of theirStatebyCreation, CHAP. Ill. Of the first #a,te men run through, viz.that of lnnoceny. A brief Draught ofallthofe feveral States or Gonditionr, through which God leadetb the EleCl of Manb.jnd. Together with 4 comparifon of tbofe States toge– ther. OUR moll holy, wife, and gracious God had in his everlalling Purpofes (as by the Event appears) tore-ordained fevera! Ellates and Difpenfa– tions (whereof fome are inferiour and fubordinate one unto the other; and whereof one is utterly contrary and perfeClly oppoiite to that Happinefs he intended) which he would lead his EleCl of Men through, as fomany fcveral degreenhey take, yea and oppofitions and hazards they are to pafs through, e're the Jail and moll Royal Crown of Glory be fet upon their heads: And this he chofe to do, to the end to magnifie and fer forth the glory of his own Grace at Jail, as alfo to carry and lead us llill on with wonder, from one unto the other: And to prepare us to entertain that confummate Happinefs at !aft with unalterable Allonilhmeot and Adoration, God hnth not dealt thus with the EleCl Angels, who have had no changes; but us, the Sons of men,he lhift· eth from Veffel to Veffel, and lhifteth us firll from one condition,then another, till he hath brougbt us to that utmoll refinement, which may render us in the highefi manner meet and capable of himfelf immediately. To this end he at firlt created us in a pure natural condition in Adam,and he the firfi ofMankind; to letmfeeour !mum or bottom, what by the Law of Crearie11 it was, that was our due; and how remote we were by that due, from that Glory he fuper– naturally in Chrifi, the fecond Adam, had intended; that lince Grace freely had deligned us an higher; the difproportion·might appear, That (o·what war the gtft uf Grace might rife up to itJ [utiglory. Then he lets m fall into lin and wrath, which utterly fpoiled and defaced that firll native Beauty we had by Creation, and plunged us into acontrary depth of mifery. But then after that again, he gives forth the Gofpel, which difcovers Chrifr, as a Redeemer from fin and wrath, who withal brings a Life and Immortality to light, which by Faith apprehended by us, puts us into the !late of Grace, and a partioipar:. on of Chrift ; fuch as is fuitable to the Relation of the Gofpel in this Life, far excelling Adam's !late: · But then Ian of all ; and after all this God hath a Referve, a furpa!ling weight of Glory to be revealed in us; :tnd that alfo admiis of its degrees, of which anon. And thefe I thought b.efi in this place to give the brief entire view of, not only for the pleafantnefs of the profpeCl, when ln brief fer together, but becaufe it will ferve as the clearell!ntroduClion or general Preface t1nro all the Treatifes that are to follow, which have tor their parrict1lar and fer SubjeCts thcfe feveral Ellares and Condnions : This difcourfe being to handle the Srate of .Adam in his purell naturals, with a Companfon between him and Chrill, and his State, and our State of Grace under the Gofpel. In other Difcoudes which are to follow, l !hall, 1. Treat of Mans ltnful and Corrupt Eflatc and the mifery thereof, which ferves further by way of Contraries, to m1gnifie the Glory of God's Grace·, and his Chrifi, as revealed in the Gofpel: Then , 2ly , the Stare of Salvation by Chrifi, which the Eleel are brought and raifed up into, by rhe Grace and work of all three Perfons , which is rendred 10 us the more jllullrious , both by the immediately prcceeding miftry which we are r-....A./\ Chap.~. ~
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