heareth us 1 John 5.14 which confidence doth not leave those to whom God hath given the earnest of the spirit that is believers (g) 2 Cor. 5.6 we are always confident saith St. Paul which argues it to be essential to faith St. John also calleth it boldness (h) 1 Joh 4.17 herein is our love made perfect that we may have boldness in the day of Judgment Such a frame ariseth out of faith without which no true and well grounded boldness and confidence nor being hearty and chearful as our Saviour saith to his disciples they ought to be Be of good cheer I have overcome the world Peter as St. John saith makes certitude and assurance go along with Faith for in his name and of the disciples he declares thus (i) Joh. 16.33 John 6.69 We believe and are sure that thou art that Christ the son of the living God to believe and be sure is the same neither could they or any other believe except they were sure it is true but it is more or less for as there are degrees of faith so of assurance which is an essential part thereof (k) Heb. 6.11 chap. 10.22 As Scripture speaks of a full assurance of hope so it doth of a full assurance of faith we are fully assured there is a promise for those who do their duty and the promise is from the God of truth of all this there is a full assurance he heareth us These words certainly go beyond common knowledge and assent and let this be the first reason Farther Christ is received by Faith (l) Joh. 1.12 But as many as received him to them he gave power to become the sons of God even to them that believe in his name bare knowledge and assent are not enough or else Devils and Reprobates could be made Sons of God Again they who truly believe in Christ know they have eternal life (m) 1 Joh. 5.13 These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God that ye may know that ye have eternal life out of bare knowledge and assent no man can know he hath eternal life for despair may consist with both 't is so in all Devils and in many Reprobates Lastly (n) Habak 2.4 By faith we live (o) Rom 11.20 By faith we stand (p) Rom. 5.1 By faith we are justified (q) Eph. 2.8 By faith we are saved and through faith we obtain forgiveness of sins heavenly Blessings Adoptions Victory over all spiritual Enemies in a word Christ and all his benefits we receive by faith which cannot be an effect of bare knowledge and assent Several other Texts I omit which are much to may purpose but this is sufficient Now followeth the question between Papists Arminians and us Whether saith be common to all Elect and Reprobates which they affirm but we say 't is given only to believers and 't is proper to them But still we mean true justifying faith Scripture speaks clearly for us in the case for it is called (a) Tit. 1.1 the faith of God's elect God's Elect and Christ's Sheep are one and the same but none believe but Christ's Sheep he saith to the unbelieving Jews (b) Joh. 10.26 but ye believe not because ye are not of my sheep Faith is an effect of Election for it is said (c) Acts 13.48 as many as were ordained to eternal life believed as many and no more And seeing (d) Rom. 8.30 only the Elect are justified and glorified they only have faith because believers only are justified and they only that are justified are glorified none but the Elect are members of Christ and we become such only through faith Now God hath (e) Eph. 1.5 predestinated none but the elect unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ There must be a certain mark of distinction between good and bad or else the one could not be known from the other Now faith is the characteristical note of God's children and our election is known to us a posteriori only by the effect whereof faith is the chief and it is so essential that it gives a general denomination the whole world being divided into believers and unbelievers this is of so high a concernment that St. Paul earnestly exhorteth the Corinthians to (f) 2 Cor. 13.5 examine themselves whether they be in the faith prove your own selves know ye not your own selves how that Jesus Christ is in you except ye be reprobates Now Christ is in us by faith for 't is the instrument whereby we receive and apprehend him and not otherwise Against this they would have something to say out of that Text where St. Paul (g) Rom. 11.17 speaketh of some branches broken off the tree whence they conclude that some reprobates had been engrafted in Christ through faith but if any for unbelief were ever cut off from the tree of life we deny that ever they were in Christ indeed by true faith but only outwardly they seemed to be so they are said to be broken-off when by reason of unbelief and hypocrisie either they are fallen off themselves or have been put out of the society of the Church as it formerly happened to the Jews whom the Apostle speaks of in that place Let this be observed that when in Scripture faith is attributed to reprobates 't is not meant true saving faith which they never had but only historical or temporal an outward and hyp critical prosession of faith or of the doctrine of the Gospel and this calls to my mind that place of Scripture about the parable of the talents the talent was taken from the man when 't is said (a) Matth. 25.29 from him that hath not shall be taken away even that which he hath How can that man have that which he hath not or that be taken away which he hath not The matter is explained by another Evangelist thus (b) Luke 8.11 whosoever hath not shall be taken away even that which he seemeth to have he had it in appearance but not in reallity so reprobates have faith but in a shew and when they have lost it 't is only that which they seemed to have but never had it really They lost the outward shew and profession Another point concerning faith wherein we differ is this about the certitude of faith They deny believers can know whether or not they have true faith we say they can know it and begin to prove it with that Text already quoted 2 Cor. 13. Upon examination they may find and know whether Christ be in them he would not have advised them to that examination except they could have found out the truth of it Which truth we are aâ—â—ured of by our Saviour when he saith to his Disciples (c) Joh. 14.20 ye shall know that you are in me and I in you Seeing then we are in Christ and Christ in us by faith and they
and love of God whereby he chose us for his before he made the world after that he granted us to be called by the preaching of the Gospel of Jesus Christ when the spirit of the Lord is poured into us by whose guidance and governance we be led to settle our trust in God ... From the same spirit also cometh our sanctification the love of God and our Neighbour justice and uprightness of life finally whatsoever is in us or may be done of us honest pure true and good that altogether springeth out of this most pleasant Rock from this most plentiful fountain the goodness love choice and unchangeable purpose of God he is the cause the rest are the fruits and effects .... It is meant thereby that faith or rather trust alone doth lay hand upon understand and perceive our righteous making to be given us of God freely That is to say by no desert of our own but by the free grace of the Almighty Father .... For not by the worthiness of our deservings were we either heretofore chosen or long ago saved but by the only mercy of God and pure grace of Christ our Lord whereby we were in him made to do these good works that God hath appointed for us to walk in ... And fol. 68. Immortality and blessed life God hath provided for his chosen before the foundation of the world was laid To what hath been said out of fol. 7 8 12. I shall add few words more The image of God in man by original sin and evil custom was so obscured that man himself could not sufficiently understand the difference between good and bad between just and unjust c. And from these and other actions of Christ two benefits do accrue unto us one that whatsoever he did he did it all for our profit so that they are as much ours if so be we cleave fast to them