it by Faith as kindleth love to God and Christ above their lives and engageth their hearts in all obedience It is true such have many faylings but far from open petulant derision and contempt of God their unavoidable infirmities are their burthen in these they can read their own deserts even to have them as dung cast back into their faces and to be rejected for them but their sin is their misery they loath themselves and cease not to make their spotless Saviour who bled for them their refuge and thus in him they have peace comfort safety Salvation The Lord convince and humble slanderers and establish his own people in his Truth Concerning Election and Reprobation I Should not have medled with this deep mysterious point but that by his additional depravation of Gods truth he hath engaged me thereunto I shall therefore God assisting briefly lay down manifest and vindicate the truth so far as I see it opposed And here this Proposition That God did most freely unchangeably and from all eternity choose some particular persons to partake of saving grace and salvation by Jesus Christ for the praise of the glory of his grace From whence it will necessarily follow that he hath reprobated or passed by others I must manifest this by parts 1. Gods Act which essentially takes in the object thereof he hath chosen some particular persons 2 Thes 2.13 God hath chosen you Jo. 15.19 I have chosen you Eph. 14. He hath choseu us This being directly denyed I shall adde Arguments Arg. 1. Particular persons in time receive mercy are converted made to persevere are saved therefore did God decree this before hand For God worketh according to the Counsel of his own will Eph. 1.11 Arg. 2. God hath made absolute promises of the first saving grace Ezek. 36.25 26. I will sprinkle clean water upon you and you shall be clean A new heart will I give you Chap. 11.19 20. I will give them one heart and I will put a new spirit within you I will take the stony heart out of their flesh and give them a heart of flesh that they may walk in my Statutes Jer. 31.33 This is the Covenant that I will make with the house of Israel in those dayes saith the Lord I will put my Laws in their inward parts Isa 54.13 All thy Children shall be taught of the Lord. These promises are but a declaration of his purpose or Decree and they are not made concerning all but particular persons whom God hath in his eye to save otherwise every one would be made clean would have a new heart a heart of flesh Gods Law written in his heart would be taught of God and so come to Christ but experience shews the contrary Arg. 3. Persons by name are particular persons but God hath chosen persons by name Rev. 13.8 All that dwel on the earth shall worship the beast whose names are not written in the slain Lambs book of Life from the foundation of the world So may the words be read Arg. 4. All that are chosen do infallibly believe in time and partake of Christs Righteousness Act. 13.48 As many as were ordained to eternal life believed Rom. 11.7 The Elect have obtained it Therefore some particular persons were Elected for if all were Elected all would infallibly believe and so partake of Christs Righteousness Arg. 5. Jacob was a particular Person and loved before he had done any good according to Gods purpose of Election Rom. 9.11 Arg. 6. God knows his Elect from others and this not only after but also before they are called 2 Tim. 2.19 The foundation of God stands sure having this Seal the Lord knoweth them that are his Jo. 13.18 I know whom I have chosen Jo. 10.14 I am that good shepheard and know my sheep ver 16. Other sheep I have which are not of this Fold them also I must bring and they shall hear my voyce Therefore are they particular Persons These and not others that the Lord hath chosen Jo. 6.37 All that the Father giveth me shall come to me Arg. 7. This appears from the very Nature of Election for where all are taken or all are left there can be no Election 2. The end and intendment of this Act. This with respect to Man is that he might partake of saving grace Eph. 1.4 According as he hath chosen us that we should be holy That we might also partake of Salvation by Jesus Christ. 