nor according to godliness The Major is evident because it is for the interest of souls to be filled with all joy and peace in believing and to rejoyce in hope of the glory of God and therefore it is a part of the Ministers duty to be helpers of the peoples joy that they may serve God with gladness of heart Rom. 5. 2. Chap. 14. 17. 15. 13. 2 Cor. 1. 24. Deut. 28. 47. The Minor is proved in this fifth Dialogue * Read also the Relation of the fearful estate of Francis Spiâ—a Colasterion Ezek. 13. 22 23. Ye have made the heart of the righteous sad whom I have not made sad and strengthned the hands of the wicked that he should not return from his wicked way Therefore ye shall see no more vanity Etsi in fidem non illuminantur nec Evangeliâ— essi aciam verè Other proofâ— of the Minor sentiunt nisi qui praeordinati sunt ad salutem 〈◊〉 tamen ostendit reprobos interdum simili ferè sensu aâ—que â—â—ectos â—ffici ut ne suo quidem judici quicquam ab electis differaâ— Qâ—aâ—e â—â—â—il absurdi quod caelestium donorum gustus ab Apostol temporalis fides Hebr. 6. 4. Luk. 8. 7. à Christo illâ—s adscribitur non quod vim spiritualis gratiae solidè percipiant ac certumfidei lumen sed quia Dominus ut magis convictos inexcusabiles reddat se insinuat in horum mentes quatenus sine adoptionis Spiritu gustari potest ejus bonitas Calvin Instit lib. 3. cap. 2. sect 11. AND now Reader I appeal to all the World for judgment whether men that have espoused such principles be not like to march out upon a very hopeful Expedition in their enterprize for Reformation while they continue such Forces under their Regiment as are so apt upon all occasions to Face about and give fire upon themselves instead of aiding them in carrying on the War against Vice and Wickedness They may Magisterially dictate their Prescriptions for a Form of Godliness but doubtless in the profession of these principles they do shamefully evacuate if not utterly deny the power thereof But some man may demand If these Doctrines be so pernicious unto godliness What is the Reason that such as do embrace them do not run headloâ—g after their unbridled lusts into all manner of wickedness To which I answer 1. That doubtless too too many do take liberty to pollute themselves with the foulest sins and flatter themselves that they shall be saved harmless upon the account of these Doctrines 2. Some dissemble their crimes for other advantages or excuse * or extenuate or adopt them into the Family of Virtue Qâ—aere Whether men of those rigid opinions do think all those sins mentioned in the Apostles Catalogue Gal. 5. 19 20 21. to be damnable and make a like conscience to avoid them all Did not Mr. Knox call it a godly Fact in James Melvin when he murdered the Arch-bishop of St. Andrews And do not others now adayes account such Facts the work of God and a doing God service * John 16. 2. as well as Mr. Knox. 3. Men may be very resolute to do and suffer much to gratisie the pride of their opinion Maccovius * De Atheis in Corâ—l mentions one Luciolus in France who endured to be burnt for Atheiâ—m 4. There are many and God be blessed there are so many that lead a very godly life not discerning the pernicious consequences of those Doctrines which they do maintain And 5. As Cicero writeth of the Disciples of Epicurus so I may say of these It is not the Genâ—us of their Doctrine but the honesty of their Nature and the Goads of Conscience that do prompt and incite them to a good life To which I may add 6. The power of some other principles whereby the Divine Grace doth act in them Lastly If they of another perswasion can clearly and solidly defend the honour of the Divine Attributes viz. Gods Mercy and Justice his Holiness Truth and Sincerity and justifie the Necessity Vse and Exercise of the Ministerial Office upon their own grounds I do unfeignedly promise to subscribe But if they be not able to perform this then as Vincentius Lirinensis hath it Dediscant benè quod dedicerunt non benè ex toto Ecclesiae dogmate quod intellectu capi potest capiant quod non potest credant Commonit cap. 25. ad finem AN ADDITIONAL DIALOGUE BETWIXT SAMARITANUS and DESOLATUS Design'd to satisfie the DOVBTS of CONSCIENCE Affrighted at that which Mr. Calvin both made and call'd THE HORRIBLE DECREE OF Reprobation JER 8. 22. Is there no Balm in Gilead ISA. 35. 3. Strengthen ye the weak hands and confirm the feeble knees 1 THES 5. 14. Comfort the feeble-minded support the weak LONDON Printed by E. M. for William Leak at the Crown in Fleet-street between the two Temple-gates 1661. THE SIXTH DIALOGUE BETWIXT SAMARITANVS and DESOLATVS SAmaritanus How now my Desolatus what solitary still hath Mr. Diotrephes lest you alone Desolatus All alone Sir to my self and my own sad thoughts Samaritanus I hope he hath left you satisfaction behind him and then he might take his leave with confidence Desolatus Yes he hath given me satisfaction and I thank him for his labour Samaritanus I am very glad of that but why so pensive and dejected still if you have received satisfaction Desolatus I perceive his Doctrine contains no cordial of hope for one in my condition that is all the satisfaction I have gained and sure you must needs think there is but cold comfort in that Samaritanus Whatever his Application have been I know 't is impossible the Father of Mercies should be defective in his provisions for healing the sad and broken soul for he saith To this man will I look even to him that is poor and of a contrite spirit and trembleth at my Word And to what end doth he look Isa 66. 