the will of him that believeth Little upon point do they herein give to grace more then the Jesuits only they judge better doctrinally of the nature of the grace of faith The best of them make free-will and supernatural common grace i. e. Such as those who are not elected may be made partakers of to concur together as co-working partial or fellow-causes in the work of conversion A doctrine which overthrowes grace giveth unto flesh that is to man yet without Christ to glory as a party-worker of saith the total working vvhereof is proper unto Christ in the way of his special grace and is repugnant both unto saving grace and Salvation it self because the faith that is so wrought cannot save To the Orthodox this Proposition Faith is the Effect of grace And this Proposition Faithis the effect of special grace are equipollent By grace they understand grace peculiar and proper unto the Elect therefore flowing from Election and consequently from Christ as their Redeemer and designed Head absolute irresistable and effectual quickening the soul until then dead by infusing a principle of life whereby of unbelievers they are made believers and of unwilling vvilling in respect of which work the soul notwithstanding any supernatural common grace foregoing is meerly paslive having no more causal power thereunto then a dead body hath unto life The truth of this Proposition viz. Faith is the Effect of special grace appears in the proof of these three Conclusions 1. All the Elect first or last shall believe Concl. 1. 2. Only the Elect do believe 3. Faith i. e. Saving Faith is the effect of Election All the Elect first or last shall believe John 6.37 All that the Father giveth me i.e. that from Eternity are committed unto me to redeem shall come unto me John 10.16 Other sheep I have which are not of this fold them also must I bring and they shall hear my voyce and there shall be one fold and one Sheph. ard There are besides the people of the Jews others of his Elect amongst the Gentiles which must be gathered into the fold of the Church as certainly as those Jews which are already therein Rom. 8.30 Whom he did predestinate them he also called Hence Vocation is called Election The same work which the Apostle expresseth by the term Calling 1 Cor. 1.26 he expresseth by the term Choosing or Election ver 21 28. God hath chosen the foolish things God hath chosen the weak things things which are despised God hath chosen This also is further manifest in that the Elect before they do believe are described by such Names and Adjuncts as hold forth their special relation unto God and sure salvation by him in due season They before they do believe are said to belong to God Thine they were John 17.6 to be given to Christ John 6.37 to be beloved Rom. 11.28 As concerning the Gospel they are enemies for your sake but as touching the Election they are beloved for the Fathers sake To be reconciled to God For if when we were enemies we were reconciled unto God by the death of his Son Rom. 5.10 Christ calleth them his sheep though they yet believed not John 10.16 His people Acts 18.10 I have much people in this City The Corinthians whilest yet unbelieving Gentiles are here called the people of God They are called the Children of God Concl. 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Spanh exc de grat Annot. in Sect. 21. Nulla vis infertur sacris literis verbis Christi Si quis dicat peccatuÌ„ Angelorum primum pâ—incipale fuisse quod voluerint acquiescere in veritate Evangelii de Christo proposito Zanc de pec lib. 4. cap. 2. Non dans prohibâ—â—s allegari non solâ—t ubi inquiretur in veraÌ„ râ—i causam Spanh exerc de grat resp ad erot 32. John 11.52 'T is as certain that all the Elect yet unbelievers shall believe and be saved as it is certain that they are saved who are already in Heaven 2. Only the Elect do believe All men have not faith 2 Thess 3.2 i.e. It is not given to all to believe The Election have obtained it but the rest are blinded Rom. 11.7 They who are not elected are not of God therefore receive not the word in truth Ye hear them not because ye are not of God John 8.47 And all that dwell upon the Earth shall worship him whose names are not written in the Book of life Election is the Book of life not to be written in the Book of life is not to be elected Revel 13.8 And whosoever were not found written in the Book of life were cast into the Lake of fire Because there is in the Reprobate a moral impotency to believe Moral impotency is a sinful inability As this inability is contracted by sin so it is sinful it being the duty of all that live under the call of the Gospel to believe John 6.65 1 John 3.23 2. There is also an enmity of malice of the Will John 5.40 And ye will not come unto me Rom. 11.28 As concerning the Gospel they are enemies John 8.44 Ye are of your Father