1.12 13. 1 Joh. 5.12 13. Gal. 3.29 Ioh. 6.40 45. 10.27 28 29. Ioh. 14.16 17 26. 15.26 27. 16.7 13 14 Rom. 8.26 23 14 15 16. Psal 73.24 and are Abraham's Seed and Heirs according to Promise and he will own them and keep them so as they hear his voice and follow him and he will give them eternal Life and they shall not perish And this he will do by giving forth into their hearts his Spirit in and with his Word to minde them of his Sayings foresaid by himself and by his Spirit in his Prophets and Apostles and so to testifie of him and take of the things of him and shew them and so glorifying him to them he will both enable them to pray to God in his Name and receive Answers from him and also witness with their Spirits that they are the Sons of God and so lead them in his way into all Truth and unto Glory and assures Believers in a plain Affirmation by his Spirit both that there is an incorruptable and undefiled inheritance that fadeth not 1 Pet. 1.4 5. reserved in Heaven for them and also that they are kept by the power of God through Faith unto Salvation it 's cleer the power of God here meant is Rom. 1.16 1 Thes The Word of Grace he hath helped them to believe which is the power of God to Salvation in every one that believeth and the Holy Spirit in and with that word which is the Hand Luk. 11.20 Act. 11.21 1 Cor. 3.4 〈…〉 3. 2 〈◊〉 3 4. Ioh. 17.11 12. the Finger and power of God the Divine Power or power of the Divine Nature in and with the Gospel which is his Name this that by which Christ in his Ministration kept those given him and by which the Father and he still keepeth such By this power of God are Believers kept through Faith unto Salvation ready to be revealed in the last times and how can it be through Faith if the Object of Faith seâ—â—rth in the Word and the influences of that Object be not continued to them that they may continue believing and in believing mix their Faith with these Promises and so be united to and with Christ in the Promises or how can it be through Faith if they also do not in the belief of the Grace Power Truth and Faithfulness of God which they have been helped to see and believe in believing the Testimony of his love in the gift of Christ and in his Blood shed for them when they were Enemies Rom. 5.6 7 8 9 10. Tit. 3.4.5 6 7. Gal. 5.5.6 6.6 Hab. 2.4 Rom. 1.17 Gal. 3.11 Heb. 10.38 Ioh. 3.36 Rom. 4.13 16. even from thence believe and relie on him for all that Grace and Life which he hath promised and so mix Faith with or be united by Faith to the Promises This being the professed way of the Believers confidence growth expectation and perseverance to the inheritance yea this the way of the Believers living in being justified and so preserved to the enjoyment of the inheritance promised till which time there is no other way for the just to live but by Faith and by Faith they shall live and God hath appointed this to be by Faith even to this end That it may be by Grace and that the Promise may be sure to all the Seed And indeed it can no other way be sure nor is there need of any other assurance of perseverance to the inheritance then the assurance of Faith even the assurance that Faith in the Object giveth and Faith in believing receiveth when through the belief of the Love of God to sinners appeareth Rom. 4.17 25. 5.1 2 5 6. Isa 28.6 1 Pet. 2.6 2 Tim. 1.12 4.18 2 Cor. 5.1 in having given his Son Christ to die for their sins and being therethrough led to believe in God for performing his Promises and so mix Faith with the Promises This the Faith of Abraham of which Faith and assurance of hope therein none that have it will or need to be ashamed for sure here are Promises enough confirmed enough in Christ for Believers to mix with Faith and so trust in God even for keeping and preserving them and as he doth enough to keep them trusting in him so he will never fail or forsake any that trust in him But alas will some say this is comfortable to them that in believing do mix Faith with these Promises for their perseverance and so trust in God but we are not able in and by all we believe to mix Faith with these Promises and so to rest patiently on God for our perseverance yea we are not sure the Faith we have is such but that we may fall from it To whom I answer If thou believe the Testimony of Christ as given in the Gospel thou shalt be saved and in this belief abiding in him thou shalt not miss but finde his Grace enabling thee to mix Faith with these promises for perseverance and to help thee and all that believe Jesus to be the Christ Here is yet farther provision for thee in the precious Promises to lead thee on and so enable thee to mix thy Faith with the Promises and these helps though all to one gracious end yet in some respects they are divers and manifold yet meeting in one to lead