inflicts the Lord 4. His way of dealing as a Father in love and not in vengeance Now turne to Heb. 12. 5 6 7. and there we shall see the Apostle 1. Quoting this Scripture 2. Checking them for not heeding it 3. Commenting upon it Ye have forgotten the exhortation which speaketh unto you as unto children My sonne despise not thou the chastening of the Lord nor faint when thou art rebuked of him For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth If ye endure chastening God dealeth with you as with sonnes for what sonne is he whom the Father chasteneth not These words of the Apostle confirm all the Old Testament proofs before mentioned give a shrewd check to all those that would cast them off and are a full New Testament-proof of the point in hand our aversaries tell us that the children of God in New Testament-times have that great and happy priviledge to be free from all chastisements for sinne The Apostle on the other hand sayes that it is their happinesse to be chastised and would be their sorrow if they were without chastisement For this cause saith the Apostle many are weak and sickly among you and many sleep 1 Cor. 11. 30. There we see judgements inflicted the persons suffering and the cause of suffering assigned The judgements are set out 1. By the quality or kinde such as were visible on the outward man as their sinne was open so was their suffering 2. By their several degrees in which they suffered some weak languishing under infirmities some sick taken with diseases some fallen asleep surprised with death The persons suffering are set out 1. By their multitude many 2. By the application of the stroke Corinthians had sinned and Corinthians suffered The cause is implyed in the illative particle For and exprest in the foregoing words their unworthy addresses unto the Lords Table sinfully eating and drinking they eat and drink their own judgement and though it cannot be said that all were in grace that thus suffered yet there were some at least in grace among them in that the Lord chastened them in the world that they might not be condemned with the world The Lord Christ speaks fully to this in his letter from heaven to Laodicea the Church of Rev. 3. 19. As many as I love I rebuke and chasten As Scripture expresly holds out this truth so it is also clear in reason if God should not hold up his Sovereignty in this way of exercise of discipline upon his children his love could not be continued to them but would be withdrawn from them as we see in Christs words but now mentioned Rev. 3. 19. as also in those words of Solomon and the Apostle Pro. 3. 11. Heb. 12. 5 6 7. The love of God is such to his children and such a league of friendship is past between them say our adversaries that it will not suffer him to strike them We say his love is such that he cannot forbear to strike and will not suffer that they should sinne and carry it with impunity There are indeed some such parents that are so indulgent that children must neither have check nor stroke from them what course soever they take they scarce hear words much lesse do they suffer stripes These call this love but a wiser then they calls it by the name of hatred Prov. 13. 24. He that spareth the rod hateth his sonne but he that loveth him chasteneth him betimes Pity will not suffer to make children smart But it is greater pity that the want of smart should bring them to the condemnation of hell Prov. 23. 13 14. With-hold not correction from the childe for if thou beatest him with the rod he shall not die Thou shalt beat him with the rod and shalt deliver his soul from hell A childe in sinne must either be beaten or spared Beating will not be his death but sparing tends to his condemnation The similitude is not ours but the Holy Ghosts One of the most terrible texts in all the Bible may be found as one sayes Hoses 4. 14. I will not punish your daughters when they commit whoredome nor your spouses when they commit adultery He spares not some that he may for ever spare them chastening them in the world that he may not condemn them with the world He spares some and everlastingly destroys them 2. Otherwise God would be reconciled to the sinne of his people and in league not only with their persons but with their wickednesse which is most abhorrent to his holinesse We read of Gods reconciliation to the world but never to the wickednesse of the world God may be at peace with those that have sinned not imputing their trespasses but he will never be at peace with sin 3. It will not stand with his honour to suffer his to go on in impunity in these ways Their wickednesse will be said to be by his allowance Men in sin are ready to say as the Psalmist observe that God is such a one as themselves Psalme 50. 21. and that because they sinne and he keeps silence And men of the world will say the same if his people go on in sinne and prosper This the Lord sees and takes care this way to prevent Ezek. 39. 23. And the heathen shall know that the house of Israel went into captivity for their iniquity because they trespassed against me therefore hid I my face from them He will make it appear that he is no patron to them in that which is evil 4. God hath given in charge to Magistrates his vice-gerents for to punish They are revengers to execute wrath upon them that do evil Rom. 13. 4. they are sent of God for the punishment of evil doers 1. Pet. 2. 14. They have no commission to spare upon supposal of any interest in God or grace when they are found in any acts that are wicked What they do God does they acting by his command and by vertue of his commission For further clearing of this point and if it may be to work a right understanding I shall lay down severall Positions 1. God considered in his absolute Sovereignty may inflict sufferings without injustice on his innocent creatures there is no absolute necessity that sinne should go before all manner of trouble Punishment cannot be without a fault that alwayes implies guilt where justice is followed Yet such is Gods Sovereignty that he may lay affliction where there is no transgression We do it upon our fellow-creatures we tread upon wormes that never did offend us God may much more do it upon his creatures yea God does it How much do bruit creatures suffer in the world and unwillingly suffer as the Apostle speaks Rom. 8. 20. and that from Gods hand that hath made them subject to these suffering that which God doth unto one creature he may do unto any creature that which he doth to the meanest he may do to the most noble creature As a potter may
