is from what hath been said and from the carriage of the Context both before and after and indeed from the scope and purport of the whole Book that Solomon in the place in hand doth not speak of his latter times wherein he turned aside after Idols and said to the stock or graven image Deliver me for thou art my God a Isai 44. 17 wherein he heaped up strange women Wives and Concubines as before he had done Wisdom like the sand upon the sea shâ—re innumerable as if his meaning were that all the while he dishonored himself by serving the Devil in these gross bruitish and unmanlike courses his Religious Wisdom his sound and saving Knowledg of the true God remained with him but of his middle most prosperous and flourishing times when he was to be seen in all his glory when as himself said the Lord had given him rest or peace on every side so that he had neither Adversary nor evil occurrent b 1 Kings 5. 4 And his meaning as hath been said clearly is that the great hear of all this outward Prosperity did not dissolve the spirit or strength of that Wisdom which made his face to shine in eyes of all the Nations and Princes of the World round about him which Wisdom did not so much if at all stand in the devoutness of his Heart or Soul towardâ— God as in the knowledg of natural and civil things as it is described 1 King 4. from Vers 29. to the end of the Chapter Concerning Idols and Idolaters the Father had said before They that make them are like unto them i. e. as Mr J. Deodat himself who is the man that pretended to finde Solomons Faith alive in the words in hand whilest Solomon himself was dead in Baal or in some of Baals Companions interprets it stupid and blinde as the Idols themselves are and so is every one that trusteth in them a Psal 115 8 Therefore questionless the Son after his return from that folly would not have pleaded the standing of his wisdom by him whilest He was an Idolater and Patron of Idols But the truth is that the words insisted upon are every ways so inconsiderable in point of Proof for the continuance of Solomons Faith during his continuance in his Idolatries that the recourse made to them for proof hereof is an Argument to me very considerable that the Patrons of that Opinion are extreamly straitened and put to it through want of so much as any tolerable Argument or Proof for the maintaining of it It is a sign that the Soul is hungry indeed when every bitter thing becomes sweet unto it Thus then we clearly finde that there is no special or particular ground or Argument at all of any value to prove that either David the Father during his impenitency after the horrid crimes of Murther and Adultery perpetrated by him or that Solomon the Son during the like impenitency in him upon his Idolatrous backslidings did retain any saving Principle of grace or Faith in them but that during their respective impenitencies they were children of wrath liable to the same sentence of Condemnation with the promiscuous multitude or generality of Murtherers and Idolaters for the Proof whereof several pregnant Arguments have been levyed from the Scriptures As for such Arguments and grounds by which the certain Perseverance of the Saints in general in the truth and soundness of their Faith is commonly pleaded and maintained they have been formerly weighed in the balance of the Sanctuary and found too light So that we may very safely conclude that both David and Solomon were not onely under a possibility of a total falling away from that grace of God wherein they sometimes stood which is common to all the Saints but that they taught the World the truth and certainty of such a Possibility by reducing it into act I mean by falling away totally from it Neither are Examples of the like sad Miscarriages wanting in the New-Testament §. 9. The Apostle speaks of some in his days who having put away a good Conscience concerning Faith made shipwrack b 1 Tim. 1 19 thereby and in another place speaking of the dangerous Doctrine of Hymeneus and Philetus who taught that the Resurrection was already past he saith that they overthrew or destroyed the Faith of some c 2 Tim. 2 17 Elsewhere he speaks of some who were then turned aside after Satan d 1 Tim. 5 15 They who by putting away a good Conscience make shipwrack of Faith must needs be supposed 1. To have had true Faith 2. To suffer an absolute or total loss of it For the first If we shall suppose that they who put away a good Conscience from them had it or were possessed of it before such their putting it away we must suppose withall that they had true saving Faith because goodness of Conscience cannot take place but onely where such a Faith gives Being unto it which in that respect is said to purifie the heart e Acts 15 9 as on the contrary the very mindes and consciences of Unbeleevers are said to be defiled f Tit. 1 15 Nor doth the Scripture any where to my best remembrance speak of a good or pure Conscience but where the goodness of it is supposed to slow from a sound knowledg of the Will of God in conjunction with an upright desire of doing all things according to the Tenor of the Truth known The end of the Commandment saith the Apostle in this very Chapter is Charity out of a pure heart and of a good Conscience and of Faith unfeigned a 1 Tim. 1 5 So again Pray for us for we trust we have a GOOD CONSCIENCE in all things willing to live honestly b Heb. 13 18 Another Apostle exhorteth Christians to sanctifie the Lord in their hearts and â—o be ready always to give an answer unto every man that asketh them a reason of the hope that â—is in them with meekness and fear Having a GOOD CONSCIENCE c 1 Pet. 3. 15 16 c. A little after be placeth the sum and substance of true Christianity in a good Conscience The like figure whereunto even Baptism doth also now save â—s not the putting away of the filth of the flesh but the Answer or demand of a GOOD CONSCIENCE towards God by the Resurrection of Jesus Christ d Verse 21 meaning to add this by the way that Baptism typified or presignified by the Ark wherein Noah and his Family were prâ—served from perishing with the rest of the world by water doth contribute towards our Salvation from the condemnation of the world round about us for sin not so much by the letter or material effect of it but by typifying holding forth and assuring us that a good Conscience raised or built upon the Resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead and the sound knowledg hereof doth require or demand this Salvation of God and that according
lieth in the Physician He came to save or heal the sick He slayeth Himself who will not observe the Precepts of the Physician He came a Saviour unto the World Why is He called the Saviour of the World but that He should save the World b Ergo quantum in medico est sanare venit aegrotum Ipse se interimit qui praecepta Medici observare non vult Venit Salvator ad Mundum Qâ—are Salvator dictus est Mundi nisi ut salvet Mundum c. Aug. in JohaÌ„ tractat 12. Doubtlesse he that speaketh these things had not yet dream'd of any other signification of the World in the Scripture in hand but only that which we have asserted nor did he imagine that Christ was given or sent into the World upon any other terms then those which equally and indifferently respected the healing of all that were sick or the saving of all that were lost otherwise why should he insert this Provisionall Clause as much as in the Physician lieth meaning Christ This plainly importeth that he came to heale such sick ones who notwithstanding slew themselves by neglecting His Precepts yea and that he could do no more then he did in or by his Death to save those from perishing who do perish and consequently that he died as much for these as for those who are saved Nor doubtlesse had the other I mean Chrysostome any other Notion of §. 27. the World in the said Scripture then the former For describing those whom God is here said to have loved he gives no other description of them then which agreeth as well to the Reprobate as Elect affirming them to be such who come from the Earth and Ashes who are full of an infinite number of sinnes who injured or offended Him without ceasing very wicked or deserving no Pardon And afterwards but we neglect or despise Him being naked and a stranger who died for us And who then shall deliver us from the punishment or judgement which is to come a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chrys Homil. 27. in Johan 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ibid. Cleerly implying that those for whom Christ died may notwithstanding suffer and undergoe the wrath or punishment which is to come It were easie to levy many more quotations both from the Authors already mentioned and from many others as well ancient as Moderne of a full and cleer concurrence with the interpretation given But I take no pleasure in quotations from Men nor doe I know any great use of them unlesse it be to heale the offence which truth is alwayes apt to give to prepossessed and prejudicate minds The use which more commonly is made of them is a grand abuse being nothing else but the interposing or thrusting of the credits and authorities of Men between the judgements of Men and the truth that so the one should not easily come at the other However we have I trust made it fully evident by many demonstrations in full conjunction with the judgements of learned Men that the Scripture in hand casteth the light of that love of God out of which he gave his only begotten Sonne to Death with an equall brightnesse upon all Mankinde and consequently that this Death of his faceth the whole Posterity of Adam with the same sweetnesse and graciousnesse of aspect The Scripture last opened speaking so plainely and fully as we have §. 28. heard the point in hand might well be accepted as a sufficient security that all its fellowes mentioned with it as in effect they speak so likewise they intend and meane the same thing Yet because prejudice is froward and hard of satisfaction let us unpartially examine one or two more of the company we shall finde Universall Attonement as well at the bottome as at the top as well in the heart as in the face of them The former of the two shall be that of the Apostle Paul To wit that God was in Christ reconciling the World unto himself not imputing their Trespasses unto them and hath committed unto us the word of Reconciliation a 2 Cor. 5. 19. That by the World which God is here said to have been in Christ Reconciling unto Himself cannot be meant the Elect only but the universality of Men is cleer upon this account First it is not here said that God in Christ did actually or in facto esse Reconcile the World unto Himself but that he was Reconciling the World c. i. e. God was and is and ever will be for the unchangeable Perpetuation of the Acts of God are usually expressed in the Scriptures by Verbs signifying the time past for the reason specified in the last Chapter in i. e. by or through Christ following and prosecuting his great and Gracious designe of Reconciling the World unto Himself Participles of the present tense active import the currency or carrying on not the consummation or ending of an action or endevour Secondly by the Reconciling the World unto Himself in or through Christ which is here ascribed unto God must of necessity be meant either such an act or endeavour in him by which he gaines or rather seeks and attempts to gaine the love and friendship of the World which was and is full of hatred and enmity against him or else such an act by which he went about to Reconcile Himself i. e. to render and make Himself Propitious and Benevolous unto the World Now take either of these Sences it is unpossible that by the word World should be signified only the Elect or indeed any thing but the generality of Men. If we take the Act of God here termed the Reconciling the World unto Himself §. 29. in the former sence which doubtlesse is the true sence of it as cleerly appears from the next Verse and subsequent Clause in this by the World cannot be meant only the Elect because God doth not by Christ or in Christ held forth and Preached in the Ministry of the Gospell seeke to bring over these only unto him in love or to make only these his friends neither doth he send the word of Reconciliation as the Apostle calleth it i. e. the gracious message of the Gospell by which this Reconciliation is to be actually made only unto them but Promiscuously to the generality or universality of Men without exception of any Gâ—e and Preach the Gospell to every Creature under Heaven b Mar. 16. 15. And therefore Paul did but keep to his Commission when as he saith he Preached Christ warning EVERY Man and teaching EVERY Man in all wisdome that he might present EVERY Man perfect in Christ Jesus a Colos 1. 28. And 2. Evident it is that in the Ministry and Preaching of this word God doth as well and as much and after the same manner perswade the obstinate and many of those who never come to believe as he doth those who are overcome and Perswaded hereunto It is said concerning the ancient Jewes that the Lord
