in matters of Religion and Conscience Heart and Soul and all that is within thee to strengthen thy hand to a diligent perusal of the Treatise ensuing â—â— the high necessity that lieth upon thee as it doth upon all the world besides respectively to awake raise and engage all those worthy faculties and endowments which God hath vested in thee Reason Judgment Memory Vnderstanding about the thingâ— of thine eternal Peace And because this Iron I fear hath been of late much blunted with the earthly Conceits and Suggestions of many I am desirous to put so much the more strength to it But to me it is the first-born of wonder and astonishment that amongst men professing the glorious Gospel of Christ who is the Wisdom of God yea amongst the Teachers themselves of this Wisdom men should be found who think they do God and men very good service in perswading men wholly to lay aside their Reasons Iudgments Vnderstandings in matters of Religion and not to make use of or engage any of these in their enquiries after matters of a spiritual or supernatural concernment Doubtless Satan is a Debtor to those persons who have seasoned the world with the unsavory Salt of such a Principle as this for all the religious respects and high entertainment that have of late been given by many amongst us to all those wicked senceless sapless hideous and blasphemous Doctrines and Opinions which like the dead Frogs of Egypt m Exod. 8. 14 make the Land to stink For if men may not interpose with their Reasons and Iudgments to distinguish between Spirit and Spirit Opinion and Opinion why should not one Spirit be beleeved as well as another and one Opinion received as well as another Or if the difference be not to be made by the interposure and exercise of Reason in a man I demand by what other principle or means ought it to be made If it be said partly by the Word of God and partly by the Spirit of God I answer 1. Concerning the Word of God it is acknowledged that this is to be in special manner interessed in all our dijudications between Doctrine and Doctrine Opinion and Opinion in matter of Religion and that this is the fire which must try every mans work of what sort it is n 1 Cor. 3 13. and that must separate the vile from the precious But as the Plummet and Rule do not measure the work of the Architect or discover whether it be true and square or otherwise of or by themselves but as they are regularly applyed hereunto either by the workman himself or some other capable of making such an application however true it may be that a sufficient test or proof of the work cannot be made without the use of the Plummet and Rule about it In like manner though the Word of God be of soveraign use and necessity for the measuring of Opinions and Doctrines and for the discovery of what is streight and what crooked in them yet he that desires to reap the spiritual benefit and advantage of the usefulness of it in this kind must 1. rightly understand the sence and mind of God in it and 2. be dexterous and expert in making a due application of it being rightly understood to the Doctrines or Opinions â—he soundness or unsoundness whereof he desires to understand by it For 1. It is not the letter or form of words as separated or considered apart from the spirit notion or sence of them that is the Touchstone or Rule of Tryal for Doctrines Yea the letter and words are only servants to the sence and notion which they contain and exhibit and were principally if not only delivered by the Holy Ghost unto men for this end that by them the Sence Mind and Counsel of God in all the particularities of them which are held forth in the Scriptures might be communicated and conveyed to the Reasons and Vnderstandings of Men. So that in case a man had the sence and mind of God upon the same terms of certainty and knowledg without the letter on which he hath it or may have it by means of the letter he should be as richly as compleatly qualified hereby to discern between Doctrines as he now can be by the opportunity and advantage of the letter Now if the Scriptures themselves be upon no other terms nor in any other case serviceable or use ful unto men for the tryal of Doctrines and Opinions but only as and when they are truly understood by them it clearly follows that whatsoever is requisite and necessary to bring men to a true understanding of the Scriptures is of equal necessity for the distinguishing of Doctrines and to interpose or be made use of in all affairs and concernments in Religion If then the Reasons Judgments and Vnderstandings of men must of necessity interpose act argue debate and consider before the true sence and mind of God in any Scripture can be duly apprehended understood and beleeved by men it is a plain case that these are to be used and to be interessed in whatsoever is of any Religious consequence or concernment to us That the Mind of God in the Scriptures cannot be duly apprehended received or beleeved by men but by the acting and working of their Reasons Minds and Vnderstandings in order hereunto iâ— evident from hence viz. because the Mind of God cannot be thus apprehended or beleeved by men but by means of an intellectual or rational difference tasted or resented by them between this mind of his and all other minds meanings or sences whatsoever that may be supposed to lie or reside in the words For example if there be another sence to be given of such or such a passage of Scripture either contrary unto or differing from that which I conceive to be the Mind of God here which hath the same rational or intellectual savour and taste with this that is which as well suits with the words agrees with the Context falls in with the scope and subject matter in hand is as accordable with Scripture assertion elsewhere comports as clearly with the unquestionable Principles of Reason and the like how is it possible for me in this case to conceive or beleeve especially with the certainty of Faith that my sence is the Mind of God and consequently the true sence of that place rather then that other which hath all the same Characters Symptomes and Arguments of being the Mind of God which mine hath Therefore it must needs be by the exercise and acting of my Reason and Vnderstanding and by the report which they make of their Discoveries in their Enquiries that I come regularly to conclude and to be satisfied that this is the Mind of God in such or such a Scripture and none other If it be here objected and demanded But is it meet or tolerable that the Reason of man should judg in the things of God Or that the Vnderstandings of men should umpire and determine
terms whatsoever even of the greatest sin and wickedness would be an effectuall motive upon the Heart and Conscience of a regeneate Man to cleave in Love unto God yet would it not be a motive in this kinde of any such strength or efficacy as such an assurance as this that he shall continue in the Love and Favour of God for ever in a way of Righteousness and well doing but with all shall be in danger of loosing this love in case he shall decline unto wickedness The reason why this latter compounded motive must needs be of more efficacy to the purpose mentioned then the former is because the latter supposeth a necessity of this cleaving in Love to God for the obtaining of this great good the continuance for ever of the Love of God towards him which the former doth not Now this is a generall rule that that motive is still of greater force to perswade to an action which renders the action perswaded unto as of absolute necessity for the obtaining of some desirable end especially when the said end is insured withall upon the performance of the action then that which renders this end attaineable without the Performance of this action He that shall perswade me to love such or such a man by telling me that whether I love him or no yet he will deale lovingly and friendly by me should not perswade me to love him by an argument or motive of so much strength as he that should move me to the same Point thus if you love him he will deale very lovely and friendly with you but if you shall neglect or voluntarily injure him you will finde him a sore enemy There is no action how lovely or desirable soever in it self but becomes so much the more desirable by how much the greater good shall appear to depend upon it and must needs be produced by it especially if it shall yet further appear that this good cannot be produced or obtained by any other meanes whatsoever without it Now then as he who deprives a man of a greater benefit to interess him in a lesser doth him as real an injury or wrong as he that should take away a part of his substance from him without any consideration at all in like manner that Doctrine which shall bereave the spirituall part of a man or a Believer of a greater and more effectuall motive to the performance of a duty only to present him with a weaker and of less Power must in reason be judged an enemy unto the one and the other yea as great an enemy as such a Doctrine would be which deny them a lesser motive in that kinde without any recompence at all 3. If such a knowledge or assurance as the Objection speakes of were §. 19. an effectuall motive to perswade the heart of a man to cleave in love unto God what reason can be given why God should not administer it in order to such a Purpose as well to his enemies and carnall men as unto his Saints or Friends For 1. certaine it is that all men whatsoever are commanded by God to love Him or to cleave in this affection unto Him 2. As certaine it is that God is not defective in the subministration of motives unto them on this behalf no not of those that are most Proper and efficacious to perswade them thereunto 3. As certaine it is as either of the former that an assurance of the love of God towards them against all sin and wickednesse whatsoever that they are capable of committing is a motive every whit as taking with as suteable and pleasing to Naturall and Carnall Men if yet a motive it be as to spirituall and holy Men to perswade them to the love of God Therefore if God hath not thought meet to afford such a motive as this is unto Naturall or Carnall Men it is no wayes likely that he hath afforded it unto Saints with whose hearts as such I meane as they are Saints it hath no agreement or takingnesse at all as was shewed formerly a Sect. 16 17. of this Chapter 4. And lastly the very truth is all things duly considered that the consideration §. 20. we now speake of and which is specified in the Objection hath nothing at all in it of the true Nature or Property of a motive to perswade any Man to cleave in love unto God For whatsoever representeth God to the Heart Soule or Conscience of a Man as a God in whose sight he is good that doth evill b Mal. 2 17 and consequently as no God of judgement as a God Promising His Love Favour and Acceptance as well unto Dogs returning unto their vomits and to Swine wallowing after their washing in the mire as well as unto Lambs and Sheep is no consideration which commendeth him unto his Creature Man or consequently which hath any thing in it to ingage him to cleave in love to him Suppose a man were thus Principled that having once had a good opinion of any man he would never alter his opinion of him how desperately soever the Man should degenerate from himself as though he should become the first borne amongst all the Sons of Belial turne the most bloody murtherer the most cruell oppressor the most brutish incestuary under Heaven but under the guilt and daily Practise of these and such like abominations should love this Man with as much truth reality and sincereness of affection only upon the account of his sometime goodnesse as he doth the most vertuous and worthy Person under Heaven would such a Temper or Principle as this commend him as a Person so much the more worthy love and respects in the eyes of any considering Man or would they not rather draw disparagement and contempt upon him yea and this from those very Persons whom he shall affect and love upon such terms Therefore in case it were possible for me certainly to know that how loosely how Prophanely how debauchedly soever I should behave my self yet God will love me as intirely as fervently as he doth the holiest and most righteous man under Heaven it would be a very slender motive unto me to cleave i◠love unto him So then it doth not yet appear by any thing that hath been mentioned or argued to the Point that the Doctrine of Perseverance as it passeth up and down amongst us is any contributor to the Peace or Comfort of that which is of God but only to that which is of Satan in men and which deserveth mortification and Crucifying instead of Comfort and Peace If it be yet further Objected But is not the Doctrine of falling away a §. 21. very uncomfortable Doctrine apt to beget a servile spirit in the Saints a a spirit of bondage and feare Or must not they who apprehend themselves to be in continuall danger of falling away and Perishing needs eate their bread in darkness dwell with Sorrowes and Perplexities of soule all their dayes To these
of God in such a sence as that wherein we have now interpreted it is not material By that inhibition which was served upon him by the Angel to surcease all further Proceedings in and about the offering up of his Son by death before he was thus offered he clearly enough understood that to have been the sence and minde of God in the said Command which we have asserted So that 6. And lastly It is a clear case that the Explication and account given formerly in this Treatise concerning the Intentions of God or rather concerning the Ground and Reason why Intentions are attributed unto Him is no ways incumbred or disabled by the Instance of Gods Command given unto Abraham concerning the offering up of Isaac notwithstanding Isaac's non-oblation by death There is nothing in this Example to prove that God doth at any time vouchsafe means competent and proper for the bringing of any thing to pass especially when he commands that these means be used accordingly but that he truly and really intends as he is capable of intending any thing the coming to pass thereof Nor can it here with any face of Reason be replyed that by such a construction as we have put upon the words of God in His Command unto Abraham concerning the offering up of his Son when He vouchsafeth means of Salvation unto Men and commandeth them to use them accordingly it cannot be concluded from thence that therefore He really intendeth the Salvation of Men but onely that they should use the said Means to obtain Salvation Because though God in Abrahams case did in His Intentions separate the Means of offering up Isaac from the actual Oblation of Him this not being the end of His Command given unto Him as was said yet He did not separate between the said Means and that which was His true end in the Command which was the Tryal of Abrahams Faith and for the effecting whereof the said Command and all that which was meant thereby was as natural and proper a means as it was for the actual oblation of Isaac by death In like manner when He vouchsafeth Means of Salvation unto Men and commandeth the use of them accordingly He cannot be supposed to divide or separate in His Intentions between the use of these Means and their proper end Salvation there being no other end proper to be effected by the use of the Means of Salvation but Salvation it self or at least none but in conjunction with Salvation And certain it is that there is no man of wisdom who intends the use of such Means which are determinately appropriate to the production of one end and no more or however of no more but onely by and through the production of that one but that He intends the production of this end peculiarly How God may intend the Salvation of Men and yet Men never come to be saved hath been already explained t Cap. 3. Sect. 7 17. and that as I remember more then once and may be yet further opened upon occasion CHAP. XVIII Exhibiteth several Grounds and Reasons whereby the Vniversality of Redemption by Christ or Christs dying for All Men without Exception is Demonstratively evicted ALthough Scripture-Authority be greater then all Demonstration otherwise §. 1. for the Eviction and Confirmation of any Doctrine or Tenet in matter of Religion as simply and in it self so also with those whose Faith mainly or solely beareth upon the foundations of the Scriptures yet have Arguments and Grounds of Reason if they be pregnant and clear a very acceptable influence upon the Judgments and Consciences of Men when they are levyed and drawn up in the nature of Seconds or Assistants to the Scriptures and plead the same cause with them For when a Doctrine or Opinion is held forth as the Minde of God in the Scriptures and Scripture-Authority produced and insisted upon either singly or in consort for the proof thereof in case this Doctrine shall be found to have a fair and clear consistence with the unquestionable Principles of sound Reason there remains no place in the Consciences of Men for fear or jealousie concerning the Truth thereof God Himself being the Author of those noble endowments in Men Reason and Understanding must needs be conceived the Author also of whatsoever truly consorteth with them But in case the Authority of the Scriptures shall be urged and pressed upon the Consciences of Men in defence of such a Doctrine which grates or bears hard upon the common and clear Dictates of that Light which God hath planted in the Souls of Men it is unpossible but that a considering Man should much question such a sence or interpretation which is put upon the Scriptures in such a case The Reason hereof hath been given elsewhere a Epist to the Reader The Premisses considered I judg it a matter of signal consequence in order to the securing the Judgments and Consciences of Men about the truth of the main Doctrine maintained in this Discourse to demonstrate the perfect and clear consistency of it with Grounds of Reason though substantially proved already from the Scriptures yea and satisfactorily also I trust unto those who so understand the Scriptures as not to make either the Wisdom or Justice of God Sufferers by them My Reasons then for the Universality of Redemption by Jesus Christ in reference unto Men are these following If Christ dyed not for all Men without exception in the sence formerly declared §. 2. Argum. 1. then is that Great Covenant of Grace which God hath made with the World and ratified in His Blood made with unknown Persons and such who are no ways exprest in this Covenant neither by Name nor by any other Character or qualification by which they may at least for a long time be known or distinguished But this Great Covenant we speak of is not struck or made with unknown Persons I mean with such who for a long time if ever neither can tell themselves whether they be the Covenanted ones or no nor are capable of any reasonable information hereof by others Therefore Christ dyed for all men without exception The Reason of the former Proposition and the Consequence therein is this because the Elect so called in the common Notion of Election with whom onely this Covenant of Grace is pretended to be made and for whom onely Christ is supposed to have dyed are Persons no ways distinguishable from others neither before at all and very hardly if at all after their Regeneration and Conversion unto God That they are not at all discernable from others before Conversion is evident from several places For we our selves saith the Apostle to Titus meaning who are now so much altered and changed by a work of Grace and Regeneration in us were sometimes viz. before our Conversion foolish disobedient deceived serving divers lusts and pleasures living in malice and envy hateful and hating one another b Tit. 3. 3. Certainly these are no
that know God or have means and opportunities of knowing him not to glorifie him like himself and as God is a sin of a very high provocation and which directly and with a swift course tends to an utter dissolution of all communion and friendly converse between God and men 2. That for men of Knowledg Parts and Abilities to neglect the manifestation and making known of God in and to the World to the intent that he may be acknowledged reverenced loved delighted in by his Creature is a strain of the worst resentment with God of that unthankfulness which he interprets a non-glorifying him as God or like himself Knowing the Terror of the Lord in the way of the Premisses Brethren honored and beloved in the Lord according to the measure of the Light of the Knowledg of himself which he hath been graciously pleased to shine in my Heart 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I have in the ensuing Discourse lift up my Heart and Soul and all that is within me to the discovery and manifestation of him in the World in the truth of his Nature Attributes Counsels Decrees Ways and Dispensations and that with a single eye with clearness and simplicity of intention to dis-encumber the Mindes Judgments and Consciences of Men of such thoughts and apprehensions concerning him which are evil Mediators between Him and his Creature feeding and fomenting that distance and enmity between them which have been occasioned by sinful and unworthy deportment on the Creatures side I confess that in some Particulars managed and asserted in the Discourse I have been led I trust by the Spirit of Truth and of God out of the way more generally occupyed by those who of later times have travelled the same Regions of Enquiry with me But deeply pondering what Augustin somewhere saith that as nothing can be found out more beneficial unto the World then somewhat Nihil periculosius quaeritur nihil fructâ—osius invenitur further of God then is at present known so nothing is attempted or sought after with more danger I have steered my course in the subsequent Debates with all tenderness and circumspection arguing nothing concluding nothing but either from the Grammatical Sence or best known signification of words and phrases in the Scripture and this for the most part if not constantly in conjunction both with the scope of places the express consent and agreement of Contexts together with the Analogy of the Scriptures themselves in other places or else from the most unquestionable and universally received Principles and Maxims either in Religion or sound Reason and more particularly from such Notions concerning the Nature of God and his Attributes and Perfections which I finde generally subscribed with the Names and Pens of all that is called Orthodox amongst us and have written of such things Nor have I any where receded from the more general sence of Interpreters in the Explication of any Text or Passage of Scripture but onely where either the express signification of words or the vergency or rather indeed urgency of the Context or some repugnancy to the expressness of Scripture elsewhere or else some pregnant inconsistency with some clear Principle either of Religion or sound Reason necessitated me unto it Yea I seldom upon any of these accounts leave the common road of Interpreters but I finde that some or other one or more of the most intelligent of them have troden the same path before me And for the most part Chrysostom among the Ancient Expositors and Calvin himself among the Modern are my Companions in the paths of my greatest solitariness Concerning the main Doctrine avouched in the Discourse wherein the Redemption of Mankinde by Jesus Christ no particular person or member hereof excepted is held forth and asserted I demonstrate by many Testimonies from the best Records of Antiquity to have been the Oecumenical sence of the Christian World in her primitive and purest Times Nor am I conscious to my self I speak as in the present of God of any the least mistake either in word or meaning of any Author or Testimony cited by me throughout the whole Discourse nor yet of any omission in point of diligence or care for the prevention of all mistakes in either kinde The Discourse such as it is with all Respects of Honor and Love I present unto you not requiring any thing from you by way of countenance or approbation otherwise then upon those equitable terms on which Augustus Sueton. in vita Augusti recommended his Children unto the care and favor of the Senate Si meruerit Onely as a Friend and Lover of the Truth Name and Glory of God and Jesus Christ and of the Peace Joy and Salvation of the World with you I shal take leave to pour out my Heart and Soul in this Request unto you that either you will confirm by setting to the royal signet of your Approbation and Authority the Great Doctrine here maintained if you judg it to be a Truth or else vouchsafe to deliver me and many others from the snarâ— thereof by taking away with an hand of Light and potency of Demonstration those weapons whether Texts of Scriptures or Grounds in Reason wherein you will finde by the Discourse it self that we put our trust Your Contestation upon these terms will be of a resentment with me more precious and accepted then your Attestation in case of your comport in Judgment with me though I shall ingenuously confess and profess that for the Truths sake even in this also I shall greatly rejoyce Notwithstanding I judg it much more of the two richly conducing to the dear Interest of my Peace and Safety to be delivered from my Errors then to receive countenance and approbation from men in what I hold or teach according to the Truth If nothing which is here pleaded whether from the Scriptures or otherwise shall be able to over-rule your Judgments into an acknowledgment of Truth in the main Doctrine contended for in which case you will I trust though not with respect to my Request in that behalf yet for the Truths sake and for your own Interests sake as well in the things of this World as of that which is to come declare your selves in some worthy and satisfactory Answer to the Particulars here propounded I shall not need I presume to desire you that in your Answer you will not rise up in your might against the weaker looser or less-considerate Passages or Expressions of which kind you may very possibly meet with many more then enough but that you will rather bend the strength of your Reply against the strength of what you shall oppose at least if there be any thing herein worthy such a title You well know that a Field may be won though many Soldiers of the conquering side should fall or be wounded in the Battel and that a Tree may flourish and retain both its beauty and firmness of standing in the Earth though many of the smaller
their sacrificing to an unknown God d Acts 17. 29 4. And lastly The Interposure and actings of Reason and Vnderstanding in men are of that soveraign and most transcendent use yea necessity in and about matters of Religion that all the Agency of the Spirit notwithstanding a man can perform nothing no manner of service unto God with acceptation nothing in a way of true Edification to himself without their engagement and service First I stand charged by God not to beleeve every spirit but to try the spirits whether they be of God e 1 Iohn 4. 1 I demand by what Rule or Touchstone shall I try any spirit When or upon what account shall I reject one as a spirit of Error Falshood and Delusion and do Homage with my Iudgment and Conscience to another as the Spirit of God If it be said I ought to try the spirits by the Scriptures or Word of God I demand again but how shall I try my Touchstone or be sure that that principle notion or ground which I call the Word of God and by which I go about to try the spirits is indeed the Word of God There is scarce any spirit of Error that is abroad in the Christian World but freely offers it self to be tryed by the Word of God as well as the true Spirit of God Himself i. e. by such meanings sences or conclusions as it self confidently asserts to be the Word of God i. e. the Mind of God in the Scriptures So that I am in no capacity to try such a spirit which upon such an account as this pretends his coming forth from God unless I be able to prove that those sences meanings and conclusions by which he offers to be tryed are not indeed the Word of God Now it is unpossible that I should prove this meerly and only by the Scriptures themselves because unto what place or places soever I shall have recourse for my proof or tryal in this case this spirit will reject my sence and interpretation in case it maketh against him and will substitute another that shall not oppose him Nor can I reasonably or regularly reject his sence in this case at least as an untruth unless I apprehend some relish or taste therein which is irrational or some notion which jarreth with or grateth upon some clear principle or other of reason within me For as on the one hand what Doctrine or notion soever clearly accordeth and is commensurable with any solid and undoubted principle or ground of Reason within me is hereby demonstrably evinced to be a Truth and from God so on the other hand what Doctrine or saying soever bears hard or falls foul upon any such principle must of necessity be an Error and somewhat that proceeds from Satan or from men and not from God The Reason hereof is clearly asserted by the Apostle in these words For God is not the Author of Confusion but of peace a 1 Cor. 14. 33. From whence it appears that God is not divided in himself or contradictions to himself so as to write or assert that in one book as in that of the Scriptures which he denyeth or opposeth in another as viz. in that of Nature or of the fleshly tables of the heart of man but whatsoever he writeth or speaketh in the one he writeth or speaketh nothing Inclinavit Deus Scripturas ad infantium lactentium capacitatem Aug. in Psal 8. * Tertul. De testimonio Animae adversus Gentes c. 1. Mirum si a Deo data homini novit divinare Sic mirum si a Deo data cadem canit quae Deus suis dedit nosse Ibidem c. 5. Si de tuis literis dubitas neque Deus neque natura mentitur ut Deo naturae credas crede animae c. Ib. cap. 6. Cur verba habet Christianonorum quos ne auditos visâ—s que vult Ibid. O testimonium Animae naturaliter Christianae Tertul. Apologet Ne â—ui praeclusus esset ad felicitatem aditus non solum hominum mentibus indidit illud quod diximus Religionis semen c. Calvin instit l. 1. c. 5. Sect. 1. in the other but what is fairly and fully consistent with it Vpon this account it is a grave and worthy advertisement of Mr Perkins in his Epistle before his Treatise of Predestination It is saith he also requisite that this Doctrine he speaks of Predestination Election and Reprobation agree with the grounds of common Reason and of that knowledg of God which may be obtained by the light of nature In this saying of his he clearly supposeth that whatsoever should be taught by any man in the mysterious and high points of Predestination otherwise then according to the Scriptures and the Truth may be clearly disproved by this viz. the disagreement of it with the grounds of common Reason and of that knowledg of God which the light of Nature shineth into the hearts of men If himself had kept close to this principle of his own in drawing up his Judgment in the point of Predestination the World had received a far differing and better account from his pen of this subject then now it hath But if his sence were that the heights and depths of Religion for so we may well call the Doctrines of Election and Reprobation c have nothing in them but what agreeth with the grounds and principles of common reason and with the Dictates of Nature in men and consequently may be measured discerned and judged of by these he did not conceive that matters of a more facile and ordinary consideration were above the capacity and apprehension of Reason It was the saying of Augustin that God hath bowed down the Scriptures to the capacity even of Babes and Sucklings Tertullian hath much upon this account to excellent purpose In one place speaking of the Soul being yet simple rude and unfurnished with any acquired knowledge either from the Scripture or other institution he demands why it should be strange that being given by God it should speak out or sing the same things the knowledg whereof God giveth unto his children Not long after he admonisheth the Gentiles that neither God nor Nature lye and thereupon that they may beleeve both God and nature willeth them to beleeve their own Souls A little after he saith that the Soul he speaks of hath the words and therefore the inwards senses and impressions of Christians whom notwithstanding it wisheth that it might never hear or see Elsewhere having mentioned some expressions of affinity with the Scriptures as oft coming out of the mouths of Heathen he triumphs as it were over them with this acclamation O the Testimony of a Soul naturally Christian Nor doth Calvin himself say any whit less then all this when he saith that God hath implanted or inwardly put the seed of Religion in the mind of men Doubtless the seed sympathizeth richly with that body which springs and grows from it But these
