Book I answer I have in the following page given thee a specimen of Mr. Colliers strange Heterodoxies collected out of his Book for the most part in his own terms which with very many more contained therein are detected and refuted in this And give me leave to express my desires in the words of that holy man of old concerning what I have written Domine Deus unus Deus Trinitas quaecunque dixi in his libris de tuo agnoscant tui si qua de meo tu ignosce tui Amen! August Let God alone have the glory of any thing serviceable to the interest of his truth in this Treatise and interpret well my poor Essay towards the clearing thereof much weakness therein I am sensible of and know right well that one of deeper Judgement and greater abilities endued with a more plentiful anointing of the good spirit would have said much more in less room then I have done But seeing no other was engaged in this service my mite is humbly offered and that my weakness may be pardoned and my poor endeavours succeeded to some advantage if it be but of the weakest of Christs sheep and the reflecting of some glory to his holy Name is the earnest prayer of The unworthiest of his Servants N. C. Amongst the many gross Errours published by Mr. Collier in his Additional Word and refuted in this Treatise are these following 1. THat Christ is the Son of God only as considered in both natures Addit Word Ch. 1. p. 2. 2. As he was the Prince of Life the Lord of Glory was he killed and crucified and that was not in the humane nature only ch 1. p. 4. 3. As God-man he was a Creature ch 1. p. 9. 4. This Creature God-man made all things ch 1. p. 10. 5. The word God-man was made flesh ch 1. p. 11. 6. There are Increated Heavens for the Eternal God must have some Eternal habitation ch 1. p. 12. 7. Christ died for the Universe the Heavens and Earth and all things therein ch 2. p. 13. 8. The Gospel ought to be preached to the whole Creation even to that part of it that is not capable of hearing or understanding it ch 2. p. 16. 9. The Foolish Virgins shall obtain some great priviledge in the day of Christ ch 3. p. 23. 10. Those that never heard the Gospel cannot be under the Judgement of Damnation ch 4. p. 26. 11. The sinful defilement of our nature is not the sin but the affliction of man ch 4. p. 27. 12. It s possible for men in respect of power to believe the Gospel if God do not work at all upon them by his spirit ch 5. p. 31 32. 13. Regenerate Persons or True Believers may finally fall away from God and Perish ch 5. p. 36 c. 14. None shall be Eternally damned but those that sin against the holy Spirit ch 7. p. 47. 15. The Gospel hath been preached to men after they were dead ch 7 p. 48. 16. Men may repent so as to obtain deliverance from their torment after death and the last Judgement ch 7. p. c. 8. 17. Sluggish Christians and Formalists may find some mercy in the day of Judgement p. 51. 18. Perhaps the torment of some sinners may not exceed a 100 years p. 52. 19. The Sodomites have already received their Judgement and are still suffering thereof and the day of the general Judgement is like to be their day of ease p. 53. 20. The infinite Sacrifice of Christ remains the same to have its influence for the obtaining of Grace after the Judgement as before p. 54. CHAP. I. Concerning God The distinct Subsistencies in the Divine Nature And more especially the Person of the Son MR. Collier intimates in the beginning of his first Chapter That he had been from some private hand admonished of certain errors by him before published in his Body of Divinity which in this Chapter he endeavours to vindicate and makes this the occasion of the putting forth the whole of what we find in his Additional Word But verily this course is in no wise like to give satisfaction to them who before were justly offended For a man when he is blamed for swerving from the form of sound words and that Doctrine that is according to Godliness in some instances to repeat his errors with new Confidence instead of a retractation of them and then to add many more and more dangerous against the analogy of Faith yea the express words of Scripture and common sentiments of all that deserve the name of Christians is not the way to reconcile himself to the truth or to any true lovers thereof And that Mr. Collier hath thus done will be manifested in our progress We are plentifully instructed from the Scripture That there is but one only living and true God who is a most pure Spirit Eternal and Immutable Incomprehensible and infinitely perfect in his Being and all the properties thereof c. This also Mr. Collier professeth to own yet he hath in the close of this first Chapter of his Additional Word dropt an expression or two that seem to hold no very full harmony therewith He saith p. 12. As to the Omnipresence of God the Father I say what the Scripture saith which directeth us to the Father as in Heaven and that by his Spirit he is present in all places Omnipresence is an Essential property of God grounded on his Infiniteness it is as necessary to him to be Omnipâ—â—ent as to be God It is all one therefore whether we speak of the Omnipresence of the Father or of the Son or of the holy Spirit these three being that One incomprehensible and infinite Jehovah to whom all fear and worship is due And to deny it of any of them is to deny their Divinity And whereas Mr. Collier tells us That he saith what the Scripture saith c. That is not enough unless he make it manifest also That he saith it according to the true sense and intendment of the Spirit of God in those Scriptures he refers unto I am unwilling to entertain jealousies of any man but yet I must say That those Socinians who have most opposed the truth concerning the immensity of God have yet said as much as Mr. Collier here presents us with and to clear himself from suspicion in this matter when questioned about it more might justly have been expected from him The Scriptures indeed speak of God as in Heaven but that is as many other expressions in them â—re in a way of condescension to our capacity And we must always remember that those things that are spoken of God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 after the manner of men must be interpreted 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in a sense becoming God else we must immediately close with the gross and absurd Heresie of the Authropomorphites Seeing then that we conceive of no place so glorious as Heaven that is represented to us as the dwelling place or
