fore-sight of sin Yet that the sight of sin was neither in order of nature or time before Reprobation nor after it but purely evenly and equally accompanying it That Gods decree to permit sin from whence comes prevision of sin and to condemn for sin were not the one subordinate to the other or of a diverse order as if the one were the end and the other the mean but co-ordinate and of one and the same order and means both accommodated to one and the same end God neither condemning that sin may be permitted nor permitting sin that he might condemn but permitting sin and condemning for sin that the glory of his justice might be manifested the glorious manifestation of his justice being not advanced only by permission of or only by condemning for sin but by both joyntly or together according to which apprehension sinne fore-seen could not bee the cause of Reprobation They conceive that God not depending upon any condition in the creature no other way fore-knew the futurition of sin than by his own decree to permit it And they further urge if consideration of sinne were before Gods decree of Reprobation then the decree of permission of sin should have been before the decree of Reprobation and so God should intend the permission of sin before he intended the damnation of man for it and then it would follow in regard that what is first in intention is last in execution that damnaton for sin should be in execution before the permission of sin for which men are damned And this is the Argument oft urged by D. Twiss to which he sometimes adds that whatsoever is first in intention hath the nature of an end in respect of that which followes it but the permission of sin cannot be considered as an end in respect of the damnation of men it being impossible that men should be damned to this end that sin should be permitted And they of this opinion assert that if because God decreed that condemnation shall onely be for sin it followes that sin is a cause of that decree it will also unavoidably follow because God hath decreed that salvation shall onely be in a way of good works that good works are a cause of that decree they conceiving that though good works do not go before salvation with the same efficacity wherein sin goeth before damnation good works being only dispositive causes of the one and sins meritorious causes of the other yet that they go before it Non eadem dispositionis eâ—icacitate sed tamen eodem necessitatis ordine with the same order of necessity And they adde that the Apostle removes both from the election of Jacob and the reprobation of Esau the consideration of all works either good or evill as well in respect of their prevision as actuall existence to the end that he might shew that the purpose of God according to election was not according to works but of him that calleth and so by the same reason that the decree of the reprobation of Esau was not of evill works but of him that cals and leaves whom he will 2. As to Reprobation in regard of the effect or rather consequent thereof the things decreed and willed or as God wills that one thing should be for another It is not doubted albeit Gods eternall volitions or decrees depend not upon any temporall object or causes as the prime motives therunto but that God by his eternall decree ordained that this or that event in the temporall execution shall not follow but upon this or that going before as that in those of years the actuall bestowing of eternall life shall depend upon beleeving repenting and persevering and that the actuall punishing with eternall death shall depend upon finall unbelief and impenitency This is not to make the eternall decrees of Election and Reprobation dependent upon the fore-seen contingent Acts of mans freewill but to make temporall events Acts or Things one to depend conditionally upon another for their being or not being in time And yet 1. The cause of Reprobation in respect of denying of grace external whether in regard of the outward means or internall either common or saving is the will and pleasure of God As it is the meer will and pleasure of God whereby in time men are reprobated from grace was from eternity for as God doth or doth not in time so it he purposeth to do or not to do from all eternity Now that in time the denyall of grace is from the will and pleasure of God is most evident from Scripture which teacheth that God calls to grace and gives the very means of salvation to whomsoever he will Act. 16.7 Mat. 11.24 25 Deut. 29.4 Nulla sunt tam detestanda facinora quae possunt gratiae arceredonum Prosp The Spirit suffered not Paul to preach at Bithynia To you it is given saith Christ to know the mysteries of the Kingdome of heaven and to them it is not given And because it seemed good in his Fathers sight he hid these things from the wise and prudent Tyre and Sidon would have made better use of the means of grace than the Jews yet God bestowed those means not upon the former but up on the later But 2. The cause of Reprobation in regard of Gods denyall of glory is not meerly from Gods will and pleasure but from the pravity and sin of men God in time denyes glory in regard of mens impiety and therefore he purposed to deny it for that Depart from me will Christ say only to the workers of iniquity