over all which is manifest in his language commanding of them but the peculiarity of his love is not to be judged by the extent of his authority but by the application or making good of his mercy which work or privilege is but to some and is solely his work as we shall afterwards shew you Fourthly though faith be required in the declaration and is the way to enjoy the manifestation yet a want in faith doth not nor cannot make any alteration in the foundation which is clear from these Scriptures 2 Tim. 2.13 applied to v. 19 2 Sam. 23.2 3 4. Minde well now it is clear that the foundation is Gods unchangeable love and grace which if it were to all upon the condition of faith giving a propriety in the foundation then any want in faith would work some alteration which is contrary to the forementioned Scriptures Fifthly in the fear of the Lord consider this Scripture John 17.4 where CHRIST says to the Father I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do Now if CHRIST was ordained or appointed of the Father to satisfie for the sins of all and to purchase life and salvation for all then he hath finished it and they must be saved or else CHRIST doth not speak truth which were sad to aver but you see and must know all are not nor shall not be saved therefore it was not given him by the Father to do Now if any shall say that CHRIST hath finished the work of eternal life for any who will believe in him I answer the work cannot be finished if it depend upon any thing else and especially upon that which is so mutable as creatures minds whether to receive or not to receive as you affirm therefore without controversie CHRIST speaking truth the work is fully finished as the pardon of sin purchase of salvation and eternal life by him faith doth not make up the work but it is a fruit that floweth from it which is the next thing we shall enter upon and so I shall say no more to this fourth thing to wit That the great design of God in Christ was to satisfie for all sin and purchase salvation and eternal life for the elect and none but them The sixth thing is that faith which is required of all them that enjoy him is not a Cause but an Effect of the forementioned Privilege that is to say It is not the cause but an effect of election and that I shall punctually prove three ways 1. From Scripture 2. From the nature of causes 3. From the nature of the thing First from the Scripture see Acts 13.38 When the Gentiles heard they were glad and glorified the Lord and as many as were ordained to eternal life believed Which clearly shews that Ordination is before faith and this order and form CHRIST declares when he saith to his Disciples John 15.16 Ye have not chosen me but I have chosen you They had chosen CHRIST that is to say loved him and by faith embraced him but his intent is they were first chosen by him and that is the cause the Apostle saith 1 John 4. We love him because he loved us first And for your further satisfaction minde these Scriptures Rom. 8.30 chap. 9.11 2 Tim. 1.9 Ezek. 16.6 Hosea 14.8 Secondly consider the order of Causes and you will finde that Henry Hagar who is a man I very much honour out of whose Book I see you have drawn your Absurdities if you do there but see how he decyphers Causes you will there finde that he makes no distinction of essential meritorious instrumental and final Causes but jumbles up all together without distinction Dear Friend it is not a form of words that will make things orderly in Gods sight unless there be divine wisdom to rectifie the judgment making man to deny his own natural wit when he goes about to decypher or discover Gods great design in CHRIST Again if you will say though he sets down successive causes yet he doth not set down the cause of Election in any of these seven causes he mentions neither can he unless he can discover a cause of him that is the Cause of Causes For my part I am of his judgment in these Particulars c. 1. That Gods love was the cause of his sending of his Son to die for sinners 2. That Christ's dying and rising is the cause of the Gospel being preached 3. The Gospel being preached is the cause of mens believing 4. That mens believing is the cause of justification but then it is justification in conscience and not justification before God in Christ which is the fountain and this in conscience is but the stream 5. That our knowing our selves justified by faith through the bloud of Christ is the cause of our love to Christ 6. That our love to Christ is the cause of our obedience to Christ But then the seventh cause which is That our obeying Christ is the cause of his giving us everlasting life that I deny And if you view these Scriptures he brings to prove it is will not make it good Mark 16.16 Revel 22.14 Heb. 6.9 He that believeth and is baptised shall be saved and blessed are they that do his commandments that they may have right to the tree of life and may enter in through the gate into the City and Christ being made perfect through suffering he became the Author of everlasting salvation unto all them that obey him these Scriptures are truth and declare that they that obey Christ shall have eternal life but they nor no other Scripture declare anything contrary to this position that obedience is the way to life but not the cause of life if yea look upon causes either essential or meritorious but if you look upon it instrumental that is to say as the meanes or way to such an end then it is true and so is faith and so is prayer according to these Scriptures Philip. 1.19 1. Peter 1.5 Phil. 2.10 Heb. 12.14 Now when I tell you I do approve of these six causes successively before mentioned it is also with this restriction to put a diference between causes for the first cause which is Gods love that is the efficient cause 2. cause which is Christs death is the meritorious cause the 3 4 5 6. causes he spoke of are the instrumental causes and if you speak of these things in themselves and as they are to us then they are causes but if you speak of them all as they relate to God who is the Cause of Causes then they are but effects CHRIST'S death is but the effect of Gods love the preaching of the Gospel is but an effect of Gods love faith in him is but his gift and our love to him and obedience do all flow from him as the Fountain according to these Scriptures Gal. 5.22 Ephes 6.23 Heb. 12.2 James 1.17 18. they cannot in that sense be called causes but fruits Further consider what that Friend
