deny it Lastly Whether I have refused any preparatory grace though that might fall into the same account with the former yet I add that is more than you are privy to and therefore I pray be not so uncharitable in your censures And now give me leave to ask you a question or two First Whether it be possible to improve that preparatory grace to the height if it be not possible that impossibility will so far excuse the non-improvement but if it be possible to improve it to the full height which perhaps may be granted because a man can do what he can do and sure whatever God may do in justice yet in goodness he will require nothing above our abilities Then my second question is upon supposition that I do not refuse but embrace and to the utmost of my power improve that preparatory grace that is offer'd me whether in that case you have any Commission to warrant me that God will confer his saving grace upon me Diotrephes I am satisfied That God hath not entred into Covenant or promise with any unregenerate man to give him saving Mr. Baxter grace upon any condition to be perform'd without it Of saving faith pag. 46. Animalis Then as was said before he hath no promise to make his prayer for saving grace to become a prayer of faith in this particular but though there be no promise yet haply these preparatory dispositions as hearing the Word c. have a certain and infallible connexion with salvation and that may be some encouragement Diotrephes No we do not say they have for that affirmation denieth the power of the Potter over a Non-believer thus qualified and so sins against the freedom of the Soveraignty of God and Christ in making God a debtor of mercy before his time Norton Orthodox Evangelist pag. 186. f. with 190. M. Animalis While you are so careful to reserve to the Almighty a power to damn even poor humbled and prepared sinners you seem to be more tender of his Soveraignty than of his Goodness Mercy or Justice But to let this pass I pray upon these grounds what encouragements can you find to incite the unregenerate to the improvement of preparatory grace Diotrephes God hath commanded him to use certain means to obtain saving grace and to avoid the resistance and hinderances Mr. Baxter and a very command to use such means as means is a strongly encouraging intima im that God will not deny men the end and blessing that use the means as well as they can for it is certain that he appointeth no means in vain Of saving faith pag. 46. Animalis But Sir now you have brought me thus far the great and stumbling objection is behind still for Mr. Norton tells us that these preparatory works are really to none but the Elect only * Orthod Evang p. 164. as for the Reprobates all the water of life runs quite besides their Mill all gifts whatsoever are unprofitable to them so saith Martinius one of the most moderate of the Synod of Dort De Morte Christi pro soliâ— Electis Thes 4. 5. Act. Syn. Dord par 2. p. 107. By this it is evident that your daily and precious helps and means to cure the wills of the unregenerate and cause them to accept of Christ are alâ—ogether unsufficient whatever you pretend to the contrary And this as great a Clerk * Mr. Baxter in his account of persever pag. 14. as your self was very sensible of when he peremptorily denies that the Repâ—â—bates may be sanctified and consonantly the Congregational Churches do declare ingenuously * In their Declarat ch 10. n. 4. p. 8 9. Dr. Twiss ubi supra pag. 122 c. That they who are not eâ—ected although they may be called by the Ministry of the Word and may have some common opâ—rations of the Spirit yet not being â—ffectuâ—lly drawn by the Father they neither do nor can come unto Christ and therefore cannot be saved Diotrephes However they are damned for contemning Gods Word and not hearkning to his gracious admonitions 't is true they could do no otherwise but what impotency is Mr. Baxter delivers himself almost in the very same words this Is it anywhere else than in their wills 'T is not a natural but a moral impotency were they willing to hearken and come to Christ but could not then indeed their impotency were excusable but they please themselves in their own and in their obstinate courses and if they would do other wise I make no question but that they should have no more cause to complâ—in of their impotency to do that good which they would do than the servants of God have yea and holy Paul himself hâ—d Do they deplore this their impotency Doth the consideration hereof humble them Nay rather they delight in it as the Prophet noteth Jâ—r 6. 10. Their ears are uncircumcised ears and they cannot hearken behold the Word of God is as a reproach unto them Thus far Dr. Twiss Animalis That men may accustome themselves to a course of carnality till they arrive at such a state of impiety and obduration I make no question but all are not of that temper There are some who are as far abased in the feeling of their sin and misery and humbled by attrition and cry out of their sin and Mr. Baxter of sav saith pag. 43. 44. folly and day and night do beg for grace and mercy as common grace will carry them to do They like the word and wayes of God and think his servants the best and happiest men and have many a wish that they were such themselves and that avoid as much of gross and wilful sinning and continue as much in hearing reading the Word enquiring consideration as common grace may bring them to do and have as much belief of the Gospel and as much desire after Christ and holiness and heaven and as much love to God and the Redeemer and the Saints as common grace can lead them to And withall that have a knowledge that yet they are short of true Christianity or at least are much afraid of it and therefore are under a prudent impatiency till saving grace comes in and the Spirit have sealed them up to the day of Redemption and are crying out What shall we do to be saved Now I demand whether you have any promise that assures their interest in saving grace to such as are thus disposed for it Diotrephes I told you already that I am satisfied that God hath not entred into Covenant or promise with any unregenerate Mr. Baxter 〈◊〉 pag. 46. man to give him saving grace upon any condition to be perform'd without it However I am confident that no man can stand out and say I did the best that ever I could to obtain saving grace and yet went without it because God would not give it me Animalis If that Author doth not contradict himself yet they that hold a
Supernatural abilities and this sin of theirs being imputed to their whole off-spring the very same penalty is also derived unto them upon that account Paganus When sin is committed and a guilt contracted admit God be not tyed to his own Creature yet he may be tyed to his own natural equity to proportion the penalty to the crime and not to aggravate the affliction beyond the Creatures demerit And therefore if they became Delinquents in the person of another that the penalty may hold correspondence with the fault they should also receive their punishment in the person of another Diotrephes The punishment as I have already â—inted to you was imposed upon another person even upon the Son of God for God laid upon him the iniquity of us all and he was wounded for our than gressions he was â—ruised for our iniquities the chastisemâ—nt of our peace was upon him and by his stripes we are Isa 53. healed Paganus But Sir I remember you said He died according to the Counsel and Purpose of his Father only for a certain seed which he had given to him The rest he did no redeem or die for and yet he commands them to believe in him and rely upon him and denies them power to do it too which I cannot but think to be extreme severity Diotrephes I told you before that the justice of God is excusable because He gave them power to believe in their first Parent in Adam and to this prodigality they must impute this their impotency Paganus The tenour of your Discourse hath led me to look upon Faith or which is all one Believing under this notion viz. A laying hold upon Christ the Mediatour as the means to help us out of sin and misery and if it be so I am apt to conclude That as Adam had no need so neither had he power though he had so much as was sutable to his condition in his state of integrity to lay hold on Christ And if I apprehend your sense aright Faith contains or implies a power to arise after our fall If therefore Adam before his fall had this power then after he was fall'n he might have elicited or drawn it forth to his restitution and so there should have been no need of that omnipotent and irresistible operation of God unto this work which for mightiness is not inferiour to the Creation of the World or raising up the dead as is pretended Besides the question is not concerning the Historical Belief of a Mediatour in case God had made the Revelation upon supposition of the fall as he did not but whether Adam had a power to believe in Christ savingly This he could not do because saving faith implies a renouncing of ones own works and a relying upon Christs merits and mediation for grace and pardon This in the state of Innocency Adam could not do because God had given him a command and tyed him in a Covenant to do otherwise And I observe that the Son of God hath sealed a new Covenant for Mankind with his own blood and he invites all men to subscribe it Now this is called I perceive a Covenant of Grace but as it is established upon better promises than the former so I find that more dreadful threatnings are annexed to it also I must profess my dissatisfaction herein I think it very hard that Almighty God after he hath deprived them of original righteousres for the sin of their first Parent which they could no way be guilty of but by his own positive constitution I say I think it very hard that after this he should engage them in a new Covenant and tye Mankind to new conditions and not vouchsafe a competent strength to perform them especially being tyed to this performance under a severer penalty and how this can be called a Covenant of Grace I profess I cannot sufficiently understand Diotrephes We sâ—tissie our selves in an humble submission to Gods incontrolable Soveraignty and a modest veneration of his most free Beneplaciture considering that the Redeemer himself doth check the objections of Repiners with this short reprehension Mat. 20. 15. Is it not lawful for me do what I will with my own And the Great Apostle of the Gentiles argues thus against such Disputants Rom. 9. 