words are He hath chosen us in him before the Dejection or foundation of the World c. Ephes 1. 4. After some such consideration as Levi paid Tithes in Abraham Heb. 7. 9. It would be most absurd and ridiculous to suppose that that Individual person Levi paid Tithes to Melchisedech before he was born but he did it in Abraham So here no person is elected in a personal consideration before he is born nor otherwise elected to Salvation but in Christ to wit as considered in him who is the Root of Election and the Prime Elect That is to say God in choosing Christ before the Dejection of the World did therein choose all those who should in their several Generations through Grace believe as Believers in him and no otherwise So that the same Person who to day doth not believe and so is not in Christ nor elected yet to morrow believing is then chosen in Christ and made of that Generation or Species chosen in Christ before the Dejection of the World He is now of the elect Generation who before he believed was not of it as Rom. 9. 24-26 1 Pet. 2. 4 5-9 10. But 2. I further say That Eph. 14. speaks not of mens being chosen to salvation but of sâ—me mens being chosen in Christ to an excellent ministration or service And to a more excellent One than any before Nor were they chosen thereto in a personal consideration but as considered in Christ and as Trusters in him and as first Trusters in him as Ephes 1. 12. as plainly appears by the change of the persons In the two first Verses of Ephes 1. The Apostle speaks to the believing Ephesians and saith unto them Grace unto you c. But then from verse 3. to verse 12. he speaks not of them but changes the persons never saith You but always We and Vs to assure us he speaks of some others and not of them And having so done then in ver 13. he again returns to and speaks of them and saith In whom ye also trusted or believed after ye heard the word of truth c. So that all contained from ver 3. to v. 12. respects those that trusted in Christ before the Ephesians were in Christ and so before they were chosen And ver 4. particularly speaks also of the Apostles as Believers in Chriâ—t and Apostles being chosen to the ministration not of the Letter but of the Spirit as 2 Cor. 3. 5-10 That is to say in short God before the Dejection or Foundation of the World chose Christ to be the Mediatour Saviour and great Apostle and purposed to send him in the end of the World actually to make peace for us and to preach it to us and reserved this honour for him That the mystery which was hid from former Ages and Generations should by him be opened He then also in Christ chose the first Trusters in him to be Instruments in this choice Service and Ministration to preach the Gospel according to the revelation of the mystery Eph. 1. 8-10 11. As the Apostle else-where saith We speak the wisdom of God in a mystery the hidden wisdom which God ordained before the world or ages unto our glory to wit for the Glory of the Apostles of the Lamb which place is very suitable to the other 1 Cor. 2. 7. with Ephes 1. 4. And this is the proper and direct meaning of Ephes 1. 3 4-12 Now this Election doth not suppose that all others besides the Apostles were reprobated to eternal Destruction God forbid But the very end of Gods choosing them in Christ to this excellent Ministration was That the world there-through might be saved Joh. 3. 17. with Chap. 17 18. As Paul saith Now to him that is of power to establish you according to my Gospel and the preaching of Jesus Christ according to the revelation of the mystery which was kept secret since the world began but now is made manifest and by the Scriptures of the Prophets according to the Commandment of the everlasting God made known to all Nations for the obedience of Faith Rom 1. 5. and Chap. 16. 25 26. So that this Election was intended for the good of the whole world And we still conclude That God is not willing that any should perish And because he hath no Pleasure in the Death of him that dieth it necessarily follows as hath been shewed That their Destruction who perish is wholly of themselves he hath no hand therein nor heart thereto while it is the day of his Grace and Patience 4. And lastly as to this seeing God swears That he hath no pleasure in the death of the wicked in the death of him that dieth as is before explained Then hereby we may see and know who are like to God and Children of him and who they are that are not so 1. They are not therein born of God who privily bring in Heresies of Destruction or destructive Errors and Doctrines such as tend to the perdition of men as those certainly do who teach men to deny the Lord that bought them 2 Pet. 2. 