them as in their simple Existence or Being it self Page 1. Cap. 2. Though there be as absolute and essential a Dependance of second Causes upon the first in point of motion action operation as of simple existence or being yet are not the motions actions or operations of second Causes at least ordinarily so immediately or precisely determined by that Dependance which they have upon the first Cause as their respective Beings are 7 Cap. 3. Concerning the Knowledg and Foreknowledg of God and the Difference between these and his Desires Purposes Intentions and Decrees and how these also are distinguished one from another 28 Cap. 4. Concerning the Perfection of God in his Nature and Being Some things clearly deducible from it particularly his Simplicity Actuality and Goodness of Decrees 40 Cap. 5. Four several veins or correspondencies of Scriptures propounded holding forth the Death of Christ for All Men without exception of any The first of these argued 73 Cap. 6. Herein several texts of the second sort of Scriptures propounded in the former Chapter as holding forth the Vniversality of Redemption by Christ are discussed 97 Cap. 7. The third sort or consort of Scriptures mentioned cap. 5. as clearly asserting the said Doctrine argued and managed to the same point 113 Cap. 8. The Scriptures of the fourth and last Association propounded cap. 5. as pregnant also with the same Great Truth of general Redemption by Christ impartially weighed and considered 120 Cap. 9. Entereth upon a Digression about the commonly-received Doctrine of Perseverance occasioned by several passages in the preceding Chapter avouching and clearly evicting the benefit peace and comfort of that Doctrine which teacheth a possibility of the Saints declining and this unto death above the other contrary unto it 154 Cap. 10. A Continuation of the former Digression wherein the texts of Scripture commonly alledged to prove the impossibility of the Saints declining unto death are taken into consideration and discharged from that service 177 Cap 11. A further Continuation of the former Digression wherein the Arguments and Grounds commonly insisted on in defence of the received doctrine of Perseverance are detected of insufficiency proved and declared Null 225 Cap. 12. The former Digression yet further prosecuted and a possibility of defection in the Saints or true Beleevers and this unto death clearly demonstrated from the Scriptures 268 Cap. 13. Grounds of Reason from the Scriptures evincing a possibility of such a defection even in true Beleevers which is accompanied with destruction in the end 299 Cap. 14. Exhibiting from the Scriptures some Instances of a total Declining and falling away from the Grace and Favor of God in true Beleevers 344 Cap. 15. Declaring the Sence and Judgment as well of the Ancient Fathers of the Christian Church as of Modern Reformed Divines touching the Point of Perseverance and so concluding the Digression concerning this Subject 365 Cap. 16. Several other Texts of Scripture besides those formerly produced in ranks and companies argued to the clear eviction of Truth in the same Doctrine viz. that the Redemption purchased by Christ in his Death was intended for all and every man without exceptiof any 403 Cap. 17. Declaring in what sence the former Passages of Scripture asserting the Vniversality of Redemption by Christ are as to this point to be understood and consequently in what sence the said Doctrine of Vniversal Redemption is maintained in the present Discourse 432 Cap. 18. Exhibiteth several Grounds and Reasons whereby the Vniversality of Redemption by Christ or Christs dying for all men without exception is demonstratively evicted 453 Cap. 19. Wherein the Sence of Antiquity together with the variableness of Judgment in Modern Writers about the Controversie under discussion is truly and unpartially represented 524 Cap. 20. The Conclusion Exhibiting a General Proposal or Survey of Matters intended for Consideration Explication and Debate in the second Part of this Work 562 CHAP. I. There is no created Being or second Cause whatsoever but dependeth upon the first and supream Cause or Being which is God and this as well in the second as in the first Act I mean as well in the Motions and Operations issuing from or performed by every of them as in their simple Existence or Being it self WE shall not need I presume to levy a dispute for the gathering §. 1. or geting in that tribute due to the Crown and Soveraignty of Being from all Beings besides which consists in an acknowledgment of his free bounty in calling them out of the abyss of vanity and nothing by the Word of his Power hereby taking them into part and fellowship with himself in his Prerogative of Being according to what was resolved by the counsell of his Will as meet to be dispeâ—sed unto every of them respectively in this kind Trees that are throughly and deeply rooted in the Earth will grow and flourish though the dew or rain from Heaven should seldome or never fall upon them but grasse and herbs and tender plants whose roots have but a slender and thin protection of their Element against the scortching violence of the Sun will soon wither and die away if the clouds of Heaven should not ever and anon drop verdure upon them and relieve them In like manner such notions and impressions in the Soul into which Nature is deeply baptized and mightily 〈…〉 ssest with their Truth are like to live and to maintain their interest and autâ—â—rity in men though not seconded or relieved by argument or dispute but those which have only taken a fainter and looser hold of the judgements and consciences of men are in danger of miscarrying and proving like the Corne upon the house top which as David observeth withereth before it be grown up a Psal 129. 6. unlesse they be timely yea and frequently encouraged back'd and strength by discourse That there is a Being which looks upon this Universe â—ith all the host of it as the workmanship of his own hands and that every creature or finite Being is lineally descended from him as their Great and first Progenitor are I conceive such principles of Light and Truth written in so fair and full a Character in the Tables of all mens hearts that even whilst they run they may read them yea and cannot lightly depose or suffer the losse of â—hem though they be not bound upon their judgments and consciences with any other bands of argument or demonstration then those of their own evidence and conviction Therefore what God hath made manifest and clear in men we shall not cast any suspition of darknesse or obscurity upon by making it matter of disputation And though the dependance of things in actuall and compleat Being upon §. 2. God for sustentation and support as well of their simple Existences and Beings themselves as of their Operations respectively which is the sence and substance of the Thesis propounded be not altogether of so pregnant an inspiration as dependance upon him for their
making away themselves or destroying their own lives though there be no absolute Decree of God to secure them in this behalf the Naturall desire of self-preservation which God hath planted in them easily over ruling by the Power and Strength of it all motions â—or dispositions towards self-destroying which are wont to arise from such occasions in like manner the strength of that inclination or desire which is or ought to be and very possibly as hath been Proved might be in the Saints to save their Soules and consequently to preserve themselves from apostasie is sufficient without any such Decree in God as was mentioned to secure them both from all danger and from all feare of apostatizing to destruction notwithstanding all weaknesses or infirmities that they are subject unto The truth is that the infirmities and weaknesses of the Saints as such are so far from being any necessary or just ground of fear unto them that they shall fall away that the sence and acknowledgement of them are most cleer pregnant and effectuall Antidotes and Preservatives against falling away For he that is inwardly and truly sensible of his own weaknesse and inability to stand will especially being a Saint or Believer most certainly depend upon him for strength who is both able and willing to supply and furnish him upon such terms 3. And lastly upon the former accompt and for a close of this Chapter §. 36. I answer that if the Doctrine of falling away be so uncomfortable unto the Saints as the objection pretends the truth is as we have in the Premisses of this Chapter made it to appear they are not much relieved at this Point by the Received Doctrine of Perseverance For this Doctrine as hath been shewed scarce suffereth any man to believe upon any Rationall competent or sufficient grounds that he is a true Saint or Believer yea and doth little lesse then tempt him to such things which are exceeding apt and likely to fill him with feares and questionings touching the truth of his Faith And what great comfort can it then be unto him to hear or believe that true Believers cannot fall away or perish whereas the other Doctrine leaveth them a good latitude of competent ground whereon to judge themselves true Saints and true Believers nor doth it deprive them of sufficient ground on which to secure themselves both against the danger and against all feare of the danger of Apostatizing or falling away to Perdition This Doctrine therefore of the two is questionless of the more benevolous aspect and influence upon the Peace and Comforts of the Saints CHAP. X. A Continuation of the former Digression wherein the Texts of Scripture commonly alledged to prove the impossibility of Saints declining unto Death are taken into consideration and discharged from that Service BEing occasioned and after a sort necessitated for the securing of §. 