VIII CHAP. LIV. Three Errors Disparaging Christs Priest-hood 1. The Novatian denying the Reception of some Sort of Sinners 2. A Late Contrary Error affirming That every Sin which some sort of men Committ is pardoned before it be Committed 3. The Romish Doctrine of the Masse giving scandal to the Jew All of them Respectively derogating from the Infinite value or Continual Efficacie of Christs Everlasting Priesthood THe First Error in this kind which did grow into an Heresie was that of Novatus Qui negavit lapsis poenitentiâ—m who would not have Backsliders or Revolters from Christianitie Of Novatus See Euseb L. 6. c. 42. Socrates Lib. 4. ch 23. to be upon any Terms or testifications of repentance re-admitted into the Church or made partakers of Absolution This Heresiâ— as all others took its Original from a plausiâ—le Truth or practise of former times The Truth is that in those times wherein men professing Christianitie were every day called unto the Fierie Tryal This Backsliding or Relapse unto Idolatrie or outward Profession of Idolatrie even after Baptism was so rife that the Church would not admitt any such as had thus revolted unto the Estate or Condition of Penitentiaries nor give them Absolution upon private testifications of sorrow for their Revolt Now if Novatus did only deny that unto such backssiders or Revolters which the Church in her purest times would not Grant them why was he condemned by the Church in Ages following for an Heretick If his Opinion were an Heresie why was not the Practise of the Antient Church Heretical Some Grave and Learned late Writers would have the Novatas Heresie not precisely to consist in that he denyed Absolution or Communion with the Church unto Revolters but in that he maintained That the Church had no right or Power to grant Absolution unto such Backsliders as Cornelius then Bishop of Rome with the Advice and consent of his Clergie did grant unto but that this was a Case reserved to God himself That such Backsliders or Revolters might at the point of death be Absolved Novatian himself had once solemnly profest But after Cornelius his Competitioner for the Bishoprick of Rome being preferred to that Dignitie had authorized this Practise he begun to set abroach his Error whatsoever that were and to accuse Cornelius and his adherents as Authors of Heresie and Novelties in the Church Had this Novatian been constant to his former Tenets and Profession made before Cornelius was chosen Bishop of Rome against him he could not have denyed either of these Two Points of Truth Either that God had mercie in store for Revolters from Christianitie when they did repent or the Churches Power to grant Absolution or other comfort spiritual unto those to whom she might out of charitable discretion presume God was merciful or to whom God had not forbid her to shew mercy or compassion For Christ had commanded her to be merciful as her Heavenly Father is merciful But it were too much Charitie to presume that a man of such a proud and turbulent Spirit as Novatian was in the depth of such discontent as took possession of his spirit upon Cornelius his Preferment to so great a dignitie as the Bishoprick of Rome unto his prejudice would be constant to his former Principles either in whole or in part As either to grant that God had mercy in store for Revolters or that the Church had power to Absolve them upon such significations of repentance as belonged unto her Cognizance Nor can we without breach of Charitie think that either Novatian or any other Heretick in those times would be so gross as to deny the Churches Power to Absolve men from any sinne from which they were perswaded God had or would absolve them And it is a clear Case that the Novatians did ground their Errour or Contradiction to the Church wherein they lived upon that place of the Apostle Heb. 6. 4 5 6. It is impossible for those who were once enlightened and have tasted of the heavenly gift and were made partakers of the holy Ghost And have tasted the good word of God and the powers of the world to come if they fall away to renue them again unto repentance seeing they crucifie to themselves the Son of God afresh and put him to an open shame and grounding their Error or maintaining it by this place it is evident that they held Lapsos or Revolters from Christianitie unto Heathenism to be in the same estate Which modern Divines conceive all such to bâ— in as sin against the Holy Ghost But of the true meaning or extent of the Apostles words in the forecited place or how the absolute unpardonablness of sin against the holy Ghost may be thence concluded I have nothing for the present to say It sufficeth to know that this Error of the Novatians was by the Ancient Church wherein they lived Condemned for an Heresie Yet hence