Psal 110.3 for it is God that worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure And how so (i) Phil. 2.13 2 Pet. 1.3 His divine power gives unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness through the knowledge here he works upon the Intellect of him that hath called us to glory and vertue If he gives all things then nothing is wanting if so how can it fail of a success Doth not St. Paul as plainly as can be assert this (a) Rom. 9.19 who hath resisted his will Surely this concludeth negatively and ab impossibili As if he had said t is not possible for any Man to resist his Will What then his Power no for 't is (b) Ephes 1.19 17 18. a might power a power of exceeding greatness And he saith in the two foregoing verses that God gives the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him and as we said before enlightneth the eyes of our understanding c. Now that power of God working in us is no less effectual and mighty than it was Verse 20 when it raised Christ from the dead Which is confirmed when the Apostle saith in another place As we were buried with Christ in baptism so also we are risen with him through the faith of the operation of God Doth not our Saviour himself say that (c) John 6 3â— all the father giveth him by the decree of Election for in him they are elected shall come to him Vers 45 And that every man that hath heard and learned of the father cometh to him And shall Men attempt to break that link of Salvation (d) Rom. 8.30 Whom he did predestinate them he also called Whom he called them he also justified and whom he justified them he also glorified If God be willing the thing is done Lord if thou wilt thou canst make me clean the answer and effect is I will be thou clean The will of Man not only doth ever obey effectual calling but it must do so for the effectualness of God's calling consists in the removing of all stubbornness and perverseness that is in the will and giving a new heart soft and pliable to the call (e) Luk. 5.12 13. A new heart will I give you and a new spirit will I put within you and I will take away the stony heart and give you a heart of flesh And ye shall be clean c. And who shall hinder him (f) Ezech. 36.26.1.25 (g) Prov. 21.1 Are not the hearts of men in the hand of God be turneth them whithersoever he will But how doth the Lord make that great change in the heart In the same chapter of Ezechiel and the next verse it is thus exprest I will it is my pleasure and it shall be so put my spirit within you Ezech. 36.27 and cause you to walk in mystatutes and ye shall keep my judgments and do them If God speaks truth we shall do all these when he will have it to be so and nothing shall hinder it The Creature cannot hinder its own Creation nor the Dead his own Resurrection nor the Child his own Generation nor Darkness its own Illumination nor White-paper writing on it self Most of these Comparisons are taken out of Scripture to represent the act of the spirit converting a Soul Moreover if the evil Man could overcome the effectual working of the spirit of God then could the decree of our Election be made altogether uncertain and often void and null so God could be disappointed of his ends which how injurious it is to God's Wisdom and Power let every one judge But (a) Isai 14.24 surely as God hath thought so shall it come to pass and as he purposed so shall it stand So many other Texts we have to this purpose some of which I already made use of in the very beginning If I would make use of Man's authority in this matter how many places out of Austin and others could I quote to this purpose This only I shall be content with (b) Depredest sanct cap. 8. Essicacious grace cannot be rejected by any hard heart because God softneth the heart and no will of any man resists God's when he hath a mind to save The rest I omit for the matter is very clear However let us hear what they can say for themselves Arminians as well as papists are of a contrary opinion they assert Conversion to depend so much upon Man's free-will that there shall be no efficacy of Grace no effect of God's Mind to Convert all things used towards it shall be in vain if Man doth not answer God's end and therein he hath his Free will so far as not to answer if he hath not a mind and wholly disappoint God's design to convert him thus converting grace may be resisted and in vain God will attempt if Man be not willing to it which is to make God depend upon Man and not Man upon God In effect they own no other converting grace but a moral persuasion whereby out of God's words unregenerate Men are preprevailed upon to believe to repent hope just as one Man bringeth arguments to persuade another thus Conversion is not wrought in Man but by Man which is meer Pelagianism This they endeavour to prove out of Scripture and bring examples of some whom God would have Converted towards whose Conversion he made use of means yet to no purpose because those people would not be Converted The first Is from the Gospel (a) Matth. 23 37. Jerusalem c. How often would I have gathered thy children together even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings and ye would not The Second is this (b) Acts 7.51 Ye do always resist the holy ghost And another is (c) Isai 65.2 I have spread out my hands all the day unto a rebellious people which walketh in a way that was not good To this I answer there always hath been some who obeyed not the outward Call and Precept of God but God never intended the Conversion of such because he did not bestow upon them true Converting Grace which consisteth in the working of the Holy Ghost upon their hearts As to the place about Jerusalem Christ would have gathered them with the will of precept that is he commanded them to come and be gathered to him to shew them their Duty But Christ would never gather them with the will of the Decree whereby he is willing to Convert the Elect who are the only Men actually to be coverted As to the Second Text those Men are said to resist the Holy Ghost who refuse to obey what he doth command and these Precepts are directed either to Reprobates or to the Elect to the former Converting Grace is never given so they are never Converted but ever continue disobedient As for the Elect though sometimes they reject the outward vocation yet at last by the inward calling they are all converted
