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J An END of 
 
 I ©ottttttal 
 
 1 CONTROVERSIES 
 
 | Which have Lately 
 
 If j Troubled the Churches 
 
 BY 
 
 Reconciling Explication, 
 
 WITHOUT MUCH 
 
 DISPUTING- 
 
 Written J>y 
 
 Richard Baxter, 
 
 Pfal. 1206,7. My Soul hath long dwelt with him that h*t:th 
 Pea\e~: 7 am for Peace ; but when ifpeaki they are for War. 
 
 Luk. 9. 46, 49, 50, 54, $ 5. There arofe a reafoning among them, 
 which of them fiwld begreatej},&c. 
 
 LONDON, Printedfor goftn fealugbucg at the 
 
 Rtfing SUXinCornhH, MLDC.XCI. 
 


 THE 
 
 PREFACE 
 
 WARS dre mofi dreaded and 
 bated by the Country where 
 they are; but not fo much 
 • h thtSouldkrSy who by them 
 
 feek their Prey and Glory, as by the fuffer- 
 tng Inhabitants that loft thereby their Pro- 
 fperity and Peace, who yet are forced, or drawn 
 to be fiders, left they fuffer for Neutrality. 
 
 Religious (irreligious} Wars areefnolefs 
 dtfmal Confequence i being about God himfelfl 
 hts Will, and Word, and that which more 
 nearly toucheth our Souls and ever la/ling ft ate, 
 than our Houfes and worldly Welfare does : 
 And yet becaufe Men are more fenftble of their 
 corporal than their fpiritual Concerns, theft 
 Dogmatical Wars are far lefs feared, and too 
 commonly made the Study, and Delight, not 
 only of the Military Clergy, but alfo of the 
 J educed and fequacious Laity : Though thofe 
 that have the Wifdom from above, which i& 
 
 A s fure 
 
The Preface. 
 pure and peaceable, condole the Churches I 
 lamity her thy ; knowing that Envy and Strife , 
 the earthly fenfual and devilifh Wifdom, can- 
 feth Confufwn y and every evil Work: And 
 it is a heinous Aggravation, that the Militants, 
 being Men confecrated to Love and Peace y pro* 
 fanely father their Mischiefs upon God, and do 
 all as for Religion and Church. 
 
 Having theft four and forty Tears at leafi, 
 been 'deeply fenfble of this Sin, Danger, and 
 Mifery of Chrifiians> I have preacfcd, much, 
 and mitten more againfl it : To confute thofe 
 Exireams which caufe Divifions, and to recon- 
 cile thofe that think they differ where they do 
 not ; fometime alfo ufmg importunate Petitions 
 md Pleas for Peace y to thofe that have power 
 to give it, or promote it, and that ufe either 
 Word or Sword againfl it* And with the Sonf 
 of Peace it hath not been in vain : But with 
 thofe that are engaged in Faction and malici- 
 ous JFriftj I am proclaimed to be the militant 
 Enemy of Concord, for per f wading them to Con* 
 cord, and writing many Books for Peace and 
 Love, is taken for writing them againjl thefe. 
 Controverftes I have written of but only to 
 end them, and not to make them : And who 
 can reconcile them that never mentioneth 
 them? or arbitrate in a Caufe unheard and not 
 opened f 
 
 But, 
 
The Preface. 
 
 But] Redder s, \mnfi tell you, that my title 
 I An End of Do&rinal Controverfies} is 
 nof intended as prognofiick , but as ded&ftical 
 And directive. I am far from expelling an end 
 of Qontr over fie s, while confecrated Ignorance is 
 by worldly Inter eft, Fd6lion^ and Mdice, mix- 
 ed with Pride fublimdted to an envious Zial 
 ( Jam. 3. 15, 16. ) and hath fet up a Trade 
 of jlandjering allthofe that are true Peace-ma- 
 ker s^ and concur not with them to deftroy it 7 on 
 pretence of defending it, by their imfoffible per- 
 vicious terms. He that will now be taken for 
 4 Peace-maker, muff bt content to be fo called by 
 a few , even by the SeB that he chufeth to 
 pleafe y and be contrarily judged of by all the reft. 
 And this fatisfeth fome y becaufe their Faff ion 
 feemeth better than others, be they never fo ftw ; 
 and others, becaufe their Faction is gretf, or 
 rich, or uppermost, how noxious and unpeaceable 
 fotver: For vefp& habent favos, faith Ter- 
 tullian, & Marcionitae Ecclefias: We could 
 wi(h the Bees feldom ufed their (tings, for it is 
 their Death ; but thofe of Wafps and Hornets, 
 that make no Honey, are lefs fujferable. 
 
 It is partly for unprejudiced Students that I 
 write, and partly for the times to come, when 
 the Fruits of malignant FaHion and Wars, 
 have difgraced thtm, and made the world amea- 
 r l°f thtm. 
 
 ? 
 
 J am 
 
too near I 
 
 The Preface. 
 
 lam blamed h Diffenters, as conting too \ 
 by Conciliatory Explications , to fbme things 
 which they call dangerous Points of Popery, Ar- 
 minianifm and Prelacy ; hut whether it be by 
 HTruth or by Error, I leave to trial: Sure jour 
 jEnglifh Vniverfities andCanonifis are not like 
 to receive any hurt by it, who will not read a 
 Book that they fee my Name to, though the Do- 
 Brine would never fo much gr at ifie them. And 
 others {at home and* Foreigners ) are fat is fed 
 by Knowledge and Prepojfeffton } again ft fuch feem- 
 ing Danger. 
 
 The great blemijb of this, and other of my 
 Writings is, That I fay oft the fame thing which 
 I have f aid before. Much of this Book is in my 
 Catholick Theology, and my Meth. Theol. and 
 my Treatife of Jufiifying Righteoufnefs. But, 
 I. Forgetfulnefs in Old Men that have written 
 fo much, is no wonder. 2. But it fbeweth that 
 J have not forgotten the Matter, nor take it up 
 fuddenly and fuperf daily, which I fo oft re- 
 feat. 3. Andthert may be great ufe for fuch 
 Repetitions, when it is for clearer Method, or 
 for epitomizing larger Writings , which many 
 cannot j or will not read; but tho/e that can, may 
 have the benefit of more Explicatory Copioufnefs. 
 If it profit the Reader, I am not follicitons for 
 the Refutation of the Writer. 
 
 Tou will find here one Chapter anfwering Ex- 
 ceptions about Futurity ; concerning which you 
 
 muft 
 
The Preface. 
 
 mufi know, that my Catholick Theology wds 
 fo bold and large an attempt to recbn^Uf ^he 
 Calvinift, and Lutheran or Arminian, ^ 
 the Dominican WJefait , &c. that Ilooktto 
 have been jharply ajfaultedfor it by many : But 
 after many Tears expectation I have heard of no* 
 thing written orfpoken againft it, fave one MS. 
 paper of Objections about the Caufe of Futu- 
 rity, WPhyfical Predetermination to fin, 
 by yJ/r. Polhill ^t Councellor 7 a Man of extraordi- 
 nary Kjtowledge, and Godlinefs, (now enjoying 
 the Fruit of it with Chrijt ; O Blejjed En- 
 gland, if its Rulers, Senators and Lawyers , 
 yea, orBijhop andTeachers, were all fuch men) 
 having many Tears pajt fent him my Anfwer y 
 {and having no Reply ) as to the quejtion, Ire- 
 fufedto anfwer the fecond, having faidfornuch 
 to it in my Methodus Theol. and left the quali- 
 ty of the Subject Jhould make my Reply feem 
 {harp to fo good a man : And I thought h meet 
 to publish this, becaufe it is an unufual Difpute ; 
 and as no one elfe hath called me to it, fo I 
 know not where the Reader that differ eth from 
 me, will find fo much for him ; nor whither to 
 refer him for an Anfwer. I publijh not Mr, 
 Polhill 9 s Paper, becaufe I recite fo much of it 
 as may tell the Reader what it was ; and I mu ft 
 not fwell the Book too much.f 
 
 The Glorious Light will foon end all our 
 Controversies , and reconcile thof< that by un- 
 feigned 
 
me rreiace. 
 
 feigned F«fth and Love are united in the Prince 
 cf Teace , our Head } by love dwelling in 
 God, and God in them : But falfehearted, ma- 
 lignant, carnal Worldlings that live in the 
 fire of wrath and fir if e, will find (fo dying) 
 the woful maturity of their Enmity to holy V- 
 Wty, Love j and Peace ; and the caufelefs Jhut- 
 ting the true Servants of Cbrift out of their 
 Churches, which Jhould be the Porch of Hea- 
 ven, is the way to be {hut out themfelves of the 
 heavenly Jerufalem. 
 
 If thofe that have longreproached me as unfit 
 to be in their Church (and f aid, ex uno difce 
 ©mnes> with their Leader ) find any unfound 
 cr unprofitable DoSfrine here, I /hall take it for 
 a great favour te be confuted, even for the good 
 of others excluded with me 7 when I am dead. 
 
 I^n- **• Richard Baxter* 
 
 THE 
 
L 
 
 THE 
 
 CONTENTS. 
 
 Chap, i . TT O W to conceive ofGOD. Pag. I 
 
 Chap. 2 . XX How to conceive of the Trinity 
 
 in Vnity. p. vii. 
 
 Chap. 3. How to conceive of the Hypoftatical Vnim 
 
 and Incarnation. p. xxiii 
 
 Chap. 4. How to conceive of the Diver fity of God's 
 
 Tranfient Operations. p. xxx. 
 
 Chap. 5 . Whether any point of Faith be above or 
 
 contrary to Reafon. p. xxxii. 
 
 Chap. I. Prefatory. Who mufi be the Judge of Con* 
 trover fie ■/. The true Caufes of the Dwifions of 
 Chriftians about Religion. p. 1 . 
 
 Chap. 2. The Doctrines enumerated about which 
 they chiefly difafree. p. 22 
 
 Chap. III. Of God's Will and Decrees in general. The 
 Terms and fever al Cafes opened. p. 2 4 
 
 Chap. IV. Of God's Knowledge , and the Differences 
 about it. p. 41 
 
 Chap. V. Of Election ? and the Order of Intention 
 and Execution. p. 3 6 
 
 Chap. VI. Of Reprobation^ or tHe Decree of Dam- 
 nation ' y the Objects and theit Order. p. 40 
 
 An Anfwer to Mr. Polhill offuturition. p. 46 
 
 Chap. VII. Of God's Providence and predetermining 
 fremomn : C^DurandusV^. p. 70 
 
 Chap, 
 
■ The CONTENTS. ' 
 
 Chap- V1IL Of the Caufe of Sin : What G Q d doth 
 and doth not About it. p. 82 
 
 Chap. IX. Of Natural Power and Free-will. p. 89 
 
 Chap* X. Of Original Sin , at from Adam and nea- 
 rer Parents. p. 94 
 
 Chap. XI. Of our R&demftim by Chrifi, what it 
 doth j how neceffary. p. 89 
 
 Chap. XII. Of the fever al Laws and Covenants of 
 God* p. 99 
 
 Sett* 1. Of the Law or Covenant of Jnftocency made 
 to Adam : Divers Cafes. p. 113 
 
 Sett. 2., Of the Law of Mediation or Covenant with 
 Chrifi : When and what it was. p.. 12 1 
 
 Sett. 3 . Of the Law or Covenant of Grace in the 
 firft edition : What it was* p. 1 26 
 
 Sett. 4. Of the fame Law with Abraham'* Covenant 
 of Pecultarity y and the Mofaical Jewijh Law of 
 Works. p. 132 
 
 Sett. 5. Of the L^w or Covenant of Grace in the 
 laft edition ; the G off el : Divers Cafes about it 
 opened. p. 138 
 
 Chap. XIII. Of the miverfality and Efficiency of 
 Grace. What Grace is : How far univerfal and 
 Efficient, p. 154 
 
 Chap. XIV, Of Marfs Power and Freewill fince 
 the Fall. Adrian'* Sayings That an unjufiified 
 man may love or chitfe GodPs Being before his own. 
 What to afcribeto Grace, and what to Free-will in 
 good. • p-173 
 
 Chap. XV. Of Ejfettual Grace } and how God gi- 
 vet hit. Doubts re folved. p. 181 
 
 Chap.XVI. Of the Bate of Heathens, and fab others 
 as have not the Gofhtl; IVfjat Law the Heathen 
 
 World 
 
 
the CONTENTS. 
 
 World is tindery and to be judged by : Whether any 
 of them are juftifi:d or fxved : The Heathens were 
 the Corrupters of the old Religion , and the Jews of 
 the Reformed Church, Mai. i. 14, 15. and Sodom 7 * 
 Cafei&cconfidcred. p. 188 
 
 3hap. XVII. Of the ncceffuy of Holinefs and of 
 Moral Virtue. p. 203 
 
 :hap. XVIII. Of the neceffny ofFMth in ChriSt, 
 -where the G off el is made known. p. 2 1 2 
 
 Chap. XIX. Of the &ate of Infants as to Salvation 
 and Churcb-memberf'dp. p. 2 \6 
 
 Chap. XX. Of the nature of Saving-Faith ; its 
 Vefcription and Caufes. p. 226 
 
 Chap. XXI. Of jnftifying Right eoufnefs^ Jufiification 
 and Pardon. The fever al fences of the rvords^ and 
 fever al forts of them : Our common Agreement 
 about them. p. 238 
 
 Chap. XXII. Of the Imputation of Right eeufntfs. 
 Ctrifts right eoufnefs, in what fence ours and impu- 
 ted } and in what fence not. p. 255 
 
 Chap. XXII I. How Faith jujiifieth, and how it is 
 imputed for Right eoufnefs. Several quefiions about: 
 it J Repent ance, &c. refolved. p. 267 
 
 Chap. XXIV. Of Affurance of our Jufiificaticn^ and 
 of Hope. What Affurance is defirable : What at- 
 tainable : What Affurance we aUually have : Wh? 
 have it : The nature and grounds of it : Whc 
 it be Divine Faith. p. 2 79 
 
 Chap. XXV. Of Good workj dttd Merit : And whe- 
 ther we may trufi to any thing of our own. j. What 
 are Good Works : Z .Whether they axe neceffary to 
 our J unification or Salvation: 3. Whether they are 
 rewardable or meritoHota : 4, What is their pUce^ 
 
The CONTENTS. 
 
 nfe and neceffity : 5. Whether to be trufted t 
 
 p. 282 
 
 Chap. XXVI. Of Confirmation, Per fever ance, and 
 danger of falling away. 1. Whether all Grace Jj- 
 ven by Chrift be fuch a* is never loft. 2. Whether 
 that degree be ever loft which Qo Infants or Adult) 
 giveth but the pofle credere. 3. whether any loft 
 allual juft if ying Faith. 4. Or the Habit of Di- 
 vine Love and Holinefs. 5. Whether fome degree of 
 this may be loft. 6- If Holinefs be not aUually loft^ 
 is the lofs poffible ? 7. Whether there be a jtate of 
 Confirmation above the loweft Holinefs^ which fecu- 
 reth Perfeverance. 8. Or doth Perfeverance depend 
 only on Election and God 1 s Will. 9, Whether ally 
 moft or many Chriftians are themfelves certain of 
 their Perfeverance* 10. Is finch Certainty fit for all 
 the juftified f II. Is it unfit for all f and doubting 
 a more fafe condition ? 12. Doth the Comfort of 
 mo (l Chrift ians reft upon the Dottrine of Certainty 
 to per fever e? 13. Doth the DoEbrine of eventual 
 Apoftafie inf err Mutability in God? 14. Why God 
 hath left the point fo dark? 15. What was the 
 Judgment of the. ancient Churches herein. 16. Is 
 it of finch weight as to be neceffary to our Chtirch- 
 Communion^ Love and Concord. p. 300 
 
 Chap. XXVII. Of Repentance j late Repentance - 7 
 the time of Grace 7 and the unpardonable fin. p. 3 14 
 
 BOOKS 
 
O O K S Printed for and Sold by John 
 Salisbury at the Rifwg Sun in Cornhil. 
 
 A Rational Defence of Nonconformity, where- 
 in the f Waft 'ice of Nonconform^ s is vin- 
 dicated from promoting Popery, and ruining the 
 Churcb y imputed to them by Dr. Stillingflcct 
 Bijhop 0/Worcefter, in his Unreafonabienefs 
 of Separation. Alfo hi$ Arguments from the 
 Principles and Way of the Reformers and firfi 
 Dijfenters are fnfwered : And the cafe of the 
 prefent Separation truly ftatzd ; and the blame 
 of it laid where it ought to be ; and the way to 
 Vnion among Protectants is pointed at. By 
 Gilbert Rule, D.D. 
 
 The Chrijfian haver : Being two Sermons on 
 John 13. 8. openingthe nature of Participation 
 with y anddemonftrating the neceffity of Purifica- 
 tion by Chrift. By T. Crufo. 
 
 Six Sermons on various cccafions. ■ By 
 T. Crufb, in 40. 
 
 The Confor mi/Is Sayixgs ; or, the Opinion and 
 Arguments of Kjngs, Biffiops, and fever al Di- 
 vines, ajfcmb/ed in Convocation. 
 
 Anew Survey of the Book of Common-Prayer. 
 
I'll 
 
 i^^:^^^^«^:^^^^ 
 
 l-JS' 3ffiw i 
 
 An END of 
 
 Doftrinal Gontroveriies, &c. 
 
 CHAP. i. 
 
 How m mty tnci m»(i conceive of GO D. 
 
 §. i. j^ True Knowledge of God is necefla- 
 ry to the Being of Religion, and 
 to Holinefs and Glory, No man 
 can love, obey, truft, or hope be- 
 yond his knowledge : Nothing is lb certainly 
 known as God, and yet nothing fo defectively 
 known : Like our Knowledge of the Sun, of which 
 no man doubteth, Whether it be a glorious igne- 
 ous Subftance, endowed with the Power of Motion, 
 Light and Heats : And yet what is lefs comprehen- 
 ded ? And no man hath an adequate knowledge of 
 it, or of the leaft part of it. 
 
 §. 2. There*are three things that muft concur r 
 to our Conceivings of God : i . Our General Con- 
 ceptions* 2. Our Metaphorical Conceptions by 
 way of Similitude, 3 , Our Negative Conceptions \ 
 what Cod k not. 
 
 §.3. 1 
 
[iv] 
 
 §. 3. I have opened this as diftin&ly as I am 
 able in my Methodm Theology Cap. 4. in the Ta- 
 ble called Onxolcm, the beginning to which Imuft 
 refer r the Reader that would be accurate and clear. 
 I. We muft conceive of God as a Subftance, left 
 we think him to be nothing : And as a fpirituaf 
 tranfeendent Subftance, not univocally the fame 
 with created Subftance, nor fuch as Man can reach 
 to any feafible, or immediate or formal Concepti- 
 on of : But by the Similitude of created Subftance 
 our Conceptions may get fome help. 
 
 This we call the Fundamental Conception \ but 
 it is but a Conception partial and inadequate ; 
 yet neccflary, fetcht from the Similitude of the 
 Creature, whofe Matter or Subftance is the firft 
 conftitutive Conception. - 
 
 §.4. II. We muft conceive of God as the 
 prime EflentialLI FE : And though God be not 
 compounded of Subftance and Form, yet from Si- 
 militude of Creatures, we muft as inadequate Con- 
 ceptions, think of his being LIFE, as the form 
 of his Snbftaj>ce, not divilible or Compounding, 
 but as a diftinguiihing Conception. And forma dat 
 ejft & ncrnm 1 ;. 
 
 §• 5. III. Though in God's Eflence there be 
 no Parts, Degrees or Accidents , yet to anfwer the 
 Similitude of Parts, Degrees or Accidents in Man, 
 we muft put in general Tranfeendent Perfection: 
 And this indudeth abundance of hisPerfe&ive At- 
 tributes \ ;as that He is One , infinite, eternal, necef- 
 fary, independent, uncompounded^unchangeable, 
 and all the reft that are contained in Abfolute Per- 
 fe&ion. 
 
 frf; 
 
Ciii] 
 
 IV. When we fay, That God is the 
 prime effential LIFE, we mean a Life of Emi- 
 nency above all that is created : But yet fuch as 
 mull be known by Crefiture-fimilitmde : And 
 therefore from the Similitude of Man ,- we mult 
 think of the forma I Divize LIFE by a threefold 
 Conception, i. As VltdTomr in Act, 2. As Emi- 
 nent lntettett and Will, called Omwpotcxcy in Aft, 
 wifdom and Gtodnefs^ or Love. Whether thefe be 
 the FATHER, SON and HOLY GHOST, is after 
 to be opened : But as FATHER, SON and HOLY 
 GHOST, the Scripture teacheth us to conceive of 
 God •, As Three in One God , and One God and 
 Subftancs in thefe Three. 
 
 ;od is to be conceived of in relation 
 to the Creation in general, as OF HIM^ and 
 THROUGH HIM, and TO HIM are all things : 
 As He is* the Divine Efficient, the more than Con- 
 ftitutive, and the final Caufeof all 
 
 §. 8. VI. He is efpecially to be conceived of in, 
 his Relations to the Reafoiiabk Creatures* as their 
 abfolute Ovm$r^fiipr ems Ruler and cliief Btncfackor 
 and amiable attraftive Good and End. 
 
 §. 9. VII. He is efpecially to be conceived of 
 as related to Man -y As our Creator and Confer- 
 ver, as the God of Nature. 2. As our Redeemer: 
 by Chrifl and the God of Grace. 3. And as our 
 Perfedter by his Spirit, and the God of Glory t 
 And as relaced to hisKingdom of Nature,Grace and 
 Glory. 
 
 §. ic. VIII. He being without Paifivity. a pure 
 Aft, mud be conceived of, as, i.lnvirifttt fc*p~ 
 t rid Attiva. 2. In his Afts objectively immanent, 
 1* Self-livingr 2. Stlf-knowng^ ^.SzlfAoving. 3. IlJ 
 
 (a) ' " hi* 
 
[IV ] 
 
 his tranfient Ads or Works, confldered both e* 
 e a^emu^ and as the Effefts. 
 
 §. ii. IX. He is negatively to be known, 
 by the denial of all that rioteth Imperfedlion. 
 
 §. 12. X. When I fay, that God is to be known 
 by similitudes, I mean, that though nothing be 
 fuSly like to God, yet fom^what in which he may 
 be panly known, appeareth on the whole frame 
 of Nature } but efpecialiy on the Soul of Man> 
 which is his Image. Therefore he that would 
 know how to conceive of God, muft firft know 
 himfelf, and what his own Soul is : The true Con- 
 ceptions of your Souls muft be the prime Helps to 
 conceive of God by fimilitude. 
 
 And here you firft find IntelleStive, Volitive^ and 
 Executive Acts. 2. And by thefe you know that, 
 you have the Power fo to aft ; for no one doth 
 that which he cannot do. 3. And hereby you know 
 that your Souls are Subftance : For all Power is 
 the Power of feme Subftance 2 Nothing can do no- 
 thing. 4, And by this you know that an intel- 
 lectual Spirit is a Subftance fo impowered : And 
 that ethers are fuch as well as you : And knowing 
 what a Spirit is, you know what God the Father 
 is tranfeendentjy and eminently. - And though all 
 God's Works noufie him, you have thus the moft 
 intelligible Similitude within you. 
 
 §. j 3, Therefore I know not how you can bet* 
 ter conceive of God, than as MORE THAN A 
 SOUL TO ALL THE WORLD, but efpecialiy 
 to Saincs. 
 
 I fay, Mors than a Soul : For a Soul is but a Part 
 and CcnUiiKwe^ but God can be no P*rt y and is 
 more tlaan CittftiMtie : The World is finite, 
 
 but 
 
God is infinite, therefore he is more than a 
 Soul of the World : Gajftndm calleth the World 
 Indefinite, but feemeth to' mean Infinite, snd fc to 
 raake God but the Soul of the World : But that 
 cannot be proved : Not but that there be created 
 Souls'under God : But while God is more than a 
 Soul to all thofe Souls, he is more than a Soul to 
 all the World. 
 
 §. 14. It is lawful andufefulto think of God, 
 by fuch flmilitudes as he hath ufed of himfelf in his 
 Word, how low foever. Even by his particular 
 Works. 
 
 Three Names he afiumeth -, Life, Light, and 
 Love : He is the Living God > He is Light, and 
 with Him is no Darknefe : God is Love; faith 
 the beloved Apoftle. G O D is faid to cloath him- 
 felf with L I G H T as with a Garment : And a 
 man will fay, I have feen the K I N G to day, who 
 faw him but in his Garments : And if he faw the 
 Skin of his Face, how little of the King did he 
 fee ? In Scripture, they that have feca Angels 
 are faid to have feen God, and heard his Voice by 
 them. 
 
 When we fee the Glory of the Sun, that difFu- 
 fech its Beams to all the furface of the Earth, 
 and uniteth it lelfwith every Eye, even of the 
 fmalleft Worms, and quickeneth every thing that 
 liveth •, this giveth us by fimilitude fome low re- 
 semblance of the Divine Life and Light and Glory. 
 When he is called Our FA THE R, and he is faid 
 to love us as a FA T H E R his Children, this is 
 fome help to our Conceptions of him: When we 
 read of ail thofe Vifions which John had in the Re- 
 velations, of Chrift's glorious Appearance (as be- 
 fore on the Mount) and of God oa the Throne* 
 
 (3)2 
 
[vi] 
 
 with the Tour Beafts and feven Spirits, and the 
 thoufand thoufands of glorious Attendants, and of 
 the metaphorical Defeription of the Heavenly 
 Jtrufatim : It is not unlawful nor unufeful to us to 
 make ufe of fuch Spectacles of Similitudes in our 
 Thoughts of God, while we exclude all the Imper- 
 fections of fuch Similitudes. 
 
 §. 15. But after all, till the Love of God be fhed 
 abroad on our Hearts by the Holy Ghoft , and s 
 Qod as LOVE look on us with his attracting awd 
 exhilarating Afpeft or Communication, all thefe 
 notions will be dulLand barren, and will leave the 
 Seal under fears and defpondency : It is Love by 
 vital Influence warming the Affeft ions, that muft 
 give us a fweet tafte of what we know* and over- 
 come the fear of Death and Wrath, and give us 
 comfortable Boldncfs and Courage in all the Dan- 
 gers that we-muft go through. 
 
 And feeing Chrift telleth Philip, If thon hafi 
 fce?i er kr>mn mt, thou hafi kgewn the Father ' we 
 muft by Faith fee the Father in the Son incarnate, 
 who came into our Nature, to be a Mediator of our 
 Thoughts and Conceptions of God, and efpecially 
 as he is LIFE and LIGHT and LOVE : and I think 
 in his GLORY will in Heaven be the Mediator of 
 our LIFE, IN TUITION and FRUIT ION. 
 Come Lord Jefus, Amtn. 
 
 1 
 
 CHAP 
 
C v" 3 
 
 CHAP. 2. 
 Of Trinity in 'Vmty. 
 
 §. i. T IX THenI wrote the foregoing Treatif$ ? 
 V V I found the generality of Chriftians 
 ( Proteftants and Papifts) agreed about the Trini- 
 ty ; but Herefle and Debauchery encreafing toge- 
 ther, the Cafe feemeth partly altered ; And the 
 ambitious, rich and worldly fort being from their 
 Childhood bred up in flcfhly pleafure,and in igno- 
 rance and contempt of ferious Chriftianity, having 
 really no true' Religion, but a Name and Image of it, 
 at laft by their Tongues declare what is in their 
 Hearts j and living m a Land where Atheifts and 
 Sadducees are in fplendid Dwellings, whilft fear of 
 finning maketh Confifcations, Jails and Ruine the 
 Lot of multitudes who are zealous Proteftants, 
 they t^ke the advantage, decrying what they never 
 • had : But before they difown all true Religion, 
 and declare themfelves Sadducees or Brutes, they 
 begin as Dilputers, at the points where they think 
 Difficulty will excufe them } and efpccially at the 
 Trinity, and the Godhead of Chrift, and Secinian 
 Errors. 
 
 §. 2. I have perhaps ovcr-tedio'ufly and pro- 
 lixly handled the Dodtrine of the facred Trinity in 
 my Latin Mahodtu Theohgi*, opening the various 
 Opinions about it, reciting the words ofjhe Fa- 
 thers, School-Dolors, and Proteftants who han- 
 dle it : And through the whole Book I have 
 
 (a) 3 lhewed t 
 
[viii] 
 
 fhewed, That the Image of Trinity in Vnity is 
 imprinted by God, on the whole known fraipe of 
 Nature and Government, or Morality , and that 
 Doftrine of the Trinity, which to the ignorant is a .' 
 Stumbling-block, greatly helpeth to confirm my 
 Belief of the truth of the Gofpel and Chriftianity, 
 while I find it fo congruous, to the fprefaid Im- 
 prefs, and attefted fo much by all God's Works ^ 
 efpecially on Man. 
 
 $. 3. It is a truth unqueftionable, that without 
 fome knowledge of God there can be no true Re- 
 ligion, no Love to God, no Truft, no Hope, no 
 Obedience, no true Worfhip of him, Prayer or 
 Praifc. 
 
 §. 4. And it is as certain that no man can have 
 an adequate knowledge of God ; that is adequate 
 which c6mprehendeth the whole Objett, knowing 
 It perfectly, and leaving nothing of it unknown. 
 And with fuch an adequate Knowledge we know 
 nothing, not a pile of Grafs, nor a Worm or a Hair : 
 Mucli lefs God : With fuch a proper Knowledge 
 nihil fcitur is true, and yet diqaid rernm is /known 
 of all. 
 
 §. £ Yea, it is certain, that of God, who is in- 
 comprehenfible, we have here no partial Con- 
 ception that reacheth fo high as to be ftri&iy 
 FORMAL, but only fuch a s are called analogical, 
 ^equivocal, metaphorical, or by iimilitude. Nei- 
 ther Subftantid, Vita, Pcrfittio , Potently A&hs, 
 'inttU&ftvu, Voluntas, Lovs, Truth, Goodnefs y Mer- 
 cy, &c. are formally and univosally the fame in 
 Gcd and in the Creature •/ Scot us excepteth only 
 ENS. Which is true,' as ENS is only a Logical 
 term, fignifying no more than £ S T or jQnoddity, 
 and not jQV ID eft } or Quiddity. 
 
 §.6. Yet 
 
[ix] 
 
 §. 6. Yet this Knowledge by fimilitude is not 
 null or vain •, but the grcateft advancement of 
 Man*s Under/landing : All that which is formally 
 excellent in the Creature, is EMINENTLY and 
 tranfcendently in God, Though he have not that 
 which we call Kmvtle ige, Will, Love, &c. he.hath 
 that which is infinitely more excellent, which 
 thefe in-Man have iome likenefs t?, whereby we 
 know him. 
 
 §. 7. Mans Knowledge beginneth atcurlely^s 
 and not at God : We do not firfl: know God : 
 But firfl: we perceive our own Souls Aits, and 
 'thereby we know our Power, and our Subftame, 
 and thereby we know what all is that is fuch as 
 we ; ^nd io what a Sprit is, and fo what GOD is* 
 As by feeiiig, hearing, feeling we perceive that we 
 fee , hear, feel, &c. every Senfe having eflentially a 
 felf perception : So by thinking, knowing, willing, 
 nilling, loving, joying, we perceive that we do it 
 eflentially ; yet though the famvfnu figmfcatHm be 
 our own kit as to formality and priority^ it is God s 
 as to Emwency and Perfection. 
 
 §. 8. It is certain, that as all God's Works 
 bear fome notifying Imprefs of his own Perfecti- 
 on, fo Man is especially rhsdc in his Image ; and 
 therefore our Knowledge of God raufl there begin 
 feeing we have no immediate and formal know- 
 ledge of him. 
 
 §♦ 9. As God is the God of Nature-* Grace, and 
 Glory, fo he hath made on Man the Image of thefe 
 three : 1. The natural Faculties of his Soul, are 
 his natural Image on Man as Man : For which it is 
 faid, Gen. 9* that blood Jhali be ptmtfnd with blood, 
 becaufe Man is made in the Image of .God. 2. His 
 moral gracious Image is Holinefs, of Intellect, Will 
 
 ( a ) 4 and 
 
[*] 
 
 and executive Power. 3. The Image of his Ma- 
 jefty, Glory and Greatnefs, is, 1 . in all meiuhe 
 Dominion over the lower Creatures : 2. And in 
 Governours a Power over Subjefts or Inferi- 
 ours. 
 
 §. 10. To begin where our Perception be- 
 ginneth, 1 . It is certain, that the mental Nature 
 in Man hath three diftintl F Acuities in one undi- 
 vided Shhftwce -, That is, 1 . Fit at Active Power •, 
 JnttfaQ, and Will : ( The Vital Power being consi- 
 derable, firft as exciting Intell'ettw and Willy and 
 after &s Executive). The fame Eflence or Sub- 
 ftance is this vital A&ivity, Intellect and Will : 
 But the Attire Power is not the In{elle<ft, nor the 
 Intellect the Will, nor the Will the InteMl, &c. 
 And as MeUmhton told his Hearers, 
 VidL nt.Gtorg. (to the admiration of George Prince 
 AS? fc • J*?' o{ Anhdt, and the Duke of StxonyX 
 Adam. That the Concrete and Abftraft 
 
 were here differently to be ufed, 
 we may fay, that the Intellect may be faid to be 
 willing, but not to be tht Will 7 the Will to be Intel- 
 le&H*l 9 but % not to be the hnelktt, &c. 
 
 §. 1 1. I have fully proved in Methodo Theol. 
 farte t . in a peculiar Deputation, that thefe three 
 Faculties are not Accidents of the Soul, but its ef- 
 fential form in a triple,inadequate Conception, and 
 fully confuted all that Znbaul faith to the con- 
 trary, who epitomizeth all the Tbomtfts Argu- 
 ments, and vindicated Scotiu, and added many 
 Arguments of my own, and therefore muft thi- 
 ther refcrr the doubtful. 
 
 §. 12. Not that Man's Soul is there by three 
 forms ; for all are but one form ; But Man's nar- 
 row Mind cannot conceive of them but by three 
 
 Con- 
 
Cxi] 
 
 Conceptions ^ which yet are not Fi&iem, but as 
 Sc9tus calls them, F O R M A L I T A T E S, and as 
 CampkneBa, Primalities or Eflfcntialities , or as the 
 Nominals extrinfeck Denominations , and Rela- 
 tive by connotation of the Objects and EfFecTts : He 
 that hath a Wit fubtile enough to conceive of Sco- 
 t*s his FORMALITIES,, as noting only a 
 fundamemum cbjtolivHmdiftingHendt, will not won- 
 der that a Soul made in God's Image, fhould be of 
 difficult Conception. 
 
 §.13. II. The fame Soul of Man hath three more 
 general Faculties, thai is, mentals fenfitive, and ve- 
 getative ( cr igneous ) : Thefe are diitindt, but net 
 divided, yet are not three Souls, but one •, though 
 the inferiour Operations (at leaft) may be al- 
 terable according to Organs and Objeftsj and 
 fome ufes of Senfes and Vegetation ceafe. 
 
 §. 14. III. The fenutive Soul in Brutes hath 
 the Faculties, i Vitally a£tive ; 2. Senfibly appre- 
 henfive, j. Senfibly appetitive ; one of thefe Far 
 culties is not the other, yen all are but one fenfitivs 
 Soul 
 
 §. 15. IV. The igneous Nature in Plants cal- 
 led Vegetative, hath three faculties, Motive, Dif- 
 crecive (differencing its proper^ Nutriment from 
 other things ) end Attraftivc ( which is aflimila* 
 tive) yet all are but one fubftance. 
 
 §. \6. V. The Sun and all igneous fubfhnces, 
 have their formal Powers, that is, Motive , Illumi- 
 n/ttke find Calefactive : The motion ( in power or 
 aft ) is not formally the Light, nor is the Light 
 the Heat, nor is the Heat the Light or Motion : 
 Nor are theft three Suns or Subftances> but one 
 Subftance is in all three, whofe form we neceiTari- 
 ly conceive of by this triple inadequate Conce- 
 ption. 
 
[xii] 
 
 ption. And thus it is in all the Creatures of Active 
 Nature, which the Receptivity of the Paffive alfo 
 anfwerj and as I have proved elfewhere through 
 all Morality alfo. 
 
 MeUnlkhon, Loc.Com.per Maulium,^^^ men- 
 tioned many fuch inftances in the Sun, in Aitrono- 
 my, in Mufick, in Geometry^ in Grammar, in A- 
 rithmetick} to which Logick and Politicks might 
 be added, All Effe&s have only three Caufes> which 
 in the general of Caufality are cne -, that is, the 
 Canfe efficient, Con ft native, and Find. For Mat- 
 tery Rcceftivc-difpfiticn ( called Privation ) and 
 Form, are but the three parts of the Conftitmivc 
 Caufe. My Aieth. Theol. inftanceth in many more. 
 
 §.17, It is certain that the three grand Attri- 
 butes, Principles, Primalities, Eflentialities, or For- 
 malities ( as men di verily call them ) of which the 
 three Faculties of the Soul are an Image, are in God, 
 not univocally the fame as in Man, but eminent- 
 ly and tranfcendently. And his other Attributes 
 ( of Truth, Mercy, Juftiee, &c. ) are thefe va- 
 rioufly exercifed and related} that is^ital-afi, In- 
 teHe&^nd Will, called as Perfeft, Omnipotent Atti~ 
 vity, Omnifcience ( or Wifdom ) and Gcodncfs or 
 Love. And I have proved ( ubi fupra ) that thefe 
 are not Accidents in God, but his Eilencc, in* a 
 threefold formd Conception, truly diftinguiflhable , 
 ibme fay Ratione ration at a ; fome fay formalitcr, 
 and fbme, ex connotationc & relatione adobjcEla, and 
 perhaps ail little differ in Sence. 
 
 §. 18. All Theolugues agree, That GOD muft 
 be faid to be effentid Life, Self-kpovriedge and Self- 
 love, to be effentially fin-vita, fc-fcire, dr fe-amare ; 
 and that thefe are bell expreft by Subfismivts ah- 
 ftraftiyy and not only in the (Concrete by Adjectives 
 
 or 
 
or Verbs, fui-viiAyfui-ftientMyfui'tmor* Thus far 
 there is no doubtfulnefs. 
 
 §, 1 9- As in man we mull conceive inadequate- 
 ly of the three prime Faculties diftin&ly ( not 
 feparatingly ) i. As in virtnte vd fotentia. 2. As' 
 in aclpi immanent e ad fe. 3. In tttit tranfennte ad 
 alia, fomuft we inadequately conceive ot them as 
 eminently in Gcd. 
 
 §. 20. It is undeniable, that GOD is CREATOR. 
 REDEEMER and SANCTIFIER; the God of 
 Nature, Gratt, and Glory: Vii&, Medmni, SaIh- 
 tis. And though Father, Son and Holy 6 ho si are all 
 thefe, yet nfually in Scripture, Creation is faid to 
 be the Work of the Father ( by the Son and Spi- 
 rit, and Redemption the Work of the Son ( lent 
 by the Father ) and Perfection or Sanftificdtion the 
 Work of the Holy Ghoft ( as fent by the Father 
 aad the Son- ) Therefore Ba£ tifm, -which is our 
 Chriftetting, bindeth us in Covenant to God, as in 
 thefe three delations (which I hope may be ealilier 
 underftood , than all the Schoolmens Difputcs 
 of the Trinity.) And no doubt, but our Baptiim is 
 a pra&ical Covenant. 
 
 Thus the Trinity of Principles in Unity, is con- 
 fiderable ( as is aforefaid ) 1. Radically in virtate 
 Effenti* 2. In the immanent afts of felf-living, 
 felf-knowing and felf-loving. 3. And txemtcr 
 tranfiently in Cnattin^ Redemption and SanttificatioTt* 
 considered not as Effe&s, but ex t>*rte ag9nti4, as 
 adting them. 
 
 $.21. The word PERSON, by the cuftom 
 of the Church, having been ib commonly ufed, is 
 not to be difufed while it is well expounded, left 
 we feern by changing the word to change the Do- 
 drinc. , But the Church had the fame Faith before 
 
 that 
 
[ xvi ] 
 
 proper Aft of an Intelleft, and not of a Will, or 
 txetui'wc Power, as fitch I jQ^ 3. Self-perceptton in- 
 deed is a firft and eflential Aft of every fenfible 
 Agent: But doth not that among men only prove 
 fenfible Life, which is in many Faculties, and is as 
 numerous as the Afts, and not prove many per- 
 sons, feeing he muft be firft a Perfcn who fhall 
 thus aft? By feeing, I perceive that I fee, and 
 by hearing, that J hesr, and by tailing, fmelling, 
 touching, that I tafte, froell, and touch : I know 
 thefeby Intellection, but I perceive them firft by 
 eflential Senfation^ and fo by underftanding, I 
 immediately perceive that 1 underftand and think: 
 And by willing I immediately ( not knovv, tat ) by 
 a fort of eminent Senfation perceive that 1 will : And 
 by vital Aftion I perceive that I aft. Yet thefc 
 are not diftinft Perfons, but the afts of one Per- 
 fon. Perception is eflential to Vitality or Senfe, 
 but not conftitutive of Perfonality. 
 
 JQ^ 4. Is it knowing ones {elf, or knotting another, 
 oz arrttkirH knowing me, that conftituteth Perfo- 
 nality ? 1 know not my felf to be what I am in pri- 
 mo inffami 5 I firft perceive my afts, and by the 
 Afts I know that I have an aftive Power, and by 
 that Iknowthat.I am a Subftance, ere. Which 
 of thefe maketh mz.&Perfw? 2. God knoweth 
 the Afts of every Creature better than each know- 
 eth his own -, yet that is not God's Perfonality, as 
 diftinft from his Life : And that the Creature doth 
 not equally know God, can be no privation of 
 Perfonality to God., whatever it be to the Crea- 
 ture: And God's Perfonality was before there was 
 any Creature. 
 
 Q 5. To 
 
i[ xvii ] 
 ^ 5. ^o fay, That they are three Minds, or 
 ipirits, or Sub(taxccs that do invkem'confc'ire, is to 
 ay, Th?t they are three Gods : And becaufe every 
 mental Subftance hath its Own aftive Power, In- 
 tellect and Will, it fuppoferh three Trinities in- 
 Head of one. 
 
 Q^ Though God be f&d to be puriu Attn:, it is 
 jiftus entitativw including fhtenfidrn fen virtmtm 
 agendi-, and id* or Subftantiality, is a necefTary 
 /wr. fundamental Conception; for it doth // 
 rare captum hunuwum to conceive of an Aft that 
 is notaiicufa tttx*. He that eauleth all fubftan- 
 tiality and exiftence, is eminently exiftent Sub- 
 fiance. Many have made it a Difpute, Whether 
 die C: eature have any Entity, or be a Shadow • but 
 none whether GWbe fo. 
 
 Obj. To he fclf-cofifcitttii proveth PerfonMity, 
 and to be cenfemw of the aft of another, proveth 
 cne the fame Perfn with the other. 
 
 jfnf. To be felf-perceptive, is a good procf of a 
 VitklAtt -, and to be felf-confcious, is a proof of 
 an Intellect : Indeed in G O D the Subftance and 
 Aft, and fo the Perfonality and Self- percept ion are 
 not two things, but the fame: But yet inadequate 
 Conceptions muft be orderly, and fo the aft con- 
 ceived as the aft of a Power and of a Per [on : And 
 as is faid, every aft or faculty that hath felf-per- 
 ception, is not a Perfon. 
 
 2. And God's confeioufnefs of the aftsof Jndat % 
 Herod, Nero-, proveth him not to be the fame per- 
 fon with each of them ( though he be infinitely 
 more.) 
 
 §. 26. GOD being effential Life in 
 pure jitt, without any paffive Power, meant 
 by the word P ER S ON by the Orthodox, may 
 
 be 
 
[ xviii] 
 
 be better fpoken cf his EfTentiai^h (the arfivc . 
 Virtue included ) than of Mans. If it be the Ff 
 fence, why may not the proved Trinity Qf obje- 
 ctive Conceptions, as formal, be called Perfons or 
 JFfypoftafes? (Though many wife Men wi(h that a 
 Name lefs liable to miitake, had been ufld. ) 
 
 §. 27. But though I ampaft doubt, that in God 
 is this Trinity cf cflential, formal, inadequate 
 Conceptions or Primalities, and that the imprefs 
 of them is on the Soul of Man,- which is his image,, 
 and on the whole frame cf Nature and Grace '$ 
 yet far be it from. pie to fay, That nothing clfe is 
 meant by the Trinity of Per forts ; thus much we are 
 fure of: There may be more to conftitute. that 
 personality, than is to us comprehenfible •, and I 
 doubt not but there is more, becaufe thus much 
 is lb intelligible J feeing the Divine Nature is fo 
 infinitely far above the Comprehenfion of us poor 
 Worms:' But what we know not, we cannot de- 
 fcribe, or notifie to others. 
 
 §. 28. There are of late fome of great Wit 
 and Learning, who have td ventured upon another 
 fort of Defcription of the Trinity; Men whole 
 parts I greatly value ; ( Perer Sterry, Dr. H. Merc, 
 Mr. John Turmr of St. Thomas Holpital ; and be- 
 fore them fome in Germany went fome fnch way : ) 
 They fay, that from the prime Being emaneth, fay 
 fome, or is created, fay-others , the fa which is 
 the fecond HyfoSiafis or perfon, and Matter which 
 is the third •, and this caufed Life- and Matter (the 
 Son and Holy Ghoft) are one indi vifible, (though <#-• 
 JiingHtJhablc) Being*, there being no Spirit (faith 
 Dr. M. ) faveGod, that is not a Soul to fbnae Bo- 
 dy. Some of them telL us not whether this fir ft 
 produced L 1 FE' and MATTER, be the Vm*j 
 
 verftj 
 

 *eerfal Matter of the World, animated by an *w- 
 verfal Soul •, or whether they mean only fome 
 prime Soul and M*u er r that was made or caufed 
 before the reft : But others let us know, that it is 
 the univtrfd that they mean : And if fo, they mull 
 needs hold the World, as to all its Spirit and Mat- 
 ter, to be eternal* ( though in Particles alterable) 
 and to be God himfelf : The prime Entity, the 
 Lift and the Matter, being the father, Son and 
 Spirit : But they that hold not this wfaerfd Lift 
 and Matter] do think .that God by amoft eminent 
 Life and Spirit that was eternal, did create all the 
 reft, as inferiour to them. 
 
 Dr. Mort\ Book of Tramfubftantiation ( and 
 Mr. The. Beverley's) drew me to write fome Ani- 
 madverfions on this Do&rine, as moderating be- 
 tween Extrcanas •, but on further consideration, 
 I am rcry loth to be fo venturous in a Cafe of fuch 
 tremendous Myftery, as to meddle for or againft 
 them, left ettam vera dicer c de Deo fi ineerta* fit 
 pericnlofutn. Though I doubt not But their expo* 
 fitionof 7*6. 6. is unfound, while they make tht 
 Flefi and Blotd of Chrift, which is Tranfubftafi- 
 tiated, and eaten and drunk, to be the eternal 
 Flefh and Blood of Chrift, a Man from Eternity. 
 
 §. 29. The difficulty of the Controverlie which 
 this leadeth to, Whether the World be an eter- 
 nal Effett of an eternal Caufe, or God from all 
 Eternity, till the forming of this lower World 
 and Adam , had no Being but Himfelf ? Doth 
 d terr me from meddling with it, left I be blin« 
 ded by prefuming too nearly to gaze on the Light 
 that fliould guide me , and God, that is Loyc, 
 fiiould for my boldnefs be to me a Confuming Fire i 
 Things revealed only as for our fearch. 
 
 (b) S,JQc 
 
[xx 3 
 
 §. 30. But the Conclufion which all this pre- 
 parcth for, is this ^ That whatever clfe befides the 
 Trinity of Primaiities before defcribed, doth con- 
 ftitutc the Trinity of Perfons, it is rendred alto- 
 gether credible to an implicit Faith, by the full 
 Evidence and Certainty of the aforefaid Trinity of 
 Faculties or Primalides, which are God's Image on 
 Man's Soul, and the like imprinted on the whole 
 Creation -, which certainly is not done in vain. 
 
 §. 31. I pafs by. the reft, becaufe I have fo 
 largely handled it in Method. The olog. And a- 
 mong the numerous Authors there cited, I defire 
 the Reader efpecially toperufe the words of Chit- 
 mnndw ( A. 5.) Avcrfanu-$i Edmund. Cantnarkn- 
 fis^ Richtrdi nd Bernard^ fothonis Trumznfis^ with 
 whofe words I will conclude f cited pag. 103.) 
 lC There are three invifibles of God , Power, 
 u Wifclom and Benignity, of which all tilings pro- 
 iC ceed, in which all things fubfift, by which all 
 cc things are ruled. The Father is Power, the 
 u Son is Wifdom, the Holy Ghoft is Benignity. 
 11 Power createth, Wifdom governetb, Fenignity 
 u canfe*veth. Power by Benignity wifely crea- 
 t( * teth, Wifdom by Power benignly governeth. 
 cc Benignity by Wifdom powerfully conferveth •, 
 iC As the Image is feen in the Glafs, fo in the ftate 
 cc of the Soul by Humane Nature, &c. To this 
 c< Similitude of God againft Man approacheth 
 c; nearly,, to whom God's Power giveth Power to 
 ic Good, and his Wifdom to Know, and his Be- 
 c - c nignity giveth to Will. . This is t?:e threefold 
 " Force of the Rational Sou!, pojfe, fcire, r<?.''e,to 
 " be abk, to k»w, to will , which co-operate to 
 M FaitbytJof*, and Lw* for Charity). 
 
L-xxi J 
 
 §. 32. Among all, the Attempts that are pub- 
 lifhcd for our Conceptions of the Deity and Trini- 
 ty, I knew of none that give us their Notions 
 with greater Confidence and Pretence of Revelati- 
 on, than j. P. M. D. CDr. Pordage*} and his 
 Leader Jtcob B eh men. Many other of the German 
 Prophets, going ne^r the fame way - 7 as C. 
 
 man defer ibeth them. J •?. his Myftica Theole- 
 gia pretencteth to far greater difcovery of the 
 Deity and Trinity, and the World, than ever 
 Chriff, Prophets or Apoftles gave us. Firft, In 
 his Globe of Eternity, or the Divine Effential World 
 pi&ur I. An Eye (the Father), 2. A Heart 
 
 fthe Sort) ; 3. And the Effluvia or breathed Beams 
 (the Holy Gkojt) with the innumerable Progeny of 
 fbch Eyes flowing from that pregnant Eflcnce, dif- 
 fering from it only as leffer from greater*, each an 
 Ifidividual,yec making no Competition ( but Unity) 
 in the D^ 
 
 Secondly, In his Ahffd Nothing f or World of Ft* 
 Us. 
 rdly, In his Ettrml Nature, and the feptenary 
 
 did Worlds, &c. 
 
 But, 1. I eonfefs there are many things in him 
 (and in Peter Sterry} which Reafon left to its 
 conjectures. Would think plaufible ; but fhort of 
 fiotle and Plato. 
 And he is fo high in his Defcription and 
 Defence of Trine-Vnity* that even where I confent 
 not, I dare not call him therein unfound. 
 3. But many PafTages in his Defcription of 
 d Nature are apparently the effefts of Ig 
 rroaeous. 
 
\ ' . m , [ XKli ] 
 
 4 And he goeth further in bis making this Na- 
 ture eternal, and a World, that is the Bcdy of Cod, 
 than I dare dp. 
 
 <j. And though' I would rot be too forward, to 
 contemn men that pretend to know fuch Myfte- 
 ries by Vifion and Revelation, yet 1 refolve to take 
 Chrift for my fufficient and infallible Treacher ; 
 and to pretend to know no more of the Deity and 
 unfeen World,than he hath thought meet to reveal: 
 For no man bath feen the Fatter at any time, but 
 the only begotten Son ; nor doth any elfe know 
 him but he, and thofe to whom he revealeth him : 
 And what Chrift hath not revealed of God, I think 
 it is becaufe it is fittefl: for us to be yet ignorant 
 of it, as a necefTary difference between our prefent 
 and our future ftate. To fearch for more will but 
 confound and lofe us - 7 and refting practically in 
 what Chrift hath revealed, and for the reft, trad- 
 ing our felves fully in his Knowing for us, his 
 Love to us, and hisPromife for us, may fafely 
 and fuffieiently quiet the Mind that can be well 
 quieted no other way. 
 
 C H A P. j. 
 
 Of the Inc at nation an A Hyfoflaticd Vnion. 
 
 §. i. V TO wonder that it feemcth hardteMan, 
 IN to underftand how the Divine Na- 
 ture affumeth the Humane into Union, when it is 
 fo far beyond cur reach to conceive how Gcd 
 is near to all his Works , and how he opera- 
 ted on every roan. Chrift hath told us , That 
 
[ xxiii ] 
 
 we know not how a man is born of the Spirit, 
 no more than we know whence the Windcomcth 
 and whither itgoeth: And can wceafilitr know 
 how God became Man ? 
 
 §.2. It is certain, that God being infinite, 
 is as near to us as is poffible } our Souls can be 
 no nearer to our Bodies, nor perhaps to them- 
 (Hves. And though- Philosophers difpute, Whe- 
 ther Spirits be in loco , and whether God be in 
 us, or we in him, arjd whether he be quafi kctu 
 & Sfatiiim to the World •, yet it is paftqueftl- 
 on, that he is omniprefent, and intimately proxi- 
 mns to all things m . 
 
 §. 3. It is not therefore hismeer Prefencc or 
 Proximity of being that is this Hypoftatical Uni- 
 on i elfe it would extend to all the World. It 
 is harder therefore to prove, that God is not as 
 nearly united to all, than to prove, that he is not 
 fo united to* the Humane Nature of Chrifh 
 Which caufed Peter. Sterry and fuch others, to 
 hold, That Chrift hath three Natures •, that is t 
 That the Divine Nature firft produced the prime, 
 fupcrangdical , emanant Nature, ( by which he 
 feemeth to mean an univerfal Soul to the Mat- 
 ter of the World ) and that this fuperangclical 
 Nature did unite it felf to all, but eminently to 
 the humane Nature of Chrjft, which he calleth 
 One top- Branch in the Tree of Beings. Some fay 
 the fuperaugelical Nature being Chrift's only Soul 
 afluming bun a Body - 7 others, that it afTumed a 
 Body and SohL 
 
 §. 4. The grand difficulty about God's Unity 
 with the World, and the World with God, is 
 how to folve the difficulty that hath flailed the 
 School- Doftors j That if the Creature have no 
 
 0)3 Entity 
 
[ xxiv ] 
 
 Entity diftinft from God's, it is either part of 
 God, or nothing : But it is not nothing, or no. 
 Subftance (though fome call it ajWw.) Audit 
 is not a part of Gcd ; for to be pars, is to be im- 
 perfect, and fo to be no God. And if it have a 
 real Entity diftinft from God's Entity, then there 
 would be more Entity in God and the Creature^ 
 than in GOD alone i For two is numerally more 
 than one -, and two Emia have more Entity than 
 one, , how fmall foever the lefTer be* And then 
 God fliould be but ;part of Univerfal Entity, 
 which is Imperfection. To fay that the Crea- 
 ture hath part of Created Entity, but not of 
 Dirine Entity, feemeth to yield, that God is but 
 part of Univerfal Entity. To avoid which, many 
 Philofophers take up the Opinion, that the whole 
 being of all Worlds is GOD, the material Part 
 being his Body , and the eternal Spirit the Soul. 
 
 What fhall we fay to this ? To filence it 
 will not filence the Objeftcrs. And fure we miaft 
 sot grant them. That the World is God •, or that 
 it is part of God ^ or that Gcd is but a part of 
 Real Subftance or Entity •, or that to be fo 
 Is no Imperfection. Is there no # other founder 
 way ? 
 
 Though Divines fay, that Dei mn fun! acci- 
 Jentia, and it's true, That God is all Ejfence and 
 per ejfemiam operator , yet I dread to affert, but 
 humbly ask,, Whether rather than fall into any 
 of the former Opinions, it be not lefs dangerous 
 to fay, That as God hath made his Works in 
 his likerxfs, and no Subftance is without all Ac- 
 cidents, fo the World be not qnafi accidens Del 
 And iffo, it is no Part of Him, ejfentialov> inte- 
 gral : And as its Subftance is not unirocally fuch 
 
 as 
 
L AAV J 
 
 as God's, fofuchas it is, it is fo totally- caufed 
 by and dependent on God's continual Creating- 
 will and Emanation, that its Subttancc and Being 
 is more G O £> 9 s (though not S D} than its 
 own, and fo is no Addition of Being to God's Be- 
 ing, but contained in fiim, and flowing from him:- 
 A man's actual thought, words or fenfation is no 
 Addition to a man's fubftance as fuch i and yet 
 they are not nothing. A man's Hair and Nails 
 that have no life, but vegetative, are fubftantial 
 Accidents, and yet no part of the man : And yet 
 are fo wholly his own, caufed by his Soul, as 
 heat and moifture, that we ufe not to call them 
 any addition to the man's being. 
 
 §. 5. ^ But wherein then licth the Hypo- 
 ftatical Union , if God be equally near to all 
 things ? AnJ. He doth not equally operate on 
 all : As the God of Nature, he fuftaineth aad 
 operated 1 on all his Creatures : As the God* of 
 Grace, he worketh Hcihufs on Believer* Souls: 
 As the God of Glory, he is prefent demonftra- 
 tively and glorioufly to the Bleffed: But he work- 
 eth on none as he did on the humane nature of 
 • Chrift : Thefe three differences 1 conceive make 
 this proper fort of Union. 1. Some Works God 
 doth, though by eflential Proximity? yet not with- 
 out the ufe and operation of fecond Caufes : 
 But ChriiVs aiTuming the humane nature by the 
 divine, was by Conception by the Holy Gholt, 
 as the immediate Efficient, without the Caufali- 
 ty of Manor Angel, the Mother affording Matter 
 and Aliment to the fetu 
 
 2. Divine Operations being various, the Divine 
 Nature did that on the Humane Nature of Chrift^ 
 which it did not on any other Creature : He ha- 
 
 ( bj 4 ving 
 
L xxvi J 
 
 ving fuch Work to do, as no otker Creature was 
 to do, the divine nature fitted the humane for 
 its part. No Angel was to be Mediator between 
 God and Man, and to work Miracles as he did, 
 and in our nature to fulfill all Righteoufnefs, and 
 be a Sacrifice for Sin, and to rife from the Dead, 
 and to fend down the Spirit, and afcend to Glo- 
 ry, and there to reign and to judge the World : 
 jThcrefore he was qualified for all this work. 
 
 3. And fo there is alfo a relative difference, in 
 that the Divine Nature, by a fixed Decree and 
 Will^ united it felf for this work, to this one 
 humane nature, even for all futurity. It mayta 
 fome that are wifer can better tell wherein the 
 Hypoftatical Union confifteth . 
 
 $. 6. As to the Queftion, Whether the di- 
 vine and humane nature l?e two or one , it is to 
 ask, Whether the nature of God and his 
 Creatures be two or one ? They may be called 
 ont as we arc one with Chrift^ as conjunct, rela- 
 ted and contenting : But not one and the fame 
 cflential nature. 
 
 §. 7. But the great difficulty is, whether the 
 two natures conftitutc one Perfon, or two. Ne- 
 ftorm is accufed ( Berodon faith falfly, citing his 
 own plain words) to have held, That Chrift was 
 two Perfons 7 divine and humane. But what is to be 
 held, the School-Do&ors make a difficult queftion •, 
 that is, whether the humane nature be either a 
 Terfon^ or any part of the Perfon of Chrift. 
 1. They fay, that Chrift was a divine Perfon from 
 Eternity, and therefore began not to be fuch at 
 his Incarnation. 2. That the divine nature 
 cannot be fars ferfona, for that would be to be 
 imperfeft and not divine .* Therefore that the hu- 
 mane 
 
[ xxvii ] 
 
 mane nature is no part, but am adjundl to the 
 Perfon of Chrift. (And if the humane nature be an 
 Accident to the divine in Chrift, why mult we 
 deny Creatures to be Accidents of God ? ) But 
 moft plain Chriftians would be ftartkd to hear 
 a Preacher fay, that the Humanity is no pari of 
 the Perfon of Chrift. 
 
 §. 8. I have no anfwer to the difficulty, unlcfs 
 I may diftinguifh of the fence of the Word P E R- 
 S O N, and fay, that in the fence as it fignifieth a 
 Perfon in the Eflence of God, 
 the humane nature is no part such a urifi do the 
 of it. feut as to a Rilativc BiBma *f Church-Fa- 
 PerfoMlity, (as a King, a -ffi««"k^Nefto- 
 Pneft, a Prophet, &c. as a not hei;tes>^w*/// 
 Husband, a Father, &c. are not permit us n pafsty 
 Perfons ) fo there is one thefe prints. 
 Mcdutor between GOD 
 and Man, the Man Chrift Jefus : And the humane is 
 not here excluded. 
 
 But is the Divine a part of the Perfon of a Me- 
 diator ? I handle fuch things with fear j Ths 
 Lord pardon our weaknefs : But we are called 
 to handle them by men's Preemptions. 
 
 i . As Gcd is not a part of the WqyU , or uni- 
 verfal Subftance, and yet is tminenttr more than a 
 part, what if it be fo anfwered here ? 
 
 2, But if, as greac Do&ors now maintain, Rela- 
 tions may be afcribed to God, wkhouc any Com- 
 petition, becaufe they have no proper reality, but 
 a meer objective comparability, why may not the 
 divine nature have a relative part in the Relati- 
 on of Mediator, as affuming and advancing the hu- 
 mane, and operating in it, without compofition t 
 And as according to this ambiguity, Chrift may 
 
 have 
 
[ xxviii ] 
 
 have two perfons (not uni vocally) divine and me- 
 diatorial, fo the divine and humane may make one 
 Mediator : And in the one Perfon of a Mediator are 
 contained many Relative Perfons of Chnft,as King, 
 Prieit,r Prophet, Son of Mzry, &c. The Lord 
 pardon what is amifs in thefe Conceptions, and 
 redlifie my Judgment, and give me that practical 
 Faith and Knowledge of Him, which conftituieth 
 Chriflianity, accordiug totheBaptifmal Covenant, 
 and which is it that He calieth Eternal Life. Amtn. 
 
 CHAP. 4. 
 
 How to conceive of the Diverfty of God's 
 Operations , feeing he is immutable^ and in- 
 timately near to every Patient. 
 
 §, 1. T T is certain, That no Change wrought 
 * by God, fignifiethany Change in God ; 
 and that no diversity of Effedts fignifieth any real 
 Multiplicity or Diverfity in God : But all Di- 
 ver (Ity floweth from Unity, and Change from 
 Immutability. 
 
 §. 2. It is certain, That God is intimately 
 prefent in EflTence with every Creature, and e- 
 very EfFedt, and fo all his Effedts are im?nc£ia- 
 tioHtfroximitAtis immediately from God, he being 
 as near the Effeft, when he ufeth fecond Cau- 
 
 fes, 
 
[ xxix ] 
 
 fes , and having as mlich Caufality in producing 
 what is done, as when he ufeth none. 
 
 §. 3. Yet it is certain, That God ufeth f.cond 
 Caufcs, and therefore that all Effefts are^ct fo 
 immediately from him, as to be fine medMi And 
 the highefl ufuaily work on the lower. 
 
 §. 4. Therefore it feeraeth plain, that Energy, 
 or utmoft tranfient Operations go not as far as 
 his EfTential Prefence ; nor are equal to his Om- 
 nipotence/ : He dorh non all that in prima in5t*mi % 
 he can do •, but fufpendeth freely fuch Adte. 
 
 §. 5. Therefore God may fb far fufpend fomc 
 Operations on inferior Patients , as to confine 
 thenrto the Capacity or Aptitude of the fupe- 
 rior created Caufes, as he doth in the ordinary 
 Courfe of Nature: He fhineth not by the Moon 
 fo much as by the Sun ; nor in a cloudy day fo 
 much cis in a clear ; nor in the night as in the day ; 
 and' nouriflieth us not by every fort of Food a- 
 like, nor cureth alike by all Medicines. 
 
 §. 6. As God dot in Naturals, fo may 
 
 he do in Morals, or IplriOinl Changes : As he is 
 the God of Kingdoms and People, he may ufe 
 his Mercies and Judgments by Kings and Magi- 
 ftrates, and according to their good or bad Dif- 
 >, as he did in the Death of Chrift. He 
 doth not uic to gover 3 as happily by wick- 
 
 s, as by the good and 
 
 more unhappy under 
 
 ulusy 6cc. than 
 
 v, Antonlntj Alcxan- 
 
 u* : And ".mpire was delivered by 
 
 the fall of feven Tyrams, by a Conftarrtine. 
 
 §. 7. So God ufuaily profpereth or affii&eth 
 rches and particular Souls, working his Grace 
 
 ac- 
 
I XXX ] 
 according to the qualifications of the Paftorsand 
 Teachers ; and fitting them to be meet Inftru- 
 ments of the intended Good, though he do not 
 , always Co confine his Operations. This is evident 
 in thcjdifFerent fucceffes of Minifters that are skil- 
 ful or unskilful, wife or ignorant, good or bad*, 
 concordant, or fchifmatical : And it is notorious 
 in the fuccefs of the Education of Youthen Schools, 
 Uniyerfities, and Families. 
 
 §.8. According to this Method , wc may 
 judge alfo of God's working according to varie- 
 ty of Company-helps, Temptations, and Hin- 
 derances, and how much of God^s Work of Grace 
 is thus fapientially and mediately exercifed } though 
 as to the internal manner of the Agency of his 
 Spirit,we are told by Chriit, That every one that 
 is born of the Spirit, is as the Wind bloweth 
 where it liftet'h, and we hear the found , but 
 know not whence it cometh , and whither it goeth. 
 It is much herein to know a little. 
 
 §.9. It greatly darkeneth us in judging of God's 
 Providences on Earth, as to the Welfare orMife* 
 ry of Nations and SjuIs, Believers and Infidels, 
 Peace and War, &c. that we know not how much 
 God doth here by Spirits good and bad :, and how 
 far fuch Spirits are left to their Free-w r ill, as A- 
 dxm was, in their Miniitration and Executions 
 here ' below. God gave Satan power over Job, 
 and power on the S*beanst\\zt robbed him, 2nd 
 power on the Fire that fell from Heaven on his 
 Eftate. Chrift faid, This is their Day, and of thz 
 Tower of DarVntfi. What Laws the fuperipur 
 Worlds are under, as to us, and one another, is 
 much unknown to us , yea, what power for our 
 fins Satan may have againft ( not only the wick- 
 ed 
 
 
[ xxxi ] 
 
 id, but) even thofe that fear God, both on their 
 Bodies by Difejrfes, and on their Grinds by trou- 
 bling and feducing Temptaticns Sad experience 
 tclleth us, that yielding to former Temptations, 
 giveth him advantage for eafier accefs to otir ima- 
 ginations, and to more dangerous frelh AfTaults. 
 
 §. io. But yet we maybe fure, thst all God's 
 Promifes fhall be fulfilled, and that he will never 
 give Satan power to break them, nor fufpend 
 his Operations fo much on any fecond Ca-jfes, as 
 to violate any word of fafety, 2nd hope that he 
 hath given us to truft £0j which AfTurance may 
 ferve to keep us in Faith, and Hope; and Com- 
 fort. 
 
 CHAP. 5. 
 
 h any pint of Faith above Reafon } or con- 
 trary to it ? 
 
 §. 1. I Have anfvvered £his at large in Method. 
 1 Theol. It is a confufed and ill-worded 
 Queftion. 
 
 Diftinguifh, 1. between Faith taken objectively, 
 and Faith fubjettively as an Aft, or Quality. 
 
 2. Between that which is required of all men to 
 be believed, and that which is required but offome. 
 
 3. Between Reafon in Faulty, and Reafon in Aft 
 and Habit. 
 
 4. Between Reafon advanced by improvement, 
 and Reafon unimproved and buried in Igno- 
 rance. 
 
 5. Between Reafon that hath only the Revela- 
 
 tion 
 
[ XXXii ] 
 
 tion of common Nature, and Reafon that hath fa- 
 
 rernatural Revelation. ..«..,- V i, -w ;* 
 
 1 c 2 [. it being only objective Faith that ^ is 
 
 meant 'in the Queftion • that is no Objeft of Faith 
 which for want of Revelation , a man is not 
 bound to believe. There are Millions of Things 
 above our Reafon, which are no Objects of our 
 Fakh And more may be the Objeft of one 
 Man's Faith, than ofanothers that had it noway 
 
 revealed to him. . . . 
 
 c , H. A J molt all the matter of Faith is *• 
 faw the Reafon of ignorant Sots that never im- 
 proved their Reafon, or ftudied the Evidences of 
 Truth: It is above their Reafon, as ^pjBrw 
 and «&«, though not above the poffibiliw ot 
 their Faculties being better cultivated and dilpoiea 
 h ere a 4 ter 'lf! ^ Do ft r i ne of Faith is not only 
 above' 'but fntrtry to the falfe reafovmg of igno- 
 rtnt deceived Fools > for fo is the very Being of 
 God, and fuch are many that boaft ot Kea- 
 
 l0n s < IV. The Gofpel of Chrifi: , and many 
 obits' of Faith are above his Reafon that hath 
 only fuch natural Light as the Creation can give 
 him, without any Gofpel fupernaturai Revela- 
 tion Who can know in India that never heard 
 of Chrift , that he was incarnate, and role trora 
 the dead, and afcended, &c.t 
 
 § 6. V. Nothing that God commanded us to 
 believe, is either contrary to, or above Reafon (that 
 is the reafoning Intellect) i°fo™=^i5™.f£ 
 Hod Revelation or Notice, and honeftly and 
 foundly qualified to judge otherwise, as Law, 
 Phylick, Aftronomy.fo Divinity is above the Rea- 
 fon of the unqualified. 
 
g. 7. This is apparent, 1. B:c3ufe we have 
 no Faith in us, bun what is an ad of Reafon and 
 rational Will \ and therefore that cannot be Lid 
 to be above Reafon, which is it felf eflentially 
 an Ad of Reafon. By 'what Faculty do we be^ 
 lieve, but by the rational Intellect and Will? 
 And this Intellect hath but two fores of Ads, 
 
 1 . Immediate Self-perceptions, which fome call />.- 
 tuitions, and fome , E nd Senfation. 
 
 2. Abftrative Knowledge by Reafoning. And 
 the firft way we perceive nothing bun cur owti 
 Ads : Therefore it mufl be thelatter,or not at all. 
 
 §. 8. 2. We have reafon to know that God 
 cannot lye ; and reafen to know by certain Proof 
 that Scripture is his Word - and reafon to kno 
 what that Word expreffeth. Therefore we have 
 reafon to b.lieve that it is true, and confequently 
 to truft it. 
 
 5. p. 3. If we tell Infidels than we have no 
 Reafon our felves for our Faith, nor any Reafon 
 to give them why they fhond believe Chrifl mc 
 than Mabo^eti and the Scripture more than the 
 Alcoran, this preaching is not the way to con- 
 vince the World, nor did fuch Preaching gather 
 the Churches. 
 
 §. 10. When the Apoftles added Miracles to 
 their Teftimony of (Thrift's Refurredion, what 
 was it for, bu: to convince Mens Reafon, that 
 what God fo attefteth by unimitable Works, mufl: 
 needs be true : It is by reafon ( abufed ) that Men 
 talk againft reafon. 
 
 §. 11. Thofe knowing Divines that tell the 
 SocimMSy That the Matters of Faith are above 
 Reafon, can reafonablv mean no more, but that 
 meer Reafon by natural Light, could net have 
 
 known 
 
[ xxxiv] 
 
 known them without Gofpel fupcrtfatural R£ve- 
 lacion. 
 
 §. i 2. This Reafon is unanfwerable. 
 
 That is certainly true which God obligeth all 
 men of Reafon, to whom it is revealed? to be- 
 lieve. 
 
 But God obligeth all Men of Reafon, to whom 
 it is revealed, to believe the Life to come, and 
 that Chrift is the Son of God, and his Word 
 true. 
 
 Therefore it is true. 
 
 The Major is proved by the very Being and 
 PerfeftionofGod; to fay that God bindeth the 
 World to believe a Lye, and fo is the great 
 Lyer and "Deceiver, is to defcribe him like Sa- 
 tan, and to deny him to be God. 
 
 The Minor is proved •, God bindeth us to be* 
 lieve that which being of greateit everlafting 
 Confeqnence, is attefted by the former Prophe- 
 cies, the Eflenrial Impreflions of God, the mul- 
 titude of uncontrolled Miracles, and the conti- 
 nued fuccefs of fan&ifying Souls, and making the 
 greatcft amendment of the world, when we have 
 no DMproof of it } and to truft our Souls and 
 Hopes on this, when we have fuch fealed Promifes, 
 and no other fufficient Hopes. 
 
 But fuch is the Gofpel of Chrift, and the Life 
 to come — Ergo wc are Sound as regfonable, by 
 God to believe it. 
 
 In this Belief and Hope I am writing this, un- 
 der the fentence of Death, in expectation of my 
 approaching Change. 
 
 CS* Thef 2 five preceding -Chapters were, <m Emergent Occaftons y 
 written about T&enty years after the re J} of the Be ok (fave one 
 Chapter, Chip, y.) 
 
 CHAP- 
 
C i 3 
 
 CHAP. I. Prefatory. 
 
 Who jbdl be Judge of Controversies^ and of the 
 Sence of Scripture ; whether all the People, or 
 who elfe. 
 
 ScVv. I. "Y""""^ XperienceafTurir-g all Men, that we 
 are born without a&ual Know- 
 ledge and yet with Faculties made 
 to Know, obliged to Learn, defi- 
 ning Knowledg, needing it, and delighting in it, 
 no wonder if Men be inquili:ive after the fureffc 
 and eafieft way to attain it ; and if they be unwil- 
 ling to be deceived, no wonder they love Truth as 
 Truth, and hate Lyes as Lyes , though, being de- 
 ceived, they hate that which is Truth, and love 
 that which is a Lye. 
 
 * §. 2. Therefore the firft Apprehenfionsofthe 
 mind do greatly tend to the introduction of thofethat 
 follow, to make them fuch as (hall agree with thefe : 
 And here, \. Senfe, and 2. Education have the great 
 advantage. 1. We exercife Senfe before Reafon 7 ~ 
 and therefore, atfirit, without the government of 
 our own Reafon, and this neceffarily, ftrongly, and 
 conftantly, as the Bruites do. 2. And being there- 
 fore governed by the Reafon of our Parents, we 
 
 # learn Knowledg of them,and from fenfible Obje&s, 
 but drop by drop, by flow degrees ; and Senfe be- 
 
 ng ftrong, iaclineth Children ftrongly to defire 
 
 B that 
 
t 2 ] 
 
 that fort of Knowledge which will maft ferve the 
 pleafure of Sence and Flcfhly Appetite : Ard lo 
 they eafily learn how to fport, and after how to 
 feek Provifion (by Labour and Trades, and Flat- 
 tery, &c.) to fatisfie the Deiires of the Flefh. But 
 the knowledg of things fpiritual' and everlafting, 
 vrhich are beyond the reach of Sight and all the 
 Senfes, cometh not in fo foon, nor till Parents or 
 other Teachers tell them of fuch, or Reafon grow 
 up to maturity, by Experience and ferious Exer- 
 cife, and withal, the Grace of God to blefs fuch 
 Helps, and overcome the contrary flefhly inclina- 
 tions, which original Pravity and cuitomary Sen- 
 fuality, raife up againft the Defires of> Endeavours 
 for, and Obedience to a fpiritual and more excel- 
 lent Knowledge Where God giveth, i. A Body 
 moderately tcmperated as to Senfuality and Inge- 
 nuity ^ 2. And Parents, or firft-Teachers, wile and 
 faithful, to teach Children that fpiritual Know- 
 ledg which they have learnt themfelves ; and, 
 3. by His Grace excitetlvChildrens Minds to love, 
 learn, and obey the Truth, there enter the begin- 
 nings of troeft Wifdom : But where thefe are wan- 
 ting, they grow up, inftead of faving Wifdom, to 
 the crafcinefs of a Fox, to get, keep, and devour 
 his Prey, and to the valour and felicity of the 
 Maftiffe, to be Mailer of the little Dogs ; and at 
 laft, to the fubtilty of Devils, to oppole and de- 
 itroy as a hated thing the Holy Wifdom and Pra- 
 ctice that fhould have faved them. 
 
 §. 3. As Knowledg cometh in by flow degrees, 
 fo there areas many degrees or differences of it, in , 
 the World, as there are Men; it being not proba- 
 ble that any two men on Earth have juft the fame 
 apprehenfions arid degrees of Knowledg j but that 
 
 all 
 
C ?3 
 
 all mens mental Complexions differ far more than 
 their Vifages do. So that if the fame degree were 
 the meafure of neceflary Church-Concord , and 
 Salvation, there fhould but one in the World be 
 the Church or be faved. The queftion then is not, 
 What meafure is definable, but what is nccejfary to 
 Church-Vnity and Commnnim, and to Salvation. 
 And what God will do with thofe that have not 
 the Gofpel,- and are not of the Chriftian Churchy 
 but only believe that God *f, and that he is the Re- 
 warder of them that diligent ty feek^him, and that in 
 every Nation difcar GW^and vporkjr ighteoHfnefs\ be- 
 longeth net to our prefent queftion } but only 
 what is neceflary to the Chriftian State and Hye. 
 
 §.4. And here it is firft to be decided, Whether 
 Cod hith by any fixed Law or Revelation determined fo 
 oftkcMeafiireofLhriftian Knowledg and Fait h 7 as 
 that thtreby men may know who are to be taken as Chri- 
 fiians and of the Church? To which I fay, I. We 
 ifluft diftinguiih of Faith as objective and as ji&ivt^ 
 or as to the matter believed, and as to the Aft of 
 believing or knowing. 2. Between tre Inward Sin~ 
 verity and the Outward Profejfion : And remember 
 that though God judge of Men according r. to in- 
 ward Sincerity, and 2. expeft that decree of Know- 
 ledg and Faith in Ad and Habit fuitable to means 
 enjoyed, without which the man and his Faith are 
 not indeed fincere - 7 yet the Church (and all Men) 
 can judge of others, but 1 . By outward Profeffwn, 
 2. extended to that degree of Objective Faith, which 
 God hath made commonly neceflary to Ghriitiani- 
 ty or to the acceptance of the Church 
 
 It is therefore here a d ceiving Confufion, to 
 confound the two cafes, what is neceflary to Go&s 
 acceptance into Heaven^ and what is neceflary to a 
 
 B z Man's 
 
L 4 1 
 
 Man's acceptance into the Church. And thence Ibme 
 conclude that no man can tell juft what is neceflary 
 to Individuals. 
 
 §. %. That Chrift hath ftated the EfTentials of 
 Chriftianity, taken obje&ively fliould be fo farpaft 
 queftion, as our Chriftianity it felf is, at leaft. 
 For if he have not, then he is not the Author and 
 Finifher of our Faith: And ifhe be not who is? 
 The Apoftles delivered it as received* from him. 
 If it were not then made and determined by Chrift, 
 then there was then no Chriftianity* and fo no 
 Christians* And if it was made ficce then,who was 
 the Maker of Objective Chriftianity ? No Man or 
 Company of Men dare or do pretend to it. If they 
 fhould, whence had they that Power ? And did it 
 die with them ? Or may others after them make 
 alio a new Chriftianity ? Paul pronounceth Angel 
 or Man accurfed that fhould bring another Gofpel 
 than that which he had received and preached, 
 Gal. 1.7,$. 1 CV. 15.3,4.^(7. 
 
 2. And if the EfTentials of Chriftianity and 
 Church-relation and Communion were not deter- 
 mined of by Chrift, and notified in the Holy Scrip- 
 tures, then there could be then no Chriftian 
 Church, for want of Church-Eflentials. And then 
 when began that Church, and who made it. 
 
 3. But the Gofpel hath put the matter out of 
 doubt, telling us that Chrift hath actually declared 
 and determined the EfTentials of Objeftive Chri- 
 ftianity and the Church : even in his Inftitution of 
 Baptifm, which is our Chriftening, which in his 
 preaching he expounded, and fo did his Apoftles. 
 2. And as his Baptized Difciples were called 
 Christians ^ fo he commanded them to Love one 
 another and live in Concord and Commurion as 
 
 Chri- 
 
[?] 
 
 Chriftians: and could any obey this Command, 
 if Chriftianity was then either unmade or a thing 
 that could not be known ? 
 
 §. 6. And if it was then made by Chrift, it was 
 furely unchangeable : elfe men might be llill ma- 
 king a new Chriftianity, from Age to Age, and 
 when fhould we have an end ? And who hath 
 power or skill to make a better than Chrift made 
 Mahomet that attempted it, thereby is an accurfed 
 Antichrift . p 
 
 §. 7. And now we come next to enquire, 
 
 I. What are the Chnrch-C ontroverfies to bz decided. 
 
 II. And who are the Dijfenters that differ herein. 
 
 III. And then we (hall eafily find who it is that mult 
 be the Judge of them. 
 
 §. 8. And 1. it is fuppofed that it is no one effen- 
 tialpart ofObjecirce Chriftianity that is in Controier- 
 fie. 2. And that it is not among Chriftians that 
 any fuch point is controverted. For he that de- 
 nyeth any eflential part, denyeth Chriftianity and 
 the Church - and therefore is no Chriftian (what- 
 ever he may be called by himfelf or others.) And 
 though Confounders make a great Con troy erfie of 
 it, whether a Heretick be a Chriftian and a part of 
 the Church, it's eafily refolved - if we dally not 
 with an ambiguous word : If by aHeretick be meant 
 one that profefTeth not, or deny'd any eflential part 
 of Chriftianity or the Church, he is no Chriftian 
 nor part of that Church which he denyed : But if 
 by a Heretick be meant one that profefTeth not, or 
 denyeth only fomething that is of the melius effe 
 of Chriftianity and the Church, he is a Jtfember 
 though a faulty one. 
 
