did actually harden or had a will to harden any but such as had formerly rebelled against the fight abused his patience and despised his gracious dispensations * Rom. 1. 22 26 Because when they knew God they did not glorifie him as God c. for this cause God gave them up Rom. 1. 21. with 26. Psal 81. 11 12. But my people would not hear my voyce and Israel would See also Luke 7. 30. Acts 13. 26 40 41 45 46. Hebr. 2. 3. not obey me so I gave them up to their own hearts lusts We find that the Lord though he had fore-told what would be the issue of Moses Ministry to him is not said to have hardned Pharaoh till he had multiplied his Rebellions and dallied with five plagues The last whereof when Moses undertakes the removal of it he gives him a fair warning of his danger Exod. 8. 29. I will intreat the Lord but let not Pharaoh deal deceitfully any more And because he neglected to quit himself of the danger upon this hot Alarme therefore with the sixth plague this judgment came upon him also 't is said the Lord then hardned the heart of Pharaoh Exod. 9. 12. and ver 14. with the judgment following the Lord threatens I will at this time send all my plagues upon thine heart Therefore do not resemble God to a mad or â—nwise Potter that layes out his cost and skill in making up a Vessel for no other purpose but only to make ostentation of his power will and liberty to break it Perhaps the Apostle by that comparison takes upon him to demonstrate not what God will do but what he can for he saith What if God willing to shew his wrath c Besides God is compared to the Potter and men to the Mass or Lump of Clay but what men are they that are entred into this comparison not innocent men or men made guilty by imputation only as your Doctriâ—e supposes them but men corrupt through their own vâ—luntary pollutions as such This is evident from the Apostles Discourse in the three first Chapters of that Epistle He declares then that out of this Mass or Lump it is lawful for God according to his own Beneplaciture to select some unto life namely those who would believe in Christ upon his being tendred to them * Rom. 9. 30 31 32. Chap. 11. 20. See also John 3. ult and to harden the rest and reserve them to wrath that is to say those who would augment the number and mount the heap of their other sins by the addition of a wilful unbelief This to my sense is most clearly that liberty * 1 Cor. 1. 21. which the Apostle asserts and vindicates to Almighty God in that present juncture and current of his Providence over Jewes and Gentiles though the Jewes cryed it down with utter detestation as a violation * Rom. 11. 1. of those signal promises which he had anciently made unto their Nation For your other Allegation Matth. 20. 15. Is it not lawful for me to do what I will with my own It can conclude nothing but that God may distribute equal portions of reward to those whose labours in his Vineyard have been unequal for when he that hath done most receives the utmost they did contract for why should he repine at the Lords bounty which is no injury to him though a benefit to others But what is all this to the vindication of Gods justice when he invites men to a new Covenant wherein he promiseth to proceed with them upon a gentler account and tyes them to new conditions and yet denies abilities sufficient to perform those conditions though he binds them to that performance under the commination and peril of a soarer penalty And I ask't you further in what sense this Covenant with Mankind could be properly called a Covenant of Grace which demand and I conceive it a material one you were pleased to take no notice of in your last Reply Diotrephes You must know Sir that your natural Reason without a supernatural illumination is no competent Judge of the sense of holy Scripture which contains the mind of God yet I shall not now reply to your interpretations but address my self to give you satisfaction to your lâ—st demand which is in what sense the Covenant which God hath sealed to us in the blood of Christ is styled a Covenant of Grace To this end you must understand that there are a certain number of persons predestinated unto life and glory and these are called the Elect These Elect God Almighty before the foundation of the World was laid according to his eternal and immutable purpose and the secret The Declaration of the Congregational Churches at the Savoy Chap. 3. n. 5 6 7. counsel and good pleasure of his will hath chosen in Christ unto everlasting glory out of his meer free grace and love without any foresight of faith or good works or perseverance in either of them or any other thing in the Creature as conditions or causes moving him thereunto and all to the praise of his glorious grace And as God hath appointed these Elect unto glory so hath he by the eternal and most free purpose of his will fore-ordained all the means thâ—â— unto wherefore they who are elected being faln in Adam are redeemed by Christ are effectually called unto faith in Christ by his Spirit working in due season are justified adopted sanctified and kept by his power through faith unto salvation All these benefits are infallibly and irresistibly conveyed to those Elect by vertue of the said