make vessels some to honour and some to dishonour so God having more transcendent Sovereignty may make some creatures ever blessed and others during pleasure to remaine in misery 2. It stands not yet with Gods ordinate justice to strike his people where there is no fault The termes of the covenant being pre-supposed none can suffer that have not offended every one upon engagement from God must be happy that is innocent This is plainly implyed in those words In the day that thou eatest thou shalt surely die sinne not and suffer not and more explicitely held out in those words do this and live under death is comprized all evil from which man upon covenant is free that doth not sinne Under life is comprised all blisse which upon covenant all are to enjoy that yeeld full obedience So that the inlet of suffering is from sinne Rom. 5. 12. God having as I may say tyed himself not out of Sovereignty to afflict when man hath not offended 3. When way is made by sinne to divine justice to bring evil upon man yet the reason why this or that evil is inflicted on this or that man is not alwayes mans provocation by sinne All afflictions are not punishments nor yet corrections or chastisements There are often other ends and motives Sometimes God looks solely at himselfe alone at his own glory in his strokes of this we have many instances John 9. 1 2. John 11. 4. The same we may say of the viper upon Pauls hand Acts 28. 4 5. Sometimes he looks at his people in the sufferings that he inflicts 1. The patients themselves laying afflictions upon them not as corrections respecting by-past faults but tryals for discovery of their graces That which God laid upon Job was not for his sinne but to make it appeare that Satan had formed a false charge against him that his whole service of God was upon by-ends and base accounts and that sufferings God appearing against him in contrary providences would presently draw him into all wickednesses It was a sore affliction to Abraham to leave his countrey and his fathers house to offer up his sonne Isaac yet these were no corrections or chastisements that we know but temptations 2. He looks upon others that are no sufferers to bring about mercy to one by the sufferings of another so it was in Josephs sufferings Gen. 50. 20. 4. The corrections that God lays upon the godly are far different from those that he layes upon the wicked His hand upon his own children differs much from his hand upon his enemies God deales otherwise with a Nation that is a stranger to him then he deals with a people that are his own Jerem. 30. 11. Though I make a full end of all Nations whither I have scattered thee yet will I not make a full end of thee but I will correct thee in measure and will not leave thee altogether unpunished Though both suffer yet they do not equally and alike suffer So it is with the Elect and reprobate both suffer from the hand of God but there is great difference in their sufferings 1. They differ in the cause from whence their sufferings respectively do arise The sufferings of the wicked are out of pure wrath wicked men being under a state of wrath The sufferings of the people of God are out of present displeasure but yet out of love Prov. 13. 11. Heb. 12. 6 7. 2. They differ in the end of their sufferings A piece of silver is trode upon with the feet to scoure and brighten it but a worme or spider to crush or spoile it 3. They differ in the respective improvement that either make of them the godly are are bettered by their afflictions their sufferings are their purges and purifications Psalme 119. 67. Their eares are thereby opened for discipline Job 36. 10. the wicked are more and more hardened by them and grow more and more wicked under them Esay 1. 5. 2 Chron. 28. 22. The Sunne hardens the earth but softens the butter and the wax The sufferings of the people of God many times proceed from as high displeasure in God as can stand with love and the more high the sinne is the greater and sorer is his displeasure They work in God as great a dislike as can stand with his purpose not utterly to leave and cast them off When David had sinned in that high manner as he did the Text saith The thing that David did displeased the Lord 2 Sam. 11. ult Few men have had more of Gods heart then he yet we see his heart rises in sore displeasure against his wickednesse We may see how he takes him up for it we can scarce see in all the Scriptures a man so chidden The Prophet reckons up the courtesies and high favours that he had received from God I anointed thee King over Israel and I delivered thee out of the hand of Saul and I gave thee thy Masters house and thy Masters wives into thy bosome and gâ—ve thee the house of Israel and of Judah and if that had been too little I would more-over have given thee such and such things And as he had before aggravated his wickednesse in a parable so in expresse termes he further layes it open Wherefore hast thou despised the Commandment of the Lord in doing evil in his sight thou hast killed Vriah the Hittite with the sword and hast taken his wife to be thy wife Then he falls to threatnings three great evils as we may there see follow upon this evil yet all this while that the Lord thus chides him that he thus threatens and beats him he doth not cease to love him as appears in Nathans words verse 13. The Lord hath put away thy sinne some will have love and anger to be inconsistent hatred and wrath inseparable God is angry as they say with none but those that he hates and when anger appears love is no more But all know that this is false among men a father is many times angry with his child that he would be loath to hate It is as false with God he was wrath with Moses but he never hated Moses he owns his with much love when he manifests much dislike and distaste of their present actions 6. These sufferings of the godly must by no means be accounted satisfactions of divine justice as coming from vindicative wrath nor any part of the curse that is due from vindicative justice for sin Having a tendency not to harme but to reforme not to destroy but amend they are only fatherly corrections and chastisements not properly at least as some rigidly understand the word punishments satisfaction was the work of Christ and the whole of the curse was divolved upon him Gal. 3. 13. Papists do distinguish between the friendship that is lost by sinne and the justice that is deserved The friendship that is lost is made up again as they confesse of free grace but the justice deserved must by the offender
