SION'S PROSPECT IN ITS FIRST VIEW. Presented In a Summary of Divine TRUTHS, consenting with the FAITH professed by the Church of ENGLAND. Confirmed from SCRIPTURE and REASON: Illustrated by Instance and Allusion. COMPOSED and PUBLISHED TO BE An Help for the prevention of APOSTASY, Conviction of HERESY, Confutation of ERROR, and Establishing in the TRUTH, By A Minister of CHRIST, and Son of the CHURCH, R. M. quondam è Coll S. P. C. Henceforth be no more children, (〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉) tossed to and fro, and whirled about by every wind of Doctrine. EPHES. 4.14. London, Printed by T: N: for Humphrey Moseley, and are to be sold at the sign of the Princes-Arms in St. Paul's Churchyard, 1653. TO THE RIGHT HONOURABLE HENRY Marquis of Dorchester, Earl of Kingston, etc. My LORD, YOur Patronage, like yourself, is Honourable; the true merit, and high repute of whose piety and learning, is voice enough to speak my Summary of Truth's Orthodox. It is not (then) without design, that I am solicitous to present Sion's Prospect to your Lordship's sight, it being my confidence and aim, that this View of Divine Truths, having had its review by so clear a judgement for its approbation, I may not hereafter fear what eye it shall be exposed to, for its censure. Besides (My Lord) in this general maze of the Church's troubles, affrighted Truth, seeking safety, I directed her to take Sanctuary in the Temple of Honour, and to offer her devotions at your Lordship's shrine; Let (then) a propitious goodness deign acceptance, and give protection to the humble Suppliant, not to be violated by the profane hands of ignorance and of error. If any question the confidence of this my Address to your Lordship, it is enough that I point them to the * Apud Antiquos, Quercus Jovi, & Laurus Apollini Sacrae, virum nobilem tàm de Ecclesia, quàm de schola literaria optimè meritum, emblematicwns loquuntur. Oak, and the Laurel standing at your Gate, with this Inscripsion of honourable Fame, Here dwells the Clergy's Patron. But, besides this, (My Lord) mine (once near) relation, to your (late deceased) * Ds. T. G. Eques felicis memoriae. Uncle, as it gave me my first admission into Your Lordship's presence, so will it countenance my present presumption of Your Lordship's Patronage; and it will be no error, if I think at once to engratiate my Service to Yourself, by his Memory, and ennoble my Work unto others by Your Name. This in public, as to a formal Dedication; I retire into privacy for the more real devoting myself, in the sincerest fervour of my heartiest Prayers. My LORD, Your Honours most truly faithful and humble Servant, ROBERT MOSSOM. Richmond in Surrey, pridiè Non. Maii, 1651. The Author's Preface to the READER. Courteous Reader, THE grand Apostasy of these latter days may sufficiently experience thee to know, how dangerous it is to want a Pilot in the storm; a seasonable service (then) it must be, (and should be an acceptable work) in any measure of proportion to supply that defect. Here thou art brought into the Ark of the Church, and the amidst the many contrary winds of false doctrines, thou art taught much of the profession of a true Faith; to which as divine Reason doth contribute its clearest of evidence, so doth sacred Scripture confer its firmness of proof. And in the many Scripture proofs, fear not any thing of (what is now Epidemical) a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, Greg. Naz. orat. 36. Scripture sacrilege, either surreptitiously stealing away the true meaning, or profanely corrupting the proper phrase of God's word; upon the strictest examination, it shall not be found that the Oracle doth here b Demosth. de Oraculo Delphico. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, The Scriptures (I mean) speak that sense, which faction or fancy hath c Non imponendus sensus sacris literis, sed expectandus Hilar. de Trin. imposed, but what the Spirit of God and of Truth hath revealed. With those mysteries which are of the Catholic Faith, as necessary to salvation, here are interwoven many Truths which are of Theological Science, as useful to spiritual edification; yet those questions which some men's curiosity hath vainly started, and other men's nicety hath as scrupulously resolved, I have purposely waved, as being (especially in these times, wherein men are more Critics than Christians in Religion) the occasions of contention, which further unto d Dum alter alalteri anathema esse coepit, propè jun nemo Christi est. Hilar. count. Const. uncharitableness, rather than matters of instruction, which edify unto holiness. If Thou dost question, or Any will oppose this Summary of divine Truths being wholly consenting with the judgement of the Church of England; Know, that as it hath been perused and approved by some of the reverend Fathers, so will it be asserted and justified by others of the dutiful Sons of the English Church, to be in all parts agreeable to that Faith which hath been, and yet is with all constancy by Her acknowledged and professed; which argreement will evidently enough appear to him who shall diligently consult the Book of Articles, the Books of Homilies, the Forms of public Administrations, and Divine Service; In all which, the Church doth speak more fully, though dispersedly, what is here delivered more concise and methodically; so that, this Summary (especially in matters of Faith) is perfectly consenting with the Church, as teaching the same Truths for matter, though not for method; for substance, though not for circumstance; the Analogy one, though the Expressions divers. If Truth (then) might gain e 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. Greg. Naz. orat. 20. esteem from Persons, and Faith receive credit from the repute of its Professors; This Summary presented might have a fair gloss from that reverend respect this Nations owes, and other Nations give unto the Fathers of our Church, for learning and piety, for f Martyrs multi, & multi Martyres designati. sufferings and constancy so eminently renowned. And whoso are true Sons of this Church, will acknowledge the Doctrines here delivered to be the milk sucked from their mother's breast, pure and wholesome, made such from the well digested food of God's word. And however the factions of men have made a rent in the unity, and their actions too, cast a stain upon the purity of our Church; yet let other Nations know, they ought to have more care to preserve and secure themselves, than they, have reason to disdan or g 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Greg. Naz. orat. 13. upbraid us; for certain it is, the envious man is sowing the like tares in their field and they cannot tell how soon our judgement may be the portion of their Cup. In this Treatise, if any phrase seem improper according to the language of the learned Schools, it is a sufficient Apology, that the Author made it his aim, as he thought it his duty, to write according to the weaker capacities of those he was to nistruct, rather than the stronger apprehensions of those by whom he is instructed; and therefore he hath desired and endeavoured so to express himself, that he might not amaze, but inform; not puzzle, but teach; studying brevity and clearness (which h— Brevis esse laboro, obscurus fio, Hor. seldom meet in one subject, especially where the matter is mysterious:) brevity, as an advantage to memory, and clearness as an help to the understanding, both conducing much to an instructing and establishing in the Truth. If any demand a reason of the Authors composing this Treatise, this answer will be satisfactory (if that demand be not too supercilious) that the public behoof did put him upon it: for, among the many excellent Works composed by our Church's Heroes, we have not one Systeme of Divinity in all parts consenting with her judgement and practice; but what hath been of this kind, hath had a taste of the vessel, some private opinions ( i 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, Chrys. in Gen. Hom. 4. domestica judicia, as Tertullian calls them) or at best some foreign Resolves hath been intermixed with our Churches more pure and perfect determinations. Upon observation whereof, the Author designed his studies to do with Christian Theology as Florus with the Roman History, ( k Flor. Epit. Rer. Rom. l. 1. In brevi tabella totam ejus imaginem amplecti) draw its whole portraiture in a small Table, comprise its large Body in a short Volume; therein delivering the whole and entire judgement of our Church, confirmed from testimony of sacred Scripture, and illustrated by argument of divine Reason. This whole Work, bearing the Title of Sion's Prospect, he hath divided into two Parts, as its first, and second View; the First is now published, the second reserved till its more fit opportunity for publication; which in a correspondency of Method, Scripture, Reason, Brevity and clearness, doth treat of those several Heads which concern that peculiar part of God's Providence over the Church of his Elect, viZ. Concerning Election and Predestination; concerning Christ in the Person, and in the office of Mediator; concerning the Church; concerning the Covenant of Grace; concerning the divers Administrations of this Covenant before the Law, under the Law, and under the Gospel, etc. That this former part published doth prevent that latter part designed for publication, the Author gives this most full and satisfactory Reason; that he would gladly hereby prompt an able judgement and pen to undertake the task, rather than do it himself; lest, through weakness and insufficiency (in those grand Mysteries of the Gospel) he should l Veritatem defendendo concutere, & fidem explicando obscurate. shake the Truth in defending it, and obscure the faith in explaining it. Wherefore, if what he hath already done may occasionally stir up some eminent person, in an holy emulation of pious zeal, to undertake so useful and honourable a Work; He shall desist from his further Enterprise, and rest very well satisfied, yea, very much joyed with this Blessing from God, that he hath given breath to another's divine flame. Otherwise, if he find the encouragement of acceptance, and be confirmed in some hopes of public benefit to the Church; rather than this so much necessary, and so much desired work be not done at all, He will (by the assistance of God's Spirit) finish and publish what is now under his hand; tuneing the Instrument to the best of his skill, thereby happily provoking some more dextrous hand, and more accurate Artist to perfect the harmony. If any man shall Critically question, or enviously quarrel at the Author's present undertaking, be thou (Courteous Reader) so far his Advocate, as to plead in his behalf, that it is not his ambition to be exposed public to the world, but to be accepted of private Friends, to whom (especially) he hath devoted the present service of the Press; and if this particular service to some few Friends, shall (by a gracious dispensation of divine Goodness) be extended as a general benefit to the whole Church, it will be an additional blessing, as much beyond his own hope, as it is above another's envy; and well may the blessing be beyond his hope for the attainment, who is himself so far short of the blessing by his unworthiness; and therefore doth he the more earnestly beg the benefit of thy Prayers, if not as a return of gratitude for his service, yet as a boon of charity to his soul, who is from his soul in all Christian and Ministerial offices. Thine, faithfully devoted, ROBERT MOSSOM. The SYLLABUS To the TREATISE. CHAP. I. Concerning the Holy Scriptures. Sect. 1: REason arguing from Scripture for the Scriptures. Sect. 2: The Knowledge of God, and his worship by Revelation; This Revelation either with the Jews or with the Christians. Sect. 3. The Church of the Jews enquired into by Reason. Sect. 4. Reason leads from the Church of the Jews, to the Church of the Christians; with the Church of Christ is found the word of God, as the Revelation of his will. Sect. 5. The word of God is the holy Scriptures in the books of the old Testament and the new; What Editions are Authentic; Translations in the vulgar tongue allowed. Sect. 6. The Apocrypha why so called; Why not canonical; The Old Testament received from the Jews. Sect. 7. The Authority of the Scripture is not from the Church. Sect. 8. The Authority of the Church is from Christ by the Scriptures. Sect. 9 The Tradition of the Church leadeth to the Scriptures; The excellency's of the writings effect the mind; The Spirit convinceth of the Truth. Sect. 10. A moral persuasion from the Church, and the letter; a divine belief from the Spirit. Sect. 11. Why the Scriptures are not discernible, by their own light without the Spirit. Sect. 12. What, and from whence the Authority of the Scriptures: Their sufficiency: Their perfection. Sec. 13. How the Rule of our faith. Such to the end of the World. Sec. 14. Particular Revelations not now to be expected. Sec. 15. What received as the Truth by the Church: What left to the prudence of Governors, and to what end. Sec. 16. In what the Scriptures are plain, and in what hard to be understood; How to be Interpreted. What the Analogy of Faith. Sec. 17. The duty of Christians in the use of the Scriptures: Their fullness of heavenly Doctrine: How a perfect form of Institution. CHAP. II. Concerning God in the Unity of Essence. Sec. 1. WHy the nature of God is not to be comprehended by the understanding of Man; How the incomprehensible God is apprehended by faith. Sec. 2. How God is described in Scripture; the Names of God. Sec. 3. The description of God according to his names. Sec. 4. Further described by his Attributes: The first and principal. Sec. 5. Why incommunicable to the creatures. Sec. 6. The Attributes communicable to the creatures; How communicable. Sec. 7. God's essential attributes his one entire Essence, how distinguished: why diversely expressed in different names. Sec. 8. Why there can be but one God: How One single, pure, and perfect Sec. 9 Why said to have eyes and hands, to be angry and grieved, etc. He admits no bodily likeness. CHAP. III. Concerning God in the Trinity of Persons. Sec. 1. WHat the Knowledge of God from a natural light: What from a light supernatural: Who are the three Persons, and what a Person is. Sec. 2. A finite understanding not possibly able to comprehend this infinite Mystery: Not to be illustrated by any Instances. Sec. 3. The highest pitch of Reason's apprehension. Sec. 4. Reason directing to Faith: What and how a Trinity of Persons in the Unity of the Godhead. Sec. 5. The Son of God and the Holy Ghost, firmly proved. Sec. 6. How the Persons are distinguished. Sec. 7. How Trinity and Person are found in Scripture; What a subsistence is. Sec. 8. How the Father is the first Person: How each Person is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. Sec. 9 How the essence and attributes of the Godhead are communicated. Sec. 10. The properties of the Persons incommunicable. CHAP. IU. Concerning God's Knowledge. Sec. 1. HOw God knoweth all things. Sec. 2. God's foreknowledge how and what it is; Not the cause of things and why. Sec. 3. How all things depend upon Gods Will preordaining, not his Knowledge foreseeing: Yet God's foreknowledge depends not upon the creatures future existence. Before and after, past and to come relate not to God. Sec. 4. But is in the creature: This aptly illustrated. Sec. 5. God knowing things to come, and past, doth it in one and the same act of Knowledge: This act eternal: So no change in God. Sec. 6. No contingency in respect of God's foreknowledge: Yet in the secondary causes. Sec. 7. All future events are fore-known of God: His foreknowledge infallible. Sec. 8. How applied unto the Elect in Scripture. CHAP V Concerning Gods Will. Sec. 1. GOds Will one, and absolutely free; Distinguished into his will secret and revealed: of sign and of good pleasure. Sec. 2. What his secret will: What his revealed will. Sec. 3. The Will of God's good pleasure hath its reason, not its cause. Sec. 4. God's glory the final cause of what he wils, but not of his will: How the impulsive cause of Gods will to be understood in Theology. Sec. 5, 6. The execution of God's will admits several causes, the volition not any: what the volition, and what the execution is. Sec. 7. God wils not sin, and why. Sec. 8. The purpose of Gods will doth not abolish, but establish the liberty of man's will: what the necessity of being, from the immutability of Gods will. Sec. 9 How Gods secret will becomes revealed by his word, and by his works: How God's word is called his will. Sec. 10. How they agree in a sweet harmony: So to be interpreted, as that ille harmony be preserved. Sec. 11. How Gods revealed will argues with that of his good pleasure, when he wils all men to be holy. Sec. 12. Where also he commands Abraham to sacrifice his Son Isaac. Sec. 13. How the promises and threaten in Gods revealed will, which are conditional, de agree with God's secret will, which is absolute. Sec. 14. What the true meaning of the conditions declared. CHAP. VI Concerning Gods Decrees, Power, and Manner of Working. Sec. 1. GOd the primary Cause, and supreme Agent in his Understanding, Will, and Power; What his Decree, what his Work. Sec. 2. What his absolute power: How limited by his will. Sec. 3. Why, and how said to be omnipotent. Sec. 4. There is no overcoming God's power, no resisting his will: what he acts in time, he hath decreed from eternity. Sec. 5. How the creatures are in God, before they are in themselves: What the Counsel of God in his decrees. Sec. 6. How the whole Trinity is one entire cause; What their divers manner of working. Sec. 7. How some one action is appropriate to some one person. Sec. 8. The firm relation between God's decrees and his works; God hath not decreed sin, though he hath decreed to permit sin; What the effectual decree accompanying the permissive. Sec. 9 The purpose of God's decree imposeth no forcible necessity; but bringeth an infallible certainty to all Agents and Events. CHAP. VII. Concerning the Works of Creation. Sec. 1. GOd the Creator of all things as an absolute and free Agent. Sec. 2. Creation, the Work of the whole Trinity, as one entire cause; Why of God, as a free and all-sufficient cause. Sec. 3. Observed in the Work of Creation; 1 The command of God's Power; 2 The approbation of his Goodness; 3 The ordination of his wisdom; 4 The declaration of his Authority. Sec. 4. The immediate Creation what, and of whom; The mediate Creation what, and of whom. Sec. 5. Man's partaking of both. Sec. 6. How and why called the lesser world. Sec. 7. What the first Heaven; what the second Heaven; What the third Heaven. Sec. 8. What the influences: And what the predictions of the heavenly bodies. Sec. 9 The creation of man, and the forming of woman: How God rested the seventh day. Sec. 10. God's wisdom in the Order of his creation. Sec. 11. Every thing created perfect in its kind. Sec. 12. In his works God manifests his glory: 1 The glory of his Power: 2 Of his Goodness: 3 Of his Wisdom: 4 Of his Eternity. Sec. 13. The light of nature directs to the worship of God as the Creator. The seventh day the Sabbath; How long to continue. Sec. 14. How the Creation is an object of our faith. CHAP. VIII. Concerning the Providence of God. Sec. 1. ALL things subordinate to Gods will; In order either to his Me●cy, or his Justice; The wisdom and power of his Providence Infallably in its administrations. Sec. 2. The Infallibility of God's Providence doth not take away the use of means; but confirms it: Sec. 3. To deny God's Providence is atheism: to despise the use of means is profaneness: to establish both, is truth and righteousness: to what end is the use of means. Sec. 4. The course of nature declares the Providence of God: this aptly illustrated. Sec. 5. God's Providence is no naked view, but an actual administration: What Gods Providence is in its general concourse: How absolutely necessary for the creatures preservation. Sec. 6. This aptly illustrated. Sec. 7. The extent of God's Providence: Why it makes use of means. Sec. 8. The seeming disorder in the world, doth advance the glory of God's Providence, and assure the general Judgement of the last day. Sec. 9 God's Providence doth order sinful actions without any the least share in the sin. This illustrated. Sec. 10. That God's Providence extends to what is sinful, is not by a mere permission, but by a powerful and wise ordination. Wicked Instruments are proper Agents and how. Sec. 11. How the Executioners of God's Justice: and in that Execution, how guilty of sin: The wonder of God's Providence in respect of wicked minds. Sec. 12. God's Providence imposeth no compelling force, but establisheth the nature of all causes, contingent, free, and necessary: No compelling force of Providence in necessary causes. Sec. 13. Contingency in secondary causes, illustrated; Sec: 14. How Gods Providence is equal, and how unequal. The Providence of God general, special and peculiar. The law of Nature, and how executed in God's general Providence. Sec. 15. What a miracle is; and how one greater than another. Sec. 16. Wherein miraculous effects exceed the strength of nature. Sec. 17. God's special Providence over Angels and men: How over Angels; How over men. Sec. 18. God's peculiar Providence over the Church of his Elect: The dispensation hereof committed to Christ, and how performed. Sec. 19 God's Providence particularly applied, and how. Sec. 20. This aptly illustrated. Sec. 21. Why Gods Providence doth not admit Annihilation of the creatures. CHAP. IX. Concerning the Angels, Elect and Apostate. Sec. 1. WHat the nature of the Angels is. Sec. 2. How and when created. Sec. 3. Why and how immortal. Sec. 4. The trial of Angels; The obedience and confirmation of the good Angels. Sec. 5. In what the confirmation of the good Angels. Sec. 6. How and why from grace, and not from nature. Sec. 7. This grace in the understanding. Sec. 8. And in the will made perfect by Christ. Sec. 9 The fall and punishment of the evil Angels. Sec. 10. The service of the good Angels in behalf of Christ's Church: the use and malice of the evil Angels in respect of the wicked: Sec. 11. God's glory manifested in both; No fear to the good; no hope to the evil Angels. Sec. 12. What the orders and names of the good: how given and constituted. Sec. 13. How they assumed bodies in their ministrations with men; What the actions they performed in those bodies. Sec. 14. What their Knowledge, how increased and perfected. Sec. 15. Yet know not all things, not the secrets of the heart: This God's prerogative: How they know the mysteries of Grace. Sect. 16. How they admonish, and persuade, yet cannot savingly enlighten or convert: This also God's prerogative. Sec. 17. How the Angels enjoy God's presence in their ministrations to the Church. Aptly illustrated. Sec. 18. What honour we give the good Angels as their due: What we may not give, as not being due. Not make them our mediators, not invocate them: and why. Sec. 19 Their manner of working, and of utterance not known: what we believe of both: What meant by the tongues of Angels. Sec. 20. What Reason dictates concerning the speech of Angels. Sec. 21. How different, and how agreeing with that of Men. Sec. 22. How the same with that of the souls separate. Sec. 23. What the sin of the Apostate Angels. Satan's malice against Christ, and how especially prosecuted. Sec. 24. What the knowledge of the Apostate Angels. How increased: how not foretell events: how foretell them. The end of all diabolical predictions: why not to be allowed of. Sec. 25. What the power of the evil Angels: how exercised. Sec. 26. What their names, and how proper and common. God's Glory manifested in all. Sec. 27. The wonderful working of Satan: Why not true miracles: all miracles are from God; such the miracles of Christ. Sec. 28. Why not such the workings of Satan. Sec. 29. The punishment of the evil Angels, 1 Of loss: 2 Of sense. How tormented with the infernal fire. How the Doctrine concerning Devils helps to confirm the faith of God. CHAP. X. Concerning the estate of Man before his Fall. Sec. 1. BY the common work of creation is manifested the will and power of the Godhead; not the mystery of the Trinity; That clearly manifested, this darkly presented in man's creation. Created in God's image: Sec. 2. Wherein the image of God in man did consist: 1 In respect of his soul. Sec. 3. 2. In respect of his body. Sec. 4. 3. In respect of his person; This peculiar to man above the woman; Woman otherwise equal to the man. Sec. 5. 4. In respect of his estate: In all man a complete image of God. Sec. 6. What the resemblance of the Trinity in man. Sec. 7. What most properly meant by those words of God the creation of man, After our likeness. Sec. 8. The souls immortality not lost by the fall; What the change in man by his fall. Sec. 9 Why the soul is immortal. Sec. 10. When the soul is created and infused into the body; What its principal seat, and how it informs the body; How the soul is the offspring of God. Sec. 11. How possessed of all virtues in its integrity. Sec. 12. The souls of men not propagated: and why. Sec. 13. Especially proved from their immortality. Sec. 14. What the immortality of humane nature: and from whence; and how lost. Sec. 15. How some bodies said to be incorruptible: and how the bodies of our first Parents. Sec. 16. What and how great things God did that Man should not sin: and what he would have done that Man should not die. Sec. 17. What original righteousness was, and how to have been transmitted to Adam's posterity. Sec. 18. Why said to be a connatural endowment. Sec. 19 The will the chief seat of original righteousness; What its essential liberty is; What the liberty of contrariety is; and why not essential to the will. Sec. 20. What that of contradiction is, and why not essential to the will; In what it is necessary that the will have a liberty of contradiction. Sec. 21. What is the liberty of will in God, in Christ, in the Angels, and in the Blessed; what in the Devils, and in the wicked; what in man in the state of innocence, and of grace. CHAP. XI. Concerning the Covenant of Works and the Fall of man. Sec. 1. ADam had a knowledge of Gods will perfect in its kind; What the Law to Adam: How the same with the Decalogue. Sec. 2. What the covenant of Works: What the seal of of Covenant. Sec. 3. The trial of man's obedience. Sec. 4. Man left to the use of his freewill, Tempted by Satan, Transgresseth in eating the forbidden fruit. Sec. 5. Satan's bait to catch man: The subtlety of Satan's temptation: His order and progress in it: The Tree of knowledge of good and evil, why so called. Sec. 6. Wherein the heinousness of Adam's transgression doth consist: how a violation of the whole Law. Sec. 7. What was man's first sin, is doubtful, and so difficult to determine. What the first internal principle of evil in man: Adam's sin was from himself freely, without force. Sec. 8. Adam's sin incurs God's curse of death upon himself and his posterity; why upon his posterity. Sec. 9 Adam propagates the curse and the sin too: and this in propagating his nature. Sec. 10. God's goodness justified in giving Man a freewill, though he knew the Devil would thereby enter and destroy man: how it was necessary that man should have a will, and that will a liberty to good and evil. Sec. 11. To have made a rational creature without a will, or a will without its liberty, doth imply a contradiction. Sec. 12. The mutability of estate in Angels and man did depend upon the liberty of the will; To be immutable by nature is peculiar unto God. Sec. 13. Man's fall not to be laid to God's charge. Sec. 14. Illustrated by a fit similitude: where man cannot satisfy his reason, it is reasonable that he exercise his faith. Sec. 15. God's will was permitted and disposed in man's fall, So that as God did not will man's fall, so nor was man's fall without God's will: How ordered to his glory and man's good. Sect. 16. Why God did neither positively will, nor properly nill man's fall. Sec. 17. Why God ordered man to be tempted, left him, and permitted him to be overcome; Adam lost the assistance of God, by not seeking it in his prayer; what strength Adam had by creation; and what he might have had by prayer. Sec. 18. Why God cannot be said to be the cause of man's fall; why he permits sin. CHAP. XII. Concerning the Author, Cause, Nature, and Adjuncts of Sin. Sec. 1. WHy God cannot be the Author and cause of sin; Its first Original in the Devil: how by him in Adam. Sec. 2. How the fountain and cause of sin is in ourselves fallen in Adam; how actual sin is brought forth. Sec. 3. What those Scriptures intimate in their truth, which wicked men wrest, to make God the Author of sin, in their Blasphemy. Sec: 4. God restrains from sin, doth not prompt to sin; The wicked rush into sin, when not restrained; how the same actions are holy in respect of God, yet sinful in respect of the wicked. Sec: 5. It is no excuse to the wicked, that they fulfil Gods secret will, when they disobey his will revealed: and why. Sec. 6. God wils the permission, not the commission of sin: and why. Sec. 7. How God is said to harden in sin. Sec. 8. What sin is in its privative being; what in its proper nature. Sec. 9 In the several adjuncts of sin, that. 1. It is guilt; From whence proceeds horror attended with despair. Sec. 10. 2. It's pollution; whereby God abhors man, and man himself, with a confusion of face. Sec. 11. 