1 2. And do not these evil Doctrines do so which teach That Christ died not for all nor tasted death by the Grace of God for every man but onely for the Elect as they speak That though God with his revealed Will would have all men to be saved yet not so with his secret Will That though he commands all men every where to Repent yet he doth not vouchsafe such sufficient or saving Grace whereby they may so do In short That there is a certain determinate number of Mankind elected in a personal consideration before the World was and these shall be brought in to believe in due season irresistibly and so preserved that they shall not possibly fail of the Grace of God however they demean themselves and all the rest are reprobated and must necessarily or shall infallibly perish in conclusion how much soever they indeavour to fly from the wrath to come c. These and such like Doctrines yea All such as consent not to wholsome Words the Words of our Lord Jesus Christ and the Doctrine according to Godliness are not of God Nor are such of God therefore who plead for or preach them I mean therein they are not of God as the Apostle John signifies in that Rule he gives the Believers whereby they might know which Prophets are of God and which are not We are of God saith he namely the holy Apostles were so in their Word and Doctrine for Christ gave unto them the Words which the Father gave him John 17. 7 8. He that knoweth God heareth us He that is not of God heareth us not hereby know we the Spirit of truth and the Spirit of errour 1 John 4. 6. with John 8. 47. Whosoever transgresseth and abideth not in the Doctrine of Christ hath not God 2 John 9-11 And our Saviour when he denounceth Woes against the Scribes and Pharisees Hypocrites the first
God hath put his Spirit upon him that he might bring forth Judgment to us and give Repentance to us from them namely That Grace and Power whereby we may Repent that he may forgive our iniquity and our sin as Jer. 36. 3. Him hath God exalted with his right hand a Prince and a Saviour for to give Repentance to us also and forgiveness of sins Acts 5. 31. and Chap. 26. 18. Isa 42. 1. Luke 24. 46 47 48. 3. The truth of this also That God hath no pleasure in the Death of the wicked further appears and is evident hereby In that he is vouchsafing Means of Grace unto them and giving gracious Aid and Assistance in and with the Means to the end that the wicked may Repent and turn from their evil ways that iniquity may not be their ruine He doth not onely call them to Repentance with an outward Call but he also stretcheth forth his hand his Power and Spirit with his Calls that such may turn at his Reproofs Prov. 1. 21 22-24 Our Lord Jesus is the true light that lighteth every man that cometh into the world John 1. 9. He is the light of the world which lieth in wickedness or in the wicked One Joh. 8. 12. with 1 Joh. 5. 19. To open the eyes of the blind and to bring forth the prisoners out of prison and them that fit in darkness out of the prison-house Isa 42. 6 7. To open the eyes of Jews and Gentiles and to turn them from darkness to light and from the power of Satan unto God that they may receive forgiveness of sins and inheritance among them that are sanctified through faith in Christ Jesus Acts 26. 17. 18. And he is therefore the Light unto the Gentiles also the light of the World that he might be for salvation unto All even unto the ends of the earth that through him they might be saved Isa 49. 6. with Acts. 13. 47. And as it is the nature and property of the Light to manifest and discover all things unto men in their true and proper colours For whatsoever doth make manifest is light Ephes 5. 13. So our Lord Jesus Christ doth in and by his Testimony and Testimonis of his Goodness manifest himself and Gods Grace in himself to the Sons of Men He makes himself manifest unto them that asked not after him And as in former times Moses lifted up the Serpent in the wilderness that the stung Israelites might look unto and behold it and live Even so the Son of Man is lifted up by the Spirit in the Gospel that sinners may look unto and believe in him And that whosoever believeth in him might not perish but have everlasting life Rom. 10. 18-20 John 3. 14-16 Hence he who is a just God and a Saviour and there is none besides him calleth unto men and saith Look unto me all the ends of the earth and be ye saved for I am God and there is none else Isa 45. 2-1 22 23. with Phil. 2. 