18. Therefore hath he mercy on whom he will have mercy and whom he will he hardneth And ver 21. Hath not the Potter power over the Clay of the sam lump to make one Vessel unto honour and another unto dishonour what if God willing to shew his wrath c. And this is that unfordable and unfathomable Abysse which put the wits of that great Vessel of Election to a stand and makes him cry out in an extasie of astonishment Rom. 11. 33. O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are his judgments and his wayes past finding out Paganus If Almighty God intended his holy Scriptures which are opened for all men to examine for their instruction and benefit sure it is possible for a reasonable creature using his utmost diligence to gain some measure of understanding in them And truly if I be able to apprehend any thing the place you last mentioned affords as strong an Argument against you if you take the Context with it as one could imagine for what I pray is the ground of that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 * Quae profundae divitiae sapientiae in co positae esse possunt quod Deus velit minimam hominum partem salvare maximam perdere Solum illud tantum in co locum habet Sic volo sic jubeo sit pro ration voluntas Episcop Rom. 11. 32. Is it not the contrivance as I may say of his Counsel whereby he designed a general mercy would they but embrace it to all Mankind without doubt you will be forc'd to acknowledge it with me if you reflect upon his Assertion that ushers in that Exclamation for this it is God hath shut them both Jews and Gentiles all up together in unbelief that he might have mercy upon all and then it follows O the depth c. And though 't is said in the other Text alledg'd He will have mercy on whom he will have mercy and whom he will he Rom. 9. 18 21. hardneth yet if you interpret that saying by a Collation of it with other places where he makes a further Declaration of his meaning you will find it comes far short of a pregnant evidence to serve your purpose for the Psalmist tells us The mercy of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting upon them that fear him and think upon his Commandments to do them Psal 103. 17 18. Exod. 20. 6. And by this great Apostle he hath sufficiently revealed what his will is in this kind even to have mercy to the salvation of them that believe * 1 Cor. 1. 22. And what Authority or Example can you produce to prove that ever God
though they be thereby obliged to the conditions of that Covenant yet they have God reciprocally obliged by his promise to them and his fidelity stands so â—ar engaged to effect the conditions of this Covenant in them and to secure them from the violation of it that 't is impossible upon this account they should either finally or totally fall Mr. Baxter Disp of R. to Sâ—â—ram Disput 4. p. 422. M. from it But when the Reprobates do by their external engaging act oblige themselves in Covenant to God He keeps himself disingaged still and is not actually obliged by promise to them for affording such assistance without which the conditions are impossible to them and hence it comes to pass that these Reprobates do prevaricate and break Covenant and fall totally and finally from God which the Elect cannot do Paganus But why doth Almighty God being so merciful and gracious as he proclaims himself * Exod. 34. 6. invite and woe them so earnestly to engage themselves in this Covenant seeing he will not vouchsafe them grace sufficient and necessary to perform it Diotrephes You must remember God hath other Attr butes to glorifie as well as his grace and mercy he knocks at the hearts of the Reprobates by the outward Ministry because they are mixt amongst the Elect upon whom he works effectually by this dispensation and sometimes he moves them inwardly Ut intelligant beneficium oblatum officium debitum pâ—ccati sui gravitatem saith Amesius * Bel. Ener Tom. 4 l. 3. cap. 2. n. 7. mihi p. 55 That they may understand the benefit offer'd to them the office due from them and the heinousness of their sin God doth this as others * See the Apol. for Tilen p. 189. 190. are pleased to express it 1. To convince them of their negligence 2. To render them inexcusable 3. To improve their induration And 4. to augment their torments In short God in these his proceedings declares his own liberty and pleasure the absoluteness of his Dominion and Soveraignty and in fine his justice too because hereby the Reprobates are left inexcusable and violating that Covenant wherein they have voluntarily tyed themselves they are at last proceeded against as contemners of the divine grace and the great salvation Paganus I confess I have heard of a horrible Decree * Nec justitia justa dicetur si puniedum reum non invenit sed fecisse dicatur Major vero â—rit injustitia si lapso Deus retribuit poenam quem stantem praedestinasse dicitur ad ruinam Fulg. ad Mon. lib. 1. c. 22. Dr. Twiss ubi supra p. 43 44. 50. and of a hard saying but of none so hard and horrible as these in all my life And if this be your Covenant of grace sealed as you say with the blood of Gods only Son you must hold me excused if those Laws by which I have been govern'd from my childhood in matters of mutual commerce and contract keep me unsatisfied touching the equity of it Diotrephes Why what is it you stumble at All the learned confess that it is in the power of God to annihilate the holiest Angel in heaven and that in the execution hereof he should execute no other than a lawful power and as he is Lord of life and death though not as a Judge they conclude he hath power to inflict any pain upon the creature be he never so innocent Paganus To annihilate is one thing to impose torments another where there is no desert God no doubt may take away what he hath given without injustice If in taking away his Creatures life he inslicts a pain that is finite not exceeding those pleasures of life it hath enjoyed who doubts of the equity of such proceedings But to inflict everlasting torments in hell-fire in proportion so much above all the good either confer'd upon the Creature or made possible to it is to say no worse a severity too extream to be attributed to a good God And if your principles be such as I think they are that according to them the design of the whole Affair must be finally resolved into his meer pleasure to set forâ—h his Soveraign power the imputation will be so much the more abominable To say as some of you have done * Dr. Twiss ib. a. 48. 't is better to be in hell than not to be at all is such a Paradox that besides the common sense of all the World 't is expresly contradicted by Christ himself * Mat. 26. 24. As for Gods Soveraignty I have no desire to dispute the limits Vide Steph. Curcellaeum De Jâ—re Dei in Creaturas of it but as I take him for my Lord so I take him as he hath declared himself for a Lord merciful and gracious * Exod. 34. 6. and as he shall be my Judge at last so I am confident he will proceed according to Laws that are much more reasonable than those Decrees and Covenants which you have been unfolding to me But I pray inform me whether those Elect and Reprobates you spake of shall be infallibly sav'd and damn'd respectively as you say is decreed Diotrephes Without doubt they shall for the Decree is past from all Eternity as well for the benefit of the one as for the ruine of the other Paganus Do you think there hath been any of those Elect in former Ages in these which you call Pagan Countries and if there were what became of them Diotrephes Whether there were any of that number amongst your Ancestors is too hard a question for me to answer but if there were any such I am certain they were saved by some emergency of providence or other for it is not possible that the Elect whom God hath chosen to eternal life should perish Paganus I shall give you the trouble but of one question more which is to know your opinion whether there be any such Elect here amongst us now Diotrephes Sir I love not to pry so far into Gods secrets this is a mystery lock't up in the Cabinet of his own Counsel I had rather therefore you would betake your self to some more profitable Discourse Paganus I have heard 't is the opinion of some of your greatest Divines that this absolute Election is the very foundation of Christianity and if it be so then a matter of that great moment is very fit to be enquir'd into in order to my espousing that Religion If therefore you think there be any such amongst us I would know whether they shall perâ—sh for want of your administration for if you say they shall you contradict your self and then you are not fit to be believed If you say they shall not perish for want of it then they will stand in no need of your Ministry but if you say there are no such Elect amongst us then I must enquire further whether your preaching can procure us to become Elect if you say it
given him Jam. 1. 4. If you that are evâ—l can give good gifts to your Children how much more shall your heavenly Father give his Holy Spirit to them that ask iâ— Luke 11. 13. Suppose your life were in the hands of your own husband or your childrens life in your hands would it not exceedingly comfort you or them to consider whose hands they are in though yet you had no further assurance how you should be used God is a Father even to the wicked and to convince men of his fatherly mercy to them he often so stileth himself He saith by Moses Deut. 32. 6. to a wicked Generation whose spot was not the spot of his Children Do ye thus requite the Lord O foolish people and unwise Is not he thy Father that bought thee Hath he not made thee and establish't thee And the Prodigal could call him Faâ—her for his encouragement before he returned to him Luk. 15. 16 17 18. For my own part I must needs profess that my soul hath more frequent support from the consideration of Gods gracious and merciful nature than from the promise it self To this he returns a ready Answer That God is the Father of the rain Job 38. 28. and of all Creatures as he is their Maker Ephes 3. 