thee to unite thy Faith with these Promises onely before I mention them take this Coveat that an Opinion of an impossibility of one that doth once truely and indeed believe to fall away again from the Faith is none of the helps given thee in Scripture nor is this Saying That many of the Saints are not enabled all their dayes to mix the Promises of perseverance with Faith and on that account do never get Freedom from Bondage any of the helps given nor will the holding of an Opinion that all true Believers and Saints shall certainly persevere bring those Saints to the heavenly rest and inheritance which never are united by Faith to the Promises yea even the Promises thereof and so have not their Faith mixed with the Promises The Apostle is plain in this desiâ—ing the Saints That he and the residue that knew this might without offence-taking by the Saints have leave and liberty to fear lest a promise being left of entring into his rest any of those Saints he wrote to should seem to come short of it and the very Ground of his fear was lest this Promise should not be mixed with Faith in every of the Saints that had heard it alleadging That the cause of others falling short and not profiâ—ing because the word heard was not mixed with Faith in them that heard And indeed the Holy Ghost doth not lead his instruments to daub up any with untempered motter as if they may be Saints that shall infallibly persevere and yet never be able all their dayes to nâ—â— Faith with the Promises of perseverance c. But he affordeâ—â— directions
And exhortation to them vers 6. And admonition to them that none beguile them vers 4.8 either with inticing words or Philosophy and vain deceit or by shews of humility and great knowledge intruding themselves into things they have not seen c. and so happily either pressing them to Law-observances for their perfection or to some humane and self-mortifications or to look for some particular words or some degree and condition in attainments or some secret decree of election that was of their persons before their calling or any thing what ever besides that which is discovered to them in Christ As if there were not enough in him to be received in beleeving on him And so hee warns to beware that we be not removed from him and that hope of the Gospel given us in beleeving on him Col. 1.22 23 24. For he will present us blameless if we continue in the faith c. This is the Apostles doctrine and scope as appears in this and former and following Chapters cleerly so as in all the proofs not a syllable to maintain any true faith of a second kinde nor the cause contended for but much rather that he contendeth against and more need not bee said but only to view his terms about their priviledges in the works of God passed on them which also are needful to be considered CHAP. XXII Of the terms of Gods works passed on beleevers in this Concernment OF these terms understood as is fore-shewn and some so molified as hath been shewn before in Pages 414 435 436. they may be all received As for the term Regenerated it is not used here and hath been considered where it is onely here let that place Mat. 19.28 Ye which have followed me in the Regeneration c. be considered he saith not Ye which are regenerated as speaking of a work done but a doing and it may be taken both for Regeneration and the Ministry of Regeneration in both which they were then following him Now what was the Regeneration of Christ surely he needed none of heart spirit or disposition he was holy in and from conception and knew no sin but he had a weak frail and mortal body of the seed of David Abraham Adam and how was that regenerated but through many sufferings and death in the resurrection from the dead Luke 24.26.45 46 47. Isa 53 8 10 11 Psal 2. Act. 13.33 And so he passâ—â—on through sufferings till he was truly dead and in the resurrection he was begotten there was his regeneration and such as are so raised are his generation or regenerated people whence such promises to be performing in the spirit and soul as through dying with Rom. 6 4 5. 2 Tim. 2 11. Phil. 3.9.10 11 12 13. Joh. 15 16-25 Mat. 10. 