5.2 Grace seems to be lost when it is not so indeed some have sought for that they have had in their Hands so Mary did Christ 3. The Sun may be Ecclips'd yet wade out of it into his former Lustre the Tree may lose all its Leaves and Fruit in Winter yet have fresh Budding at Spring the Sea may ebb and retire from its Banks ye the next Tide return to them again The Babe may live though it spring not always in the Womb. uzziah by his Leprosie lost his Jus aptitudinale to his Crown and Kingdom but not his Jus Haereditarium Nebuchadnezzar when deposed was as a Tree that is lopped yet his Root springs up again in his returning to the Throne The Romans faith the Historian lost several Battels but never any War Israel flies once and twice before their Enemies yet conquer they the Land of Promise A Troop overcomes Gad yet Gad overcomes at last Gen. 49.19 Hot Water hath a Principle in it self to reduce it when removed from the Fire to its natural Coldness Thus some Saints may be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Phil. 2.27 but not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as John 11.14 They may fall as Mephibosheth to lame them and as Eutichus to hurt them but not as Eli to kill them That is great Displeasure where such a Rout is as admits of no raliying 4. Sin make a Forfeiture of all into God's Hands and he might make a Seisure if he pleased as two Tenants for Non-payment of Rent forfeit their Leases and their Landlord may seize on the one and not on the other pro arbitrio We incur Divine Displeasure in every Act of Sin Demeritoriè though not effectivè and yet though God do not disinherit us according to our Demerit nor blot us out of the Book of Life yet doth he withdraw his Favour and imbitter all our Comforts as to Peter Mat. 26.75 he makes Relations that should be Comforts to become Scourges to us as to David 2 Sam. 12.11 He may fill us with Anguish Psal 38.3,4 which are strong and sufficient Curbs to any more new Out-bursts from God seeing the Evil we smart under after Sin is commensurate to the Pleasure found in Sin Could David have foreseen the Evil Consequences of his Sin which Nathan foretold him of he might have said to his Sin A dear bought Sin thou art like to be to me Yea sometimes as need is God adds Apprehensions of Eternal Wrath Psal 88.6,7 without any Hope of being eased Upon these Considerations this Doctrine begets no Looseness in any of the Reformed Churches Objection 2. Some suffer Shipwrack of Faith and Conscience the Prodigal a Child yet dead in sin Answer 1. That Scripture 1 Tim. 1.19 holds out no more than what is granted that as a false Faith may be lost in the whole so a true Faith may be lost in part though a Shipwrack be sustain'd yet there is Secunda post Naufragium Tabula as in Acts 27. no Life lost 2. That of the Prodigal is but a Parable and Dicta Symbolica non sunt Argumentativa It may illustrate but cannot proves besides he was but a lost and dead Son in his Father's Account only and seemingly in his own So God's Children may in their own Sense and in the Opinion of others seem lost yet truly and indeed not be so 3. If one cease to be a Son because he commits Sin then Saints as oft as they sin so oft are they out of Son ship and liable to Death Eternal the Wages of Sin and so can have neither Certainty nor Comfort in their Estate unless it could be shown what Sins rend this Relation and what not so come to the Popish Notion of Mortal and Venial Sins Objection 3. Angels and Adam did fall from Grace Ergo c. Answer 1. That Grace which was Creation-love was loseable but that which flows from Redemption-love is not so Neither Angels nor Adam were under the Grace of the New Testament nor were they righteous by Faith in Christ nor were they at all justified because they did not perform the Condition required that they might be justified before God 2. The Case is altered now in the New Covenant made with the Elect both Men and Angels they stood not by a Mediator as Saints do now Neither did Christ pray for them as in John 17.15,20 Luke 22.32 nor promise to them that The Gates of Hell should not prevail against them as Mat. 16.18 3. The Example of Angels is Nihil ad Rbombum for the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Question iâ— concerning Men nor is that of Adam to the Point for he had not that Evangelical Justifying Faith which we say cannot be utterly lost Objection 4. Saul Judas and Esau lost Grace Ergo Answer 1. They could not lose what they never had what they had were only Illuminations and such as Balaam the Sorcerer had We grant that Common Grace is loseable Gratia gratis datae sunt amissibiles 2. The Romanists in the Vulgar Latin read 1 Sam. 9.2 concerning Saul that he was Bonus et Electus yet their own Vatablus reads Bachur Tob as we do A Choice Young Man and a Goodly for Grace consists not in the Beauty of the Body but of Soul 3. Judas was only Elected