3. It's punishment. God's vindicative Justice diversely expressed. Sec. 12. Why the guilt and punishment of sin is infinite; How all punishment is equal and how unequal. Sec. 13. The duration of punishment is correspondent to the duration of sin; and how. Sec. 14. How Gods justice doth punish, and his mercy pardon sin; Penal satisfaction is inconsistent with sins remission. God doth not punish man for the sin he forgives him. Sec. 15. What is formal punishment; and why the afflictions of the godly are not such punishments. Sec. 16. To say, God punisheth sin with sin, is very improper: and why. Sec. 17. How that which is sinful may be the punishment of sin, yet not sin the punishment. Sec. 18. How sin and punishment are formally inconsistent. God's wisdom and power in ordering sin and punishment. Sec. 19 Punishment the concomitant or consequent of sin, but not the same with it. CHAP. XIII. Concerning Original Sin. Sec. 1. WHat original sin is; how imputed and inherent; The unhappy consequent and effects of both. Sec. 2. Original sin doth formally consist in the privation of original righteousness. Sec. 3. How we become deprived of original righteousness; Why this deprivation is a sin; Sec. 4. Why the punishment of God's withholding righteousness is no excuse for man's sinful waste and want of it. Sec. 5. How we become by nature children of disobedience, and children of wrath; How proved that we are such. Sec. 6. How original sin is a repugnancy to the whole law. Sec. 7. The contagion of original sin extends to the persons of all mankind, and the parts of the whole man; and how. Sec. 8. What original corruption is called in Scriptures. Sec. 9 The analogy between Christ and Adam in respect of the righteousness and disobedience imputed What meant by that saying, The son shall not bear the iniquity of the father. Sec. 10. How original sin is propagated; How it remains even in the regenerate; How they propagate it to their children. Illustrated by apt similitudes. Sec. 11. How the children of Believers are said to be holy: Illustrated by a fit allusion. Sec. 12. What is the subject of original sin: When the human nature is perfect, and when the subject of original sin. Sec. 13. How the humane nature in man becomes infected with original Sin. Sec. 14. That original sin is propagated by carnal generation, appears by its antithesis of spiritual regeneration: How propagated by virtue of divine ordination: Sec. 15. The sum of what concerns original sin. Sec. 16. What concupiscence is, as spoken of in sacred Scripture: Why seated in the superior, as well as in the inferior faculties. Sec. 17. From whence concupiscence in its inordinacy is: why the sensitive appetite cannot be this concupiscence: Sec. 18. What the sensitive appetite in man is; and in pure nature how subordinate unto reason: thereby specifically distinguished from that in the beasts. Sec. 19 Concupiscence in its inordinacy is the issue of man's fall, and why: wherefore called sin. CHAP. XIV. Concerning Actual Sin. Sec. 1. THe privation of original righteousness is inseparably accompanied with the corruption of original uncleanness: What original corruption is to actual sins. Sec. 2. What actual sin is: what the immediate internal causes of it: and how: Sec. 3. No inducement whatsoever can cause sin, without a conspiracy in the inward man: No actual sin committed without the will consenting. The will not necessitated in its volition, by any power but that of Gods. Sec. 4. How one sin is the cause of another. Sec. 5. What the least actual sin is: Sin is manifold in its kinds: All sin is either of omission, or of commission: and that either in thought, in word, or in work. Sec. 6. What is the formative power in original sin in respect of actual: Sins of omission always accompanied with sins of commission. Sec. 7. This illustrated by instance: He that wils the occasion of sin, by consequence wils the sin: How sin is willed antecedently in its cause, though not directly in its self. Sec. 8. Sins of commission and of omission, having the same motive and end, are not specifically distinct: Proved by instances. Sec. 9 What the division of sin into that of thought, word, and work. Sec. 10. The first inordinate motions of lust contained under the evil thoughts of the heart, though not consented to by the will, y●● are sin: and why. What makes any act to be sin. How the motions of concupiscence are voluntary, through the wils defect, before they rise, though not consented to when raised; how concupiscence itself is voluntary. Sec. 11. The motions of concupiscence proved to be sinful by an infallible argument, drawn from the indifferent nature of the wills consent. Sec. 12. What the special distinction of sin into spiritual and carnal is; how all sin is carnal, and how spiritual; What the true difference betwixt both. Sec. 13. What the specifical distinction of sin, into that against God, against our Neighbours, and against our Selves. How all sin is against God; how said to be against our Neighbours, and our Selves. The threefold order which God hath established amongst men. The threefold inordinacy in breach of this order, making three kinds of sin. Sec. 14. What the distinction of sin into that of infirmity, of ignorance, and of malice. From whence this distinction is taken. What is the inordinacy of the sensitive appetite; what the inordinacy of the understanding; what the inordinacy of the will. When a sin of infirmity is; when a sin of ignorance; when a sin of malice. Sec. 15. How the sensitive appetite doth beget an inordinacy in the will. Which are the sins of infirmity. Sec. 16. Why sins of sudden and inordinate passion are said to be sins of infirmity. Sec. 17. What passions do excuse wholly from sin, and what do not. How reason ought to moderate passion. Sec. 18. What is the office of the understanding. When guilty of that ignorance which is sin, and when guilty of those sins which are of ignorance. Sec. 19 What ignorance doth not, and what ignorance doth make the sin. What things a man is capable of knowing, but not bound to know; what things a man is neither bound to know, nor capable of knowing; in all these, ignorance (rather a nescience) is not sinful. Sec: 20. What ignorance doth excuse from sin: somewhat excuse, not wholly acquit; illustrated by instance. Sec. 21. When sin cannot be excused by any ignorance: what an affected ignorance is, and how it aggravates the sin. Sec. 22. What ignorance is indirectly voluntary; how it self sin; yet the sins issuing from it lessened in their guilt: and why. Sec. 23. How the sin of malice is rightly discerned; How men are said to sin wilfully, and against conscience. Sec. 24: That the will doth not necessarily follow the right judgement of the understanding, clearly proved: Especially from the work of regeneration: in which the will is renewed, as well as the understanding enlightened. Sec. 25. How we may distinguish sins of infirmity from sins of malice. Sec. 26. What the distinction of sin, into that of mortal and venial is: no sin venial in its nature: and why, All sin is directly against, not any merely besides the law: which incurring the guilt of eternal death, cannot be expiated by temporal punishment. Sec. 27. In what all sins are mortal: yet not all equal: How some sins mortal, and some venial: from whence we are to take the just weight of sins guilt: what the guilt of the least sin without Christ. Sec. 28. Though all sin be mortal, yet most especially the sin against the Holy Ghost; What the sin against the Holy Ghost is not. Sec. 29. What it is: As in the Pharisees: As in Julian: Why not now to be discovered by us. Sec. 30. Why called the sin against the Holy Ghost: why this sin shall not be forgiven. Sec. 31. Sins against Conscience lead the way to this sin against the Holy Ghost: How an erroneous conscience entangles in sin, but binds not to what is sinful. Sec. 32. An erroneous conscience may somewhat excuse, but cannot wholly acquit; and why. What is the entanglement of an erroneous conscience. CHAP. XV. Concerning the State of man fallen. Sec. 1. THe original of all man's misery is in original sin: and how. Sec. 2. Adam's disobedience imputed, makes liable to the punishment inflicted: which punishment is death. Sec. 3. In what this death doth formally consist: In what it doth materially consist. Sec. 4. This death is spiritual, corporal, and eternal. What this spiritual death is. Sec. 5. What are the relics of man's primitive estate in the estate of man fallen: In respect of his understanding; In respect of his will; In respect of his conscience, and in respect of his affections: Sec. 6. The soul in man's fall, is whole in its natural essence,; but spoiled of its spiritual habits. Thereby disabled for any spiritual good. Sec. 7. What freedom the will hath lost by the fall, and what it retains after the fall. What liberty of will remains in the vilest Reprobate, or Devil. Sec. 8. How God doth turn and incline the wills of men, without any forcibly compelling. Why the exhortations, etc. of God's word are not in vain in respect of the wicked. Sec. 9 By multiplying his sin, man aggravates his punishment; and how in spirituals. Sec. 10. What the corporal death; and how begun. Sec. 11. How and when finished. Sec. 12. What the eternal death: In its punishment of loss, and of sense. Sec. 13. What the punishment of loss is. Sec: 14. What the punishment of sense is. Sec. 15. How the punishment of the damned is infinite, as well as eternal. Sec. 16. That wrath which comes by original sin, is aggravated by man's actual transgression; the full measure, is at the day of judgement; and how. Sec. 17. The estate of man fallen summarily described. No salvation by the law, or first covenant of works; So that, without Redemption by a Mediator, Adam and his posterity must inevitably perish in their sin. SION'S PROSPECT In its FIRST VIEW. CHAP. I. Concerning the Holy SCRIPTURES. SEeing Grace doth not destroy, but exalt Nature; therefore, as the Natural inclination of the Will becomes subservient unto Charity, so doth the Natural Reason of the Understanding become subservient unto Faith. Hence it is, Reason, arguguing from Scripture for the Scriptures. that the holy Scriptures do not only establish our Faith, but also instruct our a 1 Pet. 3 15. Isa. 1 18. Eze. 18.25, 29. Reason; even furnishing us with arguments rationally to prove their Truth to be sacred, their Authority divine. The manner and method of arguing is this; Among all the Principles of Natural Divinity, there is none more firm, more evident, more universal than this, That b 1 Ki. 18.21. Act. 17.23. Rom. 1 23, 25. God is to be worshipped. §. 2. The true Knowledge of which God, The knowledge of God and his worship by Revelation. and right form of whose Worship cannot be had, but by some a John 1.18. Deut. 29.29. Revelation, (whereby he doth manifest himself and declare his will) as the b 2 Cor. 3.18. 2 Cor. 4.6. Glass of his Divinity, and the c Mat. 7.21. Isa 1 10, 12. Col 2.23. Mat. 5.9. Rule of his Worship. This Revelation either with the Jews or with the Christians. Now such a Revelation (upon Reason's strictest enquiry) is not where to be found, but either in the Jewish, or the Christian Church. The former tells us, they have committed to them the d Rom 3.2. & chap 9.4. Oracles of God; the latter the e Mar. 16.15. 1 Cor. 1.17. Gospel of Christ, and this Gospel as a f 2 Cor 3 9 Mat. 5.17. Rom. 10 4. 2 Cor. 3 14. Heb 9 10. & chap. 10.1. clearer light, in the full compliment of those Oracles. The Church of the Jews enquired into by Reason. §. 3. And here whilst we view the Jewish Sanctuary, Sacrifices, and Prophecies by the light of Reason, we see them plainly a Joh. 5.39, 46 Lu. 10.23, 24. 1 Cor. 15 3, 4. look and lead unto Christ. For their Sanctuary and Sacrifices being b Heb 9.1.10. Earthly and Carnal, must needs (in the pure worship of that God, who is a c John 4.24. Heb. 12.9. Isa 1 10, 12. etc. Heb. 1.5, 6, 7. spirit, and the Father of spirits) be the d H●b. 8.4.5. ch. 9 9, 23, 24. Types and shadows of things Heavenly and Spiritual; so that as their Prophecies having their appointed time, either they are fulfilled, or they have expired; so their Sanctuary and Sacrifices being Types and shadows, either they were vain, or they have vanished, and this in Christ the e Col. 2.17. John 1.17. Substance of those shadows, and the f John 1.45. Luke 24.27. Mat 1.22, 23. chap. 26.56. ch. 27.35. Luke 22 37. Joh. 19.36, 37. Subject of these Prophecies. Reason leads from the Church of the Jews to the Church of the Christians. §. 4. For let the Jews search the several places and Ages of the World, they cannot find a fulfilling of a Gen. 49.10. Hag. 2.7.9. Gen. 3.15. Deut. 18 15. Isa 2.2. & 7.14. & 9.6, 7. Dan. 2.44, 45. Special Prophecies; nor can they give us an Antitype and substance for their Sanctuary and Sacrifices, but in the Person and in the Gospel of Jesus Christ, as the promised Messiah. So that for the true and more full Knowledge of God, with the right and more pure form of his Worship, we are directed by the Dictate of Reason to the Church of Christ; With the Church of Christ is found the Word of God as the Rev●l●tion of his Will. b 1 Tim. 3.15. which as the Pillar of Truth doth hold forth to us the Holy Scriptures, as the c Rom. 3.2. Luke 1.70. 2. Cor. 2.17. chap. 4.2. 1 Thes. 2.13. word of God, delivered by the d 2 Tim. 3.16 2 Pet. 1.21. 1 Cor. 2.13. Inspiration of the Holy Spirit. §. 5. These Holy Scriptures are the writings of the a Eph. 2.20. 2 Pet. 3.2. Prophets and Apostles in the books of the Old b 2 Cor. 3.14. Testament and the New. The Word of God, the Holy Scriptures in the Books of the Old Testament and the New. The Original and Authentic edition of the former, according to the writings of Moses and the Prophets, is the Hebrew; and of the latter according to the writings of the Apostles and Evangelists, is the Greek. What Editions are Authentic That the Mother language of the Jews; this the most common language of the Gentiles, who in a contradistinct notion to the Jews are therefore called c 1 Cor. 23.24. Rom. 2.9, 10. Gal. 3.28. Greeks; and as the first edition of the Holy Scriptures were, Translations in the Vulgar tongue allowed. so the after translations ought to be in the Vulgar tongue, that they may be d John 5.39. Col. 3.16. Acts 8.28. 1 Thes. 5.27. Rev. 1 3. read of all. §. 6. The Apocrypha (signifying secret or hid, The Aprocryphas why so called. either, in respect of their Authors, being not certainly known; or their Authority not being publicly received) seeing we find them not in the Hebrew, we acknowledge not as Canonical, to prove doctrines of faith, Why not Canonical. though profitable for instruction in moral duties. We receive those books only to be of the Old Testament, The Old Testament received from the Jews. which were kept a Luke 24.44. Sacred by the Jews, by an especial Providence and b Rom 32. chap 9.4. Divine appointment made faithful Registers and Bibliothists to the Christian Church. §. 7. And seeing the Church hath its a Eph. 2.20. foundation fixed upon the Scriptures, The Authority of the Scriptures is not from the Church. the Scriptures cannot have their Authority derived from the Church; so that as not b Joh. 5.33, 34. Christ's Ministry, so nor doth Christ's Word receive its Weight or Worth, its Excellency or Authority, from the Testimony of Man. That the Lord Jesus Christ was c Rom. 4 25. delivered for our offences, and raised again for our justification, we believe; what? because the Church doth so teach us? No, but because the d Rom. 10.17. Scriptures do so teach the Church. §. 8. The Holy Scriptures being those a 2 Cor. 5.18, 19, 20. Credential letters, The Authority of the Church is from Christ by the Scriptures. which Christ the King of glory hath given to his Church, must necessarily have their Authority from their Author, which is Christ; and what Authority the Church hath from Christ, is conveyed and confirmed by the b 1 Tim. 3.15. Scriptures; so that the Authority of the Scriptures, is far above the Authority of the Church And though the Tradition of the Church doth declare the Authority of the Scriptures, yet doth it not give Authority to them; as the c John 1.7.29 34. Testimony of John Baptist doth declare Christ to be the Messiah, yet doth not make him to be the Messiah by so declaring him. The Tradition of the Church leadeth to the Scriptures. §. 9 Yea, in our believing the Scriptures to be the word of God; though true it is, the Church leadeth us unto the Scriptures, as the a John 4.39. woman did the Samaritans unto Christ, by a Traditional report of their Divine excellency; yet having read them diligently, and faithfully b Joh. 7.17, 18 observed the deep Mysteries, The excellency of the writings affect the mind. the sure Prophecies, the glorious Miracles, the purity of the Precepts, the harmony of the Parts, the efficacy of the Doctrines, the sincerity of the Writers, the plainness of the Style, with the Majesty of the Word; having observed these, it is through the convincing power of the c John 14.17. spirit of Truth, The Spirit convinceth of the Truth. that we say to the Clurch, as the d John 4.42. & 5 39 Samaritans did to the woman; Now we believe no more because of thy saying (of thy Tradition) for we ourselves have read and know, that these Scriptures are indeed the word of God, and in them we have eternal life. A moral persuasion from the Church, and the letter a divine belief from the Spirit. §. 10. That the Scriptures than are the Word of God, we believe in a a 1 John 5.9. John 16.13. 1 Cor. 2.10 12. 1 Joh. 2.20.27. moral persuasion from the outward Tradition of the Church, and the incomparable excellency of the matter; but in a Divine Faith from the ᵇ inward Testimony of the Spirit. §. 11. Indeed, though the Scriptures are a light, a Psal. 119.105. 2 Pet. 1.19. yea the b 2 Cor. 3.18. clear light of the Sun of Righteousness; yet it is only to those who have their eyes opened. The brightest day appears not in its glorious beauty to the blind, Why the Scriptures are not discernible by their own light without the Spirit. nor the plainest Scripture in its Divine Truth to the c 1 Cor. 2.14. unbelieving; and Faith being the d Ephes. 2.8. Gift of God, none can believe, but to whom it is e Luk. 8.10. given. Yea, were the Scriptures like the Sun, discernible by their own light, all should acknowledge them Divine, who read them written, or hear them preached; but the contrary practice confirms the contrary opinion, that seeing all do not receive them, it is by a f 1 Cor. 2.15. peculiar Gift of the Spirit, that any do believe them, that they are the word of God. §. 12. What, and from whence the Authority of the Scriptures. And believing these books of Holy Scriptures to be (as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉) the word of God, we acknowledge them to be (〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉) of sovereign and sacred Authority, for the proving, deciding, and determining all a Deut. 17.9, 10, 11. Isai. 8.20. Acts 17.2.11. 1 Cor. 15.3, 4. Gal. 1.8. controversies in Doctrines of Faith, containing in them b 2 Tim. 3.16, 17. Acts 20 27. all Truth's necessary to Salvation, Their sufficiency. Their perfection. and as not being subject to c Mark 12.24. error in themselves, nor to receive d Joh. 10 35. 2 Pet. 1.19. Deut. 12.32. Prov. 30 5, 6. Rev. 22.18. Addition, or Diminution, or Change, by the e Gal. 3.15. & 2.8. Authority of Men, or revelation of Angels. §. 13. How the Rule of our faith. We say the Holy Scriptures are the a 1 Thes. 5.21. 1 Joh. 4.1, 6. 2 John 9 Rom. 16.17. Canon and Rule of our Faith; and as a Rule hath its just measure inherent in itself, not depending upon the hand of the Artificer; so the Scriptures have their infallible truth inherent in themselves, not depending upon the judgement of the Church. And as when we speak of a Rule, we mean not the material wood, but the formal measure; so when we speak of the Scriptures, being the Rule of our Faith, we mean not the material Book, but the formal Truth, even the will of God revealed. And we expect not any more, nor any other Revelation as a Rule of faith or life, Such to the end of the world. but this to b Heb. 1.1, 2 Mat, 28.20. 1 Cor. 11.26. 2 Thes. 2.8. continue to the end of the world. §. 14. Prophecies and particular Revelations, Particular Revelations not now to be expected. they were to the Church as the light of the Moon and of the Stars to the world; of much use and benefit in the night, even in the darkness of ignorance, and dim light of Types and Figures; whereas the glory of the Gospel, like that of the Sun, it gives us a Noonlight of divine Truth; so that, now to expect particular Revelations in matters of faith, were to light a candle in the Sun; or to look for a Star at Noon. Doubtless this is the high way to a 2 Thes. 2.10, 11, 12. 1 Tim. 4.1. 2 Thes. 2.1. Heresy, and gives advantage to Satan, b 2 Cor. 11.13, 14. transformed into an Angel of light, the more easily to deceive, and the more dangerously to seduce. What received as the Truth by the Church. §. 15. Whatsoever is preached or taught, expressed in the letter, or agreeable to the Analogy of the Holy Scriptures, we receive as a Mal. 2.6. John 17.17. Acts 18.28. 2 Tim. 2.15. Truth; But what is opposite to, or dissenting from them, we reject as b Acts 17.11. Mark 12.24. error. And what things are indifferent in their own nature, as being neither directly expressed in the word, nor necessarily deduced from it, nor any way opposite to the word, or inconsistent with it, those things we acknowledge left to the Prudence of Governors, What left to the Prudence of Governors, and to what end. for the preservation of c 1 Cor. 11.16. chap. 14.26, 33, 40. Heb. 13.17. Philip. 2.14. Order and Unity in the Church; which things, indifferent in their nature, by the command of lawful Authority, do become necessary in their use. In what the Scriptures are plain, and in what hard to be understood. §. 16. And seeing the Holy Scriptures though in most texts they are a Deut. 30.11, 14. Psal. 19.7, 8. 2 Tim. 3.15. 1 Cor. 3.1, 2. Psal. 119.105. 2 Cor. 4.3, 4. clear, yet in many they are b 1 Cor. 2.6, 7. 2 Pet. 3.16. obscure; Though in Truths absolutely necessary to salvation, they are easy, yet in mysteries excellently profitable for edification, they are difficult to be understood; Therefore for the true Interpretation of Scripture, How to be Interpreted. we admit the judgement of the Church, as a trusty Guide, and the opinion of the Learned as a rational Argument; but we approve the Scripture itself as an c 2 Pet. 1.20. infallible Rule; clearing those texts which are dark and doubtful, What the Analogy of Faith. by those places which are more plain and evident, being careful to keep close to the d Rom. 12.6. Phil. 3.16. Analogy of Faith, which doth consist in those Principles of Christianity, which are clearly set forth in Scripture, and generally received of the Church. A Sum whereof we have in those short Confessions of Faith, called the Apostles Creed, Athanasius Creed, and the Nicene Creed, together with the Decalogue, the Lords Prayer, and the Doctrine of the Sacraments. §. 17. The duty of Christians in the use of the Scriptures. And that every true Christian may be throughly furnished with Knowledge unto works of Holiness and Righteousness, it is his duty diligently to a Joh. 5 39 2 Pet. 1.19. Luke 16.29. search the Scriptures, and to b Deu. 5 32, 33 John 13.17. Jam. 1.22, 25. conform his judgement and conversation according to their rule and direction: Their fullness of heavenly Doctrine. They being the Heavenly Storehouse from whence the Church of Christ is furnished with all spiritual c Luke 4.4. Heb. 5 12, 13, 14 1 Pet. 2.2. Provision of sound Doctrine, whether it be in matters of Faith or Manners; d 2 Tim. 3.16. Profitable they are (〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉) for Doctrine and Instruction in what concerns God and Christ, Creation and Redemption, Sin and Grace, Death and Life, Misery and Blessedness: (〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉) for Argument and Conviction, in discovering and refuting Error, in discerning and confirming Truth: (〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉) for Correction and Reformation, How a perfect form of Institution. in what concerns Mind and Manners, the inward and the outward Man, in thoughts, in words, and in works; and of these Three doth consist the Apostles perfect (〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉) form of institution in Righteousness. CHAP. II. Concerning God in the Unity of Essence. §. 1. AS the Sun is in itself most visible, Why the Nature of God is not to be comprehended by the understanding of Man. so is God in himself most intelligible; and therefore that the Sun dazzleth the eye, and God the understanding, it is from the abundance of glory in both, in respect of our weakness to see, and insufficiency to apprehend; so that our defect of Knowledge in the nature of God, is not so properly from the excellency of the object, as from the deficiency of the faculty; our † John. 1.18. understanding being too narrow to comprehend the incomprehensible Essence of the Godhead; as whatsoever is finite must needs be too short either to reach, How the incomprehensible God is apprehended by faith. or to fathom that which is infinite. Wherefore God dwelling in that a 1 Tim. 1.1. & 6.16. light of glorious Excellency, and inaccessible glory, which no eye of humane Reason can approach, or enter; we not being able to b Psal. 136.6. & 145.3. Exod. 33.20.23. 1 Cor. 13.12. comprehend him in a full knowledge, have some apprehensions of him by a divine faith, as he hath c Deut. 29.29. John. 1.18. revealed himself to us in his word. §. 2. By which a Eph. 1.13. Word of Truth, we believe God to be a b john. 4 24. Spirit of c Psa. 148.13. incomprehensible glory; who is in Scripture described unto us, How God is described in Scripture. by his Names, and by his Attributes; (described, not defined; for there is no Name nor Attribute which can give us an adequate signification of God in his Essence. The Names of God. ) His Names, especially Jehovah, and Shaddai; His name d Exod. 6.3. Isa. 42.8. Jehovah declares him to be e Exod. 3.14.15. a God absolute in his Essence; and his name Shaddai, f Gen. 17.1. a God all-sufficient in his fullness. §. 3. So that from the Names of God we believe him to be an absolute and an infinite Spirit, having his being in himself, who as Adonai, a Deut. 4.39 Col. 1.16. Nehem. 9 6. sole Lord of heaven and earth, The description of God according to his names. Further described by his Attributes. The first and principal. giveth and preserveth being to all his creatures; whatsoever is (extra deum) without b Acts 17.24.25.28. Phil. 2.13. 1 Cor. 8.6. God depending upon God, in essence and subsistence; in faculty and operation; in habit and in act. §. 4. But God is further described unto us by his Attributes, of which the first and principal are these, that he is most a 1 Joh. 1.5. simple (without any the least composition) b Exod. 3.14. absolute, and c Psal. 145. infinite, having all fullness d Psal 36.9. Heb 10 31. of life, e Dan 4.34. Job 22 2.3. Psal. 16.2. Rom. 11.35. perfection, and f 1 Tim. 1.11. & 6.15. blessedness in himself. And God being simple in his essence, he is also g Mal 3.6. Jam. 1.17. immutable in his nature; being absolute, he is also h Exod. 6.3 4 all sufficient; and being infinite, he is also i 1 Kin. 8.27. incomprehensible, k Jer. 23.2.4. omnipresent, and l Psal. 90.2. eternal. §. 5. Why incommunicable to the creatures. All which Attributes are so proper unto God, that they are a Isa. 4.28. incommunicable to the creatures, their contrary being found in all the creatures, as depending upon him who is absolute, subject to change by him who is immutable, comprehended by him who is incomprehensible, receiving their measure from him who is infinite; their place from him who is omnipresent, and their beginning from him who is eternal. §. 6. The Attributes communicable to the creatures. But the knowledge of God whereby he is a Heb. 4 13. omniscient; the power of God whereby he is b Psal. 91.1. omnipotent; the c Exod. 34.6. Isa. 6.3. Goodness and Truth, Mercy and Justice, etc. in all which he is infinite, How communicable. are Attributes communicable to the creatures; not in Essence, but by Analogy, according to that impress of Divinity which God hath stamped upon Angels, and Men, either by d Acts 17 28. Nature, or by e 1 Pet. 1.4. Grace, or by f 1 Cor. 15.42, 43, 44. Glory. §. 7. God's essential attributes his one entire Essence. All the essential Attributes of the Godhead are not so many several qualities or accidents in God, But the a Eph. 4 6. 1 John 1.5. and 4.5. one very entire Essence of God; His omniscience, omnipotence, How distinguished. and other his Sacred Attributes, not being distinguished one from another really in God's nature; but only formally in our conceptions; for though as they are conceived by us they seem divers and different Attributes; yet b 1 Cor. 15.28. 1 John 1.5. in God they are but one most single and pure Act; Which single Act in God is diversely expressed to us in different Names, because of our weakness, who cannot in any measure conceive of it, Why diversely expressed in different names. but in different notions: And thus though the Act be one in God as the Agent, and the Attributes one with God in his Nature, yet are they said to be divers according to the diversity of the Objects and Effects which are without God in his Essence. §. 8. Thus there is but one God; and impossible it is there should be many gods; for seeing it is absolutely necessary, Why there can be but one God. that he who is God have all perfection of being in himself; to make many gods, were to make them all imperfect, and so they can be no gods. To allow of Polutheism (then) is to admit of Atheism; he cannot worship any God, who acknowledgeth many gods; seeing there can be but One most perfect, as but One first Mover, one first efficient. How One single, pure, and perfect. And this One God, is a Deut. 6.4. Isa. 45.5. 1 Cor. 8.4. Jam. 2.19. one, single, pure, and perfect Being; b 2 Cor. 3.17. 1 Tim. 6.16. single without parts, c 1 Sam. 15.29 Hos. 11.9. pure without passions, d Mat. 5.48. 1 John 1.5. perfect without infirmities. §. 9 So that when in sacred Scripture God is said to have e Psal. 34.15. eyes, and f Heb 10.31. hands; to be g Psal. 7.11. angry, and h Eph. 4 36. grieved; to i Psal. 44.22. sleep, and i Psal. 44.22. awake, or the like; These we so understand as spoken (〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉) after the manner of men, Why said to have eyes and hands, to be angry and grieved, etc. according to our capacity of conceiving, that we might in some measure truly apprehend that in a divine analogy to be done of God, which we see and know to be done of men, who indeed have eyes and have hands, are angry and are grieved, He admits no bodily likeness. do sleep and do awake. The incorporeal k Isa. 40.18. & 46.5. Rom. 1.23. Deut. 4.15, 16. Col. 1.15. God is not to be imagined like any thing that is visible and bodily. CHAP. III. Concerning God in the Trinity of Persons. What the knowledge of God from a natural sight. §. 1. THE Knowledge of God which is from the a Rom. 1 19, 20 light of Nature, doth take its rise from sense, and can ascend no higher than it is supported, nor go any further than it is led by sensible objects; which give us no clearer Knowledge of God, than the effects do of their cause; namely, that He is, and that He is not such as they are; but far excelling them in Essence and in Attributes; as not being compounded, not depending, not finite, not mutable, and the like; But the Knowledge of God which is from a Supernatural light, What from a light Supernatural. that is merely by divine b Joh. 1.18. Exod. 33.23. Revelation; as that God is the c Eph. 1.2, 3. Mat. 6.9. Father of Christ, and of his Church, the d Gen. 15.1. Heb. 11.6. Reward of the Faithful, the e Psal. 68.20. Isa, 12.2. Jer. 3.23. Salvation of Israel, and the like. Yea, such is our Knowledge of God (through the apprehension of Faith) in the Glorious Mystery of the Blessed Trinity; whereby we believe the same God which is f Deut. 6.4. Isa. 45.5. 1 Cor. 8.4.6. One in nature or being, Who are the three Persons, and what a Person is. is also g Gen. 1.26. and 11.7, 8. Isa. 6.3. & 63. ver. 7, 9, 10. Mat. 3.16, 17. and 28.19. 2 Cor. 13 14. 1 John 5.7. Three in Persons or manner of subsisting, Father, Son, and Holy Ghost: which Three Persons do not divide the Unity into parts, but distinguish the Trinity by their properties. §. 2. A finite Understanding not possiby able to comprehend this infinite mystery. And here we acknowledge it impossible that a finite understanding should comprehend that mystery which is infinite in its Glory; and therefore when the mind soars high to conceive the truth of the Unity, it is dazzled with the glory of the Trinity; and when it would conceive the mystery of the Trinity, it is overcome with the glory of the Unity. And to illustrate this mystery with instances is to shadow out the light with colours; Not to be illustrated by any Instances. though the instances are that of the same Sun in its body, beams and light; the same water in its fountain, spring, and river; yea the same soul in its understanding, memory, and will. §. 3. This is as high as Reason will reach, The highest pitch of Reason's apprehension. God is an infinite being, having in himself a power to be, which begets a Knowledge that he is, and from both proceeds a love of that knowledge and power of being; This infinite Being is equal and one in all these Relations, yet the Relations distinguished in themselves, as distinct manners of the Being's subsistence. Thus the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, three distinct subsistences of one infinite Essence; three distinct Persons of one eternal Godhead; the Father as the power of the Godhead, begets the Son; the Son, as the wisdom of that Godhead, is begotten of the Father; and the Holy Ghost, as the Love of both, proceeds from the Father and the Son. And as that power never was without that knowledge, nor that power and knowledge without that love; so nor ever was the Father without the Son, nor the Father and the Son without the Holy Ghost. And as that Knowledge is equal to the Power, and the Love equal to both; so the Son is equal to the Father, and the Holy Ghost equal to the Father and the Son. §. 4. Now though Reason cannot instruct us to know what is hid, Reason directing to Faith. yet it doth direct us to believe what is revealed concerning this mystery. For what more reasonable than this, that what we cannot attain by a Natural Knowledge, we should receive by a Divine Faith, when revealed unto us by God in his Word? Which Word teacheth us, What and how a Trinity of Persons in the Unity of the Godhead. that the three Persons in the Godhead are not three parts of God, but c John 10.30. 1 Tim. 1.17. One only God. The d Eph. 1.3. 1 Pet. 1.3. Father God, the e John 1.1. Heb. 1.2, 3. 1 John 5 10. Son God, and the f Acts 5.3, 4. Holy Ghost God; and yet not g Isa. 6.3. Rev. 4.8. three Gods, but one God; all the three Persons being h Gen. 1.26. John 5.18. Phil. 2.6. Coessential and Coequal. §. 5. That the Son is God, The Son God, and the Holy Ghost God, firmly proved. and the Holy Ghost is God, is made evident to the eye of Faith, from these testimonies of sacred Scriptures, which give them the a Jer. 23.6. 1 John 5.6. Rom. 9 5. Acts 28.25. Tit. 2.13. 1 Cor. 3.16. Proper Names, the b Isa. 9.6. Heb. 9.14. Phil. 3.21. Psal. 13.9 7. John 21.17. 1 Cor. 2.10, 11 Essential Attributes, 2 Cor. 13 14. the c Heb. 1 23. Job 26.13. and 33.4. Eph. 4.8.11. 1 Cor. 12.11. Mat. 12.28. John 6.54. Rom 8.11. Divine operations, and the d H b 1.6. 1 Cor 6.19. Psal. 2.12. Eph. 4.30. Mat 28.19. Holy worship of God. §. 6. In this Trinity the Godhead is not divided, How the Persons are distinguished but the Persons are distinguished; the Godhead is not divided in its essence, but the a Isa. 61.1. John 8.16, 17, 18. John 14.26. and 15.26. Persons distinguished by their properties; The b Psal. 2.7. Heb. 1.5. Father begetting, the c John 1.14. Heb. 1.6. Son begotten, and the d John 15.26. Gal. 4.6. Holy Ghost proceeding; which properties do not make them different Beings, but one and the same Being in a divers manner of subsisting. God begetting is the Father; God begotten is the Son, and God proceeding is the Holy Ghost. Again, the Father is God begetting the Son; the Son is God begotten of the Father; and the Holy Ghost is God proceeding from both the Father and the Son. §. 7. Though the Word Trinity and Person are not found literally expressed, How Trinity and Person are found in Scripture. yet are they found plainly employed in Text of a Mat. 28.19. John 14.16. Ephes. 2.18. sacred Scripture. Yea, seeing St. John doth tell us of God, that he b 1 John. 5.7. is Three, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost; who shall question the word Trinity (numerus numeratus) in the abstract, who reads the word Three (numerus numerans) in the concrete? Which Three bearing record, most firm it is by a Trinity of testimonies, which doth plainly intimate a Trinity of subsistences; What a Subsistence is. and what a subsistence is, St. Paul resolves us, when he saith of the Son, that he is c Heb. 1.3. (〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉) the express Image of his Father's Subsistence; where the word Subsistence doth truly, and fully, and clearly signify the Divine Essence with its personal property. §. 