he must be God that so he might bear the Burden of Divine Anger in his Flesh the Godhead upholding and sustaining his Humane Nature under his bloody Agony and fearful Anguish and Suffering on the Tree when God the Father was withdrawn from him and the Pangs of Hell took hold of him 3. That he might overcome and vanquish all the Enemies of our Souls as Sin Satan Death and Hell Had he not been God he could not have raised himself from the Dead from whence rises the Spring of our Regeneration to a State of Grace here and our Resurrection to a State of Glory at the last Day hereafter 2 dly He must be Man because he must die which the Godhead could not do yea he must be Man in our Nature that he might satisfy the Justice of God for us because the Righteousness of God requires that the same Nature which had sinned should make a full Compensation to the Law of God and infinite Justice O take heed no Man shakes your Faith in this great Article of the Christian Religion 3 dly Take heed also that you abide stedfast in the Doctrine of Christ's Satisfaction which dependeth on the former Such who deny Christ's Deity must disown that plenary Satisfaction he gave to the Law and Justice of God Beware of Socinianism Quakerism c. and all such like Errors 4 thly Take heed there are some who tell you Christ has fully satisfied for the Breach of the Law of the first Covenant for the Sins of the whole World so that all Men are cured of that Sickness and delivered from that Curse and put into a Capacity to be saved if they will but exercise the Power of their own Will and Abilities and that Men have power to believe and be regenerated that sit under the preaching of the Gospel and if they answer and discharge their part in Salvation Christ's Death will become effectual to them it being but on this Condition that Christ Jesus died to save Men provided they answer those Terms the Gospel offers Whereas it's evident that Christ is not the End of the Law as touching Righteousness to any Man but only to such as believe I speak of the Adult and the Gospel is not our Sickness but our Cure that condemns not but as the healing Remedy is rejected and the Curse of the Law abides upon all Unbelievers And it is also as evident that Man by Nature is dead in Sin and must by an almighty and irresistible Power be quickned which is done by the infusion of a Principle of Divine Life Faith is God's Gift and not the Condition of the Covenant of Grace it is a Branch or part of that Grace promised therein upon the Condition of Christ's Satisfaction not the Condition to be performed by the Creature which procures the Blessings purchased therefore no Condition then in order and connection in the Promises that God will enable all his Elect to perform by bestowing that Blessing upon them freely by his own Grace The whole of our Salvation is by Christ It is by Faith that it might be by Grace to the end the Promise might be sure to all the Seed and all boasting might be excluded And 't is not an uncertain Salvation that depends upon the doubtful and depraved Will of Man but it is well ordered in all things and sure by the infinite Grace Wisdom and Power of God Nor did Christ die only for our Good who are saved but in our stead also so that Eternal Life comes to us in a way of Justice and Righteousness as well as in a way of Mercy and Goodness God was not rendred only reconcileable by the Death of his Son which the Creature is to make effectual on his part but he is absolutely reconciled For if when we were Enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son much more being now reconciled we shall be saved by his Life 5 thly There are others also that affirm that Jesus Christ as Mediator gave to God a valuable Consideration or Recompence that he might justly wave and not execute the Law of perfect Obedience and by his Merits purchased a new and milder Law of Grace so that Christ's Righteousness hath only purchased the removing the Law of Works from being a Covenant of Life and that our Right to Salvation the Favour of God and Peace of Conscience does depend upon our Obedience to the Gospel which Christ hath purchased should be accepted for our Righteousness by which we must be justified and judged and that Faith in its whole latitude is our believing and obeying the Gospel or new Law that by this we are made partakers of the Benefits of Christ he having merited this Grant or Law That they who obey him sincerely should be saved and that he is justified so far and so long as he answers the Condition of this new Law of Grace Now we and all sound Protestants in opposition to this affirm That Jesus Christ as the Head Surety and Representative of all the Elect did fulfil or satisfy for the Law of Works bearing the Curse of the Law for us and in our stead and by his Holy Life c. purchased for us that Life which the Law promised to him that continued to do all things that were written therein and by the Supereminency of his Obedience Additions of Blessedness unto Life and that his Obedience and Righteousness whereby he fulfilled the Law is imputed to Believers for their Justification by which God grants them pardon of Sin and a Grant of Eternal Life and that by Christ's Righteousness thus imputed Believers stand perfectly justified and delivered from the Curse of the Law and are certainly intituled to Eternal Life and that Faith is a relying on Christ and trusting in him and his Righteousness and Merits only for Salvation 6 thly Therefore be sure also you hear Christ's Voice and adhere to his Doctrine about Justification through his perfect and compleat Righteousness alone imputed unto all them that do believe in him without Works done by us or Holiness wrought in us I mean our Faith and sincere Obedience is not the Matter of our Justification before God nor any part of it but the Righteousness of Jesus Christ only in his perfect conformity to the Law of God in his Life and by dying on the Cross as our Surety and blessed Representative Yet know we constantly affirm That that Faith which unites us to Christ in whom we are justified doth purify both the Heart and Life and though inherent Grace Holiness and good Works do not justify our Persons before God yet they do justify our Faith and declare us to be in a justified State before Men and to our own Consciences also as the Apostle James shews and that that Faith that is not attended with good Fruits is dead as the Body without the Spirit is dead Pray remember that you have been often taught that Faith it self doth not
