yet find fault For who hath resisted his will This was enough to stop the mouth of such a bold person but not all the Apostle had to say by way of Answer for he gives a clear decision of the point vers 30 31 32. Not according to that principle of an irrespective election and Reprobation but upon the account of Faith and Vnbelief respectively For such as were now rejected from the lâ—t of God's people were broken off because of their unbelief and such as were elected to it did stand by faith Rom. 11. 20. And this is to be resolved wholly into the Arbitrement of God's Will who was freely pleased thus to determine and ordâ—in touching the sons of men That whosoever believeth shâ—uld have eternal life He that believeth not should be câ—ndemned Joh. 3. 16 18 36. So that if you ask a cause of this Constitution it is the sole Will of God Therefore he chose Peter and Paul c. whom he fore-knew would believe because out of the meer pleasure of his gracious Will he would save Believers He reprobated the Jews whom he fore-saw would not believe because according to the pleasure of his own Will he determined to condemn Vnbelievers The prescription of Faith unto salvation is therefore of the free-will of God alone who did so appoint it Desolatus I have been taught That we are chosen to salvation and glory not as holy or believers but to the end we may be made such Our election doth not presuppose Faith or Holiness in us but procures them for us according to that of the Apostle Eph. 1. 4. He hath chosen us in Christ before the foundation of the world that we should be holy and without blame before him in love And the same Apostle tells us that all men have not faith and he makes Faith a Propriety calling it 2 Thes 3. 2. Tit. 1. 1. the faith of God's elect Samaritanus We may consider a twofold election one to grace and another to glory but the more profoundly learned have observed that throughout the whole book of Scripture there is not one single Text wherein the word election or chosen signifies without controversie Election or Chosen unto glory And because in that of Eph. 1. 4. The Apostle saith God hath chosen us in Christ and that we should be holy They think it most agreeable to interpret it of God's choosing us through Christ unto the state of grace to the end we may lead a holy life to his praise and glory according to the 6 verse And because 't is said in the Praeterperfect tense He hath chosen us before the foundation of the world therefore they understand it of God's decree of election by a Metonymie very frequent in Holy Scripture which assignes the name of the effect to the counsel or decree it self as you may further observe in those Texts 2 Tim. 1. 9. Titus 1. 2. Ephesians 2. 5 6. Whereas you alledge out of the Apostle Tit. 1. 1. That faith is appropriated to the Elect That if rightly understood is no way opposite to our pretensions For by Faith in that place we are not obliged by any cogent Argument to understand Faith properly so called Fidemquâ Creditur The virtue of Faith whereby we do believe but Metonymically that Faith quae creditur The Doctrine of Faith which is believed and thus it is to be understood according to the usual style of holy Scripture as you may see in the 4 verse of this very chapter and Jude ver 3. Act. 6. 7. Rom. 1. 5. 2. By the word Elect we are not bound to understand in that place such persons as were from all eternity chosen absolutely and by name to glory For that word elect is not alwayes a Participle but sometimes a Noun and such a Noun as doth as well in the Old as New Testament connote some excellent and remarkable quality by reason whereof a thing is said to be elect As v. g. elect or choise Trees for their tallness Jer. 22. 7. Ezek. 31. 16. Elect or choise men for their valour 1 Sam. 26. 2. Jer. 48. 15. Elect or choise Cities for their strength and beauty 2 King 3. 19. And it is very agreeable to this sense of the word to say that men are called elect or choise-men in regard of their Probitie of mind and their promptness of assenting to the Revelation and following the conduct of the Gospel and the denomination of the elect of God may be given unto them in regard of their constancy of faith and their eminency of obedience amongst the rest of the Faithful To which purpose you may consult those Texts of holy Scripture Matth. 24. 31. Mark 13. 27. Luk 18. 7. 2 Tim. 2. 10. Rom. 8. 33. Col. 3. 12. Apoc. 17. 14. If by the elect in that place you understand elect to glory yet it doth not follow therefore that they were so elected unto glory before they did believe For then by the same reâ—son it would follow that sanctity goes before faith because we read Apoc. 13. 