Fourteen Queries and ten Absurdities about the extent of CHRIST'S Death the power of the Creatures the Justice of God in condemning some and saving others presented by a Free-willer to the Church of CHRIST at Newcastle and answered by Paul Hobson a Member of the said Church In which Answer is discovered the extent of Christs Death the nature and truth of Election the condition of the Creature both before and after conversion c. Published in tenderness of love for the good of all especially for the Churches of Christ Matth. 22.19 Jesus answered and said unto them Ye do err noâ— knowing the Scripture nor the power of God Gal. 1.8 But though we or an Angel from Heaven preach any other Gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you let him be accursed LONDON Printed by Henry Hills for William Hutchison Bookseller in Durham 1655. The Epistle Dedicatory To the Church of Christ at Newcastle these THe grace of our Lord be multiplied upon you all and strengthen you in every good word and work Beloved in the Lord you may remember that one William Pedelsden who professes and preaches the universal point at Sheels did present to me and some others in the face of the Church certain dangerous Queries requiring our Answer and for truths sake there being other business lying upon Brother Gover you desired me to write and publish an Answer to them and though I am sensible that in my appearing publickly I am called rather to manifest the present dealings of God with me and my former unkinde dealings with him but being sensible how much this opinion spreads and what dangerous consequences are produced by it I could not but after a serious seeking of God endeavour to answer your desires herein and the rather knowing that it is one of the general ways wherein the Devil deludes poor souls for I have found by experience that these two ways are the general Heads the Devil commonly goes upon and gradually proceeds in to draw away souls from the good way of the Lord first perswading men under specious pretences to allegorize Scaiptures and turn all into a more spiritual understanding and enjoyment than at present they have attained to who stand by the Rule of Truth in the practice of Gospel order and ordinances and this is backed on as I told you before with specious pretences of spirituality though in truth it is that which ends in carnality though at the first it doth not so appear which I can sadly witness the Devil commonly imploys this way with such spirits that are taken with curiosity of words and notions leaving the wholesom Word of the Lord. The second general way the Deluder takes is by discovering the way of God and the Doctrine of the Gospel under a greater way of rationality though it be but that which doth answer that reason which indeed is carnal which the Apostle speaks of in 1 Cor. 2 3. ch at large this second way the Devil takes many who are not capable of the first but both are very dangerous and though the first was my proper snare yet I judg it not amiss to let some part of my imployment be also to discover the second which according to my weak ability in this writing I have endeavoured desiring the Lord it may accomplish that end which you and I desire to wit the putting a stop to that opinion which the Author of those Queries doth hold forth which in many places doth so sadly spread and for the establishing of the weak that are ready to stagger so desiring the Lord in his power and presence to own it I shall say no more as to the matter nor end but commend you to God and the Word of his grace I remain Your poor Brother in the Faith and fellowship of the Gospel P. Hobson From Sagerstonehugh the 9th day of the 12th Moneth 1654. To the Reader COurteous Reader I am sensible the Devil never wants cunning inventions to court men to the imbracement of evil and wants no ability to mannage his wiles to take mens hearts off from owning good and I am sensible that he needs go no further to incense thee against this matter than his using Arguments from the former miscarriages and present insufficiency of the Author But it is the desire of my Soul to the Lord that though I have formerly stumbled and not stood steadfast in the truth yet my unsuitableness may not stave you off from a serious consideration of the matter that is here exprest I must confess that I am not apt to think it may do so because the same temptations have been in mee by which I had been almost taken off from ever appearing publickly bearing my Testimony for truth having been for a long time such a cloud to truth yet being as you will see by the insuing matter so providentially put upon it and besides seing that great necessity for it this opinion of free will with the rest therein exprest do increase so much in these Northern parts and