are much joyed at good reports will be much grieved at ill Oft times the best suffer the worst reports because they will be no worse There is not a good man that can escape evill and false reports from the wicked Riches Riches are uncertaine wee must leave them they insnare many but there are but few that are drawne the nearer to God by them The greedinesse of riches are more sharpened by the having of them then by their wants Riches are the destruction of many Commonly the richest men doe the least good to others Riches make many afraid to confesse Christ and his truth c. Religion It is impossible for every man to be of one Religion and Judgement because their lights and ends differ Where Religion is in truth it is in power and enableth a man to practise it A forme of Religion onely with riches is imbraced rather then the power of Religion with povertie Most men love that Religion best which best suits with their lusts as honour pleasure easâ— and their bellies A little Religion goes a great way in rich persons Reproofe for sin Those that complaine because they are reproved for sinning shew their folly Poore persons have a priviledge above the rich in that they are reproved Such as are wise count reproofe a priviledge Sinne. Many sinne by omission and commission at one and the same time and yet know of neither Some sinnes of omission may exceed some of commission The beginning of sinne is oft by the Devils concupiscence suggesting evill thoughts evill thoughts cause delight delight consent consent ingendreth action action causeth custome and custome causeth necessitie custome winneth strength by time and is more fierce then nature one sinne draweth on another grant a little and a great deale will follow The more there is of the will in the acting of sin the greater the sinne is The more deliberation and the weaker temptation any hath and yet sinneth the greater the sinne is According as mens sight of sinne is so they hate it and them selves for it The lesse sensiblenesse of sinne there is after sinne is committed the greater is the hardnesse of heart Ignorance and unbeliefe and want of consideration and meditation and not shunning the occasion of sinne causeth much sinne Such as the more they fall into sinne the more they hate it and are grieved for it and the more they goe to God against it with faith they shall conquer it Satan It is the great designe of Satan to draw the Saints from God his truth and people and that we neglect the meanes or wholly relie upon them in good things he severeth the meanes from the end in evill hee separateth the end from the meanes Sorrow It is the nature of sorrow to bring the soule downe Senses Our senses every day decay by little and little though we take not notice of it Truth Jesus Christ is the truth and his word is truth No man can teach himselfe or another the mystery of truth Whatsoever is without or against the Word is not truth That which the most men doe is not truth The authoritie of men is not alwayes for the truth That which carrieth the greatest shew of humilitie is not truth Neither the learned nor the unlearned can know the truth untill God shall please to teach it them Mans reason cannot dive so deepe as the truth lyeth He that is naturally wise is least capable of divine things The greatest enemy that truth hath is concealement for the more manifest truth is the more gloriously it appeares If truth may have libertie to goe abroad it will quickly suppresse errors Thirst Spirituall thirst is as strong as naturall thirst yea stronger Time Time is not valued to its worth Time past cannot be recalled againe Time ill spent turnes to great losse and ends in deepe sorrow Temptations Temptation triâ—th mens strength he is strong that stands in strong temptations When temptation is absent a foole is wise and the froward patient Those temptations are most dangerous which suits best with holy ends Strong and lasting temptations are to shew us our selves and humble us An over-much fearing a temptation and a weak purpose to resist it weakeneth us and incourageth Satan to tempt When we are tempted it is best presently to fall to prayer and not to stand reasoning with the temptation Trials They who are least exercised with trials have the least wisedome and experience Trouble There is nothing but trouble under the Sunne The lesse trouble men expect the more they oft meet withall A troubled soule cannot doe good nor receive good A soule cast downe by selfe or Satan rests not in God but in trouble Selfe cannot stay nor checke it selfe much lesse recover it selfe out of sinfull trouble Vsury To pay use when the profit is uncertaine is a meanes to fill men with troubles cares distrust if not with oppression Want It is a sin and a dishonour to a childe of God to say or thinke he shall want or to say What