it will not follow that their Heresie in the Judgment of them which condemned it did properly or precisely consist in denying the Churches authoritie to absolve sinnes of what kind soever but rather in avouching this particular sin of Apostasie or revolting from Christianitie to be in it self unpardonable or uncapable of Repentance If it had been in it self unpardonable or so adjudged by the Primitive Church Navatian had been no Heretick in withstanding Cornelius Bishop of Rome and the particular Churches which consented with him or in denying to admit the Revolters from Christianitie unto the estate or Condition of Penitentiaries in the Church or in refusing to give them Absolution or to hold Communion with them after they had voluntarily or otherwise observed such a course of Life as the Church had appointed for Penitentiaries That the Antient Church did neither admit open Revolters to enter into this Course or Rule of life nor Absolve them after they had Uoluntarily though most strictly to the eyes of men observed it doth no way argue that the Church in which Cornelius lived or which lived after him did erre much lesse incurre the Censure of heresie which Novatian objected unto them in admitting open Revolters unto the estate and Condition of Penitentiaries or in absolving them from their sinnes after performance of such religious duties as were by the Church required of men admitted into that estate or Condition 2. The Primitive Church did hold both to be lawfull but not expedien for the present Times The Primitive Church did deny unto Revolters Both these Favours 1. Admission to the state of Penitentiaries 2. Absolution upon their good behaviour after testification of repentance onely de Facto not de Jure The Church in later times did onely alter the Practise or discipline as is to be presumed upon good cause or consideration And to conclude or limit the Authoritie of the present Church onely by Matter of fact or practise of the Church in former times is matter of Heresie at least of Schism And this it may be
Lands or Goods or of his own Actions or Imployments Every one likewise is a Servant that being come to full yeares is deprived of this Right or power to dispose of himself of his Lands of his Goods of his Actions or imployments either in whole or in part As for Children or such as are under Yeares though borne to be Lords over others yet whilest they are under yeares they are properly neither Free-men nor Servants Although as the Apostle teacheth us Gal. 4. 1. 2. they participate more of the Nature of Servants then of Free-men Now I say that the Heire as long as he is a Child differeth nothing from a Servant though he be Lord of All but is under Tutors and Governours untill the time appointed of the Father For this Reason one and the same word in the Original is promiseuously used for Children and for Servants because Neither of them are at their own disposals but at the disposals of their Guardians or masters 3. According to the severall Extents of this want of Power or Right to dispose of themselves of their Actions or Imployments Or rather According to the Extent of others Right or Power to dispose of them in all these there be severall Degrees of Servitude and divers sorts of servants Some as the great Philosopher in his Politicks would have it are Servi à Natura were framed by Nature only to serve or to be at other mens disposals as not being able to dispose of themselves Such as had strong Bodies but weake Braines were in his judgment more fit to be governed by Others then to govern themselves But this kind of servitude is improper For Omnis servus est alicujus Domini Servus Every Servant is the Servant of some particular Lord or Master whose Interest whether in his Person or imployments must be grounded upon some Speciall Title Such as by Nature are destitute of witt or Reason Qui ubique est nusquam est He that is every where is no where do not thereby become Servants unlesse we should say they were every mans Servants that are disposed to imploy them And this Priviledge they have of others That they are not capable of any Contract or Legall Title by which they may make themselves or be made This or That mans servants And being no mans servants they can be no servants 4. Though our English Servant be derived from the Latin Servus yet servants in our English tongue we call many which a good Latinist would rather call Famuli then Servi being indeed Servants that is at other mens disposals but in part only not in whole whom for Distinction sake we call Apprentices or Hired Servants Over whose Actions or Imployments their Masters during the time of their hire or Apprentiship have full right and Interest and Authority likewise over their Bodies or Persons to correct or punish them if