the Devil and the lusts of your Father you will do he was a murtherer from the beginning and abode not in the truth Namely The truth of the Gospel concerning Christ as some have conceived As God in respect of his Decree freely so in respect of their sin he justly withholds from them grace to cure their unbelief Mat. 13.11 To them it is not given This final withholding of grace is proper to the Reprobate Moral impenitency and enmity or malice of the will are common to the Elect and Reprobate they being alike corrupt by nature Hence God is said to be the physical cause not of their unbelief but why their unbelief remaineth uncured As a Physician able to cure a disease which he is not bound to cure is the cause not of the disease but of the disease being not cured yet is he not the moral and blameable but the physical and unblamable cause thereof because he is not bound to cure it 3. Saving Faith as it is proper to the Elect Conclu 3. so it is the effect of election therefore called the faith of Gods Elect Tit. 1.1 both that gracious motion of the Spirit whereby faith is wrought which for distinctness sake was before called Saving Grace effectually and the grace of faith wrought by that motion proceed from and are the effects of election It is God that worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure Philip. 2.13 The gift of faith depends upon the will of God John 1.13 Jam. 1.18 Of his own will begat he us He hath mercy upon whom he will Rom. 9.15 It is according to Election Rom. 11.5 Even so then at this present time also there is a remnant according to the Election of grace Twiss de permissione lib. 2 cr 4. Sect. 6. Redemptio est ex
to be our duty to believe as that the fault of our unbelief lyeth wholly upon our selves Sol. For the better removing of this objection there is need of a threefold Distinction 1. Distinguish between unbelief and unbelief not cured 'T is easie to conceive how a Physician may be the cause why such a disease is not cured of which disease it self he is no cause Unbelief considered in it self is simply a sin Therefore God is no way the Cause or Authour of it 2. Distinguish of unbelief not cured unbelief not cured is considered either Negatively for a meer absence of faith where the rule requireth it not to be and therefore is unblamable so it is in those that never heard of the preaching of the Gospel Or Privatively for the absence of faith where the rule requireth it to be so unbelief is looked upon in those that live under or hear of the Gospel 3. Distinguish between a Physical and a Moral cause A Physical cause is such a cause as though without it the effect cannot be yet it is no ways bound to produce such an effect thus the absence of the Sun is the cause of the night A Physician is the cause why that disease remains uncured which he can cure but is not bound to cure A Chyrurgion the cause why the issue remains unhealed which he is not tyed to heal Thus the King not giving a pardon is the cause why the offender is executed whom no Law obligeth him to pardon A Moral cause is such a cause wherein the Agent stands by duty bound concerning the producing or not producing of such an effect so as by omission of what is commanded or commission of what is forbidden there is a guilt incurred so mans will is moral therefore the blameable cause of unbelief Gods Will is the Antecedent not the Cause of unbelief the abuse of mans free-will in the fall is the cause of unbelief Unbelief not cured considered Negatively is in respect of the Will of God a physical and unblamable effect of a physical and unblamable cause but mans will being a moral cause unbelief in this sence cannot be the effect thereof Unbelief not cured privatively considered is in respect of God as a blamable Consequent of an unblamable Antecedent in respect of the will of man it is a blamable effect of a moral and blamable cause In Adam having received povver whereby vve might not have sinned vve sinned freely Unbelief is the effect of our sin in Adam God together vvith the Object of Faith tenders us means so far sufficient to the begetting of faith as leaveth us without excuse We love our unbelief and resist this means of believing John 1.11.5.41 Our contumacious opposition to the command of believing is the effect of our love to unbelief 'T is then but Justice in God to leave us to our unbelief in so doing he doth us no wrong being free to have mercy upon whom he will The Difficulty of believing The Difficulty of believing appeareth in three things 1. in the Special enmity of the heart against this duty 2. in the Eminence of the Principle requisite to the creating of faith 3. in the Greatness and largeness of the obedience of Faith 1. The Special enmity of the heart against believing appeareth thus there is no obedience that God and Christ love better 1 