14 15. But if we speak with reference to salvation Dr. Twiss * Vbi sâ—pra p. 53 saiâ—h The dealing of God is with his Children he means the Elect only Father-like not with others 3. I have signified to him That this disquietness in him doth manifesâ—ly arguâ— a desire to believe as Dr. Twiss * Ibid. p. 138. observes and God hath promised to fulfill the desire of them that fear him Ibid. p. 158. And seeâ—ng aâ—â—iction especially when it is of a spiritual nature is the ordinary introduction into the state of grace in the coarse of Gods Pâ—ovidence like as the Valley of Acâ—or was a door of hope uâ— to the Children of Israel and our Saviour in going to Jerusalem the vision of peace did continually take Bethany the house of mourning in his way we have cause to conceive good hope that these pangs may be as the pangs of Child-birth unto an afflicted soul To this he replies That common grace will carry a man so far as to be abased in the feeling of his sin and misery and to be humbled by attrition as the â—Papâ—sts call it and to cry Mr. Baxter of saving saith p. 43 44. out of their sin and folly and day and night to beg for grace and mercy He may like the Word and wayes of God and think Gods servants the best and happiest men and have many a wish that he were such himself he may avoid gross and wilful sinning and continue in hearing reading the Word enquiring consideration he may have a desire after Christ and holiness and heaven he may have love to God and the Redeemer and the Saints and withall he may have either a knowledge that he is yet short of true Christianity or at least be much afraid of it and therefore be under a prudent impatiency till saving grace comes in and the Spirit hath sealed him up to the day of Redemptiâ—n and he cry out What shall I do to be saved This a man may be brought unto by common grace which hath no promise of saving grace made to it nor any necessary connexion with it and consequently saith he these pangs may be but the beginning of greater sorrows 4. I have assured him that if he doth believe in Christ a Fountain of Consolation is then opened to him * Dr. Twiss p. 148. In this case we can assure him not only of the favour of God for the present but also of final perseverance therein and of Election and of Salvation as Dr. Twiss * Ib. p. 150. affirmeth To this he replies in the words of the same Dr. * Ibid. pag. 47 48. That a man may believe by an acquired faith * How can such a Faith cloathed with all moral vertues be distinguish't from an infused Faith and perform the acts of all moral vertues and have an exteriour conformity to the means of grace and so proficere ad exteriorem vitae emendationem and yet not be acceptable to God for all this Nothing but a Divine Faiâ—h will save us 5. I have told him Albeit he hath not this Faith to day notwithstanding he may have it in good time * Dr. Twiss ib. 150 and that there is no cause of desperation or to conceive himself to be a Reprobate Ib. 138. forasmuch as his condition is no worse than Sauls was before his calling yea and the holiest servant Mr. Baxteâ—'s Directions for peaee of Conscience pag. 463. of God Therefore said I what if you have no grace Do you not hear God daily offering you Christ and grace Doth he not entreat and beseech you to be reconciled unto him 2 Cor. 5. 19 20. And would he not compell you to come in Matâ—h 22. Do you not feel some unquietness in your sinful condition and some motions and strivings at your heart to get out of it Certainly though you should be one that hath yet no grace to salvation yet these continued offers of grace and strivâ—ngs of the Spirit of Christ with your heart doth shew that God hath not quite forsaken you and that your day of grace and visitation is not past To this he finds an answer to and tells me the question is whether there be any such day of visitation alotted for him or no. He is sure those sâ—rivings betwixt the flesh and natural conscience portend no such forasmuch as there may be such a conflict in the very Reprobate He wonders I should say that God doth bâ—seech him to be reconciled and would compell him to come in for his Conversion must be if ever it be at all of Gods irresistible working and saving grace of his immediate infusing and he being omnipotent if he were pleased to have it so it must needs be accomplâ—sh't in him presently 6. I have intreated him after this manner When the Divel clamours in your ears Christ and Salvation is none of thâ—ne let that voyce of God be in your memory O take Christ Mr. Baxter â—bi supra pag. 37. and life in him that thoâ— mâ—â—st be saved When you would fain have Christ and life and you are afraid that God will not give them to you remember then that God stands by beseeching you to accept the same thing which you are beseeching to give God is the first Suitour and Sollicitour God prayes you to take Chrâ—â— and you pray him to give you Christ what have you now to do but to take him And here understand that this taking is no impossible business it is no more but your hearty câ—â—seâ—ting And pag. 56. when God in the Gospel bids you take Jesus Christ and beseecheth you to be reconciled Ibid. pag. 56. to him if your
the Apostles discourse and the thing he labours so much to make good Desolatus What use then doth the Apostle make of it having so fully asserted and proved it Samaritanus The use he makes of it is this To declare that in the present Age under the Gospel God was likewise of his meer grace and favour pleased to invite and call men unto Faith and upon their Faith to Adopt them into the priviledge of his children and this not out of râ—spect to any mâ—rits in them for so many and so great generally were their transgressions that they deserved nothing but perdition Therefore this their Election unto grace and the means of salvation proceeds not of works but of â—im that callâ—th since God when he might have damn'd them justly among other sinners was pleased notwithstanding Rom. 9. 11. to call them unto Faith and believing upon that Call to choose them for his children And this is that Election of Grace to which at least the Apostle alludeth Rom. 11. 5. Desolatus I desire you would give me a view of the Apostles Discourse upon this subject in one short entire summ that I may the better comprehend it Samaritanus I shall do it most readily because I know it will be of much advantage to your understanding of the point You apprehend already that the Apostle is disputing with the Jews whose privileges were very glorious and they knew it well enough To them pertained the Adoption and the Glory and the Covenants and the giving of the Law and the Service of God and the Promises Theirs were the Fathers and of them as concerning Rom. 9. 4 5. the flesh Christ came who is over all God blessed for ever By so many signal acts of Grace they concluded God had tied himself so fast to them that they must needs inherit the Blessing Though their zeal in adhering to the Law was blind and pertinacious yet they plead their Title to righteousnesse and Life upon that account and resolve they shall be Heirs as is intimated Rom. 4. 14. Otherwise they alledged God should unjustly cast away his own people Rom. 11. 1. and cancell his own Promises and make his word of none effect Rom. 9. 6. and so become unfaithful yea if he should adopt the Gentiles who were no way zealous of the Law and besides as they thought greater sinners than themselves if God should adopt them to be his children upon their faith and submission to the Gospel and reject those his antient people who did so earnestly contend for the honor of his own Law and would seek * Rom. 9. 31 32. Gal. 5. vers 2 3 4. for righteousnesse and life no where else but from the observation of that If God should deal thus if he should after this manner prefer the unworthy Gentiles before the Jews who at least were not more unworthy he should become unrighteous too as well as unfaithful as is implied Rom. 9. 14. To this the Apostle replies 1. In general that the Law of Moses as it abstracts from Faith in Christ could not bring in Justification unto life by reason of sin which had over-spread all * Rom. 3. 9. 10 the 22. and that it was never intended to that purpose Rom. 3. 19 20 23. But that such Justification was to be obtain'd upon the accounts of Grace and consequently by Faith which doth establish Grace and not destroy it Rom. 4. 16. and that this Dispensation of Grace for Justification unto life was extended freely to All Nations Gentiles as well as Jews without difference This the Apostle asserts Rom. 3. 21. to the end And in the next Chapter he proves both branches by instancing in Abraham who 1. was not justified by the Law but by Faith Rom. 4. 3. c. and 2. he was justified while he was in the condition of a Gentile uncircumcised Whence he concludes that the Blessedness of Justification unto life doth belong also to the Uncircumcision that is to the Gentiles Rom. 4. 9 * See chap. 10. throughout c. And this was Gods constitution four hundred and thirty years before the Law of Moses was given as the Apostle alledgeth in handling the same Controversie to the Galaâ—ians * Gal. 3. 17. Vide Calv. Instit lib. 4. c. 16. sect 13 14. This is St. Paul's reply in general Then 2. more particularly he tells them though God did now cast off them for their unbelief who were formerly his renowned people yet he could not justly be charged with unfaithfulness * Rom. 3. 3. or breach of promise therefore Because when he promised he would be the God of Abraham of Isaac and of Jacob and the God of their Seed he did not renounce his own Supream Right and Power in all times to restrain and determine * And the scope of the Apostle in his Dispute with the Jews is to prove that the Faithful were designed to be that Seed Rom. 4. 11 12 13. and Rom. 9. 8. at his own pleasure the signification and Title of that their Sâ—ed to whom and to what manner of persons he would Thâ—s Liberty God always reserv'd to Himself and exercised it in the Family of Abraham preferring Isaac before Ishmael his elder brother Rom. 9. 6. to 10. And more signally he used this lâ—berty in the Family of Isaac whereof those Twins that had done nothing to disâ—riminaâ—e themselves being yet in their Mothers womb that this his liberty and good-pleaâ—ure might be established He freely preferr'd the younger before the elder vers 10 to 14. And these present proceedings of Gods providence in accepting the Gentiles upon their submission to â—he Fâ—ith and rejecting â—ou for your unbelief which you so much dispute against This saith the Apostle is but the same exercise of His Supream Right and Power who had proclaimed to Moses your great Leader I will have * Rom. 9. 15. mercy on whom I will have mâ—râ—y And this is the very point he pursues and presses the equity of so hard on Gods behalf in the rest of that Chapter And this is a perfect account of that Election and Reprobation which are there handled by the Apostle And as this Reprobation cuts off the Jews no longer than they continue in unbelief Rom. 11. 23. so that Election comprehends the Gentiles no longer than they continue in the Faith Rom. 11. 22. Desolatus Sir I thank you heartily for your pains in unfolding that which to me especially of late hath been such a hard Chapter But Sir there are some Texts which trouble me because they seem to import and many learned men do so interpret them that some men are under an absolute Decree of Reprobation and that the sins for which they are at last condemned come to pass by Gods most efficacious Decree Ordinance Dr. Twisse ubi supra p. 90. pp. 95. f. and Pre-determination and if it be so then their damnation and the sin that procures it are inevitable And
