the Spirit in every Faculty of the Soul and a partaking of every Grace though at the first forming it is not come to full Growth and Perfection there is not only Light in the Vnderstanding Convictions in the Conscience but the Will is subjected to the Will of God and Power of Divine Grace and the Affections are renewed and changed also to love as God loves and to hate as God hates 2. A Babe partakes of the Nature of the Father that begot him So does a Child of God partake of his Divine Nature he is after God created in Righteousness and true Holiness That which is born of the Flesh is Flesh and that which is born of the Spirit is Spirit 3. It is observed that Babes come into the World crying So a Babe in Christ or one born again comes into a State of Grace praying Behold he prays And though it be not universally true in Nature yet it is so in Grace always so he that prays not is not renewed nor born again 4. A Babe or Child new-born desires the Milk of its Mother's Breast So such who are born of God desire after the sincere Milk of the Word or the heavenly and pure Doctrine of the Gospel that they may grow thereby 5. A dear Child loves and honours his Father who begot him So every true Child of God does love and honour God If I be a Father where is mine Honour 6. A Child is grieved when the Father is offended and will take care that he doth not displease him if a dear Child So doth every Child of God mourn when God is offended and also takes special care and heed he displeases him not 7. A dear Child loves all his Brethren and Sisters So every one that is born of God doth not only love him that begat but also all those who are begotten of him 8. A dear Child will strive to follow and imitate his Father in all his Vertues So a Child of God follows God imitates God in all his imitable Perfections Be ye followers of God as dear Children 3. Reproof How doth this tend to reprehend the Enemies of God's People who abuse reproach backbite nay persecute them How will they stand in the Judgment-Day when Christ will say what ye did to this and that Child of mine you did it unto me He that toucheth you saith Jehovah toucheth the Apple of my Eye 4. This greatly raiseth the Honour of Believers What greater Dignity can be conferred on us than to be begotten and born of God This is more than to be Adopted Sons we are born of God partake of his Divine Nature Behold what manner of Love the Father hath bestowed upon us that we should be called the Sons of God Beloved now are we the Sons of God c. If David thought it no small Honour to be the Son-in-Law to an Earthly King what an Honour hath God conferred upon his Saints 5. And lastly You that are Saints read your Privilege If Children then Heirs But no more at this Time JOHN X. 28. And I give unto them Eternal Life and they shall never perish neither shall any pluck them out of my Hand I Closed last Day with the fifth Argument Sixthly I shall now proceed to my next Argument to prove That none of Christ's Sheep can so fall away as eternally to perish And that shall be taken from the Nature of that Divine Spiritual and Mystical Union that there is between every true Believer and the Lord Jesus Christ By the way Let it be considered that this Union by the in-dwelling of the Holy Spirit is not a Personal Union that is impossible he doth not assume our Nature and so prevent our Personality which as one observes would make us one Person with himself But he dwells in our Persons keeping his own and leaving us our Personality indefinitely distinct But it is a Spiritual Union a Mysterious and Mystical Union more to be admired than undertaken fully to be defined by any Man under Heaven Many Debates there have been about this Union amongst Learned Men some carry it too high and some too low for though it be not a Personal Union yet it is more than a Union in Love and Affection or in Principle in Design and Interest which may be between one Friend and another First It is such a strong Union intensively that Christ and a regenerate Man become one Spirit He that is joined unto the Lord is one Spirit One Spirit saith Reverend Charnock as if they had but one Soul in two Bodies What the Spirit doth in Christ it doth also in a Believer according to the Capacity of the Soul The same Spirit which was the immediate Conveyer of Grace to the Humane Nature of Christ is so to us Christ hath an Essential Holiness in respect of his Godhead but a Derivative Holiness as Man and this Derivative Holiness proceeded from the Spirit 's dwelling in him without measure which we have in our Measures And by virtue of this Union by the same Spirit whereby we become one Spirit with Christ not only that Grace which is in us and in the greatest Apostle is the same but that Grace which is in us and in our Blessed Mediator the Man Christ Jesus are of the same Nature and Original As the Light of the Sun and the Light of the Stars are the same but they differ in Degrees not essentially And as we say of Souls Animae sunt pares dignitate saith Charnock though the Actions are not the same because of the indisposition of the Organs and the predominancy of some particular Humour 'T is the same Spirit in Christ and a Believer as it is the same Soul in dignity which is in an Infant and a Man of most refined Parts It is more here for 't is the same Spirit in respect of his Person which makes Christ very near of Kin to us this Spirit must either desert Christ or us before this Union can be dissolved Not Christ for he had it in the World not in Measures and he is yet anointed with the Oil of Gladness above his Fellows Not us because the Promise of Christ cannot be broken This being the Top-stone of the Comfort of Believers in sending this Comforter that he may abide with us for ever Evident it is that it is such a Union that Believers are said to partake of the Divine Nature that the Holy Spirit is promised to them and in a spiritual manner is united to them and dwelleth and abideth in them and that for ever cannot be denied Christ shews us that this Union arises from our spiritual eating of his Flesh and drinking of his Blood He that eateth my Flesh and drinketh my Blood dwelleth in me and I in him But when some were offended and could not see how this could be he said unto them ver 63. It is the Spirit that quickneth the Flesh profiteth
