them as in their simple Existence or Being it self Page 1. Cap. 2. Though there be as absolute and essential a Dependance of second Causes upon the first in point of motion action operation as of simple existence or being yet are not the motions actions or operations of second Causes at least ordinarily so immediately or precisely determined by that Dependance which they have upon the first Cause as their respective Beings are 7 Cap. 3. Concerning the Knowledg and Foreknowledg of God and the Difference between these and his Desires Purposes Intentions and Decrees and how these also are distinguished one from another 28 Cap. 4. Concerning the Perfection of God in his Nature and Being Some things clearly deducible from it particularly his Simplicity Actuality and Goodness of Decrees 40 Cap. 5. Four several veins or correspondencies of Scriptures propounded holding forth the Death of Christ for All Men without exception of any The first of these argued 73 Cap. 6. Herein several texts of the second sort of Scriptures propounded in the former Chapter as holding forth the Vniversality of Redemption by Christ are discussed 97 Cap. 7. The third sort or consort of Scriptures mentioned cap. 5. as clearly asserting the said Doctrine argued and managed to the same point 113 Cap. 8. The Scriptures of the fourth and last Association propounded cap. 5. as pregnant also with the same Great Truth of general Redemption by Christ impartially weighed and considered 120 Cap. 9. Entereth upon a Digression about the commonly-received Doctrine of Perseverance occasioned by several passages in the preceding Chapter avouching and clearly evicting the benefit peace and comfort of that Doctrine which teacheth a possibility of the Saints declining and this unto death above the other contrary unto it 154 Cap. 10. A Continuation of the former Digression wherein the texts of Scripture commonly alledged to prove the impossibility of the Saints declining unto death are taken into consideration and discharged from that service 177 Cap 11. A further Continuation of the former Digression wherein the Arguments and Grounds commonly insisted on in defence of the received doctrine of Perseverance are detected of insufficiency proved and declared Null 225 Cap. 12. The former Digression yet further prosecuted and a possibility of defection in the Saints or true Beleevers and this unto death clearly demonstrated from the Scriptures 268 Cap. 13. Grounds of Reason from the Scriptures evincing a possibility of such a defection even in true Beleevers which is accompanied with destruction in the end 299 Cap. 14. Exhibiting from the Scriptures some Instances of a total Declining and falling away from the Grace and Favor of God in true Beleevers 344 Cap. 15. Declaring the Sence and Judgment as well of the Ancient Fathers of the Christian Church as of Modern Reformed Divines touching the Point of Perseverance and so concluding the Digression concerning this Subject 365 Cap. 16. Several other Texts of Scripture besides those formerly produced in ranks and companies argued to the clear eviction of Truth in the same Doctrine viz. that the Redemption purchased by Christ in his Death was intended for all and every man without exceptiof any 403 Cap. 17. Declaring in what sence the former Passages of Scripture asserting the Vniversality of Redemption by Christ are as to this point to be understood and consequently in what sence the said Doctrine of Vniversal Redemption is maintained in the present Discourse 432 Cap. 18. Exhibiteth several Grounds and Reasons whereby the Vniversality of Redemption by Christ or Christs dying for all men without exception is demonstratively evicted 453 Cap. 19. Wherein the Sence of Antiquity together with the variableness of Judgment in Modern Writers about the Controversie under discussion is truly and unpartially represented 524 Cap. 20. The Conclusion Exhibiting a General Proposal or Survey of Matters intended for Consideration Explication and Debate in the second Part of this Work 562 CHAP. I. There is no created Being or second Cause whatsoever but dependeth upon the first and supream Cause or Being which is God and this as well in the second as in the first Act I mean as well in the Motions and Operations issuing from or performed by every of them as in their simple Existence or Being it self WE shall not need I presume to levy a dispute for the gathering §. 1. or geting in that tribute due to the Crown and Soveraignty of Being from all Beings besides which consists in an acknowledgment of his free bounty in calling them out of the abyss of vanity and nothing by the Word of his Power hereby taking them into part and fellowship with himself in his Prerogative of Being according to what was resolved by the counsell of his Will as meet to be dispeâ—sed unto every of them respectively in this kind Trees that are throughly and deeply rooted in the Earth will grow and flourish though the dew or rain from Heaven should seldome or never fall upon them but grasse and herbs and tender plants whose roots have but a slender and thin protection of their Element against the scortching violence of the Sun will soon wither and die away if the clouds of Heaven should not ever and anon drop verdure upon them and relieve them In like manner such notions and impressions in the Soul into which Nature is deeply baptized and mightily 〈…〉 ssest with their Truth are like to live and to maintain their interest and autâ—â—rity in men though not seconded or relieved by argument or dispute but those which have only taken a fainter and looser hold of the judgements and consciences of men are in danger of miscarrying and proving like the Corne upon the house top which as David observeth withereth before it be grown up a Psal 129. 6. unlesse they be timely yea and frequently encouraged back'd and strength by discourse That there is a Being which looks upon this Universe â—ith all the host of it as the workmanship of his own hands and that every creature or finite Being is lineally descended from him as their Great and first Progenitor are I conceive such principles of Light and Truth written in so fair and full a Character in the Tables of all mens hearts that even whilst they run they may read them yea and cannot lightly depose or suffer the losse of â—hem though they be not bound upon their judgments and consciences with any other bands of argument or demonstration then those of their own evidence and conviction Therefore what God hath made manifest and clear in men we shall not cast any suspition of darknesse or obscurity upon by making it matter of disputation And though the dependance of things in actuall and compleat Being upon §. 2. God for sustentation and support as well of their simple Existences and Beings themselves as of their Operations respectively which is the sence and substance of the Thesis propounded be not altogether of so pregnant an inspiration as dependance upon him for their
accustomed to error and mistake presume to levy from them together with such arguments and grounds which upon examination will be found either to have no consistency with the sound Principles either of Reason or Religion or else no legitimate coherence with the cause which they pretend unto Let us first hearken unto the Scriptures lifting up their voyces together for the Redemption of all Men by Christ without exception we shall afterwards in due processe of Discourse give a faire consideration to those inferences and consequences of Men wherein the strength of their Scripture Proofes standeth for the support of the contrary Opinion And first it is considerable that the Scriptures doe not only speak to the §. 2. heart of the Doctrine asserted in great variety of Texts and Places but also in great Veyns and Correspondencies or Consorts of Texts each Consort consisting of severall particulars of like Notion and Phrase I shall recommend only foure of these companies unto the Reader which when we shall have pondered in some or all the particulars respectively relating unto them we shall add to make full measure the contributions of some single Texts besides The first Division or Squadron of Scriptures which speak aloud the universality §. 3. of Redemption by Christ are such which present the gift and Sacrifice of Christ as relating indifferently unto the World The name of this kinde of Scriptures for the number of them may be Legion for they are many Some of the principall and best known of them are these So God loved THE WORLD that he gave his only begotten c. Joh. 3. 16. That THE WORLD through him should be saved vers 17. This is the Lamb of God which takes away the sin of THE WORLD Joh. 1. 29. My flesh which I will give for the life of the World Joh. 6. 51. And he is the propitiation for our sinnes and not for ours only but also for the sinnes of the WHOLE WORLD 1 Joh. 22. And we have seene and doe testifie that the Father sent the Sonne to be the Saviour of the WORLD 1 Joh. 4. 14. For I came not to judge the WORLD but to save the WORLD Joh. 12. 48. For God was in Christ reconciling the WORLD unto Himself c. 2 Cor. 5. 19. To omit many others The second post of Scriptures standing up to maintaine the same Doctrine §. 4. with uniformity of expressions amongst themselves are such which insure the Ransome of Christ and the Will or Desire of God for matters of salvation unto ALL MEN and EVERY MAN Some of these are who gave Himself a Ransome for ALL. 1 Tim. 2. 6. Because we thus judge that if one died for ALL then were all dead and that he died FOR ALL that they who live c. 2 Cor. 5. 14 15. that he by the Grace of God should taste of Death FOR EVERY MAN Heb. 2. 9. who will have AL◠MEN to be saved c. 1 Tim. 2. 4. not willing that ANY should perish but that ALL should come to Repentance 2 Pet. 3. 9. Therefore as by the offence of one the judgement came upon all Men to condemnation even so by the righteousnesse of one the free gift came upon all Men to the justification of life Rom. 5. 18. with some others A third sort or party of Scriptures confederate with the former for substance §. 5. of import and between themselves for matter of expression are such which hold forth and promise salvation indifferently to Him and to whosoever will or shall believe Of this sort are these with their fellowes and HIM that commeth unto me I will in no wise cast out Joh. 6. 37. HE that believeth in me shall never thirst vers 35. HE that believeth and is Baptized shall be saved Mar. 16. 16. That WHOSOEVER believeth in Him should not perish c. Joh. 3. 16. That through his Name WHOSOEVER believeth in Him shall receive remission of sinnes Acts 10. 43. Even the Righteousnesse of God which is by Faith of Jesus Christ UNTO ALL and upon all that believe For all have sinned Rom. 3. 22 23. It were easie to make this pile also much greater A fourth association of Scriptures all pregnant with the Doctrine we §. 6. assert consists of such places where Christ is said to have died for those who yet may perish yea and actually do perish and again where such Men are said to have been bought by him and to have been sanctified by his blood who yet through their own negligence and wilfulnesse in sinning bring destruction upon themselves and perish everlastingly Places of this kinde are famously known Destroy not Him with thy meat FOR WHOM CHRIST DIED Rom. 14. 15. And through thy knowledge shall the weak BROTHER PERISH FOR WHOM CHRIST DIED 1 Cor. 8. 11. even denying the Lord that BOVGHT them and bring upon themselves swift DESTRVCTION 2 Pet 2. 1. 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 then the beginning 2 Pet. 2. 20. Of how much sorer punishment suppose yee shall He be thought worthy who hath troden under foote the Sonne of God and hath counted the blood of the Covenant wherewith he was sanctified an unholy thing and hath done despite unto the Spirit of Grace Heb. 10. 29. Then his Lord after he had called him said unto him O thou wicked servant I forgave thee all that debt because thou desiredst me Should not thou also have had compassion on thy fellow servant And his Lord was wroth and delivered him to the tormentors till he should pay all that was due to him So likewise shall my Heavenly Father doe also unto you if yee from your Heart forgive not every one his Brother their trespasses Mat. 18. 32. 33 c. Let us begin with the Texts of the first of the foure Orders mentioned §. 7. where the Death of Christ is presented as relating unto the World From the tenor and import of all the Scriptures of this Denomination and Tribe it will be made evident that Christ died for all Men without exception of any the word World in these places being necessarily to be understood in the proper and comprehensive signification of it I mean for all Men and Women in the World in and according to their successive generations and not for any lesser or smaller number as for some of all sorts for the Elect for those that shall believe or the like We shall for brevity sake argue only some of these places and leave the light of their interpretations for a discovery of the sence and meaning of the rest The first proposed of these was that place of Renowne Joh. 3. 16. So §. 8. God loved the World that He gave c. Evident it is from hence that Christ was given viz. unto Death for them or for
terms whatsoever even of the greatest sin and wickedness would be an effectuall motive upon the Heart and Conscience of a regeneate Man to cleave in Love unto God yet would it not be a motive in this kinde of any such strength or efficacy as such an assurance as this that he shall continue in the Love and Favour of God for ever in a way of Righteousness and well doing but with all shall be in danger of loosing this love in case he shall decline unto wickedness The reason why this latter compounded motive must needs be of more efficacy to the purpose mentioned then the former is because the latter supposeth a necessity of this cleaving in Love to God for the obtaining of this great good the continuance for ever of the Love of God towards him which the former doth not Now this is a generall rule that that motive is still of greater force to perswade to an action which renders the action perswaded unto as of absolute necessity for the obtaining of some desirable end especially when the said end is insured withall upon the performance of the action then that which renders this end attaineable without the Performance of this action He that shall perswade me to love such or such a man by telling me that whether I love him or no yet he will deale lovingly and friendly by me should not perswade me to love him by an argument or motive of so much strength as he that should move me to the same Point thus if you love him he will deale very lovely and friendly with you but if you shall neglect or voluntarily injure him you will finde him a sore enemy There is no action how lovely or desirable soever in it self but becomes so much the more desirable by how much the greater good shall appear to depend upon it and must needs be produced by it especially if it shall yet further appear that this good cannot be produced or obtained by any other meanes whatsoever without it Now then as he who deprives a man of a greater benefit to interess him in a lesser doth him as real an injury or wrong as he that should take away a part of his substance from him without any consideration at all in like manner that Doctrine which shall bereave the spirituall part of a man or a Believer of a greater and more effectuall motive to the performance of a duty only to present him with a weaker and of less Power must in reason be judged an enemy unto the one and the other yea as great an enemy as such a Doctrine would be which deny them a lesser motive in that kinde without any recompence at all 3. If such a knowledge or assurance as the Objection speakes of were §. 19. an effectuall motive to perswade the heart of a man to cleave in love unto God what reason can be given why God should not administer it in order to such a Purpose as well to his enemies and carnall men as unto his Saints or Friends For 1. certaine it is that all men whatsoever are commanded by God to love Him or to cleave in this affection unto Him 2. As certaine it is that God is not defective in the subministration of motives unto them on this behalf no not of those that are most Proper and efficacious to perswade them thereunto 3. As certaine it is as either of the former that an assurance of the love of God towards them against all sin and wickednesse whatsoever that they are capable of committing is a motive every whit as taking with as suteable and pleasing to Naturall and Carnall Men if yet a motive it be as to spirituall and holy Men to perswade them to the love of God Therefore if God hath not thought meet to afford such a motive as this is unto Naturall or Carnall Men it is no wayes likely that he hath afforded it unto Saints with whose hearts as such I meane as they are Saints it hath no agreement or takingnesse at all as was shewed formerly a Sect. 16 17. of this Chapter 4. And lastly the very truth is all things duly considered that the consideration §. 20. we now speake of and which is specified in the Objection hath nothing at all in it of the true Nature or Property of a motive to perswade any Man to cleave in love unto God For whatsoever representeth God to the Heart Soule or Conscience of a Man as a God in whose sight he is good that doth evill b Mal. 2 17 and consequently as no God of judgement as a God Promising His Love Favour and Acceptance as well unto Dogs returning unto their vomits and to Swine wallowing after their washing in the mire as well as unto Lambs and Sheep is no consideration which commendeth him unto his Creature Man or consequently which hath any thing in it to ingage him to cleave in love to him Suppose a man were thus Principled that having once had a good opinion of any man he would never alter his opinion of him how desperately soever the Man should degenerate from himself as though he should become the first borne amongst all the Sons of Belial turne the most bloody murtherer the most cruell oppressor the most brutish incestuary under Heaven but under the guilt and daily Practise of these and such like abominations should love this Man with as much truth reality and sincereness of affection only upon the account of his sometime goodnesse as he doth the most vertuous and worthy Person under Heaven would such a Temper or Principle as this commend him as a Person so much the more worthy love and respects in the eyes of any considering Man or would they not rather draw disparagement and contempt upon him yea and this from those very Persons whom he shall affect and love upon such terms Therefore in case it were possible for me certainly to know that how loosely how Prophanely how debauchedly soever I should behave my self yet God will love me as intirely as fervently as he doth the holiest and most righteous man under Heaven it would be a very slender motive unto me to cleave i◠love unto him So then it doth not yet appear by any thing that hath been mentioned or argued to the Point that the Doctrine of Perseverance as it passeth up and down amongst us is any contributor to the Peace or Comfort of that which is of God but only to that which is of Satan in men and which deserveth mortification and Crucifying instead of Comfort and Peace If it be yet further Objected But is not the Doctrine of falling away a §. 21. very uncomfortable Doctrine apt to beget a servile spirit in the Saints a a spirit of bondage and feare Or must not they who apprehend themselves to be in continuall danger of falling away and Perishing needs eate their bread in darkness dwell with Sorrowes and Perplexities of soule all their dayes To these
loosing of the Soule And for the latter I meane the English Ministers and those mentioned with them there is the like consideration of these also The works of such of them as have written bewray them to have had both the Nations we speak of in their womb in which works or writings of theirs if they speak one word for a necessity of Perseverance in the Saints it is ten to one but they speak another for a possibility of such a defection which is never accompanied with Repentance For those godly Ministers now upon the Stage who are looked upon as rigid Patrons and Assertors of the received Doctrine of Perseverance the truth is that whatsoever they are in the letter of their Conclusion they are in the Spirit of their Principles and Premises builders up of that Faith which destroyes the Faith of that Doctrine most of their Sermons which any wayes relate unto that subject having Janus-like two Faces with the one of which they countenance this Doctrine and with the other that which is contrary unto it So that the experience pretended in the objection of so many pious men embracing the Doctrine of Perseverance is but a meer presumption the men generally are divided in their own judgements about the Point True it is our English Ministers and Professors more generally profess themselves for the Doctrine of Perseverance and cry out upon the Doctrine of falling away as Arminian but as it fell to Esaus lot through Divine dispensation to be first-borne and so to have the precedency of Iacob in worldly honours in respect of time though at last his Mountaine and his Heritage was laid wast a Mal. 1 3 4. for ever so it seemed good to the Providence of God that of the Doctrinall twins we speak of striving together in the wombs of the minds and judgements of those men now under consideration that of Perseverance should first lift up its head in the World and be applauded making no question withall but that the time is a comming yea and is even at the doore when this Doctrine must decrease and the contrary to it increase and be exalted in the judgements and tongues writings of Men. The maine Providentiall occasion I conceive which hath caused the Doctrine of Perseverance to flourish hitherto like a greene bay Tree in this Land as it hath done was the Permission of Mr. Perkins his judgement to be over-ruled on this hand by those Texts of Scripture some or all of them together with those reasons which are commonly at this day insisted upon for the Proof of this Doctrine The great worth of the Man otherwise commended his Opinion unto many far above the worth thereof And it being so incident unto men malle credere quam judicare rather to believe then Omnes malumus credere quam judicaâ—e Sen. judge and again to believe persons reputed singularly Pious and learned rather then others it may very well be conceived how by the authority and repute of this worthy Instrument of God in His Generation this land should come to be so generally levened as it is not so much indeed with the opinion it self of which we speak as with the Profession of it Before his dayes this Doctrine found no such generall applause or intertainment amongst conscientious Persons in this Land and many of the learned Martyrs in Queene Maries dayes leaned another way who likewise dessented from him in severall other Tenents about the Arminian controversies And when I consider what grudgings there are of the contrary Opinion I meane of that which avoucheth a Possibility of falling away in the judgements of the most consciencious Ministers amongst us though the streame of their Professions runs in opposition hereunto withall what Principles they cleerly and frequently hold forth especially in the applicatory Parts of their Sermons I am easily induced to believe that as by the authority of one Man or some few the Profession of such a judgement came in upon them and surprised them so likewise they want nothing in order to the Profession of a change of their judgements in the Point but only the authority and countenance of some one or some few Men of like Popular acceptance to goe before them 2. Suppose it should be granted that the godly Persons minded in the Objection as holding the Doctrine of Perseverance were perfectly whole and intire and not divided as hath been said in their judgements thereupon yet would it nâ— wayes follow from hence that therefore this Doctrine was any wayes accessory to that godlinesse whereof they gave so good an accompt in their lives and conversations These men I presume held many Principles of Christian Religion which taught them to live godâ—ily righteously and soberly in this present World So that if they did live according to all these worthy and commendable straines of Christianity yet is there no necessity of entituling the Doctrin of Perseverance held by them either in whole or in part thereunto 3. Concerning the Persons chiefly intended in the Objection for the confirmation §. 26. of the experience therein averred on the left hand who I suppose were the worst of our late Bishops such as Romanized and Tyrannized most amongst them together with their Clergy creatures and favourites who were generally inclined to the Doctrine of falling away and with all took more liberty in their lives then men truly Religious ought to have done my Answer is 1. That as was said concerning the godlinesse of the other that it did not necessarily flow from the Doctrine of Perseverance either as held or professed by them so neither did that loosenesse or unworthinesse in any kinde which was found in these necessarily no nor so much as probably arise from that Opinion concerning the possibility of a totall and finall defection in the Saints professed by them They held other Principles more then enough sufficient to teach them all that irregularnesse and unrighteousnesse of conversation which can with truth be charged on them So that neither the good nor the bad neither the godly nor the ungodly deportments of persons professing such or such particular Doctrines principles or opinions are any demonstrative no nor yet so much as any Dialecticall or probable arguments either of truth or error in them The Scribes and Pharises were full of all Hypocrisie and unrighteousnesse yet did they hold and teach many Doctrines that were sound in so much that the Lord Christ himself commanded his own Disciples to observe and doe whatsoever they taught as necessary to be observed a Mat. 23. 3. And if the soundnesse or rottenesse of Opinions should be estimated by the goodnesse or badnesse of the lives of any parcell or number of persons professing them as well the Opinion of Atheisme which denies the being of any God as the Opinion of Polytheisme which affirmes a plurality of Gods must be esteemed better and more sound then that which maintaineth the being of one God and
suspensions and interruptions Therefore there is nothing in the last Objection against that exposition of the Scripture in hand which hath been asserted both the feet upon which it stands being weak and lame There is yet another Objection colourable I suppose in some Mens §. 47. eyes against the said interpretation The substance of it this If the links of that chaine of Divine acts described in this passage of Scripture may be severed or broken by the miscarriages or unworthinesse of the Saints in any kinde then had the Apostle no sufficient reason to build the Saints so high upon it in Confidence Exultations and Triumphs as He doth in the Verses immediately following What shall we say to these things If God be on our side who can be against us And the reason is because the Saints are children of many infirmities and of much unworthinesse apt to sin against God every moment Therefore if their Peace and Salvation depend upon their own regular and worthy walkings with God they are in a condition of no good security to be saved and what ground then have they to rejoyce and triumph at any such rate as the Apostle seemes here to invite and incourage them unto To this I answer that the Heart of this Objection was broken in the last preceding Chapter where we shewed upon severall considerations and grounds that the Saints have cause in abundance to rejoyce yea and to triumph under the hope and expectation of Salvation notwithstanding any possibility they are subject unto of declining or perishing The Reader I presume will be satisfied in this Point upon a serious perusall of what is there Written from Section 21. to the end of the Chapter I here add 1. That the friends and favourers themselves of the common interpretation §. 48. of the place in hand and which contradicteth the exposition given generally grant and teach that the Saints themselves cannot have any Peace or Comfort in their Faith or assurance of Salvation whilest they walk prophanely loosely or unfaithfully with God So that these Men themselves doe suspend the Peace and Comfort and much more the Joy and Triumph of the Faith of the Saints upon their Christian behaviour and Regular walkings with God Therefore judging the Exposition given upon such an account as this they condemne themselves and their owne Doctrines 2. The assureance of the continuance of Gods Love to them and of His care over them whilest they in any measure walke worthy of it is a Regular and due foundation unto the Saints of every whit as great a confidence Exultation and Triumph as the Apostle in the words mentioned intitles them unto Yea 3. The very particular and expresse ground upon which He buildeth up Himself and the Saints with Him in such a Triumphant Confidence as we heard is this the sence or assureance of Gods Love towards them meaning whilest they walk with Him as becommeth Saints because being out of this posture they can neither have sence nor assureance of His Love as our adversaries themselves acknowledge and teach as we lately heard not any assureance of the continuance of His Love to them how profane wicked or abominable soever they can or shall be What shall we say then to these things if God BE with us who can be against us Therefore 4. And lastly such a supposition or Doctrine as this that they that are at present justified may possibly sin themselves out of the Grace of Justification and so never come to be glorified is upon due consideration no bridle at all to check the holy and humble confidence or boastings of the Saints in God or in the Lord Jesus Christ they may in the face and presence of such a Doctrine though acknowledged and admitted for truth lift up themselves upon the wings of a blessed security unto Heaven and rejoyce that joy which is unspeakeable and glorious But of these things we spake liberally in the last Chapter Some may yet possibly imagine that they discover a ground of confutation §. 49. of all that hath been said upon the Context of Scripture yet in hand Verse 29. in those words That he might be the first-borne amongst many Brethren For from hence they may reason thus If this be Gods End or Designe in Predestinating those whom he knew before or pre-approved to be conformed to the Image of His Son in glory that He might be the first borne amongst many Brethren i. e. might have the honour of bringing many into part and fellowship with Himself in His own blessednesse and glory then must all they who are thus Predestinated of necessity attaine or come to injoy such a conformity with Him otherwise God shall be frustrated in His Designe and Jesus Christ be defeated and disappointed of that excellent honour which His Father projected for Him For if one or some thus predestinated may miscarry and never come to enjoy an actuall conformity unto Him in His glory why may not others of them miscarry likewise and consequently all and so the Great Counsell or Project of God for the honor of His Son Iesus Christ be laid in the dust To this I answer 1. Suppose that Iesus Christ should have no Brethren conformable unto Him in glory yet would it not follow from hence that the Counsell or Designe of God to make Him the first borne among many Brethren should be made void or miscarry For the Counsell or Designe of God in this behalf stood Mainely and Principally in this viz. in casting this honour upon Iesus Christ that He should be a Person every wayes fitted and accomplished should act and doe or be ready and willing to act and do every such thing whereby many of his Brethren i. e. of the children of Men if they were not most shamefully and grossely neglective of themselves and their own greatest concernments might come to partake with him in His great Blessednesse and glory And in case Men should prove thus neglective of themselves and so as voluntarily to deprive themselves of that great Salvation which Iesus Christ out of His great Love and with the sore travell of his Soul hath prepared and made ready for them yea and invited and called yea and pressed upon them to accept at his hand yet the honour and glory of a signall Benefactor and great Saviour shall remaine intire unto Him nor is there the least colour or pretence why He should suffer the least disparagement or prejudice in the thoughts either of Men or Angells because of the wilfull folly and madnesse of Men to forsake their own mercies and destroy themselves Himself owned and built upon this consideration when He spake thus by the mouth of one of His greatest Prophets Though Israel be not gathered yet shall I be glorious in the eyes of the Lord and my God shall be my strength a Esa 49 5. In the former Verse He speaks thus in his Representor Then I said I have laboured in vaine I
of the Iews or onely true Beleevers amongst them it no ways so much as sembles a Promise of final Perseverance unto either Evident it is that this Promise exhibiteth and holdeth forth some new grace or favour like unto which God had not vouchsafed any formerly either unto the persons to whom the said Promise is now made or to any other The very Character and Tenor of â—â—e Promise importeth this clearly Let it be compared either with any for 〈…〉 Promise in the Scripture one or more or with any Dispensation of God towards any person or people and there will be found no comportment between them Now for the grace or favour of final Perseverance it is nothing at least in the Opinion of our Adversaries but what is common to all true Beleevers and what God hath conferred upon one and other of this generation of men from the beginning of the world 6. And lastly It is very unproper and doth not look like one of the wise Dispensations of God to make a serious and solemn Promise unto men of that which they might and ought to expect of course yea and which they might with as much comfort and security have promised unto themselves as he For according to those Principles which we now oppose every true Beleever may and ought to expect the grace of final Perseverance from God as matter of course and of common and unalterable Dispensation yea and shall sin if he doth it not If you ask but if the Promise now in discourse be not a Promise of final §. 7. Perseverance what is the matter or substance of it or what doth God promise in it Let Musculus a Learned and Orthodox Expositor answer you God saith he in this Promise speaks of the Spirit and Word of the New Testament both which he did put upon or into his people meaning the Iews in the beginning of the Dispensation of the Gospel nor hath he taken them away hitherto however blindness may seem to have wholy possessed Israel For there are some of this Nation that are continually converted unto Christ in whom the continuation of the Spirit and Word of God may or will take place until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in and so all Israel shall be saved a Loquitur omnino de Spiritu Verbo novi Testamenti Posuit utruÌ„que super populum suum initio Dispensationis Evangelii nec ademit hactenus quantumvis caecitas Israelem prorsùs occupasse videatur Etenim perpetuò sunt qui ex eo populo ad Christum accedant spiritûs hujus ac verbi continuationem eò usque producant donec tandem in fine ingressâ plenitudine Gentium omnis Israel salvus fiat Muscul in Isai 59. 21. So that he placeth the substance of the Promise in this that the Nation of the Iews shall never from the days of Christ in the Flesh be wholly altogether or in all the members of it destitute of the Spirit and Word of Christ. This Exposition supposeth nothing in the Promise for the business of final Perseverance Notwithstanding I conceive that God here rather promiseth this viz. that He will advance the Dispensations of His Grace and Goodness towards and amongst this people to such an excellency and height that if they prove not extreamly unworthy and neglective above measure of their own Happiness they shall have of the Spirit and Word of God abundantly amongst them and consequently abundance of Peace and Happiness for ever The Promise thus understood began to operate and work and was performed in part in and upon their Deliverance from that seventy years captivity wrought yet more effectually at the coming of the Messiah unto them in the Flesh but the full and signal accomplishment of it remaineth yet behinde and shall take place when the Redeemer shall come out of Sion unto them and their Messiah visit them the second time For the third and last of the three places mentioned And I will betroth §. 8. thee unto me for ever c. it is much of the same consideration with the former nor hath any whit more in it to support the common Doctrine of Perseverance then they For 1. the Promise of the betrothing here specified is made unto the intire Body and Nation of the Jews as well Unbeleevers as Beleevers as appears by the carriage of the Chapter throughout 2. It is Conditional and the performance of it I mean of the betrothing mentioned in it suspended upon the Repentance of this People especially of their Idolatry and return to the true and pure Worship of God as appears Vers 14 16 17 c. which plainly sheweth that it was made as well nay rather to those that were wicked and Idolatrous amongst this People then unto others as being administred and held forth unto them chiefly for this end to wooe them away from their Idols unto God 3. Nor can it be proved that this Promise so properly or directly intends the collation of spiritual or heavenly good things unto them as temporal Yea the scituation of it between temporal Promises immediately both behinde it and before it perswades the contrary Read the Context from Vers 18. to the end of the Chapter Therefore 4. and lastly the true intent and purpose of this place and Promise And I will betroth thee c. is as if he should have said When I shall by my Word and Spirit and other gracious Administrations wherein I shall appear to this People so far prevail with them and overcome them as to cause them to cast away their Idols and turn with their whole heart unto me I will express my self so with so much love and affection unto them that they shall not lightly neither they nor their children after them go a-whoring from me any more but remain united unto me in a mutual chaste conjugal affection for ever I will betroth them unto me in righteousness and in judgment and in loving kindness and in mercy q. d. I will engage and attempt to insure both them and their affections unto me by all variety of ways and means that are proper and likely to bring such a thing to pass as 1. By shewing my self just and righteous unto them in keeping my Promise concerning their Deliverance out of Captivity at the end of seventy years I will not fail them herein no not to a day or hour 2. By punishing and judging their Enemies and destroying those that led them captive and held them in bondage and subjection 3. By heaping the fruits of my love and kindness upon them otherwise as in giving them peace plenty health honour c. in abundance 4. And lastly by dealing mercifully with them in pardoning their sins and infirmities which they will commit dayly against me I will not be extream to mark what they shall do amiss whilest their hearts shall remain perfect with me I will even betroth them unto me in faithfulness i. e. By these and all
any respect to their continuance or non continuance in his words for the future is evident from the words immediately preceding in the same Verse Then said Jesus to those Jews who believed on him Therefore being such who believed on him they were His true Disciples though they had not had opportunity as yet to approve themselves His Disciples indeed i. e. so as to obtaine eternall happinesse by their Discipleship in this kinde 2. For those words Heb. 3. 6. whose house are we if we hold fast the §. 49. confidence and the rejoycing of the hope firme unto the end together with those of like character Verse 14. For we are made partakers of Christ if we hold the beginning of our confidence stedfast unto the end there is much the same consideration of them with the former The meaning is not as the rigor of the letter seems to hold forth as if their being the House of God or partakers of Christ at present depended upon their future being of what for the present they were things that are are what they are so or so such or such determinately whatsoever followes or not followes in the future no nor yet as if their future Perseverance would declare that their present estates or standing in the Faith was good for they whose Faith for the present is weak and not able to justifie them may notwithstanding insensibly both to themselves and others grow up in time to such a Faith which is justifying and may persevere in it accordingly but only to shew that their being the House of God for the present and so their being partakers of Christ for the present would stand them in little stead would in the end and upshort of all be as if they had not been yea and of a worse consequence too then so unlesse they persevered in the same Faith and Profession unto the end This Exposition of the places is fully consistent with the maine drift and scope of the Epistle which was not to teach the Hebrews to know whether they were true Believers or no at present much lesse to teach them this knowledge by what they should approve themselve◠to be to the day of their death which had been to give Men darknesse to see by but to animate incourage urge and presse them to continue constant in that Faith which at present they had imbraced and made profession of unto the end 3. And lastly as to those words 1 Ioh. 2. 19. They went out from us §. 50. but they were not of us For if they had been of us c. we gave a large account in the preceding Chapter a Cap. 10. Sect. 21 22 c. where we gave evidence upon evidence that there is no such thing so much as supposed or insinuated in them as that they who once truly believe must of necessity alwayes persevere believing The cleere scope and drift of the Context carries them quite another way I shall here only adde this that the Apostles scope being as is evident from that verse and the words next preceding to caution them against those Anti-Christian Teachers that were abroad in the World lest they should be seduced by them it had been very incongruous and enough to blunt if not quite to take off the edge of such a caution so imediately to subjoyne such a Doctrine from whence they might conclude that it was a thing unpossible for them to be seduced at least to the making shipwrack of their Faith Besides that it was not unpossible for them to be thus seduced is fully evident from Verse 24. Let that therefore abide in you which yee have heard from the beginning if that which you have heard from the beginning shall remaine in you yee also shall continue in the Son and in the Father If there had been an impossibility either that the word which they heard from the beginning should not have remained in them to the end or that they should not have continued in the Son doubtlesse the Apostle would never have subjected the former unto question nor suspended the latter upon the taking place of it both which are manifestly done by Him in the said words No Man speaks at so poore a rate of reason and sence as this If the light makes things visible then may an Horse or a Man be seen by it Another Argument calculated for the support of the received Doctrine §. 51. of Perseverance pretends regulation by many pregnant places of Scripture which beare that true Believers who are partakers of the quickning Spirit of Christ and of Regeneration cannot either totally or finally lose them or fall away from them The places levied upon this account are Rom. 6. 2. Verse 8 9 10 11. 1 Joh. 3. 9. 1 Joh. 5 4. 18. Jude Ver. 3. Apoc. 20. 6. To this I answer That upon due examination none of these places will be found guilty of any such Doctrine as they stand charged with in this Argument We have at large in the former Chapter cleared the innocency of one of them viz. 1 Joh. 3. 9. which bears the greatest heat and burthen of the charge to the rest we answer in course Rom. 6. 2. How shall we that are dead to sin live any longer therein These words import no impossibility of their returning unto sin who are dead to it at least who by the tenor and band of their Christian Profession are dead to it for of this kinde of death to sin the Apostle seemes here to speak but only a great and signall unworthinesse in them so to doe So that the interrogative particle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 how carries some such sence with it as this with what face or with what conscience or with what comfort peace or the like HOVV then saith Ioseph to His Mistresse can I doe this great wickednesse and sin against God a Gen. 39. 9. HOVV can I doe it doth not here imply an impossibility for Ioseph to have committed the sin but only a great unseemlinesse or unworthinesse See also Mat. 6. 4. Gal. 4. 9. c. Calvin Himself stretcheth the same line of interpretation over the Scripture in hand which we have done affirming that Paul here discourseth what manner of persons it becommeth us to be when God hath shewed mercy to us and adopted us freely and by an Adverb of the Future-tense sheweth what kind of change ought to follow our justification a Porrò memoriâ tenendum est quod nuper attigi Paulum non hic tractare quales nos Deus inveniat dum vocat in societatem Filii sui sed quales nos esse deceat postquam nostri misertus gratis nos adoptavit Adverbio enim futuri temporis qualis justiciam sequi debeat mutatio ostendit Calvin Rom. 6. 2. The Contents of Verse 8. 9 10 11. of the same Chapter are of the same §. 52. import and interpretation with the former Now if we be dead with Christ we believe