1. some passages of interpretation Cap. 8. being of main concernment to the Principall cause undertaken in this Discourse to ingage home in the Question about Preseverance I should according to ordinary Method and that hitherto observed in the traverse of the maine Doctrine first have argued my Sence and Judgement in the Question 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 assertively and then 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. by answering such Objections whether from Scripture or otherwise which are wont to be levied by Men of contrary judgement in opposition thereunto But finding by experience that weaker men through too much fulnesse and aboundance in their own sence in matters of Controversie and this chiefly by meanes of some Texts of Scripture running still and working in their heads which in sound of words and surface of Letter seeme to stand by them in their Sence and Notion are under a very great disadvantage either for minding or understanding such things which are spoken unto them for their information in the Truth I thought it best for their relief in this case to invert that Method in the present Dispute and first to endeavour to take from them those weapons whether of Scripture or argument wherein they trust and afterwards present them with such other Scriptures and grounds which are Able Pregnant and Proper to build them up and establish them in the Truth We shall not tie our selves to any Rule or Prescript of Order in bringing §. 2. those Scriptures upon the theatre of our Discourse which men of differing judgement in the cause in hand are wont to plead in defence thereof themselves as far as I have observed observing none but shall produce them one by one as God shall please to bring them to mind unlesse haply two or more of them by reason of affinity or likenesse in Phrase or import may commodiously enough be handled together Most of the places compelled to serve in this warfare I finde scituate in the New Testament The first that commeth to hand is that of our Saviour unto Peter and upon this Rock will I build my Church and the gates of Hell shall not prevaile against it a Mat. 16. 18 From hence it is argued that those that are once built by Faith upon the Rock Christ or upon the truth of the Gospell are not in danger or in a possibility of being prevailed against viz. to destruction by all the Powers of darkness whatsoever I answer 1. That this promissory assertion of Christ the Gates of Hell shall not prevaile §. 3. c. doth not necessarily respect every individuall and single Person who de praesenti is a Member of his Church so as to secure him of his Salvation against all possible sins or wayes of sinning whereunto he may or can be drawn by Satan but may well be understood of the Church in generall i. e. considered as a body of men separate and distinguished from the world Now the Church in this sence may be said to stand and be secured against all the Power and Attempts of the Devill though not only some but even all the Particular Saints of which this body consists at present should be prevailed against by Satan to destruction Because the ratio formalis or essence of the Church in this sence doth not consist in the Persons of those who do at present believe and so are members of it for then it would follow that in case these should die or when they shall die Christ should have no Church at all upon the Earth in as much as nothing can be without the essence of it but in the successive Generation of those who in their respective times believe whether they be fewer or whether they be more whether they be such and such Persons or whether others As suppose there be not now one drop of that Water in the chanell of the River of Thames as it is like there is not which was in it seven years since yet is it one and the same River which it was then and so put the case there be not one Person now alive in any
Sin onely is exclusive from the love and Kingdome of God is no such great mastery no such matter of difficulty unto such Men and that when they are overcome and fall into such Sins it is through a meere voluntary neglect of stiring up the Grace of God that is in them and of maintaining that holy Principle we speak of in strength and vigour by such means as God most graciously and indulgently vouchsafeth unto them in abundance for such a purpose And thus we see all things unpartially weighed and debated to and fro that the Doctrine which supposeth a possibility of the Saints finall declining is the Doctrine which is according to godlinesse and the corrivall of it an enemy thereunto That Doctrine whose genuine and proper tendency is to advance the peace and §. 36. Argum. 7. joy of the Saints in believing is of a naturall sympathy with the Gospell and upon this account a truth Such is the Doctrine which informeth the Saints of a possibility of their totall and finall falling away Ergo. Our adversaries themselves in the cause depending will not I presume regret the granting of the former proposition the truth of it being a truth so neere at hand The Minor hath received confirmation in abundance from what was argued and evinced in the 9th Chapter where we demonstratively proved that the Doctrine we now assert is of the most healthfull and sound constitution to make a Nurse for the peace and joy and comforts of the Saints whereas that which is opposite to it is but of a melancholique and sad complexion in comparison The ground we built our Demonstration upon was this That Doctrine which is of the most incouraging quickning and strengthning import to the Spirit and Grace of God in Men on the one hand and most crucifying and destructive to the flesh on the other hand must needs be a Doctrine of the best and choycest accommodation for the Peace and Comfort of Believers The reason hereof is because the Peace Joy and Comfort of Believers doe if not wholly yet in a very great measure depend upon the fruits of the Spirit and the testimony of their Consciences concerning their loyalty and faithfulnesse unto God in doing His will keeping His Commandments refraining all false wayes as David speaketh abstaining from the works of the flesh c. As on the contrary that Roote of bitternesse in the Saints from which feares and doubtings perplexities agonies and consternations of soule spring is the flesh when for want of a sharpe bridle still kept in the jawes or lips of it it breaks out becomes unruly and magnifies it self against God and His Lawes These things we prosecuted more at large in the fore named Chapter where likewise we proved above all reasonable contradiction that the sence of those who assert a possibility of the Saints drawing back even to perdition is a Doctrine of a very rich sympathy with the Spirit or regenerate part in Men of an excellent and high animation unto it and on the contrary a Doctrine morrally inspired against the flesh with all the lusts and wayes hereof Here also we gave an answer in full unto those who are wont to object and pretend that the best and holiest persons more generally cleave in their judgements to the Doctrine of absolute Perseverance as on the other hand that persons more carnally and loosely disposed more generally take up that which is contrary unto it So that we shall not need to add in this place any thing further to give weight or strength to the Argument in hand unlesse it be to certifie the Reader that since the publishing and clearing the Doctrine now asserted some very godly and seriously Religious persons have with their whole Hearts blessed God for it We proceede to another Argument That Doctrine which evacuates and turns into weaknesse and folly all that §. 37. Argum. 8. gracious counsell of the Holy Ghost which consists partly in that diligent information which he gives unto the Saints from place to place concerning the hostile cruell and bloody minde and intentions of Satan against them partly in detecting and making knowne all his subtil stratagems his Plots Methods and dangerous machinations against them partly also in furnishing them with spirituall weapons of all sorts whereby they may be able to grapple with him notwithstanding and gloriously to triumph over him partly againe in those frequent Admonitions Exhortations Incouragements to quit themselves like Men in resisting him and making good their ground against him which are found in the Scriptures and lastly in professing his feare lest Satan should circumvent and deceive them that Doctrine I say which reflects disparagement and vanity upon all these most serious and gracious applications of the Holy Ghost unto the Saints must needs be a Doctrine of vanity and error and consequently that which opposeth it by like necessity a truth But such is the common Doctrine of absolute and infallible Perseverance Ergo. The Major in this Argument is greater then exception For doubtlesse no Doctrine which is of an undervaluing import either to the Grace or Wisdome of the Holy Ghost in any Scripture transaction can be Evangelicall or consistent with truth The Minor likewise is evident upon this account All those actions or transactions ascribed to the Holy Ghost in the Major Proposition as viz. his discovering and detecting unto the Saints the hostile Spirit and machinations of Satan against them his furnishing them with spirituall weapons to conflict with him and fight against him c. are in severall places of Scripture plainely reported and attributed unto him particularly in these Jam. 4. 