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PRIMITIVE fNTEGRIT·Y, ') (The P ENTS of ManENTIR». DEPRAVATiON, j -~ j kind in f'4radfe. BEG:UN REco,vERY, ~ . ~~The UNREGENERATE. and I ;i§ • The R.F.~ENEI'{.ATE. . CoNSUMMATE HA~ _ I All MANKIND in the fu· NESS or M1sliR -"~~&J . r:,•. tute State. 1 ' A p ;,rj" ~~\\, , S E V :f.&-'' A\ L "'·j "" ' • .;.,~ ~";. ..... ""'\ ii.V·'· t ~ ~~ \Jlyn ··,_. ' il· - ".-::~- p R A C T eh't D LS~C 0 LT R S ~. .... ~·~ /: .:. . . '~r';>:-, • .·.;· By tile em)a~£~::('lws :'and Learned Mr 'rfi o ~v.r A~ B os T ·o J.V, .· . ~L'ine Minifler of the. Gofpel at Ettrict · / .an e,;.,/1 .> ~"f""'' , · c-The EIGHTEEN-TH )1niTlON, carefully correCted . r, - / 1 , · r~:J/~.rru,f~ /i't:· r{r~k. · John ii.24,25. Bujl.f.efus did nrli commit hFmfel/unto them, · becaufe he knew a!lme·n ; . }t~d ne{ded not t hat any jhoult:l teflify of man': for he ,knew rwhat wa.1 in' man• .Luke ix. 5). re kn2w not rwhar manner offpirit ye:af'f '"if. '~ ' . l'rov xxvii~ r9. As in•waterface anfwtrethtojace: .fo the heart of man f_(} man. .,. ' · ~ r //:;~' // ' r;/ • / v ..,.. / , ,, )'..I'Ja/ ' r . f £ D l N B U ·R G El : Printed for and fold by AL ·EX· M 'CAs·LAN Book~ . felkr, oppofi;e to tbe Chapel of Eafe, Crois·ca.ufe;-. ' ~ M DCC LX1X:. -
p ll E F A c I T is a maxim arr,ong 'Wife men, That the know– ledge of perfons is of a' great ufe in the con~u0: of human life , as the knowledge of things : and It IS mof!: cerrain, that he who knows the variou - ternper~, ht1mours, and difpofi.tion ; of men, who can find out their turn of thought,. an·d penetrate in to . the fee1·et fprings a_rid principles of their acting, \vill not be ~t a. lols to find out prGper means foi· compaffing his aims, , will taiily preferve himfelf from fnares, and either ,e– vite ot· overcome difficulties. But the knowledge of human nature, mora.!ly confidered, oi·, in oth,er word-::~ of the temper and diJpofidon of the foul in its moral powers, is of much greater value; as it is of ufe in the concerns of an unchangeable life and world : he who is poifeued of fo valuabl~ a branch of knowledge, is thereby capacitated ~o jt~dge aright of himfelf, to un– dedtand true Chrifi.ianity, and to conceive juftly of perfeCt happinefs; ·and confummate mifery. . The dep;avity o~ human iiature is fo plainly taught, ' yea, inculcated ' in facred fcripture, and is- fo obvious to every thinking man's obfervation, who fearches his own breaft, and refietl:s duly on his temper and aclings, that it is furprizingly firange and wonderful, hew it comes to pai~, that this important truth is fo little un· derftood, yea fo much diibelieved, by men ·.vho beal'. the name of gofpel minifters. Are tl;ere net perfons to be found in a neigh.bouring nation, in the charac– ter' of pre·achers, appearing daily in p'u1pils, . who are fo unasquair':ited wirh their Bibles and themfelve2, that . they ridicule the doctrine of Original fin as unintel1i- . gible jargon ? If they are perfons of a moral life and C?O{lverfation,they feem to imagine th·.:y cannot becori1e ·b~tte.F th,an they are ; jf they are immoral, th~y feem to,.indulge a c'onceit, that they can become virtuou-s, · y~a religiol!s, w~en. they jleafe. Thefe are the men 'Yho t,alk of .the d1gmt.y offiuman nature, ofgrc~atnefs o~ a 2 Jnind, · I
iv . P REFACE. mind; nobienef.~ of foul 1 and generofity of fpi1·it: a.s if they ' intended to perfuade th.ernfelves and Others, tb1t pride is a g9od principle ; and do not know, that , pt1de and felfifhnefs are the bane of mankind, _produc- ' tive of all wickeJnefs, and mud); of rhe mifery to be found in this ~nd in the mher world; and is indeed that, wherein the depravity of human ~ature :prope'rly con{i (t ·. . , · · . L[pright Adam's.nature faintly adu,mbrated the di– v1ne, in a m?der:ned~~jf dleem, an adequate felf-lqv,e,. and delightful rdlexion on his own bo,rrowcd excellen:– cy, regulated by a jufl eHeem of, and fupreme love to his adot~ed Creator: whence a pe-,cefnl fereni'ty of mind; a lov~ng, compaffionate and benevolent difpoliti– on ,of foul, a depth of thought, and brighu~efs of hnagi– nation, delightfully employed in the rapturous contem– plation of his beloved' 1:-I:Iaker's infinite perfections ; thug bearing the divine imCige, and refembling Gon that made him. But no fooner did he difobey the divine probatory conm1and, than the fcales were cafi, his mo- · derated felf~eneem degenerat~d into p-ride,his a'dequate · felr love fh1·unk into ·rr.ere Jelfifhnefs, and his delight· ful r flecrions on his own excellency varie4 into tht:· tickling pl('afures of vanity and conceit : he loft viel\P' of theAuthor ofhis being,and henceforth,inftead ofde-' .lighting in him, firfi dreaded, and then defpifed h_im .. '".fhe rnodefr, and therefore hitherto anonymous au– thoi· of the following difcoul'fes, Mr Thom ,zs 'Bjfon, having handled this fubjeCl:, in preaching to t1is own ob– fcure parochial congregation of Ettrick, in the fheriff- ., dom of Selkirk, had a particular view tc·) their benefit,_ . jn printing and p-ubliihing i:bem; and therefore the ·, fiile and method is plain and £mple, 'and the firn e<,li- , tion printed on coarfe paper; but the fubjeu is fo comprehenfive a~d importa-nt, fo well' manageJ, and the book has been fo well received, that it now ap– p~ars in the world moFe 'embellifhc:d, as well as betteu correCted tha~l ·.formerly. ) ' . Let
P REFACE. Let it fuffice, to recommend it to thofe who haYe.a right ta.ft~ of&en~ine Chrifiianity,that all the A.uihor's ' notions flow {o d1reEtly f rom the facred fountmn, th~1.t it is to be doubted, if be has had ·much recou1 fe ro ~my other helps tl1an his Bible and his GoD for ailifiancc. Mean rime, I am aware of an exception from the le who ran.~:c themfe1ves among the poiite _part of mankind, as · that therd is the fame hadh peculiarity · of dialect in it,. wi1ich is com ::nonly to be ,found in books of pn:Clical divinity. But I beg leave to obferve, That tbe chalt cl:" tHey except aga~nfi:, is borrowed 1 from fJCl e;d fcri{Jmre: aod likeas it h.lS pleafed GoD, by the jcoli.fhntjs of pnach– ing, tofa.ve them that hdieve ; . fo alfo to co.untenanre , what they ~u;e dif}5lcafed with, by tbe operatiocs of hi-s Spirit on the minds of true Chxifiians, as their com– mon experience wimcueih. However, I hearrily wiib, the exception were altogether removed, by forr:e per– fon~ digdt.ing into a methodical tre?.tife, the views of -. human nature in its primitive perfeCl:ion, in its depra– ved conditio.n, and in its retritveJ fiate,. who is mafier of modero flilc, and throughly underftands the fub– jelL clifcourfed in this book, that ·by becoming all things. tO ail men, fome, viz. of all ranks a:XH.l kinds of men, may be gained. -.... I am not to, declaim at large in favours of religion ; , this were to write a book ·by way of preface lV1any ab1e pens l1ave been emp1oyed 'in recommending it TO the world, by flrong, argumer ts <)1·a'\vn from its ufeful– ,nefs ~o Cociety, its fuirab1enefs to the dignity of the ra· tional natut: e, acd the,advantages -arifing fi, men from 1.t in this and. the other 'vorJd. But aftn all, n•ay not one be allowed to. doubt, if religion be _,-j~~ htly twder– ftood by all its patrons ? May not the beauties and ex- ' ce1lencies of a precious gem be elegantly defcribed by a natura1ifi: or jeweller, who nrver faw ,the panicuhr one pc talk.ed of, and knows little of its nature, lefs of the confhullion of its parts, and nothing of i1s p1·oper ure ? Are there not m,en of bright parts, who reaIon , fin~ly in defence of re1igion,. andyet are fo much ihan– oers b , '