by keeping under his Body c. He should prevent His being a cast-away and remaine for ever in the love and favour of God upon the account of which assureance notwithstanding his feare he rejoyced that joy unspeakable and glorious who shall separate us from the love of Christ For I am perswaded that neither Death nor Life nor Angels nor Principalities nor Powers nor things present nor things to come nor height nor depth nor any other Creature shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord e Rom. 8. 35. 38 39. So that that feare and trembling with and out of which the Children of God not onely lawfully may but of duty ought to worke out their own Salvation f Phil. 2. 13 or which is the same deliverance from condemnation are not of those kinds of feare and trembling which have torment or expectation of evill or doubtfulnesse of safety and well doing attending them but of those which are quickning and provoking to the use of means for safety upon an apprehension of danger coming upon the negligent and sloathfull and accompanied with a peaceable and blessed confidence of obtaining safety thereby So that we may safely conclude that the threatnings of eternall death in the Scriptures which are bent against the faces of Apostates and Backsliders are a means graciously vouchsafed by God for the preserving of His Saints from Apostasie and this by raising a feare of Hell within them in case they shall neglect His Counsell for their Perseverance and consequently that all such threatnings are turned into stubble and rotten wood in the Dialect of the Almighty Job 41. 27. I meane are made powerlesse and uselesse by the Principles of that Doctrine which teacheth any absolutenesse of Promise made unto the Saints for their finall Perseverance Thirdly and lastly as this Doctrine evacuateth all the Exhortations §. 17. and Comminations which the Scripture holdeth forth as means to preserve the Saints in Faith and Holinesse unto the end so doth it all the Promises also which are here given in order to the procurement of the same end the Vertue Efficacy and Power whereof are meerly nullified by such a supposition as this that Believers stand bound to believe an absolute impossibility of their finall declining or falling away to Perdition For when Men are secured and this by the infallible security of Faith that the good things promised are already theirs by the right and title of Faith and that they shall certainely Persevere in Faith unto the end what need or occasion is See more of this Sect. 33. of this Chap. there to perswade or move these Men to doe that which becomes them in order to their Perseverance by any argument drawn from the Promise of such things A promise made to a Man of having or keeping that which is His own already and which he certainely knowes shall not cannot be taken away from Him can have no manner of influence upon Him by way of excitement or inducement to labour for the obtaining of it or to doe the things by which it is to be obtained For as the Apostle reasons in somewhat the like case hope that is not seen is not hope i. e. that which sometimes was the object of Hope when it comes to be seen or injoyed is no longer the object of Hope for what a Man seeth why or how doth he yet hope for g Rom. 8. 24. So may we argue in the case in hand a Promise of what is already injoyed and possest is no Promise hath not the nature property or operation of a Promise in it especially not of a Promise ingaging unto action in order to the obtaining of the good promised A promise of this import I meane that is any wayes likely to ingage unto action must be of some good thing so conditioned in relation to Him to whom the promise is made that he hath no ground to expect the injoyment of it but upon condition of the performance of such or such an action one or more For if such actions and wayes which are proper and requisite for the obtaining of the good promised be otherwise and in themselves desirable and would howsoever be chosen by him to whom the promise is made evident it is that the promise we speak of doth not in this case work at all upon Him or raise such an election in Him Againe if those actions and wayes which are proper and necessary for the obtaining of the good promised be in themselves unpleasant and distastfull unto the Person we speake of to whom the Promise is supposed to be made it is a clear case that he will not lift up his Heart or Hand unto them but onely for the obtaining of such a good and desireable thing which he hath reason to judge will never be obtained by Him but only by the performance of such things For who will trouble Himself to run for that which He knowes He may and shall obtaine by sitting still Thus then it every way appeares that the common Doctrine of absolute and certaine Perseverance makes nothing but winde and vanity of all those most serious and weighty Exhortations Threatnings and Promises in the Scriptures which concerne the Perseverance of the Saints and are directed by God unto them for this end and purpose that by them they may be inabled i. e. made willing watchfull and carefull to Persevere and consequently the very face and spirit of the said Doctrine is directly set and bent against that high concernment of the Saints I meane their Perseverance For whatsoever nullifieth the means is clearly destructive unto the end And thus we have done with our second Argument for the confirmation of that Doctrine which teacheth a possibility of the Saints defection and this unto Death A third Argument is this That Doctrine which representeth God as §. 18. Argum. 3. weake incongruous and incoherent with Himself in His applications unto Men is not from God and consequently that which contradicteth it must needs be the Truth But the Doctrine of Perseverance opposed by us putteth this great dishonor upon God representeth Him weake incongruous c. Ergo. The Major Proposition in this Argument is too great in evidence of Truth to be questioned The Minor is made good by this consideration viz. that the said Doctrine bringeth God upon the great Theater of the Scriptures speaking thus or to this effect in the audience of Heaven and Earth unto His Saints You that truly believe in my Son Jesus Christ and have been once made partakers of my Holy Spirit and therefore are fully perswaded and assured according to my Will and Command given unto you in that behalfe yea according to that ensealing of truth within you which you have from me that you cannot possibly no not by all the most horrid sins and abominable practises that you shall or can commit fall away either totally or finally from your
Act or Decree of His Election freely and of His meer good will and pleasure irrevocably assign adjudg make over and give to His Elect Justification Salvation Glorification and what not in this kinde And if so Christ could not dye to purchase or procure these things for them because they were truly properly and by right of free donation theirs before It were ridiculous for any friend of mine to go and lay down a great sum of money to purchase or procure that on my behalf which I have already assured unto me by the free and stable and irrevocable gift and donation of him that hath a full right and power to give it unto me Therefore whereas many amongst us cry out of Socinianism as a most dangerous Heresie and the great abomination of their Souls the truth is that themselves teach and hold as rank and right-down Socinianism in their Opinion about Election as the greatest Socinians themselves can do For what is the master-veyn in the body of this Heresie but to deny that Christ truly satisfied or made any attonement for sin and that upon this ground because God freely and of His meer grace gives forgiveness of sins unto men without any satisfaction And how little doth this differ from that Doctrine of Election which passeth for currant amongst us teaching that forgiveness of sins and all the great things depending hereon are assigned and decreed unto men in their Election without any consideration had of Christs dying for them or their beleeving in him If it be here said that they who hold Election in the most absolute and §. 5. peremptory way do not say or hold that God intends actually to confer Remission of sins or eternal Life upon the Elect otherwise then for and through the satisfaction made by Christ for them in His Death though they hold that He intends without any respect had to the consideration of Christs Death actually to confer them upon them They exclude the satisfaction of Christ from having any thing to do in Gods Purpose of Election not from having any thing to do in the execution of this His Purpose here they acknowledg it to have much to do to be upon the matter all in all To this we answer That this Distinction or Explication of the Opinion doth no ways relieve it but rather burthens it more and more For 1. Certain it is that God doth not purpose or project one way and act or execute in another but His executions do exactly answer the tenor purport and form of His Purposes or Intentions Men who are subject to oversights and consequently to repentance may and many times do vary from their model or platform when they come to action because some better thing it may be hath come in their way then they thought upon in the first projection of their work But nothing can come in Gods way either more satisfactory or better pleasing unto Him then what was present with Him in the first contrivance or projection of His affairs Therefore if in point of execution He actually confers Remission of sinâ— and Salvation upon men because of and with respect unto the Death and Satisfaction of Christ it is a certain sign that He purposed this collation of them in His Purpose of Election upon no other terms and consequently that in Gods very Purpose of Electing men unto Salvation He had respect unto the Death of Christ yea and to their ingraffing into Him by beleeving and that He never purposed Salvation unto any without interâ—ssing the Death of Christ in His Intentions in this kinde as well as in His Executions of what He thus intâ—â—ds 2. If God might intend and purpose Salvation unto men without the consideration of the Death of Christ certainly He may as well actually confer and give this Salvation without any respect had thereunto For this is a general and plain Rule that whaâ— a man may lawfully will or intend to do without such or such a consideration he may as lawfully act or do it without this consideration For there iâ— every whit as much required to justifie a man in his will or purpose of doing a thing as to justifie him in his act or deed according to this will Certainly that which a man may lawfully will or purpose he may lawfully do In like manner iâ— God might lawfully I mean with the consistence of His Wisdom and Justice purpose will or decree Forgiveness of sins and Salvation unto men without considering them as Beleevers in Christ He â—ay as well actually confeâ— these things upon them without any such consideration and if so the Death of Christ is no ways necessary either to justifie oâ— commâ—nd either the Justice or the Wisdom of God in the actual Justification or Salvation of Men. So that evident it is that the Doctrine of Election as it is ordinarily entertain'd amongst us doth abrogate the Grace of God in Christ and makes His Death to be in vain But the Scripture teacheth this Doctrine upon other terms and maketh Christ i. e. the consideration of Christ and of Faith in Him the foundation of Election and that upon which God raised as it were and built it Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ saith the Apostle who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly pâ—aces or things in Christ according as He hath chosen us in Him before the foundation of the world that we should be holy a Eph. 1. 3 4. c. Observe these words according as He hath chosen us in Him Here are two things very considerable as to our purpose in these words The first lies in that word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 according as or even as Who hath blessed us i. e. actually and de facto blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly things in Christ according as or even as He hath châ—sen us this clearly shews that Gods actings His actual and present Dispensations are adequately and exactly conformable unto His Purposes or Projections God saith the Apostle to them in effect in all that He hath done for us by the Gospel and by Christ as in the enlightening of us in sanctifying of us in justifying of us in comforting of us c. hath but acted that which He had model'd and form'd out for us in His Purpose or Counsel of Election before the World began The second thing to be observed in the words is that God is here said to have chosen us in Him i. e. in Christ before the foundation of the world How or in what sence is God here said to have-elected or chosen us in Christ First I suppose the Apostle here speakâ— not of the Act buâ— of the Purpose or Decree of Election or chusing So the sence oâ— the words according as He hath chosen us in Him before the foundation of the world is this according to that Model Platform or Purpose of Election which upon the happy advantage or opportunity
Serpent is sufficiently salved in this that as the Will and Ordinance of God in and about the Brazen Serpent was that whosoever being stung should look up to it should be healed so is it His good Pleasure in and about Christ that whosoever beleeveth in Him should be saved from that Death which sin exposeth him unto But this doth not imply or suppose Christ to be an Universal Saviour or Redeemer I answer 1. That the Brazen Serpent was not ordained by God to be a condition or means of healing by a looking up to it onely unto those or for their sakes who actually did look up to it and were healed by it unless we shall suppose that all those without exception who were stung of serpents did look up to it and were accordingly healed which would be a supposition without sufficient ground but unto all those without exception and for their sakes who were or any time after should be thus stung whether they would or should look up to it for healing or no. Nor do we finde in the words of the Institution of it lately specified the least whisper or intimation of any exception of Persons in this kinde Therefore unless it be admitted that Christ dyed as well for those or for their sakes who being sinners as all are do not or shall not beleeve in Him as for those who do or shall He will not fulfil the Type we speak of no not in that consideration wherein the richness and fulness of his Grace was in special manner typified as Himself in the words lately transcribed from his own mouth plainly enough declareth 2. If it be granted that this is the Will or Intent of God that whosoever beleeveth or shall beleeve in Him shall be saved it amounts to as much in expressness of consequence and import as we contend for viz. that there is Salvation purchased and procured by Him for all Men without exception For that which is to be had upon the performance of such a condition which being performed gives no Being to it must of necessity have a Being there where or from whence it is to be had upon the performance of this condition whether this condition be performed or no. If it be true that in case I shall go up into the Chamber I shall meet my Friend or Brother there it must needs be true that my Friend or Brother is there whether I go up to meet him there or no. In like manner if this be a truth that in case I shall beleeve on Christ I shall finde Salvation for my self in Him it must of necessity be every whit as true that there is Salvation in Him for me whether I beleeve in Him or no because my beleeving in Him would not create any Salvation in Him more then what was in Him before So that if it were not in Him before my beleeving I could not have it I should not finde it in Him though I should beleeve But the legitimacy of the consequence we speak of from the Premisses unto which we relate it and which are our Adversaries own resolute Doctrine we have argued and evicted at large and this more then once in our former Discussions s See Cap. 7. Sect. 2 3 c. and Cap. 8. 31 §. 42. Again The other great Type we mentioned of the Redemption purchased by Christ for the World the Feast of Jubilee plainly proveth this Redemption to have been in the purchase and procurement of it general or universal however in the actual Possession or enjoyment of it it proves the benefit or blessing onely of a few by means of the non-acceptation of it by the greatest part of those for whom it was purchased That the Feast of Jubilee under the Law was a Type and that of a most clear and significant import of the spiritual Liberty and Freedom from Sin and Misery purchased by Christ and proclaimed by God in the Gospel unto the World is the standing Notion and sence of all Parties in the present Controversies The Tenor of the Institution of this Feast as far as concerns the business in hand runneth thus And ye shall hallow the fiftieth year and proclaim Liberty throughout all the Land unto ALL the Inhabitants thereof it shall be a Jubilee unto you and ye shall return EVERY MAN unto His Possession and yâ— shall return EVERY MAN unto His Family t Lev. 25. 10 And a little after In the year of this Iubilee ye shall return EVERY MAN unto His Possession u Verse 13 This returning of every man to His possession is saith Mr Ainsworth a figure of our restoring by Christ into Paradise the Possession whereof Adam lost by sin And by proportion the returning of every man to His Family i. e. to his civil liberty and freedom is a figure of our restoring by Christ unto that spiritual liberty or freedom from under the dominion and power of sin with all the hard consequences of such a bondage whereof we were all deprived by Adams sin Now the Tenor of the Counsel and Intentions of God in the Erection or Institution of this Feast we see expresly to be the ease benefit restitution to possessions and liberties of EVERY MAN without the exception of any Yea all servants that had refused their liberty at the end of the seventh year of their service which their Masters were expresly enjoyned by the Law x Exod. 21. 6 to grant unto them if they desired it had the benefit and indulgence of the Iubilee and were then to be manumized or set at liberty if they desired it as well as others which plainly signified the riches of the Grace of God in the Gospel to be so great that even wilful sinners and such as have waxen old in ways of provocation are hereby made capable of the love and favor of God in the Pardon of all their sins For to note this by the way the Intent of this Feast was not I suppose to compel or necessitate every man no nor yet any man to return either to his Possession or to his Family whether they would or no but to afford them an opportunity and to invest them with a liberty or right of returning unto either if they pleased Because otherwise it had been less matter of gratification ease or indulgence unto men yea possibly unto some as viz. unto those who had been found unwilling to return unto either it had been matter of trouble and disconâ—ent 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as the Greek Epigram hath it i. e. What â—'re Necessity imposeth The Minde necessitated troubleth But to the Point in hand It being the clear and unquestionable intent of God in and by the great and solemn Feast of Jubilee to lose the two sore yokes of Bondage and Poverty from off all necks whatsoever without any difference or distinction of persons in one kinde or other He should be far more gracious and munificent in Type or Shadow then in Substance in
in the preceding Chapters of this Book managed I trust to the satisfaction of all such who count it more safe to stand upon a rock alone or with a few then upon a quagmire or quicksand with a greater company But because all Men have not this Faith I shall shew unto those that want it a cloud of as honorable Persons I suppose even in their own eyes as any that have inhabited Mortality since the Apostles days standing upon the Rock of that Doctrine which hath been asserted and recommended in our former Discussions For who within that compass of time we speak of have had a spirit of greater glory resting on them then those that sate in the Apostles Chairs next after them and were Pillars of light and fire in the Christian Church in her Primitive and purest days And that these in their respective stations and successive generations were not onely Partakers but Defenders and Assertors of the same Faith with us in the Doctrine of Redemption hitherto maintained is legible enough in the next ensuing Testimonies after which we shall shew how fluctuating and inconsistent with themselves the Judgments of later Writers have been about the said Doctrine and how unpossible it is for any man to be of an established Conscience therein that shall build himself upon their Authority We shall begin with Augustin the first born amongst the Fathers though not in time yet in worth and Name and from him proceed first unto those that lived before him by a gradual ascent and then to those that succeeded him by a descent answerable That Austin's Doctrine concerning the Intentions of God about the extent of the Death of Christ was the same with that asserted by us for orthodox and sound in our present Discourse needeth I suppose no greater proof then an unpartial and due consideration of these and such like sayings scattered up and down his Writings from place to place upon occasion In that Discourse wherein He makes answer ad Articulos sibi falso impositos to certain Articles falsly fathered upon Him He insisteth upon this in the first place as layd to his charge that he should hold That our Lord Iesus Christ did not suffer for the Redemption of all Men a Quod Dominus nostâ—â— Iesus Christus non â—â—o omnium hominum redemptione sit passus The second He mentioneth is this That God should not be willing to save all Men though all Men were willing to be saved b Quod Deus omnes nolit servaâ—e etiamsi omnes salvari vâ—lint In purging himself upon the former of these He writeth thus Against the wound of original sin wherewith in Adam the Nature of all Men was corrupted and become dead and from whence the disease of all manner of concupiscence groweth the Death of the Son of God our Lord Iesus Christ is a true potent and the singular Remedy who being not liable to the debt of Death and the onely Person without sin dyed for those that were sinners and debtors in this kinde Therefore as to the greatness and potency of the price and as far as concerns one and the same cause of Mankinde the Blood of Christ is the REDEMPTION OF THE WHOLE WORLD But they who pass through this world without the Faith of Christ and the Sacrament or sacred work of Regeneration are strangers to or estranged from this Redemption Therefore whereas by reason of one and the same Nature of all Men and by one and the same cause of all Men truly undertaken by our Lord all Men may truly be said to be redeemed yet all Men are not actually brought or delivered out of captivity The propriety i. e. the actual possession and enjoyment of Redemption is doubtless with them out of whom the Prince of this World is cast forth and who are now not Vessels of the Devil but Members of Christ Whose Death is not so bestowed upon Mankinde that they who never come to be regenerate should belong to the Redemption thereof i. e. should actâ—ally partake of this Redemption but so that what by one onely Example or exemplary Act was done for all Men together or at once might be celebrated in all particular persons by a particular Sacrament i. e. might by a particular administration of the Sacrament of this Redemption meaning I suppose Baptism to each particular man be plainly declared to relate unto or to concern all particulars For that cup or potion of immortality which was tempered and made of our infirmity and the Divine Power or Vertue hath in it wherewith to profit all Men but it profiteth no man unless He drinketh it c Contrà vulnus originalis peccati quo in Adam omnium hominuÌ„ corrupta mortificata est Natura unde omnium concupiscentiaruÌ„ morbus inolevit verum potens singulare remedium est mors filii Dei Domini nostri Iesu Christi qui liber à mortis debito solus absque peccato pro peccatoribus debitoribus mortuus est Quòd ergo ad magnitudinem potentiam precij quod ad unam pertinet causam generis humani sanguis Christi Redemptio est totius Mundi Sed qui hoc saecuium sine fide Christi sine Regenerationis Sacramento pertranseunt Redemptionis alieni sunt Cùm itaque per unam omnium naturam omnium causam à Domino nostro in veritate susceptam Redempti omnes recté dicantur non tamen omnes captivitate sunt eruti Redemptionis proprietas haud dubium penes illos est de quibus Princeps hujus Mundi missus est foras jam non vasa Diabolt sed membra Christi Cujus Mors non impensa est humano generi vt ad Redemptionem ejus etiam qui regenerandi non erant pertinerent sed ita quod per unicum exemplum gestum est pro universis per singulare Sacramentum celebraretur in singuilis Poculum quippe Immortalitatis quod confectum est de infirmitate nostrâ virtute divinâ habet quidem in se vt omnibus prosit sed si non bibitur non proficit What Testimony from a man concerning his Judgment in any Point can be imagined more pregnant satisfactory and clear then such wherein He expresly complains of being falsly charged with the contrary and vindicates and explains himself accordingly Beza because of this Testimony so full and particular against his Opinion of limited Redemption and being loth to have this his Opinion â—â—cumbred with the opposite Authority of this Father dischargeth it of the burthen by pretending that the Book or Tract wherein it standeth is supposititious and not Augustins But besides the genius phrase and stilâ— every ways 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 resembling the Author whose Name it beareth Calvin who of the two was a man of greater discerning abilities acknowledgeth it accordingly d De occultâ Dei Provid in Respons ad Praefat. Opusc p. 851. Nor is there any piece in all those
twigs or lesser branches should prove dry and sere and so be easily broken off So may a Mountain remain unmoved yea and unmovable though many handfuls of the lighter and looser earth about the sides of it should be taken up and scattered into the ayr like dust In like manner the main Body of a Discourse may stand entire in its solidity weight and strength though many particular Expressions Sayings and Reasonings therein that are more circumferential and remote from the center should be detected either of inconsiderateness weakness or untruth Yea in some cases one Argument or Plea may be so triumphantly pregnant and commanding that though many others of the same engagement should be defeated yet the cause protected by it may upon a very sober and justifiable account laugh all opposition of contrary arguings to scorn I acknowledg there are some Expressions and Passages in the ensuing Discourse as in Cap. 1. Sect. 9. and elsewhere which upon the review I my self apprehend obnoxious enough to exception yea and which had my second thoughts been born in due time should have been somewhat better secured But I trust that ancient Law of indulgence in such cases as mine which very probably may be some of your own also is of Authority sufficient in your Common-wealth to relieve me O pere in longo fas est obrepere somnum i. e. On him that sits long at work Sleep Without disparagement may creep Neither need I suspect or fear any of that unmanlike Learning amongst you which teacheth men to confute Opinions by vulgar votes and exclamations We know that this Sect or Heresie is every where spoken against i Acts 28 22 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. had no influence upon Paul to turn him out of the way of his Heresie And for those Mormolukes or Vizors of Arminianism Socinianism Popery Pelagianism with the like which serve to affright children in understanding out of the love and liking of many most worthy and important Truths I am not under any jealousie concerning you that you should suffer any such impressions from them You know that that great Enemy of the Peace and Salvation of men who of old taught the Enemies of God to put his Saints into Bears skins and Wolves skins so preparing them to be torn in peeces and devoured by Dogs hath in these latter times secretly insinuated and prevailed with many of the children of God themselves to put many of his Truths such as they like not or comprehend not into Names of Ignominy and Reproach to draw others into the same hatred and defamation of them with themselves I have somewhere observed that this method of confuting and suppressing Opinions against which men have had no competent grounds of Eviction otherwise was at first invented by the subtil Sons of the Synagogue of Rome k Divine Authority of the Scriptures page 202 203 and elsewhere shewed by several instances that it is familiarly practised by them The truth is that you have no such temptation upon you as particular and private men have to flee to any such polluted Sanctuary as that mentioned to save your Names and Reputations from the hand of any Opinion or Doctrine whatsoever For you so far I presume understand your Interest and Prerogative that for matters of Opinion and Doctrine you are invested with an autocratorical majesty like that which was sometimes given unto Nebuchadnezzar over men whom he would he slew and whom he would he kept alive whom he would he set up and whom he would he put down l Dan. 5. 19 By the joynt suffrage of your Authority your Interest of Esteem amongst men being so predominant you may slay whâ—t Doctrines what Opinions you please and what you please you may keep alive of what Tenents you please you may make the faces to shine and of what you please you may lay the honor in the dust If you will justifie who are they that will not be afraid to condemn if you condemn who will justifie Only Gods eldest Daughter Truth hath One mightier then you on her side who will justifie her in due time though you should condemn her and will raise her up from the dead the third day in case you shall slay her However if the Doctrine commended in the Discourse now presented unto you shall commend it self in your eyes also for a Truth far be it from you to hide your faces from it because at present it labors and suffers reproach in the World considering that you may very suddenly take away the reproach and partake your selves of that Honor which you shall cast upon it Should such an University as you fear the reproach of standing by a Truth Jesus Christ is not ashamed of the Bodies of his Saints living or dead though in both conditions vile and contemptible in the eyes of men knowing that he hath power in his hand to cloath them with glory and immortality when he pleaseth and that this glory when vested in them will be an high augmentation of his own Brethren unto you I may truly say with Paul to his Philippians that I have you in my heart m Philip. 1. 7 I can look upon you with an eye of good hope as a generation of men anointed by God with a spirit of Wisdom Knowledg Zeal and Faithfulness to bring on the New Heavens and the New Earth wherein Righteousness shall dwell and this by repairing the breaches and decayed places in the Body of the Doctrine of Christian Religion which since the first raising and compleating of it by Christ and his Apostles partly through the ignorance and insufficiency partly through the oscitancy and remissness of those to whom the guardianship and custody thereof have been committed by God in their successive generations hath been lamentably dismantled mis-figured and defaced and this well-nigh in all the integral and principal parts of it more or less In so much that a man who truly and clearly apprehends what this Doctrine was and yet is in her purity and native frame and shall compare it with the Systeme or Body of Divinity which under this Notion is commonly taught and held forth amongst us will hardly be able to say this is the Doctrine of Christ For whosoever shall engage himself with that diligence throughness and unpartialness of Enquiry which become those who run for so high a prize as an incorruptible Crown of Glory to consider what is ordinarily delivered and more generally received amongst us not onely in and about those great Points of Election Reprobation Redemption the efficacy and extent of the Grace of God and Perseverance of the Saints but also about many other Heads of Christian Doctrine as about Faith Justification the Sufferings of Christ the Intercession of Christ Repentance Good Works Baptism the state and condition of the Dead until the Resurrection with sundry more and shall with like diligence consider what the Scriptures teach concerning these Particulars respectively will
consider that the Answer which I had prepared a good part of it being taken up in proving the Pamphleter tardy in several reports made by him of matters of fact the knowledg whereof would be I conceived of slender Edification and of no great Acceptation unto Readers and the detection of â—â—m in such unworthy practices might be offensive to some of his Friends whom I well respected might in these respects rather cumber then benefit the World in case it were published And considering further that the matters of real weight and consequence insisted upon in the Answer being here handled onely according to the exigency of the Particulars of my Charge respectively might more satisfactorily and with more advantage to the Peace and Comfort of Men be discoursed in a just and entire Treatise I accordingly changed my Intentions of publishing the said Answer into a Resolution of declaring and asserting my Judgment about the Doctrinal Imputations specified and managed therein against me more at large This Resolution continuing with me seconded and strengthened with further Light shining into my Heart dayly from the Father of Lights about those important affairs which lay upon mine hand to manage not onely in order to my own Vindication in such passages of Doctrine wherein I was publiquely traduced by the Pamphleter as a Teacher of Errors but to the christian Information and Consolation of others also hath at last given the light of life to the ensuing Treatise the perusal whereof I desire to recommend upon such terms unto thee that thou mayst resent it as worthy thy labor and the best exercise and engagement of thy minde and thoughts This I presume I should do effectually if I were able in the first place to possess thee throughly with a true Notion of the danger of Error and mis-apprehension in the things of God Secondly with the deep and solemn necessity which lieth upon all persons of Mankinde without exception who are endued with Reason and Vnderstanding to engage these worthy and noble Faculties to their uttermost about the things of God and matters of Salvation and lastly with the innocency and inoffensiveness of the Doctrines maintained in the present Discourse in respect of those vulgar Imputations which by way of prejudice are layd to their charge And these things I shall endevor within the narrowest compass of words wherein it is lightly possible for matters of so great consequence to be transacted to any purpose in the remainder of this Epistle For the first Truth especially in things of a supernatural concernment the knowledg The danger of Error in matters of a Religious import whereof faceth Eternity and without which in some competent degree no person capable of it can or will be judged by God meet to partake with the Saints in the inheritance of light being nothing else interpretatively but God himself prepared of and by himself for a beatifical Vnion with the Vnderstanding and from hence with the heart and affections of men Error in things of this high and sacred import can be nothing else but Satan the Great Enemy of the Peace and Blessedness of Men contriving and distilling himself into a Notion or Impression apt and likely to be entertained and admitted by the Vnderstanding under the appearance and in the name of Truth into union with it self and by means hereof into union also with the Heart and Soul of Men. Much in such a sence as that wherein the Apostle affirmeth meats to be for the belly and the belly again for meats b 1 Cor. 6. 13 is Truth for the Vnderstanding and the Vnderstanding for Truth And in such a sence as poysoned or unwholesom meats are not nor ever were intended by God for the belly nor the belly for them it may truly be said that Error is not nor was ever intended by God for the Vnderstanding nor the Vnderstanding for Error Truth or God issuing and streaming out his most excellent and incomprehensible Nature and Being his infinite Wisdom knowledg Power Goodness Bounty Mercy Justice c. in certain Positions Notions and apprehensions is of the most natural kindly and soveraign accommodation for the Vnderstandings of men and dependently hereupon for their hearts and affections also that can be imagined So that the belly is not in the low way of Nature appropriate unto it better or more naturally provided for and satisfied when filled with the best and best nourishing meats nor the body or rest of the members in a more ready natural and certain way of well-doing naturally whilest the nourishment of these meats lasteth and is regularly dispensed from the belly unto them then the Vnderstanding of a man is when invested enriched filled with supernatural and Divine Truth and whilest the knowledg and due consideration hereof there abideth as far as the influence and sphere of the activeness of it extend the Heart Soul and Affections of Men also are hereby enriched and filled with their appropriate Treasures of Righteousness Holiness Joy and Peace Whereas Error and all Mis-notions of God his Nature Attributes Counsels or Ways though the Minde and Vnderstanding of a man may rejoyce over them for a season yet do they all this while pollute corrupt and imbase them by their union and communion with them as a person of a noble house and blood stains his honor and reputation by coupling himself in marriage with a woman of base parentage and conditions Yea all Error of that kinde whereof I now speak being seated in the Judgment and Vnderstanding secretly and by degrees infuseth a proportionable malignity into the Will and affections and occasioneth sinful distempers unholy and unworthy dispositions to put forth here The truth is that Error is the great Troubler of the World it is that fountain of Death that issueth and sendeth out all those bitter waters and streams of sin and unrighteousness in every kinde which overflow the Earth almost in every place and part of it making it so extreamly barren of Comfort and Peace as it is yea and as the shadow of Death to the Inhabitants of it Why do men so universally walk in ways of Oppression Extortion Deceit Covetousness Vnmercifulness Druâ—kenness Vncleanness Envy Hatred Pride Ambition c. but because they judg such ways as these all circumstances considered more commodious and desirable unto them then ways and practices of a contrary that is of an holy and truly-honorable import And what is this but a most stupendious and horrid Error and mistake being the natural result of those numberless erroneous and lying apprehensions and conceits concerning God wherewith men willingly suffer their mindes and consciences to be imbased and corrupted even to a spiritual rottenness and putrifaction For when God shall please to heal the World of all the malignity that yet boyls and works in the bowels of it and breaks out upon all occasions to the great annoyance and discontent of men the receit which he will administer unto it in order
and Vnderstandings as unlawful or dangerous in these affairs how prudently soever they may consult their own carnal ease honor or worldly accommodations by such a Doctrine yet herein they say unto men in effect Be not excellent let it never be said that the God of Heaven hath made you rich or Great Good Reader I have no Apology for my Prolixity in the Argument in hand but only the high and soveraign importance of it together with mine own abounding in the sense of that most sad Calamity under which the world groaneth by means of the importune tyrannical Regency of that Notion or Doctrine unto the deposal whereof I have lift up my Heart and Hand in all that I have said herein I shall only add this one word more upon this account at the present Whereas thou I fear art ready to complain of a long Harvest already the truth is that all I have said in the business hitherto is but a first-fruit of that abundance which yet remaineth in my spirit and Soul ready to utter it self upon any other like occasion for the eradication and utter extirpation if it be possible of that most pestilential and pernicious notion and conceit out of the minds of men In the mean time I shall make thee some part of amends for thy patient bearing of my burthen in this Point by as much brevity as thou canst reasonably desire in the third and last particular yet remaining The tenour hereof was to remove some stumbling stones which it is like have been thrown in thy way to alienate thy mind from the perusal of the Discourse ensuing Objections against the reading of the present Discourse with others of like Argument answered For Satan and men have together devised and hammered out variety of Arguments or Pretences to alienate the minds of weak and inconsiderate persons not only from the Dâ—â—trines themselves here asserted but even from acquainting themselves with Books or Discourses of like Argument and Plea with the Discourse before thee One Vizor very hideous and affrighting which they put upon the face of such Discourses as this to scare children in Vnderstanding from them is that they teach the uncomfortable sad and dismal Doctrine of the possibility of Saints and true Beleevers falling away and this both totally and finally But how far this Doctrine is from being either uncomfortable sad or dismal I shall not here stand to demonstrate but refer thee to the nineth Chapter of the Discourse it self with several other passages afterwards where I evidently prove the two opposite Doctrines being duly and unpartially compared together that that which denyeth this possibility is every whit as great yea a far greater Enemy to the peace and comfort of the Saints then that which affirmeth it Secondly Some labor to work a distaste of such Discourses as we speak of in the minds of men by possessing them with a conceit that they are derogatory and injurious to the Grace or freeness of the Grace of God in the Salvation of Men and that they exalt Nature and the abilities hereof as Free-will and the like to the dishonor and prejudice of this Grace To this I answer 1. That I am no ways responsible for all that may possibly sibly be taught or said in every Treatise or Discourse that buildeth up one or more of the Doctrines here asserted but only for such things wherein their sence and mine greet eâ—ch other 2. I answer to the Charge in reference to my self and my Doctrine and Judgment touching the Grace of God that it is of a like consideration and relation between my Accusers and me as the accusation of an unchaste deportment brought against Joseph by his Mistress was between them For as the Accuser here and not the Accused was guilty of the crime objected in the Accusation so the truth is that the Sence and Opinion of those who sentence my Doctrine as injurious to the Grace or freeness of the Grace of God are themselves deep in the condemnation my Doctrine being as innocent as the manifest Truth it self is from such a crime Nor doth it exalt Nature any whit more if not much less then they For 1. Concerning the Grace of God and the freeness hereof I hold and teach nothing but what fairly and fully accords with these Positions 1. That the Original or first-spring of the Salvation of the World and so of every particular person that comes to be saved was in and from the Grace the free Grace and good Pleasure of God 2. That the whole method or systeme of Counsels by which and according unto which God effecteth and bringeth to pass the Salvation of all that are saved did proceed wholly and entirely from the same Grace and good pleasure 3. And more particularly That the gift of Jesus Christ for a Mediator and Saviour unto the World and so the Grant or Promise of Justification and Salvation unto men by or upon beleeving issued solely and wholly from the same Grace 4. That men by Nature and of themselves i. e. considered in and under such a condition as they were brought unto by Adam and wherein they should have subsisted in case they had ever been born and lived in the world had not the free Grace of God in Christ interposed to relieve them and better their condition have no strength or power not the least inclination or propension of Will to do any thing little or much acceptable unto God or of a saving import 5. That notwithstanding this restaâ—ration or healing of the natural condition of man by the free Grace of God yet there is not one of a thousand possibly not one throughout the whole World but so far corrupts himself with the lusts of the flesh and ways of the World that without a second relief from the free Grace of God as viz. in his patience and long-suffering towards him ever comes to repent or believe or to persevere beleeving and so to be saved 6. That it is from the free and undeserved Grace of God that any person of Mankind is so much as put into a capacity of beleeving or hath power and means vouchsafed unto him sufficient to enable him to beleeve 7. That a man is put into this capacity of beleeving by an irresistible acting or working of the free Grace of God 8. That when any man by vertue of the power and means vouchsafed unto him by the free Grace of God comes actually to beleeve the exercise and acting of this power proceeds also from the free Grace and good pleasure of God so that no man ever believeth without a present and actual assistance from the free Grace of God in order to this his beleeving over and above his ability or power to beleeve 9. And lastly That the act of beleeving whensoever it is performed by any man is so inconsiderably and at so low a rate of efficiency from a mans self that to help apprehension a lttle in the case