2 Thes 2.13 God hath chosen you to Salvation 1 Thes 5.9 God hath not appointed us to wrath but to obtain Salvation through Jesus Christ our Lord with respect to God that the glory of his grace might be praised as we have it exprest Eph. 1.6 verse 11 12. Predestinated that we should be to the praise of his glory 3. The Properties of his Act. 1. Most freely did God Elect those that are Elected Rom. 9.11 The Children not being yet born neither having done good or evil that the purpose of God according to Election might stand not of works but of him that calleth it was said the elder should serve the younger as it is written Jacob have I loved and Esau have I hated Though these last words were spoken when Esaus posterity was the border of wickedness Mal. 1. Yet whatever G. W. saith p. 45. were they spoken to signifie the free choice that God long before bad made of Jacob and his seed which free choice was manifested in those words of Love concerning Jacob the elder shall serve the younger for they were spoken before the Children had done good or evil nothing had Jacob done to move God thus to preserve him before his brother And further the Apostle tells us this was done that the purpose of Gods Election might stand or take place So that God did but Act then as he had decreed of old to do And further yet the Apostle tells us this Election is not of works but of him that calleth No mans good works foreseen are the things that move God to choose but it is the meer good pleasure of God who effectually calls and prevails on whom he will This is further manifest from Ver. 16. It is not of him that willeth nor of him that runneth but of God that sheweth mercy The Truth is we have naturally no will to that which is spiritually good how should we when we cannot know the things of God when holiness and faith in Christ are foolishness to us so Ver 18. He hath mercy on whom he will The Apostle goes on Ver 21. Hath not the Potter power over the Clay of the same Lump to make one Vessel to honour another to dishonour The Lump is Men and Women to be created the making of Vessels is Gods creating mankind with a decree of permitting their fall the making of this Vessel to honour that to dishonour is Gods creating such a person with a Resolution to recover him out of his fallen state by saving grace this resolution is
for men to found their contrary opinions on the Scripture Paul p. 17. l. 5. enjoying Scripture but for all this Light missing the sence persecutes the Saints 4. Yet this Light may possibly stumble upon the true sense of Scripture in all points necessary to Salvation the Scripture is perspicuous in these and many destitute of the special Illumination of the spirit and all saving grace have been Orthodox in these points 5. The Spirit of God doth by a common operation help men to understand the true sence of Scripture hence the ungodly amongst us believe those truths which Turks and Jews p. 16. l. 3. Will not be convinced of 6. The Spirit of God by a special operation helps the Saints spiritually to apprehend the true sense of Scripture p. 15. The Inspiration of the Almighty giveth understand And this in all points necessary to Salvation The spirit saith Christ shall lead you into all Truth The duty of all is to look up to God by prayer for his spirit in a right manner to understand the Scriptures 1. They are in themselves an infallible Rule That is 1. A Rule that cannot deceive us 2. A Rule which if we practise in all it requires of us we cannot possibly miss of Salvation Three things necessarily concur to make a Rule thus Infallible 1. It must reveal truth for this only leads to heaven 2. It must reveal nothing but truth it must be incapable of revealing any error instead of truth otherwise it may possibly deceive us and we miss of heaven 3. It must reveal the whole truth at least all necessary to salvation otherwise following it we may come short of Heaven That the Scriptures are in themselves an Infallible Rule I proved in the first dispute for there I then began 2 Tim. 3.16 17. All Scripture is given by Inspiration of God and is profitable for doctrine c. that the man of God might be perfect throughly furnished to every good work He fled from the argument by a rambling discourse but neither then nor since in his book hath he answered it Let the judicious read p. 15. The proof here is clear For that reveals Truth to us nothing but Truth all Truth necessary to salvation must needs be in it self an Infallible Rule to heaven But the Scriptures reveal Truth given by divine Inspiration Nothing but Truth all Scripture is given no part given by the suggestion of Satan nothing dictated by a principle of darkness Psal 12.6 The words of the Lord are pure words All Truth able to furnish to every good work Therefore an Infallible Rule in themselves 2. They are an Infallible Rule to us That is we can be sure or good and undeceiving grounds that all dictates and directions out of the Scripture are from God and sufficient to guide us to salvation The Miracles of the Pen-men the Efficacy of the word working so good a change on so many in all ages The Innate Characters of divine Authority stamped on the word as the Holiness Majesty Sublimity and Truth of Prophecy suffice abundantly to satisfie our hearts they are from God all from God And satisfied in this their own Testimony their excelling fulness compared with any other Rule what ever and the Consolation of our Spirits upon our Universal and sincere obedience to God speaking in them give us sweet assurance that they are a sufficient guide to Salvation From one of the Characters mentioned the Truth of Prophecy the