Selected quad for the lemma: truth_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
truth_n	apostle_n	faith_n	speak_v	2,156	5	4.5953	4	false

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A42457	An antidote against errour concerning justification, or, The true notion of justification, and of justifying faith, cleared by the light of scripture, and solid reason, from several mistakes of the words, which misapprehensions prove the seeds of dangerous errours by ... Thomas Gataker ... ; to which is added, The way of truth and peace, or, A reconciliation of the holy apostles S. Paul and S. James, concerning justification by faith without works, Rom. 3.28, by works and not by faith only, Jam. 2, 21, 24, by Charles Gataker ...	Gataker, Thomas, 1574-1654.; Gataker, Charles, 1614 or 15-1680. Way of truth and peace.	1679 (1679)	Wing G311; ESTC R6785	56,240	74

may have such a beleif of the truth of the Gospel declare the same not to be the faith here spoken of But pas we on to a third argument That faith which a reprobate or a castaway may have one that is not of the number of Gods elect cannot be justifying faith or the faith of which the Apostle here speaks for justifying faith is a grace proper and peculiar to Gods Elect and is by the Apostle therefore termed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the faith of Gods Elect. But a man may know and beleiv the doctrine of the Gospel concerning Christ and Salvation by him and yet be a castaway none of the Elect. so the Apostle Peter 2. Pet. 2. 20-22 implies that men who have known the Lord Jesus Christ and by the knowledge of him abandoned their former worldlie defilements yet afterward returning thereunto like a Dog to take in again his vomit or a Sow washed to wallow again in the mire may be in worse more irrecoverable state condition then ever before even as the Apostle to the Hebrews Chap. 6 4 5. above mentioned as there is no possible means of restoring them again by repentance 4. That faith whereby a man is justified is such a faith as brings a man home to Christ such as causeth a man to come to him pitch upon him adhere unto him So our Saviour John 6. 36. He that comes to me shal not hunger and be that beleivs in me shall not thirst which words of our Saviour plainlie shew that that faith whereby a man receivs anie benefit from Christ is such a faith as carries him unto Christ. But a man may beleiv Christ to be the Savior and Redeemer of mankind and yet not in that maner come to him as to pitch himself upon him and adhere to him nor need we go far for an instance we have one in that verie Chapter when Christ had fed a great multitude with a verie smal qantitie of food This say they certainlie is that Prophet that should come into the world John 6. 14. That Prophet what Prophet think we ment they but the Prophet spoken of by Moses Deut. 18. 15. he that was to be their Savior and Redeemer the Christ Act. 3. 22. and yet for all that albeit they were willing enough to follow him to be fed vers 26. yet they would not come to him that they might be saved by him John 5. 40. and what was the reason why they would not their credit and reputation and other the like carnal and worldlie respects lay in the way between them and Christ which kept them off from comming so to Christ as to adhere unto him tho they professed verilie to apprehend and beleive him to be the Messias Lastlie justifying faith is such a faith whereby we imbrace entertain receiv admit Christ not into our houses but into our hearts and whereby conseqentlie we are united unto Christ so as that he is said to be in us and we in him To as manie as received him saith he he gave this priviledge to become the sonnes of God even to those that beleiv in his name Where to receiv him is to give him entertainment not so much in their houses which Matthew Zacheus and others of them also did as in their hearts according to that of the Apostle that Christ may dwel in your hearts by faith Ephes. 3. 17. whence it is that they that ar in the faith ar said to have Christ in them Examine your selvs saith the Apostle whether ye be in the Faith do you not know that Christ is in you 2 Cor. 13. 