spiritual and obstruse contemplation it cannot reasonably be expected but that the Disputes themselves should sometimes soar high so that the ordinary apprehensions of men may possibly lose the sight of them for a time 5. Some plead a non-necessity of bestowing our time in looking into Books that shall now or hereafter be written about the Argument or Subject matter of the present Discourse upon a pretence that nothing more can be said therein then hath been said already and that all Scriptures and Arguments that can be levyed for the defence of the Doctrines maintained herein have been already answered Such a pretence as this is proper for men who hope to make a great purchase with a little money to produce the honour and reputation of much knowledg and learning by uttering a few assuming and daring words For upon what sober and rational account can such a saying proceed from any man Or who can say unto the Almighty with due reverence to the unsearchable Riches either of his Wisdom or of his Grace and Bounty Hitherto indeed thou hast advanced thy self in giving Wisdom and Understanding unto men but further thou canst not go thy treasures are exhaust It becometh not me to say unless I were invested with Paul's priviledg of speaking without offence like a fool e 2 Cor. 11. 16 23 that there are several Considerations and Grounds traversed in the present Discourse and these intimously relating to the Controversies there handled which I beleeve the Masters of the pretence last specified have not observed in all their Travels through those many regions of Books and Authors which they would be supposed to have read and studied for the Information of themselves and others with the Truth in those great Controversies And whereas the Pretext in hand glorieth that all that hath been said in defence of the Opinions avouched in our Discourse hath been already answered unless he takes Sanctuary at some very unproper signification of the word Answer his glorying in this behalf will be found to his shame yea such a Sanctuary as this will not much relieve him Indeed as Tacitus saith of the ancient Britans of this Nation in relation to the Romans eos potius triumphatos quam victos fuisse that the Romans rather triumphed over them then overcame them so have the Adversaries of the Opinions and Doctrines we speak of been at the charge of erecting many Trophies one after another as if they had by the Sword of the Spirit and dint of Argument vanquished and subdued them and trodden down their strength whereas upon a true and unpartial account the main Grounds and Pillars upon which the said Doctrines stand will be found to remain undemolished and unshaken to this day yea and to have too much evidence and clearness of truth in them ever to be shaken Some pretend that the Opinions contended for in this Discourse have been from time to time taken up and held for the most part by a looser and less-Religious generation of men and the contrary by persons of a better Name for Holiness and Worthiness of Conversation This notion is accessory to some mens stumblings at the said Opinions yea and at all those whether men or Books that give the right hand of fellowship unto them But what near communion this notion hath with darkness and untruth is abundantly proved in the nineth fifteenth and nineteenth Chapters of the Discourse besides other places Although the truth is that were there truth in it yet would there be little weight in it to mediate a resolved Enmity between mens Iudgments and these Opinions The Devil held that Jesus Christ was the Holy One of God f Mark 1. 24 and professed it whilest Paul persecuted him and thought verily that he was bound to do many things against his Name g Acts 26. 9 But to this Point I speak more in the said 15 Chapter The noise of Arminianism Pelagianism Socinianism is very terrible in the ears of some and make the said Opinionâ— the dread and abhorring of their Souls and all Books and men that own them as the shadow of death unto them To this I answer 1. That it is a saying of Luther that God sometimes puts on the vizor of the Devil and the Devil the vizor of God But God would be known by men under the vizor of the Devil and would have the Devil rejected under the vizor of God h Deus larvam Diaboli Diabâ—lus Dei induit et Deus sub larva Diaboli cognosci et Diabolum sub larva Dei reprobari vult Luth. in Gal. 5 Odious names and imputations are but the Devils vizors which though they be by men put upon the face of Truth will not excuse us in our rejections of the Truth But 2. Concerning the Charge of Pelagianism I demonstrate in several passages in the Discourse that the Opinions there pleaded have an express diametral antipathy against the Errors of Pelagius and that the sence of our Adversaries in opposition to us is truly Pelagian 3. Concerning Arminianism I confess I do not well understand what men mean by it I suppose they mean the owning of such Doctrines or Opinions in opposition to the Truth so voted and called by men which were held and taught by Arminius If so the formality or essence of Arminianism doth not stand in holding any thing simply in opposition to the Truth but in opposition unto men as supposed by themselves and others to be Truth The Jewish Doctors who love to be called Rabbi have a saying that the Law is on Earth not in Heaven the import of which saying Musculus interprets to be this that the Law meaning of God is subject to their power i Magistri Synagogae dicebant Lex est in terra non est in coeliâ— significantes illam suae potestati esse subjectam Mus 1. Cor. 11 or authority If this be the sence of those that are Teachers amongst us that their Authority is competent to over-rule the Scriptures or to make Truth and error of what they please they who dissent from them must for ought I know compose themselves as well as they can to bear the burthen of their imputations If the opinions commended by me for Truth in the work in band be Arminian certain I am that the ancient Fathers and Writers of the Christian Church were generally Arminian yea and that Calvin himself had many sore fits and pangs of Arminianism at times upon him yea and that the Synod of Dort it self was not free from the infection nor scarce any writer of name and note in these latter times These things are brought into a clear and unquestionable light by the Discourse ensuing Concerning Socinianism if the opinions themselves charged herewith know no more then I do of the Truth of the charge they may justly take up Davids complaint and say They lay to our charge things that we know not k Psal 35. 11 But if such Doctrines or Tenents
that great and blessed end and purpose viz. that by them they might be made capable of attaining that life and Salvation which was procured purchased for them by Christâ— and intended to be really conferr'd upon them upon their believing and continuance therein unto the end though it is true that men generally as they grow up in the World convert these Principles of light and understanding to other uses and not to those for which they are given them as viz. to make provision for the flesh for the fulfilling of the lusts thereof and not to the obtaining of that life and happinesse which is in Christ for them as foolish Children which fall to play or quarrell amongst themselves by the opportunity of that Candle which their Parents allow them for their studies and books Yea men generally doe not only mis-spend those Talents of light we speake of about the impertinencies of this present World but partly through an un-manlike oscitancy and inconsideratenesse partly out of an inordinate Propensity to comport with the World without any feare or sence of danger hereby suffer their judgements and understandings to be corrupted adulterated imbased and abused by many false and foolish Principles and Notions which turne them quite aside from a regular and due prosecution of that Life and Salvation which is in Christ for them and might have been obtained by them yea and subject them to a sad incapacity of the things of their Peace when they are proposed with the greatest Evidence and Power unto them Insomuch that though the Life which was in Christ is said to be the light of men yet it immediately followeth that the light shineth in darknesse i. e. The Doctrine of Life and Salvation is cleerly Preached to an ignorant World and the darknesse comprehended it not i. e. That ignorance or incapacity rather of the things of eternall life which men have voluntarily contracted and brought upon themselves is fo exceeding great and strange that they understand little or nothing of this Doctrine so Preached unto them But this occasionally only and by the way As to the Worke in hand doubtlesse there was never any man touch'd with any competent sence or enlightened with any tolerable Notion of a Deity that ever put it to the question in himself whether God was perfect or no. All men saith Aristotle in his Metaphysiques without any demur or delay ascribe that unto God which they conceive to be most perfect And indeed that very Sence and Notion of God which Nature prompteth her Children with though many of them are dull of hearing in this kind doth not admit of any thing look'd upon as defective or imperfect within the Verge of it Therefore having so firme and so generally-approved a foundation to build upon as the perfection of God let us see what it affordeth unto us by way of §. 4. evident deduction toward the advancement of our great design the magnifying of God in his gracious intendments of salvation unto all men without exception in or by the Death of Christ First if the Nature Essence and Being of God be most perfect then must it needs be most simple most intirely absolutely and perfectly one not admitting any Plurality or Composition whatsoever The reason of this is plaine because all Plurality and Composition whether of Parts or of Natures suppose imperfection For if any one of these Parts or Natures were perfect absolutely or infinitely perfect it were able to do whatsoever is necessary yea or possible to be done for without this there is no simple or absolute perfection and then what need were there of any thing more to be added unto it or joyn'd with it That a man hath Eares as well as Eyes and Eyes as well as Eares and so Hands as well as Feet and Feet as well as Hands cleerly proves that no one of these members are simply and absolutely perfect i. e. can do or performe and this with a like comelinesse and conveniency whatsoever is necessary to be done and performed by man for then all the rest should be superfluous They may all be perfect in their kinde i. e. with a determinate and limited perfection and in order to such or such a particular action and service and yet one stand in neede of another as the Apostle speaketh but if any one of them were simply and absolutely perfect i. e. could doe all things whatsoever upon the same terms of convenience which both it self and all the rest can do together certainly all the rest were needlesse So if an Angel could understand by his meere Essence or Substance of his Nature without any endowment or gift of understanding distinct there-from or could perform any other action or do any execution immediately by his Essence without the intervening of those Naturall endowments or qualities of Strength Power Activenesse c. all these endowments and appendices to his Nature and Essence would be meerly superfluous The necessity which the Angels have of Wisdom Knowledge Reason Strength c. over and besides their meere Essences and Beings plainly declareth and sheweth these Essences and Beings of theirs to be unperfect I meane in respect of a simple and absolute perfection and that they stand in neede of such additionall Properties and Endowments as we speak of to make them perfect even in their own kind Nor is it indeed possible for God to make any such Creature or to speak somewhat more properly no such Creature can possibly be made which shall be able to act or worke immediately by its Essence or otherwise then by the mediation of some Vertue Property or Quality in one kinde or other inherent therein it being the glorious and incommunicable property and prerogative of the Divine Essence or Being it self so to worke So then this absolute and infinite simplicity of the Nature of God supposed as without which he cannot be absolutely and infinitely perfect it plainly followeth First that all those attributes of God commonly so called as Wisdome §. 5. Knowledge Justice Mercy Goodnesse Power c. and so all those Passions and Affections as of Anger Griefe Repentance Love Hatred c. Deo idem est esse fortem esse vel sapientem esse vel justum esse si quid de illa simplici multiplicitate vel multiplici simplicitate dixeris quo substantia ejus significâ—tur Aug. de Trin. l. 6. c. 4. And again all those Parts or Members as Eyes Eares Hands Feet Mouth c. which are so frequently attributed unto him in the Scriptures are all one and the same thing in God though they be very different things in men nor is any one of them nor all of them together any other thing but only his single simple and pure Essence But therefore all this variety and diversity both of Attributes Affections and Parts is attributed unto him because by meanes of this one simple and single Essence being infinitely perfect he can when he
we are not to conceive that upon the multiplication or new production of Entities or Beings the acts of God are multiplied for or in their production but that whatsoever is produced by him or receives being from him as all things that have being do when or at what time soever they receive this being they receive it by vertue of that one creative act of his by which at once in the beginning as the Scripture phrase is he gave being to all things Past Present and yet to Come Nor are we to conceive that when Moses reporteth the History of the Creation thus And God said let there be light a Gen. 1. 3. and afterwards viz. after a dayes space that he said Let there be a Firmament b Gen. 1. 6. and again after the same distance of time Let the waters under the Heaven he gathered together into one place c Gen. 1. 9. c. that he spake these things at three severall distinct times or that he waited the just space of a day between speech and speech but that Moses his intent in this description or relation was to declare by what successive spaces or distances of time that one Creative Word of God which he spake at once took place and gave being to the severall and respective parts of the Universe So that for example when by way of Preface to the second dayes worke he writeth thus And God said let there be a Firmament c. His meaning only was to signifie what that one creative Word of God once and at once spoken did produce or give being unto towards the compleating of the Universe the second day after the Creation was begun not that God rested or kept silence for a dayes space and then fell to work again This truth I mean that all temporary and successive effects in the World §. 16. whether produced by the intervening and concourse of second Causes or without are produced by the impression and vigour of that one great act of God we speak of and not by any new act exercised or exerted by him in order to their severall and particular Productions is frequently insinuated in the Scriptures themselves yea and is demonstrable by ground of reason and nothing but what hath been the judgement of severall learned men and of Augustine by name The context of Moses Gen. 2. 4. tenoureth thus These are the generations of the Heavens and of the Earth when they were created IN THE DAY that the Lord made the Earth and the Heavens and every plant of the field BEFORE IT WAS IN THE EARTH and every herb of the Field BEFORE IT GREVV Here he plainly affirmeth that God created the Earth and the Heavens in the same day and every Plant of the Field BEFORE it was in the Earth c. Cleerly implying that though the Earth and the Heavens received their respective beings on two severall dayes successively yet that which God acted or did towards their Productions was done by him in one and the same day i. e. at once and again that although no Plant of the Field was actually produced before it was in the Earth for no Plant was made out of the Earth and afterwards by God put into it yet that on Gods part and in respect of what he contributed towards their actuall Production they were produced before viz. by that one Creative act we spake of Consonant to this deduction from as also to the exposition lately given unto the context of Moses is this passage of Augustine When thou hearest that all things were then made when the day was made conceive if thou beest able that six or seven fold repetition which is made or to be made without any intervalls of delayes or spaces of time or if thou beest not able so to conceive of it leave it for those to conceive who are able and go thou forward with the Scripture which forsaketh not thy infirmity but walketh a Mothers pace slowly with thee and which so speaketh that with her height shee laughs at the proud with her depth shee amazeth the considerate with her Truth shee feeds the strong or well-grown and with her affability nourisheth little ones a Et cum audis tunc facta omnia cum factus est dies illam senariam vel septenariam repetitionem sine intervallis moraâ—um spaciorumque temporalium factam si possis apprehendas si autem non possis haec relinquas conspicienda valentibus tu autem cum Scriptura non deserente infirmitatem tuam materno incessu tecum tardius ambulante proficias quae sic loquitur ut altitudine superbos irrideat profunditate attentos terreat veritate magnos pascat affabilitate parvos nutriat Aug. de Gen. ad lit l. 5. c. 3. The same Author elsewhere For God saith he made all time with all corporall Creatures together or at once which visible Creatures are signified by the Name of Heaven and Earth b Fecit enim Deus omne tempus simul cum omnibus creaturis corporalibus quae creaturae visibiles nomine coeli terrae significantur Aug. lib. 1. de Gen. contra Manich. c 3. Quod futurum est jam factum est Idem Soliq cap. 26. This to have been his positive and cleer judgement many other passages in his writings give plenary and pregnant testimony and more particularly his 105th Tractate upon John and his Books upon Genesis But to returne to the Scriptures Those words Psal 115. 3. He God hath done whatsoever he pleased in the best sence and interpretation of them and that which is closest to the letter are thus to be understood viz. that whatsoever God willeth or hath willed should at any time come to passe he hath already done viz. all that he meaneth or which is any wayes necessary for him to do towards the effecting of it In this sence also that of the Apostle Rom. 8. 30. with many other places of Scripture of like Phrase and consideration is to be understood Moreover whom he hath predestinated them also hath he called and whom he hath called them hath he also justified and whom he hath justified them hath he also glorified God is said to have already called justified glorified all those whom he did foreknow ver 29. i. e. preapprove viz. as lovers of God Vers 28. and so predestinated to be conformed to the Image of his Sonne because he hath already done whatsoever is requisite for him to doe for the procurement and effecting of them in due time By the way lest the Table of this Doctrine should prove a snare of error §. 17. or mistake unto any foure things are diligently to be minded First that that one great Act of God by which he gave Being in time unto the World and unto all things that either have been or ever shall be produced or done in it was not exercised or acted by him in time but from or in eternity The reason hereof is
wherein he was capable of dying as well as other men yet did not suffer death simply through the malice or power of his enemies but upon an account far superior unto these the Apostle attributes his death to the Grace of God i. e. The love and gracious affections of God not towards some or a few no nor yet towards all men collectively taken or in the lump but towards all men distributively taken i. e. towards every particular and inviduall man 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith the Holy Ghost for every man i. e. to procure eternall Redemption and Salvation for every man without the exclusion of any I cannot apprehend what can reasonably be said to alienate the minde or import of this Scripture from our present cause Evident it is and you shall finde our best interpreters of the place affirming the same that the Apostle in these words that through the Grace of God he might taste death c. assignes a Reason or two rather of what he had said a little before concerning the Incarnation and Humiliation of Jesus Christ whom he had in the former Chapter asserted to be the Son of God to prevent or heal any scandall or offence that either had already or might afterwards arise in the minds of these Hebrewes through the unlikelyhood strangenesse ot incrediblenesse of such a thing It is a saying among Philosophers and all men have experience in part of truth in it that a knowledge of the Reasons or Causes of things causeth admiration and so all troublesomenesse of thoughts about them to cease So then the Apostles drift and intent in the words mentioned being to satisfie the Hebrewes concerning such a strange wonderfull and unheard of a thing as 1. That the Son of God should be made Man and 2. That being made Man he should suffer death it is no wayes credible but that he should 1. Assigne such a cause as would carry the greatest weight of satisfaction in it and 2. expresse himself in such Perspicuity and Plainnesse of words that they might not lightly mistake his meaning lest if by occasion of his words they should first apprehend the Reason or Cause assign'd by him to be more weighty or considerable then he intended it and afterwards should come to understand that it was far lighter and lesse considerable their scandall and offence in stead of being healed or prevented would be more strengthened and increased as usually it comes to passe in such cases Now evident it is 1. That the Apostles words in this place that he through the Grace of God should taste death for every Man in the plainest the most obvious and direct sence and signification of them hold forth the Doctrine which we maintaine for Truth here being no restraint at all nor the least whispering of any limitation to be put upon that terme of universality 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 every Man and 2. As evident it is that the Death of Christ for all Men without the exception of any which is the Doctrine we assert and the Grace of God so intending it amount to a far more weighty consideration and satisfaction touching those great dispensations spoken of the Incarnation and Humiliation of the Son of God then his dying only for a few or for a select number of men and the Grace of God commensureable hereunto Therefore there is not the least question to be made but that the large and not the limited sence was the Apostles sence in the words now under debate And when the Holy Ghost expresseth himself as we have heard that he through the Grace of God should taste death FOR EVERY MAN for any man to come and interpret thus for every Man i. e. for some men or for a few Men which if not for forme yet for matter and substance must be their interpretation who oppose the exposition given is not to interpret but to correct and to exercise a magisteriall authority over the Scriptures Nor had Pareus himself the heart to decline the interpretation asserted §. 9. though he seemes somewhat desirous by some expressions to hide this his ingenuity from his fellowes to avoide their offence Whereas saith he the Apostle saith for every Man it respects the amplification or extent of the Death of Christ HE DIED NOT FOR SOME FAVV the efficacy or vertue of it appertaines unto ALL. Therefore there is life prepared or made ready in the Death of Christ for ALL afflicted consciences a Quod dicit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ad fructum mortis Christi amplificandum pertinet Non pro paucis aliquibus mortuns est sed ad omnes efficacia ejus pertinet Omnibus igitur afflictis conscientiis in morte Christi vita parata est c. c. The truth is that there can be no solid ground of Peace or Comfort to any afflicted conscience whatsoever without the supposall of Christs Death for every Man without exception as hath been argued in part Sect. 38. of the former Chapter and might be further evicted above all contradiction Amongst the Orthodox Fathers Chrysostome who as we heard avouched the exposition given of the former Scripture stands by his own judgement and mine in his explication of this That he through the Grace of God should taste Death for every man not only saith he for the faithfull or those that believe but for ALL THE WORLD He indeed died for ALL Men. For what if all Men doe not believe yet He hath done His part b 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or fully performed that which was proper for Him to do The Scripture next advancing in the forementioned troope was Who will §. 10. have ALL MEN to be saved speaking of God and to come unto the knowledge of the Truth b 1 Tim. 2. 4. Whereunto for conformity in import we shall joyn the last there specified which is this The Lord is not slack concerning his promise as some Men count slacknesse but is long suffering to us-ward NOT WILLING THAT ANY should perish but that ALL should come to Repentance c 2 Pet. 3. 9. Concerning the former of these places we cleerly evinced in the first Section of this Chapter from the unquestionable tenor and carriage of the whole Context that by ALL Men cannot possibly be understood either some of all sorts of Men or Jewes and Gentiles or all the Elect or the like but of necessity All of All sorts of Men simply and universally without the exemption of any whether Jewes or Gentiles Any other interpretation or sence of the words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 All Men but this renders the Apostle palpably impertinent and weake that I say not ridiculous in his arguing in this place This I plainly demonstrate in the said Section I now add that if it may be said that God will have All Me◠to be saved because he will have some of All sorts of Men to be saved it may more properly and truly be said of him that he
their consciences with the guilt of such Unchristian misdemeanours as these must needs carry a strong antipathy in it and be full of enmity against the inward Peace and Comforts of their deer soules And what Doctrine lightly can there be of a more apparant and notorious tendency this way then that which promiseth unto Men and that with heigth of assurance under what loosenesse or vile practises soever exemption and freedome from that punishment the feare and dread whereof is the strongest and sharpest bridle which God Himself hath to put into the lips of the unruly flesh in Men to restraine it from sin yea and which the strength and sharpnesse of it notwithstanding the flesh many times despiseth and laughs to scorn and disdains to be reclaimed or held in by it And is not that Doctrin of perseverance comonly taught and believed amongst us of this very calculation tendency and import If it be said yea but they who teach the Doctrine of perseverance teach §. 4. withall yea urge and presse the necessity of the use of such meanes which God hath appointed to inable Men to persevere I answer It is in vaine to perswade or presse Men unto the use of such meanes in any kinde which are in themselves distastfull and unpleasing unto them when they are ascertained and secured before hand that they shall not faile of the end howsoever whether they use such means or no. If it be replied that the Teachers I speak of do not promise perseverance in Faith unto the end but only unto those who shall use the meanes appointed by God for the obtaining of it I answer if this indeed be the tenor of their Doctrine mine and theirs are no more two but one and the same I am as willing and free as the most zealous of them in their way to give that great Pledge of Heaven the Word of the living God unto the Saints to secure them of their standing unto the end upon the use of the meanes which God hath prescribed in order thereunto But I feare this is not the clear and simple tenour of their Doctrine we now speak of they blind it with some such additionall ingredient as this that as God requires the use of the meanes of perseverance at the hand of the Saints and will give it unto none but those who shall use them yet he hath certainly universally and irreversibly decreed that they shall all use them accordingly and that he himselfe will interpose by the power of his spirit that not a Man of them shall miscarry at this point I have but a word to say to this let them produce such a decree as this and it shall be an end of all strief between me and them as to this point immediately But how little there is to evince any such decree in all that they are wont to alledge and argue to that purpose will sufficiently appeare upon the examination whereunto we shall bring it in due time 2. As that Doctrine of perseverance whereof Professors make such a §. 5. treasure is deeply accessary to the greatest part of those feares those wringings and gripings of conscience wherewith their peace is interrupted and their comforts appal'd and shaken so is it exceedingly to be feared that it hath a potent and pernicious influence of causality into those frequent daily and most sad apostasies and declinings from wayes of holinesse unto loosenesse and prophanesse which are found amongst them For when the flesh or that which is corrupt carnall and sensuall in a Man a Principle not only in being but even vigorous more then enough in the greatest and best Believers shall be intoxicated with such a luscious and fulsome conceit as this that it hath goods layd up for the dayes of eternity hath it not the temptation of that foolish man as he is called upon it who upon a conceit that he had goods laid up for many yeares incouraged his Soule unto vanity Soule take thine ease Eate Drink and be Merry a Luke 12. 19 When a man that stands is in any capacity of falling is it not the only way to educe that power or capacity into act and to cause him to fall indeed to perswade him that he is in no possibility of falling Agag being full of this conceit Surely the bitternesse of Death is past b 1 Sam. 15. 32. came as the Text saith unto Samuel delicately When the flesh shall be taught to say Surely the bitternesse of eternall death is past I am out of all danger all possibility of suffering the vengeance of eternall fire is it not a secret and bewitching incouragement unto it to wax wanton against Christ and to feed foule upon the sinful delicacies of this present World Not only the distinct sound but any confused blast of such a trumpet as this is sufficient to prepare the flesh to the battell of sence and sensuality Nor doe they seem to be much acquainted with at least not much to consider the genius of that Principle in men we now speak of I meane the flesh who thinke there is any other meanes so proper or probable to hamper it to break the heart and strength of it as the Iron yoke of the feare and dread of the Worme that never dieth If it be said yea but it cannot be proved that any of those who decline §. 6. from Religious courses unto loosenesse how many soever they be that thus miscarry ever were true believers or if such that they continued in their declinings without an holy recollection of themselves before the end To this I answer 1. Be it supposed which yet will never be proved that all they who fall away from a Profession of Faith and Holinesse without rising againe or returning were never true Believers yet it cannot be denied and it is commonly granted by men of contrary judgement but that many of them were or might be in a very faire probable and hopefull way of obtaining true Faith of being made sound Believers Now that Doctrine whose native and proper tendency is to take men off from the meanes or to turne them aside out of the wayes of Life and Peace or which is the same of sound Believing is every whit as much if not more Anti-evangelicall as that which directly occasioneth such miscariages in those who do truly believe So that there is nothing gotten by that pretense howsoever But 2. If there be any Persons under Heaven who may upon sufficient grounds §. 7. and justifiable by the Word of God he judged true Believers many of those Apostates we speak of were to be judged such All the visible lineaments of a true Faith were in their faces As far as the eye of man is able to pierce they lived godlily righteously and soberly in this present World Doth any true Believer act zealously for his God So did they Is any true Believer fruitfull in good works So were they yea there were found in those
cheering in it may be predominant yet the consciousness and sence of irregularities in Mens wayes must needs detract proportionably from the same The credit and authority of that testimony which any Mans Conscience gives in unto him touching the truth and soundnesse of his Faith must needs in a very great measure depend upon the equable flowings or issuings forth hereof in wayes and workes of Righteousness because when there is any considerable interruption in these that testimony will be suspended and put to silence for the time unless the Conscience it self be under the power of some delusion This is evident from the Scriptures themselves in many places Little Children saith John let no Man deceive you he that doth Righteousnesse is righteous a 1 Joh. 3. 7 This caveat let no Man deceive you plainely intimates that the Consciences even of Christians and true Believers themselves for such Johns little Children here are on all hands presum'd to be may very possibly be deceived in their estimate of a righteous Man or which is the same of a sound Believer and judge him to be either the one or the other who is neither This is chiefly spoken and is accordingly to be understood concerning a Mans judging of himself Whereas he adds he that doth righteousnesse is righteous it is to be understood emphatically and exclusively so that he and he only who doth righteousnesse is to be judged a righteous Man the Scripture frequently expressing it selfe after the same manner a See Esa 66 2 Gal. 3. 12. Joh 3. 16. Now by doing righteousnesse he doth not meane the doing of some righteous acts now and then but a constant and uniforme practise of righteousness humane frailties only excepted which come not in to this account For in the Writings of this Apostle as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 b 1 Ioh. 3. 8 9 usually if not constantly signifies as it were to follow a Trade or Course of sinning to sin with the like frequency and dexterity that a Tradesman works upon his ordinary calling or occupation so doth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c 1 Ioh. 2. 29. 7. 10. and so 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 d 1 Ioh. 1. 6 Ioh 3. 21. and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 e Ioh. 7. 17 9. 31 c. signifie a proportionable acting of righteousness and of the truth and of the Will of God Now if no Man can or ought upon Scripture grounds to be judged a righteous Man or sound Believer but only he who doth or worketh righteousnesse upon such terms as these evident it is that in what degree Men fall short of these terms in working righteousnesse the testimony of their Consciences touching the soundness of their Faith and uprightness of their Hearts towards God must needs fâ—ulter and be incumbred with doubts and fears proportionably unless thâ—â— Consciences themselves be mis-inform'd or hardned Therefore what Doctrine soever occasioneth Men to question the sufficiency of their obedience or righteous walkings for rendring the testimony of their Consciences touching the soundnesse of their Faith valid and worthy belief can be of no such lovely or desireable Consequence for their Comfort and Peace and consequently the Doctrine of Perseverance cannot in a righteous judgement be adjudged such Because as hath been already argued it still necessitateth Men to give sentence against a better and more uniforme Righteousnesse then their own I meane the practicall Righteousnesse of many who 〈…〉 erwards apostatized without returning as being invalid and insufficient to evince those to have been true Believers in whom it was found And if I stand bound in Conscience to judge those to have been Hypocrites or Pretenders only to a true Faith and not true Believers indeed whose Righteousnesse and Fruitfulnesse of conversation by many degrees exceeded mine am I not strongly hereby occasioned yea ingaged to question the truth and soundnesse of mine own Faith especially considering as hath been said that the evidence of the truth and reality of every Mans Faith depends so much upon the fruitfulnesse and operativenesse of it in wayes and works of Righteousness The Premises duly considered that Doctrine of Perseverance over which §. 12. the generality of Professors so impotently rejoyce as being of so desireable and rich a compliance with their spirituall Comfort and Peace must needs appeare to be a Doctrine of no such import or accommodation to them but rather a Doctrine very apt and likely to intice them into a boldnesse and venturousnesse in sining and consequently must needs dispose them to apostasie and declining yea and fill their Consciences many times with dread and horror and very frequently with great jealousies inextricable Questions and Disputes about the truth and soundness of their Faith Yea but will the friends of the said Doctrine it is like still say we §. 13. finde it very sweet and comfortable to us whereas the contrary Doctrine which tells us of a possibility of our finall apostacy and falling away is very sad and full of discouragement c. To these things and all that can be pretended in this kind we answer 1. Suppose the Doctrine we speak of were never so comfortable yet this would be no Argument of the truth or goodnesse of it unlesse the comfortablenesse of it be found in due consistence with the Wisdome and Righteousnesse of God It were easy to invent twenty Doctrines every whit as comfortable nay much more comfortable as this in respect of the Natures and Imports of them which yet will be found notoriously defective in point of Truth because they hold not any regular Proportion with those Attributes of God As for example such Doctrines as these All Men without exception shall be saved whether they believe or not no Man shall be punished for any sinâ—â— whatsoever neither in this World nor in that which is to come Men are as much appâ—â—ed of by God in the committing of the greatest sinne as in the performance of the greatest duty such Doctrines I say as these are much more sweet and comfortable in respect of their frame constitution and import then that which affirmes a necessity of the Saints preseverance But as those Doctrines with their fellowes are not to be commended nor entertained for their sweetnesse or comfortablenesse sake having no approbation or countenance from God in His Word so neither is the common Doctrine of Perserverance at all to be regarded for any thing of like accommodation I meane for any thing sweet or comfortable in it unlesse the stamp of Divine Authority could be shewed upon it which by no light yet extant is to be seene 2. Though Doctrines and other means of spirituall comfort are very §. 14 desireable and earnestly to be pursued and contended for when they are regular and lawfull yet as we must be content to be at the allowance of our Heavenly Father for the accommodations and comforts of this present Life and not be our own Carvers of all that
