you know that every effect is caused by a cause suitable to it self and every thing is producible in its proper element if so then a state of nature cannot produce a work that is spiritual 3. It is called a rising or quickning from the dead Ephes 2.1 5. Colos 3.1 Can the dead raise it self or can that which is dead quicken it self without a power beyond it self 4. It is to deny a mans self Matth. 16.24 Mank 8.34 Self cannot deny it self in no consideration but it must be by a power above and beyond it 5. It is a killing or mortifying Rom. 8.13 Col. 3.5 Now the power killing or mortifying 〈◊〉 above the thing killed or mortified Fourthly consider what man is before this work is wrought 1. He is not onely in sin but dead in sin Ephes 2.1 5. 2. He is without God without grace and without hope Ephes 2.12 3. They are in blindness Isai 29.18 chap. 35.5 chap. 42.7 And till this supernatural light by God be set up in the soul he cannot see nor know the things of God in a spiritual and saving sense 4. He is in a state of enmity and is an enemy to God and to the Gospel light and life Rom. 8.7 Col. 1.21 Rom. 5.10 5. They are children of wrath Ephes 2.3 Now summ up all together 1. That state which is a state of death 2. A state of being without God and grace 3. Of so much blindness 4. A state of enmity to God and to the light and life of the Gospel 5. A state wherein men are children of wrath I say consider this and minde what the work of Faith or the new Birth is lay both together and you will be forced to say that the highest improvement of nature while men are in nature is not capable of nor able to perform it I shall say no more to this fourth Particular which is for the making good of the seventh Position to wit that Faith that is produced in obedience to Truth by the discoveries of the Gospel of CHRIST is that which nature in the highest improvements before conversion is not capable of performing I would come to the next thing but there is one or two Objections by the way which I judg some may make against what I havâ— spoke as to the insufficiency of creatures to such work and therefore in way of Query for your satisfaction that nothing may be left undone to the utmost of my power to satisfie and inform your judgment which in tenderness of love I desire to do I shall mention them and give you my Answer to them Query 1. This that you have spoke or declared seems to unpower the creature solely as if it had no power before the new birth which seems very contrary to Scripture which speaks of the creatures improving their Talent Answer As to any Gospel work or works relating to God in CHRIST that every creature is uncapable of and averse to nay an enemy to it before this appearing of God in the work of grace and yet this doth not at all deny but there is a power in the creature to do much more than at the present I can see the most natural men do therefore I beseech you that I may not destroy oâ—e Truth by maintaining another Consider what the Lord hath shewed me in the searching of the Scripture I shall lay down briefly in these Particulars 1. That every man naturally hath a Talent which he is bound by the Law of God to improve 2. That this Talent or Power in the highest improvement is but to answer the moral Law or so much of it as nature is capable of retaining 3. That they who do thus improve it do very much come up to the answering of the righteousness of the Law as Paul did before conversion Phil. 3.5 6. 4. When creatures do thus improve their Talent in the answer of the moral Law or so much as their nature is capable of Though there is an enmity between that in a Scripture sense and the righteousness of CHRIST yet CHRIST seems to have some kinde of love to that improvement and therefore you may see in Mark 10.21 when the young man came to him though he was unacquainted with saving grace yet in his improvements had very much answered the Law and therefore the Text saith CHRIST looked upon him and loved him so that such improvements of nature in answer to a Law is more pleasing to CHRIST than the embezling a mans Talent polluting of nature in the neglect of improvement 5. Consider If there be such a Power and such an improvement and so much owned certainly it is good for men to be exact in it And it is very much my judgment that God approves of and meets men there if so I think we are to wait upon God there And yet this will not prove that men have power by improvement of nature to work up their hearts in a Gospel sense for the entertaining of CHRIST though this improvement be a way to wait upon God in for even Gospel Ordinances or outward means of Grace is commonly that which God is met in and God meets souls there but yet that doth not prove that the Ordinances have power in themselves to bring up to grace nay if men so rest on them or look upon power in them not looking up to God above them then they are so far from coming to God that they and their performance is condemned and loathed by God according to these Scriptures Isai 1.11 12 13. 66.3 The same we are to consider in this and much more for I see clearly by Scripture there are more promises fixt to Gospel Ordinances than are to the improvements of natural abilities though both are good yet neither is able to bring up to Christ but in the highest abilities of either we are to consider the work of Grace or new Birth to be produced by the working of Gods mighty power above and beyond both and that appears clearly if you consider these Particulars 1. The case of the young man in the Gospel he had the highest improvements of nature of any I reade of but when CHRIST brings his improvements to the Touch stone of Gospel Principles he in his improvements left Christ Matth. 19.20 Mark 10.20 Luke 18.21 2. Consider that the work of Grace in a Gospel sense is of a nature far above and beyond the righteousness of the Law and that you will see in these Scriptures Rom. 9.31 32. Gal. 3.10 11 12. Phil. 3.8 9. Tit. 3.5 6 7. 3. When any soul that ever improved nature as Paul Phil. 3.5 6. or any other when once they are come to be brought home to Christ these moral improvements are so far from closing with this new work that it is soly to be laid aside and denied Phil. 3.8 9. Gal. 3. I mean in relation to a conjunction with CHRIST as having any ability or power performing the new Birth which is soly done of
