1 Chro. 28. 9. And thou Solomon my Son know the Lord God of thy Fathers if thou seek him he will be found of thee but if thou forsake him he will cast thee off for ever 351 2 Chr. 36. 15 16. And the Lord God of their Fathers sent to them by his messengers rising up betimes and sending because he had compassion on his people and on his dwelling place Bâ—t they mocked the messengers of God and despised until the Wrath of the Lord arose against his people till there was no remedy 88 426 Job 2. 4. Skin for skin yea all that a man hath will he give for his life 443 10. 8 9. Thy hands have made me and fashioned me together round about yet thou dost destroy me Remember I beseech thee that thou hast made me as the clay and wilt thou bring me into dust again 72 14. 1. Man that is born of a woman is of few days 9 14. 5. Seeing his days are determined the number of his moneths are with thee thou hast appointed his bounds that he cannot pass 10 15. 32 33. His branch shall be green He shall shake off his unripe grape as the vine and c. 8 22. 15 16. Hast thou marked the old way which wicked men have trodden who were cut down out of time whose foundation was overflown with a flood Page 8 31. 13 14 15. If I did despise the cause of my man-servant or of my maid-servant when they contended with me what then shall I do when God riseth up and when he visiteth what shall I answer Did not he that made me in the womb make him and did not one fashion us in the womb 72 73 33. 13. Why dost thou strive against him for he giveth not an account of any of his matters 349 34. 19. How much less to him that accepteth not the persons of Princes nor regardeth the rich more then the poor For they are all the work of his hand 73 Psal 1. 3. He shall be like a tree planted his leafe shall not wither c. 257 22. 26. They that seek the Lord shall praise him 452 34 8. O taste and see that the Lord is good 285 51. 6. thou desirest Truth in the inward parts 742 55. 23. bloody and deceitful men shall not live out half their days c. 8 91. 7. A thousand shall fall at thy side and ten thousand at thy right hand but it shall not come nigh thee 11 104. 19. Thou hidest thy face they are troubled thou takest away their breath they dye and return to their dust 3 115. 3. He hath done whatsoever he pleased 50 138. 2. For thou hast magnified thy Word above all thy Name 482 Prov. 14. 15. The simple beleeveth every word c. 412 497 17. 18. A man voyd of understanding striketh hands and becometh surety c. 264 18. 23. The poor useth entreaties but the rich answereth roughly Ibid. 19. 2. that the Soul be without knowledg it is not good and he that hasteth with his feet sinneth 496 23. 5. Wilt thou set thine eyes upon that which is not for certainly c. 446 Eccles 2. 9. also my wisdom remained with me 351 3. 3. There is a time to kill and a time to heal a time c. 429 Isai 5. 4. What could have been done more to my Vineyard that I have not done in it Wherefore when c. 429 473 7. 8. Within threescore and five years shall Ephraim be broken that it be not a people 8 27. 11. for it is a people of no understanding therefore he that made them will not have mercy on them and he that formed them c. 71 29. 14. For the wisdom of their wise men shall perish and the understanding of their prudent men shall be hid 5 38. 5. behold I will add unto thy days fifteen years 9 49. 5. though Israel be not gathered yet shall I be glorious in the eyes of the Lord and my God shall be my strength 215 54. 10. For the mountains shall depart and the hills be removed but my kindness shall not depart from thee neither shall the Covenant of my peace be removed c. 226 227 59. 2. But your iniquities have separated between you and your God 248 59. 21. As for me this is my Covenant with them saith the Lord My Spirit that is upon thee and my words which I have put in thy mouth shall not depart out of thy mouth nor out of the mouth of thy seed c. 226 227 c. Jer. 7. 16. Therefore pray not thou for this people neither lift up a cry neither make intercession to me for I will not hear thee 490 32. 39 40. And I will give them one heart and one way that they may fear me for ever And I will make an everlasting covenant with them to do them good but I will my fear into their hearts that they shall not depart from me c. 219 220 c. Ezek. 11. 17 18 19 c. Therefore say thus saith the Lord God I will even gather you from the people And they shall come thither and take away all the detestable things thereof And I will give them one heart and I will put a new Spirit within you But as for them whose heart walketh after the heart of their detestable things and their abominations c. 220 221 c. 16. 55. When thy Sisters Sodom and her daughters shall return to their former estate and Samaria and her daughters then thou and thy daughters shall return to your former estate 442 18. 5 6 9. But if a man be just and do that which is lawful and right and hath not eaten upon the mountains he is just he shall surely live saith the Lord God 514 18. 24 25. But when the righteous turneth away from his righteousness and committeth iniquity shall he live yet ye say the way of the Lord is not equal Hear now O house of Israel is not my way equal are not your ways unequal 269 270 c. 514 24. 14. because I have purged thee and thou wast not purged thou shalt not be purged from thy filthiness any more c. 187 188 33. 12 13. c. the righteousness of the righteous shall not deliver him in the day of his transgression as for the wickedness of the wicked he shall not fall thereby in the day that he turneth from his wickedness c. Again when I shall say to the wicked tho ushalt surely dye if he turn from his sin and do that which is lawful and right none of the sins that he hath committed shall be mentioned unto him c. 514 Hos 2. 19. 20. And I will betroth thee unto me for ever yea I will betroth thee in righteousness and in judgment and in loving kindness and in mercies I will even betroth thee unto me in faithfulness c. 229 230 Mal. 2. 17. Ye have wearyed the Lord with your words yet ye say wherein
have spent my Strength for nought and in vaine yet surely my judgement is with the Lord and my worke with my God And immediately before the said words thus And now saith the Lord that formed me from the Womb to be his servant TO BRING JACOB AGAIN TO HIM Though Israel be not gathered yet c. Cleerly implying that though Gods Intent and Counsell was to forme Christ from the Womb for this end and purpose viz. to bring Jacob againe to him and so to save and make Him blessed yet would it be no disparagement unto Christ nor any miscarriage or defeature of the Counsell of God herein though Iacob should not upon this account be brought againe to him or be made blessed by Christ The reason is because when it is said that God formed Christ from the Womb to bring Iacob againe to him the meaning is not that He formed Him with any such intent out of any such end or designe to bring Iacob again to Him by head and shoulders as we use to say or by a strong and irresistible hand but to bring Jacob againe c. i. e. that he might be represented and Preached unto Jacob as such a Person who had attoned their sins made their Peace with God by His Blood and had purchased grace and favour and every good thing for them at his hand in case they would repent and turne againe to him and further that he might by his Spirit especially in the Ministry of his Prophets administer unto them inward strength and frequent excitements abundantly sufficient to have brought them to a due consideration and imbracement of these great things of their Peace In this sence and in no other Christ was formed by God from the Womb to bring Iacob againe to him and thus it appears also how and in what respect God was not disappointed of his end purpose or intention in his forming of Christ nor Christ Himself any wayes disparaged notwithstanding Iacob was not actually converted or brought againe to him The Apostle Paul likewise upon the same consideration saith of Himself and other the Apostles and faithfull Ministers of the Gospell thus For we are unto God a sweet Savour of Christ in them that are saved and in them that perish a 2 Cor. 2. 15 Whereby it appeares that howsoever Gods reall Intent and Designe in sending Christ into the World was according to the frequent testimony of Scripture the Salvation and not the perishing or condemnation of Men yet he was no more defeated or disappointed of his designe herein by the perishing then by the Salvation of Men. Otherwise Christ in the faithfull Ministry of the Gospell would not be a sweet Savour i. e. matter of high contentment and satisfaction unto him as well in those who perish through unbelief as in those who are saved by believing For who can be pleased or much satisfied with or under disappointments Therefore Gods Intent of saving the World by Iesus Christ is not so to be conceived or understood as if he intended to save Men by him upon any terms or under any consideration whatsoever or without all Proviso's Limitations or Exceptions but thus he intended to save the World by him i. e. to put the World into a capacity of Salvation and to afford unto the Sons and Daughters of Men means and opportunities in abundance whereby to repent and believe and consequently to be saved So that whensoever Christ is faithfully and effectually Preached unto Men in order to their Salvation God obtaines his end and intent concerning their Salvation whether they come to be saved or no i. e. whether they repent and believe or remaine impenitent in unbelief 2. For the Phrase or manner of expression that he might be the first borne §. 50. amongst many Brethren I desire to give notice once for all for there may be frequent use of the observation in these controversies that it is frequent in Scripture to expresse a thing after the manner of an event or consequent that will or shall come to passe or follow upon such or such an occasion or means somewayes likely to produce it which yet frequently comes not to passe but only is intended or desired nay the contrary whereof many times follows and comes to passe in stead thereof According to this Dialect of Speech Moses expresseth himself unto the People thus and the Man that will doe presumptuously and not hearken unto the Priest or unto the Iudge even that Man shall die and thou shalt put away the evill from Israel and all or that all the People shall heare or may hear and feare and doe no more presumptuously b Deut. 17. 12 13. This hearing fearing and restraining of the People from doing presumptuously are mentioned if we respect the precise forme of the words as if they were such events which would alwayes follow and come to passe upon the occasion or means specified viz. the inflicting of death upon the Delinquent spoken of Yet Moses his intent was not to affirme this which had been an untruth to affirme such events as these many times failing if at any time obtained but to shew what God His intent was in commanding such severe executions to be done in such cases or rather perhaps to shew what fruits might reasonably be expected from such just severity So again in the same Chapter speaking of the King whom they should set over them and the Book of the Law And it shall be with him and he shall reade therein all the dayes of his life that he may learne to feare the Lord His God to keep all the words of this Law and these Statutes to doe them a Deut. 17. 19. These words that he may learne c. doe not import the event or effect that would certainly follow upon the duty or course prescribed but either what Gods Intentions were in Prescribing such a course or what such a course was proper and likely to effect Many other places there are of like character and import amongst which that in Present debate is to be numbred God Predestinate these and these or rather such and such to be conformed to the Image of His Son that He might be the first borne c. These words that He might be the first borne c. doe not necessarily import any event or effect which should certainly come to passe or be produced by that Act of Gods Predestination but only such an event as was intended by God in such a sence as intentions are appropriable unto him in that Act of His or which would probably follow thereupon It may yet further be demanded by way of Objection against any Explication §. 51. whatsoever of the Passage in hand which makes the golden chaine of Divine acts therein dissolveable in any link or part of it in what case or cases soever If either they who are Predestinated may not be called or they that are called may not be justified or they that
absolutely the certainty of Gods love to him that is godly as it promiseth conditionally the certainty of this love to him that is prophane viz. in case and upon condition that he hath been once godly 2. Neither is certainty of reward in every sence or kinde more encouraging unto action then uncertainty in some kinde To promise withall possible assureance the same reward or prize to him that shall not run in the race which is promised upon these terms to him that shall run is not more incouraging unto Men thus to run then to promise it conditionally viz. upon their running which is a promising of it with uncertainty in this respect viz. because it is uncertaine whether Men will run in the said race or no and consequently whether they shall receive the said prize or no upon such a promise Certainty of reward is then and in such cases more incouraging unto action then uncertainty when the certainty of obtaining or receiving it is suspended upon the action noâ— when it is assured unto Men whether they act or no. 3. And lastly though an assureance of the unchangeablenesse of the love of God towards him that is godly upon any and against any terms whatsoever suppose such an assureance could be effectually and upon good grounds given unto Men be or would be a more effâ—ctuall and prevailing motive unto godlinesse i. e. to an entrance into godlinesse then an uncertainty whether this love of God would be continued to such a Man unto the See before Sect. 17 of this Chapter end or no yet would it not be any thing comparably so effâ—ctuall or prevailing upon Men that are godly to persevere in godliness as such an uncertainty which hath been asserted Nay the truth is that such an assureance effectually given to him that is godly without any condition of his remaining godly is no incouragement at all unto him to persevere in godlinesse but rather to turne aside unto prophainness The reason is plaine No reward which is promised unto Men simply and absolutely is incouraging to any action or ingagement whatsoever It is true a simple and absolute promise of a reward may be and commonly is oblieging unto action by way of duty or thankfulness unto him who maketh the promise but is never so oblieging unto action simply as such a promise which assureth the reward onely upon the performance of the action Hence it is that the Apostle incouraging and perswading Men unto holiness holds forth not absolute but conditionall promises unto them in order hereunto The tenor of the promises we meane is this wherefore come out from among them and be yee separate saith the Lord and touch not the unclean thing and I will receive you And will be a Father unto you and yee shall be my Sons and Daughters saith the Lord Almighty a â— Cor. 6. 17 18. meaning that upon condition you will come out c. and touch no uncleane thing I will receive you and be a Father unto you c. Upon the account of these promises he immediately subjoyns Having therefore THESE promises dearly beloved let us cleanse our selves from all filthinesse of the flesh and spirit perfecting holinesse in the feare of God b â— Cor. 7. 1. q. d. Such Promises at these viz. which hold forth such great and blessed Rewards and withall require and injoyn Holiness by way of condition for the receiving and enjoyment of them are of the most soveraign efficacy and import that can be imagined to perswade you unto Holiness Nor can any instance I beleeve be given from the Scriptures where the Holy Ghost presseth or perswadeth unto action or ways of Righteousness by any other kinde of Promise then that which is either in form or in matter i. e. in sence and meaning conditional Besides whether any such assureance of the unchangeableness of the Love of God towards Him that is godly as the Objection speaks of can be effectually and upon sufficient grounds given unto men is very questionable yea I conceive there is more Reason to judg otherwise then so Yea that which is yet more I verily beleeve that in case any such assureance of the unchangeableness of Gods Love were to be found in or could regularly be deduced from the Scriptures it were a just ground to any intelligent and considering man to question their Authority and whether they were from God or no. For that a God infinitely righteous and holy should irreversibly assure the immortal and undefiled inheritance of His Grace and Favor unto any Creature whatsoever so that though this Creature should prove never so abominable in His sight never so outragiously and desperately wicked and profane He should not be at liberty to withhold this inheritance from Him is a saying doubtless too hard for any man who rightly understands and considers the Nature of God to hear For what can it be conceived that he should promise more to such a Person who should remain loyal in his affections and constant in his obedience unto him without turning aside either to the right hand or to the left all his days And where now would be the God of Judgment Ye have wearied the Lord with your words saith Malachi in Gods Name unto the People Yet ye say wherein have we wearied Him When ye say every one that doth evil is good in the sight of the Lord and He delighteth in them and where is the God of Judgment a Mal. 2. 17. Clearly implying 1. That to say that God delighteth in them that do evil is highly displeasing and dishonorable to him amounting to no less being interpreted then a denyal of his being a God of Judgment i. e. of his Wisdom and Righteousness or that he puts any difference in his affections between the best and worst of men 2. That notwithstanding the great offensiveness unto God of such a saying yet they that utter it are backward to consider any such unworthiness in it It is possible that yet some will further object against the Argument in §. 34. hand unless the Saints be assured of the Perpetuity of their standing in the Grace and Favor of God they must needs be under fears of falling away and so of perishing and fear we know is of a discouraging and enfeebling nature an enemy unto such actions which men of confidence and courage are apt and ready to undertake I answer 1. That the strength of this Objection hath been already troden down and that more then once See Sect. 15. 16. of this Chapter and more upon the same account Cap. 9. I here add 2. That the Saints notwithstanding the possibility of their final falling away have or may have such an assureance of the Perpetuity of their standing in the Grace and Favor of God which may exclude all fear at least that is of a discouraging or enfeebling nature The Apostle as we have formerly shewed b Sect. 16. of this Chapt. lived at a
their sacrificing to an unknown God d Acts 17. 29 4. And lastly The Interposure and actings of Reason and Vnderstanding in men are of that soveraign and most transcendent use yea necessity in and about matters of Religion that all the Agency of the Spirit notwithstanding a man can perform nothing no manner of service unto God with acceptation nothing in a way of true Edification to himself without their engagement and service First I stand charged by God not to beleeve every spirit but to try the spirits whether they be of God e 1 Iohn 4. 1 I demand by what Rule or Touchstone shall I try any spirit When or upon what account shall I reject one as a spirit of Error Falshood and Delusion and do Homage with my Iudgment and Conscience to another as the Spirit of God If it be said I ought to try the spirits by the Scriptures or Word of God I demand again but how shall I try my Touchstone or be sure that that principle notion or ground which I call the Word of God and by which I go about to try the spirits is indeed the Word of God There is scarce any spirit of Error that is abroad in the Christian World but freely offers it self to be tryed by the Word of God as well as the true Spirit of God Himself i. e. by such meanings sences or conclusions as it self confidently asserts to be the Word of God i. e. the Mind of God in the Scriptures So that I am in no capacity to try such a spirit which upon such an account as this pretends his coming forth from God unless I be able to prove that those sences meanings and conclusions by which he offers to be tryed are not indeed the Word of God Now it is unpossible that I should prove this meerly and only by the Scriptures themselves because unto what place or places soever I shall have recourse for my proof or tryal in this case this spirit will reject my sence and interpretation in case it maketh against him and will substitute another that shall not oppose him Nor can I reasonably or regularly reject his sence in this case at least as an untruth unless I apprehend some relish or taste therein which is irrational or some notion which jarreth with or grateth upon some clear principle or other of reason within me For as on the one hand what Doctrine or notion soever clearly accordeth and is commensurable with any solid and undoubted principle or ground of Reason within me is hereby demonstrably evinced to be a Truth and from God so on the other hand what Doctrine or saying soever bears hard or falls foul upon any such principle must of necessity be an Error and somewhat that proceeds from Satan or from men and not from God The Reason hereof is clearly asserted by the Apostle in these words For God is not the Author of Confusion but of peace a 1 Cor. 14. 33. From whence it appears that God is not divided in himself or contradictions to himself so as to write or assert that in one book as in that of the Scriptures which he denyeth or opposeth in another as viz. in that of Nature or of the fleshly tables of the heart of man but whatsoever he writeth or speaketh in the one he writeth or speaketh nothing Inclinavit Deus Scripturas ad infantium lactentium capacitatem Aug. in Psal 8. * Tertul. De testimonio Animae adversus Gentes c. 1. Mirum si a Deo data homini novit divinare Sic mirum si a Deo data cadem canit quae Deus suis dedit nosse Ibidem c. 5. Si de tuis literis dubitas neque Deus neque natura mentitur ut Deo naturae credas crede animae c. Ib. cap. 6. Cur verba habet Christianonorum quos ne auditos visâ—s que vult Ibid. O testimonium Animae naturaliter Christianae Tertul. Apologet Ne â—ui praeclusus esset ad felicitatem aditus non solum hominum mentibus indidit illud quod diximus Religionis semen c. Calvin instit l. 1. c. 5. Sect. 1. in the other but what is fairly and fully consistent with it Vpon this account it is a grave and worthy advertisement of Mr Perkins in his Epistle before his Treatise of Predestination It is saith he also requisite that this Doctrine he speaks of Predestination Election and Reprobation agree with the grounds of common Reason and of that knowledg of God which may be obtained by the light of nature In this saying of his he clearly supposeth that whatsoever should be taught by any man in the mysterious and high points of Predestination otherwise then according to the Scriptures and the Truth may be clearly disproved by this viz. the disagreement of it with the grounds of common Reason and of that knowledg of God which the light of Nature shineth into the hearts of men If himself had kept close to this principle of his own in drawing up his Judgment in the point of Predestination the World had received a far differing and better account from his pen of this subject then now it hath But if his sence were that the heights and depths of Religion for so we may well call the Doctrines of Election and Reprobation c have nothing in them but what agreeth with the grounds and principles of common reason and with the Dictates of Nature in men and consequently may be measured discerned and judged of by these he did not conceive that matters of a more facile and ordinary consideration were above the capacity and apprehension of Reason It was the saying of Augustin that God hath bowed down the Scriptures to the capacity even of Babes and Sucklings Tertullian hath much upon this account to excellent purpose In one place speaking of the Soul being yet simple rude and unfurnished with any acquired knowledge either from the Scripture or other institution he demands why it should be strange that being given by God it should speak out or sing the same things the knowledg whereof God giveth unto his children Not long after he admonisheth the Gentiles that neither God nor Nature lye and thereupon that they may beleeve both God and nature willeth them to beleeve their own Souls A little after he saith that the Soul he speaks of hath the words and therefore the inwards senses and impressions of Christians whom notwithstanding it wisheth that it might never hear or see Elsewhere having mentioned some expressions of affinity with the Scriptures as oft coming out of the mouths of Heathen he triumphs as it were over them with this acclamation O the Testimony of a Soul naturally Christian Nor doth Calvin himself say any whit less then all this when he saith that God hath implanted or inwardly put the seed of Religion in the mind of men Doubtless the seed sympathizeth richly with that body which springs and grows from it But these