do appropriate part of it to my self which is the worst part of Popery They say that Christ's Merits with their own good Works do justify and save them And what do the Arminians say less who join Faith Inherent Righteousness and Sincere Obedience with the Merits of Christ both in Justification before God and in the Salvation of their Souls They say all Men are in a capacity or have Power to work out their own Salvation if they will Mr. William Allen says on that Text Rom. 4. Now to him that worketh not but believeth on him that justifieth the Vngodly his Faith is counted for Righteousness That they are the Works of the Law he doth not say That he that loves not c. So that Love Gospel-Obedience and Holiness according to these Men are not excluded as the Matter of our Justification before God but are a part of it They plead for Gospel-Works in point of Justification though not for the Works of the Law Pray what Difference is there between these Mens Doctrine and that of the Papists But I having lately in my Treatise called The Marrow of Justification so fully confuted this Grand Error I shall add no more to it at this Time but come to examine the Text. 1. It is evident that the Persons to whom the Holy Apostle wrote this Epistle were Saints and Justified Persons or such who were quickned renewed or regenerated by the Holy Spirit Therefore 2. Let us consider what Part of Salvation it was which they were required to work out 1. They could not appease the Wrath of God nor satisfy Divine Justice that sure was not in their Power to do nor is it here intended 2. They could not deliver themselves from the Curse of the Law because by their uttermost endeavour they could not arrive to a compleat or perfect Righteousness nor satisfy for the breach of it by Original Sin and by Actual Sins formerly by them committed 3. They could not change their own Hearts or create in themselves a new Heart they had no creating Power certainly they dare not say they had Power or were capable to form Christ in their Souls or restore God's lost Image in them Again 4. They could not raise themselves from the Dead for they were once dead in Sins and Trespasses and sure they will say that to raise and quicken the Dead is Christ's Work only You hath he quickned he does not say you have ye quickned 5. They could not bind the strong Man armed who formerly had the ruling Power in them and in whose Chains and Fetters they were once bound Will they say that all Men have a greater Power in them than is the Power of Satan so that Man may translate himself if he will out of the Power and Kingdom of Satan into the Kingdom of God's dear Son as all Believers by the irresistable Power of God are 6. They could not believe of themselves because Faith is a Fruit of the Spirit of God and 't is said expresly It is not of our selves but it is the Gift of God Now all things are as parts of our Salvation or appertain thereunto and none of all these things can be here meant by the Apostle because the Persons to whom he wrote had all these things work'd out for them and in them before Quest What Work is it then What were they to work out Answ I answer The Apostle means that good Work of Mortification of Sin and all Works that are the Fruits of Faith that is they should lead a Holy and Godly Life they having received a Principle of Grace from Christ to this very End there being a Necessity that the Tree be first made Good before the Fruit can be Good and that a dead Man have a Principle of Life infused into him before he can either move or work Quest But can the Creature do these things you mention of himself Answ The Apostle seems very jealous of these Saints lest they should catch up some Arminian Notion which is too much rooted in Man's corrupt Nature and therefore to vanquish Free-Will or the Power of the Creature for ever nay the Power that is in regenerated Persons he adds For it is God that worketh in you both to will and to do of his own good Pleasure who worketh in them powerfully effectually carrying on the Work through all Difficulties and Obstacles with victorious Efficacy God works not only Grace in them at first but still by his Spirit through fresh Supplies does aid influence and assist them and will until the Work is perfected or until the Day of Christ We cannot mortify Sin pray nor do any good Work without the Spirit If ye through the Spirit saith Paul do mortify the Deeds of the Body ye shall live So then this is the Sum In Holiness and all good Works we act and do But how even as we are acted moved and influenced of God It is as when God acts works and moves in us by his Spirit And as to do all with fear and trembling this is only to shew how low we should lie at the Foot of God and be humble and not lifted up with Pride since all our Power and Sufficiency is of God But so much to this Text and Objection Object 8. But what say you to that Text in Jer. 22. 24. Though Coâ—iah the Son of Jehojakim King of Judah were the Signet upon my right Hand yet would I pluck thee thence This Place of Scripture is sent me as a grand Objection against Final Perseverance Answ We must distinguish between one that might be near to God or as dear as a Signet on the right Hand in respect of Place or External Dignity as a King and God's bringing him from thence by Temporal Punishment and one that is a Signet upon God's right Hand in respect of Divine Grace and Favour in Jesus Christ or as touching his Eternal Election the latter this Text does not refer unto Object 9. Is it not said If ye abide in me and my Words abide in you c. Answ The Supposition If ye do doth not always denote a Possibility that a Person may not do so See John 15. 10. If ye keep my Commandments ye shall abide in my Love even as I have kept my Father's Commandment and abide in his Love Was it possible for Christ not to abide in his Father's Love Our Saviour uses these Expressions as an Argument of Comparison 1. This shews how acceptable Holiness and Obedience is to God 2. It also implies thus much i. e. That God hath ordained his Saints to Faith Love and Obedience as well as to Eternal Life If my Word abide in you c. Now elsewhere God saith to Christ And the Words which I have put into thy Mouth shall not depart out of thy Mouth nor out of the Mouth of thy Seed which are Believers they shall have his Word abide in them for ever The Law of God
Degree of his Love unto his Saints So that if we can believe that God the Father loved Christ his only begotten Son we may also believe that both Father and Son love those who are really the Sheep of Jesus Christ the Love that Christ hath unto his People is as true certain and abiding as the Father's Love to Christ or Christ's Love unto the Father 2 dly I shall shew you what a kind of Knowledg Christ hath of his Saints 1. Christ knoweth them by Name As 't is said of Moses so it may be said of every true Believer Yet thou hast said I know thee by Name Even in like manner in this Chapter the Lord Jesus shews us that the true Shepherd calleth his Sheep by Name and leadeth them out this denotes the knowledg he hath of them particularly 2. Christ knows their Hearts as he testifies to the seven Churches in Asia And all the Churches shall know that I am he that searcheth the Reins and Hearts c. This shews he is the most High God For who knoweth the Heart but God himself This Jehovah glorieth in as his own absolute Prerogative it being out of the reach of any Creature I the Lord search the Heart I try the Reins Moreover 't is said of Jesus Christ That he needed not that any should testify of Man for he knew what was in Man He needeth not any to bring him Information concerning the Principles Ends Aims Purposes and Tempers of Men and therefore he knows his Sheep his Saints that they are sincere or upright-hearted Ones he knows them from Hypocrites from the Goats from the foolish Virgins 3. Christ knows where