particle If hee had said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Gal. 5.4 1 Cor. 11.27 There had been some colour for this but I deny that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 all must bee restrictive here more then 2 Thess. 2.11.12 God gave them over to the efficacie of error to beleeve a lie that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that all those might bee damned that beleeve not the truth but have pleasure in unrighteousnesse It follows not that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 here that all or who ever beleeve not the truth should bee fewer in number then those that are given over to the efficacie of error yea the number of the one and the other is equall so Ioh. 5.22 Th◠Father judgeth no man but hath committed all judgement to the Sonne vers 23. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that all men should honour the Sonne as they honour the Father who sent him I see no ground to say that some may honour the Father and bee raised from the dead and quickened as ver 21. who doe not honour the Sonne And therefore it ought not to bee translated God so loved the world c. That whosoever beleeves should not perish but farre more agreeably to the originall God so loved the world that every one beleeving should not perish as in multitude of places it is translated unusquisque non quicunque and therefore faith is not set downe here so much ad modum conditionis as ad modum medi◠as a condition as a meanes to bring this loved world to glory as if yee would say hee so loveth letters as all learned are dear to him so God so loved his chosen world that he gave his Sonne to die for them now this love is eternall that all these beleeving in their own time might never bee lost but have eternall life Nor can Arminians take the world world for all and every one of mankinde for they exclude all infants dying so as uncapable of faith and they say these words containe Gods speciall decree of election and reprobation to wit Ioh. 3.16 God decreed to save all that beleeve and God decreed all that beleeve not should perish Now from Election and Reprobation they exclude all the Heathen and all their infants and all infants whatsoever and such as never heard the Gospel so I feare they make as narrow a world here as wee doe let them see to it Whereas Arminians say that the word world never signifieth in Scripture the elect onely what then Let mee answer 1. Their world of elect and reprobate excluding the best part of mankinde all infants all that never heard the Gospel sure is not in the Scripture nor speaks it of such a world 2. This is a begging of the question for Ioh. 1.29 The world whose sins the Lambe of God takes away the Reconciled world to whom the Lord imputes no sinne 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it s the same word that is ascribed to Abrahams beleeving Rom. 4.3 vers 4.5 And that David speakes of Psal. 32.2 Rom. 4.6 The imputing of righteousnesse and of Faith to righteousnesse that in which blessednesse coming through Christ consisteth Rom. 4.8 9 10 11. This world is the onely beleeving elect world the loved world Joh. 3.16 the world saved vers 17. the world of which Christ is Saviour Ioh. 4.42 the world that Christ giveth his life unto Ioh. 6.33 and for whose life he giveth his life v. 55. the world of which Abraham but much more Christ is heire Rom. 4.13 The reconciled world occasioned by the Iews falling off Christ Rom. 11.15 all these are the elect beleeving and Redeemed world this they can never disprove The other ground of our answer to all the places on the contrary is that the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Christ died for all doth never signifie all and every one of mankinde by neither Scripture nor the doctrine of adversaries But is as all Divines say to be expounded according to the subject in hand secundum materiam substratam Hence our 1. Rule All often signifieth the most part Marke 1.64 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they all condemned him to bee guilty of death 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the whole counsell Matth. 26.59 yet Joseph of Arimathea consented not to his death Luke 23.51 and the flood destroyed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 them all Luke 17.27 yet eight persons were saved so all Judah Jer. 13.19 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 was carried into captivity 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 All is often the same with many all the sheep of Kedar shall be gathered to thee 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is many and Gen. 41. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and all the land came to Egypt when the matter beares a clear exception and other Scriptures expound it then sure Christs dying for all must bee expounded for his giving himselfe a ransome for many Matth. 20.28 compared with 1. Tim. 2.6 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is here and there 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 So the Law saith all doe that which the most part doe mens will doth not limit what God speaks but let the text it selfe be diligently considered Exod. 9.6 All the castle of Egypt died that was in the field Christ gave himselfe a ransome for all capable of a ransome Arminians say that the finally obdured those that sinne against the Holy Ghost and infants of Heathen or any dying infants cannot bee ransomed by Christ Exod. 32.26 All the sonnes of Levi came to Moses not all without exception Many adhered to Aaron in his idolatry v. 29. Deut. 33.9 so Matt. 3.5 Then went out to him Jerusalem and all Judea and all the countrey near to Jordan Now this signification being applyed to our use Christ giving himselfe a ransome for all men his dying for all can bee no larger then the saving of all the beleeving of all flesh and the blessing of all nations in Christ but Gen. 18.18 all in him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 all the nations of the earth shall be blessed Gen. 22.18 In thy seed shall all the nations of the earth bee blessed the whole world that John saith Christ is a propitiation for 1 Joh. 2.1 cannot be larger then this now this cannot carry any tollerable sense that all and every man of the Nations are actually blessed in Christ more then all and every one are redeemed reconciled received in favour within the Covenant of Grace And therefore Arminians have as good reason from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 all that are said to bee ransomed are all actually saved and hell shall bee empty and to no purpose as to contend for a universall Redemption As a wicked pamphlet printed of late faith all the Creation of God Men and Angels are redeemed and shall at length bee saved in Christ. Now we can undenyably prove that all and every Nation and all and
mans doubting from signes inherent in the man and if hee be a back-slider in heart you fetch fire and water from beyond the Moone to cure him or you must fetch warrants to convince him from the mind eternall counsells of love and free grace within God and that is all the question between the poore man and you You cannot prove God hath loved him from everlasting because hee hath loved him from everlasting If Libertines in this Argument intend to prove that a chosen convert in Christ hath no ground to question that hee is not beloved of God and not in Christ 1. That is nothing to the Thesis of Antinomians maintained by all that sinners as sinners are to beleeve Gods eternall love in Christ to them and so all sinners elect or reprobate are to beleeve the same 2. It s nothing to the universall commandement that all and every one in the visible Church wearied and loaden with sin or not wearied and loaden are immediatly to come to Christ and rest on him as made of God to them their righteousnesse sanctification and redemption without any inherent qualification in them 3. It s nothing to the point of freeing all and building a golden bridge to deliver all who are oblieged to beleeve elect or reprobate from doubting whether they be in Christ or not that they may easily come to Christ and beleeve his eternall love and redemption in him though they be in the gall of bitternesse and bonds of iniquity and that immediatly Which golden Paradise to heaven and Christ Antinomians liberally promise to all sinners as sinners I cannot beleeve that it s so easie a step to Christ. For the second It 's a dreame that God loveth sinners with the same love every way wherewith hee loveth his owne Sonne Christ. And why Because God loveth us onely for his owne Sonne and for nothing in us Ergo Farre more it must follow it s a farre other an higher fountaine love wherewith the Father loveth his owne eternall and consubstantiall Sonne the Mediator betweene God and man and that derived love wherewith he loveth us sinners As the one is 1. Naturall the latter free 2. The love of the Father to the Sonne as his consubstantiall Son and so farre as it 's essentially included in his love to Jesus Christ Mediator is not a love founded on grace and free-mercy which might never have beene in God because essentially the Father must love his Sonne Christ as his Sonne and being Mediator he cannot for that renounce his naturall love to him which is the fundamentall cause why hee loveth us for Christ his Sonne as Mediator but the love wherewith the Father loveth us for his Sonne Christ is founded on free Grace and mercy and might possibly never have been in God For 1. as he could not but beget his Sonne he could not but love him nature not election can have place in either but it was his Free will to create a man or not create him 2. He cannot but love his Sonne Christ but God might either have loved neither man nor Angel so as to chuse them to Salvation and he might have chosen other Men and Angels then these whom he hath chosen God hath no such freedome in loving his owne Consubstantiall Sonne 2. It s an untruth that God loveth his chosen ones as he doth love his Sonne that is with the same degree of love wherewith he loves his Sonne I thinke that not farre from either grosse ignorance or blasphemie It possibly may bee the same love by proportion with which the Father tendereth the Mediatour or Redeemer and all his saved and ransomed ones but in regard of willing good to the creature loved he neither loveth his redeemed with the same love wherewith hee loveth his Sonne except blasphemously we say God hath as highly exalted all the redeemed and given to them a name above every name as he hath done to his owne Sonne nor doth he so love all his chosen ones as hee conferreth equall grace and glory upon all alike as if one starre differed not from anoâ—her starre in glory in the highest heavens Our owne good works cannot make our Lord love us lesse or more with the love of eternall election but they may make God love us more with the love of complâ—cency and a sweeter manifestation of God in the fruits and gracious effects of his love According to that John 14.23 Jesus said if a man love me he will keepe my words and my Father will love him and we will come unto him and make our abode with him The third reason is the same with the first and proveth nothing but a Major Poposition not denied by the disquieted sinner which is this Who ever is justified and chosen cannot be condemned whom ever the Lord once loveth to salvation he must alwaies love to salvation for his love is like himselfe and changeth not But the disquieted sinner is chosen and loved to salvation This