postulanti ut gratissimè illi possit inservire in eo spiritu quem accepit in nullo vincatur à malitiâ aut fallatur per ignorantiam temeritateÌ„ ac ignaviam aversa peragens omnia praeter decorum divinae voluntatis Talem enim animam manet supplicium mors luctus quod Divinus etiam Apostolus dixit ne cum aliis praedicaverim ipse reprobus efficiar Vides cum Dei Apostolus esset quo pacto timebat Ejus enim est homo naturae ut etiamsi in profundum vitiorum lapsus sit ac peccato deserviat ad id quod bonum est converti possit Et contrà Spiritui Sancto devinctus rerum coelestium ebrietate correptus ad id quod malum est converti potest Ibid. No man considering these things can lightly imagine but that this devout and learned Father who carrieth Blessedness in his name held dogmatically and upon mature consultation had with the best of His understanding in the Mystery of Christ a Possibility that even the best and highest-raised Saints may through sloth and negligence lose this standing fall away and perish Basil sirnamed the Great who lived much about the same time with the last-mentioned §. 13. Author assigning the differences between the condition of the Saints in this present world and that which is to come asserteth this for one That in this life the danger of falling is great upon which account Paul said Let him that standeth take heed lest he fall but there meaning in the future estate of glory their steps are firm or fixed life is unchangeable there is no more danger of being carried away unto sin For neither is here any rebellion or insurrection of the flesh c. Not long after Therefore we men dye often before the body cometh by death to be unyoked or loosed from the Soul So that the life of men is made or naturally apt to be accomplished or fulfilled not only with a change in respect of one age succeeding another but with falls or ruines of their Souls through sin a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Basil in Psal 114. non longè à fine Paulo post 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The same Father in another place speaks yet more plainly to the business in hand Many saith he who had gathered much together from their youth when they come to the middle of their years Temptations from evil spirits rising up against them and assaulting them have not been able to bear the stress or burthen of the Winter for want of a good Pilot-ship and so HAVE LOST ALL. And hence it cometh to pass that SOME HAVE MADE SHIPVVRACK OF FAITH others by means of a violent tempest as it were of pleasure rushing upon them have utterly lost that Chastity which they had preserved together from their youth A most sad spectacle for a man after fasting after austereness of living after much praying after much weeping after a continent life it may be for twenty or thirty years together through negligence and carelessness of Soul to be found naked or destitute of all and that such a person who hath greatly prâ—spered and thriven by the trade or work of the Commandments of God should become like unto a Merchant of a great Estate who whilest His ship sailed on Her course with a fair and prosperous wind judged Himself a brave man for the abundance of Goods in Her but having passed through Tempestuous Seas His Vessel comes to be wracked in the very Haven and He pointed at or shewed by men as one that on the sudden and at once hath lost all that abundance which He lately had b 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 IdeÌ„ HoÌ„ 12. in Princip Proverb propè sineÌ„ The same Father in another of His Sermons expresseth His sence in the matter yet before us in words of this import But Sin is the Destroyer of that Grace which is given us by the Laver of Regeneration And soon after allegorizing our Saviours Parabolical History of the man who going from Jerusalem towards Jericho fell among Theeves thus But now stripes go before stripping or taking off his rayment that thou mayst learn and know that Sin goeth before the laying aside or loss of that Grace or gracious benefit which is given unto thee by that Love or kindness which the Lord beareth unto men c 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Et paulò post 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Idem Hom. 21. circa finem Once more in another Homily this Great Doctor of the Christian Church in his days owneth the Doctrine we now contend for in words to this purpose Thou seest them speaking of the Galatians having the Spirit thou hast also heard Ye are abolished from Christ and again Ye are fallen from Grace What doth He subjoyn after all this making room or granting place for their renewing My little children of whom I travel in birth again He had once begotten them before but He that had once begotten them refuseth not to beget them the second time unto Salvation d 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Idem Hom. 28. De Poenitentia propè finem All the Authors hitherto consulted about the sence of Antiquity and of §. 14. the Primitive Christians concerning the possibility or non-possibility of the Saints relapsing unto death had served their generations respectively and were gone off the Stage of Mortality before Pelagius was entered to act His part hereon or at least had not much to do with Him We now come to enquire what their judgment and sence in the same Points were who either synchroniz'd with Pelagius and skirmished Him or else took their turns of Mortality after Him Concerning the former of these that Star of the first magnitude in the Christian Firmament Augustin I mean is I suppose in every mans estimate instar omnium a man that will perform the service alone as sufficiently as if He had twenty more with Him to assist Him Questionless no man was better versed in the affairs of Christianity or that better understood what Doctrines or Opinions ruled in the Christian World or that dissented less from the common and generally-received Tenets of he Church then He. Now to how great a degree He abounded in that Faith which beleeveth a Possibility of the Saints declining and that unto death cannot lightly be unknown to those that are though but competently acquainted with His Writings I shall present the Reader with a first-fruits onely and leave the Harvest for his own gathering It is saith He much to be admired and admired again that God to some of His Children whom He hath regenerated in Christ and to whom He hath given Faith Hope and Love should NOT GIVE PERSEVERANCE when as He forgives such great sins unto strange children and by imparting His Grace unto them makes them children of His own a MiranduÌ„ est quidem multuÌ„que miranduÌ„ quòd Filiis suis deus quibusdaÌ„ quos regeneravit in Christâ— quibus
hereunto is onely the knowledg of himself i. e. of the truth of his Nature Attributes and transcendent excellency of Being This is the Word of Promise which came long since from the mouth of God himself unto the World They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy Mountain FOR the Earth shall be FULL OF THE KNOVVLEDG OF THE LORD as the waters cover the Sea c Isai 11. 9 clearly implying that when ignorance and all misperswasions concerning God in the world shall be led captive by the light of the knowledg of the Truth and when there shall be a good understanding begotten between him and his Creature the hearts of men will serve them no longer to rebel against him or to despise his Law So that what is commonly said of Knowledg may truly be said of God non habet inimicum praeter ignorantem he hath no Enemy but onely those who know him not The Devil had no door to open effectual enough by which to give sin an entrance into the World but onely the perverting of the streight thoughts and apprehensions of God which God himself had planted in the Minde and Vnderstanding of his Creature Man The Woman had a right and sound perswasion of the just severity and Truth of God in his threatenings until Satan prevailed with her to change it for a lye d Gen. 3. 4 5 into the spirit of which lye Adam himself also was presently baptized by her confidence under it Neither could the Devil have touch'd either the one or the other of them but by the mediation of some erroneous Notion or other concerning God And as Satan brought sin into the World by the opportunity of a misrepresentation of God unto his Creature so when God shall please to Reform the World and make a perfect ejection of sin out of it he will do it by repairing the breaches which Satan hath made upon the Judgments and Vnderstandings of men with a clear light of the knowledg of himself Well may the Holy Ghost call sin and wickedness in every kinde the works of darkness because they are never practised but by the illegal warrant and blinde direction of some false perswasion or other in the mindes of men Vpon this account also it is that the Apostle interpreteth the building of timber hay and stubble i. e. unsound Doctrines and Opinions upon the true Foundation Jesus Christ to be a corrupting or destroying of the Temple of God e 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Cor. 3. 17 i. e. of his Church and People as he explaineth it For every Error or false apprehension in the things of God and matters of Salvation is not onely of a defiling but of a corrupting nature also and according to the tenor and degree of malignity in it for there is some degree of a spiritual malignity in every Error disposeth the Soul which drinks it in and converseth with it to a spiritual Death being destructive to that communion with God wherein principally the life i. e. the strength peace joy and happiness of the Soul consisteth For God in whatsoever he revealeth or speaketh in his Word of any inconsistency with an Error and Error there is none about spiritual things in opposition whereunto God speaketh not more or less in his Word must needs be as a Barbarian or one that speaketh with an unknown tongue to him whose Minde and Vnderstanding is distemper'd with it When our Saviour told his Disciples in words express and plain enough that the Son of man should be delivered into the hands of men Luk. 9. 44. 18. 34. it is said that they notwithstanding understood not the saying The Reason plainly was because they were erroneously principled about the subject of which Christ spake which was his estate of Humiliation by suffering Death they supposing and taking it for granted that he was to be a great Potentate and Monarch in the World without passing through the valley of an ignominious Death thereunto In like manner when he said to Joseph and the Virgin his Mother Wist ye not that I must be about my Fathers business f Luke 2. 49 the Text saith that they understood not the saying that he spake unto them The reason of their non-understanding in this case was because they were under the command of such a supposition which thwarted that principle according to the exigency whereof he so spake They supposed that he was under no engagement in no due capacity at least at those years which at this time he had attained to manage the great affairs of God and his Kingdom in the World whereas his sence was that he was under the one and in the other and spake accordingly unto them So also the Reason why Festus supposed Paul to be besides himself and that much learning had made him mad g Acts 26. 24 implying that he could make neither sap nor sence of what he had said was because the tenor and substance of Pauls Discourse was diametrally opposite to his Principles After the same manner when and whilest a mans Judgment is perverted by any unsound Opinion that hath taken fast hold on it he is uncapable of all that light of Truth which God shineth in the Scriptures in opposition to that Error and must of necessity either relinquish this Opinion or else either deprave and mis-understand the Minde of God in all such passages or else profess dissatisfaction touching the true sence and meaning of them In both cases he suffers a proportionable loss in his communion with God Can two walk together saith the Scripture except they be agreed Civil Communion cannot be maintained or held under a dissent in Principles relating to such Communion at least not in such things unto which such a dissent extendeth or relatâ—th Beasts are uncapable of all friendly converse and intercourse of affairs with men and so men with Beasts The Reason is because neither of them have any Principle symbolical with the other the thoughts of men are not the thoughts of beasts neither are the thoughts or impressions of beasts the thoughts of men And though men being sound in some soveraign Principles of the Gospel and such which are as it were the life-guard of the heart and vital parts of Religion may possibly live in communion with God upon terms consistent with Salvation yet may they very possibly also in case they be intangled with Error otherwise by means hereof suffer loss to a very sad degree in the things of their present peace When the Sun is in the greatest Eclipse that is lightly incident to it there yet shineth so much Light to the World which is sufficient to make it day and whereby to perform ordinary works wont to be done in the day time notwithstanding during such an Eclipse as this the World through want of that fulness of light which that worthy Creature the Sun naturally affordeth suffereth many degrees of the damp and sadness of the night In
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
