heart answers Lord I am willâ—ng I will accept of Christ and be thankful why then the match is made between Christ and you and the Marriage Covenant is truly entre ' which none 〈◊〉 dissolve If Christ were not first willing â—e would not be the Sâ—itoâ— and make the motion and 〈◊〉 he be willing and you be willing what can break the match To this he answers he is much unsatisfied that I seem to make it so easie a matter to believe when others of the Orthodox do heighten the diffiâ—ulâ—y of the duty Iâ— it implies no more than an accâ—ptâ—nce of Christ and life how come so many that Mr. Norton Orthod Evang. p. 206 c. pretend to Christ and rely upon him and câ—aim an interest in him which sure they would not do if they did not consent to have him how come so many of them saith he to be deceived and disclaimed at last â—nd their faith to perish with them Mat. 7. 21 22. All may seem fair saith Dr. Twiss * Pag. 102. no reigning sin appearing whereby the Conversation is deâ—â—led yet a man may deceive himself O how many have thought that Christ was most dear to them and that the hopes Mr. Baxter's Direct for peace of consc in the Epist Dedicat. of heaven were their chiefest hopes who have left Christ though with sorrow when he bid them let go all as Mr. Baxter hath observed who doth hereupon conclude I shall never be so confident of any mans â—idelity to Christ as not withall to suspect that he may possibly forsake him nor shall I boast of any mans service for thâ— Gospel but with a jealousie that he may Ibid. drawn to do as much againstâ— it Alas Sir your saving faith is not of a common extraction 't is a special Donative merited by Christ but for a very few as Dr. Twiss * Vbi supra pag. 152. tells us and peculiar to the Elect as our Divines conclude from Tit. 1. 1. 7. I have told him That God hath under his Hand and Seal made a full and free Deed of gift to him and all sinners of Mr. Baxter ib. pag. 43. Christ and with hâ—m of pardon and salvation and all this on condition of his acceptance or consent That it was comfort to know â—e might have Christ if he would and to find this to be the sum of the Gospel Rev. 22. 17. Whosoâ—ver will lâ—t â—im take of the water of life freely To this he readily answers out of Dr. Twiss That till a man believes â—t is not known either to himself or any other Ibid. pag. 164. man that he shall have any benefit by the death of Christ only God knows from everlasting who shall have benefit by the death of Christ and who not forasmuch as he hath determined to give faith in Christ to some and not to others and accordinâ—ly hath sent Christ into the World for their sakes 8. I have told him That the Scripture it self by the plainness and fulness of its expression makes it as clear as the light Mr. Baxter ib. pag. 32. that Christ died for all At this he cries ouâ— What hath the death of Christ to do with my Election or Reprobation Dr. Twiss tells us That Dr. Twiss ubi supra pag. 139. God in his Dâ—cree did no more consider the death of his Son than the faith of the Elect. 9. Here I expostulated with him in these words Is it Mr. Baxter ib. p. 42. nothing that a sufficient Sacrifice and Ransome is given for you This is the very foundation of all solid peace I think this is a great comfort to know that God looks now for no satisfaction at your hand and that the number or greatness of your sins as such cannot now be your ruine To this he confronts that of Dr. Twiss If Christ made satisfaction for all the sins of all and every one in such sort Dr. Twiss ibid. pag. 141. that Gods justice is thereby satisfied I demand how it can stand with Gods justice to exact satisfaction at the hands of so many as he doth for their sins and that by eternal damnation in hell-fire For whether Christs death and passion be satisfactory for all sins for all and every one by its own nature or by the constitution of God or by both I comprehend not with what justice God can put the damned persons to satisfie for their own sins in the flames of hell-fire c. 10. I have told him of a world of comfort which even the graceless may gather from universal or general mercy To this purpose I find that Scripture alledged John 3. 