things by the way All impressions all principles of light and truth which are found written in the hearts and consciences of men are here written by the finger of God himself Therefore what spirit or Doctrine soever symbolizeth in notion and import with these or any of them must of necessity be of the same parentage and descent with them there being no original Parent or Father of light and truth but God only And on the contrary what Doctrine or spirit soever putteth any of these Principles to sorrow or shame and doth not lovingly comport with them hereby declare themselves to be of a spurious and ignoble race as Christ reasoned with the Iews If God were your Father ye would love me for I proceeded forth and came from God g John 8 42. But because they hated him he concluded them to be the children of the Devil Concerning the mystery of the Trinity the Incarnation of God or the Son of God the conception of a Virgin with some other points of like consideration commonly pretended to be against or at least above and out of the reach and apprehension of Reason I clearly answer 1. That they are every whit as much yea upon the same terms out of the reach of Faith as of Reason For how can I beleeve at least upon good grounds and as it becometh a Christian to beleeve whatsoever he beleeveth that which I have no Reason nor am capable of apprehending any Reason nay for which there is no Reason why I should beleeve it If it be said I am bound to beleeve the Doctrines specified because they are revealed by God I answer that this is a rational ground whereof my Reason and Vnderstanding are throughly capable why I should beleeve them The light of Nature clearly informeth me that what God revealeth or speaketh must needs be true and consequently worthy and meet to be beleeved If it be further said but Reason is not able to apprehend or conceive how three should be really and essentially one and the same how a Virgin should conceive and bring forth a Son c. I answer that no Faith or Belief in such things as these is required of me nor would be accepted with God in case it were in me above what I am able by my Reason to apprehend and understand As I am not able to apprehend by my Reason the particular and distinct manner how the three Persons subsist in one and the same Divine Nature and Essence so neither am I bound to beleeve it That which I am bound to beleeve in this Point is onely this that there are three who do thus subsist I mean in the same Divine Essence and for this my Reason is apprehensive enough why I should beleeve it viz. because God himself hath revealed it as hath been said If I should confidently beleeve any thing more or further concerning the Trinity of Persons commonly so called and there is the same Reason of the other Points mentioned then what I know upon the clear account of my Reason and Vnderstanding it would be presumption in me and not Faith and I should contract the guilt of those whom the Apostle chargeth with intruding or advancing themselves into the things which they have not seen a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Col. 2. 18 Vid. Sam. Petit Var. Lect. l. 1. c. 9 i. e. rationally apprehended and understood But 2. If it be yet demanded but is it not contrary to the grounds of Nature and so to Principles of Reason that a Virgin should conceive a Child And if so how can such a Doctrine according to what you have asserted be received as from God or as a Truth I answer it is no ways contrary to Reason nor to any Principle thereof that God should be able to make a Virgin to conceive but very consonant hereunto as the Apostle Paul supposed it credible enough as we lately heard even in the eye of Reason that God should make the Earth bring forth her dead alive b Acts 26 8 Indeed that a Virgin should conceive in a natural way or according to the course of ordinary Providence is contrary unto Reason but this Religion requireth not of any man to beleeve Nor doth it bear hard at all upon any Principle of Reason that God should be willing to do every whit as great and strange a thing as that I mean as to cause a Virgin to conceive for the accomplishment of so great and glorious a design as the saving of a lost World Nor is it contrary to Reason or any Principle thereof that God or the first Being being infinite should have a manner of subsisting or Being far different from the manner of subsistence which is appropriate to all created and finite Beings or that this manner of subsisting which is proper unto him should be unto men incomprehensible But most consonant it is to Principles of Reason when God himself hath pleased so far to reveal that appropriate and incomprehensible manner of his subsisting as to declare and say that he subsisteth in three that men should accordingly beleeve it so to be So that most certain it is that there is nothing in Christian Religion which so far as it concerneth men to know and beleeve but what fairly and friendly comports with that Reason and Vnderstanding which God hath given unto Man and what by a diligent and conscientious use of these noble faculties he may come to know and believe at least so far as to salve his great Interest of Salvation 2. Look with how many Precepts Exhortations Admonitions I stand charged by God to submit unto and practise I am under so many charges and engagements from him likewise to exercise my Reason and Vnderstanding 1. To apprend aright the Mind of God in every of these respectively lest when he injoyneth me one thing I through mistake should do another 2. To consider how when and in what cases I am commanded by him to do this or that 3. and lastly to pass by other particulars To gather together and call up upon my Soul all such Motives and Considerations which I am able whereby to provoke stir up and strengthen my self to the execution and performance of all things accordingly When God commandeth me to strive to enter in at the strait gate to seek his Kingdom and the righteousness thereof in the first place to labor for the meat which endureth to everlasting life to be a man in understanding to omit other Precepts of like nature without number be commandeth me consequentially and with a direct clear and necessary implication to rise up in the might of my reason and understanding in order to the performaance of these things nor am I capable of performing the least of these great and most important commands in any due manner but by interessing my reason judgment understanding and this throughly and effectually in and about the performance The truth is I stand bound in duty and conscience
towards God and in faithfulness to mine own Soul neither to beleeve any thing at all as coming from God which I have not or may have a very substantial ground in Reason to beleeve cometh indeed from him nor yet to do any thing at all as commanded by him unless there be a like ground in reason to perswade me that it is indeed his command I confess good Reader I have presumed at somewhat an unreasonable rate upon thy patience in detaining thee so long with the Argument yet in hand But the sence of that unconceivable mischief and misery which I most certainly know have been brought upon the Christian World at least in our quarters of it and which lie sore upon it at this day by means of the reigning of this notion or Doctrine amongst us that men ought not to use but lay aside their Reason in matters of Religion lieth so intolerably sad and heavy upon my Spirit that I could not relieve my self to any competent degree with saying less then what hath been said to relieve the World by hewing in sunder such a snare of death cast upon it Most assuredly all the ataxies disorders confusions seditions Insurrections all the Errors blasphemous Opinions apostasies from the truth and ways of Holiness all trouble of mind and sad workings of conscience in me all unrighteousness and injustice all bribery and oppression all unmanlike self-seeking and prevaricating with publick Interests and Trusts all covetousness and deceit and whatsoever can be named in this World obstructive destructive to the present comfort peace to the future blessedness and glory of the sons and daughters of men proceed and spring from this one root of bitterness and of death they neglect to advance and engage home their Reasons Judgment 's Vnderstandings in matters of Religion to imploy and improve them according to their proper interests and capacities in these most important affairs O Reader my mouth is open unto thee my heart is enlarged Now for a recompence in the same I speak unto thee as a dear Brother in Christ be thou also enlarged Say unto the World round about thee Awake thou that sleepest and arise from the dead and Christ shall give thee light Doubtless the World would soon find it self in another manner of posture then now it is and see the whole hemisphere of it filled with the glorious light of the knowledge of God in the face of Jesus Christ if the inhabitants thereof every man from his quarters would be perswaded to rise up in the might of those abilities those heavenly endowments of reason judgment understanding wherewith God by Jesus Christ hath re-invested them to seek after him by enquiring diligently into by weighing narrowly all those things as works of creation works of providence inscriptions upon the Soul and especially the Sacred Word of extraordinary revelation wherein and whereby God hath drawn neer unto men and as it were prepared postured and fitted himself on purpose to be found and known and this as well in the excellency of his Grace as of his glory by all those who upon these terms seek after him The time was when the Spirit was not given because Christ was not glorified a John 7. 39. in Heaven the time now is wherein the Spirit is not given unto the World according to the preparations of the royall bounty and magnificence of Heaven because he is not glorified on Earth by the worthy imployment of the means abilities opportunities vouchsafed unto men The Word of God makes it one argument of the wickedness and sensual ways of men that they have not the Spirit b Iude ver 18. 19. yea the Apostle Paul by charging the Ephesians to be filled with the Spirit c Eph. 5. 18 clearly supposeth it to be a sinful strain of a voluntary unworthinesse in men if they have not a very rich and plentiful anoynting of the Spirit He that lives up to those principles of light which God hath vested in him is under the Beatifical influence of that most rich Promise of Christ to him that hath shall be given and he shal have abundantly d Mat. 25. 29 By him that hath in this promise is meant as clearly appears from the tenor of the parable immediately preceding such a person who useth imployeth improveth that which he hath hereby declaring that he hath what he hath Nor is that which he is here said to have any thing of a spirituall or supernatural import This likewise is evident from the said parable For here one of the three who all had received talents one or more all which talents must needs by the course of the parable â—e supposed to be of one and the same kind nor is the least intimation of any difference especially of any specifical difference between them is said to be an evil and slothful servant notwithstanding his talent and because of his slothfulness to have been cast into utter darkness These are no characters especially in the Judgment of those with whom we are to conflict in the ensuing Discourse of persons that had received any thing saving or supernatural But by that which is here promised to be given and that in abundance to him that hath must of necessity be meant somewhat that is of a spiritual and saving nature This also is evident from the carriage of the same Parable where the servants who had received the Talents and imployed them faithfully by whom are typified our Saviours 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 those that have as was lately said are graciously invited by their Master into his joy Enter thou into thy Masters joy So to the other Enter thou into thy Masters joy Now if either God or Christ be signified and meant by the Master of these servants as I suppose no man questions but that either the one or the other are typified hereby by entering into their joy cannot be meant a receiving of a greater measure of natural gifts or endowments nor of receiving any reward which belongs to persons qualified only with such Endowments as these but Salvation or Eternal Blessedness and Glory If so it roundly follows that by what Christ promiseth shall be given to him that hath in the sence declared is meant somewhat of a saving consequence as regenerating Grace the sanctifying Spirit of God Faith and the like And promising not only or simply that to him that hath shall be given but further that he shall have abundantly he clearly signifieth that in case men will provoke stir up and lay out themselves accordingly in the improvement of such abilities and gifts which shall from time to time be vouchsafed unto them they may by vertue of the bounty and gracious Decree of God in that behalf attain and receive from God what proportion or measure of the Spirit of Grace and of God they can desire Therefore they that teach men to be meerly passive in matters of Religion and forbid them the use of their Reasons
them as in their simple Existence or Being it self Page 1. Cap. 2. Though there be as absolute and essential a Dependance of second Causes upon the first in point of motion action operation as of simple existence or being yet are not the motions actions or operations of second Causes at least ordinarily so immediately or precisely determined by that Dependance which they have upon the first Cause as their respective Beings are 7 Cap. 3. Concerning the Knowledg and Foreknowledg of God and the Difference between these and his Desires Purposes Intentions and Decrees and how these also are distinguished one from another 28 Cap. 4. Concerning the Perfection of God in his Nature and Being Some things clearly deducible from it particularly his Simplicity Actuality and Goodness of Decrees 40 Cap. 5. Four several veins or correspondencies of Scriptures propounded holding forth the Death of Christ for All Men without exception of any The first of these argued 73 Cap. 6. Herein several texts of the second sort of Scriptures propounded in the former Chapter as holding forth the Vniversality of Redemption by Christ are discussed 97 Cap. 7. The third sort or consort of Scriptures mentioned cap. 5. as clearly asserting the said Doctrine argued and managed to the same point 113 Cap. 8. The Scriptures of the fourth and last Association propounded cap. 5. as pregnant also with the same Great Truth of general Redemption by Christ impartially weighed and considered 120 Cap. 9. Entereth upon a Digression about the commonly-received Doctrine of Perseverance occasioned by several passages in the preceding Chapter avouching and clearly evicting the benefit peace and comfort of that Doctrine which teacheth a possibility of the Saints declining and this unto death above the other contrary unto it 154 Cap. 10. A Continuation of the former Digression wherein the texts of Scripture commonly alledged to prove the impossibility of the Saints declining unto death are taken into consideration and discharged from that service 177 Cap 11. A further Continuation of the former Digression wherein the Arguments and Grounds commonly insisted on in defence of the received doctrine of Perseverance are detected of insufficiency proved and declared Null 225 Cap. 12. The former Digression yet further prosecuted and a possibility of defection in the Saints or true Beleevers and this unto death clearly demonstrated from the Scriptures 268 Cap. 13. Grounds of Reason from the Scriptures evincing a possibility of such a defection even in true Beleevers which is accompanied with destruction in the end 299 Cap. 14. Exhibiting from the Scriptures some Instances of a total Declining and falling away from the Grace and Favor of God in true Beleevers 344 Cap. 15. Declaring the Sence and Judgment as well of the Ancient Fathers of the Christian Church as of Modern Reformed Divines touching the Point of Perseverance and so concluding the Digression concerning this Subject 365 Cap. 16. Several other Texts of Scripture besides those formerly produced in ranks and companies argued to the clear eviction of Truth in the same Doctrine viz. that the Redemption purchased by Christ in his Death was intended for all and every man without exceptiof any 403 Cap. 17. Declaring in what sence the former Passages of Scripture asserting the Vniversality of Redemption by Christ are as to this point to be understood and consequently in what sence the said Doctrine of Vniversal Redemption is maintained in the present Discourse 432 Cap. 18. Exhibiteth several Grounds and Reasons whereby the Vniversality of Redemption by Christ or Christs dying for all men without exception is demonstratively evicted 453 Cap. 19. Wherein the Sence of Antiquity together with the variableness of Judgment in Modern Writers about the Controversie under discussion is truly and unpartially represented 524 Cap. 20. The Conclusion Exhibiting a General Proposal or Survey of Matters intended for Consideration Explication and Debate in the second Part of this Work 562 CHAP. I. There is no created Being or second Cause whatsoever but dependeth upon the first and supream Cause or Being which is God and this as well in the second as in the first Act I mean as well in the Motions and Operations issuing from or performed by every of them as in their simple Existence or Being it self WE shall not need I presume to levy a dispute for the gathering §. 1. or geting in that tribute due to the Crown and Soveraignty of Being from all Beings besides which consists in an acknowledgment of his free bounty in calling them out of the abyss of vanity and nothing by the Word of his Power hereby taking them into part and fellowship with himself in his Prerogative of Being according to what was resolved by the counsell of his Will as meet to be dispeâ—sed unto every of them respectively in this kind Trees that are throughly and deeply rooted in the Earth will grow and flourish though the dew or rain from Heaven should seldome or never fall upon them but grasse and herbs and tender plants whose roots have but a slender and thin protection of their Element against the scortching violence of the Sun will soon wither and die away if the clouds of Heaven should not ever and anon drop verdure upon them and relieve them In like manner such notions and impressions in the Soul into which Nature is deeply baptized and mightily 〈…〉 ssest with their Truth are like to live and to maintain their interest and autâ—â—rity in men though not seconded or relieved by argument or dispute but those which have only taken a fainter and looser hold of the judgements and consciences of men are in danger of miscarrying and proving like the Corne upon the house top which as David observeth withereth before it be grown up a Psal 129. 6. unlesse they be timely yea and frequently encouraged back'd and strength by discourse That there is a Being which looks upon this Universe â—ith all the host of it as the workmanship of his own hands and that every creature or finite Being is lineally descended from him as their Great and first Progenitor are I conceive such principles of Light and Truth written in so fair and full a Character in the Tables of all mens hearts that even whilst they run they may read them yea and cannot lightly depose or suffer the losse of â—hem though they be not bound upon their judgments and consciences with any other bands of argument or demonstration then those of their own evidence and conviction Therefore what God hath made manifest and clear in men we shall not cast any suspition of darknesse or obscurity upon by making it matter of disputation And though the dependance of things in actuall and compleat Being upon §. 2. God for sustentation and support as well of their simple Existences and Beings themselves as of their Operations respectively which is the sence and substance of the Thesis propounded be not altogether of so pregnant an inspiration as dependance upon him for their
relating unto those affections or impressions in men which are attributed unto God should be parallel'd in him or have something in his nature corresponding to them It is a sufficient ground or reason for the attribution if the humane affection or impression attributed unto him be Similitudo non currit quatuor Pedibus Neque illa quae important intrinsecam perfectionem sunt tribuenda Deo proprie formaliter nec debemus consuetum modum loquendi omnino cavere cum de Divinis loquimur si seclusâ—s imperfectionibus non aliter humana transferamus ad Deum Arrib Op. Concil l. 3. c. 9 in respct of any one particular appertaining to it in men parallel'd or analogized in the Nature of God the Proverbiall maxime well admonishing that similitudes are not wont to run on all foure no nor alwayes on three not yet on two they do service enough if they stand well on one To exemplifie our Caution in a particular or two Anger as it is incident unto and sometimes as it is inherent in men is obnoxious to be attended with unseemely behaviour inconsiderate and unjust actions c. Yet it doth not follow from hence that because God is said to be angry therefore there is that in his nature which renders him obnoxious in either of these kinds It is a sufficient ground of the attribution of this Passion or affection unto him that out of the perfection of his simple Essence or Nature he doth any thing upon occasion which is proper or frequent for men being angry to do as that he sharply expostulates or reproves that he smites those who provoke him with any severe stroke of judgement or the like c. So again expectation in men is alwayes attended with an apprehension that the thing expected will indeed come to passe no man expecting that which he knows certainly will never come to passe yet it doth not follow from hence that because expectation is ascribed unto God therefore he must not know but that the thing expected by him will come to passe It is a sufficient ground of ascribing expectancy unto him that out of the perfection of his simple essence or nature he sometimes deporteth himself as men under expectation are wont to do though it be but in some one particular as that he apprehendeth a probability or likelihood in respect of means motives and ingagements that the thing which he is said to expect will come to passe notwithstanding he certainly knoweth withall that what he is said in this kinde to expect will all that probability or likelihood notwithstanding never come to passe Instances hereof we have Esa 5. 2. 4. 7. Mat. 21. 37 38 39. c. Take yet one example more for the better understanding of the premised Caution Purposes and intentions where they are in the letter and in their Propriety as in men are alwayes found in conjunction with a supposall that the things purposed or intended shall or will be effected no man ever intending or purposing that which he certainly knows before hand never shall or will be effected But it doth not follow from hence that when Purposes or intentions are attributed unto God they must needs be thus attended I meane with a supposition or expectance that the things said to be purposed or intended by him shall or will come to passe Therefore that saying of Mr. Rutherford Excercit p. 224. Tenentur omnes credere Deum omnipotentem sua intentione excidere non posse i. e. All men are bound to believe that God being Omnipotent cannot faile of his intention is lesse considerate yea and defective in truth without the help of some further explication If instead of intention he had said Decree thus All men are bound to believe that God being Omnipotent cannot faile or fall short in any Decree so as not to be able to put it in execution Reason and Truth had greeted each other in such a saying But God may be said as we shall see further anon to purpose or intend things in case he affordeth means that are proper and sufficient to bring them to passe especially if he commands them to be used accordingly this being a dispensation of like consideration and nature with the deportment of men who are wont to provide a sufficiency of means at least so apprehended by them for the effecting of what they purpose or intend So that to Reason thus God intendeth not the salvation of all men because he certainly knoweth that all men will not be saved no wise man ever intending that which he certainly knows before-hand shall never be effected is to reason weakly and upon a false supposition viz. that purposes and intentions are attributed unto God in respect of all particulars or under all circumstances wherewith they are accompanied in men whereas such attributions are sufficiently salved as hath been shewed in the Analogy and Similitude of one Particular only Yet before we can conveniently come at our intended explication how §. 8. and in what respect or sence Desires Purposes Intentions and Decrees are by Scripture assignment transferred upon God necessary it is that the difference between them in point of Signification and Propriety of import together with the signification of some other terms of neer consideration with them be examined and cleerly stated For that these words Desire Purpose Intention and Decree doe not precisely signifie one and the same thing is out of question nor are they ascribed unto God in one and the same signification or respect though it is true there is a word frequently also ascribed unto him I mean the word will which in the latitude of the signification of it comprehendeth them all yea and some other too besides these For what God more properly may be said to Desire he is in a more generall terme often said to will so againe what in more propriety and strictnesse of expression he might be said and sometimes is said to Purpose Intend Decree and to command or perswade unto he is very frequently said to WILL. So that this word Will when it is attributed unto God must be differenced in point of sence and signification pro subjecta materia according to the different exigency of the context and matter in hand in such places where it is respectively used as we shall shew presently But to the foure terms mentioned First to desire according to the Precise and strict import of the word as §. 9. it is appropriable unto and found in men signifies only an act of appetency in the heart or soule of a man towards somewhat that is absent whether in respect of simple Being or of Place only and with all apprehended by the Desirer as connaturall and suteable unto him either in respect of his own Personall conveniency and accommodation only or the accommodation also of some others whom he wisheth well unto How it differs from the other three will plainly enough appeare in the Progresse Secondly to purpose