Mat. 7.23 There shall enter into the new Jerusalem nothing that defileth The unrighteous shall not inherit the Kingdome of God And 3. The cause of Reprobation in regard of blindnesse and obduration in sin in this life and eternal damnation in the life to come is from mans impiety God decreed that Condemnation should not be but for sin nor hardning but for preceding rebellion nor that the wages of death should be paid without the work of sin No man is ordained to a just punishment but for some sin but the with-drawing of grace the blindnesse and obduration of sinners are the punishments of preceding sin as appears Rom. 1.27 God gave them up c that they might receive the recompence 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of their error which was meet To crown or to damn is an act of judiciary power and proceedeth according to the tenour of the revealed Gospel The eternall dedecree of the damnation of the very Devils was never determined to be executed otherwise than for their own misdeeds 2. This expression of old notes the immutability and unchangeableness of this Ordination the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 De rationâ— aeternitatis est immutabilitas Aug. Cons l. 12. c. 15. the immutability of his counsell that which is eternall is unalterable This Ordination is like such a booking and writing down of a thing as shall unfailingly be performed Nor can this book or
meet this ugly guest in any corner of the house but the heart riseth against it this hatred of evill Psal 97.10 is more then of hell it s a killing look that the soul doth cast upon every corruption He that hateth his brother is a man-slayer he that hateth his lust is a sin-slayer not he that hateth the sins or practices of his brother but the person of his brother so not he that hateth the effects and fruits of sin but the nature of sin not he that hateth sin for hell but as hell Every evill by how much the nearer 't is by so much the more it s hated An evill as it is so to our estate names children wife life soul as impendent adjacent incumbent inherent admits of severall degrees of hatred Sin is an inward a soul-foe Love turned into hatred becoms most bitter brethrens divisions are hardest to reconcile the souls old love is turned into new hatred the very ground sin treads upon is hated There 's a kinde of hatred of ones self for sin every act that sin hath a hand in is hated our very duties for sins intermixing with them and we are angry with our selves that we can hate it no more 3. This hatred puts forth it self in labouring the destruction of sin Love cannot be hid neither can this hatred The soul seeks the death of sin by these ways and helps 1. By lamentation to the Lord when going to him for strength with the Apostle Oh wretched man that I am was there ever a soul so sin-pestred Ah woe is me Lord that I am compell'd to be chain'd to this block Never did a slave in Egypt or Turkey so sigh under bondage as a mortifying soul doth under corruption The sorrows of others are outward shallow in the eye the look but these are in the bottom of the soul deep sorrows It s true a man may give a louder cry at the drawing of a tooth then ever he did pining under the deepest consumption but yet the consumption that is the harbinger of death doth afflict him much more and though outward worldly grief as for the death of a child c. may be more intense and expressive yet grief for sin is more deep close sticking oppressive to the soul then all other sorrows the soul of a saint like a sword may be melted when the outward man the scabbard is whole 2. The soul of a sin-subduer fights against sin with the Crosse of Christ and makes the death of Christ the death of sin Ephes 5.25 1. By depending on his death as the meritorious cause of sins subduing of sanctification and cleansing Christs purifying us being upon the condition of his suffering 1 Cor. 6.20 and so it urgeth God thus Lord hath not Christ laid down the price of the purchase why then is Satan in possession Is Satan bought out Lord let him be cast out 2. By taking a pattern from the death of Christ for the killing of sin we being planted into the similitude of his death Rom. 8.5 sin it self hanging upon the crosse as it were when Christ died Oh saith a gracious heart that my corruptions may drink Vinegar that they may be pierced and naild and never come down alive but though they die lingeringly yet certainly Oh that I might see their hands feet side and every limb of the body of death bored the head bowing and the whole laid in the grave the darknesse error and vanity of the understanding the sinfull quietnesse and unquietnesse of my conscience the rebellion of my will the disorder of my affections 3. And especially the soul makes use of the death of Christ as a motive or inducement to put it upon sin-killing Ah my sin is the knife saith the soul that is redded over in my Redeemer's blood Ah it pointed every thorn on his head and nail in his hands and feet Lord Art thou a friend to Christ and shall sin that kill'd him live Thus a sin-mortifying heart brings sin neer to a dead Christ whom faith seeth to fall a bleeding afresh upon the approach of sin and therfore it layes the death of Christ to the charge of sin The crosse of Christ is