of your second Absurdity answers this and the truth is the reading of either is sufficient to make a gracious heart to blush it being a language the Scripture doth not own Absurdity 4. If there were some men for whom Christ died â—â—t such men should be exempted or freed from the condemnation of unbelief or treading under feet the bloud of the Covenant by which they were sanctified Answer Though I have answered this fully yet minde that the outward tenders of CHRIST as we have proved excludes none that by it the chosen of God may be called out of the world through grace to believe and should the tenders make an exemption of some from believing it were a contradiction in the tender which is to all excluding none And further consider that infidelity is the declarative cause of mans damnation but I have fully proved that the meritorious cause of condemnation it self is the exercising of darkness in rejecting CHRIST As for that expression in your Absurdity about mens being sanctified by the bloud of Christ and yet treads under feet the bloud of CHRIST your misapprehending that Scripture have fully answered in one of your mistakes which is the cause of your stumbling Absurdity 5. If Christ died not for all Satan in perswading people Christ died not for them doth no evil Your Absurdity is very sad and you cannot have the least face to retort that upon us unless you can prove that infidelity in it self is no sin And secondly that the Devil knows exactly who it is that God designs for Heaven which secret God retains to himself and is revealable to none but them to whom CHRIST reveals it besides it is impossible for any footing to be for that Absurdity because CHRIST in some sense hath tasted death for every man Absurdity 6. If Christ died not for all men then it were not Heresie to teach some men to deny that Christ bought them contrary to that Scripture in 2 Pet. 2.1 I have proved from that Scripture that CHRIST tasted death for every man and to deny it is Heresie but if you mean dying for every man alike that Scripture doth not prove it yet for any man to make a particular application to this or that man saying CHRIST died not for him in particular that way is unwarrantable and contrary to truth for in the tender there is no exclusion and for Ordination and Application they are secrets belonging unto God made known to us as he seems good Absurdity 7. If there be some that Christ died not for it is an error for them to believe he died for them I have answered this Absurdity in the answering the former four it being one and the same onely you love to make repetition of one and the same thing Absurdity 8. If Christ died not for all men then some for whom Christ died not do believe a truth in believing Christ died not for them which say you is Blasphemy to affirm Answer There is no ground for such an Absurdity unless you can prove these three things 1. That we hold that Christ died in no sense for some which we deny 2. That men may know Reprobation or Election exactly before it is discovered 3. That men may truly believe and yet be damned Absurdity 9. If Christ died not for all men then some should be damned in Hell for not believing that which is not truth Absurdity 10. If Christ died not for all men their damnation is not to be attributed to their not believing but to Christs not dying I have answered these two Absurdities so fully that it will be but a vain repetition to say any more for I have clearly shewed what is the meritorious cause of Damnation and how just God is in doing of it not condemning the creature for his neglect in the exercising that power which he hath not but the exercising of a power of darkness which he hath which if you reade over you will see these two Absurdities with the rest not onely to be without foundation but will produce sad reflections upon your own spirit if you look upon them through the Rule of Truth and do not suffer God and his actions to be brought under the dispute and control of your low Reason So having spoke briefly to your Queries and Absurdities from what in general I did before declare I shall now draw up a few Absurdities which of necessity must flow from your opinion and so commit you to God The Absurdities are 1. You deny the Prerogative of Gods will as if he had not power to do with his own as seems good to him crossing these Scriptures Matth. 20.15 Rom. 9.18 21 22 23. Isai 45.9 43.13 2. You do as much as give Christ the Lie where he saith The work is finished that the Father gave him to do John 17.4 Where you say CHRIST died to purchase Salvation for all and yet you say All are not saved 3. You do exceedingly undervalue God and the â—â—ches of his grace and love whose love is the efficient cause of all grace in us when you affirm There is no privilege considered in his love for you till you do believe And withall you do affirm that Faith is produced by the improvement of mens abilities which all enjoy from God before conversion 4. You lay injustice upon God when as you say CHRIST died to satisfie fully for all the sin of all men And yet you say All men shall not be saved And whereas you in your second Query say How can God be just to condemn them for whom Christ died not It may with more ground be questioned how it is just to condemn them for whom CHRIST died I mean died in that sense you speak of 5. You change the nature of causes and set the effect before the cause when you say Faith is the cause of Election and consequently the cause of Gods special or singular lovâ— â—â—â—en his love is in himself nay the Apostle saith in 1 John 4.8 that is himself therefore you may as well say Faith is the cause of God The Lord make your soul sensible of the sadness of this opinion 6. You do by your opinion what in you lieth to strike down the great Ordinance or design of God in it I mean in that great distinction that God made between the Seed of the Woman and the Serpent and his Seed Gen. 3.15 That the Seed of the Woman should bruise the Serpents head and the Serpent and his Seed should bruise their heel Now that by the Seed of the Woman is meant CHRIST and all the elect in him is not to be denied and by the Serpent and his Seed is meant the Devil and the Reprobates is as clear which division or distinction God made at the beginning as his great design or grand way to bring about his glory that is to say the glory of 〈◊〉 grace in vessels of mercy and the glory of his power and justice in vessels of wrath