and all other reasonings and demands of like import with them I Answer 1. To be in danger of falling away and to be under a Possibility of falling away are two very different things at least if we take the word danger in the common which yet is the Proper Notion and signification of it viz. as it imports a Probability or likelyhood of evill to befall those that are said to be in danger A man that is in danger Properly so called of suffering evill if the evill be great cannot well injoy himself with much Comfort or Peace whilest the danger continues But he that is only in a possibility of suffering evill especially being sufficiently Provided of meanes whereby to prevent the comming of the evill upon him if he please is fully capable of injoying himself upon the richest and best terms of security that are competiable to a Creature Nor are men wont to be troubled with the lightest grudgings of feare in respect of such an evill though very grievous in the Kinde and Nature of it which may very possibly befall them in case they may with ordinary care keep themselves from it Men may very possibly fall into the fire and be burnt into the water and be drowned from the tops of Houses or Steeples and be dash'd in peeces yet no man lives ever a whit the more uncomfortably or under any kinde of feare because they live under a Possibility of suffering these great evills The reason of their security in this kinde is because they know that God hath given them reason and understanding sufficient to preserve themselves from them In like manner God having vouchsafed unto the Saints meanes abundantly sufficient to preserve themselves from Apostasie and consequently from Perishing so that they need not either Apostatize or Perish except themselves please there is no occasion at all much lesse any necessity why they should live any whit the more uncomfortably or abate so much as the least haire of their Head in confidence of being saved only because they are under a Possibility of Declining and so of Perishing The Apostle Paul acknowledgeth himself to have been under a Possibility of being made a Reprobate or cast-away lest saith he having Preached unto others I my self should prove or become a cast-away a 1 Cor. 9. 27 yet at what an excellent rate and height of comfort yea of joy unspeakeable and glorious did he live I am perswaded saith he that neither Death nor Life nor Angells nor Principalities nor Powers nor things present nor things to come nor Height nor Depth nor any other Creature shalâ— be able to separate us from the Love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord b Rom. 8. 38 39. That which ministred unto him the ground-worke of this most raised and blessed confidence notwithstanding the Possibility he was under of being made a cast-away was partly that cleare and certaine knowledge which he had of the unchangeable Purpose of God to give Salvation unto all those who should Persevere in Faith and Holinesse unto the end parâ—ly also the like knowledge of the bounty of God towards all His Saints in vouchsafing unto them so rich and full a Proportion of meanes as he doth whereby to Persevere accordingly Thus then we see that the Doctrine of falling away teaching only a Possibility hereof and so of Perishing is no Doctrine of uncomfortableness nor necessarily occasioneth the least fear in men of falling away or of Perishing 2. Suppose for Argument sake the Doctrine of Perseverance should §. 22. be subscribed unto and that absolute assurance of Salvation granted unto Believers which this Doctrine pretends to give unto them yet will not that conditionall assurance which the other Dostrine affords unto them fall much short of it yea in most respects some whereof have been already touched it will be found in order to their Comfort and Peace greater then it Put case I were a man who very much desired to live long in the World and God should please to grant me a Lease or Assurance of my life for a thousand years only upon condition that I should not willfully destroy myself as either by thrusting a Sword through my own bowels or by casting my self headlong from some high Tower or by taking Poyson known to me for such before hand with the like would I not upon the matter be as well satisfied with such a conditionall Lease or Grant as this as with one that should be absolute and wherein my life should be assured unto me against all possible attempts to be made by my self to destroy it Doubtless if it were simply long life which I desired the former grant would be as satisfactory unto me as the latter Indeed if besides the security of my life and of the continuance of it for such a terme I should wantonly or vaine gloriously desire to shew desperate tricks without fear or danger as to take Lyons by the beards or Beares by the pawes to treade upon Cockatrices to wash in cauldrons of boyling Lead or the like then the latter grant would accommodate me better then the former In like manner if it be simply and singly the Salvation of my soule which I desire and the certainty or assurance hereof such a conditionall Promise made unto me by God as this that saved I shall certainly be if I will but quit my self like a Man abstaine from foolish lusts and not with the Dog returne againe to my vomit or with the Swine that hath been washed to my wallowing in the mire such a Promise I say as this is security in abundance unto me in that behalf But if my desire be over and above the saving of my soule to live loosely and prophanly to disport my self in all manner of sin and wickedness to affront the Heavens and bid defiance to the Almighty and laugh Jesus Christ and His Gospell in the face to scorne or the like without running the hazard of losing my soule then I confesse only such a Grant or Promise of Salvation from God as the Doctrine of absolute Perseverance demands would satisfie and content me and furnish me with that assurance which I desire So that the most express and evident truth is that there is nothing more in that assurance of Salvation which the Doctrine of absolute Perseverance pretends unto then in that which the Doctrine of falling away or of conditionall Perseverance indulgeth unto the Saints but only a liberty or fearlesseness of sinning And whether men may not be of a free ingenuous and Son-like spirit without a liberty or boldness of sinning yea whether such a liberty as this will consist with that spirit I freely refer to the Determination of any man who hath been never so little baptised into the spirit whereby the Saints cry Abba Father 3. That Doctrine which is efficacious and proper to cut off and prevent §. 23. all those occasions and miscarriages from which troubles of Conscience doubtings
of Salvation fears of Perishing c. do most frequently if not alwayes arise must needs be a Doctrine of a far better comportance with the Peace and Comfort of men than that which is apt to multiply or to give being to such occasions Now 1. that the uncleane issues of lust and corruption in the lives and wayes of Men are the Springs and Fountaines that commonly send forth the bittter waters of inward troubles fears and perplexities of soule hath been already argued in this Chapter and besides is nothing but what the daily experience of too many fealeth unto for truth 2. It hath been likewise brought forth into a cleer light that the Doctrine of absolute Peseverance is of as pregnant and dangerous a calculation as a Doctrine lightly can be to cause the lives and wayes of men to abound with those uncleane issues we speak of Therefore 3. and lastly I here add that the contrary Doctrine I meane of conditionall Perseverance is of a kindly temper of a most absolute choyce and proper constitution to prevent the breakings out of such issues to amate the courage and to break the heart of those corruptions in men which otherwise would be very unruly and hardly beare restraint and consequently is a faithfull and severe guardian to and over the Peace and Comforts of Men. For teaching on the one hand certainty of Perseverance and of Salvation thereupon upon a conscientious use of those meanes which God hath prescribed in order thereunto I mean for the inabling of men to persevere it mightily cheereth fortifieth and strengtheneth the spirit in men who desireth as hath been proved neither Perseverance nor Salvation it selfe upon any other terms then these and rejoyceth above measure that upon these they may and shall most assuredly be had and on the other hand by teaching that by loosenesse prophanesse negligence in the use of meanes c. there may be an apostatizing to Perdition it sorely rebukes the flesh or corruption in a Man and puts a sharp bit and bridle into their lips A Bridle saith Solomon for the Asse and a rod for the Fooles back a Pov. 26. 3 The terrible rod of Hell fire is for the back of that great Foole the flesh or that which is irrationall and unruly in Men without the shaking and sound whereof it will hardly learn subjection If it be objected yea but experience shews that the contrary Doctrine §. 24. that which maintaines un-conditioned Perseverance is more effectuall to subdue corruption in men then the other in as much as many who maintaine the Doctrine of falling away are known to be loose and of sinfull addiction in severall kinds to be no friends to the power of Religion c. whereas men of greatest holinesse and strictest conversation are known to be of the contrary judgement to this also I answer 1. The experience asserted in the Objection is not so unquestionable in Point of truth but that if the Assertors were put home upon the Proof they would I fear account more in presumption then in reasonableness of Argument For if persons of the one judgement and of the other were duly compared together I verily believe there would be found every whit as full a proportion of men truly Conscientious and Religious amongst those whose judgements stand and have stood for a possibility of falling away in the Saints as on the other side But through a foolish and unsavoury kinde of partiality we are apt on all hands according to the Proverb to count all our own Geese for Swans and other mens Swans Geese Certaine I am that if the Writings of men of the one judgement and of the other be compared together and an estimate made from hence of the Religious worth and holinesse of the Authors respectively those who oppose the common Doctrine of Perseverance need count it no robbery to make themselves every wayes equall in this honour with their opposers The truth is if it be lawfull for me to utter what I really apprehend and judge in the case I do not finde the spirit of holiness to breath with that Authority heate or excelency of power in the writings of the latter which I am very sensible of in the writings of the former These call for Righteousness Holiness and all manner of Christian conversation with every whit as high an hand as the other and add nothing to check obstruct or enfeeble the authority of their demands in this kinde whereas the other though they be sore many times in their exhortations and conjurements unto holiness yet otherwhile render both these and themselves in them contemptible by avouching such Principles which cut the very sinews and strength of such their exhortations and fully ballance all the weight of those motives by which they seeke to binde them upon the consciences of men And for numbers of men truly holy and conscientious doubtless the Primitive Christians for three hundred years together and upwards next after the times of the Apostles will fully ballance with an abundant surplussage both for numbers and truth of godliness all those in the reformed Churches who since Calvins dayes have adhered to the common Doctrine of Perseverance And that the Churches of Christ more generally during the said space of 300 years and more next after the Apostles held a possibility of a totall and finall defection even in true and sound Believers is so cleare from the records yet extant of those times that men who shall please to acquaint themselves with them cannot without much opposition from their Consciences deny it We shall God willing give some light of proofe to this Assertion in the 15 Chapter of this Discourse 2. Concerning the Persons signally I suppose aimed at for the confirmation §. 25. of the said experiment on the right hand as Calvin Musculus P. Martyr Bucer with other Protestant Divines of like Note and Name with them together with such of our English Ministers and other Professors amongst us who stood up with the greatest zeal in opposing Ceremony and Superstition Episcopall tyranny and Popish innovations being generally reputed men very exemplary and particular in their wayes and conversations my answer is 1. That it is a meere mistake to conclude or think that these especially the former were so through or setled in their judgement for the Doctrine of absolute Perseverance as to have no thoughts within them comming and going the contrary way He that shall narrowly and unpartially peruse their Writings will I verily believe finde in them every whit as much said for conditionall as for absolute Perseverance I shall God willing give a very competent account of this my Faith before the end of this Discourse and shall fully prove by severall expresse testimonies from some of the leading men and greatest masters amongst them that they had a very good minde at least at times to be of that opinion which affirmeth a possibility of defection in the Saints even to the
know is restlesse and thoughts of any long standing in the minds of Men hardly removed Therefore it is like notwithstanding all that hath been argued hetherto some will still object and say we cannot yet be satisfied but that your Doctrine of falling away must needs be very uncomfortable and of sad importance to the Saints because though there be but a possibility only of their falling away yet considering their manifold and great weaknesses and aptnesse to sin they must needs be in continuall feares lest this possibility should be reduced into Act. And therefore there is nothing that can blesse them with any security or peace in this kinde but the knowledge and belief of some such fixed and unchangeable Decree of God as this that however they shall never fall away to perdition Nor is there the same consideration of a Saints refraining from sin and of a Mans forbearing to destroy his Naturall Life by wilfull precipitation poysoning himself or the like because the inclination which is in Men to preserve their Naturall Lives and beings and so to refraine all things manifestly destructive to them is Potent Vigorous and Active whereas the inclination to abstaine from sin which is in the Saints is comparatively weak much incumbred and broken by the flesh the frequent Motions and Temptations thereof c. To these things and whatsoever may be further pretended in the same kinde I answer 1. Though that disposition which is in the Saints to forbeare sin be neither §. 29. so free nor so full of Energy and Power as the Naturall inclination in Men to preserve their Naturall Beings yet 1. Even this inclination it self is not so intire or free or so strong but that it is liable to temptation also and subject to be incountered yea and sometimes is overcome as in those who under great Pangs and Agonies of discontent lay violent hands upon themselves Therefore there is no such great disproportion between the one inclination and the other as the Objection supposeth But 2. Be it granted that the Propension in the Saints to abstaine from sin §. 30. simply and in the generall is nothing so energeticall or powerfull as the Naturall desire in Men to preserve their Naturall lives yet possibly it may be yea probably it is every whit as potent and operative in Reference to some sins and particularly to those which are likely to occasion or produce finall Apostasie For though there be in every sin whatsoever a Naturall tendency according to the kinde and degree of it towards Apostasie even that which is finall as there is in every light prick with a Pin in a Mans finger towards the dissolution of the Naturall Life yet as no man is disturb'd in his Peace and Comfort touching the continuance of his health and life by a drop oâ— two of Blood dramn from his finger by the scratch of a Pin so neither is there any reasonable ground or occasion why upon the commission oâ—â—â—ry sin a Saint should be struck into a Passion of feare of falling away uâ—lesse he hath an assurance from Heaven that he shall not fall away They are not sins of infirmity or sins quotidiani incursus as Austine somewhere calls them i. e. sins of a daily incursion but only such sins quaevastant conscientiam as the Schoole-mâ—â—s â—hrase is i. e. that lay wast the Conscience which have any dangerous 〈…〉 ity with falling away Now I suppose that in respect of such sins as these the inclination of the Saints may well be as strong and free towâ—â—ds â— Non-commission or Refrainement as the Naturall Inclination in Men is towards a self-preservation 3. Whether that inclination or disposition in the Saints which we now §. 31. speake of be actually and in the generality of them according to their present conditions commensurable in Strength Power and every other desireable Property with the inclination in Men to preserve their Naturall Beings by the forbearance of all acts whatsoever apparantly destructive to them or no most certaine it is that God hath vouchsafed unto them a sufficiency of means yea means in abundance to make them every wayes commensurable hereunto yea to raise them to an higher Pitch or Degree of Strength and Power then so yea and further hath made them the Saints themselves I meane every wayes capable all their infirmities and weaknesses considered and allowed for of the use of these means even to the actuall producing of such a glorious and blessed effect as that So that if the said inclination in them be not every wayes as serviceable unto them in securing them against all feares of acting in any way apparantly destructive to their great spirituall interest the saving of their Soules as the other inclination in Men is unto them to secure them from fears of doing any thing knowingly to the unavoideable losse of their lives the fault is meerly and absolutely in themselves and this not through any infirmity or weaknesse which is Naturall to them and so inseparable but through a Grosse Rank and Stupid carelessenesse and sloath If thus then is not the Doctrine of falling away any wayes prejudiciall to the Peace and Comfort of the Saints in respect of it self but meerly accidentally and occasionally viz. as the Saints will voluntarily and without any necessity either from within or from without compeling them break out into such extravagancies of sin which that Doctrine being true may justly fill them with fears of falling away and perishing But let me say this too which here is not to be omitted that even the Assertors themselves of the common Doctrine of Perseverance doe affirme and teach that their Doctrine it self notwithstanding the Saints under such extravagancies of sin as we speak of can have no Comfort Peace or Assurance of Salvation and consequently no assurannce of Persevering in Faith unto the end Therefore by their own confessions and tenor of discourse there is no such great difference between the two Doctrines in Reference to the Peace or Comfort of the Saints the one I meane that of Perseverance leaving them obnoxious unto feares and doubtings as well as the other yea if sentence were given between them according to truth that of Perseverance must be adjudged not only to leave the Saints under a possibility or capacity of discomfiture and feare which indeed the other doth but under a sore temptation also as we have formerly proved of tormenting themselves with such fears which the other doth not If it be demanded But what are the meanes which God hath given as §. 32. I say so abundantly unto the Saints to make themselves as free as strong in inclination to avoid things apparantly destructive to their spirituall Peace and Salvation of their Soules as Naturally Men are to forbeare all such actions which are apparantly destructive to their Naturall Lives so that they need not be any whit more afraid of losing their Soules through their own actings then men are or
deliberate or elective Act of the will of man cannot be said to be positively peremptorily or absolutely Decreed by God nor is it any other in the Nature and Condition of it then what may very possibly not be Now certaine it is that the use of means to prevent seduction in the Elect is such an Act or series of Actions which depends upon the deliberate Act of their will at least so far that it can never take place or be without a deliberate concurrency hereof If it be yet further said Though the use of means to prevent seduction in §. 17. the Elect depends upon the deliberate motions and actings of their wills thus far that it cannot take place or be performed without them yet may it have such a relation unto or dependance upon the absolute will or decree of God which shall give certainty and infallibility of being unto it notwithstanding For God is able so to interpose by His excellency of Power in all the deliberations of Men as to carry and fix the issues and determinations of them which way and upon what He pleaseth To this I answer that the Question is not what God is able by the excellency of His Power to doe in this kinde but what He is pleased to doe or what He hath decreed to doe out of the Counsell and Liberty of His Will And that which we affirme and plead in the cause depending is not that God is not able to determine the wills of the Elect to the use of means proper and sufficient to prevent their being deceived but that He hath no where declared Himself willing oâ— resolved to doe it and consequently that it is an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a conceit above what is written to think that He doth it Therefore untill it be proved either from the Scriptures or by the light of some solid demonstration otherwise that God hath absolutely Decreed the non-seduction of the Elect we still speak of a seduction to destruction or which is the same upon our Adversaries Grant and Plea lately mentioned the determination of their wills to the use of means necessary to secure them against seduction we judge our selves free in Conscience to deny the pretended impossibility of the Saints deception or seduction Another Scripture much discoursed in the behalf of the common Doctrine §. 18. of Perseverance is 1 Pet. 1. 5. who are kept by the Power of God through Faith unto Salvation From hence it is frequently concluded that they who once truly believe and are regenerate Verse 3. are kept by the ingagement of the Mighty Power of God from falling away to destruction I Answer 1. That it is not here said that regenerate Men are kept simply and absolutely by the Power of God unto Salvation but that they are kept by the Power of God THROVGH FAITH unto Salvation Which plainly implieth that the Power of God here spoken of ingageth for no Mans preservation or safeguarding unto Salvation but by the mediation of Faith or any whit longer then their Faith shall continue Now here being nothing said or implied touching the certainty of the continuance of the Faith of the Saints unto the end nor concerning any ingagement of the Power of God for the Perpetuation thereof evident it is that nothing can be concluded from hence for the establishment of the said Doctrine of Perseverance But 2. For the cleer sence and importance of the place it is this that Men once begotten by God to a lively hope by the Resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead Have or may Have the greatest security which the infinite Power of God can afford that persevering in that Faith from whence this hope issueth unto the end they shall be saved The place according to this interpretation runs parallel in sence and import with these and their fellowes But he that shall endure to the end shall be saved a Mat. 24. 13 viz. against all opposition nnd contradiction of impediments whatsoever Be thou faithfull unto death and I will give thee a Crown of life b Revel 2. 10 So with that lately opened upon this Rock will I build my Church and the Gates of Hell shall not prevaile against it c Mat. 16. 18 to which you may add Joh. 10. 18 19. Eph. 1. 19. with many others This exposition perfectly accords with Bullingers Commentary upon the place In the meane time saith He let this suffice us that eternall happinesse is in safety for us or to us which no either Man or Devill can intercept or deprive us of unlesse Faith failes us wherewith neglecting the things which mortall Men so much seek after let us wholly depend upon Heaven d Nobis interim sit satis quôd aeterna faeâ—icitas nobis est in tuto quam nullus hominum aut daemonum possit intercipere modò ne eos nos deficiat fides quâ neglectis rebus mortalium totipendeamus à coelo In the clause modo ne nos deficiat fides so that Faith faile â—â— not He clearly supposeth 1. A possibility that our present Faith may faile us 2. That in case it shall faile us we may perish notwithstanding any thing here delivered by the Apostle concerning our being kept by the Power of God unto Salvation If against this Interpretation it shall be objected that it greatly depresseth §. 19. and in a manner quencheth the spirit of the consolation clearly intended by the Holy Ghost to be administred unto the Saints in the words and that it makes very little for their comfort to hear of their being kept unto Salvation by God or by His Power in case this keeping depends upon their continuance in Faith especially if this also be uncertain and depending upon themselves their diligence and care to procure it I answer 1. That the Heart of this Objection was broken in the former Chapter a Sect. 21. 22. where we shewed that in matters of greatest consequence and most desireable in things appertaining to this life yea as to life it self the most timorous and cautious Men neither wish nor desire any greater security then to have what they desire assured unto them upon their own willingnesse and care either for the procurement or the continued injoyment of it The most impotent lover of life under Heaven and He that lives in the greatest bondage in the World through feare of Death would both of them be highly satisfied if God would but vouchsafe such a promise as this unto them that so long as they should desire the continuance of their lives and take heed of destroying them themselves by unnaturall or desperate courses as by casting themselves into the Fire into the Water down from high Towers c. He would secure them against all other interveniences or means of dissolution whatsoever In like manner it is and ought to be so esteemed by the Saints a consolation rich and glorious that God hath undertaken and ingaged Himself by the
i. e. This antipathy standing either doe that which is sinfull but especially omit or neglect the doing of that which is his duty yea and of great concernment likewise unto him to doe Thus we have at last fully and cleerly we suppose acquitted that Scripture 1 Joh. 3. 9. more vehemently suspected and charged then all his fellows with confederacy against that Doctrine which affirms a Possibility of a totall and finall defection in the Saints Another Scripture hath the same imputation cast upon it for speaking §. 37. only thus My Father which gave them me is greater then all and no Man is able to take them out of my Fathers Hand a Ioh. 10. 29 From hence it is argued and conceived that God ingageth himself with his Omnipotency to preserve the Saints or Sheep of Christ from either totall or finall apostasie and consequently that it is unpossible but that they should be preserved But to this place of Scripture a sufficient answer hath been given already in this Chapter b Sect. 18. 19 20 c. where we shewed that the ingagement of the mighty Power of God for the Protection and safeguarding of the Saints as such or remaining such against all adverse Power whatsoever is frequently asserted in Scripture but no where for the compelling or necessitating of them to Persevere or continue such Nor is there the least intimation of any such thing in the Text before us And yet here I shall further add in reference unto it That by the tenor and carriage of the Context it appeares 1. That that security for which our Saviour ingageth the greatnesse of His Fathers Power unto his Sheep is promised or ascertained unto them not in order to the effecting or procuring their finall perseverance but rather by way of toward to it 2. That this promise of eternall safety made by Christ unto His Sheep doth not relate to their estate or condition in this present World but to that of the World to come My Sheepe saith he verse 27. heaâ— my voyce and I know them and they follow me In which expressions of hearing his voyce and following him he intimates or includes their perseverance c Intellige autem loqui Christum de oviâ—us quâ— tales sunt ac maâ—ent Hag. Grot in locum as appeares by the words immediately following Verse 28. And I give unto them etenall life This gift of his presupposeth the finall perseverance of those to whom it is given It followes and they shall never perish neither shall any pluck them out of my hand In these words he seems further to explaine how and in what sence he calls that life eternall which he promiseth to confer upon them as viz. that by the eternalnesse of it he doth not only meane such a constitution or condition of it which secureth it from perishing or dissolving in respect or by means of any intrinsecall cause upon which account the lives they live in the flesh are perishable but which secureth it likewise against all externall means or power that may seem to threaten or indanger it And for a further confirmation that the life which he promiseth unto his Sheepe hearing his voyce and following him viz. as was said perseveringly is eternall in the best largest most comprehensive most desireable sence of the word he subjoynes the words in hand Verse 29. My Father which gave them me is greater viz. in power then all and none is able to pluck them out of my Fathers Hand as if he should have said God Himself by whose grace they became my Sheepe and followed me and whose power is abundantly sufficient for the work would maintaine and make good unto them to the uttermost that life which I shall give unto them against all dangers all enemies all adversary powers whatsoever This being the naturall and cleer disposition of the Context it is a plaine case that here is not the least aire or breathing of any ingagement of the great power of God to bring about the perseverance of the Saints upon those terms of infallibility or necessity which are so much contended for Another Scripture much intreated in the behalf of the Doctrine of perseverance §. 38. is that of the Evangelist John concerning our Saviour having loved his own which were in the World he loved them unto the end a Ioh. 13. 1. Out of this light some draw this darknesse Therefore whom Christ once loves He loves alwayes or unto the end Which inference they suppose is further strengthened by that of the Prophet For I am the Lord I change not b Mal. 3. 6. I Answer 1. From the passage in John there can nothing more be concluded in Reference to the Question in hand then by way of immediate deduction the greatnesse and constancy of Christs love towards such of His Disciples who continued in their obedience and faithfulnesse unto him for the Evangelist I suppose did not intend Judas amongst those whom Christ loved unto the end and 2. By way of Proportion or Rationall consequence from this deduction that the love of Christ is great and constant towards all those who persevere in love and faithfulnesse unto him This is the constant Doctrine of the Scriptures but no wayes concerns the present Dispute Yet for the passâ—ge it self if it hath any aspect at all upon it it is rather by way of favour and countenance to that side against which then to that for which it is commonly alledged For if the love of Christ towards His Disciples unto the end necessâ—rily supposeth or requireth the concurrent continuance of the same affection in them towards him it plainely follows that if men shall draw back from Him His Soul will have no further pleasure or delight in them And this indeed was the expresse Doctrine of that Man of God who was sent to meet King Asa and the People with him upon the late Presence of God with them against their enemies O Asa and all Juda and Benjamin hear yee me The Lord is with you while yee be with Him and if yee seeke Him He will PE FOVND of yoâ— but IF YEE FORSAKE HIM He will forsake you c 2 Chron. 15. 2 Which cleerly supposeth 1. A possibility of their forsaking God who for a time are truly and really with Him 2. A certainty of Gods forsaking those who forsake Him 2. It is not here said that Christ having loved His own loved them unto the §. 39. end of their lives or dayes but to the end viz. of his life and abode in the World the emphaticall and clear meaning of the place being thus that to declare the exceeding greatnesse and mervellous constancy of his affection towards His Disciples and that whilest they were yet in the World and so subject to many weaknesses and infirmities which might seeme to render them lesse lovely unto Him then those that were made perfect d Heb. 12. 23. as the Apostle speaks thorough death
Beloved as yee have alwayes obeyed not as in my presence only but now much more in my absence work out your own Salvation with feare and trembling d Cap. 2. 12. c. Hope or confidence of obtaining by and upon the use of means to obtaine is a spur unto action but hope and confidence of obtaining whether any means be used or no is a temptation unto sloath Nor doe our Reformed Expositors of best account interpret the place §. 25. in hand concerning any certainty that the Apostle had of the perpetuall continuance of the grace of God with them but only of a charitable or humane perswasion hereof But wheresoever saith Calvin upon the place we see any such signs of a Divine Election which we are capable to apprehend it becommeth us to be presently stirred up to a good hope as well for this end that we be not evill-minded towards our Neighbours or defraud them of an equitable and humane judgment of charity as that we may be thankfull unto God a Sed ubi cunque cernimus quaecunque Divinae electionis indicia à nobis apprehendi possunt protinus ad bonam spem excitari nos oportet tam ne simus in proximos maligni eósque aequo humano charitatis judicio fraudemus quà m ut Deo gratissimus Musculus yet somewhat more fully God indeed saith he had begun a good worke in the Philippians but from whence was the Apostle certaine that he would perfect it untill the day of Jesus Christ I Answer he doth not say I am certaine but I am perswaded It is one thing to be certaine of a matter another to be perswaded A certainty of Gods works may be had out of His Word but a perswasion may be had from a good belief or reliance upon His goodnesse and from some Arguments of such His Works Certainty deceives no Man but a Mans perswasion often falls out otherwise then was hoped b Caeperat quidem bonum hoc opus in Philippensibus Deus verum unde certus erat Apostolus quòd essâ—t illud perfecturus usque in diem Jesu Christi Respondeo non dicit Certus sum sed persuasus sum Aliud est esse certum de re aliquâ aliud vero esse persuasum Certitudo de operibus Dei haberi potest ex ipsius verbo persuasâ—o verò ex bonâ ergà bonitatem ipsius fiducià quibusdam operum illius Argumentis Certitudo fallit neminem persuasio autem saepenumerò aliter cadit qua sperabatur A third Argument layed hold on for the service of the Doctrine of Perseverance §. 26. is founded upon the immutable Decree of Election from eternity and operates after this manner A living or saving Faith is given to none but to those that are Elect in which respect such a Faith is called the Faith of the Elect of God c Tit. 1. 1. And God hath determined to bring his Elect to Salvation by Faith with the greatest certainty that can be From hence then it follows either that the Elect must be brought to Salvation by Faith with so much certainty that they shall never fall away from it either totally or finally or that God is changeable in His Counsell But this latter is at no hand to be admitted therefore the former must stand To this I Answer 1. That this Argument demands that which is sacrilegious to grant viz. that God hath from eternity elected a certaine number of Men personally and as it were by name considered unto Salvation whom he purposeth to bring thereunto infallibly and without all possibility of miscarrying The inconsistency of this notion or conceit with the nature and attributes of God hath been already intimated and the inconsistency of it with the maine current of the Scriptures Reason and Truth it self shall with Gods assistance be demonstrated at large in the second part of this work In the meane time to the Argument in hand in respect of other particulars in it we answer 2. That by the Faith of Gods Elect Tit. â— 1. is not meant such a Faith as he gives unto Men elected unto Salvation under a meere personall consideration from eternity which are a kinde of Men allied to Paracelsus his non-Adami but the Doctrine of the Gospell which Paul was to Preach to the Saints and the chosen ones of God The carriage of the whole sentence evinceth this Paul a Servant of God and an Apostle of Jesus Christ according to the Faith of Gods Elect and the acknowledging of the truth which is after godlinesse meaning that he served God and performed the Office of an Apostle of Christ according to the exigency and requirement of that Doctrine which God had now revealed and sent into the World to be Preached unto His Saints every where termed His chosen ones as likewise according to the acknowledging of the Truth which is c. meaning that He did not only serve God and Jesus Christ in Preaching the Gospell unto the Saints and Persons already called and gained in to the Faith as became Him and as the Nature of the Gospell required of Him in this behalf but that he was faithfull and serviceable also unto them in Preaching it unto such as were yet Infidels and unconverted upon such terms that they also might be brought to the acknowledgement of it That which in the former Clause He calls the Faith of Gods Elect in the latter He calls the Truth which is after godlinesse meaning in both the Doctrine of the Gospell which in twenty places besides especially in the writings of this Apostle by a kinde of metonymie where the object is put for the act is called Faith It was needfull saith Jude for me to write unto you and exhort you that you should earnestly contend for the Faith which was once delivered unto the Saints a Jude Ver. 3. Peruse the Texts cited in the margent b Act. 6. 7. Gal. 1. 23. Philip. 127. Gal. 3. 2. 5. c. There is one place amongst the rest of like construction with this in hand and that within two or three Verses of it where the Apostle calleth Titus his naturall Son or a naturall Son after the common Faith or according as it is the same Preposition 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to the common Faith meaning that he was a genuine and true Saint or Son oâ— God and of His as an instrument of his spirituall being according to all those holy qualifications which the Gospell now commonly Preached and known in the World requireth of those whom it owneth or adjudgeth for Sons The Preposition 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is frequently used in such a construction or sence as this But if for meate thy Brother is made sorrowfull now walkest thou not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 according to Charity c Rom. 14 15. i. e. according to exigency of charity or as Charity requireth So 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 according to His Works a Rom. 2.
Creatures of a better kinde All the lineaments of the Persons presented in these Tables before the mention of their falling away become the best and fairest faces of the Saints as hath been proved and are not to be found in any other Yea the greatest and most intelligent Believer under Heaven hath no reason but to desire part and fellowship with the Hypocrites here described in all those Characters and Properties which are attributed unto them before their falling away or sinning wilfully 2. True Believers are in an estate of honour and are lifted up on high towards the Heavens in which respect they have from whence to fall But Hypocrites are as neere Hell already as lightly they can be till they be actually fallen into it From whence then are they capable of falling Men of estates may faile and break but beggers are in no such danger If Hypocrites fall away it must be from their Hypocrisie but this is rather a rising then a Fall A Begger cannot be said to break but onely when he gets an estate When he doth this the begger is broke 3. It is no punishment at all to Hypocrites to be under no Possibility of being renewed againe by Repentance Nay in case they should Fall away it would be a benefit and blessing unto them to be under an impossibility of being renewed againe For if this were their case it would be unpossible for them to be ever Hypocrites again and doubtlesse it is no great judgement upon any Man to be made uncapable of such a preferment 4. And lastly it stands off forty foot at least from all probability that the Apostle writing onely unto those whom he judged true and sound Believers as appears from severall places in the Epistle as Cap. 3. 14. 6. 9. c. should in the most serious emphaticall and weighty passages hereof admonish them of such evills or dangers which only concern'd other Men and wherunto themselves were not at all obnoxious yea and whereunto if they had been obnoxious all the Cautions Admonitions Warnings Threatnings in the World would not according to their Principles with whom we have now to doe have relieved or delivered them To say that such admonitions are a means to preserve those from apostasie who are by other means as suppose the absolute Decree of God or the interposall of his irresistible Power for their Perseverance or the like are in no possibility of apostatizing is to say that washing is a means to make Snow white or the rearing up of a Pillar in the Aire a means to keepe the Heavens from falling But more of this in the Chapter following Thus then we cleerly see by the unpartiall discussion of the two Scriptures §. 29. lately insisted upon that there is a possibility that true Believers yea the greatest in this rank or order of Men may fall away and that to an impossibility of a returne to their former standing by Repentance Whither the Apostle speakes of a distriâ—â— and absolute impossibility in this place or of such an impossibility only which our Saviour expoundeth by a difficulty a Mat. 19. 23. 26. doth no wayes alter the state of that conclusion â—hich we have wrought from it Pâ—reâ—s from Nazianzen mentioneth six severall significations of the word impossible and preferreth two of them with equall approbation to the Apostle service in this place Neither of them imports that rigid or district impossibility we speak of but the one such an impossibility which is caused through want of strength in Him that should performe a thing the other such whâ—â—h exceedeth the course of nature and efficiency of second causes So that he supposeth a liberty or Power remaining in God to renew againe by Repentance the Persons here spoken of after their falling away notwithstanding that impossibility whicâ— is here asserted of their recovery Whicâ—â—nterpretation of his I willingly subscribe unto and could plead the cause of such a subscription if it were pertinent to the proâ—â—sse of the businesse in hand That which is commonly alledged in opposition to what hath been argued §. 30. concerning the two last Scriptures is of little consideration excepting onely those Scriptures and Arguments by which the Doctrine of Persevevance in the generall is wont to be maintained both which we have answered at large in the two next preceding Chapters To say with Pareus that the Apostasie and event prove the persons spoken of to have been Hypocrites b Hypocritas fuisse apostasiâ— eventus declarat is to cause a Mans opinion to rise up early to praise it self His refuge of an Hypotheticall forme in the words is but a sanctuary built in the Aire as we shewed formerly There is nothing Hypotheticall in either of the passages if there were his greatest friends and abettors have polluted that Sanctuary and made it uncleane for his use as hath once and againe been declared And with how little truth he or any Man can affirme that all things here attributed to the Apostates spoken of illumination gifts of Tongues and Miracles the tasting of the good Word of God and Faith c. amount to nothing more then to what Hypocrites may have a Apostolus autem non dicit categorice semel illuminatos prolabi sed Hypotheticè si prolabantur Ab Hypotheticâ autem non valet consequentia nisi conditione positâ hath been our chiefe designe in the traverse of the places to shew and prove The next Scripture testimony we shall produce and briefly urge in the §. 31. cause now under maintenance is in the same Epistle with the former and speaketh these words Now the Just shall live by Faith but if any Man draw back my Soul shall have no pleasure in him b Heb. 10. 38. Our English Translators out of good will doubtlesse to a bad cause have almost defaced this Testimony by substituting any Man for the just Man For whereas they â—ranslate but if any Man draw back the originall readeth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. and if or but if Hâ— i. e. the just Man who should live by his Faith viz. if he continues in it shall draw back Beza Himself likewise before them had stained the honour of his faithfulnesse with the same blot in his Translation But the minde of the Holy Ghost in the words is plaine and without Parable viz. that if the just Man who lives i. e. who at present injoyes the favour of God and thereby is supported in all his trialls and should live alwayes by his Faith if he continues in it as Pareus well glosseth shall draw back or shall be withdrawn viz. through feare or sloath as the word properly signifieth see Acts 20. 27. from his believing my Soul shall have no pleasure in him i. e. according to the import of the Hebraisme my Soul shall hate or abhor him to the Death as it is Apud Hebrâ—os adverbia negandi contrarium ejuâ— cui adhibentur significant Med.