they take upon them to dispose of their Actions or Imployments otherwise then for their Masters Behoof or as they shall appoint But over their Persons their Bodies their Goods or Children their Masters have no Right nor Interest They may not take upon them by our Laws to dispose of These as they do of their Day-Labours or bodily Imployments Yet are these properly called Servants as having made themselves such or are so made by their Parents or Guardians upon some Contract or by some Branch or Title of Commutative Justice in which there is alwayes Ratio dati accepti somewhat given and taken that binds both the Parties As in this particular case The Master gives and the Servant receives meat drink and wages And in Lieu of these Benefits received the Servant yields up and the Master receives a Right or interest in his bodily and daily Labours and a Power to dispose of these Yet are they Servants as we said only in part not meer servants 5. Meer Servants or servants absolutely or in whole were such as the Latines called Mancipia such as we call in English Slaves or Bondmen or such as sometimes out of a superfluity of speech or expressing our selves in our Native Dialect we term Bondslaves For a Slave is as much as a Bondman and no Bondman can be any more then a slave A Bondslave is a Name which hath no Reality answerable or fully commensurable unto it Unto this state or Condition of life that is of being a Slave or Bondman no man is bound or subject by Nature No Man will willingly or voluntarily subject himself Such as heretofore have been and in divers Countries yet are Servants in this sense were made such by others from a pretended right or Title of Conquest and were called Mancipia quasi manu Capti because they had been taken in War and might by rigour of Justice at least by rigour of Hostile Law be put to Death as men convicted of Rebellion by taking Armes Now the price of their Redemption from death was losse of Civil Liberty as well for themselves as their posterity These were truly and properly called Servi according to the native Etymologie of this name in Latin Servi quasi Servati They were again wholly and meerly Servants according to the utmost extent of the Nature and of the Real Conditions or properties of Civil Servitude that is Their Lords or Masters had an absolute Right or Interest not only in their Bodily Actions or Imployments but over their very Persons their Bodies their Children and whatsoever by any Title did belong unto them The Interest Power or Dominion which Masters by the Civil Law or Law of Nations had over their Servi or Mancipia their Slaves or Bondmen was altogether such and as absolute as a Free-holder hath over his own Inheritance or Fee simple that is a power or Right not only to reap or take the Annual Fruits or Commodities of it but full Right to Let or Sett for Term of years or to alienate or sell the Propertie For so were Bondmen and their Children bought and sold as Lands and Goods or Cattle are with us All the Right Dominion or Interest which Masters with us have over their Servants or Apprentices is only such as a Tenant or Lease-holder for some limited time or Terme of years hath over the ground or soyl which he payeth Rent for that is a Right or Property in the Herbage a right or power to reap the Fruits or increase of it during the time of his Covenant but no right to alienate or sell so much as the Earth or Gravel much lesse to alienate or make away the Fee-Simple or Inheritance which is still reserved unto the Owner Thus the Bodies or persons of hired Servants are their own Their mindes and Consciences are Free even during the time of their service But the Use or imployment of their Bodies in services Lawful and Ingenuous is their Masters So are the Services of their wit for accomplishing with care and diligence what by duty they are bound to perform CHAP. XVI That the former
Salvation as God is readie to work in them and for them And because God never failes to work salvation in them and for them that are diligent in seeking it or affraid to neglect it therefore they are said to Work out their own Salvation not properly or Formally but Consecutivè that is Salvation is the Necessary Consequent of their working or doth necessarily follow upon their work Not by any force or Efficacie of their Work or by any natural Connexion but meerely by Gods Appointment or Decree The very same phrase in the Original our Saviour useth unto the people John 6. 27. Which words can beare no other Construction then that which we have made of St. Pauls words Philip. 2. 