7. 1 Pet. 5. 8 9. Eph. 6. 11. 12 c. 2. Cor. 11. 3. 14. 2. 11. Mat. 12. 43 44 c. 2 Thess 2. 9 10. 1 Cor. 7. 5. not to mention many others Now if the Saints be in no possibility of being finally overcome by Satan or of miscarrying in the great and most important businesse of their Salvation by his snares and subtilties all that operousnesse and diligence of the Holy Ghost in those late-mentioned addressements of his unto them in order to their finall conquest over Satan will be found of very light consequence of little concernment to them Yea if the said addressements of the Holy Ghost be compared with the state and condition of the Saints as the said Doctrine of Perseverance representeth and affirmeth it to be and be digested or formed into an hypotyposis accordingly the utter uselessenesse and impertinency of them will yet much more evidently appeare Suppose we then the Holy Ghost should speake thus unto the Saints O you that truly believe who by vertue of the Promise of that God that cannot lie are fully perswaded and possest that you shall be kept by God by His irresistible Grace in true faith until death so that though Satan shall set all his wits on work and by all his stratagems snares and cunning devices seek to destroy you
Act or Decree of His Election freely and of His meer good will and pleasure irrevocably assign adjudg make over and give to His Elect Justification Salvation Glorification and what not in this kinde And if so Christ could not dye to purchase or procure these things for them because they were truly properly and by right of free donation theirs before It were ridiculous for any friend of mine to go and lay down a great sum of money to purchase or procure that on my behalf which I have already assured unto me by the free and stable and irrevocable gift and donation of him that hath a full right and power to give it unto me Therefore whereas many amongst us cry out of Socinianism as a most dangerous Heresie and the great abomination of their Souls the truth is that themselves teach and hold as rank and right-down Socinianism in their Opinion about Election as the greatest Socinians themselves can do For what is the master-veyn in the body of this Heresie but to deny that Christ truly satisfied or made any attonement for sin and that upon this ground because God freely and of His meer grace gives forgiveness of sins unto men without any satisfaction And how little doth this differ from that Doctrine of Election which passeth for currant amongst us teaching that forgiveness of sins and all the great things depending hereon are assigned and decreed unto men in their Election without any consideration had of Christs dying for them or their beleeving in him If it be here said that they who hold Election in the most absolute and §. 5. peremptory way do not say or hold that God intends actually to confer Remission of sins or eternal Life upon the Elect otherwise then for and through the satisfaction made by Christ for them in His Death though they hold that He intends without any respect had to the consideration of Christs Death actually to confer them upon them They exclude the satisfaction of Christ from having any thing to do in Gods Purpose of Election not from having any thing to do in the execution of this His Purpose here they acknowledg it to have much to do to be upon the matter all in all To this we answer That this Distinction or Explication of the Opinion doth no ways relieve it but rather burthens it more and more For 1. Certain it is that God doth not purpose or project one way and act or execute in another but His executions do exactly answer the tenor purport and form of His Purposes or Intentions Men who are subject to oversights and consequently to repentance may and many times do vary from their model or platform when they come to action because some better thing it may be hath come in their way then they thought upon in the first projection of their work But nothing can come in Gods way either more satisfactory or better pleasing unto Him then what was present with Him in the first contrivance or projection of His affairs Therefore if in point of execution He actually confers Remission of sinâ— and Salvation upon men because of and with respect unto the Death and Satisfaction of Christ it is a certain sign that He purposed this collation of them in His Purpose of Election upon no other terms and consequently that in Gods very Purpose of Electing men unto Salvation He had respect unto the Death of Christ yea and to their ingraffing into Him by beleeving and that He never purposed Salvation unto any without interâ—ssing the Death of Christ in His Intentions in this kinde as well as in His Executions of what He thus intâ—â—ds 2. If God might intend and purpose Salvation unto men without the consideration of the Death of Christ certainly He may as well actually confer and give this Salvation without any respect had thereunto For this is a general and plain Rule that whaâ— a man may lawfully will or intend to do without such or such a consideration he may as lawfully act or do it without this consideration For there iâ— every whit as much required to justifie a man in his will or purpose of doing a thing as to justifie him in his act or deed according to this will Certainly that which a man may lawfully will or purpose he may lawfully do In like manner iâ— God might lawfully I mean with the consistence of His Wisdom and Justice purpose will or decree Forgiveness of sins and Salvation unto men without considering them as Beleevers in Christ He â—ay as well actually confeâ— these things upon them without any such consideration and if so the Death of Christ is no ways necessary either to justifie oâ— commâ—nd either the Justice or the Wisdom of God in the actual Justification or Salvation of Men. So that evident it is that the Doctrine of Election as it is ordinarily entertain'd amongst us doth abrogate the Grace of God in Christ and makes His Death to be in vain But the Scripture teacheth this Doctrine upon other terms and maketh Christ i. e. the consideration of Christ and of Faith in Him the foundation of Election and that upon which God raised as it were and built it Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ saith the Apostle who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly pâ—aces or things in Christ according as He hath chosen us in Him before the foundation of the world that we should be holy a Eph. 1. 3 4. c. Observe these words according as He hath chosen us in Him Here are two things very considerable as to our purpose in these words The first lies in that word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 according as or even as Who hath blessed us i. e. actually and de facto blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly things in Christ according as or even as He hath châ—sen us this clearly shews that Gods actings His actual and present Dispensations are adequately and exactly conformable unto His Purposes or Projections God saith the Apostle to them in effect in all that He hath done for us by the Gospel and by Christ as in the enlightening of us in sanctifying of us in justifying of us in comforting of us c. hath but acted that which He had model'd and form'd out for us in His Purpose or Counsel of Election before the World began The second thing to be observed in the words is that God is here said to have chosen us in Him i. e. in Christ before the foundation of the world How or in what sence is God here said to have-elected or chosen us in Christ First I suppose the Apostle here speakâ— not of the Act buâ— of the Purpose or Decree of Election or chusing So the sence oâ— the words according as He hath chosen us in Him before the foundation of the world is this according to that Model Platform or Purpose of Election which upon the happy advantage or opportunity