 §. 9. But it will be faid, thst more than tkeEjfen- 
 tials of Chriftianity is necejjaryto Church-Communion : 
 
 B 3 Jfc 
 
tlfe we mufi receive Drunkards, Fornicators, Extortion 
 vers, Railers^ with whom, faith St. Paul, we muft 
 net eat. 
 
 Anf. I would thole that will not endure tolerable 
 men for a different opinion or circumftance, could 
 as little endure Drunkards, Fornicators, Extor- 
 tioners, and Railers, and Covetous, &c. But the 
 Objeftors muft under ftand, That as I faid, The 
 Saptifmal Covenanting Profejfion of Christianity is 
 our Church-title to its Communion. And that 
 Chriftianity is more than a bare Opinion or Notional 
 Affent : it is a folemn giving up our j r elves by Vow and 
 Covenant to God the Father i Son and Holy Ghofi, as 
 ettr God and Saviour and Sanclifier* to be Taught and 
 Ruled by Chrifi^ as well as pardoned, adopted, and 
 glorified ; which effentially coiitaimth Repentance and 
 the Renunciation of the Dominion of the Flefh, the 
 World, and the Devil* which are contrary to the 
 Government o^Chrift. 
 
 And it mull be remembred that a Verbal Pro- 
 feffion proved counterfeit and falfe by inconhftent 
 contradiction in word or deed, is indeed not valid, 
 and is no Profe[fwn. And he that would fay, I 
 Will be Ruled by Chrift, but I will be a Drunkard, 
 a Fornicator, an Extortioner, &c. would thus nul- 
 lifiehis Profeffion by a grofs Contradiction : And 
 to live impenitentlyin thefeftns, is as fure a proof of 
 falfhood of a man's Prof ejfion, as contrary words 
 would be. And if a man once and again commit 
 fuch Sins till he Repent of them, he choofeth them 
 and liveth in them : And while he choofeth and 
 liveth ii> them, he Repenteth not indeed, what- 
 ever he fay : For Repentance is a change of Mind 
 and Life. 
 
 There- 
 
C 7 3 
 
 Therefore we here diilinguifli of Mens Right to 
 Church-Communion as i . unqueftioned, 2. as loft 
 or null* 3. as doubtful and under tryal. u A 
 Baptifmal Profeflion of all the Eflence of Chriftia- 
 nicy, and not difproved,is a Title not to be queftio- 
 ned. 2. Apoftafie, or the denyai by word or deed 
 of any eflential part of Chriftianity, juftly proved, 
 nullifieth Chriftianity and Church-Right. 3, But 
 if a man fpeak or hold fome bad opinion by a re- 
 mote unfeen confequence, contrary to fomewhat 
 eflential to Chriftianity, or if he commit fome Sin 
 that is inconfiftent if he Repent not, here the 
 Church rouft try whether the faid Error be indeed 
 fo held, as that the contradicted truth is really 
 not held, or only be held on a miftake of confiftea- 
 cy,theperfon profefling to renounce it, if incon- 
 fiftent : And whether the faid Sinner live impeni- 
 tently in that Sin, as that which he choofeth and 
 will not forfake : And while the man is under this 
 doubtful Trjal^ his Title is doubtful, and to bs 
 fufpended as to aftual Exercife. 
 
 And therefore the Church hath ever ufed Sufpen- 
 fion as a thing different from a full or proper Ex- 
 communication ; Suffcnfion and fome difciflirutry 
 reftraints, have been called Excommunicato minor, 
 which doth not cut off a man from the Church; 
 When the proper Excommunication called major, 
 is but an Authoritative Declaring that a: man hath 
 cut off himfelf, by Afojiafie at Jcaft from fome 
 cffentUlfart of Chriftian Faith or Duty: without 
 which felf-abfcifion, other mens hath no place % 
 and is but a Slander of the innocent. God hath 
 not given others Power to unchriftcn, cat off or 
 dama the guiltlcfs. 
 
 B 4. §. 10. It's 
 
C8] 
 
 §. io. It's one thing to be cut off from the 
 Church or Chrift, 2. and another to be under try- 
 al and fufpenfe o aftual Communion, till Repen- 
 tance prove mens Right 3. And it^s another to 
 be at prefent only denyed Communion (not with 
 the Church wholly, but J in fome comfortable Or- 
 dinances, till the removing of a Scandal have made 
 the perfon capable, by fatisfying the fcandalized. 
 4. And its another thing to be caft down from a 
 higher to a lower ftatioi*, and denyed Dignities, 
 Preferments, and fpecial Honour. Confound not 
 thefe. 
 
 §. 11. And by this time you may fee how to an- 
 fwerthe ill-ftated queftion, Who is the judge of 
 Controverfies in Religion : and of the Sence of the 
 Scripture : and whether every ignorant Man or \¥o- 
 man^ or Child muft be Judges of it for themfelves ? 
 
 And firft you muft underftand the forefaid J>/- 
 ftinttions neeeflfary to the Sofat ion •, Ambiguities and 
 Generalities are the inftruments of Deceit* And 
 fecondly I fhall apply them to the cafe. 
 
 §. 12. 1. We muft diftinguifh Controverted 
 Iffemials of Chtiftianity, from controverted In- 
 tegrals, and Accidents. 
 
 1. Diftinguifh Controverfies between Chriftians 
 and no- Chriftians, from Controverfies among 
 Chriftians. 
 
 3. Diftinguifh material Objective Chriftianity 
 ( Faith and Duty ) from internal Subjective. 
 
 4. Diftinguifh external valid Profefion of Actnal. 
 Faith not dilproved, from internal Sincerity. 
 
 5. Diftinguifh between what is neceflary to 
 God's accepting a man to Juftification and Salva- 
 tion , and what's neceflary to the Church's accep- 
 ting a man to Communion, 
 
 tf.Di- 
 
C 93 
 
 6. Diftinguifh what is neceflary to that dated 
 Union and Communion which is our real Church- 
 Memberfhip and Chriftianity, from that which is 
 neceflary to the prefent adtual exercife of fuch 
 Right in fome local Priviledges and Ads i and from 
 than which only fitteth men for Dignity or Office. 
 
 7. Diftinguifh between the Cafe de tjft^ or real 
 Trutb^ and the Cafe defare, or judging of it. 
 
 8. Diftinguifh between Judging what others 
 fhall Believe about things controverted, and go- 
 verning their Pra&ice, how they fhall behave 
 themfelves. 
 
 9. Diftinguifh a private Judgment, difcerning 
 what is or is not our own Duty, and a fuhlick^ 
 Judgment in Government of others. 
 
 10. Diftinguifh the Judgment of feveral Gover- 
 nours according to their divers Offices, and Ends. 
 
 1 1 . Diftinguifh a limitted Power to Judge only 
 pne way from a power of judging obligatively in 
 fart em utram libet^ this way or that. 
 
 12. Diftinguifh the real incomplexe Matter or 
 Objects of Faith> from the literal complexe words 
 which fignifie them. And fo thefe conclufions will 
 be clear paft doubt. 
 
 CokcL 1. All Chriftians are agreed in the EfTen- 
 tials of Chriftianity : Therefore thefe are no 
 Church-controverfies for any to be the Juclges of- 
 It's only. Infidels and Men without our Church that 
 differ from us in thefe. And Infidels are not to be 
 converted by the Authority of a humane Judge 
 (nor ever were) but by Teachers fhewing the Evi- 
 dences of Truth. 
 
 C'JI. All Chriftians,as fuch being bound by Chrift 
 to love one another, and live in Communion as 
 
 Mem- 
 
C 10 3 
 
 Members of one Body, notwithftanding IeHer dif- 
 ferences, it followeth that Chriftian Unity, Love, 
 and Communion depend not oil the queftion, 
 Who jh*tt be Judge ef Centroverfies \. as being pre- 
 fuppofed to it. 
 
 C\ Hi. But the Baptizing Paftors of the Churches 
 are by office the judges, whether it be indeed the 
 Effentials of Chriftianity which are profeit by the 
 Baptized. 
 
 C. IV. And therein it is the Real incomplexe 
 Objefts that are propter fc eflential (God, Chrift, 
 Grace, &c. ) And the fignai words are only necef- 
 fary to notifie to the Church what men believe : 
 And no lingular words only are necefiary : Elfe^ 
 only men of One Language could be Chriftians : 
 But any words will ferve which fignifie the fame 
 Matter : few will ferve for fome : and others mull 
 ufe more. The words of Baptifm fufSce where 
 they are underftood : But the Creed, Lord's Pray- 
 er, and Decalogue, as the fim of the Crcdenda, Pe- 
 tenda, Agenda, haveby the Church been judged a 
 fufficient explication, for the Baptized : And in 
 thefe we all agree. 
 
 C. V. 1'hough real fincerity of aftive Faith and 
 Confent be neceflary to Salvation, God judging the 
 Heart-, yet Profeffion not difproved, muftfatisfie 
 the Church : Who therefore are not put to judge 
 whether mens Know ledg reach the degree of their 
 Helps \ 
 
 C. VI. The Baptizing one into the Union of the 
 Church-llniverfal, obligeth him to exercife ChrifPs 
 inftituted Worfhip in particular Churches \ and 
 therefore to know what that is : which is The 
 Paftor's Teaching the Flocks ChriJPs Gofpel; officia- 
 ting in the adminifiration of the Lord's Stppcr, Prayer 
 
 and 
 
C ii ] 
 
 and Trtife^ and Difciplwary Government by tlic nfe of 
 the Church-Keys : Of Mens fitnefs for thefe, the Pa- 
 llors are the Judges, and the Flock, muft cbey. 
 
 C. VII. Chrift hath in Scripture iDftiuucd all 
 that is of neceflky to this Communion. 
 
 C. VIII. Every Governour hath a governing 
 Judgment (called FnhUcW) fuitable to his Office. 
 The Paftours are Judges who is capable of Baptifm 
 and Church-Communion, as far as muft be execu- 
 ted by the Keys. 
 
 The Magiftrate is Judge who is by him to be 
 countenanced, tolerated, or punilhedby force. 
 
 The Parents are Judges in cafes about their 
 Wives and Children, proper to Family-Govern- 
 ment. 
 
 But every reafonable Creature being a Gover- 
 nour of himfelf, is neceflarily the Difcerner of his 
 own Duty. And God being the Highcft Ruler,and 
 there being no Power but of Him, and none againft 
 Him, no Man muft obey any againft him : and all 
 rauft-ufe their Reafon to judge whether Mens Laws 
 be againft Gcd or not : If this were net fo, i. Men 
 were governed as meer Bruites : 2. And muft curfe 
 God or Chrift) or murder, or do any Evil that Ru- 
 lers bid them. 3. And then God fhould for this 
 punifh none but Soveraigns. 4. And thea all Na- 
 tions muft be of the King's Religion. 5. And then 
 men muft not judge whether it be the Juft Prince 
 or the Ufurper that they muft obey. In fhort,this 
 overthroweth all Religion and Humanity. 
 
 C* IX, No men have Power to Judge in partem 
 utramlibet? or againft any Article or Fakh or Divine 
 Obedience ; the Thing is True or Falfe before they 
 judge of it: and if they judge againft TrutMheir 
 Judgment is void : God binds us not to believe 
 
 their 
 
£ 12] 
 
 their Lie : They have no Power to judge that 
 there is no God, no Chrift, no Holy Ghoft, that the 
 Gofpel is falfe, that Men may commit Idolatry .> 
 Perjury, Murder, Adultery, &c. The contrary all 
 may and muft judge; but fooie as Rulers, and 
 fome as Subje&s. But in ca r es before indifferent, 
 (where Man's Authority may make Dmy^ or not, 
 there they may judge it Dnty or not accordingly. 
 
 C. X. In doubtful cafes no mens bare judg- 
 ment can bind or make others to Believe things 
 Divine with a Divine Faith : man is not God. 
 But i. Teachers that are credible muft be believed 
 with a human Faith according to the degree of 
 their credibility, which is preparatory to Divine 
 Faith. 2. And Rulers may Govirn Subje&s in the 
 manner of expreffing and ufing their controverted 
 Opinions, and reftrain them from doing hurt. 
 
 C* XI While true Union and Love are fecured 
 by common concord in thiogseflential and necef- 
 fary, a Judge of other Controverfies is not need- 
 ful to theft: ends before fecured : Chriftians muft 
 live in Love that tmderiland not many hundred 
 Texts or Controverfies. 
 
 €. XII. It is worfe than Madaefs to think that 
 all Controverfies will on Earth be ended, or that 
 any Men can do it. But they that fay it do moft 
 deeply damn fiich pretended Judges, that fo many 
 Volumes being written of Controverfies , and con> 
 trary textual Expofitions among themfelves> will 
 not decide them to this day. Who {hail decide all 
 the Controverfies between General Councils, and 
 all the prefent Patriarchs and Churches in the 
 World. 
 
 Thus much to anfwer the queftion^ Whojhallbe 
 Judge of Coxt rover fits and Scripture Sence i 
 
 §< 5- If 
 
C 13 3 
 
 §. 5. If Men did but difference points ntctffary 
 to Salvation zxAckrinyimty^ from thole that are 
 only needful to a higher Stature in the Church, 
 and from thofe that are utterly uncertain and 
 mnecejfury \ and, 2. if they did but know their 
 own ignorance and liablenejs to Error , and, 3, If 
 they confidered how utterly impoffible it is to 
 make the multitude of ignorant People, yea or Mi- 
 nifies, to be all of a mind, in the numerous 
 hard ^ontroverfles, Opinions, and dubious or 
 indifferent things, that are ftriven about in the 
 World ; certainly inftead of damning, or defpi- 
 fing, or deftroying> or hateing each other for 
 fuch things, they would magnitie the Wifdom 
 and Mercy of Chrift, who hath laid the Love, 
 Unity and Peace of his Church on a few plain, 
 fure and needful things, £ c Even the Covenant of 
 c Chrifttanity, with the Creed, Lor as Prayer and Be- 
 L ca/dgue, and f* much of Chrifi's own Precepts, as 
 c the univtrfal Church hath ever bin agreed in'~\ And 
 they would rather honour and obey St- Paul, 
 Rom. 14. 1 Cor. 12. Epkef.4., i,to id. than count 
 his Doiflrin to be unpracticable or loofe. 
 
 §. 6. If God will take all into Heaven that 
 practically btli'eve the Creed, and obey what is plainly 
 written in the Scripture, why may not fuch liv*e in 
 Love and Peace on Earth, and the Key-bearers 
 of the Church C which is the Seminary of Hea- 
 ven ) receive fuch, as Chrsft rcceiveth us to the 
 Glory cf God the Father, Rom. 15. 16. What if 
 Men confefs that they know no more (when mil- 
 lions called Chriftians know not fo much) will 
 they deftroy them for not knowing more than 
 in knew? Or is it any Virtue or Duty 
 
 to 
 
[ H J 
 to lye, and fay that they know or believe what 
 they are utterly ignorant of ? What if thofe 
 that with Jerome miQiked the word Hypftafis, 
 and thofe that preferred it before Perfona , had 
 forborn cenfuring one another ? What if the 
 queftions, Whether Mary Jhould be called the Mother 
 efGod, or rather of Him who is God? Or whether 
 thrift's Will and Operations jhould be [aid to be One 
 or Two ? had been managed with mutual forbea- 
 rance, without Zend's Henotioon , or AnaftafinsH 
 forcible Amurfty ? What if- fuch forbearance 
 had fparedall the rage and bloodfhed ztAntioch^ 
 Alexandria and other parts ? What ifCbryfoftom 
 and others had bin permitted to filence their 
 Thoughts of Origine ? What if men had not 
 bin put to declare whether the tria capitula of 
 Theodoret, Ibas and Theodore Mopfne^ were found 
 or unfound, and faid, What is it to as ? Might not 
 the Church have lived with fuch in Peace ? 
 What if when the World was in a flame about 
 Images, they had left them only to thofe that 
 defired them? Might not they yet have lived in 
 Love, that agreed in all the EfTcntials of Chri- 
 ftianiry? What if yet one man fay that ChrifPs 
 Body is locally prefent in the Eucharift •, and 
 another fay that, Becaufe he knoweth not how far 
 his ipiritual Glorified Body is invilible, therefore 
 he no more knoweth whether it be there than 
 whether an Angel be there, but believeth that the 
 Sacrament is truly his crucified Body reprefen- 
 tative ; why might not both thefe live in peace? 
 What if one think that Venial Sin mult be pu- 
 nched with Purgatory Fire, or as an Englifli Dr. 
 that fome men muft pafs a new Life of Trial, in 
 their Aireal Vehicle, before they are capable of an 
 
 £the- 
 
iEthcreal Vehicle, why may not fuch bear with 
 one that faith he knoweth no fuch thing? What 
 if one man think that he may pray to his Angel 
 Guardian ; and another faith only that he oweth An- 
 gels Love, Reverence and Gratitude, and would 
 pray to them if he knew when they heard him, 
 and knew it were God's will, what hurt mil it 
 do to the other man to bear with this ? If we 
 agree of all points that put men into that Hate 
 in which Chrift commanded to Love one another 
 as his Difciples; if others differ from me about 
 the meaning of five hundred Texts of Scripture, 
 why may notl be contented with myKnowledg and 
 Opinion, and leave them to theirs ? Why might 
 not Naz^ianz^ene and the Council of Conft*ntino- 
 fle^ Hieromt and Rnffimts, Cbryfeflom and Theofhi- 
 Im and EpfphaTtptt, Proffer and Cafliar.us and km- 
 centiusj ^ to pafs by Auguftine and Ccleftinc and 
 Julianas^ and Hierorr.e and Vigilantwszxidijovimari) 
 have compofed their differences with lefs noife 
 and ftrife,- and lived in love and peace together. 
 ( To pafs by alfb the doleful Contentions about 
 the Councils olEyhefus and Calcedov and Conft. 5, 
 & 6. and Nice 2. and between Ignatius and Photins, 
 and many more worfe ftrifes fince then ) Why 
 might not the Jefuites and J mfenifts have diffe- 
 red without troubling she Popes and the Church, 
 by mutual forbearance and gentle aifputes, x as 
 many of the Schoolmen did before them ? 1 quar- 
 rel not with Erafmns^ Faber ,and abundance fuch, 
 for chiding the Schoolmen as Caufers of Conten- 
 tion, byraifingfo many frivolous queftions for 
 Difpute ; But verily, as they were in my opinion 
 the bell Philofophers that ever the World had, 
 (acd no wonder whea they ftudied little elfe) fo 
 
 they 
 
C 16 ] 
 
 they managed their Difputes with more Scholar- 
 like candour and peaceable moderation than moft 
 that went before them, or that have followed 
 them. How many huge Volumes of fubtile Dif- 
 putes do they write, with very few railing words :. 
 patiently bearing each others copious Confuta- 
 tions and Contradi&ions, as a thing to be expect- 
 ed , and no whit wondring at the Differences of 
 Judgment among the worthielt men ? How many 
 Volumes, or loads of Volumes are there written, 
 of the different Opinions of the Thomifts^ Scctifis, 
 Nominals , Dhrandifts 7 and yet till the late times 
 put Virulency into the Writings of Jefuites, Do- 
 minicans and Javfemjls^&c there was little revi- 
 ling to be found in all thefe long Difputes. 
 
 And why might not Luther and CaroloftadinSy 
 Zuinglius and Oecolampadws \ and many Lutherans 
 and Calvinifts have lived in as much Love and 
 Peace as Melancthon dnd Erafmus and fuch others, 
 if they had but had their forbearing Charity and 
 Candour ? How fweet are the Pacificatory Wri- 
 tings, yea and how judicious, of Junius^ Ludov. 
 Croxws^ Matth. Mj-rtinms^ Georg* CalixtUl^ Conrad. 
 BergiWy Johannes Bergxm, Bar&us, Amyr&edw, Hot- 
 xonuiy TeftardiVy Camera^ Lud. Capetlm, Plac<etM y 
 and (above all) Vine, le Blankj yea and of mode- 
 rate Papifts, Efpenc&My Ferus^ Gerfon^ Cajfander, 
 and efpecially Erafmus : And how harfh to the 
 Lovers of Love and Peace, are fuch Writings as 
 fpit Fire and Brimftone, Reproach and bitter 
 Cenfures, againft thofe that be not juft of their 
 Opinions ? it puts the wifeft Divines hard to it, 
 how far they may pronounce Damnation on all 
 thofe Heathens, that live in Sincerity (though not 
 in Perfection ) according to that meafure of the 
 
 notifica- ( 
 
[ i7] 
 
 notification of God's Will which they are un* 
 der, that come to God in the belief that God is, and 
 that (it is the Revtarder of them th*t diligently fcel^ 
 him, and that in every Nation they that fear God and 
 workRighteoHfnefs ,and are no worfc than fuch Righte- 
 ous men, as Abraham thought even wicked Sodom 
 had had fifty of, are accepted of him. And 
 fhall Chriftians damn, cune and kill all that tin* 
 derftand not a thoufand Controversies , which 
 perhaps the deftroyers as little underftar.d -, and 
 that know not an hundred things to be indiffe- 
 rent or lawful, which the deftroyersdo but lay 
 are fuch? 
 
 §; 7. It hath oft grieved me to read in 
 Dr. Heylin** Life of Archbifhop Laud how great 
 a hand the Controverfies then called Armwian, 
 or of the Five Articles, had in the Divifions of 
 the Church of England, between thofe that he 
 maketh Archbilhop Abbot in England and Archbi^ 
 {hop V flier in Ireland' to Head on ene part \ and 
 the few that at firil (and many after) that fol- 
 lowed Archbifhop Laud in England, and Archbi- 
 fhop Bramhall in Ireland on the other part. And 
 to find what a ftrefs the many Parliaments that 
 feared Popery did lay on the thing that they cal- 
 led Arminianifm : And being carried down by the 
 ftream of many good mens Opinions and Fears, 
 I was my felf fome years confident that Armi- 
 nianifm was a character of an Enemy to the Sound- 
 nefs and Safety of the Church. But when I had 
 fet my felf throughly and impartially to ftudy 
 it, I found that which fo amazed me , that I 
 durlt fcarce believe what I could not deny 9 
 even thai from the beginning of the Qjiarrcl be- 
 tween Avgitftine and ¥el*gw, all the Voluminous 
 
 C Con-* 
 
[ i8 3 
 
 Contentions of the Thomlfts or Dominicans^ and 
 the fefmtcs, and Francifcans, and between the 
 Lutherans, and Zuinglians ( herein ) and the Sy- 
 mdifts and Arminians, have been moflly about ei* 
 ther unfearchable things, which neither fide under- 
 ftood, or about ambiguous words, which one Party 
 taketh in one fence, and the other in another ; 
 or about the meet methodising and ordering of 
 the notions which both fides are agreed in ; and 
 that indeed the moft reach not the very point of 
 the difficulty and controverlie, but talk before 
 they underftand as their Leaders have taught them : 
 And that when the matter is diftin&ly opened, it 
 is found that multitudes that write, rail and plot 
 againft one another, are really of one Opinion De 
 rebus,, and did not know it ; And that the few re- 
 maining Controverfies that arer**/,- and not only 
 verbal, are but of fuch fmall or dubious things, as 
 fhould break no Love nor Communion among Chri- 
 ftians, but all fhonld with forbearance km each 
 other in that liberty of judging which they cannot 
 remedy. 
 
 The man that could cure all mens Errours 
 (and his own) and will not, is much to blame: 
 And he that wwW but cannot, is little better, if 
 he will kiU ail that he cannot cure -, and no doubt 
 hath greater than any of theirs uncured in him- 
 felf. And what ! Do I in all this take part with 
 Ignorance, Error, Herefie or any Sin ? No ! he 
 that can cure it, let him : But is he a fit perfon to 
 cure it, that hath the Errours of Ungodlinefs,. 
 Malice, Lying, and Bloodthirfhnefs in himfelf? 
 Or will killing men cure them ? The Charity of 
 thefe men faith, C Burn, hang or kill them left they 
 mfett others Q Ergo } fay others, Kill thefe that fay 
 
C 19] 
 
 foy becaufe their Err ours are the mo ft pernicious, left 
 they infeot others with the Afps and Dragons kitting 
 Foyfon. Nature teacheth Man to hate and kill 
 Wolves, Kites, Adders, and all that live on the 
 Blood of harmiefs Creatures, and to proteft Sheep, 
 Doves, and fuch other Creatures as cannot proteft 
 therafelves. My nature grudgeth to live on the 
 Flefh of thefe harmiefs Creatures, though God hath 
 given them to us, but 1 little pity a Toad, a 
 Snake, a Spider, or a devouring Fox : But regnant e 
 Dubolo, where the Devil ruleth, he will have his 
 Butchers and Shambles \ and 'as Brutes are killed 
 for Men, honeft men fha.ll be killed by theie as 
 for God ; And becaufe God himfelf will not allow 
 the murder of the Innocent andjuft and Pious, it 
 is but calling them, Rogues and Knaves, and as 
 Chrift, an Enemy to Cafar, and as to Paul, A 
 Ring-leader of a Se&,and Mover ofSedition among 
 the People , ( real crimes where there is real 
 Guilt J and then they may fay of them and do to 
 them what they will, and by cheating Hiftory t e- 
 prefent Saints as Villains to ignorant Pofterity. 
 But O blefled be the final, Juft, deciding Judge 9 
 who is as at the door. The Leech's Religion, 
 that cannot live without Blood, is againft the re- 
 liques of Humanity in Mankind, io much, that even 
 they that for worldly interefts comply with it, 
 do fecretly fufpett it to be indeed Diabcf- 
 Jifm. 
 
 §. 8. But Satan told Chrift that the Kingdoms 
 of the World and the glory of them is delivered to him, 
 and their Power is his Gift which hzgheth tovchom- 
 foever he mil ? and that ihall be to thofe that 
 obey and worflrip him, Luh^ 4'. 5, 6* Though he be 
 a Lyer, too much of this is proved by theefFe&i 
 
 C 2 And 
 
[ 20 ] 
 
 And doubtlefs where he reigns, his work doth de-* 
 note his Power and Government ; that is, i. Blind 
 Ignoransc, Error ^ hying and Deceit. 2. Malignant 
 Hatred of good things mid per fins. 3. Bloodthirjiy 
 and detractive wohifh ways. And when he tranf- 
 formeth himfelfinto an Angel of Light, and his 
 Minifters as into Minifters of Righteoufnefs, all 
 this is done moft fuccefsfully as for God, and as by 
 ( pretended ) Commiffion from Chrift, to kill the 
 moft confcionable and faithful Chriftians, as 
 odious Villains, and that as for the Church and 
 Chrift, and for Unity, Order and Holy ends; yea 
 to kill them in meer Charity, ( though they love 
 not fuch charity to themfelves. ) Such is the 
 Catnites and Cannibal Religion, that will dye if it 
 be not fed with Blood. And yet is fo impatient 
 of its own name, and to hear the recital of its own 
 Excrcife which hath maintained it a thoufand 
 years 5 that it is a mortal crime to tell men that they 
 dothat which they openly do & glory ia. Wonder- 
 ful ! that it /hould be a necefTary Virtue to do it,and 
 a capital Crime to fay they do it : To know 
 what fuch do , goeth for worfe than doing it. 
 Jnfcins Acl eon , &c. 
 
 §. 9. The effects of thefe Controverfies have 
 been and ftill are fo difmal, among Papifts and 
 Proteflants, that fure no man fhould be angry 
 with a Reconciler that is not in love with Ha- 
 tred and ■ Deftruftion. I confefs they are very 
 learned men of the Church of Rome that have ma* 
 waged them againft each other- And fo are fome 
 of the Church of England^ and of foreign Pro- 
 teflants : But I mult teftifie that the mofl: that I 
 hear or read inveighing reproachfully againft 
 others about them, are men that tell me they talk 
 
 after 
 
C 21 ] 
 
 after their Leaders, of things that they never un- 
 derload. I am afhamed to hear of \ in the Pulpits : 
 one Party rendringthe Do&rineof Predcftination 
 as odious Blafphemy, and another Party crying 
 down Univerfal Redemption and Free-will and 
 Arminianifm, as an Enemy to God's Grace •, and 
 neither of them know what they fpeak againft. 
 One Davcnant, or Ctmero, or Le BUn^ fheweth 
 more infight into the Controverfies which they 
 reconcile, than forty of thefe zealous Raiiers 
 do. 
 
 §. io. I meddle not in this Book with the Con- 
 troverfies about Church-Governtncnt or Worjlnp ' 
 A fettled worldly Intereft and the various mental 
 difpofitions of the Contenders, convince me, that 
 I can there do little for reconciliation : God muft 
 do it, if he have not forfaken this world. But 
 meer Doctrinal Controverfies ( though of great 
 moment ) methinks fhould not be fo linked to a 
 worldly Intereft, but that men fhould be willing 
 to know the Truth or to endure others to know 
 it. That which I have attempted is, by meer and 
 clear explication, without much argumentation, 
 to end fuch Controverfies : And to make men un- 
 derftand one another , and the things which they 
 difpute about ; and by abbreviating my Catholic^ 
 Theotyy, to make the Conciliation fitter for all 
 Students : And the Succefs of that Book giveth me 
 m great encouragement , which hath been unanfwe- 
 red to this day, when I looked that it fhould 
 have brought the Contentious of both fides about 
 my ears. And I rejoice in the Succefs of Le BUnl£$ 
 Thgfes which I publifh'd (hefent them to me to 
 ptiblifh, and I gave them to my Bookfeller to print, 
 and he fold his Copy to another,) For all the 
 
 C 3 dif- 
 
[22 ] 
 
 difmaleffe&s that theHiftory of the low Coun- 
 tries, and Dr. Heylin in Archbilhop Land's Life 
 mention of thefe Controverfies, I rejoice that thefe 
 many years laft paft> they have .made in England 
 lefs noife than ever, and are talked of with more 
 peace and moderation. And that I have a fpecial 
 fhare in the Comfort of this effect And what 
 Names foever Peace-haters and Man-haters and 
 Saint-haters call men by, Chrift faith, Bleffed are 
 the Peacemakers j for they Jha/lbe called the Children 
 of God. 
 
 CHAR II. 
 
 J he Doctrines about which they chiefly di [agree, 
 
 enumerated, f 
 
 §. i. -fin H E forementioned caufes of Diviiions 
 M in general, do operate among Chrifti- 
 ans, i. About Church-Government ; 2. About 
 God's Worfhip, and 3. About Chriftian Dodtrine 
 in particular : All which are turned into the mat- 
 ters of our Difcord. The two firft I intend not to 
 meddle with in this Difcourfe : And as to the 
 third, the Controverfies about Do&rine which 
 raoft trouble the Churches, are, 1 . About God's 
 Decrees and His Will in general. 2. About his 
 Foreknowledge. 3. About £le&ion in particular. 
 4. About Reprobation. 5. About his Providence 
 and Predetermination of all attions in general.. 
 6. About his caufingor notcaufitig Sin. 7. About 
 
 Natu- 
 
C ** ] 
 
 Natural Power and Freewill, 8. About original 
 Sin. 9. About Redemption by Chrift. io. Ab at 
 the Laws and Covenants of Ini}ocency, Works 
 and Grace. 1 1 . About Universality and Sufficien- 
 cy of Gr^ce. 12. About Man's Power and Free- 
 will fince the Fall, to obey the Gofpel. 1 3 . About 
 efFeftual Grace, and how Gcd giveth it- 14. A- 
 bouc the ftate of Heathens that have not the Go- 
 fpel. 1%. About the neceflity of Holinefs, and the 
 ftate of moral Virtue. 16. About the neceffity of 
 Faith in Chrift where the Gofpel is made known. 
 
 17. About the ftate of Infants as to Salvatioa. 
 
 18. About the nature of Saving Faith. 19. About 
 the nature of Pardon and Juftification. 20. About 
 the Imputation of Chrift's Righteoufnefs to Belie- 
 vers. 21. About the manner how Faith juftifieth 
 us, and how Faith is imputed to us for Righteouf- 
 nefs. 22. Of AfTurance of Juftification and Salva- 
 tion, and of Hope. 23. Of Good works and Me- 
 rits, and how far we may truft to any thing in our 
 felves. 24. Of Confirmation, Perfcverance, and of 
 danger and falling away. 25. Of Repentance, 
 late Repentance and the Day of Grace, and the 
 unpardonable Sin, 26. Qf our Communion with 
 Chrift's Glorified Humanity, and with Angels and 
 glorified Souls. 27. Of the. 'ftate of feparated 
 Souls. 28. Of the Refufreftian and Everlafting 
 Life. 
 
 Of each of thefe I fhall fhew the pacifick Truth 
 which muft unite us, and fhew how far all the Re- 
 formed Churches are therein agreed ^ and whe- 
 ther the Papifts are or will be agreed with us, 
 1 (hall referr to their own confideration. 
 
 C 4 CHAP 
 
[24 3 
 
 » -■ » ■■■ ' — *—*• 
 
 CHAP. III. 
 Of Gods Will and Decrees in general. 
 
 §. i. ~p HE Witt of God'] fignifieth either, LHis 
 Mi own Eflence, and that, i . under the no- 
 tion of a Power or Virtue analogically to the Facul- 
 ty in Man ; or 2. under the notion of an Att, as it 
 is confidered only ** fane agentti without the ef- 
 fect II. Or the faid Eflence as related to the £/- 
 fetts or Objttts^ and thence denominated. III. Or 
 the Extrinfick Objects and Effects themfelves, called 
 his Witt becaufe willed by him. 
 
 §. 2, Thefe later are, LHis Works of eminent 
 Power ( with Wifdom and Goodnefs J viz. Crea- 
 tion, Prefervation and Natural Motion, by God as 
 fens nature. II. His Works of Eminent Wifdom 
 (with Power and Goodnefs) v&. ORDER, 
 and fpecially Moral Government ; the parts of 
 which are, 1 . Legiflation, Antecedent to man's 
 aftions •, 2. Retribution, by Judgment and Execu- 
 tion, confequent to them : efpecially by the Re- 
 deemer in the way of Grace. III. His Works of 
 Eminent Love or Goodnefs ( with Power and 
 Wifdom ) cfpecially GUry begun and perfected. 
 
 §. 3 . By C Gods Decrees ] is meant his Volitions 
 of what ftiall be } which are but his IViffconfidc- 
 red as in fuch afts : Now concerning all thefe fen* 
 ces of God^s Will. 
 
 §. 4. I. God's Will in itftlf confidered is hi* 
 Etfence> and not any Accident in God. 
 
 §•5- 
 
C 25 ] 
 
 §. $. II. Yctetfe&rellezrcnot Conceptions of 
 the fame fence or importance ; but arc diftinft />- 
 adequate Conceptions of the fame God : And fo is 
 alfo Intelkgere. 
 
 §. 6. III. As PoJJe & Agere are not really two 
 things in God, fo his Will as a Power , Faculty or 
 Virtue, and his Will as an y/# or Volition in him- 
 felf, are not ruw things ; but n*?0 inadequate Con- 
 ceptions of ihzt which is fimple Unity in God ; for 
 Man's narrow mind can no otherwife know 
 him. 
 
 §. 7. IV* God doth operate or ejfeSt immediate* 
 ly by his Ejjence ; and not by any Attion of his, 
 which is between his Ejjence and the EffeSt • Whe- 
 ther you call it his Agere, Intelhgere or Velk, or 
 all conjunct by which he cffe&eth, it is nothing 
 befides his Ejfence which is fo called: For there 
 is nothing in rerum natura, but God and the Crea- 
 ture, and the Creature** Anions : And Aureolas, 
 that ftiffly argueth that God's Creating Aftion is 
 neither God nor the Creature, but a middle thing, 
 "doth latisfie no mans Underftanding, and is com- 
 monly rejected : and he can mean with fence no- 
 thing but Cod as Agent, <vel in hoc modo \ as a Crea- 
 ture m motion difFereth mcd-illy from the fame quie- 
 fant : But God hath no Modus which is not Him- 
 felf, though not an adequate Conception of himfelf. 
 You muft not conceive of God as of a Creature, 
 which firft by felf-motion altereth it felf (or is 
 moved by another) and then moveth another 
 thing : But God dwerfificth things without diver fity % 
 and changeth things being himfelf unchanged. 
 
 §.8. V. As to the Controverfie, Whether God 
 make and move things only Volendo ( as Bradwar- 
 dine and many others fay ) or alfo £xccHtivcagen~ 
 

 
 
 C 26] 
 
 do by excited Power ? Qnoad rem both are true , 
 becaufe Power and Will in God are reaily the fame : 
 But as to pur Conception and Expreffion, it is a ful- 
 ler expreffion to fay that he doth it by Will 2nd 
 Power j becaufe oar Conception of meer Volition is as 
 of quid immanens which doth not efficiently go 
 forth of it felf, hut command in Man the executive 
 Faculties , and fo conceiving of God after the 
 manner of men, Volition is not an adequate concepti- 
 on of his caufing Efflux^ without Allive Power : 
 But they that conceive of Volition as tranfient and 
 potently efficient y do mean the fame thing, and real- 
 ly differ not from others. 
 
 §. 9. VI. God's Will as it is his E fence hath 
 really no parts, no divifiw, no chwge y no priority 
 or pofteriority^bxit perfeft Simplicity and Eternity. 
 
 §. xo. VII. GedYwill as it ishimfelf hath no 
 Caiife but is the C ait [9 of every Creature: And to 
 ask a Caufe of the fir ft Caufe is fcbfiird. 
 
 §. 11. VIII. All tht'ffctts ofGoAs Will ad ex- 
 tray have their divers natures , orders and feafons, 
 priority, posteriority or fimuhaneity, which we may 
 fobefly enquire after. 
 
 §. 11. IX. God's willy though but ore, as rela- 
 ted to the objects and efitts, may by us be diverfty 
 denominated: And fo we diftinguilh of hh Crea- 
 ting wiU 9 and his Redeeming will, his will to Save, 
 and his will to Damn, his -will to fave Peter, and 
 his will to f*ve John y and fo of all the reft of the 
 Objedls. In all which we mean not a Diverfity of 
 Efences or Faculties in God } QT Atls ex parte agent is, 
 really differing ; but only one and the fame Will 
 diverfly; conceived of and denominated by reafon 
 of the diverfity ofolrjtfrs or efftfts to which it is 
 
 rcl*~ 
 
C 27] 
 
 'related, and fo by Connotation the Will it feJf is 
 thus diftinguifhed 
 
 §.13. X. This diftinEtion and denomination of 
 God's will hath extrinfic^Reafons, which fome call 
 Canfts, from the various termini', as the fartfe 
 Light fliining into feveral Rooms ; the diverfity 
 being real only tx parte recipientis. And fo God's 
 Will may be faid in this Sence to begin and to 
 end) to have diverfity, priority and pofieriority of 
 Adls ^ which are all to be judged of by the Order 
 of the Objects. 
 
 §.14. XL The great queftion which the School- 
 wits trouble themfelves with, and Fafqne^, with 
 abundance more, pronounce mfe arch able and paft 
 our reach, is, What is the Canfe that God?s WtU u 
 terminated thus or thus, on this Object rather than en 
 that ? To which I take the boldnefs to anfwer 
 for the ending of that Difpute. 
 
 By {the Reafon of Termination^ you muft mean 
 either, 1 . The Reafon of the Being of that Ob* 
 jeft or 1 er minus rather than another : or 2. The 
 reafon of the Relation of God y s Will to that termi- 
 nus rather than another, and* fo of the denomina- 
 tion: or 3. The reafon of the being of that Act of 
 God fo terminated. 
 
 1 . For the firft, the caufe of all the ojfe&s of 
 God's Will, is his Will itfclf: And fo of all the di- 
 verfities effe&ed. 
 
 2. The reafon of the Relation of God's Will to 
 tkofe effects, and fo of the connotation and denomina- 
 tion^ is the Will and the Efeft as from which the 
 relation doth refult. 
 
 3. And 
 
C 28 3 
 
 j* And the Being or A& of the Will thus termi- 
 nated, is God's e {fence, which hath no Caufe, And 
 what would you have more ? 
 
 "§. 15. But this fatisfieth not Men that ftill 
 think of God as of themfelves, but they go on 
 ftill and ask, What u the Caufe thit God's Will was 
 to m*kj this World $r Creature rather than another ? 
 or to give the fir (t grace rather to one than to another ? 
 that his Will is terminated rather on Peter than Ju- 
 das in election ? &c. But I muft but call you back 
 to consider again diftin&ly of what was anfwe- 
 red before. 1. The Caufe of all the effetts of 
 Creation, &c. is GotfsWill: 2. The caufe why 
 his \Sfi\\i$ related to that effect apotteriore is the 
 fofition of the effett with God's Will- 3. The caufe 
 why God hath fuch a Will is not to be asked, 
 for God's Will hath no Caufe. And if you add, 
 But what is the caufe that, a priore, his Will is 
 thus related and denominated as decreeing this or 
 that f I fay, ~A priore , there is nothing in God's 
 Will but it felf, which hath no Caufe : we dream 
 of priorities and pofteriorities and vnrieius in hirn, 
 when we think of the following effctts ; But when 
 there was nothing "but God really to terminate his 
 will, there was no ground for any real relation and 
 relative difference ; And to talk of Relatives ratio- 
 ns in God himfelf as to non-?xiftent Creatures, 
 and ask the caufe of them, is rafh preftimpuon ; 
 while we know that there was nothing in God 
 but God, who hath no Caufe. And the queftion 
 refpe&ing nothing but what was eternally in 
 God himfelf, whatever you will call hjjs Effen- 
 tial Will fore-related to the future Creature, you 
 mull needs fay, that it had no Caufe. 
 
 §. 1 6. But 
 
f 29] 
 
 §. 1 6. But if the queftion go further, IVhyGod 
 vpi/ictb not ether Creatures, or other effetts^ and fo his 
 mil is not effectively terminated on fuch - 7 it is after 
 to be fullier anfwered ; and now it is enough to 
 fay, that Nothing hath no Canfe. 
 
 §. 17. And when wc fay, that God's will may 
 be denominated as divers, prior and pofierior, and 
 changeable as related to Objects that are fuch, this 
 is to be underftood only ofthofe acts which are 
 to be denominated by Connotation of what is divers 
 and mutable, ex parte termini, ftill remembring 
 that ex parte Dei there is really no diverfity or 
 mutation. And therefore fuch denominations are 
 given of God's will chiefly as related to cxiftent 
 Objc&s, which are his Afts called Love and Ha- 
 tred, or Complacency and Difylacency : e. g. we 
 may fay that [ Cod is difplea/ed with Paul or Ma- 
 nafleth unconverted 3 and \,he is pie a fed mth them 
 when converted 3 the "change being only in them. 
 Yet the fame denomination may be ufed alfb of 
 God's pnrpofing Will. As, e.g. we may fay, that 
 [^before ChriJPs ^Incarnation, God had this Decree * 7 
 J will fend my Son to be incarnate, and die for 
 Marts redemption. 3 But now it is not fit to fay 
 that God hath yet fuch a Decree , when the thing 
 decreed is paft : nor a Decree that He mil create 
 Adam and the reft of the World, which is 
 created. 
 
 §. 18. But whoever liketh or dilliketh any of 
 thefe modes of Speech, muft ftill remember that 
 Controverfies about them, are not about any real 
 change in God, (which all deny) but only about 
 the connotative and refpeCttve denomination of his 
 
 Will from the changeable Creature. And while 
 
 that 
 
that is confeffed, fober men will not be forward 
 to fall out about it. 
 
 §. 19. Suffer not the Qaserift to confound the 
 three foremen tioned Sences of C the Will of God, ~] 
 and you may refolve almoft all the ordinary 
 queftions about it, as is before intimated, without 
 any more ado. As, e.g. Qu. Is GocPs Will refifti- 
 ble 7 Anf. 1 . God's Will, as it is his Ejfence, can- 
 not come into the Queftion, as not being p^/1 
 five, and fo not properly refiftible. 2. As God's 
 Willis taken for the objetts and effetts of his will, 
 many of them are refiftible : As his Commands 
 when they are violated are refilled morally - fo 
 one effect of God's will , or one Creature moved 
 by him naturally, may refift another. 3. If the 
 queftion be only whether the refpeftive Termi- 
 nation of God's will, and the 'Denomination of it 
 as thus or thus terminated, can be rejifted? 
 I anfwer, 1. Not by any refiftance upon the 
 Eflential will of God fo terminated. 2. Not by 
 making God to be willing and not willing of the 
 fame thing in the fame refpeft at the fame time j 
 for that is a contradi&ion j and were to make the 
 fame Objeft to be and not to be at the fame time, 
 Contra neceptatem exifientia. J. Not by preven- 
 ting or deftroying any Objeft or EfFcdt which 
 God's will fo produceth, as that no Creature 
 hath power to hinder. 4. But when he will 
 caufe one fort of motion , and himfelf caule a 
 greater contrary motion^ or enable a free Agent fo 
 to do j this contrary motion refilling the other mo - 
 tion^ which was the effeft of Gods will, his will 
 is denominated as refilled refpc&ivdy. The fame 
 may be faid of Paffive Reft&amu 
 
 § 20« So 
 
C Si 1 
 
 §• 20. Sa if the Queftion be C Whether Gcd 
 fytve any Conditional Will ?] j4n[. I. There is 
 no place for the Queftion about Goa^s Effential 
 Will in it felf. 2. Many Objetts of God's will 
 and ejftfts are antecedently conditional. 1. Quoad 
 formam^ as his conditional Promifes. 2. Qttpad 
 eventum^ as when he fufpendeth any Right , or 
 Benefit on a condition to be done by a free 
 Agent 9 as, e. g . £ Adam jW/ /if* */ &e //» not y 
 and die, if he fin. 3 Bat here Conditionally im- 
 plieth no mart amy as to Goa's Knowledge. 
 3. Therefore if the Queftion be only , whether 
 ab ohjefto any Will of God may be relatively or 
 connoutively called Conditional, 1. Remember that 
 the Queftion is but de nomine. 2. The fame will 
 of God may be called Conditional, as qnid con- 
 ditionsde is the Objett of it ; and alfo Certain and 
 Abfolute, as the fame thing is to him certainly 
 jutHre, which yet was ia the Order of Canfing, 
 conditionnSy future. But this fuppofeth the cert* 
 futnrum, to be quid volitnm ; and not Sin, which is 
 certo fat arum and nonvolit am. 
 
 CHAP. IV. 
 Of GOD" % Knowledge. 
 
 5. 1. A.S we mull not think of God's WW as 
 
 Jl\ having various and mutable internal 
 
 afts as Man's hath ; bat as One Effential A& % only 
 
 \arioufly denominated from the relation of ex- 
 
 trinfick 
 
[ 12 ] 
 
 trinfick Objefts \ even fo muft: we think alfo of his 
 JCnwlcdg. 
 
 §. 2. God knowcth not by Reception of any 
 L%ght or Species or Idea from the Objecfl without 
 him, but as befeemeth the perfection of the In- 
 finite Intdktt and firfi caufe } even partly by; a 
 productive act of Intelle&ion, and partly by termi- 
 nation on the Objetts known. ( N. B.) I am fain 
 all along to ufe the name of C Extrinfick^Objetts ] 
 to ilgnifie that the Creature is not God : though 
 it is improper; to fay that any thing is extra Denm : 
 but we want better words. 
 
 §. 3. Many of the Church-troubling Difputes 
 about God's Knowledge are raifed from that pro- j 
 "phane fuppofition, That God knoweth cogitando^ 
 by many diftinft Cogitations, as Man doth, and by 
 Idea's or received Species of the Creatures. And on 
 the falfe Suppofltion that Man can comprehend 
 God's way of Knowing, or at leaft hath formal 
 conceptions of it, and muft fpeak accordingly. 
 From whence there are fuch rafli Difputes which 
 AEt is firft) and which cometh after. 
 
 §. 4. Moft of thefe Controverfies are ended by 
 the right applying the forcfaid diftinftions to Cod 7 * 
 Vnderfiandir.g, which I before applied to his Will. 
 As, e.g. Qiu Hath Gods Knorvledg *ny Caufe} 
 Anf. 1. Not as it is his Ejfence. 2. The Objefts 
 of it have their Caufcs. 3. The denomination of 
 his Knowlcdg at fuch, from the Objefts refpeftive- 
 ly, hath its cm ft , fuch as a Terminus may be 
 called. And as in Man the Objedtis r.eally the 
 qnafi materule and conftitarive caufe of the AEt^ 
 r.on as an Act t but as this Aft in fpecie <iet indivi- 
 dno thus terminated ; fo as to the nicer wmota- 
 
 tun 
 
tion and relation ana denomination^ tnougn not as to 
 any real reception > we may fpeak ofGcd. 
 
 §.5. So if thequeftion b?,Whether God's Knowledge 
 have many Atls ? and whether one he before or after 
 others ? Anf. 1. God's Effentid Knowledge is fim- 
 ply one. 2 . The ObjeCis of it are many. 3 .There- 
 fore as denominated ab extra, from refpeft to the 
 Objetts, we may diftinguifh his fimple Knowledge, 
 and mention priority and pofierionty^ but fuch only 
 as refulteth from the Order of Objetts : And thefe 
 being but Conception's and Denominations neceflka- 
 ted by our weaknefs, without any real diverfity 
 in God, we mult fear and abhorr prefumptuous 
 boldnefs, and contentioufnefs hereabout. 
 
 §. 6. Sq if the queftion be, Whether Gocts Know^ 
 ledge be mutable i Anf. 1 . His Knowledge effentiai it 
 felfisnot. 2. The Objects are. 3. And there- 
 fore the Denominations of his Knowledge *b extra 
 oft are : As we may fay, That God knew from Eter- 
 nity that* the World would be created, and Chrift in- 
 carnate, as future. But now he knoweth that they 
 were fo, ut prater it a. God doth not npw know, 
 that Chrifi will be born, that Chrifi juft now is cruci- 
 fied, that Paul is preaching on Earth : but once he 
 knew all thefe. Yet here all the Change is in the 
 cbjett, and none in God's Knowledge, as there is 
 on mans. 
 
 §• 7- If the queftion be, How God knoweth future 
 contingents ? Anf. 1 . God's Effence is Knowledge* 
 and h Infinite, and therefore extendethto all that 
 is intelligible : And if they be not objeBs intelti* 
 gible, it belongeth riot to a perfect Intellect to 
 know them. But if they are , it is rafhnefs to ask 
 any other reafon ofGod'sknovvingthem, befides 
 his Perfection and their Intelligibility : But all Cm- 
 
 p tingwts 
 
 I 
 
C 34 3 
 
 tingents that are future, are Certainties to God as 
 well as Contingencies in feveral refpe&s, and ac- 
 cordingly known : But the (hallow Brain of Worms 
 doth little know what Futurity ilgnifieth in Eterni- 
 ty to God. 2. But we know what future. Contin- 
 gents are to us. 3. And thence we know that 
 God's Intellect may be denominated by imperfect 
 Man, as in its perfeftion comprehending our Futu- 
 rities and Contingencies and human Meafures, tho* 
 not as Meafures to God. 
 
 § r 8. If the queftionbCjWhether God know things 
 as future y becaufe he willeth them to h future \ or be- 
 caufe they are future from the free Agents Will? 
 jinf. 1. God's Knowledge, ex parte fui, is his 
 Eflence, and hath no Caufe, for it is«no Effect. 
 God's Understanding, Will and Power are eflen- 
 tially One, but as various, inadequate concepti- 
 , ons, they only make up perfedt Unity, and are 
 not Caufes and Effe&s to one another } much lefs 
 caufed by any Creature. 2. But Futurity is cau- 
 led by that which caufeth the thing future : And 
 therefore the futurity of Sin is caufed by Man that 
 caufeth Sin, fofar as it is capable of a Caufe ; of 
 which more in due place : But as Futurity is not 
 Fxiflence, fo it needeth not an exiftent, but fome- 
 times only a future caufe. 3. And God's Intellect 
 is terminated on things as Intelligible , and that is 
 as they are : And fo on things that are future 
 by his own rvill y zs fuchj and on things fiiturd by 
 Marts Will y as ftch } as far as Futurity is an ob- 
 ject of an eternal mind. 
 
 §♦ 9. The many Difputes de fcientia \fimf litis m 
 telligentU } purx vificnis & medu^ I think beft abbre- 
 viated according to the forementioned Principles;. 
 God's ejjentid 'Vnderttandinz is but One; Things 
 
C Hi 
 
 intelligible are many ; God's Jimple Intellect may be 
 varioufly denominated as related to and termina- 
 ted on various intelligible Objedts, and fb accor* 
 ding to their Order : But this fignifieth no real 
 diverfity at all in God, but in the things known : 
 Nor muft we dream, that Scientia fimflicis imelli~ 
 genti&, is like marts, a knowledge of certain Logi- 
 cal Notions or Fropofitions by way of Thinking, as 
 to know that C This i* pojfible, and the other is pofi* 
 fible, and that is convenient^} as if God needed ftch 
 fecond notions to know by , but it is infinitely a- 
 bove Man's mode of knowing : His Knowledge is 
 firfl: effective and then intuitive , and this without 
 diveriity or change in God. 
 
 §.• 10. It is a great aggravation of the Preemp- 
 tion and Prophanenefs of many voluminous School- 
 Dilputes, about the unfearchable nature of divine 
 IntelleAian, that the certain Knowledge of our 
 own great ignorance (even about every filly Crea- 
 ture) sfhd of Gobi's incomprehenfiblenefs and in- 
 finite diftance, do not prevail to reprefs fuch au- 
 dacioufnefs, and bring men to more Modefty and 
 Reverence of God : And how ^psh more learned- 
 ly and wifely doth he anfirer abundance of their 
 Chieftions, who faith C* know net} than they 
 that by prefumptuous coitlufions take on them to 
 know what they do not, aor ever will do, in this 
 World ? 
 
 D z (Mm 
 
CHAP. V. 
 rf ELECTION. 
 
 i *J L E C T I O 
 XL Bificth Gc<Ps aftnal r6*4&g or r4?*jf 
 31 ainocg others to himfdf , 
 
 cl::-:- :"' - ' :'; :: .:'. ~ ~ 21: ;": ■ \-:t : ■ 
 
 Jfec^ as D*7zd was chofcn from anong his Jre* 
 
 ITiJ cr Decree £> to cfaoofe, call or finfiifie 
 
 ^a g a determinate time : asin£/i. 1.2nd 
 
 §. 2. Gcd will cenrert, jaflifie, ad: 
 fbee men, by Iris Grace, # 
 
 §. 5- Therefore it is certain dot God from 
 Eceraitj did »s J or Jrorr fo to do : For the tvezt 
 ix time* 7Z2£Z~hi&f^ 
 
 wiM: Ttcrafa there wt* nothing before the Crea- 
 :.:; rti : : V: = . .;.: .": ::/.-: ::. ; y = r. 
 was-octfceObjctrofkisWm : and Man m c'jfc 
 csgnxj, was codling bit God himfeif, there beiiig 
 -\\:'i : ": :":_ _ = - .; t:-::t;: 1: £:■: :..:;; 
 cofcth ilt'f h iflMcj 
 
 S- 4. IntbeCuaeaaaBeras God bringcth men 
 Soke and Glory, be wileth or decreet* to do 
 
 difcrafrombBEUbicei bat it is his fimple ef- 
 ftacal will deaosunartd from the r^w relate 
 it- Tbasbn cfc Oug Uv i tii u | stai KkfliM 
 
[ 37 ] 
 
 are refolvcd into thofe about the giving of Grace 
 and Salvation j and there will be clearlier ojfc^ 
 ned. 
 
 §. 5. Glorification, Perfeverance, Adoption^ 
 Juftification, San&ification, Faith and Repentance 
 (or Vocation ) preparatory common Grace, and 
 the Gofpel, and other means of Converfion, arc 
 fcveral Gifts of God's Grace through Ghrift : 
 Therefore God's Decrees to give them may be 
 diverfly denominated from relation to the eflfeft. 
 The Decree to glorifie may be diftinguifhed from 
 the Decree to convert , to juftifie, &c. And yet 
 where all thefe are really conjoined, and are 
 but ( as the parts of one Engine ) the feveral 
 gifts which make up One Salvation, as the objeft 
 or effed is in that fence One, fo may God's De- 
 cree be called One , as related to it. So that they 
 that fay God's Decrees about our Salvation are 
 many, and they that fay They are one, do both 
 (peak Truth, and difagree not. 
 
 § 6. They that will denominate God's Voliti- 
 ons or Decrees according to the Order of Intents* 
 on, mull not mean that Ex forte Volenti* , God 
 hath really many thoughts, Volitions or Decrees^ 
 and that the firft is de fine, a»d the next de medii*. 
 But «mly thap in the order of red Caufation, one 
 of God's Gifts or Effe&s is made to be a 
 Caufe or Means to the production or attainment 
 of another •, and fo the latter is to be Mans End 
 intended in the ufe of the former -, and fo Man 
 is firft to intend the End before he ufeth the 
 Means : But no Gift, Work or Creature is to be 
 called GotPs End, except when we fpeak Vulgarly 
 after the manner of Men, that which we will not 
 defend as proper Speech. 
 
 Dj S.7.T& 
 

 £ # 3 
 
 € 7. Yet God may be faid to will and th*^ 
 Ol?e thing to produce or Caufe Mother ; which 
 importeth only that it is a fecond Efficient Caufe 
 of that Other, and the other an intended Effect ; 
 and alfo that the other is to man to have ramnent 
 finis, and fo may be called finis operis, & operantis 
 ftemdarii. 
 
 §. 8. God is not an Efficient Caufe of Himfelf, 
 or any thing in Himfelf, and therefore not pro- 
 perly an End to Himfdf, becaufe there is nothing 
 in Him Caufed. But if any will fpeak otherwife, 
 as if there were in God himielf Eternal Canfation 
 Efficient and final, and Eternal Effetts , and there- 
 by explain the Do&rine of the Trinity, let them re- 
 member that they venture on fingular Expreflions, 
 and fuch as favor of Imperfe&ion j but we hope 
 that they differ from the Commoner way, but 
 in a Logical Notion, rather than in a real Con- 
 ception. 
 
 §. 9. If we may not fay that God is his own 
 End ( for every End hath a Means, and there is 
 HO Means to God's Beings or Perfections ) then he 
 is not properly faid to have any End. For no- 
 thing but Himfelf can properly be his End. 
 
 §. 10. Yet when by an £/^ we mean but im- 
 properly the ultimate Effcft, and not any thing 
 which to God is Canfa agendi ; and fb declare that 
 we take the words End and Intention equivocally as 
 to God and Man, the phrafe may be ufed : And 
 in that fence we mnfl fay that Godh mil as Effi- 
 cient being the Beginning of all things,, God?s villas 
 fulfilled and pleafed is the End of all\ which yet 
 iignifieth not any diver fity or change in God} for 
 his Witt is always fulfilled, though not always by 
 • . the 
 
^^^ C 39 3 
 
 fwt fame mans i And the fulfilling of his :r?'£muf!: 
 ' be 
 
 cdkncy o£CV 
 iwk is his aira /z*wg* or C/vry ftuning in 
 
 id the P«f 
 ly c C hry, c may f 
 
 it GWs - to £wf, is 
 
 found in the ftrfeQion cf .of which 
 
 the Clarified Church is an eminest pa -:. 
 
 §. that call th 
 
 of Gad's Mtrcy :n gy ^d of fctf 
 
 Bamni dalltha: re- 
 
 to th? Gtfc me a tomx, c arc ~a£ 
 
 the higbeft ) as the £.*: For the Glory rcy 
 
 and (Jo^s created or caufed 
 
 Glory .d especially as it isonrte cm 
 dividual: Bi '.TJetlionofCbrif^AngebjSm 
 
 Heaven, Earthy and ai things^ is th 
 may be :riaIljGo<Ps End> as being his 
 
 ferfifti %\ as the j or ftj 
 
 ing of his rail 7 herein is the moft fern. 
 
 3od*s Glory appeareth in every Cr 
 tare and every providential change, in its propor- 
 tion ; and if any will call that God's End, we 
 mull not make z ftrifc of words if we mean the 
 I 
 ■ 
 
 ilributiag of God's Decrees jxxts 
 or dtner: , will make no considerable Con- 1 
 
 ~ - :;o:i of tl ***' 
 
 l i And it be; - t ,. 
 
 of God's fimple efis, it 
 
 is fromthe Effe&s ft s ... .- 
 
 D4 §,14, 
 
the 0£- 
 
 C4o 3 
 
 § 14^ As to the controverfies about 
 je&s of God's Decrees, meaning the Perfonal or 
 fnbjeBive Object as diftinft from the efFedts of the 
 Volition ( or the prefuppofed State of him that 
 God Decreeth the gift to. ) If we will diftribute 
 God's Decrees or Volitions as the parts or gifts 
 decreed are diftributed, then the queftion is all 
 one, as, What it ate a man is fnppofed to be in when 
 Cod gives him fuch or fitch a Gift ; ' which is a thing 
 that we are not much difagreed about. 
 
 §• *$• **£• The Recipient of the Gift of Glory is 
 a fer fevering faithful Saint. The Receiver of the 
 Gift of P erf ever ance is a true Believing Saint : The 
 Gift of Juftification, Adoption, and the Spirit of 
 further Salification, is given to a penitent Belie- 
 ver : Faith and Repentance are given ufually to per- 
 fons prepared by a more common Grace, having the 
 means of Grace, and for ought we know fome- 
 times fuddenly without fuch Preparation. And 
 fo onto the beginning. 
 
 CHAR VI. 
 
 0/ Reprobation , or the Decree of Dam* 
 
 nation. 
 
 % il TTHough dfoKtw in Scripture lignifieth one 
 3- whofe exiftent Pravity rendereth him 
 difapprovedj Igathed and rejetted of God, yet we 
 here continue the word Reprobation as ordinarily 
 ufcd, for the Decree of rejetting men for ever, 
 
 that 
 
J^^ C 41 ] 
 
 that we may be underflood ; not refufing any 
 itter name. 
 
 §. 2. God's ejfential Will as fuch is not called 
 Reprobation nor a Decree of Damnation, as di- 
 [tindt from other Volitions : Therefore the diftin- 
 ^uifhing denomination muft be fetcht from the ef- 
 fects or objects which it hath relation to. 
 
 §. 3* Therefore where there is no effeft or 
 3bje<5t of God's Will, there is no fuch will to be 
 named and aflerted : But fo much as God effefteth 
 in or towards Mans damnation, fo much he muft 
 be faid to will. 
 
 §. 4. God effe&eth no mans Sin, and there- 
 fore he willed not or decreed not to effect it. 
 
 §.5. He efFc&eth it not either for itfe!f,or 
 as a means to fomething better : Therefore he 
 decreed not to do either. 
 
 §. 6. God effe&eth much withqpt which Sin 
 could not be, ( as the Life and Poorer of the Sin- 
 ners, his abufed Mercies, Obje&s, &c. ) Therefore 
 all this he decreed to do, even as his own Works, 
 which Sinners make the occafions of their Sin. 
 
 §. 7. If it be faid that God permitteth Sin ; there- 
 fore he decreed to permit it : Thefe things mull be 
 anfwered. 1 . Permijfion is an ambiguous word : 
 Striftly it fignifieth in Phyficks nothing at all 
 but a meer Negation, which is non irnptdire^nct to 
 hinder : But in Politick^ it oft fignifieth a pofitive 
 Licence ox voluntary Conceflion of Leave ioxz man 
 to do or pofTefs fomething : And many Divines by 
 Permiffwn mean not bare non-impedition, but alfo 
 fome a&ion that tendeth to the procuring of the 
 event. In the firft and propcr'fence, it folio weth 
 not that God decreed to permit 5/*, becaufe he 
 fermituth it : For permitting here is but a bare 
 
 verb, 
 
C 42 ] 
 
 verb, and ilgnifieth nothing : Not-to-hhdtr is mcer 
 ly nothing : And nothing is no terminm to denomi 
 nate Gods decree or Will. But as permitting fig 
 nifieth any pofitivc aft, which men make an ace* 
 fion of Sin, it is improperly called Fermiffion, and 
 it was fpoken of before : And though God's gene- 
 ral Influx be prefttppofed y that is not Fcrmifiion^ 
 nor part of Permijjion. 
 
 And as Permiffion fignifieth Leave to Sin, God 
 permitteth none ; for it is not Sin if ft permit- 
 ted. 
 
 2. And if it would hold that God Decreeth his] 
 Fermiffion of Sin 7 it followeth not that he decreeth 
 the Sin permitted j for that is not a capable objett 
 of his Volition. 
 
 §. 8. God effe&eth puniflment^ even in Hell (at 
 leaft, part of it, of which in due place) therefore 
 he decreeth or willeth fo to effect it. 
 
 §• 9. God damneth none but Sinners : There 
 fore he decreed to damn none but Sinners 
 Therefore a Man only as a Sinner is the objeft of 
 the Decree of Damnation or Punifhment, feeing 
 the Decree is denominated from the effedt 
 
 §. 1 o. It is not a Sinner meerly as a Sinner that 
 God will damn : elfe all Sinners fhould be damned. 
 But it is only a certain fort of Sinner s 9 whopm;*- 
 lently and finally reject remedying ??;ea?2S and mercy* 
 Therefore it is only fuch that are the Obje&s oi 
 the particular Decree of Damnation. 
 
 §. 1 1. In the firfl: inftant we are Men-, in the fe- 
 cond innocent, in the third guilty of Sin againit the 
 meer Law of Jnnocency ; in the fourth we are 
 brought under the-Law of Grace upon the Promifc 
 of a Redeemer i and in the fifth we have the Com- 
 mon Mercies of that Lato and Redemption given Us. 
 
 a< 
 
[4* ] 
 
 sis means to our performance of the Duty which 
 jthat L2W requireth and obtaining further Mercy. 
 In none of thefe inftants is a man the objett of 
 the Decree ef Damnation : God damneth not any 
 man meerly as a Man? or as Innocent, or as a Sin- 
 ner againft the meer Law of Innocency, nor as redeem- 
 ed and under the Law of Grace, nor as receiving . 
 the common means and mercies of that Covenant -, 
 Nay, nor as in the fixth Inftant he is guilty of 
 finning againft fuch Mercies \ ( for elfe all that do 
 fo fhould perifh.) But only as in the feventh in- 
 ftant he is found a prevalent, final rejecter ofthefpe- 
 cul Grace , and abufer of the common Mercies of that 
 Covenant. And therefore the Decree is t© be ac- 
 cordingly denominated ; though God's ejfentialtvill 
 have no Caufe, nor Dependance upon any Crea- 
 ture. 
 
 §. 12. But there are other Ads of God's ju- 
 ftice which are comprized in Reprobation or Re- 
 jection as the word is commonly underftood : 
 As, i Cutting off a (inner untimely in his Impe- 
 nitency. 2. Denying him fome inward helps of 
 Grace which once he had, or was fair for ( fo 
 far as that is quid pofitivam ) and depriving him 
 pofitively of fome Means of Grace - y for his \m- 
 ful jrefufal or abufe, or for abufe of other Means 
 and Mercies. And all thefe punifliments God fo far 
 decreeth as he Execmeth ; which is upon none but 
 fuch as by fin againft the Law of Grace deferve them. 
 
 §.13. But where Negations are no V moments 
 nor Privations, they fall not under the notion of 
 fofitive EjftEts or Objects, and fo are not fit to 
 denominate a Pofitive Decree or Will. Therefore 
 when it is not a Punifhmcnt, ( Not to give Faith, 
 Repentance, Preaching, &c. ) is no aft of Repro- 
 bation** 
 
C 44 ] 
 
 bation : As not to give that Faith, Repentanc 
 and Pardon which he needed not to Adam in \i 
 nccency -, not to give thertf in aft to Infants, etc. 
 
 §. 1 4. Yea, when a Ft nal Privation is only t 
 confequent of God's not Afting, and not of ai 
 Pofittve Act*, there the Ratio Tuen& is of God, anc 
 is quid pofitivam, ana God caufeth it by that Law 
 which did make the debitum pan*: But yet th< 
 Negation or I'nvation in which it confifteth i: 
 , Nothing, or nothing of God's caufing, and there- 
 for: not fit to denominate a dlftincl Decree: e. g 
 Not to give Jptcial Grace, Pardon, Jftfiiftcati-onl 
 Glory, to Jud& 9 is nothing, and fo as nothing noi 
 the obje<ft of a pofitire Decree : But both the po 
 fitivc aft 5 by which any Mercy is withdrawn, anc 
 alfo the relation of Punifliment which is in thefi 
 Nothings or Privations is can fed by God, anc 
 therefore Decreed by him. As if God fay, 7 hi 
 fhall be bis yunifoment that will not Eat, that h 
 Jhall die of Famine : Here not eating is nothing 
 but the penal reaj r on which is in Famine, which 
 tut the privation of Meats, refuketh from the Lav\ 
 of Nature and will of God. 
 
 §. 15. By all this it appeareth that EkClio) 
 and Reprobation go not panpafftt, or are not equal 
 ly afcribed to God. For in Eietiion God is th< 
 Caufe of the means of Salvation by his Grace, anc 
 of afl that truly tendeth to procure it : But 01 
 the other fide, God is no caufe of any fin whicl 
 is the means and merit of Damnation-, nor th 
 Caufe of Damnation, but on the fuppofition o 
 Man's fin : So that fin is forefeen in the Perfo 
 Decreed to Damnation, ( brt not Can fed') feeing 
 the Decree muft be denominated from the EffeH. 
 and Objeft : But in Ele&ion God decreeth to giv< 
 
 u 
 
C 413 
 
 S Grace, and be the chief Canfc of all our 
 olinefs, and doth not eledt us to Salvation on 
 forefight, that we will do his Will or be Sancti- 
 fied by our felves without him. Therefore yte- 
 giiftin, Proffer and Falgefttifu, ftill make this dif- 
 ference) That the decree of Damnation goeth on 
 forefight of fin, but the Decree of Salvation 
 containeth a Decree to give that Grace that ihaB 
 certainly Save us. 
 
 An 
 
[ 4*3 
 
 An ANSWER 
 
 T O 
 
 Mr. Polehilf j Exceptions about futmition. 
 
 SIR, 
 
 I Am much chidden already for writing man 
 Books, and Anfwering fb many that objedl 
 and am told,That if the Cafe well Stated will no 
 fatisfie men, no Anfwer will do it, bceaufe it i 
 for want of their Receptive Capacity , whic 
 long and right Studies muft help them to, an< 
 not a meer Anfwer to their Objeftions. I ver 
 highly value the vrorfhy Gentleman whofe Pa 
 pers you fent me, hearing of few, ifany, amonf 
 us more commended for Knowledge and Piety 
 The queftion is but whether it be he or I tha 
 by half confufed conceptions of the matters ii 
 queftion fpeaketh in the D^rk, or which of u 
 hath the more ripe digefted and ordered thought j 
 hereof. And muft others be troubled with fuel 
 Cafes ? It is thofe that he pleadeth for that hav<! 
 made the edge of the Razor fo thin that they oi 
 I do Cut our Fingers with it, and have fpui 
 fuch fubtile Notions, which if their wits whei 
 they have done be not fubtile enough to man. 
 age; they will oft flip through or be as Spider* 
 Webs. As to the firft Controverfie of FHturit^ 
 or Poffibility, this Gentleman's method will dc 
 me no good, being no whit fitted to that whicl 
 I expert. I Ihould expert from hira that he had 
 
 takeil 
 
C 47 ] 
 
 ;n notice of my Diftin&ions and Explications 
 Futurity, and that he had dire&ly pleaded 
 only for that fort or fence which I deny, and had 
 AnfwerM the Rcafons which both in the Firft and 
 Second Part I bring againft it. But it is not fo : 
 And to Difpute at fuch rates is but to try who 
 fhall live longeft to have the laft word, ( it being 
 eafie at this rate ft) talk againft one another as 
 long as we live) which I ^annot expeft, and 
 therefore fhall give any man herein the beft. 
 All that he hath faid againft me is materially 
 Anfwered in the Book already, and if he perceive 
 it not , how can I help that ? More Books are 
 not like to do it, nor have I kifure for fuch 
 tasks : Yet briefly I return, 
 
 I. As to my fence of the words ( Future ) and 
 
 (Poffible)*, i. As they are predicated of the 
 
 thing future or pojfible, they are termini diminuentes 
 
 quod realitatem exiftentem, and futurity as. it is ret 
 
 iffiusfuturitio is nothing. 2. Whether Time be 
 
 any thing'diftinft a re durante or Nothing, is a 
 
 Controvetfie, which I conjecture Mr. P — 'sPen 
 
 and mine arc never like to decide. It is enough 
 
 for me how to fay, that I take it for nothing Bi- 
 
 ftintt. 3. Yet fhaliow man that feeth not uno 
 
 intuitu the Univerfe, as God doth, nor hath his 
 
 eflential Eternity, is in motion, where there is 
 
 mmfura motut, and muft think of things by par- 
 
 1 tial Conceptions, and mufl; make pafi, fnfm % 
 
 j and future^ his differing Notions in Duration. 
 
 y 4- The internal Concerns in man of a thing 
 
 as future (that it will be> is quid rede? for in 
 
 is an aft^of the mind and a Verbum mmis^ and 
 
 an aft de nihih : A mental Negation is a r»l aft : 
 
 -To 
 
C 48 ] 
 
 To think and fay in the mind ( the World 
 was not from Eternity: Darknefs, Death, &c 
 are nothing) are real thoughts. 5. The verkun 
 prolatum ore vel fcripto ( fin will be, &c. the Sur 
 will rife y &c?) is quid rede : It is a Word, 2 
 Propofition 6. The fundament urn or premifes, 
 from which fuch a Conclufion may be fetch'd, is 
 quid reale : e. jr. God's WiIl # or Knowledge, 01 
 any neceffitating Cjufe. 7. God that knowett 
 man, knoweth all his mental Conceptions and 
 his Propofitions de fouro, without Imperfedtion 
 knowing our Imperfeftion } and fo knoweth whe- 
 ther they are true or falfe. 8. God's willing and 
 knowing that things were, are or will be, an 
 all one ex fane Dei, being nothing but his Am- 
 ple, perfect Eflence thus knowing and willing . 
 But ex parte ret cognita ant volita, there is diffe- 
 rence i And thence by Relation, Connotation, 01 
 extrinfick denomination, God's internal Arts 
 are varioully named, as de praterito^ de prafenti. 
 defuturo. 9. God's Will and Knowledge frorr 
 Eternity, that there fhall be Time, fiucceflions, 
 Man, Propofitions, and tjiat things (Hall be in 
 fuch an Order, are a foundation of the verity oi 
 fuch a verbnm mentis vel oris ( thefe will be ) iJ 
 there had been any fuch eternal Words or Pro- 
 pofitions. 10. Though formaliter there was no 
 fuch thing in God (& forma denominat ) } yet emu 
 nenter that perfect intuition of God, which is 
 the knowledge of all Intelligibles, comprehendeth 
 all of man's Knowledge, which is any part of 
 Perfection : And we mult bear with the naming 
 of God's perfeft Afts by the fame names that 
 fignifie our imperfeft Afts \ fo be it we have due 
 care not to afcribc to him the Imperfection ; 
 
 nor 
 
C 49 3 
 
 from names which connote Imperfection in 
 fn primo, to infer falfe Do&rinal Conclufions 
 of God. ii. An if fnm tiibilum may receive in 
 man's partial Conception , a name, and accor- 
 dingly many and divers names fetch'd from fome 
 reafons of his Conceptions. 1 2. A \ccordingly we 
 call a thing that is really nothing, but as in the 
 Cogitation to be fojJible 7 or future^ or part, as if 
 thefe were rernm y tales *jftttiones y or fome what 
 now Real: Whereas the Epithets are but tho 
 modes of our own Notions or Thoughts, andrai- 
 fed from our knowledge of other things. And 
 the proper Language is but this, (God can do* 
 this : God will do this ) which fuppofe it not 
 done. As (God can make the world; would have 
 been a true word from Eternity, had there been 
 any fuch word to be true. And therice we fay 
 ( The World was poflible.) And Gcd*s perfed: 
 s Knowledge being emincmcr fomewhat infinitely 
 i» more perfeft than fuch Thoughts, Words, and 
 n Proportions, sfter the manner of weak man, we 
 I) fpeak of God and of Nothing as related to his 
 Will that they fhall be, or to his Knowledge, 
 and fo call them pofflblc and future. 
 
 IL Now I expedt the Confutation of the Rea- 
 fons, which I gave C As that there was nothing 
 Eternal but God, therefore Eternal pojfibiljty and 
 four it ion can be nothing but Conception of God 
 himfelf •, and fo of the reft. ) 
 
 III. His Exceptions have all their ftrength from 
 the meer ambiguicy of the word {futurity) , con- 
 tinuing the Confufion after all my Explication. 
 I have not time to Tranfcribe all his. words, and 
 therefore rauft fuppofe you to have his Writing 
 by you, which I fbm briefly Aafwer in Order. 
 
 ~ E M u 
 
Ad i. \As nothing they differ not, but man' 
 various Conceptions of them differ, as do the 
 Rcafbns of thofe Conceptions and Denominati- 
 ons : San and Moon^ Angels and Men, were equal- 
 ly nothing from Eternity : And yet God's fimple 
 Will to make all tfaefe, might have had various 
 relative or extrinfick Denominations, had there 
 been then a Created Intellect fo to name it, and 
 thefe nothings called Future, Angels, Men, &c. ac- 
 cordingly. 
 
 A4 2. Nothing as nothing hath no Parts or 
 Diftinftions , but nothing may be varioufly na- 
 med j or to fpeak more aptly, Before Things are 
 Any-things a purpofing and fore-feeing Agent 
 may make Names and Notions for them before, 
 the things. Greg. Ariminea copioufly difputeth 
 that (that which is not, may be related to that 
 which is, and that which is, to that which is 
 not, or nothing ) : his Reafons are fubtile. Rela 
 tion is remm referebilitas or ComfaribUitat. If an 
 Angel Exifted before the Light or Sun, and knew 
 that God would make the Light or Sun, why 
 might not the Angels Intellect refer Go:/s Will to 
 the Light or Sun, which he would make, while it 
 was nothing ? Which is no more than to know 
 (that God will make fach a thing which 
 yet nothing* ) But I fay thefe nothings relate not 
 to God) but God's Power, Knowledge and Will 
 may by an Intelligent Creature be confiderec 
 (while they are not) as that which will mak( 
 them, doth forefee them, &c. which is to here 
 ferred to tl em. It's true that nothing is no effect 
 and vvillbe-nothing without God ( which is tha 
 I faid ). It's true that the Divine Power doth no* 
 make meer Poflibility to be any thing, for it i 
 
 nothing 
 
1 51 1 
 
 nothing : Eut it being true that God can make 
 that which he yet hath not made, for this proper 
 Speech (God can make it; man's broken thoughts 
 put a Name or Epithete en that which u not., 
 and call it fojfible for Difcourfe fake, and for the 
 ordering of our thoughts about nothings^ or things 
 that yet are not ( yea never will be) : For we fay 
 that Millions of Millions of nonfutura are poffible. 
 And is Poffibilrty then any thing extra mcr.tem Di- 
 vin.im & humxnam ? Why he fpake of things be- 
 ing pojfiblc without the Divine Power I know not. 
 I take PofTibiiity as real to be but part of that 
 Ens ntioni* or mental Conception which by Rea- 
 foning we take up of Non-extftents, becaufe God 
 can make them that yet are not made. The fame 
 I lay of his words (if futures be futures without 
 the Divine will, what horrible Fate muft be up- 
 on God ? ) Futures are nothing, and no good will 
 ever be but by God's Will. And becaufe he 
 willeth it, we have the juft ground of a Con- 
 clufion that it will be ( if we know it ) . And this 
 thought or word is therefore true, and had we 
 been from Eternity, and had fuch a thought, it 
 would have been true. And while there was no 
 Sun or Earth, we fhould have faid, They are fu+ 
 tares, that is, they will be ; that is, God will 
 make them : And muft futurity therefore be a 
 Thing or Being ? Whence then came the fuppo- 
 iition of Fate, impofing on the fummum Ens> of 
 what meaneth it? 
 