with a firm and lively faith as if we our selves had done them .... Out of all this I made it appear Arminian Tenets to be contrary to the Doctrine of the Church and upon occasion I shall be ready to make enlargements not only out of all the same Springs and Authentick Records but out of others too which now for brevities sake I do not mention tho' they be considerable however before I make an end of this point I must not omit taking notice of the Catechism of Predestination or some certain Questions and Answers about that matter in opposition to Arminianism and as a preservative against it when here it began to appear in the Year 1607 they were Licensed by Authority and Printed by Robert Barker which then were bound up and sold with the Bibles I shall take notice only of three or four things in it The answer to the question What is the reason why men do so much vary in matters of religion Is this Because they only believe the Gospel and Doctrine of Christ which are ordained unto eternal life And to the next question Are not all ordained to eternal life The Answer is Some are vessels of wrath ordained unto destruction as others are vessels of mercy prepared to glory And to the question How standeth it with God's justice that some are appointed to damnation The Answer is Very well because all men have in themselves sin which deserveth no less and therefore the mercy of God is wonderful in that he vouchsafed to save some of that sinful race and to bring them to the knowledge of the truth And to the following question If God's ordinance and determination must of necessity take effect then what need any man to care For he that liveth well must needs be damned if he be thereunto ordained And he that liveth ill must needs be saved if he be thereunto appointed The answer is this Not so for it is not possible that either the Elect should always be without care to do well or that the Reprobate should have any will thereunto for to have either good will or good work is a testimony of the spirit of God which is given to the Elect only whereby faith is so wrought in them that being grafted in Christ they grow in holiness to that glory whereunto they are appointed c. And as to another question Cannot such perish as at some time or other feel these spiritual motions within themselves 'T is answered It is not possible that they should for as Gods purpose is not changeable so he repenteth not of the gifts and graces of his adoption neither doth he cast off those whom he hath once received If we had had the penning of these words we could not have set them down otherwise than they are Hence appeareth the sweet and perfect harmony between these publick Records of the Faith and Religion of the Church of England let those that have a mind to look farther there into among the 39 Articles to peruse the 9th about Original Sin the 11th of the Justification of Man and the 18th of obtaining eternal Salvation only by the name of Christ With Mr. Roger's Exposition upon every one of them specially the 17th about Predestination I hope we hitherto have out of Publick and Authentick Records sufficiently demonstrated Arminianism to be contray to the Doctrine of the Church We ought to take notice how these 39 Articles Common-Prayer-Book c. were compiled before Arminius and his errors were heard of here for I make no doubt but if they had been spread before we should have had other things more directly and positive against them for certainly the spirit of the first Reformers was altogether for free-grace against free-will wherefore to prosecute my Argument I now must shew how strongly and generally Arminianism was opposed here when it first appeared Which can more and more confirm it to be against the Doctrine of the Church But this affordeth matter enough for another Chapter CHAP. XVI How Arminianism did meet with a strong and general opposition here when it began to appear HEre the sparkles of that unhappy Fire did at first except once which I shall have occasion to mention break out in Cambridge where one Doctor Baroe a Divinity Professor and one Barret in a Sermon of his having published some Arminian Tenets a speedy course was taken to suppress it for the Vice-Chancellor and Heads of the University-Colleges met together and declared those opinions to be Innovations and contrary to the Doctrine of the Church professed in that University Whereupon they sent up Doctor Whitaker and Tindal two Members of their own to Archbishop Whitgift who forthwith called to him several learned and worthy Divines amongst whom were the then Bishop of London the Elect Bishop of Bangor and others in and about the City and upon due Examination and Debate upon the matter on the 20th of November 1595 drew up unanimously the 9 Articles called the Lambeth Articles wherein they also had the concurrence of the Archbishop of York and of several Divines of that
grat cap. 6. Anselm in Rom. 8. Bradward causa dei lib. 1. cap. 40. Margin Now we must come to the third thing The perseverance of Saints and certainty of Salvation wherein we do agree with the Doctors of the Primitive Church That (e) Trenae lib. 5. cap. 9. 10. 11. the Temple of God which is inhabited by the Spirit of the Father and that the members of Christ should not be partakers of Salvation how is it not a most great blasphemy c. (a) Cyprian de mâ—râ— lit de â—rat domin nam 6. It is written saith Cyprian the just shall live by faith if thou art just and livest by faith if thou truly believest in God why since thou art to live with Christ and art sure of the Lords promise Doest thou not rejoice that thou art called by death unto Christ And elsewhere He that hath believed in his name and is made the Son of God from that time must begin both to give thanks and to profess himself the Son of God Another saith He (b) Clemenâ— Alex. paedag lib. 1. cap. 6. that believeth in the Son hath eternal life if then we who have believed have eternal life what remaineth beyond the possession of life eternal Again He saith thou art no more a Servant but a Son if a Son then also an Heir thorough God what then wanteth to a Son when he is an Heir This certainty of Salvation worketh an assurance and comfort which makes one say (c) Hilar. de trin lib. 1. The soul knowing her own safety resteth in quietness rejoycing in her hopes so much not fearing death that she accounts it as the way to eternal life Let us hear what saith another upon the matter (d) Ambr. in 2 Cor. 1. Serm. 15. He hath sealed us by giving his spirit to us for an earnest that we may not doubt of his promises for if when we were in the state of death he gave us his spirit it is not to be doubted but that to us being made immortal he will add glory And in another place He saith well I am confident for confidence is the strength of our hope and an authority of hoping Therefore hope still and no man can make thee ashamed of thy expectation Our expectation is life eternal As for Austin he hath written at large upon this Subject in his Book De Perseverantiâ Sanctorum De Correptione Gratia But here we shall only quote few words (e) August in Psal 122. 123. For we are saved by hope but because our hope is certain it is so spoken of us as if it were already done Hereunto we do joyn what another saith (f) Bernard Epist. 