shall I doe A childe of God never wants though he may thinke he wants for he is possessed of all things If hands estate or friends faile God will send supply some other way He that suffers want contentedly is a strong man Of weeping Excesse in weeping is against nature reason and Religion Many make a God of other teares World Such as are full of the things of this world are emptie enough of spirituall things According as the world is sweet unto us the things of God are bitter to us The world is a deadly enemy to spiritualnesse He that is full of worldly businesse needs no other troubles Will. Many prefer their wills before their lives for when they are crossed they wish for death When we want a will to do any thing we pretend want of power and say I cannot To will is naturall but to will well to will spiritually is supernaturall Those vertues that grace the will as love grace mercy justice are more glorious then â—hose that grace the understanding as power and wisdome c. Weaknesse The wisest Saint is most sensible of his own weaknesse Weaknesse with watchfulnesse will stand when great strength with selfe-confidence faileth Watchfulnesse Spirituall watchfulnesse is a speciall grace of God a chiefe part of godlinesse a speciall helpe to holinesse and a great priviledge of a Saint Because the Saints watch no more they fall so much There is no good order in their lives who watch not A wonder Naturall men wonder at worldly and sensuall things It is no wonder for a naturall man to seeke himselfe in all things Zeale Every man is zealous either for God or himselfe These few Experiences I present unto thee for a taste though many more might be added which I leave thee to finde out by experience also considering there are many sweet experiences recorded in the Scriptures especially in the Proverbs and Ecclesiastes and also in other places in the Bible to which I
24. Sight is higher then presence To be transformed into glory We are changed into the same image from glory to glory 2 Cor. 3. 18. This shall be more full in glory Then shall wee appeare with him in glory Col. 3. 4. To have full communion with God Wee shall be filled with the fulnesse of God Ephes 3. 19. Union is higher then sight communion is higher then union as it flowes from it full communion is more we shall have as much as we shall desire wee shall be filled with it wee shall injoy the quintessence of all sweetnesse fulnesse goodnesse in God and shall be raised inflamed and ravished with him and be wholly taken up with admiring and praising him without any intermission or wearinesse this is our greatest good and blessednesse and the end of our being To be for ever with the Lord So shall wee be ever with the Lord 1 Thes 4. 17. Eternall communion with God As it is written Eye hath not seene nor eare heard neither hath entred into the heart of man the things which God hath prepared for them that love him 1 Cor. 2. 9. It transcends the utmost expectation of the most inlarged heart Wherefore comfort one another with these words vers 18. Faith beleeves the promises of glory and so lives comfortably in expectation of fruition when faith shall end in vision our eternall joyes draws on apace in the meane time lay hold on eternall life let faith beleeve it and hope expect it and patience waite for it to make this life tolerable bepatient indure all it will not be long ere glory come and continue for ever for this cause wee faint not 2 Cor. 4. He that lives by faith in glorification lives a sweet comfortable life in Christ his righteousnesse and is fruitfull sincere and content Lastly To dye by faith Which is to resigne up our soules to God beleeving death shall be a passage to glory When Christ who is my life shall appeare then shall I appeare with him in glory Col. 3. 4. These all dyed in faith Heb. 11. 13. The righteous hath hope in his death Pro. 14. 32. Blessed are the dead that dye in the Lord for they rest from their labours and their workes follow them Rev. 14. 13. When I awake I shall be satisfied in thy likenesse Psal 17. 15. Why should I feare that I would not escape what hurt will it be to me to enter into glory I cannot have my happinesse unlesse I goe unto it THE SAINTS DAILY DUTY AND DESIRE The severall Branches of the Saints daily duty and desire to walke with God every day 1. WHen I awake to thinke on GOD and to be thankfull to him for rest and sleepe and preservation from sin Satan and dangers satisfying my soule with the Lord craving his strength to walke with him all the day long reverently and seriously to minde him and obey him When I awake I am still with thee Ps 139. 18. I shall be satisfied when I awake with thy likenesse Psal 17. 15. see Act. 11. 23. Commune with your heart upon your bed and be still Psal 4. 