Assumption is all the question and the truth of a Major Proposition can never prove the truth of the Assumption Saltmarsh Free Grace Chap. 4. Pag. 83.84 85. Because you feele not your selfe sanctified you feare you are not justified If you suppose that God takes in any part of your faith repentance new obedience or sanctification as a ground upon which he justifieth or forgiveth 1. you are cleare against the Word for if it be of Workes it is no more of Grace 2. It must then be the onely evidence you seeke for and you aske for sanctification to helpe your assurance of justification but take it in the Scriptures way 1. In the Scriptures Christ is revealed to be our sanctification Christ is made unto us righteousnesse sanctification I live yet not I but Christ liveth in me Yee are Christs but yee are sanctified but yee are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus He hath quickned us together with Christ. Wee are his workmanship created in Christ Jesus unto good workes Jesus Christ himself being the chiefe corner stone That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith that new man which after God was created in righteousnesse and true holinesse Wee are members of his body of his flesh and his bones And being found in him not having mine own righteousnesse I can dâ—e all things through Christ which strengthneth me But Christ is all in all Your life is hid with Christ in God Heb. 13.20 21. All these set forth Christ as our sanctification the fulnesse of his the all in all Christ hath beleeved perfectly for us he hath sorrowed for sinne perfectly he hath obeyed perfectly he hath mortified sinne perfectly and all is ours and we are Christs and Christ is Gods 2. The second thing is Faith about our owne sanctification we must beleeve more truth of our owne graces then we can see or feele the Lord in his Dispensation hath so ordered that here our life should be hid with Christ in God that we should
he being the end of the Law as also his passive obedience is ours If this be the intended sense then all our Sanctification is nothing but the Sanctification and holy active obedience of Christ. I yeeld this to be a broad a faire and easie way to heaven Christ doth all for us Christ weeped for my sinnes and that is all the repentance required in me if I beleeve that Christ was mortified and dead to the world for me that is my mortification and if I beleeve that the Change of the whole man was truely in Christ this is my true holinesse then my walking in holinesse cannot bee rewarded with life eternall nor have any influence as a way or meanes leading to the kingdome 2. Christs active obedience imputed to the sinner can be no evidence of justification because it is in Christ not in me any evidence or marke of Justification must bee inherent in the beleever not in Christ. 3. And one and the same thing cannot be a marke and a signe of it selfe Now the active obedience of Christ imputed to the sinner is holden to be a part of Justification 5. The Scripture doth indeed bid you see nothing in your self that can buy the righteousnesse of Christ or be an hire and wages to ransome imputed righteousnesse and Legall Teachers not any Protestant Divines bâ—d you see something a great something of merit and selfe-righteousnesse in your selfe And Antinomians say that the New creature or the New man mentioned in the Gospel is not meant of Grace but of Christ. The Scripture maketh Christ and Justification the cause and Sanctification and the New creature the effect 2 Cor. 5.17 If any man be in Christ hee is a new creature And this assertion maketh Sanctification as formâ—lly distinguished from Christ and Justification just nothing And Antinomians say that in the regenerate and Saints there is no inherent righteousnesse no grace or graces in the soules of beleevers but in Christ onely And M. Saltmarsh saith the same that our sorrow repentance mortification and change of the whole man are nothing in us but they are in Christ and must be apprehended by faith as things unseen whereas the divine nature is in the Saints 2 Pet. 1.4 Faith dwelleth in us 2 Tim. 1.5 The new creation and image of Christ is in the mind Ephes. 4.23 The seed of God abideth in us 1 Joh. 3.9 The anoynting that teacheth all things 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 remaineth in you 1 Joh. 2.27 and Ezek. 36. â—6 I will give you an heart of flesh and I will put my Spirit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the inner part or in the midst of you Antinomians teach That true poverty of spirit doth kill and take away the sight of grace And Sanctification is so farre from evidencing a good estate that it darkens it rather and a man may more clearly see Christ when hee seeth no sanctification then when hee sees it the darker my sanctification is the brighter is my justification So Saltmarsh The Scriptures bid you see nothing in your selfe or all as nothing these Teachers bid you see something in your selfe And it s a walking by faith and not by sight and a life hid with Christ in God to beleeve more truth in our owne graces then wee see or feel Now its true the Saints out of weaknesse mis-prize the Spirit 's working in them and while they under-value themselves they under-rate the new creation in themselves and tacitely upbraid and â—lander the grace of Christ and lessen the heavenly treasure because it is in an earthen vessell but poverty of spirit and grace will see and doe see grace inherent in it selfe though as the fruit of grace Cant. 1.5 I am black O daughters of Jerusalem but comely as the tents of Kedar Vers. 11. While the King sitteth at his table my spikenard sendeth forth the smell thereof The Saints as they make a judgement of Christ and his beauty so also of themselves My heart waked I am sick of love Psal. 116.16 O Lord truly I am thy servant Psal. 63.1 My soule thirsteth for thee my flesh longeth after thee Psal. 73.25 Whom have I in heaven but thee and there is none upon earth that I desire beside thee Psal. 130.6 My soule waiteth for the Lord more then they that watch for the morning So Ezekiah Esay 38.3 Paul 2 Cor. 1.12 2 Tim. 4.7 8. 1 Cor. 15.9 10. And others have set out in its colours the image of Christ in it selfe but not as leaving out Christ and taking in merit nor doth the sense of sanctification darken justification or lessen it to nothing except where wee abuse it to merit and selfe-confidence as Peter did who in point of selfe-confidence ought to have forgotten the things that are behind 2. Yea to say wee see justification more clearly when wee seâ— no sanctification is to make the water and the Spirit 1 Joh. 5.8 dumb or false witnesses that either speak nothing or tell lies 3. It is against the office of the Spirit which is to make us know 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the things that are freely given us of God such as faith repentance love mortification Act. 5. â— 2 Tim. 2.25 Phil. 1.29 Ephes. 2.8 Rom. 5.5 Gal. 2.20 I grant by accident when sin appeareth to a Saint out of measure sinfull and hee seeth how little good hee hath that hee is blind naked poore and hath no money nor price that hee is sold as a wretched man under a body of sin Rom. 7.14 24. it heighteneth the excellency and worth of the ransome and bloud holden forth in Justâ—fication And white righteousnesse free and glorious set beside black guiltinesse and no sanctification compearing as price or hire maketh Christ appeare to be choycer then gold or rubies Yea when I see no sanctification to buy Christ then justification is more lovely eye-sweet taking and soule-ravishing as the more light the more darknesse is discovered and the more sin the higher is Jesus Christ. And by all this the Saints professing their owne integrity and holy walking before God should see something in themselves not understanding the mystery of the Gospel and erre miserably with Legall Teachers and darken free justification by grace And one grace of God should obscure and destroy another for to see feel and professe sanctification is an act of supernaturall feeling and of grace how then can it darken the faith of the remission of sinnes in Christ But it may be asked When the Saints cannot be assured that God is their Father in regard of sin unbeleefe and present deadnesse what reasons would you use to raise their spirits up to the assurance of their interest and relation to God as to their Father Ans. There is no way of arguing Saints out of their unbeleefe except hee that laboureth to strengthen them being an Interpreter one of a thousand who can shew a man his righteousnesse be so acquainted with
absence to say nothing of everlasting huggings and embracings Asser. 7. Nor is this a good reason I find sinne rottennesse and so a deserved curse in all my workes of sanctification therefore why should I make them any bottome for assurance but I must take in Christ heere for Sanctification for if workes of this kind be not done in Faith to the knowledge of the doer they can witnesse nothing but beare a false testimony of Christ nor doe we ever teach that Christ is to bee decourted from our workes of Sanctification but even faith it selfe which is a bottome of peace to Antinomians by this reason must be cashiered for as the love of Christ our prayers humility are not formally sinnes but onely concomitantly in regard that sinne adhereth to them as muddy water is not formally clay and mudde but in mixture its clayie and muddie so our Faith is concomitantly sinnefull both because often its weake and so wanting many degrees and mixed with sinne deserves a curse as well as works of Sanctification but it apprehendeth Christ and righteousnes in him and so it bottometh our assurance If by apprehending you meane to bring to you certaine knowledge and assurance that Christ is made my righteousnesse then you beg the question if you deny this to works of Sanctification For 1 John 2.3 Hereby we know that we know him if we keep his commandements Ver. 5. And who so keepeth his word in him verily the love of God is perfected hereby that is by keeping his word called twise before vers 3.4 The keeping of his Commandements and vers 6. Walking as he walked Hereby saith he know wee that we are in him in Christ our propitiation and righteousnesse and thus are we justified by keeping the Commandements of God because by this we apprehend and know that we are justified 2. But then all that are justified must bee fully perswaded of their justification and that faith is essentially a perswasion and assurance of the love of God to me in Christ it s more then I could ever learne to bee the nature of Faith a consâ—quent separable I beleeve it is 3. If by apprehending Christ and his righteousnesse be understood a relying and fiduciall acquiescing and recumbencie on Christ for salvation It is granted in this sense that Faith is a bottome to our assurance of our being in Christ but that it breedeth assurance in a reflect knowledge alwaies that a beleever is in Christ is not true for 1. I may beleeve and be justified and not know yea positively doubt that I beleeve and am justified as thousands have pardon and have no peace nor assurance of their pardon and have faith in Christ and in his free love and have no feeling of Christ and of his free love For we beleeve more truth of our owne graces and so of our faith and assurance of our pardon then we can see or feele which is Gods dispensation that our life should be hid with Christ in God Ergo the life of Faith by which the just doth live is hid and above the reach of feeling at all times 2. As Faith which is the direct act of knowing and relying on Christ for pardon is a worke of the Spirit above the reach of reason so also the reflect act of my knowing and feeling that I beleeve and am in Christ which proceedeth sometime from Faith and the immediate Testimony of the Spirit sometime from our walking in Christ 1 John 2.3 4. 