A Complete Body of Divinity

SERMON LXVII.

III. THEY are made liable to the 〈◊〉 He after ever. This is the last are most dismal part of the Tradegy. After miserable life, and a cursed death, they 〈◊〉 over to endless torments. This also is on • prized in the threatening, Gen. 2.17. and 〈◊〉 this head belongs the whole punishment 〈◊〉 of loss and of sense, which falls upon some after a bodily death hath taken them 〈◊〉 from the present life. The former were 〈◊〉 steps to this, and the inch • atio • s of the d ••• to which man was doomed for sin, here 〈◊〉 we come to the perfection of it; and it is that which is called the second Death.

THERE are three things here to be wh • notice of, viz.

• 1. The place where this 〈◊〉 is to be suffered.
• 2. The miseries that are 〈◊〉 be undergone in this place.
• 3. The d • rain 〈◊〉 them. Of these in order.

1. THE place where this misery is to be suffered, is called Hell. The Hebrews 〈◊〉 many words to express Hell by, used in the Old Testament; the most whereof are in •• rently used for b •• th the grave and hell, 〈◊〉 both for the state of the dead and the da ••• but there are two words which are me ••• rically used for hell itself; viz. T • pher, and The valley of Hinnem: the reason of the metaphor was, because there was a place, a little without the city of Jerusalem, in which the idolatrous Jews had erected the image 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , where after a barbarous and most cruel manner they burnt their children i • sacrifice to the Idol: which place was 〈◊〉 T • ph • t, because of the sounding of the 〈◊〉 pets which was used at these inhance •• butcheries, to drown the noise of the dolo ••• cries of these poor innocents, under their is tolerable tortures: And the valley of H • n • m, from the ancient land lords, Josh. 15. • . And the border went up by the valley of the 〈◊〉 of Hinnom, unto the south side of the Jo •••• the same is Jerusalem. And because there could not be a more lively representation 〈◊〉 hell upon earth than this was, these word were made use of to express it: for the former see Isai, 30.33. the latter is once and again made use of by our Savior Christ, Mat. 5.22, 29, 30.— T •• thy done body shall be cast unto hell. and else ••• r • ; as the best •••• ks understand the word; wh • ch doubtless he did, because it was more to understand by the Jews to whom he spa • e. Whether the word, Hell, be used in the Scripture to signify a place, or only to ••• mate the after state of man, is disputed by some; but I think without reason. That it may be used met • ny • ically, for the state, needs no debate; but that it firstly and most properly intends a place may be made appear in the clearing up the description of it, which may be this: Hell is a place purposely prepared by God, for the at •••• meant of the glory of has Jus ••• e in the ever •• ting punishment of Devils, and wicked men. When we have taken a scantling of this description, we shall see what a fearful thing hell is. Here then,

1. HELL is a place, or it is in a place. Besides those Scripture expressions which infer this truth; when it is called a take burning, &c. Rev. 21.8. said that the wicked shall be thrown or o •• t into 〈◊〉 , Psal. 9.17. Math. 5.2 • . and there is a dista •• e said to be between it and heaven, Luk. 16.20. all which expressions do intimate a place, nay and that it is in words called a place of torment, ver. 28. there are two Conclusions which may be easily made to appear. viz.

• (1.) THAT the punishment of the damned must needs be in some place. If we suppose men and devils to be punished, we must allow them somewhere to be punished. I shall not ••• cise on the food notions of men about place, and the nice distinction between locas and abi. It is out of doubt that a finite being cannot be everywhere at once, or unlimited, for then it were not finite, and why we may not call its abi its place, I know no reason. Devils indeed, and Souls, are spirits, but they are creatures; and if they be here, they cannot be there it was only the rich man's send that was in hell, Luk. 16. and yet he calls it a place: but besides, the bodies of the wicked are also doomed to this punishment, 〈◊〉 . 10.28. which all acknowledge must ••• py a place. To talk of an hell, and deny it a place, is to feign an imaginary hell, and so to bring the article itself into question.
• (2.) THAT hell is a place fixed and determined. It not only shall be in place, but it is assigned where it shall be. This is evident, in that it is said both to be ordained, and prepared by God, Isai. 30.33. Math. 25.41. The first Hebrew word signifies to dispose or put a thing in order; the latter signifies to at a thing for its use; the Greek word signifies both to appoint and make ready: now this could not be, unless the place itself were pitched upon: besides it is the same word that is used concerning the place of the blessed, ver. 34. and we know that that is heaven, a fixed, and determinate place: as therefore that is called a place, so is this a prison, 1 Pet. 3.19. because the Souls of the wicked are there detained till the day of Judgment.

IF any shall inquire, Where this place is? I answer; The Scripture was not designed to gratify men's needless curiosity, but to profit them for eternal life; and because it more concerns us to seek how to escape it, than to know where it is, it rather tells us what is the woeful unhappiness of the place, than points us where to find it.

BUT yet there may be some sober conjectures made about it. There are many wild guesses made on this account, which I over pass; only give me leave briefly to say thus much; That when a number of the glorious Angels by their apostasy made themselves Devils, Heaven was shut against there, that they could no more return thither, and they were thrust down into the lower world, as into a prison house; hence are said to be reserved, &c. Jude 6. Here then is their hell at present. That the Souls of the wicked, when they depart from their bodies, fall into the hands of Devils, with whom they are to be forever, is very likely, as the Souls of the righteous do into the hands of the blessed Angels; as these therefore carry their precious Souls to heaven, so do the other their cursed Souls to hell, and that is to be with them, and it is called their own place, Act. 1.25. and that is in this lower world. And indeed, the sin that was committed here below, might well turn the earth into an hell. That for the present there is some place assigned for the damned Souls to be kept and reserved and tormented in, is not to be doubted; whether it be in some subterranean receptacle, provided for that purpose, is not to us certain, but seems to be intimated from such Scriptures 25, Psal. 49.19. He still go to the generation of his fathers, they shall never see light. Prov. 21.16. The man that wandereth cut of the way of understanding, shall remain in the congregation of the dead. The word dead, is sometimes translated Giants, sometimes Devils; and is here interpreted of the Devils and the damned. Prov. 9.18. But he know • th not that the dead are there, and that her guests are in the depths • f bed. Isal. 14.9. Hell from beneath is moved for thee to meet thee at thy coming: it starreth up the dead for thee, even all the chief ones of the earth • , at hath raised up from their thrones all the king, • f the nations. That after the day of Judgment, this lower elementary world shall be the hell of the Devils and damned, is to me more than probable: how far it will be fitted for it from the great conflagration, of which, 2 Pet. 3.10. we may conjecture; when it will be a place of confusion, and burning: and what other use will be made of it, we have no fair prospect of it. To think, as some do, that it shall be renewed with all the creatures which once were on it, is not only with • ut Scripture, but against reason; as if those temporary things, were to be turned into eternal things. As for the Saints they have another home, and so it will 〈◊〉 he for them to c •• verse in, so that only Devils and wicked men are left behind, when the judgment is ever. Let us further consider, that here they finned, here they are imprisoned, and here they shall be judged, and here shall the sentence be put in execution; and we know that the place of execution; is treat to be near the place of judgment. Besides in the history of the creation, that work is connued to the making of but two places, viz. Heaven & Earth. Gen. 1.1. So that in one of these hell must be; but it cannot be in the former, and therefore we must assign it to the latter. Finally, the state of hell is expressed by a separation from the comfortable present • f God. 2 Thes. 1.9. and by a departing from him. Mat. 25.21. Now the place of his glorious manifesting himself is the third Heaven; and this lower world is at the most remote distance from it. But this may suffice.

2. THE subjects for when this place is app ••••• , 〈◊〉 Devils, and wicked men. Our Sa •• our indeed seems to •• timate as if it were pri •• pally designed for the Devils, • lash 2 • . • 1. but however, the sentence then passed sign •• es that it was for the wicked too: and other Scriptures do plainly allot it to them, 〈◊〉 1.25. Isai. 30 33. Psal. 9.1 • . Jule a They are the enemies of God, and such as are abhorred of him, who must have their abode here a he hath provided another place for his friends, and beloved: and by the company that is to be there, we may make a guess at the wretchedness of the place. There were indeed at the first, no Devils nor ungodly men, they all came out of God's hands in creation very good; but he, by his infinite fore knowledge, saw that there would be those who would make themselves such, and he accordingly allotted this place for them, as being most fit for such vile creatures, as had made themselves wholly u • fit for communion with him in the holy place. We have such a character given us of such as are for the place, in that catalogue. Rev. 21.8. But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and marderers, and wh •• e is angers, and jorcerers, and idolaters, and all heart, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with pre • and brimst • ne: which is the second death. Chap. 22.15. For without are d • gs, and sorcerers, and where mongers, and murderers, and idolaters, and whosoever loveth and maketh a lie.

3 THE end or design of their being in this place, is to undergo everlasting punishment. So our Savior Christ expresseth it, Mat. 25. ult. Hence we read of the sorr • tes of hell, Psal. 18.5. the damnation of hell, Mat. 23.33. being tormented in hell, Luk. 16.23. and of hell fire, or the fire of hell, Mat. 5.22. Touching the eternity of these punishments, it belongs to an after consideration; but that it is a place of punishments, yet further bespeaks the terribleness of it: especially if we consider that here they are to be completed. All punishment is a misery, else it could not bear that name: those that are undergone in this life are experienced to be so; but alas! they are but the beginnings of sorrows; and here they are to receive their perfection. There is nothing else but punishment to be heard of in hell; it is the place where God will inflict all his wrath upon his enemies. Here sinners had a great deal of mercy mixed with their misery, but there shall be none at all. Isai. 27.11. He that made them will not have mercy on them, and he that f • rmed them will show them no savor. There is nothing to be heard of in this place but endless •• rments. It is an eternal rack on which the creature is kept without any intermission or breathing while. If there had been no sin, there had been no punishment and consequently no hell.

4. THE highest end of this punishment, and of God's allotting of this place for it, is the of v • ncement of the glory of his Justice. There is a twofold Justice which we attribute 〈◊〉 God; Sovereign Justice, which is nothing else but his absolute liberty and authority over the works of his hands; of this, Rom. 9.20. Nay but O man, who art thou that repliest against God, shall the thing formed say to him that formed it, Why bact thou made me thus. And this eminently appears in his eternal purpose. And his Relative Justice, which is exerted in his proceeding according to the rule con •• tuted between him and the reasonable creature; of this, Rom. 9.22. What if God, wi •••• to show his wrath, and to make his power known, endured with much long suffering the vessels of wrath fitted to destruction. Relative Justice, among men is distributed into, commutation, and distributive: Commutative justice con ••• in righteousness observed in the dealings or traflick which men have one with another; and in the proper notion of it, there is to room for it between God and the creature, because we can give nothing worth what we have of him, but receive it all of his bounty hence that, Rom. 11.35. Or who hath fi •• given unto him, and it shall be recompensed a •• him again? Distributive Justice consists in the rewarding or punishing persons according to law and equity: and this God assumes to himself, and it belongs to our present consideration. The foundation of this is in the covenant which God transacted with mankind at first; in which he gave them a law, and ratified it with a promise and a threatening: which were to take place according as he either kept or violated that law. Hence relative and distributive justice is said to be either rewarding or revenging; and we have both of them expounded in, Rom. 2.6, 7, 8. Who will • render to every man according to his deeds: to them who by patient continuance in well doing seek for glory, and honor, and immortally eternal life: but unto them that are contention and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness; indignation, and wrath. It is the latte • of these which the consideration of hell belongs to. Here observe,

• (1.) THAT God intended from eternity the declarative glory of his revenging justice. Rom. 9.22. This was one of those Attributes which he purposed the manifestation of in his works of efficiency; and accordingly he made creatures capable of being transacted withal in order hereunto. It is a rule without exception, that whatsoever cames to pass in time, was ordained before time; but we are assured that there is such a thing in the event, and we are told, Prov. 16.4. The Lord hath made all things for himself: yea, even the wicked for the day of evil. And, Jude 4. For there are certain men crept in unawares, who were before of old ordained to this condemnation, ungodly men, turning the grace of our God into lasciviousness, and denying the only Lord God, and our Lord Jesus Christ.
• (2.) THAT be accordingly constituted a law of justice, between him and the reasonable creature. That there was such a constitution, between Him and the Angels is to be supposed, because they are to be judged at the last day. 1 Cor. 6.3. Know ye not that we shall judge Angels. 2 Pet. 2.4. For if God spared not the Angels that sinned, but cest them down to bell, and delivered them into chains of darkness, to be reserved unto judgment. That he did so with men, appears from, Gen. 2.17. But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not •• t of it; for in the day that thou catest thereof, thou shalt surely die. And elsewhere frequently in Scripture. Now in the constitution of this law, there was a presumption of their breaking it, and a punishment threatened in case of such a breach, which is called Death, and what a death it was, the whole word of God serves to inform us.
• (3.) THAT God voluntarily permitted some Angels, and all Mankind to bring themselves under the threatening by their transgression. He left them to fall: there was his permissive providence in it, he could else have kept them from falling, as well as he made them upright; and by their so falling, they, ipso j • tto, came under the sentence of condemnation; they were made guilty. But of these things I have before spoken distinctly.
• (4.) THAT God leaves all Devils, and some of mankind to abide under this sentence. There is a way of recovery found out for man, according to the new Covenant; but there is none at all for the Devils, and therefore they are altogether desperate: but all men are not recovered in that way, but multitudes are left under the condemnation, in which they were born, and that is, to be children of wrath, Eph. 2.3. and so the wrath of God doth still abide on them, Joh. 3.36. And so revenging justice must take place upon them personally; for God will be as good as his word, and will give a full accomplishment unto it. 1 Sam. 15.29. And also the strength of Israel will not lie, nor repent: for he is not a man that he should repent.
• (5.) THE punishments appointed for them by •••• tense are righteous; Esse it could not be justice to execute them. The punishing a person according to law cannot be a righteous thing, unless the law appointing it be a righteous law, nor can that be so, except the offense be so great as to merit a punishment as high as is denounced; but so it is here, Rom. 6.23. For the wiges of sin is death. And so it is declared concerning this very thing in, 2 Thes. 1.6. Seeing it is a righteous thing with God, to rec • m • ence tribulation to them which trouble you. The truth is, the creation is not capable of suffering a penalty greater than sin must needs deserve, nor so great in quantity or measure, and therefore it must supply it in its duration.
• (6.) GOD will have these to be everlasting monuments of this Attribute. The creatures that are concerned with this justice are immortal creatures; at least as to their spiritual part: and God would have this righteousness of his to shine forth forever in the subjects of it. As therefore he will have them to abide through eternity, so he will continue this punishment of theirs through the same duration. Hence that, 2 Thes. 1.9. Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power. But more of this afterwards.
• (7.) HENCE God appointed hell for the exaltation of this justice in. As the creature is designed for an eternity, so it must be somewhere disposed for it; this place therefore God contrived for the endless abode of his enemies; and for that reason it is called their own place, because as they have deserved it, so God hath decreed it for them. As therefore heaven is a place where mercy and grace are to be illustrated in their glory, so hell is a place where justice must fit in state and triumph, where God will show his infinite hatred of sin, and make it to appear that he is just in his distribution to the children of wrath. Psal. 9.16. The Lord is known by the judgments which he executeth; the wicked is snared in the works of his own hands.

