Is it some Temporary Act of his whereby he hath declared himself unto them Then I say grant that Salvation is to be had in a Redeemer in Jesus Christ and give me an Instance how God in any Act whatsoever saith he hath declared his Mind and revealed himself to all Men of all Times and Places concerning his willingness of their Salvation by Jesus Christ a Redeemer and I will never more trouble you in this Cause Secondly Doth this Will equally respect the All intended or doth it not If it doth why hath it not equal Effects towards all What Reason can be assigned that all they whom God equally intended Salvation for by Christ have it not However they who have Salvation either have it as the Effects of Free-Grace or of Free-Will Who will assert the latter Besides this would follow i. e. God will have some Men be saved to whom he wills not the Means of their Salvation for so he doth not to one great Part of the World But since we have proved that there is not a Sufficiency of Grace granted to all universally that is Grace subjective to enable them to believe and change their Hearts but to some only I shall say no more to this for if it were sufficient it would have the same Effect on all as it hath on some that which is sufficient to such an End would be made no doubt efficient by the Will of the great Agent who worketh all our Works in us and for us of his own good Pleasure and without whom we can'do nothing Object 14. Well say some say what you will if this Doctrine of Election and Final Perseverance be true we see not to what purpose we should preach the Gospel to Sinners any more or press Saints to Holiness Answ 1. I am weary of these impertinent Objections God hath ordained the preaching of the Gospel as the great Ordinance to call in his Elect and to beget Faith in them It pleased God by the foolishness of Preaching to save them that believe And not only to beget Faith but also to strengthen that Faith and to perfect the Saints more and more in Holiness These Men dream of an Election without the Means and of a Salvation without Faith and Regeneration and a preserving Men to Eternal Life without a Perseverance in Grace and Holiness It is a Perseverance in well-doing we plead for and this we say Christ will in the use of Means not without it enable all his People to do he will help them strengthen them and keep their Souls alive Pray consider the Ways by which Jesus Christ preserves his People unto Everlasting Life the Saints are said to be sanctified by the Father and preserved in Jesus Christ 1. It is in a Way of Holiness And from fainting or being weary in well-doing he stirs us up by his Spirit to wait upon him and promises That they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their Strength they shall mount up with Wings as Eagles they shall run and not be weary walk and not faint or grow stronger and stronger both in Faith and Patience 2. Christ preserves us in a Way of Perseverance in well-doing by shewing us our own Weakness and that without him we can do nothing but that we must wholly rely upon him in the Way of our Duties for all things we need 3. By increasing Grace in us He by his Word shews that the Grace we have already received is not sufficient to keep us from falling therefore he stirs us up to seek to him for more Grace more Faith more Patience more Humility more Wisdom c. 4. By succouring us under all Temptations For in that he himself hath suffered being tempted he is also able to succour them that are tempted He has purchased Help and Succour for tempted Saints His Bowels move him to help us against Sin and against Satan He hath a soft and tender Heart and hath a fellow-feeling of our Infirmities which is a Spring of great Comfort to tempted Christians 5. By warning and forewarning us of the Danger we are in by our spiritual Enemies and charging us by his Word always to be upon our watch and not to sleep as others do 6. By putting his Fear into our Hearts that we may not depart from him that is not finally to depart which he doth when at first he infuseth Holy Habits in us 7. By his putting upon us that Holy and Spiritual Armour Ephes 6. 10 11 12 13 14. Do these Men think Christ's Soldiers can expect the Victory and not fight or overcome their Enemy though they throw away their Sword which is the Word of God The Preaching of the Gospel is of wonderful use to them it is the Word of Command their Captain speaks to them thereby and shews what they are and are not to do and how they should keep their Ranks and maintain true Order and Discipline in themselves Church and Families 8. By his continual Intercession for them he prays for us that we may be kept in the World from the Evil of it that we may not be finally overcome thereby These things being considered pray Brethren remember that as the Saints cannot perish as Hypocrites and Unbelievers may so they cannot sin live in Sin and in neglect of Holy Duties continually as unsound Persons may do And now Brethren I having answered all the grand Objections that are usually brought against the Saints final Perseverance I shall shew you some of those Absurdities which do attend the contrary Doctrine viz. That Christ died to save all and every individual Person in the World and that the Elect may fall totally and finally away and perish for ever 1. It renders the Death of Christ as to its Effects and the Success thereof uncertain as to the Salvation of any one Person 2. It doth imply a Deficiency in God or want of good Will in him to prosecute his Design to perfection in Man's Salvation they affirming that Christ died for all even every individual Traitor who lies in strong Chains and Fetters under the Power of Sin and Satan but he will not break off the cursed Irons and bring out of the Prison-house but a very few of them only 3. It would also follow then that the Purpose of God yea his Eternal Counsel in Christ Jesus may be disappointed and Eternity be subjected to Time the Will of the Creator to the Will of the Creature the first Cause to the Second and all or many of God's Absolute Acts to be suspended unto the actings of sorry Man and so the Lord submit to the Servant Yea as saith a Reverend Minister It sets God at an uncertainty because it doth subject the Grace of God to the Will of Man it hangs the Glory of his Grace in all the Motions of it and the Efficacy of the Promises upon the slipperiness of Man's Will and Affections It makes the Omnipotent Grace of God follow not