107. O man thou hast the justifying spirit for a teacher of this secret and in the same witnessing to thy spirit that thou also art the Son of God Take notice of the counsel of God in thy justification for the present justification of thee is both a revelation of God's counsel and a certain preparation unto future glory The Doctor called profound having argued and proved perseverance to be a free gift of God concludes thus For these and the like motives it seems more probable to me and more to agree with reason and Catholick Doctrines that perseverance is not given to merits but is freely given of God according to his free grace free-predestination and free-purpose as the first working grace that justifieth a sinner Lastly to make an end of this one having spoken of the Elect and Believer saith (a) Ferus in 1. Joan. 5. Satan cannot touch him He may indeed dare to tempt the godly so likewise he durst to tempt Christ Yea sometimes he drives just men unto a fall as we see in David and Peter But finally as in Christ he could have nothing so neither can he prevail over the Saints for none can take Christ's sheep out of his hands wherefore going to his passion he recommended all that believed in him unto his Father The words of others I omit to quote only their (b) Basilus de Spiritu Sancto cap. 15. Prosper in Psal 114. Cyrill Alex. Comment in Isa lib. 3. in Joan. lib. 9. cap. 44. Gregor in Job lib. 11. cap. 20. lib. 16. cap. 2. Aâ—selm in Rom. 8. Names and places I set down in the Margin I think I have done enough in this kind to prove that in the matters of grace we have the Doctors of the Primitive Church with us and others in some of the late Ages and consequently Calvin is not the Author of such Doctrines and that we brought no Innovation into the Church which aspersion we may justly retort upon our Adversaries And to shew the more that conformity we have with the antient Catholick Church I must say in short how the very same aspersions by Arminians cast upon us were by Pelagius and his followers laid to the charge of St. Austin and they are these First That they take away free-will and bring in a Stoical fatality Secondly That the make God the author of sin Thirdly They open a gap to despair and slothfulness Fourthly They take away all use of Precepts Promises Threatnings yea and Prayer it self Fifthly That they make God an Impostor seeing he commands men to repent and believe yet doth not seriously will their repentance and faith nor their Salvation unto which only faith and repentance can entitle them Sixthly That their whole opinions are against the stream of Antiquity These were falsely fathered upon the Doctrine of Austin and other Orthodox Doctors of the Church as easily I now can and upon occasion shall ever be ready to prove out of their own writtings but this I now omit not to fill up so much Paper with Quotations neither thinking it so material to know what those Father 's believed as what the word of God which we have not been wanting to make use of doth declare upon the matter Nay to go up higher I have shewed how it was against St. Paul's Doctrine objected Rom. 9. and the Objections by him answered of making God unjust and men excusable out of the necessity of God's Decree and as these were falsly fathered upon St. Paul's afterwards on Austin's Doctrine So with the very same the truths we teach are aspersed by our Adversaries who are men of the same Principles as the others were Indeed 't is very sad that whilst a considerable Body of Papists followers of Jansenius Bishop of Ypres joyned with us in defence of those matters of grace a Party of our own should make a desertion and joyn with Papists against us And some of them with as much gall in the Heart and bitterness against us in Tongues and Pens as if we were the greatest Unbelievers and Miscreants in the World and all this for no other cause than our asserting of the truths plainly and fully contained in God's Word CHAP. XIV Of the absurd and dangerous consequences necessarily
of Jews and Gentiles indefinitely to whom he gives hopes of Salvation through Faith in Christ for that is the scope of that whole Chapter so the sence is this God hath concluded under sin Jews and Gentiles to have mercy on both in Christ apprehended with Faith so that Jews and Gentiles may ascribe their Salvation only to God's mercy This Text compared with another (f) Gal 3.22 Scripture hath concluded all under sin that the promise by faith of Jesus Christ might be given to them that believe doth clear the point this last interpreting the other for as it appeareth that all are concluded under sin so it sheweth how special mercy reacheth only those who through the grace of God do believe and through Faith are elected to everlasting life To say that God hath from Eternity decreed to save all and every Man under this condition if they believe in Christ not only they find in Scripture nothing to ground it upon but withall intangle themselves in two very great difficulties First to God they attribute a vain and imprudent Decree for if from Eternity God hath foreseen that the condition of Faith in Christ shall not be performed by many to what purpose to make such a Decree of Salvation to depend upon such a condition Such a Decree doth not become the wisdom of any Man much less of God The Second inconveniency is this they submit and make faith a free gift of God to depend upon the free-will of man dead in trespasses and sins that it is in the power of Man to believe or not believe which is meer Pelagianism and wholly contrary to Scripture These considerations have so wrought upon some that they wave off the fore-sight of Faith but betake themselves to the fore-sight of the right use which Men would make of outward means of Conversion and Salvation as the serious saving hearing reading and meditation of the word of God receiving of the Sacrament frequenting of Churches c. But alas the first of these is the fruit of the Spirit not of corrupt Nature the saving hearing of the Word as well as Faith proceedeth from our Election For (a) 2 Cor. 2.15 16. the word is a Saviour of life unto life to none but the Elect but to others that perish it is the Saviour of death unto death And if going to Church and every hearing of the word of God could make a difference between chosen and reprobates and was necessarily joyned with Election all those that perform those duties would be Elect which we know to be false Experience teacheth us how sometimes the worst of Men most averse from hearing of the Word or walking in the way of Salvation are converted to God others who seemed better and fitter for the Kingdom of God being passed by and left so calling is sometimes for those who seemed the worst not for those who appeared the best Farther this opinion makes the rejecting of the grace of the Gospel outwardly offered the only cause of reprobation What then shall we say of those who from the beginning of the world to the birth of our Saviour were damned whereof the thousandth part never heard a word of Christ Now we proceed and say in the third place the lesser part òf sinners is elected and the greatest part left in their state of Damnation which Scripture clearly affirmeth (a) Rom. 9.29 Chap. 11.5 4. Except the Lord of Sabbath had lest us a seed 't is but a Seed a remnant a little one seven thousand amongst all the people of Israel our Blessed Saviour who knew it very well saith though (b) Matth. 20.16 Chap. 7.13.14 many are called yet few are chosen and broad is the way that leadeth to destruction and many there be that go in thereat But strait is the gate and narrow is the way which leadeth unto life and few there be that find it They are called the little Flock whereof the Members at certain times are so few as thereby invisible to man's eye some times in God's not one Fourthly Kings 19.14 Ezek. 22.30 We say that these few ones are chiefly chosen out of those that are low and contemptible in the world for which we have that famous Text (c) 1 Cor. 1.26 27 28. For ye see your calling brethren how that not many wise men after the flesh not many mighty not many noble are called but God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise and the weak to confound the mighty and base things of the world and things which are despised hath God chosen c. Hence we learn two considerable things First Not to judge of the love of God or his special grace out of humane Wisdom Power or Nobleness The Second patiently to bear the lowness meanness weakness and despicableness before the world for they are signs rather of Grace than of Wrath. To that purpose also is that passage in the Gospel (d) John 7.48 49. Have any of the Rulers or of the Pharisees believed on him But this people who knoweth not the law are cursed These learned and wise High-priests and Pharisees in their own conceit would not go into Heaven nor suffer others to enter into it Ver. 47 not only they called the people cursed but also the Officers they had sent deceived are ye also deceived But upon occasion our Saviour plainly tells them the truth ye who think your selves so wise and righteous are fools in comparison of those whom you despise For (e) Matth. 