Again The Apostles were not of the World as he was not of the World because he engaged himself in life and Doctrine in opposition to the Apostate World both men and Angels And so in some degree did the Apostles and all Beleevers and so they were not of the World as he was not of the World from this ground it is that he said to his Father I pray not for the World that is for them as to their course of life and conversation but for them which thou hast given me out of the World that is Apostles and Beleevers that thou wouldest keep them from the evil The third Quere What meaneth our Lord by these words for their sakes sanctifie I my self that they also may be sanctified through thy truth Answ He meaneth that the Apostles should be sanctified by his word of truth because by it he did sanctifie himself to his work as it respected his Fathers final end Therefore cursed be for ever that Doctrine of the sneaking Quakers and our Familistical ranting Popelings by whom the Apostate Angels endevour to adulterate the most pure Oracles of God the old and new Testaments Secondly Although he thus prayes that it might sanctifie them in their work as it had done him yet we must note this by the way he was not unholy before for if we consider him as the second in the one Jehovah so he was infinite in holiness or personally God-man for so he was perfectly holy because that humane seed which was elect out of the fallen Masse to be assumed in the course of nature in the womb of the Virgin was totally separated from the least tincture of the nature of Devils sin I mean because the Virgin was over-shadowed by the Holy Ghost therefore that holy thing was called the Son of the most high Luk. 1.35 that is above all created natures in a superlative degree Quest If you ask me how could he be sanctified by the word of truth who was so sanctified in his divine and humane nature Answ Very well Heb. 5.8 for as he did grow in stature and wisdom so he learned obedience by the things he suffered that is Luk. 2.40 52. he did grow in degrees of heavenly wisdom in the sacred Oracles of God that is the old Testament and also in the words which himself received from his Father and gave them to his Apostles in the 8. v. of Jo 17. which now to us is the new Testament and as he did grow from Child-hood to a youth or young man to a perfect man he still kept close to his Fathers words from whence he was able to dispute with the Doctors at 12. years age to dispute with the Devils alledging It is written and custom makes another nature in good Luk. 4.4.8 as well as in evil for we see by his sufferings he learned obedi-ence that is better and better Object If it be objected Object That if he were more perfect then formerly consequently he was formerly lesse perfect consequently he sinned because he fell short of his Fathers will I answer Answ Not so for his Fathers Law requires man to love God but with all his soul and all his strength and his Neighbour as himself but no more then is proper to his kinde Therefore he sinned not And for his divine nature it being without limits in its Essence is without Law in his operations Again he being not created as was the first Adam a perfect man at once but being born of Woman came to it by degrees as is formerly proved yet in every degree he did as himself saith alwayes those things that pleased his Father Jo. 8.29 therefore he sinned not Again Our Lord did not thus sanctifie himself onely to accomplish his Fathers final end himself but also for his Apostles sake for saith he for their sakes sanctifie I my self that is to give them example how to go on ministerially in that which himself hath done fundamentally whence in the 18th verse he saith As thou hast sent me into the World even so I have sent them into the World that is to a World of Heathens and to a world of proud formal professors the Jewes his Elect Spouse for he came to his own and his own received him not To this end he gave his Commandement to the Apostles to go forth to the World Jo. 1.11 saying Goe ye therefore and teach all Nations baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost teaching them to observe whatsoever I have commanded you and loe I am with you alwayes that is Mat. 19.28 by my spirit for that is implyed Again He sanctified himself for all beleevers that he that sanctifieth they that are sanctified may be one not only in sufferings but in holiness insome degree in this life and to be perfect in one in the next Heb. 2.11 as is proved for he did know as satans lies believed by our first Parents we in them was und is the universal ground of all unholiness and ungodliness so on the contrary he did know that his Fathers truth beleeved and obeyed is the universal ground of all true holiness and godliness and therefore prayed sanctified them with the truth thy word is truth that is the only alone truth so to do by the spirit of truth which goes along with that word which the world that lives in weakness knowes not Therefore O you friends of the Bride-groom keep close to the pure truth of the Oracles of God for the grounds of your Doctrines expositions and applications and be content with the simplicity thereof and look not too much upon this or that mans expositions as to put too much stresse upon any mans wit or learning for their mistakes are numerous But above all keep to the four grounds manifested in the