5. GOD therefore prepared hell purposely for this design. The infinite wisdom of God is to be seen and adored in all his works: now there are two things in which this wisdom is principally to be observed, viz. in appointing everything for a suitable end, so as that he may have his honor by it; and in contriving it so as that it may best attain that end for which it was appointed; and this is called his preparing it, in Scripture; when therefore hell is said to be prepared by him, it tells us, that he hath accommodated it to this purpose, that it may be a place most fitted for the showing his wrath in the punishment of those who must be the monuments of his indignation: and thereupon it shall be every way furnished for that design; it must therefore needs be a most dismal and dreadful place. The invention of men hath been fearfully fertile in devising of tortures to afflict their fellows w • thal, and places for that 〈◊〉 : what then must the ••• nite God d • , wh ••• e hath a m •• d to make his wrath knew • in a place that • ad never been, it is had not • e •• for that perp • se • How miserable then most their lot be, wh • se portion it is to hand sell that place • it •• st • eeds be •• tr • le beyond our present capacity of c •• ce • v •• 5. though there is enough 〈◊〉 •• red to make the 〈◊〉 in Z • on a •• a • d. But this will come under the next consideration.

USE 1. LET this 〈…〉 sinners l •• ng and Col 〈…〉 the for 〈…〉 they 〈◊〉 . You see here what an unhappy legacy your hill father left you, what a fearful inheritance you are born the heirs 〈◊〉 . It the miseries of this life, and a bodily death were all, the •• h they also are terrible, it would not be so • rr ••• ng: but know it, your perdition from the hands of God is, to be d •• pate •• from a miserable world, to a more miserable hell; and if once the thread of your late b • 〈◊〉 , in th •• condition, you are then forever without see very; and let me assure you this is not to be • ailled withal: believe that there is 〈◊〉 a place, because God hath assured you 〈◊〉 it in his word; believe that it is your 〈…〉 by the 〈◊〉 under which you are h ••• : think what a dreadful place it is, and how intolerable it must needs be, by reflecting on the eather of it, God, who doth all things like himself; the use of it, to be a place of punishment, and that for fin the greatest evil; and by the end of it, to make the wrath of God known, and illustrate the triumphs of revenging justice: think how you stand every moment on the b • ink of this pit, ready to be th • rst over the precipice a • d tutald into that land of dathness and confesion; and now laugh at destruction if you can; say, is this a place to be dwelt in forever? is there no hope to escape?

USE II. LET this n ••• make a Savior prec •• as, and his Salvation acceptable 〈◊〉 you. One would think that should be enough to raise the esteem of Christ among a company of perishing sinners, to read that title of his, 1 Thes. 1.10. Even Jesus which delivered 〈◊〉 from the wrath to come. That he is the great and only deliverer, that he hath the keys of death and hell, and is able to quench these everlasting hereings for us, and free us from going d • wn to the pit. Oh then, if you would not have your everlasting abode in that burning lake, look unto him now, that you may be saved. If once you come there, the gult will then be fixed, and there will be no coming thence again; and you are going apace to that congregation: now then, whiles a Savior calls, and warns, and invites you, make taste. give no rest to your eyes, nor give him any rest, until you are gotten under the shadow • f his wings, and set free from the condemnation of hell. On that you were now per • waded to fly as for your lives, that so you way never be made to know what it is to dwell with these everlasting burnings, by your 〈◊〉 doleful experience.

SERMON LXVIII.

2. THE 〈…〉 that are to be ••• ergone is that 〈◊〉 . These are call •• the 〈◊〉 of Hell. The English word, 〈…〉 come from the Latin, 〈◊〉 , wh ••• 〈◊〉 punishment: and though in our vulgar account it is restrained to the punishment of sense, yet here we are to extend it to that of i •• too. Under which two heads may be comprised all that the Scripture gives 〈◊〉 lager in about this subject.

THE sinner consists of a Soul and a Body; Death makes a separation between these, and now the body is left without anymore apprehension of misery, being resolved into it principles, but yet it shall be raised again, a • d re •• aited to the soul, and be judged and punished together with it, at the last day. Here then the Doctrines of the Resurrection, and last Judgment might come in to be handled; but because they are suitably taken notice of in another place in the Care •• s • , I shall refer it thither: only remembering th ••• there will such a time come; and in the mean while, no sooner doth the 〈◊〉 breath leave his body, but his Soul e •••• immediately into these miseries. As s ••• as we read of the rich man's death, the next nows is of his Souls being in hell is •• ments, Luk. 16.22, 23. The rich man a •• deed, and was baried. And is hell be 〈…〉 eyes. And I shall here only take notice of the miseries themselves which are to be suffered in that unhappy place, whether by soul or body, whether before or after the day of Judgment. And these are,

1. PRIVATIVE; referring to the punishment of less. And this consists in a • re •• privation of all the happiness he was 〈◊〉 capable of. The word of God expresseth it by a separation from the presence of God Hence such phrases, Math. 7.22, 25, 11. 2 Tres. 1.9. This cannot be meant of his essential presence, which is everywhere, and hell itself shall be full of it. Psal. 1391 but of his favorable presence; and consequently of all those effects flowing from it, which derived any comfort to him in this life. He lay under the forfeiture of this when he was here, and felt many awful effects of it in this life, as hath been observed; but now all these shall be completed; I therefore call it a total loss: so that by it this misery shall be consummated, it shall be an utterly undoing loss. And there are those miseries comprehended in it.

1. HE shall l • se all the mercy of God. Then is, besides the special favor of God, which hath pity upon his own people, and relieves them with everlasting mercies: a common be •• g ••• y which he hath for others in this 〈◊〉 : which m •• ies him to pity them, and be patient with them, and holds lock his hood it revenged from f • lling in its full weight upon them, a • d • pens in hand of bou • ty to them: and this mercy makes their present misery to be m • derate in comparison. But then it will be wholly at an end. God will then shut up all his bowels of pity from the creature. That is therefore threatened. Isai. 〈◊〉 1 • .11. Therefore be 〈◊〉 made them wi • l not have mercy • n them, and be that formed them •• li shea then no sour • r. ( Jam. 2.13.) And when all God's mercy is gone, there is nothing but wrath left. As for those who think it is mercy not to be armihilated, and so the preservation of the creatures being in hell, and supplying it with strength not to cease, notwithstanding its miseries, is mercy; sure they are mistaken, for all this is not is love but anger, and the design is not favor to them, but to make them vessels 〈◊〉 to hold 〈◊〉 , destination, Rom 9.22.

2. HENCE, they s • ell l • se all the mercies and ••• s • rt of them, that they hat here in this life. Sinners, in the day of God's patience had their delights here, which though corporeal and beneath the satisfaction of a rational S •• l yet theirs, that were drowned in sensu ••• y, took pleasure in them, as Luk. 12.19. And I will say to my soul, Soul, thou hast much ••• k laid up for many years, take thine case, 〈◊〉 bri • k, and be merry. These fools here did hugh and were jocund; and their outv ••• man was supported and cheered with these things. They had their good things, Luk. 16.25. they lived delicately, fared sumptuously, had the world at will, had their houses and hands, and fur • iture, and health, and know, and pleasure, and they thought all was well: but now all these things are done wicked, be loseth the things themselves, and all the light and comfort of them. Psal. 49.12, 13, 17. He must have no more feasts, no 〈◊〉 merry bours, at si • ging and dancing, and c •••••• g; all that he valued himself upon in this life will forsake him at once and forever.

3. AND they shall lose heaven too. It is 〈◊〉 , the children of God must leave all they had upon earth, as well as the ungodly, though it be not lost, because they improved it for the glory of God, and they shall then •• ve she comfort of it; but besides there are 〈◊〉 things more, that make it not a real misery to them to lose all, viz. both because they did not place their happiness on these things, as the other did; their hearts were S ••• ew here else, they were but pilgrims, and had sufficient for their pilgrimage: and also because when they leave a sorry and sorrowful world, they have an heaven to give them entertainment, which is their own home. 2 Cor. 5.1. For we know, that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved, we have a heading of God, an i • use not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. Whereas wicked men when they die, and may be here no more; have no lot in that place, nor shall they be ever entertained in it; it will give them no admission: the holiness of the place is such, that it cannot receive them. Rev. 21.27. And there shall 〈…〉 wise enter into it anything that de •••• , neither whatsoever w • rketh thomination, 〈◊〉 maketh a lie: but they th •• are written in the Lambs book of life. It might have been theirs, but they would not comply with the terms, and so they lose it, and together with it, all the joys and delights which that place is furnished withal; they must be forever strangers unto them, for hell is their place: and who can tell what a loss this is, unless he had been with Paul, wrapped into the third Heaven, and seen the unutterable glories thereof?

4. THEY shall lose all the Prayers of God's children. God hath made it the duty of his people, not only to pray one for another, but for sinners too, that they may be converted and saved; and there is a great blessing in having the benefit of such prayers; however they may scorn and mock at them: now they are favored with them, but then they shall have no more of them. God hath indeed sometimes forbidden his servants to pray for obstinate sinners here; but that is not usual, but there is no liberty for their praying for sinners in hell: praying for the dead is antiscriptural; and if any good men have in their ignorant zeal, built such stubbie on the foundation, yet hath it nothing availed, the gulf being then fixed, and hell being place which never releaseth any of its prisoners: and what can prayers obtain, where God hath resolved unchangeably that he will have no mercy?

5. THEY shall lose all their moral goodness. Though sin hath depraved man's whole nature, so that there remains no theological goodness in him naturally; yet there are few sinners, if any in this world, that are so utterly debauched, but that they have some principles of morality abiding and active in them; which are a civil ornament to them, and so far commend them to the liking of men: yea our Savior Christ looked upon the moral young man, who came to him, and loved him. Mar. 10.21. and this is a common gift of God, for the present benefit of mankind, and upholding of the world; but there will be none of this in hell, there being no use for it, where there is to be nothing but misery and confusion: Children will there have no respect for their Parents; nor Parents any love or pity for their Children; not one neighbor show any civility to another: and though possibly these principles will not be rooted out of their consciences, being left there, for their greater torment, yet the practice of them will utterly cease. As the perfection of holiness is not arrived at by the children of God in this life, but is at once perfected when they die; so though sinners grow worse and worse here, yet they are not at the top, all morality is not gone till they die, and then it leaves them forever; and this is intimated by that of Christ, Mat. 25.29. For unto everyone that • ate shall be given: and be shall have abundance: but from him that hath not shall be taken away, even that whi • h be hath.

6. THEY shall there l • se all their Hope. I confess, the hope which ungodly men in this life do build upon, is a poor, sorry, cheating thing, it is no better than a spiders web: however it gives them a great deal of present ease, and seeming refreshment, they lean upon it, and seem to be gainers by it; and when they lose it they will then know themselves to be miserable to purpose: but besides this, there is a real hope that is set before them, and offers of it are made to them, which if they did accept of would certainly make them happy. Sinners here, have not only a day of patience, but a day of grace, in which they are called to repentance, and there is a door of salvation stands open, and they please themselves with it, though they put off and neglect the improvement of it: but when once the sinner comes to hell, all this hope is lost, and swallowed up at once: their false hopes are all gone, and found to be a very cheat; the broken reed they leaned upon, runs into them, and wounds them, and breaks under them, and lets them fall: and the good hope that was offered to them is taken away, and all the grounds of it totally removed. Job 27.9. Will God hear his cry when trouble cometh upon him? For there shall never be an offer of grace made them anymore.

2. POSITIVE: reserring to the punishment of sense. And this consists in their suffering the perfection of all these actual miseries, to which they were subjected by the curse. This is called a being turned into hell, Psal. 9.16. because that is the place in which all these sufferings are to be undergone. But what these sufferings are, is beyond our present discovery: the joys of heaven, and the torments of hell, will never be thoroughly understood, till experienced: only the Scripture sets them forth so as is best suited to our present capacity, for the stirring of our affections, to engage us to be earnest in seeking to obtain the one, and escape the other. These punishments are therefore called everlasting fire, Mat. 25.41. Than which sort of torture, there is nothing more formidable to mankind. Hence the place is called a lake, &c. Rev. 21.8. and we have such an expression, Isai. 33.14. The sinners in Zion are afraid, fearfulness hath surprised the hypocrites: who among us shall dwell with the devouring fire? who among us shall dwell with everlasting burnings? which, whether it be interpreted of God, as an attribute referring to his revenging justice, or to the miseries themselves, to set forth the nature of them, fig 〈◊〉 , the dreadfulness of these miseries. In sa • ,

1. THEY go to h • ll, 〈◊〉 to be tormented. That is the very dosign of the place, and the one supposeth the other. See Luk. 16.23. And in hell he list up his eyes being in torments. And the lamentable cry of the forlorn wretch, ver. 24. For I am tormented in this flame. The word torments is a metaphor from a rack on which persons were put to force a confess out of them, and is used in the New Testament for the most exquisitely painful diseases, and the travailing pains of women: and the other word, tormented, is of the same import. Here it is that the execution of the sentence of God's wrath upon sinners is made: here they are to feel the effects of the doom which was past upon them in the law, and by the great Judge. And torments must needs be very great miseries: especially it we consider, what they are, and after what ma •• they be inflicted. Hence,

2. THESE torments shall be universal. It may be misery enough to be pained in one limb, though it is but a fi • ger, what is it then to have it diffused through the whole body, not barely by sympathy, but real immediate torture? But add to this all spiritual plagues and torments of soul, and the • is a misery inexpressible; and thus it is here. Mat. 10.28. But rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell. It is not safe here to be over particular; there are two things in general which Christ hath 〈◊〉 us of, in which these torments do consist; viz. the worm, and the fire; the former whereof refers to the soul, the latter to the body. If these we read, Mat. 9.44, 46, 48. Where •• ve worm dieth not, and the fire is not que •••• . And these refer to the state of the da •••• in hell, where they are to be undergone.

• (1.) THE Soul shall be tormented with a • ew dying worm. And this contains in it all the spiritual plagues which shall then seize upon it; and is mainly contained in those terrible agonies, and horrors of conscience which will then sill the soul. Some sinners, and at sometimes, have terrible gripings of this in this world: though for the most part sinners 〈◊〉 rock their consciences asleep, or get them • enummed or seared: and yet this woe •• , i • all the while insensibly, though continually growing out of the filth and corruption which they lie wallowing in: but then it shall be quick and active, and fearfully torment the • , when it shall look back, and put them in a membrance of all the sins that ever they committed, with all the awful aggravation of them: shall remind them of all the me •• y and goodness of God which they abused; 〈◊〉 a day of grace they once enjoyed; of all • he calls, and counsels, and warnings that God had been giving them; of all the patient of God, and sh • vings of his Holy Spirit and fair probabilities they were in of Salvation; of all the offers of grace which they despised, and inward motions which they q •• enched; and so of the righteousness of their condemnation: and then lock forward, and see nothing before it, but those fearful miseries which it suffers, and from whence it most never expect a release: what horrors, what despair, must needs be hereby produced? The girds, and stings, and reverberations of such a conscience must needs be a tormeat inexpressible.
• (2.) THE Body shall be pl •• g • ed with an unquenchable fire. This contains under it all the corporal miseries that shall there be suffered: of which it is not for us to give a d • ffi • ct account; only let us observe, that all the miseries that men have saftained in their bodies in this life, are but the beginning of sorrows; those that follow are far more dreadful. That tender and delicate body, that can now scarcely endure the prick of a pin, which is prinked up in pride, and looked after with delicacy, shall become a prey to those devouring flames, which will have no regard to its comeliness, nor pity it i • the least; when the misery of one member still be intolerable, and that misery spead itself through the whole man: when eyes, cars, hands, feer, heart, and all shall be tormented in that flame.

3. THESE torments shall be exquisite. Sufferings of the same kind may be greatly varied by the degree of them, as they are 〈◊〉 semiss, or more intense: now in hell, the •• series of the damned are arrived at their perfection; needs therefore must they be i •• ollerable. Those pains of travailing 〈◊〉 , of men under the torture of the 〈◊〉 , or the greatest cruelries which human withath invented, are but flea-birings in comparison with these. The exquisiteness of them is to be gathered from the very design of the place, i. e. to be a place of torment; where the wrath of God is to be made known: The princip • l efficient of it, God himself, who is a ••• s • ming fire, Heb. 12.28. The main instruments of it, the devils, who are therefore •• led the tormenters, Mat. 18.34. and by the ••• ting of stuners to be vessels to hold it, Rom. 9.22. They are to be punished to the 〈◊〉 of their capacity to hear, and God will make them capable of hearing, that so they may be the amazing monuments of his righteous severity.