5. thereby implying that if they be in the faith then Christ is in them For howsoever I conceiv not the term of beleiving on Christ for our justification or faith in his bloud as the Apostle terms it here vers 25. doth in the proper and peculiar notion of it signifie a receiving of Christ to be our King Priest and Prophet or to contain and comprehend all Evangelical Duties yet it doth necessarilie implie an acceptance of him to be not our suretie Savior and Redeemer onely but our Soveraign Lord also and as our Priest our Prophet Since we cannot with anie good ground relie on him or trust him for the discharge of us from the guilt of our sinnes unles we be content to receiv and do willinglie embrace him on such terms as God offers him and as he offers himself unto us and on no other terms then these is he offered unto anie But a man may beleiv that Christ is the Savior of the world yea that he cannot be saved but by Christ and yet for all that may refuse to receiv him and yield himself up unto him because he mislikes the conditions on w ch he is tendred unto him or delay to do it at present in hope that he may timelie enough do it hereafter As when a companie of Rebels ar up in arms against their Leige Lord and a Proclamation of pardon and impunitie is published by him unto all such of them as will lay down their arms put themselvs upon his mercie acknowledge their offence and by solemn oath engage themselvs to du allegiance and constant obedience for the future albeit that they all know him to be their lawful Soveraign and beleiv that he will be as good as his word to all that so accept of it nor know which way to escape but that first or last they shal be surprised if they do stand out and have execution done upon them yet there may be divers among them that will chuse rather to persist in their rebellious courses or refuse at least to yeeld themselvs up to him and to accept of his gratious offer either out of a stoutnes of stomack and a stifnes of self-wil or out of an extream malice and inveterate hatred against the person of their Prince or out of a strong affection to some advers partie or out of a fond conceit that they may keep for some good space of time out of the way undiscovered and unsurprised or that when they perceiv themselvs neer to be attached they may then by a tender of themselves attain the benefit of the offer there being no limitation of time mentioned in it In the same manner altho a man do beleiv that Jesus is the Savior of mankind and that there is no way for him to attain salvation but by Christ yet for all that may he refuse to receiv Christ for his Lord and Savior or to accept of salvation by Christ because he mislikes the conditions upon and under which Christ and salvation by Christ is offered and tendred unto him and without which it cannot be had But what ar those terms that ar so necessarilie reqired and with so much difficultie received why these ar If any man wil come after me saith our Savior 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 let him utterlie denie himself Matth. 16. 24. and If a man hate not Father and Mother

in general whither ordinarie and that either Historical of matters as wel alreadie past the creation v. 3. as future the departure out of Egypt v. 22. or Dogmatical concerning God and his goodnes v. 6. or extraordinarie that of miracles v. 33 34. is apparent by the varietie of instances given by him as Bellarmine also himself grants and would hence proov that faith in all these instances yea that faith in general is but one and the same which if it were tru then everie one that hath justifying faith should have a power of working miracles also which is directlie contrarie both to our Saviors intimations Matth. 7. 22 23. and 17. 20. and the Apostles 1 Cor. 12. 9 10 29 30. tho it be not denied that some general notion of faith be found in each of them Lastlie albeit that Historical or Dogmatical faith or that act of faith whereby the truth of the Historie or Doctrine of the word in general or that of the Gospel in particular is beleived be of necessitie conjoyned with or antecedent unto that act of saith whereby a beleiver is justified it doth not thence follow that these two therefore ar one and the same no more then the slavish fear ariseing from a meer apprehension of wrath and greatness is the same with the filial fear ariseing from apprehension of Gods mercie and goodnes Psal. 130. 3. Jer. 31. 