12. no other Interpretation then our English hath already made Labour not for the meat which perisheth but for that meat which endureth unto everlasting life And so the Vulgar Latin doth not render them verbatim Operamini Cibum but Operamini Cibo Not Work that meat but work for that meat For if That Meat which endureth to eternal Life must be given them by the Son of God if This Meat be the very Bodie and Blood of the Son of God it cannot be the proper Effect of any mans work or any Merit of man but the End or consequent of our Labours or endeavours and yet we are said to work This Meat in the same sense that we are said to work our Salvation viz. Consecutivè because God doth infallibly make us partakers of it if we diligently seek after it or labour for it 7. By the right Use of this Distinction we may reconcile many places of Holy Scripture which seem repugnant one to another as Likewise qualifie many Speeches whether of the Fathers or some Good Modern Writers which otherwise would seem harsh and offensive Who can say saith Solomon Prov. 20. 9. I have made my heart clean This Interrogation is in all mens judgement Equivalent to this Universal Negative No man can say I have made my heart clean Howbeit the Psalmist Psal 73. 13. saith Verily I have cleansed my heart in vain There is no Contradiction between this Psalmists Particular Affirmative I have cleansed my heart and Solomons Universal Negative No man can say I have cleansed my heart Solomon speakes of the Internal Purification which is the proper Effect and sole work of Gods Spirit The Psalmist speakes of his own Labours or Endeavours that his heart might be thus purified by the spirit of God He then did cleanse his heart Consecutivè non Formaliter Every one Saith St. John that hath this hope in him purifies himself as he is pure 1. Joh. 3. 3. This place perhaps Some will say is meant of men Regenerate only seeing they only have that hope whereof the Apostle here speakes Many other such places of scripture there be in which we are said and sometime Commanded to Purifie our Selves as Jam. 4. 8. Cleanse your hands ye Sinners and purifie your hearts ye double minded This place cannot be meant of men truely regenerate For even Sinners and double minded men such as men regenerate are not are commanded to cleanse their hands and to purifie their hearts Many other places likewise there be wherein this purifying of the heart is wholly ascribed unto God God saith St. Paul Act. 15. 9. put no difference betwixt us and them purifying their hearts by Faith Not this Purification only But all other Good Works are said to be wrought by God as Esay 26. 12. Lord thou wilt ordaine peace for us for thou also hast wrought all our workes in us or for us And our Saviour saith John 15. ver 5. Without me ye can do nothing Both parts of our former Distinction are included in that of St. Paul 2. Tim. 2. 21. If any man purge himself from these he shall be a Vessel unto honour Sanctified and meet for the Masters Vse and prepared unto every good work His speech is if we mark it He shall be made a Vessell unto honour if he purge himself He doth not say He shall be enabled to make himself a Vessell of Honour Nor doth he in proprietie of speech or as we say Formally or Efficiently purge himself But in that he doth those things whereupon this Purification by Gods Spirit doth immediately follow Man is said to purge himself And so are we in this place of St. Paul Rom 8. said to mortifie the deeds of the bodie by the Spirit when we do those things whereupon this Mortification doth immediately insue not by any Merit or Causalitie of our works but by Gods meere Grace by the Councel of his Holy irresistible Will by the Determination of his Eternal Decree by which it hath pleased him to apoint The One as a Necessarie Consequent of The Other to witt Spiritual Mortification or life it self as the Issue of our endeavours to Mortifie the Flesh This kind of Speech is usual not in Scripture only but in other Good Writers and in our Common Dialect So Tully tells us of a Romane Orator who for want of skill in Civill Law Petijt revera ut causa caderet made a Motion that he might Loose his Cause This Motion he did not make directly or Formally His meaning is that if his Motion had been granted he must by Necessary Consequent have lost his Cause Thus when we see a man Look Old whom we know to be much younger then our selves we usually say You make me an Old Man Not hereby meaning that he hath brought Old-Age or Gray Haires upon us by any trouble or vexation but that he who is much younger then we being apparently Old we must by Consequence be Old So that he makes us Old not Efficiently but only by Consequent truely argues us to be Old According to this Analogie of Speech by which He is said to make us Old whose Age doth truely argue us to be Old is that Prophesie litterally mean◠of Jeremiah which was punctually or formally fulfilled in God or his Christ Jer. 1. 