Abridgment of the Whole Body of Divinity, Part 2 · Subpart 1 – Subpart 4
Of Gods works and his Decree.
THe works of God, are all the World, and all the things contained therein.
The end for which all things are created, is the manifestation of the glorie of God, Rom. 11. 36.
The Decree of God is that, by which God hath freely from all eternity determined all things, Eph. 1. 11. 4. Matth. 10. 29. Rom. 9. 21.
The execution of Gods Decree is that, by which all things in their time are accomplisht, according as he foreknew them, and Decreed them.
The Decree of God is the first, and principal working cause of all things, and it is also in order and time before all other causes.
This first, and principal cause doth not take away freedom of will in Election; Nor the Nature and property of second causes; but it bringeth them into a certain order; and it directeth them to their determinate ends, and hereupon the effects, or events of things are either, contingent, or Necessary.—
—Even as the Nature of the second cause is; And thus Christ according to his Fathers Decree, died necessarily, (as Act. 17. 3.) But yet willingly. Joh. 10. 18.
And if we respect the temperature of Christs body, he might have prolonged his life, and therefore in this regard he may be said to have died contingently.
Gods foreknowledge is conjoyned with his Decree; and in regard of us it is before his Decree, but not in regard of God.
The branches of the execution of Gods Decree are his, Operation, and his operative permission.
His operation is his effectual producing of all good things, which either have being, or moving, or which are done.
Gods operative permission is that, whereby he onelyonly permitteth one, and the same work to be done of others, as it is evil; but as it is good he doth effectually work it, Gen. 56. 20. & 45. 7. Isai 10. 5. 6. 7.
God permitteth evil by a certain voluntary permission, in that he forsaketh the second cause in working evil.
And he doth also forsake his creature, either by detracting the grace it had,
Or by not bestowing that which it wanteth, Rom. 1. 26. 2 Tim. 2. 25. 26.
And in this we must not think God unjust, for he is indebted to none, Rom. 9. 15.
It is in Gods pleasure to bestow how much grace, and upon whom he will, Matth. 10. 15.
That evil which God permitteth in respect of God is good, whither it be as a punishment, or as a chastisement, because he can, and doth produce good out of it.
Gods Decree as it concerneth man, is called predestination.
Predestination is a Decree of God, by which all men are ordained to an everlasting estate; either of Salvation, or Condemnation, 1 Thess. 5. 9.
The means of accomplishing Gods predestination, was the Creation and the fall.
The Creation is the World,The creation. and the inhabitants in the World.
The parts of the World, are the Heaven and the Earth.
The Heavens are three fold, 1. The Air, 2. Sky, 3. The invisible Heaven.
Heaven in a large acceptation,2 Cor. 12. 2. is all that is above the Earth. All which, is distinguisht into three Heavens. The first Heaven is the space betwixt the Earth, and Starry Firmament. The second Heaven containeth the Sun, Moon, & Stars. The third Heaven is the invisible Heaven, this is the place in which the blessed do behold the Majesty, and glorie of the Almighty.
The inhabitants of the World are Angels, Men, and all other Creatures.
In Angels there are these things to be considered.
1. Their Nature; they are spiritual, and incorporeal essences, Heb. 2. 16. and 1. 7.
2. Their qualities,*2 Sam. 14. 17. First they are wise, Secondly, they are of great might, 2 Thes. 1. 7. 2 Sam. 24. 17. 2 Kings 19. 35. Another quality of them is, Thirdly, that they are swift, and of great agility, Isa. 6. 6. Dan. 9. 21.
3. Their Number they are innumerable, Dan. 7. 10. Hebr 12. 22
4. The place in which these good Angels are, and that is in the highest Heaven, for there they do ever attend upon God, and have society with him, Matth. 18. 10. Mark. 12. 25. Psal. 68. 17.
5. Their orders, or degrees, which what they be, no man can certainly say; but there are Arch-Angels spoken of in Scripture, 1 Thes. 4. 16.
And Angels, Matth. 18. 10. And Cherubims, & Seraphims, Esai 6. 6.
But it concerneth us not to search this; neither may we curiously enquire after it.
6. There office which is to magnify God, and perform his Commandments, Psal. 103. 20. 21.
The Angels were created within the six days, as appeareth, Gen. 2. 1.
The knowledge that the Angels have,Their knowledge. is either: 1. Natural, 2 Revealed, 3. Experimental.
The Ministry of the Angels is three fold,Ministery. either to adore, or to praise, or to glorifie God continually, To this purpose do they stand in the presence of God, ever more ready to do his Commandments; as Isai 6. 2. Luke 2. 14. Rev. 5. 11. 12. Ps. 103. 20. Dan. 7. 9. 10.
Part of the Ministry of Angels respecteth the Church, for they are Ministring Spirits sent forth of God, to Minister for the good of those that shall be heirs of salvation, Heb. 1. 14.
For the good of all these, they Minister first in this life, 2. In the end of this life, and 3. In the last judgement.
In this life they watch for the good of their bodies, and for the good of their Souls, and that from the beginning of their days to the end of them, Psal. 34. 7.
In the end of this life, they carry the Souls to Heaven, as they did the Soul of Lazarus, Luke 16. 22.
In the last judgement they do gather all the Elect together, that they may come before Christ, and so enter into Eternal fruition of glorie, both in body and Soul, Matth. 24. 31.
Another part of their Ministery concerneth Gods Enemies, and it is to execute judgements upon his Enemies at his command.
Of Man and his State.
