make good that assertion of his Verse 28. viz. That all things worke together for good to those that love God To prove this he shews by what Method steps and as it were degrees of dispensation or transaction God will bring it so pass Whom He fore-knows saith he i. e. pre-approves the word knowledge frequently in Scripture importing approbation as he must needs doe those that love him these he Predestinates to be conformed to the Image of His Son and therefore as all things even his deepest sufferings wrought together for good unto him so must they needs doe unto those who are Predestinated or pre-ordinated by God to a conformity with him To give you yet saith our Apostle a further and more particular account how God in the secret of his Counsells hath belayed things in order to the bringing of those unto an actuall conformity with the Image of His Son viz. in glory as appeares Verse 30. whom He hath Predestinated thereunto who are such as love Him and thereupon are approved by him you are to understand that whom He hath so Predestinated He hath also called i. e. hath Purposed or Decreed to call b Scriptura solet dicere multajâ— esse facta quià posteà certò erant facienda i. e. The Scripture is wont to speak of many things as already done because they were to be certainly done afterwards Aug. de Gen. contrà Manich. c. 7. And God in Scripture is oft said to have done a thing or given a thing when he intends or hath Decreed to do it or give it Thus Ios 1. 3. He saith unto Ioshua every place that the sole of your foot shall tread upon that have I given unto you 1. Do fully intend or purpose to give unto you for as yet he had not actually given it So also 2 Tim. 1. 9. He is said to have given us grace in Christ Iesus before the World began i. e. to have purposed or decreed to give us it See also 1 Sam. 15. 23 26. And c. 16. 1. Eph. 1. 4. And 1 Thess 1. 10. with many others viz. to the knowledge of his Son or of his gospell i. e. to afford a more plaine and effectuall discovery of him unto them then unto others whom he hath not so Predestinated By the way this call doth not necessarily suppose a saving answer given unto it by the called no whit more then that calling mentioned Mat. 20. 16 and Mat. 22. 14. only it supposeth a reall purpose and intent on Gods Part to make it very sufficient to procure such an answer to it from those that are called The Apostle advanceth towards his proposed end and addeth thus Whom he called them he also justified i. e. according to our late explication of the Word called He hath Purposed or Decreed to justifie viz. in case the called obstruct Him not in His way or by their unbelief render not themselves uncapable of justification by Him The Clause following the last in the Period is likewise to be understood with a like Proviso or clause of exception as viz. thus and whom He hath justified them hath He also glorified i. e. hath Purposed or Decreed to save or glorifie them in case they retaine the grace of justification conferred upon them unto the end and doe not make shipwrack of that Faith upon which it was conferred That these Decrees or Purposed Acts of God here specified are to be understood §. 43. in their successive dependencies with such a Condition or Proviso respectively as those mentioned and not absolutely peremptorily or without condition appears 1. By the like Phrase or Manner of expression frequent in the Scripture elsewhere I meane where such purposes or Decrees of God the respective executions whereof are suspended upon such and such conditions are notwithstanding simply and positively and without any mention of condition expressed and asserted Wherefore saith the Man of God sent unto Eli the Lord God of Israel saith I SAID indeed that thy House and the House of thy Father shall walk before me meaning in the Office and Dignity of the Priesthood for ever but now the Lord saith be it far from me for a 1 Sam. 2. 30 c. I said indeed i. e. I verily Purposed or Decreed or I Promised according to my reall Purpose or Decree Understand it either of Purpose or Promise it comes much to one a Promise alwayes including or presupposing a purpose See also Sect. â—1 54. of this Chapter And Sect. 1. 9 of the Chap. next following answerable to it When God made the Promise and so declared His Purpose accordingly That Eli and his Fathers house should walke before him for ever he expressed no condition as required to the execution or performance of it yet here it plainly appeares that there was a condition understood viz. the regular and worthy walking of Eli and his Fathers house in that Office In the same kinde of Dialect Samuel speaketh to Saul Thou hast done foolishly thou hast not kept the Commandement of the Lord thy God which he commanded thee for now the Lord stabiliverat had established thy Kingdome upon Israel for ever But now thy Kingdome shall not continue b 1 Sam. 13 13. c. The Lord had established i. e. had verily Purposed or Decreed to have established it for ever viz. in case thou and thy Posterity had walked obediently with him Not that his purpose it self considered as an act or conception of the Minde God depended upon this or upon any other condition whatsoever all Gods purposes and Decrees without exception are in such a respect absolute and independent as hath been said formerly but that the actuall establishment of His Kingdome according to such a purpose depended hereupon Thus Gods purpose of preserving the lives of all that were with Paul in the Ship is expressed unto him in positive and absolute terms and lo God hath given thee all them that saile with thee c Acts 27. 24. yet evident it is afterwards that there was a condition tacitly included in this purpose or Decree viz. the continuance or stay of the Mariners in the Ship untill the rest had opportunity to shift for themselves as well as they Except these abide in the Ship saith Paul to the Centurion and Souldiers yee cannot be saved d Verse 31. In like manner Gods purpose or Decree concerning the destruction of Niniveh within fourty dayes was signified unto Jonah in a positive and assertive tenor of words yet fourty dayes and Niniveh shall be destroyed a yet it â— 3. 4. is well known that God purposed not the execution of this his purpose but only in case of the obduration and impenitency of the inhabitants thereof And most frequently the Purpose and Decree of God concerning the punishment of wicked and ungodly Men is expressed by the Holy Ghost absolutly and assertively without the least mention of any condition of relaxation or reversall see the Text
anteà obedierant defecisse ac eam deseruisse in Gal. 3. 1. Not long after He had said before that seeking Justification by the Law they cast away the Grace of God and that Christ dyed for them in vain Here He adds that such Persons crucifie Christ who had formerly lived and reigned in them As if He should say you have not onely CAST AVVAY THE GRACE OF GOD it is not onely true that Christ dyed for you in vain but that He is most unworthily crucified by you or amongst you c Suprà dixit Quaerentes Justiciam ex Lege abjicere gratiam Dei item illis Christum gratis mortuum fuisse Hic vâ—â—ò addit quòd tales crucifigant Christum qui anteà vixit regnavit in ipsis Quasi dicat jam non solum abjecistis gratiam Dei non solum Christus frustrà vobis mortuus est sed turpissimè in vobis crucifixus Ibid. Afterwards The Righteousness of the Law which Paul here calls the Flesh is so far from justifying men that they who after they have received the Spirit by the hearing of Faith make a defection unto it are consummated by it i. e. are â—ade an end of and destroyed utterly d Adeò ergo Justicia Legis quam Paulus hic carneâ—â— vocat non justificat ut hi qui post acceptum Spiritum per Fidei auditum ad eam deficiunt eâ cansummentur hoc est fâ—niantur prorsus perdantur Ad Galat. 3. 3. To conclude upon those words Cap. 5. 4. Ye are fallen from Grace i. e. saith He ye are no longer in the Kingdom of Grace He that falleth from Grace simply and absolutely loseth expiation or atonement remission of sins righteousness liberty and that life which Christ by His Death and Resurrection hath merited for us e A gratiâ excidistis i. e. non ampliùs estis in Regno Gratiae Qui excidit à gratiâ amiâ—tiâ— simpliciter expiationem remissionem peccatorum Iusticiam libertatem vitam c. quam Christus suâ Mortâ— Resurrectione nobis emeruit Many other Passages of like import with these might readily be cited from this Author in His Commentaries upon this Epistle So that there is little question to be made but that Luther abounded in this sence viz. that Persons truly justified and in present Possession of that Righteousness Justification Life which Christ merited for them may yet fall away totally from this Grace and to destruction and that He looked upon the Galatians as Paul describes them in their different Postures first of Faith then of falling away as perfect instances to evince the truth of such a Doctrine I shall conclude the Chapter in Hand with a brief Survey of that place §. 17. formerly mentioned For some are already turned aside after Satan a 1 Tim. 5. 15 These words Calvin in His Commentaries upon them dilareth thus This expression after Satan is observable because â—o man can turn aside from Christ though it be never so little but He follows Satan For He reigneth over all who are not Christs Hence we are admonished how destructive a thing it is to turn aside from a strâ—ight course which OF THE SONS OF GOD MAKES US SLAVES OF THE DEVIL b Post Satanam Notanda loquutio quia nemo potest vâ—l tantillum a Christo deflectere quin Satanam sequatur Nam regnum in omnes habet qui Christi non sunt Hinc admonemur quam exitialis sit deflexio a recto cursu quae ex Dei filiis nos facit Satanae mancipia So that His sence upon the place cleerly is that the Persons here said to have turned aside after Satan were before this their turning aside the children of God and therefore true Beleevers and that by means of their turning aside and after it they were the Slaves of the Devil which implies â— total defection at least from Christ and their Faith I desire the Reader to take knowledg once more upon occasion of the passage now transcribed from Calvin that He was not so absolute or intire in His Judgment for an impossibility of a total Declining in the Saints as the Friends of this Notion commonly presume or as if He never expressed His Judgment to the contrary In the words lately cited He expresly grants and supposeth that of the Children of God men may be made or become the Slaves of Satan And that the Persons spoken of in the Scripture in hand were as He supposeth true Beleevers is evident from hence viz. that they are said to have turned aside or to have been turned aside after Satan If they had been unsound or Hypocritical Christians before they could not by falling into any other course of impiety be said to have turned aside or out of the way c 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 after Satan because men and women follow Satan as much as directly as close by walking in ways of Hypocrisie and rottenness of Profession as in ways of uncleanness or of any other unrighteousness whatsoever Therefore certainly the way out of which they turned aside to walk after Satan was the way of a true Faith and of a life answerable thereunto And that a turning aside after Satan imports a total deserting of Christ or a total deprivation and loss of that interest which a Person had in Christ before is richer in evidence then to need Proof Nor do I finde any one Expositor who casting up the expression findes it to amount to any whit less CHAP. XV. Declaring the Sence and Judgment as well of the Ancient Fathers of the Church as of Modern Reformed Divines touching the Point of Perseverance and so concluding the Digression concerning this Subject IT is a Vanity whereunto the Tongues and Pens of Learned Men being §. 