10. See I have this day set thee over the Nations and over the Kingdomes to root out and to Pull down and to destroy and to throw down to build and to plant Jeremiah did never Levie an Armie or incite any people to take Armes for the Deposition of their present Governour or for the Alteration of any state yet in as much as He foretold the Extirpation of Some Kingdomes and the Erection or Plantation of Others And in as much as what he foretold did certainly come to passe he is said to have Done that which did Follow upon his Predictions though many yeares after his death And in the same Sense we are said to Mortifie the Flesh to cleanse our Hearts to work out our Salvation yea to make our Election sure when we do those things whereupon our Purification or Mortification shall be wrought though many yeares hence and alwaies wrought by the Omnipotent Power of that Decree by which those Kingdomes
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is not so much as if he had said in the Beginning or from the beginning much less doth it amount unto so much as if he had said before all worlds or before the foundation of the world was laid which words or the like do import Eternity And unto this literall Importance or signification of the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The material or real Circumstances do fully accord Both do fully witness that he speakes only of some Fore-ordination made or declared in the compass of Time as ver 11. Wo unto them for they have gone in the way of Cain and run greedily after the errour of Balaam for reward and perished in the gainsaying of Core This Wo denounced takes Date only from the Time of their following the ways of Cain of Balaam and Corah God did not ordain either from Eternity or by any written Sentence upon Record That these men by name should go on in the ways of Cain should run after the error of Balaam should perish in the gainsaying of Corah But now that they had visibly followed the wayes of these wicked men they were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Fore-sentenced or Fore-ordained to the same condemnation which had fallen upon Cain Balaam and Corah The Sentence or Judgment declared of old against these Three was as a Ruled Case for the condemnation of these men that S. Jude speaks of they had incurred the Sentence of condemnation given of old as we say Ipso Facto that is by doing the same things which Cain Balaam and Corah had done And S. Jude whether by the Spirit of Revelation or by Evidence of their Facts themselves doth but declare or pronounce that these ungodly men had fallen fowl upon that immovable Rule or Canon which had formerly been declared against Cain and Corah and his Confederates 10. That these men now were in the same state wherein Cain and Corah were after they had committed these Foul sins for which they were condemned our Apostle takes it as granted ver 12 13. These are spots in your feasts of Charity when they feast with you feeding themselves without fear clouds they are without water caried about with winds trees whose fruit withereth without fruit twice dead plucked up by the roots Raging waves of the Sea foming out their own shame wandring stars to whom is reserved the Blackness of darkness for ever He speakes of them as of Reprobates or men ordained to condemnation For being in the same state or condition for the Quality and measure of their sins that Cain Balaam and Corah had been they were Fore-Ordained with them to the same condemnation and this their Fore-Ordination was upon Record in all that Moses or others had written concerning Gods Judgments upon Cain upon Balaam or Corah That our Apostle means such a Fore-Ordination upon Ancient Record we gather from the 14. verse And Enoch also the seventh from Adam prophecied of these saying Behold the Lord cometh c. If Enoch ALSO did prophecy of them then some other besides Enoch had prophecied of them So had Moses who related Gods Judgments upon Cain prophecied of their Judgments who followed the wayes of Cain and in foretelling Gods fearfull Judgments upon Corah Dathan and Abiram he foretold the condemnation of all such as followed their ways and were Fore-Ordained to the like condemnation in their condemnation But more expresly Fore-Ordained of old unto the same condemnation by Enochs Prophecie which was more ancient then Moses his writings although Moses mentioned it not The form of his Prophecy or of his Judgments denounced against all ungodly men The Book of Enoch Of it See Tertul. De Cultu Foem Lib. 1. Cap. 3. and the Annot upon that place was upon Record in our Apostles time in a Book called the Book of Enoch unto which or so much of which as concerns this place St. Jude gives Authentick testimony ver 14. c. Behold the Lord-cometh with ten thousand of his Saints To execute