Heaven and Earth c. was that we might understand how that this day was seven times repeated or mentioned before that so seven dayes might be made up b Ita jam non ex alio Scripturae Sanctae libro profertur testimonium quod omnia simul Deus creaverit sed vicina testificatio paginae consequentis ex hac re nos admonet dicens cùm factus est dies fecit Deus coelum terram omne viride agri ut istum diem septies intelligas repetitum ut fierent septem dies Ibid. To save the labour of transcribing the Reader may please to peruse from the same Pen another testimony as full and pregnant to the point in hand as any of these in the 16th Sect. of this Chapter So that Augustine was grounded and strongly built upon this foundation of Truth that no multiplication of effects argueth any Plurality or Multiplication of Acts or Exertions in God in or for the Productions of them Let the judicious Reader consider whether the same Truth lieth not large §. 23. also in these words of Ambrose There is not in God saith he any Accident Motion or NAVV WILL or temporall counsell nor is his thought varied according to the inequality of mutable things a Non est in Deo accidens motus aut nova voluntas aut temporale consilium nec cogitatio ejus cum rerum mutabilium inaequalitate variatur Ambr. De vocat Gent. cap. 10. If there be no motion or new will in God he cannot be conceived to advance or put forth any action or operation in or from himself for the effecting of any thing in time which he did not put forth from eternity Nor is this saying of Bernard lesse conscious of the same opinion be it Error or Truth God cannot deny himself nor not do the things which he hath already done as it is written Who hath done the things which are yet to come * Non potest seipsum negare Deus neque non facere quae jam fecit ut Scriptum est Qui fecit quae futura sunt Bernard Serm. 68. super Cant. In this citation from the Scripture who hath done the things yet to come he followeth the Translation of the Septuagint as the ancient Writers more generally did who make the Scripture so to speak Esa 45. 11. In saying that God hath done the things that are yet to be done or to come he cleerly supposeth that God by one and the same simple act which is really the same with his Essence or Being giveth Being to all things whatsoever that either have been are or shall be hereafter D' Arribâ an Author formerly mentioned as one that profited more then many of his fellowes in the learning of the Fathers and Schoolemen is more cleer and distinct in the businesse then any of the former yea and asserts the opinion now contended for as confessed with one mouth by all Divines Secondly saith he I suppose that which all Divines with one mouth confesse and teach though many of them conversing too much with temporall things very hardly comprehend or understand what they most truly herein affirme viz. that although the things which are properly Created by God be multiplyed and distinguished in themselves one from another not only in respect of their proper and respective Natures or Beings but also in respect of the severall times and places in which they receive the beginnings or first of their Beings by a true Creation yet the act of the Divine will or the command or decree of God by vertue whereof things are Created and begin to be are not therefore multiplied or distinguished between themselves a Secūdò suppono illud quod universi Theologi uno ore confitentur docent licet multi eorum temporalibus assueti difficillimè comprehendant sensu quod verissime enūciant hoc scilicèt quod quanvis res quae propriè creantur à Deo multiplicentur distinguantur inter se non solum penes proprias entitates sed etiam penes tempora loca in quibus per veram Creationem existere incipiant non proptereà Divinae voluntatis actus sive imperium decretum Dei cujus virtute res creantur incipiunt esse multiplicantur distinguuntur inter se c. Fr. de Arrib Op. Concil l. 3. c. 8. Sect. 6. This supposition of his he further explaines and argues in that which followes It were easie to multiply testimonies from this Author yea and not hard to do the like from many others of more credit haply then this for the confirmation and countenance of the matter in hand But for authorities I shall conclude with that confident though briefe assertion of an approved Author of our own formerly touched For in all Divines opinions saith the late Bishop Davenant these Propositions are true God can will nothing in time God cannot but have the will which he hath He cannot have any will which he hath not b Deus potest nihil velle ex tempore Deus non potest non habere volitionem quam habet non potest habere volitionem quam non habet Davenant Answ to Mr. Hoord p. 484. If God can will nothing in time nor have any will which he hath not then must needs that act of His will by which he gives Being unto all things be from eternity nor doth any thing which is produced or receiveth Being in time receive this Being by vertue of any presentaneous or new act of the Divine interposall or concurrence other then that which was exercised and put forth by him from eternity Give me now leave to add a Reason or two briefly for the further §. 24. cleering and asserting of this Doctrine First it is a known maxime in Modus operandi consequitur modum essendi vid. Thom. 1. part qu. 89. Art 1. in cor Reason that every thing must needs Act in proportion or according to the manner of the Being of it Now the Being of God being most absolutely perfect the manner of his Acting or Working must needs be most perfect also So then all repetition or multiplication of actings in the Creature for the obtaining of such ends which it desireth arguing imperfection a Principle upon which the Apostle himself builds Heb. 10. 1 2. a For the Law having a shadow of good things to come and not the very Image of them can never with those Sacrifices which they offered year by year continually make the comers thereunto perfect For then would they have ceased to be offered c. it must needs be agreeable both to Reason and Truth to conceive that God by reason of the infinite perfection of his Being must needs reach and compasse all his ends and consequently give Being to whatsoever he intended should be at any time by one and the same simple Act or Dictate of his Will Secondly the Being of God being an eternall Being the formall
As these are not occasioned or raised in him by meanes of any necessity or dependance which he hath upon any of their Objects or the things Purposed Decreed Intended or Desired by him but proceede out of the meere goodnesse of his will whereas the elicite acts of created wills are for the most part if not alwayes begotten by some necessity or other of the things wiâ—led lying upon him that willeth as not being compleate in the injoyment of himself without the willing or obtaining such things 2. As these acts of his will arise and flow from their Principle or Fountaine with a greater enlargement thereof and more strength of exertion then the like acts proceeding from the wills of any other Agent or Agents whatsoever 3. And lastly the immutability of his Will or the determination of it to things actually and de facto willed by him is no impeachment to the liberty or freedome of his Will but only supposeth or demonstrateth it to be another kinde of liberty or freedom much more excellent and perfect then that which is found in the wills of Men or Angels That liberty of will which is competent unto and found in these includes a Peccability or Potentiality unto sin which argueth weaknesse or non-perfection whereas the unchangeable rectitude of the Will of God excluding all possibility of sinning excludeth no degree at all of liberty or freedom from it but only weaknesse imperfection and defectibility which are the indelible characters of created wills * Non habet liberam voluntatem is qui consilium mutare non potest impeditus à causâ externâ si mutare velit Deus autem consilium suum non mutat nec mutare potest non propter impedimentum causae externae nec propter naturae aut facultatis defectum sed quia non vult nec velle potest consilii sui mutationem propter immutâ—bilem rectitudinem voluntatis suae in quam neque error neque ulla mutationis causa potest cadere Vrsinus Expl. Catech. part 1. qu. 8. Having thus cleered this foundation of Truth the perfect Actuality of §. 28. the Divine Essence or Being let us consider what we may safely and with evidence of deduction build upon it If then God be a pure and meere act without all Potentiality or Possibility of change in one kinde or other then those volitions or acts of his Will which with the Scriptures we call Election Reprobation Predestination c. are not to be conceived as acts that are past a Cavendum est ne falsâ quadam imaginatione actum voluntatis Divinae quasi praeteritum cogitemus Scotus in l. Distinc 40. or like to the Volitions Purposes or Intentions of men which being once fulfilled and put in execution die and cease to be in them but are to be looked upon as being really and in Truth one and the same thing with his Essence and Being which is unchangeably permanent only with relation to the effecting of such things in time which answer and hold proportion with the actings of men when they Elect Reprobate or Predestinate So that for example when God prevailes by his Word and Spirit with men in time to believe and during this their believing continueth the same gracious means towards their further establishment and edification he is said to have elected them not because he had formerly passed any act of Election concerning them which is now at an end and ceaseth but because he doth by them or to them as men use to do by Trees when they have chosen them out of the Forrest for building they fell saw hew and every wayes prepare and fit them for such places in the building they intend for which they are most proper and usefull Againe when God upon mens neglect refusall or abuse of the meanes of grace vouchsafed unto them shall withdraw these meanes to such a degree that they fall to open prophanesse loosenesse c. he is now said to have reprobated them not because he had at any time before passed an act of Reprobation against them which was now put in execution and consequently expired and over but because he now acteth or rather forbeares to act in relation towards them as men are wont to act in reference to what they dis-allow refuse or reject whether things or persons Hence it is that the Apostle Paul professeth his care of doing those things which might exempt him not from under any decree of Reprobation which had already passed against him but from falling under any such displeasure of God which putteth men into an estate of Reprobation i. e. Alienateth the heart will and care of God from them But I keep under my body saith he and bring it into subjection lest that by any meanes when I have Preached to others I my self 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 should be or rather become or be made a cast away or reprobate a 1 Cor. 9. 27. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as the word in the Originall properly signifieth and is elsewhere so translated b Rom. 1. 28. 2 Cor. 13 5 6 7. 2 Tim. 3. 8. Tit. 1. 16. Nor doth that expression of Paul concerning Gods chusing men in Christ §. 29. before the foundation of the World Eph. 1. 4. import any Act in God that is past and now ceaseth to be in him but only the standing counsell and good pleasure which is eternall in him being nothing else but himself and his Divine Essence of giving life and salvation unto all those who believe in Jesus Christ by the means which he graciously purposeth also to vouchsafe unto them and accordingly vouchsafeth for this end The Reason why the Scriptures usually expresse the Acts of God which are eternally permanent in him by Verbs of the Preter perfect tense and in Phrases importing time past is as Anselme long since well observed because there being no words used or known amongst men which signifie that kinde of Permanency or Presence which is proper to eternity words signifying the time past are taken up by the Holy Ghost to expresse matters of that consideration and import rather then others which signifie either the time present or to come because that which is past being unchangeably past and in no possibility of being any other then past holds better agreement with and is more like unto that which is eternally and so unchangeably present then either that which is present in time or future in as much as that which is present is not unchangeably present but will shortly be past and that which is future is not unchangeably future but will in time be present and after this past a Vnde cognosci potest eum Apostolum propter indigentiam verbi significantis aeternam praesentiam usum esse verbis praeteritae significationis quoniam quae tempore praeterita sunt ad similitudinem â—terni praesentis omnino immutabilia sunt In hoc siquidem magis similia sunt â—terno praesenti temporaliter
goodnesse of God as a Creator towards his Creatures The Lord saith David is good to all and his tender mercies are over all his works * Psal 145 9. erga omnia opera ejus as Piscator i. e. are extended and shewen unto all his Creatures But had he intended from eternity to abandon the far greatest part of the best of his works Men to the vengeance of eternall Fire could his tender mercies in any tolerable sence be said to be over these Especially can those men justifie David in such a saying as this who conceive and teach that whatsoever God doth in a providentiall way for such Men so abandoned as in causing his Sun to rise or his Raine to fall upon them in filling their hearts with food and gladnesse in giving them Health Wealth Liberty Peace c. he doth all with an intent to harden them and so to bring that heavy destruction upon them with the more severity and terror in the end whereunto they were predestinated and appointed from the beginning Will Men call Health Peace Liberty Meats Drinks c. given with an intent to become snares unto Men and to bring inevitable damnation upon them the tender Mercies of God The holy Man Job being conscious to himself of no signall departure from God by unrighteousnesse in any kinde looked upon that dispensation of God in so severely afflicting him as very strange and that only upon this account that he was his Creator Thy hands have made me and fashioned me together round about meaning that he was the sole Author of Being unto him yet thou dost destroy me Remember I beseech thee that thou hast MADE me as the Clay and wilt thou bring me into the dust againe a Job 10. 8. 9. If Job thought it strange that God being the Author of Life and Being unto him should without any grand offence or provocation given him handle him with so much severity as he conceived in the outer Man how incredible would the Doctrine of those Men have been unto him who teach that God from eternity hath irreversibly consigned over to the mercilesse torments of Hell fire millions of millions of Men who never offended or provoked him in the least The same Author doth elsewhere also notably assert the universall Love Care and Respects of God as a Creator towards men alledging the consideration of these as a grand ingagement upon him to deale justly and equally with his Servants If I did despise the cause of my man servant or of my maid servant when they contended with me what then shall I doe when God riseth up and when he visiteth what shall I answer him Did not he that made me in the womb make him and did not one fashion us in the womb b Job 31. 13 14 15. Cleerly intimating a tender care and regard in God towards Men even the poorest and least considerable of them After the same manner Elihu also advanceth the poore into equall respects with Princes before God viz. because they as well as these are the works of his hands How much lesse to him who accepteth not the persons of Princes nor regardeth the rich more then the poore FOR THEY ARE ALL THE WORK OF HIS HANDS a Job 34. 19. cleerly implying that that relation wherein every Man standeth towards God as his Creature is a pledge of security unto him that God tenderly Loveth and Respecteth him excepting only the case before excepted From the Scriptures lately produced unto which double their number confederate in the same Truth with them might be added it manifestly appeares that such an hatred or rejection of the Creature by God from eternity as is commonly taught and received amongst us is broadly and wholly inconsistent with that Love Tendernesse and Respect which the Relation of a Creator to a Creature every where imports and consequently is not to be looked upon as any Prerogative worthy of him CHAP. V. Foure severall Veynes or Correspondencies of Scriptures Propounded holding forth the Death of CHRIST for all Men without exception of any The first of these Argued THe Premises considered me thinks it is one of the strangest and most §. 1. importune sayings that to my remembrance I ever met with from the Pen of a learned and considerate Man which I finde in the Writings of a late Opposer of Universall Attonement I know saith he no Article of the M. S. R. Gospell which this new and wicked Religion of Universall attonement doth not contradict That which he calls a new and wicked Religion the Doctrine of Universall Attonement I shall God assisting and granting life and health for the finishing of this Present Discourse evince both from the maine and cleer current of the Scriptures themselves as likewise by many impregnable undeniable Demonstrations and Grounds of Reason to be a most ancient and Divine truth yea to be none other but the Heart and Soul the Spirit and Life the strength and substance and brief sum of the glorious Gospell it self Yea I shall make it appeare from ancient Records of best credit and from the confessions of moderne Divines themselves of best account adversaries in the point that Universall Attonement by Christ was a Doctrine generally taught and held in the Churches of Christ for three hundred yeares together next after the Apostles And if I conceived it worth the undertaking or were minded to turne the streame of my Discourse that way I question not but I could make it as cleer as the Sun shining in his might that there is no Article of the Gospell as this Mans dialect is I mean no great or weighty point of the Christian Faith can stand with a rationall consistency unlesse the Doctrine of Universall Attonement be admitted for a Truth Yea upon a diligent and strict iniquiry it will be found that if any Man holds such a limited Râ—demption as is commonly taught and believed amongst us and yet withall â—â—â—es holily and like a Christian he acts in full contradiction to such a Principle and happily denies that in practice which erroneously he holds in judgement God in such cases as these makes Grapes to grow on Thornes and Figgs on Thistles nor doth there want any thing but Sence and Visibility of the disproportion between the cause and the effect to make the lives and wayes of such persons miraculous Neither doth any thing nor all things that I could ever yet meet with either from the Tongues or Pens of the greatest Patrons of particular Redemption deliver me from under much admiration that consciencious and learned Men professing subjection of judgement to the Scriptures should either deny universall or assert particular Redemption considering that the Scriptures in particularity plainnesse and expresness of words phrase do more then ten times over deliver the former whereas the latter is no where asserted by them but only stands upon certaine venturous consequences and deductions which the weake judgements of Men so much
stigmatized the aforesaid distinction at least that member of it wherein Christ is said to have died sufficiently for all Men as harsh Barbarous Homonymous yea the former of the two as absolutely false That expression saith Beza Christ died for the sinnes of all Men sufficiently but not efficaciously though in a rectified sence it be true yet is it extreamly harsh and no lesse ambiguous then Barbarous For the particle FOR imports either the Counsell of the Father according to which Christ suffered or else the effect it self of his sufferings or rather both whereas neither of them belong to any but the Elect a Illud Christus mortuus est pro omnium hominū peccatis sufficienter sed non efficaciter etsi recto sensis verum est durè tamen admodum ambiguè non minùs quà m Barbare dicitur Illud enim Pro vel consiliū Patris ex quo passus est Christus vel ipsius passionis effectum vel potius utrunque designat quorum neutrum ad alios quà m ad Electos spectat Beza ad Acta Coloq Monpelg part 2. p. 217. vid eundem in Thesibus cum D. Fayo in Scholâ Génevensi disputatis de efficaciâ Sacrificii Jesu Christi c Exprimitur enunciatum falsum nempe Christum pro singulis pro singulis ais mortuum sufficienter Nam Christus pro solis Electis mortuus est sufficientissimè pretio Redemptionis persoluto nempe pretioso sanguine suo sanguine nimirum illo filii Dei At pro Reprobis nullo modo mortuus est Christus sive sufficienter dicas five efficaciter Pisc Contra Schaffman p. 123. Piscator to his Antagonist thus The proposition layd down is false viz. that Christ died sufficiently for every Particular or single Man this is thy Assertion For Christ died most sufficiently for the Elect paying the price of their Redemption I meane His precious Blood that blood of the Sonne of GOD. But for Reprobates Christ died neither in one kinde nor other NEITHER SVFFICIENTLY nor efficaciously b CHAP. VI. Wherein severall Texts of the second sort of Scriptures propounded Cap. 5. Sect. 4. as holding forth the Vniversality of Redemption by CHRIST are discussed THE first of these Scriptures there mentioned was this Who gave Himself §. 1. a Ransome for all or for all Men to be testified in due time a 1 Tim. 2. 6. Let the Context adjoyning to this Scripture be narrowly sifted and then if we shall but grant that the Apostle speaks either Sap Sence Savour or any thing congruous to the judgements or understandings of Men we shall not be able to deny but that it carries the Doctrine asserted with an high hand of evidence in it Evident it is that the Apostle in this Verse goes on with the confirmation or further Proof of that Reason of his layd down Vers 4. for the making good what he had said Vers 3. That which he had said in this third Verse is this For this is good and acceptable in the sight of GOD our Saviour This is good meaning the Performance of that duty whereunto he had exhorted Verse 1. and 2. viz. that Supplications Prayers Intercession giving of Thanks should be made for ALL Men For Kings and for ALL that are in Authority c. Now then most evident it is that by ALL MEN in this first Verse for whom Prayers c. are to be made unto God is not meant some of ALL sorts of Men nor yet ALL the Elect or the like but ALL of ALL sorts of Men whatsoever except haply those who have barr'd up the way of our Prayers for them by that unpardonable sin against the Holy Ghost as Iohn intimates b 1 Joh. 5. 16. For that which followeth Verse 2. cleerly evinceth it For Kings and for ALL in Authority Certainly if this be good and acceptable in the Sight of GOD that we should Pray for ALL of one sort or degree of Men in the World especially for ALL in Authority in which sort or ranke of Men there are many as unworthy and uncapable of our Prayers as in any other it is good and acceptable in his sight likewise that we should Pray for ALL in ALL other ranks or sorts of Men whatsoever For there is nothing imaginable to cause a difference in this Point So then to prove that it is good and acceptable in the Sight of GOD to pray for ALL Men without exception the Apostle layeth down this ground Verse 4. That God will have ALL Men to be saved If now by ALL Men in this Reason we shall understand only some of ALL sorts of Men or ALL the Elect only we shall shorten the arme of the Apostles Argument so far that it will not reach half way towards that conclusion for the proof whereof it is brought and so shall make him reason very weakly and indeed ridiculously as viz. after this manner It is good and acceptable in the Sight of GOD that we should Pray universally for ALL Men without exception of any because God will have all his Elect to be saved or some out of every sort of Men. There is little savour of an Argument in this whereas the rationality and strength of the Apostles arguing rightly understood is pregnant and full of conviction It is good and acceptable in the Sight of GOD that we should Pray for ALL Men without exception because his Will is to have ALL Men without exception saved The strength of this Argument lieth in this ground or cleer Principle in Reason viz. that a conformity unto his own Will in the will and endeavours of men is and must needs be good and acceptable in the Sight of GOD Now then to prove that Gods Will is that ALL Men without exception should be saved the Apostle brings this reason in the words in hand viz. that Christ Iesus gave Himself a ransome for ALL Men. So that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ALL Men here in this reason must of necessity be of the same extent with the same word in the Doctrine or Conclusion which was to be proved otherwise we shall make the Apostle stumble at that stone in arguing at which only Novices or Liers-in-waite to deceive are wont to stumble as viz. when there is more put into the Conclusion then into the Premisses That which here lay upon the Apostles hand to prove was as hath been undeniably evicted that Gods Will is to have ALL Men without exception saved Now to prove this by such an argument or assertion as this that Christ gave Himself a ransome either for ALL his Elect or for some of ALL sorts of men as for some as well Gentiles as Jewes and for no others is as if I should undertake to prove the bountifulnesse of a Prince towards all his Subjects being many by such an argument as this that he sent by a speciall servant of his very great rewards to two or three of them but resolved to doe nothing at all for any
should be meant such as were naturally or corporally dead viz. because such only are to be buried with that kinde of buriall whereof our Saviour had occasion to speak as appears from the former verse Again why by the dead in the beginning of the said passage should be meant those that are spiritually dead and not those that are corporally dead there is this reason every whit as plain as the former viz. because those that are naturally or corporally dead are not capable of burying those that are dead either with one kinde of buriall or other So why the word WATER in the latter of the passages mentioned should in the first place signifie materiall or elementary water in the latter spirituall water or the Holy Ghost reasons are obvious and neere at hand we shall not need to name them But why the words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 all men in the place of the Apostle under debate being twice used should be conceived so far to vary in their significations as in the former clause to signifie All men without exception in the latter very few men no like reason nor indeed any competent can be given 3. Though All men doth in some places signifie only a greater number §. 21. of Men not All men simply or universally yet it never signifieth a small number of Men either in opposition to or in comparison with a greater least of all with the greatest number that is as they must make it signifie in the Scripture in hand who will have no more signified by it in the latter of the two clauses where it is used then only those who come in time to be actually saved by Christ For these are a very small number few there be saith Christ that finde it speaking of the straite gate which leadeth unto Life in comparison of those upon whom condemnation came by Adam 4. If condemnation should come upon all Men simply by the offence §. 22. of Adam and righteousnesse only upon some Men and these but a few neither comparatively by the obedience and gift of Christ then where sin abounded Grace should not superabound as the Apostle saith it did nay sin should superabound and Grace be confined to a narrow compasse comparatively To say that the superabounding of Grace above sin here spoken of is to be considered in the intensivenesse of it i. e. in its prevalency over sin where it is vouchsafed not in the extensivenesse of it as if it extended to more Persons is thus far acknowledged for a saying of truth Grace doth not extend to more Persons then sin at least not to more Persons of Men because sin extendeth unto all and Grace cannot extend to more then all But if we shall straiten and limit Grace in respect of the extent of it to a small number of Persons as viz. unto those only who are or shall be actually saved the glory of the superabounding of Grace above sin in respect of the Prevalency of it where it is in such a sence given will be fully match'd or rather overcome and swallowed up by the prevailing extensiveness of sin above Grace 5. The Apostle both before and after as viz. Verse 15. and Verse 19. §. 23. computeth the condemned ones of Adam and the justified ones of Christ by one and the same numericall expression He tells us in both places of many dead by Adam and of no fewer then many justified and redeemed by Christ. Now what the Holy Ghost makes equall for Men to dis-equalize especially to such a Proportion or Degree that the one number shall be inconsiderable and as nothing in comparison of the other is to lift up themselves above their line and so take hold of vanity in stead of Truth The Apostles expression Verse 15. is somewhat more emphaticall For if through the offence of one many be dead much more the Grace of God and the gift by Grace which is by one Man Jesus Christ hath abounded unto many If it shall be supposed that many more millions of Men are dead through the offence of Adam then are justified or made alive by the Grace of God in Christ Pauls glorying over the Grace of God in Christ as much more abounding to the justification of many must fall to the ground For if by the offence of Adam all became dead and a few only be made alive by the gift of the Grace of God in Christ who will not judge but that the offence of one much more abounded to the death of many then the Grace of GOD to the Justification or Life of many 6. And lastly the Apostle having said Verse 20. That where sinne abounded Grace superabounded he adds Vers 21. that as sinne hath reigned unto Death so did Grace reigne through righteousness unto eternall Life through Jesus Christ our Lord. Now evident it is from Verse 14. and Verse 12. that sinne reigned over all Men without exception unto Death therefore Grace must have a proportionable reigne unto life i. e. must by a strong and over-ruling hand put all Men into a capacity or estate of life and salvation If so it undeniably followes that Christ Died for all Men without exception of any because otherwise all Men could not be put into an estate of Grace or Salvation by Him Nor was this interpretation counted either hereticall or erroneous by the §. 24. most Orthodox Expositors of old Chrâ—sostome himself commenting upon the place makes the Apostle to speake thus If all Men were punished through the offence or his offence meaning Adams they i. e. these all Men may doubtlesse be justified from hence a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. by that over-abundance of grace and righteousnesse as he there speaketh which is given in Christ The former part of his commentary is more full and Pregnant to this purpose but because the transcription would be somewhat long I leave it to be read in the author himself Nor are there wanting amongst our late Reformed Divines sirnamed Orthodox Men of eminent Learning Piety and Worth who subscribe the said Interpretation That our Reparation Restauration saith Mr. Bucer upon the place is made by Christ and that it is more efficacious then the sinne of Adam and that it is of LARGER EXTENT is that which the Apostle argueth in this and the following Section b Reparationem nostri factam per Christum esse Adae noxâ â—ffica cioreÌ„ pa tere latius est id quòd Apostolus hâc sequenti Sectione pertractat Intelligit gratiam Christi bominum generi profuisse amplius quà m nocuerit lapsus Adae Again upon those words Sed non ut 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and thus The Apostle here meaneth that the Grace of Christ did more profit MAN-KINDE then the sinne of Adam damnified it Doubtlesse if all Men without exception were brought into a condition of misery by the sin of Adam and but an handfull only in comparison made happy by the