 •Ad 5. Nothing indeed hath no Verity : Fu- 
 tures are not true } but Conctftus or Proporti- 
 ons, that fuch things will be, are true. How God's 
 perfect Knowledge is cxtrinfecally denominated 
 the Knowledge that fuch things will be (which we 
 
 E a call 
 
[ 52 3 
 
 call Fuwitiori) 1 opened in the Bo6k at large.* 
 You know, I fuppofe, how commonly it is faid, 
 That Nothings and Impojfibles andNon-futurittes are 
 all known to God : Muft therefore Nothing, I m - 
 poffibility, and Non-futurity be Beings, left Gcd can- 
 not know them ? God cannot know things robe 
 future you fay, unlcfs they are fuch : The words 
 ( are fuch) found to the ignorant, as if they fig- 
 nified Entity. God cannot know Nothings to be 
 Nothing, ImpcflibilitieS) Non-futurities, untefs they 
 are fuch } that is, unlefs it be true that they are 
 fuch : And it is true. But what is it that's true ? 
 The verbum mentis vel oris, that they are no- 
 thing,^. Muft they therefore needs be fomething, 
 and fo God be miftaken ? But he faith {If there 
 i?e no eternal Futures, what bee o met h of Divine Pre* 
 fcience . ? ) Good mens Thoughts may wrong God, 
 while they think they honour him . Augufiine tells 
 you, That Prefcience difFereth not in God from 
 Science of prefent things. You may fay alfo, If 
 there be no eternal Nothings, Non-futures, how 
 can God know them ? But muft Futurity, oxNon- 
 futwity,ov Nothing,^ therefore any thing ? God's 
 knowing that it will he and yet is not, proveth that 
 the thing future is nothing ; a*nd therefore Futurity, 
 no modus rei 7 but a Name put by us on Nothing 
 from God's Will to make it. ( Suppofing it be 
 not Sin, which God will not make, but hath ano- 
 ther Caufe.) I had thought you had known, how 
 commonly the School-men prove, That things that 
 are not may be certainly known by God -, yea, 
 how the Nominals prove his Knowledge of future 
 Contingents from his meer Perfection •, fo that 
 Socimu is not unanfwered in thofe things, and yet 
 fmmts and Futurity are no beings. At leaft, you 
 
 may 
 
C 55 3 
 
 may fee Anfwer enough in StYongitu and Le Blank. 
 ( two Authors well worth your reading. ) Thofc 
 things are certo futura, which God will certainly 
 make, or certainly knoweth will be done *, and 
 yet Futurity be nihil re ale. I would you had told 
 me, whether you take the Reality of Futurity to be 
 in tfft rei zxtyinfecA, or in ejfe objettivo intrinfeco / 
 The former you are not able ( confiderately ) to 
 believe \ ( that nothing can have any real mode t 
 accident, or affedion}) if none ofthefe, what is 
 it then ? You muft needs hold to the latter ^ and 
 then in man, the futurity of things is nothing real, 
 but the mode of his Cogitation or Conception ? 
 as 1 have afore faid, we may have real thoughts* 
 that here is not fuch or fuch a thing, but will 
 be-, in which we frame a real Idea of that which 
 will be (and is not) in our minds ( from the helps 
 of llmilitudes or words ^ and fo fay, Such a thing 
 (thought on and named, but not in being) will be. 
 But in God there is nothing but God j the Crea- 
 ture is of him, and is in him dependency as their 
 Canfe and Comprehender, but not as conftituent 
 of his immanent ads. • 
 
 Why you add ( Suppofe nothing to have fome Ve- 
 Wry), is above my reach: I think Nothing hath 
 no Verity : Bur, i . God's Knowledge thaut will 
 bs, hath Verity. 2. The Propofition (This will be) 
 may have Verity. 3 . But the thing future hath not 
 Verity rd. Futurity as in r: hath no more Entity 
 than Poffiblity: Bat to will or know that .quid 
 nomination can be, and that it will be, are two real 
 ads in Man, and two extrinfeck Denominations 
 of the Divine Will and In celled. When you 
 have anfwered what I faid of Div Twiffe, I may 
 review it. 
 
 E 3 Ad 4- Y 
 
C 54 3 
 
 r Ai 4- You fay ( Future is nothing ; ergo, No- 
 thing is future.} 1 am glad that the Creed and 
 Bible are not thus worded : Future in your firft 
 Proportion fignifieth the Affeftion or fomewhat 
 real of the thing future, and fo it is nothing -, if 
 you take future fo in the fecond> it is futile but 
 true, being but a grofs expreflion of ( Nothing 
 hath real Futurity-, which is aiiquid ret.') But ac- 
 cording to common ufe, your fecond Propofition 
 will be taken for a denial of the Saying ( Some- 
 what will be ) and this is a real truth. You fay the 
 Propofition is identical, as ( Nothing is Nothing. ) 
 We fpeak not of the Being or truth of Propoil- 
 tions or Conceptions, but of futurity it felf as in- 
 complex urn. You after confefs I told you fo„ 
 May you not equally fay (Negations, Nen-exiftents, 
 Non-futurity are nothing ; ergo Nothing is a Nega- 
 tion^ Nonexistent, Non-future ? ) Anfwer one and 
 you anfwer the other. Negations in mente are 
 Thoughts, and in the Mouth they are Words, but 
 in re negata they are nothing : So I fay of Non- 
 futurity and Non-exigence. Frail Man dreameth 
 that the mundm naturalis is the fame with the 
 inundut fantafiicus & notionalis in his Brain } and 
 Oh ! how commonly do Words and Thoughts 
 go in Difputes for Extrinfeck Realities ? 
 
 Ai 5. Becaufe God decreeth to do any thing, 
 you and I, when we know it, may truly fa/ ( This 
 will be •,) and ( will be ) is no being, but Gods will 
 and our knowledg and our words are. Alas, that 
 fo much skill is neceffary not to be deceived by 
 ambiguity of words. God's Knowledg and your 
 Knowledge and your Words, may be all true > and 
 yet Futurity ex parte reifutura 7 hathno proper Ve- 
 rity, metaphyseal, phyilcal or moral, being no 
 
 fub. 
 
[ Hi 
 
 fubjeO: capable of any fach. You fay [Did mt 
 the Futurity of the World refult from a Decree ?~] It's 
 wearifome a: every Sentence to repeat Diftindtion 
 and ©pen Confuilon. The futurity of the World 
 is nothing, Extra mentem Divinam & bHman&m^& 
 extra prftfitionem dtfxtxrkimt. Why talk you of 
 oar deligning another Origin , when we are pro- 
 igjthatitYftOthing, and needs no Caufe ? And 
 why anfwer you not what I ,vrote againit Dv.Twijfe, 
 before yoa c ill for an Anfwer to him ? Or at leaft, 
 whraniwer you not Stiraxgw^ but impertinently 
 : of the Serpent Socinm f If Sociiuu had no more 
 wk than to take the Futurity of Sin for a Being, 
 (Suhfta ce, cedent or Mode) no wonder if he 
 knew not how to deny that God is the Caufe of it. 
 A :d why do you not attempt to anfwer me, who 
 tell yon, That if you take k to be a real Being and 
 eternal, you muft take it to be God himfelf } for 
 nothing elfe is eternal. Bat I pray you fay not 
 ( like your former arguing about nothing) [The 
 tttrrui Futurity of Sin is God himfelf •, ergo, God is 
 the eemd Futurity of SinS] The Subject and Pre- 
 dicate are not fo conrertible as you feem to make 
 them. You fay, if we fay, Futurity is nothing, 
 then it is a wonder, an independent on God and 
 his Will, felf-origbaiedand unprevenrable, &c. 
 You write no wonders to me, this rate of Difl 
 courfe being common in the World, and hath been 
 in moll Ages. Is Nothing a wonder ? Is it a won- 
 der for nothing to be independent? but yet that 
 which hath no dependent B-kg, may fo far as a 
 Nothing beat God's will, that he continue nothing 
 or make fomeching (the firft non agendo, the fe- 
 cond agendo) as he pleafes, that is, t>y willing or 
 not willing. And it were a wonder indeed for 
 
 E 4 Nothing 
 
c 5<n 
 
 Nothing to be felf-originated, or that Nothing 
 fhould Jpring from any thing as an efficient Caufe : 
 But reduftively fome Nothings may be afcribed 
 to God's Non-agency, as Beings gocd are to his 
 aft ion. As God is improperly called the Caufe of 
 Dar^nefs, becaufe he there maketh not Light, lb 
 improperly he may be faid to be the Caufe of No- 
 things, becaufe he made not the contrary Some- 
 things. You fay (then there is fatum Stoicijfimum 
 on God ) and all his Works, and this Futurity 
 binds the Almighty, that he canpjot do as he plea- 
 feth in Heaven and Earth This is a wonder in- 
 deed that Nothing fhould be ftrongerthan God, 
 and rule him and the World. If Dr. Twtfjc hold 
 Sin to be nothing, doth it follow, that it binds 
 God, becaufe if s nothing ? Doth Death bind 
 God, becaufe it is but the privation of Life ^ or 
 vacuity (Ji detur vacuum} becaufe it is nothing ? 
 Or when there was nothing but God,did Nothing- 
 jiefs bind God ? Is that God bound or conquered 
 that can turn Nothing into Something at his 
 pleafiire ? Non-futurity is nothing : therefore it 
 hath no Caufe. Is this Nothing the Ruler of God 
 and All things, becaufe he caufeth not that which 
 isnotcaufable/* Alas, that good men fliould keep 
 up dividing Controversies at this rate of reafon- 
 ing : You Jay, If it have no Caufe, it can have 
 no Impediment, . and fo there is Fatum StoicijfimunL 
 We all talk at the rate that we underftand/ The 
 \yprld was nothing before it was made,and fo had 
 then no Caufe in the ejfe cauf*> as "being no efFedt 
 ("Relations in ejfe being fimultaneous): Doth it fol- 
 low that God wasfubjeft to Fate ? There was no 
 Impediment indeed to Nothingnefs \ it is not ne- 
 reffary that Nothing be hindred, leflt it become 
 
 Some- 
 
C 57 3 
 
 omething. God can make fomewhat where there 
 
 I nothing, at his pleafure, and can make a future 
 Jothing to become an exiftent Something. And 
 /hat fhould be the medium I wonder that tempted 
 ou to think otherwife : Did the nothingnefs of 
 Lflgels before their Creation hinder God from 
 laking them I Or can nothing have a ruling 
 ower ? 
 
 ted 6, Again you flick not at the repeating of 
 he contradiction of a felf-originated future Cor 
 lothing) and think God's Decrees endangered by 
 othing, becaufe it hath no Caufe. What a dread- 
 
 II thing is this Nothing ! To be felf-originated 
 ; to be Somerhingof it felf. And if Futurity be 
 othing, then it is fomething of it feif. And you 
 fFer not a Syllable to prove thefe Contradictions- 
 ou add ( To what ptrpofe JlwU Decrees be f ) 
 inf. To produce the thing decreed in its pro- 
 er time and place, and not to make them fome- 
 ling before they are any thing, nor to make an 
 ns Rationu to be a real extrinfeck Entity. You 
 rangely fay ( To daree fitch a Futurity is a nullity, 
 rr it cm mvtr come to pafs .) What can never 
 3me to pafs ? Futurity ? 5ay alfo (To dec csNon- 
 iiurity^or that there fh*ll he to tu but one Sun, but 
 le Saziour, is a nullity, becaufe Nothing can never 
 nm to psfs.) What is it for Nothing to come to 
 afs? It is come to pafs without a Caufe that 
 lere is but one Sun to us, but one Saviour, and 
 Cher Nothings. The Decree or Will of what 
 all come to pafs is no nullity : for it (hall all 
 ^me to pafs :, and yet the Decree made not the 
 ord ( Jhallbe ) to fignifie a real Entity, diitindt 
 >rm or model of the thing that fhall be. The 
 ecree that there fhall be a World, was fulfilled, 
 
 and 
 
C 58 ] 
 
 and yet (fliallbe) was not a being before the 
 World, unlefs it was God's EfTence. Your Phrafe 
 importeth as if Futurity muft come to pafs as a 
 thing Decfeed, and queftion whether there was a 
 futurity of that futurity ,and fo in infinitum. For the 
 word (Coming to pafs ) importeth futurity of futu- 
 rity, and not eternity. You fay Q To decree in com- 
 pliance with tt^ is below God over Ail for it will: 
 
 come to pafs whether God decree it or no.'] Alas, 
 that 5peaking fhould be fo hard an Art ! What is 
 it to decree in compliance with nothing ? Hath it 
 any fence ? How is it that Nothing will come to 
 pafs? It's true, that Nothing will be Nothing! 
 without a Caufe, and therefore without a Decree. 
 And therefore let the reverence of God mnke you 
 confider, whether it be meet for us in the dark to 
 afcribe to God fuch Decrees of nothing, and to 
 number Nothings., and make as many Decrees 
 Such a dance and game of notions we may more 
 boldly ufe about our felves than about God, till 
 we know him better. You add (God in decreeing 
 doth not decree the thing into being in the injrantof 
 decreeing^ but He decreeth the Futurity ofit, and ij 
 that be nothings he decreeth nothing.') Arf Wrong \ 
 thoughts will have wrong words All that- yon 
 fhould have inferred, is, [That His Decree effe- 
 ftcth nothing till the time come ] which is true 
 For He decreed only to effeft it at fuch a time 
 But doth it follow , that God decreeth nothing bu 
 Futurity, becaufe the thing decreed is not prefen 
 ly done ? Thus you muft fay, That God decreecpli 
 not the World, nor G H R I S T, nor Salvation,bu 1 
 Futurity only. The Decree or Wi:l of God was fti 
 That the World, G H R I S T, Refurre&ion, &i k 
 fhall beat fuch a time: (fullbf) is no being }an n 
 
 y«^ 
 
 u id 
 
C 59 ] 
 
 ret it is a £«>£ when exiflent, which God de- 
 Teed, but his Decree maketh it noc a foiag till 
 t exift. Dr. Tmjfe will over and oyer cell y6u, 
 hat God^s immanent afts do ^bi/ ps;:^ in objecio. 
 \nd I have oft told you truly, that you or I little 
 mow what we fay when we divide Gcd's Eternity 
 nto pares, and affign him his prtttnut n cr fi - - 
 urn. And it would put you hard to it to tell me 
 lerrly and furely what God's Eternal Decree is be- 
 ore the effcd exift ! our prefent common-received 
 ichool-Divinity will call us BLfphemers, if we fay, 
 hat before the Creation there was any thing buc 
 jod, and anything in God but God, and that 
 5od had any real accidents : And therefore it 
 aith, that he doth operarj per ejfimUm^ and not 
 er accident**. And therefore that God's Decree 
 >efore the efFedt was nothing but his Eflence. Bun 
 t is his Eflence denominated C not as fuch, but) 
 s related .to the things decreed, though yet they 
 »e not. If you will forfake this common Theo- 
 ry, and place aftsin God, which ex parte agkruif^ 
 re but Accidents and not his Eflence, and fay" This 
 \ confiftent with his Simplicity ard Perfe<fticn,you 
 rill let in a Body of new Divinity, and we frail 
 lot know when we have all God s Accidectei nor 
 ow to order them. His freeft Acts are his Eficn- 
 ial Will freely afting } but thofe free ads them- 
 Jves before the effeftare nothing bur God him- 
 df. We rauft not place in God a number of 
 thoughts, Images, Notions, Accidents, as we do 
 i Man. But your Phrafe favoureth of other 
 thoughts. 
 
 Ad 7. Here you are for yea and nay : you 
 rill fuppofe no Propofitions inGod,ani yet you ar- 
 jne that thciijwhat will remain of a Decree- I fold, 
 
[ 60 ] 
 
 But that God knoweth not by Propofitions, but 
 yet that he knoweth Proportions. If you hold, 
 Tint God knoweth by Proportions and Argumen- 
 tations, fay fo, that I may know what to fpeak 
 to. If you hold, Ttttt He hath no Decrees, what 
 is it that you plead for? But to anfwer your 
 Queftion, God's Decree is not a forming of Pro- 
 pofitions in his mind, or any change in himfelf, 
 or addition to his Being : But it is His Iimple will 
 that fuch and'fuch things (ball be, emanative, com- 
 municative, productive of them in their feafon. 
 There are fome that think, that as Time-Divifi- 
 ons are the mcafures of imperfect Creatures, 
 and God's Eternity hath none fuch j fo that it is 
 an afcribing Imperfection to God, to fay, That he 
 hath Decrees defuturti diftinCt from a productive 
 Volition, which in the molt proper fence fhould 
 be denominated from the produced Exiftentas fuch. 
 But in this I interefs not my feif, as knowing that 
 we muft fpeak improperly of God or not at all. 
 You fay that (It flail be,i* a F murky. ) An[. What's 
 that ? A (JLtf hi\ is (a 1 7 ut wit )ftand (a futurity) 
 is a (jhall he,) Ergo a fhaU he and a futurity is a be r 
 trig. Would I knew what., But to hope for that 
 from you is too great Prefumption. You add (A 
 futurity, a nothing, and to decree nothing is not to de- 
 cree.) Anf Say you fo ? I am glad you fay no 
 worfe : Then if thofe be in the right fas raoft) 
 that: think Sin is nothing (no more than Death or 
 DarknefsJ you will grant that God decreed it not. 
 And if I prove that Fururity ex parte ret, is nothing, 
 you will grant that it ncedeth no Decree as fuch. 
 But feeing you are fomuch on my fide, 1 crave 
 your help to confute thofe, that otherwife you 
 defend, who make innumerable Nothings the OM 
 
 jeft$: 
 

 Its of God's Decrees. But yet 1 would not follow 
 )U tco far : ( Not to give brace to nn Infidel ) is 
 falling. (Not to give the Gofp.l, not to end the 
 fold till the time, nst f uk& &W*y Grate, Gofpd, 
 ife ? ec) You Tay here ( in your general ) that 
 >ne of thef- can be decreed. But then prepare an 
 nfwer to your Friends that will take this ill of 
 :u. 1 have fully opened my fence of it elfe- 
 here. You fay ( Abftrztt futurity from the Deo ee 
 id it mil be nothing.) Anf. If you abftraft not 
 uturity as a re^l Entity from the Decree, you 
 ill abufeGodby prefumptuous falfe Conceits: 
 lit if ycu abftraft the word Jhall be) from the 
 amaneCo7;ceptw of it, it vail not differ from a 
 onceftus de pr&ftntc. And though 1 more reves ence 
 ou, I may fay of fome other Objedters that quib- 
 le with arbitrary notions, that if you except Pa- 
 rity and Futility, from what they fay for the en- 
 ty of Futurity, ic is all nothing. You add ( That 
 : in time only the thing aCtttally exift by virtue of the 
 Iceree, the Decree is fomethkg %n time, bat eternally 
 I wo* nothing. That is ( God's will to effect any 
 hing is nothing till it do effift it.) Yes, 't;s God's 
 Vjll fo to do, and is that nothing ? It is nothing 
 ut God 7 s effential w ill denominated from the res 
 fficienda'i'hiK that is not nothing : if God be no- 
 hing, there is Nothing. There is nothing indeed 
 ut God from Eternity. If you think otherwife, 
 dl us what it is. Aureolas indeed pleadeth, That 
 4&H6 Dei creantis is neither Creator nor Creature, 
 tut quid medium, but few fecond him, and many 
 onfute him. It feems you think of Futurity as our 
 ficxreaitsfind our new Infidels do of matter, That 
 : is an eternal effedt of God as an eternal Caufe. 
 will give you many thanks if you willperufe and 
 
 anfrver 
 
C 62 1 
 
 anfwer Raymundus Lnllims Arguments againft tin 
 Eternity of any Creature, where he argueth 
 That whatfoever hath the perfection of Eternity, 
 muft needs have other f itable Perfe&ions, and fc 
 be God. Is Futurity a more excellent Being thar 
 Spii it, Matter and Motion, to be capable of thi< 
 Divine Attribute ? I pray what is the Veritj 
 that you fay refulteth eternally ? Can you forgive 
 me for not loving Conf ilion ? Js it, 1 . TI12 verit A 
 reiftitura ? 2. Or the Veritas conceptus Divini d\ 
 remm futmuionk ? 3. Or the Verity of a Pro- 
 portion ? Are thefe all one with you ? The firfl 
 being a Metaphyfical Verity, is Ajfectio entts, a: 
 unum and bonUm are : And qucd non eft, -non efi 
 union, verum aut bonum. 2. As to the third, 
 it a divine Propofition, or a humane ? If a di 
 vine, prove that God had either concept as vel pro* 
 lata/,, eternal Proportions ; if he had and yoi 
 prove it, I never denied the truth of fuch propo- 
 sitions. If humane, when there was no man, then 
 was no humane propofitions. All that you caj 
 fay is but what I oft faid, That God's Volition: 
 were a ground that would have made fuch propo- 
 fitions (Thefe things mil be) certainly true, if then 
 had been any fuch eternal proportions. And a 
 to the fecond, it is not denied as before explai 
 ned. God's Will and Knowledge were certain 
 but they were but himfelf, who gave no Beinjj 
 to eternal Futurition out of himfelf. You asl 
 (How are the Pronvfe^being Propofitions ^true fign, 
 cf the Divine Will, where there are ??one ? ) An\ 
 How is the World and figta nxtztrdia the iigns o 
 God's Will, and how are Writings and Voice 
 figns of it, if there be no World , Writings o; 
 Voices ia God ? God wilUth that which is no 
 
 ij 
 
C 63 ] 
 
 n himfelf eternally.- Gcd willeth Creatures and 
 3od willeth Propofitions. And thefe are the 
 produdts of his Veracity, when he fendeth them 
 3y Revelation : and true, becaufe they come from 
 lim. When his Will is to give the world an 
 ncarnate Saviour, may not the promife of this 
 rruly figuifie his will, though he have no Pro- 
 portion in his mind, but only a will to give him, 
 md an intuitive Knowledge ? But 1 fay sgain, 
 f you can prove, that God thinketh, reafoneth, 
 )r talke:h eternally, and knoweth ^terminosfnn- 
 ilicesj Proportions and Syliogifms, I will eafily 
 ronfefs that all thefe are true, and yet not grant 
 :hat ex parte reh Futurition or Non-futurition, 
 Pcffibility or Impoffibility are any Beings. 
 
 Ad 8. You meet with a diftinftioii of [Futu- 
 rity as nothing, and a Proportion de fmmo as 
 fomething 3 with an Qhowfo? It fignifieth only 
 f Hturity^ and that is jufl nothing-.] Anf. You 
 hould pardon a man in my condition, if he be 
 !oth to write new Books to anfwer all Ohjeft- 
 srs that know not that a Propofition de mhib is 
 fomething. If Atheiiis lay, There is no God, 
 They fhall know that they fay fomething : If I 
 ray that there are no other true Gods> I fay fome- 
 thing. They that fay Datur vacuum lay fome- 
 thing. You fay ( But was it not true before : ) 
 what is your ( it ) ? The proportion was not 
 true before it was a Propofition, Ccnccpta vel 
 prolata : Futurity had not the Metaphyfical or 
 Phy ileal verity of an Entity; for it was nothing. 
 The res four* had no fuch truth ; for it was not 
 res dam futura tantum. What mean you then by 
 C it ? ) I fay ftill if you can prove that there 
 was an Eternal Propofition de futxro in Gcd, it 
 
 was 
 
[ <$4] 
 was true and wss God's EfTence \ which is no- 
 thing to our queffcion. You add [Not true before, 
 nor know-able as true.] Anf. You feem by this 
 to intimate that God cannot know what will be 
 by his production, without making Mental or 
 Oral Propofitions, and knowing them to be true. 
 Muft God's Prefcience be deplorate, if he know 
 not by your Mcins and Meafures? You may next 
 fay, It muft be by Senfe, Fantafie and Species, 
 as our Souls work in thefe muddy Brains, God's 
 Knowledge receiveth not a constitutive Objeft 
 from without as ours doth. It firft: concurreth 
 with his Will and Power in making ail things 
 what they are ( All flowing from *>, and k recei- 
 ving from none : ) And in fowdo inftanti ^ it dif- 
 cerneth all things to be what they are. And when 
 he hath made Propofitions, he dilcerneth them Jj 
 to be true. You keep your way and fay f When ft 
 God declares things to come, he declareth fomething, l 
 becaufe there tS a Propgfition : But xchen he fore- 
 knoiveth them, heforeknoxveth nothing, which is not 
 to fcre-kztowf} Anf. i . When God declareth by 
 Proportions things to come, the Propofitions 
 are the Declaration it felf and are fomething \ but 
 the things declared are nothing, till they are. C 
 Why would you confound thefe ? and When he 
 foreknoweth what will be, he knoweth that it 
 is not: Ergoitis not. 3, How prove you, That 
 to fore-know from Eternity that there would be 
 no World till the Creation, or no Deluge, Refur- 
 re&iofl) &c. till the time, is no fore-knowledge? 
 I do not Difpute it with you, but crave your 
 proof, having faid fomewhat my felf elfewherc 
 upon that Queftion. You talk of C * things be- 
 ginning tq be F hi nrt before it\s pnt intQ * Propofiti~ 
 
 ic:; 
 1 
 
 ad 
 
 $ 
 
 * 
 
w, &c. 3 As if you {till begg'd the Queflion,and 
 :ook Futurity extra mentem & ^gna^ to be fome- 
 :hing ex parte rei. That which is not, is not true. 
 A ne?atione eft fecundi jddjetti ad negationem Eft 
 ertii valet confequentia^ faith Dr. Twijfe often. 
 iTou ask C I* lt trus becavfe formed into a Propofi* 
 ion? Then all Propofitions are tnte.2 Anf. Is what 
 :rue ? That there is a Fntnrum ? Is not that a 
 >ropofition? What is it antecedent to the Pro- 
 X)fition that you call true ? Is it the res fntura ? 
 rhat's falfe. Is it the Realitas fnturitionis ex parte 
 ei ? That is it I deny. F antrum, faith Dr. Twiffe y 
 T fojfibik) are termini diminuentes, fignifying that 
 he thing is not. Is it the Conceftut Divimts ? If 
 hat be by a mental Proportion, it is not antece- 
 dent to it fclf i if not, doubtlefs God's Know- 
 edge is true (efficiently, it will make the thing 
 rue ) and true perfe&ively and denominative^ 
 knowing things but as they are, and therefore 
 ot knowing Futurity Pei to be a Being. If it 
 s human Conceptions, they are mental Propofi- 
 ions, not eternal nor antecedent to themfelves. 
 .11 Propofitions that God maketh are true : Be- 
 aufe true Propofitions are true, mult all be true ? 
 ccaufe it is a word or Propofition or Syllogifm^ 
 r hich is the Subjeft of Logical truth, doth it 
 >llow that all Words, Propofitions or Syllo* 
 ifms are true ? 
 
 Ad 9. Poffiblc is a notion relative from God's 
 ower-, FutHrity from his Will, or any certain 
 aufe. Neither is a real Entity in re. 
 
 In the Conclufion I was about to wilh that 
 du would have done fomewhat that tended to my 
 dification, and when you had all this while talkM 
 >r the Entity of fat wity that you would have deign- 
 
 F ed 
 
C 66 ] 
 
 edto tell me what it is; if ifc be any thing, why- 
 would you not fay, wh?t ? Is it a Subftance or an 
 Accident? What Accident (or mode) or of what 
 Subftance ? Could you forget that this would be 
 expeded from you ? And whether Futurity be an- 
 nihilated or turned into fomewhat elfe when the 
 thing exifteth. But I find that you have made a 
 kind of attempt, faying £ Things have an elfe inten- 
 tionale in God's mU, though not an efle Reale in 
 themfdves. ] And is this all that w r e fhall have in- 
 Head of the Definition, that fhould have gone 
 bpfore, and initead of regarding and Anfwering 
 what I had faid of the Point ? i . Here then you 
 intimate that Futurity hath no ejfe reale in it felf 5] 
 and it is .the ejfe reale that I denied : Why loft you 
 fp much Labour. 2. Can you Englifh to any I 
 man that takes words for means of underftand- j 
 ing things, what it is for £ Things to have an elfe 
 intentionale in God? 2 *• Sure the commmon 
 Dodtrine of ejfe intentionale in man, needs an 
 Oedipus. 2. But alas how fhall I know what ejfe 
 intentionale is in God ? 3. Much lefs how milli- 
 ons of millions of Nothings have their ejfe inten- 
 tionale in God. Qh. i. Is' that ejfe intentionale 1 
 any thing real befides God himfelf ? 2. Arc 
 fuch ejfe's as many in God as the things will be 1 
 in themfelves ? Hath God Accidents, and fo many 
 millions of millions of Accidents, and yet moft 
 fimplc and immutable? 3. What are all thefej 
 things in God from eternity in proper language 
 are they his Volitions or IntelUttionsI And ar 
 thefe fo numerous ? Or are they Creatures i: 
 ejfe intentionalO. Do not you confefs that th 
 ejfe is nw-etfe as to any Creature ? If you mea 
 flat-wick^ Idea's, &rc not Ideas and Species, as t 
 
 
L 6 7 3 
 
 are called, in man, the notes of his Imperfecti- 
 on, while his Soul knoweth, ut forma, in a Body, 
 as diftinft from perfeft intuition? I refer you 
 to what I have faid of Divine Jdea\ and pray 
 you to feign nothing in God without proof- But 
 if you do prove fuch, forget not the next time, 
 that I denied not the truth of any Divine Jde* 
 or Knowledge. 
 
 Your concluding line I pardon, and it needs no 
 more. All that is faid in this Paper on this 
 point is materially fully anfwered in my Book ; 
 and I even now asked a Friend what I ihould fay to 
 all that objeft againft a Book which containeth 
 fufficient matter of anfvver to their Obje&ipns : 
 And he anfwered, Not write for every man a new 
 one, but wifh them to read the former better. 
 
 Pardon my oft repeating to you my fence of 
 Futurity, with which I conclude. To man, Time 
 in various inftants, and the narrow nefs of our 
 underftandings, that mult have various Concepti- 
 ons and Organical Notions, make it needful to 
 us to ufe names, even for things that are not 
 ( or nothings ) . When God (or any certain Caufe) 
 tells what will* be hereafter, we frame an image of 
 that thing that is not by the help of Words and 
 the fimilitude of Things that are or have been. 
 Then we put a name on that imagined thing, as 
 if it were : Then we make ufe in our difcourfes 
 of that name, and turning a Verb into a Noun-, 
 z% C * r W# be ] into H Future } , and then an Ad*- 
 jettive Or Participle into a Substantive, Q Future j 
 into [Futurity*} our poor Fancies run on with it v 
 as if we had -by the name made or mentioned 
 fcrae Subitaace or real Being, When alj is no- 
 
 F2 thing 
 
C 6* 1 
 
 thing but a Relative notion or Ens ration^ 
 The knowledge that a thing will be may be a 
 real knowledge ; And inftcad of denominatirg the 
 Att we denominate the Objedt, (which is internally 
 an Image ; externally Nothing real ) and call 
 it Future^ and thence name Fnturition : As 
 I nutrition fignifieth improperly the relation of 
 the mental a£t to the thing fore-known, it is a 
 real mental ad's relation : As the Subjed; is the 
 thing future^ fo it is nothing real but a feigned 
 organical Notion, by which we difcourfe inftead 
 of Verbs. The JRelatio ConcepHS vel nominis , is 
 the relation of a real adt But the relation of the 
 thing future as future is fecundum diet, but feign- 
 ed inftead of a Verb. And of God's knowledge, I 
 fhall here fay no more. • 
 
 In a word, If you take futuritio rei to be the 
 Namp of any immanent eternal Aft of God, what- 
 ever we think of the aptitude of your Phrafe, 
 I fuppofe we differ not about the thing inten- 
 ded, as long as you hold no eternal Accidents 
 or Competition in God, and that nothing is 
 eternal but himfelf } which I mull think you do 
 in Charity. If you take futuritio rei for the modus ■ 
 or relation of a humane Conception or Aflerti- « 
 on defuturis, I fuppofo we fhall not differ de re % 
 nor will you fay that it is eternal. 3. If you 
 fpeak but fuppofitively , that Af there had been 
 fuch a concept us or AfTertiorf from Eternity, it 
 would have been true, we differ not. 4. If you 
 take Futurition extra mentem, to be any thing 
 (Subftance, Mode, Accident or any Reality or di- 
 <j*id rei ) and that from Eternity, I deny it,' and | 
 fay, That they that make an univerfal Spirit, and 
 they that make Matter end Motion to be eter- 
 nal 
 
I £69] 
 
 nal with God, arc more cxculablc, than they that 
 nftce a thing called FntHrity diftinft from God j 
 yea, the Futurity of Sin to be eternal, and God 
 the eternal Caufe of that eternal Effett. 
 
 I purpofed at the firft glance to have anfwe- 
 :1 the fecond Paper alfo about Gcd's decreeing 
 Sin *, but when I had read it I was unwilling, 1. Be- 
 caufeit is but too largely anfwered materially in 
 my Book already, and more fully in old Papers 
 that lie by me, which I cannot tranfcribe. 2. Be- 
 caufe I hear fo much Good of the worthy Author, 
 that I am not willing to be drawn to difputc a 
 Cafe, which cannot be handled juftly, without 
 opening fo much Evil in that which 1 muft op- 
 pofe, as will found harlh towards one that I fb 
 much honour. Men are fo apt to feel that as 
 touching themfelves which is fpoken to their 
 Caufe. If Hobhes ( who wrote the Treatife of 
 Neceffity againft Bifliop Bramhall) had fent me 
 that Paper, I fhould readily have anfwerM it : But 
 here I fear it. ^ 
 
 Only 1 tell tne Author, that I have been as 
 ftrongly tempted that way as moil others ; and 
 do acknowledge that it is the grcateft difficulty 
 in all thefe Controverfies, to conceive, how free 
 will can aft otherwife than God doth predeter- 
 mine it ; But I am fatisfled in the Solution •, and 
 fully fatisfied , that the Predeterminant Opi- 
 nion which I oppofe doth certainly inferr 
 the Religion of Holies ^ the denial of Chri- 
 ftianity 1 , and leaves us no Religion } but that^Good 
 and Evil, Happinefs and Mifery are Differences all 
 made by God himfelf, as Light and Darknefs, 
 Angels and Serpents are made to differ by ^ im : 
 
 F 3 And 
 
C 70 3 
 
 And I am not willing to let go Chriftianity for 
 fuch Objections as thefc : And it had been rfitit 
 that he had anfwered what I have faid to Alvare^ 
 Mn Stc .■y ) &c on this Subjeft, and taken notice 
 of my Anfwers to the raoft of his. 
 
 His talk of Cafualty is his furn •, by which if 
 he mean that which had not a predetermined 
 Caufe, Sin is cafual, till the Sinner determine his 
 own will. But if he-mean, that which is unknown 
 to, God, it is not cafual : And the Aflertion, That 
 fuch things are not knowable to God, I have con- 
 futed at large, which he here taketh no notice of. 
 
 If I fhall find that Neceffity make it my duty 
 to give any fuch Paper a particular Anfwcr, if 
 I have time, I may do it. But I think enough 
 is faid of that already, and my leifure from bet- 
 ter work is finall. 
 
 Rl. B A XTER, 
 
 CHAP. VII. 
 
 t 
 
 Of God 7 s Provide/ice, arid predetermining Pre- 
 motion and Miracles. 
 
 §. 1. HP H E word (Providence ) is varioufly 
 A ufed by Writers: Sometimes as com- 
 prehending God* s fore-kpwlcdge and decrees them- 
 felvcs : Sometimes as comprehending ak his Work*: 
 
 Some- 
 
 I 
 
• 
 
 C 71] 
 
 Sometimes as comprehending all his works which 
 follow the Creation : And fbmetimes as fignifying 
 only his effective difpefzl of Perfons and Things 
 in Motions, and Mttratiens, as di&inft from Le- 
 giflation, which only maketh Duty and Right. 
 
 §.2. In CREATION God Glorified his Three 
 Eflential Principles or Attributes : 1 His Omni- 
 potency eminently in giving BEING to all things. 
 
 His Wtfdom eminently in the ORDER and 
 Compofure of all. 3. His Love or Goodnefs emi- 
 nently, in the GOODNESS and Wellfare of all : 
 For he made them 6W,and then Re fled: Yet 
 fo as that all thefe Attributes were glorified in 
 each part of the Effeft. 
 
 §. 3. From hence a pofteriore he is in the one 
 Relation of CREATOR Related triply to the 
 World, and Tpecially to the Rational part: 
 That is, 1. As the MAKER of things, (which 
 is Creator in the narrow fence). 2. As ORDI* 
 NATOR. 3- As BENEFACTOR. And thus 
 he is the Author of NATURE. 
 
 §. 4. From this fundamental Relation of CRE- 
 ATOR, and the nature of the Creature made 
 (and continued by Confervation , which is a 
 continued Creation or Efficiency ) there refulteth 
 a threefold Right and further Relation to God. 
 1. A Jus Dominii, or Right of PROPRIETY, 
 and fo he is our OWNER, and may do with all 
 things what he will, and muft be the difpofer 
 of Events. 2. His Jus Imperii (including Do* 
 ferine ) or Right of Government ; which to 
 things meerly Natural is Natural Government , 
 and to Moral jdgents it is Moral Government, by 
 Dothine^ Laws and Executions: And fo he is eur 
 KING or RULER. 3. His Jus Amoris nt finis ; 
 
 F 4 or 
 
'at to-] 
 
 ft 
 
 or Right to be thcend of all, and by the Ratio- 
 rial Creature to be chiefly Loved, and abfelntely 
 for Himfeifi as the Be ft and moft Amiable, and 
 fo he is our ultimate END: Where LOVE is 
 confidered not only as an aft of Obedience to a 
 JRe# 0r as all other duties are j but eminently as 
 it is the final perfettive AEl of man, doling with 
 the final Objecly&nd fo above the common nature of 
 xneer Obedience. 
 
 §• 5. All God's after-nwiyand all our Duties to 
 him muft beobferved as refpe&ing all thefe Re- 
 lations of God to us, and our anfwerable Rela- 
 tions to him : For therein is the Nature, Order, 
 and Harmony of them difcerned to be Glorious : 
 And unskillful confounding them is a fpoiling 
 and propkaning or dilhonouring of them. And 
 l|*us the various ads of Providence muft be fet 
 each in its proper place. 
 
 §. 6. God being the font nature and having 
 fettled the frame of Nature (or created Beings and 
 fe(cond Caufes) in a fixed ftate and order, in 
 which one thing is united to another, and ada- 
 pted to its proper work in concurrence with 
 the whole, we muft not expeft that God do or- 
 dinarily violate this his eftablifhed Courfe : For 
 his Works fhall fliew fomewhat of his Conjtancy, 
 and Experience telleth us, that really th«s He 
 doth. 
 
 §. 7. But we jmuft not dream that God is ph 
 voluntarily : tied to his own Work, or hindered 
 by fecond Caufes, or the courfe of Nature, from 
 doing what He would -, but His free-will deligh 
 teth it felf in this Conftancy and ordered Cokr f 
 of Nature, and ufe of fecond Caufes, which hav 
 
c n 3 
 
 ftill all their being, force and order continued by 
 Him. 
 
 §. 8. And the number and operations of fecond 
 Caufes are fo unknown to us, that when things 
 feem Miracles to #/, it is hard for us to fay, that 
 God ufeth m fecond Carfe in effecting them. 
 But it is enough to the ufe of Miracles to know 
 that their extraordinary production hath an an- 
 fwerable extraordiaary ufe and fignification of 
 God's Will. 
 
 §.9. And no doubt but Nature and all its parts 
 are abfoluttly in the Power and Government of 
 God's Will : And He can and doth turn things 
 up and down as He pleafeth, without making 
 any breach in his eftablifhed Order : If the Hus- 
 bandman can turn the courfe of Rivers to water 
 his Grounds, by meer Impediments and Recepti- 
 vities, without any alteration of the natural 
 motion of the Water ^ .how much more muft we 
 afcribe to God, in ufing Nature without over- 
 throwing it ? 
 
 §. 10. It is Atheiftical or abfurd to fet God 
 and Nature in oppofuion^ competition or feparation \ 
 and to fay as fome Philofophers", \This or That 
 natural Caufes can do without calling in God as the 
 Determiner.'] Whereas natural Canfes are nothing, 
 and do nothing but by God : And there is no 
 lefs of God in the effeds of Nature, than if He 
 did the fame himfelf . alone : In Him we Live 
 and Move, and Are. 
 
 §. 1 1 . And it is no better in them that fay f 
 that God doth not operate proximately and imme- 
 diately where Nature or fecond Caufes work, but 
 only remotely. As [immediately 2 fignificth \jpitb- 
 m any mdinm ox fecond Gtnft 3 fo God doth not 
 
 then 
 
C 74 ] 
 
 then work immediately : But as it fignifieth pr§~ 
 xim<ttely-> He doth : For an infinite being cannot be 
 ejjentially ciiftant from any Creature or Effett : 
 Nor is it poffible that the fecond Caufe can be 
 nearer to the Effett than God \ who is as near as 
 if he ufcd no fuch Catife. 
 
 §. 1 2. And the Difpute, Whether God do fro- 
 ximxtely effeft immcdiatione fuppofiti, or only vir- 
 tutis^ feemeth to have a falfe fuppofition, viz.. 
 That God's Virtue is not his fuppo fit um^ and that the 
 virtus diving may be where the fuppofitwn is not. 
 If by fuppofitum they mean God's 'Eflence as £/"- 
 fence extfiing, and by virtu* they mean his Ejfence 
 under the formal notion of Power , Wifdom and Love^ 
 then they are but two inadequate Conceptions of 
 the fame limple Being, and therefore God thus 
 ever operateth immediatione efientU & virtutis 
 effentidu. But if they mean, that God hath a 
 virtus which is neither h|s Eflence nor a Creature, 
 we believe them not. 
 
 §. 13. The Controverfie between Burmdus 
 and his Followers, and the Jefuites and Domini- 
 cans, about the neceffity of a moving Conccurfey 
 befides the fapport of Nature, feemeth to me thus 
 reconcileable. 
 
 1. God as he is fens natur*^ is the Living God, 
 the prime Active Vrinciple r who by conftant vital 
 A&ivity is the Spring of all the Aftion in the 
 World} and is not to be dreamt of as one that 
 had made the World, and then left it to it felf, 
 and withdrew his hand and is fallen aileep. 
 
 2. But the Living God moveth not all things 
 alike, but every thing according to its nature and 
 place j for his Influx is received ad mdum reci- 
 fientinm. 
 
 3. The 
 
 
[ 75 ] 
 g. The Nature of fome Creatures is eflcntially 
 Attivc, and fo inclined to art that they mil aft if 
 :heir Nature be not by others , or want of con- 
 urrent Neceifaries, hindered. Such is every Soul 
 )r living Principle, and Fire. And other Crea- 
 :ures are naturally Faffwe only exfe(or atleaffc 
 principally^). So that for God to continue Fire 
 >r So/z/forany naturatty-^&ivc Frinctfle y is to con- 
 ;inue a nature effentially inclined to move or aft. 
 
 4. It i$ fuppofed that thefe Natures are not fo- 
 itary, but parts of the nnivtrfe^ and are conti- 
 lued with all neceflary circurnftant Beings and 
 ^bje&s^and that the whole frame of Nature andco- 
 >pcrating Caufes are continued : e.g. That the 
 tan doth rot ftand ftill, while the Life of a Plant 
 w Brute is continued. 
 
 5. All this being fuppofed by Dwandus, jia- 
 toliu, a Dola, and all fober men, the Queftion dev- 
 iated is, Whether there be further neceflary another 
 mmediate Divine Motion or Conccurfe to every met ten 
 f a Creature natural or free, befldes all this afore* 
 kid ? 
 
 And, 1 . Let it be confider'd, that God's Ejfcnct 
 etng but one, his Aft, which ex parte agtmit > is 
 is E (fence , is not diftinguifhable, laving ex 
 onmtationc effects : And if this be all that is meant, 
 
 hat as ipfe mot us dijHngmtur a cattfts, fo God's 
 PHI, Power and Agency may be diftinftly denomi- 
 ated, 1. As from the jecond Caufes \ and 2. alfo 
 r om the Motion it felf, as more than the Caufes ; 
 lis none can deny, nor is it a Controverfie. But 
 7 the queftion be of the neceflity of another diftinR 
 ay of Divine Caufttion of ihe motns % befides that 
 
 y fecond Caufes before mentioned, they can prove 
 ofoch neceffity. 
 
 For 
 
Z7*.l 
 
 For is it 'mediate or immediate Caufation or Effi§ 
 ciency which they mean ? (we {peak not of m 
 mediate as it fignifieth proximate, which is granted, 
 but as fignifying fine caufis fecundisJ) If it be me- 
 diate by fecond Caufes that God muft further con- 
 cur^ thofe are natural Caufes or fome other : if 
 natural, ifs a contradi&ion to fay, that Befides 
 God^r moving by natural Caufes (which is granted^ 
 he muft alfo move by natural Caufes ; as if Idem 
 were not Idem : Unlefs they will fay jf muft be 
 by fome other natural Caufes, which they do not, 
 nor can affign - 7 nor yet any other that are not 
 natural. 
 
 But if they mean, that to every motion there 
 muft be an immediate operation of God to it -without 
 that'whiohhedothby/erW Caufes, even by God 
 alone without any fecond Caufe, I then ask, Voth 
 ^ God move any thing in the World by any fecond Caufe 
 or not ? If not) then not by the Sun ; not the 
 Coach by the Horfcs, the Arrow by the Bow, the 
 Stone by the Hand, the Pen by the Writer, &c 
 If yea, then is it the whole or part only of that 
 motion which is made by fecond Caufes and God 
 by them ? If the whole, hdbetur quafitmn : If party 
 how prove you that God cannot make the whole 
 motion himfelf by fecond Caufes, as well as part 7 
 but muft needs leave the other part of the fiime 
 motion to be done without fecond Caufes. 
 
 And it would follow that no fecond Caufe , no: 
 rot the nobleft in the Wotld (as the Sun^ and 
 God as atting by it, hath and exercifeth a vis ade~ 
 cjuata to the fmalleft motion even of a Leaf : 
 Whereas God in Nature maketh natural Porrer,< 
 with his own, as he is fons nature, adequate to 
 its A&ions. 
 
 And' 
 
[ 77 3 
 
 And let unbyafled Reafon judge, Whether if a 
 
 ock fhould be held up in the Air, if God con- 
 
 Jnue the natural Gravity of it, with all the reft 
 
 If the frame of Nature, could not that Rock fail, 
 
 without another motion of God which is without 
 
 my fecond Caufe, to thruft it down ? If He con- 
 
 pue the nature of Fire, was it no: a greater 
 
 liracle, that it burnt not the three WitnelTes, 
 
 van. 3. than to have burnt them, or than its or- 
 
 tnary Action ? Why elfe fhould there need ten 
 
 houfand fold more natural Power to hold up the 
 
 aid Rock, or to quench a City on fire, or to flop 
 
 River, or the Winds •, than to move them fup- 
 jofing natural Caufes, if there need an Infinite 
 
 oxter moreover to the att\ and none to the cef- 
 ation ? And by this Rule it would follow, that 
 II Motion in the World is fupernatural : For if 
 jod caufe it ut fons riutur&, he caufeth it in the 
 latural courfe : if he do not, k's all fupernatu- 
 al and miraculous. 
 
 Moreover, if all this fatisSe not Difputes, if it 
 3C worth the Coft, they may try the Cafe thus : 
 uppofing that God hath told no man his Secrets, 
 vhen he will immediately move any thing without 
 tcond Caufes, and that no fecond Caufes, nor his 
 )wn Operation by them can move any thing with- 
 out another immediate Motion, Let them cut down 
 he Pillars, or undermine their Houfes, and fay 
 hat by meer natural Caufes the Houfe cannot 
 all : Let them fet fire on their Houfes )% and fay 
 hat by meer natural Caufes they cannot be 
 burnt : Let them drink Poifon> and fay, By meer 
 natural Caufes it cannot hurt us : Or let titan 
 cut their Flefh, &s* For God ne?er told them, 
 
 that 
 
C 78 ] 
 
 that he will immediately comnrr, and then there 
 no danger. 
 
 Perhaps they will 'fay, That Experience telleth ' 
 Us that God doth ufually concurr with them : 1 1 
 anfwer, And is not that becaufe he worketh hy 
 them? What Experience or Reafon have you, ., 
 that Gcd fhould jHH work immediately with thewA 
 and yet xot by them ? We can prove that He] 
 worketh as the fir ft C<mfe. But if you will prove) 
 that He do:h ic not as the first Caufe moving the \ 
 fecond Can/es^ but by immediate concomitancy y let us j 
 hear your proofs. 
 
 * Laftly, let it be noted, that when they that af- 
 firm all Motion to-be by immediate concomitant 
 Concourfe or Predetermination, do pretend that 
 they do it left God's Gaufality fhould be denied or 
 extenuatedjit is a meer deceit : For all are agreed, 
 that there is no lefs of God in the Operations done 
 by ftco'nd Caufes or Nature, than in immediate Ope- 
 rations without fecond Caufes ( fnch asGodexer- 
 cifeth on the firft created Motor , and how elfe he 
 p!eafe)God is as much in one as in the other. 
 
 §. 14. For the underftanding of the nature and 1 
 ufe of miraculous afts of Providence, it rauft be 
 coni:dered, 1. That God that made the World 
 of Natural Agents, and things Paflive, moved 
 by the A&ive, is not to be feigned without good 
 proofs, to alter any of the Works which he hath 
 made, which we fee he continueth in the courfe 
 that he. made them without any mutation of their 
 Natures. 
 
 §• 1 $* God can change, and crofs, and ufe as; 
 he pleafeth the A&ions of Natural Agents with- 
 out changing their natures and inclinations. One 
 
 Nam* 
 
C 79 3 
 
 atural Agent or moved Paflive, may be reli- 
 ed and turned back or overcome by another -, 
 ind yet there may be nothing but natural moti- 
 on in them all: A fhonger Stream may drive 
 ack a weaker. A Canon may crofs the ordi- 
 nary motion of the Air : As a great Dog may 
 aafter a little one, or a Woolf devour a Lamb, 
 _nd a Bird a Worm or Fly } and yet there be 
 none but natural anff fenfitive motion. So God 
 can dry up or flop the Red Sea or Jordan ; and 
 by Winds carry Caterpillars to and from 
 ts£yypt 5 and fnch like , and by one natural 
 motion overcoming another. It's hard for us 
 in mod Miracles to fay that God doth more 
 than this. 
 
 §. 16. Put it is certain that God hath a rank 
 of free Agents that act arbitrarily, and that 
 thefe have a great meafure of power over na- 
 tural and neceflary Motions: As man is a free 
 Agent and drivech his Sheep to what Pafture he 
 pleafeth, and guiderh his Horfes and Oxen in 
 their way and furrow to do his will by their 
 natural and fenfitive neceflkated motion, and as 
 a MiUer can make the natural courfe of the 
 Wood and Water and Mill-ftones, and Horfe, 
 all to ferve his intention, without changing the 
 nature of any one of them, fo much more can 
 God and free Agents under God, attain their 
 freely chofen ends, by Ordering and not Changing 
 Natural and Scnfitive Movers. 
 
 §. 17, We fo little know what Arbitral 
 Free Agents that are invifible Spirits Gcd hath 
 fct over this Paflive World, and what power he 
 hath given them to ufe Natural Agents as they 
 themftlves freely will? thac it greatly difableth 
 
 j 
 
C 80 } ^ I 
 
 us to refold all the Difficulties of the Caufe of 
 Sin and Mifery, and about the nature of Mira- 
 cles. But it is a clear truth that it is by fuch 
 Free Arbitrary Agents primarily that natural 
 Agency is croft and overcome in Miracles, tho 
 one Natural Agent be employed to refift another/ 
 fas to quench the heat of Fire, to ftop the 
 courfe ot Winds and Water/ &c.) Yet it isfomc 
 voluntary free Agent that thu^ufeth natural Agents 
 againft each other. Scripture tells us, that God 
 ufeth Angels as Rulers and Protectors of lower 
 Agents : And that there is a kind of a war 
 between thele and Devils : And how far the pre- 
 valent Wills of good and bad Angels or volun- 
 tary Agents may be the Caufe of Evil, or be the 
 Aftors of Miracles, by fetting one moved Agent 
 againft another, and yet all but Natural motion 
 that is canfed by thele free Agents, Mortals do not 
 know } and therefore Jhould not be peremptory 
 in judging. 
 
 §. 1 8* Kut though we know not that in Mira- 
 cles God ufeth not fecond Caufes, fome natural 
 and fome free in waies unfearchable to us, yet 
 may we be aflured by Miracles of his will and - 
 atteltation : when we find that things are done 
 quite out of the way of his ordinary Providence 
 in the uncontrouled confirmation of fome pro- 
 phetical Revelation : For God is the Governour 
 of the rational World ; and his moral Govern- 
 ment muft be by the intelligible fignification of 
 his will dt dtbit 0, what fo all be due from us , and 
 to us : And if Miracles be nfed to deceive us, they 
 cannot be done without, him, whatever fecond 
 Caufe there be: And if he fhould ufe them (tho* 
 by fecond Caufes) to deceive us, we are utterly 
 
 re- 
 
[ 81 ] 
 
 rernedilefs, and therefore guiltlefs- And Gcd that 
 hath neither impotency, ignorance nor badnefs, 
 cannot need a Lye to govern Man, when he hath 
 made it part of his Image, on Man, and needful to 
 Mens Juftice to each other to hate Lying. 
 - §. 19- A Miracle controuled by contrary Evi- 
 dence, is no notification of God's Atteftttion : 
 It may be permitted for feveralgocd ends: For 
 God by controlling it giveth us iufficient reme- 
 dy agairift Deceit. And there are two waies by 
 which a Miracle may be controuled : Firft, by 
 greater conquering Miracles ufed for fomc contra- 
 ry Doftrine or Caufej fo the t^gyftian Magi- 
 cian's Miracles were controuled by Mofes. Se- 
 condly, when it is fome unqueftionable Truth 01 
 Duty or Word, that is already better proved 
 which that Miracle pretendeth to contradid;. A< 
 if a Miracle were done by a Deceiver, to prove 
 that there is no God, no Life-to-come, or againfl 
 Mercy or Juftice, or to difprove Chriftianity 
 the greater Miracles which have confirmed th< 
 Gofpel, and the evident Light of Nature, whicl 
 proveth the Deity and Life- x to-come, acd the Du 
 ty of Love and Juftice, do ccntroul fuch deceivinj 
 Miracles. ( Therefore a Servant of Chriffc ma] 
 molt comfortably fuffer Martyrdome for his tefti 
 mony to the Deity, Chriftianity, the Life-to-come 
 or Charity and Juftice againfl Malice aad Perfect 
 tion and Cruelty, which even a Miracle would no 
 juftifie } more than for a difputable Opinion.) 
 
 §. 20. It's a great Queftion, How a true Pre 
 
 phet might be known antecedently, before hi 
 
 Prophecy was fulfilled. And it's of great momen 
 
 toconlider, the difference between a Legiflativ 
 
 . Prophet, and a tnecr particular Meflage. Meft 
 
 G an 
 
ned their ' 
 
 [ 82 ] 
 
 and ClHtliT, the LcgiQators, confirmed 
 Laws and Word by multitudes of uncontrouled 
 Miracles: For Life and Death lay upon mens 
 Obedience or Difobedience to them : And if a Pro- 
 phet did reprove any Sin againft that Law, the 
 Miracles that confirmed the Law did juftifie them. 
 But if it were but a Prophecy about fome other 
 temporal Event (as Jeremfs of the Captivity) it 
 needed no Miracle j for it was but a temporal 
 Suffering that followed the not believing them. 
 
 The Law of God, which ftiould 
 pardon the dif order here be handled, I fhall fpeak of 
 
 *f not handling the a f CQrwar a. 
 
 Law before Sin : 
 It is for young Rea- 
 ders fake, who would have all Coi?s Laws opened together, tt 
 give Light to each tther. 
 
 CHAP. VIII. 
 
 Of God's caufing or not caufing Sin. 
 
 %. i . TtOw certainly the Doftrine of the necef- 
 XJl fity of immediate,efficient,phyfical,pre- 
 detcrmining Premotion, doth make God the prin- 
 cipal Caufe of all Sin, I have fo oft fhewed, and 
 fo fully proved, that f (hall here be very fhort 
 upon that Subject. 
 
 §. 2. To fay, that God is the principal deter- 
 mining Caufe of every (Infill aft with all its Ob- 
 jects and Circumftances(called the material* peccatty 
 and alfo the Caufe of the Law that forbiddeth it, 
 and the Porfon that committeth it, is to make himt 
 
 the 
 
C 83] 
 
 ■ the chief Caufe of Sin, as for as it is capable of a 
 
 ► Caufe, even of the formal Caufe. 
 
 §. 3. To fay, That fuch a Caufe is the Caufe on- 
 
 [ ly of the Aft, but not of the Obli<j*ity, is ablurd ^ 
 becaufe the obliquity is a Relation neceffariiy rcful- 
 ting from the Law and Aft with all its modes and 
 circtimftances : And the obliquity can have no other 
 Caufe. 
 
 §. 4, To fay, That God willeth and loveth and 
 caufeth Sin, not as Sin, but for good ends and uft$ 9 
 is, to fay no more for God than may be laid for 
 wicked men, if not for Devils 5 fave only that God's 
 Ends are better than theirs. 
 
 §♦ 5. To fay, That God willeth not Sin, but the 
 Exifiencc and Futnrity of Sin, is but as aforefaid, 
 to lay, that He wiUs not Sin as Sin, or fnb rati§ne 
 m4i, but that it exift for better ends ; or clfe it 
 is a contradiction : For to will or cm ft Sin is no- 
 thing elie but to will and caufe the exifience of 
 Sin. 
 
 §. 6. They that fay, That God willeth the 
 Exifitnce of Sin, as it is fumme ^tnducibile^ to the 
 Glory of his Juftice and Mercy, (yea, and that 
 per ft, and not only p*r accident) do wrong the 
 Glory of God's Holinefs and Wifdom. \ Phyfi- 
 cian can love his own skill, and compaflion, and 
 the honour that cometh to him by curing a Di- 
 feafe, without loving or willing the Difeafe it felf, 
 but only fuppofing it as an Evil which he can turn 
 to Good. 
 
 §. 7. They that fay, That God is the Caufe in- 
 deed of cur Sin, but is no Sinner himfclf, becaufe 
 he is under no Law, fay nothing in the latter but 
 wh# all grant, and nothing in the former but what 
 
 G a God's 
 
[ »4 3 
 
 1 
 
 eptiflg| 
 
 -God's Church doth commonly abhorr, exceptk 
 fomc few Angular pr efumers. 
 
 §. 3. They that hold, That God doth by im- j 
 mediate phyfical efficient predetermining Prcmo- ] 
 tion principally and unrefiftibly caufe every finful I 
 aft, with all its modes and circumftances, do cer- 1 
 tainly deny all certainty of Faith, and fo fubvertl 
 all Chriftianity : For the formal Objeft of all Di- \ 
 Vine Faith, is Gcd*s Veracity , (that God cannot 
 lye) if God could lye, our Belief could hatfe no 
 certainty: Now God fpcaketh to us, but by iv fa- 
 red mm, and not by an ejfential voice of his own : 
 And if God caufe, as aforefaid, all the Lyes that I 
 ever were fpoken by Men or Devils in the World> ; 
 then no man can be fure that he doth not Jo by 
 Prophets and Apofltles> or that ever they fay true : \ 
 And God^s Veracity then is gone. 
 
 §. 9. They that think to evade this Evidence ] 
 by the difference of Predetermination and Infpira- 
 tion, and fay God infpireth no Lyes though he pre- t 
 determine all by phyfed Premotion, do labour in j 
 vain: Fori r. No man can ever prove that any , 
 Infpiration doth intereft God more k the Aft or 
 Lye, than phyfical Predetermination doth : For 
 how can God be more the Author of any Aft 
 than by effeftual premoving the Creature to aft 
 it, and that^by immediate phyfical Predetermina- 
 tion ? What doth Infpiration do, but fo move 
 the Mind, Will and Tongue of a Prophet ? No man 
 can name more that Man is capable of. 2. But 
 if there were a difference, wc are not capable of 
 underftanding that difference fo well, as to prove 
 that God can caufe all the Lyes in the World by 
 \rediter mining Premotion, and yet can caufe none 
 
 by 
 
 I 
 
r Infpiration; (hall none believe him that know 
 
 >t this difference ? 3. And were it intelligible, 
 would be only to infpred men themfelves. So 
 
 lat I am paft doubt that we mult part with all 
 Certainty of Christianity \ and of all Divine Beliefs if 
 re receive this Doctrine of Predetermination, be- 
 
 ifethe objiffnmformalifidei is then gone. 
 
 §. 10. They that fay, that if we make not 
 God the Predeterminer to every aft infpecie morali, 
 and in every comparative refpett; and mode, we fhail 
 make Man a God, by making him a Can/a prima, do 
 thereby as much conclude God to be the firft and 
 principal predetermining efficient Caufe of every 
 wicked Habit ( as of Malignity , or Hatred of 
 Cod, &c.) becaufe a Habit hath as much Entity as 
 an Aft : Therefore if it deifie Man, to make him 
 the firft Caufe, e.g. of a Lye ox Murder ^ in fpecie, 
 then fo # it will do to make him the firft Caufe of 
 the Habit. 
 
 §. 11. If it be as impofllble for Kfan to do 
 any thing but what he doth, or not to do all 
 that he doth without God's forefaid predetermi- 
 ning Premotlon, as it is to be Gods, or to overcome 
 God, or make a World, then if Men are counted . 
 Sinners, and condemned, it is for not doing fuch 
 impoflibilities, for not doing what God alone can 
 do, or for not overcoming Almighty premoving 
 Power. 
 
 §. 12. *t cannot rationally be expefted, that 
 they that believe that God is the chief Caufe and 
 Wilier of all Sin, fhould think it very bad, or them- 
 felves bs.d for it i or that when God hath unre- 
 fiftibly made all men. to fin, he yet hateth it, . 
 and fent his Son into the World to teftifie his 1 
 Hatred by dying for it 5 and that he is ferious in 
 
 G 3 aft 
 
: nor that 
 
 C 86] 
 
 all that he faith againft it in his word : 
 fuch men fhould hate it, and rather die than fin. 
 
 §• 13. Therefore as the Church of God hath 
 ever abhorred to make God the Caufe of Sin, and 
 kept up the fence of the Evil of Sin, (for our ha- 
 tred of it, and departing from it, and our Humi- 
 liation) as a neceflary part of our Jleligion, fo 
 muft we refoluteiy do ftill } or elfe we fhall be 
 worfe than the Light of Nature tcacheth Hea- 
 thens themfelves to be. 
 
 §. 14. God hath many waies to caufe the£/- 
 felis of Sin, without caufing the Sin it [elf; as by 
 impediments to other waies, By altering Recipi- 
 ents, Objetts, Concaufes, and many others, which 
 I have elfewhere enumerated : He can will and 
 procure, that Chrift fhall die by the finful malice 
 and a&ion of the Jem, without willing or cau- 
 iing their malice, will or adtion as bad : A^he can 
 procure a man to be in the way where a Murde- 
 rer cometh with a difpofition to murder, and can 
 direft the Bullet, &c. 
 
 §.15. When one and the fame word doth fig- 
 nifie both the Sin and the Efett of the Sin,itoc- 
 cafioneth the error of men that cannot diftinguifh : 
 Andfo if the Scripture fhould fay, That God is the 
 Caufe of it? they think it includeththe Sin with 
 the EfFeft. So Murder fignifieth both the will and 
 *&ion of the Murderer, and the death of the man 
 murdered as the eftft : Abfolom's Conftuprations 
 fignifieth both his finfnl will and aftion, and the 
 ef eel of both : The revolt of the Israelites from Je- 
 roboam - 7 the giving up of Kingdoms to the Beaft, 
 and many fuch-like, in Scripture are afcribed to 
 God as the Caufe, not as the words Jlgnifie the 
 frfstl wilt and aftion of the Malefaftor, but only j 
 
 the 
 
C 87 ] 
 
 : produced if el} of both (faving when God's per" 
 iiffion only is underftood.) 
 
 §. 16. They that deride it as abfurd, that 
 God fhould decree, will and caufe the EfFed, and 
 not the Wills forbidden Aft, are too bold with 
 Gcd, in meafuring his Counfels and A&ions by 
 the rule of their vain Imaginations : Yet many 
 give us, inftead of Scripture and Reafon, but fuch 
 a confident deriflon, and fay, C How *bfnrd is it to 
 fay that God willed^ decreed and canted that Chrift 
 jlwuld he murdered^ and yet willed^ decreed or caufed 
 not that any fhould murder him ? That Cod fhzuld 
 -will and caufe David' J Concubines to be dtfiled y and 
 not will or caufe that Abfoloill fhould defile them ? 
 That He fhould will and caufe the Kingdom to be 
 rent from Rehoboam, and yet not caufe any one to 
 will or do it f &€.~] But is all falfe that is not 
 agreeable to their imagination ? Or is this a con- 
 vincing way of reafoning ? It is not from imper- 
 fection but perfection that God doth not will or caufe 
 mens Sin : But it is from his perfection that he cau- 
 feth the ffifty as being the Lord and Ruler of the 
 World. Sin is not a capable Objctt of God's Voli- 
 tion, or an effect which he can caufe : But the efftSt 
 is, God cannot lore or caufe J u dot's will or act 
 ( infpecie ) of betraying Chrift, nor the Jews will 
 or adt in murdering him : But God can will and 
 1 caufe r that Chrift fhall be betrayed and killed, by 
 fuch individual perfons as he foreknew were by 
 their wickednefs difpofed thereunto. 
 
 §. 17. All good men have fo deep a hatred of 
 Sin, and zeal for God's Holinefs, and confefs* 
 that Sin is of the Devil, and it is his fpecial cha- 
 racter to be the Author of it, that when zeal 
 againft an Adverfary in Dilputation can yet make 
 
 G 4 many 
 
C 88 ]] 
 
 many put that character on God ( yea, as 
 prime Efficient, which is more than a Tempter^ 
 and this as a part of the Honour of his Providence', 
 and think they ferve God and his Truth, by bit- 
 ter reviling the contrary-minded,, it is a dreadful 
 inftance how far Fadtion and Contentious Zeal 
 may carry men. And yet when we fee how care- 
 fully many avoid Sin when they have thus honour 
 red it as God's work, it is a notable inftance how 
 far good men may err in notions, and yet pratti<- 
 cally hold the contrary truth, and what great no- 
 tional Errors mult be pardoned to each other, as 
 they are pardoned of God. 
 
 §. 1 8. God pwijheth Sin with Sin, without tau- 
 fing that Sin at all } that is, i.Hcjuftly denieth his 
 Grace to the reje&crs of it, and their Sin h the 
 confequentof that Privatien, as a drunken man's 
 wandering is to ones denying to lead him : 2. God 
 maketh it a funifhment when man hath firft made it 
 * Sin. [] q. d. Jf thoh wilt c$mn:it fitch a Sin, it fliall 
 have this ferial nature and effriir^ As if in the Law 
 of Nature God decreed, that excefs of Dnnk^ or 
 Meat fliould breed Sicknefs, that taking a fweet 
 Poifbn Jhould torment you , that Venery fliould 
 bring the Pox, that Prodigality (hall impoverifh 
 men, &c. Here Man firft maketh it a Sin, ar^dthen 
 God maketh it a Punifhment : And Sjn it felf being 
 the deformity and mifery of the Soul, hath two 
 relations at once ( in time }} the firit in order of 
 Nature is the fwfulnefs^ caufed by Man - and the 
 fecond the penal relat ion czw&d by God \ whofe A& 
 indeed was antecedent in his Law (of Nature), ma- 
 king Nature fuch, that it fhould foJnffer if it will fo 
 &>Ji and yet the ' £ffeft is confequent to mans 
 
 Aft. .♦ 
 
 CHAP, 
 
 the 
 cer) 
 
C 8 9 3 
 
 CHAP. IX. 
 Of 'Natural Power ami Frte-rvill. 
 
 §.1. "THE Glory of God on his Works is their 
 1 expreffion of his Perfections, by the Ira- 
 preflion of them which he hath made. And He 
 hath communicated Being and Subftantiality as the 
 . fubffoawm, and therein the Virtues of Vital Power ^ 
 wifdom and Goodvef (cr Love) : and thefe are his 
 Image upon Man. 
 
 §♦ 2. The more Power therefore a Creature 
 hath, the more he glorifieth the Power of Cod : 
 And the moft: powerful Creatures (as the Sun) do 
 more ftiew forth his grettnefs ttan the moft unpo- 
 ttnt. Therefore to deny cr extenuate any Power 
 given of God, is to difhonour him in his works : 
 So abfurd is it to think that the Po:r r bribed 
 to Man, is dishonourable to God j as if you took 
 from the Workman all the Praife that you give 
 to his Works. 
 
 §. 3. All M#?s Power is pafflvc from COD and 
 fuyrimr Caufts, but it is naturally attive as to 
 things inferiour, and in it felf. 
 
 §. 4. Gcd endued man at firft with a threefold 
 Power, \. Natural, i.Mord^ i>Politicd, which is 
 a Ruling Power over Inferiours, 
 
 §. %. Man*s Power was p9rtly effetitUl cr inft± 
 parable, and partly accidental or feparable. 1. To 
 have the three Powers or Faculties of Vital Atti- 
 yitfa Intettettm and Will, is eJf:r?tiAl> and Man can- 
 not 
 
T9°] 
 
 not be a Man without them : But to have thefe in 
 promptitude and Strength, is but as health oxftrength 
 to the Body:, a feparable thing. 2. To have 
 fomc moral Power to how and defire and praElife 
 fame moral Good, it fcemeth is infeparable from 
 Man in via ; for all men naturally have fome wti- 
 ti a communes, and differencing fenfe of moral Good 
 and Evil: Elfe men fhould be as bad as Devils: 
 But to be truly Holy was feparable (as Health) and 
 £b was loft. 3. To have fome fuperiority over 
 Brutes, and Parents over their Children, it fecms 
 js infeparable, or is not fcparated j for it conti- 
 nued in Nature : But the true Majfjiy of this fu- 
 periority was loft by Sin. 
 
 §. 6. No Creature hath any Power but what is 
 totally derived from God and dependent on him, 
 and ftill upheld by him and ufed under him. 
 
 §. 7. Though fome would have more Power 
 afcribed to Nature, and others appropriate more 
 to Gr*ce, yet in this it is no Controverfie, How 
 much is to be afcribed to God : For both Nature 
 and Grace, and the Powers of both are totally from 
 God: But allthequeftion is, Which way God gi- 
 rcth it to man. 
 
 §. 8. In general we fhould be moft cautious, 
 1. That we difparage not any Power or Endow- 
 ment which is Gods own fVork^, whether natural 
 or gracious. 2. That we give not too much to 
 any Work that is proper to Man. 
 
 §- 9. Natural Power, of Vital Attion, Intellection, 
 and Volition, is fjppofed by God as Lawgiver in 
 his Subjects *, that is, that we are Men. 
 
 §. ic. Every aft of Knowledge, Faith, Re- 
 pentance, Love and Obedience is dor.e by ont natu- 
 ral lumrs or Faculties, and none withput them. 
 
 §. 1 1. The 
 
C 91 ] 
 
 §. M. The word ^ Moral? over ~\ fignifieth, 
 
 1. Sometimes a Poixer to /wra/ aftions y (and fo »*- 
 "r ;;r*i /Wer in Man is alfo moral in fome degree. ) 
 
 2. Sometimes a /fr/y Diffofitio» y elpecially in the 
 Willy to fuch holy moral a&ions ; which is the Rc<fti- 
 tude of our natural Powers, or the Health of them 
 ifl a faving degree or fort, and is the Gift of Grace, 
 fince Sin departed. 3. Moft frequently I ufe the 
 words for fuch a degree of God's helping or hea- 
 ling Influx or Grace, as is fhort of a Habit for 
 promptitude and facility, but yet puts the foul in 
 fuch a difpofltion, by which Man can do the Acft, 
 (and it may come to pafs without more Grace 
 whether it do or not) which the Dominicans call 
 Sufficient Grace , and I rather call Neceffary 
 Grace. 4. Sometimes it is meant (as caufa morale) 
 for that which is Power Reputatively. 
 
 §. 12. Power hath feveral degrees : fome can aft 
 eafdy % yea, is hardly reftrained : fome can aft with 
 difficulty, yet constantly : fome difficultly and very 
 rarely ' fome can acl y but the Impediments are {b 
 great, and its weaknefs fuch, as that it never will 
 do what it can : And thefe we call a moral Imponn- 
 cy ^ as being nputative impotency^ in thefe three lafl 
 degrees. 
 
 §. 13. Sin hath debilitated Man's very rutural 
 Fivacity and jffiivity to things fpiritual, and alfo 
 darkened and undifpofed his Vnder {landing to them \ 
 but efpecially dif ffiettcdhim, and perverted his will, 
 with an indifpofttion, averfenefs and enmity toGcd. 
 And none of thefe are cured, but by the Grace of 
 Chrift i quickening (or fir engthening and awakening") 
 illuminating and converting the Soul. ( Of which 
 
 more after in due placed 
 
 §. 14. Adam 
 
C 92 ] 
 
 §. 1 4. Adam had Power to have ftood when 
 he fell : God took no power from him > nor let 
 out fuch a Temptation as he could not refill: : * 
 But Sin entered at hisWiU^ and corrupted it be- 
 fore he loft his Power. 
 
 §. 15. There is therefore in r er um rratnra, fuch 
 a thing as a true Power, to do more good and lefs evil 
 than we do. 
 
 §. 1 6. And thqre was fuch a Power in Adam% 
 Will, by which he could have billed what he did 
 not willy and by which he could have rejected 
 the Temptation : And this without any other 
 Grace, than that which he then had , and ufed 
 not. 
 
 §. 17. Othervvife all the fin of Adam and the 
 World would be refblved into the neceflitating 
 Will and Work of God, and fo all Faith would be 
 fubverted. 
 
 §. 18. Therefore Mar?s WiR was fuch a Facul- 
 ty as COllld be a caufa prima, of the moral modifi- 
 cation or fpecification of its own Afts : ( Not a 
 eaufa prima fimpliciter, but thus, fecundum quid.} 
 For elfe God muft be the cauf* prima of Sin, 
 which is the ill modification of that Aft. 
 
 §. 19. I know that to Nature the Reafonings 
 of our late- Infidels, to prove, That every Aft 
 of the Will is as truly neteflitated as the motions 
 of a Clock, do feem plaufible and hard to an- 
 fwer ; becaufe it feemeth ftrange , that in any 
 mode of A3 ton Man fhould be a firfi Caufe of it, 
 and that a Creatures Aft fhould have no fuperiour 
 Caufe in any mode : But on the other fide the Evi- 
 dence is cogent, 1. That God u able to make a 
 f elf •determining Power , that can thus do : For it is 
 no cottradiftion. 2. That it is congrnow^ that be- 
 low 
 
[93 ] 
 
 -low the happy Race of confirmed Spirits, there 
 ftiould be a Race of fuch undetermined free Agents? 
 left much to their own felf-determining Power. 
 3. And Expetunce perfvvadeth us defatto 7 that fo 
 it is. 4. Ana they that deny it, mull unavoid- 
 ably make God the prime Canfe of all Sin? in a 
 higher degree than it is or can be afcribed to 
 Satan : And is all this with the rejection of 
 Chriftianity more eligible, than the Conceffion 
 that God tan and doth make a Creature with fuch 
 fclf-detefmimng Free-will? as 
 
 Can , as a fir ft Caufe of Of the divers forts <f 
 
 its modified aft? fin without freedom *f Will, and 
 
 God's Predetermination? And ^^Jffn^ 
 , ,. , , 11 r i <-• J fe *9 Methodus Theo- 
 
 by his help could forbear Sin logis^Qth.Theol. 
 when he doth not. The Con- 
 teft is, Whether G O D or Mag (hall be couhted 
 the can/a prima of Sin ? wc fay, Man is the firft 
 Canfe? and G O D is none at all : Some fay, God 
 muft be the taufa prima of all that can have a 
 Caufe in it : and rather than deny him the Ho- 
 nour which is given to Satan? they will deny 
 Chriftianity, and deny him to be holy a! d to be 
 GOD. 
 
 §. 20. GOD made this natural Free-will thai 
 Man might be a governable Creature, fit to be 
 morally ruled by Laws and rational Motives, and 
 as part of God's Image on Man. 
 
 CHAP, 
 
t 94 3 
 
 C H A P. X, 
 
 f 
 
 Of Original Sin. 
 
 §. i. T> Y one man Sin cntrcd into the World, 
 O and Death by Sin, and fo Death paffed 
 upon all in that all have finned. 
 
 §. 2. We were not in Adam diftinft Perfons 
 really \ for our Perfons then cxifted not - 7 and 
 therefore did not inexift. 
 
 §. 3. God doth not repute us to have been what 
 we were not ; for he judgeth truly, and is not mis- 
 taken : Therefore he judged not Peter and John to 
 have been thofe Perfons in Adam then, nor AdanPs 
 perfon the fame with theirs. 
 
 §. 4. Therefore we were not then when he fin- 
 ned perfons guilty in Adam ; for Non extfientu non 
 fmt accidentia. 
 
 %.% .We were Seminary or Virtually in Adam when 
 he finned : Which is but that he had that Vinm 
 generative, from which we naturally fprang in time j 
 But to be Virtually in him, is Not to be perfonally in 
 him^ but Potentially^ it being as to Exifience termi- 
 nus diminuens. 
 
 %. 6. As foon as we were Perfon s, we were Per- 
 fons derived by Generation from Adam : Therefore 
 with our Perfons we derived Guilt and Pravity : 
 For he could beget no better than himfelf. 
 
 §. 7. When Adam finned his whole Perfon was 
 guilty and no part innocent: Therefore his very Se- 
 men frolificnm had its part in the guilt according 
 to its Capacity - 7 And though it was not a guilty 
 
 Perfon 7 
 
[ 95 3 
 
 , it was a part of a guilty Perfon ; and a 
 art that was the Semen per/on* •, fo that when thpr, 
 lemen became aptrfon (c*in) it became a guilty 
 *rf»n, the guile, following the fubjeft according 
 to its Capacity : And fo downward by Propaga- 
 tion to this day. 
 
 §. 8. God doth not impute Aian?* -i>.TwiSe/«>. 
 Sin to us becaufe he vill do it, with- s^Tf' * 
 
 . ... Z p€7i€th this. 
 
 out any real participation or ours *, z 
 no nor beyond our true natural parti- 
 cipation , but according to it : Otherwife God 
 fhould have made us fmners , meerly becaufe he 
 TFcald do foj and not Adam. 
 
 §. 9. We receive our Original Guilt and Pra- 
 vity immediately from our next Parents, and but 
 remotely from Adam: It cou'd never have come 
 to us but through them from whom we receive our 
 Nature, from them we receive the guilt and pra- 
 vity of our Nature. 
 
 §. io. Therefore thus far at Jeafl our next Pa- 
 rents communicate Guilt and Pravity to us, and 
 not Adam only : In which we fee that God's Im- 
 putation goeth along with real Natural Participa- 
 tion. 
 
 .§. 11. It feemeth to me a ftrange overfight in 
 too many Divines who deny ( or obferve not ) 
 our Guilt of all the reft of our Parents 
 * Sins, while we were in their Loins, * of this 1 
 as well as of Adams : feein? 1. there bwefMjb- 
 is that fame reafon of both, fare what '*,* D '3S 
 the change of the Covenant maketh p - 9Ve th it. 
 ( of which after. ) And, 2. Scripture 
 is fo full and exprefs about it. 
 
 §. 12. ill, If I have a guilty and depraved Soul 
 from my Parents, it is becaufe I was once in them, 
 
 Vir- 
 
[9* J ; 1 
 
 Virtually or Scminally as truly and naturally as M 
 was in Adam : And had not the Guilt been theirs I 
 it had never been mine : And if it be mine becaafe 
 it was theirs, why not one part of theirs as well k 
 as another ? 
 
 §. 13. It will be faid , Becaufe God fo Co- 
 venanted with Adam that he fhould ftand or fall 
 for himfelf and his Pofterity : I Anfwcr, That 
 there was any fuch Covenant that if he flood his 
 Pofterity fhould all ftand, or be Confirmed and 
 Saved, is more than ever 1 found in Scripture or 
 can prove, or do believe : But that it would have 
 been to the benefit of his Pofterity I doubt not. 
 And that his fall was to the Guilt and Corruption 
 of his Pofterity I doubt not ; but ( as I faid ) not 
 without and beyond their natural Intereft in him, 
 and Derivation from him as the reafon of it : And 
 we were as much naturally in our next Parents : 
 And the Covenant of Innocency and the Cove- 
 nant of Grace do not fo far differ as to exempt us 
 from the Guilt of our next Parents fins : For the 
 difference lieth not in this,That the firft only made 
 Death the due reward of all Sin, nor that the firft 
 did intereft Children in the Guilt of their Pa- 
 rents fin : But in this, that the firft made us Guil- 
 ty without a Remedy - 7 But the fecond giveth us 
 a Remedy prefently for Pardon and Recovery, 
 and fo our Guilt is not fo full, becaufe it is but a 
 half Obligation having the Pardon annexed. The 
 firft Law fai J, {J f thou fin thonfimlt be filius mortis, 
 andfojhdBthofe that are Propagated of thee.'} The 
 fecond Covenant faith, ^For thy Original and Actual 
 Sin death is thy dne, but I give thee a Pardon and Re- 
 medying Grace procured by theRightcoufnefs ofChriflr\ 
 But note, That this Covenant pardoneth our Ori- 
 ginal 
 
r*5 3 
 
 Sin as from Adam •, And yet it followeth not that 
 we had none becaufe It is pardoned : Even fo it; 
 pardonethcur guilt of our next Parents iins, and'^ 
 therefore we had it to be pardoned : Both are par- 
 donable to us i therefore we had both. 
 
 §. 14 .2. And the Scripture is more copious,and 
 as plain in making purufhment due to Children for 
 their next Parents fins , as for sidwPs, though 
 A4an?i only was the Original of all Sin and Mile - 
 ry. I have el few here proved it at large : The 
 Cafe of Cains Pofterity, and CWs, and IJhrnael'%, 
 and Efen% and Achats Family, and Ahab's-, and 
 many more do fully prove it : And more fully the 
 Secorfd Commandment, and God's declaration of 
 -his Name to Mofes, Excd. 34. and many-a Threat- 
 riing to the Seed of the Wicked, and Chrift's ex- 
 prefs Words in Matth.25. 36. fo that Scripture 
 puts us out ot doubt. 
 
 §. 15. The common Objedion is, that their 
 £ Uuilt would be greater on vu towards the End of the 
 World j than en them at the Beginnings becaufe all our 
 Anctftonrs Guilt wouldbc ours : But I anfwer, 1. If 
 it were fo,, it would be but many Obligations to the 
 famePxmJhment, when it amounteth to that which 
 God feeth our Nature capable of . For a Finite 
 Worm is not capable bf more Suffering than is 
 proportioned to his Nature, 2. And th?s Obje- 
 ftion vainly fuppofeth, that none of our Ance- 
 ftours Sins were pardoned : Whereas all are par- 
 doned to the Faithful and their Seed, and much 
 Temporal Punifhment is pardoned to many of the 
 Unfan&ified : And God himfelf by limitiog it to 
 the third and fourth Generation, feemeth to fet 
 bounds to his own Juftice. 3. And the Guilt of 
 our Parents Sins being of a more Diminute Nature 
 
 H thast 
 
t 86 3 
 
 than that of our own j4clnalSin ( Costcris pa?ibtt< ) 
 it falleth not fo fully on us, as it did on the Com- 
 mitters themfelves, nor as our own do. 4, And 
 God *jfercth us the full pardon of our own and all 
 together : And as long as the Law which tells us 
 of our defert of puniihmeut, doth alfo give us a 
 free pardon, we have no Caufe to complain. 
 