it comes with such a face of rationality that many poor precious hearts who are weak in the faith are apt to stumble and in an especiall manner some about Hull where I was an eye and eare witness not long since of the sad disaster that is befaln the Church of Christ there upon that account therefore in tenderness of Love to them and answering the Desires of the People with whom I walk and for the prevention of this opinion spreading further here I could not but break over the difficulties I mean the sence of my own insufficiency and the great objections that will endeavour to be made by men opposite to the truth against the matter from the insufficiency of the Author but I trust the Lord or at least I desire it that he will give you a heart to look above the instrument to him who is the Author and fountain of truth it self considering that it is not the excellency of means but the truth of the matter that we are to mind it was I Cor. 27.28 and still is Gods way to manifest truth by weak and contemptible means that so truth may be entertained upon its own naked account sure I am we have too long imbraced truth upon confidence of the instrument or Author not Saint-like examining the matter or else concluding our judgment upon all when we have seen or read but part all which I desire thee to avoid in reading this small Treatise which though the dress is such that will not court mens fancies it was not for that end intended but that truth may be entertained in thy affections that it may appear to be so both in you and me it is ihe desire of my Soul that we may live in the power life and spirit of Truth and so be sure we can bear a Testimony in our lives to what our words or lines do discover lest we be found in the day of the Lord too
saith in his Book he declares a cause in all the seven things yet he shews you no cause why God should love us Now election or chusing is so considered in the singularity of his love and doth so live in the bowels of it that there is no more cause for the one than there is for the other and he requires nothing without himself to beget or maintain that in himself for us And now the thing I would have you consider followeth Thirdly consider what we minde by election it consisteth in Gods foreknowledg wherein he was pleased from all eternity in the riches of his grace and love to pitch upon and make choice of some in a peculiar sense to be vessels of glory whom he elected in the election of his Son who was the publick person comprehending the whole and this prerogative of God and privilege to us is not to be decyphered or discovered like as other privileges are for the death of Christ and our faith in Christ these have the time of their rise reign and perfection but for the other privilege it is done in God and with God without relation to any thing without himself it onely depends upon the prerogative of his will and his good pleasure according to these Scriptures Rom. 9.16 18 21 22. Matth. 11.16 Luke 10.21 Therefore when we speak of causes we must make a distinction between what is done by God out of God and what is done by God in God and whatsoever is done in the last sense hath no rise but himself and his own pleasure and if you give not God this you must deny his Prerogative and prove that he may not do with his own what seems good unto him which is contrary to these Scriptures Matth. 20.15 Exod. 33.19 Rom. 9.15 16 18 20 23. Now besides what hath been already said to prove that faith is but an effect and not the cause of election minde these Reasons First if election be before men have faith then faith cannot be a cause but it must be an effect but election is before we have faith Ergo. The Major is not to be questioned The Minor which is that election is before faith is proved from these Scriptures Acts 13.48 1 Tim. 1.9 Ephes 1.4 5. Reason 2. God is the first cause of causes and whatsoever doth take its rise or is immediate from him hath no other cause the truth of that you will see from the Scriptures before mentioned therefore faith must needs be an effect But besides all the Scriptures and Reasons I have brought Do but consider that election is not capable of being caused by any causes out of God for we are elected in the election of Christ and Christ did not merit his own election for his Death is not the cause of election though it be the meritorious cause and Gods great way to accomplish life and salvation If so be that faith is a cause of our election then election is subject to a cause and if in the lesser then in the greater but we know that in the greater which is the election of CHRIST in which general all particulars are comprehended it is not caused nor depends upon no condition or causes out of God but immediately flows from him and all other works and acts of grace and mercy done by God in CHRIST for us or by God in us towards CHRIST are the fruits of this fountain I mean Gods love in which Gods owning or chusing is so involved in it as it is one with it and both arise from one and the same fountain which is his own will and pleasure Now there being some that make Objections against this truth which peradventure may be the cause of your stumbling I shall in faithfulness to CHRIST and love to your soul mention some of them and give my answer to them First some there are as Henry Hagar in particular that do acknowledg this truth from these places of Scripture Ephes 1.4 where it is said that God hath chosen us in Christ before the world was And also the same in 1 Pet. 1 2. 