Apostle Peter hath full assurance that the Scriptures are a most safe Rule to walk by 2 Pet. 1.19 Nevertheless we have a more sure word of Prophecy whereunto ye do well that ye take beed Can so much be said for the dictates and directions of every mans heart That they are an Infallible Rule to us That as men may be sure that all directions out of the Scriptures are from God so they can be sure on good undeceiving grounds that all directions out of their hearts are from God It will be said the comparison is not rightly stated it should be so all directions of the Light in every man are from God To this I answer So far as men make the Light within their Rule they have nothing to walk by but dictates or counsels out of their own hearts Let but the Question then be stated as that it might meet with the concerns of men as to their practice and it must be thus I shall not therefore alter the stating of this Question though in the handling of it I shall not wave that Query whether all directions of the Light be infallibly from God 1. Can it be said that out of our hearts we are sure proceed no dictate or direction from darkness or error within as we are sure no directions out of scripture proceed from any such principle Not only in the Unregenerate is there darkness ye were sometimes darkness but in the Regenerate also The word of Prophecy shines in the hearts of believers yet it shines there in a dark place 2 Pet. 1.1 19. compared And this darkness abides whilst on earth 1 Cor. 13.12 Now we see in a Glass darkly That Now is whilst on Earth 1. Because opposed to Then which is after this Life is ended 2. Because it is as long as Faith Hope and Charity abideth vers 13. And Now abideth Faith c. and that is whilst we live on Earth darkness and error within will be prompting amiss Have all Men that know the Scriptures as much reason to say we are sure no iuward Counsel that we have proceeds from the suggestion of Satan as to say no Scripture-Counsel is suggested by him Within men are to be found many evil motions from Satan 1 John 4.1 Try the spirits for many false Prophets are gone out into the World The Devil is a busie Agent He filled the heart of Ananias and Saphira to lie to the Holy Ghost He put it into the heart of Judas to betray his Master Obj. These were unconverted Answ Are all Converts free from his Temptations Remember the Devil had access to Adam even in Innocency to Peter And why are Saints bid resist him stedfast in the Faith And to put on the whole Armour of God It is now impossible for men to go astray walking after the Counsels they find within as it is impossible to go astray walking after the Counsels that are found in Scripture Eccles 11.9 Rejoyce O young Man in thy youth and walk in the waies of thy bea rt and in the sight of thine eyes but know that for all these things God will bring thee to Judgement If a man saith I shall have peace though I walk after the imagination of mine own heart the Lord will not spare but then the anger of the Lord and his jealousie shall smoak against that man Can this please God that every man should do what is right in his own eyes 3. Can it be said that the Light in every man dictates in his
help no such Conclusion could appear hence deducible By the use of Reason the Spirit teaceth the Heathen Moral Duties The immediate teaching of Gods Spirit must be that which is done without means Thus God neither by Adams Reason nor any Scripture nor by the works of Creation but immediately by himself taught him that he must abstain from the Tree of Knowledge And after his Fall that the Seed of the Woman should break the Serpents head And afterwards enjoyned Circumcision to Abraham the Ceremonial Law to Moses speaking to him face to face Immediately by himself did he inspire into the Penmen of the Scripture what they were to write thereby to discover to his people what he would have them to do When he put Prophesies into the mouths of his Prophets sending them with Denunciations against any as the young Prophet against Jeroboam Jonah against Nineveh when he taught Paul the Gospel by Revelation all was by his immediate teaching The Terms opened I shall now lay down what I judge the Truth touching this Point in twelve Answers Answ He who is immediately taught of God his whole Duty hath higher honour than he that is taught it by the Scriptures Answ 2. He that walks by the immediate teachings of the Spirit cannot possibly err in so doing Gods Spirit is a Spirit of Truth But Answ 3. I know but one man of all who ever were in the world unto whom Gods immediate teachings were the highest and safest Rule to Heaven This was Moses Before the Scripture was written God did immediately reveal to him the Moral Ceremonial and Judicial Law The Ceremonial Law was their Gospel Here Moses had the full the then only the infallible the trying the binding Rule by immediate Revelation delivered to him Therefore I conclude