they live in what Land City Town or Family I know thy Works and where thou dwellest even where Satan's Seat is He knows the Place where they dwell and how they behave themselves 4. He knows their Works How many times doth he express this in the second and third Chapters of the Revelations even in the beginning of every Epistle to the seven Churches I know thy Works whether they proceed from a renewed Nature from a Principle of Divine Grace or Spiritual Life or not whether from Faith or not whether right Gospel-Works of Obedience or not he hath a Knowledg of Comprehension or Understanding of all But 5. He knows his Sheep his Saints with a Knowledg of Approbation as I hinted before 6. Christ knows their Faith the Quality and Quantity of it that it is true Faith unfeigned Faith the Faith of the Operation of God or of his own Spirit But there are some of you that believe not for Jesus knew from the beginning who they were that believed not and who should betray him Though Faith be an inward secret Act of the Soul yet Christ knows it he knows who hath it wrought in them and also though it be never so small even as a Grain of Mustard-seed whether it be weak or strong great or little growing or decaying he knows it 7. Christ knows the Love of his People whether they love him in Sincerity both the Truth of their Love and the Degree of their Love Jesus saith unto Simon Peter Simon Son of Jonas lovest thou me more than these He saith unto him Yea Lord thou knowest that I love thee And as he knows whether they love him above all or not so he knows whether they love one another or no whether it be with a pure Heart fervently and in sincerity Christ knows it whether it be a Love in Words or with the Tongue only or in Deed and in Truth 8. He knows the Humility of his Saints whether they are clothed with it or not Though the Lord be high yet hath he respect unto the Lowly but the Proud he knoweth afar off He is far off from them though he knoweth such but he is near unto humble Souls he dwelleth with them 9. He knows the Patience of each of his People under all their Sufferings Losses and Disappointments they meet with in this World I know thy Works and thy Labour and thy Patience c. He knows how they carry it under the Rod of Afflictions which will work for the good of all that are patiently exercised thereby In a word Christ knows every Grace of the Spirit in the Souls of his People and whether they are in Exercise or not 10. He knows the Works and Actions of his Saints and of every one of them particularly I know thy Works And again he says I know thy Works 1. He knows what our Lives are whether we walk circumspectly or not whether we make Conscience in all we do and walk uprightly or not He knew Abraham that he would fear and serve him and command his Children and Houshold to keep his Commandments also He knew that Noah was only Righteous in that Generation He knows our up-rising and our down-lying whether we begin the Day with him and end the Day with him or not 2. He doth not only know all our Works and Actions whether Natural Moral or Spiritual but also the Manner of our Actions how we perform all our Duties towards God and towards Men. 3. He knoweth with what Hearts we act whether with Zeal Life and Power or not whether we stir up our selves in Duty to take hold of him or perform Duties of Obedience but with a cold and lukewarm Heart He knows with what Hearts we hear read pray meditate give to the Poor in all these Respects he knows his Sheep 4. He knows the Principle from whence we act the Means we use the Works we do and the End we propound to our selves in all our Actions whether we aim at his Glory or seek our selves self-Profit self-Honour self-Applause all is known to him 5. He knows what we have been and what we now are what we have done and what we do and will do hereafter nothing is hid from him 11. He knows our Carriage and Behaviour in our Families in our own Houses and what our Behaviour is in the House and Church of God whether we know our Places and our Duty in the Station where we are set He knows and will judg between Cattel and Cattel betwixt the fat and the lean Sheep if any oppress his Brother or if the Strong and Rich neglect or wrong the poor and weak Ones of his Flock he knows it He knows whether we make his Word our Rule in all Cases and do not offend nor grieve each other And if any be offended with their Brother he knows whether they proceed against him according to the Directions he hath left us to walk by 12. Christ knows all our Sorrows Troubles and Afflictions And the Lord said I have surely seen the Affliction of my People which are in Egypt and have heard their Cry by reason of their Task-master for I KNOW their Sorrow 13. He knows our Wants Temptations Tears and Poverty I know thy Works Tribulation and Poverty If
Righteousness of the Law might be fulfilled in us that is in our Head Surety and Representative for though we in our Persons were utterly unable to do it yet Christ having done it in our Behalf and Nature it is accepted as if we had done it our selves Christ's Righteousness and Obedience being imputed to us who do believe so that what he did and suffered is accounted unto us as if we had done and suffered it yet it was Christ that purchased Life not we he purchased and we possess he is the Redeemer we are the Redeemed he merited all and we have all freely of Grace through his Merits or through that Redemption that is in his Blood 5. Life and Salvation is a free Gift or of Grace only doth appear yet further because the Foundation thereof laid from before all Worlds in God's eternal Election was the Spring of it and this was alone of God's own free Grace There is a Remnant according to the Election of Grace And if it be of Grace then it is no more of Works otherwise Grace is no more Grace But if it be of Works then it is no more of Grace otherwise Works are no more Works This Opposition or Contrariety is not only between Grace and legal Works but between Grace and all manner of Works whatsoever because it lies betwixt the Nature of Grace and Works they are repugnant or contrary the one to the other they can no more be the Causes or Motive of any one Action than one individual thing can be White and Black in the same part as a worthy Writer notes Men are not elected partly of Grace and partly of Works foreseen but wholly of Grace nothing but an Act of God's Sovereign Grace was the Cause and Motive of it 6. Life and Salvation is a free Gift or by Grace only because the Glorious Covenant between the Father and the Son made and entred into before the World began was alone of God's Grace of his infinite Grace and Favour God was at liberty who foreseeing Man's Fall and horrible Transgression he having forfeited all those Blessings bestowed originally upon him whether he would or would not afford him any Help or Relief but might have justly and utterly rejected the whole Race of Mankind as he rejected all the Angels that sinned or kept not their first Estate Did Man fallen Man deserve this Love this Favour who was become an Enemy to God Was there any thing in Man that could be a Motive to move the Almighty to enter into this Covenant to save so vile a