Oracles of God for in themselves they are infallible The first is Mans pure naturals as he was created by God for in holiness and righteousness created he him The second ground is the Covenant of works between God and Adam and these two States were distinct and each did stand alone before mans fall The third ground is the fall of man The fourth ground is the restauration of the whole Creation by Christ the second Adam The which four grounds in some measure are opened in the four first Chapters of my first Treatise upon which grounds that first Book my second Book and this third Book are built by him who makes use of the foolish things of the World 1 Cor. 1.27 to condemn the wise and when you see a Bee work beyond his wit then know there is a greater efficient than it Again The Father gave not only twelve men of all flesh to be Christs Apostles nor only all right beleevers of all flesh to be his mystical members here but if they continue to the end to be triumphant in Heaven to eternity But also he
but to some To the first Deut. 6.4 This power was not given to him by his Father as he is the one Jehovah for so it was his owne and therefore could not be given him What is meant by that seventh means is at large declared in my second Treatise Matt. 28.18 Nor may it be said to be given him as he is the second Elohim in the one Jehovah simply considered for so he is not Christ But most properly it was given him of his Father the first Elohim in the one Jehovah as he was personally God-man the seed of the Woman the second Adam and seventh means to carry on his Fathers final end for which very end his Father gave him all power both in heaven and in earth Secondly the Extent of that power is over all flesh which reacheth all humane Nature none excepted for by this power all mankind shall be either saved or damned according to the tenor of the Gospel as is at large proved in my second Treatise Chap. 12. Not by any power from the Covenant of the first Adam nor by that supposed Law of Works delivered by God to Moses But all flesh ever since the Fall stands under the universal grace of God in Jesus Christ before faith or else in the special grace of God through Jesus Christ after faith as is proved at large in my two former Treatises Thirdly the End wherfore this power was given him is That he should be the only dispenser of his Fathers gift of Eternal life wherefore he onely reacheth this gift of Eternal life in the sacred Oracles of the Old and New Testament by the hand of his Spirit in the Ministery by the Apostles and others for so onely this Eternal life comes expresly to be known to man that by beleef he may receive the gift thereof as in his very next words to his Father is implyed Vers 3. This is life Eternal that they may know thee the onely true God and Jesus Christ whom thou hast sent For man is onely capable of his deepest misery or his highest felicity by his knowable powers that is as he is a reasonable creature Fourthly the restraint or limitation to which this eternall life is bound that is not unto all but unto some to as many as thou hast given him and no more for that is implyed Now there are severall sorts of men which the Father hath given to Christ and in several respects in order to his final end but they may be all reduced to three heads First his Father gave him twelve men of all flesh and no more primarily to be his dispensers under himselfe of this gift of eternal life Secondly the Father gave him all right beleevers to be the mystical members of his body and no more of all flesh except all dying in infancy or the like for all such are his mystical members as is proved in my first Treatise Pag. 36 37. Thirdly some part of all flesh as have Apostatized so farr from this posture as to become dead in sinnes and trespasses are given to Christ that he may give them eternal life and some of them are not nor ever shall and those that are given him are given him some at one time and some at another And first concerning the twelve they were not created by him as he was Christ and therefore were given him of his Father as is proved by his own words Vers 8. I have given them the words which thou gavest me Vers 11. Holy Father keep through thine own name those that thou hast given me Vers 12. While I was with them in the World I kept them in thy name those that thou gavest me Vers 20. Neither pray I for these alone but for them also which shall beleeve in me through their word Therefore it is clear That these twelve Apostles were given him of his Father of all flesh and no more To be primarily under him the dispensers of his word to destroy the works of the Devil out of the minds of men But I will propound foure Queries for the further clearing of this 17th Chapter of John in which will fall the other two heads formerly mentioned First Quere How can those men which rightly beleeve be one even as Christ and his Father is one I in them they in me That they may be made perfect in one vers 23. Answ That which made God and all humane nature two I mean not in Essence for so they were never one nor could not never shall be But that which made God and man two was mans error or sinn And so in the fall the Apostate Angels and man were totally one in wills and operations And on the contrary God and man were perfect in one before the fall because then in relation to Gods will mans will was created perfect