John 3.23 Or that the Spirit laboureth more in John 16.9 No obedience that either Satan or man oppose more Satan opposeth none more For as the Spirit of truth leadeth unto all truth but into none more then this So the Father of a lye opposeth all truth yet none more then this Men that finally resist believing in Christ by so doing do the will of the Devil do shevv him to be your Father John 8.44 Ye are of your Father the Devil and the lusts of your Father ye will do Vide Zanch. de peccat Angelorum lib. 4. c. 2. Theologitam nostri quam Pontisscis probabile aducunt Christum positum esse non modo in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 multorum hominum sed etiam in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ipsorum etiam Angelorum Twiss de Elect. l. 4. p. 1. To this purpose there is a good use to be made of Zanchy's Discourse concerning the Revelation of Christ's Incarnation and the Exaltation of the humane Nature above the Nature of Angels by vertue of the Personal union the Doctrine of the grace of Christ ncarnate being that truth or at least contained in that truth whereof Christ speaks John 8. in which the Devil abode but hated not from the beginning Many Divines are conceived probably to think That Christ was not only set for the fall and rising again of many men but for the fall and standing of the Angels Man opposeth no truth more John 5.40 And ye will not come unto me that you may have lise What is said of the Jews Rom. 11.28 is true of all As concerning the Gospel they are enemies A formidable curse vvhereby the soul is smitten with an enmity against the Gospel of Blessedness The Gospel of Christ is a Doctrine of Contradiction Luke 2.34 Behold this child is set for the fall and rising again of many in Israel and for a signe that shall be spoken against A stumbling stone Rom. 9.32 A rock of offence 1 Pet. 2 8. A Doctrine of foolishness 1 Cor. 1.23 If he shall be in danger of hell fire that saith unto his brother Thou Fool What danger shall he be in that upbraideth the Gospel vvith foolishness They put it viz. the Word of God i. e. the Doctrine of the Gospel from them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Acts 13.46 They do not only not go to fetch it but being brought to them they put it away from them The Covenant of Works we could much better close vvith then vvith the Gospel any other Gospel command then that of believing any other person to be believed in then Christ Jesus John 5.43 I am come in mine own Name and ye receive me not if another shall come in his own Name him will ye receive any other way rather then the way of the Gospel Jer. 2.36 Why gaddest thou so much to change thy way Acts 22 4. I persecuted this way unto the death Grace likes no vvay to life so vvell Nature dislikes none so much We are not by nature so averse to the Turkish Alcoran as we are to Christs Gospel 2. The Eminency of the Principle requisite unto the creating of faith The Apostle excellently sheweth Ephes 1.19 20. And what is the exceeding greatness of his Power to us ward who believe according to the working of his mighty power which he wrought in Christ when he raised him from the dead Where this truth is held forth 1. By a Gradation Power his Povver the greatness of his Povver the exceeding greatness of his Power 2. By a Comparison the Povver which God puts forth in the Work of faith being compared unto
7. Mutua immanentia circum incessio 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 seu 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and the Holy Ghost is God of himself no less then the Father is God of himself Hence there is an Original in regard of the manner of the Essence but not in regard of the Essence it self That Proposition in the Nycene Creed God of God is to be understood of God taken in a concrete sence that is for the Essence and manner of the Essence considered together not for God taken in an abstracted sence that is for the Essence considered absolutely Hence appeareth 1. The in-being of one Person in another John 14.10 11. 1 John 1. Believe me that I am in the Father and the Father in me Because a person signifying both the Essence and its relative property all the Persons having one and the same Essence it followeth that in respect of the Essence one person is in another Thus John saith There are three that is three distinct Persons in respect of their relative opposition adding withal that these three are one namely in respect of the sameness of the Essence And here we may see the reason of those words of Christ John 8.19 If you had known me ye should have known my Father also he that hath seen me hath seen the Father 2. That all the Persons are equal Who being in the Form of God thought it no robbery to be equal with God Philip. 