therefore it is a very precious thing it is principally the Soul that Jesus Christ doth espouse it seems to be a proper or fit Match for the Son of God He that is joined to the Lord is one Spirit 4. And 't is not only capable of Union but also of Divine Spiritual Communion both with the Father and the Son That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you that you might have fellowship with us and truly our Fellowship is with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ That Communion we have in our Spirits with the Father and the Son is by the Holy Ghost by which we come to have through his gracious Influences a Communication of that which is truly and spiritually Good according to our Needs and to delight strengthen and rejoice our Hearts our Souls being changed into the Life and Likeness of Christ and walking in the Light of the Spirit we have Fellowship one with another that is Christ with us and we with Christ for till the Soul is regenerated it cannot have Fellowship with the Holy God for Light cannot have Fellowship with Darkness it is not earthly or sensual but a Divine Heavenly and Spiritual Communion O what a precious thing is the Soul of Man there 's no other Creature that is capable of these most excellent Privileges save Man Mankind only of all that dwell on the Earth Nor could we have had this Honour and Dignity conferred on us we should not I mean been capable Subjects of it had it not been upon the Account of the excellent Nature of our Souls 5. Our Souls are also capable it appears from hence of Divine Inspiration God in a gracious manner inspires our Spirits with glorious Light and Knowledg there is a Light of Acceptation and a Light of Inspiration Like as Astronomers tell us that the Moon iâ— of such a Nature that she is capable by the glorious shining and reflection of the Son to receive Light and so she shine and gives Light to us in the Night Thus the Moon is a Light of Acceptation but it is the Sun that gives Light to her So a Candle is made meet to receive Light but shines not gives not Light until it is lighted And thus also our Spirits are made meet to receive Divine Light from God The Spirit of a Man is the Candle of the Lord but it never shines with any supernatural Light until the Lord pleases to light it There is a Spirit in Man and the Inspiration of the Lord giveth him Vnderstanding In Man that is in every Man every Man hath a rational Soul in him fit to receive Divine Light and Inspiration if God please to inspire him therewith he hath not that saving Knowledg and Light naturally no not till he doth partake of the Inspiration of the Almighty Though Man be endowed with natural Light Knowledg and Reason and may understand in some measure the Parts of Natural Religion yet that Light is but Darkness compared to the supernatural Light of Grace or the saving Knowledg of God in Christ All true and spiritual Knowledg and Understanding is from the special Inspiration of the Almighty For what Man knoweth the things of Man save the Spirit of a Man that is in him even so the things of God knoweth no Man but the Spirit of God But though it be thus that Man's Spirit without the Teachings and Inspiration of God's Spirit cannot understand nor know the things of God that is the Mysteries of the Gospel or have the saving Knowledg of Christ yet there is a Spirit a Soul in him that is capable to receive this Light and Revelation of God when he pleases to enlighten him therein therefore I say the Soul of Man is a very precious thing and so tends to greaten the Salvation of the Gospel by which it is saved from Hell and Wrath. 6. The Soul is capable of Divine Contemplation it can muse meditate and contemplate upon God the highest and chiefest Being no other Creatures on Earth are capable to do this because they have no rational Souls What have some Men found out of the Mysteries of Nature by means of the Excellency of the Soul Nay and also what Knowledg have they attained of the God of Nature as might be demonstrated should I speak of Natural and Moral Philosophy c. though it is true and I deny it not but that the knowledg of these things is acquired in a great measure yet nevertheless all in the first place next unto God must be attributed to the Excellency of the Soul I am fearfully and wonderfully made marvellous are thy Works and that my Soul knoweth right well David ascribes that wonderful Knowledg which he had of the Works of Creation to his Soul No doubt he was well skilled in Philosophy and was a Man greatly given to Contemplation My Subâ—iance was not hid from thee when I was made in secret and curiously wrought in the lowest parts of the Earth How curiously and exquisitely hast thou as if he should say composed my Bones Muscles Sinews Veins and Arteries in my Mother's Womb and all the Parts and Members of my Body And my Soul contemplates all these things my Soul knows that thou art a wonderful working God O what a precious thing is the Soul of Man what pity is it that it should be lost and damned for ever and how doth this tend to demonstrate the Glory and Greatness of this Salvation for it was under Wrath and the Curse of God by Sin Sirs the Nature of the Soul is such that it leads a Man out to behold and magnify God in the Works of Creation and Providence tho it want supernatural Light and Knowledg But O when it comes to be divinely inspired what does it discover through the help of the same Spirit of God in Christ and of the Work of Redemption For all Knowledg to this Knowledg is but of little worth Paul therefore determined to know nothing but Christ and him crucified nay and accounted all natural Knowledg Gifts Wisdom and Improvements or whatsoever he once esteemed of to be but Dung in comparison of the Excellency of the Knowledg of Jesus Christ his Lord. 7. The Soul is precious doth yet further appear because without an enjoyment of God or a part and interest in him it can never by happy nothing short of God himself can fill its Desires This some of the Heathens by the dim Light of Nature came to understand it is restless until it comes to find God Rest Peace and Satisfaction in God who is the best of Beings and our chief Good The Soul is much like unto Noah's Dove which he sent out of the Ark that found no rest for the Sole of her Foot until she returned unto him in the Ark Therefore miserable will all those be that for ever shall one Day be separated from God should they meet with no worse Torment
whether this Light Power or Moral Grace as they call it be Natural or Supernatural Mediate or Immediate they do not seem well to accord about it Some of them as one observes say the Power of Natural Reason or the Exercise of Human Credence is sufficient to a Man being convinced of the Truth of the Gospel or of the Declaration of God's Love and Grace in Christ so that he may believe as easily as to believe any other Matter upon infallible Testimony Others call it a Gift or the Light of the Spirit which all Men have yet if thorowly examined it is no more than a Natural Gift Light or Ability That it is the special Grace of God or Illumination of the Holy Spirit is not granted but denied by these Men it being no other Grace or Power than is afforded equally to those who perish as to such who are saved It is not such Grace or Operations of the Spirit that infuses holy Habits which determines the Will or inclines it to Good but such Excitements that only awaken and rouse its Native Power it is such Grace that the Will may receive or refuse the whole Efficacy of it so far as I can gather it lies not in its own Nature nor from the effectual Operations of God's Spirit but from the Will of Man Now how contrary this is to the Truth of the Gospel and all the Experiences of renewed and gracious Persons I leave to their considerations yet to detect and condemn these Notions I shall add a word or two before I conclude 1. Can a dead Man quicken himself or be raised to Life without a vital Principle be infused into him Will Moral Swasions bring a dead Man to Life 2. Hath Man a Power naturally in him exceeding the Power of Satan Or is he stronger than that strong