10. Here is the patience and faith of the Saints and in S. Jude's Epistle vers 3. Contend for the faith that was once delivered unto the Saints And we might conclude with equal Authority that vocation doth precede election because Apoc. 17. 14. they are sâ—id to be called and chosen and faithful But by elect in that place we may understand such as are elect to grace or called unto the faith by a gracious divine election and obey that call In short then the faith of God's elect may very well be expounded of the Doctrine of faith which was willingly imbraced and entertain'd by such as did yet retain the docile and honest heart and so were choice men and fearing God But profane and perverse absurd and unreasonable men are said not to have that faith because they reject the counsel of God against Luke 7 30. 2 Cor. 6. 1. Heb. 12. 15. Jude ver 4. themselves receive the grace of God in vain and turn it into lasciviousness Desolatus It is Dr. Twiss his observation That a man may hear the Word of God with a purpose to oppose it either Ubi supra p. 84. in general or some particular truth thereof Yet this humour of opposition cannot hinder God's Word and the operation of his Spirit where he will in spight of their conceits who thought the Apostles were filled with new wine when three thousand were converted that day and Austin acknowledgeth that God converteth not only aversas à vera fide but adversas verae fidei voluntates We read in the 7 of John that some who were sent to take Christ were taken by him Samaritanus You must consider that there may be more secret opposition in the heart to the word of grace upon the account of interest prejudice or false principles passionately espoused where the life is less scandalous and the opposition is the more obstinate and consequently the more hard
am much obliged to you for your Civility for which I return my hearty thanks and shall be ready to serve you in the capacity of a stranger I am much affected to this Climate and the more because it agrees so well with my constitution and most of all for the extream Civility I find amongst the Inhabitants Sir you have a fruitful Soile and therein you see much of the riches of Gods bounty and you have a sweet light and warm influences and these as they serve to discover somewhat of his Wisdom and Beauty to you so they serve to bring his Blessings to maturity and ripeness for you But Sir as your own observation prompts you to the notice how fading and unsatisfactory all these things are so let me tell you for indeed 't is my Office and the best instance of my Gratitude and Charity that I can give you Intelligence of a better Countrey for the furnishing whereof to the unspeakable joy and glory of the Inhabitants the Almighty hath been pleased to disburse the richest treasures of his Bounty and the Fruits that grow there do never fade but administer a durable satisfaction and are perpetuated to an everlasting enjoyment for indeed in their passages thither they that obtain an interest in it have all their Rags of infirmity strip't off and are cloathed with Immortality Paganus Such a place Sir would invite a huge ambition to make a Voyage if the journey were not too far to travel thither But perhaps unless one could procure a happy settlement there the thoughts of a return would allay the sweetness of the pleasure while one converses there Diotrephes Sir such as are bound for that Place make no Return If they be accounted worthy of admission into that Society as their hearts are immediatly setled upon the state of Bliss wherein they are swallowed up so do they receive possession of their several Mansions that are establish't to all Eternity Paganus I pray in what part of the World is this Kingdom situated Diotrephes Not in this World Sir it is above all Heavens Paganus But where should we find a Ladder long enough to reach up thither to convey us to it Diotrephes Almighty God hath made a Ladder for us himself and sent it down to convey us thither Paganus That is a great Mystery to my understanding I pray what may that Ladder be made of We have no Trees that are long or strong enough for such a service Diotrephes This Ladder is made of the Tree of Life that grows in the Paradise of God Indeed it is the Son of God himself who is therefore styled the Way the Truth and the Life for so God loved the World that he gave his only begotten Son that whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have life everlasting Paganus What need was there of such a Dispensation could be not have made us happy otherwise Diotrephes God did make