judgement upon all and to convince all that are ungodly among them of all their ungodly deeds which they have ungodly committed and of all their hard speeches which ungodly sinners have spoken against him This Prophecy was literally meant and in particular directed against the ungracious seed of Cain and other such ungodly men of the Old World as did oppose or malign the Church of God then seated in the Posterity of Seth of which Enoch was a principal member a man of high place or dignity but the same Prophecy was literally meant of these ungodly men which did oppose the Church and deny that Lord which Enoch foretold should come to give judgement upon all such as continue in ungodliness And though this Prophecy were verified or in some measure fulfilled in the ungodly men of the Old World yet was it more exactly fulfilled in these ungodly men here in St. Iude and shall be fulfilled again upon all such as they were unto the worlds end and all in whom it is or hath been or shall be fulfilled are by it Ordained to the Condemnation here meant and St. Iude having perfect notice that these ungodly men had followed the wayes of Cain and of Corah doth but pronounce or declare them to be lyable to the Condemnation foretold by Enoch But whether all of them were at this time in the absolute State of Reprobation that is irreversibly ordained to everlasting death or whether the Gate of Mercy and Way to Repentance were everlastingly shut up against all of them That we leave to the eternall Judge seeing the 22. verse mentions Compassion for some and making a difference 11. The Jews highest Excommunication taken from Enochs words However This Prophecy of Enoch was so famous and so Authentick in the Jewish Church before St. Iude wrote this Epistle that their GREAT AND FEARFVL EXCOMMVNICATION was conceived in the very Form of Words which S. Iude here out of Enochs useth And as Writts amongst us have their name or Title from the First and Principal words contained in them as some are called Sub Poena some Nisi prius c. so the greatest and most fearfull Excommunication which the Jewish Church did use was called THE EXCOMMVNICATION OF DOMINVS VENIET THE LORD SHALL COME St. Paul as we read Rom. 9. 3. did wish that he himself might be Anathema one excommunicated or separated from Christ for his Countrey-men or kinsmen according to the flesh But he did not wish himself to be Anathema Maranatha for their sakes This kind of Anathema or Excommunication though he considently denounceth against all such in the Church of Corinth as did not love their Saviour If any man saith he 1 Cor. 16. 22. love not the Lord Ièsus Christ let him be Anathema Maranatha that is all one as if he had said Let that Sentence which Enoch first denounced against all vngodly and wicked men especially against all Blasphemers of God of Christ or the wayes of the
it to the poor fast and pray most dayes in the week they should be damned yea the Evill deeds of the one should be forgiven before they were committed the others good works or abstinence from Evill works should not be capable of pardon for as Election unto life Eternal if it were terminated to mens persons without respect unto their works doth include not only a general Ante-dated Pardon for all the sins they can commit but priviledgeth them also from all question so doth Reprobation include an utter exclusion from all hope of Pardon what course of life soever they take if so be it were Terminated to their Persons or Entities without respect unto their works The Orthodoxal Truth then is that God hath decreed to reward every man according unto all his works not according to the foresight of his individual Nature or Person And though it be true that it is impossible for any man to fall from the estate of Election into the estate of Reprobation and as impossible for any man to aseend or be transported from the estate of Reprobation unto the estate of Election Yet is it not alike impossible for him that is for the time present in a Middle State betwixt both that is a man capable of Gods promises in Christ and yet lyable to his Judgments either to proceed unto the estate of Election or to fall into the state of Reprobation There is a necessitie that every Elected man shall be saved that every man Reprobated shall be damned but no like necessitie by the Eternal decree that This or That particular man shall attain to the state of Election or fall into the state of Reprobation Their works or measure of working whether well or ill their faith or want of faith the measure manner of both are not so immutable or unchangable as their natures or persons are Now Gods immutable Decree doth infallibly reward them according to the measure manner or qualitie of their works or of their faith or infidelitie For albeit