because he was created perfect in holiness and righteousness and during that estate were perfect in one But seeing they were disjoyned and made two by the fall now Christ by his word and spirit doth make the will of God and man perfect in one in the perfection of parts in this life but the perfection of degrees is reserved for the life to come and then the Fathers will Christs will and the will of the Saints shall be perfect in one that is the Fathers final end to his own glory This was Christs glory he had with the Father before the World was Vers 5. That God before the World was did elect and ordain as it were that drop of humane Seed to be in time assumed and so to be personally God-man that he might make God and man perfect in one 1 Pet. 1.20 Gen. 3.15 or else That the Apostate Angels and all ungodly men should be made one in misery to all eternity And thus Gods final end herein is fully perfected upon all flesh as to that Text It shall bruise thy head The second Quere is verse 16. What meaneth our Lord by these words They are not of the World even as I am not of the World Answ As he was not of the World of men which set down their content and happiness in this Worlds good but he used it as if he used it not So the Apostles and all right Belleevers were of the same mind in some degree and therefore he said They are not of the World as I am not of the World Secondly The Apostles and right Beleevers are not of the World as Christ was not of the World because they do receive and obey the world of Christ which the World does not Christ perfectly they imperfectly but truly Vers 14. I gave them thy word and the World hated them because they are not of the World as I am not of the World And concerning the Apostles he saith Vers 8. I gave them thy words which thou gavest me and they have received them and have known assuredly that I came out from thee and they have beleeved that thou didst send me
in power Vers 7. So that you were an example to all that beleeve in Macedonia and Accaia that is that beleeve according to the judgement of charity for of such onely the visible Churches under the Gospel were constituted being admitted by Baptisme So Peter applyes the word Elect to the visible members of Christ scattered throughout Pontus Galatia Asia 1 Pet. 1.1 2. and Bithinia Elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father through sanctification of the spirit unto obedience c. So Paul stileth the Gospel whose most proper residence is in the visible Churches of Christ and their beleeving there in the faith of Gods Elect Paul Tit. 1.1 a Servant of God and a Servant of Jesus Christ according to the Faith of Gods Elect and acknowledging of the truth which is after godliness likewise saith Paul I endure all things for the Elects sake 2 Tim. 2.2.10 that they may also obtain the salvation which is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory Sometimes this word Elect is applyed to particular members of the visible Church 2 Joh. 1.13 the elder unto the Elect Lady and her Children 1 Joh. 1.13 whom I love in the truth the Children of thine Elect Sister great thee Amen Sometimes this word Elect is applyed to the universall visible Church of Christ but most particularly to all right beleevers therein And shall not God avenge his own Elect Luk. 18.7 which cry day and night unto him though he bear long with them I tell you he will avenge them speedily and so he did avenge divers times the visible Church of the Jews upon their Adversaries as he now doth on the behalf of the Church of the Gentiles against their enemies And sometimes this word Elect is applyed more close as to the invisible members of Christ which are those that purely worship him in spirit and in truth And the Psalmist saith Thou choosest to thy self the godly man Psal 4. for these are such as are known to God onely and not to men infallibly Hence saith the Apostle the foundation of God standeth sure the Lord knoweth those that are his infallibly for that 's implyed 2 Tim. 2.19 To this point our Saviour speaks Then shall he send his Angels and gather together his Elect from the four winds Mark 13.27 Mat. 24.31 from the utmost part of Heaven And he shall send his Angels with the great sound of Trumpet and they shall gather together his Elect from the four winds from one end of Heaven to the other So that the scope of the new Testament concerning Election runs according to the scope of the old but neither speaks for the foresaid threefold erroneous elections CHAP. IV. Answering some familistical Objections against the premises FOr they deny all Elections and rejections of mankind as well those that are true as those that are false both from several Texts which I have answered in my second Treatise Eccles 12.7 and from Eccles 12.7 the words are Then shall the dust return to the Earth as it was and the spirit shall return to God that gave it that is say they the body being returned to his dust the spirit returns to God to be essentially his nature and therefore there shall be no individuals of men to be saved or damned to eternity for all shall be God This Objection takes for granted that to be a truth Answ 1 which is a lye and unpossible for Psal 147.5 The Text affirms Psal 147.5 God is infinite and the Heathen man could say He is all Center and no circumference and an infinite admits of no diminition nor addition for