2 Thess 2.13 Now though they acknowledg these words yet they endeavour to evade or turn the meaning another way by giving this answer from Rom. 4.17 where it is said that God declared unto Abraham that he hath made him the father of many Nations And in Rev. 13.8 CHRIST is said to be a Lamb slain from the beginning of the world Now from thence they reason thus The Apostle in Rom. 4.17 declaring the promise of God to Abraham saith that God calls those things that are not as though they were for saith he Abraham at that time was not the father of Isaâ—â— in whom the Nations should be blest and yet God saith I have made thee the father of many Nations but saith he It was not so for the Apostle doth declare it saying he calls things that are not as though they were and so CHRIST is said to be a Lamb slain from the beginning of the world though he was not slain many thousand years after So saith he are we to understand election for the Scripture saith that he did chuse and elect us before the world was yet it was not so onely God calls things that were not as if they were therefore men saith he are not elected till they are called Now dear friend in the fear of the Lord as you tender the information of your own soul seriously consider what an evasion here is without any way in truth discovering what the Apostle intends in these expressions for without controversie when God said I have made thee a father of many Nations he spake truth without any such evasion as our carnal wits will prompt us to believe But that I may give an Answer to this Objection judging that if that cover were removed the truth would lie naked I desire you to minde in Answer to it these Particulars First in every action there is these three things to be considered 1. The life or virtue of the Act. 2. The fruit of the Act. 3. The form of the Act. The life of the Act is that which produceth the form the fruit of the Act lives in the life and is spoke out or brought forth by the form had not this bin so the sin of Adam could never have brought a curse upon his posterity for the life of his act was in unity in all that were comprehended in his person and the evil fruit of his act took place upon all in that sense when it took place upon him but the manifestation or execution of this took place successively as Creatures were brought forth and so it appears the form of the act was to be made manifest according unto the succession or appearance of forms in Creatures but the life of the act from whence the denomination of the act comes was really acted and executed in Adam so in the promises of God to Abraham you are to look upon the life
or virtue of the promise the fruit of the promise and the form of the performance which is but the mouth and language to speak out the life by which was made good when Isaac and his seed successively took place so in CHRIST he was a Lamb slain from the beginning of the world the life or virtue of the act which was the efficacy of Christs Death which did arise from the Author and life of the act that took place so soon as ever God did promise CHRIST the form of the act which is the language as I told you before to speak out the life that takes place in time and is not formally presented till lively performed but the life or virtue of the form that takes place for us when first promised and so the Death of Christ was effectual so soon as ever the promise was propounded or else Adam must have died and none could have been saved till CHRIST had come and suffered in the flesh the very same we are to minde in election the life of the act which is the essence took place from the beginning as to the form we shall minde it in the second Particular Now as to the discovery and the fruits of the act that takes place in forms as forms are presented but the act is as truly alive before the form appears as it is afterwards and the truth is every act takes its denomination from the life and the antiquity is derived from thence and so Abrahrm was a father of Nations when the promise was first propounded and so CHRIST was really slain as to the life and virtue when he was first promised and election was then done when it took place in its rise which was Gods singular love and good will to chuse some to be vessels of glory now when the Apostle saith that God calls things that are not as if they were he doth not intend the life or virtue of the act but the form of the act and he that denies it endeavours to overthrow the whole tenure of Scripture for in this sense we are to understand our fall in Adam and our rise in Christ according to the tenure of the Gospel and so also the promise to Abraham and so we are to understand the intent of the Law Matth. 5.28 which declares lusting after a woman to be Adultery 1 John 3.18 that hatred is murder which declares the act to live in the life and virtue though it wants its outward form and is so really before the form is brought forth and in this sense we are to understand Christs love and rejoycing in the sons of men before the world was Prov. 8.31 Secondly consider as the life and virtue of some acts take place before the form and is really in being before the form appear either of our acts or Gods So further minde that whatsoever is done not onely of God but also in God for us the life and form of that act as to God takes place together and both is in being before it doth appear though the discovery of that is not till the Object to which the Action relates be brought forth and this is true election for that is an act done as well in God as by God and so life and form take place together as to God though as to the form of the discovery to us it is not till formably we are brought forth so this act is not to be paralleld