Pardon of His Sins Therefore Justification or Pardon of Sin may according to the Doctrine of this Father be lost yea so lost as never to be found again The same Author elsewhere saith That Solomon and Saul and many others had power were able to retain the Grace that had been given them whilest they walked in the ways of the Lord but when the Instruction or Discipline of God departed from them His Grace departed also Therefore it stands us in hand to hold out in the strait and narrow way of praise and glory c Solomon denique Saul caeteri multi quamdtù viis Domini ambulaverunt datam sibi gratiam tenere potuerunt recedente ab ipsis disciplinâ divinâ recessit gratia Perseverandum nobis est in arcto in angusto itinere laudis gloriae Idem Ep. 7. ad Rogat caeteros confess c. c. Yet again The very same spiritual Grace which in Baptism is equally received by those that believe is afterwards in our conversation and acting either diminished or increased as in the Gospel the seed whereof our Saviour speaketh is equally sown but according to the diversity of the ground part of it is consumed or comes to nothing another part of it bringeth forth fruit in abundance yet in a different proportion some thirty some sixty some an hundred fold c Planè eadem gratia spiritalis quae aequaliter à credentibus in Baptismo sumitur in conversatione atque actu nostro postmodùm vel minuitur vel augetur ut in Evangelio dominicum semen equaliter seminatur sed pro varietate terrae aliud absumitur aliud in multiformem copiam vel tricesimi vel sexagesimi vel centesimi numeri fructu exuberante cumulatur Idem Epist 76. ad Magnum A little after Oft-times it comes to pass that some of those who are spiritually sound when baptized if afterwards they fall to sin are shaken with the unclean spirit returning unto them so that manifest it is that the Devil is by the Faith of the Believer excluded in Baptism and that in case this Faith of his afterwards fails that he returneth d Et contrà saepé nonnulli de illiâ— qui sani baptizantur si postmodùm peccare coeperint spiritu immundo redeunte quatiuntur ut manifestum sit Diabolum in Baptismo Fide credentis excludi si Fides postmodùm defecerit regredi Ibid. Chromatius who according to some Writers had his time of mortality §. 12. allotted unto him about the year 350. though others bring it down much lower having upon those words Mat. 6. 12. And forgive our debts as we forgive our debtors affirmed That unless we forgive our debtors we make our selves guilty of eternal death before God with our own words subjoyneth a little after thus This the Lord Himself elsewhere doth most plainly make manifest producing the example of the Servant who had been a Debtor to whom though he ought much yet upon his intreaty his Lord forgave him the whole This servant after his debt had been freely remitted unto him denying the like favour in a smaller matter to his fellow-servant was cast into prison and condemâ—ed to punishment e Hoc autem alio in loco ipse dominus apertissimé manifestat proferens servi illius debitoris exemplum cui plurimum debenti rogatus Dominus debitum omne concesserat qui cum post indultum debitum conservo suo debenti sibi nollet ipse dimittere in carcerâ—m traditus damnatus in poenâ est Chromatius in Mat. 5. 6. Macarius who lived about the year 370. is a diligent and frequent Assertor of the Doctrine maintained in our present Digression in his Writings After the same manner saith he the Spirit admonisheth the Soul which by grace knoweth God and is purified from her former sins and is endowed with the ornaments of the Holy Ghost and hath tasted the divine and heavenly meat or nourishment yet because she doth not walk in this knowledg with that diligence which is meeâ— nor preserveth that good affection and love which she oweth to her heavenly Husband Christ as becometh her she IS CAST OFF AND DRIVEN AVVAY FROM THAT LIFE OF WHICH SHE DID PARTAKE Not long after Wherefore we must strive and take heed with the greatest wisdom that we work out our Salvation with fear as it is written Whosoever therefore of you are made partakers of the Spirit of Christ see that in nothing neither small nor great you behave your selves carelesly nor reproach the Spirit of Grace LEST YOV BE BANISHED FROM THAT LIFE WHICH YOV HAVE NOVV OBTAINED f Eodem modo etiam Spiritus admâ—net animam quae per gratiam cognoscit DeuÌ„ purificata est à pristinis peccatis ac ornamentis spiritús sancti dotata et prâ—gustavit divinuÌ„ ac coelosteÌ„ cibuÌ„ ob id tamen quòd non sicuti decebat deligenter in eâ noticiâ versata est nec decenter bene volentiaÌ„ ac dilectioneÌ„ Christo Sponso coelesti debitaÌ„ conservavit projicitur expellitur à vitâ cujus erat facta particeps Macar Hom. 15. Et paulò post Quapropter certanduÌ„ est suÌ„ma prudentiâ nobiâ— cavenduÌ„ ut cuÌ„ timore saluteÌ„ nostraÌ„ operemini operemur sicut scriptuÌ„ est Quicunque ergo participeâ— facti estis Spiritus Christi in nullo pusillo vel magno contemptim vos geratis neque gratiam spiritus contumeliâ assiciatis ne exuletis à vitâ quam jam adepti estis c. Yet again a little after But when the Soul hath obtained Grace now is there need of much understanding and perspicacity in discerning which things themselves God also gives unto the Soul asking them of Him that so this Soul may serve Him in that Spirit which she hath received with all acceptation and in nothing be overcome of evil or deceived through ignorance turning aside through rashness and sloth and falling to do all things besides or contrary unto the comely Order of the Divine Will For PVNISHMENT DEATH AND MOVRNING ABIDE SVCH A SOVL which in effect the divine Apostle Himself also saith lest when I have preached unto others I my self should be a castaway You see after what manner or at how great a rate He feared notwithstanding He was an Apostle of God The same Father in the same place speaketh words to this effect For man is of that nature or frame that though He be fallen into a deep gulf of vice and is become the Servant of Sin yet He may be converted or turned to that which is good and on the contrary being the bond-man of the Holy Ghost and overcome with the drunkenness of spiritual and Heavenly things He may be turned back to that which is evil g Et paulò post Caeterum ubi anima gratiam est adepta tuÌ„ intellectu multo atque perspicatiâ opus est quae etiaÌ„ ipsa largitur Deus animae ab eo