4. THESE torments shall be without inter •• ss ••• There shall not be the least moments 〈◊〉 or breathing while, wherein they may 〈◊〉 any mitigation of their miseries. It is some comfort in this life, that there are lucid intervals, between exquisite pains; they abate, all there is some ease, and liberty to take 〈◊〉 between one and another: but there 〈◊〉 be no such thing in hell; the fire is con ••• lly blown up, and kept in its heat by the breath of an angry God. Isai. 30. ult. The b ••• h of the Lord, like a stream of brimstone d •• kindle it. There is no abatement, no ••• deration, no diversion, no relief at all; 〈◊〉 so much as one member refreshed, not the least drop of water afforded to crol the tip of the tongue: all is there continued unchangeably. Hence those expression. Rev. 14.11. And the s •• be of their torment esc ••• ••• 〈◊〉 ever and ever; And they have 〈◊〉 r • st •• ght nor day. Chap. 20.10. And they shall be torment day and night, forever and ever. And what a torment most that be, to endure that to perpetuity, and without any relaxation, which to hear for a moment, is intolerable: where neither are the flames malled, not the miserable creature consumed by them.

5. THESE torments shall sill them with ••• terest ••• lings and •• me ••• ti • ns. The ex •• emity of them shall produce continual endless roarings and screamings of the tortured creature. Oh the fearful noise that heli will be filled withal by the piercing greens of creatures lying upon a terrible rack, and scorched with the flames of a seven times heated furnace! This our Savior acquaints us will be the employment of the place, Luk. 12.28. There shall be •• rping and g •• shing of tree •• . When Heaven shall forever ring with the joyful acclamations of the glorified Saints and Angels, then shall hell found and echo with the doleful ejulations, and howlings, with the terrible shrieks and roarings, with the horrid outeries, and blasphemings of the damned, whose horrible torments will be constantly drawing of them from them; which is at least allegorically aimed at in Rev. 16.9. And men were s •• rched with great beer, out blasphemed the name of God, which hath power over these plagnes: and they repented not to give him glory. And all this shall not draw the least pity or remorse from God for them, but he will laugh at their calamity; but alas! all that om be here said is not the least part, of what these forlorn creatures must there feel.

USE. LET this be for a loud and awakening call to all that are in their sins. Sinners, these are heavy tidings which I have been reporting in your ears, and yet they are the true sayings of God; and do they not make thine ears tingle, thy lips quiver, thy joints shake, yea fearfulness ane horror to surprise thee? Can you hear all this, and yet live one hour longer in your sins? Is there none that upon this report, cries out trembling, what shall I do to be saved from this terrible doom? There is a way to escape, but if you will not att ••• it, it will not profit you. If you love your Souls then, be entreated to fly to the rock, to the mountains, before this fire from heaven falls upon you. Use no delays lest it be too late. There is hope for the oldest sinner, if yet he will hear the voice of Christ; and there is danger of the youngest sinner, who will put off, and not presently come in. The arms of a Savior are now open to receive you if you will come to him; but if you are resolved in your way, let me entreat you to take this along with you,—know and be assured that you are 〈…〉 a place p •• pa ••• 〈◊〉 God 〈…〉 justice to triumph 〈◊〉 you 〈…〉 there fall into 〈…〉 good, who will not meet you 〈…〉 you are going to dwell with doth and damned spirits, and to be ter ••• ted 〈◊〉 the flames of the bottomless pit, where you shall be ••• ed brim t • ll in soul • nd 〈◊〉 with the • rath of God, where you shall be in the bands of your creel tormenters, be fille • with the stings of an immortal w •• m, and suffer the most acute, and uninterrupted tortures in the whole man, and be forever unpitied by God. Angels, Men, and Devils. And Oh! thick of it; the time hastens, the day draws near; sin away a few more days, and tri • le away a few more nights, and you are gone beyond recovery: nay it may be, the doom is, that this night your soul shall be required, and where are you the • ? Oh be wise then in time! Wonder that it is said today to the youngest of you; and let me charge you in the name of God, now to go home, and get alone, and med • tate solemnly on these things; and if you dare, lie down to sleep on your beds before you have made your peace with God, unless you expect to awake before morning the flames of hell fire. If you will take this awful warning, it may be well with you; but if you despise it and throw it behind your backs, it will add to your guilt, and rise up as a witness against you in the great day; and you shall mourn at last, when it is too late.

SERMON LXIX.

3. THE duration of these miseries, and that is forever And this is that which puts great emphasis upon all that we have been before considering. To dwell in such a place, and to undergo such miseries there as we have heard of, is in itself terrible; but to do so forever, that makes it dreadful beyond co • ception. That it must be so with all those whose unhappy lot it is to come into that horrid place, is an article of faith, which we have confirmed to us by Scripture testimony. See Psal. 92.7. They shall 〈…〉 for over. Isai. 22.14. Dwell with everlasting burnings. 〈◊〉 the Hebrew and Greek words, translated, forever, and everlasting, do sometimes intend, though a long, yet a limited time, yet not always so, but frequently a perpetual duration: but this also is expressed in the Scripture by the negative, never, which plainly points us to an eternity. Isai. 66.24. Their worm shall not die, Mat. 9.44. It is therefore put into the sentence of condemnation pronounced in the great Day, Math. 25.41. Depart from me ye cursed, into everlasting fire. And is accordingly executed on them, ver. 46. And these shall go 〈◊〉 into everlasting punishment.

IN the clearing of this Truth, we 〈◊〉 inquire,

• 1. What is this eternity of their miseries?
• 2. What reason, justice, or equity there is for their so suffering?
• 3. How the cre •••• shall be more 〈◊〉 suffering eternal miseries?

1. WHAT is this eternity of their miseries?

A. ETERNITY may be considered as it is it Scripture attributed either is God or the c •• ture. In what cease it is attributed to God, we have already considered, in the Doctrine of that Attribute, in which we observed hi • to be without beginning, succession, or ending of time: in which respect, it is an incommunicable perfection of his, and no second being can lay any claim unto it. When it is ascribed unto the creature, it is an improper kind of term, which only bears a resemblance to me of the properties of God's Eternity. The creatures Eternity; or, as some for distinction sake, call it, Eriternity, hath, 1. A beginning; for all second beings are the offspring of times once they were not. 2. A succession their duration is measured, because they 〈◊〉 finite beings. But, 3. It hath no ending; I know some deny succession also to spirited substances; but, how a finite being, should in have its finitude inseparably attended with succession, or how a spiritual being, should not be said to be older now, than it was in the first hour of its creation. I cannot ••• jecture. Some define the creatures eternity, to be a succeeding now, as they call it, because of its endless duration: in which respect it is differenced from time, which hath an •• d; in regard of which endless duration, in an improper cease, a thousand years may be 〈◊〉 to be as a day; because the sinners torment shall be no nearer an end, after a thousand years, than they were the first day they began, because they have no end: a succeeding now they call it, because, as it began, so it hath a succession: it hath so far a rete •••• to, or representation of time, that the 〈◊〉 shall be making progress in his miseries, which is a sore aggravation of them, and will made his torments appear long and tiresome. So that it is, as it were, a middle state between time and eternity: it hath a relation to time by succession, which will weary the 〈◊〉 out, under his torments; a relation also a eternity in its perpetuity, which shall 〈◊〉 the sinner with endless despair.

2. WHAT reason, justice, or equity there is for their so suffering these miseries?

A. AS for the sufferings themselves, it hath already been evidenced, that they are no 〈◊〉 than sins demerit; but why they must be perpetual and without end, is the present enquity. Now there is a twofold justice that we conceive to be in God, and they are both 〈◊〉 concerned, viz. Sovereign, and Relative. God's Sovereign justice is his arbitrary liberty to dispose of his creatures according to his holy pleasure; and this was most eminently exerted in his Decree; in which it was his good will to have some everlasting monuments of his righteous displeasure at sin, and accor • ingly appointed the subjects of it: and • herefore, to any who cavil against this, that • nswer is sufficient, Rom. 9.22. What • f God, • a •• ing to 〈◊〉 his wrath, and to make his power 〈◊〉 , endured with much l • ng suffering the ••••• is of wrath 〈◊〉 t • destru • tion. Of which • ill we are further allured. Prov. 10.4. The Lord hath made all things for himself: yea, ever He worked for the day of evils. But for a clearer display of the equity of this, there is the • e ••• rve justice of God, comes in, in the fulfilment of this purpose; which consists in his • eadering to everyone according to his deeds; as they hand related to the law, which was given and ratified in the covenant between God and man: so that though God is arbitrary in decreeing this punishment, yet he proceeds according to a known and revealed rule in the execution of it; and •• is is our present e • quiry. The equity then of this proceeding, will appear evidently, if we con • er,

1. THAT there is in sin a proper demerit of everlasting punishment; or, that the penalties of 〈◊〉 should abide upon the sinner forever. Nor indeed is there any other way, for the finning creature to be punished up to his demerit: and there is a double merit here to be considered,

• 1. THERE is a covenant merit: It is the 〈◊〉 • or sin according to the indentures when were made between God and man. Rom. 6.23. The ••• ges of sin is death. The 〈◊〉 signifies a stipend, or something that is agreed for. God indented and bargained with 〈◊〉 at first, that if he should break his laws, he should suffer the penalty of eternal death Gen. 2.17. In the day that thou earest thereof thou 〈◊〉 surely die. Now, not only hath the s ••• er no cause to complain, because he knew what he had to stand to; but because God did affix such a penalty to the law of the first covenant, it must needs be righteous, else he would not have made it, since it would be •• righteous for him to execute it; and this should satisfy us. But,
• 2. THERE is also a merit in the nature of the thing. It is true, there cannot be guilt but where there is a law, but for all that the foundation of the equity of laws is, when there is a proportion between the offense and the penalty, and this is antecedent to guilt: a man may be worthy of death, and yet not guilty of it, if there be not a law for it; now the valuation of the equity is in this worthiness. Now sin is such a thing as in itself truly deserves not only all these punishments, but the everlasting continuance of then; and the justice of the law cannot in any other way be answered in the person of the sinner. For,
  • (1.) THE end of punishment is that the law may be satisfied. And if the law be just, justice doth thus recover its own. Satisfaction to the law, consists in a full compensation for the injury done to it; and till this be made, the law is not fulfilled: and for this reason no sinner can be acquitted upon his own score, or for any righteousness of his, because he cannot answer these demands.
  • (2.) HENCE when the law hath once seized, the sinner, and laid him in the prison of hell, it cannot discharge him till it be thus satisfied. If it should, it would not be all fulfilled, but there would be some points or tittles of it superseded, which may not be. Math. 5.18. One s • te or one titt • e s • all in anywise pass from the •••••• ill a • be fufilled. He must therefore remain under the impressions of it, until this be done. So our Savior Christ gives us to understand, Math. 5.25, 26. Verily, I say unto thee thou shalt by no means c • me out thence till thou hast paid the utmost farthing.
  • (3.) THIS cannot be done in measure, and therefore must be compensated in duration, and that can be nothing short of eternity. The reason of this is, from the creatures incapacity: when its vessel is never so much widened, and its punishments increased to the height, it cannot contain so much wrath as it hath deserved by fi •• ; and for this cause it must suffer eternally. Jesus Christ could and did at once bear all, and therefore he was released and discharged. Here then the great cavil of vain men is to be encountered, viz. How can a finite act d • serve an infinite punishment? or a temporary transient s •• lt bring the creature justly under the impressions of God's everlasting wrath? But the answer is very ready, for, though the creature be finite, and the act temporary and transient, yet the object against whom it is committed, is infinite and eternal: the creature gives the provocation, but it is God who is provoked by him, and he doth it up to the utmost of his ability, according to his manner and measure; a finite creature affronts an infinite majesty; hence, though the act is finite, the injury is objectively infinite, in that it falls upon him who is i • finite; and such as is the injury, such must the demerit be. In sum, the creature by finning offers the greatest affront that it can to God; and therefore it deserves to suffer all the miseries that it can; and though it cannot undergo an infinite weight of wrath at once, because that would ann ihilate it, yet it can suffer it in a sort of infinite duration, which is the only way to make it proportionable.

2. THAT there is a permanency of sin in hell. It is true, the punishment of sinners in hell proceeds according to the guilt they have contracted to themselves in this life. 2 Cor. 5.10. That everyone may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad. It is therefore a dispute whether they contract any new guilt there, and there is much pleaded on both sides; but I shall leave it in medio: but these two things are, as I think, very evident.

• (1.) THAT hell's torments do not alter the sinners nature, or change his sinful inclinations. Whatsoever convictions of conscience he hath on him, or how much soever he is stung with remorse, i • t the sins he committed in this w ••• d: yet he remai • s • nder the power and d • m •••••• 〈◊〉 c • rrupt nature, and s •• as 〈…〉 he continues 〈…〉 us 〈◊〉 unto G • d, and an 〈…〉 is 〈…〉 ••• ole is 〈…〉 th • 〈…〉 on h • m 〈◊〉 G • d •• p •• eth.
• 2. THAT 〈◊〉 . his nature •• 〈◊〉 ; its ••• so • e 〈…〉 We b • fore ••• ferr •• , that there he hath lost all his morality, to tr • t si • full • ess is c • mpleat • d i • him; and he is still an active bei 5. and must act his own nature. The sinner there hath not only in him the p • yson of sin ha • it •• lly, wi •• : he would quietly dis • orer if he might be ••• ed again into the w •• ld, and l • st at his l • berty; but he doth nothing t • ere but sin, and his sufferings occasion his sinni • g. Whereas there are some who think, that hell's sins are not properly si • s it is a great mistake; for the crea • ure is not d •• charged from the obliga •••• 〈…〉 eternal law, he is therefore g •••• g Go • c • nti • ual pr • v • cation to perpetuate his torments; he c ••••• ues to hate God eternally, and therefore well may God hate him forever.

3. THAT the sinner hath despised a day of grace, and now it is • ver with him forever. This indeed only conc • r • s such as have lived under the Gospel: and it further clears up the equity of this in regard of such: as God hath found out a way to save sinners from h • ll's miseries, so he hath made a discovery of this way unto some, in which he hath offered salvation to them, and invited them to accept of it. The time of this treaty is truly called a day of grace: but this determines with the life of the sinner, and when he dies his hope is put to an end. If a Savior were proclaimed to sinners in hell, and if the spirit of God would work faith and repenta • ce in those souls that are in prison, there m • ght be hope of a release for them, but there is no such g • od news as this, there to be h • ard of. We are • ld, 2 Cor. 6.2. N • w is the dece ••• ed time, beh •• d, n • w is the day • f salvation. When they c • me there the gulf is fixed, • uk. 16.26. and there is no other possible way for their escape but this; and there is all reason, that they u •• o might have escaped the eternal perdition, they had procuted for themselves, and would not, be made to suffer it, at the hands of that God, whom they have thus d •• ed to desp • se a • d provoke: we have therefore a particular assurance given us, that all such shall certainly be punished with everlasting destruction, 2 Thes. 1.8, 9. 〈◊〉 shall be punished with everlasting destruct ••• from the presence of the L • rd, and from the 〈◊〉 of his power.

〈…〉 the creature • shall • e 〈◊〉 capable of 〈…〉 miseries eternally?

〈◊〉 GOD shall o • his almighty power for & prepare the •• nn • r for 〈◊〉 •• ndition as this. That he is able to do it, there is no ground for us to question, it no believe his Omnipotency; that he will exert this power of his in this as •• ir, we are •••• red. R • m. 9.22. There needs •• lie three things to be here said for the illustration of this.

