our sins in his own blood See Revel 5. 6. 12. 1 Ioh. 1. 7. 1 Pet. 1. 18 19 20. 2 Cor. 5. 18 c. God was in Christ reconciling the vvorld to himself Rom. 5. 10. When we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son Having made peace through the blood of his Crosse See Col. 1. 20 21 22. ch 2. 12 13 14. and Ephes 2. 13. 18. through him we have accesse unto the father Obtain right of saving c. Isa 53. 10 11. He shall see his seed and justifie many 1 Cor. 6. 20. Ye are bought with a price Act. 20. 28. Which he God hath purchased with his own blood 1 Pet. 2. 9. 2 Pet. 2. 1. Mat. 11. 27. Mat. 28. 18. All are delivered unto me of my father Ioh. 3. 35. and Ioh. 5. 22. See Ioh. 17. 2. The Father hath committed all judgement unto the Sonne Mat. 18. 11. Luk. 19. 10. The Son of man is come to seek save that which was lost See Heb. 2. 14. 15 16 17. In whom we have redemption Col. 1. 14. Eph. 1. 7 8. 1 Cor. 1. 30. 1 Pet. 1. 2 3. Rev. 3. 14. Upon terms befitting c. 1 John 3. 8. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested that he might destroy the works of the Devil Mat. 1. 21. see Rom. 6. 1 2. Ephes 1. 4 6. For he shall save his people from their sins Mat. 9. 13. I am come to call sinners to repentance Tit. 2. 11 12 14. That he might redeem us from all iniquitie and from our vain conversation 1 Pet. 1. 18. And purify unto himself a peculiar people zealous of good works Rev. 5. 9. He hath redeemed us unto God that we might become servants to God 1 Pet. 4. 1 2. And have our fruit unto holiness Rom. 6. 22. And live unto righteousness 1 Pet. 2. 24. That the righteousness of the Law might be fulfilled in us Rom. 8. 3. c. 10. 4. That the Lord God might dwell amongst us Psal 68. 18. And We live to him 2 Cor. 5. 14 15. Rom. 14. 9. Heb. 5. 9. and set forth his praise and glorie 1 Pet. 2. 9. 1 Cor. 6. 30. Therefore if any man be in Christ he is a new Creature 2 Cor. 5. 17. II. Upon the Consideration of his blood as shed he decreed that all those who should believe in that Redeemer and persevere in that faith should through mercy and grace by him be made partakers of salvation but such as would not believe in him but die in infidelitie should therefore be punished with eternal death Reprobation being decreed upon precedent infidelitie and dying therein Proofes out of Scripture His blood as shed c. Rev. 13. 8. The lamb slain from the foundation of the world Isa 42. 1. see 1 Pet. 1. 20. Behold my servant whom I uphold mine Elect in whom my soul delighteth Isa 49. 3. Thou art my servant O Israel in whom I will be glorified See a Tim. 1. 9. Before the world began Who should believe c. Iohn 3. 14 15 16 36. That whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have everlasting life He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life John 6. 40. And this is the will of him that sent me that every one which seeth the son and believeth on him may have everlasting life see verse 47 54 58. Gal. 2. 20. I live by the faith of the son of God 1 Pet. 2. 6 7. Whosoever believeth on him shall not be confounded see Rom. 9. 30 33. Mark 16. 16. He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved 1 Pet. 1. 2 5. who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation Heb. 10. 38. Now the just shall live by faith Rom. 11. 20. Thou standest by faith Rom. 4. 16. Therefore it is of faith that it might be by grace c. 1 Tim. 4. 10. The Saviour of them that believe John 5. 24. Verily verily I say unto you He that heareth my word and believeth on him that sent me hath everlasting life and shall not come into condemnation but is passed from death to life 1 John 4. 13. These things have I written unto you that believe that ye may know that ye have eternal life Acts 15. 11. We believe that through the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ we shall be saved And persevere c. Rom. 2. 7. To them who by patient continuance in well doing Mat. 24. 13 46. 1 Tim. 2. 15. But he that shall indure unto the end the same shall be saved Blessed is that servant whom his Lord when he cometh shall finde so doing 2 John v. 9. He that abideth in the doctrin of Christ hath the father and the Son 1 Iohn 2. 24. If that which ye have heard from the beginning shall remain in you Rom. 11. 22. if ye continue in his goodnes Col. 1. 23. Chap. 2. 5,6,7,8 If ye continue in the faith rooted and built up Heb. 3. 6 12 14. If ye hold fast-stedfastly unto the end Rom. 8. 13. If ye mortisie the deeds of the body Heb. 10. 35. ad finem Cast not away your confidence Rev. 2. 25. c. 3. 11. Hold fast till I come that no man take thy crown 2 Cor. 6. 1. Receive not the grace of God in vain 2 Pet. 3. 17 18. Beware lest being led away with the errour of the wicked ye fall from your own stedfastness But grow in grace Phil. 2. 12. Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling 2 Tim. 2. 5 12. If a man strive for masteries yet is he not crowned except he strive for masteries yet is he not crowned except he strive lawfully if we denie him he also will denie us Rev. 2. 11 17 26. Chap. 3. 12 21. To him that overcometh will I give of the hidden Manna and grant to sit with me on my throne and make him a pillar and he shall not be hurt of the second death Rev. 2. 10. Be thou faithful unto the death and I will give the a crown of life 2 Tim. 4. 7 8. I have fought a good fight I have finished my course I have kept the faith henceforth is laid up for me a crown of righteousness see Iob 27. 3 4 5 6. Luke 8. 15. Such as would not believe but die in infidelitie c. Mar. 16. 16. He that believeth not shall be damned Iohn 3. 18 36. He that believeth not is condemned already the wrath of God abideth on him 2 Iohn v. 9. Whosoever transgresseth and abideth not in the doctrin of Christ hath not God see Isa 27. 11. Rom. 11. 20. because of unbelief they were broken off Rom 6. 23. For the wages of sin is death Psal 9. 17. The wicked shall be turned into Hell Psal 11. 6. Vpon the ungodly he shall rain snares c. See Rev. 21. 8. But the fearful and unbelieving and abominable c. shall have their portion in the lake that burneth with fire and brimstone
providence it was that being dedicated to the service of Christ in mine Infancy the Piety of my Parents took an early care that I should not be alienated from him through the allurements of the world for want of a religious education and from a childe having been acquainted as Timothy was with the holy Scriptures which are able to make us wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus herein I have exercised my self through the assistance of his grace to have alwayes a conscience void of offence towards God and towards men Mr. Narrowgrace You speak as if regeneration came by nature and education Tilenus No Sir to say regeneration comes by nature were a Contradiction Mr. Takeo'-trust Do you not remember what the Apostle saith Rom. 3. 23. We have all sinned and come short of the glory of God And Ephes 2. 1 2. We are dead in trespasses and sins and are by nature children of wrath Can there be so great a change wrought in a man as is a change from death to life and he have no apprehension or feeling when such a change is wrought in him Tilenus When I reflect upon the exuberance of the Divine grace under the Gospel I perswade my selfe there is some difference betwixt Christians born of faithful and godly parents and from their childe-hood educated and instructed in the wayes of faith and pietie I say we must make a difference betwixt these and those Jews and Gentiles of whom the Apostle speaks before they were made Christians I know you will not allow Heathens to stand in Competition with the servants of Jesus devoted to him from their very infancy neither is the law and discipline of Moses an equal standard to measure the dispensations of the grace of Jesus Christ by and yet if you consider Zacharie and Elizabeth who were trained up under the Pedagogie of Moses and date their practice of Pietie from their youth * See 1 King 18. 12 as you ought to do for why should we make an exception where God makes none You will finde that being righteous before God and walking in all the Commandements and ordinances of the Lord blameless S. Luke 1. 6. they were not capable of answering your question When and where and how the work of grace was wrought in them Now if the ministration of Moses which was in comparison a ministration of death was thus glorious how shall not the ministration of Christ which is the ministration of the spirit be rather glorious 2 Cor. 3. Under the Gospel that Covenant is fully accomplished wherein God bound himself to Abraham by the sacred tie of an oath to grant us a power to serve him in holiness and righteousness all the dayes of our life S. Luke 1. 74. And the conveyances of this powerful grace being all put so freely into our hands this word and Sacraments it is required of us as a duty to have grace whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear Heb. 12. 28. and doubtless 't is only our own inexcusable fault if we have not for indeed be it spoken with holy reverence the administration of our sacred baptisme were not better than a piece of solemn Pageantry if grace were not conferr'd upon us in receiving that Sacrament for therein are begg'd on our behalfe the blessings of Christ grace and pardon with the renewing and assistance of the holy spirit These the Church by prayer seeks for on our behalf by vertue of that Covenant wherein God hath promised and engaged himself to bestow them which promise be for his part will most assuredly keep and perform Then upon this we engage our vow to forsake the Devil and all his works and to keep Gods holy will and Commandements Can we think either that God in goodness or justice would require such an ingagement at our hands under peril of a greater condemnation or that the Church of God in prudence could oblige us to undertake it without good assurance of sufficient assistance and power from his gracious spirit to inable us to perform it according to the tenour of the Gospel Mr. Fribabe It seems you are for universal grace and you hold that all the children of the faithful dying in their infancie and before they have the use of reason are saved by vertue of that Covenant made Isa 49. 8. Heb. 13. 