2.6 John 5.18 Either the Persons are equal or else because every Person is God there would follow an inequality and consequently an inferiority in God which is inconsistent with his perfection 3. That all the Attributes in that they flow from the Essence are true of every person because every person hath the whole Essence 4. That all the Attributes whether Relative Negative or Positive or if any other in that they proceed from the Essence are true of every person because the whose Essence as was now said is in every person The Father is Eternal the Son is Eternal the Holy Ghost is Eternal because the whole Essence is in every one of them yet there are not three Eternals but one Eternal because the Essence which is in them all is but one In like manner the Father is Infinite the Son is Infinite the Holy Ghost is Infinite yet c. And so of all the rest 5. That all the Works of God which concern the creature i. e. whatsoever is besides God Tho. 22◠qu. 2. a. 3. Vrsin Explic Catech. Part. 2. qu. 25. q. 8. Keck Theol. lib. 1. cap. 3. propè finem are wrought by all the persons joyntly because the efficacy whereby they are what they are proceeds likewise from the Essence it self not from the manner of the Essence Moreover The Knowledge of the Trinity is necessary to salvation because saving faith hath for its object God the Father Son and Holy Ghost and Jesus Christ God-man No man is saved without the knowledge of the Father No man hath seen God at any time the only begotten Son which is in the bosome of the Father he hath declared him John 1.18 No man is saved without the knowledge of the Son Whosoever denyeth the Son the same hath not the Father 1 John 2.23 He that honoureth not the Son honoureth not the Father which hath sent him John 5.23 1 John 5.20 No man is saved without the knowledge of the Holy Ghost Now if any man hath not the Spirit of Christ he is none of his Rom. 8.9 Even the Spirit of truth whom the world cannot receive because it seeth him not neither knoweth him but ye know him for he dwelleth with you and shall be in you John 14.17 God heareth none but such as call upon him in the Name of Christ none can call upon God in Christ but such as are taught and assisted by his Spirit We cannot worship God aright without the knowledge of the Trinity As God the Father Son and Holy Ghost is of the object of faith so is he of the object of divine worship Baptism is an Act of Worship and Seal of the Covenant but we are baptized into the Name of the Father Qui Patrem adorat distinctè simul etiam Filium Spiritum Sanctum adorat unitè Alsted Cas◠conscien cap. 5. and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost Matth. 28.19 God hath committed all judgment to the Son that all men should honour the Son as they honour the Fanher He that honoureth not the Son honoureth not the Father which hath sent him John 5.22 23. Believers are the Temples of the Holy Ghost 1 Cor. 3.16 and 1 Cor. 6.19 The Lord of the Temple is worshipped in the Temple We worship the Trinity in Unity and the Unity in Trinity All obedience is to be performed unto God the Father Son and Holy Ghost To him that elected us that gave Christ to redeem us that created us that brought Israel out of Egypt that in a word doth all for us is obedience to be performed But God the Father Son and Holy Ghost and that as God the Father Son and Holy Ghost elected us gave Christ to redeem us created us c. Therefore unto God the Father Son and Holy Ghost is all obedience to be performed The Plurality of persons in the Trinity is of great use for the confirmation of the truth unto us John asserts that great truth of Jesus Christ being the Son of God and Saviour of all them that believe not only from the testimony of one God but from the testimony of that one God who is three Witnesses For there are three that bare record in Heaven the Father the Word and the Holy Ghost and these three are one 1 John 5.7 To the same purpose is the Argument Christ useth disputing against the Scribes and Pharisees proving the truth of what he had spoken concerning himself being the Light of the world because it was averred by the Father and him as two witnesses It is also written in your Law that the testimony of two men is true I am one that bare witness of my self and the Father that sent me beareth witness of me John 8.12.17 18. The Knowledge of the Trinity tends unto the Consolation of Believers Vide Estium in Col. 2.2 Paul affectionately desirous that the hearts of the Colossians might be comforted sheweth two special means thereof viz. The Acknowledgment of the Mystery of God and of the Father and of Christ with the full assurance of understanding and brotherly-love of God i. e. of God and of his Attributes of the Father i. e. of the Persons the first of which is the Father of Christ i. e. of his Person and Office so some without repugnancy to the Analogy of faith or the words of the text Lastly The Knowledge of the Doctrine of the Trinity is requisite to our Communion which as our union is with God the Father Son and Holy Ghost And truly our Fellowship is with the
