Saint John Saint Peter and S. Paul say they grow Hence Ps 45. thou art fairer because of Christ the Father or the husbad whose glory is the Churches the word fairer that strong and in measure perfect according to the stature of Christ the Saints do as truly though imperfectly partake of the nature of Christ as he partook of the nature of man The nature of Christ is even communicated to them by their new birth as the child must partake of the the nature of his Father nonsolum ergo communicando gratiam sed participando essentiam To this effect see Mr Dell in Com. in Esay 54. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is of a double form to shew or double that is excellent comlinesse So having the same nature with Christ Let it O let it be spoken with feare humility and joy and acted by the same spirit that Christ was therefore according to grace acting in them and actuating them they performe the same duties of meeknesse patience humility Idem ibidem Christs glory was promised in the time of the Gospel to shine upon his people Esay 60. and again thou art a Crown and Diadem of glory chap. 62. v. 3. and Christ affirms John 17. v. 22. the glory God gave him he gave them by the spirit of the Lord sayes Paul Question May not a Saint rejoyce in the actions flowing from Chr. within No not in the act t is not the Saints but Christs but he may have joy flowing from and following the act we are changed to the same Image from glory to glory See the excellency and beauty of Christs children here below are they not highly advanced even in somewhat above Angels but you l say you cann't beleeve that Saints partake of Christs nature I answer the very same oyle which was poured on Aarons head descended to the skirts of his cloathing and the same graces poured on Christ our head of whom Aaron was a type come to us the members changing our nature from sons of Adam making us sonnes of God though here imperfectly The grapes which the Spies brought out of the land of Canaan to Moses were of the same nature and kind with those in the Land such is the money of the earnest and that of the full wages therefore whatever priviledge the Saints have in the true Land of Canaan heaven whatsoever son-ship divine nature glory they shall be partakers of there they shall have a taste of here the same spirit is the earnest here and joy hereafter Christ and his people are one as the Vine and the branches I am the Vine yee are the branches John 5. Now the branches tree root partake of the same juyce and fatnesse 't is even so between Christ and his people Christ and his are one as head and members the same soule enlivens the head and members from the head come spirits to quicken the body from Christ encrease of graces in his people Ephes 4.16 and while he 's alive the Saints must live John 1◠19 for while life is in the head death is not in the members Christ will not suffer his limbs to be lost and as unlikely 't is to have dead members he will love and cherish them being part of his mystical self Christ and his are one as husband and wife his honour is hers if he a King she a Queen his goods glory hers ubi tu Caius ego ibi Caia If Christ ours all ours whether Paul or Apollo life or death things present or to come his death merits resurrection all are ours because we Christs Spouse and he the heire of all Hence learn in a digression that if Christ be thy husband O Saint what ever thou owed'st before marriage or since Christ thy now husband must nay has payd all If Satan accuse thee for any debt say thou hast nothing to do in it bid him go to thy husband Christ No Divorce ever to be between them the Lord hates putting away Mal. 2.16 though for the hardnesse of the Jewes hearts he suffered it yet from the beginning it was not so Sin may for a time seemingly separate not Finally Christ and his are one as the chief corner stone the rest make one building the corner stone and the rest are somewhat of the same nature Stones are oft trod upon as Christ the living * Esay tels us chap. 54 ver 11.12 How God will have the spirituall building the Church of precious not common stone as those in the first Temple the living stones the Saints are Carbuncles Agates and Saphires So that in this sense the glory of the second Temple doth exceed the glory of the first stones must learn to endure stones in the building uphold one the other to teach us to bear one anothers burdens Stones in the building are knit together with morter to teach us how love yoakes knits cements Saints together To conclude this point with a general use Consider as Christ and his people are one these severall wayes so all love to perfection as Christ his The father loves the child and desires its life and prosperity the husband the wife and desires her continuance not divorce the head loves the members and desires not parting but perfection the chief corner stone and the rest desire to keep together to hold up the building the corner stone desires not to shrink from the rest but delights in a compleated edifice the Vine and branches mutually clip embrace and love each other she covets the cōpany of her branches desires not to have them lopt of or to live like a mother childernlesse Christ loves his for ever because sin