man upright at his first Creation and allowed him a communion with himself and fair hopes upon the proof of his constant obedience of further happiness but upon the temptation of the Devil he violated the Command which his Maker had given him and so betrayed himself and all his Off-spring to a state of misery sin and ruine But it pleased God that his own Son out of his love to man should interpose himself for our Redemption To this end he cloathed himself with our nature and became obedient not only in a way of action to the whole Law of God but in a way of suffering too for he humbled himself to the death of the Cross that suffering in the flesh he might satisfie Gods justice and purchase a people to himself by the price of his own dearest blood and as many as will heartily submit to him and faithfully believe in him shall be endued with his Spirit and finally inherit Eternal Life in his Kingdom Paganus This I confess a wonderful Condescension of the Divine Compassion but that God should send his Son and so much debase him and all to exaltus This is a Mystery so far above the pitch of my apprehension that Humane Reason cannot entertain it upon the account of a naked Proposition That you may gain Credit therefore to this Doctrine you had need produce good evidence for the proof of it Diotrephes Without controversie great is the Mystery of godliness God was manifested in the flesh justified in the Spirit seen of Angels preached unto the Gentiles believed on in the World 1 Tim. 3. 1â— received into glory While he conversed here on Earth he confirmed his Doctrine by a World of Miracles and after he was put to death he rose again from the dead the third day and ascending into heaven he sent down the Holy Ghost to inspire his Apostles who being so instructed foretold things to come struck hypocrites dead with the word of their mouth and by the same power raised up others from the dead suffered all the affronts and indignities a wicked World could inflict upon them at the instigation of the malicious Spirit and for no advantage in this world but only upon the assured hopes of their Masters promises that relate to another life and the world to come at last having finished the course of their Ministry with an invincible patience and alacrity they sealed their Doctrine and the Testimony which they held concerning the Saviour of the World with their heart blood Hereupon the great Apostle who himself was offered up upon the Sacrifice and Service of this Faith cries out to us in these words How shall we escape if we neglect so great salvation which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord and was confirmed unto us by them that heard him God also bearing them witness both Hebr. 2. 3 4. with signs and wonders and with divers miracles and gifts of the Holy Ghost according to his own will Paganus I must acknowledge that these Arguments which you alledge supposing your Tradition for the matter of Fact unquestionable are highly credible Bâ—t if I assent to your Gospel and embrace the Christian Reâ—igion will the Faith that is begotten in me upon these Motives be a Dâ—vine Fâ—ith and sufficient for my salvation Diotrephes I am loth to deliver any thing to you for sound Doctrine without good warrant and therefore I shaâ—l say nothing to that part of your Quaere whether a Faith of this extraction may be called a Divine Faith or no But our Learned men do usually call such a Faith an Historical Faith and distinguish it from that Faith which is saving To this purpose I remember a great Divine denying that it is Gods purpose to give the Reprobates Faith he addeth yet you wiâ—l say God punisheth them for refusing to believe I grant he doth for this refusal saith he is the free act of their wills and by meer power of nature they might abstain from this refusal and have believed as well as
holinâ—ss imports a state of sepâ—â—â—ion which doth not alwayes imply an infusion of good qualities or any inherency of them But 1. A sequestration from common use as the Temple and the Vessels that did belong to it were said to be holy 2. A sâ—paration from that danger wherein others are inevitably involved as the word seems to be used Rev. 20. 6. Now I am apt to understand the Text Ephes 1. 4. in this sense That God hath chosen us in Christ that we should be holy that is Thâ—t we should be separated from the danger of eternal destruct oâ— through his free love and have 〈◊〉 blame laid upon us for cur sins and this agrees very well with the benefit we have in Chrâ—st Jesus as the Apostle sets it down Col. 1. 