meant the Elect or the intire number of the Elect or of those for whom Christ Died in Mr. Rutherfords sence but precisely and particularly His Apostles of whom alone He speaks and for whom alone and apart from the rest of the Elect He Prayeth all along the Chapter untill Verse 20. where He enlargeth His Prayer thus Neither pray I for these alone but for them also which shall believe in Me through their word For this passage it is as cleer as the Sun at noone day that from the beginning of the Chapter untill now He â—ad managed His Prayer and Heavenly Conference with the Father with particular reference to His Apostles and had not mentioned any thing about the residue of the Elect. That He speaks of the Apostles only Verse 2. under those words as many as thou hast given Me is most apparant from Verse 6. I have manifested thy Name unto the Men which thou gavest Me out of the World thine they were and thou gavest them Me and they HAVE KEPT thy Word First Christ had not yet manifested His Fathers Name to all the Elect no not to all the Elect at this time in being in the World 2. Neither could He say to His Father concerning all the Elect that they had kept His Word many of them having not as yet received it Again to passe by severall things by the way making out the same truth Verse 12. Thus whilest I was with them in the World meaning those of whom He had spoken â—â—om the beginning of the Chapter I kept them in thy Name i. e. I preserved them from the exorbitances of the World by the knowledge of thy Name which still I have been communicating unto them those that thou gavest Me I have kept and none of them is lost but the Sonne of perdition c. Evident it is that this Sonne of Perdition was one of that number of Men which the Father had given Him out of the World and which He had kept intirely without the miscarriage of any one this Son of Perdition only excepted I presume that neither Mr. Rutherford nor any of his judgement will say that this Son of perdition was one of the number of the Elect but certaine it is that he was one of that number of men which the Father had given unto Christ out of the World The words are too too expresse to beare a deniall of this those that thou gavest Me I have kept and none OF THEM is lost but the Son of perdition c. Therefore by as many as the Father had given unto Him with an intent that He should give eternall life unto them Verse 2. are meant the Apostles and these only These may be said to have been given unto Christ by the Father not because they were the Fathers by Election from eternity for doubtlesse the Son of perdition as â—ath been said was none of His in such a Relation nor simply because they were by any peremptory designation appointed and set out by him from amongst other men to make Apostles for His Son as if Christ had been necessitated to take these and had no liberty or right of power to have taken any others into that Relation for how could then Christ say unto them that he had chosen them viz. to the office and dignity of Apostles Joh. 6. 70. Joh. 13. 18. Joh. 15. 16. 19. but because God the Father by a worke appropriable unto him of which I conceive we shall have occasion to speak more at large hereafter had qualified fitted and prepared them for Christs Hand and Nurture and so to make Apostles of in time in respect of which Worke of God the Father in and upon them Christ out of that wisdom wherein â—e excelled and that knowledg which he had of the severall frames and tempers of the Hearts of men made a prudent and deliberate choyce of them from amongst other men for that service Thine they were and thou gavest them unto Me. They are said to have been the Fathers i. e. as it were the Fathers Disciples or persons taught by the Father Joh. 6. 45. and so after a sort appropriable unto the Father as those that believe and are taught of Christ are said to be Christs or to belong to Christ before they became Christs Apostles or were chosen by Him upon this account and are said to have been given unto Him out of the World by the Father because they were peculiarly qualified and at it were characterized and marked out by the Father as fit matter to be formed into Apostles by His Son The word give is frequently found in such a signification as this in the Scriptures and to import the preparing furnishing or fitting whether of things or persons for such and such ends and purposes in reference to the accommodations of Men. In this sence Christ is said to have given some Apostles and some Prophets and some Evangelists and some Pasâ—ors and Teachers for the perfecting of the Saints for the Worke of the Ministry c. i. e. to have every wayes prepared qualified indowed fitted furnished persons for all these Offices and Services in His Church for the benefit of the Saints c. Thus Acts 13. 20. He gave them Judges c. i. e. He qualified and furnished men amongst them from time to time with publique spirits and with gifts fit for government c. So Neh. 9. 27. thou GAVEST them Saviours i. e. thou furnishedst Men with Hearts and Courage and Wisdom c. to save them See Eph. 1. 22. HE GAVE Him to be head over all things to His Church i. e. He furnished Him with Sovereignty of Power Wisdom Majesty and with all manner of indowments otherwise requisite for such an Head Thus Psal 44. 11. Thou hast GIVEN us like sheepe for meat c. i. e. by withdrawing thy presence help and protection from us thou hast prepared and sitted us to become a prey and spoyle to our enemies In this sence also God saith to Jeremy taht he had GIVEN him for so it is in the originall a Prophet unto the Nations i. e. that he had furnished him and meant to furnish him yet further with propheticall gifts and indowments for the benefit of Nations if they would hearken to Him Jer. 1. 5. So Psal 21. 6. Thou hast given him to be blessings so it is in the originall and is your marginall translation i. e. thou hast so furnished qualified and disposed of him meaning Christ that whosoever will apply themselves unto Him may be made happy and blessed by Him See Ezek. 3. 8 9. Esa 43. 16. in the originall with other like Our Saviour Himself useth the word in the sence now instanced from the Scriptures when He expresseth Himself thus All that the Father giveth Me shall or rather will come unto Me c. Joh. 6. 37. Of which place more in due time Nor ought it to seeme any hard uncouth or unpleasant expression unto §. 10. us wherein that
are justified not be glorified how can the Apostles Proof stand that all things worke together for good to those who love God which as your self acknowledged is the Doctrine or Conclusion the demonstration of the truth whereof the Apostle intends by the Producing of this golden chaine of Divine acts taking hold in a clear subordination one upon another Can all things be said to work together for good to him who never comes to be glorified but to be everlastingly condemned To this I answer That this Doctrine or saying of the Apostle All things work together for good unto those who love God is to be understood with the like Explication or graine of spirituall salt wherewith these two and a thousand more sentences in the Scriptures are to be seasoned He that believeth and is Baptized shall be saved but he that believeth not shall be damned b Mar. 16. 16 The meaning of this latter saying to proceede a notioribus ad magis ignota He that believeth not shall be damned is not this He that now or at Present believeth not let him doe all he will or can let him believe a thousand times over hereafter shall notwithstanding be damned this I say is not our Saviours meaning in that clause His meaning is cleerly enough this He that believeth not viz. and continueth an unbeliever to his dying day shall be damned But it doth not follow from hence that he that is a present unbeliever must of necessity live and die in unbelief and so be damned So that there is a sence wherein it is as true that he that believeth not may and shall be saved viz. if he repents of his unbelief and returnes to his vomit no more So to search now into the former saying when our Saviour saith He that believeth and is Baptized shall be saved his meaning is not that he who at present believeth and hath been or shall be Baptized shall be saved let him do what he will or can let him turne Apostate make shipwrack of his Faith renounce his Baptisme and the like but he that believeth and is Baptized shall be saved i. e. He that believeth and continueth a Believer or shall be found a Believer and a Man standing fast by his Baptisme and Review the 43 Sect. of this Chapter holding out his Profession with constancy unto the end shall be saved Our Saviours cleer intent in these sayings was to shew and assert in the former the blessed interest of Faith in conjunction with a Christian Profession as viz. that it gives unto Men a title and rightfulnesse of claime to Salvation in the latter the dreadfull danger and formidable Property of unbelief as viz. that it exposeth the Person in whom it abides to the vengeance of Hell fire But as it was no part of his intent to assert any inseparablenesse of unbelief from the subject thereof in the latter clause so neither did he any wayes intend to assert any such property unto Faith in the former In like manner when the Apostle layeth down this Doctrine All things work together for good unto those that love God his meaning is not either to assert the unquenchableness or unremoveableness of this affection from its present subject or to imply that whosoever is at present a lover of God is in any such Possession of that Priviledge he speaks of I meane of having all things to worke together for good unto him that in case his love to God languisheth and dieth and a contrary affection succeeds in the place thereof he can or shall never be cast out of it But his intire and cleer intent in that Position or saying of his is to shew that the love of God in what Subject or Person soever it resides and whilest it there resides doth by vertue of the gracious Decree or Will of God in that behalfe invest him with this Priviledge viz. to have all occurrences of things relating to him even afflictions and Persecutions themselves benefactors unto him To make this good he shews what God hath fully Purposed or Decreed to doe for such Men or which is the same what he hath Predestinated such men unto as viz. to a conformity with or to the Image of His own Son the Lord Christ i. e. to make them glorious and blessed in such a way or upon such terms as Jesus Christ himself who was the greatest lover of God that ever was is now become glorious unto whose glorification all things that happened unto him in this present World and more especially his sufferings joyntly contributed and wrought And for further satisfaction how by what means and degrees God actually brings these Persons viz. continuing still lovers of him to this conformity with Christ in His glory He adds Moreover whom he did thus Predestinate them He also called i. e. as was formerly interpreted a Sect. 42. of this Chapter He Purposed to call viz. to the knowledge of His Son as the Saviour of the world and calleth them accordingly in which respect they are said to be Persons called according to his Purpose Verse 28. and whom He called them He also justified i. e. Purposed to justifie and justifieth accordingly and whom He justified them also He glorified i. e. Purposed to glorifie or to bring to an actuall conformity with Christ in His glory and glorifieth them accordingly Why the purposed or intended actings of God are expressed in Scripture rather in the Preter-Perfect tense then either in the present or future is accounted elsewhere in this Discourse b Cap. 4. Sect. 29. But in all these gradations mentioned of the Counsell of God concerning the bringing of those that love him unto a conformity with Christ in His glory the same subject formally considered i. e. those that love him as such is to be understood so that in case the subject be changed under or between any of the said gradations and he for example who loved God being yet only Predestinated by God to be conformed unto Christ in glory and not called or being called and not yet justified of being justified and not yet glorified shall either before his calling though Predestinate or before his justification though called or before his glorification though justified be alienated in his affection from God and having loved him shall cease to love him and suffer an hatred of God secretly to grow upon him it is not to be conceived that God notwithstanding such a change in him should advance or carry him on by the remaining steps or gradations unto glory but that where ever this heavenly affection of his Love to God shall expire and leave him there the Counsell of God also concerning his glorification should leave him and nothing be further done or acted by him in order thereunto unlesse haply he returnes unto his former affection The Apostles intent in the passage in hand was to declare the series and tenor of Gods Counsells for the glorious benefit and good of