covenant-keeping or punishments in case of covenant-breaking The one the Lord promises The other he threatens I finde no material difference in the conditions on Gods part in these covenants Life is promised in both in case of covenant-keeping and death is threatned in both in case of covenant-breaking Some indeed have endeavoured to finde a great difference in the life promised in the covenant of works and the life that is promised in the covenant of grace as also in the death that is threatned in the one and the other and thereupon move many and indeed inextricable difficulties What life man should have enjoyed in case Adam had not fallen And what death man should have died in case Christ had not been promised From which two endlessely more by way of consectary may be drawn by those that want neither wit nor leisure to debate them In which the best way of satisfaction and avoidance of such puzling mazes is to enquire what Scripture means by Life which is the good in the covenant promised and what by Death which is the evil threatned Now for the first Life containes all whatsoever that conduces to true happinesse to make man blessed in soul and body All good that Christ purchases and heaven enjoys is comprised under it in Gospel-expressions I am come that they might have life and that they may have it more abundantly John 10. 10. He that hath the Son hath life and he that hath not the Sonne hath not life 1 John 5. 12. On the contrary under Death is comprised all that is injurious to man or mankinde that tends to his misery in soul and body The damnation of Hell being called death the uttermost of evils being the separation of soul and body from God John 8. 51. 1 John 3. 14. Sinne which leads to it and is the cause of it is called death in like manner Ephes 2. 1. And the separation of soul from the body being called death sicknesses plagues are so called in like manner Exâ—d 10. 17. Now happinesse being promised to man in covenant only indefinitely under that notion of life without limit to this or that way of happinesse in this or that place God is still at liberty so that he make man happy where or how he pleaseth to continue happinesse to him and is not tied up in his engagement either for earth or heaven And therefore though learned Camero in his Treatise de triplici foedere Thes 9. with others makes this difference between the covenant of works and the covenant of grace In the covenant of Works which he calls nature life was promised and a most blessed life but an animal life in Paradise in the covenant of Grace a life in Heaven and spiritual And Master Baxter in his Aphoris of Justification page 5. saith that this life premised was only the continuance of that state that Adam was then in Paradise is the opinion of most Divines Yet with submission to better judgements I see not grounds for it seeing Scripture no way determines the way and kinde of this happinesse promised and in case that we take liberty to say that when long life is promised upon earth in many texts of Scripture that the promise is made good though it faile on earth in case it be supplied in heaven life being the marrow of the promise much more then is it made good when it is indefinitely promised without limit to a man whil'st on earth in case it be made good by his translation into heaven And indeed there are strong probabilities heaven being set out by the name of Paradise in Christs speech to the thief on the crosse and in Pauls vision in that rapture 2 Cor. 12. if we may make such a supposition of mans standing now he is fallen that he should not have continued a life of immortality on earth but have been translated into heaven He had that blessing from God as other living creatures to be fruitfull and multiply Gen. 1. 28. and how the world could have contained all those individuals at once which to eternity man should propagate cannot be imagined And to conceive that an end in time should be put to propagation when an animal life in the use of the creature should be continued is scarce consistent with reason But a thousand of these God can expedite when we are at a stand He promised life and he could have made it good and we see he limited not himself where or how to conferre it And what I have said of life promised the same I say of death threatned in case man upon sinne be brought into a state of misery Justice is done and the threat takes hold where and howsoever this misery be suffered whether it had been in sorrows and horrours on earth in separation of the soul first for torments and the body to follow or in a speedy dispatch of soul and body to hell Gods way of execution after the sinne committed on those that are not by Christ ransomed does not argue that the penalty in the covenant necessitated him to it might not he at once have poured out the whole of his vengeance on vessels of wrath when yet we know that he takes time for the execution of it A Learned Writer enquiring into this death that was here threatned saith that the same damnation that followed the breach of the second covenant it could not be When I suppose it rather should be said that in substance and kind it can be no other Infidels that were never under any other covenant then that of works and covenant-breaking Christians are in the same condemnation there is not two hells but one and the same for those that know not God and those that obey not the Gospel of Christ 2 Thes 1. 8. Neither is there any Limbus or distinct place for infants in original sinne and out of the covenant of grace Neither can I assent to that speech To say that Adam should have gone quick to hell if Christ had not been promised or sinne pardoned is to contradict the Scriptures that makes death temporal the wages of sinne It were I confesse to presume above Scripture but I cannot see it a contradiction of Scripture A burning Feaver a Consumption Leprosie Pestilence c. are in Scripture made the wages of sinne yet many go to hell and misse those diseases And if it be said Scripture so makes death the wages of sin that all must suffer it I answer Those Scriptures are all of them leges post latae appointed of God as his way upon mans fall neither absolute justice nor yet the penalty threatned necessitating him to that way of proceeding He takes the same way where his justice hath already satisfaction Those that are priviledged from death as the wages of sinne thus die God tied not up his own hands as States do their Judges and ministerial officers to one way of execution and this his way with the unbeleeving is voluntary and