20. with us in the blood of Christ into which they are consigned at their baptisme as if all such were invested with some priviledge to exempt them from the absolute decree of reprobation Tilenus This Sir is the faith into which I have been baptized and catechized for I am taught to profess that in my baptisme I was made a member of Christ a childe of God and an inheritour of the Kingdome of Heaven Mr. Knowlittle But you know that without holiness no man shall see the Lord. Heb. 12. 14. Tilenus That I very well remember but withall I consider that besides that federal holiness which removes all obstacles in the children of the faithful and renders them recipients duly qualified for the Sacrament I am instructed in my Creed to believe in God the Holy Ghost who sanctifieth me that is if I do not resist his work and quench his motions and am further directed to beg by diligent prayer his special grace to inable me to discharge my duty to God and my neighbour which grace if I be not wanting to my duâ—y I have reason to assure my self of upon the strength of our Saviours promise S. Luke 11. 13. The short is Baptisme being stiled the laver of regeneration Tit. 3. 5 6. And the children of the faithful being in no capacitie of putting a bar against the efficacie of it the learned Davenant one of the Divines of the Synod of Dort concludes that therein they are truly justified regenerated and adopted and by this means a state of salvation is conferr'd upon them suitable to the condition of their infancy and arriving to the use of reason if they walk in the strength of the Divine grace under the command and conduct of the Holy Spirit and fight under Christ's banner as generous souldiers ingaged by solemn covenant and armed with assistance from above to that purpose should do we are assured that sin shall not got the dominion over them Rom. 6. 14. for he is greater that is ingaged in them for their assistance then he that is in the world against them 1 John 4. 4. Whereupon the same Apostle is confident to conclude c. 5. v. 18. We know that whosoever is born of God sinneth not but he that is begotten of God keepeth himself and that wicked one toucheth him not Mr. Knowlittle You speak as if a man might live without sin and so be saved without Christ Tilenus Sir I believe it is the duty of the children of God and therefore possible to be blameless and harmless without rebuke shining as lights in the midst of a crooked and
but commanded as to be done by us Deut. 10. 16. Ier. 4. 4. A new heart and spirit promised Ezek. 36 26. but commanded Ezez 18. 31. * see Eph. 4. 23 I will be your God promised Ierem. 32. 38. but commanded Exod. 20. 3. and if ye forsake him he will cast you off for ever 1 Chron. 28. 9. One heart and one way promised Ier. 32. 39. yet commanded Ephes 4. 3 4. 1 Cor. 1. 10. So Ier. 32. 40. 't is promised I will put my fear in their hearts Yet Prov. 1. 29. because they did not chuse the fear of the Lord and 1 Pet. 2. 17. So 't is promised I will write my lawes in their inward parts and they shall be all taught of God Jer. 31. 33. Isa 54. 13. Yet in other places it is commanded Be swift to hear take heed how you hear as new born babes desire the sincere milk of the word 1 Pet. 2. 1 2. See Prov. 7. 1 3. and Rom. 10 8. with the 17. vers So 't is promised Isa 1. 25. I will purge yet 2 Tim. 2. 21. He that purgeth himself So 't is promised Ier. 33. 8. I will cleanse them from all their iniquity yet Iam. 4. 8. Isa 1. 16 18. 't is commanded wash ye make ye clean And 't is evident that God many times fulfilleth his promise and performeth his part when mâ—n altogether neglecteth his part and duty Ezek. 24. 13. I have purged thee and thou wast not purged See Mat. 11. 21. Luke 7. 30. Dr. Dubius Enough of this you promised us a third reason why God doth not as you pretend work mans Conversion and his faith by a power of grace irresistible I pray let us hear that also Tilenus Sir you shall have it in a few words and it is this because he will not save as I speak of the Adult who have the use of their faculties but in a way of duty Gen. 4. 7. If thou do well shalt thou not be accepted Rom. 2. 6 7. To them who by patient continuance in well doing seek for glory and honour and immortalitie to them and to them only will he render eternal life and therefore He is said to be the Author of Eternal salvation only to them that obey him Heb. 5. 9. Now observe that which is not wrought but by the omnipotent impulse and irresistible motion and operation of God that cannot be the duty of a poor frail Creature or thus what is a work of Almightiness in God cannot be a work of obedience in us if it were it would conclude us to be omnipotent besides the act could not be an act of duty Christ could do nothing that was duty for us till he had submitted himself to the condition of our nature Phil. 2. 7. because God supposed to be the doer of it is not under obedience but repentance and amendment of life c. are required as a duty of us and as part of our obedience Ier. 7. 3 5. Amend your wayes and make you a new heart and a new spirit Ezek. 18. 31. Mr. Knowlittle By this doctrin you seem to make a man his own Saviour Tilenus If I should not only seem to do so but do so in good earnest so it be in a way of subordination to Christ I see no harm in it St. Paul saith work out your salvation Yea St. Peter exhorting to repentance saith expresly save your selves Acts 2. 40. To our safety our own sedulity is required according to that trite saying He that made thee without thy self will never save thee without thy self Dr. Absolute Me thinks this doth hardly sound like that doctrin which the Apostle labours so earnestly to establish to shut the creature for ever out of all ground and occasion of boasting Rom. 3. 27. Tilenus For a man to boast himself in his riches is vanitie in his wickedness is impietie in his works performed in obedience to Moses law or out of the strength of nature as if they could justifie and save him is arrogancie But to glory in the Lord and rejoyce in his salvation is not only allowed a Rom. 2. 7. but also injoyned b 1 Cor. 1. 31. Phil. 4. 4. and practised 2 Cor. 1. 12. our rejoycing or glorying is this the testimony of our conscience that in simplicity and godly sinceritie not by fleshlie wisdome but by the grace of God we have had our Conversation in the world See Rom. 15. 17. and Gal. 6. 4. Let every man prove his own works performed in the faith of Christ and through the power of his grace and then shall he have rejoycing glorying boasting in himself 'T is the same word in these two places with that in the Text objected Rom. 3. 27. Dr. Damman Are these your tenents Consonant to the Articles of the Synod of Dort What opinion have you of tâ—at and the doctrin held forth by the Divines in that Assembly Tilenus I have had as great a reverence for that Synod as any man living the principles therein delivered being instill'd into me from my youth but I thank God studying the best method for the cure of souls and the opportunitie of reading better books hath altered my judgement quite Dr. Damman Do you think you have changed so much for the better that you have reason to give God thanks for it Tilenus Yes truly and I perswade my self you would be of that minde too if you would patiently attend to my objections against their doctrin and weigh them without prejudice or partialitie But before I propound those objections it will be requisite that we take a brief view of that doctrin which I shall therefore concisely yet truly and clearly summe up in these five Articles following They hold 1. That God by an absolute decree hath elected to salvation a very little number of men without any regard to their faith or obedience whatsoever and secluded from saving grace all the rest of mankinde and appointed them by the same decree to eternal damnation without any regard to their infidelitie or impenitencie 2. That Christ Iesus hath not suffered death for any other but for those elect oâ—ly having neither had any intent nor commandement of his father to make satisfaction for the sins of the whole world 3. That by Adams fall his posteritie lost their freewil being put to an unavoidable necessitie to do or not to do whatever they do or do not whether it be good or evil being thereunto predestinate by the Eternal and effectual secret decree of God 4. That God to save his Elect from the corruâ—t Mass doth beget faith in them by a power equal to that whereby he created the world and raised up the dead insomuch that such unto whom he gives that grace cannot reâ—ect it and the rest being reprobate cannot accept of it though it be offered unto both by the same preaching and ministery 5. That such as have once received that grace by faith can never fall from it finally
act not ours and so not obedience for he hath no superior much less doth he work it immediately and irresistibly Mr. Efficax The Prophet acknowledgeth that the Lord worketh all our works in us Isa 26. 12. Tilenus If the text were to be read in us there were some small colour for your pretension but in the original it is for us and therefore rejecting the sense which you would put upon the words some understand all the benefits which God had bestowed upon them answerable to the former part of the verse Lord thou wilt ordain peace for us for thou hast wrought c. others understand it of their afflictions and distresses in opposition to that former branch of the verse and agreeable to the verse following other Lords have had dominion over us But if you would have the meaning of that or any other place of Scripture to be this that God doth immediately and irresistibly produce all our spiritual works which are works as well of duty as of grace in us and that he hath tied himself by Covenant and promise so to do as is affirmed by some then it will undeniably follow that God himself being so ingaged ought to believe and repent and pray and do all other necessary good in us as Servetus said the fire burns not the sun shines not bread nourishes not but that God alone doth immediately all these things in his Creatures without having given them such properties and then sure it were fitter for the preacher to direct his admonitions to God alone that he would perform his undertaken work in mens hearts by his omnipotency unto which they may never finde ability to make resistance But the truth is it standeth not with Gods wisdome neither doth he ever use to work upon the will of man after this manner and that for three reasons Mr. Dubius I pray let us hear them clearly from you Tilenus First then though speaking of his absolute power God can compel and necessitate the will of man and so we do not make him stronger then God as is very weakly concluded by some yet he will not because he will not violate that order which he hath set in our Creation He made man after his own image invested him with a reasonable soul having the use of understanding and the freedome of will he indowâ—d him with a power to consider and deliberate to consult and choose and so by conquence he gave him dominion over himself and his own actions that having made him Lord of the whole world he might not be a slave to himself but imprimis animi sui possessione regnaret might first exercise his soveraigntie in the free possession of his own minde saith Tertullian To force his will were to destroy the nature of his Creature which grace is not designed to do but only to heal and assist it and therefore God deals with manas a free Agent by instructions and commands by promises and threatnings by allurements and reproofes by rewards and punishments So true is the saying of that fathet Nemo invitus fit bonus With this accords the Son of Syrach Ecclus 15. 