 §. 16/ That we have all Original Sin is proved, 
 in that clfe Infants fliould be faved without a par- 
 doning Saviour, of a ckanfing Sanitifier •, which 
 cannot be. 
 
 §. 17. He that feeth the nniverfal inclination 
 of Mankind to Evil even in their Childhood, and 
 their backwardnefs to Good, even than Evil and 
 that Good which Nature it felf affureth us are 
 fuch, muft needs believe Original Pravity, or eife 
 think hardly of God's Work. 
 
 §. 18. He that feeth ftill that Drunkenncfs, 
 Gluttony, Luft, &c. do vitiate both the Soul and 
 Bodily Temperament of the Sinner , and how 
 frequently a difeafed, diftempered Body , incli- 
 ning Men to particular Vices, and an extraordi- 
 narily vitiated Soul, is in dieir Children the plain 
 fruit of the Parents Sin, may the eafilicr believe 
 that wc drew down Pravity from Afam alfo, 
 when we derive ^o much from neareft Parents. 
 
 §. 19. And they that confider, that Mans Soul 
 being* made Holy, for God, this unholinefs is not 
 only a Negation but a Vrivmon^ not of Senfnive 
 and Natural only, but of Moral Rcditude, will 
 not deny but that the name of Sin or Moral Pravity 
 belongeth to it. 
 
 §. 20. And they that confider, that Parents 
 Caufe not Children as an Artificer maketh an En- 
 gine, but by Generation^ which is a Communica- 
 tion 
 
tion of their own Eflence, and what Natural In- 
 termit Parents and Children have in each other, 
 and that it is in that is in both, and that 
 
 the Moral Pnvatibn in its Nature , containeth 
 much of Mans mifery, will eafily grant that it is 
 both a Sin and Punishment, and a Moral Caufe 
 of further puniftiment, properly enough fo called. 
 
 §. 2r. They that Jay that Rea- 
 fon of their denying Original Sin, Mr. w. Fenner 
 upon the -difficulty of underftand- t" this opfnunfir 
 
 . t i r i*. r^ tae Traduction or 
 
 ins: whether Souls are new Crea- ~. . . ,. * 
 
 5 . r . 6*«/r, into hi; C/r- 
 
 ted or Derived from Parents, do tech/fines: But the 
 too little fufpcft their frail under- PubUfber left that 
 landings, and their own "dedu- out > 
 ftions, and too eafily fiifpeft the 
 Word of God. And I think that I have else- 
 where proved that Generative Traduction of Souls, 
 and yet Cod's yrcfent ? yea,, immediate Canfai&n 
 of their Efftnce ('which may be called Creation} 
 are here Con-fiftcnt : Which here I mull not now 
 repeat : Vid. Muh. Theol. and Reafons of Cbrijtitn 
 
 Retioiorj. 
 
 CHAP. XI. 
 
 Of onr Redemption by Qhrifi: 
 
 §. i . O I N having made Man guilty and depra d , 
 O unfit for duty and felicity, ediens to the melt 
 Holy Righteous God, and lyablc to his Juftice, the 
 eternal Wifdom and Word of God did interpofe 
 and by Mercy did fave Man from the deferved 
 rigour of Juftice, proniiling Actual Redemption 
 
 H z 
 
I 88 ] 
 
 in the fulnefs of time, and on that fuppofition gi- 
 ving fallen Man a pardoning and fcving Law ( or 
 Covenant of Grace ) with anfwcrable help of his 
 Spirit and Means, and outward Mercies fitted to 
 Ills Recovery and Salvation. 
 
 §. 2. But God would not have this Recovery 
 and Salvation to he perfect at the fit ft \ but gave. 
 Man a certain proportion of Common Delive- 
 rance and Mercy , binding him to a Courfe of 
 Diuy, in the performance of which he fhould re- 
 ceive more by degrees till he were perfected. ( As 
 Phificians cure their Patients. ) 
 
 §. 3. Therefore God did enter into Judgment 
 with fallen Man, and did fentence him abfolutely 
 to fome degree of Punifhment, even to Labour, 
 Pain, the penalty of the Curfed Earth, and fi- 
 nally to Death 5 which Temporal Punifhment 
 God would not remit, nor give him a Saviour to 
 procure the pardon of it \ but* only to the Faith- 
 ful, to turn all this unto their Benefit, and to de- 
 liver them from the greater cverlaftirtg Suffer- 
 ings. 
 
 §. 4. And their own fnjul pravity ai;d privati- 
 on of Holme fs, and communion withGod-, wiich al- 
 io was their great efi pmifhrnent by Confequence, 
 God would not at once, nor in this Life perfeft- 
 ly faye them from ; and therefore accordingly 
 pardoned them their punifhment, but by the 
 forementioned degrees. For he is not perfedly 
 pardoned or -laved, who is yet left under fo much 
 penalty. 
 
 §.5. Some thinking it hard ,t hat for 4000 Years 
 the World fhould have no Exiftent. Mediator > and 
 that an Exigent F*ith in the future Mediator , 
 Should be more neceflary than an Exifiem Mediator 
 
 and 
 

 [$9 3 
 
 and his Worl^ and thinking withal that it would 
 folve many Textual Difficulties obje&ed by the 
 Jbriansy and explain the Appearances of Chrift 
 to the Patriarchs, have conceived that Chrilfc 
 h^th a threefold Nature'^ viz. The Divine Nature^ 
 2. crcarcd Snytr- Angelical Nature to which the Di- 
 vine Nature was united before the Incarnation, 
 and the Humane Nature afTumed at the Incarnati- 
 on i and that fo we had an Exigent Mediator from 
 the time of the FalL But whatever conveniences 
 this Opinion may feem to have, I find no fatif- 
 fattory proof of it in Scripture, nor that the 
 Chriftian Church did ever hold it. And it is 
 overmuch boldnefs to take up fo great a Doftrine 
 as a third Nature in Chrift, which the Church of 
 Chrift was never acquainted with. And the Texts 
 that feem to be for it, are capable of the common 
 Expofition. 
 
 §. 6. If any think that this was the Judgment 
 of abundance , yea , the moft of the Antient 
 Writers, before the da^s of Arias, becaufe they 
 have fuch unhappy exprelTions of Chrift, which 
 the Reader may find truly Collefted to his hand 
 by Pet twins de Trwitate, and that it is fitter to 
 Expound them as fpeaking only of Chrifi's fecond 
 Nature, than to account them all Anans, or to 
 honour the JtrUns by making themo/z their fide^ 
 I anfwer, I leave every Man to his pwn judg- 
 ment upon perufal of the Fathers words, allow- 
 ing all Charity that hath fufficient ground : But 
 I cannot perceive, that thefe Writers talk of any 
 more Natures in Chrift than two, and pious ends 
 muft be ferved by no Fiftions and Untruths : I 
 think that we mull rather gather with Petavins there 
 that the Votes in the Nicen* Council tell us, that 
 
 H 3 then 
 
C 9° 3 
 
 tlien the greater fart of the Church were "againlt 
 
 Arm, and therefore th.ey were fo before, be- 
 caufe they held ( in fo great a point) the Faith 
 which they had received from their Fathers : 
 And that the greater part of Writers, might differ 
 from the greater part of the Church. And with- 
 al, thefe Writers having more than other men 
 to do with/the Heathen Philofophers and Ora- 
 tors, who were prejudiced againft the Do&tine 
 of the Trinity, did fhun their Offence by too 
 much ftretching their fpeeches to that which they 
 thought they could eafilier digeft, which gave A- 
 rtm his advantages. The Conclufions either way 
 are harfh and fad j but I leave ethers better to 
 avoid them. 
 
 . §. 7. The Deity it felf may not unfitly be cal- 
 led our REDEEMER before the Incarnation, 
 though notfo fitly a MEDIATOR, and though 
 Redemption by Chrift's Death and Merits in the 
 Flefh was not then wrought : Becaufe the word 
 Redeeming is oft taken for a merciful Dtlivering^ 
 though without a price \ and alfo becaufe the 
 Trice was promifed from the beginning. But thus 
 the word REDEEMER is equivocal, fignifying 
 cither the Deity as a fromifing^ undertaking Sa- 
 viour, or the Mediator who was promifed, and 
 tf hr> performed the undertaken means. 
 
 §. 8. The MEDIATOR himfelf being purely 
 the Gift of the Divine Love and Mercy, it was 
 no inconvenience, that God then had all the Glo- 
 ry, and that Faith then acknowledged no other 
 cxiftent Saviour, but God himfejtf the Infinite 
 Oood. 
 
 §.9. It 
 
C 9'i ] 
 
 §. 9. It troublcth men much to open, how 
 Chrift was any true Caufe of our Pardon and 
 'Salvation as a Mediator, before his Incarnation? 
 And what his merits , facnfice and interceffion 
 could do, before they did exift ? And the common 
 Anfwer is, That Moral (though not Fbyfical*) 
 Caufes may canf* b:forc they exift, and fo ope- 
 rate as forefeen, foiedecreed or willed. Butthefe 
 Logical notions mult not be ufed to put off the 
 Queflicn, inftead of fatisfa&orily anfwering it. 
 This tells us not whether by a Moral Caufe they 
 mean a True C?*fe of fome moral Being, or fome- 
 thing mortify called a Caufe which indeed is not fo, 
 but qtufi caufe : Nor yet whether they mean a 
 Caufe emci&tt j final or conftitntive : Nor yet whe* 
 ther they mean a Caufe of any thing in God, or 
 only of fome following effedt. 
 
 1 o. It muft be concluded that Chrifl's merits^ 
 ficrifice/gnd Interceffion make no real Change in God, 
 his Vndtrfkandpig or Will, and therefore have no 
 fuch CaufaRty. 
 
 §. 1 1. But God's Vrorrrfefirft, and CbrijFs Me- 
 rits and Sacrifice next make a Change in the ftate 
 of things, laying that Ground- work or neceffary 
 Antecedent and Condition'^ -upon which it becometn 
 mtet^ ri-ht and juft for God to give the reft of his 
 mercy which this is the Condition of, and the true 
 meritorious Caufe :^ And fo the Change was neither 
 on GO D 7 ner immediately on Man, but /or - 
 on tHe St Ate of things which God and man were 
 both concerned in: It is a caufa ordinis J while 
 that is done firft, which is prerequifitc to what is 
 to follow : And it is a tanfa rei ( beneficii ) while 
 it not only rempveth moral Impediments of our 
 Pardon and Salvation, but alfofetteth matters in 
 
 H 4 ftch 
 
C-92 3 
 
 filch a ftate, in which it becometh congruous^ meet, 
 right and jujt for God to pardon and fave us j 
 which is a remote difpofing the falPn finner to 
 be a due Recipient of God's following promifed 
 Grace. And thus it is in both fenfes a moral Caufe, ' 
 as it is a Caufe of our Right, and of Congmity, and 
 as it is, though not indeed, yet morally, rewtativc- 
 tyi or Quafi caufa fhyfica realis, of our Tardon,6race 
 and Salvation, by making them become juft, right 
 and due. And being thus far a Caufe of the eflfe&s 
 ad extra, fer extrinfecam denominationem ex conno- 
 tatione C* relatione ad objectum, it may be called 
 (with cautclous fobriety) a Caufe of Go <Ps own Jn- 
 t elections andVoli ions : For though in themfclves 
 they are God's Eflence, yet for God \to know us to 
 he redeemed and to will our prefent Pardon and Sal- 
 vation as K edeemed ones,] are words that fpeak 
 more than God's Effence as in it fclf, and include 
 the termination of his Afts on thefe Objefts as fuch i 
 and fo denominate God's Eflence diftin&ly from 
 the Obje&s , which elfe would never be diftin- 
 guifhed, nor have but one .name ; being really but 
 one. 
 
 §. 12. Yet all tfeefe diverfifying, diilinguifting, 
 denominating Caufes of God's Intellections, Voli- 
 tions and Operations, muft not (even denomina- 
 tively or relatively) be counted or called Efficient 
 Caufes of God's A&s, nor ftriftly final but objective. 
 And therefore here it muft be confidered what Caufe 
 An Object u J which Philofbphers are not well agreed 
 in. But I think I may fafely fay, That as to mo- 
 ral afts, the Objeft is to be reduced to fuch a caufa 
 Tnattrialis or conftitutiva as they are capable of, 
 not of the Aft as an Aft, but as this aft, in fpccie, 
 tfcBominated from the receptive terminating mat- 
 ter 
 
I 91 1 
 
 ter or objeft. And though to Man, to know this 
 or that, and to mil this or that dd extra, feem fomc- 
 what really different (or modally at lcaft) from 
 knowing and -willing onr [elves or fome ether ObjeEl, 
 yet in God it is not to be called ex parte fa, z 
 real or modal difference- at all. 
 
 §. 13. Yet I aflert not that the Ratio prima of 
 all thele Diver fties of the Divine A<fts is ex ter- 
 mini* fen recifientibui : For the fir ft Reafon is in and 
 of Gcd himfelf : For it is God that makcth all <//- 
 verjhies of Effe&s and Changes j and fo it is from 
 thofe divers Effcfls of his own Will, that his Witth 
 relatively ex connot at ione termini diverfly denomi- 
 nated- Eat that in God which is the Ratio prima 
 diver ft mi is , is not divers^ but his onefimple efj'ential 
 Will ; fo that it is the diver fty of Objetts which is 
 the immediate Reafon of diftinguiihing God's a&s, 
 (of which before), 
 
 §. 14. Thefe things premifed, I come nearer 
 to the Queftion , if that which exifteth not do tru- 
 ly caufe, it muft be either efficiently, confritutively, 
 or finally. The two firft are denied by the com- 
 mon Reafon of Mankind. That which is not, 
 cannot effect : Nothing can do nothing. And 
 to fay it u not, is to fay, it conftitutctb nor. And 
 as it is certain, that canfafinalis non efficit, yea, is 
 but cauf* metaphor ice operant, fo it is certain, that 
 no Creature caufeth any thing in God , no not 
 finally. 
 
 §.15. Thofe that fay, That Chrift and his death 
 and merits did not caxfe before Exigence, in ejfe 
 exiflemi, but in effe cogmto, as conftituting the 
 Divine Idea's, 1. Muft remember that the ctfecog- 
 nitu?7i, as they call it, is no ejfe r$i cognita at all \ 
 Therefore if only the effe cegnitum do canft, then 
 
 it 
 
[ 94 3 
 
 it was not Chrift .and his Merits that caufcd. 
 2. In Man for an tfft ctgmtum, to caufe his further 
 a£ts, is but for oneThought to caufe another Then 
 ox* Volition or Nolitien. . And thefc Thoughts and 
 Y^lv'fons afertfcHy divers, and conftituted by re- 
 ception of intromited Obje&s : Rut God is no 
 Recipient , nor knoweth any Objcft as we do by 
 intrimijfien •, Nor hath he any fuch Thmghn or 
 Mr*'s of Creatures as are really divers ex parte 
 £>ei y bui' only by -extrinfick denomination. 
 
 §. rtf. If it be faid, That then Gcd fhould know 
 nothing till it u, becaufc a denomination muft be 
 fromfomething, and nothing can be no Object or 
 terminus j and fo of his Will. I Anf i . God dorh 
 not know any thing as exijiem now, which doth 
 r?9t exift now. But our N*w is in his Eternity, and 
 his Eternity without partition comprehendeth all 
 our Times \ pr<e and poft, ab and ^are Prepositions 
 of no fignification in and of Eternity , but only 
 C^3- And therefore as Aaguftm faiih, his Pre- 
 fcience is but his Science fo denominated from the 
 Order of Qbje&s, but neteth not any difference in 
 him, who hath neither pre nor pofl. How this is 
 to be underftoed without making the Creature 
 eternally exift, I have elfewhere fuily opened. 
 
 §. 17. That plain truth therefore which muft 
 here fatisfie us is, That God, who is the firft 
 efficient and ultimate final Caufe of all rhirigs,and 
 caufed by none, did of his free abundant Mercy 
 undertake the faving of finful Man , and not- 
 withftanding his Threatning and Man's Defeft, re- 
 volving to make advantage of our Sin and Mifc- 
 ry, for the Glory of his Wifdom, Love, Mercy 
 and Juftice, he promifed that the Eternal Word 
 fhould in due time atfume Man's nature, and there- 
 in 
 
E 95 ] 
 
 in do and fufFer that which fhould glorifie him 
 inore th~n Man's Perdition Would have done, and 
 I make it juft znd rr.ce: for him to 
 ivelyat the prefent 
 under the Pfomifc ( for 4000 years) and afterward 
 more fully at Chrift's Incarnation^ and finally to 
 perfeft min Glory. 
 
 So that of k of our Salvation is one entire 
 
 frame, compofed by Divine Wifdom and Love; 
 v e part is the Reafon of another, though 
 
 none be the Cauie of any thing in God : And 
 Ch'rift's Mediation, though coming after 4000 
 7 zt was then to do that which fhoold make 
 it .: eet and right and juft for God to pardon Sin 
 before : Even as in a Building the feveral parts 
 may be the reafon of each other, becaufe they 
 muft be all compaginated and fitted to their rela- 
 tive places and ufes : And though the Foundation 
 make not the Superftru&ure, in upholdeth it : 
 And as AqvinM briefly faith, Veas vra propter hoc 
 ; . fed vult hec ejfe propter hoc •, nothing is the 
 
 Caufe of God's Will, but it is God's Will that one 
 thing frail be for another : And when all his 
 Work muft be one Frame, the part laft made may 
 be a reafon of the former. And Co Chrift^s me- 
 rits and facrihee, though after 4000 years, per- 
 form that for which it became juft and meet be- 
 fore fo«jod to pardon Sinners. For thosgh it 
 fras net then exiftcnt, yet ( befides the Decree J 
 Lhe Promife, Prediction and Publication made 
 it ufcfu! to its ends , in reined to G O D and 
 Ma 
 
 ^ : i3. So then, though the Caufe be not truly 
 * Cmh[c till it exift, and though all the Pardon 
 ifidSalvation given for 4000 years, was before the 
 
 e*iftence 
 
exiftence of the merits and facrifice of Chrift, y« 
 the Promife and Notification of the Mediator an* 
 his merits and facrifice, as the reafon of this Par- 
 don, did then exift, and was the caufe of that 
 Pardon, which Chrift was afterward to merit. 
 
 §•19. It is therefore no* ahfurdity, that the 
 exiflence of Marts Faith and Repentance jhouid be 
 neceffary^ when the Mediator s Existence and his 
 Merits was not necejfary : For it was not then an 
 exifient Mediator ( and Sacrifice, drc. ) that was 
 the Ohjeft- of Faith, but only a Promifed Me- 
 diator. 
 
 §. 20. And whereas it is a doubt, feeing the 
 Head is ejjenrial to the churchy .and the Divine 
 Nature only was Head of the Church before the 
 Incarnation, and the Divine and Mumam united 
 was afterward the Head, whether it follow not 
 the Church before the incarnation and after (and 
 £0 Faith and Religion* were divers mfpecie^ and 
 not the fame? I anfwer, Thar while we agree 
 all de re, that fo much difference there is, it is 
 not worth our trouble to ftrive about the Name 
 or Logical Notion of C Samenefs of Species.~} 
 
 §.21. When God hatn cholen to fave Mar) 
 by way of a Mediator, and by his Sacrifice and 
 Merits, as that way in which his Wiftlom, Love, 
 Holinefs, Mercy and Juftice are eminently glo- 
 rified, it feemeth to me too bold Preemption to 
 difpute, Whether he could not have fave d us other wife , 
 and pardoned Sin without a Sariour ? as it would 
 be to difpute, Whether he conld not illuminate the 
 Earth without the Sun ? He wanteth not Power 
 to d) whatfoever is meet for God to do } but all 
 the queftion is, Whether it be meet^ fuppofin^ Mans 
 Nature and Sin to be what they are f 
 
 §. J2. Go 
 
 < 
 
C 97 ] • 
 
 §. 22* God did illuminate the World without 
 the Sun ? till the Sun was nifcde : But it was the 
 wnperfett World ', and before the perfecting of his 
 Work : And fo God did fave Man without an 
 \Exiftent Mediator, ( unlefs God may be called a 
 Mediator between h;mfelf and rs, which is a harfh 
 Phrafe). But it was before the Work of our Sal- 
 vation was brought to maturity *, for the Cure of 
 Man is perfe&eft at lafh 
 
 §» 23. Wc muft take great heed, that in confi- 
 dering of the parts of our Redemption byChrifr, 
 we look not allat^e snd over-look the reft, nor 
 fet not thofe Works of Chrift in oppofition which 
 muft be taken in conjunfticn : But his Incarnati- 
 on, Obedience, Contempt of the World, Viftory 
 over S2tan, Suffering, Refurrettion, AfcenGon, 
 Glory, Interceffion, Reign, Railing the Dead, 
 Judgment, glorifying his Church , mull be all 
 conjoined, though not confounded. 
 
 §. 24 The Benefits of Redemption, or recove- 
 ring Mercies, are not all given in the fame way t 
 We muft carefully diftiaguifti of thofe that God 
 giveth abfolmdy and antecedently, that is, before 
 any Condition or Dmy on Man's part, and thofe 
 that he giveth confequently upon AianH Dmy per- 
 formed as the means of Reception. ■ 
 
 §. 25. Antecedent IVercies arefome common to 
 all men, and fome proper to fome Countries, Ages 
 and Perfons,as the free Benefactor pleafeth. 
 
 §. 25. Of the former fort is the Sujientationof 
 Nature, reprival from defcrved miferies, the Law 
 of Grace, as to the tenor, and fome degree of pro- 
 mulgation, with all the common Mercies, Means, 
 Duties, which tend to Recovery. Of the laser lore 
 are the greater Wffrmoffuch mercies and means, 
 
 which 
 
. c 
 
 which God freely .givcth to fume more tha 
 others. 
 
 §. 27. Therefore we mult not C*y that Infidels 
 or wicked men have no Mercies, or no Right to 
 what they do pofTefs as from God, as being no 
 Confenters to the Covenant or Performers of it : 
 Becaufe there are Antecedent Mercies given before 
 jixh Confent or Performance •, not as to Covenanters 
 but as* to miferable men, invited to enter Covenant 
 with God in Chriit. Though thefe are fo forfei- 
 ted .by their refafal, that they have no aflurance 
 of their continuance, but God may foon take them 
 all away. 
 
 §. 28. The confequent Mercies are PardoVyJufri- 
 fication, Adoption, the Spirit, a fecured filial Right to 
 all outward Mercies that are good and iliitab!e to 
 us, and final Clo f y y and whatever God hath pro- 
 mifed on Conditions by us to be performed. 
 
 §. 29. The quellion of miverfd Redemption, 
 and fpecUly 1 fhall pretermit till I fpeak of univer* 
 fal o race. 
 
 §. 30. Seeing Life, Health, Food, Hope, and all 
 that is truly good, were forfeited by Sin, and none 
 of them can be due to us by the Law of bwocency, 
 it followeth, that wherever they are given, it is 
 upon other terms, which can be no other than 
 thofe of the Law of Grace, as fruits of our Re- 
 deemer's Mercy Antecedently or confeqimndy^) And 
 where the Fmtis are apparent, we may know the 
 Caafc. 
 
 §.31. The Fruits of Redemption are one -entire 
 frame confining of various and unequal parts, to 
 divers perfons (yet mutually related :) And there- 
 fore it will not follow, that nothing but what cer- 
 tainly inferreth theperfon's Sdvation is any fucli 
 effeft of Man's Redemption, CH AlV 
 
Of tht fever al'Laivs or Covenants of God. 
 
 §. i. TTHough the order of the matter require, 
 * that I fhould have fpokcn of the Law of 
 Innocency bjforc I had fpoken of Sin and Redem- 
 ption, yet thinking that the fort of Readers for 
 whom I now efpecially write, will beft underftand 
 things, if I treat of all God's Lam together, I will 
 at this time fetch my method from their intended 
 benefit. 
 
 §. 2. The nature of a Law in general ^ and of 
 God's L.ixvsin fpecial, I haveelfewhere fo oft and 
 largely fpoken of (pretending fomewhatto clear 
 up rhnt Dc&rinefromfeveral miftakes) that I malt 
 here pretermic it. 
 
 §. 3. Though the word [Law"] do principal- 
 ly lignifie the regulating Impofition of our Duty^ 
 and the word Covenant doth principally ugnifie, a 
 mutual Contract , yet it is the fame Divine InftwH* 
 menty which is meant oft and ufually in Scripture, 
 by both thefe Names : ("Of which fee Grotm at 
 large in his Preface to his Annotations in N&v.Tefta- 
 mvnunu) It is called a Law in one refpett, and a 
 Covenant in another, but the thing is the fame. 
 
 As a Z^ip, the parrs of it are, 1 . The Precept 
 C and Prohibition ) conflicting our Dtuy. 2. The 
 Retribution^ Premunt and Penal conftituting the 
 Dnenefs of Rewards and Phmf>mKnts.^ as the duty 
 is performed or negle&ed. 
 
 As 
 
f 100 ] 
 
 As it is a Covenant itcontaineth, I. The Benefit 
 ( which is the Reward) freely given, yet on con- 
 dition of a due and fuitablc Reception and uft of 
 prefer ibed Means : 2. The Condition defcribed, and 
 Meam prefcribed y in the fa id Preceptive, part. 
 3. And. the Tkrcatning in cafe of Ingratitude, 
 Refufal and Difobedicnce. Which are the fame 
 things as in the Law of Grace, coniidering the 
 Covenant but as Inftinttcd and 
 Offered: For «P/*9»;«i fignifieth 
 ufually but the Re folved declared 
 terms of Life and Death, or the 
 Divine Ordination by which he 
 will Rule and Judge us. And fo 
 it is ott called a C&venant before 
 Confent by Man, which maketh' 
 it to be vwhm a Mutual Contrad, 
 And even a Law as Received by a 
 voluntary fubjeft is Confented to y 
 andbecometha ContraEl. If any 
 think that I give not the true dif- 
 ference of God's Laws and Cove* 
 nmts y let him tell me more, and 
 I fuppofe we fhall agree de re, though not de rati- 
 one nominis : And lee it now fuffice to tell you how 
 I would be underftood my felf : Though the word 
 Law be fome time taken more narrowly , and the 
 Word Covenant oft for Mutual Contract ( which 
 is but a Law confented to) yet being to fpeak of 
 each term as fignifying that Regulating Frame by 
 which God Ruleth us and will Judge us, and by 
 which he giveth us his Gifts arid Rewards, I mean 
 the fame thing, in feveral refpedts called by the 
 fcveral names \ The absolute Antecedent Gifts of 
 our Great BenefdUr being fuppofed incluflvely in 
 both. §. 1. Of 
 
 And when JW 
 &fiui is taken for 
 a Teftament y the 
 Parts and Atis are 
 the fame with the 
 Relation of it to 
 the Death of the 
 Teftator y who as his 
 laft mil , giveth 
 fitch gifts on fuch 
 Terms. AndGhrift 
 did put his Com- 
 mands unto- his 
 Tefiament , John 
 *4>& 15, & 16. 
 
SECT. I. 
 
 Of the Law or Covenant of Jnnocency wade to Adapi- 
 
 §«. i . T Shall in this order Treat brief!/ of the 
 i Divine Laws. I. Of the Law of Inno- 
 cency to Adam. 1 1. Of the Law of Media- 
 tvon to Chrift. III. Of the Law of Grace to 
 fallen Man. And there, i. As in the firft Edition 
 to Adam and Noah: 2. As in the fame Edition 
 joined with the Jewifh Law of Peculiarly to Abra- t 
 ham., and of Works by Mofes to Abraham's Seed. 
 3, Of the Law of Graces as in the fecond Edition 
 by Chrift: 
 
 §.2. 1 . The Law of Innocency contained a Pre- 
 cept and Prohibition? and a Retributive pzrt to which 
 Adam was bound to be a Voluntary Subject, and 
 therefore to Confent (which will allow it the 
 name t)f a Covenant. ) But here the brief Narra- 
 tive in the Scripture calleth to us to diftinguifh of 
 things certain, and things uncertain ( whoever af- 
 fert themO 
 
 §.3. 1. The Preceptive part was revealed by 
 Nature, or Sufer naturally (by Voice , or Inffira- 
 tion^ or Vifon, &c. ) The former being Lex na- 
 ture integra y the Law of Jntire Nature, though 
 the Chief is leaft fpoken of in Gen. becaufe it is 
 fuppofed legible in Nature it felf. 
 
 §. 4. The Law ef Nature, properly lb called, is 
 in effe Objettivo, that fignif cation of God's Will con- 
 cerning M*ns Duty, which was difcernible in the 
 Vmierfa rerum Natura in all God's Works ; but 
 principally in Mans own Nature, as related to God 
 and all Per fans, and Things about him. 
 
 I §. s- But 
 
C"4] ? 
 
 §. %. But Improperly or Metonymically fo called, 
 the Law of H^turc is in effe fubjettivo the Com- 
 munes notitU , which Man had and was to' have 
 from the faid Objective Law of Nature. But pro- 
 perly this is rather the Knowledge of the Law, 
 than the Law it felf, being not perfect in Adam 
 himfelf at fir ft, but was to be perfected as he came 
 to know mere and more of the Works of God, and 
 varying much now in feveral Perfons. Yet may it 
 well be called CoJPs Law written in the Heart, when 
 we have the Knowledge and Love of his primary 
 proper Law. 
 
 §. 6. This Law of Nature bound Adam to per- 
 fect Devotednefs to God as his Owner, and perfeft 
 gratitude to God as his Antecedent Benefactor^ and 
 to perfedt Obedience to God as his RuUr^ and to 
 perfect Love te Ged as his ultimate moft amiable 
 End. And this perfeft Obedience was to be per- 
 petual. 
 
 §. 7. It was Adam perfonally that the Law bound 
 to this perfect perpetual Obedience, and not ano- 
 ther for him, cr thathefhould obey byzReprefenta- 
 tive, or a Velegate, a Servant, or by any other. 
 
 §.8. Nature, even in its depraved ftate, new 
 telleth us, that *B Sin againil God deferveth Pu- 
 nijhment - 5 Therefore the Law of Nature had a 
 Penal part. 
 
 §. 9. It is a great doubt with many Divines 
 whether the Law of Nature had any premiant part 
 or promfe, and fo was a Covenant j becaufe, fay 
 they, Duty obligeth not God to reward h*. But it 
 feemeth to me as far paft doubt as the peml part. 
 For the queftion is not> what our Duty performed 
 obligloeth God to, much lefs in point of C*m\ 
 rive Jnftice^ where no Creature can Merit of God, 
 
 Job 
 
[ *M3 
 
 7^35-6>7>8. If thou be Righteous , what givefi 
 thou him, &c. But it is prcfuppofed that God firfi 
 became Man's Benefactor and his Ruler, and his 
 Laxfr is the Inftrum6nt of his Government ; and 
 his Vromift is but the fignification of hisWtll, what 
 he will give, and on what Terms : And God in Na- 
 ture figrified his Will to blefs the Obedient, and love 
 thofe that love him , For as a Ruler he is J/*/ ; 
 and if he differenced not the Righteous from the 
 Sinner, what were his Juftice? Were there no 
 other Reward, but the Continuance of the Parzdi fe- 
 lt lejfing freely given him ( which Sin would for- 
 feit) it would have been a great Reward : And if 
 God equally take away his Gifts from Good and 
 Bad, it is not Governing Juftice, though as the Aft 
 of a Proprietor it be neither Jufi nor Vnjuft? fo 
 that the very eflence of "Undertaken Government, 
 containeth a difcovery of God's Rewarding Will ; 
 which is the promt fory or premiant part of the Law 
 of Nature. 
 
 §. 10. The Degree and Kind of the Natural 
 Reward, muft be gathered, i. From the ftate that 
 Man was in. 2. From the nature of his Duty. 
 3. From the ftate of Perfeftion which his Nature 
 was made inclined to delire and feek. 
 
 §. 11. 1. Man being freely placed in the ftate 
 of Innocency and God s Favour in the Earthly 
 Pleasures of Eden , as a Sandtified ftate of Com- 
 munion with God, feeing Sin was to be punifhed 
 with the privation of thefe, we may gather, that 
 the Innocent fliould not have been deprived of 
 them. 
 
 §. 12. 2. Man's great Dutyhzing to Lave God 
 perfectly ( according to his prefent Ability ) and 
 to pkafe hjra, and delight herein, we maygathei> 
 
 I 2 that 
 
[116] 
 
 that the Jnnoccm fiicnild have the felicity which is 
 herein contained, even in the Delights of loving 
 and pleafivg, God. 
 
 §.13. 3. Man's Naturfe being not made in its ut- 
 moft ferfcSliov^ but in via, with a defire of knowing 
 God, loving him, pleafing him, and delighting in 
 him yet more, according to his Capacity, we may 
 gather, That obedient Man fliould have attained 
 tlfAt Perfection : For God mafcethnot the capacities, 
 difpofitions anddefires of Nature in vain. 
 
 §. 14. But whether all this fhould havebeefi gi- 
 ven on Earth or in Heaven % is not fo clear in Na- 
 ture or Scripture: But, 1. The Tranflation of 
 Henoch and Eli as maketh it probable^ that fo Man 
 fhould have been tranflated. 2. And fo doth the 
 Glory purcbafed by the Redeemer* 3. And the 
 matter is the lefs, becaufe wherc-ever the place be, 
 the fameftate of Enjoyment would make it a Hea- 
 ven to fuch a perfon. 
 
 §. IS- Neither doth Nature now tell us, How 
 long Manmufi have obeyed, before he had merited the 
 fuU Reward of his Perfection. But only that he mull 
 conquer all the Temptations that God would try 
 him with, and muft perfevere till God fhould pleafe 
 to tranOate him, not appointing him any deter- 
 minate time. Nature and Scripture favour this. 
 
 §. 16. There are lome who confidently con- 
 clude (without either natural or Scripture-proof) 
 That had Adam performed but one Aft of Obedi- 
 ence t0 God, before his Sin, he had been confirmed 
 as the Angels, as his Reward : And what a Sin- 
 ner & they make Adam before he finned, if he 
 performed not one Ad of Love and Obedience 
 to his Maker ? This Farcy I difmifs. 
 
 §. 17. Others 
 
 
Cii7] 
 
 §. 17- Others fay, That if he had overcome 
 one Temptation he fhould have been confirmed i 
 but I find no Promife or Proof of it in Nature, 
 nor in Scripture ; and I fuppofe they feign not a 
 fecret conditional Will of God. 
 
 §. 18. Though it be agreed on by moft Prote- 
 ftants, That Adam\\z& been an Heir of Dtath and 
 Hell if he committed the leaft Sin, even an idle 
 thought or word, though he had not eaten the for- 
 bidden Fruit, and fo that the Law of Nature made 
 HcU the due punifhment of the leaft Sin, and doth fo 
 ftill if it be not pardoned, yet the Law of Nature 
 in our lap fed Hate is herein fomewhat dark^, and the 
 Scripture not fo clear for it as fome imagine : 
 But thus much methinks Nature it felf ftill fpea- 
 keth. 
 
 §. 19. 1. That the leaft fin defcrveth €omtde r 
 gree of Punifhment 2. T*hat God hath various 
 degrees of Punifhment, fuiced to the degrees of Sin. 
 3. That the leaft Sin hath a tendency to more, 
 and that ftill to more, till Man be utterly mife- 
 rable. And that both in its own Nature, and in 
 the forfeiture of fome meafure of GoJ?s Grace or 
 Help. 4. Tlfot if you fuppofe that vain thought 
 or word to con fill ftill with true Love to God, God 
 could not immediately hate and damn that Soul 
 that fo loved him. But if that Perfon perifh, it 
 muft be by that idle thought or •word produciflg 
 worfe, till it had turned his love from God to the 
 Creature. 5. That antecedently to Gods underta- 
 king to be the totter of Man, no doubt but as an 
 abfolute Owner, he might have taken away all that 
 he gave him, even his Life and Being, without any 
 fault in Man : for he may do as he lift with hi* 
 own: And therefore he might have done the 
 
 I 3 fame 
 
[ii8] 
 
 fame for the fmalleft/Wr, which he might hare done 
 without it. And therefore he might have infli&ed 
 any Pain, which to Man is not worft than Anni- 
 hilation, for ever. But whether his three fore- 
 mentioned Adts; i. Antecedently jUcing Man as 
 he did. 2. Making him fuck Duty as he made 
 him. 3. And fuch Inclination to better , do not 
 imply that God would not punifh him unlefs he fm- 
 ncd, and then but according to the degree of his 
 Sin, I leave to Confideration. 
 
 §. 20. But whether God muft, and whether he 
 might, punifli the It aft Sin with Hell, are different 
 queftioils : Whether by the Law of Nature he mufv 
 do it or be mjufi, and fo a vain thought was not 
 pardonable by or under that Law, and fo Adam 
 was an Heir of Hell when his thought firfl failed, 
 before he did eat or ctnfent to eat the forbidden 
 Fruit, are queftions which I cannot refolve from 
 Nature, and arc to me more difficult in Scripture 
 than to wifer men. 
 
 §.21. The fuper natural part of the Law is known 
 to us only by Scriptnre, but perhaps the Fathers 
 before the Flood might know more qf it by Tradi- 
 tion, than God hath thought meet to write for our 
 times. 
 
 §. 22. The preceptive ptrt was the not eating the 
 forbidden Fruit, and confequently the overcoming 
 all Temptations thereto : The Law of Matrimony 
 and the Sabbath alfo, arc partly fupcr natural (called 
 fofitive.y 
 
 §.23. The Penalty is called Death, which fig- 
 nifieth Vndeing and Mifery : But whether it was 
 QBly temporal Death or alfo Hell, Divines are not 
 agreed* They that are for the former, feero chiefly 
 drawn to it, by comparing the Law with the 
 
 Judp 
 
Judgment and Execution, thinking it i&dccent to 
 fay, that God fulfilled not his Threatning, but dif- 
 penfcd with it : And therefore feeing Temporal 
 Death only is in the Sentence and Execution^ they 
 think that no more was meant : And confequently 
 that Chrift did not by Redemption,prew»r thzfen- 
 tence and execution of that Death, but only when it 
 was fulfilled, deliver us from continuance under it 
 by a Refurre&ion. 
 
 §. 24. But I would have fuch remember, 1 . That 
 the Soul was made naturally immortal ', that is, not 
 tending to Annihilation, unkfe God fhould againft 
 Nature or fettled Courfe annihilate it. And if it 
 were not annihilated, it mult be in fome ffate^W 
 or had. If it was to be penally annihilated, Chrift 
 prevented that : And fuch an annihilation is as little 
 defirable as a tolerable degree of Pain. 2. And 
 that God's Law determining diredtly but de debito 
 poena, what fhould be Mans due, and not absolutely 
 and peremptorily then de eventu, God referred to 
 himfelf a pardoning Power, fo it were done upon 
 valuable Confederations, more fully glorifying him 
 and his Government and Law, than Man's Deftra- 
 ftion would have done. And thus to difpenle with 
 his Law is no diftionour to God. 
 
 §. 25. It is the Wrath to come that Chrift delive- 
 red us from , and Hell and the Power of Satan that 
 he redeemed us from : Therefore it feemeth that 
 ic was no lefs that our Sin deferred. And fpiritual 
 death is contained in Sin and sJpoftacy it felf. 
 
 §. 26. What thefonw73fwastobe,befideswhat 
 I faid before from Nature, it is not eafie to gather 
 out of Scripture, nor to find there any plainer a 
 Promifc of Life j but in both I think it is certain- 
 ly implied. 
 
 I 4 S-J7-K 
 
[ 120 3 
 
 §. 2j. It is ordinary to fay, That the Condition 
 of Adam's Cenfirmation was* That hefhonldhave ea- 
 ten fir ft of the Tree of Life : But to find that among 
 the Command^ much lefs the Condition with a Pro- 
 wife of Confirmation } Ytquivcih more decerning than 
 I have y notwithftanding the words C Left he. eat 
 and Uve y &c3 from which they gather it. 
 
 §. 28. How far this Law is yet in force, is alfo 
 difficultly difputed. In brief, 1. The general Com- 
 mand of f erf eti Love and Obedience for the future, 
 and the Commands of the unalterable Duties of Na- 
 ture, are ftill fo far in force as to oblige us. 2. But 
 whether y^fr poena mortis is the doubt? Punifhment 
 is due either abfolutely and ftateAly, and fo it mar- 
 keth it due only to the Impenitent and Unbelie- 
 vers. Or only in primo inftanti, inceptivtly, with an 
 annexed Remedy : And fo every Sinmaketh Punifh- 
 jnentfo far due to the Faithful, as that they have 
 need of the Grace rf Chrift, and the new Covenant 
 to pardon it* 3. But the premiant part of the Law 
 of Innoccncy, from whence it is named a Covenant, 
 is now truly null Which maketh our Divines fay, 
 That the Law of Nature ( which they call moral ) 
 bindethas a Rule cf Duty, but the Covenant cea~ 
 feth. 
 
 §. 2p. This was not done by G O D but Man, 
 Who ceafed to be a capable Subject of that Covenant , 
 Tromife or Reward : And fo the CenditionQImocen- 
 cyovferfttt Obedience) being become naturally im- 
 fcfftble, we muft not feign God to fay to Sinners 
 £ On condition you be no Sinners you Jhall live^. But 
 Ceffanto capacitate fubditi cejfatpromiftio conditionally 
 & tranfit infententiam. 
 
 But of the CefTatioH of the Law and Covenant 
 ©flnnocency, fee more after Sett. 5, §.3^ & c - 
 
 §.30. They 
 
[iai] 
 
 § 6 30. They pervert this Covenant by their un- 
 proved Fidions, who fay> that the fence of it was 
 [Thou, or one for thee, fhall obey, and if thou Sin, 
 thou or Chrifi flail fnfcr.2 And fo that we are jufti- 
 ficd by this fame Covenant which condemneth us, 
 as having been innocent and perfedtly righteous 
 (habitually and adtually ) in and by Chrift. 
 
 SECT. IX 
 
 Of the Law of Mediation cr Covenant v?i$h 
 CHRIST. 
 
 §. 1. A S the Mediator in Per fin and Office, dif- 
 J\. fercd from all other Creatures, fo he 
 was under a J.aw and Covenant, proper to him- 
 felf. • 
 
 §. 2. This Law and Covenant was made t§ 
 2nd rcith Christ incarnate : For fo he was a Skbjefl: 
 under Law. It is too bold, improper and ofFenfive 
 a Fhrafe to call God's eternal Decree of Redemption 
 by the Name of a Law, yea, or a Covenant of God 
 with Himfelf, that is, of the Father with the Son. 
 
 §. 3. Therefore all the Defcriptions of it in the 
 Old Teffamcnty are but Prophecies and Promifes 
 containing the terms of the /attire Covenant ; (as 
 we call a form of Pray :r, a Prayer, though it be but 
 matter fitted to be a Prayer when it hath the for- 
 mal aft. ) But Chnft had truly a Law and 
 fromifes. 
 
 §. 4. The Preceptive or impofed part was., in 
 general, that he do the Office of a Mediator : par- 
 ticularly, 1 . That habitually and adlually he fer- 
 ft&ly fulfill all the Law of Nature, which he was ca- 
 pable 
 
C 122] 
 
 pable ef. 2. That he fulfill alfo the Law of Mo [es. 
 3. That he alfo do thofe things proper to the Me* 
 diator, in his Miracles , Sacrifice, Refurretkion, Inter - 
 ceffiony Teaming, Government , &c. which he under*- 
 took. 
 
 §. 5. Chrifttook the Nature of Man, but not 
 ftri&ly the Real or Reput at ive Perfon of any wan, 
 but himfelf, much lefs of every Man or every Belie- 
 ver: I mean, that his Perfon was not the natural 
 Perfon of any other, fior efteemed of God fo to be ; 
 nor yet was he the fall and proper Reprefentative 
 or Civil Perfon of any man, much lefs of a'l men ; 
 that is, One that the Law allowed us to do and fuffer 
 by, fo that in Law-fence his doing and Offering 
 fhould be reputed ours ; as a man payeth a Debt 
 by his Servant or Substitute ; which is morally or 
 reputatively his Adt and Deed, or |^cepted in the 
 fame fort and to all the fame efFe&s and purpofes, 
 as if he had paid it with his own hands. The 
 perfon of the Mediator was not in Law-fence, nor 
 God's account, nor Chrift's undertaking the perfon 
 of the Sinner himfelf 
 
 §. 6. Elfe Chrift fhould have been in God's nc- 
 count a Sinner, and the greateft Sinner in the 
 World, and hated as filch by God above any other 
 Sinner *, which whoever fhall affirm, fhall fpeak 
 prefumptuoufly and blafphemoudy. 
 
 § 7. Yea, elfe Chrilt fhould have been man* 
 millions of per fon s in Law-fence, and many millions ol 
 Sinners ^ which is not agreeable to God's Word. 
 
 §. 8. Chrift neither was a Sinner ; nor reputed 
 Sinner by God : And his being made fin for us, fig-, 
 nificth, 1. That he was made a Sacrifice for Sin, anc 
 was taken and ufed by God as one that undertool 
 to fifferfir our fins, in our Head, though not 11 
 
 oui 
 

 [12?] 
 
 our perfon. 2. And that he was really acceunted 
 a Sinner by thofe that crucified him, and ufed as 
 fuch. 
 
 §. p. Firft, Chrift did not fulfill the Law of In- 
 nccency in our feveral perfons •, He did not all thofe 
 things materially that Adzm was obliged to do ; 
 nor which moft of us are obliged to do. We did 
 not reputatively fulfill that Law by him, fo as 
 that his Perfeftion is taken as onrs, in Habit and 
 in Aft. 
 
 §. ic. Secondly, Chrift did not fulfill the Law 
 of Mofes in the per/on of all them that were ne- 
 ver bound themfelves to fulfill it ; fo as that they 
 are reputed Fulfillers of it in and by Chrift : For 
 fince his Afcenfion it is abrogated even to the Jews 
 themfelves, and now bindeth none in the World 
 (3s Mo/sicaQ 
 
 §. 11- Thirdly, Chrift did not work Miracles, 
 rife, afcend, 'intercede, reign, teach, give Laws, 
 and Minifters, and Grace, in the Perfon of every or 
 <*ny other, but only in his own Perfon as the great 
 Mediator and Saviour of Man. 
 
 §.12. If any will ufe the word [ PERSON 3 
 in a private, narrow and improper fence, and (ay, 
 That £ He who nndertoik^in the perfon of a Med" 
 to obey and merit for our J unification, and to fuffer 
 in our fteadto fave us from deferved fuffering,may 
 therefore be called The Perfon of every one th.r 
 merited and fnjfered for, though I will not (6 prc- 
 fiime to thruft Phrafes on the Church which Scri- 
 pture never ufed, when their obvious fence is perm- 
 riot**, yet if that man will by Explication of tbe 
 word PERSON(orRE PRESENT A TIVE) 
 notifietb the World,that he taketh it in a found 
 
 fence* 
 
[124] 
 
 fena % I will not quarrel about an unfit word, whi!< 
 Pvdigion is fafc. 
 *Jf>hn 12.32. §• t3- * Chrift undertook not on- 
 John 7- 39- & ly to wmr and faffer for Man, but 
 £ 6o > 6i*6* 9 alfo to ^a? all men to him, and tc 
 *3,S4. JoM. f end f orth hi$ Spirit and Miniftry. 
 
 joh 23 io 2 t?^ and t0 g ather together the Eleft oi 
 
 4,7,8, 11, 14) God that arc fcattered through the 
 
 15, to*. & 2. World, and to intercede for them, 
 
 16, &c Heb- and ro gi ve t h em eternal life, having 
 13. 20. joh. 6. raifed them at the laft da 
 
 33>34>35>4 8 > '* 
 
 51,53,63. & 
 
 8.12,13. & 10.10. & 11. 25. & 14. 6,7. & 20. 31. Rom. j- 
 i7> 18, 19, 20. & 8. 1,2,3- Col.^. 3, 4. 2 Tim. 1. 1, 
 Tit. 1. 2; 2 Pet. 1. 3. Joh. 12. 2$, & 17.2,3. Tit. 3. 5, 7. 
 ijoh. 1. 2. &2. 25. & 5. 11, 12, 13, 20. 1 Tim. 1. 16*. 
 Joh. 4. 14. Gal. 6. 8. 
 
 §• 14. The premiant pan of the Law of Media 
 tion, or the Promife of God in this Covenant to 
 Chrift, was, That All fewer fionld be 
 f Mat. 28. 19, £tt/?;? him in f Heaven and Earth, and 
 Joh. 17. 1,2, 3. hefhotfild be Lord both of the Vestd and 
 eXi 4 *? 1 * ' °f the Livitig, ZXI& He*d ever all 
 Phil. 2. 7° 9* " things to the Church, and that he 
 Joh. 5 22. fhould be glorified at God's right hand, 
 
 Col. 1. Joh. 3. andhanjeaName above every Name^ 
 I?' 3g ' at which every knee fiiould bow, and 
 
 Eph 4 7 'z&e that Principalities and Powers Jhon/d be 
 Rom 8. 9. ' fab jed to him. That he be authori- 
 2 Tim. 1. 7. zed to gtvc Laws to the World, (all 
 Rom. 8. 1, to Judgment being committed to him) 
 28,34_Heb.7. and tQ raake w ; th Men a Covc- 
 
 •j. 3 £ om - 8 - nant of Grace and Life, and fend 
 forth Mnifiers to proclaim it, and 
 
 fehe 
 
 
It Spirit to iff \tt the gathering of his Churchy that 
 is Interceffion for them (hall be accepted, and that 
 5 fhall Judge all the World, and jufiifie and glorifie 
 is Chofen according to the tenor of his Covenant 
 f Grace : Which is all accordingly performed. 
 
 §. 15, Though if Ghrift as a Creature had fin- 
 ed, he had deferved Punifhnient, yetthefuppo- 
 tion being of a thing impoffible, by reafon of the 
 Inion of the Divine Nature, it is improper to 
 ilk of any penal part of the Law that was given 
 im : For penal Laws are for thofe that have need 
 >y fear to be reftrained from Sin, or conftraincd 
 o Duty i which Chrift needed not. 
 
 §, 16. Chriffc's entire Ri*hieo*[nefs (as before his 
 ixaltation) habitant, active, paffivs, elevated by 
 inion with the Divine Perfection, was his pcrfor- 
 nance of the Condition cfhis Covenant with the Father : 
 tod his performance of that Condition was his me- 
 'itoriom Title to God's promifed Effefts : And that 
 is it was one entire Righteoufvefs or Condition per- 
 formed : And our Jollification and Salvation are 
 part of thofe promifed Effefts : Therefore it is 
 abufive fubtilty to divide Chrifi*s Performance into 
 little Parcels, and then fay, This Parcel is imputed 
 to me for this ufe, and that for that ufe^ and by one he 
 merited this, and by the other that, when (though 
 each part of his Condition ©r Duty had its proper 
 reafon, yet ) it was only the entire performance that 
 was the Condition of the Benefits, and fo of our Jujti* 
 fi cation and Salvation. 
 
 §. 17. But I fay, £ before his Exaltation'} bc- 
 caufc the Benefits being of feveral forts, fome of 
 them were given upon Chrift's merit prefently, and 
 fome apon Marts believing, and fome not till long 
 after by application ; But to all thefe. what Chriffc 
 
 did 
 
[126] 
 
 did only as under the Law of Mediation, was proper- 
 ly his merit, by which they were procured: But 
 his [undertaking^ what he after did, (in gathering his 
 Church and interceding and ruling) may be num- 
 bered with the parts of his forefaid merit • and 
 ////, as a Creature, he is under his jCreat oPs Law* 
 even the Law of per fell uniting Love, and fo doth 
 eminently ment. 
 
 §. 1 8. It was neither the Covenant nor Will 
 of the Father and Son, that we fhould either have 
 fttll foffeffion, deliverance, or right thereto > imme- 
 diately upon Chrift's Merit and Sacrifice fas we 
 fhould if we had done all by him as our Perfbn) : 
 But that we and all things being delivered to 
 ChrilFs Power and Will, he fhould convey the 
 Benefits of his Death and Merits , upon terms, 
 and in an Order fuitable to the intereft of his 
 Wifdom,Love, Mercy, and Juftice, even by a 
 Law of Grace, and a Miniftry and Means adap- 
 ted to the end, and in the time and degrees which 
 his Wifdom (hould make choice of : Which accor- 
 dingly is done. This Covenant which giveth 
 Right and Reward to Chrift, is not it that giveth 
 any Right or Reward to us. 
 
 SECT. III. 
 
 Of the Law or Covenant of Grace in the firft 
 
 Edition. 
 
 §. i. AS God delivered the Law of Innocency 
 
 l\ partly by natural and real, and partly 
 
 by fetpernatural and verbal iignifications of his will, 
 
 fo hath he done the Law qJ Grace } which is the 
 
 fig- 
 
[127 3 
 
 signification of his Will concerning Pardon and 
 Life granted to guilty Sinners , and the terms 
 thereof. 
 
 §. 2. The Promife, Gen. 3. 15. The feed cf the 
 Woman Jh all break the Serf ems head, &c. Was a Bre- 
 viate of the fupewatural fignification ; but it is not 
 unlikely, that God did more fully acquaint them 
 with his Law of Grace and Redemption, than 
 thofe words alone could make us underftand : Bc- 
 caufe we find in their facrificing, fome fuch inti- 
 mation ; (and in other figns.) • 
 
 §. 3, God's actual Continuance of forfeited Life, 
 Liberty, Health, and other comforts, and his actual 
 ColUt ion of many great Mercies by the courfe of 
 Nature^ to fuch as by Sin have deferved prefent 
 Damnation, is a degree of fignification of his /?^r- 
 demng will and mercy by thefe natural figns : (which 
 they were not before fin and forfeiture.} 
 
 §. 4. Man being after guilt of death, thus re- 
 prieved and enriched with manifold Mercies ,and his 
 life and faculties continued with many inftru&ing 
 providential helps and means, the very Law of 
 Nature now obligeth him to love and thankful™ fs to 
 God that flieweth him fo great kindnefs. 
 
 §. 5. And the fame Law of Nature obligeth hum 
 to take that GodfHU for a God of Love and Mer- 
 cy, and to believe, that what Mercy he hath alrea- 
 dy fhewed the World and us, is on terms which 
 he knovveth to be very well confident with his 
 Holinefs, Truth and Juftice : And it oblige ch us 
 therefore to feek to him for Mercy, and to 
 all poffible means for farther hope and pardon and 
 recovery, and not to fit down in def^ i 
 
 §. 6. The common fence of ail Mankim t\ 
 Adam to this day ? acquainterh us by that expe- 
 rience 
 
[ 1 28 J 
 
 rience, That thefe Hopes and Duties arc found in 
 the Law of Up fed Name : For all the World that 
 never heard the Gofpel, do yet take God to be a 
 merciful, forgiving Ged y and take themfelves to be 
 under forae duty for the obtaining of further mer- 
 cy, recovery and felicity. 
 
 §. 7. Though want of the fenfe of Sin, and its 
 defert, and Man's mifery may be thought by lbme 
 to be the only caufe of this, and fo. that it is but 
 finful prefumption , and no part of Nature's obli* 
 gation } yet* this upon trial will prove falft. 
 ( Though what they alledge be one pan of 
 the Caufe). For, 1. Thefe men do acknow- 
 ledge themfelves Sinners, and to deferve punifh- 
 ment from God. 2. They find fome mifery and 
 fear more. 3. It is not preemption to judge God 
 to be merciful, when they and all the World do 
 find him fo. 4. It is not preemption to judge, 
 that he can and mil pardon Sin, when full Expe- 
 rience aflureth us, that he hath already pardoned 
 much. To remit the Sin, is (as we now lpeak of 
 it ) to remit the deferved punifhment. And He 
 that giveth Man forfeited life, health, time, and 
 all the abundant Mercies which the World is full 
 of, doth thereby fo far aftually forgive Sin : 
 Saith Chrift, Whether is it eafier to fay thy fins 
 be forgiven thee, or to fay arife, take up thy Bed and 
 wal^ that is, Executively 10 forgive them , which 
 is the fall forgiven, fs, by taking away the punifh- 
 ment. 5. It is no prefumption to believe fuch 
 Duty to be incumbent on us, as the remaining 
 Law of Nature doth oblige us to. 6. Nor yet to 
 take God's own Encouragements to feek our own 
 recovery and felicity. 
 
 §,8. The 
 
Ci29 3 
 
 §. 8. The Light and Law of lapfed Nature doth 
 convince men of the duty of repenting and retur- 
 ning to Gcd, and oblige them to it. So that as 
 Perfect Obedience was the duty of entire Nature, fb 
 Repentance is the duty of Upfed Nature : And I 
 think few will fay that all mea are flot hereby 
 obliged to repent, and that in hope of mercy. 
 
 §. 9. Hence it is that it is found among the 
 Communes noittU, and all the World as well as 
 Ghriftians acknowledge it and plead for it. 
 
 §. to. They tnat by God^s Patience and Mercy 
 are invited to Repentance, which is a return from 
 fin to God, and are by Nature obliged to it, ought 
 to believe that it is not made their Duty in vain^ 
 nor fhall they lofe by itif they perform it ; for that 
 were to accufe God of making Pvfans Duty in vain, 
 or to his lofs, which is not to be fufpe&ed. 
 
 §. n . Therefore they are bound not to defpair 
 of Pa don and Salvation } for an obligation to ufe 
 means as tending to recovery, is inconfiftent with an 
 obligation to defpair. Therefore hope of Mercy. 
 and ufe of ibme means Mankind is obliged .to b) ' 
 the Law of lap fed Nature. 
 
 §. 12. This is not the obligation of the Law or 
 Covenant of Innocency -, for that Law t)ound us 
 only Zslnneccnt to keep our Innocency ai\p perfe&4 
 ly therein obey ; But it giveth no p*rd>>^is&x 
 pointeth Man any Duty in order' to pardon am 
 recovery : Whatever doth this, is a Law of 
 Grace. 
 
 §.13. The fum' of that Duty which the Law of 
 Nature now obligeth Man to, is, To conftder efall 
 the Mercies which God vouchfafeth Sinners, and 
 thankfully to improve them ', to repent of fin, and 
 turn to this Cod, who fheweth himfelf a merciful 
 
 K far* 
 
T&rdoning Cod -, To rcfgn themfelves to him as 
 Vatir Owner *> to obey him as their Ruler, and to love 
 and /ert him as their ultimate End ; and to believe 
 that his Mercy will not let us be lofers info doing, 
 nor to do it in vSin. 
 
 §. 14. But the Supernatural Revelation telleth us 
 much more than all this, Of the promifd Seed, the 
 means of our Solvation, and of our Duty in belie- 
 ving them, and of the Certainty 2nd Nature of the 
 Pardon, Deliverance, and Blcifedncfs which we 
 {hall-attain. 
 
 §• J 5.. The Preceptive part at firffc was notte 
 Believe as much of Chrift , as is neceflary fince 
 his Jfcenfion; but to Believe what God prom/fed 
 and revealed of him to the Church at that time. 
 
 §. 1 6; Even under the Old Teftament, God in- 
 xreafed his Revelation of the Afejfiahjirs dually : The 
 Prophets fpake plainlier of him, than -any thing 
 ten before. Therefore a more extenfive and 
 dijhnu belief, was needful in one Age than in a 
 form 
 
 i£. Yet, even the Apo files were in a ftate of 
 4pion, before they under fiood and believed, that 
 Chriic mult jD/> /or S/#, r*/i *g- ^ Afcend &nd 
 Intercede :r. He.wen for his Eled. 
 
 k. 18. lps£ all this was partly revealed before 
 
 yby the Prophets, and plainly foretold them by 
 
 Chrifi himfeif : Tiisrefoie it was not of abfolute 
 
 fteeeffity to Salvation then, to believe all of Chrift 
 
 wi ich had b:cn before Revealed, though it was 
 
 jty to them that knew it. 
 
 §. 19. Therefore under the Covenant of Grace, 
 
 n ef our right, is narrower than the 
 
 hich we arc commanded to perform. 
 
 The From! fed Benefits ( prefuppofing the 
 
 Com* 
 
[ I?I ] 
 
 Common Antecedent Mercies) were Summarily 
 Ch-ift and Life in him : That is, that for the fake 
 of Chri/t's future Merits we fhould have Pardon, 
 Juftification, Reconciliation with God, Adoption, 
 Sanftification and Glory, and all neceffary Helps 
 and Means thereunto. 
 
 §. 20. The Penalty was, i.The John^-is,^. 
 ■Privafbn of Recovery ; 2. and a Matth. 28,20. 
 far fortr pimfimext for In/ratvude £*\ 10 " 20> 
 and contempt ofChrifi and Mtrcy7 
 
 §. 21. This Law or Covenant 
 in this firfi Edition was made with Adam as the 
 Father of v all Mankind; and fo with <*// Mankind in 
 him, as truly and as much as the Covenant of In- 
 nocency was : For', 1 . God's Word maketh no 
 difference. 2. Adam was as much after the Com- 
 mon Father of Mankind, and all we as much in 
 him, as before the Fall. And he that will fay that 
 God arbitrarily Judgeth otherwife of us , muft 
 prove it if he can. 3 . The exprefs Word of God 
 in many places nroveth it, joyning Children with 
 their ParentTin foch BlefTings, and therefore inclu- 
 ding the Children of Adam. 
 
 §. iz. The fame Covenant wifh fome pofitive 
 Additions, it pleated Gcd to renew to and with 
 Noah, bc:au(e he was as a fecond Head and Fa- 
 ther to the generality of all Mankind, all coming 
 from his Loins as they did from Adams. 
 
 §• 23. As all Mankind was made the Subjects of 
 God under this Law of Grace, fo by it they were 
 all to be Governed and Judged, allowing a diver- 
 lit y of Degrees, in the Promulgation, Mercies and 
 Penalties thereof. 
 
 K SECT. 
 
SECT, IV, 
 
 Of th$ fame Law rrirh Abraham^ Covenant of 
 Peculiarity , and the Mofaicd Jcwifh Law of 
 
 §. i. A jBrakimbeing a fubjeft to this fame Law 
 jf\, of Grace) did fo faithfully Believe and 
 Obey it, that it pkafed God to reward him extraor- 
 dinarily, by, i. Renewing the Covenant by fpeclal 
 application to him, and by the promfes of Peculiar 
 Privileges to him and his feed. 
 
 §. 2. Net that his Infant feed was the fir fi that 
 was tdken into Covenant, for the Covenant 
 of Grace had from the beginning been made with 
 the Faithful and their Seed, as well as the Cove- 
 nant of Innocency was. 
 
 §. 3. The Peculiarities of this Covenant werje 
 Initially promulgate to Abraham , Ifaac and Jacob \ 
 and more fully to the Jews as a Politicl^Body^ by 
 Mofes in the Law - 7 with fome particular Sub-addi- 
 tions by David and the Prophets. 
 
 §. 4. ilt. The Vromife to Abraham was, befides 
 the Common 'Covenant of Grace, renewed. 1. A 
 promife of peculiar Favour to his Seedincreafed to 
 k politipal Society in Canaan^ and differenced by 
 fpecial Mercies from all the People of the Earth, 
 2. A promife that the Mrffiah fhould be of his Seed. - 
 
 §.5. This Covenant did not DiJ 'covenant the 
 r?ft that the World, nor put them into any worfe 
 Condition than they were before. 
 
 §. 6. The peculiar Precept of that Covenant 
 was, That by Circumcifion as a Seal and Symbol r 
 and by peculiar Gratitude anc| Obedience, and re- 
 
 linquifh* 
 
linquifliing the Sins of the Degenerate World 
 about them, they fhould difference thenjfelvesfrom 
 others, as God's peculiar People. 
 
 §. 7. As the Covenant of Peculiarity was not a 
 [titrated fate, bat an additional Privilege and 
 Reward to Abraham as faiihful to the Common 
 Covenant of Grace ; fo Circumcifion was the Sym- 
 bol neither of Abraham as under the Law of 
 Grace alone, nor as under the Covenant of Peculi- 
 arity alone (for that was never alone) but as of 
 One under both y even under the Utter as a Reward 
 for his fpecial Fidelity in the former. And fo it 
 was a Seal of the Right coufaefs of the Faith in the 
 Common Covenant of Grace, which he had being yet 
 Vncircumcifed, though a Symbol alfo of his after 
 Peculiarities, Rom. 4. 1,2, &c. 
 
 §. 8. Infants intereft in the very Covenant of 
 Peculiarity j and Jewifh Church-pate, was not in£- 
 parable from Circumcifion. As Infants were ever 
 Members in the Common Church and Covenant of 
 Grace with their Parents before Circumciilon, fo 
 they were alfo without it Members of the jevrifi 
 Church y when as all the Females were Members, 
 and all the Males in the Wildemcfs, who for Forty 
 Years w^re Uncircumcifed : Yeris it called, The 
 Church in the Wilder nefs , when except very few 
 at laft it was an Uncircumcifed Church , Acts 
 
 §. 9. Much lefs did Gcd lay fuch a neceffity on 
 the outward Sacramental Aft, as to de amn 
 
 to the Uncircumcifed aforefaid,as fome would have 
 us think that even under the Gofpel he doth by Sa- 
 craments,The Covenant was ftill ncceffery as confent- 
 ei to by the Adult for themfeives and their Infant 
 
 K 3 feed 
 
[*34 ] 
 
 feedjovfc net alway the onward facrament or fymbolc. 
 
 §. 10. The gathering of Ifrael into a Policy 
 by Mofes y as a Theocracy, and their receiving a 
 Law from God himfelf as a Political Body, was 
 but the full Eftablifhment of the Covenant of Fuu- 
 liarity, in performance of what God had promi- 
 fed to Abraham, and in Circumcifion had begun. 
 
 §. 1 1. This Law of Mo fis therefore rauft be 
 Confidered as an Affix or Appendix to the Com- 
 mon Law of Grace, and fo either as related to it, 
 or as confidered limply and diftin&ly in it felf 
 without that relation. And as it was a Divine 
 Political Law, for the Government of a R^pub- 
 lick as fuch. 
 
 §. 12. The Common Covenant of Grace was 
 the Soul as it were of this Political Jewiih Law j 
 and therefore was really exprelfed in it, in the 
 Qecalogue and other parts : As it was the Seul of 
 their ftate of Peculiarity, which was the Reward 
 of Abraham's Faithfulneis in the Common Cove- 
 nant : And their peculiar Promife to Abraham's 
 Seed as the Nations Bleffing, with their Types and 
 Prophecies all led them to Chrift more plainly than 
 , he was revealed to others. 
 
 §. 13. The Lav/as fuch anjfpptndix, contained 
 Preceptively the DecaUgue as the Summary and 
 ftam'wa, and the particular Determinations under it, 
 as belonging to the Firfl: and Second Table; For 
 all thofe ( not accurately diftinguifhed as Moral? 
 Political and Ceremonial, ) are but the particular 
 Determinations of the things only Generally ex- 
 prelTld in the Decalogue, according to which they 
 are fitlier diftributed, 
 
 §. 14. It pleafed God td make the particular 
 Treccpts ( about Worlhip and Political Converfe ) 
 
 fo 
 
Afls 
 
 H- 
 
 10. Gal. 
 
 <:. i. 
 
 & 
 
 Rom. 7. 
 
 &8. 
 
 3,4 
 
 . Git 3. 
 
 & 4 . 
 
 & 
 
 5. Heb. 
 
 7.& 
 
 IQ. 
 
 Rom. 3. 
 
 & Ogk 
 
 k 
 
 
 fo many, and the Sacrifices fo Coft!y,and the Penal- 
 ties fo Severe, as that it became a 
 very operous Employment to do 
 the External Ads of it } which the 
 PcopLe made a Snare of to them- 
 felves: For, 1. Thereby they 
 were fo taken up with the outward 
 Work, that they negledted the in- 5- 
 ward fpiritual exereifes of the 
 Soui,without which all the reft are dead and carnal 
 things. 2. And they hereby grew into fo high 
 a conceit with the Letter of the LAw it felf, and 
 theft^ External Duties, as that they thought the 
 very doing of them was enough to make them 
 jult and acceptable to God, and forgot the true 
 Doftrine of the Promifed Meffiah , and Righte- 
 oufnefs by him. 3. And hereby they grew Proud 
 as if they had for thefe Externals, b:en fo much 
 better than all other People, that all the World 
 was Abominable fave they. 4. And they w r ere 
 fo intent on the prefent Political Punifhments to 
 be efcaped or fuffered, and Rewards to be won or 
 loft, that they much overlooked the everlafting 
 Punifhments and Rewards : And this Corruption 
 increafed till Chrift came to Cure it } who found 
 the Sadnctis not believing a Life to come, and the 
 Pbarifees deceived by their External Legal Works 
 2nd Righteoufnefs, and moft of the People too, 
 ignorant of the true Spiritual Rightcoufnefs re- 
 quired by the Law it felf. 
 
 §♦ is- It may feem to fome a difficult Qucfti- 
 on whether God by fuch a Law made them H*p~ 
 pier or Worfe than the reft of the World ? And 
 whether Chrift's Abrogation of it was not a re- 
 turning them to the common , eafisr and better Condi- 
 
 K 4 tion 
 
tn6i 
 
 fcion of Mankind ? Anf. i . You muft know, that 
 though God made a common Covenant of Grace 
 with Mankind, the reft of the Nations about them 
 were fallen into Ignorance and Idolatry ; and the 
 Jewifli Law much tended to cure both, and to make 
 them better know God and the meaning of the Co- 
 venant of Grace, and to return to him from Idols, 
 and worfhip him aright. So that the Jews were 
 happier than other Nations. 2. The abufe of 
 their Law was through their fault and folly, and 
 the Law by the faithful among them was better 
 underftood and ufed. 3. Chriit, after fetting up 
 a better Covenant in its ftead, did bring the Church 
 into a better ftate than the Jews were: But the 
 Unbelievers and idolatrous World, that had not 
 Chrift's better Covenant, were ftill left in a worfe 
 Hate than the Jews were before Chrift's Incar- 
 nation. 
 
 §. 16". And God by this of crow Law would hum- 
 ble the Jews, that by their peculiarity were apt 
 to be puffed up with Pride : And. as all his works 
 grow to Perfe&ion by degrees, even the Works 
 of Grace in particular Souls, fo did his Means 
 of Grace, and the welfare of his Church -, which 
 was to begin at their Rudiments, and grow up to 
 better means and knowledge : -yet fo that all were 
 to be judged according to the Law that fliey were 
 under. 
 
 §. 1 7. It is this oferopts Law efMofes which Paul 
 meaneth ufiially by the £ Law of Worh, and the 
 old or formr Covenant'] and neither the Law or 
 Covenant of Innocency made to Adam, nor yet as 
 if this Law of Mofes were of the fame Tenor or 
 Conditions, and fo called a Covenant of Works, 
 as making Innocmy its Condition : But this Law 
 
 which 
 
E.IJ7-3 
 
 which was an Appendix to the Law of Grace, 
 and was a peculiar Law of Grace it felf 7 is died, 
 The Law of Works, bccaufe of the great and hur- 
 denfome and coftly Externals before mentioned, 
 2nd bccaufe as a political Law in fo much inlifteth 
 comparatively on thofe Externals, 2nd the Do 
 ftrine of Grace is comparatively more obfcurcin 
 k than in theGofpel; and bccaufe the Jews had 
 by their abufive Interpretation overvalued the 
 Externals and operous Ceremonies and Sacrifices 
 of it. 
 
 §. 18. The mifhke of PauPs meaning in this 
 Phraf^C^r Law of Works, or old Covenant] hath 
 led fome men to a new frame of Theology in a 
 treat part, and engaged others in Errors, and 
 fruitkfs Contentions. 
 
 §. i£. By the words [He that doth the fs things 
 Qiall live by them'] as diftinguifhed from btlievir^ 
 Paul meant not that the Condition of the Jewifh 
 Covenant of Peculiarity or Law, was the fame 
 urfttt Imocency as was required in the firftLaw 
 )f Adam ^ for when Man was adually guilty, it 
 vas impoffible that he fhould ever become one 
 hat had not finned : And w r e mud not pucfuch v 
 1 fcorn on the infinitely wife and righteous Go- 
 ernour of the World, as to fuppofe him to have 
 iich a Law or Covenant as this [// 'you that are 
 Inxcrs are not (inntrs yon Jfiall be faved~], much 
 *fs to make this a Covenant of peculiar favour. 
 
 §. 20. Nor doth Paul mean, That the Laws 
 Condition was [If you will never [in more, I wtll 
 wden allthat*s fafil* For God r.ever made fiich a 
 aw with man -, not to fin being morally impofTi- 
 lc to them, and Pardon never offered on fuch 
 srms. 
 
 §•21. To 
 
1 138 1 
 
 §. 21. To put all out of doubt, 1. God be- 
 fore-hand proclaimed the Name ofthat God from 
 whom they received their Law, Exod. 34. <5, 7. 
 The Lord the Lord God > merciful and gracious^ lon<* 
 f«fftring and abundant in goodnefs and truth, keeping 
 Aiercyfor thwfands, forgiving iniquity ', tranfgrejfion 
 and jiVy though he wM by no means clear the guilty. 
 • ( That is, He wilt not judge a Sinner to be no Sin- 
 ner, nor the Wicked to be Godly, nor pardon 
 and fave any contrary to theeflabliflied terms of 
 his Covenant.,) 2. And the Law it felf hath ma- 
 ny exprefs means of fcrgivenefs of Sin appointed, 
 as facrificing, confefling, &c. which fheyvetlj that 
 it was a Law of Grace. 
 
 §.22. By the Law , Paul ufually meaneth the 
 rpritten Law of Mofes, as contained in the very words 
 now in car Bibles: As by the Word of God we ufual- 
 ly mean the Scripture. Therefore though it con- 
 tain much of the Law 0/ Nature, yet as a written 
 Law j and part of a Law of 'Peculiarity and Policy 
 of that Nation) even the Decalogue maybefaidto 
 be done away, though as the Law of Nature and of 
 Christ it ftili rcmaifl. 
 
 §. 23. By the Works of the Law then, which 
 Paul moftly difputeth of, and by [_ He that doth 
 thefe things Jhall live in them ] is meant, That this 
 Law, befides the fweet and eafe Precepts of faith 
 and Love, did as part of the Matter of the Jews 
 Obedience, require abundance of bardenfome Ex- 
 ternals, and he that would not do all thofe muft die 
 ( for Obedience even to thofe commanded Task* 
 was then made neceflary by God) : And as to tern-? 
 poral dcarh, it was not by -that Law to be efca-. 
 ped, but oa the ftrift terms thereby required : So 
 that doing thefe things^ was necefTary to life tempo- 
 ral, 
 
0F, (and to eternal in iincerity) : And the driving 
 >n the People by temporal punifhments to^ thefe 
 internals, was that Body cf the Law which the 
 niftaking Jews had feparated from the Soul 
 )f it. ^# 
 
 §.24. And he faith, None could he juftifitd by 
 he Works cf lbs ''Law, becaufe this written political 
 Law and its externals, were in this Diipute put in 
 >ppo(ition to Chrifi, and the Law taun lor the 
 neer Body of MdfsPs Law, feparated from the 
 Law of Grace, which was its&wrf; and no doubt, 
 :. It is Faith in tie Redeemer and Covenant b£ 
 jracc, which is the Condition of 'constituting Men 
 hi ft, (which they muft have before any Obedience 
 o their particular Laws could be fcicere and ac- 
 cptable :) and the faithful keeping cf the Lmv of 
 ^racc, which is made the Condition of falvaiiw. 
 . And to dream that legal Stri&nefs, Ceremonies, 
 Sacrifices , or other legal Works , would juftifie 
 hem without Chrift and Faith in him, or any 
 >therwife than as A As of Obedience to their Re- 
 ieemer, b/ which their fidelity to the Covenant 
 >f Grace was to be exprefied while that Law was 
 n force, was contrary to the true meaning of their 
 ^awitfelf. 
 
 §. 25. The reft of tte World were not in the 
 Covenant, nor under the Law of Peculiarity or 
 ewifh Policy. And as fuck' (*s is faid^ it is 
 low all abrogated, even the Decalogue it felf, 
 hough its Matter be ftill in force, as aforefaid. 
 
 SECT. 
 
1 140 ] 
 
 SECT. V. 
 
 
 Of the Law or Covenant of Grace in the laft Edi' 
 tion , or the Go f pel. 
 
 §. i.X 7T THether the Covenant of Grace in 
 V V the firft edition to Adam, and this 
 of the fecond edition by Chrift, fhall be called 
 One or Two, the fame or divers, and the old 
 Church and the Gofpel- Church the fame or not 
 the fame w fpecie, are but needlefs queftions about 
 the bare Name of Onenefs, as long as we agree 
 wherein they differ > and wherein they differ not. 
 In fome refpe&s they may be called the fame, 
 and in fome not the fame. 
 
 §. 2. The Parties in the firft Covenant of Grace 
 were really but two: GOD and Man fiinlefs you 
 could prove that Chrift had then fuch ajitper ange- 
 lical Nature in which he mediated, as fome before 
 mentioned hold). But the Parties in the new Cove- 
 nant of Grace are really Three, viz.. G O D as the 
 abfoluiely Supreme, who gave us 2. Mediator \ 
 and Chrift the Mediator, as tho fupreme Subad- 
 miniftratorto whom all Power is given, and Man 
 the Subjeft to both. 
 
 §. 3. The Benefits of the firft Edition, refpefted 
 a fkture'SavioHr and his future Right eon fine fs ,S*cri- 
 fiec, and Mints: But the Benefits of the fecond 
 Edition refpeft an exiftem Mediator and his merits 
 and facr'tficc already performed, and accepted of 
 God. 
 
 §. 4. The revelation of life eternal and Man's 
 fpiritual felicity nnd duty, is far clearer in the 
 fecond Edition than in thp firft. 
 
 §•*• As 
 

 [ Mi 3 
 
 §. 5- As there is more done for us, ib there are 
 ore full and excellent means provided for Man's 
 iformation, converfion , fan&ification and ialva- 
 on, in Apoftles, Scriptures, Miracles, fpiritual 
 ordinances? than under the firit. 
 §. 6. As the means excel, fo the Spirit is given 
 i a greater me a fur e, anfwerable to the greater Re- 
 flation and tr.eans : And is fpeciaHy Cbri/PsWit- 
 fs and Agent in the World, and the mark, of h : s 
 cculiar ones. 
 
 §. 7. And as mere is done for us, fo more is 
 ow to be believed by us : Many r.eceflary Articles 
 *e added to our Faith : That this Jefiu is the flfef* 
 *h, that he was conceived by the Ho!y Ghoft 7 
 3rn cfthe Virgin Mary, fufFered under P. tilatt^ 
 as crucified , dead and buried , defcended to 
 f ades> role- again the third day, alcended to Hea- 
 :n, is there glorified in our Nature, Head of 
 1, &c. are all new Articles of our Faith, which 
 kfore were not required, becaufe not revealed, or 
 ie matter extant. 
 
 §. 8. This fecond Edition is both the Covenant 
 Cf,_a:;d a Covenant of Peculiarity, far excel- 
 ig the Jewifl] Covenant cf Peculiarity : Believers 
 e a holy Nation, a royal Priefthood, a peculiar 
 *ople, &c. 
 
 §. 9- This Covenant fuppofeth the antecedent 
 fts of a Saviour to be incarnate, and do his wr- 
 torious and facrifieing part, and all fuch Prepara- 
 >ries, and of Life, Gofpel and Opportunities gi- 
 *n to the Sinner. 
 
 §. 10. The parts of the Covenant are, 1. The 
 mditional Gifts or Bent fits. 2. The Condition cr 
 :ms of Right. 3% The Rule of Duty. 4. The 
 
 Pen4:y 
 
[142] 
 
 Penalty for violation or negleft of the Cov 
 nant. 
 
 §. j r. i. The Gifts are, Cod the Father, S 
 *nd Holy Ghoft in their Covi nam -Relation to its, a\ 
 i he love of the Fat her , the Grace of the Son, andt 
 Communion of the Holy fpint. x Or as it is briei 
 exprefied in I f oh. 5. 10, 11. Chrifl and life 
 him, that is, Pardon, J unification, the Spirit, A& 
 ptionzxA Glory, at fir ft in right, and after in p 
 ' feffion -, and all means and mercies which God fee) 
 meet to bring us to it. 
 
 §.12. 2. The Condition of cur firft Right i 
 1. That of -natural necclfity, viz.. Repentance ar 
 Return to God ; 2. Of natural and inftituted necc 
 fity, Belief and Confidence in C hrifl, and Cov 
 nsnt-Conlent. 
 
 §. 13. The Condition of our continued and co\ 
 fummate Right and full PoflefTion, is the form< 
 Faith and Confent continued, Repentance renew 
 ed when we knowingly fin, and iincere Obcdicnc 
 nrdPerfeverance. 
 
 §.14. 3. Seeing fincerc Ohcdience fuppofeth 
 Law, we muft know chat more is in the Precej 
 than in the Condition : Therefore we diftinguifli < 
 neceffita* prtceptr & medii. The Precept rcqu 
 reth perfect Obedience as rlne ; But Sincerity 
 the Condition , and will fave without Perfi 
 dion. 
 
 § 14. The Precepts or Lavoof Chrifl now cot 
 tain , !♦ TheLaw of Nature ( for all Things an 
 Judgment are given up to him. ) 2. The new f 
 culiar Laws of Grace, containing our fpscid Fai\ 
 in Chafe, and his facial Inflitmims of Churcl 
 Order, Miniftcry, Worftip, &c. 
 