towards God and in faithfulness to mine own Soul neither to beleeve any thing at all as coming from God which I have not or may have a very substantial ground in Reason to beleeve cometh indeed from him nor yet to do any thing at all as commanded by him unless there be a like ground in reason to perswade me that it is indeed his command I confess good Reader I have presumed at somewhat an unreasonable rate upon thy patience in detaining thee so long with the Argument yet in hand But the sence of that unconceivable mischief and misery which I most certainly know have been brought upon the Christian World at least in our quarters of it and which lie sore upon it at this day by means of the reigning of this notion or Doctrine amongst us that men ought not to use but lay aside their Reason in matters of Religion lieth so intolerably sad and heavy upon my Spirit that I could not relieve my self to any competent degree with saying less then what hath been said to relieve the World by hewing in sunder such a snare of death cast upon it Most assuredly all the ataxies disorders confusions seditions Insurrections all the Errors blasphemous Opinions apostasies from the truth and ways of Holiness all trouble of mind and sad workings of conscience in me all unrighteousness and injustice all bribery and oppression all unmanlike self-seeking and prevaricating with publick Interests and Trusts all covetousness and deceit and whatsoever can be named in this World obstructive destructive to the present comfort peace to the future blessedness and glory of the sons and daughters of men proceed and spring from this one root of bitterness and of death they neglect to advance and engage home their Reasons Judgment 's Vnderstandings in matters of Religion to imploy and improve them according to their proper interests and capacities in these most important affairs O Reader my mouth is open unto thee my heart is enlarged Now for a recompence in the same I speak unto thee as a dear Brother in Christ be thou also enlarged Say unto the World round about thee Awake thou that sleepest and arise from the dead and Christ shall give thee light Doubtless the World would soon find it self in another manner of posture then now it is and see the whole hemisphere of it filled with the glorious light of the knowledge of God in the face of Jesus Christ if the inhabitants thereof every man from his quarters would be perswaded to rise up in the might of those abilities those heavenly endowments of reason judgment understanding wherewith God by Jesus Christ hath re-invested them to seek after him by enquiring diligently into by weighing narrowly all those things as works of creation works of providence inscriptions upon the Soul and especially the Sacred Word of extraordinary revelation wherein and whereby God hath drawn neer unto men and as it were prepared postured and fitted himself on purpose to be found and known and this as well in the excellency of his Grace as of his glory by all those who upon these terms seek after him The time was when the Spirit was not given because Christ was not glorified a John 7. 39. in Heaven the time now is wherein the Spirit is not given unto the World according to the preparations of the royall bounty and magnificence of Heaven because he is not glorified on Earth by the worthy imployment of the means abilities opportunities vouchsafed unto men The Word of God makes it one argument of the wickedness and sensual ways of men that they have not the Spirit b Iude ver 18. 19. yea the Apostle Paul by charging the Ephesians to be filled with the Spirit c Eph. 5. 18 clearly supposeth it to be a sinful strain of a voluntary unworthinesse in men if they have not a very rich and plentiful anoynting of the Spirit He that lives up to those principles of light which God hath vested in him is under the Beatifical influence of that most rich Promise of Christ to him that hath shall be given and he shal have abundantly d Mat. 25. 29 By him that hath in this promise is meant as clearly appears from the tenor of the parable immediately preceding such a person who useth imployeth improveth that which he hath hereby declaring that he hath what he hath Nor is that which he is here said to have any thing of a spirituall or supernatural import This likewise is evident from the said parable For here one of the three who all had received talents one or more all which talents must needs by the course of the parable â—e supposed to be of one and the same kind nor is the least intimation of any difference especially of any specifical difference between them is said to be an evil and slothful servant notwithstanding his talent and because of his slothfulness to have been cast into utter darkness These are no characters especially in the Judgment of those with whom we are to conflict in the ensuing Discourse of persons that had received any thing saving or supernatural But by that which is here promised to be given and that in abundance to him that hath must of necessity be meant somewhat that is of a spiritual and saving nature This also is evident from the carriage of the same Parable where the servants who had received the Talents and imployed them faithfully by whom are typified our Saviours 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 those that have as was lately said are graciously invited by their Master into his joy Enter thou into thy Masters joy So to the other Enter thou into thy Masters joy Now if either God or Christ be signified and meant by the Master of these servants as I suppose no man questions but that either the one or the other are typified hereby by entering into their joy cannot be meant a receiving of a greater measure of natural gifts or endowments nor of receiving any reward which belongs to persons qualified only with such Endowments as these but Salvation or Eternal Blessedness and Glory If so it roundly follows that by what Christ promiseth shall be given to him that hath in the sence declared is meant somewhat of a saving consequence as regenerating Grace the sanctifying Spirit of God Faith and the like And promising not only or simply that to him that hath shall be given but further that he shall have abundantly he clearly signifieth that in case men will provoke stir up and lay out themselves accordingly in the improvement of such abilities and gifts which shall from time to time be vouchsafed unto them they may by vertue of the bounty and gracious Decree of God in that behalf attain and receive from God what proportion or measure of the Spirit of Grace and of God they can desire Therefore they that teach men to be meerly passive in matters of Religion and forbid them the use of their Reasons
which now suffer the ignominy and reproach of Arminianism Socinianism Pelagianism c. shall be found to be the Truths of the ever-living God sorrow and shame and confusion of face will be a portion at least of the portion of thâ—se who have crowned them with the honor of such Martyrdom The day will declare it because it shall be revealed as by fire Some pretend that all disputes in matters of Religion wherein the received Doctrines or Tenents generally held in those places where such disputes are commenced are opposed tend to the unsetling and disquieting the minds and consciences of men and minister occasion unto many to abandon all care and thoughts of Religion as containing little in it but matter of uncertainty and doubtfulness of disputation and upon this account very passable as they suppose are professed enemies to such Disputes But to this we briefly answer 1. That it is much better that mens judgments and consciences should be for a time disturbed then that they should always remain setled upon the lees and dregs of any rotten and unsound opinion We lately shewed how perilous Error is to the precious Souls of men God never dealt more graciously by the Earth then when he shook the Heavens by sending the Messiah of the World to turn the state of Religion as it were upside down in the midst of it David acknowledged unto God that it was good for him that he had been afflicted that so he might learn his statutes a Psal 119. 71 And so many I beleeve have and happy were it had more the like cause to say it It is good for us that we were sometimes shaken in our judgments and consciences that we might learn the Truth 2. They who are offended that there should be arguings and disputes to and fro about the things of God and matters of Religion seem to be either discontented that the things and counsels of God should be so spirituall or remote from the common or first apprehensions of men that all men should not at once understand them or else loath that they who are in the gall of any bitterness by being intangled with error should be delivered We read that Paul frequented the Synagogue for the space of three months together disputing and perswading the things concerning the Kingdom of God b Acts 19 8 And afterwards that for two years together he disputed dayly about matters of the same nature and import in the house of one Tyrannus c Ver. 9. 10 3. and lastly Had it not been for disputes in matters of Religion the pillars of Antichrists Throne had not been shaken to this day Vpon occasion of those frequent disputes in Germany aâ—out matters of Religion in Luthers days a Magistrate and Judg of the Popish party said If it comes to matter of dispute our whole mystery will be confounded d Si Disputetur totum nostrum mysterium destruetur Sculpet Annal. Decad. 2. p. 384 And as Wisdom saith All they that hate me love death e Prov. 8. 36 So may sober and through examinations and discussions of the mysteries of our faith say All they that hate us love darkness love error love danger yea and death also As for the allegation of those who pretend all controversies and disputes about matters of Religion to be malignant to the Civil Peace and therefore judg it an high point of State-policy to discharge their Coasts of them as the Gadarens did of Christ it is not worthy an answer in as much as it savours more of Atheism and profaneness then of reason or Christian policy For it is an express Order from Heaven directed unto all Christians to contend and that earnestly for the faith which was once delivered to the Saints f Jude v. 3 Now to restrain the members or subjects of a State from doing that which God upon whom the peace safety and prosperity of all States so entirely depend hath so expresly enjoyned them to do is without all peradventure to consult not the joy or peace but the sorrow trouble ruine of this State Other pretences of a lighter and looser notion it is like there are by which some are made such affectionate and effeminate Proselytes to the opinions rejected in this Treatise that they cannot bear the gentlest or softest ayr that breathes cool upon them But I am already beyond the line of an Epistle and therefore shall not pursue the chasâ— of such enemies any further I crave leave only to add a few words concerning the change of my judgment in the great controversie about the death of Christ with the rest depending hereon by way of answer unto those who labour to represent my present judgment in the said points as little valuable or considerable because it sometimes stood a contrary way Though I know nothing in the allegation subservient in the least degree to the end and purpose therein mentioned but â—ather much against it yet let me say 1. That however sin and an evil conversation are just matter of shame and disparagement unto a man yet Repentance and amendment of life are truly honourable Nor do I know why it should be of any more disparaging an interpretation against any man to reform his Judgment then his life neither of which can be done without a change in either Nor 2. can I resent any such conformity with my never-sufficiently-admired adored Saviour which consists in an increase of wisdom for herein he is reported to have increased in the days of his flesh g Luke 2. 52 any matter of prejudice or disparagement either to my self or any other man Though he indeed was never prevented with error yet was He post enriched with the Truth in many things A man can hardly if possibly grow in Grace and in the knowledge of Jesus Christ our Lord h 2 Pet. 3. 18 without out growing himself in judgment and understanding from time to time without rectifying and making streight many things in his mind and thoughts which were crooked before 3. That chosen vessel Paul never quitted himself like a man never consulted peace and glory to himself untill he built up that Faith which sometimes he had destroyed Nor was his Authority or esteem in the Gospel and in the things of Jesus Christ ever a whit the lighter upon the ballance because he had sometimes been a Pharisee 4. I desire to ask the men that make the change of my judgment a spot of weakness or vileness in it whether themselves were always in the same mind touching all things with themselves at present If so it plainly argues that their thoughts and apprehensions now they are men are but such which are incident unto children And if since their coming to riper yeers they have always stood and are resolved always to stand by their first thoughts and apprehensions in all things it is a sign that their judgments reside more in their wills then their wills in their judgments and
rather importeth he implyeth not only that all our vitall actions and motions are exercised and performed by the gracious concurrence and compliance of God with us as well as our lives themselves and Principles of action preserved but further that there is a further and appropriate concurrence of God required and by him accordingly exhibited to enable men to act those very Principles of action and motion that are in them distinct from that by which their lives and Principles of action in every kind are preserved Insomuch that though men be never so well appointed or provided for action in one kind or other in respect of suitable proper and sufficiently-disposed Principles thereunto yet upon a suspension of that particular influence or concurrence by God which is appropriate and necessary both for the leading forth unto and for the supporting of these Principles in and under their proper actions there is none of them will go forth into action nor is able to maintain or support it selfe in acting But whether such a concurrence of God supposed and actually granted as is sufficient both for the leading forth unto and for the support of the Principles we speak of in their proper actings these Principles notwithstanding at least such of them whose actions lie under the command of the will may not refuse or forbear to act is another Question wherein more may be said hereafter In the mean time that God may at any time separate between Principles §. 7. and their actings even those that are most proper and connaturall to them only by with-holding that compliance of his with them which is appropriate and necessary for their conducting unto action is evident from severall passages in the Scriptures Doubtlesse the heat of the fire in Nebuchadnezzars furnace being het seven times hotter then ordinary was as proper as likely a means to have consumed Shadrach Meshach and Abednego being cast into the midst of this furnace as those who were imployed by the King only to cast them into it Nor can it reasonably be said That God separated the heat or burning property from the fire or annihilated it all the time that these three men were in the furnace For 1. unlesse we shall suppose the subject it self I mean the fire to have been destroyed or annihilated we cannot suppose that heat or a burning property being â— property inseparable from such a subject should be taken from it 2. It appears by the story that those who cast the three Servants of God mentioned into the furnace were consumed by the fire of it whilst the Servants of God remained in the furnace Therefore certainly there was true fire and true heat in the furnace whilest the three men continued in it 3. And lastly The story saith That the Princes Governors and Captains c. being gathered together saw these men upon whose bodies the fire had no power * Dan. 3. 27. So that there is not the least question but that there was reall fire and reall heat and that in abundance in the furnace which notwithstanding had no power no not so much as over the hair of their heads or the garments they wore What now was the Reason why this fire and this heat prevailed not over those that were cast into the midst of them as they did over those who cast them in Was it any other then this The Lord of hoasts his withdrawing the wonted conjunction of himselfe from the heat of the fire and refusing to comply with it in that expedition or attempt which it naturally inclined to make upon these men as well as upon any others to destroy them whereas he kept his naturall and accustomed union with this heat in that attempt which it made upon those other men who cast these into the furnace by means whereof it suddenly prevail'd upon them and consumed them There was the same Reason why the Bush which Moses saw burning with fire was not consumed by it The Reason likewise in all likelihood why the men of Sodom could not find the door of Lots house was because God withdrew his usuall concurrence from their visive faculty in order to the discerning of that object For that other things were all this while visible enough to them appears from their continued endevours even unto weariness in seeking this door If they had bin wholy blind so that they could have seen nothing at all it is no ways credible but that they would have desisted their enterprize at the very first This withdrawing or suspension of the wonted Presence of God with the Seeing faculty of men is called the holding of their eyes Luk. Luke 24 16. 24. 16. But their eyes were holden that they could not know him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they were mightily or powerfully held they could not act or perform that which otherwise was most naturall and proper for them to do in receiving and representing to the Sensus Communis or adjudging faculty of the Soul the true species and shape of a Person standing visibly before them and neer to them through the want of that accustomed co-operative Presence of God with them in order to this act which untill now it is like had never failed them upon the like occasion Other instances we have in Scripture of such like impotencies and deficiences as these in naturall faculties through the suspension of that soveraign presence with them upon which all their motions and actions depend See Ioh. 20. 14 15. 2 Kings 6. 17 18 c. When God threatned his People of old That the wisdome of their wise men §. 8. Esa 29. 14 should perish and the understanding of their prudent men he hid Isai 29. 14. he doth not I suppose threaten an utter annihilation of those Principles or habits of wisdome and understanding in these men but only an intercision or failing of such interposals and actings from and by these Principles in order to the safety and preservatioâ—â—oth of themselves and their state which might reasonably and accordinâ— to the common course of second Causes be expected from them which wonder as he calls it was I conceive to be effected only by the hiding of his face from them without the beholding whereof no second Cause whatsoever is able to move no not in those ways of acting which are most appropriate to them This manner of execution of the judgment here threatened seems to be implyed in those latter words And the understanding of their prudent men shall be hid i. e. shall not be conspicuous or discernable in any fruits or effects worthy of it not that the Principle it self should be absolutely destroyed or devested of Being This Liberty or great Interest of God which we speak of I mean to suspend the proper and most accustomed effects of second Causes by refusing to joyn in action with them causeth that time and chance as the wise man calleth them which happen now and then in those occurrences of humane affairs as
we are not to conceive that upon the multiplication or new production of Entities or Beings the acts of God are multiplied for or in their production but that whatsoever is produced by him or receives being from him as all things that have being do when or at what time soever they receive this being they receive it by vertue of that one creative act of his by which at once in the beginning as the Scripture phrase is he gave being to all things Past Present and yet to Come Nor are we to conceive that when Moses reporteth the History of the Creation thus And God said let there be light a Gen. 1. 3. and afterwards viz. after a dayes space that he said Let there be a Firmament b Gen. 1. 6. and again after the same distance of time Let the waters under the Heaven he gathered together into one place c Gen. 1. 9. c. that he spake these things at three severall distinct times or that he waited the just space of a day between speech and speech but that Moses his intent in this description or relation was to declare by what successive spaces or distances of time that one Creative Word of God which he spake at once took place and gave being to the severall and respective parts of the Universe So that for example when by way of Preface to the second dayes worke he writeth thus And God said let there be a Firmament c. His meaning only was to signifie what that one creative Word of God once and at once spoken did produce or give being unto towards the compleating of the Universe the second day after the Creation was begun not that God rested or kept silence for a dayes space and then fell to work again This truth I mean that all temporary and successive effects in the World §. 16. whether produced by the intervening and concourse of second Causes or without are produced by the impression and vigour of that one great act of God we speak of and not by any new act exercised or exerted by him in order to their severall and particular Productions is frequently insinuated in the Scriptures themselves yea and is demonstrable by ground of reason and nothing but what hath been the judgement of severall learned men and of Augustine by name The context of Moses Gen. 2. 4. tenoureth thus These are the generations of the Heavens and of the Earth when they were created IN THE DAY that the Lord made the Earth and the Heavens and every plant of the field BEFORE IT WAS IN THE EARTH and every herb of the Field BEFORE IT GREVV Here he plainly affirmeth that God created the Earth and the Heavens in the same day and every Plant of the Field BEFORE it was in the Earth c. Cleerly implying that though the Earth and the Heavens received their respective beings on two severall dayes successively yet that which God acted or did towards their Productions was done by him in one and the same day i. e. at once and again that although no Plant of the Field was actually produced before it was in the Earth for no Plant was made out of the Earth and afterwards by God put into it yet that on Gods part and in respect of what he contributed towards their actuall Production they were produced before viz. by that one Creative act we spake of Consonant to this deduction from as also to the exposition lately given unto the context of Moses is this passage of Augustine When thou hearest that all things were then made when the day was made conceive if thou beest able that six or seven fold repetition which is made or to be made without any intervalls of delayes or spaces of time or if thou beest not able so to conceive of it leave it for those to conceive who are able and go thou forward with the Scripture which forsaketh not thy infirmity but walketh a Mothers pace slowly with thee and which so speaketh that with her height shee laughs at the proud with her depth shee amazeth the considerate with her Truth shee feeds the strong or well-grown and with her affability nourisheth little ones a Et cum audis tunc facta omnia cum factus est dies illam senariam vel septenariam repetitionem sine intervallis moraâ—um spaciorumque temporalium factam si possis apprehendas si autem non possis haec relinquas conspicienda valentibus tu autem cum Scriptura non deserente infirmitatem tuam materno incessu tecum tardius ambulante proficias quae sic loquitur ut altitudine superbos irrideat profunditate attentos terreat veritate magnos pascat affabilitate parvos nutriat Aug. de Gen. ad lit l. 5. c. 3. The same Author elsewhere For God saith he made all time with all corporall Creatures together or at once which visible Creatures are signified by the Name of Heaven and Earth b Fecit enim Deus omne tempus simul cum omnibus creaturis corporalibus quae creaturae visibiles nomine coeli terrae significantur Aug. lib. 1. de Gen. contra Manich. c 3. Quod futurum est jam factum est Idem Soliq cap. 26. This to have been his positive and cleer judgement many other passages in his writings give plenary and pregnant testimony and more particularly his 105th Tractate upon John and his Books upon Genesis But to returne to the Scriptures Those words Psal 115. 3. He God hath done whatsoever he pleased in the best sence and interpretation of them and that which is closest to the letter are thus to be understood viz. that whatsoever God willeth or hath willed should at any time come to passe he hath already done viz. all that he meaneth or which is any wayes necessary for him to do towards the effecting of it In this sence also that of the Apostle Rom. 8. 30. with many other places of Scripture of like Phrase and consideration is to be understood Moreover whom he hath predestinated them also hath he called and whom he hath called them hath he also justified and whom he hath justified them hath he also glorified God is said to have already called justified glorified all those whom he did foreknow ver 29. i. e. preapprove viz. as lovers of God Vers 28. and so predestinated to be conformed to the Image of his Sonne because he hath already done whatsoever is requisite for him to doe for the procurement and effecting of them in due time By the way lest the Table of this Doctrine should prove a snare of error §. 17. or mistake unto any foure things are diligently to be minded First that that one great Act of God by which he gave Being in time unto the World and unto all things that either have been or ever shall be produced or done in it was not exercised or acted by him in time but from or in eternity The reason hereof is
not needlessely trouble either himself his Reader or me with producing the Authors lately either named or referenced or any others as asserting the contrary to what I have argued and proved from them in other places For I can more willingly grant then question that they have many inconsistences in other parts of their Writings with those things which I have quoted from them So that for any man to quote them in oppositum is to gain nothing to their cause but what is already granted to their hand only it may prove the easing of the Truth from the burthensomnesse of their Authority in other Points in as much as the speaking of contradictions is a plaine confession of our ignorance or doubtfulnesse at least of the Truth We have now done with those foure Cautions so necessary as was said §. 21. for the keeping our apprehensions and understandings upright under the reception of this great Truth absolutely necessary to be believed for the vindicating and cleering the perfect actuality and immutability of God viz. that how or after what manner soever God acteth or is interessed in the successive and new Productions of Actions or Beings in the World that which he doth in this kinde he doth it not by any new Influx Operation or Exertion of himself but by that one great Creative Act wherein he gave out himself from eternity This Opinion because it may seeme strange unto many yea and nothing lesse then a truth though we have already sufficiently I trust established it upon the foundations of the Scriptures we will further shew to have been cleerly held and asserted by very judicious and considering men and secondly add a Reason or two for the proofe of it For the first no man I presume will deny that great light of the Church §. 22. and Agent for Christ in his Dayes Austin by name to have been a judicious considering and learned man How full of the Opinion now asserted he was his Writings in many passages declare I shall insist only upon some few So then saith he day was made in what day God made Heaven and Earth and every greene thing of the Field before they were upon the Earth Before seven dayes were reckoned here one day is spoken of in which day God made Heaven and Earth and every greene thing of the Field and every Herb by the name of which day all time may well be conceived to be signified For God made all time with all Creatures that should be in time together or at once a Factus ergo est dies quo die fecit Deus coelum terram omne viride agri antequam essent super terram omne pabulum agri Superius septem dies numerabantur nunc unus dicitur dies quo die fecit Deus coelum terram omne viride agri omne pabulum cujus dici nomine omne tempus significari bene intelligitur Fecit enim Deus omne tempus simul cum omnibus creaturis temporalibus c. Aug. De Gen. contra Manich. l. 2. c. 3. c. If God made all time and all things that were to be in time together he must needs make all things by one and the same Act. Elsewhere the same Author demands And how or after what manner did God say Let there be light in time or in the eternity of his Word If in time it must be mutably or with the change of himself and if so he must speake it by the Creature because he himself is unchangeable Not long after he inquires further about the same Point thus Or whether doth not this belong to the nature of that Word of his of which it is said In the begining was the Word and the Word was with God and the Word was God For when it is said of him All things were made by him it is evident enough that the Light also was made by him when God said let there be Light which if so that which God said Let there be Light is eternall or from eternity because the Word of God God with God the only Sonne of God is co-eternall with the Father although God speaking in or by his eternall Word the Creature was made in Time b Et quomodo dixlt Deus Fiat lux utrum temporaliter an in verbi aeternitate Et si temporaliter utique mutabiliter c. Aug. de Gen. ad lit l. 1. c. 2. Et paulo post Et utrum hoc ipsum ad naturam pertineat verbi ejus de quo dicitur In principio erat verbum verbum erat apud Deum Deus erat verbum Cum enim de illo dicitur Omnia per ipsum facta sunt satis ostenditur lux per ipsum facta cùm dixit Deus fiat lux Quod si ita est aeternum est quod dixit Deus fiat lux quia verbum Dei Deus apud Deū filius unicus Dei Patri co-aeternus est quanvis Deo hoc in aeterno verbo dicente creatura temporalis factae est Cum enim verba sint temporis cum dicimus quando aliquando aeternum tamen est in verbo Dei quando fieri debeat aliquid tunc fit quando fieri debuisse in illo verbo est in quo non est quando aliquando quoniam illud totum verbum aeternum est From this peece of discourse these three things are evident 1. That the Authors judgement was that God did not give being unto things by any multiplied or distinct acts or workings but by one and the same most simple word the efficacy and force whereof extendeth it self to the production of all particular Creatures or Beings when and at what time or times the Speaker pleaseth 2. That this Word was not spoken by him in time but in or from eternity 3. And lastly that notwithstanding the Word was spoken from eternity yet the Effects or Productions of it receive their respective Beings in time The same Author in the progresse of the same Tractate relating as it seemes to the last-recited words demandeth thus upon occasion of Moses his reducing the works of Creation to one Day Gen. 2. 4. whereas in the former Chapter he had digested them into six Is not this that which we endevoured to shew in a former booke that God MADE ALL THINGS TOGETHER or at once a An fortè hoc illud est quod in libro superiore moliebamur ostendere simul Deum fecisse omnia quandoquidem narrationis illa contextio cū sex dierum ordine cuncta creata consummata memorâsset nunc ad unum diem omnia rediguntur c. Idem de Gen. ad lit l. 5. c. 3. And presently after glancing by the way at those words as the Latin translation readeth them Ecclesiasticus 18. 1. He that liveth for ever hath created all things together he plainely affirmeth that the reason of this expression Gen. 2. 4. In the day that the Lord Created