24 9-13 and for him we are conformed to his death for we need it in that and in soul and body after we are truly dead in the resurrection of the just and those that follow him so to the death shall then enjoy that promised Mat. 19.28 and such desires of conformity to him in sufferings And as for the ministration of Christ for regeneration of others it was a ministration carried an end through sufferings in which he persevered to the end and so must that ministration of his servants be also and he that perseveres in following him in that to the end shall enjoy also that promised And that regeneration is thus to be understood here for a work not compleatly yet done but in doing both in regeneration and ministration of it is evident by the Spirit in Luke mentioning the same thing so far as they had proceeded in it saith Luke 22.28 29 30. Yee are they which have continued with me in my temptations expressing that as the medium through which regeneration is here attained which minded will help to understand all the terms that are here used The term Accepted I suppose he means it to be the same with Justified because there is no other quotation for it and they may well be alike taken and they are both alike true of all that are indeed beleevers without difference in respect of their persons as such and so sons by faith yet is not this acceptation and Justification answerable in degree to that which shall be in the resurrection of the just when their persons as Sons and all their wayes as becoming Sons will be alike accepted and justified but not altogether so yet yea in this life even beleevers in whom the faith is may be in that respect accepted and justified as Sons and yet some words or act and so a way of theirs rejected and condemned and they in that not accepted or justified but both reproved and corrected No doubt but Moses and Aaron aboad in the faith Numb 20.12 and were accepted as the Saints of the Lord yet their failing in an act of faith and not honouring the power and freeness of Gods mercy before the people was reproved and they corrected for it No doubt but Peter aboad in the faith and love of his Master Maâ— 16.22.23 and was accepted as a true disciple yet not acting rightly in his faith his carnal counsel is rejected as proceeding from some suggestion of Satan to whom Christ as in Mat. 4. saith Depart and Peter sharply reproved 1 Cor. 11.30 32. No question but those corrected with weakness sickness and some with death for so gracious an end were true beleevers and so accepted but their demeanor not suitable to their faith was deeply reproved and chastened And the same I conceive of David Psal 32. though at one time foulely faln yet not utterly departed from the faith and his beleef in God and adoration of him for then what caused that great grief and disquietness of heart nor yet wholly out of favour of God in respect of his person as the Lords servant but in respect of his evil way disallowed 1 King 15.5 reproved and sorely afflicted And this I conceive because David is affirmed not to have turned aside c. all the dayes of his life it is not said save onely in that time in which sure were many other matters but save onely in the matter of Vriah Rom. 3.22 25. 5.8 3.25 4 5. 10 9 10. c. And the word Accepted thus understood is safe and good for all beleevers and so the word Justified also But for the rest there are quotations to be viewed Rom. 5.1 The Apostle had before discovered what true faith is in respect of the object Christ as having dyed rose c. And the true beleeving begot by the discovery of this object which is therefore called faith first in the beginning bringing to and closing with him namely an hearty beleeving That this Jesus is the Christ and that he dyed for our sins and rose for our justification and is the Lord of all and the propitiation for our sins this is the
need but only mention them those of the Tribe of Levi ours of the Tribe of Judah those after the Law of a carnal Commandment ours after the power of endless Life those after the Order of Aaran and without an Oath ours after the Order of Melchizedec and with an Oath those had in themselves inherency of sin and personal sins needing a Sacrifice for themselves ours holy sinless had no sin either personal or inherent needing any Sacrifice for himself those by reason of death had Successors ours liveth and remaineth a High-Priest for ever their Priesthood and Law was changeable our Priest and his Law abideth for ever their Sacrifices and Purifications did but sanctifie and purifie the flesh and made nothing perfect no not the comers thereto though and therefore often iterated but the Sacrifice offered and Purification made at once by our High-Priest was perfect and makes all comers to it perfect purifying the Hearts and Conscience of them These and such-like diffimilitudes are set forth to us in this Epistle to the Hebrews and other places by all which Christ is shewn to excel all that figured and typed him and so in the fulfilling of Truth in every similitude in which the types did figure him he not only answereth but excelleth in the fulness of Truth and so in these of the Priests he was truly Man yea an innocent and perfect Man and though in a supernaturà l way yet of the Race of Mankinde and he was immediately called to this Office by God and he hath had experience of humane weaknesses sorrows and temptations and he laid aside his Glory he had with the Father before the World