suffer Persecution a while before â—heir Faith expired So that the Faith of those who in the Parable are called Temporaries can by no argument or allegation be â—victed of any degenerateness or unsoundnesse in kinde but onely of a deficiency in point of rooting or firme fixation in the Soul Nor doth our Saviour any wayes blame or reprove it but upon this account onely Yea in blaming it upon this account onely and reproving those who had it for being no more diligent and carefull in the use of means for confirming and establishing themselves better in it He plainely gives testimony unto it in Point of truth and soundness in as much as no Man deserveth blame for not consulting or endevouring the Perpetuation of an Hypocriticall Faith in his Soul or such which though Persevered in would yet have left Him in the hand of eternall Death These Considerations and Discussions are so full of Light Evidence and Power that were not the foot of our Adversaries held in this snare to judg of the truth and Soundness and so of the Hollowness and Unsoundness of Faith by the issue and event of it as viz. the Perseverance or non-Perseverance of it unto the end they could not lightly stand in the way of their present judgements before them And yet this Rule or Method of judging is not of any good accord with their own Principles otherwise Concerning those helps or assistances of grace say our English Divines present in the Synod of Dort which are afforded by God unto Men we are to judge of them meaning in point of sufficiency or efficaciousness by the nature of the benefit offered as attainable by them and by the most manifest Word of God NOT BY THE EVENT or abuse of them a Ex naturâ benefiâ—ij oblatâ— verbo Dei â—pertissimo iudicandum est dâ— illis Gratiae auxilijs quae hominibus suppeditantur non autem ex eventu aut abusu Synod Dordr Act. Pag. 128. The last proof from the Scriptures which we shall at present insist §. 39. upon and urge for the confirmation of the Doctrine under Protection shall be that passage which holds forth these things unto us For when they speak great swelling words of vanity they allure through the lusts of the flesh through much wantonnesse those who were CLEANE ESCAPED from those who live in error While they promise them liberty they themselves are the servants of corruption for of whom a Man is overcome of the same he is brought in bondage For if after they have escaped the pollutions of the World through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ they are againe intangled therein and overcome the latter end is worse with them then the beginning For it had been better for them not to have known the way of Righteousnesse then after they have known it to turne from the holy Commandement delivered unto them But it is happened unto them according to the true Proverbe the Dogg is turned to his own vomit againe and the Sow that was washed to his wallowing in the mire b Pet. â— 18 19 c. The Possibility of a totall and finall defection in true Believers lieth as large and full in these quarters as truth lightly can be lodged in words the Holy Ghost here plainely supposing that which is clearly consistent with yea and equipollent thereunto viz. that they who by the acknowledgement of Jesus Christ have cleane or truly or really 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 escaped the pollutions of the World being againe intangled therewith may be overcome so as that their spirituall state and condition will be worse at the last then it was at the first or before they believed What is this being interpreted but that true Saints or Believers may possibly apostatize from their believing condition so as to perish everlastingly But here also our Adversaries attempt to hide the Truth shining in the recited §. 40. passage under that old covering or veyle which hath been rent in twaine already both in this Chapter and elsewhere Thâ—se expressions say they who were clean escaped from those who live in error who have escaped the pollutions of the World through the acknowledgement of Jesus Christ to have known the way of righteousnesse c. doe not suppose the Persons spoken of to have had true Faith nor import any thiâ—â— but what may very possibly be found in Hypocrites But with how little truth yea or semblance of truth these things are asserted hath been already exposed to open view when we traversed the Scripture in hand upon another occasion a Cap. 8. Sect. 4 5 46 c. Neverthelesse we here add 1. If the said expressions import nothing but what Hypocrites and that in sensu composito i. e. whilest Hypocrites are capable of theâ— may those be Hypocrites who are separated from Men that live in error 〈◊〉 from the pollutions of the World and that through the knowledge of Jesus C 〈…〉 and on the other hand those may be Saints and sound Believers who wallow in all manner of filthiness and defile themselves daily with the pollutions of the World This consequence according to the Principles and known Tenets of our Adversaries is legitimate and true in as much as they hold that true Believers may fall so foule and so far that the Church according to Christs institution may be constrained to testifie that they cannot bear them in their outward communion and that they shall have no part in the Kingdome of Christ except they repent b Repondemus posse quidem verè credentes eousque prolabi ut Ecclesia juxtà constitutionem Christi cogatur â—esta 〈…〉 ipsos in externâ ipsorum communione non posse tolerare neque habituros partem ullam in regnâ— Christâ— nisi convertantur Contr-Remonstr in Coll. Hag. p. 399. c. But whether this be wholesoâ—â—â—nd sound Divinity or no to teach that they who are separate from sinnâ—â— and live holily and blamelesly in this present World and this by means of the knowledge of Jesus Christ may be Hypocrites and children of perdition and they on the other hand who are companions with Theeves Murtherers Adulterers c. Saints and sound Believers I leave to Men whose judgements are not turn'd upside down with prejudice to determine 2. The Persons here spoken of are said to have 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 truly or really escaped from those who live in error Doubtlesse an Hypocrite cannot be said truly or really but in shew or appearance at most to have made such an escape I mean from Men who live in error considering that for matter of reality and truth remaining in Hypocrisie he lives in one of the greatest and foulest errors that is 3. An Hypocrite whose foot is already in the snare of Death cannot upon any tolerable account either of reason or common sence be said to be allured i. e. by allurements to be deceived or overcome by the pollutions of the World
Possibility of their finall fall by the dim light of some sensuall Principles and Apprehensions and in an overly and superficiall manner as it were at a distance are much troubled at it as if it were a Doctrine of an Anti-evangelicall spirit that would bring them into a Bondage of fear and torment them Which Doctrine notwithstanding would they look upon it narrowly and with an unprejudiced attention and this by the clear light of such considerations which exhibit it like it self unto them they would then soon confesse to be a Doctrine which was set not at all to curse but to blâ—ss them altogether The sole undertaking of this Chapter is to commend the said Doctrine unto §. 2. Argum. 1. the Judgements and Consciences of Men for a Truth by a Proposall of such worthy things which relate to it either by way of causality or affinity in Truth In the first place I pleade the cordiall sympathy it hath with that righteousness of God which the Scripture calls 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or a non-acceptation of Persons thus That Doctrine which rendereth God free from that unrighteousness which the Scripture calls a respecting the Persons of Men is a Doctrine of perfect consistency with the Scriptures and the Truth The Doctrine which teacheth a Possibility of the Saints declining and this unto death is a Doctrine of this import Ergo. The reason of the former Proposition is plaine in as much as the Scriptures frequently assert that Principle of non-respecting Persons most worthy the judge of all the Earth unto God Deut. 10. 17. Gal. 2. 6. 1 Pet. 1. 17. c. The latter Proposition needeth no labouriousnesse of Proof neither Evident it is that the Doctrine here spoken of representeth God as a non-respecter of Persons in as much as it rendreth him a Judge of the same righteous severity against the enormous transgressions of his own Children and Friends which he exerciseth towards his enemies and those that are strangers unto Him upon the like Provocations This Doctrine subjecteth Saints as well as others to this righteous Law of God Neither Fornicators nor Idolaters nor Adulterers nor Effeminate nor abusers of themselves with Mankinde nor Theâ—ves nor Covetous nor Drunkards nor Revilers nor Extortioners shall inherit the Kingdome of God a 1 Cor. 6. 9. meaning as is evident from other Scriptures without Repentance Whereas the common Doctrine of Perseverance exempteth all such who have at any time been true Believers or Children of God from the penalty or doome of this Law teaching that though such as these should turne Fornicators Idolaters Adulterers c. and continue never so long in these abominations without Repentance yet they retaine their Right and Title of Inheritance in the Kingdome of God and that they remaine under the greatest love that God can shew or beare towards Men the love of Election and of Children even in the midst of these deep and desperate Provocations And thus it maketh God the greatest accepter of Persons in the World rendring Him implacably severe towards lesser sinners and indulgent above measure to the greater For that such who have or have had the knowledge of God and have believed in Jesus Christ and made Profession of love and service to Him when they turn Fornicators Idolaters Adulterers c. are far greater sinners then Men committing the same sins in ignorance and unbeliefe is I think no Mans doubt or question Certaine I am that the Scripture still representeth God as more severe in punishing where greater means of Righteousnesse and well doing have been vouchsafed You said He to His own People the Children of Israel of old onely have I knowne of all the Families of the Earth Therefore I will punish you for all your iniquities b Am. 3. 2. In the Gospell And that servant which knew His Lords will and prepared not himself neither did according to His Will shall be beaten with many stripes But he that knew not and did commit things worthy of stripes shall be beaten with few stripes For unto whom much is given of him shall much be required c Luk. 12. 47 48. c. It cannot be denied and confessed it is by our Adversaries themselves as hath been formerly observed but that true Believers have fallen into the Practise of the foule transgressions mentioned yea and have remained impenitent in them for a long season Therefore if during the time of such Practise and impenitency they should not be in the same or worse condition to God-ward and Salvation-wise then ignorant Persons and such who were alwayes strangers unto God are when they live in the same impieties God must needs be an accepter of Persons in the highest and shew a thousand times more favour to grand and signall Delinquents then to ordinary and lighter Offendors in comparison So that to pretend though true Believers may and oft doe fall into the fore-named sins and continue for a time in them without Repentance yet God alwayes reneweth them by Repentance before their death though this was never yet proved nor ever will be it doth not at all salve the honour of the said Doctrine Because such a supposall notwithstanding the Persons contended about may and doe according to the tenor of the Premises lately Proved suffer a totall eclipse and intercision of the grace and favour of God in the mean season Secondly for a Possibility of the Saints defection either totall finall or §. 3. both I thus argue If the common Doctrine of Perseverance rendereth the Ministry of the Gospell Argum. 2 so far as it concerneth the Perseverance of the Saints vaine impertinent and voyd then is it not a Doctrine of God but of Men and consequently that which opposeth it is the Truth But certaine it is that the said Doctrine is of this un-Christian tendency and import Ergo. The consequence in the Major Proposition is pregnant of truth in as much as the Preservation of the Saints in Faith and Holinesse unto the end is one of the most considerable ends of the Ministry of the Gospell about the effecting whereof it is mainly conversant Therefore if God who hath ordained the Ministry of the Gospell for the advancement of this end should assert any such Doctrine which rendereth it unnecessary and impertinent in Reference to this end He should be divided in Himself and pull down with one hand what He buildeth up with another The Minor Proposition is demonstrable thus That Doctrine which rendreth the labour and faithfulnesse of a Minister in pressing such Exhortations Threatnings and Promises which tend to the Preservation of the Saints in Faith and Holinesse unto the end uselesse rendereth the Ministry of the Gospell as far as it concerns the incouragement or inabling of the Saints to Persevere needless and vaine but guilty of such a tendency as this is the commonly-received Doctrine of Perseverance Ergo. The truth of the Major Proposition here shineth clearly enough with its own light or however
there is this Reason for it viz. because Ministers of the Gospell can have little else from the Scriptures but only Exhortations Threatnings and Promises whereby to build or effect the Perseverance of the Saints Therefore if the pressing or putting on of these upon Men be needlesse in Reference to such an end certainly their Ministry as far as it relates to this end is needless also The Minor is thus Proved The common Doctrine of Perseverance requireth and commandeth all Saints or true Believers to be fully perswaded and this with the greatest and most indubitable certainty of Faith that there is an absolute and utter impossibility either of a totall or finall defection of their Faith and that though they should fall into ten thousand enormous and most abominable sins and lie wallowing in them like a Swine in the mire yet they shall remaine all the while in an estate of grace and that God will by a strong hand of irresistible Grace bring them off from their sins by Repentance before they die But that Doctrine which requireth and commandeth all this and much more of like import to be confidently believed by true Believers rendreth the pressing of all Exhortations Threatnings Promises upon them in order to prevaile with them or to make them careful to Persevere bootless and unnecessary Ergo. The Major in this Syllogisme is the knowne voyce of the common Doctrine of Perseverance The Reason of the Minor is because a certaine knowledge and perswasion that God will by an irresistible hand of Power preserve a Man in the state of Grace how desperately carelesse negligent or wicked soever he shall be clearly dissolves the usefulnesse and necessity of all other means whatsoever in Reference to this end If I know certainly that the Corne which I have sown in my Field will whether I wake or sleepe grow and prosper would it not be a very impertinent addresse for any Man to come to me and admonish me in a serious and grave manner to take heed I sleepe not but keep my self waking least my Corne should not grow or prosper or that it may grow and prosper If my Corne grows thrives and prospers by the irresistible Hand of God in the course of His naturall and standing Providence my watchfulnesse in order to a Procurement of these things is absolutely vaine This is a truth which prejudice and partiality themselves cannot lightly but subscribe viz. that there is no Force Power or Authority in such an Exhortation wherein we are pressed to use means either for the avoyding or escaping of such a danger which we are upon sure grounds perswaded cannot possibly fall upon us or for the performance of what we are assured upon the like terms of certainty that we cannot but performe or that God Himself will certainly by any irresistible and unfrustrable hand of grace performe and work in us So againe that there is no efficacy or power in such a threatning which threatneth us with such an evill or danger which we infallibly know our selves out of all possibility of suffering or falling under And lastly that there is no weight or quickening Power in such a Promise wherein only such a benefit or blessing is promised unto us upon the performance of a condition which we infallibly know to be ours before the condition be performed yea and which we are §. 4. most certainly assured we shall not we cannot upon any terms whatsoever be deprived of That which is commonly pleaded to salve the consistency of the common Doctrine of peremptorily-decreed Perseverance with an usefulnesse or necessity of the Exhortations Threatnings and Promises mentioned hath neither any logicall nor theologicall vertue in it for such a purpose For is it any other then this viz. that the Exhortations comminations and Promises which we speak of are means appointed by God and used by him accordingly for the accomplishment and effecting of that Perseverance in the Saints which he hath made simply and absolutely necessary by his decree Now that such a notion as this is altogether irrelative to the business the accommodation whereof it pretendeth will be made evident by weighing the particulars severally First that the Exhortations wherein the Saints are exhorted unto Perseverance are no means by which the Promises of Perseverance made as our Adversaries suppose unto them are accomplished or effected is thus clearly evinced Whatsoever is a meanes for the bringing of any thing to passe ought not to containe any thing in it repugnant or contrary unto that which is intended to be brought to passe by it For meanes ought to be subordinate to their ends not Repugnant But the Scripture exhortations unto Perseverance containe that which is repugnant to the prâ—mises of Perseverance if supposed such as our Adversaries suppose them to be Therefore they can be no means to effect these Promises The Minor is evident by the light of this consideration Such Exhortations as these unto the Saints Take heâ—d lest at any time there be an evill heart of unbeliefe in you lest you be hardened through the deceitfulnesse of sin lest you fall from Grace lest you receive the Grace of God in vaine lest you fall from your own stedfastnesse c. in their native and proper tendency import a danger and serve to raise a feare in Men lest the danger imported should come upon them Whereas such Promises as these made unto the same Persons and that unconditionally as is supposed that there shall never be an heart of unbeliefe in you that you shall never be hardened through the deceitfulnesse of sin that you shall never fall away from the Grace of God c. exclude all danger yea or possibility of falling away and tend directly to prevent or extinguish all fear in Men of any such danger Therefore such exhortations are in their very natures and genuine import contrary to such promises in theirs and consequently can be no means of bringing them to passe Againe if such exhortations as we speak of be a means to effect that Perseverance which our Adversaries suppose to be promised unto the Saints then must the act of Perseverance in the Saints necessarily depend upon them so as that it cannot or will not take place or be effected without them i. e. without the Saints submitting of themselves unto them But persevering upon these terms clearly supposeth a Possibility of a non-persevering For whatsoever dependeth upon a mutable condition and which possibly may not be performed may it self as possibly never come to passe If it be said that the said Exhortations are means of the Saints Persevering §. 5. in this respect viz. because God by His Spirit irresistibly or infrustrably drawes and perswades the Saints to obey these Exhortations as means of their persevering I answer 1. It cannot be proved that God doth draw or perswade his Saints upon any such terms to obey these exhortations Nay frequent experience sheweth and our Adversaries own Doctrine frequently mentioned
that without the least intimation of any disparagement hereby unto it When Moses prayed God to blot him out of the Book which he had written in case he would not forgive the Sin of the People a Ex 〈…〉 32. 32 questionless he did not conceive that he desired any thing that would deface or disgrace His Book So when God returned this answer to that His demand Whosoever hath sinned against me him will I blot out of my Booke He did not intend any blemish to His Book When Christ from Heaven expresseth Himself thus to the Church of Sardis He that overcommeth the same shall be clothed in white rayment and I will not blot out His Name out of the Booke of Life b Revel 3. 5. c. He clearly supposeth that there were or at least might be some whose Names he would blot out of this Book otherwise it would be no matter of honor or specialty of priviledge which He promiseth herein As in case all Men were to be cloathed in white and no possibility of any Mans falling short of this honour it had been very impertinent and unproper for our Saviour to promise with so much solemnity as the words import a Cloathing in white by way of reward unto him that overcommeth See also Psal 69. 28. 2. To conceive that what the Scripture meaneth by blotting out of the Book of Life should be any matter of defacement to this Book or any thing unseemly for God otherwise savours of Carnality of Notion about this Book and of a mis-apprehension of what is seemly and unseemly for God to doe For Gods Book of Life is nothing else but His generall purpose or decree concerning persons to be saved not by their Names but their capacities or qualifications So that when He is said to blot out any Mans Name out of this Book which He never doth or is said to doe but upon their devesting themselves of that capacity in respect whereof they are said to have been written in this Book according to what we lately heard from himself whosoever hath sinned against me Him will I blot out of My Book it importeth onely this that whereas before whilest he remained faithfull and upright with God God according to his Purpose and Promise made to such Men intended Life and Salvation unto him now by reason of his back-sliding unto Sin and Wickednesse he purposeth to destroy him and that according to his generall and unpartiall decree of destroying sinners and wicked Men if they repent not So that if it be not unseemly for God to destroy backsliding sinners who remaine hardened and impenitent to the end neither is it unseemly for him to blot out the Names of Men upon the occasion specified out of His Book of Life Cameron expounding those words lately mentioned I will not blot out His Name out of the Booke of Life To be blotted out of the Book of Life saith he is nothing else but to be condemned It is a forme of speech where the antecedent is put for the consequent borrowed from that which is frequently done amongst Men as viz. when any Man or any Mans Name is by command from the Magistrate struck out of the Catalogue or Roll of Citizens that all may know that he is a condemned Man a Deleri à libro vitae nihil aliud est quà m damnari Est autem antecedens pro consequenti sumptâ formulâ loquedi abeo quod fieri solet in vitâ communi verbi gratiâ cum deletur aliquis è catalogo civium jussu magistratus ut eum damnatum sciant omnes Cameron Myroth p. 354. There is nothing in the Allegation in hand worthy any further consideration it is all Face and nothing Heart against the cause which it pretends to fight Another Argument demonstrative of the Doctrine pre-asserted is this §. 32. Argum. 6. That Doctrins which is according unto godlinesse i. e. whose naturall and proper tendency is to promote godlinesse in the hearts and lives of Men is Evangelicall and of unquestionable comportance with the Truth Such is the Doctrine which teacheth a Possibility of the Saints declining both totally and finally Ergo. The Reason of the Major Proposition though the truth of it needs no light but it s own to be seen by is because the Gospell it self is a Doctrine which is according unto godlinesse b 1 Tim. 6. 3. a Truth according unto godlinesse c Tit. 1. 1. a mystery of godlinesse d 1 Tim. 3. 16 c. i. e. a Doctrine Truth and Mystery calculated contriv'd and fram'd by God with a singular aptnesse and choycenesse of ingredients for the advancement of godlinesse in the World Therefore what particular Doctrine soever is of the same spirit tendency and import must needs be a naturall branch thereof and of perfect accord with it This proposition then is unquestionable Nor can the Minor lightly be lesse unquestionable to him that shall duly and unpartially examine and weigh the frame and import of it For what Doctrine can be more proper or powerfull to promote godlinesse in the hearts and lives of Men then that which on the one hand promiseth a Crown of blessednesse and eternall glory to those that live godlily without declining and on the other hand threateneth the vengeance of eternall Fire against those that shall turne aside unto prophainnesse and not retâ—rne by Repentance Whereas that Doctrine which promiseth and that with all possible certainty and assureance all fulnesse of blessednesse and glory to those that shall at any time be godly though they shall the very next day or houre degenerate and turne loose and prophane and continue never so long in such a course is most manifestly destructive unto godlinesse and incouraging above measure to prophainnesse If it be objected and said yea but the assureance of the unchangeablenesse §. 33. of Gods Love towards him that is godly is both a more effectuall and perswading motive unto godlinesse and more incouraging unto a persevering in godlinesse then a doubtfulnesse or uncertainty whether God will be constant in His affection to such a Man or no. Certainty of reward is more incouraging unto action then uncertainty I answer 1. The Doctrine which teacheth a possibility of the Saints finall defection teacheth an assurance of the unchangeablenesse of Gods Love towards him that is godly as well as the Doctrine contrary to it onely with this difference this latter Doctrine teacheth the said unchangeablenesse absolutely and against all possible change by sin and wickednesse in the person supposed at present to be godly whereas the former teacheth and asserteth the same unchangeablenesse but conditionally and upon the Perseverance oâ— him that is godly in his course So that this Doctrine teacheth as much câ—râ—ainty of the love of God towards him that is godly as such and as continuing such as the other doth And the truth is that the other Doctrine rightly interpreted doth not so much promise
Sin onely is exclusive from the love and Kingdome of God is no such great mastery no such matter of difficulty unto such Men and that when they are overcome and fall into such Sins it is through a meere voluntary neglect of stiring up the Grace of God that is in them and of maintaining that holy Principle we speak of in strength and vigour by such means as God most graciously and indulgently vouchsafeth unto them in abundance for such a purpose And thus we see all things unpartially weighed and debated to and fro that the Doctrine which supposeth a possibility of the Saints finall declining is the Doctrine which is according to godlinesse and the corrivall of it an enemy thereunto That Doctrine whose genuine and proper tendency is to advance the peace and §. 36. Argum. 7. joy of the Saints in believing is of a naturall sympathy with the Gospell and upon this account a truth Such is the Doctrine which informeth the Saints of a possibility of their totall and finall falling away Ergo. Our adversaries themselves in the cause depending will not I presume regret the granting of the former proposition the truth of it being a truth so neere at hand The Minor hath received confirmation in abundance from what was argued and evinced in the 9th Chapter where we demonstratively proved that the Doctrine we now assert is of the most healthfull and sound constitution to make a Nurse for the peace and joy and comforts of the Saints whereas that which is opposite to it is but of a melancholique and sad complexion in comparison The ground we built our Demonstration upon was this That Doctrine which is of the most incouraging quickning and strengthning import to the Spirit and Grace of God in Men on the one hand and most crucifying and destructive to the flesh on the other hand must needs be a Doctrine of the best and choycest accommodation for the Peace and Comfort of Believers The reason hereof is because the Peace Joy and Comfort of Believers doe if not wholly yet in a very great measure depend upon the fruits of the Spirit and the testimony of their Consciences concerning their loyalty and faithfulnesse unto God in doing His will keeping His Commandments refraining all false wayes as David speaketh abstaining from the works of the flesh c. As on the contrary that Roote of bitternesse in the Saints from which feares and doubtings perplexities agonies and consternations of soule spring is the flesh when for want of a sharpe bridle still kept in the jawes or lips of it it breaks out becomes unruly and magnifies it self against God and His Lawes These things we prosecuted more at large in the fore named Chapter where likewise we proved above all reasonable contradiction that the sence of those who assert a possibility of the Saints drawing back even to perdition is a Doctrine of a very rich sympathy with the Spirit or regenerate part in Men of an excellent and high animation unto it and on the contrary a Doctrine morrally inspired against the flesh with all the lusts and wayes hereof Here also we gave an answer in full unto those who are wont to object and pretend that the best and holiest persons more generally cleave in their judgements to the Doctrine of absolute Perseverance as on the other hand that persons more carnally and loosely disposed more generally take up that which is contrary unto it So that we shall not need to add in this place any thing further to give weight or strength to the Argument in hand unlesse it be to certifie the Reader that since the publishing and clearing the Doctrine now asserted some very godly and seriously Religious persons have with their whole Hearts blessed God for it We proceede to another Argument That Doctrine which evacuates and turns into weaknesse and folly all that §. 37. Argum. 8. gracious counsell of the Holy Ghost which consists partly in that diligent information which he gives unto the Saints from place to place concerning the hostile cruell and bloody minde and intentions of Satan against them partly in detecting and making knowne all his subtil stratagems his Plots Methods and dangerous machinations against them partly also in furnishing them with spirituall weapons of all sorts whereby they may be able to grapple with him notwithstanding and gloriously to triumph over him partly againe in those frequent Admonitions Exhortations Incouragements to quit themselves like Men in resisting him and making good their ground against him which are found in the Scriptures and lastly in professing his feare lest Satan should circumvent and deceive them that Doctrine I say which reflects disparagement and vanity upon all these most serious and gracious applications of the Holy Ghost unto the Saints must needs be a Doctrine of vanity and error and consequently that which opposeth it by like necessity a truth But such is the common Doctrine of absolute and infallible Perseverance Ergo. The Major in this Argument is greater then exception For doubtlesse no Doctrine which is of an undervaluing import either to the Grace or Wisdome of the Holy Ghost in any Scripture transaction can be Evangelicall or consistent with truth The Minor likewise is evident upon this account All those actions or transactions ascribed to the Holy Ghost in the Major Proposition as viz. his discovering and detecting unto the Saints the hostile Spirit and machinations of Satan against them his furnishing them with spirituall weapons to conflict with him and fight against him c. are in severall places of Scripture plainely reported and attributed unto him particularly in these Jam. 4. 7. 1 Pet. 5. 8 9. Eph. 6. 11. 12 c. 2. Cor. 11. 3. 14. 2. 11. Mat. 12. 43 44 c. 2 Thess 2. 9 10. 1 Cor. 7. 5. not to mention many others Now if the Saints be in no possibility of being finally overcome by Satan or of miscarrying in the great and most important businesse of their Salvation by his snares and subtilties all that operousnesse and diligence of the Holy Ghost in those late-mentioned addressements of his unto them in order to their finall conquest over Satan will be found of very light consequence of little concernment to them Yea if the said addressements of the Holy Ghost be compared with the state and condition of the Saints as the said Doctrine of Perseverance representeth and affirmeth it to be and be digested or formed into an hypotyposis accordingly the utter uselessenesse and impertinency of them will yet much more evidently appeare Suppose we then the Holy Ghost should speake thus unto the Saints O you that truly believe who by vertue of the Promise of that God that cannot lie are fully perswaded and possest that you shall be kept by God by His irresistible Grace in true faith until death so that though Satan shall set all his wits on work and by all his stratagems snares and cunning devices seek to destroy you
doth not invite or occasion any Man to judge concerning any Saint or true Believer that he will or that he is likely so to fall but onely that it is possible for him so to fall Nor is such a judgement or thought as this concerning any Man yea or Creature whatsoever any jealousie or suspicion at all concerning him nor hath it any thing reflective or disparaging in it to the Worth Honour or Repute of that Creature how great and worthy soever he be concerning whom it is conceived it being no disparagement at all no not to the first borne of Creatures I mean to the Angels themselves not to partake or not to be thought to partake in any incommunicable property of God such as his unchangeablenesse is To look upon a Saint or a true Believer as one who may possibly Apostatize is but to looke upon him as being a Creature and not God nor would such an eye as this offend the greatest Angell in Heaven considering that he never gave nor is capable of giving any competent ground or reason unto any Man to look upon him with any other But to looke upon a Saint or true Believer especially when he hath given all the Christian satisfaction that reasonably can be desired or expected of his uprightnesse and sincerity as one that for ought we can tell or have any sufficient ground to judge the contrary may be an Hypocrite and rotten at the core is an high straine of Unchristian unworthinesse and what reason it selfe competently informed cannot lightly but abhor The Premisses concerning the subject yet in hand the Doctrine of Perseverance duly considered it fully appeares that that Doctrine which for these many yeares last past hath magnified it self in the Tongues and Pens of Men not onely or simply for a Truth but with many great Elogiums and titles of Soveraigne dignity as that it is a fundamentall Article of the Reformed Religion one of the principal Points or Heads of Christian Religion wherein the Reformed Churches have purged themselves from the Errors of Popery that it is the foundation of all true assurance of Salvation without which true Faith it self cannot stand that it contains that Promise of God which all Ministers of the Gospel stand bound to commend and inculcate with all diligence into all true Beleevers for their comfort with many such like studied and strained-for commendations this Doctrine I say in whose praises the Friends of it have risen up so early and lifted it up so neer unto the Heavens as hath been shewed upon a strict and unpartial enquiry and examination hath been found a meer Impostor an appearance of Satan in the likeness of an Angel of Light a Tenent which cannot stand in Judgment with the sound and wholesom Doctrines of the Gospel We shall further God willing shew unto you in how little request the said Doctrine of Perseverance was with those who are to this day counted Pillars of the Christian Faith in the Primitive and most exemplary times and likewise how unstable and uncertain if not unsatisfied also the greatest Friends and learnedst Abettors of it in latter times or at least those who are commonly taken for such have been in their Judgments about it In the interim we shall onely in order to the further clearing up of the truth against the mist of the said Doctrine give you a brief account from the Scriptures themselves of some Examples who with their own Declinings sealed the truth of that Doctrine which hath been maintained hitherto concerning the possibility of a total Declining in the Saints CHAP. XIV Exhibiting from the Scriptures some Instances of a Total Declining or Falling away from the Grace and Favor of God in true Beleevers THe Contents and undertaking of this Chapter is a surplussage or over-measure §. 1. to the Demonstration of the Doctrine under defence For to prove a possibility that true Beleevers may totally fall away it is not necessary to prove either that any such will so fall away this would be a very prâ—sumptuous engagement nor that any such are wont to fall away though this be extreamly probable and a borderer to that which is evident and unquestionable nor yet that any have actually and de facto so fallen away which is our present engagement but onely to evince the truth of such Grounds and Reasons whether from the Scriptures or from the nature and consideration of the things themselves from which being granted the said Possibility perfectly appeareth and becomes visible to the eyes of the judgments and understandings of men Nevertheless since the eviction of this assertion that some formerly Saints and true Beleevers have de facto totally fallen away is so pregnant a Proof of the Possibility that such may so fall away I judged it both worth my labour and the Readers consideration to present what the Scriptures hold forth upon that account Let us first insist upon the Example of David concerning whom no man I presume questioneth but that He was as true and real a Saint and Beleever before the Perpetration of those two horrid sins one upon the neck of another Murther and Adultery as He was after His Repentance of or for those Perpetrations For 1. that signal testimony of being a man according to Gods own Heart was given unto Him by God Himself before He committed these sins as appears from Acts 13. 22. compared with Psal 89. 20. 1 King 14. 8. In the first of these places it is said And after He had taken Him away He raised up David to be their King of whom He witnessed saying I have sound David the son of Jesse a man after mine own Heart which will do all things that I will This with the other places mentioned clearly speak of the frame and temper of Davids Heart and of the acceptableness of His Person unto God at the time of His anointing and investiture into the Kingdom whereas it is evident that the two great sins specified were committed by Him many years after he had been King Besides there are many pregnant Arguments in the Scripture of Davids integrity and uprightness before God before that great eclipse of the glory of them whereof we spake But we shall not need to insist upon any thing in this kind our Adversaries themselves in the cause depending generally acknowledg him to have bin a man truly godly and regenerate before the guilt of the two enormous sins mentioned clavâ— unto Him The Question is Whether He continued such truly Godly under the guilt of the said sins viz. from the time of the Perpetration of them until the time of His Repentance They affirm I deny and give this account of my Denyal in opposition to their Affirmation He that commits Murther and Adultery not onely against the clear light of His §. 2. Conscience but with delâ—beration and premeditated contrivance and remains under the pollution and guilt of these sins without Repentance is not a man truly godly or
true and unfeigned Calvin also recovered Himself before the end of his Commentary on the Scripture in hand and asserteth the same interpretation His words upon this account to save transcription are to be seen towards the end of the 9. Sect. of this Chapter J. Deodat in his pious Annotations upon the Bible interpreteth the word Faith in the Passage in hand as his words are Englished thus Faith viz. sufficient Knowledg full Assurance and SINCERE Profession of the Truth of the Gospel So that there is not onely ground upon ground reason upon reason to demonstrate that by Faith in the Scripture under consideration must needs be meant a true solid and sincere Faith and not the bare Doctrine of Faith onely but Author upon Author also and Expositor upon Expositor and these Orthodox to avouch the same Interpretation Therefore the first of the two Particulars mentioned is unquestionable viz. that that Faith whereof the Apostle saith some made shipwrack was a true justifying Faith and such wherein had they persevered unto the end would have been accompanyed with Salvation The latter we shall not need to insist upon it being generally granted by our Adversaries that by making shipwrack of the Faith here spoken of what Faith soever it be is meant the utter absolute and total loss of it All Expositors without exception that I have seen are unanimous in this The line of the same interpretation is to be stretched over the other Scripture §. 13. also mentioned as parallel with the former wherein Hymeneus and Philetus are said to have overthrown the Faith of some by teaching that the 2 Tim. 2 18. Resurrection was past already That by overthrowing is meant an utter and total subversion or destruction of the Faith mentioned is every mans sence upon the place So that the Proof hereof would be but an impertinency That the Faith here said to have been overthrown by the Doctrine mentioned was a true justifying Faith appears clearly from the Context In the Verse next before the Apostle had said And their word will eat or fret as doth a canker of whom is Hymeneus and Philetus Now it is the nature and property of this ulcerous disease not to prey feed upon or consume onely the corrupt humors or putrified members of the body which would tend rather to its preservation then destruction but those especially that are most vital and sound yea and this to the extinguishing life it self Calvin upon the place affirms this as the judgment of all Physicians All Physicians saith He affirm this to be the nature of a cancer or gangrene that without very present help against it it spreads to the parts adjoyning and eats into the bones themselves and gives not over its prevailing progress until the man dyeth For in as much as upon a gangrene a mortification or syderation presently followeth which very suddenly with their contagion infect the other parts to the universal destruction of the body Paul elegantly compareth adulterate or erroneous Doctrines to such a pernicious contagion For if you shall once give way unto them they will proceed and prevail to the destruction of the whole Church a Sed omnes medici talem ejus naturam esse affirmant ut nisi quà m ocyssime succurras ad contiguus partes serpat adeóque in ossa penetret nec grassandi finem faciat nisi homine extincto Quùm enim gangraenam protinus sequatur 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vel syderatio quae mox suo contagio inficit reliqua Membra usque ad universalem corporis interitum eleganter cum tam exitiali contagione Paulus adulterinas Doctrinas comparat Nam si aditum illis semel dederis pervadunt usque ad totius Ecclesiae interitum If erroneous Doctrines may possibly prevail to the destruction of the whole Church doubtless they may as possibly yea much more possibly destroy the Faith of some true Beleevers considering that the whole Church is not made up of Hypocrites or Formal Professors onely but hath many sound and sincere Beleevers in it Therefore Calvin in the interpretation asserted is either with us or against himself His Successor also though after some descents Mr J. Deodati in His said Annotations commenteth the words and their word will eat c. thus Being once admitted into the Soul it will penetrate to the total extinguishing of the SPIRITVAL LIFE thereof Therefore He likewise by the Faith said to be overthrown by Hymeneus and Philetus their Doctrine clearly understandeth such a Faith by which men live spiritually In the Verse immediately following the Apostle subjoyneth by way of §. 14. antithesis Nevertheless the foundation of God standeth sure having this Seal 2 Tim. 2. 19 The Lord knoweth them that are His and Let every one that nameth the Name of Christ depart from iniquity The words in the Original are these 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. i. e. the stable or sure foundation of God standeth or hath stood c. In these words the Apostle preventeth a scruple or Objection which might possibly arise in the mindes of some upon occasion of what He had said concerning Hymeneus and Philetus their forsaking of the Truth and the overthrow of the Faith of some others by means of their Error The Scruple or Objection is this If such men of note professing the Christian Religion as Hymeneus and Philetus were grew out of liking of that Faith which sometimes they professed and forsook it and besides prevailed with some others also to relinquish their Faith are not we in danger of falling away likewise and so of losing all that we have either done or suffered hitherto in a Christian Profession To this Objection or Scruple the Apostle in the words now in Hand answereth to this effect That notwithstanding the falling away of men who ever or how many soever they be yet the Glorious Gospel and Truth of God therein stands and always hath stood firm stedfast and inviolable which Gospel hath the matter and substance of this saying in it as a Seal for the establishment and security of those that are upright in the sight of God viz. that God knoweth i. e. takes special notice of approveth and delighteth in those that are His i. e. who truly beleeve in Him love and serve Him yea and further hath this Item or Heavenly Admonition in it tending to the same end the firm establishing of those that are Gods in the way of their Faith Let every one that calleth upon the Name of Christ i. e. makes Profession of His Name depart from iniquity So that in this Answer to the Scruple or Demand mentioned the Apostle intimateth by way of satisfaction that the reason why men fall away from the Faith of the Gospel is partly because they do not seriously consider what gracious and worthy respects God beareth to those that are His i. e. who cleave to Him in Faith and Love partly also because they degenerate into loose and
postulanti ut gratissimè illi possit inservire in eo spiritu quem accepit in nullo vincatur à malitiâ aut fallatur per ignorantiam temeritateÌ„ ac ignaviam aversa peragens omnia praeter decorum divinae voluntatis Talem enim animam manet supplicium mors luctus quod Divinus etiam Apostolus dixit ne cum aliis praedicaverim ipse reprobus efficiar Vides cum Dei Apostolus esset quo pacto timebat Ejus enim est homo naturae ut etiamsi in profundum vitiorum lapsus sit ac peccato deserviat ad id quod bonum est converti possit Et contrà Spiritui Sancto devinctus rerum coelestium ebrietate correptus ad id quod malum est converti potest Ibid. No man considering these things can lightly imagine but that this devout and learned Father who carrieth Blessedness in his name held dogmatically and upon mature consultation had with the best of His understanding in the Mystery of Christ a Possibility that even the best and highest-raised Saints may through sloth and negligence lose this standing fall away and perish Basil sirnamed the Great who lived much about the same time with the last-mentioned §. 13. Author assigning the differences between the condition of the Saints in this present world and that which is to come asserteth this for one That in this life the danger of falling is great upon which account Paul said Let him that standeth take heed lest he fall but there meaning in the future estate of glory their steps are firm or fixed life is unchangeable there is no more danger of being carried away unto sin For neither is here any rebellion or insurrection of the flesh c. Not long after Therefore we men dye often before the body cometh by death to be unyoked or loosed from the Soul So that the life of men is made or naturally apt to be accomplished or fulfilled not only with a change in respect of one age succeeding another but with falls or ruines of their Souls through sin a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Basil in Psal 114. non longè à fine Paulo post 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The same Father in another place speaks yet more plainly to the business in hand Many saith he who had gathered much together from their youth when they come to the middle of their years Temptations from evil spirits rising up against them and assaulting them have not been able to bear the stress or burthen of the Winter for want of a good Pilot-ship and so HAVE LOST ALL. And hence it cometh to pass that SOME HAVE MADE SHIPVVRACK OF FAITH others by means of a violent tempest as it were of pleasure rushing upon them have utterly lost that Chastity which they had preserved together from their youth A most sad spectacle for a man after fasting after austereness of living after much praying after much weeping after a continent life it may be for twenty or thirty years together through negligence and carelessness of Soul to be found naked or destitute of all and that such a person who hath greatly prâ—spered and thriven by the trade or work of the Commandments of God should become like unto a Merchant of a great Estate who whilest His ship sailed on Her course with a fair and prosperous wind judged Himself a brave man for the abundance of Goods in Her but having passed through Tempestuous Seas His Vessel comes to be wracked in the very Haven and He pointed at or shewed by men as one that on the sudden and at once hath lost all that abundance which He lately had b 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 IdeÌ„ HoÌ„ 12. in Princip Proverb propè sineÌ„ The same Father in another of His Sermons expresseth His sence in the matter yet before us in words of this import But Sin is the Destroyer of that Grace which is given us by the Laver of Regeneration And soon after allegorizing our Saviours Parabolical History of the man who going from Jerusalem towards Jericho fell among Theeves thus But now stripes go before stripping or taking off his rayment that thou mayst learn and know that Sin goeth before the laying aside or loss of that Grace or gracious benefit which is given unto thee by that Love or kindness which the Lord beareth unto men c 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Et paulò post 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Idem Hom. 21. circa finem Once more in another Homily this Great Doctor of the Christian Church in his days owneth the Doctrine we now contend for in words to this purpose Thou seest them speaking of the Galatians having the Spirit thou hast also heard Ye are abolished from Christ and again Ye are fallen from Grace What doth He subjoyn after all this making room or granting place for their renewing My little children of whom I travel in birth again He had once begotten them before but He that had once begotten them refuseth not to beget them the second time unto Salvation d 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Idem Hom. 28. De Poenitentia propè finem All the Authors hitherto consulted about the sence of Antiquity and of §. 14. the Primitive Christians concerning the possibility or non-possibility of the Saints relapsing unto death had served their generations respectively and were gone off the Stage of Mortality before Pelagius was entered to act His part hereon or at least had not much to do with Him We now come to enquire what their judgment and sence in the same Points were who either synchroniz'd with Pelagius and skirmished Him or else took their turns of Mortality after Him Concerning the former of these that Star of the first magnitude in the Christian Firmament Augustin I mean is I suppose in every mans estimate instar omnium a man that will perform the service alone as sufficiently as if He had twenty more with Him to assist Him Questionless no man was better versed in the affairs of Christianity or that better understood what Doctrines or Opinions ruled in the Christian World or that dissented less from the common and generally-received Tenets of he Church then He. Now to how great a degree He abounded in that Faith which beleeveth a Possibility of the Saints declining and that unto death cannot lightly be unknown to those that are though but competently acquainted with His Writings I shall present the Reader with a first-fruits onely and leave the Harvest for his own gathering It is saith He much to be admired and admired again that God to some of His Children whom He hath regenerated in Christ and to whom He hath given Faith Hope and Love should NOT GIVE PERSEVERANCE when as He forgives such great sins unto strange children and by imparting His Grace unto them makes them children of His own a MiranduÌ„ est quidem multuÌ„que miranduÌ„ quòd Filiis suis deus quibusdaÌ„ quos regeneravit in Christâ— quibus
Councels and Synods were not of the same Judgment with Augustin may be gratified to satisfaction by recourse had to the oft-mentioned Author Gerard. Joh. Vossius in his Historia Pelagiana lib. 6. Thes 12. The transcribing of more passages in this kinde being already drawn together and directed unto by another and that in a Book of no difficult procurement will not I suppose be judged necessary or much expedient to the business in hand by a considerate Reader How a Doctrine of that soveraign import in Christian Religion of that §. 15. pregnant assertion in the Scriptures themselves so generally and constantly held forth and maintained by Orthodox Antiquity as the Doctrine of a Conditional Perseverance hath in all these respects been clearly proved to be should be especially with so much heat and confident zeal denyed and opposed by a great party of the Reformers of Religion in these latter days is of somewhat a strange â—ut of a much more sad consideration But as it often happeneth in sweeping of Houses especially when they are full of dust or soyl that pieces of silver or gold and other things of value are either through negligence or too much haste made in the work by those that do it or through a badness of their sight swept up among the soyl and cast together with it upon the dunghil so may it very possibly fall out in great Reformations of Religion when corruptions and matters requiring Reformation whether in Doctrine or Manners are very numerous and of a long gathering that together with the corruptions Errors and things necessary to be removed and abandoned some things also of worth and good import and which appertain to the purity and soundness of Religion are renounced and cast out likewise partly through too much zeal of an over-hasty dispatch in the work partly through an injudiciousness in some things in the principal Reformers partly through that infirmity of incogitancy which is so importune an attendant upon flesh and blood how vigilant soever Or as it constantly falleth out in purgings and lettings of blood that together with the bad humors and corrupt blood somewhat of that which is good and serviceable for the health and strength of the body is parted with and lost so is it hardly to be expected but that when an attempt shall be made to purge the body of Christian Religion being now encumbered and over-grown with Errors unsound Notions and Opinions having insinuated into the veins and incorporated themselves as it were with the pure substance of it which was the condition of it by falling into the hands of and remaining so long amongst those Daemoniolatrical Apostates whose want of love to the Truth God avenged by sending them strong delusions which caused them to beleeve lyes somewhat of the soundness and native substance of it also should be divided from it and cast into the draught together with that excrementitious and noisom matter which is wrought out of it by the purge Notwithstanding if we shall limit our Discourse to the Point in hand §. 16. and onely speak of the Doctrine of Perseverance the truth is that a very considerable part of those who were interessed in the Reformation of Religion about Luthers times and who since maintain and carry on that Reformation have not departed therein from the Faith of Primitive Antiquity as it hath been presented in the preceding part of this Chapter but clearly teach and assert with them a possibility of the Saints declining even unto death Concerning those of the Reformed Religion commonly distinguished by the name of Lutherans who I suppose are equal in numbers and not inferior in parts of learning or in zeal towards the Religion which they profess unto those who are contra-distinguished by the name of Calvinists it is sufficiently known that they more generally if not universally hold and teach with Luther Himself whose Judgment in the Point was briefly touched Cap. 14. Sect. 16. no other Perseverance of the Saints or true Beleevers then that which possibly may miscarry both totally and finally I shall not multiply Quotations from their Writings but onely lay before you some passages of Melancthon who was Luthers Companion and Allay together with two or three sayings from Chemnitius and for the general sence of the Lutheran party of Reformers in the Controversie in hand refer you to the Testimony and Confession of a great Defender of the common Faith in the Point of Perseverance who I beleeve was better acquainted with their writings then any man that shall rise up to oppose Him in His Testimony There are two Errors saith Melancthon of fanatique men which must briefly be confuted who conceit that men regenerate cannot lapse or fall and that though they do fall and this against the light of their Conscience that yet they are righteous or in an estate of Justification This madness is to be condemned and both instances and sayings from the Scriptures of the Prophets and Apostles opposed to it Saul and David pleased God were righteous had the Holy Ghost given unto them yet afterwards fell so that one of them perished utterly the other returned again unto God There are many sayings to the same Point And having cited upon the said account Mat. 12. 43 44. 2 Pet. 2. 20 21. 1 Cor. 10. 12. Apoc. 2. 5. He subjoyneth These and the like sayings being spoken of Regenerate men testifie that they may fall and that in case they fall against their consciences they please not God unless they be converted a Sed ante explicationeÌ„ partium breviter refutandi sunt duo errores fanaticorum hominum qui finxeruÌ„t renatos non posse labi quanvis labuntur coÌ„trà conscientiam tamen justos esse Haec amentia damâ—anda est opponenda ex emplà dicta Scripturae Propheticae Apostolicae vt Saul David placuerunt Deo fuerunt justi donati Spiritu Sancto tamen posteà lapsi sunt ita vt alter prorsùs perierit alter rursus ad Deum coÌ„versus sit Dicta multa sunt c. Melancthon Loc. de Poenitentiâ Et paulò post Haec similia dicta de renatis testantur posse eos labi lapsos contrà conscientiam non placere Deo nisi rursus convertuntur Elsewhere thus Whereas it hath been said that sins remain in the Regenerate it 's necessary that a difference be made For certain it is that they who rush into sinful practices against Conscience do not continue in Grace nor retain Faith Righteousness or the Holy Ghost neither can Faith stand with an evil purpose of heart against Conscience b Cum dictum sit in renatis manere peccata necesse est tradi discrimen Nam hos qui ruunt in delicta contrà Conscientiam certum est non manere in gratiâ nec retinere Fidem Justiciam Spiritum Sanctum nec potest stare cum malo proposito contrà Conscientiam Fides c. Idem in Loc.