with such acts that God doth for us though by himself yet our of himself as Redemption or the promise to Abraham is and therefore what is said from the words of the Apostle Rom. 4.17 is not sufficient to overthrow this truth to wit that election is before the beginning of the world according to these Scriptures Ephes 1.4 1 Pet. 1.2 2 Thess 2.13 1 Tim. 1.9 A second Objection that is made against this Truth by the fore-mentioned party and some others is from these words in 1 Peter 1.2 Elected according to the foreknowledg of God through sanctification of the Spirit unto obedience And in 2 Thess 2.13 We are bound to give thanks always to God for you brethren beloved of the Lord because God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth whereunto ye were called by the Gospel From whence they reason thus If we are chosen through sanctification of the Spirit then none are chosen before they have the Spirit and are sanctified by the Spirit and if Saints are chosen to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth and were called to believe that through hearing of the Gospel Then say they men are not chosen before they did believe the truth and before they did hear the Gospel by which they were calld to believe Answer That kinde of reasoning is very sad and unsuitable to the intent of the Apostle in those expressions and that their Arguments have no foundation from thence seriously view the words the Apostle saith in both the places that we are chosen to salvation through sanctification unto obedience and belief of the truth whereunto we are called by the Gospel All that can from thence be gathered is thus much that sanctification and belief of the truth or obedience is the way to accomplish that end unto which election doth intend for there are three things to be considered 1. The act of Election and that hath been punctually proved both to matter manner and time 2. The end of Election which is the advancement of Gods grace in bringing vessels of mercy to glory 3. The way or means to accomplish the end which is by or through sanctification or believing the truth But it is no other way discovered but as the way and means no where as the cause or foundation therefore there is no ground from thence to prove that sanctification and election must be both at one time no more than the people of Israel going through the Wilderness to Canaan to be a discovery that God did not ordain them for Canaan or give them promise of Canaan before they came into Wilderness which was the way to it The Scripture declares that without holiness no man shall see God Heb. 12.13 But I know no Scripture that declares that man shall not nor is not elected till he be holy though they that are elected must and shall be holy and they that are holy shall see the Lord and live with him in glory not as the efficient and meritorious cause but as the way and means to such an end If men will draw Syllogisms from such corrupt apprehensions of such divine expressions as the Apostle useth in those Scriptures they may as well prove from thence and with as small a Paradox that sanctification is before men are born as to prove from them Scriptures election which is before the world to be not till men are sanctified but to exercise wit to prove either of these two things is
sophistry and no Reason and not becoming a Saint to meddle with Objection 3. No men can be elected in CHRIST till they be in CHRIST but no men are in CHRIST till they believe or trust in CHRIST for the elect Ephesians were once out of CHRIST chap. 2.11 12. Answer Men are said to be truly and really in CHRIST two ways First by election and so we are all in CHRIST he being the publick person in whom all elections were comprehended and all the elect are really in him before they are brought forth as every man is in Adam before they are born this last affirmation they themselves do grant and so they must the other if they do but truly view the minde of God in his Word and not draw Reasons from bare Expressions without discovering the true intention now if they could prove that no man in no sense is in CHRIST till he doth believe then they say something or else their Argument is of no force for we are one with them in their second being in CHRIST which is when we are called and in that sense even the elect of God till they are converted they are without God and without hope and by nature the children of wrath as well as others Ephes 2.3 But before ever they are brought home to CHRIST in the second sense they were in CHRIST in the first sense or else CHRIST would not have said John 10.16 Other Sheep I have which are not of this Fold them will I bring in so that they did belong to CHRIST as his particular Sheep before he brought them in and that there is such a property and unity before conversion you will see if you seriously minde these Scriptures John 10.16 Acts 18.10 2 Tim. 1.9 Ephes 1.3 Now there is an outward being in CHRIST which is onely the outward profession of CHRIST that men may be in and fall according to these Scriptures John 15.2 6. 