impertinent where all particulars are of one and the same consideration 2. It is no where said that the hand or counsell of God determineth before §. 12. that such or such evil actions shall be done by such or such particular men or that such or such men shall do these and these evill actions but only that such and such things shall be done It is not said that the hand or counsell of God had determined before that Herod Pontius Pilate such and such of the Gentiles and of the Iewes should have their hand in the crucifying of Christ but only that these were gathered together and levied their joynt endeavours to do whatsoever the hand and counsell of God had determined before to be done or come to passe Notwithstanding the determination of God before hand concerning the crucifying of Christ yet were Herod Pontius Pilate and the rest at as much liberty to have declined all manner of compliance with the action as they could have been in case no such pre-determination had passed in the counsell of God For it is not here said that God gathered Herod or Pilate or any of the rest together to act in this businesse but as our former Translation read it that they gathered themselves together Thus Calvin also translateth it Convenerunt â—nim c. i. e. They came or met together c. Nor doth the passive reading of the word were gathered together imply any acting much lesse any compulsive acting on Gods part in uniting or drawing them together about such a work For such actions which proceed from men themselves or from their own wills are frequently in Scripture and may with propriety of speech enough be attributed unto them in terms of a Passive signification But every man saith Iames is tempted when he is DRAVVN AVVAY of his owne lust and ENTICED a Jam. 1 14 So also Paul For of this sort are they which creep into houses and lead captive silly Women LADEN with sins LED AVVAY with diverse lusts b 2 Tim. 3 6. And again For some are already TVRNED ASIDE after Satan c 1 Tim. 5. 15. Besides many others And if God who hath so severely prohibited the shedding of bloud or the taking away of any mans life unjustly should any wayes incline or dispose especially compell men to the Perpetration of such things should he not be divided in or against himselfe and then according to the Processe of our Saviours Argument how should his Kingdom stand d Mat. 12. 26. §. 13. Therefore 3. Some Interpreters as Chrysostome Oecumenius Prosper and others do not refer the Decree spoken of Acts 4. 28. to the sin of those who crucified Christ but to the effects and fruits of his suffering in this kind According to this interpretation the sence of the place will rise thus Herod Pontius Pilate the Gentiles c. met together to do whatsoever the hand and counsell of God had determined before to be done i. e. Whereas God had before determined to redeem and save the World by the delivering up of his Son unto death i. e. By leaving of him to the wills and pleasures and in the hands of such men whom he infallibly fore-knew would put him to death Herod Pontius Pilate c. did now accordingly rise up and though knowing nothing of the determinate counsell of God concerning that which should follow upon their wicked act yet did that in crucifying Christ which effected it Notwithstanding to speak properly the redemption and salvation of the world were not the effects of their act in crucifying Christ but partly of the determinate counsell of God in leaving him in their hands for such a speciall Purpose partly of the obedientiall humility and voluntary subjection of Christ himself to his Fathers Will and Pleasure in that kind So that that which the hand and counsell of God determined was not the act of Herod Pontius Pilate c. in putting him to death but his own Providential act or Premission in leaving him in their hands for such a Purpose God need not determine that before to be done which he knew would be done without any determination of his in that behalf See v. 18. of the second and v. 23. of the third Chapter of the Acts. But 4. And lastly for the true and genuine sence and Purport of the Passage in hand it is to be considered 1. What the maine intent and scope of it is 2. How the Words and Phrases in the Passage may and must be understood in order hereunto For the first evident it is that the young converts or Christians who are said to have uttered these words with one accord intended hereby the magnifying of God together with the strengthening of their own Faith for his most gracious and wonderfull dispensation in and about the death and sufferings of Christ as viz. that in order to the Redemption and Salvation of the World he should so far dispence with the Counsels and Methods of his ordinary Providence in Protecting the innocent and righteous as to expose or leave his holy Child or Son Jesus the most innocent and righteous Person oâ— all others to the rage malice and cruelty of wicked men yea so far as to suffer death it self from them There is no consideration able to reconcile the Providence or Permission of God in leaving a Person of such infinite Worth Holinesse and Greatnesse as the Lord Christ was in the hands of wicked men with Principles of Reason Equity or Prudence and so to render it worthy Faith but only some great and signall designe to be accomplished and effected by it Hence it is that in their mention of what Herod and Pilato the Gentiles and the Iewes had done unto Christ in Crucifying of him they cast and fix their eye upon the hand and determinate counsell of God i. e. Upon the speciall Counsell and Decree of God not to interpose by any Power or Providence of his to prevent or divert the malice and rage either of these or of any other wicked men that should have attempted the same thing from crucifying the Lord of life though so innocent and holy a Person as he was Here is not the least intimation of any counsell or determination by God that any of the Persons here mentioned or any others should have acted in towards or about the death of Christ but only that those things should be done i. e. be permitted or suffered by God to be done as we shall shew further presently which these men met together to effect and Perpetrate Nor was it any wayes necessary that God in order to the salvation of the World by Christ should determine or decree that such and such men by Name should crucifie or put him to death no nor yet that Christ should be actually crucified by any man or men whatsoever for the effecting of this great and blessed designe it was sufficient for God to determine and decree that in case any