sentit qui tantum de illo credit quod suo ingenio metiri potest Greg. but in Divinity Faith makes Argument Argumentum dr in Logicis ratio rei dubiae faciens fidē In Theologicis veroest è contrario quod fidesest faciēs argumentū Obj. 6. The Doctrine of the absoluteness and infallibleness of the Decree discourageth from the use of means Ans So the Massilienses objected against Augustine Superfluous said they is labour in both parts if he that is reprobated can by no industry be saved nor he that is elected by no negligence fall short of salvation This Objection labours of that which Logicians call the Fallacy of Division whereby in our arguing those things are divided which ought to be conjoyned So here the end and the means to the end are divided which God in his everlasting Counsel hath conjoyned More particularly The falshood of this perillous and justly abominable inference appeareth thus 1. It is against Scripture which holds forth the certaine truth of the connexion of the Antecedent and Consequent when yet both the Antecedent and Consequent taken apart are false That is it holds forth a truth in the connexion of both the parts of such a Proposition in either of whose parts considered in themselves there is no truth For example Acts 27.30 Except these abide in the Ship ye cannot be saved Here is a truth in the Connexion of both parts of the Proposition viz. The Antecedent Except these abide in the ship and the Consequent Ye cannot be saved Yet could it not be a truth either that the ship-men should not abide in the ship or that any man in the ship should not be saved God having before determined that there should be no loss of any mans life amongst them ver 22. and that by means of the ship-mens abiding in the ship as appeareth out of the Text ver 27.31 and by the event So in that Proposition If ye Believers live after the flesh ye shall dye Rom. 8.13 Here is a truth in the Connexion of the parts i. e. of the Antecedent and Consequent of this Proposition viz. That if these believing Romans live finally after the flesh they shall dye else the Scripture is not true yet is there no truth in either of the parts thereof considered by themselves Not in the Antecedent viz. Believers live finally afer the flesh Not in the Consequent viz. That Believers shall dye The like is to be seen in this Proposition If Judas believe he shall be saved If John believe not he shall be damned There is a truth in the Connexion of the Antecedent and Consequent of both though the Antecedent and Consequent of both considered by themselves are false For though it be true If Judas believe he shall be saved and if John believe not he shall be damned yet is it not true either that Judas shall believe or that Judas shall be saved or that John shall not believe or that John shall be damned God then having decreed the end by the conjunction of the end and means together 'T is not a truth for us to conclude we shall attain the end though we dis-joyn the end and means asunder It is therefore against the truth of the Scripture for an elect man to say Though he live after the flesh he shall be saved as also for the Reprobate to say Though he live after the spirit he shall be damned 2. It implyeth a contradiction for us to acknowledge the Doctrine of the Decree that tyeth the end and the means together to be a truth and yet to say it is in vain to use the means for that notwithstanding we shall not be partakers of the end 3. It is irrational and it is as if one should argue thus Because God hath decreed such an end to be attained by such means therefore it is in vain to use the means to that end 4. It is at least implicitely legal in that it objects not against the Decree simply but also against our dependance upon the Efficiency of that Decree It implying thus much we will use the means if the use of means be in our power but we have no heart to use the means since both strength to use it and the success of the use of it proceed respectively from an absolute predermination of God Si non vultis obedientiā ad quam nos licendilis in corde nostro frigescere nolite nobis istam Dei gratiam praedicare quâ Deum dare fatemini quae ut nos faciamus fortamini August de deno Perserver l. 2. c. 19. That was a Legal yea an abominable speech of those who said in Augustines time If you would not have that obedience whereunto you endeavor to enflame us to chill in our hearts do not preach unto us the Grace of God whereby you confess that God giveth the things which you exhort us to do 5. Diabolicus sarcasmus si sum electus faciam quae lubet quia mihi non oberit Ursin It is Diabolical 'T is a Diabolical bitter scoff