1 John 2.10 1 Tim. 1.19 20. But I shall not speak to that They have some other Objections about trusting in CHRIST and believing in CHRIST but we have said enough to that already shewing that faith and all other obedience is not a cause of but flows from that privilege according to these Scriptures Acts 13.43 Joh. 15.16 1 Joh. 4.19 There are some other Objections that do arise from some other mistakes of Scripture which I shall take an occasion to speak something to in my declaring the third thing I promised you to wit your mistakes which are the cause of your stumbling The sixth thing which is that the publishing of the fore-mentioned privilege which is the Gospel is Gods way or means to effect or produce faith or other Gospel obedience in the hearts of his own as to this there being but little difference between you and I and the speaking much to it will not upon that account add much to the deciding the controversie between you and others therefore I shall onely set down the Scriptures to prove it and so leave it 1 Cor. 4.15 Rom. 10.17 2 Thess 2.13 2 Tim. 1.10 1 Pet. 4.6 Gal. 3.2 I shall say no more to this but come to the seventh Particular Seventhly that faith which is produced in obedience to truth by the discoveries of the Gospel of CHRIST is not the bringing up of something that is in men before conversion but it is a peculiar work of God which Nature in the highest improvement is not capable of till conversion or the new work of grace be wrought which is Gods not upon a common but a special and Gospel account wrought by him Now dear Friend before I speak to this particular give me leave to speak two or three words to you relating to some things that do very much trouble me in relation to the abuse of this truth for there are two truths miserably abused even by them that do profess the Lord the one is that all the power we have to act or do things in a Gospel sense is produced alone by the power and Spirit of God not upon a common but a special account The second is that the best of Saints while they live here have sin now these truths are abused thus exhort those that profess the Lord to exactness in duty or reprove them for any neglect in duty presently this is replied We can do no more than we have power which is a truth in its sense but it is sadly applied for when God hath begun to work grace in us the way to increase in strength is to improve what we have by carefull watching and waiting hourly and daily before the Lord and they that do so wait and walk have experience that God will not be wanting to increase strength according to these Scriptures Isai 40.31 John 7.17 chap. 15. the later end 4. v. Isai 64.5 Psalm 9.10 Matth. 13.12 Luke 8.18 And the truth is were this practized there would not be such sad unsaintlike walkings as now appear to be among them that profess the Lord both in their pride fashiâ—ning themselves after the world covetousness frothy language wanton carriages and other unsaintlike practices that it is a hard thing to know a saint from a sinner in his daily practice and conversation unless you finde them in particular acts of worship which is that which doth sadly wound the Name of God and the glory of CHRIST among men I do not speak this for to accuse others onely but withall to bear witness against my self for my former unsuitable walkings wherein my daily watchings and waitings and exact conforming and improving faith was not kept alive and therefore I died but blessed be the Lord who hath discovered the truth of this to my soul Now they abuse the second truth thus come to some Professors and tell them of their pride fashions of the world covetousness passion or courtly complements frothy language manifesting that these things are unbecoming â—aints and inconsistent with a growing heart this presently is replied Every one hath sin Paul and the rest of the Apostles the very best of Saints had sin and so I confess have I this they answer and peradventure they will say they groan under it which is a perfect deceit for though there is sin in the people of God yet there is a daily growth and getting ground of it by improving faith in the bloud of CHRIST and by exact waiting and watching by which the sin of the heart or corruption of the will and the minde is kept under and there is not an allowance of any one sin where Christ is in truth And therefore those that do shelter themselves under truth in this sense and do not daily grow and get power against sin let them know this from a heart that knows it from wofull experience that they onely live in notions not in the power and spirit of truth to be 〈◊〉 witness of the truth of the now birth or work of grace which God hath wrought in them that
you know that every effect is caused by a cause suitable to it self and every thing is producible in its proper element if so then a state of nature cannot produce a work that is spiritual 3. It is called a rising or quickning from the dead Ephes 2.1 5. Colos 3.1 Can the dead raise it self or can that which is dead quicken it self without a power beyond it self 4. It is to deny a mans self Matth. 16.24 Mank 8.34 Self cannot deny it self in no consideration but it must be by a power above and beyond it 5. It is a killing or mortifying Rom. 8.13 Col. 3.5 Now the power killing or mortifying 〈◊〉 above the thing killed or mortified Fourthly consider what man is before this work is wrought 1. He is not onely in sin but dead in sin Ephes 2.1 5. 