Creature such a poor and despicable a Creature as Man became by his Sins the Visage of his very Soul being now loathsom deformed and abominable in the sight of God God's holy Image being utterly defaced and all his Beauty gone being besmeared and covered all over with noisom Filthiness and Pollution filled with Enmity and Hatred against God dethroning his blessed Creator and setting up the Devil in his Place subjecting himself to that implacable Enemy of his and casting off his most holy and gracious Sovereign from whence he received his Breath and Being Nay and in respect of God himself it must needs appear to be wholly of Grace could Redemption of Man add any thing to the essential Glory of God Did he stand in need of Man to make him more happy or glorious in himself who being an independent Being had been eternally happy in the Injoyment of himself had Man never been made or had he left him under Wrath and Misery Or was he obliged to save us and that he might do it to send his own Son to die and be made a Curse for us Or could he not have created other Creatures to have shewed forth his glorious Perfections Or why might he not have sent his Son to have taken hold of the Nature of Angels to have redeemed them who were his Creatures as well as fallen Man and more glorious too than Man before they fell and let Man have perished for ever and not have entred into such a Covenant of Grace with his own Son on his Behalf 7. Life and Salvation therefore is a free Gift it is wholly of Grace because we could not have obtained it unless God sent his Son out of his own Bosom to effect it The giving of Christ and the Father's sending of him into the World is nothing but an Act of his own free Grace God so loved the World that he gave his only begotten Son c. 8. Because Everlasting Life is by Christ alone nor could we have had it except he died I am 〈…〉 the Truth and the Life no Man can come unto the Father but by 〈…〉 is by Faith that it might be by Grace But after that the 〈◊〉 and Love of God our Saviour appeared Not by Works of Righteousness that we have done but according to his Mercy he saved us by the washing of Regeneration and renewing of the Holy Ghost Which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ That being justified by his Grace we should be made Heirs according to the Hope of Eternal Life Thus if we consider the Rise the Spring the Motive and the Author of Everlasting Life all appears fully to be of God's Grace alone but should we proceed a little further as to the Means and Application of the Remedy in order to interest in this Salvation that is all of Free Grace also 1. We are called and quickened by God's special Grace according to his Eternal Purpose in Jesus Christ No Man could quicken himself All rational Arguments without Divine Influence or an Almighty Power will not bring our Souls into a State of Life See how Paul ascribes his Conversion and special Vocation to God's Grace But when it pleased God who separated me from the Womb and called me by his Grace to reveal his Son in me c. Special Vocation is of God's Free Grace who hath saved us and called us with an Holy Calling not according to our Works but according to his own Purpose and Grace which was given to us in Christ Jesus before the World begun We are quickened renewed or regenerated by Grace through the Operations of the Holy Ghost 2. Adoption is of Grace Having predestinated us unto the Adoption of Children to the Praise of the Glory of his Grace As the Purpose was free so is the Execution free also That the Purpose of God according to election might stand not of Works but of him that calleth To them gave he Power to become the Sons of God c. The Privilege of being Sons and Daughters of God is freely given to us through Jesus Christ 'T is through Christ for that we might become Sons he became a Servant and died the cursed Death of the Cross for us to redeem them that were under the Law that we might receive the Adoption of Sons 3. Justification is wholly of Grace Being justified freely by
whether this Light Power or Moral Grace as they call it be Natural or Supernatural Mediate or Immediate they do not seem well to accord about it Some of them as one observes say the Power of Natural Reason or the Exercise of Human Credence is sufficient to a Man being convinced of the Truth of the Gospel or of the Declaration of God's Love and Grace in Christ so that he may believe as easily as to believe any other Matter upon infallible Testimony Others call it a Gift or the Light of the Spirit which all Men have yet if thorowly examined it is no more than a Natural Gift Light or Ability That it is the special Grace of God or Illumination of the Holy Spirit is not granted but denied by these Men it being no other Grace or Power than is afforded equally to those who perish as to such who are saved It is not such Grace or Operations of the Spirit that infuses holy Habits which determines the Will or inclines it to Good but such Excitements that only awaken and rouse its Native Power it is such Grace that the Will may receive or refuse the whole Efficacy of it so far as I can gather it lies not in its own Nature nor from the effectual Operations of God's Spirit but from the Will of Man Now how contrary this is to the Truth of the Gospel and all the Experiences of renewed and gracious Persons I leave to their considerations yet to detect and condemn these Notions I shall add a word or two before I conclude 1. Can a dead Man quicken himself or be raised to Life without a vital Principle be infused into him Will Moral Swasions bring a dead Man to Life 2. Hath Man a Power naturally in him exceeding the Power of Satan Or is he stronger than that strong Man armed Or are not all Men naturally under the Power of the Prince of Darkness he taking them Captive at his Will Let this be considered for seeing God's Word doth positively declare this to be the State of all Men by Nature i. e. that they are under Satan's Power what signifies that which they affirm Will Satan be perswaded to release and let go his Captives which he holds down in strong Bonds and Chains Or doth not our Saviour expresly intimate he will keep all his Goods in security until a stronger than he comes and binds him and devests him of his Power 3. Is not Faith said to be the Gift of God and not only so but that we believe according to the working of God's Almighty Power and after the same manner that he wrought in Christ when he raised him from the Dead 4. Is not the Carnal Mind enmity against God having in it an utter Averseness and Moral Impotency to do that which is spiritually Good for it is not subject to the Law of God neither indeed can be 5. Doth not the Scripture say that those who are born again are not born of the Will of Man but of God And again it is said of his own Will begat he us And if so is not the Creature as passive in Regeneration as the Child is in Generation God doth not work on the Soul absolutely of his Will according to these Men but waits to see what Man 's Will will do all depends on Man's-Will Grace with them neither worketh Physically nor Irresistibly and that God cannot or doth not by any Divine Operations of unwilling make the