Covenant and upon this account I hope you will allow it to be very fitly intitled a Covenant of Grace Paganus I do readily allow of the title in respect to those Elect you speak of but I pray satisfie me in this particular what interest have the rest of mankind in Christ and this Covenant Do not the benefits you have now mentioned belong to them Diotrephes For your satisfaction you may assure your self it is the Determination and PUBLICK FAITH of the new Congregational Churches in England * Ibid. n. 6. agreed upon and consented to by their Elders and Messengers That not any other are redeemed by Christ or effectually called justified adopted sanctified and saved but these Elect only Paganus I pray to what end did God create the rest and what Acts hath he passed against them and what Providence doth he exercise towards them Diotrephes There is a Text of holy Scripture that saith thus Before the children were born and when they had neither done good nor evil that the purpose of God according to Election might stand Rom. 9. 11 1â— 13. not of works but of him that calleth it was said The elder shall serve the younger as it is written I have loved Jacob and have hated Esau Out of which words a Renowned Divine doth conclude That Gods ordaining men unto salvation proceeds meerly according to
Simon Magus did as well as profane persons do as many an hypocrite do which is only Fides acqâ—isita and it is well known they believe many a vile legend But then he will say such a Faith shall never save them and I willingly confess saith he it shall not for it never brings forth any love of the Truth any conformity thereto in their lives yet are they never awhit the less inexcusable that refuse to believe Dr. Twisse Considerat of the Doctrine of the Synod of Dort and Arles reduced to the practice page 47. Paganus What benefit will this Historical Faith do me If I cannot be saved by it why should I embrace it Diotrephes By this you know the Object of Faith in General what you are to believe of God and Christ and the Holy Ghost what Christ hath done and will do for you and what he commands you to do for him and what you may expect from him and all this you assent to by an Historical Faith Paganus Will this Faith do me no hurt or disadvantage if â— obtain not the other which you call a saving Faith Diotrephes Yes it will make you guilty of a greater condemnation for it is better not to know the way of Truth than to turn from the holy Commandment delivered to you and the last state 2 Pet. 2. 19 2â—2 21 22 of such persons is worse than the first Paganus Are not this Saving and that Historical Faith alwayes assocâ—ated and link't together For if not then it were better if one cannot have the Saving Faith to be without the Historical too rather than have this alone to our greater condemnation Diotrephes They are not alwayes in Conjunction yet we must not neglect this when God affords us the Revelâ—tion and the Means of it for this makes way for the other whiâ—h cannot be had without it Paganus Are all men then to whom he is preached bound to believe in Christ the Redeemer Diotrephes Yes for when he sent out his Apostles to preach the Gospel he gave them this Commission Go ye into all Mar 16. 15 16. Do any of our Divines deny that God commands all in the Church all that hear the Gospel to believe whether Elect or Reprobates Dr. Twisse ibid. John 3. 35 36. the World and preach the Gospâ—l to every Creature He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved but he that believeth not shall be damned And again The Fathâ—r loveth the Son and hath given all things into his hands He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life Aâ—d he that believâ—th not the Son shall not see life but the wrath of God abideth on him Paganus Did the Son of God dye for all and redeem all that they should believe on him Diotrephes No but it pleased God to give unto Christ his Son from all Eternity a people to be his seed and to be by him in time redeemed called justified sanctified and glorified neither are any other redeemed by Christ. The Declaration of the Congregational Churches at the Savoy Chap. 8. n. 1. with Chap. 3. n. 6. Paganus How can God in justice oblige those to believe in Christas their Redeemer for whom he died not and therefore were not redeemed by him Does he tye them to believe a lye Diotrephes All men that live under the dispensation of the Gospel are tyed to believe in Christ but for several ends * Hence the Ministers of Emoden call this command in respect of the Elect Mandatum obedientiae but in respect of the Reprobate Mandatum probationis De Gratiae Meriti Christi Universal Quest 8. Act. Syn. Dor. Pag. 122. Part 2. his people and seed are tyed to believe that by believing they may be made partakers of the benefits of his death and obtain salvation through him The rest are tyed to believe that by not believing they may be the more inexcusable and liable to the greater condemnation Paganus This is a strange kind of Faith But suppose these men that are not of that seed you speak of should believe in Christ what would the issue of their Faith be For though they should in that case beliâ—ve in Christ they should not be rewarded because they