Man armed Or are not all Men naturally under the Power of the Prince of Darkness he taking them Captive at his Will Let this be considered for seeing God's Word doth positively declare this to be the State of all Men by Nature i. e. that they are under Satan's Power what signifies that which they affirm Will Satan be perswaded to release and let go his Captives which he holds down in strong Bonds and Chains Or doth not our Saviour expresly intimate he will keep all his Goods in security until a stronger than he comes and binds him and devests him of his Power 3. Is not Faith said to be the Gift of God and not only so but that we believe according to the working of God's Almighty Power and after the same manner that he wrought in Christ when he raised him from the Dead 4. Is not the Carnal Mind enmity against God having in it an utter Averseness and Moral Impotency to do that which is spiritually Good for it is not subject to the Law of God neither indeed can be 5. Doth not the Scripture say that those who are born again are not born of the Will of Man but of God And again it is said of his own Will begat he us And if so is not the Creature as passive in Regeneration as the Child is in Generation God doth not work on the Soul absolutely of his Will according to these Men but waits to see what Man 's Will will do all depends on Man's-Will Grace with them neither worketh Physically nor Irresistibly and that God cannot or doth not by any Divine Operations of unwilling make the Will of Man willing for after all God doth the Will hath power and oftentimes does resist it and render all God doth of none effect Now as a reverend Person well observes according to these Mens Doctrine as the Power for these great Concerns of Salvation is not in God or his special Grace so neither is the Act from him that which gives or work the Act determines the Will or causes it to determine it self but the Lord by his Grace brings it only to the Will 's choice and leaves it to do as it list The Lord by his Power works not the Will to turn to God to loâ—e God to imbrace Christ to yield to the Spirit but leaves it indifferent to turn to God or against him to love God or to hate him to imbrace Christ or reject him to yield to the Spirit or resist him It must be left indifferent as to either Grace turns not the Scales but leaves the Will an equal poise that the Will of Man not the Grace of God may have the casting weight if Grace should weigh it down the Liberty of the Will they say would be violated and in nature destroyed Is this the Doctrine of general Love which they will have to be in God to Mankind viz. Hath the Lord left it indifferent in his Eternal Purpose whether any should be saved or no For if the Will complies not God will not bend it or bring it by irresistible Grace in a Physical Way to a Compliance and though Christ in redemption according to them died for all yet he hath left it indifferent whether any should be actually redeemed or no for the depraved Will of Man determines the whole Event of all that which Christ hath done and the Gospel or the Spirit doth do and if some Men were not better natured and more considerate than others Christ might have died in vain And it follows also that such who are saved have more cause to admire their Wills compliance in believing than to exalt and admire the free Grace of God if what they say be true Alas this general Love of God they talk of that is but an indifferent respect to all or any for all are beloved alike or else God is a respecter of Persons they say ends in Love or Hatred as the Sinner's Will determines it If the Will accepts chuses and yields to Christ then the Person is beloved and chosen by Him but if the Will refuses as the Will of every Mortal might as well as one according to their Notion then he is hated Whatever particular Love they ascribe to God it is no other than what rises or is occasioned from the Sinner's Love to him God foresaw that such and such Persons would believe and love him therefore purposed to save them he foresaw that they would embrace chuse and love Christ therefore he loved them and chose them to Eternal Life provided they continue their Good-liking and Affections to God unto the End How they will be able to deliver themselves from these and such like Consequents from attending their Notions I see not The Apostle says We love him because he first loved us and that we have not chosen him but he hath chosen us But certainly if these Men consider their Principles when they speak of particular Persons they must say he did not love us first but we loved him and that he did not chose us first but we chose him And thus the Doctrine of God's Free Grace
so he hath now According as he hath chosen us in him before the Foundation of the World that we should be holy and without blame before him in Love Vs as such and such particular Persons not such of such and such Qualification viz. as being Believers obedient and holy Persons No no but that they might believe c. Election will produce Faith it is because they are elected that they do believe But ye believe not because ye are not of my Sheep as I said unto you that is not such as were ordained to believe and ordained to Eternal Life And as many as were ordained unto Eternal Life believed As it was hinted before Christ hath elect Persons or Sheep that yet believe not I have much People saith he to Paul in this City Unto these Testimonies I shall add one or two more as that of Paul touching the Saints at Thessalonica Knowing Brethren beloved your Election For our Gospel came not to you in VVord only but also in Power and in the Holy Ghost c. By the evident Operations of God's Spirit the Apostle knew they were elected We cannot know our Election but by special Vocation or as it is manifest in the Fruits and Effects of it There is a Knowledg of Things as our Annotators note on this place à priori when we argue from the Cause to the Effect So à posteriori when we argue from the Effect to the Cause Now what is Election but a chusing some out of others Thus the Angels that stand were elected and the rest were left to the Power they had or passed by or reprobated Peter also confirms the Doctrine of personal Election calling the Persons to whom he wrote his Epistle Elect according to the foreknowledg of God or his Eternal Purpose and therefore were separated unto God by special Grace or effectual Calling through sanctification of the Spirit to Obedience c. The Father Son and Holy Ghost are concerned in our Salvation the Father elects this is principally ascribed to the first Person in the Godhead the Son purchaseth he redeems and the Holy Spirit renews calls and sanctifies Now the Purchase of the Son extends no further than the Election of the Father nor the Sanctification of the Spirit further than the Purchase or Redemption of the Son Sanctification here takes in the whole Work of the Holy Spirit in Regeneration and actual Holiness to the final sitting and making the Soul meet for the Eternal Inheritance So much shall serve to prove that there is an Election of particular Persons Object But may be some will Object If this be so what need any Man concern himself about his Salvation as to seek it or