1 Joh. 3.14 is a supernaturall work above the compasse and reach of our Free-will and is dispensed according to the spirations and stirrings of the free grace of God and as the keeping of his Commandements actu primo and in it selfe giveth Testimony that the soule is in Christ and justified even as the act of beleeving in it selfe doth the same yet that wee actu secundo efficaciously know and feele that we are in Christ from the irradiation and light of Faith and sincere walking with God is not necessary save onely when the winde of the actuall motion and flowing of the Spirit concurre with these meanes just as the Gospel-promises of themselves are life and power but they then onely actually actu secundo animate and quicken whithered soules when the Lord is pleased to contribute his influence in the shininâ— of his Spirit Otherwise I may walke in darkenesse yea bâ—â—eeve pray love die for paine of love and have no ligh◠〈◊〉 reflect knowledge and feeling that I am in Esayâ—0 â—0 10 I may be sicke of love for Christ call knock pray conferr with the watchmen and daughters of Jerusalem and be at a low ebbe in my own sense yea the beloved may to my feeling and actuall assurance have withdrawne himselfe Cant. 3.1 2 3 4 5. Cant. 5.5 6 7 8. and all my inherent evidences cannot quicken me in any tollerable assurance It 's true Sanctification may bee darkned yea and Faith also when there is nothing to the faith-failing and outer dying but this onely of Christ the head all the life of a Saint retyring not to his faint heart but to his strong head I have prayed for you that your faith faile not but the darke evening of Davids both Faith and Sanctification and of Peter in his denying of his Master and his Judaizing Gal. 2. When he and others ver 14. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 do crook and halt betweene Grace and the Law as the people did between Jehovah and Baal their profession of Jehovah and Christs grace being long and their practise short and inclining too much to Baal and salvation by the Law as halting is a walking with a long and a short legge the body unevenly inclining to both sides of the way this darkening I say was in the second acts of Faith and Sanctification but life and sap was at the roote of the Oake-tree when it was lopt hewed and by winter stormes spoyled of the beauty of its leaves Wee doe not say that Sanctification doth at all times actually beare witnesse or a like sensibly and convincingly that the soule is justified is in Christ there be degrees and intermission and sicke dayes both of Faith and Sanctification But we say roses and flowers have been ever since the creation and shall be to the end of the world because though they vanish in winter yet in their causes they are as eternall as the earth so is Faith and the bloomings and greene blossomings of Sanctification alwaies but there is a Sommer when they cast forth their leaves and beautie Asser. 8. To presse duties out of a principle of Faith is to presse Christ upon soules nor can the seeing of beames and light in the ayre or of Wine-grapes on the tree be a denying of the Sunne to be in the firmanent or of life and sap to be in the Vine-tree to see and feele in our selves grapes and fruits of righteousnesse except we make the grace of Christ a bastard
after drawing bloud and cutting a veine more commeth in the place and after a great Feaver and decay of strength in a recovery Nature repaireth it selfe more copiously And often in our sad troubles wee have that complaint of God which he rebuketh his people for Esayâ—0 â—0 27 Why sayest thou O Jaakob and speakest O Israel my way is hid from the Lord and my judgement is passed over from God that is the Lord takes no notice of my affliction and hee forgets to right me as if I were hid out of his sight and David Psal. 31.22 I said in my hast I am cut off from before thine eyes It s not unlike a word which Cain spake with a farre other mind Gen. 4.14 From thy face shall I be hid But this is 1. To judge God to be faint and weake as if hee could doe no more but were expiâ—ing Esay 40. vers 28. He will bee both weake and wearied if he forget his owne and our darkenesse cannot rob the Lord of light and infinite knowledge he cannot forget his office as Redeemer God is not like the Storke that leaves her egges in the Sand and forgets that they may be crushed and broken When Christ goes away hee leaves his heart and love behind in the soule till hee returne againe himselfe if the young creation be in the soule he must come backe to his nest to warme with his wings the young tender birth Asser. 16. Nor is Christ so farre departed at any time but you may know the soule he hath been in yea hee stands at the side of the sicke bed weeping for his pained childe yea your groanes pierceth his bowels Jer. 31.20 For since I spoke against him saith the Lord I doe earnestly remember him it s not the lesse true that the head of a swoning sonne lyeth in the bosome and the two armes of Christ that the weake man beleeveth that he is utterly gone away Asser. 17. Nor will Christ more reckon in a Legall way for the slips mis-judgings and love-rovings of a spirituall distemper then a Father can whip his childe with a rod because he mis-knoweth his Father and uttereth words of folly in the height of a feavor Christ must pardon the fancie and sinnes of sicke love the errors of the love of Christ are almost innocent crimes though unbeliefe make love-lyes of Jesus Christ. There be some over-lovings as it were that foames out rash and hasty jealousies of Christ when acts of fiery and flaming desires doe out-runne acts of faith as hunger hath no reason so the inundations and swellings of the love of Christ flow over their banks that we so strongly desire the Lord to returne that we beleeve he will never returne Asser. 18. Though hid Jewels be no Jewels a losed Christ no Christ to sense yet is their an unvisible and an undiscerned instinct of heaven that hindered the soule to give Christ over Shall we upon all this extend all these Spirituall considerations to all men whether they bee in Christ or not Some teach us this as the great Gospel-secret concerning Faith That none ought to question whether they beleeve God to be their Father Christ their Redeemer or no but are to beleeve till they bee perswaded that they doe beleeve and feele more and more of the truth of their faith or beliefe righteousnesse being revealed from faith to faith The 1. ground of this is Christs command to beleeve now commands of this nature are to be obeyed not disputed But this is so farre from being a Gospel-secret that it is not a Gospel truth and sends poore soules to seeke honey in a nest of Waspes the path-way to presumption For though these who truly beleeve ought not to doubt of their beliefe yet these who have lamps of faith and no oyle ought to question whether there be oyle in their lamps or no and true faith with their profession else the foolish Virgines were not farre out who never questioned their faith till it was out of time to buy oyle and that these Virgines should beleeve they had oyle in their lamps when they had none till they should bee perswaded that empty lamps were full lamps and a bastard faith true faith were to oblige them to feed upon the East-winde till there should be a faith produced in the imagination that the East is the West 2. All the Scriptures that charge us to trie our selves 1 Cor. 11. â—8 To examine our selves whether we be in the faith and to know our selves that Jesus Christ is in us except we be reprobats 2 Cor. 13.5 and to know the things that are freely given us of God 1 Cor. 2.12 and so to know our faith Phil. 1.29 doe evince that wee are to trie and so farre to question whether we beleeve or not as multitudes are obliged to acknowledge their faith is but fancy and that there is a thing like faith which is nothing such and that we are not to deceive our selves with a vaine presumption which looketh like faith and is no faith And James 2. many who beleeve there is a God and imagine they have faith being voide of good works and of love in which the life and efficacie of faith is much seene have no more faith then Devils have Vers. 18 â—9 20. â— It is true that we are to beleeve on the name of his Sonne Jesus Christ without any disputing concerning the equity of the command of beleeving or of our obligation to beleeve For both are most just And to dispute thâ— holy and just will of God is to oppose our carnall reason to the wisdome of God but we are noâ— because wee cannot dispute the holy command of God nor to reason our duty not to examine whether that which wee conceive wee doe as a dutie be a bastard and false conception or a true and genuine dutie nor because I may not reason the precept of beleeving given by Jesus Christ am I therefore to beleeve in any order that I please and to come to Christ whether I bee weary and laden with sinne or not weary and laden Christ commandeth mee to beleeve Ergo remaining in my wickednesse regarding iniquity in my heart without despairing of salvation in my selfe I am to beleeve I shall deny this câ—nsâ—quence It is all one as if Antinomians would argue thus All within the visiblâ— Church are obliged to beleeve and râ—st on Christ for salvation whether they be elect or reprobate whether their whoorish heart be broken with the sense of sinne or whole Ergo they are obliged to presume or to rest on Christ their righteousnesse whether they distrust their owne or not Object 2. Wee find not any in the whole course of Christ's preaching or the Discioles that asked the question whether they beleeved or not or whether their faith were true faith or no. It were a disparagement to the Lord of the feast to aske whether his dainties were reall or delusions The