1. THAT th •• 〈◊〉 m • n is by its re ••• d 〈…〉 . It being of a spiritual natu • e 〈◊〉 • ot: it needs not elements, not elementary substances to give it sufferance, or preserve its ••• ng to it: it lives without fo • d or ra • me • t, or any other supplies as are requisite for the shori • g up of the body; and he • ce t • e death of the soul, is not a death of annihilation, but of misery; and the soul cannot cease to be what it is for its subs ••••• , by any other power, but that of God who made it; so that it naturally abides forever.

2. GOD will, when he shall by his mighty power, raise t • e 〈◊〉 of sinners, put into th •• a s •• ritual nature in many respects. 1 Cor. 15.44. It is so •• a nature body, it is raised a s •• ritu •• body. Th • re is a natural body, and there is a spiritual b • dy. It is true, they shall 〈◊〉 be turned into spirits, but re • a • n the substance of bodies still. Now there are 〈◊〉 thi • gs in which they shall specially be made spiritual, 〈◊〉 in the perpetuity of their 〈◊〉 , a • d the suste • tation of them without soul: this God can do, a • d hath given some pr •••• of it in this world: and he will do it, he doth so by the bodies of his saints, that so they may be everlasting monuments of his grace; and he will do so by the bodies of his enemies, because he will have them equally to be eternal instances of his revenging justice.

3. GOD will with his own hand and p ••• keep together the principles of their nature, 〈◊〉 they shall n • t suffer dissolution. God will, as it were, put one hand under the sinner to uphold him in his being, whiles with the other hand he will strike him, and si • k him do ••• under his misery. It were impossible for the creature to hold out of himself, or by his own strength, but God shall make him to •• dure: He shall enlarge his vessel, and make him able to h • ld so much of wrath, as he shall see meet to pour into him; this is the sitting him for destruction.

USE. THERE are Five Lessons I would urge from the present consideration; Three for Sinners, and Two for Saints.

I. TO Sinners, that are yet in their sins.

1. SEE what a desperate sol • y and madness it is to live in sin, and count it y • ur delight. One Would think, that if sinners should only compare the pleasures of sin, with the pai • s of hell tha • follow after, and are the recompenses o • it, this might be enough to convince them: But if besides this you compare the duration of your carnal delights, with the eternity of these sufferings which follow, what an addition w • ll this make to the reckoning? How pre ••• is is that advice, 〈◊〉 . 11.8. Poor wretch! what dost thou meas? for a • ew vas • : pleasures, to bring thyself into everlasti • g burnings. The delight of 〈◊〉 is but a crackling blaze, and so expires 〈◊〉 . 7 • . For is the making of th • res under a 〈◊〉 is the 〈…〉 , that also is 〈◊〉 . But the part of it is perpetual: the act will quickly be over, but the sorrow will abide for in •• ite ages. On • t • at sinners would think of this, when they are going about the gratifying of their own lusts, 〈◊〉 little know how much pr • rit it would afford you in an hour of temptation.

2. LET this flew you the in •• nite what of a Savior, and put you upon making 〈◊〉 your 〈◊〉 get 〈◊〉 in 〈◊〉 . Were there any •• pes of an end of these miseries, the creature might in some measure comfort itself, without a Savior: but to think that they are eternal torments, which He comes to deliver us fr ••• , they are everlasting burnings, that He comes to extinguish, this i • ha •• ceth His worth. How sweet is that expression. 1 Thes. 1.10. Jesus which deliver • th as from the wrath to come. Think then how intolerable these miseries are in themselves, and then h • w •• dians must it be to endure them forever. Ezek. 22.14. Can th •• e heart endure, or can th •• e hands he str • ng in the day that I shall deal with thee? Remember, that there is none but He can save you from these pains. Act. 4.12. Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among 〈◊〉 , whereby we must be so •• d. Redemption work is too weighty for any to undergo but him Psal. 49.7, &c. Consider what he hath do • e on the account, that he may be an a • le Savior, Gal. 3.13. Christ 〈◊〉 redeemed us from the curse of the law, being • ode a curse for us. And behold Him now coming to you in the offers of the Gospel, inviting you to come to Him, and promising you life if you do, Math. 11.29. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me, for I am weak and lonely in heart: and ye shall •• nd rest 〈◊〉 your souls. Oh! do not withstand him, put him not upon saying to you another day, as Math. 73.37. O Jerusal •• , Jerusalem, thou that killest the Prophets, and stonest them which are sent unto thee, b • te often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a ben gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not.

3. LEARN from hence the incomparable worth of the present time: What a price is is your hands, by this season allowed you; before you enter upon your unchangeable ••• e; and be awakened by this thought to make speedy use of it; think how far better your condition is, than their's who are now in hell; they are gone to eternal misery, and have no hope to escape: they have no more Sermons, &c. but you have a call still; think also how near you are to this eternity, a • d how uncertain your time is; you 〈◊〉 devery m • m •• t upon the brink, a • d the beast u •• of God's a • gry hand, will turn you ever: health, stre • gth a • d youth 〈…〉 • ;c •• tity a •• 〈…〉 and health 〈◊〉 sinner of you all, may be ••• hell before morning, and tolem •• •• ni • k want will become of you it •• me be gone, before you are g •••• ••• o 〈◊〉 w • th G • d: after time there follows ••••• ng but 〈…〉 ; •••• ty; if you die this night in your present condition, you go to the place where the •• rm dies 〈◊〉 , &c. to dwell with everlasting burnings.

II. TO Saints that are gotten into Christ.

1. LET this make you 〈◊〉 for and with poor Sinners, that they may be converted and s • ved. Had not 〈◊〉 . ta •• s on his heart, w • en • e uttered that p • thetical w • sh R • m. • .1.2. Isa. the trath in Chri •• , 〈…〉 , my 〈…〉 • earing me 〈◊〉 in the body 〈◊〉 . That I have great heaven • ss an • 〈◊〉 sorrow in my h •• rt. When you pray for them, remember it is for eternity. When you ex • ort and persuade them, bear it on your hearts, that it is for everlasting. Though they should be angry with you, yet let p • ty to ever enduring creatures, move you, to bear it and not leave off: and On use speed in what you do with them, begin betimes with them, lest whiles you delay, they be gone over to eternity and then they are past your h • l • .

2. LET this engage you in the purs • it • f Holiness. If duty at a • y time seems • ard, think how hard it would have been to be everlastingly separated from the presence of God. Are the sufferings of this life heavy a • d red • ous? lay them in the balance against eternity, think of the millions of ages, wherein dam • ed sinners must suffer the wrath of God, and then be but at the begi • ning of their woes. Thi • k • othing too hard to do or suffer for Christ, who suffered for you the eternal weight of wrath.

IN a 〈◊〉 , Let us all seek of God the grace, to entertain ourselves with such meditations of that eter • ity, whither we are making haste, that we may have 〈◊〉 ! to number • ur days, and apply our hearts to wisdom. And when our mome • ta • y time shall run down into, and be swall • wed 〈◊〉 of eter • ity, we may be delivered from everlasting torments and possessed of eternal Glory.

SERMON LXX.

IN the consideration of God's special Government, we have taken notice of the first Covenant, which he indented with Man, and Man's woeful apostasy ensuing thereupon; together with the miserable effects of it; in all of which we have been entertained with a fearful roll written within, and without, with nothing but lamentation, mourning and woe; and if this were all the news that were to be heard, what but horror and despair would abide us? But the Holy God, whose spotless providence was not idle, in the permission of man's fall, had glorious ends in his so permitting it; intending it to be a foil on which he would draw in most lively col • urs the portraiture of his rich grace. We are therefore here led by the hand, from the sorrowful and heart breaking consideration of man's inexpressible infelicity by his ap • st •• y, to the pleasant and soul refreshing contemplation of his Anastasy, or restitution, which is the other thing observable in this special Government. In this Answer then we have, 1. This Doctrine of man's restitution asserted. 2. A full description of it laid down. In which we have, 1. The subjects of it, some. 2. The first original or leading cause of it, His mere good pleasure. 3. The foundation of it, His electing of them from all eternity to everlasting life. 4. The ratification or establishment of it, He entered into a Covenant of grace. 5. The restitution itself with the terms of it, to deliver them from a state of sin and misery. 6. The way in which it is brought about, by a Redeemer. We may take these severally and briefly into consideration;

1. THAT there is a restitution provided by God for sallen Man. It is vain for us to inquire what it is, till we are assured that it is. Now the evidence of this is a matter of mere revelation. The light of nature cannot discover the least tracts or prints of it, in all its reasonings. It hath indeed some footsteps by which to discover that man is miserable; reason will say that he could not be made such as he is now become, consistent with the wisdom and goodness of his maker. But on the supposition of his fall, and present state, by virtue of the sanctions of the first covenant; it could neither tell that such a thing should be (it having it's absolute dependence on the free will of the lawgiver, into whose hands the sinner was fallen, and against whom justice was arr • ed with revenge; nor could any of his attributes of goodness mercy, or the like, infer it; the works of creation and common providence had not any Gospel written on them, holiness and justice stood in the way; nor yet if it had been assured that such a thing should be, could it tell how it could possibly be brought about, so as that mercy and truth righteousness and peace, might entirely meet in one; that God might be both just and yet justify a sinner, an ungodly man. This therefore is purely a matter of faith but is so fully and clearly his down in the word of God, that there is as doubt left to be made about it. And truly, the main dri • e or design of the whole book of God, in the old and New Testament, is 〈◊〉 give us an account of this affair. The history of man's fall is set down for an introduction unto this, and immediately upon it, this happy news is published, Gen. 3.15. And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed: it shall 〈◊〉 thy bead; and thou shalt braise his heel. And God is throughout showing us the way how to obtain it; there is in it the hope of eternal life, and that not a vain one, but that which is built on a promise of it. Tit. 1.2. In hope of eternal life, which God that cannot lie, as mised before the world began. Likewise that, 2 Tim. 1.10. But is now made manifest by the appearing of our Savior Jesus Christ, who b •• ab • lished death, and hath brought life and imortality to light, through the Gospel. This was the design of the incarnation of the Son of God, and of the whole work of Redemption which he accomplished, of which we may have an account afterwards. Had it not been to recover sinful men from misery to felicity he had never engaged in it. Gal. 4.4, 5. But when the fullness of time was come, God sent forth his Son made of a woman, made under the late, To redeem them that were under the 〈◊〉 that we might receive the adoption of sons. This is the end of the giving the Gospel, and all the administrations of it, that men may be therein invited, and by the Spirit of God persuaded to accept of a Savior, and an escape from the wrath and curse that is our against them. Hence that, Rom. 1.16. For it is the power of God unto salvation, to every o • that believeth, to the Jew first, and also to the Greek. We have therefore the sum and substance of the Gospel, in Joh. 3.16. For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him, should not perish, but have everlasting life. Mat. 16.16. He that believeth and is baptized, shall be saved; but he that believeth not, shall be damned. As then there was an Adam who undid us, so is there one to restore us. 1 Cor. 15.22. For as in Adam all die, so in Christ shall all be made alive. In a word; God hath laid in and provided fully, whatsoever is requisite for our recovery out of misery, and being restored to blessedness, as will be made evident in the sequel. And he would certainly never have done it, if he had not purposed this Salvation to be effectually applied to some, otherwise that provision had been lost.

2. THE subjects of this restitution are, some. Adam's sin and apostasy indeed reached unto all; but not so the restitution: the pararel therefore between the first and second Adam doth not lie in the extent of the subjects, but in the efficacy of the influence to the subject; so that, as the first Adam was the procuring cause of all misery to his children, so the second Adam is of all blessedness to his: but, though the former extended to all mankind, the latter doth not do so, but only to a residue or ••• nant. This difference is clearly inti ••• ed or pointed to in, Rom. 5.12, 19. Wherefore as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin: and so death passed upon all 〈◊〉 , for that all have sinned. For as by one 〈◊〉 disobedience, many were made sinners: so by the obedience of one, shall many be made righ •••• . For the making of this distinctly clear, let these Conclusions be observed,

1. THAT all mankind do not actually participate in this restitution. This is a clear case, and generally acknowledged by such as profess them selves Christians: and it is very evident from Scripture; where we are assured,

• (1.) THAT there are many of Adam's posterity th •• 〈◊〉 , and are damned forever. We read of those who are punished with everlasting destruction, 2 Thes. 1.9. Chap. 2.11. Now damnation is directly contrary to this restitution; it being the execution of the with and curse, under which they were fallen; upon them: either therefore they 〈◊〉 never recovered, or they are again fallen into it, but that this latter cannot be, will afterwards be considered.
• (2.) THAT there will be two sorts of men found in the last day. There will be sheep and 〈◊〉 , the one standing at the right, the other at the left hand of Christ; the one will be •••• ed to eternal life, the other to everlasting burnings, as in Mat. 25. Surely then, if they then receive such a fearful doom, they 〈◊〉 never delivered from the curse which •••• ed them.
• (3.) THAT there are a great many to whom 〈◊〉 savor is offered, but they reject is finally, 〈◊〉 so are left to perish in their sins. None 〈◊〉 actually restored till they do close in 〈◊〉 the terms of the new covenant: for we 〈◊〉 positively told, Joh. 3.36. He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son, shall not see life: but the wrath of God abideth on him. But some there are of whom. Christ saith, Joh. 5.40. And ye will not come to me thee ye might have life. And on whom, for their rejecting him, he hath past that sentence, Joh. 8.24. I said therefore unto you, that ye shall die in your sins: for if ye believe not that I am be, ye shall die in your sins. And for such sinners, they are already condemned. Joh. 3.18. But he that believeth not is condemned already: i. e. the law-sentence remains in force against them, and must take place; if then they never repent and believe, they were never recovered.

2. THAT God never intended or laid in provision for the restitution of all. It is true,

• (1.) THAT there is a sufficiency of value and virtue in the provision that God hath made, for the complete recovery of all mankind. And indeed, such was the case with, and state of fallen man, that nothing else would suffice for the restoring of one, than what was enough in its intrinsic worth for all. Justice could not to be satisfied, or the condemnation removed without a price of an infinite value, for the acquittance of any one of its prisoners: and such a price can never be out-set. Hence that, Heb. 7.25. Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost, that come unto God by him.
• (2.) THAT offers of this restitution are made to a great many more than accept of, or ever partake in it. There are a great many whom Christ comes to, but they do not receive him, and so they go without him. Job. 1.12. He invites them, but they reject his invitation, and thereby judge themselves unworthy of everlasting life, Act. 1346. they refuse him, and he doth relinguish them. Psal. 81.11, 12. But my people would not hearken to my voice: and Israel would none of me. So I gave them up to their own hearts lust: and they walked in their own counsels. Hence that expostulation and threatening. Mat. 23.37, 38. and Luk. 19.41, 42. And when he was come near, he beheld the city, and wept over it, Saying, If thou hadst known, even thou, at least in this thy day, the things which belong to thy peace! but now they are hid from thine eyes. But that he either intended or provided for the salvation of all, is not true; and this will be manifest if we consider,

  [1.] THAT all are not actually saved. It is not rational to think, that God should design their salvation, and make provision for it, and yet they eventually fall short of it: for so, not only must the divine purpose be frustrated, which would be a great reflection upon his wisdom, power and unchangeableness; but also must the provision itself so far be lost, for that is a medium for an end, and it is certain that the means are lost, as to the design of him that useth them, where the end is not attained; it is therefore a full disjunction, viz. either that all are saved, or that God never intended nor provided for their salvation, or else that he is put by either for want of power, or by altering his mind.