14. to 17. God made man from the beginning and lefe him in the hand of his Counsel If thou wilt keep the Commandements and perform acceptable faithfulness He hath set fire and water before thee stretch forth thy hand unto whether thou wilt Before man is life and death and whether him liketh shall be given him Mr. Knowlittle That text is Apocryphal and therefore will not serve your turn if you produce it to confirm a point of faith Tilenus My second reason shall confirm it out of the authentick Canon and it shall be this viz. because God will have our faith and our repentance and his whole service wherein we ingage our selves to be a work of our own choice as t is said of Mary she had chosen the good part and hereupon our Saviour propounds the quaere John 5. 6. Wilt thou be made whole And so the Prophet Jeremiah before him Jer. 13. and the last O Jerusalem wilt thou not be made clean when shall it once be God doth not necessitate nor irresistibly determin his people's will but only directs and conjures and assists them to make the best choice Deut. 11. 26. Behold I set before you this day a blessing and a curse and more fully Chap. 30. verse 15. See I have set before thee this day life and good death and evil and vers 19. I call heaven and earth to record this day against you that I have set before you life and death blessing and cursing therefore choose life And this is rendered as the reason of mans rejection Prov. 1. 29. Because ye did not choose the fear of the Lord. Mr. Narrowgrace By this reason you make man to have freewil Tilenus Under favour Sir 't is not I but it was God that made him to have it and he that denies all freedome of will to man deserves no other argument then a whip or a cudgel to consute him Sure the smart would quickly make him finde libertie enough to run from it Our wosul experience tells us we have too much freewil to do evil and Scripture teacheth us plainly that we have libertie in moral things Numb 30. 13. 1 Cor. 7. 36 37. and for the service of God and things spiritual our Saviour Christ saith Iohn 8. 36. If the son shall make you free and he doth so by the ministry of his Gospel Vers 32. yee shall be free indeed and sin shall have no more dominion over you unless ye yield your selves up to the power of it Rom. 6. 14. with the 16. Ioshuah was so well assured hereof that he puts it to the peoples choice Ios 24. 15. which implies their libertie to serve the Lord or other Gods Yet were not they under so great means as we are your self acknowledged even now out of the Philippians that God worketh in us to will and to do which signifies a libertie else it could not signifie an abilitie whereupon St. Paul saith Phil. 4. 13. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I am able to do or suffer all things Mr. Narrowgrace The Apostle addeth in that place through Christ strengthening mee for without Christ we can do nothing Iohn 15. Tilenus Nothing spiritual that puts us into possession of Heaven or accompanies salvation but observe 't is not through Christs forcing but through Christ strengthening mee The grace and the abilitie is from Christ but 't is our part and duty to actuate that abilitie and cooperate with that grace and therefore it will be worth your notice to observe that what God promiseth to do himself in one place He commands the very same things to be done by us in another to intimate that although the power of acting be derived from his assistance yet the Act it self as it is a duty depends upon our cooperation Thus Circumcision of the heart is promised as from God Deut. 30. 6.
the full assurance of hope firme unto the end Tilenus Tepidus I know Mr. Diodati in his Annotations upon the 5. verse of that 6. Psalm saith Hereby is shewen the fear of Gods children anguished and pressed by the feeling of his wrath lest they should die out of his grace unreconciled and by that means be excluded and debarred from their desired aim to be everlastingly instruments of his glory But 't is probable David had no intelligence of that comfortable Doctrine defined by the Synod in this last age as appears by his fearfull complaint and expostulation if that Psalme were his Psal 77. I remembred God and was troubled I complained and my spirit was over whelmed My soul refused to be comforted will the Lord cast off for ever and will he be favourable no more Is his mercy clean gone for ever doth his promise fail for evermore Hath God forgotten to be gracious Hath be in anger sbut up his tender mercies There could not have been this conslict of diffidence and anxietie in him if he had been established in the principles of the Synod for annexing the Lords Publick declarations by the mouth of Samuel touching him I Sam. 13 14. c c. 16. 6. 7. to the conscience of his own integrity he might have collected a certainty of his present regeneration when he was anointed King and from thence have concluded undeniably his election from all eternitie and consequently the impossibility of his rejection from God's favour But there is some likelyhood He thought that in the designation of his everlasting mercy towards them God considered men as faithfull according to the way of the Arminians and as persevering in their faithfulnesse For he saith Psal 4. 3. Know that the Lord hath set apart him that is godly for himself If that text will not serve the turn yet there is one unavoidable Psal 103. 17 18. The mercy of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting Vpon them that fear him To such as keep his Covenant and to those that remember his commandements to do them And to him that ordereth his conversation aright will I shew the salvation of God Psal 50. the last And governing his persuasions by these principles there is no wonder he was so exceedingly transported with a fear of God's displeasure And that such were his principles may be collected also from hence in that when the Paroxisme of the temptation was somewhat over he doth not make his recourse to the immutable decree of God's Election to cure the remanent palpitation of his spirits but onely to former experience of God's mercifull despensations towards his people Psal 77. 11. 15. I will remember the works of the Lord thou hast redeemed thy people c. But since the cleering up of this soul-setling doctrine by the great judgement and pietie of the Synod He that hath once tasted the graciousness of the Lord in his effectuall vocation and firmly believes that the things concerning his everlasting happiness are so established and carryed on by the irresistible power of an irrespective Decree as is there taught he may cast away all anxiety and care and repose himself with confidence under the wings of that security Dr. Absolute But the Synod declares fidelibus perpetuò esse vigilandum orandum ne in tentationes inducantur That the faithfull must watch and pray lest they fall into temptations and that when they grow remiss and torpid quit their guard and neglect their duty as you do they are many times surprized of the flesh and the world and carried captive into hainous and enormous sinnes whereby they offend God and grieve the Holy Spirit and incurre the guilt of death and the like Tilenus Tepidus 'T was well you stopt there Mr. Doctor But I had thought your worship had been better versed in this point For my part such Mormo'es and bugg-beares never trouble me I am taught by the Synod to believe that all the sins in the world shall never be able to separate an Elect person from the love of God but rather make for his greater advantage Mr. Indefectible But suppose by your sins you should provoke God to anger so far forth that he should cut you off as our Saviour threatens the Jewes Ye shall die in your sins And Ezek. 18. 24. When the righteous turneth away from his righteousnesse and committeth iniquity and doth according to all the abominations that the wicked man doth shall he live All his righteousnesse that he hath done shall not be mentioned in his trespass that he hath trespassed in his sin that he hath sinned in them shal he die Tilenus Tepidus I did not expect such a supposition or objection from you of all men living for to speak properly God is never angry but with the Reprobates and I know 't is your avowed opinion that the Elect can neither fall finally nor totally and all the Synodists are of the same judgement They distinguish therefore of righteousness into that which is inherent or the righteousness of works and that which is imputed or the righteousness of faith And they confess the Elect may forsake his inherent righteousness and fall into most foul and horrid sins but yet he doth not fall from his imputed righteousness the righteousness of Christ which he hath by faith They do also distinguish between death temporal and death Eternal affirming that the sins of the Elect though never so many or heinous do not incur the guilt of eternal death but only temporal which is never inflicted upon them neither as a curse nor before their restitution for if you ask them what doom David had layn under if death had surprized him in his murther and adultery they will tell you roundly it was impossible he should die without repentance Dr. Dubius I suppose David's case was extraordinarie and a special reason is given by them of the Synod why he could not die before repentance viz. because after his sin he was to beget a son of whom the Messias should descend Tilenus Tepidus I conceive that ground is too loose to bear the superstructure the men of that opinion would raise upon it for they are not all saints in our Saviour's Genealogie neither did David's sin bereave him of the facultie of generation The son of Jesse might have propagated a stem for the Messias to branch out of and yet have died in his sin afterwards the impossibilitie therefore of his dying without repentance is grounded upon a more solid and impregnable foundation viz. the eternal decree and love of God which equally concerns all the Elect. That immutable love wherein God elected them doth exert it self and prompt him infallibly to confer the grace of repentance upon them first or last how great and how many sins soever they run into And if men had the will to improve this most excellent comfortable doctrin the advantage of it would be unspeakable Men do beat their brains and exhaust their treasure
