reprobation, if you mean the case of reprobates or guilt of damnation, it is true; but if you mean of God's decree, it crosseth the doctrine of Election.  
Answ. I mean, as it is explained in the page, namely, that in the fall of Adam all mankind alike were reprobated under the guilt & due punishment of eternal condemnation joined together with reprobate devils, as opposed to our conjunction with elect Angels, in eternal glory, by virtue of the intended end of God's Covenant with Adam.  
Again, 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) do think, do prove that decree and case of Reprobates, and as for that doctrine of Reprobation, the Scripture proves it no more than 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 mean.  
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 sin, and mortality seized upon his body, and he stood guilty of eternal damnation.  
Answ. True it is, judgement was executed the very moment that Adam eat the forbidden fruit, yet not upon the first Adam, but only upon the second Adam, as his Saviour and ours, as pag. 24. and 25. figuratively in the blood of the Lamb; or, if not, how, or why was he (as Saint john affirms) the Lamb slain from the world's foundation, Rev. 13.8. Or how was it, that as by one offence judgement passed upon all men to condemnation; even so by one, righteousness the free gift came on all men to justification of life, as Saint Paul affirms, Rom. 5.18. and as is explained in pag. 32. Or how was the work of a perfect rest in Christ, by Faith, and in fruition by hope, finished from the foundation of the world, as the Author to the Hebrews affirms, Hebr. 4.3. and as is explained pag. 25.  
To the second part of the Objection, true it is, by Adam's default he was as is described, pag. 30. dead in sin, fare more deep than I suppose you mean, for man being dead in sins and trespasses. against the universal grace of God in Christ, is fare different from that in Adam's fall, as to be twice dead and plucked up by the root, is different from them both, as in the prosecution of the sixth point will clearly appear.  
To the third part of the Objection, true it is, mortality seized upon his body; but it is also as true that by mercy in the blood of the Lamb, man's body came but thus to be mortal; for this mortality doth but at most separate the soul from the body, which is but the shadow of that death intended in the Covenant for us in the fall of Adam, as is described, pag. 21. 22. 23. and as will more appear by the death of the second Adam in the eighth Chapter following.  
Object. 4. Your observation is refuted, Rom. 5.12.13. etc. Are all Infants that die saved? if not, what is the cause of their condemnation?  
Answ. To the first part, Rom. 5.12.13. the Apostle to the praise of God's universal grace, parallelling the first Adam to the second Adam, he there lays down a double Argument, the first, that although by Adam's sin, sin entered into the world, that is, originally, as the cause of all men's perishing when they were dependant on him in the Covenant; for afterwards he was (as are all men, Christ only excepted) but a private man, cap. 5. So that Adam's sin, as now it is, is but the occasion of man's sin, by his own default to his eternal destruction, and their own sin, is the only cause thereof, as committed against Christ, and the ground thereof is expressed by the Apostle in the 18. verse following.  
Secondly, it is further employed, in these two verses, that that man's sins now so committed, that is, against Christ to whom all power is given, and to whom all stand related for good and evil, that the prevalency of their sin against him, doth increase the prevalency of the shadow of death unto them, namely, the frequency of the separation of the soul from the body, and also of death in the substance, namely, man's separation from God his chiefest good, in this relation, and united to the contrary evil, and by his own remissness, being ignorant of all; yet than God in mercy to the promise, added the Law to reveal, to reckon or impute man's sin unto him, that he might see how he run on his own misery; wherefore, in the 20. verse, rightly saith the Apostle, The Law entered, that the offence (as the spring of misery) might abound, that where sin abounded, grace might much more abound, that as sin had reigned unto death, even so might grace reign through righteousness unto eternal life by jesus Christ, verse 21. Therefore my observation is confirmed by the Apostle in these verses, and not refuted.  
See these verses further explained in cap. 9 to the second part of the objection: yes, all Infants are saved, and therefore I can show you what once was the cause of their condemnation, namely, Adam's one offence, when he was a public person, and the sign of it now only remains in their nature, to meet and dispose them as fit subjects, successively to receive salvation in the universal grace of God by jesus Christ as saved creatures, namely, the poison of the Serpent, as reduced but to a seed, the foresaid infusion flowing from the estate they are now in, namely, God's universal mercy in the promised seed imputed righteousness, as is further described, pag. 36. 37.  
Object. 5. If Adam fell the ninth hour of the sixth day; 
Pag. 25.  how did God in the end of that day see all his works to be very good?  
Answ. I demand of you, how he did see all his works the sixth day very good in the end of that day seeing it is not mentioned so in the Text; and Moses saith expressly, that on the seventh day God ended his works, which he had made, and therefore it remains for you to prove that God said so according to your inference at the end of the sixth day; and in what sense Moses means that God ended his work on the seventh day, see pag. 34.  
Object. 6. The exposition of the particle, Put, 
Pag. 28.  savours of Semipelagianisme; so doth the phrase of internal disposition infused universally.  
Answ. If that exposition which tends to demonstrate God only in Christ jesus, an unversall good to man, and that it pleased the Father, that in him all fullness should dwell, and so in all things Christ must have the pre-eminence to communicate even the least good to man, as a means to his chiefest good, and all restored by Christ, then surely if this doctrine savour of Semipelagianisme, it becomes you and I to be not only half, or almost, but altogether Pelagians.  
And that this doth so demonstrate God in Christ, besides the main scope of this whole Treatise, see in cap. 6. & cap. 12. in my answer to the tenth Objection, cap. 12. the which doth most clearly prove the point.  
Object. 7. The last clause is false. 
Pag. 30.   
Answ. It is not so, until you have proved it so.  
Object. 8. The universal election is false. 
Pag. ibid. Pag. 31.   
Object. 9 Men perish for Adam's transgression and their own.  
Answer to both Objections: Both these Objections are answered in my answer to the 21. and 22. pages precedently.  
Object. 10. That justification without Faith, 
Pag. 33.  is against the current of Scripture.  
Ans. That this text nominates justification, I am sure is true, 
Rom. 5.18.  and that the Apostle relates this justification without relation to man's receptive instrument of belief, is as true, for here the Apostle relates this justification to man, as merely passive, when God was found of us that sought him not, even when we as Adam received this imputation to life, and glory, when God came to seek and to save that which was lost, not imputing out sin to Adam according to the justice of the Covenant.  
Therefore this justification as opposed to the ordinary reception of it by man's instrument of belief, called justifying 
* Man's belief receiving this justification is therefore called justifying faith.  Faith, was extraordinary, and therefore although not according to the current of Scriptures, yet according to the Scripture, as for example, that light which was before the Sun, was made in an ordinary course, to communicate light unto the world, was true light; so this truth is truth, though not according to the current of Scriptures in an ordinary course.  
But as for this justification, as related to man's receptive instrument in an ordinary course, I have explained in the prosecution of the sixth point.  
First in three degrees of justifying Faith.  
Secondly, differenced other Faiths from that.  
Thirdly, defined what justifying Faith is.  
Fourthly, defined what is the perfection of justifying Faith.  
Fiftly, how God brings the Faithful to that perfection.  
And this will resolve the point according to the current of Scriptures in an ordinary course.  

Pa. 33. Pa. 34.  Object. 11. The last clause is erroneous.  
Object. 12. The application of Evahs' name to life in Christ, is erroneous.  
Answer to both objections. Neither of them is erroneous, till you have proved them so to be.  

Pa. 36.  Object. 13. The assertion of the salvation of all Infants is without ground. All are by Nature the Children of wrath, therefore guilty of damnation.  
Answer. The first part is answered sufficiently in p. 22. and as for the second part, that text Ephe. 2.3. the drift of the Apostle bears not your application as to Infants, as appears in the explanation of that Text, Cap. 7.  

Pa.  Object. 14. If the sixth point be meant of every individual, it is untrue.  
Answ. You cannot well tell how to judge, until you have seen the point, for the naming of it is one thing, but the point made good by proof is another thing; and I do mean of every individual, and also do believe you will find it to be true, and firmly proved, if you will well weigh the prosecution of the sixth point, in the eight ensuing Chapters. And so much for the fourth ground.  
And now I proceed to the sixth point, Namely, That in this estate of Restauration of the world by Christ Jesus the second Adam, God intends and extends eternally life to every individual of mankind alike, without any personal respect.    

CHAP. V Being the beginning of the sixth point of the unpartial proceed of God for eternal life, intended and extended to every individual of mankind, without personal respect in any kind, in this fourth Estate of Restauration by Christ jesus the second Adam.  
WHereas all mankind alike, deservedly stood reprobated and rejected to perish with the Devil and his Angels for ever, by due justice in the fall of Adam, and from all relation to God in any good; Even than God elected from them all in Christ, that we should be holy and without blame b●fore him in love: I say, all and all alike, for he then removed from all the imputed guilt and punishment of Adam's offence, and Estated all mankind alike in the means, and end of eternal life, by his free gift of Christ's imputed righteousness, because it came upon all men to justification of life, as before is amplified: and in this he proceeds through all times and generations of man, without all respect of persons, which times I will coderre to three heads.  
First, from the time that Adam was cast out of the Garden, to Abraham's time.  
Secondly, from Abraham to Christ his coming in the flesh, manifested in the Gospel.  
Thirdly, from that time to his coming to judge the world.  
Of these in their Order.  
To the first point, God having clothed the man and the woman in the skins of man's comfortable redemption, He then cast them both from the Demonstrative signification of the Garden, in a demonstrative vilification, for saith Moses, the Lord God said of the man, behold the Man is become like one of us, to know good and evil, and now lest he put forth his hand, and take of the tree of life, and eat and live for ever. Therefore the Lord sent him forth from the Garden of Eden, to till the ground from whence he was taken. Gen. 3.22.  
And because God said, man is become as one of us, etc. herein the sacred Trinity derideth man for his belief of lies, and unbelief through pride and vanity, for refusing God his sacred verity.  
Secondly, whereas God saith, Now lest he put forth his hand and take of the tree of life, and live for ever, herein God contemptuously cuts him off from the touch or taste of eternal life, according to the precedent figures of the Covenant.  
Again, when the text saith, Therefore the Lord God sent him forth from the Garden of Eden to till the ground from whence he was taken: It implies, that then God gave Adam to understand, he was now but a private man, as all his offspring should be, Christ only excepted, and therefore neither the Creation nor mankind, had dependency upon his work for good and evil, as in the Covenant precedently they had.  
Again, when the Text saith, God placed at the end of the Garden of Eden Cherubins and a flaming Sword, which turned every way, to keep the way of the tree of Life: This implicitly told Adam, that if he turned back from God's free gift of the second Adam's righteousness imputed, to attain eternal life, by his own works of righteousness, as in the Covenant precedently he might: This than should be his destruction in the flames of God's consuming wrath, and therefore the flaming Sword turned every way, implying Gods impartial proceeding in this fourth Estate of man, and so leaveing Adam, I proceed to his ensuing Posterity, Cain and Abel, and both of them we find instructed in the principle of eternal life, namely, the Object of justification, which is God's gift of Christ's righteousness imputed, and therefore both bring to God an atonement, and in this respect God declares his proceed to be without all respect of persons to either, for as their minds were different in this Sacred object, so the manifestation of God's mind was different to them, for saith Moses, Jehovah had respect unto Abel and his Offering; but to Cain and his Offering he had no respect, whereupon Cain was very wroth, and his countenance fell.  
And jehovah said unto Cain, why art thou wroth, and why is thy countenance fallen? Implying, that his disrespect of Cain and his Offering was just, for saith God unto him, If thou dost well, shalt thou not be accepted? Interrogatively implying, yea most certainly, thou shalt, as is Abel thy Brother, but if thou dost not well, sin lies at the door. Gen. 4.4.5.  
The Question will be, what was well in abels Offering? Quest. and what was well and not well, in cain's Offering?  
For Abel, this was well, Answ. that his Offering was of the firstlings of his flock, and the fat of them; for being the firstlings of the Sheep, therefore a Lamb, 
justifying faith believes the universal good of man really included and intended by God in the object of justification, and doth not only assent to it, but also submits to receive his particular felicity to all eternity, as included in that general me●cy.  implying his belief of the seed of the woman, the Lamb of God, as taking away the sins of the World, and consequently his own.  
Again, because the firstlings; this further employed, his belief in the seed of the woman, as the first borne, from the dead fail of Adam, opening the womb of all perfection, by whom he hoped to attain all blessedness.  
Again, His Offering being of the fattest, this implied his high respect of this sacred Mystery, by belief of truth, for by Faith saith the Text, Abel offered unto God, a more acceptable Sacrifice than Cain, by which he obtained witness that he was righteous, God testifying of his gift. Heb. 11.4.  
As concerning Cain it is also employed, what was well in his sacrificing; as first, the thing which he brought, he brought it to offer.  
Secondly, he offered it not to Idols, but to jehovah; and this was well: and because the Text relates his offering with no further commendations, it implies that no more good could be spoken of it, according to truth: So much for hat was well.  
Again, this was not well that his love to this mystery according to truth, in the second Adam, brought him not to offer, for the Text implies that process of time brought him to this business, Gen. 4.3.  
Again, because the Text saith, he brought the fruits of the ground to offer to Jehovah; this implies his too high respect of things Terrestrial, consequently, his profaneness to this Supernatural Mystery in the promised seed, and in a word all his Religion at the best, was but to be conversant about the object of justification, and no way consonant to faith in that object; For (saith Moses) be was not only wroth, but very wroth, because God gave no respect to his offering, which as before I noted, employed cain's too high esteem of his Earthly offering brought unto God, but he whose heart is so l●fted up, his mind is not good nor upright in him. Hab. 2.4.  
Again, his heart was so fallen as appears by his countenance, because his personal operations were rejected: this employed he came not to be accepted in God's gift of Christ's righteous operations as imputed, but in his own supposed righteousness, wherefore his own sin lay upon him in his attracted habit, guilt, and punishment, for he that believeth not, the wrath of God abides upon him.  
But on the contrary, that if he did well, he should be accepted; God makes it further apparent, by removing all personal respects from Abel, for as concerning him (saith God) to Cain, unto thee shall be his desire subject, and thou shalt rule over him, implying two things.  
First, whereas thou art the first borne, and so a figure of the first borne of every Creature, in this respect Abells' desire shall be subject unto thee, in love and reverence to that mystery.  
Secondly, as he is thy younger Brother, so thou art his protector, supporter and instructor, in which respects thou shalt still rule over him, for I look not to his person more than to thine, but with respect to his submitting unto me, in the fullness of my mercy; and if thou dost well shalt thou not be accepted? if thou dost not well, sin lies at the door: but Cain remissely hearkened to this reproof, and gracious encouragement, for in the next place Moses saith, Cain talked with his Brother, but tells not what talk it was, yet implicitly points, it was some hateful speeches, because it ended in his blood, for saith the text, It came to pass when they were in the field, that Cain risen up against his Brother and slew him. From whence Saint john rightly affirms, that Cain was of that evil one, as implying cain's amity with Satan, in the Spirit of concision, cutting from his soul, the foresaid infused enmity, derived in his natural conception, therefore he w●s of that evil one, lifted up in the Spirit of Satan against God's way of salvation, by Christ's righteousness imputed for saith Saint John, he sl●w his Brother, because his own works were evil, and his Brothers righteous. 1 Joh. 2.12.  
And for this, God comes against Cain, for saith Moses, jehovah saith unto Cain, where is Abel thy Brother? Cain answered in the Spirit of a liar and murderer, saying, I know not, am I my Brother's keeper? but God charged the Fact upon him, saying, what hast thou done? the voice of thy Brother's blood cryeth unto me from the earth, wherefore God turned the flaming Sword of his wrath (which turned every way against Cain) by pronouncing this sentence, saying, now thou art accursed from the earth, which opened her mouth to receive thy Brother's blood from thy hand: when thou tillest the ground, it shall not from henceforth yield to thee her strength, a fugitive and Vagabond shalt thou be in the earth.  
To which Cain replies, (for saith Moses) Cain said unto JEHOVAH, my iniquity is greater than can be forgiven, and so my punishment is greater than I can bear, because it shall never be removed, ver. 12.13.  
Again, he bids God behold or consider, what was his punishment? for saith he, thou hast driven me out from the face of the Earth, and from thy face shall I be hid, and shall be a Fugitive and Vagabond in the Earth, for it shall come to pass, that every one that findeth me shall slay me.  
To which God answereth him to this effect, 
So that one & the same person individually considered, may at one time be the subject of Gods unfeigned or entire grace and mercy in jesus Ch●●st, and another time the subject of his consuming and everlasting wrath.  as for my precedent sentence, it is now unrevocable, for thou who didst refuse acceptance and pardon of sin, and life eternal upon my interrogative affirmation, if thou wouldst but apply thyself to me in my mercy to thee: But thou instead of circumcising the seed of the Serpent, hast cut off from thee by custom in sin, my infused principle of Amity towards me, from thy Spirit, and joined to Satan mine adversary against me, in my salvation so freely tendered and fully intended unto thee.  
For thou hast slain thy Brother, only because he submitted unto me in my gift of righteousness imputed for his salvation, therefore as I told thee, if thou didst not well, sin should lie at the door, so thy guilt and punishment now shall rest irrevocably upon thee to all eternity only this will I do for thee in this world's contentments for a time, I will assure thy abode, therefore saith God, whosoever slayeth Cain, vengeance shall be taken on him seven fold, and Jehovah set a mark upon Cain, lest any finding him should k ll him.  

Thus when the noble Spirit of man departs from God's presence of grace, it settleth its abode in terrestrial contentments, suitable to the corporal body, or corruptible part of man but they that sow to the flesh, of the flesh shall ●eape corruption.  Whereupon Cain went out from the presence of Jehovah, and dwelled in the Land of Nod, on the East side of Eden, and his posterity on Earth began to spring out and multiply: he built a City and called it by the name of his Son Enoch. And so now I descend from this Model of God's impartial proceed in these two, as to the whole mass of mankind.  
And Cain thus remaining under wrath, Abel being translated to the glory of Angels by his receiving Christ's righteousness the object of life; Adam and Eve now remained alone, to possess this day of Grace, namely this world as a day of Grace, for only with them remained the Oracle of eternal life, that is, a Promise of the seed, to break the Serpent's head: therefore this Oracle or object of justification as the ground of all true Religion, to descend to posterity, was altogether unsettled, by reason of Abells' ascent to blessedness, and cain's abiding under cursedness, as cut off from God's presence of Grace, for saith he, from thy face shall I be hid, so went out from the presence of God: therefore cain's Posterity, as borne and bred remote, from the pillar of truth, and life of Religion, under their Father's exemplary concision, were carried as a stream to all ungodliness, wherefore when God gave Eve the next man-child, Gen. 4.25. she called his name Seth, that is, settled sure, as saith Reverend and Learned Broughton, in his Treatise upon the first ten Fathers.  
And, saith Moses, Adam knew his wife again, and she bore a son, and called his name Seth; for God said she, hath appointed me another seed instead of Abel, whom Cain slew.  
Again, Gen. 5.3. the Text saith, Adam begat a son in his own likeness, and called his name Seth, implying the production of this Child every way answered the image of A●ams desire, that is, to enjoy issue, which might stand in the same image or likeness that himself did, to enjoy this day of grace, as a day of grace, to convey the Oracle of life to ensuing posterity, and therefore he joined with Evah, in this child's name, and called his name Seth:  
So leaving his mind to posterity in his son's name, that the conveyance of the pillar of truth, was settled sure to future generations.  
Again also, to Seth was borne a son, and he called h●s name Enos: Kings translation addeth, that then men began to call upon the name of the Lord, that is, Seths' posterity began to multiply, being the visible Church, containing by tradition the pillar of truth, or object of Faith once given to the Saints.  
Yet learned Broughton saith, the letters of the name of Enos in the appellative signifieth sorrowfull-grievous, that is, than began corruption, touching the calling on the name of God.  
The truth is, this ground also is good; 
The King's translation and Bro●ght●ns ●econciled.  for than began the multiplication of cain's posterity, as in number, so in corruption by concision, touching the calling on the name of the Lord; For by their exemplary evil, it came to pass that those which were the sons of God, in the profession of this object of justification, fell away by affinity with them, and this is employed, Gen. 6. where it is said, it came to pass when men began to multiply upon the face of the Earth and daughters were borne unto them, than the sons of God saw the daughters of men, that they were fair, and they took them wives of ●ll that they chose, implying not what God liked etc.  
Wherefore, Seth seeing the beginning of this evil, he in the appellative letters of his son's name, left by tradition his mind to the world, telling them this was sorrowful and grievous unto him, and all godly men; for so it was to En●s, wherefore he named his son, Cainan, that is, to lament, saith reverend Broughton, and yet he whose name signified Lamentation, named his son Mahalaleel, that is, as the same Broughton saith, a praiser of God, implying notwithstanding this lamentable object, yet to man believing truth there was remaining a twofold ground of praise to God:  
First, for the light of eternal felicity which shined in his gift of Christ's righteousness imputed, the Lamb figuratively slain from the foundation of the world, and all included in the promised seed, as the object of Faith once given to the Saints.  
Secondly, to praise God for his firm truth in the certain destruction of the power of Satan, although then it remained in a world of sinful men; for, it shall break thy head, wherefore this Praiser of God also leaves his mind to the world by tradition, in the name of his son, calling him Iared, that is, descending, saith Broughton, foretelling the world's descent in ungodliness to misery as without hope of return; wherefore this hopeless man names his Son Enoch (as saith Broughton) signifying dedicated, or consecrated to God, implying he would dedicate him and his to God, according to truth, though the stream of the world run a contrary way, following lying vanities, forsaking their own mercies.  
And God answered this happy resolution in his son, for he by Faith in the faithless world that then was, walked with God, and he was not saith the Text, for God took him away, that is he never died, but in soul and body jointly ascended to the glory of Angels, by which figure being the seventh from Adam, God condemned the faithless world, that he really and mercifully prepared that glory in eternal felicity for them; But they cast it away by their Apostasy from him and gave themselves up to fleshly and terrestrial contentments, implied when God saith, My spirit shall not always strive with man, for that he also is flesh.  
Therefore Enoch the seventh from Adam prophesied of the destruction of that world, saying, Behold, the Lord cometh with ten thousand of his Saints to execute judgement, and to reprove all that are ungodly among them of all their ungodly deeds, which they have ungodly committed, and of all their hard speeches which ungodly sinners have spoken against them, Judas. 14.  
Wherefore this man leaves his mind by tradition to the world in the name of his son also; for he called him Methusalah, that is, (as saith Broughton) God sends, that is, his certain judgement upon the wicked of the world.  
And Methusalah therefore named his son Lamech, as saith the same Author, signifying striking, implying, God's final stroke to the destruction of the world did now draw near.  
Again, Lamech prophesied, that God would after that destruction, by Christ give a comfortable restauration of the world, and left it by tradition in the name of his son whom he called Noah, which signifieth comforter, or restorer, as saith Broughton.  
Again, by Noah God prepared the Ark, which in a figure was Christ, implying, that although now God set up his flaming sword, turning it every way, that none could escape, namely, the flood, signified by Noah's building the Ark.  
Yet by this Ark so long a building, was farther signified, that God would rather glorify his mercy in their salvation, than his justice in their deserved destruction.  
Wherefore Gen. 6. although he saith. My spirit shall n●t always str●ve with man, for that be also is flesh, as the bruit beast (for that is employed) yet than he saith, his days shall be an hundred and twenty years, implying so long time he would give them to return to be accepted in his beloved son the Ark of salvation.  
And this he did, although he knew that from Cain's exemplary concision, the wickedness of man was great in the earth, yea, every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually, than it 
* God is said to repent not in any respect of his internal divine glory, for in his unmeasurable perfections, he is one entire serene stillness, but God is said properly to repent according as he doth d●aw bacl that good or evill which he communicates to man by that second definitive rule of truth, mentioned, ca 8. by which he ordinarily wills his glory, to return to himself from man.  repent the Lord that he had made man in the earth, and yet all the said time of Noah's preparing the Ark before their eyes, God did by it excitively draw them, implicitly telling them, yet there was mercy for them.  
But this mercy they despise, minding only earthly contentments, agreeable to sense, as the bruit, as is further employed by the words of our Saviour, F●r, saith he, in the days of Noah that were before the flood, they were eating and drinking, and marrying, and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered into the Ark. And that all this time God did excitively draw them to return to him by Christ, is witnessed by Saint Peter; for, saith he, God (in the spirit of Christ) preached to them who sometimes were disobedient, when as once the long suffering of God waited in the days of Noah, while the Ark was in preparing; and as I said before, this grace they despised, wherefore God spared not the old world of the ungodly, but brought in the flood, etc. Mat. 24.38. 1 Pet 3.19.20. 2 Pet. 2.5.  
Yet here we must not judge, that all that perished in this temporal judgement, perished eternally: For godly men sometimes in God's general judgements, are swept away for their great remissness to God's great mercies, extended to them, and yet pass through that shade of death to eternal life, as did good old Eli and as did meek Moses, whose carcase fell in the wilderness amongst the rest, yet God let him see the terrestrial Canaan a figure of the celestial felicity, as a pledge of his sure passage through that shade of death to eternal life: so also all in this flood who perished being Infants or in childhood or natural Idiots or the like passed through this dreadful flood to eternal felicity.  
Therefore, O Lord, thou punishest unwillingly, nor grievest the children of men, to crush under thy feet all the prisoners of the earth, Lam 3.33.  
Again, where Saint Peter refers salvation to Noah, saying, that Noah the eighth person was saved, he meaneth not but the other seven in that Ark, which was the figure of Christ, were also saved in it from the stood.  
But in the number eight another thing is meant namely, as an eighth day was to be the promised seed, his resurrection day, therefore here the number of eight as referred only to Noah, employed, that although the other seven were saved from that flood in the Ark, ye: Noah only then was saved in it as risen with Christ by faith in the object of justification, by which he built the Ark to the saving of his house, by which he condemned the world, and became heir of the righteousness which is by faith, Hebr. 11.7. figuratively implying, that God in Christ is the Saviour of all men, from Adam's transgression, and more to live in this day of Grace, to receive by faith his free gift of life in glory, yet his salvation is more special to them that believe, as here in Noah we see, and as before is noted, Cap. 4.  
Again, God having in the Ark saved both man and beast, at least pairs of all kind: At their coming out of the Ark, than Noah, that by faith rested only upon the pillar of truth, and object of life; for the good of this life and a better, he no sooner comes out of the Ark into the world, but he refreshed his heart by faith in the seed of the woman's satisfactory righteousness, as the only ground of all blessedness, Genes. 8.20.  

In Adam pu●e naturals man had a natural ●ight to the creatures and the good of the● afterwards by the Covenant not only that, but also a right to the Creatures in a supernatural relation and then that right in the fall being l●st, than the second Adam as the firstborn of every creature, opened the womb of all perfection, towards which it doth travel till now, and then God by gift conferred upon all mankind divine right of this life, and that to come; so likewise, when by the universal apostasy of man, that right was deservedly to be cut off, yet, then God established by Ch●ists satisfactory sacrifice to man a right, as to the world to come; so to the creatures till time shall be no more e, as here we see, therefore all mankind have a divine right to the Creatures.  Wherefore God manifested to all of them, that on it he rested also fully contented and satisfied towards the world yea, although now God did foresee the concision of the hearts of the children of men for future times against him as it precedently was in Cain's posterity; yet upon Christ's satisfactory righteousness, he now ratifies to all mankind this world's good, till time shall be no more, to be man's day of Grace, to receive God's gift of eternal glory, for, saith Moses, jehovah smelled a Savour of rest, and jehovah said in his heart, I will not again curse the earth any more for man's sake; for the imaginations of man's heart is evil from his youth, neither will I any more smite every thing living, as I have done, while the earth remaineth; Seedtime and Harvest, and cold and heat, and Summer and Winter, and day and night, shall not cease vers. 21.22.  
And accordingly in the next Chapter, God again renews his merciful production, of mankind: for, 
This is the third production of mankind given by God: the first before the fall, Gen. 1. the second by Christ the second Adam, and restorer of all, Gen. 3.16. the third is this, merciful restauration.  saith Moses, God blessed Noah and his sons, and said unto them, be fruitful and multiply, and replenish the earth.  
Also he gave man right over the Creatures, and a Law to eat flesh, letting out the blood thereof: also a law against murdering of mankind, Verse 2.3. And commands them to consider all this, to be the renewing of his Covenant of Grace universally to all mankind.  
For, saith Moses, God saith unto Noah, and his sons with him, saying, And I, behold, I establish my covenant with you, and with your seed after you for ever, and with every creature that is with you v. 8.  
Also God gave them the Rainbow as a witness of this mercy to perpetual generation, Verse 13. and Vers. 16. saith God, the Bow shall be in the cloud, I will look upon it, that I may remember the everlasting Covenant between God and every living creature of all flesh that is upon the earth, etc.  
And in the next place, Moses tells us the manner of the proceed between God and this new Generation, Chap. 11. Verse 1. He tells us, the whole earth was then of one language, and also in process of time, whither they journed and at length settled; For he saith, it came to pass as they journied from the East, they found a plain in the Land of Shynar, and they dwelled there: Also he tells what they said, and what they did with an unanimous consent. They said one to another, Go too, let us make brick, and burn them throughly, and they had brick for stone, and slime had they for mortar.  
And they said, go too, let us build us a City and a Tower, whose top may reach unto Heaven. And then he tells us to what end and purpose was this great building set up, by all these great Counsel, cost and labour, namely, that their own imaginations, and the work of their own hands might get them an immortal Name and Fame on earth; For they said, Let us make us a name, lest we be scattered abroad upon the face of the whole Earth.  
This implies they all were now in this plain Resident, and also their apostasy universally from God in the Pillar of truth in which Oracle was wrapped up the gift of mortal and immortal good; for from it we see upon Noah's sacrifice he conveyed to them and theirs, all happiness present and to come: So here you see the manner of the proceed of this new generation towards God for all his gracious mercy by the promised seed his satisfactory righteousness.  
Again, it follows in what manner God proceeded for this to them, saith Moses, jehovah came down to see the City and the Tower that the children of men builded, and jehovah said, the people are all one, and they have all one language, and this they begin to do, and nothing will restrain them from that which they have imagined to do.  
These words imply two things; first, that this building to the foresaid end, was very offensive to God: secondly, that they were so fare gone in this transcendent mischief, as no ordinary means could restrain their desired purposes, and therefore God resolves upon an extraordinary means to divert them: For, saith the sacred Trinity, Go to, let us go down, and there confound their language, that they may not understand one another, and this did effect it; For saith Moses, Jehovah scattered them from thence abroad upon the face of all the earth, and they left off to build the City, therefore is the name if it called Babel, because Jehovah there confounded the language of all the earth.  
And in the tenth Chapter Moses relates in what parts of the world these scattered families did first settle, and then concludes, saying, These are the Families of the sons of Noah, after their generations in their Nations, and by these were the Nations divided after the flood.  
And so much for the first part of the time of God's impartial proceed to mankind, from which precedent premises observe these particulars.  
First from whence all heathenish Paganism or Gentilism did originally spring, namely, from God's just punishment of this people's universal Apostasy from the Pillar of truth, and Oracle of life and glory, descending so famously to them by tradition from Adam by Noah, and renewed to them by Covenant from God; therefore for this universal apostasy, he left them universally to walk in the vanity of their own minds, as without God in the world, about eighteen hundred years.  
Secondly, observe that for man's turning from God in this object of Justification; therefore the sacred Oracle was three times confined to narrow bounds.  
First, when Cain had killed Abel, than it was confined to Adam and Evah, and so down to the Families of the ten first Fathers before the flood.  
Secondly, then confined in the Ark to Noah and his Family, when God drowned all the offspring of the ten Fathers, together with Cain's Posterity, being partakers in apostasy from truth to lying vanities; so by punishment in woeful miseries.  
Thirdly, confined now at Babel, when God cast off all the Nations for casting away him in his truth and special mercies, than was the object of life and glory confined to the Family of Shem, impleyed, Gen. 11. from the 10. verse to the end of the Chapter, by Moses, recording Shems' Genealogy in the Book of Life, and none else, mentioning their births, their days of life and their particular deaths.  
Thirdly, observe how that righteous Noah lived, and saw the apostasy of the old world, and their punishment; his own offsprings apostasy at Babel, and their punishment, the apostasy of Shems' Family, and so left this world, and that family languishing so fare, as worshipping the Idol Gods of the Heathen, Iosh. 24.23. And saith Broughton, in his consent of Scripture, Noah died but two years before Abraham was borne; therefore he lived to see all this.  
Fourthly, observe, that notwithstanding all these apostasies, yet by tradition God upheld the Oracle of life in the world to this time; For Shem now personally continued constant in the truth, figuratively, personating Christ as King of Peace and Priest of the most high God, after the power of an endless life, although man unbelieving descends down to endless death.  
Therefore Gods proceed in this first part of time was to all mankind alike without respect of persons: as he originally said to Cain, If thou dost well, shalt thou not be accepted? But if thou dost not well, sin lies at the door, as precedently is explicated.   