  [2] THaT I s • s •• rist did not come to save 〈◊〉 . It is 〈◊〉 , there are some general words used in the Gospel, mentioning the word a • , wh ••• •• me would interpret that way, as 1 Tim. 2. 〈◊〉 . Who gives himself a ransom for all; and elsewhere. But this cannot intend all universally, but only all that were given him, else it would contradict the limitations given in the Gospel: what saith he of himself, Luk. 3.32. and that passage is of weight, (however some seek to evade it,) Joh. 17.9. I pray for them, I pray not for the world, but for them which thou hast given me, for they are thine. Surely he would not shut them out of his prayers for whom he shed his blood: or how comes he to make a distinction between the world, and those whom his father had given to him out of it

  [3.] THAT all have n • t the means of this restitution offer did to them. We shall afterwards have occasion to observe, that to the completing of this recovery, there is requisite, not only that a purchase be made, but that it be also applied; in order to which application, there are the means appointed, and made necessary by God's institution; where therefore God intends this end, he will afford these means. The Apostle could infer men's perdition, from their not having the Gospel, 2 Cor. 4.3. But if our Gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost. And makes such a demand, which carries a negative in it, Rom, 10.14. How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher? But nothing is more certain than that the sangreater part of mankind have hitherto been strangers to the means of grace, and so out of the way in which the Spirit of God, is would not to apply Christ's redemption to men: and the condition of such is clearly expressed, Eph. 2.12. That at that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the common wealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world.

  [4.] THAT God hath prepared a place to exalt his justice in, by the everlasting punishment of many. We read in, Isai. 30. ult. For Tophet is ordained of old, yea, for the king it is prepared, he hath made it deep and large: the pile thereof is fire and much wood, the breath of the Lord like a stream of brimstone doth kindle it. And Mat. 25.41. Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels. Now to prepare such a place for such an end, together with a design. • o deliver all mankind from it, is to provide it for no use as all; except we should suppose, that when he hath done all that lies in him for their recovery, they may damn and destroy themselves, whether he will or no; which is directly contrary to what the Scripture asserts concerning him, and to the properties of the divine nature. We are therefore assured that they were ordained to this. Jude 4 Who were before ordained to this condemnation • ng • dly men. And there is an efficacious judicial influence of God's in bringing them to it. 2 Thes • . 9.10.

2. THAT hence there are but some for when this restitution is provided; and the rest are left out, and not thus •• red for. Who they are, and how they come to be thus set aport for this benefit, when others are left out and not thought of for mercy, will be after considered in the things that follow. Here only to make a few general remarks upon this, let us observe,

• (1.) THAT they are but a few compared with the rest of mankind. If we compare those that are restored with those that are left, they are but a small number. The Scripture compares them to a residue, or remnant, a s •••• piece that is left, when the garment is taken out of it; to a gleaning, or a few scattered grapes upon the vine, when the vintage is gathered. Christ, speaking of that life which is the thing to which they are restored, tells us that but few • ind it, Math. 7.14. Luk, is the epithet which he puts upon his own flock, Luk. 12.32. These are some that are taken out of the world, when the whole world lies in wickedness: in this regard they are not many.
• (2.) THEY are but few, if reckoned with those who enjoy the means of grace, and are not sa ••• thereby. If we go no farther than where the Gospel hath come, and men have been t ••• ed with the things that concern their peace, yet there it will be found a truth that those that miss of this recovery, and go to pe • dition after all, are vastly the bigger number. It is our Savior's observation, Math. 20.26. For many are called, but few chosen. And the Apostle speaking of Israel, or God's vi •••• covenanted people, hath that conclusion, Rom. 9.27. A remnant shall be saved. There are multitudes that openly despise the offers of Salvation, and live in a manifest contempt of the things of their peace: there are many that make a show, and but a show, p ••• ted to a profession, but deceive their own hearts, and no more than pretend. Where Christ is exhibited, He is a foundation, and corner stone but to a few; to the multitude, he is a stumbling stone and a rock of offense; the Gospel is a savor of life to but a little number, in regard of those to whom it is a savor of death.
• (3.) THAT yet, considered in & by themselves, they are a very great many. Had God saved but one of Adam 's posterity, his grace had therein wonderfully appeared; but he hath seen meet to extend this restitution to a multitude: though we cannot tell how many they be, who shall partake in this blessed privilege, it being a secret reserved in his own bosom, not to be known to us, till the great Day of accounts; yet we are given to understand that there will then be a very great congregation of them. As to the opinion of those, who think there shall be so many as to make up the number, and supply the place of the fallen Angels, it is without any Scripture foundation, and therefore not to be concluded upon: but we have sufficient warrant to believe that they are very many: there have been of them in all ages of the Church, though in some more than other. We find that in a very scanty t • me, God had, in the kingdom of the Ten Tribes, notwithstanding the apostasy and persecutions, seven Thousand, Rom. 11.3, 4. And we read, Jud. 14. Behold, the Lord cometh with ten thousands of his saints. The word signifies, many ten Thousands. And besides all that have been hitherto saved; we are assured, that there is still a time to be looked for, of the plentiful pouring out of the Spirit, and of the bringing in of the fullness of the nations: and therefore the Gospel-state is called a kingdom, which supposeth a great number of subjects.

USE I. IS there a restitution provided for miserable men? Let it then be thought of and improved,

1. TO prevent sinking despair, and put hope i ••• us all. When you look upon, and are ••• ihed with all those amazing miseries which are lying upon all mankind in the wise, and see how woefully you yourselves 〈◊〉 involved in it, and are thereupon beginning to sink into despondency, and be filled with a ••• rful expectation of this vengeance falling upon you; and begin to say: if the case be •• out hope is gone, and we are cut off for our op •• ; now look forward, and see what good 〈◊〉 the Gospel hath brought to a company of ••• orn perishing sinners, See here, that there is a possibility of your escaping the domi •• tion of hell, nay that there is a fair po •• ibility of it, since there is a new and living way opened, and discovered to you: say that for all that hath befallen me, I may yet be saved; this is the hope that is set before you, labor to run into it.

2. TO improve this hope in seeking to obtain it. Hope is the very life of endeavor; what 〈◊〉 despair of they will never attempt to ••• pass; but where there are any sparklings of hope, they will push men on to seek their help: and hope can gather spirits from the appearance of a mere possibility, a Who knows? Say then to your own Souls, is there a way found out by the merciful God, in which sinners may be delivered from the wrath to come? I will inquire after it, and seek to be found in it: may an undone sinner be saved? hath God told and assured me of it in his word? and shall I sit still, and perish through my own neglect? shall I die when life is set before me, and offered to me, and, as it were thrust upon me? One would think the proclamation of liberty to captives, and the opening of the prison doors to them that 〈◊〉 bound, should be a faithful saying, and ••• by of all acceptation, to everyone, who knows himself to be a prisoner of divine justice, and lying open to the miseries of this life, to death itself, and to the pains of hell forever.

USE II. ARE there but some for whom this restitution is appointed, and those but a few in comparison, though a great many in themselves? Learn hence,

1. WHAT reason there is for everyone of us to give the more diligent heed to make sure that we be found among this number. It is a duty that we are called upon to attend, 2 Pet. 1.10. Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things ye shall never fall. And what more potent argument to move us to be very solemn and serious in it, than the consideration of the paucity of those who are sharers in this benefit? When one had asked our Savior that question, Are there few saved? He, instead of answering, falls to advising; and what was his advice? See, Luk. 13.23, 24. And be said unto them, Strive to enter in at the strait gate; for many I say unto you, will seek to enter in, and shall not be able. Certainly, the thing itself is a matter of the highest importance that can be: who, that believes that there is an everlasting state of weal or woe, to which all mankind are posting, and in which they shall be fixed, as soon as this life ends; would not be anxious to know, when, and after what manner he shall spend that eternity? how much more then, when he is acquainted that the greater number by far, are like to take up their dwelling with everlasting burnings? Let this thought then put us all, Young and Old, from our carnal security, and make us importunately inquisitive in this affair.

2. NOT to despond or sink in your spirits, because they are but few. If among a thousand capital offenders, it were published that one of them should have a pardon, would not everyone hope to be the man? but I can assure you that there shall be many millions of miserable men delivered from the curse, and made heirs of eternal life. What faith Christ? Luk. 13.29. And they shall come from the east, and from the west, and from the north, and from the south, and shall sit down in the kingdom of God. And among these there shall be those who have been chiefest sinners, and have contaminated themselves, with the vilest abominations. What saith the Apostle? 1 Cor. 6.9, 10, 11. Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselve, with mankind, Nor th •• ves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners shall inherit the kingdom of God. And such were some of you, but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the Name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God. There is a Manasseb of that number, who was an idolater, and a conjurer, and a murderer: there is a Thief there, that had also shed innocent blood. If then, you find your hearts moved with the apprehension of your great misery, and wrought to a willingness to comply with the only remedy, in the Gospel way; be not discouraged, you are in a fair way to be one of that little flock; Christ hath said, if you come to him, he will not cast you off.

SERMON LXXI.

3. THE first original, or leading cause of this Restitution, is his mere good pleasure. We are here p • inted to the Divine Sovereignty, which in nothing appears more eminently than in this affair. It is of the highest concernment for man to know the order of the causes of his Salvation: nor can the Gospel be truly understood without it: and here we are • or to rest till we come to the highest cause of all; hence all the rest ow • 〈◊〉 ordination to, and dependence upon it. ••• t man's recovery from misery to felicity derives from God originally. I know none that do in words de • y: that, if ever the undone creature be again restored, and made happy, He must be the author of it, must needs be confessed by all those that understand and believe how fearfully he is entangled in guilt, and fallen under the wrath and curse of God. But how it derives from him, or what was the first moving cause which induced him to extend this mercy to such a creature, is a point that hath exercised the minds of many, and given occasion for hot disputes, and grievous bickerings among such as call themselves Christians: proud man, not contenting himself to stoop to God's Sovereignty, and acquiesce in the divine Prerogative. Hence, some there be, who do ultimately resolve it into God's Natural Goodness, and that love which he, as Creator, must bear to his creature. Others, who though they pretend to assign it to his Will, do yet seek a double Will in God, the one absolute, the other conditionate, and refer it to the latter; and hereupon do really make it dependent on something in the creature; and therefore though it be determined, yet it is upon a foresight of that, on which the hypothesis depends. Against all these, our Catechism assures us that it was his mere good pleasure: by which we are to understand, that it did purely and entirely arise from himself, and that he acted his own liberty or freedom fully in it: or that he did it, because he would do it, and there cannot be given any cause antecedent to that; not that he did it without any reason, or for no end; no, there was the counsel of his will in i • ; and he being a wise agent, doth nothing in vain.

BUT, for a more particular and distinct clearing up of this matter, I shall endeavor a little to explicate the meaning of it; and then to give some instances, wherein it will appear. Here then it is necessary that we do in God distinguish of his acts, of which some are natural, some voluntary: for without o •• so distinguishing, our manner of conception about him, must needs be confused: it is true, all God's natural acts, are in a sense voluntary; for he is the most free agent, and his will is himself 〈◊〉 but yet all God's voluntary acts are not natural: for though he doth nothing but what is agreeable to his nature, yet he doth many things, which it had been no way repugnant to his nature if he had •• t done them, or done otherwise. Now, between these two sorts of acts, there are these differences observable.

1. THE sorr • t are necessary; the latter 〈◊〉 at liberty and consequ • ntly contingent. It is true, there is a necessity well enough consistent with a freedom of will; natural a •• ious, in a rational Agent may be spontaneous; but there is a necessity, and liberty, which are things repugnant: things naturally necessary are determined to one, and may not vary; things of liberty are indifferent, a •• opp • sita, so that they may, or may not do. God can or but be himself; he cannot deny himself; he is a God of truth, and he cannot •• e: the Father cannot but eternally beget the Son, &c. And this necessity is absolute, it is impossible that he should do other: but then, he might, or might not have willed to make a world, or to have made it that; or put these and those creatures into it. It is true, upon the supposition that he wills it us be so, there is an hypotherical necessity that it must be; because his will is not capable of changes, but yet it was arbitrary with 〈◊〉 whether he would have thus willed. H •••• that, Rev. 4.11. For thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were cr ••• d.

2. IN the former there can be no choice, in the latter there is. Choice, is properly at all of liberty, and so not compatable, with absolute necessity: Choice is properly an e ••• act of the will; and it always is exerted in one of these two ways; either by accepting or rejecting the thing which is set before it, or else by taking one among several, giving it the preference; now neither of these 〈◊〉 applicable to rational actions, because they are the same, and may neither be refused 〈◊〉 changed: whereas voluntary actions do always come under one of these. He had chosen to do the thing, or this rather that the other, and therefore he is determined 〈◊〉 by the thing, but by the choice; and for this reason it is called his good pleasure, because it is that which it seems good to him to do.

3. HENCE the former admits of us deliberation, whereas the latter doth. Deliberation is properly a consultation, either with oneself, or with others, about the doing of a thing, and it always refers to one of these two ca ••• viz. whether to do the thing, or not to do it, or, supposing a design to do it, after what 〈◊〉 or manner it may best be done. Now this can rationally be applied only to voluntary or contingent actions, and there is no occasion for it in such as are natural; more especially as to the former of these. For what occasion is there for any to consult whether they shall do that which they cannot but do? When therefore we say that God doth anything of his mere good pleasure, it intends,

1. THAT be is under no natural necessity of doing it. For though, all his natural actions please him, yet they are not the result of his mere pleasure; we cannot therefore infer, or positively conclude these from the being and perfections of God: if he should not do them, he would yet remain, God blessed forever; they do not flow from his Being considered absolutely in itself: the being or not being of these acts, ma ••• to change at all essential in him; but he is the same.

2. THAT he is under no obsignion to these acts, antecedent to his •• on good pleasure. We must suppose, that if once an act of his will hath past concerning anything, it gives a certain infallibility to it, because herein he hath obliged himself to himself: but if we consider the thing antecedaniously to this act of his will, he was altogether at liberty to have done it, or not to have done it: the meaning is, that there was nothing but his will, to determine his will to it?

3. THAT that which primarily moves him to these acts, is his will. It is true, there is mantion made of his counsel, which according to our manner of conception, supposed a 〈◊〉 deliberation about a thing; and to 〈◊〉 , supposeth reasons considered of, to sway 〈…〉 this, rather than that; but it is the 〈◊〉 of his will. As, Eph. I.II. Who 〈◊〉 all things after the counsel of his own 〈…〉 indeed, this deliberation is abscribed to him only after our manner, for we cannot supposh any article in eternity, wherein God i •••••• lie wise could be at any stand.

4. THAT all the other reasons of his so acting, are the resultencies of his will. In the con •••• ce of God's holy purposes, there are a 〈◊〉 many connections, and there are the all 〈◊〉 reasons of them all; according to Psal. 〈◊〉 24. In wisdom hast thou made them all. But if we proceed analytically in the reso •••• of these, we must run them up, till 〈◊〉 length find them all swallowed up in his good pleasure, and when we arrive there, there is no further that we can go: we must 〈◊〉 of them all, as our Savior Christ in that 〈◊〉 . Math. 11.25. At that time Jesus answered and said, I thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because thou hast bid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes. And as Paul in one like it, Rom. 〈◊〉 18. Therefore hath he mercy on whom he will 〈◊〉 mercy, and whom he will be hardeneth. Now 〈◊〉 there are such acts of God • s meet good ••• sure, is plain from the Scripture: and 〈◊〉 both,

1. TRANSIENT; or all the works of Eff ••••• y. It is a ruled case that all God's works out of himself are contingent, or acts of liberty; whether the works of Creation, Res. 4.11. and th ••• ore we find that they received their being, by a word of command from him, Gen. 1. Though the Attribute, Creator, be relative, and one that has a creature for its correlate, yet he had been a God perfectly glorious, if there had been no creatures: Or the works of Providence, in managing the affairs of the World, it must be said of them all, as, Psal. 115.3. But our God is in the heavens, he hath done whensoever he pleased. Psal. 125.6. Whatsoever the Lord pleased, that did be in heaven and in earth, in the seas and all deep places There are indeed the reasons of the thing, but it i • he asked, why God did them so? it is this, because he saw good so to do.