1. once engaged and declared for an Opinion especially in matters of Religion are much subject unto to cast undue aspersions upon and so to create undeserved prejudice unto all such Doctrines or Opinions which are inconsistent with that Opinion which themselves are known to hold and to have maintained Amongst other weapons of this warfare the Arrow of this reproach is most frequently unquiver'd and let fly if men can finde that any Opinion which hath the least semblance or sympathy though but in sound of words onely with that which opposeth theirs hath either been held by any former Heretique or Person voted Erroneous or else opposed by those unto whose lot it is fallen to be sirnamed Orthodox they make an importune outcry against this Opinion I mean which opposeth theirs as if it were nothing but an old infamous Error held onely by Heretiques and Erroneous Men but stigmatized and cast out of the Church by the Orthodox long ago The truth is that neither the one consideration nor the other no not when they are real and not in pretence or presumption onely I mean neither the asserting of an Opinion by men in many things erroneous nor the dis-owning of it by
damned a Mark 16. 15 16. That believing which our Saviour here requires and unto which he promiseth Salvation is doubtless no other Faith or believing but a true and unfeigned belief of that Gospel of his which his Apostles in the words immediately preceding were injoyned to preach unto the world And if it shall be said That men might or may believe and that truly and unfeignedly all that the Apostles preach to them and yet perish that vast and signal difference which our Savior here makes between Believing and not believing vanisheth into nothing is made none at all See further upon the same account Joh. 8. 24. 11. 27. Acts 8. 37 with 38. Rom. 4. 3. 10. 9. with very many other Texts of like pregnant and unquestionable import From all which it fully appeareth that a true and unfeigned admission or Reception of the Gospel as it cometh from God and is declared by him in the Writings of the Prophets Evangelists and Apostles into the heart and Soul of a man which is done by a true and unfeigned belief of or consent unto it translates him from death to life makes him a Child of Light a Son of God an Heir of Salvation c. And what Faith or Belief can it reasonably be imagined should have this mighty and blessed influence upon the creature Man to turn him from darkness unto light from death unto life from Satan unto God but only the true and unfeigned Belief of those glorious Mysteries which were brought out of the Brest and Bosom of God by his Son Jesus Christ at his coming into the World That a true cordial unfeigned Belief of the Gospel and things of God is §. 27. true justifying Faith hath been the Sence and Doctrine of the best and most judicious Authors as well ancient as modern I could instance and prove at large if it were not somewhat too eccentrical to the business in hand It is saith Calvin the Righteousness i. e. the Justification of Faith if we believe that Christ dyed and was raised up again from the dead b Fidei Justicia est si credamus ChristuÌ„ esse mortuuÌ„ atque à mortuis excitatum Calvin in Gal. 3. 1â— Elsewhere he saith that the Apostle Paul defines those to be faithful or true Beleevers who have the KNOVVLEDG of sound Doctrine c Posteriori membro definit quos vocet Fideles nempe qui notitiam habent sana Doctrinae Idem in 1 ad Tim. 4. 3. and pronounceth the Faith of Sarah whom he calls the Mother of all Beleevers to consist in this That she judged God faithful or true and that in his Promises d Hanc enim fuisse Sarae fidem praedicat quòd veraceÌ„ judicavit Deum idque in suis promissionibus Ibid. in Heb. 11. 11. Luther speaking of Abraham saith That He was justified only upon this that he gave credence to the Word of God interpreting that of Moses Gen. 15. 6. Abraham believed God and it was counted unto him for righteousness as if he had said Abraham believed God to be true in his Words and Promises and was therefore counted a worthy and righteous man by God e Abrahami exempluÌ„ adducit quippe quod ille ex hoc tantaÌ„ justificatus fuerit quòd verbo Dei FideÌ„ habuerit quemadmoduÌ„ Scriptura inquit Credidit AbrahaÌ„ Deo imputatuÌ„ est ei ad justiciam Gen. 15. Ac si diceret AbrahaÌ„ Deum in suâ— verbis promissionibus veraceÌ„ credidit idcirco à Deo pro spectato et justo viro habitns fuerit Luth. Poâ—hil p. 782. And learned Chamier defines Abrahams Faith whereby he was justified Ingentem confidentiam super promissione divinâ quam ille credidit omnino implendam f Chamier Tom. 3. p. 428. i. e. a mighty confidence of the Promise of God which he believed would absolutely be fulfilled Peter Martyr most frequently and I think I might say constantly in his Writings placeth justifying Faith in a firm Belief or assent unto the Gospel or Word of God Our Faith saith he is nothing else but AN ASSENT OR FIRM PERSVVASION OF THE WORDS OF GOD. From whence it appears that our Faith proceeds from the Faith or faithfulness of God For when our experience teacheth us that He is faithful we readily believe him and that belief which we give to his words is presently attended with Hope g Nostra Fide non aliud est quaÌ„ asseâ—suâ— persuasio firma de verbis Dei Vnde liquet Fidem nostram ex Dei Fide nasci Quia cum illum Fidelem esse experiamur facile credimus Fidem quam verbis ejus adhibemus illicò spes consequitur P. Mart. in 1 Cor. 1. 9. By which last words it is evident that he speaks of true justifying Faith in the former Again Faith may be defined to be a firm and constant assent of the mind to the Words of God inspired by the Holy Ghost for the Salvation of those that believe In this Definition there is none of the four Causes wanting The Word of God is the matter or material Cause THE ACT OF CONSENTING THE FORMAL the Holy Ghost the Efficient our Salvation the Final h Fides definiri potest quod sit firmus ac constaâ—s animi assensus virbâ— Dei Spiritu Sancto affâ—atus ad salutem credentium Nullum causarum genus in hac finitione desideratur Materia est verbum Dei Forma consentiendi actio Efficiens Spiritus Dei quo suademur Finis est nostra salus Ibid. in vers 31. In which words it is observable that he expresly makes the formal Cause of Justifying Faith to consist in the act of assenting or consenting to the Word of God Yet again To believe as to our purpose is by means of the inspiration of the Holy Ghost to exhibit or give A FIRM ASSENT unto the Word of God and this for the Authority of God Himself And not long after Let us now infer that Faith is a gift or faculty inspired into us by the Spirit of God whereby we yield A FIRM AND SETLED ASSENT unto the Word of the Lord by means of his Authority i Quamobrem credere prout ad rem nostram facit est afflatu Spiritus Sancti verbo divino assensum firmum praebere idque ipsius Dei Authoritate Idem in 1 â—or 13. 2. Paulo post Jam colligamus Fidem esse donum sive facultatem nobis divino Spiritu afflatam quâ verbum Domini ejus Authoritate firmuÌ„ constantemque praebemus assensum Once more In this Dispute of justifying Faith by Faith we understand that FIRM ASSENT which is of so great strength and efficacy that it dâ—â—weth along with it the effect of Affiance Hope and Charity together with all good works as the infirmity of this present life will bear k Omnibus igitur significationibus his abjectis in hac disceptatione FideÌ„ intelligimus firmum illum assensum qui
unto God knowingly wittingly and as it were to His face or as if they knew well enough this Record to have been given by Him and yet would not trust or beleeve Him therein but by their Unbelief at this great Point they are said to make Him a lyar in this sence viz. because they reject that as a fable or untruth which yet hath been spoken and asserted by God Himself for Truth yea and that upon such terms that by a diligent and strict enquiry they might come to a certain knowledg that it was spoken and asserted by Him For otherwise the light of Nature and force of Conscience are scarcely in any man much less in the generality of Unbeleevers so far wasted or spent with sinning as that they can immediately and directly or any otherwise then constructively or in a consequential indirect and remote way call God a lyar Therefore doubtless if Men received no other Power in Adam to beleeve then onely in case of such a Revelation of the Gospel made unto him or them in him by God which he or they must needs know came from God they received no other power of Beleeving in him whilest he stood then what they generally receive by or from Christ since Adams Fall So that to fetch the inexcusableness of Men in the sin of their Unbelief from Adam is to travel to the Indies with extream hazard and expence to bring the same commodity from thence which a man hath and this every ways as well conditioned and in sufficient quantity for his purpose at his own Home 4. If all Men received power in Adam to beleeve savingly or to Justification then must Adam himself needs be supposed to have received this power If so then must it be supposed withall to have been some ways useful beneficial and serviceable for some end and purpose of concernment unto him For to conceive that it was a meer impertinency or superfluity is an unsavory Notion If the power we speak of were any ways useful unto Adam then was it useful either for the enabling him to beleeve unto Justification whilest he remained yet innocent or in case he should fall to carry along with him into his lapsed condition that in this he might be enabled by it to beleeve accordingly But that it was not useful to Him in the former consideration is evident because during His estate of Innocency He remained under a Covenant of Works in which case He neither had any necessity of Beleeving in order to His Justification having not yet sined or if any Necessity in this kinde had been upon Him His Beleeving could not have justified Him in as much as the Law of Justification by Faith was not yet given or published by God Nor was it or could it be useful unto Him in the latter consideration for doubtless He carried nothing saving or justifying with Him out of His estate of Innocency into His lapsed condition which was a condition of Sin Misery and Condemnation especially until the Promise of a Saviour was given and that Trumpet of the great Jubilee had sounded that the Seed of the Woman should bruise or break the Serpents Head a Gen. 3. 