wicked men which produc'd those glorious and blessed effects the Redemption Justification and Salvation of the World Now Christ to shed his Blood in such a sence as he shed it to lay down his Life in such a manner as he by any act or consent of his concurred and acted towards the laying of it down and so to give his Flesh as he gave it needed not the malice violence or bloudy injustice of men but did all this performed all these acts within his own sphere yea and had performed them before the least drop of his Bloud was spilt by men and consequently the Redemption and Salvation of the World were provided for by him in all things essentiall and simply necessary thereunto before either Herod or Filate the Gentiles or the Jewes interposed with any of their counsels or ingagements for the Crucifying of him Thus then we see what the Christians mean in saying that Herod and Pilate with the Gentiles and People of Israel gathered together to do whatsoever the hand and counsell of God had determined before to be done viz. to act towards in and about the Death and Crucifying of Christ to the uttermost 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quaecunque of what God had before upon a speciall account and designe determined or Decreed to Permit them to do or rather to Permit to be done notwithstanding his Hand or Power to have prevented them For to touch the second thing propounded the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 translated to be done doth not import any eventuall certainty or indispensable necessity of the comming to passe of those things which Herod Pilate c. gathered themselves together to do and accordingly did about the Crucifying of Christ but only the possibility or if we will the probability of their comming to passe upon the determined Permission of God in that behalf For that the Permissive Decree of God doth not import the certainty or necessity of event in things so Decreed is afterwards proved in this Chapter a Sect. 20. It is a form of speech frequent in the Scriptures to speak of things probable or likely to come to passe as if they should or would simply and certainly come to passe and so again to use the infinitive Mood in a potentiall sence or signification An instance of the former we have Deut. 13. 11. And all Israel shall heare and feare and shall do no more any such wickednesse as this is among you The meaning is not that it shall certainly and infallibly thus come to passe viz. That no Israelite hearing of the judgment executed upon the idolatrous Seducer would ever commit the like wickednesse afterwards but that the hearing of such a severe course taken with such an offender should be a probable and likely means to preserve others from the like wickednesse Another passage of like expression and import you have Deut. 17. 13. and againe Deut. 19. 20. See also Gen. 21. 6. Num. 14. 13. 14. Ioh. 11. 48. to omit other the like without number An See Franciscus Vigerus De praecipuâ—s Graecae dictionis Idiotismis p. 99. instance of the latter we have Rom. 1. 20. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. That they might be or that they may be as our last translators render it in their margent or that they should be as our former translators had it without excuse viz. in case they glorifie not God as God See also Rom. 4. 11. where the infinitive Mood is twice used in such a potentiall sence as we speake of So when Christ saith unto Simon and Andrew Mar. 1. 17. Follow mee 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. and I will make or cause you to be or to become fishers of men his meaning is not that upon condition they would follow him he would compell or force them to be fishers of men he might have done this as well without perswading them to follow him but that he would furnish them with such wisdome and knowledge with such an heavenly art and skill that if their hearts would serve them for the imployment they might and should be excellently accomplished and fitted by him for the drawing of men out of the World unto God See also Mar. 10. 44. Luk. 8. 35. 23. 24. And to cite no more places upon this account which readily might be done to a far greater number in the next Verse save one to the words in hand the same speakers expresse themselves thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. i. e. And that signes and wonders MAY BE DONE by the Name c. So that whereas in the Scripture in debate we have the Originall 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 translated to be done as if the meaning were that the hand and counsell of God had positively and conclusively determined that all those things should be done which now were done by Herod Pilate c. about the Crucifying of Christ it might as properly with as much consonancy to the Scripture Dialect and Phrase elsewhere and questionlesse with farre better agreement with the truth be rendered MIGHT BE DONE And then the sEnce of the whole Passage imports no more but this that Herod Pilate c. were gathered together to do the uttermost of what God had long before even from eternity graciously and sapientially determined to permit and suffer them to doe in and about the Death and Crucifying of Christ So then here is nothing in this Scripture to prove that God peremptorily decreed or determined before hand the Crucifying of Christ by Herod Pilate the Gentiles or the Jewes or by any other Persons but only that in order to his great and blessed designe of saving the World he thus Decreed that either these or any other in case these had not done it should be at liberty to Perpetrate this great wickednesse and that he would not by his hand or Power interpose to hinder them in case they should attempt it which he from eternity foresaw and certainly knew that they would This sence of the place is fully confirmed from all these and such like expressions in Scripture Who was DELIVERED up meaning by God for our offences a Rom 4. 25. So again He that spared not his own Son DELIVERED HIM UP for us all c. b Rom. 8. 32. And again Him being DELIVERED 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 given out viz. out of the protecting or rescuing Hand of God by the determinate counsell and foreknowledge of God yee have taken and by wicked hands have Crucified c. c Acts 2. 23. Such passages as these evidently shew that God went no further in any of his Determinations or Decrees about the actuall Crucifying of Christ but only to a delivering of him up i. e. to a leaving of him un-guarded unprotected for wicked men to doe with him thus far even what they list not to any necessitating of any person or persons whatsoever to lay violent hands upon him If it be objected but how doth it stand with the
perish but on the contrary that whosoever of them should not believe should perish Which according to their Principles against whom we now argue is as if a man should say which soever of my sheep is no sheep but a goate shall have no pasture with his fellowes 3. They who by the World here understand the Elect must if they will §. 14. not baulk with their Principles suppose that Christ speaks at no better Rate of Wisdom or Sence in this Scripture then thus So God loved the World that He gave His only begotten Sonne that whosoever did that which was not possible for them to decline or not to do should not perish but c. Who ever being serious and in his wits required that in the nature of a condition from any Man especially in order to the obtaining of some great and important thing which he of whom it was required upon such terms was necessitated or had no Liberty or Power but to performe what Father ever promised his Son his Estate either in whole or in part upon condition that whilest he rode upon an Horse he should not go on foote or upon condition that he would do that which a force greater he was able to resist should necessitate him to do So that the whole tenor and carriage of the verse renders the interpretation of the word World hitherto encountred a meer nullity in Sence Reason and Truth 5. The Context and words immediately preceding will at no hand endure §. 15. that sence of the word World against which we have declared hitherto This little word for FOR God so loved c. being causall importeth not only a connexion of these words with what went before but such a connexion or Relation as that which intercedes between the cause and the effect So that the words in hand must be looked upon as assigning or exhibiting the Cause or Reason of that effect which was immediately before mentioned This being granted as without breach of conscience it can hardly be denied it will appear as cleer as the light of the Sun that by the word World in the place under Contest cannot be meant the Elect only The tenor of the two next foregoing Verses for together they make but one intire sentence is this And as Moses lifted up the Serpent in the Wildernesse even so must the Sonne of Man be lifted up that whosoever believeth in Him or every one believing in Him should not perish but have everlasting Life So that the effect here mentioned and expressed is the Salvation and everlasting happinesse of what Person or Persons soever of Men or of Man-kinde that shall believe in Christ The Reason or Cause hereof our Saviour discovers and asserts in the words in hand For God so loved the World that He gave c. If now by the World we shall understand only the Elect the Reason or Cause here assigned of the pre-mentioned effect will be found inadequate to it and insufficient to produce it For Gods Love to the Elect and his giving his Son for their Salvation only is no sufficient cause to procure or produce the Salvation of WHOSOEVER shall or should believe on him For certaine it is that there is Salvation in Christ for no more then for whom God intended there should be Salvation in him If there be Salvation in him for none but for the Elect only then is it not true that whosoever believes in him shall be saved For certaine it is that no Mans believing puts any Salvation into Christ for him therefore if it were not there for him before he believed yea or whether he beleeved or not neither would it be there for him though or in case he should believe 6. And lastly that by the word World in the Scripture in hand is not meant the Elect nor any thing equivalent hereunto is evident also from the Context in the Verse and words immediately following where our Saviour goeth forward in his Doctrine Thus. For God sent not His Sonne into the World to condemne the World but that the World through him might be saved a Ioh. 3. 17. This Particle for being as we lately noted Causall or Raciocinative plainly sheweth that he useth the word World or speaks of the World in this Verse where he speaks of the condemnation of it in the same sence wherein he spake of it in the former and the meanes of the Salvation of it otherwise he should not argue ad idem i. e. to the point in hand Now then to make him here to say that God sent not his Sonne into the World i. e. to take the nature or to live in the condition of the Elest to condemne the Elect but that the Elect c. is to make him speak as never man I suppose spake but not for excellency of Wisdom or gracefulnesse of expression but for weaknesse in both To say that God sent not his Sonne into the World to condemne his Elect were but to beate the Aire or to fight against a shadow I mean solemnly to deny that which no man was ever likely to imagine or affirm For â—ow or by what way of apprehension should it ever enter into any mans thoughts that God should send his Sonne into the World to condemne those whom out of his infinite love he had from eternity decreed to save with a strong Hand out-stretched Arme and Power omnipotent and invincible Or are not these the Elect in their notion of Election with whom we have now to do Therefore certainly the World in the Scripture before us doth not signifie the Elect. A second interpretation of this word asserted by some is that by the §. 16. World is meant genus humanum or Mankinde indefinitely considered i. e. if I rightly understand the minde of those who thus interpret as neither importing all nor any of the individiuums or persons contained in or under this species or kinde but only the specificall nature of Man common to them all as when the Jewes said of the Centurion that he loved their nation * Luke 7. 5. their meaning was not either that he loved all that were Jewes without exception of any nor yet that he loved any particular person of them more then another but only that he was lovingly disposed towards them as they were such a particular Nation as viz. Jewes But that this Interpretation either falls in in substance with the former and so is already condemn'd with the condemnation thereof or else with the third and last which as we shall hear presently findeth in this Scripture a Love in God towards all the individuall Persons of Man-kinde without exception of any or else that it vanisheth into nothing and hath no substance at all in it may be thus demonstrated If by Man-kinde indefinitely considered be neither meant a speciall or determinate number of the persons of Men which the former interpretation asserteth nor yet the universality or intire body of Men consisting
of all the particular Persons of men which either have been now are and shall be hereafter which the third Interpretation avoucheth then is it only the nature of Man abstractively considened which we may with the Schoolemen call Humanitas Humanity or the specificall nature of Man not the persons of Men some or all which God precisely loved with that love out of which He gave His only begotten Sonne If so then it undeniably followes that Christ was given out of as much Love to one person of Man-kinde as to another or which is the same not out of any love to any at all For certain it is that Humanitas or the specificall nature of Man is not the person of any Man And so according to this Interpretation God should love the Reprobates as much as the Elect and consequently give His only begotten Sonne to Death as well for the one as the other Besides if it were the humane Nature indefinitely considered in the sence pre-declared which God is here said to have loved with that love out of which He gave His only begotten Sonne from hence also it must needs follow in as much as the Reprobate so called partakes every whit as much in this nature as the Elect that Christ was given as much for the one as for the other Again if by the World be meant the humane Nature in the sence distinguished the distributive Particle whosoever with the following words will be found incongruous and no wayes answering the former part of the Verse either in sence or regularnesse of construction For the humane Nature is but simply one and the same nature or thing nor doth it containe any Plurality of Species or Individuall humane Natures under it whereas a distribution cannot be but of some generall which containeth many particulars under it And upon the supposall of such a sence of the word World to make the construction Regular in the latter part of the Verse the tenor of the whole must run thus So God loved the humane Nature that He gave His only begotten Sonne that what humane Nature soever believed in him should not perish c. If this construction be ridiculous so must that interpretation needs be which produceth it Lastly to answer the illustration of this interpretation from Luke 7. the Jewes who said the Centurion loved their Nation did not suppose that he loved only a handfull or small number of their Nation and hated all the rest with an irreconcileable hatred nor did they say that he so loved their Nation that whosoever of this Nation should trust him he would be a signall Benefactor unto them or the like nor did they by their Nation understand the Jewish Race Lineage or Descent abstractively considered and without reference to any Person or Persons whatsoever of this Nation for their Nation in this sence was wholly uncapable of any fruit or expression of his love or of having a Synagogue built to it or for it So that this instance no wayes parallel's or fits the interpretation of the word World for the illustration or confirmation whereof it is brought But the plain meaning of the Jewes saying that the Centurion loved their Nation was this that he was ready and willing to do any office or service of love to any Person or Persons of their Nation because of their Nationall Relation rather then to any other upon such a consideration when he had opportunity The two pretenders being non-suited a sufficient way I presume is made for the admission of the right heire Therefore The third and last interpretation of the World in the Scripture under §. 