was till in the Garments of meanness and innocency he had made the Atonement and then was clothed with his former Glory again he once in the end of the World hath made the Atonement with his own Blood and by vertue of his own Blood hath entred into the Heavens and obtained Eternal Redemption These and such-like answering of similitudes so as to have the Truth fulfilled in Christ are generally known and confessed among Believers therefore I forbear to enlarge either for explication or farther proof about them But for this That this holy harmless undefiled and sinless one should have sins that in any true sense should be called his own and also that there should be sins of another sort called the sins and errors of the people that he in one offering up himself in Sacrifice should offer for both I fear this is not so generally known and confessed among Believers and yet the Apostle intimates it strongly Heb. 2.17 with 5.1 2 3. and 9.7 8 9. as is forementioned in that he affirms such fitness for such causes to be in Priests and also that their oft-offering was a signification that the way into the holiest was not yet made manifest while the first Tabernacle stood yea and also that the things done by the High-Priest in offering for himself and the errors of the people c. were figures for the time present and patterns of the things in the Heavens Heb. 9.9 23. 8.3 4 5. with 5.1 2 3. Heb. 7.26 27. and so these offerings also did serve to the example and shadow of heavenly things and not only intimates but also plainly affirms this to be found in Christs offering Heb. 27. having before mentioned the Priests daily offering up Sacrifices first for his own sins and then for the peoples he expresly saith This he did once and proveth that he needed not to do it daily or again being he is such a holy one c. and because he did this once when he offered up himself so that he did give himself a Sacrifice both for some sins called his own and also to take away sins of another sort called the sins or errors of the people and yet Secondly This will more cleerly appear if we minde what sins were counted and called his and in what sense they were so and so called and then what sins are after the Oblation offered or considered as offered called the peoples sins for him by vertue of his Oblation to be taken away both may in Scripture be found 1. If we consider How by the offence of the first Man sin entred into the World and Death by sin and how thereby sin ran over all Mankinde and so all Mankinde fell under the sentence and power of the Law Rom. 5.12 18 19. and so under the guilt and power of death and so as they came forth naturally from Adam they come forth sinners under the Law liable to sin against it and be condemned by it but now other fins than this first and those which flowed necessarily from the original corruption of Nature hereby and so against the Law as Man was fallen under it and other death than the first Death and Curse which this Law as Man was fallen under it did sentence to were none through the fall of the first publick Man fallen under and these were the sins and all the sins of Mankinde in view before the pre-consideration of the Death and Sacrifice of Christ Now Jesus Christ interposing and undertaking for Mankinde Gal. 4.4 did take the nature of Mankinde fallen in its weakness and became for Man 1 Pet. 2.24 Psa 40.12 under the Law and Obligation under which Man was fallen and this by the agreement between the Father and him Isa 53.4 5. 2 Cor. 5.21 Gal. 3.13 and so the whole debt was charged on him so as he in his own body bare our sins to the Tree and by reason of this charge and imputation being so legal by the Law he confess'd and called them his sins and was for them judged and condemned and made a curse by dying and suffering the curse for us which he accepted and having died and overcome death risen just and offered himself an acceptable Sacrifice to God for us he hath in that one Oblation redeemed us from it is not yet said all danger of any or all manner of Curse but the Curse of the Law and made the Atonement and Reconciliation Isa 53. that in this sense it is sure with his stripes we are so healed that these sins so imputed to Christ and by him so suffered for are purged away and can no more be charged on him nor shall they be any more again translated on Mankinde to be so imputed to them as for them or any of them to be judged or condemned for them by and according to this Obligation and Law under which Christ was made and by which he was judged for them And thus in a full and proper and direct sense it is said Heb. 1.3 When he had by himself purged our sins he sate down on the right hand of the Majesty on high Eph. 2.15 16 17. having abolished in his flesh the enmity the law of commandments in ordinances for to make in himself of twain one new man so making peace through the