39 40. because the one is to the other tanqam a●us ad silum as the needle to the thred it goes before to make way for it and helps to introduce it or that faith and hope ar one and the same because the one is the foundation of the other nor ar they in time severed the one from the other I shal not need to examine anie of Bellarmines other arguments for this place of Scripture is not the principal onlie but the onlie one produced by him to proov that the assent to the word of God in general is that whereby we ar said to be justified and the rest proov no more then this that such a faith is reqisite to justification and salvation and that without it a man cannot be justified or saved whereas the qestion is not whither all that ar justified have such a beleif of Gods word in general or of the Gospel in particular which no man denies but wither such a beleif be that faith or that act of faith wherby we ar justified which is that alone that is here qestioned Yea the rest of his Scriptures as himself acknowledgeth ar intended onlie to disproov the particular application of the promise to be the justifyeng act of faith whereof more anon when we have done with some others of our own who of the Dogmatical Faith or beleif of the doctrine concerning Christ approov and affirm the same that of the beleif of the word in general Bellarmine doth THE PUBLISHER Of this Posthumous Peice of Work TO THE READER IT is a fruitless wish for me to utter Oh that I were not enforced to adjoyn this Epilogue Desiderantur caetera The rest is wanting and wil be wanted It wil be fitter for me to say Placeat homini qod placuit Deo Let not that discontent man which pleased God And it seemed good to the Lord of the Vineyard to interrupt this faithful Servants labour with an acute disease which supervening to age which is an incurable sickness put a period to his life which was his day or season of work He was not idle in the former part of the day but took this business in hand at his verie evening which man that knows not his time could neither fore-see nor put off And now this unfinished Peice of his must stand as an imperfect Table begun to be wrought by Apelles or Titian famous in their Generations which no surviving or succeeding Artist wil adventure to accomplish with a less-skilful hand But yet we ar not at an irrecoverable loss since we have stil the living Oracles of Gods word which are the original truth whereof humane discourses are extract Copies and besides common Reason we may by humble and earnest pra●e● obtain the assistance of Gods holie Spirit for the improvement of Reason in the prosecution of what is not here exprest And tho this discourse be abruptly broken off before it fully explain what faith is yet we may from the Negative part which cuts off all Notions pretending to that Title conclude the affirmative that justifying faith is an affiance in Christ or in God through Christ and for Christs sake for absolution from our sinnes and so conseqentlie for eternal salvation and the justifying act of faith is to trust to on or in Christ commonly called beleiving in or on him by a speech somewhat improper yet not without example in Exotick Authors But if our Interpreters had ben so lucky as insteed of beleiving on God and on Christ to have rendred the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by trusting as e. g. John 14. 1. we read the words of our Savioor to his Disciples Ye beleiv in God beleiv also in me but we may very wel read thus Ye do trust or Do yee trust in God or on God trust also in me or on me use would have made the term familiar and the thing it self obvious to the understanding and it would have prevented many hot but impertinent contentions about words But mine infirmities wil not permit me to enlarge in the explication of the nature of faith which is a common Theam but deserves exact handling I entreat the Christian Reader to accept this final portion of heavenlie Treasure rescued from the dust since the earthen vessel by which it was conveyed to us is broken by death and crumbled into his primigenial Dust. Si qid novisti rectius hisce Candidus imperti si non his utere mecum Hor. FINIS 2 Tim. 3. 15. zech 8. 19 2 Cor. 4. 1. Judg. 5. 15. ● Tim. 6. 20 2 Tim. 2 2. 1 Pet. 4. 11 A. D. 1654. Greg. Naz. Dan. 4. 30. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Aug. de civit I. 22. c. 7. Philo Jud. Just. Mart. Origen c. Jo. Picus Count of Mirandula Dr. Feild of the Church l. 5. c. 17. Guil. Rivet de justif part 1. c. 2. lect 3. De justificat l. 2. c. 7. Lib. e●d C. 10. See Peter Alliacenses ad Sent. lib. 4. qaest 1. art 3. conclus 1. See Ger. Vossius Defens Grot. de satisfact advers Ravensperg cap. 2. 8. Eccl 9. 12. Luk. 11. 1● Bud. in Comment Fides non modo credulitatem sed fiduciam significat 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 pro confidete sumitur Aeschin con● Cetesiph 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Diod. Sicul l. 26. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Aristot. Politic. Tyr●●●orum esse notat 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Latini pariter in eodem sensu usurpa●●●●●edere Val. Max. l. 6. Nemo debet nimium fortun● cr●dere Virg. celog 2. Nimium ●crede coloti i. e. confide Serv.