sins terror the souls armour The bloud of Christ is old sures-be as holy Bradford was wont to say to kill sin As he died for sin so must we to it as his flesh was dead so must ours be Our old man is crucified with him Rom. 6.6 It s not a Pope's hallowing a Crosse that can do it Mr. D. Rogers Pr. Cat. but the power of Christ by a promise which blesseth this Crosse to mortification 3. The soul labours to kill sin by fruitfull enjoyment of Ordinances It never goeth to pray but it desires sin may have some wound and points by prayer like the sick child to the place where its most pained How doth it bemoan it self with Ephraim and pour-forth the bloud of sin at the eys It thus also improves Baptism it looks upon it as a seal to Gods promise that sin shall die We being buried with Christ in baptism that the Egyptians shall be drowned in the sea It never heareth a Sermon but as Joab dealt with Vrijah it labours to set its strongest corruption in the fore-front of the battell that when Christ shoots his arrows and draws his sword in the preaching of the Word sin may be hit An unsanctified person is angry with such preaching and cannot endure the winde of a sermon should blow upon a lust 4. By a right improving all administrations of providence If God send any affliction the sanctified soul concludes that some corruption must go to the lions If there arise any storms presently it enquires for Jonah and labours to cast him over-board If God snatcheth away comforts as Joseph fled from his Mistris presently a sin-mortifying heart saith Lord thou art righteous my unclean heart was prone to be in love with them more then with Christ my true Husband If God at any time hedg up her way with thorns she reflects upon her own gadding after her impure Lovers If her two eys Profits Pleasures be put out and removed a sin-mortifier will desire to pull down the house upon the Philistims and beareth every chastisement cheerfully even death it self that sin may but die too 5. By consideration of the sweetnesse of spirituall life Life is sweet and therfore what cost are men at to be rid of diseases to drive an Enemy out of the Country The soul thinks how happy it should be could it walk with God and be upright and enjoy Christ be rid of a Tyrant and be governed by the laws of a Liege the Lord Jesus How heavie is Satans yoke to him who sees the beutie and tasts the liberty of holy obedience A sick man confined to bed how happy doth he think them that can walk abroad about their imployments Oh saith a gracious heart how sweetly doth such a Christian pray how strictly doth
Ministers whom he hath appointed to be Stewards therof to the end of the world partly by qualifying them with gifts and Ministeriall Abilities and partly by appointing and setting them apart for the Ministry by those whom he hath authorized thereunto 2. To his people by the Ministry of his fore-mentioned servants who have instructed the faithfull sometime by preaching with a lively voice and afterward by committing the doctrine of faith to writing And Ministers shall to the end of the world be continued to deliver this doctrine of faith to the Church for their edification in holinesse And among those people to whom Ministers deliver this faith externally some there are to whom it is delivered also effectually by the internall revelation of the Spirit which so delivers this doctrine of faith to all the Elect that they themselves are delivered into it Rom. 6.17 their understandings being savingly enlightned to see that excellency in it which by the bare Ministry of it cannot be perceived and their wils perswaded to imbrace it as that rule of life according to which they will constantly walk 2. What need there was of the delivery of this faith 1. In regard of the Insufficiency of all other doctrines or prescriptions in the world to lead to life Only this doctrine delivered is the rule of faith and manners Peace internall and eternall is only afforded to them who walk according to this rule Gal. 6.11 God brings to glory only by guiding by these counsels All other lights are false are fools fires which lead to precipices and perdition This is the light which shines in a dark place 2 Pet. 1.20 to which who ever gives not heed can never find the way to heaven Learned Ethnicks never wrote of eternall happinesse in their Ethicks 1 Cor. 1.21 The world by wisdome knew not God 2. In regard of the totall insufficiency of man to find out this doctrine of himself The things delivered in this doctrine are mysteries supernaturall and depending on the meer will and dispensation of God The incarnation of the Son of God Col. 1.26 expiation of sin by his death justification by faith could never have entred into the mind of man unlesse God had revealed them They depend not upon any connexion of naturall causes Though there be a kind of naturall Theologie yet there 's no naturall Christianity Also the und erstanding of man is so obscured by the darknesse of sin that in spirituals it is purely blind The naturall man perceives not the things which are of God 1 Cor. 2.14 2. This delivering of faith comprehends the keeping and holding it by those to whom it was delivered This is done therefore 1. by Ministers 2. by every Christian 1. This duty is incumbent on Ministers