priests mouth Mal. 2. 7. Hence we have these Caveats not only take heed how you hear and what you hear but also whom you hear for many false Prophets are gone out into the world 1 John 4. 1. and therefore try the spirits whether they are of God ibid. What need all these caveats and so much ado if the ministery of the word hath no influence or energie into our faith and regeneration and the work of grace in us Mr. Knowlittle But we see the Scripture every where ascribes the work of faith conversion and regeneration in us to the power and gift of God to Christ and to the Holy Ghost Mr. Takeo'trust The Scriptures do attribute to Almighty God that which he doth mediately by any of his creatures or Ministers Joh. 4. 1. Jesus is said to have baptized moe disciples than John yet in the next verse 't is said that Iesus baptized not but his Disciples See Iohn 6. 45 46. with Luke 10. 16. 2 Cor. 5. 19. 1 Thess 4. 8. Heb. 12. 25. Act. 5. 39. ch 7. 51. Though the ministery of the word be instrumental in the work of grace in us yet must we acknowledge the blessed Trinity the chief cause and author thereof and are bound alwayes to render them the honour of that efficacy that is wrought by this instrument because all the light force and efficacy which appears therein flowes from God alone and had not been in it at all if He had not as it were implanted it therein We have this treasure in earthen vessels as the Apostle in a like case 2 Cor. 4. 6 7. 2 Cor. 3. 3 4 5. Certainly there we have it and God associates what other divine internal aids he pleaseth with it Mar. 16. 15 20. Rom. 15. 16 19. To Him therefore we must ascribe the glory who hath annexed such an excellency of power to such otherwise weak and feeble instruments 2 Cor. 10. 4. Dr. Absolute Leave your wrangling Gentlemen that we may dispatch Mr. Tilenus one may or other Have any of you any more objections against him Mr. Indefectible He holds the possibility of the Saints Apostacy notwithstanding the decrees and promises of God to the contrary and concludes David's Adultery and Murder to be wilfull wasting deadly sins and inconsistent with the state of Regeneration so that should a godly man through the frailty of the flesh suffer the like infirmity he would be ready to discourage and grieve his spirit telling him he had forfeited his interest in Gods favour and lay under a damnable guilt liable to the wrath of God and the torments of hell and so in danger to bring him to desperation if he does not forsak his sin and mortifie his lust and bring forth fruits meet for repentance upon his admonition Mr. Narrowgrace Which was worse then that to my minde he flouted the Divines of the Synod saying if their doctrine were well improved it would prove an Antidote against the power of Death and teach a man how to become immortall even in this life Mr. Impertinent That slipt my Observation I pray' what was it he said Mr. Narrowgrace It was to this purpose If the Elect cannot be cutt off in the state of impâ—nitency notwithstanding they fall into most grievous sins then saith he let them abandon themselves to some horrid lust or course of impiety and they shall be sure to be immortal Mr. Indefectible But we know the Elect cannot do so They have a principle within them and a guard without them to defend and secure them from such courses They are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation 1 Pet. 1. 5. There is their guard and their inward principle that inclines and moves them you have 1 Joh. 3. 9. Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin for his seed remaineth in him and he cannot sin because he is born of God Dr. Dubius Under Correction Sir I conceive man is never immutably good till he arrives in heaven As long as he converseth here below he is like other sublunary things subject to change Quod Angelis Casus hominibus mors The reason is besides temptations from without to allure and draw him He hath a twofold principle a new or an old man within him the flesh and the spirit in Con estation Gal. 5. 7. The flesh lusteth against the sp it and the spirit against the flesh This Conflict is in the regenerate And that he hath liberty to side with either of these parties and so to change I think cannot be denied He hath a liberty through Gods grace to side with the spirit against the flesh and hereupon he is exhorted to abstain from fleshly lusts to mortifie his earthly members and to walk in the spirit his liberty to side with the flesh is but too evident And therefore the words CANNOT SIN must be taken not Physicè but Ethicè Not for a natural impotency but a moral one he cannot do it Legally or at averseness of minde which notwithstanding is capable of being altered 'T is said of Christ sometimes that Id possumus quod jure possumus He could doe no mighty work Mark 6. 5. and so 't is said that the brethren of Joseph could not answer him Gen. 45. 3. And the Angel could doe nothing against Sodom till Lot were escaped into Zoar. Gen. 19. 22. See Ios 24. 19 21. And 't is usual in our common speech to say we cannot do a thing when the thing is not impossible to be done but only it is unlawful or inconvenient for us to do it If we set aside the inconvenience and step over the hedge of the law as many times we do we can finde power enough to do it And so it is here Therefore to that of our Saviour Mat. 7. 18. A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit S. Hierome addeth Quamdiù in bonitatis studio perseverat as long as it perseveres in the study and love of goodnesse Thus he that is born of God whiles he acteth according to the nature of the principles of his new birth and studies to follow and resemble his heavenly Father He cannot deliberately yield to any kinde of sin Haec non admittet omnino qui natus è Deo fuerit non futurus Dei filius si admiserit saith Tertullian He that is born of God will not at all admit such sins as these he shall not be a childe of God if he doth admit them As for that guard you mention out of St. Peter They are kept by the power of God We must consider that we are to add a guard of our own to it as is required Jud. ep ver 20 21. But ye beloved building up your selves on your most holy faith praying in the Holy Ghost Keep your selves in the love of God And S. Peter addes through faith 1 Pet. 1. 5. The Psalmist saith Except the Lord keepeth the City the watchman waketh but in vain but he doth not say the
and foreseeing that Adam would wilfully transgress the same and thereby make himself and his posterity lyable to condemnation though God was notwithstanding mercifully affected towards man yet out of respect to his justice and truth would not give way to his mercy to save man till his justice should be satisfied and his serious hatred of sin and love of righteousness be made known Proofes out of Scripture After his own Image Gen. 1. 26 27. So God created man after his own image See Col. 3. 10. Eph. 4. 24. An easie law c. Gen 2. 16 17. Of the tree of knowledge of good and evil thou shalt not eat See Rom. 2. 14 15. Levit. 18. 5. Ezek. 20. 11. Rom. 10. 5. Gal. 3. 12. Added thereto a threatning of death Gen. 2. 17 In the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die Foreseeing that Adam c. Isa 44. 7. And who as I shall call and shall declare it and the things that are coming and shall come See Isa 41. 22 23. Act. 15. 18. Known unto God are all his works from the beginning of the world And all mans works too Psal 139. 2. Thou understandest my thoughts afarre off See Gen. 3. 6. 2 Cor. 11. 3. 1 Tim. 2 13 14. Eccles. 7. 29. See Isa 45. 21. Liable to condemnation c. Rom. 3. 23. All have sinned and come short of the glory of God Rom. 5. 12-18 19. By one man sin entred into the world and death by sin Rom. 6. 23. The wages of sin is death See Act. 17. 26. Heb. 7. 10. Job 14. 1. c. 2 Cor. 5. 14. 2 Cor. 11. 3. with Rev. 2. 7. Gen. 3. 24. Deut. 27. 26. with Gal. 3. 10. Jam. 2. 10. Mercifully affected c. Exod. 34. 6. The Lord God merciful and gracious 1 Joh. 4. 19. He loved us first See ver 11. Jona 4. 2. Thou art a God gracious and merciful slow to anger So 2 Chron. 30. 9. Psal 86. 5 15. For thou Lord art good and ready to forgive a God full of compassion and gracious Psal 103. 8. 13. The Lord is slow to anger As a father pittieth his children Psal 111. 4. and 145. 8 9. His tender mercies are over all his works Rom. 2. 4. the riches of his goodnesse and forbearance and long-suffering Luk 6. 36. Be ye mercifull as your father is mercifull See Isa 55. 7. Jer. 31. 20. Ioel 2. 13. Num. 14. 18 19. Neh. 9. 17. Deut. 5. 9 10. Jer. 32. 18. Respect to his justice Ex. 34. 7. He will by no means clear the guilty Psal 5. 4. For thou art not a God that hath pleasure in wickednesse neither shall evill dwell with the. Isa 59. 2. your iniquities have separated c. And to his truth Gen. 2. 17. thou shalt die the death and he is a God that cannot lie nor repent nor deny himself Tit. 1. 2. Heb. 6. 18. Num. 23. 19. 2 Tim. 2. 13. Till justice be satisfied Isa 53. 