believe a lye and yet they could not be justly condemned because in so believing they should obey Gods command Diotrephes You suppose a thing impossiblâ— to come to pass for those men you speak of cannot savingly believe grace sufficient and necessary to the production of such a Faith being denied them and yet they shall be punished for not believing Paganus I am not satisfied how it can consist with Gods justice to bind his Creatures to impossible performances And I should think his goodness would rather incline him to reward than punish them for refusing to believe a falshood But if you say God may lay such unreasonable commands upon us I shall not dispute against it though they seem to my apprehension to be a very great impeachment of his jusâ—ice and sinâ—erity But I pray may not I take a little more time to deliberate about the business I see 't is a business of great importance and I am loth to overshoot my self in it I hope it may be sufficient if I believe at the last moment of my life Diotrephes There is no more ready way to over-shoot your self as you speak than by your delayes Hereupon the Holy Ghost saith To day if ye will hear his voyce harden not your heart and To day while it is called to day lest your heart be hardned through Hebr. 3. the deceitfulness of sin wherefore he saith I have heard thee in an accepted time and in the day of salvation have I succoured thee 2 Cor. 6. 3. Behold now is the accepted time behold now is the day of salvation And if you read the disputations of right to Sacraments you will find * By Mr. Baxter Disp 2. pag. 43 that saving-faith is defined to be a sinners assent to the truth of the Gospel in the Essentials and a sincere consent that God be immediatly our only God and Christ our only Saviour and the Holy Ghost our only sanctifier and we his people in these Relations Isay immediatly that is at present because if it be only a consent to be such hereafter it is not saving And therefore in certain directions to prevent miscarrying in conversion * By Mr. Baxter p. 381. to 439. the advice that is given you Direct 11. is this If you would not have this saving-work miscarry Turn then this present day and houre without any more delay And this advice is backed and fortified with no less than * Mr. Baxter ib. pag. 381. pag. 439. fifty such moving Considerations and Reasons as will certainly conviâ—ce you if you be not unreasonable of the folly of delay and shew you that it concerneth you presently to return and believe Paganus Well then if the present time be Gods accepted time
the Judgment of those great Divines and so from Gods special Favour and Providence as all other paternal castigations are yet the Apostle saith in the place alledged by you * Ver. 11. That no chastning for the present seemeth to be joyous but grievous and therefore you ought to be grieved and to mourn upon this account Praesumptuosus The Apostle in those words tells you how chastisement is usually resented according to the judgment of the flesh Ex carnis judicio nulla castigatio videtur esse materia gaudii sed tristitiae tantum as Mr. D. Dicson doth expound it and as the most Learned and Reverend Dr. Hammond paraphraseth the words 't is true indeed that there is in all affliction that which is ungrateeul to flâ—sh and blood But such as have made a further progress in Christianity and are advanced to a higher state of spirituality they can glory in Tribulations * Rom. 5. 3. and if the Apostles being beaten * Acts 5. 40 41. could reâ—oyce that they were counted worthy to suffer shame in that kind for Christs Name much more may they rejoyce and glory in those other paternal castigations their sweet sins which are altogether agreeable to their sensual appetites Diotrephes The Apostle saith That without holiness no man shall see the Lord Hebr. 12. 14. Praesumptuosus Is not the Apostles injunction for following peace with all men as strict as for following holiness Do you think this duty necessary to salvation too But to praetermit that I hope Gods paternal castigations are not such enemies to holiness but they may very well be reconciled and dwell together 2. Dr. Twiss * Ubi supra p 20 See also what iâ— cited out of hiâ— above in the Margin ibid. p 116 tells us That the very Children of God have savage lusts and wild affections in tâ—em he takes the observation from Davids prayer Psal 51. 10. the curing and mastering whereof is no lâ—ss work then was the work of Creation or ma king of the World He saith also that after their effectual Calling They have cause sometimes to expostulat with God for hardning their hearts against his fâ—ar Whatever you alledged before out of this Dr. as del vered in his passion you see his judgment in cool blood nay Mr. Baxter * Of Right â—â— Sacram. Disp 3 pag. 326 32â— delivers it as the opinion of most of our Divines That a man that is unsanctified must be a greater sinner than Solomon was 3. Our Right and Title to the Kingdom of Heaven and consequently to the Vision of God is not derived from any actions of our own or placed in them or built upon them Inter Acta Syn. Nat. Dord pag. 194. par 2. Theol. M. Brit. Judic de Artic. quinto but it is placed in a free adoption and in our conjunction with Christ And therefore our right unto the Kingdom is not taken away unless that be taken away wherein it is founded If sons then heirs heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ Rom. 8. 