8 9 10. And Christ as the Light doth also manifest the odiousness and vileness of our sins and what an evil and bitter thing it is to forsake the Lord and that his fear is not in men as Jer. 2. 19. And the necessity of their being turned there-from without which they must all necessarily perish as afterwards we may shew more largely All things that are reproved are made manifest by the Light wherefore he saith Awake thou that sleepest and arise from the dead and Christ shall give thee light Eph. 5. 13 14. And this most Excellent One doth also as is before said Open the blind Eyes of the Souls of Men to see what he is manifesting to them God hath given him for a light of the Gentiles to open the blind eyes c. Isa 42. 6 7. And herein he excels the Light of this World for though that doth manifest the things here below yet it will not give Sight unto those that are blind to behold what it doth manifest and discover it will not open the eyes of those that want their bodily sight But now our Lord Jesus is the true light the most excellent light who gives both light and sight he lightens every man that cometh into the world John 1. 6-9 And not only so but he gives grace unto all even that Aid and Assistance whereby they may turn from their evil and pernicious ways and live The grace of God brings salvation or is saving unto all men Tit. 2. 11. The goodness of God leadeth men to repentance even such also as are not led by it but after their own hardness and impenitent hearts treasure up to themselves wrath against the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God Rom. 2. 4 5. It is true indeed No man can turn from his iniquities and come unto Jesus Christ unless it be given unto him of the Father unless he draw him John 6. 44 45. But it is as true also that God in due time doth draw all men by Jesus Christ even such also as refuse to return Hos 11. 4 5. with John 12. 31 32. Though the Spirit that dwells in us naturally lusteth to envy yet he giveth more grace That we might not follow after our own Spirit Jam. 4. 5 6. As Christ is exalted with Gods right hand a Prince and Saviour to give repentance c. So he is faithful in giving it in due season And there is good reason for us to believe he is so forasmuch as he was faithful to him that appointed him in that difficult work of humbling himself and becoming obedient unto death even the death of the Cross Acts. 5. 30 31. with Heb. 3. 1 2. Isa 50. 5-8-10 Doutbless God doth not onely afford outward Means and calls wicked Ones with an outward Call to Repentance But he is dispensing to them his Grace and Spirit to enable them to turn from their Iniquities and to exercise themselves to Godliness especially he doth so to us who have the Name of Christ called upon us and the Gospel and Scriptures continued with us And to none other can I speak And to signifie to us that the holy Spirit doth accompany the Gospel to work in men both to will and to do of good pleasure what God requires of them Therefore is the Gospel called the ministration of the Spirit Yea it is called the Spirit 2 Cor. 3. 6-8 And the words which Christ spake unto them that did not believe are said to be Spirit and Life John 6. 63 64. And when our Lord enlarges the Commission of his Apostles and commands them to go into all the World and preach the Gospel to every Creature to wit of all the Nations This is that then which he promises to them and assures them of that he would go along and work with them to wit by his Spirit Lo saith he I am with you always even unto the end of the world And to assure us that he was
as good as his word unto his Apostles it is therefore also said They went forth and preached every where the Lord working with them c. Mat. 28. 18 19 20. with Mark 16. 15-20 He therefore that rejecteth rejecteth not man but God who hath also given his holy Spirit unto the Ministers of his Word to accompany them 1 Thes 4. 8. And this also shews he hath no pleasure none at all in the death of the wicked while it is called to Day But to this particular I shall not here further enlarge because we shall have apt Occasion to speak somewhat further unto this and the former particulars in what followeth 4. That he is not willing that wicked Ones should perish appears also and is evident hereby In that our Lord Jesus Christ doth by the will of God make Intercession for Transgressors Isa 53. 12. to speak good for them and to turn away Gods wrath from them as Jer. 18. 20. with Chap. 27. 18. He is the Propitiation for their sins who through Grace believe and not for their sins onely but also for the sins of the whole world 1 John 2. 