21.31 Publicans and Harlots go into the Kingdom of God before you As every wise Agent proposeth an end to himself in every thing he doth so likewise the only wise God in our Election purposed the manifestation of his mercy in his gracious Salvation of some sinners this St. Paul speaks of when after having said (a) Ephes 1.4.6 We are elected in Christ he addeth to the praise of the glory of his Grace Hence it is that the Elect be called (b) Rom. 9.23 Vessels of mercy Which mercy when God gives us grace to depend upon then we are grounded on the rock of Eternity but Man's Pride makes him desire to be loose from the Rock and stand on his own bottom which is meer quick Sand and Mud. So at last he must needs sink into it if God leaves him Now two things belong to the Decree of Election and are inseparable from it which do afford us matter of unspeakable comfort they are Eternity and Immutability for our Election is eternal and unchangeable First Eternal (c) Ephes 1.4 chap. 3.9 God hath chosen us in Christ before the foundation of the world which in the same Epistle is called the mystery which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God And in another place (d) 2 Tim. 1.9 Grace was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began And in another the same Epistle calls it (e) Rom. 16.25
the revelation of the mystery which was kept secret since the world began And in another Epistle (f) Colos 1.26 The mystery which hath been hid from ages and from generations but now is made manifest to his saints 'T is named (g) Tit. 1.2 the hope of eternal life which God that cannot lye promised before the world began Because our hope of it is grounded there upon which place proveth also the immutability and certainty of it for God cannot lye And St. Peter calleth Christ (h) 1 Pet. 1.19 20. the lamb without blemish and without spot who verily was fore-ordained before the foundation of the world All which Texts do point at our Election in Christ from all Eternity so we need no longer to insist upon this but to proceed to the unchangeableness When we say Election is unchangeable we mean that none of those that are elected to everlasting life can perish and be damned which is the same as to say the number of Elect is certain and can neither be augmented nor diminished so that the Elect ever remain Elect and are never reprobates Several places in Scripture do prove this immutability of Gods Decrees as the following which are so clear that there is no need of enlargement or exposition I (a) Mal. 3.6 the Lord change not not in his Nature which is always the same that was that is and that is to come Eternal immortal c. Nor doth he change place because he always is every where filling all with his infinite Being nor is his Mind and Will which is the question in hand he is not as men who often alter their resolutions but God being most and infinitely wise the only Wise is unchangeable in his Decrees So that (b) 2 Tim. 2.19 the foundation of the Lord standeth sure having this Seal the Lord knoweth them that are his His chosen (c) Rom. 11.29 The gifts and calling of God are without repentance for (d) Numb 23.19 he is not a man that he should lye neither the Son of Man that he should repent I know our Adversaries cast a slanderous aspersion upon this Doctrine as thus let a Man walk continue and obstinately persevere in sin and do all the evil he can if he be unalterably elected to eternal life he needs not care what he doth for he shall be saved which say they is an encouragement to sin so a Man that is a reprobate let him do all possible good things 't is in vain he can never be saved But those that say so must either have a great deal of gall and malice in their Heart and be in the bonds of iniquity or be very ignorant of God's ways and of the workings of grace upon the heart What an injurious opinion have they of God as if he knew not what he doth to bring Men into Heaven by the way of Hell or into Hell by the way of Heaven hath the Lord forfeited his wisdom as to separate the means from the end Is it not blasphemy to think nay which is more to say that God who so strictly forbideth Sin and commandeth Repentance and Holiness in his word would therein give an encouragement to all manner of vice and wickedness We own that if the Elect would obstinately continue in sin they should be damned but God who will not have them to be damned and Perish but after they have sinned to return to him and (e) 2 Pet. 3.9 come to repentance doth convert and with threatinngs and chastisements contain them in their duty as it appeareth in the cases of David Peter c. I add 't is no more consisting for an Elect to persevere in sin to the end than for a Reprobate to persevere in grace and true Faith which he never had They who in consequence of their Election be converted are of another sort of temper than those Slanderers take them to be of notwithstanding the frailty of the Elect there is in them a fear and love of God sin dwelleth but doth not reign in them though sometimes they commit wickedness yet they have not sold themselves as 't is said of Ahab to commit it they sin but are none of those whom the Apostle speaks of (a) 2 Pet. 2.14 that cannot cease from sin If sometimes God leaveth them to themselves yet he returns to them with his restraining preventing and strengthening Grace (b) Psal 68.28 He strengtheneth that which he hath wrought for them and in St. Peter's words God doth (c) 1 Pet 5.10 make them perfect stablisheth strengtheneth and settleth them After sin God doth give them Checks We read of David that after his sin of numbering the People (d) 2 Sam. 24.10 His heart smote him they have reality of faith though it be weak sincerity of Repentance though it be unperfect truth of love to God and Charity for the Neighbour though attended with much frailty and weakness Those that have experience and some inward assurance of God's mercy to them in Christ have better thoughts of their duty and will not be drudges of sin and Satan they will be afraid of doing things unworthy of God's Children for fear of displeasing so gracious a Father they will endeavour to work their Salvation with fear and trembling and as much as humane frailty and the sinfulness of their nature will allow they will avoid doing things unworthy of their holy calling they who have such an opinion of them have not yet tasted how good and sweet the Lord is We who assert this true and sound Doctrine of Election know (e) Ephes 1.4 we are chosen that we should be holy not commit sin and wickedness we are called unto holiness and certainly in God's Children the persuasion of Election is the greatest motive and encouragement they can have to a good life and conversation We know we are God's workmanship Chap. 2.10 created in Christ Jesus unto good works which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them Not to lead a loose and vicious life and that (a) 2 Tim. 2.19 Psal 85.8 every one that nameth the name of Christ let him as much as he can depart from iniquity And not turn again to foll Every one that hath a saving knowledge of God's word which is the rule of Practice as of Doctrine is convinced it is against a vicious and wicked life (b) Tit. 3 8.14 This is a faithful saying saith Paul And these things I will that thou affirm constantly that they which have believed in God might be careful to maintain good works And the 6th verse following he gives the same charge Let ours also learn to maintain good works We do and so will all true Believers joyn with St. Peter in a just and right conclusion of a gracious premise (c) 1 Pet. 2. â— Ye are a chosen generation a royal priesthood an holy nation a peculiar people All this is admirable well but what will our