goodnesse of God as a Creator towards his Creatures The Lord saith David is good to all and his tender mercies are over all his works * Psal 145 9. erga omnia opera ejus as Piscator i. e. are extended and shewen unto all his Creatures But had he intended from eternity to abandon the far greatest part of the best of his works Men to the vengeance of eternall Fire could his tender mercies in any tolerable sence be said to be over these Especially can those men justifie David in such a saying as this who conceive and teach that whatsoever God doth in a providentiall way for such Men so abandoned as in causing his Sun to rise or his Raine to fall upon them in filling their hearts with food and gladnesse in giving them Health Wealth Liberty Peace c. he doth all with an intent to harden them and so to bring that heavy destruction upon them with the more severity and terror in the end whereunto they were predestinated and appointed from the beginning Will Men call Health Peace Liberty Meats Drinks c. given with an intent to become snares unto Men and to bring inevitable damnation upon them the tender Mercies of God The holy Man Job being conscious to himself of no signall departure from God by unrighteousnesse in any kinde looked upon that dispensation of God in so severely afflicting him as very strange and that only upon this account that he was his Creator Thy hands have made me and fashioned me together round about meaning that he was the sole Author of Being unto him yet thou dost destroy me Remember I beseech thee that thou hast MADE me as the Clay and wilt thou bring me into the dust againe a Job 10. 8. 9. If Job thought it strange that God being the Author of Life and Being unto him should without any grand offence or provocation given him handle him with so much severity as he conceived in the outer Man how incredible would the Doctrine of those Men have been unto him who teach that God from eternity hath irreversibly consigned over to the mercilesse torments of Hell fire millions of millions of Men who never offended or provoked him in the least The same Author doth elsewhere also notably assert the universall Love Care and Respects of God as a Creator towards men alledging the consideration of these as a grand ingagement upon him to deale justly and equally with his Servants If I did despise the cause of my man servant or of my maid servant when they contended with me what then shall I doe when God riseth up and when he visiteth what shall I answer him Did not he that made me in the womb make him and did not one fashion us in the womb b Job 31. 13 14 15. Cleerly intimating a tender care and regard in God towards Men even the poorest and least considerable of them After the same manner Elihu also advanceth the poore into equall respects with Princes before God viz. because they as well as these are the works of his hands How much lesse to him who accepteth not the persons of Princes nor regardeth the rich more then the poore FOR THEY ARE ALL THE WORK OF HIS HANDS a Job 34. 19. cleerly implying that that relation wherein every Man standeth towards God as his Creature is a pledge of security unto him that God tenderly Loveth and Respecteth him excepting only the case before excepted From the Scriptures lately produced unto which double their number confederate in the same Truth with them might be added it manifestly appeares that such an hatred or rejection of the Creature by God from eternity as is commonly taught and received amongst us is broadly and wholly inconsistent with that Love Tendernesse and Respect which the Relation of a Creator to a Creature every where imports and consequently is not to be looked upon as any Prerogative worthy of him CHAP. V. Foure severall Veynes or Correspondencies of Scriptures Propounded holding forth the Death of CHRIST for all Men without exception of any The first of these Argued THe Premises considered me thinks it is one of the strangest and most §. 1. importune sayings that to my remembrance I ever met with from the Pen of a learned and considerate Man which I finde in the Writings of a late Opposer of Universall Attonement I know saith he no Article of the M. S. R. Gospell which this new and wicked Religion of Universall attonement doth not contradict That which he calls a new and wicked Religion the Doctrine of Universall Attonement I shall God assisting and granting life and health for the finishing of this Present Discourse evince both from the maine and cleer current of the Scriptures themselves as likewise by many impregnable undeniable Demonstrations and Grounds of Reason to be a most ancient and Divine truth yea to be none other but the Heart and Soul the Spirit and Life the strength and substance and brief sum of the glorious Gospell it self Yea I shall make it appeare from ancient Records of best credit and from the confessions of moderne Divines themselves of best account adversaries in the point that Universall Attonement by Christ was a Doctrine generally taught and held in the Churches of Christ for three hundred yeares together next after the Apostles And if I conceived it worth the undertaking or were minded to turne the streame of my Discourse that way I question not but I could make it as cleer as the Sun shining in his might that there is no Article of the Gospell as this Mans dialect is I mean no great or weighty point of the Christian Faith can stand with a rationall consistency unlesse the Doctrine of Universall Attonement be admitted for a Truth Yea upon a diligent and strict iniquiry it will be found that if any Man holds such a limited Râ—demption as is commonly taught and believed amongst us and yet withall â—â—â—es holily and like a Christian he acts in full contradiction to such a Principle and happily denies that in practice which erroneously he holds in judgement God in such cases as these makes Grapes to grow on Thornes and Figgs on Thistles nor doth there want any thing but Sence and Visibility of the disproportion between the cause and the effect to make the lives and wayes of such persons miraculous Neither doth any thing nor all things that I could ever yet meet with either from the Tongues or Pens of the greatest Patrons of particular Redemption deliver me from under much admiration that consciencious and learned Men professing subjection of judgement to the Scriptures should either deny universall or assert particular Redemption considering that the Scriptures in particularity plainnesse and expresness of words phrase do more then ten times over deliver the former whereas the latter is no where asserted by them but only stands upon certaine venturous consequences and deductions which the weake judgements of Men so much
more of them Therefore universality of Redemption by Christ is the most unquestionable Doctrine of the Apostle in this Scripture The next specified in the said Catalogue or Inventory was Because we thus §. 2. judge that if one died for ALL then were ALL dead and that he died for ALL that they who live should not henceforth live unto themselves but unto him who died for them and rose againe a 2 Cor. 5. 14. 15. We see the Apostles judgement here is very cleer that Christ died for ALL he once cleerly supposeth it if one died for ALL. i. e. since one died for ALL the Particle if being racionantis not dubitantis as in twenty places besides meaning Christ and once plainly asserteth it and that he died for ALL i. e. We also judge that he died for ALL. That which is commonly given in by way of answer to this and other Scriptures both of the former and latter import by those who looke another way in the controversie in hand is not much considerable But that which it is is this they pretend that both the word World and such terms of universality as these All All Men every Man c. are in many places of Scripture used and accordingly are to be taken and understood in a restrained signification as sometimes for many or greater numbers of Men sometimes for some of all sorts sometimes for Jewes and Gentiles or the like From whence they would infer that therefore such Terms and Expressions as these are in the Scripture in hand and in the others formerly cited for our purpose to be taken in some of these limited significations and not in the rigor or extent of what they properly signifie as viz. for an absolute and unlimited universality of men For to this we answer 1. By way of Concession most true it is that these Notes or Terms of universality All All Men every Man c. are in many places of Scripture necessarily to be taken in some such limited and restrained signification as is affirmed But then 2. I answer further by way of exception foure things First that neither §. 3. the terms we speak of nor any other words or expressions in Scripture are in any other case or upon any other pretence whatsoever to be taken out of their proper and best known significations but only when the tenor of the Context or some circumstance of the place doth necessitate and inforce such a construction of them Now evident it is by what hath been formerly argued upon the Scriptures alledged that there is no necessity at all in respect of any the respective Contexts nor of any circumstance in any of them to understand the said terms of Universality any otherwise then in their most proper i. e. in their most extensive and comprehensive significations 2. That which is more then this we have evidently proved that the very tenor of the severall Contexts wherein the aforesaid places are found doth absolutely enforce and necessitate us unto such a proper and comprehensive signification of the said terms of universality as hath been contended for so that there can be no Reasonable Regular or Grammaticall sence or construction made of those Places unlesse such a sence of these terms be admitted 3. To reason thus these or these Words or Terms are to be taken in §. 4. this or in that sence in such and such places of Scripture Therefore they must or they may be taken in the same sence in such and such other places of Scripture is to reason our selves into a thousand errors and absurdities As for example evident it is that in that Scripture Joh. 18. 16. where it is said that Peter stood at the doore by the word doore is meant a doore of wood or some such materiall But would it not be ridiculously erroneous to infer from hence that therefore it is to be taken or may be taken in the same sence Joh. 10. 9. where Christ saith I am the Doore So again when Paul saith that Christ sent him to the Gentiles to open their eyes Acts 26. 18. evident it is that by the word eyes he means their inward eyes their Minds Judgements and Understandings but from hence to conclude that therefore when David saith that the Idols which Men make have eyes Psal 116. 5. the word eyes is to be understood or may be understood here also in the same sence is to conclude that which common sence it self abhorreth So that the weaknesse of all such arguings or pleadings as this the words All All Men every Man are in these and these places of Scripture to be taken in a limited sence for some of All sorts of Men for Jewes and Gentiles or the like therefore they are to be taken in the same sence in all others where they are found is notorious and most unworthy considering men Though whilest a man is a Prisoner he cannot goe whither he desires but must be content with the narrow bounds of his Prison it doth not follow from hence that therefore when he is discharged and set at liberty he must needs continue in his Prison still especially when his necessary occasions call him to another place whither also he hath a desire otherwise to goe * See more upon this account in the preceding Chapter Sect. 35. 36. and likewise Sect. 19 of this We have as concerning the former Scripture evidently proved that the §. 5. terms ALL Men must of necessity be taken in their most proper free and unlimited significations and shall God assisting demonstrate the same in those yet remaining Let us at present because the place in hand is pregnant and full to our purpose evince above all contradiction that the word ALL or ALL Men in it cannot with the honour of St. Pauls intellectualls be understood otherwise Because we thus judge saith he that if one died for ALL then were ALL dead and that he died for ALL that they who live c. Observe that clause of distribution that they who live we judge that Christ died for ALL that they who live i. e. That all they without exception who recover and are or shall be delivered from this death by Christ for them should not live c. So then if by the word ALL or ALL Men for whom the Apostle here judgeth or concludeth that Christ died we shall understand the universality of the Elect only for ALL Men i. e. for All the Elect and for these only we shall grievously misfigure the faire face of a worthy sentence and render it incongruous and inconsistent with all Rules and Principles of Discourse For then the tenor of it must rise and run thus we judge that Christ died for all the Elect that all the Elect who shall live and be recovered from death by Christ should not live c. Doth not the eare of every mans reason yea of common sence it self taste an uncouthnesse and unsavourinesse of sound in such a
meant the Elect or the intire number of the Elect or of those for whom Christ Died in Mr. Rutherfords sence but precisely and particularly His Apostles of whom alone He speaks and for whom alone and apart from the rest of the Elect He Prayeth all along the Chapter untill Verse 20. where He enlargeth His Prayer thus Neither pray I for these alone but for them also which shall believe in Me through their word For this passage it is as cleer as the Sun at noone day that from the beginning of the Chapter untill now He â—ad managed His Prayer and Heavenly Conference with the Father with particular reference to His Apostles and had not mentioned any thing about the residue of the Elect. That He speaks of the Apostles only Verse 2. under those words as many as thou hast given Me is most apparant from Verse 6. I have manifested thy Name unto the Men which thou gavest Me out of the World thine they were and thou gavest them Me and they HAVE KEPT thy Word First Christ had not yet manifested His Fathers Name to all the Elect no not to all the Elect at this time in being in the World 2. Neither could He say to His Father concerning all the Elect that they had kept His Word many of them having not as yet received it Again to passe by severall things by the way making out the same truth Verse 12. Thus whilest I was with them in the World meaning those of whom He had spoken â—â—om the beginning of the Chapter I kept them in thy Name i. e. I preserved them from the exorbitances of the World by the knowledge of thy Name which still I have been communicating unto them those that thou gavest Me I have kept and none of them is lost but the Sonne of perdition c. Evident it is that this Sonne of Perdition was one of that number of Men which the Father had given Him out of the World and which He had kept intirely without the miscarriage of any one this Son of Perdition only excepted I presume that neither Mr. Rutherford nor any of his judgement will say that this Son of perdition was one of the number of the Elect but certaine it is that he was one of that number of men which the Father had given unto Christ out of the World The words are too too expresse to beare a deniall of this those that thou gavest Me I have kept and none OF THEM is lost but the Son of perdition c. Therefore by as many as the Father had given unto Him with an intent that He should give eternall life unto them Verse 2. are meant the Apostles and these only These may be said to have been given unto Christ by the Father not because they were the Fathers by Election from eternity for doubtlesse the Son of perdition as â—ath been said was none of His in such a Relation nor simply because they were by any peremptory designation appointed and set out by him from amongst other men to make Apostles for His Son as if Christ had been necessitated to take these and had no liberty or right of power to have taken any others into that Relation for how could then Christ say unto them that he had chosen them viz. to the office and dignity of Apostles Joh. 6. 70. Joh. 13. 18. Joh. 15. 16. 19. but because God the Father by a worke appropriable unto him of which I conceive we shall have occasion to speak more at large hereafter had qualified fitted and prepared them for Christs Hand and Nurture and so to make Apostles of in time in respect of which Worke of God the Father in and upon them Christ out of that wisdom wherein â—e excelled and that knowledg which he had of the severall frames and tempers of the Hearts of men made a prudent and deliberate choyce of them from amongst other men for that service Thine they were and thou gavest them unto Me. They are said to have been the Fathers i. e. as it were the Fathers Disciples or persons taught by the Father Joh. 6. 45. and so after a sort appropriable unto the Father as those that believe and are taught of Christ are said to be Christs or to belong to Christ before they became Christs Apostles or were chosen by Him upon this account and are said to have been given unto Him out of the World by the Father because they were peculiarly qualified and at it were characterized and marked out by the Father as fit matter to be formed into Apostles by His Son The word give is frequently found in such a signification as this in the Scriptures and to import the preparing furnishing or fitting whether of things or persons for such and such ends and purposes in reference to the accommodations of Men. In this sence Christ is said to have given some Apostles and some Prophets and some Evangelists and some Pasâ—ors and Teachers for the perfecting of the Saints for the Worke of the Ministry c. i. e. to have every wayes prepared qualified indowed fitted furnished persons for all these Offices and Services in His Church for the benefit of the Saints c. Thus Acts 13. 20. He gave them Judges c. i. e. He qualified and furnished men amongst them from time to time with publique spirits and with gifts fit for government c. So Neh. 9. 27. thou GAVEST them Saviours i. e. thou furnishedst Men with Hearts and Courage and Wisdom c. to save them See Eph. 1. 22. HE GAVE Him to be head over all things to His Church i. e. He furnished Him with Sovereignty of Power Wisdom Majesty and with all manner of indowments otherwise requisite for such an Head Thus Psal 44. 11. Thou hast GIVEN us like sheepe for meat c. i. e. by withdrawing thy presence help and protection from us thou hast prepared and sitted us to become a prey and spoyle to our enemies In this sence also God saith to Jeremy taht he had GIVEN him for so it is in the originall a Prophet unto the Nations i. e. that he had furnished him and meant to furnish him yet further with propheticall gifts and indowments for the benefit of Nations if they would hearken to Him Jer. 1. 5. So Psal 21. 6. Thou hast given him to be blessings so it is in the originall and is your marginall translation i. e. thou hast so furnished qualified and disposed of him meaning Christ that whosoever will apply themselves unto Him may be made happy and blessed by Him See Ezek. 3. 8 9. Esa 43. 16. in the originall with other like Our Saviour Himself useth the word in the sence now instanced from the Scriptures when He expresseth Himself thus All that the Father giveth Me shall or rather will come unto Me c. Joh. 6. 37. Of which place more in due time Nor ought it to seeme any hard uncouth or unpleasant expression unto §. 10. us wherein that
for whom Christ Died or no and consequently the Apostle may upon a good account admonish them to take heed of destroying such I Answer it can at no hand be supposed that the Persons here admonished should be ignorant whether the Men about whose destruction they are so deeply cautioned by the Apostle be of the number of those for whom Christ Died because the Apostle himself so plainely and positively asserteth it for whom saith he Christ Died. Besides the maine strength and stresse of the argument or motive by which he inforceth the dehortation standeth in this that those Persons whosoever they be whose Salvation they shall endanger by eating things sacrificed to Idolls are of those for whom Christ Died. Now to presse an exhortation or dehortation upon the consciences of Men by such a motive wherein these Men shall be supposed ignorant whether there be any Truth or no is to fight with a wooden Sword especially when it shall be yet further supposed that such Men are under an absolute incapacity of ever knowing whether there be any Truth or no in this motive which must needs be the case here if we shall suppose there be any number of Men for whom Christ Died not For unpossible it is and so generally confest to be for one man certainly to know the Truth of Grace or Faith in another and much more to know the certainty of his Preseverance unto the end and consequently according to the Principles of Anti-universalisme for any Man to know whether Christ Died for any Man in Particular and by Name but Himself Therefore most certaine it is that there is a possibility for those to perish and be destroyed for whom Christ Died or notwithstanding Christs Dying for them And if so then Christs dying for Men doth not suppose a necessity of their Salvation and if so then Christ Died as well for those who may not be saved and shall not be saved as for those who may and shall and consequently for all Men for they who may and shall be saved and they who may not neither shall be saved together comprehend all Men whatsoever The Exposition of the Scripture in hand as importing the Death of Christ §. 5. for those who yet may be destroyed and perish is so pregnant with evidence and truth that it hath subdued the judgements of all Expositors I meet with unto it And Christ verily saith Chrysostome upon the place refused not neither to be made a servant nor to die for him and wilt not thou so much as neglect thy belly to save him For although Christ was not like to win or gain all Men yet did He die for all Men so fulfilling that which appertained to Him a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in order to the procuring of their Salvation Our late Protestant Expositors follow in the same path Another consideration saith Calvin wherein the offence of the Brethren renders the use of things in themselves good vicious or faulty is that in wounding a weake conscience the price of the Blood of Christ is dissipated or dissolved for even the most contemptible Brother or member of a Christian society is Redeemed by the Blood of Christ therefore a very unworthy thing it is that he should be destroyed for the satisfaction of any Mans belly b Altera ratio est quòd dum vulneratur infirma conscientia dissipatur pretium sanguinis Christi nam contemptissimus frater Christi sanguine est Redemptus indignum est ergo ut perdatur quo ventri satisfiat I trust that from henceforth no Man that shall reade these passages from his Pen will say but that Calvin cleerly held a possibility of the destruction of such Men for whom Christ Died and consequently that Christ Died for more then shall be saved and if so for all as we formerly argued He saith Peter Martyr meaning Christ hath REDEEMED Him wilt §. 6. thou DESTROY him speaking of the Apostles weake Brother He hath shed his Life Soule and Blood for thy Brother canst not thou for his sake abstaine from a poore peece of Meat Therefore the clear sence of this Orthodox man is that the Redeemed of Christ may perish and be destroyed If the Salvation of our Brethren saith M. Bucer on the place be to be procured by us by the laying down of our lifes and nothing be to be respected in comparison thereof how impious and accursed a thing is it that any Man should destroy a Brother for Meate He had said immediately before If we follow Christ He for the rescuing or saving our Brethren suffered Death therefore we also ought to lay down our lives for the Salvation of the Brethren and to abhor the destroying of a Brother more then Death a Jam si salus fratrum etiam nobis morte nostrâ paranda est nec quicquam illi non post habendum quà m impium execrandum sit si quis perdat fratrem cibo c. Si Christum sequimur ille pro adserendis fratribus nostris oppetiit mortem nobis igitur pro salute fratrum ponenda anima est morteque magis aversandum fratrem perdere Therefore he also plainly supposeth that even such a Brother may be destroyed and that for meate for whom Christ Died. Musculus speakes by the same spirit with the former To this grieving of the Brethren the Apostle aptly subjoynes the destruction of those who are offended at the unadvised liberty of those that are strong For the minde being thus grieved as being weak easily falls to this point viz. to begin by little and little being shaken through a sinister suspicion to fall away from Christianity and FROM TRVE FAITH b Commodè subiicit huic contristationi perditionem eorum qui temerariâ fortium libertate offenduntur Animus enim ad hunc modum contristatus tanquam infirmus facile eò labitur ut incipiat sensim per sinistram suspicionem labe factatus deficere a Christianismo à vera fide In which words the Author cleerly avoucheth the opinion of those not only who hold that those may be destroyed for whom Christ Died but theirs also whose judgement stands for a possibility of falling away and that to destruction from true Faith But as to the former point he speaks more significantly a little after the former words It is all one as if the Apostle should say Christ would have him saved and sought it by his Death but thou doest not only despise thy Brother but opposest Christ also and makes void or of none effect through thy rashness and that for the sake of Meate that DEATH of His which He under went FOR HIS SAKE and by which thou thy self also art saved c Idem est hoc ac si dicat Christus voluit hunc salvum idque suâ morte quaesivit tu verò non solum fratrem contemnis sed Christo repugnas mortem ipsius quam illius gratiâ subijt quâ