8. a Mat. 28.19. John 5.26. The Father is the first Person, How the Father is the first Person not in priority of Dignity or of time, but of Order as being the fountain of the Trinity, b Joh. 10, 30, 38. Mat. 11.27. Joh. 16.14, 15. Communicating (not alienating from himself) the whole Nature and Essential Attributes of the Godhead to the Son, and with the Son to the Holy Ghost. So that the Father hath the whole Essence and Attributes of the Godhead in himself, and from none other; the c John 5.26. and 6.63. Rom. 8.12. Son hath the whole Essence and Attributes of the Godhead in himself, but from the Father; and the Holy Ghost hath the whole Essence and Attributes of the Godhead in himself, but from the Father and the Son. Thus the Person of the Son is (in the Unity of Essence) begotten of the d Heb. 1.3. Person of the Father; and the Person of the Holy Ghost is (in the unity of the same essence) proceeding from the Person of the Father, and of the Son; This divine Essence and Godhead is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, neither begetteth, nor is begotten; How each Person is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. neither proceedeth, nor is proceeding; so that each Person of the Godhead is (〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉) God subsisting in himself; which subsisting doth imply, with the unity of the Essence, (〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉) the manner of existence. How the Essence and Attributes. of the Godhead are communicated. §. 9 As the Father is God a Deut. 33.27. eternal, so the Son is God b Isa. 9.6. eternal, and the Holy Ghost is God c Heb. 9.14. eternal; And as the Father is God d Psal. 91.1. Almighty, so the Son is God e Rev. 1.8. Almighty, and the Holy Ghost is God f Rom. 8.11. Luke 1 35. Almighty; and thus also in the other Attributes of the Deity, they are all equally and fully g John 16.15. Isa. 53.8. communicated in an eternal Generation, from the Father to the Son; and in an h Psal. 33.6. Luke 1.35. eternal Spiration, from the Father, and the Son to the Holy Ghost. The properties of the Persons incommunicable. §. 10. But though the essential Attributes of the Godhead are communicable to all the Persons, yet the several properties of the Persons are incommunicable to each other of themselves; so that the Son cannot be said to beget, nor the Father to be begotten, nor the Holy Ghost to be begotten, or begetting, but proceeding. CHAP. IU. Concerning God's Knowledge. How God knoweth all things. §. 1. GOD being a simple and absolute Essence, (simple without any composition, absolute without any dependence) a Psa. 33.13.14. knoweth all things, not by any faculty or habit, but by b Psal. 147.5. One eternal, indivisible, and unchangeable act in himself, without any succession of priority or posteriority, past, or to come; to whose eye all things are c Heb 4 13. naked and d 2 Pet. 3.8. present, according to the e Acts 15 18. omniscience of his nature, and the f Acts 15 18. eternity of his being Here we must not expect to give or receive any g Rom. 11.33. 1 Cor. 8.2. full or clear knowledge of God; but such as is encumbered with many imperfect notions, whilst we endeavour to h Isa. 40.18.28 apprehend or represent so lofty a Majesty in our low conceptions. §. 2. God's foreknowledge how and what it is. The Scriptures speaking according to our capacity of conceiving, do tell us of God's foreknowledge, whereby it is, that he a Psa. 139 2, 14. Acts 2.23. Isa. 45.21. beholdeth afar off (already determined in the council of his will) what is future in the existence of its being. And things are not therefore future, because God fore-knows them, but he therefore fore-knows them; because they are future. For if God's foreknowledge had an effective power, all things must needs have been from eternity in their existence; being b Pro 8.22, 23. Acts. 15.18. eternally fore-known of God in his decree: yea, Not the cause of things, and why. if God's foreknowledge were the cause of things, than were he the cause of all he fore-knows; and if the cause of all he fore-knows, then were he the cause of sin; which is as opposite to God, as c Psal. 5.4. 2 Cor. 6.14. hell to heaven, or darkness to light. §. 3 God's knowledge and will being equally absolute and eternal; How all things depend upon God's Will pre-ordaining not his Knowledge foe e-seeing. he must needs know in himself from before all time, what he a Ephes. 1.11. wills in himself to be in time; and hereby the creatures depend upon his will, pre-ordaining them to be; not upon his knowledge, foreseeing them in their being; Yet God's foreknowledge depends not upon the creatures future existence. yet as the creatures future existence doth not depend upon God's foreknowledge, so, nor doth God's foreknowledge depend upon the creatures future existence; Before and after, past & to come relate not to God. he foreknowing them as they are b Ephes. 1.9. in him their proper cause, not as they are c Rom. 11.36. from him in their own nature. §. 4. It is by one and the same Act that God doth know all things before and after they have their being; which before and after doth not relate unto God, But in the creature. but unto the Creatures; and the change of a Exod. 3.14. Psal. 102.24. etc. Acts 1.7. past and to come, is not at all in him, but altogether in them; which is thus very aptly, though not enough fully illustrated. This aptly illustrated. A man standing upon an high mountain, doth behold in the valley beneath several persons passing and repassing, some before, and some after another; all which are present to the single view of his eye. Thus God seated on the high mountain of his b Isa. 57.15. eternity, looking c Psa. 33.13.14. & 113.6. down upon the low valley of time; he doth behold his several creatures, one before and after another, but all d Isa. 44.6. present to the intuition of his knowledge; so that there is no future in respect of eternity, but e Eccles. 3.1. Jer. 6.16. Psal. 77.5. 1 John 2.18. Eccles. 1.4. past, and to come, are the parts and properties of time, in the relation of one creature to another, in the succession of their beings. God knowing things to come, and past, doth it in one and the same act of Knowledge. §. 5. That God did know the world should be created, and since doth know that the world hath been created, is by one and the same knowledge in God, though it be not one and the same truth in the propositions; that being altered according to the change in the creatures existing, without any a Jam 1.17. change or alteration in the Creator's knowing their existence; This act eternal. who knows them by an eternal act, which admits no succession of time: There may be, and is a b Eccles. 9.11. Heb. 1.10, 11, 12 change in the creatures; So no change in God. but neither is, nor c Mal. 3.6. Heb. 1.12. & 13, 8. Rev. 1.8. can be in God, who doth not receive either addition or diminution of Nature, or of Attributes, by the creation or annihilation, the salvation or destruction of any; And that God now doth what before he did not, is nothing else, but that beginning to be which before was not; and so the change is in the effect, not in the efficient: yea, seeing a mutability of Knowledge is inconsistent with an eternity of Being; it must needs be, that God knows the several changes in the creatures, without any change in his Knowledge. §. 6. No contingency in respect of of God's foreknowledge. Though God's foreknowledge doth not cause a necessity of being, yet all things must a Acts 2, 23. & 15.18. necessarily be as he fore-knows them; so that there is no b Numb. 35.22, 23. Prov. 16.33. contingency in respect of God the primary cause; contingency being a part of his creation, and founded in secondary causes; whereby it is, Yet in the secondary causes. that both these propositions are true; All things are infallibly necessary in God's foreknowledge; and some things are merely contingent in their causes. §. 7. Sure we are, All future events are fore-known of God. nothing can be but what God wills, and his will doth not decree without his knowledge, nor effect without his power; so that impossible it is, that any thing can be besides his knowledge foreseeing, any more than without his power producing, or his will determining. All future a Psal. 135.6. Prov. 21.1. Acts 18 21. 1 Cor. 4.19. Jam. 4.15. Rev. 17.17. effects then, and events whatsoever, being within the compass of God's will, they must needs be within the circumference of his foreknowledge; His foreknowledge infallible. which being certain and infallible, nothing can be to him (though never so much in itself) uncertain and contingent. And sure, needs must God's foreknowledge be infallible, seeing his will is independent. §. 8. The foreknowledge of God, How applied unto the Elect in Scripture. besides the a Acts 2.23. determination of his will, doth also signify (in the language and notion of the sacred Scriptures) an b Rom. 8.29. 1 Pet 1.2. approbation of his love, and so is more peculiarly applied unto his b Rom. 8.29. 1 Pet 1.2. elect, as c Exod. 33 17. Mat 7.23. 2 Tim. 2.19. knowledge is unto his Saints; denoting his gracious love to them, and tender care over them, for their safety and salvation. CHAP. V Concerning God's Will. God's Will one, and absolutely free. §. 1. THE Will of God, whereby he is most properly (〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉) absolutely free in himself, it is but one, as being his very Essence, which admits neither a 1 John 1.5. composition, not b Isa. 45.6. division; yet (because we speak of the things of God, after the manner of men, wanting thoughts to conceive, Distinguished into his will secret and revealed; of sign, and of good pleasure. and words to express otherwise of him) we distinguish the will of God into his c Deut. 29.29. Rom. 11.34. Col. 1.9. secret will, and his revealed will; his will of sign, and his will of good pleasure; which are one and the same will under divers and distinct notions. What this secret will. §. 2. His secret will (which is always his will of good pleasure, though his will of good pleasure is not always secret) that being hid from our eye, we are in humility to attend, not in curiosity to inquire. What his revealed will. His revealed will (which is always his will of sign, as his will of sign is always his will revealed) that being the a Rom. 12.2. Ephes. 1.9. Col. 4.12. object of faith, and the b Mat. 6.10. and 7.21. 1 Thes. 4.3. Heb. 13.21. rule of life. We are with diligence to c John 5.39. search, and with faithfulness to d Rom. 6.17. obey. The Will of God's good pleasure, hath its reason, not its cause. §. 3. the will of God's good pleasure, whether secret or revealed, hath its divine a Isa. 1.18. Ezek. 18.25, 29 reason, but not its proper b Isa. 40.13. cause, being perfect and absolute in its self; indeed, impossible it is, that the Prime Cause of all, should itself be caused of any; seeing nothing can be c Isa. 43.10. before it, as being eternal; nothing d Exod. 18.11. John 10.29. greater than it, as being infinite. As God's will than cannot be said to be without reason; for it is the determination of his understanding; so of God's will, there cannot be said to be any cause, for than it should itself be determined by some other, and so God not absolute and independent in himself. §. 4. God's glory the final cause of what he will's but not of his will. The manifestation of God's a Psal. 8.1. Isa. 6.3. Ephes. 1.12. and 3.16. glory is the final cause of the creatures being, but not of his divine volition; the end of what he wills, but not of his will; He wills one thing for another, yet is not any thing the cause (though the reason) of his so willing them. For that, he doth determine the end and the means in one act of his will, as he doth know the cause and the effect in one act of his understanding. He wills the end and the means, and the means for the end; yet seeing all are external to him in his essence, he cannot be internally moved by them in his will. How the impulsive cause of God's will to be understood in Theology. So that when the Orthodox speak of any impulsive or moving cause of God's will, it is an accommodating the mystery to our capacity, and a fitting their expressions to our weak b Heb. 5.11.12. apprehensions. §. 5. The Execution of God's will admits several causes; the volition not any. What the volition, and what the execution is. There may be many causes of the Execution of God's will, which doth consist in the temporal effects; but none of the volition of God's will, which is an eternal act. The a Eph. 1.9.11. volition of God's will is an immanent act, eternally residing in himself; the b Luke 2.14. 1 Thes. 4 3. Jam. 1.18. execution of his will a transient act, temporally terminated in the creature; of that there can be no cause; of this there are several causes, instrumental and final. §. 6. Thus the preaching of the word, is instrumental to a Rom. 10 17. and 16.26. faith and obedience; faith and obedience instrumental to this subordinate end, the b Ephes. 2.8. Heb. 5.9. salvation of the elect; and the salvation of the elect instrumental to this the utmost end, the manifestation of God's c Ephes. 1.12. glory; which end is communicated of God unto his elect, not d Psal. 16.2. acquired by his elect unto himself; for that, as he is a God e Exod. 3.14. Independent, so he is a God f Gen. 17.1. Alsufficient. Thus there are several causes of Salvation decreed by God's will, final and instrumental; but no cause of God's will decreeing Salvation, neither instrumental, nor final, both being within the compass of his decree, and therefore not beyond the circumference of his will, to be the cause of his volition. God wills not sin, and why. §. 7. God wills all things, but sin, which hath no efficient, but deficient cause, and therefore the cause thereof cannot be God; True it is, all evil is founded in that which is good, and so sin cannot be but in some faculty, or habit, or action, which thereby is denominated sinful. No doubt then, God a Act 4.27, 28. wills the action which is sinful, but not the b Psal. 5.4. Habak. 1.13. pravity of the action which is the sin; He wills the action as a natural good, and ordered by him to a greater good, but the ataxy or anomy of the action, that he doth not will, but permit; or at most, he doth but will the permission; For he cannot be said effectually to will, what he doth actually forbid and punish. The purpose of God's will doth not abolish, but establish the liberty of man's will. §. 8. Besides, the purpose of God's will doth not take away the a Levit. 1 3. Dan. 11 3. Phil. 2.13. Psal. 40.8. liberty of man's will, no more than the certainty of his foreknowledge doth take away the contingency of events: rather indeed, that purpose doth confirm this Liberty, and that certainty this contingency; for that thereby he maketh good the liberty which he hath given, and the contingency which he hath made; accommodating the concurrence of his power and will, according to the nature of the Agents which himself hath created, and that constitution of the causes which himself hath established; wherefore though the purpose of God's will doth exclude every act and event, which is contrary to it, yet can it not be said to destroy the liberty of man's will (even to that contrary act) which is altogether consistent with it, What the Necessity of Being, from the immutability of God's will. yea, established by it. And thus, what necessity of Being is caused by the immutability of God's Will, is only a conditional necessity, upon this supposition that God wills it: And because what God wills in his ordinary Providence, is according to that order which he hath established in the secondary causes; therefore the Necessity of Being, which flows from the immutability of God's will, doth not destroy the contingency of Events, or the liberty of Agents. §. 9 How God's secret will becomes revealed by his word, and by his works. The secret will of God's good pleasure is the first and a Psal. 135.6. Eph 1.11. Rev. 4.11. chief cause of all things, b Num. 23.19. Psal. 102.27. unchangeable and c Rom. 9.19. ; which when God is pleased to reveal unto man, he doth it by the signification either of his word, or of his works. His works declare his will in their events; and his word, that signifies his good pleasure, by Prophecies, by Precepts, by Promises, and by Threaten. How God's word is called his will. God's word is called his will (〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉) figuratively; as the sign is put for the thing signified; his word being the signification, or d 1 Thes. 2 13. Rom. 1.16.17. 1 Cor. 2.10. revelation of his will, in what he hath thereby determined, and decreed. §. 10. Such is the sweet a Psal. 119.160 John 5.32. 2 Cor. 4.2. 1 Tim 3 15. Rev. 19 9 harmony; How they agree in a sweet harmony. and firm consent of the sign with the thing signified; the revelation of God's word with the determination of God's will; that they admit not the least jar of discord, without a manifest violation of the sincerity and truth of God himself; wherefore to preserve that harmony, and prevent this discord, S● to be interpreted, as that the harmony be perserv'd. it must be our care so to b Mat. 9.13. 2 Pet 1.20. interpret the right meaning of his word, that it agree with the true intent of his mind, and purpose of his will; lest otherwise we make God seem to contradict himself or deceive his people. §. 11. If God should will any thing by his will of sign, which he doth not will by his will of good pleasure, he should plainly contradict himself, and destroy the the truth of his word; wherefore seeing God doth certainly a Tit. 1.2. Heb. 6.18. intent in his will, what he reveals in his word; we must observe rightly to interpret, that his Revelation to a declaring what he truly intends, How God's revealed will agrees with that of his good pleasure, when he wills all men to be holy. not what we b 2 Cor. 2.17. 2 Pet. 3.16. falsely conceive. As when God, by the precept of his revealed will, and will of sign, doth require all men to be c Leu. 21.2. and 20, 7. holy; we must not conclude it the purpose of his secret will, or will of good pleasure, that all men be holy; For that, experience, and other parts of d Psal 14 3. 2 Tim. 3.13. Scripture, too sufficiently testify, that all are not holy; which yet necessarily they should be, or a contradiction must be in his revealed will, if that were the intent of his good pleasure, which is ever e Psal. 135.6. Rom. 9.19. effective in what he wills. Wherefore, when God by the Precept of his revealed will, requires all men to be holy; it is the purpose of his good pleasure that men be thereby f Deut. 30.11, 14.15. admonished of their duty, and obliged to his Law. Where also he commands Abraham to sacrifice his Son Isaac. §. 12. Again, we read that God gave Abraham a command, saying, a Gen 22.2. Take thy Son, thine only Son Isaac, whom thou lovest, and offer him for a burnt-offering. If we say, God here purposed Isaac's sacrificing (as the words seem to signify) we shall make a change in God's secret will, to avoid a contradiction in his will revealed; whereas if the true meaning of God's word be applied to the right purpose of his will, the harmony is sweet; and it is thus: when God gave Abraham the Command, Take thy Son, and offer him for a burnt-offering; the purpose of his good pleasure revealed in that precept of his word, was to put Abraham upon the service, by obliging him to the duty; which he intended for the testimony, and b Heb. 11.17. trial of Abraham's faith, not for the death or sacrifice of his Son; which not till afterward he revealed unto Abraham by the voice of the Angel, calling to him, and saying, c Gen. 22.11. Lay not thine hand upon the lad, neither do thou any thing unto him; For now I know that thou fearest God, seeing thou hast not withheld thy Son, thine only Son from me. §. 13. How the promises and threaten in God's revealed will, which are conditional, d● agree with God, secret will, which is absolute. Whereas God's revealed will in his promises and threaten runs a Isa. 1.19, 20. Mark 16.16. conditionally, yet is his will of good pleasure, signified in the true meaning of those conditions, absolute; which is, to declare unto men the effectual means, whereby his promises are obtained, and his threaten avoided in them that are saved; even a performing those conditions prescribed; And the demeritorious cause for which his promises are nulled, and his threaten executed in them that perish, even a contempt of those conditions required. §. 14. What the true meaning of the conditions declared. So that it is not the meaning of the conditions in God's word, to signify any conditions in God's will, but that God wills them to be conditions; intended, and so revealed, as a Gal. 2.8. Ephes. 3.7. means effectual to that end he hath appointed them for; even the obtaining the blessings promised, and the avoiding the judgements threatened. And thus his revealed will doth not at all oppose that which is secret, not his will of sign, that of his good pleasure; but the Analogy stands good in both, without contradiction in God's will, or deception in God's word, and thereby a violation of both. CHAP. VI Concerning God's Decrees, Power, and Manner of working. §. 1. GOD, who is the primary Cause, God the primary Cause, and supreme Agent in his Understanding, Will, and Power. and supreme Agent, as he hath in himself a principle of a 1 Sam. 2.3. Job. 37.16. Psal. 94.10. knowledge, and b Gen. 1.26. Isa 40.13, 14. direction, his c Psal. 147 5. understanding a principle of d 2 Cro. 25.16 Acts. 2.23. determination and e Leu. 25.21. Psal. 44 4. command, his f Ephes. 1.5. Jam. 1.18. will; so likewise a principle of g Psal. 28.5. and 135.6. Isa 28 29. operation and execution, and that's his h Job 37.23. Psal. 62.11. power. His understanding directs his will, his will actuates his power: Again, his i Isa. 46.10. will determines his understanding, What his Decree. and his power executes his will. God willing what he knows, that by an immanent act is his k Rom. 8.28. and 9.11. Eph 1, 9 decree, residing in himself; and when by his power he effects what he wills, What his work. that by a transient act is l Psal. 103. Isai. 64.8. his work, terminated in the creature. §. 2. As in the Theory of God's a Mat. 11.21.23 absolute understanding, he doth know more, so in the might of his b Mat. 3.9. absolute power, What his absolute power. he can do more, than what by the purpose of his will he doth determine to have done. So that his c Prov. 19.21. Ephes. 1.11. will is at once the determination of his understanding, How limited by his will. and the limitation of his power, for the d Ephes. 1 5, 9 and 3.10. decreeing of all things in himself from eternity, and the e Ephes. 1.11. Rev. 4 11. effecting all things without himself in their time. Thus God is the efficient cause of all things in his understanding, will, and power; not singly, and in several acts, but jointly, and in one causation; by his power effecting, what in his understanding and will he doth know and determine to be done. Why, and how said to be omnipotent. §. 3. The Power of God is said to be omnipotent, not because he can do all he wills to do; for thus far the Angels, and the blessed may be said to be omnipotent, who certainly have a power to do, what they will to do, who will to do nothing but what God wills by them to be done. But in this is God omnipotent, that he a Phil. 3.21. can do whatsoever he wills (not only to do, but also) to be done; and is fully ably to do, what is any way possible to be done; and nothing is impossible to God, but what either implies a contradiction in its self, or argues b 1 Tim. 6.16. Heb. 6.18. infirmity in him; the former is from an incapacity in the creature, the later from the excellency of the Creator; neither from any deficiency in God; to say God can do what argues infirmity, (as to lie, to go, to sleep, and the like) would testify a weakness, not justify his power; to deny these in God, is indeed to affirm his omnipotence, and to affirm these of God, is indeed to deny him omnipotent. §. 4. There is no overcoming God's power, no resisting his will. Seeing the only limits of God's power is his will, therefore he a Psal. 135.6. Psal. 115.3. doth effectually do, whatsoever he actually willeth to be done. And as there is no b Luke 1.52. 2 Cor. 6.18. might to overcome his power, so nor is there any power to c Rom. 9.19. Isa. 46.10. resist his will; his secretly ordaining, and powerfully effecting will; to which d Psa. 135.6. & 103.20, 21, 22. Luke 8.24, 25.29, 30, 31. Rev. 20.1, 2. & 4 10, 11. Heaven and Earth, and Hell; Angels, and Men, and Devils, do, and must stoop, and submit. What he acts in time, he hath decreed from eternity. And whatsoever God e Acts 15.18. & 2.23. 1 Cor. 2.7. actually willeth in time, he intentionally decreed from all eternity; all whose decrees are most l Pro. 19.21. Isa. 46.10. faithful and firm, he ordaining and disposing all things according to the m Acts 4.28. Ephes. 1.11. Counsel of his own will, to this their ultimate end, the n Ephes. 1.7. Isa. 63.14. glory of his own Name. §. 5. From which Counsel of God's will, How the creatures are in God, before they are in themselves. and purpose of his decree, it is, that the creatures have their eternal a Psal. 139 16. Idea in God's mind, before their actual being in their own existence; every thing form being (in its own proportion) the b Rom. 1.20. pattern and figure, declaring the mind of God who framed it. And thus God having a c Rom. 8.29. 1 Pet. 1.2. Acts 15.18. knowledge of vision in the Counsel of his will, his Counsel is not of disquisition, but of approbation; What the Counsel of God in his decrees. in that he knoweth and willeth, forseeth and fore-ordaineth d Psal. 33.15. all things, and every thing together at once. §. 6. And as in the Trinity of Persons there is but one God, so but one will; How the whole Trinity in one entire cause. and as but one will, so but a Exod. 20.11. one working in all actions which relate unto the creatures; and therefore the works of Creation, and of Providence, are b Heb. 11 3. Psal. 33.6. Job. 26.13. Psa. 104.29, 30. sometimes attributed to the Father, sometimes to the Son, and sometimes to the Holy Ghost. All three Persons being one single and entire Cause, c 1 Cor 12 6. Psal 33.6. Ephes. 2.22. working all in all; yet in this Trinity there is a divers manner of working, What their divers manner of working. according to the distinct manner of subsisting; The d John 1.3. 1 Cor 8 6. Rom. 8.11. Father he works from himself, by the Son, and the Holy Ghost; The e H b. 9.14. Son he worketh from the Father, by the Spirit; The f Luke 1.35. John 15.26. Holy Ghost he Works from the Father, and the Son, by Himself. How some one action is appropriate to some one person. §. 7. And thus when any one action is more peculiarly appropriated to any one Person of the Trinity, it is from some more immediate relation unto that Person; as, when the a Heb. 1 2. Ephes. 3.9. Creation with the b Ephes. 1.3. 1 Pet. 1.3. Original of all Being's is more peculiarly appropriated to the Father; c Rev. 2 9 Heb. 1.8. Redemption with the d John 3.35. & 5.22. dispensation of all Government more peculiarly appropriated to the Son; e Rom. 15 16. Sanctification with the f 1 Cor 12.8, 9 & 4.5. communication of all gifts and graces more peculiarly appropriated to the Holy Ghost. The firm relation between God's decrees, and his works. §. 8. And such is the near relation betwixt God's will, and his Works; his Decrees, and their effects; that whatsoever he a Isa 44 7. Heb. 6.17. Psal. 135.6. willeth is done, and whatsoever is done he willeth; whatsoever he doth effect, he hath decreed; and whatsoever he hath b Psal. 133.11. Isa. 14.24, 27. decreed, he doth effect; so that this is certain; God hath not decreed sin, God hath not decreed sin though he hath decreed to permit sin. because he doth c 2 Chro. 19.7. Psal. 5.5. not effect sin. And though God be said to have c Acts 2.23. & 4.28. decreed the permission of sin, yet is not that decree any way effectual to produce or cause sin; What the effectual decree accompanying the permissive. for the cause of any thing d Rom. 9.20.21. permitted cannot be from the permission, where there is no Law natural, or positive, to oblige the pevention. Again, sure we are, sin could not be committed by man, if it were not permitted by God. And God would not permit sin in time, if he had not determined to permit it from eternity; which permissive part of God's decree is accompanied with that which is effectual; effectual for the e Gen. 50. 2●. Acts 2.23, 36. ordering to good, what is permitted to be evil. And thus God he would not permit sin, were it not for good; yet is not sin therefore from God, for than were he not himself good. §. 9 As the good pleasure of God's will a Rom. 11.34, 35. receiveth not from the creatures any moving causality; The purpose of God's decree imposeth no forcible necessity; so nor doth the purpose of his decree impose upon the creatures any enforcing necessity. All future events whatsoever, they have indeed an b Mat. 2.28. John 19.36. infallible certainty, but no forcible necessity from the determinate Counsel of God's will; But bringeth an infallible certainty to all Agents and Events which infallible certainty extendeth, not only to all Agents, and events, c Psal. 104. Job. 3.8. natural or necessary, but also d Prov. 16.1. & 21.1. free and e Exod. 21.13. Prov. 16.33. contingent, whether it be in the f Exod. 14.4, 5. Act 4.27, 28. greatest effects, or in the g Mat. 10.29.30 smallest matters. CHAP. VII. Concerning the Works of Creation. §. 1. GOD, God the Creator of all things as an absolute and free Agent. as a most free Agent without any a Job 22.2. necessity compelling, or b Isa. 40.13. external cause moving him (to c Prov. 16.4. Psal. 19.1. & 8.1. manifest his Glory, or communicate his d Psal. 104, 24 Goodness) of his e Rev. 4.11. own good pleasure, and by his own most powerful will, he made the World; f Gen. 1.1. & 2.4. Col 1.16. in the beginning creating, and in g Gen. 1.5, 31. Exod. 20 11. six days forming all things in their natures h Gen. 1 31. 1 Tim. 4 4. very good. §. 2. Creation, the Work of the whole Trinity, as one entire cause. The Creation was the a Psal. 146.5, 6. Jer. 10.11. proper work of God alone, not from any one Person, but from b Gen. 1.1. Psal. 33.6. all the whole Trinity; as being a work of infinite power, wisdom, and love; as a work of infinite power, so more especially from the Father; as a work of infinite wisdom, so from the Son; as a work of infinite love, so from the Holy Ghost; and yet from all the three Persons, as it is from c Mal. 2.10. 1 Cor. 8.6. one entire cause, one single essence, God's; who creates the world as a d Ephes. 1.11. Rev. 4.11. free Agent, Why of God, as a free and all-sufficient cause. and as e Gen. 17.1. Acts 17.25. all-sufficient in himself; for if the World were made of God, by a necessity of his nature, and not according to the liberty of his will; or if the World made did add any thing to the fullness and perfection of the Maker, it must needs have been, as himself is, from eternity, and should not cease to be in the end of time; which f Gen. 1 5. time was created with the World, and did then g Gen. 1.1. John. 1.1. begin, when the Creation had its beginning. Observed in the Work of Creation. §. 3. In the work of Creation, we observe the command of God's Power, the approbation of his Goodness, the ordination of his Wisdom, and the declaration of his Authority. 1. The Command of God's Power. By a Gen. 1.2, 6, etc. Psal. 33 9 Psal. 148.5. the command of his Power, he executes his will, to the producing all things in their natural being; 2. The Approbation of his Goodness. b Gen. 1.4, 10, 31 by the approbation of his Goodness, he confirms (what is produced) in those endowments of nature which he had given them c Gen. 1.7.16. the ordination of his Wisdom, 3. The Ordination of his Wisdom. he ordereth and disposeth (what is so produced and confirmed) to their proper ends, for which he appointed them; 4. The Declaration of his Authority. and d Gen. 14.15. Psal. 148.6. in the declaration of his Authority, he enacteth a Law, establishing the creatures (so produced, confirmed, and ordered) in their being, and working, e Gen. 1.22.28 Jer. 31.35, 36. & 33 20. Job 38.33. to all generations. The immediate Creation what, and of whom. §. 4. Of the Works of Creation, some by an immediate creation were made out of a Heb. 11.3. nothing, to be of a perfect and complete existence, immortal and incorruptible; by the Will of God made subject to no essential change, or utter dissolution; such the Angels, and the highest Heaven, b Gen. 1.1. & 2.1. John 38.7. Mat 24.36. created together on the first day of the Creation. The mediate Creation what and of whom. Others of the c Gen. 1.6.9.11.14 20.24. creatures upon the whole visible part of the World were formed by a mediate creation of matter pre-existent, and so by nature d Psal. 102 25, 26. 2 Pet. 3.11. corruptible, subject to an essential change, and utter dissolution of their being; The e Isa. 34.4. Luke 21 33 2. Pet. 3.10, 12. Rev. 6.13.14. Heavens themselves (which are visible) being liable to that final dissolution of the last day. §. 