Will of Man willing for after all God doth the Will hath power and oftentimes does resist it and render all God doth of none effect Now as a reverend Person well observes according to these Mens Doctrine as the Power for these great Concerns of Salvation is not in God or his special Grace so neither is the Act from him that which gives or work the Act determines the Will or causes it to determine it self but the Lord by his Grace brings it only to the Will 's choice and leaves it to do as it list The Lord by his Power works not the Will to turn to God to loâ—e God to imbrace Christ to yield to the Spirit but leaves it indifferent to turn to God or against him to love God or to hate him to imbrace Christ or reject him to yield to the Spirit or resist him It must be left indifferent as to either Grace turns not the Scales but leaves the Will an equal poise that the Will of Man not the Grace of God may have the casting weight if Grace should weigh it down the Liberty of the Will they say would be violated and in nature destroyed Is this the Doctrine of general Love which they will have to be in God to Mankind viz. Hath the Lord left it indifferent in his Eternal Purpose whether any should be saved or no For if the Will complies not God will not bend it or bring it by irresistible Grace in a Physical Way to a Compliance and though Christ in redemption according to them died for all yet he hath left it indifferent whether any should be actually redeemed or no for the depraved Will of Man determines the whole Event of all that which Christ hath done and the Gospel or the Spirit doth do and if some Men were not better natured and more considerate than others Christ might have died in vain And it follows also that such who are saved have more cause to admire their Wills compliance in believing than to exalt and admire the free Grace of God if what they say be true Alas this general Love of God they talk of that is but an indifferent respect to all or any for all are beloved alike or else God is a respecter of Persons they say ends in Love or Hatred as the Sinner's Will determines it If the Will accepts chuses and yields to Christ then the Person is beloved and chosen by Him but if the Will refuses as the Will of every Mortal might as well as one according to their Notion then he is hated Whatever particular Love they ascribe to God it is no other than what rises or is occasioned from the Sinner's Love to him God foresaw that such and such Persons would believe and love him therefore purposed to save them he foresaw that they would embrace chuse and love Christ therefore he loved them and chose them to Eternal Life provided they continue their Good-liking and Affections to God unto the End How they will be able to deliver themselves from these and such like Consequents from attending their Notions I see not The Apostle says We love him because he first loved us and that we have not chosen him but he hath chosen us But certainly if these Men consider their Principles when they speak of particular Persons they must say he did not love us first but we loved him and that he did not chose us first but we chose him And thus the Doctrine of God's Free Grace
will he damn me Doth he expect to reap where he hath not sown and gather where he hath not stromed Such shall have no Excuse as our Saviour shews at the Great Day The Lord of that Servant shews the Fault lay in his own Sloth and Wickedness and his dread of his Lord's Severity as our Annotators note was but a frivolous Pretence and unreasonable Excuse for if he had feared any such thing he should have done what he could he should have put out his Money to the Exchange and then he should have received his own with increase Thus God may as justly another Day reply upon those who think to excuse their lewd and wicked Lives their unbelief and contempt of his Word from their not being Elected and not having Power of themselves to believe and repent not receiving his efficacious Grace O ye wicked and slothful Wretches May he not say did ye suspect or fear you were not elected Why did you not then give all diligence to attend upon the Means and to make your Calling sure as all they do that are elected Do you plead the Power of your own Wills to repent one while and that you wanted Power at another time and that I gave you not my special Grace But had you not Power to keep from Taverns and Alehouses to keep from Lying Stealing Swearing and other prophane Deeds of Darkness Had you not Power to read to hear my Word to pray If you had done your uttermost in improving of the Talent I gave you would I have been wanting to you But since you did not that why should I trust you with more Brethren are these Mens Eyes Evil because God's Eye is Good Is he unjust in giving effectual Grace to some because he doth not bestow it upon all Had he not took hold of a few the whole Lump of Mankind would have destroyed themselves and none would have been saved Was God unjust in electing some of the Angels because he passed by others of them 9. In the Day of Judgment God will be just and all Mens Mouths shall be stopped This you may assure your selves of He will be justified when he judges and clear when he condemns He that had not on the Wedding-garment was speechless God will not then proceed with Men upon Election and Reprobation but upon their believing or not believing He will render to every Man according to their Works All Mens Mouths shall be stopped and every Man's Conscience witness against him Alas Men do not act or exercise that humane Faith in respect of the Report of the Gospel which they do in respect of other matters and things that are made known to them or do not bring forth the Fruit of such an historical Faith But so much to this Objection Now I should come to the second thing viz. to shew how Election doth tend to prove and fully demonstrate the happy State of all Christ's Sheep or that it is impossible they should any one of them so fall away as eternally to perish But that must be the Work of the next Day JOHN X. 28. And I give unto them Eternal Life and they shall never perish neither shall any pluck them out of my Hand MY Brethren I am upon proving the Truth of the Proposition or Point of Doctrine that I have raised from our Text viz. That all the Saints of God Believers or Sheep and Lambs of Jesus Christ shall be saved and that none of them shall so fall away as eternally to perish My first Argument to do this was taken from Eternal Election In speaking to which I told you I should First Prove that there is an Election of particular Persons and that I have done with and now shall proceed to the next thing Secondly I shall shew that the Nature of Election is such that it secures all that are in it from final Falling or fully serves to demonstrate they must and shall all eternally be saved And to make this good 1 st It is because Election is Absolute not a Conditional Election depending on the Obedience or good Behaviour of the Creature The Decree of God on his part is irrevocable God will not go back from his Purpose to save his People nor shall their Unworthiness or Miscarriages make it void it is the high unalterable and supreme Law of Heaven therefore