which may seem to part him and them is slaine so it cannot provoke him to give them a bill of divorce and that three wayes judicially for 't is condemned to dye both by Christ and his people so 't is dead according to Law which is a comfort to a Christian that his greatest enemy sin nay and Satan is condemned to die and shall not for ever Rivall with him See death threatned that threatning a sentencing Hos 13. ver 14. O death I will be thy plagues O grave I will be thy destruction Now if death and the grave the effects of sin be destroyed then must sin that causes both as the Apostle quotes the sense of that place 1 Cor. 15.55 O death where is thy sting that is Sin Sentenced and more now though not fully put to death til her after Secondly sin is dead civilly because the power of it is much abated its dominion and tyranny overpowred thus Ephraim is said to be dead by the Prophet Hos 13. ver 1. When Ephraim that is the King of the Tribe of Ephraim spake trembling the people even trembled at his voice but when he offended in Baal by serving Baal he dyed in respect of obedience not yeilded to him as formerly thus those fel creatures which in innocency would tremblingly obey Adam or rather
we say they are but truths of Scripture more apparent Hence O Christian thou having the spirit of love and power maist conclude no finall falling away as the Papist and Arminian teach For how then should Christ love to the end if he let go his hold and let thee sink at last See a few reasons and proofs for thy future strengthening Consider to this purpose what God is to us and what he promises God is our husband and no finall divorce to be allowed no woman the Churches condition has power over her self no not in this case but the man No Saint has power to give away himselfe for he is not his own but Christs Christ is the life the Saints lives are not in their own power but hid feofewed with Christ in God Colos 3.3 As Christ is safe so is their life Christ is their head as long as the head 's alive so shall the members ex loco Joh. praecitato 14.19 the Saints being the members how were Christ perfect or compleat if they lost Yet in this mysticall body the best joynts are subject unto spraines yea perhaps to bruises and gashes but no bone so shattered in pieces but may and still is set againe God has promised his people eternall life Joh. 10.28 They shall never perish He that gave them is greater then all and none shall pluck them out of his hand v. 9. Nay those that believe in regard of the certainty of the performance of the promise are said to have eternall life Joh. 5. ver 24 He that has once faith to believe shall never lose it though it may seeme lost for the present for he that is the author of it will be the finisher Heb. 12.2 The Alpha and Omega if God promise so he has sworn to make it good God abundantly more willing to shew to the heyres of Salvation the immutability of his Counsell confirmed it with an Oath that we might have strong consolation Heb. 6.17 18. He will confirm you to the end to bee blamelesse 1 Cor. 1.8 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Triplex negatio vehementiffimè negat I have already quoted his promise I will never never never leave thee Heb. 13.5 Indeed the Saints and he being one 't is impossible they be should lost being part of himself So the Apostle is perswaded that neither life nor death nor Angels principalities nor powers shall be able to separate the Saints from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord Rom. 8.38 39. The will of God is like the Law of the Medes and Persians which alter not Du Moulin against Armin. or like Pilates quod scripsi scripsi For whom he hath once written in the booke of life he never blots out there is a difference between the book of life and living or naturall life blot them out of the book of the living let them not be written among the righteous this naturall life the Psalmist means and the world where the righteous and wicked live together Let me examine the grounds of the Apostles perswasion Rom. 8. Death can't for in Scripture sense 't is not worthy of that name though in a Philosophique sense it may because it can't separate a St. from Christ nor is' t a curse nor punishment since Christ dyed but a passage to him the hurt of death is taken away Christ has destroyed him that has the power of death the divel the executioner Heb. 2.14 Where then is death casheer'd Why Because sayes one an Officer that arrests the Kings son is to be discharged of his Office so death for Arresting Christ The sting of it by which Satan prevailed to destroy is blunted abated I will not say plucked out because 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in many things we offend all yet John sayes behold the Lambe of God which takes away the sins of the world remember the power of the word * De medio tollere as Budaeus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 there to take away Joh. 1.29 Quis neget Aeneae magni de stripe Neronem Sustulit hic matrem sustulit ille Patrem Sin in the Saints Christ dying for them is much like the Viper on Pauls hand has not a sting to wound to eternall death Christ took away the guilt and pnishment of sinne and sactifyes his people much