root is too low in the earth to have its examples followed and syens suck in juice but know not how to imitate And what kinde of root soever any can make it the root mentioned by the Apostle in that Chapter is a root by communication verse 17. If some of the branches be broken off and thou being a wilde Olive-tree wert graffed amongst them and with them partakest of the root and fatnesse of the Olive-tree The root here communicates fatnesse to the branches and the branches receive from the root It is then a communicative root and doth communicate that which makes the branch one with it Abraham is indeed called a father as well as he is called a root but these two are not full Synonima's though in the maine they agree both Metaphors aptly setting forth what the branches as from a root the children as from a father receive namely their title to the Covenant from him and therefore as to Abraham so to all Israel appertained the Covenants and the Adoption Rom. 9. 4 5. And so to all those that are become children and branches with them The title father is yet extended to a greater latitude as he doth impart to his issue as before so he is a patterne and example as even natural parents are likewise according as Rom. 4. 12. it is set forth Argument 5. Fifthly From verse 25. If the breaking off the Jews be by blinding then the ingraffing is by giving Faith but the former is true ver 25. Ergo the latter Answ Here as in the third Argument I grant the conclusion and return the same answer Jewish blindnesse keeps them out of a Church-state and so from all Faith in the Covenant and when the vaile shall be taken away they shall be reinvested in a Church-state and Covenant-condition For proof there is added 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 blinding or hardening is verse 7. opposed to that state which the Election obtained by which ver 8. they had a spirit of slumber eyes that they should not see eares that they should not hear verse 10. Whereby their eyes were darkened that they might not see from which Anti-Arminians gather absolute reprobation Ames animad in Remon Script Synod Art 1. Cap. 16. Hoc ipsum ad reprobationem spectare Apostolus Paulus clarè ostendit Rom. 11. 17. Now according to the rule of opposites Oppositorum opposita sunt attributa If the blinding be the effect of reprobation and the breaking off be by blinding then the ingraffing is by inlightening and that enlightening is according to Election and so is all one with giving of Faith The proposition being If the blinding be the effect of reprobation and the breaking off is by blinding then the ingraffing is by enlightening and that according to Election then the assumption can be no other but that blindnesse is the effect of reprobation and the breaking off is by blinding No one of the Contra-Remonstrants worthy the name of an adversary of Arminians hath taught this doctrine It that which their adversaries indeed charge upon them but that which they unanimously do disclaime I have heard that reprobation is the antecedent of sinne but never that it was the cause and that sinne is a consequent of it but never an effect Reprobation is the Act of God and in case it be the cause of blindnesse then God is the cause of blindnesse so that the Contra-remonstrants have got a sweet Advocate to cast that upon them that none of their adversaries though they have turned every stone to do it could never proue by them And the other member that casting away way is by blinding is little better The Apostle speaks in another manner Blindnesse was their guilt and casting off was their just sentence Because of unbelief they were broken off verse 20. upon this account God God did not spare them as it follows in the next verse The work and the wages the guilt and the punishment are not one Unbelief and breaking off are the work and the wages the guilt and the punishment Breaking off then as not blinding The Apostle layes all at mans doore makes his blindnesse the moving cause according to that of the Prophet Thy destruction is of thy self and God only the severe but just Judge Our Authour layes all upon God Gods reprobation causes blindnesse and their breaking off is by blinding here is no hand but Gods in their destruction And now the blasphemy of the consequence being denied so that blindnesse is no effect of reprobation breaking off being not by blinding what becomes of the rule of opposites here produced Election and reprobation in the work of salvation and damnation do not per omnia quadrare otherwise as Election leads to salvation without any merit of works so Reprobation should lead to destruction without any merit of sinne which Contra-remonstrants unanimously deny though we finde it here affirmed It is further said that from verse 8. 10. of this Chapter Anti-Arminians gather absolute Reprobation and then explaining what this absolute Reprobation is in the words spoken to But though much be spoke of the irrespective decree both between us and Arminians and also among our selves yet I would faine learne what one Anti-Arminian ever made Reprobation absolute in this sense Amesius is quoted but the word absolute is not found in him And Gomarus a man for the irrespective decree as much as any and upon that account entred his dissent in the Synod of Dort where respective to reprobation that was denied and Sublapsarian opinion established yet he peremptorily denies any reprobation absolute in this sense Neither doth God saith he absolutely and barely destinate any man to destruction without subordinate meanes but he destinates him to just destruction that is by and for sinne justly to be executed Analysis Epist ad Rom. cap. 9. p. 60. Neither will he have this decree to effect the sinne that is a just Medium of destruction In the same page he saith God doth not decree to effect sin but to suffer or not to hinder and to governe for his glory Neither doth God effect all that he doth decree but those things which he decreed to effect of those he is the Authour us all the good that is done But the evil which he decreed not to hinder in his creature that he doth not effect because he did not decree to effect them but onely permits and governs them and at last justly according to his decree punishes them And Doctor Prideaux Lect. 1. de absoluto decreto That necessary distinction between the effect and consequent viz. of reprobation loâ—ses not a few knots which many understanding or not duely heeding are brought into fraits by their adversaries The condensation of water that I may use Austins instance is a consequent of the absence of the Sun not an effect The ruine of a house of it self tending to decay necessarily follows upon the want of repaire which the Master might do in