Gods immediate teachings were to Moses the highest and the safest Rule to Heaven But can any man shew a second Adam had in innocency immediate revelation it was but part of his Rule and so no Rule of it self to heaven Had Adam obeyed Gods immediate prohibition and violated the Law of Nature written in his heart he had not retained his Innocency bare forbearing that fruit would not have brought him to heaven When afterwards Christ was immediately revealed suppose he had believed in Christ but wholly neglected that remnant of the Moral Law that still was in his heart would that Faith have saved him Single out any of the Prophets who had immediate revelation as to particular things did not the Book of the Law written by Moses bind them even those Commands which could not all certainly have any necessary and apparent connexion with what Truths God immediately inspired into them that they viewing only what was immediately taught them might herein see and hence conclude all their duty as to have no need of any recourse at all to any thing Moses wrote to help them to know and perform any part thereof David was so read though a Prophet in the Scripture and thence learned to fear God Deut. 17.19 Ans 4. It makes for our safety to look up earnestly to pray and use all means for the Illumination of Gods Spirit that the eyes of our understanding being enlightned we may know what is the hope of the Fathers Calling and what the riches of the glory of his Inheritance in the Saints Unto Believers God doth thus reveal that which Eye hath not seen nor Ear heard nor can enter into the heart of man to conceive Hereby 't is they see Eye to Eye that is brightly Faith being the Evidence of things not seen They see the King in his Glory And this he doth accompanying the Ministration of the everlasting Gospel Luke 4.18 He hath sent me saith Christ to preach recovering of sight to the blind The Gospel therefore is called the Ministration of the Spirit This we must attend upon as Lydia did that we might have our hearts opened and may be able to comprehend with all Saints what is the breadth and length and depth and height and to know the Love of Christ which passeth knowledge This we may hopefully watch for God hath covenanted I will put my Laws into their minds and purposed to destroy the face of covering cast over all people A. 5. And for our furtherance in holiness let me step a little out we are to look up for Gods gracious Spirit to sanctifie assist and comfort us He is the Spirit of Faith and Love as well as of a sound mind The Spirit of Holiness And Gods Covenant is to put his Laws into our hearts as well as into our minds This obtained we shall be Vessels meet for our Masters use God hath likewise covenaned to put his Spirit into the hearts of his people to enable them to walk in his Statutes Without him we can do nothing But strengthened with all might according to his glorious power nothing shall be too hard for us If God be for us who can be against us We shall be able to do all things through Christ strengthening us And hath not the Son of God promised to send the Spirit as a Comforter Gods Spirit doth shed abroad Gods Love in the hearts of Believers doth make known to them the things freely given them of God doth witness with their Spirits that they are the Children of God doth seal them If we obtain the Spirit in this operation of his though we had even never so much desponding shut up against all comfort and hope we should presently find strong Consolation for when he giveth quietness who then can make trouble As we stand in need of so we may with good hope look up for Gods Spirit to sanctifie assist comfort us A. 6. To return again When we are at a loss at any time for Gods will and the way we should walk in we may very safely look up for the Mediate Objective Teachings of Gods Spirit to be directed As heretofore when Gods people wanted direction in a particular case they enquired of God as in the case of going to War or the like God did immediately shew them his will so now have Gods people good grounds to believe that God will mediately teach them and resolve all their doubts in necessary things if they heartily seek it of him Christ hath said The Spirit shall bring to your remembrance Acts 15. Gods Church was troubled with a doubt necessary to be determined Whether the Gentiles must be circumcised Peter brings an Argument from experience to prove they need not James minds his Argument v. 14. Simeon hath declared how God at the first did visit the Gentiles to take out of them a people for his Name And to this saith he agree the words of the Prophet Who brought this to his mind Here we see it fulfilled that the Spirit brings sutable Scriptures to remembrance to teach Gods people in doubtful cases This is the mediate objective Teaching of the Spirit A. 7. But what warrant have all men nay Gods people