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
like maner though the light of Gods countenance may shine in the face of the Soul to such a degree as to make a day of Grace and favorable acceptance with him notwithstanding the interposition of a dark cloud of many Errors yet most certain it is that according to the compass and proportion of such a cloud and during the interposition of it the Soul will be apt to suffer now and then many grudgings and sad impressions of a fear of being rejected by him There is no ray or beam which naturally shineth from the face of God but the interception deprivation and want of it must needs prove both poena damni yea and poena sensus too upon occasion unto the Soul Yea the Scripture it self supposeth men that are ignorant in any thing relating to their spiritual affairs and much more such as are confidently i. e. erroneously 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Epiphan ignorant to be in a deplorable and sad condition and the proper Objects of pity and compassion in case their Ignorance or Error be not affectate and such from the intanglement and pollution whereof they had competent means to have delivered themselves The Apostle maketh it a worthy character of an High Priest taken from amongst men to be able to have COMPASSION ON THE IGNORANT and such as are out of the way h Hebr. 5. 2 There are but two things that can make the condition of a Creature miserable Sin and Sufferings and both these are the unquestionable fruits or productions of Error Lusts and sinful distempers can be no where ingendred but onely in the dark regions of the Soul the shining of the light of the Truth is as the shadow of Death unto them Nor can fear that hath torment nor any afflicting or sad impression upon the spirits of men climb up into the bed of the Soul to disturb the rest and sweet peace of it but onely in the night of Ignorance and by the opportunity of Error lodging there The light of the knowledg of the Truth as it is in Jesus is unto fears agonies and all perplexity of spirit like unto Solomons King sitting upon his Throne of Judgment in reference to wicked men whom he scattereth or chaseth away with his eyes i Prov. 20. 8 The Truth saith Christ unto the Jews meaning when known by them shall make you free k Iohn 8. 32 All bondage and servility whether under sin or under sorrow is dissolved by the clear shining of the light of the knowledg of God into the Heart and Soul Whereas the darkness of Error strengtheneth the hand of the Oppressors and bindes fast the iron yoke of servitude upon the necks of those that are in bondage The time would fail me to speak at large of all the sad retinue of Evils and Mischiefs that attend upon Error Take in brief the sum as well of what I have said as what I would willingly say yet further upon this account First It hath been said that Error defileth and embaseth the person who coupleth his Judgment with it Secondly That it obstructeth communion with God as far as the malignity of the influence of it extendeth Thirdly That the proper and direct tendency of it is unto death to bring everlasting destruction upon the Soul Fourthly It hath been shâ—wed that Error is the proper Element for Jim and Ojim and doleful creatures I mean for fears sad apprehensions disconsolate thoughts on the one hand and so for wilde Satyrs lusts sensual and sinful distempers on the other hand to be ingendred and bred as also to live and subsist to move and act and take their pastime in the knowledg of the Truth being mortal unto both I now add Fifthly That Error disposeth the Soul to Apostasie from the Gospel and to a recidivation or falling back into the devouring sin of Vnbelief This it doth not only by giving opportunity and encouragement unto lusts and inordinate affections in the Soul the motions and actings of which are to the life of Faith that which poyson is to the natural life of a man but also by representing the Gospel unto the mind and conscience of a man at least in some of the ways and passages of it as weak unworthy dark unpleasant uncouth or whatsoever Error when the Soul by long acquaintance and converse with it shall discover the true nature or genius of it and so grow into a dislike and contempt of it shall now appear unto them For this is much to be considered that a man or woman who have for many years professed the Gospel may in process of time come to discover vanity in some erroneous Principle or Tenent wherewith their Judgments had been leavened for some considerable space formerly and so grow into a disapprobation or contempt of it and yet may very possibly think and suppose that the Gospel favours or countenanceth it and that otherwise they should never have owned or approved it Now when a person shall be brought into the snare of such a conceit or imagination as this that the Gospel in some of the veins or carriages of it teacheth or asserteth things that are vain or of no good consistency with Reason or Truth he is in a ready posture to throw off from his Soul all credence of the Divine Authority of the Gospel and to esteem it no better then a Fable devised by men Nor will all that which he Iudgeth serious and sound and good in the Doctrine of the Gospel otherwise relieve him in such a case He that imagines that he smells but so much as one dead Fly in the oyntment of thâ— Gospel will as he should have sufficient cause to do were his imagination in this case sufficiently grounded conclude that certainly it came not from God but from men No mans heart or conscience will serve him to reverence that as coming from God wherein he savours the least weakness error or untruth Sixthly Though an Error seems to be meerly speculative and in respect of the frame and constitution of it to have no affinity or intermedling at all with the moral principles or practises of men as that of Ana-Baptism amongst some others yeâ— doth it secretly and in a collateral way through the weakness and vanity of the heart infuse malignity even into these occasioning persons otherwise grave sober peaceable meek loving c. to break out many times in strains of pride self conceitedness contention contempt of others cavilling against pregnant and clear Truths with the like for the maintenance and defence of it For as he which hath a child though it be never so hard-favored or deformed never so ill behaviored or conditioned yet â—udgeth himself bound to provide maintenance and support for it So He that embraceth an Opinion about the things of God and of the Gospel be it never so erroneous uncouth irrational and weak yet supposeth himself bound in conscience to plead the cause of it and protect it upon all occasions Now
man or number of men should attempt his death he would not restrain or hinder them from effecting it If it be objected But did not the Redemption and Salvation of the World depend upon the actuall death or crucifying of Christ and if so should not God have left this great and gracious designe of his in suspence and at uncertainty for matter of execution in case hee had not Absolutely and Positively decreed the death of Christ by one meanes or other as either by those who now did effect it or by some other men To this I Answer No the Salvation of the World doubtlesse did not depend upon the actuall or literall dying or crucifying of Christ but partly upon the councell and good pleasure of God to deliver him up unto death in order to this end i. e. To leave him freely unto men to crucifie him if they would partly upon the readinesse and perfect submission of will in Christ to suffer death in case any man or men should be found that would inflict it upon him My grounds and reasons for this Opinion are 1. If the Salvation of the World depends wholly and intirely upon the merit and satisfaction of Christ in conjunction with the Will and good Pleasure of God the Father to accept of this satisfaction in order thereunto then did it doth it no wayes depend upon any thing done by other men especially wicked men least of all upon any thing done wickedly and provokingly in the sight of God by them and consequently the actuall or literall Crucifiers of Christ contributed nothing at all simply necessary towards the salvation of the World Sed verum prius ergo et posterius 2. If the merit of Christ received no addition was no wayes perfected by the actings of those who Crucified him or by the things which he suffered from them then did not the salvation of the World depend upon his being actually crucified or upon his crucifying by men but only upon that crucifying wherewith he had crucified himself before men came to lay hands upon him Sed verum prius ergo et posterius That the merit of Christ was no wayes perfected or augmented by the things which he suffered from men is evident because he acted or did nothing herein or under these sufferings more then what he had done before in the inward transactions of his Soul yea and would have done still or againe whether men had Crucified him or no. 3. If the acceptation of the sacrifice of Christ depended only upon 1. The nature quality and legitimatenesse of the Sacrifice 2. Upon the legitimacy and dignity of the Priest offering 3. And lastly upon the legitimatenesse of the manner observed in the offering then was not the act of those who Crucified Christ any wayes contributing towards the acceptation of this Sacrifice and if so the acceptation hereof with God had been the same and consequently the salvation of the World Purchased and Procured by it whether men had interposed to Crucifie Christ or no. Evident it is that they who Crucified Christ neither gave legitimatenesse to the Sacrifice nor were any legitimate Priests upon whose actings about the Sacrifice the acceptation of the offering any wayes depended nor 3. Did they in what they did about the Crucifying of Christ observe any legitimatenesse of order or manner which should render the oblation acceptable with God Therefore the acceptance of that great Sacrifice we speake of with God depended wholly upon Christ Himself who 1. In respect of his Person was a legitimate Sacrifice to make that great attonement for the World that was made by him 2. In respect of his office was a legitimate High Priest anointed by God to offer that great Sacrifice of himself 3. And lastly by vertue of his Holinesse Love Zeale and all other heavenly endowments requisite for his Office of Priest-hood performed the oblation with a perfect observation of all the requirements appertaining to the Law or manner of such an offering In none of all these had he the least dependance upon those who put him to death nor stood he in need of their wickednesse in Crucifying him to make him either Sacrifice Priest or oblation of highest acceptance with God 4. The Apostle expresly affirmeth concerning men that if there be first a willing minde it is accepted meaning with God according to that a man hath and not according to that he hath not a 2 Cor. 8. 12 His meaning cleerely is that where there is a cleare perfect and upright desire of soule in any man to perform any service pleasing unto God but wants opportunity or meanes for the actuall or compleate performance of it and shall go in or towards the Performance as far as he hath opportunity or meanes to carry him such a man findes the same acceptance with God under these deficiencies which he should finde under an actuall and compleate Performance This is that which Divines commonly expresse in saying that God accepts the will for the deed Now there is no reason to conceive or think but that God should deal in a way of as much equity and grace with Christ as he doth with other men Therefore supposing that there was a cleere perfect and intire willingnesse or readinesse of minde in Christ to lay down his life for the World but he had wanted an opportunity actually to have done it as suppose no man should have appeared to take away his life from him there is no sufficient reason to think but that he had been accepted with God upon the same terms under or in respect of such his willingness or desire on which he is now accepted under his actuall Death 5. And lastly if it was the deepe humility and perfect subjection to the Fathers Will and Pleasure together with those other inward and gracious deportments of soule in Christ in and under his sufferings which gave the whole and intire worth of merit and satisfaction unto them then were his bare externall sufferings considered a part from these no wayes meritorious and consequently of no absolute necessity for or towards the Redemption of the World Sed verum prius ergo et posterius The former consequence in this argument is evident because nothing whether Action or Passion can be meritorious without something in it or relating to it which should give it the weight or worth of merit The latter consequence is no lesse evident neither For whatever whether doings or sufferings are wholly voyd of merit though they may somewayes contribute towards the worke of Redemption yet can they be no wayes essentiall or of absolute necessity thereunto For the minor neither is this much questionable the Scriptures themselves from place to place placing the value merit or expiatory worth of the death and sufferings of Christ over and besides the dignity of his Person in his innocency meekenesse humility Perfect subjection to his Fathers Will c. Let these Passages be considered Heb. 9. 14. 1 Pet.