colligimus Christum eo qod Patri satisfeceret justitiam nobis comparass● Hence we gather that Christ by making satisfaction to the Father hath procured or purchased Justice or righteousnes for us 2. That which is exhibited whither by doing or suffring or both in way of satisfaction and so accepted being such as makes a plenarie compensation for an offence formerlie committed because it utterlie extinguisheth and abolisheth the wrong so taketh it away as if it never had ben it justly procures a guiltlesnes a blamelesnes unto the delinqent in whose behalf it is performed and makes him therefore to be reputed in the eye of Law and Justice as now no delinqent but as guiltles faultles and just there being no medium between these two just and unjust nor between guiltles and just see Deut. 25. 1. this guiltlesnes therefore is justlie termed justice and the partie conseqentlie by plea thereof upon anie emergent occasion may be trulie justified and such guiltlesnes a●cheived by Christs satisfaction made to Gods Law and his Justice makes the partie unto whom the same is imputed and who hath interest therein trulie named and justlie deemed just and to be in the state of justification or in a justifiable condition 2 Cor. 5. 21. and this is that not the satisfaction it self but the guiltlesnes thereby procured that is so oft in his argument termed justice or righteousnes called the Justice of God Rom. 1. 17. and 3. 21 22. and 2 Cor. 5. 21. not as some for that the satisfaction was made by Christ who is God but because contrived prepared propounded and appointed us by God for God as the partie wronged and Christ as the partie satisfying for the wrong are in this argument distinguished Rom. 3. 24 25. and 2 Cor. 5. 19 21. 3. That everie tru Christian hath a two-fold justice or righteousness the one in reference to the guilt of sinne ariseing from transgression of the Law 1 John 3. 4. Rom. 4. 15. and 5. 13. 1 Cor. 15. 56. the other in reference to the filth of sinne being a pollution and depravation of the Soul depriving it of that purity and integritie wherein at first it was created Matth. 15. 18 19. 2. Cor. 7. 1. Eph. 4. 22-24 and that these two are to be distinguished is apparent for that divers things and acts that do not in their own nature pollute or defile yet by a special Law prohibited do in the use of them by vertu of that inhibiting Law produce guilt Now in regard of this latter justice or righteousnes consisting in a freedome from the filth of sinne the faithful ar trulie and sincerelie but imperfectlie just or righteous Job 1. 1. and 9. 3 15 21. and 23. 10. Luk. 1. 6. in regard or the former consisting in a freedome from the guilt of sin they ar fullie compleatlie perfectlie just or righteous 1 John 1. 7. the one is the righteousnes of sanctification the other the righteousnes of justification that in this life at least uneqallie shared this eqallie imparted to each being in common accepted for and imputed unto all Whence that of Luther AEqè justus latro in cru●e atqe ipsa beata Virgo Maria that The convert theif on the Cross was all out as just or righteous as the blessed Virgin Marie Christs Mother 4. That there is a twofold Justification 1. General in regard of all sin whatsoever in general 2. Particular in regard of some special or particular crime And a man that is just and justifiable in regard of some particular offence yet may not be justifiable in general So Job charged by his frends with gros hypocrisie oppression and crueltie Job 22. 5-9 stands stiflie in justification of himself Chap. 23. 10. and 27. 5. and yet in general acknowledgeth that he could not be justified nor answer for one act of a thousand should God cal him to a strict account Chap. 9. 2 3. and a man that is unjust and cannot be justified in general yet may be just and justifiable in regard of some particular So David tho in the general he declines Gods strict dealing in way of judicature with him Psal. 143. 2. yet in particular upon false imputations cast upon him he appealeth solemnlie thereunto Psal. 7. 3 4 8 9. and 38. 19 20. yea the wickedest man in the world and the Devil himself may thus be legallie just and trulie justified because in that particular guiltles when some criminal act shall be wrongfullie charged on him that was never committed by him But it is general justification that is entreated of and intended in this place And thus we have endevored to shew what the word Justifie doth preciselie denote in this place The Use whereof brieflie may be 1. To inform us aright concerning the distinct notion and nature of divers graces of God that tho they be knit and linkt one to an other hang all on one string or chain are all fruits of Gods favor towards us in Christ concur all together in and with all those that are reconciled to God in Christ yet are things of a several and distinct nature and notion Sanctification is one thing Justification an other and Remission