5. Man (〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, Man's partaking of both. the little world) as the compendium of the whole Creation, partakes of both those kinds, as consisting of body and soul; he partakes of a mediate creation, with the corruptible creatures in his body, a Gen. 2.7. 1 Cor. 15.44. Gen. 18 27. formed of the dust; also he partakes of an immediate creation, with the creatures incorruptible in his soul, b Gen. 2.7. Zech. 12.1. Heb. 12 9 breathed of God: and therefore in his body, he is by nature c Isa 2.22. 1 Cor. 15.53. corruptible, and in his d Mat. 10 28. Eccles. 3.21. & 12.7. soul immortal. §. 6. Man is aptly called the lesser world, How and why called the lesser world. having in him something of affinity with, and participation of the several parts of the greater world; He hath an affinity with the Angels in his soul, as being spiritual, invisible, intelligent, and immortal; and affinity with the heavenly bodies, in the excellency of his constitution, and harmony of his parts; and affinity with the four Elements, in the substance of his body, and material part of his composition, the superior Elements being predominant in their virtue, the inferior more abounding in their matter; whereby, man is said to be a Gen. 2.7. form of the dust of the earth. §. 7. The invisible and highest Heaven, What the first Heaven. is that Saint Paul calls the a 2 Cor. 12.2. third Heaven; the first b Gen. 1.1, 7, 8, 9, 20. & 7.11. Psal. 148.4. Heaven being that space of the Elementary Region from the surface of the Earth, to the concave of the Moon: The second Heaven, c Gen 1 14.15, 16, 17, 18. What the second Heaven. that expansion of the Aetherial Region, from the lowest Orb, that of the Moon, What the third Heaven. to the highest of the invisible Heavens, the Firmament; The third Heaven, that is, d 1 King. 8.27. the Heaven of Heavens, e Ephes. 4.10. far above all the visible heavens, whither f Mark 16.19. Eph. 1 20.21. Acts 1.11. Eph. 4.10. Christ ascended, and where God hath g Psal. 103.19. set his Throne, and made his h Isa. 5 7. & 66.1. John. 14.1. Habitation with the Blessed; i Mat. 18.10. 1 Cor. 13.12. where he manifests himself in his glorious presence to the k Psal. 16.11. perfect joy and felicity of l Heb. 12.22. Dan. 7.10. Angels, and Saints. What the influences. §. 8. In the visible parts of the world, the a Job 38.31, 32 Ephes 6.12. heavenly bodies have their influences upon the earthly, b Judg. 5.20. powerfully to incline, not c Job 38.33. forcibly to necessitate them in their constitutions and operations; They are also appointed certainly d Gen. 1.14. Jer. 33.20, 25. to distinguish the Seasons, And what the predictions of the heavenly bodies. not e Isa. 47.11 12. infallibly to foretell events; so that from their powerful disposing, there may be made some conjectural predictions; but seeing they cannot necessitate, there can be f Deut. 18.10. Isa. 47.13. Jer 10.2. Acts 1.7. Prov. 27.1. Jam. 4 14. made no infallible Prognostications. The creation of man, and the forming of woman. §. 9 Man, the last part of the Creation, and chief of the visible creatures, consisting of a Gen. 2.7. body and soul, was made b Gen. 1.26. & 9 6. in the Image, and after the likeness of God; And out of man thus created c 1 Cor. 11.7. the image and glory of God, God d Gen. 1.27. & 2.12. 1 Cor. 11.8. form woman, the glory of the man, to be e Gen. 2.18. 1 Cor. 11.9. an help meet for him; by which two hath been f Gen. 1.28. & 49.25. Psal. 113 9 propagated through his blessing, the g Acts 17.26. offspring of mankind, to a replenishing the whole earth. Thus God having h Gen. 2 2. John 5.17. finished his work of Creation in six days, he resteth the seventh day, How God rested the seventh day. (where Rest hath not any proper respect unto God as the Creator in his working, but unto the works of the Creation in their producing) as ceasing to create any new Species, or kinds of creatures; but not to preserve what was created, or to produce and preserve new individuals, according to the several Species of the Creation: And what strange kinds have since been produced, different from those several Species, had their first i Eccl. 1.9, 10. principle of being in the active powers of the first ceatures, and so were casually in the works of the six day's creation. §. 10. The glory of God's Wisdom is excellent in the Order of his Creation. God's wisdom in the Order of his Creation. He first a Gen 1.11, 12 forms the grass, herbs, and trees, before he b Gen. 1.14, 15, etc. makes the Stars, lest any should think they had their first production from whence they have their after c Gen 1 14. Job 38 31, 32. growth, and generation. And in the inferior part of the visible world, God first creates those things which have d Gen. 19, 10. only being, next those things which besides being have e Gen. 1.12. life, (and life vegetative) after these, those things which have f Gen. 1.20, 21, 24, 25. being, life, and sense: and lastly, g Gen. 1.26. and 2.7. man, who hath being, life, sense, and reason. Thus God first makes ready the habitation, and then h Gen. 1.28, etc. and 2 8. brings in the inhabitant; he first provides food, and then forms the feeder; he first prepares what is useful for man, and then creates man to use them to his Maker's glory. §. 11. Every thing created perfect in its kind. God creates every thing a Gen. 1.4, 31. perfect in its kind, and it implies a contradiction to say, that God might have created the several kinds more perfect; for than they should have changed their kind with their perfection: and the reason is plain, because the super-addition of natural perfection doth vary the Species, even as the addition of unity doth vary the Number; so that; though God could have made more perfect kinds of creatures, yet could he not make these creatures more perfect in their kind; he could have given them accidental excellencies, but not any natural perfections, without altering their natures; Thus, through incapacity in the creature, God could not do what implies contradiction in the thing. §. 12. In the works of Creation, In his works God manifests his glory. 1. The glory of his Power. 2. Of his Goodness. is manifest the a Rom. 1.20. Rev. 4 11. glory of the Creator, in his Power, Goodness, Wisdom, and Eternity; his Power is gloriously manifested in his creating all things out of nothing, and preserving them, in their being; his b Psal 104.24. Jer. 51.15. Acts 17.25. Goodness, is gloriously manifested in his communicating a proportion of life and blessedness unto his creatures; 3. Of his Wisdom. his c Psa. 104.24. Jer. 51.15. Acts 17.25. Wisdom is gloriously manifested in that admirable harmony of order, and of use; that excellent beauty of proportion, and of parts, which is in the Creation; 4. Of his Eternity. and his Eternity, that is gloriously manifested, in his being the d Joh. 1.1, 2, 3. Author, and Efficient of all things, who therefore must needs have his being before they could have their beginning; and e Rev. 1.8. having his being before time, he must be eternal. The light of nature directs to the worship of God as the Creator. §. 13. God a Jer. 10.11. Acts 17.24. manifesting himself in his creatures to be a Creator, in Power, Goodness, and Wisdom, infinite and eternal; the light b Acts 17.24, 25, 27. Rom. 1.20, 21. of nature doth direct man to love him, to worship him, to invocate, and to praise him. And to this end, God c Gen. 2.3. Exod. 20.11. resting the seventh day, The seventh day the Sabbath. doth bless and sanctify it; thereby setting it apart as d Exod. 20.10. Isa. 58.13. Exod. 31.15. an holy Sabbath for the solemnity of his worship, to be observed in all after Generations; How long to continue. till Christ the e Mat. 12.8. Lord of the Sabbath, by his work of Redemption, far greater than this of Creation, doth give f Col. 2.16. Rev. 1.10. change to the day in an higher advancement of the worship, by a more excellent glory of the Solemnity. How the Creation is an object of our faith. §. 14. That God is the Primary and sole Efficient Cause of the World's existence, may be evidently and infallibly demonstrated by a Rom. 1.19, 20 light of Nature, and argument of Reason; yet the actual Creation of the World (especially for manner and time) is not to be proved by any demonstrative Argument, but by b Gen. 1.1, etc. divine Authority; and so is become an Article of our Creed, not a part of our Science; we c Heb. 11.3. believe it as delivered by divine Revelation, we know it not, as discovered by humane Reason. CHAP. VIII. Concerning the Providence of God. §. 1. All things subordinate to God's will. SEeing God's Will doth determine his knowledge, and limit his power; all things must needs be subordinate to the a Psal. 115.3. & 148.5. & 103.20, 21. Counsel and Command of his will, whose essential properties being b Psal. 25 8. goodness and holiness; c Psal. 145.9. goodness the fountain of his grace and mercy; d Rev. 15.3, 4. holiness the fountain of his truth and justice; this subordination of all things unto his will, must certainly be in order to the glory either of his mercy, In order either to his Mercy, or his Justice. or of his justice; of his goodness, or of his holiness; the two e Psal 89.14. & 100.5. pillars of God's Throne of Majesty, The wisdom and power of his Providence. whereon he sits as f Psal 95.3. & 146 10. King in the supremacy of his will, to govern by the wisdom and power of. his providence g Psal. 135. Isa. 66.1. all things in heaven and in earth; and God's will being immutable in its determinations, Infallible in its administrations. his Providence must needs be infallible in its administrations. §. 2. The Infellibility of God's Providence doth not take away the use of mean, Yet neither are the deliberations of Counsels, the industry of endeavours, nor the importunity of prayers; neither are the admonitions of precepts, the encouragement of promises, nor the deterrement of threaten, taken away or made void, but rather a 2 S●. 5.19, 24. Psal. 128.2. Da. 9.2.3, etc. Mat. 4.45. Acts 27.21.30.31. etc. confirmed and made good by the infallibility of God's Providence in the determinations of his will. For that, but confirms it. God determining the end, doth also b Ephes. 2.10. 2 Thes. 2.13. order the means, means proportionable and agreeable to that end; which maketh much for the c 2 Thes. 2.15. strengthening of our faith, d 2 Pet. 1 10.11 quickening of our obedience, and e Rom. 5 2. confirming our hope: hope of obtaining the end as determined by God's will, when we observe the means as appointed in God's word. To deny God's Providence is Atheism. §. 3. So that to establish the means, and deny the Providence of God determining the end, is a part of Atheism; to establish the Providence of God determining the end, To despise the use of means is profaneness. and despise the means, is great profaneness; but to use the means so, f Psal. 17.7. Pro. 30.5. as withal to trust and g Heb. 6.15. Isa. 25.9. attend God's Providence for the obtaining of the end, To establish both, is truth and righteousness is a way of truth, and a work of righteousness: knowing this, that Prayers, and Counsels, and Endeavours, they are appointed of God, To what end is the use of means. not whereby we should alter his will, but h Mat. 6.10. perform it; not whereby we should change his decree, but fulfil it; and in what we obtain not our desires, we testify our obedience. The course of nature declares the Providence of God. §. 4. The Order of Nature's course, doth plainly declare the hand of God's Providence; for, seeing the irrational and inanimate creatures do all act to some determinate end, it is thereby evident, that they are directed by some powerful Agent determining that end; and so, though themselves are void of life and reason, yet by their natural course, do they discover a supernatural cause, who both a Heb. 20.21. lives and b Psal. 94.10. knows, and accordingly both rules and orders, according to the end himself wils and effects. This aptly illustrated. The flying (then) of the arrow, and hitting its mark, doth not more certainly and plainly declare the hand of man who shoots it, than the operations of the creatures, and the attainment of their end, do certainly and plainly declare the Providence of God which governs them. God's Providence is 〈◊〉 naked view, but an actual administation. What God's Providence is in its general ●oncourse. §. 5. God's Providence being an Act of infinite power and wisdom, whereby he a Neh. 9.6. Psal. 104 30. Psal. 145.15, 16 Acts 17.28. preserves and b Psal. 29.10. & 103.19. governs all things in order to his glorious mercy and justice, it cannot be any c Psa 33.13.14 bare and naked view, but an d Psal. 33.15, 18, 19 Psal 115.3. Ephes. 1.11. actual and efficatious administration: Even in the general concourse of his Providence, he is e Psal. 139.7.8, 9, 10. Jer. 23.24. Col. 1.17. powerfully present by an immediate and intimate operation at all times; and in all places, with all things; All the creatures depending upon God, not in their being only by creation, How absolutely necessary for the creatures preservation. but also in the f Psal. 4.29, 30. Col. 1.17. Psal. 36, 7. continuance of their being by g Psal. 104.21. & 147.9. preservation; for that, if the World and all the creatures in the world were not sustained by the same h Heb. 1.3. Psa. 104.29, 30 Job 34.13, 14. Psa. 36.6. word of power by the which they were created, they would presently dissolve, and return to their first nothing. §. 6. This aptly illustrated. Every thing depends upon God for its being, as the Air upon the Sun for its light. The Sun hath its light in itself, but the Air hath its light by participation from the Sun: thus God hath his being from himself, but every creature hath its being by participation from God; and as the Air partakes of the Sun's light without any partaking of the Sun's nature, so the creatures have their being from God without any being of the Essence of God; yea, as the Air, when the Sun withholds his enlightening beams, ceaseth to have any light; thus the creatures, when God withholds his sustaining power, cease to have any being. §. 7. The extent of God's Providence. This wonderful Providence of God is extended to all a Psa. 107. Job 12.17, etc. Jer. 18.6 Psa. 75.6, 7. Psa. 145.15.16 Prov. 19.21. Dan. 2.21. & 4.32, 35. persons, and actions, and b Jer. 10.13. things, c Isa. 28.29. & 45.9. & 43.13. Rom. 11.38. determining all causes, but determined of none; his power neither d 1 Sam. 14.6. Psa. 33.16. Dan. 3.17. Amos 5.9. Luke 1.37. Job 9.12. bound to, nor limited by means, God doth work oftentimes e Exod. 34.28. Mat. 4 2. without, and oftentimes f Josh. 3.16. 2 King. 2.8. & 20.21. against means, to teach us to trust his Providence, even g Psa. 23 4. Rom 4.18. when we see no means. And when God maketh use of means, Why it makes use of means. it is not from the deficiency of his power, but from the riches of his goodness, communicating that virtue, and conferring that honour unto the creatures, The seeming disorder in the World, doth advance the glory of God's Providence. h Psa. 77.20. 2 Cor. 6.11. Jer. 12.17. instrumentally to cooperate with himself. §. 8. That things happen a Ps. 73.3, 4, 12. well unto the evil, and b Psa. 73.10, 14 ill unto the good, is not (〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉) confused disorder, but a wise and c Psa. 73.16, 17. Jer. 12.1. just disposal of God's Providence, whereby the wicked become the more d Rom. 2.4. inexcusable in their sin, and so God's e Rom. 9.22. justce the more illustrious in their destruction; the godly become more f Mal. 3.3. eminent in grace, and so God's g Rom. 9.23. 2 Thes. 1.10. mercy the more glorious in their salvation. By both which God assures to us the h 2 Thes. 1.5. general judgement of the last day, and assure the general judgement of the last day. when he shall i Rom. 2.6, 7, 8 2 Thes. 1.6, 7. render to the wicked according to their obstinacy and impenitency; and unto the godly according to their humility and patience. Wherefore that seeming (〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉) disorderly disposition of particular Events, doth exalt the glory of God in the (〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉) wise and orderly dispensation of his general Providence. God's Providence doth order sinful actions without any the least share in the sin. §. 9 Though God by his Providence hath an a Acts 17.28. influence upon all men's actions, yet hath he no b Hab. 1.13. share at all in any man's sin; his providence over wicked men, is no more the cause of their sinful wickedness, than the Sun beams upon a rotten carcase are the cause of its noisome stench: That there is a scent is from the operation of the Sun's beams, This illustrated but that the scent is noyso, proceeds from the corruption of the carcase: Thus, that there is any action is from the concourse of God's Providence, but that the action is sinful, proceeds from the wickedness of the sinner. Or as he who rides and rules a lame horse, is not the cause of his halting, so when God c 1 Kin. 12.15. Isa. 10.5.15. Isa. 13.3. Acts 4.28. moves and governs the wills of the wicked, he is not the cause of their sin. God doth not move them to evil, but moves and orders them being evil, sometimes d Judg. 9 23. 2 Sam. 12.11. 2 Sam. 16.10. 1 Kin. 22.22. letting lose the reins by permission, That God's Providence extends to what is sinful, is not by a mere permission, but by a powerful and wise ordination. and sometimes e Gen. 31.29. Job 1 12. & 2.6 holding them in by restraint, as f 1 Kin. 11.11. his justice, or his mercy doth require. g Gen. 31.24. §. 10. Yea, God's Providence is extended to the evil wills and sinful actions of the wicked, not by a mere permission, but by a power and wise ordination; a 2 Sam. 16.10. 1 King. 22.22. 2 Chro. 11.4. 2 Thes. 2.11. secretly moving and inclining their wills to some certain objects, and b 2 Chro. 10.15 Isa 54 16. Rom. 9 17. wisely ordering and directing their actions to some righteous ends. And when God doth this work upon the evil wills of the wicked, he doth not make c Job 34 12. their wills evil, or d Jam. 1.13. move them unto wickedness: for that, when God doth make use of the wicked as his instruments, they are not merely passive, Wicked instruments are proper Agents, and how. but really active, as endued with a rational faculty of understanding, and an elective principle of will, whereby they become proper Agents, and propose other ends to themselves then what God hath purposed in himself; they e Isa. 10.6, 7. act their own wicked designs, whilst God order them to the effecting his sacred decrees. §. 11. Indeed, How the Executioners of God's Justice. the wicked are so the instruments of God's Power, as that they are withal the a Psa. 17.13, 14. executioners of his Justice; and we know, that when the Judge gives up a Malefector into the hands of the executioner for the punishment of death; and in that Execution how guilty of sin. if then the executioner have no respect to the justice of the Judge, but pursue the rage of his own malice, satisfying his furious revenge in executing the Malefactor punishment; the death of the Malefactor, though justice in the Judge, will be found murder in the executionor before the Judgement Seat of Christ. And what! Shall this stand good with those that are said to be Gods, and not with him, b Psal. 82.6. who hath said they are Gods? The wonder of God's Providence in respect of wicked minds. This is then the wonder of Gods working in his Providence, that he doth make an c Isa. 13.3, 5. holy use of wicked minds, d Acts 2.23. & 4.28. effecting his just and holy will even by their wills, which are unjust and unholy; and yet is this no e Acts 3.15. extenuation of their sin, nor shall be any f Jer. 51.25, 26. mitigation of their punishment. §. 12. Further, as not the decree of God's will, God's Providence imposeth no compelling force. so nor doth the concourse of God's Providence, impose any compelling force upon the creatures; so that, though there is not any event a Numb. 35.22, 23. contingent, in respect of God, yet are there b Exod. 21.13. many contingents in respect of secondary causes: but establisheth the nature of all causes, contingent, free, and necessary. And indeed; God the primary cause doth work in all things according to the nature of the secondary causes; c Prov. 16.33. with contingents according to the nature of their contingency, with free d Mat. 17.12. Agents according to the nature of their liberty; and with e Psa. 104.14. necessary causes according to the nature of their necessity; so far is God from compelling and enforcing by his Providence in causes contingent and free, No compelling force of Providence in necessary causes. that he doth not do it in causes f Job 38.35. natural and necessary: for in them both he implanted by nature such an obediential power, that they g Psa. 105.28. Psa. 147.15. & 148.8. Joel 2.25. fulfil his word by a natural propension, not a violent compulsion; they perform his command by a ready observance, not a forced obedience. Contingency in secondary causes illustrated. §. 13. That in the Dispensations of God's Providence, some things are fortuitously contingent in respect of their secondary causes, which yet are infallibly necessary in respect of God the Primary and Supreme Cause, we illustrate by this Allusion. When a Master sends two servants to one and the same place, by different and divers ways, each being ignorant of the other's mission; Their meeting, as it relates to the servants who intended it not, is casual and contingent; but as it relates to the Master, who preordained their meeting, it is intended and necessary: Thus are there many things contingent in respect of the created Agents, who are a Psa. 119.91. all as servants; which yet are necessary in respect of their first cause God, as b Pro. 22.2. Lord and Master of all. How God's Providence is equal, and how unequal. §. 14. Though the several dispensations of God's Providence are all equal as to the act of his will, yet are they very much unequal, as to the effects in the creatures; for that, by how much any thing hath its nearer access to God, in the degrees of its excellency; The Providence of God, general, special and peculiar. by so much it hath an higher place with God in the order of his Providence. Hence it is, that as the Providence of God is general a Psal. 103 19 Job 34.13 over all the world, so is it special b Psal. 103.19. Heb. 12.9. over Angels and c Psal. 22 28. Job. 7.20. men, and peculiar d Psal. 45.6. Isa. 50. 2, 7. Rev. 15 3. 1 Tim. 4 10. Mat. 16.18. over the Church of his Elect. The law of natu e, and how executed in God's general Providence. For the order and government of the world by his general Providence, God hath established in the creatures a e Psal. 148.6. Isa. 55 10. Jer. 33.20. law of nature, to the execution whereof he hath given them f Psal. 19.5 Hos. 2 22. natural inclinations, g Prov. 6.6. & 30. ●4. Jer. 8.7. secret instincts, and an h Job 37.12, 13 Psal. 44.4. Psal. 105.16, 19 31, 34. Psal. 103.21. Psal. 148.8. Isa. 7.18, 19 obediential power, whereby they are still ready at his Summons and command. §. 15. What a miracle is. What is done in the world according to the a Jer. 31.35.36 & 33.20. H●s. 2.22. law of nature, is by God's ordinary Providence; but what is done above the law of nature, is by his Providence extraordinary, and it is called a d Psal. 136.4. Psal. 77 14. Miracle; so that e Dan. 4.3. miraculous effects do declare an omnipotent cause f John 10.25. Acts 2.22. Exod. 8.19. manifesting the efficient to be Almighty. and How one greater than another. And that one g John 14.12. miracle is greater than another, is not in respect of God's power, which being infinite, admits no degrees, but is h Isa. 40.15, 17 equal and the same in all; but in comparing one miracle with another, they will appear one greater than another, in respect of those different degrees, they exceed the strength of nature in their production. §. 16. Wherein miraculous effects exceed the strength of nature. Miraculous effects exceed the strength of nature, either in relation to the substance of the thing done; or to the subject in which it is done, or the manner how it is done. 1. In relation to the substance of the thing done; as when the a 2 Kin. 20. 1●. Sun went backward at he Prayer of Hezekiah; or, a● when the b 1 Cor. 15.53 Pail 3 21, body shall be glorified in the resurrection of the just●; which (for the substance of the thing) Nature at no time, and by no means can effect. 2. In relation to the subject in which it is done; as to c Joh. 11.33.34. to give life to a dead Lazarus, and d Mark 10.46. sight to a blind Bartimaeus; nature indeed can give life, but not to a dead body; it can give sight, but not to a blind man. 3. In relation to the manner how it is done; as the e Mark 1.31. present and perfect curing of a Fever with a touch; the f 1 Kin. 18.38. speedy fetching down fire with a word; both may be done by nature, but not in that order and manner which is properly the miraculous operation of a divine power. These several kinds of miraculous effects are one greater than another; the first greater than the second, and the second greater than the third; all according to the several degrees they exceed the strength of Nature in her most powerful operations. God's special Providence over Angels and men. §. 17. Besides that general Providence of God common to all the creatures, there is his especial Providence over Angels and men, correspondent to their so excellent condition, How over Angels. as being endued with understanding and will; God's special Providence over the Angels, in his a Psal. 103.19. Heb. 1.6. subjecting them to his government, b Psal. 104 4. Heb. 1.14. appointing them their ministrations, and c Psal 91.11. Mat. 6 10. ordering them in their services according to his will. How ever men. His especial Providence over men, appears in his d Job 10 8. Psal. 139.13, 14, 15. forming them in the womb, and giving them birth; in his e Job 7.1. & 14.5. numbering their days, and appointing their deaths; in f Prov. 16.1. ordering their thoughts g Prov. 16 1. ruling their tongues, and h Jer. 10.23. directing their paths. God's peculiar Providence over the Church of his Elect. §. 18. Besides this special Providence of God over Angels and men in general, there is a peculiar Providence of God over the Church of his Elect in particula; The dispensation whereof is committed of the Father unto a Psal. 2.6. Isa 9 6, 7. 1 Cor. 15.24, 25 Christ the b Isa. 9.6. Prince of Peace, The dispensation hereof committed to Christ, and how performed. and c Psal. 24.10. King of Glory; and this as he is the d Ephes. 1.20, 21, 22. Col. 1.18. Head of the Church, which is his body; the members of which body he governs by his Spirit, e Ezek 36 27. putting his Law into their hearts, and f Phillip 2.13. working in them both to will and to do, still leading them with his Counsels, till he receives them unto glory. §. 19 God's Providence particularly applied. The Providence of God whether a Psal. 113.5, 6 generally extended, or especially b Psal. 139 16. eminent; or c 2 Chro. 16 9 Psal. 34.16. peculiarly gracious, it is d Job 39.1, etc. Psa. 113 7, 8, 9 Psa. 146.7, 8, 9 Mat. 6.26, 28. particuliarly applied. Though generally extended to all creatures, yet particularly applied to every creature. Every e Mat. 10.30. head, and how. yea every hair of the head; f Mat. 10.29. every sparrow, yea every feather of the sparrow; every g Psal. 147 8. pile of grass or h Mat. 6.30. bit of straw, doth declare not only the immediate presence, but also the Almighty Providence of God; and not only in a general notion, but even in a particular relation of providencial notice and regard. §. 20. This aptly illustrated. God doth not do with the world as the workman with a watch; when by the divine art of his al-powerful hand, he hath finished each wheel, and fitted each part, then to wind it up by a law of nature, and set it by him, to observe how the time spends, how the ages pass; no, but rather God doth with the world, as David with his harp; when artificially made, and accurately strung, he tunes the creatures, as so many strings, unto an unisone consent of divine harmony, by an obediential power, unto his holy will; and then by his hand of Providence he strikes each string in its due place, whereby it hath a particular note in the a Psal. 103.22. Psal. 148. universal melody of the World's Hallelujah. §. 21. Why God's Providence doth not admit Annihilation of the creatures. Such is the Providence of God in his Government of the world, and for the preservation of his creatures, that there is no annihilation of them, either by course of nature, or miraculous power: not by course of nature, for in all the vicissitudes of generation and corruption, the first matter, as the subject of both, remains incorruptible, and not by miraculous power; for the end of miracle, as an act of divine power, is to manifest the divine goodness; and miraculously to annihilate, is not correspodent to this end of Miracles, which is attained by preserving rather then by annihilating. CHAP. IX. Concerning the Angels Elect and Apostate. What the nature of the Angels is §. 1. THE Angels (in a Dan. 7.10. Heb. 12.22. number innumerable) were created in b Job 38 7. chief excellency over all the creatures, being c Heb. 1 7, 14 Luke 20.36. spiritual and d Heb. 1 7, 14 Luke 20.36. immortal substances, beautified with a more e 2 Sam. 14 20. 2 Cor. 2.11. Ephes. 6.10. excellent knowledge, f Job 38.7. John 8.44. uprightness, g Isa 6.2. Ezek. 1 7. Rev. 14 6. agility, and h 2 Pet. 2.11. Mat. 12. ●0. strength. How and when created. §. 2. Created they were all together, and at once, ( a Mat. 22.29.30. propagation being inconsistent with the Angelical Nature, and proper only to corporeal substances) made the b Psal. 103 21. Host of the invisible Heavens, as the c Jer 33.22. Stars are the host of the visible, and so a d Gen. 1.1. & 2.1. part of the (Haxameron) six day's creation. Indeed, the Angels, being a part of the Universe, were certainly created with the whole Universe, of which they are part, the whole consisting of creatures spiritual and corporeal. Why and how immortal. §. 3. The Angels are therefore immortal, because immaterial; immortal intrinsically in the constitution of their natures, not extrinsecally in relation to God's power; which, as it did produce them out of nothing by creation, so can it reduce them into nothing by annihilation. It is God's property alone to be a Mal. 3 6. Jam. 1.17. absolutely unchangeable in himself, and in relation to all outward Agents. The trial of Angels. §. 4. For the Government of the Angels by his Providence; God imprinted in them a a John 8.44. knowledge of his Truth at their creation, and enacted them a Law for their trial, to which law having annexed a promise of free reward upon obedience, and a threatening of due punishment upon transgression, The obedience and confirmation of the good Angels. some of the Angels being firm in their obedience commanded, became partakers of the reward promised; being b 1 Tim. 5.21. Luke 9 26. confirmed in grace c Eph. 1.10, 22. Col. 2.15, 20. through Christ, and established in d Mat. 18.10. & 22.30. 2 Cor. 11.14. glory with God; according to their e Ephes. 1.21. & 3.10. Col. 1.16. 1 Thes. 4.16. several offices and degrees enjoying his presence, and doing him f Plas. 103.20. Isa. 6.3. Luke 2.14. Rev. 5.11, 12. service for ever in Heaven. §. 5. In what the confirmation of the good Angels. The Angel's confirmation (then) is in the a Mat. 18.10. 1 John 3.2. 1 Cor. 13.12. beatifical vision; and indeed, this and this alone doth establish in a gracious impossibility of falling, to behold God in his essence; which is the full enjoyment of the chiefest good, from which the Blessed cannot Apostate; it being more possible for them to quit their being, then to desert their God, and forsake their Bliss. Which Bliss of the beatifical vision being supernatural, could not be given to the Angels in their Creation from God, but in their confirmation by Christ. §. 6. How and why f am grace, and not from nature. The Angels and man where (indeed) created happy, in that natural blessedness of spiritual contemplation, but not that supernatural bliss of the Beatifical vision, which being the last end of the rational and intellectual Creature, could not be attained by any ordinary work of nature, but by some extraordinary a 1 Tim. 5.21. act of Grace. For, To be, and to be Blessed, is one and the same in none but God; and therefore to be is from Nature, but to be blessed is from Grace, as the last end of being in a perfect communion with God through Christ by love. §. 7. This we know, This grace in the understanding. thrt neither can the understanding attain in its knowledge, nor can the will pursue in its desires, what is above its nature to desire or know. Wherefore the Divine Essence being an Object infinitely transcending every created understanding, it was impossible the Angels should know God in his essence by any natural light, but by a a Psal. 36 9 supernatural grace; which supernatural grace doth fortify the understanding of the Angels (as an habit doth strengthen the faculty of the soul) to apprehend God in the glory of his Divine Nature. and in the will made perfect by Christ. §. 8. With which supernatural light in the understanding to know, the Angels have communicated to them a supernatural strength in their will to love God in his Essence, as the last end of their being, and the full object of their happiness. Thus, The Angels in their beatifical vision of God, become united to him by love, and are confirmed in their supernatural blessedness through Christ, The b Ephes. 