If we may suppose the Ministry to go without the spirit working therein then we may suppose a pâ—ssibility in respect of power else men could not be condemned for not believing c. The absurd folly of his supposition That by our sin we out God short of right to command our Obedience to his holy will as well as loose our power to obey hath been already detected By this and what followeth you may see what I said before that this man doth not stick at the grossest Pelagianisme but supposeth man in his fallen state by his corrupt mind and natural capacity without any work of Gods spirit upon him to be capable of discâ—rning believing and yielding acceptable Obedience to the revelations of God contained in the Scriptures of truth Howbeit we have heard the Scripture teacheth other Doctrine And the Apostle Paul was so far from this proud conceit of himself that he confesseth the quite contrary viz. 2 Cor. 3. 5. That we are not sufficient of our selves to think any thing as of our selves but our sufficiency is of God i. e. It is of God in a way of Grace who works all our works in us But against the saying of the Apostle he excepts p. 43. It s true as of our selves only we are not distinct from Christ and Gospel Grace we are not but by the helps afforded there is power both to will and to do the will of God in the Gospel It seems by these words of Tho. Collier That he is conscious to himself that this Text doth overthrow his notion of the sufficiency of men without any help of the spirit of God to do any thing that is truly and spiritually Good especially those that are utter strangers to Christ and Gospel-Grace for he now owns that distinct from Christ and Gospel-Grace we have no such sufficiency But he doth not use to trouble himself to keep an harmony in his Book betwixt pages so far distant as is 31. from p. 43. and therefore it is no marvel to find him here unsaying what before he said and instead of that to content himself for the present with asserting That there is a sufficient help afforded to all c. But brings forth no proof of that neither but besides what hath been already proved against him I shall farther examine this notion before I come to the end of this Chapter and at present manifest that it is overthrown by this Text The Apostle doth in these words not with a feigned modesty but from his heart confess he is beholding to the Grace of God for every good thing wrought in him or by him And therefore he instanceth in that which scarce amounts to any good work even a thought when he affirmeth our sufficiency to be of God and denyeth that we are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sufficient or meet for it any way capable of our selves to exert or frame a good thought in our own Breasts and this he denies of himself when converted and refers all the praise of the exercise of Grace in his Soul to the spirit of God even then now it is less to think then to will and less to will then to perform And if our ability for the former be denied it must be so much more for the latter And if it be denied of a converted man much more of one unconverted It is repugnant to reason and Scripture evidence to think that the blessed Apostle a person in all respects qualified with natural endowments and education yea in an eminent manner assisted by the Spirit of God should say that he had no sufficiency of his own for any thing that was truly good and in the mean while to suppose that any unconverted person hath power of himself to be so good in thought will and deed as to get to Heaven by the meer improvement of his natural capacity without any assistance of Divine Grace In p. 32. he farther opens his mind about conversion and tells us If God did not work at all by his spirit but only give the Gospel which hath in its self a natural tendency to draw sinners to Christ if according to their capacities they believe and obey it they should undoubtedly be saved There are two things supposed in these words the one true the other utterly untrue a common artifice of Deceivers to make their notions pass the more readily with the weak that cannot discover their imposture herein 1. He supposeth that whosoever believeth and obeyeth the Gospel by any means is under the promise of salvation which is a great truth thâ—se two viz. Faith and Salvation being inseparably connected in the Scripture 2. He takes it for granted as before That a man in his natural Estate without any the least assistance from the spirit of God hath a sufficient ability and is in a capacity to beâ—ieve and obey the Gospel And so all that he allows to the spirit oâ— God is but to render the work of conversion the more facile and easie for thus he writes again p. 33. That after believing and obeying the Gospel God usually gives a greater measure of his spirit so that after believing Christians are or might be in a better capacity to live to God then before They were therefore in a capacity to live to God before believing and again p. 34. As the Apâ—stle speaks in the matter of prayer Rom. 8. 26. He helpeth our infirmities so its true in all cases the work of the Spirit is to help our infirmities for it s we that dâ— believe and obey the Gospel and not the Spirit The result or necessary consequence of these words of his is That persons may believe and never be beholding to the Spirit they can convert themselves without him But if he do ex abundanti afford his help it is not to convert the Soul by his own power and grace but only to facilitate the work by exciting a principle that he finds in the Soul and which was there before any special working of his in and upon it But if we consult the holy Scriptures we shall find that in them conversion is spoken of in a Dialect far differing from Mr. Colliers For instance Jam. 1. 18. Of his own will hath he begotten us c. Now this new birth or being begotten of God doth bespeak plainly the infusing of that gracious principle into the Soul that was not there before and this is done by the Spirit of God in the exercise of Soveraign Grace As the wind bloweth where it listeth so of his own will hath he begotten us Of the same import is that phrase of taking the heart of stone out of the flesh and giving an heart of flâ—sh a new heart so often mentioned in the Covenant of Grace and can signifie no less then the effectual removing and curing of that wicked disposition of Soul and stubbornness of heart by which a person is kept in rebellion against God by communicating to them a divine nature as
