which now suffer the ignominy and reproach of Arminianism Socinianism Pelagianism c. shall be found to be the Truths of the ever-living God sorrow and shame and confusion of face will be a portion at least of the portion of thâ—se who have crowned them with the honor of such Martyrdom The day will declare it because it shall be revealed as by fire Some pretend that all disputes in matters of Religion wherein the received Doctrines or Tenents generally held in those places where such disputes are commenced are opposed tend to the unsetling and disquieting the minds and consciences of men and minister occasion unto many to abandon all care and thoughts of Religion as containing little in it but matter of uncertainty and doubtfulness of disputation and upon this account very passable as they suppose are professed enemies to such Disputes But to this we briefly answer 1. That it is much better that mens judgments and consciences should be for a time disturbed then that they should always remain setled upon the lees and dregs of any rotten and unsound opinion We lately shewed how perilous Error is to the precious Souls of men God never dealt more graciously by the Earth then when he shook the Heavens by sending the Messiah of the World to turn the state of Religion as it were upside down in the midst of it David acknowledged unto God that it was good for him that he had been afflicted that so he might learn his statutes a Psal 119. 71 And so many I beleeve have and happy were it had more the like cause to say it It is good for us that we were sometimes shaken in our judgments and consciences that we might learn the Truth 2. They who are offended that there should be arguings and disputes to and fro about the things of God and matters of Religion seem to be either discontented that the things and counsels of God should be so spirituall or remote from the common or first apprehensions of men that all men should not at once understand them or else loath that they who are in the gall of any bitterness by being intangled with error should be delivered We read that Paul frequented the Synagogue for the space of three months together disputing and perswading the things concerning the Kingdom of God b Acts 19 8 And afterwards that for two years together he disputed dayly about matters of the same nature and import in the house of one Tyrannus c Ver. 9. 10 3. and lastly Had it not been for disputes in matters of Religion the pillars of Antichrists Throne had not been shaken to this day Vpon occasion of those frequent disputes in Germany aâ—out matters of Religion in Luthers days a Magistrate and Judg of the Popish party said If it comes to matter of dispute our whole mystery will be confounded d Si Disputetur totum nostrum mysterium destruetur Sculpet Annal. Decad. 2. p. 384 And as Wisdom saith All they that hate me love death e Prov. 8. 36 So may sober and through examinations and discussions of the mysteries of our faith say All they that hate us love darkness love error love danger yea and death also As for the allegation of those who pretend all controversies and disputes about matters of Religion to be malignant to the Civil Peace and therefore judg it an high point of State-policy to discharge their Coasts of them as the Gadarens did of Christ it is not worthy an answer in as much as it savours more of Atheism and profaneness then of reason or Christian policy For it is an express Order from Heaven directed unto all Christians to contend and that earnestly for the faith which was once delivered to the Saints f Jude v. 3 Now to restrain the members or subjects of a State from doing that which God upon whom the peace safety and prosperity of all States so entirely depend hath so expresly enjoyned them to do is without all peradventure to consult not the joy or peace but the sorrow trouble ruine of this State Other pretences of a lighter and looser notion it is like there are by which some are made such affectionate and effeminate Proselytes to the opinions rejected in this Treatise that they cannot bear the gentlest or softest ayr that breathes cool upon them But I am already beyond the line of an Epistle and therefore shall not pursue the chasâ— of such enemies any further I crave leave only to add a few words concerning the change of my judgment in the great controversie about the death of Christ with the rest depending hereon by way of answer unto those who labour to represent my present judgment in the said points as little valuable or considerable because it sometimes stood a contrary way Though I know nothing in the allegation subservient in the least degree to the end and purpose therein mentioned but â—ather much against it yet let me say 1. That however sin and an evil conversation are just matter of shame and disparagement unto a man yet Repentance and amendment of life are truly honourable Nor do I know why it should be of any more disparaging an interpretation against any man to reform his Judgment then his life neither of which can be done without a change in either Nor 2. can I resent any such conformity with my never-sufficiently-admired adored Saviour which consists in an increase of wisdom for herein he is reported to have increased in the days of his flesh g Luke 2. 52 any matter of prejudice or disparagement either to my self or any other man Though he indeed was never prevented with error yet was He post enriched with the Truth in many things A man can hardly if possibly grow in Grace and in the knowledge of Jesus Christ our Lord h 2 Pet. 3. 18 without out growing himself in judgment and understanding from time to time without rectifying and making streight many things in his mind and thoughts which were crooked before 3. That chosen vessel Paul never quitted himself like a man never consulted peace and glory to himself untill he built up that Faith which sometimes he had destroyed Nor was his Authority or esteem in the Gospel and in the things of Jesus Christ ever a whit the lighter upon the ballance because he had sometimes been a Pharisee 4. I desire to ask the men that make the change of my judgment a spot of weakness or vileness in it whether themselves were always in the same mind touching all things with themselves at present If so it plainly argues that their thoughts and apprehensions now they are men are but such which are incident unto children And if since their coming to riper yeers they have always stood and are resolved always to stand by their first thoughts and apprehensions in all things it is a sign that their judgments reside more in their wills then their wills in their judgments and
we now speak of not only such things upon the sight and knowledge whereof in men we ought to judge them true Believers but even such things further which we ought to reverence and honour as the lovely and majestique characters of Faith and Holinesse in their exaltation Therefore it is but an importune pretence in men to deny them to have been true Believers To say that whilest they stood men were indeed bound in charity to judge them true Believers but by their declining they discovered themselves not to have been the men is but to beg the question and that upon very ill terms to obtain it 3. If our Saviours Rule be authentique By their fruits we shall know them a Mat. 7. 20. §. 7. we did not only stand bound by the Law of charity but by the Law of a righteous or district judgement it selfe to judge the persons we speak of true Believers whilest they adorned the Gospell with such fruits of righteousnesse as were mentioned For our Saviour doth not say by their fruits you shall have ground to conceive or to conjecture them such or such or to judge them in charity such or such but you shall know them Now what a man knows he is not bound to conjecture or to judge it in a way of charity to be that which he knoweth it to be but positively to judge and conclude of it acordingly If then it be possible as hath been said for men by any Signs Fruits Works Expressions in one kinde or other to know true Believers which our Saviour in the said Rule and elseqhere seemeth to suppose to be very possible the persons we speak of may be known to have been such 4. And lastly if that Doctrine of Perseverance in the comfort whereof §. 8. men so much rejoyce intangles them with such a necessity for the defence of it as this I meane to judge all those to have been Hypocrites or unsound in the Faith who afterwards apostatize and decline to prophannesse it will be found upon a true account to be a Doctrine of no such good accord with their peace or comfort as is pretended or as they in considerately imagine For what will it availe me to my Peace or Comfort though I be never so fully resolved or perswaded that in case I be a true Believer I shall never fall away to Perdition if in the meane time I be so intangled in my judgement that I can hardly if at all have any sufficient or cleare ground to judge when or that I am a true Believer or be otherwise occasioned strongly to suspect and doubt of the truth of my Faith Now if I must of necessity conclude all those to have been Hypocrites or pretenders only unto true Faith who afterwards fall and rise no more I must needs hereby minister an occasion of a thousand feares and jealousies to my self and my own conscience touching the truth and soundnesse of mine own Faith lest this should be of no better kinde or constitution then theirs And being compassed about with such fears and jealousies as these what great peace or comfort am I capable of touching my Salvation Or what is it to me whether true Believers may fall away or no when as I lie under the heavy pressure of so many doubts and debates with my selfe whether I be a true Believer or no If it be replied yea but I may have security and assurance enough for the §. 9. truth and soundnesse of mine own Faith because I am perfectly conscious to the uprightnesse and simplicity of mine own heart which I could not be of theirs and therefore though I might very possibly be mistaken touching the truth of their Faith having nothing to found my judgement in this kinde upon but only their outward deportments yet having the testimony of mine own heart and conscience together with my outward conversation I may here be confident though I miscarried there To this also I answer 1. Far be it from me to deny but that a man may very possibly attaine unto a very strong and potent assurance and that upon grounds every wayes sufficient warantable and good that his Faith is sound and saving yea and such wherein persevering unto the end he shall undoubtedly be actually saved I shall not need to argue this because it is nothing but what is owned on both sides But 2. I verily believe withall that there is not one true Believer of an hundred §. 10. I might say of many thousands who hath any such assurance as this of the truth and soundnesse of their Faith such an assurance I meane which is built upon solid and pregnant foundations and which are proper to beare it my reasons are two 1. Because though the testimony of a mans Heart and Conscience touching his uprightnesse towards God or the soundnesse of any thing that is saving in Him be comfortable and cheering yet seldom are these Properties this comfortablenesse and cheeringnesse of it built upon such foundations which are sufficient to warrant them at least upon such whose sufficiency in this kinde men duly apprehend For the testimony of the Conscience of a Man touching any thing which is spiritually and excellently good is of no such value unlesse first it be excellently inlightned with the knowledge of the Nature Properties and Condition of that of which it testifieth and 2. Be in the actuall Contemplation Consideration or Remembrance of what it knoweth in this kinde when it rendreth such testimony Now there are I question not many thousands both of Men and Women in the World who truly believe and whose Hearts are upright with God who yet are not to any such degree inlightened about the Natures and Properties either of a true Faith or uprightnesse of Heart but that the testimony which their Consciences give concerning these is liable to many Disputes and Questions about the certainty and truth of it in the Consciences themselves which give it This is the constant and known experience of in a manner the whole believing World there being not one amongst many of the inhabitants hereof the testimony of whose Consciences touching the soundnesse of his Faith is upon any such terms or to any such Degree either Comforting or Cheering but that He conflicts with many feares and scruples and doubtfull apprehensions notwithstanding 2. The comfortablenesse and cheeringnesse of the testimony which any §. 11. Mans Conscience gives touching the soundnesse of his Faith and the uprightnesse of his Heart towards God depending mainly and Principally upon the uniforme regulate and constant tenor of his life and conversation in wayes of Holiness and there being so few even among the Saints themselves who are to any competent or considerable degree carefull to walke without stumblings and slippings and many straines of unworthinesse hence it must needs follow that that testimony of Conscience we speake of will faulter and be divided in it self and though that which is comforting and
sinful courses contrary to the Law imposed by the Gospel upon all those in especial maner that profess Christianity and consequently that there is no such danger of their falling away who shall duly and throughly consider the one and conscienciously observe the other In asserting the stability of the Truth of God in the Gospel by way of Antidote against the fears of those that may possibly suspect it because of the defection of others from it He doth but tread in His own footsteps elsewhere as viz. where He saith as He doth a few Verses before in this very Chapter If we beleeve not i. e. though we men beleeve not what He hath promised yet He abideth faithful He cannot deny Himself a 2 Tim. 2. 13 as if He should say the Unbelief of men whether of those who never so much as pretended to Beleeve in Him or of those who have revolted from their Faith ought not in reason to be so construed or looked upon as if they were any Argument or Proof that therefore God should be unfaithful or untrue considering that it is altogether incompossible with His Nature and Being to deny Himself i. e. either to say in words or to import by action that He is not a God the latter whereof He should do in case He should promise and not perform accordingly though it be too too well consistent with the nature of men thus to deny Him So likewise where He saith to the same Point What if some did not beleeve shall their Unbelief make the Faith of God without effect b Rom. 3. 3 i. e. shall the Unbelief of men be interpreted as any tolerable Argument or ground to prove that God is unfaithful or which is the same that He hath no other no better Faith in Him then that which sometimes miscarrieth and produceth not that for which it stands engaged implying that such an interpretation as this is unreasonable in the highest But to give a little further light to the Scripture opened Nevertheless the foundation of God standeth and to the interpretation lately given it is to be considered that the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 translated foundation doth not onely See Sam. Petit Var. Lectionum lib. 1. c. 11 signifie the foundation of an House Building or the like but a band or instrument in writing whereby He that lendeth money or intrusteth goods unto another is wont to be secured by him who borroweth or is intrusted that he shall duly receive what he hath contracted for with him Such a writing or instrument as this is a kinde of politique or civil foundation on which the Creditor builds a rational Hope or expectation of receiving from His Debtor what is equitably and upon Promise due unto Him Now that the Apostle in the words in Hand rather alludeth to such a foundation as this if it must be so called then unto that other is very probable at least from hence viz. because to this latter kinde of foundation which I call Politique or Civil sealing is most proper whereas it cannot be ascribed unto the other but by a very unproper strained uncouth and unheard-of attribution For who hath heard of the sealing of a foundation of an House or Building or to what end or purpose should such a foundation as this be sealed But Writings for the security of Contracts or Engagements between man and man are by the custom of almost all Nations wont to be sealed yea and are not authentique or valid in Law unless they be sealed So that by the sure or firm foundation of God which is said to stand how fast soever men fall from the Belief of it questionless is meant that gracious Contract or Covenant made by God with the World to give Life and Salvation to all those that shall beleeve in Jesus Christ which Covenant is now exhibited in writing unto those concerned in it Men as a foundation for all men to build an Hope and expectation of Life and Salvation upon according to the Tenor and terms of it This Foundation is said to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 firm or stable because it is such in the nature of it as being nothing else but the Word or Promise of a God who cannot lye or deceive it is said to stand or to have stood 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because it never failed any Person that built upon it It is said to have this Seal The Lord knoweth who are His because the firmness or stability of it is further confirmed unto men by that perfect knowledg declared and asserted in it which God taketh and hath of all those who truly beleeve whereby they become appropriately His by means of which Knowledg and Approbation He is in a perfect capacity to make this signal difference between them and others who beleeve not or revolt from their Faith viz. to save the one and to destroy the other when time comes Again it is said to have this Seal also Let every one that nameth the Name of Christ depart from iniquity because the said Truth and stedfastness of it is yet further commended and ratified unto men by the Holiness of the Commandments given in it unto those that profess the Name and Faith of Christ. A Promise or Covenant of Life and Salvation is therefore likely to be from God and consequently to be stable and firm because it requires such an excellency of life and conversation of all those who expect benefit by it However that by the Foundation of God in the place in Hand should be meant the Election of some particular Persons by God hath neither the good-wâ—ll of the Metaphor or Phrase nor yet of the Context for it of which more hereafter in due place We have formerly observed it as Chrysostoms Judgment concerning Judas §. 15. Cap. 10. Sect. 24 that at that time when Christ made this Promise unto the twelve Verily I say unto you that ye which have followed me in the regeneration when the Son of man shall sit in the Throne of his Glory ye also shall sit upon twelve Thrones judging the twelve Tribes of Israel a Matt. 19 28 Judas was as well in respect of the inward frame of His heart as of his outward conversation in the same capacity with the rest of the Apostles of sitting upon a Throne to judg the twelve Tribes of Israel i. e. of being saved This opinion of his concerning Judas he argues and proves from the said Promise which he judgeth cannot be verified unless it be supposed that Judas one of the twelve was at this time under the grace of it and in such a relation and condition God-ward wherein had he persevered he should actually have been a partaker of the glory promised with his fellows We took knowledg likewise in the place related unto that P. Martyr approved the said Judgment of this Father together with the ground and reason of it delivering unto us upon occasion thereof this most true and
of such things which are simply and absolutely necessary to the effecting of any such end which He desireth especially when His desire in this kinde is raised and built upon foundations of Righteousness and sound Wisdom which is not questionable in or about any the desires of God Now then if God intends He must needs also desire the increase of guilt and punishment upon wicked men or the generality of men if He desires this He hath no cause to be offended with these men for their unthankfulness or for any such abuse of His Mercies or good things conferred upon them without which it was unpossible for Him to attain His desired end viz. an increase of guilt and condemnation upon them as was asserted The Reason is because according to our late asserted principle no man hath cause to be offended with another for doing that which is directly and absolutely necessary for the bringing to pass of any such end which is maturely and according to sound Principles of Wisdom and Righteousness projected and desired by Him Nor is there the least question to be made but that if God intends and consequently desires the increase of guilt and condemnation upon the generality of men both His Intentions and Desires in this kinde are most regular in respect of all regularity that either Wisdom or Righteousness can give unto them Not will it much if any thing at all here help to say that though God §. 6. doth not intend the Salvation of the generality of men in giving unto them the good things of this life to enjoy so abundantly as for the most part he doth but the increase of their guilt condemnation yet in as much as no particular man knoweth but that God may intend His spiritual good and Salvation in such Dispensations all aâ—e bound to conceive this Hope of themselves and consequently every man standâ— bound to be thankful unto God for what He receiveth from Him in this kinde and to seek more after Him And if any man shall be found neglective of what is His duty herein or shall turn the Gâ—ace of God towards Him even in these outward things into wantonness and not into thankfulness He deserveâ— to be punished so much the more severely for it For to this I answer No man stands bound to beleeve that or to conceive Hope of that which He hath no sufficient ground of belâ—eving or why He should beleeve it much less to beleeve that which He hath much more Reason to question or doubt of then to beleeve Solomon informeth us that it is the property of a fool to beleeve every thing or every word a Prov. 14. 15. viz. as well that which He hath no ground or reason to beleeve as that which He hath And it is commonly said and taught amongst us that in matters of Religion and of Salvation nothing ought to be beleeved by any man but what He hath a sufficient ground in or from the Word of God to beleeve If so if no man ought to beleeve in matters appertaining to Salvation but what He hath a ground or warrant in the Word of God to beleeve much less ought He to beleeve any such thing the truth whereof the Word of God administers much more ground to doubt question and suspect then to beleeve So that if this be a Truth revealed in the Woâ—d of God That God doth not intend the spiritual good of the generality or of far the greatest part of men in their outward mercies and good things but the contrary certain it is that every particular man at least that hath no sufficient proof of His Regeneration hath ten twenty if not an hundred times more reason to doubt and question whether His spiritual good be intended by God or no in the things we speak of then to beleeve that it is intended As in the business of a lottery where there are fourty it may be an hundred blanks for one prize no man hath so much reason or ground to hope that He shall draw a prize in case He should adventure his money this way as that He shall draw a blank And upon this account lotteries have still been accounted little better then cheats or unworthy devices contrived gin wise to catch the money of simple and inconsiderate people men of understanding easily discerning the fraud and so keeping their foot out of the snare And whether that Doctrine which teacheth that God intendeth onely the Salvation of a few but the condemnation of many and yet commandeth all to beleeve that they may be saved doth not make the glorious Gospel of God like unto one of such lotteries I leave to all understanding and unprejudiced men to consider In the mean time evident it is that this Opinion that Christ dyed not for all men but for some few onely is as it were calculated and the face of it bent and set to make the distance between Heaven and Earth between God and His creature Man greater and wider then yet it is to multiply jealousies and hard thoughts in the hearts and mindes of men and women concerning God where they are more then apt enough to engender and multiply without the irritation of such a Doctrine Yea whereas God hath put Himself into His Christ God was in Christ saith the Apostle as we heard formerly a Cap. 5. sect 28. reconciling the World unto Himself that by the means of Him and by the Tender and Promise of Forgiveness of sins unto men through Him upon the gracious terms of beleeving He might prevail with the World to love Him to think well and honorably of Him this Doctrine seeks to put Him out of His Christ again at least in reference to any such glorious design as that of reconciling the World unto Him yea and saith in effect unto the World it self Beleeve Him not though He speaketh never so graciously unto you when He promiseth you Life and Salvation upon the fairest and freest terms He hath War in His Heart against you and intendeth to destroy you If it be yet objected that upon the same ground no particular Person §. 7. should have any sufficient ground or Reason to beleeve that He is one of those that shall be saved in as much as the number of those that shall be saved is affirmed to be but small I answer True it is no man is bound to beleeve simply and absolutely that He is one of those that shall be saved but conditionally onely viz. in case He shall beleeve and persevere beleeving unto the end All that a man is bound to beleeve in this kinde positively is that He is one of those that may be saved and the Doctrine asserted by us viz. that Christ dyed for all men without exception administreth a fair ground and full footing for such a Faith as this unto every man Whereas the Doctrine opposite hereunto which affirmeth that Christ dyed for the Elect onely leaveth no foundation or ground