heart the whole Truth as much as is necessary to salvation What though it should be able infallibly to tells us that we ought not to commit murther or adultery and direct us in some other few moral duties Yet as long as it cannot infallibly reveal all Truth necessary to salvation for as hath been shewn 't is no full Rule it cannot possibly be an infallible Rule to heaven 4. Can it be said that every man hath an infallible Spirit of discerning the Counsels of this Light within him from the Counsels of darkness sin and error within him and of Satan that hath access to him If every man had such a spirit yet were not this Light to be preferred because it reveals but few truths in comparison of the Scriptures But the unconverted have not p. 16. Paul mistaken was unconverted And saith our Saviour They that kill you shall think they do God service They find no counsel in Scripture putting them upon this therefore they must find it in their own hearts 'T is the Counsel of darkness and error yet taken for the Counsel of their Light for they approve it and think it to be from God They are not therefore infallibly guided in judging the counsels of their hearts Nor have the converted this infallible spirit of discerning the dictates of Light within from the dictates of Darkness The young Prophet could not discern when the old one counselled in the name of the Lord to come back and eat Bread 1 King 1.18 David thought he should please God by bringing up the Ark though in a Cart 'T was by the Counsel of his own heart not of the Scriptures Nathan thought David might build God a Temple 2 Sam. 7.2 3. Since no man hath an infallible Spirit of discerning between the Counsels of Light and Darkness in the heart how can men say of every motion in their hearts I am as sure this is and this is not from God as they can say of all the Counsels in the Scripture I am sure these are from God When men have their right sense of what is counselled in their hearts they may possibly take Error for Truth When they have the right sense of what is counselled in Scripture they cannot We need no infallible Spirit to help to discern the Counsels of Light and Darkness in Scripture for all there comes from God To make the Counsels of the Scripture our Rule is safe To make the Counsels of our hearts dangerous 'T is the way to be led into a thousand errors A deceived heart hath turned them aside 5. May it not be possible for the Light in every man to dictate some error for Truth at least through our fault forcing it to speak when it should be silent Obj. It might be objected that I confessed it to be a Light wrought by the spirit of God in every man and how possibly can a Light of the Spirit of God direct amiss Answ 1. The Spirit the Creator who speaks in the Scripture cannot possibly fall from his goodness and dictate Error But things created are in their nature mutable may fall from their goodness and dictate Error as is to be seen in many of the Angels and in our first Parents Consider Evahs Judgement which was wrought by the Spirit of God Gen. 3.6 The Woman saw that the Tree was to be desired to make one wise She saw 't was an act of her Judgement or that power of judging which the spirit of God had in perfection created in her She saw that the Tree was to be desired 't was false She erred Here you see what the Spirit of God reveals is mutable and falls from its goodness and so dictates Error And if Evahs Judgement failed her may not our power of judging what is Gods will what not call it Light or what you will fail us though created by the spirit of God 2. This Light that Gods spirit hath created in us is now placed there where it meets with much Darkness and Vice to corrupt it But a corrupt Judge will pass a wrong sentence 3. Paul persecuting the Church acted according to his conscience Act. 26.9 I verily thought with my self that I ought to do many things contrary to the name of Jesus of Nazareth The Scripture sets forth Conscience by thoughts Ro. 2.15 Their Conscience bearing witness and their thoughts mean while accusing or excusing one another Therefore Pauls Conscience put him on to persecute The great Query is whether Pauls Conscience did act according to Pauls Light or against his Light or according to his Darkness only his Light standing Neuter Not against his Light for Paul not having studied the Scriptures sufficiently concerning Christ not having attended to the Doctrine of Christ preached by his Disciples was not informed concerning Christ the light he brought with him into the world unable to reveal that there should be a Christ much less that this Jesus of Nazareth is he he therefore had no Light concerning Jesus of Nazareth for his Conscience to act against further though a man may act against his own light yet a mans Conscience never acts against his Light Hence is it that when a man acts against his Light he acts against his Conscience also this ever siding with his Light If it should