14. In whom we have redemption through his blood even the forgiveness of sins As 't is impossible we should be profitable to him a Job 22. 2. because he stands in no need of our service b Ecclus. 15. 12. Luk. 17. â—10 so 't is impossible he should pâ—â—pâ—se to put trouble upon whom he intirely loves c Lam. 3. 33. because he delighteth in mercy d Micah 7. 18. Therefore unless you can give me some good Reason why God should injoyn us so strictly as you pretend to be holy in all manner of Conversation and rich in good works seeâ—ng he hath elected us without any intuition or consideration of them and through the satisfaction of Christ he may actually save us and put us into possession of glory without any impeachment to his justice I must conclude there is no such necessity of an industrious qualitative holiness as you imagine nay that it would more derogate from the freeness of his grace then any way contribute to the advancement oâ— it Diotrephes Sir we need seek no further for a Reason hereof than the holy Nature of God which the Prophet hath respect unto when he saith * Habac. 1. 13. Thou art of purer eyes than to behold evil and canst â—ot look on iniquity and the Psalmist to like purpose * Psal 5. 4 5. For thou art not a God that hath pleasure in wickedness neither shall evil dwell with thee the foolish shall not stand in thy sight thou hatest all workers of iniquity Securus Sir I perceive you have been too conversant with the Remonstrants Writings and you are very apt to slide into their opinions ere you are aware of 〈◊〉 Indeed they say though God loved us before he gave his Son for us as it is exprest John 3. 16. yet he did not will us eternal life by that love but he wilâ—'d us that in consideration of believing in his Son On the contrary the Orthodox say That the Election of men to Eternal life is the willing of Eternal life to them and that this Election is made of persons to whom Christ is not given but as and after they are elected and what manner of persons are they when they are elected Qualium est Electio saith Bucan * Loc. Com. de praedest qnaest 20. Immundorum impiorum in conspectu Dei The Election is made of persons unclean and wicked in the sight of God and so Spanhemius alledged even now by your self Christ saith he is not the cause of that love where with God embraceth us unto â—â—ernal salvation The holy Nature of God therefore which could not only brook us so well but also embrace us wiâ—h so flagrant and immutable a love at our Elect on that certainly cannot obstruct the way to our salvation requiring that our multitude of good works should make a tâ—rong and crowd in to open the door for us Diotrephes I am sure Sir whatever you think of the holy Nature of God the holy Will of God and the Gospel of Jesus Christ require it as a condition and means of our salvation Securus 'T is somewhat strange since we make the Decree of Election to be absolute and inconditionate and irrevocable * Election is Decretum est dâ—finitum inconditionatum completum irrevocabile immutabile Theol. Magn. Brit. Sentent de primâ— Artic. Thes Ortho. 4 Inter Acta Syn. Dor. pag 5. par 2. that we should stand so much upon a subordination of means in order to the execution of it To my apprehension 't is very absurd to say such a thing is done absolutely and then to affirm that such and such means are prescrib'd for the accomplishment of it It is as if one should say That Titius had absolutely given Radulphus an inheritance but he bath tyed Radulphus to perform certain conditions upon which it is suspended he must do him faithful service by the space of forty or fifty years for it But I would fain learn how the subordination of such a conditional Decree to that absolute and inconditionate Decree can consist with Gods immutability Do they not make God inconstant one while destinating men unto salvation absolutely presently willing not to save them unless the condition of faith and holiness be perfor med I see nor as I said how Gods purpose according to the Election can stand with this variation that you make betwixt the Eternal Decree and the final execution of it Diotrephes To salve the immutability and constancy of God I suppose it may be considerable That though Election unto salvation and the means of salvation may be distinctly considered * Synops Pur. Theol. Disp 24. Thes 18. yet our Divines say they are not diverse acts in the Decree of God because God by one only and simple act did de termine all these things even as by one only and simple act he knew all things from all Eternity * I do not affirm That in any moment of nature the Decree of salvation doth go before the consideration of faith and obedience The Decrees