CHAP. VI Opening the second part of time, namely, from the time that God called Abraham, to the time that he called the Gentiles by Christ in the Gospel.  
Whereas all Families of the earth at this time were cut off from the Oracle of life, and Shems' Family, to which it was last confined, by apostasy, lay now perishing in their own corruptions; yet then comes God, and renews his gift of Christ's righteousness imputed to come upon all men to justification of life; for now he predestinated all mankind to life and glory, the second time, to enjoy this day of grace, namely, this world, as a day of grace, to receive by belief of his gift of Christ's righteousness, imputed the day of eternal glory.  

This extraordinary mercy thus universally renewed by this second prrdestination, not only proves the sufficiency of Christ's imputed righteousness, as the Father's gift for the salvation of all & all alike, but also God's willingness to have it effectual, as to a reasonable creature to bring him to happiness according to his kind, not only in an ordinary way, but sometimes extraordinarily, as appeareth in the 9 & 10. chapters.  I say all, for I mean, both Shems Family and all the Families of the Earth, which at this time comprehended all mankind (none excepted) and for proof of this point Gen. 12. saith Moses concerning this Predestination, jehovah had said unto. 
* The Covenant in Christ which God renewed with Abraham is here distinguished into its parts.  Abraham, get thee from thy Country and from thy Kindred, and from thy Father's House, to a Land that I will show thee, and then at that time saith God to him, I will make of thee a great Nation.  
In which words, in Abraham's Loins, God did now predestinate the jews unborn, to Grace and Glory in jesus Christ.  
Again secondly, saith God to Abraham, Thou shalt be a blessing, and I will bless them that bless thee, and curse them that curse thee: In these words, in Abraham's Loins, is employed the glorious exaltation of Christ the second Adam, and saviour of the world, as proceeding therein without respect of persons.  
Again thirdly, saith God to Abraham, In thee shall all the Families, of the Earth be blessed: In these words is comprehended the Gentiles Predestination to Grace and glory in Jesus Christ, for to him restrictively were all these promises made, as witnesseth Saint Paul, for saith he To Abraham and his seed were the Promises made, yet said he, God said not unto 
(a) Yet Christ and right believers is th' s most proper seed considered in his most peculiar mystical body, for Christ is considerable in divers respects.  seeds as of many, that is, to all the Offspring of Abraham in the flesh, but as of one, and to thy seed, which is Christ, Gal. 3.16.  
Therefore at this time all mankind was Predestinate to Grace and glory in jesus Christ, without difference, as upon the immediate fall of Adam 
(b) For from the time that God promised Christ to Adam till the Gospel was unveiled this mystery lay as hid. Col 1.26. Eph 2.7. , when this righteousness came upon all men to justification of life, so now in this predestination, to be Vessels of mercy, being by their own 
(c) Therefore it must needs follow, that when we were enemies to him, God communicated his love and mercy upon man, out of love to the glory and praise of his grace, by the second Adam Christ jesus  Apostasy Vessels fitted to destruction: wherefore when these Gentiles were called to the reception of this grace in the object of Justification: rightly doth Saint Paul then say. God made known the riches of glory on the vessels of mercy, whom he had afore prepared unto glory, even us whom he hath called, not only of the jews but also of the Gentiles, Rom. 9.23, 29.  
Also when the Apostle called these Gentiles according to God's purpose, about 18-hundred years after this Predestination, he than saith, those whom he did foreknow, them he also did predestinate, to be conformed to the Image of his Son, that he might be the first borne among many brethren.  
And in the next verse he tells, the Gentiles God now accordingly had effected it, for he saith moreover, whom he did predestinate, them also he called, and whom he called them also he justified, and whom he justified, them he also glorified. Rom. 8.29, 30.  
And from this ground, the Apostle rightly concludes, that this promise of God to Abraham contained the Sum of the Gospel concerning the Gentiles for saith he the Scriptures, 
All these Texts refers Predestination not to any decree before Abraham's time.  foreseeing that God would justify the Heathen through Faith, Preached before the Gospel unto Abraham, saying, In thee shall all Nations be blessed. Gal. 3.8.  
Again, to proceed from this general ground to a particular proceeding in this universal mercy, and to begin where God gins, that is, at the Restauration of Shems' Family to glory.  
And because this glory is restored to this Family from one man's Loins only, namely Abraham this directs us to two things. First, that the precedent Apostates of Shems' Family were cut off by God from Christ, therefore he would ra s● the jews as a new generation, but from this one man's loins of Shem, Offspring to enjoy this mercy.  
Secondly, it implies that man's deepest misery is Gods most proper object of mercy, therefore from this Son of Terah, of Shems' Appostate Family, he now promises to make not only a Nation, but also a Nation great and glorious, and from this ground of Free Grace in future times, when this Nation was a great People and famous, but ungrateful to God for this honour, God then tells, thy birth and thy Nativity is of the Land of Canaan, that is, an Idolatrous brood for saith God, 
God would have them to consider what they were, when he predestinated them to this glory in the promised seed with Abraham.  thy Father was an Amorite, and thy Mother a Hittite, etc. as Josua 24, from the 2. ver. to the 6. and Ezekiel 16. from the 3. to the 15. to the 15. yet in the mercy of this promised seed, God gave to the Son of this Idolatrous brood three things.  
First he gave him a Land.  
Secondly, from his own Loins, a Nation great and glorious to inherit that Land.  
Thirdly, The seed from his own Bowels, in whom that Nation was to be heirs entailed to that Land for ever.  
To the first point, Gen. 12.7. Moses saith, jehovah appeared unto Abraham, and said unto him, unto thy seed will I give this Land. Cap. 13.14. jehovah said unto Abraham, lift up now thine eyes and look from this place where thou art, Northward, and Southward, and Eastward, and Westward, for all the Land which thou seest, to thee will I give it, and to thy seed for ever. Chap. 15.18. jehovah made a Covenant with Abraham saying, Unto thy seed have I given this Land, from the River of Egypt, unto the great River Euphrates, etc.  
Again to the second point, namely the gift of a great and glorious Nation, from his own Loins to inherit this Land, as Chap. 13.16. I will make thy seed as the dust of the Earth, So that if a man can number the dust of the earth, then shall thy seed also be numbered, likewise Chap. 15. and 5. he brought him forth abroad and said, look up now towards Heaven, and tell the Stars, if thou be able to number them, and he said unto him, so shall thy seed be.  
Again to the third point, namely the gift of the seed in whom this glorious and great Nation should be heirs entailed to this promised land forever: for when Abraham had thought that he should be Childless, and therefore determined to make Eleazar his heir, to what God had given him, than Gen, 15.3. behold the word of jehovah came to him saying, this shall not be thine heir, but he that shall come forth of thine own bowels shall be thine Heir, and accordingly from him did spring this numberless Nation to inherit this Promised Land in the right of the seed promised precedently to Adam and now renewed to be the Son of Abraham after the flesh by promise 430 years before the Law, as it is Gal. 3.16, 17 & Gen. 13.15. the Land was not entailed by promise in the Plural to seeds, but to thy seed for ever, meaning in Christ as figured in Isaak the Child of Promise.  
Therefore this Terrestrial Canaan was entailed to them in Christ for an everlasting inheritance, as it was a figure of the Celestial Canaan, yet eternal life entailed with this proviso, implicitly of their right submittance in belief of truth, and so to enjoy this day of grace as a day of grace: and therefore at this universal Predestination in Christ, God gives this general rule, I will bless them that bless thee, and curse them that curse thee. That is, blessing more special to them, which by belief of truth, rightly receive all good in the imputed righteousness of this seed, as did Abel, the first ten Fathers, and Abraham their Father, or the contrary to them that believe not this truth, as to Cain, the old world, the Offspring of Noah, Shems' Posterity and Terah Abraham's Father: So that God's proceed by this Covenant in the promised seed, was here laid down without all respect of persons, jews or Gentiles, both being comprehended in this Covenant.  
Again to go on, for in the raising of this Nation from misery to mercy in Christ Jesus, God expressed himself in divers figures, as first in the manner of Isaac's conception and birth, he being the Child of promise, therefore that God might by this figure lead this Nation by a straight line, to receive by belief of truth this land, as their terrestrial day of grace, and to receive by Faith in Christ's righteousness, the celestial day of glory; therefore he gave the natural being of this Nation, not so much from the force of nature, as from Faith's object, for Abraham's natural force in the flesh, especially Sarahs' womb was now as good as dead to this production, yet she by belief of the promised Messiah in Isaac to spring figuratively 
(a) 
So that Isaac was borne after the Spirit and therefore as a right figure of Christ's b●th● so also of all believers which are borne after the will of God, and not of the will of the flesh, as was Ishm●ell, the figure of all which, walk after the will of the flesh in terrestrial contentments; and so Hagar in Arabia, and Sarah in the Land of Promise, were figuratively two Testaments, as Gal. 4.24, 25.  
Rom. 4.19. Heb. 11.12. Gen. 12.12.   from her womb, she received strength to conceive seed, and was delivered of a Child, from whence sprang this numberless Nation to 
(b) Christ as head, and his national spouse elect, as members, being promised to issue as numberless from Abraham's Loins, then dead to tha● production, 〈◊〉 were a figure of Christ and his numberless members of right believers, yet A●●aham to be such a Father in these three respects believed God was able and faithful to accomplish that promise's, and therefore humbly submitted in belief, to receive in that gift the righteous seed: his satisfactory righteousness imputed all that felicity, according to this fourth estate of man, and therefore God reckoned or imputed or manifested to Abraham, that that act, was very suitable or agreeable to his mind, as in another case, he expressed to Phineas, Numb. 25.10, 11. See this further explained at the end of the exposition of the ninth of the Rom. in cha. 6.  this honour.  
Yet when Sarah would cast out Ishmaell from inheriting this honour with Isaac, this to Abraham was grievous, then said God to Abraham, let it not be grievous in thy sight, because of the Lad, and because of the bondwoman: In all that Sarah hath said unto thee, harken to her voice: for in Isaac shall thy seed be called, that is, figuratively in him to Christ by this straight line, to receive the riches of mercy only in him, in whose righteousness imputed, I received all upon Adam's fall, as now by Restauration, I intent to receive all, wherefore Abraham accordingly in this righteousness received the riches of grace to him and the whole world, and it was imputed to him for righteousness) as saith the Apostle, Rom. 4.3.11.13. Gen. 15.6.  
And hereupon God gave Abraham circumcision as the Seal of the righteousness imputed in the object of Faith, which he received by belief of truth, and then God gave this rule, that that man or Family which refused to receive this Seal of righteousness, which is by Faith, should be cut off from the national spouse of Christ, Gen. 16.14. implying Gods impartial proceed towards them, as precedently to Abel and Cain, If thou dost well, shalt thou not be accepted? if thou dost not well sin lies at the door.  
Again, to go on with this elect Nation, and then we meet with another remarkable figure, when Rebecca also had conceived twins by Isaac, God then considered these two babes in her womb, as two Nations and two manner of people to be separated from her bowels, for so to Rebecca God explains himself. Gen. 25.  
And because God by tradition intended to lead this Nation by this figure, as by a straight line of truth, to know in future times, that that rise from their Idolatrous den, to this honour in Abraham's Loins, was with no respect to Abraham's person more than to any other man's, but only to God's merciful election, as before is described: therefore before the Babes were borne, God elected the youngest Babe and his posterity to this honour, but he rejected from this honour the eldest babe and his posterity, although he was the firstborn in the natural line, as hating this Elect Nations rise to this mercy, with any respect to abraham's or jacobs' fleshly line, as any cause moving him so to do.  
Therefore he did this, that the purpose of God, according to the Election might stand only, according to his call of Abraham from an Idolatrous den by mercy from that misery.  
Again, this Election and rejection of these babes and their posterity, was before the babes were borne, as here we see, and therefore as saith Saint Paul, it was before they had done good or evil, and so this figure told this Nation, that as their evil works in Terah (from whom in Abraham's flesh they came) did not hinder God from showing mercy to them being miserable, so neither on the contrary, did any good 
(a) As not works so not faith fore-seen in Abraham or any other, is any ground of God's election of miserable man to life and glory, but only God's love to himself in the glory of his free grace in jesus Christ, is the ground of election, as when God elected all mankind from reprobate devils, we being the same with them in Adam's fall, so also the second time when he elected both jews and Gentiles in the promised seed by Covenant with Abraham, when they were all gone out of the way of peace, & became abominable by their Apostasy from that grace, as in this Chap. doth appear.  works of Abraham's or theirs foreseen, further or bring on this honourable election, to temporal and eternal felicity in Christ jesus.  
And therefore that the purpose of God might stand, not of works, but of him that calleth, it was said unto her, the elder shall serve the younger, as it is written, jacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated. Gen. 25.22, 23. Malach. 1.2, 3.  
Thus to this Nation God set up Abraham, Isaak and jacob; persons for three pillars, to preach through future Generations, that not with respect to their persons more than others, but only in his gift of the seed of the woman's righteousness imputed to them, he raised them from an Idolatrous brood, perishing in the exemplary concision of their Ancestors corruptions, to be Christ's Nationall Spouse elect: See pag. 72, 73.  
Again, to descend with this Nation, we find them then in Egypt under great opressions by the cruelty of Pharaoh, but from thence with a high hand God delivers them, figuratively in the bloodshed of Christ, the Paschall lamb leading them thereby to Christ, his acceptable righteousness imputed by God to them, as the only ground of removing their deserved miseries, conferring upon them undeserved mercies as he promised to Abraham in this promised seed, about 400 years before, Gen. 25.13 14. Exod. 14.13.  
And so God leads them from Egypt through the Wilderness, with his high hand of providence, towards the promised land, the figure of eternal felicity; for saith God to them, You have seen what I did unto the Egyptians, and how I bore you on eagle's wings, and brought you unto myself. Exo. 19  
Yet to God by belief of his truth in the promised seed, so famous by tradition descending to them from Adam, by the ten Fathers before the Flood down to Abraham, with whom he renewed this mercy for them; they nevertheless by remissness, passed over all this, preferring the Onions and fleshpots, and pleasurable treasures of Egypt, before the riches of the promised land, their day of grace, and figure of God's gift of their eternal glory in Christ jesus; for when God tried them, their minds were but flesh, that is, only agreeable to sensual objects, as the bruit and no higher: For neither reason nor Faith of God's gift in Christ was of any use, wherefore God swore, they should never enter the figure of eternal rest: implying, his impartial proceed to them as to Cain and Abel.  
Again, yet because of their remissness (they being thus habituated to transgress the oracle of life and glory, in the promised seed) therefore to the promise, God added the law in holy writ, to convey through their generations, this object of Faith more firmly, that so they might eat the same Spiritual meat, and drink the same Spiritual drink, in right belief of truth, as did all that lived by Faith before them, and as do all that now live in right belief of truth after them: for the flesh of the Sacrifice which they did eat at their Feasts; also the flesh of the Paschall lamb, was the flesh of Christ to them in a figure, therefore in belief of truth in that figure, they did or might eat the flesh of Christ, as now believing man doth Sacramentally, in bread and wine, and so to them: Christ's 
* The flesh of Beasts was not then turned into the flesh of Christ, nor was the Rock which followed them, turned into the nature or person of Christ, although that Rock then was Christ, as 1 Cor. 10.4.  flesh was meat indeed, and his blood was drink indeed; for the truth is, the Law that then was added to the precedent promise, was but their Schoolmaster to lead them to Christ to be justified by Faith, Gal. 3.19.24 1 Cor. 10.3.  
But here the question will be, Quest. what Law the Apostle meaneth, was added to the precedent promise, made with Adam, and renewed to the world with Abraham.  
He meaneth the whole Law of Moses with all its parts, Answ. even to the Law of sour herbs, to eat the Paschall Lamb, and the Law of the firstborn, Exod. 12.8.25. Exod. 13.2: And I will briefly touch 4 heads:  
First, the Law Judicial.  
Secondly, the Law of the Sacrificing Priesthood.  
Thirdly, The Moral Law.  
Fourthly, The penal Law. Of these in their order.  
First, the Judicial Law, as executed by Moses the Judges and Kings successively: This figuratively told them, that Christ the seed of the woman, and seed of Abraham and David was successively in them, governing his Israel's Common wealth, as King on Zion hill: So Schooling them by belief of truth, and the agreeableness of the Type with the Antitipe, to submit to his government, to cherish each other, as the Nationall members of the mystical body of Christ, Exo. 21.1.  
Secondly, the sacrificing Priesthood with the levitical Ordinances, as successively continued unto them, figuratively led them to God's gift of Christ's satisfactory righteousness imputed, and received by belief of truth, was it only that cleansed from all sin: that is, the guilt, punishment and the prevalency of it, in Terrestrial Canaan, and from the inherency of sin in Canaan Celestial.  
Therefore when the sacrifice was to expire its life, they were to lay upon its head, the hand of belief, of remission of sins, sometimes of ignorance, sometimes for sins against conscience.  
And also they had the daily Sacrifice, all Schooling the Nationall Spouse of Christ by belief of truth to submit to Christ's righteousness imputed, for her continued acceptation, and her etern●ll life, only by Salvation, Levit. 4.2, 4.15. chap. 6.1, 2, 7, 8. Esra. 3.4.  
Thirdly, the Moral Law as enclosed in the 
* Because the perfection of the Moral Law, is only resident in Christ the true Ark, and from him conferred to man's justification and sanctification therefore the Moral Law than was as under the veil, and now is without the veil an Evangelicall rule, and not legal, as communicating no grace nor mercy.  Ark, with divers interminglings, Schooled this elect Spouse to God's gift of Christ in six particulars.  
First, as all these words were spoken by God with a relative remembrance of their redemption from Egypt, by the blood of the Paschall Lamb: this tended implicitly to sweeten their obedience by belief of truth, to all the ensuing commandments, as the redeemed Spouse of Christ, as appears by the forefront of the Tables of the Law Exo. 20.1.  
Secondly, because the Moral Law commands this Nationall Spouse, not only in Moses presence, her Mediator in the Type but also because he put these commandments into the Ark, there to remain, as Deut. 10.5. This implicitly Schooled this Spouse, that here, God in Christ commanded her to a holy life, in the perfection of parts by love to him, and each others as themselves, saying in effect, be ye holy as I am holy.  

(a) The Apostle Rom 7. describing the conflicts of a godly mind, thankfully concludes its victory to be by Christ, & in the 8 chapped. that there is not condemnation to all such, and his reason i●, because the Law as it is accomplished by Christ, is in him: to them the Law of Spirit and life, and freeing him from the Law of sin and death, and that by Christ's fulfilling the Law in our flesh; our nature in him hath not only judged sin to be vile and naught, but also removed the dark ve●le of Moses, and those multiplicity of Ordinances and operations, through which our frail nature c●uld not with that clearness and nearness communicate with Christ, to walk after the Spirit, as now we may; as 2 Cor 13.18. Rom 8.4.10, 11.  Thirdly, the Rod that budded with Almonds of ripe perfection, as enclosed in the Ark, together with the Tables of the Law: this implicitly Schooled this Spouse, that the Spirit and life of the perfection of the Moral Law, was conferred upon her, by God's gift of Christ's righteousness imputed, and that is, only freed her from the Law of sin and of death, Rom. 8 1, 2, 3, 4.  
Fourthly, the Moral Law as interminglingly closed in the Ark, not only with the Rod, but also with the pot of Manna, as overshaddowed with the wings of the golden Cherubims, wing touching wing: This Schooled that Spouse by that figure, that Christ was as resident with her on Earth, to feed her by belief of truth with the bread of life as with Angel's food.  
Fiftly, because in this glorious oracle of the Moral Law, one precept commanded the seventh 
(b) The seventh day Sabbath, or the keeping of a seventh day, as from the Moral Law was extinguished, when this mystery, as included in this Ark, was abolished, and now only remains the Lords eighth day to be kept yet not by any direct precept, but from the Apostles by tradition in all ages and by consequence from the Apostles Doctrine; therefore Princes, who by Law confirm it to be kept holy to the Lord, their fame shall remain through all Generations.  day's rest: This Schooled this Spouse elect of Christ in two particulars.  
First, that she had been precedently forgetful of this seventh days glorious mystery, and therefore in this precept was inserted a clause of remembrance.  
Secondly, because this Ark was named God's mercy-seat, or resting place this figuratively told them, God rested only on the perfection of Christ's works for the perfection of all his works which he had created, and made, so to depend for perfection, as Chap. 4. hereby leading his Spouse not to rest in the wroth of her own righteousness, as did Cain, but to rest only and alone for all perfection upon Christ's as imputed, from whence only was conferred all her mercies.  
Sixthly, God made this Ark his Seat of mercy, in which being wrapped up both the Tables, and so intermingled, and from thence by Moses he spoke to them: this figuratively schooled this Spouse to two things; first, that on these two Tables (as in the perfection of Christ's works) did hang all the Law and Prophets, that is, all the Laws, prefigurations and the Prophetical significations: secondly, because from this glorious Oracle, by Moses, (the Mediator in the Type) God spoke to this Spouse of Christ; this implicitly told her, that by her applying herself to this sacred Oracle, that thence in Christ's righteousness imputed, God will so speak peace to her through all generations, as to the Israel of God, Exod. 25.20, 21, 22. Gal. 6.16. So much for the moral Law.  
Fourthly, the penal Law, as cursing this elect Spouse, in her negligent contempt of the sacred Oracle thus resident with her; this implicitly told her that she must then speedily return to this righteousness imputed for justification for remission of Sins, as to the brazen Serpent, 
Hebr. 12.26.  because this Law of God's curse was as the flaming sword, turning every way, telling her, that if she did not here submit, she must perish in the flames of God's consuming 
* Legal terrors calls to man to turn to God, either after faith, or before I say, to turn to God's gift of Christ and his righteousness imputed for safety and solace from the horrors of God's wrath, and this o dinance of God is of use to his Church militant to the world's end, for God's wrathful curse under the Gospel, and the Law, is one and the same, but more e severe under the Gospel than it was under the Law, Heb. 10.29. yet not now so frequently demonstrated to sense as then it was the gro●nd of it is this; because then all the good of terrestrial Canaan, was a type of the supernatural grace and glory, as it was morefully to be communicated under the Gospel un●a●●ed.  wrath for ever, for he delivered his Covenant to Abraham in the promised seed, saying. I will bless them that bless thee, and curse them that curse thee, and renews the same with Moses to be a penal Law, whence saith the Apostle, as many as are under the Law are under the curse, for it is written, Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things w●ich are written in the Book of the Law to do them, Gal. 3.10. Deut. 28.45. All implying this, that God's proceedings to her in Christ was without all respect of persons.  
So also in the manner of the delivery of the Law to this elect Spouse; for the moral Law being delivered in the negative so largely, implicitly reveals her precedent sin against the promise to which now the Law was added, because of her transgression, and so the Law revealed sin, or caused sin to appear, Rom. 7.11.12. and Rom 5.13.  