it is said to be according to his Eternal Purpose and Counsel His Counsel and Thoughts of his Heart shall stand for ever 'T is that that all subordinate Means must terminate in and all inferious Administrations must be accommodated thereunto the Salvation of the Elect being the grand Design of God whereby to exalt and magnify his highest Glory that should his glorious Contrivance and no less gracious Purpose and Designment herein miscarry nothing in Heaven or Earth could countervail the Damage therefore it could not stand consistent with his Wisdom either to revoke it or leave it at an Uncertainty or obnoxious to Disappointment which he must needs do if it was possible any of the Elect should perish or that it should be laid upon the Foundation of the wavering Principles and uncertain Will and Obedience of the Creature Now the best Constitutions States and Kingdoms upon Earth are liable to Mutation and Mens Decrees and Purposes however Absolute designed may fail their Minds may alter or they may see cause to change their Counsels not being able to foresee future Events or what Inconveniences might arise or some after them may arise who may carry on a different Interest or Enemies may invade them conquer them and spoil all their Designs and Purposes But it is not so here God foresaw all future Events his Mind alters not he is of one Mind and who can turn him And none can hinder him in the accomplishing of his own Eternal Purpose For the Lord of Hosts hath purposed and who shall disannul it c. Declaring from the Beginning and from Ancient Times My Counsel shall stand and I will do all my Pleasure Yea I have spoken it I will bring it to pass I have purposed it I will also do it The Thoughts of his Heart shall stand to all Generations therefore their standing is firm who are elected and none of them shall perish The Decree and Purpose of God of Election is as absolute as that of Day and Night Winter and Summer or that of God 's not destroying the World again by Water or that of God's Decree and Purpose of sending Christ into the World to die for our Sins 2 dly It is because they are chosen or elected in Christ in an immutable an unchangeable and an Eternal Head What was the Reason Adam stood not notwithstanding his Power and Abilities were such Why he stood not in Christ was not fixed on Christ but all true Believers are in Christ chosen in him he is the Head of the Eternal Election as Mediator In Election he is to be
Grace and no more Love shewed in keeping and preserving that Grace in their Souls What! purchase such Riches for them by the Blood of his Son and let them be robbed of it all in a Moment 3. Can it stand consistent with the Faithfulness of God who hath said I will help thee I will uphold thee by the right Hand of my Righteousness and I will not suffer thee to be tempted above what thou art able c. The Work I have begun in thee I will perform to the Day of Christ and as thy Day is thy Strength shall be and yet notwithstanding all this will leave them and let their Grace wither and come to nothing and Sin and Temptations be too hard and strong for them and so cast them off for ever 4. Can it stand consistent with his Holiness to let his precious Grace which is an Impression of his own Image and Likeness in the Soul be blotted blurr'd and defaced for ever this Likeness being a Likeness unto him in that most high and beloved Perfection of his Nature viz. his Holiness which Work on the Soul is curiously wrought by his own Spirit and more valued by him than ten thousand Worlds will he I say neglect that which is so dear and like unto him and suffer it to be crush'd under the Foot of filthy Corruption by the Lusts of his implacable Enemy 5. Can it stand consistent with the Honour of God's most Sovereign Majesty to let Grace be destroyed and come to nothing in the Soul whose End in all he doth is principally to advance his own Glory What is it I pray you that tends more to bring Honour to God in the World than that Grace which he hath infused into the Hearts of his People If Sin brings the greatest Dishonour to him then certainly Grace brings the greatest Honour to him which strives to root out and utterly to destroy Sin so that God and Jesus Christ might reign alone in the Soul If a King hath but one special Favourite that asserts and maintains his Right and seeks to uphold his Throne be sure he will if possible preserve him and suffer none to undermine and supplant that Favourite so as to root him out of the Kingdom Thirdly In regard had to Jesus Christ who is the Purchaser and immediate Author of Grace I further argue Grace shall at last become Victorious or never finally be suppressed in the Hearts of Believers 1. Christ by his Death purchased that Grace which every true Christian is possessed of He died to redeem us from all Iniquity and to purify unto himself a peculiar People zealous of good Works It is upon the Account of his Death as the Effects of his Death the Spirit and the Graces of the Spirit are shed abroad in our Hearts Therefore being by the right Hand of God exalted and having received of the Father the Promise of the Holy Ghost he hath shed forth this which you see and hear Certainly if he purchased us and Grace for us when we were his Enemies he will preserve it in us since we are actually now reconciled to him Shall he be at the expence of his Blood to buy it as one notes and spare his Power to secure it 2. Christ was manifest to take away Sin to dispossess Satan and will he let Satan take Possession again He came to destroy the Works of the Devil And what are Satan's Works but Sin Will not Christ accomplish that which he came into the World to do 3. He is called the Author and Finisher of our Faith If this be so we may assure our selves he will perfect it he that begins it will end it he hath not left it to another after he hath begun the Work of Faith to finish it No no he still keeps it in his own Hand and he will see it done 4. It is for the Honour of Christ that Grace lives and is strengthened in his People Wherefore also we pray for you that our God would account you worthy of this Calling and fulfil all the good Pleasure of his Will and the Work of Faith with Power Part of the good Pleasure of the Will of God had been fulfilled in them they were called justified adopted and the Work of Sanctification was begun and Paul prays that with Power it might be compleated and then shews us how it tends to the Glory of Christ to have this done That the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ may be glorified and you in him according to the Grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ Brethren the Glory of Christ and the final Salvation of the Saints are wrap'd up together Grace tends to Christ's Glory here and to his Eternal Praise and Glory hereafter 5. Jesus Christ's Work now he is in Heaven is to intercede for his Saints And be sure as he prayed when on Earth that the Faith of his Peters might not fail so he makes the like Intercession for them in Heaven Hence the Intercession of Christ is part of the Saints Holy Triumph in that of Romans 8. 