2. IMMANENT: with respect to his eternal Decrees: In which the foundation was laid for the futurity of all the works of Efficiency. That there is such a Decree, we have before considered, and of the nature of it; but we are now concerned in one great Article of it; as will appear more in the next head. Although this was from eternity fixed, and ratified; God himself is not more ancient than his Decree; yet if we will entertain right notions of it, we must not only confider it as already made. but in the making of it; or according to its nature: and here the cause of it, or what, in God, gives being to it, is to be weighed. Now the Apostle calls it the counsel of his will, Eph. I.II. and the reason is, because it is the product of his good pleasure; and it must needs be so, from the consideration of the nature of a Decree. If God had done all his works naturally, a Decree had been superfluous; we conceive a decree to be the issue of a deliberation, which hath room only in things voluntary. God doth not lay out his whole Omnipotency in his works of efficiency; there is the residue of the spirit with him: there are innumerable possible beings, which shall never have existence, equally capable of being serviceable to the glory of God, with those that be: whence is it then, that these, and no other do pass into futurity? nothing else can be assigned as the leading cause, but his meet pleasure; He could have made them if he would, and why would he not, but because he did not see it good so to do? Now, among those things thus willed by him, this was one, viz. The restitution of some of fallen men to happiness: and that this flows from his meet good pleasure, is the thing that I am now to make evident. And this may be cleared up to us in some instances; viz. That there should be such a restitution: That this should be terminated on mankind. That it should be conserred only upon some of this kind: That these and those persons individually, should be the subjects of it, and the rest should be left to perish in their misery, the last of these will come to be handled under the next head; we may take a brief account of the other then at present.

1. THAT there should be such a restitution. The meet good pleasure of God exerted itself in this determination, and there can be no other cause assigned for it: This will be made good by these Conclusion.

• 1. THAT the sixsal nature was in sily sallen into its as scry. There was no hard lealing in the first Covenant, which should call for an abatement in another. It God would have taken the toreiture, and pursued the sinful creature to destruction, it had been righteous: it was fallen into his hands and lay open to vergeance: Justice had its full scope to have protecured its quarrel, and recovered its own of sinners: and if God had seen meet to have said, so it shall be without any remedy, who should have been able to have found any the least fault with him? He was provoked to it; the sinner had dell • yel himself; he was dead to law; and what saith he, Psal. ii. 2. That then 〈◊〉 test be judfied wherein u • peatrej • , and be dead when th •• gaigese.
• 2. GOD and have recovered is run glory • f the return what any restutan n. God indeed made all things for his Glory; and he must have it by them: but then was no necessity that he must either restore the creature, or lose it. True, he had not had it in this way; but that was a thing arbitrary with him. That all are not restored, we have observed under the former head; that he is glorified in them, in their eternal destruction, is certain. We read, Psal. 9.16. and, Fzek. 26.22. I will be glor • sied in the widst of thee, and them shall know that I am the Lord, when I shall have executed judgment in her, and shall be sanctified in her. God gets himself an everlasting name, in the triumphs of revenging Justice over his enemies.
• 3. THE end of this restitution proves it to be of his will; which is the manisstation of his rich grace. Eph. 1.5, 6. Having predectinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will. To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein be hath made us accepted in the beloved. This will be after considered; only here we may sufficienly argue, that the great Epithet of Grace is, that it is free; and the freeness of it, is not meetly in the spontaneity of it; because God takes delight in • t; but also in the liberty of it; that the creature was fallen into his hands forseited, and he might have taken the forseiture, but of his own meet motion, without any necessity urging, he was pleased to remit it: if he had been under any other obligation, but his own will, it would have infringed the Grace appearing in it; but this makes it Grace indeed. Eph. 2. begin.
• 4. THE sinner cannot be restored without a ransom of God's own providing; and he was at his liberty whether he would provide one or no. The necessity of this way, will hereafter be considered: but, upon the supposition of it, this conclusion necessarily follows: that when the sinful creature had rejected God, and tained himself, God should be under a necessity of providing him one to repair him again, is against all reason: that there is such a thing revealed in the world, is a my stery where the very Angels are astonished at, a wonder which is unsearchable by as, and therefore He 〈◊〉 was provided for it, is upon this account called Wonderful, Isal. 9.5. Surely God's giving his Son, and Christ's undertaking, was an 〈◊〉 of the greatest liberty that ever was.

2. THAT this should be terminated an 〈◊〉 End. There were two sorts of creation fallen into Apostasy, and so become miserable, Angels &c Men. It is true, there were 〈◊〉 some Angels involved here, whereas the whole kind of men was comprehended in the full of Adam, and all the sorrowful effects of it. Now, that God provided Salvation for the one kind, and not for the other; that him should taste of this benefit, and not one of the apostate Angels, is very remarkable; the Ap • sile takes • p cial notice of it, and p ••• remark upon it. Heb. 2.1. For verily be and not in him the nature of Angels: but he and on him the seed of Abraham. But why he thus determined, can have to other cause asg •• d for it, than what is under consideration. For

• 1. GOD wed no were hardness to Men th •• be did to Devils. They were both in the some condemnation; God's natural goodness could not oblige him more to one than the other they were both his creatures, the work ••• ship of his hands, and both now equally he come rebels; and whatsoever aggravation we may put upon the sin of the one above the other, it is certain, both were horribly guity, both dolefully miserable; and if misery could have moved him, he would have seen as and reason for compassion to devils as men: 〈◊〉 doom is substantially the same, Mat. 25. • . Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting 〈◊〉 , prepared for the devil and his angels.
• 2. THE glory of his grace would have as 〈◊〉 appeared, in the salvation of Devils as of 〈◊〉 . They were as capable of being made moments of his free mercy: they had as gone sins to pardon, as horrible a pit to be devered from, there was as great a ransom and have gone, for their redemption; his love therefore would have as clearly & gloci •• ty appeared in this as the other.
• 3. THERE was nothing, that we know of, it their condition to have hindered his chasing then, if he had pleased. I know, some say, they had finned the sin against the Holy Ghost 〈◊〉 they say without book: we have no Sc •• ture account, that tells us, that God could not with the salving his honor, have re •••• them, as well as men, and at as cheap a p ••• n And indeed, were it not so, the Apostles 〈◊〉 phatical observation, Heb. 2.16. were of an validity; his distinguishing love to us could not be hereby made evident; because that was an obstacle.
• 4. THEY would have glorified God in this recovery us will as men do. The Angelically nature is nothing inferior, but indeed superior to that of man: they are of the own the more noble beings; man was made a little lower than they. It then, they had been recovered they would have done more than we can; they would have glorified God according to their nature, and that would have been eminently. There remains therefore nothing to make this difference upon, but his good pleasure.

3. THAT it should be conferred only upon some of this kind. Though God hath chosen this species of being to be the subjects of this rich favors; yet he hath not extended it to the whole species in all the Individuals; but there are only some, as was before evidenced, and these too but a few, in comparison of the residae. Now if it be inquired, why some, and not all; it will be found, that still the same account must be given. I am not now considering why this man rather than that; that will come after; but why not all as well as a number. And here,

• 1. THERE was virtue enough in the remedy provided for all as well as some. If the satisfaction of Christ had not been sufficient for all, it would not have been so for one: there would have needed no more cost to have been laid our for their Redemption. That one Sacrifice had a virtue in it that could not be exhausted, being infinite. Heb. 7.25. Wherefore he is able to so • e them to the uttermost, that come unto God by him. He is therefore said to be mighty to so • e, Isai. 63.1. His riches are unsearchable, Eph. 2.8.
• 2. THE justice of God would not have suffered 〈◊〉 injury by the delivery of all. It never set in such state and triumph, as when it had Christ the Son of God its prisoner, and laid upon him the sins of us all: and if this had been applied to all the children of men, Justice would have remained forever satisfied in it, having received a satisfactory oblation of Christ on their account: and this is a necessary inference from the former; for if there were enough, more could not have been needed.
• 3. THE mercy of God would have had so many the more everlasting monuments. God will be forever admired in all his Saints; the more then that there had been, the more instances flower would have had, for him thus to be admired in: and though it be certain, that the dammed are a • oil to set off God's distin ••• ing love to them that are saved; yet if all had been saved, the vast extensiveness of his Salvation, would have made the greater Chorus of those who would eternally have damned forth his praises, in everlasting Hal ••• jubs: and so he would have been no loser by it; where, to the satisfaction of justice, the triumph of grace had been added.
• 4. THEY were all alike involved in guilt, and • ap •• ed to his wrath. The whole race were 〈◊〉 alike miserable; they were all equally guilty, cursed, condemned; equally 〈◊〉 full of sin, and enmity; equally become ••••• itable: the condition of all was one and the same; there was no difference in them. Rom. 3.9. For we have before proved both Jews & Gentiles, that they are all under sin, Eph. 2.3. And why God should not damn all, or save all, but make such a vast difference in his dealings with some, and others, what other account can there be given of it, but this? it was his good pleasure so to do.

USE. LET this serve to discover to us the wonderful good will of God is the children of men, and encourage us to go to him for recovery out of our misery. Was poor man become miserable, by his own default? and was there nothing to oblige God to think a thought of mercy for him; but all provocation to stir him up to take his revenge upon him? and hath he yet for all that, of his own meet motion, most freely purposed, and declared his purpose to receive a number of this company? how wonderful is his loving kindness? how beyond comparison admirable is this benignity of his? that he should do so for enemies, traitors, those that had trampled upon his honor, despised the riches of his goodness, and made themselves as vile as could be? that could do nothing for him; that were become altogether unprofitable? and is his mere good pleasure the fountain of all this favor? be not then discouraged, reckon not any of those objections with which Satan and your misgiving hearts would go about to make you despair of his help, to be sufficient to damp your hopes, or drive you away from coming to him for his salvation: remembering that if it be his Pleasure that rules and determines this matter, he will most readily take such advantages as may give the clearest and most full demonstration of his using the sovereign liberty of his will; and therefore, though you have been the vilest, and most flagitious sinners in the world, yet, if he will have mercy because he will have mercy; you may for all this stand as fair as any, for the emanations of this favor to influence you; and bestow this wonderful restitution upon you; which may encourage you to come and ask it of him with hope.

SERMON LXXII.

4. THE Foundation of this Restitution: His Electing of them from all Eternity to Everlasting Life. Here was the design of man's Salvation laid and ratified. And here we are led to the contemplation of those mysterious Doctrines of Election and Reprobation, for the one of these supposeth the other, and the looking at them together will illustrate both: and because they are both comprised under the Divine Predestination; we may first take a brief account of that in general, and then proceed to those in particular.

1. OF Predestination in general, take this description, It is the Decree of God for the manifestation of his special glory 〈◊〉 the eternal state of men. • hat this 〈◊〉 to instinctly elucidated, let us observe.

• 1. THE thing deseribed; Predestination. We have this word used in, Rom. 8.20. Moreover, whom be did predestinate, them he also called. Eph. 1.5.11. Having predestinated us unto the adoption of ••• aren •• y Jesus Christ to himself, according t • they 〈◊〉 pleasure of his well. In whom a so we have branted • ninh r • tance being predestinated according to the purposes of him, who work 〈◊〉 all things after the counsel of his own will. The word signifies to define, determine or app ••• a thing beforehand; and it compriseth in it, the bounds set to it, the end it is designed for, and the means by which it is to attain it: hente it is translated, fore determined, Act. 4.28. Destination, is a certain designation of a thing in respect both to the end and means, which because it ward God be 〈◊〉 •••• es existe • de • is called Predestination. It is true the word in the places cited, is applied to Election; but is as a Genus predicated of one species, and there are words of a like import applied to the other, Jude 4. For there are certain men crept in unawares, who were before of old ordained to this condemnation. Greek: before written, a metaphor from records. That there is such a Predestination as is here described, may be inferred from the wisdom of God, which as it would not make a creature, but for an end; so it could not but accommodate to each an end according to the make of it; as will be further made to appear in the sequel.
• 2. THE general nature of it; It is the Decree of God. And so it agrees with his other Decrees. It is true, if we speak of God decreeing, so the decree is but one: but on the account of the things decreed, it is manifold; for in it is the whole contrivance of all the works of Efficiency, referring to all kinds and individuals; and since the executions are various, there must needs be the same variety in the contrivance, since all things are done according to that exemplar, Eph. 1.11. Who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will. Whatsoever then hath been already mentioned formerly referring to the Decree in general, is here applicable. All the Attributes which shine forth in the Decree, are here most illustrious; Infinite wisdom in the contrivance, Rom. 11.33. Sovereign freedom of will in the determination, Rom. 9.18. Immutability in the ratification, 2 Tim. 2.19.
• 3. THE special nature of it is expressed in the remainder of the description. For explication whereof, observe,

  1. THAT there is a special manifestation of his glory that God hath designed in some of his creatures. The whole world was to be •• mirror in which his glorious perfections were to be seen by reflection; and there is no second being but hears an impression upon it of some of these. Rom. 1.19, 20. There is his infinite, and eternal wisdom, power, and goodness to be read legibly in them. But then there is a peculiar glory of those moral virtues of his, Grace & Justice, in which he will be admired. Hence that remark, Rom. 9.22, 23 What if God, willing to show his wrath, and to make his power known, endured with much long suffering the vessels of wrath fitted to destination: And th •• he might make known the riches of his glory on the vessels of mercy which he had asore-prepared unto glory. And on this account we have before observed, that besides the common government by which God manageth the whole affair of the creation, there is also a special government, administered to some of his creatures; about which also his eternal purpose was concerned.

  2. THAT be ••• ••• d chosen man to be i • subject of the s • ine of these virtues. It is true the Angels also are to be annumerated 〈◊〉 these sa ••• subjects, but our 〈…〉 is •• iti • Ma •••• . These a •• 〈…〉 the more 〈◊〉 beings, and more of especially capable of these glorious impressions these therefore must be everlasting monuments of these, in whom they are to be seen forever. Here that, Mat. 25. ult. And these shall go away is everlasting punishment: but the righteous in life eternal. But for a more full and de • discovery of the nature of this great mystery, let us observe these things concerning it.

  1. THAT the Decree of God is an Immanent Act remaining in him. There are two sor •• Acts which according to our conception 〈◊〉 ascribe to God, Immanent and Transience: Transient Acts make a change in the creature, though none in him; they leave something behind them. Thus Creation leaves a World. Justification leaves a Pardon; and so of the rest; from which effects we acknowledge Efficiency unto God: the things thus lest are called his works. But Immanent his put nothing into, or leave no change upon the creature, of which sort is Predestination; 〈◊〉 remains in God, and makes no imprestion in the object of it, but it looks upon it, as having done neither good nor evil. Rom. 9.11.

  2. PREDESTINATION is an Eternal Decrees, or Act. This choice or appointment was made before the world had existence. Eph. 1.4. According as he hath chosen us in him, before the foundation of the world, that we should be ha •• , and without blame before him in love. Here that, Jer. 31.3. The Lord hath appeared of all unto me, saying, Yea, I have loved thee with 〈◊〉 everlasting love: therefore with loving kindness have I drawn thee. It was before any of the works of efficiency were brought forth. It is true, it makes no inward difference in the creature, before the application of grace by the Spirit, in effectual vocation, till when, all are in a like state. Eph. 2.3.1 Cor. 6.11. And hence it is a secret not known to us, 〈◊〉 til it come to be discovered by us in this fruit of it. 1 Pet. 1.10. Yet it lies hid in the breast of him who predestinated from eternity. There was before time a being of this Decree; and God knoweth who are his. 2 Tim. 2.19. Nevertheless, the foundation of God standeth. sure, having this seal, the Lord knoweth them that are his.