over all which is manifest in his language commanding of them but the peculiarity of his love is not to be judged by the extent of his authority but by the application or making good of his mercy which work or privilege is but to some and is solely his work as we shall afterwards shew you Fourthly though faith be required in the declaration and is the way to enjoy the manifestation yet a want in faith doth not nor cannot make any alteration in the foundation which is clear from these Scriptures 2 Tim. 2.13 applied to v. 19 2 Sam. 23.2 3 4. Minde well now it is clear that the foundation is Gods unchangeable love and grace which if it were to all upon the condition of faith giving a propriety in the foundation then any want in faith would work some alteration which is contrary to the forementioned Scriptures Fifthly in the fear of the Lord consider this Scripture John 17.4 where CHRIST says to the Father I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do Now if CHRIST was ordained or appointed of the Father to satisfie for the sins of all and to purchase life and salvation for all then he hath finished it and they must be saved or else CHRIST doth not speak truth which were sad to aver but you see and must know all are not nor shall not be saved therefore it was not given him by the Father to do Now if any shall say that CHRIST hath finished the work of eternal life for any who will believe in him I answer the work cannot be finished if it depend upon any thing else and especially upon that which is so mutable as creatures minds whether to receive or not to receive as you affirm therefore without controversie CHRIST speaking truth the work is fully finished as the pardon of sin purchase of salvation and eternal life by him faith doth not make up the work but it is a fruit that floweth from it which is the next thing we shall enter upon and so I shall say no more to this fourth thing to wit That the great design of God in Christ was to satisfie for all sin and purchase salvation and eternal life for the elect and none but them The sixth thing is that faith which is required of all them that enjoy him is not a Cause but an Effect of the forementioned Privilege that is to say It is not the cause but an effect of election and that I shall punctually prove three ways 1. From Scripture 2. From the nature of causes 3. From the nature of the thing First from the Scripture see Acts 13.38 When the Gentiles heard they were glad and glorified the Lord and as many as were ordained to eternal life believed Which clearly shews that Ordination is before faith and this order and form CHRIST declares when he saith to his Disciples John 15.16 Ye have not chosen me but I have chosen you They had chosen CHRIST that is to say loved him and by faith embraced him but his intent is they were first chosen by him and that is the cause the Apostle saith 1 John 4. We love him because he loved us first And for your further satisfaction minde these Scriptures Rom. 8.30 chap. 9.11 2 Tim. 1.9 Ezek. 16.6 Hosea 14.8 Secondly consider the order of Causes and you will finde that Henry Hagar who is a man I very much honour out of whose Book I see you have drawn your Absurdities if you do there but see how he decyphers Causes you will there finde that he makes no distinction of essential meritorious instrumental and final Causes but jumbles up all together without distinction Dear Friend it is not a form of words that will make things orderly in Gods sight unless there be divine wisdom to rectifie the judgment making man to deny his own natural wit when he goes about to decypher or discover Gods great design in CHRIST Again if you will say though he sets down successive causes yet he doth not set down the cause of Election in any of these seven causes he mentions neither can he unless he can discover a cause of him that is the Cause of Causes For my part I am of his judgment in these Particulars c. 1. That Gods love was the cause of his sending of his Son to die for sinners 2. That Christ's dying and rising is the cause of the Gospel being preached 3. The Gospel being preached is the cause of mens believing 4. That mens believing is the cause of justification but then it is justification in conscience and not justification before God in Christ which is the fountain and this in conscience is but the stream 5. That our knowing our selves justified by faith through the bloud of Christ is the cause of our love to Christ 6. That our love to Christ is the cause of our obedience to Christ But then the seventh cause which is That our obeying Christ is the cause of his giving us everlasting life that I deny And if you view these Scriptures he brings to prove it is will not make it good Mark 16.16 Revel 22.14 Heb. 6.9 He that believeth and is baptised shall be saved and blessed are they that do his commandments that they may have right to the tree of life and may enter in through the gate into the City and Christ being made perfect through suffering he became the Author of everlasting salvation unto all them that obey him these Scriptures are truth and declare that they that obey Christ shall have eternal life but they nor no other Scripture declare anything contrary to this position that obedience is the way to life but not the cause of life if yea look upon causes either essential or meritorious but if you look upon it instrumental that is to say as the meanes or way to such an end then it is true and so is faith and so is prayer according to these Scriptures Philip. 1.19 1. Peter 1.5 Phil. 2.10 Heb. 12.14 Now when I tell you I do approve of these six causes successively before mentioned it is also with this restriction to put a diference between causes for the first cause which is Gods love that is the efficient cause 2. cause which is Christs death is the meritorious cause the 3 4 5 6. causes he spoke of are the instrumental causes and if you speak of these things in themselves and as they are to us then they are causes but if you speak of them all as they relate to God who is the Cause of Causes then they are but effects CHRIST'S death is but the effect of Gods love the preaching of the Gospel is but an effect of Gods love faith in him is but his gift and our love to him and obedience do all flow from him as the Fountain according to these Scriptures Gal. 5.22 Ephes 6.23 Heb. 12.2 James 1.17 18. they cannot in that sense be called causes but fruits Further consider what that Friend