did actually harden or had a will to harden any but such as had formerly rebelled against the fight abused his patience and despised his gracious dispensations * Rom. 1. 22 26 Because when they knew God they did not glorifie him as God c. for this cause God gave them up Rom. 1. 21. with 26. Psal 81. 11 12. But my people would not hear my voyce and Israel would See also Luke 7. 30. Acts 13. 26 40 41 45 46. Hebr. 2. 3. not obey me so I gave them up to their own hearts lusts We find that the Lord though he had fore-told what would be the issue of Moses Ministry to him is not said to have hardned Pharaoh till he had multiplied his Rebellions and dallied with five plagues The last whereof when Moses undertakes the removal of it he gives him a fair warning of his danger Exod. 8. 29. I will intreat the Lord but let not Pharaoh deal deceitfully any more And because he neglected to quit himself of the danger upon this hot Alarme therefore with the sixth plague this judgment came upon him also 't is said the Lord then hardned the heart of Pharaoh Exod. 9. 12. and ver 14. with the judgment following the Lord threatens I will at this time send all my plagues upon thine heart Therefore do not resemble God to a mad or â—nwise Potter that layes out his cost and skill in making up a Vessel for no other purpose but only to make ostentation of his power will and liberty to break it Perhaps the Apostle by that comparison takes upon him to demonstrate not what God will do but what he can for he saith What if God willing to shew his wrath c Besides God is compared to the Potter and men to the Mass or Lump of Clay but what men are they that are entred into this comparison not innocent men or men made guilty by imputation only as your Doctriâ—e supposes them but men corrupt through their own vâ—luntary pollutions as such This is evident from the Apostles Discourse in the three first Chapters of that Epistle He declares then that out of this Mass or Lump it is lawful for God according to his own Beneplaciture to select some unto life namely those who would believe in Christ upon his being tendred to them * Rom. 9. 30 31 32. Chap. 11. 20. See also John 3. ult and to harden the rest and reserve them to wrath that is to say those who would augment the number and mount the heap of their other sins by the addition of a wilful unbelief This to my sense is most clearly that liberty * 1 Cor. 1. 21. which the Apostle asserts and vindicates to Almighty God in that present juncture and current of his Providence over Jewes and Gentiles though the Jewes cryed it down with utter detestation as a violation * Rom. 11. 1. of those signal promises which he had anciently made unto their Nation For your other Allegation Matth. 20. 15. Is it not lawful for me to do what I will with my own It can conclude nothing but that God may distribute equal portions of reward to those whose labours in his Vineyard have been unequal for when he that hath done most receives the utmost they did contract for why should he repine at the Lords bounty which is no injury to him though a benefit to others But what is all this to the vindication of Gods justice when he invites men to a new Covenant wherein he promiseth to proceed with them upon a gentler account and tyes them to new conditions and yet denies abilities sufficient to perform those conditions though he binds them to that performance under the commination and peril of a soarer penalty And I ask't you further in what sense this Covenant with Mankind could be properly called a Covenant of Grace which demand and I conceive it a material one you were pleased to take no notice of in your last Reply Diotrephes You must know Sir that your natural Reason without a supernatural illumination is no competent Judge of the sense of holy Scripture which contains the mind of God yet I shall not now reply to your interpretations but address my self to give you satisfaction to your lâ—st demand which is in what sense the Covenant which God hath sealed to us in the blood of Christ is styled a Covenant of Grace To this end you must understand that there are a certain number of persons predestinated unto life and glory and these are called the Elect These Elect God Almighty before the foundation of the World was laid according to his eternal and immutable purpose and the secret The Declaration of the Congregational Churches at the Savoy Chap. 3. n. 5 6 7. counsel and good pleasure of his will hath chosen in Christ unto everlasting glory out of his meer free grace and love without any foresight of faith or good works or perseverance in either of them or any other thing in the Creature as conditions or causes moving him thereunto and all to the praise of his glorious grace And as God hath appointed these Elect unto glory so hath he by the eternal and most free purpose of his will fore-ordained all the means thâ—â— unto wherefore they who are elected being faln in Adam are redeemed by Christ are effectually called unto faith in Christ by his Spirit working in due season are justified adopted sanctified and kept by his power through faith unto salvation All these benefits are infallibly and irresistibly conveyed to those Elect by vertue of the said Covenant and upon this account I hope you will allow it to be very fitly intitled a Covenant of Grace Paganus I do readily allow of the title in respect to those Elect you speak of but I pray satisfie me in this particular what interest have the rest of mankind in Christ and this Covenant Do not the benefits you have now mentioned belong to them Diotrephes For your satisfaction you may assure your self it is the Determination and PUBLICK FAITH of the new Congregational Churches in England * Ibid. n. 6. agreed upon and consented to by their Elders and Messengers That not any other are redeemed by Christ or effectually called justified adopted sanctified and saved but these Elect only Paganus I pray to what end did God create the rest and what Acts hath he passed against them and what Providence doth he exercise towards them Diotrephes There is a Text of holy Scripture that saith thus Before the children were born and when they had neither done good nor evil that the purpose of God according to Election might stand Rom. 9. 11 1â— 13. not of works but of him that calleth it was said The elder shall serve the younger as it is written I have loved Jacob and have hated Esau Out of which words a Renowned Divine doth conclude That Gods ordaining men unto salvation proceeds meerly according to
Maccov Col. Disp Col. 2. Disp 9. ult That our state of Reparation is in several respects better than our state of integrity We are now under a better Covenant which is establish't upon better promises * Hebr. 8. 6. Paganus This answer doth not satisfie my demand concerning the justice of Gods proceedings in the case mentioned for I remember amongst the Rules of his own Law this is one Not to do evil that good may come of it neither will it excuse him should a man commit Theft with a pure intention to expend all his gettings this way to the glory of God in almes and pious uses Diotrephes God makes Laws not to bind himself but his Creature * Hereupon Huld Zuing. saith When God makes an Angel or a Man a Transgressor he himself doth not transgress because he doth not break a Law In Ser. de Prov. cap. 5. 6. Paganus Grant this yet if he doth not confer a strength upon his Creature proportionable to that burden of duty which he layes upon it his impositions will be grievous and intolerable and this is an oppression which Christ himself thought fit to condemn in the Pharisees where he saith They bind heavy burdens Matth. 23. 4. Luke 11. 46. and grievous to be born and lay them on mens shoulders but they themselves will not touch them with one of their fingers Diotrephes You must know that God is not obliged to his Creature he acts all things both in mercy or otherwise according Mr. Bagsh Prac. Disc p. 2 to the dictates of his absolute Soveraign and uncontroulable will Paganus Though God hath no Superiour to whose Laws he should be subject yet in a sort he is a Law unto himself * See Lactant. lib. 4. cap. 23. inasmuch as he is tyed by an intrinsecal rectitude neither to cause nor to will any thing but what is consonant to the Rules of his own wisdom that wisdom dictates him to be the chief good chiefly to be beloved and that nothing is to be procured contrary to such a goodness from this Rule and Dictate God should dissent if of himself he should predetermine any man to the hatred and contempt of his goodness True his greatness is so transcendent he can be accountable unto none yet if he be unrighteous how then shall he judge the world shall not the Judge of Rom. 3. 6. Gen. 18. 25. all the Earth do right This is spoken of destroying the righteous with the wicked and it will hold also in withdrawing grace from the innocent that they may fall into destruction which certainly is punitive and a sad act of judgment whereof an innocent creature is not the proper * Ephes 5. 