of giving faith and crowning it with salvation I make to be not subordinate one to another but simultaneous and co-ordinate oâ—e with another Dr. Twiss ubi supra pag. 13. We propound them distinctly after our manner of consideration in regard of the mulâ—itude of objects which are comprehended in this one act of electing and some order is to be acknowledged amongst those objects too from all Eternity But God determined all at once and therefore there could be no mutability or inconstancy in him herein Securus Sir you seem to say something towards satisfaction in this difficulty but it doth not remove it for to elect Peter unto salvation is to will to save him Now that God should in one and the same simple act will to save Peter an unbeliever unclean ungodly and yet will not to save him but as a believer holy and obedient I say that God should will both these in one and the same simple act looks so like an implication of contradiction * Vide Grevinch Dissertatio Theologica De Duab. quaest ag 188 c. that the wit of man can hardly reconcile
Simon Magus did as well as profane persons do as many an hypocrite do which is only Fides acqâ—isita and it is well known they believe many a vile legend But then he will say such a Faith shall never save them and I willingly confess saith he it shall not for it never brings forth any love of the Truth any conformity thereto in their lives yet are they never awhit the less inexcusable that refuse to believe Dr. Twisse Considerat of the Doctrine of the Synod of Dort and Arles reduced to the practice page 47. Paganus What benefit will this Historical Faith do me If I cannot be saved by it why should I embrace it Diotrephes By this you know the Object of Faith in General what you are to believe of God and Christ and the Holy Ghost what Christ hath done and will do for you and what he commands you to do for him and what you may expect from him and all this you assent to by an Historical Faith Paganus Will this Faith do me no hurt or disadvantage if â— obtain not the other which you call a saving Faith Diotrephes Yes it will make you guilty of a greater condemnation for it is better not to know the way of Truth than to turn from the holy Commandment delivered to you and the last state 2 Pet. 2. 19 2â—2 21 22 of such persons is worse than the first Paganus Are not this Saving and that Historical Faith alwayes assocâ—ated and link't together For if not then it were better if one cannot have the Saving Faith to be without the Historical too rather than have this alone to our greater condemnation Diotrephes They are not alwayes in Conjunction yet we must not neglect this when God affords us the Revelâ—tion and the Means of it for this makes way for the other whiâ—h cannot be had without it Paganus Are all men then to whom he is preached bound to believe in Christ the Redeemer Diotrephes Yes for when he sent out his Apostles to preach the Gospel he gave them this Commission Go ye into all Mar 16. 15 16. Do any of our Divines deny that God commands all in the Church all that hear the Gospel to believe whether Elect or Reprobates Dr. Twisse ibid. John 3. 35 36. the World and preach the Gospâ—l to every Creature He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved but he that believeth not shall be damned And again The Fathâ—r loveth the Son and hath given all things into his hands He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life Aâ—d he that believâ—th not the Son shall not see life but the wrath of God abideth on him Paganus Did the Son of God dye for all and redeem all that they should believe on him Diotrephes No but it pleased God to give unto Christ his Son from all Eternity a people to be his seed and to be by him in time redeemed called justified sanctified and glorified neither are any other redeemed by Christ. The Declaration of the Congregational Churches at the Savoy Chap. 8. n. 1. with Chap. 3. n. 6. Paganus How can God in justice oblige those to believe in Christas their Redeemer for whom he died not and therefore were not redeemed by him Does he tye them to believe a lye Diotrephes All men that live under the dispensation of the Gospel are tyed to believe in Christ but for several ends * Hence the Ministers of Emoden call this command in respect of the Elect Mandatum obedientiae but in respect of the Reprobate Mandatum probationis De Gratiae Meriti Christi Universal Quest 8. Act. Syn. Dor. Pag. 122. Part 2. his people and seed are tyed to believe that by believing they may be made partakers of the benefits of his death and obtain salvation through him The rest are tyed to believe that by not