vi· PR R F, A·c E. gers to it, that they.~ran~ the perfons who are fohappy as to be poifeffed of It, with the hard name of fpirimal– itls, reckoning them a kind of Entbu}ia/h, unworthy of their regard. The truth is; Chr-iftianity is a myfiery, mere reafon does not comprehend it. There is a fpiri– tual di fcerning neceifary to its being rightlyunderfiood, whence it comes to pat\ that men of great lean'ling and abilities, th'o' they read the fcriptures with attention, and comment learnedly upon them; yet do nor,yea can– nor, enter into the vein of thought peculiar to tlie in– fpii·ed penman, becaufe they flure not of the fame fpi– rit; wherefore it is, th~u the Apofile Paul afferts, the' 1tatura!, that is, tmregenerate mari, not to know the things.of Cod, neither iadted to be capable qf kno1uing them~ becat~fe tlrey af'e f piritua/!y diflerned. 1 F,rom w,hat hits been faid, itis eaiy to <:oociude, Thit no pedantic apology' on thepal't of the Autho_r, f()r :appearing in print, or fawning complirntnts to the courteons reader, on the pan of the prefacer, are to he expeCl::ed. '"fhe truth is, both the one and the o– ther an; rather little arts, vailing pedantry and conceit 1 · than evidences ofmodefty and good- fenfe. It is ofmor_e· ufe to recommend the perufal ~f the book to pet·fons– of all ranks and degrees, from a few fuirable topicks·, · than to fllow. wherein this edition dii'fers from and excels the fidr. . · That all man kind, however di~'crencecl by their r::mk and fhricn !n the world, have an eqn2.l co~cern in "''hat is tcvea!ed concerning ariorher and future '"orkl, will he readily owned ; and it mpft be .as readify granted, ' that however allowable it may be for men of karnin·g and parts, to pleafe themfelves with fineri~fs of lan- . gu,,r:e· juftnefs of thought, and exaCt connet1ion_ in ·writings upon other fubjeCl::s; yet they ought not to . indulp e rhemfelve:-: in the fame tafte in d'ifcourfes on , 0 • di\·ir..e rh'ir' g .. , left they expofe themfelves to the. juft' cc:.;fure of icring with the fame ind ifer eti·on, as a perfon in dan1T(T of famiihinR: bv hunger, would be g,ui1rv of, 0 V " v '-' . ~ if he perverfely r ejc{ ted plain w,holefome food, when · of-
P REFACE. rt:>ffered to him, for no other reafon than the want cf palatabie fauce, or order and fplendor in ferving it up. The facred book called the Bible, has a pecuLar fub· limity in it, vailed \vith unu(ual diale[t and feerning I jnconneCl:ion: but it is not therefore to be rejeCted by men who bear. the name of Chrifiians, as uncouth or unintelliuible; true wifdom diftates quite another thing, it counfcls us, by frequent reading, to acqu'aint our– felves well with it, beco.me accuftomed to its peculiar phrales, anel fearch inro its fublimities: upon this ground, that the matters contained in i~, are of the utmoft confeqnence to us, and when nghtly under– Hood, yield a refined delight, much fupcrior to what is to be found in ·reading the belt written books on the moft entertaining fubjeels. What pleads for the pa• rent is a plea for the progeny; praa:ical difcoud~s .upon divine fubjefts are the genuine oftspring of rhe facred text, and ought therefore to be rea · carefully and with attlmtion, by perfons of all ranks and de– grees, though they a.re indeed calculated for, and pecu– liarly adapted to i~ch as move in .ow fpheres of life • . Let it, howeyer,~ b~ a prevailing argument with }'er– fans o£ all denommations, carefully ro read book ' of practical divinity, That many of them are not writ•.en on the fame motives and principles as other books me; the authors have often a peculiar divine call to publiili I th~m, and well founded hope of their being ufeful to advance Chriftianity in the world. In confequence '\vhereof jt is, that great n dm1bers have reaped ben~fit by reading them, d£>eciaJly in childhood and youth : many have been converted by them; and it may be· queftioned, if -ever there was a true Chrifiian, fince the art of printing made thefe books.conunon, \:vho has not in fome ftage of life reaped confiderable advantage from them. This book recommends itfelf in a parti· cular manner, by its being a iliort fubftantial fyfiem of praCl:ica.l divinity, in fo much, that it may with tr~th . be afferted, That a perfon who i~ tluo'ugl}Jy acquainted · with
vEi P R E fACE. with all that is here taught, mav, without dan("''er r'ohis eternal int~relt; rem.1in ignoran"t of othe~ thin;s, which · pertain to lhe fcience called divinity. It is therefore earne_H:ly ,recomm~nd_ed .r.o the f~rious ~nd frequent ( pendal of ali, ~ut eiptCI<llly of fuch are in that ftage of life called youth, and are fo ftarioned in the world, as not to be frequently opportuned w hear fermons, and read com1pcntaries on the facred text. It .is doubtlefs incumbent on. maflers of families i:o ' make fome proviiion of fpiritual as well as bodily 'food, for tl.leir children and fervants; this is effectually done by,pl!tdng__pracHcal books i11 their hands: and there– fore thi , book is humbly and eatneftly recommended as a family book, whicb all the· members of it are not only allowed, byt defired to pe~nfe. · As to the d ifference betwixt tj1is and the former edi– tion, wl;ich gtves it preference , 'ir lie• chiefly in the author's not pnly having re vi{ed the ftile, bt.tt the thou.ght!! ih ·man'y p lace: , and corrCC:ted both, fO . .a3 to fc:t {everal importan t rnnhs in a clearer light; and make the fiile of the book now unifonp, whjch for– merl '/ 1Was not f(>, bccaufe of the explications Ot pecu– li .lr words and phrafes in ufe amongtt practical divines, efpeciatly of the chu;:ch of Scotland, wh ich were inter– f1Jerfed throughout the former edition, and. introduced by another hand, for the fake of fucb pedon a~ are not accu tlomeJ ro them. It remains that the pre– facer not only fu bjoin his name, which was concealed I in rhe firfi ed.ition, as a tefti trwny thn 9e e,H.eems the author, ·and values the book, but that he may ther eby recommend ic in a particular manne1 to the perufal of perfons of his O\~n acquaintance . · If in his a:ffiiting towards ·its being publifhe:d, and in prefacing both. e– didons, he has no~ run uu(ent, he has what wil] bear l~ l n up under all cenfures, : The charitable will think no evil, and others wiU do as they pleafe H.oBERT vVIGHTMAN,_ rvt D. G. E. EDINBURGH, 18th · r · · - lVI..4:RCI-I, 1729.