The Apostles styled the Law of Moses the ministration of death, because the manner of the delivery of it was some sign of God's displeasure, and also as opposing it to the manner of the delivery of the Gospel, which was in mildness and love, so that it is but comparatively with some respects, but not properly the administration of death, but an ordinance of life by Christ, it being the substance of the Gospel under a veil, as Hebr. 8.  Again, the Law given to Moses (the Mediator in the Type) in smoke, darkness, thunderings, lightnings, the shrill sound of a Trumpet, sounding louder and louder, to the great amazement of them all, and they not to touch the Mountain upon pain of death; all implicitly declaring this Spouses deserved punishment for her precedent transgressing of the Oracle of life and glory, descending from Adam, and renewed with Abraham, and that she was therefore worthy to be cut off from Christ, by the execution of the curse, as she was now threatened in this dreadful demonstration of it.  
Yet, as the Law revealed sin and wrath, or caused wrath here to appear, than (Moses the Mediator in the type, that is Christ in the truth) obtained, that this Law should be for life, that is, as leading unto him, and not the administration of death, as she had deserved, Rom. 7.9.10. Gal. 3.19. So likewise, although God esteemed this Nation Israel his elect Esay 45. and 4. yet if the Mediator in the type had not interceded for her, God would have destroyed all excepting him, and from him raised a great Nation unto Abraham according to his Covenant in the promised seed; for saith God to Moses, concerning them, when he would have destroyed them, I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and compassion on whom I will have compassion, as if he should say, I respect none of them, but with respect to my imputed gift of the Lamb's righteousness, which they reject, and apply not themselves to me in it. Therefore all those which had seen Gods great works in the wilderness and were remiss, not answerable by belief of truth to this mercy. God, cut them off from the figure of eternal felicity, and caused their carcases to fall in the wilderness, yea, he spared not Mirriam, Aaron nor Moses, nor any save Caleb, the Son of jephuneh the Kenite, and I●shua the Son of Nun, for they wholly followed JEHOVAH, saith the Text, clearly 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.  
Again, about 407. years after the Law was added to the promise, than God gave them a twofold figure more to lead them to Christ, the only ground of all their good.  
As first that the promised seed should come of the seventh son of Ish●i, and the son of David, King on Zion hill to sit on his Throne, figuratively shadowing out in salomon's thronized glory: So leading this national Spouse by right belief of truth to pi●ch her ultimate felicity in the eternal 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 especial 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 belief 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 several lines of truth, leading by belief thereof to the imputed righteousness of the seed, as it in which he only 
(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 eternal 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 Abraham's flesh whence they were descended, and to a worth in their own works 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 righteousness 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 bel●fe of this truth, he therefore in this ninth Chapter reflects upon this elect Spouse, as near to the rejection for this resisting of Christ, and therefore his grief for them was beyond measure, because they were Israel, to whom appertain 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 he implies that these glorious privileges did not make him so conceive of them, as if God's Word of curse, according to his Covenant with Abraham, had taken none effect upon them to their rejection; for saith he, all are not Israel that are of Israel, implying, all are not of Israel's faith that are of Israel's 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 Isaac shall thy seed be called, that is, saith he, 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 he, this is a word of promise, etc. Verse 6.7, 8, 9 implying this figure of Isaac, as the promised child 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 jacobs' conception and birth, for, saith he, not only 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 evil that the purpose of God according to 
* By election in this text, is meant only of the jews, to be Christ's elect Spouse Nationally, and not of any of the Gentiles.  election might stand, not of works, but of him that calleth, it was said unto her, the elder shall serve the younger, as it is written, jacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated, that is, God to manifest his mind rightly in this mystery, loved to prefer the younger in the fleshly line, and hated to prefer the first borne to the greatest honour, namely, to the Nationall election, as the first borne after the flesh; wherefore God not only expressed this between Ishmael and Isaac, and primarily between Esau and jacob, as before, but also in josephs' seed, God preferred the younger to the greatest honour, and the eldest to be inferior in honour, purposely, Gen. 49. So likewise in his choice amongst the sons of Ishai, he passed by all the eldest to the lowest, in the natural 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 declare his purpose, 
* So that God hated not Esau's person, nor hated he him in respect of the foresight of his sin, nor did he love jacobs' Person more than Esau's, nor loved he him for the foresight of his Faith and righteousness, 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 righteousness, nor to Abraham or Israel's person as they were the natural root of the jews, which moved him to extend his mercy to them, and to declare on the contrary, that the evil of their father Terahs' Idolatrous Apostasy hindered him not, from predestinating them then untorne, and to call them in Isaac 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 clearly explained.  namely, to lead this elect Spouse from her erroneous works and from Abraham's line after the flesh to Abraham's faith in Christ's works the object of blessedness, and no more.  
For in Scriptures we find some that were rejected from inheriting this election to life and glory with the promised child, as well as Esau, and yet we find them admitted, and counted with the true seed of Abraham, namely, Christ's; as for example:  
In the Eastern 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 child of promise Isaac, Gen. 25.6. yet there we find just job and Eliphaz, who was descended from Esau's loins, 1 Chron. 1.35.36. Also Bildad the Shuite descended of Abraham's son Shuah, and thererefore called the Shuite, 1 Chron. 1.32. Also Zophar and Elihu, all worshippers of God with just job, figuratively in the satisfactory righteousness 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 offspring, who in his loins was rejected from this election, as were others, as here we see, and notwitstanding that rejection were true worshippers in the acceptable righteousness of the seed: consequently much more might Esau himself: therefore let no man be profane, as was Esau, Hebr. 12.16. So I pass this point, being before explained, pag. 62.63.  
Again, to go on, vers. 14. the Apostle saith, What shall we say then? Is there unrightousnesse with God? God forbidden, 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 ways had any respect to this elect Spouse more than to others but only in the promised seed, the object of faith, as before, pag. 70. So than it is not in him that willeth to have it from Abraham's flesh, nor in him that runneth, to have it from the wrath of his erroneous works to the Law, but in God that showeth mercy in this election of you from your Idolatrous den, to give you the Land of promise your day of grace, and his gift of eternal glory, to be received by you in belief of truth; and not for works conversant only about the object of faith, and under the pretence thereof to extinguish the glorious works of Christ, as now you do.  
Therefore in stead of mercy, you shall receive the contrary from God, even his proceed to your remar●eble confusion; for the Scripture saith unto Pharaoh, For the same 
* For God by Moses sent his Commandments 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 world, and to clear God's justice in his remarkable destruction, as appeareth, Exod. 3.9.19.20. & 6.1. & 7.3.4.  purpose have I raised thee up, that I might show my power in thee, and th●t my Name may be declared through all the earth, and thereupon he concludes against them saying, therefore he hath mercy on whom he will, and whom he will he hardeneth, as if he 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 do you more directly than ever did he.  
Therefore much more will God give you up, as he did Pharaoh, to you own insolences, and then provokingly raise you up to a height therein purposely to make his name famous in power and justice by your remarkable destruction, through all the world, notwithstanding your descent from Abraham's flesh, and his precedent election of you: For he will have mercy on whom he will have mercy, and whom he will be 
* See this Text further explained in the ●●rgent towards the later end of th●s Chapter.  hardeneth, even amongst you, as to Pharaoh, for that's employed.  
Again to go on, Verse 19 Thou wilt say unto me (saith the Apostle Why doth he yet complain, for who h●th resisted his Will? as if they should say, if Gods will be so  to glorify his justice and power in our ruin, notwithstanding our peculiar and glorious and ancient privileges, why doth he so needlessely complain 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 form say to him that form it, why hast thou made me thus? Hath not the Potter power of the 
* This word the same lump hath no relation to the common mass of all mankind.  same lump, to make one vessel to honour, and another to dishonour? As if he should say, when you were all in the son of Terahs' loins namely, Abraham as one mass or lump of Clay, semenally in the hand of God? Had he not then power by Covenant with him in the promised seed thus to shape you for honour or dishonour? that is, to cursedness or blessedness, according as you proudly turned his own talents and mercies against him, refusing his abundant mercy, and therefore leave you to your own stubbornness, as vessels 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 righteousness of this seed, as it only, in which he received you to grace and glory; Therefore, O man, who art thou that disputest against God? And hereupon the Apostle infers, saying, What if God willing to make his power known, endured with long suffering, the vessels of wrath fitted to destruction, and that he might make known the riches of his mercy on the vessels of mercy, which he had afore prepared unto glory, even us whom he hath called, not of the Jews only, but also of the Gentiles, as God saith in Hosea, etc. 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 man's person more than another.  
In what can you charge God of injustice; or excuse yourselves? 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 thyself, O Israel.  
Again, 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 pass, 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 own Prophet against them, implicitly refels their precedent errors in divers respects; as first, because the Gentiles were not Abraham's seed of Isaac and jacob, and yet were to be children to the living God.  
This therefore proved that Abraham's natural line after the flesh, was not God's ground of electing Children unto him, but the election must be in Christ as before.  
Again, 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 righteousness to the Law, was no ground of their Election but the election was of him that called them from their Idolatrous den, and gave them the election in the promised seed.  
Again, the Apostle citys 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 refers salvation but to a remnant, consequently their descent from Abraham's flesh, was no ground of their election; for if so, than not a remnant but all Israel must have been 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 righteousness, and except God had left a remnant, they had been as Sodom, and like unto Gomorrah, implying Gods impartial proceed (ordinarily) with this elect spouse of Christ, as between Abel and Cain, and as to Abraham in the Covenant for cursedness and blessedness. Therefore to this elect Spouse God was no respecter of persons.  
Again, Verse 30. the Apostle saith, What shall we say then; that the Gentiles which followed not after righteousness, have attained to righteousness, even the righteousness which is of faith? by force of God's precedent predestination with Abraham, for that's employed: but Israel which followed after the Law of righteousness, saith he, hath not attained the Law of righteousness; and then he gives the prime reason wherefore, because they sought it not by faith, but, as it were, by works of the Law.  
And he saith, they stumbled at that stumbling stone, as it is written, Behold, I say in Zion a stumbling stone, and a rock of offence, and whosoever shall believe on him, shall not be ashamed; these words imply three things:  
First, that Israel's glory (as Gods Israel) was grounded only upon Christ, the Stone laid, as a pillar of truth on Zion hill.  
Secondly, that by remissness Israel fell to pride, and so from this stone to Abraham's flesh, and their own works of the law, to be the ground of all their glory, and so stumbled at the Pillar of truth, Christ's righteousness imputed, to their own destruction.  
Thirdly, to those of this Nation, that in right belief did submit to the righteousness of God that is, the righteousness of Christ imputed, the ground of all their glory, them God would uphold in honour; for saith the Text, he that believeth, 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 Calvin's error, namely, that God before the world was, did personally reprobate the greatest part of mankind to unrecoverable damnation, and personally elected the rest to unavoidable salvation.  
Again, to go on against their works of righteousness to the law, about the object of Faith: the Apostle opposeth Abraham's example, who by Faith in the object of Faith, by this Pillar of truth, terminated in it as the only 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 man's justification in this fourth estate, is God's gift of Christ's righteousness reckoned or imputed to man: yet the justification of a Sinner is this, v●●. God's pardon of his sin, guilt, and punishment, for that Righteousness so reckoned or imputed as to all mankind upon our fall in Adam, & as new to all Infants departing this World: but when justification is reckoned or imputed to Man's Faith, it is because that act of right belief is more connexively related immediately to the object of justification, than any other act of a believer: And when sometimes justification is attributed to Faith, it is because a right believers submissive receptive instrument of Faith is opposed against the pride of man's supposed wo●ks of righteousness; and in this sense S. Paul Rom. 4. br●ngs in that text Gen. 15. saying it was imputed to Abraham for righteousness.  justified by works, he hath whereof to glory, but not before God, for what saith the Scripture, Abraham believed God, and it was imputed to him for righteousness: Implying, he believed all his good from God's gift, in the righteousness of the seed imputed, and so was that righteousness imputed to him, to the remission of his sins, 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 believeth on him which justifieth the ungodly, his Faith is counted for righteousness: Implying, that God was Abraham's exceeding great reward, only by his gift of the righteousness of this seed imputed in the object of Faith which Abraham by belief, submissively embraced, even as David describeth the blessedness of the man unto whom God imputeth righteousness without works saying, Blessed are they, whose iniquity is forgiven, and whose sins are covered; blessed is the man to whom thee Lord will not impute sin: from verse 1. to the 8.  
Again to go on, the Apostle in divers passages of his Epistles shows 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 he should say, suppose you do believe the Law to be God's Law, and therefore to the Judicial Laws are obedient to live in some orderly manner: Suppose also from the same grounds you are at pains 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 joint inhabitants of that land, yet in all this to you, these Laws are not of Faith, because you by belief rest upon your deed done, to be accepted of God, as did Cain, and terminate in sensual delights, for you are not led from the letter of the Law in right belief, to rest in Christ his acceptable righteousness, the proper end of the Law for righteousness to man rightly believing truth: 
* The same is ●he Gospel now ●o man, not rightly believing truth, for the Law and the Gospel for substance was one and the same, therefore men merely Moral, and of a civil life, must beware left they perish eternally by this deceit, for man may not be fare from the Kingdom 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 sin 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 God's gift of Christ's imputed righteousness, is the only stable ground of felicity in itself for man, and also, so to man rightly believing truth, for man may believe divine Testimony as divine Testimony, and yet not believe justifyingly, as chap. 10.  
Again, their election to inherit the Temporal felicity of Canaan, as the figure of eternal felicity, could not be a debt due to the worth of their works, and to the imputed righteousness of Christ too, for these are contraries, Wherefore saith the Apostle, if the election be by grace, than it is no more of works, otherwise grace is no more grace, but if it be by works, than it is no more grace, otherwise work is no more work, Rom. 11.6.  
Again, the worth of their works by the Law, did tend to overthrow the Foundation of the salvation of the world, because it makes void 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 heirs, Faith is made void, and the promise of none effect. Rom. 4.14.  
Again, this conceited worth of works to the Law, put a nullity to the Son of God, his glorious expiration of his life, for the completion of all righteousness, to the salvation of the world: for saith the Apostle, if righteousness come by the Law, (that is as they would have it) than Christ died in vain. Gal. 2.21.  
Again, 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 he only and alone, is the man that could do them, and did live in them as a perfect man, to take off the cursedness from all that believe his righteousness imputed. Gal. 3.11, 12, 13, 14.  
Again, when Christ is manifested by the Apostles Doctrine, without the prefigurations of the Law, yet now this People would believe in Christ his righteousness for salvation, but would then join their righteousness in the obedience of the Law to his, as necessary to their salvation, and by this they run upon a twofold Rock at once.  
First, they bind themselves to observe all the Laws, from which now by Christ's perfect obedience they were freed.  
Secondly, by this they made a nullity to themselves, of all happiness by Christ, as saith the Apostle Gal. 5.2. Behold I Paul say unto you, that if ye be Circumcised, Christ shall profit you nothing, for I testify again to every man that is Circumcised, that he is a debtor to do the whole Law; Christ is become of none effect unto you, whosoever of you are justified by the Law, ye are fare fallen from Grace.  
And Rom. 7. he shows, that this error of theirs, is as if one should join a dead Corpse to a living man, and as if a woman should esteem herself bound to the Law of her Husband when he is dead, we are saith he, now delivered from the Law, that being dead wherein we are held, that we should serve him in newness of Spirit, and not in the oldness of the letter. from verse 1. to the 6.  
Again, although Christ by the Apostles Ministry, was now manifested without the authority of the Law, it being abolished, yet Rom. 3.21, 22. he grants to the Law and the Prophets still this honour, that they witness to this righteousness of God, which is by Faith of jesus Christ, that it only is it which is man, Justification to salvation: wherefore verse 27. saith he, where is boasting then? it is excluded by what law of works? Nay, but by the law of Faith: Therefore we conclude, saith he, that a man is justified by Faith without the deeds of the law: That is, without such deeds, as their erroneous Doctrine of works did import.  
Quest. But here may rise a question, namely, In what sense Moses laws are of perpetual use to Christ his Church on Earth?  
Answ. First, so fare forth as they precedently were figurative shadows 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 righteousness of Christ, sealed with his blood to the expiration of all the Law and the Prophets.  
Secondly, as the Moral laws expiration is in Christ jesus, so it is of a double use.  
First, we are to receive by Faith the Moral laws perfections in him, as given of God imputatively to justification, and so to receive the remission of sins and salvation.  
Secondly, we are to apply ourselves 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 eternal life hereafter. Rom. 8.1, 2, 3, 4.  
And the ground why the perfections of the Moral law only in Christ jesus, doth free man believing truth, from the law of sin and of death, so conveying to him eternal life by salvation, is this, because the Moral law originally in its pure naturals, was instituted by God, a means in the Covenant to a supernatural end in the first Adam, as is proved; wherefore no sooner did the Moral law in Christ his sacred person by his birth in the promise subsist in him, as the spotless Lamb, but in that instant of time, it was engaged in him being the second Adam, as a means to attain that supernatural end by perfect love to God and his Neighbour; and therefore it was immediately put upon all mankind, freeing man from the law of sin and of death, because it came upon all men to justification of life: for it removed Adam's imputed damnation, which was to pass according to the justice of the Covenant, and so it removed the total nature and prevalency of sin, and obtained the foresaid dispositions of Amity to God, and enmity to Satan; as also the good of this world, to be man's day of grace, to receive in God's gift, the day of eternal glory.  
Again, I say it must be by belief 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 blessedness by belief of this truth is:  
First, because as God's word of truth giving this object of life, is as God's hand or instrument to reach this gift to man, so also man his belief of that truth, is as it were, man's hand or instrument, to receive this gift from God; therefore it must be by belief of this truth.  
Secondly, it must be by belief of this word of truth, as conveying the object of faith, because man his reasonable soul, is but a receiver into itself, all its supernatural felicity from external objects believed, as in Adam we see, and therefore so in this object of justification.  
Thirdly, it is by belief of this truth, because the aforesaid principles of derivative Amity which God put in the nature of all men, doth internally dispose them to this Amity with God, aswell as to enmity to Satan: wherefore at first, God requireth man to come to him in belief of truth, but according to sense and reason, as he doth excitively draw out that Principle, so to give man's reasonable soul a further internal power to receive his gift of Christ, namely, a power to believe divine testimony, as divine testimony; that is, to receive it from God as from God, for as God gathers not where he strews not, so he gives this power to man that had it not, to receive his gift of Christ, the ground of all his happiness: Wherefore because this Elect Spouse, did not so apply her received Talents, to receive more Talents in God's way, to receive life in Christ the object of Faith, but contrarily applied Gods talents and his law against him in his own way, to have all their own way, namely, from terrestrial felicity, and from Abraham's flesh, and from the worth of their own works, at best, but conversant about the object of Faith, and no way consonant to Faith in that object: therefore God rejected this elect Spouse, to the remarkable praise of his justice in all the world, sixteen hundred years and more; therefore he respects no man's person, but according to his first Model, If thou dost well, shalt thou not be accepted? if thou dost not well sin lies at the door.  

And from this ground it is, the Apostle crieth out at the vast depth of God's wise providence as being not able to comprehend the depth of that righteous dispensation in his justice and mercies, interminglingly extended to the Generations and Nations of man, Rom. 11. from ver. 28 to the end. And to this point may be referred Ezekiels vision of wheels full of eyes, running one within another, etc. as Reverend brought on rightly observes in his Consent of Sc iptures. Exodus 33.19.34.6 & 7.  And by this Nation's rejection we may take occasion by the way, to observe the manner of God's proceed with the Sons of Adam, for as he would not give this Nation possession of the Land promised to Abraham, until the sins of the Inhabitants, namely, the Canaanites were full, to their final destruction: so neither would he call in the Gentiles to inherit their promised blessing in the seed of Abraham in whom he predestinated them to it, until the sins of this Elect Nation was full, and transcendent, by slaying the Son of God, in which promised seed they received all their good as was prefigured to them, when God said to Moses, the Mediator in the Type, I will cause all my good to pass before thee, meaning Christ, and upon his death, then c●me on their universal rejection totally, but not finally for ever.  
But it will here be objected, Because God fore-appointed Christ to be slain in the truth to answer the figurative Lamb in the Type, consequently this did impose upon them a necessity, that Christ must be slain as he was, and consequently this may seem injustice in God to make that fact the fulfilling of this Nation's sin, to their remarkable destruction.  
I grant, that Christ must be slain in the truth, to answer the figurative Lamb in the Type: I also grant, that they were in some sort necessitated to slay Christ as they did, but that necessity came not from God, for God gave them several demonstrative rules to the contrary. As  
First by this exemplary punishment upon Cain, that the blood of the just shall not go unrevenged by him, and this was recorded to them by Moses.  
Secondly, by giving a law to Noah and to his Sons, that that man which spilt man's innocent blood, his blood should be required of him that spilt it. This also stood upon Record to them.  
Thirdly, to this elect Spouse God gave a figure how he would have her to demean herself, in this fact of the death of Christ, by the manner of their Father Abraham's offering Christ Tipically in Isaak as first to Abraham, Isaa● was his dear beloved, although he used the knife to bereave him of life, Gen. 22.  
2. Abraham never intended nor attempted this fact, until from God he received an express commandment so to do.  
Thirdly, he did slay him unwillingly in respect of his love to the promised child, yet willingly in respect of his love to God, and his commandment, and so his unwillingness became a harmless nay-say to God.  
But the fact of the children of Abraham in the death of Christ was a most wrongful nay-say to God, in all they did, and therefore saith Christ to them, job. 8.40. this did not Abraham, presenting implicitly to their remembrance Abraham's Typical fact in this business.  
First, that as Abraham slew Isaac really in his intention, so might they intent and accomplish his death in the truth.  
Secondly, as Abraham did love him whom he really slew in his intention, so much more ought they to love him in his death, as the most proper child of promise.  
Thirdly, as Abraham never intended nor attempted to slay the promised seed, until there came an extraordinary command from God to do, so neither ought they much more in this fact of the death of Christ. 
So it is one thing to do that which God before determined to be done by them, and another thing to do that thing as God would have them to do it.   
Fourthly, but when that commandment came, then although in respect of their love to him they had been unwilling, yet in respect of their faith and love to God in this Mystery, they should have been obediently willing to kill him, as God should prescribe the manner, as to Abraham he did for God in Abraham's typical fact, not only intended to confirm their faith, that Christ the seed promised should by the expiration of his life, aspire the completion of all righteousness, for the redemption of this world; but also to teach them how to demean themselves in the manner of Christ's death, in a harmless nay-say to God as did Abraham their Father.  
The Negative precept of the Moral Law, forbidding murder, stood as their standing law to keep them from all unjust taking away any innocent man's life, much more not to take away the life of him, which at least appeared to them a man sent from 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 remissness to God in all his ways for their good; for to them God made it manifest, that in the satisfactory righteousness of this seed as imputed; he conferred all good to the universal world, figured in the Lamb slain, 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 universal world by Noah and his sons.  
Likewise by renewing the same with Abraham, by predestinating in this seed, both jews and Gentiles to glory.  
Likewise he manifested it to them in the satisfactory righteousness of this seed sealed with his blood, figuratively in the paschal Lamb, that he delivered them from the bondage of Egypt, and brought them to the blessedness of Canaan, a figure of eternal felicity, for applying the Lamb's blood upon their dwellings figured, that only in the righteousness 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 own remissness to God in all his ways 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 remissness to that object of faith Celestial, brought on their inordinate intenseness to sensual objects terrestrial, and to Idolatrous imaginations, and so came on their second step necessitating them to this transcendent fact, 
The second step.  as for example: their remissness to Moses the Mediator in the type, brought on their Calf, and terminating in things sensual and terrestrial, and consequently their crucifying of Christ to themselves, by absenting their minds from Moses in that mystery; for they then not only worshipped the Calf, but also they did eat and drink, and risen up to play:  

The third step.  Likewise they so brought on a further necessity, as a third step for the future, namely, custom in evil, hence it is God said to them, can the Blackmore change his skin, or the Leopard his sp●ts, 
jerem. 13.23.  then may ye also do good that are accustomed to do evil; and now, sense commands reason under the pretence of the doctrine celestial, to terminate in a good adequate to sensuality: 
Mat. 26.61.  for from this ground they made the Temple and Moses Chair their plea against Christ and his doctrine, not from love to the mystery included therein as leading to Christ, but only in love to the glory of the Temple, as a terrestrial magnificence of their Nation. Likewise in their princely Priesthood, as it was a worldly ordinance correspondent to worldly pomp and dignity, but rejected Christ the enclosed mystery of that figure.  
Thus by voluntary choice in the spirit of concision, they became necessitated to evil, in things that were good in themselves, as the felicity of Canaan was good in itself; and to kill Christ in the truth, as Abraham did in the type to the redemption of the world was good, but to them evil, because they did it in hatred to him, as john 8. & 40. because his doctrine was an enemy not to them, but to their pride in terrestrial felicity, 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 we 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 special grace of the Covenant, God delivered them to their own wills, from the universal 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 universal rejection from him as the just punishment of their precedent apostasy from God's salvation, employed in the words of the Lord Jesus Christ, saying, O jerusalem, jerusalem, 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 thei● separation from God's favour in Christ, the most proper Temple of God's special 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, ye shall not see me until the time come, when you shall sa●, blessed is he that cometh 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 denied them the gift of Faith, to see his glory in belief of truth, even when their eyes did look upon the Lord of glory, and saw his great works, Luke 10 8.22.  
Likewise when he beheld jerusalem, he wept and said. O that thou hadst known 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 there may come a time when the light Eternally, by God's spirit shines more clear, yet the sight thereof shall be denied to them as in this elect Spouse we see.  from thine eyes, Luke 19.24.  
Likewise Saint john in his 12 Chapter saith, although Christ had done so many miracles before them, yet they believed not on him, that the saying of Esayas' the Prophet might be fulfilled, that he said, Lord who believed our report? and to whom is the arm of the Lord revealed? and Saint john saith, therefore they could not believe because: Esayas saith again, he hath blinded their eyes, and hardened 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 john, these things said Isaiah, when he saw his glory and spoke of him, ver. 37. That is, These things he spoke 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 work in your days, a work which ye in no wise shall believe, although a man declare it unto you.  
Likewise saith Christ unto them, ye believe not, because you are not my Sheep 
(b) These Scriptures by God's spirit are intended to this national Spouse for her transcendent sins, and not to most of mankind as denied his grace, because appointed by God personally to unavoidable damnation.  Joh. 10.26. All plainly proving, that God now when Christ was come into the world, denied them the gift of Faith, for their precedent refusing God's way for their salvation.  
Secondly, it is further employed in these words of our Saviour, that there is a time limited for this their blindness and hardness of heart, when he saith, Ye shall not see me until the time come, when you shall say, blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord: Implying, that although this Nationall rejection was to be universal, yet it should not be 
(c) Although it were not final to them nationally in respect of the time to come, yet it was final to all or at least to most in the Interim.  final for ever in the Spirit of unbelief.  

(d) God sometimes to the glory of his grace, intends his mercy universally to all, as in the call of the Gentiles, and as in time to come he will to these jews, yet sometimes when men are alike dead in sins by Apostasy, he will leave some of them to perish finally, and receive some of them to mercy, although alike wicked, yet not for any hatred or love to the one more than the other, personally considered, but only in love to himself, in the one from his love to justice, in the other from his love to mercy, that is, to the love of his glory in either, as he●e we see some received to mercy and reserved alive, to confer a future call of their posterity to Christ, and the rest were blinded, and in this ease and the like falls that of Moses, and the Apostle he hath mercy on whom he will, and whom he will he hardeneth.  Likewise our Saviour gives another close glance to this point, speaking of this elect Nation, Mat. 24, 22. he saith, the days of their vengeance shall be shortened in the destruction of jerusalem, for the elects sake: Implying, else no flesh of Abraham's elect stock, would be reserved for a future call to mercy. Likewise for any mercy showed to this Nation, Saint Paul refers it rightly, when he saith, Isr●●ll obtained not what it sought for, but the election obtained it, and the rest were blinded. Rom. 11.17.  
And he saith, as touching the election, they are beloved for their Father's sakes, meaning, Abraham, Isaak and jacob, with whom in Christ the promised seed: This Nationall Election, was first established ver. 28. And he also speaks to their restauration saying, all Israel shall be saved, as it is written the deliverer shall come out of Zion, and shall turn away the ungodliness from Jacob. ver. 26. And then gives a general ground of all this future mercy, because the gifts and callings of God are without repentance, ver. 29.  
And in the next verse he gives a demonstrative reason thereof in the Gentiles, who although by their precedent Apostasy were so long rejected, yet now God gave Christ to them, and calls them to him. ver. 30. Thereby implying likewise, God would not repent his gift of Christ to this Spouse, and therefore call them to him again.  
And therefore it is most clear, that Gods proceeding in this second part of time, is without all respect of Persons.  
And for a conclusion of this Chapter, take these observations following.  
First, that to refer any man's faith and obedience to be the condition of the Covenant of grace, but Christ his faith and obedience, is to derrogate from him and to arrogate to man that which is not his.  
Because as the first Adam his second estate before his fall, was an estate of Faith and obedience active and passive, the some of the conditions of the Covenant as precedently is proved Chapt. the 2.  
So likewise the Son of God the second Adam, his obedience passive and active, was an estate of Faith, the condition of the Covenant for the Redemption of the world, from whence the Covenant was changed by him, from a Covenant of wrathful justice, to a Covenant of Grace and mercy to all the world as Chap. 4.  
Likewise in this Chapter we see he and he alone was the man, which by saith and love to God and his Neighbour, did live in the pure naturals of the Law to every tittle to redeem man which by Apostasy brought himself under the Curse.  
For although the life of all believers, besides Christ's is in this world an estate of faith and obedience, and although God's word of truth is his instrument to give to man Christ's righteousness, and man's faith his instrument to receive in that righteousness his blessedness, yet between God and mankind, neither of these are the conditions of the covenant of grace: For as God on his part hath not bound himself to either of these as a condition, so neither hath he bound all mankind absolutely to believe or not to be saved: For if faith were the condition of the Covenant of Grace, God in justice could not save one of mankind which did not believe.  
But it is already proved, Chap. 4. that an innumerable number of mankind departing this world in Infancy, childhood, or the like, by the universal grace of the Covenant in Christ Jesus our Saviour, are saved: Likewise so was all mankind without faith saved from the damnation of Adam's sin to the praise of God's grace to all eternity.  
Therefore, although to man capable of the use of reason, faith 
* It is one thing that God require its exercise, as a necessary instrumental qualification, and another that he should require it as a condition of the Covenant.  is the necessary instrument as his mouth to receive his meat, and must be applied to the object of Justification in some degree, or he must perish, yet his faith and obedience is no condition of the Covenant of grace, no more than man's mouth whereby he receives his meat.  
Secondly, is it so, that as first upon Adam's fall, so the second time in the promised seed with Abraham by Covenant, that God elected, predestinated, and fore-appointed all mankind alike from perishing in misery to grace and glory in Christ Jesus, as here we see.  
Hence observe, what is Gods most proper book of life, namely, the promised seed; for in him all mankind were both times only written for grace and glory, as in a book of life, not only when Adam fell, but the second time, as is registered by covenant with Abraham to life and glory, therefore Christ jesus is Gods most proper Book of life, out of which all that perish are blotted out for despising this gift of grace and glory, Psal. 69.28. Rev. 20 12, 13. Rev. 5.13. etc.  
Thirdly, is it so, that although at one and the same time, God in Christ with Abraham by covenant thus predestinated jews and Gentiles to glory, yet called not the Gentiles till about eighteen hundred years after, but called the jews to inherit this glory in the birth of Isaac.  
Hence observe the only ground, why the jews were first in this honour in respect of time was, because God for his own names sake was pleased then to begin the execution of that blessed predestination; and from ●his ground, Christ gave them the priority, commanding the twelve, saying, go not into the way of the Gentiles, and into any of the Cities of the Samaritans enter ye not, but go ye rather unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel, Mat. 10.5. Likewise at Antioch Saint Paul and Barnabas rendered the same priority to them, saying, It was necessary the Word of God should first have been spoken unto you, Acts 13.46, etc.  
But when Christ in the expiration of all righteousness upon the cross, had made open the way to bring in the Gentiles, so making both one general assembly and Church of the first borne enrolled in heaven, Hebr. 11.25.  
Yet our Saviour in a Parable foretelling the jews of this joining the Gentiles to them, implies his proceeding in this general assembly, shall be without all respect of persons, choosing and refusing, as between Cain and Abel, for he concludes his discourse, saying, Many are called, but few are chosen, Matth. 10.14.  
Further, implying, notwithstanding the extraordinary flux of grace and truth, which was then to be poured out upon all flesh; yet if they did not apply themselves therein, to receive his righteousness imputed to be their wedding garment for acceptance, they should not be respected.  
Fourthly, is it so, that the second Adam's faith and obedience is the alone condition of the covenant of grace, which by mercy brought eternal life to all mankind alike.  
Hence observe, that the fruition of that eternal life in Heaven, is to all alike without degree of glory to one more than another, although here the degrees of grace are different, some more, and some less, as they apply more or less their talents to Christ, as the object of Justification.  
Yet the fruition of that glory depends only and alone on Christ's righteous works, which is man's by free gift; therefore that glory is enjoyed there by all alike, without degrees (Christ only excepted) who in all things must have the pre-eminence; for one man's reasonable soul is not more uncapable than another's in its essential faculty simply considered, but all the difference of capacities ariseth from error, transgression and sin, or the effects of sin: but in the fruition of that glory, all this for Christ's his righteousness sake is removed, and not remaining consequently their capacities being then alike, their enjoyment of that glory is all alike, without degrees, to the praise of God's grace to all eternity.  
Yet it is not so, on the contrary, to mankind in eternal death, because their sin abides upon them, so that they descend to eternal death, not for another's works, as men ascend to eternal life; but for their own despising God's grace leading to eternal life.  
Therefore, as they more or less were in sin, consequently Justice requires more or less punishment for despising eternal felicity God's way.  
Fifthly, observe it stands all mankind hereupon to beware of remissness to God in his way by Christ jesus, for their eternal felicity; for as we all in Adam by remissness to God's Covenant, fell so low in misery, as never any mere creature could raise us from thence, as Chapter 3. Likewise, in this last Chapter we see Christ's elect Spouse, by her remissness to her felicity by Christ jesus, brought upon herself a connexion of causes, necessitating herself to unavoidable rejection from Christ, as a fugitive remarkably despicable here on earth, this sixteen hundred years and more.  
Sixthly, Is it so, that the Law was added because the offspring of Abraham did transgress the object of Justification given in the promised seed to Adam, and renewed to them with Abraham.  
Hence observe, how rightly speaks the Apostle, that the Law was not given to the righteous man, that is, as unto Abraham, who terminated his operations by belief of Truth, and Love to God and man, by a right relation to God in the object of Justification; for here in this Chapter, we see Moses law added to the Promise, to school Abraham's lawless offspring to Christ, because they precedntly transgress the promise.  
Seventhly, although God did communicate to the world with the first Adam natural perfection by creation and celestial perfection by the Covenant; yet here observe, that God never restores any of that to mankind, but by mercy, ever turning his eyes only upon Christ, and his satisfactory righteousness: for as before the world was, it was appointed for all alike in him by redemption, so accordingly upon the fall in him, he chose us to life and glory from perishing with reprobate devils, to whom in respect of ourselves, we were unrecoverably joined: So likewise, when with Noah, he renewed this mercy to the second world, it was by turning his eyes only upon Christ and his satisfactory righteousness; so likewise when with Abraham he predestinated both jews and Gentiles to life and glory, from being fit vessels of wrath, as lying in their own apostasy, from the grace of God; yet then only in the promised seed, God turned his eyes in mercy to the world, in the precedent predestination, as in this Chapter clearly appeareth.  
So much for the second part of Time; I now should come to the third, namely, the calling of the Gentiles; but here will arise a necessary question, viz. In what estate for eternal life stood the Gentiles, from the time they were scattered at Babel, until they were called to mercy in Christ? but by God's help I will answer it in the next Chapter.   