that great and blessed end and purpose viz. that by them they might be made capable of attaining that life and Salvation which was procured purchased for them by Christâ— and intended to be really conferr'd upon them upon their believing and continuance therein unto the end though it is true that men generally as they grow up in the World convert these Principles of light and understanding to other uses and not to those for which they are given them as viz. to make provision for the flesh for the fulfilling of the lusts thereof and not to the obtaining of that life and happinesse which is in Christ for them as foolish Children which fall to play or quarrell amongst themselves by the opportunity of that Candle which their Parents allow them for their studies and books Yea men generally doe not only mis-spend those Talents of light we speake of about the impertinencies of this present World but partly through an un-manlike oscitancy and inconsideratenesse partly out of an inordinate Propensity to comport with the World without any feare or sence of danger hereby suffer their judgements and understandings to be corrupted adulterated imbased and abused by many false and foolish Principles and Notions which turne them quite aside from a regular and due prosecution of that Life and Salvation which is in Christ for them and might have been obtained by them yea and subject them to a sad incapacity of the things of their Peace when they are proposed with the greatest Evidence and Power unto them Insomuch that though the Life which was in Christ is said to be the light of men yet it immediately followeth that the light shineth in darknesse i. e. The Doctrine of Life and Salvation is cleerly Preached to an ignorant World and the darknesse comprehended it not i. e. That ignorance or incapacity rather of the things of eternall life which men have voluntarily contracted and brought upon themselves is fo exceeding great and strange that they understand little or nothing of this Doctrine so Preached unto them But this occasionally only and by the way As to the Worke in hand doubtlesse there was never any man touch'd with any competent sence or enlightened with any tolerable Notion of a Deity that ever put it to the question in himself whether God was perfect or no. All men saith Aristotle in his Metaphysiques without any demur or delay ascribe that unto God which they conceive to be most perfect And indeed that very Sence and Notion of God which Nature prompteth her Children with though many of them are dull of hearing in this kind doth not admit of any thing look'd upon as defective or imperfect within the Verge of it Therefore having so firme and so generally-approved a foundation to build upon as the perfection of God let us see what it affordeth unto us by way of §. 4. evident deduction toward the advancement of our great design the magnifying of God in his gracious intendments of salvation unto all men without exception in or by the Death of Christ First if the Nature Essence and Being of God be most perfect then must it needs be most simple most intirely absolutely and perfectly one not admitting any Plurality or Composition whatsoever The reason of this is plaine because all Plurality and Composition whether of Parts or of Natures suppose imperfection For if any one of these Parts or Natures were perfect absolutely or infinitely perfect it were able to do whatsoever is necessary yea or possible to be done for without this there is no simple or absolute perfection and then what need were there of any thing more to be added unto it or joyn'd with it That a man hath Eares as well as Eyes and Eyes as well as Eares and so Hands as well as Feet and Feet as well as Hands cleerly proves that no one of these members are simply and absolutely perfect i. e. can do or performe and this with a like comelinesse and conveniency whatsoever is necessary to be done and performed by man for then all the rest should be superfluous They may all be perfect in their kinde i. e. with a determinate and limited perfection and in order to such or such a particular action and service and yet one stand in neede of another as the Apostle speaketh but if any one of them were simply and absolutely perfect i. e. could doe all things whatsoever upon the same terms of convenience which both it self and all the rest can do together certainly all the rest were needlesse So if an Angel could understand by his meere Essence or Substance of his Nature without any endowment or gift of understanding distinct there-from or could perform any other action or do any execution immediately by his Essence without the intervening of those Naturall endowments or qualities of Strength Power Activenesse c. all these endowments and appendices to his Nature and Essence would be meerly superfluous The necessity which the Angels have of Wisdom Knowledge Reason Strength c. over and besides their meere Essences and Beings plainly declareth and sheweth these Essences and Beings of theirs to be unperfect I meane in respect of a simple and absolute perfection and that they stand in neede of such additionall Properties and Endowments as we speak of to make them perfect even in their own kind Nor is it indeed possible for God to make any such Creature or to speak somewhat more properly no such Creature can possibly be made which shall be able to act or worke immediately by its Essence or otherwise then by the mediation of some Vertue Property or Quality in one kinde or other inherent therein it being the glorious and incommunicable property and prerogative of the Divine Essence or Being it self so to worke So then this absolute and infinite simplicity of the Nature of God supposed as without which he cannot be absolutely and infinitely perfect it plainly followeth First that all those attributes of God commonly so called as Wisdome §. 5. Knowledge Justice Mercy Goodnesse Power c. and so all those Passions and Affections as of Anger Griefe Repentance Love Hatred c. Deo idem est esse fortem esse vel sapientem esse vel justum esse si quid de illa simplici multiplicitate vel multiplici simplicitate dixeris quo substantia ejus significâ—tur Aug. de Trin. l. 6. c. 4. And again all those Parts or Members as Eyes Eares Hands Feet Mouth c. which are so frequently attributed unto him in the Scriptures are all one and the same thing in God though they be very different things in men nor is any one of them nor all of them together any other thing but only his single simple and pure Essence But therefore all this variety and diversity both of Attributes Affections and Parts is attributed unto him because by meanes of this one simple and single Essence being infinitely perfect he can when he
accustomed to error and mistake presume to levy from them together with such arguments and grounds which upon examination will be found either to have no consistency with the sound Principles either of Reason or Religion or else no legitimate coherence with the cause which they pretend unto Let us first hearken unto the Scriptures lifting up their voyces together for the Redemption of all Men by Christ without exception we shall afterwards in due processe of Discourse give a faire consideration to those inferences and consequences of Men wherein the strength of their Scripture Proofes standeth for the support of the contrary Opinion And first it is considerable that the Scriptures doe not only speak to the §. 2. heart of the Doctrine asserted in great variety of Texts and Places but also in great Veyns and Correspondencies or Consorts of Texts each Consort consisting of severall particulars of like Notion and Phrase I shall recommend only foure of these companies unto the Reader which when we shall have pondered in some or all the particulars respectively relating unto them we shall add to make full measure the contributions of some single Texts besides The first Division or Squadron of Scriptures which speak aloud the universality §. 3. of Redemption by Christ are such which present the gift and Sacrifice of Christ as relating indifferently unto the World The name of this kinde of Scriptures for the number of them may be Legion for they are many Some of the principall and best known of them are these So God loved THE WORLD that he gave his only begotten c. Joh. 3. 16. That THE WORLD through him should be saved vers 17. This is the Lamb of God which takes away the sin of THE WORLD Joh. 1. 29. My flesh which I will give for the life of the World Joh. 6. 51. And he is the propitiation for our sinnes and not for ours only but also for the sinnes of the WHOLE WORLD 1 Joh. 22. And we have seene and doe testifie that the Father sent the Sonne to be the Saviour of the WORLD 1 Joh. 4. 14. For I came not to judge the WORLD but to save the WORLD Joh. 12. 48. For God was in Christ reconciling the WORLD unto Himself c. 2 Cor. 5. 19. To omit many others The second post of Scriptures standing up to maintaine the same Doctrine §. 4. with uniformity of expressions amongst themselves are such which insure the Ransome of Christ and the Will or Desire of God for matters of salvation unto ALL MEN and EVERY MAN Some of these are who gave Himself a Ransome for ALL. 1 Tim. 2. 6. Because we thus judge that if one died for ALL then were all dead and that he died FOR ALL that they who live c. 2 Cor. 5. 14 15. that he by the Grace of God should taste of Death FOR EVERY MAN Heb. 2. 9. who will have AL◠MEN to be saved c. 1 Tim. 2. 4. not willing that ANY should perish but that ALL should come to Repentance 2 Pet. 3. 9. Therefore as by the offence of one the judgement came upon all Men to condemnation even so by the righteousnesse of one the free gift came upon all Men to the justification of life Rom. 5. 18. with some others A third sort or party of Scriptures confederate with the former for substance §. 5. of import and between themselves for matter of expression are such which hold forth and promise salvation indifferently to Him and to whosoever will or shall believe Of this sort are these with their fellowes and HIM that commeth unto me I will in no wise cast out Joh. 6. 37. HE that believeth in me shall never thirst vers 35. HE that believeth and is Baptized shall be saved Mar. 16. 16. That WHOSOEVER believeth in Him should not perish c. Joh. 3. 16. That through his Name WHOSOEVER believeth in Him shall receive remission of sinnes Acts 10. 43. Even the Righteousnesse of God which is by Faith of Jesus Christ UNTO ALL and upon all that believe For all have sinned Rom. 3. 22 23. It were easie to make this pile also much greater A fourth association of Scriptures all pregnant with the Doctrine we §. 6. assert consists of such places where Christ is said to have died for those who yet may perish yea and actually do perish and again where such Men are said to have been bought by him and to have been sanctified by his blood who yet through their own negligence and wilfulnesse in sinning bring destruction upon themselves and perish everlastingly Places of this kinde are famously known Destroy not Him with thy meat FOR WHOM CHRIST DIED Rom. 14. 15. And through thy knowledge shall the weak BROTHER PERISH FOR WHOM CHRIST DIED 1 Cor. 8. 11. even denying the Lord that BOVGHT them and bring upon themselves swift DESTRVCTION 2 Pet 2. 1. For if after they have escaped the pollutions of the World through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ they are again intangled therein and overcome the latter end is worse with them then the beginning 2 Pet. 2. 20. Of how much sorer punishment suppose yee shall He be thought worthy who hath troden under foote the Sonne of God and hath counted the blood of the Covenant wherewith he was sanctified an unholy thing and hath done despite unto the Spirit of Grace Heb. 10. 29. Then his Lord after he had called him said unto him O thou wicked servant I forgave thee all that debt because thou desiredst me Should not thou also have had compassion on thy fellow servant And his Lord was wroth and delivered him to the tormentors till he should pay all that was due to him So likewise shall my Heavenly Father doe also unto you if yee from your Heart forgive not every one his Brother their trespasses Mat. 18. 32. 33 c. Let us begin with the Texts of the first of the foure Orders mentioned §. 7. where the Death of Christ is presented as relating unto the World From the tenor and import of all the Scriptures of this Denomination and Tribe it will be made evident that Christ died for all Men without exception of any the word World in these places being necessarily to be understood in the proper and comprehensive signification of it I mean for all Men and Women in the World in and according to their successive generations and not for any lesser or smaller number as for some of all sorts for the Elect for those that shall believe or the like We shall for brevity sake argue only some of these places and leave the light of their interpretations for a discovery of the sence and meaning of the rest The first proposed of these was that place of Renowne Joh. 3. 16. So §. 8. God loved the World that He gave c. Evident it is from hence that Christ was given viz. unto Death for them or for