wherein there is a cessation from that fiery appearance of God and they are now under the tender of life and salvation by JESUS CHRIST according to these Scriptures Matth. 13.38 chap. 24.14 chap. 26.13 Mark 10. ch 14.9 chap. 16.15 Rom. 10.18 Col. 1.6 And this is to be done for the gathering out the chosen of God from the world till CHRIST hath brought his Enemies under his feet and then resign up the Kingdom to his Father and God become all in all 1 Cor. 15. 24 25. Besides the Scriptures which I have brought which are sufficient to prove what I affirmed yet for your further satisfaction minde my Reasons to prove that every one hath the benefit of Christ's Death in those two things before exprest The first Particular First Reason that which was included in the curse must needs be in the immediate execution prevented by CHRIST But the immediate execution of a temporal death must needs be included in the curse therefore The Major is not questionable the Minor Proposition is proved by this Reason Reason That which was a fruit of sin must be comprehended in the curse but a natural death is a fruit of sin therefore The Major Proposition none will deny the Minor is proved from these Scriptures 1 Cor. 15.21 56. 2 Kings 14.6 2 Chron. 25.4 Job 24.19 Rom. 6.23 ch 8.10 Besides these Scriptures I prove the Minor Proposition thus Reason If any thing that is a part of a temporal death be a fruit of sin then is the whole but afflictions and pains in men and women which is a part of a temporal death is a fruit of sin therefore None can deny the Major the Minor is proved from these Scriptures Gen. 3.16 1 Kings 8.33 35. Psal 38.3 Jer. 8.14 Isai 3.10 Jer. 50.7 Now as the freedom from any thing of this temporal misery is a fruit of CHRIST so what comes instead of that as the enjoyment of life with other mercies of this world with the Sun shining and the Rain falling upon the just and unjust must needs be a fruit of CHRIST which extends to all Matth. 5.45 Eccles 9.2 Psalm 145.9 36.6 Now my Reasons to prove this second thing to wit that all men are by CHRIST brought under the authority and power of CHRIST and discoveries of Life by him are these Reason First that which the Scriptures declares to be a truth we must believe but that all men in that state are under the power and authority of CHRIST and discoveries of Life by him the Scriptures declare therefore a Truth The Major Proposition none can deny the Minor is proved from these Scriptures Matth. 28.18 John 17.2 Mark 2.10 Luke 5.24 Ephes 1.19 Secondly if mens sins be aggravated by the abuse of the mercies they enjoy in being under the authority and discoveries of CHRIST then to be under the authority and discoveries of CHRIST must needs be a benefit but mens sins are aggravated by their abusing of mercies that they enjoy under the authority and discoveries of CHRIST therefore The Major is proved by this Reason Reason Sin is never aggravated but either by the extent of a Law or discoveries of Love and if sin be aggravated as before exprest then it must be either by the extent of the Law or discoveries of mercy and if either it discovers the truth of the Major to wit that they are under the authority and discoveries of Christ by whom now all Law and Love is handed out to poor creatures they being all under his power the Minor Proposition is proved from these Scriptures John 15.22 24. Matth. 11.21 22 23. I shall say no more as to the business concerning the extent of Christs Death to every man but shall now speak to the second part of my Affirmation to wit that CHRIST did not die for all alike now that I may not speak to maintain that corrupt way of mens exercising wit to conquer one another but shall desire in the fear of the Lord and the love of his truth to speak to inform you about the difference relating to you and others about the Death of Christ and to maintain my Affirmation to wit that CHRIST died not for all alike Now judging that these Proposals following will help forward that work I shall in this part of my Affirmation propound them and speak to them which are as followeth First that there is a people that God hath chosen and elected in his Son before the world was Secondly that he had a special design for the advancement of his grace and love to carry on by CHRIST for them and them onely Thirdly that this great design of CHRIST for them was and must be accomplished Fourthly that this great design of God in CHRIST for them and onely them was satisfaction for all sin and the purchase of salvation and everlasting life by him Fifthly that faith which is required of all them that enjoy him is not a cause but an effect of the fore-mentioned privilege Sixthly that the publishing or declaring the fore-mentioned privileges which is the Gospel is Gods way or means to effect or produce faith or other Gospel-obedience in the heart of his own Seventhly that that faith which is produced in obedience to truth by the discoveries of the Gospel of Christ is not the bringing up of some thing that is in men before conversion But it is a peculiar work of God which nature in the highest improvement is not capable of till conversion or the new work of grace be wrought which work is Gods not upon a common but a special and Gospel account wrought by him Eighthly that it is Gods minde and way and a necessity it must be so for the advancement of his Grace and the accomplishing begetting of faith in the hearts of his own that this Gospel is to be presented or discovered to all without any exemption as to the declaration of it self Now I shall speak to these eigth particulars orderly which when I have done then that part of my affirmation will appear to be true to wit that Christ dyed not for all alike First to the first which is that there is a people that God hath chosen and elected in his Son before the world was the proof of which I shall make good so clearly from Scripture and by the truth of such reasons by Scripture that I hope through the Grace of God it may be a means to inform you the first scripture is the 2. of Timo. 1.9 where the Apostle declares this truth who hath saved us and called us with a holy calling not according to our works but according to his own purpose and Grace which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began I need not paraphrase upon the expressions they are without all controversie that truth that God will owne which is that saving and election was determined by God for his people before they were called or did any works suitable to the worth of that mercy The