implacable that doe not forgive their Brethren although they have been diversly and grievously injured by them In these words they clearly suspend the Gracious Act of God in Remission of Sins in respect of the ultimate and compleat exercise of it upon the Christian deportment and behaviour of Men in forgiving one another their Trespasses How perfectly it stands with the immutability of God the unchangeablenesse of his love the unalterablenesse of his counsells and generally with all his Attributes to Reverse Acts or Grants of favour to re-demand debts once forgiven c. shall be cleer'd in the processe of the Digression following occasioned by the contents of this Chapter CHAP. IX Containing a Digression about the commonly received Doctrine of Perseverance occasioned by severall passages in the preceding Chapter wherein the benefit and comfort of that Doctrine which teacheth a possibility of the Saints declining even to destruction is avouched and cleerly evicted above the other NOtwithstanding the frequently experienced Truth of the common saying §. 1. pessimus Consiliarius Timor Fear is a very bad counsellor yet is it very incident to the natures of Men never to thinke themselves wiser then in their feares nor to be more importunely wedded to any apprehensions then those which they conceive to be sovereigne for the prevention of evill With what height of confidence and unrelentingnesse of judgement did the Jewes please themselves in their opinion of justification by works through an apprehension that they must needs disclaime or reject Moses and the authority of his Law or Writings in case they admitted the Doctrine of Paul concerning Justification by Faith Whereas this Apostle expresly poves and demonstrates unto them that this Doctine of his was so far from reflecting prejudice in the least upon Moses his Law that indeed it did establish it i. e. avouch the Truth and authority of it a Rom. 3. 31. and cap. 4. thoroughout yea I verily believe that a very considerable part of those Doctrines and Tenents which are at this day held by Professors of Christian Religion are not maintained or held by them so much upon any evidence or confidence they have of their Truth upon those positive grounds whether from Scripture or Reason which they comonly plead for them as out of apprehensions and conceits that the contrary Doctrines are of evill consequence and will in one kinde or other doe them harme in case they should give intertainment to them Lactantius reports that one principall thing which intangled the Heathen with Idolatry or worse shiping of Idols was a certaine feare or conceit that possessed them that all their Religion or devotions would be in vaine in case they saw not with their eyes something that they might worship b Verentur geâ—tes ne Religio vana sit si nihil videant quod adorent Tertullian as Austin reports who held the Soul to be corporeall or a body held it upon the account of this feare least if he made not a body of it he should make nothing at all of it a â—enique Tertullianâ— qui cor pâ—â— esse unâ—am credâ— dit non obaliud nisi quod eam incorporeâ—m cogita re non potuit â—dâ—ô timuit ne nihil esset si corpus non esset Aug. de Gen. ad lit l. 12. c. 25. The ancient Jewes Mr. Brightman affirmeth it held it not meet for young Men to read the Book of the Canticles out of a feare they would receive harm by it b In Cantic p. 5. Mercer likewise relates that the Ancient wise Men of this Nation judged it best to restraine the common People from reading the Booke of Ecclesiastes out of a conceit that it both contradicted it selfe and other parts of Scripture likewise c Nec vulgo legendum tradere quòd repugnantia contineret aliis libris contraria Mercer in Pro. 8. 9. Luther it is sufficiently known rejected the Epistle of James out of a conceit that it contradicted the Doctrine of Paul concerning Justification by Faith only And severall others both learned and good Men some the second Epistle of Peter some other pieces only or chiefly upon the like account of fear Concerning the Doctrine which maintaineth a possibility of defection in §. 2. the Saints themselves or true Believers unto destruction though I am not ignorant but that many both Texts of Scripture and arguments otherwise have been levied and are wont to be brought into the field against it yet I verily believe that that which makes Professors generally so impatiently zealous in their opposition to it is not so much any satisfaction they finde either in these Scriptures or arguments for the Proof of that which is contrary unto it as their inconsiderate and tumultuary feares least this Doctrine should bereave them of those inward accommodations of Peace and Comfort which they conceive themselves to be befriended with by the other In this respect being little lesse then necessitated for the securing of some passages in the former Chapter very materiall for the carrying on the maine designe of this Discourse to ingage a little about the Doctrine of Perseverance I conceive it best in my entrance hereupon to remove this stumbling stone out of the way and to demonstrate not only that this Doctrine hath every whit as faire and full a consistency with the Peace and Comfort of the Saints as that contrary to it but that of the two it is of a far better and more healthful complexion to make a Nurse for them When we have cleared the innocency and inoffensivenesse of it in respect of the Peace and Comfort of Men and so shall have reconciled it unto their affections it will be no great mastery I conceive to gaine in their judgements unto it afterwards And 1. I must crave leave the truth and deere interest of the precious Soules §. 3. of Men so commanding me to say and to affirme that the Doctrine of preseverance so much magnified amongst us as it is comonly taught and received is in the nature and proper tendency of it very obstructive yea and destructive unto the true peace and sound comfort of Soules For if we shall diligently inquire after the common and ordinary causes of those doubts and feares so incident to Professors of Religion as also of those extreme burnings and ragings of Conscience wherewith both such persons and others are sometimes most grievously handled and tormented we shall finde them if not universally yet generally and with very few cases of exception to be these with their fellowes negligence and slothfullnesse in watching over their hearts and wayes omission of known duties formality in services unprofitablenesse in their course and callings non-proficiency in Grace and especially the frequent prevailings breakings out of base corruptions vile affections noysome lusts c. Therefore what Doctrine soever is in the Native Frame and Constitution of it apt to lead men into such snares of Death to fill
loosing of the Soule And for the latter I meane the English Ministers and those mentioned with them there is the like consideration of these also The works of such of them as have written bewray them to have had both the Nations we speak of in their womb in which works or writings of theirs if they speak one word for a necessity of Perseverance in the Saints it is ten to one but they speak another for a possibility of such a defection which is never accompanied with Repentance For those godly Ministers now upon the Stage who are looked upon as rigid Patrons and Assertors of the received Doctrine of Perseverance the truth is that whatsoever they are in the letter of their Conclusion they are in the Spirit of their Principles and Premises builders up of that Faith which destroyes the Faith of that Doctrine most of their Sermons which any wayes relate unto that subject having Janus-like two Faces with the one of which they countenance this Doctrine and with the other that which is contrary unto it So that the experience pretended in the objection of so many pious men embracing the Doctrine of Perseverance is but a meer presumption the men generally are divided in their own judgements about the Point True it is our English Ministers and Professors more generally profess themselves for the Doctrine of Perseverance and cry out upon the Doctrine of falling away as Arminian but as it fell to Esaus lot through Divine dispensation to be first-borne and so to have the precedency of Iacob in worldly honours in respect of time though at last his Mountaine and his Heritage was laid wast a Mal. 1 3 4. for ever so it seemed good to the Providence of God that of the Doctrinall twins we speak of striving together in the wombs of the minds and judgements of those men now under consideration that of Perseverance should first lift up its head in the World and be applauded making no question withall but that the time is a comming yea and is even at the doore when this Doctrine must decrease and the contrary to it increase and be exalted in the judgements and tongues writings of Men. The maine Providentiall occasion I conceive which hath caused the Doctrine of Perseverance to flourish hitherto like a greene bay Tree in this Land as it hath done was the Permission of Mr. Perkins his judgement to be over-ruled on this hand by those Texts of Scripture some or all of them together with those reasons which are commonly at this day insisted upon for the Proof of this Doctrine The great worth of the Man otherwise commended his Opinion unto many far above the worth thereof And it being so incident unto men malle credere quam judicare rather to believe then Omnes malumus credere quam judicaâ—e Sen. judge and again to believe persons reputed singularly Pious and learned rather then others it may very well be conceived how by the authority and repute of this worthy Instrument of God in His Generation this land should come to be so generally levened as it is not so much indeed with the opinion it self of which we speak as with the Profession of it Before his dayes this Doctrine found no such generall applause or intertainment amongst conscientious Persons in this Land and many of the learned Martyrs in Queene Maries dayes leaned another way who likewise dessented from him in severall other Tenents about the Arminian controversies And when I consider what grudgings there are of the contrary Opinion I meane of that which avoucheth a Possibility of falling away in the judgements of the most consciencious Ministers amongst us though the streame of their Professions runs in opposition hereunto withall what Principles they cleerly and frequently hold forth especially in the applicatory Parts of their Sermons I am easily induced to believe that as by the authority of one Man or some few the Profession of such a judgement came in upon them and surprised them so likewise they want nothing in order to the Profession of a change of their judgements in the Point but only the authority and countenance of some one or some few Men of like Popular acceptance to goe before them 2. Suppose it should be granted that the godly Persons minded in the Objection as holding the Doctrine of Perseverance were perfectly whole and intire and not divided as hath been said in their judgements thereupon yet would it nâ— wayes follow from hence that therefore this Doctrine was any wayes accessory to that godlinesse whereof they gave so good an accompt in their lives and conversations These men I presume held many Principles of Christian Religion which taught them to live godâ—ily righteously and soberly in this present World So that if they did live according to all these worthy and commendable straines of Christianity yet is there no necessity of entituling the Doctrin of Perseverance held by them either in whole or in part thereunto 3. Concerning the Persons chiefly intended in the Objection for the confirmation §. 26. of the experience therein averred on the left hand who I suppose were the worst of our late Bishops such as Romanized and Tyrannized most amongst them together with their Clergy creatures and favourites who were generally inclined to the Doctrine of falling away and with all took more liberty in their lives then men truly Religious ought to have done my Answer is 1. That as was said concerning the godlinesse of the other that it did not necessarily flow from the Doctrine of Perseverance either as held or professed by them so neither did that loosenesse or unworthinesse in any kinde which was found in these necessarily no nor so much as probably arise from that Opinion concerning the possibility of a totall and finall defection in the Saints professed by them They held other Principles more then enough sufficient to teach them all that irregularnesse and unrighteousnesse of conversation which can with truth be charged on them So that neither the good nor the bad neither the godly nor the ungodly deportments of persons professing such or such particular Doctrines principles or opinions are any demonstrative no nor yet so much as any Dialecticall or probable arguments either of truth or error in them The Scribes and Pharises were full of all Hypocrisie and unrighteousnesse yet did they hold and teach many Doctrines that were sound in so much that the Lord Christ himself commanded his own Disciples to observe and doe whatsoever they taught as necessary to be observed a Mat. 23. 3. And if the soundnesse or rottenesse of Opinions should be estimated by the goodnesse or badnesse of the lives of any parcell or number of persons professing them as well the Opinion of Atheisme which denies the being of any God as the Opinion of Polytheisme which affirmes a plurality of Gods must be esteemed better and more sound then that which maintaineth the being of one God and
of one only For certaine it is that there have been many Heathens professors some of the one and some of the other of those Opinions who have quitted themselves upon far better terms of honour and approbation in their lives then many Christians professors of the last Opinion have done It is the observation of a great learned man of this Nation Atheisme did never perturb Sir Fr. Bacon Essay 12. of Superstition States for it makes Men wary of themselves as looking no further and we see the times inclined to Atheisme as the time of Augustus Caesar and our own times in some Countries were and are civill times 2. There is I suppose a plaine reason to be given why that Generation of men now under discourse the popish gang of Bishops with the Clergy adoring them for perferment-sake should in order to the promoting of their secular interest take up the Doctrine which opposeth the common received Doctrine of perseverance together with those other Doctrines commonly but I know not how properly or deservedly called Arminian It is sufficiently known that the men we speak of were professed enemies to the most Religiously-zealous party of the Ministers in the Land with their adherents then commonly Puritans whom they both hated and feared as a generation of men by whom rather than any other they apprehended themselves in danger of being dethron'd Nec eos fefellit opinio Upon this account they judged it a very materiall point of their interest to suppresse and keep under this faction as they termed them in order hereunto they studied and cast about how to weaken their interest and repute with the generality of the People or at least with all those that were intelligent and in that respect considerable To this end wisely considering that nothing was like to prejudice them more in their esteeme with such men than to detect them of error and unsoundnesse in their Doctrine and perceiving withall as with half an eye they might being so fully disengaged as they were from all high thoughts of those who held them that they were not in any Doctines besides which they were generally known to hold and teach more obnoxious to such a detection then in those which they held and taught in opposition to the Remonstrants hereupon they politiquely fell to professe and teach Remonstrantisme that so they might have the more frequent occasion and opportunity to lay open the nakednesse of the Puritan Doctrine before the People and to shew the inconsistency of it with the Scriptures as also with many the most manifest Principles as well of Reason as Religion besides Therefore should it be granted that in the generall there is much in the unworthinesse of men who professe such or such a Doctrine or Opinion to render the one or the other suspected yet in the particular case before us there is nothing at all because the persons we speak of did not imbrace or take up the Opinion or Doctrine mentioned out of any naturall compliance they resented in it with their lusts or any their undue practises for such it had none but out of a politique only and as Austine sometimes said it is no disparagement to the Sheep that the Wolf sometimes puts on and weares her cloathing 3. And lastly it is generally known that the Cathedrall Generation of Men throughout Christendome were generally great admirers of the old learning as some call it I meane the Writings and Tenents of the Fathers and of Austine more especially and that they frequently made shield and buckler of their authority to defend themselves against the Pens and Opinions of later Writers whom their manner was according to the exigency of their interest at lest as they conceived to slight and vilifie in comparison of the other Now the judgements of the Fathers more generally and of Austine more particularly as we shall shew in the procedure of our present Discourse stood for the possibility of the Saints defection both totall and finall wherein it seems the greater part of our modern Reformed Divines have departed from them Whereas some to prejudice the minds and affections of men against the §. 27. Doctrine of a possible defection in the Saints with the rest commonly found in the same retinue cast out such sayings as these that they never knew any who fell in with these Opinions but they declin'd in Religion and in the end came to nothing they do but spread a snare in the way of the simple any considering man will laugh such pretences to scorne Such an allegation as this much sembleth the superstitious advise of those who disswade the Marriages of Cozen Germans upon the account of this Observation of theirs that such have never prospered It is very possible that they may have observed and known some miscariage disaster or lesse-desirable successe in one or two of these conjunctions amongst some of their acquaintance and friends but what is there in this to create prejudice in the least in the judgement of any well ballassed and considering Man against the whole species of such Marriages more then there is in the frequent miscarriages that are found in all kinds of Marriages whatsoever to disaffect the minds of Men against all these also If a man should inquire a little after matters of this Nature in the World he shall soone finde or heare of many instances of poore persons Marrying who prospered not of rich persons Marrying who prospered as little of Nobles Marrying whose married condition was little blest from Heaven of Princes Marrying to the gâ—eat affliction or ruine of themselves c. Is it now reasonable to infer from such observations or instances as these that therefore neither poore Men nor ricâ— Men nor Nobles nor Princes shall doe well or wisely to marry The alledgement in the Objection in hand is of no whit a better genius then such a collection as this For what though many who have clozed in their judgements or rather made profession of such a clozure with the Opinions there mentioned have lost their savour withered in their zeal and put away a good Conscience from them ought or can this in the judgements of reasonable Men reflect any whit more prejudice upon the said Doctrines then the frequent and daily apostasies and declinings that are made under and from the contrary yea under and from the Protestant Religion it self yea that which is yet somewhat more under and from Christianity it self ought in reason to disparage all these We have a common proverb that one Swallow makes not a Summer and to say that one Woodcock makes not a Winter would in time make a proverb of as much Truth But though enough hath been said to evince and maintaine the innocency §. 28. of the Doctrine under Protection in respect of any violation of or intrenchment upon the inward peace and comfort of the Saints yea and more I am certaine then can with good Reason be gainsaid yet prejudice I
the Apostles themselves in Christian Churches and had professed the same Faith and Doctrine with them By reason hereof some Christians not so considerate or judicious as others might possibly think or conceive that surely all things were not well with the Apostles and those Christian Societies with which they consorted there was something not as it ought to have been either in Doctrine or Manners or both which ministered an occasion unto these Men to break Communion with them and to leave them To this the Apostle answers partly by Concession partly by Exception First by Concession in these words They went out from us Which words doe not so much import their utter declining or forsaking the Apostles Communion though there be an expression following which probably doth as the advantage or opportunity which they had to gaine credit and respects both to their Doctrine and Persons amongst Professors of Christianity in the World in as much as they came forth from the Apostles themselves as Men taught and Commissioned by them to Teach The same Phrase is used in this sence and with the same import Acts 15. 24. where the Apostles write thus to the Brethren of the Gentiles For as much as we have heard that certaine which WENT OVT FROM Us have troubled you with words subverting your Soules saying yee must be Circumcised and keep the Law to whom we gave no such Commission or Commanaement So that in this clause they went out from us the Apostle grants 1. That those Anti-Christian Teachers had indeed for a time held Communion with them and 2. That hereby they had the greater opportunity of doing harm in the World by their false Doctrine But 2. He answers further by way of exception But they were not of us i. e. Whilest yet they conversed with us they were not Men of the same Spirit or Principles with us we walked in the Profession of the Gospell with single and upright Hearts not aiming at any secular greatnesse or worldly accommodations in one kinde or other these Men loved this present World and when they found that the simplicity of the Gospell would not accommodate them to their minds they brake with us and with the truth of the Gospell it self at once By the way when He saith But they were not of us He doth not necessarily imply or suppose that they never had been of them i. e. sincere and single-hearted in the Profession of the Gospell as they were but only that about and at the time of their going out from them or perhaps somewhile after they were thus tainted and corrupted The cares of this World and the deceitfulnesse of Riches and those lusts of other things which choked the seed in the Thorny grâ—und are said to have entered in viz. some while after the seed was sown and sprung up a Mar. 4. 19 Nor is it said to have fallen among Thorns because there were Thorns on the ground when it was sown but because it fell on such a ground where it Proved to be amongst Thorns afterwards Nor is it like that Demas Himself loved this present World when first he imbraced Pauls company with that affection either for kinde or degree which he did afterwards So that it cannot be Proved from this clause that the Persons spoken of had never been sincere Christians but only that they were not such when John spake these things concerning them It followes For if they had been of us they would no doubt have continued with us In these words the Apostle gives a reason of his exception telling them to whom he writs that this was a signe or argument that those Anti-Christian Teachers were not of them in the sence declared viz. that they did not continue with them i. e. they quitted their former intimacy and converse with the Apostles refused to steere the same course to walk by the same Principles any longer with them which saith he questionlesse they would not have done had they been as sincerly affected towards Jesus Christ and the Gospell as we In which Assertion John plainely vindicateth himself and the Christian Churches of his Communion from giving any just occasion of offence unto those men whereby they should be any wayes induced to forsake them and resolves their unworthy departure in this kinde into their own carnall and corrupt hearts which lusted after such fleshly accommodations and contentments that were not to be obtained or injoyed in a sincere Profession of the Gospell with the Apostles and those who were Perfect in heart with them It followes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. but that they §. 24. might be made manifest that they are not at all of us meaning that God suffered them thus unworthily to break fellowship with us that hereby they might all of them one or other of those who thus causlesly deserted us be discovered to be Men of degenerous and ignoble spirits and not Principled like unto us the true Apostles of Christ or those that walke in uprightnesse of heart with us It appertaines to the just and righteous Judgement of God and withall is a dispensation of a gracious tendency and import for the Honour Peace and Safety of Christian Churches and sincere Christians that Men of corrupt minds amongst them should be timely discovered This being the cleere and undoubted Scope and Sence of the Place evident it is that no inference or conclusion can be drawn from it for the countenance or establishment of the received Doctrine of Perseverance All that can be made of it towards such an account as this is that Men sincerely affected towards the Gospell and free from that adulterous and inordinate love of this present World which turns such multitudes aside from the way of Truth whilest they abide in this Posture and Frame are seldome or never found to desert the Society of faithfull Teachers or sound Christians But concerning any absolute necessity of their continuing free who either have been free or are free at Present from the inordinate love of the World here is not the least overture or intimation Yea the non-continuance of those false-Teachers with John and the good Christians with Him here spoken of though it argues and imports a worldly and dangerous distemper in their Hearts and Spirits yet doth it not necessarily or demonstratively imply a nullity of their Faith Another Text of Scripture from whence the Doctrine of Perseverance §. 25. claimes countenance and credit is that which speaketh thus whosoever is borne of God doth not commit sin for his seed remaineth in him and he cannot sin because he is borne of God a â— Joh. 3. 9. From hence such an Argument as this is levied in defence of the said Doctrine He that sinneth not neither can sin cannot fall away from His Faith Whosoever is borne of God sinneth not neither can sin Therefore whosoever is borne of God cannot fall away from His Faith To this I answer by distinguishing those terms sinneth not
which He was borne of Him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 remaineth in Him i. e. according to the frequent signification of the Word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to abide or remaine in the Writings of this Apostle is or hath an actuall and present being or residence in Him And that in this place it doth not signifie any perpetuall remaining or abiding no nor any abiding with relation to the future is evident because the abiding of the seed here spoken of is given as the reason why He that is borne of God doth not commit sin i. e. doth not at present walke in any course of known sin Now nothing in respect of any future Permanency or continuance of being can be looked upon as a cause of any present effect but only in respect of the present being or residence of it The reason why the Soul moves and acts the Body to day is not because it will move or act it to morrow or because it is in the Body to day upon such terms that it will be in it to morrow also much lesse because it is an immortall substance or the like but simply because it is now or this day in the Body So the reason why the Angells at this day doe the Will of God is not because they have such a Principle of Holinesse or Obedience vested in them which they cannot put off or lose to Eternity but because they have such a Principle as we speak of of Holinesse and Obedience residing in them at the present Therefore when John assignes the remaining of the seed of God in Him that is borne of him for the reason why He doth not commit sin certaine it is that by this remaining of the seed He means nothing else but the present residence or abode thereof in this Person And if his intent had been either to assert or imply a perpetuall residence of this seed in Him that is borne of God it had been much more proper for Him to have reserved it for a reason of the latter Proposition viz. why He that is borne of God cannot sin especially according to their sence who by cannot sin understand can never sin then to subjoyne it as a reason of the former For though the future continuance of a thing in being can be no reason as hath been said of a present effect yet may it well be a Ground or Reason of the continuance of a present effect Now that the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to remaine or abide frequently signifieth especially in the Writings of this Apostle only a present residence or being §. 32. whether of a Person or Thing without any reference unto or implication of a future appeares by many instances But yee know him saith our Saviour to his Disciples speaking of the Spirit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i e. because he remaineth or abideth with you and shall be in you Here the latter clause and shall be in you will be found a meere tautology if the other Phrase abiding with them imports a perpetuall residence or inbeing In the same Chapter Verse 25. where the originall hath it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. remaining or abiding with you our English Translation renders it being yet PRESENT with you So where this Apostle saith that he that loveth not his Brother 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 abideth in death a 1 Ioh. 3 14 the meaning is that such a Man is in an estate of Death or condemnation not that he will much lesse of necessity must abide for any space of time after least of all for ever in that estate For then it would follow that whoever at any time did not truly love his Brother never after became a Child of God Which saying how insupportable it is to the greatest part of those who say they believe yea and doe believe indeed any mans first thoughts may sufficiently determine It is familiar with John saith a late Writer from Cameron and Hugo Grotius to use the Word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which properly signifieth to remaine for the Verb Substantive to be b Familiare Johanni 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ponere simpliciter pro esse ut Ioh. 5. 38 15. 11. 1 Ep. 2. 6. 10. cap. 3. 15. 2. Ep. 2. Et alibi Edward Leigh Critic Sacra p. 259. in verbo 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Besides that in the place in hand it must needs signifie only a present abode or being not a future or perpetuall is evident from hence because such a signification of it would render a sence altogether inconsistent with the plaine scope of the Apostle in the Context which is to exhort Christians unto Righteousnesse and love of the Brethren Now it is contrary to all reason yea to common sence it self to signifie unto those whom we admonish exhort and perswade to any duty any such thing which imports an ablolute certainty or necessity of their doing it whether they take care or use any meanes for the doing it or no. And a cleare case it is that the certainty of a perpetuall remaining of the seed of God in those that are borne of him imports a like certainty of their perpetuall performance of the duties whereunto they exhorted If it be here objected and said yea but the seed of which those that are §. 33. borne of God are begotten is said to be an immortall or incorruptible seed a 1 Pet. 1. 23 and therefore cannot perish or decay in those who are begotten of it or in whom it ever takes place I answer 1. That seed which the Holy Ghost affirms to be not corruptible but incorruptible is expresly said to be the Word of God b Ibidem Now certaine it is that the Word of God is not therefore said to be immortall or incorruptible because it cannot be lost by those who once receive it or in whose Heart it hath been once sown but partly because it is in the Nature and Essence of it incorruptible in respect whereof though all the World who are now partakers of it should reject and cast it out of their Hearts so that it were no where to be found under Heaven yet it would be in the Nature and Essence of it every wayes the same and suffer no alteration or change hereby at all partly also because it is endued with such an excellent vertue or property that it is able to derive and confer immortality and incorruption upon those who are begotten of it yea and will actually derive and confer these glorious Priviledges upon them if they suffer not the spirit of this Heavenly Birth to be extinguished and quench'd in them before the season of the actuall collation thereof comes For as that seed which is corruptible is not therefore termed corruptible because it may be transferr'd or removed from the subject or soyle wherein it remaines at present but because according to the Nature and Elementary constitution of it it may be corrupted and suffer a change