far from elogizing and calling it either the Fundamental Article of the Reformed Religion or one of the principal Heads or Points of Doctrine wherein the Protestant or Reformed Churches have purged themselves from Popish Errors or the foundation of that assurance of Salvation without which that affiance which is requisite unto true Faith cannot stand or a Doctrine which contains that Promise of God in it which all Ministers are bound seriously to inculcate into their people for their comfort the Lutherans I say are generally so far from deifying the said Doctrine with such importune and senceless acclamations unto it as these wherewith notwithstanding the superstitious ignorance and weakness of some do their devotion to it that they rather defie and abhor it as a dangerous and pernicious Error as a pillow of Satans making for the Flesh to repose Her self securely even in Her greatest licentiousness and unruliness upon as a Doctrine unworthy altogether the Purity Holiness Wisdom and unpartial Integrity of God Concerning those of the Reformed Religion who make one shoulder with §. 19. Calvin to lift up the same body or frame of Doctrine with Him though they ordinarily or at least frequently I mean the greater part of them declare themselves against the Lutheran sence in the point of Perseverance yet is this Doctrine which they so frequently oppose either of that soveraign Authority over their Judgments and Consciences other while or of that signal and indispensible necessity for the managing of several Points in Christian Religion that ever and anon they assert it and are necessitated to speak things of a perfect and clear consonancy with it I neither have leasure nor opportunity of Books to make any full Collection from their Writings of such passages which by the number of those sayings that I have observed upon this account within a very small compass of reading I presume are to be found therein but shall give a brief account unto the Reader of what I have met with of this import and observed by some occasional inspections into their Writings now and then I begin with the Standard-Bearer Himself of this Brigade Mr Calvin He commends them saith He speaking of the Author of the Epistle to the Hebrews in respect of those to whom he writeth that they had begun well But lest under a pretence of that GRACE which THEY HAD OBTAINED they should indulge a carnal security He tells them they have need of Perseverance For many having onely tasted lightly of the Gospel do not so much as think of any proficiency as if they were come to the highest pitch already Thus it cometh to pass that they do not onely sit down in the midst of the race yea sometimes neer to the very entrance of the race but TVRN their course QVITE ANOTHER WAY This indeed is a very specious Objection When we have gotten Christ what should we desire more But if Christ be possessed by Faith we must persist in Faith that our possession in this kinde may be perpetual Therefore Christ hath given Himself to be enjoyed by us upon these terms or by this Law that as we are admitted by Faith to a participation of Him so we should by the same Faith preserve and keep so great a good until death a Laudat quòd benè coeperint Sed ne praetexta gratiae quam consequuti sunt carnis indulgeant securitate dicit opus esse Perseverantiâ Nam plerique delibato tantum Evangelio quasi ad summâ—â— pervenerint de profectu non cogitant Ita fit vt non modò in medio stadio adeoque prope ipsos carceres defideant sed aliò vertunt cursum suum Speciosa quidem est ista Objectio Quid ultra volumus postquam adepti sumus Christum Verùm si Fide possidetur in eâ perstandum est vt nobis perpetua maneat possessio Ergo hac lege se nobis frnendum dedit Christus vt eadem quâ in ejus participationem admissi sumus Fide tantum bonum conservemus usque ad Mortem Calv. in Heb. 3. 14. The conditionality of Perseverance in the Saints yea the non-perseverance of some of them cannot lightly be asserted in terms more significant and express To tell men that they must persist in Faith to make the possession of Christ perpetual unto them and to inform them withall that God will by an irresistible hand of Power make or constrain them to persist in Faith is to tye Plummets of Lead to a mans heels to make Him run the faster The same Author elsewhere Now saith He we see who they are whom the Apostle excludes from Hope of Pardon namely APOSTATES WHO HAVE ALIENATED THEMSELVES FROM THE GOSPEL WHICH THEY ONCE EMBRACED AND FROM THE GRACE OF GOD which befalleth no man but such an one who sins against the Holy Ghost Nor indeed doth GOD DESPOYL any man OF HIS GRACE so or to such a degree as to leave Him nothing but Reprobates onely If any man asketh me why doth the Apostle here make mention of such an Apostacy when as He speaks unto Beleevers who were far from so wicked a perfidiousness I answer He timously admonisheth them of the danger that so they may take heed in time Which is well worth the taking notice of because when we turn aside out of the right way we do not only excuse our selves unto others but even delude our own selves also b Nunc videÌ„us quosnam a speveniae excludat nempe Apostatas qui se á Christi Evangelio quod prius amplexi erant á Dei gratiâ alienââ—unt quod nemini contingit nisi qui peccet in Spiritum SanctuÌ„ Nec certé Deus alios ita gratiâ suâ spoliat nisi reprobos vt illis nihil faciat residuum Si quis roget cur talis Apostasiae meÌ„tionem hîc faciat Apostolus quúm fideles compellet qui procul aberant á tam sceleratâ perfidiâ respondeo maturè ab eo indicari periculum vt sibi prâ—caveant Quod notatu operae-pretium est nam cum á rectâ vitâ deflectimus non tantum excusamus apud alios nostra vitia sed nobis quoque ipsis imponimus c. Calvin in Heb. 6. 4. The same Author writing upon Mat. 24. 13. hath these words Although the LOVE of many being surcharged with the weight of iniquities shall FAIL yet Christ admonisheth that this obstacle also must be overcome lest those that are FAITHFVL being tired out by evil Examples should START BACK therefore He repeats that saying that none shall be saved but He that shall strive lawfully so as to persevere unto the end c See the Authors words cited Cap. 13. Sect. 19. This Author in His Commentaries upon the Epistle to the Galatians is once and again led by the Spirit of Truth to bid defiance to His own Doctrine concerning the impossibility of the Saints final falling away Once in these words He convinceth them of a defection or falling away not from His
Doctrine onely but from Christ Himself For they could not keep their hold on Christ upon any other terms then by acknowledging that by His Benefit they were freed from the bondage of the Law d Arguit autem eos defectioniâ— non á suâ Doctrinâ tantum sed á Christo. Nam Christum tenere aliter non poterant quà m si agnoscerent ejus beneficio nos manumissos esse à servitute Legis Calv. in Galat. 1. 6. This Testimony cannot be eluded by this accustomed put off viz. that He speaks not of their falling away from true Faith but from the Doctrine of Faith or from the Profession of Faith because He saith expresly that the Apostle convinceth them of or reproveth them for falling away from Christ Himself which is every whit as much if not somewhat more then falling away from true Faith Nor can it be supposed that Himself holding that the Apostle charged them with falling away from Christ should hold that they had not thus fallen away this being no less then to charge the Apostle with charging the Galatians untruly And besides saying that they could not tenere Christum i. e. retain or keep their hold or possession of Christ but upon such and such terms He plainly supposeth that a present hold or possession of Christ may be lost Elsewhere in the same Epistle the same Doctrine goeth to wrack by the Pen of the Great Patron or Founder rather of it in these words The meaning is if you seek for any part or piece of righteousness in the Works of the Law CHRIST BECOMES NOTHING TO YOV AND YOV ALIENS FROM GRACE For their Opinion was noâ— so gross as that they thought they should be justified by the alone observation of the Law but they mingled or joyned Christ with the Law Otherwise Paul should have had no ground to have terrified them with such threatenings as these What do you mean You take A COVRSE TO MAKE CHRIST UNPROFITABLE TO YOV YOV BRING HIS GRACE TO NOTHING Thus then we see that we cannot place no not the least part of our righteousness in the Law but we RENOVNCE or bid farewel unto CHRIST AND HIS GRACE e Sensus est si quam Justiciae partem quaeritis in operibus Legis Christus nihil ad vâ—s á gratiâ alienati estis Neque enim tam crassa erat Opinio vt solâ Legis observatione justificari se crederent sed Christum miscebant cum Lege Alioqui frustrá his minis territaret ipsos Paulus Quid facitis redditis vobis Christum inuâ—â—lem in nihilum redigitis ejus gratiam Videmus ergo non posse minimam Justiciae partem constitui in Lege quin Christo ejus gratiae renuncietur Calv. in Galat. 5. 4. Renunciation hath no place but in such things which were formerly either held practised or possessed Nor can the Grace of Christ be said to be brought to nothing in reference unto any man unto whom it was never any thing He that never had or enjoyed the Grace Favor or good will of Christ cannot by any course or practice whatsoever be said to bring it to nothing i. e. wholly to deprive himself of the benefit of it The Readers patience I suppose would hardly bear a particular recitation of all the passages and sayings which with a little search might be drawn together out of the Writings of this one Author who is generally looked upon as the main Pillar of the Common Doctrine of Perseverance which yet strike at the very face of it Yea I verily beleeve that notwithstanding the great vote that is gotten up on the wing amongst us of Calvins Judgment standing for the received Opinion of Perseverance yea notwithstanding his own sometimes dis-owning or disclaiming the contrary yet there is every whit as much or rather much more to be found in his Writings of a fair and full comportance with the contrary Doctrine as with the said Doctrine of Perseverance From whence I would infer not so much the uncertainty or instability of Judgment in so worthy a man as the signal usefulness or necessity of such a Principle or Position in Christianity without the help and interposure whereof those that are enemies unto it know not how to manage many their Christian occasions or affairs otherwise The like observation we shall have occasion to take up in reference to all the other main points held forth and argued in this Treatise in opposition to vulgar Tenents presuming themselves Orthodox because vulgar At present I shall add onely one Testimony more from Calvin wherein he doth not onely or simply assert a possibility both of the total and final falling away of true Beleevers but even a frequent reduction into act of such a possibility The place is in his Commentaries upon 2 Pet. 2. For scarce every tenth man of those who have given up their names unto Christ retain the purity of Faith unto the end All in a manner degenerate and turn aside unto corruptions and being deluded by Masters or Teachers of licentiousness grow profane f Vix enim decimus quisque eorum qui Christo nomen dederunt Fidei puritatem ad extremuÌ„ usque retinent omnes ferè ad corruptelas degenerant atque á Magistris licentiae delusi profanescunt Calvin in 2 Pet. 2. 2. By men giving up their names to Christ He cannot mean baâ—e formal or loose Professors I mean such who never were other or better then these because such as these cannot be charged with a non-retainment of the purity of Faith unto the end but rather with a non-receiving of the purity of Faith Therefore He must of necessity mean sound Professors or true Beleevers and consequently affirm that there is not one of ten among these but degenerate into Principles and Practises of looseness and turn Profanelings before the end So that what Augustin said long since concerning Tertullian that being acute or sharp-witted He was sometimes overcome with a sight of the Truth contrary to His Opinion may be truly said of Calvin also His apprehensiveness was such that now and then a sight of the Truth even contrary to the standing purport of His Judgment or Opinion glanced in upon Him and overcame Him subjecting His Pen and Conscience at once for a season unto Her service however the Vision ceasing anticipated thoughts soon it's like recovered their former possession Nor was the Truth whose cause we plead too hard onely for Him who was the Antesignanus or Leader on of those who have since declared themselves Adversaries to Her so as to gain from Him frequent and large Testimonies as we have heard but hath been victorious also in the same kinde over those who followed Him in the same unhappy undertaking against Her Musculus is in several places as direct and through for a possibility of a §. 20. total and final Defection in true Beleevers as ever was Arminius Himself If any man saith He who hath obtained the
Necesse est iâ—â—tur discerni peccata quae in sanctis in hac mortali vita manent â—ec excutiunt Spiritum Sanctum ab aliis peccatis propâ—er quae homo rursus fit reus irae Dei aeternarum poenarum Et Paulus Rom. 5. discernit peccatum regnans non â—egnans Et alibi inquit Si secundum carnem vixeritis moriemini si actiones carnis spiritu mortificabitis vivetis c. Vide quae sequuntur in Confess Saxon. Art 10. De discrim peccatorum with much more to the same point and purpose From the Premisses exhibited in this Chapter these five things are concludable above all contradiction First That the Doctrine of absolute and unconditioned Perseverance as it is commonly taught and beleeved amongst Professors at this day and as it is stated and maintained in the Writings of many Reformed Divines over-honored many of them with the stile of Orthodox was not known or heard of by the Name of Orthodox in the Primitive and purer Times of Christian Religion nor owned or taught by any of the learned Fathers or Writers for several Centuries of years after Christ. Secondly That neither since the Reformation of Religion by Luther and his Compeers hath it found entertainment with the generality at least of that numerous party of Protestants which for distinction sake are termed Lutherans or with the learned amongst them but that these very few if any excepted generally teach and beleeve with the Primitive Christians and Fathers that persons truly regenerate and beleeving may possibly fall from their present standing and that so as never to rise again Thirdly That this Doctrine I mean the possibility of such a declining in true Beleevers which ends in death and condemnation is by some who otherwise are generally looked upon as followers of Calvin yea and are not undeservedly numbered amongst the most judicious and learned of this party pregnantly and with particularity of profession and acknowledgment avouched Fourthly That Calvin himself who is supposed to be the first Founder or Father of the said common Doctrine of Perseverance or however is the Grand Patron and Protector of it together with the generality of his learned followers are constrained ever and anon in their Writings to give Testimony unto and to assert the contrary whether it be by the forcible evidence of the Truth prevailing at times over them or whether it be out of a necessity that ever and anon recur'd upon them to use the Principle of the contrary Doctrine for the due managing and carrying on other subjects and discourses Fifthly and lastly That the Doctrine of falling away maintained in the Digression yet in hand hath been held maintained and professed not onely by particular persons both ancient and modern of greatest name and note for true worth in every kinde as for sanctity learning largeness of parts soundness of Judgment c. but by Councils Synods and whole Protestant Churches also in their Confessions All which considered we shall need no other demonstration of the importune unreasonableness and vanity of those ecstatical and wilde encomiums or exorbitant depredications of the Doctrine of inevitable and unfrustrable Perseverance which are found in the writings and heard from the mouths of some of the over-zealous Admirers of it as if for example it were the fundamental Article of the Reformed Religion One of the principal Points of Christian Religion wherein the Protestant Churches are purged from Popish Errors and which hath always been maintained by the Reformed Churches against Papists the Foundation of all true certainty of Salvation without which that fiducial and firm Assurance which is requisite in and unto true Beleeving cannot stand Such a Doctrine which all true Ministers of the Gospel ought to inculcate into and whet upon all true Beleevers for their Comfort with other like swelling words of vanity Doubtless if it be an Error and confederate against the Holiness and Truth of the Gospel a Crime which hath been by many competent and sufficient witnesses proved against it it is so far from meriting any of those impotent acclamations lately specified that it really deserves to have its portion with those Merchants and Money-changers whom our Saviour with a scourge drave out of the Temple a John 2. 15. as Profaners of the Holy Design and Counsel of God therein But because the Learning and Authority of the late Synod of Dort is layd §. 24. hold on by many as Shield and Buckler to defend the said Doctrine I shall for a close of this Chapter and of the whole Digression briefly account unto the Reader for such particulars as I judg worthy his cognizance and observation servation in and about what this Synod attempted in order to the defence maintenance and safety of the said Doctrine Far be it from me to subscribe the Report or information of those who charge the respective Members of this Synod with suffering themselves to be bound with an Oath at or before their admission hereunto to vote down the Remonstrants and their Doctrines how soever yet when I read and consider 1. How learnedly solidly and substantially they quit themselves and argue whilest they go along with the Remonstrants and declare wherein they agree with them in the Points controverted between them 2. How feebly and unlike themselves they reason when they come to the quick of the difference 3. And lastly how neer at very many turns even in those things wherein they pretend to differ they come unto them as if they had a very good minde to be no more two but one with them When I say I consider all these things methinks I see the Interest and Obligation of an Oath working much after the same manner as sometimes it did in Herod when for His Oath 's sake contrary to his minde and desire otherwise He caused John the Baptists Head to be given unto Herodias in a Platter a Mat. 14. 9. To shew how pregnant or if you will how masculine they are in avouching their Judgments whilest they keep company with their Adversaries is I conceive needless as well themselves I mean such of them as are yet living as their friends being perswasible enough hereof without Argument or Proof To shew how far they fall beneath themselves when they come to contest and plead the Points in difference would be in effect and in reference to the business in hand but to re-do that which is done already In which respect neither is this necessary I shall therefore with as much brevity as the Reader can well desire and in a regular prosecution of the design of the Chapter in hand onely shew how neer they came in sence and substance of matter to their Adversaries in the present Question concerning Perseverance and leave it to Christian Consideration whether the difference between the two combating Parties was of that latitude or weight that the one should deserve the beautiful Crown of Orthodoxism and Honor for their dissent from
and these pregnant and strong Sixthly The truth of this latter Doctrine hath been further ascertained by several instances and examples of persons who by their fallings have caused the said Doctrine to stand impregnable Seventhly This Doctrine hath been countenanced also by the concurrent sence of all Orthodox and Christianly-learned Antiquity Eightly It hath likewise received Testimony from the generality of that Learning and Religion since the times of Reformation which have commended themselves unto the World in the Works and Writings of that Party of men in the Protestant Churches which is commonly known by the Name of Lutheran Ninethly Substantial proof hath been made that the professed Adversaries of the Doctrine we now speak of even the most steady grave and best advised of them have at unawares given large and clear Testimony unto it being not able without the help of the spirit which speaketh in it to manage like themselves their discursive affairs in other cases Yea Tenthly and lastly that the Synod of Dort it self convening with a conscientious if not with a concupiscentious prejudice also for this is the strong suspicion of many against it with its fellows and intending and provoking one another to lay the honor of it in the dust for ever hath at several turns and in divers expressions according to the interpretation and sence of their own most orthodox and learned Friends yea and some of themselves fully comported with it asserting that in clearness and evidence of Principle which they deny with solemnity of protest and with a Religious abhorrency in conclusion We now return to the further prosecution of the business principally intended in this Discourse from which we have made somewhat a large digression upon the occasion formerly specified and to compleat our Demonstration of this great and most important Truth viz. That the ever-blessed Son of God and Saviour of the World the Lord Jesus Christ gave Himself a Ransom in His Death for all and every man without exception of any CHAP. XVI Several other Texts of Scripture besides those formerly produced in ranks and companies argued to the clear eviction of Truth in the same Doctrine viz. That the Redemption purchased by Christ in his Death was intended for all and every man without exception of any HAving in our late Digression largely vindicated some material proofs §. 1. from the Scripture formerly levyed for the defence of that Great and most important cause both of God and men the Universality of Redemption by Christ we now proceed to a further levy upon the same account and shall raise up more Scriptures to plead the same cause Let us begin with the Parable of the marriage-feast as it is reported by Matthew and Luke We shall not need I suppose to transcribe the whole Protasis of the Parable which is very large but onely insist upon some few known passages of it such as I conceive will joyntly if not severally give a light of demonstration to the Truth of that Doctrine the proof and confirmation whereof is the prize contended for in this Discourse However if the Reader desires an entire enter-view of the Parable He may repair Matt. 22. 2 3 c. Luk. 14. 16 17 c. without much trouble to the Evangelists themselves First Expositors generally agree that by those who were the first and second time called or invited to the wedding He sent forth His servants to call them that had been called a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to the wedding Mat. 22. 3. are typified or meant the Jews whom God had anciently invited and called by the Ministry of His Prophets and several other ways to partake of that great Blessedness which He intended to confer upon the sons and daughters of men by means of His onely begotten Son Jesus Christ and who were the second yea and the third time also invited hereunto first by Iohn the Baptist and the Lord Christ Himself and afterwards by His Apostles Secondly The Tenor or form of the invitation which the servants sent forth to call those that had been formerly invited were injoyned by the King to use in calling them is this Behold I have prepared my dinner my Oxen and my Fatlings are killed and all things are ready Come unto the marriage b Matth. 22. 4 When he saith to those that are invited I have prepared my dinner my oxen c. doubtless His meaning is not that He had prepared His dinner for others or that His Oxen and Fatlings were killed for the entertainment of others and not for those who were invited by Him Such an intendment as this in His invitation had been meerly delusory and altogether unmeet to represent the intentions of God in calling men to communion and fellowship with His Son Iesus Christ by His Ministers of the Gospel He that should invite a man to a feast and use such an Argument or motive as this to perswade Him to accept of this His invitation and to come accordingly viz. that He had made very liberal preparations for such and such other men but had provided nothing for Him should He not render Himself ridiculous by such a strain of Oratory Thirdly Evident it is that very many of those who were invited to this Marriage-feast by the King and consequently for whom the feast was prepared and for whose sake the Oxen and Fatlings were killed never came to partake of the said Feast but were rejected and excluded from it with great indignation by Him that had so graciously invited them But when the King heard thereof viz. how they had mis-used and murthered His Servants He was wroth and sent forth His Armies and destroyed those Murtherers and burnt up their City c Verse 7 Concerning whom likewise the King said to His Servants that had been sent forth to invite them I say unto you that none of those men that were bidden and refused to come shall taste of my Supper d Luke 14. 24 Fourthly It is no less evident that the true ground or reason why those that were thus excluded from the Feast or suffered this exclusion was not any precedent purpose or intendment in the King to exclude them for had any such intention harbored in Him questionless He would never have invited them no nor yet that subsequent intendment in Him to exclude them when He saw their great unworthiness but this unworthiness of theirs it self Then saith He to His Servants the wedding is ready but they which were bidden were NOT WORTHY Go ye therefore into the high ways e Mat. 22. 8. c. Clearly implying that it was the UNVVORTHINESS of the persons invited which was the true and proper cause of their exclusion Neither the import nor sentence of the Law nor yet the Judg or His just severity in giving sentence according to the Law are so properly the cause of the punishment or death of the Malefactor as the crime committed against the Law by himself It is
procuring the Salvation of any of those who come to be actually saved 4. When with the Scriptures we deliver this for a Doctrine of Truth that Christ dyed for all Men we suppose and mean that God intends the Salvation of all Men by this Death onely so after such a manner or with such a kinde of Intention which is competible to and consistent with His infinite simplicity and Perfection of Being Of this kinde of Intention we argued in our third Chapter where we gave a particular and clear account of it and shall take it the second time into some brief consideration in this Chapter This Particular is of affinity with the first but is not altogether the same 5. When we teach that Christ dyed for all Men we mean not onely that He put all Men without exception into a capability of being saved as viz. by beleeving but also that He wholly dissolved and took off from all Men the guilt and condemnation which was brought upon all Men by Adams Transgression So that now no Man shall perish or be condemned but upon his own personal account and for such sins onely which shall be actually and voluntarily committed by him or for such omissions which was in his power to have prevented 6. When with the Scriptures we affirm that Christ dyed for all Men our sence and meaning is that by His Death He procured this Grace and Favor with God for all Men without exception viz. that they should receive from Him sufficient strength and means or be enabled by Him to Repent and to beleeve yea and to persevere in both unto the end and that in this sence and none other He is or may be said to have by His Death purchased the Grace of Faith and Repentance for Men and this upon equal terms in an antecedent consideration for all Men. 7. And lastly Our sence and meaning in the said Doctrine further is that Christ by His Death purchased this transcendent Grace also and Favor in the sight of God for all Men without exception that upon their Repentance and Beleeving in Him they should be justified and receive forgiveness of all their sins and that upon their Perseverance in both unto the end they should be actually and eternally saved and that in this sence and in this onely He is and may be said to have purchased Justification or Remission of sins Redemption Salvation c. for Men for any Man or any number of Men yea and in this sence for all Men. The imputation from the guilt whereof we desire in special manner to §. 2. wash our hands in innocency by this Explication is that as we hold Universal Redemption so we hold likewise Universal Salvation or that all Men shall be saved by Christ. That such an Opinion as this is no consequent of the Doctrine maintained in this Discourse concerning the Death of Christ for all Men sufficiently appeareth from that ground which we have layd and built upon once and again in the former part of this Discourse viz. That such Intentions and Desires in God and in Christ which are real and cordial may yet very possibly never take place or be fulfilled See what hath been proposed and debated upon this account Cap. 2. Sect. 13. And again Cap. 3. Sect. 7. 11. c. And yet again Cap. 10. Sect. 49. This supposed it may very easily be conceived that God may intend the Salvation of all Men by the Death of Christ and yet all Men not be saved Which Opinion I mean that all Men shall be saved as it hath no communion at all with the Doctrine avouched in this Discourse so hath it every whit as little with the Authors sence or Judgment otherwise who approveth the sentence of the Constantinopolitan Synod assembled under the Emperor Justinian wherein this Opinion held as it seems by Origen with a susplussage of Error joyned with it c Origens Opinion was not onely that all Men but that all the Devils also should at last be saved by Christ was condemned Yea to me it seemeth not a little strange how any man professing subjection of Judgment unto the Scriptures should ever come to a confederacy with such an Opinion For with what frequency and evidence of expression do these rise up against it ever and anon intimating and asserting on the one hand the Paucity of those that will or shall be saved in comparison of those that will perish and on the other hand the Perpetuity or everlastingness of the Perdition and misery of those who do perish Nor do they give the least intimation or hope of release from misery unto those who dye in their sins and perish in their unbelief Enter in at the strait gate saith Christ unto the children of men in His Doctrine upon the Mount for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leadeth to destruction and MANY there be that go in thereat but we read of none that return or come out thereat Because strait is the gate and narrow is the way which leadeth unto life and FEVV there be that finde it d Matt. 7. 13 14. i. e. that finde it either first or last or ever For that this is His Meaning appears from these and such like sayings Wherefore if thine Hand cause thee to offend cut it off it is better for thee to enter into life maimed then having two hands to go into Hell into the fire that never shall be quenched He doth not say into the fire that is hard to be quenched or which will be long in quenching but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. into that fire which differs from all other kindes of fire in this that whereas they are quenchable no Decree of God interposing to the contrary this by the unchangeable Law of Heaven is made unquenchable for the redoubling of the Article 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hath this import which is likewise further confirmed by that which followeth Where their worm dyeth not and the fire is not quenched e Mark 9. 43 44. These expressions dyeth not is not quenched though according to their precise Grammatical import they onely deny the act the one of dying the other of quenching yet according to Scripture-dialect they deny also the very power or possibility of these acts f Negatio actus saepe connotat etia◠negationem potentia For there is nothing more frequent here then by the denyal of the act to deny the power or possibility of a thing Thus Gen. 13. 6. where our Translation readeth And the Land was not ABLE to bear them the Original onely saith And the Land DID not bear them as Mr Ainsworth also translateth the place So Prov. 24. 7. where our last Translation respecting the Original hath it He OPENETH NOT His mouth in the gate our former Translators rather minding the sence and import of the place read it thus He CANNOT OPEN His mouth in the gate to omit many the like So that
body is one and hath many members and all the members of that one body being many are one body so also is Christ i. e. so also is it with Beleevers who in respect of their spiritual Being are from Christ meaning that though they be many personally distinct yet they make one spiritual or mystical body with Christ their Head Now when the Promises are said to be made to Abraham and his spiritual seed Beleevers the meaning is not as if they were so or upon such terms made to them that none but they had any right to receive them or beleeve them for then it must follow that men must or ought to be Beleevers before they receive or beleeve the Promises which is impossible But the Promises are made to Abraham and his seed i. e. the great Inheritance of Life and Salvation promised by God is promised as touching the actual exhibition or collation of it unto Beleevers onely such as Abraham himself was and such as those who desire to be accounted his seed must be But this supposeth not but that the said Promises are in this sence made to Adam and his seed i. e. to all Mankinde viz. that all and every Person of Mankinde as well as Adam yea or Abraham himself have a right to beleeve them so that in case they should beleeve them they should do no unjust or unrighteous thing Nay they have not onely a right but a grand necessity likewise lying upon them to beleeve them as well in respect of the Commandment of God who commands no unjust or unrighteous thing as of their own eternal Peace and Safety whereof they will certainly make shipwrack unless they do beleeve them A second Demonstration whereby Christ dying for all Men is euinced §. 4. Argum. 2. is this If Christ dyed not for all Men without exception then He dyed for the Elect onely But He dyed not for the Elect onely Therefore for all Mâ—n without exception I presume the former Proposition will be granted without further Proof because they who deny that Christ dyed for all generally suppose and grant that He dyed for some and by Name for the Elect and indeed for these onely So that if it be proved either that He dyed not for the Elect at all or not for the Elect onely then according to their own Principles and grounds it follows that He dyed for all Now then that He dyed not for the Elect and much more not for the Elect onely which was the Minor Proposition appears thus If the state and condition of the Elect were such that Christ needed no more to dye for them then He needed to dye for the Holy and Elect Angels then Christ dyed not for these much less for these onely But the state and condition of the Elect was such that there was no more need that Christ should dye for them then for the Elect Angels Ergo. In this Argument I reason I confess upon my Adversaries grounds not mine own concerning Election but howsoever such a process of arguing as this is very serviceable for the confirmation of a Truth in opposition to an Error and the Apostie Paul himself sometimes 1 Cor. 15. 29 useth it in a like case as 1 Cor. 15. 29. The Major Proposition in this last Argument standeth upon this ground that there was no need that Christ should dye for the Holy or Elect Angels I suppose this will not be denyed or doubted of by any but however it is clearly enough asserted by the Apostle in that saying of his Gal. 2. 21 I do not frustrate the Grace of God Gal. 2. 21. for if Righteousness i. e. Justification come by the Law then Christ is dead in vain i. e. without any necessity or reasonable cause moving thereunto But now if there had been a necessity that Christ should have dyed for the Elect Angels it would not have followed that His Death had been in vain though men might have been justified by the Law Therefore if there were no more reason no more need why Christ should dye for the Elect of Men then for the Elect Angels certainly He did not dye for them much less for them onely But now that there was no more reason no more need why Christ should dye for the Elect of Men then for the Elect Angels which was the substance of the Minor Proposition appears by this double consideration 1. Because God loved the Elect I mean the Elect of Men and that as such as Elect without any consideration had of Christs dying for them with as great a love as He did the Elect Angels yea with as great as it was possible for him to bear to them 2. Because Salvation and Eternal Glory were decreed and adjudged to them and consequently were made truly and properly theirs in and by Gods Purpose in Electing them God in Electing them without any consideration or respect had unto Jesus Christ dying or to dye for them or unto their beleeving in him did irreversibly appropriate and consign over unto them Eternal Life From these two grounds it follows undeniably that there was no more need for Christ to dye for the Elect of Mankinde then for the Elect Angels For 1. If God loved the Elect of Men with as great a love as He loves the Elect Angels or as He is capable of bearing towards them what occasion what necessity was there that Christ should dye for the one more then for the other The same Love affords the same Favors the same Priviledges without any mediation to equalize it in this kinde If God loved the Elect of Men as much as intensely as the Holy Angels considered onely as Elect or before their Election for this is the notion and sence of our Adversaries in the Point in hand then the offence and distance occasioned by sin between him and them was wholly ceased and taken out of the way before the Blood of the Covenant was sprinkled on them before the Attonement came at them as the Hebrew women in the story were delivered of their Exod. 1. 19. children before the midwives came at them And if so if the offence and distance caused between God and his Elect by means of sin was swallowed up in the Love of Election so that he loved them now considered onely as Elect or to be Elected as much as He did or could do upon their actual ingraffing into Christ and participation of His Death to what purpose should Christ dye for them or what profit is there in the Blood of Christ as to them God thought every whit as well of them loved them as much intended to do as much for them yea irreversibly decreed adjudged as great things unto them before and without all consideration had of the Death of Christ as He did or could do upon the consideration of it 2. God out of His Love of Election as the Doctrine of Election is commonly taught and received amongst us did in the very