Man was made after Gods image,Of Man. and resembling God in holiness.
In the excellent State of Mans innocency, these things are to be considered.
1. The place in which he was set in his innocency,The place of his first habitation. and that was the garden of Eden, that pleasant place. Gen. 2. 15.
2. The integrity of Mans Nature,His integrity. he was Created in righteousness, and true holiness, Eph. 4. 24.
There are two parts of Mans first integrity, 1. Wisdom, for he had a true, and perfect knowledge of God and his will, as far as it was to be performed of him; and of the counsel of God, concerning all Creatures, Genes. 2. 19. 2. Secondly, Justice, which was a conformity in his will, affections and powers of his body to the will of God.
3. Man's dignity, which consisted in these things. 1. In Man's Communion with God, God rejoyced in Man made in his own image, and Man did fervently love God; and this appeareth by God's familiar conference with Adam; Genes. 1. 29. Secondly, in his Dominion over all the creatures of the Earth; Gen. 2. 19. Psal. 8. 6. Thirdly, in his Decency, Comeliness, and Dignity of body; for though he was naked, yet was he cloathed with the best and excellentest roabs, even with innocency; There was imprinted upon him by God a Princely Majesty, so that there could not then be any thing in him unseemly; Gen. 2. 25. Psal. 8. Fourthly, in his labour of body, which was without pain, or grief; Gen. 3. 17. 19.
4. Man's subjection to God, for he was bound to perform obedience to these commandments of God. He was not to eat of the two forbidden Trees. The commandment concerning the Trees was as a proof, and a trial of Man's obedience.
The Tree of life was a sign to Man, to confirm to him his perpetual abode in the garden of Eden, if he did continue in his obedience; Rev. 2. 7.
The Tree of the knowledge of good and evil, was a sign of death to him; if he did transgress Gods Commandment; Gen. 2. 17.
5. Man's calling; which was to obey God's Commandments, and to dress the garden of Eden; Gen. 2. 17. and 2. 15.
6. His diet, which was the herbs of the earth; and the fruit of all the Trees, save of the Tree of life, and of the Tree of knowledge of good and evil, and all the other Creatures; Gen. 1. 29. 30. and 9. 3.
His free choice to perform, or not perform these Commandments.
Thus were our first Parents Created in perfect innocency: But mutable. And thus it pleased God to prepare a way to the execution of his Decree.
Of the Fall.
The fall was of Man and Angels.The fall of Angels.
Angels fell by leaving that good state, wherein God had placed them. Jude 6.
In their fall may be observed,
1. Their corruption arising from their fall;Their corruption. by reason of which they are full of malice and hatred, and hatred, and by reason of this they do set themselves against God, and insatiablely desire to destroy all mankinde, and that they may do this as much as in them layeth, they do neglect neither force nor fraude to act it withall; 1 Pet. 5. 8. Eph. 6. 12. Joh. 8. 44.
Their degrees and diversity for one of them which is called Baalzebub,Degrees. is chief; and Prince of the rest of the Devils; and he is far above the rest in malice; Matth. 25. 41. Rev. 12. 7. He is also called the Prince of this World, and the God of this World; 2 Cor. 4. 4. Eph. 22.
3. Their punishment;Punishment. God after their fall gave them over to perpetual torments, without any hope of pardon; Jude 6. 2 Pet. 2. 4.
By this we may see what great punishment they deserved, and that grievous sins will be grievously punished.
Their punishment was first their dejection from Heaven; 2 Pet. 2. 4. And the shortning, and limiting of their power, Job 1. 12. Secondly, a grievous pain and torment in the deep, which is endless, and infinite in time and measure, Luke 8. 31. Matth. 25. 41. Rev. 20. 10.
Of Mans fall.
The fall of Man was his revolting from his obedience to sin.Mans fall. Sin was his transgression of Gods Commandment, or
Mans fall was his disobeying of Gods Commandment, in eating the forbidden fruit, wherein these things are to be considered.
1. The manner of Mans fall.The manner of it.
The Devil having immediatly before fallen himself, perswaded our first Parents that both the punishment for eating the forbidden fruit was uncertain, and that also God was not true in his word unto them: Having done this he blinds the eyes of their understanding; and they being thus blinded straight began to distrust God, and to doubt of Gods favour; And when he had brought them to a doubting, he moved them to behold the forbidden fruit, which so soon as they saw in its beauty, upon his motion of them to this purpose; he then stirred them up to desire it; and from the desire of it, he moved them to satisfie their desires; And so the Woman pluckt the fruit and did eat, and gave it to her husband and he did eat, Gen. 3. 1. to the 8. Thus did they willingly fall from their integrity, God for just causes suffering it.
2. The greatness of their transgression,The greatness of it. which appeareth by these trespasses that they committed in that action of disobedience. 1. They doubted of Gods word. 2. They being bewitched with the Devils promises, cease to fear Gods punishment, and thus become puffed up with presumption, and enflamed with the desire of greater Dignity, and will no longer believe Gods threatnings. 3. They forsake Gods word, and seek after other wisdom. 4. They are proud, and seek to magnify themselves, and to become like God. 5. They contemne God, and against their own consciences sin against his Commandment. 6. They prefered the Devil before God. 7. They are unthankfull, and drive out the holy Spirit of God from dwelling in them, and thus despised that everlasting blessed Union. 8. They murthered both themselves and their progeny.
3. The fruits and effects of it,Fruits and effects of it. upon it there arose a state of unbelief, and by it we are all included under sin, Rom. 11. 32.