case he pleased but will not neither is he bound Sinne no otherwise follows upon reprobation not as a cause efficient but deficient not whereby any thing is removed that is present but that is not supplied which is wanting And Master Ball in his larger Catechism p. 57. Sin is the effect of mans free will and condemnation is an effect of justice inflicted upon man for sin and disobedience But the decree of God which is good is the cause of neither The signes of Reprobation may appear in those that are thus dischurched according to that which is quoted out of Ames but not as an effect of it The severity which God sheweth in not sparing but breaking off these natural Branches is explicitely no more then that which Jesus Christ did threaten against them Mat. 21. 43. That the Kingdome of Heaven should be taken from them and given to a Nation bringing forth the fruits thereof the same which he threatens against Ephesus Rev. 2. 5. in taking away their Candlestick which is the effect of their own sin and not of Gods decree Argument 1. Sixthly If re-ingraffing of the Jewes produceth salvation is by turning them from iniquity taking away their sins according to Gods Covenant then it is into the invisible Church by giving faith But the former is true v. 25. Ergo the latter Answ This Argument well husbanded might haue made three To the first â— say that priviledges enjoyed in a Church-state in Scripture-phrase are the salvation John 4. 22. Seeing Church-members are partakers of sauing Ordinances And the fruition of Ordinances under Gospel-dispensations is a great salvation Heb. 2. 3. And so that Text Rom. 11. 26. all Israel shall be saved must be understood as the last Annotation speaks The body of this people in general shall be brought againe into a way of salvation and re-istablisht into the Church of the whole Israel of God consisting of Jewes and Gentiles And so Diodate That is the body in general shall be put again into a way of salvation and re-established into the Communion of the Church And such men brought into a Church-state are turned from iniquity partially from their former way of iniquity their contradicting and blaspheming having escaped the pollution of the world 2 Pet. 2. 16. of the world that remaines out of the Church of God Their sinne is pardoned quoad hoc and when Moses prayed for the pardon of the sinne of Israel Exod. 32. and God proâ—miseth it 2 Chron. 7. 14. it is so to be understood of a National dardon Argument 7. Seventhly If the re-ingraffing be by vertue of Gods Election and love his gifts of calling then it is into the invisible Church by Election and giving Faith But the former is true v. 28 29. Ergo the latter Answ His Election love and gifts of calling did at the first put them into a visible Church-state and condition Deut. 7. 7 8. The Lord did not set his love upon you nor chuse you because you were moe in number then any people for ye were the fewest of all people But because the Lord loved you and because he would keep the Oath which he had sworne unto your Fathers c. And the same love election and gifts of calling now they are broken off doth re-ingraffte them If this Argument hold it was an invisible Church that was brought out of the land of Egypt Here our Authour sayes with much confidence that he questions not but all Anti-Arminians that understand the controversie will disclaime Master Geree in this answer and acknowledge that the election love gifts and calling meant Rom. 11. 28 29. are by faith into salvation But he is much deceived Those before mentioned understood somewhate and Diodate in his Annotations hath these words God never recals his grace which by absolute decree he wil communicate to some person or Nation to call them to him and to have right to his Covenant Now the election of this people hath been such above all others in the world who being once called have and may fall totally and irreparably which this people cannot without repentance that is to say irrevocable of which God never repents Calvin on the words saith This is to be held that private Election is not here handled but the common adoption of the Nation which in outward appearance seemed for the time to be lost but not cut off from the root And presently after The Apostle argues that the counsel of God whereby he once chose to himself that Nation in peculiar remaineth firme And Paraeus in dubio decimo nono on this chapter understands it of the constancy of the love of God towards his own Nation And most fully in dubio vicesimo where urging Stapletons objection That it seems from this irrevocablenesse of the gifts and calling of God the assurance of grace and salvation cannot follow 1. Because as Stapleton objects and Calvin and Martyr confesse the speech of the Apostle is not to be understood of the election of each particular person but of the common adoption of the whole Nation and this common grace of adoption of the whole Nation was mutual for they fell from this gift To which Paraeus sayes Stapleton's corrupt glosse is easily answered 1. Saith he It is not denied that the Apostle spake this of the Common that is the federal dignity of the Nation of the Jewes and that the irrevocablenesse in God is to be understood yet it is denied saith he that from hence the assurance of particular persons is not concluded yea from the lesse to the greater it is firmly concluded For if the Apostle from common grace do rightly conclude this irrevocablenesse in God much more may it be determined from that grace which is proper Ravanellus in verbum Electio understands Election in v. 28. of common Election as he do also in 1. Pet. 2. 9. Amesius is urged as an adversary yet appears otherwise The Remonstrants giving two answers to this Scripture The second is the self-same in 〈◊〉 with Stapletons To which Amesius replies Coron page 233 234. This is their custome to take one part of a truth and to abuse it for the overthrow or removal of another So that it appears according to him that they spake truth in the denial of this to be meant of the unchangable decree of eternal Election but they abuse this truth in about to avoid the argument drawn from it for perseverance As Jesuites and Arminians do object it so their adversaries freely confesse it I have indeed sometimes in my thoughts doubted how fitly this Text was brought against Arminians for proof of perseverance and estament of assurance yet satisfied my selfe according to what hath been said but since I had any understanding never questioned but it was here applied according to the minde of these Authours to the National priviledge of the Jews the full scope of these Chapters being to dispute the rejection of Israel after