Divine Revelation before me will better and with lesse descant upon the words admit the latter beliefe then the former which is the case in the Scripture in hand is very contrary to the Rule of Charity which restraineth me from doing my Neighbour any prejudice or harme as well in his spirituall as outward estate yea and much more in the former then in the latter 3. If I stand bound to believe with the judgement of Faith that it is unpossible §. 15. for any man to perish for whom Christ Died what will such a consideration as this whether believed according to the one judgement or the other viz. that Christ Died for such or such a man advantage me by way of preserving me from such a practise which is apt to destroy him For if it be a truth that Christ did die for him I need not according to the supposition mentioned be at all tender about doing any thing or forbearing any thing out of any apprehension of danger lest by the one or the other I should occasion his destruction If it be a truth that Christ did not die for him upon what account should the Apostle suggest unto me that he did die for him or that it may be that he did die for him by way of argument to deter me from doing that which may tend to his destruction Suppose one part of the men in the World were impenetrable and invulnerable the other part as now they are exposed unto the danger of death upon wounds received were it a congruous motive or gound of perswasion whereby to caution me from wounding or smiting such or such a man with a Sword Dagger or the like to inform me that this man is or may be invulnerable or that I ought to presume or judge this man to be invulnerable Would not such an argument as this rather strengthen my hand to a smiting of him then any wayes occasion me to forbeare They cleerly make the Holy Ghost Himself to reason at no better rate of understanding then this in the Scripture in hand who make it only a matter of Charity to believe that Christ Died for a weake Brother and that in case he did die for him he is upon this account undestroyable 4. And lastly most evident it is that the scope of the Apostle in that §. 16. 1 Cor. 8. and there is the same consideration of Rom. 14. is to deterre Christians from an unseasonable and undue use of their liberty and knowledge and this by an argument or motive drawn not so much from what is unseemely uncomely or dangerous in respect of themselves but from the consideration of what danger or damage may very possibly accrue thereby unto others The whole tenor and carriage of both Contexts Proclaime this aloud so that there needs no more proof of it then only the perusall of the Chapters themselves Now the danger or dammage which a Christian by such an abuse of his liberty as is here expressed may very possibly create or occasion to another the Apostle affirmes to be the destroying of his Brother for whom Christ Died i. e. the depriving of him of that great Salvation and blessednesse which Christ by His Death purchased for him Now if this strong Christian stands bound to believe according to the judgement of Charity that this Person is a true Brother and one for whom Christ Died he stands bound to believe according to the same judgement at least if not according to the judgement of Faith it self that he may perish through the abuse of his liberty Otherwise the Apostles argument for the disswading of him from such an abuse cannot be supposed to take any place in him nor worke at all upon him in order to such an end For no consideration or saying whatsoever unlesse believed with one kinde of Faith or other can have any influence or operation upon men either to perswade them to or from any practise If then the strong Christian stands bound to believe be it only according to the judgement of Charity that the weak Professor is a Brother indeed and one for whom Christ Died he stands bound also to believe according to the one judgement or the other that he may perish through his Unchristian misdemeanor in the use of his liberty If so then he and consequently every other Christian stands bound in Conscience to believe that such a man may perish for whom he stands bound in Conscience likewise to believe that Christ Died. For a belief according to the judgement of Charity where it is required is matter of duty and of Conscience as well as a belief according to the judgement of Faith in cases appropriate hereunto Neither is it true according to the Principles of that opinion which we now implead that a Christian stands bound in Conscience to believe no not according to the judgement of Charity that all that Professe the Faith of Christ are true Brethren or Persons for whom Christ Died. For the Patrons of this opinion generally hold 1. That many who make such a Profession are Hypocrites and not true Brethren 2. That many of this number will perish at last in their Hypocrisie and Unbelief And thus far they hold nothing but truth But 3. and lastly they hold yet further which they should doe better to let goe that Christ Died for none of those Professors who perish in the end These things they hold and believe not with a beliefe according to the judgement of Charity but dogmatically and according to the judgement or certainty of Faith Now certaine it is that no man stands bound in Conscience to believe that according to the judgement of Charity which is contrary to what he believeth or what he truly judgeth Himself bound in Conscience to believe according to the judgement of Faith because no Law or Rule of Charity bindeth me to believe with any kinde of belief whatsoever that God is a Lyar or Untrue in his Word which is the Foundation and Rule of what I stand bound to believe according to the judgement of Faith Such men therefore who believe according to the judgement of Faith that all Professors of Christianity shall not at last be saved cannot with the safety of their own Principles say they stand bound in Conscience to believe with the belief of Charity that Christ Died for them all because in their Notion and according to their grounds these two Propositions are inconsistent in Truth viz. that Christ should die for all and yet some perish But thus it still happeneth to those who are ingaged in the defence of an error I meane to intangle themselves and to non-sensifie such Passages of Scripture which manifestly oppose their error by such evasions such unnaturall and forc'd Interpretations which for the keeping alive of such a Tenet which were better dead they are necessitated unto Nor will it availe them here to reply that they doe not judge themselves §. 17. bound in Conscience to
I meane with the Blood of Christ nor that this their tasting of the Word of Life was the formall or precise consideration under which Christ bought them though the Particle as frequently imports this consideration As well the one as the other of these sences are the abhorrings of common sence it selfe and besides they are at enmity with the Principles of the Author relating to the businesse in hand Nor am I conscious of any thing at all intended in the Clause unlesse haply this may be it viz. that in as much as they tasted of the Word of Life it is an argument that they were bought with Christs Blood i. e. that they were Partakers in the Fruit and Benefit of Christs Death or that the intentions of God in the Death of Christ extended thus far or in this consideration unto them But can it enter into any reasonable Mans thoughts to imagine that if this had been all which the Holy Ghost intended to say viz. That God intended by the vertue or meanes of Christs Death to cause these Men to taste of the Word of Life especially with exclusion of all intentions in Him to save them that He would have expressed it by saying that Christ bought them Suppose a Man should buy or procure such a quantity of Meat and Drink for a poor captive as were sufficient to nourish him well and with good satisfaction two or three dayes but should intend no such thing as to purchase his Liberty or Redemption from captivity will any Man call this a buying or Redeeming of the Person of this Man It is a very strange thing to observe with what importune bold and broad fac'd absurdities error sometimes though in company and conjunction with modesty and sobernesse of judgement will attempt an escape out of an exigency or straite But further to the Point in hand evident it is as hath been already observed that the Apostle in these words who bought them intends an emphaticall aggravation of the sin of such Teachers who should deny their Lord. Now if there were nothing more intended in the said words but only this that their Lord procured this for them that they should taste of the Word of Life but intended nothing further or better then this to them this would be so far from aggravating the sin mentioned that it would rather ease and qualifie it For if there was nothing purchased for them by the Lord Christ but only this tasting of the Word of Life unpossible it was for them to have obtained any thing more weake and sinfull Man being in no capacity of obtaining more good in any kinde then what a way hath been opened for him in and by the Death of Christ to compasse Now for a Man to taste only of the Word of Life and to be in no capacity of making any further progresse in the way of Salvation nay to be in no capacity of doing that by which he might be actually saved no whit bettereth or sweeteneth any Mans condition but makes it much worse and much more grievous then otherwise it would have been Better it had been saith our Apostle afterwards in the same Chapter for them not to have known the way of righteousnesse i. e. to taste of the Word of Life then after they have known it to turne from the holy Commandement delivered unto them which yet they must of necessity doe if they were in no capacity under no possibility of going forward or of being saved Now for a servant to deny or disclaime his Lord in case he never intended to make his condition any whit better but in many respects worse is a far lesser and lighter sin if any at all then it would be to deny Him upon a supposition that he had never done any thing at all in relation to Him neither good nor bad Therefore this Author is inextricably intangled with his exposition of the place in hand and makes no earnings of it at all He gives no tolerable account how those Teachers who brought swift destruction upon themselves should be bought by Christ inchoately only and in a sort and not simply and absolutely after the same manner and upon the same termes that all other Men yea the Elect themselves are bought by Him Our English Annotators taking no notice of the former Exposition of the §. 33. place as being it seemes to them inconsiderable give us in stead thereof our choyce of two others but both of them calculated likewise to serve the turne not the truth The Lord that bought them i. e. say they that gave a price sufficient for them Or by whom they professed that they were Redeemed and therefore they should not have denied Him But for the former we have once again razed to the ground the polluted Sanctuary of that Distinction which asserteth Christs Dying sufficiently for Men and yet denieth His Dying intentionally for them a Cap 5. Sect. 39 40. c. Again Cap. 7. Sect. 5. Besides here to interpret that Christ Died sufficiently for the persons spoken of without supposing that He died intentionally also for them is cleerly to overthrow the Apostles intention in the words and to turne his aggravation of the sin he speaks of rather into an extenuation then otherwise For he that shall pay that for the ease and benefit only of another which was sufficient to have pleasured and eased me also as well as him and yet shall neglect me in such a payment and leave me in misery when as he might without the least trouble or charge to himself above what he underwent upon another account have relieved me hath no cause to expect service or thanks from me for such a payment but I am the more excuseable if I neglect him or refuse to own him as a friend because he neglected me in my greatest extremity and that when he had such a faire opportunity of a miserable to have made me an happy Man and might have done it without the least inconvenience to himself more then what he voluntarily put himself upon for the sake of others to whom he was no whit more beholding or ingaged then unto me It is a palpably-importune and sencelesse conceit to think that men are engaged in any bands of thankfulnesse or service unto Christ for dying sufficiently for them unlesse He died intentionally also The latter Exposition of the last named Author◠〈◊〉 that the Lord Chris◠§. 34. is said to have bought these false Teachers beca 〈…〉 they professed themselves to have been bought by him But 1. why doe they â—ot put such a glosse as this upon other places where there is every whit as much reason to do it as here As when Paul saith For God hath not appointed us unto wrath but to obtaine Salvation a 1 Thess 5 9 c. why do they not interpret here For God hath not appointed us c. i. e. WE PROFESSE that God hath not appointed us c. So when the
same Apostle saith that God hath purchased the Church with his own blood b Acts 20. 28 why do they not gloss here God hath purchased the Church with c. i. e. the Church PROFESSETH her self thus purchased c. Partiality in Interpretation of Scripture is every whit as bad and Unchristian as in civill Judicatures Secondly the great sin by which these false Teachers are said to bring §. 35. swift damnation upon themselves is said to be their denying the Lord that bought them If then they denied this Lord that bought them how can these Expositors say that they professed themselves bought by Him If it be replied they might formerly professe themselves bought by Him though afterwards they denied Him and the Apostle may charge them with sin in their present deniall of him upon the account of their former profession I answer that if formerly they professed themselves bought by him but were not indeed so bought and afterwards coming to understand or apprehend the truth viz. that they were not so bought they are not at all to be blamed for denying themselves to have been bought by him or for denying that he bought them To deny that to be so which is not so especially when a Man verily believes and apprehends it not to be is no Mans sin Or if it be further pleaded in favour of the said glosse that these false Teachers might at the same time when they professed themselves bought by Chris◠deny him viz. in a consequentiall way as either by teaching such hereticall Doctrines which overthrew his God-head Man-hood c. or else by an impious conversation I answer 1. That if they professed themselves bought by him they could not lightly teach or hold forth any Doctrine wherein they should deny either his God-head Man-hood Satisfaction or any other thing relating to him without which he could not in a rationall way have made such a purchase of them Or 2. If they did teach any such Doctrine it must be supposed that they did it unwittingly and because they apprehended nothing in it of any inconsistency with their profession of being bought by Christ For it is not to be thought that Men will willingly and knowingly teach contradictions or teach any opinion which they apprehend contradictory to what they daily professe to believe Now for a Man unwittingly and contrary to his intention and desire to teach such a Doctrine which consequently involves or leads unto an opinion that is dangerous and damnable is nothing but what is incident to the best and most approved Teachers as I could readily demonstrate by many instances and therefore not like to be a sin of such high provocation as to bring swift damnation upon them But 3. and lastly that the Apostle doth not speake of any such deniall of the Lord Christ by these false Teachers which is by workes or by wickednesse of life and conversation but of Doctrine is evident enough by the expresse tenor and carriage of the words themselves But there were false Prophets also among the People even as there shall be false Teachers among you who privily shall bring in damnable Heresies even denying c. which cleerly sheweth that the deniall of the Lord here charged upon false Teachers stood not in works but in words in false Hereticall and damnable Teachings Therefore they are not they cannot be here said to have been bought by Christ because they professed themselves to have been redeemed by him Some to evade that mortall stroke which the Scripture in hand reacheth §. 36. to that opinion which denieth a possibility of perishing in those who are truly bought and Redeemed by Christ not being satisfied with any of the former come-offs have devised this The Lord say they is said to have bought these false Teachers not because he really indeed and in truth bought them but because in the opinion and judgement of Men he had bought them they were looked upon as persons Redeemed and bought by Him And to credit this Interpretation they alledge severall Texts where things or persons are said to be so or so such or such not because they were really that which they are said to be but only because they were this in appearance or according to the common estimate of Men. As Mat. 9. 13. Joh. 9. 39. Mat. 13. 12. com 〈…〉 ed with Luk. 8. 18. But this colour is as faint as any of the former and as easily washed off And 1. It is very questionable whether in any of these places either things or persons receive any denomination meerly from appearance or opinion of Men. Many things might be argued and that with much probability in oppositum But concerning the first of the places most certaine it is that there is no such notion to be found there For that by the righteous whom Christ saith that he came not to call to Repentance should be meant righteous only in shew or in the opinion of Men whether themselves or others and not righteous truly and properly so called contradicts the manifest and declared intentions of Christs comming into the World which are frequently avouched and found to be the calling of sinners of all sorts kinds and degrees unto Repentance and therefore of Hypocrites also as well as others and of persons conceited in the highest of their own Righteousnesse See Mat. 3. 7 8. c. 1 Tim. 1. 12 13 14 15. compared with Philip. 3. 6 7 c. to omit many other places of like import Besides the occasion and tendency of our Saviours Words are of pregnant eviction that by righteous he meanes persons truly such and not in conceit or opinion only He was charged as with matter of undue deportment in eating with Publicans and Sinners For his justification he pleads that the whole have no need of a Physician but the sick meaning that as the calling of the Physician is no wayes necessary in respect of those that are strong healthfull and sound but only of the sick so neither had His comming into the World been of any such necessity as now it was but for sinners and that had Men been righteous and spiritually sound there had been no need of His comming unto them And therefore as a Physician is not to be blamed for conversing with the sick in as much as the nature and end of his calling requires his presence with them and not with those that are sound so neither was he to be blamed for being in the company of sinners seeing the great end and intent of his calling to the Office of a Saviour was not to save or to be helpfull unto such as were righteous who upon such an account stood in no need of him but to administer comfort and help unto sinners who without help from him must needs perish Now certaine it is that the righteous whom Christ compares unto the whole who in that respect need no Physician are not men righteous in shew or in opinion only for these
29. For the meaning hereof is not that what God once gives he never takes away we know there are instances in the Scripture without number to the contrary He tooke away that integrity and rectitude of nature from Adam upon his fall which he had given him in his Creation So in the Parable he commands the Talent to be taken away from the unprofitable servant b Mat. 25. 28 which before he had given him yea and threatens universally that from every one that hath not viz. by way of improvement or increase shall be taken away even Vers 29. that which he hath viz. by way of stock or originall donation So that the gifts and calling of God are not in this Sence without Repentance Therefore 2. When the Apostle affirmes the gifts and calling of God to be without §. 57. Repentance his meaning may be 1. That he never gives any thing to any Person or People whatsoever but that he knows and considers before-hand all the inconveniences and dis-accommodations that will follow upon it either in Reference to his own glory or to his Creature one or other in any kinde In so much that what ever be the event or consequence of any of his gifts if they were to give again he would give them Nor doth that expression concerning him and it repented the Lord that He Had made Man upon Earth and that it grieved Him at His Heart c Gen. 6 6. any way imply but that if Man had been now to make he would have made him or that when he did make him he did not fore-see the inconvenience which now followed upon his making of him The Phrase only imports a purpose of heart in God shortly to destroy him from off the face of the Earth for his wickednesse as he saith immediately after that he would do For which kinde of expression when attributed unto God we have accounted at large in the third Chapter of this Discourse 2. The gifts and calling of God are or may be said to be without Repentance §. 58. because let Men continue the same Persons I meane Geometrically or Proportionably the same which they were when the donation or collation of any gift was first made by God unto them he never changeth or altereth his dispensation towards them unlesse it be for the better or in order to their further good in which case he cannot be said to repent of what he had given But in case Men shall change and alter from what they were when God first dealt graciously and bountifully by them especially if they shall notoriously degenerate or cast away that principle or through negligence or otherwise devest and despoile themselves of that very qualification on which God as it were graffed his benefit or guift vouchsafed to them in this case though he recalls and takes away his guift he cannot be said to repent of the giving it because the terms upon which he gave it please him still only the persons to whom he gave it and who pleased him when he gave it unto them have now rendered themselves by their unworthinesse displeasing unto him and uncapable by the Lawes and Rule of his righteous dispensations of any further injoyment thereof This is the case between God and such Men who having once obtained remission of sins from him by such a Faith which wrought or was apt and ready to work by love afterwards upon the losse or degeneration of this Faith together with the operativenesse of contrary and vile principles are devested by him of that great and glorious priviledge and fall back into their former estate of condemnation Therefore from those quarters of the Parable in Matthew which we have §. 59. lately surveyed perfect intelligence comes that persons who have by meanes of a sound Faith received remission of sins upon the account of Christs Death may through negligence in not preserving this Faith or the sweetnesse and soundnesse of it so far provoke their glorious Benefactor as to cause him to repeale that His Act of Grace towards them and to suffer their former guilt to returne like the uncleane spirit with seven worse then himself upon them From whence it undeniably followes that Christ hath purchased Remission of sins by His Death for those who notwithstanding may through their own folly and wickednesse perish Chrysostome interprets the place in full consonancy with this inference or supposition Although saith he the graces and guifts of God are without Repentance yet malice or wickednesse prevailed so far as to dissolve this Law What then is there of more grievous consequence then to remember injuries which appeares to be a subverter or destroyer of such and so great a gift of God a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Amongst our later Expositors Musculus as Orthodox as Men can make a Man advanceth the same interpretation making it his third observation upon the place that those sinnes which are through the Grace of God pardoned at present shall not be remitted in the future unlesse we will forgive our Brother For it is an unjust thing saith he that he should enjoy the free remitment or forgivenesse of a debt of ten thousand Talents who refuseth to forgive his Brother a debt of an hundred pence b Tertia observatio est etiam eadelicta quae jam condonata sunt per gratiam Dei non fore remissa si nos nolimus remittere fratri Est enim injustum gaudere de re missis sibi Talentis mille qui nolit centum denarios fratri remittere Mr. John Ball himself nibbleth also at this exposition even whilest for the sake of those that sit at table with Him he opposeth it As in the Parable saith he the Lord is said to remit to his servant a thousand Talents when he desired him viz. inchoately or upon condition which was not confirmed because he did not forgive his fâ—llow servant so the false Prophets are bought by the Blood of Christ viz. in a sort as they believed in Christ but not sincerely and unfeignedly c Covenant of Grace p 240. A little after to these Men their sinnes were remitted in a sort in this World c. If he would have brought forth his darknesse of inchoately upon condition in a sort into a cleare and perfect light his meaning must have been that that Remission of sins which God gives unto Men in this World he neither confirmes unto them in the houre of Death nor in the Day of judgement the Authors own words a little after the former in case they live and die under an implacablenesse or unmercifulnesse of spirit towards those who injure them Such a sence as this is truly Orthodox whether Men vote it such or no. Our English Annotators though they neither buy nor sell this interpretation in expressnesse of terms yet interpretatively they buy or confirme it This Parable say they upon Verse 35. informes us that they shall finde God severe and