happy inheritance which was vested in them by the Law of their Creation Therefore 2. The comparison of the Family or Community specified in the Objection is altogether irrelative to the case in hand and besides it demands that as reasonable to be granted which is nothing less For it is not better for the generality of a Family or greater Community of men that some few of the members either of the one or the other should have the greatest assurance that can be given of the greatest things that can be enjoyed all the rest of their members being left to unavoydable beggery torment and misery then that all Particulars of either should be put into such a capacity and way of being all honorable and happy that by a regular prudent and careful behavior of themselves and managing the opportunities which are before them there should none of them miscarry nor fail of such enjoyments For thus the Comparison ought to be stated to make it truly representative of the great business whereof we are in travel Now it is not better for the generality of a State or great Commonwealth that some two or three or some small and inconsiderable number of the members or inhabitants thereof should be great Favorites of the Prince or of those in chief place and have Riches Honors Offices and places of Power heap'd upon them without end all the rest being made slaves and devested of all capacity so much as of any tolerable subsisting in the State then it would be that all and every of the said members or inhabitants should be put into an hopeful and ready way by their regular industry and honest demeanor of themselves to thrive and lift up their heads and live like men although in the mean time they might either through voluntary and supine carelessness and sloath or through some vile practices otherwise deprive themselves of such Happiness That cannot be better for the generality of any Community of men which induceth an absolute necessity of extream Misery upon the far greater part of them though attended with all imaginable advantages to some few then that which is as an effectual door opened unto them all unto all Happiness although it be not so opened but that they may through a supine negligence and unfaithfulness to their own interest shut it against themselves That which is worse for the greater part cannot be better for the whole So then our Argument last propounded remains still in full force Christ certainly dyed for all Men because otherwise the World or generality of Mankinde should have been better and more graciously delt with and provided for by God in the first Adam then in the second The same Doctrine I confirm yet further by the seal and warrant of this §. 26. Argum. 9. Argument If Christ dyed not for all Men without exception then no man whatsoever in his unregenerate estate stands bound to beleeve in Him or to depend on Him at least with any certainty of Faith or Hope for Salvation But there are many Men who in their unregenerate estates stand bound thus to beleeve in Him and depend upon Him yea all Men without exception at least all that have not yet sinned the sin unpardonable stand bound thus to beleeve and thus to depend Ergo. The Reason of the sequel in the former Proposition is because no man stands bound to do that which he hath not a sufficient ground or reason to do or to speak somewhat more warily for the doing of which there is no sufficient ground or reason Yea the doing of any thing upon such terms I mean without a sufficient ground in Reason for the doing it is an act irregular sinful and displeasing unto God That the Soul be without Knowledg saith Solomon it is not good and he that hasteth with his feet sinneth p Prov. 19. 2 The former clause was rendered somewhat more plainly in our former Translation thus Without Knowledg the minde is not good i. e. though a man in what he doth means or intends never so well yet unless he knows or apprehends a sufficient Reason or ground for what he doth his good meaning will not justifie him or make him sinless in his action according to what followeth in the latter clause But he that hasteth with his feet i. e. that is forwarder in his affections then in his Judgment that falls upon action before he knows a good cause why and wherefore he so acteth sinneth Upon this account our Saviour reproveth the man that saluted Him by that honorable and divine Title of Good Why callest thou me Good there is none good but one which is God q Mat. 19 17 Doubtless the meaning of the man in stiling Him Good was good and proceeded from a reverend Opinion of Him yea in stiling Him Good he spake nothing but Truth and that according to our Saviours own Principles in as much as He was indeed God Yet because the man had not this knowledg of him and so no sufficient Reason for what he did or said in calling Him Good therefore He reproveth him for so doing or speaking To this Point also lieth that of the Apostle Whatsoever is not of Faith is sin r Rom. 14 23 i. e. whatsoever a man doth not having a sufficient ground in Reason one or more on which to ground a Belief or Perswasion of the lawfulness of it is sinful viz. quoad hominem in respect of the doer not always or necessarily quoad rem or in the nature of the thing it self Yea to beleeve any thing without a sufficient ground in Reason to satisfie or convince a man of the truth of it the Holy Ghost termeth the Belief of the simple or foolish according to that of Solomon The simple beleeveth every word s Prov. 14. 15 or as our former Translation read it The foolish will beleeve every thing i. e. as well that for which there is good Reason why it should be true as that for which there is none which is a lash loose and unsavory kinde of Faith and such as God relisheth not regardeth not no not when the object of it or the thing beleeved is a Truth For God as the wise man informeth us delighteth not in fools t Eccles 5. 4 So that if there be no sufficient ground in Reason why any unregenerate Person should beleeve or depend on Christ for Salvation with certainty of Faith most certain it is that he stands not bound in duty hereunto Now if Christ dyed onely for the Elect and no unregenerate person certainly knoweth or can know that he is one of the Elect it is a clear case that he can have no sufficient ground in Reason to beleeve or depend upon Him upon such terms That no unregenerate man certainly knoweth or can know that he is one of the Elect hath been proved formerly and that ex abundanti viz. where it was fully evinced that no unregenerate Person hath so much as
saying whereby we are taught of how great an account the Salvation of the Brethren ought to be with us and not only the Salvation of them altogether but of every one of them apart in as much as the Blood of Christ was shed FOR EVERY ONE of them z Dictum memorabile quo docemur quanti nobis esse dâ—beat fratrum salus nâ—c omnium modo sed singulorum quando pro unoquoque est fufus Christi sanguis Idem in 1 Cor. 8. 11. By Brethren it is evidâ—nt that He cannot mean onely such who are Elect or Predestinated unto Salvation 1. Because He speaks of all that profess Christianity or that are Members of any Christian Church amongst whom it is the known Judgment of this Author that there still are many Hypocrites and such who will not in fine be saved 2. The Elect in His sence I mean such who come at last to be actually saved cannot be certainly known or discerned from others beforehand Therefore this consideration that Christ hath shed His Blood for a man can be no argument or motive at all unto me to regard His Salvation the more since it is unpossible for me to know whether Christ hath shed His Blood for Him or no His meaning then when He saith that the Blood of Christ was shed for every particular Person of the Brethren must needs be that it was shed as well for those who will not be saved by it as for those that will See before upon this account Cap. 8. Sect. 10. And doth He not yet further plead the Cause of the same Doctrine with us when He saith that Since Christ will have the Benefit of His Death COMMON UNTO ALL MEN they do Him wrong or are injurious unto Him who by any Opinion of theirs restrain or keep back ANY MAN from the Hope of Salvation a Quùm itaque coÌ„mune Mortiâ— suae beneficium omnibus esse velit injuriam illi faciunt qui opinione suâ quempiâ— arcent à spe salutis Idem in 1 Tim. 2. 5. Take this Passage of His also into the account This is a marvelous Love of His towards Mankinde that Hâ— is willing to have ALL MEN SAVED yea and is ready to gather into Salvation such as are perishing of their own accord But the order here is to be observed viz. that God is ready or prepared to receive all Men unto or upon Repentance LEST ANY MAN should perish b Mirum hic erga geâ—us humanuÌ„ amoâ— quòd omnes vult esse salvos ultrò perâ—untâ—s in salutem colligere paratus est Notandus autem hic ordo quòd paratus est Deus omnes ad poenitentiam recipere ne quâ—â— pâ—â—â—at Idem in 2 Pet. 3. 9. In the Heads of accord between Him and the Ministers of the Tigurine Church about the Sacrament He saith speaking of Christ that He is to be considered as a Sacrifice of Expiation by which God is appeased or pacified towards THE WORLD c Considerandus est tanquam victima expiatrix quâ placatus est Deus Mundo I de Opusc p. 872. In the Geneva Catechism He teacheth all those that are to be catechised to look upon Christ as Salutâ—m Mundi the Salvation OF THE WORLD yea and to own Him and beleeve in Him as their Surety who hath undergone that Judgment which they deserved that He might render them free from guilt d Vt palà m fiat judicium quod mâ—rcâ—â—mâ—r tanquâ— vâ—dâ—â— nostrum subire quâ— noâ— Ã reatâ— libâ—ret Calvin Opusc p. 19. with much more of like consideratioin So that unless it be supposed that Christ dyed for all such Persons without exception who should be perswaded and brought to learn and use this Catechism it will apparantly follow that the Composer of it and all Parents and others that shall put their Children or other Persons upon the learning and pronouncing the words hereof shall put them upon the speaking and professing those things and that as matters of their Christian Faith of the truth whereof they have no sufficient ground or assurance yea and which are much more likely to be false then true For if Christ dâ—ed for the Elect onely i. e. onely for such who in the event will be saved these being but few in comparison of those who will perish evident it is that speaking of particular Persons before they beleeve savingly or to Justification it is more likely they will perish then that they will be saved or however there is no sufficient ground to judg of them or of any particular Person of them by Name before they beleeve that they are Elected or consequently that Christ was their Surety or dyed to free them from the guilt of sin And if so then they that are taught to say and profess as an Article of their Christian Faith that Christ dyed to save them are put upon it or tempted to profess that as an Article of their Religion which they have no rational or competent ground to beleeve to be so much as a Truth Yea the clear truth is that the Opinion which denyeth the Redemption of all Men without exception by Christ putteth all our ordinary Catechisms to rebuke as being snares and temptations upon all or the greatest part of those who use them to pretend a Belief or confident Perswasion of such a thing which they have more cause to suspect for an Error then to embrace as a Truth This by the way If the Reader to those Passages lately insisted upon from the undoubted Writings of Mr Calvin â—ill please to add those other from the same Pen formerly mentioned e See Cap. 5 Sect. 25 and cap. 6. sect 25 cap. 8. sect 5 10 43 53. cap. 12. sect 8 c which though produced haply upon somewhat a more particular occasion respectively yet speak for substance the same thing He will I presume acknowledg that which hath in effect been already said that Calvin was not so far an Enemy to General Redemption but that without straining either his Judgment or Conscience He did upon all occasions reconcile Himself unto it yea and bottomed many carriages and Passages of Discourse upon it I was desirous to present the Reader with the more variety and greater §. 22. number of Testimonies from Calvin wherein He plainly asserteth the Doctrine of Universal Attonement because He is generally notioned as a man clearest and most resolved in his Judgment against it I shall be more sparing in citations of a like import from others who pass in common Discourse as professed Enemies also against the same Doctrine but whether they be so indeed methinks these Sayings following with many more of a like inspiration that might be added unto them should put to a Demurrer Sâ— God loved the World c. By World saith Musculus He understands Universal Mankinde f Sic Deus dilexit MuÌ„dum c. Per MenduÌ„ enim intelligit univer sum genus humanum c. Muscu Loc.
suppose the act of believing could be divided into a thousand parts or degrees nine hundred ninety and nine of them are to be ascribed unto the free Grace of God and onely the one remaining unto man Yea this one degree of the action is no otherwise neither to be ascribed unto man then as graciously supported strengthened and assisted by the free Grace of God The Reader will finde none of these Positions contradicted by any thing affirmed or denyed in the Discourse I attribute as much as possibly can be attributed to the free Grace of God in and about the Act of Believing salving the attributableness of the Action unto man himself in the lowest and most diminutive sence that can well be conceived For certain it is that it is the Creature Man not God or the Spirit of God that believeth and therefore of necessity there must so much or such a degree of Efficiency about it be left unto man which may with truth give it the denomination of being his And they that go about to interess the free Grace of God in or about the act of Believing upon any other terms or so that the act it self cannot truly be called the Act of the Creature or of Man are injurious in the highest maner to the Grace of God at this main turn rendering it altogether unprofitable to the poor Creature who by the verdict of such a Notion should be left in his sins and never come to be justified For the Law of Justification is expresly this He that believeth shall be justified Therefore if it be not man himself who believeth it is unpossible that he should be justified He that shall ingenuously and unpartially compare the Doctrine of our Adversaries touching the Grace of God with that the substance whereof hath been expressed in the nine Positions lately exhibited will clearly find that this Grace is by many degrees more highly and with another manner of an Heavenly Magnificence advanced by the tenor and import of this Doctrine then of the other yea and that Nature is far more depressed and abased in the latter then in the former But 3. Some pretend that the Doctrines and Opinions maintained in such Discourses as this are only old rotten Errors rejected and thrown out of the Church by Orthodox men in all Ages But they who hedg up the way of men with such thorns as these to keep them from reading such Books as we speak of cannot but scratch yea rend and tear their Consciences with them Concerning the two Doctrines more largely handled in the following Discourse I prove upon a most pregnant account in the fifteenth Chapter for the one and in the nineteenth for the other besides many other places in the body of the Discourse that they were never rejected or cast out of the Church by any Council or Synod reputed Orthodox at least until the late Synod of Dort but were constantly taught by all Orthodox Antiquity are at this day more generally taught by the Lutheran Party of the Reformed Churches yea and have many full and clear Testimonies of their Truth from the Pen of Calvin himself and many others that are counted Pillars on his side 4. Some are brought out of Love with such Discourses as this by being informed that they are full of nice subtil and curious speculations and that the secrets of God are too narrowly and presumptuously pried into by the Authors of them To this I answer 1. If any man whether in the handling of the Doctrines we now speak of or of any other advanceth himself into the things which he hath not seen or above the proportion of his Faith let him suffer as a Transgressor of the Law of Sobriety I shall not be his Advocate For the Discussions managed in the Treatise ensuing I go no further then I feel the ground firm under me Or if at any time I come to a place that is soft and tender I tread light and charge no great matter of weight upon it Yet 2. Not to go up to the Mount when God calleth and offereth the kisses of his mouth unto us there under a pretence of danger in climbing is to reject the bounty of Heaven and to betray our richest opportunities for the making of our selves Excellent and Great in the sight of God and Angels and Men. 3. Things revealed in the Scriptures as well those of the most spiritual and sublime consideration which our Saviour calls Heavenly a John 3. 12 and the Apostle Paul sometimes the deep things of God b 1 Cor. 2. 10 sometimes strong meat c Heb. 5. 14 as well as things of a more obvious and facile import belong unto us and our children i. e. are our spiritual Patrimony which God our Father hath given us to maintain our selves honorably as viz. in Faith and Holiness in the World Every inch of such an Inheritance is worth the standing upon and contending for 4. Aristotle in his Moral Discourses somewhere observes that persons who are vicious or tardy in either of the extreams frequently censure him that is truly vertuous and steers a middle course between them as if he were an Offender in that extream which is opposite to the other extream wherein themselves are Delinquent So it is to be feared that many who complain of curiosity in speculation and of prying into the secrets of God are themselves dull of hearing of remiss and un-engaged spirits in the things of God and therefore call the most substantial and solid Discourses if they be of any considerable elevation and worthy those who are spiritual and men in Understanding by the unworthy name of nice and curious speculations 5. And lastly for this I confess that the Doctrine of Election and Reprobation and so of the extent of the efficacy of the Death of Christ and of the Interest of the Spirit of God in the Work of Conversion might have been managed and carried with far less appearance of curiosity had not the Controverters of the one side forsaken the solid Grounds and Principles of Reason in their Expositions of the Scriptures and obtruded upon the World such notions and conceits under a pretence of Scripture Authority because of an appearance of some words and phrases comporting with them the vanity and unsoundness whereof could not be sufficiently detected but by the light of some such strains of Reason which the minds and thoughts of men being not accustomed unto may at first very probably censure as more curious then safe more subtle then sound But the saying of Basil is worthy consideration at this Point Truth saith he is hard to be taken by hunting and must be found out by a narrow observing of her footsteps on every side d 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And more especially the discovery of the Truth in the Controversies we speak of mainly depending upon the knowledg of the Nature of God and of the manner of his Actings which are matters of a very
spiritual and obstruse contemplation it cannot reasonably be expected but that the Disputes themselves should sometimes soar high so that the ordinary apprehensions of men may possibly lose the sight of them for a time 5. Some plead a non-necessity of bestowing our time in looking into Books that shall now or hereafter be written about the Argument or Subject matter of the present Discourse upon a pretence that nothing more can be said therein then hath been said already and that all Scriptures and Arguments that can be levyed for the defence of the Doctrines maintained herein have been already answered Such a pretence as this is proper for men who hope to make a great purchase with a little money to produce the honour and reputation of much knowledg and learning by uttering a few assuming and daring words For upon what sober and rational account can such a saying proceed from any man Or who can say unto the Almighty with due reverence to the unsearchable Riches either of his Wisdom or of his Grace and Bounty Hitherto indeed thou hast advanced thy self in giving Wisdom and Understanding unto men but further thou canst not go thy treasures are exhaust It becometh not me to say unless I were invested with Paul's priviledg of speaking without offence like a fool e 2 Cor. 11. 16 23 that there are several Considerations and Grounds traversed in the present Discourse and these intimously relating to the Controversies there handled which I beleeve the Masters of the pretence last specified have not observed in all their Travels through those many regions of Books and Authors which they would be supposed to have read and studied for the Information of themselves and others with the Truth in those great Controversies And whereas the Pretext in hand glorieth that all that hath been said in defence of the Opinions avouched in our Discourse hath been already answered unless he takes Sanctuary at some very unproper signification of the word Answer his glorying in this behalf will be found to his shame yea such a Sanctuary as this will not much relieve him Indeed as Tacitus saith of the ancient Britans of this Nation in relation to the Romans eos potius triumphatos quam victos fuisse that the Romans rather triumphed over them then overcame them so have the Adversaries of the Opinions and Doctrines we speak of been at the charge of erecting many Trophies one after another as if they had by the Sword of the Spirit and dint of Argument vanquished and subdued them and trodden down their strength whereas upon a true and unpartial account the main Grounds and Pillars upon which the said Doctrines stand will be found to remain undemolished and unshaken to this day yea and to have too much evidence and clearness of truth in them ever to be shaken Some pretend that the Opinions contended for in this Discourse have been from time to time taken up and held for the most part by a looser and less-Religious generation of men and the contrary by persons of a better Name for Holiness and Worthiness of Conversation This notion is accessory to some mens stumblings at the said Opinions yea and at all those whether men or Books that give the right hand of fellowship unto them But what near communion this notion hath with darkness and untruth is abundantly proved in the nineth fifteenth and nineteenth Chapters of the Discourse besides other places Although the truth is that were there truth in it yet would there be little weight in it to mediate a resolved Enmity between mens Iudgments and these Opinions The Devil held that Jesus Christ was the Holy One of God f Mark 1. 24 and professed it whilest Paul persecuted him and thought verily that he was bound to do many things against his Name g Acts 26. 9 But to this Point I speak more in the said 15 Chapter The noise of Arminianism Pelagianism Socinianism is very terrible in the ears of some and make the said Opinionâ— the dread and abhorring of their Souls and all Books and men that own them as the shadow of death unto them To this I answer 1. That it is a saying of Luther that God sometimes puts on the vizor of the Devil and the Devil the vizor of God But God would be known by men under the vizor of the Devil and would have the Devil rejected under the vizor of God h Deus larvam Diaboli Diabâ—lus Dei induit et Deus sub larva Diaboli cognosci et Diabolum sub larva Dei reprobari vult Luth. in Gal. 5 Odious names and imputations are but the Devils vizors which though they be by men put upon the face of Truth will not excuse us in our rejections of the Truth But 2. Concerning the Charge of Pelagianism I demonstrate in several passages in the Discourse that the Opinions there pleaded have an express diametral antipathy against the Errors of Pelagius and that the sence of our Adversaries in opposition to us is truly Pelagian 3. Concerning Arminianism I confess I do not well understand what men mean by it I suppose they mean the owning of such Doctrines or Opinions in opposition to the Truth so voted and called by men which were held and taught by Arminius If so the formality or essence of Arminianism doth not stand in holding any thing simply in opposition to the Truth but in opposition unto men as supposed by themselves and others to be Truth The Jewish Doctors who love to be called Rabbi have a saying that the Law is on Earth not in Heaven the import of which saying Musculus interprets to be this that the Law meaning of God is subject to their power i Magistri Synagogae dicebant Lex est in terra non est in coeliâ— significantes illam suae potestati esse subjectam Mus 1. Cor. 11 or authority If this be the sence of those that are Teachers amongst us that their Authority is competent to over-rule the Scriptures or to make Truth and error of what they please they who dissent from them must for ought I know compose themselves as well as they can to bear the burthen of their imputations If the opinions commended by me for Truth in the work in band be Arminian certain I am that the ancient Fathers and Writers of the Christian Church were generally Arminian yea and that Calvin himself had many sore fits and pangs of Arminianism at times upon him yea and that the Synod of Dort it self was not free from the infection nor scarce any writer of name and note in these latter times These things are brought into a clear and unquestionable light by the Discourse ensuing Concerning Socinianism if the opinions themselves charged herewith know no more then I do of the Truth of the charge they may justly take up Davids complaint and say They lay to our charge things that we know not k Psal 35. 11 But if such Doctrines or Tenents