. CONTE i.. T .he State of i:NNOCENCt!:, or PRIMITIVE ~rE GRITY, difcourfed fromE·cdef. vii. 25>. 0. F man's original righteo.ufnefs, His underflanding a lamp of light, .His will !lr2ight with the will of God. His a1fectioris orderly and pure, . The qualities of this rigbteoufnefs, Of.man's original happinefs~ Man a glorious c;:reatute, The favourite of heaven, , The covenant of works~ · Lord of the world~ , , . . · . The forbidd!n tree a flay to keep him from· falling, His perfetl: tranquility, Life ofpure delight, Man immortal, Infrruttions from this Irate, Three forts of perfon$ reprovtcf, A lamentation over the ruins ~ IN.; p~~ 4 s CS ' § ib. :r~ ib. IJ ib. 14 ~s 16 i7 ib; JS II. . . I '.· . . • ' . . . . . . The State of NATURE, or State of ENTIR~ DcPRAVATlON. Head I. The SiNFULNESs of Man'~ ri'atural State, di!– .. courfed from Gen vi. s·. p. 20 .THat man's natn're is corrupted, proven, F rom God\ word, , From m'ens experience, anti ohfervatim1; '·. t ·.. . .. . Fallen .Adam's im d g~. ir eleven particru lars, ~n.atufil iii nien, 'Pf the corrup:ion of th l' underfla nding, ' Weakn, fs with refpeCt to fp'irhual thin&i, Three evi.d ,: nns nf it . Gro'fs c)arknefs in friritualtl1tn&s; . F t•nr c: -'idenct>s of it. A bias in it to evil. Six evidences of that bias~· Averfion to fpiritual truths, / Three evidences thereof, l'tonqitcfs ~Q lyin~ f~U,hoed, • • • ' 2.$ ~-~ ~91 34 3~ 4oi ib; .\l ib. 4IS · /
The C 0 N T E N T 1. Man naturally high -minded, Of the corru-ption of the will,. ""LJ m:l' ir ability for what is truly good Two e~idences of it. ' A verfenef& to 3ood, Four eyidences ot it, Prooc: nef~ to evtl, F ve ~videoces uf it, Enmity againfr God, p.s4 J6 ib. Againil [he being and nature o£ God, Five queties for convi4ion on this hea~ Againft the Son of God, CS$ Jn his prophetical office, 6t Two evidence~ of it, ib. / Jn bis priefily office, ' 71 Three evidences of i't; il:r. In his kingly offi·ce, 111 Three evidences of it, '1 J A particular malignity againtl the prieni;o oftlce; corrupt nature lyi ng croh to the gofpel-contrivance of falvation. 74 Four proofs of it, . ib• :Bent to the way of the law, as a covenant of works 1 7~ Four proots of it ib. Againfi the Spirit of GoJ, 8o Againll the law a~ a ru1e of life,· 81 Two evidence& of it, io. Contun,acy againfi the L ord.. . 8i Pernrfer.c:fs in reft te'nce to fhe chief enil ib. Of the corruption ot the affections, li4 •••••. ----of the confcience; S,i -·· ---- -- · of the memory, . 86 The bodv- partaker of this corruption, i'l }iowma~ 's nature was corrupted, · ~ .. 88 "'.fhe doctrine of the corruption of nature applied'; .9:!! The natural man cim do nothing but fin, SJJ God take~ fpecial no(ice of t~e fin of our l'lllt.ure, . 911 Evidences ofmens overlook mg the fin of tbe1r nature. 97 .Wherein that fin is to be fpeci&Hy noticed, 99 Why is it to be fpedally noticed. , 100 llow to get a veiw ot the corrupt10n of nature.; ~ 10~ •\ ' ' Head ll. The M1Ui.t of Man's nataral St~te, difcourf– ed from Eph. ii.'3. MAn's natural Oate, 1J frate of wrath, What this fiate of wrath is. . ~ in theheart of Ciod a1~infi the n&tural man, JO'}' 108 io• W.rttlt
'the e 0 N T E N T S. •· :tl Wrath in the word of God againft him, Wt·ath in the hand of God againft him, On his bony, P. uo ib~ On his foul, On hts cnjoyments, ' He i~ un~er the .-ower of Satan, lfath no fecurity for a moment's fafety, Wi·ath again£\: hill1 at death, at tbe general ju~gm~tat, The qua' ities of that wrath, • • The do£trin~ of the fiate of wrath confirmed and vmd1cated, Sevet al inlhu£ti ons from it, Alarm to the unregenerate, . They are under the covenant of work, Their mifety in tha~ refpea, They are without God, , · The!r mifery in that refpecx, (n£\:ances of the wrath of God, A view of the nature of God, who{e wnth it is How to Aee from wrath, - · ' ih. Ill lit. ib. UJ ib, Jl4 us JI7 us ib. Jl.~ u.8 ib. J3Q J3~ J3Z, A few words to the faints, I ~33 A word to all. J3J J I Head Ill. Man's UTrER. INAB~LITY to reco~er him- . felf, difcourfedfromRom.v.6. Johnvi·44· p. £36. ONly two ways of man's recovering himfelf fuppofable, viz. the way of the la'Y, an4 the way of t~e gofp,~l, ' ih. Man unable to recover himfelfin the way of the law, J 37 ~e cannot keep the commands perfectly. J ~ 8 · The P!!tfe£twn o(.law obedience, fourfold, ib. He cannot (atisfy the jullice of God for his tin, 140 ObjeCl. God h merFifpl: we hop~ to be fave4, if ~e d ei as well as we can. Anfwered, · J4Z Man unable to recover himfelf in the way of the gofpel, to em- ~race and ufe the help offered for his recovery, ·,4J Proven by feveral arguments, ' ib. Objea. (I.) If we-...bc under an ~tter it)ability to do any good, · 2 ·how can God require us to do it? 'Anfwered, . J4S'. 14' Objea. (:a.) )Vhy do ·you then qJl us to believe, r~pent, · ; and ufe the means? Anfwere4, . · 147 (>bjeCl. ( 3 .) The ufe of means needlefs, feeing we are utterly unable to help ourfelves out of the Hate of fin and wrath • .Anf~ ereJ. ' .... '4t · Que£\: Has God promifed to convert and fave them who, ' · - in the ufe of means, do what they can tOW<lrds their own reiief ? Anfwered, ib. Tho conclufion tf thii head, z so , - · ~ ~ !If., ..