2. The Lamb of God that taketh away the sin of the World That Judgment may not speedily be executed upon it John 1. 29. And hereby the Apostle doth prove and demonstrate That God will have all men to be saved And therefore hath no pleasure in the death of the wicked Because there is One Mediator between God and Men the Man Christ Jesus who gave himself a Ransom for all 1 Tim. 2. 4 5 6. And while he Intercedes for Sinners and Transgressors God hears him And Behold now is the accepted time behold now is the Day of Salvation 2 Cor. 6. 1 2. He doth by his powerful Intercession prevail as a Prince with God his Father that further Patience and Forbearance might be exercised toward such as deserve to be cut off in their Trespasses And this is an Evidence that God is not willing that any should perish but that all should come to Repentance Because he is long-suffering to them And the Apostle exhorts the Believers to Account or Reckon that the long-suffering of our Lord is salvation To wit toward them to whom it is exexercised Their accounting his long-suffering Salvation doth not make it so to be But his Long-suffering being Salvation gives them good ground so to account it for his Long-suffering is a Fruit of his Love and Charity toward them to whom it is vouchsafed 2 Pet. 3. 9. 15. with 1 Cor. 13. 4. while God waits he waits that he may be gracious even towards Rebellious Ones also Isa 30. 8-18 that they might be brought unto God 1 Pet. 3. 18. 20. As it is said concerning Gods professed People in former times many whereof were disobedient and rebellious Yea many years didst thou forbear them that thou mightest bring them again to thy Law Neh. 9. 29 30. And hence also when the Lord is said to be Long-suffering or slow to Anger then very frequently he is affirmed to be merciful and gracious or of great kindness To signifie to us That his Long-suffering is an Evidence and Expression of his Mercy Grace and kindness towards the Sons of Men Exod. 34. 6. Num. 14. 18. Neh. 9. 17. Psal 86. 15. and 145. 8. Joel 2. 13. Jona 4. 2. Rom. 2. 4. Object But against what we are now considering some may object and say Christ would not vouchsafe to pray for the World And then to be sure he did not die for it Nor is it the Will of God that the World should be saved but he hath pleasure in their destruction John 17. 9. Answ This saying of our Saviour's is much abused and wrested by many who are Enemies to the Grace of God in Christ to Mankind And his words are altered to make them serve their evil Design For 1. Our Saviour doth not say He would not pray for the World or that he never did or will pray for it But his words are I pray not to wit at that present time for the World c. Now that doth not at all deny that he might pray for the World at another time As may appear in other sayings of like nature As where our Saviour saith concerning his Apostles I speak not of you all John 13. 18. It would be very false from hence to infer That he would not nor never did speak of them all for other-where it is very evident he did so Matth. 10. 1. John 6. 67. So also he thus speaks in another place concerning his faithful Disciples I do not say that I will pray the Father for you John 16. 26. Now would not those men who so pervert John 17. 9. exceedingly blame any that should infer herefrom and say Our Saviour never said he would pray for his own Disciples Because he there saith I do not say that I will pray the Father for you And indeed such an Inference would be most untrue and exceedingly condemnable for though he did not there say he would pray the Father for them yet else-where he doth so say for in John 14. 16. he thus assures them I will pray the Father for you c. And the same we may apply to this Scripture objected as will further appear by and by 2. There is this good Reason why the World should then be excluded from his Prayer in that place because he is putting up Requests to his Father for the then Actual Believers and which were onely proper to be petitioned for them and not for the World while in that state to wit That they might be kept in Gods Name that they might be one that they might be sanctified through the truth and sent into the World as Christ was to wit to preach the Gospel c. John 17. 