Application to Men in extension of the Fruits and efficacies to and in Men as to Mens discerning and enjoying the vertne and efficacy of the Mediation and Intercession is first though the Mediation be by vertue of the Oblation first offered to God yet the Mediation fore-running the making of it known and being that which procures the making known the Oblation and vertue of it unto Men and also it is through his Intercession and Dispensation according thereto that the efficaciousness of the Oblation is found in Men yet the efficacy with and in Men is various and in and with no mortal Man so full and compleat as with God and this appears cleerly in the Mediation and Intercession of Christ who there-through prevailing with God procureth and extendeth forth the knowledge of his Oblation and vertue thereof with God for Men in all that he hath suffered and done for us in the Nature of Man and in the means used towards us in the Declaration of his Word and in Ordinances Mercies Chastisements and Motions of Spirit in Convincements and Allurements to break Man off his purpose and subdue him to self-denial and so bring him in to believe on Christ and so to Peace and Life and also herein discovering the Father's Love and rich Grace and gracious Ends in giving him and accepting his Oblation and making him the Mediator and now for his Mediation extending so much patience and so many means all sanctified by his Blood to draw Men from their own ovil designs and wayes in sins or righteousness of their own to receive his Grace and Favour And in this Fruit of his Intercession by vertue of his Oblation he being the Man the Word that was made Flesh and shed his Blood and by vertue thereof is now through these means sprinkling it and his Father being that Fountain of Love and living Waters that sent him and hath filled him with himself his Face shining in his It in all appears not only that his Mediation and Intecession is excellent but also That this Love of the Father in giving him and his Oblation offered and Mediation by vertue thereof and the procuring the extention of the Fruits of God's Love therethrough is the Water and Blood by which he came and the way in which the Spirit beareth witness of him and so also the Water and Spirit of which Believers are born And hence also it is That all those means extended to Men in the Love of God as procured by the Intercession of Christ by vertue of his Oblation to so gracious an end they are the Cords of a Man proceeding from the Man Christ and suited to the needs and capacities of Men to whom extended Hos 11.3 4. With Isa 32.2 3. Joh 33 1-7 13-29 and such as will verily draw Men in to him if not presumptuously resisted and they are also the bands of Love that come from the free-Love of God our Saviour and to gracious Ends for the good of them to whom extended in these being the extention of the Call the spreading of the Curtains the means for the New Birth All which things in this Chapter are shewn and proved before in the 6 and 7 and 8 and 9 and 10 Chapter of this Part 2. Oh presumptuous Transgressors that conspire against the Lord and his anointed saying Psa 2.3 4. Let us break their bands asunder and cast away their cords from us Ah foolish and brutish Pastors that do disgrace these Cords Jer. 10.20 21. Cant. 1.3 Joh. 6.44 45. Col. 3.19 Psa 118.17 86.11 12. and spoil the Church of them Oh blessed they that in these drawings learn of the Father and come to Christ for such shall then finde the benefit of his special Intercession in the same Cords of a Man and Bands of Love to unite them to Christ and so to God in Christ for ever so conforming them to Christ and consolating them in him And so if we well weigh the Mediation and Intercession of Christ by vertue of his Oblation Job 1.29 1 Tim. 2.5 Heb. 9.15 we may perceive how all things are upheld by him and how excellent and prevalent his Mediation is for the good of Men that they might become Believers and Saints and for the good of Saints that they may enjoy the Promises and receive the promised Inheritance And so the Mediation of Christ is for such as are yet unbelievers that they might believe and for Believers that they may persevere in Faith to the Inheritance and by the Grace here-through extended He is Alpha and Omega the Beginning and the End in the work of Grace and so the Author Captain and Finisher of Faith and so he mediating for all Men doth also therein and therewith more especially mediate and intercede for Believers his chosen ones that go to God by him CHAP. 15. An Answer to some Aspersions cast on the Professors of this Truth I Having in a former Treatise written That God so loved the world that he gave and sent forth his Son to be the Saviour of the world and That he sends forth his Servants to bear witness of his Son that all men through him might believe And quoting to the later Sentence Joh. 1.7 and 17.21 23. Mr. Owen was pleased to fault me for giving this Honour to Christ that any should by him believe and to fault my quotation of Joh. 1.7 thereto and saith It is my Sophistry learned of the old Serpent thus to apply this to the Son of God the Light witnessed to and saith We are said to believe in Christ and on Christ but not by him 1. I answer To take that Joh. 1.7 That Iohn was sent forth from God and came to bear witness of the light that all men through him that is Joh. 3.26 27 30 31 32-36 5.35 36 Act. 1.5 22. 