17. debate is that by it is signified Universum genus humanum the whole compasse of Man-kinde or all and every individuall person subsisting at any time in the humane Nature without exception of any This exposition stands with the ordinary and best-known signification of the words and withall gives Smoothnesse and Regularity of construction unto the period or sentence which both the former as upon examination hath been found take from it is of perfect accord with the Context and besides magnifies the Love of God in the freenesse fulnesse and extent of it incomparably above and beyond either of them For 1. The word World 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 very frequently and familiarly both in the §. 18. Scriptures themselves and in other Authors signifieth the generality of Man-kinde or of Men in the Scriptures especially when it relates unto persons it seldome or never signifieth any thing else but either the generality of Men simply and absolutely or else that generality of Men which comparatively comprehendeth all Men I meane the whole number of wicked and unregenerate Men who in respect of their vast multitudes and inconsiderable number of the godly in comparison of them are by John termed the whole World And we know that we are of God and THE WHOLE WORLD lieth in wickednesse a 1 Joh. 5. 19. Or lastly the promiscuous generality of persons good and bad together be they fewer or more where a Man converseth or hath opportunity to come amongst or speake unto Severall instances were lately given of the second signification of the word from the Scriptures Instances of the first signification also there are many Yee are the light of the World b Mat. 5. 14. And the World knew Him not c Joh. 1 10. And I speake to the World those things which I have heard of Him d Joh 8. 26. But I have chosen you out of the World e Joh. 15. 19. Whom thou hast given me out of the World f Joh. 17. 6. God forbid for then how shall God judge the World g Rom. 3. 6 As by one Man sin entred into the World h Rom. 5. 12. But God hath chosen the foolish things of the World and the weake things of the World i 1 Cor. 1. 27. There are it may be so many kinds of voyces in the World k 1 Cor. 14. 10 The word being never used in the Scripture for the Elect or godly party in the World considered by themselves or apart from others but either for the wicked of the World alone or apart by themselves or else for both godly and wicked taken together and as mixed one with another it were very strange that our Saviour should use it in that by-sence and unheard of else-where in so eminent a place and passage of the Gospell as that in hand and nor in the familiar and best known signification of it 2. This interpretation of the word accommodates the whole Verse or §. 19. Sentence with cleernesse of sence and regularnesse of construction as is evident unto those who understand what the one and what the other of these meane For by it the Genuine and Proper use and import of the distributive Particle whosoever is fully salved which is destroyed by either of the former and such a distribution of a generall made
by it which supposeth a possibility of a difference between the Particulars contained under it and into which the said generall is distributed according to the exigency of those things in Reference whereunto the distribution is made As for example here is a distribution made of this generall the World i. e. of all Mankinde by this distributive Pronoune whosoever the occasion of this distribution is to shew who or what particulars contained under this generall i. e. what particular Persons of Man-kinde shall not perish but have everlasting life and withall by a tacit antithesis or in a consequentiall way as hath been already noted to shew what other particulars contained under the same generall shall perish and not have everlasting life The former are said to be such as shall believe on the only begotten Sonne of God the latter are cleerly implied to be such who shall not so believe Now if it should be supposed that there was or is no possibility that any such difference should be found between the Particulars into which the generall is here distributed as believing and not believing the distribution would be altogether needlesse and vaine yea and would dis-sence the whole sentence These things are plaine and sensible to every understanding that knows what belongs to common sence or regularity of Syntaxis 3. This exposition of the word World makes a cleane joynt a rationall §. 20. and pleasant coherence between this Verse and that which followes as also betweene this and the two Verses immediately precedent The words of the two preceding Verses are these And as Moses lifted up the Serpent in the Wildernesse even so must the Sonne of Man be lifted up that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish but have everlasting life Now certaine it is that Moses did not lift up the Serpent with an intent of healing to be conferr'd by it upon such or such a definite or determinate number of persons nor with an intent either on his part or on Gods Part that none should looke upon it but only such a parcell or determinate number of Men but with an intent not only that whosoever in the event did looke upon it and could not but looke upon it might looke upon it but that whosoever would might look up unto it and that whosoever being stung with the fiery Serpents did look up unto it should be healed thereby This is evident from the story Make thee saith God to Moses a fiery Serpent and set it upon a Pole and it shall come to passe that EVERY ONE THAT IS BITTEN when He looketh upon it shall live a Numb 21. 8 Now then all Men without exception being stung with that fiery Serpent sin unlesse Christ should be lift up upon the Crosse with an intent on Gods Part and in Himself 1. That every Man without exception might believe in Him and 2. That every Man that should believe in Him should be saved by Him He could not be said to be lifted up as i. e. upon the same terms of an Universall accommodation on which Moses lifted up the Serpent in the Wildernesse Therefore our Saviour to give the World a satisfying account how it comes to passe that the Son of Man meaning himself should be lifted up upon such terms viz. for the Universall benefit of Salvation unto all Man-kind he assigns the Love of God to the World as the reason or productive cause of it For God so loved the World that c. Therefore by the World he must needs mean all Man-kinde or the generality of Men that were bitten or stung with sin unlesse we will say that God gave His Son for the Salvation of those whom He loved not The tenor of the following Verse is this For God sent not His Sonne into â— 21. the World to condemn the World but c. In these words our Saviour confirms his former Assertion touching the love of God to the World in giving His Sonne for the Salvation of it by rejecting that Reason or Motive of his sending Him into the World which Men might imagine did occasion this His sending by God and besides which there could none other well be imagined but only that which he had asserted viz. an Intent or Purpose in Him in God of condemning the World by Him Now to make Christ to say that God sent not His Sonne into the World to condemn Man-kinde or the generality of Men as having sinned against Him is to make Him say that which is savoury and comfortable and that which opposeth or is apt to prevent such a sad imagination as was very incident to the minds of Men through a consciousnesse of the guilt of sin viz. That if God ever did or should send His Son amongst them it would be to judge or condemn them But to make Him say that God sent not His Sonne into the World to condemn the Elect i. e. those few whom He infinitely loved and to whom He had peremptorily and without all possibility of reverse decreed non-condemnation before this sending of Him is to make Him speak at an extreme low rate of Sence or Reason and to labour as the Proverb is in lifting a feather in as much as no such thought or imagination as this was ever like to beare upon or trouble any mans spirit In as much then as no other interpretation of the World in the former Verse but only that which hereby understandeth the generality of Men-sinners will accommodate this Verse in respect of the connexion between them with any tolerable sence evident it is that that must needs be the true interpretation thereof By the way when Christ saith For judgement I am come into this World §. 22. c. * Ioh. 9. 39. He no wayes opposeth what he here saith viz. that God sent him not into the World to condâ—mnâ— the VVorld For in the former place he speakes not of the intent but of the event in this not of the event but of the intent of his sending or comming into the World Christ was not sent into the world with any intent on Gods part nor came with any intention of his own to make those which see to become blind meaning either to augment or to discover to their shame the spirituall blindness and ignorance in such Men who being ignorant presume of their knowledge by one means or other but with an intent to heale the blindnesse of all to their Comfort Peace and Glory Therefore if any man through a foolish and proud conceit of his own knowledge and wisdom shall stumble at or reject the Gospell and Doctrine of Christ as foolishnesse and so discover himself to be blind ignorant and foolish in the end this is meerly adventitious and accidentall in respect of the Antecedent Primary and direct intention of God in sending Christ into the World as Calvin himself affirmeth a Quod autem alibi docet Christus se in judicium venisse quod vocatur Petra
Grace of Christ the Grace of Christ cannot be said to have profited Man-kinde more then the sin of Adam damnified it Yet again upon Verse 16 For whereas the World was lost or undone by the one sinne of Adam the Grace of Christ did not only abolish this sinne and that death which it brought upon the World but likewise tooke away an infinite number of other sinnes which we the rest of Men added to that first sinne * Cum enim ex uno Adae peccato orbis perditus sit gratia Christi non hoc soluÌ„ peccatum mortem quaÌ„ intulit abolevit sed simul infinita illa sustulit peccata quae reliqui homines primo illi peccato adjecimus The commensurablenesse of the Grace of Christ with the sin of Adam in respect of the number of Persons gratified by the one and damnified by the other cannot lightly be asserted in terms more significant Nor do the words following import any thing contrary hereunto wherein the Author addeth that the said Grace of Christ bringeth all that are of Christ into a full or Plenary justification For by a full or Plenary justification it is evident that he meanes an actuall justification yea as he explaines himself a little after that justification which shall be awarded unto the Saints at the great day of the Resurrection to the obtaining of which it is acknowledged that Men must receive a new being from Christ by Faith In what sence Christ abolished the inque plenam justificationem quotquot ex Christo sunt adduxit sin of Adam together with that Death which it brought into the World and so in what sence he is said to have brought Righteousnesse Justification and Salvation unto all Men remaines to be unfolded in due Place Upon the 17 Verse the aforesaid Author yet more cleerly attests the substance of our Interpretation where he gives an account how the Grace of Christ mâ—y be said to be of larger extent then the sin of Adam notwithstanding it be true that this grace took away nothing but what in a sence was the fruit and effect of his sin If we consider saith he that every particular Man by his transgressions increaseth the misery of Man-kinde and that whosoever sinneth doth no lesse hurt his Posterity then Adam did all Men it is a plaine case that the Grace of Christ hath removed more evils from Men then the sinne of Adam brought upon them For though there be no sinne committed in all the World which hath not its originall from that first sinne of Adam yet all particular Men who sinne as they sinne voluntarily and freely so do they make an addition of their own proper guilt and misery ALL WHICH EVILLS since the alone BENEFIT OF CHRIST HATH TAKEN AVVAY it must needs be that it hath taken away the sinnes of many and not of one only Manifest therefore it is that more evills have been removed by Christ then were brought in by Adam a Verum si consideramus singulos mortalium suis quoque transgressionibus maluÌ„ generis humaÌ„i auxisse non minùs quicunque peccant suis posteris nocere atque nocuit omnibus Adam in aperto est gratiam Christi plura depulisse ab hominibus mala quam Adâ— noxa intulerit Nam licet nihil in orbe peccatuÌ„ sit quod ex illo primo Adae lapsu non trahat originem tamen singuli qui peccant ut suâ quoque lâ—berâ voluntate peccant ita suum quoque adjiciunt reatum suam adferunt perniciem Quae omnia mala cum beneficium Christi solum sustulit certe jam multorum peccata sustulit non unius Adae Manifestum est igitur plura per Christum mala submota esse quà m Adam obtulerat And yet more plainely and expresly to the Point in hand if more may be upon Verse 18. The sence whereof he gives thus As by the fall of one sinne prevailed over all so as to make all liable unto condemnation so likewise the righteousnesse of one so far tooke place on the behalf of all Men that all Mâ—n may obtaine the justification of life thereby b Infert hic Apostolus repetit summat quae tribus praemissis collationibus disseruit haec scilicet Sicut ex unius lapsu peccatum in omnes invaluit ut reddiderit omnes condemnationi obnoxios sic etiam unius justiciam in omnes homines obtinuisse ut just ficatio vitae omnibus contingat By this time I suppose Bucer hath said enough both to assert the Interpretation of the Scripture in hand that hath been given as also the universality of Redemption by Christ The said Scripture calls for the sence and exposition asserted with such a §. 