9-19 Now how could our Saviour pray for the World while of the World in these Petitions which were not proper to be presented for them Could he pray That they might be kept in Gods Name that were not in it Or that they might be one in their evil Ways and Designs Or that they might be sent into the World to preach the Gospel who did not believe the Gospel No surely But this doth no more deny that our Saviour ever prayed for the World than Abraham's praying for his Son Ishmael or Isaac denies he ever prayed for Sodom That is to say not in the least for at several times and in divers Petitions he prayed both for the former and the latter 3. Nay it evidently appears in Johâ— 17. That our Saviour prayed for the world though not in verse 9-19 Or the good of the World was one great thing aimed at and designed in his praying for them who were chosen out of the World for that Prayer may be divided into four Parts First Our Saviour prays for himself and therein prays not for the World nor for the Believers directly John 17. 1-5 then he prays for such as were then
14. 1. Oh then as the Use of all we have been saying give me leave to say Turn ye turn ye for why will ye die Why will we die may some say We have no power of our selves to turn and God doth not give us power so to do And therefore we cannot turn but must necessarily perish in our sins Ans To this Answer hath been given before abundantly in which we have sufficiently shewed the falsness of what is here objected And do therefore refer to what hath been fore-written But to fortifie their Objection these persons may say There are many sober and zealous Divines who have been great searchers into the holy Scriptures and they assure us That God doth not give sufficient grace unto all whereby they may turn from their evil wayes And the number of these diligent searchers is also very considerable they are five who so assure us to one sober Minister that speaks otherwise and therefore we have most reason to believe them Answ If it should be granted what these Objectors affirm That there are five to one who thus Teach yet it is not good for us to have our faith standing in mens wisdom or number or appearing zeal and holiness but in the power of God even in the Gospel of Christ which is the power of God to salvation to every one that believeth 1 Cor. 2. 1-5 with Rom. 1. 16. We are directed to have recourse to the law and to the testimony And if any man or number of men speak not according to this Word be we well assured it is because there is no light in them Isa 8. 20. Let these Objectors remember former things Moses by Gods Command sends forth twelve men to search the land of Canaan and to bring a true account of it they after they had made a diligent search return again and agree herein That the land was a good land flowing with milk and honey But then as to the possessing of it they disagree ten of the twelve propound such difficulties that they discouraged the hearts of their brethren Deut. 1. 28. They tell the People That the Cities of the inhabitants of the land were walled and very great and there they saw the children of Anak And they said we be not able to go up c. The other two sav We are well able to overcome all difficulties and yet they were no free-willers for their meaning was as they afterwards explained it that God was with them to enable them Did the people of Israel well in hearkening to those discouraging spies or searchers who for ought is said of them might be otherwise sober persons because they were five to one odds I trow not for they smarted most severely for so doing as may be seen in Numb 13. and Ch. 14. And surely we are instructed to behold Israel after the flesh whose miscarriages are written for our admonition and warning 1 Cor. 10. 1-6-11-18 Take we heed then of such discouraging searchers how great soever their number be or how zealous holy or sober soever they appear to be Hearken not to the words of these Prophets who tell you That though God swears he hath pleasure that the wicked should turn and live yet he gives the most of them no true saving or effectual grace so to do for herein they speak a vision of their own heart not out of the mouth of the LORD It was a right saying which dropt from the pen of a zealous Opposer of the grace of God in Christ to all mankind I mean Mr. Perkins in his Golden Chain touching Free-will Pag. 915. When saith he God in the Gospel commands men to repent and to belive at the same time he enableth them both to will or desire to believe and repent as also actually to repent and believe 2. Let me say again Turn ye turn ye for why will ye die Why will we die May others say Why we have committed that unpardonable sin the sin against the Holy Ghost spoken of in Matth. 12. 31 32. Mark 3. 28 29. Luk. 12. 