4. It is good to season strengthen and perfume our spirits if time will permit with some sweet thoughts of God as that Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and to day and for ever Heb. 13. 8. He is not changed Here is strong consolation in this sweet meditation My meditation of him shall be sweet Psal 104. 34. It is good for me to draw neere to God Psal 73. 28. To make him the object and end of all my actions O that my understanding had a more full cleare and glorious sight of him and a more perfect inward eternall and full communion with him then should my will and affections be more satisfied and more inflamed with unwearied desires high and restlesse aspirations after fresh additions of intercourses and communion with him The sight of God to a Saint is glorious and the knowledge and often meditation of him will raise and inlarge the soule Every childe of God hath in him an earnest desire to have communion with him to injoy his blessed presence and to see his glory As the Hart panteth after the water-brookes so panteth my soule after thee O God My soule thirsteth for God when shall I come and appeare before him Psal 42. 1 2. Nor will a seldome communion satisfie them it must be frequent and full it is a contempt of God to be willing to live without him and so much he injoys God as he seriously minds him and so much as wee desire God we follow after God for desire is the soules following of God and as God draweth we follow Song 1. 4. Unlesse the Lord fix and fasten the heart upon himselfe it will be fixed on things below and wander after vanities and fill both head and heart with them he that knoweth what it is to injoy God is sensible of the want of him and thinkes he can never have enough of him his soule will faint for him because nothing lesse then God can content him Psal 119. 81 82. Jer. 14. 8. Psal 13. 1. Exod. 33. 13 14 15. 18. So the soule lives where it loves and where it loves it lives and there is nothing more active and stronger then love for love is as strong as death the coales thereof are coales of fire which hath a most vehement flame Song 8. 6 7. 2. Live by faith Every day to live by faith in all estates and conditions the communion the soule hath with God is by faith in justification in sanctification in infirmities in graces in meanes using in duties and for a supply of all wants every day to live the life of faith in glorification 3. Watch heart That every day I watch my heart to keepe it continually still cleane spirituall content and that I observe warily the first and secret motions of my heart least I be unawares catched and insnared in sinne and that I doe not receive any thing without it be warranted in the word of God Keepe thy heart with all diligence for out of it are the issues of life Pro. 23. 17. Thy heart is deceitfull take heed of it consider Jer. 17. 9. Heb. 3. 12. Luk. 6. 45. If wee cease to watch our hearts they quickly become vaine Consider how it was with David 2 Sam. 12. 9. and Peter Mat. 26. 72. our experience might teach us that our hearts are worse then wee tooke them to be when wee are crossed or tempted wee shew what metall wee are made of the best have cause enough to looke to themselves if one sinfull thought be admitted concerning the sweetnesse and pleasure of sinne the will is ready enough to accept the motion consent forecast the accomplishment the affections adde heat and strength the heart travels with iniquitie and in time by opportunitie sin is brought forth and delight and custome wraps a man up in sinne that he cannot get out such carelesnesse may cost
3. 17. Isai 53. 11. Also to say we are not justified before God or in his sight untill we beleeve is to say we must adde our work to Christ to make up our justification before God and if it be so then wee in part save our selves and if we doe joyne with Christ in this worke why may wee not joyne with him in the glory of it for that may be esteemed one of the greatest parts of our justification without which we cannot be justified But this derogates from Christ and all such tenets we are to hate with execration For saith Christ I have troden the wine-presse alone and of the people there was none with me Isai 63. 3. Wee rather say if wee beleeve not yet he abideth faithfull he cannot deny himselfe 2 Tim. 2. 13. What the Lord Jesus Christ hath done for us is perfect and is by God imputed to us so as it is really ours though it be inherent in another and by beleeving it wee know it to be ours Rom. 4. 24. First Not any shall be saved by Christ but those who were predestinated in him according to his eternall purpose Eph. 1. 4 5. 3. 11. And that there was not any foreseene faith or works in any kinde why he chose these rather then others the will of God was the cause one was chosen and not another all was according to the good pleasure of his will to the praise and glory of his grace Ephes 1. 