and all other reasonings and demands of like import with them I Answer 1. To be in danger of falling away and to be under a Possibility of falling away are two very different things at least if we take the word danger in the common which yet is the Proper Notion and signification of it viz. as it imports a Probability or likelyhood of evill to befall those that are said to be in danger A man that is in danger Properly so called of suffering evill if the evill be great cannot well injoy himself with much Comfort or Peace whilest the danger continues But he that is only in a possibility of suffering evill especially being sufficiently Provided of meanes whereby to prevent the comming of the evill upon him if he please is fully capable of injoying himself upon the richest and best terms of security that are competiable to a Creature Nor are men wont to be troubled with the lightest grudgings of feare in respect of such an evill though very grievous in the Kinde and Nature of it which may very possibly befall them in case they may with ordinary care keep themselves from it Men may very possibly fall into the fire and be burnt into the water and be drowned from the tops of Houses or Steeples and be dash'd in peeces yet no man lives ever a whit the more uncomfortably or under any kinde of feare because they live under a Possibility of suffering these great evills The reason of their security in this kinde is because they know that God hath given them reason and understanding sufficient to preserve themselves from them In like manner God having vouchsafed unto the Saints meanes abundantly sufficient to preserve themselves from Apostasie and consequently from Perishing so that they need not either Apostatize or Perish except themselves please there is no occasion at all much lesse any necessity why they should live any whit the more uncomfortably or abate so much as the least haire of their Head in confidence of being saved only because they are under a Possibility of Declining and so of Perishing The Apostle Paul acknowledgeth himself to have been under a Possibility of being made a Reprobate or cast-away lest saith he having Preached unto others I my self should prove or become a cast-away a 1 Cor. 9. 27 yet at what an excellent rate and height of comfort yea of joy unspeakeable and glorious did he live I am perswaded saith he that neither Death nor Life nor Angells nor Principalities nor Powers nor things present nor things to come nor Height nor Depth nor any other Creature shalâ— be able to separate us from the Love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord b Rom. 8. 38 39. That which ministred unto him the ground-worke of this most raised and blessed confidence notwithstanding the Possibility he was under of being made a cast-away was partly that cleare and certaine knowledge which he had of the unchangeable Purpose of God to give Salvation unto all those who should Persevere in Faith and Holinesse unto the end parâ—ly also the like knowledge of the bounty of God towards all His Saints in vouchsafing unto them so rich and full a Proportion of meanes as he doth whereby to Persevere accordingly Thus then we see that the Doctrine of falling away teaching only a Possibility hereof and so of Perishing is no Doctrine of uncomfortableness nor necessarily occasioneth the least fear in men of falling away or of Perishing 2. Suppose for Argument sake the Doctrine of Perseverance should §. 22. be subscribed unto and that absolute assurance of Salvation granted unto Believers which this Doctrine pretends to give unto them yet will not that conditionall assurance which the other Dostrine affords unto them fall much short of it yea in most respects some whereof have been already touched it will be found in order to their Comfort and Peace greater then it Put case I were a man who very much desired to live long in the World and God should please to grant me a Lease or Assurance of my life for a thousand years only upon condition that I should not willfully destroy myself as either by thrusting a Sword through my own bowels or by casting my self headlong from some high Tower or by taking Poyson known to me for such before hand with the like would I not upon the matter be as well satisfied with such a conditionall Lease or Grant as this as with one that should be absolute and wherein my life should be assured unto me against all possible attempts to be made by my self to destroy it Doubtless if it were simply long life which I desired the former grant would be as satisfactory unto me as the latter Indeed if besides the security of my life and of the continuance of it for such a terme I should wantonly or vaine gloriously desire to shew desperate tricks without fear or danger as to take Lyons by the beards or Beares by the pawes to treade upon Cockatrices to wash in cauldrons of boyling Lead or the like then the latter grant would accommodate me better then the former In like manner if it be simply and singly the Salvation of my soule which I desire and the certainty or assurance hereof such a conditionall Promise made unto me by God as this that saved I shall certainly be if I will but quit my self like a Man abstaine from foolish lusts and not with the Dog returne againe to my vomit or with the Swine that hath been washed to my wallowing in the mire such a Promise I say as this is security in abundance unto me in that behalf But if my desire be over and above the saving of my soule to live loosely and prophanly to disport my self in all manner of sin and wickedness to affront the Heavens and bid defiance to the Almighty and laugh Jesus Christ and His Gospell in the face to scorne or the like without running the hazard of losing my soule then I confesse only such a Grant or Promise of Salvation from God as the Doctrine of absolute Perseverance demands would satisfie and content me and furnish me with that assurance which I desire So that the most express and evident truth is that there is nothing more in that assurance of Salvation which the Doctrine of absolute Perseverance pretends unto then in that which the Doctrine of falling away or of conditionall Perseverance indulgeth unto the Saints but only a liberty or fearlesseness of sinning And whether men may not be of a free ingenuous and Son-like spirit without a liberty or boldness of sinning yea whether such a liberty as this will consist with that spirit I freely refer to the Determination of any man who hath been never so little baptised into the spirit whereby the Saints cry Abba Father 3. That Doctrine which is efficacious and proper to cut off and prevent §. 23. all those occasions and miscarriages from which troubles of Conscience doubtings