far from a Free will to receive good as evil This I shall conclude with an observation upon the remedy which God proposeth to prevent their death and ruin namely to repent v. 30. and to make them a new heart and a new spirit Here God speaks as one who insists upon performance of Articles thus Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thine heart and with all thy soul Deut. 6.5 and with all thy might But saith God that ye have not done wherefore make you a new heart and a new spirit to enable you to perform what hitherto hath been wanting for why will ye die O house of Israel He commands them to do 't themselves which they are able to do no more than to repent because all is a gift of God Psal 51.19 which David knew well when he prays thus Create in me a clean heart O God and renew a right spirit within me Let us take notice of two different methods of God upon this account here God commandeth things to be done as they ought as performance of conditions but he promiseth nothing Do your duty which for them 't is impossible to perform wherefore he hath another way of speaking for those whom he is graciously pleased to favour he doth not command to do but promiseth himself to do for them (a) Ezek. 11.19 And I will give them one heart and I will put a new spirit within you and I will take the stony heart out of their flesh and I will give them an heart of flesh Which is repeated with this addition (b) Chap. 36.27 And I will put my spirit within you and cause you to walk in my statutes and ye shall keep my judgments and do them To the same effect speaks another Prophet (c) Jer. 32.39 And I will give them one heart and one way that they may fear me for ever Here are the most gracious promises of a Gospel-Covenant what we cannot do our selves he will do for us he will give us that heart and that spirit whereby we shall be enabled to keep and do his judgments and fear him for ever hereby we are secured from the danger of a final Apostasie The same Prophet just the Chapter before saith (d) Vers 33. I will put my Law in their inward parts and write it in their hearts and will be their God and they shall be my people and they shall not teach c. and that this is the true Evangelical sence of the place it appears out of the application of it made by the Author of the Epistle to the Hebrews who doth quote the very same words and concludes all in these (c) Heb. 8. from 6. to 13. For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness and their sins and their iniquities will I remember no more This is God's way with those whom he is pleased to save from dying and perishing as all must do whom he leaves to make themselves a new heart and a new spirit for Man's Will far from being free and able to contribute to Conversion the new Creation and Salvation is a perfect Slave to Sin till God be pleased to work upon and turn it which once being effected there is no danger of a final Apostacy for thereby we are secured against a total falling from grace and that is the Subject of the following Chapter CHAP. VIII About Amissibility of GRACE AS one depth calleth to another so doth one Error to another our Adversaries are not satisified to make Man if he be willful and obstinate stronger than God when he hath a mind to take possession of a Soul but they go farther and assert That after God is actually in possession of that Soul he may be turned out of possession which is their true sence of the point we are now going upon The Question is Whether a Man truly converted and regenerated can to the end persevere in the state of Salvation he is actually in And whether it be possible for such a one who is Elected in Christ called with an effectual Calling totally and finally to fall from God and be Damned This is the true state of the case and not whether the Elect and true Believers can fall into great sins which they do too often as it appeareth out of Scripture and Experience We say That God makes to persevere and go on to the end all the Elect and true Believers whether their Faith be strong or weak provided it be true that when once they are in the right way of Grace they shall infallibly come to Glory it being not possible for the Elect to become Reprobates to Apostatize and finally fall to Damnation Our Adversaries affirm the contrary though Arminius himself finding the stream of Scriptures and Fathers run so strong against the total and final Apostasie of Saints durst not openly declare for it yet his Followers have strongly set themselves against this Article which is the chief ground of all the comfort the Soul hath in this World to know 't is not in the power of the Devil or any other creature whatsoever to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord. Now to prove this Doctrine we can begin no better than with that place of St. Paul's who in (a) Rom. 8.30 ver 31. that Chapter from verse 28. to the last giveth us the greatest grounds of assurance that can possibly be expected grounded upon our Election Calling Justification c. whence he proceedeth to a defiance to all (b) Vers 33 34. which is taken out of Isai 50.7 8 9. If God be for us who can be against us And (c) Ver. 32. who shall lay any thing to the charge of God's Elect It is God that justifieth who is he that condemneth Now if Christ hath loved us which is clear in that he hath given himself for us and (d) Ver. 35. God delivered him up for us all After this the Apostle argueth from a thing impossible Who shall separate us from the love of Christ shall tribulation or distress or persecution or famine or nakedness or peril or sword (e) Vers 37 38 39. Nay in all these things we are more than conquerors Take notice with what assurance he speaketh in the two next verses for I am perswaded that neither death nor life nor Angels nor principalities nor powers nor things present nor things to come nor height nor depth nor any other creature shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord I would be loth to lose one word of these wherein the Apostle speaks so fully so clearly and so much to the purpose that if to confirm this Doctrine we had had the penning of the words we could not have done it with so good effect to prove that God's Elect and Believers cannot finally fall and totally be separated from Christ and we know (f) Joh. 13. whom Christ loveth them