making away themselves or destroying their own lives though there be no absolute Decree of God to secure them in this behalf the Naturall desire of self-preservation which God hath planted in them easily over ruling by the Power and Strength of it all motions â—or dispositions towards self-destroying which are wont to arise from such occasions in like manner the strength of that inclination or desire which is or ought to be and very possibly as hath been Proved might be in the Saints to save their Soules and consequently to preserve themselves from apostasie is sufficient without any such Decree in God as was mentioned to secure them both from all danger and from all feare of apostatizing to destruction notwithstanding all weaknesses or infirmities that they are subject unto The truth is that the infirmities and weaknesses of the Saints as such are so far from being any necessary or just ground of fear unto them that they shall fall away that the sence and acknowledgement of them are most cleer pregnant and effectuall Antidotes and Preservatives against falling away For he that is inwardly and truly sensible of his own weaknesse and inability to stand will especially being a Saint or Believer most certainly depend upon him for strength who is both able and willing to supply and furnish him upon such terms 3. And lastly upon the former accompt and for a close of this Chapter §. 36. I answer that if the Doctrine of falling away be so uncomfortable unto the Saints as the objection pretends the truth is as we have in the Premisses of this Chapter made it to appear they are not much relieved at this Point by the Received Doctrine of Perseverance For this Doctrine as hath been shewed scarce suffereth any man to believe upon any Rationall competent or sufficient grounds that he is a true Saint or Believer yea and doth little lesse then tempt him to such things which are exceeding apt and likely to fill him with feares and questionings touching the truth of his Faith And what great comfort can it then be unto him to hear or believe that true Believers cannot fall away or perish whereas the other Doctrine leaveth them a good latitude of competent ground whereon to judge themselves true Saints and true Believers nor doth it deprive them of sufficient ground on which to secure themselves both against the danger and against all feare of the danger of Apostatizing or falling away to Perdition This Doctrine therefore of the two is questionless of the more benevolous aspect and influence upon the Peace and Comforts of the Saints CHAP. X. A Continuation of the former Digression wherein the Texts of Scripture commonly alledged to prove the impossibility of Saints declining unto Death are taken into consideration and discharged from that Service BEing occasioned and after a sort necessitated for the securing of §. 1. some passages of interpretation Cap. 8. being of main concernment to the Principall cause undertaken in this Discourse to ingage home in the Question about Preseverance I should according to ordinary Method and that hitherto observed in the traverse of the maine Doctrine first have argued my Sence and Judgement in the Question 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 assertively and then 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. by answering such Objections whether from Scripture or otherwise which are wont to be levied by Men of contrary judgement in opposition thereunto But finding by experience that weaker men through too much fulnesse and aboundance in their own sence in matters of Controversie and this chiefly by meanes of some Texts of Scripture running still and working in their heads which in sound of words and surface of Letter seeme to stand by them in their Sence and Notion are under a very great disadvantage either for minding or understanding such things which are spoken unto them for their information in the Truth I thought it best for their relief in this case to invert that Method in the present Dispute and first to endeavour to take from them those weapons whether of Scripture or argument wherein they trust and afterwards present them with such other Scriptures and grounds which are Able Pregnant and Proper to build them up and establish them in the Truth We shall not tie our selves to any Rule or Prescript of Order in bringing §. 2. those Scriptures upon the theatre of our Discourse which men of differing judgement in the cause in hand are wont to plead in defence thereof themselves as far as I have observed observing none but shall produce them one by one as God shall please to bring them to mind unlesse haply two or more of them by reason of affinity or likenesse in Phrase or import may commodiously enough be handled together Most of the places compelled to serve in this warfare I finde scituate in the New Testament The first that commeth to hand is that of our Saviour unto Peter and upon this Rock will I build my Church and the gates of Hell shall not prevaile against it a Mat. 16. 18 From hence it is argued that those that are once built by Faith upon the Rock Christ or upon the truth of the Gospell are not in danger or in a possibility of being prevailed against viz. to destruction by all the Powers of darkness whatsoever I answer 1. That this promissory assertion of Christ the Gates of Hell shall not prevaile §. 3. c. doth not necessarily respect every individuall and single Person who de praesenti is a Member of his Church so as to secure him of his Salvation against all possible sins or wayes of sinning whereunto he may or can be drawn by Satan but may well be understood of the Church in generall i. e. considered as a body of men separate and distinguished from the world Now the Church in this sence may be said to stand and be secured against all the Power and Attempts of the Devill though not only some but even all the Particular Saints of which this body consists at present should be prevailed against by Satan to destruction Because the ratio formalis or essence of the Church in this sence doth not consist in the Persons of those who do at present believe and so are members of it for then it would follow that in case these should die or when they shall die Christ should have no Church at all upon the Earth in as much as nothing can be without the essence of it but in the successive Generation of those who in their respective times believe whether they be fewer or whether they be more whether they be such and such Persons or whether others As suppose there be not now one drop of that Water in the chanell of the River of Thames as it is like there is not which was in it seven years since yet is it one and the same River which it was then and so put the case there be not one Person now alive in any
suspensions and interruptions Therefore there is nothing in the last Objection against that exposition of the Scripture in hand which hath been asserted both the feet upon which it stands being weak and lame There is yet another Objection colourable I suppose in some Mens §. 47. eyes against the said interpretation The substance of it this If the links of that chaine of Divine acts described in this passage of Scripture may be severed or broken by the miscarriages or unworthinesse of the Saints in any kinde then had the Apostle no sufficient reason to build the Saints so high upon it in Confidence Exultations and Triumphs as He doth in the Verses immediately following What shall we say to these things If God be on our side who can be against us And the reason is because the Saints are children of many infirmities and of much unworthinesse apt to sin against God every moment Therefore if their Peace and Salvation depend upon their own regular and worthy walkings with God they are in a condition of no good security to be saved and what ground then have they to rejoyce and triumph at any such rate as the Apostle seemes here to invite and incourage them unto To this I answer that the Heart of this Objection was broken in the last preceding Chapter where we shewed upon severall considerations and grounds that the Saints have cause in abundance to rejoyce yea and to triumph under the hope and expectation of Salvation notwithstanding any possibility they are subject unto of declining or perishing The Reader I presume will be satisfied in this Point upon a serious perusall of what is there Written from Section 21. to the end of the Chapter I here add 1. That the friends and favourers themselves of the common interpretation §. 48. of the place in hand and which contradicteth the exposition given generally grant and teach that the Saints themselves cannot have any Peace or Comfort in their Faith or assurance of Salvation whilest they walk prophanely loosely or unfaithfully with God So that these Men themselves doe suspend the Peace and Comfort and much more the Joy and Triumph of the Faith of the Saints upon their Christian behaviour and Regular walkings with God Therefore judging the Exposition given upon such an account as this they condemne themselves and their owne Doctrines 2. The assureance of the continuance of Gods Love to them and of His care over them whilest they in any measure walke worthy of it is a Regular and due foundation unto the Saints of every whit as great a confidence Exultation and Triumph as the Apostle in the words mentioned intitles them unto Yea 3. The very particular and expresse ground upon which He buildeth up Himself and the Saints with Him in such a Triumphant Confidence as we heard is this the sence or assureance of Gods Love towards them meaning whilest they walk with Him as becommeth Saints because being out of this posture they can neither have sence nor assureance of His Love as our adversaries themselves acknowledge and teach as we lately heard not any assureance of the continuance of His Love to them how profane wicked or abominable soever they can or shall be What shall we say then to these things if God BE with us who can be against us Therefore 4. And lastly such a supposition or Doctrine as this that they that are at present justified may possibly sin themselves out of the Grace of Justification and so never come to be glorified is upon due consideration no bridle at all to check the holy and humble confidence or boastings of the Saints in God or in the Lord Jesus Christ they may in the face and presence of such a Doctrine though acknowledged and admitted for truth lift up themselves upon the wings of a blessed security unto Heaven and rejoyce that joy which is unspeakeable and glorious But of these things we spake liberally in the last Chapter Some may yet possibly imagine that they discover a ground of confutation §. 49. of all that hath been said upon the Context of Scripture yet in hand Verse 29. in those words That he might be the first-borne amongst many Brethren For from hence they may reason thus If this be Gods End or Designe in Predestinating those whom he knew before or pre-approved to be conformed to the Image of His Son in glory that He might be the first borne amongst many Brethren i. e. might have the honour of bringing many into part and fellowship with Himself in His own blessednesse and glory then must all they who are thus Predestinated of necessity attaine or come to injoy such a conformity with Him otherwise God shall be frustrated in His Designe and Jesus Christ be defeated and disappointed of that excellent honour which His Father projected for Him For if one or some thus predestinated may miscarry and never come to enjoy an actuall conformity unto Him in His glory why may not others of them miscarry likewise and consequently all and so the Great Counsell or Project of God for the honor of His Son Iesus Christ be laid in the dust To this I answer 1. Suppose that Iesus Christ should have no Brethren conformable unto Him in glory yet would it not follow from hence that the Counsell or Designe of God to make Him the first borne among many Brethren should be made void or miscarry For the Counsell or Designe of God in this behalf stood Mainely and Principally in this viz. in casting this honour upon Iesus Christ that He should be a Person every wayes fitted and accomplished should act and doe or be ready and willing to act and do every such thing whereby many of his Brethren i. e. of the children of Men if they were not most shamefully and grossely neglective of themselves and their own greatest concernments might come to partake with him in His great Blessednesse and glory And in case Men should prove thus neglective of themselves and so as voluntarily to deprive themselves of that great Salvation which Iesus Christ out of His great Love and with the sore travell of his Soul hath prepared and made ready for them yea and invited and called yea and pressed upon them to accept at his hand yet the honour and glory of a signall Benefactor and great Saviour shall remaine intire unto Him nor is there the least colour or pretence why He should suffer the least disparagement or prejudice in the thoughts either of Men or Angells because of the wilfull folly and madnesse of Men to forsake their own mercies and destroy themselves Himself owned and built upon this consideration when He spake thus by the mouth of one of His greatest Prophets Though Israel be not gathered yet shall I be glorious in the eyes of the Lord and my God shall be my strength a Esa 49 5. In the former Verse He speaks thus in his Representor Then I said I have laboured in vaine I
unto true Beleevers but unto the body and generality of that People or Nation which we mentioned The particulars are these For the mountains shall depart and the hills be removed but my kindness shall not depart from thee neither shall the Covenant of my peace be removed saith the Lord that hath mercy on thee a Isai 54. 10 So again As for me this is my Covenant with them saith the Lord My Spirit that is upon thee and my words which I have put in thy mouth shall not depart out of thy mouth nor out of the mouth of thy seed nor out of the mouth of thy seeds seed saith the Lord from henceforth and for ever b Isai 59. 21 And again And I will betroth thee unto me for ever yea I will betroth thee unto me in righteousness and in judgment and in loving kindness and in mercy I will even betroth thee unto me in faithfulness c Hos 2. 20 21 c. For the first of these Places evident it is that there is nothing asserted §. 3. or promised by God therein but onely his faithfulness in his Promises and the sure and certain performance of his Covenant But that the tenor or substance of this Covenant should be that they who once truly beleeve should be by him infallibly and by a strong hand against all interposals of sin wickedness backsliding rebellion whatsoever preserved i◠such a Faith is not so much as by any word syllable iota or tittle here intimated Yea that it is contrary to the nature of a Covenant to impose Articles and Conditions upon one Party onely and to leave the other free was lately shewed a Cap. 10. Sect. 54. And particularly that God required terms of those with whom he made or was about to make the Covenant here spoken of is evident from Vers 3. of the following Chapter Incline your ear and come unto me hear and your Soul shall live and I will make an everlasting Covenant with you even the sure mercies of David The plain meaning whereof clearly is that upon condition of their obedience and faithfulness unto him he would engage himself to be a God and glorious Benefactor unto them for ever and that the breach should never be on his side Concerning the second Place As for me this is my Covenant with them c. §. 4. 1. It may as well be conceived to hold forth a charge or injunction of obedience unto the People as a Promise from God of any thing And Mr Calvin himself upon the Place acknowledgeth that some translate the words in the Imperative Mood Let not my words depart and granteth withall that the Future tense will bear an Imperative construction According to this sence the meaning of those words this is my Covenant with them is this That Covenant of Perpetual Grace and Mercy which I make with them requireth this of them in order to the performance of it on my Part that they quench not my Spirit which I shall put into them nor forsake my Word that I shall teach them Or 2. If we look upon the Passage as Promissory there is little reason to judg it as promising the gift or Grace of Perseverance unto true Beleevers whatever their deportment shall be For as for Conditional Promises unto Beleevers of Perseverance in Faith unto the end as viz. upon their Christian and good behavior diligence c. I question not but that the Scripture abounds with them And that the Promise contained in this Verse if there be any such thing in it be it a Promise of Perseverance in Faith or of whatever besides is none other I mean then Conditional cannot reasonably be gain-say'd or the contrary proved Nay 3. Those words in the beginning of the Verse As for me which Junius translates De me autem i. e. but as much as concerns me seem to import the Promise ensuing to be Conditional and that God is ready willing and resolved for his Part to deal worthily and bountifully with them even according to all that which followeth always provided that they the other Party keep Covenant with him and do what he requires of them But 4. Be it granted that the words in debate are Promissive and that whether §. 5. with Condition or without Condition yet nothing can be more clear then this that they are or were directed and spoken not as was said concerning the former Passage to Saints or true Beleevers onely but to the whole Posterity of Jacob or Nation of the Jews The Apostle Paul questionless understood them thus directed and meant as appears Rom. 11. 26. where he applies the Promise contained in the words immediately preceding with a little expository variation of them after the New-Testament manner to this whole Nation And so saith he all Israel shall be saved as it is written there shall come out of Zion a Deliverer and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob. For this is my Covenant unto them when I shall take away their sins Meaning that when the time cometh that upon the Repentance of this Nation he shall pardon that great and grievous Apostacy and Rebellion under the guilt whereof they have layn for many generations he will give Salvation unto them all i. e. freedom from all their present miseries and calamities by the Hand of a great Redeemer or Deliverer who shall come out of Sion i. e. whose descent shall be of themselves or who shall come out of Sion i. e. out of Heaven typified by Mount Sion and which may be called Sion mystical and he shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob Ungodliness i. e. in that dialect so frequent in Scripture wherein sin is put for the punishment of sin as Righteousness also for the reward of Righteousness the punishment of that signal Ungodliness from the house of Jacob the Jews for which they have suffered the Heavy Displeasure of God so long Or thus He shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob i. e. partly by means of that wonderful Deliverance which he shall bring unto them partly by other gracious Administrations of his towards and amongst them he shall preserve them or turn them away for to turn away ungodliness from Jacob is I suppose by an Hypallage put for turning away Jacob from ungodliness from the Ungodliness of that unthankfulness and backsliding whereunto they and their Forefathers have been so extreamly subject from the beginning Now then the Verse and words immediately preceding being Promissory and that to the whole Nation it is no ways like but that the Verse and words following being Promissory also and every ways as appropriable and appliable to the whole Nation as they should be every whit as comprehensive or extensive in respect of their object as they Nor are there wanting amongst our best Reformed Expositors who thus understand them let Musculus be consulted upon the place 5. Whether the said Promise be conceived to respect either the whole Nation §. 6.
own Heart the workings reasonings and debates thereof seconded with that long observation which I had made of the Spirits Principles and wayes of Men in the World together with their ebbings and flowings their risings and fallings their advancings and retreats their firstings and lastings in matters of Religion in conjunction with that light of Reason and Understanding which I have in common with other men these together were sufficient to teach me and that to a plenary satisfaction in most cases what Doctrines what Opinions are of the richest and most cordiall Sympathy and compliance with godlinesse and what on the other hand are but faint and loose in their correspondency with her or otherwise secret enemies unto her That that Doctrine which asserteth a Possibility even of a finall defection §. 2. from Faith in true Believers well understood riseth up in the cause of Godliness with a far higher hand then the common Opinion about their Perseverance hath been sufficiently though but in part proved already b Cap. 9. the further demonstration hereof sleepeth not but only awaiteth its season Our present tasque is to argue the letter of the Scripture for confirmation of the said Doctrine and to evince the truth thereof from the Oracles of God This done we shall God willing advance some grounds of reason also built upon the Scriptures for the further countenance and credit hereof And because security upon security will not we suppose be unacceptable in a businesse of such grand concernment and import we shall afterwards produce some examples upon the same account and then conclude our Discussions of this subject with an enterview of some sayings wherein it will appeare that the God of Truth hath drawn a confession and acknowledgement of that Truth of His which we now maintaine from the judgements and consciences of some of the greatest Adversaries thereof or at least so esteemed First for the sence of the Holy Ghost Himself in the Question depending §. 3. we cannot lightly desire any account more satisfactory then that given by Himself in the Old Testament But when the righteous turneth away from his righteousnesse and committeth iniquity and doth according to all the abominations that the wicked Man doth shall he live All his righteousnesse that he hath done shall not be mentioned in his trespasse that he hath trespassed and in his sin that he hath sinned in them shall he die Yet yee say the way of the Lord is not equall Heare now O House of Israel is not my way equall are not your wayes unequall When a righteous Man turneth away from his righteousness and committeth iniquity and dieth in them for his iniquity that he hath done shall he die a Ezek. 18. 24. 25 c. What more can the understanding Judgement Soul or Conscience of a Man reasonably desire for their establishment in any truth whatsoever then is delivered by God Himself in this passage to evince the possibility of a righteous Mans declining from his righteousnesse and that unto Death The latter words of the passage are conclusive hereof against and above all contradiction When a righteous Man turneth away c. and dieth in them i. e. repenteth not of them forsaketh them not before his Death for his iniquity that he hath done shall he die viz. the second Death or perish everlastingly For that this Death is meant at least included in this latter clause is evident because otherwise we shall both make an unsavoury tautology in the sentence and destroy all congruity of sence besides For without such a supposition the Prophet must be supposed to speak thus when a righteous Man turneth away from his righteousness and committeth iniquity and dieth in them i. e. leaveth his naturall life under the guilt of them and without Repentance for them for the iniquity that he hath done shall He leave his naturall life or have his naturall life taken from him When a Man dieth in or under the guilt of His sin He shall die for His sin or because of the guilt of His sin the same death which He dieth in His sin Who tasteth not a palpable absurdity and incoherence of sence in such a construction as this whereas if by dying in the latter clause we shall understand dying or perishing for ever the sentence will run cleer and in full consonancy with the generall current of the Scriptures the sence rising thus when a righteous Man shall forsake the wayes of righteousness wherein he hath formerly walked and turn aside into wayes of wickedness and not repent of these wayes before His death this Man shal die the death of the impenitent and unbelievers which is the second Death In this sence the sentence perfectly accords for substance of matter with such passages as these Know yee not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the Kingdome of God B◠not deceived neither Fornicators nor Idolaters nor Adulterers c. shal inherit the Kingdome of God b 1 Cor. 9. 10. And againe For this yee know that no Whore-monger or unclean person or covetous Man which is an Idolater hath any inheritance in the Kingdome of Christ and of God Let no Man deceive you with vaine words for because of these things commeth the Wrath of God upon the Children of disobedience c Eph. 5. 5 6. And to omit many others with that of the same Prophet Therefore thou son of Man say unto the Children of thy People The righteousness of the righteous shall not deliver Him in the day of His Transgression when I shall say to the righteous that He shall surely live if He trust His own righteousnesse and commit iniquity all His righteousness shall not be remembred but for His iniquity that He hath committed He shall die for it d Ezek. 33. 12 13. If the righteousnesse which an Apostate or back-slider from wayes of righteousnesse hath wrought whilest He was yet righteous shall not deliver Him when He turns aside unto wickednesse what can be imagined should deliver Him Doubtlesse His wickednesse whereunto He hath turned aside from His righteousnesse will not befriend Him with a deliverance Nor can it any whit more reasonably be said that though His former righteousness will not deliver Him from a temporall death yet it may deliver Him from eternall death then in the case of a true Repentance it may be said that though such a Repentance will deliver a Man from a temporall death yet will it not deliver Him from eternall death For as the truest Repentance that is though continued in will not deliver a Man from a temporall or naturall death but will most certainly deliver him from eternall death in like manner though Apostasie and backsliding from wayes of righteousnesse persevered in doe not alwayes expose a Man to a temporall death or bring this death upon Him yet they alwayes render Men obnoxious to eternall death Besides when God threateneth such backsliders as we speak of that when §.
there are who being loth to see the cause of their long-magnified §. 10. Doctrine of Perseverance dying by the Hand of the Scripture yet before us and despairing of help for it by any or by all the fore-mentioned applications have thought it not amiss in a case of such imminent and extream danger to try conclusions by administring this Antidote unto it When God threatens say they the righteous man apostatizing that for the iniquity which He committeth He shall dye He speaks neither of the first Death properly so called nor yet of the second Death but of Afflictions Judgments and Calamities oft signified in Scripture by the word Death as Prosperity is by the word Life which God often brings upon truly good and righteouâ— men when they greatly provoke Him by their sins To this I answer 1. That this mist hath been already scattered and dispel'd by the strength of that light which shineth in Sect. 3. of this Chapter by which it clearly appeareth that by the Death threatened by God against a righteous man backsliding and persevering in His backslidings unto death which we there shew to be the case put by God in the Scripture in hand is meant Eternal Death Therefore not any temporal Judgments or Afflictions at least noâ— onely or principally these Yet here we add 2. That it ill becomâ— an Interpreter of Scripture to recede from the plain proper and best known signification of words save onely when necessitated by the exigency either of the Context and scope of the Place in hand or else of the nature and condition of the matter as viz. when the sence which the common signification of the word raiseth and exhibiteth is inconsistent either with the course of the Scriptures or with Principles of Reason Neither of which can be reasonably pretended in this Place 3. The express Tenor of the Context it self riseth up like an armed man against this Interpretation For the execution or infliction of that Death which is here threatened against the righteous man that shall apostatize is not threatened but upon his dying under His Apostacy in which case there is no opportunity for God to inflict any temporal Judgments upon men When a righteous man turneth away from His Righteousness and committeth iniquity and DYETH IN THEM for His iniquity that He hath done shall He dye a Ezek 18 26 4. When God threateneth at any time such and such sins or such and such sinners in one kinde or other with Death it is of very dangerous consequence and tending to allay and break the energy and Power and consequently to hinder the operation of such Threatenings upon the Consciences of men for any Man to put a qualified or mitigating sence upon the word death especially not being authorized by God Himself so to do 5. And lastly the Authors themselves of this Interpretation seeme to be half heartlesse and hopelesse of doing any great matters for their cause by it and in their Explication of themselves about it they distinguish themselves quite besides that which should relieve them The word Death they say in the Prophet doth not IN THE FIRST SENCE of it signifie eternall Death as neither doth the word life in the opposite part of the sentence signifie eternall life But what though the word Death doth not in the controverted Passage signifie eternall Death in the first sence or signification of it yet if it signifieth it in the second third or fourth sence or if it signifieth it at all it is of one and the same consideration for the eviction of what is claimed by us from the place which is that a Man truly righteous may so degenerate and Apostatize that God will inflict eternall Death upon Him I omit to demand of these Interpreters by what Authority or Confidence of genius they undertake thus particularly to range and marshall the severall sences which they say God intended in such and such words giving the Preheminence to such or such a sence and saying to another stand back or come behinde If we had meere ignorance or nescience of the Truth to encounter or satisfie §. 11. though in conjunction with the greatest parts of judgement and understanding on the one hand and with the greatest warinesse and scrupulousnesse of circumspection on the other hand the traversing of the Scripture already insisted upon were sufficient I conceive without any further labour of arguing to gaine credit and fullnesse of consent to that Truth which is now upon the advance But Prejudice and Paâ—tiality are hydropicall and hardly satisfiable and these are our chiefe adversaries in the businesse in hand Therefore to reconcile if Possible the diaffections of these with the truth we shall shew them more visions from Heaven of the same light and truth with the former And first upon this account we shall remember them of a Passage formerly argued and gather up at present onely so much of the substance of the Discussion and that with what brevity may be as we judge serviceable for our present Purpose referring the Reader to a review if he please of the largeâ— examination The tenor of the place is this Then His Lord after He had called Him said unto Him O thou wicked servant I forgave thee all the debt because thou desiredst Me shouldst not thou also have had compassion on thy fellow servant even as I had pity on thee 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 Hearts forgive not every one his Brother their Trespasses a Mat. 18. 32 33 c. Evident it is from our Saviours reddition or application of the Parable So likewise shall my Heavenly Father doe also unto you if c. speaking unto His Disciples Ver. 1. and to Peter more particularly Ver. 21. that Persons truly regenerate and justified before God for such were they to whom in speciall manner he addresseth the Parable and the application of it and indeed the whole carriage of the Parable sheweth that it was calculated and formed onely for such may through high misdemeanors in Sinning as for example by unmercifulnesse cruelty oppression c. turne themselves out of the justifying grace and favour of God quench the spirit of Regeneration and come to have their portions with Hypocrites and Unbelievers If Men will make any thing at all of the Parable in a clear and direct way without troubling or obscuring without wresting or straining the carriage scope and pregnant tendency of it such an inference cannot be avoided Further satisfaction herein may be had for the Price only of so much Paines as the Perusall of the 54. and 59. Sections of the 8. Chapter of this Discourse will require Nor doth the reversall of such acts of grace in God as we speak of argue §. 12. the least mutability or shadow of change in Him either in