saith Vrsin If I am Elected I may do what I list it shall nothing hurt me But is it not a discouragement to use means whilst we are uncertain of the success To conclude so far is the doctrine of the Decree from being a prejudice to the use of means as that the use of the means is part of it the effect of it and the knowledge thereof an obliging motive unto all that know it an effectual motive unto all that are godly Obj. 7. No event the accomplishment whereof is the fulfilling of the Will of God is sin But sin is an event the accomplishment whereof is the fulfilling of the Will of God Rom. 9.19 For why doth he yet finde fault Answ and who hath resisted his Will Therefore sin is not sin otherwise it should be sin to fulfill the Will of God 1. The Apostles mentioning this in the text alledged as the objection of carnal reason cavelling against the Decree of God is a sufficient ground for the rejecting of it 2. The Law not the Decree is the rule of life Hence sin is described to be the transgression of the Law 1 Ioh. 3.4 The command sheweth what ought to be done the Decree determineth what shall be done God willeth it to be the duty of all to keep the command but he willeth not that all shall keep the command Whether therefore men keep the command or not God falleth not short of his Will which is aways fulfilled Even then when men break the command Ista autē non pugnant tui est officii ut hoc facias nonest mei propositi efficere ut hoc facias Twis de Elect. l. 1. part 2. For who hath resisted his Will that is his Decree Rom. 919. Men by sin do not make God to fall short of his will but they fall short of their duty God doth not punish man for resisting his Will meerly but for resisting the
rule There is no repugnancy between these two propositions 1. It is the duty of man to beleeve 2. It is not the purpose of God to give him grace to cause him to beleeve Obj. 8. The Event out of which according to the Decree of God cometh good yea that great good of the manifestation of the glory of God ought not to be counted sin nor is the doer thereof to suffer vengeance But sin is that event out of which cometh this great good Therefore why should sin be accounted sin or the doer thereof suffer vengeance See Rom. 3.5 7. Ans This Objection is framed in the person of man I speak as a man vers 5. not as from God and being both blasphemous and absurd the Apostle censures it in the same place with an holy abomination God forbid vers 6. Sin in it self tendeth only unto evil it is by accident that it becometh a means of any good 'T is the occasion Lambertus Danaeus censuit periculosam istam Gregorii magni sententiam ubi loquens de culpa Adami sic ait O foelix culpa quae talem tantū habere meruit Redemptorem Twisse de Praed l. 1. part 1. Nisi esset hoc bonum ut essent mala nullo modo sinerentur ab Omnipotente bono August Twiss referente Cr. 3. l. 2. Vid. Cr. 3. l. 2. not the cause of the manifestation of the glory of God That sin which in its own nature tends only unto evil is turned into an occasional commendation of the Righteousness and other Attributes of God doth not at all excuse sin but commends the wisdom and goodness of him that brings good out of evil yea a far greater good out of sin then sin it self is an evil So of the Objections The Decree is to be propounded in the same order in which God hath revealed it in his Word God knoweth best how to reveal his own mind And we speak well when we speak after him In particular these Rules are to be observed Rule 1. What order is to be observed in propounding the Doctrine of the Decree Not Gods Decree but the Command is the Rule of Faith and Obedience Rule 2. Consider of the Decree as proceeding according to the order of the End and the means conducing to that End hereby finding the End of God in them that perish not to be the death of a sinner but the manifestation of the glory of his Justice in punishing man for sin and the blameable cause of death to be sin appears the unwarrantableness as well as the offensiveness of such expressions as God made man to damn him c. together with the groundlessness and sinfulness of blasphemous charging God with cruelty in his Decree of Reprobation O Israel thou hast destroyed thy self but in me is thy help found Hosea 13.9 Here God removeth from himself the being the cause of the destruction of Israel He also denyeth solemnly Ezek. 18.23 32. yea with an Oath Ezek. 33.11 That he taketh any pleasure in the death of a sinner Say unto them As I live saith the Lord God I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked but that the wicked turn from his way and live Turn ye turn ye from your evil ways why will ye dye O house of Israel Death as we saw before is considered as the destruction of the sinner or as an execution and declaration of Justice God delights in it as it is a