to the Apostleship not to Salvation and that by one who knew how to make good Use of Evil Men even of Vessels of Dishonour in his Houshould 4. Who can say that Profane Esau so he is branded ever had a true Justifying Faith Objection 5. David and Peter fell totally and Solomon finally Ergo c. Answer 1. They all fell fouly yet none of them finally because they all repented â—nd are call'd Holy Men of God 2 Pet. 1.21 â—y the Holy Ghost Neither did they fall toâ—…lly because that Grace remain'd in them by which they repented Thus where Sin abounded Grace did much more abound 2. That Solomon fell not finally appears 1. In being called Jedidiah Beloved of God 2 Sam. 12.24,25 which is not a Name given to any Reprobate A Seal tho' dim and defac'd will pass in Acts of Record so Evidences for Heaven 2. He is of the Holy Prophets that Sits down in the Kingdom of God Luke 13.28 3. He was a Type of Christ so never was any Reprobate 4. God took not his Mercy clean from him 2 Sam. 7.14,15 5 Ecclesiastes is his Book of Repentance and never any that repented could perish Luke 13.3 6. Koheleth signifies his being joined again to the Church by Repentance which is the Hebrew Word for Ecclesiastes Kohelleth Nephesh A Soul added to the Congregation 3. Their own Cornelius à Lapide saith Petrus non perdidit fidem peccato suo So that Jesuite answers Bellarmine yea he answers himself accordingly lib. 4. cap 4. Lest Peter's Fall should cut off the Entail of the Pope's Inheritance to say nothing of David who writ so many Penitential Psalms Objection 6. Heb. 6.5 10.20,26 Ezek 18.24,26 proves a Falling from Grace Answer 1. Suppositio nil ponit in esse suppose Saints should do so this proves not that they will or may do so there may be a Supposinâ— Quod non est Supponendum As for Ezek. 8.24 it 〈◊〉 to be understood of Hypocrites Ezek. 3.20 3â— 12,13 2. 'T is spoke Heb. 6.10 c. of such as only taste but digest not that have their Minds informed not their Hearts reformed sactified in Profession not in Power that had Fidem Dogmaticam not Salvisicam 3. 'T is spoke of that Sin unto Death for which There is no Sacrifice from Devilish Malice not Humane Frailty Saints can never thus sin to waste Conscience unto Death Objection 7. Saints may lose Grace totally but not finally Answer 1. As Christ once dead dies no more So in his Members the Life of Grace cannot dye totally ut suprà Rom. 6.8,9 The Seed remains 1 Cor. 5.5 That his Spirit might be saved that remain'd still in him tho' fouly fallen as Paul saith of Eutichus He is not dead Acts 10.9 When Peter repented Non novum infulit habitum sed suscitavit 2. Then there must be a new Engrafting into Christ and a Renewing of Baptism as oft as this is done Faith is but once given to the Saints Jude 3. as we are but once born so but once born again 3. Those Saints may fall so as to lose Jus ad Rem yet not Jus in Re the Spirit blows upon the Sparks that lurk under the Ashes of Sin Objection 8. Then to what purpose be Admonitions c. It destroys Humility c. Answer 1. None say Saints cannot sin save that unto Death 1 John 1.8,9 with 3.9 so Useful enough 2. He was not proud that said God will deliver me from every Evil Work 2 Tim. 4.18 Rom. 8.38 3. But rather those that boast of having sufficient Grace both in Converting and Confirming Work FINIS
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Aristotle in his Fol. lib. 2. cap. 2. shows is not taken strictly always for every Man individually and so 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Heb. 2.9 is restrained to Sons brought to Glory v. 10. and to sanctified Ones v. 11. the Hebrews appropriated the Messiah to themselves as if not for the Gentiles too 5. When we say all Men travel such a way to London we mean not that every Man travels thither but such as do travel thither travel such a way The Prophet saith All men are Lyars take the Word strictly and he must be a Liar that said so Thus other Scriptures frequently restrain All. 6. 1 Cor. 15.22 is meant of the Resurrection and of those that are Christ's v. 23. or the Sense is No man is made alive but by him as Aristotle taught all Men Philosophy i. e. no Man learn'd Philosophy but by him not all individually Objection 4. God gave Christ to the World John 3.16 and for the Sins of the whole World 1 John 2.2 Answer 1. N. B. Contrary Scriptures are to be consider'd both at once and by the Scope of the whole are to be interpreted 't is not Concordia discors betwixt Rom. 3.28 Jam. 2.24 but Discordia concors Luther said Grammatica Theologiae cedat Words must give place to Matter Matter is not for words but e contra words for matter The Word World is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of various Significations John 3.16 cannot be meant of the World containing for that is not a Subject capable of Salvation nor of the World contained in a strict Sense for so Brids Beasts and Fishes and all Inanimate Things