labour after it for if he be elected he shall be saved but if not let him do what he can he cannot be saved he cannot frustrate God's Decree nor alter the thing that is gone out of his Mouth Answ 1. I answer All Mankind are under the strongest Obligation imaginable to God as he is their Creator and they his Creatures as he is their only Lord and Supreme Governour they are bound to fear him and obey his Laws let him do what he will with them Is not that a base and for did Principle in a Servant or Subject to do nothing but for meer Self-profit and Advantage 2. Paul was certain of a Crown of Life yet knew it was his Duty to press towards the Mark for the Prize of the High Calling of God in Christ Jesus and to keep down his Body He strove as strenuously against Sin as if Salvation could be merited by so doing so that his Election took him not off from a diligent Care in use of Means in order to his attaining to Eternal Happiness 3. God hath as well ordained the Means as the End as I newly told you both are appointed of God and equally under his absolute Decree Men are not elected to Salvation but also to Sanctification and Holiness 4. We are not to look upon the Decree of God as a Reverend Minister well observes for a Rule of Life but the Word of the Gospel secret things belong to God c. The Decree can neither be a Rule of Life nor Ground of Hope but the Precept and the Promise c. He that leads an ungodly Life and pursues his filthy Lusts may assure himself so living and dying he shall be damned for ever He that believes not in Christ but rejects him and despiseth all the Offers of his Grace to the End of his Life no Decree can save him therefore if he will go on in Sin presumptuously let him take what will follow On the other hand he that doth believe in Christ and conforms to the Holy Gospel need not doubt of Salvation no Decree can hinder him of Salvation Men ought to endeavour to believe and repent and close with Christ upon a Peradventure If God peradventure will give them Repentance to the acknowledgment of the Truth 5. Because God hath absolutely determined the Time of thy Life or how long thou shalt live And there it a Time thou canst not pass Wilt thou therefore forbear eating or use of Physick to preserve thy Life and say If I eat not I shall live my appointed Time What signify Means of Medicines I will take no Physick no Potion for it the Time is come God hath set in his Eternal Decree I shall die nothing can save my Life Would not all think you were under a fearful Temptation and Delusion of the Devil 6. Did not God absolutely tell Paul that he had given him the Lives of all that were with him in the Ship and that none of them should perish Yet he said Vnless these abide in the Ship ye cannot be saved Whosoever therefore that doth neglect the Means God hath appointed in order to the obtaining the End let it be what it will doth but tempt God and comply with the Devil let his Pretence be what it will 7. No Decree of God necessitates Men to sin for though the Free Grace of God is the absolute Cause of Election and no foreseen Faith or Holiness yet foreseen Wickedness Unbelief and Disobedience is the procuring Cause of the Reprobation and of the Damnation of them that perish O Israel thou hast destroyed thy self but in me is thy help 8. Were any ever damned that did what they could in the use of all Means under the Light of the Gospel to be saved Brethren God may justly and will condemn Men for their not improving their one Talent Nor will it be a good Plea for such to say I knew thou were an hard Man reaping where thou hast not sown c. Thus some Men seem to charge God I am not Elected There is an Election of Grace of special and distinguishing Grace and Man hath no Power in his own Will and God doth not give me Power to believe and
considered as the Head and all the Father hath given him as the Members of his Body chosen in him and united to him Therefore their standing in Christ by virtue of Election is like that of the Election of their Head Now can Christ cease being an Elect Head Every one will say No that is impossible No more can they cease from being Elect Members This of Election in Christ presupposeth an Union and there was a decretive Union from Eternity and that influenced their actual Union in Time and as certainly as Christ died rose again and ascended in the fulness of Time who was decretively a Lamb stain before the Foundation of the World so will God's Decree of Election in Christ as certainly bring in all the Elect into actual Union with Christ and carry them all to Heaven whither their Head as the Forerunner for us is already entered as sure as he is now there But you will hear more of this when I come to speak of that Argument simply taken from their Union with Christ 3 dly That the Saints of God or Sheep of Jesus Christ by virtue of their Election cannot fall away so as to perish for ever doth appear evident from one or two express Scriptures see Rom. 8. 28. We know all things work together for Good to them that love God who are the Called according to his Purpose For whom he did foreknow he also did predestinate to be conformed to the Image of his Son that he might be the First-born among many Brethren Moreover whom he did predestinate them he also called and whom he called them he also justified and whom he justified them he also glorified See here and I beseech you consider it and weigh it well for this Text is enough to convince one would think all the Opposers of this glorious Truth in the World or silence them for ever The Apostle begins the Happiness and eternal Salvation of all that shall be saved and the certainty of it in Election Whom he did foreknow that is whom he in his good Pleasure did pitch upon or think good to give to his Son to be his Spouse or Members of his Mystical Body he also did predestinate them and all them them and none but them he elected chose or appointed them to be conformed to the Image of his Son that is in Holiness c. but more of that by and by and whom he so predestinated or elected he called and them he justified and them and every one of them he glorified or will so call justify and glorify This is that place of Scripture which is called by some the Golden Chain by others the Chain of Salvation and it may very well be so called nothing can be more clear than this viz. That those who are elected shall be called justified and be all as certainly glorified 'T is not in the Power of all the Enemies of the Soul to break this Chain one part is so linked to the other it begins in Election and ends in Glorification So that our Election is a forcible Argument to prove there is no final falling for any one of the Sheep of Jesus Christ 4 thly It is because the Means is ordained by the unalterable Decree of God as well as the End True we grant Without Holiness no Man shall see the Lord And it is he that indureth to the End that shall be saved or such only that mortify the Deeds of the Body or Who by continuance in well-doing seek for Glory and Honour and Immortality Eternal Life But pray Brethren consider that God hath ordained all his Elect Ones to be holy and without blame before him in love or as Paul in that to the Romans before mentioned to be conformed to the Image of his Son Grace shall be given to them to renew them and to carry on and finally at last perfect Holiness in them For we are his Workmanship created in Christ Jesus unto good Works which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them No Man can do good Works until created and formed by the Lord This People have I formed for my self they shall shew forth my Praise They shall bring forth Fruit to the praise of his Glory see that emphatical Text John 15. 