tu servatus es tuâ temeritate iâ—que cibi gratiâ inanem reddis Nor doth B. Aretius break ranke but marcheth in close order with his fellowes The Apostles argument saith he is from the effects Thou destroyest him with the use of things indifferent whom Christ redeemed by His Death What madnesse is that And soone after Meate haply preserves thy life but Christ died for him whom thou slayest not by dying but by living what cruelty is this d Ab effectis argumentum est usum rerum mediarum perdis quem Christus redemit suâ morte quae illa est insania Cibus tibi vitam conservat fortè sed Christus pro illo mortuus est quem tu occîdis non moriendo sed vivendo magna est illa crudelitas Let R. Gualter bring up the reere for saying the Apostle in this teacheth §. 8. that Christ Himselfe is sinned against yea and that the Merit of His Death is overthrown when we destroy Him whom He by His Death and Blood hath vindicated or restored unto life e Ita verò in ipsum Christum peccari docet adeoque meritum mortis ejus everti quando eum nos perdimus quem ille per mortem sanguinem suum in vitam asseruit Here are many witnesses though many more might readily be summoned in with the same evidence and those of the first-borne qualification for Authority and credit in such cases I meane men orthodox and sound in the judgement of those who assume the same honour unto themselves and who are the high opposers of the Doctrine under Protection in the present discourse speaking the same things plainly expressly and without Parable with the Assertors of this Doctrine Neither indeed could they or any other Man having such Scriptures before them as that last insisted upon with the former to order their judgements and thoughts conceive or speak otherwise with any tolerable ingenuity or without some such winking with the eyes which is unworthy men pretending friendship to the Truth But let us hear what the Spirit of God saith further in the Point The next Scripture lately directed unto was 1 Cor. 8. 11. And through thy §. 9. knowledge or through thy Meate as Chrysostome reads the place shall the weake Brother perish for whom Christ Died. Some copies read the words with an interrogation and thus either our English Translators or Printers or both deliver them unto us others assertively This difference in the pointing makes none in the matter or substance of the Doctrine contained in the words Only the interrogative is more piercing and provoking to the consideration of the Truth imported The tenor of the place is the same in effect with that last opened and cleerly supposeth upon the account given in the traverse of that Scripture that such a Person may miscarry in the great businesse of Salvation notwithstanding Christs laying down His Life for him The Reader is desired to revise our debate upon the former Place for His satisfaction herein unlesse haply the consent of the best Interpreters in that behalf will balance that accommodation Thy Lord and Master saith Chrysostome on the place refused not to die for him but thou makest no reckoning of him no not so much as to abstraine from a polluted table for his sake but sufferest him to PERISH AFTER SALVATION PROCVRED FOR HIM upon such terms And soon after So that here are foure accusations or matters of charge and these exceeding high 1. That He is a Brother 2. That He is weake 3. That He is one WHOM CHRIST SO HIGHLY PRIZED AS EVEN TO DIE FOR HIM 4. That after all this HE PERISHETH for Meate a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The expressnesse of the words over-ruled even Calvins Pen also to an Assertion §. 10. of the same Truth He is indeed weake whom thou despisest but yet a Brother for God hath adopted him Therefore cruell art thou who hast no care of thy Brother But that which followes is yet more pressing viz. that even those that are rude or weake are redeemed by the Blood of Christ For there is nothing of greater unworthinesse then that Christ should not scruple to die that the weak might not perish and we in the meane time lightly esteeme the Salvation of those who have been Redeemed at so great a price A memorable saying whereby we are taught how highly we ought to value the Salvation of our Brethren and of these not only as considered in the lump or in the generall but of every one of them in particular in as much as CHRISTS BLOOD WAS SHED FOR EVERY ONE OF THEM b Est quidem infirmus queÌ„ tu contâ—mnis sed tamen frater nam cum adoptavit Deus Crudelis eâ— igitur qui fratris curaÌ„ non habes Sed vehementius etiaÌ„ num quod sequitur rudes quoque aut infirmos Christi sanguine redemptos esse Nihil enim indignius quà m ChristuÌ„ non dubitâsse mori ne infirmi perirent nos floccipendere eoruÌ„ salutem qui tanto pretio redempti sunt DictuÌ„ memorabile qâ—o doceneur quanti nobis esse debeat fratruÌ„ salus nec omniuÌ„ modo sed singuloruÌ„ quando pro unoquoque est â—usus Christi sanguis Nor can it reasonably be pretended that by the Brethren for every of which he saith the Blood of Christ was shed he meanes only the Elect. For evident it is that he speaks of the generality of Professors who were joyned in externall communion with the Churches of Christ many of whom he could not but know were not Elect at least in the sence of such pretenders Aretius worketh the place thus Here is another fruit or effect of that licentious liberty greater then the former For the former only was that by means of such an example Men were strengthened in an evill error but here he sheweth that he that is weak is even destroyed And presently after In conclusion this practise mightily differs from the example of Christ for He died for the weak sinner c a Alter fructus est licentiae illius superiori aliquantò gravior Nam prior fructus saltem erat quòd in malo errore confirmarentur hujus exemplo Hic autem quod etiam perdatur indicat nec simpliciter sed qui infirmus est Denique factum hoc vehementer discrepat ab exâ—mplo Christi is mortuus est pro peccatore infirmo So that this Expositor also clearly supposeth that men may destroy him for whom Christ Died. Nor doth learned Musculus vary an haires bredth from the import of these things upon the place demanding thus How I pray can he be excused who for meats sake destroyeth him whom Christ redeemed with his Blood And not long after what greater sin can be committed against Christ then to slay or destroy Him for whom He Himself Died b Quomodo quaeso excusari potest qui cibi gratiâ eum perdit quem Christus
of the Companies in London of which they respectively consisted 40. yeares since yet are they the self same Companies which they were then So then the saying of Christ that the Gates of Hell shall not prevaile against His Church may stand clear and firme though many particular members thereof should be overcome Therefore there is nothing in this Scripture to evince that universall Perseverance of all Saints which is commonly taught and received amongst us 2. When our Saviour promiseth that the Gates of Hell shall not prevaile §. 4. against His Church his meaning questionlesse is this that death or the Grave which may very properly be called the Gates of Hell because they that goe or are sent to Hell enter by them thereinto or else that Hell it self shall not prevaile i. e. shall not have a full or finall conquest over those that shall die built upon the Rock he speaks of by Faith as by Reason of their most formidable strength they are like to have over all other Men. According to this interpretation his meaning only is that those that shall continue firmly built upon him by Faith shall in time be rescued and delivered out of the hand of all adverse Powers yea from death and the grave themselves the most formidable of all others This Exposition fully accords with what Chrysostome hath upon the place §. 5. If saith he Paraphrasing the words of Christ they shall not prevaile against it my Church much more shall they not prevaile against me Therefore he not troubled when thou shalt heare that I shall be Betrayed and Crucified a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 These words clearly imply that by the prevailing of the Gates of Hell the Author understands the finall prevailing of Death or the Grave and not the prevailing of Satan by subtilty or temptations in one kinde or other Amongst our late Protestant Divines Cameron who comonly strikes as §. 6. happy a stroake in opening the Scriptures which he undertakes as any man doth not only deliver but with an high hand asserts argues and evinceth this Interpretation This then saith he seemes to have been the minde of Christ in this place Let those who believe lie for a time dead let death have dominion over them let death exercise his right or execute his Law upon them hold them fast shut up in the Grave as in a Prison bound with bands or fetters yet shall he not alwayes have his will over them he may or shall doe much against them but shall never have a full conquest over them b Haec ergo Christi hoc in loco mens fuisse videtur Jaceant fideles ad tepus demortui mors in illos dominetur exerceat jus suum in Sepulchro veluti in carcere eos teneat conclusos vinculis quasi constrictâ—s haud tamen usque usque obtinebit valebit quidem certè at non prevalebit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This Exposition he confirmes 1. by instancing severall other places of Scripture as Job â—8 17. Psal 9. 13. Psal 107. 18. in all which by the Gates of Hell or of Death is clearly meant the Grave To which he add's Psal 18. 16. Psal 116. 3. as places of affinity with these 2. By shewing that the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 here translated Hell is never in Scripture except once used to signifie Hell properly so called i e. the place or state of the damned but constantly either the Grave or the state and condition of those that are dead 3. By minding us that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Grave and Death are elsewhere termed the enemies of the Church yea the last enemies as 1 Cor. 15. 26. to which he adds the consideration of their being cast into the Lake of Fire Revel 20. 14. 4. and lastly by particular arguments against every other interpretation offered by Expositors Musculus though by the Gates of Hell he understands as well the Policy §. 6. as Power and strength of the Devill yet by the Relative Particle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it a Mihi videtur certius ut ad Petram â—d est Ecclesiae fundamentum referamus non quod dâ—bitem de Ecclâ—siae soli ditate sed quâ—d ea si ex pâ—tra super quam aedificaâ—a est quae tam est robusta c. he doth not understand the Church but the Rock or Foundation of Doctrine on which the Church is built So that his sence of the place seemes to be this that that Doctrine on which the Church is built is so firme and strong that all the Policy and Power of Satan though joyning together shall never be able to prevaile against it so as either to evict it of falshood or otherwise to destroy and cast it out of the World None of all their interpretations suppose any such thing deducible from the place as this that those who are once Believers or Members of the Church of Christ shall never be seduced by Satan to destruction The place speaks nothing of Satan much lesse of his Subtilty Policy or Power to seduce the Church but supposing the exceeding great and formidable strength of Death and the Grave asserteth the glorious and finall conquest of his Church over them notwithstanding So that this passage of Scripture perfectly sembleth with these and the like He that believeth in me though he were dead yet shall he live and whosoever liveth and believeth in Me shall never die b Ioh. 11. 25 26. And againe And this is the Fathers Will that hath sent Me that of all which He hath given Me I should lose nothing but should raise it up againe at the last day c Ioh 6. 39. See also Joh. 5. 25. 28 29 c. That which is pleaded by some for such a sence of the place which carries §. 7. the Doctrine of Perseverance in it is weake and value lesse Whatsoever say these opposeth the building of the Church upon the Rock or the constant adhering of it unto Christ is meant by the Gates of Hell prevailing For in these words and the Gates of Hell shall not prevaile against it Christ must needs be supposed to remove whatsoever is contrary to that which he had asserted in those And upon this Rock will I build my Church But the politique and subtile tentation of Satan to seduce Believers are opposite to the building of the Church upon the Rock and to the constant adhering of it unto Christ Therefore by the Gates of Hell not prevailing against the Church must needs be meant the defeature or non-prevailing of the strategems or counsells of Satan against Believers and consequently their persevering unto the end For to this I answer 1. By denying the Major Proposition in the Argument For that which Christ takes away in this clause And the Gates of Hell shall not prevaile against it is not whatsoever opposeth the building of His Church upon the Rock but
water springing up c. his meaning is not as if either the Doctrine or Spirit which He gives unto men and they drink or receive from His Hand should always actually necessarily and infallibly end or issue in Eternal Life properly and compleatly so called the Scriptures in many places testifying the contrary of both a Mat. 13. 20 22. Maâ—k 6. 20. Act. 8. 13 compared with Vers 20 21. Hebr. 6. 4 5 c. but that their natural course and tendency always stand that way as the course motion and inclination of waters in a river always stand bent towards the Sea though they may be turned by force out of their channel or dried up by the violent and scortching heat of the Sun Therefore neither is there any Promise in this Scripture of such a Perseverance of the Saints in Faith as is commonly notioned amongst us and hath been opposed hitherto Another place wherein the said Minor Proposition in the sence intended §. 13. by the Assertors is pretended to be found consists of these words And I will pray the Father and he will give you another Comforter that he may abide with you for ever b John 14. 16. But 1. Evident it is that our Saviour doth not in this place oppose the abiding or remaining of the Holy Ghost to his own discession or departure from the Hearts or Souls of men into which He is entered or come but to his departure out of the World by death which was now at hand Therefore 2. By the abiding of the Comforter or Holy Ghost with them for ever he doth not mean his perpetual or un-interruptible residence or abode in their Hearts or Souls or in the Heart or Soul of any other particular man determinately but His constant abiding in the World in and with the Gospel and the children thereof until the consummation and end of it In respect of which permanency of His Spirit with them and their spiritual Successors or Posterity He saith of Himself elsewhere And â—o I am with you always to the end of the World c Matt. 28. 