2. to persons of this frame and temper of spirit but to revive the spirit of the humble and to revive the heart of the contrite ones Ch. 17. 15. In confidence therefore of his compassion towards you and his assistance to my self in this charitable enterprize I desire to renew my Discourse with you in order to your better satisfaction and comfort And let me tell you as the ground-work from Mr. Baxter That all the terrifying temptations which are grounded on misrepresentations of God as if he were a cruel destroyer Direct for peace of Consc Dir. 7. pag. 46. to be fled from are dispelled by the due consideration of his goodness and the deep setled apprehensions of his gracious merciful lovely nature which indeed is the first work of true Religion and the very Master-radical Act of true Grace and the Maintainer of spiritual life and motion If you think of God as one that ia glad of all advantages against you and delighteth Ib.
not you will be ready to say that all the benefits forementioned are administred to the worst that perish * Mr. Baxter's Preface to the Grot. Religion Sect. 8. And I conclude not only from thence that they are ineffectual but also because I find those of your judgment do add * Idem in his Directions to prevent Miscar in Convers pag. 267. That with this means God doth set in and infallibly cause it to be effectual and to whom oâ—ly to his chosen And Dr. Twiss a Vbi supra pag. 116. doth readily acknowlâ—dge That God unto the outward Ministry of the Word doth not for the most part add the efficacy of his Spâ—rit to work mâ—n unto Faith and Repentance which is the actual cure of their blindness and wilfulness So that this zeal and earnestness you hold forth in a way of moral perswasion with that uneffectual assistance of the Spirit flies at no higher an aime than to render men inexcusable if it can amount to that for whatever cure it may work upon his blindness it leaves his disease of unwillingness still unmastered and so in fine you leave me but where you found me in my insuperable stat of death still after all these applications and though you call it but a moral impotency yet 't is such it should seem as is not to be cured by moral means though some motions of the Holy Ghost concur with it what therefore can you prescribe me further that I may if it be reasonable submit to it Diotrephes You must diligently go forward in the use of those means and ardently desire and humbly and reverently expect the good houre of more plentiful grace so that famous Synod * Synod of Dort Cap. 1. Art 16. Mr. Baxter doth advise you And though you be dead in your trespasses and sins yet you know a condemned Traytor that 's dead in Law may by humble supplication do somewhat to dispose himself for pardon and life Of saving faith p. 39. Animalis Sir I doubt you contradict the Doctrine of the Synod if it doth not in this point contradict it self for they infer that an unregenerate man is properly and toâ—â—lly dead in sins and destitute of all strength tending to spiritual good that he is not able to hunger and thirst after righteousness or everlasting life or to offer the sacrifice of an humble and contrite heart such as is acceptable to God Syn. Dodrac cap. 3. and 4. Reject 4. Diotrephes You must betake your self daily to God in hearty prayer bâ—seeching him to open your eyes and shew you the greatness of your sin and misery till you be unseignedly humbled Mr. Baxter and that he would shew you the need of his grace in Christ till you can thirst after him and his righteousness and that he would shew you the certainty and excellency of his glory till your hearts be sâ—t upon it above all Treat of Convers pag. 239. Animalis We heard before that such prayers of the unregenerate have no promise to bottom on and how then can they be made in faith But besides the Assembly of Divines and the Congregational Churches tell us * Cap. 16. n. 7 Of their Confes and Declarat respectively That works done by unregenâ—rate men although for the matter of them they may be things which God commands and of good use both to themselves and for others yâ—t because they proceed not from a heart purified by faith nor are done in a right manner according to the Word nor to a right end the glory of God they are therefore sinful and cannot please God nor make a man mâ—et to receive grace from God and yet their neglect of them is more sinful and displeasing unto God The last clause of which Thâ—sis seems to oppose the opinion of some other Divines of the same combination who say positively That all works done before Regeneration are rather hurtful than profitable but indeed they are coincident for if they cannot make us meet to receive grace nor please God but are sinful then it will undeniably follow that they are more hurtful than profitable to our salvation So that upon the matter after all the Rules you prescribe and the advice you give to the unregeneâ—ate you allow him but the choice of a lesser