10. or We have been guilty of that great iniquity of falling away and sinning wilfully after the knowledge of the truth was received by us mentiened Heb. 6. 4-6 and Ch. 10. 26-29 or We have sinned that sin unto death in 1 Joh. 5. 16. And therefore our case is hopeless and it is impossible we should be recovered again yea we are not to be prayed for and therefore though God give grace to others he will give none to us but our state and condition is desperate and there is no hope at all for us Ans Now in answer hereto and for the sakes of some who conclude their case to be wholly hopeless and utterly remediless when it is not so I shall desire with what brevity I may to consider and speak something to those several Scriptures fore-mentioned viz. 1. As to that Sin or Blasphemy against the Holy Ghost set down in Mat. 12. 31 32 c. Mind we these things to wit 1. The nature of this hainous sin And that is It is a sinning against the evident and convincing Demonstration of the Holy Spirit in his glorifying Christ as may be seen in the Evangelists however in Matthew and Mark. Thus it is exprest in the former Whosoever speaketh a word against the Son of man namely as I conceive against him as one that had no form nor comeliness who appeared as a worm and no man a reproach of men and despised of the people and so spake against him through ignorance and as carried an end by the common stream of others it shall be forgiven him But whosoever speaketh or blasphemeth Luk. 12. 10. against the Holy Ghost that is to say against the clear evidence and demonstration of the Holy Spirit in his bearing witness of Christ it shall not be forgiven him c. Now that this is the nature of this Sin or Blasphemy doth plainly appear by the occasion of our Saviour's thus speaking which was this Our Saviour had wrought a very great miracle in healing one that was possessed with a Devil blind and dumb Matth. 12. 22. whereat all the people were amazed and said Is not this the Son of David They were by this miraculous cure convinced that he was the Messias But when the Pharisees and some Scribes Mark 3. 22. beard it they said as persons that would not see when Gods hand was so highly lifted up This fellow doth not cast out Devils but by Beelzebub c. Now upon this occasion our Saviour speaks the words fore-expressed and so shews what the hainous nature of their sin was namely an attributing that to the work of the Devil which was evidently wrought by the spirit and finger Luk. 11. 20. of God The which is also clearly signified by St. Mark thus He that shall blaspheme against the Holy Ghost hath never forgiveness but is in danger of eternal damnation Which words Christ spake unto them Because they said
he hath an unclean spirit Mark 3. 28-30 And in this their blasphemy they acted or spake worse than the Egyptian Magicians Exod. 8. 19. And hereby also they scattered abroad others from Christ who were gathering to him by these mighty works wrought by the Holy Spirit See Matth. 12. 30 31. and Luke 11. 23. And so this may be called the Blasphemy against the Holy Ghost as the Holy Ghost signifies as oft it doth the miraculous works or extraordinary gifts of the Holy Spirit Joh. 7. 39. Act. 10. 44 46. and Ch. 19. 1. 6 c. 2. Consider we this hainous sin as to the continuance of it This Blasphemy which our Saviour declares to be unpardonable is not one word or act only against the Holy Spirit but a persisting therein until this sin be finished And therefore in St. Matthew and Luke this sin is exprest in the Present-tense whosoever speaketh Matth. 12. 32. or Blasphemeth Luk. 12. 10. And words of the Present time usually denote the duration or continuance of any act as Bâ—lieveth cometh eateth abideth followeth c. Joh. 3. 15 16 18. and ch 6. 35. 37 54-58 and ch 8. 12. 1 Joh. 3. 6. And this may further appear more evidently in that this Blasphemy is exprest in Mark 3. 29. in the Future time He that shall blaspheme c. to wit shall go on so to do till this sin hath brought forth Death And this will yet further appear if we diligently consider that our Saviour prayed for these Blasphemers also when he was upon the Cross Luk. 23. 33 34. And when raised again was sent to bless them in turning away every one of them from his iniquities Act. 2. 22 23-8 and ch 3. 13-15 19 26. 1 Tim. 1. 13-16 with Act. 26. 10 11. So that what our Saviour speaks of this Blasphemy is no discouragement unto any mans returning from his wicked ways nor denial of a possibility so to do hopefully while it is the day of God's grace and patience though it be a powerful Antidote to preserve and deterre men from this hainous sin 2. In the next place consider we also what the Apostle saith in Heb. 6. 