relating unto those affections or impressions in men which are attributed unto God should be parallel'd in him or have something in his nature corresponding to them It is a sufficient ground or reason for the attribution if the humane affection or impression attributed unto him be Similitudo non currit quatuor Pedibus Neque illa quae important intrinsecam perfectionem sunt tribuenda Deo proprie formaliter nec debemus consuetum modum loquendi omnino cavere cum de Divinis loquimur si seclusâ—s imperfectionibus non aliter humana transferamus ad Deum Arrib Op. Concil l. 3. c. 9 in respct of any one particular appertaining to it in men parallel'd or analogized in the Nature of God the Proverbiall maxime well admonishing that similitudes are not wont to run on all foure no nor alwayes on three not yet on two they do service enough if they stand well on one To exemplifie our Caution in a particular or two Anger as it is incident unto and sometimes as it is inherent in men is obnoxious to be attended with unseemely behaviour inconsiderate and unjust actions c. Yet it doth not follow from hence that because God is said to be angry therefore there is that in his nature which renders him obnoxious in either of these kinds It is a sufficient ground of the attribution of this Passion or affection unto him that out of the perfection of his simple Essence or Nature he doth any thing upon occasion which is proper or frequent for men being angry to do as that he sharply expostulates or reproves that he smites those who provoke him with any severe stroke of judgement or the like c. So again expectation in men is alwayes attended with an apprehension that the thing expected will indeed come to passe no man expecting that which he knows certainly will never come to passe yet it doth not follow from hence that because expectation is ascribed unto God therefore he must not know but that the thing expected by him will come to passe It is a sufficient ground of ascribing expectancy unto him that out of the perfection of his simple essence or nature he sometimes deporteth himself as men under expectation are wont to do though it be but in some one particular as that he apprehendeth a probability or likelihood in respect of means motives and ingagements that the thing which he is said to expect will come to passe notwithstanding he certainly knoweth withall that what he is said in this kinde to expect will all that probability or likelihood notwithstanding never come to passe Instances hereof we have Esa 5. 2. 4. 7. Mat. 21. 37 38 39. c. Take yet one example more for the better understanding of the premised Caution Purposes and intentions where they are in the letter and in their Propriety as in men are alwayes found in conjunction with a supposall that the things purposed or intended shall or will be effected no man ever intending or purposing that which he certainly knows before hand never shall or will be effected But it doth not follow from hence that when Purposes or intentions are attributed unto God they must needs be thus attended I meane with a supposition or expectance that the things said to be purposed or intended by him shall or will come to passe Therefore that saying of Mr. Rutherford Excercit p. 224. Tenentur omnes credere Deum omnipotentem sua intentione excidere non posse i. e. All men are bound to believe that God being Omnipotent cannot faile of his intention is lesse considerate yea and defective in truth without the help of some further explication If instead of intention he had said Decree thus All men are bound to believe that God being Omnipotent cannot faile or fall short in any Decree so as not to be able to put it in execution Reason and Truth had greeted each other in such a saying But God may be said as we shall see further anon to purpose or intend things in case he affordeth means that are proper and sufficient to bring them to passe especially if he commands them to be used accordingly this being a dispensation of like consideration and nature with the deportment of men who are wont to provide a sufficiency of means at least so apprehended by them for the effecting of what they purpose or intend So that to Reason thus God intendeth not the salvation of all men because he certainly knoweth that all men will not be saved no wise man ever intending that which he certainly knows before-hand shall never be effected is to reason weakly and upon a false supposition viz. that purposes and intentions are attributed unto God in respect of all particulars or under all circumstances wherewith they are accompanied in men whereas such attributions are sufficiently salved as hath been shewed in the Analogy and Similitude of one Particular only Yet before we can conveniently come at our intended explication how §. 8. and in what respect or sence Desires Purposes Intentions and Decrees are by Scripture assignment transferred upon God necessary it is that the difference between them in point of Signification and Propriety of import together with the signification of some other terms of neer consideration with them be examined and cleerly stated For that these words Desire Purpose Intention and Decree doe not precisely signifie one and the same thing is out of question nor are they ascribed unto God in one and the same signification or respect though it is true there is a word frequently also ascribed unto him I mean the word will which in the latitude of the signification of it comprehendeth them all yea and some other too besides these For what God more properly may be said to Desire he is in a more generall terme often said to will so againe what in more propriety and strictnesse of expression he might be said and sometimes is said to Purpose Intend Decree and to command or perswade unto he is very frequently said to WILL. So that this word Will when it is attributed unto God must be differenced in point of sence and signification pro subjecta materia according to the different exigency of the context and matter in hand in such places where it is respectively used as we shall shew presently But to the foure terms mentioned First to desire according to the Precise and strict import of the word as §. 9. it is appropriable unto and found in men signifies only an act of appetency in the heart or soule of a man towards somewhat that is absent whether in respect of simple Being or of Place only and with all apprehended by the Desirer as connaturall and suteable unto him either in respect of his own Personall conveniency and accommodation only or the accommodation also of some others whom he wisheth well unto How it differs from the other three will plainly enough appeare in the Progresse Secondly to purpose
saith he will alter or change the will of a man being evill he makes use of Admonitions Sermons Chastisements for these are the Organs and Instruments of the Providence of God c. a Vult Deus mutare malam hominis voluntateÌ„ adhibet admonitiones Sermones castigatioÌ„es Haec enim sunt organa instrumenta Providentiae Dei c. Ib. Sect. 16. If Admonitions Sermons c. be the Instruments and Means which God useth to change the evill hearts and wills of men certainly he doth not change them by an irresistiblenesse of Power nor in any way whereby the change is necessitated because then there could be left no place for any usefulnesse or serviceablenesse at all of his Instruments in or about the change Nothing can be instrumentall in or about the producing of an action or effect but only in a way of and according to such an efficiency which is proper to the nature of it Charms and Spells written in Paper and hung about the neck are not instrumentall in the Cures which are wrought by Satan there being no Property or Quality in them which holds any proportion of causality with such effects as the Cures of Diseases are nor can such Cures be truly said to be wrought by them though haply they would not be wrought without them In like manner the nature and property of Admonitions Exhortations Chastisements c. being to perswade or worke the hearts of men to a change contingently only and not in a way of necessitation much lesse of compulsion unpossible it is that these should be instrumentall in the Hand of God in changing the hearts of men unlesse it be supposed that this change is wrought by him contingently and with a possibility at any time before it be effected that it should not be effected and this not only in respect of his liberty whether he will go through with the worke and effect it or no but in respect of the liberty of the will it self whether it will be perswaded to a change or no. But concerning the uselessnesse of exhortations c. in case conversion be wrought by an irresistible or necessitating hand we shall have occasion to speake more at large hereafter To the point in hand Polanus another Reformed Divine as Orthodox by repute as Mr. Calvin himself prefixes this title to his fifth Thesis in the sixth Chapter of his Symphony God so worketh by the meanes of Nature â—hat he worketh nothing contrary to their Nature and therefore the Providence of God constraineth not the will of the Creature b Deus sic agit per media naturae ut nihil contrà eorum naturam ac proinde Providentia Dei non coget voluntatem Creaturae The Nature of the will is to work I mean to assent and dissent freely contingently and without any necessitation either from within or from without Therefore if God worketh nothing contrary to the Nature of the will the will still consents unto him upon such terms that she is at liberty to dissent any thing that he worketh to procure this consent notwithstanding Besides if God worketh nothing contrary to the Nature of second Causes then he must needs according to the common expression of Divines as with necessary Causes work necessarily so with contingent Causes worke contingently Take the acknowledgement of the same Truth from Ursine also another late Writer no lesse Orthodox then the two former The will of man saith he even moved of God is ABLE not only TO RESIST but also to assent unto and obey God in his Motion by her own and proper Motion which doing she doth not only suffer but acteth also and raiseth up or springs her own actions although shee hath the POVVER of assenting and obeying from the Holy Ghost c Potest enim voluÌ„tas mota à Deo non tantùm repugnare sed etiam adsentiri obsequi Deo moventi suo ac proprio motu quodfaciens non tantùm patitur sed etiam agit ciet ipsa suas actiones et si vim assentiendi et obsequeÌ„di non ex se habet sed ex Gratia Spiritus sancti aceipiat Vrsin Catec Part. 1. Qu. 8. Et paulò post voluntas humana regitur non tantuÌ„ ab alio sed etiam à se Deus enim sic movet homines ut tamâ—n non vi rapiantur sed et ipsi se moveant A little after these words he saith for God so moveth men that yet they are not ravished by force or might but they move themselves also No man can more cleerly assert the perfect contingency or non necessity of the actings of the wills of men determinately under the movings and actings of God then this Author hath done in the words presented He that saith the will moved by God is able not only to resist but also to obey God in his Motion doubtlesse meaneth or supposeth that the will is able to resist him in or under those very Motions under which and by meanes whereof she is able also to consent unto him and obey him Besides saying that the will receives POVVER of assenting and obeying from the grace of the Holy Ghost doth he not plainly imply that she receives from hence no necessitating impressions unto these actions A man that is unavoidably carried or acted in or towards an action can in no tolerable construction be said to receive Power for the performance of this action in as much as the conferring of a Power to do that which a man was not able to do before doth no wayes infer the taking away of that Power such as it was which this man had before not to act Notwithstanding my sence and judgement in the point is that the will receives from the grace of the Holy Ghost not only a Power of consenting and obeying God in his gracious movings but Sensu sano these actings themselves But of this hereafter It is I suppose needlesse and would be more tedious then difficult to make the Pile of Testimonies from our best and most approved Authors for the confirmation of the Truth last asserted any whit greater He that is afraid to Believe the Truth unlesse he hath an arme of flesh to encourage him may finde many more quotations from severall Authors of best acceptance with himself for his encouragement in this kinde drawn togeby me in my late Answer to Mr. Jenkyn from p. 67. to p. 74. But for the Truth of this Assertion hitherto managed and credited by the authority of men that no Act of God is either destructive to the contingency of or impositive of any necessity or infallibility in the event upon the actions of the wills of men it hath been in part already and may in place more convenient in the progresse of our present discourse be further evicted and confirmed by dint of argument and demonstration In the meane time my request to him that shall haply undertake to answer these Discussions is that he will
Death which proceeded from him swallowed up by the Life of Christ if still it reignes and magnifies it selfe over and against far greater numbers of Men then the Life it self of Christ preserves or delivers from it Upon Verse 18. he Presenteth his thoughts in these words He Paul makes Grace COMMON UNTO ALL MEN because it is exposed unto or laid within the reach of All Men not because it is in the reality of it extended unto all Men i. e. not because it is accepted or received by all Men as the words following plainely shew For saith he though CHRIST SVFFERED FOR THE SINNES OF THE WHOLE WORLD and through the Goodnesse or Bounty of GOD be offered unto all Men yet all Men doe not take or lay hold on Him d Communem omnium gratiam facit quia omnibus exposita est non quod ad omnes extendatur reipsa Nam etsi passus est Christus pro peccatis totius mundi atque omnibus indifferenter Dei benignitate offertur non tamen omnes apprehendunt So that if Calvin would but quit himself like a Man and stand his own ground he would Remonstrate as stoutly as Corvine or Arminius himselfe CHAP. VII The third sort or consort of Scriptures mentioned Cap. 5. Sect. 5. as clearely asserting the Doctrine hitherto Maintained Argued and Managed to the same Point WE shall not need I conceive to insist upon a Particular examination §. 1. of these Scriptures one by one the Method observed by us in handling the two former Partees because they are more apparantly uniform and consenting in their respective importances then they In which respect a cleer and thorough Discussion of any one of them or a diligent Poyseing of the common tendency and import of them all will be sufficient to evince their respective compliances with the cause in hand The Prospect of these Texts is this And him that commeth unto me I will in no wise cast out Joh. 6. 37. HE that believeth in me shall never thirst Verse 35. HE that believeth and is Baptized shall be saved Mar. 16. 16. that WHOSOEVER believeth in him should not perish c. Joh. 3. 16. that through his Name WHOSOEVER believeth in him shall receive remission of sinnes Acts 10 43. Even the righteousnesse of God which is by Faith of Jesus Christ UNTO ALL and UPON ALL who believe for ALL have sinned c. Rom. 3. 22 23. to omit very many others of like tenor and import In all these Scriptures with their fellowes evident it is that Salvation is §. 2. held forth and Promised by God unto all without exception that shall believe yea that it is Offered and Promised unto all Men upon the condition of believing whether they believe or no. So that upon such Declarations of the gracious and good Pleasure of God towards the universality of Men as these the Ministers of the Gospell or any other Men may with truth and ought of duty upon occasion say to every Particular Soul of Man under Heaven If thou believest thou shall be saved even as Paul saith that he preached Christ admonishing EVERY MAN and teaching EVERY MAN in all wisdome that he might present EVERY MAN perfect in Christ Jesus a Colos 1. 28. Yea this Apostle speaking of God Himself saith that he admonisheth all Men every where to repent b Acts 17. 30. Now if the Gospell or God in the Gospell offereth Salvation unto all Men without exception and insureth it accordingly upon their believing certainly he hath it to bestow upon them in case they doe See more of this Cap. 8. Sect. 31. believe otherwise he should offer or Promise that unto them which he hath not for them nor is able to confer upon them though they should believe If he hath Salvation for them or to bestow upon them upon their believing he must have it in Christ because he hath no other treasury or store-house of Salvation but only Christ Neither is there Salvation in any other c. Acts 4. 12. If God hath Salvation in Christ for all Men Christ must needs have Bought and Purchased it for them with his Blood in as much as there is no Salvation no not in Christ Himself without or otherwise then by Remission of sins nor any Remission of sinnes in or by Him without shedding of blood Therefore all those Scriptures wherein God Promiseth and ascertaineth Salvation unto all Men without exception upon their believing are Pregnant with this truth that Christ layd down his Life for the Salvation of all and every Man If it be here replied and said but though God in the Gospell offers Salvation §. 3. unto all Men and Promiseth Salvation unto all Men upon condition of their believing respectively yet knowing certainly before hand that none will believe but only such and such by Name as viz. those for whom there is Salvation Purchased by Christ he may upon a sufficient ground and with security enough Promise Salvation unto all men upon condition they will believe I answer Though God by meanes of the certainty of such his knowledge may without danger of failing in Point of Promise-keeping or of being taken at his word to his dishonour Promise Salvation unto all Men without exception upon the terms specified though it should be supposed that Christ hath not Purchased Salvation for all Men yet upon such a supposition as this he cannot either with honour otherwise or with truth make any such Offer or Promise Not with honour because for a Man that is generally and certainly known to be worth but only one thousand Pounds in estate to offer or Promise an hundered thousand Pounds to any Man that shall be willing to serve him or to doe such or such a courtesie for him though he knew certainly that no Man would accept his offer in either of these kinds yet would such an Offer or Promise be matter of disparagement to him in the sight of wise and understanding Men yea render them little other then ridiculous In like manner it being supposed by our Antagonists in the cause now under Plea that God hath declared it unto all the World in his Gospell that Christ hath died but for a few Men in comparison and consequently that himself hath Salvation only for a few in case he should Promise Salvation unto all Men without exception upon what account service or condition soever must needs turne to dishonour in the highest unto him and represent him unto his Creature extremely unlike to himselfe Suppose the Devill had certainly known as very possibly he might that the Lord Christ would not have fallen down and worshipped him upon any terms or conditions whatsoever would this have excused him from vanity in Promising him all the Kingdomes of the World upon such a condition when as all the world knew that not one of these Kingdomes were at his disposall Again 2. neither can God nor any Minister of the Gospell say with
§. 4. truth to every Particular Man if thou believest thou shalt be saved unlesse it be supposed that there is Salvation Purchased or in being for them all Because the truth of such an assertion cannot be salved by this that all Men or every Particular Man will not believe The truth of a Connex or Hypotheticall Proposition of which kinde this is If thou Peter or thou John believest thou shalt be saved doth not depend upon any thing that is contingent no nor yet upon any thing that is extra-essentiall to the terms of the Proposition it self such as is as well the non-believing as the believing of Particular Men but upon the essentiall and necessary Connexion between the two Parts of the Proposition the Antecedent and consequent If this Connexion be contingent loose or false the Proposition it self is false though in every other respect it should be accommodated to the best As for example in this Proposition If Isaac were Abrahams Son then was he truly godly both the Parts considered apart are true for true it is 1. That Isaac was Abrahams Son and 2. That he was truly godly yet the Proposition is absolutely false because there is no necessary or essentiall Connexion between being Abrahams Son and true godlinesse therefore the one cannot be truly inferr'd or concluded from the other In like manner when I shall say thus unto a Man If thou believest thou shalt be saved it is neither his non-believing nor the certainty of my knowledge that he will not believe that either maketh or evinceth such a Proposition to be true because neither of these relates to the Connexion of the parts thereof nor containe the least reason or ground why the latter should follow upon the former The Man 's not believing is no reason at all why upon his believing he should certainly be saved no more is my knowledge how certaine soever it be that he will not believe But to verifie such a Proposition or Saying there must be a certaine and indissolveable Connexion between such a Mans Salvation and Believing in case he should believe Such a Connexion as this there cannot be unlesse there were Salvation for him which he might have and injoy in case he should believe Now certaine it is that if Christ Died not for him there is no more Salvation for him in case he should believe then there would be in case he should not believe there being no Salvation for any Man upon any terms or condition whatsoever unlesse Christ hath Purchased it for him by his Death Nor doth Christs Purchasing Salvation for any Man depend upon such a Mans believing no more doth his non-Purchasing Salvation for him upon his not-believing So that unlesse it be supposed that Christ hath Purchased Salvation for a Man whilest He remaines yet an unbeliever and though He should alwayes remaine an unbeliever it cannot be supposed that He Purchased Salvation for him though He should believe and consequently there can be no truth in this Proposition or Assertion spoken to a Man who shall not believe If thou believest thou shalt be saved it being certaine upon the aforesaid supposition of Christs non-dying for him that he should not could not be saved no not though He should believe If it be replied yea but the truth of this saying to any Man whatsoever §. 5. If thou believest thou shalt be saved is sufficiently salved upon this account that Christ Died sufficiently for all Men though not intentionally so that in case any Man whatsoever shall or should believe there is Salvation ready for Him in Christ. I answer that the vanity or meere nullity rather in respect of the coincidence of the Members of this distinction wherein Christ is affirmed to have Died sufficiently for all Men but denied to have Died intentionally for all Men hath been demonstratively and at large evinced formerly a Cap. 5. Sect. 39 40 c. I here only add that if there be Salvation ready in Christ for all and every Man in case they should believe then must this Salvation be found in him either naturally and in respect of his meere Person or by way of Purchase and Procurement i. e. by means of his Death No Man I presume will affirm the former as viz. that there is Salvation in Christ for any Man in respect of his meere Nature or Person or howsoever Himself plainely denies it verily verily I say unto you except a corne of Wheat fall into the ground and die it abideth alone but if it die it bringeth forth much Fruit b Joh. 12. 24. If there be no Salvation in Him for Men but by Purchase and this with his Blood then hath He no more Salvation in Him then what He thus Purchased no Man hath any thing more by Purchase then what he hath Bought or Purchased Therefore if Christ hath Salvation in Him for all Men without exception He must have Purchased or Bought it for them with His Blood If so He must either Purchase more then He intended or else intend to Purchase Salvation for all and every Man And what is this without any Parable but to die intentionally for all Men Therefore the distinction of Christs dying sufficiently for all men but not intentionally is ridiculous and unworthy from first to last of any intelligent or considering Man Nor is that distinction because it relates to the subject matter of our present §. 6. Chapter so emphatically insisted upon by Mr. Rutherford of much better import That eternall life saith he should be offered unto all and every individuall Man upon condition of Faith and that life should be offered unto all and every individual Man out of an intent on Gods part to give life unto them in case they believe are two sayings widely different a Longe disserunt ista vitam aeteâ—nam omnibus â—ffâ—râ—i singulis sub conditione si lâ—i omnibus singulis offâ—râ—i vitam ex Dei intentione dandi illis vitam si crediderâ—nt Sam. Rheâ—orfortis Exercit. Apolog. p. 3â—9 For doubtlesse the latter hath every whit as much truth in it yea every whit as much cleare and pregnant Truth in it as the former yea hath in effect one and the same Truth For when God offers eternall Life unto all and every individuall man upon condition of Faith is it not His intention that they should have eternall Life upon their Faith or in case they should believe If not then in such an offer he should offer and promise that which He intends not to give or perform no not according to the tenor of His Promise If it be said in favour of the distinction but though God intends to give eternall Life to all and every individuall man upon condition they believe this being the expresse tenor of His Offer or Promise yet it followes not that such an intention in Him should be His reason or ground of tendring such an offer or Promise unto them unto this I