5 6 10. The Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all and made his soul an offering for sin He was wounded for our transgressions Luk. 24. 26 46. Thus it behoved Christ to suffer 1 Pet. 3. 18. the just for the unjust Mat. 20 28. To give his life a ransom for many and 1 Tim. 2. 6. Psal 69. 4. I restored that which I took not away See Phil. 2 7 8. Matth. 3. 15. c. 5. 17. Gen. 3. 15. Mar. 10 45. 1 Ioh. 3. 8. Luk. 2. 14. His hatred of sin c. Psal 5. 4 5 6. Thou art not a God that hath pleasure in wickednesse thou hatest and abhorrest c. Psal 45. 7. thou hatest iniquity Prov. 11. 20. The froward are abomination to the Lord. Isa 59. 2. your iniquities have separated between you and your God and your sins have hid his face from you See Psal 7. 11 12. Isa 65. 12. And love of righteousnesse Psal 45. 7. Thou lovest righteousnesse Rom. 3. 24 25 26. Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation to declare his righteousnesse that he might be just c. He is the avenger of unrighteousnesse And therefore I. For the satisfying of his justice he did ordain the Mediatour Jesus Christ who should be made a sacrifice for sinfull men suffer Death for them and by his blood shed for their reconciliation obtaine right of saving them upon termes befittting mercy and justice Proofs out of Holy Scripture Ordained the Mediator Isa 9. 6. To us a son is given Ioh. 3. 16. So God loved the world that he gave his onely begotten son 1 Ioh. 4. 9 10. In this was manifested the love of God towards us because that God sent his onely begotten son into the world that we might live through him Herein is love not that we loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to bee the propitiation for our sinnes Rom. 5. 8. c. But God commendeth his love towards us in that while we were yet sinners Christ died for us 1 Tim. 2. 5 6. For there is one God and one Mediatour between God and man the man Christ Jesus who gave himself a ransom for all See Hebr. 12. 2. with 24 25 verses Made a sacrifice and suffered death Phil. 2. 8. He became obedient unto death Ioh. 10 11 15. 17 18. I lay down my life for my sheep Se Ioh. 15. 13. Heb. 2. 9. He tasted death for every man 1 Cor. 15. 3. Christ died for our sinnes Rom. 4. 25. c. 6. 10. He died unto sinne once 1 Pet. 2. 24. Who his own self hare our sins in his own body on the tree 1 Cor. 5. 7. Christ our Passeover is sacrificed for us Isai 53. 10. When thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin Ephes 2. 2. Who loved us and gave himself for us an offering and sacrifice of a sweet smelling savour 1 Ioh. 2. 1 2. He is the propitiation for our sins Rom. 3. 25. Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood See Hebr. 5. 1. c. c. 8. 3. c. c 9. 11 12 13 14 32 26 77 28. c. 10. 5. 10. 12 14. He is the lamb of God that taketh away the sin of the world Ioh. 1. 29. He gave his life a ransom Mark 10. 45. and purged our sinnes Hebr. 1. 3. He was made sin for us 2 Cor. 5. 21. Made a curse Gal. 3. 13. To redeem us that were under the Law and delivered us from the curse of the Law Gal. 3. 13. and the power of darknesse Col. 1. 13. and the fear of death Heb. 2. 14. Hos 13. 14. 1. Cor. 15. 55. and from the wrath to come 1 Thes 1. 10. Rom. 5. 9. and obtained eternal redemption for us Hebr. 9. 12. Luk. 1. 60. 8. 2 Tim. 1. 10. By his blood shed for their reconciliation Matt. 26. 28. This is my blood of the new Testament which is shed for many for the remission of sins Rev. 1. 5. and washed us from
the foreknowledge of God the Father through sanctification of the spirit unto obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ Rom. 8. 29. Whom he did foreknow he also did predestinate Rom. 9. 23. with 2 Tim. 2. 21. If a man therefore purge himself from these he shall be a vessel of mercy unto honour c. See Psal 4. 3 103. 17 18. Rom. 10. 10 11. and all those texts cited above under these heads Who should believe and persevere See Rom. 11. 4 5. not bowed And the consideration of this or that man who should die in unbelief c. Exod. 32. 33. Whosoever hath sinned against me him will I blot out of my book Numb 14. 21 to 35. As truly as I live saith the Lord †The very form of actual Reprobation because all those men which have seen my glory and my miracles and have tempted me now these ten times and have not hearkned to my voice surely they shall not see the land which I sware unto their fathers neither shall any of them that provoked me see it And ye shall know my breach of promise Heb. 3. 18 19. And to whom sware he that they should not enter into his rest but to them that believed not So we see that they could not enter in because of unbelief Now these things happened unto them for types see the application Heb. 4. 11. or ensamples unto us 1 Cor. 10. 6 11. Rom. 11. 20 21 22 23. Because of unbelief they were broken off and thou standest by faith Be not high minded but fear for if God spared not the natural branches take heed lest he alse spare not thee Behold therefore the goodnesse and severity of God on them which fell severity but towards thee goodnesse if thou continue in his goodnesse otherwise thou also shalt be cut off 1 Chron. 28. 9. If thou seek him he will be found of thee but if thou forsake him he will cast thee off for ever 2 Tim. 2. 12. If we deny him he will deny us Ioh. 12. 46 47 48. He that rejecteth me hath one that judgeth him Iude v. 6 7. 2 Pet. 2. 4. 2 Thess 2. 12. The Angels which kept not their first estate and Sodom giving themselves over to fornication are set forth for an ensample Vngodly men turning the grace ef our God into lasciviousnesse Were before of old ordained to this condemnation to whom is reserved the blacknesse of darknesse for ever verse 4 13. See 1 Pet. 2. 7 8. 2 Pet. 2. 7. c. See also the texts cited above under this head Such as would not believe c. V. Christ is not only the executor of election but the foundation of the decree it self Proofs out of Scripture The executor c. Iohn 3. 16. So God loved the world that he gave his only begotten son Acts 4. 12. Neither is there salvation in any other Iohn 17. 3. This is life eternal to know thee and Jesus Christ whom thou hast sent Iohn 14. 6. I am the way the truth and the life Iohn 15. 4. Abide in me and I in you as the branch cannot bear fruit of it self except it abide in the Vine no more can ye except ye abide in mee Col. 1. 27. Christ in you the hope of glory See 1 Cor. 2. 2. But the foundation c. Ephes 3. 11 12. According to the eternal purpose which he purposed in Christ Jesus our Lord 2 Tim. 1. 9 10. According to his own purpose and grace which was given us in Christ Iesus before the world began Iohn 1. 16 17. Grace and truth came by Iesus Christ and of his fulness See Col. 1. 19 20. 2 Cor. 5. 19. God was in Christ reconciling the world unto himself Rom. 5. 2. By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand See Ephes 3. 11. 12. and Ephes 1. 3 4 5 6 7 11. Blessed with all spiritual blessings in Christ chosen in him predestinated us by him made us accepted in him In whom we have redemption forgiveness and an inheritance Ephes 2. 20 21 22. Jesus Christ being the Corner stone 1 Cor. 3. 11. Other foundation can no man lay See the Text cited above under this head made a sacrifice and suffered death What the Remonstrants do utterly denie Concerning Predestination I. They do utterly denie that God decreed to elect some to eternal life and to reprobate others from the same before he decreed to create them The Reason of this Not to elect some c. For he hath chosen us in Christ Ephes 1. 4. But in Christ we cannot be unless we be considered 1. As sinners 2. As believers and therefore Creatures 1. As sinners For 1 Tim. 1. 15. Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners See Mat. 1. 21. Iohn 1. 29. Mat. 18. 11. Luke 19. 10. John 6. 51. Heb. 2. 14. c. 2 Cor. 5. 19. c. See all the places cited for salvation by faith 2. As believers For John 1. 12. They that receive him are they that believe in his name See Ephes 3. 17. Not to reprobate others c. For reprobation is an act of Gods hatred who hateth nothing but sin and for sin which the creature could not be guilty of before it had a being Exod. 32. 33. See Ezek. 18. 23. Chap. 33. 11. Whosoever hath sinned him will I blot out Ezek. 18. 4 20. The soul that sinneth it shall die See all those places where damnation is said to be for sin especially for infidelitie See also those places cited to shew Gods hatred of sin and his inclination to mercy as Exod. 33. 18 19. Chap. 34. 6 7. Lam. 3. 33. Psal 145. 8 9. Ezek. 33. 11. 2 Pet. 3. 9. Ezek. 18. 23 32. Mat. 25. 41. Hell made for Devils II. They do not hold that any such decree in order before the decree of Creation was made for the demonstration of the glory of Gods mercy and justice or power and absolute dominion The Reason of this 1. Ier. 18. 4. The vessel that he made of clay was marred in the hand of the potter so he made it again another vessel as seemed good to the potter to make it See to the 10 1◠vers See Isa 27. 11. last part Hos 9. 15. 2. Isa 49. 8 6. verses I will give thee for a Covenant of the people to restore Israel and inlighten the Gentiles And verse 〈◊〉 Thou art my servant O Israel Christ in whom I will be glorified See Iohn 15. v. 8 Proverbs 14. 28. Consider what is noted before and what followeth for further evidence of this III. They do utterly denie that God did with this intent create all men in Adam ordain the fall and permission thereof withdraw from Adam grace necessary and sufficient or procureth the Gospel to be preached and men to be externally called and bestoweth certain gifts of the Holy Ghost upon them and all this with this intent that these should be means