this Text is meant of Gospel-glory in Ordinances dispensed by the Apostles Ministery And as to the Jewes appertained the glory and the promises Rom. 9. 4 5. So now the glory and promises belong to the Gentiles And as many Jews as fell not off still enjoy this this glory with the Gentiles and so both make one new man Eph. 2. 15. The visible state of the Jews was a distinct body from the Gentiles Now upon this glorious call they are one new man or new body For the Texts Gal. 3. 14 26 28 29. when any shall tell me how they are paralle then I shall give my answer There is an in graffing into Christ mentioned but none into the Church and so the parallels are without force as are the Arguments Two things lie upon him to do and neither is done 1. To prove that these Scriptures speak of a Church invisible That they are parallel with this Scripture He is wont to reason with his full strength against the force of all Arguments à Pari and yet this argument must carry force from the parity of Scriptures which he only says and not at all proves to be parallel nor yet shews so much as in a word wherein their parity consists he well knows that by this means their disparity might appear There is a tenth Argument drawn from Authorities produced but to so little purpose that I will not trouble the Readers patience in the recital of it CHAP. LI. 1 Cor. 7. 14. Vindicated THe next Scripture in which this extent of the Covenant is evidenced is 1 Cor. 7. 14. For the unbeleeving husband is sanctified by the wife and the unbeleeving wife is sanctified by the husband else were your Children uncleane but now are they holy In order to a right understanding of these words the whole scope of the Apostl is to be taken into consideration which appears to be this The Corinthians converted by the Apostles Ministery consulted him by letters in several cases of conscience one concerning Marriage a second concerning things offered to Idols a third concerning spiritual gifts a fourth concerning collection for the Saints That of Marriage is first spoken to and consists of divers heads and are all satisfied in this Chapter One among the rest concernes Marriage-estate between a Beleever an an Infidel a Professour of the true Faith and a Worshipper of Idols whether such society may be continued or must be separated That this was their Quaere appears by the Apostles resolution He gives in his answer in the affirmative both in the case of a beleeving husband joyned to an unbelieving wife and a beleeving wife joyned to an unbeleeving husband let him not put her away let her not leave him only excepting the case of wilful desertion when for religions sake the unbeleeving party leaves Unbelief breaks not the Marriage-bond renders it not a nullity Religion being not of the substance of Marriage It might make null all Covenants as well as this Covenant the Law of God seeing that condemnes Marriage-Covenants with unbeleevers condemnes all other Covenants with them Deut. 7. 23. Having determined the point in an universal proposition or that which is equivalent with it A Beleever and an unbeleever joyned in Wedlock-bond are not to be separated He meets with their scruples and answers their objections against it That they had their scruples must be confest otherwise they had never sent the case to the Apostle And those scruples which reason it self will suggest that have a faire colour in Scripture for them and are met with and satisfied by the Apostle in this his answer we must take to be their scruples and grounds of their feares Unlesse we had the Corinthians letter we have no other way of cognizance of them And these are two I shall mention the second in the first place seeing I am to dwell upon the first and that is their jealousie of themselves of their own standing and perseverance in the Christian Faith This in reason they might well fear who so active to seduce and draw away as a yoke-fellow and this hath fair colour of Scripture for it Deut. 7. 4. They will turn away thy son from following me that they may serve other gods Examples are not wanting Nehem. 13. 26. Did not Solomon King of Israel sin by these things yet among many Nations was there no King like him who was belov'd of his God and God made him King over all Israel neverthelesse even him did outlandish women cause to sinne To this the Apostle answers and opposes the hopes of conversion of the unbelieving party How knowest thou O wife whether thou shalt save thy husband or how knowest thou O man whether thou shalt save thy wife As there is fear of seducing so there is hope of conversion The other is the condition of their issue lest they should not be reckoned with the Saints but of the fellowship of uncleane Gentiles Reason is strong for this they well knew that as it is with the Parent so it is with the Childe for Church-state and condition being a priviledge communicable and derived by descent from Parent to Childe If the Parent were without and of the Gentiles the Childe was ever such and in case the parents were of the people of God their children were reckoned so in like manner Now Parents being divided the one holy the other unclean they feared that the issue would follow the worser part a staine would lie upon them they would be accounted unclean with the unbeleeving parent this hath a faire colour of Scripture likewise and in a like case it had been so determined Ezra 10. 3. Now therefore let us make a Covenant with our God to put away all the wives and such as are borne of them The Apostle takes off these fears of theirs and tells them that the unbelâ—â—ving party doth not as they fear defile the issue but is sanctified as to issue by the Beleever so that their children are holy and to be reckoned with the believing Parent who is a Saint not unclean not reckoned with the unbeleeving parent who is a Gentile and so takes off their scruples respective both to themselves and their issue and quiets their fears So that several positions might be here laid down for a right understanding of the words 1. By Beleever in this place is meant a man or woman professing the true Faith and bearing the name Christian 2. By Unbeleever is meant an Infidel an unconverted Gentile living in Idolatry sacrificing to Devils and not to God of such the question is put and not of regenerate and unregenerate such a scruple was never heard whether or no such might continue marriage society 3. To be sanctified here is not to be made holy which is the case of the Regenerate or to be set apart for God which is the case of the visible Saint and Christian but together with their yoke-fellow to be an holy root to produce an