Divine Revelation before me will better and with lesse descant upon the words admit the latter beliefe then the former which is the case in the Scripture in hand is very contrary to the Rule of Charity which restraineth me from doing my Neighbour any prejudice or harme as well in his spirituall as outward estate yea and much more in the former then in the latter 3. If I stand bound to believe with the judgement of Faith that it is unpossible §. 15. for any man to perish for whom Christ Died what will such a consideration as this whether believed according to the one judgement or the other viz. that Christ Died for such or such a man advantage me by way of preserving me from such a practise which is apt to destroy him For if it be a truth that Christ did die for him I need not according to the supposition mentioned be at all tender about doing any thing or forbearing any thing out of any apprehension of danger lest by the one or the other I should occasion his destruction If it be a truth that Christ did not die for him upon what account should the Apostle suggest unto me that he did die for him or that it may be that he did die for him by way of argument to deter me from doing that which may tend to his destruction Suppose one part of the men in the World were impenetrable and invulnerable the other part as now they are exposed unto the danger of death upon wounds received were it a congruous motive or gound of perswasion whereby to caution me from wounding or smiting such or such a man with a Sword Dagger or the like to inform me that this man is or may be invulnerable or that I ought to presume or judge this man to be invulnerable Would not such an argument as this rather strengthen my hand to a smiting of him then any wayes occasion me to forbeare They cleerly make the Holy Ghost Himself to reason at no better rate of understanding then this in the Scripture in hand who make it only a matter of Charity to believe that Christ Died for a weake Brother and that in case he did die for him he is upon this account undestroyable 4. And lastly most evident it is that the scope of the Apostle in that §. 16. 1 Cor. 8. and there is the same consideration of Rom. 14. is to deterre Christians from an unseasonable and undue use of their liberty and knowledge and this by an argument or motive drawn not so much from what is unseemely uncomely or dangerous in respect of themselves but from the consideration of what danger or damage may very possibly accrue thereby unto others The whole tenor and carriage of both Contexts Proclaime this aloud so that there needs no more proof of it then only the perusall of the Chapters themselves Now the danger or dammage which a Christian by such an abuse of his liberty as is here expressed may very possibly create or occasion to another the Apostle affirmes to be the destroying of his Brother for whom Christ Died i. e. the depriving of him of that great Salvation and blessednesse which Christ by His Death purchased for him Now if this strong Christian stands bound to believe according to the judgement of Charity that this Person is a true Brother and one for whom Christ Died he stands bound to believe according to the same judgement at least if not according to the judgement of Faith it self that he may perish through the abuse of his liberty Otherwise the Apostles argument for the disswading of him from such an abuse cannot be supposed to take any place in him nor worke at all upon him in order to such an end For no consideration or saying whatsoever unlesse believed with one kinde of Faith or other can have any influence or operation upon men either to perswade them to or from any practise If then the strong Christian stands bound to believe be it only according to the judgement of Charity that the weak Professor is a Brother indeed and one for whom Christ Died he stands bound also to believe according to the one judgement or the other that he may perish through his Unchristian misdemeanor in the use of his liberty If so then he and consequently every other Christian stands bound in Conscience to believe that such a man may perish for whom he stands bound in Conscience likewise to believe that Christ Died. For a belief according to the judgement of Charity where it is required is matter of duty and of Conscience as well as a belief according to the judgement of Faith in cases appropriate hereunto Neither is it true according to the Principles of that opinion which we now implead that a Christian stands bound in Conscience to believe no not according to the judgement of Charity that all that Professe the Faith of Christ are true Brethren or Persons for whom Christ Died. For the Patrons of this opinion generally hold 1. That many who make such a Profession are Hypocrites and not true Brethren 2. That many of this number will perish at last in their Hypocrisie and Unbelief And thus far they hold nothing but truth But 3. and lastly they hold yet further which they should doe better to let goe that Christ Died for none of those Professors who perish in the end These things they hold and believe not with a beliefe according to the judgement of Charity but dogmatically and according to the judgement or certainty of Faith Now certaine it is that no man stands bound in Conscience to believe that according to the judgement of Charity which is contrary to what he believeth or what he truly judgeth Himself bound in Conscience to believe according to the judgement of Faith because no Law or Rule of Charity bindeth me to believe with any kinde of belief whatsoever that God is a Lyar or Untrue in his Word which is the Foundation and Rule of what I stand bound to believe according to the judgement of Faith Such men therefore who believe according to the judgement of Faith that all Professors of Christianity shall not at last be saved cannot with the safety of their own Principles say they stand bound in Conscience to believe with the belief of Charity that Christ Died for them all because in their Notion and according to their grounds these two Propositions are inconsistent in Truth viz. that Christ should die for all and yet some perish But thus it still happeneth to those who are ingaged in the defence of an error I meane to intangle themselves and to non-sensifie such Passages of Scripture which manifestly oppose their error by such evasions such unnaturall and forc'd Interpretations which for the keeping alive of such a Tenet which were better dead they are necessitated unto Nor will it availe them here to reply that they doe not judge themselves §. 17. bound in Conscience to
stand in as much or more need of the Physician then others but those that are truly and sincerely righteous Therefore this Scripture holds no intelligence with that interpretation of the other which is now under censure But 2. Be it granted for truth that things and persons sometimes receive appellations §. 37. only from an appearance of what they are called or from the opinion of Men judging them such yet such a line of interpretation as this is not to be stretched over what Scriptures we please nor indeed over any but where the manifest exigency of the Context calls for it Otherwise we shall entitle Men to a liberty of substituting shadowes and appearances only instead of realities and substances of Truth where and when they please and so to turne the Minde and Counsells of God in the Scriptures upside down The Contest of old between Hierome and Austine about Pauls reproving Peter Gal. 2. is of notable consideration to the businesse in hand Hierome pleaded that when Paul reproved Peter at Antioch he did it not seriously or in good earnest but affirmed that these two Apostles out of a kinde of prudent Charity agreed to make a shew of a Contest between them when as indeed there was none But how gravely and copiously doth Austin declare against and argue down such a licentiousnesse of interpreting The Scripture saith he plainely saith that Peter was worthy reproofe or to be condemned If then we shall take this liberty or boldnesse to say that indeed and in truth he did not amisse but only dissembled for the sake of those that were weake then the Apostle Paul lyes in saying that he was worthy blame or reproofe Admit this saith this learned Father and down falls all the Authority and certainty of the Scriptures a Mihi enim videtur exitiosissime credi aliquod in libris Sanctis esse mendacium c Aug. Epist 8. vid. Epist 9. 14. praecipue Epist 19. For if they speake that which is false in one place who can make it good that they speake Truth in another This is the briefe of that famous dissertation between those two Worthies in the Christian Church From whence it may appeare of what dangerous consequence it is to expound that which the Scripture simply and plainely delivers as a Truth as spoken by way of appearance or humane opinion only when there is no apparant necessity inforcing such an Exposition And if there be some places which will beare or which call for such a figurative and Catacresticall Interpretation as this they are but few and those which are must be discerned and distinguished from others by the manifest exigency of their respective scopes and imports the least jot or title of which character is not to be found in the place in hand For 3. And lastly most evident it is as hath been formerly also observed §. 38. and as many Expositors more then enough addicted to the contra-Remonstrant opinion themselves acknowledge that the Apostles intent here is to set forth the most hainous and horrid indignity of the sin of these false Teachers in denying their Lord by this aggravating consideration that they deny such a Lord who bought them Now if it be supposed that this Lord really and of love and good will to them and out of a desire to free them from misery bought or redeemed them the consideration is of great pregnancy and force to demonstrate horrible ingratitude and impiety in them to deny Him But if on the contrary it be supposed that he did not indeed buy them with any intent to free them from their misery but only make a shew of such a thing or only do that which might occasion Men to think or to believe that he did so this manifestly easeth and qualifies the guilt of their sin in denying him and so is manifestly repugnant to the Apostles scope For to make a shew of love only or to doe that by which other Men may be invited to think that a reall kindnesse is done for such or such a Man when as indeed there is nothing done of any such consideration nor ever intended to be done doth no wayes oblige this Man in thankfulnesse unto him who accommodates him upon no better terms but is rather a just ground of an harder and worse opinion of him If it be replied yea but these false Teachers knew nothing but that they §. 39. were truly and really bought by Christ and that out of a desire of saving them nor had they any sufficient reason to judge otherwise Therefore their sin in denying him is no wayes eased upon this account that he did not indeed buy them with any such intent or desire because 1. Men are bound to judge as they have reason to judge and 2. are bound to act or practise according to their judgements I answer There can be no sufficient ground for any Man to believe that which is false nor ought such a thing to be believed at least with confidence of belief or with any such belief upon which he shall stand bound to ingage in any material and weighty Action or Practise Therefore if Christ did not really buy these false Teachers they could have no sufficient ground to believe that he did at least to believe at any such rate of confidence as rather to suffer the losse of any considerable good then deny it If it be againe replied A Man may stand bound to adventure much upon probabilities in many cases though there be no certainty or truth in that which upon such probabilities he doth believe I answer possibly a Man may indeed stand bound in point of wisdome or prudence in some cases to adventure much in a simple consideration upon probabilities only but not in point of Conscience As for example a Merchant or other Man may stand bound in point of wisdom to adventure some considerable part of his state in a way of Trade beyond the Seas upon probabilities only of a gainfull returne though even in this case upon a more exact consideration it will appeare that such a Man doth not make this adventure upon any meere probability one or more but upon that which is certaine For the probability of a good returne in this case is a certainty to him he knowes certainly and beyond all doubt or question that it is a thing probable or likely that he shall receive such a returne though he knowes not certainly but only probably that he shall indeed receive it Now the true ground upon which the Merchant adventures is not the knowledge that he shall or will gaine by his adventure for it is unpossible for him to know this but the knowledge and consideration of the likelyhood of his gaining which as hath been said he may and doth know and that certainly You will upon this say it is like The false Teachers in the Scripture §. 40. in hand had or might have had such a certainty as this
implacable that doe not forgive their Brethren although they have been diversly and grievously injured by them In these words they clearly suspend the Gracious Act of God in Remission of Sins in respect of the ultimate and compleat exercise of it upon the Christian deportment and behaviour of Men in forgiving one another their Trespasses How perfectly it stands with the immutability of God the unchangeablenesse of his love the unalterablenesse of his counsells and generally with all his Attributes to Reverse Acts or Grants of favour to re-demand debts once forgiven c. shall be cleer'd in the processe of the Digression following occasioned by the contents of this Chapter CHAP. IX Containing a Digression about the commonly received Doctrine of Perseverance occasioned by severall passages in the preceding Chapter wherein the benefit and comfort of that Doctrine which teacheth a possibility of the Saints declining even to destruction is avouched and cleerly evicted above the other NOtwithstanding the frequently experienced Truth of the common saying §. 1. pessimus Consiliarius Timor Fear is a very bad counsellor yet is it very incident to the natures of Men never to thinke themselves wiser then in their feares nor to be more importunely wedded to any apprehensions then those which they conceive to be sovereigne for the prevention of evill With what height of confidence and unrelentingnesse of judgement did the Jewes please themselves in their opinion of justification by works through an apprehension that they must needs disclaime or reject Moses and the authority of his Law or Writings in case they admitted the Doctrine of Paul concerning Justification by Faith Whereas this Apostle expresly poves and demonstrates unto them that this Doctine of his was so far from reflecting prejudice in the least upon Moses his Law that indeed it did establish it i. e. avouch the Truth and authority of it a Rom. 3. 31. and cap. 4. thoroughout yea I verily believe that a very considerable part of those Doctrines and Tenents which are at this day held by Professors of Christian Religion are not maintained or held by them so much upon any evidence or confidence they have of their Truth upon those positive grounds whether from Scripture or Reason which they comonly plead for them as out of apprehensions and conceits that the contrary Doctrines are of evill consequence and will in one kinde or other doe them harme in case they should give intertainment to them Lactantius reports that one principall thing which intangled the Heathen with Idolatry or worse shiping of Idols was a certaine feare or conceit that possessed them that all their Religion or devotions would be in vaine in case they saw not with their eyes something that they might worship b Verentur geâ—tes ne Religio vana sit si nihil videant quod adorent Tertullian as Austin reports who held the Soul to be corporeall or a body held it upon the account of this feare least if he made not a body of it he should make nothing at all of it a â—enique Tertullianâ— qui cor pâ—â— esse unâ—am credâ— dit non obaliud nisi quod eam incorporeâ—m cogita re non potuit â—dâ—ô timuit ne nihil esset si corpus non esset Aug. de Gen. ad lit l. 12. c. 25. The ancient Jewes Mr. Brightman affirmeth it held it not meet for young Men to read the Book of the Canticles out of a feare they would receive harm by it b In Cantic p. 5. Mercer likewise relates that the Ancient wise Men of this Nation judged it best to restraine the common People from reading the Booke of Ecclesiastes out of a conceit that it both contradicted it selfe and other parts of Scripture likewise c Nec vulgo legendum tradere quòd repugnantia contineret aliis libris contraria Mercer in Pro. 8. 9. Luther it is sufficiently known rejected the Epistle of James out of a conceit that it contradicted the Doctrine of Paul concerning Justification by Faith only And severall others both learned and good Men some the second Epistle of Peter some other pieces only or chiefly upon the like account of fear Concerning the Doctrine which maintaineth a possibility of defection in §. 2. the Saints themselves or true Believers unto destruction though I am not ignorant but that many both Texts of Scripture and arguments otherwise have been levied and are wont to be brought into the field against it yet I verily believe that that which makes Professors generally so impatiently zealous in their opposition to it is not so much any satisfaction they finde either in these Scriptures or arguments for the Proof of that which is contrary unto it as their inconsiderate and tumultuary feares least this Doctrine should bereave them of those inward accommodations of Peace and Comfort which they conceive themselves to be befriended with by the other In this respect being little lesse then necessitated for the securing of some passages in the former Chapter very materiall for the carrying on the maine designe of this Discourse to ingage a little about the Doctrine of Perseverance I conceive it best in my entrance hereupon to remove this stumbling stone out of the way and to demonstrate not only that this Doctrine hath every whit as faire and full a consistency with the Peace and Comfort of the Saints as that contrary to it but that of the two it is of a far better and more healthful complexion to make a Nurse for them When we have cleared the innocency and inoffensivenesse of it in respect of the Peace and Comfort of Men and so shall have reconciled it unto their affections it will be no great mastery I conceive to gaine in their judgements unto it afterwards And 1. I must crave leave the truth and deere interest of the precious Soules §. 3. of Men so commanding me to say and to affirme that the Doctrine of preseverance so much magnified amongst us as it is comonly taught and received is in the nature and proper tendency of it very obstructive yea and destructive unto the true peace and sound comfort of Soules For if we shall diligently inquire after the common and ordinary causes of those doubts and feares so incident to Professors of Religion as also of those extreme burnings and ragings of Conscience wherewith both such persons and others are sometimes most grievously handled and tormented we shall finde them if not universally yet generally and with very few cases of exception to be these with their fellowes negligence and slothfullnesse in watching over their hearts and wayes omission of known duties formality in services unprofitablenesse in their course and callings non-proficiency in Grace and especially the frequent prevailings breakings out of base corruptions vile affections noysome lusts c. Therefore what Doctrine soever is in the Native Frame and Constitution of it apt to lead men into such snares of Death to fill
making away themselves or destroying their own lives though there be no absolute Decree of God to secure them in this behalf the Naturall desire of self-preservation which God hath planted in them easily over ruling by the Power and Strength of it all motions â—or dispositions towards self-destroying which are wont to arise from such occasions in like manner the strength of that inclination or desire which is or ought to be and very possibly as hath been Proved might be in the Saints to save their Soules and consequently to preserve themselves from apostasie is sufficient without any such Decree in God as was mentioned to secure them both from all danger and from all feare of apostatizing to destruction notwithstanding all weaknesses or infirmities that they are subject unto The truth is that the infirmities and weaknesses of the Saints as such are so far from being any necessary or just ground of fear unto them that they shall fall away that the sence and acknowledgement of them are most cleer pregnant and effectuall Antidotes and Preservatives against falling away For he that is inwardly and truly sensible of his own weaknesse and inability to stand will especially being a Saint or Believer most certainly depend upon him for strength who is both able and willing to supply and furnish him upon such terms 3. And lastly upon the former accompt and for a close of this Chapter §. 36. I answer that if the Doctrine of falling away be so uncomfortable unto the Saints as the objection pretends the truth is as we have in the Premisses of this Chapter made it to appear they are not much relieved at this Point by the Received Doctrine of Perseverance For this Doctrine as hath been shewed scarce suffereth any man to believe upon any Rationall competent or sufficient grounds that he is a true Saint or Believer yea and doth little lesse then tempt him to such things which are exceeding apt and likely to fill him with feares and questionings touching the truth of his Faith And what great comfort can it then be unto him to hear or believe that true Believers cannot fall away or perish whereas the other Doctrine leaveth them a good latitude of competent ground whereon to judge themselves true Saints and true Believers nor doth it deprive them of sufficient ground on which to secure themselves both against the danger and against all feare of the danger of Apostatizing or falling away to Perdition This Doctrine therefore of the two is questionless of the more benevolous aspect and influence upon the Peace and Comforts of the Saints CHAP. X. A Continuation of the former Digression wherein the Texts of Scripture commonly alledged to prove the impossibility of Saints declining unto Death are taken into consideration and discharged from that Service BEing occasioned and after a sort necessitated for the securing of §. 1. some passages of interpretation Cap. 8. being of main concernment to the Principall cause undertaken in this Discourse to ingage home in the Question about Preseverance I should according to ordinary Method and that hitherto observed in the traverse of the maine Doctrine first have argued my Sence and Judgement in the Question 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 assertively and then 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. by answering such Objections whether from Scripture or otherwise which are wont to be levied by Men of contrary judgement in opposition thereunto But finding by experience that weaker men through too much fulnesse and aboundance in their own sence in matters of Controversie and this chiefly by meanes of some Texts of Scripture running still and working in their heads which in sound of words and surface of Letter seeme to stand by them in their Sence and Notion are under a very great disadvantage either for minding or understanding such things which are spoken unto them for their information in the Truth I thought it best for their relief in this case to invert that Method in the present Dispute and first to endeavour to take from them those weapons whether of Scripture or argument wherein they trust and afterwards present them with such other Scriptures and grounds which are Able Pregnant and Proper to build them up and establish them in the Truth We shall not tie our selves to any Rule or Prescript of Order in bringing §. 2. those Scriptures upon the theatre of our Discourse which men of differing judgement in the cause in hand are wont to plead in defence thereof themselves as far as I have observed observing none but shall produce them one by one as God shall please to bring them to mind unlesse haply two or more of them by reason of affinity or likenesse in Phrase or import may commodiously enough be handled together Most of the places compelled to serve in this warfare I finde scituate in the New Testament The first that commeth to hand is that of our Saviour unto Peter and upon this Rock will I build my Church and the gates of Hell shall not prevaile against it a Mat. 16. 18 From hence it is argued that those that are once built by Faith upon the Rock Christ or upon the truth of the Gospell are not in danger or in a possibility of being prevailed against viz. to destruction by all the Powers of darkness whatsoever I answer 1. That this promissory assertion of Christ the Gates of Hell shall not prevaile §. 3. c. doth not necessarily respect every individuall and single Person who de praesenti is a Member of his Church so as to secure him of his Salvation against all possible sins or wayes of sinning whereunto he may or can be drawn by Satan but may well be understood of the Church in generall i. e. considered as a body of men separate and distinguished from the world Now the Church in this sence may be said to stand and be secured against all the Power and Attempts of the Devill though not only some but even all the Particular Saints of which this body consists at present should be prevailed against by Satan to destruction Because the ratio formalis or essence of the Church in this sence doth not consist in the Persons of those who do at present believe and so are members of it for then it would follow that in case these should die or when they shall die Christ should have no Church at all upon the Earth in as much as nothing can be without the essence of it but in the successive Generation of those who in their respective times believe whether they be fewer or whether they be more whether they be such and such Persons or whether others As suppose there be not now one drop of that Water in the chanell of the River of Thames as it is like there is not which was in it seven years since yet is it one and the same River which it was then and so put the case there be not one Person now alive in any