6. object But since we are returned to speak of the New Covenant I pray inform me how that can be styled a Covenant of Grace in respect of the Reprobâ—tes and in what sense their condition is better under this than it was in the state of innocency Diâ—trephes Under this Covenant saith Dr. Twiss * Vbi supra 〈◊〉 23 Mr. Baxter's Pres to Gâ—ot Rel. Sect. 9. men are called upon to believe and promised that upon their faith they shall obtain the grace of remission of sins and salvation and these graces may be said to be offered unto all upon condition of faith though faith it self in no congruity can be said to be offered but as for Suasion and Exhortation unto faith this grace the Reprobates in the Church of God are partakers of as well as Gods Elect And I conceive for these considerations this Covenant may not unfitly be called a Covenant of Grace in respect of them Paganus Are those graces of remission and salvation offer'd to the Reprobates under this new Govenant in jest or in earnest Doth God intend to save or delude them in this offer Did you not say positively ere while that 't is impossible the Reprobates should savingly believe A Legacy under an impossible condition the Learned in the Laws do account unworthy a wise Testator and therefore they conclude it ought in justice to be payd absolutely as if there were no condition at all added to it But a stipulation and any other contract under an unperformable condition is accounted null and are such Covenants beseeming the Majesty or the Goodness or the Sincerity of God Does it not savour too much of hypocrisie to offer pardon and eternal life upon terms impossible Suppose you and I were near a very fair Palace into which there is no way possible to enter but over one narrow Bridge should you promise me ten thousand pounds upon condition I follow'd you into that Palace though you invite call me never so importunately and stake down never so many solemn vows and protestations to signifie your reality and earnestness yet if pretending to lead me the way you should draw the Bridge after you and so make my following you impossible there is none but a mad man would think your invitation or your promise serious But I pray deal ingenuously with me Do you really believe that the Ministry of the Covenant is intended for the benefit of these Reprobates or no Diotrephes Because you are so desirous of information I 'le tell you the opinion of a person of great worth and learning In Respon ad Disput 1. Taufreri ad Syllog 5. p. mihi 23. Jo. Piscator he saith Ministerium Verbi Sacramentorum quod attinet ad majorem vocatorum partâ—m ex intentione Dei ineffcax imò planè exitiosum esse That the Ministry of the Word and Sacraments is not only uneffectual but mischievous and deadly to the greater part of those that are called and that according to Gods intention too and that he may not be thought to speak without his Book he produceth sundry Texts of holy Scripture for it Paganus Are the Reprobates then invited unto grace and called to engage themselves in this Covenant when the Ministry thereof is by Gods own intention so dangerous and deadly to them Diotrephes Gods invitation unto grace is no other than by professing that by Faith and Repentance they shall be saved without Faith and Repentance they shall be damned And Dr. Twissâ— ubi supra p. 54. hereupon by his Ministers he commands them intreats them beseecheth them that they will believe and repent that they may be reconciled unto God and saved and this grace the Reprobates in the Church of God are partakers of as well as Gods Elect. Paganus What difference do you observe betwixt the Elect and Reprobates as to their respective Concernments and Ingagements in this Covenant Diotrephes The Reprobates are called and obliged as I may say to subscribe this Covenant and engage themselves to perform the conditions of it and are generally promised the benefit of pardon and salvation upon that performance as well as the Elect But here is the difference when the Elect do actually engage themselves in Covenant with God
through sanctification of the Spirit unto obedience and the sprinkling of the blood of Christ. Securus If the end be absolutely intended then either there are no means required or if they be required they are absolutely by an irresistible strength to be wrought by him who absolutely intends the end for if God absolutely intends an end and leaves it to be accomplished by contingent and fâ—llible means that means may be deficient and so God should fail of his end which were absurd Diotrephes This is that which the Synod of Dort affirmeth of Faith and the work of Regeneration for they say This is a work to the production whereof God employeth his omnipotent strength chap. 3. and 4. Reject 8. A work for the mightiness thereof not inferiour to the Creation of the World or raising up the dead which God worketh in us but not with us but without us an operation so carried on that when God hath done his part it remains not in mans choice to be or not to be regenerated to be or not to be converted Art 12. Reject 8. To this purpose Mr. Norton having laid it down for a Rule in his Orthodox Evangelist That Though the Decree be absolute yet the 〈◊〉 of the Decree in the Gospel is conditional Page 85 86. He adds yet here carefully observe That by a condition we are alwayes to understand not a condition properly so called but a consequent condition scilicet such a condition the performance whereof is not left unto the Elect but is undertaken for by the Elector and therefore is not only not opposite unto but is both an effect and argument of an absolute Dâ—cree and also of an absolute Covenant of Grace Securus These passages have reference to the infusion of faith and the work of our first conversion and perhaps this Doctrine looks no further and Am sii Coâ—onis pag. 258. f. Ex conditione proprie dicta qua aliquid confertur in casum dubium incertum eventum alienae voluntatis quae praestita movet velantatem judicis ad praemium ex tali conditione si pendeâ—ent promissiones Dei actum esset de nostra salute â—licet â—riremus then there is not sufficient provision made for the infallible accomplishment of an end that is absolutely intended though the Regeneration of the Elect be absolutely immediatly and irresistibly wrought by the strength of Gods Omnâ—potency yet if the work be left in the hands of the same Elect as their duty to be continued such is their frailâ—y and fallibility they may possibly mâ—scarry in it and so God should lose his end for all that which is very absurd to be affirmed of an end which he hath absolutely intended Diotrephes You need not fear this for as God begins the work so he carries it on irresistibly by the same power to the very last stage and period of our lives Hence Cornelius Dungan saith * Pacific p. 172. Such as the operation of grace is in the beginning such it is also in the progress And Dr. Twiss * Ubi supra p. 178. saith Gods Omnipotency no Creature is able to resist and therefore if God will have any man to believe repent do this or that good work it is impossible it should be otherwise and that God is he who worketh in us that which is pleasing in his sight is as true as the Epistle to the Hebrewes is a part of the New Testament And pag. 182. We do require that God should immediatly and irresistibly work all our good works in us and we acknowledge this to be necessary unto every good act and no grace without this sufficient ad velle agere though there may be without this a grace sufficient ad posse To this purpose 't is very remarkable what the * Thes Heterod quas rejicim 3. pag. 200. par 2. Brittish Divines who were accounted stuper mundi have delivered in their judgment concerning the fifth Article of perseverance at the Synod of Dort Falsum est say they Perseveraâ—tiam esse donum sub conditione oblatum 'T is false that perseverance is a gift offered upon condition for it is a gift absolutely promised of God without any respect of condition The Reason is this the promises of God some are concerning the end others concerning the means to that end The promises concerning the end for example â—akâ— concerning salvation are conditional Believe and thou shalt be saved be thou faithful or persevere unto the death and I will give thee a Crown of life But seeing no man is able to perform the conditions God hath also made most free and absolute promises for bestowing the vâ—ry conditions themselves which he effâ—câ—eth in us that by them as the means we might attain unto the end To this purpose they urge that Text Deut. 30. 6. The Lord thy God will circumcise thine heart to love the Lord thy God with all thine heart and with all thy soul that thou mayst live Upon which words they thus dilate The end here promised is life which the Israeliees could never attain but by the performance of this condition namely the loving of God but here God absolutely promiseth that he would give them that very condition Seeing therefore the promises of faith and perseverance in the faith are promises concerning the means they are promises of absolute gifts whereby God considering mens inability as well to attain the end without means as to perform those means or câ—nditions of themselves hath promised he would effect it that they should perform those condiâ—ions God promiseth life to those that constantly fear him the promise concerning life is conditionate but the promise concerning the constant fear of God is absolute I will put my fear in their hearts that they shall not depart from me Thus those Divines and the Canons of the Synod are of the same tenour and importance Securus I thank you Sir for this part of your Discourse wherein you have most clearly proved by the Doctrine of the Synod the Divines thereof and others that the opinion I have been all this while disputing for is exactly true that is to say 'T is altogether needless for any man to take care to do any thing for his salvation for though it be true that the end salvation is conditional yet the means to that end is granted absolutely and irresistibly to the Elect. 'T is true none but believers and Converts shall be saved but 't is as certainly true that all the Elect shall first or last at Gods appointed time one way or other by Gods appointed means be irresistibly brought to repâ—nt and believe But the Non-elect being past by in the state of sin as Adam left them and the saving grace of Faith and Repentance denied them they can never be saved first or last by one means or other God having appointed neither time nor means effectual to that purpose why then should they trouble themselves about it And