and eternal life are called the Kingdom by way of Excellency which Kingdom is not any purchase of ours but the gift of God to give you to the Elect to the little Flock and to no others upon no other motive than God's Will and meer Good-pleasure for it is your fathers good-pleasure 't is not said your God which is also true but your Father is a more tender word to express love for in a special manner he is Father to the Elect whom God hath chosen and adopted in Christ Jesus our Lord who himself is the Author of these words and did speak them upon sure grounds and out of his certain knowledge thus he saith elsewhere I appoint unto you a Kingdom as my Father hath appointed unto me Luke 22 29. All done by way of preordination and fore-appointment But before I conclude this matter of our Election I must speak of the Effects and Consequences thereof which are the means whereby to attain unto the end for as we said before the most wise God hath not ordained us to Glory and everlasting Happiness and left us to seek how to come there but also he hath appointed the way that every thing belonging to Salvation the grounds and beginning the progress and end may all be of his own so that we may be sure of it to the praise of the riches of his Grace Hence it is that our Blessed Saviour is called not only (a) Heb. 2.10 Chap. 5.9 the captain of our Salvation and the author of eternal Salvation unto all that obey him but also the author and finisher of our Faith which is the way and means conducing to it The most Holy and Blessed Trinity did purpose and resolve it In the execution Christ is the Captain and Leader and he will finish it for he will never give over till (b) Joh. 17.24.11 those whom the Father hath given him his elect be with him where he is that they may behold his glory and that they may be one as the Father and he are Now the means appointed for the execution in time of the Decree of Election are our Vocation to and in the Church thorough the ministry of the Word our Conversion Regeneration Faith in Christ Justification Sanctification which are all grounded upon our Lord and Mediator Jesus Christ These means that are between our Election and Glorification are as the Chain that links it together and spoken of by St. Paul in the place already quoted (c) Rom. 8.30 Whom he did predestinate them he also called and whom he called them he also justified and whom he justified them he also glorified No danger of breaking or miscarrying it is so sure that he speaketh of it not as a thing to come but as passed and already done The Consideration of these means is part of the Decree of Election as well as Glory and Salvation for 't is but one single and individual act of Election to Glory by the means of Grace for neither Glory was decreed without relation to Grace nor Grace without relation to Glory Another fruit and effect of our Election is the certainty we have of it within us whereby (a) This affirmed in Rogers Analysis Pag. 76. we know and are sure we are elected to everlasting life This certitude ariseth out of the sence and feeling we have of the means appointed to execute Election every Elect after his Conversion having faith in Christ may certainly know whether he be elected If upon examination of himself he may say I by the word of God am called to the Church and to eternal life I have the gift of Faith in Jesus Christ that is I believe my sins are forgiven me for the merits of Christ the Mediator God and Man Furthermore with a real and sincere desire and endeavour I worship God according to the rule of his word and I love my Neighbour out of this he may conclude I am elected to life everlasting All this depends upon a true examination and the Consequence is drawn à posteriori where are fruits there is a Tree when we find heat and motion in a Man we safely conclude there is Life Now all this examination is grounded upon that Text of Rom. 8.30 which I quoted but a little before but the calling is inward proper to Believers that answer and obey the call which our Saviour speaks of (b) John 5.25 the hour is coming and now is when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God and they that hear shall live for they were dead in their sins the call is inward and spiritual whereby the blind mind is enlightened by the Word applyed by the Spirit and the obstinate and perverse will is brought under to obedience they who make Faith and Justification common to Believers and Reprobates cannot have this certitude of Election but others can according to St. Paul (c) 1 Thes 1.4 Knowing brethren beloved your election of God Hence we conclude it may be known This certitude and assurance of Election and so of Salvation for if I can but make my Election sure then I am sure of my Salvation is no motive to softness neglect and carelessness he who is sure of Salvation is sure to perform the Condition Salvation is the end of Election and Repentance Faith Holiness perseverance are the effects thereof Grace is the way to Glory God promising to save the Elect promised also to preserve them in that without which is no Salvation and when sometimes Believers do so much forget and are so senseless to themselves as to sin offend and leave Gods ways God wants no Scourges or other means to bring them in again This certitude of our unchangeable Election doth not as our Adversaries would have it breed in us Prophaneness and carnal Security on the contrary as we already said 't is the greatest motive and incentive we have to Piety for which St. Peter is my Witness (a) 2 Pet. 1.10 Wherefore the rather brethren give diligence to make your calling and election sure For if ye do these things ye shall never fall If it were not possible to attain unto it it were in vain for the Apostle to exhort us thereunto When once Men have that assurance they will endeavour to answer it in the study and practice of holiness and become worthy of it with their upright walking knowing they are elected and called thereunto For (b) Tit. 3.8 they which have believed in God must be careful to maintain good works And they will take care of their ways so that they can never fall finally For (c) Psal 37.24 God upholdeth them with his hand St. Paul saith the same with St. Peter For (d) Rom. 8.14 15 16 17. as many as are led by the spirit of God they are the Sons of God For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear but ye have received the spirit of adoption whereby we cry Abba father
he loveth unto the end Christ prayed to the Father (g) Luk. 22.32 that the faith of his believers fail not as we see in the case of Peter and the success sheweth he was heard for St. Peter came again to himself and Christ saith to the Father (h) Joh. 11.42 and I know thou hearest me always but our Saviour's Prayer was not for Peter only and the other Disciples but (i) Joh. 17.20 for them also which shall believe on me through the Word So that he prayed for all Believers Now for Believers and Elect naturally to fall from God and (k) Mat. 24.24 to be seduced 't is not possible for the expression if possible importeth an impossibility not for all the Wonders of Antichrist the most pregnant means that Men and Devils can use to make the Elect fall away do not prevail Christ saith (f) Joh. 10.28 29. He giveth his sheep eternal life and they shall never perish neither shall any man pluck them out of his hand no man is able to pluck them out of his fathers hand who is greater than all Nothing can be more positive upon the present Question christ's Sheep are those who believe he assureth them all of life Eternal and they shall never perish because kept by his strong hand the Father having put them in the hand of the Son to be kept and the Fathers hand is also about them so they cannot miscarry except there be some enemy stronger than God If such a thing were possible for the Elect to perish what would become of God's truth when he saith by the Prophet (g) Jer. 32.38 39 40. I will be their God and they shall be my people 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 that I will