who must keep the truth hold fast the faithfull word and be tenacious Tit. 1.9 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 holding it as the word signifieth against a contrary hold with both their hands with all their strength Jer. 10.27 Amos 7.14 holding it in their understanding in their affections in their preaching and delivery in their life and practice not parting with it for fear or favour either to Sectaries or Politicians rather parting with their lives than their sword 2. The faith is kept by every Christian by persevering in the knowledge love and practice of it Every Saint must keep it in his head in his heart in his hand this he must do though for keeping the truth he lose his life 'T is not the having but the holding the truth Rev. 2.13 which is a Christians crown He who lets it go never had it truely and effectually in the love of it nor shall ever enjoy it in the recompence of it Of this more afterward 1. God was the Authour of the doctrine of life Observ 1. though by men yet from him hath it alwayes been delivered it 's his word and revelation The word of the Lord and thus saith the Lord is the Scripture stamp and superscription When the Patriarchs and Prophets preach'd it it was from him when holy men of old time wrote it it was from him though he hath spoken in divers manners yet 't was he that spake When the doctrine of life was committed to writing he commanded it He moved and inspired holy men to write 2 Pet. 1.21 2 Tim. 3.16 Exod. 17.14 chap. 34.27 Isai 8.1 chap. 30.8 Jer. 36.2 They were his Organs and Instruments of conveying his mind to the world The Spirit of the Lord saith David 2 Sam. 23.2 spake by me and his word was in my tongue And Acts 28.25 The Holy Ghost spake by Isaiah Quicquid Chri. stus de suis dictis ac factis nos scire voluit ipsis scribendum tanquam suis manibus imperavit Aug. l. 1. de cons Evang. c. 35. And 1 Pet. 1.11 The Spirit of Christ in the Prophets fore-told his sufferings These and the other holy men were the Scribes the Pens the Hands the Notaries of the Spirit They wrote not as men but as men of God when any book is called the Book of Moses the Psalms of David the Epistle of Paul it 's in respect of Ministry not of the principall cause 2. Great is the necessity of Scripture The doctrine of life could never without a scripturall delivery have been found out without it indeed this doctrine was between two and three thousand years preserved by the delivery of a lively voice but afterwards when their lives who were to deliver the word grew short men numerous memory frail the bounds of the Church inlarged corruptions frequent and therefore tradition an unfaithfull keeper of the purity of doctrine as appears by Tharah's Jos 24.3 Gen. 35.2 Apostoli quod primum praeconiaverunt postea per Dei voluntatem in Scripturis nobis tradi derunt fundamentum columnam fidei uostrae futurae Iren. lib. 3. adv haeres c. 1. and Abram's worshipping of other gods the idolatry in Jacob's family c. God appointed that the doctrine of life should be committed to writing and upon supposition of the will and pleasure of God whose wisdome hath now thought fit to give us no other rule and foundation of faith the written word is now necessary as the means of delivering faith to us Had not the faith therefore been delivered in Scriptures whence should it have been found how retained The written word is the cabbinet wherein lies the jewell of faith the starre which shews where the Babe lodgeth the light which discovers the beauty of salvation A Book of Apocalyps or Revelation of Christ 3. Strong is the engagement upon us to be thankfull for Gods discovering to us the doctrine of faith It was above the compasse of Reason and Nature ever to have found it out by their own inquiry Rom. 16.25 Ephes 1.9 Ephes 3.9 neither men nor Angels could have known it without divine revelation It was a mystery a great an hidden mystery which was
than the bereaving Job of his temporall estate namely Job 1.11 the denying of God and the blaspheming him to his face The excellency of the thing for which we contend should strengthen and quicken our resolutions in contending It should be a greater motive to our valour when Christ our Captain tels us we fight to preserve the faith than if he had told us we fight for our lands children wives lives For what are these to grace to glory to our souls to our God all which we lose in losing the faith What Satan in malice doth most assault we in wisdom must most defend 5. Of our selves we are too weak for spirituall conflicts Observ 5. All our strength is from another He who is barely by profession not really united to Christ will soon give in and turn his back in a day of battell he will be a souldier for shew Mat. 7.27 not for service He who is not built on the rock cannot oppose the floods Painted profession will not endure the washing Things which are not strongly joyned but loosly put together will part when thrown into the water so will Christ and the hypocrite in sufferings 6. Observ 6. Moderation is not alway commendable Moderation in bearing the chastisements of God Praedicare verbum Dei est derivare in se furorem totius inferni Satius est conturbari collidi coelum terram quam Christum non praedicari Maledict a sit charitas quae servatur