be besides those inquired into in this Chapter wherein some may imagine the treasure of such a perseverance to be hid but these which we have strictly examined upon the matter have still been counted the Pillars of that Doctrine and yet as we have seen are no supporters of it Nor doe I question but that by those unquestionable principles and rules of interpretation by which the Minde of God in the Scriptures discussed in this Chapter hath been brought into a cleare light all seeming compliance that way in others also may be reduced and so the wisdom which hath been revealed from Heaven perfectly acquitted from all interposure by way of countenance on the behalf of the commonlytaught Doctrine of Perseverance Two Texts I call to minde at present which are sometimes called in to the assistance of the Doctrine of Perseverance hitherto opposed and have not received answer in this Chapter The former is Mat. 7. 18. The latter Rom. 11. 29. But for this latter it hath been sufficiently handled upon another account Cap. 8. Sect. 56. As to the former we shall I conceive have occasion to speak in the second part of this Discourse We now proceede to the Examination of such Arguments and Grounds otherwise upon which the said Doctrine in some Mens eyes stands impregnable CHAP. XI A further Continuation of the former Digression wherein the Arguments and Grounds commonly alledged in defence of the received Doctrine of Perseverance are detected of insufficiency proved and declared null WE shall begin with that which is the First borne of the strength of §. 1. our Adversaries in this kinde That say they which God hath Promised in His Word is certaine and shall take place against all opposition and contradiction whatsoever But God hath Promised in his Word that all true Believers shall both totally and finally Persevere Therefore all such shall certainly so Persevere against whatsoever may or shall at any time oppose their Presevering To this I Answer 1. By explaining the major proposition What God hath Promised in His Word is certaine and shall take place c. viz. in such a sence and upon such terms as God would be understood in His promise But what God Promiseth in one sence is not certaine of performance in another As for example God promised the preservation of the lives of all that were with Paul in the Ship but his intent and meaning in this promise was not this preservation against whatsoever might possibly be done by those in the Ship against it or to hinder it but with this proviso or condition that they in the Ship should hearken unto him and follow his advice in order to their preservation as is evident from those words of Paul himself to whom this promise was made Except these abide in the Ship yee cannot be safe a Acts 27. 31. So that had the Centurion and rest in the Ship suffered the Mariners to have left the Ship whilest it was yet at Sea there had been no failing in promise with God though they had all been drowned In like manner though Christ promised to His twelve Apostles Judas being yet one of the twelve that in the Regeneration i. e. in the Resurrection or Restauration of the World they should fit upon twelve Thrones and judge the twelve Tribes of Israel b Mat. 19. 28. yet is he not to be judged a promise-breaker though Judas never comes to sit upon one of these Thrones And in case the rest of the twelve had declined from that integrity of Heart under which that promise was made unto them as Judas did neither would it have argued any breach of promise in Christ to have advanced others upon these Thrones instead of them The reason whereof is elsewhere noted from Peter Martyr whose Doctrine it is that the Promises of God are wont to be made with respect had to the present estate and condition of things with Men c Promissiones itaque illae Dei pro stat◠praesentirerum sunt intelligendae P. Mar. Loc. Class 3. c. 13. Sect. 4. His meaning is as appeares by the tenor of the adjacent Discourse that all Gods promises made unto Men being or considered as being under such and such qualifications are not to be understood as any otherwise intended by him to be performed unto them then as abiding and whilest they shall abide in the same qualifications As for example what promises soever God makes unto Believers with respect had to their Faith or as they are Believers are not to be looked upon as performable or oblieging the Maker of them unto them in case they shall relapse into their former unbelief But of this we spake plentifully in our last Chapter d Sect. 43. 51. See also Sect. 9. of this Chapter and elsewhere The major proposition thus explained and understood we admit Whatsoever God Promiseth is certaine c. viz. according to the true intent and meaning of the promise The Minor also releived with an Orthodox and sober Explication as §. 2. likewise the conclusion it self and whole Argument is blameless and thinketh no evil against the Doctrine now under vindication For in this sence it is most true that God hath promised that all true Beleevers shall persevere i. e. that all true Beleevers formally considered i. e. as such and abiding such shall persevere viz. in his grace and favor But this I presume is not the sence of the Argument-makers Their meaning is that God hath promised that all true Beleevers shall persevere thus beleeving or in the truth of their Faith against all interveniences whatsoever and that he will so interpose with his Grace and Power that none of them shall ever make shipwrack of their faith upon what quick-sands of lust and sensuality soever they shall strike against what rocks of obduration and impenitency soever they shall dash In this sence their Proposition I confess is sore against us but their Proofs are weak and contemptible nor will any of the Scriptures from which they claim countenance and confirmation own the cause or comport with them therein Some of the fairest appearance and greatest hope that way we examined narrowly in the next preceding Chapter and found them in heart much estranged from them as viz. Jer. 32. 38 39 40. Mat. 16. 18. Joh. 10. 9. with some others I acknowledg that there are several others besides those there discharged chosen by men of that judgment to serve in the same warfare but they are all of the same minde with their fellows who as we have heard detract that service Most of these are Promises anciently made unto the Jewish Nation in the Old Testament all or most of them of like import with that Ier. 32. 39 c. largely opened towards the end of the former Chapter and are to be measured with the same line of interpretation Nor can it ever be so much as competently proved that they were made with appropriation unto Saints or
Beloved as yee have alwayes obeyed not as in my presence only but now much more in my absence work out your own Salvation with feare and trembling d Cap. 2. 12. c. Hope or confidence of obtaining by and upon the use of means to obtaine is a spur unto action but hope and confidence of obtaining whether any means be used or no is a temptation unto sloath Nor doe our Reformed Expositors of best account interpret the place §. 25. in hand concerning any certainty that the Apostle had of the perpetuall continuance of the grace of God with them but only of a charitable or humane perswasion hereof But wheresoever saith Calvin upon the place we see any such signs of a Divine Election which we are capable to apprehend it becommeth us to be presently stirred up to a good hope as well for this end that we be not evill-minded towards our Neighbours or defraud them of an equitable and humane judgment of charity as that we may be thankfull unto God a Sed ubi cunque cernimus quaecunque Divinae electionis indicia à nobis apprehendi possunt protinus ad bonam spem excitari nos oportet tam ne simus in proximos maligni eósque aequo humano charitatis judicio fraudemus quà m ut Deo gratissimus Musculus yet somewhat more fully God indeed saith he had begun a good worke in the Philippians but from whence was the Apostle certaine that he would perfect it untill the day of Jesus Christ I Answer he doth not say I am certaine but I am perswaded It is one thing to be certaine of a matter another to be perswaded A certainty of Gods works may be had out of His Word but a perswasion may be had from a good belief or reliance upon His goodnesse and from some Arguments of such His Works Certainty deceives no Man but a Mans perswasion often falls out otherwise then was hoped b Caeperat quidem bonum hoc opus in Philippensibus Deus verum unde certus erat Apostolus quòd essâ—t illud perfecturus usque in diem Jesu Christi Respondeo non dicit Certus sum sed persuasus sum Aliud est esse certum de re aliquâ aliud vero esse persuasum Certitudo de operibus Dei haberi potest ex ipsius verbo persuasâ—o verò ex bonâ ergà bonitatem ipsius fiducià quibusdam operum illius Argumentis Certitudo fallit neminem persuasio autem saepenumerò aliter cadit qua sperabatur A third Argument layed hold on for the service of the Doctrine of Perseverance §. 26. is founded upon the immutable Decree of Election from eternity and operates after this manner A living or saving Faith is given to none but to those that are Elect in which respect such a Faith is called the Faith of the Elect of God c Tit. 1. 1. And God hath determined to bring his Elect to Salvation by Faith with the greatest certainty that can be From hence then it follows either that the Elect must be brought to Salvation by Faith with so much certainty that they shall never fall away from it either totally or finally or that God is changeable in His Counsell But this latter is at no hand to be admitted therefore the former must stand To this I Answer 1. That this Argument demands that which is sacrilegious to grant viz. that God hath from eternity elected a certaine number of Men personally and as it were by name considered unto Salvation whom he purposeth to bring thereunto infallibly and without all possibility of miscarrying The inconsistency of this notion or conceit with the nature and attributes of God hath been already intimated and the inconsistency of it with the maine current of the Scriptures Reason and Truth it self shall with Gods assistance be demonstrated at large in the second part of this work In the meane time to the Argument in hand in respect of other particulars in it we answer 2. That by the Faith of Gods Elect Tit. â— 1. is not meant such a Faith as he gives unto Men elected unto Salvation under a meere personall consideration from eternity which are a kinde of Men allied to Paracelsus his non-Adami but the Doctrine of the Gospell which Paul was to Preach to the Saints and the chosen ones of God The carriage of the whole sentence evinceth this Paul a Servant of God and an Apostle of Jesus Christ according to the Faith of Gods Elect and the acknowledging of the truth which is after godlinesse meaning that he served God and performed the Office of an Apostle of Christ according to the exigency and requirement of that Doctrine which God had now revealed and sent into the World to be Preached unto His Saints every where termed His chosen ones as likewise according to the acknowledging of the Truth which is c. meaning that He did not only serve God and Jesus Christ in Preaching the Gospell unto the Saints and Persons already called and gained in to the Faith as became Him and as the Nature of the Gospell required of Him in this behalf but that he was faithfull and serviceable also unto them in Preaching it unto such as were yet Infidels and unconverted upon such terms that they also might be brought to the acknowledgement of it That which in the former Clause He calls the Faith of Gods Elect in the latter He calls the Truth which is after godlinesse meaning in both the Doctrine of the Gospell which in twenty places besides especially in the writings of this Apostle by a kinde of metonymie where the object is put for the act is called Faith It was needfull saith Jude for me to write unto you and exhort you that you should earnestly contend for the Faith which was once delivered unto the Saints a Jude Ver. 3. Peruse the Texts cited in the margent b Act. 6. 7. Gal. 1. 23. Philip. 127. Gal. 3. 2. 5. c. There is one place amongst the rest of like construction with this in hand and that within two or three Verses of it where the Apostle calleth Titus his naturall Son or a naturall Son after the common Faith or according as it is the same Preposition 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to the common Faith meaning that he was a genuine and true Saint or Son oâ— God and of His as an instrument of his spirituall being according to all those holy qualifications which the Gospell now commonly Preached and known in the World requireth of those whom it owneth or adjudgeth for Sons The Preposition 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is frequently used in such a construction or sence as this But if for meate thy Brother is made sorrowfull now walkest thou not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 according to Charity c Rom. 14 15. i. e. according to exigency of charity or as Charity requireth So 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 according to His Works a Rom. 2.
suffer Persecution a while before â—heir Faith expired So that the Faith of those who in the Parable are called Temporaries can by no argument or allegation be â—victed of any degenerateness or unsoundnesse in kinde but onely of a deficiency in point of rooting or firme fixation in the Soul Nor doth our Saviour any wayes blame or reprove it but upon this account onely Yea in blaming it upon this account onely and reproving those who had it for being no more diligent and carefull in the use of means for confirming and establishing themselves better in it He plainely gives testimony unto it in Point of truth and soundness in as much as no Man deserveth blame for not consulting or endevouring the Perpetuation of an Hypocriticall Faith in his Soul or such which though Persevered in would yet have left Him in the hand of eternall Death These Considerations and Discussions are so full of Light Evidence and Power that were not the foot of our Adversaries held in this snare to judg of the truth and Soundness and so of the Hollowness and Unsoundness of Faith by the issue and event of it as viz. the Perseverance or non-Perseverance of it unto the end they could not lightly stand in the way of their present judgements before them And yet this Rule or Method of judging is not of any good accord with their own Principles otherwise Concerning those helps or assistances of grace say our English Divines present in the Synod of Dort which are afforded by God unto Men we are to judge of them meaning in point of sufficiency or efficaciousness by the nature of the benefit offered as attainable by them and by the most manifest Word of God NOT BY THE EVENT or abuse of them a Ex naturâ benefiâ—ij oblatâ— verbo Dei â—pertissimo iudicandum est dâ— illis Gratiae auxilijs quae hominibus suppeditantur non autem ex eventu aut abusu Synod Dordr Act. Pag. 128. The last proof from the Scriptures which we shall at present insist §. 39. upon and urge for the confirmation of the Doctrine under Protection shall be that passage which holds forth these things unto us For when they speak great swelling words of vanity they allure through the lusts of the flesh through much wantonnesse those who were CLEANE ESCAPED from those who live in error While they promise them liberty they themselves are the servants of corruption for of whom a Man is overcome of the same he is brought in bondage For if after they have escaped the pollutions of the World through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ they are againe intangled therein and overcome the latter end is worse with them then the beginning For it had been better for them not to have known the way of Righteousnesse then after they have known it to turne from the holy Commandement delivered unto them But it is happened unto them according to the true Proverbe the Dogg is turned to his own vomit againe and the Sow that was washed to his wallowing in the mire b Pet. â— 18 19 c. The Possibility of a totall and finall defection in true Believers lieth as large and full in these quarters as truth lightly can be lodged in words the Holy Ghost here plainely supposing that which is clearly consistent with yea and equipollent thereunto viz. that they who by the acknowledgement of Jesus Christ have cleane or truly or really 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 escaped the pollutions of the World being againe intangled therewith may be overcome so as that their spirituall state and condition will be worse at the last then it was at the first or before they believed What is this being interpreted but that true Saints or Believers may possibly apostatize from their believing condition so as to perish everlastingly But here also our Adversaries attempt to hide the Truth shining in the recited §. 40. passage under that old covering or veyle which hath been rent in twaine already both in this Chapter and elsewhere Thâ—se expressions say they who were clean escaped from those who live in error who have escaped the pollutions of the World through the acknowledgement of Jesus Christ to have known the way of righteousnesse c. doe not suppose the Persons spoken of to have had true Faith nor import any thiâ—â— but what may very possibly be found in Hypocrites But with how little truth yea or semblance of truth these things are asserted hath been already exposed to open view when we traversed the Scripture in hand upon another occasion a Cap. 8. Sect. 4 5 46 c. Neverthelesse we here add 1. If the said expressions import nothing but what Hypocrites and that in sensu composito i. e. whilest Hypocrites are capable of theâ— may those be Hypocrites who are separated from Men that live in error 〈◊〉 from the pollutions of the World and that through the knowledge of Jesus C 〈…〉 and on the other hand those may be Saints and sound Believers who wallow in all manner of filthiness and defile themselves daily with the pollutions of the World This consequence according to the Principles and known Tenets of our Adversaries is legitimate and true in as much as they hold that true Believers may fall so foule and so far that the Church according to Christs institution may be constrained to testifie that they cannot bear them in their outward communion and that they shall have no part in the Kingdome of Christ except they repent b Repondemus posse quidem verè credentes eousque prolabi ut Ecclesia juxtà constitutionem Christi cogatur â—esta 〈…〉 ipsos in externâ ipsorum communione non posse tolerare neque habituros partem ullam in regnâ— Christâ— nisi convertantur Contr-Remonstr in Coll. Hag. p. 399. c. But whether this be wholesoâ—â—â—nd sound Divinity or no to teach that they who are separate from sinnâ—â— and live holily and blamelesly in this present World and this by means of the knowledge of Jesus Christ may be Hypocrites and children of perdition and they on the other hand who are companions with Theeves Murtherers Adulterers c. Saints and sound Believers I leave to Men whose judgements are not turn'd upside down with prejudice to determine 2. The Persons here spoken of are said to have 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 truly or really escaped from those who live in error Doubtlesse an Hypocrite cannot be said truly or really but in shew or appearance at most to have made such an escape I mean from Men who live in error considering that for matter of reality and truth remaining in Hypocrisie he lives in one of the greatest and foulest errors that is 3. An Hypocrite whose foot is already in the snare of Death cannot upon any tolerable account either of reason or common sence be said to be allured i. e. by allurements to be deceived or overcome by the pollutions of the World
by keeping under his Body c. He should prevent His being a cast-away and remaine for ever in the love and favour of God upon the account of which assureance notwithstanding his feare he rejoyced that joy unspeakable and glorious who shall separate us from the love of Christ For I am perswaded that neither Death nor Life nor Angels nor Principalities nor Powers nor things present nor things to come nor height nor depth nor any other Creature shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord e Rom. 8. 35. 38 39. So that that feare and trembling with and out of which the Children of God not onely lawfully may but of duty ought to worke out their own Salvation f Phil. 2. 13 or which is the same deliverance from condemnation are not of those kinds of feare and trembling which have torment or expectation of evill or doubtfulnesse of safety and well doing attending them but of those which are quickning and provoking to the use of means for safety upon an apprehension of danger coming upon the negligent and sloathfull and accompanied with a peaceable and blessed confidence of obtaining safety thereby So that we may safely conclude that the threatnings of eternall death in the Scriptures which are bent against the faces of Apostates and Backsliders are a means graciously vouchsafed by God for the preserving of His Saints from Apostasie and this by raising a feare of Hell within them in case they shall neglect His Counsell for their Perseverance and consequently that all such threatnings are turned into stubble and rotten wood in the Dialect of the Almighty Job 41. 27. I meane are made powerlesse and uselesse by the Principles of that Doctrine which teacheth any absolutenesse of Promise made unto the Saints for their finall Perseverance Thirdly and lastly as this Doctrine evacuateth all the Exhortations §. 17. and Comminations which the Scripture holdeth forth as means to preserve the Saints in Faith and Holinesse unto the end so doth it all the Promises also which are here given in order to the procurement of the same end the Vertue Efficacy and Power whereof are meerly nullified by such a supposition as this that Believers stand bound to believe an absolute impossibility of their finall declining or falling away to Perdition For when Men are secured and this by the infallible security of Faith that the good things promised are already theirs by the right and title of Faith and that they shall certainely Persevere in Faith unto the end what need or occasion is See more of this Sect. 33. of this Chap. there to perswade or move these Men to doe that which becomes them in order to their Perseverance by any argument drawn from the Promise of such things A promise made to a Man of having or keeping that which is His own already and which he certainely knowes shall not cannot be taken away from Him can have no manner of influence upon Him by way of excitement or inducement to labour for the obtaining of it or to doe the things by which it is to be obtained For as the Apostle reasons in somewhat the like case hope that is not seen is not hope i. e. that which sometimes was the object of Hope when it comes to be seen or injoyed is no longer the object of Hope for what a Man seeth why or how doth he yet hope for g Rom. 8. 24. So may we argue in the case in hand a Promise of what is already injoyed and possest is no Promise hath not the nature property or operation of a Promise in it especially not of a Promise ingaging unto action in order to the obtaining of the good promised A promise of this import I meane that is any wayes likely to ingage unto action must be of some good thing so conditioned in relation to Him to whom the promise is made that he hath no ground to expect the injoyment of it but upon condition of the performance of such or such an action one or more For if such actions and wayes which are proper and requisite for the obtaining of the good promised be otherwise and in themselves desirable and would howsoever be chosen by him to whom the promise is made evident it is that the promise we speak of doth not in this case work at all upon Him or raise such an election in Him Againe if those actions and wayes which are proper and necessary for the obtaining of the good promised be in themselves unpleasant and distastfull unto the Person we speake of to whom the Promise is supposed to be made it is a clear case that he will not lift up his Heart or Hand unto them but onely for the obtaining of such a good and desireable thing which he hath reason to judge will never be obtained by Him but only by the performance of such things For who will trouble Himself to run for that which He knowes He may and shall obtaine by sitting still Thus then it every way appeares that the common Doctrine of absolute and certaine Perseverance makes nothing but winde and vanity of all those most serious and weighty Exhortations Threatnings and Promises in the Scriptures which concerne the Perseverance of the Saints and are directed by God unto them for this end and purpose that by them they may be inabled i. e. made willing watchfull and carefull to Persevere and consequently the very face and spirit of the said Doctrine is directly set and bent against that high concernment of the Saints I meane their Perseverance For whatsoever nullifieth the means is clearly destructive unto the end And thus we have done with our second Argument for the confirmation of that Doctrine which teacheth a possibility of the Saints defection and this unto Death A third Argument is this That Doctrine which representeth God as §. 18. Argum. 3. weake incongruous and incoherent with Himself in His applications unto Men is not from God and consequently that which contradicteth it must needs be the Truth But the Doctrine of Perseverance opposed by us putteth this great dishonor upon God representeth Him weake incongruous c. Ergo. The Major Proposition in this Argument is too great in evidence of Truth to be questioned The Minor is made good by this consideration viz. that the said Doctrine bringeth God upon the great Theater of the Scriptures speaking thus or to this effect in the audience of Heaven and Earth unto His Saints You that truly believe in my Son Jesus Christ and have been once made partakers of my Holy Spirit and therefore are fully perswaded and assured according to my Will and Command given unto you in that behalfe yea according to that ensealing of truth within you which you have from me that you cannot possibly no not by all the most horrid sins and abominable practises that you shall or can commit fall away either totally or finally from your
Sin onely is exclusive from the love and Kingdome of God is no such great mastery no such matter of difficulty unto such Men and that when they are overcome and fall into such Sins it is through a meere voluntary neglect of stiring up the Grace of God that is in them and of maintaining that holy Principle we speak of in strength and vigour by such means as God most graciously and indulgently vouchsafeth unto them in abundance for such a purpose And thus we see all things unpartially weighed and debated to and fro that the Doctrine which supposeth a possibility of the Saints finall declining is the Doctrine which is according to godlinesse and the corrivall of it an enemy thereunto That Doctrine whose genuine and proper tendency is to advance the peace and §. 36. Argum. 7. joy of the Saints in believing is of a naturall sympathy with the Gospell and upon this account a truth Such is the Doctrine which informeth the Saints of a possibility of their totall and finall falling away Ergo. Our adversaries themselves in the cause depending will not I presume regret the granting of the former proposition the truth of it being a truth so neere at hand The Minor hath received confirmation in abundance from what was argued and evinced in the 9th Chapter where we demonstratively proved that the Doctrine we now assert is of the most healthfull and sound constitution to make a Nurse for the peace and joy and comforts of the Saints whereas that which is opposite to it is but of a melancholique and sad complexion in comparison The ground we built our Demonstration upon was this That Doctrine which is of the most incouraging quickning and strengthning import to the Spirit and Grace of God in Men on the one hand and most crucifying and destructive to the flesh on the other hand must needs be a Doctrine of the best and choycest accommodation for the Peace and Comfort of Believers The reason hereof is because the Peace Joy and Comfort of Believers doe if not wholly yet in a very great measure depend upon the fruits of the Spirit and the testimony of their Consciences concerning their loyalty and faithfulnesse unto God in doing His will keeping His Commandments refraining all false wayes as David speaketh abstaining from the works of the flesh c. As on the contrary that Roote of bitternesse in the Saints from which feares and doubtings perplexities agonies and consternations of soule spring is the flesh when for want of a sharpe bridle still kept in the jawes or lips of it it breaks out becomes unruly and magnifies it self against God and His Lawes These things we prosecuted more at large in the fore named Chapter where likewise we proved above all reasonable contradiction that the sence of those who assert a possibility of the Saints drawing back even to perdition is a Doctrine of a very rich sympathy with the Spirit or regenerate part in Men of an excellent and high animation unto it and on the contrary a Doctrine morrally inspired against the flesh with all the lusts and wayes hereof Here also we gave an answer in full unto those who are wont to object and pretend that the best and holiest persons more generally cleave in their judgements to the Doctrine of absolute Perseverance as on the other hand that persons more carnally and loosely disposed more generally take up that which is contrary unto it So that we shall not need to add in this place any thing further to give weight or strength to the Argument in hand unlesse it be to certifie the Reader that since the publishing and clearing the Doctrine now asserted some very godly and seriously Religious persons have with their whole Hearts blessed God for it We proceede to another Argument That Doctrine which evacuates and turns into weaknesse and folly all that §. 37. Argum. 8. gracious counsell of the Holy Ghost which consists partly in that diligent information which he gives unto the Saints from place to place concerning the hostile cruell and bloody minde and intentions of Satan against them partly in detecting and making knowne all his subtil stratagems his Plots Methods and dangerous machinations against them partly also in furnishing them with spirituall weapons of all sorts whereby they may be able to grapple with him notwithstanding and gloriously to triumph over him partly againe in those frequent Admonitions Exhortations Incouragements to quit themselves like Men in resisting him and making good their ground against him which are found in the Scriptures and lastly in professing his feare lest Satan should circumvent and deceive them that Doctrine I say which reflects disparagement and vanity upon all these most serious and gracious applications of the Holy Ghost unto the Saints must needs be a Doctrine of vanity and error and consequently that which opposeth it by like necessity a truth But such is the common Doctrine of absolute and infallible Perseverance Ergo. The Major in this Argument is greater then exception For doubtlesse no Doctrine which is of an undervaluing import either to the Grace or Wisdome of the Holy Ghost in any Scripture transaction can be Evangelicall or consistent with truth The Minor likewise is evident upon this account All those actions or transactions ascribed to the Holy Ghost in the Major Proposition as viz. his discovering and detecting unto the Saints the hostile Spirit and machinations of Satan against them his furnishing them with spirituall weapons to conflict with him and fight against him c. are in severall places of Scripture plainely reported and attributed unto him particularly in these Jam. 4. 7. 1 Pet. 5. 8 9. Eph. 6. 11. 12 c. 2. Cor. 11. 3. 14. 2. 11. Mat. 12. 43 44 c. 2 Thess 2. 9 10. 1 Cor. 7. 5. not to mention many others Now if the Saints be in no possibility of being finally overcome by Satan or of miscarrying in the great and most important businesse of their Salvation by his snares and subtilties all that operousnesse and diligence of the Holy Ghost in those late-mentioned addressements of his unto them in order to their finall conquest over Satan will be found of very light consequence of little concernment to them Yea if the said addressements of the Holy Ghost be compared with the state and condition of the Saints as the said Doctrine of Perseverance representeth and affirmeth it to be and be digested or formed into an hypotyposis accordingly the utter uselessenesse and impertinency of them will yet much more evidently appeare Suppose we then the Holy Ghost should speake thus unto the Saints O you that truly believe who by vertue of the Promise of that God that cannot lie are fully perswaded and possest that you shall be kept by God by His irresistible Grace in true faith until death so that though Satan shall set all his wits on work and by all his stratagems snares and cunning devices seek to destroy you