1.22. Col. 2, 10. Head of all Power, and c Ephes. 1.10. Col. 1.20. the Centre of all Unity. The fall and punishment of the evil Angels. §. 9 Others of the Angels under the conduct of their a Mat. 12.24. Ephes. 2.2. Prince, called b 1 Chro. 21.1. Mat. 4.1. Luke 10.18. Rev. 12 9 Satan and the b 1 Chro. 21.1. Mat. 4.1. Luke 10.18. Rev. 12 9 Devil, by their sin committed, brought upon themselves the punishment threatened. And so falling from the c John 8.44. Judas 6. Truth, they fell from their c John 8.44. Judas 6. estate, thrown down d Luke 10.18. 2 Pet. 2.4. Judas 6. from Heaven to Hell, there to be reserved in d Luke 10.18. 2 Pet. 2.4. chains of darkness unto the judgement of the great day; that day, when Christ shall fill up their measure of wrath, in a e Mat 25 41. 1 Cor. 6.3. full and final condemnation of them to Eternal torments. The service of the good Angels in behalf of Christ's Church. §. 10. And now, as God in mercy and love hath set and appointed the a Luke 9 26. 1 Tim. 5 21. good, holy and elect Angels under b Eph. 1.20, 21, 22. Christ, to be c Heb. 1.14. Psal 91.11. ministering Spirits for the benefit of his Children in their d Psal 34.7. Luke 2.10. & 16.22. Gal. 3.19. direction, protection and comfort, so hath he in judgement and wrath permitted and ordered the e Luke 8.2. & 9.42. Evil, The use and malice of the evil Angels in respect of the wicked. Rebellious, and Apostate Angels, under Satan to be f 1 Sam. 16.14. John 8.44. 1 Kin. 22.21.22 2 Cor. 2.11. & 4.4. Ephes. 2.2. Rev. 12.9. seducing Spirits, for the deceiving of the wicked by their temptations, suggestions, and subtleties. §. 11. God's glory manifested in both. Thus doth God make good the end he aimed at in all his works of Creation and of Providence, even to manifest the a Isa. 6.3. & 43.7. glory of his Name; making some of the Angels to be b 1 Tim. 5.21. Mirrors of his free mercy, others c 2 Pet. 2 4. spectacles of his severe Justice, both the subjects and examples of his wisdom, No fear to the good, no hope to the evil Angels. holiness, and power. And now, as the d Mat. 18.10. Luke 20 36. 1 Tim. 5.21. good Angels, which stand, are confirmed in Bliss above all fear of falling; so the e 2 Pet. 2 4. Judas v. 6. Rev. 20.10. evil Angels, which are fallen, are plunged in misery below all hope of recovering. §. 12. Among the Angels in Heaven, ●hat the orders and names of the good: how given and constituted. there are different a Ephes. 1.21. Col. 1.16. orders and degrees, all according to their different offices and ministeries; and the b Isa 6.2. Dan 8.16. & 9.21. & 10 13. Gen. 3.24. names or appellations given them in Scripture are not proper to them in their natural constitutions, as Spirits; but in their virtual operations, as Cherubims, Seraphims, etc. and in their c Dan. 10.13. temporary Ministrations, as Angels. Which name of Angels doth signify them to be d Heb. 1.7, 14. Messengers, being especially employed of God in the behalf of man. §. 13. How they assume bodies in their ministration with men. And when the Angels sent from God appeared in a Gen. 18.2, 8. & 19, 1, 2, 3. humane shape, they did but assume those bodies in which they performed their Ministries; putting them on, suddenly form of some preexistent matter, and putting them off (as a man doth his ) as suddenly resolved into the same matter preexistent. What the actions they performed in those bodies. And those bodily actions which they performed, as eating, speaking, going, etc. though they were actions truly real, yet were they not operations properly vital; they did indeed proceed from a living principle, but were not acted in a living subject; those bodies being only temporarily assumed by the Angels, not hypostatically united to them. What their knowledge, how increased and perfected. §. 14. That excellent knowledge, which the good Angels had by a John 8.44. nature, is much improved by what they have by b Luke 15.10. 1 Cor. 11.10. Ezek 10 3. experience, and is farther increased by what they have from c Dan. 8.16. & 9.21. Revelation, but made incomparably excellent by what they have from the d Mat. 18.10. Beatifical vision of God. Such (then) is the fullness of intellectual light in the Angels, that what they know, is not apprehended in parts, by a discursive reasoning, but comprehended at once in a e 1 Cor. 13.12. present intuition of their understanding; and this so perfect and clear as is without any the least mixture of falsehood, or missed of Errors. Yet know not all things, not the secrets of the heart. §. 15. But though the Angels are so excellent in knowledge, yet do they not know all things; no, not the a 1 Cor. 2.11. secret thoughts of man's heart, but as they are either revealed by God's Spirit, or discovered by man's self; he manifesting his affections by their effects, his thoughts by their signs, whether internal in the soul, This God's prerogative. or external in the body. To b Jer. 17.10. Rev. 8.27. be (〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉) the searcher of hearts, is the Prerogative of God alone; How they know the mysteries of Grace. And if the Angels know not the c 1 Cor. 2.11. secrets of man's heart, much less can they know the secrets of God's counsel, but when revealed: so that the Mysteries of Grace, are not known to the Angels, but by Revelation from God. How they admonish §. 16. The blessed Angels, as a Mat. 2.20. & 3 19 Acts 27.23. our Spiritual Counsellors, they may by presenting truth to the mind internally admonish; as our Heavenly friends, b Heb. 1.14. they may by secret instigations privately persuade; and persuade. yet cannot savingly enlighten or convert. this also God's prerogative. but they cannot by any saving enlightenings illuminate the mind, or by any effectual operation move the will; for he who is (〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉) the searcher of the heart, he and he alone c Prov. 21.1. Jer. 31.18. is (〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉) the Converter of the heart. §. 17. When the holy Angels are busily employed in their Ministry, How the Angels enjoy God's presence in their ministrations to the Church. for the service of God's children, they still behold the face of God, by virtue of his omnipresence; and though their Ministry be on Earth, yet are they said to be in Heaven; though not in respect of place, yet in respect of the beatifical vision, for that, as wheresoever the Royal person of the King is, there is the Court; so wheresoever the glorious presence of God is, Aptly illustrated there is Heaven. Wherefore, as the Labourer hewing wood in the Sunshine so plies his work, as that withal he enjoys the light, cheered with the warmth of the refreshing beams; so the Angels performing their Ministry in God's presence, so discharge their office, as that withal they enjoy their blessedness, encompassed with the glory of the beatifical vision. §. 18. What honour we give the good Angels as their due. We allow the holy Angels a due proportion of our love, our a 1 Cor. 11.10. reverence, and our b Mat. 6.10. imitation, but may not rob c 1 Tim. 2.5. Christ of the glory of his mediation by making d Col. 2.18. them our Mediators; And seeing that Invocation of Prayer is a main e Psal. 50.15. & 72.15. Part of Divine worship, What we may not give, as not being due. Not make them our Mediators, not invocate them: and why. it must be f Isa. 42.8. appropriate unto God, and therefore it cannot g Judg. 13.16. Rev. 19.10. without Idolatry be applied unto Angels, who are our fellow creatures, though far above us in the glory of their creation. We may not invocate any, but him, who is the h Mal. 3.1. Angel of the Covenant, Christ Jesus, from whom i Gen. 48.16. Jacob (having received deliverance himself) begs a blessing upon Joseph's sons. §. 19 Their manner of working and of utterance not known. What is the manner of working whereby the Angel's exercise and actuate their power, and what their manner of Utterance, whereby they signify and communicate their thoughts, we cannot determine, because it is not revealed; only this, the former we believe to be a 2 Kin. 19.35. Psal. 103.20. wonderfully effective, What we believe of both. the later to be b 1 Cor. 13 1. clearly significant, and both exceeding quick and speedy in the performance. So that when the Scriptures tell us of the Tongues of Angels, What meant by the tongues of angels. they are Metaphorically to be understood, of that Angelical Utterance whereby they outwardly manifest, what they inwarldly conceive. What reason dictates concerning the speech of Angels. §. 20. Thus much Reason dictates to us, That the Will being Empress of all the faculties, doth move the Understanding in its intellectual operation, by whose actual knowledge, if the Will confines within the limits of the mind, a man (by that inward word of the mental conception) a Mat. 9.3, 4. speaks unto himself; But if the Will requires it to be manifested without, and exposed to open view; by the outward word of voice, or b Luke 1.22. hand, or eye, or other external sign, a man speaks unto another. But in that language, or rather, Manifestation of the inward thoughts which is Angelical, one Angel speaks unto another (having no Obstacle of bodily substance, and so, no need of external sign) by the only act of the Will, as willing, what he knows or desires himself, to be made known and manifest unto another. How different, and how agreeing with that of Men. §. 21. With men, the secrets of their heart are kept hid by a double obstacle, that of the Will, and that of the Body; so that the thoughts of the heart which a man wils not to be revealed at all, are kept hid from the Angels, as locked up by the will; and when a man wils his thoughts to be known, if he declare them not, they are kept hid from Men as veiled with the Body; for though the mind be near so open as unlocked by the will, yet not being expressed by some sensible sign, such is the thick wall of flesh, that we see it not. But with the Angels, being spiritual substances, the only door to shut in, or let out the secrets of the Mind, is the Will; so that, no sooner doth one Angel will that another know, but the other presently knows what that Angel wils. §. 22. It is consonant then to Reason, How the same with that of the souls separate. that the speech of Angels, is the same with that of Souls when separate from their Bodies; even an act of the Will ordering the conceptions of the Mind to be manifested to another. For that, remove the wall of flesh, and the soul than needs no door of the mouth for the mind to come forth at, by voice to show its self; the Will ordering the conceptions to be manifested, is language enough to speak the intentions of the mind, for others (whether Angels or Souls separate) to apprehend. This then is the voice and language of an a 1 Cor. 13.1. Judas 9 Angel, even, a willing another to know, what he wills by him to be known. §. 23. The Sin of the Apostate Angels, What the sin of the Apostate Angels. which was the cause of their fall, we cannot particularly discern, because the Scriptures do not plainly discover. We suppose it to have been a sin immediately against the Son of God, accompanied, or rather completed with the a Mat. 12.24. & 31.32. Sin against the Holy Ghost, in an irreconcilable hatred, and enmity against that truth, of which they were in conscience so fully convinced; Upon b Isa. 14.12, 13, 14, 15. Satan's pride and envy at Christ's person did follow his malice and c John 8 44. hatred of Christ's Truth, even the d John 14.6. Rev. 14 6. eternal Gospel of his Incarnation, as ordained of God in humane nature e Eph. 1.22.23. to be the head of the Angels, f Eph. 1.10. united to the body of his Church. Satan's malice against Christ, ●nd how especially prosecuted. Which malice and hatred of Christ and his truth, Satan hath ever since prosecuted by bloody persecutions raised against his Church by horrid blasphemies and Heresies vented against his person in his Divinity; his Humanity, and the offices of his Mediation. §. 24. What the knowledge of the Apostate Angels. Though the evil Angels are a Mat. 13.19. & 16.25. Eph. 6.12. spoiled of grace by their sin, and b 2 Pet. 2.4. Judas 6. involved in darkness by c Luke 10.18. their fall; yet are they eminent in d 2 Cor. 2.11. & 11.3. Eph. 6.11. Jam. 2.19. knowledge by their Nature, How increased. and this much e Eph. 6.11, 12. heightened by long experience in the world, and from divine f Mat. 4.6. & 8 29. J●m 2 19 revelations in the Scriptures; yea by g Judas 9 frequent contests with the good Angels, yet can they not h Isa. 4.23. foretell future events, How not foretell events. by any light of foreknowledge in and from themselves; but what they do foretell are either such things as they find foretold by the holy Prophets, How foretell them. or prepared in natural Causes, or such things as they know already designed, being privy to the good, and ⁱ assistants to the wicked designs of men; or such things as by some evident signs they conjecture, or by some seeming probabilities they presume; The end of all diabolical predictions. but whatsoever it the prediction or revelation from the evil Angels, is is intended to k Mark 1.36. Acts 16 17.18. deceive and seduce; to mischief and destroy; and therefore l 1 Kin. 22 21, 22. l Deut. 13 1, 2, 3. Eph 6.11. neither is to be sought for, Why not to be allowed of. nor to be allowed of; all compliance with Devils being a m 2 Cor. 6 14, 15. Ephes. 5 11. renouncing of God, and thereby a ruin to the soul. What the power of 〈◊〉 evil 〈◊〉. §. 25. As the Evil spirits are eminent in knowledge, so are they also a Mat. 12.29. Ephes 6.12. migty in power, yet a power b Job 1.12. & 2 6. 1 Pet. 5.8. limited and restrained, God holding them fast in the Chain of his Providence; so that, when made executionors of his wrath, they are kept c Mat. 8.32. Rev 7.2, 3. subject to the command of his will. How exercised. By Divine Permission and Providential ordination it is, that the Evil spirits exercise their d Job 1.12.16.19 Ephes. 2 2. Rev 7. ●, 3. power in the fire, in the air, in the waters, and on the earth; upon trees, upon beasts, and upon men. Some e Luke 8.30. Mat. 8.16. men they actually possess, some they f Luke 22.3. Acts 5.3. Ephes. 2.2. wickedly pervert, some they g Zech. 3.1. 1 Thes. 2.18. eagerly oppose, but all they h 1 Pet. 5.8. 2 Tim. 2.26. daily tempt, and with the i 1 Chro. 21.1. Luk 22.31.57. best they often prevail, though not so as k Gen 3.15. Psal. 5.1. Luk 22.61, 62. Rom. 16.20. fully to overcome and finally to destroy. What their names, and how proper and common. §. 26. The Prince of the Apostate Angels is called by those a Mat. 25.41. Luk. 10.17. names in an eminency of Evil, which will fit all the rest in their proportion of Evil. He is called sometimes the b John 8.44. 1 John 3.8. Devil (the c Rev. 12.10. Accuser) with lies, reproaches and calumnies accusing God unto man, and man unto God. Sometimes the d Mat. 4.3. 1 Thes. 3.5. Tempter by evil suggestions still soliciting unto sin. Sometimes the e Mat. 13.19. Ephes. 6.16 wicked one, being full of iniquity himself, and ever prompting others unto wickedness. Sometimes f Luke 10.18. Acts 26.18. Satan (the Adversary) setting himself against God and Christ, the good Angels and holy men, raising and promoting enmity and contentions. Sometimes the g Mat. 13.25. Luke 10.19. Enemy and the h 2 Thes. 2.10, 11, 12. Destroyer, raising i Rev. 20.8. seditions and wars to destroy nations, k 1 Sam. 16.14. dissensions and divisions to ruin families, God's glory manifested in all. l Mat. 13.25. Rev. 12.12, 13, 17 persecutions and Heresies to infest the Church. In all which God doth manifest the riches of his wisdom, and greatness of his power; to the glory of his mercy, and the advancement of his Justice, in m Mat. 24.24. Luke 21.18. the gracious salvation of his chosen, and the n Rev. 9.11. just condemnation of the wicked. §. 27. The wonderful working of Satan. By his subtlety and power Satan doth work his a 2 Thes. 2.9. lying wonders, deceitful in themselves, and intended by him for the deceiving of others; yea, sometimes he doth work b Deut. 13.1, 2. Mat. 24.24. true signs, yet thereby aims he at the destruction of truth; which true signs, though they seem wonderful, Why not true miracles. yet are they not such wonders as are truly c Acts 8.13. called Miracles. For they cannot be any supernatural Effects, being only the events of some Natural Causes, d Exod. 7.12. & 8.7. which Satan by a secret subtlety doth compact, not by any proper power doth produce. Every supernatural Effect must needs be the issue of a supernatural Cause, ●ll miracles are from God. which is God; and e Psal. 72. ●8 & 136.4. he alone who did wonderfully create the world without matter pre-existent, can powerfully create wonders without means cooperating; Such the mira●les of Christ. and such were the f Joh. 10.25. Act. 2.22. glorious Miracles of Christ, whereby he did testify the Divine power of his Godhead. §. 28. ●hy not such the workings of ●a●an. Wherefore if the Devil could work true Miracles to persuade false Doctrines, than were Miracles a weak and insufficient a Mat. 16.17.20 argument to confirm the true faith. Besides, that is a true Miracle which is above the order of created Nature, and so above the reach of any created power, whether it be in the good Angels or in the Evil. As for those b 1 Sam. 28.12, 13. Acts 8.9, 11. Diabolical impostures (then) wherewith Satan doth delude the sight, and deceive the fancy, however they may seem c 1 Sam 28.13. Acts 8.9, 10. prodigious operations, yet are they indeed but airy apparitions. The punishment of the evil Angels. 1. Of loss. 2. Of sense. §. 29. The Evil Angels by their Apostasy incur a double punishment of loss, and of sense. Their punishment of loss, in being a Luke 10.18. 2 Pet. 2.4. cast out of Heaven, their punishment of sense, in being b Mat. 25.4. tormented in Hell; which torment is not only that of inward anguish, made more accurately gripping by horrid despair, but also that of outward flames, made more horridly dreadful c 2 Pet. 2.4. Judas 6. by utter darkness. Luke 10.18. And the Apostate Angels (though Spirits) become tormented with scorchings from the infernal flames, How tormented with the infernal sire. as the souls of men (though Spirits) become affected with pain from their distempered bodies. The manner is wonderful, the measure inconceiveable, the Truth real. And seeing that among contraries, as the reason, so the faith of the one doth clear and confirm the reason and faith of the other; therefore we may conclude, How the Doctrine concerning Devils helps to confirm the faith of God. That if there be a Devil, there certainly is a God; and if Evil Angels to serve the Devil, then, sure good Angels to attend that God; And if there be an Hell of torment for the wicked, then sure there is an Heaven of joy for the godly. CHAP. X. Concerning the estate of Man before his Fall. §. 1. By the common works of creation is manifested the will and power of the Godhead. THAT a Jer. 51.15. efficient virtue whereby the world was made, and which in the b Psal. 19.1. world as in its effect is manifested and declared, doth not relate to the subsistence and Persons, but to the essence and c Rev. 4.11. will of the Deity; therefore though by the common work of creation is made d Rom. 1.20. known Gods eternal power and Godhead, yet e Mat 16.16, 17 not the mystery of the Trinity. Not the mystery of the Trinity. But when God doth form man, to denote the excellency of his creature, That clearly manifested, this darkly presented in man's creation. and to declare somewhat of the Mystery of the Trinity in the plurality of the persons) he calls a council (as it were) for man's creation, and proposeth himself as the pattern of his Being: Let us (saith God, f Gen 1.26, 27. even Father, Son, and Holy Ghost) Let us make man in our image, after our likeness; Created in God's image. thereby imprinting in man a conformity to the Divine nature; yea some resemblance of the Personal subsistences. §. 2. Wherein the Image of God in man did consist. This conformity unto the Divine Nature wherein man was created as the image of God, did appear most of all in the Soul, much in the body, in the person, and in the state of man before his fall. Man's Soul in its nature did (in some proportion or analogy) represent God in his essence; 1. In respect of his soul. as being a substance a Gen. 2.7. Luke 23.46. Acts 7.59. spiritual and b Psal. 49.15. Mat. 10.28. & 22.32. Phil. 1.23. 1 Pet. 3.19. immortal, as God is; endued and adorned in his understanding with c Col. 3.10. perfect knowledge, in his will with d Eccles. 7.29. liberty, in his affections with purity, and in all his faculties with e Eph. 4.24. Luke 3.38. holiness and righteousness. §. 3. 2. In respect of his body. That conformity in man to Divine Nature in respect of his body, did consist in a a Rom. 5.13. secret harmony (not visible shape) of the parts, and in an b Gen. 2.25. excellent beauty (not external figure) of the whole; such was the beauty of the body from the virtuous lustre of the soul, as is the light of the lantern from the bright shining of the candle. Yea, the members of man's body represent unto us the attributes of God's nature; and therefore as the parts of the Jews Tabernacle did c Heb 8.5. & 9.23, 24. bear the image of heavenly mysteries, so do the parts of man's body bear the image of the divine attributes; so that we say the d 2 Chro. 16.9. Psal. 11.4. Jer. 32.19. Eye of God, to denote his wisdom and knowledge; the e Deu. 33.27. Exod. 6 6. arm of God, to intimate his power and strength; the f Psal. 139.10. & 145 16. hand of God, to signify his protection and providence. 3. In resect of his person. §. 4. That part of God's image in man which relates unto his person, doth consist in that Sovenaignty and dominion given a Gen. 1.26. 1 Cor. 11.7. him of God over the creatures, being b G●n. 2.8. placed in Paradise as his royal seat, the c Gen. 2.19. beasts of the Earth there made subject to him. And such is the excellency of this representation of God in Sovereignty and Dominion, that d Psal. 82.6. Kings and Judges of the earth are therefore called Gods. This pecular to man above the woman. And this part of God's image is peculiar to man e 2 Cor. 11.8, 9 above the woman, who in all particulars else is equal to the man, having her Original being correspondent to her Conjugal condition, Woman oath wise equal to the man. being f Gen 2 22. 1 Cor. 11.8. taken out of man, not from the head, or feet, but the side; and so to be, not his Mistress, or his Handmaid, but his g Gen. 2.18. Eph 5 22, 23. Associate, h Gen. 2.23, 24 Eph 5.28.33. near in relation, and dear in affection each to other. 4. In respect of his estate. §. 5. Thus man who was spiritual and immortal in his soul, who had knowledge and wisdom in his understanding, liberty and uprightness in his will, integrity and moderation in his affections, an harmony and soundness in his members, Sovereignty and dominion in his person, must needs have a felicity and blessedness of estate, and so be (in his proportion and measure) a complete a Gen. 9.6. image of God, In all man a complete image of God. who could not know misery b Gen 2.17. Rom 6.23. till he knew sin, and so not cease to be happy, till he did cease to be holy. §. 6. Besides this Image of God in a conformity to his divine nature, What the resemblance of the Trinity in man there is in man some likeness of the Trinity in a resemblance of the personal subsistences; Which may be found, either in those three faculties of the Soul, the Understanding, Memory and Will, which three faculties have but one soul, and the soul is one and the same in all the three faculties: or else, in the frame and order of man's intellectual nature and operation, for that in one and the same spiritual Being, the understanding doth beget the Word of the mind, the image of itself, in which it knows; and from both issues a Dilection in the Will, whereby it loves: which is some likeness, though no perfect Image of the Trinity. §. 7. Wherefore, when God saith, What most properly meant by those words of God is the creation of man, After our likeness. a Gen. 2.26. Let us make man in our own image after our likeness; those words, After our likeness, we understand aright (〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉) by way of exposition to those words, In our Image; and so, they intimate unto us what this image is; not of identity, but of analogy; not of essence, but of quality; that being b 2 Cor. 4.4. Col. 1.15. H b 1.3. John 14.9. 1 Tim. 3.16. proper unto Christ, this common unto c Job 1.6. Mat. 22.30. Angels and d Gen. 9.6. 1. Cor. 11.7. Man. Man (then) being made in God's image, and after his likeness, doth denote a distance of diversity, as well as declare a nearness of similitude. Indeed Christ, and Christ alone, is the perfect and equal image of God, being coessential, and coeternal with the Father; so that, God's image is in Christ, as that of the King in his connatural Son, by generation; but in man, as that of the King in his public Coin, by impression. §. 8. It is an inseparable property of Man's soul, in its analogical conformity to God's nature, The souls immortality not lost by the fall. to be immortal; which could not be lost by the fall; for that, in man degenerated by Sin, as in man regenerated by Grace, What the change in man by his fall. the change is real, but not essential; it is in a Col. 3 10. Eph. 4 24. qualities, but not in substance; it is in the gifts and habits of the mind, and thereby in the excellency, not in the essence of the soul; And as not in the souls essence, so nor in its essential powers and properties; man by his fall doth become indeed b Jer. 10.14. brutish, but not a brute. c Psa. 49 12, 20 Like the beasts in sensuality, but not a beast in real truth. Why the soul is immortal. §. 9 The soul then in all men continuing to be immaterial, it must needs be immortal, which otherwise could not be capable of an a 2 Cor. 5.1. Rom. 2, 7. 1 Pet. 1.4. eternal reward in the godly, or an b Mat. 25.4. Mark 9.43, 44. eternal punishment in the wicked: and needs must the soul be immortal, which is spiritually begotten of c 1 Pet. 1.4. immortal seed, and nourished by d John 6.51. incorruptible food; which, together with our whole Christian faith, would become e 1 Cor. 15.13, 14 vain, yea perish in the souls mortality: So that we cannot profess the Religion of Christ, if we deny the immortality of the soul. When the soul is created and infused into the body. §. 10. The soul is not a Rom. 9.11. pre-existent in its self before it is united unto the body by inspiration from God; but as in the b Gen. 2.7. primitive being of the soul in Adam, so in the successive beings of souls in all men; The c Num. 16.22. Zech. 12.1. Col. 1.17. Job. 5.17. soul is then infused by Creation, and created by infusion when the body is prepared by a fit * Exod. 21.22. organization of the parts, What its principal seat, and how it informs the body. made capable to receive it. Whose Royal seat is in d Deu. 5.29. & 65. & 30.14. Prov. 23.26. Heb. 8.10. the heart, and by its (analogically) omnipresent power and infinite essence in its little world, it actuates e 1 Cor. 12.14, etc. the whole body, and each member according to the several dispositions of the Organs. And the soul thus inspired or infused, it is not (de Deo) of God in his essence; but f Rom. 11.36. (a Deo) from God in his power, How the soul is the offspring of God. and so it is g Acts 17.28. Heb. 12.9. his offspring by way of efficiency, in a conformity of divine habits in its qualification, not by an identity of divine substance in its Constitution. §. 11. In man's primitive integrity, How possessed of all virtues in its integrity. Reason being subordinate unto God, and the inferior faculties subordinate unto Reason, Man was in a proportion possessed of all virtues; some in habit, though not in act, some both in act and in habit. Those virtues which did imply an imperfection in man's estate, were in him only according to their habits, and not their acts, as mercy and repentance, which implies misery and sin. Those virtues which did imply nothing repugnant to man's created perfection, were in him both according to their habits and their acts as Faith, Hope, and Charity; Justice, Temperance and Chastity; and the like. §. 12. The souls of men not propagated. Seeing the soul doth receive its being by a Eccles. 12.7. Isa. 57.16. 1 Pet. 4.9. creation, it cannot be (extraduced) propagated by generation; as if the soul were from the soul as light is from light, or the body from the body; for then sure, Adam would have said b Gen. 2 23. of Eve, that she was spirit of his spirit, as well as flesh of his flesh; And why. neither can that be by natural generation, which is incorruptible in its nature; yea, simple and indivisible in its substance; now such is the c Luke 23.46. H●b. 12 9 soul of man. §. 13. Yea, Especially proved from their immortality. the soul being an immaterial and immortal substance, subsisting in its self, and so, a Heb. 12.23. Rev. 6.10. having the operations of life without the body, it cannot be by Generation, but must have its being by Creation; otherwise, as it gins its being with the Body generated, it should cease to be with the Body corrupted, and thereby could not be immortal. Wherefore to say the soul is propagated by carnal Generation, were to deny its immortality, and therewith overthrow the Faith, and destroy our Christianity. What the immortality of humane nature. §. 14. Besides the immortality of the soul in its spiritual substance, man in his primitive estate had an immortality of humane nature, not whereby he had no power to die, and from whence. but whereby he had a power not to die, from his Original righteousness he had a power not to sin, and from thence did flow that his primitive immortality in a power not to die, and how lost. a Gen. 1.17. Rom 6.23. death being a punishment, and so a consequent of sin. §. 15. Yea some Bodies we acknowledge incorruptible, either in respect of their Matter, or of their Form, or of their Efficient; amongst which were the bodies of our first Parents. How some bodies said to be incorruptible. The Heaven of Heavens was created incorruptible, in respect of its Matter, as having no capacity of, nor propension to any other Form then what it already hath. The Bodies of the blessed shall be raised a 1 Cor. 15.42, 53. incorruptible in respect of their form, as having thereby conveyed to them such an endowment of immortality, as shall preserve from all corruption. and how the bodies of our first Parents. And the Bodies of our first Parents were kept incorruptible in respect of the efficient, God communicating to them a preservative power by effectual means, the Tree of life appointed for the preventing of corruption, whilst they continued in their innocency. What and how great things God did that Man should not sin. §. 16. That man should not sin, God gave him a a Col. 3.10. clear knowledge, and an b Eccles. 7.29. upright Will; he gave him a c Gen. 2.17. firm law, fenced with a gracious promise upon obedience, and a dreadful threatening upon transgression; and he gave him a visible d Gen. 2.9. sacrament to signify and seal what was promised, and what was threatened. All this God did, that man should not sin; and what he would have done that Man should not die. and had not man sinned, more would God have done, that he should not die: he would have preserved him from outward violence, by e Psa. 91.1. & 121. 34, etc. divine protection and the f Psal. 34.7. & 91.11, 12. Ministry of Angels; he would have supplied him with continual food from the wholesome g Gen. 1.29. & 2.16. fruit of a pleasant Paradise; he would have prevented all distemper, decay and dissolution, from sickness, age, and death, by the virtue of temperance and the h Gen 3 22. tree of life; yea after his temporal estate of an earthly happiness, God would have i Gen. 5.24. Heb 11.5. 1 Cor. 15.51. translated him to an Heavenly habitation of eternal blessedness. §. 17. Original righteousness was not such, What original righteousness was, as that thereby man had no power to sin, for the a Gen. 3.6, 11.12, 17. event shows the contrary; but such, as that thereby man b Gen 1.27. & 2.17. had a power not to sin; which Original righteousness was a * Gen. 1.26. Eccles. 7.29. con-natural endowment, no supernatural gift, and therefore had it been transmitted from Adam in his standing, as the privation thereof is propagated in his fall, unto his whole posterity; For that, being the righteousness of man's nature, not Adam's person, and how to h●ve been transmitted to Adam's posterity. it did belong to an equal right unto his Posterity as to himself; and so should have been transmitted (not by virtue of any seminal power, but of c Exod. 20 6. divine ordination) to all after generations. §. 18. Why said to be a con-natural endowment. Wherefore seeing Original righteousness was to have been propagated with the human nature if man had not fallen, it could not be any supernatural gift; and seeing Original righteousness is wholly lost, and yet man's specifical nature retained in his fall, it could not be from any natural principle; therefore we say it is betwixt both, a con natural endowment. It did not flow from any principles of man's nature, but was given to man with his nature to be a natural principle of Actual righteousness; And (seeing opposita sunt unius generis) Original sin being opposite to Original righteousness; as Original sin is become a natural deformity, so was Original righteousness a natural integrity, and with man's nature, to have been transmitted by propagation to Adam's posterity. The will the chief seat of original righteousness. §. 