2. He is without God without grace and without hope Ephes 2.12 3. They are in blindness Isai 29.18 chap. 35.5 chap. 42.7 And till this supernatural light by God be set up in the soul he cannot see nor know the things of God in a spiritual and saving sense 4. He is in a state of enmity and is an enemy to God and to the Gospel light and life Rom. 8.7 Col. 1.21 Rom. 5.10 5. They are children of wrath Ephes 2.3 Now summ up all together 1. That state which is a state of death 2. A state of being without God and grace 3. Of so much blindness 4. A state of enmity to God and to the light and life of the Gospel 5. A state wherein men are children of wrath I say consider this and minde what the work of Faith or the new Birth is lay both together and you will be forced to say that the highest improvement of nature while men are in nature is not capable of nor able to perform it I shall say no more to this fourth Particular which is for the making good of the seventh Position to wit that Faith that is produced in obedience to Truth by the discoveries of the Gospel of CHRIST is that which nature in the highest improvements before conversion is not capable of performing I would come to the next thing but there is one or two Objections by the way which I judg some may make against what I havâ— spoke as to the insufficiency of creatures to such work and therefore in way of Query for your satisfaction that nothing may be left undone to the utmost of my power to satisfie and inform your judgment which in tenderness of love I desire to do I shall mention them and give you my Answer to them Query 1. This that you have spoke or declared seems to unpower the creature solely as if it had no power before the new birth which seems very contrary to Scripture which speaks of the creatures improving their Talent Answer As to any Gospel work or works relating to God in CHRIST that every creature is uncapable of and averse to nay an enemy to it before this appearing of God in the work of grace and yet this doth not at all deny but there is a power in the creature to do much more than at the present I can see the most natural men do therefore I beseech you that I may not destroy oâ—e Truth by maintaining another Consider what the Lord hath shewed me in the searching of the Scripture I shall lay down briefly in these Particulars 1. That every man naturally hath a Talent which he is bound by the Law of God to improve 2. That this Talent or Power in the highest improvement is but to answer the moral Law or so much of it as nature is capable of retaining 3. That they who do thus improve it do very much come up to the answering of the righteousness of the Law as Paul did before conversion Phil. 3.5 6. 4. When creatures do thus improve their Talent in the answer of the moral Law or so much as their nature is capable of Though there is an enmity between that in a Scripture sense and the righteousness of CHRIST yet CHRIST seems to have some kinde of love to that improvement and therefore you may see in Mark 10.21 when the young man came to him though he was unacquainted with saving grace yet in his improvements had very much answered the Law and therefore the Text saith CHRIST looked upon him and loved him so that such improvements of nature in answer to a Law is more pleasing to CHRIST than the embezling a mans Talent polluting of nature in the neglect of improvement 5. Consider If there be such a Power and such an improvement and so much owned certainly it is good for men to be exact in it And it is very much my judgment that God approves of and meets men there if so I think we are to wait upon God there And yet this will not prove that men have power by improvement of nature to work up their hearts in a Gospel sense for the entertaining of CHRIST though this improvement be a way to wait upon God in for even Gospel Ordinances or outward means of Grace is commonly that which God is met in and God meets souls there but yet that doth not prove that the Ordinances have power in themselves to bring up to grace nay if men so rest on them or look upon power in them not looking up to God above them then they are so far from coming to God that they and their performance is condemned and loathed by God according to these Scriptures Isai 1.11 12 13. 66.3 The same we are to consider in this and much more for I see clearly by Scripture there are more promises fixt to Gospel Ordinances than are to the improvements of natural abilities though both are good yet neither is able to bring up to Christ but in the highest abilities of either we are to consider the work of Grace or new Birth to be produced by the working of Gods mighty power above and beyond both and that appears clearly if you consider these Particulars 1. The case of the young man in the Gospel he had the highest improvements of nature of any I reade of but when CHRIST brings his improvements to the Touch stone of Gospel Principles he in his improvements left Christ Matth. 19.20 Mark 10.20 Luke 18.21 2. Consider that the work of Grace in a Gospel sense is of a nature far above and beyond the righteousness of the Law and that you will see in these Scriptures Rom. 9.31 32. Gal. 3.10 11 12. Phil. 3.8 9. Tit. 3.5 6 7. 3. When any soul that ever improved nature as Paul Phil. 3.5 6. or any other when once they are come to be brought home to Christ these moral improvements are so far from closing with this new work that it is soly to be laid aside and denied Phil. 3.8 9. Gal. 3. I mean in relation to a conjunction with CHRIST as having any ability or power performing the new Birth which is soly done of