it is called 2 Pet. 1. 4. So also conversion is called a new Creation and Grace the new man or a new Creature 2 Cor. 5. 17. Eph. 4. 24. 2. 10. which terms in the common sense of men signifie the production of that which before was not in being by a divine power even the same that wrought in Christ when he was raised from the dead Eph. 1. 19 20. and do not suppose any pre-disposition or inclination in the person where this new Creation is not exciting the great Creator to a concurrence or assistance in order to its production Yet Mr. Collier hath the boldness to say that all these expressions amount to no more if rightly weighed then what he hath asserted viz. That God doth help men to believe by the working of his spirit with them so cherishing the Good he finds in them that it be not mastered by the sensual bruitish part Greater contempt hath not lightly been cast upon the holy spirit of God who works all Grace in us nor upon his sayings in the Scipture whereby his operation on the Souls of men is unfolded to us as if the holy Ghost intended to perswade them that they are beholding to distinguishing Grace for that which in truth they have in nature and do themselves The reason that Mr. Collier gives for his talking at this rate is Because it s we that believe and obey the Gospel and not the Spirit and it s our duty and so stated in the Scripture By this he intends to prove that the Spirit of God is not the only and principal efficient cause of Faith in men but they open their own eyes and raise themselves from the dead and create themselves anew in Christ Jesus or else believing must be attributed to the Spirit and not to them and must be considered as his duty and not theirs I might tell Mr. Collier seeing he pretends to Learning Qui actionis causa â—fficiens principalis prima est non illico ab actione cujus causa est denominatur lieet in illam per modum causae particularis determinantis influat sed ille tantum qui actione informatur But it s in vain to trouble his head with any Philosophical notion I shall rather make evident his mistake by some familiar instance that may be within his reach And I know none fitter â—o the case in hand then that of Lazarus his Resurrection from the dead by Christ I suppose it will be grated that the Lord diâ— not only help Lazarus to live and come out of his Grave but that by his Divine power he made him to live that was before dead and utterly uncapable of action yet was it Lazarus that came forth and revived not Christ so though the Spirit of God do give life to the Soul and by his own power make it to believe yet is it the man converted not the Spirit that believes c. To make the matter more plain we must remember That there are two moments in conversion to be considered The first is the infusion of a principle of Life and Grace by which the Soul is enabled and disposed to convert and believe being renewed after the image of God and this is called Gratia prima the first Grace in the reception whereof we are passive The second is the exercise of this Grace in actual turning to God believing c. through the blessed assistance of the Good spirit who workeâ—h in us to do as well as to will and this is called Gratia secunda In this the Soul is active and works according to the working of him who works in it mightily Before I pass farther I think it may be a convenient place here to remove out of our way the corrupt glosses of Mr. C. upon a Text or two which he is pleased to take notice of towards the end of this Chapter The first is Joh. 15. 5. mentioned by him p. 39. The words are without me ye can do nothing The design of Christ in these words is to press his Disciples to abide in him for this end he tells them in this Verse I am the vine ye are the branches he â—hat abideth in me and I in him the same bringeth forth much fruit for without me or severed from me 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ye can do nothing We are by nature dry branches and unfruitful meet fuel for the fire of Gods wrath and if ever we bring forth fruit to God we must first by the powerful Grace of God the great Husband-man be ingraffed into Christ the true Vine that we may derive Life and Grace from him neither will our admission into the Church suffice thereunto without real union with himself and cleaving to him by faith lively and unfeigned by the daily exercise whereof we fetch new supplies of Grace so drawing sap from him from whom our fruit is found Thus is he unto us as the Vine unto the Branches for without Christ i. e. the influence of his Aid and Grace or in a state of separation in which we are not capable of this vital influence from him we can do nothing understand it according to the subject matter nothing that is spiritually Good Surely this casts man down from that Throne of self-sufficiency unto which Mr. Collier would advance him and very poorly doth he acquit himself in his reply thereto He saith 1. All the common light understanding and reason that men have is from him This is the refuge of the Pâ—lagians of Old in which Mr. C. hath before attempted to shelter himself They would pretend to own the Grace of God when their meaning was no more then this That men as men were beholding to God for their natural accomplishments more then which they neither had nor needed from him to enable them to yield acceptable obedience to him but that something else is intended in this Text we have already manifested 2. The Gospel leads Souls to him where their help is It s that which I say there is no capacity or power without the Gospel which unites Souls to Christ in whom their Life is c. It is the Faith of the Gospel and not the bare hearing of it that unites the Soul to Christ and though Mr. Collier here tell us of drawing to Christ and Union with him c. yet his design is still to exclude the special and effectual work of the spirit to bring the Soul to Christ and preserve it in him which I before proved necessary hereunto And there is little heed to be taken to his saying There is no power or capacity without the Gospel this is but to serve a present turn for he hath in his foregoing Chapters pleaded That where the Gospel never comes men have sufficient means and power to live to God without it The second Text is 1 Cor. 4. 7. Who maketh thee to differ and what hast thou that thou hast not received So Mr. C. reads it p. 43 about which we need