yet understand not 2. The naturall and plaine inclination of the Context leads to the interpretation §. 38. and sence of the whole World contended for For the Apostle doth not simply say that Christ is the propitiation for the sinnes of the whole World but he saith it by way of an emphaticall antithesis or addition to this saying that He was the propitiation for their sinnes And he is the propitiation for our sinnes and not for ours only but also for the sinnes of the whole World This last Clause but also for the sinnes of the whole World is cleerly added by way of augmentation or further strengthning to the ground of their Faith and comfort Now evident it is that there will be little or nothing found in it tending to any such end as the further enlargement of their comfort or strengthning to their Faith above what the former Clause presented but rather that which will be prejudiciall and insnaring unto both unlesse these words of the whole World be taken in their comprehensive signification I mean for all Men in the World without exception For to say thus unto a Believer or to a Professor of the Faith of Christ who is doubtfull about the grounds of his Faith and but weake in the comfort of i◠which was apparantly the condition of those to whom Iohn Writes this Epistle and in consideration whereof that very Clause we now speak of was added to the former Christ is the propitiation for the sinnes of the Elect or of some few particular Men must needs rather add to their doubtings then their Faith and augment their feares rather then their comforts yea and would take from rather then add to that ground of consolation which He had administred in the former Clause And He is the Propitiation for our sinnes For when I am in suspence and doubtfull in my spirit whether Christ died for me or be a propitiation for my sinnes or no how should it any wayes tend or conduce to my establishment for me to know or consider that Christ died for his Elect or for some particular Men both of Iewes and Gentiles and for some only Hath not such a Doctrine or consideration as this fuell in it to increase the burnings of my feares within me instead of water to quench or allay them Or can I be ever a whit the more strengthened to believe that Christ died for me by believing that He died for some Particular Men or must not my feares in this kinde I meane whether Christ died for me or no needs be the more provoked and enraged within me by considering that Christ died for some few Particular Men only Or doth such an assertion as this that Christ died for some Particular Men though never so substantially proved though never so effectually believed any wayes enable or dispose me to believe that I am one of those Particular Men for whom he died Nay rather must not a rumination or feeding upon such a Notion or conception as that falling in conjunction with the weaknesse and doubtfulnesse of my Faith together with the sence and conscience of my many corruptions and infirmities otherwise of necessity involve and perplex me with so much the more grievous and inextricable fears that I am none of those Particular Men none of those few for whom alone Christ died Therefore any of those restrained interpretations of the whole VVorld which we have opposed do most manifestly oppose the plaine scope and drift of the Holy Ghost which was as hath been proved the strengthening or incouragement of their Faith upon rich and excellent terms whereas the true interpretation of the words and that which we plead hath the fairest and fullest consistance with such an intent which can lightly be imagined For the consideration that Christ by his death became a propitiation or made a full attonement for the sinnes of all Men without exception as it tends to magnifie the unsearchable riches of the Grace of Christ on the one hand and so is proper to strengthen the hand of every Mans Faith so on the other hand it throws down every Mountaine and fills every Valley removes all obstructions takes away all impediments cleers all scruples and so prepares a plain and smooth way for every Man to come unto Christ by believing yea and cuts off all occasion◠of relapses or faintings in Faith afterwards How it comes to passe and how it may well stand with the justice of God that notwithstanding the Death of Christ for the sins of all Men yet all Men are not saved shall be taken into consideration in due Time and Place Concerning the distinction mentioned of Christs dying sufficiently for all §. 39. Men but not efficaciously or intentionally on Gods Part as it was first hammered out by workmen of no great credit with us for spirituall building the Schoolemen I meane so is it built upon a false foundation or supposition as viz. that intentions are attributable unto God upon the same terms See also Cap. 7. Sect. 5. And cap. 8. 33. in every respect wherein they are competible unto Men the contrary whereof hath been undeniably proved Cap. 3. Sect. 7 8. c. where likewise it was particularly argued and made good that God is and very properly may be said to intend whatsoever He vouchsafeth proper and sufficient meanes to effect especially with a command to improve or use them accordingly whether the thing be effected or no. So that to affirme and grant that Christ died sufficiently for all Men and yet deny that he died intentionally for all Men is to speak contradictions and to pull down with the left hand what a Man hath built up with his right Certainly he that levieth and imployeth a proportion of meanes sufficient and proper for the bringing of any thing to passe must needs in one sence or other in one degree or other be supposed to intend the bringing to passe of such a thing Nor is it any dishonour at all unto God nor in the least unworthy of him that he doth not alwayes attaine his ends or things intended by him no more then it is that sin should be committed in the World notwithstanding his opposing it by his Authority Law and Threatnings though in strictnesse and propriety of speech it is most true that God never failes of his intentions or ends if by intentions and ends we meane only such things which are absolutely and positively intended by him But in this sence the actuall salvation of Particular Men under any other consideration then as believers is none of his intentions So God loved the World that he gave his only begotten Sonne not simply or absolutely that the World i. e. every Man no nor yet that any Man should be saved or have everlasting life but that whosoever believeth should have it So that the absolute and positive intentions of God concerning the salvation of Men are no◠concerning the salvation simply of Men or of any
we now speak of not only such things upon the sight and knowledge whereof in men we ought to judge them true Believers but even such things further which we ought to reverence and honour as the lovely and majestique characters of Faith and Holinesse in their exaltation Therefore it is but an importune pretence in men to deny them to have been true Believers To say that whilest they stood men were indeed bound in charity to judge them true Believers but by their declining they discovered themselves not to have been the men is but to beg the question and that upon very ill terms to obtain it 3. If our Saviours Rule be authentique By their fruits we shall know them a Mat. 7. 20. §. 7. we did not only stand bound by the Law of charity but by the Law of a righteous or district judgement it selfe to judge the persons we speak of true Believers whilest they adorned the Gospell with such fruits of righteousnesse as were mentioned For our Saviour doth not say by their fruits you shall have ground to conceive or to conjecture them such or such or to judge them in charity such or such but you shall know them Now what a man knows he is not bound to conjecture or to judge it in a way of charity to be that which he knoweth it to be but positively to judge and conclude of it acordingly If then it be possible as hath been said for men by any Signs Fruits Works Expressions in one kinde or other to know true Believers which our Saviour in the said Rule and elseqhere seemeth to suppose to be very possible the persons we speak of may be known to have been such 4. And lastly if that Doctrine of Perseverance in the comfort whereof §. 8. men so much rejoyce intangles them with such a necessity for the defence of it as this I meane to judge all those to have been Hypocrites or unsound in the Faith who afterwards apostatize and decline to prophannesse it will be found upon a true account to be a Doctrine of no such good accord with their peace or comfort as is pretended or as they in considerately imagine For what will it availe me to my Peace or Comfort though I be never so fully resolved or perswaded that in case I be a true Believer I shall never fall away to Perdition if in the meane time I be so intangled in my judgement that I can hardly if at all have any sufficient or cleare ground to judge when or that I am a true Believer or be otherwise occasioned strongly to suspect and doubt of the truth of my Faith Now if I must of necessity conclude all those to have been Hypocrites or pretenders only unto true Faith who afterwards fall and rise no more I must needs hereby minister an occasion of a thousand feares and jealousies to my self and my own conscience touching the truth and soundnesse of mine own Faith lest this should be of no better kinde or constitution then theirs And being compassed about with such fears and jealousies as these what great peace or comfort am I capable of touching my Salvation Or what is it to me whether true Believers may fall away or no when as I lie under the heavy pressure of so many doubts and debates with my selfe whether I be a true Believer or no If it be replied yea but I may have security and assurance enough for the §. 