10.41 42. 18.26 28. through Iohn might believe and not through the light witnessed by Iohn would be a very small All when a witnessing-Light of that true Light so out-shining the Light of Iohn's Ministration came in so suddenly upon it though witnessing still to the same Light that Iohn's Ministration is over And if Mr. Owen feared any disgrace to the Servants Ministration and so to himself hereby it was a causless fear and not occasioned by this quotation of the place which denieth not at all Iohn to be the Minister by whom all those to whom his Line reached that believed did believe even as the Apostles were Ministers by whom the Believers in their Ministration were brought to believe they ministred the Epistle and held forth and witness Christ the Light therein Joh. 3.14 15. and for any farther thing they disclaim it and for that cause witnessed of him and held forth and exalted him that men beholding him might through him believe and be healed But the believing of any Joh. 6.40 1 Cor. 3.4 5 6. 4.1 2 Cor. 3.3 18 Joh. 3 26-36 Mat. 23.8 9 10.
17.16 with 9.12 Now he that hath that is that here through hath an heart and so hath in usefulness doth in hearing hear and in seeing see and minding the Word come to his heart doth understand and so in heart turneth to learn of the Lord he shall be healed and have more abundance and so be enabled to believe that in believing he may understand the mysteries of the Kingdom and be eternally saved But whosoever hath not that is when an eye to see is given him c. and so he hath a voice and an ear to hear it a demonstration and an eye to see yea the word came with motion to his heart and yet though he hath all this he hath not that is he hath not by all this an heart he hath not in usefulness any of this given him he doth not in seeing see c. but for love of some other thing closeth his eyes c. lest by hearing and seeing and heeding that word that moved at his heart he should be turned from that thing he loveth Mat. 13.13 14 15 19 from these shall be taken away even that they have that sight and hearing and inward moving of the Word in their heart which they have shall be taken away yea even therefore and for that cause and so God will blinde and harden them and so Joh. 12.35.40 those that while light was with them Compar Isa 53. 1 6.9 10 with Joh. 12.35 38 â— 39 40 the Gospel plainly declared to them with such power and helps yet did not believe the report in the plain sayings thereof are said to have the purpose of God in so blinding c. according to the prophesie fulfilled on them yea to be so and on that very ground fulfilled on them and then when so fulfilled they could not believe And the Apostle also in Acts 28.27 renders this also even their own dulness of hearing and closing their eyes Isa 6.9 10 with Act. 28.26 27 28 lest they should see c. as the very ground and cause of that judgement of not perceiving fulfilled on them and so of their not believing And the Apostle Peter saith in effect by the Spirit of Christ the same 1 Pet. 2.6 with Act. 26.18 when having mentioned the excellency of the foundation laid in Sion and held forth by Sion to so gracious an end he saith 1 Pet. 2.7 Vnto you therefore which believe that is which having eyes opened to discern do in seeing see and so are perswadable Isa 4 2. 1 Pet. â— 3 4 5 7 Rom. 1.5 16.26 and brought in to believe he is precious he is beauty and glory comliness and excellency alluring and drawing you more and more in believing upon him but to them which be disobedient that is to the Faith preached to them being unperswadable when means is used Eph. 5.6 and such an object demonstrated and sight afforded Act. 4.11 will not in seeing see and so are disobedient even children of disobedience or unperswadableness the stone which the builders the Ecclesiastical pretended Teachers disallowed the same is become the head of the corner By which notwithstanding their disallowance and opposition Mat. 21.42 Psa 118 22 Mat. 21.43 1 Pet. 2.8 Joh. 3.19 Isa 8.23 16. you are brought in and builded on it and united together by it and they that so disallow it