5 6. Are we better then they no in no wise c. Rom. 3. 9. It was from his great love wherewith he loved us Ephes 2. 4. This love of God was the cause of Gods sending Christ Joh. 3. 16. and the chiefe cause of mans election and salvation 1 Joh. 4. 10. Eph. 1. 4. Joh. 17. 23. And that it is impossible for this great love to decrease or increase because it is infinite as appeares by Psal 139. 17 18. Jam. 1. 17. God is perfect and infinite he knows and understands all things that ever were are or shall be at once So he is one pure act therefore when we were chosen in Christ wee were justified and compleat in him God looked upon the Elect to be in Christ before the world was Ephes 1. 4. and so he ever lookes upon the Elect So that they ever appeare to him perfect and righteous as Christ for they are one and are in him 1 Cor. 1. 30. Yee are in Christ Jesus and ever shall be in him being justified freely by his grace in his sight Rom. 3. 20. 24. God properly was never wroth with Christ nor the Elect and therefore Christ could not suffer Gods wrath see Heb. 2. 9. So that in respect of their justification God seeth no sinne in any of the Elect even before their calling and after And as it is Gods will so it should be ours to set his glory above our salvation that in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindnesse towards us to the praise of the glory of his grace Ephes 1. 5 6. Ephes 2. 7. Secondly In time the Elect did breake a holy and just Law and so lay under the curse and wrath of it which was death Rom. 3. 21. 23. Christ in our nature for our persons suffered death Heb. 2. 9. the penalty to free all the Elect so that they are now actually justified by Justice That he might be just Rom. 6. 15. 3. 25 26. If God should have justified us without this propitiation after he had made this Law and we breaking it he could not have been just but having received this propitiation he could not be just if he did not justifie the Elect That he might be just and the justifier c. Rom. 3. 26. Thirdly The soule by faith doth apprehend and apply Christ and what he hath done to be for him by which it knoweth it selfe to be justified in the sight of God and in the Word and in his own conscience Whence flowes joy and peace in beleeving Rom. 5. 1. because all that beleeve are justified And as many as were ordained to eternall life beleeved Act. 13. 39. 48. So that by beleeving I know I am ordained to eternall life because Gods word saith so and that wee are justified in his sight without the deeds of the Law Rom. 3. 20. 28. viz. by faith wee apprehend our selves to be freely and fully justified by Christ without any workes of our own Gal. 2. 16. without any addition of inherent goodnesse in us c. Fourthly by our workes in our outward subjection to Christ to his word we declare to men as farre as they can judge that we have the faith of Gods Elect 2 Pet. 1. 1. Thou O Lord knowest the hearts of all men but faith without workes is dead to men and buried also James 2. 18. 20. If there be no workes they can see nothing of it shew mee thy faith by thy workes Yee see then how by workes a man is justified 21. 24. In the 1. we are justified in respect of the knowledge and purpose of God in his sight Rom. 3. 20. In the 2. we are actually and vertually justified in Justice by the bloud of Christ which payd the debt now the full price the full debt being paid is it justice in law by God or man to require it againe surely no. In the 3. wee are justified in our Consciences by the holy Spirits manifestation and application of Christs righteousnesse unto us In the 4. and last we are justified before men or unto men Object If it be so that men are loved of God c. before they repent and beleeve then men may live as they list c. Answ We are to own and confesse the truth and not what men of corrupt minds and base spirits will say and will doe the Apostle saith If any man sin we have an Advocate with the Father Jesus Christ the righteous 1 Joh. 2. 1. But what if one say it seemes the Apostle incourages men to sin to tell them there is an Advocate who is alwayes heard And the Apostle saith Where sinne hath abounded grace did abound much more Rom. 5. 20. By the Apostles answer it appeares some did say they might continue in sin that grace might abound what shall wee say then shall we continue in sinne that grace may abound God forbid how shall we that are dead in sin live any longer therein c. Rom. 6. 1 2. But this is an old cavill and slander cast upon those that teach the truth as the Apostle saith it was then in his dayes We be slanderously reported and as some affirme that we say let us doe evill that good may come whose damnation is just Rom. 3. 8. Their exception is against the truth of God and therfore we leave them to God to answer and satisfie them And though all the Elect are freed from the curse of the Law yet we establish the Law Rom. 3. 31.