Necesse est iâ—â—tur discerni peccata quae in sanctis in hac mortali vita manent â—ec excutiunt Spiritum Sanctum ab aliis peccatis propâ—er quae homo rursus fit reus irae Dei aeternarum poenarum Et Paulus Rom. 5. discernit peccatum regnans non â—egnans Et alibi inquit Si secundum carnem vixeritis moriemini si actiones carnis spiritu mortificabitis vivetis c. Vide quae sequuntur in Confess Saxon. Art 10. De discrim peccatorum with much more to the same point and purpose From the Premisses exhibited in this Chapter these five things are concludable above all contradiction First That the Doctrine of absolute and unconditioned Perseverance as it is commonly taught and beleeved amongst Professors at this day and as it is stated and maintained in the Writings of many Reformed Divines over-honored many of them with the stile of Orthodox was not known or heard of by the Name of Orthodox in the Primitive and purer Times of Christian Religion nor owned or taught by any of the learned Fathers or Writers for several Centuries of years after Christ. Secondly That neither since the Reformation of Religion by Luther and his Compeers hath it found entertainment with the generality at least of that numerous party of Protestants which for distinction sake are termed Lutherans or with the learned amongst them but that these very few if any excepted generally teach and beleeve with the Primitive Christians and Fathers that persons truly regenerate and beleeving may possibly fall from their present standing and that so as never to rise again Thirdly That this Doctrine I mean the possibility of such a declining in true Beleevers which ends in death and condemnation is by some who otherwise are generally looked upon as followers of Calvin yea and are not undeservedly numbered amongst the most judicious and learned of this party pregnantly and with particularity of profession and acknowledgment avouched Fourthly That Calvin himself who is supposed to be the first Founder or Father of the said common Doctrine of Perseverance or however is the Grand Patron and Protector of it together with the generality of his learned followers are constrained ever and anon in their Writings to give Testimony unto and to assert the contrary whether it be by the forcible evidence of the Truth prevailing at times over them or whether it be out of a necessity that ever and anon recur'd upon them to use the Principle of the contrary Doctrine for the due managing and carrying on other subjects and discourses Fifthly and lastly That the Doctrine of falling away maintained in the Digression yet in hand hath been held maintained and professed not onely by particular persons both ancient and modern of greatest name and note for true worth in every kinde as for sanctity learning largeness of parts soundness of Judgment c. but by Councils Synods and whole Protestant Churches also in their Confessions All which considered we shall need no other demonstration of the importune unreasonableness and vanity of those ecstatical and wilde encomiums or exorbitant depredications of the Doctrine of inevitable and unfrustrable Perseverance which are found in the writings and heard from the mouths of some of the over-zealous Admirers of it as if for example it were the fundamental Article of the Reformed Religion One of the principal Points of Christian Religion wherein the Protestant Churches are purged from Popish Errors and which hath always been maintained by the Reformed Churches against Papists the Foundation of all true certainty of Salvation without which that fiducial and firm Assurance which is requisite in and unto true Beleeving cannot stand Such a Doctrine which all true Ministers of the Gospel ought to inculcate into and whet upon all true Beleevers for their Comfort with other like swelling words of vanity Doubtless if it be an Error and confederate against the Holiness and Truth of the Gospel a Crime which hath been by many competent and sufficient witnesses proved against it it is so far from meriting any of those impotent acclamations lately specified that it really deserves to have its portion with those Merchants and Money-changers whom our Saviour with a scourge drave out of the Temple a John 2. 15. as Profaners of the Holy Design and Counsel of God therein But because the Learning and Authority of the late Synod of Dort is layd §. 24. hold on by many as Shield and Buckler to defend the said Doctrine I shall for a close of this Chapter and of the whole Digression briefly account unto the Reader for such particulars as I judg worthy his cognizance and observation servation in and about what this Synod attempted in order to the defence maintenance and safety of the said Doctrine Far be it from me to subscribe the Report or information of those who charge the respective Members of this Synod with suffering themselves to be bound with an Oath at or before their admission hereunto to vote down the Remonstrants and their Doctrines how soever yet when I read and consider 1. How learnedly solidly and substantially they quit themselves and argue whilest they go along with the Remonstrants and declare wherein they agree with them in the Points controverted between them 2. How feebly and unlike themselves they reason when they come to the quick of the difference 3. And lastly how neer at very many turns even in those things wherein they pretend to differ they come unto them as if they had a very good minde to be no more two but one with them When I say I consider all these things methinks I see the Interest and Obligation of an Oath working much after the same manner as sometimes it did in Herod when for His Oath 's sake contrary to his minde and desire otherwise He caused John the Baptists Head to be given unto Herodias in a Platter a Mat. 14. 9. To shew how pregnant or if you will how masculine they are in avouching their Judgments whilest they keep company with their Adversaries is I conceive needless as well themselves I mean such of them as are yet living as their friends being perswasible enough hereof without Argument or Proof To shew how far they fall beneath themselves when they come to contest and plead the Points in difference would be in effect and in reference to the business in hand but to re-do that which is done already In which respect neither is this necessary I shall therefore with as much brevity as the Reader can well desire and in a regular prosecution of the design of the Chapter in hand onely shew how neer they came in sence and substance of matter to their Adversaries in the present Question concerning Perseverance and leave it to Christian Consideration whether the difference between the two combating Parties was of that latitude or weight that the one should deserve the beautiful Crown of Orthodoxism and Honor for their dissent from
tantaruÌ„ sit viriuÌ„ ac efficaciae vt secum trahat effectum fiduciae spei charitatis omnia tandem bona opera vt prâ—sentis vitâ— infirmitas patitur Idem in Loc. Com. Class 3. c. 4. Sect. 5. From the latter words of this Testimony it plainly appears that the sence of this Author is that that trust recumbency or reliance upon God or Christ wherein the said Synod with some others placeth as it seems the essence of justifying Faith is no part of this Faith but only a necessary effect or consequent of that firm assent unto the Gospel or Word of God wherein he placeth the intire essence of this Faith as we have heard Of which unquestionable Truth I could joyn many Co-assertors unto him of approved learning and worth as Chamier Dr George Downham and others if I conceived it any ways necessary or commodious to the business in hand But I have still a considerable Reserve of Resolute Doctors to make good §. 28. against the Synod of Dort that they themselves assert and teach a possibility of a final Apostacy in persons truly justified as well as their Opposers the Remonstrants notwithstanding their heavy censure passed upon them for this Doctrine such I mean who place true justifying Faith in a certain knowledg of or firm assent unto the Word of God and consequently conclude those to be persons truly justified against some of which the said Synod doth not onely avouch and teach a possibility of their total and final defection but even a necessity also which is a strain of contest against the necessity of the Saints Perseverance higher then ever any Arminian or Remonstrant woun'd up his pen unto We therefore saith Gualter say that Faith is a certain firm assent of minde arising from the Word of God whereby we acknowledg Christ for such as the Scriptures exhibit Him unto us or hold Him forth to be a Dicimus ergo Fidem esse certum firmum animi assensum ex verbo Dei enatuÌ„ quo ChristuÌ„ taleÌ„ agnoscimus qualeÌ„ illum nobis Scripturae proponunt Gualt in Ioh. Hom. That Faith saith Melancthon which justifyeth is not onely a notice of the History but it is TO ASSENT to the Promise of God wherein Remission of Sins and Justification are freely offered for Christs sake b Sed illa Fides quae justificat noÌ„ est tantuÌ„ noticia Historiae sed est adseÌ„tiri promissioni Dei in quâ gratis propter ChristuÌ„ offertur remissio peccatoruÌ„ justificatio Melanct. in loc de Justificat And elsewhere he affirms this Faith to be AN ASSENT to every Word of God delivered to us c Fides est assensus omni verbo Dei nobis tradito Chemnitius delivers this definition of justifying Faith as more generally approved of by Protestant Divines and by himself also Faith is TO ASSENT unto the whâ—le Word of God delivered unto us and herein to the free Promise of Reconciliation granted unto us for Christ our Mediator d Fides est assentiri universo Dei verbo nobis tradito in hoc promissioni gratuitae reconciliationis donatae propter Christum MediatoreÌ„ Chemn Exam. pag. 159. Musculus observeth That in the Example of Abraham in the Scriptures this is not onely commended or taken knowledg of that He beleeved there was onely one God but that He beleeved the Promises of God e In exemplo Abrahae non hoc tantuÌ„ praedicatur quòd crediderit ille hoc tantuÌ„ unuÌ„ esse DeuÌ„ sed quod FideÌ„ habuerit promissionibus Dei Musc loc de Justif Sect. 5. clearly implying that his belief of these Promises was that Faith which justified him Zanchius reports this to be a definition of justifying Faith which Bucer and other Orthodox Divines gave Faith is the gift of God and work of the Holy Ghost in the minde of the Elect whereby they BELEEVE THE GOSPEL of Christ f Non Bucerus soluÌ„ sed etiaÌ„ alij multi definiunt saepè FideÌ„ ita vt dicant eaÌ„ esse donuÌ„ Dei opus Spiritus Sancti in Mente Electorum quo Christi Evangelio credunt Zanch. Tom. 7. pag. 352. Himself elsewhere frameth us this definition Faith is a vertue given unto us by God by which we ARE PERSVVADED that whatsoever was heretofore propounded by the Prophets and Apostles in the Name of God and is now preached unto us out of their Writings is the Word of God and beleeve and profess this whole Word as well the Law as the Gospel as the certain Word of God g Fides est virtus à Deo nobis donata quâ quicquid olim propositum fuit nomine Dei à Prophetis Apostolis nunc auteÌ„ nobis ex ipsorum Scriptis praedicatur persuasi sumus esse verbum Dei illudque totum tà m legeÌ„ quà m Evangelium vt certum Dei verbum credimus ac prositemur Zanch. Tom. 4. pag. 241. Beza affirmeth that the state of the Epistle to the Romans is to be ordered or disposed of in our Judgments thus That we are saved by God through one Christ IF WE SHALL BELEEVE THE GOSPEL h Sic disponendus est status hujus Epistolae nos à Deo per unum Christum servari si Evangelium crediderimus Beza in Rom. 1. 17. Polanus describes justifying Faith A KNOVVLEDG AND ASSENT whereby a man beleeveth all that to be true which God hath commanded to be beleeved i Fides est notitia assensus quo creditur verum esse quicquid Deus credendum praecepit Polan Partit Theolog. l. 2. p. 368. Vrsine thus Faith is a true perswasion whereby we ASSENT to every Word of God delivered unto us k Fides est vera persuasio quâ assentimur omni verbo Dei nobis tradito Ursin de Primo Praecept If thou saith Mr Tyndal the Martyr BELEEVEST THE PROMISES of God the Truth of God justifieth thee i. e. He forgiveth thee thy sins and taketh thee into Favor l Si promissionibus Dei credas veritas Dei te justificat i. e. ignoscit tibi teque in gratiaÌ„ recipit Tyndal de Christian Obed. ad Hen. 8. Give me leave to instance one Author more Dr Jo Davenant a member of those convened in the Synod at Dort quorum pars magna fuit arguing against Bellarmine the non-abolition of Faith even in the glorified condition it self of the Saints in respect of the nature habit or essence of it useth this demonstration viz. that those who are in an estate of perfect blessedness are so affected or disposed that they are willing to assent unto God not onely because of the evidence of the matter but also for the Authority of the Assertor although the thing affirmed were in it self inevident Yea and further saith that there is none of the Blessed or glorified ones but will much more readily beleeve God for the Authority of the Speaker then He that is endued with the greatest Faith amongst
in these Dispensations of his towards them to do them any good in a saving way he must needs be conceived to intend their ruine and destruction at least the increase of their ruine and destruction by them it being no ways reasonable to conceive but that he hath higher and more considerable ends propounded to himself in his Providential Administrations about men in reference unto men then about beasts in relation unto them though it is true he hath the same general and ultimate End his Glory in all his Works and Administrations one or other But if the generality or far greatest part of men are bound to beleeve and bound they are to beleeve it if it be a revealed Truth that God in giving them health and peace and prosperity in the world intends nothing but evil to them a fuller cup of the wrath and vengeance which is to come how can the bountifulness and long-sufferance of God be said to lead men to Repentance which yet is the Apostles Doctrine Rom. 2. 4. Neither the goodness nor patience of God towards evil men can be said to lead them to Repentance but by the mediation or supposal of these three Principles 1. That these Dispensations of God I mean of goodness and patience towards such men are proper and sufficient I mean by the help of that operation of the Spirit of God which always accompanieth them to bring men to Repentance And 2. That Gods intent is that they should bring them actually to Repentance or at least that he hath no intention otherwise or to the contrary 3. And lastly That he truly and really intends their Salvation upon their Repentance Wicked men can at no hand of reason no nor yet of common sence be said to be led to Repentance by the goodness or long-sufferance of God towards them unless 1. It be supposed that there is a genuine natural or proper Rhetorique or moving tendency in them to perswade and encourage such men to Repent nothing can be said to lead a man to such or such an action or course but that which is proper to invite or perswade him unto either Nor unless it be supposed 2. That God hath an intent that such men should be actually perswaded and made willing to repent by such Dispensations at least that he should have no intentions to the contrary For how can any man be actually perswaded or made willing by any means motive or encouragement whatsoever to attempt or do any such thing which he hath cause to judg or beleeve that Gods intentions stand against his doing or performance There is no motive or encouragement against the determinate Counsel of God made known Nor 3. and lastly Can the said Dispensations of goodness or patience in God be said to lead any man to Repentance unless it be yet further supposed that his real intent and purpose is to save him upon his Repentance or in case he shall Repent or at least that they may be such For what encouragement can any man have to repent in case he hath sufficient ground to judg that God hath absolutely rejected him and will not save him no not upon his Repentance Therefore certainly God hath no intentions of evil or of condemnation or of encrease of condemnation against the generality of men no nor yet against the worst or wickedest of men in those gracious vouchsafements of life health liberty peace food rayment and other the like temporal mercies and accommodations unto them Again How can men look upon themselves as any ways debtors or obliged §. 5. unto God in thankfulness for good things administred unto them with hard intentions or with a purpose not to bless them but to make their condemnation so much the greater and more heavy upon them If birds and fishes had understanding and should know for what end or with what intentions men lay scraps and baits though made of such things as they love and stand in need of in their way would they thank them for it or should they have any reason so to do Or had Amasa any cause to think the better of Joab for taking Him by the Beard with His right Hand to kiss Him a 2 Sam. 20. 9 Or our Saviour to think the better of Judas for the kiss wherewith He greeted Him b Matth. 26. 49 Besides it being the duty of the Saints to imitate or resemble their Heavenly Father not onely in His outward Expressions but much more in His Intentions and frame of spirit towards men when He doth good unto them causing His Sun to arise and His Rain to fall upon them in case His Intentions towards them in such applications of Himself unto them were bent not upon their Salvation but Destruction would it not follow that when they should perform those Christian services unto them injoyned by our Saviour Himself But I say unto you love your enemies bless them that curse you pray for them that despitefully use you a Mat. 5. 44. c. they were bound to do all these in order unto and with an intent to procure their greater and deeper condemnation and not with any intent to gain them in to the Gospel And if wicked men enemies to the Saints should know or have reasonable ground to judg that when they express themselves outwardly in terms of love and good-will towards them they mean them ruine or increase of Punishment and Torment hereby had they not cause to judg them the vilest Hypocrites and Dissemblers under Heaven Nor do they represent the glorious God Himself any whit better unto the World who affirm and teach that in and under His most pathetical and moving invitations encouragements and promissory offers of Grace Mercy Salvation unto the generality of men whereof the Scriptures are full He intends not the Donation or gift of Grace Mercy or Salvation unto them upon any condition or terms whatsoever but Wrath and Judgment and an opportunity to render them seven-fold more the children of death and condemnation then otherwise they would or could have been Lastly If God intends the increase of guilt and punishment unto wicked men or the generality of men in the comforts and good things of this world providentially disposed and dispensed unto them He must needs desire the bringing or coming of these accordingly upon them No man intends any thing in order to the accomplishment of such or such an end but this end is desired by Him Again certain it is that the increase of guilt and punishment cannot come upon men by means or by occasion of the good things given by God unto them but onely by the intervening of their unthankfulness and abuse of these good things in one kinde or other Further as there is no man but wisheth and desireth the coming to pass of such things which are simply and absolutely necessary for the bringing to pass such things as He desireth so hath no man cause to be offended with any man for the doing
that very estate wherein what person or persons of men soever should at any time be found God in his eternal Counsel judged it meet to confer the honorable title of Elect or chosen together with the Grace and Priviledg of Justification upon them So that to chuse us in Christ doth not signifie to chuse us personally considered with Christ or in the same act of Election wherein or wherewith Christ was chosen or the like but to intend purpose or decree to chuse us as being or when we should be in Christ by beleeving Having once obtained this Being a Being in Christ by Faith we may truly and in good propriety of speaking be said to be chosen by means or by vertue of that Purpose or Decree of Election which was in God before the foundations of the world whereby he decreed to chuse all those unto Salvation how many or how few soever they should prove who should at any time be found in Christ by Faith In such a sence Othniel having smitten and taken Kiriath-Sepher may be said to have been made Caleb's Son in Law by vertue of that Declaration Law or Promise which Caleb had made before viz. that Whosoever should smite Kiriath-Sepher and take it to Him He would give Achsa His Daughter to Wife Judg. 1. 12. In such a sence likewise all those of Aarons Posterity who came to be Priests though many generations after may be said to have attained this Office and Dignity by vertue of the Law concerning Persons admitable into this Office which was enacted and made by God long before The Scripture it self ascribeth a vertue or power unto the Law to make Priests For the Law MAKETH MEN HIGH PRIESTS which have infirmity a Heb. 7. 28. In like manner that Law Purpose or Decree of Election wherein and whereby God before the foundations of the World determined to chuse all those that should beleeve in Christ may be said to make all those Elect or chosen who do thus beleeve yea and God himself by means of this his Purpose or Decree may be said to have Elected or chosen all those who do at any time beleeve from before the foundations of the World Thus we have done with our second Argument wherein we have fairly and clearly proved 1. That Christ needed not to dye at all for the Elect in the common Notion of the word Elect. 2. That He did not dye for the Elect onely in any sence or Notion of the said word whatsoever and consequently that He dyed for all Men. A third Demonstration of the Point is this If Christ dyed not for all §. 6. Argum. 3. Men then are not all Men bound to beleeve in Him or on Him for Salvation or as a Saviour But all Men are bound to beleeve on Him for Salvation Ergo. The Reason of the Major Proposition is clearly this No man is bound to lay out his silver for that which is not bread nor to stay himself with any confidence or assurance upon any person whatsoever for help or succor in any kinde concerning whom he knoweth not whether he hath wherewith to help him or no. Therefore except all Men had a sufficient ground to beleeve that there is Redemption and Salvation for them in Jesus Christ they were not bound to beleeve on Him as a Saviour or to depend upon Him for Salvation And if Men have a sufficient ground to beleeve that there is Redemption and Salvation for them in Christ and that if they come unto Him for it they shall partake of it then must it needs be a Truth that He hath these things for them indeed and consequently that He dyed for them because no man can have a sufficient ground to beleeve that which is not or that which is false This Proposition is so plain so obvious to every mans capacity and understanding yea to common sence it self that I cannot well suspect the least question or doubt in any about the Truth of it If Christ dyed not for all Men then are not all Men bound to beleeve on Him for Salvation Notwithstanding if any shall object and say It is true if Christ dyed not sufficiently for all Men all Men were not bound to beleeve in Him for Salvation but we grant that in this sence viz. sufficiently He did dye for all Men. And this is a sufficient ground to oblige all Men to beleeve on Him for Salvation though He dyed not intentionally for them To this I answer 1. By demanding what men mean in saying that Christ dyed sufficiently for all Men in opposition to His dying intentionally for them If they say they mean that the Death of Christ simply and in it self considered was or is sufficient to redeem and save all Men as well as those who are redeemed and saved by it but was not intended by God or by Christ for any such end or purpose as the Redemption of all I answer If so then was that redundancy or over-plus of merit or attonement in the Death of Christ which remains over and above what is necessary for the Redemption of those for whom it was intended and who are actually redeemed by it suffered by God to run to waste and to be like water spilt upon the ground And if so then was there but a very small quantity or proportion of the worth and value of the Death of Christ intended by God for use or to do either Himself or his Creature any service in comparison of what vanisheth into the ayr and is thrown behinde his back as good for nothing For if there be a sufficiency in it for all those who are not redeemed by it these being a far greater number then those who are or are supposed to be actually redeemed by it it must needs follow that if that proportion of it which was sufficient for them was not designed or intended by God for them that far the greater part of it was designed by him unto vanity and to no more honor then that which is not Thus we see how they that deny the Death of Christ for all Men intentionally and yet grant it sufficiently count the blood of the Covenant at least the far greatest part of it as an unholy thing as that which is consecrated to no holy use end or purpose yea and that which is yet worse make God himself and Jesus Christ the drawers or makers up of this account to their hand If they reply and say that that remainder of the value and price of the Death of Christ though it was not intended by God for the Salvation of those who are not actually redeemed by him yet it was intended for their condemnation and so not lost I answer that this is yet worse and more unreasonable then the other For 1. might not men as reasonably say that God made the Sun and put him into the midst of the Firmament of Heaven to bring night and darkness upon the world as that he gave his Son