they shall all be saved No more at this Time JOHN X. 28. And I give unto them Eternal Life and they shall never perish neither shall any pluck them out of my Hand BRETHREN I am upon the Proof and Demonstration of the Doctrine which I raised from our Text viz. That none of the Sheep of Christ or Saints of God can so fall away as eternally to perish The last time I spoke to the fourth Argument which was taken from the Nature of the Covenant of Grace I shall proceed to the next Argument Fifthly They who are the Sheep of Christ Believers in Christ or his Elect Ones cannot finally fall away because they are the Children of God begotten of God and born of God Two things I shall do in prosecuting this Argument First Prove that all Believers are begotten and born of God Secondly Shew you how it doth appear from hence that they can never finally fall away and eternally perish First That they are begotten of God appears from several Scriptures Of his own Will beg at he us with the Word of Truth c. Meerly by his own Grace as the original Cause with the Word by the Spirit as the instrumental Means Spiritual Generation is the Work of God the Product of the Will of God and not of the Will of Man Which were born not of Blood nor of the Will of the Flesh nor of the Will of Man but of God Not of Blood as in natural Generation or not of the Blood of Abraham Grace and Regeneration being not the Product of the State or Faith of believing Parents This was the carnal Boast of the Jews We have Abraham to our Father Not of the Power of Man's Will that cannot produce the New Creature in himself nor in a Child or Brother If it was in the Power of a godly Man or godly Minister to convert or to regenerate his Child his Wife or his Brother would he let them perish But alas alas this is out of Man's reach out of his Power he cannot renew himself A Child may as easily beget it self in the Womb before it self was as a Man can form Christ in his own Soul or regenerate himself 't is God that doth it the Holy Spirit begets us Except a Man be born of Water and of the Spirit he cannot enter into the Kingdom of Heaven Whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ is born of God and every one that loveth him that begetteth loveth him also that is begotten of him Whosoever hath that efficacious Soul uniting Soul transforming Soul renewing Sin-killing Grace of Faith is born of God 'T is not a bare believing Jesus is the Christ no but such a Faith that works by Love or the Faith of God's Elect For ye are all the Children of God by Faith in Jesus Christ Faith saving Faith the Faith of the Operation of God produceth this glorious Effect through the Spirit in the Soul From all which Scriptures it evidently appears that all Believers all the Saints are the Children of God begotten and born of God Quest Well what of this some perhaps may say How doth this prove they cannot fall away so as to perish 2 dly I answer This is my second Work and you will soon see how forcible the Argument is from hence to prove that none of them can perish See what our Blessed Saviour saith That which is born of the Flesh is Flesh and that which is born of the Spirit is Spirit That which is born of corrupt Nature or is the Product of the Flesh is Flesh or of the same Nature of that which did beget it As it is said of Adam he begat a Son in his own likeness that is a depraved sinful and mortal Child The Flesh bringeth forth Effects proportionable to the Cause 'T is thus in the first Birth But if by Flesh you will have our Saviour intend the product of Man's natural Abilities or the Effects of the highest Improvements of his natural Light Understanding Will c. why then it follows still that a Man purely natural can produce nothing but natural Operations for nothing in operation exceedeth the Virtue or Excellency of that Cause which influenceth it So that no Man can by his Abilities however improved produce any divine or spiritual Operation and this shews that Man must be born of the Spirit that becomes or is made truly spiritual and sit for the Kingdom of Heaven And saith our Saviour what is born of the Spirit is Spirit or is of the same Nature with the Holy Spirit that is Spiritual Holy Immortal since every Creature begetteth its own Nature Qualities and Image Such as is the Cause such is the Effect Thus it is in Generation and thus it is in Regeneration it must be from a Divine from a spiritual Cause and not a Natural that the Image of God is formed in the Soul The Flesh cannot bring forth an Heavenly Babe Can Corruption produce or be the Cause of Regeneration Can a Worm or an Ant bring forth a Man sooner than Flesh Or can any Man under Heaven beget or form and bring forth the New Creature in the Soul which is called the forming of Christ or the Image of God in us But now pray consider that such as is the Nature or Quality of the Begetter such is the Nature of that which is begotten of him therefore since the New Creature is begotten by the Holy Spirit it must partake of the Nature of the Spirit Christ saith it is Spirit it is spiritual immortal or incorruptible Hence the Apostle Peter saith Believers partake of the Divine Nature Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious Promises that by these we might be partakers of the Divine Nature Every Child of God is begotten by the Spirit through the Promise as Isaac was I will come and Sarah shall have a Son Compare this with that in 1 Pet. 1. 23. Being born again not of corruptible Seed but of incorruptible by the Word of God that liveth and abideth for ever Pray observe it which liveth and abideth for ever Mortal Seed in Generation begetteth and bringeth forth a mortal Babe a corruptible Child but the Word and Spirit of God begetteth and bringeth forth an immortal or an incorruptible Babe Such is the Babe of Grace or Child of God I speak of the New Creature or the regenerated Part in Man From hence let me draw this Argument viz. Arg. 1. That which is begotten and born of and is brought forth by the Spirit of God or of immortal and incorruptible Seed is an immortal or incorruptible Babe But the New Creature in the Soul of the Regenerate is begotten and born of or brought forth by the Spirit of God therefore the New Creature in the Soul of the Regenerate is an immortal or an incorruptible Babe Now if it be immortal or incorruptible it can never die but liveth and abideth for ever and
Righteousness of the Law might be fulfilled in us that is in our Head Surety and Representative for though we in our Persons were utterly unable to do it yet Christ having done it in our Behalf and Nature it is accepted as if we had done it our selves Christ's Righteousness and Obedience being imputed to us who do believe so that what he did and suffered is accounted unto us as if we had done and suffered it yet it was Christ that purchased Life not we he purchased and we possess he is the Redeemer we are the Redeemed he merited all and we have all freely of Grace through his Merits or through that Redemption that is in his Blood 5. Life and Salvation is a free Gift or of Grace only doth appear yet further because the Foundation thereof laid from before all Worlds in God's eternal Election was the Spring of it and this was alone of God's own free Grace There is a Remnant according to the Election of Grace And if it be of Grace then it is no more of Works otherwise Grace is no more Grace But if it be of Works then it is no more of Grace otherwise Works are no more Works This Opposition or Contrariety is not only between Grace and legal Works but between Grace and all manner of Works whatsoever because it lies betwixt the Nature of Grace and Works they are repugnant or contrary the one to the other they can no more be the Causes or Motive of any one Action than one individual thing can be White and Black in the same part as a worthy Writer notes Men are not elected partly of Grace and partly of Works foreseen but wholly of Grace nothing but an Act of God's Sovereign Grace was the Cause and Motive of it 6. Life and Salvation is a free Gift or by Grace only because