of sinne a third as hath been shewed And yet again so far forth to reconcile and qalifie the differences of divers of those that seem to mistake and misexpound the word here used that notwithstanding this their mistake they may not maintain anie error therefore in matter of faith onelie they use some words and Phrases improperlie and misexpound some places but otherwise say nothing but what is orthodox and agreeable to the analogie of faith Yea to remoov some groundles controversies between us and the Papists and cleer some mistakes and misunderstandings on either side while the Papists charge us to hold that a man is made formallie habituallie inherentlie holie and righteous by Christs holines and righteousnes imputed unto us as if a black-Moor saith Bellarmine were made white by casting a white garment upon him whereas we say no such matter and withall he acknowledgeth that if when our writers say that Christs righteousness is imputed unto us their meaning were no other but this that Christs merits are imputed unto us because they ar given unto us and we may tender them unto God for the discharge of our sinnes in regard that Christ hath taken upon him the burden of making satisfaction for our sinnes and of reconciling us to God his Father they held nothing therein but what is right tho saith he the manner of speaking that they use is vetie seldome or never found either in the Scriptures or the Antient Fathers And the truth is that precise form of speaking can hardlie be found in Scripture nor is that justice whereby we ar said to be justified called as we have observed the justice of Christ but the justice of God But yet the same Bellarmine elswhere confesseth that Christ is rightlie called our Justice or Righteousnes First because he

that which is commonlie termed Historical Faith but of some learned writers rather by a fitter term Dogmatical Faith because it respects not so much the Historie of the Scripture in general or of Christs life and death in particular as the doctrine contained in the word or that more specially concerning Christ laid down in the Gospel Some difference indeed I find herein between the Papists and those of ours the one makeing Gods word in general the object of this Faith the other restraining it to the promises of the Gospel but the difference is not great and this latter is included in the former Now tru it is and must of necessity be granted that this Dogmatical Faith or such an act of Faith as it implies is a necessarie antecedent of justifying Faith and layeth a ground and foundation for it But that it is the verie justifying act of Faith with most of our writers and teachers I cannot admit and condescend unto yet not because that the Popish partie mostlie maintain it for even the Papists hold manie truths in common both with us and other orthodox Christians nor because the most of ours oppose and impugn it for we make no meer mans or mens judgement the ground of our faith but because I deem it unsound and repugnant to Gods word My reasons ar these 1. That Faith which the Devils and damned Spirits may have cannot be justifying Faith or the justifying act of Faith For justifying Faith is a most pretious Pearl 2 Pet. 1. 1. a special gift Eph. 2. 8. and grace of God as the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 imports Philip. 1. 29. And being so it is consqentlie such an endowment as those damned Spirits have not nor ar capable of But this beleif either of the word of God in general or of the doctrine of the Gospel concerning Salvation by Christ in particular even the Devils themselves may have and have That there is a God the Devils saith James beleiv and tremble Jam. 2. 19. they beleiv there is a God and beleiving that beleiv withal that he is a tru God and that his word is tru did they not beleiv it they would not tremble and indeed what is the reason why wretched Atheists wors herein then the Devil tremble not at Gods word but because they beleiv not that there is a God or that the word is the word of a God or that it is a word of truth yea even the Devils as they beleiv a God so they beleiv a Christ too So themselvs professe I know who thou art say they speaking to Christ even that holie one of God Mark 1. 24. and again What have I to doe with thee Jesus the Sonne of the most high God Mark 5. 7. and yet further if this be not sufficient thou art 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Christ or that Christ the Sonne of God Luk. 4. 41. what more in this kind could or did Peter say Matth. 16. 16. compare Peters confession there and the Devils here and see if not in substance onlie but in terms also they be not the verie same Hereunto might be added that Act. 16. 