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
The Lord hath no pleasure in the death of the wicked indefinitely considered not in the death of any wicked Ones for he is one with whom is no respect of persons And indeed if he had any pleasure in the death of any wicked ones it might reasonably be conceived and concluded That he hath pleasure in the death of the wicked in his Church Because their wickedness is greater and more inexcusable than that of others Because they have more excellent and choice Advantages Means and gracious Assistances than others have to wash their hearts and feet from wickedness that they may be saved And therefore if they continue sinners or treacherously depart from him he is more highly displeased with them and severe toward them As it is said You onely have I known of all the families of the earth therefore will I punish you for all your iniquities Amos 3. 2. Though indignation wrath tribulation and anguish will be upon every Soul of man that doth evil yet it will be upon the Jew first because he hath much more advantage than the Gentile to be and do better And to whom much is given of them will much be required Rom. 2. 8-11 and Chap. 3. 1 2. Luke 12. 47 48. When in the times of ignorance God winks his eyes are upon all their ways who have choice means of knowledge vouchsafed to them they are not hid from his face neither is their iniquity hid from his eyes And first he will recompense their iniquity and their sin double because they have defiled his land c. Acts 17. 30. with Jer. 16. 16-18 So that these words being directly spoken unto though not confined unto the house of Israel do more powerfully ascertain that he hath no pleasure in the death of any other And are as it were a powerful Argument to evince the truth thereof He who hath no pleasure in the everlasting Ruine and Destruction of such as sin against the clearest Light greatest Grace and choicest Advantages to be sure he hath none in their eternal Perdition who have not such Means and Advantages for knowing and serving him Matth. 11. 20-24 If he be so compassionate towards the greatest Transgressors and be altogether unwilling that they should die how can we suppose but that he is loath and unwilling they should perish who are not such hainous Offenders even as the Apostle signifies to us that he who was the chief of sinners obtained mercy that in him first Jesus Christ might shew forth all long-suffering for a Pattern to such as were not such great sinners even to them that should delay to believe on him unto life everlasting 1 Tim. 1. 13 14 15 16. So we may also here understand it But what is said may suffice to the second Inquiry and we shall desire to proceed unto the next namely 3. What are we to understand by this Phrase no pleasure And to that we say hereby is meant and signified That it is not at all delightful or well-pleasing unto him that such as are wicked Ones should be destroyed with an everlasting Destruction As he is a God that hath no pleasure in wickedness neither shall evil dwell with him Psal 5. 4-6 And as he hath no pleasure in fools or wicked ones Eccl. 5. 4. So also he hath no delight or pleasure in the death of the wicked As he here swears unto us he hath no pleasure none at all That is to say 1. He hath no Revealed Pleasure in the Death of the wicked that Revelation he hath given of his heart and mind in the holy Scriptures declares no such will or well-pleasedness in him or affection to any such thing but the contrary thereto As plainly appears in that Scripture we are considering 2. Nor hath he any secret pleasure will or delight therein As appears by this Revelation of his Will which he hath given forth to the Sons of Men He speaks thus to us and by his Oath assures us of the truth of it who onely perfectly knows himself which we do not for we cannot by searching find out God we cannot find out the Almighty to perfection Job 11. 7-9 But he who is perfect in the knowledge of himself and all things as Job 36. 4. And perfectly knows his own Mind and Will saith and swears that he hath no pleasure And his mouth herein in all things speaks truth for it is impossible for him to lye Tit. 1. 2. Heb. 6. 18. Yea let God be true and every man a lyar Rom. 3. 4. And indeed the word here translated Pleasure signifies inward intention delight affection well pleasedness And oh let us not be faithless but believing let us give glory to him in believing him when he thus solemnly swears I live saith the Lord God if I will or be well-pleased in the Death of the wicked That is as it is rendred with us and suitable to such like manner of speakings in other places I have no pleasure in their death So what is thus expressed in one place I sware in my wrath if they should enter into my rest Is thus exprest and explained in another by the holy Spirit He sware that they should not enter into his rest Compare Psal 95. 11. and Heb. 3. 11. with verse 18. Mark 8. 12. with Mat. 16. 4. And what hath been now said may in some measure deliver us from entertaining a very corrupt and pernicious Gloss which too many have put upon this Scripture and others that are like unto it namely Some say It is true indeed God hath no pleasure in the Death of the wicked That is say they He hath no Revealed Will or Pleasure therein his Revealed Will is That all men should be saved But his Secret Pleasure or the Will of his good Pleasure is that the most of men should perish and be eternally miserable and therefore he reprobated them or past them by before they were born so as in conclusion they must unavoidably have their Portion in that everlasting fire prepared for the Devil and his Angels And in thus speaking they plainly signifie That his Revealed and Secret Will are contrary the one to the other Answ Now for Answer thereto and to discover a little the Evil and Perniciousness of that Distinction or Division rather of the Will of God consider we diligently these things To wit 1. It savours of high Presumption and Daringness of Spirit to give out that God hath a Secret Will contrary to his Revealed Will For if his Will be Secret how come they to know it or ro know that it is contrary to that Revelation of his Mind and Will he hath vouchsafed to us Or why may not others as well know that secret Will they speak of as themselves For in truth none knows what his Will is any further than it is Revealed nor doth it appertain to any to know it And they who would be prying there-into intrude into things they have not seen being vainly