the Glorious Covenant between the Father and the Son made and entred into before the World began was alone of God's Grace of his infinite Grace and Favour God was at liberty who foreseeing Man's Fall and horrible Transgression he having forfeited all those Blessings bestowed originally upon him whether he would or would not afford him any Help or Relief but might have justly and utterly rejected the whole Race of Mankind as he rejected all the Angels that sinned or kept not their first Estate Did Man fallen Man deserve this Love this Favour who was become an Enemy to God Was there any thing in Man that could be a Motive to move the Almighty to enter into this Covenant to save so vile a Creature such a poor and despicable a Creature as Man became by his Sins the Visage of his very Soul being now loathsom deformed and abominable in the sight of God God's holy Image being utterly defaced and all his Beauty gone being besmeared and covered all over with noisom Filthiness and Pollution filled with Enmity and Hatred against God dethroning his blessed Creator and setting up the Devil in his Place subjecting himself to that implacable Enemy of his and casting off his most holy and gracious Sovereign from whence he received his Breath and Being Nay and in respect of God himself it must needs appear to be wholly of Grace could Redemption of Man add any thing to the essential Glory of God Did he stand in need of Man to make him more happy or glorious in himself who being an independent Being had been eternally happy in the Injoyment of himself had Man never been made or had he left him under Wrath and Misery Or was he obliged to save us and that he might do it to send his own Son to die and be made a Curse for us Or could he not have created other Creatures to have shewed forth his glorious Perfections Or why might he not have sent his Son to have taken hold of the Nature of Angels to have redeemed them who were his Creatures as well as fallen Man and more glorious too than Man before they fell and let Man have perished for ever and not have entred into such a Covenant of Grace with his own Son on his Behalf 7. Life and Salvation therefore is a free Gift it is wholly of Grace because we could not have obtained it unless God sent his Son out of his own Bosom to effect it The giving of Christ and the Father's sending of him into the World is nothing but an Act of his own free Grace God so loved the World that he gave his only begotten Son c. 8. Because Everlasting Life is by Christ alone nor could we have had it except he died I am 〈…〉 the Truth and the Life no Man can come unto the Father but by 〈…〉 is by Faith that it might be by Grace But after that the 〈◊〉 and Love of God our Saviour appeared Not by Works of Righteousness that we have done but according to his Mercy he saved us by the washing of Regeneration and renewing of the Holy Ghost Which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ That being justified by his Grace we should be made Heirs according to the Hope of Eternal Life Thus if we consider the Rise the Spring the Motive and the Author of Everlasting Life all appears fully to be of God's Grace alone but should we proceed a little further as to the Means and Application of the Remedy in order to interest in this Salvation that is all of Free Grace also 1. We are called and quickened by God's special Grace according to his Eternal Purpose in Jesus Christ No Man could quicken himself All rational Arguments without Divine Influence or an Almighty Power will not bring our Souls into a State of Life See how Paul ascribes his Conversion and special Vocation to God's Grace But when it pleased God who separated me from the Womb and called me by his Grace to reveal his Son in me c. Special Vocation is of God's Free Grace who hath saved us and called us with an Holy Calling not according to our Works but according to his own Purpose and Grace which was given to us in Christ Jesus before the World begun We are quickened renewed or regenerated by Grace through the Operations of the Holy Ghost 2. Adoption is of Grace Having predestinated us unto the Adoption of Children to the Praise of the Glory of his Grace As the Purpose was free so is the Execution free also That the Purpose of God according to election might stand not of Works but of him that calleth To them gave he Power to become the Sons of God c. The Privilege of being Sons and Daughters of God is freely given to us through Jesus Christ 'T is through Christ for that we might become Sons he became a Servant and died the cursed Death of the Cross for us to redeem them that were under the Law that we might receive the Adoption of Sons 3. Justification is wholly of Grace Being justified freely by
whether this Light Power or Moral Grace as they call it be Natural or Supernatural Mediate or Immediate they do not seem well to accord about it Some of them as one observes say the Power of Natural Reason or the Exercise of Human Credence is sufficient to a Man being convinced of the Truth of the Gospel or of the Declaration of God's Love and Grace in Christ so that he may believe as easily as to believe any other Matter upon infallible Testimony Others call it a Gift or the Light of the Spirit which all Men have yet if thorowly examined it is no more than a Natural Gift Light or Ability That it is the special Grace of God or Illumination of the Holy Spirit is not granted but denied by these Men it being no other Grace or Power than is afforded equally to those who perish as to such who are saved It is not such Grace or Operations of the Spirit that infuses holy Habits which determines the Will or inclines it to Good but such Excitements that only awaken and rouse its Native Power it is such Grace that the Will may receive or refuse the whole Efficacy of it so far as I can gather it lies not in its own Nature nor from the effectual Operations of God's Spirit but from the Will of Man Now how contrary this is to the Truth of the Gospel and all the Experiences of renewed and gracious Persons I leave to their considerations yet to detect and condemn these Notions I shall add a word or two before I conclude 1. Can a dead Man quicken himself or be raised to Life without a vital Principle be infused into him Will Moral Swasions bring a dead Man to Life 2. Hath Man a Power naturally in him exceeding the Power of Satan Or is he stronger than that strong Man armed Or are not all Men naturally under the Power of the Prince of Darkness he taking them Captive at his Will Let this be considered for seeing God's Word doth positively declare this to be the State of all Men by Nature i. e. that they are under Satan's Power what signifies that which they affirm Will Satan be perswaded to release and let go his Captives which he holds down in strong Bonds and Chains Or doth not our Saviour expresly intimate he will keep all his Goods in security until a stronger than he comes and binds him and devests him of his Power 3. Is not Faith said to be the Gift of God and not only so but that we believe according to the working of God's Almighty Power and after the same manner that he wrought in Christ when he raised him from the Dead 4. Is not the Carnal Mind enmity against God having in it an utter Averseness and Moral