16. God Mr. Baxter ib. pag. 38 43. so loved the World that he gave his only begotten Son that whosoever believeth â—n him should not perâ—sts but have everlasting lâ—fâ— Here he interposeth a distinction of Dr. Twissâ—'s The love of God and of Christ to all goes no further saith he then this That whosoever believeth in him shall not perish but have everlasting Dr. Twiss ib. p. 164. life But Gods special love to his Elect is to send Christ into the World to merit not that only for them which is to be coâ—fer'd upon the condition of faith but to merit faith also for them which is confer'd upon them absolutâ—ly and upon no condition 11. I have advised him to get clear apprehensions of the freeness fulness and universality of the New Covenant or Law of Mr. Baxter ib. p. 33. Grace No man on Earth is excluded in the tenour of this Covenant and therefore said I certainly you are not excluded and if not excluded then you must needs be included But he returns this Answer he understands not how the Covenant of Grace can extend to such as God did implacably hate upon the account of Adams sin and decreed to pass them by in the communication of grace sufficient and necâ—ssary to Faith and Repentance without which there is no Adoption or Pardon 12. I told him God invites all without exception to mercy and salvation and therefore there was no reason why he should doubt of it He replies Gods invitation is no other than by professing that by Faith and Repentance they shall be saved without Faith and Repentance they shall be damned * Ib. pag. 54. as Dr. Twiss resolveth and he tells * Pag. 51. us moreover that Austin hath long ago professed that to say God would have all to be saved and none to perish is to deny the First Article of our Creed concerning Gods Omnipotency 13. I have represented what abundance of Comfort General Mercy or Grace may afford the soul before it perceive yea or receive any special grace for Mr. Baxter ubi supra p. 46 47. 1. All the terrifying temptations which are grounded on misrepresentations of God as if he were a cruel destroyer to be fled from are dispelled by the due consideration of his goodness and the
thâ—t this sudden prevalency of sensuality did so far change the judgment of David or Peter that hereupon they habituallâ— esteemâ—d the Creaâ—ure above God and valued the pleasures of sin before the pleasing and the favour of Gâ—d It 's true that actually in the time of sinning the power of sensuality prevâ—iled against the act of charity and so it doth in every sin that mâ—n commiâ— accâ—rding to the measure of the sin But that habâ—tually God was afterwaâ—d sâ—t lâ—ss by than the sensual pleasure by theâ—e â—oly men is nâ—terlâ— improbable Thus that Authour * Mr. Baxter Diotrephes That Authour tells you elsewhere He that is thus resolved and affected against a gross sin or any known sin that is under the power of his will is not like to live in or give up himself to it Account of Persever p. 40. Praesumptuosus That was well put in sin that is under the power of his will but is it as well under the powâ—r of the Regenerate mans will to avoâ—d as to commit sin No * O wretched man Diodati tells us is an exclamation out of the feeling of this misery 〈◊〉 e. of being yâ—t under the bondage of sâ—â— Annot. on Rom. 7. 24 it is not and therefore though he be râ—solved and affâ—ctâ—d with hatred against it yet he may live in it But 2. In this case the Regenerate is never said to give himself up to sin but to be carried capâ—ive by it and as slaves * Altogether subjected as a slave bought for a certain price of money 2 Kâ—ngs 21. 20. Diodati Annot. ad Rom. 7. 14. were among the Romans to be sold under it Doth not that excelleâ—t Vessel of Election acknowledge as much Rom. 7. 22 23. For I delight in the Law of God after the inward man but I see another Law in my Members warring against the Law of my mind and bringing * Causeth me to be inevitably driven into sin Dâ—odati Annot. ad 〈◊〉 me into captivity to the Law of sin which is in my Members and ver 14. He saith I am carnal sold under sin and yet at that very instant he triumphs in his deliverance through Jesus Christ Diotrephes That Authour fore-mentioned addeth in the 〈◊〉 place That he wâ—o is thus affected against sin cannot commit it without renewed resolutions against it and a restless importunity of soul to be delivered which will prevail Mr. Baxter in his Account of persever p. 40. Praesumptuosus What you mean by a restless importunity of soul I do not well understand I find no such râ—stlâ—ss importunity of soul in David after his Murder and Adultery unless it were a restless importunity of soul to get full possession of the fair woman into his bed and bosome I grant the Regenerate when they sin they do often resolve against it pray against it as the Apostle 2 Cor. 12. 7. did against that Thorn in the â—leâ—h * Motio sciâ—icet concupiscentiae ali qua ad porrâ— pâ—ccandum â—endens D. Dicson ad locum which was a Messenger of Satan sent to buffet him But when they see it is not Gods pleasure to remove it I suppose it is their dutâ— to bear it with â—quanimity as a part of Gods faâ—herly chastis meâ—t for their good and to comfort themselves with that Oâ—acle of the Lord to the said Apostle My Grace is sâ—ffâ—cient for tâ—e to sustain thee in thy conâ—â—ict and cleanse thee from all such pollâ—â—ions as thou dâ—st contract in it as Mr. D. Dâ—cson expounds it And in this sense and to this purpose it is true the Regenerate by their renewed resolutions and importunity shall prevail But if you mean a prevailing so far forth as to be freed from the