opposition to another known false god though all may oppose the Gospel The Lord complaines of a whorish heart that playeth the harlot with many lovers Jer. 3.1 and heaven and saving grace stands on an indivisible point like the number of seven one added one removed varieth the nature no man is halfe in heaven halfe in hell almost a Christian is no Christian. When Adam fell from one God hee fell upon many inventions not upon one onely Eccles. 7.29 Our wandering is infinite and hath no home either God is a thunder or then hee is an Angel speaking from heaven Consid. 5. Men think the supernaturall wayes of God a thunder in the aire which is a most naturall work the ebbing and flowing of the Spirit either naturall joy or melancholly naturally following the complexion of the body It s Grace that puts a right sense on the works of God as on the word wee are no lesse heterodox in mis-interpreting the wayes and workes of God then in putting false and unsound senses on his word Emrods plagues the Philistines they doubt if chance or if the God of Israel have thus plagued them Moses works miracles the Magicians work miracles and the Egyptians doubt whether their false god or the living God that made the heaven and the earth hath wrought the miracles When God and Nature both worke naturall men or Saints as naturall betake themselves to the nearest God As sicknesse comes the naturall man saith Neglect of the body health the moone humours the air cold weather did it but hee looks not to God And the beleever guilty of a breach of the Sixth Command in neglecting second causes and in needlesse hurting the body seeth not this but fathers all upon God onely in a spirituall dispensation and considereth onely dispensation in God not sin in himselfe 2. Mercies grow invisibly and wee see not wee are ready to sleep at mercies offered When Christ knocks in love wee are in bed Cant. 5. 3. Judgements speak in the dark but wee heare not the Lord fatteneth some slaughter-oxen for hell and death is on some mens faces even the second death on their person but they see not To heare the Lords rods and who hath appointed it is the man of Wisdomes part Micha 6.9 There is an Orthodoxe Wisdome and Will as there is an Orthodox Faith Will as well as the minde can frame Syllogismes every unrenewed man hath a faith of his owne in the bottome of his will 2 Pet. 3. Some are willingly ignorant Some Jer. 9. through deceit refuse to know the Lord whereas lusts puts out reason and takes the chaire Lust hath stout Logick against Christ a fleshly minde vainely puffed up is a badge of bastard wit out-reasoning all the Gospel O but grace is quick-eyed sharpe and a witty thing to see God vailed in under the curtaine of flesh to see Christ and heaven through words and the Gospel with childe of so great a salvation Consid. 6. What wonder that there bee divisions about Christ. Some will have the Lord speaking from heaven a thunder others an Angel Christ is the most disputable thing in the world Math. 16.13 14. there be five Religions and sundry opinions touching Christ the Scribes and Pharisees had many sundry opinions and one of them is the right way onely and tenne false Joh. 7.40 Many say Christ is a Prophet Vers. 41 Others said this is the Christ Others no Shall Christ come out of Galile and there was a division among them Luke 2.34 Christ is for a signe that shall bee spoken against And amongst Christs sufferings this is one Hebr. 12.3 He sustained 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 contradiction of sinners Math. 24. Many false Christs shall arise There is but one heaven and one way to heaven and there is but one hell but there be thousands of wayes to hell from one point to another you can draw but one straight line but you may draw tenn◠thousand crooked and circular lines The truth is one and very narrow the lie is broad and very fertile and broodie error is infinite It s a blessed thing to find wisdome to hit upon Christ and adhere to him there be some dicets and couseners Ephes. 4.14 that lye in wait to deceive the simple and they cast the dice for heaven and can cast you up any thing on the dice either one or seven do yee then resigne your selves in this wood of false Religions that now is to Christ to be led to heaven Many now teach there be some few fundamentals beleeve them and live well and you are saved And many false Teachers that turne the Gospel upside downe say it is the same Gospel though the head be where the feet should be and for errors we wrong not truth so long as we hold nothing against fundamentals Should a man remove the roofe of your house cut down the timber of it and pick out all the faire stones in the wall and say Friend I wrong not your house see the foundation stones are safe and the foure corner stones are sure in the meane time the house can fence off neither winde nor raine would not this man both mock you and wrong you He that keeps the foundation Christ shal be saved though he build on it hay and stubble 1 Cor. 3. It s true But it was never the intent of the Holy Ghost That a man beleeving some few fundamentals though he hold and spread lyes and false Doctrines is in no hazard of damnation or that hee hath liberty of conscience to adde to the foundation hay and stubble and untempered morter and to daube dirt upon the foundation Christ and not sinne the place speaks no such thing but of this else where Others said it was an Angel These come neerer to the truth for they conceive there is more in this voice then a worke of Nature such as a thunder is they think an Angel spoke to Christ and they are convinced that Christ keeps correspondence with Heaven and Angels Angels have been and are in high estimation among men alwaies and there is reason for it 1. There is more of Heaven in Angels and more of God then in any of their fellow-creatures Sinnefull men have been stricken with feare at the sight of them they are persons of a more excellent countrey then the earth John the Apostle did overvalue an Angel Revel 19. Revel 21. And fell downe to worship him 2. Angels elect and chosen never lost their birth-right of creation as Men and Devils have done they were created as the Lilies and Roses which no doubt had more sweetnesse of beauty and smell before the sin of man made them vanity-sick Ro. 8.20 but they have kept their robes of innocency their cloth of gold above five thousand yeares without one sparke of dirt or change of colour for they never sinned innocencie and freedome from sinne hath much of God Adam as many think kept not his garments cleane
their own sparks Answ. If to bid men abstaine from flagitious sinnes and from seeking glory of men that are both neck-breakes of faith Joh. 5.44 and bring men under eternall displeasure both before and after we beleeve be to walk in the light of our own Sparks then when the Lord forbids these in his Law and commandeth both the beleever and unbeleever the contrary vertues he must counsell the same with us To beleeve and not be humbled and despaire of salvation in your selfe is to presume he that beleeveth right is cast on that broaken board like a ship-broken man either must I cast my self on the Rock Christ or then drown eternally and perish The unjust Steward was at what shall I doe ere he came to a wise resolution to goe the road way that Christ leades all beleevers is not to walke in the light of our own sparks It s one thing to seeke qualifications of our selves trusting in them and another thing to seek qualifications in our selves as preparatory duties wrought by Christs grace the former we disclaime not the latter Object 7. I will relate mine own experience First when I was minded to make away my selfe for my sinne the Lord sent into my minde this word I have loved thee with an everlasting love Ah thought I then hath God loved me with such an everlasting love and shall I sin against such a God 2. Many doubts and feares arose from the examination of my self I was afraid of being deluded 3. The Promise Esai 55.1 did sweetly stay my heart Christ in his ordinances witnessed to me that he was mine 4. I went on for some time full of joy 5. I was in feares againe that I could not pray but I had a promise I will fulfill the desires of them that feare me c. Answ. The method of the conversion of a deluded Antinomian is no rule to others 2. Nor doe I thinke that Gâ—d keeps one way with all especially when this mâ—â—s â—â—st stâ—p is from nature and thoughts of selfe-murther up to the Lambs booke of life the secret of eternall election in the bâ—â—ast of God I have loved thee with an eternal love How knew the Author this to bee Gods voice from a qualification in his soule It kept him from selfe-murther Yee see qualifications in our selfe which the Author saith is the way of Legall Preachers are required in any that beleeve 2. It is utterly false that the Gospel-faith commanded to all the Elect and Reprobate is the apprehention of Gods eternall love to me in particular the Scripture saith no such thing Experience contrary to Scripture can be no leading rule So the Antinomian way of conversion is that every soule-troubled for sinne Elect or Reprobate is immediatly without any foregoing preparations or humiliation or worke of the law to beleeve that God loved him with an everlasting love A manifest lie for so Reprobats are to beleeve a ly as the first gospel-Gospel-truth This is I confesse a honey-way and so Evangelike that all the damned are to beleeve that God did beare to them the same everlasting good will and love he had in heart toward Jacob. 2. All Reprobates may abstaine from selfe-murther out of this principle of the Lords everlasting love of election revealed immediately at first without any previous signes or qualifications going before 3. The Gospel wee teach saith eternall election is that secret in the heart of the Lambe called his booke so as really God first loves and chooses the sinner to salvation and we are blacked with hell lying amongst the pots till Christ take us up and wash and lick the Leopard Spots off us but to our sense and apprehension wee first love and choose him as our onely liking and then by our faith and his love on us we know he hath first loved us with an everlasting love but there be many turnings windings ups and and downes ere it come to this I have not heard of such an experience that at the first without any more adoe forthwith the Lord saith Come up hither I will cause thee read thy name in the Lambs booke of life The same Author saith Election is the secret of God and belongeth to the Lord. Pag. 104. and shall the beleeving of the love of election to glory bee the first Medicine that you give to all troubled consciences Elect and Reprobate This is to quench the fire by casting in oyle but if Antinomians take two wayes one with the unconverted Elect troubled in conscience another with unconverted Reprobats so troubled we should bee glad to heare these two new wayes 4. In the second place he is so well acquainted with the way of the Spirit as if through the casement of the Cabinet-counsell of God he had seene and reckoned on his fingers all the steps of the staires he saith He had many doubts and feares to be deluded that is hee doubted if his faith was true and saving for this is all the delusion to be feared upon self-examination So Pag. 24. c. 2. But you may read his words chap. 5. pag. 93. I find not any saith the same Author in the whole course of Christs preaching or the Disciples when they preached to them to beleeve asking the question whether they beleeved or no. then it is like this experience finds no warrant or precedent in the Saints to whom Christ and the Apostles preached 5. The sweet witnessing of the Spirit from Esai 55.1 Ho every one that thirsts come to the waters is Gospel-honey but consider if there were no law-worke preparing no needle making a hole before Christ should sew together the sides of the wound It s but a delusion 1. Because Esai 61.1 no whole-hearted sinners meet with Christ none come at first laughing to Christ all that come to Jesus for helpe come with the teare in their eye 2. To come dry and withered to the waters Esai 55.1 is the required preparation 3. The gold in a beggars purse in great abundance is to be suspected for stollen gold because he laboured not for it This I say not because preparations and sweatings and running that goe before conversion are merits or such as deserve conversion or that conversion is due to them Antinomians impute this to us but unjustly I humbly conceive it not to be the doctrine of Luther Calvine or Protestants which Libertines charge us with that I may cleare us in this let these propositions speake for us Propos. 1. We cannot receive the Spirit by the preaching of the Law and covenant of Works but by the hearing of the promises of the Gospel Gal. 3. The Law its alone can chase men from Christ but never make a new creature nor can the letter of the Gospel without the Spirit doe it Propos. 2. when we looke for any thing in our selves or thinke that an unrenewed man is a confiding person to purchase Christ we bewilder our selves and vanish in foolishnesse This wrong