be said Pauls Conscience acted according to his darkness only his Light standing Neuter I ask what Light was that that stood Neuter Any Light able then to reveal Jesus of Nazareth to be the Christ Since he had no such Light no such Light could stand Neuter Let it be considered God sets up Conscience in man to act according to the best present Light in him This cannot be denied Hence when Conscience hath not satisfying light to act by it is doubtful and refuseth to encourage to act when it hath light discovering such an action contrary to Gods Will it restrains from doing it if it be done it accuseth condemneth When it hath light representing such an action pleasing to God it puts on to do it excuseth approveth a man for doing it And doth it with any confidence encourage to do a thing unless a mans best present light be positively for it Since Pauls Conscience did positively put him on to persecute the Church and this with all confidence I thought verily I conclude Pauls Light stood not Neuter but his present Light his best present light all his best present light was positively for persecuting the Church of Christ Now judge whether this light within may not dictate Sin for Duty Errour for Truth 4. It is possible for darkness to prompt Errour in stead of Truth But this Light which the Spirit of God hath created in every man is darkness Therefore it is possible nay very easie for this Light to prompt Errour and hard in some cases to do otherwise That it is darkness I prove Matth. 6.23 If thine Eye be evil thy whole Body is full of darkness Some peoples eyes are evil and if
so revealed This may well be called saving because it puts us actually into a state of Salvation and infallibly brings us to Heaven Thus the special Illumination of the Spirit in Believers is an internal saving Light John 17.3 This is Life eternal to know thee the only true God and Jesus Christ whom thou hast sent I say the special Illumination for there is a common Illumination not saving It causeth to receive the Seed with joy to taste of the heavenly gift and of the powers of the world to come but it doth not effectually prevail with the whole Soul to prize above life and so entertain and stedfastly cleave to the truths and ways of God This premised 1. I affirm that the Light in every man is not in this latter sense saving It doth not enlighten any mans Understanding effectally to apprehend all Truths necessary to Salvation though they should be revealed before him Arg. 1. What God gives not man hath not a man can receive nothing except it be given him from above But God doth not give to every man a savingly enlightned understanding Therefore every man hath it not I proved that God gives it not to every man Deut. 29.4 The Lord hath not given you eyes to see to this day This was urged the first Dispute G. W. p. 19. They did see v. 2. You have seen all the Lord did Ans What are we to understand by Eyes not given Not an understanding enlightned only with that Light that every man hath for with this they saw all the Lord did therefore an understanding effectually and savingly enlightned This had not been given them to that day He objects They did close their eyes therefore God did not enlighten them Answ It was impossible they should close the Eyes of an effectually savingly enlightned understanding for they never had such eyes to close All men then have not a saving Light Arg. 2. Darkness cannot savingly enlighten The Light in every man is darkness as hath been already proved And who puts darkness for light if not he that puts the dim light of every man for an effectual and saving Illumination Arg. 3. A saving Light breaks the heart for sin Luke 22.61 62. The Lord turned and looked on Peter and Peter remembred the words of the Lord and he went out and wept bitterly Changeth the heart 2 Cor. 3.18 All we beholding as in a glass the Glory of the Lord are changed into the same Image from Glory to Glory Giveth Soul satisfaction in God Psal 89.15 16. Blessed are they that know the joyful sound they shall walk O Lord in the Light of thy Countenance in thy Name shall they rejoice Causeth the Soul to come to Christ John 6.45 Every one that hath heard and learned of the Father comes to me And engageth the heart to Obedience Psal 119.102 I have not departed from thy Judgments for thou hast taught me 1 John 2.4 He that saith he knoweth him and keepeth not his Commandments is a Liar But all men have not their hearts broken changed satisfied in God closing with Christ and Gods ways Therefore every mans Light is not saving How can that be called effectual which doth not effect these things And if it doth not effect these things it never sayes And how can that be called saving which never saves Obj. p. 18. Many rebel against grieve resist the Spirit therefore are given up to hardness Answ But if they had had an effectual saving Light they had not rebelled against grieved and