then it ceaseth to be infinite Secondly I answer according to the being of a thing such is its operation therefore if the spirit which is in man be infinite let it produce suitable operations and wee 'l beleeve it as did our Lord that was personally God-man yet the divine nature did not animate a humane body as doth the soul and spirit of man as these men dream and he did produce suitable actions for he laid down his humane body in death and took it up again he walked on the waters with the soals of his feet and in an instant turned water into wine and gave the man sight that was born blind And if they be God why do they not cause the Sun to go back so many degrees as pleaseth them and command the Seas and the winds to obey them for Christ by his heavenly Doctrine confirmed by numerous miracles was mightily declared to be the Son of God Rom. 1.4 2 Tim. 3.12 13. but you are declared to be as you are as saith the Apostle that is evill men and seducers shall wax worse and worse deceiving and being deceived Again I answer 'T is true The spirit returneth to God who gave it but it is one thing that it returns to God another thing that it returns to be God which is impossible as is proved But you will demand of me in what sense according to the Text doth the spirit of man return to God that gave it I answer negatively and affirmatively Negatively thus The Spirit is no neerer in its nature to the nature of God when it is out of the body than when it is in the body for both body and spirit do live and move and have their being in his essence for the Text saith Act. 17.28 In him we live and move and have our being Again I answer As that being which all created natures have is bottomed in the being and essence of God on which it depends so as it cannot move the breadth of a hair further or neerer by its own local motion nor by death neither by annihilating it self for even wicked men are so bottomed upon his being that they may be to be tormented to eternity although they seek death or annihilation so saith the Text. They shall seek death Rev. 6. and shall not find it and shall desire to die and death shall flye from them and the ground why he will thus continue men and Angels to eternity is for his final ends sake for which he made all that they might be Vessels of honour or dishonour according to their works Secondly Affirmatively I answer the spirit of man returns neerer to God in its own apprehension of him when it is out then when it was in the body both of good and bad men for while it is in the body there are several mediums that do interpose its apprehensions of God but when it hath left the body these mediums do vanish and therefore it hath then a more immediate apprehension of God But you will ask me what are these mediums I answer they are primarily three The first is its body of sense in which it is involved and the spirit while it lives in it receives all objects by its five senses as doth a Bruit The second medium is the frame of this inferior World it
therefore neither of these were lost in Adams fall The third distinction is as concerning the freedom of the will to righteousness that is rightly to choose Gods word and God himself as his cheefest good and rightly to refuse whatsoever is contrary to this Man in the fall lost all this totally and whatsoever else did tend to blessedness for although God created his nature in righteousness and holiness yet holiness and righteousness was not his nature for if it had been so it could not have been lost in the fall for the being of the Creature depended not upon the standing or falling of Adam but upon the Essence of God onely Now that which did depend upon his standing or falling was every thing that any way tended to his happiness and nothing else therefore the Lord Jesus Christ by all his works does no way extend to the being but to the blessedneses of the Creatures wherefore if man would have blessedness he must look only to Christ and keep to his rules for he is the Authour of eternal salvation to all that obey him otherwise not for that 's implyed If it be objected Object that consequently it followes that the salvation of the Saints is altogether uncertain and so there is a possibility that none shall be saved 'T is true Answ there is such a possibility in the nature of the two foresaid Contingencies as also in the nature of original sin to byas the will to evil and in these three respects it is possible that all the Saints may fail of salvation yet notwithstanding the Contingencies pronounced by the tenor of the Gospel that is He that beleeves and continues to the end shall be saved that 's implyed if not shall be damned And notwithstanding the wills natural liberty or the wills being thus byassed by original sin yet it is far more possible for all the Saints to be saved then it is possible for them to be damned for the Gospel-tenor pronounces salvation to beleevers and they are by faith possessed of the chiefest good therefore the wills natural liberty hath more reason to keep to the highest good which it hath possession of because it is suitable to the natural property of the will to follow good as the eye to follow light therefore much more this true good of which it is possessed before any other seeming good And whereas the will is byassed by original sin to evil the will in the Saints is much more byassed according to the degrees