20 And to put our Saviours meaning in the words in hand into words of more plainness it was as if He should have said to His Disciples thus The Counsel and Purpose of my Father in sending me into the World required that I should make no long stay or abode in it but that I should return by the way of Death again unto Him after a season and accordingly I am now upon my Return and so must leave you but when I shall have finished my Return unto my Father and am come to Him I will intercede for you and he will send you another Comforter the Holy Ghost upon better terms for staying and continuing with you then those on which I came for He shall be sent not to be taken out of the World by Death as I must be but to make His residence with and amongst you my friends and faithful ones for ever This to be our Saviours express drift and scope in the words appears by the carriage of the greatest part of the Châ—pter Now from such an abiding of the Holy Ghost with them as this cannot be inferred His perpetual abiding with any one person or Beleever determinately much less with every one 3. This Promise concerning the abiding of this other Comforter for ever §. 14. must be conceived to be made either to the Apostles personally considered or else to the whole Body of the Church of which they were principal Members If the first â—f these be admitted then it will not follow That because the Apostles had the perpetual Residency of the Spirit with them and in them therefore every particular Beleever hath the like no more then it will follow That because the Apostles were infallible in their Judgments and Doctrine through the Teachings of the Spirit in them therefore every Beleever is infallible upon the same account also If the latter be admitted neither will it follow that every Beleever or every Member of the Church must needs have the Residence of the Spirit with him for ever There are Priviledges appropriate to Corporations or Bodies Politique which every particular Member of these Bodies cannot claim The Church may have the Residence or Presence of the Spirit of God with her for ever and yet every present Member hereof lose his present Interest and Part in Him Yea that the abiding for ever of the Spirit in the Apostles themselves was not absolutely promised unto them appears from those and such like passages of our Saviour unto them If ye shall keep my Commandments ye shall ABIDE in my a John 15. 10 c. If any man love me he will keep my Word and my Father will love him and we will come unto him and will DVVELL with him b John 14. 23 4. And lastly Notice hath been taken and given formerly that this Particle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ut that doth not always import the certainty of the thing spoken of by way of event no not when speech is of God Himself but oft-times the Intention onely of the Agent c See Cap. 10 Sect 50. 53 In this Dialect of speech those words that he may abide with you for ever do not imply an absolute necessity of his abiding with them for ever but onely that that should be the intent of Him that should send Him and that He would send Him in such a way or upon such terms that if they were true to their own Interest in so weighty a matter and proportionably careful they might retain Him and have His presence and abode with them for ever Turn the words any way with any tolerable congruity either to the scope of the place manner of Scripture expression or Principles of Reason and the Doctrine of Perseverance which we implead will be found to have nothing in them As for such Passages as these He that heareth my Word and beleeveth on §. 15. Him that sent me hath everlasting life and shall not come into condemnation d John 5. 24 c. And again He that beleeveth on the Son hath everlasting life e John 3. 36 And He that eateth me shall live by me f John 6. 57 with many others of like import enough and that with advantage hath been said already to evince them innocent from all compliance with the common Doctrine heterodoxly sirnamed Oxthodox of Perseverance * See cap. 10. Sect 11. 54. And this cap. Sect. 1. Sect. 9. Sect. 11. These indeed are all Promises of eternall life unto those that believe but that the condition of Perseverance rules though invisibly in them all but is it self absolutely Promised in none cleerly appeares by what hath been already argued from the Scriptures and might easily be made to appeare yet further by the consideration of all those Scripture Texts wherein salvation is suspended upon Perseverance and Perseverance upon
the defilement of sin and whatsoever polluteth unto the World In what degree the Nature of a Man abhorreth any thing and apprehendeth a contrariety in it either to its Being or well-being He riseth proportionably in His care and use of means for the prevention of it The Devil it seems had made observation of this Principle in Men when He said Skin for skin or rather skin after skin yea all that a man hath will he give for his life h Job 2. 4. Death being as Bildad stileth him the King of Terrors i Iob 18. 14. i. e. a thing which men generally are more afraid of then any thing then all things in the World besides engageth the generality of men proportionably to withstand His approaches and to do the uttermost they are able to deliver themselves out of His Hand Now that which Death is to Men in Point of abhorrency Sin is unto God and therefore it ought not to seem strange unto or offend any man that He should make the strongest and sharpest bridle He could for the restraint of it in the World or consequently that He should impose by Law a Penalty as deep and dreadful as the vengeance of Eternal fire it self upon the Perpetrators of it Any thing beneath this doth not answer the degree or rather the degreeless Infinity of His Hatred and Abhorrency of Sin 3. The severity of that Punishment of sin which is now under consideration will be found the more equitable and just if we consider on the one hand how graciously and bountifully above measure God dealeth with men in order to their escape and deliverance from it and on the other hand how wilfully how desperately and with what senceless irrationality men must go to work and act to bring themselves into the suffering of it 1. God hath discovered unto men as by a Vision of the Noon day the §. 6. great deformity foulness filthiness and most detestable abominableness of Sin The Devil was never presented to any mans sight minde or imagination in any such monstrous uncouth horrid affrighting form or shape as Sin is exhibited to the Judgments and Consciences of men in the Scriptures 2. He hath discovered likewise upon the same terms that most viperous violent that most pernicious and keen antipathy which Sin carryeth in it against the Peace Comfort well-being and soveraign Blessedness of men Poverty Shame Sickness Pains Tortures and Torments in the flesh Death the Grave Putrifaction Rottenness c. are but as the hummings of a gnat or bitings of a flea of light and inconsiderable enmity to the Comfort and Happiness of men in respect of that most enormous execrable devouring and confounding contrariety thereunto which the Word of God informeth the World to be in Sin 3. As concerning those accommodations to the Nature of Man as in Pleasures Profits or Contentments otherwise by the Promise whereof Sin is wont to commend Her self and Her service to the Children of Men and to draw them aside into folly God hath undertaken and engaged Himself partly by Promise partly by Oath to confer the same either formally or eminently upon them in ways of Righteousness and of Honor if they will be perswaded to walk in them 4. In case Men either through ignorance in any degree hard to be overcome and expelled by coming to the knowledg of the Truth or through humane frailty or incogitancy shall be prevented with sin or intangled in any sinful course God hath as it were at the cost and charge of his Son Jesus Christ in most bitter Sorrows and Sufferings reared up a golden Altar I mean that of Repentance for them to flee unto and to take hold of from whence He hath most magnificently promised never to take or pluck any man to destroy him how unrighteous wicked or unworthy soever His ways have been 5. That Law by the observation and keeping whereof Men may and shall be free from sinning and so from guilt contracted hereby is in all the respective branches and parts of it holy and just and good Holy i. e. Honorable to those that keep it it requires nothing no act of obedience from men which is any ways ignoble servile base or reflecting disparagement upon them Just i. e. tempered framed and fitted to such Principles which God hath planted in the Natures of Men so that there is nothing commanded in it which either crosseth or thwarteth any impression disposition or inclination which is natural to them or which God hath planted in them or which requireth any other any further strength to perform it then what God either hath actually conferred upon them or is ready to confer upon such an application of themselves unto Him for the obtaining hereof of which they are very capable Lastly The said Law is in all parts of it good also i. e. commodious and beneficial to the Observers according to that of David In keeping of them there is great reward k Psal 19. 11. So that Sin especially such sin or sins which in the end bring the vengeance of Hell fire upon them if men be not extreamly careless negligent and slothful may very well be prevented 6. God hath plainly forewarned men of that eternal Wrath and Vengeance which He is determined to bring and execute upon all Persons that shall be found finally impenitent whereby He hath taken a very gracious and effectual course not onely to bring sin especially continuance in sin out of credit and request with the hearts of men but to make it as the shadow of death unto them the dread and first-born of abhorrings to their Consciences and Souls 7. Unto all those who shall be found obedient unto His Laws refraining ways of sin and of unrighteousness He hath promised and that upon such terms that men may very well come to be fully satisfied upon clear and evident grounds of the reality and truth of these Promises the most magnificent bountiful and glorious reward of life and immortality and all the desirable and great things of the world to come By this He hath taken a like gracious and effectual course to exalt righteousness and sinlessness of life and conversation in the Hearts and Souls and Consciences of Men. 8. To put Himself into a capacity of making such Promises as these as also of performing and making them good unto Men and so generally of treating with them so graciously as now He doth about the great things of their Peace He hath delivered up unto Death the most bitter and ignominious Death of the Cross His onely begotten Son in whom His Soul greatly delighted Hereby He hath given all possible evidence and assurance unto men with what height and ardency of affection and desire He seeketh their Salvation and eternal Happiness how transcendently great his Love how tender above measure his Compassions are towards them 9. And lastly Over and besides all these gracious Administrations and expressions of himself towards them he vouchsafeth unto
Jesus Christ unto Death for the Condemnation of the World For God sent not his Son saith Christ himself into the World to condemn the World but that the World through him should be saved a Iohn 3. 17. And elsewhere I came not to judg the World but to save the World b Iohn 12. 47 And John the Baptist clearly expresseth the end and intent of Christs Death Joh. 1. Behold the Lamb of God that taketh away the sin of the World c Iohn 1. 29 Men may as well say that the end and intent of the Sacrifices offered up by the Priests under the Law was not to make attonement for men or to purge them but to bring more guilt upon them as say that the intent of Christ in sacrificing himself was not to save but condemn men 2. It is not the manner of God nor is it agreeable either with his Wisdom or his goodness to make things proper and fitting for the bringing to pass of good and gracious ends and then to consign them over to the effecting of ends of a quite contrary nature and import as v. g. to create wholesom and savory meats which are apt and proper to nourish and make the lives of men comfortable to them and to design these being thus created to the destruction or discomfort of the lives of men Indeed when men abuse their Tables and are unthankful to him that spred them for them it is agreeable with his Wisdom and no ways disagreeing with his goodness to make them to become snares unto them And in this sence onely are all those places and expressions in the Scriptures to be understood where any thing penal or that is contrary to the peace and comfort of men is presented as the end of Christs coming into or going out of the World by Death As where he saith that he came not to bring peace but a sword and to put fire on Earth that he came for judgment into the World that he was set as well for the falling as for the rising of many in Israel with the like All such sayings as these import onely the event or secondary Intentions of God in sending Christ into the World not those which were primary and predominant in him or to speak more properly they do not import any Intention at all on Gods part in or about the sending of Christ into the World but onely shew partly how unworthily some men will or possibly may behave themselves towards Christ being come into the World partly what the Intentions of God are concerning those who shall behave themselves thus unworthily towards him See what hath been formerly delivered in upon this account and subscribed by Calvin himself Cap. 5. Sect. 22. If it be yet further said yea but if God had had an intent to save though §. 