saith in his Book he declares a cause in all the seven things yet he shews you no cause why God should love us Now election or chusing is so considered in the singularity of his love and doth so live in the bowels of it that there is no more cause for the one than there is for the other and he requires nothing without himself to beget or maintain that in himself for us And now the thing I would have you consider followeth Thirdly consider what we minde by election it consisteth in Gods foreknowledg wherein he was pleased from all eternity in the riches of his grace and love to pitch upon and make choice of some in a peculiar sense to be vessels of glory whom he elected in the election of his Son who was the publick person comprehending the whole and this prerogative of God and privilege to us is not to be decyphered or discovered like as other privileges are for the death of Christ and our faith in Christ these have the time of their rise reign and perfection but for the other privilege it is done in God and with God without relation to any thing without himself it onely depends upon the prerogative of his will and his good pleasure according to these Scriptures Rom. 9.16 18 21 22. Matth. 11.16 Luke 10.21 Therefore when we speak of causes we must make a distinction between what is done by God out of God and what is done by God in God and whatsoever is done in the last sense hath no rise but himself and his own pleasure and if you give not God this you must deny his Prerogative and prove that he may not do with his own what seems good unto him which is contrary to these Scriptures Matth. 20.15 Exod. 33.19 Rom. 9.15 16 18 20 23. Now besides what hath been already said to prove that faith is but an effect and not the cause of election minde these Reasons First if election be before men have faith then faith cannot be a cause but it must be an effect but election is before we have faith Ergo. The Major is not to be questioned The Minor which is that election is before faith is proved from these Scriptures Acts 13.48 1 Tim. 1.9 Ephes 1.4 5. Reason 2. God is the first cause of causes and whatsoever doth take its rise or is immediate from him hath no other cause the truth of that you will see from the Scriptures before mentioned therefore faith must needs be an effect But besides all the Scriptures and Reasons I have brought Do but consider that election is not capable of being caused by any causes out of God for we are elected in the election of Christ and Christ did not merit his own election for his Death is not the cause of election though it be the meritorious cause and Gods great way to accomplish life and salvation If so be that faith is a cause of our election then election is subject to a cause and if in the lesser then in the greater but we know that in the greater which is the election of CHRIST in which general all particulars are comprehended it is not caused nor depends upon no condition or causes out of God but immediately flows from him and all other works and acts of grace and mercy done by God in CHRIST for us or by God in us towards CHRIST are the fruits of this fountain I mean Gods love in which Gods owning or chusing is so involved in it as it is one with it and both arise from one and the same fountain which is his own will and pleasure Now there being some that make Objections against this truth which peradventure may be the cause of your stumbling I shall in faithfulness to CHRIST and love to your soul mention some of them and give my answer to them First some there are as Henry Hagar in particular that do acknowledg this truth from these places of Scripture Ephes 1.4 where it is said that God hath chosen us in Christ before the world was And also the same in 1 Pet. 1 2. 2 Thess 2.13 Now though they acknowledg these words yet they endeavour to evade or turn the meaning another way by giving this answer from Rom. 4.17 where it is said that God declared unto Abraham that he hath made him the father of many Nations And in Rev. 13.8 CHRIST is said to be a Lamb slain from the beginning of the world Now from thence they reason thus The Apostle in Rom. 4.17 declaring the promise of God to Abraham saith that God calls those things that are not as though they were for saith he Abraham at that time was not the father of Isaâ—â— in whom the Nations should be blest and yet God saith I have made thee the father of many Nations but saith he It was not so for the Apostle doth declare it saying he calls things that are not as though they were and so CHRIST is said to be a Lamb slain from the beginning of the world though he was not slain many thousand years after So saith he are we to understand election for the Scripture saith that he did chuse and elect us before the world was yet it was not so onely God calls things that were not as if they were therefore men saith he are not elected till they are called Now dear friend in the fear of the Lord as you tender the information of your own soul seriously consider what an evasion here is without any way in truth discovering what the Apostle intends in these expressions for without controversie when God said I have made thee a father of many Nations he spake truth without any such evasion as our carnal wits will prompt us to believe But that I may give an Answer to this Objection judging that if that cover were removed the truth would lie naked I desire you to minde in Answer to it these Particulars First in every action there is these three things to be considered 1. The life or virtue of the Act. 2. The fruit of the Act. 3. The form of the Act. The life of the Act is that which produceth the form the fruit of the Act lives in the life and is spoke out or brought forth by the form had not this bin so the sin of Adam could never have brought a curse upon his posterity for the life of his act was in unity in all that were comprehended in his person and the evil fruit of his act took place upon all in that sense when it took place upon him but the manifestation or execution of this took place successively as Creatures were brought forth and so it appears the form of the act was to be made manifest according unto the succession or appearance of forms in Creatures but the life of the act from whence the denomination of the act comes was really acted and executed in Adam so in the promises of God to Abraham you are to look upon the life