declaration and execution of Justice but not as it is the destruction of the sinner In the execution of Justice upon a Malefactor we must distinguish between punishment and destruction Punishment is from the Judg destruction is from the evil doer Punishment proceeds from the Author of the Rule of Justice as the efficient Cause but destruction from sin as the meritorious Cause Though punishment as it destroyeth the creature be an evil to Nature yet as it is a declaration of Justice it is a moral good 'T is true Condemnation followeth infallibly upon Reprobation yet so as Reprobation is the antecedent not the cause of sin sin both an antecedent and cause of condemnation None are condemned because reprobated but because they sin Notwithstanding man be reprobated yet if he had not sinned he should not have dyed Rule 3. We must not separate between the end and the means That Diabolical Sarcasme and bitter scoffe invented to the abuse and derision of the Doctrine of the Decree is not only an untruth but implyeth a contradiction viz. If I be elected howsoever I live I shall be saved and if I be not elected live I never so well I shall be damned Satan in this Sophism divides the end and the means asunder which God hath joyned together The Decree consists not of the end without the means nor of the means without the end but of both together Both end and means are contained in one Decree Yea so far is the Decree from admitting such an inference as that the contrary infallibly followeth thereupon and in point of Election is not only necessarily concluded but irresistably caused Faith repentance new-obedience and perseverance being the effects of Election Acts 27.24 God had decreed by the ship-mens staying in the ship to run the ship a ground near the shore so as that all there might escape safe to land He concludes unsafely from thence that saith Do now as they will Stay the ship-men in the ship or not there shall no man perish For except the ship-men abide in the ship ye cannot be saved ver 27. Just so do they reasonlesly and to their own destruction conclude who notwithstanding God hath from the beginning chosen us to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth 2 Thes 1.13 Yet infer if they were elected live as they will whether they believe or not be sanctified or not they shall be saved There was one saith Augustine of our society who when his brethren expostulated with him Quidam in nostro Monasterio qui corripientibus fratribus c. August de bono persever l. 2. c. 75 why he did some things which ought not to be done and why he did not some things that ought to be done answered What kind of one soever I now am I shall be such an one as God hath foreknown me to be Who truly saith that Ancient said the truth and by this truth profited not in good but so much profitted in evil that forsaking the Society of the Monastery he became a Dog returned to his vomit again and as yet what he will be is uncertain Rule 4. We must be carefull to distinguish between the Doctrine of the Decree and the Personal Application thereof in point of Election and Reprobation The Doctrine of the Decree is commanded to be taught and learned and is many ways useful both before and after faith respectively But the Personal Application thereof before faith in point of Election or during this life in point of
beleeve Paul had a righteousness of his own Phil. 3.9 thought he was alive Rom. 7.9 him Christ came to call though in his conceited righteousness because he was elected but before he obtained mercy to beleeve he is made sensible both of the dung and unrighteousness of his own righteousness Phil. 3.7 8. and also of his sin Rom. 7.9 The second Reason is taken from the Ends that this Preparatory Work serves unto Reason 2. First To convince of sin The Scripture hath concluded all under sin that the promise by faith of Jesus Christ might be given to them that beleeve Gal. 3.22 For God hath concluded all in unbelief that he might have mercy up n ali Rom. 3.19 Secondly To justifie the Law i. e. the Curse The Law is holy and the Commandment holy just and good Rom. 7.12 the Precept holy the Promise good the Curse just Man must acknowledg himself a lawful captive before God will deliver him Shall the prey be taken from the mighty or the lawful captive be delivered Isai 49.24 Before God will justifie man according to the Promise man must justifie God had he proceeded with him according to the Curse We must condemn our selves before God will pardon us Even in this respect God will make his Law honourable Thirdly To teach the Soul the nothingness of all it is and hath without Jesus Christ You see your calling Brethren c. 1 Cor. 1.26 27 28 29. that no flesh should glory in his presence and that not only after they were called but also in the manner of their calling God calleth them that are