15 5. And lastly for this It is no ways probable that Men received power in Adam to beleeve or at least that any such power though received in him is of any account with God to render Men inexcusable under the sin of Unbelief in the days of the Gospel which is of equal conducement unto our purpose because the Holy Ghost assigns other grounds and reasons as we lately heard to assert this inexcusableness but no where gives the least intimation either of any such power to beleeve as we now oppose received by Men in Adam much less of any relation which this Power should have to that inexcusableness of unbeleevers under the Gospel which God hath projected or provided for upon other terms Therefore 2. Suppose it should be granted that Men generally did receive in Adam such a power of Beleeving which is so much contended for yet God having made a second a new Covenant a Covenant of much more Grace Love and Mercy with them whereof substantial and large proof hath been made in the Premisses it is no ways consonant either to the Wisdom of God or to the unsearchable riches of His Grace in this new Covenant that He should proceed in Judgment against them upon any advantage taken from their condition under the first Covenant If men will here be peremptory and say that such proceedings in Judgment against men are consonant enough both to His Wisdom and to His Grace in the new Covenant let them either 1. produce some Scripture to evince such a consonancy or else 2. let them confess and profess that they are in a sufficient capacity by means of that light of Reason Judgment and understanding that shineth in them to judg and conclude what is agreeable to the Wisdom or Grace of God without warrant and direction from the Scriptures To decline both these is being interpreted to profess Will and Obstinacy under the Name of Judgment The former I am certain they cannot do if they do the latter they sin against the first-born of those Principles which they chiefly imploy in the defence and maintenance of their Cause But 3. And lastly for this also The Scriptures themselves as they are altogether silent of any purpose or intent in God to judg or condemn men upon any thing for which they may seem accountable from the first Covenant made with them in Adam so do they frequently mention and assert the Counsel and Purpose of God to proceed in the Judgment and Condemnation of Men by the Gospel and upon such Articles relating to the Covenant of Grace of the neglect or breach whereof Men shall be found guilty He that rejecteth me and receiveth not my words hath one that judgeth him the WORD THAT I HAVE SPOKEN THE SAME SHALL JVDG Him in the last day a John 12 48 He doth not say the Word that I have spoken shall judg Him c. but THE SAME shall judg Him c. which doubtless hath this emphatical import that the Word which He hath spoken since His coming in the flesh or in the Gospel and no other word whatsoever but this shall judg Him i. e. be insisted upon to evict Him guilty or worthy of Condemnation As for all that the Apostles spake in their preaching the Gospel and what other Ministers thereof speak in theirs so far as they preach the Truth of the Gospel or that which being neglected will render men liable unto Judgment is constructively and in effect but the same Word with that which Christ taught and spake in the flesh In like manner the Apostle Paul speaking of himself and his fellow-Apostles and all Ministers of the Gospel expresseth himself thus For we are unto God a sweet or the sweet savor of Christ in them that are saved and in them that
from death which by the Law of God ought to die with many the like which have proved snares of dishonour and of danger unto them otherwise in like manner some men desirous to commend themselves unto God as men zealous for his glory more then others study and invent Notions and Senses of some Scripture expressions to bestow upon him in the name of Prerogatives which they presume are much for his honour and glory in the World which yet upon due consideration are found most unworthy of him and of a broad inconsistency with his glory indeed For what relish or savour of honor or glory unto God can there be in bringing him upon the great Theater of the World speaking thus I will cast out of my favour and devote to everlasting burnings to torments Endlesse Easlesse Intolerable Insupportable thousand thousands and ten thousand times ten thousands of my most excellent Creatures Men Women and Children though they never offended me otherwise then Children may offend many thousands of yeers before they are born yea though I thus in the secret of my Counsell intend to leave them irrecoverably to the most exquisite torments that can be endured and these to be suffered by them to the dayes of eternity without all possibility of escaping though they shall do the uttermost they are able to please Me and to reconcile themselves unto Me yet will I in words speak to their hearts Proclaime and Professe my Self unto them to be a God mercifull and gracious long suffering and abundant in Goodnesse and Truth keeping mercy for thousands forgiving iniquity and transgression and sinne a Exod. 34. 6 7. I will entreate them with bowells and great compassions and Professe my Self aggreived in Soul because of their impenitency I will allure them to Repentance with all my great and Precious Promises of Pardon of sin of life and glory and all the Great things of the World to come yea I will most seriously and solemnly Protest and Sweare unto them by the greatest Oath that is even by my own Life and Being that I desire not their Death b Ezek. 33. 11 Can Men indued with reason and understanding or that know in the least what belongeth to matters of honour and glory resent or savour any thing in such Proceedings as these that is like to make a Prerogative worthy the Name Glory and Super-Transcendent Holinesse and Excellency of God Most certaine it is that there is nothing in God nothing that proceeds from him but what is both Divisim and Conjunctim and that according to the Principles of Reason and that light of understanding which Himself shineth in the hearts and consciences and inward Parts of Men just matter of Praise Honour and Glory unto Him of which more ere long But 2. That Prerogative or Prerogative-Will as some call it which §. 36. God stands upon in the Scriptures and claimes to Himself as a Royalty annexed to the Crown of Heaven and Earth either in the ninth to the Romans or elsewhere in reference to the condemnation and eternall destruction of his Creature standeth not in any Liberty or Power claimed by him to leave what Persons he pleaseth to inevitable ruine only upon consideration of Adams sin much lesse before or without any such consideration but to make the Lawes Terms and Conditions as of life so of death as of Salvation so of Condemnation and these indifferently and equally respecting all Men not such as Men are apt to think meet and fitting for him to doe but what Himself Pleaseth i. e. Such as the Counsell of his own Will adviseth and leadeth Him unto For He is said not to act or Worke all things or any one thing simply according to his own Will but to work all things according to the Counsell of his own Will c Eph. 1. 11. So that in whatsoever God acteth or willeth we are to look not only for Will but Counsell i. e. Wisdom and Tendency unto ends worthy of him and these discernable enough as was lately said by Men to be such if they were diligent and impartiall in the consideration of them As for example the Jewes thought it most equall reasonable and best becomming God that he should constitute and ordain the observation of Moses his Law to be the Law of Justification Life and Salvation unto Men and the neglect or non-observation of this Law to be the Law of condemnation and of death God here interposeth with his Prerogative and declares to them that his Will and Pleasure is otherwise and that he Constitutes and Ordaines Faith in his Son Jesus Christ to be the Law of Justification and Life whether joyned with the observation of Moses Law or without it and on the other hand unbelief to be the Law of condemnation and of death though in conjunction with the strictest observation of Moses Law This Prerogative indeed God Himself pleads and asserts to Himself with a majestique and God-like authority speaking thus to Moses I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy and I will have compassion an whom I will have compassion a Rom. 9. 15. as if he should say Men shall not prescribe unto Me Lawes or Terms of shewing Mercy I will not be advised or obliged by them whom i. e. what manner of persons or how qualified I shall justifie and save I mean to follow and to keep close to the Counsell of mine own Will in these great and most important affaires which concern the Life and Death the Salvation and Destruction of my Creature The same prerogative The Apostle also vindicateth unto him afterwards in the same Chapter in the similitude of a Potter Hath not the Potter power over the Clay of the same lump to make one Vessell unto honour and another unto dishonor b Rom. 9. 21. meaning that God had a like equitable Power or Prerogative over the great masse of Man-kind in Adam to make what Lawes of Life and Death unto them he pleased and to appoint who or what manner of persons should be saved and what manner of persons should be condemned which the Potter hath over the lump of Clay which is before him to make what Vessells he pleaseth for honour and what again he pleaseth for dishonour But of this passage as also of that vers 18. we shall speak more at large towards the close of the Discourse where we intend an intire Explication of the 9th to the Romans from the beginning of vers 6. to the end of the 23. In the mean time let this be taken along by way of caution about what hath been delivered in this Section viz. that though the Jewes thought it most equitable and most beseeming God to justifie Men by the works of the Law rather then by Faith in Jesus Christ which notwithstanding was the Counsell and good pleasure of God about Justification yet this Counsell and good pleasure of God especially being from time to time so signified unto them by
