would impudently apply that Scripture Joh. 3.13 No man hath ascended into heaven but he that came down from heaven the Son of man which is in heaven and what other Scriptures speak him coming down from heaven coming forth from God and such like to this erroneous doctrine that Christ as man first ascended into heaven was there and came down thence ere he shewed himself to the world is that according to truth or doth he this meerly to avoid the force these Scriptures have in them to prove the Deity of the Son what Scriptures have you that will sufficiently prove he did not so ascend as man ere he was discovered to the world Answ Mat. 1.8 The birth of Jesus was on this wise when as his Mother Mary was espoused to Joseph before they came together she was found with child of the holy Ghost behold a Virgin shall be with child Luke 1 30,31 And the Angel said unto her Mary Behold thou shalt conceive in thy womb and bring forth a Son Mat. 2.8 Search diligently for the young child ver 9. stood over where the young childe was vers 11. They saw the young child with Mary his Mother vers 13. Arise take the child and his Mother for Herod seeketh the child to destroy him vers 14 15. He arose and took the babe and his Mother and departed into Egypt and was there until the death of Herod that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the Prophet saying Out of Egypt have I called my son vers 19 20 21. And when Herod was dead behold an Angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Ioseph in Egypt saying Arise and take the babe and his Mother and go into the Land of Israel Then he rose up and took the babe and his Mother and came into the Land of Israel Vers 23. And went and dwelt in a City called Nazareth Luke 2.40 And the child grew and waxed strong in the Spirit 42. Now when he was twelve years old 43. The child Iesus remained in Jerusalem 51.52 And he went down with them and came to Nazareth and was subject to them and Iesus increased in wisdom and stature Joh. 20.17 Iesus said unto her Touch me not for I am not yet ascended unto my Father but I ascend unto my father and your father Quest These Scriptures prove indeed sufficiently that Jesus was conceived among us for she was with child born among us seen among us removing from place to place among us growing in years and stature and gifts among us and after all this his own testimony after his resurrection do sufficiently prove he ascended not as man before he descended what use then shall those Scriptures turn to which he abuses to that end Ioh. 3.13 No man hath ascended but he that hath descended the Son of man which is in heaven Iohn 8.42 I came from God Vers 29. I am from above Iohn 13.1.3 Jesus knowing that he came from God Ioh. 16.28 30. I came forth from the Father by this we believe that thou camest from God Answ Add them all to that Testimony afforded us by the Scripture Rom. 9.5 Who is God over all blessed for evermore Amen Quest Whereas our Catechist quotes several Scriptures importing that he that believes shall be saved if we hold fast our confidence to the end if a man purge himself if through the spirit we mortifie the deeds of the flesh we shall live if we repent our sins shall be blotted out if we do these things happy are we if we suffer with him we shall also raign and whereby he deducts that the promises of the Gospel are propounded conditionally to faith perseverance obedience doing and uttering which indeed is true but mean time conceals that Truth which ought to be considered herewith namely that we may perform these conditions we must have recourse to an absolute promise are there not therefore Scriptures that make all these first to be Gods gift ere they are our Act repeat some among many Answ Gal. 5.22 The fruit of the spirit is love joy peace long suffering gentleness goodness faith c. Eph. 6.23 Peace be to the Brethren and love with faith from God the Father and from our Lord Iesus Christ Heb. 12.2 Looking unto Jesus the Author and finisher of our faith Eph. 2.8 By grace are ye saved through faith in Iesus and that not of your selves it is the gift of God Acts 26.22 I obtained help of God and continue unto this day 2 Tim. 2.14 And the Lord will deliver me from every evil work and will preserve me unto his heavenly Kingdom Heb. 13.20 21. The God of peace that brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus Christ the great Shepheard of the Sheep thorough the blood of the everlasting Covenant make you perfect in all good works to do his will working in you what is pleasing in his sight thorough Jesus Christ to whom be praise for ever and ever Amen Eze. 11.19 And I will give them one heart and I will put a new spirit in their bowels and will take their stony heart out of their bodies and I will give them a heart of flesh that they may walk in my statutes and keep my Judgements and execute them Hosea 14.9 The wayes of the Lord are just and the r ghteous shall walk in them Phil. 2.13 For it is God that worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure Acts 5.31 Him hath God raised up with his right hand to be a Prince and Saviour to Israel to give repentance and forgiveness of sins Acts. 11.17 18. Forasmuch then as God gave them a like gift as he did unto us who believed in the Lord Jesus Christ who was I that I could let God when they heard these things they held their peace and glorified God saying then hath God also granted unto the Gentiles repentance unto life Rom. 2.4 Or despisest thou the riches of his bounty and patience and long-suffering not knowing that the bountifulness of God leadeth thee to repentance 2 Tim. 2.24 25. But the Servant of the Lord must not strive but be gentle toward all men apt to teach suffering the evil men patiently instructing them with meekness that are contrary-minded proving if God at any time will give them repentance that they may acknowledge the Truth and come to amendment out of the snare of the Devil of whom they are taken prisoners to do his will Phil. 1.19 Vnto you it is given for Christ that not onely you should believe in him but also suffer for his sake CHAP. IX QVest Though the many Scriptures cited do prove the Divinity of the Son and we do in the main refer all other by strokes thereat one whereof we have in this Chapter to that distinct head yet whereas here is quoted Mat. 9.2 3 4 importing that the Son of man hath power on earth to forgive sins and that the multitude glorified God which had given