which notwithstanding any thing there said may yet be done 1 Joh. 5. 16. Joh. 16. 26. Now what hath been said to this Objection is not said That men might continue in sin that grace may abound God forbid But to the end That such as conclude against themselves that there is no hope for them might not be discouraged from turning from their evil ways unto God For when God saith in any place of Scripture to the wicked Thou shalt surely die if he turn from his sin c. he shall surely live he shall not die Ezek. 33. 11-13-16 Nay when the Lord said unto Jeremiah Though Moses and Samuel stood before me my mind could not be toward this people c. Jer. 15. 1-3 and Ch. 16. And The sin of Judah is written with a pen of iron and with the point of a Diamond c. for ye have kindled a fire in mine anger which shall burn for ever Chap. 17. 1 2 3. Yet after all this he thus commands the Prophet Now therefore go to speak to the men of Judah and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem saying Behold I frame evil and devise a device against you return ye now every one from his evil way and make your ways and your doings good Jer. 18. 1-6-8-11 Oh then however you have sinned do not say as Cain did that your iniquity is greater than that it may be forgiven Gen. 4. 13. Do not so dishonour the Father of Mercies as to conclude he cannot redeem you from your iniquities or deliver you from your transgressions as Isa 50. 1 2 3 4. but return unto him and he will return unto you Mal. 3. 7. And consider thereto that God hath reserved this to himself as his Prerogative To shew mercy to such sinners as unto whom men cannot lawfully shew mercy They say if a man put away his wife and she go from him and become another mans shall he return unto her again Shall not that land be greatly polluted But thou hast played the harlot with many lovers yet return again unto me saith the LORD Jer. 3. 1. Oh then though thou art in the belly of hell as it were yet cry unto the God of Mercy Though thou sayest thou art cast out of his sight yet look again toward his holy Temple And when thy soul faints within thee then remember the LORD and let thy prayer come in unto him into his holy Temple even Christ in whom dwelleth all the fulness of the God-head bodily and who came into the world to save sinners sinners indefinitely and the chief and most notorious sinners Jonah 2. 2-4-7 8. with Col. 2. 9 10. and 1 Tim. 1. 13-15 And him that cometh unto him in this day of grace he will in no wise cast out what-ever he hath been or done Joh. 6. 37. Matth. 11. 27 28. 3. Let me proceed on and say Turn ye turn ye for why will ye die Why will we die May another generation say Why the pleasures of sin are so sweet and delightful to us that we know not how on that Account to turn from them Stollen waters are sweet and bread of secrecies is pleasant We cannot deny but that God calleth us to repentance and there-with inables us to turn from our iniquities But the ways of sin are so grateful and pleasing that it is as the cutting off our right hand or the plucking out of our right eye to bid adieu thereto and turn our backs thereon Can the Ethiopian change his skin Or the Leopard his spots Then may we also do good that are accustomed to do evil Jer. 13. 23. Answ Now to this generation I might say many things but having much exceeded mine intention at first already shall therefore be the briefer and propound to these Objectors that saying of the Apostle Rom. 6. 21. What fruit had ye then in those things whereof ye are now ashamed for the end or reward of those things is death Here the Apostle propounds three weighty Considerations to take men off from their sinful courses namely They are unfruitful shameful and eternally hurtful and pernicious 1. What fruit had ye then Even when you did commit sin and were servants of it And so what fruit have you now therein who sow to the flesh and serve sin What fruit may you say We have said already Sin is most sweet and delightful to us Well but yet let me say to you 1. Though the ways of sin are delightful or as the Apostle expresses it though you count it pleasure to riot in the day-time 2 Pet. 2. 13. yet sin is not delightful and satisfactory to the whole man It may appear so to the Body and to the Bruitish and Sensual Appetite but not so to the Superiour Eaculties of the Soul which are not delighted with these low and carnal things 1 Joh. 2. 16. They will not satisfie mens souls for they are the stumbling-blocks of their iniquity Ezek. 7. 19. The most noble part of man as Psal 22. 20. is not delighted herewith but contrariwise sadned and filled with horror and dread thereby while mens Consciences are not so seared as to be past feeling and when they consider and lay these things to heart To this purpose speaks the holy Scripture Though wickedness saith Zophar be sweet in his mouth though he hide it under his tongue though he spare it and forsake it not but keep it still in the midst of his palate yet his meat in his bowels is turned it is the gall of Aspes within him That is Wickedness is the very quintessence of bitterness to his soul how sweet soever it be oâ— appear to be in his mouth Surely he shall not know or feel quietness in his belly to wit in the spirit of his mind Job 20. 12 13 14-20 The wicked man travelleth with pain all his dayes and the number of years is hidden to the oppressor a sound of fears is in his ears In prosperity or peace the destroyer shall come upon him Trouble and anguish shall make him afraid they shall prevail against him as a King ready to the battle because he stretcheth out his hand against God and strengtheneth himself against the Almighty Joh. 15. 20-25 c. And though such may appear very merry and jocund yet as the crackling of thorns under a pot so is the laughter of fools Eccl. 2. 2. and Chap. 7. 6. Nay even in their laughter the heart is sorrowful and the end of that mirth is heaviness however to the soul Their soul within them shall mourn Prov 14. 13. with Joh 14. 22. How oft do terrors make them afraid on every side and even drive them to their feet as Job 18. 11. and Ch. 20. 23-25 How doth their heart smite them 2 Sam. 24 10. And how are they pricked in their reins when God is reproving them and setting their sins in order before them Now how can any considerate and sober-minded person call or count that truly delightful which doth so wound