CHAP. VII. Showing, in what estate or condition were all the families of the earth, from the rejection at the Tower of Babel, to their call to Christ, in whom they were elected.  
ANswer. In respect of the Object of Justification they were excluded, not to have it resident amongst them and therefore in that respect they lived as without God in the world, and so the day of grace in this world was to them not as a day of grace, being left to walk in the vanity of their minds, they wanting the pillar of truth, or Oracle of the promised seed, and so remained under wrath about 18 hundred years, 
This text Ephes. 2 3. no way excludes infants departing this world from eternal life: See the last Observation in the 7 Chapt.  and therefore when some of those Gentiles, by the Gospel were returned from their Apostasy, and received life in the object of Faith: The Apostle saith unto them, ye were the Children of wrath, even as others: therefore they were so under wrath, throughout all those precedent generations. Ephes. 2.3.  
But it may here be objected, God threatened to visit the sins of the Fathers upon the Children but unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate him; Object. therefore this visitation could not be so large, as throughout all these precedent generations.  
Answer. Answer. This visitation is spoken restrictively, only with respect to the Sons of jacob, as to continue the elect Nationall Spouse, till Shilo came: and if God in mercy had not cut short their deserved visitations, jacobs' seed after the flesh, as this Nationall Spouse sometimes, had been utterly extinct.  
Therefore their visitations for their Rebellions, in mercy were limited but to three or four generations: Hence saith God to Rebellious Israel, I am JEHOVAH, I change not, meaning his Covenant with 
* Note, that although this visitation be intermingled with the negative part of the Moral Law, yet it issued from grace and mercy in Christ the seed of Abraham.  Abraham, therefore ye Sons of jacob are not consumed, Malachi 3, 6, 7. Wherefore all Nation's o● the Gentiles might be under wrath the time precedent, notwithstanding this limitation.  
Again, all the time that they were under wrath, yet God intermingled his wrath with mercy, leaving them a narrow way to eternal life, by salvation in Jesus Christ.  
And the narrowness of this way is to be considered in a twofold respect, namely, in means internal and external.  
The internal means was the remainders of the aforesaid infused principle, hereditarily descending in the Nature of man, which as it disposed them to Enmity with Satan, so also to Amity with God, from whence, although they had not the Oracle of God to direct them, yet Saint Paul implicitly grants some few of them did attain Circumcision of the heart, virtually at least in their obedient seeking of God, Rom. 2. He prefers the best of these Gentiles, although excluded the Law against the boastings in the Law of the Children of Abraham, for saith he, if the Gentiles which have not the Law, do by nature the things contained in the Law, these having not the law, are a law unto themselves, which saith he, show the effect of the law written in their hearts, their thoughts in the mean while accusing, or else excusing one another. ver. 14.15.  
Again saith he, if the uncircumcision keep the righteousness of the law; shall not his uncircumcision be counted circumcision? and saith he, shall not uncircumcision which is by nature, if it fulfil the law, judge thee, etc. ver. 26.27. And he than concludes the Point in the behalf of the virtues of those Gentiles, in opposing the proud formality of the profession in the Law by the jews, saying he is not a jew which is one outwardly, neither is that Circumcision which is outward in the flesh.  
But he is a jew which is one inwardly, and Circumcision which is of the Heart in the spirit, and, not in the letter, whose praise is ●ot of men but of God. ver. 28.29.  
And the ground why the Apostle esteems these virtues by Nature amongst the Heathens, to be the circumcision of the heart, is this, because it did implicitly and virtually lead the hearts of these Heathens to God in Jesus Christ and the ground why it did so is this.  
Because the foresaid principles of Enmity and Amity was derivatively put into their hearts, issuing from Grace in Jesus Christ, for it was given in the promise of Christ, when God said, I will put enmity, etc. Therefore if it be by man, put forth to seek for God, as God extitively draws it out, but in nature's voice, it will implicitly and virtually at least move to God in the wrath of Christ's righteousness, imputed under the Notion of mercy, for according to the nature of a thing, such is its operation.  
But here in Christ we see, was its root, therefore the cicumcision of the heart, was its fruit. So much for the internal means in this narrow way to eternal life by Christ.  
But secondly, the external means of this narrow way to life, was twofold:  
First, the oracle or pillar of Truth, as included in Israel's commonwealth, for by this God did as it were, reach forth his helping hand of mercy to these miserable Gentiles under wroth: for at first when God gave the Law of Circumcision, he then gave a Law of admittance, not of Circumcision to go out among the Gentiles, but for Gentiles and strangers to come to Abraham's 
* Eternal blessedness by Christ's imputed righteousness, is the bosom of rest to Abraham and all right believers.  bosom. I mean the Church in his Family so famous for Godliness, in the imputed righteousness of the promised seed.  
And here by God's Law they might receive the seal of righteousness, which is by Faith: Gen. 17.12.27. Rom. 4.11.  
Secondly, about four hundred years after this, when God reared up the Mosaical Ordinances, a partition wall, by hand-writing upon Record, differencing the uncircumcised Gentiles more exclusively than ever before, and the Jews more inclusively to the Oracle of life: Psal. 147.9, 10. Ephe. 2. ver. 11. to the 16. Yet then also God made a Law of admittance for Heathens and strangers, to Sojourn in Israel's Commonwealth, and gave them the same Rule to come to him in the satisfactory righteousness of the promised seed, as he did to his elect Spouse, Levit. 19.33, 34. Numb. 15.15. And accordingly we find of them, 43600. furthering the glory of the Temple, possessing a glorying heart with the Israel of God, at the 
* Yet the Synagogues of the jews were holy to the Lord, as now are on Churches, that is, as set apart only by the direction and care of the Church, for convenient and mutual meetings to worship God, yet not set apart, and holy, as was this Temple by God's commandment; neither in respect of the place, nor the materials, not the form, nor the final end, as to typify Gods special grace by Christ, as him in whom all worship must terminate in God by right belief of the object of justification; yea the word and Sacraments are but holy instruments instituted by God to communicate by his Spirits manifestation his special grace and favour in Christ as the object of Faith.  dedication of the Temple to God. 2 Chr. 2.17. 1. Chr. 22.2. 2 Chr. 30.25, 26.  
Likewise by Traffic and Marchandizing with this Nation from fare, the Fame of jerusalem, and the worship of the Temple, with the Princely Priesthood, so correspondent to worldly Glory, by these remarkable figures, God reached out his hand, pointing as it were by his finger to the world that the desire of all Nations should come to answer the implicit seekings, to all among the Nations, who by patience in well doing did seek honour immortality and eternal life.  
So much for the first external means.  
The second external means was more universal even to all the Families of the Earth, namely, God speaking kindly in the voice of the Creatures, to them in Jesus Christ implicitly; for from God his Covenant in Christ, first in the Promised seed with Adam, and secondly renewed with Noah, he gave all mankind the fruitful Seasons, communicating unto them food and gladness, so by a good Terrestrial, drawing them by Christ jesus, implicitly, to look up for a good Celestial in him.  
Hence it is the Apostle affirms, God left not himself without witness, in that he gave them rain from Heaven, and fruitful Seasons filling their hearts with food and gladness. And saith he, this was that they should seek the Lord, if happily they might feel after him and find him. Acts 14.16, 17. Mat. 25.24. Acts 17, 27.  
And the ground why God's voice in the creatures, doth excitively draw unto Christ in the distilled influence of his Spirit, as the dew to the tender herb, is this because the whole creation, is as it were, wrapped in the imputed righteousness of Christ, as in a mantle of mercy, for from thence it came to pass, that this world is as now it is, man's day of grace, to receive the gift of eternal glory, and therefore as thy tender mercies oh Lord are over all thy works, so dost thou by thy kindness therein excitively draw man to thee in Christ the hope of glory. Psal. 145.9. Col. 1, 27.  
And from this ground the Apostle brings in God's voice in the creatures, jointly cooperating with God's voice in the Gospel, begetting Faith in the heart of man: so than saith he, Faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God; but I say, have they not heard? yes said he, ver●ly their sound went into all the earth, and their words unto the end of all the world: compare Ps. 19.3. with Rom. 10.17.  
And from this ground he tells the believing Romans at Heathenish Rome, that he was not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ.  
First, because it was God's power to salvation.  
Secondly, because it revealed the righteousness of God from 
* Wherefore rightly doth the Author to the Hebrews lead man to receive the world by Faith, Heb. 11.3. and not as made out of that which did first appear, namely the Chaos, and that perfection which it received, because it being lost by the first Adam, it was immediately restored by the second, he being then the first borne in the Promise, of every creature from the dead fall of Adam: wherefore Saint john Rev. 4.24. rightly brings in Christ to be Gods faithful witness, and the beginning of the Creation of God jointly together, and alluding to the same ground in his Gospel, Chapt. 1. he brings in Christ as Christ, to be the maker of all which was made it being involved in darkness, by the justice of the Covenant for Adam's fall, and that is employed, because he brings in the second Adam personally God man, and so the light and life of man, enlightening every man which cometh into the world, and alluding to this principle i● is; that God remembers forgetful man of his six day's works, as involved in Christ the true Ark of rest to God for man, and in him to since all days, as thrived into an eternal Sabbath of rest, here by Faith, and there by Fruition.  Faith to Faith; that is, from Faith implicit, as most weak, to Faith expressive, as most strong.  
Thirdly, because that truth which most Gentiles did detain in unrighteousness, God rendered the same to them by his works in nature: for, saith he, God shown it them, and then shows us by what; namely, the invisible things of God from the creation of the world, are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, Rom. 1. from verse 16. to 20. not that God's works doth naturally excitively draw man to God in Christ as natural, but as related supernaturally by Christ's opening the womb of all perfection as the second Adam and first borne of every creature; from whence ever since the first blessed seventh day morning, it travaileth until now to be partakers of the supernatural glory, as precedently is proved: So much for the second external means in this narrow way, leading to eternal life.  
Again, that this means was efficacious to bring these Gentiles thus by nature to eternal life, is from Scripture proved implicitly, and also more expressively.  
First implicitly, by Gods bending his merciful ear to the Idolatrous Mariners, praying so confusedly unto him, and yet he gave them a temporal salvation; likewise to Abimilech, he pleading to God his uprightness according to his light. God accordingly acknowledged it to be so, and gave him a temporal salvation: Likewise the Heathenish Ninivites, whom he threatened with unavoidable destruction, 
* The faith of the Ninivites was a centaine belief of God's Word for their temporal destruction, mingled w●th a dependant hope in him for mercy to remove that misery.  yet they imploring him under the notion of mercy, he removed their misery, by giving them a temporal salvation, implicitly, touching upon the spirits of them all, that if they did but by patience in well-doing seek for immortality according to their light; he would give them an eternal salvation, jonas 1. from verse 5. to 16. Genes. 20. from verse 3. to 7. jonas 3. to verse 9  
Secondly, the Scriptures speaks more expressively; for the Apostle speaking of these Gentiles, excluded the Law, having it only written in their hearts by nature, saith, That God will render to every man according to his works, to them who by patience continue in well-doing, seek for glory, honour, and immortality, eternal life, verse 6. & 7. and verse 10. he saith, Glory honour and peace to every man that worketh good, to the Jew first, and also t the Gentiles; for there is no respect of persons with God: as many as have sinned without the Law shall perish without Law, and as many as have sinned in the Law, shall be judged by the Law, verse 11.12.  
And the ground of this point is employed in the first Chapter, and 28. verse, from the rule of contraries, he speaking of some of these Gentiles, which did withhold the truth in unrighteousness, saith, even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, so God gave them up to a reprobate mind, to do things not convenient, being filled with all unrighteousness, implying on the contrary, that if they had carefully retained God in their knowledge, according to the truth which they had received of him, that then God in mercy would have kept them from the power of their sins in this narrow way to life; for before the Apostle saith, God would render to them eternal life, having not the Law, as well as to the jew.  
Therefore this means was efficacious in this narrow way to eternal life to some, and might have been to more of these Gentiles under wrath: for the Apostle having thus proved, that the uncircumcised Gentiles doing by nature the things contained in the Oracle of God, might attain eternal life, as well as the national Spouse of Christ, he supposeth, that from hence they would imagine, that he made no difference between them and the uncircumcised Heathen; therefore in the third Chapter saith he, What advantage then hath the jew, or what profit is there of circumcision, that is, of all their peculiar and glorious privileges? 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, God's Oracle) to be true in the seed promised, shall their unbelief make God's object of Faith, or God's faithfulness to man in that object of none effect? God forbidden, yea, let God be true, and every man a liar: yet verse 9 he concludes, the jews by reason of their proud Apostasy to be no better generally than 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 impossible; 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, etc.  
But it will be here objected, that the Apostle contradicts himself, because that as in this Epistle to the Romans, he affirms man by nature doth the things contained in the Law of Christ to eternal life, but in his Epistle to the Corinthians, he saith the contrary, namely, that the natural man perceiveth not the things of the spirit of God, for they are foolishness unto him, neither can he 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 he means, as not having the Oracle of life, as it was among the jews, but only the foresaid internal principles in their nature, and the voice of God speaking implicitly by Christ in the creatures but to the Corinthians he means men naturallized in the spirit of Satan, according to the course of this world, for they esteemed the wisdom of God in the creatures as leading to God, and especially the Apostles Ministry in the Gospel to be foolishness; and therefore the Apostle saith to those of Corinth, where is the Disputer of this world, hath not God made foolish the wisdom of this world? 1 Cor. 1.20.  
Therefore here's no contradiction, but God's proceed also in this narrow way to eternal life, is according to the first model, if thou dost well, shal● thou not be accepted, if thou dost not well, sins lies at the door.  
Observat. 1 The first Observation: If the virtues of the best of the Gentiles or Heathens, having not the Oracle of life, did thus by nature obtain the circumcision of the heart and spirit hence observe, that the virtues of the best Heathens, were not shining sins, 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 find 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 find 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 dreadful sentence is which the Apostle applies to all mankind, saying, Christ in fl●ming fire shall come taking vengeance on them which know not God, and that obey not the Gospel of our Lord jesus Christ. 2 Thes. 1.8.  
Observat. 4 Is it so, that by the apostasy of the world of I●wes and Gentiles from the object of life; the way to eternal felicity at Christ's coming into the world was (as it were extinguished. Hence observe, that well might the Lord of glory then affirm and exhort mankind, saying, enter in at the straight gate, for wide is the gate, and broad is the way that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat, because straight is the gate, and narrow is the way which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it, Matth. 7.13.  
Again, here observe, although God doth visit the sins of the fathers upon the children through many generations, yet he doth not extend that visitation to their unavoidable damnation; but he only shows his type and just displeasure against their apostate parents for contempt of his gracious mercy by making narrow and straight the way to eternal life to them and theirs; yet a way is here, we see, and those children are not delivered up from God's universal grace & mercy, nor from receiving his more special mercy to life in that narrow way except for their own detaining that truth in unrighteousness; wherefore righteous art thou, O Lord, in all thy ways, and merciful in all thy works.   

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 slain figuratively in the Lamb, in the point of time that Adam fell, his righteousness being committed or imputed to to the world than made way for all blessedness to man: So now also being slain in the truth and finished all righteousness, it being in mercy imputed to the world this second time, it than broke down the partition wall of the Mosaical Ordinances, which before excluded the Gentiles, and so made an open way to bring in the Gentiles to inherit with the jews the blessing of Abraham.  
Therefore it is requisite I should now first show how the Son of God did this great work of restoring the world and so come to show the calling of the Gentiles to that blessedness.  
And first take notice that God not only led Adam before the fall, and Christ's elect Spouse to Eternal felicity by Allegories, but also Christ himself: For as the first Adam was by God assigned his place, for the improvement of his perfect Excellencies, to God's glory, for the Supernatural 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 assigned him, namely the Land of Canaan, figured first by God's assigning the particular Place where Isaac the promised seed in the Type was to be Sacrificed, that is, only in the Land of Canaan which God appointed Abraham.  
Secondly, It was likewise prefigured in this, that the Land of Canaan was entailed to Isaac the promised Seed in the Type.  
Likewise the Entail descended figuratively to Christ as he was the Son 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 near the Temple, restrictively to expire their lives in the Type: Therefore in this Land, was the Lord jesus Christ in the truth, Personally to perform the work of the redemption of the world, the which accordingly he did.  
Again, Christ the Son of God, as he was man, was borne under five relations to this work.  
First, by promise, the Son of Adam, as the seed of the woman, immediately upon the fall, and therefore bound by the Law of Nature to relieve his Parents in their Lapsed condition.  
Secondly, by promise borne the Son of Abraham, and therefore bound to the Law of circumcision, figuring his cutting off the powers of Satan, that is, of sin and the consequences thereof; for the Covenant was, that all the Sons of Abraham must be circumcised in their generations: therefore he was borne in subjection to that Law.  
Thirdly, he was by promise borne the seed of David, therefore borne under the Law of the Typical Mediator, as added to the law of circumcision; therefore bound to love God with all his heart, & all his strength & his Neighbour as himself, in the work of the redemption of the world.  
Fourthly, as the Son of David so hereditarily to the crown of the Terrestrial Canaan, figuratively leading him by Faith to his eternal Throne in the Celestial Canaan.  
Fiftly, at last all these relations meet in one issue by being borne of the blessed Virgin Mary his Mother: for when the fullness of time was come, God sent forth his Son made of a woman, made under the Law, that we might receive the Adoption of Sons, Gal 4.5.  
Sixtly, he was the Son of God also, by eternal 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 God's glory by restauration of the world by redemption, as it was said, it shall break thy head, the truth is, and so he did; for as we first in Adam magnified Satan's lies for truths, and nullified God's truth for lies, so likewise at that time when he came to this work, all the world, 
This definition is an answer to pilate's Question, viz. What is truth? joh. 18.38. For Christ as he was the faithful and true witness against Satan's lies, did undo what he had done, and so destroyed the works of the Devil, but Satan's final bruise shall be at the day of judgement in too particulars; first when Satan and all mankind, 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 eternity, Mat. 25.41.46. Secondly, by rendering up to God all mankind from Satan's power, which from the beginning hath died in infancy, and that through all Generations ha●h adhered unto Christ in right belief of truth, and so God by Christ's ministerial ordinance shall be all in all, that is, fully glorified to all eternity, according to the simple and plain meaning of his truth in the eternal life of the one, and in the eternal death of the other, and as Christ's ministerial Ordinance shall therein terminate, so then shall all Creatures be subjected to him, as judge 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 Jews and Gentiles generally, had made God a liar, as much as in them lay, for they were all Apostates from God's gift of Christ his righteousness 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 witness God's truth, which we thus betrayed, wherefore of himself he saith, to this end was I borne, and for this cause came I into the world, that I should bear witness unto the truth: 1 joh 3 8. and for this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the Devil john 18 37. And in brief, that truth which Christ made good, as the faithful and true witness against Satan's lies, may be thus defined, namely, that God never intended his glory upon m●nkinde to all eternity, but according to two general 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 God's gift of the second Adam into a Covenant of grace and mercy; and to the last, Christ is the most proper witness in God's behalf to his glory, by the salvation of mankind, as john 3.16. saith he, God so l ved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him shall not perish, but have everlasting l fe: And he saith, God sent not his Son into the world to condemn 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 he believeth not in the name of the only begotten Son of God: Implying, that although sin simply as sin, did not at that time of grace condemn them, yet their persisting in their precedent Apostasy 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 l●ved darkness r●ther than light, because their deeds are evil. And of himself he saith, Io. 8.45. I proceeded forth and came from God; neither came I of self, but the Father sent me.  
Also john 5.36. he saith, The work which the Father hath given me to finish the same work that I do bear witness, that the father hath sent me, the which was his witnessing the truth as before is proved. And he did it in these paticulars.  
First against the Spirit of Satan's lies in the Saints.  
Secondly, in Sinners.  
Thirdly, against Satan hand to hand.  
Fourthly, against Satan in flames of Faith in love under Gods most flaming and dreadful wrath; of these in their order, and first in the Saints: as in Nichodemus who in the Spirit of Satan being averse to his sacred doctrine, as declaring this truth: jesus said unto him art thou a Ruler in Israel and understandest not these things, joh. 3.9.  
Likewise to the Spirit of unbelief of this Truth in his Disciples, jesus answered and said, O faithless and perverse Generation, how long shall I be with you, how long shall I suffer you. Mat. 7. & 17.  
And to the same Spirit in Peter, He turned and said unto Peter, get thee behind me Satan, thou art an offence unto me for thou savorest not the things of God, but the things that be of men. Mat. 16.23.  
And to the same spirit in james and john, He turned and rebuked them and said, ye know not of what Spirit ye are of, Lu. 9.34.  
To the same spirit in the two Disciples that went to Emaus, saith he, O fools 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, He appeared to the Eleven, as they sat at meat, and upbraided them wits their unbelief and hardness of heart, Mark 16.14.  
And to the Virgin Mary his Mother, Jesus saith unto her, Woman, what have I to do with thee, mine hour is not yet came, implying in her request, something was not suitable to his Spirit of Truth, consequently so fare forth, according to the lying spirit of Satan. joh. 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 unbelief, as resisting this truth, as for instance, he proving himself to be the light of the world not only by Doctrine, but also by a miraculous fact, giving sight to the man that was borne blind; then the lying spirit of sa●an attempted to extinguish this truth by saying, give God the praise, we knew that God spoke with Moses, as for this fellow we know not whence he is?  
But Christ in the mouth of the man retorts the argument upon them saying, herein is a marvellous thing, for ye know not whence he is, and yet he hath opened mine eyes. Now we know that God heareth not sinners, but if a man be a worsh pper of God and doth 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. etc.  
Likewise he being in the Synagogue, intermingling this Doctrine of truth with another miraculous fact, called to a woman bound by Satan eighteen years, 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 belief 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 jesus had healed on the sabbath day and said unto the people, are there not six days in which men ought to work in them? therefore come and be healed, and not on the Sabbath day.  
But this evil spirit so changed into an Angel of light, the Lord discovers and said, Thou Hypocrite, doth not each of you on the Sabbath day lose his Ox or his Ass from the stall, and lead him to the water? and ought not this woman, being a daughter of Abraham which Satan had bound, lo, eighteen years, be loosed on the Sabbath day? and all his enemies were ashamed: likewise he miraculously fed many with small parcels of bread, declaring himself thereby, as by his doctrine, that he was the bread of life to man by belief of this truth to nourish him to everlasting life.  
Likewise, by raising up the widow's son and lairus daughter, and Lazarus four days 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 belief of truth in him. Or, the resurrection of faithless man to everlasting death; for, saith he, If ye believe not that I am he, ye shall die in your sins (that is) and rise to perpetual 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 Abraham's seed, Joh. 8.37. but vers. 39 jesus said unto them, if ye were Abraham's seed, ye would do the works of Abraham, but now ye seek to kill me, a man that have told you the truth which I have heard of God, this did not Abraham, implying, that although they were Abraham's seed in the flesh, yet not abraham's seed in the faith, consequently not children to God, but to the Devil, verse 44. Ye are of your father the Devil, and the lusts of your Father ye will do. For although by light of sacred truth, they came to know he was the heir, namely, the promised seed from God to Adam, Abraham and David, and so heir to all; yet their minds by pride was lifted up with the glory of the Terrestrial Temple and princely Priesthood, as a worldly magnificence to their Nation, but not to the celestial mystery therein leading to the imputed righteousness of the seed, as the only 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 typical magnificence and 
* Man perversely prove by custom in sin to attain a glory adequate to his corporeal part, namely, his mouldering body, is therefore an enemy to God's way, as leading him to an eternal felicity, suitable to his unperishing part, namely, his soul and body made spiritual, but so fare as man is led by the spirit of Christ, he is of another mind.  worldly glory, Mark 12. from verse 7. to the 12. Matth 21.38. and 45. But the Lord Jesus Christ witnessed the truth in plain terms, and said, My Kingdom is not of this world, my Kingdom 
(a) If Christ refused to be an earthly Monarch in Canaan and Zion hill, & declaring by plainness of speech that his Kingdom is not such, consequently this Kingdom of Christ's Spouse national elect was but a figure of that grace that was most clea●ely poured out under the Gospel, and also of his eternal throne in mo●e than Angels glory, and not a type of an earthly Monarchy of his of one thousand years in length; see this point more clear in cap. 9  is not from hence, Mat. 18. & 36  
Likewise he refused to be made a worldly King on Zion hill, so proving his doctrine to be true by this fact; for, saith the Text, when jesus therefore perceived they would come and take him by force to make him King, he departed thence, etc. John 6.15.  
Likewise, to his successors which were to witness this sacred doctrine of truth, he gives the same rule, not to 
(b) In the judgement of the Son of God, it is a safe way to keep his ambassadors to the work of his ambassage, by keeping them from worldly government and terrestrial pomp, yet they must have a complete competency, as is employed by the Apostle, 1 Cor. 9.12.13, 14. but the former is the ruin of simple godliness in Christ's Spouse; for saith God's Spirit, Like Priest like People, Hosea 4.9.  aspire to dignities and glory in the government of this world: for saith the Text, jesus called them unto him, and said, ye 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 remarkable fact he condemned the pride of the priests and others of this elect Spouse in their proud apostasy after the flesh, couched under a pretence of the celestial doctrine, the worship and the Temple; for the eternal Son of God rides upon an Ass in a contemptible manner into jerusalem, the Metropolis of this Nation, and so despised the vanity of all that glory; yet this fact tended to the consolation of the meek in Zion, by belief of truth, as was fore-prophesied, behold, thy King cometh unto thee, meek and sitting on an Ass and a Colt, the foal of an Ass, 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 he repelled this lying Satanical spirit in evidence of truth, and answered and said, If these should hold their peace, the stones would cry: Also he 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 himself; for, when he had denied himself not the fruit of one tree, as Adam was to have done, but all food, forty days together, dedicating himself to the great work 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 Son of God, command this stone that it be made bread, and Christ by the word of truth, repels his assault; For, jesus 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 man's temporary life is maintained by an influence from God in bread, so his life spiritual here by faith, is in every word of God from the influence of his spirit: Likewise than the Devil taking him up into an high mountain, shown him all the Kingdoms of the world in a moment of time, and the Devil 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 down before me all shall be thine. jesus answered and said unto him, get thee behind me Satan, for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve, implying, that himself was personally God-man, and aught therefore to be worshipped by him.  
Likewise he brought him to jerusalem, and set him on a pinnacle of the Temple, and said unto him, if thou be the son of God (as thy words import) then cast thyself down from hence; for it is written He shall give his Angels charge over thee to keep thee, and in their hands they shall bear thee up, lest at any time thou dash thy foot against a stone; And jesus 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 lie to the destruction of all, yet the second Adam was constant in God's truth, dissolving Satan's lies for the restauration of all, and Satan, saith he hath nought in me.  
He likewise discovers to the world, what Satan's operations was and is, for john 8. he saith, Sa●an was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because no truth is in him: when he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own, for he is a liar and the f●ther thereof, verse 44.  
Fourthly, Christ now witnesseth God's truth against Satan's lies by faith and flames of love to God under Gods most dreadful wrath, so offering himself as a whole  offering to God, yet not but that God's 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 Adam's estate in the Covenant before his fall.  
The second is the Estate of the Saints witnessing God's truth in some conformity to Christ, in which respect he 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 he was for our sins in Adam, and for the jews and Gentiles apostasy, a sinner imputed; He therefore in this respect was a man as hated of God, as himself 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 sin, but 
* Christ partaking man's nature, as do children, viz. seminally in the womb, is a twofold pledge to us: first, that it was to destroy the works of Satan in our behalf: secondly, after man believeth truth, to free him from the fear of death, to which precedently all his life long he was subject, Hebr. 2.14.  conceived and borne an holy thing, the Son of God, yet his conception and birth was from her, in whom was sin, the seed of the Serpent; wherefore she rejoiced in him as her Saviour and salvation.  
So likewise no sooner was he borne but Satan in Herod attempted to bruise his heel: Likewise his breeding under his supposed father was but mean, a Carpenter: Likewise with his kindred, which nationally was his Spouse, he was reputed but a mean fellow, a friend of Publicans and sinners, a mad man, a conjurer, an impostor, a blasphemer of God, a Devil.  
Therefore rightly doth the Apostle encourage the Saints to undergo the hatred of the world, to consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, Hebr. 10.13.  
Again, the first Adam, by the justice of the Covenant in point of trial against Satan's lies, was estated not only in the sweet perfections of the glory of nature: but also in the splendour of the Garden relatively drawing him by faith to enjoy God in the heavenly glory; but the second Adam not only under wrath, but under exceeding great wrath, as appears in two particulars.  
First, by his fears of the near approach of that wrath.  
Secondly, by what it was when he was directly under it: first, when this hour and power of darkness did draw near, although it was a thing greatly by him desired; as his aspired end to his father's glory; for when he cometh into the world, he saith, Sacrifice and offerings thou wouldst not have, but a body hast thou prepared me: then said I, l●e, I come to do thy Will, O God, Luke 22.15. Heb 10. yet I say, the near approach of this hour and power of darkness was dreadful to his apprehension, as appears by his fears. sorrow, prayer and cries, who (as saith the Text) In the days of his flesh, when he had offered up prayers and supplications with strong cries and tears to him that was able to save him from death, was pitied in the thing he feared; for there appeared unto him an Angel from heaven, yet not to take off his misery, but to strengthen him to it, and there was need so to do; for his bones were sundered in this agony his spirit waxed hot within him as melted wax, and from thence it was that his sweat became as great drops of blood falling down to the ground, Hebr. 5 7. Psal. 22.14. Luke 22.41.  
But he having resolved in belief of truth by flaming love to go on through the apprehension of its near approach to him, to approach to it in resignation of his will to his Father's Will, in the world's redemption: He demanded twice of his apprehenders, whom seek ye? and affirms himself twice to be the man whom they sought, and although they fell backwards before him, yet he goes forward with them, to encounter this dreadful wrath which extended to a twofold separation of God from him:  
First, God separated himself from him in all natural good, either to soul or body, and left him to the contrary evil.  
Secondly, God separated himself from his soul and body in all supernatural and celestial good, and left him to the contrary evil; and first of the first.  
To his body, and so to the anguish of his soul; for it was torn with whips, pierced with thorns, his hands and feet pierced with nails, and riven or rend with the weight of his body hanging on the cross six hours, or thereabouts: Likewise to cool his thirst, they gave him vinegar and gall to drink; the people and Priest blaspheme him as a man forsaken of God, the whole powers of nature, as it were, rising against him, extinguishing from him all things but dread and dolour, for darkness from the sixth hour to the ninth covered him; the Temple rend, the earth quaked, the Rocks rend, so that in respect of Gods separating all natural good from him, leaving him to the contrary evil, he might truly say in the dolour of his soul, All ye that pass by, be●●ld and see if there be any s●rrow like unto my sorrow which is done unto me, wherewith the Lord hath afflicted me in the day of his fierce anger. Lam. 1.12.  
Secondly, God likewise separated himself from him in all supernatural and Celestial good, and left him to the contrary evil, for because this separation of God from him in all natural good, leaving him to the contrary evil, was in this place, namely the Land of Canaan; this employed, that God also separated himself from him in all supernatural good, because this Land in general, was to the second Adam, as the garden of Eden was to the first Adam, that is, a figure by the Terrestrial good of the Celestial good in the Heaven of Heavens.  
Therefore this figured to him, that God shut the Kingdom of Heaven against him, rendering him no light in that respect, but leaving his soul the only object of eternal darkness.  
Again; this being at jerusalem the figure of eternal peace, this employed to him, that no peace or consolation at that time was his portion from God, but the contrary apprehensions of eternal woe, suitable to the damned Spirits of men and Devils.  
Again, this being also in the place of residence of his elect Spouse the Kingdom of grace on Earth, this employed that he was to God, a man cut off from the land of the living in all respects, consequently not place left to him by divine justice, but the place prepared for the Devil and his Angels, for saith the text, he was reckoned amongst the transgressors. Luk 22, 37.  
Therefore his cry upon the cross was according to truth, My God my God, why hast thou forsaken me; which words employed two things.  
First, that this twofold Separation of God from him in his apprehension, was more dreadful than he could reach in his humane comprehension and therefore cried, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?  
Again, his words further imply, that his separation was only on God's part, never on his; for he in this darkness where was no light, and this depth where no humane nature could feel any bottom. yet he kept union in faith, and flames of love to God and his Neighbour in a right relation to the world's redemption, and therefore he said, My God my God, as never letting him go: So raising his Soul from that depth of death under God's flaming wrath by Faith and love, and so rendered his Soul to God from his body, and his body to dust a whole  offering, saying, Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit, therefore this was the first and great Resurrection of the Lord jesus Christ, in which he raised himself by his own power, from the depth of infernal death, yea the most certain death, that is, death in the substance, as it was said, in the day that thou eatest, thou shalt certainly die the death:  
Object. It may be here objected, Christ knowing his Father's power to be infinite, and therefore all things possible to him, consequently Christ in his prayer willed this cup to pass him absolutely.  
Answer. Answer. It doth not follow, for although Christ did know, as indeed he did, that to God all things were possible, in respect of his power, yet he knew this cup could not possibly pass him in respect of God's justice, he being the second Adam, and therefore he willed it not absolutely.  
Object. Again, it will then be replied, that Christ's prayer was vain, and consequently a sin.  
Answer. It doth not follow, for if he had not prayed, that if it were possible to let that cup pass, he had then sinned against the Law of nature, which bond him to love himself, consequently unfeynedly to desire to avoid the destruction of himself.  
But because in respect to God's justice he submitted in Faith and love in a full resignation of himself to his Father's will, therefore he was right in both, and wrong in neither.  
Object. But it will be again objected, that his prayer on the cross, employed s●me ignorance in this great work, because he saith, why hast thou forsaken me? consequently he sinned.  
Answer. It doth not follow, for it is one thing to be ignorant of what a man is not able to know by the perfections proper to his kind, and another thing to be ignorant of what he is bound to know: but Christ's ignorance was of the first sort, because that vast distance of the twofold separation, was more than his pure naturals was able to comprehend as before is explained.  
Again, although he was at the nearest brink of a total and final desperation, yet he sinned not, for the Covenant required faith in truth, and love to God, in that relation he stood, but with all his heart, and all his soul and all his strength, and no more.  
Therefore though he was at the foresaid brink of desperation, yet he sinned not.  
Again, the strength of his humane nature being not able to keep up from desperation, under that vast and dreadful separation, yet he in his unfeigned cry, why hast thou forsaken me, as the second Adam witnessed God's 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 w●th the first Adam. , and so dissolved that lie of Satan, who said, ye shall not die at all, for he being personally God-man, and so more powerful than any mere creature, therefore justice required his personal power so fare as need was: and therefore although as a mere creature he cried out. Why hast thou forsaken me, yet in the power of his personal operations he 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, therefore it was impossible he should be held of the sorrows of death, and so he triumphed over all the enemies of his Father's glory, which was to result to him out of the good of mankind. Psal. 16.8.11.  working by love, reached the power of an endless life from under the most vast depth of separation in an endless death.  
I say, this was by Faith in God's truth, and Gods righteous justice to him, in that relation in which he then stood, for his eternal blessedness, for saith he to God, I set thee ever before me, and thou wilt open to me the way of life, and so with a loud voice he renders his soul saying, Father, into thy hands I commend my Spirit. Luk 23, 46. And so by the eternal Spirit, as saith the Apostle, He offered himself to God without spot, to purge our consciences from dead works, to s●rve the living God: he so 
(c) But now to this point there are three which bear witness in heaven, namely, the th●ee persons in the one God, in their several order, by upholding and maintaining that created Angelical 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 Christ's bloodshed as the seal of the satisfaction of divine justice, which obtained that eternal life: Secondly by water, namely the work of Regeneration cleansing man's Spirit in Faith and love to the mystery. Thirdly, by the Spirit in the ministry of the word and Sacraments, most eminently witnessing the purchase and free gift of that glory to man through a●l ages. 1 john 5.7.8.  witnessed that other truth of Gods against Satan's lie, namely, that God really intended to man the knowledge of good in the glory of Angels by his Covenant with Adam, and in the righteousness of the second Adam, and so dissolved that other lie of Satan, that God only pretended it, but never intended it; and to the same end he gave himself also a ransom for all men in the fourth estate of man to redeem them from their Apostasy. 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 Moral Law, because he by perfect love to God and his Neighbour, did fulfil all Laws; 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 man's fourth estate, as before is proved.  
Secondly, is it so that Christ raised his Soul 
(a) The first Resurrection of jesus Christ our Lord.  by belief 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 jesus Christ our Lord. , and from Divine Justice his first step to his eternal happiness, for so great a work as the redemption of the world. Phil. 2.9. in this fourth estate of man.  
Thirdly, is it so, that the works of the Son of God was so potent in belief of truth to that blessedness 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 God's glory by the redemption of the world.  
Hence observe, that to put any worth upon any other man's works as to affirm they can deserve, by their obedience to God, that he should free them from eternal death, or render them the reward of eternal 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 Christ's works, but also against the gift of God imputing it, arrogating to man that which is not his: also it overthroweth the foundation of man's salvation, and that fundamentally, for it not only makes void the object of Justification, but cuts off man's work of Faith to that object, in a justifying relation, as before is observed against the jews, 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 fulfil it, that by him under divine justice, he also might receive the praise of his justice to all eternity, and that Christ accordingly did render him his justice to every tittle, and pronounced it finished.  
Hence observe that God never intended, nor needed to make a personal reprobation of most men to unavoidable destruction to the everlasting praise of his justice.  
For if the Covenant had been 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 mankind may ascend to eternal 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 God's justice is eternally glorified, as is proved.  
Therefore God never made in vain, such a personal reprobation, to pass upon the most of mankind.  
Fiftly observe, that when I say, Christ's righteousness is imputed to all mankind in general, or to man believing truth more special, as is described, I mean not Christ his righteousness essentially as God, nor his perfect love as naturally an holy man, without sin; nor all those manifold works he did as personally God man, even to blood and death, but by his righteousness that was imputed; I mean only this one work, to which all precedently named, were but means, namely, his dissolving Satan's lies 
* Our second Adam and Saviour, improved his personal perfections as our su●et●, against the spirit of Satan his lies in Saints, Sinners, & Devils, and under the 2. fold Separation, and so made good his father's truth, namely, that God really and simply intended Eternal glory for man with Angels, or the contrary according to his revealed will in either estate, the which gave full satisfaction to divine justice, and was accepted in the behalf of the World, and therefore imputed to the world's felicity, and man's the chief part therein.  by witnssing God's 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 seals in this fourth estate of man, and was the first Adam's work in the Covenant, and then to be imputed to the supernatural felicity of the world, as Chapt. the 2.  
Therefore the second adam's witnessing God's truth to the repelling all the lying powers of Satan, is only that righteousness, which by God is imputed to the supernatural felicity of the world in General, or to man believing truth more special, as precedently is described.   