deare though the Elect shall misse hell Lord bold up my goings in thy paths that my footsteps slip not Psal 17. 5. Hold thou me up and I shall be safe and I will have respect unto thy Statutes continually Psal 119. 117. 4. Watch thoughts Every day to watch that my thoughts be holy or lawfull and seasonable to ranke order and confine them within an holy compasse that I may gaze and meditate on God his unmeasurable goodnesse greatnesse beautie glory and to bring under and destroy every wicked and vaine thought and desire c. It is no burden to fix our minds and thoughts on things above where our life and joy and treasure is Where your treasure is there will your hearts be also The more wisdome leads us on high the more is our joy and the more we avoyd the snares below and the more wee injoy God in the invisible workings intentions desires elevations of heart with thoughts of sweetest raptures in which is peace joy triumph searching into the mysteries of grace in which is light is truth in its clearnesse purenesse fulnesse in gazing upon the most glorious object admiring God in his infinite attributes to contemplate on Gods boundlesse mercy in Christ Such as are exercised herein injoy great sweetnesse and delight they see and say as David How precious are thy thoughts to me O God c. Psal 139. 17. Such thoughts raise the heart and make it spirituall joyfull and thankfull willing and serious in all duties and holy services 5. Hearken unto conscience Every day to watch and hearken to the noyse of conscience that I may prise the peace of it indeavour to informe it and to doe nothing that shall offend it And herein doe I exercise my selfe to have alwayes a conscience voyde of offence towards God and towards man Acts 24. 16. Holding the mystery of faith in a pure conscience 1 Tim. 3. 9. 6. Watch affections Every day to watch that my affections be set right and that they move not without or contrary to my judgement and that they be set upon right objects and that they soare not too high nor descend too low but according as the object deserves meanly affecting meane things and not affecting corrupt reason as passion c. That my delight be not set immoderately upon any earthly things though never so excellent desirable or amiable and so to injoy them as expecting every day or houre to lose them Set your affections on things above Col. 3. 1. 5. Affections are the pulses of the soule and shew the state of it the affections are the motions of the will and the will is the principall seate of grace grace hath its birth in the understanding but her seate is more principally in the will actually and formally therefore the will is much to be observed in its tempers inclinations motions which are the affections of the soule all affections may be comprehended in love and hatred the first comprehends desire delight joy hope these are the acts of love and these are chiefly to be given to God wee must make him our trust love joy delight and our all in all esteeme and affect all things else under him and for him he is all-sufficient therefore we may well content our selves with him and to love him dearly then are the affections set right when with God wee are sicke of love Song 2. 5. Forsake not God who is a living fountaine for broken Cisternes Jer. 2. Love is the sweetest affection it 's pity it should be spent and lost upon vanities And when we set our affections strongly on things below it 's a mercy for God to take them from us to teach us and cause us to take more delight in God himselfe and those true unspeakeable and everlasting delights prepared for the Saints with himselfe Surely wee have cause to lament that we are so ready to set our affections on things below that they are so strong and unruly and so hardly subdued that it is not an easie thing to master our wils and appetites they so rage and dote so vehemently after vanities vanitie of vanities all is vanitie Eccl. 1. 2. 7. Watch time That every day I watch and endeavour to redeeme time because it is precious to improve it to know truth to injoy and obey God and to serve others in love redeeming the time because the dayes are evill Eph. 5. 16. Also our time is short it 's but as a thought a shadow a dreame a span long it is our duty and wisdome to preserve and redeeme time for every purpose and action Paul improves his time by the space of three yeares I ceased not to warne every one night and day with teares c. Act. 20. 31. Yet we lose many houres needlesly in sleeping in trifling in idle visits c. In which time good might have been done to many 8. Watch senses Every day to watch the windows of my soule my senses as eares eyes from unlawfull objects and lawfull when I perceive they would suck evill from them and shutting my eyes and eares if need be He shall dwell on high c. that stoppeth his eares from hearing of bloud that shutteth his eyes from seeing of evill Isa 33. 