Sacram. Disput 3. pag. 29 30. Mr. Baxter We know many that we sâ—e great signs of grace in and that are well reputed of as eminent for godliness that do frequently comâ—it as great sins as some kind of rash swearing seems to be For example It is too rare to mâ—et with a person so conscionable that will not frequently baâ—kbite and with sâ—me malice or eâ—vy speak evil of thoâ—e that differ from them in judgment or that they take to be against them or that they are falâ—n out with they will ordinarily censure them unjustly and secretly endeavour to disgrace them and take away their good names and love those that â—oyn with tâ—em in iâ— So how many Professours will rashly rail and lye in their passions How few will take well a Reproof but rather deâ—end their sin How many in these times that we doubt not to be godly have been guilty of disobedience to their Guides and of Schiâ—m and doing much to the hurt of the Church A very great sin The same person * Mr. Baxter saith also That a man may be oâ—t drunk and oft commit fornication he knows not justly how oft and yet have true grace * Ib. pag. 329. Nay he doth conclude though he subjoyns some Cautions to avod scandal That Solomon whose sin was more heinous than Drunkenness Forâ—ication yea or Murder it self as he confesseth * Ib. p. 327 328 was not unsanctified but had true grace and norwithstanding his Sensuality and Idolatry that he did in other things continâ—e his worship of the true God I hope I am not in a worse state than Solomon Diotrephes Had we such a man as Solomon in his sin to dâ—al with we ought to use him as an ungodly man I think saith the same Party whose Authority you insist upon * Mr. Baxter ib. pag. 347. So those that have lately committed scandalous notorious sin and will not on sufficient perswasion manifest any satisfactory Repentance for it we must presume them ungodly till they will manifest Repentance for we know except they repent they shall perish and an undiscovered Repentanâ—e is to us as none And our Divines at Dort conclude That though a godly man lose not his Justification by gross sinning yet he contracts such an incapacity of coming to heaven in that state that that must be removed or else he could not be saved Praesumptuosus It seems strange to me that persons who for the present have a real actual interest in Christ as all justified persons are supposed to have should at the same time have no Right to his Institutions and be in an incapacity of salvation Is Christ Theirs and are not his Sacraments Theirs too Are the Ordinances more sacred and precious than the Redeemer But they are uncapable of salvarion you say Doth not this make a foul flaw in the Apostles Chain Rom. 8. 30. Whom he justified them he also glorified But Sir though your words sound that way I hope you do not hold that a Child of God can fall totally from the state of grace Diotrephes We do not maintain that the Children of Dr. Twiss ubi supra p. 29 30. God cannot fall from grace albeit they should let the Reins loose to their lusts to commit sin and that with greediness but to the contrary we teach that God keepeâ—h them from falling away by putting his fear into their â—earts according to that Jer. 32. 40. I will put my fear in their hearts that they shall never depart away from me So that the right state of ouâ— Tenet is not that God will keep them from falling away in spight of their presumptuous courses but that he will keep them by him through an holy fear which is as much as to say he will hold them fast by him by keeping them from presumptuous courses and accordingly David after he had prayed that God would cleanse him from his secret faults he entreats God that as touching presumptuâ—us sins he would keep him from them that so he might be innocent from the great offence And as this was Davids prayer so answerable hereunto was Pauls Faith He will deliver me from every evil 2 Tim 4. 17. work to wit either by Obedience or by Repentance or else from every presumptuous course and preserve me to his heavenly Kingdom And accordingly the Saints of God as they are styled his called ones his sanctified ones so likewise are they denominated his reserved ones in the Epistle of Jude for his course is to make them meet partakers of the inheritance of the Saints in light not to save them in spight of their unfitness for it but to make them first fit for it by holiness and then to make them partakers of it Thus Dr. Twiss Praesumptuosus The Children of God then are alwayes free from at least a course of presumptuous sins Pauls Faith and Davids Prayer which are theirs too do secure them from sins of that nature But should they commit such sins as would make so foul a â—law in their state of salvation as to put them into an incapacity of Heaven I doubt whether it could be soader'd up again by Repentance Repentance is a metal so hetâ—rogeneous and different I am afraid it would never hold for as nothing in the World but Christ and that Evangelical Grace of his procuring can put us into the state of salvation so certainly nothing elâ—e can restore us to it if we make a recession from it Diotrephes Why Repentance is a part of the Gospel and one of the conditions of the Covenant of Grace Praesumptuosus I am taught otherwise by the Deputies of the Synod of Gelders and their Judgment is recorded amongst the Acts of the Synod at Dort * De Artic. secundo pag. 100. par 3. wherein they declare That Repentaâ—ce is not alwayes prescribed with an intention of salvation that it hath not Câ—râ—st for its foundation and that to be called unto Repentance is not the grace of the Gospel Nam haec in solo Christo propter solum Christum offertur cum intentione semper salutis aeternae for this grace of the Gospel is offeâ—ed in Christ alone and for Christ aâ—onâ— and alwayâ—s with intention of eternal salvation So is not Repentance as they say Diotrephes It is not sufficient to consider how the grace of the Gospel is offered but we must consider withall how it is to be received and hoâ— to be kept Praesumptuosus I suppose there is little dispute about that amongst the Ortâ—odox Faith is concluded to be the sole instrument or condition of receiving and presâ—rving this grace To this purpose it is delivered with great approbation as a Branch of Modern Divâ—nity * The Marrow of Modern Divâ—nity pag. 119 Edit 3. That In the Covenant betwixt Christ and his there is no more for man to do but only to know and believe that Christ hath done all for them Diotrephes This must be a lively
do omit neither can I do any more good than I do for the Orthodox do conclude * We do require that God should immediately and inresistibly work all our good works in us and we acknowledge this to be necessary unto every good act Dr. Twiss ubi supra p. 182. That every good act is immediatly from God and of his irresistible production if therefore I can do some good more than I do I can do some good that is not immediatly from God nor of his irresistible production which they account absurd that I do all the good that God irresistibly produceth in me appears from hence because otherwise God should irresistibly produce something which is not produced and consequently it should be and not be and be resistible and irresistible which are plain contradictions That this is no singular opinion you may assure your self from hence that 't is consonant to the faith of the Congregational Churches * Chap. 16. n. 3. who declare concerning Believers That their ability to do good works is not at all of themselves 〈◊〉 wholly from the Spirit of Christ and that they may be enabled thereunto besides the graces they have already received there is required an actual influence of the same holy Spirit to work in them to will and to do of his good pleasure Diotrephes You would have cited the Thesis entire if it had been for your advantage but it was not for they add in the very next words Yet are they not hereupon to grow negligent as if they were not bound to perform any duty unless upon a special motion of the Spirit but they ought to be diligent in stirring up the grace of God that is in them Praesumptuosus I omitted this Clause not only because it was not to my purpose but also because I conceived it very absurd if not contradictory to the former words For 1. What doth that diligence in stirring up the grace of God in them signifie if it signifieth either to will or to do that whichsoever it is is not to be performed as they declare without an actual influence of the same holy Spirit and then 't is absurd to say they are bound to it without a special motion of the Spirit For 2. If they bound to perform such a duty without a special motion of the Spirit and yet are not enabled thereunto without an actual influence of the same holy Spirit as they declare they are not then are they even in a Covenant of Grace too bound to impossibilities which is absurd And 3. Why ought they to be diligent for if an actual influence of the Spirit be required hereunto then their diligence without it is impertinent if not impossible and when that actual influence of the Spirit is upon them if it works irresistibly as the Orthodox maintain it doth then all diligence is utterly superfluous unto such an operation And 4. In this case Believers cannot be negligent for neglect certainly is the pretermission of some possible performance which cannot have place here for the good work cannot be performed without such an actual influence therefore it is not possible without it and with that actual influence it cannot be omitted for that influence is irresistble Diotrephes You seem to lay the sin of the Regenerate upon Gods deficiency in affording grace necessary to avoid it Praesumptuosus This is no more than what is done by our Orthodox Divines Do they not conclude that he did withdraw from * As was shewed above in the first Dialogue Adam grace and light sufficient unto his perseverance and so he doth when he pleases from the regenerate too * God may withdraw his grace as he did from Peter and David in their sin Mr. Baxter's Directions for peace of Consc pag. 465. Edit 2. which is the reason of their several lapses and failings for as Mr. Baxter tells us in his Preface Sect. 16. the Synod of Dort say That if you speak of power in them the Regenerate cannot stand And that they are not alwayes so led and moved by God as to be preserved from the seducements of concupiscence but by his just permission are carried away into grievous and heinous Chap. 5. Art 4. sins 'T is by the power of God only that they stand their ability is not at all of themselves and besides the grnces they have already received there is required an actual influence of the Spirit and that irresistible when this power is withdrawn they must needs fall and therefore Dr. Damman as was observed before tells us That when God doth his part we cannot omit ours Diotrephes But God doth not withdraw his gracious assistance but upon mans provocation and neglect to co-operate with it Praesumptuosus Yes God hath liberty to do it for his meer pleasure being tyed by no Law unto his Creature Thus he did by Adam in his state of innocency and he hath several good ends in it his own glory and their benefit as the Divines of * See the Apology for Tilenus pag. 385. Drent determined at the Synod of Dort The British Divines say as you heard even now that their Justification and Adoption are thereby confirmed And those Divines of Drent add further That those sins which in the wicked have the nature of punishment have in the faithful the nature of fatherly castigation Ibid. Diotrephes But will they not be bitterness in the latter end think you as the Prophet Jeremy hath it Chap. 2. 