both to his wisdom and goodness be disposed Therefore certainly if the Death of Christ was sufficient for all it was intended by God for all But 2. Suppose it were granted that Christ dyed sufficiently for all yet unless it be granted withall that he dyed intentionally for all the sufficiency of His Death is no sufficient ground for all Men nor indeed for any man to beleeve on Him or to cast themselves upon Him for Salvation Nabal was a rich man and had sufficient to have relieved David and his men in their necessity and his sheep-shearers too But yet David and his men had no sufficient ground to depend upon him for relief in their extremity nor is it like they would have repaired to him for relief if they had known his churlish and inhumane disposition before In like manner that Opinion which represents God as minding onely and intending the Salvation of a few peculiarly relating to Him by a Purpose of Election in the Death of Christ but altogether averse from so much as hearing of the saving of all others thereby what doth it else but dissolve and loose all bonds of engagement or obligement upon men to beleeve on Christ or on God through Christ for Salvation For who is bound to seek water from a flint or to repair to thorns in hope to gather grapes from them For they who deny that God intendeth the Salvation of all Men by Christ represent him to the generality of men upon no better terms of comparison then of a flint to him that wanteth water and of thorns to him whose Soul lusteth after grapes If it be said Yes there is reason and ground sufficient for all Men without §. 8. exception to beleeve on Christ for Salvation though it be not supposed that He dyed for all Men. Because the Promise of God howsoever is general and free unto all Whosoever beleeves on Him shall be saved To this I answer It is true the Promise is general and free unto all and this generality and freeness of the Promise plainly sheweth the generality and freeness of the Salvation promised to all Men to be commensurable with the Promise and extensible to as many as it Otherwise the Ministers of the Gospel shall be found lyars and false witnesses For if they shall promise Salvation unto all Men in case they shall beleeve when as there is no Salvation for far the greatest part of men whether they beleeve or not beleeve or in case they should beleeve for their beleeving or not beleeving do not alter the Intentions of God in the Death of Christ nor multiply Salvation do they not undertake more in the behalf of God then God himself according to their Notion is able or willing to perform But this Point we have debated more liberally in the seventh Chapter of this Book If it be yet said yea but God who orders and frames their Commission may without danger will them to preach and promise Salvation to all that will beleeve though Salvation be not purchased for all Men because He knows beforehand that those onely will beleeve for whom there is Salvation purchased in the Death of Christ To this I answer If God had kept His Intentions in this kinde to Himself and had not declared that He intended Salvation onely to a few there might be some more colour or pretence for such a Plea If He had not let the World know any thing but that He really intended the Salvation of them all though He should in the mean time have intended but the Salvation of a very few He might with far less dishonor at least for the present cause the Heralds of His Grace His Ministers I mean to make such a general Proclamation as now He hath given them in charge to make throughout the World of Grace and Salvation prepared for all flesh for all Comers whatsoever But to imagine and suppose that first He gives the World to know and understand that He intends to save but a very few of them and yet this notwithstanding and as it were in the very face of such a Declaration to cause the great year of Jubilee to be proclaimed throughout the World eternal Liberty and Redemption to be offered unto all flesh unto all persons without exception must needs be most unlike unto Him and unworthy of Him yea and have a direct tendency to make Him that which a reverential sence of His Majesty makes hard to be uttered the hatred and abhorring of all his Creatures David to present his hollow-hearted and treacherous friends hateful both to God and Men describes them thus The words of his mouth were smoother then butter but war was in his Heart His words were softer then oyl yet were they Psal 55 21. drawn swords And doth not that Opinion turn the Glory of the ever-gracious God that great Lover of Mankinde into the image of such a vile and abominable creature as David here describes which saith of Him that He comes indeed unto men and opens the Bosom of Love unto them speaks sweet and loving and gracious words unto them offers them yea and that with much importunity of urging and pressing them to an acceptance terms of Mercy and great Compassions Forgiveness of Sins Adoption Life Salvation Glory the great things of the World to come and yet all this while under all these sweet droppings of His Lips hath in His Heart that most bloody and irreconcilable War of Reprobation a Purpose and Resolution taken up and conceived within Him from the days of Eternity never to be altered upon any terms whatsoever of casting them into Hell and tormenting them with the vengeance of eternal fire Certainly that Opinion which representeth God unto men upon such terms in such a shape as this flatters or rather befriends the Devil and makes Him to have much of God in Him And if God should conceal for the present that Intention of His we speak of viz. of saving onely a few and of destroying the generality of men and yet proceed in that method which now He doth in inviting the whole World to Grace and Favor with Him except He should conceal it to the days of Eternity whensoever it should break forth and be discovered it would occasion the same reflexion of dishonor upon Him yea and doubtless would comfort and ease the damned in Hell if ever the knowledg of it should come amongst them But this for the proof of the Major Proposition in the Argument propounded If Christ dyed not for all Men then are not all Men bound to beleeve on Him for Salvation The Minor I conceive needs little proof being this But all Men are §. 9. bound to beleeve on Him for Salvation However the Truth of this Proposition is as clear as the light at Noon day partly from the Commandment of God directed unto all Men to beleeve on him partly from the Threatenings of God denounced against all Men that shall refuse to beleeve in
him partly from the Promises made unto all Men who shall beleeve on him partly also from the encouragements which are administred by God unto all Men to beleeve in him First it is evident that God commands all Men without exception to beleeve on Christ And the times of this ignorance saith Paul preaching to the Idolatrous Gentiles at Athens God winked at but now He commandeth ALL MEN EVERY WHERE to Repent a Acts 17. 30. if to repent then certainly to beleeve in Christ without which there is no true Repentance The Reader for his further satisfaction in this Point if he be in any degree yet unsatisfied may at leasure peruse and ponder the Scriptures noted in the Margent b 1 John 3. 23. Mat. 16. 5. Rom. 10. 16. 3. Luke 14. 23. Secondly As God commandeth all Men to beleeve on Christ which is indeed sufficient to prove that they are bound to beleeve on Him so doth He severely threaten all those that shall not beleeve on Him But He that beleeveth not shall be damned c Mark 16. 16 The Scriptures likewise abound with Passages of this import a first-fruits whereof are presented in the Margent d John 8. 24 3. 36 Acts 3. 23 Thirdly As God commandeth all Men to beleeve on Christ and threateneth all with Death which shall not beleeve so He promiseth Life and Salvation unto all without exception who shall beleeve on Him This assertion I conceive is no mans question the Scriptures being so particular and express in the frequent delivery of it e John 3. 16 11. 25 26 1 Pet. 2 6 Fourthly and lastly As God commandeth all Men to beleeve on Christ threateneth all with Death who shall not beleeve promiseth Life and Salvation unto all who shall beleeve so doth He encourage all to beleeve on Him my meaning is He tendereth and suggesteth Reasons and Motives of an encouraging and sweetly-perswading nature and import unto men to beleeve For otherwise the Commands and Promises of God made unto those who shall beleeve are grand encouragements in a large acception of the word unto Men to beleeve and his Threatenings are more engaging to the servile tempers and dispositions of Men to beleeve then any encouragements whatsoever But my meaning in the Particular in hand is this that besides Commands and Promises God lays before the Hearts of Men such Considerations which are apt and proper in a sweet and encouraging way to induce Men to beleeve on Christ or on Himself through Christ for Salvation As for example Sometime He presents them with his great Love to them as Joh. 3. 16. Tit. 3. 4 c. sometimes with his Mercy and his Compassions the greatness and tenderness of these as Exod. 34. 6. Luk. 1. 72 c. sometimes with his delight or pleasure-taking in shewing Mercy as Mica 7. 18. Ezek. 33. 11 c. sometimes with his Faithfulness as Hebr. 10. 23. 1 Cor. 10. 13 c. sometimes with his Oath for their greater security in his Promises as Heb. 6. 17 18. Luk. 1. 72 73. otherwhile with his desire of their Salvation as 1 Tim. 2. 4. Ezek. 33. 11. otherwhile again with the grief and trouble of his Soul at their stubborn courses and that because they are and will be destructive unto them as Ezek. 18. 31. Jerem. 44. 4. Sometimes with the abundant provision He hath made for their Salvation and Peace as Mat. 22. 4. Heb. 9. 14. Sometimes likewise to omit many other Particulars in this kinde with the consideration of that special glory which will accrue unto himself and to his Grace by their beleeving and Salvation thereupon Ephes 1. 6 12. and elsewhere Now to think or say that under all these Commands Threatenings Promises and all this great variety of encouragements directed unto all Men to beleeve yet all Men are not bound to beleeve is to me the thought and saying onely of such a man who is resolved to stand by his own thoughts and sayings against any light or evidence of Truth whatsoever A fourth Argument evincing the Death of Christ for all Men is this §. 10. Argum. 4. If God really and unfeignedly intends or desires the Salvation of those who perish then He really intended the Death of Christ for all Men. This Proposition we shall not need to prove but onely by this brief account All Men without exception are either such who are saved or such who perish and that God really intended the Death of Christ for those that are saved is no mans doubt or contest Therefore if He really intended the Salvation of those also who perish in or by the Death of Christ He intended this Death of Christ for all This Proposition then being undenyable I proceed and assume thus But God really unfeignedly intends or desires the salvation of those who perish Therefore he intended the Death of Christ for all Men. This latter Proposition That God really and unfeignedly desires the Salvation of those that perish is clearly proved by this consideration viz. that God so frequently so fervently and pathetically in the Scriptures professeth his desires of the Peace and Salvation of such men yea and an holy regret of Soul in Himself when they will stubbornly run courses destructive to their Salvation contrary to his desires and endevors with them in this kinde Let us give instance in some Passages of such an import as we speak of O that there were such an Heart in them that they would fear me and keep all my Commandments always that it might be well with them and with their children for ever a Deut. 5. 29 saith the Lord himself concerning the great body of the children of Israel whose carcasses soon after fell in the wilderness through unbelief as the Apostle speaketh So again by David Psal 81. O that my people had harkened unto me and Israel had walked in my ways I should soon have subdued their enemies and turned my hand against their adversaries b Psa 81. 13 14 c. Thus the Lord speaks concerning those whom as he had immediately before said He had given up to their own hearts lusts and who walked in their own counsels That expression also of the Lord in Isaiah is of the same character Thus saith the Lord thy Redeemer the Holy One of Israel I am the Lord thy God which teacheth thee to profit which leadeth thee by the way thou shouldst go O that thou hadst harkened unto my Commandments then had thy peace been as a river and thy righteousness as the waves of the Sea c Isai 48. 17 Whereunto this also in the same Prophet may be joyned I have spread out my hands all the day unto a rebellious people which walketh in a way that is not good after their own thoughts a people that provoketh me to anger to my face that sacrificeth in gardens d Isai 65. 2 c. By spreading forth the hands saith Calvin Englished upon the place he
unto God knowingly wittingly and as it were to His face or as if they knew well enough this Record to have been given by Him and yet would not trust or beleeve Him therein but by their Unbelief at this great Point they are said to make Him a lyar in this sence viz. because they reject that as a fable or untruth which yet hath been spoken and asserted by God Himself for Truth yea and that upon such terms that by a diligent and strict enquiry they might come to a certain knowledg that it was spoken and asserted by Him For otherwise the light of Nature and force of Conscience are scarcely in any man much less in the generality of Unbeleevers so far wasted or spent with sinning as that they can immediately and directly or any otherwise then constructively or in a consequential indirect and remote way call God a lyar Therefore doubtless if Men received no other Power in Adam to beleeve then onely in case of such a Revelation of the Gospel made unto him or them in him by God which he or they must needs know came from God they received no other power of Beleeving in him whilest he stood then what they generally receive by or from Christ since Adams Fall So that to fetch the inexcusableness of Men in the sin of their Unbelief from Adam is to travel to the Indies with extream hazard and expence to bring the same commodity from thence which a man hath and this every ways as well conditioned and in sufficient quantity for his purpose at his own Home 4. If all Men received power in Adam to beleeve savingly or to Justification then must Adam himself needs be supposed to have received this power If so then must it be supposed withall to have been some ways useful beneficial and serviceable for some end and purpose of concernment unto him For to conceive that it was a meer impertinency or superfluity is an unsavory Notion If the power we speak of were any ways useful unto Adam then was it useful either for the enabling him to beleeve unto Justification whilest he remained yet innocent or in case he should fall to carry along with him into his lapsed condition that in this he might be enabled by it to beleeve accordingly But that it was not useful to Him in the former consideration is evident because during His estate of Innocency He remained under a Covenant of Works in which case He neither had any necessity of Beleeving in order to His Justification having not yet sined or if any Necessity in this kinde had been upon Him His Beleeving could not have justified Him in as much as the Law of Justification by Faith was not yet given or published by God Nor was it or could it be useful unto Him in the latter consideration for doubtless He carried nothing saving or justifying with Him out of His estate of Innocency into His lapsed condition which was a condition of Sin Misery and Condemnation especially until the Promise of a Saviour was given and that Trumpet of the great Jubilee had sounded that the Seed of the Woman should bruise or break the Serpents Head a Gen. 3. 15 5. And lastly for this It is no ways probable that Men received power in Adam to beleeve or at least that any such power though received in him is of any account with God to render Men inexcusable under the sin of Unbelief in the days of the Gospel which is of equal conducement unto our purpose because the Holy Ghost assigns other grounds and reasons as we lately heard to assert this inexcusableness but no where gives the least intimation either of any such power to beleeve as we now oppose received by Men in Adam much less of any relation which this Power should have to that inexcusableness of unbeleevers under the Gospel which God hath projected or provided for upon other terms Therefore 2. Suppose it should be granted that Men generally did receive in Adam such a power of Beleeving which is so much contended for yet God having made a second a new Covenant a Covenant of much more Grace Love and Mercy with them whereof substantial and large proof hath been made in the Premisses it is no ways consonant either to the Wisdom of God or to the unsearchable riches of His Grace in this new Covenant that He should proceed in Judgment against them upon any advantage taken from their condition under the first Covenant If men will here be peremptory and say that such proceedings in Judgment against men are consonant enough both to His Wisdom and to His Grace in the new Covenant let them either 1. produce some Scripture to evince such a consonancy or else 2. let them confess and profess that they are in a sufficient capacity by means of that light of Reason Judgment and understanding that shineth in them to judg and conclude what is agreeable to the Wisdom or Grace of God without warrant and direction from the Scriptures To decline both these is being interpreted to profess Will and Obstinacy under the Name of Judgment The former I am certain they cannot do if they do the latter they sin against the first-born of those Principles which they chiefly imploy in the defence and maintenance of their Cause But 3. And lastly for this also The Scriptures themselves as they are altogether silent of any purpose or intent in God to judg or condemn men upon any thing for which they may seem accountable from the first Covenant made with them in Adam so do they frequently mention and assert the Counsel and Purpose of God to proceed in the Judgment and Condemnation of Men by the Gospel and upon such Articles relating to the Covenant of Grace of the neglect or breach whereof Men shall be found guilty He that rejecteth me and receiveth not my words hath one that judgeth him the WORD THAT I HAVE SPOKEN THE SAME SHALL JVDG Him in the last day a John 12 48 He doth not say the Word that I have spoken shall judg Him c. but THE SAME shall judg Him c. which doubtless hath this emphatical import that the Word which He hath spoken since His coming in the flesh or in the Gospel and no other word whatsoever but this shall judg Him i. e. be insisted upon to evict Him guilty or worthy of Condemnation As for all that the Apostles spake in their preaching the Gospel and what other Ministers thereof speak in theirs so far as they preach the Truth of the Gospel or that which being neglected will render men liable unto Judgment is constructively and in effect but the same Word with that which Christ taught and spake in the flesh In like manner the Apostle Paul speaking of himself and his fellow-Apostles and all Ministers of the Gospel expresseth himself thus For we are unto God a sweet or the sweet savor of Christ in them that are saved and in them that
case He should not be every whit as large free and comprehensive in His Intentions of affording means and opportunity unto men for deliverance from sin and death by Jesus Christ If it be objected It is true the intent of the Jubilee was to invest every man viz. that was a Jew and of the natural seed of Abraham with a right of power to return to his possession or family But not to gratifie every man simply or to indulge the like priviledg unto all the World Therefore this rather proves the confinement of the Intentions of the Grace of God in Iesus Christ unto his Church or Elect onely then the enlargement of them unto all the World especially considering that the whole body of the People and Nation of the Jews were typical and presignified the Church or Churches which were afterwards to be raised up amongst the Gentiles To this I answer 1. Be it granted that the Body or Nation of the Jews did typifie the Church or Churches of the Gentiles yet did not every single person of this Nation typifie a true member of these Churches As for example Achitophâ—l did not typifie a true Saint or a Beleever under the Gospel nor did Corah Dathan and Abiram typifie so many godly or holy men among the Gentiles nor had any unrighteous or wicked Person of this Nation the Honor of typing out any true Nathaniel or Elect Person under the New Testament If ungodly persons among the Jews were Types of any thing it was of such Hypocrites or profane Persons that should be found in the Churches under the Gospel And if so the intent of the Jubilee being as we have proved from the express letter of the Institution of it for the benefit comfort and ease of every man amongst them as well of the wicked and unholy as of the holy and righteous it follows roundly that this typified and taught that the Intentions of God in and about the Salvation afforded and exhibited by Jesus Christ unto the World stood equal and indifferent towards all Men without exception without any distinction of holy and unholy righteous and unrighteous Elect and Reprobate or the like 2. Although the Law of Jubilee as the whole Ceremonial Law in all the parts and branches of it was given particularly UNTO the Jews yet was it not given particularly FOR the Iews i. e. for the sake or benefit of the Iews onely but for the accommodation and benefit of all the World besides And upon this account I suppose the Apostle Paul calleth the Ceremonial Injunctions by Mâ—ses the elements or râ—diments not of the Iews but of the World y Col. 2. 8. 20 viz. because they were given with an intent on Gods part to nurture and breed up the World i. e. all Nations as well as the Iews in such a measure or degree of the knowledg of the Messiah then to come which He judged meet to impart unto the World until His coming So that how soever the Iewish Nation was honored by God above all other Nations in being made by Him Feoffees in trust as it were for the World and had the keeping of the Oracles of Life committed unto them yet had they no right or lawfulness of power to deny any Person under Heaven part or fellowship with them in any of their spiritual Priviledges who should desire it of them in a due and regular way and turn Proselyte Now there was no Person of any Nation that was made by God uncapable of the benefit or blessing of Proselytism and consequently the Joy and Priviledges accruing unto Men by vertue of the Law and Feast of Iubilee did though not in so immediate and direct a way concern all other Nations and Persons as well as the Iews or natural seed of Abraham Even as the Gospel and Sacramental Administrations annexed thereunto in these days are onely possessed and enjoyed in and by the Churches of Christ but yet they are so and upon such terms possessed and enjoyed by them that whosoever from amongst the most Idolatrous and Heathenish Nation under Heaven shall beleeve may and ought to have communion with them in such their Possessions and Enjoyments Either of these Answers is sufficient to loosen the joynts of the loyns of the Objection The Arguments and Grounds layd down and managed in this Chapter together with those Passages and Texts of Scripture which we have heard speaking so distinctly and aloud the same things with them have turned my thoughts and Judgment about the Intentions of God in the Death of Christ upside down and have filled me Minde Heart Soul and Conscience with this Belief that these Intentions of His stand and always stood equally unpartially and uniformly bent for or towards the Salvation of the World without any difference or variation in respect of any man or numbers of men considered simply as men or as having done neither good nor evil Yet are there three things more that have made my Belief in this kinde measure heaped up pressed down and running over The first is that Conjunctio magna that great conjunction of all or far the greatest part of the chief Luminaries in the Firmament of the Christian Church whilest the constitution of it was yet more athletique healthful and sound I mean during the Primitive Times the multiplied rays or beams of whose light concentred in the same Point of Doctrine with us Of this we shall God assisting give some competent account in the fore-part of the Chapter following The second is the frequent Testimony given to this Doctrine by those who are or at least are so esteemed the chief Adversaries and Opposers of it who as appears from their Writings are oft necessitated to assert or own it as a Principle without which they know not in many cases how to make a consistent Discourse or manage the Theam they have before them Somewhat of this also we shall shew in the latter Part of the said Chapter The third and last is the apparant inconcludency and weakness of those arguings and reasonings whether from the Scriptures or other Principles by which the cause of the contrary Opinion is wont by the ablest Patrons it hath as far as men of this engagement are yet known unto me to be pleaded and maintained The Demonstration of this is designed for the subject matter of the second Part of this Work if God shall vouchsafe to make his Sun to shine a birth-day for it CHAP. XIX Wherein the Sence of Antiquity together with the variableness of Judgment in modern Writers touching the Controversie under discussion is truly and unpartially represented FOr their sakes who are afraid to beleeve any thing what pregnancy of §. 1. ground soever there be to evince the truth of it otherwise but onely what they know or at least think that many other men and these some ways honorable in their sight have beleeved before them I have subjoyned this Chapter to those large debates which finished their course