believing they may be the more inexcusable and liable to the greater condemnation Paganus This is a strange kind of Faith But suppose these men that are not of that seed you speak of should believe in Christ what would the issue of their Faith be For though they should in that case beliâ—ve in Christ they should not be rewarded because they believe a lye and yet they could not be justly condemned because in so believing they should obey Gods command Diotrephes You suppose a thing impossiblâ— to come to pass for those men you speak of cannot savingly believe grace sufficient and necessary to the production of such a Faith being denied them and yet they shall be punished for not believing Paganus I am not satisfied how it can consist with Gods justice to bind his Creatures to impossible performances And I should think his goodness would rather incline him to reward than punish them for refusing to believe a falshood But if you say God may lay such unreasonable commands upon us I shall not dispute against it though they seem to my apprehension to be a very great impeachment of his jusâ—ice and sinâ—erity But I pray may not I take a little more time to deliberate about the business I see 't is a business of great importance and I am loth to overshoot my self in it I hope it may be sufficient if I believe at the last moment of my life Diotrephes There is no more ready way to over-shoot your self as you speak than by your delayes Hereupon the Holy Ghost saith To day if ye will hear his voyce harden not your heart and To day while it is called to day lest your heart be hardned through Hebr. 3. the deceitfulness of sin wherefore he saith I have heard thee in an accepted time and in the day of salvation have I succoured thee 2 Cor. 6. 3. Behold now is the accepted time behold now is the day of salvation And if you read the disputations of right to Sacraments you will find * By Mr. Baxter Disp 2. pag. 43 that saving-faith is defined to be a sinners assent to the truth of the Gospel in the Essentials and a sincere consent that God be immediatly our only God and Christ our only Saviour and the Holy Ghost our only sanctifier and we his people in these Relations Isay immediatly that is at present because if it be only a consent to be such hereafter it is not saving And therefore in certain directions to prevent miscarrying in conversion * By Mr. Baxter p. 381. to 439. the advice that is given you Direct 11. is this If you would not have this saving-work miscarry Turn then this present day and houre without any more delay And this advice is backed and fortified with no less than * Mr. Baxter ib. pag. 381. pag. 439. fifty such moving Considerations and Reasons as will certainly conviâ—ce you if you be not unreasonable of the folly of delay and shew you that it concerneth you presently to return and believe Paganus Well then if the present time be Gods accepted time
may procure us to become such then it seems you can by your preaching procure new Decrees to be made in heaven and new immanent acts to be produced in Almighty God and the number of the Elect to be increased all which Assertions as I have been informed are contrary to the judgment of your own Divines But if your preaching cannot procure us to become Elect if we are not such already then to what end should we admit of it Seeing therefore you conclude us all to be absolutely either Elect or Reprobate and that neither the Elect can perish nor the Reprobate be saved I shall satisfie my self that I am better without your Ministry than with it because though it cannot beget a saving faith in me that being as you affirm a gift of Gods immediate and irresistible infusion yet it may conduce to aggravate my sin and condemnation and in this resolution I shall take my leave of you THE SYLLOGISM THose Articles which rightly understood are discouragements to the embracing of Christianity are unserviceable to the interest of souls unpracticable in the exercise of the Ministerial Function and not according to godliness The Articles which the Calvinists maintain against the Remonstrants rightly understood are discouragements to the embracing of Christianity Therefore The Articles which the Calvinists maintain against the Remonstrants are unserviceable to the interest of souls unpracticable in the exercise of the Ministerial Function and not according to godliness The Major is evident of it self the Minor is proved by the former Dialogue Colasterion Rom. 2. 