CHAP. IX. Declaring Gods impartial proceed in the third part of time to the Gentiles, when by the Gospel he called them to the blessing of Abraham.  
THe call of the Gentiles I will refer to two general 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 righteousness, the partition wall of the Mosaical Ordinances of God, should be abolished, by which the uncircumcised jews, precedently had insulted over the uncircumcised Gentiles, and yet those Mosaical Ordinances witnessed not only the Gentiles exclusion from the oracle of life, but also against the jews for their own Apostasy from Christ, wherefore he saith unto them, even Moses in whom you trust, doth accuse you, Joh. 5.45.  
But upon Christ's fulfilling all righteousness, this witness against the Gentiles was cancelled, for so Saint Paul writes to the Gentiles, remember, saith he, 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 ye were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the Covenants of promises, having no hope, and without God in the world. But now in Christ Jesus, ye who sometimes were afar off, are made nigh by the blood of Christ, for he is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us, having ab lashed in his flesh the enmity, even the Law of commandments contained in Ordinances, for to make in himself of twain, one new man, so making peace etc. 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 ●f by the Prophet Joel, it shall come to pass in the last days, saith God, I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh, and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your old men shall dream dreams, etc. vers. 16.  
And this pouring out of God's spirit was twofold; that is external and internal: first external; for whereas before God did in his external call, excitively draw the Gentiles to Christ, it was but implicit by the voice of the creatures, and as formerly is declared, likewise his external drawing of the jews was but by the Gospel as wrapped up in the glorious veil of Moses; therefore the external way to eternal life to all the world, was then but narrow and obscure, but now made broad and perspicuous by the naked external demonstration thereof, as in the spirit of prophesy the wonderful gift of Miracles by the Apostles, understanding the Oracles of life more clear than ever before, and divulging the same in burning zeal for the glory of God, by the salvation of the world, and in the wonderful gift of tongues by plainness of speech, excitively drawing the Gentiles, or rather God in Christ by them reconciling the world to himself, not imputing their sins, and manifesting to them, that their precedent ignorance he regarded not; but now admonishing all men to return from lying vanities, to embrace their own mercies that the confused fugitives of Babel, tasting the waters of life at jerusalem, cried out, saying, How hear we every man in his own tongue, wherein we were borne, Parthiaus, Medes and Elamites, and the dwellers in Mesopotomia, and judea, and in Cappadocia, and in Pontus, Asia, Phrygia and Pamphilia, in Egypt, and in the parts of Lybia about Cyrene, strangers of Rome, jews and Proselytes, Cretes and Arabians, we do hear them speak in our tongues, the wonderful works of God, and they were all amazed, Acts 2.8.  
Thus from jerusalem as from Paradise, or the throne of God, now did issue the living streams of eternal life to the families of the earth, dead in sins and trespasses, wherefore precedently Christ said unto his Disciples, Ye shall be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the utmost parts of all the earth, and accordingly at jerusalem they first received this power from above, which they thus divulged, Luke 24.49. Luke 2.39. and so God persuaded japhet 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 he called them to it in Christ Jesus externally: and so much for the external pouring out of his spirit upon all flesh.  
Secondly, the internal pouring out of God's spirit upon all flesh, I say pouring out; because in comparison of his precedent dropping into the hearts of the Gentiles circumcising their spirits, as aforesaid, and as to the jews but sparingly in comparison of this pouring out in this day of Salvation, and acceptable year of the Lord: It was but sparingly as by drops, and that which the spirit did now internally pour out upon the spirits of all men, may be reduced to two general heads: first, wheresoever the Oracle of truth manifested God's gift of Christ's righteousness imputed, as it went from Kingdom to kingdom by the conduct of the spirit like a Chariot of light and life rising upon the nations as the sun of righteousness with health under his wings: the first pouring into the spirit of man for health, was this, namely, it did quicken or enliven the original principle of amity to God, and enmity to Satan, even as it did upon the fall of Adam by Christ's restauration of all in the type then put into the nature of man, hereditarily to descend, as precedently is proved; so now likewise upon Christ his fulfilling all righteousness in the truth, this infused principle which was now dead in sins and trespasses, was by the imbreathing of the spirit of God, wheresoever the Gospel came, it quickened and enlivened man in dispositions to hearken to the external call of Christ in the object of faith, to the end they might receive the gift of faith, to receive life in Christ; wherefore saith Christ, If any man will do Gods Will, he shall know of the doctrine, whether it be of God, or whether I speak of myself, Joh. 7.17, 18.  
Likewise he saith, Verily, verily, I say unto you, the hour is coming, and now is, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God, and they that hear shall live, Joh. 5.25.  
And the last clause where it is said, they shall live, leads us to the second part, namely, the spirits internal, more special pouring upon all flesh, that is, answerably, as men did come in the precedent enlivened or renewed dispositions to Christ in the Gospel, as being the object of faith held forth by the word of truth, as the brazen Serpent; from thence by the pouring out of the Spirit, they should receive the spirit of faith to be able to receive life in the object of faith, as before in the precedent P.  
Hence it is the Apostle saith, Awake, thou that sleepest, that is, under those renewed dispositions towards Christ, and stand up from the dead, that is, and rouse up this grace to hearken to Gods call, to the object of life, and Christ shall give thee light, that is, the light of right belief, as the truth is in jesus, from strength to strength, and so to receive life in him, Ephes. 5.14.8.  
Hence it is, that at Ephesus the Apostle said of God, even when we were dead in sins hath he quickened us together with Christ, by grace ye are saved, Ephes. 2.5. and saith he not of works, lest any man should boast, for we are his workmanship, created in Christ jesus unto good works, which God hath afore ordained, that we should walk in them, that is, by his fore-ordination with Abraham, as before is declared.  
He also saith to those Gentiles, Work out your salvation with fear and trembling; for it is God which worketh in you b●th to will and to do of his good pleasure, Phil. 2.13. and the ground why God did thus extraordinarily externally, and internally pour out his spirit upon the spirits of the Gentiles dead in sins and trespasses, was this, That as sin by their apostasy had reigned unto death, even so might his grace reign through righteousness unto eternal life by Christ jesus our Lord, Rom. 5.21.  
A second ground was this, that unless God had so excitively drawn them by pouring out his spirit, they neither could, nor would ever come to him by Christ, which is employed by the words of our Saviour, when he rebuked the jews in their proud apostasy being dead, to live in him, he saith, no man can come unto me, except the Father which sent me draw him, Joh. 6.44.  
Likewise to those jews, having the power of this enlivening spirit imbreathing upon their spirits, and stifled by them he saith, Ye will not come unto me that ye might have life, Joh. 5 40. So that we may plainly see, even under this extraordinary pouring out of God's spirit upon all flesh, his proceed are equally alike to all, without respect of persons; for than he sends forth his great Commission into all the world, saying to his ambassadors, go ye into all the world, and pre●c● the Gospel to every creature; he that believeth and is baptised shall be saved, he that believeth not shall be damned. Mark 16.15. & 16. Hence Saint Peter saith, of a truth I perceive that God is no respecter of persons, but in every nation he that feareth him and worketh righteousness is accepted of him, Acts 10.34, 35. all which is according to the first model delivered to Cain; if thou dost well, shalt thou not be accepted? etc.  
Hence observe by the way, that God is a God keeping covenant; for as he ordained these Gentiles to glory by covenant with Abraham; he now accordingly called them to receive it; wherefore Saint Peter urgeth the Gentiles upon this ground, as well as the jews, to return to God in Christ, saying, repent and be baptised every one of you in the name of jesus Christ, for the remission of sins, and receive the holy Ghost; for saith he, the promise is made to you and to your children, and to all that are a fare off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call, Acts 2.39.  
Object. But it will here be objected, because he saith, as many as the Lord God shall call, therefore God intended not to pour his spirit on all, and all alike, consequently some were personally reprobated, etc.  
Answer. The Apostle might well make this restriction, yet never have any such intention.  
First, because he knew God's proceed upon the kindreds and nations of the earth, should be by degrees, calling some sooner, and some later, and not all at one time, as all on a day, as we use to say, therefore he might well say, as many as our Lord God shall call, although it be intended personally alike to all.  
Secondly, the Apostle might well say, as many as the Lord God shall call, because he knew God from the beginning had ordained to deny the efficacy of his call to some sort of men, as he did to Cain; for when he predestinated both jews and Gentiles in Christ Jesus with Abraham, he then gave the same rule of cursedness to man turning this grace into wantonness, as well as blessedness to man submitting to it in the obedience of faith, as formerly is declared, therefore he might well say, as many as our Lord God shall call, etc. So likewise our Saviour alluding to this same rule of cursing and blessing, to families and cities in the call of these Gentiles, he saith, Some are the sons of peace, and some are not, Luke 10.3.5.18. For, not only believers, but all mankind in general, especially at that time of grace, were the sons of peace, that is, in a reconcileable condition to God in Christ Jesus: as for example, although Cain was not a believer, as was Abel, yet there was a time when he was a son of peace, that is reconcileable in Christ his acceptable righteousness by Gods own nterrogative testimony, although afterwards he was not for rejecting the spirits reproof of sin, and so gracious an encouragement of him to submit to receive life and glory, as formerly is proved.  
Likewise our Saviour, according to this rule of cursing and blessing in his peculiar prayer for his Apostles, as going in his ambassage for the reconciliation of the world, he then also prays for the world exclusively and inclusively, exclusively, to those that persist in their precedent apostasy against the imbreathing of the foresaid external and internal light when it came unto them, and hated his ambassadors, and in this sense, (saith he) I pray not for the world, for so runs the force of the implication.  
But on the other side, he prays inclusively, for them which were, as once was Cain, the subjects of reconciliation; wherefore for them he prays which shall believe in him through their ambassage, directly according to the rule delivered to Abraham, Joh. 17.8.9.14, 15.20. So likewise according to this rule of cursing and blessing, Acts 13. the Apostles by distinguishing between them which were the sons of peace, and them which were not, that is, between the apostate Iewes resisting the call of the Gentiles at Antioch, as men of old ordained to that damnation, and between the concourse of Gentiles in that great assembly, who also of old by covenant with Abraham were given to Christ, and ordained to that salvation, wherefore the Apostle rightly refers the efficacious call of the spirit by their doctrine to the level of God's fore-ordination with Abraham, as cutting between these two sorts of people, saying, when the Gentiles heard this, that is, their doctrine of God, his intended mercy to them, they were glad, and glorified the word of the Lord, and as many as were ordained to eternal life believed, but they shaken off the dust of their feet against these jews, thereby witnessing, that they stood as men that were under the foresaid curse or ordination to eternal death, for despising that grace which the Gentiles, according to God's covenant, did now embrace, verse. 41.46, 47.48.51. So that the point is clear, that God's proceed is without all respect of persons, according to his covenant with Abraham for cursing and blessing.  
And the ground why man sinning through ignorance and unbelief is the sum or subject of peace and reconciliation, and not obstinate refusers of the light, is, because they are more properly subjectively disposed to mercy then the others; for if the one knew the evil of the thing as doth the other, they would not so stand out; hence Saint Pe●er saith, to some of the jews, I wots that through ignorance ye did it, as did also your Rulers, implying that had they known, that is, as did some others, they would not have slain the Lord of glory, Acts 3.15.17.19. So likewise, Saint Paul of himself saith, I was a blasphemer, a persecuter and injurious, but I obtained mercy, because, said he, I did it ignorantly in unbelief, 1 Tim. 1.13. So likewise to the Gentiles, he preached the same doctrine, saying, This time of ignorance God winked at, but now he commandeth all men every where to return. Acts 17.30. Wherefore the Apostle might well say, as many as the Lord God shall call, and yet intent no such thing as is pretended.  
And for conclusion, here first observe, that there hath proceeded from God a threefold extraordinary call of mankind in Christ Jesus to enjoy their day of Grace, as a day of grace to receive in his gift of righteousness the day of eternal glory: The first was immediately upon Adam's fall in the promised seed of the Woman, Chap. 4. This was equally alike universally to all mankind.  
The second was at Noah's coming out of the Ark, when God renewed this covenant of grace to Noah and his sons with them and his seed after them, which at that time comprehended all alike without respect of persons, as Chap. 5.  
The third extraordinary call of the world was this of the Gentiles, as is precedently in this Chapter enlarged, when God was found of them that sought him not.  
Secondly, is it so, that it is extraordinary mercy in God thus to be found of them that sought him not; hence observe, that this is no ordinary rule for man to rely upon, because, what is God's extraordinary rule, is not his ordinary rule to man.  
Thirdly, observe, that in this extraordinary calling of the Gentiles to receive the blessing of Abraham, when God hath enlivened the aforesaid dead principle of enmity to Satan, and Amity to himself, that he will then have man to put forth this enlivened disposition to come to him, as he doth excitively draw forth that internal inclination, so to convey further mercies.  
I say hence observe, that as God will crown one grace with the gift of another, so also 
(a) From this ground it is, that in this fourth estate of man, what God commands man to do before justifying Faith, or after, he promises his own efficiency to accomplish what he commands; that is, if man thus apply himself, or otherwise not. as Prov. 1.23, 24. etc.  he will communicate by exercise of the inferior, the conference of a grace more Superior, as to the first inlivened principle, he will add the gift of Faith, and to Faith a power rightly to receive his gift of Christ's righteousness accounted to be man's to remission of sins, which is his justification, consequently his eternal life by salvation.  
But it will here be objected, Object. that one man hath more because he works more, consequently he deserves more.  
Not so, but because he works to submit more, Answer. and so to receive by mercy more, therefore he receives more, but he that (as did Cain) by pride so refused to submit, or doth it in the remiss degrees, he therefore receives less mercy, or none at all.  
Fourthly, is it so, that the force of God's extraordinary pouring forth his spirit raiseth the mind of man to him being dead in sins and trespasses?  
Then hence observe also, when the spirit of a man is dead in sins and trespasses, namely, when it is habitually habituated to seek its eternal felicity for the worth of his own righteousness, or the like errors; or habitually habituated to terminate his felicity in a terrestrial or sensual good of bodily contentments, as Psal. 49.20.  
And the ground why this is so, is because these habitual errors or the like, doth 
(b) When man is in his spirit dead, to live by belief in the object of justification; if then God's Spirit doth not imbreath, to enliven man's spirit to hearken, by some dispositions to God's voice, and to bring him so belief in the object of life, he than perisheth eternally, for now man can do no more to raise his mind to God in Christ, as the object of justification to salvation, then can the Leopard to change his spots, or the Blackamoor his skin.  extinguish, even the least dispositions to true godliness 
(c) Although it doth extinguish the inclination to true godliness, yet in some there may remain dispositions to civility or the like.  namely, man's internal dispositions to God, and his enmity to Satan, flowing from the universal grace of the Covenant; but what it is to be twice dead and plucked up by the roots, appears in the 12 Chapt.  
Is it so, that when Christ did thus pour out his Spirit upon all flesh, that yet at this time be denied the spirit of Faith to his Nationall Spouse to the most part, for their proud Apostasy to their ensuing rejection?  
Hence observe, how rightly the Lord of glory returned the same upon them, But I said unto you, that ye also have seen me and believe 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 me shall come unto me, but not most of you at this time of grace, for that's employed: john 6.35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40.  
Is it so, that when Christ came personally into the world, he then found jews and Gentiles generally both dead in sins and trespasses to him, as the object of justification to their life and glory, yea even his Nationall Spouse generally?  
Hence observe, how rightly spoke the Lord Jesus Christ to his proud Apostate Spouse, saying, none can come to me unless the Father which sent me draw him, meaning, his extraordinary mercy, joh. 6.44.  
Is it so, that Christ his righteousness as imputed by the Father's gift, and conveyed from Kingdom to Kingdom, by the word of truth, was and is the only object of life and glory, and the removal of man's misery, which submitted by belief of truth to receive that gift of righteousness in that sacred object?  
Then hence observe, how rightly spoke the Lord Jesus Christ of himself, saying, I am the way and the truth and the life, no man can come unto the Father but by me. Joh. 14.6.  
Again, is it so; that this extraordinary calling of the Gentiles to righteousness, life and glory, being dead in sins and trespasses by their precedent Apostasy, that even the second Adam's satisfactory righteousness obtained as upon Adam's fall, so at this time also, that this world should be man's day of grace again, as a day of grace to receive in it the gift of eternal 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 Christ's imputative righteousness as opposed, not only to our unrighteousness and misery in Adam's transgression, but also interminglingly opposing it against all men's own personal sins, against the grace of God in Christ, that whereas sin in both respects had abounded, so God's grace by his gift of Christ's righteousness did superabound, as appeareth from the 8. verse to the end of that Chapter.  
Again, is it so, that at the height of Israel's Apostasy, 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, joh. 10.16. opposed the certainty of the Gentiles for life and glory, to his Apostate Spouse the jews, then to be 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 Father's power, opposing it to all contrary powers whatsoever: for although the Church of the jews became totally separated from Christ as now they stand, yet so shall never the Church of the Gentiles, nor yet the jews, when they are again engrafted into Christ's visible Church, as was before Prophesied by 
* For by this word, those days, is not only meant the first extraordinary light of grace and truth divulged in the Gospel by the Apostles Ministry, but this Prophecy also extends to those days of that extraordinary call of the jews, mentioned Rom. 11.25, 26, & 27. when also shall come in the fullness of the Gentiles.  jeremiah, and the Author to the Hebrews, jerem. 31.33, & 32, 40. Heb. 8.8.10.   