sinneth not nor doth the Apostle John affirm it as hath been cleerly shewed in any such sence If by Sinneth not the Argument meaneth walketh not ordinarily or §. 28. customarily in any known way or course of sin maketh not as it were a Trade or Occupation of sinning which we have formerly proved to be the sence of the Phrase 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the Scriptures and more particularly in the writings of this Apostle a Cap. 9. Sect. 11. the said minor proposition is granted as to this clause whosoever is borne of God Sinneth not For that further clause in it neither can Sin this also as to the Scripture use of the words can and cannot is very ambiguous and of doubtfull signification For 1. a Man may be said to can or to be able to doe a thing when the thing is meet or comely for him to doe and in opposition hereunto when a thing is uncomely or unmeet to be done by him it may be said of him in Scripture Phrase that he cannot doe it How then saith Ioseph to his mistrisse CAN I doe this great wickednesse and Sin against God b Gen. 39. 9 which is as if he had plainly said I cannot doe it So againe Can the children of the bride-chamber mourne saith Christ as long as the Bridegroome is with them c Mat. 9. 15 meaning that it was an irrationall or uncomely thing for them so to doe and in this respect saith he they cannot doe it Thus Exod. 8. 26. where our English Translators reade It is not meet so to doe Ierom Translated it Non potest ita fieri i. e. it cannot so be done Thus also the Apostle Paul to spare other places For we CAN doe nothing against the truth d 2 Cor. 13. 8 c. meaning that it was a most unworthy and unseemly thing for him to act in any kinde against the truth or to the prejudice of the Gospell and in this respect he saith that he could not doe it * See also 1 Cor. 3. 1. 1 Cor. 10. 21 12 21 Gal. 4. 15. Luke 6. 42. Gen. 24. 50. 29 8 c. Secondly a person may be said to can or to be able to doe such or such a thing when being otherwise provided of strength sufficient He is under a present disposition or inclination of minde and will to do it In this sence the Lord Christ is said to can or to be able to have compassion on the ignorant Heb. 5. 2. and in opposition hereunto when a Man wants such a disposition especially when a contrary disposition rules in him it may in Scripture language be said of him that he cannot do it Thus it is said of the Lord Christ himself that being in his own Country He COVLD there do no mighty work d Mark 6. 5 meaning that he had no disposition of mind or will hereunto and this because of the general unbelief of the People here as one of the Evangelists accounteth for otherwise his naturall or executive power of doing mighty workes was the same here which it was in other places So he demands of the Pharises How CAN yee being evill speake good things a Mat. 12. 34 implying that having a disposition in them contrary unto that by which Men are inclined to speak good things they were as Men unable and wanting Power to speak such things Again speaking to the same Generation of Men he demands Why doe yee not understand my speech and answers his own question thus even because yee CANNOT hear my Word b Ioh. 8. 43 meaning that they 〈◊〉 a mervellous averse disposition as to the hearing or minding of it which he plainly signifieth in the words immediately following yee are of your Father the Devill c. i. e. you are of a devillish disposition enemies unto God and goodnesse and this renders you unable to hear i. e. duely to minde and consider my words This signification of the word cannot is most frequent in Scripture See further upon this account Gen. 37. 4. Rev. 2. 2. Mat. 20. 22. Mar. 9. 39. Luke 11. 7. 14. 20. c. Thirdly the word cannot sometimes notes only the difficulty of a thing to be performed In this sence our Saviour approving that saying of his Disciples It is good not to marry saith thus All Men CANNOT receive this saying c Mat. 19. 11 c. meaning that it was very difficult for some Men to acknowledge the goodnesse of that saying in reference to themselves or to refraine marrying For that it was not or is not simply impossible for any Man in this sence to receive the said saying or to judge the forbearance of marriage good for him and to forbeare accordingly is in selfe evident and besides may be inferr'd from these words of our Saviour following and there be Eunuches which have made themselves Eunuches for the Kingdome of Heavens sake He that is able to receive it i. e. whose heart serves him to encounter and engage against the difficulty and shall overcome it let him receive it i. e. Let him forbeare to marry For concerning those of whom he saith that they have made themselves Eunuches for c. evident it is that he meaneth not by them either such who by nature are indisposed to marriage nor such upon whom an incapacity in this kinde hath been forced for of these he had spoken plainely in the former part of the Verse but of such who had over-ruled and vanquished their inclinations and desires that way by the weight and great import of spirituall considerations proper to obtain a conquest of that nature In this sence also Amaziah the Priest of Bethel saith concerning the Prophet Amos that the Land is not able to or cannot beare all his words d Amos 7. 10 i. e. can hardly beare them without falling soule up on him because of them So when our Saviour saith A City that is set on an Hill CANNOT be hid e Mat. 5. 14 he doth not import an absolute impossibility of the hiding of it for doubtlesse there may be means found out to hide a City so scituate as well as another standing in a valley but only a difficulty thereof * See also Gen. 32. 12 Gen. 45. 1. Exod. 7. 21. 24. Fourthly the Word or Phrase we speak of cannot sometimes imports only a present incapacity in a Person for the doing of a thing when there is a remote Principle or Power in him notwithstanding to doe it Thus God Himself saith to his Prophet Ezekiel Thou art not sent to a People of a strange speech or of an hard language whose words thou CANST NOT understand f Ezek. 3. 6 implying that there were some People whose words he could not understand viz. de praesenti for the present not but that there was a Principle of reason and understanding in him by the improvement whereof accordingly he might come in time to be very able to understand them