not contend add thereunto the close of the verse now if thou didst receive it why dost thou glory as if thou hadst not received it From hence we may safely infer That if any man differ from another or from what he was in himself before that is to say be raised from a state of death in sins and trespasses unto newness of life delivered from the power of darkness and translated into the Kingdom of the Son of Gods love it is God hath made this difference to the praise of the riches of his Grace And thus much Mr. C. in answer to the objection grants It is God by Gospel Grace makes us to diffeâ— But if Mr. Colliers notion elsewhere be true that amongst men that receive every way as much Grace from God the one as the other some believe unto life others remain in their sins it will necessarily follow that those of them which choose the better part do make themselves to differ and have cause of boasting if not before God yet in comparison with other men And this is in terms denied by the Apostle And Mr. C. makes no reply thereto but what hath now been oft mentioned and answered and therefore I will not trouble the Reader with a repetition of it The Text that remains to be insisted on is Phil. 2. 13. For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his gâ—od pleasure That this Scripture is directly opposite to Mr. Collierâ— Doctrine is evident In the foregoing Verse he exhorts the Philippians to work out their own Salvation with fear and trembling By working out their Salvation he intends labouring for or bestowing their utmost industry to obtain Salvation and according to this sense is the same word rendred Joh. 6. 27. Labour not for the meat that perisheth c. Now hereunto two things are required 1. A principle enabling and disposing them to walk humbly with God in Faith and Obedience 2. The exercise thereof Dr. O' s 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 496. which is referred unto the internal acts of the will and external operations in duties suitable thereunto And as we have before proved that Grace is wrought in us by the spirit of God so the Apostle here expresly affirms that both to will and to do which expressions take in the whole of its exercise is also effectually wrought in us by him of his own good pleasure which is the most prevailing argument and motive to an humble walking with God and encouragement thereto He that reads Mr. Colliers Gloss upon this Text p. 43. will find him constrained almost to embrace that notion of it that doth evert his opinion and all that he offers towards the salving of it is in these words To understand it to intend Gods working an impulsive will and that they could not or should not work without it destroys the exhortation and makes null the duty What Mr. C. intends by an impulsive will or wheâ—her there be any good sense in those terms we need 〈◊〉 inquire That God worketh in us to will or the very act of willing the Text is express And it hath been already manifested to be his great errour to conceive That nothing is required of us in a way of duty but what in our lapsed state we are able to perform without the help of Gods spirit And therefore it is fallaciously done of him to join those terms together as if they were of equal extent that they could not or should not work without it It was their indispensible duty to obey the exhortation foregoing but this they could not do without the effectual working of God in them And there is not more frequent mention of any one thing in the Gospel it being that wherein Gospel Grace doth eminently shine forth then of our receiving Grace from God to enable us to yield to him that Obedience which he requires of us Pious therefore and well grounded was the petition of that worthy opposer of the Pelagians of Old Da Domine quod jubes jube quod vis Give me O Lord what thou requirest of me and command what thou pleasest Indeed to deny that we receive any thing from god in a way of special and distinguishing Grace that is required of us in a way of duty is flatly to reject the Gospel and to deny the Grace of the New Covenant We do not then destroy the exhortation and make null the duty but instruct men which way they may expect and receive Grace to obey it in the performance of their duty which is certainly a great quickening and incouragement thereto unto all that have an humble sense of their concernment in these things I shall now return to Mr. C. p. 34. where he propounds another Question Does the spirit in the Gospel where it comes work in all alike or may we suppose that he effects a more special work in some then in others In answer hereunto he first tells us That this is a mystery known only to God and then immediately proceeds to give an account of very different operations of the holy Ghost upon the Children of men as 1. Some are convinced but not converted 2. Others are wrought so far by the same word and spirit as to believe and obey the Gospel so as if they continue therein they shall be saved Col. â— 21 22 23. 1 Tim. 2. 15. Mat. 10. 22. 3. Though the work be sufficient by which all might obtain the end yet he worketh differingly and giveth differing measures for differing ends c. 4. His work on the special Elect is certain and shall not leave them untill it bring them to Glory Here we have another instance of the mans contradiction to himself as well as unto truth But to these things I say It is indeed certain from the Scriptures that many are convinced who never are converted by the spirit of God and also that the convictions of some proceed so far as that they escape the pollutions that are in the world through Lust 2 Pet. 2. 20. pass under that work described Heb. 6. 4 5 6. and yet fail of those things that accompany salvation which are things better then all that was before mentioned Such with respect to their profession and general assent to the truth of the Gospel c. are said to believe for a time And perseverance being the great touch-stone of sincerity the interest of persons in Christ is oft referred thereto with respect to the manifestation and proof thereof So in Heb. 3. 6. and those Texts cited by Mr. C. If persons hold fast their rejoycing of hope and confidence stedfast unto the end it is evident they were sincere and that their Faith was of the right kind in that it proves victorious against all opposition made thereto But if they draw back and fall away their Hypocrisie is detected and it is made manâ—fest that they were not of us For if they had been of us no doubt