25. loud and distinct voyce that Gualter also another Divine of the same rank and quality with the former could not but hearken to it As by the offence of one saith he compleating the Apostles sentence and rendring his sence therein condemnation was propagated unto all Men So also by the righteousnesse of one Justification of life was propagated or imparted unto ALL MEN. Againe thus As by the offence of one Adam the judgement or guilt came upon all Men to condemnation so also by the righteousnesse of one Jesus Christ the Gift or Benefit of God abounded unto ALL MEN to Justification of life a Itaque quâ—madmodum per unius offensam in omnes homines pro pagataest coÌ„demnatio sic etiam per unius justiciam in omnes homines propagata est Justificatio vitae Sicuti per unius Adami offensam judicium sive reatus venit in omnes homines ad condemnationem sic etiam per unius Jesus Christi justiciam donum sive beneficium Dei redundavit in omnes homines ad justificationem vitae Any Man that shall reade with a single eye what Calvin himself hath written upon the said Contexture of Scriptures cannot judge him an adversary to the Premised Exposition Paul saith he upon Verse 15. simply teacheth that the amplitude or compasse of the Grace purchased by Christ is greater then of the condemnation contracted by the first Man b Sed simpliciter majorem gratiae per Christum acquisitae amplitudinem esse docet quà m contractae per primum hominem damnationis Not long after The sum of all comes to this that Christ overcomes Adam the righteousness of Christ vanquisheth Adams sinne Adams malediction or curse is overwhelmed with Christs Grace the Death which proceeded from Adam is swallowed up by that Life which comes from Christ c Huc autem summa tendit quia Christus Adamum superat Hujus peccatum illius vincit justicia hujus maledictio illius obruitur gratiâ ab hoc mors profectâ— illius vitâ absorbetur Doubtlesse if the curse brought upon Men by Adam prevailes and remaines still untaken off upon far the greatest part of Men it is not over-whelmed with the Grace of Christ nor is the
answer that if this were the intent of the Author I meane to difference the latter proposition from the former in point of error or falsehood upon this account because the latter supposeth such an intention as that mentioned in God to be the adequate reason or motive why He tenders such an Offer or Promise unto them I should not much gainesay because I suppose that God hath indeed other reasons and these of greater weight why He makes a tender of Salvation unto all men upon condition of Faith then His intention of giving Salvation unto them in case they shall believe Yea I doe not conceive that either God or men do any thing which they intend simply out of their intentions thereof or because they intend it but out of a desire to effect or to procure the effecting of it or because they desire it But that the Authors meaning in impleading the said latter proposition §. 7. of error was far differing from this appears sufficiently by the account which Himself gives hereof in the sequell of his Discourse From this account it cleerly appears that in framing the said latter proposition he useth those words ex Dei intentione for cum Dei intentione and placeth the error of the proposition in this viz. that it supposeth an intention to be in God of giving life unto all men upon their Faith when He makes the offer mentioned unto them To prove this to be an error he argues to this effect from Joh. 17. 2. for his other arguments are plainely 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 God the Father gave power unto the Sonne to give eternall life to those ONLY who were given unto him by the Father But reprobates saith he are not given unto the Sonne by the Father therefore the Father gave no power unto the Sonne to give eternall life unto Reprobates and consequently the Sonne cannot either according to his own or to his Fathers Intention offer remission of sinnes or eternall life unto Reprobates To this I answer that the whole proceede of the argument ariseth from a mistaken ground or a plaine mis-understanding of the Scripture upon which it is built For by a power given unto the Sonne to give eternall life c. is not meant a power of dying for men one or other but a power of an actuall and reall investing men with eternall life or a power to confer eternall life actually upon men as appears from the former clause of the Verse As thou hast given him power over all flesh that he should give eternall life c. From whence it is evident that the Power here spoken of as given unto the Sonne to give eternall life c. is a consequent branch or effect of that Power or Sovereignty which the Father hath given him over all man-kinde as viz. to dispose of them especially in respect of their eternall estates and conditions according to such Rules of righteousnesse and equity as the Father with the Son have judged meet and accordingly agreed upon for the regulating of such high and important dispensations Now a power of conferring eternall life upon men may very well be conceived to be a branch or part of that sovereignty or larger power which the Father hath given unto the Son over all flesh But an injunction or command or a free leave or liberty Notion it how you please given unto Him to die for a few men cannot reasonably be looked upon as any Part or Branch especially as any such considerable or high-importing branch as this here expressed must needs be conceived to be of that most transcendent and majestique power Or 2. By eternall life may very well be meant not eternall life properly and §. 8. formally so called as viz. the blessednesse and glory of the World to come but such a discovery or manifestation of God and His Counsells which is an effectuall meanes to bring men in time to the Possession and Enjoyment of this life It is a frequent Dialect of Scripture to call the meanes and cause yea and sometimes an opportunity only which are proper and effectuall for the compassing effecting or obtaining a thing by the name of the thing it self which is to be or may be procured or effected by them Thus Numb 22. 7. the wages or rewards by which the Elders of Moab sent from Balaak the King to Balaam the Wizard expected to procure Divinations or some imprecatory and divellish Practises against the People of God from Him are termed Divinations And the Elders of Moab saith the Text and the Elders of Midian went and Divinations in their hand c. Thus good tidings is put for the reward which good tidings usually procure unto them who bring them 2 Sam. 4. 10. In this Phrase of Speech the Scriptures or the saving Knowledge of God therein revealed are according to the generall sence of our best Interpreters termed Salvation Joh. 4. 22. So again Heb. 2. 2. Thus wisdome is called a mans life keepe her for shee is thy life Pro. 4. 13. because shee is the meanes of life i. e. of Peace and Well-being unto men In this sence also to forbeare further instances which are in great numbers at hand the Gospell and sometimes the Preaching or Ministry of it is frequently termed the Kingdome of Heaven According to this manner of speaking so familiar in the Scriptures by eternall life which the Son had Power given Him over all flesh that He might give to as many as the Father had given him may well be meant the words of eternall life as Peter calls them Joh. 6. 68. or that Manifestation of the Name of God as Himself speaketh soone after Joh. 17. 6. by which they might be effectually brought to the fruition and injoyment of eternall life And that this indeed is the very meaning of our Saviour is abundantly evident by the sequell of the Context all along for several Verses together For having said that the Father had given him Power ove◠all flesh that he should give eternall life to as many as he had given him Verse 2. He immediately declares Verse 3. what He meanes by eternall life And this is life eternall that they know thee the only true God and him whom thou hast sent Jesus Christ This Notion He still carrieth on saying Verse 6. I have manifested thy Name unto the Men which thou gavest Me out of the World thine they were and thou gavest them Me c. So again directly still to the same point Verse 8. For I have given them the words which thou gavest me c. yet again upon the same account Verse 14. I have given them thy Word c. That which Verse 2. He had called eternall Life here He calls His Fathers Word as before the Declaration or Manifestation of His Name as we heard From the carriage of the Context that further is abundantly evident that §. 9. by those words Verse 2. as many as thou hast given Him are not
in the constant Faith and Holinesse of these and at last triumphed gloriously in their Salvation Whereby it came to passe that these only seemed to have been Redeemed amongst Men all others miscarrying as if they had not been Redeemed So that there is nothing at all scarce so much as an appearance of any thing in this Scripture against that Interpretation of the other for the establishing of which way hath been made through the fall of many others And doubtlesse he that shall attentively and with consideration Reade §. 43. what Calvin himselfe hath commented upon the place must needs judge him very compliant with the said Interpretation Although saith he Christ may be denied severall wayes yet in my judgement Peter means that which is expressed in Jude viz. when the Grace of God is turn'd into wantonnesse For Christ hath Redeemed us that He might have a People separated from all the defilements of the World addicting it self unto holinesse and innocency Wherefore THEY WHO SHAKING OFF THE BRIDLE CAST THEMSELVES FORVVARD INTO ALL MANNER OF LICENTIOVSNESSE ARE NOT WITHOVT CAVSE SAID TO DENY CHRIST BY WHOM THEY WERE REDEEMED So then that the Doctrine of the Gospell may abide with us safe and sound let this be alwayes fixed in our minds that we are Redeemed by Christ that He may be the Lord both of our Lives and Deaths a Tametsi variis modis abnâ—gatur Christus eum tamen â—îc meo judicio attingit Petrus qui exprimitur apud Judam nempe cum gratia Dei in laesciviam convertitur Redemit enim nos Christus ut populum habere segregatuÌ„ ab omnibus mundi inquinamentis addictum Sanctitati innocentiae Qui igitur excusso fraeno in omnem licentiam se proiiciunt non immerito dicuntur Christum abnegare à quo Redempti sunt Proinde ut salva integra Evangelij Doctrina apud nos maneat hoc animis nostrie infixum sit Redemptos esse nos à Christo ut vitae simul mortis nostrae sit Dominus c. In this piece of Commentary there are severall passages which plainely declare the Authors judgement to have been at least when He wrote these things that those are and may be said to be redeemed by Christ and that after the same manner that the Saints themselves are redeemed who yet may in the end perish For 1. in saying Christ hath redeemed us questionlesse he includes Himselfe and all the godly at least that heard Him or shall read these things Now if He should meane that either Himself or other godly ones were Redeemed with any other kinde of Redemption then that spoken of in the Text before Him viz. wherewith the false Teachers there mentioned were Redeemed his Commentaries should be quite besides the Text. 2. He saith Expresly that they who shaking off the Bridle cast themselves forward or head long into all manner of licentiousnesse are not without cause said to deny Christ by whom they were Redeemed Now who are they that bring swift destruction upon themselves but such as he here describes and whom he supposeth to have been Redeemed by Christ and that with the same Redemption whereof He had spoken immediately before viz. wherewith Himselfe and other godly ones had been Redeemed For to make him speake of two severall kinds of Redemption specifically distinct in one and the same Passage without giving the least notice of any distinction or difference at all between them is to suppose Him to equivocate and to make Him a Transgressor of the knowne Principles and Rules of Writing 3. And lastly when He exhorts let this alwayes be fixed in our minds that we are Redeemed by Christ that He may be the Lord of c. He cannot be supposed to addresse or speake only to those that were or are truly godly but to all those at least who judge themselves such yea clear it is that He speaks to all Persons professing Christianity without exception Nor can he be supposed to invite or perswade any Man to fix that in his mind which is every whit as likely if not much more likely to be false then true but only that which is most certainly and unquestionably true Therefore he clearly supposeth that all Persons who upon any terms or grounds whatsoever judge themselves godly yea that all Professors of Christianity without exception are Redeemed by Christ and consequently that as well those who Perish as those that are saved are Redeemed by Him there being nothing more certaine then that many who professe Christianity yea and who call themselves godly will Perish From henceforth then let no Man put the Doctrine maintained in this Discourse §. 