have spent my Strength for nought and in vaine yet surely my judgement is with the Lord and my worke with my God And immediately before the said words thus And now saith the Lord that formed me from the Womb to be his servant TO BRING JACOB AGAIN TO HIM Though Israel be not gathered yet c. Cleerly implying that though Gods Intent and Counsell was to forme Christ from the Womb for this end and purpose viz. to bring Jacob againe to him and so to save and make Him blessed yet would it be no disparagement unto Christ nor any miscarriage or defeature of the Counsell of God herein though Iacob should not upon this account be brought againe to him or be made blessed by Christ The reason is because when it is said that God formed Christ from the Womb to bring Iacob againe to him the meaning is not that He formed Him with any such intent out of any such end or designe to bring Iacob again to Him by head and shoulders as we use to say or by a strong and irresistible hand but to bring Jacob againe c. i. e. that he might be represented and Preached unto Jacob as such a Person who had attoned their sins made their Peace with God by His Blood and had purchased grace and favour and every good thing for them at his hand in case they would repent and turne againe to him and further that he might by his Spirit especially in the Ministry of his Prophets administer unto them inward strength and frequent excitements abundantly sufficient to have brought them to a due consideration and imbracement of these great things of their Peace In this sence and in no other Christ was formed by God from the Womb to bring Iacob againe to him and thus it appears also how and in what respect God was not disappointed of his end purpose or intention in his forming of Christ nor Christ Himself any wayes disparaged notwithstanding Iacob was not actually converted or brought againe to him The Apostle Paul likewise upon the same consideration saith of Himself and other the Apostles and faithfull Ministers of the Gospell thus For we are unto God a sweet Savour of Christ in them that are saved and in them that perish a 2 Cor. 2. 15 Whereby it appeares that howsoever Gods reall Intent and Designe in sending Christ into the World was according to the frequent testimony of Scripture the Salvation and not the perishing or condemnation of Men yet he was no more defeated or disappointed of his designe herein by the perishing then by the Salvation of Men. Otherwise Christ in the faithfull Ministry of the Gospell would not be a sweet Savour i. e. matter of high contentment and satisfaction unto him as well in those who perish through unbelief as in those who are saved by believing For who can be pleased or much satisfied with or under disappointments Therefore Gods Intent of saving the World by Iesus Christ is not so to be conceived or understood as if he intended to save Men by him upon any terms or under any consideration whatsoever or without all Proviso's Limitations or Exceptions but thus he intended to save the World by him i. e. to put the World into a capacity of Salvation and to afford unto the Sons and Daughters of Men means and opportunities in abundance whereby to repent and believe and consequently to be saved So that whensoever Christ is faithfully and effectually Preached unto Men in order to their Salvation God obtaines his end and intent concerning their Salvation whether they come to be saved or no i. e. whether they repent and believe or remaine impenitent in unbelief 2. For the Phrase or manner of expression that he might be the first borne §. 50. amongst many Brethren I desire to give notice once for all for there may be frequent use of the observation in these controversies that it is frequent in Scripture to expresse a thing after the manner of an event or consequent that will or shall come to passe or follow upon such or such an occasion or means somewayes likely to produce it which yet frequently comes not to passe but only is intended or desired nay the contrary whereof many times follows and comes to passe in stead thereof According to this Dialect of Speech Moses expresseth himself unto the People thus and the Man that will doe presumptuously and not hearken unto the Priest or unto the Iudge even that Man shall die and thou shalt put away the evill from Israel and all or that all the People shall heare or may hear and feare and doe no more presumptuously b Deut. 17. 12 13. This hearing fearing and restraining of the People from doing presumptuously are mentioned if we respect the precise forme of the words as if they were such events which would alwayes follow and come to passe upon the occasion or means specified viz. the inflicting of death upon the Delinquent spoken of Yet Moses his intent was not to affirme this which had been an untruth to affirme such events as these many times failing if at any time obtained but to shew what God His intent was in commanding such severe executions to be done in such cases or rather perhaps to shew what fruits might reasonably be expected from such just severity So again in the same Chapter speaking of the King whom they should set over them and the Book of the Law And it shall be with him and he shall reade therein all the dayes of his life that he may learne to feare the Lord His God to keep all the words of this Law and these Statutes to doe them a Deut. 17. 19. These words that he may learne c. doe not import the event or effect that would certainly follow upon the duty or course prescribed but either what Gods Intentions were in Prescribing such a course or what such a course was proper and likely to effect Many other places there are of like character and import amongst which that in Present debate is to be numbred God Predestinate these and these or rather such and such to be conformed to the Image of His Son that He might be the first borne c. These words that He might be the first borne c. doe not necessarily import any event or effect which should certainly come to passe or be produced by that Act of Gods Predestination but only such an event as was intended by God in such a sence as intentions are appropriable unto him in that Act of His or which would probably follow thereupon It may yet further be demanded by way of Objection against any Explication §. 51. whatsoever of the Passage in hand which makes the golden chaine of Divine acts therein dissolveable in any link or part of it in what case or cases soever If either they who are Predestinated may not be called or they that are called may not be justified or they that
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
own Heart the workings reasonings and debates thereof seconded with that long observation which I had made of the Spirits Principles and wayes of Men in the World together with their ebbings and flowings their risings and fallings their advancings and retreats their firstings and lastings in matters of Religion in conjunction with that light of Reason and Understanding which I have in common with other men these together were sufficient to teach me and that to a plenary satisfaction in most cases what Doctrines what Opinions are of the richest and most cordiall Sympathy and compliance with godlinesse and what on the other hand are but faint and loose in their correspondency with her or otherwise secret enemies unto her That that Doctrine which asserteth a Possibility even of a finall defection §. 2. from Faith in true Believers well understood riseth up in the cause of Godliness with a far higher hand then the common Opinion about their Perseverance hath been sufficiently though but in part proved already b Cap. 9. the further demonstration hereof sleepeth not but only awaiteth its season Our present tasque is to argue the letter of the Scripture for confirmation of the said Doctrine and to evince the truth thereof from the Oracles of God This done we shall God willing advance some grounds of reason also built upon the Scriptures for the further countenance and credit hereof And because security upon security will not we suppose be unacceptable in a businesse of such grand concernment and import we shall afterwards produce some examples upon the same account and then conclude our Discussions of this subject with an enterview of some sayings wherein it will appeare that the God of Truth hath drawn a confession and acknowledgement of that Truth of His which we now maintaine from the judgements and consciences of some of the greatest Adversaries thereof or at least so esteemed First for the sence of the Holy Ghost Himself in the Question depending §. 3. we cannot lightly desire any account more satisfactory then that given by Himself in the Old Testament But when the righteous turneth away from his righteousnesse and committeth iniquity and doth according to all the abominations that the wicked Man doth shall he live All his righteousnesse that he hath done shall not be mentioned in his trespasse that he hath trespassed and in his sin that he hath sinned in them shall he die Yet yee say the way of the Lord is not equall Heare now O House of Israel is not my way equall are not your wayes unequall When a righteous Man turneth away from his righteousness and committeth iniquity and dieth in them for his iniquity that he hath done shall he die a Ezek. 18. 24. 25 c. What more can the understanding Judgement Soul or Conscience of a Man reasonably desire for their establishment in any truth whatsoever then is delivered by God Himself in this passage to evince the possibility of a righteous Mans declining from his righteousnesse and that unto Death The latter words of the passage are conclusive hereof against and above all contradiction When a righteous Man turneth away c. and dieth in them i. e. repenteth not of them forsaketh them not before his Death for his iniquity that he hath done shall he die viz. the second Death or perish everlastingly For that this Death is meant at least included in this latter clause is evident because otherwise we shall both make an unsavoury tautology in the sentence and destroy all congruity of sence besides For without such a supposition the Prophet must be supposed to speak thus when a righteous Man turneth away from his righteousness and committeth iniquity and dieth in them i. e. leaveth his naturall life under the guilt of them and without Repentance for them for the iniquity that he hath done shall He leave his naturall life or have his naturall life taken from him When a Man dieth in or under the guilt of His sin He shall die for His sin or because of the guilt of His sin the same death which He dieth in His sin Who tasteth not a palpable absurdity and incoherence of sence in such a construction as this whereas if by dying in the latter clause we shall understand dying or perishing for ever the sentence will run cleer and in full consonancy with the generall current of the Scriptures the sence rising thus when a righteous Man shall forsake the wayes of righteousness wherein he hath formerly walked and turn aside into wayes of wickedness and not repent of these wayes before His death this Man shal die the death of the impenitent and unbelievers which is the second Death In this sence the sentence perfectly accords for substance of matter with such passages as these Know yee not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the Kingdome of God B◠not deceived neither Fornicators nor Idolaters nor Adulterers c. shal inherit the Kingdome of God b 1 Cor. 9. 10. And againe For this yee know that no Whore-monger or unclean person or covetous Man which is an Idolater hath any inheritance in the Kingdome of Christ and of God Let no Man deceive you with vaine words for because of these things commeth the Wrath of God upon the Children of disobedience c Eph. 5. 5 6. And to omit many others with that of the same Prophet Therefore thou son of Man say unto the Children of thy People The righteousness of the righteous shall not deliver Him in the day of His Transgression when I shall say to the righteous that He shall surely live if He trust His own righteousnesse and commit iniquity all His righteousness shall not be remembred but for His iniquity that He hath committed He shall die for it d Ezek. 33. 12 13. If the righteousnesse which an Apostate or back-slider from wayes of righteousnesse hath wrought whilest He was yet righteous shall not deliver Him when He turns aside unto wickednesse what can be imagined should deliver Him Doubtlesse His wickednesse whereunto He hath turned aside from His righteousnesse will not befriend Him with a deliverance Nor can it any whit more reasonably be said that though His former righteousness will not deliver Him from a temporall death yet it may deliver Him from eternall death then in the case of a true Repentance it may be said that though such a Repentance will deliver a Man from a temporall death yet will it not deliver Him from eternall death For as the truest Repentance that is though continued in will not deliver a Man from a temporall or naturall death but will most certainly deliver him from eternall death in like manner though Apostasie and backsliding from wayes of righteousnesse persevered in doe not alwayes expose a Man to a temporall death or bring this death upon Him yet they alwayes render Men obnoxious to eternall death Besides when God threateneth such backsliders as we speak of that when §.
goodnesse i. e. of the great beneficialnesse of the Word of God or the Gospell unto them as being able to build them up and to give them an inheritance amongst those that are sanctified a Acts 20. 32 Goodnesse seemes to be interpreted by the Holy Ghost Himself by bountifulnesse or beneficialnesse For sâ—arcely for a righteous Man will one die yet peradventure for a GOOD Man some would even dare to die b Rom. 5. 8. For a good Man i. e. for a liberall or bountifull Man and who is a benefactor unto many So againe Is thine eye evill because I am good c Mat. 20. 15. i. e. because I am bountifull or beneficent unto Men Upon this account doubtlesse it is that the Law of God is termed good d Rom. 7. 12. viz. because as David saith in keeping it and the Precepts of it there is great reward e Psal 19. 11. the Law of God is a great benefactresse to those that observe it Now then this tasting the goodnesse of the Word of God the Scripture cleerly appropriateth unto the Saints Are not My Words GOOD or doe not My Words good as our last translation readeth unto him that walketh uprightly f Mic. 2. 7. implying that they are not so to wicked Men. The Law of thy Mouth saith David in his holy applications unto God is better unto me then thousands of Gold and Silver g Psal 119. 72 unto me tacitly implying that other Men of a different spirit from Him doe not Taste any such sweetnesse or goodnesse in them And the Apostle Paul puts the Point in question out of question in that decision of His To the one meaning to unbelieving and wicked Men we are the savour of death unto death and to the other i. e. to those that truly believe the savour of life unto life h 2 Cor. 2 16 So that Hypocrites and Unbelievers are uncapable whilest such of Tasting the good Word of God i. e. the Word of God in the goodnesse sweetnesse bountifulnesse of it the taste which they have of it is in the terror and severity of it against wicked Men. And whereas Tasting is not without touching nor touching without application of the Object it appeares that those who Taste the good Word of GOD must needs make application of the goodnesse of it unto themselves and their own Soules which our Adversaries frequently make a distinguishing character between Hypocrites and true Believers 7. And lastly the Persons we speak of are yet further said to have §. 26. Tasted 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the powers of the World to come i. e. not the powers of Miracles as Pareus interprets there is a manifest incongruity in such an Interpretation which we leave to the Reader to conceive but either the joyes of Heaven as our English Annotators or the might and glorious things of immortality which is the more generall Interpretation or rather as Cameron expoundeth the Incarnation Humiliation Sufferings Death Resurrection Ascention c. of the Son of God i Cameron Myroth p. 320. which may therefore be termed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the powers of the World to come either because they are in respect of their full notification unto Men appropriate to the times of the Gospell wherein the great change and new state of spirituall affaires in comparison of what they were under the Law may well be termed the World to come as Pareus and other understand the expression both here and elsewhere in the same Epistle and w 〈…〉 ll are exceeding full of efficacy and power to ravish the Hearts of Men into the Heavens or else because the glorious estate of life and immortality in the World to come as it is attainable and enjoyable by Men depends upon them as a meanes full of efficacy and power to bring them hereunto But whatsoever in particular be meant by these powers of the World to come incontrovertible it is that in the generall somewhat transcendently excellent and glorious was intended by the Apostle to be signified by them So that for any person to be admitted to the taste of them i. e. to a reall and inward feeling of their vertue influence and vigor upon his Heart and Soul fully evinceth him to be a member of the Congregation of the first borne to have spirituall Communion by Faith with Jesus Christ The Premisses relating to the two Passages yet under debate considered §. 27. I am so far from questioning whether the Apostle speakes of true and sound Believers in them that I verily judge that He purposely sought out severall of the most emphaticall and signall characters of Believers yea such which are hardly or rather not at all to be found in the ordinary sort of true Believers but only in those that are most eminent amongst them that so he might give them to understand and consider that not true Believers only and such who though sound yet were weake in the Faith might fall away and perish but that even such also who were lifted up neerer unto Heaven then their fellowes might through carelesnesse and carnall security dash themselves in pieces against the same stone and make shipwrack of their Souls as well as they Yea I conceive yet further that that impossibility of being renewed againe by Repentance upon or after a falling away which he asserts in the former Passage of the two was not asserted by him with an eye to the state or condition of ordinary believers in case of their falling away as if he intended to conclude them under the heavy doome of such an impossibility but with an eye only to the most deplorable condition of such who having been Sons of the Morning and shined with more lustre and brightnesse then other Stars in the firmament of Christian Profession should notwithstanding afterwards fall with Satan like lightening from Heaven a Luke 10. 18. My meaning is not to imply that true Believers if but of a mean statute and growth in the Faith are in no danger of finall obduration or under no great difficulty of recovering their former standing in case they shall fall away but onely to observe that that most serious and severe admonition administred by the Apostle in the Passages in hand by way of Antidote against the great evill of Apostasie was in a more speciall manner calculated for the estates and conditions of grand Believers But that it was no part of his intent in the said passages to caution Hypocrites §. 28. or outside Professors against falling away but true Believers onely besides the characters already observed and examined upon the Point there are these reasons Pregnant of Proof 1. There is no Clause Phrase or Word in either of the places any ways characteristicall or Descriptive of Hypocrisie or Hypocrites there are none of those colours to be seene which are wont to be used in drawing or limming the Portraitures or shapes of these Beasts as distinguished from
no more then a Fish that is already in the net or fast upon the hook can be said to be allured or deceived by a baite held to her 4. Hypocrites are no where said neither can they with any congruity to Scripture Phrase be said to have escaped the pollutions of the World through the acknowledgement for so the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 should be translated of Jesus Christ the acknowledgement of the truth and so of Christ and of God constantly in the Scriptures importing a sound and saving work of conversion as we lately observed in this Chapter c Sect. 20. 5. And lastly the Persons to whom the Apostle addresseth Himself in this Epistle being looked upon by him as true Believers yea â—â— partakers of like precious Faith with Himself and the rest of the Apostles d 2 Pet. 1. â— â—â— cannot reasonably be imagined that in so short an Epistle He should hang so â—ong as the whole second Chapter amounteth unto upon a subject or discourse which little or nothing concerned them to whom He Writes nor much indeed any other Man if the Principles and Tenents of our Adversaries would stand If true Believers be uncapable of any such backsliding which should make their latter end worse then their beginning to what purpose should the Apostle make a large Discourse unto them concerning such Men who had miscarried by such backslidings Or would there be upon such a supposition any more savour in this Discourse then if Solomon should have made a journey to the Queene of Sheba's Court to informe Her that Theeves and Murtherers were sorely punished in His Kingdome And for Hypocrites themselves neither would the Discourse have been of much concernment unto them in case such a Personall and Peremptory Election and Reprobation as our Opposers contend for could be with truth obtained If I be upon such termes elected I am in no danger of falling under that heavy doome of Hypocrites whose latter end is worse then their beginning or if I be so Reprobated I am in no capacity in no Possibility of redeeming my selfe by the tender of any Admonitions Cautions Exhortations Threatnings or Examples whatsoever of Persons who have made Shipwrack of their Soules against the same Rock before me To what purpose then be I elected or be I Reprobated be I a sound Believer or be I an Hypocrite should any application be made either by God or Men unto me either in order to my obtaining of that which all my sin and wickednesse cannot keepe from me or for the avoiding or preventing of that from which all my Care Diligence Faithfulnesse cannot deliver me Therefore questionlesse the Apostle Peter all along that quarter of Discourse which we have lately had under consideration clearly supposeth that even true Believers such as upon good grounds He concluded those to whom He Writes to be are obnoxious to such an Apostasie and declining in and from their Faith which is accompanied with the signall ruine and destruction of those who value holinesse and close walkings with God at no higher rate then to cast them behinde their back without looking after them any more Which Doctrinall conclusion might be further argued and confirmed abundantly from very many Scriptures besides those insisted upon in this Chapter and particularly from those frequent and Pathetique Admonitions Cautions Exhortations Incouragements c. administred by the Holy Ghost unto the Saints to ingage them in such wayes of care diligence and faithfulnesse to themselves and their own Soules whereby they may be strengthened to Persevere unto the end But of these at least of some of the most Pregnant of them we shall have occasion to consider in the Chapter following where we shall further plead the cause of the said Doctrine by force of Argument and Demonstration CHAP. XIII Grounds of Reason from the Scriptures evincing a Possibility of such a defection even in true Believers which is accompained with destruction in the end THE Opportunity which Error commonly findeth to build Her self §. 1. a Throne amongst Men and to reigne over the Judgements and Consciences of those who are debtors of Homage and Subjection to the Truth lieth not so much in the strength or beauty of those Arguments or Pleas which she is able to ingage in Her cause as either in the weakness or negligence of the Friends and Professors of the Truth as when they are either not able or not industrious enough to shew her unto the World like Solomon in all his glory and to spread that light of Evidence and Conviction round about Her which belongeth unto Her and which would commend Her like a Daughter of God in the Eyes of Men. Truth whose native residence and seat is as the old Philosophers were wont to expresse it in profundo in the depths remote from the common thoughts and apprehensions of Men cannot in many Particulars be drawn up into a clear and perfect light but onely by a long coard well twisted of much labour attentive Meditation together with some dexterity for the Work God Himself is said to inhabit a light that is inaccessible a 1 Tim. 6. 16. that is as I conceive to be capable of more and more glorious attributions or of having a greater number of excellent things and things of a greater excellency spoken of Him and that with Evidence and clearnesse of Truth then either Men or Angels are able to discover or comprehend much more to utter or declare unto the World And the Truth is that many Truths dwell in such a light which is not accessible without much difficulty to the Judgements and Understandings of Men being onely manifestable in their certainty and perfect beauty by such Arguments and Considerations which they must dig deep who desire to discover and they look narrowly and with a single Eye who desire to be made fully capable and sensible of them being set before them Whereas Error being of neer affinity to the corrupt and dark minds and understandings of men dwells in propinquo and as it were at their right hand and though Her servants the reasons I meane which negotiate Her affaires with the judgements of Men be all flesh and not spirit all shew and no substance yet having the advantage of a naturall sympathy and compliance in those with whom they have to doe their cause is readily accepted and approved as just and good When the Disciples saw the Lord Christ by no better light then what the night afforded and that at a distance walking upon the Sea towards them they were troubled thinking he had been some uncleane spirit that would have destroyed them and cried out for feare but when He came neer them and sayd to them Be of good comfort it is I be not afraid b Mat. 14. 26 27. they perfectly knew that it was their dear Lord and Master So many looking upon that Doctrine which opposeth the un-conditioned Perseverance of the Saints and asserteth a