sophistry and no Reason and not becoming a Saint to meddle with Objection 3. No men can be elected in CHRIST till they be in CHRIST but no men are in CHRIST till they believe or trust in CHRIST for the elect Ephesians were once out of CHRIST chap. 2.11 12. Answer Men are said to be truly and really in CHRIST two ways First by election and so we are all in CHRIST he being the publick person in whom all elections were comprehended and all the elect are really in him before they are brought forth as every man is in Adam before they are born this last affirmation they themselves do grant and so they must the other if they do but truly view the minde of God in his Word and not draw Reasons from bare Expressions without discovering the true intention now if they could prove that no man in no sense is in CHRIST till he doth believe then they say something or else their Argument is of no force for we are one with them in their second being in CHRIST which is when we are called and in that sense even the elect of God till they are converted they are without God and without hope and by nature the children of wrath as well as others Ephes 2.3 But before ever they are brought home to CHRIST in the second sense they were in CHRIST in the first sense or else CHRIST would not have said John 10.16 Other Sheep I have which are not of this Fold them will I bring in so that they did belong to CHRIST as his particular Sheep before he brought them in and that there is such a property and unity before conversion you will see if you seriously minde these Scriptures John 10.16 Acts 18.10 2 Tim. 1.9 Ephes 1.3 Now there is an outward being in CHRIST which is onely the outward profession of CHRIST that men may be in and fall according to these Scriptures John 15.2 6. 1 John 2.10 1 Tim. 1.19 20. But I shall not speak to that They have some other Objections about trusting in CHRIST and believing in CHRIST but we have said enough to that already shewing that faith and all other obedience is not a cause of but flows from that privilege according to these Scriptures Acts 13.43 Joh. 15.16 1 Joh. 4.19 There are some other Objections that do arise from some other mistakes of Scripture which I shall take an occasion to speak something to in my declaring the third thing I promised you to wit your mistakes which are the cause of your stumbling The sixth thing which is that the publishing of the fore-mentioned privilege which is the Gospel is Gods way or means to effect or produce faith or other Gospel obedience in the hearts of his own as to this there being but little difference between you and I and the speaking much to it will not upon that account add much to the deciding the controversie between you and others therefore I shall onely set down the Scriptures to prove it and so leave it 1 Cor. 4.15 Rom. 10.17 2 Thess 2.13 2 Tim. 1.10 1 Pet. 4.6 Gal. 3.2 I shall say no more to this but come to the seventh Particular Seventhly that faith which is produced in obedience to truth by the discoveries of the Gospel of CHRIST is not the bringing up of something that is in men before conversion but it is a peculiar work of God which Nature in the highest improvement is not capable of till conversion or the new work of grace be wrought which is Gods not upon a common but a special and Gospel account wrought by him Now dear Friend before I speak to this particular give me leave to speak two or three words to you relating to some things that do very much trouble me in relation to the abuse of this truth for there are two truths miserably abused even by them that do profess the Lord the one is that all the power we have to act or do things in a Gospel sense is produced alone by the power and Spirit of God not upon a common but a special account The second is that the best of Saints while they live here have sin now these truths are abused thus exhort those that profess the Lord to exactness in duty or reprove them for any neglect in duty presently this is replied We can do no more than we have power which is a truth in its sense but it is sadly applied for when God hath begun to work grace in us the way to increase in strength is to improve what we have by carefull watching and waiting hourly and daily before the Lord and they that do so wait and walk have experience that God will not be wanting to increase strength according to these Scriptures Isai 40.31 John 7.17 chap. 15. the later end 4. v. Isai 64.5 Psalm 9.10 Matth. 13.12 Luke 8.18 And the truth is were this practized there would not be such sad unsaintlike walkings as now appear to be among them that profess the Lord both in their pride fashiâ—ning themselves after the world covetousness frothy language wanton carriages and other unsaintlike practices that it is a hard thing to know a saint from a sinner in his daily practice and conversation unless you finde them in particular acts of worship which is that which doth sadly wound the Name of God and the glory of CHRIST among men I do not speak this for to accuse others onely but withall to bear witness against my self for my former unsuitable walkings wherein my daily watchings and waitings and exact conforming and improving faith was not kept alive and therefore I died but blessed be the Lord who hath discovered the truth of this to my soul Now they abuse the second truth thus come to some Professors and tell them of their pride fashions of the world covetousness passion or courtly complements frothy language manifesting that these things are unbecoming â—aints and inconsistent with a growing heart this presently is replied Every one hath sin Paul and the rest of the Apostles the very best of Saints had sin and so I confess have I this they answer and peradventure they will say they groan under it which is a perfect deceit for though there is sin in the people of God yet there is a daily growth and getting ground of it by improving faith in the bloud of CHRIST and by exact waiting and watching by which the sin of the heart or corruption of the will and the minde is kept under and there is not an allowance of any one sin where Christ is in truth And therefore those that do shelter themselves under truth in this sense and do not daily grow and get power against sin let them know this from a heart that knows it from wofull experience that they onely live in notions not in the power and spirit of truth to be 〈◊〉 witness of the truth of the now birth or work of grace which God hath wrought in them that