9. truth and soundnesse of mine own Faith because I am perfectly conscious to the uprightnesse and simplicity of mine own heart which I could not be of theirs and therefore though I might very possibly be mistaken touching the truth of their Faith having nothing to found my judgement in this kinde upon but only their outward deportments yet having the testimony of mine own heart and conscience together with my outward conversation I may here be confident though I miscarried there To this also I answer 1. Far be it from me to deny but that a man may very possibly attaine unto a very strong and potent assurance and that upon grounds every wayes sufficient warantable and good that his Faith is sound and saving yea and such wherein persevering unto the end he shall undoubtedly be actually saved I shall not need to argue this because it is nothing but what is owned on both sides But 2. I verily believe withall that there is not one true Believer of an hundred §. 10. I might say of many thousands who hath any such assurance as this of the truth and soundnesse of their Faith such an assurance I meane which is built upon solid and pregnant foundations and which are proper to beare it my reasons are two 1. Because though the testimony of a mans Heart and Conscience touching his uprightnesse towards God or the soundnesse of any thing that is saving in Him be comfortable and cheering yet seldom are these Properties this comfortablenesse and cheeringnesse of it built upon such foundations which are sufficient to warrant them at least upon such whose sufficiency in this kinde men duly apprehend For the testimony of the Conscience of a Man touching any thing which is spiritually and excellently good is of no such value unlesse first it be excellently inlightned with the knowledge of the Nature Properties and Condition of that of which it testifieth and 2. Be in the actuall Contemplation Consideration or Remembrance of what it knoweth in this kinde when it rendreth such testimony Now there are I question not many thousands both of Men and Women in the World who truly believe and whose Hearts are upright with God who yet are not to any such degree inlightened about the Natures and Properties either of a true Faith or uprightnesse of Heart but that the testimony which their Consciences give concerning these is liable to many Disputes and Questions about the certainty and truth of it in the Consciences themselves which give it This is the constant and known experience of in a manner the whole believing World there being not one amongst many of the inhabitants hereof the testimony of whose Consciences touching the soundnesse of his Faith is upon any such terms or to any such Degree either Comforting or Cheering but that He conflicts with many feares and scruples and doubtfull apprehensions notwithstanding 2. The comfortablenesse and cheeringnesse of the testimony which any §. 11. Mans Conscience gives touching the soundnesse of his Faith and the uprightnesse of his Heart towards God depending mainly and Principally upon the uniforme regulate and constant tenor of his life and conversation in wayes of Holiness and there being so few even among the Saints themselves who are to any competent or considerable degree carefull to walke without stumblings and slippings and many straines of unworthinesse hence it must needs follow that that testimony of Conscience we speake of will faulter and be divided in it self and though that which is comforting and
know is restlesse and thoughts of any long standing in the minds of Men hardly removed Therefore it is like notwithstanding all that hath been argued hetherto some will still object and say we cannot yet be satisfied but that your Doctrine of falling away must needs be very uncomfortable and of sad importance to the Saints because though there be but a possibility only of their falling away yet considering their manifold and great weaknesses and aptnesse to sin they must needs be in continuall feares lest this possibility should be reduced into Act. And therefore there is nothing that can blesse them with any security or peace in this kinde but the knowledge and belief of some such fixed and unchangeable Decree of God as this that however they shall never fall away to perdition Nor is there the same consideration of a Saints refraining from sin and of a Mans forbearing to destroy his Naturall Life by wilfull precipitation poysoning himself or the like because the inclination which is in Men to preserve their Naturall Lives and beings and so to refraine all things manifestly destructive to them is Potent Vigorous and Active whereas the inclination to abstaine from sin which is in the Saints is comparatively weak much incumbred and broken by the flesh the frequent Motions and Temptations thereof c. To these things and whatsoever may be further pretended in the same kinde I answer 1. Though that disposition which is in the Saints to forbeare sin be neither §. 29. so free nor so full of Energy and Power as the Naturall inclination in Men to preserve their Naturall Beings yet 1. Even this inclination it self is not so intire or free or so strong but that it is liable to temptation also and subject to be incountered yea and sometimes is overcome as in those who under great Pangs and Agonies of discontent lay violent hands upon themselves Therefore there is no such great disproportion between the one inclination and the other as the Objection supposeth But 2. Be it granted that the Propension in the Saints to abstaine from sin §. 30. simply and in the generall is nothing so energeticall or powerfull as the Naturall desire in Men to preserve their Naturall lives yet possibly it may be yea probably it is every whit as potent and operative in Reference to some sins and particularly to those which are likely to occasion or produce finall Apostasie For though there be in every sin whatsoever a Naturall tendency according to the kinde and degree of it towards Apostasie even that which is finall as there is in every light prick with a Pin in a Mans finger towards the dissolution of the Naturall Life yet as no man is disturb'd in his Peace and Comfort touching the continuance of his health and life by a drop oâ— two of Blood dramn from his finger by the scratch of a Pin so neither is there any reasonable ground or occasion why upon the commission oâ—â—â—ry sin a Saint should be struck into a Passion of feare of falling away uâ—lesse he hath an assurance from Heaven that he shall not fall away They are not sins of infirmity or sins quotidiani incursus as Austine somewhere calls them i. e. sins of a daily incursion but only such sins quaevastant conscientiam as the Schoole-mâ—â—s â—hrase is i. e. that lay wast the Conscience which have any dangerous 〈…〉 ity with falling away Now I suppose that in respect of such sins as these the inclination of the Saints may well be as strong and free towâ—â—ds â— Non-commission or Refrainement as the Naturall Inclination in Men is towards a self-preservation 3. Whether that inclination or disposition in the Saints which we now §. 31. speake of be actually and in the generality of them according to their present conditions commensurable in Strength Power and every other desireable Property with the inclination in Men to preserve their Naturall Beings by the forbearance of all acts whatsoever apparantly destructive to them or no most certaine it is that God hath vouchsafed unto them a sufficiency of means yea means in abundance to make them every wayes commensurable hereunto yea to raise them to an higher Pitch or Degree of Strength and Power then so yea and further hath made them the Saints themselves I meane every wayes capable all their infirmities and weaknesses considered and allowed for of the use of these means even to the actuall producing of such a glorious and blessed effect as that So that if the said inclination in them be not every wayes as serviceable unto them in securing them against all feares of acting in any way apparantly destructive to their great spirituall interest the saving of their Soules as the other inclination in Men is unto them to secure them from fears of doing any thing knowingly to the unavoideable losse of their lives the fault is meerly and absolutely in themselves and this not through any infirmity or weaknesse which is Naturall to them and so inseparable but through a Grosse Rank and Stupid carelessenesse and sloath If thus then is not the Doctrine of falling away any wayes prejudiciall to the Peace and Comfort of the Saints in respect of it self but meerly accidentally and occasionally viz. as the Saints will voluntarily and without any necessity either from within or from without compeling them break out into such extravagancies of sin which that Doctrine being true may justly fill them with fears of falling away and perishing But let me say this too which here is not to be omitted that even the Assertors themselves of the common Doctrine of Perseverance doe affirme and teach that their Doctrine it self notwithstanding the Saints under such extravagancies of sin as we speak of can have no Comfort Peace or Assurance of Salvation and consequently no assurannce of Persevering in Faith unto the end Therefore by their own confessions and tenor of discourse there is no such great difference between the two Doctrines in Reference to the Peace or Comfort of the Saints the one I meane that of Perseverance leaving them obnoxious unto feares and doubtings as well as the other yea if sentence were given between them according to truth that of Perseverance must be adjudged not only to leave the Saints under a possibility or capacity of discomfiture and feare which indeed the other doth but under a sore temptation also as we have formerly proved of tormenting themselves with such fears which the other doth not If it be demanded But what are the meanes which God hath given as §. 32. I say so abundantly unto the Saints to make themselves as free as strong in inclination to avoid things apparantly destructive to their spirituall Peace and Salvation of their Soules as Naturally Men are to forbeare all such actions which are apparantly destructive to their Naturall Lives so that they need not be any whit more afraid of losing their Soules through their own actings then men are or