19 The inseparable property of the will (the chief seat of Original righteousness) is this, that it act freely without constraint, either in choosing or in refusing what is presented unto it by the understanding. What its essential liberty is. And this is the liberty, which is so essential to the will, as that without it it were not will. And therefore it is to be found in God and in Christ, in the Angels and in Devils; yea in man whether it be in his estate of innocency, of sin, of grace, or of glory. What the liberty of contrariety is, and why not essential to the will. The liberty then which is essential to the will, doth not consist in a liberty of contrariety, which implies an indifferency to objects specifically different, as a Deut. 30.19. good and evil, for than should not the will of God, nor of Christ, no, nor the will of Angels, or of the blessed, have its liberty, seeing they cannot will what is evil, being b Heb. 12.23. Rev. 14.13. perfectly confirmed in good. What that of contradiction is, and why not essential to the will. §. 20. Yea, it is not absolutely necessary to the freedom of the will, that it have a liberty of contradiction, being indifferent in the exercise of the act, to will or not to will; for that the blessed Angels and Saints in heaven do freely love and praise God, yet can they not a 1 Cor. 13 8, 12. Rev. 4 8. & 7.15. forbear or suspend the acts of loving and of praising him; sure, the will, as in the desire, so much more in the enjoyment of its last end, it necessarily wils; and yet freely too. It cannot but will, yet without any external force, or internal coaction, being b Psal. 16.27. & 11.15. & 36.8. wholly possessed with a delightful complacency in its object. In what it is necessary that the will have a liberty of contradiction. That the will then be free in a liberty of contradiction, is necessary only in the use of means, which admit of deliberations; not in the desire or enjoyment of the last end and chief good, to which the will is carried by a natural propension, not a voluntary election, and so excludes all preceding deliberation. §. 21. What's the liberty of will in God, in Christ, in the Angels, and in the blessed. What in the Devils, and in the wicked. What in man in the state of innocence, and of grace. Such a liberty of will then as is free only to good, is in a 2 Cor. 3.17. God, and in Christ, in the Angels, and in the Blessed; such a liberty of will, as is free only to evil, is in the Devils, and b Gen 6.5. Job 15.16. in the wicked; and such a liberty of will as is free both to good and evil, was in man in his state of innocency, and is in him in c Gal. 5 17. Phil. 2.13. his state of grace. In Adam then before his fall, there was not any thing of coaction from within, or of enforcement from without, to compel him to will or do what was good, or what was evil, whether it were in things Natural, Civil, Moral, or Divine. CHAP. XI. Concerning the Covenant of Works, and the Fall of man. §. 1. MAN being made in a Gen. 1.27. God's Image, Adam had a knowledge of Gods will perfect in its kind. had a perfect b Col. 3.10. knowledge of God's will; not that c Isa 40.13. Rom 11.33, 34. absolute and secret will of God, which is the Cause of all Being; but that d Deut. 29.29. conditional and revealed will of God, What the Law to Adam. which is the e Psal. 143.10. Mat. 6.10. rule of man's working, Which will of God, was to be a law to man; How the same with the Decalogue. and Adam in his creation, had this f Psal. 40.8. Jer. 31.33. Rom. 2.15. law written in the table of his heart, the same in substance with the Decalogue, g Exod. 34.28. that law of the ten Commandments, which afterwards Israel had written in tables of stone. §. 2. God having given man a law, What the Covenant of Works he further entereth with him a a Exod. 34.28. Deut. 9.10. Jer. 31.31, 32. Heb. 8.9, 13. Covenant. This called the Covenant of Works. In which the b Leu. 18.5. Ezek 20.11. Rom. 7.10. & 10.5. Gal. 3.12. promise on God's part, is the confirming man in his created estate of life, holiness, and happiness: The c Leu. 18.5. Ezek. 20.11. Rom. 7.10. & 10.5. Gal. 3.12. condition on man's part, is perfect obedience unto the d Deut. 27.26. Luke 10.25, 26, 27. Gal. 3.10. Jam. 2.10. whole law of his Creator, according to the full extent of his revealed will. What the seal of the Covenant. This Covenant God seals in a solemn ratification with that Sacramental Tree, the e Gen 2 9 & 3.22. Prov. 3.18. Tree of life. §. 3. Thus God having made firm his Covenant, The trial of man's obedience. he doth put man upon the trial of his obedience, a Gen. 2.16.17 forbidding him to eat of the tree of knowledge; setting on the prohibition with this commination, b Gen. 2.17. that in the day he eateth thereof, he shall surely die. So that as upon man's performing the condition, God freely promised by covenant a Blessing of life; so upon his breach of the Covenant, God severely threatened in justice the curse of death. Man left to the use of his freewill. § 4. Now God having entered a Covenant, and sealed it, enacted a probatory law, and published it; he leaveth man ( a E●cles. 7.28. furnished with sufficient power) to the use of his free will, for the trial of his obedience. Tempted by Satan. And here the b John 8.44. Devil in malice to God, and envy to man, making use of the c Gen. 3.1, 2, 3, etc. 2 Co. 11.3. Serpent, by the subtlety of his suggestions, deceiveth Eve; and by the plausible importunity of her d Gen. 3, 6. 1 Tim. 2.14. persuasions, Transgresseth in eating the forbidden fruit. seduceth Adam to a breaking the Covenant of his God, by eating the forbidden fruit. Satan's bait to catch men. §. 5. That which Satan (in his temptation) doth labour by subtle Sophistry to persuade, is this, That man should not die though he did eat, but should be like God, The subtlety of Satan's temptation when he had eaten, This poison the Devil first presents unto Eve, in a covered cup, words of a dark, dubious, and perplexed sense, by a Gen. 3.1. way of interrogation, (yea, hath God said?) the better to catch at her answer, His order and progress in it. and pursue his design: And when by his questioning, he hath b Gen. 3.3. brought God's Command into question; he presently c Gen. 3.4. takes away the commination (which God hath set as a bar to his law, lest man should break in, and transgress his command) and to God's severe threatening he d Gen. 3.5. opposeth an enticing promise; which he sets on with a false crimination cast upon God; and as a gloss to his lie, he gives a rare commendation of the fruit, The Tree of knowledge of good and evil, why so called. seemingly made good by the very denomination of the Tree, the e Gen. 2.17. Tree of knowledge of good and evil; which name it had of God, not from the constitution of its nature, but of his ordinance, with respect to the event of man's sin foreseen. §. 6. wherein the heinousness of Adam's transgression doth consist The enormity and heinousness of Adam's sin, is not to be sought for in the taste, or in the fruit, or in the tree, which present but a low estimation of the sin, to a seeming meanness of the fact; but it is to be sought for in the a Gen. 2.17. & 3.11. Exod. 20.1.2. high contempt of the Divine Majesty, and Law, in the b Gen. 3.5.6.22. proud affectation of the Divine Dignity and Likeness; yea, in the horrid Apostasy of preferring Satan's word before Gods, and thereby turning from God in his truth, to a siding with Satan in his c John 8.44. lie. The sin then of our first Parents, it was no light, trivial, or single sin, but indeed a mass or heap of heinous, horrid, and manifold impieties, even to a violation of the whole Decalogue, how a violation of the whole Law. in a total breach of that d Jam 2 8 Royal Law of love, which doth e Mat. 22 36, 37, 38, 40. Rom. 13.10. fill up both tables in what concerns God, our neighbour, and ourselves. §. 7. In this transgression of adam's, What was man's fist sin, is doubtful, and so difficult to determine the concourse and complication of many sins, it is doubtful and difficult to determine which was the first sin; the erroneous a Jer. 4.22. Psal. 14.2. judgement of the understanding, that must necessarily go before the evil election of the will in order of nature: yet we conceive the understanding and will, What the first internal principle of evil in man. by error and evil choice, did in one and the same instant complete the sin, and thereby became the first internal principle of evil in man, whether that evil were a sin either of vain confidence, or infidelity, or of pride, or of covetousness; one of which most probably was (which is not necessary to be determined) the first sin committed by Adam in his Apostasy. Adam's sin was from himself freely without force. And thus, that Adam sinned, was not by any a Jam. 1.13. enforcement either of positive decree in God, or of b Jam 4.7. irresistible temptation in Satan; or of c Eccles. 7.29. evil disposition in himself; But at the suggestion of the Devil Adam misusing the liberty of his will, of his own accord did d Rom. 5.14.15 transgress the command of his God, and thereby became guilty of sin and liable to the curse. Adam's sin incurs God's cum see of death §. 8. Thus the Act of disobedience committed by Adam of his a Eccl. 7.29. own freewill, bringeth upon him the curse of death, inflicted of God in his just judgement, and not only upon himself in his person, upon himself and his posterity. but also in his b Rom. 5.18, 19 posterity; for that God entered not his Covenant with Adam as he was one man, Why upon his posterity. but as he c Acts 17.26. 1 Cor. 15.21, 22 represented all mankind, of which he was the Root and the Head; And therefore as by Adam's obedience, all his Posterity should have received the reward of life promised; so equal it is, that upon Adam's disobedience, d Rom. 5.14 15 all his posterity should undergo the curse of death threatened. Adam propagates the curse and the sin too; §. 9 And thus, as the blessing of the Covenant had not rested in Adam's person, so nor doth the a Rom. 5 12. curse and as not the curse, so nor doth the a Rom. 5 12. sin; But both sin and curse being seated in b Eph. 2.3. humane nature, and this in propagating his nature. as well as Adam's person, Adam propagating his nature, doth propagate also his sin, and with his sin the curse of Death. So that, as many, as by natural generation descend from Adam, are c Psal. 51 5. shapen in iniquity, and conceived in sin, d Eph. 2 2, 3. children of disobedience, and children of wrath, subject to e Mat. 10.28. Rom. 6.23. temporal and eternal death. §. 10. Now that no man may question the goodness and Justice of God, in giving Adam a freewill, God's goodness justified in giving man a freewill, though he knew the Devil would thereby enter and destroy man. How it was necessary that man should have a will; and that will a liberty to good and evil. whereat he knew Sin and Satan would enter and destroy him; we acknowledge freewill to be a a Gen. 1.26. necessary part of the pure natural being of man, and so likewise of Angels; therefore, that God might make the Angels intelligent Spirits, and Man a rational creature, necessary it was that they should have a will, which will in its pure natural constitution must have its freedom, in a b Deut. 30.19. liberty to good and evil; for that the will doth become free only to good, is from confirming Grace; free only to evil, that is from degenerating sin; free both to good and evil, that is from pure Nature. §. 11. Seeing then, it was absolutely necessary that Angels and Man, being Intelligent and Rational Creatures, should have a will; and having a will, it was absolutely necessary that will should be free; and being free, it was absolutely necessary that freedom should be in a liberty to good and evil; either God must not have made them such creatures, or he must make them such wills. To have made a rational creature without a will, or a will without its liberty, doth imply a contradiction. For God cannot do what implies a contradiction in the thing, not from any deficiency in God, but from an incapacity in the creature; indeed to be free only to good by Nature, is the perfection of God's will, whose wi●● thereby becomes the very Rule of goodness. §. 12. Besides, The mutability of estate in Angels and Man, did depend upon the liberty of the will. the a Job. 4.18. & 15.15. John 4 44. Judas 6. Gen. 2.17. Mutability of estate in Angels and Man, to the manifestation of God's justice and mercy, doth depend upon the liberty of their will to good and evil; so that to have created Angels and Men in this perfection of will, as free only to good, had been to have created them immutable in their estate, whereas to be such by nature, To be immutable by nature is peculiar unto God. is b Mal. 3.6. Jam. 1.17. 2 Cor. 5.1. Luke 20.36. 1 Pet. 1.4. proper unto God, and incommunicable to the creature, which is not made such but by Grace, and that grace made ᶜ perfect in glory. §. 13. So that, to take away liberty from the will, is to take away the will from man; and to take away the will from man, is to take away man from the Creation; and to take away man from the creation, is to take away much of the manifestation of God's glory in the exercise of his mercy and justice, as well as his wisdom and power. Wherefore though God gave man a free will, whereby Satan entered upon the soul to destroy Adam, Man's fall not to be laid to God's charge. and sin entered upon Adam to destroy his posterity, yet can we not in common equity, lay man's fall to God's charge. §. 14. To stop the mouth of all irrational reasoning; we make this reasonable instance by way of apt illustration. Illustrated by a fit similitude. In the building of an house it is necessary, that for use, conveniency and being, it have a door, which is made of sufficient strength to keep out the thief, so the inhabitant have sufficient care to keep it shut. Now if the thief by fair words, not violent force, get entrance and spoil the goods, whose is the fault? the workman's that built the house, or the inhabitants that set open the doors? With the application we kerb and stop men's curiosity, that it do not run or rush them into blasphemy; and where they cannot satisfy their reason, they are taught to exercise their faith, Where man cannot satisfy his reason, it is reasonable that he exercise his faith. and with devout praise, to take a part in that heavenly Anthem, a Rev. 15.3. Great and marvellous are thy works, O Lord God Almighty! just and true are thy ways, O thou King of Saints. §. 15. This than we affirm as certain truth, that, In man's fall, God's will was permitting and disposing in man's fall. a Psal. 5.4. Hos. 13.9. God was neither compelling, nor commanding nor persuading; but permitting & disposing. And thus, though God did not will man's fall, yet was not (indeed could not be) man's fall without God's will; So that as God did not will man's fall, so nor was man's fall without Gods will. for if the b Matth. 10.30 hair of man's head cannot, sure, the head of all mankind could not; if one poor c Matth. 10: 29 Sparrow cannot, sure, our first Parents, and in them whole humane Stock, could not fall to the ground, universally sink into the gulf d Rom. 5.18. of sin, How ordered to his glory and man's good. and guilt of death, without the will of God; whose will did certainly determine to permit and order man's fall, to the greater manifestation of his own glory, and the higher advancement of man's happiness in a gracious redemption by Christ. §. 16. Thus, as God did not positively will, Why God did neither positively will, nor properly nill man's fall. so nor did he properly nill man's fall; for if God had wiled that man should fall, man falling must have derogated from his goodness and holiness; and if God had willed that man should not fall, man falling must have derogated from his Wisdom and Power; but God neither willing nor nilling, but permitting and disposing man's fall, doth manifest the glory of all his Attributes, in the advancement of his mercy and justice; his mercy, in that a Eph. 1.8, 9, 10. grace he vouchsafeth by Christ to his Church; and his justice, by b Psal. 9.16. Rom. 9.22, 23. those judgements he executeth upon sin in the world. §. 17. Why God ordered man to be tempted, left him, and permitted him to be overcome. God ordered man to be tempted for his trial; left him (in that temptation) to himself, for his conviction; and permitted him to be overcome for his punishment. In the trial he proves man's obedience, in the conviction he discovers man's weakness, and in the punishment he doth correct his a Jer. 17.5. vain confidence; his vain confidence, in trusting to his own strength, Adam lost the assistance of God, by not seeking it in prayer. and not seeking by prayer the assistance of God; who, as he gave Adam a power in his Nature, whereby he might have obeyed, if he had willed; would also have given him a further power in his trial, whereby he had wiled that he might have obeyed, What strength Adam had by creation. and What he might have had by prayer. b 1 Chron. 28.9. Psal. 9.10. if he had sought it of God. And thus, having obtained so much grace by creation, as to have a power whereby, if had wiled, he might not have sinned; he had certainly obtained more grace by prayer, so as to have had a power, whereby he neither might have sinned nor have willed it; being approved in his trial, and confirmed in his conquest; and so established in grace, and made perfect in happiness. Why God cannot be said to be the cause of man's fall. §. 18. God cannot properly be the cause, of what he doth not positively will. Seeing than he did not positively will man's sin, he cannot properly be the cause of man's fall. His determining to permit, and decreeing to order man's sin and man's fall, doth declare his wisdom and power, without the least impairing of his holiness and justice; it doth speak him in his providence an all wise Disposer, Why he permits sin. not an unjust Author of sin; for that his a ● Psal, 145.9. 1 John 1.5. infinite goodness is such, as would not permit evil in the world, were not his infinite power such, as out of that b Rom. 6.20. 2 Cor. 4.6. evil to bring a world of good. CHAP. XII. Concerning the Author, Cause, Nature, and Adjuncts of Sin. Why God cannot be the Author and cause of sin. Its first Original in the Devil. §. 1. THe a Psal. 99.97. & 145.1. Isa. 26.7. Jer. 12.1. Rev. 15, 3. Just and Holy God, who doth b Psal. 97.10. Heb. 1.9. Rev. 2.6. hate, c Exod. 20, 3, etc. Levit. 11.44. forbidden, and d Exod. 34.7 Jer. 9.8, 9 Amos 3.2. John 5.14. punish Sin, cannot possibly be the e 1 John 1.5. &. 2.16. Jam. 1.13.18. cause and Author of Sin, which indeed had its first f John 8.48. 1 john 3.8. birth and being from the Devil, and unto which Adam g Eccles. 7.29. voluntarily betrayed himself in the exercise and abuse of his freewill, How by him in Adam. by h Gen. 3.6. Matth. 4.3. consenting to the Devil's suggestions, which had in themselves no power to force, though permission from God to persuade. How the fountain and cause of sin is in ourselves fallen in Adam. §. 2. And thus by Adam sin a Rom. 5.12. entered into the world, upon whose fall, we find the Original fountain and efficsent (or more properly deficient) cause of sin to be in ourselves; for, having lost that harmony, and broken that subordination of the appetite to the will, of sense to reason, of the body to the soul, and of all to God, man is become even in his best and highest faculties b Jer. 10.14. Rom. 1.21. & 7.14. sensual, and carnal; so that, sense overcoming reason, and the appetite overswaying the will, the will doth overrule all, to a leading the whole man c Rom. 7.14.23 captive into sin. And thus the true cause of man's sin is in man's self; for that, How actual sin is brought forth. d Jam. 1.14.15 Lust conceiving in the e Matth. 5, 28. will's confenting, actual sin is brought forth. §. 3. It is not then any coaction or constraint of necessity in Fate, any force or foresight of Providence in God, or any compulsion or power of Temptation in Satan, but the perverseness and consent of a Psa. 32.5. & 51.3. Acts 5.3. Ephes. 2.3. will in man, which is the proper cause of his sin. What those Scriptures intimate in their truth, which wicked men wrest, to make God the Author of sin in their blasphemy. Wherefore all those places of sacred Scriptures, which wicked men do wrest against truth, and blasphemous mouths retort upon God to the making him the Author of sin, do all declare and chief intimate that wonderful wisdom and infinite goodness of the Almighty, who, as a powerful Disposer, not a bare Spectator, doth order the evil actions of the wicked to his glory, yet not any way partaking of the evil, b Jer. 51.20. John 19.11. though powerfully assisting in the action. §. 4. God restrains from sin, doth not prompt to sin. God it is who a Gen. 31.29. Num. 22.22. 2 Tim. 3.8.9. 1 Pet. 5.8. restrains the wicked from sin; so fare is he from prompting them for ward unto wickedness: but as the Lion let lose from his chain, of his own cruel nature doth devour and spoil; The wicked rush into sin when not restrained. How the same actions are holy in respect of God, yet sinful in respect of the wicked. so the b 1 Sam. 16.14 1 King. 22.23. Ezek. 14.9. 2 Thes. 2.11, 12 wicked let lose by Divine Providence for the execution of God's wrath, c Rev. 20.7, 8. of their own corrupt dispositions they rush into mischief and sin: d Gen 50.20. Isa. 47.6, 7. Acts 2.23. & 3.14, 15. yea, the same Actions are good and holy in respect of God, as ordered to a good end, even the advancing his Justice and Mercy which yet are sinful and abominable in respect of man, as contrived to an evil end, even the satiating their malice and fury. And thus, when e 2 Sam. 12.11. Isai. 47.6, 7. Acts 2.23. & 3.14, 15. wicked men are raised up to be a scourge for the punishment of others, it is from Gods most just and holy will; but the malice, covetousness, cruelty, and other evils which they commit in their executing this punishment, are all from their own corrupt and vile affections. It is no excuse to the wicked, that they fulfil Gods secret will, when they disobey his will revealed: and why. §. 5. And though true it is, the wicked do perform a Rom. 9.19. God's secrets will, his will of purpose, even when they disobey b Acts 2.23. his revealed will, his will of precept; yet because Gods revealed will is the Rule of our obedience, to disobey that, though we perform the other, it c 1 john 3.4. is sin. So that, it can be no excuse of sin in man, or imputation of unrighteousness in God, that the wicked whilst they sin (yet not in their sin) actually do what he by his secret counsel & eternal decree hath appointed to be done: d Acts 4.27. Isai. 10.5, etc. because they do it, not in obedience to God's just will, but in pursuance of their own unjust wilfulness. God wills the permission, not the commission of sin: and why. §. 6. Besides, God's purpose and foreknowledge, is not the cause of what he hath decreed to permit, but of what he hath decreed to effect; seeing God then doth not will the commission but the permission of sin, he cannot be the cause of it. And that God should will the permission of sin, is most just; for that otherwise he should lose the glory of his Justice; yea and of his mercy too: of this we may be confident, God is so infinitely good, that he would not permit evil, were he not withal so infinitely powerful, as to a Rom. 8.28. & 5.20. order that evil unto good. How God is said to harden in sin. §. 7. Further yet, when God is said to a Exod. 9.12. Deut. 2.30. Isai 6.10. & 29.10. & 63.17. Rom 9.18. harden malicious sinners, he doth it not by adding more sin, or infusing more malice, but by further withholding, or quite withdrawing his Grace: and so in just judgement b 1 Sam. 16.14 Psal. 109.6. 1 Tim. 1.20. giving them up unto Satan, and their own c Rom. 1.24.26.28. vile affections, they truly and really d Exod. 9.34. Mat. 13.14, 15. Heb. 3.13.15. Acts 28.26, 27 harden themselves. Sin then is not prompted or caused by God, but suggested by Satan, or raised by lust, and through consent of the will committed by man. §. 8. And as sin hath no efficient, What sin is in its privative Being. but a Rom. 3.23. 1 Cor. 6, 7. deficient cause, so hath it no positive, but a privative Being; and so cannot properly be an action, which is a natural good, but the obliquity and error of the action; which is a moral evil; it is not the work, but the evil of the work, What in its proper nature. in a deviation from the rule of righteousness, the b Rom. 4 5. Law of God, which is the sin. And sin being in its proper nature the c Rom 5.15.17.18 Job. 34.31. Jam. 3. ●. offence of God's Justice in the d Isa. 48.8. Job. 31 33. Isa. 35 5. 1 John 3.4. transgression of his Law, doth bring upon man a guilt, a pollution, and a punishment. §. 9 In The several adjuncts of sin, that 1. It is Gild. The guilt of sin is that whereby a Mat. 6.12. & 23 16. Rom. 1 32. & 3.19. & 4.15. man becomes debtor unto God, bound over unto the penalty of that law which he hath transgressed. From this guilt doth proceed an b Gen 3 10. Heb. 10.31. horror; From whence proceeds horror attended with despair. The c Rom. 1.32. & 2.15. Conscience terrifying the Soul with a self-accusing and condemning sentence, d Gen. 4.13. Heb. 2.15. Heb. 10 31. made more dreadful by despair. 2. It's Pollution, §. 10. Besides this guilt of sin, which relateth unto the punishment, there is a a Mat 15.11. Rev. 22.11. pollution, Whereby God abhors man, which cleaveth unto the soul. Which pollution doth make God to b Prov. 3.32. & 6.16. Isai. 1.15. Jer. 16.18. b Isa. 59.2. Hab. 1.13. abominate and abhor man, and Man himself with a confuon of face. ᶜ hiding his face from him; and doth make man d jer. 3 25 Dan. 9.7, 8. with confusion of face to loath and e Ezek. 6.9 job. 42.6. abhor himself, and to f Gen 3.8. jer. 32.33. fly the divine presence. 3. It's Punishment. God's vindicative Justice diversely expressed. §. 11. The punishment of sin; that is, an a Prov. 13.21. jer. 18.8. Amos 3.2, 6. evil of misery inflicted by God in the execution of his vindictive Justice. Which Justice, as it is provoked by sin, is called b jer. 7.19. Mich. 7.18. anger and wrath; as it is more hotly incensed to severity, it is called c Deut. 29.20. jerem. 7.20. fury, and jealousy; as it denounceth sentence, and executeth punishment upon sin, it is called d Deut. 32.35 jerem. 51.6. Rom. 2.5. judgement and vengeance. Why the guilt & punishment of sin is infinite. §. 12. The weight of the offence committed, is to be measured according to the greatness of the person offended; The a Gal. 3.10. Matth. 5.22. & 12.36. least violation then, of an infinite Majesty, must incur the guilt of an infinite punishment, How all punishment is equal, and how unequal. which is b Rom. 6.23. Eternal Death, And thus all punishment becomes equal extensively, in duration of time, though not Matth. 5.22. & 11.22, 24. intensively in degrees of torment; yea, as is our obligation to the duty, such is our transgression of the command; and as is our transgression of the command, such is the punishment of our sin, all of equal extent; the transgression infinite, because the breach of an infinite obligation, and so the punishment infinite, because the penalty of an infinite transgression The duration of punishment is correspondent to the duration of sin; and how. §. 13. Thus the duration of punishment doth become correspondent to the duration of sin; of the sin, not in respect of its Act, which is transient, but of its pollution, and of its guilt, which are permanent; and so a John 8.24. permanent, as that they are eternal: Wherefore seeing the least sin (without the grace of the Spirit to sanctify, and the mercy of God to pardon) is eternal in its pollution and guilt; it must needs be so too in its b John 3.36. punishment: c Rev. 21.27. certainly excluding the sinner from life and glory, and d Ezek. 18.20 eternally subjecting him to death and misery. How Gods Justice doth punish, and his mercy pardon sin. §. 14. When God's justice executeth the punishment of wrath, a Lam. 3.39. Jerem. 9.9. it is with respect to the guilt of sin. And therefore when God's mercy doth pardon the sin, he b Heb. 8.12. remits the punishment, by acquitting from the guilt. So that if God should require penal satisfaction when he hath forgiven the sin, Penal satisfaction is inconsistent with sins remission. it were as if a man should demand the debt, when he hath c Col. 2.41. canceled the bond; an act this of absolute power, if not of direct injustice; and cannot be supposed in the most holy God, who doth forgive sin, God doth not punish man for the sin he forgives him. but with respect to the d Rom. 3.23. & 5.11. all-sufficient satisfaction of Christ, who hath e Heb. 9.28. 1 Pet. 2.24. born away our sin, by bearing of our punishment. So that, the punishment of sin and its forgiveness are inconsistent, both in the nature of the thing, and by virtue of the satisfaction of Christ. §. 15. The afflictions then of the godly, What is formal punishment; and why the afflictions of the godly are not such punishments. they are not formal punishments, because inflicted of God, not as an avenging Judge, but as a a Heb. 12.9, 10 provident Father, and so are not intended for the satisfaction of his justice (which is the nature of punishment) but either for the abolishing and preventing of sin, by way b Heb. 12.7. Rev. 3.19. of correction; or for the proof and approbation of grace, by way c Job 1.8, 9, 12. Zech. 13.9. of trial; or for the testimony and propagation of the truth, by way of d Phil. 1.29. & 2 17. & 3.10 martyrdom. And thus the afflictions of the godly have in them the nature of e Heb. 12.11. healing medicines, not destructive punishments; f Heb. 12.6. they are the issue of a fatherly love, not the effects of an avenging wrath. §. 16. To say that God punisheth sin with sin, is a saying so improper, To say, God punisheth sin with sin, is very improper: and why. that unless candidly interpreted (cum grano salis) with a due proportion of Prudence and of charity, it is very sinful, even unto blasphemy; for that, God, and God alone is the a Isa. 45.7. Amos 3.6. prime Author of punishment, but no ways and in no sense the b 2 Chro. 19.7. Author of sin. Besides, punishment and sin are as inconsistent in their formal being, as light and darkness; for (seeing privatives are best known by their opposite positives) as the good to which the evil of punishment is opposite, and that to which the evil of sin is opposed, cannot be one and the same good; so no more can punishment and sin be one and the same evil; yea, sin is an evil as being from the will, whereas punishment is an evil altogether against the will. §. 17. True it is, that the same a Psal. 79.27. thing, How that which is sinful may be the punishment of sin. which is sinful, may be the punishment of sin, yet not a sin as a punishment, nor yet a punishment as a sin. That any thing is a punishment inflicted, is from the just ordination of God's Providence, but that the same thing is a sin committed, is from the evil deordination of man's perverseness. Thus the b 2 Chron. 36.14, 15, etc. slaughter and spoil of the Chaldeans was a punishment inflicted by God's justice upon Judah's sin, yet the c Isa. 47.5, 6. & 50 7, 11, 17, 18. & 51.24, 34, 35. cruelty and covetousness of the Chaldeans was a sin committed by their own malice in Judah's punishment. Yet not sin the punishment. God then doth often punish sin with that which is sinful, but not so, as to make sin the punishment. How sin and punishment are formally inconsistent. §. 18. Indeed, punishment being the a Deut. 32.4. execution of God's Justice, and sin b John 3.4. the transgression of God's law, these two cannot possibly so consist together, as to make one to be the other, and thereby God to be the Author of both, or the Author of neither, which is equally absurd and impious. Besides, sin being the c Gen. 6.5, 6, 7 11, 12, 13. disorder of the Universe, is reduced into order by punishment, God repairing the breach of his law, by the execution of his justice, the transgression by the penalty. And seeing God doth order sin by punishment, sure he doth not punish sin with sin, God's wisdom and power in ordering sin and punishment. for that were more disorderly. No, here is the wisdom and power of God, in his providence so to order the same thing which is d 1 King. 12.19 sinful in respect of man's wickedness, to be e 1 King. 12.24 righteous in respect of his justice, f 1 King. 11.31 33, 35, 37. even in the just judgement of sin; and this, without any such absurdity and impiety of making sin to be formally a punishment. Punishment the concomitant or consequent of sin, but not the same with it. §. 19 Wherefore true it is, that sin, which is the a Job. 4 8. Lam. 3.39. meritorious cause of punishment, may sometimes be its b Rom. 5.10. concomitant or c Rom. 1.24, 28 consequent, but not the same with it, nor yet any proper effect of it; for as darkness is the consequent, not the effect of the Sun's withdrawing or withholding his light; so is sin the consequent, not the effect of God's withdrawing or withholding his grace. CHAP. XIII. Concerning Original Sin. §. 