34. Who is he that condemneth it is Christ that died yea rather that is risen again who also maketh Intercession for us Now the Intercession of Christ hath great Power and Prevalency in it in order to our final Perseverance in Grace 1. Because he pleads continually with God the Virtue of his own Merits what he hath purchased for us he intercedes for but he purchased Grace for us and he prays for the final continuation of it in us therefore it shall abide in us to the End 2. By his Intercession he prevails with God that we may be delivered from all our Spiritual Enemies that they may never have Power over us of whom Sin is the chief That which Christ intercedes for he is heard and accepted in but he intercedes that we may be kept and delivered from the Power and eternal Punishment of Sin therefore Sin shall never have Power to condemn us 3. He intercedes that our Prayers may be heard and that we may be helped to pray and part of our Prayer is that Sin may not have Power over us to condemn us therefore Sin never shall so condemn us because Christ causes our Prayers with the Incense of his own Intercession to come up as a sweet Savour in the Nostrils of God 4. Christ intercedes that all our Sins may be pardoned and covered If any Man sin we have an Advocate with the Father He carries this Cause for us in the Court of Heaven therefore our Sins shall never work our Ruin 5. It is by his Intercession we come to the Throne of Grace with boldness Christ our Friend and High Priest appearing evermore in the Presence of God for us 6. And also it is through Christ's Intercession that all our Good Works and Holy Services are accepted of God So much shall serve to the tenth and last Argument And from hence
wretched and naked and for Rebellion condemned to die nay to be burned for ever Unbelief was the Cause of Man's Fall at first he would not believe God who told him In the Day he eat of the forbidden Fruit he should surely die No he rather adhered to the Devil and gave credit to the Father of Lies This also was the grand Cause of the Israelites falling in the Wilderness And to whom sware he that they should not enter into his Rest but to them that believed not So we see they could not enter in because of Vnbelief Let us therefore fear saith the Apostle Brethren there is a notional and practical Unbelief Some believe there is a God but they deny him by their Works and deny Christ the only Saviour by cleaving to and trusting in other things for Salvation They perhaps think that their good Deeds their Prayers their just Dealings and sober and moral Lives will save them Some are like a poor ignorant Wretch that I heard of who being lately sick and a Christian Neighbour being sent for to come to him he asked him some Questions about his Soul who replied that he had been a Sinner but if God spared him he hop'd to make God amends for all Some sin and commit horrid Evils in the Day and then pray at Night and confess their Sins and may be drop a few Tears and that they think cures all and makes them as sound again as a Fish and so go on the next Day in their old trade of sinning as briskly as before Some have a humane Faith an historical Faith and from thence do many things though they do not live up to that Faith neither nor improve what Knowledg and Light they have received to that degree they ought and so shall be condemned like as was the Man that improved not his one Talent I call it a humane Faith because it is the Act of the Creature by virtue of his natural Powers and Capacity the Spring and Motive of their Faith is Humane therefore their Faith cannot be Divine I shall sum up the whole of this Head and come to the Application 1. It appears that the Salvation of the Gospel is neglected by many through Ignorance and natural Blindness their Understandings are darkned And Light shines in the Darkness but the Darkness comprehendeth it not Men love Darkness rather than Light Error rather than Truth If another come in his own Name him you will receive 2. There is a Perverseness and Rebellion in the Will and hardness in the Heart Ye will not come to me that ye might have Life The carnal Mind is Enmity against God it is not subject to the Law of God neither indeed can be 3. Men are ignorant and unsensible of their States and Conditions Are we blind also We are Abraham 's Seed was the Plea of old We are Christians the Off-spring of Christian People and good Protestants is the Plea now They are 4. Ignorant of God's Holiness and Justice and so trust in his Mercy not regarding of his Law and Justice They are ignorant and unsensible of that insufficiency there is in themselves or in any thing they can do to save their own Souls 5. 'T is through the Ignorance of some of their Teachers who preach not the Gospel truly to them 6. 'T is through an inordinate Love to the things of this World their Affections are corrupted and set upon the Creature upon their Riches Honours and Pleasures 7. 'T is through that Love many have to their Sins and sinful Practices and sinful Companions 8. 'T is through the deceitfulness and treachery of their own evil Hearts 9. Through slavish Fear or pretended Modesty they dare not be so bold to venture themselves on Christ being such great Sinners and having nothing to present unto him for acceptance 10. It is from Idleness and spiritual Sloth 11. From Unbelief not giving Credit to the Revelation of God's Word in many respects but think to be saved some other ways than by Jesus Christ alone or not by him and nothing else and conclude something is to be joined to Christ's Merits and Righteousness or they cannot be justified nor saved and thus this Salvation is neglected it is upon these or such-like Considerations as these are APPLICATION 1. Tremble you that slight or neglect the great Salvation of the Gospel Will you say that Jesus Christ cannot save you or is not willing to save you Certainly those who give way to such Thoughts and Temptations are sharply to be reproved 2. Your Sins and Unbelief is the Cause of your Misery and if you perish it will be the Cause of your Damnation for ever 3. And to you that are Believers let me speak one Word Have a care of Unbelief beware of unbelieving and desponding Thoughts Why do you hang down your Heads Object O the deadness of my Heart This I know is the Voice and Complaint of your Souls Answ How came you to know that you are dead Certainly this is a sign that there is Life in you Did ever any Person that was naturally dead say he was dead cold or unsensible that is impossible 't is only such who are alive that thus complain Object O the abundance of Sin that is in me that afflicts and distresses my Soul Answ Say you so is Sin your Sickness is Sin your Sorrow Is Sin that which afflicts wounds and grieves your Spirit Then rejoice this is a good sign Would you live and sin not Do you see a loveliness in Holiness this is no doubt an Evidence of the Goodness of your Condition provided you hate it and allow not of Sin in you Object But alas how little do I mind and am affected with this great Salvation Answ Canst thou be contented without it or give over minding it and trouble thy self no more about it Nay art thou willing to part with that Interest thou hast in Christ and in this Salvation I am perswaded you will say No not for ten thousand Worlds 4. Moreover from hence we may see the Madness and Folly of the generality of Men who live under the preaching of the Gospel and yet neglect Day by Day the Means of this so great Salvation they regard not their chief and main Business What Blindness is naturally in Mankind But because I shall have occasion to open more particularly the great Evil of neglecting the Salvation of the Gospel the next time I shall say no more to it now HEB. II. 3. How shall we escape if we neglect so great Salvation I AM upon the Prosecution of the second Proposition I raised from this Text viz. Doct. 2. That the Means of the great Salvation of the Gospel may be neglected This is implied in the Words 1. I shewed you the last Day what the neglecting of Gospel-Salvation doth import 2. I also shewed you who they are that may be said to neglect it 3. And likewise from whence it cometh to pass