7. but a smaller number then now he intends to save yet he could not have saved them by a Sacrifice of less value and merit then that by which he now intendeth to save those who shall be saved by Christ and consequently not by a Sacrifice of less value then that which hath in it a great surplussage or redundancy of merit above what was barely necessary or sufficient to save those whose Salvation was intended Therefore this over-plus of merit cannot be said to be lost or to be cast aside by God as unserviceable in as much as it is essential unto and absolutely inseparable from that Sacrifice which was simply necessary for the Salvation of those whom he intended to save As suppose two or three men were in such a straight for meat to eat being ready to perish through extremity of hunger and could make no provision for their lives but onely by slaying of an Ox or a Sheep that came in their way and when they had slain them could not tell what to do with nine parts of ten of them in this case so much of the flesh of this Ox or Sheep as these men knew not how to dispose of to any serviceable end cannot properly therefore be said to be lost or to be cast aside by them as good for nothing because it was a natural part of that beast which they were necessitated to slay for the preservation of their lives To this Objection also we answer 1. By way of concession It is true if God had intended to save but the one half or had it been a far less proportion then so of those persons men and women who now shall be saved he could not have done it in that way of Wisdom and Justice wherein he now intends to save men by any Sacrifice or Attonement of less value then hath now been offered for those who shall be saved and consequently which should not have had an over-plus and redundancy of merit in it sufficient to save many millions of persons besides those who in such a case and under such a supposition should be saved by it But 2. I answer further by way of exception that notwithstanding this if God should have given such a Sacrifice or Attonement for the saving of a few onely which was sufficient to save more yea all without exception and not intended the saving of all those who were capable of Salvation by it he should voluntarily and without any necessity at all nay contrary to the importunate cries of the extream misery of so many thousands in his ears have made frustrate and voyd the far greatest and richest part of that Sacrifice or Attonement As suppose in the instance given of the men that in an exigent were necessitated to slay the Ox or Sheep spoken of for the preservation of their lives it is true they could not be charged with spoyling or making waste of that which remained of the flesh of either besides what was sufficient for themselves simply because they slew the Ox for their own necessity being in a condition of imminent danger of their lives otherwise but suppose there had been many poor Souls hard at hand in as much danger of starving as themselves in case they had refused or neglected to have given unto them of the remaining flesh we speak of and would rather have buried it under ground where they might not finde it or make it any ways unfit for meat and nourishment unto them in this case they might justly be charged with making spoyl and waste of that flesh which remained unto them when themselves had eaten and that upon terms of the greatest unmercifulness and unworthiness In like manner do they who acknowledg the Death of Christ sufficient for all and yet affirm it to be given or intended by God onely to some few charge him and that upon terms of much unworthiness and very dishonorable to him to evacuate or make of no use or effect the far greatest part of this Death there being so many Millions of Souls before him in the utmost extremity of misery to whom it might and that with double and treble honor
consequently that He is and was at perfect liberty whether He would shew Mercy unto any or make Provision for the Salvation of the smallest number of all Upon which account it could not have been termed an Act of unmercifulness in Him in case no Provision had been made by him for the Salvation of any much less that He should not make Provision for all As it argues no unmercifulness at all in Him that He hath made no Provision at all for the Salvation of the Devils because He was no ways bound to it Whereas upon Men in case they have means and opportunity to relieve the necessities of those that are in misery and neglect to do it the imputation and charge of unmercifulness justly lieth because they are under a Law in this behalf So that the Grace of God in his merciful Provision for the Salvation of a few is no ways obscured or disparaged by his non-providing for all To all this I answer 1. That neither the Argument yet in hand nor the Answer given to the Answ former Objection intermeddle little or much with the liberty or rightfulness of power vested in God to deny Mercy where He pleaseth as to shew it likewise where and to whom He pleaseth but the one and the other insist upon the demonstration of this viz. that they who ascribe unto God reality of Intentions to make Provision for the Salvation of all Men without exception in and by the Death of Christ upon those gracious terms for the enjoyment of it which have been specified render Him far more gracious lovely and attractive to the Hearts of Men then they who present Him with Intentions of providing onely for a few thereby upon what terms soever with the hardening of Himself against and neglect of all the rest being incomparably far the greater number in their greatest extremity And this I suppose we have made good against all rational contradiction But 2. Whereas we reflected upon such an Act which our Adversaries imagine to be in God whereby they say notwithstanding a sufficiency of merit before Him in the Death of Christ for the Salvation of all as well as of a few yet He rather suffered this precious sufficiency in respect of the redundancy of it over and above the Provision made by it for a few to vanish or be spilt then to intend any help or healing by it unto the generality of Men whereas I say we censured such an Act as this as ill consisting with or obscuring the beauty and loveliness of that gracious Act of God in providing for the Salvation of a few we did not herein reflect prejudice in the least upon any liberty or rightfulness of Power truly competent unto or vested in God but onely shewed and asserted the deformity or moral contradictiousness between two Acts which notwithstanding our Adversaries ascribe as well the one as the other unto God 3. Concerning that liberty of shewing and denying Mercy where and to whom He pleaseth which the Objection in hand asserteth unto God we answer that how absolute soever this liberty in Him may be conceived to be simply or in respect of any engagement from Men or any Creature Yet 1. it is confined and subjected unto such Declarations and Promises which Himself hath freely made so that for example He is no more at liberty nor hath He any more right of Power to withhold or deny Mercy from and unto any of those to whom He hath promised Mercy or to whom He hath Declared that He will shew Mercy however otherwise they may seem unworthy or unmeet Objects of Mercy He hath no more liberty I say to do either of these then He hath to lye deal unfaithfully unjustly and the like Upon this account the Prophet David acknowledgeth it unto God as a signal engagement upon him to praise and worship Him that He had still magnified His Word above all His Name a Psal 138. 2 meaning that what ever Attribute of His which is either in whole or in â—art His Name at any time seemed to oppose or stand up against the performance of any Promise or Declaration of Mercy made by Him yet he always magnified his Promise by giving real full and seasonable performance thereunto He passeth not for the vailing or obscuring any other part of his Name so that his Truth and Faithfulness in his Word may be advanced 2. As he hath no liberty as some men count liberty of shewing or denying Mercy contrary to his Word so neither hath he any liberty of acting in one kinde or other and consequently neither of shewing or denying Mercy in opposition to his Wisdom which is as it were the steerage of all his Dispensations in one kinde or other according to that of the Apostle formerly considered b Cap. 4. Sect. 36 Who worketh all things ACCORDING TO THE COVNSEL of His Will c Eph. 1. 11 i. e. according to the exigency or requirement of that most absolute infinite Wisdom of his by which his Will and consequently his Power which is always exerted and moved into action by and according to his Will is directed and led forth in all the movings and actings of it In so much that as we lately argued and proved d Cap. 16 Sect. 15 God is at far less liberty to decline in any his ways and actions the most district Rules and Principles of the most accurate Wisdom that is then any Creature whatsoever Man or Angel Therefore to conceit or plead for such a liberty in God of shewing and denying Mercy to whom he pleaseth which is inconsistent with that determination of himself in either kinde which He hath declared in his Word is to conceive and speak unworthily of him yea and to shake the foundations of that Hope upon which the Saints and sound Beleevers are built by the Gospel For if God be at liberty to deny Mercy contrary to his Word or Will revealed therein what assurance can the best Beleevers have that they either are or shall be justified or saved by Him So that until our Adversaries have first proved that God hath made no such Declaration in the Gospel as that He hath made and is still willing to make Provision for the Salvation of all Men without exception by the Death of Christ which hitherto they have not done it is in vain for them to pretend a liberty in Him of denying Mercy to whom He pleaseth by way of proof or confirmation of their Opinion 4. Though it would have been no Act of unmercifulness in God but of §. 17. districtness of Justice onely in case no Provision had been made by Him either by the Death of Christ or otherwise for the Salvation of any yet such an Act as this would not have rendered Him so gracious and lovely in the eyes of his Creature or so attractive of their Hearts and Souls and consequently not so Evangelical as that Act of Grace hath now done and doth whereby
case He should not be every whit as large free and comprehensive in His Intentions of affording means and opportunity unto men for deliverance from sin and death by Jesus Christ If it be objected It is true the intent of the Jubilee was to invest every man viz. that was a Jew and of the natural seed of Abraham with a right of power to return to his possession or family But not to gratifie every man simply or to indulge the like priviledg unto all the World Therefore this rather proves the confinement of the Intentions of the Grace of God in Iesus Christ unto his Church or Elect onely then the enlargement of them unto all the World especially considering that the whole body of the People and Nation of the Jews were typical and presignified the Church or Churches which were afterwards to be raised up amongst the Gentiles To this I answer 1. Be it granted that the Body or Nation of the Jews did typifie the Church or Churches of the Gentiles yet did not every single person of this Nation typifie a true member of these Churches As for example Achitophâ—l did not typifie a true Saint or a Beleever under the Gospel nor did Corah Dathan and Abiram typifie so many godly or holy men among the Gentiles nor had any unrighteous or wicked Person of this Nation the Honor of typing out any true Nathaniel or Elect Person under the New Testament If ungodly persons among the Jews were Types of any thing it was of such Hypocrites or profane Persons that should be found in the Churches under the Gospel And if so the intent of the Jubilee being as we have proved from the express letter of the Institution of it for the benefit comfort and ease of every man amongst them as well of the wicked and unholy as of the holy and righteous it follows roundly that this typified and taught that the Intentions of God in and about the Salvation afforded and exhibited by Jesus Christ unto the World stood equal and indifferent towards all Men without exception without any distinction of holy and unholy righteous and unrighteous Elect and Reprobate or the like 2. Although the Law of Jubilee as the whole Ceremonial Law in all the parts and branches of it was given particularly UNTO the Jews yet was it not given particularly FOR the Iews i. e. for the sake or benefit of the Iews onely but for the accommodation and benefit of all the World besides And upon this account I suppose the Apostle Paul calleth the Ceremonial Injunctions by Mâ—ses the elements or râ—diments not of the Iews but of the World y Col. 2. 8. 