body is one and hath many members and all the members of that one body being many are one body so also is Christ i. e. so also is it with Beleevers who in respect of their spiritual Being are from Christ meaning that though they be many personally distinct yet they make one spiritual or mystical body with Christ their Head Now when the Promises are said to be made to Abraham and his spiritual seed Beleevers the meaning is not as if they were so or upon such terms made to them that none but they had any right to receive them or beleeve them for then it must follow that men must or ought to be Beleevers before they receive or beleeve the Promises which is impossible But the Promises are made to Abraham and his seed i. e. the great Inheritance of Life and Salvation promised by God is promised as touching the actual exhibition or collation of it unto Beleevers onely such as Abraham himself was and such as those who desire to be accounted his seed must be But this supposeth not but that the said Promises are in this sence made to Adam and his seed i. e. to all Mankinde viz. that all and every Person of Mankinde as well as Adam yea or Abraham himself have a right to beleeve them so that in case they should beleeve them they should do no unjust or unrighteous thing Nay they have not onely a right but a grand necessity likewise lying upon them to beleeve them as well in respect of the Commandment of God who commands no unjust or unrighteous thing as of their own eternal Peace and Safety whereof they will certainly make shipwrack unless they do beleeve them A second Demonstration whereby Christ dying for all Men is euinced §. 4. Argum. 2. is this If Christ dyed not for all Men without exception then He dyed for the Elect onely But He dyed not for the Elect onely Therefore for all Mâ—n without exception I presume the former Proposition will be granted without further Proof because they who deny that Christ dyed for all generally suppose and grant that He dyed for some and by Name for the Elect and indeed for these onely So that if it be proved either that He dyed not for the Elect at all or not for the Elect onely then according to their own Principles and grounds it follows that He dyed for all Now then that He dyed not for the Elect and much more not for the Elect onely which was the Minor Proposition appears thus If the state and condition of the Elect were such that Christ needed no more to dye for them then He needed to dye for the Holy and Elect Angels then Christ dyed not for these much less for these onely But the state and condition of the Elect was such that there was no more need that Christ should dye for them then for the Elect Angels Ergo. In this Argument I reason I confess upon my Adversaries grounds not mine own concerning Election but howsoever such a process of arguing as this is very serviceable for the confirmation of a Truth in opposition to an Error and the Apostie Paul himself sometimes 1 Cor. 15. 29 useth it in a like case as 1 Cor. 15. 29. The Major Proposition in this last Argument standeth upon this ground that there was no need that Christ should dye for the Holy or Elect Angels I suppose this will not be denyed or doubted of by any but however it is clearly enough asserted by the Apostle in that saying of his Gal. 2. 21 I do not frustrate the Grace of God Gal. 2. 21. for if Righteousness i. e. Justification come by the Law then Christ is dead in vain i. e. without any necessity or reasonable cause moving thereunto But now if there had been a necessity that Christ should have dyed for the Elect Angels it would not have followed that His Death had been in vain though men might have been justified by the Law Therefore if there were no more reason no more need why Christ should dye for the Elect of Men then for the Elect Angels certainly He did not dye for them much less for them onely But now that there was no more reason no more need why Christ should dye for the Elect of Men then for the Elect Angels which was the substance of the Minor Proposition appears by this double consideration 1. Because God loved the Elect I mean the Elect of Men and that as such as Elect without any consideration had of Christs dying for them with as great a love as He did the Elect Angels yea with as great as it was possible for him to bear to them 2. Because Salvation and Eternal Glory were decreed and adjudged to them and consequently were made truly and properly theirs in and by Gods Purpose in Electing them God in Electing them without any consideration or respect had unto Jesus Christ dying or to dye for them or unto their beleeving in him did irreversibly appropriate and consign over unto them Eternal Life From these two grounds it follows undeniably that there was no more need for Christ to dye for the Elect of Mankinde then for the Elect Angels For 1. If God loved the Elect of Men with as great a love as He loves the Elect Angels or as He is capable of bearing towards them what occasion what necessity was there that Christ should dye for the one more then for the other The same Love affords the same Favors the same Priviledges without any mediation to equalize it in this kinde If God loved the Elect of Men as much as intensely as the Holy Angels considered onely as Elect or before their Election for this is the notion and sence of our Adversaries in the Point in hand then the offence and distance occasioned by sin between him and them was wholly ceased and taken out of the way before the Blood of the Covenant was sprinkled on them before the Attonement came at them as the Hebrew women in the story were delivered of their Exod. 1. 19. children before the midwives came at them And if so if the offence and distance caused between God and his Elect by means of sin was swallowed up in the Love of Election so that he loved them now considered onely as Elect or to be Elected as much as He did or could do upon their actual ingraffing into Christ and participation of His Death to what purpose should Christ dye for them or what profit is there in the Blood of Christ as to them God thought every whit as well of them loved them as much intended to do as much for them yea irreversibly decreed adjudged as great things unto them before and without all consideration had of the Death of Christ as He did or could do upon the consideration of it 2. God out of His Love of Election as the Doctrine of Election is commonly taught and received amongst us did in the very
where I apprehend strength and shew all submissive reverence to that which is above me Yea God knoweth that one Reason moving me to exhibit beforehand in the close of this first part a Particular of matters to be handled in the second was that in case any Friend of the contrary Doctrine conceives that he hath somewhat more pregnant or convincing on the behalf of his Opinion either from the Scriptures or otherwise then any thing that I have yet taken into consideration or intend to give satisfaction unto he might have the opportunity of representing the same either privately unto me if he please or otherwise publiquely unto the World By occasion of the Objection or Argument mentioned in the fourteenth place we shall by way of Digression lanch forth into the deep of the Great Question concerning Personal Election and Reprobation and soberly enquire whether the Scriptures do any where hold forth or teach any such Decree of Reprobation in God from Eternity whereby the persons of such and such men or of such a determinate number of men before any actual or voluntary sin perpetrated by them and without any respect had to such Perpetrations be decreed by him to be left under an unavoydable necessity of perishing everlastingly Here also we intend tenderly to enquire what the Scripture teacheth concerning the Estate of Infants and more particularly whether it can be substantially proved from them that any Infant or Infants whatsoever dying before the commission of Actual Sin are adjudged by God unto Hell fire In my Answer to the Argument propounded in the fifteenth place I shall take occasion digression-wise also to enquire into and discuss the Great Question about Universal Grace viz. whether God vouchsafeth not unto all Men without exception a sufficiency of power or means whereby to be saved Within the verge of this Debate we shall modestly enquire whether God doth not vouchsafe unto all Men the same or a like sufficiency at least in a Geometrical proportion of means whereby to be saved And because amongst other Scriptures the nineth Chapter of the Epistle §. 