not turn away from them to do them good but I will put my fear in their hearts that they shall not depart from me Here God promiseth to all whom the new Covenant is made with that is Believers that he will give them an heart to fear him not only for a time but for ever that the Covenant shall not be broken of either side he assureth not only for himself that he shall never change but for them also for he will put his fear in their hearts that they shall never leave or depart from him So that we are sure on both sides for God saith (h) Heb. 13.3 He will never leave us nor forsake us the reason is by Malachy drawn from his Immutability I (i) Mal. 3.6 the Lord change not Not only in his Nature but also in his Gifts such as Effectual calling for (k) Rom. 11.29 The gifts and calling of God are without repentance One Text more I will make use of which can afford us a reason against any instance out of Scripture of any said to be fallen from the Truth or to have denied the Faith this is it (l) 1 Joh. 2.19 They went out from us but they were not of us for if they had been of us they would no doubt have continued with us but they went out that they might be manifest that they were not all of us Who are those that do not persevere but fall away from Truth and Grace They who never had it for if they had been true Members of Christ they certainly would have always continued so but God let them go to let Men know they were not sound nor build by Faith on the Rock for if they had been they would have continued stedfast amidst temptations and the Gates of Hell could not have prevailed against them like those fiery vapours in the Air which the Eye would take to be Stars but by their fall they shew what they were Thus God not only publickly punisheth those Hypocrites but makes them an example for others to take warning by and let this be a rule that they who fall so either they never were Elect nor had true Grace or else they are not fallen finally but God will restore them again 2 Tim. 2.19 Ephes 1.13 Jer. 32.40 Ps 37.23 24. Joh. 6.14.39.40 1 Joh 3.9 Many other places of Scripture I could bring to confirm this Doctrine but because I already made use of some before which would be sit for our purpose I omit it only I set some in the Margin to be perused by the Reader Against this Truth 't is objected If the Elect cannot perish then they need not forbear sinning to avoid everlasting Death let them take what course they please they are sure of Heaven This Argument is grounded upon Impiety 't is rather of a Reprobate than of an Elect if the Saints should against their conscience obstinately continue in sin no doubt but they should perish but God who will not suffer his chosen to perish doth not leave them to continue in impenitency but through repentance brings them again to himself and restraineth them with putting them in mind of their Duty for a final obstinacy in sin and impenitence do no more consist with Election and true saving Grace than a final perseverance in Faith doth consist with Reprobation In the 2d place they object the examples of David Solomon and Peter who fell into abominable sins of Adultery and Murder of Idolatry and the denying of Christ We ever granted corruption to be so strong in the best of God's People that if for a while he withdraweth the exercise of his Graces they are apt to fall into the worst of sins however we deny that the three named did wholly and totally fall from Grace only for a time Grace did still continue in them like fire under Ashes Two reasons we have to believe they did not finally fall the first Because they sinned out of weakness and human frailty not with a full consent of the Will Secondly Because they seriously repented which is a true sign of Faith As to the repentance of (b) 2 Sam. 12.13 Psal 51 Mat. 26.75 David and Peter it is expresly set down in Scripture as to Solomon most Divines are of opinion that for a token of repentance he did write his Book of Ecclesiastes They argue farther our Saviour saith (c) Luk. 8.13 Some for a while believe and in time of temptation fall away therefore some may fall from the Faith The question is not about temporal but saving and justifying Faith which temporal Faith is not Now in this place 't is clear our Saviour speaks of temporal Faith They believe but for a time And out of the Parable it appears that of the four several sorts of ground which the Seed falls into there is but one that is good so of four kinds of hearts there is none good but the honest and good heart which having heard the Word keepeth it and brings forth Fruit. Now such hearts as these keep Grace do continue and persevere in it and never lose it totally
the world And (g) John 3.16.16 God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son that whosoever believeth in him should have everlasting life And this (*) 1 John 2.2 He is a propitiation for our sins and not for ours only but also for the sins of the whole world Again God sent his son into the world not to condemn the world but that the world through him might be saved And some others to the same purpose whereof these are the chief whence they would conclude that the Lord Jesus died to take away the sins of every man in the world In answer to this we are first of all to observe that the word world and whole world have several significations in Scripture which I reduce chiefly to four First it is taken for the whole work of Creation (a) Heb 1.2 By his Son also God made the worlds in the plural so (b) John 1.10 the world was made by him Jesus Christ Heavens Earth and the Sea are meant by this Secondly It signifieth all men whether good or bad in this sence 't is taken by David (c) Psal 33.8 Let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of him of God in the beginning of the verse 't is called the earth as it is also in another place (d) Psal 96.13 The Lord cometh to judge the earth he shall judge the world with righteousness and in the Gospel 't is so taken (e) Matth. 13. the field is the world the good seed are the Children of the Kingdom but the Tares are the Children of the Wicked one So in several other places but these two significations are not very much to our purpose Thirdly 'T is taken restrictively and only for the reprobates and wicked of the world As thus (f) Luke 16.8 The children of this world are wiser in their generation than the children of light where you see the opposition between bad and good so in that place (g) John 1.10 and the world knew him not Jesus Christ we are to take notice that commonly when the word world signifieth the wicked the particle this is joyned to it as in the fore quoted Text and in the following (h) Rom. 12.2 be not conformed to this world (i) 1 Cor. 1.20 Chap. 2.6 Hath not God made foolish the wisdom of this world and in the next Chapter We speak not the wisdom of this world nor of the Princes of this world And therefore the world is opposed to God (k) â—am 4.4 Know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God c. And the Apostle saith the spirit (l) 1 John 4.3 4 5. Chap. 5.19 of Antichrist is in the world And again They are of the world therefore speak they of the world and the world heareth them And in the next Chapter he addeth the whole world lieth in wickedness Take notice it is called the whole world yet only of reprobates for to lie in wickedness is not by Scripture attributed to the Elect so when the word whole is used to represent the world of Believers it is to be restrained to them as here it is to the wicked But fourthly The word world in Scripture signieth only Believers and is more strictly taken either for the whole universal number of the Elect and Believers in all Ages dispersed all the world over divided into Jews and Gentiles Or for a particular company of them in some particular Ages or Places of the world and in this sence only it is used in all the objected Texts of Scriptures Thus the word world is sometimes used in the same sence as 't is taken in that place quoted before (a) 2. Cor. 7.19 God was in Christ reconciling the world to himself