from their own stedfastness least any man fail of the grace of God lest by any means the Tempter tempts us and the Apostles labour be in vain lest we destroy our weak brother by our knowledge and the Apostle lest when he preach unto others himself should be cast away severall other positive Scriptures speaking such Saints as were enlightned have tasted the heavenly gift made partakers of the holy Ghost tasted the good word of God and the powers of the world to come if they fall away that some are cursed children having forsaken the right way and have gone astray That some after they have escaped the pollutions of the world are again entangled therein and overcome who after they have known the way of righteousness turn from the holy Commandment delivered to them and to conclude if a man abide not in Christ he is cast forth and withers every branch in him that beareth not fruit he taketh away Do not some of them prove that hypocrites may go far in the business of Religion and have much light much experience yea faith though temporary and yet fall away do not others of them as the last prove that such men may have the profession of Christ and be members of the visible Church of Christ and so said to be in him yet being strange from the work of regeneration and implantation in the end be cast out But notwithstanding all this do any of these Scriptures or all of them prove that a real member of Christs mystical body or a true Believer may fall from that state lofe his faith and finally perish is not this contrary to the whole tenure of the Gospel what do the Scri tures speak do they not tell us that such as thus fall were never true Believers that many did thus believe whom our Lord himself did not account to be true Believers 2. Hath not God in his word plentifully promised that true believers should persevere and be preservd from total and final apostacy and if so doth not the Scripture tell us God cannot lye 3. Doth not the Scripture tell us that God doth keep true believers that they cannot thus finally fall 4. Doth not the Scripture tell us that such as are true believers are elected of God and cannot thus fall but have already attained the inheritance 5. Doth not the Scripture tell us that Christ prayeth the Father for the perseverance of the Saints and doth not Christ himself say the Father hath always heard him 6. Do not the Saints and true Believers daily pray for their perseverance and doth not the Scripture tell them what ever necessary thing they ask in the name of Christ shall be obtained 7. Are not true believers thus kept by Jesus Christ in the faith so as they can never totally and finally lose their faith 8. Are not such sealed by the holy Spirit in their hearts that they shall never fall 9. Are not Believers compared to a Tree that withers not a house that is builded on a Rock and fals not seed sown in good ground which bringeth forth its perfect crop 10. Are not such Believers so dead to sin that it cannot again have dominion over them and are they not so born of God as the seed of God abides in them that they cannot so sin again as do other men yea are not such believers so endued as that they shall overcome all their enemies and cannot be overcome In short if these particulars are the Tenour of Scripture and the truth as it is in Jesus shall not this truth of the Saints everlasting perseverance be worthy of all acceptation to the worlds ends sure it will let us therefore hear what the Scriptures speaks to each of these and first of the first Answ 1. John 8.31 Then said Iesus to those Jews that believed on him If ye continue in my word then are ye my Disciples indeed 1 John 2.19 They went out from us because they were not of us for if they had been of us they would have no doubt continued with us but they went out that they might be made manifest they were not all of us Heb. 3.6.14 Whose house are we if we hold fast the confidence and the rejoycing of the hope firm unto the end Luke 8.18 Whosoever hath not from him shall be taken what he seems to have 2 John 23 24. Now when he was at Jerusalem at the Passover in the feast day many believed in his name when they saw the miracles that he did But Iesus did not commiit himself unto them because he knew all men and needed not that any should testifie of man for he knew what was in man 2 Gods promise 2. Jer. 32,38 40. They shall be my people and I will be their God and I will make an everlasting Covenant with them that I will never turn a may from them to do them good but I will put my fear into their hearts that they shall not depart from me Esa 54.10 For the Mountains shall remove and the Hills shall fall down but my mercy shall not depart from thee neither shall the covenant of my peace fall away saith the Lord that hath compassion on thee Isa 59.10 And I will make this my Covenant with them saith the Lord My spirit that is upon thee and my words which I have put in thy mouth shal not depart out of thy mouth nor out of the mouth of thy seed nor out of the mouth of the seed of thy seed saith the Lord from henceforth even for ever Hosea 2.19 In that day I will marry thee unto me for euer al. 125.1 They that trust in the Lord shall be as Mount Sion which cannot be removed but abideth for ever Iohn 4.14 Whosoever drinketh of this water that I shall give him shall never be more athirst but the water thar I shall give him shall be in him a well of water that springs up to everlasting life Iohn 6 39. And this is the Fathers will which hath sent me that of all which he hath given me I should lose nothing but should raise it up again at the last day Iohn 10.27 28 29 My sheep hear my voice and I know them and they follow me and I give unto them eternal life and they shall never perish neither shall any pluck them out of my hand My Father that gave them me is greater then all and none is able to take them out of my Fathers hand Mat. 16.18 Upon this rock I wil build my Church and the gates hell shall not overcome it Ioh. 14.16 I will ask the father and he shall give you another comforter that he may abide with you for ever Titus 1.1,2 This hope of eternal life God that cannot lye hath promised before the world began 3 God keeps them 3. 1 Cor. 1.7 8. Waiting for the appearing of our Lord Iesus Christ who shall also confirm you unto the end that ye may be blameless in the day of our