from the expressions which accompany it But that Earth which beareth Thornes and Briers is REIECTED and is NIGH UNTO CVRSING WHOSE END IS TO BE BVRNED b Heb. 6. 8. 2. Chrysostome who is generally acknowledged to be the best Expositor of Scripture amongst all the Fathers by the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 understands a a Person rejected from Salvation by God Doe not thinke saith Paul as this Author commenteth the place when once you have believed that it is sufficient to save you for if it be not sufficient for me to Salvation to Preach to Teach to bring thousands unto God unlesse I be unreproveable also in my personall wayes and actions much lesse will it be so unto you a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 3. Pareus Himself acknowledgeth that besides Chrysostome Ambrose Theophylact and Lyra interpret the word and place accordingly * Par. ad Roman pag. 780. 4. Our best modern Expositors themselves though for the most part they straine hard to deliver the common Doctrine of Perseverance out of the hand of the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 yet by the tenor of the sentence and manifest scope of the place are so amused in their designe that in their expressions they fall into the way of the ancient Interpretation mentioned Calvin having mentioned the Exposition of some to this effect lest when I have well and faithfully taught others I my self by an evill course of life should receive the sentence of damnation from God doth not at all tax this Exposition but onely presents another which as He supposeth doth melius quadrare better suite with the place And yet immediately after acknowledgeth that the sentence may cohere with the former saying thus lest I be defrauded or deprived of the Gospell whereof others by my meanes are made partakers b Nonnulli exponunt necum alios bene ac fideliter docuero malè vivendo damnationis judicium à Deo reportem Potest etiam conjungi cum superiore dicto in hunc modum ne Evangelio defrauder cujus alii mea operâ fiunt participes Which sence with that contended for by us are no more two but one Interpretation Musculus is right down for the same sence upon the place The first reason saith he is lest he should become a Reprobate i. e. lest he should be amongst those who do not run or strive lawfully and so never come to obtaine the Prize c Ratio est i. e. ne reprobus fiat Hoc est ne inter eos sit qui non ritè currunt adeoque nec brabio potiuntur Mr. John Deodate as He is Englished upon the place thus a cast-away i. e. found unworthy of being approved and rewarded as one of Gods hold Champions He hath a relation to that there were certaine Colledges or Schools of these exercises of Armes in which those that were entred if they did not submit themselves to the rigor of the Discipline or did not prove as they should doe were CROSSED OVT by the Masters Our English Annotators who plow much of their ground with Mr. Deodates Heyfer incumber their Opinion about Perseverance with words of the same import upon the place So that the best ancient Expositors freely and with perfect agreement to themselves and their judgements otherwise and the best moderne Interpreters unwillingly and without sparing themselves in their Opinions otherwise give testimony to such a sence of the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and and so of the whole Period which cleerly asserteth a Possibility of a 〈…〉 ll fall in true Believers 5. And lastly the scope of the place from Verse 23. evinceth the legitimacy of such a sence in both above all contradiction For the Apostle having asserted this for the Reason Motive or End why He had made Himself a servant unto all Men in bearing with all Mens humours and weaknesses in the course of His Ministry viz. that He might be partaker of the Gospell i. e. of the saving benefit or blessing of the Gospell with them Ver. 23. and againe that what He did He did it to obtaine an incorruptible Crown Ver. 25. plainely sheweth that that which He sought to prevent by running and fighting at such an high rate as He did was not the blame or disparagement of some such misbehaviour under which notwithstanding He might retaine the saving Love of God but the losse of His Part and Portion in the Gospell and of that incorruptible Crown which He sought by that severe Hand which He still held over Himselfe to obtaine Pareus seemes not to be very difficult in admitting the sence of the place §. 16. contended for but denies that this sence doth any wayes imply or suppose any danger or possibility of Pauls becoming a Reprobate To which Point He reasoneth thus As it followeth not Christ died lest Believers should perish therefore Believers are in danger of perishing but on the contrary that Believers are out of the danger of perishing because Christ Died for them So saith He it doth not follow I keepe under my Body lest I should be a Reprobate therefore I am in danger of being a Reprobate but on the contrary therefore there is no danger of my being a Reprobate because I keepe my Body under c a Sicut igitur non sequitur Christus est mortuus ne credentes in eum pereant ergo periculum est ne credentes pereant sed contra ergo non est periculum quia Christus est mortuus Ita non sequitur contundo corpus ne Reprobus fiam ergo periculum est ne reprobus fiam sed contrâ ergo non est periculum quià contundo corpus c. Pareus in 8. Rom. Dub. 15. p. 780. To this I answer if this Author intends onely to assert by this arguing that Paul was in no danger of being a Reprobate whilest He did continue that holy exercise of keeping under his Body which He speaks of I am not He that shall oppose Him Doubtlesse Paul was in n◠danger no nor yet in any possibility which is much lesse then a danger of being a Reprobate or of being rejected by God whilest He used the means specified to prevent it But 2. If his intent be to assert or affirme either that Paul whilest he did keepe under his Body was in no possibility of giving over his exercise in this kinde or that in case of giving it over he was in no Possibility of becoming a Reprobate hereby my answer is that his Argument reacheth neither of these unlesse it be in a way of confutation For as there was a Precedaneous Possibility that Christ who did die might not have died and againe in case he had not died that the Persons who now believe in him and are saved should not have been saved in like manner there was a Possibility both that Paul who did now keepe under his Body might not have kept it under or might not continue to keepe it under and that
more passable with others He oft recourseth to this Apology viz. that in the Profession of Christianity he serves no other God but the God of his Forefathers See Acts 22. 14. 24. 14. 26. 7. 28. 20. c. In this sence Calvin himself interprets the place in hand on which he hath these words amongst others of like import Certain it is that Pauls Conscience was not always pure in as much as himself confesseth that through hypocrisie he was deceived when he indulged himself a liberty of lusting For whereas Chrysostom excuseth his Pharisaism in that he opposed the Gospel out of ignorance and not out of malice it no ways satisfieth For the elogy or commendation of a pure Conscience is not vulgar or common neither can it be separated from the sincere and serious fear of God Therefore I restrain his words to the present time thus that he worshiped one and the same God with his Forefathers but now since he was enlightened by the Gospel he worshipeth Him with a sincere affection of heart a Certum est non semper puram fuisse Pauli coÌ„scientiam utpote qui fatetur se per hypocrisin fuisse deceptuÌ„ quùm sibi concupiscendi licentiam indulgeret Nam quòd excusat Chrysostomus ejus Pharisaismum eò quòd non maliciâ sed ignoratione Evangelium oppugnabat id non satisfacit Neque enim vulgare elogium est purae conscientiae nâ—c potest à sincero serio Dei timore separari Itaque ad praesens tempus restringo hoc modo quòd unum cum Proavis suis eundem Deum colat sed nunc colat sincero cordis affectu ex quo per Evangelium erat illuminatus and Soul It were easie to second Calvin with several others of his own band in the interpretation mentioned but when little is to be done much help is but a burthen Thus then we see that by a good Conscience which some putting away make shipwrack of Faith as the Apostle saith must needs be meant such a Conscience which hath its goodness from true Faith and cannot be separated from it and consequently that the persons here spoken of were or had been true Beleevers Besides that Faith of which some are said to have made shipwrack cannot reasonably be supposed to have been a feigned counterfeit or pretended Faith onely nor any thing accompanying destruction because it is such a Faith which the Apostle exhorts and encourageth Timothy to hold fast holding Faith and a good Conscience which some having put away concerning Faith which I advise thee to hold and keep have made shipwrack Doubtless the Apostle would not have perswaded Timothy to hold or keep such a Faith with which he might perish Nor had the making shipwrack of no better a commodity then so been any such great loss unto Him 3. That Faith which He exhorteth Timothy to hold must needs be supposed to be that Faith which He was possessed of at present and which was now in Him And that this was a true Faith appears from several Passages in the two Epistles written by this Apostle unto Him especially from those words When I call to remembrance THE UNFEIGNED FAITH that is in thee which dwelt first in thy Grandmother Lois b 2 Tim. 1 5 c. 4. The Faith which He exhorts Timothy to hold and consequently the Faith whereof he admonisheth him that some made shipwrack by the means specified must in reason be such a Faith of which he had discoursed before in the Chapter Now this was a Faith unfeigned out of which that Charity or Love floweth which he saith is the end of the Commandment c 1 Tim. 1 5 such a Faith of which he speaks a few Verses before the place in hand in reference to himself thus And the Grace of our Lord was exceeding abundant with Faith and Love which is in Christ Iesus d Verse 14. such a Faith by which men were to beleeve on Christ to life everlasting a Vers 16. 5. And lastly the Faith here spoken of is such a Faith in the retention or holding whereof the warring of a good warfare consists This is evident from the Context and connexion between this and the next preceding Verse This charge I commit unto thee Son Timothy according to the Prophecies which went before on thee i. e. according to the sence and judgments of the Prophets or Interpreters of the Scriptures who unanimously agreed in this that thou wert a Person fit for the work of the Ministry and by all means oughtest to be called thereunto that thou by them i. e. being encouraged by them mightest war a good warfare Holding Faith and a good Conscience c. Now if by Faith should be meant nothing but onely an outward Profession of the Gospel or the Doctrine thereof Timothy might have held these and yet not have warred a good warfare For who will say that Judas warred a good warfare who yet held an outward Profession of the Gospel and preached the Doctrine thereof truly And it is generally granted by those who by Faith in the place in hand will needs understand the Doctrine of the Gospel that men who are no good Souldiers of Jesus Christ who are destitute of sound and saving Faith may yet hold yea hold fast the Doctrine of the Gospel yea and this to the suffering of death it self for it Therefore questionless the Faith of which the Apostle speaks in the place before us is a true sound and saving Faith Nor is this any thing but the sence and judgment of very learned and orthodox §. 12. Expositors upon the place Musculus affirmeth that the Apostle speaks here the same thing which before He had expressed in these words But the end of this Commandment or Charge is love out of a pure Heart and good Conscience and Faith unfeigned from which whilest some went astray they turned aside to vain-jangling b Idem dicit quòd suprà ad hunc mâ—dum expressit Finis verò denunciationis hujus est Charitas ex puro corde Conscientiâ bonâ fide non simulatâ à quibus quòd aberrârunt quidam deflexerunt ad vaniloquium c. Presently after the Apostle he saith admonisheth us that they cannot have a good Conscience who are strangers unto Charity a pure Heart and Faith unfeigned and moreover that upon the putting away of a good Conscience we are in imminent danger of making shipwrack of THE TRVE FAITH and Religion of Christ c Monet nos bonam eos conscientiam habere non posse qui alieni sunt à charitate corde puro fide non simulatâ deinde repulsâ bonâ conscientientiâ in proximo esse ut incidamus in naufragium circà veram Christi Fidem Religionem c. Therefore doubtless it came not neer the thoughts of this Author to conceive that any other Faith should be meant in the place in hand but onely that which was
anteà obedierant defecisse ac eam deseruisse in Gal. 3. 1. Not long after He had said before that seeking Justification by the Law they cast away the Grace of God and that Christ dyed for them in vain Here He adds that such Persons crucifie Christ who had formerly lived and reigned in them As if He should say you have not onely CAST AVVAY THE GRACE OF GOD it is not onely true that Christ dyed for you in vain but that He is most unworthily crucified by you or amongst you c Suprà dixit Quaerentes Justiciam ex Lege abjicere gratiam Dei item illis Christum gratis mortuum fuisse Hic vâ—â—ò addit quòd tales crucifigant Christum qui anteà vixit regnavit in ipsis Quasi dicat jam non solum abjecistis gratiam Dei non solum Christus frustrà vobis mortuus est sed turpissimè in vobis crucifixus Ibid. Afterwards The Righteousness of the Law which Paul here calls the Flesh is so far from justifying men that they who after they have received the Spirit by the hearing of Faith make a defection unto it are consummated by it i. e. are â—ade an end of and destroyed utterly d Adeò ergo Justicia Legis quam Paulus hic carneâ—â— vocat non justificat ut hi qui post acceptum Spiritum per Fidei auditum ad eam deficiunt eâ cansummentur hoc est fâ—niantur prorsus perdantur Ad Galat. 3. 3. To conclude upon those words Cap. 5. 4. Ye are fallen from Grace i. e. saith He ye are no longer in the Kingdom of Grace He that falleth from Grace simply and absolutely loseth expiation or atonement remission of sins righteousness liberty and that life which Christ by His Death and Resurrection hath merited for us e A gratiâ excidistis i. e. non ampliùs estis in Regno Gratiae Qui excidit à gratiâ amiâ—tiâ— simpliciter expiationem remissionem peccatorum Iusticiam libertatem vitam c. quam Christus suâ Mortâ— Resurrectione nobis emeruit Many other Passages of like import with these might readily be cited from this Author in His Commentaries upon this Epistle So that there is little question to be made but that Luther abounded in this sence viz. that Persons truly justified and in present Possession of that Righteousness Justification Life which Christ merited for them may yet fall away totally from this Grace and to destruction and that He looked upon the Galatians as Paul describes them in their different Postures first of Faith then of falling away as perfect instances to evince the truth of such a Doctrine I shall conclude the Chapter in Hand with a brief Survey of that place §. 17. formerly mentioned For some are already turned aside after Satan a 1 Tim. 5. 15 These words Calvin in His Commentaries upon them dilareth thus This expression after Satan is observable because â—o man can turn aside from Christ though it be never so little but He follows Satan For He reigneth over all who are not Christs Hence we are admonished how destructive a thing it is to turn aside from a strâ—ight course which OF THE SONS OF GOD MAKES US SLAVES OF THE DEVIL b Post Satanam Notanda loquutio quia nemo potest vâ—l tantillum a Christo deflectere quin Satanam sequatur Nam regnum in omnes habet qui Christi non sunt Hinc admonemur quam exitialis sit deflexio a recto cursu quae ex Dei filiis nos facit Satanae mancipia So that His sence upon the place cleerly is that the Persons here said to have turned aside after Satan were before this their turning aside the children of God and therefore true Beleevers and that by means of their turning aside and after it they were the Slaves of the Devil which implies â— total defection at least from Christ and their Faith I desire the Reader to take knowledg once more upon occasion of the passage now transcribed from Calvin that He was not so absolute or intire in His Judgment for an impossibility of a total Declining in the Saints as the Friends of this Notion commonly presume or as if He never expressed His Judgment to the contrary In the words lately cited He expresly grants and supposeth that of the Children of God men may be made or become the Slaves of Satan And that the Persons spoken of in the Scripture in hand were as He supposeth true Beleevers is evident from hence viz. that they are said to have turned aside or to have been turned aside after Satan If they had been unsound or Hypocritical Christians before they could not by falling into any other course of impiety be said to have turned aside or out of the way c 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 after Satan because men and women follow Satan as much as directly as close by walking in ways of Hypocrisie and rottenness of Profession as in ways of uncleanness or of any other unrighteousness whatsoever Therefore certainly the way out of which they turned aside to walk after Satan was the way of a true Faith and of a life answerable thereunto And that a turning aside after Satan imports a total deserting of Christ or a total deprivation and loss of that interest which a Person had in Christ before is richer in evidence then to need Proof Nor do I finde any one Expositor who casting up the expression findes it to amount to any whit less CHAP. XV. Declaring the Sence and Judgment as well of the Ancient Fathers of the Church as of Modern Reformed Divines touching the Point of Perseverance and so concluding the Digression concerning this Subject IT is a Vanity whereunto the Tongues and Pens of Learned Men being §. 1. once engaged and declared for an Opinion especially in matters of Religion are much subject unto to cast undue aspersions upon and so to create undeserved prejudice unto all such Doctrines or Opinions which are inconsistent with that Opinion which themselves are known to hold and to have maintained Amongst other weapons of this warfare the Arrow of this reproach is most frequently unquiver'd and let fly if men can finde that any Opinion which hath the least semblance or sympathy though but in sound of words onely with that which opposeth theirs hath either been held by any former Heretique or Person voted Erroneous or else opposed by those unto whose lot it is fallen to be sirnamed Orthodox they make an importune outcry against this Opinion I mean which opposeth theirs as if it were nothing but an old infamous Error held onely by Heretiques and Erroneous Men but stigmatized and cast out of the Church by the Orthodox long ago The truth is that neither the one consideration nor the other no not when they are real and not in pretence or presumption onely I mean neither the asserting of an Opinion by men in many things erroneous nor the dis-owning of it by
import they speak only of Faith of the second degree i. e. of such Faith which is not only justifying and saving in respect of the nature of it but which actually saveth and in places of the latter import that they speak only of Faith of the third and highest degree i. e. of a perfect solid rooted and groundâ—â— Faith For the Readers better satisfaction I shall exhib 〈…〉 〈◊〉 〈…〉 hors own words at large This nevertheless is to be taken intâ—â—pecial consideration that when the Illud interim maximoperé in considerationem venit quòd cum Patres fidem posse amitti eóque ex Fide haut rectè aeternaÌ„ electionem colligi posse contendunt non omnes de quacunque Fidei mensur âloquuntur cum plurimi eoruÌ„ distinguant tres Fidei gradus Quorum primus dat Fidei essentiam secundum quam justificat dicitur Fides viva atque oppositam habet Fidem mortuam ac putatitiam qualis hypocritarum Alter gradus addit durationem quâ ratione salvificat sibique oppositam habet Fidem ut vulgò loquimur quod de hominibus dicit Scriptura Fidei eorum per 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 tribuentes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sive temporariam qualis est Apostatarum Tertius gradus superaddit soliditatem dicitur perfecta solida radicata quae quocunque vitae tempore certificat hoc est ut Gregorii Magni verbis utar sic confirmat ut quis ulteriùs caedere non possit hoc de sese certissimé sciat Cui gradui opponitur Fides debilis qualis etiam multorum est Electorum Patrum loca quibus dicunt Fidem veram quidem amitti posse sed nunquam non reparari semper loquuntur de secundo Fidei gradu At illa quibus ajunt neutiquam posse amitti omninò intelligi debent de gradu tertio Cum quibus mininè pugnat quòd universi alià s dicunt multos per defectionem à Fide aeternùm perire Nam intelligunt Fidem primi gradus hoc est formaliter sive essentialiter veram sive quod idem est justificam etsi non salvificam sed justificam 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 per quam quis in praesentiâ est justus non justificam 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quaendo si veritatem finis spectemus vere justifica non est quae aliquando desinit justificare quia non alia habet promissionem vitae aeternae quam quae perseverat Gerard. Joh. Voss Hist Pelag. lib. 6. Thes 13. Fathers affirm that Faith may be lost and 〈…〉 fore that eternal Election cannot rightly be inferred from Faith they do not all speak of any measure or degree of Faith whatsoever since many of them distinguish three several degrees of Faith The first of which gives Essence or Truth of Being unto Faith in respect whereof it justifieth and is called a lively Faith opposite hereunto is a dead and putatitious i. e. an imaginary Faith which is proper to Hypocrites The next degree adds Duration or Perseverance in respect whereof it saveth i. e. becomes actually saving Opposite to this Faith is that which we commonly call Temporary attributing that unproperly unto mens Faith which the Scripture attributes to men themselves which is the Faith of Apostates The third and last degree superaddeth Solidity this Faith is termed perfect solid rooted which at any time of a mans life gives him assurance i. e. to use the words of Gregory the Great doth so confirm or strengthen that a man cannot fall afterwards and knoweth this most certainly of himself To this degree of Faith a weak Faith is opposed which is the Faith of many of the Elect. Those passages of the Fathers wherein they say That true Faith may be lost but is always recovered again always speak of the second degree of Faith But those where they say That such Faith cannot be lost must necessarily be understood of the third and highest degree of Faith Between which expressions and what they generally teach otherwise viz. That many perish eternally through a falling away from their Faith there is no repugnance For in such assertions as this they understand Faith of the first degree i. e. such a Faith which is formally and essentially true or which is the same which is justifying though not actually or in the event saving but justifying in the essence or substance of it in respect whereof a man is at present righteous or just not justifying in respect of continuance since if we consider the Truth of the end that Faith is not truly justifying which at any time ceaseth to justifie because no other Faith hath the promise of eternal life but only that which persevereth By the express tenor of these things it fully appears that the uniform and §. 5. constant opinion of all Orthodox Antiquity was that true Faith true Grace true Justification and forgiveness of sins may by security carelessness ungodliness and profaneness of life and conversation be totally and finally lost and the persons in whom they were sometimes found eternally perish As for that which some of them teach concerning the inamissibility or infallible Perseverance of such a Faith which is perfected and radicated in the Soul so throughly and to such a degree as we have heard expressed were it granted that they speak of a simple and absolute inamissibility in this kind and that their meaning is that there is an utter impossibility and not a great difficulty or improbability only that such a Faith should miscarry or no instance producible to prove that such a Faith ever did miscarry it no ways rebuketh the confidence of that Assertion which we have in this present Chapter and elsewhere in the Discourse formerly avouched viz. That a possibility of the falling away of true Saints and true Beleevers and that both totally and finally was the general and joynt Doctrine of the Primitive Christians for several ages together after Christ. The consideration whereof is abundantly sufficient to stop the mouth of that undue pretext which presumeth to say and that with confidence That the best and most conscientious men were always of this Judgment that true Grace is imperishable and true Beleevers under no possibility of miscarrying finally But of this we spake more at large in the nineth Chapter I here only add That when any of the ancient Fathers or Councils express themselves in words of any such import as this that there is or may be a Faith so raised rooted or strongly built that it cannot either totally or finally miscarry it is no ways probable that their meaning should be that there is an utter simple or logical impossibility that such a Faith should be wholy lost but that they rather speak rhetorically and would be understood of a kind of moral impossibility only which imports a great difficulty improbability or rareness of an event in which sence or notion the Scriptures themselves as knowledg hath been given elsewhere d Cap. 10. §. 28.