~ii The C 0 N T E N T S. III. The State of GRACE, or begun Recovery ~ JI.ead I. REqiN.ERATION, r/ift?urjedfrom I P.et. i. 23 . \ ~ • ' I • .., '\ • p. 152 · OF the nature of r~generation, : ..· · XS3 , - Partial changd mil1aken for this change, JS4 T,he chang<~ made in regeneration, what it is, 1 siS ' In general, ' ' ' ··· · . · ib. In part:cular, · l' J9 · ' 'l~he mind illuminated, ' ' ib. 'J'he will ren w, &: ·· l62. : Cured of it~ utter inability to good, Ji 63 Endued with a fixed avcdion to evil\ ' ib, · ------·--·a bent and propet.llity to gooq, ib. Recon~iled tq the··cqvcnan t <?f peace. · · i 64 Difpofed to receive Jefus Chri'fl, I~.; The affectiom are chan:red, r66 ------ ·--------tetl:ifieq, ib. ---------------regulated, s fi 1 The confcience renewe~, 1Mj · The memory ·bettered by regncratingg1·ace, riS,9 The body changed in refpetl: of ufe, · 1 7• The whole converfation changed, 17' :(he refemblance betwixt natural and fpiritual generation, · ·in nine partict~lars. I 14 Trial of one's fiate, '\Vhether born again, or not, I 7 ll $ome cafes of 'doubting ChrWians rcfolved, · x!b · Cafe (1.) •.,. -~-The predfe time and way ofone'scon- . "' verfton not knowp,- ~ · · tb. Cafe (:,.) -----Sin prevailing,------ . ~!>· Cafe (3·) Corruptions .more violent than form~ly,~ 183 Cafe(4.)------Aff~Cl:ions. to the creature {lronger than to the ·creator.-·--·· Glowing af[e.;_tions to God gone,------- · 184 Cafe (s.) •••. .'-J.ttainments~of hypocrites anq apofiates, a · terror_,•.••••• ,.: · · ;: · · ·. .. ' 1~6 ~a~e (6.) .•, •... Fallir,g {hprt ·~t i,he faipts m~n~ion7d in fcrip- .· · ture, and of others,····· · :- 1 ~1 Cafe (7·) -·--~- No child of 9od fo tem'pted,-····- ,.... ib. Cafe ~afi.-·---Strange and \lnufual affiittions, •.:••• ~,. J ~9 :fhe neceffity ofregeneration, · ·.~~·.. ·. (> • _J po ·' · To qualify one to do good, ~f' th, ' To communion' with God in duti~s', I 9 3 To make OD!! mee~ for heaYen, J ' ; ib·. To ooe's being ad'mitted into heaven, I 9S ' ,A.dvices to the unregene1ate, c • 1~8 J '', ''" l!<."'a~ ;, . ·-~ .:
The c 0 N T E N T S. ... X!ll Head II. The MvsT ICAL UNION betwixt Chrift and Believers . difcourfed from John xv. 5. p. i):S A General view of the m-yfl:ical union, :z.ot The natural flock of 311 ·men, Adam, :.o4 Originally a c}}oice vi,ne, :.~) Now a deget, era•. c flock, ib. :fruits growing on the branches of the mturc of the fl:ock , ~o5 -A dead flock, ' _ ,.ol The conditio!} of the br~nches in that refpefr, ib. A kil'iog &ock, _ :u• 'Tbe condition of the htanches in that; refpefr, ib. Th~ fupem4tural fl:ock, in o which the branches ar.: ingrafted, J efus Chrifl, 2. J a. The branches taken .out of the natural flock, and grafted intdl the fupernatnral fl:ock, the eleel:, · 1.13 ~ow they :ne cut off f~1m tpe nat lfr11l flock, in twelve parti– culars, How ingrafted into C.hrifl · · Chrifl: apprehends the finner' by his Spirit, The finner apprehends Chrifl: by faith, _ ~ow one may know if he is apprehended of <;:hrifl, Benefits flowing to believers from union with Chrift, Jnfl:ification, ' · :Peace with Go~, and pe~ce of ~onf~icnce, Adoption, · SanCtification, Growth in grace · ~dl:. lf all true Chrillian!. be growing ones, what fhall be faid of th t fe who, inftead of growing are 2.T4 2.1 s ib. HS l,l.8 2.JGl ,2. 3 I "33 237 238 H~ gf?iog bacf? An{wered, 2.43 ~e(t; ' Do hypocri tes grow at all.> And if fo, how t '- lhall we dWinguifh betwixt their growth, and the .,. growth of the Chrit1ian ? Anfwered, fruitfulnefs, - · Acceptane~ of their fruits of J10Hnefs, tflablifhment, Support, The fpecial care of the hnlbandman, ,The diJty of faints as united to Chri{t, A word to finners, "4S "4' "sr· :I.S4 2.S1 ::.6o IV. The ETERNAL. STATE, or State of confum- . · m.ate Happinefs or Mifery. Jiead I. Death, difcourfed from Job xxx. 23. p. 2'4 T, He certainy of death, Man 's life yanity
Xif' The C 0 N T E R T S. p. 2.6f A lhort livedvanity. A flying vanity. The doetrine of death, a looking glafs, . ~1Q wherein to behold the · yanity of the world, A fhre-houfe for contentment and patience, _ A bridle to curb lu£h converfant about the body • A fpring ofChrifiian refo1uti 0 n, • A fpur to inci~e toprepare f9r death, 27t ~n :£7~ us . jb. fl~ad n. The difference betwixt the Righteous ana the '\\'i1=ked !o tq~ir ~eath~ dif~our(ed fr()mJ?roy . ~iv. 32-~ T-He wicked dying are driven away, ' . .,. 22,0 In what cafes a wicked man may be willing tp die. Whence they are driven, and whither, Driven away in their wickednefs, "fhe hopeleiTnefs of their f1ate' at death, Their h0pes of peace and pleafure in this life cut off, They ha ve np folid g'·ouuds to hope for eternal happi180 i8J . 2.84 ~!H :t8 f ib. ~e&, 1iJ Death roots up their delulive hopes of heaven, 188 Makes th~i~ fl:ate abfolutely and for ever hopelefs, ib! Caution againfl: falfe h0pes of heaven: cha;aeters ot thofe hopes 189 Exhortation to hafl:.en out of a finful flatc, · 2. 91 . To be concerned for the f~lvation of others, • 2. 9~ Tile ll:ate of the godly in death, a hopeful fiate, ib. Chrifi their beft friend i~ Lord of the other world. ib. They wH~ · have a fafe pa!fage ~o it, . ::1.9j A~joyful entrance into it, · ' · ' 1•96 Objett.-------Many ofthe godly, when dying full of fears, , a.I have Httle hope, Anfwered, · : • , Death uncomfortable to them, in three cafes, Ten cafes of faints anent death. Anfwered, Conliderations to bring falnts in good terms with death , -Dire(lions how to prrpare for death, ; 9!1 ~00 304jOf Head 111. The REsua.a.ECTioN, difcourfed from· J ohn v. :z8, 29. P• 3rg-- THe poaibility ofthe r~furretl'ion, The certainty of the refune(tion, Who fhall be rai'fed, What fhall be raifed, How the dead fhall be taifed, _ The difference ·betwixt the godly and the wieked, in their · refurrell:ion, The qualities of the raife4 bodies of the !a1nts, . - \. . /' liS .3 I$, 317 31~ 3 1 9