Possibility of their finall fall by the dim light of some sensuall Principles and Apprehensions and in an overly and superficiall manner as it were at a distance are much troubled at it as if it were a Doctrine of an Anti-evangelicall spirit that would bring them into a Bondage of fear and torment them Which Doctrine notwithstanding would they look upon it narrowly and with an unprejudiced attention and this by the clear light of such considerations which exhibit it like it self unto them they would then soon confesse to be a Doctrine which was set not at all to curse but to blâ—ss them altogether The sole undertaking of this Chapter is to commend the said Doctrine unto §. 2. Argum. 1. the Judgements and Consciences of Men for a Truth by a Proposall of such worthy things which relate to it either by way of causality or affinity in Truth In the first place I pleade the cordiall sympathy it hath with that righteousness of God which the Scripture calls 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or a non-acceptation of Persons thus That Doctrine which rendereth God free from that unrighteousness which the Scripture calls a respecting the Persons of Men is a Doctrine of perfect consistency with the Scriptures and the Truth The Doctrine which teacheth a Possibility of the Saints declining and this unto death is a Doctrine of this import Ergo. The reason of the former Proposition is plaine in as much as the Scriptures frequently assert that Principle of non-respecting Persons most worthy the judge of all the Earth unto God Deut. 10. 17. Gal. 2. 6. 1 Pet. 1. 17. c. The latter Proposition needeth no labouriousnesse of Proof neither Evident it is that the Doctrine here spoken of representeth God as a non-respecter of Persons in as much as it rendreth him a Judge of the same righteous severity against the enormous transgressions of his own Children and Friends which he exerciseth towards his enemies and those that are strangers unto Him upon the like Provocations This Doctrine subjecteth Saints as well as others to this righteous Law of God Neither Fornicators nor Idolaters nor Adulterers nor Effeminate nor abusers of themselves with Mankinde nor Theâ—ves nor Covetous nor Drunkards nor Revilers nor Extortioners shall inherit the Kingdome of God a 1 Cor. 6. 9. meaning as is evident from other Scriptures without Repentance Whereas the common Doctrine of Perseverance exempteth all such who have at any time been true Believers or Children of God from the penalty or doome of this Law teaching that though such as these should turne Fornicators Idolaters Adulterers c. and continue never so long in these abominations without Repentance yet they retaine their Right and Title of Inheritance in the Kingdome of God and that they remaine under the greatest love that God can shew or beare towards Men the love of Election and of Children even in the midst of these deep and desperate Provocations And thus it maketh God the greatest accepter of Persons in the World rendring Him implacably severe towards lesser sinners and indulgent above measure to the greater For that such who have or have had the knowledge of God and have believed in Jesus Christ and made Profession of love and service to Him when they turn Fornicators Idolaters Adulterers c. are far greater sinners then Men committing the same sins in ignorance and unbeliefe is I think no Mans doubt or question Certaine I am that the Scripture still representeth God as more severe in punishing where greater means of Righteousnesse and well doing have been vouchsafed You said He to His own People the Children of Israel of old onely have I knowne of all the Families of the Earth Therefore I will punish you for all your iniquities b Am. 3. 2. In the Gospell And that servant which knew His Lords will and prepared not himself neither did according to His Will shall be beaten with many stripes But he that knew not and did commit things worthy of stripes shall be beaten with few stripes For unto whom much is given of him shall much be required c Luk. 12. 47 48. c. It cannot be denied and confessed it is by our Adversaries themselves as hath been formerly observed but that true Believers have fallen into the Practise of the foule transgressions mentioned yea and have remained impenitent in them for a long season Therefore if during the time of such Practise and impenitency they should not be in the same or worse condition to God-ward and Salvation-wise then ignorant Persons and such who were alwayes strangers unto God are when they live in the same impieties God must needs be an accepter of Persons in the highest and shew a thousand times more favour to grand and signall Delinquents then to ordinary and lighter Offendors in comparison So that to pretend though true Believers may and oft doe fall into the fore-named sins and continue for a time in them without Repentance yet God alwayes reneweth them by Repentance before their death though this was never yet proved nor ever will be it doth not at all salve the honour of the said Doctrine Because such a supposall notwithstanding the Persons contended about may and doe according to the tenor of the Premises lately Proved suffer a totall eclipse and intercision of the grace and favour of God in the mean season Secondly for a Possibility of the Saints defection either totall finall or §. 3. both I thus argue If the common Doctrine of Perseverance rendereth the Ministry of the Gospell Argum. 2 so far as it concerneth the Perseverance of the Saints vaine impertinent and voyd then is it not a Doctrine of God but of Men and consequently that which opposeth it is the Truth But certaine it is that the said Doctrine is of this un-Christian tendency and import Ergo. The consequence in the Major Proposition is pregnant of truth in as much as the Preservation of the Saints in Faith and Holinesse unto the end is one of the most considerable ends of the Ministry of the Gospell about the effecting whereof it is mainly conversant Therefore if God who hath ordained the Ministry of the Gospell for the advancement of this end should assert any such Doctrine which rendereth it unnecessary and impertinent in Reference to this end He should be divided in Himself and pull down with one hand what He buildeth up with another The Minor Proposition is demonstrable thus That Doctrine which rendreth the labour and faithfulnesse of a Minister in pressing such Exhortations Threatnings and Promises which tend to the Preservation of the Saints in Faith and Holinesse unto the end uselesse rendereth the Ministry of the Gospell as far as it concerns the incouragement or inabling of the Saints to Persevere needless and vaine but guilty of such a tendency as this is the commonly-received Doctrine of Perseverance Ergo. The truth of the Major Proposition here shineth clearly enough with its own light or however
there is this Reason for it viz. because Ministers of the Gospell can have little else from the Scriptures but only Exhortations Threatnings and Promises whereby to build or effect the Perseverance of the Saints Therefore if the pressing or putting on of these upon Men be needlesse in Reference to such an end certainly their Ministry as far as it relates to this end is needless also The Minor is thus Proved The common Doctrine of Perseverance requireth and commandeth all Saints or true Believers to be fully perswaded and this with the greatest and most indubitable certainty of Faith that there is an absolute and utter impossibility either of a totall or finall defection of their Faith and that though they should fall into ten thousand enormous and most abominable sins and lie wallowing in them like a Swine in the mire yet they shall remaine all the while in an estate of grace and that God will by a strong hand of irresistible Grace bring them off from their sins by Repentance before they die But that Doctrine which requireth and commandeth all this and much more of like import to be confidently believed by true Believers rendreth the pressing of all Exhortations Threatnings Promises upon them in order to prevaile with them or to make them careful to Persevere bootless and unnecessary Ergo. The Major in this Syllogisme is the knowne voyce of the common Doctrine of Perseverance The Reason of the Minor is because a certaine knowledge and perswasion that God will by an irresistible hand of Power preserve a Man in the state of Grace how desperately carelesse negligent or wicked soever he shall be clearly dissolves the usefulnesse and necessity of all other means whatsoever in Reference to this end If I know certainly that the Corne which I have sown in my Field will whether I wake or sleepe grow and prosper would it not be a very impertinent addresse for any Man to come to me and admonish me in a serious and grave manner to take heed I sleepe not but keep my self waking least my Corne should not grow or prosper or that it may grow and prosper If my Corne grows thrives and prospers by the irresistible Hand of God in the course of His naturall and standing Providence my watchfulnesse in order to a Procurement of these things is absolutely vaine This is a truth which prejudice and partiality themselves cannot lightly but subscribe viz. that there is no Force Power or Authority in such an Exhortation wherein we are pressed to use means either for the avoyding or escaping of such a danger which we are upon sure grounds perswaded cannot possibly fall upon us or for the performance of what we are assured upon the like terms of certainty that we cannot but performe or that God Himself will certainly by any irresistible and unfrustrable hand of grace performe and work in us So againe that there is no efficacy or power in such a threatning which threatneth us with such an evill or danger which we infallibly know our selves out of all possibility of suffering or falling under And lastly that there is no weight or quickening Power in such a Promise wherein only such a benefit or blessing is promised unto us upon the performance of a condition which we infallibly know to be ours before the condition be performed yea and which we are §. 4. most certainly assured we shall not we cannot upon any terms whatsoever be deprived of That which is commonly pleaded to salve the consistency of the common Doctrine of peremptorily-decreed Perseverance with an usefulnesse or necessity of the Exhortations Threatnings and Promises mentioned hath neither any logicall nor theologicall vertue in it for such a purpose For is it any other then this viz. that the Exhortations comminations and Promises which we speak of are means appointed by God and used by him accordingly for the accomplishment and effecting of that Perseverance in the Saints which he hath made simply and absolutely necessary by his decree Now that such a notion as this is altogether irrelative to the business the accommodation whereof it pretendeth will be made evident by weighing the particulars severally First that the Exhortations wherein the Saints are exhorted unto Perseverance are no means by which the Promises of Perseverance made as our Adversaries suppose unto them are accomplished or effected is thus clearly evinced Whatsoever is a meanes for the bringing of any thing to passe ought not to containe any thing in it repugnant or contrary unto that which is intended to be brought to passe by it For meanes ought to be subordinate to their ends not Repugnant But the Scripture exhortations unto Perseverance containe that which is repugnant to the prâ—mises of Perseverance if supposed such as our Adversaries suppose them to be Therefore they can be no means to effect these Promises The Minor is evident by the light of this consideration Such Exhortations as these unto the Saints Take heâ—d lest at any time there be an evill heart of unbeliefe in you lest you be hardened through the deceitfulnesse of sin lest you fall from Grace lest you receive the Grace of God in vaine lest you fall from your own stedfastnesse c. in their native and proper tendency import a danger and serve to raise a feare in Men lest the danger imported should come upon them Whereas such Promises as these made unto the same Persons and that unconditionally as is supposed that there shall never be an heart of unbeliefe in you that you shall never be hardened through the deceitfulnesse of sin that you shall never fall away from the Grace of God c. exclude all danger yea or possibility of falling away and tend directly to prevent or extinguish all fear in Men of any such danger Therefore such exhortations are in their very natures and genuine import contrary to such promises in theirs and consequently can be no means of bringing them to passe Againe if such exhortations as we speak of be a means to effect that Perseverance which our Adversaries suppose to be promised unto the Saints then must the act of Perseverance in the Saints necessarily depend upon them so as that it cannot or will not take place or be effected without them i. e. without the Saints submitting of themselves unto them But persevering upon these terms clearly supposeth a Possibility of a non-persevering For whatsoever dependeth upon a mutable condition and which possibly may not be performed may it self as possibly never come to passe If it be said that the said Exhortations are means of the Saints Persevering §. 5. in this respect viz. because God by His Spirit irresistibly or infrustrably drawes and perswades the Saints to obey these Exhortations as means of their persevering I answer 1. It cannot be proved that God doth draw or perswade his Saints upon any such terms to obey these exhortations Nay frequent experience sheweth and our Adversaries own Doctrine frequently mentioned
many Promises in Scripture though absolute in form are yet conditional in matter and meaning a See Cap. 1â— Sect 43 51 And Cap. 11. Sect. 1. 9. So that from the tenor or form of words wherein the said Promise was represented by the Angel unto Paul nothing can be concluded â—o evince it absolute 3. Those words of Paul to the Centurion and Souldiers lately mentioned Except these abide in the ship ye cannot be safe undâ—â—iably prove the said Promise to have been not absolute but conditional For in case God should have promised absolutely and without all exception or condition that they should have been safe Paul had plainly contradicted the truth of it by affirming not that they should not but that they could not be safe otherwise then upon condition of the Mariners abiding in the ship 4. The Apostle exhorts those in the ship after long abstinence and weakness Verse 34. thereby to take meat and that upon this reason or motive 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. for this is for your preservation or safety Which plainly shews that notwithstanding the Promise made unto Paul that there should not an hair of any of them fall to the ground they yet might have perished by over-long fasting Therefore the said Promise was not absolute 5. When by receiving sustenance they had recruited their spirits and recovered strength by the Apostles direction as is most probable they lightned the ship and cast out the lading of it which was Wheat into the Sea and did other things in order to their Preservation Which is a strong presumption at least that Paul did not understand the Promise made to him concerning the lives of these men in an unconditioned sence but thus that if they were careful and diligent to do what was meet for them to do in order to their own safety he would stand by them herein and prosper it accordingly As when he promised unto the Jews of old that he would blâ—ss them in the City and bless them in the field bless them in the fruit of their body and in the fruit of their ground of their cattel b Deut. 28. 3 4 c. c. His meaning onely was that he would bless and prosper their care and industry in and about these affairs and concernments of theirs not that he would absolutely bless them in any of them I mean whether they minded or look'd after their own welfare in such things or no. 6. If those words of Paul be narrowly scan'd Vers 22. And now I exhort you to be of good chear For there shal be no loss of any mans life among you but of the ship it will appear that the meaning of the Promise signified unto him by the Angel was not simply or adequately this that none of their livâ—s should miscarry but that though the ship should miscarry and be lost which was declared unto him that it would yet the lives of none of them should hereby or upon this occasion miscarry And the Reason why God so ordered the matter that the ship should be wreck'd and lost notwithstanding all the means used to preserve it was that they who went along with Paul in it might plainly know and understand not onely that their Preservation was from God and that more then in an ordinary way but that it was vouchsafed to them upon such terms for his servant Pauls sake who was amongst them which they could not so well have understood had the ship come whole and safe into Harbor For then they might very possibly have thought that they had escaped by their own labor and skill If it be said that they might as well think such a thought as this upon that §. 9. escape which they did make at last some by swimming others by laying hold on planks and broken peeces of the ship c. I answer No For when 1. They had a fresh experiment that they could not by all their diligence and skill escape shipwrack but that this according to Pauls word had befaln them And 2. saw that they we cast upon an Island which Paul also had foretold them And 3. and lastly that now they were all come safe to Land as Paul had likewise pre-assured them they should and that by way of a gratuity unto him according to his expression unto them Vers 24. And lo God hath given THEE all them that sail with thee they could not lightly but apprehend and conclude that the preservation and safety of their lives was not the atchievement or reward of their own labor or skill but a special benefit or blessing vouchsafed unto them by God for his Servant Pauls sake By this discourse it appears how and upon what terms those words of Paul Vers 31. Except these abide in the ship ye cannot be safe accord with the Promise of God made unto him concerning the safety of all that were in the ship with him The purport of the Promise was this that the ship being wreck'd and broken they should all escape with their lives because God had given them unto Paul i. e. had purposed to honor Paul by sparing or preserving them in so eminent a danger This Promise was fulfilled and made good when the ship being broken they came all safe to Land Therefore when some of the Mariners went about to leave the ship before it was broken the Apostle told the Centurion and the Souldiers that they took a course to deprive both themselves and them of that Hope and certainty of Preservation which God had promised unto Him and He declared unto them in as much as the intent of that Promise was that they should all be preserved in case they all continued in the ship until it should be broken So that in case any of them should leave the ship before it was broken and attempt their safety in any other way they left no opportunity or possibility unto God to perform the said Promise unto any of them in as much as this Promise did not assert the safety of any one or of any lesser number of them apart from the rest but of the whole and intire number of them and that in case they should be all found together in the ship when it should suffer wreck and be broken Nor can there any other Reason be given why Paul should say Except these abide in the ship ye cannot be safe but onely becâ—use their non abiding in the ship had left no place or opportunity for the Promise of God concerning their safety to take effect For that their abiding in the ship being compelled hereunto by the Centurion and Souldiers was any instrumental means of their safety no where appears nor is it any ways probable we do not finde that they assisted any of those whose lives were preserved in or towards the Preservation of them but that every man shifted for himself and took the best course he could for his safety Vers 43 44. So that the
that without the least intimation of any disparagement hereby unto it When Moses prayed God to blot him out of the Book which he had written in case he would not forgive the Sin of the People a Ex 〈…〉 32. 32 questionless he did not conceive that he desired any thing that would deface or disgrace His Book So when God returned this answer to that His demand Whosoever hath sinned against me him will I blot out of my Booke He did not intend any blemish to His Book When Christ from Heaven expresseth Himself thus to the Church of Sardis He that overcommeth the same shall be clothed in white rayment and I will not blot out His Name out of the Booke of Life b Revel 3. 5. c. He clearly supposeth that there were or at least might be some whose Names he would blot out of this Book otherwise it would be no matter of honor or specialty of priviledge which He promiseth herein As in case all Men were to be cloathed in white and no possibility of any Mans falling short of this honour it had been very impertinent and unproper for our Saviour to promise with so much solemnity as the words import a Cloathing in white by way of reward unto him that overcommeth See also Psal 69. 28. 2. To conceive that what the Scripture meaneth by blotting out of the Book of Life should be any matter of defacement to this Book or any thing unseemly for God otherwise savours of Carnality of Notion about this Book and of a mis-apprehension of what is seemly and unseemly for God to doe For Gods Book of Life is nothing else but His generall purpose or decree concerning persons to be saved not by their Names but their capacities or qualifications So that when He is said to blot out any Mans Name out of this Book which He never doth or is said to doe but upon their devesting themselves of that capacity in respect whereof they are said to have been written in this Book according to what we lately heard from himself whosoever hath sinned against me Him will I blot out of My Book it importeth onely this that whereas before whilest he remained faithfull and upright with God God according to his Purpose and Promise made to such Men intended Life and Salvation unto him now by reason of his back-sliding unto Sin and Wickednesse he purposeth to destroy him and that according to his generall and unpartiall decree of destroying sinners and wicked Men if they repent not So that if it be not unseemly for God to destroy backsliding sinners who remaine hardened and impenitent to the end neither is it unseemly for him to blot out the Names of Men upon the occasion specified out of His Book of Life Cameron expounding those words lately mentioned I will not blot out His Name out of the Booke of Life To be blotted out of the Book of Life saith he is nothing else but to be condemned It is a forme of speech where the antecedent is put for the consequent borrowed from that which is frequently done amongst Men as viz. when any Man or any Mans Name is by command from the Magistrate struck out of the Catalogue or Roll of Citizens that all may know that he is a condemned Man a Deleri à libro vitae nihil aliud est quà m damnari Est autem antecedens pro consequenti sumptâ formulâ loquedi abeo quod fieri solet in vitâ communi verbi gratiâ cum deletur aliquis è catalogo civium jussu magistratus ut eum damnatum sciant omnes Cameron Myroth p. 354. There is nothing in the Allegation in hand worthy any further consideration it is all Face and nothing Heart against the cause which it pretends to fight Another Argument demonstrative of the Doctrine pre-asserted is this §. 32. Argum. 6. That Doctrins which is according unto godlinesse i. e. whose naturall and proper tendency is to promote godlinesse in the hearts and lives of Men is Evangelicall and of unquestionable comportance with the Truth Such is the Doctrine which teacheth a Possibility of the Saints declining both totally and finally Ergo. The Reason of the Major Proposition though the truth of it needs no light but it s own to be seen by is because the Gospell it self is a Doctrine which is according unto godlinesse b 1 Tim. 6. 3. a Truth according unto godlinesse c Tit. 1. 1. a mystery of godlinesse d 1 Tim. 3. 16 c. i. e. a Doctrine Truth and Mystery calculated contriv'd and fram'd by God with a singular aptnesse and choycenesse of ingredients for the advancement of godlinesse in the World Therefore what particular Doctrine soever is of the same spirit tendency and import must needs be a naturall branch thereof and of perfect accord with it This proposition then is unquestionable Nor can the Minor lightly be lesse unquestionable to him that shall duly and unpartially examine and weigh the frame and import of it For what Doctrine can be more proper or powerfull to promote godlinesse in the hearts and lives of Men then that which on the one hand promiseth a Crown of blessednesse and eternall glory to those that live godlily without declining and on the other hand threateneth the vengeance of eternall Fire against those that shall turne aside unto prophainnesse and not retâ—rne by Repentance Whereas that Doctrine which promiseth and that with all possible certainty and assureance all fulnesse of blessednesse and glory to those that shall at any time be godly though they shall the very next day or houre degenerate and turne loose and prophane and continue never so long in such a course is most manifestly destructive unto godlinesse and incouraging above measure to prophainnesse If it be objected and said yea but the assureance of the unchangeablenesse §. 33. of Gods Love towards him that is godly is both a more effectuall and perswading motive unto godlinesse and more incouraging unto a persevering in godlinesse then a doubtfulnesse or uncertainty whether God will be constant in His affection to such a Man or no. Certainty of reward is more incouraging unto action then uncertainty I answer 1. The Doctrine which teacheth a possibility of the Saints finall defection teacheth an assurance of the unchangeablenesse of Gods Love towards him that is godly as well as the Doctrine contrary to it onely with this difference this latter Doctrine teacheth the said unchangeablenesse absolutely and against all possible change by sin and wickednesse in the person supposed at present to be godly whereas the former teacheth and asserteth the same unchangeablenesse but conditionally and upon the Perseverance oâ— him that is godly in his course So that this Doctrine teacheth as much câ—râ—ainty of the love of God towards him that is godly as such and as continuing such as the other doth And the truth is that the other Doctrine rightly interpreted doth not so much promise
very excellent rate both of courage and confidence notwithstanding he knew that it was possible for him to become a Reprobate The assureance he had that upon a diligent use of those meanes which he knew assuredly God would vouchsafe unto him he should prevent his being a Reprobate was a golden foundation unto him of that confidence and courage wherein he equaliz'd the holy Angels themselves Suppose a Man hath a deepe well or pit of water in his Yeard or grounds neere adjoyning to his House he is no more afraid of being drowned either in the one or in the other then he that lives a thousand miles distance from them The reason is because he knowes he need not be in any danger of such a miscarriage by them unlesse he please The evill which a Man knows he may prevent if he will and that which simply is not or not possible to be is of the same consideration to a sober and intelligent Man especially if he knows that he may prevent it if he will without any dammage or inconvenience to him And for courage and confidence the truth is that there is no place for them but under a possibility at least of danger and miscarrying by an enemie 3. And lastly an assureance of a perpetuall injoyment of or abiding in the love and favour of God otherwise then upon condition of love and loyalty in the Creature towards him is neither honorable for God to make or grant nor meet for a Creature to expect or desire Who can judge it much short of blasphemy to put such a saying as this into the mouth of the most holy God unto any of his Creatures though thou addest drunkennesse to thirst and pollutest thy self with all the abominations of wicked and ungodly Men though thou committest Whoredome Adultery Incest Murther Theft though thou hatest to be reformed and castest all my Commandements behinde thy back c. yet shalt thou be precious in mine Eyes and mine Heart shall be towards thee in the greatest love and deerest affection for ever and thou shalt inherit my everlasting Kingdome thy desperate Rebellions against me notwithstanding I know my opposers are not wont to deliver themselves or expresse their Doctrine in such terms as these nor will they haply well beare such a Representation of it as this but I appeale to their Consciences and to the unpartiall Reasons of all unprejudiced Men whether their Doctrine of Perseverance doth not without any wresting strayning or perverting in the least directly lead to such an horrid thought or conceit of God as that presented in the said saying Certaine I am that the Lord Christ Himself resolves his abiding in his Fathers love into his keeping of His Commandements and informes His Disciples withall that he loves them upon the same termes As the Father hath loved me so have I loved you continue yee in my love If yee keep my Commandements yee shall abide in my love even as I have kept my Fathers Commandements and abide in his love a Joh. 15. 9 10. By the way had there been an unavoideable necessity lying upon the Disciples to continue in Christs love there had been no necessity of his exhortation unto them in order thereunto Who perswades a Man to doe that which is not in his power to neglect or not to doe In like manner had there been a like unavoydeable necessity upon the Disciples to keep Christs Commandements doubtlesse he would not have prescribed it unto them in the nature of a conditionall means for their abiding in his love No Man in his right mind makes conditions of things or actions that are unavoydable or which cannot but be performed by them of whom they are required To pretend that the weaknesse of the flesh even in the best of the Saints §. 35. considered and their aptnesse to goe astray they must needs lie under many troublesome and tormenting feares of perishing unlesse they have some promise or assureance from God to support them that notwithstanding any declinings or goings astray incident unto them yet they shall not lose his favour or perish is to pretend nothing but what hath been throughly answered already especially in the ninth Chapter I onely adde here 1. That the weaknesse of the flesh or the aptnesse of miscarrying through this is no reasonable ground of fear unto any true Believer of his perishing considering that no Man loseth or forfeiteth the Grace and Favour of God through Sins of weakness or infirmity It is onely the strength of Sin and corruption in Men that exposeth them to the danger of losing the love of God 2. If the Saints be willing to strengthen the Spirit in them and make him willing proportionably to the means vouchsafed unto them by God for such a purpose this will fully balance the weaknesse of the flesh and prevent the miscarriage and breakings out hereof This I say then saith the Apostle walk in the Spirit and yee shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh And againe If yee be led by the Spirit yee are not under the Law a Gal. 5. 16. 18 and consequently are in no danger of losing the favour of God or of perishing for such sins which under the conduct of the spirit you are subject unto 3. And lastly There is no such aptnesse or pronenesse unto sin Sins I meane of a dis-inheriting import in Saints or true Believers as is pretended but on the contrary a strong propension or inclination unto righteousnesse reigneth in them We heard formerly from the Apostle John that whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin for his seed remaineth in him and he CANNOT sin because he is born of God b 1 John 3. 9 Which passage of Scripture the Reader may finde unfolded at large Cap. 10. Sect. 25 26 27 c. The same Apostle to the same purpose had said a little before He that committeth sin is of the Devill and consequently no Saint or true Believer And againe a little after he saith In this the Children of God are manifest and the Children of the Devill whosoever doth not righteousnesse is not of God c. Afterwards thus For this is the love of God that we keep His Commandements and His Commandments i. e. the keeping of his Commandments is not grievous c 1 John 5. 3. viz. to him that loveth God i. e. to a Saint or true Believer It followeth For whosoever is borne of God overcommeth the World and this is the victory that overcometh the World even our Faith Who is he that overcometh the World but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God From these passages with many others of like import which might have been added from the same Apostle it is fully evident that there is a pregnant strong triumphing propension in all true Believers to walk holily and to live righteously so that to refraine sinning sinning I meane as before customarily and against conscience which kinde of