Grace of Christ the Grace of Christ cannot be said to have profited Man-kinde more then the sin of Adam damnified it Yet again upon Verse 16 For whereas the World was lost or undone by the one sinne of Adam the Grace of Christ did not only abolish this sinne and that death which it brought upon the World but likewise tooke away an infinite number of other sinnes which we the rest of Men added to that first sinne * Cum enim ex uno Adae peccato orbis perditus sit gratia Christi non hoc soluÌ„ peccatum mortem quaÌ„ intulit abolevit sed simul infinita illa sustulit peccata quae reliqui homines primo illi peccato adjecimus The commensurablenesse of the Grace of Christ with the sin of Adam in respect of the number of Persons gratified by the one and damnified by the other cannot lightly be asserted in terms more significant Nor do the words following import any thing contrary hereunto wherein the Author addeth that the said Grace of Christ bringeth all that are of Christ into a full or Plenary justification For by a full or Plenary justification it is evident that he meanes an actuall justification yea as he explaines himself a little after that justification which shall be awarded unto the Saints at the great day of the Resurrection to the obtaining of which it is acknowledged that Men must receive a new being from Christ by Faith In what sence Christ abolished the inque plenam justificationem quotquot ex Christo sunt adduxit sin of Adam together with that Death which it brought into the World and so in what sence he is said to have brought Righteousnesse Justification and Salvation unto all Men remaines to be unfolded in due Place Upon the 17 Verse the aforesaid Author yet more cleerly attests the substance of our Interpretation where he gives an account how the Grace of Christ mâ—y be said to be of larger extent then the sin of Adam notwithstanding it be true that this grace took away nothing but what in a sence was the fruit and effect of his sin If we consider saith he that every particular Man by his transgressions increaseth the misery of Man-kinde and that whosoever sinneth doth no lesse hurt his Posterity then Adam did all Men it is a plaine case that the Grace of Christ hath removed more evils from Men then the sinne of Adam brought upon them For though there be no sinne committed in all the World which hath not its originall from that first sinne of Adam yet all particular Men who sinne as they sinne voluntarily and freely so do they make an addition of their own proper guilt and misery ALL WHICH EVILLS since the alone BENEFIT OF CHRIST HATH TAKEN AVVAY it must needs be that it hath taken away the sinnes of many and not of one only Manifest therefore it is that more evills have been removed by Christ then were brought in by Adam a Verum si consideramus singulos mortalium suis quoque transgressionibus maluÌ„ generis humaÌ„i auxisse non minùs quicunque peccant suis posteris nocere atque nocuit omnibus Adam in aperto est gratiam Christi plura depulisse ab hominibus mala quam Adâ— noxa intulerit Nam licet nihil in orbe peccatuÌ„ sit quod ex illo primo Adae lapsu non trahat originem tamen singuli qui peccant ut suâ quoque lâ—berâ voluntate peccant ita suum quoque adjiciunt reatum suam adferunt perniciem Quae omnia mala cum beneficium Christi solum sustulit certe jam multorum peccata sustulit non unius Adae Manifestum est igitur plura per Christum mala submota esse quà m Adam obtulerat And yet more plainely and expresly to the Point in hand if more may be upon Verse 18. The sence whereof he gives thus As by the fall of one sinne prevailed over all so as to make all liable unto condemnation so likewise the righteousnesse of one so far tooke place on the behalf of all Men that all Mâ—n may obtaine the justification of life thereby b Infert hic Apostolus repetit summat quae tribus praemissis collationibus disseruit haec scilicet Sicut ex unius lapsu peccatum in omnes invaluit ut reddiderit omnes condemnationi obnoxios sic etiam unius justiciam in omnes homines obtinuisse ut just ficatio vitae omnibus contingat By this time I suppose Bucer hath said enough both to assert the Interpretation of the Scripture in hand that hath been given as also the universality of Redemption by Christ The said Scripture calls for the sence and exposition asserted with such a §. 25. loud and distinct voyce that Gualter also another Divine of the same rank and quality with the former could not but hearken to it As by the offence of one saith he compleating the Apostles sentence and rendring his sence therein condemnation was propagated unto all Men So also by the righteousnesse of one Justification of life was propagated or imparted unto ALL MEN. Againe thus As by the offence of one Adam the judgement or guilt came upon all Men to condemnation so also by the righteousnesse of one Jesus Christ the Gift or Benefit of God abounded unto ALL MEN to Justification of life a Itaque quâ—madmodum per unius offensam in omnes homines pro pagataest coÌ„demnatio sic etiam per unius justiciam in omnes homines propagata est Justificatio vitae Sicuti per unius Adami offensam judicium sive reatus venit in omnes homines ad condemnationem sic etiam per unius Jesus Christi justiciam donum sive beneficium Dei redundavit in omnes homines ad justificationem vitae Any Man that shall reade with a single eye what Calvin himself hath written upon the said Contexture of Scriptures cannot judge him an adversary to the Premised Exposition Paul saith he upon Verse 15. simply teacheth that the amplitude or compasse of the Grace purchased by Christ is greater then of the condemnation contracted by the first Man b Sed simpliciter majorem gratiae per Christum acquisitae amplitudinem esse docet quà m contractae per primum hominem damnationis Not long after The sum of all comes to this that Christ overcomes Adam the righteousness of Christ vanquisheth Adams sinne Adams malediction or curse is overwhelmed with Christs Grace the Death which proceeded from Adam is swallowed up by that Life which comes from Christ c Huc autem summa tendit quia Christus Adamum superat Hujus peccatum illius vincit justicia hujus maledictio illius obruitur gratiâ ab hoc mors profectâ— illius vitâ absorbetur Doubtlesse if the curse brought upon Men by Adam prevailes and remaines still untaken off upon far the greatest part of Men it is not over-whelmed with the Grace of Christ nor is the
implacable that doe not forgive their Brethren although they have been diversly and grievously injured by them In these words they clearly suspend the Gracious Act of God in Remission of Sins in respect of the ultimate and compleat exercise of it upon the Christian deportment and behaviour of Men in forgiving one another their Trespasses How perfectly it stands with the immutability of God the unchangeablenesse of his love the unalterablenesse of his counsells and generally with all his Attributes to Reverse Acts or Grants of favour to re-demand debts once forgiven c. shall be cleer'd in the processe of the Digression following occasioned by the contents of this Chapter CHAP. IX Containing a Digression about the commonly received Doctrine of Perseverance occasioned by severall passages in the preceding Chapter wherein the benefit and comfort of that Doctrine which teacheth a possibility of the Saints declining even to destruction is avouched and cleerly evicted above the other NOtwithstanding the frequently experienced Truth of the common saying §. 1. pessimus Consiliarius Timor Fear is a very bad counsellor yet is it very incident to the natures of Men never to thinke themselves wiser then in their feares nor to be more importunely wedded to any apprehensions then those which they conceive to be sovereigne for the prevention of evill With what height of confidence and unrelentingnesse of judgement did the Jewes please themselves in their opinion of justification by works through an apprehension that they must needs disclaime or reject Moses and the authority of his Law or Writings in case they admitted the Doctrine of Paul concerning Justification by Faith Whereas this Apostle expresly poves and demonstrates unto them that this Doctine of his was so far from reflecting prejudice in the least upon Moses his Law that indeed it did establish it i. e. avouch the Truth and authority of it a Rom. 3. 31. and cap. 4. thoroughout yea I verily believe that a very considerable part of those Doctrines and Tenents which are at this day held by Professors of Christian Religion are not maintained or held by them so much upon any evidence or confidence they have of their Truth upon those positive grounds whether from Scripture or Reason which they comonly plead for them as out of apprehensions and conceits that the contrary Doctrines are of evill consequence and will in one kinde or other doe them harme in case they should give intertainment to them Lactantius reports that one principall thing which intangled the Heathen with Idolatry or worse shiping of Idols was a certaine feare or conceit that possessed them that all their Religion or devotions would be in vaine in case they saw not with their eyes something that they might worship b Verentur geâ—tes ne Religio vana sit si nihil videant quod adorent Tertullian as Austin reports who held the Soul to be corporeall or a body held it upon the account of this feare least if he made not a body of it he should make nothing at all of it a â—enique Tertullianâ— qui cor pâ—â— esse unâ—am credâ— dit non obaliud nisi quod eam incorporeâ—m cogita re non potuit â—dâ—ô timuit ne nihil esset si corpus non esset Aug. de Gen. ad lit l. 12. c. 25. The ancient Jewes Mr. Brightman affirmeth it held it not meet for young Men to read the Book of the Canticles out of a feare they would receive harm by it b In Cantic p. 5. Mercer likewise relates that the Ancient wise Men of this Nation judged it best to restraine the common People from reading the Booke of Ecclesiastes out of a conceit that it both contradicted it selfe and other parts of Scripture likewise c Nec vulgo legendum tradere quòd repugnantia contineret aliis libris contraria Mercer in Pro. 8. 9. Luther it is sufficiently known rejected the Epistle of James out of a conceit that it contradicted the Doctrine of Paul concerning Justification by Faith only And severall others both learned and good Men some the second Epistle of Peter some other pieces only or chiefly upon the like account of fear Concerning the Doctrine which maintaineth a possibility of defection in §. 