'the C 0 N T .E ·N T S. The qualities of the raifed bodice of the wickeJ, , p. 3a7 tomfort to the people of God, 31~ Terror to all natural men, H~ Head IV. The GENERAL Juodr.uNT difcomfed from Mat. xxv 3 l, 32, 33, 34• 41, 46. P. 333 T.· Hanhere fhall be a general judgment, proven, J cfus ChrHl: the Judge; The coming of the Judge, 'The {ummons g;iven, The Judge's fitting down on t.he tribuna:t, . The compeatance of the partles, The fc::paration petwixt the righteous and the wicked, The trial of the parties, , The S•oRs opened, Senttnce pronounced on the faints, The faints judge the world, Sentence of d.;uimation on the ungodly, The execurivn, The general conflagration, The place and tir,e of the judgmeat, unknown Comfort to the faints, Terror t<J unbelievers, Exhortation to prepare for the judgment, 334! 337 - 3 jil • 339 34-0 ' 34:134~. 31$ 347 3S~ 3H 354. 3S8 ib; 36o ib~ 361 364 Head V. The KIMGDONi of HEA-.tN, difcourfed front ·Mat. XXV. 34· p. 365 THe nature of tile kingdom ofheaven, ·' 367 The faints kingly power and authority, ib. heir inGgns of royalty, ' 1 ,.~8 White gJ.rments, on what o~cafion ufed: much uf heaven under them, \ The country where this kingdom lies, The royal city, " The royal palace, The palace garden, 'the royal treafures, The temple in this kingdom, The fociet y there, . The fociety of. the faints among tbemfelves, ~oceity with the holy angels, Glorious communion with God and Chrift the perfec~ fion nfhappinefs, • Theglorious prefence of God and theLamb The full enjoyment of volil --.nd the L~mb.• 369 37$ . ' i!.. 376 311 ib~ :n8 ib. J79 380 ·~<e;:·;·· ,r'
l ' llVi Th_e C 0 N T E N T S. :By tight, They will fee Chrill:~ wl.th their bodil;r eyes, . They will fee God, with the eyes of the n'lind, By experir::tental knowJedge; Fuloefs' of joy \l~fpeakable, The etemal dnration ef this kiugdorn, p. 38.f. 3Rs 3$7 '389 39.i 393 ib; The faints admifiion to the kingdom, The qnality in whi,ch they are iotrodnctd, Trial of the claim to the kin.gdom of he£veil, Duty and comfort of the htirs of the kingdom, Exhortatioo to Lhefe \\ho h~ve no right to it, 39S 39i 39J 40i HeadVI. Hl!t.J.., difcourfed of fron'l Mat. xxv. 41. P·-iG2 'I'"~He eurfe under ·which the damned !hall be 01ut up in hell, 404 Their mifery under th:~t aurfe, . · . . 4~7 The pun ifhmtnt of lofs, feparation from God, . ib. The horror offeparation from God, evinced by feveral confideration's, 4fil!' The punifhment of fer& departing. into fire, . 414 Hell fire more vehement and terrible thim any other, evinced by fevei:'al conliderations, 4IS Six propertit:s of the fiery torments in hell, 4I 7 Three inferences from this doCtrine,; - 42.1 Society with devils in this miferahle fhi.t~; 4i3 The eternity of the whole, 42.~ What eternity is; .. ; 4•5 \Vhat is etero4l in the fiate ofLhe damned, 4:1.6 Re< fonahlenefs of the eternity ot the punifhment of the damned 4:it A meafu ing reed to mcafure orir tilne, arid endeavours for ialvation by, • 43 I .t•halance ~o difcover the lightnefs of .what is falfly~thought weighty, and the weight ofwhat ii falily tho(lght light; 431J.).h~ltatiQn to tle.e from the wrath to come, 431
_sTATE I. N A M E L Y, The STATE, of , lNNocENC'l~ MlTIVE - lNTEGRI~Y, in Man was created. EccLES. 'vii. 29. or PRt– which LfJ, thi.t only have I found, 7h_at Cod hat~ made M(ln upright : But they hav_efought out >pzany lnvdl!liom. rrHERE are four things very necefi'ary to be known by all that would fee heaven. I . What man . was in the ll:ate of innocence, as God made him~ 11. What he is in the fiate of corrupt nature, as he h~th ' snmade himfelf. Ill. What he mufl: be in the Hate of grace, as created in Chrifi Jefus unto good works, if e-ver he he made a partaker of t,be inherita_nce of .the faints in . t light. And, laflly, What he fhall be in his eternal Hate, as made by the Judge of all~ either perfeClly happy, or compleatly miferabie, and that for ever. Thefe a.re weigh~ ty points, that touch the vitals of pratl:ical godlinefs, frollJ which mofi men, and ·even many profeffors, in thefe dtega of time, are quite efiranged. I defign,therefo_re, under t.h.e divine condutl:, to open up thefe things, and apply them. I begin with the firfl: of them, namely, ·The ftate of innocence : that, be~olding m'an polifhed..after the fi~iliu;~de of a palace, the ruins may the mor·e affect .us ; : we may ~he more prize that matchlefs perfon, whom·..the Father has appointed the_repairer of the breach; and that we ma,y, with fix.ed refolves, betake ourfelv.es to that way which leadeth to the city tha-t bath unm9ve· ,able founda,tions . - . In the tex_t we have three things; 1. The O:ate of innocence wherein man Wa!l created. God hath made ma_n uprigh!. By q1an here, we are to underfla?d o~ur firft patents.; the archet~pal pair, the ro?.t pf.mankm.~, ~he c-Qmpendt~ed world~ .and the fountattt · ~ froM . ,
The E(:p/icatJon -of the' Text. State I. from wl?ence· all generations have ll:reamed; as may ap· pear by comparing Gm; v. ver. I. and 2.-ln the daf that God created man, in tht !ikenefi of God made he him• •Male and female ;reated he tkmz, ' and ble.ffed them, · (as the root of man~i'nd) and called their name Adam. The original word-1-sthe fame in our text. In this .fenfe, ma.n was made right, .(agreeable to the nature of God, whofe work is perfect) without any imperfetl:i.on, corruption, or, principle of corruption, in his body or (ouL He was made upright, that is, frraight with the \Vi'il and law of God, without any i~·reg~!larity in his foul. By the fet it g.o.t- iri its creation, . it directly pointed towards God,. as his chief end ; which firaight inclination wa~ repre"' .. • a fe'nted, as in an emblem, by the erect figure of his body, • a figure that no .o.ther living creature partakes of~ What Dat,id W;IS in a gofpel feafe, ·that was he' ··-' a legal fenfe; .one according , to God's own heart, altog,ether righ.te· ous, pure and holy. God made him thus : he did not fir11 make bim, and then make him righteous; but in the very making of .him, he made hitp Iighteo·us. Original righteoufnefs was concreated with him; fo that in the fame moment he was a, man, he was a rightoous, man, ,morally good; with the fame. breath 'that God breathed in him .a livin,g foul, he breathed in him a righteous fDul. 2. Here is man'.s fall.en ila.te; lJ:ut they have fought out ptany inve,lJ.ti~n,;,. T,hey fell off from their reft in. God, and fell uppn feeking inventions pf their own to mend .their .cafe ; and they quite marred -it., Their ruin was .fro(Il their own proper motion; they would not abide as God .had n;tad~ t,h,~m; but thf!y fo.ught out inventions tQ deform and .undo themfe!ves. . 3· Ob(erye' here the certainty and importanc.e of thofe ,things ; ;L9, ,thi[ only have I fottnd, fX.c. Believe them~ ~hey ~re ~he refuit of a narrow fean;h, and a ferious in– q,uiry perfor,med by the wife£1: of l)len. In the two pre– Geeding verfes, Solomon reprefents himfelf as in quefi of 1 goodnefs ~n t})e wor~d: ,but .the i!ru~ of it was, he could £nd n9 fatisfyi.ng j!f1,1~ _pf pis feat,ch after jt ; t.hough it was not for w-ant of ,P~ins; for ·he count.e.d one by one to ~nd out the accoun~. Pehold thi.t hav~ I found, (faith. !,lie Preacher)-towit, tbnt (as ,the fame word is r,ead il) . . 0~~