set a quite contrary way as viz. to multiply soment and encrease those evil and hard thoughts of God which the sense of sin and guilt as hath been said are marvelously apt to ingender in the hearts and spirits of Men must needs be Anti-Evangelical and of another inspiration much differing from that whereby the Gospel was given unto the World So that to cloath this Proposition with light we shall not need to labor or spin Nor need we be put to much trouble for proof of the latter Proposition had not the adverse Doctrine gotten the advantage of possession against the clear Truth in the Judgments of Men. For what can be more apparant then that such a Doctrine which manifestly importeth the causless peremptory irremediable and unremovable hatred of God against far the greatest part of Men and this burning to the bottom of Hell the Persons also against whom this Hatred is supposed to be lodged in Him being unknown What I say can be more apparant then that such a Doctrine as this directly and with open face tends to a most sad horrid and desperate alienation of the Heart and Soul of the poor Creature Man from his dear and ever-blessed Creator God Or is it possible that such a Creature should truly cordially or entirely love or delight in Him that made him in case he either knows or otherwise hath strong grounds of jealousie and fear that before he made him and without any offence taken at or respect had unto any of his future sins or unworthy carriages in the least he so far hated and abominated him as to resolve against all mediation whatsoever to cast him out of his sight to devote and doom him to suffer the vengeance of eternal sire Or doth not that Doctrine which denyeth that God intended the Death of Christ for the Salvation of all Men manifestly import and suppose that God to such a degree hated and abhorred or however purposed and decreed to hate and abhor the far greatest part of Men from Eternity as to resolve against all means possible to be used by them or purposed to be used by himself for prevention to pour out the fierceness of his Wrath upon their heads in flames of unquenchable fire The Holy Ghost teacheth us that the Love of God i. e. Love towards God must or ought to be kindled in the Hearts of Men by a sense or apprehension of a precedency of this affection in him towards them We love Him saith John because He first loved us 1 Iohn 4. 19 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or as the Original will indifferently bear as Calvin himself observes and grants Let us love Him because He loved us first According to either of these constructions of the words the intimation is pregnant that the Love of God towards Men apprehended and beleeved is and ought to be the proper seed of a reciprocal affection in Men towards Him And the Scripture most frequently conjures Men to love God upon the account of his great Love towards them manifested by the gift of his Son Jesus Christ unto them Now if Love declared and resented be the natural and proper seed of the same affection in another then Hatred discovered and apprehended must needs be a seed of a contrary import and of like aptness to beget in its own likeness also For though God chargeth Men to love their enemies and those that hate them yet he doth it upon the account of that great and signal Love which he hath first shewed unto them in the gift of his onely begotten and dear Son And we see notwithstanding this great Commandment imposed by God upon Men and that upon the advantage of such a rational and equitable ground or motive for the performance of it yet with what difficulty and renitency of the flesh even in Men truly sanctified yea and with what rareness of example it is effectually if at all performed How unpossible then must it needs be that Men should truly love God whilest they apprehend him as an Enemy bent in an unplacable and unappeasable manner to destroy them and that with the most formidable destruction they are capable of enduring and this to the days of Eternity Especially considering that they have no advantage or motive of any love shewed unto them by another any ways considerable whereby to be strengthened or enabled to love him against so sore a stumbling block and obstruction in the way of this affection as a Reprobating of them from Eternity This Demonstration is so pregnant of Proof and Conviction that certain I am nothing can with any strength scarce with any face of Reason be alledged against it But meet it is that the Poor should be hear◠in his cause as well as the rich Therefore 1. To the Argument now urged it may be replyed That the Doctrine §. 13. Object which affirmeth that Christ dyed onely for the Elect and not for all Men in general hath no such tendency or aptness in it as the said Argument chargeth upon it to separate between God and any of his Creatures because it leaveth an hope to every Person of Mankinde distributively considered that they may be of the number of the Elect and consequently of those for whom Christ dyed There is no man or woman but may the said Doctrine notwithstanding be of a good and comfortable hope that Christ dyed for them and so have no ground to conceive hardly of God or to be alienated in their mindes or hearts from him To this I answer Be it granted that the Doctrine we blame leaveth a degree of hope to every Answ Person that he is one of those for whom Christ dyed yet it is an hope very faint and feeble and which must needs be sick at the heart as being over-ballanced many degrees by contrary jealousies and fears and so can at no hand be termed a good or comfortable hope or give any advantage by way of motive unto the Creature to think well and honorably of God The truth is it is rather a possibility of conceit then any well-grounded Hope that such a Doctrine leaveth or affordeth unto any man being yet in his unregenerate estate that he is one of those for whom Christ dyed Suppose fourty or an hundred men should be arraigned and found guilty of High Treason against their Prince and He should declare without naming any of their Persons that he would graciously pardon the Offence of one or two of them but was resolved against all possible interveniencies whatsoever to inflict in the most severe manner the Penalty of Death upon all the rest would such an hope of escape or of finding favor in the eyes of their Prince as should be afforded or left unto these men in this case be any considerable encouragement or ground of motive unto them respectively to conceive honorably of their Prince for clemency goodness and mercy Or would not the severity and peremptoriness of his resolutions to take away the
end To reply and say that God gains the manifestation of his Soveraignty or Prerogative of shewing Mercy and denying Mercy to whom He pleaseth by intending the Salvation onely of a few which He could not have gained by intending the Salvation of all is to flee to a polluted Sanctuary and which hath been in this very Chapter and formerly b Cap. 4. Sect. 36 37 c. raz'd to the ground and not so much as one stone thereof left upon another that hath not been thrown down Sixthly That Christ dyed for all Men without exception of any I demonstrate §. 21. Argum. 6. further by the light of this Argument That Doctrine whose tenor frame and import are of a direct and clear tendency to promote and advance Godliness amongst Men is questionless Evangelical and the Truth But such is the tenor frame and import of that Doctrine which teacheth that Christ dyed for all Men without exception Therefore questionless this Doctrine is Evangelical and none other but the Truth The Major Proposition in this Argument needeth no more proof then the Sun needs a Candle whereby to be seen when he shineth in his might Yet if a proof be required the Premisses in this Discourse will afford it liberally c Cap. 12. sect 1. 20. Cap. 11. Sect. 26 where we opened that signal character or description of the Gospel delivered by the Apostle Tit. 1. 1. where he calls it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Truth according to Godliness meaning a body or systeme of Truth calculated and framed with the most exquisite proportion efficacy and aptness that can be imagined for the promotion propagation â—â—d advancement of Godliness in the World as we formerly interpreted So that what particular Doctrine soever is found to be of the same tendency must of necessity be a member of the same body a branch of the same Truth or however clearly and fairly comporting with it and so a Truth For there is nothing accordable with Truth but Truth The truth of the Minor Proposition also hath been set before the Reader in a clear and perfect light in the precedure of this Discourse a Cap. 16 §. 7 8 c. where we evinced above contradiction that the Doctrine of our Adversaries asserting onely a limited Redemption by Christ leaveth no Hope at all or at most but a very cold feeble and faint Hope to any ungodly or unregenerate man of being saved by Christ and consequently hath nothing in it much quickening or provoking unto Godliness at least in respect of such Persons who are at present ungodly who are the far greatest part of the World but is full of a spirit of antipathy and opposition hereunto in as much as whatsoever is of a destructive or discouraging import to any mans Hope of obtaining upon endevors is obstructive and quenching to these endevors themselves Whereas the spirit and genius of the Doctrine maintained by us is to fill all Men whatsoever with the richest and greatest assurance of Hope they can desire that upon their diligent and faithful endevors to Repent and to Beleeve Repentance and Faith shall be given unto them by God and that upon the like endevors to persevere in a course of Repenting and Beleeving they shall have Perseverance also given and so in the end be unquestionably saved What is commonly alledged in defence of the Doctrine of limited Redemption against the Argument now propounded hath been fully answered in the place last referred unto together with whatsoever I conceive can lightly be alledged further upon the same account If I were conscious unto or could suspect any thing that with any competent shew of probability might be yet objected to the disabling of the force of the said Argument I call God for a record upon my Soul that I would not conceal or dissemble it out of any indulgence to mine own Opinion This in brief for my sixth Argument Seventhly If Christ dyed for the Elect onely and not for all and every Man §. 22. Argum. 7. then will there no man be found culpable of Judgment or liable unto Condemnation or perishing for or through Unbelief or for not beleeving on Christ for Salvation But there are many that will be found liable to Condemnationâ— yea and will be actually condemned for their Unbelief Ergo. The Reason of the Consequence in the former Proposition is pregnant and clear First The Elect will not be found liable to Condemnation for Unbelief because they according to the Principles of our Adversaries shall be all infallibly drawn or brought to beleeve 2. No Reprobate can be liable to Condemnation for not beleeving on Christ for Salvation because he transgresseth no Law or Precept of God by such his unbelief For doubtless God commandeth no man to beleeve on Christ for Salvation but onely those for whom there is Salvation in Him as He commandeth no man to gather grapes of thorns or figs of thistles Nay His constant manner and method of teaching charging admonishing and treating with Men in other like cases imports that in case there were no Salvation for Men in Christ He would be so far from admonishing of charging them to beleeve on Him that He would take them off and disswade them from beleeving or depending on Him in that kinde For if we search the Scriptures we shall still finde that God upon all occasions counselleth and chargeth men to take heed of uncertain empty and vain dependencies and to seek for Help Peace and Safety where they are to be found Places of this import are obvious and frequent And Samuel said unto the People Fear not ye have done all this wickedness yet turn not aside from following the Lord but serve the Lord with all your heart And turn ye not aside FOR THEN SHOVLD YE GO AFTER VAIN THINGS WHICH CANNOT PROFIT NOR DELIVER for they are vain For the Lord will not forsake His People a 1 Sam. 2. 20 21 c. c. So again Trust not in oppression become not vain in robbery if riches encrease set not your heart upon them b Psal 62. 10 Immediately before speaking of God he had said Trust Him at all times ye People pour out your Heart before Him God is a Refuge for us Sâ—lah Surely men of low degree are vanity and men of high degree are a lye to be layd in the ballance they are altogether lighter then vanity Elsewhere Wilt thou set thine eyes upon that which is not for riches certainly make themselves wings c Prov. 23. 5 So also Thus saith the Lord cursed be the man that trusteth in man and maketh flesh his arm and whose heart departeth from the Lord. For he shall be like the heath in the desart d Jer. 17. 5 6 c. To omit other passages of like consideration without end It being then the constant manner of God in His Addressments unto men to disswade them from begging their bread in desolate places from laying
it to consist onely in the dissolution of the Body by Death as if the Punishment of Hell fire came in upon the account of the Gospel in case it should be rejected which is the Judgment of some amongst us I shall not dispute nor undertake to determine but pass on to hear the sence of other learned orthodox and pious Fathers much about the same time with the former Cyril of Jerusalem much about the same times delivereth His Sence about the Redemption of Christ thus The Crown of the Cross is this it led by a light those that were blinde through ignorance it set at liberty those that were detained under sin and REDEEMED THE WHOLE WORLD OF MEN. And wonder not that the WHOLE WORLD should be redeemed since He was not a bare man but the onely begotten Son of God that dyed for it t 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Cyril Hierosolym Catech. 13. And again Knowest thou why or for what end the Kinde Lord did not decline Death It was that the whole World might not be destroyed through sin u Scisnè quamobrem non fugit mortem benignus Dominus Vt ne totus peccatis perderetur Mundus Ibid. i. e. as appears from the former sentence and the scope of the place that the whole World might be saved by Him In another place the same Author saith Heaven and Earth are full of His Glory the ends of the World are full of His Goodness full of His Praise the WHOLE NATVRE OF MAN is full of His Condescention c. A little after speaking of Christ He saith He that is the Offerer is the same that is offered up FOR THE WORLD And not long after Let Adam rejoyce saying unto Christ by Simeon Lord now lâ—ttest thou thy servant depart in peace according to thy Word Now dest thou dismiss or loose me from eternal bands now dost thou deliver me from corruption now dischargest thou my sorrow x 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Cyril Hierosolym De Propheta Simeone c. Paulò post de Christo loquens 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Et posteà 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Evident it is that in this last Testimony He bringeth in Adam speaking not onely nor so much in His own Name personally considered but in the Name of His whole Posterity also Eusebius another Author of note about these times attesteth the same Doctrine by affirming that the Saints of old by the Teachings of the Divine Spirit came to learn long before that there was a certain Venerable and Great Sacrifice that should be highly accepted with God which should in time come unto Men and which would be the EXPIATION OF THE WHOLE WORLD And a little after This was the Christ of God concerning whom it was said of old that He should come unto men and should be slain after the manner of a beast or sheep FOR ALL MANKIND And again not long after According to the Testimonies of the Prophets there was found that Great and greatly to be esteemed Price for the redeeming both Jews and Grecians I mean that Expiation or Attonement FOR THE WHOLE WORLD that Sacrifice for the Souls OF ALL MEN that Offering for EVERY SPOT AND FOR EVERY SIN that Lamb of God y Qui venerabilem quandam Deoque acceptaÌ„ mâ—gnam hostiam venturam olim ad homines Divino indicante Spiritu tantò anté didicerant quae totius Mundi expiatio existeret c. Euseb De Demonstrat Evangel lib. 1. c. 10. Et mâ—x Hic autem fuit Christus Dei is de quo antiquitus à primis usque temporibus dictum est quòd ad homines esset venturus atque instar pecudis pro toto genere humano interficiendus Et mox Quando secundum Testimonia Prophetarum inventum est magnum magnique estimandum pro redimendis Judaeis pariter Graecis pretium illud videlicet pro toto Mundo Piaculum illud pro anima cunctorum hominum Sacrificium illa pro omni maculâ peccato purissima hostia ille vtique Agnus Dei c. c. Elsewhere He saith speaking of Christ that He took care for the Salvation OF ALL MEN THAT HAD BEEN BORN FROM THE BEGINNING OF THE WORLD and to destroy Him by His Death who had the Power of Death the Devil z Quandoquidem omnium quicunque à condito aevo fuissent salutem ipse curabat nec non vt suâ Morte deleret eum qui imperium Mortis habebat c. Euseb De Demonstrat Evang. l. 4. c. 12. This Author abounds with Sayings of like import Arnâ—bius another Christian Writer about the same times of good account bringeth in the Heathen arguing and demanding of Christians thus If the Saviour of Mankinde be come as you Christians affirm why doth He not by the same bounty deliver all Men He doth not deliver all alike who calleth all alike He doth not keep back or reject any person from His soveraign Grace or indulgence who affords the same power unto high lâ—w servants women children of coming unto Him To this this Author answereth The Fountain of Life is open FOR ALL MEN nor is any man denyed the right or power of drinking nor driven away from it If your pride or disdain be such that you reject the benefit of the Gift offered nay if your wisdom be so great as to call those things which are offered by Christ pastime and toys how doth He offend who inviteth you notwithstanding who hath onely this to do viz. to expose the fruit or blessing of his bounty to the arbitrement or free choyce of that right or power of chusing which is givâ—â— you a Si generis humani inquitis conservator advenit Cur omninò non omnes aequali munificentia liberat Non aequaliter liberat qui aequaliter omnes vocat haud ab indulgentiâ Principali quenquam repellit aut respuit qui sublimibus infimis servis faeminis pueris uniformiter potestatem veniendi ad sâ— facit Patet inquit omnibus Fo rs vitae neque ab jure potandi quisquam prohibetur aut pellitur Si tibi fastidium tantum est vt oblati respuâ—s beneficium Muneris quin imò si sapientiâ tantum praevales vt ea quae offâ—râ—ntur à Christo ludum atqueâ—nâ—ptiaâ— nomines quid invitans peccat cujus solae sunt hae partes vt sub tui juris arbitrio fructum suae benignitatis exponat Arnob. lib. 2. contra gentes Didâ—mus another Author of note in this Century and who was Jeroms §. 4. Tutor in his third Book concerning the Hoâ—y Ghost writeth to this purpose Wherefore the Father even for their Salvation â—â—t sparing His own Son delivered Him up unto Death that by the Death of His Son He being destroyed who had the Power of Death that is the Devil He might REDEEM ALL THOSE that were held in the bands of captivity by Him Not long after speaking of the Jews They saith He rising
yea and some of our late Protestant Writers themselves and these of eminent worth and note See Cap. 13. Sect. 29. especially when men have no better or more satisfactory grounds for their Opinion then have yet been produced against the lawfulness of Infant-Baptism But this by the way Clemens of Alexandria another famous Champion of Christianity about §. 7. these times was of the same Faith in the Point in hand with his Fellows In one place He demands How is He speaking of Christ a Saviour and Lord if He be not the SAVIOVR and Lord OF ALL In another He termeth Christ the Disposer or Administrator of all things according to His Fathers Will governing or taking order for the SALVATION OF ALL MEN. Elsewhere he argueth thus Either the Lord doth not take care for all Men and this either because He is not able which is not right to suppose or because though able enough yet He will not but this is not incident to Him that is good nor is He backward or indisposed hereunto through voluptuousness in as much as for our sakes He assumed flesh exposed to sufferings Or else He doth take CARE OF ALL which indeed becometh Him that is made the Lord of all For He is a SAVIOVR NOT OF SOME AND NOT OF OTHERS q 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Et postea Christum vocat 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Non longè antè 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Clem. Alexand. Strom. l. 7. c. In an Oration to the Gentiles He calls unto them thus Hear ye that are afar off and harken you that are neer the Word is not hid or concealed from any the light thereof is common it SHINETH UNTO ALL MEN r 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Clem. Alexandr in Orat. â—d Gentes c. Justin Martyr whose Writings amongst those that treat of Christian Religion and are judged authentique and not spurious are the most ancient that I know since the days of the Apostles giveth frequent Testimony to the Truth of the same Doctrine In one place He presenteth the Saints as knowing or acknowledging that He that hath wrought that Great Salvation FOR MANKINDE is praise worthy greatly to be feared and the Maker or Creator of Heaven and Earth s 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Just Martyr in Dialogo cum Tryph. p. 300 Edit Morel In another speaking of Christ He saith that now through the Will of God being made Man for THE SAKE OF MANKINDE He submitted Himself to suffer whatsoever the inconsiderate Jews were inspired by the Devils to inflict upon Him t 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Idem Apol. 2. pro Christianis In a third He saith that Christ neither submitted Himself to be born nor yet to be crucified as if He needed these things for Himself but for that kinde or generation of men which in or by Adam was fallen under Death and the deceit of the Serpent u 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Idem in Dial. p. 316. By Mankinde or the kinde of Men He cannot mean a few a circumscribed number a small parcel of men as the Elect so called are known to be these in no propriety of speech can be called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 THE generation or kinde of man or if in one place He should have meant the Elect by such an expression it is no ways like but that in some other He would have expressed himself more plainly But what He means by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that genus or general kinde of men appears evidently enough by this descriptive character which he gives of it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. which from Adam or through Adam was fallen under Death This we know is the adequate and appropriate character not of some men but of all Mankinde without exception But the Sun is visible enough without a Candle Ireneus not long after the former avouched the Doctrine of our Contest §. 8. over and over As Eve saith he becoming disobedient became hereby the cause of death both to her self and to the Universe of Mankinde So Mary having the Man predestinated by God meaning Christ notwithstanding Her being involved in the Death brought upon all Mankinde by Eve yet becoming an obedient Virgin she proved the cause or means of Salvation UNTO THE UNIVERSE OF MEN x Sicut Eva inobaudiens facta sibi universo generi humano causa facta est Mortâ— sic Maria â—abens praedestinatum virum tamen Virgâ— obaudiens sibi universo generi humano causa facta est salutis Iren. lib. 3. adversus Haeres cap. 33. His meaning is that by submitting unto the Pleasure of God signified unto Her by the Angel concerning the bearing and bringing forth of His Son Jesus Christ in the flesh She had the Grace accordingly vouchsafed unto Her to bear and bring Him forth who was the Author or cause of Salvation to universal Mankinde by which submission and service she in a sence became the cause or means also of this Salvation Elsewhere the same Father saith that Christ recapitulated or gathered into one in Himself ALL NATIONS dispersed up and down the World even from Adam ALL TONGVES AND EVERY GENERATION OF MEN together with the person of Adam Himself y Significans quoniam ipse qui omnes gentes exinde ab Adam dispersas universâ—s linguas generationem hominum cum ipso Adam in semetipso recapitulans c. Iren. adversus Hae. es l. 3. c. 33. In another place He gives this Reason why Paul saith that we are reconciled through the body of His flesh viz. because His righteous or just flesh reconciled THAT FLESH WHICH WAS DETAINED IN SIN and brought it into favor or friendship with God z in corpore ait Paulus reconciliati carnis ejus id est quia justa caro reconciliavit eam carnem quae in peccato detinebatur in amicitiam adduxit Deo Idem lib. 5. c. 16. Now that flesh which was detained in sin was not the flesh onely of the Predestinate or Elect but of all Mankinde without exception These are the Principal Fathers and Writers of the Primitive Times and before Augustin that are now extant or known and all these with one mouth as we have heard and with a Nemine contradicente give Testimony to the Truth of that Great Doctrine which hath been avouched in this Discourse viz. that the Redemption purchased by the Death of Christ was for all Men considered as men respectively and not for the Elect onely or those that shall actually partake of it and be saved The Writers of best note and repute since Austin until these later times §. 9. of Reformation and from whose Writings the best and stediest Informations are to be had what Doctrines or Opinions ruled in the Churches of Christ and amongst those Christians that were judged orthodox and sound in the Faith in their days are these Prosper Cyril of Alexandria
the latter part of this Discourse In the mean time let us briefly consider what Companions and Friends we have even amongst those of the Reformed Religion and Protestant Party of Men in that great Article of our Faith which we have contended for hitherto the Gracious Intentions of God towards all Men without exception in the Death of Christ and the Redemption purchased thereby First concerning those whose Judgments and Consciences rather consorted §. 17. with Luthers Doctrine then with Calvins being upon this account distinguished by the Name of Lutherans these more generally and almost universally at least as far as my inspection into their Writings informeth me teach the Doctrine of General Redemption by Christ as orthodox and found I shall onely insâ—st upon a few Passages from the Writings of two or three known Authors of the Lutheran Perswasion leading men in their way Melancthon Luthers great Associate teacheth that EVERY PERSON of us apart ought to be firmâ—â— resolved of this that we are pardoned and received by God and that with this special or particular Faith EVERY particular MAN ought to apply the benefit of Christ to himself b Singâ—li statuere debemus nobis ipsis ignosci nos ipsos à Deo recipi Hac Fide speciali vt sic dicam quisque sibi applicare beneficium Christi debet Melancth Loc. De Fide Elsewhere He saith that the Counsel of God was that MANKIND should be redeemed and presently after asserteth the Love of God in His Son TOVVARDS MANKIND c Esi autem causas hujus mirandi consilij cur hoc modo redimendum fuerat genus humanum nondum in hâc infirmitate cernimus c. Conspiciuntur in hac victimâ Justicia Dei ira adversâ—s peccatum immensa miserecordia erga nos amor in filio erga genus humanum Idem De Justificatione In another place He affirmeth that God poured out His Wrath against the SINS OF MANKIND not of a few particular men upon His Son A little after speaking of Christ He saith He feels a greater burthen viz. the Wrath of God against the SINS OF MANKIND which He knoweth to be poured out upon Him He sorrowed also and was troubled that a great part of Mankinde would perish through a contempt of this great benefit of God b in quâ iram Dei adversus generis humani peccata in filium effudit Idem De Filio Et mox loquens de Christo sentit majus onus scilicet iraÌ„ Dei adversus peccata generis humani quam scit in sese effundi Doluit item magnam partem generis humani perituram esse spreto hoc beneficio Dei Ibid. In another place He saith It is necessary to know that the Gospel is an UNIVERSAL PROMISE i. e. that Reconciliation with God is offered and promised unto ALL Mâ—â— This universal Promise it is necessary to hold fast against any dangerous conceits about Predestination lest we fall to reason thus that this Promise belongeth to some few others but doth not belong unto us But let us be resolved of this that the Promise of the Gospel is universal For as the preaching of Repentance is universal so the preaching of Remission of Sins is universal also But that all Men do not obtain the Promises of the Gospel i. e. the things here promised it ariseth from hence that all Men do not beleeve e Necesse est scire Evangelium promissionem universalem esse hoc est offerri promitti omnibus reconciliationem Hanc universalem tenere necesse est adversus periculosas imaginationes de Praedestinatione ne disputemus hanc Promissionem ad paucos quosdam alios pertinere non pertinere ad nos Nos verò statuamus Evangelij promissioneÌ„ universaleÌ„ esse Sicut enim praedicatio poenitentiae universalis est ità praedicatio remissionis peccatorum universalis est Quod â—â—teÌ„ non omnes consequuntur Evangelij promissa eò sit quia non omnes credunt Idem De Promissione Evangelii The Writings of this Author have in them a large and full eye of that Doctrine which hath been protected hitherto Chemnitius another learned Champion of the Lutheran Faith riseth up §. 18. in his might from place to place to maintain the same Doctrine The whole Transaction saith He of the Mediator is considerable in this whether God the Father be willing to accept that satisfaction and obedience for THE WHOLE WORLD Now this He declared most signally in this that He left not His Son whom He smote for the Sins of THE PEOPLE in Death but raised Him up from the dead and placed Him at the right Hand of His Majesty f Et tota illa actio Mediatoris in eo vertitur an Pater illaÌ„ satisfactioneÌ„ obedientiam acceptare velit pro toto Mundo Illud verò Pater in eo maximé ostendit quod FiliuÌ„ quem propter peccata populi percusserat non dereliquit in morte sed resuscitavit ex mortuis collocavit ad dexteraÌ„ Majestatis suae Chemn Examen part 1. De Justificatione Elsewhere He saith Lest therefore all Mankinde should perish for ever that wonderful Decree of the Counsel of God concerning the Incarnation of the Son of God was enacted that He being our Mediator in our Nature assumed without sin should be made subject to the Law for us and should bear sin the guilt of sin the Wrath of God and THE PVNISHMENTS OF THE SINS OF THE WHOLE WORLD being derived or cast upon Him g Ne igitur totum genus humanuÌ„ in aeternuÌ„ periret pactuÌ„ est mirabile illud Divini Consilij Decretum de Incarnatione Filij Dei vt is Mediator noster in assumptâ sine peccato nostrâ naturâ pro nobis Legi subderetur peccatuÌ„ reatuâ— peccati iram Dei supplicia peccatorum totius Mundi in se derivata portaret c. Idem Ibid. part 2. De Satisfactione Again The Father did not pour out part of his Wrath or of the Curse but his WHOLE WRATH with all the dregs of the Curse into that cup which He gave unto his Son the Mediator to â—e drunk by him in his sufferings And presently after Christ upon the Cross being about to commend his Spirit unto his Father saith It is finished whereby He testifieth that all those things which were necessary for the Expiation of Sins and for Redemption from the curse of the Law were fully sufficiently and super-abundantly consummated and discharged in or by his obedience and sufferings h Non enim partem irâ— vel maledictionis sed totam iram suam cum universis faecibus maledictionis Pater effudit in caliceÌ„ illuÌ„ quem Filio Mediatori in passione bibenduÌ„ proposuit Idem Ibid. part 4. De Indulgentiis Immediatè pòst Et Christus in cruce traditurus Patri spirituÌ„ dicit consuÌ„matuÌ„ est quâ voce testatur omnia ea quae ad expiationem peccatoruÌ„ ad
redemptioneÌ„ à maledictione Legis necessaria erant obedientiâ passione suâ plenè sufficientâ—r abundanter consummata persoluta esse And that He doth not speak this with particularity of respect to the Sins or Redemption of a few or of the Elect onely but simply and with reference to the Sins and Redemption of all Men appears 1. From the clear drift and purport of the Discourse in hand which was to prove against his Tridentine Antagonists that Christ in and at his Death left nothing unperformed that was necessary or required viz. by way of satisfaction of any person whatsoever for his Redemption or for the Expiation of his sins the Sence and Doctrine of His Adversaries being that Indulgences or satisfactory Performances by those yet living were available not onely for the Elect being in Purgatory for they no where appropriate this Element unto them but for any or all without exception which according to the Notion of their Faith were sent thither for want of a compleat satisfaction made for their sins 2. Soon after in progress of the same Discourse He citeth this from the Apostle Unus pro omnibus mortuus est One dyed for ALL MEN i 2 Cor. 5. and from another Apostle this Si quâ— peccaverit c. If any man sin we have an Advocate c. And He is the Propitiation for our sins and not for ours alone but for the sins of the WHOLE WORLD k 1 John 2. 2. 3. There is not the least insinuation in the said Passages of any limitation or restriction intended by Him to the Elect or their sins onely 4. And lastly The general Sence of the latter Passages is fairly and fully comportant both with the express tenor of the former and indeed with the Judgment of the Author in other parts of His Writings where He hath occasion to declare His Sence in the Point Luther himself led them into the way of the same Doctrine though haply §. 19. He did not walk so uniformly or stedily in it as they did Christ saith He is slain before or in the sight of the World is condemned ones down into Hell or into the grave But before God He is the Salvation OF THE WHOLE WORLD from the beginning to the end of it l Christus occiditur coram Mundo damnatur â—t descendit ad inferos Sed coram Deo est salus totius Mundi à principio usque ad fineÌ„ Luther in Gen. c. 45. vers 5. In another place The sins of the WHOLE WORLD which are committed from the first man to the last day thereof lie upon the back of that one man who was born of Mary m â—oâ—â—s Munâ—i peccaâ—â— quae à primo homine inde ad novissimum diem fiâ—â—t jacent in tergo unius hominis qui ex Mariâ natus est Idem Serm. 1. De Passione c. Elsewhere We all fell in or by the Fall of Adam our first Parent and THIS FALL must be recovered by Christ viz. by His Ignominy Shame Reproach and Death n Ada namque primi Parentis casu omnes lapsi sumus atque illum lapsum per Christum instaurari oportuit ejus nempe ignominiâ— dedecore opprobrio Morte c. Idem Postill in Domin Trinitatis c. If Adams Fall wherein All Men without exception fell be recovered or restored by Christ all that fell thereby must needs be recovered or restored by Him If onely the Elect so called be recovered this is no recovery of Adams Fall but onely of a small or less considerable part of it or rather of some few persons onely who fell thereby The same Author in another place saith that Paul in His Epistle to the Romans writes That God promised by His Prophets in the Holy Scripture the Gospel concerning his Son Jesus Christ our Lord namely that ALL MEN SHOVLD BE SAVED by him according to that which was said to Abraham Gen. 22. In thy seed shall all the Nations of the Earth be blessed c. And afterwards Christ from the beginning of the World to the end thereof remains the same by whom ALL MEN are TOGETHER or alike saved o Paulus Rom. 1. scribâ—â— Deum Evangelion per Prophetas Sanctâ Scripturâ de Filio suo Jesu Christo Domino nostro promisisse nempe omnes per ipsum salvos fore c. Et posteà Christus ab initio Mundi usque in finem idem perdâ—rat per queÌ„ omnes juxtà salvantur Idem Ibid. Primâ Dominicâ in Adventu Elsewhere this Author affirms the Grace of God to be toti orbi communis p In Domin 3. Adveâ— common to the whole World and again He affirmeth that Christ is Vita Lux OMNIUM hominum i. e. the Life and Light of ALL MEN q Ad summam Missam in Naâ— tal Domin to omit many other Passages of like import that might readily be drawn together out of the Writings of this noble Champion of the Protestant Faith So that there is little question but that the Lutheran party of the Reformed Religion do more generally if not wholy and entirely for I want the opportunity of Books to inform my self concerning the respective Judgments of them all accord with us in the generality of Redemption purchased by Christ For the finishing of the Chapter in hand and upon the matter of this §. 20. first Part of our Discourse it remaineth onely that I desire the unpartial Reader seriously and as in the Presence of God to consider whether the Testimonies and Sayings which shall be presented unto Him in the remaining part of this Chapter out of the Writings of Calvin and some other principal men that are generally looked upon as Followers of His Doctrine and consequently as Adversaries to the Great Doctrine of Universal Redemption maintained in this Discourse whether I say these Testimonies and Sayings do not evince above and beyond all contradiction that these men were not so through uniform setled or consistent with themselves in their Judgments about the Doctrine of Redemption as men had need be whose Authority Judgments are commonly taken for the Standard of other Mens Faith and judged little less then equal to the Foundations of the Prophets and Apostles themselves in matters of Religion Certain I am that the frequent and notorious inconsistencies that occur in their Writings about the Great Article of the Christian Faith so much argued and debated in our present Discourse have ministred an unhappy advantage to some of our Adversaries of the Synagogue of Rome to elevate and expose to contempt the Credit Worth Learning Authority of the Principal Supporters and Defenders of the Protestant Religion r Vid. Johan Paul Windeck Controvers de Mâ—rtis Christi efficacia p. 47 48 49 c. p. 25â— 262 267 c. I speak not these things nor shall I speak any thing God willing at any time to the undervaluing of the Learning Parts labor