other ways and means likely to endear my self unto them and to assure them and their affections unto my self for ever I will really and effectually essay and try to doe it An aire of this Interpretation of the place breaths in the Annotations of our English Divines themselves upon it who Paraphrase it thus I will betroth thee I will re-establish my Covenant of Grace with thee not only to observe that Faith which is required in all Covenants but also to forgive thee thy sins and not to take notice of thy unworthinesse But according to the Sence and Exposition of the place given which cannot reasonably be gainesaid the Promise therein is not absolute as to the effect of such a desponsation of this People which should stand for ever but only as to the means yet these very efficacious and proper to be used by God for the producing such an effect And thus Tarnovius a late and learned Expositor of the Reformed Religion understands it I will betroth thee unto me whom saith he thou formerly despised'st and shamefully forsookest and AS MVCH AS IN ME LIETH whose gifts are without Repentance Rom. 11. 29. this betrothing shall stand firme for ever nor shall this spiritual conjunction between us ever be dissolved as formerly i Desponsabo te mihi quem antea spretum turpiter dereliquisti Et quod ad me cujus dona sunt 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rom. 11. 29 desponsatio illa durabit in seculum ut nunquam desinat haec spiritualis conjunctio quemadmodum antâ—a conferre Ezek. 16. 8 c. c. Those words quod ad me i. e. as far as in me lieth or as far as concerneth me plainly shew that this Author looked upon the Promise of Betrothing especially as to the perpetuity of it but as conditional and such which through the unfaithfulness unworthiness of the party to be Betrothed might possibly never bring forth such a betrothment We have once and again if not a third time also given notice formerly that the using of means endevors or attempts to bring things to passe are very commonly in Scripture expressed by the effects themselves k Cap 10. sect 20 55 c. So that all things considered it is a little strange to me that learned and sober Men should ever be tempted to build the Doctrine of Perseverance as they forme and teach it upon such Scriptures as this and those lately opened But besides places of this imprese and those dismissed in the former §. 9. Chapter they insist upon others to prove that God hath made an absolute promise of finall perseverance unto all true Believers Let us then briefly try the spirit of these for if we can sinde so much as any one promise from God of such an import in all the Scriptures all opposition must keep silence for ever Some suppose they descry such a promise as we speak of in that of David They that trust in the Lord shall be as Mount Sion which cannot be removed but abideth for ever a Psal 125. 1. I answer here is no promise that they that trust in the Lord shall abide trusting in the Lord for ever or that they shall not be removed from this trusting in Him for ever but only that trusting in Him and abiding so trusting they shall never be removed viz. from an estate or condition of peace and happinesse into an estate of trouble or misery For it is a stability of happinesse or safety not of Faith that is here promised unto those that trust in the Lord. If it be objected that even a stability in happinesse supposeth or includeth a stability in Faith in as much as no Man can make shipwrack of his Faith but his happinesse is wracked by it I answer that the meaning of the promise in hand is not that they who at present trust in the Lord let them at any time herafter trust or distrust Him shall yet be unremoveably happy nor to imply that they who once or at any time trust in the Lord shall be necessitated by him to trust in Him for ever but only to shew that those that â—â—st in the Lord are as such and whilest such of that kinde of persons for wâ—â—se preservation and safety from evill the mighty Power of God Himself staâ—deth ingaged and whom He will protect from evill As when the Apostle said to the Corinthians that they were in his Heart to die and live together with them b 2 Cor. 7. 3. His meaning was nor that they were so in his Heart to die c. that what manner of persons soever they should prove afterwards though they should apostatize to Idolatry Blasphemy Heathenisme or the like He could notwithstanding be well content to live and die with them but thus they were in His heart c. i. e. they were for the present such persons whom he singularly affected and with whom he could be well content to hold Communion both in death and life We have given notice formerly more then once c Cap. 10. Sect. 43. and Sect 51. Sect. 54 Sect. 1. of this Chapter that the Promises of God made unto Men with respect to such and such speciall qualifications are to be understood with such an Explication or Caution wherewith His threatnings against such and such particular sins are to be interpreted As for example when God threatneth that unrighteous persons shall not inherit the Kingdome of God d 1 Cor 6. 9. and John Baptist that he that believeth not the Son shall not see life e Joh. 3. 36. c. the meaning is not that they that are now unrighteous or unbelieving though they should repent and believe hereafter should yet be excluded from the Kingdome of God but that unlesse they shall repent of their sins they should for them be excluded In like manner when God Promiseth stability of condition safety salvation or the like unto those that believe and trust in Him He intends no obligation hereby to these persons otherwise then upon their abiding such in those qualifications as of Faith and trusting in Him in regard whereof the said Promises were made to them God Himself leadeth us as it were by the hand to such an interpretation as this as well of His Promises as of His Threatnings Such I meane of both kinds as those specified At what instant saith He I shall speak concerning a Nation and concerning a Kingdome to pluck up and to pull down and to destroy it If that Nation against whâ—m I have pronounced turne from their evill I will repent me of the evill that I thought to doe unto them And at what instant I shall speak concerning a Nation and concerning a Kingdome to build and to plant it i. e. shall promise to build or to plant either the one or the other if it doe evill in my sight that it obey not my voyce then I will repent of the good wherewith I said I would benefit