9. to the Romans is frequently and this in very many places and passages of it brought upon the Stage of these Controversies and Disputes and more particularly supposed to deliver impregnable grounds for such a personal Election and Reprobation which we apprehend the Scriptures generally yea and in this very Chapter as plainly to oppose as many men do confidently avouch we therefore intend a particular and entire Explication of this Chapter by it self Yea I am under some present inclination of thoughts to engage upon this in the first place and to publish it by it self before I put hand to the greater Work But in this I shall willingly be determined by the advice of Friends Concerning the Testimonies of the Fathers usually produced in way of discountenance to the avouched Doctrine of this Discourse I judg the Transcription of them no ways necessary until we come to give Answers unto them and therefore shall not encumber the Readers Patience with them here Unto whom in stead thereof I shall address my self in this double Request 1. That he will please so far to comport with his own Interest and mine as to strive by fervent and frequent Prayer to interess God himself in the Composure of the Work intended that through much of his presence with me in the framing and enditing of it if yet his good pleasure shall be not to judg a proportion of life and health for the finishing of it too high a dignation for me all my insufficiency for so great an Undertaking may be drowned so as not to appear in one kinde or other to the loss or disadvantage of any man that shall please to bestow his time in the Perusal of it or of any part of it and that I may be enabled from on high to bring forth the Truth in those high Mysteries which I shall be occasioned to search into therein out of that thick Darkness which at present is spred by men round about them into a clear and perfect Light that so they may become more savory more wholesom and better-prepared nourishment for the understandings and Consciences of the generality of men amongst us then they have proved hitherto My second Request to the Reader with which I shall discharge him at the present is that he will make such a Covenant with his Expectations and Desires as not to look for the publishing of the second Part of this Work till after such a time which may be reasonably judged competent for a man of a slow genius in writing on the one hand and of almost continual diversions through by-employments on the other hand to raise and finish such a Building as that in Reason may be presumed to be FINIS A Table of such Texts of Scripture unto which some Light more or-less is given in the foregoing Discourse besides many others occasionally cited therein Note Because from pag. 153 to pag. 168 inclusively the Folio's are mis-figured that the Reader may not suffer hereby in his use of the ensuing Tables he is desired to take knowledg that the Particulars falling within the compass of those Pages are directed unto by their respective Chapters and Sections and not by the Number of their Pages as the rest are GEnes 1. 3. And God said Let there be Light Page 49 1. 6. let there be a Firmament Ib. 1. 9. let the waters under the Heavens be gathered c. Ibid. 2. 4. In the day that the Lord created Heaven and Earth c. 58 6. 6. And it repented the Lord that he had made man c. 152 39. 9. How then can I do this great wickedness and sin c. 261 Lev. 25. 10. And ye shall hallow the fiftieth year proclaim liberty throughout all the Land to all the inhabitants thereof c. 521 25. 13. In the year of this Jubilee ye shall return every man unto his possession Ibid. Num. 21. 8. Make thee a fiery Serpent and set it upon a pole c. 520 Deut. 13. 11. And all Israel shall hear and fear and shall do no more any such wickedness as this is among you 20 17. 12 13. And the man that will do presumptuously even that man shall dye and thou shalt put away the evil from Israel And all the people shall hear and fear and do no more presumptuously 216 1 Sam. 2. 30. I said indeed that thy house and the house of thy Father should walk before me for ever But now the Lord saith Be it far from me c. 22 209 13. 13. For now would the Lord have established thy Kingdom for ever 209 23. 12 13. Then said David will the men of Keilah deliver me up into his hand will Saul come down as thy servant hath heard And the Lord said he will come down and they will deliver thee up 9 2 King 20. 6. And I will add unto thy days fifteen years 9
cheering in it may be predominant yet the consciousness and sence of irregularities in Mens wayes must needs detract proportionably from the same The credit and authority of that testimony which any Mans Conscience gives in unto him touching the truth and soundnesse of his Faith must needs in a very great measure depend upon the equable flowings or issuings forth hereof in wayes and workes of Righteousness because when there is any considerable interruption in these that testimony will be suspended and put to silence for the time unless the Conscience it self be under the power of some delusion This is evident from the Scriptures themselves in many places Little Children saith John let no Man deceive you he that doth Righteousnesse is righteous a 1 Joh. 3. 7 This caveat let no Man deceive you plainely intimates that the Consciences even of Christians and true Believers themselves for such Johns little Children here are on all hands presum'd to be may very possibly be deceived in their estimate of a righteous Man or which is the same of a sound Believer and judge him to be either the one or the other who is neither This is chiefly spoken and is accordingly to be understood concerning a Mans judging of himself Whereas he adds he that doth righteousnesse is righteous it is to be understood emphatically and exclusively so that he and he only who doth righteousnesse is to be judged a righteous Man the Scripture frequently expressing it selfe after the same manner a See Esa 66 2 Gal. 3. 12. Joh 3. 16. Now by doing righteousnesse he doth not meane the doing of some righteous acts now and then but a constant and uniforme practise of righteousness humane frailties only excepted which come not in to this account For in the Writings of this Apostle as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 b 1 Ioh. 3. 8 9 usually if not constantly signifies as it were to follow a Trade or Course of sinning to sin with the like frequency and dexterity that a Tradesman works upon his ordinary calling or occupation so doth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c 1 Ioh. 2. 29. 7. 10. and so 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 d 1 Ioh. 1. 6 Ioh 3. 21. and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 e Ioh. 7. 17 9. 31 c. signifie a proportionable acting of righteousness and of the truth and of the Will of God Now if no Man can or ought upon Scripture grounds to be judged a righteous Man or sound Believer but only he who doth or worketh righteousnesse upon such terms as these evident it is that in what degree Men fall short of these terms in working righteousnesse the testimony of their Consciences touching the soundness of their Faith and uprightness of their Hearts towards God must needs fâ—ulter and be incumbred with doubts and fears proportionably unless thâ—â— Consciences themselves be mis-inform'd or hardned Therefore what Doctrine soever occasioneth Men to question the sufficiency of their obedience or righteous walkings for rendring the testimony of their Consciences touching the soundnesse of their Faith valid and worthy belief can be of no such lovely or desireable Consequence for their Comfort and Peace and consequently the Doctrine of Perseverance cannot in a righteous judgement be adjudged such Because as hath been already argued it still necessitateth Men to give sentence against a better and more uniforme Righteousnesse then their own I meane the practicall Righteousnesse of many who 〈…〉 erwards apostatized without returning as being invalid and insufficient to evince those to have been true Believers in whom it was found And if I stand bound in Conscience to judge those to have been Hypocrites or Pretenders only to a true Faith and not true Believers indeed whose Righteousnesse and Fruitfulnesse of conversation by many degrees exceeded mine am I not strongly hereby occasioned yea ingaged to question the truth and soundnesse of mine own Faith especially considering as hath been said that the evidence of the truth and reality of every Mans Faith depends so much upon the fruitfulnesse and operativenesse of it in wayes and works of Righteousness The Premises duly considered that Doctrine of Perseverance over which §. 