  3. PREDESTINATION, in God, is one simple and immutable all. It is not various, or succedencous; God did not purpose one thing before another, but all at once, in the same instant of eternity. And this will be made evident if we consider,

  1. HIS Simplicity: Intimated in that, Exed. 3.14. I AM THAT I AM. There is indium nothing past, or to come, • ut all is present: Whatsoever he decreeth, he always did and will do it; all act, Immanent in God are God himself, only distinguished in our conception: God is always the same without any change.

  2. HIS Eternity: His Decrees, being Himself, are Eternal. They are his everlasting purposes: God comprehends all things and events tonching the creature, together and at once in the moment of eternity, in which there is no succession, and therefore there can be no priority or p • stertority in the act of decreeing.

• 4. THOUGH there be no order of succession in the act, yet in respect of the things decreed, and in our conception, there is such an order.

  1. IN the things decreed. This is very or servable in the connections of those things mentioned, Rom. 8.30. Moreover, whom he did predestinate, them be also called: and where be called, them he also justified; and whom he justified, them be also gloristed. A man upon 〈◊〉 high Tower, sees an army of men, passing by at one cast of his eye; but yet there is 2 succession in the army; and they follow one mother: God sees all things at once in the Decree in the infinite understanding of his, but the things decreed by him are put into their several ranks and orders of being: the decree is in this respect compared to writing in a book, where things are written in order. Psal. 139.16. And,

  1. THERE are various objects of the Decree. There were divers members to be fashioned. Psal. 139.16. There are innumerable things about which the decree is concerned, all of which it looketh upon; for whatsoever divine efficiency brings forth in time, was the object of the decree in eternity, and that not only as to beings or creatures, but as to all the disposures and changes that they are concerned in; everyone of these had a place in this purpose.

  2. THERE is an order and subordination in these various objects of the Decree. The things themselves, are not co-ordinate, but they have a concatenation in them; and there are some which go before, and others follow after. Hence that account in, 1 Cor. 3.22, 23. The nature and operation of the things themselves, is an evident demonstration of this.

  3. HENCE some things are both means and ends in different respests. There is indeed a 〈◊〉 that is not an end, as that which is first in order; and there is an end which is never a mean, as that which is the last; because we must determine somewhere: but then, there is that which is an end in the subordination of foregoing means, and yet but a mean as it is leading to an higher •• d. Now this subordination was places 〈◊〉 the decree, there God stated it; and therefore in respect of the things. God perpos • d and appointed this thing to be for: that and that for another; His own Glory 〈◊〉 and all things for that. Prov. 16.4. and yet some things more immedeately for it, other more med • ately, so as that they touch other! f • ric • r ends by the way, though they do not tarry at them. See l ••• . 2.21, 22.

  2. I our manner of C • nception and that is according to the nature of things, and suitably t • acr • and understanding we conceive of God's decrees in a national way, or according to the manner 〈◊〉 men in their purposing a • d decreeing in which we lesign one thing for a o • her; and hence first one thing and then another: such 〈◊〉 thens are we necessitated to take u • of God, as of a cause by counsel, first, pro • sing the end, and then laying out of them a • s. R • m. 〈◊〉 . 29.20 because else we could entertain to conceptions at all about this glorious, mystery, but must be wholly ignot ••• of it.

• 5. THE true order of intention which we sorbent. G • d is 〈◊〉 of Analysis. This is well to be obien ••• else we shall be left in out speculation. We are not to conceive of it in the method of execution; which is G • antical; for then we must ascribe divers acts 〈◊〉 God su ••• ed in was, which may not be. If God's intention should be first to make a world, then ma • in it, ma • e him righteous, enter into a Covenant with him, suffer him to fall, then se • d his Son to recover him again; and devise a new Coverant to repair the damages of the first; this would necessitate divers distinct subsequent purposes: but here, that which is first in the order of intention, is last in the execution: so that by Analysing the works of God, we find the order of his Decrees: and this is consentany to our way of working, in which that which we first intend or purpose is brought about by an order of means, which being contrived for the effecting of the thing intended, must all of them be employed, and do their work in their order, before the thing be accomplished, which is a resultancy from them. We therefore apprehend, the order of the decree, according to the intention of end and means; so that in our conception, and with regard to the things, this single decree hath two parts in it, viz. the designation of the end, and the assignation of the means. There is no wise Agent, but he determines a • end of making, and lays out the way in which to bring it about. There are two words used, Rom. 8. 29, 30. sore-knowledge, which is the appointment of the end, and predestination, which is of the means unto it; and there is no other order that we can assign of God's intention: for whatsoever is intended, it is under the consideration of good: now everything is either good for itself, and that points us to the last end; or else for some other, and that belongs to the nature of means; and there is no third way in which we can attribute goodness to a thing. The end therefore in order of intention is before the means; it must needs be so, for the end is more excellent than the means: Mat. 6.23. That is willed for itself, whereas the other is always willed with a reference to that; and therefore the intention of the end is the cause of the intention of the means; they had never been purposed but for that.
• 6. THE last end of God's purpose of Predestination, is the menifestation of his even glory, in the way of Justice & Grace. This is the thing he aimed at in it: and all his dispensations towards this creature, are means suhordinated to this end, yea God hath a special eye to this in his government of the world: God wills his own glory ultimately, and all other things for it. Prov. 16.4. and God intended the unfolding of his other Attributes for the Illustration of these; this therefore is the last in execution; for when God hath led the whole Creation through all the various changes ordained by him, he will finally make this glory to shine forth out of them. back. 28.23. And when the stage of the lower world is pulled down, & folded up as a garment, then shall the highest Heaven be the place in which his grace shall be celebrated in the everlasting monuments of it; and the elementary world be turned into an hell, where Justice shall sit in triumph through Eternity.
• 7. THE only efficient cause of this Predestination, is the good pleasure of God. This we have already observed in the first cause of man's restitution, and that both as to the thing itself, and the proper subjects of it. It must needs then be so in the designation of it: the moving cause of divine Predestination is not to be found anywhere out of God. Exod. 33. 19. The holy Scripture resolveth it all into his sole will. There are two expressions in, Eph. 1.5.11. which assure us that this Predestination is fountained in the good pleasure of God. (1.) It is called the good pleasure of his will, v. 5. by virtue of which he disposeth all things arbitrarily; so Christ acknowledge eth Mat. 11.25. (2.) The counsel of his will, v. 11. whereby though he doth things arbitratily, yet not unadvisedly, there was a counsel about it, and therefore it is devised beforehand. And hence, though it be an immanent, yet it is not a necessary act, but properly voluntary: there are acts that we ascribe to God which are natural, and so necessary, such as active generation, or the eternal begetting of the Son, and the procession of the Holy Spirit: but God might from eternity have willed otherwise than he did in this decree. He was under no obligation to this more than to that, antecedently to his purpose: Hence also his decree doth not presume any quality foreseen in the creature, for which it so determineth concerning it; because it is eternal; for if it should pres ••• any such qualities, and proceed according to them, their suturation should be before the decree itself, and so we must seck 〈◊〉 high • t reason for their, which i • ••• mpo ••• to find.
• 8. THE object of this Predestination is Man, considered as a possible being; or capable, in God's Al • sufficiency of being whatsoever be 〈◊〉 leaseth. It is needful that we rightly cenceive in what respect Man came into this act of Predestination; and it must be in this and no other. For,

  1. THE object of the decree is from eternan. There cannot be an act without an object act we conceive of an act of Predestination, 〈◊〉 must conclude there is something predestinated, and it must therefore be as ancient as the decree in which it is.

  2. HENCE the object of the Decree is in God. It must be sought for and found in him, and nowhere else; for there is no other Eternal Being but he; and so in the days of eter ••• he could not see any being out of himself.

  3. THE object of the Decree is that which is order gooth before the Decree: i. e. in only of the conception, and of the nature of things. We cannot make any sense of a decree about nothing; for that would be no decree; God must have something in his eye, or his infinite understanding, on which to determine his purpose.

  4. THERE is nothing goes before the Decry in any order, but God's All sufficiency, on which the possibility of the creature is founded. If 〈◊〉 employed contemplation in the consideration of things antecedently to the purpose of God's all we can say about them is, that Divi •• Omnipotency was able to give a real being to them, if he saw meat.

  5. HENCE the object of the Decree is the which by the Decree passeth from a mere possible to suturition. It was possible before, but now it is future. In the divine nature we may conclude that it might be, but it is by the decree that we may conclude that it shall be, for it is certain, that all shall not be, that might be. When God hath done all, he hath the residue of the spirit. Mal. 2.15. And hence Predestination doth not consider the existence of the creature by creation, as the Sublaps • rians suppose, because creation comes within the compass of the decree, as a medium. Not yet doth it suppose the prevision of the corrupt mass of mankind in the state of apostasy, which those also plead; for then God should have intended to make man, before he had intended what to do with him; but this also was put in as another medium to the bringing about of the purpose.

NOW further to evince the Necessity of such a decree of Predestination, besides what was before intimated, from the consideration of the infinite Wisdom of God, which would never set him on work to do anything, without a design what to do with it, we may further argue it,

1. FROM the dependence, as of all second •• ings, so of man upon the will of God. If •• an be to be guided to his end by the divine • ill, there must then be such a will of God 〈◊〉 which he 〈◊〉 •• ides him: and h •• nce he • ust have designed in his own meast an end 〈◊〉 which he will guide and lead him; which • ath been before proved in the consideration 〈◊〉 special Government; and this must needs •• fet such a Predestination as we assert.

2. BECAUSE without this Predestination of man, the whole frame of in ••• stant beings must •• e useless; At least they would in a great measure lose their end. We see all in this lower world is subordinated to the use and service of man; I •• s. 2.21, 22. and if he be not ultimately made to bring glory to God, they would suffer vanity; as for the present they seem to do, 〈◊〉 grean under it. Rom. 8.19. If then God decreed to have his entire glory by the whole universe, he could not but design a special glory by man, else there would be a stop put to the aim of those subordinate media, which cannot be.

3. BECAUSE man were not else at the liberty and dispose of God, if he were not under a decree of Predestination. If he were not at the dispose of God's counsel, he were from under his power; but now, hereby man appears to be at the will of his Creator, when he is a subject of divine Predestination. Rom. 9.19. Herein God appears to be a most sovereign Potter, to have power ever the most noble and curious piece of clay, in his own workmanship, to make of it a vessel of honor or dishonor according to his pleasure; and God will not lose his prerogative over his works.

4. FROM the impossibility of God's infinite foreknowledge, not to have so determined, concerning all second beings before the world was. The creature is a product of God's counsel, and all its changes and contingencies flow as consequents upon the same counsel: Now the Apostle tells us that foreknowledge and predestination are linked together. Rom. 8.29. For if God foreknew all the Events be falling the reasonable creature, he then predestinated them to them; for it is certain, that when all things were nowhere but in the mind of God, in the days of eternity, he could foreknow nothing of them, but what was his determinate will and counsel concerning them. And this may suffice in general.

USE I. IS all the world of men under a decree of Predestination? Know it then whosoever you are, that God will get something by you. He will gain his glory either from you or upon you. Here you may be assured that God did not make you for nothing; and this consideration if rightly pondered on, will be so far from producing that diabolical neglect of all means of Grace, and adventuring the hazard of our eternal state upon the decree, that it will teach the miserable creature, as long as it is in a state of uncertainty, to be going trembling every day, under the impression of such considerations, I was not made for nothing; God made me for his own glory, and his glory he will get cut of me; if then I do not serve and glorify him in my life and ••• versation, and slady to live so as to 〈…〉 preise •• 〈…〉 in my curne, and evertasting misery. And this will teach you of what infinite concernment it is, and how it stands you in hand, to lay about you, in this the day of grace, to make sure of his love and favor, and to make sure to prevent the woeful hazard that you are otherwise running into.

USE II LET it counsel us by way of caution, to make improvement of this Doctrine in the order that God hath revealed it in. i.e. Remember that as God hath predestinated all to the end, so to the means: and therefore to take heed of separating between these: beware of the desperate conclusion of some, If I am elected, &c. this is to pervert this Doctrine to the hazard of our undoing: remember predestination is a secret with God, and we can know it only by the event, and so, as it doth not discourage from using means, so will it not excuse our neglect: if we do so finally neglect, it will prove our reprobation; but not hinder our just condemnation. And till we have made sure of converting grace, we can have no comfortable assurance of our election; think it then your interest to make your calling sure, by a careful waiting upon God in all the ways of his appointment for his grace, and by this way you may come to know the good thoughts of love that God had for you from eternity; and so be able to adore and worship him with thankful praise for it: assuring yourselves, that the Gospel invitations are proposed unto you, and if you do heartily accept of and comply with them, you shall be sure of eternal life; but if you do reject them, it is your own willfulness, and will make you more guilty before God.

SERMON LXXIII.

2. WE now proceed to the consideration of the sorts of Predestination, which are two, viz. Election, and Reprobation. The former whereof is here expressly pointed to, and the latter is implied, and both of which are clearly held forth in the Scripture; and are necessarily inserted from the ends which men are Predestinated unto.

BEFORE I come to treat of them severally, I shall observe something about them conjunctly. And here, two things may be spoken to,

• 1. To make it appear that both of these are contained in the decree of Predestination.
• 2. To make some general Observations on them.

1. IT will be evident that both of these are comprised in the decree of Predestination, if we observe these things,

1. IF the virtue of Christ's obedience be not applied •••• an a sat •• ion, but only to some, them as there a distant a of men, and a se • cration and between there is the eternal de • rce. What is in God's providence effected in t • me, was to tai • ed in the bowels of the de • rce from ever ••• y. God, in his ••• e • y works after the 〈◊〉 of his purpose and by what is do • e in time, we come to know what was into dod in the days of eternity. And in the present affair it is certain, that the application of Christ's Redemption depends absolutely on God, and is the work of his Holy Spirit. Hence that, Joh. 6. • 7. All that the father giveth me, shall come to me: and him that c •• eth to 〈◊〉 . I will in no wise cast out. If Christ had only purchased a Redemption for all, and offered it accordingly, and left it to man's liberty to accept or refuse it, there were no force in this argument, but it is far otherwise God hath not s • on meet hitherto, to publish these glad tidings everywhere, and we may be sure that he interds: of their salvation for if he designed the end, he would have designed the means. Hence that, 2 Cor. 4.3. But if our Gospel be hid, it is hit to th • re that are lost. And where this Gospel doth come, all do not cordially entertain and comply with in. And altho man's enmity and obstinacy be the blamearle cause of it, and is so charged, Joh, 5. • 0. And ye will not came to me that ye might have life. Yet if the reason of the difference, or why some do, and others do not, be sought for, we may trace it up higher, and find it to be in the divine pleasure. Hence that in Rom. 9.16. So then it is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that showeth mercy. And in Deut. 29.2, 3, 4. And all this will finally issue in his purpose, according to Rom. 8.28.