them f Jer. 18. 7. 8. Much after the same manner elsewhere having promised or said that He that hath walked in his statutes and kept his judgments to deal truely being righteous or just shall surely live g Ezek. 18. 7. addeth afterwards But when the righteous turneth away from his righteousnesse and committeth iniquity and doth according to all the abhominations that the wicked Man doth shall he live h Verse 24. In this passage we cleerly see that this Promise made by God to a righteous Man He shall surely live is to be understood with this Proviso and Condition that he departs not from his righteousnesse which is here plainly enough supposed that he may very possibly doe Therefore this Promise also They that trust in the Lord shall be as Mount Sion c. being of that kinde of Promise which God makes out of those gracious respects which He beareth to some speciall qualification in Men carrieth no further obligation in it on Gods Part unto those to whom it is made then as and whilest they remaine so qualified as they were when first they came under the Grace of the said Promise i. e. as and whilest they trust in the Lord. So that this Promise hath nothing to doe little or much with that Doctrine of Perseverancâ— which we oppose but looketh quite another way Another Text of Scriâ—ture sometimes urged to prove the Proposition of §. 10. our present Contest viz. that God hath made an absolute Promise of Perseverance unto trâ—â— Beleevers is that of our Saviour But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up to eternal life a John 4. 14 But neither doth this Scripture any whit more if so much then onely face the business in hand For here is no Promise made that they who once beleeve how unworthily soever they shall behave themselves shall still be preserved by God or the Spirit of God in beleeving or that they shall be necessitated always to beleeve but onely a Declaration and Assertion made by Christ of the excellency and desireableness of that life which he comes to give unto the World above that life of Nature which is common unto all This by comparing the words transcribed with those in the former Verse is evident Jesus answered and said unto her Whosoever drinketh of this water i. e. of material water such as this well affordeth shall thirst again i. e. is subject notwithstanding his drinking hereof to thirst again But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him c. q. d. The best means that can be had or enjoyed to render this present life which we live free from inconvenience and that which is troublesom and contrary to it will not effect it the condition of this life being subject to dissolution will not admit of any such freedom or perfection but whosoever shall drink inwardly receive and beleeve that Doctrine which I shall administer unto him shall hereby be made partaker of such a life which shall within a short time if men be careful in the interim to preserve it by reason of the nature and perfect condition and constitution of it be exempt from all sorrow trouble and inconvenience whatsoever as being eternal But 1. that he doth not oppose that life which accrues unto men by §. 11. drinking the water which he gives them unto that natural life which they live by other means in respect of the present condition or constitution of it or as it is enjoyed by men in this present world is evident from hence because he asserts it free from thirst shall never thirst Now we know that the Saints themselves notwithstanding the life of Grace which is in them by drinking the water that Christ hath given them are yet subject to both kindes of thirst as well that which is corporal or natural as that which is spiritual yea that spiritual thirst unto which they are now subject though it argues a deficiency of what they would further have or desire to be and in that respect is troublesom yet is it argumentative of the goodness or blessedness of their condition Blessed are they which hunger and thirst after Righteousness for they shall be filled b Mat. 5 6. By the way this spiritual thirst which is incident even unto that life which is derived by Christ and the waters given by him unto men as it is enjoyed or possessed by them in this present world is according to the purport of our Saviours own arguing in the Scripture under debate an Argument that for the present and whilest it is obnoxious to such a thirst it is dissolveable and may fail For in the latter part of the said passage he plainly implies that the eternalness of that life which springs from the drinking of his waters is the reason or cause why it is exempt from thirst Let the whole passage be read and minded and this will clearly appear If then the eternality of a life be the cause or reason why it is free from the inconveniency of thirst evident it is that such a life which is not free from thirst is not during this weakness or imperfection of it eternal or priviledged against all dissolution I easily grant that such a life as we now speak of may notwithstanding the dissolvableness of it be in a sence called Eternal as it is frequently called in the Scriptures viz. in semine or in fieri as they say as the conception of a man in the womb may be called a man or because in respect of the native and in-bred tendency of it and being duly nourished and preserved it is apt in time to become Eternal formally and properly so called even as the conception of a man in the womb by reason of the natural frame and tendency of it will in time if it meets with no unnatural and destructive accident by the way come to be a man in his full stature and strength But as this frame or tendency of the conception we speak of doth no ways prove that therefore it must of necessity or what will or can befall it come in time to be a perfect man so neither is it necessary that that life in the Saints which is seminally inchoately and conception-wise Eternal should against all possible occurrences of things adverse to it come to be actually properly and compleatly Eternal The result of this discourse amounts clearly to this that our Saviour in the words in hand doth not oppose the life which comes by drinking his water to the life of Nature in respect of the present and imperfect condition of it in this World but in respect of the future and compleat growth and condition of it in the World to come Therefore 2. When he saith that the water which he shall give him shall be in him §. 12. a well of