to us if you minde these Particulars First it is in the power of God to condemn all it is onely grace and love that he saves any according to these Scriptures Ephes 2.5 8. 2 Tim. 1.9 Tit. 3.5 2. God doth condemn no man if you look upon the meritorious cause not for the creatures not expressing of a power of believing in entertaining CHRIST but for the exercising of a power in rejecting CHRIST should God condemn creatures for their not exercising a power in receiving CHRIST then he did condemn them for what they have not 2 Thess 3.2 but he condemns them for their rejecting CHRIST which power they have it is true the Scripture saith He that believes not is damned for not believing is a declaration of an abidâ—â—â— in a state without CHRIST which is a state of condemnation It is also said that they are condemned because they believe not the Son of God but that cause is the declarative cause but the meritorious cause which is that God doth and will go upon to clear up his justice by is not the creatures refusing to exercise a power in receiving CHRIST for that they have not 2 Thess 3.2 but it is the exercising of a power of darkness in rejecting CHRIST and that men have and God is just in doing it and that that is the ground God will go upon is clear from these Scriptures John 3.19 20. Acts 7.51 Hebr. 12.25 Psalm 118.22 And so much in answer to this Objection Now there are other Objections which I judg may occasion mistakes but I shall speak to them in the next thing which is the third Particular that I promised in the beginning of my writing to wit to discover your mistakes which the cause of your stumbling in which discovery you will see some of the Objections that further may be made both exprest and answered Now as for the mistakes which is the cause of your stumbling they are many I shall mention so many as I have been acquainted with which are as followeth First the measuring or judging of mans ability by the extent of Gods authority which is manifest in his Word for in all the Scripture God manifests his authority over us and your mistakes are from his authority to conclude the creatures ability as in such Scriptures where God saith Do this and you shall live and Turn your selves or be this or be that which Scriptures are principally to discover Gods authority but not the creatures ability when man fell he lost his ability but this change wrought no alteration in God if no change in God then why should any change be in his language â—f God had changed that way of his language the creature would have been apt to conceive that in mans fall there had been a change of Gods power or authority as well as of the creatures ability which is not so A second mistake is your not distinguishing of causes putting no difference between the essential meritorious instrumental and final causes and so it occasions you to conclude God or some of his eminent acts done in himself to be subject to something that are but instrumental causes and so you do bring the efficient cause into subjection unto the instrumental cause and sometimes the effects of the efficient cause is declared in Scripture as a declarative cause as He that believes not is damned or as an instrumental cause He that believes shall be saved Now your not understanding causes is an occasion of your stumbling A third mistake is your not applying one Scripture with another in the understanding of the extent of some expressions in Scripture as the word all and the word world 1. Now the word all and the word world they are diversly taken sometimes the word all doth signifie some of all sorts as appears in these Scriptures Matth. 3.5 6. 4.23 Acts 10.12 2. The word all doth signifie the greater part as in Luke 16.26 Phil. 2.21 3. The word all is many times understood with limitation unto the present subject according to these Scriptures Heb. 12.8 So the word world sometimes is taken for a part according to these Scriptures John 14.17 ch 15.18 19. 1 John 2.2 chap. 4.14 Sometimes for the better part as Professors in the world John 12.19 Rom. 11.12 Sometimes for the wicked of the world according to these Scriptures as Acts 17.31 Rom. 12.2 1 Cor. 3.19 chap. 4.9 chap 6.2 Heb. 11.7.22 Peter 2.5 1 John 5.19 Sometimes for the whole world comprehending every thing in the world according to these Scriptures as Joh 34.18 Psalm 24.1 Psal 50.12 Acts 17.24 Now not distinguishing the extent of words applying one Scripture with another is very dangerous and a special cause of your stumbling A fourth cause relating to the language of God in Scripture is the misapplying of things to the subject that is exprest in a particular Scripture without understanding that Scripture by another as in Ezek. 33.11 where the Lord saith As I live I delight not in the death of a sinner From which Particular you conclude all sinners Now if you look in the Scriptures you will see your selves mistaken for there are three sorts of sinners One sort that sins out of confidence of Gods mercy and upon that account resolves to sin Deu. 29.19 We will add Drunkenness to Thirst for God will be mercifull See what the Lord saith in v. 20 The Lord will not spare him but then the anger of the Lord and his jealousie shall smoke against that man and all the curses that are written in this Book shall light upon him If so then this cannot be the sinner God intends in Ezek. 33.11 A second sort of sinners are those that sin and are not sensible of their sinning but rather thinks it goes well with them when they sin as the generality of the world doth this sort of sinner God speaks of in Jer. 44.17 18. and Isai 27. Now if you look in Jer. 44.26 God there swears he will shew them no mercy And in Isai 27.11 there God doth affirm he will shew no mercy to them Now both these sorts of sinners cannot be those God intends when he saith As I live I delight not in the death of a sinner A third sort of sinners are sinners in a Gospel sense and they are those that CHRIST 1â—th I come not to save the righteous but sinners as in these Scriptures Matth. 9.13 Mark 2.17 Luke 5.32 1 Tim. 1.15 And those sinners appear to be such and are declared to be such when they have through the gracious appearance of God a discovery of themselves to themselves that in the sense of their sins groan and long after JESUS CHRIST These are those that CHRIST invites Matthew 11.28 Come unto me all ye that are weary and heavy laden and I will give you rest And so much of that Scripture and so in some other Scriptures you take one person for another mis-understanding the drift or scope of what is there intended
