VI. Although the work of redemption was not actually wrought by Chrift till after his incarnation, yet the virtue, efficacy, and benefits thereof, were communicated unto the elect in all ages fucceffively from the beginning of the world, in and by thofe promises, types, and facrifices, wherein he was revealed and fignified to be the feed of the woman, which fhould bruife the ferpent's head, and the Lamb flain from the beginning of the world, being yesterday, and to-day the fame, and for ever m. VII. Chrift, in the work of mediation, acteth according to both natures; by each nature doing that which is proper to itself n: yet, by reafon of the unity of the per tranfgreffion, and to make an end of fins, and to make reconciliation for iniquity, and to bring in everlafting righteoufnefs, and to feal up the vision and prophecy, and to a noint the most holy. v. 26. And after threescore and two weeks fhall Meffiah be cut off, but not for himfelf: and the people of the prince that fhall come, fhall deftroy the city, and the fanctuary, and the end thereof fhall be with a flood, and unto the end of the war defolations are determined. Col. i. 19. For it pleafed the Father, that in him Thould all fulness dwell; v. 20. And (having made peace through the blood of his crofs) by him to reconcile all things unto himself, by him, I fay, whether they be things in earth, or things in heaven. Eph. i. 11. In whom alfo we have obtained an inheritance, being predeftinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counfel of his own will. v. 14. Which is the earnest of our inheritance, until the redemption of the purchafed poffeffion, unto the praise of his glory. John xvii. 2. As thou haft given him power over all flesh, that he fhould give eternal life to as fon, many as thou haft given him. Heb. VI. m Gal. iv. 4. But when the fulness of the time was come, God fent forth his Son made of a woman, made under the law. v. 5. To redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of fons. Gen. iii. 15. And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy feed and her feed: it fhall bruife thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel. Rev. xiii. 8. And all that dwell upon the earth fhall worship him, whofe names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb flain from the foundation of the world. Heb. xiii. 8. Jefus Chrift the fame yesterday, and to-day, and for ever. VII. n Heb. ix. 14. (See letter k, fcripture Chap. VIII. fon, that which is proper to one nature, is fometimes in fcripture attributed to the perfon denominated by the other nature a. VIII. To all thofe for whom Chrift hath purchased redemption, he doth certainly and effectually apply and communicate the fame p; making interceffion for them q; and revealing unto them, in and by the word, the myfteries of falvation r; effectually perfuading them by his Spirit to believe and obey; and governing their hearts by his there fhall be one fold, and one shepherd. k, fcripture the fecond.) 1 Pet. iii. 18. For Chrift alfo hath once fuffered for fins, the juft for the unjuft, (that he might bring us to God,) being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit. • Acts xx. 28. Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghoft hath made you overfeers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood. John iii. 13. And no man hath afcended up to heaven, but he that came down from heaven, even the Son of man which is in heaven. 1 John iii. 16. Hereby perceive we the love of God, because he laid down his life for us and we ought to lay down our lives for the bre thren. VIII. p John vi. 37. All that the Father giveth me, fhall come to me; and him that cometh to me, I will in no wife caft out. v. 39. And this is the Father's will which hath fent me, that of all which he hath given me, I fhould lofe nothing, but fhould raife it up again at the laft day. John x. 15. As the Father knoweth me, even fo know I the Father and I lay down my life for the sheep. v. 16. And other fheep I have, which are not of this fold: them alfo I must bring, and they fhall hear my voice; and : : q 1 John ii. 1. My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye fin not. And if any man fin, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jefus Chrift the righteous : v. 2. And he is the propitiation for our fins and not for ours only, but alfo for the fins of the whole world. Rom. viii. 34. Who is he that condemneth? It is Chrift that died, yea rather, that is rifen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh interceffion for us. r John xv. 13. Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends. V. 15. Henceforth I call you not fervants; for the fervant knoweth not what his lord doth: but I have called you friends; for all things that I have heard of my Father, I have made known unto you. Eph. i. 7. In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of fins, according to the riches of his grace: v. 8. Wherein he hath abounded toward us in all wisdom and prudence. v. 9. Having made known unto us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure, which he hath purpofed in himself. John xvii. 6. I have manifefted thy name unto the men which thou ga his word and Spirit ; overcoming all their enemies by his almighty power and wisdom, in fuch manner and ways as are most confonant to his wonderful and unfearchable difpenfation t. CHAP. IX. Of Free-will. OD hath endued the will of man with that natural liber ty, that is neither forced, nor by any abfolute neceflity of nature determined to do good or evil a. II. Man, in his state of innocency, had freedom and power to will and to do that which is good and well-pleafing veft me out of the world: thine they were, and thou gavest them me; and they have kept thy word. 2. John xiv. 16. And I will pray the Father, and he fhall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever. Heb. xii. Looking unto Jefus, the author and finifher of our faith; who for the joy that was fet before him, endured the crofs, defpifing the shame, and is fet down at the right hand of the throne of God. 2 Cor. iv. 13. We having the fame fpirit of faith, according as it is written, I believed, and therefore have I fpoken: we also believe, and therefore fpeak. Rom. viii. 9. But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if fo be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his. v. 14. For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the fons of God. Rom. xv. 18. For I will not dare to speak of any of thofe things, which Chrift hath not wrought by me, to make the Gentiles obedient, by word and deed. v. 19. Through mighty figns and wonders, by the power of the Spirit of God: fo that from Jerufalem and round about unto Illyricum, I have fully preached the gofpel of Chrift. John xvii. 17. Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth. all v. 26. The t Pfal. cx. I. The Lord faid unto my Lord, Sit thou at my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool. 1 Cor. xv. 25 For he must reign, till he hath put enemies under his feet. last enemy that shall be destroyed, is death. Mal. iv. 2. But unto you that fear my name, fhall the Son of righteousness arife with healing in his wings; and ye fhall go forth and grow up as calves of the stall. v. 3. And ye fhall tread down the wicked; for they fhall be afhes under the foles of your feet, in the day that I fhall do this, faith the Lord of hofts. Col. ii. 15. And having fpoiled principalities and powers, he made a fhew of them openly, triumphing over them in it. I. a Matth. xvii. 12. But I fay unto you, that Elias is come already, and they knew him not, but have done unto him whatsoever they lifted: likewife fhall alfo the Son of man fuffer of them. James i. 14. But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own luft, and enticed. Deut. xxx. 19. I call heaven and earth to record this day against you, that I have fet before you life and death, bleffing and G curfing: Chap. IX. fing to God b; but yet mutably, fo that he might fall from it c. III. Man, by his fall into a state of fin, hath wholly loft all ability of will to any fpiritual good accompanying falvation d: fo as a natural man, being altogether averfe from that good e, and dead in fin f, is not able, by his own ftrength, to convert himself, or to prepare himself thereunto g. curfing: therefore choofe life, that both thou and thy feed may live. II. b Eccl. vii. 29. Lo, this only have I found, that God hath made man upright; but they have fought out many inventions. Gen. i. 26 And God faid, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the fea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and o ver all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth. c Gen. ii. 16. And the Lord God commanded the man, faying, Of e very tree in the garden thou mayeft freely eat: v. 17. But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof, thou fhalt furely die. Gen. iii. 6. And when the woman faw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be defired to make one wife; fhe took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave alfo unto her husband with her; and he did eat. III. d Rom. v. 6. For when we were yet without ftrength, in due time Chrift died for the ungodly. Rom. viii. 7. Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not fubject to the law of God, neither indeed can be. John xv. 5. I am the vine ye are the branches: he that abideth in me, and I in him, the fame bringeth forth much fruit: IV. When for without me ye can do nothing. e Rom. iii. 10. As it is written, There is none righteous, no not one. v. 12. They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable, there is none that doeth good, no not one. f Eph. ii. 1. And you hath he quickened who were dead in trefpaffes and fins. v. 5. Even when we were dead in fins hath quickened us together with Chrift (by grace ye are faved.) Col. ii. 13. And you being dead in your fins, and the uncircumcifion of your flesh, hath he quickened together with him, having forgiven you all trefpaffes. g John vi. 44. No man can come to me, except the Father which hath fent me, draw him: and I will raise him up at the laft day. v. 65. And he faid, Therefore faid I unto you, that no man can come unto nie, except it were given unto him of my Father. Eph. ii. 2. Wherein in time paft ye walked according to the courfe of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the fpirit that now worketh in the children of difobedience. V. 3. Among whom alfo we all had our converfation in times paft, in the lufts of our flesh, fulfilling the defires of the flesh, and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others. v. 4. But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, v. 5. IV. When God converts a finner, and tranflates him into the ftate of grace, he freeth him from his natural bondage under fin b, and by his grace alone enables him freely to will and to do that which is fpiritually good i; yet fo as that, by reafon of his remaining corruption, he doth not perfectly nor only will that which is good, but doth alfo will that which is evil k. V. The will of man is made perfectly and immutably free to do good alone, in the state of glory only 1. V. 5. Even when we were dead in fins hath quickened us together with Chrift, (by grace ye are faved.) 1 Cor. ii. 14. But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God; for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are fpiritually difcerned. Tit. iii. 3. For we ourfelves alfo were fometimes foolish, difobedient, deceived, ferving divers lufts and pleafures, living in malice and envy, hateful, and hating one another. v. 4. But after that the kindness and love of God our Saviour toward man appeared, v. 5. Not by works of righteoufnefs, which we have done, but according to his mercy he faved us by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost. IV. h Col. i. 13. Who hath delivered us from the power of darknefs, and hath tranflated us into the kingdom of his dear Son. John viii. 34. Jefus anfwered them, Verily verily I fay unto you, whofoever committeth fin, is the fervant of fin. V. 36. If the Son therefore fhall make you free, ye shall be free indeed. iPhil. ii. 13. For it is God which worketh in you, both to will and to do of his good pleasure. Rom. vi. 18. Being then made free from fin, ye became the fervants of righteoufnefs. v. 22. But now being made CHAP. free from fin, and become fervants to God, ye have your fruit unto holinefs, and the end everlasting life. : k Gal.v. 17. For the flesh lufteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh and thefe are contrary the one to the other; fo that ye cannot do the things that ye would. Rom. vii. 15. For that which I do, I allow not: for what I would that do I not; but what I hate, that do I. v. 18. For I know, that in me (that is, in my flefh) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is prefent with me, but how to perform that which is good, I find not. v. 19. For the good that I would, I do not but the evil which I would not, that I do. V. 21. I find then a law, that when I would do good, evil is prefent with me. v. 23. But I fee another law in my members warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of fin, which is in my members V. Eph. iv. 13. Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the meafure of the ftature of the fulness of Chrift. Heb. xii. 23. To the general affembly and church of the firftborn, which are written in heaven, and to God the judge of all, and to the fpirits of just men made per-' fect. |