Impotency to do that which is spiritually Good for it is not subject to the Law of God neither indeed can be 5. Doth not the Scripture say that those who are born again are not born of the Will of Man but of God And again it is said of his own Will begat he us And if so is not the Creature as passive in Regeneration as the Child is in Generation God doth not work on the Soul absolutely of his Will according to these Men but waits to see what Man 's Will will do all depends on Man's-Will Grace with them neither worketh Physically nor Irresistibly and that God cannot or doth not by any Divine Operations of unwilling make the Will of Man willing for after all God doth the Will hath power and oftentimes does resist it and render all God doth of none effect Now as a reverend Person well observes according to these Mens Doctrine as the Power for these great Concerns of Salvation is not in God or his special Grace so neither is the Act from him that which gives or work the Act determines the Will or causes it to determine it self but the Lord by his Grace brings it only to the Will 's choice and leaves it to do as it list The Lord by his Power works not the Will to turn to God to loâ—e God to imbrace Christ to yield to the Spirit but leaves it indifferent to turn to God or against him to love God or to hate him to imbrace Christ or reject him to yield to the Spirit or resist him It must be left indifferent as to either Grace turns not the Scales but leaves the Will an equal poise that the Will of Man not the Grace of God may have the casting weight if Grace should weigh it down the Liberty of the Will they say would be violated and in nature destroyed Is this the Doctrine of general Love which they will have to be in God to Mankind viz. Hath the Lord left it indifferent in his Eternal Purpose whether any should be saved or no For if the Will complies not God will not bend it or bring it by irresistible Grace in a Physical Way to a Compliance and though Christ in redemption according to them died for all yet he hath left it indifferent whether any should be actually redeemed or no for the depraved Will of Man determines the whole Event of all that which Christ hath done and the Gospel or the Spirit doth do and if some Men were not better natured and more considerate than others Christ might have died in vain And it follows also that such who are saved have more cause to admire their Wills compliance in believing than to exalt and admire the free Grace of God if what they say be true Alas this general Love of God they talk of that is but an indifferent respect to all or any for all are beloved alike or else God is a respecter of Persons they say ends in Love or Hatred as the Sinner's Will determines it If the Will accepts chuses and yields to Christ then the Person is beloved and chosen by Him but if the Will refuses as the Will of every Mortal might as well as one according to their Notion then he is hated Whatever particular Love they ascribe to God it is no other than what rises or is occasioned from the Sinner's Love to him God foresaw that such and such Persons would believe and love him therefore purposed to save them he foresaw that they would embrace chuse and love Christ therefore he loved them and chose them to Eternal Life provided they continue their Good-liking and Affections to God unto the End How they will be able to deliver themselves from these and such like Consequents from attending their Notions I see not The Apostle says We love him because he first loved us and that we have not chosen him but he hath chosen us But certainly if these Men consider their Principles when they speak of particular Persons they must say he did not love us first but we loved him and that he did not chose us first but we chose him And thus the Doctrine of God's Free Grace
our base Hearts and hence it is our Danger is great which appears may be not so clearly till the Providence of God brings us unto such a State Occasion or Company whereby Satan hath an Opportunity to excite and stir up or draw forth that Sin or evil Seed into act that lies hid within us 2. The Cause of those Evils or grievous Falls that some Christians have and do sustain are from Satan who is not only a malicious Enemy but a strong and cruel Enemy also Hence called A roaring Lion going about and seeking whom he may devour He is very diligent to observe the natural Inclinations of all Christians and watcheth the fittest Opportunity to make his Onsets As when David neglected the proper Work and Business God by his Providence called him unto The time when Kings go forth to battel he sent Joâ—b and tarried at home himself and then the Enemy set upon him he being a walking on the Roof of his House spied a Woman washing her self which produced his fearful Fall Let Christians take heed they are not out of such Employment that God calls them to and not put an Opportunity into Satan's Hand by excess of Eating Drinking or Idleness or by gadding or gazing Abroad like Dinah Jacob's Daughter and beware how they neglect any spiritual Duty in the way of which God hath promised to keep our Souls 3. The Falls of the Saints may be occasioned by reason of the weakness of their Grace Faith may be but small or not in Exercise and so the Hope and Trust of the Soul may faâ—l If the Anchor hath not good and firm hold but should slip the Ship is in danger so it is here Hope is the Anchor of the Soul it should be therefore both sure and stedfast O ye of little Faith wherefore did you doubt Christians are in no small danger if their Faith be not strong Faith is the Shield by which we should quench all the siery Darts of the Wicked The Apostle alludes to those violent Temptations by which Satan strives to enflame Mens Lusts but right skill to use the Shield of Faith will soon quench all those Darts of Temptations A Shield is to desend every part of the Body and will if rightly used So by Faith a Christian is enabled when in the true Exercise thereof to preserve his whole Soul from Evil but let this Shield go and Satan quickly prevails If Satan can perswade a Man there is no such Evil in Sin as God's Word declares or that it is no great matter 't is no wonder he is overcome 4. They sometimes fall by reason of their own fleshly Confidence or trusting in their own Strength Though all deny thee yet will not I. Nay Peter said unto him Though I should die with thee yet I will not deny thee O how dangerous a thing is it to glory in our own Abilities or trust in Self-confidence What little knowledg have we of our own Hearts It was but a few Hours after this but Peter denied our Saviour and swore he did not know him When Men have not their whole dependance on the Grace and Power of God he oft-times leaves them that they may see without him they can do nothing And whenever God withdraws his Divine Assistance from a Person or leaves him to himself he falls immediately as Peter did 5. The Falls of the Saints may be through the Ensnarements and Vain-glory of this wicked World Hezekiah fell this way his Heart was lifted up with Pride in beholding all his Glory and Riches which he shewed to the Princes of the King of Babylon in a vain-glorious manner He shewed them all the House of his precious things the Silver and the Gold and