his Grace through the Redemption that is in Jesus Christ without Works Now to him that worketh not but believeth on him that justifieth the Vngodly his Faith is counted for Righteousness 'T is not because we are righteous in our selves therefore we are justified no but being justified by the Righteousness of Christ we are declared righteous in him and this is wholly by God's free Grace 4. Faith is a Grace or a Gift freely given to all that believe To you it is given in behalf of Christ not only to believe on him but to suffer for his sake For by Grace ye are saved through Faith and that not of your selves it is the Gift of God 5. Repentance is of Grace Him hath God exalted with his right Hand to be a Prince and a Saviour to give repentance to Israel c. God in the New Covenant promises to take away the Heart of Stone and to give a Heart of Flesh that is a broken tender and a repenting Heart If God peradventure will give them Repentance to the acknowledging the Truth If God will give them a Power and an Heart to repent it is his own free and gracious Gift to poor Sinners 6. Forgiveness of Sin is also freely given of God it is of Grace through the Redemption that is in Jesus Christ So that it appears Eternal Life from the first to the last is wholly of Grace both the Author of it the Means of it and the End thereof all is of Grace Heaven it self is the Gift of Grace Fear not little Flock it is your Father's good Pleasure to give you the Kingdom The Crown of Glory is the Gift of Christ Be thou faithful unto Death and I will give thee a Crown of Life Take the Water of Life freely buy Wine and Milk without Money and without Price Salvation was contrived by Infinite Grace and all things that do concur or accompany it are freely given Bread of Life and Water of Life is freely given A new Heart will I give them and a new Spirit will I put into them To you it is given to know the Mysteries of the Kingdom of Heaven c. Thirdly To proceed to the Grounds of the Point I shall give you the Reasons why Eternal Life is the Gift of Christ or of the free Grace of God 1. It is because Sin and Death cannot be removed out of the Way to Life but only by Jesus Christ and so by Grace only The Law of God is broke and Justice calls for Wrath and Vengeance to be executed upon the Transgressor Justice must be satisfied but Man cannot make a Compensation for the Violation of God's Holy Law nor will God acquit the Sinner unless that be done the Law is but an Impression of God's Holy Nature it resulted not from a bare Act of his Sovereignty but from his Holiness and perfect Rectitude of his blessed Nature If Man could have attained to Life by any Works of Obedience done by him Christ died in vain and if it had consisted with the Wisdom and Holiness of God to have accepted of imperfect Obedience provided it had been sincere he could at first have given Man such a Law and so have saved the Life of his Son For any therefore to affirm that God accepteth sinful Man for the sake of his imperfect though sincere Obedience it is to assert in effect that he accepted of some sinful and polluted Acts as a Recompence and Satisfaction for other sinful Acts and Deeds of Darkness for all our best Services are unclean in themselves Paul accounted all his own Righteousness but Dung c. Besides the Obedience under the Gospel which God requires is to be performed in the highest perfection imaginable Be ye Perfect as your Father in Heaven is Perfect The Law of the Gospel is the same in Nature with the Moral Law therefore if it may be called a Law it is a perfect Law we are still commanded to love the Lord our God with all our Hearts with all our Souls and with all our Strength yea and to live and sin not Little Children these things write I unto you that ye sin not Our Faith Love and Patience c. ought to be perfect the Law or Commands of the Gospel know no Bounds nor Limits Vntil we all come in the Vnity of the Faith and of the Knowledg of the Son of God unto a perfect Man unto the measure of the stature of the Fulness of Christ It would therefore be a Work becoming the New-Lawyers to shew where the Commands lie in the Gospel that God's Law only requires sincere Obedience unto the Law certainly loses no part of its Sanction by the Gospel that is as Holy Just and Good as ever and a perpetual Rule of Life and Obedience Therefore as a reverend Person Notes either the Gospel-Law or Law of Faith must require Perfection of Obedience in these Duties or some other Divine Law or else God would become an indulger of Sin by Law if it be by another Law viz. the Moral that requires perfect Obedience and this sincere only then these Laws differ but in Degree not in Specie or Kind because both require the same Duties or Works and so this Gospel-Law would be no distinct Law but only the Measure of sincere Obedience would receive a new use which we own it has to wit to be an Index and Mark of our Justification tho we cannot own that use of its giving Right c. But to proceed saith he a distinct Law they must hold or quit their Cause or this Foundation of it for the Text sets the Law of Faith down as an opposite Law to that of Works and that they hold Then if it be a perfect Law requiring perfect Obedience there is no possibility of Justification in this Life Poppius the Arminian grants the Conclusion that our Obedience must be consummate before our Assurance and others distinguish between a compleat and partial Justification the former is not they say until the Day of Judgment But this is not all the Difficulty for it 's the adding a Load to a Burden Is this Gospel to a Man that is unable to perform the least part of the Moral Law to tell him that God or the Mediator requires perfect Obedience to it for the future and another too Or is this Gospel to say you shall perish eternally and have the Fire of Hell seven times heated if you obey not this Gospel It 's indeed a conditional Hell but it is more dreadful than the Fire of Hell and the Condition is more impossible because we have less power to shun this Difficulty of two perfect Laws Mr. Bull owns no other perfect Law but this Gospel since Man fell but by shunning one Difficulty he falls into two as great 1. Then the Moral Law is abrogated besides the falsness of the Doctrine it self for it is impossible that should cease to be