subduing sin in them ex Mica ult antep to have a Snake in ones bosome with poyson and teeth out may as cold water thrown into ones face more startle feare one then hurt one But I forbear because carnal men will make a sport of sin Though then that counted death continue among us yet it continues not to be what it was The name is more terrible then it think not lying in a grave an argument of the continuance of the power of death but rather to have all conformable to our Saviour or to lay aside corruption in the grave Musculus Thy body as now it is is not capable of immortality flesh and blood cannot inherit eternall life wouldest thou bring a corruptible carkase into heaven to be a glorifyed member of Christ No then lay aside corruption suppose it be sowen in weaknesse it shall be raised in power Thou foole that which thou sowest is not quickened except it dye Keep thy Corne above ground for fear of corruption where then shall the fresh greene blade appeare When shall the staâ—ke grow up When shall it eare When shall it flower All this glory and advantage will be lost if thy Corne be not cast into the furrows of the earth Doth not corruption within thee trouble thee more then death Wert thou not better once dye then be continually disquieted with the motions of corruption Ther 's no finall subduing them till the body be destroyed which doth so cline and draw thee to thee to the service thereof * Death to us is beneficiall though death thinks to do hurt as Phereus lasons enemy was to him he having an Aposthem in his body the enemy prickt the Aposthem and so gave him life whom he thought to kill Cic. Nat. Deor. Lib. 3. See if death be not advantage If a Crab-stocke having his head and boughs cut oft be grafted with a Pippin or some other pleasant fruit can it reasonably complain of hurt Or has he any wrong done him that has his Cottage of Clay pulled down and a goodly Pallace of stone built for his dwelling This is thy case O beloved But foolish men thinke there is no such life in Christ Let death be fearfull to Heathens 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Some Philosophers feared it not but said Si mors est nos non sumus mors non est and let us not through feare from which by Christs death we are delivered ex Heb. 2.15 be any longer subject to bondage Lâ—ing in a grave is so sweetned by Christs lodging there that that need not trouble a Saint they like the good subject Ittai are content to be where their
prayer on the Crosse for his enemies but many of them Elect Vessels whose sins till conversion are as many great and haynous witnesse Pauls as any as Calvin truly notes so farre prevailed that three thousand were at Peters Sermon converted Act. 2.36.41.3000 men were sayes du Moulin then at one Sermon converted now adayes 3000 Sermons and not one man converted But further Christs will is that all that God gave him be with him where he is to behold his glory Joh. 17.24 Now who can resist his will The good Angels are the executors of his will having greater power then the lost Angels and will with the great assistant God the Father see the will performed Now Christ has prayed for all that ever shal beleeve Joh. 17.20 Nor things present Not miseries not sin not Satan nor the world for greater is he that is in you then he that is in the world 1 Joh. 4.4 Joh. 16. last I have overcome the world The Law cannot Christ has fulfilled it We are not under the Law Qui pro nobis semel mortem vicit semper in nobis vincit Cyprian but under Grace let the Law be a rule to square thy actions by but where thou comest short of it rely on Christ he has performed it for thee but least of all shall feare separate because the cause sinne being removed the effect cannot Not things to come as for things to be acted in heaven the Judge is most just nay justice it self and will not cannot wrong qui videt novit ut impartialitas veritas sedet ut aequitas Bern. fere in his verbis Iob speaks of the things to be acted in heaven with comfort I know my Redeemer my kinsman saies the Hebrew liveth 19 26. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Goel One who redeemeth in the right of a kinsman a usuall custome among the Jewes but remember O beloved since thus Christ redeemed thee he is to enjoy thee as for things to be acted on earth none can as is said imprison any of his without leave to wit in the grave Christ having the keyes of the grave which is but a bed to sleepe for a time in I shall make my bed in the dust sayes Iob 17.13 where none can be kept without consent of Christ nor longer then he pleases Nor height not the highest of men by afflicting for he whose the Saints are is higher then the highest Not the height of pride in the Saints who are kept from the height of pride as Paul was by the messenger of Satan and other continuall humiliations the height of Satans malice and envy is below Gods love to them Nor depthcannot For depth of affliction is answered by the height of exaltation thou bringest down to the grave and bringest up again heavines may endure for a night but joy comes in the morning Nor depth of sin for as low as one in Christ can be in sin as high he shall be in repentance in grace in favour yea though the just fall seven times in a