15 16. Thus we are commanded to take heed watch and pray Mark 13. 35. so take heed what yee heare It was Davids desire to God Turne away mine eyes from beholding vanitie Psal 119. 37. Job saw a necessitie to make a Covenant with his eyes Job 31. 1. For Satan is ready to convey much evill insensibly through these floud-gates of sin bad discourse inflames lust Davids roving eye caused him to fall foully and procured him much vexation and griefe who could have thought an idle glance could occasion so much mischiefe Expect no better fruit in suffering your hearts to run after your eyes fancy will take fire before we be aware but a foole will take no warning he will have his eyes in every corner of the earth Prov. 17. 24. he must and will hearken unto a tale-bearer Prov. 25. 23. And so he hath his heart filled with anger and revenge but when he is wiser he will cry out with shame and griefe that all is vanitie and vexation of spirit as Eccles 1. 2. 9. In outward things Every day to watch to make some good use and draw instruction from the creatures and passages of Gods providence so to mind heavenly things by naturall So did Christ upon mentioning of bread Mat. 16. These things below make themselves wings and fly away but fly thee by them from them before them 10. Watch in lawfull things Every day to watch narrowly with care and heedfulnesse in the use and injoyment of things lawfull viz. meat drinke sleepe apparell marriage visitations and recreations c. Our nature is prone to excesse herein and we oft sinne more and are in greater danger by lawfull things then by unlawfull because wee feare grosser evils more then we do the
nature is no preparation for the receiving the Gospel And to what end shall God give meanes sufficient to work faith and repentance in such as he hath not appointed to life But all that are given unto Christ doe in time come to him and he brings them to everlasting life Joh. 6. 37 39. To you it is given to beleeve Phil. 1. 29. Reasons why wee dissent from such as hold free will 1. BEcause it exempts the creature from being under the power of God for that which giveth a creature power to doe as he will when God hath done all he may unto him that doth make him no instrument subject to Gods power for they affirme that God doth not worke in his omnipotency but leaves it to the free will of the creature It is one thing to be able to doe a thing by perswasion and another to doe it by power which I cannot refuse this latter they deny 2. It denies Gods decree to be infallible for either God determines in such and such cases with the circumstances thereof or not if not then he cometh short of the creature herein for he determineth such things in his matters 3. If God doth not determine and apply the creature to will and worke that which he worketh in the creature then the creature is the cause why God willeth this or that and by consequence is the cause why he willeth this or that but the creature is not the cause c. Gods working this or that must either goe before the will and so cause it to will or else it must follow accomplishing that which mans will willeth the latter makes God to follow and tend on mans will Also it makes the will of man to have a casuall force in God himselfe as if God should say I will work conversion faith c. in such a person if he will 4. If libertie of will stands in such a power free for exercising good or evill then Christ had not libertie of will son he had libertie onely to work that which was good nor hath man of himselfe any libertie or power to come to Christ For saith Christ none can come to me except the Father draw him Joh. 6. 44. 37. So that they are deceived who make God by his grace to convert us So that he leaveth it in our power whether we will be converted or no but who can resist that which God worketh by his almightie power Eph. 1. 20 when he putteth forth this his power which raised Christ from the dead and if this could be resisted it were not almightie The Apostle saith that the power did worke in him mightily Col. 1. last Eph. 3. 20. 5. Because God in his good pleasure of his will doth freely and effectually determine of all things whatsoever he willeth he doth all things according to the counsell of his own will Ephes 1. 11. All things are in the minde of God before they are in themselves and what he willeth he effecteth in his time and nothing is done if he willeth it not to be done Psal 115. 3. 135. 6. Jehovah doth whatsoever he pleaseth The will of God is the first cause of things By thy will they are Rev. 4. 11. He by willing makes the object Jer. 1. 18. He hath mercy on whom he will Rom. 9. 