as for the blind Not only so but he will be a Guide to the Blind Chap. 42.16 And I will bring the blind by a way that they knew not I will lead them in the Paths that they have not known I will make darkness light before them and crooked things straight these things will I do unto them I know this may also be understood of Miracles by our Saviour wrought on the Bodies but it is chiefly meant of the spiritual Cures upon the Souls of Men 'T is not so much of the Eyes of the Body but as St. Paul explains it (m) Ephes 1.18 the eyes of your understanding being enlightened To this relateth the Eye-Salve by the Lord Jesus mentioned in Scripture who in the same place offereth poor Sinners Riches Raiment and Eye-Salve (n) Rev. 3.18 I counsel thee to beg of me gold tryed in the fire that thou mayest be rich and white raiment that thou mayest be clothed and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear and anoint thine Eyes with Eye-Salve that thou mayest see So then no Remedy but in God for the blindness of our Understanding 2 Tim. 1.7 for God alone can give the Spirit of Power and of true Chap. 2.7 and of a sound Mind and understanding in all things As for the Heart God is also the sole Physician thereof (o) Psal 10.17 and 86.11 God doth prepare it and causeth it to fear his Name Take notice of God's working upon the Heart (p) Jer. 32.39.40 and chap. 24.7 chap. 31.33 I will put my Fear in their Hearts that they shall not depart from me and I will give them one heart and one way that they shall fear me for ever Moreover I will put my Law in their inward parts and write it in their Hearts And by the Mouth of Moses God promiseth (q) Deut. 30.6 And the Lord thy God will circumcise thine Heart and the Heart of thy Seed But God goeth beyond for he gives a new Heart and a new Spirit (a) Ezec. 11.19 20. and I will give them one Heart and I will put a new spirit within you and I will take the stony heart out of their flesh and will give them an Heart of flesh that they may walk in my Statutes and keep mine Ordinances and do them God and none else must give or else we cannot have it See how positive and full Moses is upon this (b) Deut. 29.4 Yet the Lord hath not given you an Heart to perceive and Eyes to see and Ears to hear unto this day They had it not because God had not given it it did not depend upon their free Will to have it for then they had not wanted it God reneweth changeth and restraineth the Heart (c) Ezec. 39.7 I will not let them pollute my holy name any more And when it is wounded and (d) Psal 147.3 broken he healeth it and bindeth up the wound And when 't is in a good Frame he doth (e) 1 Thes 3.13 Psal 27.14 and Psal 31.24 stablish it unblameable in holiness before God he strengtheneth it Out of these and many more Texts which we omit appeareth the absolute power disposal of and ruling which God hath over the Heart How can after this Arminians deny it when they say 't is free to obey or disobey to reject or receive that which God offereth in few Words to disappoint God and do what it will in spite of God Is not this to make a God of it To this I add we cannot so much as mind or attend unto the Word of God preached except he be pleased to open our Hearts as he did that of (f) Acts 16.14 Lydia As to our Lameness and Impotency to walk in God's ways we must depend only upon God to be cured of it Wherefore David doth beseech him to order his steps (g) Psal 25.4 5. to shew him his ways to teach him his paths to lead him in his truth and to to teach him And God saith (h) Hos 11.3 I taught Ephraim also to go taking them by their Arms For they could not go of themselves they wanted a Guide and a Helper (i) Jer. 10.23 For the way of man is not in himself he cannot direct his steps (k) Psal 63.8 'T is God's right hand that upholdeth us Than every thing else conducing to our Salvation God doth it for us (l) Psal 143.10 he teaches us to do his will he draws and turns us when we go astray when we are dull slow and weak he quickeneth us How many times doth David in that 119th Psalm pray God to quicken him in his ways in his Righteousness c. but the great Work is to (*) Ephes 2. quicken us when we were dead in trespasses and sins Let us in very few words with admiration and thankfulness take notice of God's way and method in his gracious actings for us First He begins and prepares (a) Isai 57.14 Prepare the way take up the stumbling block out of the way of my people then (b) Chap. 26.12 he works in and for us afterwards he (c) Psal 68.28 strengthneth that which he hath wrought for us (d) Psal 3.5 he (e) 145.14 sustaineth and (f) Psal 57.2 upholdeth (g) Psal 138.8 he performeth all things for us But God is not content to do so he also (h) Heb. 13.21 doth perfect that which concerns us and as the Apostle saith he (i) 1 Pet. 5.10 makes us perfect in every good work to do his will working in us that which is well pleasing in his sight St. Peter is full upon the matter he prayes God to perfect stablish strengten and to settle believers In a word God saith David is the God of our salvation from whom we receive blessing and righteousness (k) Psal 24.5 I must not omit that admirable Text wherein God promiseth to plant the Gospel which is concluded thus (l) Ezech. 17.24 And all the trees of the field shall know that I the Lord have brought down the high tree have exalted the low tree have dryed up the green tree and have made the dry tree to flourish I the Lord have spoken and have done it God alone hath done it all To conclude these Evidences it must be granted how without faith and repentance we cannot be saved but with them we shall surely be For the substance and declaration of the Gospel is repent and believe Now 't is easie out of Scripture to shew how both repentance and saith do not depend upon the will and power of man but they are the gift of God As for repentance 't is clear Acts 5.31 Jesus hath God exalted with his right hand to be a prince and a saviour for to give repentance to Israel and forgiveness of sins Repentance and forgiveness of sins which go together are not in the power of any man but God