the Spices and the precious Ointments and all the House of his Armour and all that was found in his Treasures there was nothing in his House nor in all his Dominions that Hezekiah shewed them not This was his Sin and Fall this provoked God against him And Isaiah said unto Hezekiah Hear the Word of the Lord. Behold the Days come that all that is in thine House and that which thy Fathers have laid up in Store to this Day shall be carried into Babylon nothing shall be left saith the Lord. And of thy Sons that shall issue from thee which thou shalt beget shall they take away and they shall be Eunuchs in the Palace of the King of Babylon 6. Sometimes they fall by the Subtilty of Deceivers who lie in wait to corrupt their Minds and poison their Souls with their abominable Errors Hence the Apostle Peter cautions the Saints to take heed lest they being led away by the Error of the Wicked fall from their own stedfastness 7. Many times they fall through slavish Fear in the Time of Persecution Many gracious Christians have wanted Courage in that Hour and have been prevailed with too far to a sinful Compliance with the Lusts and Wills of their Adversaries by reason of their cruel Threats and bloody Edicts who have nevertheless afterwards been restored again by Repentance as Peter was 8. Some fall through their Remisness in Duty or being off their Watch. There is no great fear of falling if Christians always stand with their Swords in their Hands and having all their Armour on Praying always with all Prayer and Supplication in the Spirit watching thereunto with all Perseverance The VVitch told the wicked Person as the Story goes that employed her to do Mischief to a godly Neighbour of his That she could not touch him because he was always either Reading Praying or Meditating or to that effect No Evil no Sin nor Devil need that Man fear that is always careful in the true and faithful discharge of his Duty to God If we are asleep or slothful 't is no marvel that Satan prevails and wounds our Souls How easy was it for the Philistines to cut off Sampson's Hair and bind him when he was asleep or Jael to strike a Nail through Sisera's Head he being asleep 9. And lastly They may sometimes also fall by having a greater dependance on that Grace they have already received or on the Grace that is in them than on that Grace which is in Christ Jesus we stand not by virtue of that Grace that is in our Cisterns but by the Grace that is in God's Fountain When the Grace already received fails us that Grace that is in Christ shall supply us if we by Faith depend upon him Thou therefore my Son be strong in the Grace that is in Christ Jesus How is that done Why to have our whole dependance upon Christ who as he is our Head and Mediator hath received the Spirit without measure to the end he might communicate thereof to all his Members 'T is of his Fulness that all we receive and Grace for Grace But it is not all let out at one time we have not all our Riches put into our own
Divine Majesty of God as so to charge the Doctrine of particular Election of lost Sinners Brethren Though Christ is not a Redeemer of Angels the Elect Angels needing none yet he is the Head of Angels and a Confirmer of them He is the Head of Principalities and Powers by him and for him were all things created that are in Heaven that are in Earth visible and invisible whether they be Thrones or Dominions or Principalities or Powers all things were created by him and for him Christ is God and he is the preserver of the Elect Angels they are committed to him and under his Power and he upholds them though he never died for them and shall we think he will not preserve his Elect Saints or that their Election should not as absolutely secure them for whom he as their blessed Lord and Head died and to whom he is a Redeemer as the Elect Angels to whom he is only a Confirmer And ye are compleat in him who is the Head of Principalities and Powers Ye are compleat fully compleat ye stand in him in his Righteousness compleat who is your Head and shall be preserved in him in whom you are elected to everlasting Life 6 thly Because they are chosen to Salvation that is to enjoy and possess Salvation if they have it not the Decree of God is frustrated but his Eternal Decrees are as firm as Mountains of Brass If the Decree of God in appointing his Elect to Salvation be frustrated or made void either it is done by himself or by others Now it cannot be made void by himself because it is an absolute Decree his Mind alters not and none else are able to do it And as to the Slips and Miscarriages of the Elect themselves God foresaw all their Evils from Everlasting and as that hindered not their Election so besure it shall neeer turn them out of it But we are bound to give Thanks always to God for you Brethren because God hath from the beginning chosen you to Salvation c. From the beginning that is from before the World began or from Eternity for the absolute Decrees of God according to his Eternal Counsel are from Everlasting After the Apostle had shewed these Saints that there would come a falling away from the Faith and that many would be deceived and damned for ever to comfort and encourage them against the fear of final Apostacy he brings this in the 13 th Verse But we are bound to give Thanks for you Brethren beloved of the Lord c. You need not fear as if he should say of being deceived or of perishing by dangerous Errors or otherwise 1. Because you are beloved of the Lord. 2. And also are elected to Salvation and because beloved therefore elected Whomsoever God doth absolutely appoint to this or that End he will assist or enable to do whatsoever Means is necessary in order to that End Now the Elect are chosen to Salvation to inherit Eternal Life if therefore any of them miss of it his Decree and Purpose is frustrated which cannot be We have another Text of the like Nature with this For God hath not appointed us to Wrath but to obtain Salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ From hence the Apostle argues that they needed not to doubt of their Salvation and by what preceeds it appears that Election is a great Motive to Holiness as when a Man that is sure of the Victory will fight couragiously Let us who are of the Day or Children of Light not of Night nor of Darkness be sober putting on the Breast-plate of Faith and Love for God hath not appointed us to Wrath c. Children of the Night shall perish but none of the Children of the Light ever shall The Apostle ascends to the original Cause of it which is God's absolute Decree of Election Salvation would wholly else depend upon the uncertainty of Man's Will and not upon the immutable and unchangeable Will and Purpose of God Thâ—â— is more than appointing the Means it is an appointing the Persons not appointed to Salvation upon the foresight of Man's Faith because Faith is the Gift of God and proceeds from his Counsel that 's appointed too else a Man may say that I might be saved I must thank God but that I am saved I must thank my self because it was left to the liberty of my own Will whether I would believe and be saved or no. Two things are necessary in our Salvation 1. The Merits of Christ's Blood 2. Faith to apply it by which God's Image is restored to us and preserved