or reasons he may enjoy his liberty He sayes the touch mentioned was in order to healing but I shall rather believe the Evangelist that referres it to blessing Mark 10. 16. Thirdly These were infants of such parents that were in covenant with God as appeares in that Christ who now was in the Coasts of Judea was sent alone to them of Judea in covenant with God Matth. 15. 24. And was a Minister of the circumcision Rom. 15. And we see how facile he was to them when his carriage was otherwise and of another sort when a Canaanitish woman comes for her child Mat. 15. 26. This further appeares by that which they requested for these infants This seemes to be yielded They came saith one to Christ upon the conceit that he was a Prophet and so they might bring children to him to be blessed and further sayes if this reason prove any thing it is that the childrens parents were Jewes which is all that we contend for the Jewes as yet were in Covenant with God To this is said if it be meant of all the Jewes and of the covenant of grace in Christ it is palpably false contradictory to the Apostles determination Rom. 9. 7 8. I am sure Rom 9. 3 4. Proves it to be above all contradiction true and that Rom. 9. 7 8. hath nothing against it I have largely shewed which is past by in silence Fourthly These infants themselves were in covenant and stood in relation to Christ bearing his name and being of his people and were not as heathens in their present state without Christ aliens from the Common-Wealth of Israel and strangers from the covenant of promise This is evident by their free admission by Christ and the reason by him given of such is the Kingdome of heaven After some personal reflections which I am resolved to wave I am told of the often complaint of the use of the word covenant in so various senses or rather sometimes none-sense by the Paedobaptists and again of their non-sense or proper gibberish which language I resolve to bear being the least of many thousands that herein I suffer Fifthly They were admitted upon a common right equally belonging to all infants of covenanting parents and not by vertue of any extraordinary priviledge peculiar to them and not common to others This is plaine 1. By the general admission which he gives to infants on this occasion suffer little children to come unto me and extraordinarium non facit regulam communem Here is a general rule all have admission and therefore there is nothing extraordinary it is objected these present infants onely were admitted but though one say it me thinks another should not be found to beleeve it of such little ones is the Kingdome of heaven therefore let these little ones come and onely these 2. It was such a right that the Disciples of Christ ought to have understood as plainly appeares by Christs sore displeasure conceived against them for forbidding their admission to him and that must be a known right and not secret One indeed sayes They were not admitted out of any known right common to others but a peculiar priviledge as being elected for which Piscator is quoted when as Piscator sylogistically concludes the contrary His evasion of this argument is very well worthy of animadversion The reason of Christs anger was their hindring him in his designe not the knowledge they had of their present visible title this is but a dream afterwards he saith the truth is this thing was done to these infants not by reason of any visible title they had or to enter them into any outward Church priviledge but to accomplish by his blessing their interest in the invisible Kingdom of God by election I would demand whether the Disciples did understand Christs designe or whether they were bound to know it or were their sinne not to know it whether they knew these infants to be elect or whether they were bound to know their election Neither of these having any ground election being of the secrets of heaven and Christ had not made known any such designe Christ who condemnes anger without a cause as a breach of the sixth commandment Mâ—t. 5. 22. would not himself have been angry where there could be no sin the alone just ground of anger It is now confest that the Disciples of Christ ought to have understood that they were to be admitted but it was either because they heeded not some particular intimation of his mind concerning those infants or some general truth concerning Christs office and his readinesse to do good to all sorts of persons as there was oppertunity offered from which he ought not to be hindred by them when Christ himself assigns an open known reason of such little ones is the Kingdome of heaven they that will may heed opposite conjectural reasons It is confest that elect infants might be baptized were they known but in this case Christ may be as sore displeased at mens non-baptizing elect ones as he was at his Disciples for forbidding the admission of these little ones And let them take heed upon this account lest they suffer more from Christs displeasure in not admitting elect infants to Baptisme than they can imagine that we shall suffer in the Baptisme of those that are not elected I am told that I have just cause to fear the displeasure of Christ for admitting to Baptisme those that are neither known to be elect nor beleevers but infants of parents who are manifestly children of the devil covenant breakers If they be covenant-breakers as is here confest then they are covenanters for none out of covenant breakes covenant and I here professe that I will baptize none of whom I have not all assurance that they are the children of God As to that Adoption which is to the inheritance of priviledges as those were Ezek. 16. 20. Sixthly They are here admitted by our Saviour Christ to a Church-priviledge proper to Church-members the Israel of God They are admitted to a blessing Mar. 10. 16. Blessing is a Church-priviledge Num. 6. 22 23 c. to the end of the Chapter The Lord spake unto Moses saying speak unto Aaron and his sonnes saying on this wise ye shall blesse the children of Israel saying unto them the Lord blesse thee and keep thee c. And they shall put my Name upon the children of Israel and I will blesse them They are therefore admitted to a Church-priviledge the Israel of God are under the blessing little ones are ordered to receive this blessing little ones therefore are of Israel The Lords portion is his people Jacob is the lot of his inheritance Deut. 32. 9. These are the blessed of the Lord upon this account Jerem. 31. 23. As yet they shall use this speech in the land of Judah and in the Cities thereof when I shall bring again their captivity The Lord blesse thee O habitation of justice and mountain of holinesse Children are within