CHAP. X. Opening what in the calling of the Gentiles was ordinary to continue until time shall be no more; and that God's proceed therein, is without respect of persons to all alike.  
THe second Adam and Saviour of the world, was not only a Priest in the days 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 Priesthood, in which respect the Apostles in manifold regards, refers things to the 
* The Apostle attributes so much to Christ's blood & death, to lead us by sense to the more firm faith in his blood & death, as it was the expiration of his work, as the faithful and true witness, for God's truth against Satan's lies, to regain God's 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 mean) descending from the old world, did not only in the Apostasy of the new world at Abel, abide in the Faith of the first ten Fathers, but also in the time of the Apostasy 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 endless life, for he continued receiving (as appears in Abraham's Tithes) the homage of the Sacrifice of praise, for God, and to God: likewise in God's stead, returning comforts and blessings from God upon man, Gen. 14.18. Heb 7.7.  
Likewise so did Christ abide constant by tradition, descending 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 world's Apostasy, remained 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 righteousness imputed, the ground of all acceptation, but also in the oracle of life, divulging it by his Ambassadors to the world, and the imbreathing of his Spirit into the Spirit of man, as sometime reproving the world of sin, 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 Abel his offering by belief of truth, sometimes pouring out his blessings of consolation as in Noah his Sacrifice, he smelled a savour of rest, and comfortably renewed his gracious Covenant, etc. Sometimes in gracious encouragements to submit to this mercy, as he did to Cain, and sometimes enlivening the Spirit of man dead in sins and trespasses, as to these Gentiles we see, so raising these dead bones to live in his sight.  
Therefore to continue this Priesthood successively after his departure from this world corporally, he made choice of men mean and contemptible for his Ambassadors, that so the efficacy might appeare to be hi●, ●nd none of theirs; to which end also, he loved them as his own, more 
* The Lord I●sus having made choice of twelve whom the Father had given him, of whom judas was one, and therefore Mat. 1●. he called him as the other eleven and gave him like power to p●each the Gospel, and work miracles as to the rest, ver. 1.4, 7. yet joh. 13. ●e excluds judas from tha● choice, ve●. ●8. for as the call of Christ 〈◊〉 sometimes unive sally extraordinary, as was this of the Gentiles: ●nd sometimes his call and choice is extraordinary and special, as was that of the 70 Disciples, and to some extraordinary and more peculiar, as was this call and choice of the 12 Apostles, for the Restauration of the world, by their labours; but the most nearest choice and conjunction of Christ with man is in the object of justification, by his Spirit imbreathing upon their Spirits by right belief of him, for so they are his Spouse in the needest relation; yet man's ungodliness may be fo● transcendent, as that for it, God will cut him off from the most glorious privilege, then much more to Iuda●. see Cap. 12. see God's decree in Chapt. 12.  peculiarly ●hen other men, joh. 13 1. only he excluded judas because treacherous, from that peculiar respect, ver. 18. But to those whom he had chosen, as before is said, he gave promise of his residence with them in his Spirit, for he breathed on them, and saith unto them, receive ye the Holy Ghost, whosoever sins you remit, they are remitted unto them, and whosoever sins ye retain, they are retained: implying, that in their Ambassage, as rightly divulging their Commission, he in his word by his Spirit will be resident 
(e) Excommunication rightly administered, is an external manifestation of God's internal and invisible proceed upon the spirits and persons of men in the visible Church, as did Saint Paul in cutting off the incestuous man from Christ's body, and afterwards admitted him again to be engrafted.  losing mankind from the guilt, punishment, and prevalency of sin; but to men obstinately persisting in their precedent Apostasy in the light of truth and grace, he will detain the influence of that efflux by his spirit from their spirit, as men bound over in Chains of their own corruptions, to their eternal damnation, joh. 20.22 23. likewise Jesus came and spoke unto them saying, All power is given unto me in Heaven and Earth, go ye therefore and teach all Nations, Baptising them in the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the holy Ghost, teaching them to observe all things which I have commanded you, and lo I am with you until the end of the world: Implying, otherwise not, if you from my right Ambassage departed. Mat. 28. & 28.  
Likewise to continue the succession of this everlasting Priesthood to future ages, Christ by his Spirit in Saint Paul at Miletus sent to Ephesus, and called the Elders of the Church, and when they were come to him, Saint Paul said unto them, Ye know from the first day I came unto Asia, after what manner I have been with you ●t all seasons, Acts 20.27. & ver. 26. he saith, wherefore I take you to record this day, that I am pure from the blood of all men, for I have rot shunned to declare unto you all the counsel of God: take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock over which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers to feed the Church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood, for I know this, that after my departure, shall grievous Wolves enter in among you, not sparing the. Also of your own selves shall men arise speaking perverse things, to draw away Disciples after them, therefore saith he, watch etc.  
Likewise to the same end in his Epistle to Timothy he saith, I exhort therefore, that first of all supplications, prayer, interessions, and giving of thanks be made for all men, for Kings and all that are in Authority, that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in ●ll godliness and honesty, that is, to the end that from the efflux of of Christ his spirit in the Oracles of life men may be drawn from the shade of death to life, for that's employed, because he saith, this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour, who will have all men to be saved, and come to the knowledge of the truth: 1 Tim. 2.4. But what this truth is, I need not now stand to treat of, because it is but the same which God preached to Adam in the promised seed of the woman, and to Cain interrogatively, and the same which he renewed to Abraham in the predestination of Jews and Gentiles, and which was wrapped up under the glorious veil of Moses, and now preached with open face without the veil, therefore Christ is a Priest for ever, after the order of Milchisedeck, in his own Ambassage, rightly delivered till time shall be no more. Wherefore rightly saith the Apostle, Christ yesterday, and to day, and the same for ever.  
Christ also manifests his impartial proceed unto the Spirits of men, intending and extending eternal life to all and all alike, in this ordinary call of the Gentiles, as appears Luke the 8. for there he compares the Oracles of life for Doctrine of the Kingdom of grace to seed, and all men's minds to whom the Gospel comes, to ground variously disposed, and that from those various dispositions in the hearts of men: the oracle of life ordinarily did variously take effect by the influence of his spirit, and in the opening of this parable, he refers those various dispositions of men to four heads, for saith he, the parable is this, the seed is the word of God. ver. 12. from which seed of life, the first sort of men received only a glance of the object of faith, and no more: for saith he, those by the high way side, are those that hear, then cometh the Devil and taketh the word out of their hearts, lest they should believe and be saved: therefore these do not believe in any degree, they have only a glance and no more; and the reason is, because their minds were as a common road for Satan his allurements, and persisting in their precedent Apostasy, extinguishing all light of the enlivened principle of enmity to Satan, wherefore saith Christ to such, if the light that is in thee be darkness, how great is that darkness? Mat. 6.23.  
Again, the second sort of men's minds under the seed of life receive a further disposition to the object of Faith; for they believe to consolation, verse 13. they on the rock when they here receive the word with joy, and these have no root, which for a while believe, and in time of temptation fall away, and the reason is, because their minds by contrary habits were uncapable of a depth or settled reception of the seed of life, as is the rock to retain any seed to fructification, and therefore these could abide no force of trial, but fell away and came to nothing.  
Again, the third sort of men's minds on which fell the seed of life, were further disposed for reception of Christ the object of Faith, as verse 14. and that which fell amongst thorns, which when they have heard, go forth and are choked with the cares and the pleasures of this life, and bring no fruit to perfection, implying, they went forward in the profession of true Religion, yet their fruit fell short of perfection, because they came too much in the spirit of Cain, glued to the possessions and pleasures of this world; so extinguishing in their souls the operation of God's spirit in the seed of life, and therefore come to nothing.  
Again, the fourth sort of men are further disposed to the object of Faith; For they in an honest and good heart from the force of the Gospel which enlivened. as in all the rest, the principle of amity to God, and of enmity to Satan, and it being carefully preserved by them came to hear the Oracle of life, and so they received the spirit of Faith to receive the object of Faith, and so brought forth fruit with patience; For verse 15. the Text saith, but that on the good ground are they which with an honest and good heart, having heard the word, keep it, and bring forth fruit with patience.  
Now, that all this was spoken by Christ with respect to future times, in the ordinary course of his ambassadors in the administration of the seed of life is plain in the 3 next ensuing verses: For when he had said that the end of this heavenly light was to be divulged, employed in the 16. verse, and that by it all secrets shall be discovered, as in the 17. verse. thereupon in the 18. verse he exhorts, saying. Take heed therefore bow ye hear, for whosoever hath, that is, his principle of amity and enmity to Satan, preserved in dispositions to God, to him shall be given, that is, the power of Faith to receive Christ the object of life, and whosoever hath not, that is at least his renewed principle or disposition preserved in him, from him shall be taken away, even that which he seemed to have, as we see in the precedent sorts of ground, all was taken away, and came to nothing, only in this fourth sort of men, the seed of life and glory remained.  
Therefore, O man, be faithful in thy little, and God which gave thee that to receive more; likewise will replenish thee with more, as from the first disposition to the power of faith, and in it lead thee from degree to degree, of an honest and good heart, to bring forth fruit with patience; for in it is a threefold strength in the object of faith, 
A threefold degree of justifying faith.  namely, of Babes young, Men and Fathers in the faith; and briefly of these in their order.  
And first of Babes, and of them there are two sorts, one by backsliding from Christ the object of Faith, these I will only point at, as Hebr. 6. verse 4.5, 6. is employed, the strength which formerly they had, and Hebr. 5.12.13. is expressed their weakness, into which they were fallen, even such as needed milk unskilful in the word of righteousness, needing to be taught again what was the first principles of Religion, even Babes, saith the Text, but these I pass.  
A second sort of Babes are those, which for their union by faith in Christ but newly begun, have not had time for further growth in Faith and love, to such Saint Peter writes; as new borne Babes to desire the sincere milk of the word that they may grow thereby, 1 Pet. 2.2. So Saint Paul saith, he could not write unto them as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal, as unto Babes, in that I have fed you with milk, 1 Cor. 3.1. So such were the Apostles themselves at their first union with Christ by belief of truth: as for instance, james and john esteemed the glory of this world before their sacred function, desiring to be chief in it; but Christ instructed them the contrary, Mat 20.26. So likewise Saint Peter childishly esteems his strength in faith and love to Christ above his fellows, or what indeed it was, but Christ informed him to judge better of himself and others, joh. 21 15.17.  
And in a word, at first they in their undergoing their functions or belief of the mysteries of Christ, were but weaklings, for he saith, I have many things to say unto you, but you cannot bear them now, Joh. 6.12.13. So much for the first degree.  
In the second degree, they are more strong, as having overcome much of this childishness; hence Saint john saith, I have written to you young men, because ye are strong, and the word of God abideth in you, and you have overcome that wicked one, the first Epistle of Saint john 2. & 14. and in the 15. and 16. verses, he leaves them a rule, to prefer this strength, as not to love the world, neither the things that are in the world, etc.  
And he foreseeing the danger in this second degree of strength in an honest and good heart namely, to fall finally, from their union with Christ, specially, when youth in nature and youth in Faith meet in one and the same subject: whence S. Paul forbids a young scholar in Christ's School, to meddle publicly with the mysteries of Christ, or with great wariness at least, and his reason is, lest he be puffed up and fall into the condemnation of the Devil: so Saint john layeth down another rule to preserve this strength saith he, let that abide therefore in you, which you have heard from the beginning, if that which you have heard from the beginning remain in you, ye also shall continue in the son, and in the father. 1 Epist. 2. ch. 14. & 24. 1 Tim. 3.6. implying, if young men strong in the faith carefully avoid the reflect acts of Faith, as tending to pride, and humbly follow the object of life and glory, they may attain to a perfect age in the object of Faith: For, although in this second degree, be more danger to fall by pride then in the former; yet here is more strength to press forward to the sacred object of justification for a continued acception in that righteousness imputed: also further power to follow it in point of imitation in an honest and good heart, to bring forth fruit with patience to a perfect man in Christ, and so much for the second degree of justifying Faith.  
In opening the third degree, I will first define what this justifying Faith is.  
Secondly, define what the perfection of this justifying Faith is.  
Thirdly, in the eleventh Chap. following show how this third degree, or this perfection of Faith is attained in men of an honest and good heart; but in opening the first point before I define what justifying belief is, I will show what beliefs are not this belief, as,  
First to be induced to follow the object of Faith, only because occasionally, by it we receive our corporal support; this is not so much as belief in it in any kind, but only a following of sense, much like the first sort of ground, which from the seed of life received only a glance of the object of life, and no more, joh. 6.25, 26, 27.  
Secondly, to believe the object of life or oracle of justification, only because it is of good report of those with whom we live.  
This is not to believe divine testimony, and divine as divine testimony, but to believe it merely upon humane testimony, as did the misbelieving jews, say they, do any of the Rulers believe in him? implying their belief of the Oracle of God was only grounded upon the Ruler's respect or credit which they gave to it: So this was but the second sort of ground on which the seed of life was sowed wanting root, in time of temptation fell away, john. 7.48. joh. 4.28.  
Again, to believe the Oracle of God from Gods own testimony, as God's Oracle in several respects, is not this justifying belief? for the devils believe the Oracles of God, as God's Oracle of truth in his gift of Christ to the world, and from thence tremble at the certainty of their full damnation, when God shall judge the world by the seed of the woman, to the final bruise of Satan's power: So some men believe the 
(a) Thus, although the foolish virgins have not the internal lamp of justifying faith, which only hath in it the right reception of Christ's imputed righteousness, yet they have the internal lamp of belief of divine testimony, as divine testimony, as here we see.  Oracle of God as Gods own Oracle, and from belief in God, produce great miracles, and 
(b) These men by the Scriptures are styled virgins, together with the wise virgins, because in the judgement of charity, the Church judgeth them visible members, until they discover the contrary.  glorify God by the confirmation of the object of Faith, and yet may be as some have been, void of love to God. Therefore this is not this justifying belief, 1 Cor. 13.2. Matth. 7.25.  
Likewise some men may, and do believe with consolation the Oracle of life to be Gods true Oracles, and from thence in the spirit of prophecy power out blessings upon men of an honest and a good heart, as from the Star of jacob, 
* But these kind of prayers are strive to bring God's will to man's, and not man's will to Gods will.  desiringly crave or pray for that blessedness to themselves, yet not rightly submitting, to the reception of that righteousness in the object of justification as imputed by God to a sinner, because in heart they are lifted up either to the esteem of their own personal operations or terminate their happiness too much in terrestrial blessedness, as foolish virgins, so perish in the way of Cain, and wages of Balaam, being the third sort of ground on which the seed of life was sowed as upon cain's spirit it was, and choked with the cares and pleasures of this life, bringing fruit but not to perfection, wanting the 
* Here we see why the foolish virgins wanted oil.  right reception of God's gracious oil of mercy running down, from Christ the head, wherefore this is not that justifying belief in men of an honest and good heart, Mat. 25.1. 2 Numb. 9.10.19. Numbers 24.2, 16, 17.23. Genes. 4  
And now I come to define what belief is, justifying faith, and then to define what the perfection of this justifying faith is: yet before I can do either, I must briefly open the point of justification in four particulars.  
First, as before is declared, God's instrument is the word of truth by which he conveys the object of justification, to the mind of man, as from the beginning till now in the word of promise to Adam by tradition conveyed by the ten Fathers down to Abraham, than that word being renewed with him, it came down to Moses, and by him committed to writing, and now by the Apostles writings extant to the end of the world. So much for the instrument.  
Secondly, The object conveyed or reached unto man by that instrument is God's gift of Christ's righteousness imputed or counted to the world in general, and to man believing truth more specially. So much for the object so conveyed.  
Thirdly, Man's necessary instrument by which he receives this gift of righteousness from God, is his belief of God's instrument, his word of truth as aforesaid, by which God reacheth to man that object of justification, as is formerly described.  
The reasons moving man to apply his instrument of belief to God's instrument, to receive his gift of Christ's righteousness imputed are these.  
First, because he conceiveth God in that gift is 
(a) Here ma●● understanding looks at truth.  unfeigned therefore he sets to his seal that God is true in the testimony he gives of his Son, joh. 3.33.  
Secondly, because he conceives that in this righteousness so imputed or counted to be man's, is conferred the removal of misery, and conveyed all 
(b) Here man's will looks at goodness.  felicity. 1 john 5.19.20.  
Thirdly, because he conceives his own 
(c) Man which out of sense of his sin and misery looks to God as merciful, hath a right aspect towards eternal felicity, Luke 18.13.14. Matth 5.3. Rom. 10.10. Rom. 4.6.7.  poverty or need of that imputed righteousness so commodious to him, that therefore he applies his hand of belief to receive that object for righteousness to justification, and remission of sins to salvation. So that in men of honest and good hearts, justifying belief, may thus be defined 
(d) justifying faith defined. : Namely, it is man's heart in belief of God's faithfulness, submitting to the receiving his gift of Christ's righteousness imputed 
(e) The oil wh●ch the ●oolish ●irgins wanted is Christ's imputed righteousness as received by faith, which is the right issue of Gods most special grace to sanctification & justification. A definition of perfection of justifying saith. , as the only ground to remove all his misery, and convey all happiness upon him.  
And thus did Abel submit, as Chapt. 4. and as many as by faith thus submit, they then are received and adopted Sons in Christ; and because Christ's elect Spouse did not thus submit to the righteousness of God, Rom. 10 3. she was cast off. And so much for the definition, what justifying belief is.  
Secondly, the perfection of justifying Faith is no more but this, the heart of man adhering to God's unfeigned gift of Christ's righteousness imputed for the removal of all misery, and the conveyance of all felicity so firm and so fare, as to work up to God in that object, through all interposing difficulties: And I will in brief prove this second definition by the perfection of this Faith's operation in Abraham, who was a Father in this third degree of justifying Faith as first, when God in his promise in Abraham's loins gave Christ and his righteousness imputed to be the blessing of all Nations, and consequently for his own; then to this object did he adhere by Faith, working through all that did interpose between his belief, and this object of life. Rom. 4.18. saith the Text, He believed even God who quickeneth the dead, and calleth things which be not as though they were, who against hope believed in bo●e, that he might become the Father of many Nations, according to that which was spoken, so shall thy seed be, and saith the Text, he being not weak in Faith, he considered not his own body now dead, when he was about a hundred years old, neither yet the deadness of Sarahs' womb; he staggered not at the promise of God, through unbelief, but was strong in Faith, giving glory to God; and being fully persuaded that what he had promised, he was able to perform it: and saith the Text, therefore it was imputed unto him for righteousness; but what this imputation for righteousness is, is already handled in the 4 and 6 Chapters therefore here I pass it over.  
Again, Heb. 11.17. Abraham's faith is brought in working up to God in this sacred object through the darkness of death, for saith the Text, by Faith Abraham when he was tried, offered up Isaak; that is by death to be destroyed: & he that had received the promises. i. of all happiness figuratively in this Child for mankind, and for himself offered up his only begotten Son of whom it was said, in Isaak shall thy seed be called; for Abraham accounting that God was able to raise him up even from the dead, meaning, Christ also in this figure whence also he received him in a figure as saith the Text: Thus by perfection of justifying belief, working to God through all difficulties; in this sacred object saith Christ, Abraham rejoiced to see my day, and saw it, and was glad, that is, as the life of his heart for all happiness, I●h. 8.56.  
And to conclude this point of Christ his impartial proceed as Priest for ever, after the order of Melchizedeck, without all respect of Persons, by the operations of his Spirit, in his sacred ordinances is also employed, Prov. 8.34. wherefore he thus saith, blessed is the man that heareth me, watching daily at my gates, waiting at the posts of my doors, for who so findeth me, findeth l fe, and shall obtain favour of the Lord, b●t he that sinneth against me, wr ngeth his own soul, all they that hate me love death, etc.  
Is it so That Christ now is to the end of the world with his Ambassadors ordinarily, and rightly divulging his Ambassage, that he will be by his Spirit so a Priest till time shall be no more e?  
Then hence observe, 
Observe.  that it is impossible for men or Devils, or all the powers of darkness in this world, to extinguish Christ in his word and spirit from the minds of all mankind, because we see Christ will so be in the minds of some, as the cornerstone to uphold his Ministerial Kingdom, as in the name of Peter, he did Prophetically demonstrate Mat. 16.18 and from this ground God in eminent and universal Apostasies from him in his truth, doth preserve some men's minds to him by his truth so secretly, as the best of men sometimes perceive it not, as in the days of Eliah, and the like, Rom. 11.3.4. wherefore this is attributed to be God's Seal, or peculiar foundation, in relation to Christ, to know who are his in such 
* In times of such Apostasy because one Saint doth know another, but according to the judgement of charity, and God only infall bly knows who in pureness of heart adheres to him, and who not; therefore the Apostle calls this knowledge of God, his foundation or seal, because it is so known to him, and none else.  times; as 2 Tim 2.18, 19  
And from this ground it is impossible that the greatest seducing powers of Satan to deceive the whole Church elect, or gathered by his word and Spirit, so as to extinguish all truth from all their minds, for as Mat. 24.25. besides his ordinary course, God in such times will extraordinarily reserve, as before is said, some for the glorious praise of his grace in this world, to believe his word in the object of justification; wherefore it is styled, the Faith of Gods elect, implying the certainty of Christ's prevalency, as Priest for ever after the order of Melchisedeck, by his Ministerial ordinances in the Church Militant, till time shall be no more.  
Again, is it so, that the oracle of life, for the universal Apostasy of the world, was not so much as to appear amongst the Gentiles about eighteen hundred years, nor amongst jews, but in Types, figures, and promises, as obscured under the veil of Moses, for many Generations, until God according to his purpose called these Gentiles.  
Hence observe, how rightly the Apostle applies this Doctrine at that time, saying, the grace of God, that bringeth salvation to all men, hath appeared, teaching us to 
* Therefore the Negative part of the Moral Law, as enclosed in the Ark, overshadowed with the mercy Seat, taught the same Doctrine of grace under that veil, as now doth the Gospel unveiled. Exod. 25.21, 22. Heb. 9.4.8.  deny ungodliness and worldly lusts, that we should live soberly, righteously and godly in this present world, looking for the blessed hope, etc. Tit. 2.11.12.   