day he shall rise again Prov. 24.16 Because Christ is risen Hence Satan sinne Heresie and all that oppose have and do fall down Christ's may erre be overtaken in an errour seldom an heresie Errare possum haericus esse nolu but they soon recant Christ's are sons of truth embrace truth not willing to close with an errour for Christ Rev. 6. v. 2 goes forth conquering and those that are ordained to eternall life shall beleeve Act. 13.48 The word being the incorruptible seed 1 Pet. 1.23 And being sowed in the heart shall not finally corrupt or return in vaine but worke Gods pleasure by beating down sinne Nor any other creature for all being under the power and Dominion of our mighty Creator and defender we are sure of protection They can bring upon us Nec plus ad desiciendum potest terrere paena quam ad trigendum tutela divina Cypr. 'T is a glory to suffer for God The spirit of glory and of God resteth upon those who are for Christ's sake reproached 1 Pet. 4.14 The very mystery of the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Shechinah but either tribulation or distresse or persecution or famine or nakednesse or perill or sword Rom. 8.35 and that through leave and Gods sufferance but in these we are more then conquerours through him that loved us ver 37. For the three children as we call them being put into the furnace behold foure walking loose Christ was one who is with his people suffering Stephen in the midst of misery sees the heavens opened when the burden seemes too great and heavy Christ puts under his shoulder to ease I remember the story of Theodore the Martyr how when he was wrack't a young man was seen to the Admiration of al with a towel to wipe his sweating limbs and refresh him with coole water so that he even seemed to delight in his misery Ruffin Eccles History Object If nothing can separate the Saints from Christ why doth the Apostle say let him that standeth take heed lest he fall 1 Cor. 10. ver 12. Answ That Chapter speaks of very sinfull people perhaps not elected though they were baptized in the sea the outward baptisme and eat of the spirituall meat though not spiritually for God was not well pleased with them ver 5 but destroyed them ver 10. By effects if lawfull to judge these men shewed themselves not Christ's Good men fal into sin not finally from Grace not from election had only the outward priviledge of the Church which alone cann't give an assurance of perseverance of Salvation These might fall away and such as think they stand 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 But Rom. 11.20 Because of unbelief such fall thou standest by Faith Yet be not high minded but feare though a filiall feare fears no falling God by good admonition grace co-working keeps off falling A caveat to take heed from falling is no infallible proofe of falling but note thou standest by Faith thy feet fast upon the rock Christ if thou continuest Gods goodnesse towards thee ver 22. As thou maist be assured thou shalt for Christ as he is the Author and Alpha of thy Faith will be the finisher and Omega He confirms to the end to be blamelesse 1 Cor. 1.8 Obj. Those whom Paul calls Saints 1 Cor. 1.2 he sayes may eat and drink damnation Chap 11.29 Therefore a falling away of Saints Answ The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 rendred damnation ought to be rendred by the word judgement the Apostle instances some among you are sick some weak temporal judgements and some asleep or dead God bringing that in his anger not hatred of the Saints notwithstanding their sin upon his people as a judgement which indeed by Christs death is none and yet saves the soule Ob. Heb. 6.4 One enlightened that has tasted the good word of God and powers of the world to come may fall away ver 6. Therefore a Saint
may fall away nay fall into the sin against the Holy Ghost as most men thinke out of that text that sin to be included because t is there 't is impossible to renue them because they crucifie the Son of God afresh again the Apostle from chap. 10. ver 26. proves as much for if we sinne including himself wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth there remains no more Sacrifice for sin Answ I deny not but some men may be outwardly baptized for so the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 may be rendred nay be a hearer with joy as Magus was baptized Herod heard those in the parable rejoyced Luke 8.13 yet being not elected or truly sanctified fall away Vide hist Ecclesiast Magdebeburge Cent. 4 c. 3. pag. 64. pag. 89. Julian the Apostata had been perchance a practitioner of good in his younger yeares but at last became an enemy to goodnesse and concluded his dayes with vicisti tandem Galilaee Thou hast overcome at last O Galilean in contempt calling Christ Galilean Answ 2. From that first passage of the Hebrews no falling away can be proved I mean finall The words are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is never used for finall falling 't is given to the Jewes falling 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rom. 11. v 11. Yet we expect and pray for their conversion there is a time of their fulnesse to come 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ver 12. Certainly blindnesse is happened but in part to the Jewes and that only till the fulnesse of the Gentiles be come in ver 25. Now 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 does diminish the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 minuit rem cui adjungitur Cornel à lap The Jewes falling is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ver 12. hujus cap. All that can be proved from Heb. 6.4 is but that Gods people may fall into many sins and errours after much knowledge and grace Neither from this Hypothesis can it be well concluded that they might commit such sins falling from such grace onely the Apostle shewes a difficulty of restoring them if they did fall Ob. 