evil to bring him into a state of grace Diotrephes You may mistake those Assemblers and the Elders of the Congregational Churches I find them declare in the Chapter of Free-will ch 9. n. 3. That a natural man being altogether averse from that spiritual good accompanying salvation and dead in sin is not able by his own strength to convert himself or to prepare himself thereunto Observe they say he cannot prepare himself by his own strength but if common grace be added to their own strength I suppose they will not deny but by the accession of such Aâ—xiliaries a man may dispose himself for conversion for thaâ— common grace is preparatory to sâ—ecâ—al is so commonly held by Protestants especially practical Divines and so plain in Scripture and Reason that I shall not trouble you with many words about it 1. He that â— eth Gods appointed means as well as he can is more disposed fâ—r the blessing of those means than the wilful Mr. Baxter despiser or neglecter of them 2. He that is nearer Christ is more disposed to come to him by faith than he that is at a further distance 3. He that doth not so much resist the Spirit but with some seriousness beggeth for the Spirit and for saving grace is better disposed for it than such as obstinately resist and scâ—â—n it Of saving faith pag. 39. Animalis Sir I have those two Assemblies against you For mark their Reason why they say the works of an unregenerate man are sinful and cannot please God nor make him meet to receive grace from God their Reason is not because those works are wrought by his own strength and not by commsâ— grace but because they proceed not from a heart purified by faith 2. The Synod of Dort is clear against you for they say All men are untoward to all good tending to salvation forward to evil and neither will nor can without the Holy Ghost regenerating them set strait their own crooked nature no nor so much as dispose themselves to the mending of it Chap. 3. and 4. Art 3. They do not say men cannot dispose themselves by their own strength without common grace to the amending of their crooked nature but they cannot dispose themselves to it without the Holy Ghost regenerating them Diotrephes But you should consider withall what those Divines add in their 16th Artiâ—l where they say As by the fall man ceased not to be man endâ—ed with understanding and will nor did sin spreading it self through all mankind abolish nature with us but corrupted and spiritually slew it in like manner this regenerating grace of God worketh not upon men as if they were stocks
rightâ—oâ—s but sinnâ—rs to Repenâ—ance And what sinners were they think you but such as found themselves weary and heavy laden nay â—â—st and at the very point of perishing and therefore altering his phrase though he speaks of persons under the same qualification He saith 〈◊〉 Son of mâ—n came tâ— seeâ—â—nâ— to save that which was loâ—â— * Matth. 18. 11. 'T is no discouragement to me but rather an invitation and inducement to minister to the needs of his soul God himself hath profest He delights to dwell nowhere sooner than in the poor and empty receptacles of an humble and broken heart * Isa 57. 15. 66. 2. A broken and contrite heart O God thou wiâ—t not dâ—spisâ— * Psal 51. 17. But Sâ—r that I may gain a little better notice of his condition give me leave to enquire further after him I am confident your charity that brought you thus far to me on his bâ—half did also prompt you to suggest such wholsome directions as you thought most sutable to his capacity in reference to the temptations he lies under Samaritâ—nus Sir Had my Abilities been answeraâ—le to my Compassion my Applications for his recovery out of this sad estate might have been much more effectual than they were But you may assure your self his wounds were drest with the best wine and oyle my stock afforded Diotrephes You are so well principled in general and especially so well vers'd iâ— Cases of Conscience and the practical parâ— of Christianity that you are able to speak a word in season But seeing as I conceive he lies under the Arrest of the soiâ—it of bondâ—ge it may be a question whither it be yet seasonable or convenient to give him Baile Humiliation is the ground work of Conversion and the deeper the foundation is digged the stronger will be the building that is erected upon it None are conducted to Heaven with more assurance than they that have pass'd by the Gates of Hell and the longer he stands at those Gates the greater will be his affrightment from the wayes that lead thither and the greater his thirst after the joyes of Heaven when they are offeâ—'d to sollicite him into the ways of Righteousness If it be upon the surprizal of some late wasting sin or the reflexion upon former â—oul crimes that this present tempest is raised iâ— his conscience let him be toss'd a while till he takes in a little more salt water â—nd bâ—â—ome more Sea sick that being tumultuated in the hurry of his own distracted thoughts he may be driven to act the Physitians part upon himself or with those Marinâ—rs to cast lots to find out the Criminâ—l in whose proâ—â—cution that storm was sent out by the Divâ—ne Displeasure that so Jonah being thrown over-board the Wind and Sea may be becalmed and the Passage