} The Explication of·the Text. 3 Gttr tt>xt) y11t 11ty foul feeheth, hut Ifind not. He could· make no fatisfying difcovery of it, which might fiay his enquiry. He fo.und good men very rare, &ne ,as it were ,among a thoufand; good <Women more rare, not o~e good among his thoufand wives ar.d concubines, I King1 xi. g. But could that fatisfy the grand qqery, lVhere jhall wif– aom be .found? No, it cou-ld not : (and if the experience of others, in this 'p.oint, run counter to Solomon's, as 'tis no reflect·ion on -his difcerning, it can as little decide the queftion; which will remain undetermined till th!:! lafl: ' day.) But amidfl: aU this uncertainty, there is one point found out, and fixed: 'lhh have !found. Ye may de.– pend .upon it as a moft ceitain tnth, and be fully fatis .. lied in it : Lo-, this; fix your eyes upon it, as a matter worthy .of~ m2.fl deep· aod ferious regard· ; to wit, that man 's nature(?f now depraved, but that depravation was l!Ot ft9m God, for he made man, ttpright ; . but from themfe:lves, t~t} have fo.z:ght out many inventions. DoCTRINE, G~d· m·aclc man :aftogether-righteeut.' . THis i,s t~at ftate of innoc~fl~e i'n w~ich ~od fet man · _ .. down m tthe wer1d. · 'fxs defcnbed 1n ·th-e holy f.eriptures, with a h·rming pen, in cornpar!fon o( the fol- · }owing H.ates·; -foJ! it was o( n'o con~inuance, but paffed . as fl. ftying fuadow, by man's abuii-ng the freedom of his t>Wn will. l ihaU, Firft, lnqu·ire 'iJfto the righteottfn'eft 'if tMs fiate rwherein nzaJJ· ru;~as created. Secondly, La_y before yott fome · c:f the happy coneo1fd'.. lants and cotifeq.ucnti· thereof.. Lafily; Apply ,tho whole .. . I ' Of MAN's Original Righteoufnefl. FIRST, As to the righteoufnefs· of ~his fiate, confider 7 that as uncreated tighteoufnefs, the righteoufnefs ofGod,. is the fupreme· mle ~ fo ~all created righteoufnefs, whe– ther of men or angels, bath refpeCl: to a 'law as its rule, and is ·a conformity thereunto. A creature qn no more A z be
- 4 Of Man'1 Origit1al Righter;u.fneft. State I. be morally independent on God, in its aCtions and powers, 1han ' it can be natura11y independent on him. A cr&a· ' ture, a~ a creature, rnpft acknowledge the Creator's will as its fupreme law; for as it cannot be without him, fo it mufi not be but for ,him, .and. according to his will: yet no law obliges, until it be revealed. And hence it follows, that there w,a.s a law, which man as a rational ·creature, wets fubjeeted to in his creation; and that this law was reveal.ed to him. God tnade man upright, fays the ' text. This prefuppofeth a law to which he was con– formed in his creation; as when ·any thing is made re– gular, or according to rule, of neceffi~y the rule itfelf is prefuppofed. \\Thence we may gather, that this law was no other than the eternal, indifpenfible law of righteouf– nefs, obferved in all points by the Second /!dam; oppofw ed by the carnal .mind ; fome noti.ons of which remain yet among the P~gam, who .having not the !arw, are a law unto themft!vh, Ram. ii. I 4· In a word; this Jaw is the very fame which was afterwards fummed up in the ten com1JlandmentJ; and promulgate on Mount Sinai to the lfraf'Jitu, called by us the Moral Law: and man's righte6ufnefs confified in conformity to t~is Jaw or rule. · More particularly, there is a twofold conformity requir– ed of a man, a conformity of t?e powers of his foul to the law, which you may call habitual righteoufnefs; and a (;Ohformity of aJl his acrions tO it, which is actual righte~ oufnefs. Now, God made ~an habitually righteo~s ; man was to make himfelf atl:uapy righteous: the former was the !lock God put into his hand-; the latter, the im– provement he thoold have made of it. The ftlm of what I have faid is, That the righteoufr.efs \vherein TT!an was created; was tbe conformity of all the facHlties , and powers of his foul to the moral }aw. This is what W<;: caH. original righteO\lfnefs, which man was 'origina-lly en– dued ' with. \Ve may take it up i~ t~efe three things. · Firfl, Man's, nnderHanding was a lamp of light. He had perfeCt knowledge' of the Jaw, amd of his· duty ac~ cordingly: he was tnade aft.er God's iina·ge, and confer flUently could not want knowledge, which is a part- th,ere· of, Col. iii. 1o. The 1le<tu man is re 11ewc' d in kmwledge, , . trfter t.&e image of him that creat ed !·im. And indee:d thl$.
@jJYimz's O;iginal Right~ou(tttfi. . !J this was neceifary; to fit him for uni verfal ob'edie~~e:; fee– ing no obedience can be according to the lawi unlefs it proceed 1from· a fenfe of the commandment of Go?i' re– quiring it. 'Tis t>rue, A dam· had· not: the·lawWJitten uppn tables of !lone; but it was written· UJJOO his,mind, the knowledge thereof being' conereated with' him:. God im·· preffed· it ~pon his foul, and·made hiln' a·Iavi to hhtife/f,. · as the r€ma·ins· ef it: amoAg the Heathen!f d'o,teHify, Rom•. ii.. 14. If. And feeing·man· was made· to·be· the mouth· Gf the creation, t:o glorify God\ in his ,worKs·;· we have g~ouncl: to believe,. he had' naturall:y an•exquifite kn?tw!edg~ ofthe·'i!Jorkj of God.. We have a: proof of this~ . in his giv– ing names· to the bea{h of t·he field~ and;the fowl~ of the air, and: tbefe. fuch as exprefs-. their. nature; Wllaifoever .Ada.'}t' callei~very.living· crea(rurq:, th~ttWa5' t-h-e· name · thereof, Gen .. ii•; I 9• And the dominion whicH God ga1e liim o¥er the·creatures; folYerly,to ufe and' difpofe of them· according· to his will (fii11 ,in.fubordination to the will of' Ged) ,feems-to require no · lefs than a knowledge of thei r' ,natures.. .And befides all t-his, his· perfetl: knowledge of .the law; proves his knowledge ·in the management of civil --....... _fljfaius,. :which, fn·refpefl:· of the law of God; a· good m'an · · 'W.fllguide cwith dijoretion, PfaL cx-ii. y;. . · .Secondlj., 'His wiJl; lay' !haigh't· with the will ' of God, Eph'.iw. 24:. Thet:e was- no ·c;,orruption in his will, no bent nor inclination•t() evil'·; for that: is· fin properly and truly , fo called.:· hence tl:ie apo!He ·fays-, Ro11t• vii. 7· I had not ltnorwn,jin, but- by t:he !arw ·: for I had not.knO.wn lufl, ex· oept· the law ·hadfaidt 'Thoujhalt not covet.. An inclina– tion to · ev·il', is really. a·fountain of fin, and therefore in– c::onfiftentl witH,_that rectitude· and uprightnef~ which the tex;t exprefly.fays-, he was ·endued with at his creation The will of mao then was diie&ed,. and naturally iocliAed to ·God and· goodnefs, tho' 'mutably.. It was difpofed, by its . : origin~l' maRe, to follow the-Creator's· will~ . as the {hadow .does the body; and' was not: left. in an equalJ balance to ' good'and evil-: for. at that rate he had·notbeen U.LJright, nor habitually con.fo"rrn to ,tha' law; which in no moment:can• allow the creature not .to' he inclined towards God'· as his qhief-end, more than it can allow man to be a god ·to him– ~1£. law wa~ · refled upQnddam?~ foul .:· no~ this-;