resisted the Spirit their hearts had been changed they had closed with Christ and his wayes This very Rebellion proves they never had a saving Light Obj. Man is not a Block or a Beast that saving Light inevitably and irresistably should force a change upon a Rebel Answ No no but it doth infallibly irresistably in a most sweet manner turn change and win and prevail upon him to close with Christ and his Commandments Saul was a Rebel but when it pleased God to reveal his Son in him Gal. 1.15 Immediately he consulted not with flesh and blood And there is 10 one taught of the Father but comes to Christ Not a Soul that knows God but he keeps his Commandments John 10.16 Other sheep I have which I must bring Then they must come and cannot stay back so irresistably by Love doth Christ win them Arg. 4. If a greater by far and a higher Light be not effectual and so saving much less is this Light that is in every man saving But as hath been hinted there is a common Illumination of the Spirit that goes along with the Preaching of the Gosplel yet not effectual This having the advantage of the Gospel can help a man to so far more than the dim light of Heathens can either reveal or discern Arg. 5. That Light that leaves men in a natural estate can never save For he that is in his natural estate is a Child of wrath But this Light within leaves all the ungodly in their natural estate Arg. 6. That Light which cannot help a man to understand Spiritually the things of God can much less effectually win him to embrace and live to Christ that he might be saved But this Light though it can help to understand literally yet not spiritually the things of God 1 Cor. 2.14 with all his Light the natural man cannot know them Arg. 7. That which leaves men under a disability of coming to Christ of breaking off their sins of obeying the Law of God is far from saving But this Light leaves men under a disability of coming off from their sins Jer. 13.23 Can the Ethiopian change his Skin then may you who are accustomed to do evil learn to do well Their Light could not deliver them from Impemtency A disability of coming to Christ John 6.44 No man can come unto me except the Father draw him Without drawing by a special Illumination for all his Light he is left under an impossibility of coming Rom 8.7 The carnal mind is enmity against God for it is not subject to the Law of God nor indeed can be All his Light cannot rescue him from an impossibility of obedience Can such a Light save Arg. 8. If this Light could be effectual to mans Salvation then the special illuminations of the Spirit given or promised would be needless John 16.8 The Spirit shall convince of Righteousness Isa 54.13 All thy Children shall be taught of the Lord Jer. 24.7 I will give them an heart to know me But God doth nothing in vain therefore every man is not enlightned with a saving Light 2. I affirm that the Light in every man is not in the former sense saving It doth not objectively reveal all Truths necessary to salvation This is already abundantly proved when I proved this Light no full Rule To all there I shall here only add Arg. 1. If the natural man with all his Light cannot so much as understand those spiritual Truths which are
most free such a person with an intention to leave and never recover him out of his fallen state by renewing grace Thus God doth not make any a wicked creature as G. W. imagines we must say p. 46. Nor doth God consume any man meerly as his own workmanship but God endureth with much long-suffering unregenerate men and they fit themselves for destruction This he that is recovered will acknowledge 2 Tim. 1.9 Not according to our works but according to his purpose The reason of God saving us in time by the washing of regeneration is not to be fetcht from our works any thing that we have done but from Gods purpose of old who freely and of his good pleasure did decree it Eph. 1.5 Predestination unto the Adoption of Children by Jesus Christ is according to the good pleasure of his will 2. Gods Election is unchangeable He will certainly bring in he will never finally reject that soul he hath taken liking to Christ must bring in his sheep and he hateth putting away nor shall it be possible to deceive the Elect. Psal 33.11 The Counsel of the Lord shall stand for ever the thoughts of his heart to all Generations Election is that product of Gods counsel the determination of infinite wisdom consulting Rom. 9.11 The Purpose of God according to Election must stand So that here is purpose upon purpose a purpose to save such a soul and a purpose not to alter that purpose but infallibly to bring it to pass Men change their purposes for want of fore-knowledge but nothing can fall out not sin it self causing God to alter his purpose he foresaw all and can give repentance From this Doctrine grace will not cause a Child to sin the more boldly but to loath himself the more for sin As in