and inconditional promises of the new Covenant where he again pitifully intangles himself It might help him a little out of the Labyrinth he is lost in if he would consider That the New Covenant is originally made with Christ who became a sponsor and surety for all that the Father gave unto him Psal 89. 31. c. and in him all the promises thereof are yea and amen God the Father promised unto Christ Eternal Life for all his before the world was Tit. 1. 2. and engaged in time effectually to draw and bring them unto him to give them a new heart c. for whom he became surety that they might not fail to enjoy it on Gospel terms And this truth will of it self bear down all Mr. Colliers notions of free will and falling from Grace It is granted that all the promises of Life and Glory in the Gospel are conditional as set before us But the fulfilling of the condition in the Elect is absolutely undertaken for in the Covenant betwixt the Father and Christ And whereas Mr. Collier saith That the Covenant in the perfection thereof when we are come to Glory will be absolute in all its promises it s absolutely true to all over-comers he lamentably discovers his weakness thereby For our present enquiry is after those promises that do secure the Saints safe arrival in Glory and to talk of the absoluteness of these promises to those that are already glorified and to represent them as uncertain to those that alone are concerned to draw comfort from them is exceeding absurd In p 38. he frames this Objection against himself This asserts a possibility of falling from Grace and so destroys the assurance and comfort of Believers Unto this he answers It doth no other then the Scripture doth it s that of which the Scripture is full it frequently presents us with a possibility of falling Else those many and frequent exhortations to the contrary are useless if there were no danger as also the examples of those that have fallen 1 Tim. 1. 19 20. 2 Tim. 1. 15. Heb. 4. 11. Else what means the Lords appointing a Ministry in the Church to preserve it from falling That the Scripture asserts no such thing but the contrary we have manifested already as also what the import of these exhortations are and their usefulness in Gods hand for the preservation of the Elect. We say moreover if we respect our own weakness and the temptations we are to conflict with there is â—anger but free Grace will secure the Elect from perishing in the midst of their dangers and from being overcome by all the difficulties that are in their way And it is strange to me that he should conclude true Believers may fall away because God hath provided means and appointed a Ministry to prevent their falling To the other branch of the Objection respecting the comfort and assurance of Believers he saith It s so far from diminishing the consolation of Believers â—hat it s the only sure way for Gospel consolation c. I grant that none are capable of well grounded comfort but those that are under the promises of the Gospel viz. sincere Convert sound Believers but how Mr. Collier will evince that his Doctrine is the great spring of Gospel-consolation even this That though I be now a Child of God yet the next temptation I meet with for ought I know may sink me to Hell although God do at present lâ—ve me yet I have no assurance that he will continue to do so a day to an end for many that have been united with Christ as I now am are lâ—st for ever and I daily tremble under a sense of my own weakness and have no promise of preservation to trust to I say how this makes for their comfort I cannot understand nor how Mr. Collier will reconcile his present Opinion with what he writes in his Bâ—d of Div. p. 197. We ought to believe that God will maintain our Faith and kâ—ep us from falling Phil. 1. 6. 2 Tim. 1. 12. else we could have no solid comfort To that which he adds in the beginning of p. 39. concerning the usefulness of fear I answer The fear that ariseth from Mr. Colliers Doctrine hath torment in it and therefore a right understanding of the love of God will cast it out and teach the Soul to reject that Doctrine from whence it springs That is the true Gospel-fear which respect God as a Father and is tempâ—red with an holy rejoycing in his goodness which is a fruit of the spirit of Adoption that bears witness with our spirits that we are the Children of God and if Children then Heirs Heirs of God and joint Heirs with Christ Moreover There is as Dr. Owen hath well observed Saints Persever p. 293. a twofold fear of Eternal death and destruction 1. An anxious perplexing fear in respect of the end it self 2. A watchful careful fear in respect of the means leading thereunto The first is directly opposite to that peace consolation and joy in the Holy Ghost that God is pleased to afford unto his People and exhorts them to live up to and therefore it cannot be his end or design to ingenerate it in them by any of his threatnings or warnings given in his word For the other viz. A watchful heedful fear for the avoiding of the way and means that would lead them and do lead others to destruction it is not in the least inconsistent with that assurance that God is pleased by his promises to give to his Saints of their perseverance I shall now hasten to a close of this Chapter after I have in a word or two cleared the sense of two Texts of holy Scripture which Mr. C. hath endeavoured to darken because they speak not according to his mind The first is Rom. 9. 16-22 After Mr. C. hath for a while laboured against the stream of this Text he is forced p. 40. to acknowledge the truth viz That it is not our willing and running that can bring us within the câ—mpass of special Electing Grace that being past in Gods will before the world was Indeed the design of the Apostle throughout this Chapter as well as in the Verses referred to is to shew the freeness of Gods grace to his own Elect together with his just severity against the vessels of wrath and that one is a vessel of mercy and another of wrath proceeds from the meer good pleasure of God to choose the one and leave the other his choice not being grounded on foresight of their willing or running faith and obedience but being purely resolved into his Soveraign Grace And this doth quite overthrow Mr. Colliers Election on foresight of Faith and doth also afford a very good argument for the Saints perseverance which we were last upon But I must hasten only it is necessary I should remove an abusive passage or two of which his Book is full out of our way He saith Nâ—r may we understand