he loveth unto the end Christ prayed to the Father (g) Luk. 22.32 that the faith of his believers fail not as we see in the case of Peter and the success sheweth he was heard for St. Peter came again to himself and Christ saith to the Father (h) Joh. 11.42 and I know thou hearest me always but our Saviour's Prayer was not for Peter only and the other Disciples but (i) Joh. 17.20 for them also which shall believe on me through the Word So that he prayed for all Believers Now for Believers and Elect naturally to fall from God and (k) Mat. 24.24 to be seduced 't is not possible for the expression if possible importeth an impossibility not for all the Wonders of Antichrist the most pregnant means that Men and Devils can use to make the Elect fall away do not prevail Christ saith (f) Joh. 10.28 29. He giveth his sheep eternal life and they shall never perish neither shall any man pluck them out of his hand no man is able to pluck them out of his fathers hand who is greater than all Nothing can be more positive upon the present Question christ's Sheep are those who believe he assureth them all of life Eternal and they shall never perish because kept by his strong hand the Father having put them in the hand of the Son to be kept and the Fathers hand is also about them so they cannot miscarry except there be some enemy stronger than God If such a thing were possible for the Elect to perish what would become of God's truth when he saith by the Prophet (g) Jer. 32.38 39 40. I will be their God and they shall be my people And I will give them one heart and one way that they may fear me for ever And I will make an everlasting covenant with them that I will not turn away from them to do them good but I will put my fear in their hearts that they shall not depart from me Here God promiseth to all whom the new Covenant is made with that is Believers that he will give them an heart to fear him not only for a time but for ever that the Covenant shall not be broken of either side he assureth not only for himself that he shall never change but for them also for he will put his fear in their hearts that they shall never leave or depart from him So that we are sure on both sides for God saith (h) Heb. 13.3 He will never leave us nor forsake us the reason is by Malachy drawn from his Immutability I (i) Mal. 3.6 the Lord change not Not only in his Nature but also in his Gifts such as Effectual calling for (k) Rom. 11.29 The gifts and calling of God are without repentance One Text more I will make use of which can afford us a reason against any instance out of Scripture of any said to be fallen from the Truth or to have denied the Faith this is it (l) 1 Joh. 2.19 They went out from us but they were not of us for if they had been of us they would no doubt have continued with us but they went out that they might be manifest that they were not all of us Who are those that do not persevere but fall away from Truth and Grace They who never had it for if they had been true Members of Christ they certainly would have always continued so but God let them go to let Men know they were not sound nor build by Faith on the Rock for if they had been they would have continued stedfast amidst temptations and the Gates of Hell could not have prevailed against them like those fiery vapours in the Air which the Eye would take to be Stars but by their fall they shew what they were Thus God not only publickly punisheth those Hypocrites but makes them an example for others to take warning by and let this be a rule that they who fall so either they never were Elect nor had true Grace or else they are not fallen finally but God will restore them again 2 Tim. 2.19 Ephes 1.13 Jer. 32.40 Ps 37.23 24. Joh. 6.14.39.40 1 Joh 3.9 Many other places of Scripture I could bring to confirm this Doctrine but because I already made use of some before which would be sit for our purpose I omit it only I set some in the Margin to be perused by the Reader Against this Truth 't is objected If the Elect cannot perish then they need not forbear sinning to avoid everlasting Death let them take what course they please they are sure of Heaven This Argument is grounded upon Impiety 't is rather of a Reprobate than of an Elect if the Saints should against their conscience obstinately continue in sin no doubt but they should perish but God who will not suffer his chosen to perish doth not leave them to continue in impenitency but through repentance brings them again to himself and restraineth them with putting them in mind of their Duty for a final obstinacy in sin and impenitence do no more consist with Election and true saving Grace than a final perseverance in Faith doth consist with Reprobation In the 2d place they object the examples of David Solomon and Peter who fell into abominable sins of Adultery and Murder of Idolatry and the denying of Christ We ever granted corruption to be so strong in the best of God's People that if for a while he withdraweth the exercise of his Graces they are apt to fall into the worst of sins however we deny that the three named did wholly and totally fall from Grace only for a time Grace did still continue in them like fire under Ashes Two reasons we have to believe they did not finally fall the first Because they sinned out of weakness and human frailty not with a full consent of the Will Secondly Because they seriously repented which is a true sign of Faith As to the repentance of (b) 2 Sam. 12.13 Psal 51 Mat. 26.75 David and Peter it is expresly set down in Scripture as to Solomon most Divines are of opinion that for a token of repentance he did write his Book of Ecclesiastes They argue farther our Saviour saith (c) Luk. 8.13 Some for a while believe and in time of temptation fall away therefore some may fall from the Faith The question is not about temporal but saving and justifying Faith which temporal Faith is not Now in this place 't is clear our Saviour speaks of temporal Faith They believe but for a time And out of the Parable it appears that of the four several sorts of ground which the Seed falls into there is but one that is good so of four kinds of hearts there is none good but the honest and good heart which having heard the Word keepeth it and brings forth Fruit. Now such hearts as these keep Grace do continue and persevere in it and never lose it totally