not Rom. 4.17 Christ is sent to bind up the broken hearted Isai 61.1 His people know him to be the Lord by the manner of his bringing them out of their graves Vt sentiant suam 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Cal. in Dan. 4.35 37. Nostrum esse nihil alâ—ud est quam subsistere in Deo sumus aliqi id in Dâ—o in nobis auteÌ„ nihil idâ—m ibid. Ezek. 37.13 As God in the Creation brought the creature by his Fiat i.e. Let there be Gen. 1. from its term nothing unto its being So in Vocation by his word Vive I said unto thee Live Ezek. 16.6 He bringeth it from its term of a spiritual nothing unto its spiritual being Which in time past were not a people but now are the people of God which had not obtained mercy but now have obtained mercy 1 Pet. 2.10 1 Cor. 13.2 'T is one of the Attributes of God that those that walk in pride he is able to abase I an 4.37 Job 40.11 14. Fourthly To teach the Soul how to esteem of and magnifie the free mercy of God in Christ Rom. 11.32 For God lath concluded them all in unbelief that he might have mercy up n all See Ez k. 16. ult Isai 30.18 Here God getteth unto himself a Name Rom. 4.17 the Quickner of the dead the Caller of those that are not as if they were the Justifier of the ungodly Hence also the people of God receive their name Isai 62.12 And thou shalt be called Sought out A City not forsaken that they might be called the trees of righteousness the planting of the Lord that he might be glorified Hosea 2.1 Say to your brethren Ammi and to your sisters Ruhamah The third Reason is taken from the season of preparatory Work Reason 3. The fittest season to affect the heart with the sensibleness of sin is between the rest of the Soul in sin and the infusion of faith God works upon man not according to his absolute Power but according to the nature of the subject and fitness of the second cause The fittest time to affect the heart of man with fear is whilest he looketh at the danger as in being not when he looketh at the danger as over If Joseph intend to be an object of fear unto his Brethren he acts this part whilest they look at him as a Judg before he revealeth himself to be a Brother The time between the rest of the Soul in sin and the grace of faith is not only the fittest but the only season to affect the Soul with the spirit of bondage The Soul cannot be affected with the spirit of fear whilest it is at ease in sin to be in fear and not to be in fear in the same respect is a contradiction Neither can the spirit of bondage be in a Beleever Ye have not received the spirit of bondage to fear again Rom. 8.15 This fear is the work of the Spirit of God in the working whereof the Spirit doth two things 1. It threatens the Soul with the Curse as justly due to and impending over it in that estate 2. It causeth the Soul to fear this wrath Now the Spirit cannot cause this fear in a Beleever to whom there is no condemnation Rom. 8.1 for in so doing he should affirm and cause the Soul to beleeve and to be affected with an untruth which vvere blasphemy to think besides the spirit of servile fear and the spirit of Adoption are opposite either then there is no spirit of bondage or it is betvveen the rest of the Soul in sin and faith in Christ Jesus Obj. Fear of eternal Wrath may be caused by the Spirit in a Beleever Rom. 8.13 If ye live after the flesh ye shall dye Ans 'T is a threatening of them in respect of their Way not in respect of their Estate 2. 'T is a filial fear not a servile that the Spirit works hereby The fear of punishment for sin is so a means to awe them from sin as they yet fear sin more then the punishment for sin The last Head of Argument Examples is taken from Experiences of the Saints who being asked will bear witness unto this truth The Parable of the Prodigals return unto his Fathers house Senior filius Typum gerit PharisaeoruÌ„ ScribaruÌ„ quemadmodum junior Types est publicanoruÌ„ peccatorum in genere omnium qui ad Christum consugiunt Aret. in loc is propounded as a pattern of a sinners being brought home unto Christ Jesus In him we may see the conscience of sin Thâ—neâ—ar sea mighty famine in that Land ver 14. The sence of this perishing condition under sin And I perish with hunger ver 17. The experience of his lost estate He fain would have filled his belly with the husks the swine did eat And no man gave unto him ver 16. This my Son was lest ver 32. His sight of his need of Christ and seeking after him And when he came to himself he said How many hired servants in my Fathers house have bread enough and to spare I will arise and go to my Father c. ver 17 18. Hereunto may be added many instances recorded in the Scripture Matthew the Publican before he was effectually called was sick of sin as may be well gathered from Mat. 9. ver 9.12 13. Zacheus confesseth his sin Luke 19.8 felt himself lost