44. to any such rebuke as this that it was never held or countenanced by any Divine of the Order sirnamed Orthodox we finde the Principall of this Order Calvin himself I mean besides many others of Name and Note amongst them once and againe yea seven times over very freely giving the right hand of fellowship unto it We have been somewhat long in our vindication of the Scripture last argued but the restlesse and endlesse importunity of Men in perswading the Scriptures to entreate their Darling error kindly together with the difficulty of the Scriptures to be so perswaded hath compelled us But it is very incident to Men to doe by the Scriptures as they do by themselves God saith Solomon hath made Man upright but they have sought out many inventions a Eccles 7. 29 So may it be truly said that God hath made many Scriptures upright plain clear obvious for sence and meaning but Men are wont to seek out many inventions to perplex or misfigure this meaning that it may not be known to oppose their fond Conceits and Imaginations The next Scripture of the Consort designed for this Chapter was 2 Pet. §. 45. 2. 20. For if after they have escaped the pollution of the World through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ they are intangled therein and overcome the latter end is worse with them then the beginning For it had been better for them not to have known the way of righteousnesse then after they have known it to turne from the holy Commandement delivered unto them Here likewise it is most irrefragably and cleerly supposed that Men who have been truly sanctified and regenerated and consequently Redeemed by Christ may yet decline so as to Perish in the end For to deny that that expression of escaping the pollution of the World through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ doth import true Sanctification or Regeneration is to deny that the Sun is up at Noon-day For if the Persons here said to have escaped the pollutions of the World through c. shall not be supposed truly and inwardly Sanctified c. but only superficially and externally they must be supposed withall 1. To have been all this while in the midst of that greatest pollution of the World and
which pollutes all other things unto Men a Tit. 1. 15. unbelief 2. To have been in the inward bent and frame of their minds and wills as much addicted to all other the pollutions hereof as at any time formerly 3. And lastly to have been all this while most damnable Hypocrites and Dissemblers Now that the Holy Ghost should say that Unbelievers Persons inwardly full of all wickednesse and filthinesse most vile Hypocrites and Dissemblers have escaped the pollutions of the World especially through the knowledge or rather acknowledgement 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ is to me and I thinâ— to all other impartially considering Men the first borne of incredibilities Can a Man be said to have escaped his enemies when he still remaines under their power and is in greater danger of suffering mischiefe from them then ever before Or is not he who being enlightned Retaines the truth in unrighteousnesse remaines inwardly full of malice and wickednesse only garbing himself with an Hypocriticall outside or meere Profession of Holinesse as much or more under the Power and Command of sin as likely to Perish everlastingly for sin as ever he was or could be before his illumination For that during that condition of escape of which the Holy Ghost here speaks from first to last the Men spoken of were inwardly full of all filthinesse and wickednesse and consequently vile Hypocrites and Dissemblers our Adversaries themselves confesse in their managing this Scripture though as they suppose to their advantage Evident it is say they that all the while they were free from the pollutions of the World they were still Doggs and Swine and if so as inwardly vile and wicked as ever because it is said of them Vers 10. But it is happened to them according to the true Proverb the Dog is returned to his own vomit again and the Sow that was washed to her wallowing in the mire But of this more anon 2. That which is here expressed to be the cause or meanes of their escape §. 46. or deliverance from the pollutions of the World their knowledge or acknowledgement rather which is somewhat more of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ plainly evinceth it to have been such an escape which is inward cordiall and reall in conjunction with true Sanctification and not externall formall or in Shew and Pretence only There is scarce any thing more frequent or familiar in the Scriptures then the ascribing of Justification Sanctification yea and Salvation it self to the knowledge sometimes of God sometimes of Christ sometimes of both By his knowledge shall my righteous servant saith Isaiah speaking of Christ justifie many b Esa 53. 11. By his KNOVVLEDGE i. e. as Interpreters generally by his being known He calls that saith Musculus the knowledge of Christ not wherewith he himself knoweth but whereby he is known by us c Scientiam Christi vocat non qua ipse scit sed qua scitur cognoscitur a nobis The Apostle Paul speaks of the KNOVVLEDGE of the Sonne of God as one of the Principall ends of that Evangelicall Ministry which was by speciall â—race given unto and is continued in His Church and joynes it with the perfection of the Saints Eph. 4. 12. 13. and afterwards in the same Chapter Vers 20. 22. c. ascribes the putting off the old man and the renewing in the spirit of our minds unto it The Apostle John makes no scruple to pronounce him a lyar who shall say that he KNOVVETH CHRIST and yet keepeth not his Commandements a 1 Ioh. 2. 4. And again that whosoever sinneth i. e. lives wickedly hath not seene Him neither KNOVVN Him b 1 Ioh. 3. 6. That of our Saviour Himself to this purpose is well known This is life eternall that they KNOVV thee the only true God and Him whom thou hast sent Iesus Christ c Ioh. 17. 3. It were easie to multiply places of like import Therefore certainly that obedience that Sanctification that Conformity in life and conversation to the Word and Will of God which is begotten and raised in Men by the knowledge much more by the acknowledgement or thorough knowledge which the Word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 seemes to import of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ is cordiall obedience true and reall Sanctification and conformity to the Will of God 3. And lastly if the escape and deliverance from the pollutions of the World §. 47. here spoken of was not inward reall and accompained with true Sanctification c. how could the Persons be in danger of an after intanglement therewith especially of an inward intanglement and wherewith the Heart should be insnared which yet the Holy Ghost evidently implieth they were Vers 14. in ascribing unto them an heart exercised with covetousnesse or of being overcome at least how should their conditions be rendered so much more grievous and dreadfull by any such entanglement then they were under the escape as the Holy Ghost here clearly supposeth If the escape here mentioned importeth not true and reall Sanctification the Persons escapeing must of necessity be supposed all the time of this their escape to have been in the gall of bitterness and bands of iniquity and particularly to have been both Hypocrites and Unbelievers Now our Saviour Himself supposeth Hypocrites and Unbelievers to be the first borne children of Hell and of the Lake that burneth with Fire and Brimstone for ever in those two sayings of His compared viz. Mat. 24. 51. with Luke 12. 46. The tenor of the former is this The Lord of that servant shall come in a day when he looketh not for him and in an houre that he is not aware of and shall cut him asunder and appoint him his portion with HYPOCRITES there shall be weeping and gnashing of Teeth Of the latter this The Lord of that servant will cut him asunder and appoint him his portion with UNBELIEVERS If Hypocrites and Unbelievers be of the first and Primary designation for Hell and eternall destruction which the said Passages cleerly import they cannot lightly through any apostacy whatsoever contract any worse or more grievous condition then their present condition is The truth is that I know no Apostacy of which an Hypocrite or Unbeliever is properly capable but onely that which is from Belial unto Christ or from Satan unto God All that the Adversaries of the Interpretation given and who will not acknowledge the escape here mentioned to imply any thing more then a meer §. 48. formall and outside Sanctification are able to plead from the words or Context for themselves is only that which hath been already touch'd Verse 22. The Dog is turned to his own vomit againe and the Sow c. From hence they conclude that as a Dog is a Dog retaines the same nature whilest his vomit and he are parted which he had before and so a Sow or a Swine is the self same Creature inwardly
i. e. This antipathy standing either doe that which is sinfull but especially omit or neglect the doing of that which is his duty yea and of great concernment likewise unto him to doe Thus we have at last fully and cleerly we suppose acquitted that Scripture 1 Joh. 3. 9. more vehemently suspected and charged then all his fellows with confederacy against that Doctrine which affirms a Possibility of a totall and finall defection in the Saints Another Scripture hath the same imputation cast upon it for speaking §. 37. only thus My Father which gave them me is greater then all and no Man is able to take them out of my Fathers Hand a Ioh. 10. 29 From hence it is argued and conceived that God ingageth himself with his Omnipotency to preserve the Saints or Sheep of Christ from either totall or finall apostasie and consequently that it is unpossible but that they should be preserved But to this place of Scripture a sufficient answer hath been given already in this Chapter b Sect. 18. 19 20 c. where we shewed that the ingagement of the mighty Power of God for the Protection and safeguarding of the Saints as such or remaining such against all adverse Power whatsoever is frequently asserted in Scripture but no where for the compelling or necessitating of them to Persevere or continue such Nor is there the least intimation of any such thing in the Text before us And yet here I shall further add in reference unto it That by the tenor and carriage of the Context it appeares 1. That that security for which our Saviour ingageth the greatnesse of His Fathers Power unto his Sheep is promised or ascertained unto them not in order to the effecting or procuring their finall perseverance but rather by way of toward to it 2. That this promise of eternall safety made by Christ unto His Sheep doth not relate to their estate or condition in this present World but to that of the World to come My Sheepe saith he verse 27. heaâ— my voyce and I know them and they follow me In which expressions of hearing his voyce and following him he intimates or includes their perseverance c Intellige autem loqui Christum de oviâ—us quâ— tales sunt ac maâ—ent Hag. Grot in locum as appeares by the words immediately following Verse 28. And I give unto them etenall life This gift of his presupposeth the finall perseverance of those to whom it is given It followes and they shall never perish neither shall any pluck them out of my hand In these words he seems further to explaine how and in what sence he calls that life eternall which he promiseth to confer upon them as viz. that by the eternalnesse of it he doth not only meane such a constitution or condition of it which secureth it from perishing or dissolving in respect or by means of any intrinsecall cause upon which account the lives they live in the flesh are perishable but which secureth it likewise against all externall means or power that may seem to threaten or indanger it And for a further confirmation that the life which he promiseth unto his Sheepe hearing his voyce and following him viz. as was said perseveringly is eternall in the best largest most comprehensive most desireable sence of the word he subjoynes the words in hand Verse 29. My Father which gave them me is greater viz. in power then all and none is able to pluck them out of my Fathers Hand as if he should have said God Himself by whose grace they became my Sheepe and followed me and whose power is abundantly sufficient for the work would maintaine and make good unto them to the uttermost that life which I shall give unto them against all dangers all enemies all adversary powers whatsoever This being the naturall and cleer disposition of the Context it is a plaine case that here is not the least aire or breathing of any ingagement of the great power of God to bring about the perseverance of the Saints upon those terms of infallibility or necessity which are so much contended for Another Scripture much intreated in the behalf of the Doctrine of perseverance §. 38. is that of the Evangelist John concerning our Saviour having loved his own which were in the World he loved them unto the end a Ioh. 13. 1. Out of this light some draw this darknesse Therefore whom Christ once loves He loves alwayes or unto the end Which inference they suppose is further strengthened by that of the Prophet For I am the Lord I change not b Mal. 3. 6. I Answer 1. From the passage in John there can nothing more be concluded in Reference to the Question in hand then by way of immediate deduction the greatnesse and constancy of Christs love towards such of His Disciples who continued in their obedience and faithfulnesse unto him for the Evangelist I suppose did not intend Judas amongst those whom Christ loved unto the end and 2. By way of Proportion or Rationall consequence from this deduction that the love of Christ is great and constant towards all those who persevere in love and faithfulnesse unto him This is the constant Doctrine of the Scriptures but no wayes concerns the present Dispute Yet for the passâ—ge it self if it hath any aspect at all upon it it is rather by way of favour and countenance to that side against which then to that for which it is commonly alledged For if the love of Christ towards His Disciples unto the end necessâ—rily supposeth or requireth the concurrent continuance of the same affection in them towards him it plainely follows that if men shall draw back from Him His Soul will have no further pleasure or delight in them And this indeed was the expresse Doctrine of that Man of God who was sent to meet King Asa and the People with him upon the late Presence of God with them against their enemies O Asa and all Juda and Benjamin hear yee me The Lord is with you while yee be with Him and if yee seeke Him He will PE FOVND of yoâ— but IF YEE FORSAKE HIM He will forsake you c 2 Chron. 15. 2 Which cleerly supposeth 1. A possibility of their forsaking God who for a time are truly and really with Him 2. A certainty of Gods forsaking those who forsake Him 2. It is not here said that Christ having loved His own loved them unto the §. 39. end of their lives or dayes but to the end viz. of his life and abode in the World the emphaticall and clear meaning of the place being thus that to declare the exceeding greatnesse and mervellous constancy of his affection towards His Disciples and that whilest they were yet in the World and so subject to many weaknesses and infirmities which might seeme to render them lesse lovely unto Him then those that were made perfect d Heb. 12. 23. as the Apostle speaks thorough death