 §. 1$. Ti 
 
C HI ] 
 
 §. 15. The Tevalty of the Law of Grace in this 
 Jit ion, as as in the fir ft, 1, kPrhmion of its 
 
 fits to Nor:con[enttrs or h.-fdels, with a greyer 
 gree of psqufoment for Ingratitude. 2. And wkb- 
 rawing* of the Spirits help for our quenching 
 [id relifting it, and abufing Mercy. 3. And tern- 
 oral caftigatory Punifhments to Believers for 
 leir faults. 
 
 §. 16. The Sum of all efiential to this Covenant, 
 1 in Baptifm,and the Lords Supper , which are there- 
 >re Sacraments and Symbols .of it} and Baftiftt 
 as appointed by Chrift himfelf to be the foiemn 
 fikiation, Badge, and Character of his Diiciples 
 id Church-Members. 
 
 §. 17. The Hiftoryof Chrifh's Life and Suffer- 
 igs, and of his Apofrles Life and Preaching, and 
 I the reft of holy Scripture, is God's Word, and 
 is Doftrire belonging to the Gofpei-Covenant. 
 Ut it is thsCovenant it felf, or Lav of Gr/rce, 
 hich all that are under it, muft be riiled and 
 dged by v and conftituteth the Elfentials of Chri- 
 ianity. 
 
 §. 1$. This Covenant did conftitute Chriftiani- 
 r many years ( fuppofed eight ) before any part 
 : the New Teftament was written, as now extant, 
 id near feventy years before it was all wric- 
 :n. 
 
 §. 19. As Man hath an httt&&, a 9F& $ 2nd an 
 xtcMive power, and the Gofpel is to work on alU 
 the Creed is the Summary of our Belief, the 
 ords Prayer, of our Defire * 7 and the ChrifiUn De- 
 legate and Inftitntions^ of our pra&ice, as expountl- 
 g whan Baptifoi generally expreffeth. 
 §. 20. Though to the Jews that were bred up 
 ^der the ufe of the Old Teltament, and that ex- 
 pected 
 
[ 144 3 
 
 ;cd the Mefiiah, theApoflies ftaid not long in 
 itrudting them, before they baptized them, whei 
 they profeffed Repentance and Faith in Chrift 
 ye: it cannot be conceived, but that with tfr 
 ignorant Gentile Chriftians, all Teachers took pain 
 10 make them underftand, firft what they were t< 
 profefsand promife •, for ignorant doing they knov 
 not what, pleafeth not Gcd. And therefore tha 
 the Faith contained in the three Baptifmal An\cle\ 
 was certainly explained in more words, and accord 
 ingly prcfeflbd ; which muft be in fubftance tha 
 called the Apoftks Creed, which the Churches pre 
 fervation and ufe, with the Cuftom of long inftru 
 ftingCatecumens, giveth us notice of, as well as th< 
 reafon of the thing, 
 
 §. 21. When we find Chrift commanding hi 
 Apoftles to difciple the Nations, and baptize them ii 
 the Name of the Father, Sor? and Holy Ghojt, anc 
 t each than all his Commandments ; and when W r e dai- 
 ly fee, afcer people have learned to fay, Tkey belief 
 tn the Father, Son, and Holy GhoSi\ how long it i 
 ere they' underftand the meaning of thofe three Ar- 
 ticles ; and when we know that it is not bare words, 
 without the fence, that conftituteth the Chriftiar 
 Faith ; no fober Man will doubt, whether the per- 
 fonsto be baptized were taught the fence as well a! 
 the words j which muft be dope by more words. And 
 it is certain that thofe Words were not to alt & 
 Chrift' s Baptifmal Covenant, nor the Nature and 
 Terms of Chriftianity, hut to expound them; And 
 it is certain, that multitudes were fo weak, thai 
 had thofe Words been very long and many , they 
 would rather have burdened them, than become 
 their own profeffion,as underftood and remembred 
 And it is certain, that the changing of words doth 
 
 eaiily 
 
[14?] 
 
 eafily turn to a change of the fenfc j and that even 
 then Herefies quickly multiplied ; which made it 
 ncceiTary to the Church to be careful to preferve 
 found Do&rine. From all which it clearly follow- 
 ed^ that a Creed ( that is, a Summary Profeffion 
 of Belief explaining the Baptifmal Articles) was 
 in common ufe in all the Churches many years be- 
 fore the writing of the New Teftament. And it 
 is not likely that in the Apoftles days the Churches 
 did receive it from any but themfelves. 
 
 §. 22. Yet it is not probable that they compo- 
 fed exactly fuch a Form of Words as might not at 
 all be altered, and ufcd ftill the very fame terms 
 for the Creeds rec-ited by her.&iu, TertulUan, Mar- 
 cellw in EfiphaniM*, and others, do all differ in fome 
 words from one another, and fome Articles have 
 been added fince the reft ( of which fee Vjhcr' and 
 foffitu de Symbol**. ) But ( except thofe few Ad- 
 ditions ) they all agree in Sence j which may per- 
 fwade us that the ancient Churches kept ftill to 
 Word* which figniSedthe fame matter of the Arti- 
 cles of our common Creed, and admitted no vari- 
 ation of the Words, but fuch as was fmafl, and 
 endangered not the Doftrine. 
 
 §. 23. Though Eaptifm explained by the Sym- 
 bol of Faith, Lords Prayer, and Decalogue, contain' 
 at haft the Constitutive Ejftntials of Chriftianity, 
 yet the Integrals are much larger, and all that 
 Chrift commanded was to be taught the Church. 
 And though this was done by Voice many years by 
 the Apoftles before they wrote any part of the 
 New Teftament, yet the Memory of men from Ge- 
 neration to Generation, would have been a very 
 unfafe and treacherous Prelerver of fo many things, 
 iad they been committed to Memory alone s 
 * L There- 
 

 [146] 
 
 Therefore it pleafed the Wifdom and Love of God, 
 to infpire the Apoftles prophetically and infalli- 
 bly to commit the Sum of the Hiftory of Chrift's 
 Life, Sufferings, and Death, &c. with all the Inte- 
 grals of his Word, to thofe durable and facred 
 Records which we call the Holy Scriptures, for the 
 caller and fullerPropagationandPrefervation of the 
 Chriftian Faith, and -all its Integrals, efpecially his 
 Example and facred Precepts •, yea, and the ne- 
 ceflary Accidentals, or Appurtenances. 
 
 §.24. Becaufe the Scriptures contam both in 
 Words and Ser;ce y much more than the Lflentials of 
 Chriftianity, and fo more than isofabfolutenecef- 
 fity to Salvation •> many a million may be faved, 
 that underftand not all that is in the Scriptures ; 
 nay, no man on Earth underftandeth it perfe&ly: 
 And he that underftandeth and receiveth the £/"- 
 fentids, (hall be faved, though he were ignorant 
 of athoufand particular Texts. 
 
 §. 25. Therefore it is that the Church hath 
 ever feledted the great and molt neceffary Truth?, 
 and taught Children and Catechifed Perfcns thefe 
 before the reft, by way of Catechifm - 7 of which 
 the forefaid Creed, Lords Prayer, and Decalogue 
 are the Sum, and the Sacramental Covenant is that 
 Sum yet more contracted. And it hath not been" 
 the Churches way to teach Children or Converts 
 the Bible over in order indifferently, without fe- 
 lefting firft the Marrow out of the whole, which 
 the Ignorant cannot do for themfelves. 
 
 §. 26. Befides the Method or Order of the 
 Scripture books, there is fpecially to be ftudied 
 bythofc that will be more perfedt than the ruder 
 fort , the trnt Method of the Body of Doftrwe, 
 contained in al] the Scriptures : For ail the parts 
 
 of 
 
 
C47J 
 
 of that Doftririe have that Place, Order, and Re« 
 fpect each to other, as maketh up the Beauty and 
 Harmony which is in the whole. And even in 
 the Covenants, the Creed, Lords Prayer, and Deca- 
 logue, there is a rooft excellent Order and Method, 
 above all that is found in Ariftorte, or any humane 
 Writers, though, alas ! too few perceive it. 
 
 §. 27. Therefore they that gather true Syftems 
 of Thcohgy 7 do not add to the Scripture, nor 
 feign it to have a Method which it hath not ( no 
 more thaa Cstechifms do ) but only gather out 
 that Doftrine which is there, and deliver it in the 
 true Scripture-niethod ; rot as it lieth in the or* 
 dcr of Words^ but in the order of Relation that ■" 
 one Truth hath to another. And to defpife this 
 leal Method, becaufe every dull and flothful Wit 
 doth not fee it in the Scriptures, is indeed to 
 defpife the Matter and Defign of the Scripture , 
 and to defpife all true and clear Knowledge of 
 things Divine : For to fee Truths placed in their 
 proper Order, doth differ from a knowing of 
 fome csnfufed parcels , as knowing the parts of 
 a Man, a Pidure, a Clock, a Houfe, a Ship, &c. 
 duty compaginated, and feeing all the parts caffc 
 confufedly on a heap. But to draw up a true Me- 
 thod is the Work of a skilful hand*, andmiftaken 
 ones fo feduce, that one Error in the Order leads 
 to many. 
 
 §. 28. Yet even Catechumens and young Chri- 
 flians fhould learn what they learn in method : 
 And that is firft the faid Bapifmal Covenant, and 
 our Relation to the Trinity thereby } and all that 
 is added to their Knowledge daily ( be it never 
 fo little ) fhonld be methodically added : For a 
 weak head may perceive the true method of the 
 
 L 2 few 
 
I M* J 
 few Eflentials (being great and phin), though the 
 ftrongeft cannot follow the due Diftribution of in- 
 numerable Integrals and Confequent Truths : As 
 the firft partitions of the Tree into its greater 
 Boughs, are eafily perceived, though not the in- 
 numerable fprigs thence arifing. 
 
 §. 29. Accordingly a wife Teacher will pro- 
 ceed with Infidels tn proving the Chrifiian Religion^ 
 ( yea, and » with himfelf ) 5, and will firft prove the 
 Truth of the hffentials (which are delivered us bath 
 in Scripture, and other infallible Tradition) be- 
 fore he undertake to prove all the Scriptures to 
 be the Word of God : For he that will begin here, 
 1. Muft Ihevr the Book whxh he will fo prove ^ 
 and when he cannot vindicate it from variety of 
 Lections 1 and the Errors of Scribes and Printers (to 
 fay nothing of the greater of Tranjlators ) it will 
 ftophini in his Defigns. 2. And when he hath fa 
 many thoufand Words to prove to be Divine, and 
 fo many Integrals and Accidentals to make good, 
 he makcth his Work difficultly allowing his Scho- 
 lar to doubt as much of the Eflentials of Religi- 
 on, as he fhall doubt of the Truth of any particu- 
 lar Book or Text, Hiftory, Genealogy, arc. in 
 the whole Scripture. A blind Z«al for Scripture 
 bach led fome to this dangerous w ay ^ but the an- 
 cient Churches did otherwife, and ft will all that 
 well underftand what they do. And really on 
 fuppolition it could be proved C as it cannot ) that 
 any Penman of the Scripture erred in a Ckation, 
 a Genealogy, the Circumftance of a bye- Hiftory, 
 &c. it would not follow >that we muft be therefore un- 
 certain of all our Religion, even the Eflentials ; 
 and they ignorantly betray their Faith, that fay, 
 If wchld fo follow. 
 
 §• 3°' 
 
 
[H9l 
 §. ao. So far is it from being true, that the 
 Scripture is too narrow? as to the matter of Di- 
 vine Faith and Duty, without the additional mat- 
 ter cf Tradition , that indeed, as the complcat 
 Body of a Man hath more than his Efentials? yea, 
 or Integrals, even Hair and Nails, as Accidents, fo 
 hath the Holy Scripture, as to the matter of Di- 
 vine F *i 'th and Duty. There 13 more than is ab- 
 solutely neceflary to Salvation, but not lefs. 
 
 §.31. They that in peevifh oppofition to 
 
 others, tell us, That Chrift made no Law , and 
 
 that the Co/pel is not a Law, if they ftrive not a- 
 
 bout equivocal Words, but mean that Chrift is not 
 
 a Legislator , nor hath a Law and Covenant by 
 
 \hich he will govern and judge the World, do deny 
 
 ill our Chrifthnity at once : For Chrift is not Chrift, 
 
 f he be not the King of the Church ? nor is he 
 
 ^ing, if he be not a Lawgiver? nor doth he RhU 
 
 aid Judge, if he have no Law ? which is fo far 
 
 rom Truth, that there is now?** Law of God that 
 
 e are under, but what is truly the Law ofCbri&: 
 
 or he is Lord of all, and Head over all things to 
 
 i* Church ? and all fower in Hea- 
 
 en and Earth is given to him 5 and J olm - 1 7- 2 - & l V 
 
 ie Father (alone , or mcerly as £ Matr - lS - '* 
 
 re.tor, by the Law of Innocency j f om 22 H E 9 p ft 
 
 'Hgeth no man? hut hath committed 23. 
 
 judgment to the Son? as Redee- 
 er and Univerfal Adminiftrator. The lapfed 
 ~orld, and the Law which they are under, asra- 
 *al Creatures, are now delivered up to the Re- 
 enter, whofe Law ( as is aforefaid ) hath two 
 rtsj 1. The Law of lapfed Nature, i common- 
 called the Moral Law. ) 2. The Remedying 
 iwof Faith ? of which before. 
 
§. 32. But it is not to be fuppoled, that th< 
 very preceptive part of the Law oilnnocency is nov 
 in Force to us, as it was to Adam\ For itboun< 
 him to be perfectly innocent in Acb and Difpofniom 
 But to a Man that hath hfi his Innoctncy, and i 
 already in Aft and Habit finful, it is not to b 
 fuppoled, that the Law faith, Thou fhalt be innocent 
 For that were to command not only a Moral, bu 
 a Phyfical abfolute impoffibility, as faying, Thou Jbal 
 not have finned. 
 
 §.33. Ob). God changeth not his Law when ma) 
 changeth his capacity : Therefore the Law maybe th 
 fame 04 in Innecencyj both as to the Precept, Threat' 
 King, andVromife : God may [till fay, 1. Sin not, 01 
 be innocent : 2. And if thou be per fell, thou Jhali 
 live : 3 . Elfe thou [halt die. And tf man will fnaki 
 himfelf uncapable, it^s his own change. 
 
 §.34. Anfw. I lpake to this before, and now 
 further add ^ God's Law is not to be taken for ; 
 meer fcript of Words confidered as Handing in <\ 
 JBoek^ not obliterated, or as written on flone, and no.'i 
 broken, or cafl avpay: The fignum materially maji| 
 Hand, and the Law be changed, and the fignifca^ 
 tion ccafe : As a repealed Statute may be ftill in tfrj 
 Ttook^vxA Records: God's Law isfiwumvoluntam 
 divina, dtbitum conftituentis : Therefore if it figli 
 nific not God^s Will as conftituting what fhall be dtX 
 from us, and tow, it is no haw. And that it mal 
 fofignifie his Will, and conftitute Duenefs (Debit m\ 
 or Jus ) (or as they ufe to fay, oblige and givel 
 the Subject muft be in a natural capacity : Fcj 
 where there is no S-ubjeH to be obliged, there T 
 no Law. And where natural capacity ceafcth (>:! 
 in a dead corps ) there is no Subjeft to be govefl J 
 ed: And the Law is InfhHmmitm ngiminis. ! 
 
[MO 
 that if you do not only fay, This was God's L*#, 
 but This is God's Law? you muft mean? Thus he 
 now obligeth man, and This he threatneth now, and 
 This he conditionally giveth him. So that if it be an 
 unchanged Law to us, juft as it was in lnnocency? 
 you muft make this the fence of precept , threat? and 
 tromfc. i . f Prefcrve thine Innocency, and fin not 
 in *l~l or habit) hut be thou a pe feci Obcyer of my 
 J^rpj;] and this to one that hath finned already, 
 and is habitually inclined to more: q.d. ULetnot 
 th.it be which is, or quod fiittum eft tnfe&Hm fiat. 
 2. If thou fin, thou fiialt be an Heir If Death. ] 
 When we are Sinners, and Heirs of Death alrea- 
 dy: 3. £ If thou be, and continue jinle fs and per* 
 r ecf, thoH fi^lt not die but live. ] When we are Sin- 
 ners and dead before. In which Cafe, all Law and 
 deafen faith, That the Law doth tranfire in jen- 
 er.tiam, vel rem ju die at am. 
 
 §♦35- So that, as was before-faid, the Cover 
 $dnt of IVorkj is ceajed \ yea, the Law or Precept 
 rindeth not now, as it is a Law cf Innocency made 
 innecer.t Nature for its prejervatiox, for Nature 
 s not innocent : But the Law of Nature is now the 
 ^w cj lapfied redeemed Nature, and not of inno- 
 ' Nature. And it obligeth us for the future to 
 as much perfettion of Duty, as we are naturally ca- 
 pable of per forming at that time, though vicioufly 
 indifpofed, it being only natural ctijabiiity, and not 
 moral zicioHs unwilling* efs that hindercth Obliga- 
 ion : But though ( not to do all that we can) be pec* 
 jjrr, yet it is not to fin mto Death or Damnation, 
 if he perform fo much as is made by Chrift the 
 Condition of life. In fliort 7 1 - Before mans fin, 
 'be was under the proper Law and Covenant of 
 I Innocency, which made perfett perfonal Innocen- 
 
 L 4 cy 
 
cy the Condition of life. 2 . Immediately after fin- 
 ning, before the Promife, man was not under any 
 Promife oi life on condition of Innocency, nor yet 
 under the Command of being innocent, nor of 
 feeking and hoping for life on that Condition ; For 
 upon the Imp ;ffibility thefe ceafed, without a Re- 
 peal, ctjfantc capacitate fuhditi : But man was then 
 Hnder no Covenant or premiant Law : But under, 
 1. The Command of perfect Obedience for the 
 future. 2. The Obligation to Punifhment, not 
 peremptory, but due for every fin, unlefs it fhould 
 be pardoned on due fatisfadion: Thefe two Obli- 
 gations man was under between the Fall and the 
 Promife. 
 
 3. But next, fin/itl condemned man^ with his faid 
 Obligation, was delivered into the hands of thp 
 Redeemer, who now continueth the faid Law of 
 lapfed Nature ( making peffeft Obedience de fn< 
 turo due, or Death for fin in frimo wftanti \ } but 
 adding the Remedying Law of Grace , giving 
 Chrift, Pardon and Life to penitent Believers. 
 
 §. 36. The Queftion, What Punifhment is due 
 to Venial fin^ muft be refolved from the fence of 
 the Law that obligeth us : And the Queftion is not 
 what Punifhmerkt would have been due to thefmal-j 
 left fin, if the Covenant of Jnnocency had conti- 
 nued ^ but what u due to it by the Law of Redeem* \ 
 td Nature and of Grace, which is in force. 
 
 §. 37. There is a three-fold Duemfs (or Defert} j 
 here confiderable (without diftinguifhing of which, , 
 jnany fuchQiieftionstannot be anfwercdo i.A Due- j 
 Tiefs of natural Congrnity , without any Remedy 
 which the Law gave, or took notice of : So Death 
 was due for every fip by the Law of Innocency ( as 
 1 think J). 
 
 2. A 
 
[i»3 
 
 2. A Dueytefs of natural Congruity with an *$x~ 
 qj **' Remedy, which hindereth the guilt from being 
 
 compleat and fixed. And fuch is the Duenefs of 
 fwnfhmcnt to the leaft real fin, by the Law of Re- 
 deemed Nature, to which the Law of Grace is an- 
 nexed, giving a Conditional Vat den to all the World 
 for the Merits cf the Redeemer. As if God faid, 
 t Thy fin in flriSl Jiftice is worthy cf death, but i 
 mil forgive the:, if thou repent and believe inChriftr\ 
 Here is fo much Dueuefs as needtth pay don ; but it 
 is virtually, conditionally pardoned as foon as com- 
 mitted } andioitisnot a plenary Obligation to 
 punifhment. 
 
 3. A Remedilefs Duenefs ( or Guilt ) by natural 
 Gongruity and }e, emptory determination of the Law- 
 giver : And fuch was the Guilt of temporal death 
 for finagainft the Law of Innocency v (at leaft 
 the eating of the forbidden Fruit ) ( for fb far it is 
 net forgiven ) } and the Guilt of perpetual mifcry 
 to impenitent Unbelievers and ungodly Ones, that 
 fo die. 
 
 §. 38. By this itappeareth, that fins of meer 
 Infirmity, confident with fncere Faith, Repentance, 
 and Hoiihtfs, in the fecond fence deferye punifhment 
 ( not all alike, but ) according to the degree of the 
 Offence : But not in the firfi fence, or the lafi. 
 
 §. 39- Accordingly a great Question muft be de- 
 termined , Whether the fins of the Faithful de- 
 lerve any more than a temporal Chajiifement ? And 
 whether they may pray for pardon of perpetual pu- 
 pjjhmenu or need any fuch pardon ? Anf The fins 
 of the Godly defcrve evcrlafting punifhment in the 
 fetend Stnce, or Degree of Defert or Duenefs; 
 which is fb far as to need a Saviour and Pardon, and 
 To as they muft pray for , and receive that par- 
 don .• 
 
d54] 
 
 don '• But not in the fir ft or third Sence. : 
 §. 40. It is the Law ofChrift^ or of Grace, which 
 is norma officii & jitdicii^ and by which we mud . 
 be judged at the laft day. 
 
 §.41. it is of grtat importance in the Ccntro- 
 verfiesofjuftincation, to know whether, or how 
 far we {hail be judged by the Law of Inmcency, or 
 whether only by the Law of Grace. 
 
 He that is judged by theL*w of Inmcexcy? mull 
 be j unified by perfonal, pcrfttt^ perpetual Obedience 
 (not by ami hers) or be condemned : But he that 
 is judged by the Lav? of Grace, muft be juftified 
 by Chrift's Merits and Sacrifice ( or Righteouf- 
 nefs ) as purchafing his Grant of a Pardon and life, 
 or Right to Impunity and Glory, given by the 
 Covenant of Grace conditionally, with his own per- 
 formance of that Condition. 
 
 CHAP. XIII- 
 
 Of the Vniverfality and Sufficiency of Grace. 
 
 §. i.IT was not only the Nature of the Elect , but 
 A of all Mankind, that Chrift aiFumed in his 
 Incarnation. 
 
 §. 2. It wis not to Adam only, as the Father 
 of the Elctl , but as the common Father of Mankind 
 (lapfed) that God made the Promife,or conditional 
 Law, or Covenant of Grace, Gr;/. 3. 15. And fo re- 
 newed it with Noah. 
 
 §. 3 . It was not the fin of the EUtt only, but 
 of all Mankind that were the occafion of Chrift'} 
 
 frfcr- 
 
C*553 
 
 \kferittgs, ( called by fome, An affamed mtriterioM 
 7/ufe, becaufe by his confent they were Leo Can- 
 't- ) 
 4. it is not to the Ele&wly, but for *// the 
 World ( as to the Tenor of it ) that Chrift hath 
 Ipurchafed, and given a conditional Pardon of fin, 
 land a conditional Venation of Life eternal in the 
 [Covenant of Grace, both of the firft and fecond 
 [Edition: Thai is, the conditional Grar,t is Uni- 
 iverfal} Whoever believeth Jhall be faved: Though 
 I the Promulgation of it may have many Hops. 
 
 §.5. It is not to the EUVv only, but to All, that 
 Chrift hath commanded his Miniftersto proclaim 
 this Law or Covenant, and offer the Benefits, and 
 require their Confent, as far as the faid Minifters 
 are able. 
 
 §. <5. It is not only to the Elect, but to all Man- 
 kird, that many Mercies procured by pardoning 
 and reconciling Grace are a&ually given, which 
 were forfeited (or not due) by reafon of fin a- 
 gainft the Lav/ of Innocency. 
 
 §. 7. Thefe Mercies given to all Mankind after 
 fin, and contrary to defert, are not given by Gods 
 Mercy ahne, without refpeftto the Blood And Me- 
 rits of Chrift : But his Blosd and Merits arc the 
 Caufc of them, as truly as of the greater Mer- 
 cies of the Elctt. And they that fay, That God 
 doth give all thefe Mercies without a Saviour's 
 Merits, astheCaufe, prepare the way for Infidels 
 to inferr, That then he might have done fo by the 
 Mercies of the Eledt. 
 
 §. 8. All thefe actual Mercies given to mankind^ 
 contrary to Merit, are a degree of Promulgation of 
 >the Law of 'Grace ■, telling all the World, That God 
 doth not now rule and judge them raeerly by the 
 
 Law 
 
•f: 
 
 
 s ? 
 
 d5^ 
 
 Law of Innocency, but upon Terms of Mercy ( a: 
 is aforefaid ) 
 
 §. 9. Hereby it is fignificd to all the World^ 
 that God is as he proclaimed his Name to Mofes y 
 Exod. 34. 5, 6, 7. The Lord, the Lord God, mem 
 cifal And gracious, Iwg'faffering^ and abnndant in 
 goodnefs and truth , keeping mercy for thoufands, for- 
 giving iniquity, and tranfgreffion, and fin, and that 
 -will by no means clear the guilty ( by falfe judging : )| * 
 and that the World have no caufe to defpair of 
 'Though this be forgivenefs, as if they were * un~ 
 faid before, a new der the remedilefs ( or unreme- 
 cafe here caufeth died*) Sentence of Damnati 
 
 me to repeat it. q^ * 
 
 §. 10. There are no People on Earth that are 
 not obliged to the ufe of jome mesas appointed 
 them to be ufed for their full Pardon and Salvati- 
 on, elfe Beffiir would be their Duty, and they 
 (hould not be judged Sinners for negle&ing any 
 fuch means. And were they not bound to do any 
 thing for their own Salvation, their Sin and Mi- 
 fery that ncgledt fo to do, would be far lefs than 
 it is. 
 
 J. ik Therefore all People have fome fuch 
 Means, that have a tendency to Recovery and Sal- 
 vation afforded them by God. 
 
 §. 12. They that fay, That all the Mercies of 
 the Non-ele&, are no Merc es, becaufe through 
 mens Sin, they end in their Mifery, do perverfe- 
 ly extenuate Gods Mercies and Man's Sin,and teach 
 Sinners falfely to plead in Judgment, That they 
 never abufed, or finned againft Mercy, which 
 God and their own Confciences will cafily con- 
 fute. 
 
 §•13- 
 
CM73 
 
 ;. 13. In the Controverfie, Whether Chrifi died 
 the Elttiordy, *r for all Mar.kirJ, itfeemethto 
 , thai we little differ about the matter, but 
 y ftrivc about ambiguous Words 1 , even about 
 e Syllable . [_for. 3 If to die L for J fignifie C for 
 ir fins, ] under the reafon of a Caufe of Ghriit's 
 rath, fo ( as P*r**s doth ) we muft all grant, 
 t Chrift died [/or] all. 
 
 2. If (for*) fignifie [ m eorumloc§'] in their fieady 
 the Phrafe hath yet great Ambiguity, and will 
 juire a great deal of diftinguifhing for its due 
 plication: The various kinds and degrees of 
 efits to which the Intention islimitted, do leave 
 word liable to various Serxes. Chrift died fo 
 in thefieadefjll Mankind, ^% to fufFer Death 
 y his voluntary fponfion ) as a punifliment de- 
 ed to themfelves by fin, to free them all from 
 n condition of their fuitable acceptance of his 
 cc. But if by {_ fa 1 be meant ( in the civil 
 fen of all men, a* rcpre'unting them ) the Word 
 "ill among Lawyers and all Writers, ambigu- 
 In a large fence 1 e may be faid to ( perfc- 
 e or rtfrefent ) another who doth it but fecttn- 
 quid, and not ftmpltciter y in pane aliqua, <vtl 
 txtum & ad hoc , and not in omsi, vel td omre. 
 if any will fo far ftretch the Phrafe, and 
 aufe Chrift fuffered in the common Nature of 
 will fay that he fuffered in every man s Fer- 
 or becanfe he had a fpecial purpofe of faving 
 left, will thence fay, He died in the per [on of 
 r, John^ and every elect • S inner m 7 I will not 
 e againft mens Phrafes, if they will explain 
 foundly : But in ftrict Sence, as Reprcfcnt- 
 aman, or doing it in his Per fin, fignificth, 
 Chrift fo died ( and merited ) in feveral 
 
 mens 
 
mens Tcrfinsjs that the Law or Lawgiver doth t 
 it to have been in fenfu civtli, their own fufferin 
 and doing, and meriting, or to all intents, puri 
 fes, and tifes j all one to them, as if they had 
 died and merited themfelves : ] thus Chrift neith 
 died, nor obeyed for any man ( as {hall be here-' 
 after proved. ) 
 
 But if by [for ] is meant Zf or mcns bint fit A 
 good ] fo it is yet ambiguous, and liable to I 
 threefold fence, viz.. i. Intentionally, 2. yipiitm 
 dinaUy, 3. Eventually, for their good. Aim 
 1. Intentionally, the Controver fie either fpeaketh J 
 Chrift's Divine Nature and Will, or of the Hnmarm 
 Concerning the former, the Queftion is the fat* 
 with that about Election, or Gods Decrees, whiff 
 is before fpoken to, w,. How far God decrelj 
 good to all men by ( brill's Death. As to Chrifm 
 Humane Nature end Will, it will prove but an all 
 rogant unprofitable Queftion, Whether ChriftlJ 
 Man, knew the Names of every individual peri* 
 in the World, or of every one of the Eleft, aj 
 had a diftinft Intent tofave every one of thofe 
 Name that are faved : It's better let fuch Quel 
 ons alone. 2. And { m j1ftitHdinally } m } there is 
 queftion but there is that in Chrift's Sufferings 
 Obedience, Sacrifice and Merit, which is in its 
 ral Nature adapted to the Good and Salvatio, 
 all, and hath that fufficiency thereto, which w< 
 accomplish it, if it were duly accepted and 
 proved. 
 
 3. And as to the Event, we are agreed, 
 That feme, and not all are faved by CbrijVs D< 
 and Merits ; but that all have great Mercies, w' 
 ere the fiuits ofthele, though many wilfully 
 them to their Sin and Mifery. 
 
 5>J 
 
CM9] 
 
 §. 14. By all this it appeareth, that it is a mcft 
 nfavoury thing for men called Divines to difputc 
 >tly, That Chri$ did or did 'not die and merit f.r 
 /, and bitterly revile their Adverfaries in the 
 ontroverfie, without ever explaining that one 
 nbiguous f) liable C F O R 3, or telling men what 
 iey mean. And when it is well explained, we 
 arce know how to differ. 
 
 §.15. For few will deny but that Chrift fnpred y 
 
 I ~yt immediately bcaufe Man finned (as if Suffering 
 ere due to him meerly becaufe we finr.ed) but 
 xaufe he underto^kjo to do, and was obliged fo 
 \ do by the Law of Mediation : But remedy he 
 ffered, not only becaufe the Elect had finned, bu: 
 xaufe aff Mankind had finned. Thst is, The Con- 
 tion.tl Pardon and Mercies given to all Mankind, 
 e fuch as Chrift's Sacrifice aid Merits muft hi 
 mgruoufly the Caufes of, as well as the a&uai 
 irdon of Believers. 
 
 §. \6. But if the ftrefs of the Controverfle be 
 :d on Chrift's per fonattng oz reft fenthg tb* man 
 fbzt, by that time this ( humane, invented, am- 
 guous, unfcriptural ) Phrafe is explained, either 
 cfhall be found to be all of a mind, or elfe fome 
 ill run into an intolerable errour about C thrift's 
 ing and meriting in oar civ.i ptrfen, and our dying 
 id meriting by kti natural per [on ] •, or elfe they 
 ill difpute themfelves into a Wood of Uncer- 
 inties, and be loft about the fence of a word that 
 nnot be fufficiently explained. 
 §• 17- And they that will lay the ftrefs of the 
 ontroverfie on the Aptitude or the Event , mutt 
 men of fome fingularConceits, and not of the 
 mmon judgment of the Feformed Churches^ the 
 tberanj, the Jefuites^ or the Dominicans, if the v 
 
 will 
 
[ i6o ] s 
 
 will difagrec \ for here we are commonly agreed. 
 
 §. 18, Bat as far as I can difcern, moft Conten- 
 ders lay the Controverfie upon the point of JD*- 
 vine Intention, Vnrpofe or Decree : viz.. Whether 
 Chrift as God did pitrpofe to jaftifie ardfave all men by 
 his death t or elfe, Whether hepurpofed to do good to 
 all men by his death ? Which Purpofe is nothing but 
 God's eternal Will or Decree. And why then do they 
 make two Controverfies of Election and Redem- 
 ■ptfafc when they mean the fame in both ? And 
 here methinks there cannot eaflly be a difference. 
 For (in a few plain words'* whatever good Chrift 
 giveth to any, that he from Eternity decreed to give 
 them: But we are agreed that he giveth not Salva- 
 tion to all men, and yet that he doth give many 
 and great Mercies to all men } ancfefpecially, that 
 he hath given to the World (and not only to the 
 Eieft) an exprefs conditional Pardon of Sin, and con- 
 ditional J unification, Reconciliation* Adoption and 
 Right to Glory : And fober Divines had rather fay 
 that this univerfai conditional Deed of Gift r is the 
 effect of ChrijFs Sacrifice and Sufferings, than that 
 Gad giveth it to one part of Men for Chrift's death, 
 and to the other part not fir his death, but as with- 
 out it. And we are agreed, that Chrift doth give 
 to fomefuch fpecial Grace, as /hall and doth infalli- 
 bly prevail with them to repent and believe, and^ 
 alfo acftual Pardon, Juftification, Adoption and 
 Salvation. 
 
 §. 19. Therefore in this fence Chrift died for all, 
 but not for all ahk* or equally ; that is, He intended 
 good to all, but not an equal good with an cquil intent 
 tion. Whatever Chrift giveth men in time as the 
 fruit of his death, that he decreed from Eternity 
 to give them. And whatever Jie never * giveth I 
 
 them, 
 

 [ i6i 3 
 
 them, he never decreed to give them. What he 
 giveth them abfolutely, he decreed to give them 
 abfolutely. And what he giveth them but condi- 
 tionally, he decreed to give them btit conditio- 
 nally. Therefore being agreed of the ftft and 
 event , we muft be agreed of the Intention or De- 
 cree 9 and what needs there more ? 
 
 And bv this time you may anfwer their Objecti- 
 on that fay, Why not a common and conditional Ele- 
 ulion^zs well as a common and conditional Redem- 
 ption ? Anf. Neither of them are conditional as 
 to the Ad of God and Chrifl : There is no ad of 
 ours the Condition of God's decreeing ex parte Dei^ 
 but only of the thing decreed ^ nor of ChrifFs 
 Death or Intent^ but only of the benefit: That a 
 conditional Aft of Grace, or Deed of Gift of Chrifl: 
 and Life to all Mankind in common (in the tenor 
 of it) fhould be made, was both decreed by God 
 and purchafed by Chrifl:. But, i. This is not the 
 whole of God's Decree or Chrift's Purchafe and 
 Intent. 2. And this is not to be called ElcCticn y as 
 it fignifieth a chooling of fome from among the 
 reft : Common Redemption and the Decree of 
 Common Grace, both antecede that which is pro- 
 perly called Eleftion, inorder of Nature in cjfe ob- 
 jettwo i that is, God decreeth to give Faith and 
 Salvation efFeftively to fome of them that had com- 
 mon Grace. 
 
 §. 20. The old Solution which Schoolmen and 
 Proteffcnts have acquiefced in, is, That Chrift died 
 for All, m to the /efficiency of his dea*h, but not as to 
 the efficiency of their falvat ion: Which is true, but 
 muft be thus explained: Chrift's Death and Obedi- 
 ence were not only Sufficient but effects- as to their 
 fiyfi effects , that is, They effected that which is 
 
 M com- 
 
{ 162 ] 
 
 commonly called , Satufrfbim and Merit < 7 and 
 hence and from the Covenant of God they were 
 alfo efte&ual to procure the Covenant of Grace as 
 of miverfal tenor, and therein a free far don of Sm 
 and gift of Right to life-eternal to all, on condition of 
 due acceptance : This conditional Gift of Chrift and 
 Life is effected : And this efficacy of the antecedent 
 Mercies, muft either be called part oitht fnfficierxy 
 of Redemption, as to the confequent Mercies (vit. 
 A&ual Pardon and Salvation) orelfc an efficiency 
 beyond the fufficiency, antecedent to the faid fpe- 
 cial efficiency. That Chrift's Death hath effectu- 
 ally procured the Aft of Oblivion or conditional 
 Gift of Life to all Mankind ; but it doth not effeft 
 the a&ual falvationofall : To xhzuniverfal Grace 
 it is both fnfficient and efficient *, but to the fecial 
 Grace and actual Salvation it is fufficient to All (as 
 after fhall be opened) but not efficient, (which is 
 by the Refufer's fault and forfeiture.,) 
 
 §. 21. When we fay, that either Chrift's-De^ 
 or Grace is fufficient to more than it effefteth, the 
 meaning is, that it hath all things on its fart which 
 habfolntely necefary to the eflfeft, but that fome- 
 what elfe is fuppofed neceflary to it, which is wan- 
 ting. 
 
 §. 22. As there is a common Grace a&ually ex- 
 tended to Mankind, ( that is, common 
 Cf Sufficient Mercies contrary to their merit) fb thei e 
 grace. is fuch a thing as Efficient Grace in fitct 
 
 gaiere, which is not effectual. So that 
 though it be difputable in what cafes this is found, 
 and what not, yet that there is fitch a thing is pail 
 difputtr. 
 
 §. 23. By fufficient Grace here I mean fuch 
 without which M^nsWiU cannot, and with which 
 
 it i 
 
it c.V^ perform the commanded Act toward which it is 
 mov$d y wktn yet it doth not perform it • and this nith± 
 ont any other degree cf help than that which pracureth 
 not the ati. So that \t is not all that is ufeful to the 
 tffeEb, nor all that is necefTary to eafie or prompt 
 performance* or to the infallible sfcertaining of the 
 a#, nor to the melius effe only that we fpeak of; 
 but fo ntoch atf is necellary ad effe, and efficient of 
 the true poffe : When you can properly fay that a 
 Man can do this, you fay that he hath all that is of 
 neceffitytothedoingof it. 
 
 §. 24. Janfenipts him felf is fo far from denying 
 this Grace called Sufficient, that he afTerteth that 
 by this, improved by free-will, (without fuch 
 fpeciai Grace, as of it fclf, giveth the ACt as well 
 as the Power) the^W Angels flood when the bad 
 ones fell, and Adam ftood till the time of his Fall : 
 And fo that fuch a thing there hath been. 
 
 §. 25. And feeing God is tti/l the fame, and man's 
 will the fine in its natural faculties, andGodfeem- 
 eth to us to delight in Conftancy, it is very impro- 
 bably imagined, that God did for fo fhort a time 
 Rule Angels and Men by fuch a Grace, as he would 
 never after make ufe of in the World , and that 
 Mart s free-will did for fo fhort a time do its Duty 
 by that Sufficient Grace, and never after do any ene 
 ad by the like Grace, in any one to the World's 
 end. 
 
 §. 26. It's true, that fuch Grace will not ferrc 
 our turn to do that now in our lapfed ftate, which 
 Adam could have done in Innocency ( no, nor will 
 all our effectual Grace yet reach it) that is, to have 
 continued finlefs : But it is incredible , that no 
 common Grace of Gcd now is as fuffdr.it to the per- 
 formance of the leafigood a& (which is good but 
 
 M 2 fee 
 
fecundum quid) as Adarn\ was to the fulfilling of 
 all God's Law -, and that the beft unregenerate 
 man is not able to do any better than he doth, or for* 
 hear feme Evil that he doth, as well as Adam to 
 have forborn all. 
 
 §. 27. Atkaft, to the Regenerate fuch a Grace 
 muft be acknowledged : For though of the reft 
 Janfenm will fay, They do no good, becaufe they 
 love not Gcd and good nefs (and on the like reafons 
 others will fay, That the Regenerate do no good, be- 
 caufe all hath finful mixture or imperfe&ionj; yet 
 he will not fay fo of the godly t And mull we be- 
 lieve that no godly man can do any more good 
 than he doth? andfo, That he hath no meerly- 
 lufficient Grace to any one ad in all his life ? 
 
 § 28. The Gontroverfie about /efficient Grace is 
 the fame in the true meaning of it with that of the 
 Tower of Man s Free-will : For when by [uffiaer.t 
 Grace we mean nothing but the enabling a Man to 
 the aft, or giving him Power to do it, the ftrefs 
 of the Queftionis, Whether Man hath truly any 
 Fower to do more than he doth ? For if he have 
 fiicha Power, Grace hath given it him, if it be for a 
 Work that Grace is needful to. So that indeed 
 were it not for Cuflom and Expectation, this 
 Queftion fhould be handled under that of the /o- 
 wcr and Liberty oiMatPs Will. 
 
 §. 29. No man hath at the prefent Grace fuffi- 
 cient for his Salvation, if he have longer time to 
 Jive : Becaufe the Grace or help of the prefent 
 hour is not fuffieient for the next, but there muft 
 be continual Supplies from God ; fuppofing that 
 nt diftinguifh of Grace by the diftindt numerical 
 ^3/ and hours fcr and in which we need it : But if 
 you diftinguifh of Grace by the [fecks of Acts for 
 
 which 
 
which it is needful, and not by the numerical afts* 
 then it may be truly faid, that the fame Grace (Jn 
 facie) which a Believer hath to day, may be fuffi- 
 cient to his Salvation, or to his life's end. 
 
 §.30. Butifyoufpeak degrade, that Grace may 
 be iliiicient; to one things which is not Efficient to 
 another: And fo, 1. An Infidel may have Grace 
 fufficient to forbear fome Sin, or avoid fome Tew- 
 ftation, or ufe fome mt*ns that tendethto Faith and 
 Repentance, who hath not Grace fufficient to bt- 
 Ueve and repent unto Salvation. 2. A man may 
 have Grace fufficient to enable him to believe and 
 j^/wr untojuftification, and yet not have at that 
 inftant Grace fufficient to enable him to love God 
 above all as God, with a fixed habitual Love, and to 
 live an holy life ( for the Spirit and Sanciification are 
 promifed on condition of Faith and Repentance'). 
 3. kfanttified man that is yet but weak, may have 
 Grace fufficient to live to God a holy life at pre- 
 fers, and yet not have Grace fufficient for greater 
 trials of Duty and Temptation : And therefore 
 jiugnftine and all his Followers ftill fay, That the 
 Grace cf Perfererance is a Gift over and above the 
 Grace of meer Sancfrification in the weakeft degree. 
 
 §. 31. By all this it is evident, that he that 
 difputeih of the fnfiiciency of Grace, mull firft di- 
 ftinftly tell us, 
 
 1. Whether he mean extrinfeck Grace 5 or in* 
 tr in feck* 
 
 2. If extrinfeckj) Whether he mean it compre- 
 I henfively of all extrinfeck^Grace together, or only 
 j of fome particular part or fort. 
 
 I 3. If the Utter, Whether he fpeak of the fufficien- 
 
 | cy of ChriJPs Death and Rightewfne[s y Sacrifice, Me- 
 
 , nt^Intercefiion, &c. or of the/ Efficiency of the GofpeU 
 
 M 3 Co* 
 
Zl661 
 
 Covenant or Pr&mife :, or of the fufficiency of Preach- 
 ing, Praying, and other means ; or of the Scri- 
 pture-Records, &c. 
 
 4. Ifhefpeak of intrinfeck,Grace, Whether the 
 Queftion be of Sufficiency ex parte Dei agen- 
 tis, (which none muft queftion) ; or ex parte 
 tfe&i. 
 
 5. If the latter, What is the effect whofe fufficien- 
 cy he queftioneth ? 1. Is it a Grace or Power to 
 do fome more common good, ufe fome means, forbear 
 fome evil, as the Unregenerate may do? 2. Or 
 is it a Power truly to repent and believe ? 3 . Or to 
 love God habitually , and live holily ? 4. Or to over- 
 come greater Temptations, and per fever e ? 
 
 6. And he muft tell you whether he fpeak, i.De 
 fpecie, whether the Grace or Power iufficicnt to 
 this fort of Ads 01 Duty be fufficient to another, or 
 to all. 2. Or de gradu, Whether this degree be 
 JuffiGient againft a greater degree or fort of Tempta- 
 tion. 3 . Or as men ufe to diftinguifh Grace and 
 Help by numerical Ads and Hours , Whether the 
 Grace of this Hour and Aft be fufficient for the 
 next, or for alQ The fence of all thefe Queftions 
 isdiftinft. 
 
 7. But his laft and greatcft difficulty will be, to 
 tell you truly and plainly what is that Grace which 
 is the fubjeft of his Queftion, of its fufficiency in the 
 general nature of it, and as related to the thing 
 which it is called fufficient to. 
 
 §. 32. For, by Grace he meaneth, 1. Either 
 fomewhat ex parte Dei agentis, 2. Or ex parte effecti, 
 or, 3 . Quid medium • 1 . Grace, as it is in God the 
 Agent ;2. Or as it is in Man the Recipient •, 3. Or 
 as it is fomewhat between both. 
 
 
[1*7 3 
 
 §. 33- I- ^<*^, as it is in God, is nothing but 
 his Effence, not as Efftnce, but as an tffential Power , 
 Intellelt *nd Will denominated by Connotation from the 
 effect: This is commonly agreed on : God doth 
 operate per effentUm, and not by Accidents. 
 
 §. 34. II. If they mean any mediate thing be- 
 tween God and the EfFedt,. either they fpeak of 
 the fiyft effk£t or zfecond, and foon : If they lpeak 
 but of fecondary efFefts, and the meaning be on- 
 ly whether one efFedl be a fufficient Cuufe for ano- 
 ther, they mean either an onward or an inward 
 Grace or Effect. If an outward, then the fence 
 of the Queftion is, Whether fome other Work 
 of Gcd be fufficient to move the Will of Man ? 
 And then it muft be told what other Work you 
 mean : Whether an Angel, or the Planets, or the 
 Word or Preacher, or an outward Mercy or 
 Affli&ion, or vyhac it is ? But if you fpeak of 
 the very firlfc efFe& , then the fancy is almoft 
 proper to Aureolm among the Schoolmen , to 
 think that there is fomething from God antece- 
 dent to the Cr e*mre and Motion, which may be 
 called A&ion or Energy, or Efflux, which is neither 
 the Creato: nor a Creature, neither Cauf* fubftan- 
 tial nor Effect, but Caufmion : As if fome Beam of 
 Virtue or Force went from God to produce every 
 Creature and Motion, which is neither (UoB, nor the 
 Creature, or Motion. But this is commonly and 
 jjuitly rejefted, as feigning a third fort of Entity 
 between #o& and the Creature, which it pafTcrh 
 the wit of Man to conceive of what it Humid 
 be. 
 
 & And if God do immediately per effentUm, 
 catjfe that middle Entity, cr Actien^or Force, which 
 
 M 4 he 
 
[i68] 
 
 I\e faith is no Creature, why may he not as well 
 immediately per effentiam, caufe the Creature and 
 motion it f:lf ? This therefore cannot be the 
 thing meant by Grace in this Queftion. 
 
 To queftion the fufficiency of God's EiTence is 
 intolerable : To queftion the fufficiency of a me- 
 diate divine Efflux or Attion, which is between God 
 and the Creature and Effed, is to difpute in your 
 Dream of a Chimera fin unproved, and a difproved, 
 and commonly-denied Entity. . To difpuceof the 
 fufficiency of Angels, Scripture, Sermons , &c. to 
 work Grace, is not the thing commonly intended 
 in this Controverfie of Grace : Each federal fort 
 of means may htfufficient in its own kind and to 
 its own ufe ; but no one of them is fuffieient to the 
 effed. But if you will put the Queftion as of All 
 together, it muft be fo explained. 
 
 §.35. III. The Grace therefore meant in this 
 Queftion can be no other than either fome effett on 
 the Soul, as tending to a farther effect, or the afore- 
 faid comprehenfion ofnecejjary extrinfeck^mcans. If 
 the former be meant fas it is by almoft all School- 
 men and Difputcrs of this Cafe) then, t. It mull 
 be enquired, Whether fuch a thing be ? and, 2. What 
 it is if it be i 
 
 §. 35. 1 . Bradwardine, and fome that go his 
 Way, do deny the being of any fich thing as we 
 now difpute of} and fay, That God's effmid will, 
 £S a v(iL is the immediate Efficient, and the Ad of 
 Man is the Effect, ( c, f. Faith,) and becaufe God 
 willeth that Ad, it doth immediately exift, as the 
 World did, by his creating will : And fo here is 
 noplace for the Difpute of Sufficient Grace : For 
 Gcd y sWiH is certainly f efficient to caufe what he 
 will caufe : And Man's Ad; either is exiftcnt or not i 
 
 ABd 
 

 [i6 9 ] 
 
 And there is no Grace antecedent to it, to be called 
 inefficient, unlcfs you will vainly fay, that God* 
 elTential Will is fufficient to nothing but what 
 he produced), which is a Difpuie unfit for fober 
 men. 
 
 §. 37. 2. Butbecaufb the contrary Opinion is 
 far more common, that there is an inward Grace 
 .to believe or cenfent ) antecedent to cur Aft, 
 tyhofe fkjficuncy is queftioned, itpofeth the Wits 
 of all the Schoolmen f much more is it shove many 
 Contenders that never fo much as ftudied it) to fay, 
 what it it. The Notions of Alvarez. ( who calls 
 it mottu ) 2nd of Fxfdjuezy and others I have 
 elfewhere confidered, and here pafs by : And I have 
 mewed , that 1 take it to be fo far paft man's 
 reach, as to be unfit for hot Contention. Bnt fo 
 far as we may conceive of it, it muft be in this two- 
 fold notion : 1. As it is fome Divine Im^refs on 
 the Soul, which is Anaiogus to the Vis infpreffd 
 received from the Mover in the Patient in cor- 
 poral Motion. 2. That this Imprefflon received, 
 doth m frimd inft^'^ put the Faculty intofuch an 
 immediate Ability to the A& y or fuch a ftate of 
 Diffofednefs to the Aft, as may be called a Mitral 
 Po&er ( the natural Facultyibeing fuppoied ) and 
 puis the Will in fuch a ftate as to the aft of 
 Confent, as that it can do it, but is not necefli- 
 tated to it, nor aftually determined, but can for- 
 bear. And this is called fufiicient Grace. 3. And 
 in the next inftant when the Wt 11 doth confent , God 
 and Man are both Canfes or Agents^' and the 
 Grace is efftttnal by both Caufes, God the firft, 
 and Man the fecond. 
 
 §. 38. 2. The Pelagians and fome others iecm 
 to think that God doth not operate immediately on 
 
 mans 
 
C 170 3 
 
 imns Soul? as to proximity of Caufation , but im- 
 mediately on fuferieftr Caufes and Means ( a$ An- 
 gel^ Word, Objects, &c. ) and that when all means 
 arc duly ordeiecj, man maybe ftid to Ik able in 
 his racer natural powers for the Aft, becaufethofe 
 wear^ are now 6'rai:* Juff.cient to e*fzre *>. And 
 that when^w Means of an hundred is wanting, it 
 is inefficient Grace. 
 
 §. 39. We all confefs, that God worketh •by 
 means, and we cannot name an Aft on us, which 
 he always or ordinarily doth without; any mans, or 
 fecond Caufe. And we acknowledge that there are 
 gracious means, and (hat ordinarily th.efe mull have 
 a fufficjency in their kind : But withal we muft 
 fay, that God worketh immediately as to proximi- 
 ty of Caufation, when he worketh not fo imme- 
 diately as without fecond Caufes : And that whe- 
 ther by means, or without means (as he pleafeth ) 
 there mull be fuch a Dilfofiticn communicated to 
 a depraved, undifpofed Soul, as fhall be amoral 
 -poner, and put it into an immediate capacity to 
 confent (,oraft): And todifpute the fufficieijcy 
 of the means, is one thing, and to difpujte thefuf- 
 fcieney of this inward Diffofition or Power, is an- 
 other. And this muft be the quefticn. 
 
 §* 40. The common difputedqueflionis,Whe- 
 ther all men have Grace /itfficient to believe ? which 
 muft be negatively anfwered; They have not. 
 Thofe that never heard the Gofpel, have not. 
 
 g.41 . But, 2. have all that he*r the Gofpel fuf- 
 ficient Grace to believe ? An[ m No : many of them 
 are hardened by former finning, fo as to be fet at 
 a greater diftance and enmity , than many Hea- 
 thens. 
 
 §.42. 
 
[17* 3 
 
 §. 42. But, ily. All the World hath Grace C or 
 merciful Help ) fufficient to enable them to do lefs 
 evil, a..d more good than they do, and to ufe fomt 
 mews better than they do, which tend to further 
 Grace. And they that do not this, are juftly de- 
 nied further Help. 
 
 §.43. 4. But the flicking difficulty is, Whether 
 any rr.tn in the World have Grace fufficient to recent 
 and believe fii>i*i%ly, who do not} To which I an- 
 fwer, 1 . The Qjieftion is of lefs moment than 
 it's commonly made to be ; feeing thofe are unci- 
 cufable who ufe not that Grace which was fuffici- 
 ent to their forcfaida/f of means, and lefs refifiar.ee 
 to God's Grace: 2. But cenain'y to anfwer the 
 queilion negatively cr affirmatively, I cannot \ 
 as not knowing any more of Gods working on mens 
 Souls, than he himfdf hath told us of. 3. But if 
 we may conjecture upon Probabilities, it feemeth 
 to me mofl likely , that there is fab a fufficient 
 Grace or Power to repent and believe favingly in fome 
 that ufe it not, but perifh. For, 1. if Angels had, 
 andufxd fuch * fort of Grace : 2. And if AUm 
 had fuch a fort of Grace, and u r ed it a while; 
 3. And if unregenerate men have fu:h a gracs for 
 lower Afts, wWch tend to FsLith : 4. And if the 
 Faithful have/w:^ a grace to do more good, and 
 lefs evil th it; they do: 5. It feemerh very impro- 
 bable, that only to the fifth Inftance ( to repent and 
 believe) none in the World fhould have fuch a fuf- 
 ficient grace. 
 
 §. 44. And though Janferitv feem very lingu- 
 lar in denying that there is now any fuch fufficient 
 grace of Chrijt in the World, which is not effeftu- 
 al either to believe, or to do any other good ; that 
 is, That Chrift's grace cnablcth no man to do any more 
 
 good 
 
L 172] 
 
 good thm he doth ; yet indeed it is molt in two a?n- 
 b'lguom Words, that Jnnfenim differeth from others, 
 ( though many unskilful Difputants fuppofe it to 
 be much more material a difference) viz.. 1. In 
 one Syllable [GOOD.] For he will call no- 
 thing good in man's A&ions, but Holy Love and its 
 Effttts -j and fo faith, That no unfan&ified Man 
 doth c oid } and therefore hath not Grace fufficieat 
 to do it. But moral C Good 2 is taken in three 
 Sences (or Degrees) 1. Good, ft* 
 See of this my cnndnm quid, in a decree not predomi* 
 f a . th °> Sa ~ ,w: And fo Infidels and ungodly 
 ing ^ • Chriftians have fome good. i.Good, 
 
 ftCHndum quid, ve l imp er feci hw, bat in a degree -pre- 
 dominant. And fo the Godly do good, though mixt 
 with evil. 3. Good in perfection and unmixt with 
 evil : and fo none do good till they are perfe&ed 
 in Glory. ( To fay nothing of f ejfemisi fimple 
 Good per fe, and indcpcndant -,2 for fo none is good 
 but Gcd only. ) And all this is the EfFeft of Grace. 
 §.45. 2. Bnt,{zkhjanfcmm, there is fome^yvc* 
 which is not grmx Chrifii, the^n*^ ofChrifi ; and 
 fach is all that cometh from meer fe*r without 
 Love, which is a kind of providential preparatory 
 grace, but not-the^r^re of Chrifi... jlnf m It is not 
 that eminent and fpechl grace ol *Chnfi: But to 
 think that it befalleeh men without CfrifPs procure- 
 m:n:, and is noc a commoner fort of Christ's grace, 
 whzn all Power in Heaven and Earth is put into 
 bis Hand, and he is made Head •over all things to 
 Church, is below a Chriftian Divine to ima- 
 gine^ and too injurious to Chrift. But by all this 
 it appeareth, that even Jaufemiu differeth from 
 others more about the Names of £ Good ] and 
 [ Ckrtfi's Graces'] than about the Matter. 
 
 CHAP. 
 
Ci733 
 
 CHAP. XIV. 
 Of M&ns Power and Free-mil fince the Fall. 
 
 §. i. CO much is faid, Chap. 9. of Mans natural 
 i3 Power and Free-rvilly and fo much now , 
 Chap. 13. ofgrace, and the Power given by it, as 
 may allow me to be (hort in what is here to be ad- 
 ded. 
 
 §. 2. All that natural Power and Liberty which 
 wasefTentialtothe Will, remained] in it lincethe 
 Fall : Fcr Man is of the fame Species. 
 
 §.3. The Wit is flill a [elf -fitter mining Prin- 
 ciple, fuppofing, 1 . God's necefiary influx, as he is 
 the firft Gaufe of Nature, 2. And the Being and 
 convenient Petition of Gbjefts, 3. And the Per- 
 ception of the Intellect, 4. And the concourfecf 
 necefTary concomitant fecond Caufes. 
 
 §. 4. The three Faculties cf mans Soul are all 
 vitiated by fin* 1 . The vital active Power is fo far 
 dead to God and Holinefs, as to need the cure of 
 quickening, and firen^thcmng y and exciting Grace* 
 2. The Intellect is fo far blinded, as to need the 
 cure of illuminating grace. 3. And the Willis fofar 
 turned by Enmity from God, to the inordinate 
 k Love of carnal felf-interefi and Creatures, as to 
 need the cure of converting, fm&ifying Grace. 
 
 §. 5 . Grace healeth the Will of this Enmity and 
 yitious perverfenefs, fo far as it prevailed j which 
 is, i. common Grace enableth it to common good, 
 and prepareth it for better^. 2, Special Grace 
 caulethitadtually and habitually to will and love 
 
 fpe 
 I 
 
[i74] 
 
 fpecial Good ^ that is, God as God, and the Crea- 
 ture for God, and Holinefs as his Image. 3. Per- 
 fetter Grace bringethup the Will to perfeder ho- 
 ly Afts and Habit-. 
 
 §. 6. Nature it lelf is not in lapfed man, di- 
 verted of all mortd or Divine Principles, Abilities, 
 and Inclinations : In the Intellect there are com- 
 mon Notices of a Deity - that is, That there is 
 cne God who is infinitely powerful, wife, and good: 
 And in the Will there arefomc Inclinations ftill to 
 good as good, and therefore to GWas far as he is 
 truly conceived of at good -, and fo far as that con- 
 ception is not conquered by a crofs Conception of 
 fome Enmity : And fo of other Good. 
 
 §. 7. Nature and common Grace may caufe a 
 man to go as far in Love and Religion, as thofe 
 whom we call the kiphe ft Hypocrites , or almtfl-Chri- 
 ftians may do ( which our practical Preachers do 
 frequently tell the People at large in Books and 
 Sermons. 
 
 § . 8. Such may have a common fort of Faith 
 in Chriil ( even formerly to the working of Mi- 
 racles ), and of Repentance, and Reformation, and 
 of go:d Defires, and love to gocdnefs and good Men j 
 yea, to God himfelf. 
 
 §. 9. For men are not fo corrupt by Nature 
 C much lefs under the Effects of common grace ) 
 as to hate allgoodnefs, or to hate all that is in God : 
 They m^y love God as he is the Almightv Creator, 
 Preferver, and Natural-Orderer of the World ,and 
 the Caufe of its Being, Motion, Eeauty, Harmony, 
 and all natural Good : And they may love him as 
 he is the Giver of life* and all natural Bleffingsto 
 themfelves, ardashe is the Prefcrverof them 3 and 
 their only Security and Help in Danger, and not 
 
 only 
 
1*7*1 
 
 only as his Bleffings gratifie their Senfe*, but as all 
 their Hope ofeverlafting Happinefs is in his Power 
 and Love : They may love him as hedcth this good 
 to others alfo, and is the common Ben.fadtor to 
 the World, without whom it could not fubfift a 
 moment. And they may love him as he maketh 
 fuch Laws as preferve their lives, and Properties, 
 and Rights, from Fraud and Violence, and by ma- 
 king other Men confcionable, juft, and charitable 
 to all, do both gratine themfelves, and tend to the 
 common Order, Peace, and Welfare of Societies, 
 and of Mankind. 
 
 §. 10. J am not able to confute or deny what 
 Adrian ( afterwards Pope ) hath written ( in his 
 jQuodUbets} That an unfandtified Man (noc in a 
 ftate of Salvation ) may fo far love God, even above 
 himfdfy as to conftnt rather to die, and be annihi- 
 /~r^, than (wereitpoffib'e) God fhould be anni- 
 hilated, or net be God. For a Heathen might con- 
 fent to die for his Country : And he is a B.aft and 
 no Man, that would not rather be annihilated, than 
 all the ffirW, yea, or all the Kingdom, er all the 
 City fhould be annihilated, or than the Sun fhouid 
 ceafe to be, or to fhine. And he that knoweth that 
 if there were no God^ there could be no World, no 
 Being, Motion, Knowledge, Goodnefs, or Felici- 
 ty in the World ^ befides, that which is worfe, the 
 Ccflacion of the Infinite Good himfelf ; mull be 
 yet more unmanly, if he would not raiherbe an- 
 nihilated alone {if per impojfibtie , you fuppofe he 
 could live alone ) than all this greater Evil fhould 
 cometopafs. He that tells men, that they fhall 
 befaved, if they woald rather be annih:lated,than 
 that there fhould be no God, doth make them a 
 proraife which God hath not made. 
 
 §. ii. 
 
[ i7* ] 
 
 §. n. But (as the fame Author oJ>ferveth ) 
 that which the unholy cannot do, is, to lave God 
 M~God, as the ultimate ObjeEl > and mo ft amiable 
 Good to be known, a^:dby Love and Holinefs enjoyed, 
 and pleafed by a holy SqhI\ and this above all ten- 
 fual terrene Delights, and to love him as the holy 
 Ruler of the World t who forbiddeth all finful 
 fenfuality, and all mens inordinate Conceits, De- 
 fires, Delights, and Practices, and requireth holi- 
 nefs and purity of Mind, and Life, and Sobriety, 
 and Temperance, and Self-denial in all that will 
 be faved. And as he is a juft Judge who will exe- 
 cute all thefe Laws, and condemn the ungodly to 
 endlefsMifery. They love not God, as he is the 
 haty Governour, and r'whtews Judge of men^ that 
 would reflrain them from their ilnfnl Wills and 
 Pleafures, and damn them if they will not be ho- 
 ly. And confequently they love not his Laws, and 
 other means by which this is to be done : Becaufe 
 loving the pleafiire of their Lufls, and being averfe 
 to things fpirltnal, high and holy, they love not 
 that holinefs and re&kude in themfelves, which 
 God comimndeth, Rom. 8. 5, 6, 7, 8, &c 
 
 §. 12. Though God, as the Fountain of Na- 
 ture, continue the natural power and liberty of the 
 Will, yet its twral Impotency, Pravity, or iWDif- 
 poftion, by which it is averfe to Holinefs, and 
 prone to Senfuality, muft be cured by Grace •, 
 where common Grace and /fecial, caufe common and 
 Special Ejfefts in the Cure, 
 
 §. 13. The moral Power given by Grace, con- 
 filling in the right Diffrofition of the Will, is not 
 of the fame kind with the Natural Power or Fa- 
 culty : And the Words C^iV] and iCjiNNOTj 
 tifed of both forts, have not the fame flgniiication, 
 
 hat 
 
[i773 
 
 but arc equivocal } otherwife Sin and Grace fhould 
 change mans Spicies. Thofe Difputants there- 
 fore that confound them far the founds fakg, de* 
 ceive the Auditors. 
 
 §. 14. Vs/e muft fay then, Thzt^cjuoad vires , 
 vel potentiam naturalem, every man can believe, who 
 hath the fife of Reafen, Objetts revealed, and ex* 
 trinfeck neceffary Caufesj that is, He wanteth 
 not the natural Faculty or Power, nor needeth an- 
 other natural F 'acuity ', but only the Excitation, If* 
 lamination x and right Diffrtfition of that which he 
 hath : Bat 2s to the faid right Disfofniw, or moral 
 Power, no one can truly repent and believe without 
 that Grace which muft fo ditfofe him : Common 
 Grace muft difpofe him to a common Faith, and 
 fpecial Grace to a faving Faith. 
 
 §•15. It is more proper to fay, That an Un- 
 believer, and unholy Sinner will not repent and 
 believe, than that he cannot •, though that alfo may 
 be truly faid, if well explained. But the meaning 
 is not, that he cannot , though he fncerely would : 
 Nor yet that he cannot be willing, for ivant of the 
 natural Power of willing : But, 1. That he hath a 
 Logical, and, 2. A moral Impotency^ that is, an In- 
 difpofnion; he wanteth both ViIfoJition 7 Habit 7 
 and Aft, but not the Faculty. 
 
 §. 16. It is an abufive mifcarriage of thofe Dis- 
 putants, who in the Words [CjiNJ and 
 C CANNOT 2 ufe to confound not only, as afore - 
 faid, natural and moral Power, but even Logical 
 alio, which is neither , and fignifieth no more but 
 that in ordine probandi ; fuch Premifes being put, 
 the Conclusion Can or Cannot follow : For% it nsay 
 be truly faid, That no man can do, yft^ 7 or thinks 
 any other than he dvtb 7 and nothing can ever com? 
 
 N r# 
 
°te pafs, but what doth come to pafs ; even from 
 Gods forc-knowkdge this will follow : For feeing 
 nothing ever mil be otberwife than God forehnoweth 
 it will be, a Difputant will fay, It can be no other- 
 mfc\ but he muft only mean that pofita prtfciemi* 
 divina^ the Conclufion cannot be true, that the 
 Event trill be ctherrvife: when yet as to the nature 
 of Caufaion, we rauft fay, fen fa phyfeo & morali, 
 that it Can be otherwije oft-times, though it will not 
 be otherwife. 
 
 §. 17. Thefe things centered, it appeareth 
 that we are commonly agreed as followeth : i • That 
 all Men have natural Powers and Free-mil to good^ 
 even spiritual good ; that is, Whenever fo<k good 
 is chejen or willed, it is done by the natural Power 
 or Faculty i and when it is not willed, it is not for 
 want of a natural Faytlty , but its due Difpo- 
 ftion. 
 
 §. 18. 2ly. 'That as to Civil cr Law-power 
 and Liberty, all men have much more than Li- 
 berty granted them by God to repent and believe. 
 For Helps and a . Command are more than Leave 
 or Liberty: But Liberty from the Penalty for fin, 
 belongeth only to the pardoned. 
 
 §• 1 9- 3ly- That asto Ethical Power and\L*- 
 btny, which lieth in a right Dilfofuion of mans 
 Faculties, every man hath it fo far as Grace hath 
 prevailed, and wrought it in him, and none any 
 further. 
 
 §. 20. Or as Liberty is denominated from the 
 Evil which weare free from, 1. All mens wills are 
 free from being cenftrained to fin, 1 By natural in- 
 cfinati4fc of the faculties themfelvcs } 2. Or by the 
 ftnfes •, 3. Or by ObjeSts r 4. Or by Mtn\ 5, Or 
 by pfr%\s\ 6. Or by God: Eegaufe.the v& canny 
 
 and 
 
c 179] 
 
 and God will not ; no, not phyfically prcmoveand 
 predetermine it thereto. 
 
 §.21. 2. The wills of all men are free from 
 any Commands to Sin : that is, God cannot command 
 it (for elfe it were no Sin) and if men command 
 it, their Commands are null, and lay no obligation on 
 the will to obey thenfc 
 
 §.22. 3. We arairce from finful VI f^o fit ions fo 
 far as Grace freeth us, and no further : Therefore 
 by common Gi ace men have common Liberty, and 
 by fpecial Grace faving Liberty } but none perfeft 
 Liberty here ; and no unfanftified man hath faving 
 Liberty of Will : that is, fuch by which heis duly 
 difpofed to fuch ads as have a flat Promife of Sal- 
 vation : And where now doth our difference re- 
 main? 
 
 §.23. Obj. The difference is, Whether a bad 
 man can change his own mil ? Anf. Your [ m eart m ] t 
 meaneththe natural Power, or the du. difpofition : 
 As to the firlt, he can, that is, he hath thofe facul- 
 ties which want not natural Power to aft better: 
 But as to the latter, he cannot without Grace, that 
 is, through indifpolition he will not. 
 
 §• 2 4* ^ % Ht ts not Grace the only canfe of the 
 Change ? Anf. Grace only caufeth the firffc Im- 
 prefs on the Soul, which moveth it to aft , but 
 the Soul for will ) it felf is a Caufc of the Aft, elfe 
 in were not Man but GOD that doth repent, be- 
 lieve, obey, &c. 
 
 §. 25. Q. But is it Grace or Free-will that is the 
 chief Caafe ? Anf. Grace no doubt : Which is 
 commonly acknowledged by the feveral Parties. 
 
 §. 26. The very marrow then of all the questi- 
 on about the Power and Liberty of the Will, is 
 that fo often before mentioned, Whether Man's 
 
 N 2 W& 
 
[i8o] 
 
 mS be made of G O D fuch a felf- determining 
 Power, as can truly do any more good than it doth, or 
 forbear more evil, without any more Grace from God y 
 than that which it hath while it doth no more : And 
 whether ever the Will can and do make a various 
 ufe of the fame degree of Divine Affiftance; And 
 this as is faid, is confefTed of the Angel's Cafe and 
 Adam% : For if Adam had not Tower to haveftood 
 when he fell, by the fame Grace that was given 
 him, but fell becaufe God withdrew or with-held 
 fuch necefTary Grace without which he could do 
 no other than he did, we may then lay by theft 
 Controverfies, and think how to anfwer Infi- 
 dels. 
 
 §. 27. Thofe perfons that make others odious 
 by their revilirigs, for holding Free-will, or denying 
 Free-will % without telling men what Freedom it is 
 that they mean ( natural, ethical, legal or logical 
 Freedom from CeaUion, nee e filiating f r emotion y na- 
 tural Inclination, or virions Difpofition, &c") fhould 
 be rebuked by the Lovers of Truth and Peace, as 
 the Peace-breakers of the Church and World, that 
 prefume in their proud ignorance to reproach 
 others for that which they underftand not. 
 
 §. 28. They that fay, That the Liberty of the 
 Will 2s natural is not violated, but by Coachcn, and 
 that (^oattion^ is nothing but making a man will 
 againft his Wit in the fame refpeft and a&, and fo 
 that to will and to mil freely is all one, and that 
 to will by Cozftion is a contradiction, vizu* to wit 
 and nil the fame, and that God predetermined 
 all mens wills to all iinfui habits and afts in 
 fpecie as circumftantiated, by immediate, neceffita- 
 ting or unreliable premotion, and yettakethnot 
 away their Liberty, becaufe he raaketh them w*# 
 
 ana 
 
[i8i] 
 
 and not «/7the fin* Thcfe do but play witk the 
 name of Free-wiU^ and are confuted as afoiefaid 
 from the inftance of Adam, and from the fcope of 
 Scripture, and do fubvert the Foundations of Chri- 
 ftianity. To will is the proper ad of my wiM- 7 
 and if he that moveth me by prime phyfical effi- 
 ciency to will thecircumftantiated ad of Sin, de- 
 prive me npt of my Liberty, becaufe it is willing 
 that he maketh me do, then if Men or Devils had 
 Power to make me mil Sin, as I caufe my Pen to 
 write, or the Fire to burn this or that, it would 
 be nolofs of Liberty. But of this more largely 
 elfe where. 
 
 CHAP. XV. 
 OfEfetfval GrAC* y and how Godgiveth it. 
 
 §. i . A S I faid before about Sufficient Grace, 
 /JL fo here about EfftVtnal ; the firfl: thing 
 to be done by Difputers, is, to agree what 
 that is which they here call £ Grace'} as the Sub- 
 ject of the Queftion. And as I there (hewed, i. It 
 cannet or muft not be Go<Ps tffential WiU or Power, 
 for that is fimple and immutable, and not in it 
 felf ( fave relatively ) diftingui(hablcintoyi#c/V^ 
 and effectual. 2. An Efflux or w, which is neither 
 God nor the Effeft, there is ww } or none prove- 
 able. 3. It is not Faith it felf that i$ meant here 
 by Grace, for it is the Grace that efft&etb Faith ; 
 ajid it were abfurd to ask what Faith is effeftual 
 to make or caufe it felf : This is true both of the 
 A& and Habit. The meaning is not, what Habit 
 
 N 3 J of 
 
[182] 
 
 of Faith is effe&ual to the Aft, nor what A& to 
 the Habit or it felf, but what Grace of God is effe- 
 ctual to canfe both Aft and Habit. 4. Therefore 
 there is nothing left to be meant by Grace, but 
 the two things before mentioned, viz.. i. The 
 gracious Means or fecond Caufts appointed by God 
 to cauft our Faith. 2. The firft moving Imprefs 
 on the Soul, as it is antecedent to 
 ¥ Somgfay, that Ad and Habit, ( fuppofing that fuck 
 
 God's meerwitt there fc * though fome rf fha 
 
 caujeth^ man s . . ' r , °, . N J 
 
 «*?, « wining tnere 1S an y fuch th,n s-) 
 
 it, without any 
 
 ether Influx or Imprefs on Mans Will, fave our Ati it J "elf efetled: 
 But though it be only God's effential will, which is the firft Caufe, 
 yet the thing received by us from Godfeemeth to be a certain Imprefs, 
 Impulfe,or vis, or Difpoftion to acl in order of Nature, before the aft 
 it felf, which Imprefs fometirne is made uneffetJual by a prevalent 
 Indifpofition or Refinance of the Witt. 
 
 §.2. And for the firft, all means will be uneffe- 
 dual without God's inward Operation by his Spi- 
 rit: He muft work on the Speaker and on the 
 Hearer, to make means effectual, as is agreed on. 
 But whether as God worketh in NatntaU accor- 
 ding to the aptitude of natural fecond Canfes^ibht 
 Work Faith and other Graces by a fettled propor- 
 tion cfConcourfe, agreeable to the Aptitude of gra- 
 cious fecond Caufes (or Means of Grace) is a Quefti- 
 on too hard to be boldly and peremptorily deter- 
 mined by us that are jn fo much darknefs. 
 
 §. 30 But it fecmcth to us, that God would not 
 have rcade it fo great a part of his Government 
 to eftablifh a Courfe of Means , if he did not in- 
 tend to work ordinarily by them, and according to 
 their fitnefs. Chrift is the chief Meant, andinfti- 
 tutcth the reft j Scripture, Minijters y Example, good 
 
 G*m~ 
 
 1 
 
. 
 
 [i8j] 
 
 Company, merciful Providences, AffiiUions, Mcditd* 
 tion, Books \ Prayer, Sacraments, &c. are all appoin- 
 ted for fuch effects : And if God would ordinarily 
 work immediately without medti*\ what need all 
 thefe ? This teacheth Infidels to fay, that hemay 
 do it without Chrifi. The Spirit firft indited the 
 Word (as we cut a Seal to be the inftrument of 
 ImpreflionJ and then by that: word doth work 
 on Souls. 
 
 §. 4. But if God did tie himfelf net only ordi- 
 narily ■, but dvoz'us to apt means , no mortal 
 could &y what means is Efficient , and what is 
 inefficient, and what is more than fufficienty even ni- 
 ce Jfarily efficacious : For the means, 1 . arc very many 
 and more than we can take notice of ; and if one 
 be wanting, ft: may render the reft inefficient or 
 uneffedualj how excellent foever in themfelyes. 
 2. And that mears is fitted to one Hearer that is 
 not fitted to another : All have not the fame tem- 
 ptations, hindrances, prejudices, objections, weak- 
 ness, nor obftinacy : And God only knoweth 
 when means are adequately fitted to the defired 
 effeft upon mens Soul •. 
 
 §. 5. And though many cf the means operate 
 ex parte fm, neceJfurUy, yet fo do not all : For 
 Preachers and Inihnilcrs are free Agents, and fo it 
 muft be other effetlnzl means that muft firft move 
 them to do their Dnty for a Sinner's good : Which 
 who can judge of ? 
 
 §. 6. But God is the Arbitrary Ab folate Lord 
 of all means, and therefore he can change and dif- 
 pofe of them as he pleafes, and yet work by them. 
 So that the EfFett is neverthelefs from God's free 
 or arbitrary Volition, though he never went be- 
 yond the aptitude of means : When even a filly 
 
 N 4 man 
 
[i8 4 ] 
 
 man can turn the natural courfe of Water and 
 Wind to move his Mill or Sails at his pleafure, 
 without any alteration of their natures : A Fifher 
 can ufe his Bait as may fervc his end ^ and a Phy- 
 fician can vary his Medicines to cure the Difeafc 
 without changing their nature, or curing without 
 them. 
 
 §. 7. But there is no queftion but God can 
 work without means, and Intellectual SohIs being fo 
 near to the fir fi Gauft, it is utterly uncertain to us, 
 whether in Works of Grace God have not a dou- 
 ble operation on the Soul, one by. his appointed 
 f Though before ™ean;, an( * another by immediate In- 
 flux * j and if it be fo, how thefe 
 coruwr to one and the fame effeft, 
 and alfo how God doth immediately 
 move Souls, are all paft Man's reach, 
 andfhould be acknowledged above 
 our Difputes. 
 §. 8. 1 1. God hath more inward operations 
 on Man's Soul than on£ or two ( whether with 
 means or without) to bring us to Faith and Re- 
 pentance : The mind mult be enlightened, the dull 
 faculties mull be excited, efpecially Confcieme and 
 Will 7 and the Will muft be touched with the guft 
 of Divine Love to breed a holy Complacency in 
 good, and many Impediments muft be removed, 
 fome by outward a£ts of Providence, and fome 
 by inward Grace. And where Impediments arc 
 not removed, no doubt but there needeth more 
 of the other Atts of Grace, to bring fuch a Soul to 
 Faith and Repentance, than in one where there is 
 JeSrefiftance. 
 
 JT Jherved that 
 this feemed not 
 Tiecejfary to all 
 atfs of Man,& 
 ixntt not over- 
 jr/tfwBurand. 
 
 §.S>. An4 
 
§. 9. And feeing that Ricipititr ad tnodum nci- 
 ficntts, and the difpofition of the Recipient hsithfo 
 great a hajhd as common Experience telleth us in ' 
 almoft all the Changes in the World, (what won- 
 derful variety of Effe&s doth the fame Adion of 
 the Sun produce throughout the World, by thedi- 
 verfity of receptive dtfpofitions ) ? Therefore no 
 mortal man can fay vphen the efficacy or fuccefi of 
 Divine Grace is more to be afcribed to the Prepa- 
 ratory Difpofition of the Recipient by a former aft 
 of Grace, and when more to the prefent moving 
 Influx ? nor what proportion thefe alwaies bear as 
 comparable. And what man dare fay that he can 
 fearch out the waies of God ? 
 
 §. 10. When we know fo little of the fecret 
 Energies of natural Principles^ nor how God pro- 
 duceth Jnunals in the Womb, nor how lie caufeth 
 our Fcx)d to nourifh us, nor how any of our Scn- 
 fes do their Office, nor how our Souls do ufe the 
 Corporeal Spirits, &c. And when Chrift hath told 
 US, T hat the Wind bloweth uhere it lifleth^nd we hi*r 
 the found of it^ but know not whence it cornetb, and 
 whither it goeth \ and fo is he that is born of the Spi- 
 rit^ Joh. 3. 8. Should not this, with the expe- 
 rience and confeioufnefs of our Ignorance, fuffice 
 to keep us from bitter Contendings about that 
 which is certainly beyond our reach, and from 
 prefuraptuous boldnefc with the unfearchable 
 things of God? 
 
 §. ii. Whether you will with BrAdwardinc 
 and many others fay, That it is God's mecr Vo- 
 lition that effefteth all things ad extra , or whe- 
 ther you will fay with the moft, That it is not 
 Jus Will alone , but his Will as operating by his 
 ■ txtcnmt Fewer, the meaning feeraeth to be the 
 
 fame 
 
[ i86] 
 
 fame, and the difference to be but notional, as is 
 aforefaid : For they that fpeak in the fir ft man- 
 ner, mean, That it is not Gcd^s Will as in itfelf 
 immanemly confidered,but his will as going forth 
 to pt rdnce an effeft •, which emanation or exertion 
 is, from the efFeft, called by thofe that fpeak in 
 the fecond manner, God?s Executive Porer. 
 
 g. 12. The prime Reafon of the EfFeft, is God's 
 Wifdom, Will, and Power as the Caufe : And fo the 
 prime reafon why Means and Grace become effe- 
 ctual whenever they are effectual, muft be from 
 God the prime Caufe. 
 
 §.13. The firft Jmprefi on the Sonl moving it 
 toward the Aft (e.g. Frith) is the firft Grace in- 
 ternal (fob rat tone rffecti): And this Gcd him- 
 felf worketh on man as on a mecr Patient - 7 tho* 
 not antecedently to all former afts of Man, or 
 all preparative difpofitions, ^ ufually ) yet ante- 
 cedent to that Aft of Man to which it moveth : 
 So that as to this, i. Man is paflive> 2. and the 
 Divine Operation for the powerful Will *f God) is 
 not only fufficent hut effectual j for that Imprcfs 
 or Motu* is effefted. 
 
 g. 14. Though God being a Spirit moveth not 
 by fuch Contaft as Bodies do en each other, yet 
 muft we conceive of his motion, and the motion of 
 all Spirit* en Bodies, as analegom to corporeal Con- 
 taft, and as a motion by Efflux and eminent Con- 
 taft of Virtue and Eflence, according to the more 
 excellent na:ure an& operation of Spirits *, or elfc 
 we cannot conceive positively of them. 
 