24. The Name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles through you Falsum est Deum non opus habere peccatore nam etsi eo Other proofs of the Minor non opus habet ad suam beatitatem quo respectu nullâ creaturâ opus habet tamen opus eâ habet ad patefaciendam gloriam suam videlicet tum gloriam Justitiae in peccatore non resipiscente damnando tum gloriam Misericordiae in peccatore râ—sipiscente servando Piscator contra Schaffman Thes 34. Deus non vult omnes vocatos servari in Christum credere Idem in Trip. Rese ad Amic C. V. Duplic e. 4. page 155. Mandato credendi etiam illi tenentur qui per Decretum Dei impediuntur ne credant Idem p. 188. Deus hoc consilio Reprobos credere jubet ut eos per incredulitatem reddat inexcusabiles Ibid. Eâ—ce vocem ad eos dirigit sed ut magis obsurdescant lucem aâ—cendit sed ut reddantur coeciores doctrinam profert sed qua magis obstupescant remedium adhibet sed ne sanentur Calv. Institut Lib. 3. Cap. 24. Sect. 13. THE SECOND DIALOGUE BETWIXT DIOTREPHES and ANIMALIS DIotrephes Well met Neighbour Animalis what earnest business makes you post so fast this way and so early Animalis Sir I am going to my Counsellor for his advice about a purchase We live in an Age so full of hypocrisie and fraud we had need take all the care we can to make things sure and prevent the machinations of Deceivers Diotrephes I cannot blame you that you are so cautious in your transactions for the world for by this prudent course you may prevent much trouble and suits of Law which otherwise might emerge and spring forth out of your purchase and be entail'd upon your posterity at least devolve upon them with the land it self But Neighbour there is another thing I am afraid you are too careless in That Unum Necessarium that great Concern which cals for our supreme care and diligence Give diligence to make your Calling and Election â—ure Here is the inheritance that is worth the purchasing indeed an Estate of Free-hold for ever All the service we do for it is but the instance of our Liberty and the Preface of our Joy and our preparation unto glory To secure our interest in this wherein we have subtile enemies that are vigilant and industrious to undermine us is worth our daily travel our morning thoughts and our night watches too How welcome should you have been to me and how happy an hour should I have esteemed it had your present address been to me with that question of the Publicans and Souldiers in your mouth What shall I do to be saved Animalis Sir you pretend you are an Embassador for Christ I shall not question your Commission and you have often importun'd me amongst the rest of your Charge in the Name of Christ that I would be reconciled unto God! But sir is it possible you should think me averse to that motion Alas what advantage can I propound to my self in being at Enmity with him who is My God My Conservator and withal Omnipotent I have more reason considering how vile a wretch I am to be jealous of the distance of his Love to me The fear hereof is so great a discouragement that if not removed it may frustrate all further attempts to gain assurance of it I would be satisfied whether God hath a real purpose and intent to save me for if he hath from all eternity rejected me then I am passed over to be carried on in another channel that leads finally to Hell and then 't is to no purpose to be solicitous for salvation seeing whatever applications I make to him it stands not with the imâ—u ability of his Counsel to accept me unto Mercy Diotrephes That the carnal mind is enmity against God is Rom. 8. 7â—â— the affirmation of the Apostle and therefore there is no doubt to be made of it and if you be not sensible of this enmity in your self against God his wayes and dispensations the greater is your carnality and your misery Animalis 'T is somewhat strange there should be enmity in the mind and the man not conscious of it It must needs be very impotent and harmless and as good as quite disarm'd if there be no knowledge to draw it forth I know the best men are not without their infirmities They are constant Attendants upon our Condition of Mortality But there may be involuntary trespass and trespass for want of sufficient circumspection when there is no hostility profest or opposition directly made against the Law or Authority of the Almighty But I pray sir what do you resolve me concerning Gods purpose to save me If you be able to declare All the Counsel of God as Saint Paul Acts 20. 27. did and A Guide of souls sure ought to be so then you can give me satisfaction in this particular Diotrephes If you do unfeignedly believe you need not doubt of Gods purpose to save you for whosoever believeth in him shall not perish but have life evâ—rlasting Joh. 3. 16. Animalis Is Gods purpose to save men grounded upon the intuition or praescience of their Faith Diotrephes No If Faith be wrought in you you owe that production to the gracious efflux and effectual Egressions of that his purpose and good pleasure to save you