18. and there is no cause to be given of his will It 's God that worketh in you to will and to doe Phil. 2. 17. And such as make the will of God to depend upon the creature as if he beleeves God wills his salvation if he beleeves not he wills his damnation makes Gods will mutable and to depend upon the act of the creature and then it will follow so often as the will of the creature changeth so often God changeth and then God will doe this or that if man will But whatsoever God willeth in all things he willeth effectually so that he cannot in no wise be hindered or disappointed for if God should will any thing he could not obtaine there should be imperfection in God and if he can obtaine it and will not how then doth he will it Isai 46. 10. Every decree of God is eternall 1 Cor. 2. 7. Acts 15. 18. and remaines alwayes immutable Numb 23. 23. Pro. 19. 21. And as many as were ordained to eternall life beleeved Act. 13. 38. Whom he predestinated them he called Rom. 8. 30. God did from eternitie know every severall thing with all the circumstances thereof and knowes how to apply the fittest occasion to every thing and how to effect all things He that frames the heart observeth all their workes Psal 33. 15. Isai 44. 2. even those things that seeme to happen most freely God determines of according to his will of the very heart of man Psal 33. 15. 1 Sam. 10. 9. 26. Pro. 21. 1. Of a man killing another by chance Exodus Of the lot cast into the lap Pro. 16. 33. Of sparrowes falling Mat. 10. 29 30. Of lilies flowers and grasse of the earth Mat. 6. 28. 30. Yea of all creatures and things Joh 38. Psal 104. Isai 45. 7. Jer. 14. 22. That the bones of Christ should not be broken By all which it appeares the will of God determined the certainty of the event And if God should not determine of all things the will of God should not be simply and universally the first cause and to deny him to be the first cause implies that there are two first beginnings or more then two which cannot be truth And for any to say that man hath power to resist all God can worke for his conversion is to put grace in mans power and not mans will under the power of grace is to say that man is able to frustrate Gods counsell concerning his conversion and power to resist all that God can worke herein is to affirme that man hath power to frustrate Gods counsell and if it be so will it not follow that man hath power to make God a lyer If God by his omnipotent power inclines the wills of men whither he willeth then he hath them more in his power then man hath then his will decreeing is the cause necessitie followeth and the will of the creature is not the cause of the necessitie of things The Scriptures declare that God workes all things after the counsell of his will not mans will and made all things for himselfe Pro. 16. 4. Isa 43. 6 7. Object Then you take away the libertie of the will if man have no power to doe otherwise Ans 1. That which doth not having power to doe otherwise from second causes compelling it so to doe in that it is not free Gods will in himselfe is the first cause of all things and this omnipotent will of God doth determine the creature 2. Men ground the freedome of will falsly for the freedome of will as it is a faculty voluntary or elective doth not require this indifferency of the inclination in exercise
for it is bound by Gods decree so as not any thing can be done but what he hath determined yet nothing can satisfie some unlesse it be granted that they have power of will to crosse Gods decree 3. If the cause why God chooseth me and not another is because I will c. then it is not meerly from his will and then you deny the freedome of Gods will Also if a man hath libertie of will to resist Gods will and worke so as God shall not convert him it will follow that when we are converted we convert our selves which is contrary to the Scriptures as Psal 51. And doe not they give the Scriptures the lye that say the will of an unregenerate man may be free to righteousnesse will it and imbrace it when it is proposed But if a seeing eye were in darknesse it could not discern any thing how much lesse shall the blind see By nature we are blind Rev. 3. 17 18. Wee are darknesse till we be made light in the Lord Eph. 5. 8. Darknesse cannot comprehend the light Joh. 1. 5. The naturall man cannot receive the things of the Spirit for they are foolishnesse to him 1 Cor. 2. 14. Therefore the Saints pray to God to reveale to them the knowledge of Christ and to inlighten their eyes by the Spirit of wisdome and revelation Eph. 1. 17 18 Mans will being wholly inthralled into sinne as appeares Rom. 6. 20. 8. 6. The carnall mind is enmitie to God it is not subject to the Law of God nor can be how then can it will desire and receive grace by nature As God commanded Pharaob to let Israel goe yet he could not for God hardened his heart that he could not be willing Joh. 12. 