totally forsaking them The Second Induration or hardning the first is a final denial of Grace necessary to obtain eternal life thus God is said to forsake wicked Men when he leaves them in unbelief and denyeth them Faith in Christ which no reprobate hath Hardning is a higher degree of punishment 't is an effect of God's anger when he doth not take away the hardness and malice which is in a Man's heart but by a just judgment it becomes a punishment for former sins and by outward means is so aggravated that though God addeth no new degree of hardness it suffereth it to spring out of the root of former evils thus we often read in Exodus (c) Exod. 4.21 and chap. 7 3 13. c. God hardned Pharaoh's heart and the (d) Chap. 14.17 Egyptians but this hardning doth not indifferently befall every reprobate only some notorious sinners whence it is a particular judgment of God which is not executed with a bare Permission and Direction with relation to every reprobate but with acting something within and without the wicked whereby their malice and hardness is increased we have several reasons to prove it First Hardning is a Judiciary act of God and an effect of his Anger Now a Judge doth punish not only with permitting and directing but also with actually inflicting a Pain by himself or by another When God hardneth he doth something as it appeareth by the usual phrase of Scripture which expresseth the judgment of an Angry God with words signifying an action now he who only permitteth doth not act but leaves others to act and to call this a direction to the end is not to the purpose the direction is not the hardning but a consequence of it Furthermore if hardning properly so called was a bare permission it would not be a special judgment of God as it is against notorious sinners because no sin is committed by any sinner whatsoever but by God's permission Moreover if God was said to harden Men because he permitteth them to be hardned in the same manner he might be said to Kill Steal commit Adultery c. because he permitteth all these sins which is most false Therefore God's hardning a Man's heart is not a bare permission but an action as it appeareth in the case of Pharaoh for if God had hardned only permissively there had been no need of so often repeating by Moses the command of letting the people go no need of so many Miracles wrought nor of so many Plagues inflicted upon Egypt whereby the Tyrant was more and more hardned and more cruel Which is the effect of those judgments of God upon some to whom they are an occasion of growing worse and worse Thus when (a) Rev. 16.9 21. men were scorched with great heat and when great hail out of heaven fell upon them they repented not to give God glory but blasphemed the name of God which may be they would not have done had it not been for the smart of the Plague the feeling of God's heavy hand makes wicked Men fly out break into a rage and grow mad as we read of Julian the Apostate who in the Fight where he dyed being wounded with an Arrow took in his hand some of the Blood that came out of the Wound and threw it up whilst he pronounced these blasphemous words against our Saviour Galilean thou hast overcome me Thus God by himself or instruments works such things as make notorious sinners much worse and more desperate This Doctrine (a) Lib. 5. contra Julian cap. 3. de grat lib. â—rbit cap. 20.21 Austin taught out of Scripture and by other strong reasons proveth how God doth blind the minds and hardneth the hearts not with patience and bare permission but with power and action Amongst other things in several places he saith to this purpose how by a just and secret judgment of God the wills of wicked Men are moved to commit those things which in relation to Men have the nature of sin This I bring to shew that as our Adversaries would have it 't is no new Doctrine of our own but that some Eminent Doctors of the primitive Church have found it in Scripture as well as we But the better to understand this we must know how God hardneth Satan hardneth and reprobates harden themselves God as a Judge Satan as an Executioner and the wicked harden themselves as guilty Men. First God hardneth not by infusing any malice or hardness but first leaving them in their hardness not softning them withdrawing and denying them his Grace Secondly Working something both within and without wicked Men by means whereof out of their natural corruption they take an occasion of hardning themselves more and more such are several thoughts and affections not evil in themselves as may be outward lust and desire of Honour Riches c. which the corrupt mind is easily and blindly inticed by and lead unto such are also several Calamities Precepts Accusations Threatnings Prohibitions Thirdly With delivering up to Satan and to ones corrupt affection Fourthly Inclining evil affections to some certain Objects as a punishment for some times one sin is the punishment of another The Devil having God's leave hardneth with inticing men to all sorts of evils blinding Reason disturbing the Fancy striking Fear giving vain hopes and suggesting evil Thoughts when Men are either awake or a sleep Wicked men do harden themselves with giving up themselves to their own lusts rejecting the dictates of Right reason despising commands threatnings c. Hence it appeareth how the acts of the Devil and of Reprobates side concurring to harden are evil for the most part but on God's part all are good of themselves therefore God can by no means be made the Author of sin though he hardneth not only with permitting but also in acting There is no certainty of Reprobation whilst Man is alive except in case of the sin against the Holy Ghost which is never forgiven and so committed by none but Reprobates all other sins are pardonable which are common to Elect specially to those not yet regenerated and to Reprobates therefore by them we ought not and cannot ground any judgment The sin against the Holy Ghost doth not befall every Reprobate but only some as induration properly so called and although the number of Reprobates be much greater than that of the Elect yet no Man but he who is guilty of the sin against the Holy Ghost hath just cause to despair and of that too one is not rashly to judge but hereafter we shall have occasion to enlarge upon this Before I make an end with this point as much conducing to our purpose and to shew that what we hold in this matter is the doctrine of St. Paul I must shew how two Objections of our Adversaries against it were set down and answered by the Apostle They are contained in the 9th Chapter to the Romans wherein are decided these matters of