of their graces to that which is good by Regeneration because Regeneration in the nature of it contains virtually at least the spirit of love of power and a sound minde therefore it is more possible that all the Saints shall be saved then any of them should fail of salvation by the three Contingencies aforesaid If it be objected Object That Satans temptations and the Worlds alurements do forcibly draw out original sin to a custom in actual sin and so it is likewise possible that the Saints may fall totally from good to evil If they exercise that degree of their spirit of love Answ of power and a sound minde then they shall finde that he that is in them is stronger then a world of Devils and wicked men and their own corruptions to carry them on from strength to strength in Syon to that stability as never to fall as is formerly proved If it be objected Object The Saints through negligence in exercise of their graces may loose their first love and make shipwrack of that faith and conscience that was once good and so may fall totally away In this case there is far more danger Answ then in the former contingencies except they return in time but if they do timely return although their strength be brought very lowe and weak yet if they do return in that small strength which remains they may be saved for two reasons First Because then God will pardon their sin for to the Saints it is that the Text saith If any man sin we have an advocate with the Father Jesus Christ the righteous who is the propitiation for our sins c. Secondly If they return in time in that small strength which remains Christ by his spirit will assist and comfort them in that return if their strength be but as a bruised Reed or smoaking Flax for to such he saith Come unto me all ye that are weary and heavy laden and I will refresh you Thus he did to David and Peter and so he will to any other for he is the same God to the Saints which suffer ship-wrack by their own negligence now as then But they must thus come and return which is repentance for God forceth or compelleth the will of no man for then mans will is no will no more then he doth make a man to be man without a reasonable soul for so he is no man Again I answer If the Saints do give diligence and shake off negligence adding to their faith vertue as is described then God will make his word of an immortal force by the power of Christs spirit and keep them through faith unto salvation and establish them as Mount Sion that shall never be moved therefore it is far more possible that all the Saints may be saved then to fail of salvation Now the ground of the point is this To the Saints that so exercise as a reward of their works and labor of love through divers temptations God will habitually manifest himself virtually to the will which will draw the will habitually and hold it to himself virtually at least and on this particular depends their stability But what this manifestation is shall be proved in the next Chapter CHAP. VIII In which is proved what is that manifestation that so drawes the will to keep to God virtually at the least FIrst It is written Luke 24. Luk. 24.13 Our Lord appeared to the eleven Apostles and the two men that went to Emmaus and opened to them the Oracles of God which spake of himself Ver. 44. And the Text saith Then he opened their understanding that they might understand the Scriptures that is more clearly the mystery of his sufferings and Resurrection Verses 45 46 47. This further clearing of the understanding in the Saints in order to their perseverance and to the Apostles in order to their Ministery contains in it two things The one is right information to the understanding of the word of God as here we see Christ to these two men informs them of his sufferings and Resurrection The other is He illuminates their minds by his spirit to a more right understanding of his word and so this illumination adds more light to the understanding of the truth of God in his holy Oracles and so the will is rightly drawn to God for as sin and error shuts up the understanding and will of the Saints hindering their perseverance so this information and illumination carries them on to the said stability
ingenious acknowledgement of the divine truth Whereas you affirm Faith arises as a particular branch of the new Creature Object or Saints inherent righteousness yet it is affirmed by others that Faith is the first and Mother of all graces I answer It is one thing that Faith is included in the general nature of the Saints inherent righteousness wrought by the word and spirit of Christ Answ and another thing that in the exercise of their graces in order to perseverance That Faith is the first mover for in this case it is true Faith sets all graces a work and I suppose this is it they mean and I have proved in my second Book pag. 71.72 That mans beleef is the general ground of all his deliberate actions as to the avoiding of any danger and attaining any good hopeful And this is bottomed in the nature of the thing and not in the excellency of faith above the nature of other graces for justifying Faith simply considered in it self as to justification of a sinner is but a dark body till it hath received Christ and his righteousness which is the light of life eternal As is the eye a dark body till it receive the light And as by the Saints exercising all their graces all