rejected and so that also follows And a stone of stumbling and a rock of offence to them which stumble at the word which can be no less then when by light discovered do of themselves first stumble being so distinguished from them that upon the discovery sanctifie God in their hearts for this gift of his Son these being disobedient whereunto also they were appointed Luk. 2.34 Isa 8.14 15 16 with Jer. 5.3 4 8.12 Prov. 1.23 24 25-31 Isa 5.3 4 5 Jer. 6.16 30 Ezek. 24.13 Which is very cleer to be that such as when Christ in the Gospel is set forth to them for their fall and rising again in discovery of whom all other Excellencies are cried down and the glory of God's rich Grace in Christ onely exalted they discerning the light what it discovereth do refuse to own their shame in the fall that they may by him onely be raised and so Christ is to them a sign and a rock of offence and they stumble And these and such as these even for this cause were appointed to farther stumbling and so cannot believe yea this is held forth cleerly to us also in many other places of Scripture all speaking in this Language as also in that example forementioned Joh. 6.28 30 41 42 60 66. So that concerning the Purpose of God who shall be helped to believe and who not we have it cleer from Jesus Christ by his Spirit in the Prophets and in the Apostles and in his own personal sayings to be men under such considerations and it becomes us to desire no other knowledge of this And to this also very well agreeth that which is said Rom. 9.18 He hath mercy on whom he will have mercy and whom he will be hardneth For God hath not left us in the dark nor spoken as a Barbarian to us so as none can know by his revealed will on whom he will have mercy or whom he will harden but hath made known his minde that as he first sheweth mercy on or to all and this that they may repent And therefore discovers the evilness of their hearts and wayes and the emptiness of all their righteousness Rom. 2.4 9.16 Hos 13.9 Job 33.15 16-24 and of all earthy things to help them and that help is onely in and of him that sheweth mercy yea and afflicts them for not turning in to him by his mercy so also he lets us know to whom all this mercy shewn and means used and transgression still found he will yet shew mercy namely to such as by his continued mercies and chastisements for so gracious an end do on sight of his goodness against which they have transgressed fall down in confessing their sinfulness 1 Pet. 5.5 6 Jam. 4.6 Prov. 3.34 Mat. 23.12 Luk. 18.14 Prov. 28.13 14 Deut. 29.19 20 and in belief of the Testimony of his graciousness desire mercy of him he will shew mercy on them he will give Grace to them and lift them up But to such as in his call by the mercies and chastisements which he useth refuse to hearken and behold and so scorn to fall down and humble themselves under his mighty hand but still persist to go on in their own wayes he will not shew mercy on them but harden them and in the continuance of their persisting give them up to a reprobate minde and to Satan as is full and plain in many places of Scripture besides these quoted And thus the Purposes of God concerning Mankinde as revealed in Scripture are verily such as is said and in this written of them in these four
ever liveth to intercede for us and will come again and raise us 2. That this Principle is onely in those that through believing in Christ and him crucified Rom. 5.1 2 3 4 5 6. 2 Tim. 1.9 10 11 12. have been framed to Repentance from dead works and to Faith towards God and therein to some conformity to Christ in his death confidence in him for his Promises of which some experiments in answer of Prayers they have found 3. That this Principle inclines the heart to live by Faith in all conditions and so to walk in the strength of the Lord Gal. 2.20 21. 5.5 2 Cor. 4.13 Phil. 4.4 11 13. 2 Cor. 1.9 10. And this is the Principle begot in the heart by the Doctrine of Resurrection c. CHAP. 9. Of Hebrews 6.2 3. HEb 6.2 And of eternal judgement This also by the connexion of the words appears to be the Doctrine of eternal Judgement and it also appears in that it is coupled and mentioned after the Resurrection of the dead to be that Judgement which shall be after men have died in their Bodies and are raised and made alive again according to that said As it is appointed to men once to die and after this the judgement to which Judgement Heb. 9.27 Joh. 5.27 28 29. 