Mercy they attain to everlasting Felicity Here are also the Particulars by which that general bringing to Salvation is perfected so that to joyn both together it is but one and the same and from first to last there is such an indissoluble Connexion that he who is elected to eternal Life shall infallibly have it Upon this certitude and assurance it is that St. Paul concludes nothing can deprive us of eternal Life because nothing can separate us from the love of God which is the Ground of our Happiness Wherefore he defieth any thing or person to do it though Arminians undertake to accept of the Apostle's Challenge not caring how they come within his Defiance For they seem to answer that there are many or some things that can separate us from the love of God in Christ tho' after and before a long Enumeration St. Paul concludes In all things these we are more than conquerours And Job will trust in God John 13.15 though he kill him Now that which maketh us to Conquer is not our own free-Will but it is God that loved us In conformity to this in the same Article it is said The consideration of Election doth greatly establish in the Saints and confirm their Faith of eternal Salvation to be enjoyed through Christ And the same Interpreter upon the 17th Article in his 3d. Proposition out of the Words constantly decreed doth infer this Wander then do they from the truth which think that the very Elect totally and finally may fall from Grace and be damned c. I think this is very clear for us And in the latter end of his 8th Proposition he condemneth those who call the Doctrine of Predestination a licentious Doctrine As to the point of Justification which is a Fundamental Article of our Religion and much corrupted by Arminians the xi Article of the 39. saith We are accounted Righteous before God only for the Merit of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ by Faith and not for our own Works and Deservings These last Words do reach Arminians as well as Papists for free Will Faith Perseverance right use and improvement of Means do come under the Word Deservings There is then nothing of Man and Rogers in the Proofs of his 1st Proposition explains it thus By his only Righteousness we are justified It expresses only Christ's Righteousness and excludeth any thing else But I must not be too long upon this Out of what hath been said I hope it doth appear how of the 39 Articles those which speak about these Matters are clearly for us against Arminians Now we must come to the Liturgy or Common-Prayer-Book which now and then and in several places doth strike against those Errors and for the Truth And as the Church teaches us those Doctrines by Articles of Faith so in the Liturgy she doth confirm it by Practice But before I come to it I must take notice of some Passages in the Catechism which is also a publick Record and Evidence of the Doctrine of the Church Know this that thou art not able to do these things of thy self nor to walk in the Commandments of God and to serve him without his special Grace See also the Answer to the first Question about the Lord's Prayer I desire c. Read the Answer to the 4th Question and by God's help so I will c. Now to come to Particulars out of the Prayer-Book In one place we have thus (a) Collect on Christ's Nativity Grant that we being regenerate and made thy Children by Adoption and Grace may daily be renewed by thy holy Spirit Those Benefits we receive as effects of Grace not of our free-Will and our being renewed is by God's Holy Spirit not by our Will If it be by one it is not by the other because in Matters of Salvation Grace and natural Strength are opposed In another place (b) Collect upon Ash-wednesday we beseech God to create and make in us new and contrite Hearts Then we cannot have it of our selves and the Word to create sheweth it to be beyond the power of any Creature it is the Work only of the Creator Elsewhere we own (c) Collect on 2d Sunday in Lent to have no power of our selves to help our selves If we have a free-Will we have a Power Again (d) Collect on Monday and Tuesday in Easter week As by thy special Grace preventing us thou dost put into our Minds good Desires so by thy continual help we may bring the same to good effect This is plain and full against Arminians If there be good Thoughts in our Mind good Desires in our Heart it is God alone that puts it therein By what Motive and upon what Account Not for any thing in us but by his Grace nay his special not a common universal Grace not for our Faith Repentance good Works right use of Means but by his special Grace preventing Grace before we can think and desire But this is not all for as the beginning is from God as are Desires so is the Progress for we pray for his continual help so also is the end that we may bring the same good Thoughts and Desires to good effect Without that help nothing doth or can come to any good We have more than this to shew (e) Collect on 4th Sunday after Easter Almighty God who alone canst order the unruly Wills and Affections of sinful Men grant unto thy people that they may love the thing which thou command-est and desire that which thou dost promise We are all sinful Men even God's People Our Wills and Affections are unruly where then lays their Freedom They are obstinate Slaves to their Passions therefore called unruly None but God can order them nothing under a Divine Power can influence them to what is good nay in things that are natural to them as to love and to desire Nothing seems more natural than Love and Desire nothing more free yet here we see our Wills cannot love that which God commands or desire what he promises except God makes them do it Surely these are mortal Wounds to free-Will Furthermore we cannot so much as to think any good thing but by the Spirit of God For St. Paul saith of our selves we cannot have a good Thought so the Church which believeth his Doctrine saith to God (f) Collect on 5th Sunday after Easter Grant to us that by thy holy Inspiration we may think those things that be good This is of Grace and not by Nature therefore (g) Collect on 1st Sunday after Trinity we can do no good thing without thee grant us the help of thy Grace that we may please thee both in will and deed God puts into our Hearts to do Duties and to perform them well (h) Collect on 3d. Sunday after Trinity Thou hast given us a hearty desire to pray We pray God to grant (i) Collect on Ascension day and Collect on Annunciation day