cum jactura fidei in enjoying worldly comforts in enduring private injuries are all most Christian and commendable But moderation which hinders a reall and an earnest contending for faith is no better than lothsome lukewarmnesse I fear ther 's much time-serving neutrality sinfull halting and indifferency gilded over with the name of moderation accursed is that moderation whereby men will lose the faith to keep their estates and crack their consciences to save their skins The policy of these I never did admire and their happinesse I trust I shall never envy How soon learned is the wisdome of shunning troubles of self-preservation and tame silence when religion is endanger'd How easie is it to swim with the stream to hold with the strongest and how easily but alas how falsly is this called moderation 7. Observ 7. The War of Christianity is laborious and dangerous It will soon try our valour and not only the truth but the strength of our graces Religion is like cold weather good for those who are sound bad for rotten hypocrites They who go on to this sea for recreation will soon come back in a storm The more dangerous our conflict is the greater is that strength by which we are supported and the firmer should be our dependence upon it If Satan cease from fighting with us it 's a signe he hath conquered us It 's our wisdome when we have passed over light skirmishes to prepare for greater They who had endured a great fight of affliction Hob. 10.32.36 had still need of patience Though we must never despair of conquest yet also never presume of quietnesse nor expect to be delicate members under a thorny head 8. A Christian should be best when the times are worst Observ 8. and get good by others sins When others contend most against we should most contend for the faith Of the opposition of the truth by others we should make a spirituall advantage As God suffers nothing whereby he gets not glory so a Christian should observe nothing whereby he gets not some good As the faint and luke-warm assistance of friends so the fierce and furious opposition of enemies should make his contention for the truth the more holily vehement It was not only the expression of a gracious heart but of such an one in a very gracious temper Psal 119.127 That because the wicked had made void Gods Law therefore did he love his Commandements above gold 9. Observ 9. It 's the duty and wisdome of Christians to observe directions for their spirituall conflict Who contends with a potent Adversary without considering how to encounter him To this end 1. Let us get a love to the Cause and Captain for which and whom we fight not fighting for fear of his wrath or love of his wages but affection to his interest A souldier of fortune will turn to that side where he shall be best paid but one to whom love is wages will keep to one side The Christian who seems now to fight for but yet loves not the truth will soon either leave it or fight against it 2. Let us not entangle our affections in worldly enjoyments Bid earthly comforts farwell when you go your spirituall expedition It 's pity to lose a victory for regarding the bag and baggage yet the love of the world hath made many a Christian lose both his courage and his crown 3. Let us not go forth in our own strength against our enemies A proud Christian will soon turn a coward A limb though swollen and big to sight is but weak and lame for service If God breath not a spirit of valour into us we shall faint Spirituall souldiers must fight upon their knees 'T is from God we fight of our selves we can do nothing but flie 4. Let faith consider Encouragements Our Cause is righteous and honourable our Captain wise valourous bountifull our supplies great and near our friends in all places if fighting prevailing and if not fighting praying for us our victory certain and sudden our reward massy and eternall VER 4. For there are certain men crept in unawares who were before of old ordained to this condemnation ungodly men turning the grace of God into lasciviousness and denying the only Lord God and our Lord Jesus Christ HEre our Apostle enters upon the third main part considerable in the Exhortation viz. the propounding sundry Arguments or reasons to inforce the embracing of the forementioned Exhortation of Contending for the faith against Seducers The Arguments or reasons used by him are reducible to these two Heads 1. The first is the dangerousness of the company of these Seducers to the Christians to whom he wrote This is set down in this 4th verse 2. The second is the downfall and overthrow of these Seducers amplified and proved from the 4th verse to the 17th verse 1. The dangerousness of the company of these Seducers to the Christians expressed in this 4th verse In this the Apostle describes 1. The entrance of these Seducers into the company of the Christians 2. The impiety of these Seducers who had thus gotten entrance 1. He describeth their entrance into the society of the faithful and that four wayes 1. From their nature they were men 2. From their indefinite number certain men 3. From their subtilty and slyness in getting in they crept in unawares 4. By cleering and vindicating their entrance from the exceptions or objections which the Christians might have raised against Gods