capâ—â—vity of sin you may be deceived for you know not how long it will be ere they shall prevaâ—l to this purpose Iâ— it judged by Divines that David lay a twelve-month in his sin of Adultery and Murder unrepented of How long Asa or Solomon sin'd we know not Nor can any mâ—n possibly determine just how long a man may live in the prâ—ctâ—ce of such a sin and yet have true special grace Mr. Baxter and a sâ—ate of Justification saith Mr. Baxter in his Disput. of Right to Sacraments Disp 3. pag. 331. pag. 337. He saith it is exceeding hard to determine how great many or long the sins of a true Believer may be Diotrephes God we are sure is faithful and will not suffer his Children to be tempted above that they are able 1 Cor. 10. 13. Praesumptuosus I conceive Sir that is spoken of their persecutions but yet we see God suffers some of his Children to be tempted in that kind even Was God ever the less faithful to David for permitting him to fall into Adultery and Muâ—der Will you blame his fidelity when he leaves his Children â—o be chastised by their owâ— infirmities unto death and that is the only way he vouchsafes them to escape by Rev. 6. 9. They were slain for the Word of God and for the testimâ—ny which they held And under paternal castigations of another nature we see there are many whom God is pleased should dye of the râ—medy and yet are happy 1 Cor. 11. 30 31. For this cause many are sick and weak amâ—ngst you and many fâ—ll asleep But when we are thus judged we are chastned of the Lord that we should not be condemned with the Woâ—ld Seeing then that the slâ—ps and falls of the Regenerate are by the Orthodox accounted to be of the same nature fatherly chastisen eâ—ts too why may noâ— Almighty God to advance his own freâ—-grace and pardon suffer his Children to be held captive under thâ—sâ— infirmitâ—es and afford them no way but death to escape from them Diotrephes You may remember the * Mr. Baxter Disput 3. pag. 347. Dei immota ordinatio â—ostulat ut fidelis sic exorbitans per renovatum fidei poenitentiae actum prius redeat in viam quam ad viae metam h. 〈◊〉 Rgnum coeleste perduci possit Th. Brit. Authour of those Dâ—spuâ—ations of Right to Sacrameâ—ts as I told you at the beginning of our Dâ—scourse hath observed that our Divines at Dort conclude That though a godly man lose not his Justification by gross sinning yet he contracts such an incapacity of coming to Heaven in that sâ—ate that must be râ—moved by Repâ—ntance or else he could not be sâ—vâ—d Hereupon that Synod * Cap. 5. Artiâ— 7. hath determined That in these sâ—â—ps God preserveth in them that his immortal seed by which they were once born again that it die noâ— nor be lost by them afterward by his Word and Spirit â—e effectually and certainly reneweth them again unto Repentance Praesumptuosus If God preserves that immortal seed in them and doth â—ffectually and certainly renew them again unto Repentance then they may cast away all care for they are in no danger of misâ—arrying Though
yet as I said they have Scripture for this for it is said that those wicked murderers of our Saviour did no other thing than what Gods hand and his counsel determined before to be done Act. 4. 28. chap. 2. 23. Samaritanus This Text hath exercised the wits of the most learned They say 1. This of Act. 4 27 28. is not spoken of what was formerly done to Christ in his Person but done to him now in his Disciples as in Act. 9. 4 5. Saul Saul why persecutest thou me 2 'T is not said To do those things which thou didst determine that they should do but which thou hadst determined to be done And 3. That God foreknowing their malice was such that their hearts were bent upon it to execute it if they were not violently hindred He determined his own will to a permission that they might freely execute this wickednesse But 4. Some to make all clear do resolve that those words both Herod c. were gathered together should be read as a Parenthesis and so they make the meaning to be as if the words were placed thus For of a truth both Herod c. were gathered together against the holy child Jesus whom thou hast annointed for to do whatsoever thy hand and thy counsel c. And the words following seem to favour this Interpretation or reading And now Lord behold their threatning and seeing they are so violent in opposing what thou wert annointed to institute and accomplish grant unto thy servants c. This reading ought not to seem strange to you for the Learned observe such Trajections See Act. 20. 32. and Parenthesis to be usual in Scripture as Luk. 2. 34 35. Act. 13. 