are common mercies though great which come short of saving and converting grace 't is not every manifestation that there is a God which must be called a sufficient grace amongst the Devils themselves God hath not left himself without witness CHAP. X. Of Vniversal Calling AND now we are upon this let us view another branch of this universal grace for they say God according to his Decree doth universally call all Men Reprobates as well as Elect to receive and believe in Christ and this by the means of the word preached to every Man What we already said may also serve in answer to this namely that before and after the coming of Christ millions of Men are dead who never heard Christ preached unto them yet we may charitably believe that God shewed some of them mercy for though they were deprived of the outward ordinary means God who is not tyed to second causes might by the inward call of his spirit have revealed unto some of them his saving knowledge We may say of this Ordinance of the Word as is said of Baptism which is another (a) Mark 16.16 He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved but he that believeth not shall be damned He doth not say and is not baptized shall be damned so he that heareth the outward preaching and believeth shall be saved we may say that though the outward hearhing of the word be the usual means to breed Faith yet he that wants it may be taught inwardly and believe and be saved However things be those are secrets of God which we ought not to dive into Our Blessed Saviour is positive against universal calling when he saith (b) Matth. 20. many are called he doth not say all but many we may say very many or the greatest part are not called for as we see he comes to narrower bounds if few be chosen many are called so by a gradation we may say if many be called more are not called Indeed David saith (c) Psal 47.1 Let all the earth fear the Lord let all the inhabitants of the world stand in are and O clap your hands all ye people shout unto God with the voice of triumph But this is no such an universal vocation to all the Inhabitants of the World as the question is about all the earth besides the reason of saving grace hath cause enough to fear the Lord and to praise him All the world could not hear what David said and did write but the question is to have Christ offered to every Man in the Gospel by the ministery of Men. This leadeth us to another question between Remonstrants and us namely supposing every Man in the world had been called by the preaching of the word yet it doth not follow they should have been converted and saved without God's special saving grace because in Adam men lost the power of believing the Gospel This question these innovators started up to show how God is bound to give every Man a sufficient grace to believe in Christ if they will So they say the grace of believing in Christ was not given to Adam therefore he could not lose it and so God may no justly require of Man faith to believe in Christ except he giveth him sufficient grace to believe But we say God gave Adam that grace and he lost it For whatsoever Adam received from God for himself and Posterity that same through his fall he lost for himself and Posterity too now that with other privileges he received also the power of believing the Gospel it appeareth for he received for himself and Posterity the power of loving God and believing his word whatsoever it might be in time to come this is proved because without this power the image of God had not been perfect in him neither had he been without it provided with a sufficient grace to avoid all manner of Infidelity In the state of innocency God might have revealed him future things and in case of a fall have promised him a gracious restoration by the means of his Son Who can deny but that Men in the state of Innocence might and ought to have believed such a promise of God Let us hear what they say for themselves Adam in the state of Innocency stood in no need of Faith in Christ therefore God gave him not power to believe in Christ but though in the state of innocency he had no need of Faith it doth not follow but that God might give it to him strength and power is not always given to nature for use but sometimes for perfection In this sence 't is said (a) Matth. 3.9 God is able of these stones to raise up Children to Abraham Yet there is no need of doing it God had given Adam strength to travel all the world over which he never did neither was there any occasion for him to do it Again they object God gave Adam the Law therefore he was not bound to believe in Christ because Faith is not commanded by the Law but though the Law was given unto Adam yet he was bound to believe in Christ for although Faith be not expresly commanded in the Law yet 't is implicitly because by the Law a Man is bound to believe every word of God which in time to come should be revealed unto him We have already shewed there is no such universal vocation as they are for However it is granted several Reprobates have an outward calling but seeing they are not converted the question is put to what purpose and for what end are reprobates thus called Our Adversaries say 't is to the end they should be made partakers of everlasting life This we cannot agree to because they do not attain to it Whence necessarily followeth that as I said heretofore God is frustrated of his end which is a sign and effect of want of Power and Wisdom which must needs be so if in what God doth he proposeth to himself an end which he foreknoweth he cannot and shall not attain unto no Man of sound mind will do so and of God it cannot be affirmed without blasphemy This consideration is so pregnant that they think to shift it off with a distinction God doth not absolute say they intend they should be saved but upon condition they shall obey and come in at the call and persevere therein now this condition not being performed by Reprobates they say God is not disappointed of his end but what a pitiful coming off is this shall a Man not deprived of his wits make an end which he in earnest aimeth at depend upon a condition which he is sure shall never be God foreseeth Reprobates will not obey the call much less continue in obedience I farther say no Man who hath his wits will make an end which in earnest he proposeth to himself depend upon such means as none but himself can procure and which he is resolved never to procure But to incline to obedience the hearts of