God and verily there is a greater and more eminent appearance of Gods power in converting such a man who by improvement hath made himself righteous as to the Law than in converting him that is a greater sinner which is clear from these Scriptures Matth. 11. 21 22 23. Luke 10.13 14. chap. 11.32 The case you may see in the proud Pharisee Luke 18.10 11 12 13. But this doth not arise so much from the nature of the righteousness as from the corruption in the creature who doth sinfully improve the righteousness endeavouring to finde the way to Heaven without CHRIST though they do use the Name and Title of CHRIST in what they do therefore I would not have any neglect to improve their Talent though I would have you and all know when you have done all as to the work of Grace and procuring Heaven you are unprofitable servants and far below the work of Grace and so far from being able to perform it till Grace comes in a Gospeâ— sense that nothing can be done and when it is come though it doth teach you to deny all ungodliness and worldly lusts which fulfills the Law in answering the Gospel yet it doth teach you to deny and loath all your former improvements and righteousness according to these Scriptures Phil. 3.4 5 6 7 8 9. Gal. 3.10 11 12 18 21. Ephes 2.8 9. Tit. 3.5 6 7. And so much in answer to these Queries onely dear Friend that we may understand Truth truly let us draw up the result thus when the Scripture speaks of any power in the creature before the new Birth it is onely that small proportion of power which is to be improved in answer to the righteousness of a moral Law so far as the discovery of it is retained in nature and when I declare this Truth which the Scripture owns to wit that the creature hath no power that is to a work of Grace in a Gospel sense which is Gods peculiar work not in a common but in a special and Gospel account which work the former ability is far below and in the highest improvement is not able to perform Peradventure you may make a second Query which you were pleased to express when I saw you which is Query What is done before this new Birth and that which is done since is all by the power of God if by the power of God why make we distinction Answer We do not make any distinction of power as it is considered in God for the power of God is individable in himself but our discourse relates to the exercise of Gods power as to us and that is distinguishable and is to be considered either higher or lower either common or special according to these Scriptures Deut. 9.29 Job 23.6 chap. 26.14 Psalm 79.11 Matth. 9.8 Luke 9.43 Ephes 1.19 Col 1.11 Besides we see clearly that some acts of Gods power are universal and communicable to all and some are peculiar as gifts of grace to some and not to all and they that have the former may and do many times want the later for your better understanding of that Truth do but mind Deut 29 v.2 And Moses called unto all Israel and said unto them Ye have seen all that the Lord did before your eys in the Land of Egypt unto Pharaoh and unto all his servants and unto all his Land in vers 3. The great temptations which thine eys have seen the signs and those great miracles Now all that Moses discovers there is to manifest the exercise of Gods power in a common or general sense but doth not at all include the peculiar exercises of Gods power as to Grace which we have been all this while a speaking of therefore he saith v. 4 Yet the Lord hath not given you a heart to perceive nor eys to see and ears to hear unto this day The same you may understand in these Scriptures Matth. 11.25 applied to Matth. 13.11 ch 19.11 John 6.65 Pâ—â—â— 1.29 All which I entreat you in the fear of the Lord to minde and not to conclude any thing in opposition to this Truth from the unity of power that is in God but seriously minde the exercise of his power as to us and then you will finde that you have no ground to propound such a Query or to stumble at your apprehensions of the unity of the power in God but I shall say no more as to that Query Now I should come to the eighth Particular which is that it is Gods minde and way and therefore of necessity it must be so for the advancement of his Grace and the accomplishment of Faith in the hearts of his own that this Gospel is to be presented or discovered to all without any exemption as to the declaration it self to which I shall say little it being so clear onely refer you to the Scriptures which declare 1. Gods will so present or declare Christ to all according to these Scriptures Matth. 26.13 chap. 28.18 19. Mark 16.15 16. 2. That Gods end is for working of Faith in the hearts of this own or the gathering his own to himself according to these Scriptures Rom. 10.14 15. 1 Cor. 4.15 Col. 1.5 1 Thess 2.13 1 Pet. 4.6 This is all I shall say to this eighth Position Now I know there are some that will make some Objections further to what hath been said which I desire to mention and give my Answer to Obj. It is clear from what you have said that Christ is to be presented to all and that he is enjoyed by none but through believing and you say the power of believing is soly of God and not by any improvement of the ability of nature before the new Birth if so how can it be just with God to condemn them that do not believe seeing the power is not of them but in God Answer I judg this very mistake to be a chief ground of your stumbling and therefore for the clearing up of that according to the third Particular in my writing wherein I promised to clear up the Justice of God in this case I shall desire you not to stand upon curiosity of words but in singleness of heart owning the Truth of God to consider with me these Particulars following 1. That Christ is to be presented to all that 's not disputable that Faith is the way or condition of the Gospel to entertertain Christ and salvation by Christ that is clear 2. That this Faith thus considered is not in the power of the creature to perform by its ability from Gods authority in a common sense but it is a peculiar gift in a Gospel sense by the grace of God given to some and not to all that is clear from these Scriptures Matth. 13.11 16 17. 1 Cor. 2.14 Matth. 11.27 John 15.15 Phil. 1.29 3. Minde that notwithstanding all this Gods justice is clear not onely as to the prerogative of his will which we have no ground to dispute against but is also clear