19. Praesumptuosus To the unregenerate to whom they are damnable they must needs be so but not to the Elect whose slips and falings Mr. Perkins * In Armilla Aurea cap. 37. tells us are priviledges annexed to their adoption and paternal castigations for their benefit and as a remedy against doubting or desperation of our Election and Gods mercy he prescribes this meditation amongst others Lapsu non telli gratiam fidem sed illustrari That sin doth not take away grace but illustrate and make it brighter Now I hope you would Ibid. cap. 42. not have a man to be in anguish and bitterness of spirit for suffering chastisement which is derived to us as a special favour from God a great testimony of the love of our heavenly Father for what saith the Apostle from Solomon Hebr. 12. 5 6 7 8 12. My son despise not thou the chastning of the Lord nor faint when thou art rebuked of him for whom the Lord loveth he chastneth and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth If ye endure chastning God dealeth with you as with sons for what son is he whom the father chastneth not but if ye be without chastisement whereof all are partakers then are ye bastards and not sons Wherefore saith the Apostle lift up the hands which hang down and the feeble knees The Apostle turns it into an use of Consolation to the faithful Diotrephes Admit the slips and falls of the faithful be paternal castigations according to
heart answers Lord I am willâ—ng I will accept of Christ and be thankful why then the match is made between Christ and you and the Marriage Covenant is truly entre ' which none 〈◊〉 dissolve If Christ were not first willing â—e would not be the Sâ—itoâ— and make the motion and 〈◊〉 he be willing and you be willing what can break the match To this he answers he is much unsatisfied that I seem to make it so easie a matter to believe when others of the Orthodox do heighten the diffiâ—ulâ—y of the duty Iâ— it implies no more than an accâ—ptâ—nce of Christ and life how come so many that Mr. Norton Orthod Evang. p. 206 c. pretend to Christ and rely upon him and câ—aim an interest in him which sure they would not do if they did not consent to have him how come so many of them saith he to be deceived and disclaimed at last â—nd their faith to perish with them Mat. 7. 21 22. All may seem fair saith Dr. Twiss * Pag. 102. no reigning sin appearing whereby the Conversation is deâ—â—led yet a man may deceive himself O how many have thought that Christ was most dear to them and that the hopes Mr. Baxter's Direct for peace of consc in the Epist Dedicat. of heaven were their chiefest hopes who have left Christ though with sorrow when he bid them let go all as Mr. Baxter hath observed who doth hereupon conclude I shall never be so confident of any mans â—idelity to Christ as not withall to suspect that he may possibly forsake him nor shall I boast of any mans service for thâ— Gospel but with a jealousie that he may Ibid. drawn to do as much againstâ— it Alas Sir your saving faith is not of a common extraction 't is a special Donative merited by Christ but for a very few as Dr. Twiss * Vbi supra pag. 152. tells us and peculiar to the Elect as our Divines conclude from Tit. 1. 1. 7. I have told him That God hath under his Hand and Seal made a full and free Deed of gift to him and all sinners of Mr. Baxter ib. pag. 43. Christ and with hâ—m of pardon and salvation and all this on condition of his acceptance or consent That it was comfort to know â—e might have Christ if he would and to find this to be the sum of the Gospel Rev. 22. 17. Whosoâ—ver will lâ—t â—im take of the water of life freely To this he readily answers out of Dr. Twiss That till a man believes â—t is not known either to himself or any other Ibid. pag. 164. man that he shall have any benefit by the death of Christ only God knows from everlasting who shall have benefit by the death of Christ and who not forasmuch as he hath determined to give faith in Christ to some and not to others and accordinâ—ly hath sent Christ into the World for their sakes 8. I have told him That the Scripture it self by the plainness and fulness of its expression makes it as clear as the light Mr. Baxter ib. pag. 32. that Christ died for all At this he cries ouâ— What hath the death of Christ to do with my Election or Reprobation Dr. Twiss tells us That Dr. Twiss ubi supra pag. 139. God in his Dâ—cree did no more consider the death of his Son than the faith of the Elect. 9. Here I expostulated with him in these words Is it Mr. Baxter ib. p. 42. nothing that a sufficient Sacrifice and Ransome is given for you This is the very foundation of all solid peace I think this is a great comfort to know that God looks now for no satisfaction at your hand and that the number or greatness of your sins as such cannot now be your ruine To this he confronts that of Dr. Twiss If Christ made satisfaction for all the sins of all and every one in such sort Dr. Twiss ibid. pag. 141. that Gods justice is thereby satisfied I demand how it can stand with Gods justice to exact satisfaction at the hands of so many as he doth for their sins and that by eternal damnation in hell-fire For whether Christs death and passion be satisfactory for all sins for all and every one by its own nature or by the constitution of God or by both I comprehend not with what justice God can put the damned persons to satisfie for their own sins in the flames of hell-fire c. 10. I have told him of a world of comfort which even the graceless may gather from universal or general mercy To this purpose I find that Scripture alledged John 3. 16. God Mr. Baxter ib. pag. 38 43. so loved the World that he gave his only begotten Son that whosoever believeth â—n him should not perâ—sts but have everlasting lâ—fâ— Here he interposeth a distinction of Dr. Twissâ—'s The love of God and of Christ to all goes no further saith he then this That whosoever believeth in him shall not perish but have everlasting Dr. Twiss ib. p. 164. life But Gods special love to his Elect is to send Christ into the World to merit not that only for them which is to be coâ—fer'd upon the condition of faith but to merit faith also for them which is confer'd upon them absolutâ—ly and upon no condition 11. I have advised him to get clear apprehensions of the freeness fulness and universality of the New Covenant or Law of Mr. Baxter ib. p. 33. Grace No man on Earth is excluded in the tenour of this Covenant and therefore said I certainly you are not excluded and if not excluded then you must needs be included But he returns this Answer he understands not how the Covenant of Grace can extend to such as God did implacably hate upon the account of Adams sin and decreed to pass them by in the communication of grace sufficient and necâ—ssary to Faith and Repentance without which there is no Adoption or Pardon 12. I told him God invites all without exception to mercy and salvation and therefore there was no reason why he should doubt of it He replies Gods invitation is no other than by professing that by Faith and Repentance they shall be saved without Faith and Repentance they shall be damned * Ib. pag. 54. as Dr. Twiss resolveth and he tells * Pag. 51. us moreover that Austin hath long ago professed that to say God would have all to be saved and none to perish is to deny the First Article of our Creed concerning Gods Omnipotency 13. I have represented what abundance of Comfort General Mercy or Grace may afford the soul before it perceive yea or receive any special grace for Mr. Baxter ubi supra p. 46 47. 1. All the terrifying temptations which are grounded on misrepresentations of God as if he were a cruel destroyer to be fled from are dispelled by the due consideration of his goodness and the
appears by the next verse Where God begins a good work he is willing and ready in a way sutable to his wisdom justice and mercy to accomplish it but when the work is to be a duty he expects from his Creature a voluntary co-operation to it without which it cannot be such but if he carries on the good work to its final period irresisâ—ibly so that neither the neglect nor the pâ—rversity of man can hinder it how comes it to pass that so many are guilty of Apostasie and draw bâ—ck unto pâ—â—dâ—tion Hebr. 10. 38. Diotrephes What do you troubling your self about temporary Professours and Hypâ—crites whose faith is false and unsound and their grace counterfâ—it Many great Divines have told us That the least * See the Declaration of the Congregational Churchâ—s cap. 14. n. 3. measure of true grace is a seâ—d of Regeneration and implies the man that hath it to be sanctified and justified and then you know your estate is unchangeable you are sealed up with the Holy Spirit unto the day of Redemption In the mean while the foundation of the Lord standeth sure having this seal the Lord knoweth them that are his 2 Tim. 2. 19. Desolatus I suppose Sir you deliver not your own judgement if you say That the faith of Back-sliders is false and their grace counterfeit * See Mr. Baxter of saving faith pag. 16. You cannot forget the Parable that tells us the faith that withers upon trial springs out of the same seed of the Word with that which is indefectible all grace is true what is counterfeit ought not to be honoured with so good a title The grace that doth not sanctiâ—ie doth not fail of that effect because it is not true but because it is too little for the least degree of grace is not a seed of Regeneration not sufficient to sanctifie and intitle us to a state of justification and an indefectible perseverance To this purpose a man much of your own judgment hath delivered himself in these words As I know of no such degree of habitual grace in this Mr. Baxter's Account of persever pag. 33. life which would preserve men from Apostasie without Gods continued tutelary preserving grace so I know of no such thing as true Sanctification and Justification without that grace which is radicated in the soul and so may be called a confirmed state and without the Antecedent and Concomitant Decree of Gods Election which layeth a certain ground of perseverance Here then is the foundation with the seal of God upon it But who can break open this Seal and give me a sight of my own name ingraven upon that foundation The Soveraign Elixer that can cure my disease lyeth in no other but this very Cabinet Diotrephes The Seal is broke open at your effectual Calling when God sends you down a Transcript or Copy of the Original Record with some bread of comfort from his own Table to refresh you and give you assurance of your communion with him To this purpose the Spirit saith unto the Churches To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the hidden Manna and will give him a white stone and in that stone a new Name written which no Rev. 2. 