20 viz. because they were given with an intent on Gods part to nurture and breed up the World i. e. all Nations as well as the Iews in such a measure or degree of the knowledg of the Messiah then to come which He judged meet to impart unto the World until His coming So that how soever the Iewish Nation was honored by God above all other Nations in being made by Him Feoffees in trust as it were for the World and had the keeping of the Oracles of Life committed unto them yet had they no right or lawfulness of power to deny any Person under Heaven part or fellowship with them in any of their spiritual Priviledges who should desire it of them in a due and regular way and turn Proselyte Now there was no Person of any Nation that was made by God uncapable of the benefit or blessing of Proselytism and consequently the Joy and Priviledges accruing unto Men by vertue of the Law and Feast of Iubilee did though not in so immediate and direct a way concern all other Nations and Persons as well as the Iews or natural seed of Abraham Even as the Gospel and Sacramental Administrations annexed thereunto in these days are onely possessed and enjoyed in and by the Churches of Christ but yet they are so and upon such terms possessed and enjoyed by them that whosoever from amongst the most Idolatrous and Heathenish Nation under Heaven shall beleeve may and ought to have communion with them in such their Possessions and Enjoyments Either of these Answers is sufficient to loosen the joynts of the loyns of the Objection The Arguments and Grounds layd down and managed in this Chapter together with those Passages and Texts of Scripture which we have heard speaking so distinctly and aloud the same things with them have turned my thoughts and Judgment about the Intentions of God in the Death of Christ upside down and have filled me Minde Heart Soul and Conscience with this Belief that these Intentions of His stand and always stood equally unpartially and uniformly bent for or towards the Salvation of the World without any difference or variation in respect of any man or numbers of men considered simply as men or as having done neither good nor evil Yet are there three things more that have made my Belief in this kinde measure heaped up pressed down and running over The first is that Conjunctio magna that great conjunction of all or far the greatest part of the chief Luminaries in the Firmament of the Christian Church whilest the constitution of it was yet more athletique healthful and sound I mean during the Primitive Times the multiplied rays or beams of whose light concentred in the same Point of Doctrine with us Of this we shall God assisting give some competent account in the fore-part of the Chapter following The second is the frequent Testimony given to this Doctrine by those who are or at least are so esteemed the chief Adversaries and Opposers of it who as appears from their Writings are oft necessitated to assert or own it as a Principle without which they know not in many cases how to make a consistent Discourse or manage the Theam they have before them Somewhat of this also we shall shew in the latter Part of the said Chapter The third and last is the apparant inconcludency and weakness of those arguings and reasonings whether from the Scriptures or other Principles by which the cause of the contrary Opinion is wont by the ablest Patrons it hath as far as men of this engagement are yet known unto me to be pleaded and maintained The Demonstration of this is designed for the subject matter of the second Part of this Work if God shall vouchsafe to make his Sun to shine a birth-day for it CHAP. XIX Wherein the Sence of Antiquity together with the variableness of Judgment in modern Writers touching the Controversie under discussion is truly and unpartially represented FOr their sakes who are afraid to beleeve any thing what pregnancy of §. 1. ground soever there be to evince the truth of it otherwise but onely what they know or at least think that many other men and these some ways honorable in their sight have beleeved before them I have subjoyned this Chapter to those large debates which finished their course
Theodoret Leo Fulgentius Primasius Gregorius Beda Theophylact Anselm Oecumenius Bernard Let us briefly hear what is resolved by these respectively upon the Question concerning the Intentions of God about the extent of Christs Death Prosper well known for a through Disciple of Augustin and who served his generation not long after him declareth his sence in the business in hand plainly enough in words to this effect All Men â—re truly said to be Redeemed yet all Men are not gotten out of captivity For that cup of immortality which is tempered or compounded of the infirmity of Men and power of God hath in it wherewith to profit all Men but it helpeth not unless it be taken or drank And the Lord Jesus expresly saith that His Flesh is Bread from Heaven or an heavenly Bread which giveth Life unto the World But except it be eaten it giveth no life as in the Parable in the Gospel the Marriage Feast was prepared for all that were called but they only enjoyed it who came with a wedding garment unto it a Rectè omnes dicuÌ„tur Redempti tamen noâ— omnes à captivitate eruti Poculum quippe immortalitatis quod confectuÌ„ est ex infirmitate nostrâ virtute divinâ habet quidem in se ut omnibus profit sed si non bibitur non medetur Et ipse Dominus Jesus diserté dicit carnem suam esse panem coelestem qui vitam dat Mundo At si non comeditur non vivificat Sicut in Parabolâ Evangelicâ Nuptiae omnibus vocatis paratae sunt si ij soli iis fruuntur qui ad eas veniunt cum veste nuptiali Prosp ad Capp Vincent c. 1. Elswhere he saith Our Saviour is most truly said to have been crucified for the Redemption of the whole World both in respect of the Humane Nature truly assumed by Him as also because of the common destruction of Men in the first man And yet in a sence He may also be said to have been crucified only for those who receive benefit by His Death i. e. that His Crucifying was in the Consequent Intentions of God intended onely for such For the Evangelist saith that Jesus was to dye for that Nation and not for that Nation onely but that He might gather the sons of God dispersed into one c. He gave His Blood for the World and the World would not be redeemed because the Darkness received not the Light b Cum rectissimè dicatur Salvator pro totius Mundi redemptione crucifixus propter verum humanae Naturae susceptionem propter coÌ„munem in primo homine perditionem potest tamen dici pro his tantum crucifixus quibus Mors ipsius proficit Dicit enim Evangelista quia Jesus moriturus erat pro gente nec tantum pro gente sed etiam ut filios Dei dispersos congregaret in unum c. Dedit pro Mundo sanguinem suum â— Mundus redimi noluit quia lucem tenebrae non receperunt Idem ad Object Vincâ—nt cap. 10. These last words plainly interpret his meaning in those wherein he had said that Christ may be said to have been crucified for those onely who reap benefit by His Death and imply that His meaning herein was onely this that God by His Consequent Will or Intention intended the Death of Christ or the benefit of His Death onely for such who come in time to partake hereof viz. by beleeving Concerning the Antecedent and Consequent Will or Intentions of God see before Cap. 17. Sect. 9. He that yet questions the Judgment of this Author in the Point may please to peruse the brief Sentence which He gives upon the nineth Chapter or Head Capp Gallorum and especially those two Books De Vocatione Gentium which though some ascribe unto Ambrose yet are they discernable enough by some characters to be the Writings of Prosper and are cited under his name by the Synod of Dort In these He shall finde General Redemption by Christ asserted ten times over the main scope of these Books being to prove that there is no person of Mankinde simply excluded from participating in the saving Grace of Redemption purchased by Christ. Cyril of Alexandria about the same time with Prosper filleth his Writings §. 10. with the same Truth They saith He speaking of the Jews unjustly desire His Death wickedly lie in wait for Him unmercifully slay Him thrust Him out of their Land and City who is the Life the Light the Salvation OF ALL MEN c 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Cyril Alexandr lib. 2. in Ioh. cap. 5. Elsewhere Since it became Him to suffer that Corruption Sin and Death which was brought in to the World being by this means to be turned back or destroyed He gave Himself a Counter-ransom for the Life OF ALL MEN d 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Idem in Ioh. l. 5. c. 3. Once more It is without controversie that the WHOLE WORLD is saved Emanuel having dyed for it e 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Idem See more in this Author upon the same account De Rectâ Fide ad Reginas c. c. 22. circa initium In Joh. lib. 2. c. 1. in 3. cap. Joh. vers 17. c. Theodoret somewhat before the two last-named Authors conceived that He found the Universality of Redemption by Christ in the Scriptures For commenting the fifth Chapter to the Romans He maketh the words of the Apostle equipollent to these The Munificence of Grace over cometh the Decree of Justice For when man sinned the whole kinde or race is punished But now when ALL MEN behave themselves impiously and unjustly He doth not inflict punishment upon them but granteth life f Superat inquit Gratiâ—e Munificentia Justiciae DecretuÌ„ Tunc enim cùm Homo peccâsset totum genus â—oenus luit Nunc autem cum omnes homines se impiè iniquè gerant non supplicium irrogavit sed vitam donavit Theodoret. ad Rom. 5. Et posteà Ne dubitate inquit quae à me dicuntur ad Adam respicientes Si enim illa vera sunt vt sunt cum ille transgressus esset universum genus Mortis Decretum suscepit clarum est quòd Servatoris Justicia vitam omnibus hominibus procurat unto them Afterwards in the progress of His Exposition upon the same Chapter He presents the Apostle speaking thus to His Romans Doubt not of the things I speak with relation unto Adam For if these things he true as they are and that when He sinned His whole race received a Decree or Sentence of Death evident it is that the Righteousness of our Saviour procureth LIFE FOR ALL MEN. Leo commonly stiled the Great very frequently bewrayeth His Judgment to stand to the same Point Comparing the Death of the Lord Christ with the deaths of other holy men He saith that there were but single or particular deaths in every of these respectively nor did any of these persons discharge the
the latter part of this Discourse In the mean time let us briefly consider what Companions and Friends we have even amongst those of the Reformed Religion and Protestant Party of Men in that great Article of our Faith which we have contended for hitherto the Gracious Intentions of God towards all Men without exception in the Death of Christ and the Redemption purchased thereby First concerning those whose Judgments and Consciences rather consorted §. 17. with Luthers Doctrine then with Calvins being upon this account distinguished by the Name of Lutherans these more generally and almost universally at least as far as my inspection into their Writings informeth me teach the Doctrine of General Redemption by Christ as orthodox and found I shall onely insâ—st upon a few Passages from the Writings of two or three known Authors of the Lutheran Perswasion leading men in their way Melancthon Luthers great Associate teacheth that EVERY PERSON of us apart ought to be firmâ—â— resolved of this that we are pardoned and received by God and that with this special or particular Faith EVERY particular MAN ought to apply the benefit of Christ to himself b Singâ—li statuere debemus nobis ipsis ignosci nos ipsos à Deo recipi Hac Fide speciali vt sic dicam quisque sibi applicare beneficium Christi debet Melancth Loc. De Fide Elsewhere He saith that the Counsel of God was that MANKIND should be redeemed and presently after asserteth the Love of God in His Son TOVVARDS MANKIND c Esi autem causas hujus mirandi consilij cur hoc modo redimendum fuerat genus humanum nondum in hâc infirmitate cernimus c. Conspiciuntur in hac victimâ Justicia Dei ira adversâ—s peccatum immensa miserecordia erga nos amor in filio erga genus humanum Idem De Justificatione In another place He affirmeth that God poured out His Wrath against the SINS OF MANKIND not of a few particular men upon His Son A little after speaking of Christ He saith He feels a greater burthen viz. the Wrath of God against the SINS OF MANKIND which He knoweth to be poured out upon Him He sorrowed also and was troubled that a great part of Mankinde would perish through a contempt of this great benefit of God b in quâ iram Dei adversus generis humani peccata in filium effudit Idem De Filio Et mox loquens de Christo sentit majus onus scilicet iraÌ„ Dei adversus peccata generis humani quam scit in sese effundi Doluit item magnam partem generis humani perituram esse spreto hoc beneficio Dei Ibid. In another place He saith It is necessary to know that the Gospel is an UNIVERSAL PROMISE i. e. that Reconciliation with God is offered and promised unto ALL Mâ—â— This universal Promise it is necessary to hold fast against any dangerous conceits about Predestination lest we fall to reason thus that this Promise belongeth to some few others but doth not belong unto us But let us be resolved of this that the Promise of the Gospel is universal For as the preaching of Repentance is universal so the preaching of Remission of Sins is universal also But that all Men do not obtain the Promises of the Gospel i. e. the things here promised it ariseth from hence that all Men do not beleeve e Necesse est scire Evangelium promissionem universalem esse hoc est offerri promitti omnibus reconciliationem Hanc universalem tenere necesse est adversus periculosas imaginationes de Praedestinatione ne disputemus hanc Promissionem ad paucos quosdam alios pertinere non pertinere ad nos Nos verò statuamus Evangelij promissioneÌ„ universaleÌ„ esse Sicut enim praedicatio poenitentiae universalis est ità praedicatio remissionis peccatorum universalis est Quod â—â—teÌ„ non omnes consequuntur Evangelij promissa eò sit quia non omnes credunt Idem De Promissione Evangelii The Writings of this Author have in them a large and full eye of that Doctrine which hath been protected hitherto Chemnitius another learned Champion of the Lutheran Faith riseth up §. 18. in his might from place to place to maintain the same Doctrine The whole Transaction saith He of the Mediator is considerable in this whether God the Father be willing to accept that satisfaction and obedience for THE WHOLE WORLD Now this He declared most signally in this that He left not His Son whom He smote for the Sins of THE PEOPLE in Death but raised Him up from the dead and placed Him at the right Hand of His Majesty f Et tota illa actio Mediatoris in eo vertitur an Pater illaÌ„ satisfactioneÌ„ obedientiam acceptare velit pro toto Mundo Illud verò Pater in eo maximé ostendit quod FiliuÌ„ quem propter peccata populi percusserat non dereliquit in morte sed resuscitavit ex mortuis collocavit ad dexteraÌ„ Majestatis suae Chemn Examen part 1. De Justificatione Elsewhere He saith Lest therefore all Mankinde should perish for ever that wonderful Decree of the Counsel of God concerning the Incarnation of the Son of God was enacted that He being our Mediator in our Nature assumed without sin should be made subject to the Law for us and should bear sin the guilt of sin the Wrath of God and THE PVNISHMENTS OF THE SINS OF THE WHOLE WORLD being derived or cast upon Him g Ne igitur totum genus humanuÌ„ in aeternuÌ„ periret pactuÌ„ est mirabile illud Divini Consilij Decretum de Incarnatione Filij Dei vt is Mediator noster in assumptâ sine peccato nostrâ naturâ pro nobis Legi subderetur peccatuÌ„ reatuâ— peccati iram Dei supplicia peccatorum totius Mundi in se derivata portaret c. Idem Ibid. part 2. De Satisfactione Again The Father did not pour out part of his Wrath or of the Curse but his WHOLE WRATH with all the dregs of the Curse into that cup which He gave unto his Son the Mediator to â—e drunk by him in his sufferings And presently after Christ upon the Cross being about to commend his Spirit unto his Father saith It is finished whereby He testifieth that all those things which were necessary for the Expiation of Sins and for Redemption from the curse of the Law were fully sufficiently and super-abundantly consummated and discharged in or by his obedience and sufferings h Non enim partem irâ— vel maledictionis sed totam iram suam cum universis faecibus maledictionis Pater effudit in caliceÌ„ illuÌ„ quem Filio Mediatori in passione bibenduÌ„ proposuit Idem Ibid. part 4. De Indulgentiis Immediatè pòst Et Christus in cruce traditurus Patri spirituÌ„ dicit consuÌ„matuÌ„ est quâ voce testatur omnia ea quae ad expiationem peccatoruÌ„ ad