Sin onely is exclusive from the love and Kingdome of God is no such great mastery no such matter of difficulty unto such Men and that when they are overcome and fall into such Sins it is through a meere voluntary neglect of stiring up the Grace of God that is in them and of maintaining that holy Principle we speak of in strength and vigour by such means as God most graciously and indulgently vouchsafeth unto them in abundance for such a purpose And thus we see all things unpartially weighed and debated to and fro that the Doctrine which supposeth a possibility of the Saints finall declining is the Doctrine which is according to godlinesse and the corrivall of it an enemy thereunto That Doctrine whose genuine and proper tendency is to advance the peace and §. 36. Argum. 7. joy of the Saints in believing is of a naturall sympathy with the Gospell and upon this account a truth Such is the Doctrine which informeth the Saints of a possibility of their totall and finall falling away Ergo. Our adversaries themselves in the cause depending will not I presume regret the granting of the former proposition the truth of it being a truth so neere at hand The Minor hath received confirmation in abundance from what was argued and evinced in the 9th Chapter where we demonstratively proved that the Doctrine we now assert is of the most healthfull and sound constitution to make a Nurse for the peace and joy and comforts of the Saints whereas that which is opposite to it is but of a melancholique and sad complexion in comparison The ground we built our Demonstration upon was this That Doctrine which is of the most incouraging quickning and strengthning import to the Spirit and Grace of God in Men on the one hand and most crucifying and destructive to the flesh on the other hand must needs be a Doctrine of the best and choycest accommodation for the Peace and Comfort of Believers The reason hereof is because the Peace Joy and Comfort of Believers doe if not wholly yet in a very great measure depend upon the fruits of the Spirit and the testimony of their Consciences concerning their loyalty and faithfulnesse unto God in doing His will keeping His Commandments refraining all false wayes as David speaketh abstaining from the works of the flesh c. As on the contrary that Roote of bitternesse in the Saints from which feares and doubtings perplexities agonies and consternations of soule spring is the flesh when for want of a sharpe bridle still kept in the jawes or lips of it it breaks out becomes unruly and magnifies it self against God and His Lawes These things we prosecuted more at large in the fore named Chapter where likewise we proved above all reasonable contradiction that the sence of those who assert a possibility of the Saints drawing back even to perdition is a Doctrine of a very rich sympathy with the Spirit or regenerate part in Men of an excellent and high animation unto it and on the contrary a Doctrine morrally inspired against the flesh with all the lusts and wayes hereof Here also we gave an answer in full unto those who are wont to object and pretend that the best and holiest persons more generally cleave in their judgements to the Doctrine of absolute Perseverance as on the other hand that persons more carnally and loosely disposed more generally take up that which is contrary unto it So that we shall not need to add in this place any thing further to give weight or strength to the Argument in hand unlesse it be to certifie the Reader that since the publishing and clearing the Doctrine now asserted some very godly and seriously Religious persons have with their whole Hearts blessed God for it We proceede to another Argument That Doctrine which evacuates and turns into weaknesse and folly all that §. 37. Argum. 8. gracious counsell of the Holy Ghost which consists partly in that diligent information which he gives unto the Saints from place to place concerning the hostile cruell and bloody minde and intentions of Satan against them partly in detecting and making knowne all his subtil stratagems his Plots Methods and dangerous machinations against them partly also in furnishing them with spirituall weapons of all sorts whereby they may be able to grapple with him notwithstanding and gloriously to triumph over him partly againe in those frequent Admonitions Exhortations Incouragements to quit themselves like Men in resisting him and making good their ground against him which are found in the Scriptures and lastly in professing his feare lest Satan should circumvent and deceive them that Doctrine I say which reflects disparagement and vanity upon all these most serious and gracious applications of the Holy Ghost unto the Saints must needs be a Doctrine of vanity and error and consequently that which opposeth it by like necessity a truth But such is the common Doctrine of absolute and infallible Perseverance Ergo. The Major in this Argument is greater then exception For doubtlesse no Doctrine which is of an undervaluing import either to the Grace or Wisdome of the Holy Ghost in any Scripture transaction can be Evangelicall or consistent with truth The Minor likewise is evident upon this account All those actions or transactions ascribed to the Holy Ghost in the Major Proposition as viz. his discovering and detecting unto the Saints the hostile Spirit and machinations of Satan against them his furnishing them with spirituall weapons to conflict with him and fight against him c. are in severall places of Scripture plainely reported and attributed unto him particularly in these Jam. 4. 7. 1 Pet. 5. 8 9. Eph. 6. 11. 12 c. 2. Cor. 11. 3. 14. 2. 11. Mat. 12. 43 44 c. 2 Thess 2. 9 10. 1 Cor. 7. 5. not to mention many others Now if the Saints be in no possibility of being finally overcome by Satan or of miscarrying in the great and most important businesse of their Salvation by his snares and subtilties all that operousnesse and diligence of the Holy Ghost in those late-mentioned addressements of his unto them in order to their finall conquest over Satan will be found of very light consequence of little concernment to them Yea if the said addressements of the Holy Ghost be compared with the state and condition of the Saints as the said Doctrine of Perseverance representeth and affirmeth it to be and be digested or formed into an hypotyposis accordingly the utter uselessenesse and impertinency of them will yet much more evidently appeare Suppose we then the Holy Ghost should speake thus unto the Saints O you that truly believe who by vertue of the Promise of that God that cannot lie are fully perswaded and possest that you shall be kept by God by His irresistible Grace in true faith until death so that though Satan shall set all his wits on work and by all his stratagems snares and cunning devices seek to destroy you
even Christ-man is to be looked upon as simply and absolutely unchangeable a Prerogative Royal wherein neither Saints no◠Angels have part with him And because of such an unchangeablenesse in him though otherwise he was a subject capable enough of being tempted yet was he not a person meet to be intreated or dealt with by the Holy Ghost upon those terms of Admonitions Cautions Exhortations unto Watchfulness Constancy or standing fast Informations of danger threatning him in case he should not quit himself worthily c. wherein he frequently turneth himself unto the Saints and true Believers as we heard Nor is that necessity of doing Righteousness and Obeying God which §. 40. rested upon the Will of Christ by the means aforesaid any whit prejudiciall to the merit or rewardableness of what he did and suffered in the flesh though it be most true that any such necessity which should cause the wills of Men other Men necessitatingly or unavoydably to act righteously would be destructive to the rewardableness of what they should act upon such terms The reason of the difference is because in case any such necessity of well doing should come upon or be found in the wills of meere Men they must necessarily be passive herein in as much as they have no Native or inward Principle of their own whereby to contract or induce any such necessity upon themselves and what Men are necessitated to doe in a Passive way wants the ratio formalis the essentiall property of what is rewardable either by the rules of Wisdome or Justice See more upon this account Sect. 19. of this Chapter But that necessity which rested in or upon the Will of Christ of doing righteously though it was not a meere logicall or irresistible necessity neither as was lately intimated but such as it was it was contracted by himself and that voluntarily and freely the God-head or the Divine Nature personally united with the humane which was as much as properly as essentially Christ as the humane Nature it self in this union voluntarily and freely deriving unto the humane so united unto it such a fulness of Grace Holiness and Goodness from which that necessity we spake of of well-doing in a way of a genuine and kindly result arose upon him and abides with him for ever No meere Creature having the like opportunity or means of vesting the like necessity of well doing in it self it followeth upon a very faire account that in case it were or could be supposed that they meere Creatures I meane were unavoydably necessitated to doe well such doings of theirs should be uncapable of reward although it be otherwise in the case of Jesus Christ and of that unparallelable necessity of well doing which was found in him I shall only add one Argument more and therewith conclude this Chapter That Doctrine which naturally and directly tendeth to beget and foment §. 41. Argum. 9. jealousies and evil surmises betweene Brethren in Christ or such as ought cordially to Love Reverence and Honor one another is not confederate with the Gospell nor from God and consequently that which contradicteth it must needs be a Truth The common Doctrine of unquestionable and unconditioned Perseverance is a Doctrine of this tendency apt to beget and foment jealousies suspicions and evill surmises betweene Brethren or such as ought to love and respect one the other as Brethren in Christ c. Ergo. The Major in this Argument will I suppose meet with no adversarie and therefore needs no second The Minor standeth firme and strong upon this foundation That Doctrine which teacheth and perswadeth me to judge the Faith and love of those whom I ought cordially to love and honour as Saints and Brethren in Christ to be no better then the Faith and love of Hypocrites Dissemblers formall Professors c. directly tendeth to beget jealousies and evill surmises in me against them and is of the same tendency to occasion them to measure back againe the same measure towards me The common Doctrine of peremptory Perseverance thus teacheth and perswadeth both me and them Ergo. The Major here also feares no contradiction and so craves no assistance The reason of the Minor is because I cannot reasonably judge either the Faith or love of those whom I stand most bound by the Law of Christ to Love Reverence and Honour as Saints and Brethren to be better greater or more sincere then sometimes I judged or at least ought to have judged that Faith and Love of those to have been whom the Doctrine we speake of teacheth me to judge to have been Hypocrites and false-hearted even then when their Faith and love were at the best For the very truth is that amongst all the Professors of Christian Religion that are at present any wayes known unto me and I make no question but that every other Christian of any considerable standing in the World may with a good conscience professe the like of himself there is not any one who I can reasonably judge to be either more sound in Faith or sincere in love both towards God and Men then I sometimes judged and that upon competent grounds yea the best that either I then was or yet am capable of some others to have been whom now I know to be wretched Apostates and to have given up themselves to work all filthinesse and that with greedinesse Therefore if upon or because of their Apostasie I stand bound to judge them to have been in the best of their spirituall standings no better then Hypocrites it is unpossible but that I should be jealous and suspicious at least lest the best and greatest Professors of Christ that are known to me in all the World should be no better then Hypocrites also notwithstanding any account or satisfaction they give or possibly can give unto me of their sincerity If it be replied that even that Doctrine which I teach in opposition to that other hath a like tendency to create and nourish amongst the Saints reciprocally if not the same jealousies and evill surmises which have been charged upon the other yet others every whit as bad or however not much better then they in as much as this Doctrine it selfe teacheth Saints to looke one upon another as those that may Apostatize and turne enemies unto Christ and the Gospell And is not such a jealousie as this concerning any person every whit as Unchristian hard or uncharitable as to look upon him as a possible Hypocrite To this I answer That a jealousie or suspicion of a present vilenesse or unworthinesse in a Man especially when he that is suspicious hath all the best grounds that can be given why he should not be suspicious in this kinde is a far worse and more Unchristian jealousie and suspicion then that which is conceived against a Man touching any future unworthinesse that onely possibly may be found in him The Doctrine which teacheth a possibility onely of a totall and finall defection in the Saints
Necesse est iâ—â—tur discerni peccata quae in sanctis in hac mortali vita manent â—ec excutiunt Spiritum Sanctum ab aliis peccatis propâ—er quae homo rursus fit reus irae Dei aeternarum poenarum Et Paulus Rom. 5. discernit peccatum regnans non â—egnans Et alibi inquit Si secundum carnem vixeritis moriemini si actiones carnis spiritu mortificabitis vivetis c. Vide quae sequuntur in Confess Saxon. Art 10. De discrim peccatorum with much more to the same point and purpose From the Premisses exhibited in this Chapter these five things are concludable above all contradiction First That the Doctrine of absolute and unconditioned Perseverance as it is commonly taught and beleeved amongst Professors at this day and as it is stated and maintained in the Writings of many Reformed Divines over-honored many of them with the stile of Orthodox was not known or heard of by the Name of Orthodox in the Primitive and purer Times of Christian Religion nor owned or taught by any of the learned Fathers or Writers for several Centuries of years after Christ. Secondly That neither since the Reformation of Religion by Luther and his Compeers hath it found entertainment with the generality at least of that numerous party of Protestants which for distinction sake are termed Lutherans or with the learned amongst them but that these very few if any excepted generally teach and beleeve with the Primitive Christians and Fathers that persons truly regenerate and beleeving may possibly fall from their present standing and that so as never to rise again Thirdly That this Doctrine I mean the possibility of such a declining in true Beleevers which ends in death and condemnation is by some who otherwise are generally looked upon as followers of Calvin yea and are not undeservedly numbered amongst the most judicious and learned of this party pregnantly and with particularity of profession and acknowledgment avouched Fourthly That Calvin himself who is supposed to be the first Founder or Father of the said common Doctrine of Perseverance or however is the Grand Patron and Protector of it together with the generality of his learned followers are constrained ever and anon in their Writings to give Testimony unto and to assert the contrary whether it be by the forcible evidence of the Truth prevailing at times over them or whether it be out of a necessity that ever and anon recur'd upon them to use the Principle of the contrary Doctrine for the due managing and carrying on other subjects and discourses Fifthly and lastly That the Doctrine of falling away maintained in the Digression yet in hand hath been held maintained and professed not onely by particular persons both ancient and modern of greatest name and note for true worth in every kinde as for sanctity learning largeness of parts soundness of Judgment c. but by Councils Synods and whole Protestant Churches also in their Confessions All which considered we shall need no other demonstration of the importune unreasonableness and vanity of those ecstatical and wilde encomiums or exorbitant depredications of the Doctrine of inevitable and unfrustrable Perseverance which are found in the writings and heard from the mouths of some of the over-zealous Admirers of it as if for example it were the fundamental Article of the Reformed Religion One of the principal Points of Christian Religion wherein the Protestant Churches are purged from Popish Errors and which hath always been maintained by the Reformed Churches against Papists the Foundation of all true certainty of Salvation without which that fiducial and firm Assurance which is requisite in and unto true Beleeving cannot stand Such a Doctrine which all true Ministers of the Gospel ought to inculcate into and whet upon all true Beleevers for their Comfort with other like swelling words of vanity Doubtless if it be an Error and confederate against the Holiness and Truth of the Gospel a Crime which hath been by many competent and sufficient witnesses proved against it it is so far from meriting any of those impotent acclamations lately specified that it really deserves to have its portion with those Merchants and Money-changers whom our Saviour with a scourge drave out of the Temple a John 2. 15. as Profaners of the Holy Design and Counsel of God therein But because the Learning and Authority of the late Synod of Dort is layd §. 24. hold on by many as Shield and Buckler to defend the said Doctrine I shall for a close of this Chapter and of the whole Digression briefly account unto the Reader for such particulars as I judg worthy his cognizance and observation servation in and about what this Synod attempted in order to the defence maintenance and safety of the said Doctrine Far be it from me to subscribe the Report or information of those who charge the respective Members of this Synod with suffering themselves to be bound with an Oath at or before their admission hereunto to vote down the Remonstrants and their Doctrines how soever yet when I read and consider 1. How learnedly solidly and substantially they quit themselves and argue whilest they go along with the Remonstrants and declare wherein they agree with them in the Points controverted between them 2. How feebly and unlike themselves they reason when they come to the quick of the difference 3. And lastly how neer at very many turns even in those things wherein they pretend to differ they come unto them as if they had a very good minde to be no more two but one with them When I say I consider all these things methinks I see the Interest and Obligation of an Oath working much after the same manner as sometimes it did in Herod when for His Oath 's sake contrary to his minde and desire otherwise He caused John the Baptists Head to be given unto Herodias in a Platter a Mat. 14. 9. To shew how pregnant or if you will how masculine they are in avouching their Judgments whilest they keep company with their Adversaries is I conceive needless as well themselves I mean such of them as are yet living as their friends being perswasible enough hereof without Argument or Proof To shew how far they fall beneath themselves when they come to contest and plead the Points in difference would be in effect and in reference to the business in hand but to re-do that which is done already In which respect neither is this necessary I shall therefore with as much brevity as the Reader can well desire and in a regular prosecution of the design of the Chapter in hand onely shew how neer they came in sence and substance of matter to their Adversaries in the present Question concerning Perseverance and leave it to Christian Consideration whether the difference between the two combating Parties was of that latitude or weight that the one should deserve the beautiful Crown of Orthodoxism and Honor for their dissent from
Travellers i. e. amongst the Saints that are yet in the course of their pilgrimage upon the Earth b Dicimus igitur FideÌ„ quoad habituÌ„ manere perfici in futurâ vitâ licét evacuetur quoad accidentaleÌ„ aliquaÌ„ conditioneÌ„ pro statu viae illam concomitanteÌ„ Ipsi enim beati sic dispositi sunt quòd non solùm Deo assentire velint ex evidentia rei sed etiam propter Authoritatem asserentis quaÌ„vis res affirmata esset in se inevidens Imò multò promptiùs propter AuthoritateÌ„ dicentis crederet Deo quivis ex numero BeatoruÌ„ quaÌ„ ille qui maximâ Fide praeditus est inter viatores Hoc auteÌ„ arguit habituÌ„ Fidei esse in beatis perfectissimuÌ„ quaÌ„vis obscuritas ejus ratione status glorioâ—i evacuetur Dr Jo Daven Praelect de duob in Theolog. contr capitibus c. pag. 326. Therefore questionless his sence also was at least when he wrote these things that a true firm and unfeigned assent unto God speaking asserting or revealing is true Faith and justifying for about this was the Contest between him and his Adversary And besides the whole Tenor of the Discourse there managed makes this manifest Fearing least I have over-charged the Readers patience already I supersede the citation of the ancient Fathers besides others more of our later Protestant Authors who generally look upon it as no injury to Truth to hold and teach that a true real and unfeigned assent unto the Gospel and Promises of Salvation herein is nothing less then a true justifying and saving Faith a Faith enstating a person in the Grace and Favor of God So that by the express Testimony 1. Of the Scriptures themselves 2 By the conviction of sound Reason And lastly by a verdict of the most judicious and learned of their own friends at least claimed and owned for such by themselves the Synod of Dort who levyed an hard and most severe sentence against the possibility of the Saints perishing by Apostacy have stumbled at that stone of inexcusableness of which the Apostle speaks Rom. 2. 1. Therefore thou art inexcusable O man whosoever thou art that judgest for wherein thou judgest another thou condemnest thy self for thou that judgest dost the same things Yea it hath been proved that this Synod it self flew an higher pitch of opposition against the Perseverance of the Saints then those who upon this account were made such grant offenders by them This Indictment we have hitherto managed and made good against them §. 29. by the consideration of one character or expression onely from their own pen whereby they describe those whom they expose to a possibility of apostatizing to perdition viz. a true and unfeigned belief of or consent unto the Evangelical Compact and whatsoever is revealed by God in the Gospel This we have proved by a cloud of witnesses some speaking from Heaven others from the Earth to be an inseparable and essentially distinguishing Character of true Saints and justified men But 2. If we judged or could think that the Reader would judg that which hath been done already insufficient to evince the Synod though not of Error or Heresie yet of Autocâ—tacrisie or self-condemnation we should insist upon and urge other expressions from them whereby it might be made yet further to appear that their foot is in very deed in that snare we speak of For do they not say and confess in words plain enough which have been cited that the persons put by them under a possibility yea some of them horrendum dictu UNDER a NECESSITY of that doomful Apostacy which is always accompanyed with eternal perdition may have and that many of them de facto have the true knowledg of God and of Christ or of God in Christ in their minde for what other knowledg they should here mean is not imaginable and that out of this knowledg they may as oft as is needful is not this constantly and without turning aside act conformably And what is this but to bring forth fruits worthy Repentance yea and to equalize the best and worthiest of the Saints in doing Righteousness which the Holy Ghost makes the most emphatical and unerring property or character of such men Little children let no man deceive you saith John He that doth Righteousness is righteous even as He is righteous a 1 Joh. 3. 7. of which passage formerly b Cap. 9. Sect. 11. cap. 11. sect 55. And again In this the children of God are manifest and the children of the Devil Whosoever doth not Righteousness is not of God c 1 Ioh. 3 10. and consequently whosoever doth righteousness is of God For otherwise the not-doing of righteousness were no manifestation of the one sort of these children from the other 3. And lastly whereas the Synod pleads that the seed falling upon the stony ground Luk. 8. 13. imports such Hearers which for a time beleeve i. e. give an unfeigned assent unto the things revealed by God in the Gospel d Act a. Synod Dordrec part 2. pag. 189. and afterwards fall away whereby they would insinuate that these Hearers notwithstanding their unfeigned assent unto the things of God and the Gospel were never true Saints nor persons justified before God we have formerly by an unpartial enquiry into the Parable and by many pregnant Arguments drawn from the carriage of it evinced that the persons emparabled by the seed falling upon the stony ground were true Saints and their Faith of the same kinde and during the continuance of it equally justifying with theirs who were represented by the good ground e Cap. 12. sect 32 33 c. Leaving therefore the Synod at present let us recollect and draw up into §. 30. a brief account the sum of all that hath been argued in the present digression and so conclude this Chapter First It hath been clearly proved that the Doctrine which maintains an absolute necessity or infallibility of the Saints Perseverance in Grace or Faith unto the end hath nothing more in it or rather nothing so much for the true and real consolation of the Saints then that which is contrary unto it Secondly Diligent and unpartial search hath been made into those passages of Scripture which the greatest Advocates of the said Doctrine of Perseverance mainly insist upon for the defence of it none of which it hath been made fully to appear holdeth any true or real correspondency with it Thirdly The best and most substantial Arguments and Grounds upon which the said Doctrine is wont by the skilfullest workmen of Her Party to be built have been weighed in the balance and found too light Fourthly The Doctrine contrary hereunto and which avoucheth the possibility of the Saints declining and this unto death hath been asserted by the express Testimony and consent of many Scriptures Fifthly This Doctrine also hath received further credit and confirmation from several Principles and grounds as well of Reason as Religion