2 Cor. 5.10 Rom. 2.16 Jude 14 15. by the voyce of Christ All that are in their Graves shall come forth and appear before his Judgement-Seat and be judged by him of this our Saviour warneth us Luk. 12.4 5. and 21.34 as did the Preacher of old Eccles 11.9 and 12.14 and the Apostles since 1 Pet. 4.5 2 Tim. 4.1 As for the word Judgement it is used sometime for a right discerning and estimate of Men or things as they are good and bad sometime for Authority Order and Rule given sometime for giving sentence and causing the execution of that sentence and in this sense directly with inclusion of both the former it is meant here and so in this Judgement 2 Tim. 2.10 Heb. 9.15 Mar. 3.29 Rev. 21.8 some shall be sentenced to and possessed of an eternal inheritance with eternal glory and some sentenced to eternal damnation and cast into eternal fire of both which are spoken at large Mat. 25.31 to 46. And this Judgement is called Eternal because the sentence passed shall never be reversed nor the thing sentenced ever be removed nor they on whom the sentence passed ever cease to be but shall remain for ever in everlasting joy or torment according to the sentence and judgement given forth and passed on them and so the Doctrine of Eternal Judgement or that which is in the Gospel by the Oracles of God taught concerning it hath these Instructions in it that is to say 1. That there are some judgements both in sentence and execution in this life â—ccles 9.1 5. both in mercies and corrections in destructions and deliverances and salvations which are but for a time and dure not for ever by which also Rom. 2.4 Joh. 33.29 30. special love or positive hatred are not demonstrated of which I have no cause here to speak any more but this That they both are used in this Day of Grace to lead men to Repentance and turning unto the Lord. 2. That according to the Word of the Lord and in the Ministration thereof a sentence of Life or a sentence of Death may pass on a Man in this Life and yet it may so come to pass that without any alteration of the Minde and Purpose of God the sentence may be so changed as the execution shall not be on that Man on whom it was denounced according to that 1 Sam. 2.30 And so the Lord hath explained his Minde to be Jer. 18.7 19. That when the sentence of death is given out against any if thereby they be smitten and turn from the evil against which it was given forth God will take away the threatned evil And when a sentence of life and good passeth on a man if he take liberty to go on to do evil the Lord will take away the good he said he would do unto them And so again he saith Ezek. 33.13 14. When he saith to the righteous that he shall surely live if he trust to his own righteousness and commit iniquity all his righteousness shall not be mentioned to him but for his iniquity c. he shall surely die and likewise when he saith to the wicked Thou shalt surely die if he turn from his sin and do that which is lawful c. he shall surely live he shall not die And all this grounded upon this Ezek. 33.10 11. 18.30 31 32. That God hath no pleasure in the death of the wicked but that the wicked turn from his way and live And therefore he calls and promiseth and threatens and correct and useth means that they might turn and live and on the same ground and from the same and like places Rom. 9.19 20 21. to ch 10. 11.7 10 17 23 11 14 32. the Apostles have taught the same Dectrine to Believers warning the believing Gentiles that were grafted into the true Olive-Tree and partook of the fatness of it That if they abode not in his goodness they also should be cut off and tells them also That the reprobated Jews the branches broken off if they persisted not still in unbelief they shall be grafted in againâ— for God is able to graft them in again yea his mercy shewn to the Gentiles hath such an end and tendency in it yea he hath concluded all under unbelief that he might have mercy on all c. 3. That though through continuance in wilful Rebellion against light and many covincements and warnings a Man may come to that height of sin Prov. 1.24 25 31. Jer. 6.27 28 30. Ezek. 24.13 14. Mar. 3.29 even in this life as to be reprobated and given up to Satan and so left to that eternal Judgment yet to come yet that is so hardly discernable to any in this life that it is not safe for us to judge farther of such then that they are in danger of eternal damnation for though such transgression shall not be so forgiven but that it shall be verily and remarkably punished yet if by the means used with all punishments they be regained to repentance the soul may be saved in the day of the Lord. Whence we are not absolutely forbidden to pray for such a one 1 Joh. 5.16 but that we pray not for such a transgression to be forgiven and taken away so as all punishment be removed for of necessity that must be visibly and sorely punished here or hereafter 1 Cor. 5.5 1 Tim. 1.20 whence the delivery of such a one to Satan hath such an end and tendency while means and life is continued to destroy the flesh that the Spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord for while life and means is vouchsafed there is hope