17. where the Spirit of divination in the Damsel possessed therewith avouches of Paul and Silas These men are the servants of the most high God who shew unto you the way of salvation he confesseth that the doctrine taught by them was the way whereby God had appointed that men should be saved It is apparent hereby that even the Divels may have yea and have that faith which these men affirm to be justifying faith and which yet in truth it cannot be But against this Argument some exceptions have ben given me by some which I shal endeavor to remoov The first exception taken by a young Divine having some employment in the Citie about the time when I delt in this argument was this that it followed not because the Devil thus spake of or unto Christ that therefore they beleived him to be so as they said they might speak it in a colloging way as did the Herodians Mat. 22. 16. when coming to tempt and entangle him they say Master we know that thou art tru and teachest the way of God trulie without respect of or regard unto the person of anie which yet it may justlie be doubted whether in truth they beleived and so may it be of what the Devils are related to have said For answer whereunto I shal not stand to discusse what likelyhood hereof there is whether the speech of the one and the other be alike or whether the Devils came at those times when those things were uttered by them on purpose as the Herodians did to tempt and entangle Christ. But I answer directlie 1. That it canot be but that the Devils must needs know as much as there they do confes To make it evident by an instance suppose the Grand Signior or Turkish Emperour holding as at this day he doth in captivity the subjects of divers Christian Princes and States not a few some one of those Princes whose subjects he so holds should undertake an expedition wherein he would go himself in person for the deliverie of his subjects so deteined enter upon his territories defeat him subdu him release his captives and set them at libertie take the Captiver of them captive and lead him in triumph were it now possible but that the tyrant thus dealt with should know that this Prince who had done all this were the deliverer of his people It is the verie case here The Divel the Prince of darknes the God of this world held in thraldome and servitude the greatest part of the world our blessed Savior comes he defeats him Luke 10. 18. dispossesseth him John 12. 31. disarmes him rifles him Luk. 11. 21 22. rescues men dailie out of his hands and bands Colos. 1. 13. leads him captive Eph. 4. 8. triumphs over him Colos. 2. 15. and is it possible that this spiritual tyrant so defeated disarmed dispossest despoiled bereaft of his prey and purchase captived triumphed should not know and beleiv this Jesus Christ by whom all this was done to be the Savior and redeemer of mankind it is a thing utterlie impossible and scarce credible that anie man should make qestion at all of it But 2. to put this out of qestion what some scriptures say that the Devils acknowledged others of them expreslie say that they knew so Mark 1. as vers 24. it is related how the Divel in the man possest said to Christ I know who thou art so vers 34. it is said of those fiends which Christ cast out that he would not suffer the Divels not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to say but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to speak becaus they knew him they professed not onlie to know him but they knew him indeed and more fullie yet Luk. 4. 41. when they made that confession of him before mentioned it is said Christ rebuked them and would not suffer them to speak

considered two ways either as an act of God working in us or as a change thereby wrought upon us Conceiv we this by the like concerning conversion conversion may be taken two ways either as an act of God working in us or a change thereby wrought upon us and we shall find both together mentioned Jer. 31. 18. Convert me O Lord there is the act of God working in him and I shall be converted there is the change thereby wrought upon him In like manner may Regeneration be considered either as an act of God working in or on a man Jam. 1. 18. 1 Pet. 1. 3. and so sanctification is an effect or fruit of it or as a change wrought thereby upon him 1 Pet. 1. 22 23. and so it is a principal branch of regeneration whereof one main arm is illumination respecting the minde and understanding and sanctification respecting the wil and affections an other shooting out and dividing it self into many sprigs as sincere repentance the filial fear the tru love of God and the like all which and among the rest this faith unfeigned 1 Tim. 1. 