body is one and hath many members and all the members of that one body being many are one body so also is Christ i. e. so also is it with Beleevers who in respect of their spiritual Being are from Christ meaning that though they be many personally distinct yet they make one spiritual or mystical body with Christ their Head Now when the Promises are said to be made to Abraham and his spiritual seed Beleevers the meaning is not as if they were so or upon such terms made to them that none but they had any right to receive them or beleeve them for then it must follow that men must or ought to be Beleevers before they receive or beleeve the Promises which is impossible But the Promises are made to Abraham and his seed i. e. the great Inheritance of Life and Salvation promised by God is promised as touching the actual exhibition or collation of it unto Beleevers onely such as Abraham himself was and such as those who desire to be accounted his seed must be But this supposeth not but that the said Promises are in this sence made to Adam and his seed i. e. to all Mankinde viz. that all and every Person of Mankinde as well as Adam yea or Abraham himself have a right to beleeve them so that in case they should beleeve them they should do no unjust or unrighteous thing Nay they have not onely a right but a grand necessity likewise lying upon them to beleeve them as well in respect of the Commandment of God who commands no unjust or unrighteous thing as of their own eternal Peace and Safety whereof they will certainly make shipwrack unless they do beleeve them A second Demonstration whereby Christ dying for all Men is euinced §. 4. Argum. 2. is this If Christ dyed not for all Men without exception then He dyed for the Elect onely But He dyed not for the Elect onely Therefore for all Mâ—n without exception I presume the former Proposition will be granted without further Proof because they who deny that Christ dyed for all generally suppose and grant that He dyed for some and by Name for the Elect and indeed for these onely So that if it be proved either that He dyed not for the Elect at all or not for the Elect onely then according to their own Principles and grounds it follows that He dyed for all Now then that He dyed not for the Elect and much more not for the Elect onely which was the Minor Proposition appears thus If the state and condition of the Elect were such that Christ needed no more to dye for them then He needed to dye for the Holy and Elect Angels then Christ dyed not for these much less for these onely But the state and condition of the Elect was such that there was no more need that Christ should dye for them then for the Elect Angels Ergo. In this Argument I reason I confess upon my Adversaries grounds not mine own concerning Election but howsoever such a process of arguing as this is very serviceable for the confirmation of a Truth in opposition to an Error and the Apostie Paul himself sometimes 1 Cor. 15. 29 useth it in a like case as 1 Cor. 15. 29. The Major Proposition in this last Argument standeth upon this ground that there was no need that Christ should dye for the Holy or Elect Angels I suppose this will not be denyed or doubted of by any but however it is clearly enough asserted by the Apostle in that saying of his Gal. 2. 21 I do not frustrate the Grace of God Gal. 2. 21. for if Righteousness i. e. Justification come by the Law then Christ is dead in vain i. e. without any necessity or reasonable cause moving thereunto But now if there had been a necessity that Christ should have dyed for the Elect Angels it would not have followed that His Death had been in vain though men might have been justified by the Law Therefore if there were no more reason no more need why Christ should dye for the Elect of Men then for the Elect Angels certainly He did not dye for them much less for them onely But now that there was no more reason no more need why Christ should dye for the Elect of Men then for the Elect Angels which was the substance of the Minor Proposition appears by this double consideration 1. Because God loved the Elect I mean the Elect of Men and that as such as Elect without any consideration had of Christs dying for them with as great a love as He did the Elect Angels yea with as great as it was possible for him to bear to them 2. Because Salvation and Eternal Glory were decreed and adjudged to them and consequently were made truly and properly theirs in and by Gods Purpose in Electing them God in Electing them without any consideration or respect had unto Jesus Christ dying or to dye for them or unto their beleeving in him did irreversibly appropriate and consign over unto them Eternal Life From these two grounds it follows undeniably that there was no more need for Christ to dye for the Elect of Mankinde then for the Elect Angels For 1. If God loved the Elect of Men with as great a love as He loves the Elect Angels or as He is capable of bearing towards them what occasion what necessity was there that Christ should dye for the one more then for the other The same Love affords the same Favors the same Priviledges without any mediation to equalize it in this kinde If God loved the Elect of Men as much as intensely as the Holy Angels considered onely as Elect or before their Election for this is the notion and sence of our Adversaries in the Point in hand then the offence and distance occasioned by sin between him and them was wholly ceased and taken out of the way before the Blood of the Covenant was sprinkled on them before the Attonement came at them as the Hebrew women in the story were delivered of their Exod. 1. 19. children before the midwives came at them And if so if the offence and distance caused between God and his Elect by means of sin was swallowed up in the Love of Election so that he loved them now considered onely as Elect or to be Elected as much as He did or could do upon their actual ingraffing into Christ and participation of His Death to what purpose should Christ dye for them or what profit is there in the Blood of Christ as to them God thought every whit as well of them loved them as much intended to do as much for them yea irreversibly decreed adjudged as great things unto them before and without all consideration had of the Death of Christ as He did or could do upon the consideration of it 2. God out of His Love of Election as the Doctrine of Election is commonly taught and received amongst us did in the very
accordingly once and again already or that this Covenant is not made upon the same terms and conditions with all those interessed or included in it which is a conceit of no whit better an accord either with Reason or Truth Secondly If all Men have not a sufficiency of Means granted unto them §. 28. by God then God dealeth with the generality or far greatest part of Men more rigorously and with less mercy and this under the Covenant of Grace then He doth with the Devils themselves The Reason is plain because in case Men have not a sufficiency of Means whereby to be saved they have onely Means given them whereby to increase their Condemnation yea such means and so and upon such terms given them that they cannot but use them to their greater and more heavy Condemnation then that whereunto they should or could have been liable had no such Covenant of Grace been made with them or tendered unto them For if they be not enabled by God to Repent and to beleeve the Gospel they must needs be subjected to an absolute necessity of despising or neglecting it there being no medium between accepting the great Salvation brought unto them therein which is done by Faith and the neglecting of it which is always accompanied with Unbelief Now a neglect of the Gospel and of the great Salvation tendred therein by God unto men is the first-born of Provocations in the sight of God and maketh men sevenfold more the Children of Wrath and of Death then otherwise they would have been How shall we escape saith the Apostle if we NEGLECT so great a Salvation z Heb. 2. 3 c. implying that this sin is unquestionably more exasperating incensing enraging the Almighty against His Creature Man then any other sin or sins whatsoever Yea if a man by means of the Gospel and the Grace offered unto him therein be not brought to Repentance and to a forsaking of ways and practices of sin the sins themselves which he shall commit under the Gospel will turn to a far deeper and more dreadful account in condemnation unto him then the like sins without the Gospel would have done So that it is clear on every side that in case men be not enabled by God to Repent and beleeve the Gospel the exhibition and tender of the Gospel unto them must needs be an heaping of coals of fire upon their heads by God a project and design â—o render them two-fold or rather an hundred-fold more the Children of Hell Misery and Torment then otherwise they had been Whereas most certain it is that God hath designed nothing acted nothing in one kinde or other to increase the Punishment or Condemnation of the Devils especially in any way of an unavoydable Necessity above the demerit of their first sin Thirdly If God doth not vouchsafe sufficient means unto all Men whereby §. 29. to repent beleeve and so to be saved then will He condemn and destroy or at least increase the Condemnation and Destruction of far the greatest part of Men for that which is no sin I mean Impenitency and Unbelief For 1. I suppose that it is no sin at all in the Creature not to perform or do any such act which is proper onely for God Himself to do or which requires the lighting down of His Omnipotent Arm to effect it 2. I suppose that which hath been both lately and formerly proved that God doth and will condemn and destroy men for Impenitency and Unbelief So then if to Repent and to Beleeve be such acts or works in the Soul which cannot be produced raised or performed by men by means of that strength or those abilities which are vouchsafed unto them but absolutely require the Omnipotent Power of God to effect them it is no ways more sinful in the Creature not to exert or perform them then it is not to be God and consequently if God should punish men for the non-performance of them He should punish them for that which in such a case and upon such a supposition would be no sin Yea if God should punish men for not endevoring or not doing that which is in their power to do in order to Repenting and Beleeving He should punish them for not attempting to make themselves equal in Power unto God Fourthly If God hath not vouchsafed a sufficiency of Power to beleeve §. 30. unto those who notwithstanding do not beleeve then did our Saviour without any ground or cause in the least wonder at the Unbelief of many in the Gospel yea and at the Faith of others And He could there do no mighty work save that He layd His Hands upon a few sick folk and healed them And He MARVFLLED BECAVSE OF THEIR UNBELIEF a Mark 6. 6 On the other hand When Jesus heard it i. e. the Answer of the Centurion He MARVELLED and said unto them that followed Verily I say unto you I have not found so GREAT FAITH no not in Israel b Mat. 8. 10 First there is not the least cause or occasion why any man should marvel that Creatures or second Causes should not act above their sphere yea though there be the greatest conjunction of such means which are proper and helpful unto them in order to such actings which lie within their sphere As for example though the year be never so seasonable and fruitful yet there is not the least occasion to marvel or think it strange that the Thorn should not bring forth grapes or the Thistle figs. So in case there be twenty great lights shining in a room it is no matter of wonder at all that a blinde man seeth nothing at all that is before him In like manner in case it be supposed that men are utterly destitute of a Power of Beleeving there is not the least ayr or colour of an occasion why any man should think it strange that they should not beleeve what helps or advantages soever for oâ— towards beleeving they have otherwise So again when causes or means which are known â—o act necessarily uniformly and constantly in their way do move and act accordingly there is not the least occasion given why any man should marvel or wonder at it When the Sun shineth or fire burneth when birds fly or fishes swim no man is tempted or provoked to the least degree of admiration Nor is there any whit more reason or cause of marvel that any Person at any time should beleeve though under the greatest disadvantages for beleeving in case it be supposed and known that that Cause which worketh or produceth Faith in Men as viz. the Power of God by which Faith is always produced in Men when they do beleeve should always work or act necessitatingly or irresistibly in the production of it Possibly the Grace of God by which men under signal disadvantages are according to our Adversaries Principles necessitated to beleeve may be just matter of admiration unto men but the vouchsafement of such grace
Consideration Explication and Debate in the second Part of this Work THough Christ the Lord reigneth whilest His Enemies are yet unsubdued §. 1. and not put under His Feet yet He reigneth not so like unto himself nor with that peaceableness or desirableness of Government unto His Subjects as He shall and will reign at least in the glorious result of His Mediation when all that which in any degree opposeth Him in His Government shall be wholly taken out of the way and no Enemy left with any strength or power to infest trouble or cause the least disquietment or discontent in all His Kingdom In like manner though the Judgment and Conscience of a man may reign with much contentment and satisfaction in the holding and Profession of many a Truth by the demonstrative evidence and strength of such Arguments and Grounds upon which He clearly seeth it built however He may see it also encompassed and assaulted on every side with such Objections and Difficulties which are not at present subdued under him yet can they not be so well apayd so full of Peace and Joy in this their Kingdom as they may and will when these Objections shall be made to bow down before them and lick the dust at their feeâ— and all Difficulties be perfectly reconciled with that Truth which they hold and profess in this kinde Upon this account having in the Precedure of our Discourse setled this Great Doctrine That Christ gave Himself a Ransom for all Men without exception upon such Pillars of Scripture Reason and Authority that no man that shall duly weigh the Premisses can reasonably question the Truth thereof I judged it necessary nevertheless God not laying my Intentions in the dust by the hand of Death or otherwise to subjoyn the Vindication of the said Doctrine from all such Objections Exceptions or Encumbrances wherewith I finde it on every side oppugned and the course of it much obstructed in the Mindes and Judgments of some that so they who are or shall be perswaded of the truth of it may sit with so much the more ease in their Judgments and reign in the happy Contemplation and Enjoyment of so blessed a Truth with so much the more Peace and Joy In our intended Vindication of the said Doctrine or second Part of this §. 2. Work we shall God graciously continuing His assistance perform these three things First We shall deliver those Texts and Contexts of Scripture which contrary to their mindes and native tendencies and imports respectively are compelled to serve against the said Doctrine these I say we shall in the first place deliver from this hard service by loosing the bands of such Interpretations wherein they are detained upon that account Secondly We shall shew how the supposed Iron and Steel of such Grounds Arguments and Reasonings wherewith the said Doctrine commonly is assaulted are turned into stubble and rotten wood before it Thirdly and lastly We shall give some general and brief Answer to such Passages and Sayings which are usually alledged and cited from the Ancient Writers in way of opposition to this Doctrine Concerning the Scriptures which are commonly pressed to serve in that warfare we speak of the truth is that as notice hath been formerly given there is none of them can be brought to speak any thing at all no not in appearance against the Doctrine we plead but onely by the mediation of some deduction or inference raised and drawn from them by the Reasons of Men. There is no Scripture that hath yet been or indeed can be produced wherein it is either affirmed that Christ dyed onely for the Elect onely for Beleevers or the like or denyed that He dyed for all Men without exception The particular Places which are commonly managed with greatest confidence in the Actors and with most applause in the Spectators against the said Doctrine are these Mat. 20. 28. The Son of Man came not to be ministred unto but to minister and to give His Life a Ransom for many Unto which several others of like phrase and expression are wont to be added as viz. Mat. 26. 28. Rom. 5. 15 19. Heb. 9. 28 c. From these Scriptures with their fellows such an Argument as this is levyed He that gave his Life a Ransom for many shed his Blood for many for the Remission Vid. Acta Synodi Dordrec part 2. p. 97. p. 112 c. of sins made many righteous c. did not give his Life a Ransom for all did not shed his Blood for all for the Remission of sins c. But Christ gave his Life a Ransom for many shed his Blood for many c. Ergo. Joh. 10. 11. I am the good Shepherd The good Shepherd giveth his Life for the Sheep and Vers 15. I lay down my life for the sheep To these also other Vid. Act. Syn. Dordr part 2 p. 101. Et Chamier tom 3. l. 9. c. 13. Sect. 9. Passages of somewhat a like import are frequently joyned As Eph. 5. 25. where Christ is said to have loved his Church and to have given himself for it c. From such Premisses as these this Inference or Conclusion is much sollicited Ergo Christ gave his Life for his sheep i. e. his Elect onely gave himself for his Church onely c. Mat. 1. 21. Thou shalt call his Name Jesus for He shall save his people from their sins This Text likewise is wont to be seconded with some others Vid. Acta Synodi Dordrec part 2. p. 97 as sembling with it as Acts 10. 43. that through his Name whosoever beleeveth in him shall receive Remission of sins So also Rom. 3. 25. 10. 4. Heb. 5. 9 c. Upon these and such like foundations this Inference is built Ergo Christ came to save his People onely Beleevers onely sanctified ones only from their sins Joh. 15. 13. Greater Love then this hath no man that a man lay down his life for his Friend This I finde paralleld and strengthened with these words from the same Pen 1 Joh. 3. 16. Hereby perceive we the Love of God because He Vid. Collat. Hagâ—ens adversus secundam the sin Remonstrantium p. 133 layd down his life for us This pair of Scriptures afford unto some the Joy of this Consequence Ergo Christ did not lay down his Life for Reprobates or for those that are damned in Hell because then he should love them with the greatest Love that could be Joh. 17. 9. I pray for them I pray not for the World Upon this Basis this Vid. Acta Synodi Dordrec part 2. p. 100 Chamier Tom. 3. l. 9 c. 13. sect 2 Enthymeme is raised Christ refused to pray for the World i. e. the wicked of the World Ergo certainly he refused to dye for the World Rom. 8. 32. He that spared not his own Son but delivered him up for us all how shall he not with him also freely give us all things From hence the Doctrine
of particular Redemption is countenanced with this Argument Unto all those for whom God spared not but delivered up his own Son for them he will freely give all things But there are many thousands in the World unto whom God will not give all things Ergo for none of these did God deliver up his Son As to these Arguments and Deductions pretending legitimacy of descent §. 3. from the recited Scriptures respectively we shall clearly demonstrate the nullity of such their claim and prove that they have neither footing nor foundation in any the Premisses But Secondly Besides the recited Pleas against the Doctrine of General Redemption claiming such an immediate interest as hath been represented in the Scriptures there are many others seemingly confederate with some unquestionable Principles and Grounds both of Reason and Religion and bearing themselves upon the Scriptures also though in somewhat a more remote way The most considerable and those insisted upon with greatest importunity by the Adversaries of the said Doctrine are these following Such of them as I finde in the Writings of men of Worth and Name I shall set down with their respective Authors or Abettors noted in the Margent If Christ by his Death merited for us i. e. for those for whom He dyed 1 Reason against Gen Redemption the Reconciliation it self of our persons with God and that Grace should actually and really be communicated unto us which if he should not have done he should not have benefited those that are his to such a degree as Adam damnified those Acta Synodi Dordrect part 2. p. 82 that are his then did he not dye for all men without exception But the Antecedent is true therefore the Consequent also The Reason of the Consequence in the Proposition is because certain it is both from the Scriptures and by experience that the persons of all Men are not truly reconciled with God nor is Grace actually communicated unto them The Minor presumeth of it self If Salvation being the thing promised in the New Covenant be not promised 2 Reason but onely upon condition of beleeving and all men do not will not beleeve then Acta Synodi Dordr part 2 p. 82 certain it is that Christ by his Death obtained not Salvation for all men but for Beleevers onely But the former of these is true therefore the latter also The Consequence in the Proposition is presumed to be undenyable If the Death of Christ procured Restitution unto Life for all Men then 3 Reason were all Men restored hereunto either when Christ from Eternity was destinated unto Death which must needs be false because then no man should be born a child of wrath nor should original sin hurt any man in as much as this according to such an opinion should have been pardoned from Eternity nor should Infants or others stand in need of the Laver of Regeneration which is contrary to the assertion of Christ Joh. 3. 5. Or else they were restored in the Person of their first Parent Acta Synodi Dordr part 2 p. 82 83 when the Promise concerning the seed of the woman was promised which also is false because our first Parents themselves were not restored to an estate of Grace but by Faith in Christ therefore neither their posterity and so not All whether Beleevers or Unbeleevers Or else they were restored when Christ Himself suffered Death upon the Cross but this also is false For so none should have been restored before this moment of time which no man hâ—ldeth nor are all Men restored since this time for without all doubt the Wrath of God burned at the same instant of time and afterwards against some of the Accusers Condemners Crucifiers and Mockers of Christ If the Impetration and Application of the Benefits of Christ be never separated §. 4. 4 Reason or dis-joyned in their subjects then did He not impetrate these Benefits for All Men and consequently not dye for all Men because certain it is that Acta Synodi Dordr part 2 p. 87. vid. p. 94 97 113 c. there is not an Application of them made unto all Men. But the Impetration and Application of these Benefits are never separated the one from the other in their subjects Ergo. They for whom Christ by His Death actually procured and obtained Reconciliation 5 Reason with God Forgiveness of sins Righteousness and Eternal Life are made Acta Synodi Dordr part 2 p. 89 113 c. real Partakers of these Benefits The Reason is because nothing can be said to be procured and obtained by Christ for any man which at one time or other he doth not partake and enjoy But Unbeleevers who perish eternally never come to be Partakers of these Benefits Reconciliation with God Forgiveness of sins c. Ergo. They who by the Death of Christ are reconciled unto God are saved by His 6 Reason Life This Proposition beareth it self upon the Authority of Rom. 5. 10. But Acta Synodi Dordr part 2 p. 89 90 not All Men but onely the Elect and Beleevers are saved by the Life of Christ Ergo. They unto whom Christ was not ordained or given for a Mediator He 7 Reason did not reconcile unto His Father by His Death nor purchase Remission of Acta Synodi Dordr part 2 p. 90 sins or Eternal Life for them But Christ was not ordained or given for a Mediator unto Reprobates persevering in Unbelief c. Ergo. The Assumption presumeth to lean on the brest of Rom. 8. 32. a place already specified upon a like account If Reconciliation with God Remission of Sins and Eternal Life be 8 Reason obtained for all Men without exception by the Suffeâ—ings and Death of Christ then it will follow that all those who have not by actual Incredulity Acta Synodi Dordr part 2 p. 90 rejected the Merits of Christ remain truly reconciled unto God have their sins remitted and shall be eternally saved But this Consequent is absurd Therefore the Antecedent also If Christ by His Death made Satisfaction for all Men then might all 9 Reason Men upon the performance of the Condition of the New Covenant be saved and again upon an universal non-performance of this Condition all Acta Synodi Dordr part 2 p. 9â— ex pâ—â—te Men might be damned But as well the one as the other of these are and were impossible Ergo. The Reason of the Consequence as to the first branch of it is because satisfaction being made for any mans sins there remains nothing further necessary to his actual discharge or Salvation but onely the performance of the Condition upon which the application of the said Satisfaction is suspended The Reason of the latter branch of the Consequence is because if Satisfaction was made by Christ upon none other terms for some then it was for all it clearly follows that in case there be a possibility of a non-application of
actions necessitated 319. Natural Causes why ordinarily left to themselves 28 Nazianzen for Vniversal Redemption 534 Necessity free Causes not necessitated by any act of God 53 Nicene Council for General Redempt 544 Notions some of a lighter others of a deeper impression in the Soul 1 Nyssen for Vniversal Redemption 534 O OBedience natural and spiritual how differ 315. Spiritual the more perfect by how many the more motives raised Ibid. Oecumenius for Vniversal Redemption 543 Origen for Vniversal Redemption 535 536 For Falling away 334 Original sin not necessarily supposeth liableness to condemnation 519 P PArable of the Sower opened 291 Patience Gods Patience respecteth chiefly wicked men generally not elect or beleeving 422 Pelicanus for Vniversal Redemption 407 Perfection of life not fixed by God 42 43 Periods of life not fixed by God 8 9 Permissive Gods permissive Decrees not illative 25 26 Perseverance of Saints not promised absolutely 317 318. Such a supposition dishonoreth God Ibid. 319. Common Doctrine of Perseverance a most dangerous snare upon men 322. Reflects weakness upon the Holy Ghost 339. Occasioneth Jealousie amongst Brethren 342. Hath been unduly magnified 343 c. Ancient Doctr of Perseverance how come to be lost in the Reformation 383 384. Of signal necessity in matters of Christian Religion 388 Asserted by Ancient Fathers 378 379 380 c. Both by Councils and Synods 394. 〈…〉 fessions of many Churches Ibid. Piscator sometimes for Falling away 393 Denyeth Christ to have dyed sufficiently for all men 97 Possibility of perishing no ground of Fear that hath torment 474. God hath provided more then a bare possibility of Salvation for all 400 Praying no sign of Regeneration 346 Predestination what consistency with Gods Glory p. 69. Anciently held to be from foreseen Faith or Works 366 Prerogative wherein Gods Prerogative Will consisteth 67 68 Primasius for General Redemption 541 Promises made unto Perseverance made voyd by the common Doctrine of Perseverance 317 c. Promises conditional more engaging unto action 334 Prosper for Vniversal Redemption 539 540 Providence interposeth not out of course for most events Pag. 14 Mr Pryn his undue report of Austins Judgment in the point of Perseverance 383 Punishment what wonderful means God useth to prevent the eternal Punishment of the Creature 444 Purpose Gods Purposes and Executions still parallel 460 R REason some Reasons in general may be assigned of the equitableness of Gods ways not all in particular 349. Grounds of Reason how necessary for confirmation of Doctrines 453 454. No man to act without a ground in Reason 496 Reconciliation how God may be said to reconcile the World 88 89 Redemption Doctrine of general Redemption so necessary that the greatest enemies it hath cannot but build upon it at some turns 405 523. In what sence general Redemption is maintained in this Discourse 433 434 c. General Redemption typified by the brazen Serpent 520 c. by the Feast of Jubilee 521 522 What places of Scripture are commonly argued in opposition to it 563 564. The Arguments ordinarily produced against it 564 565 c. Redemption limited makes the Gospel a lottery 412 dishonorable unto God 413. quencheth hope and endeavor in men 414. frustrateth Christs Death in the main 465. representeth God as hollow-hearted 468. nourisheth Jealousies against God 476. injurious unto God 478. Scriptures commonly pleaded for limited Redemption 563 564 Arguments 564 565 c. Regeneration wherein resembleth the Birth natual 265 266. Repeated no inconvenience 329. It importeth a repetition of a generation or birth but not natural 329 330 Repentance why rather to be ascribed to God then to men themselves though it be their act 511 512 Reprobation 47 not from Eternity 514. not of individuals but species 63. The end of Gods Reprobation is that men should not be Reprobates 479. No Reprobation of men whilest righteous 513. Common Doctr of Reprobation miserably encumbred 514 515 Reward what actions capable of reward 319 341 Mr S. Rutherford his undue censure of general Attonement 73. His mistake about Joh. 17. 2. 116 S SAints capable of sinning out of malice 323 Sealing of the Saints with the Spirit 255 256 Servile what Obedience servile or mercenary 315 Simplicity of God 43 44 Simulation not in God 472 Sinners Pardon for wilful sinners typified in the Feast of Jubilee 521 Sins of infirmity what 323. Sin upon what account eternally punishable 443. What wonderful means God useth to prevent the eternal Punishment of the Creature for sin 444. Shortness of time to sin rather an aggravation then extenuation of sin 446 Spirit to be quenched what 325 T TAste what signifieth in Scripture 285 Tertullian for Falling away 371. For Vniversal Redemption 535 Threatenings against Apostates made voyd by the Common Doctrine of Perseverance 311 312 313. Work not but by the mediation of Fear Ibid. Truth many Truths oft asserted in the Scripture not so much for knowledg or belief as consideration p. 2. Reigneth when Objections are answered 562. Acknowledgment of the Truth proper unto Saints 283 Reigns not until Objections be answered 562 Dr Twiss his Notion about Christs praying for his Crucifiers 245. about Gods permissive Decrees 25 U UNbelief without power to beleeve no cause of wonder or of shame 500 501 c. Unbelievers upon what account unexcuseable 502 503 c. Unchangeable how God is unchangeable 208 Unregenerate no unregenerate person can have any ground of hope that he is or may be according to our Adversaries one of the Elect. 414 494 W WIll of God diversly taken in Scriptture 38. When or in what sence efficacious 473 474. How distinguished into Antecedent and Consequent 448 106 Will of Man not determined by God p. 5. Gods actings upon it how unfrustrable how Physical how Moral 305 306 307 c. Wisdom the more wisdom the less liberty to do unwisely 427. Requires variation in practice 428 429. Wisdom of God infinitely perfect 431 World what it signifieth 76 80 81 Z ZAnchius defines Justifying Faith by assent 400. for universal Redemption 559 A Table or brief Collection of some general Rules for the Interpretation of Scriputres delivered in the foregoing Discourse The Knowledg and Consideration whereof will give much Light into the Controversies there debated 1. IT is frequent in Scripture to express a thing after the manner of an Event or Consequent which shall or will follow upon such or such an occasion or means some ways likely to produce it which yet frequently cometh not to pass nay the contrary whereunto many times follows and comes to pass in stead thereof Pag. 216 221 234 2. Many Promises absolute in form are yet conditionate in matter and meaning 154 209 218 221 225 258 231 307 3. Promises m ade with respect to special qualifications are to be understood with such an Explicarion or Caution wherewith Threatenings against particular sins are to be interpreted 231 4. There is nothing more frquent in Scripture then to ascribe the Effects