17. Manente ergo adoptione in Christum insitione extra viam regni aberrare potest fidelis at jure regni haereditario excidere non potest Therefore the faithful his adoption and engrafting into Christ remaining may wander out of the way of the Kingdom but he cannot loose or fall from his hereditary right to it * Thus the Brittish Divines at Dort This is that which supported the death-bed faith of his late Highness O. C * A Collection of several passages concerning his late H. O. C. in the time of his sickness pag. 6. who speaking then of the Covenant is reported to say Whatsoever sins thou hast dost or shalt commit if thou lay held upon free-grace you are safe but if you put your self under a Covenant of Works you bring your self under the Law and so under the Curse then you are gone For holiness therefore to appear before the presence of God in Deus providebit God will take care to put it upon us The Elect with that blessed Apostle desire to be found in Christ not having in their own inherent righteousness * Renouncing all Righteousness in my self by the works of the Law and having only confidence in that which is by Faith Non in meorum operum iâ— haerente justitia sed in illa Christi imputata quae à Deo gratis datur Dicson ad Phil. 3. 9. but that which is imputed through the faith of Christ the righeeousness which is of God by faith Phil. 3. 9. Diotrephes I am of that opinion that the dominion of any one sin is inconsistent with saving grace and justification Mr. Baxter's Account of persever pag. 40. Praesumptuosus Though your Authour be a singular man yet I will not say that that 's but one Doctors opinion but I am sure St. Paul found it otherwise by experience at least if our ablest Calvinists do rightly interpret him for he saith Rom. 7. 14. I am carnal sold under sin that is as Deodati * Ad locum expounds it altogether subjected as a slave bought for a certain price of money and he alledgeth to this purpose 1 Kings 21. 20. where it is said of Ahab Thou hast sold thy self to work wickedness in the sight of the Lord. To whom agreeth Mr. D. Dicson upon the place Cogor meipsum carnalem agnoscere I am constrained to acknowledge my self carnal and as a slave sold that I might be subject to sin out of whose Fetters I cannot free my self but am often carried whether I would not This is acknowledged to be the Apostles condition who doubtless was in the state of grace and justification If by the dominion of sin you mean something else then I demand 2. When may we conclude that sin hath dominion over a man David you know after he had been wounded with the beauty of Bathsheba he sent Messengers to court and woo her for his entertainment when she was brought he lay with her after that he sent for her husband from the Leaguer to cloak his shame but because he could not tempt him by shewes of pity and other fair means to go in to her he made him drunk that in that distemper he might serve the ends of his lust upon him and because this device would not take neither he conspired his death and sent an express Order to Joab to take a special care to murder him though many gallant men were exposed to the slaughter to bear him company Notwithstanding all this our Divines do conclude That sin had not dominion over David at that time his state of justification was not dissolved or interrupted and his 2 Sam. 11. 15 17. Act. Syn. Nat. Dort p. 194. par 2. adoption remained immoveable for such as are once regenerated sin can never have dominion over them to their condemnation they are not under the Law where sin hath dominion to that effect but under grace *
they fall into grievous sins whereby they impair their graces and harden their heaâ—ts and wound their consciences hurt and scandalize others and bring temporal judgments upon themselves yet they are and shall be kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation This is the Faith of the Congregational Churches * Dâ—clar c. 17. 〈◊〉 3. and the Assembly of Divines * In their Câ—nsession of Faith chap. 17. n. 3. 〈◊〉 do suppose That amongst the Temporal Judgments which they may bring upon themselves Death may be one as appears by their quoting that Scripture-example 1 Cor. 11. 30 32. Diotrephes Suppose then that this Judgment of Death should come suddeâ—ly and surprize such a man in his sin before the renewing of his Repentance to remove that present incapacity of salvation which he hath contracted what a sad case were he in 〈◊〉 Praesumpâ—uoâ—us Sir you are much deceived for either it is impâ—ssibâ—e he should die without such a renewing of Repentance which if it be necessary God will effectually and certainly work in him or if God cuts him off without it it will be to his advantage This is the Judgment of our often mention'd Auâ—hour If you can prove it profitable for such a man to be suâ—denly â—ut off before Repentance and that such a thing will be I should incline saith he to think that he would be fully Mr. Baxter at the end of his 3. Disput of Justificat p. 398. pardoned at the instant of