other things the Lord purposeth and none disanulleth it Isa 14.27 So in this Psa 135.6 Whatsoever the Lord pleased that did he in heaven and in earth and in the Sea and all deep places 3. From all Eternity did God Elect. In time doth God convert and cause to persevere but Acts 15.18 Known unto God are all his works from the foundation of the world Eph. 1.4 According as God hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world 2 Thes 2.13 From the beginning hath God chosen you Rev. 17.8 Whose Names were not written in the book of Life from the foundation of the World Obj. p. 41. This puffs up Answ It works self-abasing admiration of Soveraign grace it gives great rest and engageth the heart of a sincere believer to an utter detestation of all sin Obj. If the everlasting state of persons is thus secured all Warnings are impertinent and vain Answ No God that decrees their salvation decrees by such warnings to work in them his fear and a holy caution to keep in his ways that they may be saved From this Doctrine of Election thus manifested thus vindicated by most evident consequence appears the Truth of the Doctrine of Reprobation viz. That God hath rejected or refused others from all Eternity or Decreed never to convert them by bestowing saving grace on them but for sin to damn them for the praise of the glory of his Justice For if God hath chosen some who can deny that he hath refused others And the Scripture if we will believe it will make it manifest in all the parts of it 1. That God hath refused some particular persons Jo. 10.26 You are not my sheep Rom. 11.7 The rest were blinded Rom. 9.18 Whom he will he hardeneth Peter deserved hardening as well as Judas that God hardeneth Judas not Peter proceeds from the meer pleasure of his Will He makes as the great Potter what Vessel he pleaseth to dishonour that is God makes him with an intention to suffer his fall and never recover him by renewing grace 2. That God hath from Eternity thus refused them Jude 4. There are certain men crept in unawares who were before of old ordained to this Condemnation Rev. 17.8 Whose Names were not written in the book of Life from the foundation of the World Add this Argument As there are Particular Angels whom God suffered to fall though he could as easily have preserved them from it as he did the rest so there are Particular Men and Women whom God never recovers by saving grace out of their fallen condition though he could as easily have recovered them as others if he had pleased but he endures them with much long suffering to fit themselves for destruction Therefore from all Eternity did God decree thus to do concerning them in particular for known to God are all his works from the foundation of the world 3. That God hath decreed to damn these persons for sin Prov. 16.4 The Lord hath made all things for himself yea even the wicked for the day of evil He damneth particular persons for sin therefore of old did he decree to damn those particular men for sin 2 Pet. 2.12 As Beasts made to be taken and destroyed 4. That all this is for the praise of the glory of his Justice Rom. 9.22 What if God willing to shew his wrath and to make his power known endured with much Long-suffering Vessels of wrath fitted to destruction And though God hath no pleasure in the death of him that dieth considered barely as his Creature for he is willing to receive to mercy every returning Sinner yet if a person perseveres in wickedness as such God will laugh at his Calamity and mock when his fear cometh This Doctrine of Reprobation being the Truth of God according to Scripture from it I draw these Consectaries 1. That it cannot be inconsistent with his Prohibitions p. 42. Eat not His Conditional Promises If thou dost well shalt not thou be accepted If you seek the Lord be will be found of you Whosoever believeth shall not perish shall not abide in darkness His Conditional Threats If thy heart turn away thou shalt perish If you forsake him he will forsake you His sending his Son into the world not to condemn the world His giving his Spirit to instruct them in these things His setting Life and Death before them in the Promises and in the Threats Or his giving men up to their Lusts for sin For there can be no Repugnancy in Gods actions between themselves On the contrary all these are subservient to the Soveraign Design of Gods Decrees the magnifying his Mercy and Grace in the salvation of all the Elect who enabled by his special Grace to believe and obey are saved according to the Promises the magnifying his Justice or making known his wrath in the Reprobates who according to the Soveraign Dominion of God left to themselves reject Christ and increase in their Rebellion against God and so are justly given up and damned according to the Threats 2. That God is neither partial nor cruel in decreeing to deny saving Grace to some whilst he decrees to give it to others that he is