16. Ye have not chosen me but I have chosen you and ordained you that you should bring forth Fruit and that your Fruit should remain Not only ordained to Eternal Life as the End of their Election but also ordained to bring forth Fruit as the Way and Means of obtaining it Nay more that they shall persevere in bringing forth Fruit that your Fruit should remain 1. They shall not cease bearing Fruit because united to such a Root a Root that hath so much Sap in it or grafted into such an Olive Tree and they shall be made Partakers of the Fatness thereof Because I live ye shall live also Because their Root lives they shall live or because their Head lives they shall live Christ is the Head of Election the Head of his Mystical Body and of every Member of it a Head of Influence and he lives therefore they that are his true Branches or his Members according to Election shall live also they shall live a Life of Holiness the Life of Grace here and the Life of Glory hereafter 2. They shall bring forth Fruit because the Holy Spirit is given to them and shall remain in them for ever This Water will make them fruitful They spread forth their Root by a River and shall not see when Heat cometh but their Leaf shall be green and shall not be careful in the Year of Drought neither shall cease from yielding Fruit. Now if this be so if they are elected to use the Means or ordained to be Holy if it is the absolute Decree of God that they shall hold on their way and are united to such a Head that their Fruit shall remain and they shall not cease yielding Fruit then they cannot finally fall away Election secures them they shall not perish but have Everlasting Life But all this is true therefore they cannot perish 5 thly I argue from the Nature of the Election of the Blessed Angels All the Angels that stand were elected and it was this that secures them and preserves them from falling Those that fell were not elected and as evident it is not one of the Elect Angels are fallen nor can fall I marvel any thinking Christians should doubt of Election as it results from the absolute Soveraignty of God's Grace or good Pleasure of his Will since God by Election took hold of some of the Angels as well as some of the lost Sons and Daughters of Adam Was God unjust because he did not secure by his unchangeable Decree the standing of all the Angels but left some of them and only fix'd upon so many as he in his own Wisdom thought good They may as well charge this upon the
prayed the Father and was heard herein that all that the Father had given him might be one as He and the Father was one What can be a greater Argument to prove that that Union which is between Christ and Believers is an inseparable an abiding and an undissolvable Union The Union here doth not respect that Essential Union that is between the Father and the Son but in respect of Christ as he is our Head and Mediator in which respect the Father poured into him of his abundant Fulness that so we having a firm perfect and setled Union with him might in a glorious manner receive from him and be supplied with all things we need And Christ being the Medium of our Union with God both the Father's Union with Christ and Christ's Union with us are for the final Perfection and compleating that Glorious Work he hath begun in the Souls of his People until we all come to be with him where he is and behold his Glory If therefore we consider the Nature of this Union and the Prayer of Christ that it might be perfected and abide undissolvable it must follow that it is impossible for any Soul that is thus united to the Lord Jesus ever so to fall away as eternally to perish Fourthly By this Spiritual Union with Christ we partake of his Blessed Image or Divine Nature So that the Head and Members are of one kind and not like Nebuchadnezzar's Image a Head of Gold and a Belly and Thighs of Brass and Legs of Iron and Feet and Toes part of Iron and part of Clay This would be to make the Mystical Body of Christ a Monster an Immortal Head an Incorruptible Head and a Mortal Body and Members that may corrupt putrify and become loathsom No this cannot be such as is the Head as to Nature and Quality such is the Body and every Member in particular a living Head and living Members a Head of pure Gold and Members of pure Gold also a Head that cannot die and therefore the Members cannot die For Fifthly It is a Vital Vnion as you have heard that is to say the same Life that is in Christ is in all Believers And as it is in the natural Body the Members have not only Life in the Head but Life in themselves also and so long as there is Life in the Head there shall be Life in the Members so it is here And this must therefore be for ever for by the same parity of Reason that one Member may die or corrupt the whole Body may die and corrupt also But Christ is our Life and the Spirit which is the Bond of this Union communicates Life to every Soul in whom he resides and dwells and the Holy Spirit hath taken up his abode in Believers for ever He that hath the Spirit hath the Son and he that hath the Son hath Life I live yet not I but Christ liveth in me From hence I argue Arg. 1. If he that believeth in Christ or that hath Union with Christ is a Part or Limb of Christ Mystical then not one Soul that believes in Christ and has real Union with him can eternally perish Shall a Member of Christ perish or be torn from his Body Brethren was it Christ's Natural Body only that was concerned in that Prophecy A Bone of him shall not be broken Or did Christ take more care of the Members of his Natural Body than of the Members of his Mystical Body Arg. 2. If Christ's Love to and Care of the Members of his Mystical Body be greater than any Man's Love to or Care of the Members of his Natural Body can be then not one of Christ's Sheep or Saints can eternally perish But his Love to and Care of the Members of his Mystical Body is far greater than theirs can be therefore it follows no Believer can ever perish Arg. 3. If the Union between Christ and Believers be a Marriage-Union and that those that Christ does espouse and bring into that Relation to himself he doth espouse for ever if it is a Union like that Union that is between God the Father and Christ as Mediator if it be an indissolvable Union a Union which God nor Christ will ever break nor Sin Satan nor no Enemy can ever break then not one Soul that is truly and really united to Christ can ever so fall away as eternally to perish But all this we have proved to be true therefore not one Soul that hath true and real Union with Christ can fall away so as eternally to perish Arg. 4. If the Love of God and the Love of Christ abides firm for ever to every Soul that hath Union with Christ which is the