1. What Original sin is. Original Sin is that guilt and pollution which seizeth us in a Psal. 51.5. Isa. 28.8. our mother's wombs, in the first Original of our humane being, and is either imputed or inherent, according to our legal or natural capacity in the first Adam. How imputed and inherent. As we were b Rom. 5.12. legally in Adam (he representing all mankind) we have Original Sin in c Rom. 5.18. his actual disobedience imputed to our person; And as we were d Acts 17.26. Heb. 7.9, 10. naturally in Adam (he the root of all mankind) we have Original sin, The unhappy consequent and effects of both. in his e Job 14 5. John 3.6. propagated corruption inherent in our natures; by that imputed disobedience, we are wholly deprived of f Rom. 5.19. 1 Cor. 15.22. all Original righteousness, and by this inherent corruption, we are habitually g Gen. 6.5. Mat. 15.19. inclined unto all actual wickedness. §. 2. We affirm, Original sin doth formally consist in the privation of original righteousness. that Original Sin in Adam's Posterity, doth formally consist in the privation of Original righteousness, as it is an evil defect a Gen. 2.17. & 3.6. through Adam's default, we not having through the demerit of his Sin, what we ought to have b Gen. 1.16. Eccles. 7.29. Rom. 7 10.14. by the law of creation, and the c Deut. 6.4, 5. bond of Covenant with our God; by the breach of which law and Covenant in Adam, it is, that whosoever descends from him by d John 3.6. Ephes. 2.2 3. natural generation (even the e Luke 1.47. blessed virgin, the mother of Christ not excepted) is therefore a child of ●●●●h, because a child of Adam, communicating in his sin, by f Mat. 7.16, 17. Jam. 3 11. partaking of his nature. How we become deprived of Original righteousness. §. 3. That Adam then and his posterity become deprived of Original righteousness is not because God doth forcibly withdraw it by his power, but deservedly withhold it in his justice; a 2 Chr. 15.2. God doth not desert, but being first deserted; And therefore it was not God that spoiled man, but it was man, b Eccles. 7.29. Hos. 13.9. who made void to himself the integrity of his nature by the guilt and pollution of his actual disobedience, which disobedience was indeed a complication of the most heinous transgressions; of pride, ingratitude, Why this deprivation is a sin. rebellion, etc. So that, the first loss of Original righteousness being by Adam's transgression, yea in Adam a sin, the after privation thereof in himself and his posterity must needs be sinful. Why the punishment of Gods withholding righteousness, is no excuse for man's sinful waste and want of it. §. 4. Though true it is, that man having first cast away that rich treasure of Original righteousness by his sin, God after a Isa. 59.2. withholds it in his justice by way of punishment; yet doth not this just punishment from God excuse the sinful privation in man; his Original sin, in the privation of Original righteousness, being, though a necessary consequent, yet not a proper effect of that punishment, much less the formal punishment itself. Sin, in the privation of righteousness doth follow Gods withholding his grace, as darkness, being the privation of light, doth follow the Suns withholding his beams; not as a proper effect, but as a necessary consequent. And though, to be deficient in necessaries is equivalent to an efficiency, be true, where there is an obligation of law natural or positive to require the assistance; yet it is not so, where the obligation is broken by his default, in whose behalf the assistance is required; as it is ●●●e in the Case of man's Original sin in the pr●●●●ion of Original righteousness. §. 5. Original Sin (then) is not from God; he is no ways the Author of it, How we become by nature children of disobedience, and children of wrath. nor it formally a punishment from him; it is properly the effect of Adam's disobedience, and the consequent of God's wrath, whereby we are become by nature children a Eph●s. 2 23. of disobedience, and children of wrath; otherwise, neither should children conceived and quickened, b Rom. 5.14. die in the womb; nor ought they, How proved that we are such. being newly born, be baptised c Rom. 6.3, 6. into the remission of sins. As sin d Rom 6.23. doth inseparably bring forth death, so doth death infallibly presuppose sin; which, in the quickened Embryo, and new born Infant, can be none other than this of Original Sin. §. 6. How Original sin is a repugnancy to the whole law. Which Original sin (not only as the depravation of corrupt nature, but also as the deprivation of primitive righteousness) it is not barely a 1 John 3.4. (〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉) a transgression of the law in some one, or some few particulars; but is more fully b Rom. 7.23. & 8.7. Gal: 5.17. (〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉) an enmity or opposition against the whole Law in general. For the Law is not only the rule of our life, and of our works, but also c Psal. 19.7. Mar. 12.33. Rom. 7.14. of our nature, and of our faculties, requiring integrity and holiness in these, as well as purity and righteousness in them. The same precept which commands love, requires strength; otherwise the Law hath said in vain, d Luke 10.27. Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy strength, seeing e Rom. 5.6. we have no strength to love him: so that, not only to want righteousness in our lives, but even to want integrity in our natures, is opposite to the Law, yea, the whole Law of God, and therefore must be sin. §. 7. Seeing that in original sin, The contagion of original Sin extends to the persons of all mankind, and the parts of the whole man. the evil deprivation of primitive righteousness, is accompanied with a total deprivation of humane nature; therefore as the whole man and all mankind is become guilty, so is a Rom 5.12.13, etc. Gen 6.5. Isa. 1.6. all mankind and the whole man become polluted. And as this Original corruption of man's nature doth extend to all men's persons; so doth this corruption of the whole man extend to all the parts; and how. spreading its contagion into b 1 Cor. 2.14. 2 Cor. 3.14. the understanding by ignorance; into c Deut. 32.18. Psal. 106.21. the memory by forgetfulness; into d Mat. 23.37. John 8.44. the will by perverseness; into e Tit. 1.15, 16. Heb. 10.22. the conscience by confusion; into f Rom. 1.24, 26 Jam. 4.6. the affections by disorder; and into the g Rom. 3.13, etc. & 6.13, 19 very members of the body as the instruments of sin. What Original corruption is called in Scripture. §. 8. This Original corruption is called in sacred Scripture, sometimes a Rom. 7.7. Jam 1.14. lust and concupiscence, sometimes b Rom. 7.8, 13 the sin, the c Rom. 7.17.20 inhabiting sin, the d Heb. 12.1. encompassing sin, and sometimes the e Rom. 7.23. & 8.2. law of sin: It is sometimes called the f Rom. 6 6. Ephes. 4 22. Col. 3 9 old man, g John 3.6. Rom. 7.5. & 9.8. Gal. 5.19. and the flesh, even as flesh is put for the whole man. And therefore we read of the h Col. 2 18. Rom 8 6, 7. 2 Cor. 1.12. understanding, mind, and wisdom of the flesh; the i Ephes. 2.3. Gal 5.24. will, affections, and lusts of the flesh; yea, that this man of sin (inhabiting in sinful man) might be the more fully described; this flesh is said to have its k Col. 2.11. body, and that body its l Col. 3.5. members. The analogy between Christ and Adam in respect of the righteousness and disobedience imputed. §. 9 Thus as there is an antithesis, so is there an a Rom. 5.14. 1 Cor. 15.45. analogy between the disobedience of Adam, and the righteousness of Christ, in that as b Rom. 5.18, 19 1 Cor. 15.22. the righteousness of Christ (the Head of his Church) is imputed to his members for their justification; so equal it is, that the disobedience of Adam (the head of his posterity) be imputed to his members to their condemnation; and as by the obedience of Christ, many (even his whole spiritual Generation) are made righteous, so equal it is, that by the disobedience of Adam, many (even his whole carnal race) be made sinners; What meant by that saying, The son shall not bear the iniquity of the father. whereas then it is said, that c Ezek. 18.20. the son shall not bear the iniquity of the father; it is meant, of those sins (whether in Adam or others) as are merely personal, not of that disobedience, which Adam committing as our representative, doth therefore become ours by imputation; nor of that corruption, which being seated in humane nature, doth therefore become common to Adam, with his posterity, as his natural branches. §. 10. It is not then, by a Rom. 5.14. actual imitation, How original sin is propagated. but by b Gen. 5.3. Ephes. 2.3. natural generation, that we become partakers of Adam's sin, and therefore liable to God's wrath; yea; in the regenerate themselves, How it remains even in the regenerate. How they propagated; it to their children. though Original Sin be c Rom. 8.1. remitted in its guilt, yet it d Rom. 7 23. Gal. 5.17. remains in its pollution, and so becomes propagated in generation: So that the children which descend of pious parents, do partake of Original sin, because they are children by e John 1.13. & 3.6. carnal, not spiritual generation, begotten not according to the operation of grace, but propagation of nature. For, that the regenerate beget children in their likeness, is according to the flesh, as men, and the sons of Adam, not according to the Spirit, as Saints, Illustrated by apt similitudes. and the Sons of God. Sanctified parents f Mat. 8.9, 10. beget children sinful by nature, even as the circumcised Jews beget children uncircumcised in the flesh; or as the wheat cleansed from the chaff, when sown doth bring forth wheat with its chaff again. §. 11. How the children of Believers are said to be holy. Wherefore when the children of Believers are said to a Rom. 11.16. 1 Cor. 7.14. be holy, it is to be understood as spoken of a political, or civil, or of a sanctifying and saving holiness; even such a federal holiness as consists in a capacity of right, and a privilege of claim, b Gen. 17.7. Acts 2.29. unto the promises of life and glory, made of God in Christ unto his Church; And thus it is in the Christian Church, Illustrated by a fit allusion. much like as it was in the Roman State: As in the Roman State a Consul did beget a son in a political right to the City's privileges, which son was not born a Consul, though politically free; thus in the Christian Church, a Saint doth beget a child in a federal right to the Church's promises, which child is not born a Saint, though federally holy. What is the subject of Original Sin. §. 12. The Subject of Original sin cannot be the body or the soul alone, but both together in the whole and perfect nature of man: And though true it is, that in the knowledge of Original sin, it is more profitable, to seek how we may evade it in its punishment, then to examine how it doth invade us in its guilt; yet somewhat to inform men's judgements, though not fully to satisfy their curiosity, we teach, That, to conceive, when and how man doth become the subject of original sin, it must be observed, When the human nature is perfect that the humane nature is not perfect, till the a Gen. 2.7. union of the soul with the body. Now the soul, that is b Zech. 12.1. infused by creation, and created by infusion; and in the same instant that the soul is infused into the body by creation, the body is also united to the soul in that infusion, to the making up of both into one entire Composition of humane nature; and When the subject of Original Sin. which humane nature in the first instant of its being, is the subject of original sin. How the human nature in man becomes infected with Original Sin. §. 13. Now, that humane Nature in the first instant of its being doth become the subject of original Sin, is not from the body infecting the soul, as the musty vessel doth the sweet liquor; nor yet from the souls infecting the body, as the musty liquor doth the sweet vessel; but by a secret and ineffable resultancy from the inherence in them both; The depraved inclination unto evil inseparably accompanying, and indeed necessarily flowing from the evil deprivation of righteousness; which deprivation of righteousness, is the proper effect of Adam's sin, though the necessary consequent of God's wrath; who doth make this a just punishment of Adam's disobedience, even to withhold from his posterity that treasure which he had prodigally wasted, that grace which he had wilfully lost, that image which he had wickedly defaced. And seeing by a just imputation we are partakers of his Sin, it is by a just dispensation that we become partakers also of his punishment; And thus, no sooner do we partake of Adam's Nature, but we partake also of Adam's curse, and so by an immediate and inseparable consequence we become defiled with Original Sin. §. 14. That Original sin is propagated by carnal generation, appears by its antithesis of spiritual regeneration. That Original Sin in the image of God defaced is propagated by carnal generation, appears by that, which in an apt antithesis, is opposite unto it, even the image of God renewed by spiritual regeneration; which the Apostle tells us, is through the a Jam. 2.18. 1 Pet. 1.23. incorruptible seed of God's word; yet, that Original sin is propagated by carnal generation, is not by virtue of any seminal power, How propagated by virtue of divine ordination. but by virtue of divine ordination, it being the just ordination of God, that Adam's Posterity, who were legally guilty of disobedience in him b 1 Cor. 15.22. as their Head, should be legally deprived of righteousness c Rom. 5.15. from him, as his members; which deprivation of Original righteousness being inseparably accompanied with a pollution of natural uncleanness, it was further the just ordination of God, that Adam (having corrupted his nature) in propagating his nature, should propagate his corruption; and so, we (being d Rom. 5.12. Heb. 7.9, 10. naturally in him as our root) do become as men, so e Rom. 5.19. sinners too from him as his branches. §. 15. The sum of what concerns original sin. Thus Original Sin is not seated in the substance of the body, or of the soul single, but in the humane nature upon the union of both; and doth consist in the imputed guilt of Adam's disobedience, and the propagated corruption of Adam's nature, conveyed in carnal generation, by virtue of the Divine ordination of God's justice; which propagated corruption in the regenerate is destroyed according to the a Rom. 6.6. & 8.1. condemning and b Rom. 6.12. Gal 5.16. reigning power thereof; but doth remain in its c Rom. 7.18, 24 inhering and d Rom. 7.23. Gal 5.17. infecting nature, which becomes more e Rom. 7.25. Ephes. 4.23. weakened by grace, shall be perfectly f 1 Cor. 15.53. Rev. 7.14. abolished in glory. What concupiscence is, as spoken of in sacred Scripture. §. 16. This propagated corruption inherent in our natures is called (sometimes in Scripture) a Rom. 7.7. Jam. 1.14, 15. concupiscence, which concupiscence is nothing else, but that depraved disposition, or habitual propension of our corrupt nature, b 1 Thes 4 5. Jam. 1.14. inordinately and actually inclining unto evil; and this, not only in the unbridled desires of the sensitive appetite, Why seated in the superior, as well as in the inferior faculties. but even in the inordinate lustings of the will, and so is seated not c Gal. 5.19, 20, 21. only in the inferior, but also in the superior faculties of the soul, as appears in those sins of envy, hatred, heresy, idolatry, and the like. From whence concupiscence in its inordinacy is. §. 17. Concupiscence (then) in its inordinacy, as sin, is not from the natural condition of our primitive being, but from the corrupt condition of our lapsed estate. For though it is true, that upon the union of the soul with the body, a spiritual substance with a sensible matter, there did necessarily follow in man (whilst stated in integrity) an a 1 Cor. 15.47, 48. inclination and propensity to what was sensible and material; yet that this inclination doth now become inordinate and rebellious, this propension precipitate and vicious, is from the b Eccles. 7.29. Rom 7.17, 20. corruption of man's nature lapsed into sin. Why the sensitive appetite cannot be this concupiscenc● Wherefore the sensitive appetite and natural affection, they may be the c Rom. 7.18, 23 s●●t or subject of concupiscence, but not formally d 1 john 2.16. concupiscence itself, which doth consist in an inordinacy and enormity e Deut. 10.16 Rom. 8.7. repugnant to God's Law, which law saith, f Rom. 7.7. Thou shalt not covet. What the sensitive appetite in m n is. §. 18. Further, we must know, that the sensitive appetite in man, it is the faculty not of a brutish but of a rational soul; and therefore (in pure nature) though the Spiritual part did desire carnal things; And in pure nature how subordinate unto reason. yet did not those carnal things return upon the spiritual part an inordinacy of its desires; the sensitive appetite being an inferior faculty of the rational soul; and so, subject to the dictate and command of the superior faculties, the Understanding and Will. And thus (in the state of integrity) the rational Soul in its natural desires, acting by its sensitive appetite, Thereby specifically distinguished from that in the beasts it was not in a sensuality the same with the beasts, but specifically distinguished from them, as being seated in such a soul as was endued with the light and rule of reason, and as being constituted in such an harmonious subjection as was without the least breach or jar of inordinacy and immoderation. §. 19 Concupiscence in its inordinacy is the issue of mass fall: and why. Concupiscence (then) as an inordinate inclination transgressing the bounds of reason, is altogether repugnant to the natural constitution of man in his primitive purity, and therefore must necessarily be the issue of man's fall, as the sin of corrupt nature. Indeed, we cannot, but with Saint Paul, call a Rom. 7.7, 8, 9, 11, 13, etc. concupiscence sin, which exposeth to b Rom. 7.24. Ephes. 2.13. death, Wherefore called Sin. and makes subject unto wrath; yea, certainly it must be sin in its self, if made c Rom. 7.8, 13. exceeding sinful by the law. And how shall concupiscence d Jam. 1.15. conceive and bring forth sin if it be not itself sinful? The e Mat. 7.17, 20. fruit being evil doth sufficiently declare the tree to be corrupt. CHAP. XIV. Concerning Actual Sin. §. 1. AS the body which hath lost its health, The privation of original righteousness is inseparably accompanied with the corruption of original uncleanness. must needs be sick; the member which hath lost its strength, must needs be lame; so man having a Eccles. 7.29. lost his integrity, must needs be wicked; having lost b Eph. 4.23, 24 his purity, must needs be corrupt. Which Original corruption doth break forth into c Rom. 7.5, 23. Gal. 5.17, 19, etc. inordinate desires, and actual lustings, contrary to the rule of life, the law of God: so that Original corruption is to Actual Sin as d Gen. 6.5. fuel to the fire, What original corruption is to actual sins. or as the e Mat. 15.19. fountain to the stream, or as the f Gal. 5 19 Mat. 13.17. tree to the fruit, or as the g Jam. 1.15. womb to the child, or as the h Col. 3.5. body to the members, or as the i Rom. 7.5. habit to the act. What actual sin is. §. 2. Actual Sin, as it is formally a de-ordination a 1 John 3 4. in the transgression of God's law, cannot properly have any efficient cause, but is rather the b 1 Cor. 6.7. deficiency of those causes, which are the efficients of those acts wherein the sin is seated. What the immediate internal causes of it; and how. The immediate internal causes of actual sin are the c Isa. 27.11. Ephes 4.18. understanding and d Prov. 12.8. Isa 1.19. will, as defective in their proper offices, the former to give, the later to observe the rule and direction of Right Reason. The remote internal causes are the e Psal. 94.8. Prov. 30.2. Jer. 10.21. Jam. 1.26. imagination and sensitive appetite, moving and inclining the understanding and will to what is evil, f Rom. 7.5. Ephes. 2.3. prompted on by the inordinate propension of Original Concupiscence. No inducement whatsoever can cause sin without a conspiracy in the inward man. §. 3. Evil Spirits, wicked men, and sensible objects may outwardly persuade, but they cannot sufficiently induce to any sin, a Psal. 51.4. Jam. 4 7. Psal. 1.1. Judas 16. without a conspiracy in the inward man, b Jer. 4.22. Ephes. 4.17. even of the judgement and will. The external object by means of the imagination may provoke the sensitive appetite, and the sensitive appetite by the judgement may tempt the will; but neither truly necessitate, nor effectually induce a man to sin, without some c Gen 6.12. Prov. 1.16. 2 Pet. 2 15 22. previous disposition in the inordinacy of the will, No actual sin prevailing without the will consenting. The Will not necessitated in its volition, by any power but that of Gods. whereby it consenteth unto evil. So that the fort is not gained, d Deut. 5.29. Prov. 4.23. & 23.26. Mat. 15 8. till the will by consent be surrendered; the soul by temptation is not overcome, till the will in its consent be surprised; and God alone it is, who in his wisdom and power can so e Jer. 24.7. Phil. 2.13. incline the will, as to necessitate ( f Psal. 110.3. not enforce) its volition; the policy and strength of g 2 Tim. 3.6, 13 1 Pet. 5 8. men and devils is all too weak in this attempt. §. 4. One sin is often the cause of another; How one sin is the cause of another. as when man by Sin makes forfeiture a Judas 4. 1 Thes. 5.19. of grace, and so laid b Psal. 109.6. Rom. 1.26, 28. open to Satan's temptations and his own vile affections, he c Psal. 69.27. Isa. 5.18. falls from sin to sin, in a precipice of backsliding from his God. Again, when by his sin man doth ( d Psal. 12.8. ambulare in circuitu) run the round or maze of sin; his sinful acts begetting evil dispositions, those evil dispositions begetting customary habits, and those customary habits bringing forth sinful acts; yea, when e Ephes. 5 18. Rom 13.14. one sin prepares the way and brings fuel to another; as when f 1 Tim. 6.10. Jam. 4.1. covetousness and ambition make work for strife and murder in wars, arising about wealth and honour, who shall possess and command most of this molehill, the earth. Yea, when by way of finality one sin is committed in order to another, as the means directed to the end; Thus g Mat. 26.14, 15, 16. Judas betrays Christ to satisfy his covetousness, and h 1 King. 16 9, 10, 16. Zimri slays his master to satisfy his ambition. §. 5. What the least actual sin is. Every the least actual Sin is a a 1 John 3.4. transgression of God's law; and b Gal. 3.10. every the least actual transgression of God's law is a sin. Sin is manifold in its kind. And though sin be a tree which spreads itself into many branches, a fountain which divides itself into many streams; whether it be in respect of the Subject or the Object, All sin is either of omission, or of commission. in respect of the efficient or the effect: yet is all sin whatsoever, either a sin of c Mat. 25.42, 43. Jam. 4.17. omission, a●● that either in thought, in word, or in work. in not doing what Gods law doth command, or of d Exek. 5.6. & 33 18. Jer. 2 13. commission, in doing what Gods law doth forbid; and this either in e Mat. 12.34 35.36. & 15.19 Acts 8.22. Tit. 1.16. Jam. 3.2. thought, in f Mat. 12.34 35.36. & 15.19 Acts 8.22. Tit. 1.16. Jam. 3.2. word, or in g Mat. 12.34 35.36. & 15.19 Acts 8.22. Tit. 1.16. Jam. 3.2. work. §. 6. What is the formative power in original sin, in respect of actual. Original Sin being as the a Jam. 1.15. womb to actual, hath its formative faculty, to assimilate and make like in the privation of righteousness, and corruption of nature. Whereby sins of omission have with them something of commission, and Sins of commission have with them something of omission, every aversion from God being accompanied with a conversion to evil; Sins of omission always accompanied with sins of commission. and b Jer. 2.13. every conversion to evil with an aversion from God. Though the sin of omission (then) be a mere negative in its self, yet considered in the Causes and concomitants of it, it never goes without a c Isa. 65.12. Jer. 25.7. sin of commission joined with it, never without some internal or external act inordinately evil, either ushering it in, or leading it by the hand. This illustrated by instance. §. 7. Thus, when a man wills the not attending God's worship at the time he is required by God, besides the omission of his duty, he commits a sin in his will, because he wills that omission; and if he busy himself in some temporal affairs, (which, though they necessarily detain him, yet he might without any forcing of necessity have avoided,) besides the breach of an affirmative precept by the omission of his duty, he breaks a negative precept by the commission of a further evil. For he that wils the occasion of any sin, He that wils the occasion of sin, by consequence wils the sin. doth by consequence will the sin itself; yea, if through some preceding intemperance or carelessness, he becomes indisposed or disenabled for the performance of God's worship, How sin is willed antecendently in its cause, though not directly in its self. and thereby neglects it, though he wils not the omission directly in its self, yet he willed it antecedently in its cause, and so becomes guilty of a double sin, that of omission ushered in by that of commission. Sins of commission and of omission, having the same motive and end, are not specifically distinct §. 8. When the sin of commission is accompanied with that of omission, they having the same motive and end, cannot be specifically distinct. Wherefore that the unjust Usurer a Neh. 5.2, 3. etc. Isa. 3.14. gathers by griping extortion, and scatters not in a relieving charity, are streams from one and the same spring head of b Jer. 8.10. & 22.17. covetousness, Proved by instances. and run into the same c Ezek. 22 12. Hab. 2.5, 6. Isa. 56.11. gulf, a satisfying his inordinate desire of riches; or that the d Eph. 3.15. Isa. 22.12, 13. & 58.3. gluttonous Epicure neglects the Church in her lawful feasts, and fills himself with his riotous feasts, issue from the same corrupt fountain of e Phillip 3.19. 2 Pet. 2.13. intemperance, and tend to this one and the same end, the satisfying his inordinate appetite. §. 9 The division of sin into that of thought, What the division of sin into that of thought, word and work, is. of word, and of work, is not a distinguishing it according to its complete (species or) kinds, but according to its incomplete parts and degrees. For that the same sin, which doth take its a Mat. 15.18.19. jam. 1.15. conception in the heart, may have its birth in the mouth, and its full growth in the outward work. Thus, when the b Mat. 5.22. Ephes. 4 31. wrathful person hatcheth revenge in his heart, and his troubled thoughts break forth into contumelious words, and injurious actions, it is one and the same sin specifically consummated by several degrees, and in its distinct parts. §. 10. Yea, The first inordinate motions of lust contained under the evil thoughts of the hear●. under the evil thoughts of the heart are contained the first a Gen. 6.5. D●ut. 10.16. & 30.6. jer. 4.14. Mat. 15.19. motions of lust when inordinate. So that concupiscence not only in the habitual inclination, but also in the b Rom. 7.7, 8. actual motions, even in the first inordinate lustings, is sin; and this, though c Rom. 7.21. those motions or lusts be never fully consented unto by the will, Though not consented to by the will, yet are sin: and why. nor perfected by the outward act. For though grace (in the regenerate) be powerful enough to d Gal. 5 16 24 suppress these inordinate motions, yet that doth not excuse reasons being defective in its duty to prevent them. They ought to be kept down by Reason's watchfulness, and therefore cannot arise but in sins guilt. What makes any act to be sin. And whereas it may be pleaded, that they are involuntary and so cannot be Sins, we say, How the motions of concupiscence are voluntary, through the wils defect before they rise, though not consented to when raised. it is e 1 john. 3 4. repugnancy to God's law which makes the sin; and that, though it be against the will that these inordinate lustings should be fulfilled, yet it is from the will that these lustings (in their inordinacy) are not prevented, the will neglecting or failing in her primitive powerful command, to keep under what is rebellious. How concupiscence itself is voluntary. Besides, concupiscence is voluntary, as flowing from Adam's wilful disobedience. For in mortality (quod ex voluntario causatur, pro voluntario reputatur) what is caused by a voluntary act, is reputed voluntary in the acting. The motions of concupiscence proved to be sinful by an infallible argument, drawn from the indifferent nature of the wills consent. §. 11. Further yet, That those motions of concupiscence are sins when fully consented to by the will, doth infallibly prove them to be sinful before the will doth give (yea though the will doth not give) its full consent. For the consent of the will is a thing indifferent in itself, neither good nor evil, but according to its object. If any thing be good, it is not the consent of the will that makes it evil; and if any thing be evil, it is not the consent of the will can make it good; but according to the nature of the object, such is the act of the will, whether it be in good, or whether it be in evil: wherefore if the first motions of concupiscence were not sinful in themselves, they could not be made sins by the consenting of the will; But seeing (by the confession of all parties) they are sin when the will doth give its consent, therefore they must be sinful before the consent of the will be given. What the Specifical distinction of sin into spiritual and carnal is. §. 12. Whereas Sin in respect of the Subject is specifically distinguished into spiritual and carnal Sins, the distinction is taken from the end; a 2 Cor. 7.1. Spiritual Sins being perfected in spiritual delight, as pride, vainglory and the like; b Rom. 8.1. Gal. 5.19. but carnal Sins in carnal delight, How all sin is carnal, as gluttony, luxury, and the like. True it is, all sin is carnal as arising from the flesh, as flesh in Scripture is taken for Original Sin in man's corrupt nature; and how Spiritual. and all sin is spiritual as affecting the Soul in the commission, and defiling the spirit of man with guilt. What the true difference betwixt both. But when spiritual and carnal Sins are contradistinguished as several and specifical sorts of sin, by Spiritual Sins are meant those which affect and defile the soul immediately in the body; by carnal sins are meant those which affect and defile the soul immediately by the body. §. 13. Sin in respect of the object, What the specifical distinction of sin, into that against God, against our neighbours, and against our selves. How all sin is against God. How said to be against our neighbours, and our selves. is specifically distinguished into sins a 1 Sam. 2.25 Luke 15.28. & 18.2. Acts 24.16. Tit. 2.12. against God, against our Neighbour, and against ourselves. For though it is common to all sin, that it is against God, as being formally a violation b Rom. 4.13. 1 John 3.4. Jam. 2.9. of his eternal law, and so properly the offence of his sacred Majesty; yet, sin materially considered in respect of the injury and damage which accompanies it, it may be against man's self, or his neighbour. Indeed, all sins, as they are inordinate actions, do imply an acting something to the breach of Order. The threefold order which God hath established amongst men. And seeing God hath established among men a threefold order, there are three kinds of sin, according to their threefold inordinacy. The threefold Order is, 1. That of the inferior faculties unto reason, in man's natural constitution. 2. That of one man in a political constitution unto another. 3. That of all men in a religious constitution unto God. Now the inordinacy, which makes a breach of any of these orders, is a sin against God, as the c Exod. 20.2. Jam. 2, 13. supreme Lawgiver: but in comparing one with another, that sin sin which immediately breaks the order of Religion, as Blasphemy, Heresy, Infidelity, and the like, is said, The threefold inordinacy in breach of this order, making three kinds of sin. to be a sin against God. Again, that sin which immediately breaks the order of policy, as theft, oppression, murder, and the like, is said to be a sin against our neighbour. Lastly, that sin which immediately breaks the order of Nature (in man) as drunkenness, gluttony, and the like, is said to be a sin against ourselves: yea, some sins there are at once against ourselves, and our neighbours, as d 1 Cor. 6.18. fornication, adultery, etc. and some against God our neighbours and our selves, as the e Rom. 12.19, prosecuting unjust revenge, the persecuting God's Church, etc. What the distinction of sin, into that of infirmity, of ignorance, and of malice. From whence this distinction is taken. What is the inordinacy of the sensitive appetite. What the inordinacy of the understanding. What the inodinacy of the will. §. 