of the glorious Gospel of Christ should shine unto them He adds soon after For God who commanded the light to shine out of darkness hath shined in our Hearts 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to give the light of the knowledg of the glory of God a 2 Cor. 4. 4 6 c. So that true Beleevers are here distinguished from Unbeleevers by this that they are enlightened the other having their eyes blinded by reason whereof they are without any such illumination So again where He saith to these Hebrews But call to remembrance the former days in which after ye were enlightened 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ye endured a great fight of afflictions b Heb. 10. 32 He clearly rermeth their Conversion it self to the Faith their illumination or enlightening Yea this illumination is so appropriate unto the Saints or sound Beleevers that our Saviour Himself stiles the generation of them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Children of light c Luk. 16 8. So the Apostle Paul admonisheth the Ephesians to walk 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as children of the light d Eâ—hes 5. 8. meaning as Saints or true Beleevers And in the same Verse he distinguisheth their present estate in Faith from their former in unbelief thus For ye were sometimes darkness but now are ye light in the Lord. 2. In the latter of the said Passages the Persons spoken of are said to have §. 20. received 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. the acknowledgment of the Truth Which expression doth not signifie the bare notion or apprehension of what the Gospel teacheth and holdeth forth of which they are capable who are the most professed enemies thereof but such a consenting and subjection hereunto which worketh effectually in men to a separating of themselves from Sin and Sinners This is the constant acception and import of the Phrase in the Scriptures Always learning saith the Apostle of silly women laden with Sins and never able to come 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to an acknowledgment of the Truth e 2 Tim. 3. 7. i. e. to a through and cordial assent to it which is wont to utter it self in a suitable Conversation So when He saith that God will have all men to be saved and to come 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to the knowledg or acknowledgment rather of the Truth by coming to the acknowledgment of the Truth f 1 Tim. 2. 4 He cannot mean any thing ineffectual or unavailable to Salvation such a sence would render the sentence senceless and exhibit it in this form God will have all men to be saved and to come to that which is not able to save them Therefore by the acknowledgment of the Truth is meant such a cordinal and through assent to it which consists in a sound and saving Faith So when He saith that the Servant of the Lord must be gentle in meekness instructing those that oppose themselves if God per adventure will give them Repentance 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to or for the acknowledgment of the Truth He clearly supposeth the acknowledgment of the Truth to be either the end or specifical Perfection of Repentance i. e. such a thing which demonstrates Repentance to be sound and of the saving kinde where ever it is found There is but one Place more where the Phrase is used and here also it bears as high a sence as in the testimonies already opened Paul a Servant of God and an Apostle of Jesus Christ according to the Faith of Gods Elect and the acknowledgment of the Truth which is after godliness g Tit. 1. 1. By the acknowledgment of the Truth cannot any such knowledg of it be meant in this place which should stand with unregeneracy or unbelief because then Paul should stile himself an Apostle of Jesus Christ according to the exigency or requirement of such a knowledg of the Gospel in men which is insufficient to save them A sence ridiculous and preposterous Somewhat was done by us in the preceding Chapter h Sect. 26 27 towards the unfolding of this place Yea the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 acknowledgment in construction with other words of like import as the acknowledgment of Christ Ephes 1. 17. of the Son of God Eph. 4. 13. of God Colos 1. 10. of the mystery of God Col. 2. 2. of Him that hath called us 2 Pet. 1. 3. to omit many the like still importeth such a knowledg which accompanieth a sound and saving Faith 3. The Persons queried about are said to be sanctified with or by the §. 21. blood of the Covenant i. e. by their being sprinkled herewith to be separated from such who refuse this sprinkling as likewise from the pollutions and defilements of the world To be sanctified when applied unto Persons is not found in any other sence throughout the New Testament unless it be where Persons bear the consideration and respect of things rather then of persons and this onely in that one place 1 Cor. 7. 14. But of this signification of the word which we claim in this place instances are so frequent and obvious that we shall not need to mention any And we have formerly I remember demonstratively evinced that the Scripture in hand speaks of none other but a true and real Sanctification i Câ—â— 8. Sect. 50 51 c. and such which is appropriate unto Saints 4. They are said to taste or to have tasted of the Heavenly gift By this §. 22. Heavenly gift may be meant either 1. Christ himself who is called the gift of God Joh. 4. 10. Or 2. the Holy Ghost who is said to be given to them that beleeve Act. 11. 17 and again to them who obey God Act. 5. 32. Or 3. the gift of Righteousness or Justification for this also is called a gift Rom. 5. 15 16 17. Or 4. and lastly Salvation or Eternal Life This also is termed the gift of God Rom. 6. 23. Now all these gifts are given onely unto true Believers Whatsoever is meant by this Heavenly gift certaine it is that by tasting is not meant any light or superficial impression made upon the Hearts or Souls of Men through the sence or apprehension of it but an emphaticall inward and affectuous rellish and sence of the excellent and Heavenly sweetnesse and pleasantnesse of it opposed to a bare speculation or naked apprehension thereof The reason hereof is cleare viz. be cause the tasting of this Heavenly gift here spoken of is not mentioned by the Apostle in a way of easing or extenuating the sin of those that should fall away from Christ but by way of aggravation and exaggeration of the heynousnesse and unreasonablenesse thereof and withall more fully to declare and assert the equitablenesse of that severity in God which is here denounced against those that shall sin the great sin of apostacy here spoken of It must needs be much more unworthy and provoking in the sight of God for a Man to turne His back