Infants children of the faithful are to be accounted in the number of Reprobates The Reason Rom. 11. 16. For if the first fruits be holy the lump is also holy and if the root be holy so are the branches Gen. 17. 7. And I will establish my covenant between me and thee and thy seed after thee in their generations for an everlasting covenant to be a God unto thee and to thy seed after thee Acts 2. 39. The promise is unto you and to your children Acts 11. 14. Words whereby thou and all thy house shall be saved Acts 16. 31. Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved and thy house 1 Cor. 7. 14. The unbelieving husband is sanctified by the wife and the unbelieving wife is sanctified by the husband else were your children unclean but now are they holy II. They utterly denie that some Infants of the faithful departing this life in their Infancy before they have committed any actual sin in their own persons are reprobated The Reason Gen. 18. 25. That be far from thee to do after this manner to slay the righteous with the wicked and that the righteous should be as the wicked that be far from thee shall not the judge of all the earth do right Ionah 4. 11. Thou hast had pitty on the gourd for the which thou hast not laboured neither madest it to grow which came up in a night and perished in a night and should not I spare Nineveh wherein are more then sixscore thousand persons that cannot discern between their right hand and their left Ezek 18. 2. 3 4. What mean ye that ye use this proverb saying the fathers have eaten sower grapes and the câ—â—ldrens teeth are set on edge See Deut. 24. 16. 2 Kings 14. 6. As I live saith the Lord God ye shall not have occasion any more to use this proverb Behold all souls are mine as the soul of the father so also the soul of the son is mine the soul that sinneth it shall die Ier. 31. 29 30. In those dayes they shall say no more the fathers have eaten a sowre grape and the childrens teeth are set on edge But every one shall die for his own iniquitie every man that eateth the sowre grape his teeth shall be set on edge III. They do utterly denie that the sacred laver of baptisme and the prayers of the Church can no wayes avail such Infants unto salvation The Reason Mat. 28. 19. Go ye therefore and disciple all Nations baptizing them c. 1 Pet. 3. 21. The like figure whereunto even baptisme doth also now save us Tit. 3. 5. He saved us by the washing of regeneration Ephes 5. 25 26. Christ loved the Church and gave himself for it that he might sanctifie and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word Acts 2. 38 39. with Acts 22. 16. Arise and be baptized and wash away thy sins for the promise is to you and to your children Gal. 3. 27. with Rom. 8. 1. As many as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ and there is now no condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus And the prayers of the Church c. 1 John 5. 14 15 16. This is the confidence that we have in him that if we ask any thing according to his will he heareth us And if we know that he hear us whatsoever we ask we know that we have the petitions that we desired of him If any man see his brother sin a sin which is not unto death he shall ask and he shall give him life for them that sin not unto death And shall not God hear the prayers of the Church in behalf of Infants IV. They do utterly denie that some of the faithfuls children baptized in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost while they live in the state of their Infancy are reprobate by an absolute decree The Reason of this appears sufficiently in the Reasons of those Negatives fore-mentioned The state of the Controversie touching Predestination or Election to Eternal life or Reprobation therefrom I. Whether of divine and peremptory Election to Glory or eternal life the first and adequate object be All and only those which persevere in true faith unto their lives end as such or certain particular persons not at all considered as believing and persevering in faith as such See all the Texts alledged for conditioned and against absolute irrespective Election II. Whether of Peremptory Reprobation unto everlasting torments the first and adequated object be All and only unbelievers dying in their unbelief as such or certain particular persons the greatest part of mankinde not at all considered as impenitent unbelievers and disobedient as such See the Texts fore-cited for respective and against irrespective and absolute reprobation to which you may adde Isa 27. 11. Because this people have no understanding therefore c. Ezek. 18. 1â— 23. The second Article Controverted concerning the Universalitie of Christs death What the Remonstrants hold I. THey hold that the price of Redemption which Christ tendred unto his Father was not only in it self sufficient for the Redemption of all mankinde but was also according to the decree the will and grace of God the Father paid for all and every man Proofs out of Scripture For all and every man 1 Tim. 2. 5 6. For there is one God and one Mediator between God and men the man Christ Jesus who gave himself a ransome for all Chap. 4. 10. We trust in the living God who is the Saviour of all men Iohn 3. 16. John 1. 29. Behold the lamb of God that taketh away the sin of the world 1 John 2. 2. John 6. 33 51. We have an advocate with the father Jesus Christ the Righteous and he is the propitiation for our sins and not for ours only but also for the sins of the whole world He tasted death for every man Hebrews 2. 9. For the unjust 1 Peter 3. 18. c. For the ungodly for sinners for his enemies Rom. 5. 6 8 10. See the places cited before for Christs satisfaction According to the decree the will and grace of God c. John 3. 16. So God loved the world c. 1 John 4. 14. We have seen and do testifie that the father sent the son to be the Saviour of the world Romans 8. 32. He spared not his own Son but delivered him up for us all 1 John 4. 9 10. In this was manifested the love of God towards us because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world that we might live through him Herein is love not that we loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins for God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world but that the world through him might be saved John 3. 17. That he by the grace of God should tast death for every man Heb. 2. 9. Col. 1.
in Christ reconciling the world unto himselfe Isa 53. 6. He laid upon him the iniquity of us all And Christ died for all for every man for the world for the whole world for the unjust and disobedient finally such 1 Pet. 3. 18 with the 20. for the ungodly for sinners for his enemies as was said above 2. Also for as many as died in Adam Rom. 5. 12 18. 1 Cor. 15. 22. As by the offence of one man c. 2 Cor. 5. 14. 3. For as many as are bound to believe in him as was declared above 4. For as many as are bound to adore and serve him 1 Cor. 6. 20. Ye are bought with a price therefore glorifie God in your c. 2 Cor. 5. 14 15. with Rom. 14. 9. We thus judge that if one died for all then were all dead and that he died for all that he might be Lord of all that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves but unto him which died for them See Eph. 1. 12. 5. For as many as we are bound to pray for in Christs name 1 Tim. 2. 1 5 6. I exhort that supplications be made for all men For there is one Mediator who gave himselfe a ransome for all 6. For such as crucifie him a fresh to themselves Hebr. 6. 4 5 6. c. 10. 29. For such as deny him and finally do perish 2 Pet. 2. 1. See Rom. 14. 15. 1 Cor. 8. 11. II. They do utterly deny that the immediate fruit of the death of Christ is the actual pardon of sins or which is the same in effect that sins are pardoned unto sinners before they do actually believe in Christ The Reason Rom. 10. 10. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness See Gal. 3. 22. Heb. 11. 6. But without faith it is impossible to please God Marke 16. 16. He that believeth not shall be damned Iohn 3. 18 36. He is condemnâ—d already the wrath of God abideth on him See proofes for the affirm III. They do utterly deny that Reprobates as some call them for whom Christ died not if there were any such are bound notwithstanding to believe in him and to believe that they are elected unto glory and that therefore those that believe not shall be condemned justly yea shall therefore be punished with more grievous torments by Almighty God The Reason 1. Iob 13. 7. Will ye speak wickedly for God And talk deceitfully for him Ier. 10. 1â— He is the God of truth Tit. 1. 2. Heb. 6. 18. that cannot lye All his Commandements are truth righteousness and faithfulnesse Psal 119. 86 151 172. And Rom. 15. 8. Christ was a Minister for the truth of God and no lie is of the truth 1 Iohn 2. 21. 2. If we meet with false Prophets and dissemblers for all their fair speeches he bid us Believe them not Ier. 12. 6. Mat. 24. 23. Prov. 26. 25. 3. He denounceth grievous judgments against such Prophets as go about to induce the people to trust in a lye Ier. 28. 25. chap. 29. 31. 4. It is a sore judgement inflicted only upon the obstinate and refractory and therefore certainly no duty of them that are not such to be given up to such Errours 2 Thess 2. 10 11 12. Because they received not the love of the truth that they might be saved for this cause God shall send them strong delusion that they should believe a lye that they all might be damned who believed not the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness So that the God of truth and righteousness doth not binde men as a part of their duty to believe falshood much less punish them with more grievous torments for not believing it 5. Iob 8. 3. Doeth God pervert judgement or doth the Almighty pervert justice Ioâ— 34. 10 12. Yea surely God will not doe wickedly neither will the Almighty pervert judgement and ver 23. He will not lay upon man more then is right that he should enter into judgment with God The state of the Controversie touching the Universality of Christs death Whether Christ Jesus out of a serious and gratious purpose and decree of God the Father suffered that most bitter and shameful death that he might bring into favour with God onely some few and those formerly and in particular chosen to eternal life by an absolute decree or that he might merit and obtain reconciliation with God for all and every sinner without difference by doing and suffering those things which divine justice by sin offended did require to be done and suffered before he would enter a new gracious Covenant with sinners and open the door of salvation to them The decision is conteined in the former Assertions and Negations The Third and Fourth Articles Controverted which are touching the grace of God in the Conversion of Man What the Remonstrants hold I. THey hold that a man hath not saving faith of himselfe nor from the power of his own free will seeing while he is in the state of sin he cannot of himselfe nor by himselfe think or will or do any saving good in which kinde faith in Christ is eminent but must needs by God in Christ through the power of the Holy Ghost be regenerated and renewed in his minde affections will and all his powers that he may aright understand will and meditate and do that which is savingly good Proofs out of Holy Scripture Not faith or any saving good of himself c. Ephes 5. 