death and so saved Indeed if it were not so what would become of those that we doubt not to be godly as Mr. Baxter speaketh who are guilty of disobedience to their Guides and of Schisme and doing much to the hurt of the Church A very great sin as he confesses * Mr. Baxter of Right to Sacraments Disput 3. pag. 29 30. yet we sec they are so far from repenting of their Schisme and returning to their obedience that they take all advantages to pursue the contrary which certainly they would not do if they were not taught to believe They are in no danger for want of Repentance Restituâ—ion hath been eagerly pressed to by many yet who makes any conscience to perform it This confirms my belief and I thank God I can triumph in it For I am perswaded that neither deâ—th nor lifâ— nor Angels nor princâ—palities nor powers noâ— things present nor things to comâ— nor height nor depth nor any other creatâ—re shall be able to separate Rom. 8. 38 3â— us from the love of God which is Christ Jâ—â—us our Lord. But Sir time calls me away I pray therefore let me know your Resolution concerning the baptizing of my Child Diotrephes I desire a little time to consider of it and then you shall have my final Aâ—swer Praesumptuosus I shall send once more to know your Resolution For my spiritual condition which you so uncharitably scrupâ—e at I doubt not it is as â—ood as yours for I know whom I have believed and hâ— is able to keâ—p that which I have 2 Tim. 1. 12. committed to him against the great day And so Sir I take my leave of you THE SYLLOGISM THAT Doctrine thaâ— is nâ—â—t to bring the presumptuous to Repentance but tends rather to confirm than humble them them in their presumption That is a Doctrine not according to godliness The Doctrine maintained by the Calvinists in opposition to the Remonstrants is not apt to bring the presumptuous to Repentance but tends rather to confirm than humble them in their presumption Therefore The Doctrine maintained by the Calvinists in opposition to the Remonstrants is a Doctrine not according to godliness The Major is evident of it self The Minor is proved by this Dialogue Colasterion Jer. 23. 14. I have seen in the Prophets an horrible thing they strengthen the hands of evil doers that none doth return from his wickedness Fideles saepenumerò horribilitâ—r se pâ—ccatis câ—ntra Deum legem ipsius pollaunt quinimò in Idoâ—olaâ—riam superstitionem falsam Other proofs of the Minor doctrinam haeresin altercationes Christi aâ—negationâ—m securitatem diffidentiam licenâ—iam vivenâ—â— sâ—perbiam rebell onem homicidium adulterium proditionem aliâ—que similia pâ—oâ—â—â—untur nihilominùs tamen credimus hisce non obstantibus persuasum habemus cos nec totaliâ—â—r excidere nec excidere poâ—â—â— ex paterno amore gratia Dei. Smoutius in suo Pater noster Nulli viri fideles possunt per ulla pâ—ccata relabâ— ex Dei Gratiâ Sebast Damman Scriba Syn. Dordrac in suo consensu Fideâ—es à carne mundo Satana in pâ—ccata etiam gravia aâ—rocia interdum abripiuntur Quibus Deum valde â—â—fenduâ—t reatum mâ—rtis incurrunt Spirâ—tum S. contristant fidei exercitum interrumpunt câ—nsâ—iâ—ntiam gravissimè vâ—lnerant Deus tamen Spiritum S. ab iis non prorsus aufert nec â—ousque â—os prolâ—bi sinit ut gratiâ Adoptionis ac Justificationis statu excidant aut pâ—ccatum aà mortem committanâ— Syn. Dord De persever Sanct. Art 4. 5 6. THE FIFTH DIALOGUE Begun betwixt DIOTREPHES and SAMARITANUS And continued betwixt DIOTREPHES and DESOLATUS DIotrephes Sir what is your business with me that you come so unseasonably at a time when you know I usually sequester my self from all Conversation Samaritanus Sir you may conclude the Affair I come about is of no mean importance otherwise common Civility would have taught me being so well acquainted with your orders to have permitted you to your accustomed Retirement But Sir if my own compassion hath so far transported me as to violate the Lawes of good behaviour toward you in this Address I hope your charity will prevail with you to pardon it assoon as you shall understand the ground of this interruption I presume to give you Diotrephes Sir your modesty and prudence are so well known to me that I cannot deny you access at any time when you shall think fit to afford me the benefit of your company But I â—onjecture by the manner of your Application that at this time the occasion that brings you forth is extraordinary I pray in short 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â—â—tter Samaritanus Sir the trouble I do now take the boldness to give you is in the behalf of my dear friend Desolatus a poor disconsolate soul God knows that hath for some time lain a bleeding under the sense of those wounds which as he complains his sins have inflicted upon his conscience and gasping after comfort Diotrephes It can be no trouble to me to be invited out upon such occasions and I must tell you I am not sorry to hear him fall'n into this distemper for till men grow sensible of their disease they think not of the Physitian at least they will nâ—t value his prescriptions which made our Sâ—viour say unto the Scribes and Pharisees * Mat. 9. 12 13. The whole hâ—ve no need of the Physâ—â—ian but the sick and I came not to call the