heaven nor will this include all and every Nation without exception Erasmus would aske of those that will not admit an Hyperbole in Scripture if there were English and Scots there Ye tithe every herbe that is Herbs of all kinds Luke 11.42 Christ cured every disease Matth. 4. 23. Yee shall eat of every tree of the garden Gen. 2.16 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 all his masters goods are in his hand 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Gen. 24.10 Now thus God will have all to be saved and Christ is the Mediator of all men 1 Tim. 2. which is not to be understood of all and every man but of Kings and low men and all conditions of men the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is thrice used in the Text. 1. We are no where but in this place only commanded to pray for all men but if for the eternall salvation of all and every one without exception is the doubt You shall not finde a warrant in the Word to pray that all mankinde may be saved absolutely for God hath revealed in his Word that he hath decrees of Election and Reprobation of men 2. And hath expresly forbidden to pray for their salvation that sinne to death 1 Iohn 5.16 And what Faith have we to pray for such for the salvation of Magistrates in that notion only we may pray for the peace of Babylon and for peace of Heathen Princes the Church being under them 3. God will have all men to be saved no other waies then he will have all to come to the knowledge of the truth that is of the Gospel Now how he will have all men without exception to come to the knowledge of the Gospel since this natural Antecedent and conditionall will to save all was in God toward the fallen Angels and the Gentiles in the time of the Old Testament when the Law of God and his will touching salvation through the Messiah to come was only revealed to the Jewes Deut. 7.7 Psal. 1 47.19 20. Let Arminians see for sure the Gospel is not and hath never been preached to all and every rationall creature and to all men yet he wills all men by Arminians grounds to come to the knowledge of the Gospel Now we know not how God who hath this naturall will eternally in him as they say willeth the heathens to come â—o the knowledge of the Gospel except he send Apostles with the miraculous gift of tongues to them to preach in their language 4. He instances in a specie of the all he spoke of v. 1. in Magistrates though Heathen Thanksgiving here for all and every man must also be commanded as well as prayer even for Julian and the greatest scourges and bloody Scorpions that lay heaviest stripes on the back of the Church Sure we have no faith to beleeve this in reference to their salvation 5. Paul must here speak of the Lords effectuall will whom he saveth and will have to be saved and to heare the Gospel they must be saved So the Apostle 2 Pet. 3.9 8. The Lord is long-suffering 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to us willing none of us to whom he is long-suffering to perish but will have all us to whom hee extendeth this long-suffering to come to repentance For he gives a reason why the day of judgement comes not so quickly but is so delayed that lustfull men scoffes at it because God waites till all the elect be gathered in they should perish and should not come to the knowledge of the truth if the Lord should hasten that day as Matth. 24. For the Elects sake the ill daies are shortned not for the reprobate So to this ransome Paul vers 7. is appointed a Preacher of the Gentiles in faith and truth this must be the Gentiles that beleeve and come to the knowledg of the truth nor did Paul beare this testimony to all and every one of the Gentiles yet Arminians say God will have all and every one of Jewes and Gentiles saved and ransomed as also he restricts the peaceable and godly life to the Church taking in himselfe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. that we may lead c. 6. His reason There is one God so much as of all orders in the Christian Church there is one God the King and Magistrate as touching his office hath not one God and the poore another God the Jewes have not one God and these I preach to the Gentiles vers 7. another the husband hath not one God and the wife another for these three orders Magistrats and these that are under them Jewes Gentiles Husband Wives are in the Text and if that poore argument of Master Moores had bloud or nerves because there is one God and because he names 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Men therefore God will save all and the Ransome must be as wide and spacious as the reason God is God to all and every one and all and every man is a man it may prove that these that blaspheme and sinne to death these of Bythinia and Samaria and all the Gentiles that the Lord wincked at and did not invite to repentance Act. 14.17 they left off to be men and God was not a God in relation to them as to the worke of his hands for sure God is not in covenant with all and every one of mankind for thousands that are men are without the covenant I demand of this universall will of God to save all and every one and the ransome for all and every one was it ever heard off in one letter in the Old Testament except by prophecying what was to be under the New Never Now was there not one God and one Mediator in the Old as in the New And naturall and universall desires and wils in God to save men as men and that God should save men as one God doe not rise and fall in God but sure his will called his command and revealed in the Gospel is larger under the Gospel nor it was before the Messiahs time otherwise God no otherwise willed all men to be saved amongst the Jewes as their God in covenant with them then hee willed all the Gentiles and every man of the heathen to be saved which contradicts Old and New Testament broadly for in the time of the Old Testament God willed not Moab Ammon Tyre Sidon Philistims Egyptians to come to the knowledge of the truth and Gospel 2 Sam. 7.23 Deut. 4.34 Psalm 147.19 7. God no more wills all and every man to be saved and come to beleeve so they will all and every one beleeve then he wills all and every one to bee damned so they beleeve not and refuse the Gospel the one will is as universall as the other 8. It is no justice that the ransome should be payd for all and every one and the captives remaine in prison eternally it s against the law Exod. 21. â—0 Exod. 30.12 15. Yee the Lords Ransomed Esai 35.9 10. Must obtaine everlasting joy in
our working and doing it was done by Christ with the Father all our work is no work of salvation but in salvation we receive all not doing any thing that we may receive more but doing because we receive so much and because we are saved and yet we are to work as much as if we were to be saved by what we doe because we should doe as much by what is done already for us and to our hands as if we were to receive it for what we did our selves So here is short worke saith the man Beleeve and be saved there are yet these grounds why salvation is so soon done 1. Because it was done before by Christ but not beleeved on before by thee till now 2. Because it is the Gospel-way of dispensation to assure anâ— passe over salvation in Christ to any that will beleeve it 3. There needs no more on our sides to worke or warrant salvation to us but to be perswaded that Iesus Christ died for us because Christ hath suffered and God is satisfied now suffering and satisfaction is that great worke of salvation And the man taking on him to determine controversies of Arminians touching the extent of free Grace whether Christ died for all in which questions I dare make Apology for his innocency that he is not guilty of wading too deep in them he would father on the Reformed Churches of Protestant Divines that we make this a rationall way of justice That God will meerly and arbitrarily damne men because he will so as God hath put every one under a state of Redemption and power of salvation and they are damned not from their own will but from Gods The opinion by Arminians is fathered upon that Apostolick light of the Church of Christ Eminent and divine Calvine and Saltmarsh will but second them that he may appear a star in the Firmament with others of some great magnitude But saith he the other way is Christ died only for his but is offered to all that his who are amongst this all might beleeve and though he died not for all yet none are excepted that is as he saith all and every one to whom Christ is preached elect or reprobate are to be perswaded that Christ died for them in particular and yet none are accepted but they that beleeve and none beleeve but they to whom it is given And having shown some dreames of his owne touching these controversies hee concludeth with a Truth I beleeve easily Thus have I opened though weakly the mystery Weakly but wilfully and daringly But Faith is formally no such perswasion as to be perswaded Every man is loved with an everlasting love chosen and redeemed in Christ for it changeth the whole Gospel in a lie Christ obligeth no man to beleeve an untruth Now all are charged to beleeve in the Son of God and Elect and Reprobate as there be of both sorts within the net of the Kingdome are not loved with an everlasting love nor did Christ die for them all 2. It s meer presumption not Faith that all Hypocrites fleshly men slaves to their lusts idolaters covetous men remaining such never broken with any Law-work should immediately beleeve Christ is their Saviour died for them and the Father loved them to salvation before the world was True it is before a sinner beleeve he is an unpardoned an ungodly and guilty sinner but that he is unbroken yea or unconverted before he beleeve I speak of order of Nature it s as unpossible as that a thristle can bring forth figs for then he should beleeve having no new heart in him which is the only principle of Faith 3. It s a more ingenuous opinion that Christ died for all and every one though it have no truth in it selfe then to hold that he died for the Elect only and yet oblige men as Antinomians doe against their conscience to beleeve he died for all and every one that are ingaged in the practise of beleeving 4. He that beleeveth not maketh God a liar then that which is to be beleeved must be an Evangelike truth 5. Faith layeth bands on all within the visible Church to be knit together in love unto all riches of the full assurance of understanding to thâ— acknowledgement of the mystery of God and of the Father and of Christ Col. 2.1 2. to be perswaded that nothing can separate us from the love of God in Christ Rom. 8.37 38 39. To full assurance Heb. 10. without wavering or declining or bowing like a tottering wall Now sure all and every one within the visible Church to whom the command of beleeving comes Reprobate or Elect are not holden to have a full assurance that they are chosen in Christ to salvation and redeemed in his blood Assertion 2. The object of saving Faith required of all within the visible Church is 1. Christs faithfulnesse to save beleevers Heb. 10.23 Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering and the Apostle backs it with an Argument that saving faith must lean upon for he is faithfull that hath promised And Paul 1 Cor. 1.9 presseth the same God is faithfull by whom yee were called unto the fellowship of his Son Jesus Christ our Lord. 2. We doe not read in the Old or New Testament that the decree purpose or intention of God to save and redeem persons in particular is the object of that saving Faith required in the Gospel For the second object of this Faith is the truth and goodnesse of that Mother promise of the Gospel Ioh. 3.16 and 5.25 that Gospel-record 1 Iohn 5.10 11 12. He that beleeveth hath life eternall and Jesus Christ came into the world to save sinners 1 Tim. 1.15 To seek and to save the lost Luke 19 1â— that he came to save me in particular is apprehended by sense not by faith for the Election of me by name to glory and the Lords intention to die for me is neither promise nor precept nor threatning if it be a History that I must beleeve its good shew me Histories of particular men now to be beleeved except of the Antichrist the second comming of Jesus Christ to judge the world Election to glory is not held forth as a promise If yee doe this yee shall be elected to glory nor is the contrary holden forth as a threatning If ye beleeve not ye shall be reprobated nor does the Lord command me to be chosen in Christ to salvation before the foundation of the world nor doth he command all men within the visible Church to beleeve they are chosen to salvation or that any one Elect person should beleeve a thing as revealed which is not revealed when he is pleased to give to any Elect person the white stone and the new name and to give him Faith by which he chuseth Christ for his portion he is then and never till then to beleeve or rather by spirituall sense to apprehend that he