2. the Saints themselves or true Believers unto destruction though I am not ignorant but that many both Texts of Scripture and arguments otherwise have been levied and are wont to be brought into the field against it yet I verily believe that that which makes Professors generally so impatiently zealous in their opposition to it is not so much any satisfaction they finde either in these Scriptures or arguments for the Proof of that which is contrary unto it as their inconsiderate and tumultuary feares least this Doctrine should bereave them of those inward accommodations of Peace and Comfort which they conceive themselves to be befriended with by the other In this respect being little lesse then necessitated for the securing of some passages in the former Chapter very materiall for the carrying on the maine designe of this Discourse to ingage a little about the Doctrine of Perseverance I conceive it best in my entrance hereupon to remove this stumbling stone out of the way and to demonstrate not only that this Doctrine hath every whit as faire and full a consistency with the Peace and Comfort of the Saints as that contrary to it but that of the two it is of a far better and more healthful complexion to make a Nurse for them When we have cleared the innocency and inoffensivenesse of it in respect of the Peace and Comfort of Men and so shall have reconciled it unto their affections it will be no great mastery I conceive to gaine in their judgements unto it afterwards And 1. I must crave leave the truth and deere interest of the precious Soules §. 3. of Men so commanding me to say and to affirme that the Doctrine of preseverance so much magnified amongst us as it is comonly taught and received is in the nature and proper tendency of it very obstructive yea and destructive unto the true peace and sound comfort of Soules For if we shall diligently inquire after the common and ordinary causes of those doubts and feares so incident to Professors of Religion as also of those extreme burnings and ragings of Conscience wherewith both such persons and others are sometimes most grievously handled and tormented we shall finde them if not universally yet generally and with very few cases of exception to be these with their fellowes negligence and slothfullnesse in watching over their hearts and wayes omission of known duties formality in services unprofitablenesse in their course and callings non-proficiency in Grace and especially the frequent prevailings breakings out of base corruptions vile affections noysome lusts c. Therefore what Doctrine soever is in the Native Frame and Constitution of it apt to lead men into such snares of Death to fill
8. Which words plainly suppose that we may doe many things of a beneficiall tendency and import which must needs be by doing the sayings of Christ and yet lose the benefit of such doings by turning-aside out of the way of them before we come to receive our reward So againe the love of many shall wax cold but he that continueth unto the end shall be saved b Mat. 24 The Galatians did for a time run well c Gal. 5. 7. yea and suffered many things for Christs and the Gospells sake d Gal. 3. 4. but afterwards they were bewitched e Gal. 3. 1. proved disobedient to the Truth and so fell from that Grace f Gal. 5. 4. and favour of God wherein they stood whilest they obeyed the Gospell But we shall God willing in due time muster greater numbers of such passages as these The third and last comparison Luke 8. 8. hath lesse colour in the face of §. 46. it then either of the former In this they who receive the Word with good and honest Hearts are compared unto seed that fell on good ground which springeth up and beareth fruit an hundred fold For 1. It is not said that the seed which fell on good ground are they who hear the Word with a good and honest Heart but who having heard the Word detaine or keepe it in a good and honest Heart The tenor of the place in Luke is this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Luke 8. 15. So that it is not simply the hearing of the Word with a good and honest Heart that brings Men under the comparison of the seed that fell into good ground but the retaining and keeping of it in such an Heart and that so as to bring forth fruit with patience i. e. with parient continuance in well doing whatever temptations they shall meet with to interrupt them in their way as the word is translated Rom. 2. 7. both by our English Translators and by Calvin himself who interprets the place accordingly 2. Our Saviours intent in describing the severall tempers and conditions of those that should hear the Gospell together with the event and consequence of their hearings respectively by that variety of grounds which the Parable of the Sower speaketh of was not to assert the absolute necessity of the severall events specified upon the respective hearings as if for instance those who at the time of their first hearing were like unto the thorny ground must necessarily miscarry and never afterwards believe savingly but to informe and admonish the World what is like to be the event and consequence and what ordinarily is the event and consequence of such hearings as are here described by the severall tempers of those that heare being habituall and of long standing with them For otherwise there is no absolute impossibility but that he in whose Heart the Gospell is for the present much incumbred and choked with the Cares and Pleasures of this life and so hath been for a long season may yet recover Himself from under this great disadvantage and so believe unto Salvation though such a recovery as this be very difficult and rare which is all that our Saviour intended to shew or teach in this part of the Parable There is the same consideration of all the other grounds or kinds of hearers So that though he that should hear the word with a good honest heart should be compared to the seed falling on good ground yet could there not an absolute necessity be concluded from hence that therefore such a Man must bring forth fruit unto Salvation but only a great likelyhood and hopefull Probability that such an heater will not miscarry by the way but will hold out with Patience in well doing unto the end and so be saved So that there is nothing in this Argument neither to keepe that Doctrine from falling which is already shaken Therefore A tenth Argument is built by some for the honour of the said Doctrine §. 47. upon such Scriptures which testifie that such as doe not Pesevere but make either a totall or finall defection in or from the Faith were never true Believers or by a true Faith ingrafted into Christ and that make it the Property or badg of a true Believer that he still doth continue in the Faith The Scriptures Produced to justifie this account are Joh. 8. 31. 1 Joh. 2. 19. Heb. 3. 6. 14. To this also we answer 1. In generall three things 1. That there is no good consistency of sence in it to say that they fall away from Faith who never were at it never were true Believers If it be said that Men are said to fall away from Faith when they fall away from such a Faith as they had as viz. from a temporary Faith or a light and superficiall believing of the Gospell c. I answer 1. If this be the Faith from which Men are said to fall in the Scriptures then must this needs be the Faith also wherein they are exhorted and charged to Persevere For those that have in any kinde or with any Faith imbraced the Gospell and made Profession of it are exhorted to continue in the Faith Now that the Holy Ghost should perswade Men to continue in a temporary Faith I meane in such a Faith which is not accompained with justification or which worketh not by love or which will certainly faile imports a kinde of impious contradiction 2. If this were all the apostasie or backsliding from Faith mentioned in the Scriptures viz. to apostatize from a temporary false hypocriticall dead Faith the sin of apostasie would not be a sin of that deep demerit or high Provocation unto God which the Scripture so frequenly declareth it to be Nor hath God any reason to say that his Soule shall have no pleasure in such Men who withdraw themselves from an Hypocriticall feyned or unsound Faith 3. And lastly it is no where to be found in the Scriptures either explicitly or implicity that they who make Shipwrack of Faith or prove Apostates were no true or sound Believers at any time before this shipwrack but the contrary hereunto will be made manifest in due time In the mean while to the Scriptures upon which this argument is built I answer 2. And in Particular 1. That these words of Christ Joh. 8. 31. If yee §. 48. continue in my words then are you my Disciples indeed doe not imply that in case they should not continue in his words for the time to come it would argue that they were not His Disciples at the present but that they could not approve themselves Disciples of His upon those excellent and blessed terms which being Disciples of His at present they very well might doe and were hereby in a ready way of doing unlesse they did continue in his words i. e. in obedience unto His Commands unto the end For that they were His Disciples at present without
righteous man in the Name of a righteous man shall receive a righteous mans reward e Mat. 10. 41. doubtless he that receiveth an Apostle not only in the Name of an Apostle but as an Angel of God yea as Christ Jesus Himself shall receive a righteous mans reward i. e. Salvation meaning if he shall continue in the same mind and frame of heart unto the end as we have formerly interpreted such Promises of God by express warrant from the Scriptures themselves When he tells them that he is afraid of them lest he should have bestowed on them labour in vain Chap. 4. 11. His meaning doubtless is not that he was afraid they would lose or make shipwrack of an unsound light or Hypocritical Faith such losses whether of our own or of our Friends are no matter of fear unto us but of such a Faith which persevered in would have saved them And to forbear other passages which might readily be produced upon the same account when he speaks thus unto them Ye are abolished from Christ whosoever are justified by the Law i. e. depend upon the works of the Law for your Justification ye are fallen from Grace And again Ye did run well who hindered you that you should not obey the Truth a Gal. 5. 