then we may truly be called the Redeemers or Saviours of the World replyeth thus The Righteousness of Christ then is not imputed for example unto Peter as or as it is the general PRICE OF REDEMPTION FOR ALL MEN but as the Price wherewith His Soul is redeemed in particular h Non igitur Petro imputatur Iusticia Christ vt generale pretium RedeÌ„ptionis pro omnibus sed vt pretium quo illius anima in particulari redimitur c. Joh. Davenantius in Praelect De Justiciâ Habit. p. 331. In which words he plainly enough supposeth the said Righteousness of Christ to be a general Price for the Redemption of all Men. Kimedontius a great Professor of the way and Doctrine of Calvin in the present Controversies yet complains of those as injurious to him and his party and no better then false Witnesses who clamor against them as if they denyed that Christ dyed for ALL MEN and was not the Propitiation for the Sins of the whole WORLD i Injuriam nobis faciuÌ„t et falsi testes reperiuntur qui nos clamitant negare Christum esse mortuum pro omnibus Propitiationem esse pro peccatis totius Mundi Kimedont Synops De Redempt Because I would not over-charge the Readers Patience above measure I §. 26. shall omit the Catechisms and Confessions of many Reformed Churches as of the Palatinate Bern Basil Tigurum Schaffhusen with divers others in which there are very plain and pregnant Assertions of the Doctrine of Universal Attonement by Christ and shall conclude the Demonstration of what we lately observed viz. that the Doctrine of General Redemption is a Principle or Notion of that soveraign use and necessity that the professed Enemies thereof cannot forbear it or make any rational earnings in many their Theological Discourses without it with a Passage or Testimony from no fewer then fifty two Ministers of the City of London and these non de Plebe virum which I finde in a small Pamphlet lately subscribed and published by them and that for this very end as themselves profess to give Testimony against Errors and Heresies In this their Testimony bewailing the prevailing of Errors and Heresies so by them called they bemoan the case of many of those whom yet otherwhile they judg the happiest men in the World those I mean for whom Christ dyed thus Thousands and ten thousands of poor Souls which Christ hath ransomed with His Blood shall hereby be betrayed seduced and endangered to be undone to all Eternity k A Testimony to the Truth of Jesus Christ c. subscribed by 52 London Ministers page 32. No sence rationality or truth can be made of this Saying but by the mediation of this Hypothesis or ground viz. that such Persons who have been ransomed with the Blood of Christ may be undone i. e. perish for ever For whatsoever men may be brought into danger of suffering doubtless there is a possibility at least that they may suffer as we have reasoned the case further elsewhere l Remedy of Unreasonableness p. 13 14 where also we put to rebuke that Distinction of a Possibility in respect of Second Causes and in respect of the first Cause or Decree of God evincing from express grounds of Scripture truth in this Assertion That there is not the least danger of suffering inconvenience by any such means or causes how likely or threatening soever in themselves simply considered to bring the inconvenience upon us which we know to be throughly mated and over-ballanced by means and causes of a contrary tendency and import I here add that should the meaning of the Authors of the said Passage be that those ransâ—med with the Blood of Christ are endangered in respect of second Causes or means onely but are in the mean time perfectly secured by God or His Decree from suffering the danger there had been no such cause of taking up that most solemn and pathetique Lamentation over them which they do but rather of rejoycing on their behalf that being so ransomed they are in no danger or possibility through any betraying or seduction by any Error or Heresie whatsoever of losing that grace or blessing of Salvation which was purchased by the Blood of Christ for them I shall not I trust need here to re-inculcate that which hath been and §. 27. this more then once so plainly expressed formerly viz. that my intent in citing Calvin with those other late Protestant Writers which we have subjoyned in the same suffrage of Doctrine unto Him in favor of the Doctrine of General Redemption is not to perswade the Reader that the habitual or standing Judgment either of Him or of the greater part of the rest was whole and entire for the said Doctrine or stood in any great propension hereunto though this I verily beleeve concerning sundry of them much less to imply that they never in other places of their Writings declared themselves against it but onely to shew 1. That the truth of this Doctrine is so neer at hand and 2. That the influence of it is so benign and accommodatious unto many other Truths and Doctrines in Christian Religion that it is an hard matter for those that deal much in these affairs not to assume and assert it ever and anon and to speak and argue many things upon the account of the Authority of it yea though extrà casum necessitatis on the one hand and incogitantiae on the other hand they are wont to behold it as God doth proud men afar off Let us draw up the Sum total of the Chapter in a very few words and so end it First we have seen the roots of that Doctrine held forth in our present Discourse throughly watered with the fairest streams of the Judgment Learning Approbation and Authority of the Primitive Times Secondly concerning Times of a later date we have found that the Judgment and Faith of that party of Protestant Churches and Writers which is known by the Name of Lutheran do more generally if not universally accord with the same Doctrine Thirdly and lastly that the other party of these Churches and Writers viz. those who incline more to the Sence and Judgment of Calvin in matters of Christian concernment together with Calvin himself doth very frequently attest the same Doctrine yea and cannot well want the service and assistance of it in the managing and carrying on many of their affairs The result of all is that no considering or conscientious Person whatsoever hath the least occasion to decline or keep aloof off in Judgment from the said Doctrine for want of company so great a number as we have seen of the best and most desirable for Companions in the way of Faith of those that have dwelt with flesh and blood since the Apostles days having given the right hand of fellowship unto it in their respective generations CHAP. XX. The Conclusion exhibiting a general Proposal or Survey of Matters intended for
my Fathers Commandments and abide in his love 336 17. 2. As thou last given him power over all flesh that he should give eternal life to as many as thou hast given him 116 117 c. 17. 3. And this is life eternal that they know thee the onely true God and him whom thou hast sent Jesus Christ 40 41 17. 12. those that thou gavest me I have kept and none of them is lost but the Son of perdition 252 17. 15. I pray not that but that thou shouldst keep them from the evil 246 17. 21 22. That they All may be one as thou Father art in me and I in thee that they also may be one in us 245 246 20. 31. But these things are written that ye might beleeve that Jesus is the Christ the Son of God and that beleeving ye might have have life c. 397 398 Acts 4. 27 28. For of a truth against thy Holy Childe Jesus both Herod and Pontius Pilate with the Gentiles and people of Israel were gathered together For to do whatsoever thy hand and counsel determined before to be done c. 14 15 c. 5. 4. Whilest it remained was it not thine own and after it was sold was it not in thine own power 13 7. 60. lay not this sin to their charge 245 13. 46. but seeing ye put it from you and judg your selves unworthy of everlasting life lo c. 491 15. 8. And God which knoweth the heart bare them witness giving them the Holy Ghost c. 362 17. 28. For in him we live and move and have our Being 2 3 c. 23. 1. Men and Brethren I have lived in all good Conscience before God until this day 355 23. 4. Revilest thou Gods High Priest 443 27. 24. and lo God hath given thee all them that sail with thee 307 27. 31. except thesE abide in the ship ye cannot be safe 9 307 184 225 Rom. 1. 19. Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them for God c. 507 1. 20. to the intent they should be without excuse 502 1. 21. Because that when they knew God they glorified him not as God c. 507 2. 4 5. not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee unto Repentance But after thy hardness and impenitent heart thou treasurest up c. 188 410 2. 6. Who will render to every man according to his work 244 3. 3. For what if some did not beleeve shall their unbelief make the Faith of God of none effect 359 3. 19. that every mouth may be stopped 502 5. 7. Yet peradventure for a good man some will even dare to dye 287 5. 15. But not as the offence so also is the free gift For if through the offence of one many be dead much more the Grace of God and the gift by Grace which is by one man Jesus Christ hath abounded unto many 110 111 515 516 5. 16. And not as it was by one that sinned so is the gift For the judgment was by one to condemnation but the free gift is of many offences unto justification 493 494 c. 5. 18. Therefore as by the offence of one judgment came upon all men to condemnation even so by the righteousness of one the free gift came upon all men unto justification of life 108 109 c. 516 517 c. Rom. 5. 19. For as by one mans disobedience many were made sinners so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous 516 517 c. 6. 2. How shall we that are dead to sin live any longer therein 261 6. 9 10 11. Knowing that Christ being raised from the dead dyeth no more Likewise also reckon your selves to be dead indeed unto sin c. 262 263 7. 12. Wherefore the Law is holy and the Commandment holy and just and good 287 444 7. 19. but the evil which I would not that I do 61 326 327 8. 13 14. but if ye through the spirit do mortifie the deeds of the body ye shall live For as many as are led by the Spirit of God they are the Sons of God 325 8. 24. but Hope that is seen is not hope 317 8. 28 29 30. And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God to them who are called according to his purpose For whom he did foreknow he did also predestinate c. Moreover whom he did predestinate them he also called and whom he called c. 207 208 c. 50 8. 31. If God be for us who can be against us 340 8. 34. Who is he that condemneth It is Christ that dyed yea rather that is risen again who also c. 248 249 c. 9. 11. that the purpose of God according to Election might stand not of Works but of him that calleth 462 9. 15. for I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy 68 9. 21. Hath not the Potter power over the clay 68 11. 26. And so all Israel shall be saved as it is written There shall come out of Sion a Deliverer that shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob. 227 228 11. 29. For the gifts and calling of God are without repentance 152 153 c. 11. 33. O the depths of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledg of God! How unsearchable are his Judgments and his ways past finding out 427 43 14. 15. Destroy not him with thy meat for whom Christ dyed 121 122 14. 23. For whatsoever is not of Faith is sin 496 1 Cor. 1. 8 9. Who shall also confirm you unto the end that c. God is faithful by whom ye were called c. 187 235 4. 15. For though ye have ten thousand Instructors in Christ yet have ye not many Fathers for c. 266 331 5. 5. to deliver such an one unto Satan 361 362 6. 15. shall I then take the members of Christ and make them the members of an harlot 328 c. 7. 32 33. He that is unmarried careth for the things of the Lord But he that is married careth for the things of the world how c. 264 8. 11. And through thy knowledg shall the weak Brother perish for whom Christ dyed 124 9. 27. lest by any means when I have preached unto others I my self should be a cast-away 62 279 280 315 316 377 10. 12. Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall 310 10. 13. But God is faithful who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able but c. 238 310 12. 12. so also is Christ 458 2 Cor. 1. 22. Who hath also sealed us and given us the earnest of his Spirit in our hearts 256 257 2. 15. For we are unto God a sweet savor of Christ in them that are saved and in them that perish 216 428 506 5. 14 15. For the love of Christ constraineth us because we thus judg that if one dyed for all then were all dead And that he
believe in a way of Charity that all and every Professor of the Christian Faith are true Brethren or Persons for whom Christ Died but only that there is no Particular or single Person in this heap concerning whom they stand not bound by the Law of charity thus to believe at least untill they have ministred grounds of suspition that indeed they are Hypocrites For to this I answer 1. In such an Explication of themselves as this they cleerly grant that for a time viz. untill Professors administer grounds of jealousie that their Faith is not sound they stand bound to conceive of them all one or other without exception I meane according to the judgement of Charity tâ—at Christ Died for them But such a belief as this is contrary to what they believe dogmatically as hath been said and according to the judgement of Faith Therefore still they enterfeere For to believe that Christ Died for every individual Professor and to believe that He Died for all Professors without exception is but one and the same belief nor can any difference be shewed between them 2. Neither is a Symptome of Hypocrisie seene or observed in a Professor §. 18. any sufficient ground for the reversall of such a judgement of Charity concerning Him according unto which we judged Him a Person for whom Christ Died. Because 1. There may be many Symptomes or Signes of Hypocrisie which are not demonstrative or of any essentiall eviction And 2. If a man were an evicted Hypocrite yet may he recover from under this condemnation Therefore Hypocrisie though certainly known by a man is no sufficient or reasonable ground no not according to the grounds of the Doctrine now oppugned why I may not or ought not in a way of Charity to judge that Christ Died for him notwithstanding Thus then we see at last that no Colour Plea or Pretence no turning shifting or winding about this way or that will salve the impertinency that I say not importune absurdity of any interpretation whatsoever of the Scripture in hand which doth not in a cleer comportance with the words and scope and drift of the Apostle therein suppose a possibility of their Perishing for whom Christ Died and that in order to their non-Perishing as we shall have occasion to shew further before the end of this Chapter in asserting another Passage of Scripture to the same Point The next in the order propounded is 2 Peter 2. 1. But there were false §. 19. prophets among the People even as there shall be false Teachers among you who privily shall bring in damnable Heresies even denying the Lord that bought them and bring upon themselves swift destruction Here it is cleerly supposed and as good as in plaine terms affirmed that men bought by the Lord viz. Christ as all Interpreters expound may yea and that some will bring upon themselves destruction If so then evident it is that the Lord Christ bought with the Price of His Blood as well those who perish and are destroyed by their own wickednesse as those that are saved and consequently all men without exception That which is excepted against this Interpretation and Inference from §. 20. the place is very faint and weake if you desire it as it is I shall impart it First say some the Lord Christ is not here said to buy those here spoken of and who are said to bring destruction upon themselves after the same manner or upon the like terms on which he is or may be said to buy those that are saved these He buyes for one end or with one intent as viz. to adopt for sons those with another as viz. for slaves and vassalls only I suppose the World never heard of such a purchase as this made by Jesus Christ till these latter dayes I meane of men only to make slaves and vassalls of them Certaine I am that the Scripture makes Christs free-men and Christs servants or bondmen all one For he that is called in the Lord saith the Apostle being a servant is the Lords freeman likewise also he that is called being free is Christs servant or bondman * 1 Cor. 7. 22. And indeed it is the blessed liberty and freedome which we obtaine by Christ that makes us His servants or bondmen i. e. which ingageth us to be such unto him But if Christ buyes Men with the Price of His Blood only for slaves and vassalls I would know whether they come to the actuall injoyment of this Priviledge for such it must needs be supposed as by the Context it selfe will appeare presently by Faith or without Faith It cannot be said that they come to the Possession of it by Faith for by Faith men are put into the blessed relation of sons Yee are all the children of God saith the Apostle by Faith in Jesus Christ a Gal. 3. 26. If they should come to it without Faith then Christ should shew more favour at least in this respect to his vassalls then to His Sons His Sons come not to the actuall injoyment of their Priviledge but by Faith but His slaves it seemes may attain the actuall injoyment of theirs without the performance of this or any other condition whatsoever Againe if Christ bought wicked Men and such as perish for slaves and §. 21. vassalls I would know whether they act the parts of slaves and vassalls and so serve Him in that capacity which He aimed at in His purchase of them or whether they act contrary to the Nature and Lawes of slavery or vassallage If they act as slaves and vassalls then they answer and fulfill their Lords intentions and desires in His Purchase and so are not to be blamed but commended rather If it be said that they act otherwise I meane then as becommeth slaves and vassalls this must be either by acting righteously or unrighteously If it be by acting righteously that they transgresse the Law of slavery then it followes that men may prove better and live more holily then Christ ever intended or desired they should If it be by acting unrighteously then Christ did not intend that those whom He bought for slaves should live unrighteously but holily If so then were His intentions towards those whom He bought for slaves altogether as gracious as towards those whom He purchased for sons His intentions towards and concerning these in His purchase of them being clearly this that they should serve him in righteousness b Luke 1. 74. 75. Againe if Christ should buy some Men for slaves and vassalls then in §. 22. case any of these bought for such an end or with such an intention as this should repent and believe Christ should be not only disappointed in His bargaine but this by the righteousnesse of the persons bought or bargained for by Him To alledge here that it is unpossible that any person who is bought for a slave should repent or believe 1. Is absolutely untrue there being no man but only he who
hath sinned the sin against the Holy Ghost who is not in a capacity or possibility of Repentance 2. Though it were true yet it hinders not at all the truth or the force of the consequence in the proposition mentioned viz. that in case any of those should repent whom Christ hath bought for slaves then he should be disappointed in his bargaine and that by the righteousnesse of those bought by Him Reason teacheth us that a Connex proposition may be demonstratively true and pregnant though both the parts of it be never so false As for example if Ismael had been the naturall son of Lot he could not have been the naturall son of Abraham this is a proposition of a manifest and cleer truth yet both parts of it are false For 1. Ismael was not the naturall son of Lot 2. He was the naturall son of Abraham Yet Againe if Christ bought some for slaves then hath he some base servile §. 23. hard or drudgery work to doe such as is not meet for sons to put their hand unto For they have no need of slaves that have no servile or slavish work to doe But Christ hath no work to doe but that which is Honorable and worthy the most ingenuous of all His sons to doe All the Commandements of God David saith are righteousnesse a Psal 119. 172. And a little before All thy Commandements are truth b Verse 151. Now Christ hath no more Worke to be done by Men in the World then God hath neither hath God any more then what is expressed and set forth in His Commandements and all these as we heard from David are righteousnesse i. e. require nothing but what is righteous and just for Men to doe and consequently meet for sons yea chiefly for sons or righteous ones to doe Yea God hath no neede of any Mans lye or of any Mans sin whatsoever Therefore neither did Christ buy any for slaves Once more if the Persons here said to be bought by Christ were bought by §. 24. Him for slaves then must the Apostle be conceived to extenuate their sin in denying Him by saying that He bought them whereas by the emphaticall carriage of the Context it is evident that His intent was by this consideration to aggravate that their sin and set forth the hainousnesse the high demerit and provocation of it He that buyes Men being slaves to make them free Men and set them at liberty may well expect thanks and free service from them and if they should not own such a Person as their Great Benefactor they deserve not only to be devested of that liberty which this Benefactor of theirs hath purchased for them but to be subjected to a Bondage seven times more grievous then that from which they were delivered But if a Man shall buy those that were slaves before only to put them into a condition of worse slavery then that wherein they were they are not to be blamed if they deny Him to be any Great Benefactor to them In like manner if Christ shall be here said to buy the Men spoken of for slaves only He should buy them out of a more easie slavery from under a lighter condemnation only to put them into an harder Bondage and subject them to a greater condemnation and consequently their not owning Him or their denying Him as any Benefactor unto them were no just matter of provocation to Him nor of displeasure from God What is that estate of Bondage or Misery in any kinde out of which Christ may be said to buy those whom He is supposed to buy for slaves And what is that estate of slavery unto which He subjectth them or into which He putteth them by this purchase or buying of them that so we may compare them together Doubtlesse that Bondage and Misery out of which these Men can be supposed to be bought by Christ is in the utmost Line and Pitch of it but an obnoxiousnesse or liablenesse to have been cast into Hell fire for their sin committed in or contracted from Adam as soone as they were conceived or borne or the like but that estate of slavery whereinto according to that interpretation of the place which we now oppose they are bought by being bought by Christ is seven times more grievous then so For 1. Under this they are as liable to be thrown into Hell fire as in the other Nay 2. They are sure to be cast into Hell fire with much more guilt of sin upon them then in their former condition they were capable of and consequently to be so much the more grievously tormented for ever Therefore their sin of denying Christ is so far from being aggravated by their being bought by Him for slaves that indeed it is extenuated and brought to nothing by it and consequently such an interpretation is diametrally opposite to the Apostles intent in the place Lastly for this if Christ bought the false Teachers here spoken of with §. 25. other wicked Men who in fine perish for slaves in what respect or with what intentions may He be supposed to have bought such Infants who dying in their infancy and before the committing of actuall sin are supposed through the want of the Priviledge of Election to Perish Must we not have another Device or Notion whereby to forme the Intentions of Christ in His Purchase of these For it can at no hand of reason be said or thought that He bought these for slaves in as much as He never intended that these should live so much as to a capacity of doing any worke at all in one kinde or other for Him If the Assertors of the Interpretation now ready to fall shall think to relieve themselves at this Point by saying that it is not necessary that Christ should at all minde such Children in His Purchase so as to buy them in one kinde or other but may well be conceived only to leave them as He found them I would demand of them only this how then or upon what account such Children should injoy the benefit of life though but for a short season as for a Month two c. together with the comforts of life appropriate to their Age as nourishment nursing looking to c. If no consideration at all was had of such in the Death and Purchase of Christ I would gladly understand what other Friend they had to Mediate with God for such things on their behalfe or whether God be so far well pleased with them without all mediation as to indulge such mercies and comforts unto them Nor can it with any Colour of Reason be said that Christ bought the §. 26. Persons here spoken of for slaves or servants unto the Saints because 1. As the sphere of the affaires of this World moves the Saints are rather servants unto the wicked then these to them Thy seed saith God to Abraham shall be a stranger in a Land that is not theirs and they shall serve