those that are called and to turn stony hearts into hearts of flesh none can do 't but God alone but experience teaches he will not do it in Reprobates a sign he hath decreed not to do it And let the nonsence of their Hypothesis and Assertion be taken notice of which is thus God in calling reprobates intends to save them in case he giveth them effectual grace to obey the call which he resolved never to do God doth not intend the effectual calling or conversion of every one whom the Gospel is preached to and have only the outward means of Salvation as it appearet out of the fore-quoted places Ezech. 2.5 For sometimes a Prophet sent to a people or to a person is a stumbling block to that people or person so of some other Providence John 15.22 And this is God's own doing for he saith Ezech. 3.20 when I lay a stumbling block before a man whether righteous or otherwise or when God's own Son came into the world 't was as said before to take from unbelievers all manner of excuse to make them unexcusable for saith the Apostle as to them that believe he is a chief corner stone elect and precious so unto those that are disobedient he is a stone of stumbling and a rock of offence 1 Pet. 2.6 7 8. And this is the Lord 's doing Psal 118.22 saith David wherefore it is marvellous in our eyes John 8.43 Our Blessed Saviour said to the Jews Why do you not understand my speech In the same verse he gives the reasons even because ye cannot hear my word His word they heard and the meaning they understood but it did not work upon them neither could they effectually understand it of themselves they could not do 't neither did God intend they should or else it had been effected Gamaliel spoke well the truth Acts 5.39 when he said if this counsel be of God ye cannot overthrow it For 't is beyond any Man's power to disappoint God of his ends wherefore whensoever he intends by preaching of the word to convert any one he shall certainly be converted but if he be not it is a certain and infallible sign that God thereby never intended his conversion or that he should believe To what end then are Reprobates called I answer to know their duty and at last to own they are justly punished for having neglected it and herein God doth attain to his end Rom. 9.7 out of Exod. 4.21 9 1◠1◠20 St. Paul shewing how God called Pharaoh not to the end he should obey but that he should be hardened and should not let the people go In several places Holy Scriptures shew how God in calling and offering means of grace to wicked and reprobates doth not intend their Conversion but to make them unexcusable and to have Witnesses and Testimonies against them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that at the last day every wicked man may hear this Thou art unexcusable O man When God gave Ezechiel his Commission and commanded him to go to the people he gave him no hope of success nor seemed to intend their conversion for saith he Ezech 2.34.5 they are a rebellious nation that hath rebelled against me they and their Fathers have transgressed against me even unto this very day for they are impudent children and stiff-necked to what purpose then doth God send him to them God declares it and they whether they will hear or forbear et shall know there hath been a prophet amongst them There is an Evidence and a Witness against them I have given them warning and they cannot pretend ignorance or any ground of excuse God doth not declare to the Ministers at first whether or no they will hear but to do and obey what is commanded When our Blessed Saviour sent his Disciples to preach the Gospel he gave this charge Mark 6.11 and whosoever shall not receive you nor hear you when ye depart thence shake off the dust under your feet for a testimony against them St. Paul did it for he shook his raiment and said let your blood be upon your own heads To the Jews that opposed themselves and blasphemed Acts. 18.6 as a testimony against them for verily it shall be more tolerable for Sodom and Gomorah in the day of Judgment than for such And elsewhere but upon the same argument doth before-hand tell his Disciples and ye shall be brought before governours and kings for my sake but to what end and purpose Matth. 10.18 to convert them not for if it was to that intent they would be converted for who hath resisted his will Luke 10.11 but for a testimony against them and the gentiles And according to another Evangelist the Lord directeth them what to say even the very dust of your City which cleaveth on us we do wipe off against you notwithstanding be ye sure of this that the Kingdom of God is come nigh unto you As if he had said this shall be the ground of the charge against you at the last day and this dust shall rise in Judgment and as a witness against you Our Saviour saith how before the end of the world this Gospel of the Kingdom shall be preached in all the world Matth. 24.14 not with an intention in God to convert the whole world for then God would be disapointed of his purpose For Scripture and Experience teach us the contrary that all shall not answer the call and be converted In the Text the Lord Jesus declares why the Gospel shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations At the last day shall be the general Assize where every Man shall be called to an account for his sins the Causes shall not be between Man and Man but between God and Man and the Lord Jesus shall be the visible Judge for by him God will judge the World Now as matters of fact do require proof by Evidences so God makes sure of Witnesses to convince and confound the wicked for as St. Paul and Barnabas said to those of Lystra God left not himself without witness in that he did good and gave us rain and fruitful seasons Acts 14.17 These mercies though common will be Evidences against those that abused or remained unthankful under them So shall the outward means and offers of grace against those that neglected and rejected them though God never intended they should thereby be converted for God's secret will was unknown to them and the revealed they ought to have obeyed as Abraham did when commanded to Sacrifice his Son so ought all when commanded to repent and believe Now those witnesses of God are of two sorts First those that are of his own immediate appointment as were the Lord's Disciples to whom he said John 15.27 ye also shall bear me witness because ye have been with me from the beginning which he repeated after his Resurrection Ye shall be