4 7. He clearly supposeth that they had been true Beleevers If they were now fallen from Grace which the Apostle clearly affirmeth they were by depending upon the works of the Law for their Justification it must needs follow that sometimes they were possessed of it and were the children of Grace which also their running well undeniably importeth Whereas therefore saith Musculus upon the place He saith that the Galathians ran well He commendeth their zeal and studiousness in the TRVE FAITH and Religion of Christ signifying withall that they might have attained or reached the mark of true blessedness had they persevered in that which they had well begun b Cum itaque Galatas benè cucurrisse dicit laudat illorum zelum ac studium in verâ fide ac Religione Christi significatque potuisse eos ad verae felicitatis ac salutis metam pertingere si in eo quod bene coeperant perseverâssent Qui à principiis Fidei ac spiritus boni ad per fidiam degenerant omnem suam vitam quae veniae particeps erat mortalem constituunt quales illi sunt qui cum Galatis spiritâ— quidem incipiunt tandem verò carne desinunt Idem Loc. de Peccato Sect. 5. with more of like import Let other Orthodox Expositors be consulted upon these latter together with the former passages mentioned by way of proof that these Galathians were sometimes true and sound Beleevers and they will be found to carry the sence of them to the same point On the other hand several of the said passages with some others do as plainly and pregnantly suppose that at the writing of the said Epistle unto them they were wholly alienated from Christ and had neither part nor fellowship in the great business of Justification by him They were removed from him that had called them into the grace of Christ unto another Gospel They were abolished from Christ they were fallen from Grace they did not obey the Truth Calvin upon the first of these expressions I marvel that ye are so soon removed c. writeth thus He convinceth them of a defection not only from his Doctrine but from Christ Himself For men cannot hold Christ upon any other terms then by acknowledging that by His benefit they are freed from the bondage of the Law c Arguit autem eos defectionis non à suâ Doctrinâ tantum sed à Christo Nam Christum tenere aliter non poterant quà m si agnoscerent ejus beneficio nos manumissos esse à servitate legis Upon the second Ye are abolished from Christ c. thus The meaning is if you seek for any part or piece of righteousness in the works of the Law Christ becomes nothing to you and you are aliens from Grace For their opinion was not so gross as that they thought they should be justified by the alone observation of the Law but they mingled CHRIST and the Law together otherwise PAVL should have had no ground to terrifie them with such threatenings as these What do you mean you take a course to make Christ unprofitable to you you 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 renounce CHRIST and His Grace d Sensus est si quam justiciae partem quaeritis in operibus legis Christus nihil ad vos à gratiâ estis alienati Neque enim tam crassa erat opinio ut solâ legis observatione justificari se crederent sed Christum miscebant cum Lege alioque frustra his minis territaret ipsos Paulus Quid facitis redditis vobis Christum inâ—tilem in nihilum redigitis ejus gratiam Videmus ergo non posse minimam justiciae partem constitui in Lege quin Christo ejus gratiae renuntietur Amongst several other passages looking the same way Musculus upon the former of the last-recited places commenteth in these words He had planted the Galatians and watered them diligently by preaching the Gospel of God unto them and hoped that it would so have come to pass that they would have increased in the Knowledg and GRACE OF CHRIST But whilest He thus hopeth and wisheth they are transplanted or removed from Him in whom they had been planted a Plantaverat Galatas rigaverat diligenter per Evangelij Dei praedicationem sperabatque fore ut crescereÌ„t in cognitione gratiâ Christi Dum hoc sperat optat illi ab eo in quo plantati fucrant transponuntur c. The truth is that several expressions and carriages in the Epistle are so pregnant on the one Hand to evince and prove that when time was they were true and found Beleevers and several others as pregnant as they on the other Hand to prove them at the writing hereof to have been meer nullifidians or persons voyd of all true justifying Faith that Expositors could not lightly but speak them sometimes true Beleevers whilest they had the former places before them and afterwards Persons wholly lapsed from such Faith when they had the latter The case concerning these Galatians being so evident we shall argue it no further but conclude with a brief report of M. Luthers Judgment upon it At first saith He the Galatians heard and obeyâ—d the Truth Therefore when Paul faith Who hath bewitched you He signifieth that now being bewitched by the false Apostles they had FALLEN AVVAY from and forsaken that Truth which formerly they had obeyed b Primò Galatâ— audierant obedierant veritati Ideò cum dicit quis vos fascinavit significat eos per Pseudapostolos fascinatos nunc à veritate cui
import they speak only of Faith of the second degree i. e. of such Faith which is not only justifying and saving in respect of the nature of it but which actually saveth and in places of the latter import that they speak only of Faith of the third and highest degree i. e. of a perfect solid rooted and groundâ—â— Faith For the Readers better satisfaction I shall exhib 〈…〉 〈◊〉 〈…〉 hors own words at large This nevertheless is to be taken intâ—â—pecial consideration that when the Illud interim maximoperé in considerationem venit quòd cum Patres fidem posse amitti eóque ex Fide haut rectè aeternaÌ„ electionem colligi posse contendunt non omnes de quacunque Fidei mensur âloquuntur cum plurimi eoruÌ„ distinguant tres Fidei gradus Quorum primus dat Fidei essentiam secundum quam justificat dicitur Fides viva atque oppositam habet Fidem mortuam ac putatitiam qualis hypocritarum Alter gradus addit durationem quâ ratione salvificat sibique oppositam habet Fidem ut vulgò loquimur quod de hominibus dicit Scriptura Fidei eorum per 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 tribuentes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sive temporariam qualis est Apostatarum Tertius gradus superaddit soliditatem dicitur perfecta solida radicata quae quocunque vitae tempore certificat hoc est ut Gregorii Magni verbis utar sic confirmat ut quis ulteriùs caedere non possit hoc de sese certissimé sciat Cui gradui opponitur Fides debilis qualis etiam multorum est Electorum Patrum loca quibus dicunt Fidem veram quidem amitti posse sed nunquam non reparari semper loquuntur de secundo Fidei gradu At illa quibus ajunt neutiquam posse amitti omninò intelligi debent de gradu tertio Cum quibus mininè pugnat quòd universi alià s dicunt multos per defectionem à Fide aeternùm perire Nam intelligunt Fidem primi gradus hoc est formaliter sive essentialiter veram sive quod idem est justificam etsi non salvificam sed justificam 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 per quam quis in praesentiâ est justus non justificam 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quaendo si veritatem finis spectemus vere justifica non est quae aliquando desinit justificare quia non alia habet promissionem vitae aeternae quam quae perseverat Gerard. Joh. Voss Hist Pelag. lib. 6. Thes 13. Fathers affirm that Faith may be lost and 〈…〉 fore that eternal Election cannot rightly be inferred from Faith they do not all speak of any measure or degree of Faith whatsoever since many of them distinguish three several degrees of Faith The first of which gives Essence or Truth of Being unto Faith in respect whereof it justifieth and is called a lively Faith opposite hereunto is a dead and putatitious i. e. an imaginary Faith which is proper to Hypocrites The next degree adds Duration or Perseverance in respect whereof it saveth i. e. becomes actually saving Opposite to this Faith is that which we commonly call Temporary attributing that unproperly unto mens Faith which the Scripture attributes to men themselves which is the Faith of Apostates The third and last degree superaddeth Solidity this Faith is termed perfect solid rooted which at any time of a mans life gives him assurance i. e. to use the words of Gregory the Great doth so confirm or strengthen that a man cannot fall afterwards and knoweth this most certainly of himself To this degree of Faith a weak Faith is opposed which is the Faith of many of the Elect. Those passages of the Fathers wherein they say That true Faith may be lost but is always recovered again always speak of the second degree of Faith But those where they say That such Faith cannot be lost must necessarily be understood of the third and highest degree of Faith Between which expressions and what they generally teach otherwise viz. That many perish eternally through a falling away from their Faith there is no repugnance For in such assertions as this they understand Faith of the first degree i. e. such a Faith which is formally and essentially true or which is the same which is justifying though not actually or in the event saving but justifying in the essence or substance of it in respect whereof a man is at present righteous or just not justifying in respect of continuance since if we consider the Truth of the end that Faith is not truly justifying which at any time ceaseth to justifie because no other Faith hath the promise of eternal life but only that which persevereth By the express tenor of these things it fully appears that the uniform and §. 5. constant opinion of all Orthodox Antiquity was that true Faith true Grace true Justification and forgiveness of sins may by security carelessness ungodliness and profaneness of life and conversation be totally and finally lost and the persons in whom they were sometimes found eternally perish As for that which some of them teach concerning the inamissibility or infallible Perseverance of such a Faith which is perfected and radicated in the Soul so throughly and to such a degree as we have heard expressed were it granted that they speak of a simple and absolute inamissibility in this kind and that their meaning is that there is an utter impossibility and not a great difficulty or improbability only that such a Faith should miscarry or no instance producible to prove that such a Faith ever did miscarry it no ways rebuketh the confidence of that Assertion which we have in this present Chapter and elsewhere in the Discourse formerly avouched viz. That a possibility of the falling away of true Saints and true Beleevers and that both totally and finally was the general and joynt Doctrine of the Primitive Christians for several ages together after Christ. The consideration whereof is abundantly sufficient to stop the mouth of that undue pretext which presumeth to say and that with confidence That the best and most conscientious men were always of this Judgment that true Grace is imperishable and true Beleevers under no possibility of miscarrying finally But of this we spake more at large in the nineth Chapter I here only add That when any of the ancient Fathers or Councils express themselves in words of any such import as this that there is or may be a Faith so raised rooted or strongly built that it cannot either totally or finally miscarry it is no ways probable that their meaning should be that there is an utter simple or logical impossibility that such a Faith should be wholy lost but that they rather speak rhetorically and would be understood of a kind of moral impossibility only which imports a great difficulty improbability or rareness of an event in which sence or notion the Scriptures themselves as knowledg hath been given elsewhere d Cap. 10. §. 28.