5. being branches of sanctification ar all holie dispositions and the acts issuing from them of no other nature or qalitie then the disposition or first act as the School termes it from which they proceed Seeing then that the habit of this faith whereby anie ar justified is an holie disposition such as makes the soul and person possest with it holie that purifies and sanctifies him that hath it and the acts of it conseqentlie such as proceed from an holie heart and a sanctified disposition it must needs follow that no wicked man no unregenerated and unsanctified person while he so continues can have the faith by the Apostle here intended And thus much shall suffice for the proof of the proposition I shal now proceed to the proof of the assumption That a man may beleiv the doctrine of the Gospel that Jesus Christ is the Sonne of God and the Saviour of mankind and yet be never a whit the holier but remain stil irregenerate and unsanctified is apparent For first the Devils as hath ben said and shewed before know and beleiv all this and that now doubtles as undoubtedlie as anie man living doth or can do and yet are no whit at all the holier for all that but remain stil as evil as ever they were yea manie wicked men limmes of the Devil have done the same And here why should I not name Balaam for one for did not Balaam know Christ yes undoubtedlie how could he els have Prophesied of him he had an heavenlie revelation a revelation from God concerning Christ that might be said of him that Christ himself said of Peter Mat. 16. 17. Flesh and bloud did not reveil this mysterie unto him but God himself that is in heaven tho he were not blessed as Peter nor sanctified therefore as he was But hear we Balaams own words Num. 24. 15-17 Balaam the son of Beor the man whose eyes were opened who heard the words of God and knew the knowledge of the most High and saw the visions of the Almightie he saith I shal see him but not now I shall behold him but not nigh as if he had said The time shal come when I shal see the Messias the Savior of Israel I shall one day behold him but afar off so as I shal not be the better for my sight of him it will be little to my comfort There shal come a Star out of Jacob and a Rod or a Scepter shal arise or stand up out of Israel c. a plain Prophecie of Christ as all confes and is generallie acknowledged Yea mark we how far he proceeds Chap. 23. 10. Let me dye or Oh that I might dye saith he the death of the righteous and that my last end might be like unto his Balaam would never have thus spoken had he not beleived that if he did take the same cours that Gods people did who trusted in the Messias and yeilded themselvs up to be ruled whollie by him he might be saved by him as they were but for all that his beleif he would not nor did condescend so to do But leave we him and proceed to some other instances What is the sin against the Holie Ghost of which our Saviour Christ saith Matth. 11. 31 32. All manner of sinne and blasphemie shal be forgiven unto men but the blasphemie against the Holie Ghost shal not be forgiven neither in this world nor in the world to come Is it not almost generallie by most Divines acknowledged that this irremissible sin is a sin always joyned with knowledge and what knowledge not a bare speculative or notional knowledg but a beleif of the truth of the Gospel accompanied with a malicious opposition thereuuto No man therefore can commit that sin but such an one as knows and beleives the doctrine of the Gospel which yet he malitiouslie opposeth and conseqentlie must needs have that Faith which these men would have to be justifying faith It was somtime the speech of a Reverend Divine that if Paul had had Peters knowledge when he opposed the Faith of Christ or Peter Pauls malice when he abjured his Master they had both them committed that unpardonable sin But Paul did what he did in ignorance and Peter what he did out of weaknes and both repented of what they had done which none of those that have committed that sin ever do Heb. 6. 6. In which place further the Apostle plainly intimates vers 4. 6. that men that have ben illightned with what think we means he but with the knowledge of Evangelical truths and have partaked of the Holie Ghost of the common graces of the Spirit and tasted of the heavenlie gift and the good word of God as those compared to the seed sowen on stonie ground that receiv the word with joy and beleiv for a time Matth. 13. 20. Luk. 8. 13. and the powers of the world to come may yet not fal onlie but fall utterlie away as those also in the Gospel Luk. 8. 13. yea not fall whollie off onlie but sin in despite of Gods Spirit Chap. 10. 26 29. and so sin that it 's a thing impossible for them to be restored again by repentance Chap. 6. 6. and what sin it is that is there so deciphered is no great difficultie to determine which albeit I dare not say that Judas committed for it seems avarice not malice that run him hedlong into that guilt of impietie little imagining it may be but that his Master would rid himself wel enough out of their hands unto whom he had betraied him as he had sometime before done the like Luk. 4. 29 30. John 8. 59. and 10. 39. and himself go away with their money the whiles yet it is verie likely that he beleived that concerning his Master to be tru that he preached unto others Howsoever the former instances shewing that wicked ones so continuing