not imputing their trespasses unto them Surely none but Elect and Believers are reconciled to God and to them alone their sins are not imputed In the same sence 't is also taken when Abraham is called (b) â—om 4.13 the heir of the world And the following too in St. John's Gospel Christ faith he is (c) cha 9.5 Chap. 14.31 the light of the world not the world of wicked which lay in darkness But of the Elect and the world may know that I love the father they only they (d) John 17.7 8 23. have known that whatsoever the father had given Christ was of the father and they have known surely that the son came out from the father 'T is that same world that knows that thou hast sent me in that same sence also 't is taken by St. Paul (e) Rom. 11.12 15. The fall of them Jews is the riches of the world and the casting away of them is the reconciling of the world And in his Epistle to the Colossians 'tis very full (f) Colo. 1.5 For the hope which is laid up for you in heaven is come unto you as it is in all the world The word all is in too Neither can the same expression be understood in any other way than this in that other place (g) 1 Tim. 3.16 Great is the mystery of godliness God was manifested in the flesh c. believed on in the world It must be then the world of Believers for it cannot be believed in the world of Unbelievers So then in Scripture the word world is taken for the whole world the greatest part the worst part or the best part of the world Now after this it is easie to answer their Objections out of the fore-quoted Texts of Scripture for in them by all are not understood all and every singular man whether Elect or Reprobate but only the Elect dispersed all the world over who at last receive the gift of Faith and through the application of Christ's satisfaction are saved And I hope this is made clear enough to any who impartially desireth to be informed of the truth However because they lay a great stress upon that place of 1 John 2.2 I shall now say in particular something to 't we already have taken notice how there is a world of Believers taken out of the general world who by these means is divided into the world of Believers and of Reprobates hence it is that our Saviour saith (a) John 15.19 I have chosen you out of the world And this number of chosen men though comparatively small as to the wicked world yet it is great enough to deserve the name of world which is a Scripture phrase restrictive as we read it in the Gospel (b) Luke 2.1 There went out a decree from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be taxed Not every part and corner of the world for many either never heard of or had any thing to do with the Roman Empire and the Pharisees said of our Saviour Behold the world is gone after him 'T was but a very small part of the Jewish world Thus in this place of St. John is to be
Faith their perseverance their good use of grace received their original and actual sins and final impenitency why one man is predestinated to salvation not another So it unveils to them those high and unsearchable mysteries of Gods decrees which put St. Paul to a nonplus or else he had not been strucken with such amazing admiration as made him cry out (a) Rom. 11.33 O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are his judgments and his ways past finding-out Surely he wanted that universal grace or else he would not have thought those judgments so incomprehensible though I would have the Adversaries of the truth to know that St. Paul wanted no grace he had a sufficient grace (b) 2 Cor. 12 9. My grace is sufficient unto thee But that sufficient grace in Paul was for another end it never went so far as Arminians pretends theirs doth yet they must give us leave to think he was inferiour in grace to none of them nor David who saith (c) Psal 36.6 thy judgments are a great deep I shewed how Arminians have renewed several of Pelagius his Errors but I did not fasten upon them his denying Original Sin which I must now do (d) Contra Tilen pag. 388. Corvinus one of their great men saith that with Arminius orginal sin hath not the nature of sin or fault properly so called and Arminius himself affirmeth that it is wrongfully said (e) Pag. 174. That original sin makes a man guilty of death And one of our own who is highly esteemed by his own Party in his Book Vnum Necessarium doth expressly deny original sin and the imputation thereof and takes a great deal of pains to answer arguments drawn out of Scripture and experimental reasons to prove it and what he had written he goes about to justifie in his answer to the then Bishop of Rochester's Letter which he had written to shew him his Error Here and there I shewed how about these matters Arminians do joyn with Papists and Pelagians against us Now I say they do so with Socinians so no wonder if they have and still usher in Socinianism For both Arminians and Socinians do affirm that the causes of predestination are not in God but in us That he doth not predestinate to Salvation any certain or particular persons and that predestination may be changed and frustrated also that theâ—e is a free-will to good in us And as to Providence that God hath not determined contingencies nor foreseen future contingents and such others as Arminians have borrowed from Socinians as in the mistakes concerning the high point of justification Christ's satisfaction c. Then they deny the knowledge and confession of the mystery of the Trinity to be absolutely necessary to Salvation and that the Doctrine of the three persons of the Godhead specially of Christ's being God from Eternity are not a fundamental Article of our Faith as affirmed in their Apolog. Vindic. Respons ad except Leyd nay in vindic cap. 7. lib. 1. pag. 37 38. With Socinians and some Anabaptists they falsely say that the Doctrine of the Trinity began in the time of the Council of Nice and they are so good friends that in the same Apol. Vindic. they affirm Socinians to be Pious nay most Pious Men whom all Protestants ought to take for example of Piety wherefore no wonder if they say we ought to keep Communion with them that is Socinians Some of them say the Father to be Essentiantem and the Son Essentiatum and subordinate to the Father In few words that most of the Arminian Doctors do in the Article of the Trinity which they make to be of no great moment go hand in hand with Socinians hath clearly been made out by Vedclius Part 2. Arcanorum Armin. and what I have here charged them with and other things too I am able to make good out of their publick writings as the Apology Vindic. and out of the works of their most approved eminent Authors as Worstius whom they would have had promoted to be Divinity Professor at Leyden after Arminius's death Episcopius the chief manager of their Affairs in the Synod of Dort Curcelaeus c. But all these and more too ill consequences in matters of Doctrine I now must conclude with the bad influence it hath upon life and conversation It is too true as we find it by experience that there are multitudes of wretches kept in their carnal security by a perswasion that there is an universal grace offered unto all by which they may repent and believe when they will this makes them resolve to enjoy the pleasures of sin a little longer and then they will receive and entertain grace and so easily get to Heaven which is a great encouragement to all wickedness but it suits with the nature and desire of wicked presumptuous and prophane sinners who though they were not fully perswaded of it yet for them t is a pretence to continue in sin 'T is said of one Thompson a great propagator of Arminianism that when he was in his fits of intemperance if any one minded him of the wrath of God threatned against such courses he would answer I am a child of the devil to day but I have free-will and to morrow I will make my self a child of God Jansenius hath made this general observation that the Pelagians were generally loose in their lives which he taketh abundance of good Pains to prove and I conceive it cannot be too much considered in this