Spring efficient and moving Cause of this Union then not one of them who have Union with Christ can perish But we have proved that the Love of the Father and Son abides firm for ever to every Soul that has Union with Christ therefore not one of them can perish for ever Arg. 5. If Christ died rose again and ascended into Heaven as the Head and Representative of all those that were given unto him and have Union with him then as sure as he is now in Heaven they shall every Soul of them come thither But this hereafter I shall fully prove and clearly God assisting make appear when I come to speak to the next General Argument Arg. 6. If the Union between Christ and Believers is so strong and firm a Union intensively that Christ and they become one Spirit so that as if there was but one Spirit in Christ and in them or what the Spirit is to Christ and doth to Christ as Mediator without measure he is to every Believer and does for every Believer in measure according to each Believer's Necessity and Capacity then this Union secures every Believer from falling so as to perish for ever But this we have proved is so the Spirit must either desert Christ as you heard or them if ever the Union be broken not Christ that all will say is impossible not Believers because of the blessed Union they have with him and also because Christ hath promised that the Spirit shall abide in them for ever Nay this is also the absolute Promise of the Father to the Son in the Covenant of Grace And as for me this is my Covenant with them saith Jehovah My Spirit that is upon thee and my Words which I have put in thy Mouth shall not depart out of thy Mouth nor out of the Mouth of thy Seed nor out of the Mouth of thy Seed's Seed from henceforth and for ever Arg. 7. By virtue of this Sacred Union because Christ lives the Saints or those that have Union with him shall live also which Blessing besides he has by a positive Promise assur'd them of then no Soul that hath real Union with him can perish But this our Blessed Saviour doth assert Because I live ye shall live also that is the
final falling away and that because it is said It is impossible to renew them again unto Repentance 2. It doth intend or comprehend such Persons that have received the Knowledg of the Truth or of the Way of Righteousness according to that in 2 Pet. 2. 20 21. They are such who have not only been enlightned but also are such who had tasted of the Heavenly Gift 3. Yet never were savingly illuminated wrought upon or regenerated by the Spirit and Grace of God Brethren there are great Attainments which Persons may arrive unto without one Dram of true saving Grace as the young Man also the foolish Virgins and those meant by the stony and thorny Ground Mat. 13. I shall now come to the Text it self And First Consider the Words with the Connexion of those things preceding and succeeding Secondly The Subjects or Persons spoken of under their divers Qualifications Thirdly What it is that is said concerning these Persons First As touching the Connexion of the Words with what precedes it is evident that the Hebrew Church or some among them had been slow and dull of hearing or very ill Proficients in the School of Christ viz. they had not attained to that Knowledg and Experience which for the time they had they might have arrived unto Chap. 5. 12. They seemed but Infants or Babes in Knowledg and had need to be taught again which were the first Principles of the Doctrine of Christ And from hence the Apostle acquaints them with the Danger of not persevering in the Knowledg of Christ and of not pressing forward or going on to Perfection And also intimates that this would give just Cause or Ground to fear that they were not sincere Christians and from thence gives them an Account of those that might sin the Sin against the Holy Ghost or of the miserable State and Condition of such who after high Illuminations and great Knowledg of the Divine Truth and a Profession of the Gospel do fall away whose Apostacy though at first it might be but partial yet might they not being truly regenerated end at last in a total and final falling away And that deadness dulness and non-proficiency in Godliness might and would end if their Hearts were not right with God in a final Apostacy Or as a worthy Writer notes he presupposeth Except they study to make Progress they shall go backwards and that going backwards tendeth to Apostacy And that voluntary and compleat Apostacy from known Truth doth harden the Heart from Repentance and cutteth off a Man from Mercy He accounteth our natural Security so great that there is need of most fearful Threatnings to awaken us out of it and that the way to be freed from final falling is to make a good Progression From hence note Doct. 1. That the severest Doctrine is not only useful but exceeding necessary towards Persons that are observed to be remiss and slothful in their Profession Yet Charity becomes a Minister nevertheless and not to censure a People from hence And this we may gather from what he saith with the Connexion of the Words with what succeeds But Beloved we are perswaded better things of you and things that accompany Salvation though we thus speak ver 9. Secondly We shall consider the Persons here spoken of under their divers Qualifications and great Attainments which are five-fold and yet notwithstanding all that they might fall away and perish for ever and if they did fall totally before they were truly regenerated their Apostacy would be final or it would be impossible for them to be renewed again by Repentance either to that State in which they were before or unto a better from whence there is no possibility of their final falling In this general Description of the Persons here mentioned let us consider four or five things more particularly 1 st Consider the Apostle's Design which is to declare or discover the fearful State and just Judgment of God against the Persons here meant or intended 2 dly That those five Attainments he here speaks of are acquired by some who had been Professors of the Gospel and look'd upon as eminent Christians such that had made a Profession of Repentance from dead Works and of Faith towards God and had been baptized and owned all other Principles of the Doctrine of Christ See ver 1 2 3. 