by keeping under his Body c. He should prevent His being a cast-away and remaine for ever in the love and favour of God upon the account of which assureance notwithstanding his feare he rejoyced that joy unspeakable and glorious who shall separate us from the love of Christ 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 e Rom. 8. 35. 38 39. So that that feare and trembling with and out of which the Children of God not onely lawfully may but of duty ought to worke out their own Salvation f Phil. 2. 13 or which is the same deliverance from condemnation are not of those kinds of feare and trembling which have torment or expectation of evill or doubtfulnesse of safety and well doing attending them but of those which are quickning and provoking to the use of means for safety upon an apprehension of danger coming upon the negligent and sloathfull and accompanied with a peaceable and blessed confidence of obtaining safety thereby So that we may safely conclude that the threatnings of eternall death in the Scriptures which are bent against the faces of Apostates and Backsliders are a means graciously vouchsafed by God for the preserving of His Saints from Apostasie and this by raising a feare of Hell within them in case they shall neglect His Counsell for their Perseverance and consequently that all such threatnings are turned into stubble and rotten wood in the Dialect of the Almighty Job 41. 27. I meane are made powerlesse and uselesse by the Principles of that Doctrine which teacheth any absolutenesse of Promise made unto the Saints for their finall Perseverance Thirdly and lastly as this Doctrine evacuateth all the Exhortations §. 17. and Comminations which the Scripture holdeth forth as means to preserve the Saints in Faith and Holinesse unto the end so doth it all the Promises also which are here given in order to the procurement of the same end the Vertue Efficacy and Power whereof are meerly nullified by such a supposition as this that Believers stand bound to believe an absolute impossibility of their finall declining or falling away to Perdition For when Men are secured and this by the infallible security of Faith that the good things promised are already theirs by the right and title of Faith and that they shall certainely Persevere in Faith unto the end what need or occasion is See more of this Sect. 33. of this Chap. there to perswade or move these Men to doe that which becomes them in order to their Perseverance by any argument drawn from the Promise of such things A promise made to a Man of having or keeping that which is His own already and which he certainely knowes shall not cannot be taken away from Him can have no manner of influence upon Him by way of excitement or inducement to labour for the obtaining of it or to doe the things by which it is to be obtained For as the Apostle reasons in somewhat the like case hope that is not seen is not hope i. e. that which sometimes was the object of Hope when it comes to be seen or injoyed is no longer the object of Hope for what a Man seeth why or how doth he yet hope for g Rom. 8. 24. So may we argue in the case in hand a Promise of what is already injoyed and possest is no Promise hath not the nature property or operation of a Promise in it especially not of a Promise ingaging unto action in order to the obtaining of the good promised A promise of this import I meane that is any wayes likely to ingage unto action must be of some good thing so conditioned in relation to Him to whom the promise is made that he hath no ground to expect the injoyment of it but upon condition of the performance of such or such an action one or more For if such actions and wayes which are proper and requisite for the obtaining of the good promised be otherwise and in themselves desirable and would howsoever be chosen by him to whom the promise is made evident it is that the promise we speak of doth not in this case work at all upon Him or raise such an election in Him Againe if those actions and wayes which are proper and necessary for the obtaining of the good promised be in themselves unpleasant and distastfull unto the Person we speake of to whom the Promise is supposed to be made it is a clear case that he will not lift up his Heart or Hand unto them but onely for the obtaining of such a good and desireable thing which he hath reason to judge will never be obtained by Him but only by the performance of such things For who will trouble Himself to run for that which He knowes He may and shall obtaine by sitting still Thus then it every way appeares that the common Doctrine of absolute and certaine Perseverance makes nothing but winde and vanity of all those most serious and weighty Exhortations Threatnings and Promises in the Scriptures which concerne the Perseverance of the Saints and are directed by God unto them for this end and purpose that by them they may be inabled i. e. made willing watchfull and carefull to Persevere and consequently the very face and spirit of the said Doctrine is directly set and bent against that high concernment of the Saints I meane their Perseverance For whatsoever nullifieth the means is clearly destructive unto the end And thus we have done with our second Argument for the confirmation of that Doctrine which teacheth a possibility of the Saints defection and this unto Death A third Argument is this That Doctrine which representeth God as §. 18. Argum. 3. weake incongruous and incoherent with Himself in His applications unto Men is not from God and consequently that which contradicteth it must needs be the Truth But the Doctrine of Perseverance opposed by us putteth this great dishonor upon God representeth Him weake incongruous c. Ergo. The Major Proposition in this Argument is too great in evidence of Truth to be questioned The Minor is made good by this consideration viz. that the said Doctrine bringeth God upon the great Theater of the Scriptures speaking thus or to this effect in the audience of Heaven and Earth unto His Saints You that truly believe in my Son Jesus Christ and have been once made partakers of my Holy Spirit and therefore are fully perswaded and assured according to my Will and Command given unto you in that behalfe yea according to that ensealing of truth within you which you have from me that you cannot possibly no not by all the most horrid sins and abominable practises that you shall or can commit fall away either totally or finally from your