. r 6 . Of M•m'J Original Righteoufneft. State r. accor.ding to tbe new covenant, by which the image of God'– is-repaired, confifls .in two things: 1. Putting the law into ' the mind·, denotit~g the knowled-ge of it: 2. \.\rriting it in tbe heaFt, denoting inclinations in the will, anfwerable to the commands 9f tbe law, lleb. viii. 10. So t9at, as the will, when we confider it as renewed by grace, is by that _grace natively inclined to the fame holinefs in all its par~s which the law requires·: fo was the will of man (when we .confider him as God made him at firfi) endued with na– tural inclinations to every thing commanded by the law. _ For if ~he regenerate are partakers of the divine nature, as-. und:oubt~dly they are; for fof'ays the fct'ipture, 2 Pet. i. 4 .. A·nd-.,if this-divine natu.re ca·n import no lefs than inclinati– ons of the heart w holinefs; then furery Adam's will coul<t not want this inclination; foF in him, th~ image of God· was perfee£. It is true, 'tis faid, Rom. ii. I' 4· 1 )· That tht: Genti/.eJ'··fo'erw the rw9rk ofthe larw written-in t.he.ir. heart-s::. but t·his denotes only their knowl-edge, of that law, fuclr a-s, _his; , but the apoll:lct to the Hebre'V.'J·, ~n the tex,r cited,_. takes· the wor,d· heart' in another fenfe.- di1Enguiili~ng it< plainly from the mind. '- A~d ' it muR be grantedJ that'~ when· God p-11omiH:th in tne neW"-covt"nant;--r~' write hi~' /~!W fn t./;e hcartJ· of hi..r. j'Mple;. it imports· q_)lite-a~ thing than what Heathens have: for tlio' they have noti;. GnS· of ir in their minds-, yer. their he:nts g.o another w:a-y ;:. their wiil has got a.fet a11d biafs guite oontr.aty to that 1aw;.; an& thereforft, the expreffion -fuitable tu th'e prefant p~r- , pofe,.mufi needs import., befides thefe notion·s. of t-he mind?, inclinations of. tJie. will~ going along, therewith; which in~ dinarions, tho1 mixed -w.itlr eau uption in· the r-egenerate~. were pure and unmix>ed in. uprighb1dam. In a wot-d, as·. Ada'itt knew: his· Ma{ter's-· p,lhfure in-· the matteF of duty,. fo his will ftbod-inclined to what he knew. · ' · ' 'Thi.rdlj., His affeCtions, wer,e or>du.ly, pure and holy·;· which is a nece!fary par.t ~f that' upr·i·ghtneCs wher~irr rriae. was created', THe apofile has- a· petition~ 2· Thejf. .iii. s;. The ·Ll)rd direfl yourheap.fj,unt<J-tf;'e. kve cif God; that·is,. T1Je Lordflraighfen y()u.r heart:s.:,~ or m~k-e t-hem 1-y frraigh~ to the love o£ God.~ a:nd oeir text t"ells·us, man· was thtJs· made lh:aighr. ' The. new man· i-s-created, tn righteoufnefl; t~tui true hf)/i.np, .Eel•~f.,iv. 2-'.f.· Now. th-is. holi~fs,, as it:_
Of Mcm's Original R.ightequfn~. 1 ~ i~ difl:inguilhed from righteoufnefs~ may import the p\nity ' and orderlinefs of the affeCtions. An~ thus the Apo!He,. 1 Tim. ii. 8. wiB i)ave men to pray, lifting up holy hand1, , 'Without '7flrath a'ltd d()ubting: becaufe, as troubled water is unfit to recet\"e the image of the fun ; fo the heart, filleil with impure and diforderly affeCtions, is not fit for divine· com~unications. Man's fenfitive appetite ~as ia~eed na· \ ~ural! y carried mtt towards objects grateful fo ·the fenfes •. .~ / For feeing man wa!l made up of body and fO\ai: and God' · made this man to gl'orify and ~njoy him~ attd for this end to ufe his good crbrtur~s in fuhordination to himfelf: it js· plain, that man was n~turaHy inclined both to fpiritual ;1 nd fenfible iood ; yet to fpiri ~ual gpod, the chief good, as. l1is ultimate eHd . . And therefore his fen:fi.tive mot:ions a.n.d i:n,linations, were fubordinate to hi~ reaJon and wil!~ which. J.ay11ra-ight wit~ the will of God, alild were not, in the leaft,. . 4tont:rary to tbe fame. Otherwi£e he ili·ould have b~en• mad·e· -up of contradietiollS; his fou.l being nstt~ra.Jl:y inclined to· God as the chief ena, i'n the ft1perior pan thereof; and the fame foul inclined to the creature as the chief end in the· infoior part the1 eo.f., a:s t:hey eaH it: .which is impoffible;. ' .for man at the fame inftan.t, camnot have two chief fnds • .Mari's. affeClions cl1'e111, in his primitive Rate, were p~;e . frotn · all dt:filement, fne from all drforder and diftemoer~ · l>ecaBfe in all their motions they we1 e d11ly fubjected to, his ,dear reafofl, amd his holy will Ne had alfo an exe • et,nive power anfweraMe to his will; a powe:u to do ·the · good~ which he knew fhcmJ.d b~ d0ne, and wbich he inclin– ed t~ .do, even to flildf.il the whole law of God. If ithad not been fo, . God v: otdd nor have trequirecl. of him perf~tl: flbedieJilce; for to fay, that the Lord gaJhereth rwf.ere he bath notjlrarwed, is but the blafphemy of a wicked heaFt,. agairfft a ,good and bountiful God, Matth. x.xv. 24. 2 )· ' · From wha~ has been !aid, it may be gatbereds that the erigiJJal-Fightem::lfm:fs explained was 1.mi·verfal and natural,. yet mutable. Firfi, lt was tmi·verfaJ; both with refpe<ft to the fubjee't <~fit, tHe whole man; and the obj.eet of it, the.whole law-. Univetfal~ l ~ay, with refpe.ft to the fubj,eB: of it; fer this. · I"ignteoufnefs ,..,:as diifufed through the whole man:- it was. a·hldfed leavea th«l lt;A;ve.oe.d_ the whole lwn:p,. Ther~·