to the many Queens Concubines c. beforementioned Here the spouse of Christ which is but one as there is but one body and one spirit one hope one Lord one Faith even as we are called in one hope of our calling Eph. 4. 4 5. is preferred before the multitude of other which in their own and the worlds esteem are Queens Ladies c. Rev. 18. 7. Isa 47. 7. and they praised her The spouse is counted happy for the great blessings of God upon her as it is said of Israel Deut. 26. 19. That God had made them high above all Nations which he had made in praise and in name and in honour so the People magnifâ—â—d Christians Acts 5. 13. By the Daughters of Jerusalem in this Book we may understand â—â—ose that under some common â—r preparatory work of the spiâ—it have some respect to Christ and his Church though they are not perfectly brought over to him or fully instructed in his way but enquiring after it see ch 5. 8. 9. 6. 1. Now in such either the Lord carries on this work unto a through conversion and so the uniting of the Soul unto himself by Faith and then are they among his espoused and saved ones or else they sin away their convictions and return again with the Sow that was washed to wallowing in the mire and the latter end of such is worse then theirs who never made a profession Hitherto then Mr. C. can find out no persons in the Scripture to â—â—â—l up his imagined middle room betwixt Heaven and Hell If persons belong not to that number which make up the Bride the Lambs wife the new Jerusalem notwithstanding his idle talking there will be no other place found for them in the day of Christ but amongst those mentioned Rev. 21. 8. 22. 14 15. He adds And that Mat. 25. 1 to 12. seems to suit with those Scriptures though the Lord and Bridegroom will say to the foolish Virgins I know you not that may be in the espoused relation to go into the wedding he knew them not but as Virgins that had been his spouses companions Certainly Mr. C. esteems himself able 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to overturn things immoveable by a blast of his corrupt Doctrine or else he had never had the confidence to produce this Text for the proof of what he brings it for viz. That many of which number he reckons these foolish Virgins shall be Elected for their Faith and Obedience and obtain some great priviledge in the day of Christ Let us therefore consider the character of the persons that he supposeth shall be thus dignified All indeed that are mentioned in the parable were Virgins viz. in profession the foolish as well as the wise pretended to purity and were outwardly conformable to the Laws of Christ but for all this five were foolish i. e. sinners such as never in truth knew the things that did belong to their peace and these had no Oil in their Vessels i. e. no true Grace in their hearts they were Hypocrites in the midst of their profession and when Christ came they were found unready i. e. without a wedding garment of Faith and Holiness and this account he gives of them himself in effect in his Bod. of D. p. 135 136. and the Lord protests that he knows them not but he knows all that are his They belong not therefore unto Christ but to the God of this world they were in heart his Vassals though with their Lips they pretended kindness to Christ and yet this man endeavours to perswade such that they shall have peace and for all this Hypocrisie because they kept company with others that were sincere though they were painted Sepulchres all the while they shall have a place in the Kingdom of Glory though not full out so excellent as that which the special Elect obtain Iâ— this Doctrine be according to Godliness I know nothing that deserves to be esteemed contrary thereto But let not men trust in this refuge of lies nor cheat their Souls with vain hopes because of the smooth things that Mr. C. doth prophecy unto them What in truth will be the condition and state of such as these in the day of Christ you have graphically described in these Texts of Scripture Mat. 22. 12 13. ch 13. 40 41. compared with ch 24. 51. and this very Text compared with ch 7. 21 22 23. and Prov. 1. 28. As for the other Texts cited by him viz. Mat. 10. 41 42. Mat. 20. v. 16. c. I cannot devise which way he thinks to put the first of them upon the wrack so as to make it speak to his mind That which it teacheth us is That they which love the members of Christ and desire the furtherance of his work do give evidence of their own being in him and relation to him and therefore shall be glorified with his Servants This gives no countenance to his notion In the other viz. Mat. 20. 16. with Mar. 20. 31. If the scope of the parable be attended the sense will appear to be this Many that are first viz. in appearance as to the earliness of their profession and their outward forwardness and seeming earnestness therein shall be last i. e. shall at the last be found cast-aways empty of good and left behind unto destruction and the last i. e. many that a while and to mans eye seemed last it being either long e're they were professors which was Pauls case or for a while very timorous and close which was the case of Joseph of Arimathea shall be first i. e. shall at the last be found real and precious and accordingly received and accepted in Christ For many are called viz. not only having had the Gospel preached to them but being also thereby brought outwardly into the visible Church but few chosen i. e. few of the aforesaid many be Gods choice ones taken to himself in Everlasting mercy according to his Eternal purpose of saving them See ch 22. 14. Haec ex notis manuscriptis docti cujusdam simul ac pii jam 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 excerpta sunt Mr. C. proceeds Else what meaneth that of the first fruits to God and to the Lamb Rev. 14 14. if it do not intend the special saved ones in the Election and the multitudes that may obtain besides according to the metaphor as the Harvest to the first fruits I answer this Text with Jam. 1. 18. hath a meaning very different from what Mr. C. supposeth The whole number of Elect regenerate ones are set apart for God as his peculiar people and portion even as in the time of the Law the first-fruits were set apart for God and sanctified unto him So then as the first-fruits are but an handful to the Harvest so are the saved ones but a remnant when compared with the multitudes of the world that perish in their sins For wide is the Gate and broad is the way that leadeth to