implacable that doe not forgive their Brethren although they have been diversly and grievously injured by them In these words they clearly suspend the Gracious Act of God in Remission of Sins in respect of the ultimate and compleat exercise of it upon the Christian deportment and behaviour of Men in forgiving one another their Trespasses How perfectly it stands with the immutability of God the unchangeablenesse of his love the unalterablenesse of his counsells and generally with all his Attributes to Reverse Acts or Grants of favour to re-demand debts once forgiven c. shall be cleer'd in the processe of the Digression following occasioned by the contents of this Chapter CHAP. IX Containing a Digression about the commonly received Doctrine of Perseverance occasioned by severall passages in the preceding Chapter wherein the benefit and comfort of that Doctrine which teacheth a possibility of the Saints declining even to destruction is avouched and cleerly evicted above the other NOtwithstanding the frequently experienced Truth of the common saying §. 1. pessimus Consiliarius Timor Fear is a very bad counsellor yet is it very incident to the natures of Men never to thinke themselves wiser then in their feares nor to be more importunely wedded to any apprehensions then those which they conceive to be sovereigne for the prevention of evill With what height of confidence and unrelentingnesse of judgement did the Jewes please themselves in their opinion of justification by works through an apprehension that they must needs disclaime or reject Moses and the authority of his Law or Writings in case they admitted the Doctrine of Paul concerning Justification by Faith Whereas this Apostle expresly poves and demonstrates unto them that this Doctine of his was so far from reflecting prejudice in the least upon Moses his Law that indeed it did establish it i. e. avouch the Truth and authority of it a Rom. 3. 31. and cap. 4. thoroughout yea I verily believe that a very considerable part of those Doctrines and Tenents which are at this day held by Professors of Christian Religion are not maintained or held by them so much upon any evidence or confidence they have of their Truth upon those positive grounds whether from Scripture or Reason which they comonly plead for them as out of apprehensions and conceits that the contrary Doctrines are of evill consequence and will in one kinde or other doe them harme in case they should give intertainment to them Lactantius reports that one principall thing which intangled the Heathen with Idolatry or worse shiping of Idols was a certaine feare or conceit that possessed them that all their Religion or devotions would be in vaine in case they saw not with their eyes something that they might worship b Verentur geâ—tes ne Religio vana sit si nihil videant quod adorent Tertullian as Austin reports who held the Soul to be corporeall or a body held it upon the account of this feare least if he made not a body of it he should make nothing at all of it a â—enique Tertullianâ— qui cor pâ—â— esse unâ—am credâ— dit non obaliud nisi quod eam incorporeâ—m cogita re non potuit â—dâ—ô timuit ne nihil esset si corpus non esset Aug. de Gen. ad lit l. 12. c. 25. The ancient Jewes Mr. Brightman affirmeth it held it not meet for young Men to read the Book of the Canticles out of a feare they would receive harm by it b In Cantic p. 5. Mercer likewise relates that the Ancient wise Men of this Nation judged it best to restraine the common People from reading the Booke of Ecclesiastes out of a conceit that it both contradicted it selfe and other parts of Scripture likewise c Nec vulgo legendum tradere quòd repugnantia contineret aliis libris contraria Mercer in Pro. 8. 9. Luther it is sufficiently known rejected the Epistle of James out of a conceit that it contradicted the Doctrine of Paul concerning Justification by Faith only And severall others both learned and good Men some the second Epistle of Peter some other pieces only or chiefly upon the like account of fear Concerning the Doctrine which maintaineth a possibility of defection in §. 2. the Saints themselves or true Believers unto destruction though I am not ignorant but that many both Texts of Scripture and arguments otherwise have been levied and are wont to be brought into the field against it yet I verily believe that that which makes Professors generally so impatiently zealous in their opposition to it is not so much any satisfaction they finde either in these Scriptures or arguments for the Proof of that which is contrary unto it as their inconsiderate and tumultuary feares least this Doctrine should bereave them of those inward accommodations of Peace and Comfort which they conceive themselves to be befriended with by the other In this respect being little lesse then necessitated for the securing of some passages in the former Chapter very materiall for the carrying on the maine designe of this Discourse to ingage a little about the Doctrine of Perseverance I conceive it best in my entrance hereupon to remove this stumbling stone out of the way and to demonstrate not only that this Doctrine hath every whit as faire and full a consistency with the Peace and Comfort of the Saints as that contrary to it but that of the two it is of a far better and more healthful complexion to make a Nurse for them When we have cleared the innocency and inoffensivenesse of it in respect of the Peace and Comfort of Men and so shall have reconciled it unto their affections it will be no great mastery I conceive to gaine in their judgements unto it afterwards And 1. I must crave leave the truth and deere interest of the precious Soules §. 3. of Men so commanding me to say and to affirme that the Doctrine of preseverance so much magnified amongst us as it is comonly taught and received is in the nature and proper tendency of it very obstructive yea and destructive unto the true peace and sound comfort of Soules For if we shall diligently inquire after the common and ordinary causes of those doubts and feares so incident to Professors of Religion as also of those extreme burnings and ragings of Conscience wherewith both such persons and others are sometimes most grievously handled and tormented we shall finde them if not universally yet generally and with very few cases of exception to be these with their fellowes negligence and slothfullnesse in watching over their hearts and wayes omission of known duties formality in services unprofitablenesse in their course and callings non-proficiency in Grace and especially the frequent prevailings breakings out of base corruptions vile affections noysome lusts c. Therefore what Doctrine soever is in the Native Frame and Constitution of it apt to lead men into such snares of Death to fill
their consciences with the guilt of such Unchristian misdemeanours as these must needs carry a strong antipathy in it and be full of enmity against the inward Peace and Comforts of their deer soules And what Doctrine lightly can there be of a more apparant and notorious tendency this way then that which promiseth unto Men and that with heigth of assurance under what loosenesse or vile practises soever exemption and freedome from that punishment the feare and dread whereof is the strongest and sharpest bridle which God Himself hath to put into the lips of the unruly flesh in Men to restraine it from sin yea and which the strength and sharpnesse of it notwithstanding the flesh many times despiseth and laughs to scorn and disdains to be reclaimed or held in by it And is not that Doctrin of perseverance comonly taught and believed amongst us of this very calculation tendency and import If it be said yea but they who teach the Doctrine of perseverance teach §. 4. withall yea urge and presse the necessity of the use of such meanes which God hath appointed to inable Men to persevere I answer It is in vaine to perswade or presse Men unto the use of such meanes in any kinde which are in themselves distastfull and unpleasing unto them when they are ascertained and secured before hand that they shall not faile of the end howsoever whether they use such means or no. If it be replied that the Teachers I speak of do not promise perseverance in Faith unto the end but only unto those who shall use the meanes appointed by God for the obtaining of it I answer if this indeed be the tenor of their Doctrine mine and theirs are no more two but one and the same I am as willing and free as the most zealous of them in their way to give that great Pledge of Heaven the Word of the living God unto the Saints to secure them of their standing unto the end upon the use of the meanes which God hath prescribed in order thereunto But I feare this is not the clear and simple tenour of their Doctrine we now speak of they blind it with some such additionall ingredient as this that as God requires the use of the meanes of perseverance at the hand of the Saints and will give it unto none but those who shall use them yet he hath certainly universally and irreversibly decreed that they shall all use them accordingly and that he himselfe will interpose by the power of his spirit that not a Man of them shall miscarry at this point I have but a word to say to this let them produce such a decree as this and it shall be an end of all strief between me and them as to this point immediately But how little there is to evince any such decree in all that they are wont to alledge and argue to that purpose will sufficiently appeare upon the examination whereunto we shall bring it in due time 2. As that Doctrine of perseverance whereof Professors make such a §. 5. treasure is deeply accessary to the greatest part of those feares those wringings and gripings of conscience wherewith their peace is interrupted and their comforts appal'd and shaken so is it exceedingly to be feared that it hath a potent and pernicious influence of causality into those frequent daily and most sad apostasies and declinings from wayes of holinesse unto loosenesse and prophanesse which are found amongst them For when the flesh or that which is corrupt carnall and sensuall in a Man a Principle not only in being but even vigorous more then enough in the greatest and best Believers shall be intoxicated with such a luscious and fulsome conceit as this that it hath goods layd up for the dayes of eternity hath it not the temptation of that foolish man as he is called upon it who upon a conceit that he had goods laid up for many yeares incouraged his Soule unto vanity Soule take thine ease Eate Drink and be Merry a Luke 12. 19 When a man that stands is in any capacity of falling is it not the only way to educe that power or capacity into act and to cause him to fall indeed to perswade him that he is in no possibility of falling Agag being full of this conceit Surely the bitternesse of Death is past b 1 Sam. 15. 32. came as the Text saith unto Samuel delicately When the flesh shall be taught to say Surely the bitternesse of eternall death is past I am out of all danger all possibility of suffering the vengeance of eternall fire is it not a secret and bewitching incouragement unto it to wax wanton against Christ and to feed foule upon the sinful delicacies of this present World Not only the distinct sound but any confused blast of such a trumpet as this is sufficient to prepare the flesh to the battell of sence and sensuality Nor doe they seem to be much acquainted with at least not much to consider the genius of that Principle in men we now speak of I meane the flesh who thinke there is any other meanes so proper or probable to hamper it to break the heart and strength of it as the Iron yoke of the feare and dread of the Worme that never dieth If it be said yea but it cannot be proved that any of those who decline §. 6. from Religious courses unto loosenesse how many soever they be that thus miscarry ever were true believers or if such that they continued in their declinings without an holy recollection of themselves before the end To this I answer 1. Be it supposed which yet will never be proved that all they who fall away from a Profession of Faith and Holinesse without rising againe or returning were never true Believers yet it cannot be denied and it is commonly granted by men of contrary judgement but that many of them were or might be in a very faire probable and hopefull way of obtaining true Faith of being made sound Believers Now that Doctrine whose native and proper tendency is to take men off from the meanes or to turne them aside out of the wayes of Life and Peace or which is the same of sound Believing is every whit as much if not more Anti-evangelicall as that which directly occasioneth such miscariages in those who do truly believe So that there is nothing gotten by that pretense howsoever But 2. If there be any Persons under Heaven who may upon sufficient grounds §. 7. and justifiable by the Word of God he judged true Believers many of those Apostates we speak of were to be judged such All the visible lineaments of a true Faith were in their faces As far as the eye of man is able to pierce they lived godlily righteously and soberly in this present World Doth any true Believer act zealously for his God So did they Is any true Believer fruitfull in good works So were they yea there were found in those