made secure for the time ensuing It is fit the Law â—â—ould â—â—y on her full load upon soul sinners till their shoulders be wrung and pinch't and force them to cry out 'T is the severity of that Ushâ—r that makes men willing to subâ—it to the Discipline of Jesus Christ Sâ—mariâ—aâ—us I am not satisfied that this is the best method for the cure of Dâ—â—â—latus gentler applications may be more proper to reâ—â—â—â—ie and â—ettle the â—umours that are stirred in him It is not a draught of deadly pâ—yson lately swallowed that hath brought these â—â—â—s upon him nor the fresh apparition of long buried crimes newly raised up from the dead by the power of an espâ—câ—â—l Providence though 't is most certainly true and verified in his complaints that every little sin will fall a buffeting the conscience when it is too weak and â—eeble â—o make resistance yet I say it is no such horrid spectre of guilt but on a sudden he sinks in his hopes and is at a loss for his assurance and doubts his sincâ—rity and consequently his interest in the merits of Chriâ—t and in Gods love and favour And the temptation heightned by the subtilty of the Tempter taking advantage of his own fears and jealousies is grown so strong and violent that he is hardly perswaded to the patience to have it undermin'd or opposed And I perceive it is the Apostâ—sie of these present Times that hath given him this scandal and betrayed him to that dissatisfaction that afflicts him Diotrephes Why what doth he infer from these sad emergencies of Providence Samaritanus He makes sad reflexions upon them and then applies them to his own discouragement insomuch that whereas he was wont formerly to discourse of the Doctrine of the certain perseverance of all the sanctified with much feeling and consolation saying It was to his spirits as a Well of water springing up to everlasting life Now on the other side having such examples before his eyes he apprehends the same Doctrine as the waters of Ezek or Marah he can find nothing but matter of strife and relish nothing but a taste of bitterness in it For saith he if I could have any assuranâ—e that I am truly sanctified the Doctrine of certain perseverance of all such would be comfortable to me but I am brought now into such doubts of Mr. Baxter's Account of persev p. 25 26 it that I fear I shall never attain to such assurance being rather induced to conclude myself certainly unsanctified For I never reached so high as some that I have known that have fallen away I have known divers that have been judicious and effectionate and constant and lively in duty and of very up ight careful lives and so great contemners of the World that they would not have omitted an opportunity for their souls for wordly gain yea theywere persecuted and suffered very much for godliness in evil times and in the sharpest tryals never shâ—uâ—k when others did and laid out themselves almost altogether in doing good Their prayers and conferences were very holy and heavenly and affectionate and their lives agreeable so that they were incomparably beyond me in all these qualifications * One would have thought it next to an impossibility that such men the highest Professours of Religion and so many of them could ever have been drawn to do that against the Church against that Gospel Ministry and Ordinances of God which once seemed dearer to them than their lives which hath since been done and which yet we fear Mr. Baxter's Directions for peace of Conscience in the Epistle to the poor in spirit and yet some of them now do deny the Godhead of Christ and the Holy Ghost some deny the Scripture and that there is any Church or Ministry some are turned Quakers and some Licentious if not Infidels and therefore certainly have now no saving grace Now before I can ever be sure that I am justified I must be sure that I go further than any of these did or any other that ever fell away whereas I find my self far short of many of them And I am in a manner certain that some of
m. in these words It is exceeding hard to determine how great many or long the sins of a true Believer may be And if those sins be Adultery Murder or the like and long continued in shall that Believer be certain still of his Election Shall he nor rather suspect it was but common grace that wrought him to that belief He hath Reason certainly to suspect it unless he adds presumption to his other crimes so that upon the whole matter without a special Revelation a man cannot till his Dooms-day be certain of his Election because he knows not what temptation he may fall into nor how he shall demean himself under it and if he perseveres till then in his obedience the Remonstrants will secure him of his Election as well as you Diotrephes We say True Believers may have the assurance of their salvation divers wayes shaken diminished and intermitted as by negligence in preserving of it by falling into some special sin which woundeth the conscience and grieveth the Spirit by some sudden or vehement temptation by Gods withdrawing the light of his countenance suffering even such as fear him to walk in darkness and to have no light yet are they not utterly destitute of that seed of God and life of Faith that love of Christ and the Brethren that sincerity of