some degrees and measures of ohem to comply with his mind and will which they voluntarily neglect And this of its self is sufficient to bear the charge of their Eternal ruine The second thing whereby he endeavours to prove his opinion p. 25. is Because God blames those under all his ministrations that did not or do not suitably obey him therein To which he adds in the third place He threatens and executes Judgement on all such Both these depend on the first and no man besides Mr C. would have made use of them as distinct mediums in the proof of his position The first therefore being enervated these fall with it But he saith If we accept not this as a sufficient proof of his notion We cannot have right honourable and God-like thoughts of the Lord to require blame pity promise threaten and execute terrible judgement on a people that in no case was able to help it He that can make good sense of these words hath more skill then I but I heartily wish non-sense had been the worst fault in Mr. Colliers Book however it be I will endeavour to give a distinct answer to that which he drives at 1. God may require obedience of those from whom it is due though they have siâ—ned away their power to perform it 2. It is a moral sinful impoâ—ency that men are under they cannot nor they will not obey but they can and do wilfully refuse to obey God and therefore are justly blamed and punished for this wickedness and are also as Creatures the objectâ— of pity while they thus destroy themselves 3. Promises and threatnings are fit mediums to work upon rational Creatures who are capable of understanding the terms in which the things of the spirit of God are proposed to them though the Glory of the things themselves they discern not and to put forth a free act of their wills in reference to them as Mr. C. saith himself in his Bod. of Div. p. 452. Though man hath lost the freedom of his will to that which is good by sinning yet not the power of willing And 4. By the mighty power of Gods spirit giving efficacy to this means the Elect are made obedient and the rest left without excuse or Cloak for their sin As for that clause That in no case was able to help it it is fallacious They act spontaneously and are in no case willing to help it whose Souls are not renewed by special Grace He goes on p. 26. 4. It must be so because the contrary leaves the condemnation of sinners at Gods door which fâ—r be it from any sober spirit to imagine For God to bring forth a glorious ministration of Grace and Life to the world 1 and tender it to sinners on such terms as is impossible for them to perform with the helps he affords 2 and to damn them for non-performance therâ—â—f necessarily leaves a necessity of perishing without hope or help So that if this were true that men could not believe and obey the Gospel where it comes 3 simply from their debility and impotency and the debility of the means â—fforded them for help therein It could not be their sin 4 for it s no mans sin not to do what he cannot do but what he can and might do had he a will to it The things before pleaded do fully remove out of our way what is here offered But farther to detect his aequivocation mind 1. Although it be impossible for dead sinners to quicken themselves yet seeing this impossibility is founded in the corruption of their natures and wickedness of their own hearts it cannot in the least excuse their disobedience 2. Sinners are liable to damnation for the breach of the Law and if they add hereunto disobedience to the Gospel it necessarily aggravates their sin and condemnation and this they will do if left to themselves but neither doth this necessity which is only a necessity of infallibility with respect to the event in any wise infringe their liberty or excuse their sin 3. Whereas he talketh of unbelief that comes simply from the debility and impotency of men and the debility of the means afforded them and in the next Section Of that which befalls a man that he could not nor in any case cannot help c. I must tell him that it is dishonestly done to represent this as the opinion of the men with whom his controversie is seeing they teach That mens disobedience to God springs from their obstinacy and not only impotency and they are condemned for that and not simply for this alone and also That the means of Salvation tendred in the Gospel is full and gloriously perfect in its kind But the reason why the Gospel is not effectual to the salvation of all that hear it is The natural enmity and obstinacy of their hearts against God is such that unless it be overcome and cured by him that raised Christ from the dead they do finally resist the call of God and will not come to Christ that they might have life And this defilement of humane nature man brought upon himself â—y his fall which he could have helped and prevented if he would and it is approved and delighted in by all his posterity 4. The falshood therefore of his saying That is no mans sin not to do what he cannot do is evident seeing mans duty is determined by Gods holy command not his own sinful weakness So then our Doctrine doth not lay the sin of men at Gods door as he suggests but at their own where the Scripture lays it It spoileth man indeed of all matter of boasting which is the true reason of Mr. Colliers endeavour to load it with this calumny And in truth though proud Hypocrites will be bâ—asting of their self sufficiency we need not nor can have a more pathetical confutation of Mr. C's Doctrine then that which is gathered from the confession of one poor in spirit and distressed in Soul under the sense of his lost condition by nature Methinks I see such an one rolling himself in the dust and with flouds of tears and groanings that cannot be uttered pouring out his Soul before the Lord with such expressions as these O Lord look down in mercy upon a captivated condemned sinner that hath broken thy holy Law and finds nothing in himself but a principle of enmity to and aversation from thy holy will revealed either in the Law or in the Gospel I confess that it is a miracle of mercy that terms of pardon and acceptance by Jesus are proposed to me But ah Lord my blindness is such that I shall never find this way of life if thou do not lead me and the hardness of my heart such that it will not bow unless thou make me willing in the day of thy power I hear Christ say Come but alas I cannot came Oh draw my Soul to thy self by thine effectual Grace Heaven is opened to the Believer but O Lord that word