are his Now having discovered what troubles me and what makes me so unwilling to mention these truths but with discovering also wherein men do abuse them I shall now say no more but come to the proof of this seventh Particular and for the proof of that minde these Particulars 1. The whole Testimony of Scripture 2. The nature of the Work 3. The Titles that are given by God and Christ to the Work 4. The nature of every Creature before this is wrought Which four things will sufficiently prove that this work of faith is not gained by improving nature before conversion or a work before conversion that nature is capable of but is singly the work of God not in a general sense as a works ate but in a peculiar and a Gospel sense First the Testimony of Scripture to make good this truth is very full and clear see 1 Cor. 2.14 The natural man receives not the things of the Spirit of God for they are foolishness unto him neither can be know them because they are spiritually discerned Which fully declares that the receiving or entertaining through faith the truths of the Spirit of God is a work which nature or natural men before conversion are not capable of it nor able to perform it but it is a special work of the Spirit of God John 3.3 5. Verily except a man be born again he cannot see the Kingdom of God And in v. 5. he saith Except a man be born of Water and the Spirit he cannot enter into the Kingdom of God Where you see the 2. special employments of faith to wit 1. The seeing or viewing the glory of Gods Kingdom 2. The entering of the Kingdom Both which are to be done through faith CHRIST doth here affirm it is a work impossible for a natural man to do or any thing in nature to perform before conversion or the new birth which appears in Paul Phil. 3.6 which work is singularly Gods by his Spirit according to his own good will and pleasure which CHRIST affirms in vers 8. of the said Chapter Jer. 31.18 19. Turn thou me and I shall be turned for thou art the Lord my God Surely after I was turned I repented and after I was instructed I smote upon my thigh and I was ashamed Ephraim's experience doth testifie this that repentance smiting and being ashamed followeth turning and that turning and instructing in this Gospel sense in the act of conversion is Gods singular work Jer. 13.23 Can the Ethiopian change his skin or the Leopard his spots then may ye also do good that are accustomed to do evil The comparison declares that it is impossible for unconverted man that lives in sin to do good as good that is to say to do any Gospel work Besides these testimonies which are sufficient I desire you further to minde these Scriptures Phil. 2.13 For it is God that works in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure So it is singular Gods work produced by his good pleasure Suitable to that is Prov. 16. 1. Jer. 10.23 Lam. 5.21 Now as for the second which is what the nature of the work is before I speak of the nature of faith give me leave to speak a word or two of the new birth or conversion which of necessity must be wrought before any work or employment of faith can appear and the truth is my dear Friend if we cannot witness the new birth we are not in a capacity to inform one another of the things of God for till then we are but natural and not fit for such an employment 1 Cor. 2.14 Now this work of conversion and new birth I shall present it to you thus it is by the glorious and powerfull appearance or discovery of the glory of God in CHRIST which doth so seize upon the soul and convincingly conquers the soul that the soul in the discoveries of that light is so killed and made silent and confounded in the sense of his own unsuitableness to God and undonness without CHRIST that the heart is presently made to loath and abominate it self and whatsoever was wrought or done before CHRIST came and is so restlesly carried out for CHRIST that the soul cannot rest till it doth enjoy him that is till he can see a propriety in him or enjoy him as his own which is alone done through believing Now faith is a supernatural light and life set up in the soul by Gods causing the creature to assent to and close with the authority of Gods truth and tenders â—n CHRIST upon which direct act reflection followeth which is the applying of CHRIST as his own from the truth of Gods tender which is from his peculiar love which love the heart is made sensible of in that appearance Now dear Friend do but consider this small description of the work of conversion and faith and see if any thing in nature before the new birth is wrought is capable of or able to perform such a work do but pick out some Particulars of it as 1. This appearance of God doth and will kill make silent and confound or conquer whatsoever is in the soul before Christ comes Jer. 31.18 19. Rom. 7.9 Zach. 2.13 Acts 2.37 2. The creature is so overcome with a sight of this light that he can no longer love but loath himself Job 50.3 4 5. chap. 42.5 6. Isai 5.6 Phil. 3.8 3. It is made able to go out of it self and give way for and assent to the authority and truth of Gods tenders John 3.33 chap. â—2 38 Rom. 4.18 19 20.2 Thess 1.10 4. It can finde no rest in its self nor whatsoever self did before or can do but soly waits upon and attends the authority of this discovery Acts 2.37 ch 16.30 Cant. 5.6 8. Psalm 63.1 Matth. 11.12 5. It 's made able to apply that is to say to own a propriety and to bring home that to its self as its own which is as high as Heaven and far above what nature can either reach or attain unto according to these Scriptures Heb. 11. 1 8 10 13. John 8.56 1 Cor. 2.9 10. Now I beseech you consider what hath been said and you will see that the nature of this truth as we faid before is too high for any improvement of nature to attain to before the new birth Thirdly consider the Titles that are given by God and CHRIST to the work I mean to the work of Regeneration in which faith is comprehended or included it is called a new birth John 3.3 5. Except a man be born again he cannot see or he cannot enter into the Kingdom of God Now dear Friend consider what it is to be born and minde that a spiritual birth transcends a natural if you can truly witness this you will see and must acknowledg this truth 1. That it is impossible by any improvement of Nature to be performed before the work of grace is wrought 2. It is called spiritual 1 Cor. 2.14 Now