them f Jer. 18. 7. 8. Much after the same manner elsewhere having promised or said that He that hath walked in his statutes and kept his judgments to deal truely being righteous or just shall surely live g Ezek. 18. 7. addeth afterwards But when the righteous turneth away from his righteousnesse and committeth iniquity and doth according to all the abhominations that the wicked Man doth shall he live h Verse 24. In this passage we cleerly see that this Promise made by God to a righteous Man He shall surely live is to be understood with this Proviso and Condition that he departs not from his righteousnesse which is here plainly enough supposed that he may very possibly doe Therefore this Promise also They that trust in the Lord shall be as Mount Sion c. being of that kinde of Promise which God makes out of those gracious respects which He beareth to some speciall qualification in Men carrieth no further obligation in it on Gods Part unto those to whom it is made then as and whilest they remaine so qualified as they were when first they came under the Grace of the said Promise i. e. as and whilest they trust in the Lord. So that this Promise hath nothing to doe little or much with that Doctrine of Perseverancâ— which we oppose but looketh quite another way Another Text of Scriâ—ture sometimes urged to prove the Proposition of §. 10. our present Contest viz. that God hath made an absolute Promise of Perseverance unto trâ—â— Beleevers is that of our Saviour But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up to eternal life a John 4. 14 But neither doth this Scripture any whit more if so much then onely face the business in hand For here is no Promise made that they who once beleeve how unworthily soever they shall behave themselves shall still be preserved by God or the Spirit of God in beleeving or that they shall be necessitated always to beleeve but onely a Declaration and Assertion made by Christ of the excellency and desireableness of that life which he comes to give unto the World above that life of Nature which is common unto all This by comparing the words transcribed with those in the former Verse is evident Jesus answered and said unto her Whosoever drinketh of this water i. e. of material water such as this well affordeth shall thirst again i. e. is subject notwithstanding his drinking hereof to thirst again But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him c. q. d. The best means that can be had or enjoyed to render this present life which we live free from inconvenience and that which is troublesom and contrary to it will not effect it the condition of this life being subject to dissolution will not admit of any such freedom or perfection but whosoever shall drink inwardly receive and beleeve that Doctrine which I shall administer unto him shall hereby be made partaker of such a life which shall within a short time if men be careful in the interim to preserve it by reason of the nature and perfect condition and constitution of it be exempt from all sorrow trouble and inconvenience whatsoever as being eternal But 1. that he doth not oppose that life which accrues unto men by §. 11. drinking the water which he gives them unto that natural life which they live by other means in respect of the present condition or constitution of it or as it is enjoyed by men in this present world is evident from hence because he asserts it free from thirst shall never thirst Now we know that the Saints themselves notwithstanding the life of Grace which is in them by drinking the water that Christ hath given them are yet subject to both kindes of thirst as well that which is corporal or natural as that which is spiritual yea that spiritual thirst unto which they are now subject though it argues a deficiency of what they would further have or desire to be and in that respect is troublesom yet is it argumentative of the goodness or blessedness of their condition Blessed are they which hunger and thirst after Righteousness for they shall be filled b Mat. 5 6. By the way this spiritual thirst which is incident even unto that life which is derived by Christ and the waters given by him unto men as it is enjoyed or possessed by them in this present world is according to the purport of our Saviours own arguing in the Scripture under debate an Argument that for the present and whilest it is obnoxious to such a thirst it is dissolveable and may fail For in the latter part of the said passage he plainly implies that the eternalness of that life which springs from the drinking of his waters is the reason or cause why it is exempt from thirst Let the whole passage be read and minded and this will clearly appear If then the eternality of a life be the cause or reason why it is free from the inconveniency of thirst evident it is that such a life which is not free from thirst is not during this weakness or imperfection of it eternal or priviledged against all dissolution I easily grant that such a life as we now speak of may notwithstanding the dissolvableness of it be in a sence called Eternal as it is frequently called in the Scriptures viz. in semine or in fieri as they say as the conception of a man in the womb may be called a man or because in respect of the native and in-bred tendency of it and being duly nourished and preserved it is apt in time to become Eternal formally and properly so called even as the conception of a man in the womb by reason of the natural frame and tendency of it will in time if it meets with no unnatural and destructive accident by the way come to be a man in his full stature and strength But as this frame or tendency of the conception we speak of doth no ways prove that therefore it must of necessity or what will or can befall it come in time to be a perfect man so neither is it necessary that that life in the Saints which is seminally inchoately and conception-wise Eternal should against all possible occurrences of things adverse to it come to be actually properly and compleatly Eternal The result of this discourse amounts clearly to this that our Saviour in the words in hand doth not oppose the life which comes by drinking his water to the life of Nature in respect of the present and imperfect condition of it in this World but in respect of the future and compleat growth and condition of it in the World to come Therefore 2. When he saith that the water which he shall give him shall be in him §. 12. a well of
suffer Persecution a while before â—heir Faith expired So that the Faith of those who in the Parable are called Temporaries can by no argument or allegation be â—victed of any degenerateness or unsoundnesse in kinde but onely of a deficiency in point of rooting or firme fixation in the Soul Nor doth our Saviour any wayes blame or reprove it but upon this account onely Yea in blaming it upon this account onely and reproving those who had it for being no more diligent and carefull in the use of means for confirming and establishing themselves better in it He plainely gives testimony unto it in Point of truth and soundness in as much as no Man deserveth blame for not consulting or endevouring the Perpetuation of an Hypocriticall Faith in his Soul or such which though Persevered in would yet have left Him in the hand of eternall Death These Considerations and Discussions are so full of Light Evidence and Power that were not the foot of our Adversaries held in this snare to judg of the truth and Soundness and so of the Hollowness and Unsoundness of Faith by the issue and event of it as viz. the Perseverance or non-Perseverance of it unto the end they could not lightly stand in the way of their present judgements before them And yet this Rule or Method of judging is not of any good accord with their own Principles otherwise Concerning those helps or assistances of grace say our English Divines present in the Synod of Dort which are afforded by God unto Men we are to judge of them meaning in point of sufficiency or efficaciousness by the nature of the benefit offered as attainable by them and by the most manifest Word of God NOT BY THE EVENT or abuse of them a Ex naturâ benefiâ—ij oblatâ— verbo Dei â—pertissimo iudicandum est dâ— illis Gratiae auxilijs quae hominibus suppeditantur non autem ex eventu aut abusu Synod Dordr Act. Pag. 128. The last proof from the Scriptures which we shall at present insist §. 39. upon and urge for the confirmation of the Doctrine under Protection shall be that passage which holds forth these things unto us For when they speak great swelling words of vanity they allure through the lusts of the flesh through much wantonnesse those who were CLEANE ESCAPED from those who live in error While they promise them liberty they themselves are the servants of corruption for of whom a Man is overcome of the same he is brought in bondage For if after they have escaped the pollutions of the World through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ they are againe intangled therein and overcome the latter end is worse with them then the beginning For it had been better for them not to have known the way of Righteousnesse then after they have known it to turne from the holy Commandement delivered unto them But it is happened unto them according to the true Proverbe the Dogg is turned to his own vomit againe and the Sow that was washed to his wallowing in the mire b Pet. â— 18 19 c. The Possibility of a totall and finall defection in true Believers lieth as large and full in these quarters as truth lightly can be lodged in words the Holy Ghost here plainely supposing that which is clearly consistent with yea and equipollent thereunto viz. that they who by the acknowledgement of Jesus Christ have cleane or truly or really 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 escaped the pollutions of the World being againe intangled therewith may be overcome so as that their spirituall state and condition will be worse at the last then it was at the first or before they believed What is this being interpreted but that true Saints or Believers may possibly apostatize from their believing condition so as to perish everlastingly But here also our Adversaries attempt to hide the Truth shining in the recited §. 40. passage under that old covering or veyle which hath been rent in twaine already both in this Chapter and elsewhere Thâ—se expressions say they who were clean escaped from those who live in error who have escaped the pollutions of the World through the acknowledgement of Jesus Christ to have known the way of righteousnesse c. doe not suppose the Persons spoken of to have had true Faith nor import any thiâ—â— but what may very possibly be found in Hypocrites But with how little truth yea or semblance of truth these things are asserted hath been already exposed to open view when we traversed the Scripture in hand upon another occasion a Cap. 8. Sect. 4 5 46 c. Neverthelesse we here add 1. If the said expressions import nothing but what Hypocrites and that in sensu composito i. e. whilest Hypocrites are capable of theâ— may those be Hypocrites who are separated from Men that live in error 〈◊〉 from the pollutions of the World and that through the knowledge of Jesus C 〈…〉 and on the other hand those may be Saints and sound Believers who wallow in all manner of filthiness and defile themselves daily with the pollutions of the World This consequence according to the Principles and known Tenets of our Adversaries is legitimate and true in as much as they hold that true Believers may fall so foule and so far that the Church according to Christs institution may be constrained to testifie that they cannot bear them in their outward communion and that they shall have no part in the Kingdome of Christ except they repent b Repondemus posse quidem verè credentes eousque prolabi ut Ecclesia juxtà constitutionem Christi cogatur â—esta 〈…〉 ipsos in externâ ipsorum communione non posse tolerare neque habituros partem ullam in regnâ— Christâ— nisi convertantur Contr-Remonstr in Coll. Hag. p. 399. c. But whether this be wholesoâ—â—â—nd sound Divinity or no to teach that they who are separate from sinnâ—â— and live holily and blamelesly in this present World and this by means of the knowledge of Jesus Christ may be Hypocrites and children of perdition and they on the other hand who are companions with Theeves Murtherers Adulterers c. Saints and sound Believers I leave to Men whose judgements are not turn'd upside down with prejudice to determine 2. The Persons here spoken of are said to have 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 truly or really escaped from those who live in error Doubtlesse an Hypocrite cannot be said truly or really but in shew or appearance at most to have made such an escape I mean from Men who live in error considering that for matter of reality and truth remaining in Hypocrisie he lives in one of the greatest and foulest errors that is 3. An Hypocrite whose foot is already in the snare of Death cannot upon any tolerable account either of reason or common sence be said to be allured i. e. by allurements to be deceived or overcome by the pollutions of the World