not have sinned is a Categorick or simple proposition and is true of Adam in the sense of division considered as in himself It could not be but that Adam would sin is a modal or qualified proposition and is true of Adam in a sense of composition being considered as subordinate to the Decree The Jews might have broken the bones of Christ is true speaking in the sense of division i. e. looking at the free will of the Jews as in themselves It could not be that the Jews would break the bones of Christ is true speaking in a sense of composition i. e. looking at the will of the Jews as subordinate to the Decree That answer of Elisha to Hazael enquiring of Benhadads recovery containeth in it two like propositions 1. Thou maist certainly recover 2. Thou shalt surely die 2 Kings 3. 10. his Disease was in it self curable and as such is considered in the first proposition The second proposition looketh at him diseased as subordinate to the Decree which had pre-ordained his death through theâ—stifling of Hazael by occasion of this Disease Thus much of these things Mr. C. goes on to attach another ground and foundation of the Saints rejoycing in God who hath promised to preserve them blameless unto his Heavenly Kingdom He propounds this Question p. 36. May we suppose that persons who are regenerate and born from above may possibly fall from this state of Grace Perhaps Mr. C. hath some design in thrusting in that word possibly into his Question I will therefore explain the term that he may have no equivocal reserve to fly to A thing may be said to be possible either simply and in its own nature or possible on supposition of all things to be supposed with reference to it In the first sense it was possible that a bone of Christ might have been broken in the latter viz. on supposition that God had decreed and foretold the contrary it was not so The Question in reference to the Saints perseverance proceeds in the last sense whether supposing their Election of God Christs undertaking for them and their interest in the Covenant of Grace it is yet possible that some of them may finally depart from God and be lost for ever And to this I answer in the Negative But he saith The Scriptures do not say they may not nor that they shall certainly obtain This is false The contrary appears from these Texts Psal 125. 1 2. Isa 4. 5. ch 54. 8 9 10. Jer. 31. 3. ch 32. 39 40. Ezek. 36. 26 27. Joh. 6. 39 40. with ch 10. 28 29. Rom. 8. 29 30 38 39. 1 Thes 5. 23 24. 1 Pet. 1. 3 4 5. 1 Joh. 2. 19. with many others He adds We are to suppose all Gospel-believers to be regenerate and then we may and must suppose a possibility for the regenerate to fall or none can fall away By Gospel-believers I presume he intends those that are members of the visible Church of Christ such as profess Faith in him and Obedience to him and do not at present contradict their profession by a contrary practice in the sight of men My answer is If we respect any particular person or persons among these we are bound to hope so of them because Charity always inclineth to the better part But if we respect the whole bulk of professors together we are not to believe that they are all regenerate persons because the Scripture telleth us there are foolish as well as wise Virgins Hypocrites as well as sincere Believers in the visible Church though who they be we know not till their works discover it and when their Hypocrisie is discovered we are not to think that they once were new Creatures and are fallen from that state but the quite contrary 1 Joh. 2. 19. So then though many Professors fall away even such as have past under some common work of the Spirit this doth not at all infer That those who are truly born again not of corruptible Seed but incorruptible by the word of God that liveth and abideth for ever may do so in like manner He proceeds I know nothing stated in the Gospel-law of Grace as a duty in order to obtain the end but that persons may obtain and be supposed possibly to fall finally from Joh. 15. 4 5 6. Nothing that 's strange Is not perseverance in Faith and Obedience required in order to salvation and may persons persevere and fall finally too The Text cited by Mr. C. doth no ways confirm his notion although we allow him to except perseverance from the duties intended by him Unto the 4th and 5th Verses something hath been spoken already by which it appears that they lye directly against Mr. Colliers notion of the Creatures ability of himself to do any thing that is spiritually Good I suppose it is the 6th Verse that he promiseth himself some relief from The words are If a man abide not in me he is cast forth as a branch and is withered c. He doth not tell us on what account he thinks this Text may serve for a proof of his Doctrine but probably he thinketh that the words suppose That such as for a time truly abide in Christ may afterwards cease to do so and perish out of him But there is no such thing intended in them For this Text as many other do speaketh of Professors according to what their condition appeareth to be before men and so all that are members of the visible Church and have a place therein are counted branches in Christ some of these bring forth fruit by which the sincerity of their Faith in Christ and the truth of their being spiritually united with him is manifested These do not fall away but he that hath begun a good work in them doth perfect it to the end The Father purgeth them that they may bring forth more fruit Others of these branches do not bring forth fruit which is an evidence that their being in Christ is only by profession for it cannot be that one united to Christ by true Faith and the in-dwelling of his spirit should be without those vital influences from him is will produce some good fruit these do not abide in Christ by a lively exercise of Faith and therefore being indeed separate from him while they appear to be one with him they can do nothing but in time of temptation fall away from their profession and are cast out as branches and are withered and men gather them and they are cast into the fire and are burned And more then this cannot without offering violence to the Text be inferred from it which doth not make against but confirm the truth concerning the Saints perseverance That which Mr. C. offers to strengthen his desired inference is this The truth hereof will father appear if we consider 1. That the Gospel makes no difference but warns all to take heed of falling which necessarily supposeth a possibility of falling with respect to