He had of His Christ and that most gracious and wise contrivement of Him in order to such a Purpose which was before Him He framed and made within Himself from the days of Eternity or before the foundation of the world The Purposes or Intentions of God concerning such and such Acts or Dispensations are very usually in Scripture expressed by the Names of the Acts or Dispensations themselves as likewise the Purposes or Intentions of Men are after the same manner Thus Rom. 8. 30. Rom. 8. 30. God is said to have glorified those whom He intends or hath decreed to glorifie Thus also 2 Tim. 1. 9. and again Tit. 3. 5. He is said to have 2 Tim. 1. 9. Tit. 3. 5. saved those who were not actually saved but onely under His Purpose of saving them to omit many the like So in the Scripture in hand He is said to have chosen us before the foundation of the world because He purposed or decreed before the foundation of the World to chuse us Well but what was the Nature or Tenor of this Purpose or Decree of His concerning our Election or how and in what sence it is said to have been in Christ as the Apostle here asserts it to have been According to the most usual and proper signification of the Preposition 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in in such a construction that is said to be done in Christ which is done by means of Him or for His sake or by the meritorious influence or contribution of His Death and Sufferings by way of motive towards the doing of it In this sence the Preposition is used a Verse or two after a place that will give light to the phrase in hand 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. to Ephes 1. 6. the praise of the glory of His Grace whereby He hath made us accepted in His Beloved i. e. hath made us dear and neer and precious to Himself by means of the Death Satisfaction and Attonement made by His Beloved Son for us By the way if the Grace of God it self and that in the glory of it in which consideration the Apostle here speaks of it doth no other ways upon no other terms render us accepted with Him but onely in and through His Beloved viz. as having made our Peace by the Attonement of His Death for us then were we not so highly accepted with Him through any Purpose of Election especially if we shall conceive this Purpose of Election to have been conceived in God before and without all consideration of the Death of Christ as the common Notion of Election suggesteth So then God is said to have purposed our Election or chusing in Christ because His Purpose was to separate elect and chuse those who should beleeve in Christ for his sake in whom they beleeve to Salvation This Interpretation might be much cleared and confirmed by the opening of these words which we had not long since in hand Rom. 9. 11. That the Purpose of God according to Election Rom. 9. 11. might stand not of works but of him that calleth The Purpose of God according to Election i. e. that Purpose Counsel or Decree of God according unto which or in conformity whereunto He ordereth and manageth His Election of Persons in time is here described 1. Negatively not of works 2. Affirmatively in these words but of him that calleth When the Apostle denies the Purpose of God according to Election to be of works his meaning clearly is that God did not purpose to elect separate or chuse those men to eternal Life who should seek their Justification by the works of the Law Again when he affirmeth this Purpose of God according to Election to be of him that calleth meaning of God himself who calleth Men to Justification and Salvation his meaning as clearly is that the Tenor of Gods Purpose according unto which he means to elect and chuse Men and Women to eternal Life is this viz. to make choyce of those for this blessed end and purpose who shall beleeve in his Son Jesus Christ or seek their Justification by Faith This Purpose is said to be of Him that calleth in opposition to a Being of Works because a Purpose according to Election which should be of Works is the Purpose of them that are called viz. Men they conceive and think that God should purpose and intend to chuse those only unto life who should be diligent Observers of the Law and seek their Justification that way but now the Purpose of God according to Election is not formed or shaped according to the sence or Notion of those that are called who generally pitch upon Works but according to the sence and minde of God Himself who calleth who as we know hath declined Works for such a purpose and hath chosen Faith So that the Apostles meaning in this Antithesis not of Works but of Him that calleth is plainly this not of Works but of Faith Faith and Works being famous Antagonists or Competitors in the writings of this Apostle for Justification the one as set up by God the other by Men. The same Interpretation of the phrase who hath chosen us in Christ may be yet further strengthened by that in Peter Elect according to the Foreknowledg of 1 Pet. 1. 2. God the Father through Sanctification of the Spirit unto obedience and the sprinkling of the Blood of Jesus Christ First he saluteth them as persons Elect or chosen according to the Foreknowledg or Pre-approbation as we have formerly observed the word frequently to signifie of God the Father i. e. as persons so qualified or as having obtained such an estate and condition wherein God the Father from Eternity judged it meet to Elect or chuse the persons of men unto Salvation or to estimate and account men meet or worthy eternal Life In this sence he terms them Elect according to the Foreknowledg or Fore-approbation of God meaning that their present condition in beleeving did according to the Tenor of the eternal Counsel and Purpose of God in that behalf separate between them and the generality of the world who in respect of their unbelief were looked upon by him and adjudged as the refuse of Men in comparison of them and in their present posture unmeet to have Salvation conferred upon them 2. He particularly describeth what that qualification or condition is which God foreknew or fore-approved as meet for Him to regulate His Election of the Persons of Men by and wherein now they were invested and consequently Elected in those words through sanctification of the Spirit unto obedience and the sprinkling c. His meaning is that they through the assistance and gracious co-operation of the Spirit of God were now brought to yeeld Obedience unto the Gospel to beleeve in Jesus Christ as he who by his Death had purchased Remission of sins for them c. implying that such an estate and condition as this Sanctification by the Spirit c. is
BE STOPPED and all the World viz. of ungodly Persons may become guilty before God b Rom. 3. 19 or subject to the Judgment of God as our former Translation rendered the Original 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. found guilty upon such terms that the Judgment of God in their Condemnation may appear every ways equitable and justifiable I omit other places Light enough shineth from these cited to discover this for a certain Truth that God intends the inexcusableness of all Impenitent and Unbeleeving Persons Upon this foundation of Truth I build this inference in the Major Proposition that therefore it must needs be that He vouchsafeth a sufficiency of Power or Means unto all Men to Repent and Beleeve The Reason of this Consequence is plain viz. because the Plea of insufficiency or want of strength for the doing of what is commanded is the first-born of apologies or excuses in the case of non-performance yea it is an excuse passable not onely with all ingenuous and well-composed men but even with those that are of rough stern and severe Principles if they be not absolutely bewitched or besotted with the sencelessness of express Tyranny The Person whom the King found amongst his guests without a wedding garment being demanded by Him how he came in thither not having this garment was saith the Parable speechless a Mat. 22. 12 Doubtless if he could with Truth or with the consent of his Conscience have made such an Answer as this that he had not wherewithall or that he wanted means to procure a wedding garment he would have pleaded it yea and would have been excused by the King upon such a Plea whereas now he must be bound hand and foot and cast into outer darkness So in the Parable of the Talents if the unprofitable servant could have given this account unto his Master with truth or with the verdict of his own Conscience that he had not a sufficiency of Power granted unto him to improve his Talent as the rest of his fellow-servants had or that it was not possible for him to have given his Master content in the improvement of it or the like it had been another manner of excuse or plea then that which he insisted upon to his further entanglement as the purport of the Parable in that behalf declareth b Mat. 25. 24 26 27 To pretend that Men are sufficiently inexcusable before God for neglecting or not-doing many other things which they have Power to do though it be not supposed that they have sufficient Power to beleeve is to serve the glory of God with an inexcusableness of their own devising and which falls short many degrees in reaching the Counsel and Purpose of God for the advancement of His glory in that behalf For His Purpose is not to bring an inexcusableness upon the heads of wicked and impenitent men onely in respect of some lesser or lighter whether omissions or commissions but in respect of that great and capital sin also Unbelief yea mainly and chiefly in respect of this Now men cannot appear before God inexcusable upon the account of their Infidelity or Unbelief unless it be supposed that they had been sufficiently furnished by Him with means abilities and opportunities for beleeving â—t this turn our Adversaries are wont to take Sanctuary under Adams §. 