the Works or Acts of mans Faith be Mutable yet Gods purpose of rewarding every man according to his works or different measure of faith or infidelity is most Immutable 5. But albeit God do not Ante-date any pardon in particular for the sinnes of the Elect is it safe hence to conclude that he is not more favourable unto them than unto other men or doth his peculiar favour to them being granted conclude him to be an accepter of Persons surely it would if we did maintain that his Eternal Decree for shewing peculiar favour and mercy towards the Elect did respect only mens Persons or Individual substances But laying this Foundation That God from Eternitie hath Decreed to reward every man not according to the prevision of his Individual Manhood or substance but according to all his works God 's peculiar favour may without imputation of partialitie or acceptance of persons be extended not to the Elect only but unto all that are within the Covenant unto all that without Hypocrisie or sinister respects have subscribed unto it Yet though this peculiar favour be to be extended to all within the Covenant we may not deny but that it reaches the Elect in an extraordinary measure for ordinarily none are admitted into the number of the Elect which have not done some works which others not of that number have not done And if God out of his free bountie reward not the men but their works more bountifully than he doth the works of other men whose persons are not within his Covenant whose works are not so capable of bountie he cannot hence be conceived to be a Respecter of Persons but an accepter of such in every Nation as work righteousness or do less evill then others do The works which St. Peter requires to the making of our Election sure are all in their Nature and qualitie Good all parts of righteousness and though we cannot do them aright yet such as hope to be partakers of Gods peculiar favour must be industrious in doing them But not these works only but even our Subscription unto the Covenant of Grace our Profession of being Christs Disciples is a work capable of mercy of peculiar favour in respect of others which neglect this Covenant though No work meritorious of Grace or of better abilities to proceed in Christianitie nor are the best works of the Elect in their nature such 6. Gods gratiousness to the Elect and his respect to their good works First the good Works which He doth that is within the Covenant are more capable of reward than the like works of men which are without the Covenant and yet the good works of the Elect are more capable of reward then the best works of him that is only within the Covenant not in the state of Election not confirmed in Grace Secondly the good Works of men within the Covenant do facilitate their progress towards Grace and lengthen their possibilities of being confirmed in Grace The good works of the Elect do more then strengthen their present estate in Grace they make them capable of greater Glorie than others Elect are which work not after the same manner or measure as they do But leaving the Elect and their works to God who only knowes them the good works of such as are within the Covenant though as yet not confirmed in Grace do in some degree shelter them from danger of final Apostasie or of exclusion from Grace The more good Works such men have done the better fruits of Faith they have shewed the firmer they stand in the day of temptation wherein the Fruitlesse hearer shall fall Thus much is included in the Close of our Apostles words Heb. 6. ver 7 8. The Earth which drinketh in the rain that cometh oft upon it and bringeth forth herbs meet for them by whom it is dressed receiveth blessing from God But that which beareth thornes and bryers is rejected and is nigh unto cursing whose end is to be burned These Hebrewes had come as neer to that shelf upon which others had made shipwrack of faith as any men since have done which have escapt it And if they had been to be judged by men according to their present Facts they had incurred that dreadful sentence of final Rejection or Reprobation which the Apostle there denounceth against backsliders What then was the Sheet-anchor which in our Apostles Divinitie did hold them from striking against the immoveable rock of Reprobation the Merits of their former works So some great Professors of Romish Divinitie do teach in their Lectures de Reviviscentia meritorum that is of the Revival of merits being dead or abated by Relapse or Backsliding This Title they ground upon this very Text of Scripture being otherwise groundless as they themselves confesse The words of the Apostle are ver 9 10. Beloved we are perswaded better things of you and things that accompany salvation though we thus speak For God is not unrighteous to forget your