8. Ye were sometimes darkness Rom. 7. 5. When we were in the flesh the motions of sins which were by the law did work in our members to bring forth fruit unto death Rom. 11. 32. God hath concluded all in unbelief Ephes 2. 8. For by grace are ye saved through faith and that not of your selves it is the gift of God Phil. 1. 8 9. To you it is given to believe 1 Cor. 12. 3. None can say that Jesus is the Lord but by the Holy Ghost who is therefore called the spirit of faith 2 Cor. 4. 13. 2 Cor. 3. 5. Not that we are sufficient of our selves to think any thing as of our selves but our sufficiencie is of God Rom. 5. 6. For when we were yet without strength in due time Christ died for the ungodly Iohn 15. 5. Without me ye can do nothing Iohn 6. 44 45 65. No man can come to me except the Father draw him Every man therefore that hath heard and hath learned of the Father cometh unto me Must needs be regenerated c. John 3. 6. That which is born of the flesh is flesh and this I say brethren that flesh and blood cannot inherit the Kingdome of God 1 Cor. 15. Iohn 3. 3 5. Except a man be born of water and of the spirit he cannot enter into the Kingdom of God 1 Cor. 6. 11. But ye are washed but ye are sanctified but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the spirit of our God Tit. 3. 4 5 6. Not
out quickly and compel them to come in Rev. 22. 17. The spirit and the Bride say come And let him that heareth say come And let him that is athirst come And whosoever will let him take the water of life freely Isa 55. 1. Ho every one that thirsteth come ye to the waters Rev. 3. 20. Behold I stand at the door and knock Prov. 1. 20. c. Wisdome crieth without she uttereth her voice in the streets How long ye simple ones Turn you at my reproof Behold I will pour out my spirit unto you c. 3. His reception Iohn 6. 37. Him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out Mat. 11. 28. Come and I will refresh you Rev. 3. 20. He shall sup with me 4. His options 1. For the time past Psal 81. 9 10 11 12 13 14. But my people would not hear O that my people had hearkned unto me Isa 48. 17 18 19. Thus saith the Lord thy Redeemer I am the Lord thy God which teacheth thee to profit which leadeth thee by the way that thou shouldest goe O that thou hadst hearkened to my Commandements then had thy peace been as a river and thy righteousness as the waves of the Sea 2. For the future Deut. 5. 29. O that there were such a heart in them that they would fear me and keep my Commandements alwayes that it might be well with them Deut. 32. 29. O that they were wise that they understood this that they would consider their later end 5. His precations and beseechings Isa 65. 2. Rom. 10. 21. I have spread out my hands a posture of prayer Exod. 9. 29. Psal 63. 5. all the day unto a rebellious people 2 Cor. 5. 20. God doth beseech you by us we pray you in Christs stead Be ye reconciled unto God 6. His obtestations Deut. 30. 19. I call heaven and earth to record this day against you that I have set before you life and death blessing and cursing therefore chuse life that both thou and thy seed mayest live Isa 1. 2. Hear O heavens and give eare O earth c. 7. His complaints Micha 6. 3. O my people what have I done unto thee and wherein have I wearied thee testifie against me Ier. 2. 5. What iniquity have your fathers found in me that they are gone far from me and have walked after vanity and are become vain Ier. 2. 31. Have I been a wilderness c. 8. His Lamentations Ier. 4. 14. O Ierusalem wash thine heart from wickedness that thou mayest be saved how long shall thy vain thoughts lodge within thee Mat. 23. 37. O Jerusalem Jerusalem thou that killest the Prophets and stonest them which are sent unto thee how often would I have gathered thy children together even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings and ye would not Luke 19. 41 42. He beheld the city and wept over it saying If thou hadst known even thou at least in this thy day the things that belong unto thy peace 9. His expostulations Ezek. 18. 31 32. Cast away from you all your transgressions and make you a new heart and a new spirit for why will ye die O house of Israel Ier. 13. last 10. His increpations and exprobrations Iohn 5. 40 with 34. These things I say that ye may be saved And ye will not come to me that ye might have life Rom. 2. 4. Despisest thou the riches of his goodnes not knowing that the goodness of the Lord leadeth thee unto repentance Ier. 13. last Woe unto thee O Jerusalem wilt thou not be made clean When shall it once be 11. His Comminations and threatnings Ezek. 18. 30. Therefore will I judge you O house of Israel every one according to his wayes saith the Lord God repent and turn your selves from all your transgressions so iniquity shall not be your ruine Ier. 18. 10 11. Now therefore go to speak to the men of Judah saying thus saith the Lord behold I frame evil against you and devise a device against you return ye now every one from his evil way and make your wayes and your doings good 12. His oath and Protestation Ezek. 33. 11. As I live saith the Lord God I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked but that the wicked turn from his way and live turn ye turn ye from your evil wayes for why will ye die O house of Israel Are not these arguments of seriousness Judg. 13. 23. If the Lord were pleased to kill us he would not have shewed us all these things nor have told us such things as these See the Reason of the fifth Negative What the Remonstrants do not hold touching the said Articles viz. Gods grace and Mans Conversion I. THey do not hold that all Zeal Care and Study for the obtaining of Salvation which a man shall use before he hath faith and the spirit of renovation is vain and to no purpose much lesse that 't is rather hurtful than profitable and fruitful to him The Reason 1. The neglect hereof is complained of Isa 64. 7. There is none that stirreth up himself to take hold of thee Isa 44. 19. Iob 35. 10 11. But none saith where is God my maker Who teacheth us more then the beasts of the earth and maketh us wiser then the fouls of heaven See Ier. 5. 24. ch 8. 6. No man repented him of his wickednesse saying what have I done 2. This neglect is threatned Luke 16. 10 12. He that is unjust in the least is unjust also in much If therefore you have not been faithful in that which is anothers c. Rom. 1. 21. Because when they knew God they glorified him not as God 3. This is a duty expected even of the Heathens Act. 17. 27. That they should seek the Lord if haply they might feel after him and finde him 4. And 't is commanded He that hath an ear to hear let him hear Isa 46. 8. Remember this and shew your selves men Jam. 1. 5. If any of you lack wisdome let him aske of God Strive to enter in at the streight gate Ier. 4. 3. Luke 3. 4 6. Prepare the way of the Lord. Hos 10. 12. 5. This is commended as a disposition and preparative to faith in Christ and the spirit of renovation Mat. 13. 10 11 12. To him that hath shall be given To you it is given to know the mysteries of the kingdome of heaven Mat. 11. 5 25 26. Thou hast revealed them to babes Even so Father for so it seemed good in thy sight Iohn 10. 27. Iohn 3. 21. But he that doth truth cometh to the light Luke 8. 15. That on the good ground are they which in an honest and good heart having heard the word keep it and bring forth fruit with patience Mark 19. 14. Of such is the kingdome of God 6. This care and study is incouraged Mat. 12. 20. He will not quench the smoaking flax nor break the bruised reed Isa 55. 1. Mat. 11. 28. Ho
them and he that formed them will shew them no favour Prov. 1. 28. Then shall they call upon me but I will not answer they shall seek me early but they shall not finde me Numb 14. 40. c. They rose up early in the morning saying we will go up unto the place which the Lord hath promised for we have sinned viz. in refusing to go up at his command see 1 Cor. 10. 6 11. Heb. 3. 18. with chap. 4. 11. And Moses said it shall not prosper But they presumed to go up and were discomfited Heb. 12. 17. Afterward when he would have inherited the blessing he was rejected for he found no place of repentance in his Father who had past away the blessing from him though he sought it carefully with tears If these places do not make a saving repentance especially after grievous sins see Acts 8. vers 22. and an obstinate continuance in them somewhat doubtful yet doubtless they implie a difficulty and the more difficult the more doubtful So do the places following Mat. 12. 43 44 45. He taketh seven other spirits more wicked then himself and they enter in and dwell there And the last state of that man is worse than the first 2 Pet. 2. 20. Compare this with verse 1. c. For if after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ they are again intangled therein and overcome the latter end is worse with them than the beginning Heb. 6. 4 5 6. For it is impossible i. e. very difficult as Luke 17. 1. or Luke 18. 27. If they fall away to renew them again unto repentance See the last Negative precedent Ecclus 5. 5. Concerning propitiation be not without fear to adde sin unto sin Rom. 2. 4 5. Despisest thou the riches c Luke 13. 24. Strive to enter in at the straight gate for many I say unto you will strive to enter in and shall not be able V. They hold that the true believer may for the present be assured of the integritie of his faith and conscience and for that time may and ought to be assured of his salvation and the saving love of God towards him Proofs out of holy Scripture 1 John 1. 7. If we walk in the light as he is in the light we have fellowship one with another and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all our sin 1 John 2. 3. And hereby we do know that we know him if we keep his Commandements 1 John 3. 14. We know that we have passed from death to life because we love the brethren 1 John 5. 