is chosen to salvation from eternity so Election is neither precept nor promise but a truth of Gods gracious good will and pleasure hid in Gods mind till he be pleased to reveal it by the fruits thereof There can bee no such imaginable double dealing in the world as Arminians lay upon God For they make the Lord to say thus as imagine a King should speak to twenty thousand captives I have a good will purpose hearty intention and earnest desire to make you all and every one free Princes and pray wish obtest and beseech you subscribe such a Writ of grace for that end but I only can lead your hand at the Pen and give you eyes to see and a willing heart to consent to your own happinesse and if you refuse to signe the Bill of grace you shall be tormented for ever and ever in a river of fire and brimstone Again I have a like good will to my own justice and purpose so to carry on the designe as that sixteen thousand of you shall not have the benefit of my hand or of one finger to lead your hand at the pen nor any efficacious motion to act upon your will to obtain your consent to subscribe the Writ yea by the contrary though I of exceeding great free love will intend decree and purpose you bee all Princes of glory yet I purpose that these sixtâ—eâ— thousand whose salvation and happinesse I extreamly desire shall for their former rebellion which I with the like desire of spirit could and I only might have removed never be moâ—od to consent to this Bill of grace Now were not this the outside of a good will aâ—d should not this Prince bee said rather to will and desire the destruction of these sixteen thousand and not their honour and happinesse Asser. 3. This is the mystery of the Gospel in which I must professe ignorance and that the Lords thoughts are not as our thoughts nor his wayes as ourwayes he hath by the preaching of the gospel ingaged thousand thousands within the visible Church to the duty of their fidutiall adherence and heart resting on Christ as they would be saved and yet hath the Lord never purposâ—d to work their hearts and he only can do it to this heart-resting on Christ by faith nor hath he purchased either remission of sinnes or pardon for them If any object how can Christ in equitie judge and condemne them for not beleeving pardon and salvation in his blood when as neither pardon nor salvation are purchased in this blood to them nor purposeth he to give them faith Yet we may plead for the Lord we conceive of the decree of God as of a deep policie and a stratagem and snare laid for us whereas the Lord lies not in wait for our ruine nor carries he on a secret designe in the gospel to destroy men If Christ should say in the Gospel-precepts promises or threatnings I decree purpose and intend to redeeme all and every man but I purpose to carry on the designs so as the far greatest part of mankinde inevitably shall be lost it should be a stratagem but the gospel as the gospel revealeth not any decree or intention of God touching the salvation or damnation of men intended from eternitie Indeed the gospel as obeyed or disâ—beyed reveals Gods intentions and decrees the gospel revealeth nothing but the Lords complacencie approbation and good-liking of the sweet connexion between faith and salvation the just concatenation between unbeliefe disobedience and eternall damnation so the gospel reveals duties but not the persons saved or damned the Lords working with the gospel or the efficacie of the gospel which is a far other thing reveals the persons Now the difficulty is how the Lord can command the reprobate to beleeve life and salvation in Christ when there is no life and salvation either intended to them or purchased for them To which I answer 1. God gave a law to all the angels created in the truth If ye abide in the truth ye shall be eternally happy ye cannot say that the devils in that instant were to beleeve that God intended and decâ—eed them for eternall happines and to give them â—fficacious grace by which they should abide in the truth as their fellow-Angels did Gods command and promise did reveal no such intention of God So the Lord said to Adam and to all his seed If ye keep the law perfectly ye shall have life eternall according to that Do this and live yet was not Adam then far lesse these that are now under the Law to beleeve that God ordained them from eternitie to eternall life legally purchased or that any flesh should be justified by the works of the Law Arminians tell us that there be numbers judicially blinded and hardned within the visible Church who cannot beleeve and whom the Lord hath destined for destruction yet the word is preached to them they hear and read the promises of the gospel and the precepts Whither are they to beleeve that God intended from eternitie to them salvation and grace to beleeve I think not For they teach that Christ neither prayeth for nor intendeth to die for the unbeleeving and obstinate world as such nor decreed their salvation and except men may fancie sences on the words of Gods Spirit where learned they to expound the word World when it makes for them for all and every one of mankinde and when it makes against them for the least part of mankinde and that eâ—ther within the visible Church only or yet without the visible Church for in both Satans world of disobedient ones is the far greatest part sâ—eing the whole world lyes in sinne as John saith Let it be also remembred when Arminians say the Lamb of God taketh away the sinnes of the world that is of all and every mortall man they mean Christ takes not away nor sheddeth he his blood for the sinnes of the rebellious world so the worlds rebellion contuâ—â—acie and infidelitie against Christ must be pardoned without shedding of blood and if Christ did bear all the sinnes of the world on the crosse conditionally and none of them absolutely â—hen our act of beleeving must be the onely neerest cause of satisfaction for sinnes but why then if Christ satisfied on the crosse for the finall impenitencie and unbeliâ—fe of the rebellious world conditionally so they beleeve and be not rebellious but Arminians should say right downe Christ died for the rebellious and contumatious world and he prayes for the contumacious world as such but conditionally for he prays and dieth for the not rebellious world of all mortall men not absolutelie but conditionally so they beleeve in Christ if they beleeve not neither the prayers of Christ nor his death are more effectuall for them then for Devils To all these wee may adde that the Lord in commanding reprobates to rest on Christ for salvation though no salvation be purchased for them
deals sincerely candidly with them for first he commands them to beleeve no intention in God to save them by the death of his Son nor saith he any such thing to them but only commandeth them to rely on Christ as an alsufficient Saviour Secondly God commands all the reprobate even by their way to beleeve that Christ in his death intended their salvation justification conversion and yet whereas God taketh wayes effectuall and such as he foreseeth shall be effectuall for the efficacious working of justification and conversion and actuall glorification of some few yet he taketh wayes which he knoweth shall be utterly ineffectuall for the salvation justification and conversion of all these reprobates and yet commandeth thâ—m to beleeve that he decree and intendeth their salvation and conversion with no lesse ardency and vehemency of serious affection then he doth intend the salvation and conversion of all that shall bee glorified Sure this we would call double dealing in men and the Scripture saith he is a God of truth Deut. 32. and the Lord who cannot lie Object If a rich Inne-keeper should dig a Fountain in his Field for all passengers thirsty and diseased which were able to cure them and quench their thirst and invite them all to come and drink and be cured upon condition they come and beleeve the vertue of the water to be such and yeâ— should intend and decree absolutely and irresistibly the tenth man invited should never be cured this Innekeeper should not deal sincerely with them So you make God to deal with sinners in the Gospel He doth all in inviting sâ—ck sinners to come and drinâ— life and salvation at Christ the Fountain of life which expresseth with men who speak as they think their sincere intention but he intendeth no such thing Answ. Make the comparison runne as it should doe and it maketh more against Arminians say that this Inne-keeper had dominion over the heart and will as the Lord hath Prov. 21.1 Psal. 119.36 37. Hebr. 13.20 21. Matth. 6.13 and that he could and doth without straining of the heart work in all the passengers a sense of their disease grace actually to come and drink and yet hee taketh a dealing with the soules of some few and causeth them come to the waters and drink and healeth them and he useth such meanes and so acts upon the will of the farre most part that they shall never come never be sensible of their disease and yet he invites them to come to the waters and drink its clear this Inne-keeper never intended the health of all and every one of the passengers but only of these few that come and drink nor doth invitations with men upon condition which the party invited is obliged to perform but doth never perform and which the inviter only of grace can work in the invited but doth not work them as being not obliged thereunto speak any such intention Again let it be considered that here 1 God lies in wait for no mans destruction 2 God is not obliged to reveal his eternall purpose and intentions touching mens salvation and damnation but in the way and manner seemes best to him 3 God never saith in all the Gospel that from eternity he hath passed a resolve to save all mankinde if they will and to yeeld them the bridle on their own necks that they may bee indifferent and absolute Lords of Heaven and Hell 4 Nor should the Gospel be framed in such wisdomâ— if the Lord had set down particularly the names of all the Elect and Reprobate in the world and have proponed salvation upon condition of obedience and faith to some few it should evidently have raysed a hard opinion in the mindes of thousands touching Christ. Asser. 