then we may truly be called the Redeemers or Saviours of the World replyeth thus The Righteousness of Christ then is not imputed for example unto Peter as or as it is the general PRICE OF REDEMPTION FOR ALL MEN but as the Price wherewith His Soul is redeemed in particular h Non igitur Petro imputatur Iusticia Christ vt generale pretium RedeÌ„ptionis pro omnibus sed vt pretium quo illius anima in particulari redimitur c. Joh. Davenantius in Praelect De Justiciâ Habit. p. 331. In which words he plainly enough supposeth the said Righteousness of Christ to be a general Price for the Redemption of all Men. Kimedontius a great Professor of the way and Doctrine of Calvin in the present Controversies yet complains of those as injurious to him and his party and no better then false Witnesses who clamor against them as if they denyed that Christ dyed for ALL MEN and was not the Propitiation for the Sins of the whole WORLD i Injuriam nobis faciuÌ„t et falsi testes reperiuntur qui nos clamitant negare Christum esse mortuum pro omnibus Propitiationem esse pro peccatis totius Mundi Kimedont Synops De Redempt Because I would not over-charge the Readers Patience above measure I §. 26. shall omit the Catechisms and Confessions of many Reformed Churches as of the Palatinate Bern Basil Tigurum Schaffhusen with divers others in which there are very plain and pregnant Assertions of the Doctrine of Universal Attonement by Christ and shall conclude the Demonstration of what we lately observed viz. that the Doctrine of General Redemption is a Principle or Notion of that soveraign use and necessity that the professed Enemies thereof cannot forbear it or make any rational earnings in many their Theological Discourses without it with a Passage or Testimony from no fewer then fifty two Ministers of the City of London and these non de Plebe virum which I finde in a small Pamphlet lately subscribed and published by them and that for this very end as themselves profess to give Testimony against Errors and Heresies In this their Testimony bewailing the prevailing of Errors and Heresies so by them called they bemoan the case of many of those whom yet otherwhile they judg the happiest men in the World those I mean for whom Christ dyed thus Thousands and ten thousands of poor Souls which Christ hath ransomed with His Blood shall hereby be betrayed seduced and endangered to be undone to all Eternity k A Testimony to the Truth of Jesus Christ c. subscribed by 52 London Ministers page 32. No sence rationality or truth can be made of this Saying but by the mediation of this Hypothesis or ground viz. that such Persons who have been ransomed with the Blood of Christ may be undone i. e. perish for ever For whatsoever men may be brought into danger of suffering doubtless there is a possibility at least that they may suffer as we have reasoned the case further elsewhere l Remedy of Unreasonableness p. 13 14 where also we put to rebuke that Distinction of a Possibility in respect of Second Causes and in respect of the first Cause or Decree of God evincing from express grounds of Scripture truth in this Assertion That there is not the least danger of suffering inconvenience by any such means or causes how likely or threatening soever in themselves simply considered to bring the inconvenience upon us which we know to be throughly mated and over-ballanced by means and causes of a contrary tendency and import I here add that should the meaning of the Authors of the said Passage be that those ransâ—med with the Blood of Christ are endangered in respect of second Causes or means onely but are in the mean time perfectly secured by God or His Decree from suffering the danger there had been no such cause of taking up that most solemn and pathetique Lamentation over them which they do but rather of rejoycing on their behalf that being so ransomed they are in no danger or possibility through any betraying or seduction by any Error or Heresie whatsoever of losing that grace or blessing of Salvation which was purchased by the Blood of Christ for them I shall not I trust need here to re-inculcate that which hath been and §. 27. this more then once so plainly expressed formerly viz. that my intent in citing Calvin with those other late Protestant Writers which we have subjoyned in the same suffrage of Doctrine unto Him in favor of the Doctrine of General Redemption is not to perswade the Reader that the habitual or standing Judgment either of Him or of the greater part of the rest was whole and entire for the said Doctrine or stood in any great propension hereunto though this I verily beleeve concerning sundry of them much less to imply that they never in other places of their Writings declared themselves against it but onely to shew 1. That the truth of this Doctrine is so neer at hand and 2. That the influence of it is so benign and accommodatious unto many other Truths and Doctrines in Christian Religion that it is an hard matter for those that deal much in these affairs not to assume and assert it ever and anon and to speak and argue many things upon the account of the Authority of it yea though extrà casum necessitatis on the one hand and incogitantiae on the other hand they are wont to behold it as God doth proud men afar off Let us draw up the Sum total of the Chapter in a very few words and so end it First we have seen the roots of that Doctrine held forth in our present Discourse throughly watered with the fairest streams of the Judgment Learning Approbation and Authority of the Primitive Times Secondly concerning Times of a later date we have found that the Judgment and Faith of that party of Protestant Churches and Writers which is known by the Name of Lutheran do more generally if not universally accord with the same Doctrine Thirdly and lastly that the other party of these Churches and Writers viz. those who incline more to the Sence and Judgment of Calvin in matters of Christian concernment together with Calvin himself doth very frequently attest the same Doctrine yea and cannot well want the service and assistance of it in the managing and carrying on many of their affairs The result of all is that no considering or conscientious Person whatsoever hath the least occasion to decline or keep aloof off in Judgment from the said Doctrine for want of company so great a number as we have seen of the best and most desirable for Companions in the way of Faith of those that have dwelt with flesh and blood since the Apostles days having given the right hand of fellowship unto it in their respective generations CHAP. XX. The Conclusion exhibiting a general Proposal or Survey of Matters intended for
He Acta Synodi Dordr part 2 p. 120 doth not withall give them Faith in His Son But certain it is 1. That all Men come not to be saved and 2. That the great Love of God in the gift of his Son doth not vanish in unprofitableness Ergo. A like Argument is fram'd upon the account of the great Love of the Son Himself towards those for whom He dyed Christ saith the Argument so loved us that whilest we were Enemies He dyed for us Is it now credible that He should not apply a benefit merited or procured with so much sweat and with such precious Blood unto those for whom He merited it These Arguments with some Texts of Scripture not here mentioned cited to prove some of the Particulars together with some few Sayings from the Fathers both which we intend to take and give knowledg of upon occasion were in a manner the whole strength wherein the Synod of Dort so much magnified themselves against their Adversaries the Remonstrants in the traverse of the second Head of Matters Controversal between them which concerned the Intentions of God in and about the Death of Christ as far as I am able to observe from the Records of this Synod Concerning which Arguments I shall say no more at present but onely these two things 1. That though they be somewhat numerous yet there is none of them but lieth very opportune and fair for Answer and 2. That some of them if not the greater part stand bent against such an Opinion which I beleeve their Antagonists did not hold certain I am they do not oppugn that Doctrine of Redemption which is maintained in this Book Nevertheless because they may possibly be conceived by some less considerate to rise up with much strength against it we shall take them into consideration respectively in their places I will not say that there have been sufficient grounds layd yea and sufficiently proved in the Premisses of our present Discourse whereon to frame satisfactory Answers even to those that are counted Pillars amongst them but shall leave the consideration hereof to the intelligent and unpartial Reader and to the Disquisitions about them intended in the second Part of this Work I do not meet with any thing of moment in any other Author to infringe §. 7. the credit of the Doctrine of General Redemption which doth not make one spirit with one or other of the Arguments levyed as we have heard by the said Synod This which I shall presently recite from the Collocutors of the Contra-Remonstrancy at the Conference at the Hague Ann. 1613. is but the same in effect with the first and fifth of those used by the Synod For whom soever Christ dyed and obtained Remission of sins and Reconciliation with God for these also He obtained by his Death Deliverance from the bondage of sin and the spirit of Regeneration for Newness of life But Christ did not obtain Deliverance from the bondage of sin or the spirit of Regeneration for all Men. Ergo. If any man conceives there is somewhat more in this Argument of the said Collocutors which I shall next transcribe then in any of the former I am content that it shall stand as additional unto them I finde it in this form All they for whom Christ dyed can freely say Who is he that condemneth 20 Reason It is Christ that dyed for us Rom. 8. 34. But they are onely Beleevers and the Elect that can speak thus Vers 33. not Unbeleevers Mark 16. 16. Ergo. The Minor is further strengthened by this consideration The Consolation raised from the consideration of the Death of Christ which the Apostle here Rom. 8. 32 33 c. administreth unto the Saints or Beleevers would have little solidity or worth in it in case Reprobates and Unbeleevers could as truly say that Christ dyed for them also This Argument likewise from the same Authors is vertually contained in that already mentioned in the fifteenth place Yet let it have the Honor of an Argument by it self If Reconciliation with God and Remission of sins be obtained for all and 21 Reason every man none excepted then should or ought the Word of this Reconciliation i. e. the Gospel be preached or declared and this continually to all and every man But the Word of Reconciliation is not thus preached to all and every man Ergo. The Reason of the Consequence is because they for whom Reconciliation is obtained not being capable of enjoying it but by Faith and Faith not being to be obtained but by hearing the Word of this their Reconciliation it seems contrary to all Reason that they should be deprived of the means of beleeving The learned Chamier advanceth this Argument against us the strength 22 Reason Chamier Panstrat â—om 3. lib. 9. c. 13. Sect. 19 whereof the observant Reader will finde lodged in the nineteenth Reason already propounded To all those for whom Christ truly dyed the Death of Christ is profitable But this Death of his is not profitable unto all Men. Ergo. The Major he proves 1. From the proper import of the Particle for which saith he always notes some benefit accruing to him for whom any thing is said to be done 2. From the state of the Controversie 3. And lastly From the Scriptures as where it is said He gave himself for us that he might redeem us c. Tit. 2. So again from Matt. 26. 28. Rom. 5. 8 9. The Minor he proveth 1. From the Concession or his Adversaries themselves the Papists concerning Infants who dye unbaptized all which they exclude from Salvation and consequently from all benefit by the Death of Christ. 2. From the Concession almost of all concerning persons of years of Matury viz. that very many of these perish everlastingly and so never come to receive any benefit by the Death of Christ. In the same place the same Author subjoyneth this Argument the same in 23 Reason substance with the former If Christ dyed for all Men then all Men are saved or shall be saved But this is not so Ergo. The Minor which needs no proof he proves from Joh. 3. 36. Rom. 2. 8. For the Consequence in the Major Proposition he cites the Apostles Discourse Rom. 5. 8 9 10. under the Notion of an express Probation of it But God commendeth his love towards us c. The Scriptures and Arguments now propounded are the effect and substance §. 8. of all that I can readily finde or call to minde pleaded and argued against the Doctrine of General Redemption as it hath been stated and asserted in our present Discourse excepting onely some quotations from the Fathers If any thing of moment upon the same account shall further occur or be offered unto me either before or under my examination of these I shall not conceal it but shall as in the presence of God and without the least touch or tincture of prejudice or partiality acknowledg strength in any thing
Election 461. Dyed sufficiently for all and intentionally also 464 465 Christs Death in what sence necessary 14 For what end necessary 436. It prepared him for an Head Ibid. Chrysostom for Falling away 372 372 c. For general Redemption 529 530 Clemens of Alexan for general Redemption 537 Concurrence how God concurs in defective actions p. 6. His concurrence the same in different yea contrary actions 5 Conscience Testimony of Conscience when authentique 159. Good Conscience always from Faith 353 354 Consent sinning without full consent not a distinguishing character of Regeneration 326 327 Covenant of Grace not made with Christ 458 Not more district or severe then that of Works 498. Covenant unproper to be made with unknown persons 454 455 Conditional Assurance the main or proper end of a Covenant Ibid. Promiseth noting to uncovenanted persons 457 Councils and Synods for general Redemption 544 545 c. Create created c. all things created at once by God 49 50 c. Creator the relation of a Creator very promising 71. much endearing 72 Cyprian for Vniversal Redemption 536 For Falling away 375 Cyril of Alexandria for general Redempt 540 Cyril of Jerusaleâ— 532 D DAvid his condition under his impenitency 346 347. His Repentance necessary to Salvation Pag. 348 349 Dr Davenant makes justifying Faith to stand in assent 401. For Vniversal Redemption 560 Decrees of God what 34 35. all in a sence absolute 65. No Decrees of things unapproved 473 J. Deodat for Falling away 393 Desires how attributed to God 37 Determine simple Beings determined by God three ways p. 7. Gods conditional Determinations in what sence absolute 15 Devils why unredeemable 484 485 c. Punished onely for the first sin 499 Didymus for Vniversal Redemption 533 Dis-membering no dishonor to the Body of Christ 327 328 Dort Synod 84. Self-contradiction 546 547 c. Remonstrants in the Doctrine of Perseverance 395 396 c. and therefore self-condemned 400 401 c. Arguments of this Synod for limited Redemption 565 566 c. Remonstrantizeth in the point of General Redemption 546 547 A sad Notion of this Synod 548 549 E EIs sometime for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and hath a causal signification 441 Elect or chosen what it sometimes signifieth 244. Who are Elect in the Scripture notion 418. How no need that Christ should dye for them 459 Election Decree of Election what 244 In what sence men are said to be Elected from Eternity Ibid. In what sence not 45 244. Election of species not particular persons 64. The common Doctrine of Election flat Socinianism 460. makes Christ to have dyed in vain 461 Epiphanius for Vniversal Redemption 535 Eternal Life inchoate perfect 232. Eternal things in what sence before things in time 50 51 Events hurtful not determined by God 25 are not always signs of probabilities 494 Eusebius for Vniversal Redemption 352 Excuse i 〈…〉 ility for performance the best 503 Exhortations made useless by the common Doctr of Perseverance 301 302 c. F FAith justifying what according to the Scripture 396. according to orthodox Writers 398 399. Faith temporary the same for kinde with that which justifieth 292 293. Three degrees of Faith according to the Fathers 369 Faithfulness of God towards his Saints what it is and wherei it consisteth 236 237 Falling away a Doctrine richly sympathizing with the Spirit and so with the joy and peace of the Saints 338. A Principle of singular and frequent use in matters of Religion 394 395. Owned and made use of by the greatest Saints upon occasion ib. Fear occasion of many inconveniences 154 Not unworthy the greatest Saints to act out of a Principle of Fear 312 313 c. As natural a fruit of Faith as Love it self Ibid. How not servile 315. hath no torment 316. Not occasioned bythe Doctrine of Falling away 336. What Fear necessary for Saints 175 176 Foreknowledg not properly in God 28 29 the Object of it 39. No disparagement to his goodness 424 425 c. His foreknowledg of the event doth not precede that act of his upon which the Event followeth Ibid. Foresight God foreseeth without determination 23 26 G GIve what it signifieth in Scriputre 118 God respecteth onely mens present condition whether of sin or righteousness 514 How at liberty to shew Mercy 482 483 487. Taketh men off from vain dependencies 491 492. Doth not insult over miserable men in his Exhortations 509 510 Good and goodness what signifie in Scripture 287 Gospel a Doctr according to Godliness 333 Grace what properly is an Act of Grace 484 The highest pitch of the efficacy thereof 427 Gregorius Magnus for general Redempt 542 Greg Nyssen for general Redemption 534 Gualter defines Justifying Faith by assent 400 H HAgue Conference 181 Heathen power to beleeve 507 Hell Punishment everlasting 434 Hilarius for general Redemption 531. seems to favor the Opinion of those who hold that the punishment against Adams sin consisted onely in a temporal death Ibid. Hope what hope or confidence it is that is the spur unto action 242 I JErom for General Redemption 529 Illumination proper to the Saints 283 Impossibility six several significations 289 Infants see Baptism and Children Intentions of God antecedent and consequent see Consequent How ascribed to God 32 37 447. How differ from Desires and Decrees Ibid. How never defeated 215 What towards wicked men in outward mâ—rcies 411 412. In what sence they may be defeated 22 35 215 434 Intercession of Christ for the Saints how 248 249 Interchange of Members between Christ and the Devil no dishonor to Christ 328 Ireneus for Falling away 370 371. For General Redemption 538 Jubilee a type of General Redemption 521 522 c. Judas supposed by many ancient Writers to have been sometimes a good man 361 373 374 Junius for Falling away 393 Justifying Faith see Faith Justine Martyr for Vniversal Redempt 538 K 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Preposition what it importeth 243 244 Knowledg not properly in God yet morae properly then Foreknowledg 29 30. Why or how attributed to him Ibid. How perfect 431 L LEo Magnus for General Redemption 541 Life lives of men prorogable or abreviable by themselves 8 Love of God how unchangeable 63 64 278 Luther defineth Justifying Faith by assent to the Word of God p. 399. For Falling away 384 386. For Vniversal Redemption 551 552 M MAcarius for Falling away 376 P. Martyr for universal Redemption 556 Means how God willeth the means as well as the end 184 185. God hath more ends then one in his vouchsafement of the means of Grace 426 427 Melancthon for Falling away 385. defineth Justifying Faith by assent 400. For Vniversal Redemption 549 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to abide what it importeth 397 Mollerus for Falling away 394 Musculus for Falling away 390. Defineth Justifying Faith by assent 400. For universal Redemption 555 c. Mutability no disparagement to the Creature 343 N NAture what it signifieth 518 Natural actions rather rewardable then
actions necessitated 319. Natural Causes why ordinarily left to themselves 28 Nazianzen for Vniversal Redemption 534 Necessity free Causes not necessitated by any act of God 53 Nicene Council for General Redempt 544 Notions some of a lighter others of a deeper impression in the Soul 1 Nyssen for Vniversal Redemption 534 O OBedience natural and spiritual how differ 315. Spiritual the more perfect by how many the more motives raised Ibid. Oecumenius for Vniversal Redemption 543 Origen for Vniversal Redemption 535 536 For Falling away 334 Original sin not necessarily supposeth liableness to condemnation 519 P PArable of the Sower opened 291 Patience Gods Patience respecteth chiefly wicked men generally not elect or beleeving 422 Pelicanus for Vniversal Redemption 407 Perfection of life not fixed by God 42 43 Periods of life not fixed by God 8 9 Permissive Gods permissive Decrees not illative 25 26 Perseverance of Saints not promised absolutely 317 318. Such a supposition dishonoreth God Ibid. 319. Common Doctrine of Perseverance a most dangerous snare upon men 322. Reflects weakness upon the Holy Ghost 339. Occasioneth Jealousie amongst Brethren 342. Hath been unduly magnified 343 c. Ancient Doctr of Perseverance how come to be lost in the Reformation 383 384. Of signal necessity in matters of Christian Religion 388 Asserted by Ancient Fathers 378 379 380 c. Both by Councils and Synods 394. 〈…〉 fessions of many Churches Ibid. Piscator sometimes for Falling away 393 Denyeth Christ to have dyed sufficiently for all men 97 Possibility of perishing no ground of Fear that hath torment 474. God hath provided more then a bare possibility of Salvation for all 400 Praying no sign of Regeneration 346 Predestination what consistency with Gods Glory p. 69. Anciently held to be from foreseen Faith or Works 366 Prerogative wherein Gods Prerogative Will consisteth 67 68 Primasius for General Redemption 541 Promises made unto Perseverance made voyd by the common Doctrine of Perseverance 317 c. Promises conditional more engaging unto action 334 Prosper for Vniversal Redemption 539 540 Providence interposeth not out of course for most events Pag. 14 Mr Pryn his undue report of Austins Judgment in the point of Perseverance 383 Punishment what wonderful means God useth to prevent the eternal Punishment of the Creature 444 Purpose Gods Purposes and Executions still parallel 460 R REason some Reasons in general may be assigned of the equitableness of Gods ways not all in particular 349. Grounds of Reason how necessary for confirmation of Doctrines 453 454. No man to act without a ground in Reason 496 Reconciliation how God may be said to reconcile the World 88 89 Redemption Doctrine of general Redemption so necessary that the greatest enemies it hath cannot but build upon it at some turns 405 523. In what sence general Redemption is maintained in this Discourse 433 434 c. General Redemption typified by the brazen Serpent 520 c. by the Feast of Jubilee 521 522 What places of Scripture are commonly argued in opposition to it 563 564. The Arguments ordinarily produced against it 564 565 c. Redemption limited makes the Gospel a lottery 412 dishonorable unto God 413. quencheth hope and endeavor in men 414. frustrateth Christs Death in the main 465. representeth God as hollow-hearted 468. nourisheth Jealousies against God 476. injurious unto God 478. Scriptures commonly pleaded for limited Redemption 563 564 Arguments 564 565 c. Regeneration wherein resembleth the Birth natual 265 266. Repeated no inconvenience 329. It importeth a repetition of a generation or birth but not natural 329 330 Repentance why rather to be ascribed to God then to men themselves though it be their act 511 512 Reprobation 47 not from Eternity 514. not of individuals but species 63. The end of Gods Reprobation is that men should not be Reprobates 479. No Reprobation of men whilest righteous 513. Common Doctr of Reprobation miserably encumbred 514 515 Reward what actions capable of reward 319 341 Mr S. Rutherford his undue censure of general Attonement 73. His mistake about Joh. 17. 2. 116 S SAints capable of sinning out of malice 323 Sealing of the Saints with the Spirit 255 256 Servile what Obedience servile or mercenary 315 Simplicity of God 43 44 Simulation not in God 472 Sinners Pardon for wilful sinners typified in the Feast of Jubilee 521 Sins of infirmity what 323. Sin upon what account eternally punishable 443. What wonderful means God useth to prevent the eternal Punishment of the Creature for sin 444. Shortness of time to sin rather an aggravation then extenuation of sin 446 Spirit to be quenched what 325 T TAste what signifieth in Scripture 285 Tertullian for Falling away 371. For Vniversal Redemption 535 Threatenings against Apostates made voyd by the Common Doctrine of Perseverance 311 312 313. Work not but by the mediation of Fear Ibid. Truth many Truths oft asserted in the Scripture not so much for knowledg or belief as consideration p. 2. Reigneth when Objections are answered 562. Acknowledgment of the Truth proper unto Saints 283 Reigns not until Objections be answered 562 Dr Twiss his Notion about Christs praying for his Crucifiers 245. about Gods permissive Decrees 25 U UNbelief without power to beleeve no cause of wonder or of shame 500 501 c. Unbelievers upon what account unexcuseable 502 503 c. Unchangeable how God is unchangeable 208 Unregenerate no unregenerate person can have any ground of hope that he is or may be according to our Adversaries one of the Elect. 414 494 W WIll of God diversly taken in Scriptture 38. When or in what sence efficacious 473 474. How distinguished into Antecedent and Consequent 448 106 Will of Man not determined by God p. 5. Gods actings upon it how unfrustrable how Physical how Moral 305 306 307 c. Wisdom the more wisdom the less liberty to do unwisely 427. Requires variation in practice 428 429. Wisdom of God infinitely perfect 431 World what it signifieth 76 80 81 Z ZAnchius defines Justifying Faith by assent 400. for universal Redemption 559 A Table or brief Collection of some general Rules for the Interpretation of Scriputres delivered in the foregoing Discourse The Knowledg and Consideration whereof will give much Light into the Controversies there debated 1. IT is frequent in Scripture to express a thing after the manner of an Event or Consequent which shall or will follow upon such or such an occasion or means some ways likely to produce it which yet frequently cometh not to pass nay the contrary whereunto many times follows and comes to pass in stead thereof Pag. 216 221 234 2. Many Promises absolute in form are yet conditionate in matter and meaning 154 209 218 221 225 258 231 307 3. Promises m ade with respect to special qualifications are to be understood with such an Explicarion or Caution wherewith Threatenings against particular sins are to be interpreted 231 4. There is nothing more frquent in Scripture then to ascribe the Effects
greatnesse of His Power to preserve them against all enemies and threatning obstacles and oppositions whatsoever for His Heavenly Kingdome only upon condition that they shall not willingly willfully desperately destroy themselves or render themselves uncapable of such His preservation by apostatizing from that Faith in His Son Jesus Christ which He by His especiall Grace hath Planted in them and by which they stand at present in favour and acceptation with Him 2. Though God hath not simply and absolutely undertaken for their preseverance §. 20. or continuation of their Faith unto the end nor upon any such terms but that if they will be brutishly and desperately carelesse of so high a concernment to themselves as a blessed Eternity is they may make defection from it and turne Proselites to Hell yet hath He laid a rich foundation for their Perseverance in those many precious Promises and incouragements which He hath given unto those who shall persevere as also in those most severe and dreadfull threatnings bent against the faces of all Apostates and backsliders together with those frequent Promises or Declarations which He hath made to continue yea and to inlarge upon occasion the inward contributions of His Spirit the motions excitements and directions thereof in order to the plentifull inabling of His Saints to persevere untill they shall willingly and willfully turne their backs upon them and reject them Upon the account of all these gracious Promises and Declarations made by God unto His Saints for or towards the effectuall accomplishment of their Perseverance the Apostle Paul frequently incourageth them to the hope and expectation of it But the Lord is faithfull who shall stablish you and keepe you from evill a 2 Thess 3. 3 Who shall also confirme you unto the end that yee may be blamelesse in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ b 1 Cor. 1. 8 God according to the common Dialect and Notion of Scripture language is said to establish confirme and keepe men from evill when He doth that which is of a proper tendency and sufficient thereunto whither the effects or ends themselves of establishments confirmation c. be actually obtained or no For there is nothing more frequent or familiar in Scripture then to ascribe the effects themselves sometimes unto God sometimes unto Men only upon their respective actings or doings of such things which are of a Naturall Proper and Direct tendency to produce them whether they be actually and de facto produced or no. Thus our Saviour chargeth Him who shall put away his Wife for any other cause then Fornication with causing her to commit Fornication c Mat. 5. 32 whether the Woman thus put away committeth Fornication or no viz. because in that act of putting her away upon such terms He doth that which hath a proper and direct tendency to cause Her to commit this sin For it is not necessary to suppose that every Woman thus divourced or put away committeth or will commit Fornication But whether she doth or no the sin of Him that put Her away is one and the same He in our Saviours Dialect caused Her to commit Fornication Thus also He who eates to the offence of a weake Brother is charged by the Apostle with destroying him with his Meate for whom Christ Died d Rom. 14 15 20. i. e. with doing that which is apt and proper to occasion His destruction whether He be actually destroyed or no. In this idiome likewise of speaking God expresly saith that He had purged Jerusalem and yet in the same place saith also that Jerusalem notwithstanding was not purged In thy filthinesse is lewdnesse i. e. notorious and desperate obstinacy because I HAVE PVRGED THEE AND THOV WAST NOT PVRGED thou shalt not be purged from thy filthinesse any more till I have caused my fury to rest upon thee a Ezek. 24 13 God is said to have purged Jerusalem because He vouchsafed proper and sufficient means unto Her for Her purging as the Ministry of His Word and Spirit frequent Admonitions Exhortations Expostulations Promises Threatnings c. by His Prophets however Jerusalem by Her rebellious obstinacy hindered and obstructed the through and kindly working of these means by reason whereof the desireable effect of Her purging was not obtained In such a Sence and Phrase as this the goodnesse of God is said to lead such Men to Repentance who yet are so far from Repenting that after their hardnesse and impenitent heart they threasure up wrath unto themselves against the day of wrath c. b Rom. 2. 4 5 meaning that the goodnesse of God in His Patience and Long-sufferance towards wicked and ungodly Men ministreth many occasions and opportunities unto them by the advantage whereof they might easily be drawn to repent did they not willingly indulge themselves in that hardnesse of Heart which in the fruits of it tends to nothing but to the treasuring up of wrath to themselves c. In the same construction Christ is stiled the Lamb of God which taketh away the sin of the World c Ioh. 1. 29. and so to be the propitiation for the sinnes of the whole World d 1 Ioh. 2. 2 not as if or because the sin of the World is actually or compleatly taken away by Him or so that this whole sin either is or at any time must needs be pardoned or actually taken away in all the fruits consequents or effects of it because He is said to have taken it away but because He hath done and suffered that which hath a glorious efficacy and tendency in it to or towards such a taking of it away so that if it be not actually and compleatly taken away the cause of it is somewhere else to be sought and found as viz. in the sinners or men themselves and not in Him In this sence likewise He is said to be the propitiation for the sinnes of the whole World not because the sinnes of the whole World are actually compleatly or with succesfulnesse in the event propitiated or attoned by Him but because that Sacrifice of Himself which He hath offered in order to a propitiating or attoning the sinnes of the whole World is so pregnant and full of a propitiatory efficacy and vertue and withall is so propounded and held forth by God unto the whole World that if any mans sin remaines actually unpropitiated or un-pardoned it is through his own voluntary neglect of this Sacrifice and not from any intention on Gods Part that his sin should not be attoned or propitiated by this Sacrifice as well as any other Mans. It were easie to multiply examples of that propriety of expression now under observation from the Scriptures And I desire the rather that it may be carefully minded and remembred because I verily believe that the non-advertency of it by Men of learning and worth with some few others of like consideration whereof we may give notice in time hath mainly occasioned the dividing of
their thoughts and judgements from the Doctrine of Universall Redemption We shall be invited I suppose before the conclusion of this discourse to recruite the Readers memory with a re-mention of this notion of Scripture Dialect In the mean time we cleerly see by the light of it how God may be said to establish to confirme unto the end to keep Men from evill though Men neither be actually or in the event established confirmed or kept from evill and this without any prejudice or disparagement in the least either unto the grace or goodnesse of God or to His Power or Effectualnesse of Working in this behalf The next Scripture which we shall undertake to right against those §. 21. who have done it the injury of fathering the common Doctrine of Perseverance upon it is this They went out from us but they were not of us for if they had been of us they would no doubt have continued with us but they went out that they might be made manifest that they were not all of us a 1 Ioh. 2. 19 From hence this inference is drawn up that they who are of the Saints i. e. of the number of those who are reall and true Saints will alwayes continue in this number and never apostatize But for answer 1. This inference presumeth many things for which neither it nor any the Authors of it will ever be able to give any good security of Proof as viz. 1. That this Phrase they were not of us imports that they never were true Believers This certainly can never be proved because there is another sence and this every whit as proper to the words and more commodious for the Context and scope of the Place which may be given of them as we shall see anon 2. That this expression they were of us signifies that they were true Believers of the uncertainty of this supposition we shall give the like account 3. That these words they went out from us signifie their finall desertion or abdication of the Apostles Communion or their totall and finall renunciation of Christ His Church and Gospell This supposition hath no bottome at all or colour for it 4. That this clause they would no doubt have continued with us signifieth they would have continued in the same Faith wherein we persevere and continue Nor is there any competent reason to inforce this sence of these words because neither doth the Grammaticall tenor of them require it and much lesse the scope of the passage of which in due time 5. The said inference supposeth that John certainly knew that all those who for the present remained in his Communion were true Believers For if they were not true Believers they that were gone out from them in the sence contended for might be said to be of them i. e. Persons in the same condition with them But how improbable this is I mean that John should infallibly know that all those who as yet continued with them were true Believers I refer to consideration 6 The inference under contest yet further supposeth that John certainly knew that they who were now gone out from them neither were now nor ever before true Believers yea and that he certainly knew this by their departure or going out from them 7. And lastly it presumeth yet further that all true Believers doe alwayes abide in the externall Communion of the Church and that when Men doe not so abide they plainly declare hereby that they never were true Believers Which is not only a manifest untruth but expresly contrary to the Doctrine it self of those Men who assert the inference For they teach as we heard before that even true Believers may fall so foule and so far that the Church according to the command of Christ may be constrained to testifie that shee cannot tolerate them in her externall Communion nor that ever they shall have any part or Portion in the Kingdome of Christ unlesse they repent Doubtlesse to be cast out of the Church according to the Institution and command of Christ who commands no such thing but upon very heynous and highly-un Christian misdemeanours is of every whit as sad an importance as a voluntary desertion of the Churches Communion can be especially for a season But 2. Suppose these two suppositions be granted to the Inference-Makers §. 22. 1. That this Phrase to goe out from us signifies voluntarily to forsake the Society or Communion of Christians and 2. That this expression to be of us signifies true and inward Communion with those from whom they went out yet will not these contributions suffice for the firme building of the said Inference The reason is because the Apostle expresly saith that they would have continued WITH Us not that they would have continued such as they were in respect of the truth or essence of their Faith And if the Apostles scope in this place were to prove or affirme that they who are once true Christians or Believers alwayes continue such then when He saith they would have continued with us He must of necessity mean either that they would have continued faithfull as we continue faithfull or else that they would have continued alwayes in our Society or in the Profession of Christianity But that neither of these sences are of any tolerable consistency is evident by the light of this consideration viz. that the Apostle then must have known that the persons He speaks of and who went out from them neither were nor ever had been true Christians or Believers when they thus went from them Now if He had this knowledge of them it must be supposed either that He had it by extraordinary Revelation but this is very unprobable and howsoever can never be proved or else that He gained or obtained it by their departure or going out from them But that this could be no sufficient Argument or Ground to beget any such knowledge in the Apostle concerning them is evident from hence because it may very easily and doth very frequently come to passe that they who are true Christians doe not alwayes continue in that Christian Society unto which they have once joyned themselves and adhered no nor yet in the externall Profession of Christianity it self Yea our Opposers themselves frequently and without scruple teach and affirme that even true Believers themselves may either through fear or shame or extremity of sufferings or the like be brought to deny Christ and without any danger of making shipwrack of their Faith forbear a Profession-making of the Name of Christ afterwards But 3. For the true meaning of the Place it is to be considered that the §. 23. Apostles intent in the words was to prevent or heale an offence that weak Christians might take at that Doctrine which was taught and spread abroad by those Anti-Christs or Anti-Christian Teachers spoken of in the former Verse and there said to have been many and that especially because they had sometimes lived and conversed with