in us and both these we have by his own free Grace through Christ Jesus as the Fruit of his electing Love 7 thly It doth further plainly appear that Election does eternally secure all Christ's Sheep all true Believers from final Falling or everlasting Ruin from the words of our Blessed Lord himself For there shall arise false Christs and false Prophets and shall shew great Signs and Wonders insomuch that if it were possible they should deceive the very Elect. Now is it not easy for any Man from hence to draw an Argument that the Elect cannot fall finally away so as to perish for if it is so that they cannot be deceived i. e. finally or take in damnable Errors so as to perish of which our Saviour speaks for the Elect have otherwise in a great measure and in many things I mean some of them been deceived but it is impossible they should be so deceived as to be damned And if this be granted then Election secures them they cannot finally fall If they might perish eternally they might be deceived with damnable Heresies and bring upon themselves swift and utter Destruction but they cannot be so deceived because they are the Elect therefore they caÌ„nnot fall away so as to perish Arg. If the Election of Grace be absolute as the Decree of Day and Night or as that of Christ dying for our Sins If we are elected in Christ as the Head we being all Members given to him to make up his Mystical Body if those that are elected shall be called justified and glorified if the Means as well as the End be under God's absolute Decree and Purpose if our Election doth as absolutely secure us from final Apostacy as the Election of the Holy Angels does secure them if we are elected to Salvation if it be impossible for any of the Elect to be finally deceived then none of them none of the Elect or no Sheep or Lambs of Jesus Christ can so fall away as to perish eternally but all this is true therefore none of them can so perish So much shall suffice as to the first Argument to prove the Saints final Perseverance Secondly My next Argument shall be taken from the Nature of God's Infinite Love to all his Saints The Love of the Father and Love of the Son doth secure them from perishing it is wonderful it passeth
as ever Hand here and so in my Text by a Synecdoche is put for Strength or Power So also Isa 50. 2. Is my Hand shortned at all that it cannot redeem or have I not Power to deliver Behold at my Rebuke I dry up the Sea I make the Rivers a Wilderness c. Read the next Words following my Text My Father which gave them me is greater than all and none is able to pluck them out of my Father's Hand Secondly By the Hand of the Father may denote God's Eternal Purpose or his Counsel for Hand sometimes is put for the Purpose or Counsel of God To do whatsoever thy Hand and thy Counsel determined to do And if it may thus be taken here then this may be the Sense of it viz. All the Elect all the Sheep and Lambs of Christ are by God's Eternal Purpose and Counsel ordained to Eternal Life and none can pluck them out of his Election or change his Purpose For like as the Death of Christ was determined by the Hand or Counsel of God so were the Effects thereof I mean what Persons should be saved thereby even all and every one of them that he had given unto his Son as he is Mediator The Design and Purpose of God by Jesus Christ was to save all the Elect and the End and Design of Christ's Death cannot be frustrated they are in God's Hand that is it is his Purpose and Counsel to save them and his Counsel shall stand and he will do all his Pleasure 1. All the Counsels of God then from Eternity and all his Promises and Declarations that hold forth those Counsels having a special Relation to Christ's dying for his People and their actual Salvation must and shall have their absolute Accomplishment for the End of a thing is that for which the thing it self is And had it not been for that the thing had never been at all it being that the chief Agent principally aimed at and purposed to bring about 2. Therefore the Salvation of Christ's Saints must be certain from the consideration of the Immutability of God in which the Perfection of his Divine Nature shines forth and requireth a correspondent Affection of all the Internal and External Acts of his Mind and Will 3. From his Soveraignty in making good and executing all his Purposes which will not admit of any Mixtures of Consults as among Men the Lord may do what he will with his Creatures we are but as Clay in his Hand and such as he will make Vessels of Honour who shall contradict him or resist his Will Shall any change God's Mind or render his Thoughts liable to Alteration Also is it not from his Sovereign and Distinguishing Grace to some that makes the Apostle break out O the depth of the Riches both of the Wisdom and Knowledg of God! how unsearchable are his Judgments and his Ways past finding out 4. If we consider how his absolute Purposes doth excite his Omnipotency to the actual accomplishing of them who can once suppose any one Believer should miscarry The Lord of Hosts hath sworn saying Surely as I have thought so shall it come to pass and as I have purposed so shall it stand As God is able to do whatsoever he hath purposed so we may assure our selves there is nothing that shall fail which is according to his determinate Counsel He is of one Mind and who can turn him 5. And what Folly and unreasonable Incredulity is it once to imagine there should be any manner of suspending the Acts and Purposes of the Will of God upon any actings of the Creatures whatsoever seeing it cannot be done without subjecting Eternity to Time and the Will of Man to the Will of God or the First Cause to the Second the Lord to the Servant 6. Now then seeing God hath taken the Salvation of his Elect into his own Hand Power and Eternal Purpose and hath been at such vast Expence of Rich Treasure in order to the accomplishing of his great Design herein who can imagine that any one of his Saints should miss of Everlasting Life Suppose a Prince should have a wonderful Project in Hand which he carries on with the Advice of his Council to make so many of his Subjects that his Love and Affections are let out upon Great and Happy on Earth and in doing of which should expend all or the greatest part of his own Riches nay sacrifice his own Son Would he after all if he could help it suffer his Design to miscarry in the Advancement of any one of them Or should a most wise and cunning Artist contrive a curious Piece of Workmanship which might cost him thousands it being his whole Work and taking up all his Time for forty or fifty Years to bring it to Perfection suppose it be a rare Piece of Clock-work would he suffer any one part of it to be disjointed from the rest by an Enemy whilst he look'd on if he could prevent it or were it in the Power of his Hand Alas what are all the râ—rest the richest or most curious Things in Nature that are or ever have been in the World to this Work of God in the Redemption and Salvation of his Chosen Ones What Treasure hath he spent as I may say Hath it not cost him the parting with the Pearl of great Price even the breaking of it into pieces that so he might enrich and make great and glorious every one of his Elect Nay and after he hath curiously