cut the sinews of the credit and Authority of the Scriptures which still number Idolaters and workers of Iniquity amongst those who shall have no inheritance in the Kingdom of God But of these things enough formerly Yet let us hear what the Patrons of the Common Doctrine of Perseverance have to plead for the life of Solomons Faith even whilest he walked in those ways of death whereof we heard so lately Solomon say they could not fall away totally from his Faith nor from §. 7. the saving Love of God because God had promised unto David his Father that he would be a Father unto Him his Son Solomon and that he should be a Son unto Him and that His Mercy should not depart from Him as He took it from Saul a 2 Sam. 7. 14 15. I answer 1. Evident it is that the Mercy or kindness of God here mentioned was vouchsafed by him as well unto Saul as unto Solomon For his Promise is that he would not take away his mercy or kindness as some translate from the latter as he took it i. e. the same mercy from thâ— former Saul If then the Mercy here spoken of was the saving Mercy of God out of which he purposeth to give Eternal Life then Saul was Elect and a childe of God and yet fell totally and finally away and had this Grace or Mercy of Election taken from Him If it be a mercy or kindness of any other kinde the infisting upon it is altogether irrelative to the business in hand 2. When God faith that His Mercy should not depart from Solomon the meaning clearly is that God would not translate the Kingdom into another Family or Line as he had transferred it from Saul and his house but would continue it in Davids Line by Solomon The words immediately following make the face of this interpretation to shine And thine HOVSE and thy Kingdom shall be established for ever before thee thy Throne shall be established for ever b Verse 16 3. And lastly it appears from words spoken by David unto his Son Solomon a little before his death that he understood the mercy or kindness promised unto Solomon not of the saving Mercy of God which according to the sence of our Opposers is unremovable where ever it be once pitched but of such a Mercy as hath been declared And thou Solomon my Son know thou the God of thy Father and serve Him with a perfect Heart and with a willing minde For the Lord searcheth all Hearts and understandeth all the imaginations of the thoughts if thou seek Him He will be found of thee but if thou forsake Him HE WILL CAST THEE OFF FOR EVER c 1 Chro. 28. 9 Therefore David himself did not apprehend any such Mercy to be entailed or setled upon his Son Solomon by God in the Promise mentioned as our Adversaries imagine Nor is that which was thought upon by a great man in the Synod of Dort §. 8. of any whit more value to prove the standing of Solomonâ— Faith whilest himself fell so foully as we have heard It is the testimony which Solomon himself gives concerning himself in these words Also my wisdom remained with me d Eccles 2 9 From hence this Author judged it a legitimate inference that Solomon remained sound in his Faith whilest he halted right down yea and fell desperately as we have heard before God But as the Proverb is Similes habent labra lactucas like lips like lattuces such as this mans Cause is such is his Argument or Plea for it For what is there in the words cited any ways to justifie Solomons Faith whilest himself fell into that fearful Condemnation which hath oft been declared It is true Wisdom sometimes in Scripture signifies the true sound and saving Knowledg of God sometimes a Religious frame of heart inclining a man to a consciencious observation of all the Laws and Precepts of God But unless it could be proved that it always is found in one of these two significations and never in any other which is a task that would prove a reproach to any mans parts and learning that should undertake it it is no ways reasonable to put either of these upon it in the place in hand For there is nothing more clear then that Solomon speaketh here of that wisdom which as he faith in the former Chapter Vers 13. he gave his heart to know and which confisteth in the observation experience and knowledg of the things that are done under Heaven in which also â—he affirmeth that there is much grief and vexation of spirit c. Vers 17 18. which when he had attained he declares Chap. 2. that he fell to the practique part of it and gave himself to the procurement and enjoyment of the pleasures and all the contentments that the world is able to afford unto men and which men generally seek after according to the best of their understandings and opportunities otherwise And having particularized several of his principal enjoyments in this kinde Vers 3 4 5 6 c. he concludes from the said Inventory or Survey Vers 9. thus So I was great and increased more then all that were before me in Jerusalem adding also my wisdom remained with me in the Original stood by me or to me meaning that he was very circumspect and careful not to destroy maim or prejudice that Principle of Wisdom which he had travelled so long for and by which he had raised himself to a far greater estate in honors riches pleasures and contentments in the World then any other man careful I say he professeth himself to have been not to endamage or prejudice this his wisdom by those abundant pleasures and delights whereof he stood possess'd and which he freely enjoyed as many are apt to do upon such occasions and by such means Afterwards though he prefers that wisdom which he had spoken oâ— hitherto above folly i. e. above a bruitish and sottish ignorance of such things which concern a mans interest of Peace and Comfort in the World Cap. 2. 13. yet he acknowledgeth a Vanity in this also in as much as after a short and inconsiderable space of time the case and conditiof such a fool will be every whit as good as of a wise man Then I said in my heart as it happeneth to the fool so it happeneth even to me and why was I then moâ—e wise Then I said in my heart that this also is vanity and how dyeth the wise man as the fool c. So that by the wisdom which Solomon saith remained with him in the fullest enjoyment of the delights and contentments of the world is clearly meant not a sacred but a politique or civil wisdom which first he gave his heart to seek and afterwards having obtained it improved to the rendering of his condition in the world every ways as desirable as the materials of the world under the best improvement would make it And besides evident it
Principles i. e. to do any thing uncomely or imprudently so may it truly be said of God in the matter of granting means of Faith and of Salvation unto men that he cannot in the ordinary and standing course of his Providence or Dispensation of such Means rise so high give Means of that transcendent Nature Efficacy and Power which he can and doth give now and then in some special cases and in order to some great and special end As for example God was able no Principle of his Wisdom opposing to vouchsafe unto Paul that extraordinary means of beleeving or for his Conversion which we spake of a glorious Vision from Heaven But it doth not follow from hence that therefore he is able we still speak of his Moral ability or of the ability of his Will to afford the like Vision or any other means like unto that for efficacy and converting Power ordinarily or unto all other men When he demands thus concerning his ancient Church and People of the Jews What could have been done more to my Vineyard that I have not done in it c Isai 5. 4. He had not done any such thing in it or for it as he did afterwards for Paul nor had he multiplyed those Miracles and great works of wonder some Particulars whereof he did work for them and amongst them to such a number or with such frequency as by his Power simply considered and without relation unto his Wisdom he was able to have done and yet he might truly say and profess unto them as his demand mentioned imports that he could do no more for them to make them fruitful to bring them to Repentance and so to make them a prosperous and happy People then He had done i. e. He had done the uttermost which his Wisdom in such a case as theirs was permitted him to do So when he vouchsafeth a greater sufficiency of means to one City then he doth to another as he did to Capernaum above Tyre and Sidon to one Nation then to another to one age or generation of men then to another the Reason of this difference is to be resolved into the same infinite uniform though manifold Wisdom of God as the Apostle calleth it or which is the same into the Counsel of his Will d Ephes 1 11 not simply into his Will but into the Counsel of His Will i. e. that infinite Wisdom or Prudence by which his Will is as it were steered and directed in all the motions and actings thereof according unto which counsel he is said to work all things e Eph. 1. 11. And it may be as truly and as properly said of him when he vouchsafeth the least and lowest sufficiency of means unto some men as when he affordeth the greatest and richest of all unto others that he did or doth what he could or what he is able to do as well for the one as for the other And in such cases of difference as these that admiration of the Apostle lately mentioned is most seasonable and proper O the depths of the riches both of the Wisdom and Knowledg of God! How unsearchable are His Judgments and His ways past finding out f Rom. 11. 33. By his Judgments in this place we are not I conceive to understand onely his penal inflictions upon men in one kinde or other but his dispensatory Administrations as he is the Judg and great Ruler of the World indefinitely considered as well such as are Munificent as those which are Penal and so the word Ways in the latter part of the Verse added it is like for explication indifferently implies as well the one as the other But how or in what respect are his Judgments or Ways of Administration in the World said to be unsearchable or past finding out The former part of the Verse clearly informeth us of this as viz. that they are unsearchable in respect of that abundance of Wisdom and Knowledg by which and according unto which they are first ordered and contrived and then executed by him First they are unsearchable viz. unto Men yea and to Angels too in respect of that most absolute and perfect Knowledg which God hath of every particular circumstance from the least to the greatest of all the actions and ways of all the Men in the World and so of all Cities and of all Nations in all succeeding generations from the Morning of the World until the present hour thereof upon which actions with all and every their respective circumstances compared and layd together by God as by Reason of his perfect Knowledg of them they readily may be he builds and forms by means of his Wisdom of which presently that entire series or Tenor of his Administrations as well Munificent as Penal which from day to day and from age to age take place in the World amongst the Sons and Daughters of Men. Now because neither Men nor Angels are capable of knowing or considering all that infinite and endless multitude and variety of actions with all their circumstances respectively which are done in the World upon which and according to the exigency of which not any one of them from the greatest to the least omitted or left out the Providential Administrations of God in the World as well of Justice as of Mercy and Goodness are founded and framed hence it is that the Apostle concludes in a posture of admiration that the Judgments of God are unsearchable and His Ways past finding out in respect of the depths of the riches of that Knowledg which he maketh use of in forming them meaning that no Creature who knoweth not as much as God himself knoweth concerning the Grounds and Reasons why he ordereth the Affairs of the World of Persons of Cities of Countries of Ages as he doth and not otherwise can possibly understand or comprehend the absolute exactness and accurateness of them how ever he may apprehend somewhat yea much of them I mean chiefly concerning the Equity and Righteousness of them Again 2. These Judgments and Ways of God are unsearchable and past §. 17. finding out in respect of the depths of the riches of that Wisdom which is in God according unto which also they are all calculated and formed by him For look as in a Judg who is to administer Justice and to give sentence in the Causes of Men that are brought before him there ought to be these two things 1. A perfect Knowledg of the respective Cases wherein he is to give sentence in all circumstances relating to them before he doth give sentence 2. A Principle of Wisdom to weigh and ponder aright every of these cases in all their circumstances respectively that so he may be able to form such a sentence wherein every circumstance great and small relating to every case may have its due consideration and weight So there are and of necessity must be in God to make him an absolute Judg as he is of all the World 1.