14. That sin in respect of the efficient, is distinguished into sins of infirmity, of ignorance, and of malice, is taken from the three principles of all actions, and so consequently of all actual sins in man, the sensitive appetite, understanding, and will; which as they are the principles of all actions in their natural Being's, so are they the principles of all actual sins in their preternatural inordinacies. The inordinacy of the sensitive appetite, is in being irregular and immoderate in its affections; the inordinacy of the understanding, is in not knowing what it ought, or in not actually dictating what it habitually knows: the inordinacy of the will is in subjecting itself to the sensitive appetite, or in following the understanding in its erroneous dictates, or in opposing it in its right judgement. Now when the will becomes inordinate, through the sudden a Gen. 9.21. 2 Sam. 11.2, 3, 4. Matth. 26.70.72, 74. surprise and eager importunity of the sensitive appetite, When a sin of infirmity is. the sin is the sin of infirmity; again, when the will becomes inordinate, through the defect of b Gen. 19.33.35. Leu. 5.17. Leu. 4.2. Psal. 19.12. judgement in the understanding, the sin is the sin of ignorance; When a sin of ignorance. and when the will becomes inordinate through its own perverseness, c Mat. 13.15. John 15.22.23, 24. Matth. 3.56. Acts 7.5.7. opposing and repulsing the right judgement of the understanding, When a sin of malice. the sin is the sin of malice, and against conscience. §. 15. When the sensitive appetite doth beget an inordinacy in the will; How the sensitive appetite doth beg●t an inordinacy in the will. it is by way of distraction, withdrawing it from its proper function, in the exercise of its free choice, and chief command; for seeing all the faculties are radicated in the essence of the Soul, by how much the operations of the inferior faculties are the more intended, by so much the functions of the superior (whether understanding or will) are the more remitted. The sensitive appetite then being vehemently intent upon its object, the rational faculty becomes but weakly employed, if not altogether hindered in its duty. Besides, the a 2 Sam. 11.2, 3, 4. Matth. 26.70, etc. imagination being disturbed by the affections, the understanding becomes darkened by the imagination; and the understanding being darkened, misguides the will, Which are the sins of infirmity. whereby it becomes inordinate to a sin of infirmity, by sudden passion. And as sudden passion, so b Mat. 6.12. Prov. 24.16. 1 John 1.8. Jam. 3.2. Rom. 7.19, 20. likewise all inordinate motions, vain thoughts, sins of fly surreption, and of daily incursion, and are all sins of infirmity. §. 16. What sins of suddun and inordinate passion are said to be sins of infirmity. Inordinate a Matth. 8.17 Isai. 1.5. passions are the sicknesses of the soul; and therefore as the members of the body disabled by distemper, so the powers of the soul disturbed by passion, not performing their proper functions, are said to be b Rom. 15.1. Heb. 12.12, 13. 1 Cor. 8.11, 12. infirm and weak. And thus, when the sensitive appetite by its vehement and sudden passions doth invade the rational faculties, to the disturbing the understanding, and disabling the will in their operations, we truly, though figuratively say, The soul is sick, and the sins which issue from this impotency of reason, through distemper of passion, are properly called sins of weakness, and infirmity. §. 17. What passions do excuse wholly from sin, and what do not. Those passions which totally abolish the use of reason, totally excuse from the guilt of sin, committed in those passions; as in the cases of frenzy and madness; unless those passions were a 1 Sam. 19.9, 10. voluntary in their beginnings, or in their causes, for than they become imputed as sins themselves, and so the evils committed in those passions, must needs be sins too; but those b Prov. 14.16 & 29.22. passions which do not wholly intercept the use of reason, cannot wholly excuse from the guilt of sin: because reason remaining, How Reason ought to moderate passion. aught to moderate and order passion, either by diverting itself to other thoughts, or by hindering the effectuating of those obtruded upon it. The more of passion there is in the sin, the less there is in the sin, the less there is of reason, and so the less is the sin; and the more of reason there is in the sin, the more there is of will, and the more voluntary, the more sinful. What is the office of the understanding. §. 18. The office of the understanding, in respect of its own proper object, being this, to inquire and find out truth, and in respect of the inferior powers to direct and conduct them aright according to truth; if the understanding do not know all the truth, When guilty of that Ignorance which is sin. it is both able and aught to know, it becomes defective in its duty, and thereby guilty of a Acts 17.30. Rom. 1.21, 22. that ignorance which is sin; and if the understanding dictate amiss to the will, and when guilty of those sins which are of Ignorance. bringing inordinate commands upon the subordinate powers, or after deliberation had, doth not check their exorbitancies, it becomes thus also defective in its duty, and thereby guilty of those b Num. 15.28. Leu. 4.13, 27. Acts 3.17. sins which are of ignorance. What ignorance doth not, and what ignorance doth make the sin. §. 19 In the sins of ignorance then, it is not every ignorance that makes the sin. It is not the ignorance of a pure negation, but that of a a Eph 4.18.19 1 Pet. 1.4. depraved disposition. It is not the negative ignorance, being a mere nescience, a not knowing what is needless or not possible to be known; but the privative ignorance, a not knowing what we are able and aught to know. There are many things which a man is capable of knowing, What things a man is capable of knowing, but not bound to know. What things a man is neither bound to know, nor capable of knowing. In all these, ignorance (rather a nescience) is not sinful. which yet by no divine law he is bound to know, as many Mathematical theorems in Philosophy, many particular contingencies in Nature; yea there are many things, which as a man is not bound to know, so he is not capable of knowing, as b Mat. 24.36 John 16.12. many Mysteries not yet revealed, many secret truths not yet communicated by Christ unto his Church. Ignorance of these is not sinful, and so whatsoever consequent effect proceeds from this ignorance cannot be a sin; but an ignorance of those truths which we are capable of, and concerned in, which is vincible by the use of means; this ignorance is itself sin, and the consequent evils thereof are said to be sins of ignorance. §. 20. In any inordinate act, What ignorance doth excuse from sin. it is not that ignorance which is concomitant with it, or consequent of it, but antecedent to it, which doth excuse from sin. Which ignorance being antecedent to it, becomes accidentally a Leu. 5.15. 1 Cor. 2.8. 1 Tim. 1.13. the cause of it as excluding that knowledge, which would have restrained from the sin. And though this ignorance doth always somewhat excuse, b Gen. 38, 15, 16, etc. yet not always wholly acquit. Somewhat excuse, not wholly acquit. Illustrated by Instance. For should a man going forth with an intent to kill a man, unwittingly kill his Father; though such an ignorance may excuse from patricide, yet not from homicide. For had he known the man to be his Father, though haply he might have been restrained by that knowledge from killing him, yet not altogether from killing; from that kind, not from all kinds of sin or of murder. §. 21. Yea, When sin cannot be excused by any ignorance. that sin cannot be excused by any ignorance, where there is an inclination or resolution in the will to commit it, notwithstanding all knowledge: as for instance, should a man have a disposition or purpose to kill another, though he knew it were his Father; if killing the man, he knows him not to be his Father, which yet after proves to be his Father, it is not the ignorance that shall excuse, but the depraved disposition, and wicked purpose which shall make guilty of patricide. For though ignorance had its Concomitancy with it, yet it hath not any efficiency in it; and so the malefactor cannot be said to offend out of ignorance, but being ignorant. For there, What an affected ignorance is, and how it aggravates the sin. when a man will be a Ezek. 12.2. Zech. 7.11, 12. 1 Cor. 14.38. ignorant on purpose, that he may not suffer control in his sin, but have the greater scope to offend, this ignorance is affected, and becomes directly b job 22.14. 2 Pet. 3.5. voluntary, because it is wiled upon design and for ends, and therefore doth rather enhance, than any way abate the guilt of the sin. What ignorance is indirectly voluntary. §. 22. But that a Hos. 4.1.6 1 Cor. 15.34. ignorance which comes by negligence, in a slothful carelessness, or through unnecessary employments, not endeavouring to attain that knowledge which a man ought and is able to attain; and that ignorance which comes by b Gen. 19.32, 33. intemperance, in a sottish drunkenness, a man being robbed of his discretion, or the use of it; such an ignorance is truly, though indirectly wilful; seeing he that wils the cause, doth indirectly and by consequence will the effect, and this ignorance thus wilful c 2 Thess. 1.8. Rom. 8.2, 3. becomes itself a sin; How it self sin. yet the sins which issue from this ignorance d Luke 23.24 Acts 3.17. & 13.27. are lessened in their guilt, having the less of reason and will in their act: for seeing the understanding cannot pass a right judgement; yet the sins issuing from it lessened in their guilt: and why. the will cannot be said to give a direct consent, so that though the ignorance may be aggravated by circumstances, yet is the consequent sin in itself lessened by the ignorance. How the sin of malice is rightly discerned. §. 23. To discern aright what the sin of malice is, we must know, that though the will be determined by a Psal. 142. Prov. 2.11. the understanding in the specification of its object, yet hath the will this liberty entire in itself, in the exercise of the act, freely to choose what is presented as good, and freely to reject what is presented as evil. So that, though the will doth always follow the last practical judgement of the understanding, How men are said to sin wilfully, and against conscience. yet this last judgement being often after the right judgement, and the right judgement (first given by the understanding, and repulsed by the will) b Exod. 8.10.15, 19, 28, 32. & 9.13, 14.27, 28, 34, 35, etc. 1 Sam. 15.1, 2.3, 9, 11, 13, 15, 18, 19, 22, etc. virtually remaining in the act of sin, and even then actually renewed by the checks of Conscience; men are hereby said to sin winfully, on set purpose, and against conscience, which is the true nature of that we call the sin of malice. §. 24. That the will doth not necessarily follow the right judgement of the understanding, clearly proved. That the will doth not necessarily follow the right judgement, though it doth the last judgement of the understanding, is apparent in the Devils & reprobate, in the sin against the holy Ghost, and in sins against conscience. And indeed, if the will did necessarily follow the right judgement of the understanding, Especially from the work of Regeneration. the whole work of Regeneration were perfected in the act of illumination, and God needed not a 2 Cor. 5.17. 1 Thes. 5.23. throughly sanctify; fully to enlighten were sufficient for the new birth and the new man. But this is altogether dissonant from the truth of Christ, which tells us, the b Eph. 4.23, 24. Phil. 2.13. will is renewed, In which the will is renewed, as well as the understanding enlightened. as well as the c Eph. 1.17, 18 Col. 3.10. understanding enlightened in the work of regeneration; The d Phil. 1.9.10, 11. understanding is enlightened to give a right judgement to the will, and the will renewed to follow that right judgement of the understanding, to the bringing forth the works of holiness and of righteousness. §. 25. How we may distinguish sins of infirmity from sins of malice. By this we may distinguish sins of infirmity from sins of malice. In sins of infirmity this a Psal. 40.8. Acts 11.23. Gal. 6.1. Matth. 26.33. Luke 22.33. purpose and intention of the heart to please God in all things, remains sincere; so that, though for a time, the will suffer a violation of her integrity, an interruption of her resolutions through some b 2 Sam. 11.2.4. inordinate affections, c Luke 22.56, etc. violent passion, or d 1 Chro, 21.1 Luke 22.31, 32 prevailing temptation; yet after a while she returneth to her former good purposes by e Psal. 51. Luke 22, 61, 62 1 Chron. 21.8.17. Prov. 24.16. repentance. But in sins of malice the heart is f Jer. 13.23. Psal. 10.4. Rom. 3 18. 1 John 3.8. habitually inclined unto wickedness, the will is evil disposed in respect of the end. There are not any sincere purposes of holiness, no true aims at God's glory, and therefore the infection of the sin is the more permanent and destructive to the soul, in a g Luke 7.30. Acts 7.51. stronger opposition of the good Spirit of grace in the work of repentance and faith. §. 26. What the distinction of sin into that of mortal and venial is. The last distinction of sin is in respect of the effect, into sins * 1 John 5.16, 17. mortal and venial, we say in respect of the effect, no sin being venial in its nature; For, No sin venial in its nature, and why. that any sin is pardoned, doth denote an a Exod 18.20 Gal. 3.10. act of divine mercy, which in b Exod. 34.67 severity & rigour of Justice God might have not done. But for any sin to be in its nature venial, as expiated by temporal punishment, were to destroy this pardoning mercy of God, and after temporal punishment to oblige him to an (improperly called) forgiveness, lest he be taxed with cruelty and injustice. All sin is directly against, no any merely besides the law. Which incurring the guilt of eternal death, cannot be expiated by temporal punishment. Yea, c Rom. 4.15. 1 John 3.4. whereas all sin is directly against, not any merely besides the law; and that the violation of God's eternal law doth incur a guilt of d Ezek. 18.20 Rom 6.23. 1 Cor. 15.56. eternal death. There is no sin that can be expiated by temporal punishment; but either it must be by e John 1.29. Acts 4.12. & 13.38. Christ's all-sufficient satisfaction, or the f Mat. 5.25 26 & 25.46 Sinners everlasting condemnation. Wherefore seeing the poisonous guilt of the least sin is not expelled but by the Sovereign Antidote of Christ's blood ( g Mark 1.15. Acts 20.21. Luke 24.47. Rom. 3.25. through repentance and faith) it cannot be that any sin is venial in its nature, but in a respect to God's mercy and Christ's merits in the effect. In what all sins are mortal, yet not all equal. §. 27. In this all sins are mortal, that by their guilt they meek liable to * Matth. 5.22 eternal death; and though all are mortal, yet are they not therefore a Ezek. 8.6.13.15. John 19.11. all equal; some by their more b Mat. 5.22. & 11.22, 24. Luke 12.47.48 heinous guilt making subject to a more grievous punishment, in that death which is eternal. How some sins mortal and some venial. That some sins than are said to be mortal and some venial, it is not in the nature, but in the effect (or rather the event) of the sin, in relation to the subject (which is the sinner) to c John 5.24. Rom. 8.1. Acts 13.39. whom, through faith and repentance, not only the lesser, but the greater sins become venial; and d John 3.36. Gal. 5.10. without faith & repentance, not only the greater, but also the lesser sins are mortal; so that if we take the weight of sin, From whence we are to take the just weight of sins guilt. not from the deceitful scales of our own opinions, but from the just balance of the Sanctuary, the truth of God's word, we find the least sin to have the greatest guilt; so that e Mat 12.36. 1 Cor. 4.5. every vain thought, What the guilt of the least sin without Ghrist. and idle word shall be brought to judgement; and whatsoever sin Christ brings to the last judgement, shall (without Christ) bring upon the sinner everlasting punishment. §. 28. Though all sin be in its nature mortal, Though all sins be mortal, yet most especially the sin against the Holy Ghost. and so to be mortal is common to all sin, yet (〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉) it is appropriate to the a 1 John 5.16 sin against the Holy Ghost, for its most deadly naure, called in Scripture the sin unto death; which excluding repentance, depriveth b Math. 12.32 of forgiveness, even so, as never to be forgiven. What the sin against the Holy Ghost is not. Which sin against the Holy Ghost, doth not consist in any c 2 Kings 21.6, &c, & 24.4 2 Chron. 33.12, 13. 1 John 5.16.17, 18. particular transgression of God's Law, nor yet in that blasphemy, and persecution of Christ and his Gospel which ariseth from ignorance; no nor in that Apostasy from the truth, d 1 Tim. 1.13. and denial of Christ, which ariseth from e Mat. 26.70, 72, 74, 75. infirmity, though all of them sins of a deep die, and horrid guilt. §. 29. But the sin against the Holy Ghost, What it is. is such a denying and rejecting of Christ, as ariseth from malice, in an hatred of Him, and his Truth; contrary to knowledge and conscience, opposing and persecuting the Gospel of Christ, as an imposture of Satan; the power and grace of the Spirit, as a work and designment of the Devil; thus it was in the a Matth 12.24, etc. Luke 19.14. & 20.13, etc. Mark 3.30. John 7.28. Pharisees. As in the Pharisees. Also to sin against the Holy Ghost, is to b Heb. 6.4, 5, 6 & 10.26. fall away from the faith of Christ, by an universal Apostasy, in wilfully denying, and maliciously opposing Christ and his Truth; yea, in a contempt of his Sacrifice, and an hatred of his Gospel, persecuting his Church with an irreconcilable enmity. Thus it was in Julian; As in Julian. thus in many in the Apostles times, and thus in many in these our days, of whom we cannot, Why not now to be discovered by us. we may not pass sentence of judgement, wanting that so eminent a gift c Acts 5.3.9. & 8.32. & 13.10. 1 Cor. 12.10. among the primitive Saints; namely, the discerning of the Spirits. Why calid the sin against the Holy Ghost. § 30. This sin is said to be against the Holy Ghost, in respect of his a Isa. 12.2. Ephes 1.17. more immediate Office of illumination; not as being any ways the more eminent person in the Trinity, all being b Isai. 6.3. Matth. 28.19. coequal in their Unity of Essence, and of Glory. Seeing then, it is the more immediate c 1 Cor. 12.11 Office of the Holy Ghost to illuminate in the truth of Christ; a d Acts 7.51. wilful hatred of Christ and his truth, accompanied with a malicious opposition of his illuminating power, is properly called a sin against the Holy Ghost; and that this sin shall not be forgiven, is not because it e Rom. 5.20, exceeds God's grace, Why this sin shall not be forgiven. or outvies Christ's merits; f Heb. 7.25. but because it excludes g Heb. 6.5, 6. the work of Repentance, in despitefully opposing the Spirit; and rejects the h Heb. 10.26. Sacrifice of Christ, in wilfully denying his truth. Sins against Conscience lead the way to this sin against the Holy Ghost. §. 31. Sins against Conscience, they a Psal. 19.13 lead the way to this sin against the Holy Ghost. Wherefore that this may be prevented, those must be avoided; avoid we not only sins against conscience, b 1 Tim. 1 19 when enlightened with the truth, but also, though c Rom. 14.23 seduced with error. For that an Erroneous Conscience doth d Tit. 1.15. entangle and fetter in sin, How an erroneous conscience entangles in sin, but binds not to what is sinful. though it doth not oblige or bind to what is sinful. So that he always sins, who e Rom. 14.5, 23. acts any thing against the dictate of his conscience, because the f Rom. 1.14, 15. 1 Sam. 24.5, 6 dictate of the conscience is by interpretation, the precept of God. And thereby it is, that though the act be materially good, yet it cannot be formally so; the good is not done well, because accompanied with so great an evil, a contempt of God in the doing. Wherefore whatsoever is good in itself, if done against conscience, though error judging it to be evil, it thereby becomes sin, and a sin against Conscience, deep in its guilt. An erroneous conscience may somewhat excuse, but cannot wholly acquit; §. 32. Again, the erroneous Conscience may a Acts 26.9, 10. Phillip 3.6. 1 Tim. 1.13. mitigate, but cannot make void, it may somewhat excuse, but cannot wholly acquit, from what is sinful, whether it be in omitting what is good, supposing it to be evil, or in committing what is evil, and why. misdeeming it to be good. Indeed, impossible it is, that any thing evil in its self, should be made good by what is evil in another; that sin in the act, should be justified by error in the conscience. It is not the Conscience then, b Rom. 3.8. no nor any thing else whatsoever, What is the entanglement of an erroneous conscience. that can oblige to what is unlawful in itself; and as it cannot oblige, so nor c Rom. 3.7. can it acquit. Here then is the entanglement of an erroneous conscience, that, if we do what it dictates, we sin; and if we do not what it dictates, we sin too; so that there is no avoiding the sin, but by reforming the error. CHAP. XV. Concerning the State of Man fallen. §. 8. SEeing Original Sin in its guilt, The original of all man's misery is in original sin: and how. pollution, and punishment, is a Psal. 51 5. Job. 14.5. Isa. 48.8. John 3.6. effectually connveyed, and really communicated by natural propagation, and carnal generation, in a lineal descent, and hereditary right from Adam the b Acts 17.26. Rom. 5.12. 1 Cor. 15.21, 22. Ephes. 2.3. root of humane Stock, to all the posterity of mankind, his natural branches: Therefore by Adam's c Rom. 5.18,19. c Rom. 3.9. Gal. 3.22. disobedience is judgement come upon all men to condemnation, Jew and Gentile being ᵈ shut up under sin, and thereby become e Rom. 3.19. Ephes. 2.3. subject to the just wrath and vengeance of God. §. 2. Adam's disobedience imputed, makes liable to the punishment inflicted Though that single act (then) of Adam's disobedience did pass away, yet it continued to be his, and remaineth ours by a Rom. 5.12, 13. just imputation. And the sin imputed must needs make us liable to the b Rom. 5, 17.18. punishment inflicted; Which punishment is death. which punishment of Adam's sin is c Gen. 2.17. Rom 5.12. death. In what this death doth formally consist §. 3. Which death doth formally consist in a being a Deut. 30.20. Psal. 30.5. & 36.9. Isai. 59.2. separated from the blessed communion, and banished from the gracious presence of God. A Figure and Type whereof, God gave Adam, in b Gen. 3.24. driving him out of Paradise, that visible Testimony of God's favour and presence. In what it doth materially consist. And again, this death doth materially consist in a miserable privation of that life and happiness (accompanied with a sinful privation of that Holiness and Righteousness) which man did either actually possess by Creation, or might assuredly have obtained in a more eminent manner, and a more abundant measure upon Condition, even upon the c Gen. 2.16, 17 Ezek. 20.11. Gal. 3.12. condition of obedience to God's law. This death is spiritual, corporal, and eternal. What the spiritual death is. §. 4. This death is either spiritual or corporal, both which are consummated, and swallowed up in that death which is Eternal. a Ephes. 2.1. & 5.14. Spiritual death that especially seizeth the soul, b Rom. 3.23. Ephes. 4 18. whereby sin defaceth the lively Image of God, in the c Eph. 4.23, 24, Col. 3.10. total deprivation of primitive integrity, and original righteousness; despoiling man of all those sanctifying and saving graces, wherewith he was endued in his creation; even to the d Luk. 10.30 wounding and weakening the very faculties and powers of his natural Being. What are the Relics of man's primitive estate in the estate of man fallen, In respect of his understanding §. 5. So that, though there be in man fallen, some a Jam. 3.9. Relics of his primitive estate, yet such only as are found with a corrupt being of nature, not a spiritual well-being of grace. The understanding both in the b Rom. 1.20, 21. theoretic and c Rom. 1.32. & 2.15. practic part, hath some glimpses of moral righteousness, but not d 1 Cor. 2.13, 14. the least light of Evangelical truth. The will that as a free faculty retaineth its liberty, In respect of his will. which it exerciseth in e Gen, 13.9. 1 Cor. 7.37. John 21.18. natural and moral actions; but through the servitude of sin, is wholly disabled (as of its self) for f Rom. 8.7. Ephes. 2.1. 2 Cor. 3.5. supernatural and divine. So that though the will is of its self g Eph. 4.19. Rom 3.15. freely carried unto the willing what is evil; yet being h Rom. 6.16, 17 enslaved unto sin, In respect of his conscience. doth not of i John 15.5. Phil. 2.13. its self move to the willing what is good, good k Rom. 8.8. Heb. 11.6. in order to eternal life. Yea, the conscience, though sometimes l Rom. 2.15. awakened, yet is it m Tit. 1.15. polluted; and the affections, and In respect of his affections. though n 1 Cor. 5.1. 2 Tim. 3.5. restrained from some evils, yet are they inordinately o Rom. 1.28, 29, 30. carried into other impieties. §. 6. In man fallen (then) the soul, The soul in man's fall is whole in its natural essence; but spoilt of its spiritual habits. Thereby disabled for any spiritual good. with its rational faculties, doth remain whole in its natural essence, though it be spoilt of its spiritual habits: and being despoiled of all divinely spiritual habits, it becomes disabled for the a Rom. 3.11. Phil. 2.13. Jam. 1.14. apprehending, willing, and desiring any divinely spiritual good. And as the soul hath not lost its faculties, so nor have those faculties lost their acts, in what is natural, moral, or artificial; but seeing b 1 Cor. 2.14. ignorance hath seized the understanding, c Rom. 3.11, 12, & 8.7. perverseness the will, and d Num. 7.5.23 inordinacy the inferior appetite; the understanding, will, and affections become averse, undisposed, and altogether e Gen. 6.5. 2 Cor. 3.5. Ephes. 2.1, 2, 3. insufficient for what is divine and spiritual. §. 7. What freedom the will hath lost by the fall, and what it retains after the fall. Though the will then hath lost its freedom in respect of its a John 8.34, 36. Rom. 6.6, 7, 20. & 8.2. 2 Pet. 2.19. Jer. 13, 23. voluntary servitude unto sin, whereby it becomes necessitated, so, ᵇ as to will nothing (in spirituals) but what is evil; yet hath it not lost its freedom in respect of the natural liberty of its acting, so as to be compelled, or necessitated to will this or that evil; Indeed, seeing to will is an immanent and elicit act; for man to lose his liberty, were to lose his will; to lose his liberty in the exercise of its act, What liberty of will remains in the vilest reprobate, or Devil. were to lose his will in the faculty of its being. This liberty than remains in the will of the vilest reprobate, and Devil, who can be no longer said to will, than they will freely; though they do not thereby will any thing that is good, yet have they the faculty still, and freely exercise it in willing what is evil. How God doth turn and incline the wills of men, §. 16. God himself, a Prov. 1.21. who as he hath the hearts, so hath he the wills of all men in his hands; and when he b 1 Kin. 10.26. Jer. 31.18. turns and bends, inclines and moves them as he wils, without any forcible compelling. he doth it not by forcibly compelling, but either by c Phil. 2.13. graciously renewing, or by d Gen. 9.24. fairly persuading, or by e Pro. 21.1. wisely disposing them. And this indeed is the wonder of Gods working, i Psal. 19.7. Jer. 23.29. Jam. 1.18, 21. that as a f Psal. 115.3. & 135.6. free Agent he doth freely what he wils, yet offers no violence to the wills of men; but that in all that they do will, Why the exhortations, etc. of God's word are not in vain in respect of the wicked. they will freely. Yea, b Eph. 4.19. 1 Tim. 4.2. and from hence it is, that the exhortations, threaten, and promises of God's word, are not in vain in respect of the wicked; being the g Heb. 4.12. appointed means effectual (through the common enlightenings of the Spirit) to h Num. 22.18 1 King 21.27. restrain from sin, and through the sanctifying power accompanying his word, to convert unto righteousness. By multiplying his sin man aggravates his punishment, and how in spirituals. §. 9 But man rejecting God's Word, and transgressing his Law, doth, by his a Leu. 26.18. multiplication of sin, beget a further aggravation of punishment; in that contracting an habituated custom, to an a Leu. 26.18. hardness of heart, his soul is inseparably attended with an c Rom. 2.5. Heb. 10.27. utter despair, to an horror of conscience. And thus man being d Acts 26.18. Eph. 2.2. Col. 1.13. 2 Tim. 2.26. subjected to Satan's power, he is by Satan enslaved unto the e 1 Joh. 2.15.16 John 8.23. Gal. 1.4. world and f John 8.34. Rom. 6.12.16, etc. 1 John 3.8. sin, and thereby brought under bondage unto g Isai. 5.14. Luke 16.23. Rom. 8.15. 1 Cor. 15.56. Heb. 2.15. Death and Hell. What the corporal death; and how begun. §. 10. This spiritual death, which especially seizeth the Soul, is inseparably accompanied with corporal death, which especially surpriseth the body; being begun in a Deut. 28.21, 22, 27, 28. Matth. 9.2. sicknesses and b Gen. 3.16.17. Job 21.17. sorrows; c Deut 28.36. & 4.48, etc. servitude and slavery; d Gen. 3.19. Eccl. 2.22, 23. weariness and toil; e Deut. 28.25, 26, 53, etc. calamities and f Deut. 28.39, 40, 48, etc. wants; the very Creatures intended for Man's use, being g Gen. 3.17.18 Eccl. 1.2. Rom. 8.22. cursed for Man's sake. §. 11. How and when finished. When death at last doth put a period to man's days, it doth add a a 1 Cor. 15.42, 43. compliment of his temporal miseries, and begin the anguish of eternal torments. The body being laid in a grave of corruption, the soul is b Luk. 16.22, 23. Luk 12.5. hurried to an hell of perdition, where they remain till death spiritual and corporal be swallowed up in death eternal. §. 12. What the eternal death. The dead a Joh. 5.28, 29 Acts 24.15. body at the last day being raised from the grave to an immortal death, shall (by an b Mat. 25.41 irrevocable sentence of the last judgement) be c Mat. 10.28 & 22.13 & 25.30 Rev. 21.8. cast with the soul into hell, the d Luke 16.23 26, 1 Pet. 3.19. place and prison of the damned, In its punishment of loss and of sense. where they shall suffer together an unsufferable and eternal punishment, of loss and of sense; that privative, this positive. §. 13. The punishment of loss, What the punishment of loss is. that doth consist in a a Luke 13.27 28 Matth. 22, 13 & 25.41 2 Thes. 1.9. total and final separation from the b Psal. 139.8. Psal. 16.11. & 36.8, 9 gracious presence of God, and from all the ᶜ joy, bliss, and glory which doth accompany the beatifical vision, and full fruition of him. §. 14. What the punishment of sense is. The punishment of sense doth consist especially in that a Isai. 66.24. Mark 9.44. worm of an evil conscience which ever gnaweth with uncessant tortures, and in that b Mark 9.44. Luke 16.23, 24. fire of hellish flames, which ever scorcheth with uncessant torments; which cause endless, easeless, and remediless c Luke 13.28. Matth. 13.42. weep and wail, and gnash of teeth. §. 15. This punishment, as it is eternal, How the punishment of the damned is infinite as well as eternal. so it is infinite; infinite in respect of that privative part, the punishment of loss; not in respect of that positive part, a Mat. 11.22, 24, & 23.14, 15 Luk. 12.47, 48 the punishment of sense. And therefore in Hell there are different measures of punishment proportionable to the different degrees of sin; yet the least measure, as it shall be then b Isa. 33.14. intolerable, so it is now c Matth. 22, 13 unconceivable. §. 16. That wrath which comes by original sin, is aggravated by man's actual transsgression. The full measure is at the day of judgement; and how. Thus man having the wrath of God abiding on him for a Rom. 5.18. original Sin, he increaseth his sin, and thereby, b Rom. 2.5. aggravateth that wrath, by his actual transgression; treasuring up to himself wrath against the day of wrath, that is, the c Judas 6.14, 15. day of judgement, which shall be at the d Mat, 24.3. end of the world, to the e John 5.29. final condemnation, f 2 Pet. 2.2. full punishment, and g 2 Pet, 3.7. utter perdition of the ungodly. The estate of man fallen summarily described, §. 17. Wherefore, seeing this is the estate of man fallen, a captive to the Prince of darkness, sold a Rom. 7.14.23. under the power of sin, b Rom. 6.23. Gal. 3.10.23. involved in the curs of death, c Rom. 3.19. Jer. 7.29. made subject to the judgement of wrath, & d Rom. 5.18. Mat. 25.41. liable to the condemnation of Hell; certain it must needs be, No salvation by the law, or first covenant of works. that by the e Rom. 3.20. Gal. 2.16. & 3.21. law, or first covenant of works, no flesh can be saved. So that, unless God in the unsearchable riches of his wisdom, & unconceivable tenderness of his mercy, So that without Redemption by a Mediator, Adam and his posterity must inevitably perish in their sin. had decreed from all eternity, and in fulnness of time wrought recovery and redemption by a f 1 Tim. 2.5.6. Acts 4.12. Mediator; Adam and all his posterity must inevitably have perished in their sin. FINIS.