4-6 For it is impossible for those who were once enlightned c. If they shall fall away to renew them again to repentance c. Likewhereto is that other Scripture in the same Epistle namely Heb. 10. 26 27 28 29. Now for our better understanding hereof mind we these things 1. From whence or after what they fell away and that is as it is exprest in Heb. 10. 26. after the knowledge or acknowledgment of the truth received And after they were sanctified thereby ver 29. And as it appears in this Heb. 6. 4 5. they fell from an high degree of Christianity and after they had received true and excellent operations of the Spirit answering unto as hath been observed by some the forenamed Principles in ver 1. 2. As to say 1. They were once enlightned as ch 10. 32. that is by the Holy Spirit their eyes were opened and they were convinced of the vileness of their Sins and vanity of their Idols and so had effected in them Repentance from dead works as ver 1. with Heb. 9. 14. Act. 26. 18-20-23 2. They had tasted of the heavenly gift That is to say as answering to the second Principle in ver 1. they were made partakers of Faith towards God and so of that Faith which is of the operation of God Col. 2. 12. by which they had discerned and proved the graciousness of the heavenly gift even of our Lord Jesus as 1 Pet. 2. 3 4. of his flesh which was given for the life of the world and of his precious bloud which is the Blood of the new Covenant and Testament shed for the remission of our sins Joh. 6. 33-58 Matth. 26. 28. whereby they were inlivened and quickned 3. And were made partakers of the Holy Ghost This Answers to the Doctrine of Baptisms in ver 2. and shews that these by the several mediums of Baptism were by the powerful operation of the Holy Spirit Baptized into the death of Christ as Rom. 6. 3. And were also risen again with him by the faith of the operation of God who raised Christ from the dead as Col. 2. 12. Phil. 3. 10. And also they were endued with the Excellent and Spiritual gifts of the Holy Spirit whereby they were enabled to praise and serve God acceptably and to be profitable unto Men and Brethren Yea they might be made partakers of some extraordinary gifts of the Holy Spirit 1 Cor. 12. 4-12-23 4. And have tasted the good Word of God which Answers unto the fourth Principle in ver 2. to wit the Doctrine of the laying on of hands In which Doctrine is taught us That God had graciously promised to hear the Prayers presented in the Name of Christ and to give gracious returns thereto And that where two or three were gathered together in Christ's name he would be in the midst of them namely in such Assemblings Matth. 18. 19 20. Of this good Word of God in the performance of his gracious Promises they had tasted They had proved his Graciousness and Faithfulness in hearing their Prayers and granting their Requests and in manifesting his Presence with them and Blessing upon them in their watching at his gates and waiting at the posts of his doors as Prov 8. 34 35 Heb. 10. 19-23-25 Which laid great engagements upon them to cleave unto the Lord with purpose of heart and to call upon him as long as they lived as Psal 116. 1-7 5 and 6. Have tasted of the Powers of the world to come which Answer unto the two last Principles in ver 2. to wit the Resurrection of the Dead and eternal Judgment which follows after the Resurrection of the Dead And of the Powers in the Doctrine of both these had tasted also namely proved and in some measure experimented the mighty Power of God exerted in the Resurrection Eph. 1. 19 20. in quickening them to a lively hope in raising them to seek after and mind the things above Col. 3. 1 2. In giving them some knowledge of the terrour of the Lord in the day of Wrath against impenitent ones 2 Cor. 5. 10 11. And of the Glory to be revealed on them that in a patient continuance in well-doing seek for immortal Honour and Glory 1 Cor. 2. 9 10. 1 Pet. 5. 1. To which I shall no further enlarge See Mr. Thomas Moore Senior in his Explicite Declaration of the Testimony of Christ Page 585 591. But by what hath been said it appears they were eminent Believers and fell from an high degree of Christianity higher than most attain unto who fill themselves with needless fears as if they were guilty of the grand Miscarriage of these and so in an hopeless condition 2. Consider we nextly the Depth of their Fall and so the abominable hainousness of their Transgression and that is such as