8 Of Man'.r lriginal RighteGufnefl. State r. was not one wrong pin in the tabernade·of h1:1man naturet when c;bd fet it up: howeve~ fhattered it is now. Man was then holy in foul, body, and fpirit: while the fot1l remain– ed untainted, its l,odging was Rept clean·and undefiled: the memb.ers of the bedy were co'nfeerated vefle1s, ami infhu– ments of :righteoufnefs. A combat bet\vix.t flefh and fpirit, reafon. and appetite, nay, the leall iodination to fin~; Iufi: of' the fldh in the inferior part 0f the foul, was uuerly incon– £iftentt with this uprightnefs, in which man was created:-- / and has b~en itwentecl tQ vail the co~ruptio~· of man's nature and to obfeure.the grace of God ill Jefus Chrilt: it-looks· very l~ke the langtiage of falten A dam, laying his own fi.o at his Maker's dt>m~, Gen. iii· .. I 2~.Thewoman 'VJhom thou_gaveft to. be'VJith me·Jhe gave me o.ftha tr.ee,.and1dideat-. But a~. this.righteoufnefs was u-ni,yerfalin refpe8: -of the fubjeet , be· caufe it fpread thro' the whole man: fo alfo it was univ:erfal;. in refpe3.: of the objeer, th'e holy lavr. The.re was nothing in the law, bull: what was. ag-reeable M his r.eafon and- will,. as God. made ttim :- tho' £n bath now f~t him at odds with: it: his fou.J was ffiapen Gut, in length and breadth to the: e::ommandm'ent, tho' ex.ceeding broad.; fo that his original ~ight·eoHfnefs was not only perfect in. pa.r.ts, but in.degrees •. Seco.ndlj, As iit Wf-S univer-fal, fo it was natural to him,, and· not fupernaturafin that ftate. Not that it was eifential~ to man as- man : for t.hen he c01:1ld not have lofr it, without' the lofs of his verx being,:- but it wa~ · con-natural to him,. he was eFeated with it; and it was necdfary to the per-:-· fecrion of man, as he ca~e out of the hand of God; ne- · ~effa.ry to confl:i tute him in a fiat-e of integrity·. Yet, Thirdly, It was mutable· ~ it was a righteoufnefs thq.t· ' might be lofr, as is manifeft·ed·by the. doleful event. His;, wilJ; was not abfolutely indifferent to good or evil : God· fet it towa11 dS.·.good only; yet he d~d not [q fix and ' con.. :firm its indinations,. that it .could not alter:. No, it was moveable t·o evil; and th;1t only byman himfelf, God hav– ing given him a fufficient power to fiand in this integiity., if he had pleafed. Let no man quart el God's work inth i ~ ;. for ifAdam had been' unchangeably righteous, he behoved to have been fo ~itl1er ~y nature, dr by free gift: by n-a– ture he .could not be fo, for that is proper to God, and in,., -~onununicable toanycreature; ifbyhee ~#t~then no wrong
~ . Of l'f1an'; f!riginal Happi~e}i. 9 was done him, in with · holding of what h€ could not crate. Confirmation in a righteous fiat~, - is a reward of grace.. , given upon continuing righteO\lS, tbro' the fiate of ,trial; , and would have been given to Adam, i£ he had Hood out the time appointed for probation by the Creator; and ac· cordingly is given to the faints, upon the. account -of the merits of Chrifl:, who was obedient even to the death. And herein believers have the advantage of Adam, that they · ·can never totally nor finally fall -away from grace. ' · Thus was man made originally righteous_, beingcrtated in Cod's own image, Gen. i. 27. which confifis in the pofitive qualities of knq;r»iedge, righteoufnefi and holinej!, Col. iii. 1 o. F. ph. iv. 24. All that God made <WaJ very good, a~cord· ing to their feveral' natures, Gen. i. 3 1. And fo was man moraJly good, being made after the image of him, · who is good andupright, Pfal. xxv. 8. Witho~t this, he couldnot have anfwered the great end of his creation; which was to \ know, love and fer ve his God, according to his will. Nay. he could not be crea~ed othenvife: for he behaved either to be conform to the Jaw, in his powets., principle's, and' in~ I ' clinations, or not~ if he was, then lie was righteous; and.if ~ot,he was·a !ln,ner; which is abfurd and horrible to imagine. Of M·AN's OriginalHappinefs. ~-. SEc oN nL Y, I fhall Jay before you fame of thofe things which did accompany or .fl.ow from the ri,ghteoofnefs of man's primitive fiatc . .Happinefs is the 1-ffult _of holinefs; and ~s it was an holy, fo it was an happy fiate • . Fir)t, 'Man was the·n a very glorious ·creature. 'Ve have reafon to fuppofe, that .as Mefes's face fhone when.– he came down from the mouQt'; fo man ha·d a very light.. fJme and pleafant countenance: and beautiful body, while ~s ye,t the~e was no darknef~ of fin in him at aiL But fe~ing God himfelf is glorious in holinefs, (Exod. xv– l I.) furely that fpiritual cor..Ielinr..:fs, the Lord put upon man at his creation, n~ade him a very glorious -creature. 0 how did light fhine in his holy converfation, to the glory of the Creator ! while every action- was but the darting forth of a ray and beam of that! glorious, un– mixed light, which.. God had fet up in his foul; while that lamp 'of love, lighted frmn heaven, continued burn-
1. ; . to f}J · Man,.s Original Rigbt(lttfiufi. State r.. ing in his heart, as in the holy. place ; . and the law of the · Lord, put in his inward parts by the finger of God, was kept by him there, as in the ~oll: holy. There wa~ no· ~mpurity · to b_e feen without; no fquint look in the ey~s, after any unclean thing; the tongue fpoke nothing bu~ _ the language of he aven:. and~ in a word, the King 's So Nl 'Wtu allgloriouswithin,, and his dotlthing ofwrought go/d.- Secondly, He was the favourite of heaven. He fhone· \>rightly in the image of C\iod, who cannnot but love hill own image, where-ever it appears. While he was alof;le ifll the world, he was not alone, . for God was with him. His communion and fellowfhip was with his Creator, and that. immediately, for as yet there was iwthing to turn away the~ · face of God from' the work of his own hands: f:eeing fin had{ JlOt as yet entered, ,,vhich alone'could make the breach. · ·' By the favour ofG'od, he was advanced.to be confederate· \vith heaven, 'in the firfi covenant, called, Th tovemmt' of. 'Worlu. God reduced the law, which he gave in his crea– tion, into t'he form of a covenant, whereof perfeclobed ience was ·the condition-:- life was the thing promifed, and d'eath -' the penalty. As for the condition, ~fie great hranch of the~ . natural law was, that man believe whatfoever God fh ~ H re;. veal, and do whatfoever he fhall command _ a ccordingly God ma,king this covenant with mal'!, extende2 ~ is 9uty to• the not ,eating of the tree of knowledge o.f good and evil ;– and th·e law thus extended, was the rule of ma n-~s covenant· obedience. How eafy were thefe terms to him., who had the natural law written on his heart' ; and that inClining hiJU to obey this pofitive Jaw, revealed'to him, it fe'etns, by an · · audible voice, (Gen. 'ii; r 6.) th~ matter whereof was fo very eafy ? And ,indeed it was highly reafonable that the rule an~matte'r of his covenanf obedient:e fbould be thu-s exten– ded: that which was added being.' a thing in i~felf indiffe– rent, 'where his obedience was to turn upun the precife point of the.will ofGod, the plainell: ev jd~nce of true obedience; and it being in an external thing:,- wherei n his· obedience or difobed ience would be moll: dear and confpicuous. Now, 1tpon this condition, God promifed him life, the continuance of natural life in the union of foml and body; and of fpiritual life in the·favour of his Creator: ' h~ pro– mi'feq hi~. alfo eternal life iljl heaven, t() have been 'en~ered
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