3 2 Of tbe Creatures, and the Condition ~ are delivered from, and then by Its fu•pallingly excelling, that fidl: ond bell: BooR IL Ef!ate. Then 3ly ·, Ifhalldifcourfeof thola!t, and befr Condition o1 theE· · ~ leCl: ; which is the State of Glory. That which at prefent I am ro do! is onl>: ; .. . I. To give an Account of Gods D1fpenfauons herem, 2, Shortly to enumerate the particular States, and compare them in their comely Gradations or Subordinations of each to other. For the firfr, tbe Account hereofconfills in two things. . . 1 , That it is and bath been the manner of God, in other works of his, io Proceed by like freps and degrees. To proceed from lefs perfeCt to more per– feCI: ; and to put great difrances and difproponions , yea from Contra· ries. 2. The Reafons of it, The firfr contains two things in it. 1 • That it bath been his manner in other works, which will help us to un. derlland his proceeding in thcfe, Thus in making this Vilible World; he fidl: began with a rude Lump, that had110 form, Gm . 1. r. neirher e!Iential nor accidental; which was actually Nothing, potentially Allthmgs; therefore call'd Earth mzdWaters ; but in truth a Darknefs and deep Confulion without form. Then he divides that Lump into four Lofts and Rooms, and puts in furms thereto to perfelt that Mafs, and fo makes the four Elements: then he finifheth and fits up thofe feveral Lofts and Chambers with inhabitants, gar– nilheth the fiery Heavens with Stars; fills the Waters with Filhes; the Air with Birds, the Earth with Bealls. And of thefe, thofe that had a more per– feel Kind o! Life, were frill Created in order , after the other more imperfect; and frill the latter containing in them the perfections of the former: And then !all of all, Man, the End, the Exifrence, the Lord of all , that bath the ' Excellency of Angels, Su11, Moo11, and Stars in him, as Ecclrf 12. 2. And whereas God had atzother Ma11 to come, The Lordfrom Heavm , who is Godmu/ Man, and for him to make another World, a 11ew Heave;, a11d a 11ew Earth, which he intended more than this; yet his Ordination in his De– crees was to make this firll World more imperfeCt,as the Preludium and Pre– parative to this new World ofChrifr's:Which Ordination and Method ofhis,the Apofile bath exprelly fet before us, as heedfully to be noticed by us; r Cor. I). 46. where fpeaking of both thefe men, Adam's, and their Worlds, That W41 11ot firflwhichwMfpiritt~al; thatis, That man Chrijl, and that Efiate of fpiritual Pe ,feCtion he brings in, w~s not to be firfr ; but lafr : Bt~t ftrfl that which wa1 natural, and Czfterwards that which is fPiritt~aJ. God laid that Ellate of Adambut as the firll rude draught, the ground work to be filled up. God proceeded a6 imperfdliori adperfefl'im,by degrees from natural to fpiri– tual. And in the framing and rearing up this new fecond World, he obferves · the fame Method. I. In the very Prophefie and fore-lignifying of it aforehand, God proceeded ""'"~"'"', by feveral parcels, and call the Revelation of bim into feveral fhapes and reprefentations: .,,•lr•,;,, Hebr. r. I . proceeding from more imperteCl: to what is perfeCt, as a Prcludium thereunto. I. He makes a Covenant with the Jews, in outward appearance little better than a Covenant of Works (whereof it bears the name; ) Then brings in that of Grace, ellablifhed upon better Principles and Promifes. The firfl at bell, as the bell of the Jews underfrood it, but imperfect to the end, as Hebr. 9• ult. That thty without m fbouid 1101 be made perfeE!. AndtlmfirllCovenant, howdo~hhedeliver it wirh all polliblc frate and majelly? brings down Heaven to Earth, and makes an Heaven upon a dufly Mountain in Si11ai? How gforioully fpeaks he in Thunder? By Angels how terribly? Makes Mo{es, a Mediator, approach to him with his face Jbinir.g, how brightly? EreCl:sa Min.illry, how richly cloathed? A T abernocle, after thnt a Temple, how magnificent? A Worfhip therein, how cof!ly? And in· tends all this but as an imperfect fhew. For be finds fault with this Covenant, Minillry, Wodhip, and all, He6r. £. D ifannuls it for the weaknefs and impro· fitablenefs of it, He6r. 7· g. and then brings in a belta Covmauf, a more exctl!fllt
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