33. wing but this is too narrow to cover them All Men they say received sufficient Power in Adam to beleeve and upon this account God may justly hold them inexcusable if they do not beleeve This Plea is like a commodity fetch'd from a far Country which turns to no account when it is brought Home For 1. There hath nothing yet been brought upon any Stage where I have been Spectator that acted the part of a rational or probable Proof that all Men were in Adam invested with a Power of beleeving There is this Reason pregnant and strong against it If Adam yet innocent for in this consideration onely we now speak of him had a Power of beleeving then might he actually have beleeved if he had pleased But it was not possible that Adam during his innocency should actually beleeve because all this while there was no word of Revelation from God concerning Jesus Christ without which there is no possibility of actual beleeving To pretend that Adam and so all Men in Adam had a Power or Principle vested in Him whereby He was able to beleeve whatsoever God should at any time reveal unto Him and consequently to beleeve the Gospel in case it had been discovered unto Him as now it is unto Men is to speak with no good accord to their own Principles and with less accommodation to their Cause For 1. If there was a sufficiency of Power given unto Adam whereby to beleeve then it is a plain case that beleeving requireth not the interposal of the Omnipotency of God in any extraordinary way to procure raise or effect it For doubtless this Omnipotency was not given unto Adam And that which in one case or at one time cannot be effected without a concurtence of Omnipotency neither can it be effected without the same at another 2. Neither is a Power to beleeve whatsoever God shall reveal a Power of beleeving savingly or to Justification according to the Principles of our Adversaries who generally term such a Beleeving I mean a Beleeving of what God hath revealed in the Gospel an Historical Faith and make it specifically distinct from that Faith which justifieth defining this to be a recumbency resting or relying upon Christ for Justification Therefore however Men did not receive any Power in Adam to beleeve upon such terms or with such a kinde of Faith which now God requireth of them to their Justification And to say or prove that Adam or all Men in Adam received Power to beleeve with any other kinde of Faith then that which now in the lapsed estate of man justifieth is but to say or prove 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that which is broadly eccentrical and irrelative to the business in hand 3. Suppose that to beleeve the Gospel were justifying Faith which my Faith beleeveth it to be and that Adam had Power to have beleeved it and so all Men in him in case it had been revealed unto him i. e. so revealed that He had certainly known that the Revelation came from God and that He should have Power to beleeve it upon any other account of Revelation then this is an improbability of the first magnitude doubtless all Men now are invested with a Power of beleeving it upon such terms viz. in case it shall be revealed unto them so that they shall certainly know that the Revelation cometh from God For though the Apostle John speaketh of Unbeleevers under the Gospel as men that make God a lyar in that they beleeve not the Record that He hath given of His Son c 1 John 5. 10 yet his meaning is not to charge them with offering this indignity
yet moved with fear prepared an ark by which he condemned the world c. 314 315 c. 11. 17. By Faith Abraham offered up Isaac c. 19 451 452 12. 2. Looking unto Jesus the Author and Finisher of our Faiâ—â— 254 255 1 Pet. 1. 2. Elect according to the foreknowledge of God through sanctification of the Spirit 463 1. 5. Who by the power of God are kept through Faith unto Salvation 185 186 c. 1. 23. Being born again not of corruptible seed but of incorruptible 199 200 2. 4. elect and precious 244 3. 21. The like figure whereunto even Baptism doth also now save us 354 4. 19. as unto a faithful Creator 70 71 236 2 Pet. 1. 4. partakers of the divine nature 199 200 2. 1. even denying the Lora that bought them 129 130 c. 2. 20. For if after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledg of the Lord 144 145 c. 3. 9. not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance 104 417 418 1 Joh. 2. 2. And he is the propitiation for our sins and not for ours onely but also for the sins of the whole world Pag. 91 92 c. 188 2. 19. They went out from us but they were not of us for if they had been of us they would no dobt have continued with us 189 190 c. 261 2. 24. If that which you have heard from the beginning shall abide in you ye also shall continue in the Son c. 261 3. 7. Little children let no man deceive you he that doth righteousness is righteous even as he is righteous Cap. 9. § 11. p. 265 3. 9. Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin for his seed remaineth in him neither can he sin c. 192 193 c. 3. 10. whosoever doth not righteousness is not of God 402 4. 4. because greater is he that is in you then he that is in the world 325 4. 18. perfect love casteth out fear 314 because fear hath torment 3 16 4. 19. We love him because he first loved us 476 5. 3. For this is the love of God that we keep his CoÌ„mandments and c. 337 5. 4. For whosoever is born of God overcometh the world and c. 263 337 5. 5. Who is he that overcometh the world but he that beleeveth that Jesus is the Son of God 398 5. 10. He that beleeeveth not God hath made him a lyar c. 497 504 5. 14. And this is the confidence that we have in him that if we ask any thing according to his Will he heareth us 250 5. 18. We know that whosoever is born of God sinneth not 263 264 2 Joh. vers 8. Look to your selves that we lose not the things which we have wrought but that we receive a full reward 258 Jude ver 1. and preserved in Jesus Christ 253 3. that ye should earnestly contend for the Faith which was once delivered unto the Saints 243 Apocal. 2. 11. He that overcometh shall not be hurt of the second death 267 268 3. 5. He that overcometh the same shall be clothed in white and I will not blot out his name out of the book of life 332 333 14. 4. these were redeemed from among men c. 143 20. 6. Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first Resurrection c. 267 A Table of the particular Heads of Matter in the preceding Discourse A ABraham in what sence commanded to offer up Isaac Pag. 451 452 453 Acts actings of God why expressed by Verbs of the Preterperfect-tense 63 Actions if men with their consequences ascribed to God emphatically and why 23 of Causes meerly natural why not always uniform p. 24. Actings and motions of created Principles seldom suspended by the first Cause and why p. 6. Such as proceed from the wills of men frequently in Scriputre attributed to them in terms of a passive signification p. 15. How said to be determined 23 Actions and Operations in these sublâ—nary parts not so attributed to God but that they have their second Causes 7 Actuality of God 7 Adam all men righteous in him 512 513 had not justifying Faith 504 505 c. All men in what sence they have right to the Promises p. 451. have sufficient means to beleeve pag. 499 500. All all men what signifie in Scripture 108 109 Ambrose for Vniversal Redemption 528 for falling away 325 327 Angels whether changeable in their Wills after Election 485. not out of a possibility of falling according to Calvin 441 receive benefit by Christ 440. need an Head as well as men 438. understand not bytheir meer essence p. 43. whether and how reconcilable 441 Anselm for Vniversal Redemption 543 Antecedent and Consequent Intentions in God 448 106 107 Aretius for falling away 392. for Vniversal Redemption 407 Arnobius for Vniversal Redemption 533 Arriba resolves the certainty of the foreknowledg of God into the perfection of his Wisdom 22 Assurance of Salvaiton whether men live holily or no not meet for God to give or men to enjoy 282 Athanasius for Vniversal Redemption 530 531 Attonement universal no new Religion 73 taught by express Scripture the contrary onely by consequence 73 Augustin for Falling away 378 379 c. how to be understood when he seems to speak otherwise Ibid. for General Redemption 525 526 c. against them that deny the co-operation of the first cause with the second 7 The Authors Intent in citing Authors 524 561 B BAptism All Children baptized judged by Musculus in favor with God 331 A weighty consideration for Infant-Baptism 537 Basil for a possibility of total falling away 377 for Vniversal Redemption 534 Bede for general Redemption 542 Simple Beings and existences of things how determined by God p. 7. what manner of Being men had from Eternity 45 46 Bernard for general Redemption 543 Beza defines justifying Faith by assent 400 Denyeth that Christ dyed sufficiently for all men except in a barbarous sence 97 Book of Life blotting out Names no blemish to it 332 Bottomless pit what it signifieth 435 Bucer defines Justifying Faith by assent 400 For Vniversal Redemption 556 Bullinger for Falling away 392. For Vniversal Redemption 560 C CAlvin sometimes for Falling away 387 416. Defineth Justifying Faith by assent to the Word of God 398. For General Redemption 406 552 553 c. For Desires in God to save the World 470 His Discourse for universal Grace 508 509 Can and cannot diversly taken in Scripture 194 Causes natural how sometimes suspend their proper actions 7 Ceremonies why termed the rudiments of the World 522 523 Chamier defines Justifying Faith by assent 398 399 Character of Regeneration 326 327 Chemnitius for Falling away 385 386. Defines Justifying Faith by assent 400 Children in favor with God 330 Christ a sufficient Redeemer without being crucified p. 15. How necessitated to well doing 341. How always heard in his Prayers 245. How the foundation of