2. THE Election of some only insers the Reprobation of others. There are three things contained in this Argument,

• 1. THAT there are some Elected. That there is a decree of election, is so positively and frequently asserted in Scripture, that very few have had the impudence directly to deny, but rather seek to corrupt the doctrine of it. We are told of God's eled. Mat. 24.22, 31. Tu. 1.1. Of the election, referring to a company, Rom, 11.5, 7. Of our being chosen, &c. Eph. 1.4. and this cannot be • ationally applied to anything but an e ••• nal purposing of their salvation.
• 2. THAT there are but some Elected. That this election is of persons, and not of qualifications, is so evident in the word of God, that there is no r • on of justly calling it in question; a • d may be afterwards more fully evidenced. Now these Elect are not all, and therefore they can be but some: that there are but some restored, we have before observed and proved, and that will infer this conclusion according to the foregoing argument; but the Gospel also puts a clear distinction between the elect and the rest. Rom. 11.7. What then? Israel hath not obtained that which be seeketh for, but the election hath 〈◊〉 it, and the rest were blinded. We therefore read in Act. 1 • .28. Nor will all the evasion used, take off the force of the inference.
• 3. THAT it have a plainly sail •• es, that thy who are not ••• ded are Reprobated. This i • that which carnal minds are unwilling 〈◊〉 receive, but the argument is undeniable. Election in the propriety of the notion of it, is a chasing of some, with a leaving of oath •• , and with at this there is no proper election for it all be taken, and none refused, in what sense can it be called a choice? Now th •• dereliction, or leaving of men must noth ••• infer at least a negative Reprobation; for it plainly saith, that God would not app ••• these to salvation by Christ. But • e ••• this, if we remember that, in the decree, God hath appointed all his creatures to the 〈◊〉 unto which they certainly and without 〈◊〉 arrive at last, and then consider that the •• are but some that he hath ordained to 〈◊〉 and left out the rest, they must needs th •• be ordained to something else, and that invincibly infers a positive Reprobation; and this distinction is to be gathered from the in, 1 Thes. 5.9. For God hath not appoint •• as to wrath: but to obtain salvation by 〈◊〉 Lord Jesus Christ.

3. THIS n •• fold decree of Election and •• probation plainly appears from the consider 〈◊〉 of the divine Attributes which God aims 〈…〉 advancing of in and by mankind. These 〈◊〉 his revenging Justice, and his rich Go •• That he hath such a design, hath form •• been made to appear, and is plain from 〈◊〉 solemn Text, Rom. 9.22, 23. What if God 〈◊〉 to show his wrath, and make his power 〈◊〉 endared with much long suffering the ves •• of wrath fitted to destruction: And that he 〈◊〉 make known the riches of his glory on the 〈◊〉 of mercy, which he hath afore prepared 〈◊〉 glory? There must therefore be ves •• 〈◊〉 both these, or subjects who are to be ••• ments of them: otherwise this design 〈◊〉 fail. If then, God had such a purpose as 〈◊〉 is from eternity, as we are told he had, 〈◊〉 did accordingly design who should be the monuments of each of them, then there 〈◊〉 an act in the decree concerning them 〈◊〉 which in respect to the one of them is ri •• lie called Election, and in regard to the 〈◊〉 as properly termed Reprobation. For if 〈◊〉 events do not fall out sortaitously, but according to God's fore-ordination, it must nee •• so. We read, Jud. 4. There are certian ••• crept in unawares, who were before of old • dained to this condemnation. Prov. 16.4. 〈◊〉 Lord hath made all things for himself: 〈◊〉 even the wicked for the day of evil. And it were not thus, God would be at an ••• tainly about the event, whether these •• butes should obtain the glory aimed 〈◊〉 be disappointed of it.

4. IF there are some vessels deputed for h •• and others for dishonor, then there are 〈◊〉 two decrees. That there is such a deputation we may safely infer from the Apostles comparison in, 2 Tim. 2.20. But in agrees house there are not only vessels of gold, and if selver, but also of wood and of earth; and some to •••• our, and some to dishonor. For though' Allegorical Scriptures are to be cautiously used, and not over-strained, yet doubtless they are written for some purpose, and that which is the main scope of them is to be inferred from them. Now the apostle had in v • r. 19. been speaking of the foundation on which our salvation is built, viz. God's sore knowledge, which infers his purpose, as hath been before evinced: here therefore by this comparison be illustrates the difference that is put between them, in respect of the ends they are to serve to; noting that all are not appointed for that honor that some are, but to disho •• r, and it seems to arm at the same thing which he more expressly illustrates in, Rom. 2.21. Hath not the potter power over the clay, of 〈◊〉 same lamp to make one vessel to h • n • ur, and another unto dishonor? Now this depu •• tion necessarily infers these decrees; for in what other sense can we suppose them to be so deputed? and as the use is vastly diffe 〈◊〉 , so we may well assign divers articles in the decree about them.

5. THE consideration of the two places which God hath prepared for the everlasting abode of 〈◊〉 s • cts of men, will clear the doctrine of those decrees. That mankind shall finally 〈◊〉 divided into two companies, the one whereof shall have their eternal abode in 〈◊〉 , and the other shall be in Hell for 〈◊〉 a soleme Scripture truth: and this 〈◊〉 would infer the truth before us, upon a due weighing of it; but it will yet 〈◊〉 manifest, when we consider that these places were fore-prepared for these uses; in which we are also confirmed by full Scripture •• inony. Of the preparation of them we may read, Math. 25.34, 41. Then shall the 〈◊〉 say unto them on his right hand, Come ye 〈◊〉 of my father, inb • rit the kindom pre •••• for you from the foundation of the world. 〈◊〉 shall be say also unto them on the left hand, 〈◊〉 from me ye cursed, into everlasting fire, 〈◊〉 for the devil and his angels. Isal. 30. ult. 〈◊〉 is ordained of old: yea, for the king impropered, be hath made it deep and large: 〈◊〉 thereof is fire and much wood, the breath of the Lord like a stream of brimstone doth kin ••• In both which places we are given to 〈◊〉 and, that the preparation principally •••• ed is that which was in the eternal ••• sed and purpose of God; though' it also i ••• des that which is done about it in the 〈◊〉 of efficiency; and it is to be observed, 〈◊〉 there are also pointed the subjects for 〈◊〉 they were prepared; and can we sup ••• that God would prepare them for such 〈◊〉 and not intend to occupy them according And how can we frame a conception 〈◊〉 minds of his purpose so to occupy 〈◊〉 without the respect to the subjects ••• ed for them? for God doth nothing in vain; and if he purpose anything, he doth it unchangeably, and will therefore give being to it: for all these reasons then we are obliged to believe firmly that there are such decrees as these comprised in Predestination.

II. IT follows now that we make some general observations on them. There are some things to be taken notice of that are necessary to be well pondered, in order to our right conception of these decrees; and they are these that follow,

1. THAT Election and Reprobation have no dependence upon any foresight of good or evil in the creature. Mans curiousity would fain be prying into divice secrets, and must be latished in the reason of the vast difference which is put between these and those; that this should be chosen, and that past by: and man's pride will not suffer him to rest satisfied in the sovereignty of God, or allow him that his will should be the supreme cause of all things; hence, they must find the reason in the creature himself: and because the creature had no being when this decree past, they therefore will have it to run upon the consideration of God's foresight of what men will afterwards be, whereupon God determines their everlasting state accordingly: and so they make this foresight antecedent to, and the cause of, Election and Reprobation: pretending hereby to salve the honor of God's Justice, and free him from the imputation of partiality and cruelty: whereas mean while they go about to rob him of his God head, by setting themselves against his sovereignty, and under-mining his all-efficiency. God's fore sight cannot see any future thing, but what his own decreeing will hath made future. There is nothing left in the nature of fallen man that makes him worthy of, or disposed to receive the grace of God: nor anything more in one than another; the best disposition being full of enmity. Rom. 7.8. Good natured persons sometimes do most slight the offers of the Gospel, when the most unhewn and refractory are won to the obedience of faith. If any believe on Christ and are saved, it is not of themselves, but the gift of God. Eph 2.8. For by grace are ye saved, through faith, and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God. And God can, and frequently doth apply this to the chief of sinners, when he passeth by others. Nor indeed have all the means of grace allowed them, but multitudes live and die without any offer of salvation by Christ made unto them: and there can be no other reason rendered why these offers are made to some, and not to others, but God's mere pleasure. Deut. 7.7, 8. The Lord did not set his love upon you nor choose you, because ye were more in number than any people (for ye were the fewest of all people.) But because the Lord loved you. The Apostle therefore sets himself directly to oppose this opinion, by introducing the example of Jacob and Esau, Rom. 9.11, 12.

2. THAT God's love to some was not the cause of their Election, nor was his hatred of others the cause of their Reprobation. This may seem mysterious at the first glance, but, if well considered, it will appear to be a great truth. We ascribe love and hatred to God according to the manner of men, not that there are affections or passions properly in him, but because of the various effects of his will in the works of his efficiency, upon the subjects in which they are wrought; love and hatred presome an object, and something that is in it which renders it either lovely or hateful; and that is either good or evil; but we observed in the former, that God had no eye to either of these in his passing of these acts; because there was no such thing in the creature to look upon, it neither having existence or futurity antecedent to this decree. When therefore Election is set forth by love, and Reprobation by hatred, it is by a metonymy, in as much as these are consequent thereupon. Rom. 9.13. The elected are designed to partake in God's love, the reprobate to feel the effects of his displeasure, which is called hatred: There is indeed an infinite good will of God in his electing any, and hence he is said to love them from eternity. Jer. 31.3. The Lord hath appeared of old unto me, saying, Tea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love. But this love did not move him to elect them, but this election did freely and voluntarily resolve to love them; so that this love did not procure their election; but it had its rise and original in the election. God did not elect them because he loved them, but he loved them in electing them. God's love and hatred do most eminently appear in the salvation of some, and the damnation of others, and this belongs to the execution of the decrees of election, and reprobation; and must therefore needs presuppose them. God, in the intention of the means for the exaltation of the glory of his Justice and Mercy, did secretly purpose to permit some to fall into sin, and damn them for it; and to restore others by Christ, and bestow eternal life upon them, which intention of God, is interpretatively called his love and hatred; because such contrary effects do follow upon them.

3. THAT Election and Reprobation are acts of God's good pleasure, or his own infinite scislove. The truth is, there is nothing that we can think of, wherein the holy sovereignty of God doth more eminently appear than in these decrees: and here is the highest cause, that can possibly be assigned to them. When we have run things up to the divine will, we have gone as high as we can. It is the prerogative of God to do what he will, and he can do no wrong in his so doing: if he pleaseth himself, there is no second being hath any cause to be displeased. It is a flower of his crown, and he will not part with it. Isai. 42.8. I am the Lord, that is my Name, and my glory will I not give to another. All God's works are voluntary, he is a 〈◊〉 workman, and hath an end in them all, 〈◊〉 is ultimately his own glory, beyond which 〈◊〉 was impossible that he should have a • esp ••• nor any other equal unto it. In the adva ••• meant of this glory on and by reasou ••• creatures, he has an eye and respect to these precious Attributes of Justice and G •••• which he would have these to be the •••• ments; and accordingly in his unsearcha ••• wisdom, he contrived the way in which 〈◊〉 might be brought about, so as that 〈◊〉 might shine forth in greatest luster, for 〈◊〉 he laid out an order of means, and six • d 〈◊〉 purpose concerning these things, is 〈◊〉 he determined the Instances of the one 〈◊〉 the other; which determination, with 〈◊〉 to the advancement of his Grace, is ca ••• Election. and that which refers to reve ••• Justice, is called Reprobation: now 〈◊〉 this he acted his mere pleasure; as there doth by the lump of clay that is before 〈◊〉 to work upon.

4. THAT Election is no act of mercy, with is R • probation any act of justice. The 〈◊〉 of considering this, hath created many 〈◊〉 judices in the minds of men, whiles, 〈◊〉 have been at a loss about the concep •••• the right cause, and have perplexed 〈◊〉 selves in enquiring, where is the just ••• 〈◊〉 the latter; and the only way to 〈◊〉 these prejudices is to reduce them to 〈◊〉 proper head. It is true, these dec ••••• for their last end, the illustration 〈◊〉 two glorious Attributes of God; as we 〈◊〉 observed: but though these are ill •••• by them, yet they are not exerted in 〈◊〉 . They were not the impulsive cause of 〈◊〉 making these decrees; He was not 〈◊〉 thereto by the influence of them. 〈◊〉 supposeth a miserable object, the 〈◊〉 whereof moves it to pity, and pround 〈◊〉 relieve it. Reverging Justice, supp •••• guilty creature, that hath made it 〈◊〉 n • xious to wrath, the provocation of 〈◊〉 st • rs it up to take vengeance: where 〈◊〉 creature considered as the object of 〈◊〉 decrees, was neither miserable not 〈◊〉 but only possible. Besi1des, these decr •••• fixed on the persons that are the subject 〈◊〉 each: now mercy might have been as 〈◊〉 exalted in the salvation of Judas as of 〈◊〉 and justice might as well have triump •••• the ruin of Jacob as of Esan: so that 〈◊〉 could not move God rather to election nor justice engage him rather to re ••••• Judas: where the condition was on all 〈◊〉 alike, nothing but Sovereignty could 〈◊〉 mine.

5. ELECTION is no act of rewarding 〈◊〉 goodness, nor Reprobation of punishing 〈◊〉 sinfulness. God doth not bestow any 〈◊〉 pense upon men by electing them; nor 〈◊〉 he inflict any penalty on them by res •••• them. We formerly took notice that 〈◊〉 decrees appertain to the immanent ac •••• God, and therefore the creature is no 〈◊〉 a ••• cted by them; whereas rewards and ••• ishments are transient acts, and terminate 〈◊〉 the creature which is the subject of them. •• sides, it is to be well minded, that rewards and penalties, do presuppose some transaction •• de between God and the creature, in which these are promised or threatened on the supposition of something going before; and must be referred either to the Covenant of Works, or to the Gospel Covenant; whereas these Covenants do belong to the means in and by which God brings about his purposes concerning men; and so are referred to the ••• ation of the decree; and therefore not punnished in the constitution of it: not indeed could 〈…〉 upon the creature before it •• d a being, and 〈◊〉 was not come under the terms of either of th • se Covenants.

6. THAT Election as not an 〈◊〉 of blessing; 〈◊〉 i • Reprobation an ac • of cursing. This will be evident from the same reason with the former, viz. because these are transient-acts, leaving an impr •• i • : on the creature, which the decree doth not. But besides ••• t, it may be farther inferred, because, on this supposal, every elect person should be a ••• lly a blessed are always, and every reprobate a cursed potion, immediately upon the passing of the decree; but so it is not: this is very evident; The • allen Angels were reprobate before their sall, but they were • p • o •• sed but upon their fall; Multitudes of mankind were reprobated before the ap ••• cy, but the curse came in upon it; it 〈◊〉 contained in the threat • ing, which did up ••• e place till sin had brought them ••• er it, and if man had not sinned, it had never come upon them. Man in his primitive 〈…〉 a probationer for felicity, and was act ••• y neither happy nor miserable, till by his own act he determined the case concerning himself; and there are many elect, v •••• re for the present accursed. Paul was so, when a Pharisee, and a persecutor of Christ, though then he was a chosen vessel; and 〈◊〉 ••• sians were before their conversion c •••• ren of wrath even as others, Eph. 2.3. 〈◊〉 sentence of death, which is the curse of the law, lies upon all men, till they are p •••• out from it by the effectual application of the grace of God to them.

7. THAT Election is no act of justification, 〈◊〉 is Reprobation an act of condemention. In the pursuit of these decrees, men do arrive at one of these in the conclusion; but these ••• ences do not pass upon them in and by the decrees: These are sorinsecal acts, they captain in them a sentence passing upon the c •• ture, upon the trial of his cause, and f •• ding him either clear or guilty, whereas 〈◊〉 had done nothing at all, when these de ••• were enacted. The Angels were made ••• y, but neither were the standing Angels j ••••• ied, nor Devils condemned, till upon the trial of their obedience, some proved this fidelity and were acquitted, others f • ll into rebellion, and were for that condemned. Jude 6. And as to mankind, as they were made upright, in pursuance of the decree, so there was no sentence past upon them till they had been proved; and when they fell under the curse, they were all condemned to death, Rom. 5.12. Wherefore as by one man s • n e • tread into the world, and death by sin: and so death hath pasted upon all men, for that all have sinned: the elect as well as the reprobate; and the justification of some comes in upon their believing in Christ. Rom. 5.1. and as long as they continue in unbelief they are under condemnation. Job. 3.18, 26. not are they removed from it by the decree, but by the grace which is consequent upon it.

8. THE decree of Election and Reprobation are without r ••