CHAP. XI. Opening the third particular, how GOD brings man to be perfect; that is, to the perfection of justifying Faith, in the object of justification.  
AS it is in the perfections of nature, the life superior contains in itself the perfection of all inferior lives, as in Adam, Chapt. the first, so the perfection of justifying belief, contains in itself virtually, all inferior beliefs; hence it is, that the improvement of this faith is various in its operations, yet ever terminating to God in the object of justification, as its most proper centre, and so it comes to its full perfection formerly described.  
Hence Saint james saith of Abraham, Seest thou how faith wrought with his works, and by works faith was made perfect, James 2.20. Wherefore to prove the point, I will take a brief survey how by works Abraham came to his perfection of justifying belief; 
* The perfection of the man in righteousness is in the next life, but faith's perfection and dissolution are both in this life, and what man is a righteous man, see the last Observation of Chapt. 11.  for the perfection of justifying belief is one thing, and the perfection of the man is another thing: as first, when God by commandment separated him from his country, and from his father's house; the operations of his faith then began to put forth; for saith the Text, He went out, not knowing whither he went, Hebr. 11.8. but when he was come to the promised Land, there God tried the strength of his faith; for he was driven to departed this land of his hope to sustain his life in Egypt, and there fell into danger of death, so that his strength began to stoop, as appears by his excuse to Abimelech, to save his life, yet God that will in point of trial, lay as much weight as faith's measure can bear, and work through to his faithfulness, yet he will lay no more than it can so work through, if it be improved: So to Abraham with the temptation, he gives an issue by his happy return to the land of promise; the figure of eternal felicity, and there Abraham refreshed his faith in God's promise of Christ the object of all felicity in his satisfactory sacrifice, Gen. 12.3.10 11, 12, 13. Gen. 13.3, 4. 1 Cor. 10.13.  
Again, God having given Christ to Abraham figuratively in Isaac, to proceed from his own loins, yet deferring the accomplishment of what Abraham much desired to see, his belief began again to stoop, for he pitched upon Eleazar his servant to be his heir to what God had given him, yet God that will lay no more than that strength will bear to work to him, if it be improved, gives an issue with the temptation by confirming Abraham's operating belief, saying, This shall not be thine heir, but he that shall come out of thine own bowels, he shall be thine heir, Gen. 15.4.  
Again, Gen. 18.14. God having further confirmed Abraham, belief, by setting a certain time for the birth of the promised seed to be the blessing of all Nations of the earth, who together with Abraham, God made of one blood, he then further draws out Abraham's faith to work by love to all mankind, as to himself, and accordingly Abraham's faith in operations of love wrought to all, but especially to the household of Faith, I say to all, for he entertained strangers in fervour of spirit, and received Angels unawares Gen. 18.4. Heb. 13.2.  
Likewise, so kindly courteous was he to the children of Heth, his Idolatrous neighbours, yet not as Idolators: for so they are contrary and a vexation to man believing truth, yet he loved them as his own flesh, and as Gods in Christ by right of redemption, wherefore they esteemed him as a Prince of God amongst them, Gen. 23.4 5 6, & 7. Esay 50.7. Gen. 27.46. Deut. 7 4. So likewise in fervour of spirit, he humbly invocates for the safety of the ci●ies of the Sodomites: Secondly, his Faith in fervour of love wrought more specially to those, which in belief of truth were rightly related to the object of life, together with himself; for it was for their sakes he prayed for the Sodomites safety: So for righteous Lot, he ventured his family, and his person in the peril of war, and rescued him out of his enemy's hands, Gen. 18.23. Gen. 14.14.  
Again, Isaac being now borne, and Abraham by Faith, having received the end of the promise, namely, Isaac from God's faithfulness to a further confirmation of all blessedness, hereupon God draws out his Faith to work by love; also according to the first Table of the Law. It came to pass, saith Moses, after these things that God tried Abraham, and said unto him, Abraham, and he said, here I am, and he said, take now thy son, thine only son Isaac, whom thou lovest, 
(a) Although faith and love in themselves be two different virtues, yet the Scriptures includes love in justifying faith, the one as receiving from God, the other as co-operatively working to God, and therefore so do Irin the prosecution of justifying faith and so fare forth as man's affections dieth to this corruptible world, so fare forth his affections liveth to the inco ruptible God, and so on the contrary, 1 joh. 2 15.  and get thee into the Land of Moriah, and offer him there a  offering upon one of the mountains, that I will tell thee of, Gen. 22.1.20. and Abraham obeyed to extinguish the child of Promise upon whom depended the felicity of the world, consequently his own; thus by exercise of belief to God in the object of life; Abraham obtained the perfection of justifying Faith, for by works was Faith made perfect, saith Saint james.  
And also thus by works variously terminating in God's gift of Christ, and his righteousness imputed for all happiness, was Abraham justified in the receptive obedience of Faith to the object of life: For, saith james; Was not Abraham ●ur Father justified by works, when he had offered Isaac his son upon the Altar, that is, Christ in that figure. Whereupon the Lord out of heaven called unto him, and said, Abraham, Abraham, and he said here am I, and he said, lay not thy hand upon the Lad, neither do any thing unto him; for now I know that thou fearest God, seeing thou hast not withheld thy son, thine only son from me. 
* Thus to operate, is to be upright, and to abound therein. And to this uprightness God in mercy hath entailed the promulgation of the All sufficiency of his favourable mercy, as to Abraham, Gen. 17.1.2.   
And according to this point saith Christ, he that hath my Commandments and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me, and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and manifest myself unto him; and we may the rather believe him, because we see him so doing to Abraham, Joh. 14.21. 2 Peter 1.11.  
Again, saith Moses, the Angel of the Lord called to Abraham the second time, and said, because thou hast done this thing (that is) wrought up to me as the object of life, through so great difficulties, and hast not withheld thy son, thine only son, that in blessing I will bless thee, that is in a superlative degree: so Christ doth not only say, I lead in the ways of righteousness, in the midst of the paths of judgement, that I may cause those that love me to inherit substance, and I will fi●l their treasures; but he further saith, him that overcommeth I will make a Pillar in the Temple of my G●d, and he shall go no more out, Prov. 8.20. Rev. 3.12.  
And the ground why God manifests himself so publicly by oath thus to bless Abraham, so operating to him, leaving it upon record for the ages to come: was, because God willing more abundantly to show unto the 
* That is, to the heirs of promise, not only as descended in Isaac from Abraham's flesh, but also to all that are heyres of the same gift of faith with Abraham, therefore when St. john saith, in hi. 1. Epist. 2.19. they went out from us, because they were not of us, he meaneth, of us that thus follow faiths object, as here did Abraham, for in the 17. Verse, he saith, he that doth the will of God, abideth for ever, therefore he means not men personally, but men whose persons are thus disposed in the pursuit of Christ in the object of faith.  heirs of promise the immutableness of his counsel bound himself by an oath, that by two immutable things in which it was impossible for God to lie, that we might have strong consolation, who fled for refuge to lay hold on the hope set before us in the object of justification etc. Heb. 6 17. Wherefore saith the Apostle, the rather brethren give diligence to make your calling and election sure; for if you do these things you shall never fall, that is, not totally nor finally from the object of justification, and that is only implied in this Text, for he that saith he hath no swarving from this sacred object by sin, is a liar; for as he that saith, he knoweth God, and keepeth not his Commandments is a liar, and the truth is not in him, so on the contrary, If we say we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and the truth is not in us, 1 Joh. 2.4.2. chap. Joh. 1.10. and the reasons why God not only thus makes perfect justifying belief by operation, but also gives to the Saints, an undissolved relation to him in the object of justification, to be as mount Zion which shall never be moved are these.  
The first is drawn from the nature of the exercising any ability, which the more 'tis exercised the more 'tis perfected; for as use makes perfectness, so custom breeds another nature. Hence saith the Psalmist, I have remembered thy name, O Lord, in the night, and have kept thy Law; this I had, because I kept thy statutes.  
Likewise he saith, I have more understanding than the ancient, because I have kept thy Statutes, and he saith, Blessed is the man that delighteth in the Law of the Lord, and in his Law doth meditate day and night; he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in due season, Psal. 1.2.3. Psal. 119.55.100.  
A second reason is because the most perfect operations of justifying faith, brings man most passively subjective to God to receive in his gift of Christ's righteousness imputed the fullness of all that leads or ends in blessedness: therefore as every effect, the more it doth subject itself to its cause, the more influence for its perfection it doth receive from that cause, so also in this: Hence saith God to his redeemed Spouse, I am JEHOVAH thy GOD, which brought thee out of the Land of Egypt, open thy mouth wide, and I will fill it, Psal. 81.10 but by the way for further encouragement to men of an honest and good heart to press forward to faith's perfection; I will here explicate the different operations: between the perfection of faith in the one, and the imperfections of the other; as, first between righteous Lot weak in saith, and Abraham perfect therein; for Lot being more weak in the spirit of faith, was therefore more strong in the spirit of this world, as once were the Apostles, desiring to be chief in sensual felicities, but Abraham's mind was fare more free from these entanglements; for he preferred his communion with Saints in the bond of peace, and love in relation to Christ, before the fertile pleasures of the plains of Sodom; for to enjoy this, he leaves Lot to choose that, and takes for his abode what Lot refused, Gen. 13.8, 9.10.11.  
So Moses perfect in faith, esteemed Christ in the object of Faith with reproach, greater riches than the pleasures of Egypt: for he had respect to the recompense of reward, implying, he esteemed God's gift of Christ's righteousness imputed to be man's exceeding great reward, consequently his own, wherefore in Idolatrous Egypt he refused his relation to the crown of Egypt, in that he refused to be called the son of Pharaohs daughter, Gen. 15.1. Heb. 11.24.25.26.  
Again men of an honest and good heart, yet weak in the object of life. They then are in zeal against sinners preposterously pitiless, as was james and john, who for Christ's sake would have them consumed with fire from Heaven; but take man more perfect in belief of this sacred object; then he knowing the terror of the Lord doth persuade men; for saith the Apostle, the love of Christ constraineth us, because we thus judge, if one died for all, then were all dead, implying, because in love Christ died for all men then dead in sins and trespasses, that this love of him constrained them to persuade sinners to life and salvation in him, 2 Cor. 11 14  
Again, being but weak in this sacred object they therefore savour the things of men, and not the things of God, as did Peter's counsel to Christ, so he stooped to please men, but not as man perfect in faith becoming all things to all men to save some, as did Saint Paul, but basely dissembling, perverting his trust which Christ put in him, so hazarding the salvation of men, as he did at Antioch; but Paul more perfect in belief of this sacred object, openly reproved him to his face, not caring what he or they thought of him in the right discharge of his ambassage to them, Mark 8.33. 1 Cor. 9.22. Gal. 3.11.12, 13, 14.  
Again, men of an honest and good heart, yet weak in faith to this sacred object; the cross of Christ will bring them to doubt, as did the men going to Emaus; for they said, we trusted it had been he which should have redeemed Israel, Luke 24.21.25. but on the contrary, man perfect in faith under the cross, saith. We know that the Son of God is come, and hath given us an understanding, that we may know him that is true, even his Son jesus Christ, this is, the true God, and eternal life, 1 John. 5.20.  
Again, man weak in this sacred object of justification, doth over value his inherent righteousness, telling Christ What great things he will do for him more than others as did Peter; but man more perfect in belief of this sacred object, is of another mind, saith Saint Paul, who is fit for these things? meaning to do great things for Christ, according to their ambassage, and saith he, we know but in part darkly through a glass, 2 Cor. 2.16. 1 Cor. 13.8. and saith the Prophet Esay, Woe is me, because I am a man unclean, because I am a man of uncircumcised lips, Esay 6. And the ground of the point is this: man perfect in belief of God's gift of Christ his righteousness imputed, firmly believes according to truth, that the seed of the Serpent intermingling his inherent righteousness (therefore makes it internally as a menstruous cloth) and externally at the best but unprofitable: wherefore, as he desires to be found in Christ his righteousness in point of imitation, to sanctification; so also to be found in it, as imputed for a continual acceptation for remission of sins and salvation, still referring all his great works for Christ, to Christ his own efficiency in him, as Saint Paul, not I, but Christ in me, Phil. 3.9.10.  
Again, a third reason why God gives this perfection of faith to men of an honest heart, which thus exercise to him more than to them, which to this object of life, less exercise is not only because mercy pleaseth him, but also because he loves to glorify his 
(a) Here note, that from one and the same principal proceeds in this life, the Saints undissoluble union with Christ, and also their final dissolution from him, viz. God's love to his justice in the distribution of his mercy.  justice in the distribution of his mercy, because all his attributes are displayed at an equal distance, as in the Parable of the talents doth appear, Matth. 25.24.  
And from this ground Saint Paul to the Saints at Corinth, saith, that both he and they must all appear before the judgement seat of Christ, that every man may receive the things done in his body according to that he hath done, whether it be good or evil, 2 Cor. 1.1. & Chap. 5.10. But here will arise a twofold question.  
Question. 1 First, what the Saints for their good works done in the body do now receive, or shall at the last day of judgement?  
Question. 2 Secondly, that if their evil works be forgiven them in Christ's righteousness imputed, as received by Faith, then what shall they receive according to their evil works done in the body? But before I answer the first question, I will show you what good they receive not according to their own good works, and then what good they do receive according to their own good works done in the body.  
And first they receive forgiveness of that knowledge of evil due to them for Adam's transgression, not according to their own works, but according to Christ's.  
They receive this world to be their day of grace, not according to their good works, but according to Christ's.  
They received the foresaid principle of amity to God, and enmity to Satan, and also the enlivening of it, not according to the worth of their own good works, but for the worth of Christ's.  
Fourthly, when they come to God according to the force of that infused principle, God then gives them the spirit of Faith, to receive his gift of righteousness, not for their good works, but for Christ's.  
They in that gift of righteousness by Faith, receive eternal life, as saved men, therefore not according to their own good works, but according to Christ's.  
Sixtly, at Christ's Judgement seat they shall receive by gift, the fruition of that glory, from God's foreappointment in Christ's imputed righteousness, first promised to Adam, therefore not according to their own good works of righteousness, but according to Christ's, therefore at that day Christ will say, come ye blessed of my father, inherit the Kingdom prepared for you, from the foundation of the world. Matth. 25.34.  
Secondly, that which according to their own good works they shall receive, is a fivefold good.  
First, answerable, as they in the obedience of Faith subjectively operate to the fountain opened to judah and jerusalem, namely, the sacred object of justification, answerably from thence God will strengthen 
(a) And in particular first, as by that pureness of spirit they only see God Mat. 5.8. Heb. 12.14. So consequently as it increaseth in the degree, so him more clearly they shall see. Secondly, they shall more firmly know their present estate of blessedness, 1 joh. 5.19, 20. Thirdly, as from hence will redound the more glory to God from men, Mat. 5.16. So the more fullness of Heavenly consolation will redound to them. 15 joh. 11.  every grace of Christ in them, as in Abraham we see he did.  
Secondly, he also will firmly relate them that so work to him in that sacred object, as finally from him in it, they shall never departed, so that things past, present and to come, shall not be able to separate them from him, or him from them, according to the foresaid ground, he hath sworn by himself, that in blessing he will ever bless them, that 
(b) But not to the Saints in a sleepy and lazy Faith.  so operate to him, as to Abraham we see, he gave a further entrance into the Kingdom of grace, 2 Pet. 1.11.  
3. As in this world they have judged the sinful courses of unbelievers to be wicked, and the ways of wisdom as leading to God, to be only righteous and good, so likewise at Christ's judgement seat to judge the world, he will have them then to adhere to him, for saith the Text, the S●ints shall judge the world, so saith Christ, ye are they which have continued with me in my temptation: verily I say unto you, that you which have followed me in the Regeneration, when the Son of man shall sit in his glory, ye also shall sit upon twelve Thrones, and judge the 12 Tribes of Israel: So that man rightly believing truth, shall 
(c) And may then say, we are thus blessed in submittance by one grace to receive another, and so by faith and God's power, are brought to this you see; but you for despising this way do now receive the fruit of your own way.  judge formal professors Luk. 22.28. Mat. 19.28. 1 Cor. 6.2.  
Lastly, he will give them their hearts full desire by turning their enjoying of him here by faith, into the fruition of his purchased gift of eternal glory, this honour have all his Saints, praise ye the Lord, Psal. 149.9. So much for the good they shall receive according to their good works done in the body.  
Thus God's justice rewards the 
a) In some places the Scripture speaks, as if any degree of faith had his stability, because the first degree, and so the second hath a virtual tendency to the third, and will if it be improved, terminate by God's merciful distribution of his justice, in an indissoluble union with Christ in the object of justification, 1 Cor. 1.8. Phil. 1.6. 2 Thess. 3.3.  imperfect image or likeness of Christ's righteousness wrought by the Saints with a reward, which is but an Image or likeness of the reward rendered to Christ's works, and because God loves to glorify this justice thus, in the distribution of his mercy, it is that in this third degree, man is kept 
(b) The Angelical glory which Adam lost, was only due to Christ's works, and to be possessed by him here in Faith, and there by fruition, but n●● due to the Saints works, to be possessed here by them in Faith, not in the next life by fruition, but only in this life is due to their works, the possession of it by their degrees of faith, in which they have some small efficiency, yet that is not due unto their works properly, but only from God's love to justice, in the distribution of his free gift of mercy to miserable man.  from a final fall from Christ in the obj ct of Faith.  
Answer. 2 Secondly, The Saints evil works done in the body, according to which they shall receive, is not for sins of infirmity, nor for sins enormous in which they have been overtaken in their pursuit of this sacred object, as in David, Solomon, and Peter, all pardoned in Christ's righteousness, but the evil things done in the body (according to which the faithful shall receive) is their back-sliding so fare before the third degree of faith, from this sacred object, as that they destroy or crucify Christ to themselves, that is, by a total separation of their Spirits from God in this object of blessedness, for than they do all that a wicked man doth, but not before, that is, without any internal difference from an unbeliever 
(c) But so long as any of this seed of God's word by faith remains, he sinned not without some internal difference from unbelievers, neither can he, because this seed remaineth, as 1 joh. 3, 8, 9  wherefore that which they have made total, by justice, God will make final, denying them repentance so blotting their names out of the book of life, namely, Christ, in whom they were written.  
And God in sacred Scriptures speaks to this point fully, First implicitly, as in Exodus 32. & 32. blot me I pray thee, out of the book which thou hast written, and sundry other the like, which for brevity sake, I pass over.  
Secondly, God expressed this in a figure, that is, figuratively in his elect S●ouse, for to them, of them which did by an evil heart of unbelief departed from the living God, he swore they should not enter the promised rest by josua the Type of I sus, although they were the Children of promise in the Type, as are all right believers in the truth, Heb. 3. Gal. 3.26.  
Again more fully for the House of Israel, this elect Spouse, charging God of impartial proceed towards them, namely of imposing the sins of the Fathers to the children's destruction, employed in these words, the Fathers have eaten sour grapes, and the children's teeth are set on edge: Ezek. 18.2.  
But to remove this false surmise, because God could swear by no greater, he swears by himself, As I live saith the Lord, you shall not have any more occasion to use this Proverb in Israel; therefore he explains his mind in this point, first in general, secondly in particular. In General in these words.  
Behold saith the Lord, all souls are mine, as the soul of the Father, so also the soul of the Son is mine, and therefore he referreth the soul's destruction of either, to the sins of him that committed it, saying, the soul that sinneth, it shall die, ver. 4.  
Secondly, more particular, for saith God, if a man do that which is lawful and right, etc. but here we must remember, what to this Spouse was lawful and right, as formerly is declared, Chapt. 6. namely, intentionally to follow all the Laws of Moses, as Schooling her to Christ's righteousness in the object of Faith, the ground of all their happiness.  
Secondly, in love to cherish each others, as members of his Spouse elect or mystical body; but from both these general Rules, they were now degenerated, and therefore did not the thing which was lawful and right, for God to clear himself from this aspersion, proves them faulty in both. And to the first he implies it by speaking to them negatively, for having said, if a man be just, and do that which is lawful and right, he than speaks negatively, He that hath not eaten upon the Mountains, neither hath lift up his eyes to the Idols of the house of Israel: Implying, as they had done generally; there is proved their Apostasy from the object of Faith to Idols, and the same is again twice repeated in the 11, and 15. verses.  
Again, he proves them degenerated from the second Rule, for instead of cherishing each other, as Christ's mystical members, they had done the contrary, wherefore saith God, he that hath not defiled his Neighbour's wife, neither hath come near a menstruous woman, and hath not oppressed any, but hath restored the debtor his pledge, hath spoilt none by violence, ver. 6, 7, 8. & ver. 20. God clears himself, and draws up the conclusion saying, the soul that sinneth, it shall di●: the Son shall not bear the iniquity of the Father, neither shall the Father bear the iniquity of the Son, and then God expresseth himself impartially, both to the righteous and to the wicked in plain terms, saying, the righteousness of the righteous, shall be up n him the wickedness of the wicked sha●l be up n him; but saith God, if the wicked will turn from all his sins which he hath committed, and keep all my Statutes, and do all that which is lawful and right, he shall surely live, he shall n●t die, all his trespasses which he hath committed they shall not be mentioned unto him, in his right useless which he hath done he shall live: And have I any pleasure at all that the wicked should die, saith the Lord God, and not that he should turn from his ways and live, ver. 23. Then to this Spouse by the rule of contraries, God speaks of the righteous 
(a) Note that the opposition in the Text, of righteousness & iniquity is in one & the same subject, with this proviso, that if he turn from righteousness to sin; therefore this cuts off that conceit that this righteous man was but seemingly righteous, for than it must follow, this iniquity was but seemingly wickedness, when he turned to embrace it, and consequently his dying in sin, was but seemingly death, all which is absurd.  man in her, which is the thing that proves the point in hand, for saith God, when the righteous man 
(b) Because God doth in this Spouse of Christ, thus distinguish between the righteous and the wicked in her, as that not middle sort of people could remain in her, therefore by Gods own affirmative testimony, the Saints may totally fall from Christ, and for that God will cut them off finally from him.  turneth away from his righteousness, and committeth iniquity, and doth according to all the abominations which the wicked man doth, shall he live? all his righteousness which he hath done shall not be mentioned; in his trespasses that he hath trespassed, and in his sinnes which he hath sinned shall he die: ver. 24. Plainly proving, the total and final falling away of the Saints from Christ as the object of Faith under the old Testament, first employed by the words of Moses. Secondly, by a figure. Thirdly, in plain terms.  
Again, likewise in the New Testament also, our Saviour Christ loved his own to the end of his life, 
joh. 13.1.  therefore after his last Supper, having washed his Apostles feet, his corporal departure from this world drawing near, takes occasion from thence to express himself in several instructions to them, and amongst the rest in this point.  
And first saith, ye are clean, but not all: Joh. 13.10.11. Implying, judas was not clean, and so explains himself in the 26 verse, and judas having received the sop, being gone out from him and them to betray him, then to them said jesus, the Son of man is glorified, and God is glorified in him; meaning by his death, and thereupon he exhorts them to cherish each others in love according to his own example towards them, verse 30. and 34. Likewise Chap. 14. as for afflictions and sorrows, which would befall them in the execution of their commission after his departure, he bids them, qui●t their hearts by belief of God, and also in him, with promise to send the comforter to them, etc. from verse 1. to the 32. verse And Chapter 15. he compares himself to a Vine with branches, for that's employed, and his Father to a Husbandman, pruning some, and cutting off some Verse 2. and vers. 3. he applies this doctrine to the 11. Apostles, in particular judas, being absent. Now saith he, ye are clean, and then shows them how they came so to be, saith he, through the 
(a) If Christ's Word, than not Christ's washing their feet made them clean, only it was a sign of Christ's love which did effect it, wherefore if Peter had refused it so propounded, he had rejected Christ in his love, as did judas, although he suffered him to wash his feet, because the outward sign not received by a right belief of truth, leaves man's sin in the guilt and attracted habit unweakened and unremoved, as here in judas, although Christ extended this external sign of his love to him at his corporal departure from this world, as to the other eleven.  word which I have spoken unto you, implying their justification and sanctification by union with him, as the object of faith, wherefore saith he, abide in me, and I in you, and then gives them a reason why they should so do, because, saith he, the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me, Verse 4.  
He than applies the point more close unto every of them; saith he, I am the vine, ye are the branches: he that abideth in me and I in him, the same bringeth much fruit, for without me ye can do nothing, whereupon he gives them a fourfold reason why they should so abide in him.  
The first is drawn from the danger which will ensue, if any of these 11. do not abide in him, namely, perishing from him for ever; for saith he, if any 
(b) That is any of you eleven, or any other man, which is ingraffed into me, the true Vine, as now are you, being clean through the word which I have spoken.  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 burned in eternal wrath, for that's employed: so that this first reason expressly proves the point, namely, that the Saints shall receive according to what they have done in the body for their evil works of crucifying Christ to themselves by a total apostasy from him, as the object of faith.  
The second reason, to abide in him, is intermingled with a direction how to abide in him, the reason itself is drawn from the contrary good which would redound to these eleven Apostles, if they did so abide in him; the direction is this, that he by his Word of truth, should abide in them, and they by belief of it, must abide in him; the good which will redound to them, they then shall have their hearts desire, and both comprehended in these words, If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you.  
The third reason is also double, partly respecting God, partly respecting themselves, and both comprehended in these words, herein is my Father glorified, in that you bring forth much fruit, for so shall ye be my Disciples that is, for so shall you come and be established to continue my Disciples, as now ye are; wherefore he further saith, Abide in my love; if you keep my Commandments, you shall abide in my love, even as I have kept my Father's Commandments, and abide in his love.  
The fourth reason to induce them to abide in him as the object of Faith, is drawn from that remaining tranquillity which will redound to them from him as the fountain opened; wherefore saith he, these things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy may be full. Verse. 11.  
All which arguments to enforce these eleven Apostles so to abide in him implies what formerly is expressed in the first reason, namely, that they other ways will come to fall totally by their remissness and come to a final separation from Christ by God's justice: Likewise the Apostles themselves rightly taught the same doctrine, both of themselves, and of the Saints in general; as for instance, Saint Paul to the Romans, chap. 11. saith, thou standest by faith, be not not high minded, but fear; for if God spared not the natural branches, take heed lest also he spare not thee, verse 20 & 21.  
Again, he saith, the just shall live by faith, but if any man draw bacl, my soul shall have no pleasure in him, Heb. 10.38. and saith Saint Paul, I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection, lest that by any means when I have preached unto others, I my 
* And those Scriptures which seem to speak contrary to this point, see them clea●ed in these pages in the margin: pag. 122. & 123. 137. 142. 144. 145. and from 118. to 120. & 134. Also see those Scriptures expounded in point of election on which the Saint's stability is thought to be grounded, as from pag. 85. to 87. and pag. 65. and from p. 72. to 77. and see the reasons why salomon's and Peter's fall was not total nor final, and also the utmost line of God's mercy to miserable man, see the second Objection in the 12. chap.  self should be a Castaway. He further saith, it is impossible for those which are once enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift and were made partakers of the holy Ghost, and have tasted of the good Word of God, and of the powers of the world to come, if they should fall away, to renow them to repentance, seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put him to open shame, 1 Cor. 9.27. Heb. 6.4. So much for the proof of the third Reason, that God loves to glorify his Justice by the distribution of his Mercy, even to the members of Christ, without any personal respect, therefore much more to all mankind, and to all alike, as he preached to Cain in the first model if thou dost well, shalt thou not be accepted? if thou dost not well, sin lies at the door.  
Hence observe, all mankind, none excepted, ever since Adam, was cast out of the Garden of Eden, are, and so shall be to the end of the world, in one of these three conditions or estates: first, either in the universal grace and favour of God by Christ Jesus, and this is before the gift of justifying faith; or secondly in the special grace and favour of God in Christ Jesus, and this is when man by belief of truth is knit to God in Christ, as he is the object of Justification.  
Or thirdly, in the state of rejection from the first, as was Cain, before he came to Faith; or from the second as are some of the Saints, for their apostasy from Christ's own testimony by his doctrine to his peculiar Apostles, judas being absent, and Paul's testimony of himself and other Saints, and of Christ's national Spouse by God's testimony, Ezech. 18. and as we see by woeful experience this sixteen hundred years and more.  
Again, I having precedently defined what is the perfection of justifying faith, I will now define what is the perfection of the man in whom it is; or thus, what man is a righteous man. Man in his first estate was righteous, because his intentions and operations was an exact perfection of degrees according to natures most right rules in the estate of creation, as Chap. 1.  
But now in this fourth estate of man, 
The definition of a righteous man.  he is a righteous man, who in any degree doth by a right belief submit; so as that he receives God's gift of Christ's righteousness imputed to eternal life by salvation, desireably endeavouring to conform to that righteousness in some degree to sanctification. I say, in the perfection of parts 
(a) When the Apostle saith, we speak wisdom, to them that are perfect, he means man in the perfection of Faith and not perfect in righteousness.  of inherent holiness: for the perfections of Christ's righteousness, is not attainable by men nor Angels, in the perfections of degrees. So that a righteous man in this life, stands as an imperfect member united by faith in love, to a head perfect in righteous works or righteousness.   

CHAP. XII. Answering Objections made against several points precedently delivered in this Treatise.  
FIrst, it will be objected, solomon's backsliding was total, yet not final, though he did all that the wicked man doth, Question. because against so great light of heavenly Object. 1 wisdom, he turned his mind into darkness by sensual delights and Idolatrous abominations, consequently he crucified Christ to himself, and yet his fall was not final; for he returned to God in the object of Faith.  
Salom●n under the Law of Moses, of a believer, went the farthest out from God of any that ever returned to God again, Answ. by Faith in the object of Justification; therefore the Scripture speaks but implicitly of his repentance, as if his name had been blotted out of the book of life, to teach others not to be high minded, but fear.  
Again, his fall was not total, because God extraordinarily reserved some virtual seed of belief in him to the object of Justification, and therefore his backsliding was not total, nor internally, doing all which the wicked man doth; for as long as the least degree of that seed remains that man is in Christ the object of Faith, and that God did reserve a seed, is clear by his special and particular promise made to David in salomon's behalf, saying, if he commit iniquity, I will chastise him with rods of men, and with the stripes of the children of men, but my mercy shall not departed away from him.  
And the ground of this extraordinary mercy by promise was this, because Solomon, as sitting King on Zion hill, the promised son of David, he so was in those days a remarkable figure of Christ, the Son of David's eternal throne; therefore God extraordinarily reserved in Solomon a light of belief, virtually to Christ's righteousness, as imputed to the 
* If for the glory of God's grace, than not for love to salomon's person, more than to any other man's person; for God's love to all men's persons is one and the same, as appears in the grounds of God's love in his gift of Christ to the world, pag. 40, 41.  glory of his own grace in salomon's eternal salvation; therefore his fall was neither total nor final.  
Secondly, it will be objected; Saint Peter did all that the wicked man doth, extinguishing greater light in himself Object. 2 then ever did Solomon; for he was an Apostle, and saw the great works of Christ, and heard his sacred doctrine, as dropping from his sacred lips, and he cursed himself, he knew not the Lord of glory, and swore he knew him not against his own knowledge; so consequently, he did all the wicked man doth, crucifying Christ to himself totally, and yet was renewed by repentance; therefore his fall was not final although total.  
The Lord said, Simon, Simon, behold, Satan hath desired to winnow you, that he may sift you as wheat, but I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not, Luke 22.32. as if he should say, Answ. by reason of your rashness and remissness to my gracious admonishments; Satan hath much desired to take an advantage against you, totally to extinguish thy faith and love to me, but my request to my Father hath been more than ordinary for thee, that thou mightest not perish from me, therefore in time of need, Christ's words of precedent admonishment, was remembered to Peter's soul, for his return to him in the object of Faith, Luke 22. & 61. and the ground of this extraordinary mercy was twofold.  
First, because he being a believer; therefore as Christ is the Saviour of all men, so especially of Peter in this his backsliding, more than to judas, who was not a believer; for, saith the Text, he is the Saviour of all men, but especially of them that believe.  
Secondly, not only a believer, but a believing Apostle set apart to publish the Gospel to the world, therefore more to Christ then an ordinary believer, and therefore Christ's Prayer was for him more than ordinary, and therefore it was, that his fall was neither total nor final; for whensoever it is total, it is final; and in some twice dead, and plucked up by the roots, and so none can be but those which have been right believers; for to be twice dead, implieth to be twice alive: the first life is the precedent infusion of amity to God, and enmity to Satan; or, if it be renewed, and this is a life preceding faith flowing from the universal grace of the Covenant of life and glory, as before is proved.  
The second life is the life of justifying Faith, I mean man rightly united by believing, to Christ, the object of life, and when he dies to the later, he dies to the former also, and therefore twice dead, and never lives to God again in Jesus Christ, jude, vers. 12. And for the close of the point, here observe, that as Manasses and Paul were the only two in sacred Scriptures that by their apostasy from God's universal grace in Christ, went the furthest distance out from God before Faith that ever were received to mercy: whence Paul rightly saith, That Christ shown all long suffering and patience towards him, himself being the chief of sinners, meaning, in this particular respect.  
So on the contrary, Solomon and Peter, after true faith in Christ the object of life, were the only two men mentioned in Scriptures, which by apostasy, went the furthest out from God, that ever returned, and was received to mercy; so that in these four in each condition, God hath showed us the utmost line or length of the riches of his mercy, in which he will be pleased to glorify his grace to miserable man: For if Solomon and Peter's spirits had but degenerated into Manasses and Paul's hatred, they had fallen into the unpardonable sin.  
So on the contrary, if Manasses and Paul's degeneration had been from salomon's and Peter's life of justifying belief, or but from belief of divine testimony, as divine testimony, they had fallen into the unpardonable sin, wherefore Saint Paul right saith of himself, I did it ignorantly in unbelief, therefore obtained mercy, implying, otherwise he had never Object. 3 been received to grace or glory.  
It will be objected, man's will is naturally see, 
(a) Yet the will of man is no more free from sin, nor free to righteousness, than it is freed by Christ, therefore to attribute any thing well done by man from the force of his pure naturals is absurd, See the margin, pag. 16. and pag. 28. & 38. 121.  choosing, or refusing all objects ulountarily according to its natural liberty, consequently it cannot be terminated so firmly to Christ, as not to fall finally from the object of life.  
Answer. If (in Justice) God to evil men by detaining his spirit from them, they then are necessitated to do evil, being servants to sin, and free from righteousness, notwithstanding this natural 
(b) If in that general apostasy, God did reserve the wills of 7000 so to himself as that they did not bow the knee to Baal, and also will reserve the wills of men to be a Church to him amongst as Gentiles; so as that they shall never departed totally from Christ, in the object of justification, as hath the Church of the jews this 1600. years; and also in those days when he shall call bacl the jews, that he will then so reserve their wills to him in that object, as they shall never more departed from being a Church; then why may not the wills of these men, which so operate to God, be for the glory of his justice in the distribution of his mercy, so reserved to God in the object of justification, as that finally they shall never departed from him in it, notwithstanding the wills natural liberty, which is always free in its choice.  freedom of their wills in the midst of light manifested to them as in the rejected jews we see formerly proved. Then why not on the contrary? cannot God according to his promise reserve the will of man to himself, in the object of life, so as it shall never finally departed from him in the object of Faith, and reserve it's natural liberty free, as when he was found of the Gentiles which sought him not, persuading japhet dead in sins and trespasses, to dwell in the tents of Shem? as at the preaching of Peter, 500 in the voluntary freedom of their will returned to him.  
Again, as if it could not be done by God, because our reason doth not perceive the manner how he doth it: 
1 King. 66.  as for example, He made the iron to swim, and yet it was iron still, as it was in its nature, when it did sink to the bottom of the river: By the same reason we may question the growth of our bodies; for although we see they are grown in height and bigness, yet the manner how they do grow is invisible to us.  
Likewise our corn which we sow, the manner how it grows is invisible to us, and so is the operation of God to this growth of a reasonable soul, to him in this object of life, as is employed by our Saviour, Mark 4.28. joh. 3.8.  
And from this same ground whence we know not the specificating internal forms of things, it is, that we know not God his terminating of the will, wherefore, we must in this point live by faith, that God doth it according to his Word and so rest.  
It will be objected, that although, Mat. 25. Christ impartially Object. 4 renders to every man according to his work, either as they did rightly use, or wrongly abuse the talents; yet he then at first gave some men more talents than others, and to some fewer, consequently some at the first are endued with more abilities, whereby they may attain this third degree of the perfection of faith, and to others fewer abilities, consequently Christ's proceed herein was not equally alike to all; for it must be fare more hard to some to attain perfection of Faith than others; consequently all could not attain this stability alike.  
Yet in this unequal distribution, Answ. Christ's proceeding is to all and all alike, without personal respects to one more than to another; for if he honoured some men with more excellencies than he did others, as he over did, and will to the end of the world, yet it was not with any respects of love to those men's persons more than to others, but as to a part for the good of the whole and for his own praise in all: as for instance, when God gave to Bez●led and Aholiab and others the spirit of wisdom, more than to the rest, was it not to build the Tabernacle? and the Temple, those figures of his favour in this object of life and glory, to build up the Congregation to him in this sacred object of Faith, Exod. 31.2.6.  
Likewise God honoured Daniel, Mordecai and Hester, but was it not to continue this national Spouse to himself in that relation? and so Moses, David, and Solomon, to the same end.  
Again, in the new Testament to some he gave the faith of miracles; some to speak all languages, some the gift of prophecy, some Doctors, some Apostles, but was it not for them whom he predestinated to this glory with Abraham? namely, the jews, and also us the Gentiles; and for this end it was, why he so highly honoured Abraham, from the den of devils to be a friend of God; that so God might become friends with us in Christ, to the glory of his own grace, but whereas sin in us by our apostasy had abounded against him: so he on the contrary by them might in Christ superabound in mercy to us; for if the means as a means be inferior to the end, as certainly it is, than their superiority was to make them subject to our good in God's glory by Christ Jesus. Therefore Gods proceed is equally and all alike, without personal respects to any more than others.  
Object. 5 It will be objected, that all mankind which are damned in eternal misery, occasionally perish for Adam's offence once committed, consequently God willed Adam's fall, as an occasion or means to their damnation, consequently by them their damnation is unavoidable; for who hath resisted his will?  
Answ. I deny that God willed Adam's fall so much as an occasion to the damnation of them that perish; for as already is proved, God willed their rise to him in Angel's glory, in as equal a balance as our fall into misery, and God did not only excitively draw out Adam's faith and love to work up according to the covenant to partake of Angel's felicity; but also on the contrary, in simple and plain terms, told him of the evil, namely, death, certain death immediately would ensue, if he did disobey; therefore God willed not Adam's fall so much as an occasion to the damnation of them that perish.  
It will be again objected, that God, if he had pleased could Object. 6 have made Adam unremovably to have repelled Satan's temptation, to attain that glory, but did not, consequently. Adam wanting that strength, God therefore willed his fall to the foresaid end.  
I answer, he could, Answ. but did not yet the inference follows not because God gave him power enough so to will that he might be able, if he would have applied himself in point of trial as he might and ought; therefore he wanted it not: for it is one thing not to have a thing, and another to want that thing we have not: For example, a man not having a sword having no occasion to use it, wants it not; so the Cedars in Libanus having not the local motion of the stately Lion to attain their perfections, nor yet do they want it because in their kind they attain their perfections with that power, and in that place, which is assigned them by their Creator; so might Adam in that present condition assigned him by God, as appeareth, Chap. 2. therefore God willed not Adam's fall to the aforesaid end.  
Again, if Adam had had any more perfections and means to attain the end of the Covenant, than what he had, it would have fallen in as a part of his wages for the work before his trial, and that could not be, because the covenant for any more good or any evil equivalently contrary, was to be as he did obey or disobey; therefore God willed not his fall to the foresaid end; and if he did, this would follow, that God only pretended that good in the Covenant, but never intended it according to the conditions expressed, consequently, God was in it, as the Devil employed to the woman, but an Impostor, and the Devil only the true speaker; but this was the Devils lie from the beginning, and he the father of it in all men which now so think or speak, but Satan and man adhering to him, shall be found liars, and God for ever true in his Word keeping promise, and covenant, simply 
* Therefore God doth not tender eternal life by his revealed will to man, whom he by his secret will hath reprobated to unavoidable damnation.  and plainly according to the expressions of his mind to mankind, without personal respects alike to all.  
It will again be objected, God knew before he put Object. 7 Adam to that trial, that he would fall in that work, and yet put him upon it, consequently he willed his fall to the foresaid end.  
Answ. He did know it, yet I deny the inference to be rightly deducted; for as God did know what Adam would do, so also he knew what himself would do, namely, show himself faithful in mercy to his faithless creature, then in misery by his own default, that then by his free gift of righteousness imputatively, he would glorify his grace upon all mankind to justification of life, as is described.  
Again, it was needless for God to will Adam's fall, so much as an occasion, much less, as a cause to any man's damnation, to the eternal praise of his Justice, because, as formerly is proved, if Adam had kept covenant, as he might, he then had rendered God the eternal praise of his Justice by the everlasting felicity of all mankind, and by Satan's just condemnation to all eternity, as Chap. 2. pag. 12. and 13.  
Again, suppose that which I will not grant, that by Adam's fulfilling the Covenant, God had not so received the praise of his Justice eternally, yet by the second adam's fulfilling the Covenant, I am sure he hath to the full in every respect, as Chap. 8. therefore, though all men were saved by him, as certainly they might, if they would but submit to receive that gift of righteousness in the power of God's grace, and merciful supportance, as is proved, therefore God never intended that which was needless, that is, not Adam's fall, so much as the occasion of any man's damnation, much less as a cause thereof.  
Object. 8 It will again be objected, that all mankind which perish in eternal damnation, could not so perish, if God had not willed it; therefore they perish by the will of God.  
Answer. True it is, that God doth will the damnation of all that perish eternally, as formerly is proved at large, by his proceed, without any personal respects, in his justice, by the distribution of his mercy in Jesus Christ; as to Cain, the old world, and by his rejection of his elect Spouse the jews, and all Gentiles, which to this day turn the grace of salvation to wantonness, walking after the flesh, proudly despising this day of grace, as a means to receive his free gift of righteousness imputed to their salvation, and so reject their own day of eternal glory; therefore as saith Christ, as before I noted; this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil, that is, in winking at the light, that so they might the more fully follow their own Lusts for that's employed Luk. the 14. & 18 joh. 3.19.  
Again I answer, that God so w●l●'s the damnation of them which perish for ever that yet he would rather glorify his grace in their blessedness for ever, than his justice in the eternal ruin of his creatures, as appears through all generations of mankind, as is largely proved through this whole Treatise from God's word of truth, yet to his word he hath added his oath to put the point out of doubt, because he can swear by no greater than himself, therefore he swears by himself. As I live faith the Lord God, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but that the wicked turn from his way and live, turn ye, turn ye, from your evil ways, for why will you die, etc. Ezek. 33, 11. Therefore notwithstanding all these objections, the point stands firm, that God's proceed is without any personal respect, intending and extending to mankind equally and alike to all, for life and death eternal; and because God from the time he cast Adam out of Paradise, hath proceeded not only in his universal grace in Christ Jesus, but also in his most special grace, even to the members of Christ without any personal respects, consequently he will proceed so to all mankind, till time shall be no more.  