gulf or bottom of all wickedness f 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 It were easie to weary the Reader if it be not done already with citations from this most renowned Writer wherein He declares with an high hand for that Doctrine which teacheth a Possibility of the Saints declining and that unto death both first and second yea and that upon such terms that no man that shall unpartially consider the manner how He expresseth Himself in Passages of this nature but will conceive that this was the general Doctrine of the Christian Churches and of the soundest Teachers in those days Origen who lived long before Chrysostom viz. a little after the year 200 §. 10. plainly enough delivers the said Doctrine But if saith He a satiety or wearisomness overtaketh any of those who have stood in an eminent and perfect degree of Christianity I do not conceive that such an one becomes a bankrupt in Grace or falls to nothing on the sudden but that He must needs waste or consume by little and little and by steps and degrees So that it may sometimes come to pass that if some short relapse or fall happeneth and He speedily repenteth and cometh again to Himself that He doth not utterly ruine Himself but recovereth His foot and returns to His former state and may repair that which through negligence is fallen down g Si aeuteÌ„ aliquando satietas cepit aliquem ex bis qui in summo perfectoque constiterint gradu non arbitror quòd ad subitum quis evacuetur ac decidat sed paulatim per partes â—um defluere necesse est ita ut fieri possit interdum ut si brevis aliquis lapsus acciderit citò recipi 〈…〉 at atque in se revertatur non penitùs ruere sed revocare pedem redire ad statuum suum rursum statuere passit id quod per negligentiam fuerat lapsum Orig. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 lib. 1. cap. 3. in fine He that speaketh such things as these clearly supposeth that Christians and Saints of the best and highest standing may very possibly so fall as to ruine themselves utterly Yea the Passage importeth that when such do begin to decline or fall it is somewhat a rare case if ever they do recover or rise again It is onely the Possibility not Probability of this that is here asserted That Ambrose who was Contemporary with Augustin though somewhat his Senior in years was of the same Judgment with the forementioned Authors in the Doctrine of Perseverance may be sufficiently gathered from that Interpretation of His formerly cited from Musculus of those words of Paul Shall I take the Members of Christ and make them the Members of an Harloâ— The Reader may please to satisfie Himself herein onely by looking back to Cap. 13. Sect. 28. of this present Discourse This Father elsewhere saith God therefore foreknowing that they would be persons evilly disposed or of bad wills did not account them in the number of good men although our Saviour saith to those seventy two Disciples whom He chose in the second rank who afterwards went back from Him Your Names are written in Heaven But this was for their Righteousness sake for it is meet that every man should have as He deserveth For because they were good they were chosen to the Ministry and their Names were written in Heaven for their Righteousness sake as I said but according to the Prescience of God they were in the number of evil men There is no acceptation of Persons in the Prescience of God for Prescience is that wherein it is definitively known unto Him of what kinde every mans Will wherein He will persevere will be by or for which He will either be damned or crowned To conclude they who God knows will persevere in good are oft-times before evil and they whom He knows will continue evil unto their end are sometimes good before So that there is no cause for any man to complain in as much as God is no Accepter of Persons For both Saul and Judas Iscariot were at first or before good the Scripture saying of Saul that He was a good man and that there was not a better amongst the sons of Israel so the vulgar Latine readeth 1 Sam. 9. 2. And the Apostle Peter saith of Iscariot He obtained fellowship in this Ministration with signs and wonders a Praescius itaque Deus malae illos voluntatis futuros non illos habuit in numero bonorum quamvis dicat Salvator illis septuaginta duobus Discipulis quos elegerat secundae classe qui ab illo posteà recesserunt Nominae vestra scriptae sunt in coelo Sed hoc propter justiciaÌ„ quia hoc est justum vt unicuâ—que pro merito respondeatur Quia enim boni erant electi erant ad Ministerium erant scripta nomina illorum in coelo propter Justiciam sicut dixi secundum Praescientiam verò erant in numero Malorum Non est Personarum acceptio in Praescientiâ Dei Praescientia enim est quâ definitum habet qualis uniuscujusque voluntas erit in quâ mansurus est per quam aut damnetur aut coronetur Denique quos scit in bono mansuros frequentèr antè sunt Mali quos Malâ—s scit permansuros aliquoties prius sunt boni Vnde cessat querela quia Deus acceptor Personarum non est Nam Saul Judas Scarioth ante fuerunt boni dicente Scâ—ipturâ de Saul Erat vir bonus non erat illo melior in filiis Israel Et de Scarioth dicit Petrus Apostolus Qui sortitus est sortem Ministerij hujus in signis prodigiis faciendis c. Ambr. in Rom. 9 13. In another place He saith Sometimes they are at first good who afterwards become and continue evil in which respect they are both said to be written in the Book of Life and again to be blotted out of it b Aliquoties prius sunt boni qui futuri sunt permansuri Mali propter quod etiam dicuntur scribi in libro vitae deleri Therefore neither was this Father any Patron of the Doctrine of Perseverance as it is Patronized by many at this day Cyprian who lived about the year 250 writing upon the Lords Prayer §. 11. hath words to this effect And the servant who having His whole debt forgiven Him by His Lord would not forgive His Fellow servant is cast into prison Because He would not shew Favor to His Fellow servant He LOST THAT FAVOR which His Lord had shewed unto Him b Et qui servo servus post dimissuÌ„ sibi à domino omne debitum conservo suo noluit ipse dimittere in carcerem relegatur Quia indulgere conservo suo noluit quod sibi à domino indultum fuit amisit Cypr. de Orat. Domin c. 17. By the Favor which this Servant lost after it had been vouchsafed unto Him by His Lord He clearly means the
Election of Men as hath been mentioned as held by him which was the occasion or ground of his Opinion that such could not fall away finally or to perdition we shall have opportunity in the latter part of this Discourse to enquire God sparing life health and liberty for the composure of it In the mean time we have yet a further account of the Judgment of this Father touching the possibility of the total and final defection of many true Beleevers in the Citation following Many are called and yet are not of those of whom it is said that few are chosen Yet who can deny them to be elect or chosen when as THEY BELEEVE and are baptized AND LIVE ACCORDING UNTO GOD They are plainly termed Elect by those who are ignorant what they will prove afterwards but not by Him who knoweth that they have not Perseverance which bringeth the Elect to Life eternal and that they so stand that He foreknoweth they will fall In this case if the question be put to me why God doth not give Perseverance unto those to whom he hath given the Grace of Love by which they live Christianly I must answer that I am ignorant d Multi vocati non in eis de quibus dictuÌ„ est Pauci verò electi Et tameÌ„ quis negeâ— eos Electos cuÌ„ credunt baptizaÌ„tur secundum Deum vivunt Plané dicuntur Electi à nescieÌ„tibus quid futuri sint non ab illo qui eos novit non habere PerseverantiaÌ„ quae ad beatam vitam perducit Electos scitque illos ita stare vt praesciat esse casuros Hic si à me quaeratur cur eis Deus PerseverantiaÌ„ noÌ„ dederit quia eaÌ„ quâ Christianè viverent dilectioneÌ„ dedit me ignorare respoÌ„deo Aug. de Corr. Grat. c. 7. 8. If all this be not sufficient to satisfie the Reader that this great and learned Defender of the Christian Faith whose sence in the Point in hand we are now enquiring after was of the same Judgment with us herein let him feed further upon what yet remaineth Having asserted a beneficial necessity even to the Elect or Predestinate ones themselves to be kept in ignorance by God of their Predestination or Election in this life He subjoyns words of this import So then for the beneficialness of this secret it is to be beleeved that some of the Children of Perdition who receive not the gift of Persevering unto the end yet begin to live in such a FAITH WHICH WORKETH BY LOVE yea and live for a time faithfully and justly and afterwards fall away nor are they taken away by death before this happeneth to them a Propter utilitatem ergo hujus secreti credendum est quosdam dâ— Filiis Perditionis non accepto dono Perseverandi usque in Finem in Fide quae per Dilectionem operatur incipere vivere aliquamdiù fideliter ac justé vivere postea cadere neque de hâc vitâ priusquam hoc eis contingat auferri Ibidem Cap. 13. Doubtless there is no Faith at all either justifying or saying but that which worketh by Love and yet we clearly see that Augustin's Opinion was that the Children of Perdition i. e. such who perish eternally are very capable of such a Faith and consequently may yea and sometimes do fall away both totally and finally from it The same Father in another Tract discovereth his sence in the point queried in these words That of two both being GODLY Perseverance unto the end should be given unto the one and NOT GIVEN UNTO THE OTHER belongs to the unsearchable Judgments of God b Ex duobus autem piis cur huic donetur Perseverantia usque in FineÌ„ illi autem noÌ„ donetur inscrutabilia sunt Judicia Dei Aug. de Bono Persev c. 8. That in this sentence He speaks of persons truly godly and not seemingly onely besides the exigency of the Passage it self to make the sence of it regular as well that which goeth a little before as what followeth after maketh manifest The words a little before are these For of Him they receive this power viz. of being made the sons of God who giveth pious cogitations to the heart of man by which He cometh to have Faith which worketh by Love c Ab eo quippâ— accipiunt eam qui dat cordi humano cogitationes pias per quas habeat FideÌ„ quae operetur per dilectionem The words a little after these To conclude Were they not both called and BOTH FOLLOVVED HIM THAT CALLED THEM Were they not BOTH of Sinners made righteous or JVSTIFYED and both RENEVVED BY the Laver of REGENERATION d Nonne postremò utrique vocati fuerant vocantâ—m seâ— cuti utrique ex impiis justificati per Lavacrum Regenerationis utrique renovati Afterwards in the same Treatise He cites with approbation the Judgment of an Orthodox man of good repute in his days to whom also He gives the testimony of learning and much acuteness concerning the Reason which moved Christ not to work those mighty works among the men of Tyre and Sidon which He wrought in Capernaum although He knew that they would have beleeved and repented upon the sight of them The Lord Christ saith this Author as the Father records His gloss foresaw that the men of Tyre and Sidon would afterwards have apostatized from their Faith in case they had been brought over to beleeve by such Miracles wrought amongst them in which respect it was out of mercy that He forbare the working of them there because they had been liable to a much greater punishment in case they should have turned their backs upon the Faith which they had once received then if they had never received it e Quidam Disputator catholicus non ignobilis hunc Evangelij locum sic exposuit vt diceret praescisse Dominum Tyrios Sidonios à Fide fuisse posteà recessuros cum factis apud se Miraculis credidissent misericordiâ potiùs non eum illic ista fecisse quoniam graviori poenae obnoxii fierent si Fidem quam tenuerant reliquissent quà m si eam nullo tempore tenuissent Ibid. c. 10. In process of the same Discourse He hath words to this effect That of Regenerate men some dye persevering unto the end others are detained in life until they fall away who certainly had not fallen away in case they had dyed before they so fell and again that some who thus fall pass not out of this life until they return or rise again who certainly should have perished had they dyed before their return a Ipsos quóque regeneratos alios perseverantes usque in FineÌ„ hînc abire alios quibusque decidant hic teneri qui utique non decidissent si antequam laberentur hînc issent rursus quosdaÌ„ lapsos quousque redeant non exire de hâc vitâ qui utique perireÌ„t si antequam redirent exirent Ibid. cap.
before Calvin Chrysostom had declared for the substance of the Interpretation given That which the Apostle saith saith he upon the place is some such thing as this Thou hast been cleansed thou hast been discharged from matter of crime or accusation against thee thou hast been made a Son if now thou shalt return to thy former vomit dis-inheritance fire and all such like terrible things abide thee for there is not a second Sacrifice for thee b 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 We shall upon the account of this Chapter produce only one brief passage §. 10. of Scripture more wherein the Gracious Intentions of God towards all men in point of Salvation by the Death of Christ are like Solomons King upon his Throne against whom there is no rising up The intire Verse wherein the words we mind are extâ—nt runneth thus The Lord is not slack concerning his Promise as some men count slackness but is long-suffering to us-ward not willing that any should perish but that all should come to Repentance c 2 Pet. 3. 9. Evident it is and Expositors generally consent that the Apostle in these words propounds a further Reason or consideration to satisfie those that being weak were apt to stumble and take offence that the Lord Christ delayed his coming to judg the World and to deliver his Saints so long No man saith the Apostle in effect upon this account hath any reason to be offended or take it amiss at the hand of Christ that he makes no more haste in coming to judg the World seeing that his delay in this kind proceeds not at all from any neglect or backwardness in him to perform his Promise in that behalf though some men count all delay which is contrary to their minds and desires to be no better then neglect or slackness unto action but from his great patience and long-sufferance towards men His will and desire being that no person whatsoever of mankind either in present being in the world or that shall be born hereafter should perish everlastingly but that every man of them should come to Repentance whereunto his patience and long-sufferance inviteth yea and leadeth them d Rom. 2. 4. and by which many are actually led and brought unto it that so they may be saved From the passage thus understood I argue thus If Christ be not willing that any man should perish but that all should come to Repentance then questionless he intendeth the Salvation of all and consequently dyed intentionally for all for unless he intended to dye for them yea and did dye for them it is not possible that he should either will or intend their Salvation in as much as no man can will or intend that which he knows to be unpossible But certain it is that Christ is not willing that any man should perish but that all should come to Repentance the Holy Ghost in the Scripture in hand expresly affirming it Ergo. Against the sence and Interpretation of the words given and so to the invaliditating §. 11. of the Argument built thereon it is pretended by some that the Apostle doth not here assert an unwillingness in Christ that any person whatsoever of mankind should perish but only that any person of the Elect should perish To give colour to this Exposition they circumscribe the particle or pronoune 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 us with the limit or line of their Election so carrying the sence thus The Lord is not slack c. but is long-suffering to us-ward viz. who are his Elect and consequently to all others that are partakers of the same Election with us not willing that any viz. of these the Elect of his Father should perish but that all these should come to Repentance not any others This sence of the place is commended by Estius a Popish Expositor but we shall find Calvin leaning with the Truth another way So then Peter saith Estius upon the place saith that the Lord dealeth patiently i. e. delayeth his promised Coming and Judgment for the Elects sake that they might not perish but being converted to Repentance be saved a Sic ergo Petrus dicit Dominum patienter agâ—â—e i. e. adventum promissum judicium suum differre propter Electos ut ne per 〈…〉 â—ed ad poenitentiam conversi salventur c. Estius in 2 Pet. 3. 9. This Exposition he labors in the very fire to make to stand but as one said in another case oportet aliquid intus esse an Exposition that hath not truth in it cannot be made to stand 1. I would demand of this Expositor and of those who sence with him in the Interpretation specified why or by what authority they expound 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 towards us the Elect rather then towards us Beleevers For if they will needs have the persons here spoken unto to be considered by the Apostle not in their Natures or general capacities viz. as they were men but in some particular or special capacity wherein other men or all men did not partake with them the capacity of Saintship or of Faith was as neer at hand as that of Election For that the persons we speak of were Saints and Beleevers is far less questionable then that they were Elect in their sence of the word Election who thus interpret It is true what Estius alledgeth to credit his Exposition that this Epistle was written to the same persons with the former who are stiled Elect 1 Pet. 1. 2. But 1. Whether his Elect and the Apostles Elect be the same is very questionable unless haply the Apostle puts it out of question that they are not the same by setting forth his Elect in the place cited by such a description which will not agree with Estius his Elect Estius with the Generality of Divines amongst us by his Elect understands as well those that shall repent and beleeve hereafter though they be at present sons of Belial and to every good work Reprobate as the Apostle speaketh as those who actually do beleeve whereas Peter in the place now mentioned estimateth his ELECT by the Sanctification i. e. the actual Sanctification of the Spirit unto obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ according to the fore-knowledg or pre-approbation of God i. e. as God approved and judged it meet and consequently decreed from eternity to regulate his Election of men in time But this only by the way for as to this Scripture with others which treat of Election we shall God favouring speak more fully in due time 2. Though the Epistle was as this Author alledgeth written to the same persons with the former who in the beginning of the said former Epistle are termed Elect yet are these persons in this very Epistle and much neerer to the place in hand described or considered in their capacity of Beleeving Simon Peter an Apostle of Jesus Christ to them that have obtained like precious FAITH with us b 2 Pet. 1. 1.
by a Physician in order to his health as to call it His LIFE or the emphatical means of his preservation in case his life would certainly have been preserved without it So neither have the Elect any competent reason or ground to call or count the long-suffering of the Lord towards them SALVATION i. e. a signal means or opportunity of Salvation to them in case this their Salvation might and certainly should have been obtained by them or conferred on them whether any such long-suffering had been vouchsafed unto them or no. If it be said That as the Salvation of the Saints is infallibly decreed so is it with the like infallibility decreed to be effected by the long-sufferance of God towards them as the means and opportunity thereof and in this respect they may properly enough be required to count or esteem the long-suffering of God towards them Salvation I answer If the Decree of God concerning the Salvation of the Saints be absolute and infallible in the sence asserted and contended for by our Opposers then cannot the execution of this Decree the actual saving of the Saints be suspended upon any fallible or contingent condition such as is the Saints accounting the long-sufferance of God to be Salvation to them or their managing this long-suffering of his in due order to their Salvation no more then the standing or continuance of an house that is well and strongly built upon a rock depends upon those weak or rotten shores or props which are applyed unto it to support it Nor can God be said absolutely and infallibly to decree the coming to pass of such things which are essentially in themselves and in their own Natures contingent it being a Maxim generally granted by our Adversaries themselves That the Decrees of God have no real influence upon their objects or things decreed at least no such which altereth their Natures or essential properties of their Beings It is a common saying amongst them that Praedestinatio nihil ponit in praedestinato i. e. Predestination putteth nothing in or into either the thing or person predestinated And if Predestination putteth nothing in or into the things or persons predestinated there is no reason to judg that any other of his Decrees doth any whit more And if the Decrees of God relating unto contingent events should have any such influx upon them which alters their Natures and changeth the fundamental Laws of their Beings transforming them into things absolutely necessary or necessary with any such necessity which is unavoydable contingency would be onely a name or matter of meer speculation God having with the same infallibility and absoluteness of Decree as say our Adversaries decreed things contingent and things necessary and consequently made all things as to matter of event and coming to pass necessary So that the Salvation of the Saints is not absolutely decreed by God to be effected by His long-suffering towards them Nor could this long-suffering be reasonably by them accounted Salvation in case their Salvation were so absolutely decreed unto them as our contrary-minded Brethren suppose Therefore 6. And lastly when the Apostle saith that the Lord is long-suffering to us-ward not willing that any should perish but that all c. his meaning must needs be that he is long-suffering towards men simply and indefinitely considered or towards mankinde and that this long-suffering of his towards them proceeds out of a gracious and merciful disposition in him which inclineth him not to will or desire the destruction of any Person or Soul of them but that they may generally one and other by the advantage and opportunity of his goodness and long-sufferance towards them be so overcome as to repent unfeignedly of their sins and turn unto him that they may be saved This Interpretation 1. Perfectly accords with the words in their genuine proper and best-known §. 12. significations whereas the other as we lately proved requires such a sence and signification of the two Particles 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 any and all wherein they are not to be found throughout the Scriptures 2. The series and story of the Context falls in much more genuinely and fairly with this then with that other interpretation the scope of the words being as we formerly likewise shewed to vindicate the delay which the Lord Christ maketh in not performing His Promise of coming to Judgment with so much celerity and expedition as some conceive it meet that He should perform it from any Pretence or Plea that can in a way of Reason render it offensive unto any man Now look out of how much the greater richer and larger mercy and goodness towards the poor children of men this Delay of His shall be found to proceed and by how much greater the number of those are whose benefit and blessedness shall appeaâ— to be intended by it and concerned in it it must needs be conceived to be proportionably so much the further off from being any just matter of offence unto any man then it would be in case it should be occasioned by any straitness of bowels or the good intended by it be conceived to relate onely to a few 3. The sence of the words and place which this Interpretation exhibiteth is more clearly parallel and consistent with the minde of the Holy Ghost in other Scriptures then that which is issued by the other The Scripture no where at least no where so much commendeth the Patience or long-sufferance of God determinately towards his Elect or towards Beleevers in reference to their Repentance or Salvation as towards the generality of men and more especially towards those that are wicked and ungodly But we are sure saith the Apostle Paul that the Judgment of God is according to Truth against them which commit such things And thinkest thou this O man that judgâ—st them which do such things and dost the same that thou shalt escape the Judgment of God Or despisest thou the riches of his goodness and forbearance and long-suffering not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth THEE to Repentance But THOV a Rom. 2. 2 3 4. c. And God Himself by His Prophet Ezekiel speaketh thus to the wicked and stiff-necked Jews in general Turn your selves from all your transgressions so iniquity shall not be your ruine And further For why will ye dye O House of Israel For I have no pleasure in the death of Him that dyeth saith the Lord God wherefore turn your selves and live ye b Ezek. 18. 30 32. And elsewhere by the same Prophet Say unto them As I live saith the Lord God I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked but that the wicked turn from his ways and live Turn ye turn ye from your evil ways for why will ye dye O House of Israel c Ezek. 33. 11 Our Apostle himself speaking of the wicked generation of the old world and of Gods Patience towards them saith thus Which sometimes