formed his own Image upon each of their Souls to the Joy and Wonder of the Holy Angels and to the Perplexity and Sorrow of Devils and this as the Contrivance of his Eternal Council will he after all think you suffer Satan to deface this his Image in the Souls of any one of them and so spoil and bring to nought part of that glorious expensive and curious Piece of his own Workmanship which was the absolute Result of his Council to compleat and deliver from miscarrying from all Eternity Now then seeing that all the Elect or all true Believers are thus in the Father's Hand viz. put under his Absolute and Eternal Decree and Purpose to save through Jesus Christ what can obstruct or hinder this God from effecting of his own Glorious Design herein To talk of Conditional Purposes concerning Perseverance saith Dr. Owen are either impossible implying Contradictions or ludicrous even to an unfitness for a Stage See the 29 th Verse My Father that gave them me is greater than all and none can pluck them out of my Father's Hand My Father as if Christ should say is equally concerned with me about my Saints Perservation and final Perseverance and they are in his Hand he hath put them into his own Power and he is greater than all he is greater than me as I am Mediator tho as God I and my Father are one tho he hath put them into my Hand as I am Mediator and their
think Repentance a harsh Doctrine no no it is sweet and blessed Tidings to hear that there is Repentance vouchsafed to poor Sinners yea for the worst of Sinners Besides was not Repentance the very first Doctrine Jesus Christ preached when he entered upon his Ministry He calls upon Men to repent and believe the Gospel he declares there is a Way found out for Pardon and Remission of Sin And what can so kindly and sweetly excite or stir up Sinners to Repentance as the sight of the infinite Mercy and pardoning Grace of God through the Sacrifice of Jesus Christ His Mercy only melts and breaks the hard Heart of guilty Criminals 3. To preach the Combinations and Threatnings of God's Wrath and Vengeance against all ungodly and impenitent Sinners who slight and neglect the Salvation of the Gospel can be no Legal Doctrine 1. Because the Gospel abounds with them yea and more fearful Threatnings than those were under the Law for the one were Threats of Temporal Punishment but the other are Eternal even the Denunciation of God's Wrath in Hell for ever 2. Because of the greatness of that Mercy and Divine Grace and Goodness which such who sin under the Gospel do abuse and tread under their Feet 3. To shew the Justice Headship and Authority of Jesus Christ who is God as well as Man that so all Men may stand in awe of him and dread and fear him because of his great Love and Goodness extended through his suffering for Sin and enduring the heavy Wrath of God for us and for many other Reasons which you have heard 4. Because the Threatnings of the Gospel do not only render God as a just Revenger but also as a merciful Redeemer not only as a Judg to pass Sentence but as a gracious Soveraign ready to give forth Pardon to all convicted broken and self-condemned Rebels The Law threatens Death but affords no Offers of Life on any Terms that can be attained to therefore no Encouragement given by it to Sinners to humble themselves it commands perfect Obedience but affords no Strength to perform it pronounces the Sentence against us but produces no Pardon for us it commands us to trust in God but reveals not a Mediator who is the immediate Object of Faith and Trust 5. The Threatnings of the Gospel are a Manifestation of God's Goodness As a Father threatens his Child from that Love and Bowels he hath to it that so it might not feel the Lashes of his Rod and Anger And O how are Gospel-Threatnings mixt with alluring Motives and endearing Arguments and Perswasions intimating how ready God is to pass by our Offences if we submit our selves to him and accept of the Offers of his Grace and Favour If such preaching of Wrath therefore be Legal I must acknowledg my great Ignorance of the Gospel of Jesus Christ Besides how long are the Threatnings of the Gospel deferred before executed The Contemners of the Law died presently as well as it discovered no Remedy But so it is not here God seems to be ready to forgive and slow to Wrath he waits long before he strikes and brings Wrath and Judgment upon Offenders as well as he directs them to a way to escape Secondly I shall shew you what is a Legal Doctrine or Legal Preaching 1. The Doctrine or Preaching of such Persons is legal that say that all who will be eternally saved must arrive to a perfect and sinless Righteousness in themselves i. e. keep the Law perfectly and sin not in their own Persons or they cannot be justified William Penn speaking of that Text Rom. 2. 13. Not the Hearers of the Law are just before God but the Doers of the Law shall be justified saith From whence how unanswerably may I observe that unless we become Doers of that Law which Christ came not to destroy but as our Example to fulfil we can never be justified before God nor let any fancy that Christ hath so fulfilled it for them as to exclude their Obedience from being requisite to their Acceptance but only as their Pattern Now this is a Legal Doctrine with a witness these Men would be look'd upon as true Preachers of the Gospel but let all Men be aware of them Is any Man able perfectly to keep the Law if so why doth the Apostle say What the Law could not do in that it was weak through the Flesh God sending his Son c. Besides if there had been a Law that could have given Life verily saith Paul Righteousness should have been by the Law And again he saith By the Works of the Law no Man is justified and if Righteousness come by the Law then is Christ dead in vain Christ it seems by what this Man saith came only to fulfil the Law as our Example that we might conform to him therein and so be justified by it But he forgot that we and all Mankind have broke the Law and stand charged and condemned thereby unto eternal Condemnation and who shall make Atonement for that Breach and deliver us from the Curse thereby incurred No Doctrine can cast higher Contempt upon Christ and invalidate his Suffering and Justification by Faith alone in him than this Doctrine doth 2. Such preach a Legal Doctrine who preach up Obedience by us to the Law or Gospel either as the procuring or moving Cause and Condition of our Justification and Eternal Life 3. Such also preach a Legal Doctrine who preach up Wrath and Divine Vengeance to scare or frighten Men out of their Sins and as if by the bare leaving and forsaking of Sin Men might escape Death and Wrath. Such a Doctrine as Reverend Dr. Owen notes may fill an unregenerate Man with Horror and servile Fear whereby as Bond-Servants or Slaves by the Whip of this Doctrine they may be forced to break off from some gross Acts of Sin and perform some outward Duties of Religion which otherwise they are unwilling to do for as it is not from Love to God nor from Faith in Christ so they find no Delight nor Sweetness in it but being often remiss and seeing cause to doubt of the Sincerity of their Obedience they fall under Terror and slavish Fear they only acting from an enlightned Conscience and not from Faith or renewing Grace These Men neither love the Law nor Gospel tho they are forced to keep up in some degree of Obedience to it 4. Such preach a Legal Doctrine that affirm Man 's own Faith and inherent Righteousness for the sake of Christ's Merits is part of our Righteousness to Justification in the sight of God and that Christ hath procured or merited a mild Law of Grace of Faith and sincere Obedience in the room of the Law of perfect Obedience Which Law of sinless Obedience Christ having given to God a full Recompence for our Breach of he hath taken that Law-away and that so far as we faithfully live up to this new Law of Grace we are justified in