 §. 75. It is already proved, that God ufeth 
 variotu degrees of Imprefs or Motion on Souls } of 
 which fome da by their proper power or degree fo 
 afcertain the efFeftj that the Argument is aiwaies • 
 
 good 
 
[i8 7 ] 
 
 good as a citifa, Cwhere-ever God doth fo move, 
 there the Effeft (that is the Aft, e. g. Faith or 
 Con fern) follcweth : And this Grace is effeftual ex 
 propria vi vel virtute : But that Gcdibmetimeope- 
 h by a lefs Imprefs or Motion, which doth not 
 from its own force inftrr the effeft, but fo far 
 difpofeth the Mind or Will to the Ad, that the 
 man can do it without any more grace } which is it 
 that is called Sufficient Grace, as aforefaid. 
 
 §. \6. It is a thing not to be believed, that 
 this latter decree of Diime motion is never eventual- 
 ly ffiftwl to the Aft: Seeing, i. it is granted, 
 that there is fuck a Power in Man's Will as c.nzOi 
 in fome cafes by that degree of Grace called Suffici- 
 ent: And frnftra fit pot entia qua nunquam reducitur 
 in a&nnu 2. And it's granted, that the Angels 
 and Adam did aft by luch help. Therefore as 
 to afts preparatory tefoft fpecial Fuith, few do af- 
 firm that they are all done by fuch Grace as is 
 neceffarily effeftual ex propria vi alone, but that 
 Efficient Grace leaveth them often to Man's 
 Will. 
 
 §. 17. Therefore all that reraaineth, is to re- 
 folve what is the reafon of the certain effeft when 
 we believe ? To which I fay, 1. It is ever an 
 effeft of two Caufcs (at feaftj God's met -on arid 
 man's faculty *> and fo both muft be faidtobethe 
 Je of the effeft. 2. Bat nuns m/l is no Caufe ■ 
 ( fave a Hcipicnt Canfe) of God's Part or Imprefs. 
 3. God fometimes, at leaft, maketh fo powerful an 
 Imprefs y as doth ncceffarily determine mans mU % 
 hy a Nccefficy confident with his Liberty. 4. It 
 cannot be proved by any man, that no manke- 
 Heveth by that fnfficient Alotion, which doth not 
 ncctfarily determine his will *, feeing many prepa- 
 ratory 
 
ratory *&s are done by fuch a motion. And it f s 
 probable that it is ore fo. %. But the certainty 
 of this, or when and how oft it is fo, no man can 
 know. 
 
 §. 18. But by which degree of Grace foever 
 the efteft be produced, Hill God's Will is the chief 
 caxfe of it *, which can procure the efFeft infallibly , 
 when it doth not neceffuate .' Yea, and his premo- 
 tion or imprefs called Sufficient , is incomparably 
 more the caufe than Man's Concourfe is ^ though 
 God leave fome part of the Caufation to man's 
 Free-will. 
 
 §, 19. But when the Effect doth not follow, 
 that is, when men believe not, it is mats will 
 by omiffion and refinance, that is the chief caufe, 
 and culpable, and not God's omiffion or non-de- 
 termination. 
 
 §. 20. The lame degree of divine Imprefs or 
 Motion, which prevaileth with a Soul predifpo- 
 fed by common Grace, is not enough to prevail 
 with fome others that are ill or indilpofed : 
 Though God's Abfolute Will and jlnjmrablc 
 Operation would prevail with any ? how bad fo- 
 ever. 
 
 CHAP. XVI. 
 
 Of the State of Heathens and others, that 
 have not the Gofpel. 
 
 §. i.TTHE opening of the feveraltXaws or 
 
 A Covenants of God before , hath taken 
 
 up mofl: that is neceflary'to be laid about this 
 
 point : 
 
[i8 9 ] 
 
 point : The queftion, Whether any but Chrifiians 
 are fave^ is agitated on both fides by fo much 
 the fharper Cenfures, by how much the nearer it 
 feemeth to concern the Fundamentals of Reli- 
 gion, 
 
 §. 2. On one fide fome fay, That nothing is 
 more fundamental than Goa?s Nature, and Go- 
 «jernme?rt^ and Beneficence, and the Attributes which 
 belong to him in refpeft to each : And they fay, 
 That for God to be the Ruler and Be- 
 ntf actor of the World, and to bealfo Exod. 34. 5, 
 gracious and Merciful and Love it fdf, 6 > r - 
 and a Re warder of them that diligently " 
 
 feek him , are our Furdamentals \ 
 which are not confident with this, That 2II tr.e 
 World fince Adam , except a few Believers or 
 Jews and Chriftians, that were born from Adam, 
 under as abhlme a necejfity of being remedileHy dam- 
 ned, as of dying. 
 
 §. 3. Here they ufefirft to confiderof the«/*/d*r, 
 viz.. 1 . That it is not pall the fixth part of the 
 World that are called Chriftians. 2. That the 
 far inaieft part of thefe (perhaps twenty to one) 
 have not competent mtam to underftand what 
 that Chriflianity is which glveth them their name, 
 and which, as to the name, they profefs. The O- 
 caflians, Mengrdians, and Other Georgians , the Ar- 
 menians, the Mufcwites, the Cojjacks, the moft of 
 the Greeks and Abaffwes, yea, and Papifis, befides 
 the Coptics, Syrians, Neftaruns-, Jacobites, Maro- 
 nites, Chriftians of St. Thomas, &c. and too ma ; 
 Protefttnts are bred up in fo great ignorance, that 
 multitudes of them never are fufficiently taught to 
 underftand the EffentiaU of the Chriftian Religion 
 which they (nominally) profefs -, and therefore 
 
 are 
 

 
 are really much in the cafe of common Heathens- 
 
 §. 4. 2. They confider their imfoffibility of bwg 
 flavcd . For it is not only morally ( by Vice ) bun 
 naturally impojfible to believe that which was never 
 heard, read or nnder flood : So that their Damnation 
 feemeth unavoidable, efpecially to fuch as live in 
 the vaft: Countries of America, and much of Africa 
 and Afia, that are quite out of the reach of any 
 Inftruftions for the Chriftian Faith. 
 
 §..5. 3. And laftly, they confider the goodnefs 
 and mercifulnefs of God, declared in his Wcrd, 
 and in his great and manifold mercies to all the 
 World, and that he would have a righteous man 
 to be merciful even to his Beafl, much more to the 
 Bodies of Men, and moft of all to their SqhU, and 
 that our Rule and Motive is, Be merciful as your 
 Heavenly Father is merciful, 
 
 §. 6. And they think that the contrary-min- 
 ded, by over-doing, are the greatefl Hindcrers of 
 the Cbrifiian Faith, and Promoters of hfldelity, 
 while they make it feem fo contrary to GWVown 
 Attributes, and to humane Intereft, and to be aDo- 
 ftrine not of glad but of fitddejt tydings to Man- 
 kind, viz.. That none fhall be laved that hear 
 not the Gofpel, when it is few comparatively that 
 ever heard in or can hear it. 
 
 §. 7. On the other fide it is thought a dange- 
 rous undermining of Chrifl unity , to fay that it is 
 Aft. 13. 48. not abfolutely neceffary to Salvation , 
 Mark 16. 16. and that any beiides Chrijtiansmvf 
 Joh. 3. 30". befaved : And it feemeth to them to 
 Job. 14. & be contrary to Gh rift's words,that//e 
 
 Ro.10.10.Ov. J 
 
 Mat. 11.27. Luk. 10. 22. Mat. 16. 17. Rom. 1. i6> 17. 
 
 1 cor. 2. io,e$v. 2 Cor.4. 3, Rom. 8. 1,9, 13. Luk. 19* IO - 
 
 that 
 
[i9i] 
 
 that beltvetbnot, fiullhe damned; and that He is the 
 way-, the truth, and the life, and no man comet h to the 
 Father, but by him. And howJh^U they call on him 
 on whom they have not believed, &c. ? No man 
 tyewetb the Father, bnt the Son, and he to whom the 
 Son will reveal bim,1kc. And it feemeth to con- 
 found the Church and the World, , to fay, That any 
 are fayed cm of the Church. 
 
 §. 8 In this great Conrroverfie , that which 
 mull: fatisfie us, is to agree in fo muck a* is certain, 
 aisd to leave that which is uncertain and unk^mn, 
 undetermined : For we (hall know it never the more 
 for a confident pretending that we know it, when 
 we do not. 
 
 §. 9. And here the firft thing to be enquired af- 
 ter, is, What Law of God the World that hearer h 
 mt of Chr:ft, is new under, as the Rule of Duty 
 and ofJudgn:ei:t.And then, 2. to enquire, Whether 
 they fo keep that Law, as to be fared by it? 
 We can fav nothing to the fecond, without the 
 firft. 
 
 §. 10. And we have here nothing to doubt of, 
 but 5 1 • # hether they are under any Law cr none ? 
 2. // any, Whether it be the Law of Innocency as 
 made to'Ad^m, or the Law of Grace? 3. And if 
 the Law of Grace, whether of the firft or fecond Edi- 
 tion ? It muft be one of thefe. 
 
 §. 11. And, ill. It is certain, That they are 
 under a Law (and not only under a Phyfical Go- 
 vernment, as a Ship at Sea, or Brutes* are ) : For 
 elfe God were not their Ruler, and they his Sufc 
 jells, fo much as by Right and Obligation •, and 
 then they were bound to no Duty, nor in hope of 
 any Seward, nor in B*n£er-Q£any Punijhment for 
 
 Dif> 
 
l-fi 11 
 
 C 192 ] 
 
 Difobedience : For where there is no £,aw, there is 
 no Trayffrtffion. 
 
 §. 1 2. It is certain, That they are not under the 
 Rule of the Covenant of Innocency made to Adam, or 
 the Lzto of Innocenvy, as containing the Precept , prc- 
 miant and penal parts, which is the fame with the 
 Covenant as offered. This I proved before : 
 (Though I was long ignorant how far that Cove- 
 nant was repealedjtil] Mr-Lavr/on's Papers (which I 
 laboured to confute ) did begin to enlighten me. ) 
 God now faith to no man C I £* ve *bee life on 
 condition thou be per finally innocent, and perfectly 
 obedient 1"} Nor doth he fay £/ command thee to be 
 perfectly innocent , fmltfs, and obedient, that thou 
 may ft live : ] For no man is a Subject capable of 
 fuch a Command or Promife, being already a Sin* 
 ner. 
 
 §. 13- Ifanyfhould think that they are under 
 the bare preceptive part cf the hav* of Innocemy, 
 with the penal part, without any Promt fe, or prc- 
 miant p?.rt, or hope of life, this is certainly a mi- 
 ftake. 
 
 Becaufe, r. God hath no fuch Law, nor never 
 had, which hath no Premife % or prewiant p.;rt ; and 
 is not in a Covenant-form, what he doth by the 
 Devils^ belongeth not to our Qudtion -, but as to 
 Men, the/ muft be under a Covenant of Works, 
 or of Grace. And it were a hard Conceit to think, 
 that the fargreateft part of Mankind had never 
 any means to ule for their Salvation, nor any thing 
 to do for it, but were under a meer Sentence of Dc- 
 fpair and Damnation, as the Devils are, without any 
 offer of Help or Hope ; and confequently that none 
 of them all are gwlty of rcfufin? any fuch Mercy^ 
 or neglecting any fuch Mtam and Duty. 
 
 2. The 
 
C»9J] 
 
 2. The very nature of Ltwand Government tell 
 us , That if God command any Duty, it is that 
 the Subje& may be the better for it ; and he never 
 faith to any £ 0% w ptrfettly, and then pidt be 
 never the better for it. ] 
 
 §. 14. • Befides, the very Precept is not in force 
 in that fence as it flood in the Law of Innocen- 
 cy, for fo it bound only innocent Man to keep his 
 Innocency : But God faith not) Keep that which 
 thou haft loft. 
 
 §. 15. Obj. God u not bound to change his LaWj 
 if man fin. 
 
 Anf. I anfwered this before, That God is not 
 the Changer : But the Law will not continue tobe 
 zLaw, but by continuing to fignifieGod'/^wmz- 
 ing mlli And it cannot fb fignifie his governing 
 Will, when there is no Subject to be a capable ter- 
 minus : So that it ceafed, ccjfantc capaeitate fubdi- 
 ti y vd ce flame termmo. To fay, That the Law ftill 
 fignifieth what God would have had man do while 
 he was capable, is true j but that faith no more 
 but that C I? Kas oriCe a Law^ and now is none : ] 
 For fo it may do by the dead, yea, were they 
 annihilated, even tell others what God weuld have 
 had them do, but this is not a ruling Ad \ but 
 Lex t fit in fententiam. *And to fay, That at 
 leafi the Larv bindeth a Sinner to perfect Obedience 
 for the time to come y is to fay, That it binds not as 
 - the Law of Innocency, but as fome other Law, of 
 which we are enquiring. 
 
 §. 1 6. And it is a clear Truth (before pro- 
 ved ) That God brought all Mankind in Adam un- 
 der a Law and Covenant of Grace, founded in "the 
 Promt fe of the Viciory of the Woman s Seed : And his 
 dealing with all men ever fince, doth fully confirm 
 O is. 
 
ri94] 
 
 it. And this Law made to Mankind in Adam and 
 Noah*, was never repealed to the World, but per- 
 fected by a perfe&er Edition to thofe that have 
 the Gofpel. Therefore we have two Queftions 
 here to confider. I . What Law the World was un- 
 der before Chriji^s Incarnation : And^ 2. whether 
 Ckrift refuted it to them ? 
 
 §. 17. ift. And it is proved, That on God's 
 part the faid Law of Grace continued : And man>$ 
 jbifibedience could not here mtllific the Law, as 
 it did that of Innocency : Becaufe it was a Law 
 that allowed Repentance till the time of Death : 
 So that wkci they finned never fo much, they 
 were fliH obliged by it to repent^ that they might 
 be faved. Their Rebellion deprived them of the 
 Benefit, but did not end the Law, nor rendered 
 them uncapable of its Obligation. God made A- 
 dam, and after him the Heads of Families his 
 Priefts : He had then publick Worfhip natural, and 
 inftitmed facrificing, and the diftin&ion of clean 
 and unclean Beafts, Sabbath and Marriage, as well 
 as calling on the Name of the Lord, are exprefTed: 
 As the Covenant to Neah was the fame with that 
 to Adam, with fome. fmaU Addition, fo no doubt 
 were the Precepts of Noah. As the Canaanites 
 iacrificed, fo their marrying in the prohibited 
 Degrees, is called one of their Abominations .■ 
 It's very probab!e> that not only the Decalogue in 
 fence* but alfo all, or moft of the particular Mo- 
 faical Precepts, which are but the Inftances, Ex- 
 plications,and Applications of thofe Generals ? werc 
 given before the Flood \ and fome more, which 
 evrti the Nations Traditions kept fome remem- 
 brance of, though aot named particularly in the 
 T«t. 
 
 §•18. 
 
[195 3 
 
 §*i8. And it was not God y s Covenant of P#- 
 :uliarity with Abraham and the Tews, that ended 
 it to the reft of the World ( as I before pro- 
 fed. ) 
 
 §. 19. So that though there be difficulty in. 
 opening the Terms of the Law of Grace, as it 
 flood to all Mankind befides the Jews, there is no 
 difficulty to prove, that it did indeed fo con- 
 tinue- 
 
 §.20. And that Chrift hath not repealed or 
 mBified that Law of Grace to the World that ne- 
 ver hare theGofpel, which they were under be- 
 fore his coming, is evident. 1. Becaufe he came 
 for the Benefit , and not the Deftrftttion of the 
 World, to make their Condition better, and not 
 worfe: But had he nullified that Law of Grace to 
 all the World, and given them no better in its 
 ftead, fave to a few, he had come direftly by 
 himfelf to take away their Mercies, andmakethem 
 rniferable.For it is certain,that though the Apoftles 
 Commiffion was to preach the Go/pel to all Nati* 
 ens, and every Creature, yet it is comparatively 
 but a fmall part of the World that ever heard 
 it, or had the.means to know and believe in Chrift. 
 And all the reft were under a Law of Grace before, 
 arid therefore are fo fiill. 2. And if Chrift re- 
 pealed thatLaW) by which Act did he do it? Not 
 by making a better Edition, for that could not have 
 jpny fuch Effeft to th«m that never did, or could 
 know of that Edition: And there is no other Re- 
 peal to be found in Scripture. 3. And if the Law 
 of Grace be nullified to all the World that hear 
 not the Gofpel, are they fince under any Lam of 
 God,or none *, if none,they are either no Men or dam* 
 nedMtn ; for they are no governed Subject ; If they 
 
 O 2 
 
C *9<$1 
 
 are under *ny, what uit? The Law of Innocency I 
 have proved it is not : And the G O S P E L ( or 
 fecond Edition of the Law of Grace) it is Hot.' 
 For that cannot oblige where it never is promul- 
 gate : It being 2. fuper natural Revelation, can ex- 
 tend to none to whom it is not ( direttly or in- 
 dire&ly ) fent ? Therefore it is evident , that. 
 Chrift leaveth fuch under that Law which he found 
 them under. 
 
 §# 21. What this Law to the World contain- 
 ed, having before opened, chap. 12. §.3. I 
 ftiall not repeat it, but only here add, 1 . It is cer- 
 tain, that though this Law make perfiEt Obedience 
 for the future to h^ a Duty (to them and us) yet 
 not to be the Condition of Salvation ; but that it 
 doth hereto accept fincerity. 2. That it maketh 
 not the particular Articles of our prefent Creed 
 about ChriiPs perfon , Birth, Life, Death, Re- 
 furredtion, heavenly Interceffion in our Nature, 
 necejfary to their Salvation : For before Chrift's 
 Coming, nojewilh Believers could believe, That 
 this Jtfu$) in his demonftrable Perfon, is the Chrift^ 
 but that Chrift Ihould come : And after he had 
 long taught them, and pronounced them blefled, 
 the Difciples knew not that he muft die, rife, a- 
 fcendj intercede in Heaven, come again, &C 3. It 
 is certain, that all that the Prophets had any way 
 foretold of Chrift to the Jews, was 
 Luke 14. not of abfolute neceffity to Salva- 
 
 tion to the Jews themfelves to be 
 tnderfiocd, much lefs to the World that never 
 heard it : For Chrift proved out of the Prophets, | 
 That he was to die? and rife, and fo to be glorified , 1 
 when yet the Apofiles had not underftood it till 
 that time* And the Tewifli Believers had very dark I 
 
 (if 
 
[i97 3 
 ( if not erroneous ) Notions of the perfon of the 
 Mefliah to come. And to believe that he fhould be 
 of Abraham"** Seed, 25 it was part of Abraham 7 s 
 Covenant of Peculiarity^ fo it feemeth to be necef- 
 fary only to fuch as were under, or knew that 
 Covenant, and not to all. 
 
 §. 22. And it is certain, that when the Meffiah 
 w at come, they were not bound to believe that he 
 was yet to come(though they knew not of his coining) 
 becaufe it was then an Untruth. 
 
 §. 23. The proclaimed Name of God, Exod. 
 24. with Pfal. 19. Prov. 1. Aft. 10. and 14. and 17. 
 Rom. 1 . and 2. Heb. 6. 1 1 . do feem to be the Expo- 
 fitions of the true Sence and Tenour of that Law 
 of Grace, Gen. 3. 15, which the World before 
 Chrift's coming, was under, and yet is, where 
 the Gofpel cannot be had. 
 
 §. 24. The Texts that fay, He that believeth not 
 foalt be damned, plainly refer to fuch as hear the 
 Word to be believed, and fpeak of the Unbelief 
 of what is revealed, and not of what is unre- 
 vealed. 
 
 §. 25. Rom. 1 o. faith no more, but that no man 
 can believe in Chrifi without the Revelation of him 
 by f reaching or declaring ; and that no man that 
 heareth, can be faved without believing in him f 
 nor no man faved at all without that Faith, which 
 the Law that he is under, maketh necefTary to Sal- 
 ' vation. But if all were damned that believed not 
 that this Jcfas is ferfonatly the Chrift, all before his 
 ' Incarnation mufl be damned : But if not all before, 
 then the fame thing was never made necefTary after 
 to all that could not poffibly hear of it. 
 
 §. z6. The fame I fay of Joh. 1 4. 6. No man 
 cometh t* thtfather 7 fat by me. 1. No man is rt* 
 
 O X CMC*-* 
 
C i9» 3 
 
 ivticiled to God, zndpardoncdy and hath right to hfc 
 (in all Ages of the World) but for the fake of the 
 pieritmoHs Sacrifice and Righteoufnefs of Chrift, as 
 promifed, Gen. 3. 1. before, and performed after : 
 But this was the part of God and our Redeemer, 
 which he promifed in his part of the Covenant, 
 and performed : For God wai in Chrift reconciling 
 the world to himfelf , not imputing to them their 
 fin}<> ( fo far forgiving them, as to make an Adt of 
 Grace and Pardon , which he committed to his 
 Minifters to proclaim, ) 2 Cwv 5. 1 9. But, 2. on 
 wans fart it is not the knowledge and belief of this 
 !jefus incarnate ferfonally, that was made necefiary, 
 to all before his coming, and therefore not to all 
 after. No man ever came to the Father, but by 
 the Son's Merit and Spirit y nor without a confent- 
 ing Belief and Affiance in God's redeeming or re- 
 covering, pardoning, faving Mercy, and true Re- 
 pentance, and a fandtified Soul, which is in love 
 with God and goodnefs: And whatever wasab- 
 folutely neceflary in the terms of the firft Edition 
 of thg Covenant of Grace, even to all the World 
 before Chrift's Incarnation. But Chrift never 
 meant, that no mtn'bef ore his Incarnation (or fince, 
 that heard not of him ) did come to the Fa- 
 ther without believing that which the Apoftles 
 themfelves long believed not, after they followed 
 Chrift. 
 
 §. 27. The reft of the World neve not bound to 
 know (b much of the Meffiah as the Jem, as having 
 not the fame Revelation. 
 
 §0 28. 1. Having proved that it is a Law o\ 
 Grace that all the World is to be rnkdzxA judge* 
 by, it remaiheth to be enquired, Whether any oj 
 Shea th*$ b*n mt the Go{pcl> d* ks'ftht ConditUnA 
 
C ml 
 
 of this Lm % and fo are justified by it, and fa 2 
 ved ? 
 
 To which I anfWer, i. That being, a matter of 
 /*#, it is not of fo great Importance for us to 
 be certain of it, as fome imagine : And who can 
 be certain of the Affirmative, unlefs the Scrip- 
 ture affirm it \ when if we knew all the World, 
 one man cannot be certain of anothers Sinceri- 
 ty ? And much lefs can any be certain of the 
 Negative, without Scripture Negation , feeing 
 no man can know every man in the World, and 
 every Heart. 
 
 §. 29. 2. But it is exceeding probable y at leaft, 
 That God would never govern many hundred 
 parts of the World (compared to the Jews) 
 before Chrift's Incarnation, and five fixth parts 
 fince his Incarnation, by a Law of Grace, which 
 yet no perfon fhould ever have effe&ual Grace 
 to keep as far as was neceflary to his Salva- 
 tion. Every Law *f God is a Means , and ap- 
 pointed the Subje&s the ufe of much Means for 
 their own Salvation : Theft means they arc 
 bound to ufe, and fhall be condemned, if tbey 
 ufe them not \ and that none fliould ever ufe 
 them favingly, is an Aflertion fo unlikely, that 
 he that hath the boldnefs to affirm it, fhould bring 
 certain Proof of it, which the Scripture, I think f 
 doth not afford him. 
 
 §. 30. But what numbers do perform the Con- 
 dition and are faved, no mortal man can tell : 
 But in general we know, that God ufually work- 
 eth in Congruity to hu appointed weans, and conle- 
 quently that far fewer are faved where lefs weans 
 is vouchfafed, than among Christians who have 
 herein the unvaluable vre-emimnce above others. 
 
 ■0 4 S-3». 
 
[ 200 ] 
 
 §. 3i. For a$ the Jews had both the common 
 Covenant of Grace, and alfo the Covenant of Pecu* 
 liarity, fettjng them above all others } fo the Chri- 
 stian Church hath both the common Covenant of 
 Grace, and by the fecond edition of it a Covenant 
 of Peculiarity •, both iealed by Baptifm and the 
 Lord's Suffer, as the Jews Covenant was by Cir- 
 cumcifion and the Paflbver : Yea, our Covenant- 
 Privileges fet us above the World, incomparably 
 higher than the Jews were. 
 
 §. 32. Yet ftiould we take warning by the 
 example of the Jews Pride, who were fo confi- 
 dent that none were faved or beloved but them- 
 felves> that thejf defpifed the reft of the World, 
 and provoked God to cut them off, and call the 
 Gentiles into higher privileges : So fome Chri- 
 stians fo truft to their Gofpel-Pcculiarities, (as the 
 Jews did to their Law) tfcat they defpife all the 
 World befides themfelves, and can eafilier believe 
 that God will damn a thoufand millions that never 
 heard the Gofpel than one of them, who have no 
 more real Holinefs, than many of thofe whom 
 they defpife. But it is our Duty to be thankful 
 both for our excellent Peculiarities, and alfo for 
 the commoner Mercies unto others. 
 
 And I wifh the impartial Reader to ftudy, 
 'Mai 1. 10, 11. whether even this be not the 
 fence, t Nor will I accept an Offering at your handy 
 for from the rifing df the Sun to the going down of the 
 fame, my mame is great among the Gentiles, and in 
 every plate Jncenfe offered to my name, and a pure 
 Offering : For my name is great among the Heathen \ 
 faith the Lord of hojts ', vui ye have polluted it. j 
 Our Tranflators have, as Expofitors, thrice ( at 
 theleaft) added the future Xtxik [jhaU bel But 
 
 all 
 
[201 ] 
 
 all the old Tranflations, Syriacl^, Caldee Paraph. 
 Greek, Latin, &c. put it in the prefent Tenfc 
 [ is great, is offered. ] I do but defire the Reader 
 to ftudy it. It's ftrange , that all the ancient 
 Churches fhould mifunderftand it/ It fcems more 
 probable by the Context that the Hebrew Text un- 
 derftccd the frefent Tenje ( none being cxpref- 
 fed.) 
 
 §.33. If we might imitate our Father Abraham 
 (who yet faw Christ's day and rejoiced} we fhould 
 fuppofc the number of the faved through the world, 
 to be very confiderable: For as I faid elfewbere, 
 though God had told him, that Sodom was fo 
 mhc}) worfe than the reft of the World, that God 
 would deftroy it , yet Abraham thought there 
 might be fifty righteous ferfons there. It's like he 
 thought not worfe of the reft of the World, 
 
 §. 34. • Obj. Ton fern to make the reft of the 
 World ha f per than the Jews ; for they had a Law 
 that WQidd juftifie them, and fo had not the Jews. 
 
 Anf. The fecond aflertion is falfe : The Jews 
 were under the Law of Grace, which /Wcalleth 
 the Promife, and might be juftified by it, and had 
 greater helps to know and keep it than the reft 
 of the World had. But when they f ooli/hl y fK 
 parated their MofaicA Law from the Promift or 
 common Law of Grace, /W tells them, by the Deeds 
 of that Law no flefh could be juftified. 
 
 §. 35. Obj. VoyoM not thus confound the World 
 and the Church t Arf. No : I ask you, Did he 
 confound them before (Thrift's Incarnation, who 
 thought that more than the Jews were laved? 
 Certainly no : No more do I now. 
 
 §. 3$. The word [Church] is foretime taken 
 fo properly and ftrittly, as to fignifie only thofe 
 
 that 
 
[ 202 ] 
 
 that are under the Covenant of Peculiarity : And fo 
 the Jews before Chrift's Birth, and Chriftians 
 fince, makeup the Church, (and foirtc few per- 
 haps before the Jews Covenant.') But fometimes 
 it is taken mote largely , for the Kingdom of 
 God : For all that are in a Bate of Salvation^ 
 under the feveral editions of the Law of Grace. 
 And fo Job and his Friends, and Melchizedcck^ and 
 many others, before, and all now that love God 
 and Holinefs fincercly, are of the Church. Accor- 
 dingly by the [World] is meant,. either, i. All 
 Men as under the Redeemer's Law of Grace, antece- 
 dently to their Confent ; and fo all the World be- 
 long to Cod's Kingdom, as fubditiobli^ati. 2. Re- 
 bels that refufe Confent : And fo they are of the^ 
 Kingdom by obligation,, but condemnable for Re- 
 bellion : And thefe are the [World] in the worit 
 fence. 3. Confenting Sub jells under the Common 
 Lave of Grace, who yet were not Jews, nor are not 
 in the Covenant of Peculiarity : And fuch are in a 
 fiat e of Salvation, though not in the Church of the 
 , pcnlUr fas the Subjefts of Melchizedeck., Sem y &c.) 
 and fo are both in the Church and in the Werld,m 
 feveral fences 
 
 §. 37. Having delivered that in this great Que- 
 stion which feemeth to me agreeable to God's 
 Word, I advile thofc that ufe. to aflault fuch 
 things with reproach, which they find reproached 
 by their Party, to remember, that God is Lore, 
 and Chrift is the Saviour of the World, and the 
 Pharifaical Appropriators of Mercy and Salvation, 
 do feldom know what fpirit they are of. 
 
 CHAP, 
 
[203 ] 
 
 C H A*P ; XVII. 
 
 Of the Necefjity of Holintfs , and of Moral 
 Virtue. 
 
 §. \.TJL L I N E S S is our pedication^ Septra- 
 JLJL tion^ or Devotcdnefs to God, and alie- 
 nation from all that ftancjs in compe- Zec ^ f 
 tition or contrariety to God. 2 , 2 j££ 
 
 i. p. HcK 
 3. 1. 1 Pet. t.if, 16. &2. 5,9. 2 Pet. 3. 11; - ExoJ. 19. 6. 
 Deut. 7. 6. & 26. 19. &28. 9. Ifa. 62. 12. Rom. 11. 16. 
 
 §. 2. It is our Separation to God as the Creator 
 of our Nature, and our Redeemer 7 and the Author 
 of Grace i and owe Felicity, and the Caufe of Glory : 
 As the /?*/? Efficient , faprcme Dirigent y and «/ri- 
 mutely final Caufz. 
 
 §. 3. It is our feparamn to God as our Oavw 
 by Refignaxton, as our £#fer by Obedience, and as 
 our Benefactor and ultimate End by Thankfulnefs and 
 £<n/* , in the acknowledgment of his infinite ^n*^ 
 wifdom undgoodnefs, as cjfenrial to himfelf, and re- 
 lated to his works. 
 
 §. 4. Holinefs is our iifpofitive^ actual^ and rr/*- 
 r#w reparation to God ; 1. When our Souls are 
 habitnaSy inclined to God and to his Will. 2. When 
 we a& natty give up our f elves to God and to his will $ 
 by Confent firft, and Obedience and Lore after: 
 3* It fignifieth the relation of the Perfon as thus 
 
 habi- 
 
[204] 
 
 habitually and a&ually fcparatcd. ( A holy Prieft- 
 hood, i Pet. z. 5,9, ii.) 
 
 §. 5. Holiwfs is the Habit and Aft of all the 
 three Faculties of the rational Soul ; 
 
 iThef. $. 23. viz.. I*%0fthe vital Active Power by 
 Eph, 1.18,19. Quickening %x\& Strength. 2. Of the 
 A Co 6 ' *?' ******& $y~!llumnation. 3. Of the 
 ley. \x y %2 Will by Converfion, Love or Compla- 
 cency. 
 
 §. 6. The Soul as fenfitive^zni the body it f 'elf \ 
 arc faid to be fanitified, fo far- as they are dif- 
 pofitivelyand a&ually fubjeft and fubfervient to a 
 holy Soul in HoUnefs^ and related accordingly as fe* 
 paratetorSod. 
 
 §. 7. Oni Holinefs is no alienation from the 
 Creature 04 a Creature^ in its due place and fubor- 
 dination to the Creator, but contrarily containeth 
 our Honour of, and Love to, all Gcd's Creatures 
 for his/tf^? and impref^ and a devoting of all that 
 is ours to his ufe : But it containeth 
 Lulc 14* 26, a renunciation of that which is 2- 
 *7>3 r > 33- gainft his Honour and Government 
 and Love, as fuch. 
 
 §.8. As God communicateth Holinefs really and 
 relatively to Man , fo /^/)> ftrfons communicate 
 fuch Holinefs to Creatures below them, as conlift- 
 eth in the ufe and relation of things feparated to 
 Gdd,hy a due ft partition of them by their dedica- 
 tion and holy ufe : and that in various de- 
 grees. 
 
 §. 9. True Kolinefs is the Health,the Rectitude, 
 „, "j- the Honefty, the Tuftice of man's 
 
 Keb. 12.14. Col. r. r , ./ *. ** r tr . 
 
 a*. Eph.1.4. & 5. Soul -i and therefore necefjary^ 
 *7. 1 Pet- 1. 16. as his £#/# by God's Law, even 
 
 of 
 
[ 205] 
 
 of Nature , and to. his Happinefs both in the 
 very nature of the things and by the determination 
 of God's Law. It is a contradiction to be kappy 
 and unholy, Rev. ao-6". 
 
 §. 10. Holimfs is the etid or perfedtion of our 
 Nat art 7 and GodTs chief Intereft in man, and is be- 
 gan by Grace and perfected in Glory. Epb. 5. 27. 
 & 4. 1 <S, & c 
 
 §• 1 1 . The Ff*r of God and his Jndgpients^ and 
 a Care of 0*r 01*77 ^xWj, and a Sorrow for $*>, 
 and a dedre of Happinefs, nay be not only Prepa- 
 ratives, but lower parts of Holintfs 5 but the true 
 formal fpecifying nam e or it confifteth in a love *f 
 Gods infinite goo/fatfa and a Will addicted to obey bis 
 Will % or a Pieafedncfs in pleafvg 
 Htm * : This is Holinefs. % * ££*• IO - 
 
 » 1 Theff 2. 4. 
 1 John 3. 22. Heb. 13. 21. Col. 3. 20. Heb. ir. 5. 
 
 §. 12. Eecaufe a man is denominated accordiflg 
 to the predominant bent of his Will (or Soul) he 
 is not to be called Holy who hath £>me flight in- 
 clination to fkafe God y and'morc to pleafe his own 
 carnal Appetite and Will j or greater love to the 
 Creature than to God. 
 
 §.13. Chrift himfelf came into the World to 
 recover linful Man by Holinefs ^ Luk , y# 
 + to God, and difclained not to be Eph. 4. 24. * 
 a means of Man's San&ification, and 1 Their 4. 7. 
 to make this the notable operation of **eb. * 2 • IO - 
 his Holy Spirit on us. Rom * 8 * J > 9 . . 
 
 §. 14. Whatfoever Law Men are under, before 
 Ghrift or.fince, Jew or Gentile, Works or Grace, 
 no man can be faved and happy without Holi- 
 nefs i that is , unlefs they be devoted in Obe- 
 dience 
 
[ 206 ] 
 
 dicncc and Love to G O D and Goodnefs. 
 
 §. 15. No man can be damned that is boly 7 
 while fuch i nor can God haee and make miiera- 
 ble thofe that truly love him and his governing 
 Will. 
 
 §. 16. Yet a perfon that is holy may deferve 
 Damnation^ deferving to be dented that help of the 
 Holy Spirit by which his Holinefs mufl be continu- 
 ed : And as to be ftved is to be perfe&Iy fanttified y 
 fo to deferve Hell, is to deferve to he forfaken, to 
 the total lofs of Holinefs. And fo though it be hard 
 for us to know whethqr Adams firft lofs of Inno- 
 cency was a total lofs of Holinefs, yet if it were 
 not, it was a forfeiture or divine help, and fo a 
 mediate lofs of it. And fo a man that loveth 
 God fincerely,,may by great Sin deferve to be de- 
 prived of the Spirit, and therefore wemuftpray 
 for the pardon ot fuch defert for the fake of Chrift, 
 though we canaot be damned or miferable while 
 holy* 
 
 §. 17. Obj. But how doth God love a holy Soul 
 if he forfafy him, and with-hold his Spirit ? And if he 
 be not loved of God, he is miferable ? If he be loved, 
 he will not be forfaken. 
 
 Anf. Anfwer this your felf as to the Cafe of 
 the Angels and Adam. God loved them, and yet 
 not fo as to fecure them from the lofs of Grace : 
 But he fo far loved them efficiently, as to give 
 them that grace by which they conld perfevere ; 
 but not that by which they necttizxily fionld per- 
 ftvere -, and he loved them complacentially, ac- 
 cording to the goodnefs which was in tfyem> and 
 yet they loft it # 
 
 §. 18. Obj. Thtr is beca*fe they mre left to 
 their Free will, and had but Efficient Graff, ami 
 
 ffot 
 
[ 2o 7 3 
 
 not efficacious determining Grace : But it is novp other- 
 rvifc with alt trut Believers. 
 
 Anf. True Believers have not determining 
 efficacious Grace,to prevent allfn^ nor all fuch fin as 
 Noah, Lot, David, Peter did commit : And that 
 fin delerveth an anfwerable defertion of God, it 
 being a defer ting him firft fo far : And though 
 God pardon it, yet the defcrt is prefuppofed to 
 the pardon \ for i( is defert of pumfhment that is 
 pardoned. 
 
 §• IP- Queft. If a man were holy, (that is, an 
 obedient Lover of God and Goodnefs*) without Faith 
 in Chrifty would that fave him ? 
 
 Anfw. i. The Covenant of Grace requireth 
 various degrees of Faith, according to its feveral 
 editions and promulgations : It is nat the fame 
 degree of Faith, as to the Objcfts extenfively, 
 which was required of Jewifh Believers before 
 Chrifl's Incarnation , as is now of us , nor the 
 fame^degrec that was required of all the reft of the 
 World as of the Jews. 2. But fuch a Faith ia 
 God our Redeemer as that Law which men are un- 
 der maketh neceflary to Salvation, is neceflary to 
 Holinefs: And to ask what God will do with a 
 man that is holy without Faith, is to talk of a noiv- 
 cxiftent Subjeft : There is no fuch man \ for 
 without Faith it is impoffibie to pleafe God : for he 
 that comet h to G*d tnuft believe that God is, and 
 that he is the Rewarder of them that diligently feck, 
 him, notwithflanding original and adtual Sin, and 
 the Law of InnQcency condemning us , and there* 
 fore that he is under a pardoning and rewarding 
 Law of Grace, Heb. 11. 6. No man can be fan- 
 ftified without the Merit, Doftrine and Spirit of 
 Shrift, nor without that degree of Faith which 
 
 the 
 
[ 2oS ] 
 
 the Covenant which he is under requireth. 
 
 §. 20. Queft. What if 'a man thxtWM fanfti- 
 fied by believing, jhoald retain his Holinefs, or Love 
 and Obedience, and fafe his Faith in Chrifi ? 
 
 Anfv. It is a thing that never was nor will 
 be -, and not to be difputed of. 
 
 §.21. Moral Virtue in the proper fence of the 
 word, is the fame thing as Holinefs taken com- 
 prehenfively, as containing our Love and Duty to 
 God, and to man for God's fake : But as Holinefs 
 is taken narrowly for our Love and Duty to GW, 
 as diftindt from our Love and Duty to Man, fo 
 Moral Virtue is the genu*, and Holmtfs the chief 
 /pedes of it. And thus we take Moral Virtue and 
 Moral Atiion, and fo all Morality, as contradi- 
 ftinft from Phyficks or things mecrly natural, not 
 falling under the genu* moris : And fo Virtue and 
 Vice (or Sin) are 111 that is Moral, that is, Moral 
 Good and Moral Evd: And this is the firft and 
 moft notable fence of the word. 
 
 But fome of late have ufed Moral as contra- 
 diftincft from Holinefs or Grace, or from infufed 
 Habits, or from Faith and Chriftianity ; and fome 
 tell us confidently but faldy, That this is the moft 
 fit and famous fence, and the word fo to be taken 
 when not otherwife explained. It's the fad cafe 
 of Mankind, that we have no words but what are 
 liable to ambiguity : And it's the unhappinefs of 
 the' Church that hath fo many Teachers that will 
 difpute, write, and wrangle about words unex- 
 plained, and in the end fhew , that under di- 
 vers terms they mean the fame matter in which 
 they are agreed and know not their Agree- 
 
 ment; 
 
 §. 22. As 
 
[209] 
 
 §•22. As Holinefs is fometimes taken fo large- 
 ly, as to comprehend all that God commanded^ 
 and fometimes for the natural part of our Duty 
 ( Love and Obedience) as diftindt from Faith in 
 Cbrift-, which is tftc mediate Grace, and of fuper- 
 natural revelation ; fo is Morality or moralVirtuc 
 diftinguifhed. # 
 
 §. 23. They that take moralVirtne phil.4. 2. 
 fo narrowly and improperly, as to lPeti. 3^. 
 mean no other mural Vtrtne than pro - I2 - 4-3 r « 
 Heathens had, or than is taught in & 3 1 - 2 ^ 
 ArifiotWs Ethicks, (hould firft tell us, 
 That this is their fence *, gnd then they may 
 boldly declaim againft thofe Preachers that take 
 this for fufficicnt } or that preach no other : 
 For Scripture and Chriftianity were to little pur- 
 pofe if they taught us no more than the Wri- 
 tings of Philofophers do. 
 
 §. 24. And no" doubt but it is a pitiful fign 
 and an odious Crime in a Minifter of Chrift, to 
 fay little to?the People of the Myfteries of Man's 
 Redemption, the Perfon, and Offices, and Works 
 of Chrift, the Covenant of Grace, and the Impe- 
 rial Bleffings given by it, our Union with Chrift> 
 J unification, Adoption, and the fpecial Works of 
 the Spirit on Mens Souls, and all the Duties and 
 Pleafures of a Heavenly Converfation, in the love 
 of the Father, the Grace of the Son, and the 
 Communion of the Holy Spirit, and all this un- 
 der pretence of magnifying and preaching up the 
 •Love of cht Brethren , and Charity to the Poor y 
 and Jnfiice , and Te?nf trance •, as if M*n were 
 our GW, and to wrong man were the only Sin y and 
 to wrong God were none) or God could be no other- 
 waies wronged. 
 
 P §,2 5. But 
 
[210] 
 
 §. 2$. But Covetoufnefs and Pride contradideth 
 their own Doftrine : For among their good works 
 thofe of Piety are firft extolled -, and thofe are the 
 enriching of the Church, ^nd that is themfelves 7 
 and why them more than the poorer People about 
 us ? Becaufc they are fare d perpms, and belong to 
 Cod, and fcrve at his Altars ? Very good. And 
 is Piety to a [acred ferfon ( and fuch as they) fo 
 great a Duty , and yet our Piety as immediately to 
 God him f elf, an indifferent thing, in comparifon of 
 our Duty to M*n ? Yea 7 fome ufually make that 
 partofrk/V Piety which confifteth in theobfer- 
 yance of their own Traditions and unnecefjary In- 
 junctions, to ieem of great weight, while the 
 holy obfervance of God's own Laws is perhaps ac- 
 cufed as too much precifenefs or hypocrijie ; when in- 
 deed the Hypocrite is he, that inftead of the life and 
 ferious praftre of true Chriftian-Holinefs, fers up' 
 and refteth in the Image of Holinefs, and certain 
 formalitiel, that are lifelefs, to deceive himfclf and 
 others. f 
 
 §. 26*. Where there is no Faith and bwe to God, 
 nor Duty done in obedience to God, there is no true 
 tnoral Virtue, but fomewhat equivocally fo called, 
 whatever good fuch may do to the Commonwealth 
 or to their Neighbors ; for it wanteth the principle, 
 e#dJand object that fhould inform it. 
 
 §. 27. An Hypocrite may bz faidto have moral 
 
 1 Virtue, as he may be faid to have Holinefs, that is, 
 
 only fecundum quid, yea. but analogically -, yea, but 
 
 tquivocalfy, in that he hath no other fort of Faith 
 
 and Love and Obedi-ncc. 
 
 §. 28. An In fdeP i moral Virt He , and all unfan- 
 ftified Heathens or other perfons, is of the fame 
 fort only with this defcribed of the Hypocrite: 
 
 And 
 
[ 2"'] 
 
 And they err not that fay, They have no true moral 
 Virtue, but analogical. 
 
 §. 29. Yet Nature and common Grace do give men 
 that which is f r#(y ^ood (and not only /»*##* malum} 
 and may do much good to others, 2nd fometof^w- 
 /e/W, and is truly laudable and amiable, confidered 
 without the mixture fimply in it felf : But becaufe 
 the contrary evil is ftill the predominant part in 
 all the iinfanftified,>*t will not properly denominate 
 them ^eodmen, nor the whole attira a goed attion^ 
 faVc equivocally, analogically or feemdum quid j 
 becaufe the form denominateth , which is here 
 wanting. 
 
 §. 30. But if any one think otherwife, that the 
 name of moral Virtue, yea, or Holintfs, is due to the 
 be ft actions or habits of Heathens , Hypocrites, or any 
 nnfani&ifted men, it is but a Controverfie de nomine? 
 a d no otherwife to be regarded, while we agree of 
 the things fignified by that name. 
 
 §. 31. It is certain, that now there is no moral 
 good, in any man on Earth, that is not 4he efFeft 
 of form Grace of God, common or fpecial ; for even 
 Nature now as reprieved, and maintained is an effeft 
 of common Grace -, much more farther gifts : But it is 
 perverfenefs in fome School-meft, who make com* 
 men Grace and fecial (at Icaft as to Faith) to be 
 differenced only in the CaHf*tien,one being not i$u 
 fufed and the other infufed, but the fame in aft, and 
 fo that no man can know whether he have infufed * 
 or acquired Faith (which fome call but a M$rM 
 Virtue,*) 
 
 P % CHAP, 
 
[2I2T] 
 
 CHAP. XVIII. 
 
 Of the neceffity of Faith in Chrifi y where the 
 Gofftlti m*de known. 
 
 §. *; TNfidels take fcandal from Chrift's making 
 J| Faith inhimfdf to be fo neceflary to .our 
 Salvation, as if it tended enly to his Honour, and 
 were in its own Nature of noneceffity to our hap- 
 pinefs, but arbitrarily made fo. 
 
 §.2. And their reafon alfoag^inft thisnecef- 
 fity, is, becaufe believing is an aft of the Intellect ^ 
 and InttlUttion is not free, and in its felf is no mo- 
 ral Aft. A man cannot know or believe what he 
 would, no, though he molt earneftly defired it ; 
 And will God condemn men for that which they 
 fain would do, and cannot ? Efpecially when mens 
 intellectual Capacities do fo greatly differ, that 
 fome feem to differ but little from the Brutes. 
 
 §. 3. This Scandal arifeth from their not well 
 underftanding the Nature and Reafons of our Faith 
 fit Chrift. 1. They falfely fuppofe it to be only 
 an Aft of the Intellect ( where many Divines have 
 given them the Scandal.) 2. They falfely fup- 
 pofe, That the Intellect herein is necejfitated to un- 
 belief. 3. And they confider not the Ends and 
 Vfes of our Faith. 
 
 §.4. 1. The true nature of our Faith , is our 
 Trnftwg in Chrifiy as onr Saviour ^voho hath reconciled 
 U4 to God, by h* Sacrifice nnd Aferit^ that he may 
 bring m to God 7 by 7 unification, Adoption, Santlifica- 
 tion , and Glory. It Containtth Jijfent^ Con/tnt, 
 
 ar.d 
 
snd Affiance, though through penury of Words* 
 we are fain to call it by fome oneofthefe names 
 oft-times, as the occafion requireth : But indeed 
 the very fence of *w, fides, and Tmft, incladeth 
 ail. And when the Aft of the Intelleft only is 
 named, it is as including, or informing both the 
 other. • 
 
 §• ?. 2. Though the'Intellett be not free of it 
 felf, it is free by participation, being quoad excr- 
 citkm, under the Empire of the Will that is free. 
 And the Will by commanding it to aft, fcarch, 
 thinks, of the Evidences of Verity, may do fo much 
 towards the fpecifying of the hd, as that the ineer 
 weaknefs of Vnderftanding without the fault of a 
 victim Will, {hall keep no man in damnable Un- 
 belief. 
 
 §♦ 6. For Chriffc hath many ways provided a- 
 gainft meer Weaknefs of our Vnder ft ending : I. By 
 the ferwefs and plamnefs of ncccflary Articles of 
 Faith: 2. By the fulnefs of Evidence of Credt bili- 
 ty: 3 . By great Means and Helps for our Faith, 
 which he appointeth : 4. And by the powerful 
 Helps of his Spirit, which is ready to illuminate us 
 by thefe means. 
 
 §. 7. No man was ever yet known, that could 
 fay Q / have- done my heft to have obtained Faith > 
 and did mt obtain it.'} Though many can fay, / 
 came fly de fired to bdieve, and could not : Becaufe 
 thofe may defire it, that yet ufenot the means a- 
 right and faithfully, and that indulge their own 
 Prejudices, or carnal Lufts, which hinder it. 
 
 §. 8. 3: In the faving of Sinners, there is consi- 
 derable : T. The great Benefits already given in 
 the Purchase, Merits and Covenant : 2. The grea- 
 ter Benefits offered, and to be received hereafter : 
 P 3 3. Th« 
 
[214] 
 
 3 . The Means to be fifed on our part for obtaining 
 them. 4. The danger and lofs, if wc mifs of them. 
 5. The ultimate End of him that giveth them. 
 
 §. 9. And, 1. will not any reafonable Infidel 
 confefs, That Thankfnlnefs is naturally dye for 
 great and ineftimable Benefits ? And how cafi a 
 man be thankful for that which Be believeth not was 
 ever done for him, or given him ? Or qpn he be 
 thankful to he knoweth not vehorn ? 
 
 §; 10. 2. Do not great Benefits freely offered ', 
 require Acceptance '■? And how can a man accept of 
 that which he believeth not was ever purchafed , 
 procured, or offered him ? Will you accept ajha- 
 ttow ? 
 
 §. ir. 3.Chrifl: never meant to carry Slug- 
 gards afleep to Heaven, but to favc them in the 
 nfe of his appointed means. 1. They mufl learn and 
 obey his Dotlrme , and can they obey it that beLeve 
 It not? 2. They muft take Heaven procured by a 
 Redeemer for their Hope and Portion, and love, de- 
 fire, and feek it above all : And who will do this, 
 that believethit not, and the Word that promifeth 
 it ? 3. They muft take Chrifi for their Ottide, and 
 Mediator, and Inter ctffor, to bring them thither \ 
 and they muft forfake all here that (lands in com- 
 petition, that they may obtain it : And can you 
 do this, and nolbelieve and trufi him that muft fave 
 you ? Will you venture your life in the Hands 
 of a Phyfician, and take his Medicines, if you be- 
 lieve not that he hath Skill and Will to cure you ? 
 Will you leave your Country* and follow one o- 
 verSeas, that promifeth you a Kingdom, if you 
 trnft him not? 
 
 §.12. 
 
§. 1 2. 4« And who will avoid Sin, Temptati- 
 ons, and Hell, that believeth not him that tells 
 them of the evil, and of the danger that is before 
 him ? 
 
 §.13. ^. And God can have no lower End mlti- 
 mutely than Him J 'elf \ and the Glory of ovxRtdec* 
 mcr Is more excellent than mine or years. And 
 therefore if We have the Salvation, it is meet and 
 neceflary that G*d and our Redeemer have the Levg 
 and Thanks, the tnife and Glory of it. 
 
 §. 14. Yet hath not God arbitrarily made Faith 
 more necelfary than it is in the true Reafon 2nd 
 Aptitude of it to its Ends. He hath not made to 
 all zFaitbTo ncceflary of Chnji, and his Inter cef- 
 fan ^ and therefore though Infants and Ideots can- 
 not a<ftua!]y believe, they may be faved by Chrift: 
 And though thofe before Chrift believed not all 
 that we muft now believe, nor the Gentiles before, 
 fo much as the jervs, yet neither of thgm were 
 thereby excluded from Salvation. 
 
 §. 15. Queft. Huh not Chrift made the Cafe of 
 Christians harder than it wot before his Incarnation^ to 
 Believers, by making fo many more Articles of our 
 Faith, and thofe of necejfity to our Salvatim ? 
 
 Anf No, no more than it is our Mifery to accent 
 of more Mercies and Benefits than were offered to 
 others. Oar Belief is not of numerous unneceflary 
 difficulties, but it is of fuch things as we muft receive* 
 and be Partakers of; it is the means of our uft and 
 frnition: Who would take it for a Mifery to be* 
 lieve that the King will give him a Lcrdfhip, or 
 that a rich Man wiil give him fo much Money, if 
 he will come and thankfully accept it ? Every aft 
 of belief is but a means to fome Benefit to be re- 
 ceived, 
 
 P 4 §• t6. 
 
[216 J 
 §. 1 6. As Chrift is the way to the Father , and 
 the Mediator is to bring us unto God, fo Faith in 
 Chrift is the Mediate, or healing Gr^cc to help us 
 to Holi efsy or the Leve of God, which being its 
 End, h is much more noble than Faith in Chrift: 
 And Faith kindling Love to Gcd 7 and Goodnefs, and 
 Men } and Love kindled by Faith , is the Sum of 
 the Chriftian Religion. And it is no Difparage- 
 tntnt to Chrift and Faith in him, to be taken for a 
 Means ; or to ttuft him, as one that wiilfave tp the 
 uttermoft all that come to God by him. 
 
 cCHAP. XIX. * 
 Of the State of Infants as to Salvation. 
 
 i 
 
 Have faid fo much of this in two Books a r 
 gainffc the j4naba}>tifts y and in my Chriftian 
 Diref&ory , that I fhall therefore here be brief. 
 What meafure of Glory, and holy intellectual ope- 
 rations In;ants v fhall have after Death, we know 
 not j but we have reafon to judge, that they fhall 
 not be like Brutes, nor fo unintelligent as in the 
 Body, norfleep in anuna&ive Potentiality 5 but 
 be intclle&ual Agents. 
 
 §. 2. The Conceits of a middle ftate of thofe 
 unbaptized, as having yoenam damni, and not />*- 
 warn fenfusj we know not what to make of, untefs 
 they fuppofe them to be not a finally, but only fo- 
 ttntUUy intelligent : For one that is deprived of true 
 felicity, muft by kpovi>iv& it, have the fenfe of his 
 Privation. Nor do we find in Scripture any Proof 
 
 of 
 
[2i73 
 
 >f their middle State, however Reafon may think 
 t congruous. 
 
 §. 3. The/ that think all Infants faved, go 
 mthefe different grounds : 1. Some think that 
 hey have no Jin : But if Pelagians could prove that, 
 t would be no Proof that they fhall have Heaven 
 )v Happinefs. 2. Others think that Chnft bath 
 wdoxedthem all that fin which was derived from 
 Adam : But either they mean , that his Sacrifice 
 tnd Merit immediately pardoned it ; or that he 
 larh pardoned them all by the Covenant, or Law 
 )f Grace. But, 1. Chrift's Sacrifice and Merits 
 ire given to God for Man , and pardon no man 
 mmediately, but only Merit a pardoning Covenant. 
 1. And that Covenant doth indeed in tantnm^ 
 )ardon all men as far as common Mercy amounteth 
 o (for the remitting any part of the puniftiment, 
 sfo far to remit the fin. ) But the faving- pardon 
 n queftion, it giveth to no man fittu+Uy before the 
 
 ondition be performed; f}r it is but a coiiditio- 
 lal Pardon : Therefore as no one at age, fo no 
 nfant hath any Pardon given him by that Cove- 
 iant, that I can find, but only conditionally. 
 
 §. 4. All grant, That the Covenant pardoneth 
 he Adult only conditionally 5 and if it fhould par- 
 Ion all Infants thfolntely, their Condition would 
 >e O much more happy than that of the Adult, 
 is is not confident with what Scripture, Reafon, 
 md Experience fpeaketh. And there is no fuch 
 hing faid of them in the Word of God, and there- 
 ore not to be believed. 
 
 §. 5. Thofe that think not all Infants ( fb dy- 
 ng ) to be faved and glorified, are alfo of fe- 
 deral minds. 1 . Some think that none are glorified, 
 is being uncapable Subjc&s ( whom I will not be- 
 
 ftow 
 
[nil 
 
 ftow the labour to confute, nor to open the ill 
 Consequents of it. ) 2. Some think, that fome arc 
 glorified) but none are fe/itfvely (wnrjhed with the 
 fir** /V/#*. Thefe feem to me lefs rational than 
 the former : For either Intents will have aftual In- 
 telleftion, and anf/verable Joys aid Sorrows, or 
 not: If not, the former, who reduce them all to 
 meer Potentiality) or the flate of Bruces, are in 
 the right ( of whom fome will have them to be VU- 
 tires after Death in vdncido acrco^ and fome are for 
 their Tranfmigration, and return to Earth. J If 
 yea, then as one part will have rational Joys, the 
 other muft have rational Sorrows, unlefs fome re- 
 turn to Earth, or fome middle ftatc y be bet ter pro- 
 ved than I have yet iken. 
 
 §.6. 3. Some think, that all that art baptized, 
 are faved, and no other, ( th ugh the reft have no 
 Pain. ) But, 1. this is not fuitable to the Nature 
 of God, as a Spirit, and as moft wife and mprci- 
 f*l\ nor yet to the Tenor of his Word, to lay 
 mens Salvation and Rejection upon a mecr outward 
 Ceremony, or Aft of Baptizing. The Seed of Be- 
 lievers may want it in many Cafes of Impedition j 
 and the Children of Cannibals and Infidels, might 
 by Souldiers be taken away by thoufands and bap. 
 tized againft the Parents Wills, and then turned to 
 them again to be educated : And who can believe 
 that barbarous Souldiers that muft themfelves ic 
 damned, can thus fave thoufands at their plea- 
 fores ? There are many Infants that have no right: 
 to Baptifm ; and why then fhould it fave 
 them t 
 
 §. 7. 4. Some think, that all that are baptized 
 b the Parents Con few, are laved : But what if a 
 Heathen, or Infidel, or Athcift fay, I believe not 
 
 in 
 
[219] 
 
 En God or Chrift my felf, but for worldly Ends, 
 I defire my Child may he baptized ( whether 
 he fay, I will, or I will not educate him ur.to 
 Chriftianity. ) There is no (hew of Reafon, much 
 lefs of Scriptitre, that this fhould fave the Chil- 
 dren that are no better offered to Gcd. 
 
 §. 8. 5. Sojne fay, That all that any ChriJH<- 
 an (Siw.er or Hypocrite) offereth to God, and 
 is fo baptized, (hall be faved ; thatis, That hath 
 Chrifiian -Godfather or Godmother. But if fo, then 
 what if^hriftians take Heathens Children againft 
 their VWrs,and baptize them, and then turn them 
 home again? Are they faved by the Ceremony, or 
 by Confer* to the Covenant ? Not by the meer Ce- 
 remony, as is, and (hall be (hewed : Not by Con- 
 lent of any fuch Chriftian that hath no right to 
 them, ncr power to reprefent them; elfe ail the 
 Children on Earth fhould be faved : For Chriftian* 
 would fit at home and confent for them, and dedi* 
 czte them to God unfetni And fure God would not 
 refufe to fave tftem, becaufe of diftance, nor bc- 
 caufe unfcen ( for the Godfather may be blind ) ; 
 ;nor becaufe unbaptized, when it cannot be had, and 
 the Child hindereth it not. 
 
 §. 9. 6. Some fay. That it is the Churches Fai hj 
 and dedicating them to God in Baptifm that is the 
 Condition of their Solvation : But this is not in- 
 telligible. If by the Church they mean all the 
 Chtiftian World, or all a National Church, or all 
 a Diocefan Church, yea, or all a Parifh-Church, 
 they ufe not to be all Godfathers, nor to offer other 
 folks Children to be baptized •, nor did I ever 
 know one that had fo common a Vote, or was fo 
 offered .- If they mean that the Churches Faith feiv 
 veth whoever be the Covenanter or Offerer, then- 
 all 
 
x [220] 
 
 all the Pagan World may have their Children fa* 
 vtd by the Churches Faith, or all that can be catcht 
 up and baptized ( and fo the Ceremony doth it.) 
 But if they mean by that Church the Bijbops or 
 Presbyters, whether it mult be all the Bifhops of the 
 World, or of the Nation, or ane Bijhop, or the Pre- 
 fbyter that baptizeth, every one may fpeak accord- 
 ing to his own Invention and Fancy, but with no 
 Proof from the Word of God or Reafon ( as the 
 aforefiid Difproofsdo manifeft.) 
 
 §. 10. 7. Some fay, That any one baptized 
 by a Godfather s offer, wh* undertakith for his thri- 
 fiian Education^ ftiall be iaved, and no other. But, 
 1. The Godfather may have no Propriety in the 
 Child, but Ileal him, fhall that lave him ? 2. The 
 Godfather may be ah Hypocrite, and mean no 
 thing that he promifeth ; aird fhall the Child be 
 faved by his -Lye that damneth the Lyer himfelf ? 
 
 3. Why fhould a Promfe of future Education fave 
 a Child that muft die tomorrow ~ or ere long? 
 
 4. But if it be the meer opm operatum of Baptising 
 that muft fave, that may be a £*of*n*thn when 
 unduly 'applied; and the Prieft's fin that damneth 
 himfelf, cannot fave others. 
 
 §. 11. 8. Some lay the hope upon Jnceflcrs 
 Faith, and fay, That if the Great Grandfathers, 
 or others before them were faithful, the Infants 
 fhall be fived : But then are all Men faved for 
 Ncah J s Faith ? Or how far mull our Confidence 
 afcend ? 
 
 §. 12. 9. Mod of the Anabaptifis with us, 
 hold, That there is no Proraife, nor Affurance of 
 the laving of any particular Infants in the World, 
 cither Chriftians or Heathens ; but only that God 
 cletteth fomc, whom he will fanctifie and fave, and 
 
 re- 
 
[22l] 
 
 freprobateth ethers ? whom he will damn ; 
 withou:any notice given to the World who they 
 be, or how nany, or how few. So that we can- 
 not fay, that he will fave Ten, or that he will 
 damn Ten of all the World ; nor have the Faithful 
 anymore promife than Heathens of the Salvation 
 of their Infants, and fo are not to baptize 
 them. 
 
 §. 13. jo. The coramonefl Opinion among the 
 Englifli Cahinifts, is, That God hath made no cer- 
 tain Promife of the Salvation of any partkxLr In- 
 fant, butby hisgeneral Promife of mercy to the Seed 
 cf the Faithjnl, hath given us caufe to hope that 
 more of them than of others, {hall be faved} and 
 therefore that they are by Bapiifm to be enrred 
 into the vifible ch*rch, as we baptize the Adult, 
 while we are not certain but they may be Hypo- 
 crites. f 
 
 §. 1 4. But I think this would not warrant their 
 Baptifm, nor give us any certain hope of any ones 
 Salvation. Gcd hath but one Covenant of Grace, 
 which giveth us Chrift and Life \ snd God hath or- 
 dained no Baptifm, but what is for the Rcmijfim of 
 Sin, and making w JMc.nkcrs of Chrift, if we have 
 the Conditions of Right to Baptifm. The Adult 
 profefs faith and Repentance ', if they have them 
 in fincerity, and confent with the Heart zs well 
 as the Tongue , they are certainly pardoned : 
 If they are Hypocrites, and confent only nith the 
 I*ips,they have r otorioufly the Qualification which 
 the Church muft require, and fo are received to 
 wutvpard Communion, but ROt that which God re- 
 quired) to Remiffon and Salvation. But if an Infant 
 be the Child of a trj^c Believer, he hath ail :i. 
 God and the Church require;. And therefore if he 
 
 be 
 
[222] 
 
 be to be baptized, he is certainly put into a ftate 
 of Life, becaufe no Condition is wanting on his 
 part, 
 
 $. if. i.i. Others fay, That the Children of 
 *U Ckrijiians (SinnQrs, or HyfbCti-es ) if baptiz.ed^ 
 are in a ftat^ of P W don and%dvation\ and that 
 God will not ptinifh the Child for the Hypocrite or 
 prophane Paients Sin. But by that rule Heathens 
 Children fhould be in as fafe a cafe, becaufe. God 
 will not pumfh them for their Parents fin. Either 
 femtthing on the Parents part is a Condition of the 
 Child's Right, or nothing. If nothing, Heathens 
 a?id Chriftians Children are equal: If fomething, 
 it muft be true Faith (as to God's acceptancej : 
 For whatever the Church muft do, (thatknoweth 
 not the Heart) it is incredible that God fhould 
 have fuch a Covenant £ Thy Child Ihall be faved 
 if t|iou wilt, ("though lyingly) offer him to me, tho* 
 thou {halt be damned fcr that Lye.] 
 
 §. j 6. 12. That which I acquiefce in is this : 
 
 That Gcd who vifited j4dam' s Sin on allhisPofte- 
 
 rity, hath in the Covenant of Grace 
 
 he the full alfo fo joined Infants to the Parents, 
 froof in my that till they have a Will to chufe for 
 two Dzfput. of themfelves, their Parents may chufe 
 
 Original S:n. fa ^^ gnd difpofe of them for 
 
 their gocd, and God taketh them as 
 Members of the Parents fo far : And ib he hath 
 made many exprefs Ptomifes of mercy to the Faith- 
 ful and their Seed, (and Thrcatningsto the Wic- 
 ked and their Seed ): And that this Mercy can- 
 not be confident with their Damnation } for it is 
 to be their God) and to love find blefs thtni, which 
 cannot ftand with damning them. And God ha- 
 ving but antCwemnt^ feeing they are in the fame 
 
 Cove* 
 
[22j ] 
 
 Covenant with their Parents, and not ancther> if 
 it give Pardon to the Parents, it doth fo alio to 
 the Child) of whom no Condition is required, but 
 that he be offered by a believing Parent to Gcd \ 
 whofe Acceptance is Salvaiion. 
 
 §. 17. Therefore I think that the Synod of 
 Dort truly conclude, Aft.i. 17. That fa:thpd Pa- 
 rents need not doubt of the Election and Salvation of 
 their Children dying in infancy : The Covenant cer- 
 tainly pardoneth and faveth them. 
 
 §. 1 8. But this is not only becaufe t^cy are Urn 
 of their Bodies, nor yet is theit faith the efficient, 
 Cuuft of it -, but there are two things go to qr.a- 
 lifie the Receiver as ttfe difpoftive Condition, that 
 is, 1 . That he be the Child of a faithful Parent, 
 who' devoteth himfelf fmcerely to God. 2. And that 
 he be by the Parent devot&d to Gcd, by Confent, th.it 
 he be in the mutual Covenant : Which virtually 
 all the Faithful do that have Infants, becaufc 
 they devote them/elves and theirs to God to the 
 utmolt of their Capacity. And the Recipient Sub- 
 ject being thus qualified, God'j Covenant pardoneth 
 him, as the efficient Instrument, by fignifying God's 
 Will. 
 
 §.19. Though the Promife here be not fo plain, 
 I deny not, that all true Proprietors, whoie own the 
 Child is 3 here be as Parents. 
 
 §. 20. Gcd having not made the Cafe of Infants 
 fo plain to us as our own, that are Adult, there 
 are difficult Objeftions againfl; this way , bu: 2s 
 it fcems to me , much more againft all the 
 reft. 
 
 §. 21. The grand Objeftion is, That then fome 
 Infants lofe a ftate of Salvation when they come 
 to age. Jnf This will follow - 7 but far harder 
 
 things 
 
C 224 2 
 
 things from all the reft : But, 1 . This was thought 
 no Abfurdity for a Thoufand years after the Apo- 
 ftles, when I cannot prove, that any one man 
 thought that none of the Adult .the.nfelves fall 
 away from true Sanftification 2nd right to Life : 
 When even Augufiine the famous Defender of 
 Election and Grace againft Felagius, thought that 
 all the E!ed only perfevered, and that more were 
 juftified and fan&ified than were Eleft,and that 
 the reft all fell away. 2. D*vcn*nt anfwereth this, 
 That Infant-grace may be loft, and yet not the 
 Grace of the Adult : Becaufe it is but a Relative 
 Regeneration-) and an Extrinfeek^Remiffion of Sin, 
 that giveth them Right t£ Impunity and Life, 
 or if they are faid to have the Spirit, it is not 
 in a fixed Habit of Grace. If you fay , They 
 cannot be faved without real Holinefs, I an- 
 fwer ; 
 
 §. 22. 3. Diftinguifh of Holintfs, and of the 
 Seafon of it. 1 . Infants have not a&ual Faith, nor 
 ncceflarily a proper Habit, which is a difpofnion 
 to facile a<fting that fame ail : But a feme??, a Seed, 
 (as AmefiHs rather calleth it than a Habit at firft 
 even in the Adult : ) And Calvin faith , That fome 
 men, femen fidei qHaUcimque ferdwit. % Adam had 
 fuch a Holinefs as might be loft : And why may we 
 not fiy, that Infants firfi Grace is of fuch a fort 
 or degree ? 2 . And yet . that none are faved 
 without more - y but that upon this firft degree 
 they have a right to Salvation, and that their fur- 
 ther Holinefs (hall be given them whom Gcd will, 
 as part of their Salvation, to which they have 
 fight: At furtheft, at death, in the fame time 
 and manner as perfect Holinefs and Mortificati- 
 on of Sin is given to Believers that are till death 
 
 ira- 
 
[225] 
 
 inlperfedt A lofeable degree oiHolinefs like Adami, 
 may be the way to mere in all that fodie. 
 
 §. 23. Divines ufe to mention three degrees of 
 Grace in order to Faith it felf. 1. So much Grace 
 as maketh a man Me to believe^ ( which they call 
 Sufficient Grace.') 2. So much more as efficiently 
 deterwineth him to the Aft of Believing : This they 
 call tffitttud fecial Gract y and Proteftants call it 
 our location efeftnaL 3 . So much more as givcth 
 him a fixed habit of Fait h 1 Love, and all Holinefs to- 
 /ether. This Papifts call Jnftification 7 and Prote- 
 ftants SancHficatiou. Vtd. Amefii Medall. de voc. 
 &fantt.Koll9c. devocat. Bifhop Downame againft 
 Temble Append, to his Treatife of Perfevc- 
 ranee, &c. 
 
 §.24. Now fome hold all thefe lofeable: fomc 
 hold only the laft not lofeable , and almoft all hold 
 the firft lofeable. Now, 1 . What if we think that 
 Infant's firft Holinefs, befides relative (Pardon* 
 and jus ad imfunitatem & rcgnnni} is but of the 
 firft degree ? 1 hough a mcer moral Power to be- 
 Ueve be not enough to the Adult, becaufe 
 the A?t is necefTary to them, yet fay Pro- ^3 . 
 teftants, The Hubit is not necefTary to 
 their firft Covenant-Right, but is given by the Spi- 
 rit in fanihification a* a Covenant-Benefit. And why 
 may not Infants be in a pardoned ftate, that at 
 firft have but that Grace which giveth a moral 
 Power to believe when they come to age ? Con- 
 sider of the matter. 
 
 §.25. I have fo fully elfewhere } 
 proved, That Infants Churth-memberfinf Twtifes 
 
 fir Ivfmts 
 Church-memberfhip ; and in my Rtviev of lKf*nt+B*itif*K 
 
 Q. was 
 
[ 226 ] ! 
 
 was inftituted both in the Covenant of Innocence 
 in the firft edition of the Covenant of Grace •, in the 
 Covenant of Peculiarity with Abraham, and in the 
 lafi edition of the Covenant of Grace by Chrift^and 
 alfo that God never had a Church on Earth , of 
 which Infants wert not Members, if the adult 
 Members had Infants, that I will now fuperfede 
 that Work. 
 
 CHAP. XX. 
 
 Of the Nature of Saving-Faith. 
 
 §. i. QO much of this came in before on the by, 
 iD as will excufe my brevity here. I have 
 before fhewed, That the Faith now in queftion 
 is not mterly our general Belief and Truftin God, 
 as a part of our Holinefs, but the mediate Belief 'and 
 Truft in odour Redeemer and our Savieur, which 
 is made the Condition of the Covenant ,& the means 
 of ourfandification : Andalfo that as the editions of 
 the Covenant vary, and promulgation of it, fo 
 it is not the fame degree or alts of Faith , as to 
 the particular ere den d* or Articles to be believed, 
 that was and is neceflary to all pcrfons in all times. 
 §. 2. Though the word [ Belief ~\ in Engliflj, 
 and jijfent in Latin, fignifie ftri&ly only the aft 
 of the VnderJUndingjZnd Saving Faith is oft na* 
 med from one dt, yet really that Faith which in 
 Scripture is made the Condition of Pardon and 
 Salvatien, doth eflentially contain the Afts of 
 $vcryFacHltyi'eYtn Jjfcnt } Confent, and Affiance ^ 
 
 and 
 
[ 220 : 
 
 and «« and jm^ ^ properly fignific Trufi, even 
 a confenting or voluntary Truft upon believing ; 
 as is afore faid. 
 
 §. 3. We do very aptly call both the Aft and 
 Obje&by the fame name fides in Latin, (and Faith 
 in Englilh, oft-times) : For Faith is a trnfiing on 
 another s Faith, Fidelity pr Trnfiinefs ; and fo the 
 /Mm afferent is feu f remittent u y & fides credent u 7 arc 
 related. 
 
 §. 4. The Faith that hath the promifc of our 
 Juftification, is not to be called one only Phyfical 
 aft in Ifecie (much lefs in numefo) : ( That were 
 but prophanely to jeft with holy things) ; but it 
 is a moral a£t or work of the Soul, containing many 
 phyfical atts. Otherwife we fhould be all con- 
 founded, not knowing how to diftinguifh of all our 
 phyfical a<fts of faith feenndum ffectcm, and then to 
 know which of them is the right : And it would 
 be but fome very little of the trueOhje&s of Faith, 
 that juftifying Faith mull be conftituted by : In 
 a word, the Abfurdities are fo numerous that would 
 follow, that I will not be fo tedious as to name 
 them. 
 
 §. 5. Saving Faith isfuch a moral work as we 
 ufc to exprefs by the names, Believing, Trufring y 
 Consenting, Takings Accepting, Receivings in Con- 
 tracts ptrfonal with men. If we fay Q Ton jhalt 
 Trufi fuch a Phyfician, or tal^fnch a man for your 
 Thyfician 3 all men understand us, and none is fb 
 logically mad,as to think that by Taking or Trnftinjr 
 we mean only fome one phyfical ait of the fmalleft 
 idiftribution. If we fay [ / take this man for my 
 King y my Mafter, my Commander or Captain^ or 
 thio woman to be my Wife, &c. ] every one knoweth 
 
 fcerc what T^ki^g meaneth : «fc- our Content to 
 
 Q l that 
 
226 ] 
 
 that Relation, according to crra nature and ends 
 of it. 
 
 §. 6. Therefore though we ufc divers names 
 for this Faith, andalfo onfeveral oecafions, give 
 feveral half-defcriptiens of it, we mean ftill the 
 fame thing, and fuppofe what we omit to make the 
 defcription entire. 
 
 §♦ 7. When we call Faith [a Believing] or 
 [ jijfent] we mean fnch an Ajfentzs prevailed! wich 
 the Will-, to accept Christ with his Grace as offered 
 in theGofpel, and con [em to the Baptifmal Cove- 
 nant j and this indeed as a fruit of the ajfeming aft, 
 bu€ as ejfential to jttftifying Faith. 
 
 §. 8. When we call it [ Confent] or Acceptance* 
 or [Receiving Chrift ] we mean, that as Man's Soul 
 hath an Intellect and Will, and a true actus hnma- 
 nm vel morality is the adt of both, but of the Intel- 
 lect as directive, and of the Will as more perfe- 
 ctive, or as the Faculty, primarily moral } fo the 
 fame Faith which is initially in the inteHiEPs Jffent % 
 is pcrfeftlier in the wiSPs Cenfent : And it is the 
 Receiving of a Saviour believed, or the Confcnt 
 to a believed Covenant : Wc fuppofe AJfem when 
 we name it Confent. 
 
 §. 9. And when we name it Affiance or Trtttt 7 
 we include both the former, and mean a refol- 
 ved practical 7V#J?, and dedition of our f elves ac- 
 cordingly to one that covenanteth to bring us 
 from Sin and Mifery to G O D and Glory 7 
 where Belief and Confent to that Covenant are 
 fuppofed. 
 
 §. 10. And the Terminm a quo , and the renun- 
 ciation of Competitors and Oppofitcs* is connoted, if 
 not cflcutially included in Saving Faith : And 
 
 there* 
 
 it 
 
[ 229 1 
 
 therefore Chrifl: doth fo often tell us f of forfa* 
 king aft, if x?e will be his Difeiples. 
 
 §. if . I ufc to exprefs it by this fimilitudc : 
 A Prince redeemeth a Slave, and alfo promifeth 
 him great Pofleffions and Honours in « Kingdom 
 in the E*ft Indies, or at the Anti^oda^ if he will 
 leave his Servitude and his Country, and all that 
 he hath there, and go with him in his Ship, and 
 patiently endure the Sea-trials till he come thi- 
 ther. Here he muft, i. believe that thf Prince 
 hath paid his ranfome : 2. That he is a wife 
 man, and knoweth what he promifed, and skilful 
 to conduft him fafcly through all the perils of the 
 Seas : 3. That he is an honeft man, and intendeth 
 not to deceive him : 4. That he is fufficient or 
 able to perform his word : 5. And if upon this 
 belief he trnfi him* he will let go all ^nd venture 
 in his Ship, and follow him. And here one tells 
 him that the Ship is unfound ; another tells him 
 that the Prince is a Deceiver, unable to perform 
 his Word, or unskilful, or difhoneft, and fome 
 way untrufty } and another tells him that fmall 
 matters in his own Country, are better than grea- 
 ter with fo much hazard ; and fets out the dangers 
 and terriblenefs of the Reas : Now if the man be 
 ask'd [ Do yon believe, or -will yon trnft me, ormU 
 y§u, not ? ] here every one by believing and trufiing 
 knoweth, that a practical Trufl is meant, which 
 lieth in fuch a confidence zsforfakgth *#,and taktth 
 the frorr.ifei Kingdom for all his hope. Such is cur 
 Saving Faith. 
 
 §.12. As many A&s and many Obje&s go to 
 conftitute Saving Faith, fo if you will logiadly 
 anatomize it, all thefe following muft be taken in. 
 
 Q.3 S^ 
 

 t «?0 ] 
 
 §. if. u The principal Efficient Canfe is God, 
 the Father, Son, and Holy Ghoft refpe&ively, ac- 
 cording to their feveral operations. 
 
 §. 14. 2. The Inftrumcntd Caufe is the Word 
 of God, and the Preaching and Preachers of it, or 
 Parents, I riends, or feme that reveal the Word 
 unto us. 
 
 §.15. 3. Subordinate auxiliary means arc 
 I evidential Alterations, by fome awaking Judg- 
 ments, r inviting Mercies, or convincing Exam- 
 ples, &c. 
 
 §. 1 <5\ 4. The Scul of Man in all its three 
 Faculties, JTi i ;-attive,JxteEecitve, and Volitive, is, 
 j. the Red lent of the Divine Influx, and then, 
 2. the immediate Efficient or Agent of the A<fts of 
 Faith. 
 
 §. 17. % . Preparatory Grace and Duty is ordina- 
 rily Man's Difpofition^ as he is the Recipient ©f 
 God's Grace, and the Agent of believing. But 
 God is free , and can work on the unprepared ? but 
 it is not to be taken for his ordinary way. 
 
 §. 18. 6. The formal Objett of the affenting 
 *JiZZ of Faith , is veracitas Dei revclantis ,the Veracity 
 or Tmfe of God revealing his Will. 
 
 §. 19. 7. The formal Object of the accepting 
 and receiving Aft, is the Goodnefs of the Benefits 
 offered us by the Covenant, as offered. 
 
 $. 20. 8. The formal Objett of our Truft or 
 Affiance is God's Ju/e*, Fidelity , becaufe of his afore- 
 faid Veracity in promiling, and his Power, Wifdom 
 and Benevolence as a Performer ; and this full 
 A£t comprehendeth all the reft : It is God's 
 JnKtiaefs. 
 
 §. 21. 9. The material Objctts of the affenting 
 A& ingenercj are all God's AiTertions or Revela- 
 
 tiois : 
 
[2*1 3 
 
 tions : More efpecially the Gofpel, or the Chriftian 
 <U faith objeftive^ according to the Edition of the 
 --Covenant which we are under. 
 
 §.22. The Ejfentials of our objettive Chrifiian 
 i\ Faith conftitute the E {fence of our aftive Saving 
 ' faith ', and the Integrals of it conftitute the In- 
 tegrity. 
 
 §. 23. And it is of great importance to diftin- 
 guifh here (as to the Word and Obje&s) between 
 j , the jigna or words, 2. the fignification or fence, 
 3. the things, matter or incomflex objstts, as diitinft 
 from words and fence, viz* God, Cbri?, Grave, 
 Heaven, G oodm f* Jttfiice, Men, &c. And 
 to hold, 1. That the words are notne- C3 
 .ceflary for thernfelres, but for the fence ; 
 and therefore Tranflations, or any words which 
 give us the fame fence, mayferve to the foing of 
 Swing Faith. 2. That the fence it j 'elf is not ne- 
 ceffary for it felf ultimately, as if Holinefs lay in 
 notions, but for the things which that fence re- 
 vealeth, viz. God to be loved and obeyed, Christ 
 to be received, the Holy Ghofi to be received and 
 obeyed, Holinefs and all Grace to be received, lo- 
 ved, ufed, encreafed} our Brethren to^ be loved, 
 Heaven to be defired, &c. All fence will not 
 bring us to the reception cf the things *, for ail is 
 not apt} but any that -doth this (which muft be 
 divine and apt ) will conftitute us true Belie- 
 vers. 
 