3 dly That all those high Privileges and Attainments whereof they were made Partakers by the Gospel they afterwards despised or when under their Apostacy did contemn which loudly proclaims their Destruction from God to be just and deserved 4 thly That all their Privileges and Attainments as Reverend Dr. Owen observes do consist in certain Operations of the Holy Ghost under the Dispensation of the Gospel and therefore not such Persons that never professed it or had been enlightned thereby 5 thly And let it be well and for ever observed that the Apostle mentions not one of those special and distinguishing Marks or Characters of true Believers or Sanctified Christians As 1. Here is not a word of the Covenant of Grace into which they had been received nothing spoken of the Faith of the Operation of God in all those five Attainments they had arrived at 2. Not a word of their having attained to Union with Christ or of the Implantation of the Holy Spirit though they had had some kind of taste thereof 3. Not a word of Regeneration he doth not say It is impossible for such that have been born of God begotten of the Spirit No no nothing of that 4 Here is nothing spoken of their being justified or of Justification unto Life 5. Not a word in all their fivefold Attainments of Sanctification by the Spirit we read not of any effectual Calling they had arrived unto 6. Nothing is mentioned of their Election of Adoption nor of their Love to God or to his poor Saints none of these things are expressed or assigned unto them which do all appertain to every true Christian 6 thly It ought also carefully to be noted that when the Apostle comes to speak of his Hope of the Saints to whom he wrote i. e. that they were not such he lays down or describes by way of Intimation the Characters of true Believers by other distinguishing Qualifications But Beloved we are perswaded better things of you and things that accompany Salvation though we thus speak Now observe if those Persons he mentions that had been once enlightned and had tasted of the Heavenly Gift c. had been true Christians what better things could the Apostle be perswaded was in these Hebrews than was in them Are there better things than Vnion with Christ than Justification than Regeneration true Faith Pardon of Sin Love to God and to his People Sanctification of the Spirit and Adoption No no there are no better things that any Christian can attain unto in this Life than these Moreover 7 thly The Apostle clearly intimates that they were such who
said that those who follow Christ and suffer for him shall be rewarded at the Resurrection of the Just as Luke 14. 14. And in another Place it is said in the World to come as Luke 18. 30. So much shall serve to shew you what is meant by the World to come but before I speak to that Taste of the Powers of the World to come which the Persons spoken of in our Text are said to have let me add a word or two as touching the Nature and Glory of the World to come though we have as yet but only some dark glimpse of it But to proceed 1. It shall be a World not under the Curse of Man's Sin as this World is The Earth is under the Curse Briars and Thorns are the Fruit of the Curse and all Creatures groan under the Curse the Sin of Mankind hath brought upon them But when the new World comes in there shall be no more Curse instead of the Thorn shall come up the Fig-tree and instead of the Briar shall come up the Myrtle-tree The Creature groans under the Curse But it shall be delivered from the Bondage of Corruption into the glorious Liberty of the Children of God Envy shall depart from the Creatures they shall not tear and devour one another in the World to come as they do in this World see Isa 11. 6 7 8 9. It is in the World to come that all things shall be restored to that glorious State signified by the Restitution of all things Whom the Heavens must receive until the Times of the Restitution of all things which God hath spoken by the Mouth of all his Holy Prophets since the World began That which all the Prophets have spoken of and expected shall certainly come or be fulfilled 2. The World to come shall be a World without Sin a Holy World a Righteous World this present World is a wicked World an ungodly World but all the Inhabitants of that World to come shall be Holy they shall be all filled with Righteousness Hence it is Peter saith We according to his Promise look for a new Heaven and a new Earth wherein dwelleth Righteousness 3. The Government of that new World shall be alone in the Hands of the Saints no wicked Man shall be in any Place of Power there no corrupt Judges nor Justices Righteousness shall then bear Rule The People also shall be all Righteous they shall inherit the Land for ever the Branch of my planting the Work of my Hands that I may be glorified The Kingdom and Dominion and greatness of the Kingdom under the whole Heaven shall be given to the People of the Saints of the most High Whether they shall have the Kingdom before Christ comes or not I cannot determine though I suppose part of this Prophecy will be fulfilled before then but besure then they shall have all Kingdoms under the whole Heavens and the Glory and Greatness of them for ever 4. The World to come shall be a World without Sorrow and that is because it shall be a World without Sin whilst Sin remains Sorrow will remain but then no more Pain nor Misery shall any of God's Children indure for ever And God shall wipe all Tears from all Faces and there shall be no more Death neither Sorrow nor crying neither shall there be any more Pain for the former things are passed away The Inhabitant of that City shall not say I am sick 5. There shall be no Devil to perplex to tempt nor to disturb God's People Satan shall be bound though others think that shall be before this World begins in the greatest Glory of it 6. It shall be a World of great and wonderful Light which may be taken as I conceive both literally and mystically The Sun shall no more be thy Light by Day neither for Brightness shall the Moon give Light by Night but the Lord shall be unto thee an Everlasting Light and thy God thy Glory Compare it with Revelation 22. 4 5. And there shall be no Night there and they need no Candle neither Light of the Sun for the Lord God giveth them Light and they shall reign for ever and ever God will never withdraw himself from his People nor hide his Face in that World as oft-times he doth in this 7. It shall be a joyful World nothing but Joy and Singing in that World those who will not sing now if Godly shall sing then Behold my Servants shall sing for Joy of Heart but ye shall howl for Vexation of Spirit The World to come will be a sad and woful World to the Ungodly for there is a World to come for them I mean Eternal Misery in Hell But Believers shall sing in the Heights of Sion and flow together in the Goodness of the Lord. In the Heights of Sion or in the Time of the greatest Glory of the Kingdom of the Messiah Moreover it is said They shall rejoice even with joy and singing 8. They that dwell in the World to come shall have good and blessed Company glorious Company Christ's Company and the Company of all his Saints They shall sit down with Abraham Isaac and Jacob in the Kingdom of God Behold the Tabernacle of God is with Men and he will dwell with them He shall come then in the Clouds with Power and great Glory and we shall be taken up to meet the Lord in the Air and so shall we ever be with the Lord. To meet him in the Air he does not meet us we shall not be going up to Heaven as soon as raised no no but Christ will come down to us to dwell and reign with his Saints on Earth when that World begins Blessed are the Meek for they shall inherit the Earth He hath made us Kings and Priests and we shall reign on the Earth All the Godly are under this Promise therefore it must refer to the World to come and not be fulfilled till the Day of the Resurrection 9. It will be a World of great Riches Wealth and Glory the chief City in that World the Walls of it shall be Jaspar and the City was of pure Gold Though this City may be a Figure of the Church yet no doubt there is more intended it is that City Abraham Isaac and Jacob sought for that had Foundations every Saint in that World shall have a Kingdom and a Crown of Glory though it be all but one Kingdom yet it shall be as if every one only possessed it himself Henceforth there is laid up for me a Crown of Righteousness which God the Righteous Judg will give to me in that Day and not only to me but to all them also that love his appearance Some Saints have hardly enough Bread to eat in this World that shall have a Crown a Kingdom in the World to come Hearken my beloved Brethren Hath not God chosen the Poor of this World rich in