39. with Rom. 11. 32. they confesse that unlesse God give faith it 's impossible for men to beleeve so then the reason men doe not beleeve is because God doth not give them faith Phil. 1. 29. But to what purpose is it for God to give Christ to dye for mens sinnes seeing as they confesse they shall have no benefit by him unlesse they beleeve and that they cannot doe without God and God doth not give them faith if he did they could not but beleeve what great love is this which is shewed to them The substance of those famous or rather infamous opinions of ours of such as hold free will and that Christ dyed for the sinnes of all Adams posteritie is that God wills the salvation of all men but he is disappointed of his will Those whom God will save by his antecedent will he will destroy by his consequent will that God doth seriously intend the salvation of all persons yet neverthelesse he calls men by a meanes and time that is not apt nor fit by reason whereof those who are so called doe not follow Gods calling That faith is partly from grace and partly from free will that God is bound to give all men power to beleeve They distinguish between the obtaining of salvation and the application of salvation The first they say is for all The second is onely for them that beleeve but the application of salvation is neither willed nor nilled to men That man may determine and open his own heart and receive the word of God That the reprobate may be saved That the number of the Elect is not certain That the decree of Reprobation is not peremptory And that a Reprobate may convert himselfe And that faith is not of-meere grace They bring in God speaking thus I decree to send my Sonne to save all who shall beleeve but who and how many they shall be I have not determined onely I will give to all men sufficient power to beleeve but he shall beleeve who will himselfe I will send Christ to dye for the sinnes of many whom I know it shall not be effectuall at all unto to whom I will never give faith and notwithstanding Christ hath satisfied for all their sinnes yet they shall suffer my wrath for them for ever That God did not elect for foreseene Faith VVEE grant God knew all that ever was is or shall be but we deny that God did elect to life any for any thing he did foresee in them for if God should looke out of himselfe to any thing in the creature upon which his will may be determined to elect were against his al sufficiency as if he should get knowledge from things we doe implies an imperfection of knowledge and of will if he should see some thing in us before he can determine as if God were in suspence saying I will choose this man if he will I will upon foresight of my condition absolutely choose him To say I will elect 〈◊〉 if they beleeve is a conditionall election and if they can doe this without God then God is not omnipotent if they say he will give them faith to beleeve then it is all one with an absolute will as I elect to life and I will give these faith Far whom he predestinateth them he calleth c. Rom. 8. It seemes God wills our salvation if we beleeve that is he wils the having a thing on a condition that he will not worke and then it is impossible unlesse the creature can doe something that is good which he will not doe in him or on a condition which he will worke and then he worketh all he willeth or on such a condition as he seeth the creature cannot performe nor himselfe will not make him performe and this were frivolous Also to say God decreed to send Christ to save all if they will beleeve I see they neither will nor can therefore I will condemne them Joh. 12. 39. God hath shut up all in unbeliefe as Rom. 11. 32. therefore they could not beleeve because he hath blinded their eyes and hardened their hearts that they should not see with their eyes nor understand with their hearts and be converted Joh. 12. 39 40. Concerning Infants Baptisme SOme reasons why we dissent from it 1. Because we finde no command nor example in the word of God that any infants were baptized and wee are forbidden to presume above what is written And if we should admit of any one thing in the worship of God which we finde no warrant for in the Word we should be forced by the same reason to admit of many yea any invention of men 2. Because God requires that such as are baptized should first be made Disciples Beleeve and repent c. Mat. 28. 19. Acts 8. 12 13. 36 37 38. Acts 2. 38. 41. Mat. 3. 6. Mark 1. 4 5. Acts 10. 44. 47 48. 3. Because Christ in his Testament which is his last will the Legacies therein contained are given to such as beleeve and to none else Gal. 3. 6 7. 14. 23. 29. Rom. 8. 17. 14. 11 12. These are the heires of the kingdome of Christ with the priviledges thereof Jam. 1. 18. 1 Pet. 2. 23. Joh. 1. 12 13. 1