 §. 24. i. The material Objects of our acceptance 
 and conftnt, are the Word of God commanding, 
 offering, and promifwg, aad the good of Duty and 
 Benefit commanded, offered and promifed j that 
 is, All that it given its in the baptifmal Covenant, 
 God the F*th$r and hi* Love, the Son and his Grace, 
 
 Q.4 and 
 
£nd the Holy Ghoft a»d his Communion : The Fa~ 
 thtr as reconciled and adopting us> the Son as having 
 redeemed at, to teach, rule? jn/tifie wAfavc #* *, the 
 Jioly Spirit tofanCtifie^ comfort, and perfett m. 
 
 §.25. 1 1 . The material Object of our TV/*/? or 
 Affiance is God himfelf, the prime Truth, Power 
 and Good, and Cknji as his Mcflenger and our 
 Saviour, and the HolyGbeft as the Author of the 
 Word, and the WW as being the Word of God t 
 Yon muft pardon us as neceffitated to call (jod 
 a material ObjeR^ analogically, for want of 
 words. 
 
 §. 26. 11. The ultimate or final Objefts of 
 Saving Faith are, 1 . God himfelf, the ultimate hI- 
 iimum \ that is, the perfedt Complacency of his will 
 in his Glory eternally ftiining forth in our Glory 
 and the Glory of Chrift with all tte Church tri- 
 umphant. 2. Next to that, This Glory it felf 
 ( which is a created thing ) and the Perfe&ion 
 of theUniverfe, and of Chrift's Church and our 
 felves, in which it confifteth. And therein our 
 own Perfe&ion, and our perfeft light, love and 
 praife of our glorious God, and our Redeemer. 
 3. And next under that, the firft fruits of all 
 this in this World, in the forcfaid love of the 
 Father and Grace of the Son, and Communion of 
 the Holy Spirit and the Church. 
 
 §. 27 • If therefore we were put to give a full 
 dtfeription of Saving Faith, we muft be as lar go 
 as this following, or luch-like in fence, viz* 
 
 £ < c The Faith which the Adult muft profefs in 
 4C Baptifm, as having the Promifc of Juftificati- 
 Ci on and Salvation, is a finccre fiducial pra&ical 
 ci AfTent to Divine Revelations, and efpecially 
 " to the Gofpcl, revealing and offering us God 
 
 44 him- 
 
u himfelf to be our God and reconciled Father, 
 Cc Chrift to be our Saviour, viz.. by his Incarni* 
 Cc tion, meritorious Rightcoufnefs and Sacrifice, 
 Cc Refurreftion, Do&rine, Example, Government, 
 cc IntercefTion and final Judgment } and the Holy 
 <c Ghoft to quicken, illuminate and fan&ifie us, 
 cc that fo we may live in the Love of the Father, 
 " the Grace of the Sen, and the Communion of 
 cc the Holy Spirit, and of the Chriflian Church, 
 " being faved from our Enemies, Sin and Mifery 
 u initially in this Life, and perfe&ly in eternal 
 " perfect Glory : With a fiducial acceptance of 
 * c the Gifts of the Covenant according to their 
 " nature, and a fincere federal Gonfent ; and 
 u with a fincere devoting ' and giving up our 
 u felves to God the Father, Son and Holy Ghoft j 
 " and renouncing of all that is inconfiftent with 
 cc this Covenant : Which j4fcnt y Confer and 
 iC Trufiare the efFe&s of the Gofpel and Spirit of 
 u Chrift, and are founded on Goa*s Fidelity, 
 ic that is, on the Veracity, Love and Sufficiency of 
 <c Gcd Almighty, molt wife and good, and on 
 " Chrift the Father's great Apoftle^and on ChrifPs 
 " fub- Apoftles \ and on the Gofpel and efpecially 
 iL the Covenant of Grace,as onGod's revealing and 
 " donative lnftrument} and on the manifold ob- 
 " fignant operations of the Holy Ghoft (miracu- 
 c< - lous and fanftifying) as God's infallible Atte- 
 " ftation to the Gofpel- Verity. ] 
 
 §. 28. Hiftorical Tradition of the Words, 
 Books, and Matters of Faft, arc fubordinate nccef- 
 fary means of tranfmitting the Objefts to our fenfe 
 of Hearing, who live at fuch a diftancc from the 
 Time, Place and Fads. 
 
 §. 29. But 
 
I §. 29. But though all thefe things aforefaid are 
 iii true Faith, yet a diftinft Perception or De- 
 Icription of them all is not neceflary in him that 
 hath them. But a more general Conception of 
 it, which will but confift with the true Reception 
 of the Ti/a^jfignified by the Words (God, Ghrift, 
 Grace & c. ) may be certainly faving to -a plain 
 and fimple-hearted Chriftian ^ when one that can 
 defcribe it accurately, may be gracelefs : For it is 
 Believing, and not Defining Faith, which God hath 
 made necefiary to Salvation. 
 
 §. 30. Therefore we do ordinarily well ufe 
 fhorter Descriptions to the People, and fomctirae 
 we fay, That F4th in Chrift, is our Chriftwnity ; 
 that is, our Aflent and Confent to the Baptifmal 
 Covenant, and our Self-dedition to God there- 
 in. Tor in Scripture it is all one to be a Believtr, 
 a Difcifle of Chrift, and a Chiftian. 
 
 §.31. Sometimes we faj , That faving Faith is 
 tfidncUl-pratticxl jiffcnt to the Truth of the Gojpel, 
 and Confent to the Covenant of Grace } or an Acce- 
 nting of aM the Benefits of the Covenant, as they are, 
 and on the terms offered -, or an Accepting of Chrtft 
 dnd Life in, and with him there offer edus. 
 
 §. 32. Sometimes we fay, It is a practical Af- 
 fiance, or tr lifting on Chrift as our only Saviour for Sal- 
 vation) or to bring ua to God And glory : And in all 
 thefe and the like we fpeik truly,, and mean the 
 fame thing -, fome terms being ufed on occafion, 
 while the reft arc implyed , and ro be wnder- 
 ftood. 
 
 §. 3 ? . Thofe that will needs call no aft by the 
 name of F*ith, but Affent, and confine it to the 
 Intellect, do yet feem to differ with U9 but de nomine, 
 about a Word, and not the Matter : For they con- 
 
 fefs, 
 
[235 1 
 fefs, if there concur not a Confent of the Will, it 
 is not fating^ but as fome call it fides informU ^ and 
 fo that AJfcnt and Con [cm make up our neceflary 
 Condition^ or means of our Union with Chrift, or 
 Intereft in the Covenant-Rights or Gifts. And then 
 feeing we are agreed fo far of the matter, it's not 
 worth much Arriving, whether one only, or both 
 A&s lhall be called Faith. 
 
 §• 34- When the firfl Reformers had to do 
 with men that commended uncertainty of our Sin- 
 ceri:y and Salvation, and kept People under a Spi- 
 rit of Bondage, and tempted them ( contrary to 
 the Nature of Faith ) to love this World better 
 than the next, and to be afraid of dying, by be- 
 ing doubtful wherhet 1 they ihould be faved ', in the 
 heatof oppofition, fome of them called F*ith 9 jif- 
 furance, or certain or fall Perfaafion of our own 
 ferfonal Elcftioti, Tar don, and Salvation. But thofe 
 that came after them, and thofe that converted 
 praftically with Men of troubled Confciences, and 
 obferved the ftate of the greateft part of good 
 Chriftians, followed not this Example, but-fpake 
 more cauteloufly and foundly, anddefcribed Faith 
 as I before have told you. For they found that 
 not one of a multitude of godly Chriftians could 
 fay they were certain of their EkEtion^ Sincerity , ox 
 Salvation : And fome that were forwardeft to fay 
 fo, were none of tiiebeft, and had not what they 
 faid they had. 
 
 §.35. But whatever the tranfmarine Divines 
 fay, 1 can witnefs, that except ignorant Aminomi- 
 *ns, or fuch Sectaries, rejected by the Orthodox, 
 I remember not that I have met thefe forty years 
 With one Divine that taketh faving-Faith to be fuch 
 jiflUrtncc of onr ferfinal Election Juftification or 
 
 Sal- 
 

 Salvation, efpsciaily the firfi aft, which is not to 
 believe thac we are juftified, but that we may he 
 juftified. 
 
 §.36. indeed you would think thofe few muft hold 
 .this, who fay, That Juftification is an immanent 
 eternal Act of Gcd. Bat, !• this is but a diffe- 
 rence about the word [ Juflification ] : All con- 
 fsfs,that God's eflemial Volition of our Juftifica- 
 tion is eternal, as being himfelf; but fome think 
 that his Will may be denominated an Eternal Jufli- 
 fication-, and others better fay, Not; Butallcon- 
 fefs that the Law of Grace doth jaftifie I10 man till 
 he believe, much lcfs ihc Sentence of Chrift as 
 Judge. And though fome call our Perfwafion that 
 we are juftified, by the name of Faith, yet they 
 deny not another ad of Faith antecedent to this, 
 that maketh us true Chriftians. 
 
 §. 37. And indeed, befides Mr. Femble and Dr. 
 Twijfe ( both excellent Men ) it's rare to meet 
 with any Englifh Divine that talks for Eternal Jit- 
 fttfication : And Mr. Temble , who let fall fome 
 fuch things in his VmdicU Gratia, did fet ail right 
 again in his Treatife of Juftification (being very 
 young when he wrote even the laft : ) And Dr. 
 Twijfe, who in his Vindic. Gratia, hath fome fuch 
 words, fpeaketh elfewhere foundly, as Mr. Jtffop 
 his Scholar hath fhewed in a Treatife purpofely 
 written to prove ir, when I had takert exceptions 
 againft his word*. 
 
 §. 38* It is therefore fhamelefs Calumny of 
 thole who perfwadc their Followers, That the 
 Reformed Churches take Faith for fuch an Affu- 
 rame or Belief, that we arc juftified or elected, 
 and fhall be faved -, only becaufe they find fome' 
 fuch word in fome former difputing Dottors of 
 
 ours •, 
 
[ 2373 
 
 tmrs i when as all, or near all have fo long re- 
 nounced that Opinion, that he would be a Wonder 
 among us in Er.gland^ Scotland^ or Ireland ( and I 
 think abroad )lhacftiouldhold Id 
 
 §. 39. Yet we ftill fay,- That faring Faith is 
 not only a believing that God^s Word is true, but 
 a believing it with perianal Application to my 
 fdf. 
 
 §. 4.0. But that Application is fuch as follow- 
 eth. 1. I believe that Xhnft hath died for my 
 fins as well as for the reft of the World. 2. I be- 
 lieve that the Gctfpel offerech Pardon and Salvaci- 
 onto me as well as to others. 3. I believe that 
 God will have mercy on me, and Chrift and Life 
 fhall be mine, if I (hall truly believe and repent -, 
 and Glory>if I perfevere. 4- Hereupon 1 accept the 
 Offer and Confent to the Covenant of Grace, 
 which giveth me right to thefe Benefits, if I con- 
 fent. 5 And fo far as I can fay that I am finccre in 
 my repenting and believing, fo far my Faith help- 
 eth me to conclude that I am juftified. 
 
 §.41. But this laft is a mixt aft, and a ratio- 
 nal Conclulion helped b^Grace, w hereof the ma- 
 jor only is de fide f He that believeth is juftified ] 
 but not the Minor C I believe. ] Therefore we u- 
 fually call it a fruit of Fs.icb. 
 
 §. 42. Some incautelous Divines in the heat of 
 Difpute do indeed fay, That it is de fide diving 
 or a Divine Word, that £ I am a true BtUever, ] 
 And Chamier too unhappily goeth about to prove 
 it by faying, That it is the Word of the Spirit in 
 *«, which is the £ Word of God : ] As if the Spine 
 fpake in US new Articles of Faith? or a- new Word 
 to be believed^ whofc work in thofe that are not in~ 
 fpired Prophet s 7 is but, 1 . to caufe us to believe that 
 
 Word 
 
[238] 
 
 Word already given : 2. To be a -vitucjfmg Evi- 
 dence that we are God's Children, by making us 
 holy as he is holy, as fimilitude witnefleth a Child 
 to be his Faihers-. 3 . And to help us to difcern that 
 Holinefs or Evidence, and to excrcife it, and to 
 gather Comfort from fuch difecrningit, and ex- 
 ercife. 
 
 §. 43. We now commonly difown all fuch Af- 
 fertions^ I meet with no fober Divine that own- 
 eihthcm, becaufe we grant, that € ondufio femfer 
 feqmnr fan em debiliorem : But yet we find that 
 thofe few that call it de fide, do moft of them 
 mean no more, but that it's partly ds fide^ becaufe 
 the Major Propofition is fo } and fo they differ but 
 about a Logical Notion. 
 
 §. 44. Some have faid indeed ( beyond-Sea ) 
 Titft a man cannot believe, and not know it ; 
 but we know thoufands may believe, and yet doubt 
 whether it be a fincere and faving fort of Faith. 
 
 But I have written fo many Books of thefe mat- 
 ters, that I here add no more. 
 
 CHAR XXL 
 
 Of the nature of Righteoufnefs, Jufiifcati0n > 
 
 find Pardon. 
 
 §.i.THE Controverts about Juftification have 
 A made a great noife ^ but I think' that thofe 
 de re are few, in comparifon of thofe de nomine^ e- 
 ven among all forts of Chriftians; and the con* 
 founding them by uasfulful Heads, who have made 
 
 - s the 
 
[2393 
 
 the ignorant believe, that thofe which are but dt 
 * nomine , are de re, hath kindled foolifh Wrath, 
 and quenched ChiiftianLove, and taken up poor 
 Souls wich a deceitful Zeal, who have theught that 
 they were contending for great and neceflary 
 Truths, when ie was but for Logical Notions, 
 Names > and Modes of Expreffion, over-commended 
 to them by their feveral Teachers. 
 
 §. 2, The Words Jufiice ( Righteoufnefs ) and 
 Justification are very ambiguous ufed in many fen- 
 ces in the Scriptures, and in the Writings of Di- 
 vines, and in the common ufe of men, which I 
 have opened info many Books, and fa largely, as 
 (hall here excufe my brevity : The Scnces which 
 we are now moft concerned to take notice of, are 
 thefe following. 
 
 §. 3. Righieoufnefs isconfidered materiaSy^ or 
 formally : Materially it -is", 1. immediately ^ 1. A 
 righteous A&kn : 2. A righteous Difpofuion or Habit ; 
 2. And thence a richuotx P erf on. 
 
 §• 4. Righteoufnefs materially is, 1. in fome or 
 other particular Action, : 2. Or, in the main bent of 
 Heart s.nd Life : 3. Or, in Perfection. The firft de- 
 nominated the Perfon Rigbtcow <in hoc, ox fecm- 
 dam Cjuid\ The fecond denominateth him a fincere- 
 ly Righteous Man : The third, a perfedtly Righit- 
 ous Man. 
 
 §. 5. In the notion of the material Caufe^ is 
 included alfo the Comparative or Relative State and 
 Proportion of A&ions : When the Adtion is duly 
 qualified and modified in its phvlical Nature and 
 Circumftances, it is materially juft. 
 
 §. 6. The form enquired of, is Q*id morale ? 
 And it is the Relation of the Aftion, and Habit, 
 and Perfon? as congruous to the jufiitiA menfirars, 
 
 or 
 
[ 240 ] 
 
 or the Rule of Righteoufnefs. The Rule or Law I 
 firft maketh;^ vel debit urn, and faith, This (hall 
 be your Duty , and your Neighbours Due (and de- 
 clared God's Due : ) And the;** being conftituted 
 by the Law (natural or pofitive) that which agreeth 
 to it, is jpfturrt. So that Righteoufnefs formally 
 .is a moral Relation refulting from the phyfictl mode 
 And relation of A&ions and Habits, as compared 
 with the Law or Rule. A moral Relation founded 
 in a phyfical Congruity. 
 
 §. 7. Righteoufnefs is both materially and for- 
 mally diftinguifhable as towards God or Mm : Ma- 
 terially, as it is God or Man that we deal jufily or 
 tnjurioiijly by : Formally, as it is God himfelf, or 
 Men mUng under him, who give us Laws, and 
 make the debit urn vel jpu % or difpofe of Proprie- 
 ty. 
 
 §. 8. Righteoufnefs towards God being Relative 
 to his Laws, is to be diftinguifhed according to the 
 fever al Law s that men are under, and according to 
 the feveral farts of the Law, which give the word 
 divers Sences. 
 
 §.9. 1 . Righteoufnefs as related to the Precept 
 as fuch, is nothing but Obedience, whether parti- 
 al, finccrc, or perfect: He that doth right eenfnefs is 
 righteous. 
 
 §. 10. 2. Righteoufnefs related to ameer Con- 
 dition ( of Pardon or Salvation, &c. ) is the per- 
 fir nana of that Condition, which may be the Caufa 
 judicanda. 
 
 §. 11. 3. Righteoufnefs, as related to the prc- 
 mutnt or donative part of the Law or Promife, is 
 our im ad fr^minm^ our Right to that Reward or 
 Gift. 
 
 §• i*« 
 
4- Righteoufnefs, as relative to the pe- 
 nal part,' ifPonr ]m ad imftmtatem, or when pu- 
 mentisnot due to us according to that Law. 
 §.13. 1 . . ufnefs, as related to the Pre- 
 
 cept of the Law of Innoceccy, is materially p erj 'eft 9 
 finned Obedience to war Creator, 
 §. 14. 2. Righteoufrifefs/as related to the C*n~ 
 ditto, of hat Law, iitht'fame - 5 becaufe nothing 
 but the faid perfect Obedience is there imde the 
 Condition of Life. 
 
 §.15. 3 . Righteoufnefs related to the reward- 
 ing part of that Law is right to that Life which is 
 there prom i fed , that is. to God's Love and Feli- 
 city. 
 
 1 5. . ou fnc fs related to the Penalty 
 
 of that Law, is a Right to Impunity, as to the 
 tfhich it threatneth to Sinners. 
 
 1. Righteoufnefs, as related to the meet 
 
 : part of the Law of Grace, is alfo pr- 
 
 the future ( not Innocency, as 
 
 he til c paft ) for even Chrift make'th ferftttO- 
 
 bedience our D-uy^ though he parden fin. 
 
 : 18. 2 . Righteoufnefs/as' related to the Cw- 
 : \%on of the Law of Grate, is fincere Faith and Re- 
 finance, ss the Condition of our fir ft Right to the 
 prefent Gifts cf the Covenant, and alfo fincere 
 Love and Obedience to the end, as the Condition of 
 CUT final Jnftification andGhry, 
 
 §. 10, 3. Righteoufnefs, as related to thefa- 
 vedrd of the Law of Grace, is our Right-to our Re- 
 lation to the Father, Son, and Holy Ghoft, and all 
 the Gifts of the Covenant, Chrift, Grace, and 
 Glory. 
 
 §. .20. 4. Righteoufnefs, as related to the pe- 
 nal part of the Law of Grace, is our Right to 
 
 R Irnjn^ 
 
[242] 
 
 Impunity, as to the Punifhment fhreatned fpecially 
 by that Law. 
 
 §. 2 1 . The meritorious Caufe of both thefe 
 laft ( our Right to Impunity, and to Life ) is the 
 Righteoufntfs of Chrift ; for the fake of f which the 
 Condonation and Donations of the Covenant of 
 Grace are given us. 
 
 §. 22. This Righteoufnefs of Chrift is his //*/- 
 fillmg the Conditions of his own proper Law or Co- 
 venant of Mediation: which is materially, i. His 
 habitual, 2. and aftual Perfection in Refignation, 
 Obedience and Love j 3. and therein his Humilia- 
 tion and offering himfclf a Sacrifice for fin : 
 4. And all this exalted to acceptable Dignity by the 
 Conjun&ion of the Divine Perfc&ion. 
 
 §. 23. The Donative Covenant of Grace to 
 Man being but a raeer Inffcrumeat of Donation and 
 Condonation, that which procured %t\ is the p row 
 ring Caufe of Pardon and Life ' 7 that is, Chrift's 
 meritorious Right eon fnefs. 
 
 §, 24. Though this Covenant pardon and ju 
 ftifie no man till he perform the Condition, and be 
 a capable Subje& by that moral Difpofnion, yet when 
 that Condition is performed, its performance ma- 
 keth us but meet Recipients, and it is ftill the meri- 
 torious Righteoufnefs of Chrift, for which we have 
 the free gift of Pardon and Life} for the perfor- 
 xnance of the Conditian doth but remove the re 
 ceptive Incapacity of the Patient, and the fujpenfon 
 of the Donation. 
 
 §. 25. jHflif cation fignifieth, 1. making turigh- 
 t e*M and judicially juftifiable. 2. Judicial Juftifi 
 cation (1. By Plea, 2. By Evidence and Wit 
 rds, 3. By Sentence. ) 3. Vfingusus Righteous 
 by Execution : Cr, x. Conjlitntive^ 2 .Judicial* and 
 % .EtctMtivc jHJUficatw* §• 26 
 
i6. No man of common Underftanding will 
 deny the real difference of thefe 
 three : And if the N*me only be Gen. 6.9. Hof^. 
 queftioned,nomanwill reafonably £ Heb - IO - 3*- 
 deny, That in humane ufe the name f "' ^ L ^ 
 is accoreungly applicable to each : & 14. 14. & 1 ti\ 
 And dA ufe of it is eafily proved Matth. 10. 41! 
 alfo in the Scripture \ 1 Cer. 6.11. 2 Pet.2.8. 1 Tim. 
 Tit. 3 . 7 .Rev.zz. 11. &c Andthe J/- Rom - 5-7- 
 word *#f tow* and Rtghteonfmfs, is ™ i\J£ /J* 
 fo frequently ufed in Scripture for & 4. 18.Heb.r1." 
 that called Inherent ^ or Self-perform- 4- Mat. 13. 43. 
 f^ Eighteen fnefs ( incomparably & aj. 37. 46. 
 oftcr than in any other Sence) as ™- "^J' 
 will help to inform us what Con~ j h 16^ j^ 10. & 
 SUtative jHftificf.tion is: And if $. '17,21. iun.2. 
 any diflike the AW/r, let them call *&. A£t 10. 3?. 
 it [ Miking w righteous] if that Luk - '• 75- Ma <* 
 will pleafe them better than the 5 *^ 2 °- 
 word juftifywg. Ht 
 
 §. 27. Conftitutive J unification is ever firft : 
 God never judged a maij righteous, that was not 
 righteous. 
 
 §.28. No man on earth is righteous by the 
 Condition, or by the rewarding Pott of the Law of 
 Jnnocemy. Not by the Condition as performed, for 
 that Condition is perfttt , perpetual, perfonal Inno* 
 cency, which no man hath } iil* is any righteous in 
 conformity to the Precept, unlefs [ecnndnm qnid,^ 
 a damnable Sinner's lefs unrighteonfnefs may be 
 called Righteoufnefs : Nor is any one juftified by 
 the Retrilputivg or Tromijfory part of that Law, be- 
 caufe perfect Innoccncy is its Condition. 
 
 §. 29. Though that Law perfe&ly juftifie Chritf, 
 Who perfectly fulfilled it, we are not therefore 
 
 R 2 righte* 
 
I>44] - ^ 
 
 righteous in the fencz of that Law, or juflifiecJ 
 it, beclmfe Chrifl: fulfilled it ( of which mor 
 non: ) ; Becaufe the fence of the Law was not {Thou 
 jhalt obey, or another for th?e.~] (^t pever mention- 
 irious Obedience:} But [ hy felf jhalt 
 
 -illy obey- 2 
 30. We are juflified from, or araivft th$ atrfe 
 of that firft Law, by deliverance or grace •, tut it 
 is by a Redeemer , and not by that Law. 
 
 §. 31. The Caufes* of our rrhote J unification 
 (whofe parts were before-mentioned) are thefe: 
 t . The conftitutive Canfes ( called Material and 
 Formal ) are before opened, being divers in their 
 divers parts : In brief, our Righteoufnefs now is 
 £ our Inter eft in the meritorious Righteoufnefs of Chrjft^ 
 and our own performing of the Conditions of th*t 
 fntereft) or of the New Covenant hy his Grace y and 
 thereupon our Right to Impunity and Life (or to 
 Salvation from deftruttive PHmJhment^ and to Glory * 
 2. The efficient Gaufes are, 1. Prigcipal, Got 
 2. Mediatcryand meritorious, Chnfi mAmMigh- 
 z ton fiefs : 3. Inftrumcntal (as to cur jus ad impH- 
 nitatem & gloriam ) the Condonative and Donative 
 Covenant. 4. The material Difpofuio recepiiva of 
 this Right, is our Faith and Repent ance y or perfor- 
 mance of the Covenant's Condition hereof. 5. The 
 principal Caufe of this Faith or Btfpoftion, is the 
 Holy Ghoft. 6. The ihftrutnental, is the Word, 
 
 The mediate Agent is Man. 
 
 §. 3 2. That Juitification which confjfteth in our 
 jtu inipmitatis quoad poenam damni & fen fa, our 
 right to y ( as to Lofs and Strife ) is the 
 
 fame thing with Pardcn of fm y whether you take 
 both aStfvely i \vely* 
 
 §•33= 
 
the Law of Innocency at s Co* 
 vend n cetfcd up on Adam'/ Fall^ nomtn but he and 
 Eve X9M rvtr undtr it : And iffo % they deferved net 
 Dam*«tionfr tr.y Sin but final Vnbtlief and Imptni- 
 tency , actor drg to the Law of Grace ; And , ' , > . ■ 
 fucb deftrt is for riven them by Chrift. 
 
 §. 3+. An/. The Law of Grace taketh in the 
 Law of Nature (natur* Upfit), though not on the 
 Terms of the firlt Covenant, as it was nature % 
 gr* far preferva:ion of Innocency : And ftill all 
 that God ctmmtndeth U our Duty\ and all thaE he 
 forbiddetb^ is Sin \ ard every fin deferveth dc.it b 
 in the nature of it ( for it cannot be Sin and 
 not deferve Pmijhmext): but the difference is, That 
 under the Law of Intocency it was Deftrt unreme- 
 died \ but now it is Vtftrt with prefent Remedy, or 
 an affixed Pardon to every penitent Believer. So 
 much of the U/fr of Nature remaineth.as maketh 
 Punithment due in primo infianti nature conjunft 
 
 r i a Pardon which maketh Impunity due in fe- 
 cund* ihFianti : As if the King fliould grant a fu- 
 ture Pardon by a Ltw to every man that will 
 lift himfelt in his Wars under his Son, left inpri- 
 moinst*m$i their faults deferve punifhment, while 
 theyatp daily pardoned. 
 
 §. $$.11. PubLck judicial Jufiification (for private 
 I paO by) is virtually in the Law, or coilftitutive 
 JuftiS ation K efore defaribed : For when a ©an is 
 righteous, the Law juftificth him virtually : And 
 this is the fence that we are faid to be justified by 
 Jraith in, primarily in Scriptures A Believer is 
 made indeed, and fo is justifiable in Judgment^ 
 that is, justified virtually by-ike Law : As we life to 
 &y>rkf Law doth jujtifie fitch a man.) 
 
 fib 3 §. 36. 
 
§. $6 . 2 . But s&Hdl judicial Justification is pr q 
 cipally by our Judge and fubordinately by Chrift as 
 our Advocate, by Plea •, and by fividence and Wit- 
 nefs y which is chif fly by the Righteoufmfs of the 
 Cauft laid open to all the World. 
 
 §. 37. It is by the Law of Grace f the edition 
 which men lived under) that Chrift will judge the 
 World : Therefore we muft accordingly judge of 
 his Juftification. 
 
 §•38. Seeing the thing to be judged of is the 
 meritum caufa, the Merits of a mm*s Caufe j there- 
 fore the lame may be the meritorious Caufe and the 
 material of this judicial Juftification - 7 and they err 
 that take this for an Abfurdity. 
 
 §. 39. Though the great end of God's Judgment 
 of Man wilt be to glorific his* own Jufiicef Mercy 
 zrAWifdom, and to glorific CbrifPs Right&ufafs, 
 yet the Caufe of the day, which is to be decicled, is 
 not whether Chrift be righteoui, but We : Nor 
 whether he fulfilled his mediatorial Law^ which 
 isprefuppofed. 
 
 §. 40. Juftification being related to {real or 
 foffible) Accufation y fo many things as the Accufa- 
 tion may extend to, the juftification muft extend 
 to if perfeft. 
 
 §. 41; But no man is perfectly and abfolutely 
 jufi or juftifiable : Foriiftance, 1. If we beaccufed 
 to have finned, we cannot be juftified dire&ly 
 againft this Accufation, but muft plead guilty by 
 Gonfeffion. For fa&um non fotejl fieri infe&nm, 
 and that Faft will for ever be culpable : C Adam 
 did fin"} will for ever be a true aflTertion.^^fhc 
 Guilt of faii or fault is never done away in it ft If - 7 
 £ that it was really a fault ] and [ that we real- 
 ly 
 
[247] 
 Iy did it, 3 will be an everlafting Truth : Of 
 which more afterward. 
 
 §.41'. 2.I f the Accufation be, That £ in Adam 
 we ciefervi \ it muft be confefled : Yea, 
 
 temporal Death and corredting Punifhments arc 
 not only deferved but infli&cd, and not pardoned^ 
 nor wowiftifjable herein. 
 
 §. mr 3. If the Accufation be, that we dtfcr- 
 *o%ave Abatements of Grace, With-boldings of 
 the Spirit^ and abatement of what Glory we might 
 elfe have had, all this muft be confefTcd. 
 
 §.43. 4. Yea,if itbefaid, That our Sin prima 
 inftanti defervsd Hell, it muft be confefled, and 
 againft all this there is no diredt Juftification. 
 
 §. 44. But againft rhefe Accufations we muft 
 be juftificd : 1 . If it be faid, that we arc of Right 
 t9 be damned, or have ye Right f Heaven but to 
 Hill, this muft be denied : And we muft be jufti- 
 ficd by thefe fevcral Caules: r. Becaufe God's 
 
 :xe and the Ends of the violated Law are fat it- 
 fifd by Chrift , and by his Right toufnefs, a free 
 Gifc of Pardon and- Life are merited for us : 
 2. And this free donation is the Law that we arc 
 to be judged by, which giveth us Chrift to be our 
 Head, and P/irdtn and Life with him. 
 
 §. 45. 2. If it be faid, That we arcVnbdie~ 
 vers, impenitent or mk*ly, and did not fulfill the 
 Conditions of the Covenant of Grace, we muft de- 
 ny it,*and be juftified againft this by our Faith, 
 Repentance and Holme fs it felf } or elfe we muft be 
 condemned and perifh } for nothing elfe will 
 do it. 
 
 §. 46. And feeing it will be the work of the 
 day, to judge men as performers or non-perfor- 
 mers of the faid Conditions of the Law of Grace, 
 
 R 4 there-; 
 
[248] 
 
 therefore it is that the Scripture fpcaketh fo much 
 cf inherent or performed Righteoufnefs, and 
 (Thrift's judging men according to their works, 
 that is, their works which are the performance of 
 that Condition. 
 
 §. 47. To bt judged according to our Works , is 
 to btjupiped or condemned according to ont^Works : 
 For. to be judged is the genus 1 and to beffa piped 
 or condemned are the fpecies. Judging is j notifying 
 pr condemning. 
 
 §. 48. While all are agreed, that all men pall be 
 justified ox condemned according to their Work^, it is 
 unreafonablc to quarrel at that height that many- 
 do, about the fyllable [BY 2 {whether men be 
 Nullified and condemned by their works ) as if 
 £ according to them"} and [by them'} had a diffe- 
 rent fence •, when as to judicial juftificatiori 
 the fence is the very fame, though as to the ma- 
 ting of men jutt^ the fence may differ. 
 
 §. 49. We are commonly agreed, that no man 
 Ss juftified by Works in any of thefe following 
 fences, 
 
 i i. No man is juftified either conftitutively @r 
 judicUrily by his Works done according to the Law 
 tf Innoeency, that is, by perfed vtrfond Obedience 
 and Love, (becaufe we have it not) 
 
 2. No man is juftified conftitutively or judicia- 
 rily, by his Works done according to the Mofai- 
 aal Jcwijh Law as fuch. 
 
 3. Much lefs by any Works of his own or other 
 mens invention, which he accounteth good and are 
 not fo. 
 
 4. No man is juftified by any Works fet in oppo - 
 fition to or competition or co-ordination with 
 Chrift, but only in /nbordinmon to him and hi? 
 
 Righ- 
 
[249] 
 Rightcoufncfs by which wc arc redeemed, and for 
 which wc are all firft conditionally pardoned and 
 1 le Law of Grace. 
 could be juftified by his Gofpel-Obe- 
 qience, or ith, if he were to be judged by the 
 
 Law of Innocency,as net redeemed. 
 
 man's Faith or Obedience will juftifie him 
 in Jud^tncnc againft this accufation, Z'ikon *rr * 
 Sinner ] or this [ Thy fin deferved De^th. ] Nor 
 as one that hath fulfilled all the frtcftivc fun of 
 theUwofChrift. 
 
 7. No Works do juftifie us, as meriting Life of 
 God in proper commutative Juftice. 
 
 8. No man is juftified by Task* of worhpyr, as 
 contradiftintt from believing and trufting on Free 
 Grace : or by external works, without Chrift's 
 Spirit and fpirkual Evangelical Duties. 
 
 9. No good Work or A£ of Man was a Condi- 
 tion of God's giving us a Redeemer, or giving us a 
 conditional juftifying Law of Grace. 
 
 1 o. Man's true Faith 2nd Repentance is not be- 
 fore the Grace which worketh it, and therefore is 
 no Condition of that Grace. 
 
 1 1 . Man's antecedent common Works, while he 
 is impenitent, merit not properly the fpecial Grace 
 which caufeth Faith and Repentance. 
 
 1 2. We have no Works that are acceptable to 
 God, but what are the fruits of his Spirit and 
 Grace. 
 
 §. 50. And on the other fide we are agreed, 
 1. That we are juftified by the Workf of Christ, as 
 the Meritorious Caufe of our Justification. 
 
 2. That the Juftification purchafed and given us 
 by Chrift, is given us by a Law or Covenant of 
 Grace , which giveth (as God's Instrument) Right 
 
 to 
 
C 250] 
 
 to lmfmky and to Life to all true penitent Belie- 
 vers: And therefore he that is juftified according 
 to this Law of Grace, from the charge of Impeni- 
 tence and Vnbelicf, muft be juftified by his Repentance 
 and Faith materially, as being the Righteoufncfs in 
 queftion, as is aforefaid. 
 
 3. That voithoHt Holinrfs none jWi fee Gq^: And 
 if any be accufed as unholy (and on that account no 
 Member of Chrift or Child of God, or Heir of 
 Heaven) his Hdinefs muft be the matter of his 
 Juftification. 
 
 4. That though our Faith, Repentance and Ho- 
 linefs be no miverfal abfolute Righteoufnefs, yet 
 they are that on which the judiciary Scrutiny muft 
 pafs, and which will be the qucftion of the great 
 day, on which our Life or Death will depend as 
 on the Condition or moral Qualification of the Re- 
 ceiver. 
 
 %. That in this fence all men ftiall be judged, by 
 Juftification or Condemnation according to thiir 
 Works, or what they have done j that is, as they 
 have performed or not performed the Conditions 
 of that Law of Grace which they were under ( as 
 aforefaid.) 
 
 6. That therefore they that will be juftified at 
 laft, muft trufi in Chrift that redeemed them, and 
 be careful to perform the Conditions of his Law 
 of Grace, and both muft concurr. 
 
 7. That that which is the Righteoufnefs which 
 muft juftifie us in Judgment, is the fame that mult 
 now ccn&itHte us j*&. 
 
 8. That when our Right to Salvation is the thing 
 in queftion to be judged, that which juftifieth our 
 Right to Salvation, juftifieth the Perfon as to that 
 Right j and fo far the fame thing is the Condition 
 
of our Riftht to Salvation and to our Juftifica- 
 tion* 
 
 9. And if any with AugnHm will mean by 
 
 \jH$li$CAtion] God's making tu fuch a* th$ Judge 
 mRjuftifie by Sentence And Execution^ then omCor;- 
 1 i n is part of that Justification. 
 
 10. That Scripture fometiinestakcth Juftificati- 
 on in that fence, and moft frequently by [ Rights 
 wfnefs] meaneth that which confifteth in our A#s 
 and Habits: In all this there is noplace for Con- 
 troverfie or Difagrcement. 
 
 §.51. They that fay, That we muft have inhe- 
 rent and performed Righteoufnefs, but that no 
 man is at all juftified by it y muft take justifying \n 
 fome particular limit* ed fact , (which therefore they 
 fliould **p/4;>z by diftin&ion) or clfe they fpeak 
 grofs contradi&ion: For it is no Righteoufnefs if it 
 conftitute not the owner righteous^ fo far,or in that 
 point , nor yet if the owner may not be juftified 
 by it in Judgment ^againQ: theaccufa^ionof being 
 in that point or fofar untight cow. If he that doth 
 Righteoufnefs is righteous, that Righteoufnefs will 
 materially juftifie him againft the falfe accufation 
 of the contrary. 
 
 §. 52. Yea, while they make Fait^, Repentance 
 and Holincfs but Signs and Evidences of our right 
 to Life-ctcrnal, they thereby allow it forae place 
 in Juftification : For Evidence hath its place in 
 Judgment: And they are moral Evidknces^ and not 
 fbyfical only, 
 
 §, 53, If nfcen understood how atheological and 
 perilous it is to conceit, that either Faith or any 
 thing of ours, fno though we were innocent,) is 
 any proper efficient Caufe of God's own internal 
 a£ts in our Juftification, and would underftand that 
 
 all 
 
[252] 
 
 all can be no more than diffofith receptiva r whkk 
 Dr. Tvriffe calls taufa, diffofittva^ a meer receptive 
 Aptitude, which is but the Qualification taufa m<*~ 
 terialis^ that is, of the Subjedi to be juftified, it 
 would presently lead them out of their vain Con- 
 tention about Faith and Gotfiel-QbcdUnce herein, 
 and fhew them bow each in feveral refpe&s and 
 inftances qualifie Man for the beginning or continu- 
 ance of JuftifcCation, or for Right to Glory. 
 
 §. 5*4. It feemeth ftrange to fome, to find the 
 whole Old Teftament, and all Chrill's Sermons, 
 and all the other Apoftles ; inculcating inherent 
 and pe rforme d Righteoufhefs, as that which Men 
 mult be judged about, to Life or Death, and yet 
 to find Paul 4b oft pleading againft Juftification 
 by Works. But if we will take the Scripture to- 
 gether, and rot by incoherent fcraps, the recon- 
 ciliation is evident. 
 
 c< Man is now finful , and condemned by the 
 u firit Law, and is now under a Law of Grace, 
 cc that freely giveth Pardon and Life through a 
 cc Redeemer, to thofe that believingly accept the 
 a Gift according to us nature, and confem. by Re- 
 a pemance t? turn to God, and live a holy life in 
 u jmceruy : Now God doth through all the Scri- 
 cc pturetell us, That no one ^Bpafs with God for 
 iC * j u fi t^an, or be feved 7 that vcill not do this y 
 cc but (hail be condemned further for re fuilng it: 
 4< And thus he that doth Righteoufnefs is righ- 
 cl teous, and all lhall be judged according to their 
 ct works, thus required by the Law of Grace. To 
 deny this, is to deny the Icoper of the whole Scri- 
 pture, and the Government or God. 
 
 " But P&zi difputcd againfl thofe that taught 
 " that the Gentiles mult be profelyted, and keep 
 u the Law of Mofcs % or elle they could nor be 
 
 accd^H 
 
anted jufl: men, nor be faved : And he pro- 
 ved^ that the Gentiles being under the Law 
 of Grace, may pafs with Gcd for pit men 
 and be faved, if they C Bcliruingly accept the 
 Gift of Grace according to its nature, tndconfent 
 by Repentance to turn to Gcd, and live a hcly life 
 in finceriy ] though they keep not the Jtwiih 
 Law: Yea, further, that thcugh the Jewifh 
 u Fathers were obliged to keep that Law, it was 
 " as it belonged to the Covenant of Grace and 
 of Faith, 2nd that before that Law was given 
 " Abraham and others, were jufl: ard fayed by 
 cc Faith, according to the univerfal Law of 
 <c Grare j and that the Task of Works, accor- 
 *' ding to the Mtfazc ll.of it felf make 
 
 " no man jufl or favable, and confcquentiy no 
 u other Task of Works, which would make the 
 4t Reward to be not of Grace but: of Debt, and 
 4C is oppofed to, or fep3ratcd from Redemption 
 4 * and the free condonation and donation cfthe 
 4i Covenant of Grace.] This is the plain drift 
 of P. 
 
 §. 5<;. Works of Evangelical gratitude, love, 
 and obedie-ce, according to the Law of Grace, 
 fubordina* e to, and fuppefing Redemption and the 
 free gift of Pardon and Life to penitent believing 
 Accepters, are thofe that Chrift and James and all 
 the Scripture make neceflary to Salvation ; and 
 our Confent and Covenant fo to obey is neceflary 
 to our firfl: or initial JaJtificaricn } and our aHunt 
 Obedience to the Continaance and Confirmation of it. 
 But a Task of Works either ofMofes's Law cr 
 any other fet againft Redemption and free Grace, 
 or not as aforefaid, duly fubordinate to them, is 
 difclaimed by Paul and all Christians, ss that which 
 
 can 
 
can conftitutc no man juft in God's account , nor 
 fuch a one as hath right to Salvation. 
 
 §. 55. I verily think, that were tkeir verbal 
 and notional differences difcufled, and men undcr- 
 ftood themielvcs and oae another, it will prove, 
 that this aforefaid is the true meaning of almoft 
 all Chriftrans, and that they agree in this fence, 
 while they mifchievoufly contend about ill or un- 
 explained words. 
 
 -§.57- What I havefaid of J.uftification,is moftly 
 true of Pardon of. Sin : Pardon is threefold, 
 1. Constitutive, which is God's gmng us a Right to 
 Immunity : This is God's aft by the pardoning Co- 
 venant or Law of Grace. 2. By Sentence, judging 
 us fo pardoned. 3. Executive,, taking off, or not 
 inflicting Puniflimcnt deferved. 
 
 §. 58. God's nonpunire, and nolle pHnire, not- 
 fumpiing and his will not to punifh > arc true 
 pardon when the Sinner, and Sin and Guilt are pre* 
 existent.: But they are no pardon before j be- 
 caufe not capable of fuch a relation 2x1Adenomin.it ion 
 for want of a real wrminm. Therefore God's eter- 
 nal -will to pardon, or his net punijhing man from 
 Eternity before Man was Man y or pnftU, muft have 
 no fuch name^ which after wxrd it m&y.havc with- 
 out any change in God, but in man only. 
 
 §. 59. Some worthy men fay, that Pardon is not 
 J uft ideation, nor to be pardoned is to be righteous } 
 and that Righteoufnefs is never taken in Scripture 
 for Pardon, out many fcore or hundred times for 
 our performance of our Duty according to the Law 
 of Grace : Therefore they would have Righteouf- 
 nefs and Pardon ftill diftinguifhed. 
 
 §. 60. But I 'have plainly before proved, that 
 Righteoufnefs hath mafly fms % and the word many 
 
 fences, 
 
 
[255J 
 
 y\ fences, and though Pardon bt not that Righteouf- 
 nefs which confifteth in a Conformity to the Pre- 
 cept, (and fo is not our unherfal Rigkteoufn*fs)yzi 
 Pardon is (paffive) that Rightwufhtfs which confift- 
 eth in our right to Immunity both as to thepunilh- 
 ment of Lofs and Stmt ■: And far don with Adoption 
 or the Gift of Life, is that Righteoufnefs which 
 confifteth in our right to Lift eternal. 
 
 §. 6 1. x. All mens fins are pardoned potentiaiy 
 and conditionally in the Law of Grace. 2. No mens 
 liijs are pardoned a&uaUy (as to a right of ImfunityJ 
 till they are penitent B.licvers, or confenf to the 
 Covenant of Grace (if at age.) 3. Thefe peni- 
 tent Believers fins zx*f*rd;ned virtually before they 
 are committed, fuppofing them but Sins of Infir- 
 mity, but th ; s is properly no Pa dm, nor fo to be 
 called, becaufe it is but the pofition of thofe things 
 which will caufe Pardon hcreafcer. To be only 
 virtual, is not to exift, but to be in caufis. 
 
 But it is toogroQy inferred hence by fome,Th±t 
 it is not God then that actually juftifieth 7 but Man 
 that performeth the Condition : as if the Condi- 
 tion which is but a fufpenfion cf the Donation, 
 ( and the performance a removal of the fufpending 
 Caufe ) were the donative Efficient j and fo the 
 Receiver were the Giver. As if he that opened the 
 window were the Sun or efficient Caufe oftht Light ; 
 or he that lets cfFa Crcfbow by removing the Stop, 
 were the spring that tfiecUth the motion of thzArrovr. 
 
 §. 62, Neither Pardon nor Juftification are per- 
 fect before death : For there are fbrae corre'dw? Pu- 
 mjhmems to be .yet born, fome Sins not fully de- 
 ftroyed, fome Grace yet wanting, more Sins to be 
 forgiven, more Conditions thereof to be perfor- 
 med. The final and executive Pardon and JyiHfi- 
 cation are only ptrfeft. CHAP- 
 
[ *5 6 
 
 CHAP. XXtK 
 Of the Imputation of Righteoufnefs. 
 
 §• i. TTH E great Contentions that have bcena- 
 * bout this Point, tell us how needfull it is 
 to diftinguifh between real and verbal Control 
 verfics : The opening of the Doflrine of Redem- 
 ption before, Chap. XL hath done moft that is need- 
 ful to the folution of this Cafe, we are commonly 
 agreed in thefe following Points. 
 
 §. 2. i. That no man hath aRighteoufnefs of 
 his own performance, by which he could be jufti- 
 fied, were he to be judged by the Law of Inno- 
 cencyj thatis, alt are Sinners, and deferve ever- 
 lailing Death. 
 
 §.3. 2. That Jefus the Mediator undertook to 
 fulfil all the Law which God the Father gave 
 him, even the Law of Nature, the Law of Mofts, * 
 and that which was proper tehimfelf,*that there- 
 by God's Wifdom, Goodnefs, Truth, Juftice, and 
 Mercy, might be glorified, and the ends of God's 
 Government be better attained, than by the De- 
 ftru&ion of the (inful World - and all this, he per- 
 formed in our Nature, and fiiffered for m in our 
 fteady and wasthefecond Adam, or Root toBe- 
 Kevers. 
 
 §. 4. 3. That for this, ZSthe meritorious Caufe^ 
 God hath given him fewer ever all Flcjh, that he 
 might give eternal Life to as many a* are drawn to him 
 by the Father , «nd givsn him y Joh. 17. 2. He is 
 
 Lord 
 
[257 3 
 
 Lord of all r and aU power in Heaven and Earth is 
 eiven him^Mztth. 28. 19. 2nd he is made Head over 
 all things to thi Church, Eph. 1.22, 23. Rom. 14. 9. 
 And for thtfc his Merits^ a Covenant* or Law of 
 Grace is made tofinful Man r by which all his fins 
 arc freely pardoned, and Right to Impunity and 
 Life is freely given him, if he will accept it* and 
 penitently tmn to God. 
 
 §. 5. 4, Whenever a man is ptftdoned and jftfii- 
 fed ( or bath Right to Life J this Law of Grace 
 doth it, as God's donative lnftrument : And whoever 
 isfo pardoned and juftified, it is for and bythefe 
 Merits of C knfv s Right cGiifnefs . 
 
 §. 6. 5. ButChrift doth initially pardon and 
 jufti^e none by this Covenant but penitent Believers^ 
 and therefore hath made it our Duty to repent and 
 believe, that we may be forgiven, and have right 
 to life j as the Condition, without which his do- 
 native and condonative Aft (hall be fufpended. 
 
 §. 7. 6. God never judgeth falfely, but know-* 
 eth all things to be what they are : And therefore 
 he rcpnteth Chrift's meritorious F^ight eoufnefs and 
 Sacrifice, to be the meritorious Caufe of all men* 
 Judication, who are juftified (and of xhz condi- 
 tional Far don of all the World, 2 Cor. 5. 18, 19, 
 20. ) and as J efficient and effectual to the affigned 
 ends, as our own perfonal right eon fnefs or fajfering 
 would have teen, and more (though it be not io 
 ours , as that of our own performance would 
 have been, nor fo immediately give us our Right 
 to Impunity and Life, but mediately by the Cove- 
 nant.) 
 
 §.8- 7. And as God reputeth Chrift's Righte- 
 oufnefs to be the prime meritorious Canfe for which 
 we are juftified by the Law of Grace, as aftre-faid, 
 
 S fo 
 
fo he truly rcputeth our own Faith and Repentance 
 < or Covenant- con fent ) to be our moral Qualification 
 for the gift, and our Holinefs and Perfeverance to 
 be our moral Qualification for ^?W /«// if cation and 
 tilery 5 which Qualification being the matter of the 
 Command of the Law of Grace, and the Condition 
 of its Prmifc, isfofar our right eoufhefs indce* '^and 
 oft fo called in the Scripture , as is afore- 
 faid. 
 
 §. 9. 8. Therefore God may in this Sence be 
 truly faid, both to impute rightcoufnefs to us, and 
 to impute ChriJFs right ewfnefs to us, and to impute 
 Mr Favth for ri£hteoufnefs to us in feveral re- 
 Ipefts. 
 
 §. 10. Thus much being commonly agreed on, 
 ihould quiet the Minds of Divines that are not 
 wife and righteous overmuch :, and it befeemeth us 
 not to make our arbitrary Words and Notions a- 
 bout the Do&rineofour Peace with God, to be 
 Engines to break the Church"^ Peace, feeing Angels 
 preached to us this great Truth i "I hat Chrift came 
 into the World for GLORY to God. %n the higheft, 
 and for PEACE on Earth, and for GOOD-WILL 
 or LOVE from God to Man ( or mutual cowpU- 
 tency^ ) and his Servants fhould not turn his Go- 
 Ipelinto matter of ftri'e. 
 
 §••■11. That which #e are yet difagreed about, 
 is the Names ard Nouns following.* As, i.What 
 is meant by thePhr-afeof \Jmpm wg°] n feveral 
 Texts of Scripture •, as Rom. 4. 1 1 . Q I hat nghte- 
 sufnefs might be imputed (or reckon d) to them 
 alfff.^ Anf. The words feem to me to have no 
 difficulty, but what men by wrangling put into 
 them. To have righteonfoef tmpu td to them, is 
 to be reputed, judged, or accounted as righteous 
 
 Men, 
 
 
 
C*59 1 
 
 Men, and fo nfed ( the caufc being not in the Phrafc 
 it Jilfj but fore-defcribed. ) 
 
 §* 12. So what is meant, Rom. 4, 6. by imfut% r g 
 right ceufnefs without works? Anf. Plainly, repu- 
 ting,or judging a man righteous without the works 
 which Paul there meaneth. 
 
 §. j 3 . So what is meant by Net iw fating fin y 
 Pfal. 32.2. 2 Cor. 5. 19. Rom. $. 13. Lev. 7. 18. 
 1 Sam. 22. 15. 2<Sam. 19. 19. Rom. 4. 8 ? Anf 
 Not- judging a man as a Sinner guilty ©f punife- 
 ment, not charging his fin upon him in Judgment j 
 which is as 2 Sam. 19. 19. &c becaufe he is not 
 truly guilty ; or as Rom. 4, 8. &c. becaufe he is 
 forgiven. 
 
 §.14. 2. What is meant by ^imfuting our 
 Faith to m for right eoufnefs f ] But of that more 
 purpofely anon. 
 
 §. 15. 3. Whether imputing Chrift's righuouf- 
 nefs to us, be a Scripture -phrafe ? Anf. Not that 
 I can find. 
 
 §. 16. 4. Whether it be a fit or lawful Phrafe, 
 and whether in io great matters, departing from 
 Scripture-phrafe, snd pretending it neceflfary fo 
 to do, be not adding to God's Word, or the caufe 
 of Corruptions and Divilions in the Church, and 
 an intimation that we can fpeak better than the 
 Holy Ghoft ? Arrf. God hath not tied us to ufe 
 only Scripture-wds or Pht*fes\ and ufe may make 
 them convenient and needful for frme times and 
 places, which elfe are lefs fignificant or congruous. 
 And in this cafe I fee not, but that the Phrafe is 
 lawful well explained. But if any will pretend 
 their own Phrafes to be more neceffary than they 
 are, and will calumniate thofe as not Orthodox, 
 who will not ufe them, or fubferibe to them, I 
 
 S 2 can- 
 
[ s6o] 
 
 cannot juftific fuch from the guilt of Preemption* 
 and Injury to the Church, the Truth and Chrift? 
 and the Love of Brethren. 
 
 §. 17. 5. Whether they that affirm, That 
 Chrifl's Righteoufkefs is imputed to us, or thofe 
 that deny it are to be accounted Orthodox? 
 Anf. Perhaps both, if they both hold the fame 
 found Doftrine under various Phrafes : And per- 
 haps neither, if by their various Phrafes, each mean 
 fomething that is unfound. 
 
 §. 18. They heinoully err, who deny Chrift's 
 Righteoufnefs to be fo far imputed to us, as to be 
 reputed the meritorious Caufe of our Pardon and 
 Right to Life ( or our Justification ) performed 
 by our Mediator, as the Sponfor of the New Cove- 
 xMnt,(ior our Jakes, and his Sufferings in onrjtctd) 
 as is afore-exprefTed. 
 
 §. 19. And they heinoufly err, and fubvert the 
 Gofpel, who fay, that Chrift's Rjghteoufnefs is 
 fo imputed to us, as that God reputeth, or judg- 
 eth Chrift to have been perfectly holy and righteous 
 (or obedient) and to have fufiered, though not 
 in the Natural, yet in the Legal or Civil Perfon 
 of the Sinner or Believer, as their ftriSt and fro- 
 per Repref enter-, and reputeth us to have been 
 perfectly holy, righteous^ or obedient in Chrift, ai our 
 Reprefenter, and fo to have our felves fulfilled all 
 righteoufnefs in and by him, and in him to have fa- 
 tisfied Juftice, and merited Eternal Life , and 
 Chrift's Righteoufnefs to be ours in the fame fence 
 of Propriety, as it was his own : For his Divine 
 •Righteoufnefs is the Eflence of God, and his Hu- 
 mane his H*k'us, A3s, and Relations, which are 
 the Accidents of his own Perfon only as the Sub- 
 and cannot be in another (as is after fhewed.) 
 
 §. 20. 
 
C?6i] 
 
 §. 20. Though moft of us new leave this Do- 
 ctrine to the AntmomUm or Libertines^ yet fo 
 many Proteftants Formerly have feemed to own it 
 by their unmeet Phrafes, in extreme oppofition 
 to the Papifts, or at leaft to come too near it, as 
 hath greatly fcandalized and hardened their Adver- 
 faries, and injured the Reformed Churches. ( 
 
 §. 21. The Perfon of our Mediator was neither 
 in the Sence of the Law, or in God's account, 
 properly the perfon of the Sinner j Chrift and 
 we are diftinft pcrfons. 
 
 §. 22. Had we been perfettly holy, innocent, and 
 obedient in Cbnft, it would follow, i. That we 
 arc juftified by the Law of Innocency, as having 
 perfectly done all that it commanded us, which is 
 not true : It is by the pardoning Law of Grace 
 that we are juftified. 
 
 §. 23 . 2. That we have no need of Pardon, nor 
 of Chrift's Sufferings for our Pardon, nor of 
 Prayer for Pardon, nor any means for it \ for he 
 needeth no pardon that is perfectly innocent. 
 
 §. 24. 3. Therefore 5 they aflert Contradictions 
 when they fay, that we both perfe&ly obeyed by, 
 and in Ghrift, and yet fufFered or fatisficd in, or 
 by him for our Difobedience. 
 
 §.25. 4. It would follow, that all penalties 
 (even corre&ive ) laid en us by God, are in- 
 juries, or no penalties, becaufe we are inno- 
 cent. 
 
 §. itf: s- And that God's denying us any helps 
 of his Spirit, and permitting the remnant of our 
 Sin yet unhealed, and the weaknefs of our Graces, 
 are an injurious denying us our Right. 
 
 §. 27. 6. It would follow, that we have prefent 
 Right to the prefent pofTcfliou of the whole Rc- 
 
 S 3 ward. 
 
C*5»] 
 tfard, both Grace and Glory, and that our delay 
 is our wrong ; becaufe he that is fuppofed to have 
 done all that the Law maketh his Duty from his 
 Birth till his Death, hath right to the Reward by 
 the Law or Covenant. 
 
 §• 28. 7. And it would follow, That no Duty 
 could be required of us as a Condition of any Be- 
 nefit . purchafed by Chrift, nor any fin charged 
 onusfo far as to be indeed our fin, becaufe we 
 are reputed perfectly holy and innocent. 
 
 §. 29. Many other fuch Confequents I pafs by, 
 and ether Arguments againft this Opinion, and 
 the Confutation of the contrary, becaufe I have 
 done it all elfewhere, efpecially in a peculiar Di- 
 fcourfe on this * Subjeft, and 
 * jtgainji Dr. Tul- in my Difputations of Juftifica- 
 
 Iy\r Jccufatious. tion. 
 
 §• 30. Chrift's own Righteoufnefs habitual or 
 a&ual, is not ours, as it is his, in ftridt fence in 
 it felf, as if we were the Proprietors, theSubje&s 
 of his Habits, or the Agents of his Atts : For it 
 is impoffible that the Accidents of fcveral Subje&s 
 fliouldbethefame. 
 
 e §.31- And the form of Chrift's Righteoufnefs 
 is therefore no more ours, than the Matter: For 
 Righteoufnefs in Chrift, and Righteoufnefs in each 
 Believer, are diftinfl; Rightcoufnefles. 
 
 §. 32. Many Divines have pleaded, That Chrift's 
 Righteoufnefs is the form of ours > and others, 
 that it is the Matter ; and others, that it is the w- 
 ritorittu C*ufc\ and have too much troubled the 
 Church with Logical Notions. The meritorious 
 Caufc it is undoubtedly j and they that fay, That 
 ft cannot then be the mmml G*»fa muft con- 
 
 fidcr, 
 
[263] 
 
 fid«r, that we mean, that it is the Matter of the 
 merit mens Caufc : And had we been innecent our 
 felves<> would not our Irwecency have been both thfc 
 Mater of our right eiHifmfs ( or Merit ) and the 
 fneritoriousCfiufe of our rioht to Life. 
 
 §.33. But this fuppofeth that the Matter of th^ 
 Gofpel fubordinace righteoufhefs which confifteth 
 in that Repentance, Faith, and Holincfs, which is 
 required in us to our right to life, is to be found 
 in our {elves, and not in Chrift for us. 
 
 §♦ 34. But the form of Chrift's righteonfneft 
 cannot be the form of ours, as is aforefaid ; but it 
 is the form of that which is the meritorious Caufe 
 of ours : But what need have we of theic Di« 
 fputcs ? 
 
 §. 35. The Not imfHtingoffin, is called alfb 
 byfon^e, the Form of Juftifkatitn , and by others, 
 that, and the Imitation of right eonfrtcfs conjun&j 
 and by others, that, and God's accepting t# as righ- 
 ted ; others call thefe the Matter of JnJUficatUn ; 
 and thus mens Logxk, ill-managed, troubleth the 
 Hearers, which 1 would not mention, had it not 
 been neceflfary to difintangle them. 
 
 §. 36. They that will difpute what is the form 
 of JnftificAtion, muft firft confefs the Ambiguity of 
 the Word, and tell us in which Scnce they take it : 
 There are fo many things that are truly the form 
 of J nfiific.it ion taken in many Sences, that with- 
 out fuchdiftinguilhing to difpute of the form of 
 Jttslificaciw, is worfe than to fay nothing ; JnftU 
 fication taken a&ively, as the Act of the Jnfiifyer^ 
 hath *ne form : Jufttficstion patfwely taks* for the 
 ftate of thejujHfied, hath another form .- And each 
 of thefe are fubdivided into many Ads, and many 
 £feUs 7 which have each their form, The Aft of 
 S 4 fwdon- 
 
[264] 
 
 f at Awing fin, is one thing, and therefore hath one 
 form: The Aft • of making us inherently righte- 
 ous, or performers of the Condition of the Co- 
 venant of Grace hath another form : The Aft of 
 tfieeming us righteous, hath another : The Aft of 
 our Advocate defending our righteoufnefs, another. 
 The Aft of Juftifying-evidence and Witnefs, an- 
 other : The Aft of fentencing us righteous, an- 
 other : And the Aft of executive Juftification, or 
 rewarding and faving us, as righteous, another. 
 And accordingly Juftificmon pajfwely taken, hath, 
 as many forms %s> it fignifieth various Effefts. 
 To be in a ftate of conditional Juftification, to be 
 Performers of the Condition of the Law of Grace > to 
 have j$u impunitatis, right to Impunity ( that is, to 
 be pardoned ) and to have jus JDoni & Pramii reg- 
 it* coeleftis, a right to Glory, as zgift, and as a rer- 
 tPdtd (infevcralrefpcfts) are all Effefts of Gcd's 
 forefaid Afts, and every one hath its proper Being 
 and Form : And all this as given us •, for the Merits 
 of Chrift's righteoufnefs, concur to make up our 
 whole Justification as confiitutive and virtual in Law ', 
 and each part hath its proper form : And then A- 
 pologetick, Judiciary (or Sentential) and Execu- 
 tive Jollification, are alfo various Species, which 
 have their Forms. 
 
 ^. 36. Obj. Vniu* rei mica e& forma : Jufti- 
 fication is me thing, and therefore hath but one form. 
 jinf. 1 . One Justification is but one thing ' 9 but thef e 
 arc divers things fo called, even in Scripture. When 
 Chrift faith, By thy words thou jhalt be juftified, 
 Mat. 1 2. and Paul faith, that we are juftified by 
 the Spirit of God /i Cor.6. 10. and John faith, He 
 that it juB, let him be justified ft ill, Rev. 22. they 
 Kiave not all the fame Scnce, 2. Qn$ thing may 
 
 have 
 
have one firm, and yet its many farts have many 
 forms: Our right eoafnefs taken for the wfe*/* of 
 it, is one whole, whofe form is fignified by that 
 general Name of our total right eoufnefs ; and yet 
 its farts are all thofe before-mentioned , which 
 yet each federally arc commonly called nghteonf- 
 nefs. But of thefe things before. 
 
 §. 37. Either then let us meddle as little as 
 may be, with arbitrary Logical Notions in Theo- 
 logy, or let us handle them exaftly, or elfe un- 
 skilful ufing them in weighty matters, becomes a 
 vain entangling of poor Sculs, and a childifh way 
 of troubling the Church of God. The truth is, 
 the forms of fuch A&s are belt known by their 
 bare Names, if they be rightly named-, and by the 
 Name many underftand what they are, where nei- 
 ther they nor their Teachers can find other words 
 by which to give you a fair Definition of them, 
 which maketh me think of fome of our 
 ower-mfe, and over-righteous Catechiners of the ig- 
 norant, who ufe to turn plain, honed perfons 
 from the Sacrament of Communion, if they can- 
 not tell them what God is , what Holinefs u 9 
 what Faith, Repentance, Salification , Jttfltjica- 
 tion, Adoption is, by fome congruous Defcripti- 
 on , when yet a wife Examination might fhew f 
 that by the Name they understand the Matter 
 it felf, though not by diftinft Notions ; and 
 when the Catechizer too often would be found 
 fhamefully to fcek, if he were put to anfwer 
 his own Queftions by a true Definition ( as I 
 have tried. ) 
 
 §. 3S. To conclude, there are many (harp 
 Volumes written pf late, which reproach Imputed 
 
 Ri £ h- 
 
[ 266:1 
 
 Righnoufnefs^ to which they fccm induced by fome 
 mens nufexplication of it ; and by fuch unwarran- 
 table words as fome Independents ufe of it, in 
 their Savoy-ConfefTion : And they dresm that we 
 4eny all peceffity of Perfonal fulfilling the Con- 
 ditions of the Law of Grace, as a means of our 
 Juftification and Salvation : But they utterly 
 wrong the generality of Divines of my acquain- 
 tance and notice : And I rnuft tell them, for the 
 Independents, that they did not fubferibe or vote 
 that Confeifion, as fome prefent affure me, but on- 
 ly a very few men brought it in and read it, 
 and none fpake againft it : And fome worthy per- 
 sons of that Aflembly, upon conference, allure 
 roe, That how ill fcevcr it be worded, they them- 
 fclves did mean it as I and other Proteftsnts do, 
 and did difclaim the obvious ill fence. 
 
 And I add, Had thefe Contenders but taken up 
 with the diftin&ion of Imputation which Mr. Brad* 
 Jhaw giveth in the Pre ace to his reconciling Trattate 
 *f ' jupificaticn^ it might have quieted them* by in- 
 forming them, in what fence Chrift's Righteouf- 
 nefs is imputed to us, and in whatnot : And they 
 would have feen that which is not ours, as Pro- 
 letaries of the thing ic felf in />, may be called 
 Q'Arsy becaufe the EfcUs are ours, and it was gi- 
 ven to Cody for the meriting of thofe Effefts 
 
 CHAP. 
 
[26?] 
 
 CHAP. XXIII. 
 
 How fsith juftifieth ; aud how it it imputed 
 to tufor Righteoufmfs. 
 
 §. i . A Bout thk a ^° tkttt are many needlefs 
 ±\ notional Controveriies among men that 
 are agreed in the matter itfelf: As whether Faith 
 juftifie as it receiveth Chrift in alt his mediatorial 
 Office, as Prophet, Prieft and King ? Or only as in 
 his Priefily Office ? And whether, as it receiveth 
 him in all the parts cfthtt Office, or which f Or as 
 it receiveth his Rtghteonfnefs only ? Whether 
 Faith juftifie us as an Inurnment only ? Or as * 
 Condition? Or as merit mom * Whether it juftifie 
 us by being it felf imputed to us for Righteonf- 
 nefs, or it be Chrift" s rightevufnefs only that is f© 
 imputed ? Whether Faith alone juftifie us, or al- 
 fo Repentance, Defire, Hope, or any other a£s 
 of the Soul towards Chrift? Whether only Faith 
 in Chrift juftifie, and not Faith in God the Father, 
 or belief of the Promife, or of Heaven ? &c. Of 
 all which briefly. 
 
 §, 2. I. The word £ Receiving ] (Chrift, 
 Grace, &c. ) hath two different fences neceffarily 
 to be diftinguifhed : i. Phyfical Receiving is the 
 ftrift fence, as pati and recipere are all one : Which 
 is, x. To receive the meer A& of the Agent ter* 
 min*rively j or, 2. To receive zfnrther effeft of that 
 Aft. 
 
[ 268] 
 
 2. Moral receiving is nothing but accepting of 
 an offered thing by confent of Will : Acd fo to 
 receive fuppofeth an offer, and is nothing but Con- 
 fent to it. 
 
 §. 3. TcJ receive Grace in the ftri<ft phyfical fence, 
 is to be made graciow, or to be the Patients of 
 the Operation of Grace if it be real: But to re- 
 ceive relative Grace phyfically, is nothing but to be 
 made fo reUted : So to receive Smilification is to 
 be fanftified, and to receive JuftiScation or Par- 
 don 7 is nothing but to be justified or pardo- 
 ned. 
 
 §. 4. But how is. Chrift himfelf phyfically re- 
 ceived ? That were eafily known, if you knew 
 how he is phyfically given. But for a Gift oiChrift's 
 ■perfon by phyfical attingency, .we can fay nothing of 
 it by Scripture-warrant, that I know of : It is no 
 matter for our Difputes. But in two fences Chrift 
 is faid to be given to us : 1. In Relation, as a King 
 to his Subjects, or a Husband to his Wife : And fo 
 we phyfically receive thofe Relations, as aforcfaid : 
 That is, we are made related to him. 2. In the real 
 Communication of the Spirit of Chrift to us : And 
 {j we phyfically receive the Spirit in its operations -, 
 ilnt is, He worketh them on us : This is the fir ft 
 fence of Receiving. 
 
 §. 4. But morally to receive Grace, cr Chrift, is 
 but to confent that Grace and Chrift be ours : As 
 a Sabjett, a Servant, a Wife % confent to their Relati- 
 on i and this is our Faith, and not the former. 
 
 §. %. Where note, That moral Receiving {ox Con- 
 fent) is but a Means of phyfical Receiving (or Ha- 
 ving) and a means which maketh not the thing 
 ours any otherwife, than as the Wit of the Giver 
 doth appoint, and give it its Power thereunto. 
 
 This 
 

 L *°9J 
 
 This moral receiving or accepting is but Mfpoftio 
 recipient is ,2S to having or phyfical reception -, as there 
 mull be in all things difpofitio materia ad formam 
 recipwidam : He that will not accept the Gift, is 
 accounted by the Giver moraUy unfit for it. 
 
 §. 6. But this is not fpoken of every Gift ; but 
 of fuch as are offered by the Giver on the Con- 
 dition of thankful acceptance. For God giveth many 
 things abfolntely ; as Chrift was given to be Man's 
 Redeemer, and Chrift gave his Cwtnant, Goffd, 
 and Jpoftles, and fendeth the word to many that 
 before have it not, and giveth the firft Grace; 
 which caufeth mens acceptance of the other, and 
 all this not on the Condition of their acceptance : 
 But the Gifts beftowed by the Baptifmal Covenant 
 of Grace, are all given on Condition of our moral 
 receiving or acceptance. 
 
 §. 7. This receflary diitin&ion of receiving be- 
 ing premifed, 1 anfwer the queftion as followcth : 
 1 . To be juftified, is to be the phyfical Receiver of 
 Goa?s jxfttfying *&, and nothing elfe in proper 
 fence. 
 
 §.8. 2. No man phyikally receiveth Chrift '$ 
 Perfon (as far as we can prove or underftand ) 
 nor ChrifPs own Rijhteoufnefs in it felf; but we 
 phyficaily receive our relation to Chrifi, and the Spirits 
 operations, and our Right to Impunity and Life. 
 
 §.9. 3. We at once fenf* phyfico, receive our 
 relation to Chrift as our Head, that is, our redeeming 
 Owner, Ruler and Saviour, or Prophet, as Pried and 
 King ; and not to one firft, and to another 
 after. 
 
 §. 10. 4. Inthefame inftant of time that we 
 receive our relation to Chrift, .as aforcf aid, we re- 
 ceive with him, as his Grace, by the fame dmative 
 
 aft 
 
C 2703 
 
 act of the Covenant, our Right to Immunity and 
 JLtfe, even to the compiacential fpecial Love of 
 the Father, and the Communion of the Holy Ghoft, 
 and fo are juftified. 
 
 §•11. 5. Our moral receiving ofChrift himfelf 
 as our Saviour, is the antecedent Condition of our 
 forefsid phyfical reception or participation, being 
 appointed by God to that ule or office. 
 
 §. 12. 6. This moral receiving is that Faith 
 which I before at large defcribed, and is fometime 
 called Believing, and fometime Trailing, becaufe it " 
 is in whole a believing fiducial Confent. 
 
 §.13. 7. This Belief and Content or Acce- 
 ptance, hath eflentially for its object nil that is 
 ejfential to Christ, as our Saviour *, his Natures, 
 Pcrfon, his Humiliation, Obedience, his Sacrifice 
 and Refurrertion, his Interceffion, Dominion, 
 Judgment, together with his Do&rinc, Promifes, 
 and Grace \ befides God himfelf and the Heaven- 
 ly Glory : And it is not true Faith that hath not 
 all this, at leaft confufedly and in fome de- 
 gree. 
 
 §. 14. 8. They that fay, Frith jufiifycth as it 
 rcccivethChrifPs Righteoufnefs, and not as it recei- 
 Tpth Ckritt himfelf in relation, or at leaft not as 
 Treacher, Lord, fntercejjor, &c. do draw men into 
 deceit by a Phrafe which intimateth a falfefup- 
 pofition, or two, viz.. 1. It is falfc that Faith jh- 
 Siifieth us, if they mean efficiently ; as (hall be 
 (hewed anon. But it is true, (though fome de- 
 ny it) that Faith jaftifyeth constitutive ly y fo far as 
 it is it folf OUf ptrfonal inherent Righteoufnefs, (of 
 which after ) : But this they mean not : Nor is 
 Faith in Chrifi's righttoufnefs any more our inhe- 
 rent Rigbteoufnefs than Faitfi in his Promifes, 
 
 his 
 
[ 271 ] 
 
 his Intereeflion or his Government, or in God the 
 Father. 2. It is falfe, that Faith u Frith doth 
 juftifie ^ either as it is Faith in this or that or 
 the other part of the Office of (Thrift ; for then 
 we fliould be juftified , as they call it, by that 
 r* credere ^ and then if God had not made Faith 
 the Condition of Juftification, yet qua talis it would 
 have juftified. 
 
 $. 15. 9. But the Cafe is very plain : There is 
 con fidcrable in Faith, u&s Nature, and ttat is 
 only its mater id Aptitude to its Office : 2. The 
 Office it felfi and that is to be the Cendit ion z^oin- 
 ted by God the Doner, of our Imereft in his 
 Gifts (and foof Juftification). Now it juftifieth 
 not efficiently at all fuslefs you take Juflincation for 
 making us Holy). But it is ths Condition of Jufti- 
 fication, and fo we are faid to be juftified by it 
 as by a Condition , but it is not a Condition, qua, 
 fides, or as it receiveth Chrift's Righ teonfnefs, but 
 as it is made by Gcd a Condition in his Covenant. 
 But ¥ stithy as Faith in Chnft, is the Matter -of this 
 Condition : Or its Aptitude to its Office is in Faith 
 qua talis ; And no other had been fo fit : But 
 then it is not orly our belief or acceptance of 
 Chrift's Righteoufnefs rhat is this Aptitude : No- 
 thing but entire F,:vh in its efltntids is this matter 
 and azt'vnde, 2nd the formal reafon of its place or 
 office ab&ut our Juftincat' n, is its being the Con- 
 dition appointed thereto in the IiHruraent of Do- 
 nation. 
 
 §. 16. 10. Were the Queftion about fhyfical 
 Receiving, it were true* that a man is juftified qua- 
 tenuis z%\\treteiveth purification., and adopted as 
 he receiveth Adoption, and finftified as he receiveth 
 S^oftificatioa, and glorified as he receiveth Glorifi- 
 cation, 
 
[ 272 ] 
 
 cation, and net fomething elfe j as he is rich as ht 
 receiveth Riches, and honourable as he receiveth 
 Honour, &c . But moral acceptance of one thing is 
 oft made the Condition of our having another thing ; 
 and here our acceptance of -whole Chrifi is oxix undi- 
 vided Condition-title to him 2nd his Gifts. We are 
 do more juftified for or t>y confenting to be jufli-* 
 fied, than for or by confenting to be fandified,and 
 to learn of Chrifi, and obey him. 
 
 §. 17. Yea more i men ufe to put that into the 
 Condition of fomething which the Perfon fain 
 would have? which he is more backward to, and 
 would not elfe do or have. A Phyfician ufeth 
 not to fay, Thou pah he cured if thou cenfent to be 
 cured } but if thou confent to take my Aledicines and 
 follow my Prefcript. A Father will not lay to the 
 Child, I will give thee this Apple if thou wilt 
 have it :, but if 'thou wilt thank me for it, and 
 do thy Duty : So if we might make a difference 
 'in the rcafon of the thing, we fhould fay,^That 
 God faith not oilly, Thou {halt have Chrifi* s righ~ 
 tcoufnefsy or j unification by it, if thou nilt h*ve it \ 
 no more than C Thou (halt be faved from Hell if 
 thou wilt ] (and who would not be forgiven ?) 
 But f thou pah have Chrifi and Lifc Pardon, Grace 
 and Glory*, if thou wilt thankfully take them together 
 as they are, or wilt be taught and ruled by Chrifi;,- 
 and renounce the World, the Flefh, and the Devil, 
 and take God and Glory for thy all. 3 
 
 g. 18. ChrifPs own righteoufnefs being not effen- 
 thUy given to us in it f elf \ but given for us \ and to 
 us in the £jfcffs 7 to fay, That the receiving of that 
 which is not given, is the only justifying att of Faith y 
 is to fay, That we are not juftified by Faith at all. 
 But if they meant the Efftfts ofChriffs Right eon fa fa 
 
 then 
 
then it is but to fay, Wcarcjuftified by no a£t of 
 Faith y but by con [rating to be juftified by Chrift's Me~ 
 tits : Which is not true. 
 
 §. i p. They contradict themfelves that make 
 Chrift's Prieftly Office the only ObjeB of Juftifying 
 Faith, and yet make his whole Righteoufnefs and 
 Merit that Objett : For whoknoweth not, that all 
 Chrift's Righteoufnefs was not performed by him 
 only as Pneft. 
 
 §. 20. And Chrift's Priefthood hath many other 
 aftions belonging to it, befides his Merits offered 
 for us : Even his prefent Intercejfion : Which muffc 
 be excluded, if Chrift's Righteoufnefs here, as un- 
 der the Law, were the only Objeft of this Faith. 
 
 , §. 21. II. The fecond Queftion I had never 
 troubled the World about fo much as 1 have done, 
 had I not found too many Proteftants fcandalize 
 the Papifts, by laying too much on the Nation 
 QilnfhrHmtntality, ill explained. But the judicious 
 arc here all in fence of the fame mind- 
 s' 22. For by an Inftrnment they mean not, 
 i . an inftrumcntal efficient Caufe of Juftification : 
 2. Nor of making Chrift's Righteoufnefs ours : 
 For ive giye it not to our felves. 3. But they 
 take the word Inurnment mechanically or lefs ac- 
 curately, and tell us, that they mean 
 a receiving Instruments a Boy * catch- * # Dr. KendaL 
 eth a Ball in his Hat : But fo as that it 
 is a moral Instrument, that is, both materially a mo- 
 ral act, and the Instrument of a moral not fhyfU 
 cal reception. 
 
 §. 23 . But when they have all done, they do but 
 entangle and trouble themfelves and others with 
 an unapt Logical notion : For (as it is fo eafie to 
 
 T coifuw 
 
[274 3 
 confute the grofs Conceit, That Faith is an inftru- 
 tnental efficient Cm[z ( either God's or Man's ) of 
 our J uftification > ( which I have done fo oft, that 
 I will here pretermit it, fo ) this Notion of a 
 Fujfive Infirument is unapt, becaufe, i. The Aft 
 of Jffent is cflential to this juftifying Faith, as 
 well as Acceptance^ and fo is TruSt, which yet 
 are no more Inftrumentd in reception, than many 
 other Arts, even Love, Dcfire, Hope.- 2. Becaufe 
 cuxCmfent to other things, as well as to bejufti- 
 fed, and our Faith in God the Father , arc as 
 truly the Condition of our Justification, as our 
 Cwfent to be jnftifted. 3 .And becaufe this Meta- 
 phorical ufe of the Word Instrument, leader h peo- 
 ple to dream of proper Inftrumentality, and mif- 
 leadeth them from the apter Notions : ' The Cc- 
 v^nant-Donation is the juftifying Inftrument. 
 
 §♦ 24. I conclude therefore fummarily, 1. Faith,, 
 as Faith in the Father, Son, and Holy Ghefi, in the 
 Senee of the Bafti final Covenant, is the aft Mat- 
 ter to be the Condition of our Justification by the 
 Gift of that Covenant. 
 
 2. If JuftiHcation be taken for making us ju& 
 Ftrfermers of the Conditions of the Covenant of 
 Grace \ fo Faith juftifLth us , 1 . Conflitutively ini- 
 tially, as it is the beginning of that Righteoufnefs 
 it felf. 2. And by a moral efficiency, asitisacaufe 
 of Love and Obedience. 
 
 3. If Juftification be taken for the Gift, or right 
 t* Impunity and Life in and with Chrifi, fb Faith 
 ii k the Condition of it, and no ether wife juftifi- 
 eth. 
 
 : 4. But if any will call this by the name of a 
 Subment, with the Ancisats, meaning but that it 
 mariteth jufti&sgicm, as a Child meriteth apiece 
 
 of 
 
 
[275 3 
 
 of Gold from his Father, by patting off his Hat, 
 and faying, I thank you, and humbly taking it, 
 Inftead of fcornful or negledtful refilling it, I 
 will not quarrel with any fuch. 
 
 §.25. But remember, that as wife men feldoni 
 make any thing a Condition of a gift* which hath 
 no worth in it to pleafi them \ fo God f$w y and 
 put fuch a worth or aptitude in Faith, cr elf© he 
 had not fo much as commanded it. 
 
 §• 26. But yet a Condition fimply as fuch, fig- 
 nifieth neither Merit nor Caufaluy at all } but on- 
 ly the terms on which the gift Jhall be fufpended^ till 
 they be performed: And fo the performance of a 
 Condition as fitch, is no efficient of the gift\ but a 
 removing of the fufpending impediment. 
 
 §. 27. Therefore Dr. Twtffe oft calleth Faith 
 Caufivn difyofitivam juftificationis, which belongeth 
 not to the efficient, hnt material or recipient Gaufc j 
 and the true £,***/ Notion of its next Intercft in 
 our Juftification, is its being £ Conditio praftita^ 
 and the true Logical Notion is to be C Vifpofitio 
 vrrnlis materia, five fubjecli recipient it ] call it Cau- 
 fan vel Conditionem di[pofitiva,n , as you pleafe : 
 And 1 think this Queftioif needs no more. 
 