are comprehended which cannot have Everlasting Life nor can it be the World of Men but as he is the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Preserver of Man and Beast Psal 36.6 there is God's 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Love to Creatures 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his Love to Men and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his Love to good Men God's Love was the Cause 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of sending Christ Not the first of these nor the Second properly but as an Evidence that some out of Mankind was saveable which was not granted to the fallen Angels and the Word Whosoever plainly restrains this Love of God to some not to others Whosoever in this World believeth c. and in v. 17. 't is meant the saved World which must be God's People for many of the World were damned at the time of God's sending Christ and some had been so 4000 Years as he was not sent to reverse God's Decree for then the Pains of Hell were not Endless so nor did his Death cross the Decree It must therefore be properly God's Love to good Men the third Love not such as he found so but such as he made so out of his Love to them 2. It must be meant of that World whereof Abraham is said to be the Heir Rom. 11.13 which is explained to be of all Believers v. 11. both Jews and Gentiles in every Nation thro' the World In this sense it is taken John 6.33 as Manna was only for Israel so Christ the Bread from Heaven gives Life to the World of Believers only 1 Tim. 3.16 Christ was believed on in the World of Believers only Heb. 2.5 that World which is made subject to Christ the reconciled World 2 Cor. 5.19 and that World to which Christ was a special Saviour John 4.42 3. World cannot be taken for all and every Man for then he would send his Word to them and work his Grace in them that this Love of God might not be fruitless and it must follow that either God loves the Damned in Hell or that he loved them while in the World but He is now changed 4. It is granted that God hath a Respect for all Mankind above Devils in offering a Saviour to them and Christ is the Saviour of all Men 1 Tim. 4.10 Omnes redimuntur per Christum i. e. all that are redeemed Sed soli Electi sunt in Christo not of Eternal Preservation but of Temporal Reservation for the Wages of Sin would be paid at Birth and the World through confusion by sin would have fallen about Adam's Ears had not Christ been the Glorious Undertaker 5. That in 1 John 2.2 signifies that the sins of no Man in the whole World are remitted but by Christ There is no other Name under Heaven wherely we can be saved Acts 4.12 John wrote to the Jews Gal. 2.9 and he tells them Christ is not a Propitiation for them only but for the Gentiles too as Acts 10.35 Gal. 3.28 Col. 3.11 for Christ is not Heb. Copher a Cover for the Sins of all and every Man and seeing John comforts them against Sin this cannot be done from the Impetration of Attonement but from the Application of it which none ever said was Universal therefore c. 6. Christ was sufficient as a Medicine to save the whole World as the Brazen Serpent was to heal all Israel yet only those that looked up were healed So 't is only those that apply this Medicine * 1 John 5.11,12 Habet in se quod omnibus prosit sed si non bibitur non medetur Prosper Objection 5. Christ hath as much Essicacy to save as Adam to damn Rom. 5.18 Answer 1. There is a Difference betwixt a Necessary Extensiveness and a Voluntary One The Efficacy of Adam's sin was Extensive necessarily but that of Christ's Death is of Free-grace and wholly at God's Pleasure and therefore 't is call'd the free Gist Rom. 5.15 not of the same manner 2. Christ is no where compared to Adam 〈◊〉 the Extent of his Object but only in the Efficacy of his Obedience and more Merit is required to the saving of one Soul than of Demerit for the losing of Ten Thousand 3. As all the Off spring of Adam did fall by his Sin so all the Off spring of Christ are saved by his Death All and every one are not in Christ radically as they were in Adam and all are not given to Christ * John 17.19 but As many saith Christ as thou hast given me The Seed of the Woman could not be made the Head and Root of the Seed of the Serpent Christ represented not Cain Pharaoh c. then God had been well pleased with Christ for them Mat. 3.17 and 17.5 Eph. 5.2 and they should not have been damn'd as Adam represented all Mankind As all that are in Adam dye so all that are in Christ are made alive 4. This Rom. 5.18 is spoken of such as receive much Grace and Justification v. 17. which the Arminians cannot say All and Every Man do Objection 6. Rom. 14.15 saith Destroy not him for whom Christ dyed And 2 Pet. 2.1 Denying the Lord that bought them Answer 1. Destroy is not there to condemn but to scandalize which as much as in us lies leads them to Destruction 2 Cor. 10.8 but to