27. Desolatus Sir I am satisfied in the sense you have given of that Text. But I pray explain that of S. Jude * vers 4. There are certain men crept in unawares who were before of old ordained to this condemnation How are they said to be ordained to it Samaritanus This doth not imply an Absolute Reprobation The word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 praescâ—ipti as the vulgar Latin and Beza read it But not to trouble you with Criticisms about the word such ungodly men as are there mention'd that turn the grace of God into lasciviousnesse and deny the onely Lord God and our Lord Jesus Christ they may be said to be fore-ordained to condemnation in a threefold sense 1. Sententia juris by Gods general Dâ—â—ree or the Sentence of the Law which is the revâ—lation of that Decree For God being Essentially holy cannot take pleasure in wickednesse Psal 5. 4. nor will he clear the guilty Exod. 34. 7. He hath therefore from all Eternity made a general Decree to render to every man according to his works Rom. 2. 6. Heaven is awarded to such as upon the stock of a lively faith oâ—ntinue patient in well doing ibid. but Hell to the workers of iniquity By reason of such an Eternal Law or Decree immutably established in Heaven every such wicked wretch may be said to be fore-ordained to condemnation Not that this Decree being an Immanent act in God doth produce any real effect answerable to it self either for the Creature before he was made or in the Creature after he was made untill he hath of himself freely made up that measure of sin unto which Hell-fire was awarded by the said Decree But the measure of sin being made up then as the Lawyers speak Judicium transit in rem judicatam The Eternal Sentence produceth a Transâ—ent effect in the guilty creature As amongst us we say the Malefactor is a dead man before either the Judge hath given Sentence or the Jury brought in their Verdict that is he is dead in Law dead by a Decree made concerning such crimes many hundred years perhaps before this Malefactor was born But as on Earth so in Heaven the Decree or Eternal Law of God doth not necessitate any man to commit thâ—se crimes against which it is established The Law made and provided against Felony is so far from necessitating any man to commit it that it serves All men for a Preservative against it Neither is any man liable to the Condemnation of the Law till he be found guilty and convicted of the voluntary breach of it The Eternal Decree of God concerning Sin being promulgated into a wholesome Law against it is of the same Nature But in regard of such a general Decree he that hath sinn'd himself up to his full pitch may be said to be fore-ordained to condemnation and in this sense the finally unbelieving is condemned already * Joh. 3. 18. 36. 2. In praedictione Proscribed in some Prediction or publick Record And this Notation is more proper to the word in St. Jude than that by which it is rendred ordained for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies any thing pasted up upon a dore to be exposed to publick view and notice * Gal. 3. 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so Christ is said to be set forth before the eyes of the Gallatians He was pasted up upon the pillar of the Church exposed to publick view in the holy Ordinances So were these Seducers St. Jude speaks of and all such as follow their pernicious ways posted up set forth to condemnation in those predictions of our Saviour and his Apostles to which St. Jude alludes as appears vers 17 18. Remember ye the words which were spoken before of the Apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ how that they told you there should be mockers c. Luk. 21. 8. 21. 2 Thess 2. 8. c. That St. Jude speaks of such a prediction or prescription of them appears by the 14 verse And Enoch also the seventh from Adam as Moses and others had done prophesied of these saying Behold the Lord commeth c. In this respect also the ungodly may be said to be fore-ordained or rather set forth afore unto condemnation 3. This may be done in effigie in some Exemplar Type or Pattern Thus St. Jude saith that the Sodomites were set forth for an example suffering the vengeance of eternal fire vers 7. St. Peter saith They were made an ensample unto those that after should live ungodly 2 Pet. 2. 6. For our Saviours Rule is They that are parallel in the sin shall be so also in the judgment Luk. 13. 3. Hence the Apostle having declared how the Israelites had a promise of inheriting the land of Canaan yet upon their multiplied provocations were cut off by Gods Oath * See Numb 14. 21 22 34 35. from all hope or possibility of enjoying it he gives a caveat unto Christians to avoid the like sin lest they fall under the like irrevocable sentence of Reprobation Heb. 3. 18. with chap. 4. 1 11. And 1 Cor. 10. 6 11. he saith The judgments of God upon that people were our Types Figures or Ensamples and written for our admonition Lastly St. Jude * Jud. Epist vers