4. The third object of Faith is the sufficiency and power of Christ to save 1 The Scripture maketh the object of comming which is beleeving Ioh. 5.40 Ioh. 6.35 Matth. 11.27 to be Christs ability and power Hebr. 7.25 to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them What the Scripture presseth us to beleeve savingly that we must be inclined to misbeleeve and for the misbeleeving thereof the reprobates are condemned and not because they beleeve not the Lords intention to save all or his decrees of election and reprobation But the Scripture presseth faith in the power of mercy Rom. 4.21 Abraham staggered not but was strong in the faith giving glory to God being fully perswaded that what he had promised he was able also to perform Now Abraham is commended for that he savingly and for his justification beleeved the power of God in the Gospell promise that God was able of his mercy to give him the sonne of promise in his old age otherwise to beleeve simply the power of God to give a child to a mother who is passed the naturall date of bearing children is but the faith of miracles which of it selfe is not sâ—ving and may bee in workers of iniquity Matth. 7.21 22. so this power then is the power of saving conjoyned with the mercy and good will of Christ. 2 The Scripture holds forth to our faith the power of God to graffe in the Jewes again in Christ Rom. 11.23 to make a weak beleever stand Rom. 14.4 to keep the Saints from falling and to present them faultlesse bâ—fore the presence of his glory with exceeding joy Iude v. 24. 3 The good Land was a type of the heavenly rest Heb 4.1 and Heb. 3.19 some entred not in through unbeleefe why what unbeleefe the Story sheweth us Psal· 93.7 Num. 14.9 Num. 13.28 they doubted of the power of God and beleeved the report of the unbeleeving Spies who said The people be strong that dwell in the Land the Cities are walled and very great and moreover we saw the childâ—en of Anak there Joshua and Caleb chap. 14.9 said they should not be bread for them and their strength was gone then the question was whether God was able to give them that good Land So then men enter not into the heavenly rest because they beleeve not that Iesus is able to save to the uttermost those that come through him to God Heb. 7.23 4 The Scripture is as much in proving the alsufficiency power and perfection of Christ our Saviour to save as in demonstrating his tendernesse of mercy and goodwill to save as in the Epistle to the Hebrewes the Apostle laboureth much for to prove the Godhead of Christ his excellency above Angels and that the Angels were to adore him his dignity and greatnesse above Moses and all the mortall and dying Priests the vertue of his blood above all the bloods of Buls and Goats to purge the conscience from dead works to expiate sinne to sanctifie his people to open a way a new and living way to the holy of holiest by his blood that we with full assurance may draw near to God that he with one Sacrifâ—ce
ye are not to look for so much in your selfe as in others but he is farre behind who may not follow Object 6. Nay I finde nothing in me that may qualifie meâ— for Christ. Answ. Fit and sufficient qualifications for Christ is the hire of merit that we naturally seek in our selves Antinomians doe not a liâ—tle injure us because we teach that obstinate sinners as obstinate and proud are not immediately to believe not that it is not their duty to believe but because believing is physically incompatible with these persons that are to believe since believing is the going of the sinner out off himsâ—lf to Christ and a proud obstinate and rebellious sinner never broken nor in no sort humbled under that reduplication stayes in himself But we are farre from exhorting any to stand aloof and afarre off from Christ because they cannot be prepared sufficiently for him or because they have not a present to bring the King Yea come as yee are bidden kisse the sonne but tremble and stoop faith is a lowly thing merrit or hire sufficient in halfe or in whole penny or penny worth to give to Chriâ—â— before a sinner come to Christ or after we utterly disclaim Ob. 7. But I have low thoughts of Christ and am affraid he will cast mee away how then can J have low thoughts of my self and be humbled ere I beleeve Answ. There be not any of us who teach that saving humility goeth before faith It is one thing to be broken and plowed another to be humble and harrowed the law must break the râ—ckie ground ere ye beleeve But Christ must break the clods and harrow and soften the soule true humiliation followeth faâ—th Ob. 8. But base thoughts of Christ which I finde in my selfe are most contrarie to faith I think Christ not so meek a lamb as to put a Wolfe a Tyger or a Leopard in his bosome Answ. Not any but they have too low thoughts of Christ ere they can come to him for the Gospel in whole and in part is medicine Christ has a healing tongue medicine is relative to sicknesse Christ would never have said to unbeleevers Iohn 6.39 him that commeth J will in no wise cast away If mâ—n had not naturally had such thoughts of Christ as hee is rough and strange and Lordly and so far from meeknesse that he casteth thousands of poore sinners out that come to him so Christs tongue in speaking these words is good phisick all of us have jâ—alous and strange thoughts of Christ Ye may know the disâ—ase by the phyâ—â—ck contraria contrarijs curantur The wearâ—e and loaden sinners take Christ to bee rough and not meek therefore saith Christ come unto me all ye that are wearie and loaden and I will ease you If hee bee a shepherd we naturaâ—ly think if wee cannot goe on our owne feet he has a club to beat uâ— Therefore Esai 40.11 The Lord saith Not so he will not beat â—hose that want lâ—gs of their own to follow him but he shall carry the Lambs in his bosome and gently lead those that are with young yea if converts and weak ones had not jealousies Ah Christ is above us and so lordly so just that if wee bee not as strong as others he will break us it had not been prophecied of him Esai 43. a bruisâ— dreed shall he not break a smoaking flax shall he not quench Now precious thoughts of Christ ye cannot have till ye come to Christ and buy from him a new minde and new thoughts without money Ob. 9. But beleeving is fruitlesse and unpossible if I be excluded from the number of those that Christ died for for then I am to beleeve remission of sinnes without shedding of blood and Christ shed no blood for me Answ. You are neither to lay such a supposition down thâ—â— either you are excluded from the number of those that Christ died for or included in that number neither of the two are reveaâ—ed to you and secret things belong to the Lord. It is enough to you that 1. you are not excluded for any thing that is revealed to you 2. That thou hast need of Christ and art a guilty sinner 3. That thou art commanded to beleeve As for Christs not shedding of his blood for thee say it were so it s no more absurd that you are obliged to beleeve on Christ as an al sufficient Redeemer for remission of sinnes though remission be not purchased to you in Christs blood then that you are obliged to beleeve that God will infallibly save you when as God has peremptorily reprobated you upon foreseen finall impenitencie and has decreed not to work in you to beleeve and has not purchased by his blood the grace of beleeving without the which hee seeth beleeving is unpossible Let Arminians answer the one doubt and we can answer the other onely their way maketh God to say he willeth the salvation of reprobats which in very truth hee willeth not for its protestatio facto contraria a will contrary to his dispensation toward them and so no will whereas wee acknowledge God in his promises commands charges to be most sincere and that the promises belong onely to the children of the promise not to the rebrobate Ob 10. But it s unpossible I can be fitted with sorrow for sinne or repentance before I beleeve in Christ. Answ. We teach not that you must first repent then beleeve or first beleeve then repent but that some legal acts of sorrow and bruisings of Spirit and self dispair go before faith then acts of beleeving and then evangelick repentance in seeing by faith him whom ye have pieâ—ced with your sinnes and the mourning for piercing of him Zach. 12.10 But your neede beggarlinesse sinfulnesse may well be a spur to chase you to Christ seeing Christ heighteneth his fair grace by occasion of your black sins Rom. 3.5.20.2 Rom. 3.24.25 If Christ have such a good will to draw all men ah shall he draw all men and such a fair number of all ranks and not draw me Lord Iesuâ— what aâ—ls thee at me when offices of estate are distributed and livings and pensions given to men there be some male-contents this man is preferred noâ— I It were good there were spirituall male-contentednesse with seâ—f-discontent at our own rebellion and no envying of others O that Christ who drawes all men would draw me and hee that has love for so many would out of his love cause me say Whether is thy beloved gone O thou fairest among women whither is thy belâ—ved turned aside that we may seek him with thee say there were a free gold myne in India that loadeth with gold all ships and enriches multitudes that goe thither and it has never drawn thee to make a journey thither blame thy self if thou be poor when many are enriched 1. Hath not Christ knocked at the doore of thy soule with a rainie head and frozen loâ—ks and thou
Scripture for the conversion and salvation of all and every one as for the redemption of all and every one Drag-net p. 80 81. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Drâ—g-net p. 8â— 8â— How all flesh see the salvation of God Denne Drag-net pag. 96. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 All ordinarily is put for many in scripture The 〈◊〉 Iohn 3.16 disâ—â—â—ssed that love â—s a particular love proper to the 〈◊〉 only What the love of God is Arminian election faint and weak for the salvation of one more then another Gods love in Christ efficacious All redeemed from wâ—ath to come are redeemeâ— from all iniquitie and this present evill world Christ purchased saith to us by his death All graces in Christ are peculiar to the elâ—ct â—nly how can then Redemption be universall The promises of the Gospel not properly conditionall in relation to God What is neveâ— done is not Gods will simply The revealed will of God called voluntas signi is not simply Gods will but onely so called by a figure What can in shaddow of vain reason be objected against absolute elâ—ction and reprobation and particular redemption fall with equal strength upon conditionall universall â—lâ—ction and redemption The place Ioh 3.16 favours not universall Redemption The loved world cannot mean all and every individuall person of the world Whosoever or everyone 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â—oldeth not forth a dâ—strubation ever See Amesius in his Anti-synodala One elect worldu Scriptâ—re The 1. rule for expounding the particle all Omnes videntur sacere vel patâ— quod 〈◊〉 major pâ—â—s Pandeâ—t § quod major Arminians have as good reason to say all and every one are saved and eternally glorifâ—ed in Christ aâ— all and every one are Redeemed in him The plaâ—â— 1 Tim. â— God will have all men to be saved He gave himselfe a ransome for all men discussed The place 2. Pet. 3.9 The Lord will have noâ—e to perish â— opened Calvin CoÌ„ment in loc â—e Aâ—l the raâ—somed are saved Rule 5. Christ saves and redeemes all because none are saved and redeemed but by him The common nature of man proves not Christ to redeeme all and every one Vniversality of free grace cap 1â— pag 63.64.65 The place Heb. 2.9 He tasted death for every man opened The place Rom. 5 discâ—ssâ—d Compare the heires of first Adam and the heires of the second and the place Rom. 5. is for us much 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Arminius Antiperkins The place 1 Cor. 15. in Christ all shall be made alive cleared The place 1 Iohn 2.1 2. cleared The place 2 Pet 2.1 cleared 1 Tim. 4 10. opened Christ hath a serious good will to save and draw sinners to himselfe How low and near Christ came to save Doubts of those that our of weaknesse cannot beleive To be â—mongst visâ—ble professors gives a faire hâ—nt of laying hold on Christ by faith How low down and to what generall tearmes to take all in the Gospel descendeth 1. To indefinite termes of beleevers 2. To larger to sinners 3 To visible Saints 4. To men 5. To most comprehensive of all 6. To the world How wisely the Gospel is contrived in giving to none ground to despaire and taking in mâ—ny in Christs bosome Nota. Grace gâ—eth along with the most dâ—sperate sinners 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The sâ—rrâ—w of Chrâ—sts â—ove tâ—â—t wâ— come not to hâ—m 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ah omnis sitieâ— sâ—â—e 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 What the reveaâ—eâ— wiâ—l of God is Nota. A will to save all thâ—t comâ—s short of the salvation â—f all it contrary to the Lords attributes The Lords wishes expâ—sâ—alations and crying bold forth how eaâ—nest hee is in drawing sinners to himselfe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 How Christ draweth All. Christ hath an all which he saveth Christ removeth all exceptions that mâ—n have against their owne beleeving The place Ezeâ—h 33 1â— and c. 18. explâ—â—ned The exception that it was not sâ—rethâ—â—â—â—t love in Christ to savâ— â—emovâ—d The place Pro 8.30 I was by him as one brought up with him c. opened Christ most willing to die for sinners The difficulty of beleeving the Gospel 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Piscator Obfirmavâ—t faciem suam Christ had a strong good will to die for sinners 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The last and speciall doubt Doth Christ love me by name Antinomians dreame that faith is an apprehension of the eternall love of election Saltmarsh part ◠§. 5â— p. 191 192. Page 193 194 Page 199 â—0â— 201 202. Page 202 203 The Gospel obligeth none to beleeve an untruth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The faithfulnesse of God in saving one of the objects of saving faith The second object of faith is Gods mercy in saving all thâ—t beleeve Election of some persons to glory is a divine truth but it s neither precept promise nor threatning of the Gospel Arminians lay dâ—â—ble dealing on God by the faith they enjoyn to all God may obliege all to rest on Christ as their Saviour though salvation 〈◊〉 not purchased to all The Gospel as the Gospel revealeth not Gods intention touching the salvation and damnation of certaine men from eternitie the Gospel as finally obeyed or refused revealeth such intentions All in the visible Churuh are obliged to rest on Christ as the Saviour of all that beleeve but they are not al obliged to beleeve that he intendeth salvation to them proved by clearâ— instaâ—ces Arminians expound the word world as fitteth most for their owne ends in contrary senses How Christ dies for the world and the rebellious world conditionally How God dealeth sincerly with all whom he commandeth to believe Gospel invitations oâ—â—en to intentions of God to us Gods wise framing of the Gospel invitations in not eâ—pressing the â—â—mes of any The sufficiency of pâ—wer in Christ to save is the object of that faith for the want of which Reprobaâ—es within the visible Church are damned The objâ—ct of fiducial resting on Christ. That I am sinfull and not excluded by name is a good warrant to me to believe indefinite promises and to rest on Christ for salvation The Arminian argument against particular redemption from the hope assuranâ—e and comfort of all proposed with all its nerves and strength Vniversall Redeâ—â—â—ion furnishâ—th no grouâ—ds of assuâ—aâ—ce hope câ—mforâ— to all (a) â—reder 〈…〉 de Reprobat The Title of Thomas Moâ—â—â—s 〈◊〉 â—eathenish and â—uggests câ—mâ—oâ—t aâ—â— hopâ— of salvation in Christs death to 〈◊〉 Tâ—rtarians Indians Turks and Pagans also never hard of Christs death The hope of assurance and comfort flowing from universal redemption vain and fruitlesse and false Anti Perkins God intends not his ends ever according to certaine knowledge say Arminians Arminians fancy God to hang pendulous uncertain between two â—nds Arminians hope and comfort is that all mankinde must hang between hope and dispaire Armâ—nians fancy God to be expelled from his far best â—nd and compelled against his will to
way to be sure of the truth of good things is tasting and feeling Eat O friends drinke yea drink abundantly O beloved Answ. This reason would inferre that there is not a Saint on earth capable of such a sinne as to doubt whether they beleeve or not because wee read not of it in any of the hearers of Christ or the Apostles This is a bad consequence except you say All the various conditions of troubled consciences are set down in particular examples in the New Testament Which is contrary to all experiences of the Saints 2. It is one thing to doubt of the truth of the promises and another thing to doubt whether my apprehension of the promise be true or false The latter is not alwayes sin for it may be my apprehension of the truth of the promises be beside the line and off the way and then I question not Christ's dainties which to doe were unbeleefe but my owne deluded fancie which may appeare to be faith and is nothing lesse the former is indeed unbeleefe not the latter 3. It s true tasting makes sure the truth of the Lord 's good things that are inclosed in the promises but then an unconverted sinner who is void of spirituall senses cannot be the beloved nor the friend that Christ speaketh to Cant. 5.1 Wee doe not say a beleever ought to doubt whether hee hath true faith or no but because the command of beleeving obliegeth the non-converted as well as the converted shall the naturall man eat as a friend and a beloved hee remaining in nature and not yet converted and this man in nature ought not to doubt whether his fancie be faith or not but hee is oblieged to beleeve that is to imagine that his fancie is faith 4. I see not how if the faith of the Saints be tried as gold in the fire they may not through the prevalencie of temptation be shaken in their faith as Peter was when hee denyed his Saviour and Paul who 2 Cor. 1 8. was pressed out of measure above strength despaired of life had the sentence of death 2 Cor. 7.5 was troubled on every side fightings without and feares within and the sonnes of God who may feare that they have received the spirit of bondage to feare againe opposite to the Spirit of adoption Rom. 8.15 but that they may faint in their tribulations Ephes. 3.13 and may be surprised with feare which hath torment and must be cast out 1 Joh. 4.18 and may be ready to faint and die Revel 3.2 and turne luke-warme be wretched miserable poore blind naked and yet beleeve the contrary of themselves Revel 3.16 17. All these may come and often doe come to that low condition of spirit after Justification as to say and think that all men are liars their faith is no faith that they are forsaken of God to their own sense and cast out of his sight and question whether they ever did beleeve or no And why would the Apostle say Patience bringeth forth experience and experience hope and hope maketh not ashamed Rom. 5.4 if experience that ever God loved me or that ever I beleeved to my present sense cannot be removed But this is but the Doctrine of Famulists who teach That after the revelation of the Spirit neither devill nor sinne can make the soule to doubt And To question whether God be my deare Father after or upon the committing of some hainous sinnes as murther incest c. doth prove a man to be in the Covenant of works Doe not they then teach us a way of despairing who say that Wee find not in the whole course of Christ's preaching or the Disciples that any asked the question whether they beleeved or no whether their faith were true faith or no What then shall thousands of smoking flaxes and weak reeds doe who often ask this question and say and think Ah I have no faith my faith is but counterfeit mettall And then by this Doctrine of despaire beleevers ought to conclude I am not under Grace but under the Law and a Covenant of works and so not in Christ yea whatever lusters were in me before I am in no condition of any wee read of in the New Testament who were hearers of Christ and the Apostles for Libertines never true beleevers doubted whether their faith was true or not Object 3. For any to doubt whether they beleeve or no is a question that Christ onely can satisfie who is the Author and Finisher of our faith Who can more properly shew one that hee sees then the Light which enlightens him Answ. Christ solves not questions that no man ever made S. thinkes that beleevers never doubt whether their faith be true faith or not which is a strong way of beleeving and those must be so strong in the faith who doubt not of this as they are above all temptations But this will be found against the experience of all beleevers It is most true none can work faith but the onely Creator and Author of faith but will the Author hence inferre no man the most wicked nor any that ever heard Christ or his Apostles preach doubted of their faith 2. The sunne with all its light cannot perswade a blind man who seeth not that hee seeth beleevers often think they see when they see not and think they are blind when they see as experience and Scripture Revel 3.16 17. Joh. 9.38 39. teach us Object 4. Faith is truly and simply this A being perswaded more or lesse of Christ's love and therefore it is called a beleeving with the heart Now what infallible signe is there to perswade any that they are perswaded when themselves question the truth of their perswasion God onely shall perswade Japhet Who can more principally and with clearer satisfaction perswade the Spouse of the good will of him shee loves but himselfe Can all the love-tokens or testimoniall rings and bracelets They may concurre and help in the manifestation but it is the voyce of the beloved that doth the turne My beloved spake and said unto me Rise my love my faire one saith the Spouse Answ. 1. Faith may be a perswasion in some sense but that it is a perswasion that my faith or perswasion is true not counterfeit and so formally is utterly denyed How many beleeve and love Christ with the heart who are not perswaded that they doe so yea much doubt whether they beleeve with the heart and would give a world to know if it were possible that they truly love God No Divine who knoweth that a direct act of faith and to beleeve is when there is no reflexe act can deny this 2. Arguments or signes in accurate speech are not called infallible actu secundo the word of God is in it selfe infallible actu prâ—â—o But to Aristotle this In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth is not infallible actu secundo nor are the promises Hee that beleeveth