heart and conscience of duty out of which by the operation of the Spirit this assurance may in due time be revived and by the which in the mean time they are supported from utter despair Declar. of the Congreg Chur. chap. 18. n. 4. Desolatus It seems then that once true Believers though they fall into some special sin which wounds the conscience and grieves the Spirit for the other branches I shall not insist upon and though that sin or sins be never so great and long continued for 't is hard to determine how great how many or how long those sins may be as was confest even now yet they retain the seed of God and the life of Faith and the love of Christ with sincerity of heart and conscience of duty and out of these by the operation of the Spirit their assurance is sure to be revived Then David addressed a needless Petition to have a new heart created and a right spirit renewed in him if that seed of God and life of Faith and sincerity of heart were still in him before Is it not rather that great Engine of an absolute Election that scrues such Believers up again after those desperate falls * It is not from the meer nature of inherent grace that it cannot be lost but from the Divine Decree Love and Engagement Mr. Baxter of saving faith pag. 49. But the Non-elect though by the help of common grace and their most diligent improvement of it they lead never so strict and severe a course of life yet if being led into temptation by an efficacious permission they miscarry under it they fall not forward as those Believers are said to do to their advantage but backwards and can never rise again to any hope of salvation or pardon but must break their Necks irrecoverebly nay though he walks never so uptightly under the conduct of this grace it can neither bring him to Heaven nor procure saving grace for him What encouragement is this to the greatest part of Mankind even amongst Christians who are said to five under no other influences than those of common grace Diotrephes We are confident that such as are truly sanctified can never fall totally and finally as for those other falling stars how glorious soever their lustre was we know they were never fixed in the Firmament Desolatus Whatever your confidence is Sir such examples make so great an impression upon my spirit I cannot but with trembling reflect upon that Apostolical Caveat and Exhortation Let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall 1 Cor. 10. 12. Diotrephes God hath ordained such admonition as a means to promote the grace of perseverance in all that are true Believers Desolatus But that I am one of that number is not yet made out to me for there is nothing can really make me such but that special irresistible grace that flows from the Fountain of an absolute Election as the fruit and effect of it as the Synod of Dort declareth And unless I be planted in that Soile by Gods most free and unchangeable love it is impossible I should partake Ch. 1. Art 9. of the fatness of it And this is my unhappiness I cannot meet a man that hath taken so exact a survey of that state as to be able to secure my interest therein The truth is therefore after all your applications to remove my jealousie I am still as much afraid of the state of Reprobation as at our first meeting Diotrephes The Synod of Dort * Ch. 1. Art 16 tells us That they who heartily desire to turn unto God to please him only and to be delivered from this body of death though they cannot make such a progress in the faith and way of godliness as they wish yet ought they not to be terrified with the Doctrine of Reprobation for our merciful God hath promised that he will not quench the smoaking flax nor break the shaken reed Disolatus He that can quench * 1 Thes 5. 19. the Spirit may quench the smoking â—flax though God doth not In this matter I am not afraid of God but of my self and that in regard of the Decree of Reprobation which denies all grace sufficient to set the flax on fire though it smoaks till it makes the heart to bleed as well as the eyes to water Diotrephes If you be afraid of your own insirmities I hope you have sufficient security against them in the intercession of a merciful and compassionate High Priest who implied all when he spake to Peter and made him this promise Simon Simon behold Satan hath desired to have you that he may â—â—ft you as Luk. 22. 31 32. wheat but I have prayed for thee that thy faith fail not Desolatus Alas Sir that concerns the Elâ—ct * Christ professeth he prayed not for all but only for those whom God had given him John 17. 9. or should hereafter believe ver 20. and for them alone he sanctified himself ver 19. that is offer'd himself upon the Cross Dr. Twiss ibid. pag. 143. who are the only persons that have an interest in that High Priest for we are told in the name of all the Congregational Churches That though the Reprobates were then in Adams loyns as well as the rest God was pleased to give the promise of Christ the seed of the woman to the Elect only And that his intercession belongs peculiarly unto them is the affirmation of many Members of the Synod of Dort and as touching the efficacy of it 't is the sense of that whole Convention Besides that promise concerns the true Believers and so no ground of