graces do grow so faith growes up with the rest Hence saith James thou seest that Faith was the helper of Abrahams works and by works Faith was brought to its end that is by offering up Isaac which figuratively was Christ to Abraham for saith our Lord Abraham saw my day and rejoyced Thus Christ is the Authour of eternal salvation to all that obey him otherwise not for that is implyed as to those professors in whom Faith dyed mentioned by James Jam. 2.22 If it be objected what I affirm in my first Book Object pag. 55. That Christ is the Authour of salvation to them that disobey him as old Eli and Miriam and Aaron and Moses whose carcases fell with others in the wilderness by the wrath of God 1 Cor. 1.29 30. and in the Church of Corinth for contempt of the Sacrament wherefore Christ smote some with sickness and some with death Moses and all the Saints that dye under a relaps Answ or back-sliding condition yet if any seed of Gods word sowne by the hand of Christs spirit remain in any degree of inherent righteousness though never so small then there is in them a virtual tendency by faith to Christs imputed righteousness as to the brazen Serpent the smallest tendency of sight that beheld it saved that mans body from death so that virtual tendency to Christs righteousness doth likewise save that man from the guilt and punishment of his sins and renders him eternal life after his departure out of this World yet the death of these Saints is under a Cloud of obscurity as to themselves and to others in respect of their eternal life as Salomon and Eli and those Corinthians which Christ stroke with death yet as for Moses although he dyed under a Cloud yet he dyed not as a barren and fruitless Christian but being filled with the fruits of righteousness although he disobeyed Christ eminently in one particular of unbeleefe for which Christ slew him his Carkasse falling in the Wilderness with the rest yet God rendered him this honour and comfort in his passage from this Vale of misery to eternal felicity for before he destroyed his body he led him to the top of a Mountain to let him see the figure of his eternal felicity Deut. 34.5 6 7. the promised Land of Earthly Canaan still proving that Christ is the Authour of eternal salvation to them that obey him as is formerly proved those that obey him most according to their measure of grace receive most To those Saints he most manifests himself to their secret minde and they that obey him least according to their measure he manifests himself least to their secret mindes for onely the pure in minde see God therefore the more purity of spirit the more sight of God and the lesse the lesse for the sanctified minde of the Saints is the onely Temple of the Holy Ghost and not the Saints persons as personally elected for as personally elected Christs humane body and soul was only the Temple of the holy Ghost as formerly is proved and therefore it is said the God-head dwelt bodily in that person or humane body but of none else for the Text saith In him dwelleth the fulness of the God-head bodily Col. 2.9 that is the fulness of the one Jehovah for that most properly is the God-head therefore the second in the one Jehovah to carry on his Fathers final end was personally elected God-man and his soul and body receives not the spirit by measure as doe the Saints but without measure as saith the Text. CHAP. X. Briefly touching upon the point of Faith but at large upon the point of Love FOr having formerly spoken of the works of the Saints whereof Faith is the first mover It were necessary that I should now treat what faith is but in regard I have handled it in my first Treatise here I passe it over for there I have proved that in justifying faith there are three degrees and shew the difference between that Faith and other Faiths and then I have proved what justifying Faith in its own nature is definitively and defined what its perfection is and also proved how God doth bring the Saints to that perfection and also that justifying Faiths perfection and dissolution are both in this life Pag. 128. to the 140 from pag. 128. to the 140. And because Faith works by love it is requisite to treat upon the nature of love and how that love doth arise in the mindes of beleevers and in a word all love in general in the minde of man arises from that suitable agreeableness between the subject and the object and so in this case of justifying Faith for no man can love that which is not suitable nor agreeable to his minde From this ground Jacob could not love Leah so well as Rachel but because there was a suitable agreeableness between the subject and the object therefore Jonathans love to David was more than the love of women so much to shew how love ariseth in the minde of man but the question will be What is love in its own general nature Quest In a word Answ It may be definitively thus laid down It is in the minde of man a liking and an uniting affection but the point will be more cleared by its natural properties the which are two What is the first property Quest It is to endevour as neer an Union and Communion with the thing loved Answ as possible may be therefore it was that Jonathan and David kissed one another and wept one with another until David exceeded and that David said concerning Jonathan I am distressed for thee my Brother Jonathan 2 Sam. 1.26 1 Sam. 18.1 very pleasant hast thou