use to his Glory in obedience to his commandements and resist His and our enemy the Devil we most traiterously siding with Satan have abused His gifts to His Dishonor God did the part of a Creator we of Rebels A man lives intemperately God gave him not strength to this purpose he necessitated not the man to this intemperancy Man therefore onely sinned God is dishonoured The King made his Subject able to rebel against him by delivering his military furniture unto him the verier miscreant he that did rebell against him So God made Adam indeed able to sin but he never intended that he should sin with that ability God then is the cause of all those things in which we sin and yet whatsoever he doth is exceeding good he is not the cause that we intend any sin but the cause that we are able to commit those sins we intend and yet he intended not our abilities for sin but for his Service Of all our good actions he is the first cause we are the second of all our sins we are the proper cause he is onely the Conditio sine qui non But here some man may say That choice or election of an unlawful object upon which we misplace our actions is that which maketh us sinners now this being an act of our will it must suppose also the concourse of God how then doth our opinion clear the point The same Answer abundantly sufficeth God made Adam able to be willing to sin but he made him not to will sin God set before him life and death that he did choose death it was by the strength of will given him of God but God did not bind him to choose death for that were a contradiction a necessitated choice Briefly whatsoever we choose we do it by the power by which we are voluntary Agents yet if we choose death God is Object ult not to be blamed for he made us voluntary and therefore it was as possible for us to have chosen life If the nature of a voluntary Agent be well observed this point will be most evident The last objection is this Gods fore-knowledge of all futures is most infallible and necessary Ergo All futures in respect of him fall out necessarily otherwise it is possible God may be deceived yea if many things fall out contingently Gods fore-knowledge of them can be but contingent depending after a sort on mans free-will This Argument is plausible at the first view but if it be touched it falls to shatters It is one thing to know that a thing will necessarily be done and another to know necessarily that a thing will be done God doth necessarily and certainly foreknow all that will be done but he doth not know that those things which shall be done voluntarily will be done necessarily he knoweth that they will be done but he knoweth withall that they might have fallen out otherwise for ought he had ordered to the contrary So God necessarily knew that Adam would fall and yet he knew that he would not fall necessarily for it was as possible for him not to have fallen It was the antient and is still the true opinion That Gods Praescience is not the cause of Events he fore-knoweth all things because they will be done things are not done because he fore-knoweth them The infallibility of his knowledge consisteth not in the immutability of his decree but in the prerogative of his Deity it is impossible therefore that any man by his voluntary manner of working should delude Gods fore-sight not because God doth necessitate his will to certain effects for this were indeed to take it away but because his fore-knowledge is infinite Let our hearts therefore be never so full of Mazes and Meanders turning and winding yet 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to use the Poets language the al-seeing Eye of God cannot but espy them long before not because he himself contrived them for then it were no wonder if he were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but because to Him who is every way infinite all things cannot be but present and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is the significant word of the Author to the Hebrews signifying open by a metaphor or similitude drawn from a word that signifies having the faces laid upwards because such as lye so have their face exposed to the sight of all men FINIS Books Printed or sold by William Leake as the sign of the Crown in Fleetstreet between the two Temple-gates Yorks Heraldry fol. 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An exact Abridgment of the Records in the Tower of London from the Raign of K. Edward the second to K. Richard the third of all the Parliaments holden in each Kings raign and the several Acts in every Parliament by Sir Robert Cotton Kt. and Baronet An Apology for the Discipline of the antient Church intendep especally for that of our Mother the Church of England in answer to the Admonitory Letter lately published by William Nicolson Arch-Deacon of Brecon and now Lord Bishop of Glocestet Le Prince d'Amour or the Prince of Love Wa collection of several Ingenious Poems and Songs by the Wits of the Age. 8. A learned Exposition of the Apostles Creed delivered in several Sermons by William Nicholson Archdeacon of Brecon and now Lord Bishop of Glocester