controversie because Pelagius urged nothing more vehemently than this that the extolling of the grace of God and lessening the liberty of man's will is the readiest way to destroy all Piety By those that for a considerable time have conversed amongst Papists 't is observed how the Jansenists are the best moral livers amongst them of a much better life and conversation than the rest so it cannot but be taken notice of that amongst us the greatest sticklers for Arminianism even amongst some of the Clergy are the proudest most vicious Ambitious Voluptuous Drunkards prophane livers of any making little or no conscience to seek the glory of God to feed their flocks amongst which they seldom are resident except in sheering time for to feed they care not so much as to fleece the Flock making not much conscience of performing Pastoral Duties being more for wealth and preferment than for the good of souls If their Doctrine be good why are their lives and actions so vicious I speak for the generality their practice contradicteth what they would have us to believe of their Doctrine their bad lives they would shelter under the notion of a good Doctrine the goodness of their Religion must be a cloak but we with a good life would as much as the frailty and corruption of our nature can permit endeavour to credit the doctrine we profess and because we will not run into the same excesses
Province which Articles are a sentence past against Arminianism as the fit and proper remedy for the Disease the Antidote was specifical and composed against the Poyson which because they are few short and altogether to our purpose I shall here set down in English as they were in Latin I. God from Eternity hath predestinated certain men unto life certain men he hath reprobated to death II. The moving or sufficient cause of predestination unto life is not the fore-sight of Faith or of Perseverance or of Good works or of any thing that is in the persons predestinated but only the good will and pleasure of God III. There is a predetermined and certain number of the predestinate which can never be augmented nor diminished IV. Those who are not predestinated to Salvation shall necessarily be damned for their sins V. A true living and justifying Faith and the spirit of God justifying is not extinguished it falleth not away or vanisheth not away in the Elect either finally or totally VI. A Man truly faithful that is such a one who is endued with a justifying Faith is certain of the full assurance of Faith of the remission of his sins and of his everlasting Salvation by Christ VII Saving grace is not given is not communicated is not granted to all men by which they may be saved if they will VIII No Man can come unto Christ unless it shall be given him and unless the Father shall draw him And all Men are not drawn by the Father that they may come to the Son IX It is not in the will or power of any Man to be saved These Articles upon serious debate and mature deliberation having been agreed on by the persons before named very Eminent and Considerable Men were afterwards sent to the University of Cambridge by their Deputies where they were received with the unanimous approbation of the whole University with such success that of the two Arminians Baroe not long after left the University and went away and Barret was forced solemnly to recant which recantation was Registred Thus a full stop was put to those Innovations and since that time till Laud's Faction got the upper-hand this and no other contrary Doctrine was taught there as being the true Orthodox according to Scriptures and the Church of England's but since that time the Party have done what they could to suppress and discredit it Yet though sometimes truth be driven into corners we doubt not but at last it will prevail notwithstanding the opposition of Men and Devils as it happened in the case of Arrianism An Heresie against the person of Christ as Arminianism is against his grace though to our great grief we see Arrianism revived in Socinianism as Pelagianism is in Arminianism But we must go on in our design In these 9 Articles we see the true Sence and Doctrine of the Church explained by those that by their office and learning are the fittest Interpreters thereof so we may conclude that to be at that time the Doctrine of the Church which we have asserted But we have farther proofs which to bring in I must skip over some passages but with an intent to make use of them in due place the reason I have to do so is because what I am going upon carries along with it the stamp of Publick Authority and Influence I mean the confession of Faith and Articles of the general Convocation of Ireland held in Dublin 1605 That is 20 years after the Articles of Lambeth By the grace of God I shall here set down those Articles of that Convocation which are to our present purpose and so shall begin with the Eleventh XI God from all eternity did by his unchangaeble Counsel ordain whatsoever in time should come to pass yet so as no violence is offered to the wills of the reasonable Creatures and neither the liberty nor the contingency of the second causes is taken away but rather established XII By the same eternal Counsel God hath predestinated some unto life and reprobated some unto death of both which there is a certain number known only to God which can neither be increased nor diminished XIII Predestination unto life is the everlasting purpose of God whereby before the Foundations of the World were laid he hath constantly decreed in his secret Council to deliver from Curse and Condemnation those whom he hath chosen in Christ out of mankind and to bring them by Christ unto everlasting Salvation as vessels made to honour XIV The cause moving God to predestinate unto life is not the fore-seeing of Faith or Perseverance or of good works or of any thing which is in the person predestinated but only the good pleasure of God himself for all things being ordained for the manifestation of his glory and his glory being to appear both in the works of his Mercy and his Justice It seemed good to his heavenly wisdom to chuse out a certain number towards whom he would extend his undeserved mercy leaving the rest to be spectacles of his Justice XV. Such as are predestinated unto life he called according unto God's purpose his spirit working in due season and through grace they obey the calling they be justified freely they be made Sons of God by adoption they be made like the image of his only begotten Son Jesus Christ they walk religiously in good works and at length by God's mercy they attain to everlasting felicity But such as are not predestinated to Salvation shall finally be condemned for their sins XXV The condition of Man after the fall of Adam is such that he cannot turn and prepare himself by his own natural strength and good works to faith and calling upon God wherefore we have no power to do good works pleasant and acceptable unto God without the grace of God preventing us that we may have a good will and working with us when we have that good will XXXII None can come unto Christ unless it be given unto him and unless the Father draw him and all men are not so drawn by the Father that they may come to the Son Neither is there such a sufficient measure of grace vouchsafed unto every Man whereby he is enabled to come to everlasting life XXXIII All God's Elect are in their time inseparably united unto Christ by the effectual and vital influence of the holy Ghost derived from him as from the head unto every true member of his mystical Body and being thus made one with Christ they are regenerated and made partakers of him and of all his benefits XXXVII By justfying Faith we understand not only the common belief of the Articles of Christian Religion and a persuasion of the truth of God's word in general But also a particular application of the promises of the Gospel to the comfort of our own souls whereby we lay hold on Christ with all his benefits having an earnest trust and confidence in God that he will be merciful to us for his Sons