accounted all things as loss or as nothing for the Excellency of Jesus Christ his Lord. 4. Doth Jesus Christ rule and reign in thee by his Spirit He that hath Christ in him may feel his ruling Power and that he by his Spirit hath spoiled the ruling and predominating Power of Sin every evil Habit in the Heart and Life of such being broke 5. Moreover if Christ is in thee and thou by Faith art in him then thou art a new Creature This the Apostle positively doth assert Therefore if any Man be in Christ he is a new Creature old things are passed away behold all things are become new Such have new Understandings or are renewed in their Understandings Wills and Affections they have also new Thoughts new Love new Fears new Joy new Desires new Companions and new Conversations all things with such are become new Lastly And to conclude with all I shall say from this Text here is also Matter and Cause of Comfort and great Consolation to all Believers to all who have a part in this Salvation I need not shew you which way this appears for every one that hath heard what a kind of Salvation it is may easily infer from thence that all that have a part in it are happy for ever 't is a great and glorious Salvation Remember what you are delivered from by it and what you are raised up unto by it and also that it is a sure and certain Salvation no Enemy no Sin no Devil can dispossess you of it if you are Believers and have received the Earnest thereof which is the Holy Spirit by which also you are sealed to the Day of Redemption Therefore it remains that you endeavour to shew forth the Praises of him who hath called you out of Darkness into his marvelous Light and hath given you a true sight of and interest in this great Salvation wrought by Jesus Christ To whom with the Father and the Holy Spirit be Glory Honour and Praise now and for ever Amen FINIS A. Access FREE access to the Father an Effect of Christ's Death Pag. 262 Accompany What those things are that do accompany Salvation 323 366 Adoption Adoption a glorious Privilege 417 Afflictions Afflictions compared to a Refiner's Fire 17 Afflictions Christ's Fan 17 Aggravation The Aggravations of Sin opened in ten Particulars 356 All. Christ died not eternally to save all Men proved 248 to 256 Christ in some sense did die for all universally or for every individual Person 256 Angels Angels pry into our Salvation 433 Angels great understanding yet learn by Experience of the Church 434 Arian Heresy what 85 Arminianism Arminianism detected 146 147 Arminianism again detected 158 Arminianism further detected 228 to 256 Attributes All the Attributes glorified equally in our Salvation by Jesus Christ 372 All the holy Attributes united together in Christ to save Believers 247 All the Attributes of God in Arms to cut down such who neglect the Salvation of the Gospel 467 468 B. Backbiting a notorious Evil such may be guilty of Murder 7 Baptizing is dipping 132 Baptism of great use to Believers 133 Beguiled Christ's Sheep may be beguiled by Deceivers how far 89 90 Blood unlawful to be eaten The whole World forbid to eat it because it is the Life of the Creature Pag. 256 Business The Salvation of our Souls the chief Business we have to mind whilst in this World shewed in many Particulars 441 442 443 C. Cease Such who are begotten and born of God cannot cease being his Children 214 Chaff Why false or hypocritical Professors are compared to Chaff shewed in six things from p. 18 to 25 Who are Chaff from p 18 to 25 Charity Ministers should exercise Charity towards such Christians that seem dull and drowsy 322 Child John Child's Sin what 48 Some Passages of his Desparation 48 49 50 He hang'd himself 51 Children The happy State of being the Children of God born of God 222 to 227 How God's Children are known 219 220 Christ Christ is God and Man wherefore 93 94 Christ coequal to the Father 380 Christ the express Image of the Father's Person 368 How Christ is the Power of God and the Wisdom of God 273 274 Condition Conditional Christ not a Conditional Redeemer 251 The Condition that Arminians say the Creature is to perform is impossible 250 251 252 Their Conditional Redemption no Redemption at all 250 251 252 253 254 It renders Salvation not free or wholly by Grace 151 Cornelius not saved without Faith in Christ tho his Prayers are said to be heard 385 Curse of the Law remains on all Unbelievers 474 D. Darkness Hell a Place of utter Darkness Pag. 5 Dead Man naturally dead 145 How Men may know they are spiritually dead or dead in Sin 146 Death The Nature of natural Death 145 Natural and Spiritual Death compared 145 146 Death of Christ secures the Saints Final Perseverance 235 Christ suffered Death in our stead 239 Dear How a dear Child of God may be known 219 220 Despair a great Sin 449 455 456 Utter Despair will add to the Damneds Misery 61 Devil The Devil the Cause of Sinners spiritual Blindness 445 The Devil will torment the Damned by upbraiding them 61 Devils and wicked Men tormented together 62 Discipline The Fan of Church Discipline twofold 13 14 15 E. Effect 1. Appeasing God's Wrath an Effect of Christ's Death 257 2. Reconciliat an Effect of Christ's Death 258 3. The Holy Spirit as given to the Elect an Effect of Christ's Death 259 4. Adoption an Effect of Christ's Death 262 5. Pardon of Sin an Effect of Christ's Death and Satisfaction 262 6. Free Access to the Throne of Grace an Effect of Christ's Death 262 7. Redemption an Effect of Christ's Death 262 8. Justification an Effect of Christ's Death 263 9. Sanctification an Effect of Christ's Death 263 10. Glorification an Effect of Christ's Death 265 First Effect of Christ's Death in us by the Spirit is Life 267 Second Light Conviction 267 Christ's Death shall have its Effect on all for whom he died like as a Corn of Wheat that is sown will have its Effect 253 Elect Election There is Election of Grace Personal Election proved 170 171 172 c. Christ the Head of Election 170 Election secures the Saints Final Perseverance 172 177 178 179 181 182 Envy a great Sin 7 Essentials What the Essentials of Christianity are 85 86 Every Man doth not intend oft-times all and every individual Person in the World 299 Eutychians What the Eutychian Heresy is 85 F. Faith Justifying Faith is a reliance on Christ A full perswasion that Christ is mine not essential to the being of Faith 420 Of a direct Act of Faith 420 A general Faith to believe Christ died for all therefore for me not to be valued and may be a false Faith 268 Fall Fallings Saints may fall foully 162 Causes of the Saints Fallings 164 165 166 167 Falling from Grace No final falling from Grace proved