177 to 298 Objections for final falling answered 298 to 312 Fan. What is Christ's Fan shewed in six Particulars from p. 9 to 17 Father God the Father the Contriver of our Redemption 377 The Father could only appoint the Terms or Way of our Recovery 378 The Father substituted and appointed Christ to be our Saviour and Surety 378 The Father prepared Christ a Body and sent him into the World The Father chose us in Christ the Father draws us to Christ 378 379 Fire Why God's Wrath is compared to Fire shewed in eight things 31 32 33 Grace compared to Fire 288 Floor What is Christ's Floor shewed 3 4 5 6 1. Jewish Church 2. National Churches 3. Congregational Churches Follow How Christ's Sheep follow him opened in eight Particulars 115 116 117 Food The Nature of Spiritual Food opened in seven Particulars 137 Full. Gospel-Salvation a full and compleat Salvation opened at large 421 to 429 G. Garner What meant by Christ's Garner viz. 1. His Church 29 2. Heaven 30 Chaff as well as Wheat in Christ's Garner below but none in his Garner above 30 Ghost Sin against the Holy Ghost what 360 361 362 363. How false Professors may be said to partake of the Holy Ghost 334 Good The Word of God Good in what respect 335 336. Grace Vocation of God's Free Grace 151 Faith is a Grace and of God's pure Grace and Favour 151 Repentance a Grace 151 Why Eternal Life is meerly of Grace shewed in five Particulars 154 155 The Father sent Christ to merit Grace for us the Son purchased Grace for us and the Holy Spirit works Grace in us 382 383 Grace works physically 448 The Spring Author and Excellency of Grace as 't is a Divine Principle in Believers opened 286 287 288 289 Gross Acts of Sin may be left by unrenewed Persons 448. H. Habits To change the evil Habits of the Heart is the Work of the Spirit of God only not in Man's Power 448 Hand What meant by the Father's Hand 249 250 251. What meant by Christ's Hand 273 to 280 In what sense Christ's Sheep may be said to be in his Hand 280 to 284 The happy State of Believers by being put into Christ's Hand 276 278 280 281 Heaps Many Heaps of prophane Persons in the National Floor 4 5 6 Hell Torments direful opened in many respects 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 c. Hypocrites How Hypocrites may be known or the Chaff from the Wheat 18 to 25. I. Importance The Salvation of our Souls matter of chiefest Importance we have to mind whilst in this World 441 442 443 Intercession The Nature and Power of Christ's Intercession opened 293 294 Interests All Interests concerned about our Salvation are secured in Christ how 275 Judgment Eternal Judgment an Essential of the Christian Religion 86 Justification Justification how or what 95 96 Justification wholly of Grace 151 The Nature of Justification opened 414 415 Justification compleat 416 Christ's Righteousness being the Matter of it 415. Justification not a gradual Act as Sanctification is in us those that are justified are perfectly justified and for ever justified 263 415. K. Kingdom What meant by Christ's delivering up the Kingdom to the Father 345 Kingdom of Christ very near 353 Kingdom of Christ when it begins 345 It will be glorious 344. Knowledg The Knowledg Christ hath of his Sheep largely opened 98 to 107 Non-proficiency in Knowledg very dangerous 321 Some People perish for lack of Knowledg 445 L. Lake Hell a Lake of Fire 55 Law The Law must be satisfied for our Breach made of it Pag. 152 The Gospel justifies not as a mild Law of Grace requiring sincere Obedience according to the new Doctrine 153 Perfection of Obedience as well required under the Gospel as under the Law tho not of us in point of Justification 152 153 154 Moral Law not abrogated 153 154 Why Christ was made under the Law 238 239. Life Eternal Life A threefold Life of Man 143 What meant by Eternal Life 143 144 How and why Eternal Life is meerly of God's Grace 147 148 149 150 153 154 Why Christ will give Eternal Life to his Sheep 155 156 How Christ is said to be our Life 264 Believers have Eternal Life now how 144 Love The Love of the Father what 184 It secures the standing of Believers in a State of Grace 185 186 c. Love of Christ an early a wonderful a conjugal an attracting and an inconceivable Love it passeth Knowledg 195 196 197 Christ's Love secures our standing also 198 Love to the poor Saints and relieving them for Christ's sake a better sign of true Grace than the greatest of spiritual Gifts 323. M. Mark What the Mark is on the Forehead and right Hand 119. Means The Means of Salvation as well as the End is ordained of God 300. Memory A strong Memory but a natural Gift 38. Mercy God's Mercy manifested in its greatest Glory in Christ 372 Had not God vouchsafed a Redeemer Divine Mercy had never been manifested 372 Divine Mercy will rise up against such that neglect the Gospel-Salvation 468. Ministers Christ the great Minister of the New Testament 429 Ministers Office a high and sublime Office 431 Ministers Christ's Ambassadors 431 Ministers to be careful lest Chaff be let into the Church which is Christ's Garner 30. Murder Self Murder not an unpardonable Sin 51 361. N. Name Names Christ a Name above every Name what 380 What Names Christ hath 380 Christ's Name according to his Nature Nation National The National Sins what great odious and hateful to God 4 5 6 National Church of the Jews dissolved and gone 4 33 No National Church under the Gospel 33 34. O. Office The Office of the Holy Spirit what 461 Such that neglect Gospel-Salvation strive to obstruct the Holy Spirit in the discharge of his Work and Office 461 462. Old The Old Heaven and Old Earth shall pass away to make way for the New 345 Orphan Believers are in Christ's Hand as an Orphan is in the Hand of a faithful Guardian 283. P. Pardon Pardon of Sin what 413 Pardon of Sin a great Blessing opened in six Particulars 413 Passions All the Passions of the Soul let out in Hell will add to their Misery 58 59 60. Pastures What the Pastures are where Christ feeds his Sheep 130 131 132 134. Peace a Gospel-Blessing it passeth all understanding 418. Perseverance Final Perseverance of the Saints proved 177 to 297 Objections against the Saints Final Perseverance answered 297 to 310. Personal Election what Personal Election proved 170 172 173. Portion God the Portion of Believers What a Portion God is opened in eleven Particulars Pag. 427 428. Prayer The Nature of pure spiritual Prayer 134 135. Prayer one of Christ's Pastures 134. Principle From what Principle true Christians act towards God 324 Grace a Vital Principle 288 Grace an abiding Principle 289 to 296. Promises Promises of God a fat Pasture for Christ's Sheep 135. Providences The profit