The Sacred Philosophy of the Holy Scripture, Article 2 · Chapter 18
CHAP. XVIII. That there is a reſtoring of Man to a better life and further hope than that from which our parents fell.
BVt if the whole world be thus become guiltie before God, is it for this end, that the whole world may bee ſubjected to eternall death? God forbid; but as ſin hath abounded unto condemnation, ſo hath the grace and righteouſneſſe of God abounded much more unto everlaſting life: for as by the offence of one, judgement came upon all men to condemnation; ſo by the righteouſneſſe of one, the free pardon came unto all men for juſtification unto life. See Rom. 5. Chap. Therefore leſt man at the ſight of his owne perfections ſhould ſinne through pride unrecoverably as the devils, it was permitted that Adam ſhould ſinne as hee did, that a way might bee made for the juſtice and merciemercy of God to bee manifeſt, and that man at the ſight of his ſinne might be humbled before his Creator, and ſo received to grace. The whole world then being liable to the juſtice of God by that ſinne of our firſt father, as hath beene ſhewed; now it remaines in this place to prove, that there is a poſſibilitie to returne to God, in whoſe favour and acceptance onelyonly is life and happineſſe. And for the more cleere proofe hereof; let us firſt lay this ſure foundation: that all the workes of God, and all the poſſibilities in the creature are knowne to him from all eternitie. Secondly, that to doe well, and right, and to withſtand ſinne, and the temptations of the devill requires a poſitive ſtrength, and grace in the heart of man, which grace man cannot take unto himſelfe, becauſe no creature can be partaker either of being, or of ſtrength, or any good, but onelyonly ſo far forth as it is imparted thereunto; and where the want of ſtrength is, the effect of that want on all occaſions muſt needs appeare. So that ſince Adams fall man being not onelyonly deprived of that ſtrength to reſiſt ſinne which Adam had, but alſo infected with a naturall corruption and inclination to ſin, which they call concupiſcence: man hath no helpe in himſelfe to helpe himſelfe, upon which grounds the reaſon will follow thus. If there be not a poſſibility of the reſtoring of man into the favour and grace of God, from which hee fell by his ſin, then could not the juſtice of God be without great iniquity and injuſtice. (Let him be mercifull, that we ſpeake according to the manner of men; that is, according to that reaſon and underſtanding which he hath given unto men for the manifeſtation of his glorie and grace) For if God in the infinity of his wiſdome, foreſeeing that man being created would ſin, and yet would create him, and for his ſin utterly caſt off the whole race of mankinde to deſtruction, neither could any place of merciemercy bee found with him, for which the creature could give him glorie, neither could that juſtice be but with great injuſtice, inaſmuch as they that never were ſhould without any deſert be created to eternall puniſhment, and they that had done the leaſt ſinnes; nay they that had done neither good nor ill, as they that die in their infancie ſhould bee ſhut out to eternall death, aſwell as they that all their life time had followed all manner of ſinne with greedineſſe. So alſo all the commandements of God tending to the amendment of life, and all his threatnings and promiſes ſhould be in vaine. So alſo all the endeavours of holy and devout men, who through his grace ſtrive to the maſterdome of their owne wickedneſſe, and all the conſtancie of them who have ſuffered for the profeſſion of his truth and ſervice, ſhould be unrewarded. So vertue ſhould have no advantage over vice in the difference of the reward. But all theſe things are impoſſible: therefore there is a reſtoring of man to that favour and grace of God, from which he was ſeparate by his ſinne.
2. If there were not a reſtoring of mankinde to that eſtate from which he is fal'n, then the ſin of man a finite creature ſhould be more powerfull to the deſtruction of the worke of God, who made man to everlaſting life, than the power & wiſdome of God ſhould to the upholding of the creature in that eſtate wherein he created it. So ill, and ſin, things not being ſhold have preheminence for miſchiefe, above an infinite power and goodneſſe for glorie and happineſſe. But this is impoſſible: therefore as by ſinne there was a generall wrack of mankinde; ſo it is neceſſarie that there be a generall reſtoring, powerfull and ſufficient for the ſinnes of the whole world, avayleable and effectuall to all that beleeve it, and ſhew the fruit of their faith by their ſtrife againſt ſinne, and doing ſuch good workes as God hath created that we ſhould walke in them.
3. Faith, hope, charity, temperance, and all other Chriſtian and morall vertues are the worke of Gods Spirit in man, who of himſelfe is not able no not to thinke a good thought. But it is impoſſible that the Spirit of God ſhould worke in vaine, or to no end in the heart of man, to beleeve the forgiveneſſe of his ſinnes and to hope for everlaſting life, &c. or that God ſhould not accept his owne worke in his creature, which is ever for the good of the creature. Therefore there is a reſtoring of man to thoſe hopes of happineſſe which he had loſt.
4. The continuance of the world, and the creatures therein by a being of infinite power, wiſdome and goodneſſe, muſt bee to an end exceedingly good: therefore there is a reſtoring of man, that the effect of that goodneſſe may appeare in his everlaſting life and happineſſe: for if the continuance of the world bee for the multiplication of mankinde, onelyonly for ſatisfaction of the divine juſtice upon mankinde for his ſinne; then ſhould it bee neceſſarie that the world were everlaſting, that the everlaſting juſtice might receive everlaſting ſatisfaction; but ſo the greater power of the Creator in the longer continuance of the world ſhould bee for the greater affliction and hurt of the creature; ſo the infinitie of his power ſhould bee infinitely diſtant from his merciemercy and pitie, the effect of his goodneſſe toward his creature; ſo he ſhould have made the creature and the continuance thereof becauſe he hated it, not becauſe hee loved it. But all theſe things are impoſſible, and againſt the dignities which wee have before proved to bee in God one infinite being, Ergo.
§. 1. From hence alſo it will appeare that the reſtoring is to an eſtate of further happineſſe, than the continuance of that naturall life in which, and unto which Adam was at firſt created. For if the advantage in the recoverie were not greater than the loſſe was by the ſinne, then had the ſinne beene permitted to no end; then had the loſſe been ſuſtained in vaine, and all thoſe afflictions which mankinde hath ever ſince endured ſhould be without recompence in the reward. But it is impoſſible that God ſhould permit ſinne in man, and the puniſhment thereof afflictions and death onelyonly to ſet man in the ſame ſtate wherein he was before; for that had been to no end at all, it had beene in vaine to ſuffer his owne juſtice to bee violated, in vaine to give his Sonne to die, onelyonly to reſtore man to that ſtate which hee had loſt, wherein hee might have been kept, and all theſe inconveniences ſaved. Therefore the recovery is with a ſuper excellencie of glorie and happineſſe far above that which Adam loſt.
2. It is the glorie of the wiſdome of God, out of the greateſt ill to bring the greateſt good. The greateſt ill which the devill by ſinne could bring upon man, was the loſſe of his worldly life and happineſſe, and to make him liable to the wrath of God, and ſo to eternall death: therefore the infinite mercy and wiſdome prepared ſo powerfull a remedie againſt this poyſon of the old Serpent, that the life and happineſſe in this world was changed to that which is to be in eternitie in the heavens with an exceeding weight of glory which no words can utter, neither can it come into the heart of man to conceive. And this with that aſſurance of the favour and love of God in Chriſt, from which neither height, nor depth, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things preſent, nor things to come ſhall ever bee able to ſeparate us. Rom. 8.38.39.