12. the generality of Professors so impotently rejoyce as being of so desireable and rich a compliance with their spirituall Comfort and Peace must needs appeare to be a Doctrine of no such import or accommodation to them but rather a Doctrine very apt and likely to intice them into a boldnesse and venturousnesse in sining and consequently must needs dispose them to apostasie and declining yea and fill their Consciences many times with dread and horror and very frequently with great jealousies inextricable Questions and Disputes about the truth and soundness of their Faith Yea but will the friends of the said Doctrine it is like still say we §. 13. finde it very sweet and comfortable to us whereas the contrary Doctrine which tells us of a possibility of our finall apostacy and falling away is very sad and full of discouragement c. To these things and all that can be pretended in this kind we answer 1. Suppose the Doctrine we speak of were never so comfortable yet this would be no Argument of the truth or goodnesse of it unlesse the comfortablenesse of it be found in due consistence with the Wisdome and Righteousnesse of God It were easy to invent twenty Doctrines every whit as comfortable nay much more comfortable as this in respect of the Natures and Imports of them which yet will be found notoriously defective in point of Truth because they hold not any regular Proportion with those Attributes of God As for example such Doctrines as these All Men without exception shall be saved whether they believe or not no Man shall be punished for any sinâ—â— whatsoever neither in this World nor in that which is to come Men are as much appâ—â—ed of by God in the committing of the greatest sinne as in the performance of the greatest duty such Doctrines I say as these are much more sweet and comfortable in respect of their frame constitution and import then that which affirmes a necessity of the Saints preseverance But as those Doctrines with their fellowes are not to be commended nor entertained for their sweetnesse or comfortablenesse sake having no approbation or countenance from God in His Word so neither is the common Doctrine of Perserverance at all to be regarded for any thing of like accommodation I meane for any thing sweet or comfortable in it unlesse the stamp of Divine Authority could be shewed upon it which by no light yet extant is to be seene 2. Though Doctrines and other means of spirituall comfort are very §. 14 desireable and earnestly to be pursued and contended for when they are regular and lawfull yet as we must be content to be at the allowance of our Heavenly Father for the accommodations and comforts of this present Life and not be our own Carvers of all that
comes within our reach for such a purpose so ought we no less to rest satisfied with such grounds and meanes for our spirituall consolation which God hath judged meete for us and hath Himself administred unto us in His Word and not straine our phantasies or apprehensions to mould such Notions and Doctrines as we our selves conceit to be commodious and serviceable to us in such a way And as it is an high reproach unto the gracious and bountifull Providence of God for Men to have recourse unto the Devill or any of his uncleane Arts or Methods for their temporall supplies in any kinde so is it no less if not rather much more dishonorable to Him when Men shall make themselves beholding to a spirit of error for the supports or supplies of their inner Man But 3. No such Notion or Doctrine which is only comfortable and betiding §. 15. peace to the flesh i. e. the corrupt base and sensuall part of a Man ought to be esteemed especially by the Saints so much as comfortable simply and indeed or any meanes of peace truly so called but should rather be looked upon as prejudiciall unto and of an evill influence upon their whole interest in this kinde For that which is proper to strengthen the hand of the flesh can very hardly if at all be serviceable unto the Spirit in the things of the Peace and Comfort thereof Now that the Doctrine so often named is a grand Benefactresse to the flesh a full fountaine of joy and gladnesse unto it hath been sufficiently proved in this Chapter already I here only add this brief demonstration further It must needs be a Doctrine speaking to the heart of the flesh because it administreth a certaine hope unto it that it shall however escape the wrath and vengeance which is to come yea though it dispoâ—teth it self in all manner of loosenesse and licentiousness in the meane time For this iâ— the spirit that speaks in that Doctrine That it is no wayes comforting or strengthening to the spirit or spirituall §. 16. and regenerate part of a Man but rather fulsome and importune is evident from hence because a man so far as he is regenerate and spirituall desires not wisheth not Heaven or Salvation it self but only in wayes of Holinesse and of Honor nor would he purchase a dispensation though it were offered unto him with the least haire on his head to take his fill in the pleasures of sin without danger Nay if an Angell from Heaven should come and offer such a dispensation as this unto him upon the terms specified it would be as an uncleane and accursed offer unto him The Holy Angels because they have no flesh no corruption in them though they be mutable as all Creatures whatsoever by the unavoideable Law of their Creation are value not their happinesse or their security in their standings at the least mite the less because they have no liberty of sinning without danger nor would they account such a liberty any priviledge or comfort at all to them if they had it But that they are capable or in a possibility of sinning as well as Men regenerate though not in so neer a capacity we shall I conceive have opportunity to demonstrate in the sequell of the Discourse Now a Man regenerate take him so far as he is spirituall and borne of God valueth opportunities of sinning no more than an Angell nor desireth continuance in the love and favour of God upon any other terms or conditions then such on which the Lord Christ Himself as it seemes injoyed it If yee keepe my Commandements yee shall abide in my Love even as I have kept my Fathers Commandements and abide in his Love a Ioh. 15. 10 So then evident it is that the new Man taketh no pleasure rejoyceth not in any such Doctrine which insures either perseverance in Faith or continuance in the Favour and Love of God to it upon any other terms then of walking holily and humbly with him And upon these terms the Doctrine which teacheth a Possibility of the Saints declining insureth both the said glorious accommodations with as high an hand of security as it Yea the Truth is that the received Doctrine of Perseverance is so far §. 17. from gratifying the spirituall part of a Man that it is to it what Peter was to Christ when he counselled him to pitty himself b Mat. 16. 22 I meane an offence oâ— what those Christians were unto Paul of whom He complained that they brake his heart with weeping c Acts 21 13 For it secretly whispers and suggests unto it such things the Nature and Proper tendency whereof is to scatter what the spirit hath gathered to dissolve and break the strength of those holy Purposes and Resolutions wherewith the Regenerate part hath harnassed and armed it self against temptations unto evill When the new Man in a Servant of God shall with Paul have reasoned and resolved thus I will keepe under my Body and bring it into subjection lest that by any meanes when I have Preached unto others I my self should be a cast-away d 1 Cor. 6. 27 he that shall come and insinuate thus into him whether thou keepest under thy Body or no whether thou bringest it into subjection or whether thou sufferest it to wax wanton thou shalt be in no danger in no possibility of being a cast-away shall he not loosen the very foundation ground-work of such a resolution which was the sence and apprehension of the great danger of being a cast-away in case his body was not kept under Or suppose a Man should argue and conclude thus within himself I will labour with my hands that I may have whereof both to subsist honestly and to doe good unto others would not such a suggestion as this to him that he shall have that which will be abundantly sufficient for both purposes whether he laboureth with his hands or no be a temptation and snare upon him to retract his Conclusion in that kinde If it be here said yea but a certaine knowledge and full assurance that §. 18. God will never cease to love me will bestow Salvation and blessednesse upon me whatsoever my failings shall be is an effectuall motive unto my heart and soule to cleave unto him in all love and faithfullnesse and consequently is nourishing cheering and strengthning even to the inner man To this I Answer 1. That the inner or new Man in the Saints takes no pleasure at all in any such Notion or Perswasion as this that it may or shall injoy the Love of God or Salvation it selfe under the practise of all manner of sin and wickednesse whatsoever The very sound of these last words is harsh and uncouth unto it Nor can it easily be perswaded that any such Perswasion is from GOD. 2. Should it be granted that a full and Perfect assurance of the continuance of the Love of God upon all upon any