'T is said 't is impossible to renue them Answ The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 shews it not impossible because the Jewes shall be restored I have read the word used in a moderate sense 't is impossible for a rich man to enter into the kingdome of heaven sayes our Saviour yet Abraham Isaac and Jacob rich men are there it shews a difficulty not an impossibility Obj. But these Crucifie Christ afresh therefore they are never likely to be renued Answ The Jewes which crucified Christ many repented and were saved for indeed Christ had prayed for them Father forgive them they know not what they do The Apostle shews the principles of Religion from which these are tacitly forbid to fall and the danger of renewing them shewed v. 2. Doctrine of Baptisme laying on of hands and the resurrection of the dead The last the Corinthians denyed yet being Elected and Saints renewed and saved The other two are denyed in this age of whom great hope 'T is reported that Witches deny their Baptisme so that the water since receives them not but such confessions some of them have made such repentance and have made such ends that I dare not but judge charitably therefore t is not impossible to renew such as fall from these principles and consequently no sin against the Holy Ghost never mentioned in the Epistles never called in the Gospel by that name but the Blasphemy against the Holy Ghost See a book of that Title very judiciously pend and Printed about the year 1646. To that of Heb. 10. v. 26. I answer t is not said there remains no Sacrifice for their sin there remains no more Sacrifice to wit as in the time of the Law when for every sin there was a Sacrifice now one only Sacrifice even Christ the benefit of whom is to be had even by wilfull sinners by faith and repentance Ob. The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is to be rendred maliciously if we sin maliciously there remains no Sacrifice Answ Though the word be sometimes so used as by the Seventy Exod 21.13 14. Yet Aristotle which understood the Greek as well as they uses it to signifie willingly or wittingly Lib. 3. Ethit cap 2. Ob. Peter sayes one may deny the Lord that bought them 2 Pet. 2. ver 1. Answ 'T is a prophecy of such as hold universall redemption the wicked Prophets or Hereticks of which Sect in their lives deny him whom they falsly taught had redeemed them Saints then persevere nothing can separate them from Christ but let not this make us secure or negligent let us walk circumspectly and carefully let us work out our Salvation with feare and trembling that is the application of it Christ has wrought out the Salvation for us we must endeavour ourselves to get the assurance Qui creavit te sine te non redimet te sine te This assurance will not be gotten without pains sweat fear trembling Such fear as is accompanyed with joy serve the Lord with fear and rejoyce Ps 2. Tremble thinking on thine own unworthinesse and weaknesse rejoyce thinking on Christs worthinesse thine by faith and Christs strength or thine through him Remember God has not called us to uncleannesse but holinesse 1 Thes 4.7 God as he ordaines to the end so he ordaines to the means which must be layed hold on Hezekiah had 15 years added what more assurance needed he then Gods word by the Prophet Yet he must eat and drinke to preserve health and use a meanes for recovery Job sayes man has an appoynted time on earth and bounds are set which he cannot passe yet we must use lawfull means to live Christ knew the houre of departing out of this world yet when the Jewes talk of stoning him he endeavours to get out of danger to teach us Paul knew the Salvation of the Elect to be sure yet he is said to endure all things for the Elect that they may obtain Salvation 2 Tim. 2.10 as he endured imprisonment to strengthen them and any thing rather then to forbear preaching to gain them the means of God unto Salvation Rom. 1.16 Let not those who have bound themselves even Apprentises to sin as I may say and dayly serve Satan think to receive any comfort from hence read Deut. 29. v. 18 19. If any man shall say I shall have peace though I walk in the imagination of my own heart adding drunkennesse to thirst I will not spare him Doth Christ onely love us Or doth he not also bespeak our love O love ye the Lord all ye his Saints Psal 3◠23 'T is a great honour to be beloved of such a personage as Christ an honour that he will accept of our love but more that he seeks our love The honour Saints have by being his is above all honour If ye receive honour