17. man knoweth saving he that receiveth it Desolatus Sir I observe many men of your profession very apt to adulterate the Gospel to serve the present exigence of the Patient to whom they are called to administer Here now you do more than insinuate that the effectual Calling is a priviledge so propâ—r to the Elect that a man needs no other Argument than that to conclude his absolute Election but when you treat the Reprobates under the Title of unregenerate you urge them to believe that they are all comprehended in the act of grace and so much within the reach of an effectual Calling that 't is none but their own fault if they lose the benefit thereof The blessed Spirit in that place quoted by you speaks of a heavenly Collation after victory but what is that to my comfort for should my arrogance inlist me amongst such Conquerours I should soon find it Cow'd and utterly defeated when I come to pass the Muster I do wish with some passion that I could taste the bread of that blessed Communion but I know 't is a Manna that falls immediately from Heaven and 't is not yours but a more secret hand of Providence that must convey it but 't is a bread so peculiar to the Children that the Dogs are not allow'd so much as any Crumbs of it And therefore in suggesting this Divine Repast prepared for the entertainment of Gods special Jewels while you think to ravish my appetite you do famish it and procure me really the sense of such torments as were inflicted upon Tantalus but in Poets Fiction Alas Sir what do you telling me of that white stone unless you could enable me to see it and read the superscription which is impossible till I first receive it The finger of Gods Spirit hath not yet written out that Transcript upon the Tablâ—s of my heart and I am sure there is no other Sâ—cretary can do it neither have I any Reason to expect it from him for as that Manna falls not every day nor upon every Tent of the Congregation so neither do those white stones pave the common streets nor bear our ordinary Christian much less our Sirnames imposed upon us by Traduction Such as have an interest in the Book of Life indeed they say their title is absolute their names being written therein out of Gods meer free-grace and pleasure without respect to faith and obedience or any good quality whatsoever in them Upon this Account I may acknowledge with Modesty enough that no man can be fitter than my self to have a place in that eternal Schedule But when I reflect upon those millions not so much as one single thought worse than my self left out of it I find the odds so great against me that I cannot yield to flatter my self into a belief of it Diotrophes There is no Reason in the World the sense of your sins how many or how great soever or the opinion of your meer nothingness should discourage or detain you from a perswasion of your Election Had your vertue been a motive or inducement to Almighty God to put you into his Decree in that case if you brought your vertue to the balance and found it light you should have Reason to return jealous of your state and sorrowful But seeing God hath considered no such thing in you but put you freely into such a Decree as comprehends and provides all means and requisites whatsoever for your irresistible sanctification perseverance and glory the apprehension of this methinks should scatter your fears and doubts and make you rejoyce with joy unspeakable and glorious * 1 Pet. 1. 8. Now that this is a most unquestionable truth we have the determination of the Synod
11. saith of that covetous seditious and bloody Sect of Gnosticks in his time that went in the way of Cain and ran greedily after the error of Balaam for reward he saith They perished in the gain-saying of Corah But you will ask how could that be when the Rebellion of Corah was in Moses time and these men lived many hundred of years after in St. Jude's time Why they perished in effigie in their Types Patterns or Representatives Thus you see in what sense men may be said to be fore-ordained or set forth afore-hand unto Condemnation though their persons be under no such Decree of Absolute Reprobation Desolatus Does not God fore-know that men will sin and continue obstinate in it to their last period and so incurr the guilt of condemnation according to his Eternal Law though he hath not absolutely ordain'd them to sin and condemnation Samaritanus They that say God fore-knows nothing but what he hath ordained to come to passe making his Prae-science â—â— depend upon his Decree they derogate from the glory of Gods fore-knowledge which yet we see the Scriptures celebrate even with admiration For what praise shall the prescience of God have if he fore-knows nothing but what himself hath decreed seeing we can scarce find a Mortal so brutish as to be ignorant of what himself hath determined The knowledge of our God we are assured is unsearchable and therefore without passing a Decree for their Commission he fore-knows sin and all such contingencies as for their obscurity are most remote to human understanding But there is this further difference betwixt Gods Prae-science and his Absolute decree were there any such in this case Such a Decree in order to its Execution doth introduce an Antecedent Casual and Inevitable Necessity of sinning and being damned Prae-science is but a looker on in the whole processe Prae-science is but a Perspective through which God discovers a mans voluntary motion till he arrives at that horrible Lake of fire and brimstone But That Decree is such a Boat or Engine as transports Him thither will He nill He irresistibly Desolatus I shall consider that this piercing Eye of God is always open and upon me to observe my steps and make it a motive and enforcement to steer my course so much the more exactly But you must give me leave to ask you two or three Questions more And first deal ingenuously with me Doth God give Grace sufficient unto Faith and Repentance to such as perish for the abuse and neglect of it Samaritanus God gives or is ready to give if we make no new obstructions that Grace that is sufficient to the obtaining of Faith perhaps not immediately but grace sufficient to use the means grace to do more than we do in order to the obtaining of it You may reflect upon what was said above upon Habenti dabitur That some men may perish who receive sufficient grace to bring them to salvation if they would persevere in it appears plainly from hence that our Saviour saith to his Disciples Matth. 24. 13. He that shall endure to the end the same shall be saved And If ye continue in his goodness Rom. 11. 22. Ye shall not be cut off * See 2 Ep. Joh. 8. Gal. 3. 4. Can a man arrive at a place that is not in the direct way that leads thither He must be instructed to turn and not exhorted onely to continue in it And how could St. Paul say of some that they made shipwrack of faith and a good conscience 1 Tim. 1. 19. Can that be shipwrack'd that was never in the Vessel and can that be called a shipwrack which though preserved intirely would but bring us to predition Desolatus But should a man through his sinfull improvidence make shipwrack of this grace may his dammage be recovered Samaritanus Yes how else could the Apostle give order To deliver the Incestuous Corinthian uâ—to Satan for the destruction See Ezek. 18. 21 22. of the flesh that the spirit might be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus 1 Cor. 5. 5. If there be no restitution for persons that have once wasted that portion of grace that was put into their hands then there can be no right Prodigals but our first Parents What think you of David Peter Solomon and others whose falls were most lamentable and yet they were restored by a new Conversion Desolatus The Apostle saith of some that if they fall away it is impossible to renew them again unto repentance Heb. 6. 4 6. Samaritanus The word impossible doth many times signifie no more but 't is extreamly difficult but in that place to the Hebrews the Apostle speaks of such as do not onely fall away but add persecution of the Gospel of grace to their Apostacy from iâ— For they tread under foot the Son of God and count the blood of the covenant wherewith they were sanctified an unholy thing and do despite to the Spirit of Grace Though we may not give that which is holy unto dogs * Matth. 7. 6. nor cast our pearls before swine who will rample them under their feet and return and rent us yet we are assured the fatted Calf is killed * Luk. 15. 23. and made ready to entertain the returning Prodigal Sinners are therefore every where exhorted to return and God hath promised to heal their back slidings Hos 14. 1 2 4. Repentance is Secunda Tabula post naufragium And Christ hath invited all that act heavy laden with their sins to come unto him Mâ—tth 11. 28. And if they come we have his promise He will in no wise cast them out Joh. 6. 37. Desolatus This is a very encouraging Invitation but I suppose it concerns none but such as He died for and because so many do flatly deny Vniversal Redemption and the holy Scripture it self seems sometimes to restrain his death to a ceâ—tain number as where it saith He gave his life a Ransome for many * Matth. 20. 28. Therefore I would gladly be satisfied about the extent of that death of His whether the Satisfaction and Merit of it were for All I mean not All Sorts onely but All Individuals Samaritanus You have ask'd a very material Question for seeing there is salvation in no other but Christ such as are not redeemed by him if there were any such can receive no benefit Act. 4. 12. as to matter of salvation from him nor have any comfort really administred unto them But if we receive the testimony of men the testimony of God is greater and this is the testimony of 1. Joh. 5. 9. God which he hath given of his Son 1. That He came to seek and to save that which was lost a That God laid upon him the iniquity of us all b That He died for the ungodly c for sinners d for his enemies e for All f for every man g for the world h for the whole world i for the unjust k and finally