unto God knowingly wittingly and as it were to His face or as if they knew well enough this Record to have been given by Him and yet would not trust or beleeve Him therein but by their Unbelief at this great Point they are said to make Him a lyar in this sence viz. because they reject that as a fable or untruth which yet hath been spoken and asserted by God Himself for Truth yea and that upon such terms that by a diligent and strict enquiry they might come to a certain knowledg that it was spoken and asserted by Him For otherwise the light of Nature and force of Conscience are scarcely in any man much less in the generality of Unbeleevers so far wasted or spent with sinning as that they can immediately and directly or any otherwise then constructively or in a consequential indirect and remote way call God a lyar Therefore doubtless if Men received no other Power in Adam to beleeve then onely in case of such a Revelation of the Gospel made unto him or them in him by God which he or they must needs know came from God they received no other power of Beleeving in him whilest he stood then what they generally receive by or from Christ since Adams Fall So that to fetch the inexcusableness of Men in the sin of their Unbelief from Adam is to travel to the Indies with extream hazard and expence to bring the same commodity from thence which a man hath and this every ways as well conditioned and in sufficient quantity for his purpose at his own Home 4. If all Men received power in Adam to beleeve savingly or to Justification then must Adam himself needs be supposed to have received this power If so then must it be supposed withall to have been some ways useful beneficial and serviceable for some end and purpose of concernment unto him For to conceive that it was a meer impertinency or superfluity is an unsavory Notion If the power we speak of were any ways useful unto Adam then was it useful either for the enabling him to beleeve unto Justification whilest he remained yet innocent or in case he should fall to carry along with him into his lapsed condition that in this he might be enabled by it to beleeve accordingly But that it was not useful to Him in the former consideration is evident because during His estate of Innocency He remained under a Covenant of Works in which case He neither had any necessity of Beleeving in order to His Justification having not yet sined or if any Necessity in this kinde had been upon Him His Beleeving could not have justified Him in as much as the Law of Justification by Faith was not yet given or published by God Nor was it or could it be useful unto Him in the latter consideration for doubtless He carried nothing saving or justifying with Him out of His estate of Innocency into His lapsed condition which was a condition of Sin Misery and Condemnation especially until the Promise of a Saviour was given and that Trumpet of the great Jubilee had sounded that the Seed of the Woman should bruise or break the Serpents Head a Gen. 3. 15 5. And lastly for this It is no ways probable that Men received power in Adam to beleeve or at least that any such power though received in him is of any account with God to render Men inexcusable under the sin of Unbelief in the days of the Gospel which is of equal conducement unto our purpose because the Holy Ghost assigns other grounds and reasons as we lately heard to assert this inexcusableness but no where gives the least intimation either of any such power to beleeve as we now oppose received by Men in Adam much less of any relation which this Power should have to that inexcusableness of unbeleevers under the Gospel which God hath projected or provided for upon other terms Therefore 2. Suppose it should be granted that Men generally did receive in Adam such a power of Beleeving which is so much contended for yet God having made a second a new Covenant a Covenant of much more Grace Love and Mercy with them whereof substantial and large proof hath been made in the Premisses it is no ways consonant either to the Wisdom of God or to the unsearchable riches of His Grace in this new Covenant that He should proceed in Judgment against them upon any advantage taken from their condition under the first Covenant If men will here be peremptory and say that such proceedings in Judgment against men are consonant enough both to His Wisdom and to His Grace in the new Covenant let them either 1. produce some Scripture to evince such a consonancy or else 2. let them confess and profess that they are in a sufficient capacity by means of that light of Reason Judgment and understanding that shineth in them to judg and conclude what is agreeable to the Wisdom or Grace of God without warrant and direction from the Scriptures To decline both these is being interpreted to profess Will and Obstinacy under the Name of Judgment The former I am certain they cannot do if they do the latter they sin against the first-born of those Principles which they chiefly imploy in the defence and maintenance of their Cause But 3. And lastly for this also The Scriptures themselves as they are altogether silent of any purpose or intent in God to judg or condemn men upon any thing for which they may seem accountable from the first Covenant made with them in Adam so do they frequently mention and assert the Counsel and Purpose of God to proceed in the Judgment and Condemnation of Men by the Gospel and upon such Articles relating to the Covenant of Grace of the neglect or breach whereof Men shall be found guilty He that rejecteth me and receiveth not my words hath one that judgeth him the WORD THAT I HAVE SPOKEN THE SAME SHALL JVDG Him in the last day a John 12 48 He doth not say the Word that I have spoken shall judg Him c. but THE SAME shall judg Him c. which doubtless hath this emphatical import that the Word which He hath spoken since His coming in the flesh or in the Gospel and no other word whatsoever but this shall judg Him i. e. be insisted upon to evict Him guilty or worthy of Condemnation As for all that the Apostles spake in their preaching the Gospel and what other Ministers thereof speak in theirs so far as they preach the Truth of the Gospel or that which being neglected will render men liable unto Judgment is constructively and in effect but the same Word with that which Christ taught and spake in the flesh In like manner the Apostle Paul speaking of himself and his fellow-Apostles and all Ministers of the Gospel expresseth himself thus For we are unto God a sweet or the sweet savor of Christ in them that are saved and in them that
de Philanthropiâ c. In another Place After the same manner He saith it is in this Redemption of Mankinde whereof we speak that Reprobates and men deplorably or desperately wicked do not receive it neither comes to pass through any defect of the Grace of God nor is it meet that for the sons of Perdition sake that it should lose the glory and title of an Universal Redemption in as much as it is prepared for all and all are called unto it g Ad eum modum habet Redemptio ista generis humani de quâ loquimur quod illam homines reprobi ac deploratè impij non accipiant neque defectu fit gratiae Dei neque justum est vt illa propter filiâ—s perditionis gloriam ac titulum universalis Redemptionis amittat cum sit parata cunctis omnes ad illam vocentur Idem Loc. De Redemptione Gen. Human. Elsewhere He saith Christ dyed not for His Friends alone but for His Enemies also NOT FOR SOME MEN ONELY BVT FOR ALL MEN. This is the immense lâ—titude or compass of the Love of God h Christus verò non pro amicis tantùm sed inimicis non pro quibusdam tantum sed pro omnibus mortuus est Haec est immensa Divinae Dilectionis amplitudo Idem in 2 ad Cor. 5. 14 15. I know not how a man can express his sence for Universal Redemption though he should abound in it never so much in wordâ— more significant and distinct These Passages with many others like unto them have been formerly cited from this Author Peter Martyr hath these Sayings His Will was speaking of God that it should be well WITH ALL MEN and that One onely should in the mean time suffer i Voluit ille vt omnes benè haberent unus interim pati P. Martyr Loc. Com. Class 2. c. 17. §. 19 Again It was meet that for our Redemption some good thing should be offered unto God which should equally or rather more please Him then all the sins of the World had displeased Him k Oportebat vt ad nos redimendos bonum aliquod offeretur Deo quod aut aequè aut etiaÌ„ magis placere posset quaÌ„ omnia MuÌ„di peccata displicuisseÌ„t IdeÌ„ Ib. In another place He readily granteth that God with that Will which is called His antecedent Will willeth that all Men should be saved l Vnde si hanc Dei voluntateÌ„ respiciamus illuÌ„ facile dicemus velle omnes salvos Idem Loc. Câ—ass 3. c. 1. sect 45. which is the express Notion and Sence wherein we declared our Judgment in the Point of Universal Redemption by Christ m Cap. 17. Sect. 1 9. Elsewhere He produceth this Scripture God will have all Men to be saved to prove that God is not the Author of Sin in the World and upon this account argueth thus If God will have Men saved then He useth good means and doth not stir them up to sin for sin brings men to destruction n Loc. Com. Class 1. c. 14. sect 2. Si salvos vult bonis mediis utitur non incitat ad peccandum Peccata enim ad exitiuÌ„ deducunt If His Sence were that God willeth onely that the Elect should be saved then notwithstanding this Argument God might be the Author of all the sins in the world that are committed by far the greatest part of Men viz. by all those that are not Elected which doubtless was as far from His minde as it is from truth For if Gods Will that Men should be saved be a Reason to prove that He inclineth not Men unto sin the probatory force of it in this kinde can extend no further then to such Men onely whom He willeth should be saved Bucer if there were any agreement between his Judgment and his words §. 23. was as full and through for General Redemption as any man Whereas saith He the World was lost or undone by one sin of Adam the Grace of Christ did not onely abolish this sin and that Death which it brought upon the World but likewise took away AN INFINITE NVMBER OF OTHER SINS WHICH WE THE REST OF MEN HAVE ADDED to that first Sin o Cum enim ex uno Adae peccato orbis perditus sit gratia Christi non hoc solum peccatum et mortem quam intulit abolevit sed simul infinita illa sustulit peccata quae reliqui homines primo illi peccato adjecimus Bucer in Rom. 5. 16. Afterwards If we consider that every particular man by his Transgressions increaseth the misery of Mankinde and that whosoever sinneth doth no less hurt his Posterity then Adam did all Men it is a plain case that the GRACE OF CHRIST HATH REMOVED MORE EVILS FROM MEN THEN THE SIN OF ADAM BROVGHT upon them For though there be no sin committed in all the World which hath not its original from that first sin of Adam yet all particular men who sin as they sin voluntarily and freely so do they make an addition to their own proper guilt and misery ALL WHICH EVILS since the alone BENEFIT OF CHRIST HATH TAKEN AVVAY it must needs be that it hath taken away the sins of many and not of one onely Manifest therefore it is that more evils have been removed by Christ then were brought in by Adam p Verùm si consideramus singulos MortaliuÌ„ suis quoque transgressionibus maluÌ„ generis humani auxisse non minùs quicunque peccant suis posteris nocere atque nocuit omnibus Adam in aeperto est gratiam Christi plura depulisse ab hominibus mala quà m Adae noâ—a intulerit Nam licet in Orbe nihil peccatuÌ„ sit quod ex illo primo Adae lapsu non trahat originem tamen singuli qui peccant vt suâ quoque liberâ voluntate peccant ita suum quoque adjiciunt reatum suam adferunt perniciem Quae omnia Mala cum beneficium Christi solum sustulit certé jam multorum peccata sustulit non unius Adae Manifestum est igitur plura per Christum Mala submoâ—a esse quà m Adam intulerat Idem ad â—om 5. 17. And yet further this Author saith As by the Fall of one Sin prevailed over all so as to make all liable unto Condemnation so likewise the Righteousness of one so far took place on the behalf of ALL MEN that ALL MEN may obtain the Justification of Life hereby q Infert hîc Apostolus repetit suÌ„mat quae tribus praemissis collationibus disseruit haec scilicet Sicut ex unius lapsu peccatum in omnes invaluit vt reddiderit omnes condemnationi obnoxios sic etiam unius Justiciam in omnes homines obtinuisse vt Justificatio vitae omnibus contingat Idem ad Rom. 5. 18. He that converseth much with the Writings of other late Protestant Authors such I mean to whom the lot is fallen of being esteemed orthodox shall upon a little
Wrath conceived against it in Heaven a Venit ergo Christus Dominus in MunduÌ„ à patre missus Et cur missus Vt damna Naturae resarciret VideÌ„s siquideÌ„ Dominus miseraÌ„ perditaÌ„ infirmitatis nostrae conditionem innatâ fragilitate ad vitia procliveÌ„ sic dilexit MunduÌ„ vt FiliuÌ„ suuÌ„ unigenituÌ„ ultrò imperaret qui fragilitati succurreret Mortem in Salutem verteret in coelo iram pacificaret c. Foxus in Apoc. c. 14. p. 538. c. The condition of the Elect or of Beleevers was not miserable or lost or how ever not the condition of these onely Therefore this Author in saying that the Lord so loved the World that He voluntarily bestowed c. could not by the World mean such only Elect or Beleevers but the generality of Mankinde the condition of all which was equally lost and miserable and who are frequently signified and expressed by the word World Lavater preaching with his Pen upon the Prophet Ezekiel teacheh the §. 25. Doctrine asserted by us in words to this effect Some say I could willingly dye but that the greatness of my sins maketh me afraid of Death The Mindes or Consciences of these men are to be raised with this Consolation that we know that God hath layd our sins upon Christ so that He hath made satisfaction upon the Cross for us all b Nonnulli dicant equidem optareÌ„ mori sed magnitudo peccatorum meorum facit vt Mortem refugiam Erigendi sunt animi hâc consolatione quòd scimus Deum peccata nostrae Christo imposuisse vt pro nobis omnibus in cruce satisfaceret Lavater in Ezek. Homil. 18. To a Person troubled or dismayed with the fear of Death through the greatness of his sins it is a very faint Consolation to understand or consider that God hath layd the sins of some few men upon Christ or that He hath made satisfaction for the Elect or for those that beleeve one main ground of his trouble or fear being whether he be of the number either of the one or the other Therefore doubtless the Authors Sence in the Passage was that Christ hath made satisfaction upon the Cross for all Men without exception Chamier as solemnly engaged an Adversary against the Opinion of General Redemption as any yet so far be friendeth the Truth at unawares as to say that the Righteousness of Christ is common for the saving of ALL MEN unto Eternal Life c Eadem ratio est Iusticiae Christi quae communis est omnibus servandis in vitam aeternam Chamier Panstrat t. 3. lib. 21. cap. 21. Sect. 3. pag. 914. Mr Perkins is known to have been very deeply also baptized into the same spirit of opposition to us in the present Controversie yet I finde these words cited from him for I have not I confess as yet found them in the Tract it self out of which they are cited Every person in the Church by vertue of this Command of God Beleeve the Gospel is bound to beleeve that He is redeemed by Christ as well Reprobates as Elect though in a different consideration d Quisque in Ecclesia mundatâ— Dei Crede Evangelio tenetur creaerâ— se redemptum esse per Christum etiam Reprobos perinde atque Electos sed alia atque alia ratione Electus tenetur credere c. c. These words I so much the rather beleeve are to be found in this Author though as I now said I have not yet met with them here because I finde the same words in effect and not much differing in form in other Writers Partakers of the same Apprehensions with Him in the subject matter in hand For Zanchius expresseth himself to the same Point thus As EVERY ONE is commanded by God to beleeve and this with a proper and singular Faith that Christ dyed for Him and that His sins are expiated by the Death and Blood of Christ that His sins are pardoned for Christs sake that He is justified in or by Christ so He is bound also to be fully perswaded in himself that He was long before as viz. before the Foundation of the World chosen in Christ and predestinated to the participation of these benefits e Ergo vt quisque jubetur credere idque propriâ singulari fide ChristuÌ„ pro se mortuum esse sua peccata Christi Morte ac sanguine expiata fuisse se Patri per ChristuÌ„ reconciliatuÌ„ esse sibi peccata propter ChristuÌ„ esse condonata se in Christo justificatuÌ„ c. ita etiam peculiari fide tenetur persuasuÌ„ habere se ad horuÌ„ beneficioruÌ„ participationeÌ„ longè antè hoc est ante Mundi constitutionem fuisse in Christo electuÌ„ ac praedestinatuÌ„ c. Zanch. de Natarâ Dei lib. 5. cap. 2. qu. 1. thesi 1. c. Such sayings as these from men who professedly stand declared in their Judgments for such a Personal and Particular Redemption which excludeth the far greatest number of men from part or fellowship in it are unto me though no hard Interpreter either of mens words or actions of an Interpretation of no good accord with the Honor of their Authors Bullinger in his Writings frequently riseth up in confirmation of what his fellows somtimes affirm in the behalf of the Doctrine of our present Contest Amongst other Passages of this Interest I read words to this purpose It remains then as undubitable Truth that the Lord Christ is a full Propitiation Satisfaction Offering and Sacrifice for the Sins for the Punishment I say and for the fault or delinquency OF THE WHOLE WORLD f Itaque relinquitur jaÌ„ indubitatum ChristuÌ„ DominuÌ„ plenariaÌ„ esse PropitiationeÌ„ SatisfactioneÌ„ Hâ—stiaÌ„que victimaÌ„ pro pâ—ccatis pro poenâ inquaÌ„ pro culpâ totius Mundi c. Bullinger De Justifie Fidei Ser. 6. J. Jacobus Grynaeus numbereth him amongst his Orthodoxographers i. e. his orthodox and sound Writers who reasoned thus against the Pelagian Heretiques who denyed that Christ dyed for all Men If it were so how could the Apostle say that as in Adam all dye so in Christ ALL shall be made alive yea and saith withall that the Catholique Church utterly detests that Opinion which denyeth that Christ assumed the Nature of Man for all Men and that He dyed for all Men g DominuÌ„ nostruÌ„ Iesum ChristuÌ„ aiuÌ„t humanaÌ„ carnem non pro omnium salute sumpsisse nec pro omnibus mortuuÌ„ esse Hoc omnimodis catholica detestatur Ecclesia Nam si ita esset quomodo Apostolus diceret Sicut in Adam omnes moriuntur ita in Christo omnes vivificabuntur Orthodoxographia part 2. p. 1503. Dr Jo Davenant an eminent Member of the Synod of Dort in stead of an Answer to this Argument of his Adversaries against Justification by the imputed Righteousness of Christ If the Righteousness of Christ which is the general Price of the Redemption of all Men be imputed to us
have we wearyed him When ye say Every one that doth evil is good in the sight of the Lord and he delighteth in them or Where is the God of Judgment 335 3. 6. For I am the Lord I change not 205 Matt. 5. 26. Verily I say unto thee thou shalt by no means come out thence till tho uhast payd the uttermost farthing Pag. 442 Matt. 5. 32. whosoever shall put away his wife saving for the cause of fornication causeth her to commit adultery c. 187 7. 13. Enter ye in at the strait gate for wide is the gate c. 434 7. 23. And then I will profess unto them I never knw you depart c. 286 7. 24. Whosoever heareth these sayings of mine and doth them I will liken him unto a wise man whobuilt his house upon a rock c. 258 8. 22. and let the dead bury their dead 109 9. 13. I came not to call the righteous but sinners to repentance 139 10. 33. But whosoever shall deny me before men him will I c. 247 11. 23. for if the mighty works which have been done in thee had been done in Sodom it would have remained until this day 8 13. 20 21. But he that received the seed into stony places the same is he that heareth the Word and anon with joy receiveth it Yet hath he not root in himself c. 291 16. 18. and the gates of Hell shall not prevail against it 177 178 c. 18. 3. except ye be converted and become as little children ye shall not enter into the Kingdom of Heaven 330 18. 32 33 c. 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 Shouldst not thou also And his Lord was wroth and delivered him to the tormentors till he should pay all that was due unto him So likewise shall my Heavenlyh Father do also unto you if ye from your hearts forgive not every one his Brother their trespasses 150 151 c. 277 19. 11. all men cannot receive this saying c. 195 19. 17. why callest thou me Good There is none Good but one that is God 496 19. 28. Ye also shall sit upon twelve thrones judging the twelve Tribes of Israel Pag. 360 361 19. 30 But many that are first shall be last and the last shall be first 455 22. 3. And sent forth his servants to call them that were bidden to the the wedding and they would not come Behold I have prepared my dinner c. 403 404 c. 23. 37 38. O Jerusalem Jerusalem thou that killest the Prophets how often would I have gathered thy children together even as an Hen and ye would not Behold your habitaiton c. 449 471 24. 12. And because iniquity shall abound the love of many will wax cold 142 24. 13. But he that shall endure unto the end the same shall be saved 319 24. 24. in so much that if it were possible they shall deceive the very Elect. 181 27. 3 5. Then Judas which had betrayed him when he saw that he was condemned repented himself and departed and went and hanged himself 126 28. 20. and lo I am with you always even unto the end of the world 233 234 Mark 1. 4. John preached the Baptism of Repentance for the remission of sins 494 1. 17. Come ye after me and I will make you fishers of men 21 4. 19. And the cares of this world and the deceitfulness of riches and the lusts of other things entring in choke the Word c. 191 6. 6. And he marvelled because of their unbelief 500 9. 44. Where their worm dyeth not and the fire is not quenched 434 435 12. 43. this poor widow hath cast more in then all they which have cast into the Treasury 502 16. 16. He that beleeveth shall be be saved but he that beleeveth not c. 398 Luk. 8. 8. And other fell on good ground 258 259 c. 8. 15. But that on the good ground are they which in an honest good heart having heard the Word keep it and c. Ibid. 12. 4. And I say unto you my Friends Be not afraid of them that kill the body and after that have no more that they can do c. 313 12. 48. The servant that knew not his Lords will and did commit things worthy of stripes shall be beaten with few stripes For unto whomsoever much is given of him shall be much required c. 507 14. 16 c. A certain man made a great supper and bad many c. 404 22. 32. But I have prayed for thee that thy faith fail not 245 246 c. 23. 34. Father forgive them 245 23. 35. if he be Christ the chosen of God 244 Joh. 1. 4. And the life was the light of men 41 1. 5. And the light shineth in darkness and the darkness comprehended it not 41 42 1. 9. This was the true light which lighteth every man that cometh into the world 41 1. 29. Behold the Lamb of God which taketh away the sin of the world 188 3. 16. So God loved the world that he gave his onely begotten c. 76 77 c. to 87 3. 18. but he that beleeveth not is condemned already c. 491 4. 14. But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst but 232 5. 34. but these things I say that ye might be saved 221 6. 37. and him that cometh unto me I will in no wise cast out 251 6. 39. and this is the Fathers will which hath sent me that of all which he hath given me I should lose nothing but c. 251 252 8. 31. If ye continue in my Word then are ye my Disciples indeed 260 9. 39. For Judgment am I come into the world 82 83 10. 27 28 29. My sheep hear my voyce and I know them And I give unto them eternal Life and they shall never perish neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand My Father which gave them me is greater then all and no man is able to pluck them out of his hand 203 204 Joh. 11. 9 10. If a man walk in the day he stumbleth not because But if a man walk in the night he stumbleth c. Page 264 11. 42. And I knew that thou hearest me alway 246 12. 48. the words that I have spoken the same shall judg him in the last day 506 13. 1. having loved his own wqhich were in the world he loved them unto the end 204 205 14. 2. if it were not so I would have told you c. 491 14. 16. And I will pray the Father and he shall give another Comforter that he may abide with you for ever 233 234 15. 9 10. As the Father hath loved me so have I loved you continue ye in my love If ye keep my Commandments ye shall abide in my love even as I have kept
sanguine suo redemit Quid enim gravius peccatum in Christum committi poterit quam eum occidere pro quo ipse est Mortuus I finish this account with Mr. I. Deodates glosse upon the words Perish i. e. saith he shall be in danger of wounding his Conscience mortally and whereas before through tendernesse of conscience he abhorred any thing that drew neer to Idolatry he may peradventure use himself to it to the Ship-wracke of Salvation These Expositors doe not mince the words as Piscator and some few others §. 11. doe who destroying hereby the best of the nourishment in them glosse them thus Thy weake Brother shall perish viz. as to thee or as much as lieth in thee c Peribit nempe per te quidem seu quantum per testat See also the Annotations of the English Ministers upon 1 Cor. 8. 11. I confesse such a bridle as this doth well in the lips of some other Scripture expressions which will not be ruled by the Truth without it but it incumbers the Scripture in hand and abridgeth the serviceablenesse of it For if it shall be supposed that that kinde of offender against the weak Christian of whom the Apostle here speaketh knoweth certainly before hand that his act in eating meate sacrificed unto Idolls can have no such sad effect or sequell upon it as the destruction of a weak Brother must he not needs be tempted hereby to despise the Apostles charge on that behalf being grounded mainely upon such an Assertion or Supposall and so be comforted or incouraged in his sinfull Practise To put restrictions upon Scripture Phrases or Assertions without necessity and this demonstrable either from other Scriptures or unquestionable grounds of Reason is not to interpret the Scriptures now in being but upon the matter to make new If it be replied in favour of the said limitation or explication of Piscator §. 12. that there will be great weight and force enough to command the Consciences of Men in the Apostles argument and to take them off from abuse of their liberty though it should be supposed that there is only a tendency in such a Practise towards the destruction of weak Believers whether it be supposed that such Persons may actually Perish and be destroyed or not I answer there can be no tendency supposed in any action or meanes towards an impossibility For that which is simply impossible or which is the same in effect impossible upon a condition that is immutable and cannot faile is never the more possible nor any whit neerer unto being upon any other account or for any thing whatsoever that can be done Therefore there is nothing can be done with any tendency towards the effecting of such a thing Besides were it granted that there is a tendency in such a Practise the forbearance whereof the Apostle urgeth towards the destruction of a weake Brother yea and further that this Practise in respect of such a tendency in it were sinfull yet would there be very little in either or both of these to deter men from such a Practise unlesse it be withall supposed that that sad effect whereunto the said tendency is acknowledged to relate may possibly be Effected or Produced by it For the more secure a sinner may be that his sinfull Practise will not be so sadly consequenced as the Nature and Property of it only considered it might very possibly be the greater tentation lieth upon him to adventure upon it The confidence which Judas had that his act in betraying his Master would not have been accompanied with His Death but that he would now as severall times before he had done finde some way or other to make an escape from those into whose hands He was betrayed was one maine thing which betrayed Him into the deadly snare of that most abominable fact For it is said that when Judas saw that he was condemned which implies that this was more then He feared or expected notwithstanding his act in betraying Him he repented himself c. and cast down the pieces of silver in the Temple and departed and went and hanged Himself a Mat. 27. 3 5 Thirdly and lastly the mention and tender of an impossible effect by way of motive to over-rule the Consciences of men against a Practice in one kinde or other whereunto they are inclined is little lesse then ridiculous especially when the said impossibilitie is presumed to be known before hand to him the over ruling of whose Conscience is attempted thereby Suppose I be full of this Perswasion 1. That I am a true Believer 2. That being such I am under an impossibility ever to fall away so as to Perish and under this double Perswasion were very much addicted to such or such a sinfull course the consideration of my falling away and perishing were the most improper and impertinent argument that lightly could be Pressed upon me to perswade me out of the Way and Practice of my sin But some as willing to break loose from the Scripture in hand as the former §. 13. yet being not satisfied with their Projection for an escape trie the same conclusion another way and by another device The Apostle say they calls a weak Professor of the Gospell by the name of a Brother not as if it could be demonstratively known that he is a Brother indeed but because others stand bound by the Law of Charity to judge him such after the same manner he saith that Christ died for him not as if he would have men to believe this according to the judgement or with the certainty of Faith but only with the judgement of Charity Upon this supposall they draw up the Apostles argument for him thus thy Brother shall perish for whom c. i. e. by the abuse of thy knowledge thou mayst be the destruction of him whom thou art bound in Charity to look upon as thy Brother in Christ and one of those for whom Christ died But 1. Why stand we not bound to believe only with the judgement of Charity and not with the certainty of Faith that Christ is the Son of God or Saviour of the World c. as well as to believe only after this manner that he may perish for whom Christ died this latter being as positively as cleerly as roundly and fully asserted by the Holy Ghost as either of the former Or what is such a liberty of Interpreting Scriptures as this being interpreted but an effectuall door opened for the reducing of all things whatsoever in matters of Religion yea the Truth and Authority of the Scriptures themselves to the judgement of Charity and consequently to the casting the judgement of Faith out of doores But 2. To enjoyn me a beliefe only according to the judgement of Charity §. 14. where a belief according the judgement of Faith would be ten times more beneficiall and serviceable unto me for the preserving of me from sin especially when the ground-work of