 §. 28. III. As to the third Queftion, the truth 
 is obvious, That Chrifvs righteonfmfs is imputed^ 
 and yet Faith is imputed to us for right eon fntfs in 
 feveral Sences ; that is, each is reputed to be to 
 us what indeed it is. Two things make up the 
 Sence of F*ittis being imputed to hs for right eoufnef? : 
 1 . Faith is really the Condition of the Covenant of 
 Grace, which whofo performeth, he is righteons 
 again ft the Charge of Non-performance of that Con- 
 dition j and it is reputed our fuborditutt, Ei 
 
 T a id 
 
[a 7 f] 
 
 tal,ferfonal,Yighteohfnefs : 2. And fuppofing Chrift's 
 Merits and our Redemption by him, this Goipel- 
 righteoufnefs is all that is required of us on onr 
 farts, inftead of all that pcrfedt Obedience which 
 the Law of Innoeency required. So that our Faith 
 ( taken in the Scripture-fence ) is our real rights 
 cttfnefs related to the Condition of the New Co- 
 venant, and inftead of a more perfect right eoufnefs 
 of Innoeency -, forafmuch as after Chrift's Redem- 
 ption , is required to be performed by our 
 felves; 
 
 §• 29. This, no Chriftians that are fober, can 
 deny, as to the thing; And as to the Name, it is 
 plain to the impartial that willfee that Paul,Kom. 
 4. 22, 23, 24. and Jam. 2. 23. by Frith means 
 Faith it felf indeed, and not only Chriftxhe Ob- 
 ject of Faith, as fome affirm, with too great Scan- 
 dal: read over the Texts, and try what Sence it 
 will be, if you put [Christ] inftead of [Faith.] 
 
 §. 30. Obj. But it is not Faith in, and of it 
 felf that's meant, but as connoting the Object. Anf 
 The latter claufe is true : it is Faith, as connoting 
 the Object j Chrift: But the former is a contradi- 
 ction. For Faith it felf effemially connoteth the 
 ObjiSt : If you fpeak not of Faith in genert ( for 
 it is not any kind of Faith that is our righteouf- 
 nefs ) but of the ChrtSiian, or New Covenant Faith 
 in fpecie, who knoweth not that the Objed 
 fpecifieth it ? And therefore if it be Christian 
 faith, as connoting the Objeft, it is Christian faith 
 as Chriftian faith. 
 
 §. 31. But will any fober Chriftian deny, that 
 Cltrift is our righteonfnefs in one fence, and Faith 
 fubordinateiy in another, and that both are accord- 
 ingly imputed to^s ? How fain would fome men 
 
 differ 
 
 
[277] 
 differ, if they could, or feera to do it, when they 
 do not ? 
 
 §.32. IV. As to the fourth Queftion, I an- 
 fwer, 1. We are ail agreed, That God will not 
 pardon, juftifie>or fave any,without both Faith and 
 Repentance, and Defire, as neceflary moral Qualifi- 
 cations of theReceiver : And this fhall ferve turn, 
 if any like not the term £ Condition ] and be wil- 
 ling to be quiet. 
 
 §.33, 2* Faith in a narrow Sence, as figni- 
 fying meer Ajfent , is diftinft from Repentance, 
 but Faith in that fence as is meant in Bap- 
 tifm, and hath the Promife of Juftification and 
 Life, is more the fame with Repentance than ma- 
 ny perceive. For Repentance is the change of the 
 mind from evil to good ? And the Good necefltry 
 to our Salvation, is a fiducial practical Confent to 
 the Covenant of Grace, or a practical Faith in God 
 the Father j Son, and Holy GhoB : And to turn to 
 this, is to repent and be converted -, even to turn 
 from the contrary Ads and Obje&s to this fidu- 
 cial confenting Belief in God the Father, Son , 
 and Spirit *, and what clfe is repenting, but thi* 
 Change ? 
 
 §• 34- 3- It was never Panics meaning, under 
 the name of Works, to exclude Repentance, and 
 all A&s of Faith, fave one, and Thankfulnefs, and 
 Defire, and Hope, and Prayer, &c. while they 
 keep their place in fubordination to Chrift: They 
 do but confound facred Do&rines and mens minds, ' 
 that fo imagine. 
 
 §. 35- And the fame Spirit that faith, He that 
 
 kdieveth, /hall be f*ytd 7 faith alfo, He tb*t eafcth 
 
 T 3 * in 
 
[2 7 n 
 
 on the Name of the Lord, Jhall hefaved, Rom. io* 
 13- And n?# are faved by Hope , Horn. 
 A& 12. a i. 8. 24. and we arc faved by the wafh- 
 ing $f regeneration, and renewing of the 
 Holy Ghoft, Tit. 3. 5,6. and by believing the Ar- 
 ticles of the Creed, 1 Cor. 15.2. and bleffed are 
 they that keep his Commandment s that. they may have 
 right to the Tree of Life ( that right is our righ- 
 teoafnefs ) and may entering &c. Rev. 22. 14. By 
 taking heed to himfelf and to Doctrine, Timothy was 
 to fave himfelf and his Hearers, 1 Tim. 4. 16. Ma- 
 Sly fuch Texts I have elfewhere cited, which are 
 all true. 
 
 §• 36. V. As to the fifth Queftion, it is an- 
 fwercd before in the Defcription of Faith: As the 
 father, Son, and Holy Spivit,2x^one God, fo Faith 
 in them is, one Faith-, and no man can truly be- 
 lieve in Chrift, that believeth not in the Father ; 
 our belief in God, as God, and Love to him, is 
 that Salvation to which Chrift is to bring us : 
 And the Confent to ufe the remedy, includeth the 
 content to have Health or to be faved : And our Be- 
 lief in God, as our Redeemer, even Chrift, is the 
 chief part of our mediate Faith : In a word ; all 
 that Belief which is neceflary to the Baptized, is 
 neceflary to our Jnfiification : But that is our Be- 
 lief in Father, Son, and Holy Ghoft ( in the mea- 
 fure that they arc revealed. ) 
 
 CHAP- 
 
£279] 
 
 CHAP. XXIV. 
 
 Of JffurAMe of our Justification, and 
 of Hope. 
 
 §. x. A Sfcrance of Perfeverancc and SAlvation-, 
 jljL is not hereto befpoken of, but only of 
 our prefent Juftificntion: And they are diftinft 
 Queftions. r. What AfTtirance is de fir able. 2. What 
 AfTu ranee is attainable. 3. What Aflurance we 
 actually have, and who have it. 4. What is the 
 nature m& grounds of this Aflurance. 
 
 §.2. I. Some pleaded fo much for the ufeful- 
 nefs of Uncertainty and Doubting, as if it were the 
 fafeft condition to keep us humble and watchful, 
 as excited Luther and o:her Reformers to take them 
 for utter Enemies to Chriftian Comfort. And cer- 
 tainly AffUrancc is a moft deferable thing j it kindleth 
 in us the love of God ^ it maketh Duty facet; it 
 maketh Sufferings eafie, and Death lefs terrible, and 
 Heaven more defired, and confequently careth an 
 earthly Mind, and leadeth man to z heavenly Con* 
 vcrfxtion, and putteth Life into all his Endeavours : 
 Whereas a man that is ftill utterly in dzubt of his 
 ftate of Salvation, and right to Life, will be loath 
 to. die, and therefore love this prefent World, and 
 have lefs thankful and loving Thoughts of God 
 and his Redeemer, and fo all fin will have advan- 
 tage, and Holinefi a great impediment. An In- 
 fidel will confefs, that fuch Ajfuranve is exceeding 
 defirable. 
 
 T 4 . S. 3. 
 
$. 3 c II. And no doubt but a Gomfor table de- 
 gree of Aflurance is attainable , or clfc ©od would 
 never have (o fully differenced the Righteous and 
 the Wicked, and commanded all to examine and 
 try themfelvcs, and to make fure : ' But this I have 
 often elfe where proved- 
 
 §. 4. III. But all true Believers have not Af- 
 furance of their Juftification, becaufe they are not 
 certain that their Faith is fuch as hath the promife 
 of Justification : He that believeth perceiveth that 
 he believeth, but yet may be uncertain that his 
 faith is fo finccre, as no unjuftified man can 
 have. 
 
 §. 5. Their Juftification is real, or true, or 
 certain in it felf ; but the Evidence of it may be 
 dark, and their perception .of the Evidence defe- 
 ctive ; from whence it is to them uncertain ; that 
 is, not known with that full fatisfaftion of mind, 
 *vhich we call Aflurance. 
 
 §.5. Yea, Experience telleth us, That it is 
 Jbut a fmatt part of the moft religion* ChrifHans^ 
 "who will fay themfelves. That they are certain of 
 their Juftification ^ andofthofe few that are for- 
 warded to fayfo^ all have it not* 
 
 §. 7. Therefore justifying Faith is not jiff ur once 
 that we an juftified \ other wife all fhould havcaf- 
 furance that have Faith ; and juftifying Faith in 
 order of Nature, goeth before JuftificAtion^ but 
 jdjfurance that we are juftified, followeth it ; we 
 cannot be ajptred that we are juftified, but by be- 
 ing affuredthat we believe: But it 7 s abfurd to fay, 
 {lamafluredl am juftified, becaufe I am aflared 
 that I am juftified.] But this is only: againft the 
 Vintinomians* 
 
 §. 8. 
 
[2*1] 
 
 §. 8. No man hath perfect Affurancc , that is 
 the higheft degree in this Life: For if all our Graces 
 be imperfett, our AlTurance muft needs be imper- 
 fea. 
 
 §. 9. IV. This JJfuranee then is. not properly 
 Divific Faith^ or a Belief of Goa>s Word } but it is 
 a clear and fatisfying perception of our ownjufti- 
 fication, becaufe we are clearly fatisned, that 
 GodPs Promtfes are trne 9 and that we are trnt Be- 
 lievers. 
 
 §. 10. This Certainty is not by an immediate 
 Word or K eveUtion of the Spirit in us } but yet the 
 Spirit is all thefe ways the caufe of it in the Faith- 
 ful. 1. The Spirit working us to God's Image 
 and Will, is our affuring-Evtdencc^ or the Minor in 
 that Argument, whofe Conclufion we are allured 
 of (as the Spirit in the Word is the Major.*) 2. The 
 Spirit in Believers helpeth them to perceive his 
 own Works in them, and know their Evidence: 
 3. And alfo^to rejoyce in that perception. This*is 
 the Witnefsofthe Spirit which we mean, and not 
 immediate Revelation. 
 
 $.11. Though Hope be fometimes about things 
 certain, yet it is often alfo about that which we 
 are not certain of: And more have true Hopes of 
 Salvation^ than have Ajfurance of it, or of their 
 Title to it : For Hope may be exercifed upon pro- 
 babilities, and moft ufually it is fo. 
 
 §.12. Strong Probability^ with little reafon of 
 donbting, may caufe fuch ftrong Hopes as may caufe 
 us to live and die with comfort: If donbting be 
 fmall^ and Hope be great \ the Peace and Joy will be 
 greater than the fear and trouble. 
 
 §• 13- 
 
. [282] 
 
 §. 13- BeHarmin y s Moral Certainty is more than 
 molt Chriftians attain to, and his, and other 
 mens Conceflion thereof tell us, That in this Point 
 our difference is lefs than thofe have thought, who 
 have faid it was fufficient Canfe of onr Separation 
 from Rome; / 
 
 §.14. While we arc certain that this World \% 
 fading Fanity^ and that there is no hope cf Feliciy on 
 Eartb y and that therefore Gcdiinefs can coft us 
 the lofs of nothing but Vanity^ a Faith jhort of 
 Certainty., and mixt with doubting^ about the very 
 Truth of the Promt fe it fclf y and Life Eternal ^may- 
 engage a man iavingly in a holy Life , and the 
 forfaking of all for the hopes of Glory : Andfuch 
 doubting, even of the Life to come, or of the Go- 
 fpel, as keepeth not men from tmfting to it for 
 their Felicity, and feeking it above all, and for- 
 faking all for it, will keep no man from Salvati- 
 on, though it be his fin, and the caufe of other 
 
 * Much more may this be done when men doubt 
 not of God's Word, or the State of Glory, but 
 only of their own Sincerity, Justification and Sal- 
 vation. 
 
 CHAP. XXV. 
 
 Of good Works and Merit, *nd trvjting to &nf 
 thing of our awn. 
 
 §. i:TYEre are feveral Controverfies that 
 jLJL trouble our Peace, but few of them 
 
 that are {0 great as they are commonly imagined: t 
 
[283] 
 
 As, i.What are good Works {which indeed is 
 ' of great weight, aad the chief in which we really 
 differ about Works. ) 2. Whether they are ne- 
 cefiaryto Juflincation or Salvation. 3. Whether 
 they are merkorious or rewardable. 4. What 
 place they have, and what is their ufe and necef- 
 fity. 5. Whether we may trail to them. 
 
 §. 2. I. It is one of the Devil's chief Policies 
 in the World, to call out Chrifc's fnterefl by i:s 
 Counterfeits : To expugn true Wifdoin by counter- 
 feit Wifdom, and true Faith «by counterfeit Faith, 
 and true Zeal and Piety by counterfeit Zeal and 
 Piety, and true Unity, and Concord, and Peace, 
 by their Counterfeits, and true Worfhip, Miniflry , 
 Difcipline, by their Counterfeits ; and true Com- 
 fort by counterfeit Comfort ? and fo alio it is by 
 counterfeit good Works, that good Works are oft caff: 
 off. 
 
 §. 3. The meafure of all created Goodnefs, is 
 the Will of the Creator, who is the prime, eflen- 
 tial Good ; and no Work of Man is morally good, 
 but what is made fo by the Hill of God ; that is, 
 1. Efficiently, by his operative Will : 2. DireZtive- 
 ly, by his commanding Willi And, $. Finally and 
 Objectively, by his fie a fed, or fulfiBed WiU. Man's 
 Wit, Will, cr bittreFl cannot- ferve to make any 
 a&ion morally good. 
 
 L §. 4. He that intendcth God's Honour, and the 
 f leafing of his Will, and the good of his own or o- 
 
 •thers Souls, or the fafety of Religion , or the 
 
 1 Churchy or State, and ujeth means hereto, not com- 
 manded, or any way appointed him of God (much 
 
 vonore if direttly forbidden ) doth not a Work that 
 is truly good; but only fecundum quid. 
 
 §•5- 
 
[284] 
 
 §. 5. Gould we be fure that fuch a Work would 1 
 fave SohIs, or fave Chnrch, or State , or our Neigh- 
 bours lives, it would not make it morally a good 
 Work? but only make the EffeB to be phy fa ally good 
 to others that are benefited by it. 
 
 §. 6. Therefore to bmld Chur ches, or Hofpitals, 
 to feed and cloath the Poor, to fave Mens Live*, 
 to preach the Gofpel r are all fuch as finally do a 
 phyfical good, and they are the matter of moral good - 7 
 but forma denominat : Thofe Actions are- not mo- 
 rally good, unlefs, 1. done in obedience to God-s 
 commanding, or %#Ung Will: 2. And finally to 
 pit of e his Will. 
 
 §, 7. Thofe Prieits therefore that fet carnal, 
 ungodly Sinners (Fornicators, Murderers, Glut- 
 tons, Drunkards, Lyers, Perjured, &c ) on ex- 
 piating their Sins by good Works, without teach- 
 ing and perfwading them to that internal repentance, 
 and Converfion of their Wills, and holy devotednefs t& 
 God, by which their Works muft have a right Prin- 
 ciple, End, and Form, do but delude men, and 
 cheat them by flattery into perdition. 
 
 §• 8. Much more pernicious is it, to take Sin, 
 Folly, and Snperftition, for good Works, and look to 
 be faved by that which deferveth Damnation, and 
 to expiate fin by fin j fuch are the Works of 
 Perfccutors that think they ferve God by unjuft kil- 
 ling, or imprifoning his Servants, or caufelcfs fi- 
 lencing his faithful Minifters ; fuch were the Wars 
 of the CroifadSj againft the Waldenfes and Albi- 
 genfes -, and fuch are the Works of the Inquifition, 
 and their perfecuting Executioners j fuch are Re- f 
 bellions that have fair Pretences 1 , as were thofe a- 
 gainfl the German Emperors, Frederick*) Jtienry, 
 &c. and of many of fuch Agents oft againft the 
 
 Kings 
 
Kings of England; fuch hath been the Zealous 
 killing of Kings, and burning of honeft definable 
 Diflentersj and fuch is the alienating Mens EFlAtes 
 from better Vfes , to maintain a fupernumerous 
 finful, vicious, idle Monaftery, or their prelatical 
 needlefs Pomp and Pride 5 or to buy Pardons or 
 Mafles for departed Sonls \ or to build ufclefs Strx- 
 ttures to the Honour of fome Saint or Angel ^ or to 
 fet up ufelcfsFormalities and Shadows,as Candle^by 
 day-light, and abundance fuch : And fuch are long 
 Pilgrimages to the Shrines of fuch as the Pope hath 
 Canonized, andtoviflt Relicks, and the carrying 
 about of Relicks, with an ungrounded carnal con- 
 fidence in them •, with many fuch like. 
 
 §. 9. So wofully hath the Papal Party, and not 
 they only, but in too great a meafure, tht Greeks r 
 Mofcevites, Armenians y Syrians, Coptics^ Abaf- 
 finesj and moft of the Churches corrupted the Chri- 
 ftian Religion by their ufelefs or feducing Fop- 
 peries called good Works, that they have among 
 them defiled its Purity, rejedted its Primitive Sim- 
 plicity, obfeured and diflionourcd its Glory, and 
 made it feem > contemptible to Mahometans and 
 Heathens, and madeitiefs fit to deftroy fin, and 
 * fruftrate Satan, and to pleafe God, and to fanfti- 
 fie and fave mens Souls. 
 
 §. 10. II. Were all Setts and Parties of Chri- 
 ftians, well agreed what Works are truly goed^ ic 
 • would beafhameto us, fhould vte not agree in 
 the main how fur they are neceffary, when the Cafe 
 is fo plain throughout the Scripture ; I think we 
 arc commonly agreed as followeth. 
 
 I 
 
 «. 11. 
 
[286] 
 
 §. if. i. Perfect Obedience is not of abfolute 
 neceffity to Salvation^becaufc we are under a Co- 
 venant that hath eafier terms. 
 
 §. 12. 2. The Works of the Mofaical Jevvifli 
 Law, are neither neceflary necejjitate pracepti vel 
 mean, that Law not binding us as fuch. 
 
 §.13. 3. Obedience to Mans Laws is not ne- 
 ceflary, when the matter is forbidden us by God's 
 Laws , or when they are Laws without pow- 
 er ;, that is , fuch as men have no Authority to 
 make. * 
 
 §. 14., 4. No Works of fpecial Grace are ante- 
 cedently neceflary to our reception of that Grace, 
 or of its neceflary means. 
 
 §. 15. 5. No external zfts of fincere Obedience, 
 diftinft from internal Faith, and Repentance, and 
 Confent, are neceflary before to our firft Juftifi- 
 cation \ that is, to our right to Impunity and life 
 in Chrifl. 
 
 §• i<5. 6. Even internal Obedience to Chrifi as 
 Chrifi, diftin A from our Obedience to God as God, 
 and our Subjection to Chrifl, (or Confent to be 
 his Subjects, and obey him ) is not before neceflary 
 to our part in Chrift> cr our Union, orjuftifica- 
 tion, as in its firft ftate or beginning. 
 
 §.17. 7. Therefore if we (hould fuppofe 
 that a Man fhould die immediately upon his firft 
 internal Faith and Confent to the Covenant, before 
 he had time to do one ACt internal or external 
 of formal Obedience to Chrifi , as Chrifl , that 
 Man would be faved. But the Suppofition is fo 
 utterly improbable, that it is not to be put as a 
 matter of Difpute : The Thief on the Crofs per- 
 formed fomc Obedience, 
 
 § 1*. 
 
 
08 7 3 
 
 §. 1 8. 8. No Works of Man's are neccflary 
 to profit God, or can add to his Perfc&ion or 
 [Felicity : He needeth not us nor any of our 
 doings. 
 
 §.19. 9. No Works of oars are ik cellar y to 
 make up any defe&sia thfc Merits of Chrift,or 
 to any ufe which is proper to Chrift or his Me- 
 rits or efficacious Grace- 
 
 §. 20. 10. No frefaraury Werkj of Man's 
 (I think) are ab feint ely before necefiary to God's 
 effe&ual converting of him, (unlefs you will call 
 >the A&s of Nature, by which he is fit to hear 
 and think, preparatory Works unfitly): For God 
 can grJt his Grace to unprepared Souls. 
 
 §. 21. On the affirmative alfo we are agreed, 
 1. That all Mankind are under God's Government 
 by fome Law, and owe Him Gbtdicnce to that 
 Law. 
 
 §.22. 2. That it is only Difobediencc that 
 God puniflieth according to the Penal part of 
 that Law which men live under. 
 
 §.23. 3. That it is only Obedience which 
 God rewardeth, according to the rewarding or 
 promiflbry part of the Law. that men arc un- 
 der. 
 
 §.24. 4. That the Law of Grace (and not 
 only that of Innocency ) hath its Commands of 
 Obedience, and Promifes of Reward. 
 
 §.25. 5. That men muft believe that there 
 
 is a Gcd before they can believe that Chrift is 
 
 the Anointed of God and the Mediator between 
 
 ; God and man ; and therefore muft firft believe 
 
 God's Soveraign Government. 
 
 §. 26. 
 
[ 288 J 
 
 §. 26 '. 6. God commandeth men to believe ia j 
 thrift, (and fo makcth it their Duty) and to 
 take him for their Lord and Saviour by Faith. 
 
 §. 27. 7. Men ought thus to believe in Chrift 
 and accept him, in obedience to this Command of 
 Cody believing that it is his wilt. 
 
 §. 28. 8. Therefore there is fame fort ofi?<r- \ 
 lief in God, and Obedience to God, which is in order 
 before our Faith in Chrift : And Faith in Christ as 
 it is voluntary and free, is an Ad of fuCh Obedi- 
 ence to God. 
 
 §. 29. 9. Yet is it the antecedent Teaching of 
 Chrift ( by Nature, by the Word, or Spirit, or all) 
 by which we now come to know God to be God, 
 and that he is to be believed and obeyed. There- 
 fore Chrift is mens Teacher, and thereby bringeth 
 them to believe firft in God, before he is known to be 
 their Teacher, and believed on himfclf. As the Sun- 
 beams before its riling -give fome Light to the* 
 Earth. 
 
 §. 30, ift God hath commanded men that 
 hear not of Chrift, the ufeof fome means, which 
 Mercy hath (through Chrift) afforded them, which 
 have a tendency to their Salvation, and fhould be 
 ufed to that end. And his bare Command to ufe 
 fuch means ( much more as feconded with a- 
 bundance of Mercies) tell us, that he bids not men 
 ufe them in vain, or without any hope of good 
 fuccefs c of which before ). 
 
 §.31. 1 1 . He that hearetb of Chrift and falie- 
 vcth not, or believeth nneffe£tttafly, and is not a con- 
 verted found Believer, is under God's Command 
 to ufe certain means allowed him, to procure 
 Faith and true Converfion, and that not without all 
 hope of good fuccefs. 
 
 §.32. 
 
[s*9 3 . 
 
 32. 12. It is God's ordinary way to givS 
 his firft pJecUl converting Crace y to prediffofcd St*b- 
 jt£ts f prepared by his commoner Grsce; in which 
 "Preparation fome Adts of Man have their part : 
 And the unprepared and undifpofed cannot equal- 
 ly expert it. 
 
 §.33. 13. Faith and Repentance are Ads of 
 Man, and pre- require to Juftification : Therefore 
 2% jilts and Work* are words of the fame fence, fo 
 WVi^even Wcrki of Special Grtceaic pre-requiiite 
 to Juftification. 
 
 Obj. Bnt not as jifis, but for the Objeft, 
 jfafvi. That's a comradittion. Chrift is Chrift 
 wheiher we believe in him or not j and it's one 
 fting to fay Chrift is vecetfary, and another thing 
 to fay, Believing in him U necejfary : It is not Recef' 
 fary mccrly as an AEt in gene-re, but as this AQt 
 in Ifecie • and it is fpecified (as is aforefaid) by its^ 
 Objeft. Not only Chrift believed in, but Belitvinji 
 in Chrift is pre- requi lite as a moral diff option to 
 Juftification : And in that fence a Work or Art of 
 Man. 
 
 §.34 14. It is before fhewed,- that this Faiih 
 is a moral Work, containing (not one only, but) 
 many phyftcd *&s : He that beluveth in drift, bc- 
 licveth in him as fent of Gcd, to reconcile us to 
 God, to bring us to Gl<#ry, to fave us from Jk- 
 ftic?, Sin, and Enemies, to fan&ific us by his Word: 
 and Spirit, with many fuch afts that make up 
 the Eflence of Saving- Faith: This is the Work, of 
 Cod, that ye believe en him whom the Father * 
 Joh. 0. 28, 29. 
 
 §•35- 15. The Faith that hath the Promife of 
 Juftification, is efTentially a fitbjetting ottr fclves to 
 Chrift \ that is, a taking him for our Lord and 
 
 U 
 
r *$6 ] 
 
 Saviour by Confent: Which is a Content to obey* 
 him for the future. 
 
 §. 36. \6. Though this attnal Obedience to 
 Chrift ( befides Snbjt&iori) be not pre-requifite to 
 our firft being juftified, it is requifite to the Con- 
 tinuance of our Juftification : For we confentcd 
 to obey, that we might indeed obey , and are per- 
 fidious if we do not* 
 
 §. 37. 17. The Wer Wand Ccr:fcier>ct will judge 
 us much according to our Works. 
 
 §. 38. 18. The fame Law of Grace being the 
 Rule of Duty and 0$ Judgment, God wi'd judge all 
 men according to their Works, required by that Law, 
 by juftifying or condemning them. m 
 
 §. 39. 19. Final juftification and glorification 
 are the Rewards of Evangelical Obedience ; and 
 the reafon rendered of Chrift's juftifying Sentence, 
 Matth. 25. ( & fajfim) is from fuih a&s of 
 Man, as qualifying them for the free Gift of 
 God. 
 
 §. 40. io, There is a moral goodntft in thefe 
 Works of Min, by which through Chrift, they 
 att $>le4fing to Gcd, which is their aptitude to this 
 acceptance and reward. 
 
 In all this I think all fober Chriftians muft needs 
 confefs that they agree* 
 
 §. 4U III. And as to the Cafe of Merit, a 
 few words with underftanding men may difpatch 
 it. We are agreed on the negative; 1. That no 
 Man or Angel can merit of God in proper Com- 
 mutative Juftice, giving him fomewhat for his 
 Benefits that ftiall profic him, or to which he had 
 not abfolute right. 
 
 2. No 
 
C 291 3 
 
 2. No man can merit any thing of God, upon 
 the terms of the Law of Innoeency, (but Pu« 
 nifhment ) 
 
 3. Mo man can merit any thing of God, un- 
 lefs it be fuppofed firft to be a free Gift and merited 
 by Chrifi. 
 
 §. 42. And affirmatively we are (I thinks a- 
 greed } 1 . That God governcth us by a Law of 
 JGrace, which hath a Promife or Premiant part, 
 which givcth ( not the Antecedent but many confer 
 qnent benefits) by way of Reward : To deny the 
 rewarding act, is to deny God's Law, and the man- 
 ner of his Government. 
 
 §.43. 2. That God calieth it his Jnftice to 
 
 reward men according to his Law, and give them 
 
 what it gave them right to. Infomuch, that it is 
 
 made the fecond Article of our Faith, Heb. 11.6. 
 
 to believe that God u the rewarder of them that df- 
 
 ligently fe\him m And he givcth itrff * righteous 
 
 l»dge, 2 Tim. 4. 8. 
 
 §. 44. 3. That this fuppofcth that fuch Works 
 
 ♦of Man have a moral Altitude for that Reward? 
 
 which confifteth in thefe things : 1. That they are 
 
 efficiently from God's Spirit. 2. They are in their 
 
 meafure agreeable to God's governing Will. 
 
 3. They are done in Love, to his glory, and to 
 
 pleafe him. 4. They are done by a Member of 
 
 . Chrifi. 5 . They are profitable to Men, our felves 
 
 \ and others. 6. The Habits and Afts are God's 
 
 iown Imtge. 7. They have the Promife of his Re- 
 
 f ward. 8. They are wafhed in the Blood of Chrifi., 
 
 I that is , Their faaltinefs is pardoned through his 
 
 Merits. 9. They areprefented to God by Chriji y s 
 
 Intcrcejfion. 10. And laftly, they are Man 7 s -^p- 
 
 „titHdc for the Reward in their very nature 7 yea, 
 
 11 2 fart 
 
[292] 
 
 part of it thcmfclvcs as they are of God -, Hetmfs 
 being tht beginning of Happiwefs^ox of that love of 
 God which in its Perfection is Heaven it felf : Such 
 an Jptitnde, as that a holy perfon cannot btmifcra- 
 hit, nor can God hate and damn a holy Soul that 
 truly lovethan&obcyeth him. 
 
 §• 45. 4. This moral Aptitude for the Reward 
 is amiable and pleafing to God y and therefore he 
 calleth the Reward in the Gofpcl ufually £fr£o^ 
 which properly fignifieth Wages, which men give 
 by Commutative Jttftke : But that is only metapho- 
 rically , becaufe God that cannot be profited by 
 man, is yet pleafed in that which profit eth our f elves 
 and one another, and ghrifieth him by declaring his 
 Perfections : And as if this were profiting him, he 
 calleth it Wages, for fome fimilitude, but not in 
 proper fence. 
 
 §. 4<J. 5. This moral Jptitudc, for the Reward 
 is called oft in Scripture Wortkine Is, d^U, which 
 is of the fame lignification with Alerit : To be 
 worthy and to defcrvc, are here all one :. So thatfo 
 far Merit ( Worthinefs ) is a Scripture Phrafe. 
 
 §. 47. 6. This Worthmefs or Merit is only in 
 point of Paternal Governing-Jujlke, according to 
 the Law of Grace, ordering that which in it felf 
 tea free Gift merited by Chr iff. 
 
 §. 48. For no Man or Angel can have any 
 thing of God, but by free Gift : What have we 
 which we receive not, when our being is of God ? 
 Therefore it mull be of governing ordering Jufiice 
 only : The thing is a Gift ; butGcd will give this 
 Gift to his Children fo wifely as to the Order ofit> 
 as fbaU.be fitteft to attain his ends. Therefore 
 it is not by Governing Juftice after the Law of 
 Injiocency ix Works, but according to the Law of 
 
 Grace, 
 
Gract. So that the fum of the Solution is', That 
 t. the Good received in its value, as Good is of 
 God as a Benefactor and a /ra <?>/>. 2. But in 
 Or£&r */ Collation, it is of God as a #//*? and rifif*- 
 ##* Govemonr, even a governing Father, and fo on- 
 ly it is a Reward, and fo it is merited. 
 
 §. 49. This is eafily underftood by Parent;, 
 who intend to give their Children freely, out of 
 meer love, their Inheritance, and what elfe they 
 want : And yet they will give them Gold or 
 Clothes or Food, in fo wife a manner, as fhall 
 engage them to their Duty, and will fay^ Fat off 
 your Hat and thinks ?ne, or Do t\>ii or that (which 
 is for their own good) and I wW give yon this. 
 Here it is a Gift as to the Goodnefh and a Rewsrd 
 as to the order of living it. 
 
 §. 50. 7. The ancient Chriftians (as the Wri- 
 tings of all the Ancients commonly fhewj did ufe 
 the word Merit without any fcruple ; and I re- 
 member not that any Chriftians did ever gainfay it 
 ,or take the ufe of it for a fault : Yet did they 
 l contrajii<ft mens carnal erroneous Conceits of 
 M^n s Merit, as well as we : Yet now ouroppo- 
 fition to Popery hath brought the word into fo 
 great diftaflewnh many good Proteftants, as that 
 they take it to fignifie fome dangerous fclf-arro- 
 gating Doctrine : So great is the power of Preju- 
 f dicelmd Contefh 
 
 §.51. It is true, That when Hereticks have put 
 an ill fence upon a good word, we mull ufe it more 
 canteloufly than at other times and places : But if 
 thence we abfMutcly rejeil and accufe it, we fhall 
 harden our Adversaries, and ftrengthen the Error 
 which we oppofe, by running into the contrary 
 cxtrcam, which will'foon difgrace it felf. 
 
 U t %.%zAt 
 
[ 294] 
 
 $. f£ It is a great advantage to the Papifts, 
 that many Proteftants wholly difclaira the »4 
 and limply deny the Merit of GoIfeUobectteme : 
 For hereupon the Teachers (hew their Scholars, 
 that all the Fathers fpenk^ for Merit , and fo tell 
 them, that the Proteftants Dottrine is new and 
 heretical, as being contrary to all the ancient Do- 
 ctors : And when their Scholars fee it with their 
 Eyes, ao wonder if they believe it, to our difho- 
 nour. 
 
 §. 53. All Orthodox Chriftians hold the fore- 
 defcribed Dottrineof Merit m fence, though not 
 In words : For they that deny Merit 7 confefs the 
 t.XewtrdMenefs'} of our Obedience, and confefs 
 that the Scripture ufeth the term C Worthy ] and 
 that €%i& and«'£i« may be tranflated Afmri*/ and 
 Mtrit % as well as Worthy and Wor thine fs ; and we 
 think it fitter to ex found fuch Scripurc-WQrds than 
 to itttufe andrejett them: And they all confefs, that 
 nuftis Duty hath God's Promt fe of Reward,, and that 
 Molinefs in its nature is fuitable to the End or 
 Reward, as difpofing us to enjoy it, and S plea- 
 ling unto God and glorifieth him : And this is all 
 the fame thing in other words^ which the ancient: 
 Chriftians meant by Merit. And to hear many 
 godly perfons at the fame time, moft earneftly ex- 
 tol Holinefs, and defire that Preachers ftiouid con- 
 vince the People that the Righteous is more excellent 
 th*H hit Neifhfokr, and yet denying all Merit, 
 and reviling all that allert it j this doth butlhew, 
 that they underftand not the wor<J •, and think 
 others alfo mifundcrftand it : And fo we are re- 
 proaching one another, where w« are agreed and 
 know it not : Like the Woman that turned away 
 her Servant upon the Controverfie, Whether the 
 
 Houfe 
 

 C *95 3 
 
 Houfe fhould be fwcpt with a twin or with a Be- 
 fom •, or the Phyficians that let the Patient die, 
 becaufe they could not agree whether he fhould 
 tske a Potion or a Draught, a bit or a morfel, 
 or take Ambar, or Elettrum or Skccinum or C*- 
 
 54. And the partial Teachers are the Caufe 
 of all this, while inftead of opening the Do&rine 
 truly to the People, in what fence we have or kave 
 not any Worthvufs or Merit, they without diftin- 
 &ion cry-down Merit, and reproach thofe that do 
 otherwife : And if they do but fay, C S*cb * Mm 
 or fitch a Book^ ffeaketb for Merit and Free-will Q 
 they have fufficiently rendered him odious or much 
 fufpe:ted with their followers i when yet all fo- 
 ber Chriftians in all Ages have been for Merit and 
 Fret-mil in a found fence : And is not this to be 
 Incendiaries and Adverfaries to Truth, and Love, 
 and Peace ? 
 
 §.55. I have formerly thought, that though 
 we agree in the thing, it is bell omit the nam?, 
 
 ecaufe the Papifts have abufed it : And I think 
 fo ftill, as in fiich Companies and Cafes where the 
 ufe of it not underftood will fcandalize men, and 
 do more harm than good : ( For why fhould I ufe 
 words againft mens edification ? ) But in other 
 cafes I now think it better to keep the word, 
 1. left we feern to the ignorant to be of another 
 Religion than all the ancient Churches were. 
 Left we harden Papifts, Greeks and others, by 
 Jenying found Do&rinc in terms, which they win 
 
 hink we deny in fence. 3. Becaufe our Penury 
 of Words is fuch as for my parti remember no 
 other word fo St to fubftitute inftead of ^Aicrit 3 
 or Q Defect 2 oz C Wmhincfs. 2 The wofi £ R»- 
 
 U 4, wardablel 
 
C 296 3 
 
 WAYdahlc 3 is long and .oft harlh : And what 
 other have we ? And it is nothing elfethatwc 
 mean. 
 
 §. 55. Some Papifts are againft the very word 
 C Merit ] alfo. Some own the word, bun differ 
 not from the Proteftants about the Doflrine , 
 Foxne of them ignorantly drive the poor People 
 by ill preaching into carnal Conceits of their 
 own Works, "and to truft an hundred Fopperies 
 for Salvation : But he that rcadeth moft ot their 
 School-Do&ors, muft either confefs, that they dif- 
 fer from us about the meritmoufnefs cf true Go- 
 fpel- obedience, rather in words than in deed-, and 
 that we really mean the fame thing, or elfe he muft 
 fee with better or worfer Eyes than I do (J fpeak not 
 this of them all. ) 
 
 §. 57. And Rom<ztU) who prateth cf Merit in 
 point of commutative Jnftice, difclaimed by the reft 
 ( and feme fuch other ignorant Scriblers ) are not 
 to be taken for the Index of their Doftrine, nor yet 
 their fuperftitious, abufive Application ; no more 
 than our Denier s of all Merit are the Index of onrsy- 
 nor the prophane onesabufeof it, who are rea- 
 dy, when we perfwade them to a holy Life, to tell 
 us, That God faveth not Men for their Holincfs or 
 Wer\$, and that ours deferve no more than theirs, 
 but he will have mercy on whom he. will have mercy ; 
 and it is not of him that mile tb or runneth. 
 
 §. 58, Not only Waldcnfis, Conttremu^Arimi- 
 w*/w,and many others exprefly fay as much againft 
 Merits as we : But Medina, and many of the Tkv- 
 mifis fay the fame in Sence,and the Scttifts and many 
 others fay, That Merit arifeth but ex pafte, from 
 God's Fromife - 7 and. to be meritmtw, is no more 
 
 than 
 
[297] 
 than to be alVork^ which Cod hath primifed a Fc- 
 rvarJ to : And do any of us deny this ? 
 
 §. 59. Objeft. But others fay, That Merit is 
 ex dignitate operum^ from the worthinefs of our Works. 
 Anf. Is it the^Name [ Worthinefs^ or the meaning 
 that difpleafeth you ? If the Ntmc, read Lake 20. 
 35.and21.3tf. jifts 5.41. 2 Thejf. 1. 5, 11. Rtv. 
 3. 4. Matth. ?♦ 10, 1 i, 13 ? 37, 38. and 22. 8. 1CV. 
 li. 27, 29. £pfc. 4. i.Ccl.1.10. 1 Thejf. 2. 12. and 
 fee whether God ufe not the fame Phrafe. And as 
 to the Seme, one Writer underftands what he faith 
 better, and another worfe, and feveral men may 
 have feveral Sences ; but they moftly feem to mean, 
 That holy Obedience is in the 'very nature cf it fo 
 fleajrrig to the raojl holy God y as render eth it apt to 
 be the matter of that Condition on which his Covenant 
 promiftth to reward us, the Imperfection being par* 
 doned, and we and our Works accepted, upon the Re- 
 demption wrought by the Merits of Chrift, and upon 
 his hvercefion, and prefnting them to God. And is 
 this to be denied by any Chriftian ? Doubtlefs there 
 is fomething in the very Nature of Divine F A ith^ 
 Love? and Obedicnct^ which maketh it fitter to be 
 accepted and rewarded, than Infidelity, Hatred of 
 Gcd,and Sin, or Rebellion. Speak Chriftians, is it 
 rot fo ? A nd yet it is from God's Promife and mecr 
 Bounty only, that our Right to the Reward refult- 
 eth, though the material Aptitude be in the quali- 
 fication to which that promife is made : All this is 
 plain and fure. 
 
 §. 60. Obj. But fome talk, of a Proportion be- 
 tween the Work, and the Reward. 
 
 Arf We commonly hold degrees of Glory ac- 
 cording to the degrees of Holimfs ; and if any a- 
 bufive Doctor mean any more, that's nothing to 
 
 the 
 
C 298 3 
 
 the r*fh And it's pity that Men that are agreed, 
 fhould hate or revile each other as differing. 
 
 §. 61. Fafquez* the Jefuit is one that is fuppofed 
 to fay moil for Merit, who faith fo much againft it, 
 as I dare not fay : For he tells us, That God doth 
 not reward us at all as an ACt of Juftice, either Com- 
 mutative, or Diftributive : Commutative Juftice he 
 calily d fapproveth, and in that we all agree : But 
 the generality of Chriftians, Papifts, Proteftants, 
 Orecksy &c hold, That God rewardeth us in go- 
 verningrp*ternal-diftributive Juftice , as a Father 
 giveth Benefits to a thankful Child that humbly taktth 
 them, and not to the contemptuous gr rebellious that 
 $it in his Face. BwtVafquex. faith, That God hath 
 not fo much as Diftributive Juftice in our Rewards. 
 And yet, I think,hediffereth but in words, and real- 
 ly meaneth as we all do. And he that dare for 
 Words, revile Confenters, is bolder than I would 
 have any good Man be : And yet I doubt not but / 
 and thi* Writing fnall be fo reviled by many th?t 
 differ not from me, when they think they do , 
 (through Fadion and Prejudice ) when I am dead, 
 e\fen for thefe words. 
 
 §. 62. IV. The fourth Point is fo far difpatched 
 in the fecond,that I need here but to fay ^ 1. That 
 our Obedience to God is a Duty refulting from our 
 very natural Being, and cannot but be fo while 
 we are Men : 1 . As it is God's due. 2. As it is part 
 of the right Order of the Univerfe, and condu- 
 cible to common Good. 3. As it is our own Or- 
 der, Reftitude and Health. 
 
 2. ThatChrift is the Saviour and Phyflcian to 
 give us this Health, which is the end of his medici- 
 nal Grace* 
 
 3. That 
 
[299 ] 
 
 3. That the Soul cannot be complacefitially a- 
 miableto God, nor fit for Communion with him 
 here or in Heaven without it. Relignation to God 
 our Owner , Obedience to God our Ruler, and 
 Love and Praife to God our Father, and the infinite 
 Good, make up that Holinefs which is our Salva- 
 tion it felf, and the Image and Glory of God upon 
 us. 
 
 §. 63. V. About the next Queftion I may yet be 
 ftiorter, Hoto far any Works of ours rrtiy he trufied 
 in} 
 
 I think all agree, 1. That nothing of ours ( or 
 any Creature ) fhould be trufted to for any thing 
 proper to God, or proper to Christy or any thing that 
 belongeth not truly to it felf. He that afcribeth 
 any thing to our Faith, Love, or Obedience, which 
 is proper to ChrifPs Merits^ or GqJ?s Mercy, and 
 fo trufteth them, doth greatly iln, and he that truft- 
 eth them for more than God hath affigned to them 
 to do. 
 
 §. 54. 2. That we mutt take heed of /c*/fc£t- 
 em Language j and therefore muft not talk oftrnft- 
 ing on any aft of our own, when it is like to be 
 underftood,as put in Competition wkhGod or with 
 Chrifl's Merits ', as if the Queftion were, Whether 
 we mult trufi God, or our felves, Chris's Rightt- 
 oufnefs or onr own ? For our own is not in the 
 leaft meafure to be trnfied for that which belong- 
 eth only to CbriJPs Rigbtcoufnefs to be-, or do. 
 
 §. 55. 3. Tha: yet it is a great Duty to truft 
 every means of Salvation appointed by God, in its 
 own place, and for its own part alone, even to preach* 
 ing y Sacraments, j4ffli&iom,&c. And accordingly to 
 truft our own Faith , Love , Prayer, Obedience, fo 
 far as they are Means, ana hare God's Promife, 
 
 and 
 
L joo] 
 
 and no further ; which is no more than to trutt in 
 God', that he will blefs fuch means. He that truft- 
 eth his Sword, doth not truft it to fight of it felf, 
 without his Hand. When God hath promifed 
 Mercy upon Prayer, and to the Obedient ox Penitent, 
 for a man to think that God will yet do no more 
 for us, it we repent, pray, and obey, than if we 
 do not, is to be Vnbelnvers, and fay rebellioufly, 
 It u in vain to ferve the Lord. He is fo far to 
 trull to Faith, Repentance, praying hearing, medi- 
 tating, diligence, as to truft that God will blefs 
 them, and reward them, and lock for more from 
 him when we uie means, than when we do not.. 
 
 CHAP. XXVI. 
 Of Confirmation, P erf ever ance , and Danger 
 
 of falling away. 
 
 §. r. 1 Shall reduce all that needs to be faid on 
 JL this point to thefe following controverted 
 Queftions : c i. Whether *// Grace procured and 
 c given by Chrift, befah as is never loft ? 2. Whe- 
 1 ther that degree of Grace be ever loft, which 
 * giveth the />q//* credere without the aft of Faith 
 c ( commonly called fufficient Grace ) in Adult or 
 c Infants? 3. Whether any lofe aftual true jufti- 
 c fying Faith ? 4. Whether any lofe true Holinefs, 
 1 or love of God in the Habit ? 5. Whether any 
 1 degree of this be ever loft? or all fpecial Grace 
 c have fuch Confirmation as the Afigels have ? 
 c 5. Whether, if Holinefs be never loft, it be pef- 
 1 fibU to lofe it, and be io danger? 7. Whether 
 
 1 there 
 
[ joi] 
 
 c there be a ftate of confirmed Perfons befides the 
 c meerly fan&ified, that from the degree or kind 
 4 of their grace, never fall away f 8. Or whether 
 c Perfeverance depend on meer Election and God's 
 1 Will, which fecureth only fomc of the juftified ? 
 4 p. Whether all, or molt, or many Christians are 
 'chemfclves fure to perfevere ? i o.WhetherCertain- 
 c ty of perfeverance be fit for all the juihfied I 
 1 1 1 • Whether it be unfit for all, and a more unfafe 
 L Condition than doubting ? 12. Whether the 
 'Comfort of molt Chriltians lie upon the Doftrine 
 4 of fach Certainty f 13. Whether the Dodtrinc 
 'of Eventual Apoftacy infer any mutability in God? 
 4 1 4. Why God hath left this pdintfodark? 15. 
 1 What was the Judgment of the ancient Chur- 
 ches after the Apofties.? 16. Whether it be an 
 4 Article of fuch evidence and weight, as to be put 
 1 into our Church-Confeilions, and weihouldforc* 
 t men to fubferibe to it, or make it neceffkry to Mi- 
 4 niltration, Communion, or Chriftian Love and 
 4 Concord ? • 
 
 §.2. Q_. I. Whether all CkriJPj Grace given ns, he 
 fneb M is never loft? Anf. No: except Janfcniu* 
 and his Followers, I know of no Chriltians that e- 
 ver affirm it *, and he doth it on this falfe fuppofi- 
 tion, That the common Grace which worke:h only 
 preparatorily by fear , is not the Grace of Chrift J)Ut a 
 grace of other PrGvidcnct^znd only Love is the^r^e of 
 Chrift. But it is injurious to Chrift,who is the Lord, 
 and Light, 2nd Saviour of the World, and Gcd's Ad- 
 miniftrator-general, into whofe Hands all Things 
 and Power is given, to fay, That fince the Fall 
 there is any Grace in the World that is not Lis Grace \ 
 
 and that our preparatory grace, and all that's com- 
 mon, 
 
 
C 302 ] * 
 
 xnon, is aliunde, fome other way . He that readeth 
 Joh. 15. Matth. 13. Heb. tf, and 10. may fee the 
 contrary. 
 
 §.3. Q^ II. Whether fuffi'Mnt grace to believe, 
 which giveth the mecr power of believing to Infants or 
 Adult, be ever loft ? Anf. Thefe Queftions fup- 
 pofe that there are thefe feveral forts of Graces 
 difputed of by Divines ; 1. Common grace : 2. Vow- 
 er to believe and repent : 3. Actual Faith and Repen- .. 
 tame given by that called /fecial location: 4. The 
 Habit of love and all grace 7 called Sanllification : ( to 
 ^afsby Relative grace&sjuilification, &c.) 5. Confir- 
 mation of thefe Habits. And we now fpeak only of 
 the fecond: And the very Being of that Grace is con- 
 troverted, Whether God ever give (befides the 
 natural Pourer} amoral Power to believe, to any that ■ 
 never do believe ? And, 1. it is certain by Adam's 
 inftance, that he gave him a power to have per- 
 fectly obeyed, when he did not: 2. And 
 oftbUmtrt therefore no man can prove, that now 
 before- he giveth no man a moral Power to be- 
 
 lieve, that doth nor. 3. But it feemeth 
 molt probable that he doth, becaufe bis Govern- 
 ?nent and Man's Nature are not, tota fpecie, chang- 
 ed- 4. And it is certain that ftill all men have 
 power to do more good than they do. 5. And even the 
 Dominicans grant this Sufficiency of grace. 6. But 
 yet for my part, I am not certain of it. 
 
 §. 4. But if there be fuch a power given, which 
 never a&eth Faith ( whichl think moft probable ) 
 it is either in the Adult or Infants : if in the A- 
 d*lt, no doubt it's loft i for they that will not believe 
 (tothelaft)rctaia^yri^^^ moral power in their 
 Rebellion. 
 
 §• 5- 
 
c 303 ] 
 
 §. 5. But in the Cafe *f Infants, I think thofe 
 of them that die before the ufe of rtafn , lofe it 
 not, nor any of the £/e#that live 
 to foil Age : But as to others, after »» /*r /«/*»* 
 long doubt, //on? far Infnt-Grs.ee <**"* /*M>. 
 ** loft able , this feemeth now the moft probable fo- 
 lution to me. 
 
 §. 6. /^*l. There is a Grace that reacheth but 
 to a /7Jor^/ P$mr to repent and believe, before 
 men have the Att or proper Habit : Such Grace to 
 perfevcre, did put Adam in a prefnt ft ate <f Life, 
 or acceptation with Gcd , this Grace Adam loft : 
 Accordingly fuch grace thst containeth but 
 s this mural poner in an Infant** Difpofiticn CD 
 ( with relative grace of Pardon ) is fufficient 
 to prove his right to Salvation, if he fo die ; becauft 
 he is not bound to the Aol, nor capable ef it-, and 
 even the Adnlt upon the Act, have right to Ac- 
 ceptance and to the Spirit to cacfe the H^bit, in or- 
 der of Nature, beforeahey have the Habit : There- 
 fore Infants may be in a ftate cf fuch Right and 
 Life before the Habit, though they fhall not pof 
 fefs Glory without it : And yet the Adult are not 
 in a fttte of fucb right by the meet Power, before 
 the A3, becaufe the Act it fdf is made necefTary 
 to their justification, butfo is it not to Infants : 
 So that Infants and Adult may receive a mce r pow~ 
 tr to repent and believe, and lofe it after (at age) 
 by attual fin, though this be a lofs of a ftate of 
 Jufvif cation to the one fort ( their fins of Nature 
 being pardoned ), but notto the other ( who are 
 not pardoned without the A& : ) And yet it fol- 
 lowed! not hence, that the grace of habitual Santtt- 
 f catm is loft in any. " k 
 
 1 
 
 §.7. 
 
[ ?o4 ] 
 
 §. 7. If this folution pleafe not, let them that 
 can, give us one that is lefs inconvenient, and we 
 ihall thankfully accept it ; but it muft be none that 
 yet I have heard of \ not ihe Aiabaptifts, nor thofe 
 of their Adverfaries, who leave us no certainty of 
 the Salvation of any particular Infants, but only fay, 
 God will fve them that fire Elect , but no one 
 knoweth who they are, nor how few or many, nor 
 can tell us of any promife made to any upon any 
 antecedent Charader or Condition, nor give Be- 
 lievers any more aflurance of their own Childrens 
 Salvation, than of any Heathens. 
 
 Nor theirs that fay, Baptized Infants are'faved 
 by relative Grace alone, without any internal real* 
 Grace. 
 
 Nor theirs that fay, They have the Spirit, but tell 
 us not in what operation •, or fay> iris only rijht to 
 the Spirit hereafter. 
 
 Nor theirs that fay, That all Baptized Infants 
 (atleaflof godly Parents ) have habitual Holmffk 
 (Faith, Love, &c. ) fuch as the Adult in Santtifi- 
 cation have, and that fome at Age do loft it: I 
 think this iefs inconvenient than any one of 
 thefe. 
 
 §. 8. Q. III. Whether any lofe tr ae attud faith 
 and Justification ? 
 
 Anf. That a common hnejfttlual Faith may be loll, 
 is no doubt : But concerning the other, there are 
 three Opinions. 1 . Some fay, No ', it cannot be 
 loft, becaufe that Faith hath the Promife of the 
 San&ificatian of the Spirit, as well as of Pardon and 
 right to Life. Therefore feeing habitual Holinefs 
 is not loft, that which hath the frmife of it, is not 
 loft, 
 
 2. Others 4 
 
 1 
 
[305] 
 
 2. Others fay, Thzt actual Faith 2t fir ft is like 
 Adam's bfeable Grace , and that it giveth us actu- 
 al Pardon 'and right to Life, if we Jo dU^ and right 
 to the Spirit ( in relation) to fandtifie us in time^ 
 and by degrees : But that every one that hath the 
 Spirit, hath not the Habits of Love and Holinefs, 
 but he lometimes is caufing many Atfts before he 
 produce a Habit ( ad modnm zcquiflterum. ) 
 
 3 . Ochcrs fay, That both Faith and habitual Ho- 
 linefs are oft loft. I delay the folution till the reft 
 beconfideied. 
 
 §• 9. Q_- IV. Whether habitual Love, Or Holinefs 
 (or the Spirit ) be ever loft? 
 
 Jinf. That there is a confirmed ftate or degree of 
 Holinefs that is never W*, 1 do hold i and that this 
 is attainable^ and in that ftate men may be certain 
 ef Salvation: But whether the Z^./r degrees of ha- 
 bitual gracebe utterly lofeable, which prove a pre- 
 fect right to life, till they are loft, I mult plainly 
 profefs I do not know \ much may be laid on both 
 ides : And if my Ignorance offend any, itoffend- 
 th me more : but how (hall I help it, I think it is 
 lot for want of tindy^ nor of impartial willing- 
 lefs to know the Truth: And Ignorance of the 
 two is fafer than £rr#r, by which we trouble and 
 feduce thofe about us. And in this cafe fo many 
 great and excellent Men have erred ( either Aug** 
 ifti*c 9 with the generality of the ancient Churches, 
 or Calvin^ Zarxhy^ and moft of the Reformed) 
 that my Ignorance is pardonable where their Error 
 it [elf is gardened. But let thofe that are wiler 
 re Joyce in the greater meafure of their Wifdom : 
 Put yet think not, that taking up either Opinion 
 rpon the truft of their Party, is fuch. 
 
§. io. Q. . V. To the next, fome have faid; 
 That had Adam done but one aft of Love or 
 Obedience, he had been confirmed zs the Angels in 
 a ftate of Impeccability : And that fo are all that 
 Once truly believe in Chrift. But Experience ut- 
 terly confuteth that : For all men fin after be- 
 lieving. . 
 
 §. u. Others fay only, That men may fin, 
 and may lofe acquired Grace ^ but no degree of that 
 which is infafed ? But we have fmail reafon^to 
 think that our ericreafed degrees are not as much in- 
 fnfed as the fir ft degree was : And yet Experience 
 proveth, that inch added degrees may be loft. 
 
 §. 12. Others fay, AS, added degrees may be 
 bfti but none of that which was firfi mfufed i 
 Indeed could we prove, that God alwaies at firft 
 infufcth only the leaft degree confiftcnt with Sal- 
 va&on, then this muft be held by all that deny 
 that any fall from Juftification : But for ought 
 we know God may the firft minute give one man 
 more Grace than to another in long time, and 
 that firfi degree may be lefiened by his fin. 
 
 §. 13. Q. VI. Whether it be fojfibh to lofe that 
 Hdinefs which never rviU be loft ? 
 
 Anf* The word C VoffibU j refpedeth either a 
 Confequence in Arguing, and is a Logical Poffibi- 
 lit) - 7 or it refpc&eth the natural power of Caufes, 
 and is called, Phyfical PeffibUity. In the firft fence 
 it is impoifible that any thing Qiould come to pafs 
 that doth not; becaufe God tyoweth it wiU not: 
 And it is a good confequence, God krtoweth that 
 this mil not cme ti pafs ; therefore it will not : And 
 it is imfeffihie that this Confequence fhould be 
 falfe. 
 
 But as to the natural foffibility^ no doubt but 
 
 ofv 
 
 \ 
 
C 3073 
 
 of our felvcs we cm fin - 7 nay, it Is not an aft 6 
 Poirer, but cf Imfotency, cr from a defeat of P0- 
 iper : And the Habit given us is not a fufficient 
 Power to afcertain our Per fiver ance of it felf 
 But if you fpeak with refpeft to the Pevper of 
 God, by which we are preferved , we muft thus 
 anfwer : That it is imfoffibk for us cr any Crea- 
 ture to overcome God's Power or Will : And if 
 it be firft proved, that God will caufe us to per- 
 fevere by the way of Phy/ic-J irrefifcblc determi- 
 nation by Porter, then it muft be called Iwyoffiblc 
 to fall away, or commit any Sin which he fo fa- 
 vethusfrom. But if he keep any as a free Agent 
 by the Japi:ntial drfiefil of his Free-mil, and fb 
 procure the event of a contingent aftion, then it 
 muft be faid, that this and many things are pofi 
 fible which never come to pafs, That God only 
 decreeth, 'that rvcfljall not fall away, and not, that 
 it jhai be imptfjible : Thus Dr. Tmfft and the Do- 
 
 nicans themfelves ufeto fpeak : But for my part 
 ~ take God's manner of working on and for us, 
 to be fo Hnfearchtiblc) and this notion of foffibffity 
 
 JmpojfibiHty, of fo little moment when we are 
 agreed what mil be the event , that I think the Con- 
 trovert not worth the handling, but made among 
 other fnares of Satan, to trouble the Church, 
 and draw us to vain Janglings about words that 
 edifie not, from the Simplicity that is in Chrifh 
 
 §. 14. Q. VII. Whether there be a Slate of Con~ 
 ir mat ion here t 
 
 Anf 1 . Undoubtedly there are fome Chriftians 
 
 : that are ftrong, rooted, fit tied, efiMifred-, aadfome 
 
 that are weak, and like Children tofsM up and 
 
 down, Rom. 4. 2©. & 15. 1. Heb. 5. 12, 14. 
 
 Joh. 2, 14. 1 Or. 16. 13. £fh. 6. 10. 2 Tim. 
 
 X 2 2.1. 
 
[ ?o8 ] 
 
 2« I. I Cor. 15* 58. 1 Pet. <$. p. Col. 2. 5. 
 
 Epk 3. 16, 17. CW. 2. 7. There is a need of 
 Strengthening Grace, 1 Pet. 5. 10. Luk. 22. 32. 
 ^w. 3. 2. >#?. 9. 22. Col. 1. 11. 2 Tim. 4. 17. 
 
 J/*/. 138.3- ^WZ.4- *3- 
 
 §.15. 2. It is agreeaMe to Scripture, Reafon 
 and Experience to judge, that ftrengthmed Chri- 
 ftians ftand fafter than the vvea^ and that it is in 
 it fclf more mlikgly that they (hould befeduced and 
 forfake Chrift. 
 
 §. \6. Seeing it is fo doubtful, whether any 
 that are fincere fall away, we have great reafon 
 to think that it will hardlier be proved of the 
 Confirmed: I know that Strength hath feveral de- 
 grees, and it's hard to determine juft what this 
 Confirmation is, but I am perfwaded, that abundance 
 of confirmed ChrifiUns there are, who have taken 
 hold of Chrift by Faith and Love, and have clear 
 light and great experience, and fo much Grace, as 
 that from that Confirmation it may be inferred, that , 
 they never fall away and perijh : and confequently 
 that Certainty of Salvation , and not only of pre- 
 fent Juftification, is attainable in this Life. And, 
 fome of the Papifts themfelves are of this mind, 
 though others of them fay, That even a ftatc of 
 Confirmatien may be loft. 
 
 •-.&■ 17- Qj VIII. Whether Per fever ance depend 
 on mecr EUfticn f 
 
 An[. It was uiugHJliTieH Judgment (and his 
 Followers) That EUttion is the afcertaining Caufe 
 cf Perfeverance, giving the fpecial Grace of Per fe- 
 ver ance ; but what that Grace was befides Divine 
 Volition and Prefervation ( whether any fpecial 
 confirming degree or kind ) it is not' eafie to gather 
 out of him: And I think it paft doubt, That God 
 
 doth 
 
Ho 9 ] 
 
 -doth tleSi font to Terfcverancc, and all perftvtft 
 whom heft cle&tth, and btcanfe be elttteth them and 
 no tthtr : But whether many alfo are truly fantti- 
 fed and jnfiified that are not eleSt, and fo do trot per- 
 Jevere y as jiajiin held, I laid before, I do not 
 know. 
 
 §. 1 8. Q. IX. Art aU or moft Chrifri/ins certain 
 that they jkaJl per fever e ? 
 
 A if. No: For, i. ,w/? Chriftians in the World 
 hold, that Perfeverance is uncertain to the godly ; 
 and how can they be certain of it to them- 
 felves ? 
 
 2. Moll that hold otherwife, hold it but as #*- 
 certain, and are not themfelves certain that it is 
 true, though they call it certain : I am uncertain ; 
 And I find not by other figns that the moft have 
 more knowledge than my felf : And he that is not 
 certain of the Fremifes 7 is not by them certain of 
 the Conclufion. 
 
 3. Moft Chriftians are uncertain that they are 
 (irxere and jufttfied : And fuch cannot be certain to 
 
 nfevere in that which they are not certain tint 
 ;hey have* 
 
 §« 19. Q.. X. Certainty of their prtftnt ftate tf 
 Jufiification is not fit for thofe that fin *s mucky 
 and art as bad as ever will ftand with fincerity 
 ( tiilthey repent :) Therefore certainty gf Ptrfeve- 
 rance muft needs be unfit for them. And. therefore 
 God never giveth it to fuch. 
 
 §.20. Q_. XI. Certainty of Grace, Jnfiification 
 ind Perfevtranct and Salvation , is a moft excellent 
 le arable thing , above all the Treafures of 
 the World, and to be earneftly foughn by all : and 
 
 ideth not of it felf to carnal fecurity. but to fill 
 
 ' Soul with holy Love and Thankfulncfs and 
 
 X 3 Joy, 
 
Joy, and make our Lives likcft to Heaven on 
 Earth : O blefled are they that do attain it ; 
 And #oe to them that difpraife it and perfwade 
 men to caufelefs doubting. It is the heigkt of 
 our attainment here in it ielf, and the improve- 
 ment, and maketh us live a Heavenly Life, and 
 long to be with Chrift : But we cannot therefore 
 fay that thole have it that have it not : But all 
 fhould promote and fcek it. 
 
 §.' 21. Q. XII. They that are certain that all 
 true Believers perfeverei have one great help to- 
 wards their own Confolation .% But if they be un- 
 certain^ that they tbemfelves are true Believers^ this 
 will not comfort them. As they that are per- 
 iwaded only that all Confirmed Chriftians pcrfe- 
 • vere, muftknow that they tare confirmed before 
 this can give them the comfort of Aflurance. 
 
 §. 22. But I have elfe where fully proved, 
 \w. Th?t moft Chriftians have not the comfort of 
 their own certain Perfeverance, for want of the 
 Certainty of their Sincerity, if not of the Dodtrine 
 itfelf. 2. And that thoufa^ds and millions ofj 
 Chriftians live and die in Peace and Comfort, 
 tkat have not a proper Certainty of Salvation. 
 3. Much more may fuch live in Joy that are fure 
 of their prefem fiate of Grace, though not of their 
 ferfeverance. 
 
 §. 23. £or Experience telleth us, that though 
 moft of the Chriftian World are againft the Do- 
 Urine of Certain Perfeverance of all true Belie J 
 v«rs, yet many of them live and die in Com- 1 
 fort. 
 
 §. 24. And Church-Hiftory and the Ancients 
 Writings tell us, That though for many hundred 
 years the Chriftian. Do&o'rs commonly held, That 
 
 fome* 
 
bjpc lofe true juftifying Faith, and perifh, yet 
 multitudes lived and died in Joy, and went with 
 boklnefs through the flames; 
 
 §. 25. And we fee in 2II things that men are af- 
 fected according to what is predominant \ and he 
 that hath far more Hope than fear and doubt* 
 will have more joy than ferrow, though he be not 
 certain, but fomc doubting do remain. 
 
 §. 26. It is certain in it [elf, that God*s Promi- 
 fes in the Gofpel are all true : But every one that 
 truly believcth it, is not properly certain of it, 
 paft all doubt : And he that hath the leaft doubt 
 of the truth of the Gofpel, muft needs doubt as 
 much of that Salvation which is expected on the 
 Gofpel-PrDmife : And yet fuch Believers may have 
 Peace and Joy according to the meaftire of their 
 Faith and Hope. 
 
 §. 27. We fee among men no Wife is certain 
 one day or night that her Husband will not forfake 
 cr murder her *, no Child is certain that his Father 
 will not kill him •, nor any one of his deareil 
 Friend : And yet we can have Love, Peace and 
 Comfort in our Relations, without fuch certainty : 
 For it's melarxholy folly to live in fears of things 
 utterly unlikely, and to call away the Comforts of 
 great probability. 
 
 §. 28. Yea, no godly man is certain that he 
 fhall not fall into fuch haimu* Sin as Noah, Lot, 
 David, Peter did ; or that he fhall not kill his 
 deareil Friend, or himfclf : And yet when.a man is 
 confeious that his Nature, his Reafon, his Expe- 
 rience, and his Rcfolution, do all make him hate 
 fuch a wicked a£t, and that there is no probable 
 caufe to move him to it, and when we know God 
 
 ready with his Grace to help us, how few lofe 
 X 4 the 
 
fche Comfort of their Lives, by fear of fuch impro- 
 bable things ? certainty therefore is very defira- 
 bU^ but a hope of great probability may give us joyful 
 thankful Heart s> or tlfe few Chriftians would have 
 iiich. 
 
 §. 29; And the Do&rine of Ptrfevcramc hath 
 its difficulties too as to mens comfort : Forhethac 
 holdeth, Thac no man falleth from a ftate of Grace, 
 and iecth many, that to all poflible humane judg- 
 ment, were once excellent perfons, fail quite a- 
 way, can himfelf have no aflurance that he is fo 
 much as juftificd at the prefent, unlefs- he be fare 
 that ta is better than the bell of all thofe perfons 
 ever were, which doubt the other fide are not call 
 upon. 
 
 §•30. Qj XIII. Whether the D$&rine of Apt* 
 ftacy infer any mutability in God ? 
 
 Anf No: there's no (hew of it, unlefs you hold, 
 that his abfolutdy Ele ft fall away. It was no change 
 In God when he gave us grace, and juftified us j and I 
 it would be no more if he ceaft 7 thm it was to begin. 
 It was no change in God when I was born, and it 
 tvill be no more when I die : The Change is only in *■ 
 M*n^ and his ra*/>m'e Difpofitim. Even the Law 
 of the Land, without any Diveriity or Changejdoth 
 virtually condemn a thoufand Malcfa&ors, and 
 juftific the Juft i and willceafeto juftifie them, and 
 begin to condemn them, if they ccafe to be juft, and 
 begin to be Offenders. Th- Changes that God him- 
 felf maketh in all the World, are made without 
 any Change in him : Therefore what man doth, 
 or undoth, cannot change him. 
 
 §.31- Q* XIV. Why did God leave thit Cafefo 
 darkj 
 
 Mf. It is not fit for us to call for any reafon 
 
 of 
 
; his doing, but what he hath given us : But while 
 he hath made it fure to us, that he will caufe all his 
 Eleft to perfevere, and will deny his Grace to 
 none that faithfully ftek it, and will fave all that 
 donot wilfully and finally rejeft it, a::d giveth us 
 no caufe to diftruft his Mercy, his holy Ends are 
 by this attained in his Peoples Uprightnefs and 
 Peace : And he feemeth by leaving the reft fo ob- 
 fcure, to tell us, that ic is not a matter of fo great 
 ufe to us> as fome imagine, and that it is not a 
 point fit for to be the meafure of our Communion 
 or Teace. 
 
 §. 52. XV. What WA4 the judgment ef the an- 
 tlem Churches of this Peint ? 
 
 Anf. Vo$w in Iiis Pelagian Hiftory, hath truly 
 told you, and copioufly proved it in the main. 
 Before Anguftine'% time it was taken commonly as 
 granted, 1 hat men might fail away from a ftate of 
 Grace, aad that many did •, but the Cafe was not 
 urioudy diicufled : But fome thought that con- 
 rmed Chriftians never fell : Rut upon Pdagpu his 
 "ifpntes, A*g*$Hne defending the honour of Grace, 
 id all upon Ele&ton , and maintained, That 
 ough the Non-ele& did fall away from the Love 
 of God and Jollification, and a (late in which they 
 had been faved, had they d'.cd \ yet none of the E- 
 lcft did fall foa; to perifh, bun that the prcfer- 
 vation of Grace in perfeverance, was the fruit of 
 le&icn. Thus Pro/per, and Fulgtmim after him \ 
 ,nd fome PafTages in him and M&c*riu*, and fome 
 thers, Ultimate that they thought there was a 
 onfirmed degree of Grace, which was never loft ; 
 >ut they all took it for granted, thztjomefell from 
 ftate of Jufeificat ion zndpevittied: And Iieraem- 
 not one Writer that I have read and noted f 
 
 to 
 
Oh 1 
 
 to be of the contrary mind for a thoufand years a 
 ter the writing of the Scriptures, nor any mention 
 of any Chriftian that was fo; unlefs Hurome be to be 
 believed of JovinUn^ who faith, that he held, That 
 the godly could not fin ; which Report is much to be 
 fufpeded on many accounts. 
 
 $. 33« What .life is to be made of this, Heave 
 to others ; but it befeeraeth no good Man to de- 
 prave or deny the Truth of fiich Hiftbry : And 
 iomc great Divines are to be blamed for reproach- 
 ing Voftius for a true Historical Report , when they 
 neither can confute him, nor attempt it. Two or 
 three Sentences out of Au&in are cited by fome, 
 but meerly nliftakcn, as if they fpake that of all the 
 Juflincd, which he fpeaketh only of the Ele<ft. 
 
 §. 54. Q: X VI. By all that is faid, it is paft de- 
 nial, that Certainty of perleverance fhould be moft 
 earncilly fought, and that ftate of Confirmation 
 which is likeftto obtain it; buD that few have it 
 even of the truly godly, and that it is not the com- 
 mon ground of ChrifHans Peace 2nd Comfort , but! 
 Hopes upon great Probability, do fuftain the moft j! 
 and that the difficulty of the point is fuch, asthaffl 
 it fhould in all Churches be left free, and neither I 
 fide made necefiary to our Chriftian Love, Peace^ 
 Concord, Communiorr, or Miniftery. 
 
 CHAP. XXVII. 
 Of Repentance \ Utt Repentance ; the time 
 Grace, and of the unpardonable Sin. 
 
 % 1 . T5 Efcnttmccy as a Pain y and involuntary , is] 
 XV part of the Punifliment of fin by the Lavvj 
 
 of Works j but Repentance as a retHrning to Goe 1 
 
 j 
 
and a recovery of the Soul, is a Grace and Duty 
 
 proper to the Subjects of the Redeemer under the 
 Law of Grace. 
 
 §. 2. Yea, it is a great and excellent part of 
 I the Law of Grace to give Repentance unto life, and 
 to admit of Repentance after fin, which the Lav/ 
 of Innocency did not admit of. 
 
 §. 3. Therefore John and Chrift himfelf did 
 preach the Gofpel or Law of Grace, when they 
 preached Repentance ; which was a great part, 
 evsn of Chriil's own preaching. 
 
 §. 4 , Therefore the Antinoman Libertines know 
 not what they talk of, when they call it Legal 
 Preaching, and fet Repentance as in oppofiticnto 
 Faith, as if Faith were all that the Gofpel did 
 command, or Repentance did not belong to 
 
 ' Faith. 
 
 §. 5. Yet itmuftbeconfefled, that of lafce times 
 many have l^d more upon the forrowing, weep- 
 ing, and feeing part of Repentance, tham was 
 :eet, and faid too little of the turning of the Soul 
 •om worldly and -flefhly fmfui Pleafures, to the 
 delightful Love and Praifes of God, and willing 
 Obedience and Conformity to his Will, which is 
 the principal part of true Repentance. And J think 
 God permitted xhzAntinomitns to rife upland cry up 
 Free-Grace, and call the Miniflers Lega!lip y to re- 
 buke our Error in this point, and^to call us to 
 preach up his Grace more plentifully, and to coa- 
 iider better that Gofpel-obedicncedoth chiefly con- 
 lift in Thankfulnefs, Love and Joy, and in the words 
 of Praife, and Works of Love. I am fure this ufe 
 we fhould make of their Abufes. 
 
 §. 6. Repentance is either generator particular, 
 eneral (orllniverfal) Repentance is a turning of 
 
 the 
 
1 
 
 the Vnderftanding, Will, and FraBice ( with repent^ 
 ing Sorrow ) from the inordinate Eflimation, Love, 
 and fscijxjr cf temporal Things for the Plcafnre and 
 Profpervy of tkeFleJh ( ox fen fa al powers J to Cody 
 kit Will, and Service, and the Hopes of ever la ftirfg glory, 
 through Faith. 
 
 §.7, This Repentance is the fane thing wiih Con- 
 vcrfion, and as I laid before, FMth it [elf includah 
 Repentance in its ciffence, as denominated from the 
 terminus a quo, it being a Turning from Vnbelirf 
 to God by brfeving in him as God, and to Chrift: 
 by believing in him, as our Saviour, snd to tf e 
 Holy Ghoft by believing in him, as the Agent and 
 Witmfs of Chrift and our Sanftifier. 
 
 §.8. Particular Repentance is our turning with 
 Sorrow from h particular Sin, 1 our contrary obedi~ 
 ence to God. 
 
 §. 9 Without that univerfal feepentance or 
 ConverfRo, which turneth the MiraL Will, and 
 Life to God, from created Vanity a* this World, 
 no Man can be faved j becaufe he continueth an I* 
 dolateraud Rebel, aad doth not indeed take Gcd ; 
 for his God, nor Chrift for his Saviour, nor the 
 Holy Spirit for his Sanftifier •, but is an ungodly 
 Man, and a ForfakcrofGod and his own Felici- 
 
 §.. 10. Repent ance , as towards God> is fometime 
 diftinguiflied from Faith in Chrift : And then Re- 
 pentance is cur turning to God> as GW, by Faith 
 ( Truft ) Love, and Obedience, refigning our felves , 
 to him as ourOnwr, fubjclt.ng our J r eives to him ! 
 as our Ruler, and loving him as our Benefaftor, and 
 chiefly as the Infinite Good in himfelf, our alttmate 
 objective End. And this is the greater Duty refpcJ 
 ding God, at our End^ even the fame with Love to I 
 
 d 
 
L 5 1 
 
 7] 
 
 Bed ., for the proem ing of which Chrift came into 
 z World, and Faith is given us : And then Faith 
 in Chrift is the mediate grace and duty by which 
 w£ are brought to this Repentance. 
 
 §. 11. Not that any man can truly take Chrift 
 for his Saviour 7 before he taketh God for^ his God, 
 ( for the Love and Intention of the £«*i, is before 
 our Choke and t>/e of the Means : ) But Chrift be- 
 - ing our Teacher fir ft bringeth us to ajfent to the 
 7 ruthof Ged's Perfections and Relations to us, and 
 then to the Truth of his own Go/pel, and by this 
 jijjcnt bringeth us ( firft to a common ^ and then ) to 
 afpecial (onftnt at once^ that God be our God, and 
 Chrtft our Saviour but fo that we defire Ged as 
 End y and Christ as MUiaior, as the Means. 
 §. 12. Vnivtrfal Repentance (or Converfio* ) 
 doth virtually contain all panicnUr future Repen~ 
 Mwe^but not actually. Therefore where this is, that 
 Soul may be laved without actual Repentance for/owe 
 articular fms ( or fores of fin ) : As, e* g . if we are 
 norant that fuch or fuchathing is fin, for want 
 : neceflary lnftru&ion, or if in a crowd of bufi- 
 ;cfs fome finful Thought, Paffion, or Word pafs 
 nobferved , or if we do our faithful endeavour 
 find out a fin, and cannot, remember it ( as 
 ho can remember at Converfion one of many 
 lat he has committed in Unregcneracy, and after 
 any are forgotten : J And every Man dieih in 
 >me fin, which he hath no time hereto repent of 9 
 /*.. infome finful imperfeftion of all grace a: d du- 
 r, and omiffion of due degrees of Love, and other 
 As : For all which virtual repentance will be ac- 
 :epted. 
 
 1 3 . Btit great and heinous fins mutt needs have 
 }**l repentance becaufe it will not confifl with the 
 
 Truth i 
 
Truth of Holfnefs to be fb indifferent or eaf 
 wards them, as not to obierve them, and remem- 
 ber them; And if they be known and rtmtmbred, 
 they mill kt repented of, when the Soul hath op- 
 portunity toconfider what it hath done. For ha- 
 bitual repentance is neceffary to Salvation •, and Ha* 
 bits will *& when they are not extraordinarily 
 hindred, having notable Objects and Opportu- 
 nity. 
 
 §. 14. Yet fome fins that are freat mxUM*&y in 
 their nature, may be lelienedmoch to fomeperfons 
 by unavoidable ignorance, and lb may not have 
 an actual repentance : As, e. g. in times 6f War, to 
 kgM men in a wrong Caufe, h one of the greatelt fins 
 in the World \ and yet when by the darknefs of 
 State-safes, the Queflion who u in the right, is fo 
 difficult, that very few can decide it 5 and after 
 their utmoft fearch, each Party thinks that Gcd 
 bindeth them to fight for their King or Country, 
 fiich perfons cannot have a particular repent 
 while they are not able to fee that they were deJj 
 ceived. 
 
 §. 25. It is therefore a Cafe of exceeding diffi-^ 
 Ollty, what fins may ftand with JnBtiication., not par~\ 
 zicuhrly repented cf\ and what rot 3 or as fome ' 
 fpeak, which are mortal, and which venial fins, or 
 fins of Infirmity. 
 
 §. 16. But he thst hath a cafe of his Salvation, 
 muft hate all fin in the general as fin, and keep upl 
 his watch, and be willing to know ail the worft in ? 
 hirafelf, and diligently uie the means to know it T j 
 and refblve to f orfake it to his power, when he 
 knoweth it, that fo he may not be wilfully imped- 
 hm. And he that will fin as far as he think? will] 
 
 ftarj 
 
mil grace, either hath no true 'grace, or 
 dl net know that he bath ir. 
 
 The/ 
 
 nmz cf refentanc* or mercy, may 
 be laid in two Sencesto be pad ; i. Wherr a man 
 (hall not be accepted and pardoncd,though he fhouid 
 pent: And fo the Day of grace is never pall ia 
 this Life ( and the Damned do not truly repent in 
 | our prefent Sence ; ) fo that for a penitent perfon 
 fear that the Day of grace is paft, or his RepenSE 
 tance too late ( if true) is to contradidt the Scope 
 oftheGofpel, which giveth pardon to every one 
 that truly repenteth. 2. When a man that beforil 
 had fome motions and fxlps to repent, and obftinate- 
 ly refilled them, fhall be given up to his bbftina* 
 cy, and never have fuch motions more. Thus the 
 Day of grace may be psft with many : And fuch - 
 perfons turn from God to Wickednefs, and 
 hardened in the love of fin, and ufually blinded to 
 defend it, and hate a holy Life : But thofe that do 
 epent, or fain would repent, or yet feel God mo-; 
 ng them to repent, hare no caufeto think t 
 od hath thus forfaken them. For it is only oti 
 inate and continued forfaking God, tha£ is the 
 gn ©f one forfaken by him. 
 §. 18. And this alio is no proof to us, that fuch 
 Ferfon is finally forfakpn. For many that have re- 
 ded grace many years, are afterward converted 
 y that grace : So that all that we can fay, is, That 
 h as God hath forfaken, do continue to the end 
 rejetf his Mercy,and prefer their Lufts \ but thaw 
 will fo .continue to the end, no man himfelf 
 ell before the end. 
 §•19. About the HKfurdonablc fin there are two 
 troverfies: 1. Wb*t it is. 2. Whether it h. 
 Itttily mpard^nabk. 
 
 That- 
 
(V %l 
 
 i J Ui 
 
 Mr. Hales of 
 * ageinfl: dia 
 
 Jraraphrafs 
 ■forth. 12. 
 
 and 
 en 
 
 lately- 
 
 doubted : But the fin in queflion is 
 called , The Blafphetny again ft the 
 Holy Ghott •, of which having writ- 
 ten a fpecial Tra&ate, I now only 
 fay, That it is the Sin of fitch as 
 keheving not Chri ft to be the Son of 
 GvdjMt a Deceiver ^andyet bang con* 
 mbnctcl of hUj and his Dif rifles Miracles , do in their 
 Wkdff merits thinker and blafphemoufy fay and maintain^ 
 mbar they re ere done by the power of the Devil to de« 
 Wive men. Thefe men rejecting the laft convincing 
 means of Fakh, arc left b$ themfelves remedi- 
 left. 
 
 ~> 20. But, 2. thcPapifls and many Ancients 
 
 That by [><?r forgiven 3 is meant only [very 
 
 ardrartly - 3 but moft Proteftants expound 
 
 ordsabfoiutely, as they run:, which theRea- 
 
 zx will think moft probable, I leave to hisconii- 
 
 leration. 
 
 §. ill Some think that the Novatians der 
 ill pardon to fuch as committed any great fin after 
 aptifai} but Albttfpin&us^ PetaviM) and others; 
 |ave truly proved that it was not fo, but onjy that 
 icy denied lower in thc / Church to pardon fuch 
 feckftiders •, which yet, no doubt, was their Error,y 
 feeing as God on his part pardoneth men as oft 
 L "ley truly repent ; fo the Church muft pardon as 
 ir as belongs to them, fuch as y^** truly to re- 
 *nt : But frequent grofs finning doth fo much dis- 
 prove me: s verbal repenting, that fuch mens 
 lit being forfeit, :her words are not to be taken 
 ill they amend their lives, 
 
 THE £ fit D, 
 

 
■^-'v-**