(a) God's spirit in Paul fore-prophecying man's ungrateful wickedness, and God's justice to proceed thereupon, therefore to this head may be reserved Gods dealing with Ahab, and the Prophecy that went of judas, and the like, Acts 1.16.20.  Wherefore Saint Paul prophesying of future times, concerning the Church of the Gentiles, saith, because they received not the love of the truth, that is, as conveying to them the object of justification for life and glory, therefore God would deliver them up also from his grace and truth, to their belief of Satan's lies, and so leave them to perish in their own corruptions, for saith the Text. Antichrist his coming shall be after the working of Satan with all power and signs, and lying wonders, and with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish.  
But the ground why Satan thus prevailed, is expressed in the Text to be, because the 
(b) God's justice upon the Church of the Gentiles, for their ungodliness against him, in his great mercy toward them was it, which gave way to the Machiavel an rising of the Beast, namely the Roman Antichrist in Christendom, therefore although it was against God's will, a● willing man's good in the distribution of his merciful goodness, yet according to his will in the administration of his justice, upon this ungrateful Church, for nothing is nor can be directly against Gods will but respectively, as in judas, it was God's justice to deny him his spirit of grace, to keep him from that treacherous act, for denying Gods spirits operations to follow his covetousness, for faith the Text, he was a thief, and had the bag; and to this case is that to be referred, Acts 4.28.  Gentiles received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved: Implying that the production of Antichrist, was from the Churches own corruption 
* Therefore it is a dangerous tenet to make the Primitive Church our pattern, for as witnesseth the Apostle in his time the mystery of iniquity began to work, therefore the safest way for Christ's Spouse, is to keep close to the sacred Scriptures, and God's Spirit for her guide, both for Discipline and Doctrine. , and God's justice leaving them for their great ungodliness, and that to this end, that they might perish in their own corruption, for saith the Text, that they all might be damned which believe not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness; that is, under God's superaboundant mercies for that is employed, and the ground how this great Antichrist became the great scourge of Christendom, is this, because answerably as he did rise by degrees in the pretence of the Celestial verity to Satan's Throne, in his mystery of iniquity, so answerably he did extinguish that sacred mystery, which he did but pretend, not only by enclosing it in an unknown tongue, and his false glosses in Annotations upon the Rheims Testament, but most specially by his devised lie of the Doctrine of man's own meritorious works, for their justification to their eternal felicity. For so he turned the oracle of life and glory into Satan's darkness, as that liar and murderer from the beginning; but this prophecy of Saint Paul gives us a demonstrative description of this great Antichrist in three particulars.  
First, by his place of residence.  
Secondly, by the height of his aspired Throne.  
Thirdly, by what shall remove him from his place, by his final ruin. Of these briefly.  
First, his place of residence is not within the place of Paganism or Turkism, where Gods especial presence is most remote, for saith the Text, he sitteth in the Temple of God, implying his seat is where Gods most special presence of grace in Christ, is most demonstratively resiant, as once it was in the Temple at jerusalem to his elect Spouse, more than in any place of all the world besides, the which now is only in the confines of Christendom, God's visible Church of the Gentiles, therefore his seat at large, is only within Christendom, but his most peculiar seat is in the second point following.  
Secondly, also he is to be known by the height of his Throne, who as saith the Text, opposeth all that is called God, or that is worshipped: So that he as God sitteth in the Temple of God; showing himself that he is God. Implying that the height of his aspired Throne in Satan's darkness is not only demonstratively above the Thrones of Kings, and Emperors within Christendom, but in the place where God most properly doth demonstrate himself in the glory of his grace, which is twofold, that is, in the object and in the Subject, namely in the object of justification, and in the Subject, that is, man's belief of that object, in both which respects Antichrist doth aspire.  
First, by extinguishing God's gift of Christ's righteousness, as imputed to man's 
(a) justification in the object, is God th' Father's gift of Ch ists righteousness reached unto man by his instrument the word of truth, as was the brazen Serpent by an instrument of wood: but justification in the Subject, is man, which by right belief of truth doth receive into his mind that object, as the eye did the brazen Serpent, and in that instant of time, this man's sin is removed from his person; as fare as the East is from the West. I do not mean a total removal of sin inherently, but a total removal of the guilt and pun shment of sins, past, present, as long as he doth so adhere unto that object actually, or virtually, but no longer.  justification and salvation. which is the only object in which God sits most properly, as in his mercies-seate, to the praise of his glorious grace in the salvation of the world.  
Secondly, not only by extinguishing this sacred object, but also the Subject, namely the minds of mankind, to extinguish that belief from them, by which God ought to sit as in his inner-most part of the Temple, by their belief in the object of justification, so to receive his worship and glory in their eternal salvation, but in Gods own most proper seat.  
In both these respects hath the great Antichrist set himself as God, by bringing the minds of most men to embrace and subject to him, by their belief of his lying doctrine, of their own meritorious works, yea of supererogation, for their own and others eternal felicity, so in a mystery he is worshipped, under a pretence of the Celestial verity, having made void this object of justification, as also all obedience of faith to God in that justifying relation: so hath he subordinated God beneath himself, and advanced himself in a mystery, above all that is called God, or that is worshipped within the confines of the 
(b) I mean the Greek Church with the rest, for although they are in the Turks dominions, yet they are not of the Turkism.  visible Church of the Gentiles. So likewise for a continued supply, to support his blasphemous Throne, he hath framed to himself several Religions, orders of seeming sanctity, and his purgatory prayers to Saints alive and dead, his abounding in superstitious and Idolatrous worship, all tending but to the support of his Apostate Chair of Thronized glory in Satan's darkness under the pretence of God's Celestial verity, only to abound in what is Terrestrially sensual and Devilish: Wherefore the Religion of the Papacy is rather after the rules of 
* Machivells' Prince. p. 118. 139. 140.  machivel, then after the rules of Holiness, from sacred Scriptures; and the truth is, the whispering Divinity which is in Rome must needs be this that there is no God; for if it were not so, how dared they thus adulterate the sacred Oracles of the eternal Deity, and to send forth that cup of Fornications, for the Kingdoms and Kings of the Earth, to drink down her poisoned Doctrines. And so much for the height of the aspired Throne of this child of perdition.  
Thirdly, that which shall be his removal from this place by his final Ruin, in a word is no more but this, that as his rising was by lies in all deceivableness of unrighteousness, in the dark mystery of iniquity, under pretence of God's sacred verity; so on the contrary, his destruction shall come on by an outbreake, or bright shining simplicity of the sacred verity to mankind; and this is it which shall be his ruin: for (saith the Text) that wicked one shall be revealed whom the Lord shall consume with the Spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming, 2 Thess. 2.8.  
Likewise as Saint john saw the rising of this great Antichrist by divers visions, so also he saw his fall, and final ruin in two particulars, suitable to what Saint Paul speaketh in this place. First, he saw Christ the faithful and true witness, fight against the Nations, which did adhere to Antichrist, and that with the sword of his mouth: or as Saint Paul hath it, with the Spirit of his mouth, meaning, by his word and Spirit, Reve. 19 ver. 11.20, 21. So also in the 17 ver. he saw some one special instrument or messenger of Christ abiding or standing in the bright demonstration of the simple truth of his sacred Oracle, so excitively stirring up Kings and Kingdoms to the destruction of the beast, for saith St. john I saw an Angel standing in the Sun, implying, Christ in the brightness of his coming, as St. Paul hath it, and saith he, he cried with a loud void, that is, so exhorting by way of triumph 
* For when Christ shall thus replenish his Church by his word and spirit, then shall she arise against the Roman Antichrist with fire and sword, and so prevail.  to the final ruin of the Beast together with the bond and free Captains and Kings of the Earth, which shall perish in the damnation of the great Whore, as it is in that 19 Chapt.  
Wherefore beware O ye Kings and Kingdoms of Christendom, that there be not found in you the poisoned cup of the fornications of the Beast: for if the eternal Deity do cut off the Spirit of Princes from this day of grace, 
Psal. 76.12. Esay 30.33.  and the day of glory, to sink them down into eternal Torments, because they regard not his works, nor the operation of his hands, than whom will he spare in the day of his fierce wrath, at the final damnation of this great whore? And so much for what shall be her destruction.  
Yet let no man be so bold to believe or judge, that all mankind which are within the deluded Papacy, as entangled therein, that they are all reprobates and certain to perish in the damnation of the great whore, for some men's minds, even of them, thirst after truth as truth; because Antichrist must make some show of the sacred verity in some respects, even against his will, for that as he knows the show of truth is his help, so also he knows the practice of it in simplicity, is his hindrance to his aspired end. Yet these men's hearts in that small light in much confusion, implicitly desire Christ's righteousness as imputed, wherefore God who is rich in mercy, will not break those 
(a) These precedently by their error in judgement, may be against Christ, as appeareth by his truth in his reformed Churches, although for Christ in respect of their affections according to that dark light shining in the Papacy; and here we may admire and cry out, oh the depth of God's justice & merciful goodness in wisdom, so interminglingly administered to the children of men.  bruised reeds, nor quench the smoking flax, but even cherish and strengthen their minds to him, for Rev. 18.4. Saint john saith, I heard a voice from Heaven saying, come out of her my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her Plagues. Which words imply seven particulars.  
First, this voice from Heaven is some outbreake of the Heavenly Doctrine in the purer Churches.  
Secondly, when it is said, saying unto them, it implies it was extended by God's merciful ●●●d of providence to this people, as being entangled in the defilements of the Papacy.  
Thirdly, when it calls them to come out, it implies, they were deluded in her fornications, as if they had been of her.  
Fourthly, it implies, that this voice to those people is God's last warning to come out from her, to escape the eminent danger.  
Fiftly, when it faith, my people, it implies, this heavenly voice refresheth their Spirits, as from God graciously answering them in their uprightness notwithstanding their entanglements in the defilements of Antichrist.  
Sixtly, when it is said, lest ye be partakers of her sins, it implies, that after this outbreake of light, shining to them in that darkness, if they come not out, God will then impute those entanglements to be their partaking of the sins of Antichrist.  
Seaventhly, when it is said, lest you be partakers of her Plagues, it implies, God will glorify his justice in the distribution of his mercy to them without all respect of persons and to all alike, as is precedently described.  
And if it be so, that God's grace in Christ Jesus, is both intended and extended universally to all, without respect of persons, and to all alike, as here you see is proved, then hence observe, that those odious Aspersions that disgrace this doctrine as false and untrue, are unjust; as that this doctrine doth usher in Popery into the Church of God, and that it is the doctrine of Pelagius or of the Semi-pelagians, meaning, that it is the doctrine of Arminius, for this doctrine of universal Grace, is Gods, and not man's, and without this straight line of this doctrine, harmoniously flowing from sacred Scriptures, it is impossible to raze out the foundation of Popery understandingly, to the capacities of mankind; and the ground of it is this, because the sacred Scripture in itself hath no uniform body, but in this doctrine of universal grace in Christ Jesus to all mankind, and to all alike, by which Christ in the brightness of his coming, and the spirit of his mouth will consume and destroy the great Antichrist and monster of Christendom, as formerly is proved; wherefore I must as the rule of truth binds me, thus judge of that holy man Arminius, that he is not to be reckoned one of the least worthies of the Lord Jesus Christ, because this man in those dark 
* 
For Mr. Peter Du. Moulin chargeth him with holding these points, first, that God elected some men to eternal life upon his foresight of their faith. Secondly, that God elects all men to eternal life, under the condition of faith.  
Thirdly, that original sin in Infants, hath no respect of vice or sin properly called, for nothing is sin or vice, unless it be committed by freewill. Fourthly, hat Arminius against Mr Perkins affirmeth, that man's will is free to good, as to evil without grace; the which points in this Treatise, are clearly proved from Scriptures to be errors. See Peter Du-moulin against Arminius Cap. 8. p. 48. & Cap. 17. & Cap. 18. Cap. 32. p. 256.   times of the knowledge of this point, put forth all his power according to his light and talon, against great oppositions, to maintain and preach, that God in his gracious mercy in Christ Jesus, doth both intent and extend it universally alike to all mankind, without respect of persons. Therefore in him God accepted the will for the deed, and so must we.  
And on the contrary, as for reverend Calvin, his stiff maintaining that error, which made the waters of life bitter to mankind, namely, that God hath personally decreed before the world, to unavoidable destruction, the greatest part of mankind, for the everlasting praise of his justice, 
Calvin Instit. 3 book 22. cap. 11. 3 book cap. 21.5.  and personally elected the lesser part avoidable to eternal life, for the praise of his glorious grace. I say, notwithstanding this holy man's error, his works and great labours savour of most unfeigned Godliness, which settleth a Crown of reverence upon his head through all ages; wherefore we are thus to judge of him, that this error fell from him from love to God's glory, in the comforting of the distressed Church of God and therefore in him it was error of love and not that he loved to err.  
Ninthly, again it will be objected, he that loveth another, Object. 9 hath fulfilled the Law, consequently that man is a perfect man in the perfection of degrees of inherent righteousness. 
Rom. 13.8.   
The conclusion is falsely deducted, for he that loveth God by his rules or Laws, Answ. as leading to him in Christ the object of faith, hath fulfilled the Law, but how? even because Christ is the end of the Law for righteousness to every one that believeth, as God imputed it to Abraham, 
Rom. 10.  for his further entrance into the glorious Kingdom of Christ's gracious mercy, as is formerly declared.  
Again, he that loveth another, being his Idolatrous and wicked Neighbour, as he is his own flesh, and God's creature made of one and the same blood, and Gods, as is himself, by right of redemption, or that doth love another man as a mystical member of Christ, as is himself; and in that love doth cherish him as Abraham did Lot: In both these respects he is kind to the unkind, to the just and the unjust, and so is perfect as his heavenly Father is perfect, that is, in a simile or likeness unto him, for as saith our Proverb, every like is not the same, and therefore but imperfect inherently still, for he that saith he hath no sin is a liar, etc.  
Again, the truth is, God never required such perfect obedience of any man, but of those which were able so to perform it, and they were only two of all mankind; the one was Adam when he was a public person before his fall, the other was Christ, who was the second Adam in the work of the first to the redemption of all.  
Therefore do not derogate from his glorious works, not arrogate to thine own inglorious 
* For returning to God by belief in the object of justification is right repentance only, therefore although faith is the receptive instrument of that object, and mourning and weeping doth accompany that repentance, yet ne●ther is the removal of sins guilt, or punishment; only Christ's righteousness imputed, is the ground of acceptance, therefore beware of ascribing sorrow to be repentance, of of faith for acceptance, lest we unawares uphold the erroneously of the mystery of iniquity, maintained by the Roman Antichrist.  works, nor be not deceived by that wicked one, who teacheth this Doctrine, whom Christ shall consume with the Spirit of his mouth, and destroy with the brightness of his coming.  
Object. Again, it will be objected, that by those words, I will put enmity between thee and the woman, is meant, the woman should envy Satan for the evil done unto her, and so one Devil may envy another.  
Answ. This implies, that God gave in the promised seed no more good in these words, I will put enmity between thee and the woman, then have the damned Spirits under eternal reprobation, which is absurd.  
Reply. To this is replied, that all mankind since the fall, are conceived and borne with no better internal dispositions tending to God, then is the nature of Devils.  
Answ. It appears the contrary in the worst of men, if not delivered up from the universal grace of the Covenant, to a final impenitency, notwithstanding their acquired habits in evil, there is in them some internal dispositions naturally to God, which is not found in Devils, for although Matthew the 8.29. Devil's can ground their requests to God on his justice, not to torment them before the time of their final bruise, by the seed of the woman. Mat. 25, 41. but they are not naturally inclined as are all mankind, to ground their prayers unto God upon his goodness and mercy; as for instance, that innumerable company of Heathenish Ninivites, believed God's word of wrath to be true, for their present destruction, yet they invocate him entirely upon a dependant hope of mercy from him. jonah 2 9  
So the Mariners in their Idolatrous manner, implore the Divine Majesty in apparent destruction, upon a dependant hope of mercy from him, jonah 1.15.14.  
Secondly, there is in all mankind a natural inclination to worship the divine Majesty, as is apparent, not only in the Ninivites and Mariners, but also it is the ground why all Nations whatsoever have some kind of Religious worship, even to those which are Devils, as to a Deity above themselves, and also to God as unknown, Acts 17.23. which internal dispositions are not in Devils, although the true God to them be known, for as they cannot implore God under the Notion of goodness nor mercy, so have they neither any set form of religious worship to God, but all destruction and Idolatrous errors and lies in God's worship amongst men originally, arose from them, aswell as from men's own remissness, by not improving this internal principle of enmity to Satan, and amity to God, as precedently is proved.  
To this it will be objected, the devils know God's Law, Object. 11 and the very knowledge of it writes it in their hearts, and so although the Heathen had not the Law, yet by some means they might come to know the Law, and so the Law became written in their hearts.  
Suppose some did so come to know the Law, Answ. yet it makes nothing to the purpose; for it is one thing to have the Law of Christ in the Theory in some men's minds, as it is in the devils; and another thing to have the spirit of man inclined universally to worship the divine Majesty, and to implore the same in time of need, with hope of mercy yea, so fare, that if this be improved in man having not the Law, it will nevertheless terminate in the true circumcision of the heart, as is plainly proved in the 7. Chap. of this Treatise.  
Again, as for the devils and men, so fare forth as they adhere to him their consciences may accuse them of evil but that the consciences of devils can excuse them in any respect of uprightness to God-ward, as did the consciences of these Heathen, excuse as well as accuse; 
Rom. 2.  but not so in devils by any testimony of Scriptures, therefore the spirits of all mankind, were meetly disposed by the foresaid infusion and the serpent's nature as reduced but to a seed, to receive mercy from the throne of grace in Jesus Christ.  
But it will be objected, this disposition came not by Christ Object. 12 in the foresaid infusion, but it is the remainder of the Law left in the fall of Adam, hereditarily descending in the nature of man.  
This contradicts the former, because it grants some good dispositions naturally inclining mankind to God, which is not in devils.  
Again, Answ. this implies the justice of God was not universally full in the fall of Adam, therefore man lost not the Law totally and eternally, consequently not all holiness and righteousness, consequently some power internally remains, by which he may return to God in the Covenant, as it was in the first Adam; for no power is in itself of no use proper to its end, therefore not this.  
Again, it implies the fall of Adam was not so irrecoverably deep, as to need the second Adam to be a person infinite in power, by it to raise us from that vast misery, consequently the restauration of the world may rather be attributed to the dignity of Christ's Person, then to the absolute necessity of his person so dignified in power, to make good his Father's truth against all the lies of Satan, to the full satisfaction of divine Justice, in the improvement of his personal operations, as in the 8. Chapter is proved.  
Again, it eclypseth the glory of God's grace and mercy by Christ Jesus, because it refers this internal inclination of the Law written not to God's universal mercy in the gift of the promised seed, when none but the Image of Satan by his lies was written in man's heart by Satan's malice, and man's own remissness, and by divine Justice totally and eternally so to remain.  
And in a word, because this brings man to turn his eyes to look upon his left, and remaining abilities; so that all he hath before faith, is not received from God's mercy in Christ, but from his own store, and so by pride to fall from grace: Therefore this internal disposition was infused by God's universal grace in the promised seed. And to conclude, as this opinion on the one side lessens the glory of God's Justice, in the fall of Adam, and also the glory of God's grace by the second Adam the restorer of all: so also it continues an intermingled confusion in the body of Divinity, Object. 13 to the furtherance of the mysteries of iniquity.  
Again it will be objected, although by Moses God doth express the planted and enclosed garden of Eden, was made with every tree, good for food and pleasant to sight, and different from the perfections of the created globe, and made in the midst thereof to grow two trees, and named the one the tree of Life, the other the tree of Knowledge of good & evil.  
Likewise threatened Adam with certain death, if he did eat of the fruit forbidden him, yet because God did not in plainness of speech express that by these two things he prefigured to Adam, that by his work in the Covenant, God intended to raise the world from its natural perfections to a supernatural perfection, and man to the glory of Angels; or to an evil equivalently contrary; therefore we are not to believe any such thing was then intended by God to Adam as a public person by Covenant. Answ.  
It doth not follow by any just consequence, if we carefully examine God's proceed in manifesting to mankind, the transcendent glory of Heaven; for as to Adam in the garden before the fall he did not in plainness of speech express the same; so never after, till the fullness of time for till then, God at sundry times, and in divers manners spoke in times passed unto the Fathers, hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son in open face, and plainness of speech, but never before, Heb. 1.2 3 2 Cor. 3.12.18.  
But to proceed to a particular answer for proof of the point; and first, as God did not by Moses in plainness of speech declare what he meant to Adam before the fall by those figures, so neither after the fall by Moses to the world was Christ the second Adam in plainness of speech, expressed to be the first borne of every creature, from the dead fall of Adam, opening the womb of all perfection, but in figures, as by Cain, as the first borne, and by the Law of the first borne of mankind, and the Law of the first borne of beasts, and the Law of the first fruits of vegetables, as growing in the terrestrial Canaan. Exod. 13.2. Exod. 22.29, 30. Neither was it ever in plainness of speech made known by Moses, nor the Prophets, that the whole creation traveleth till now, with man believing truth from the bondage of corruption to be partaker of the glorious liberty of the s●nnes of of God, but only figured as by a Law for the land to rest as well as for man's rest, and in the number of seven, as pointing at perfection, as pag. 35. 36. Neither was it by Moses not the Prophets made known to the world in plainness of speech, that Christ, as God-man should second the first Adam in the work of the restauration of the world, but inclusively in the promised seed, of the Woman, to break the serpent's head, and also as the seed of Abraham and David, etc. Neither as by Moses in plainness of speech did God express that the garden of Eden was the figure of Angel's glory to Adam: so neither did he express by plainness of speech to Israel, that the Land of Canaan, was to them a figure of the heavenly Canaan, but by the agreement of the Type with the Antitype, as is employed, Esay 51.3. yet the Apostle concludes, that God denied them rest in the Land of Canaan by oath, because of their unbelief, Heb. 3.1.8.9. and therefore in the next Chapter the Apostle applies the figure, namely, that Canaan was to them a figure of their supernatural rest, in the kingdom of grace by faith, and the kingdom of glory by fruition, Heb. 4.1.2.3.10.14. so that the Apostle implies they were, and we are bound to belief, it was so to them, though it was never declared in plainness of speech: So neither in the old Testament in plainness of speech to the ten Fathers before the flood, neither by the Prophets after the flood, was it made known that he intended the heavenly glory to mankind, but figured that he intended it to man submitting to him in the obedience of faith by the agreeableness of the type with the antitype, as in the first world by Enoch, who in the obedience of Faith walked with God, and was received into the highest heavens soul and body jointly. So likewise by Elias in the time of the Prophets, Genes. 5.24. Heb. 11.5. 2 King. 2.5.11.12. So likewise the particular place in which Christ should finish the work of raising the world to what it travels till now, was no more expressed by Moses to man in plainness of speech for that end, than was the garden of Eden for the same end to Adam, but only by the agreeablen●sse of the Type with the antitype, as by Abraham offering Christ in Isaac within the Land of Canaan upon the mountain assigned him by God, as is further amplified in the 8. Chapter of this Treatise: Likewise the garden of Eden's glory, as Gods terrestrial Throne before the fall prefigured to Adam, the eternal glory of God, so in the land of Canaan salomon's thronized glory from the agreeableness of the type with the antitype, by the Psalmist is brought in as a figure of Christ's eternal throne of glory, and not in plainness of speech, Psalm. 45.6. Heb. 1.8. Likewise, when Christ by the brightness of his coming, and the spirit of his mouth shall have consumed the mystery of iniquity, now maintained by the great Roman Antichrist, so as that the 
(a) This is Gods forth extraordinary me cy in Christ extended to the world, the other three are in pag. 120.  fullness of the Gentiles, and the miserable jews shall hear the spirit and the Bride say come, in the outbreake of the purity of the celestial doctrine, and that most simple godliness universally shall abound, as the most immediate emblem in the kingdom of grace of the Saints in glory that ever the world did yet contain. Then that Church, or the city of the living God, or the heavenly jerusalem issuing the streams of this celestial doctrine, and so convey Christ the object of Faith, to the health of the nations is likened to Adam's first original pattern in the garden of Eden: for saith the Text, Rev. 22.17. the 1. & 2. he shown me a pure river of water of life, clear as Crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God, and of the Lamb, and in the midst of the 
(b) When ea● Rev. 20. this most transcendent in largement of Christ's visible Church, is called the Saint's raign● with Christ 1000 years, and it implieth no more but this, that this glory shall certainly he, and that it shall have a time of duration, although since the world began, the Saints successively did only in faith and love with Christ remain, but with him in this world they did never reign, for the g ound of the point is this, because till now, Christ did never sway the utmost end, of the earth for his possession, by his Sceptre of truth, for a● Satan in the old world, and so to the time of Christ's coming, swayed the greatest part of mankind in his lying operations, so after Christ's rising as the Sun of righteousness to the nations, by the Sceptre of his truth, and then Satan extinguished the Saints reign with Christ by the Heathen Emperors and the abundance of heresies, and by the Roman Antichrist in the confines of Christendom, and so Satan's throne was advanced, and the Saints then only remained with Christ, witnessing that of right Christ should reign, but did not, but this reign of the Saints with Christ, shall revive that cause of the martyrs, and so they shall now live in the glory of that cause for which they then died, and by the force of divine truth in that transcendent reign, shall Satan's lying operations in the prevalency thereof be extinguished, and so shall Satan be imprisoned in the said duration for 1000 years, that is a certain number put for an uncertain, See pag. 14, & 15. and pag. 104, & 105.  street of it, and of either side of it, was the tree of life. Likewise to this alludes the Lord jesus Christ, Rev. 2.7. saying, I will give to eat f the tree of Life, which is in the midst of the Paradise of God. All plainly proving, that this last and greatest splendour of grace by the second Adam, was with reference to the pattern of the first Adam in the Covenant, and that the eternal felicity by faith and fruition was intended therein though not in plainness of speech: And here observe two things from this Chap. Rev. 22.  
First, that the Apostasy of mankind from Christ in that purity of the celestial Church on earth, at the most immediate emblem of the glory of God in heaven. God will therefore express more severe justice upon the world for their apostasy from that then ever before. The first is, that God will never more extraordinarily raise man out of his filthy apostasy from his grace in Christ jesus, but will leave him to perish in his own corruption. And this is implied in the 11. vers. when it is said, he that is unjust, let him be unjust still; be that is filthy, let him be filthy still; and he that is righteous, let him be righteous still; and he that is holy, l●t him be holy still.  
The second thing is this, that their apostasy from this greatest light and grace, shall bring on the greatest demonstration of God's righteous judgement upon the world that ever was, namely the last day of the world's general judgement, implied in the 12. verse, where the Lord jesus saith, and behold, I come quickly, and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be, I am Alpha & Omega, the beginning and the end, I am the first and the last, whereupon saith S. john, Blessed are they that do his Commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, verse 14.15. So much for the third part of time of God's impartial proceed intending and extending eternal life and death to all, and all alike, without respect of persons from the time of Christ's coming in the flesh, to the time of his coming at the day of judgement in flames of fire.  
And from the whole Treatise take this general observation consisting of five particulars, namely, what Gods decree was, 
Observat.  after the counsel of his own will before the world was.  
As first, 
God's decree before the world was  that God purposed in himself to create this world perfect in all its parts, and man the chief thereof, as appears in Chap. 1.  
That then God also purposed in himself, for the eternal praise of his communicative goodness and justice, to raise this world by Adam's improvement of his perfections, being the chief part therein, to a celestial perfection, or to sink it down to an evil equivalently contrary to the glory of his justice, as is described in Chap. 2.  
Thirdly, than also God purposed in himself that the knowledge of evil, which he in time pronounced to Adam, that in the day he did eat the forbidden fruit, than that sentence should pass to immediate execution, for the eternal praise of his justice, as appears in Chap. 3,  
Fourthly, God then also purposed in himself, that by Adam's most ungrateful fall, he would glorify the riches of his mercy, and his communicative goodness and justice; and therefore before the world was, God covenanted with the second person in sacred Trinity, 
Tit. 1.2. 2. Tim. 1 9 Ephes. 1.4.  being essentially the one God and son of God, to assume in time the nature of Adam, as the chief part of this creation, not only to be ready in point of time, as the Male Lamb in the bush, but also that then the execution of divine justice should, and did, immediately upon Adam's eating of the forbidden fruit, pass upon Christ to the fall praise of God's justice, to all eternity, and so brought in the glory of his mercy, by restoring the fallen world to the promulgation of his communicative goodness; as first in the beginning of time in the type, and secondly, in the fullness of time in the truth, in the redemption of the world, as is proved, Chap. 4. & 8.  
Fifthly, God then purposed in himself to glorify his mercy & communicative goodness and justice, by the distribution of that mercy individually upon every of mankind: first, by giving to all and all alike in Christ jesus, both the means and end, namely, to eternal glory. I do not say he gave any thing to them to attain eternal life, but only as a means to receive his gift of eternal life, as attained by Christ the second Adam and Saviour of the world, and so to glorify his gracious goodness and mercy in their salvation. Or, on the contrary, to glorify his justice on them which abuse his grace by a proud persisting in obstinacy, for terrestrial trifles to reject his gift of Christ, and his righteousness the only ground of man's felicity.  
And that God doth thus impartially glorify his justice and mercy individually upon mankind, is proved in the threefold parts of time, as from Adam's casting out of Paradise to Abraham, from Abraham to Christ, from Christ's coming in the flesh, to his coming in flames of fire; at the end of time, as Chap. 6.7, 9, 10, 11, 12. And as for any other decree of God than this concerning the eternal state of mankind, the Scripture speaks it not.   
Glory be to God in the highest heavens, on the earth peace, and good will to men.  
FINIS.