2 3. By this we know that we love the children of God when we love God and keep his Commandements and his commandements are not grievous Gal. 6. 4. But let every man prove his own works and then shall he have rejoycing in himself 1 Iohn 3. 21. If our heart condemn us not then have we confidence towards God 2 Cor. 1. 12. Our reâ—oycing is this the testimonie of our conscience that in simplicitie and godly sinceritie not with fleshly wisdome but by the grace of God we have had our conversation in the world Rom. 5. 1 2 5. Therefore being justified by faith we have peace with God and rejoyce in hope of the glory of God and hope maketh not ashamed because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the holy Ghost which is given unto us 1 Ioh. 4. 13. Hereby know we that we dwell in him and he in us because He hath given us of his spirit Rom. 8. 16. The spirit it self beareth witness with our spirit that we are the Children of God For if ye live after the flesh ye shall die but if ye through the spirit do mortifie the deeds of the body ye shall live For as many as are led by the spirit of God they are the sons of God ver 13 14. Isa 32. 17. And the work of righteousness shall be peace and the effect of righteousnesse quietness and assurance for ever VI. They hold that the true believer may and ought to be assured for the time to come that in the use of watching and prayer and other holy exercises he may persevere in faith and that Gods grace shall never be wanting thereto But how he may be assured for the time to come that he himselfe shall not be wanting to do his duty but that he shall in the actions of faith piety and charity as beseems the faithful persevere in this school of Christian waâ—â—â—re they see not nor think it necessary that a believer should be assured thereof Proofs out of Holy Scripture In the use of watching and prayer c. Eph. 6. 11 13 to 19. Put on the whole armour of God that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil having done all to stand 2 Thess 5. 17. pray without ceasing Watch and pray Matth. 26. 41. ch 24. 13. with the 42. Luke 12. 35 36 37. Let your loins be girded about and your lights burning and ye your selves like unto men that wait for their Lord. Luke 21. 34 36. Take heed lest at any time your hearts be over-charged with surfeting and drunkenness and the cares of this life Watch ye therefore and pray alwayes 1 Pet. 5. 8 9. Be sober be vigilant because your adversary the devil as a roaring Lion walketh about seeking whom he may devour Whom resist stedfast in the faith James 4. 7. Resist the devil and he will flee from you 1 Iohn 5. 18. He that is begotten of God keepeth himself and that wicked one toucheth him not Heb. 6. 11. And we desire that every one of you do shew the same diligence to the full assurance of hope unto the end That Gods grace shall never be wanting Psal 23. 6. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the dayes of my life Rom. 8. 38. For I am perswaded that neither death nor life c. shall separate us from the love of God Phil. 1. 6. He which hath begun a good work in you Iohn 15. 2 7 10. Every branch that beareth fruit he purgeth it that it may bring forth more fruit If ye abide in me and my words abide in you ye shall aske what ye will and it shall be done unto you See Luke 11. 13. Acts 5. 32. ver 10. If ye keep my Commandements ye shall abide in my love even as I have kept my fathers Commandements and abide in his love Rom 6. 14. For sin shall not have dominion over you for ye are not under the law but under grace 2 Cor. 12. 9. My grace is sufficient for thee 1 Iohn 4. 4. Ye are of God little children and have overcome them the false teachers because greater is he that is in you than he that is in the world But how assured for the time to come that he himself shall not be wanting c. For 1. Man is many
viz. Ps 115. 3. c. Psal 135. 6. c. But here a question may be moved whether the will of God can at any time be defeated To which the answer is that 't is most true in a good sense that the will of God is alwayes fulfilled For the understanding whereof we must distinguish of Gods will and the objects of it Some things God wills Absolutely and they must of necessity come to pass otherwise that will of God could not be truly said to be fulfilled Thus when 't is said God will give Christ for a Covenant of the people Whoremongers and Adulterers God will judge the faithful he will save if Christ were not so given or Whoremungers and Adulterers could avoid judgment or the faithful fail of salvation Gods will declared in those promises and threatnings were utterly broken Thus also it being Gods absolute will that man being a reasonable creature should be a Free Agent he must be so of necessity Other things God wills disjunctively and they come to pass contingently or not at all otherwise if they should come to pass of necessity Gods will should be crost in them For in these things his will is that neither the one nor the other particular should be necessary but either that they should not be at all or be Contingent This distinction may be seen in his judgment threatned and propounded to David 2 Sam. 24. 12 13. Thus saith the Lord I offer thee three things chuse which of them I shall do unto thee Wilt thou that seven years of famine come upon the land or wilt thou flee three moneths before thine enemies or that there be three dayes of pestilence in thy land Here God absolutely will'd to send a judgment and consequently the coming of it was necessary but which of the three was referred to Davids choice and so that was contingent But this distinction is more evident in Gods commands establish't with promises and threatnings relating to mans transgression and obedience respectively So in his commands for temporal safety Jer. 21. 8 9. And unto this people thou shalt say Thus saith the Lord Behold I set before you the way of life and the way of death He that abideth in this city shall die by the sword and by the famine and by the pestilence but he that goeth out and falleth to the Caldeans that besiege you he shall live and his life shall be unto him for a prey Here Gods will is disjunctive and whether they continued in the city and perish't there or fled out to the Caldeans and were preserved by them it was a matter of their own free choise and so Contingent but which soever of these two courses they took and succeeded accordingly Gods will was fulfilled So it is likewise in the matter of life and death eternal Deut. 11. 26 27 28. Behold I set before you this day a blessing and a curse A blessing if ye obey the Commandments of the Lord your God And a curse if ye will not obey but turn aside out of the way which I command you and Rom. 8. 13. If ye live after the flesh ye shall die but if ye through the spirit do mortifie the deeds of the body ye shall live So that whether they live by one means or die by the other Gods will is necessarily fulfilled because his will is not that they shall either necessarily observe his commands or necessarily transgress them But if they doe transgress though that transgression be Contingent Death is the necessary Doom awarded to it And if they do observe them though that observation be a matter of choise and so contingent also yet is life the necessary Reward and absolutely designed to crown that obedience It appears by this discourse that God cannot fail of accomplishing such an end and after such a manner as his wisdome thinks fit to propound in his intercourse with voluntary and free Agents for if he cannot prevail with us by such means and such a manner of working as is agreeable to the condition of our intellectual nature to suffer our selves to be saved by him in performing that service to which his goodness hath ordained us which his good pleasure is set upon in the first place then his good pleasure is fulfilled by inflicting upon us that punishment which he treatned according to that saying of S. Augustine Facit Deus Voluntatem suam de eo à quo voluntas ejus facta non est ANNOTATA QUAEDAM in FUNDAMENTALES M ri THOMAE PARKERI Theses De traductione hominis peccatoris ad vitam LECTORI OCyùs te in pedes Conjice Lector 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ni mavis in harum Thesium Editoris substratos Encomiorum flosculis Casses incidere vel perplexis earundem Authoris plagulis irretiri Neque tamen ab isto metuendum esset Scholarum inaniis verborumque Captum humanum fugientium involucris sensa mentis intricante nisi viam aed periculum ille incautus opinor Praefator sic stravisset Vir sanè quicunque is est Cordatus quem nec hoc nomine tà m incusandum Censuerim quòd ab Ecclesiae etiamnum Anglicanae doctrinâ formulisque ex praejudicijs imbibitis abhorrere videatur quà m jure merito laudibus efferendum quòd placidum se modesti ingenii virum indiciis minimè obscuris nec non bonarum literarum benè compotem praestiterit Laudet sanè ut sibi gratum faciat Cameronem Scoto-Gallum Twissium Anglo-Britannum Arminium autem Corvinum Batavos Tilenum etiam Gallum à Twissio sc Confossos proculcet Rursus Robertum Parkerum Amesium Robinsonum ad coelum laudibus vehat nec tamen effecerit ut Thomas hic tantoperè praedicatus Parkerus Sanctissimum Vnici nostri Salvatoris Benedicti Evangelium decretorum Dei de salute interitu humano fundum non subruerit aut ipsi Justitiae soli tenebras non offuderit Quasi verò O boni absque vobis esset defensoribus hyperaspistis ne ipse quidem Deus Socinum Arminiumque Par impar paulò invidiosiùs Praefatori Conjunctum at toto coelo disseparandum non esset refellendo Nos ad Evangelium ipsius Dei Patris Christique Domini ex ejus sinu prodeuntis sancti utriusque spiritus inibi clarissimè loquentis provocamus Loquere jam mi Parkere verùm sicut Dei Christique oracula En Praestò adsumus ut divinis Eloquiis fasces proni submittamus Nostrûm neutri credatur uni Deo fidei obedientiam praestare didicimus Agè ergo arrectis enim auribus documenta coelestia libenter expectamus LECTORI SIste te parumper erudite Lector ut noris cujam qualem pagellam comprimis hoc scilicet solo nomine redarguendam quod sit tota gemmea In historiis compendia dispendia at in Theologiâ polemicâ saltem 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 atque instar montium qui quo sublimiori consurgunt cacumine magis sterilescunt Optandum ex Theologorum disceptationibus colloquiis