is not unfitly called in instrument of God p. 128 See Faith Justification Ishmael In Covenant when circumcised p. 296 Not to be branded with bastardy ibid. He and his seed cast out of Covenant p. 298 Justification Mans concurrence in it necessarily required in it as an acceptant not as agent p. 127 It is a transient act of God not an immanent p. 132 It is not from eternity p. 131 c. A justified man an an fitted for every duty to which God calls p. 135. See Faith Instrument K. Kingdome of Heaven IN what sense taken Matth. 19. 14 c. p. 399 The Hinge of the contraversie concerning infants interest in Covenant hangs not on the interpretation of those words ibid. Anabaptists reasons not sufficient to prove it to be meant of the Kingdome of Glory p. 400 Though understood of the Kingdome of Glory it serves not to discovenant or dischurch infants p. 401 L. Law COnsidered as a Covenant to give life is inconsistent with the Gospel p. 55 Moral-Law hath a commanding power over Beleevers ibid. By Arguments asserted ibid. Objections answered p. 58 In what sense a dead husband p. 59 See Moses A rule of our duty not of our strength p. 151. Life What in Scripture it implies p. 100 The same in substance in the Covenant of Works and the Covenant of Grace ibid. A Medium may be concieved and is by some assigned between life and death in Scripture acceptation p. 123 Lord. The acceptation of Christ as Lord doth not justifie p. 125 Love To do a thing out of obedience to the Law and by love not opposite p. 61 Love cleaves to Christ for communion but recieves him not for justification p. 125 M. Master Marshal VIndicated p. 435 Mediatour A foure-fold work respective to the Covenant incumbent on the Mediatour p. 93 c. See Christ Moses Metaphor God's entring Covenant with man no Metaphor p. 10. 37 Ministers Must bring their people up to the termes of the Covenant in pressing the necessity of Faith and Repentance p. 188 c. They must not sever the promise from the duty p. 189 Ministry The necessity of a Ministry to bring me into Covenant and to bring them up to the termes of the Covenant p. 160. Reasons evincing that God hath appointed such a Ministry to be perpetuated through all ages p. 162 c. Reasons evincing the necessity of such an established Ministry p. 165 c. Objections answered p. 168 169 An orderly call from God into the Ministerial function necessary p. 180 Reasons assigned p. 181 182 Several wayes of calling to the work of The Ministry p. 182 See Ordination Ministry-maintenance p. 442 Moses The Law as delivered by Moses bindes Christians p. 73 74 75 He delivered a Covenant to the Jewes p. 210 He delivered a Covenant of Grace to the Jewes p. 210 211 In his time commands were frequent and full the directive and maledictive part for discovery of sin were open and clear but promises for eternity little known p. 213 He was a Mediatour in type N. Nature TAken for Birth-priviledge or descent from Ancestors p. 307 Taken for qualifications of nature ibid. Jewes by nature had priviledges above Gentiles p. 307 308 O. Obedience See Righteousnesse Olive THe whole universal Church visible Rom. 11. p. 325 Fatnesse of the Olive glory of Ordinances p. 326 Ordination An orderly call by way of Ordination into the Ministerial function necessary in all not gifted by immediate revelation p. 182 Ordination described ibid. Men in Ministerial function are to act in Ordination p. 182 183 They are to set men apart as Presbyters and Elders p. 184 Ordination not to be passed but upon examination and tryal p. 140 To be solemnized with fasting and prayer p. 185 186 Imposition of hands to be used p. 187 Objections answered ibid. P. Pardon NAtional and personal p. 343 My People That phrase applied in New Testament-Scriptures to those that stand invisible relation to God p. 258 Places for worship In New Testament-times have their warranty In what sense holy p. 441 Places holy by divine institution by divine approbation p. 439 Positions concerning places for worship in Gospel-times p. 441 Not in equipage with the Temple and Tabernacle ibid. Temple and Tabernacle had the pre-eminence in four Particulars ibid. Our places of meeting by good warranty called Churches p. 441 c. Position This Position that the Moral Law hath no commanding power over Believers examined p. 58 That position concerning the Old Covenant to be both a Covenant of Works and a Covenant of Grace examined p. 210 Power Necessary in the call of Nations to a visible Church-state p. 330 Priviledge See Birth Professors Who to be accounted so before men p. 450 Promises Made to the wiked made good to the believing and penitent p. 190 Absolute promises yield not peace to him that is wanting in the conditions of God required ibid. p. 47 Objections answered p. 190 Spiritual promises rare and obscure under Moses his administration p. 213 Scriptures evincing the spirituality of Old Testament-Promises p. 222 Temporal promises annexed as appendants to spiritual in the Old Covenant p. 226 Children of Promise All the seed of Abraham by Isaac born by vertue of that miraculous promise p. 298 Q. Quaeries PVt to those that restraine the New Covenant to the Elect regenerate p. 234 c. Put to those that put a limit to the New Covenant respective to the issue p. 317 R. Reconciliation GRadual or total of persons of Nations p. 331 Repentance A distinct grace from faith p. 136 A condition of the Covenant of grace ib. Considered in the prae-requisites p. 137 In the essential parts of it ibid. Privative part which is cessation from sin is required in Covenant p. 140 Positive part which is a returne to God and an holy walk with God is required in Covenant p. 142 See Righteousnesse Objections answered p. 144 c. Reprobation No cause of unbelief or sin p. 341 It leads not to condemnation without merit of sin as Election leads to Salvation without merits of works ibid. Righteousnesse What degree of righteousnesse is required in the Covenant of Grace p. 148 Perfection of degrees is not so required that upon the defection of it the penalty is incurred p. 149 Perfection of degrees is not required and sincerity accepted p. 151 Reasons assigned ibid. c. Objections answered p. 153 Our Evangelical righteousnesse is imperfect p. 155 c Sincerity is required and accepted p. 112 c. Root and Branch Denote parent and childe Rom. 11. 16. p. 325 Root Abraham Isaac and Jacob. ibid. Every natural parent a Root p. 338 Every natural believing Parent an holy Root ibid. Abraham a Root by communication not by example p. 399 S. Sacraments ARe Gospel mysteries p. 446 Sacriledge Defined p. 440 With-holding infants of believing parents from Baptism is Sacriledg p. 437 c. Saints Vnregenerate persons have the name and outward priviledge of Saints p.