boasted than felt * Mr. P. Baine profess'd he never felt any of those Suavities when we set those who were once enlightned and have tasted of the heavenly gift and wâ—re made partakers of the Holy Ghost and have tasted the good Word of God and the powers of the World to come * Heb. 6. 4 5 6 may and do fall away totally and finally whereupon we are taught according to our Doctrine to believe they lay under the immutable Decree of Reprobation How can we if it be not made so by Gods Decree already by our industry make our Calling and Election sure And therefore I think it prudent quietly and patiently to submit the event of our lives and souls with the same resolution they submitted the event of the Apostles expedition to Jerusalem saying * Acts 21 14. The will of the Lord be done Diotrephes Remember Sir it is a part of Gods will that you should work * Phil. 2. 12. Cap. 1. Art 13. out your salvation And the Synod of Dâ—rt having set down the nature of Gods free Election with the excellent fruits thereof they add That out of sense and certainty of this Election the children of God daily draw more and more matter of humbling themselves before God of adâ—â—ing the depth of his merciâ—s of purifying themselves and of loving him fervemly who first loved them so much Securus What sense and certainty men that pretend to it have of their Election I know not but if they have it whatever they draw out of it will afford no less matter of ease carelessness and security ordinarily than of gratitude for the certainty of the end excludes the use at least all care of the means Diotrephes I deny that Doctrine and we find the contrary by plain Scripture Practice and Experience * Jer. 29. 10 c. Dan. 9. 2. Was not Daniel inform'd of the Jewes deliverance by Gods Word and Promise and Christ * John 8. 20. certain his death should be deferr'd till the final accomplishment of his Office and Ministry in his state of humiliation and Peter * Luke 22. 32. propped up in his hopes by our Lords prayer and promise that his faith should not fail Did they therefore neglect the means nay did they not forthwith address themselves earnestly to the use of them Securus Though the instant deliverance of the Jâ—wâ—s from captivity was revealed to Jeremiah yet uncertain to begin the computation as is observed by Commentators upon Dan. 9. Daniel knew not whether those seventy years were yet expired or whether God might not defer the Redemption of the people for their sins for Daniel knew by the same Jeremiah That at what instant God speaks concerning a Nation and concerning a Kingdom to build and to plant it if it doth evil and obey not his voyce then he will repent of the good wherewith he said he would benefit them Jer. 18. 9 10. He had read the oath of God in the Book of Numbers Ye shall not come into the Land concerning which I sware to make you dwell therein save Caleb the son of Jephunneh and Joshua the son of Nun but ye shall know my breach of promise Numb 14. 30 34. Daniel therefore had good reason to make prayers unto Almighty God out of a holy fear least God for their sins should lengthen out the term of their captivity and thus when ever an end is intended conditionally and a promise made to that purpose the performance of the promise being suspenced upon the performance of the condition in this case the means is to be puriued with diligence that having fulfill'd the condition we may have a title to the promise but when the end is intended and the promise of it made absolutely that gives us a supersedeas to all further care about it Diotrephes In Peâ—ers case I suppose the end That his fâ—iâ—h should not fail was absolutely iâ—tended and the promise and prayers of our Saviour of that import Securus You may as well conclude the promise and prayer of our Saviour did import he should not sin at all for our Saviour prayed though not that his Father should not take him out of the World yet that he would keep him from the evil of it John 17. 15. Yet we see he was not so kept but he fell into evil and fell under it too Our Saviours prayer therefore and his promise were conditional his faith should not fail if he did repent and bewail his fall hence the Lord said to him And thou when thou art converted strengthen thy Brethren Luke 22. Diotrephes But this is not applicable to our Saviours own case the end was absolutely intended His preservation to the last period till he had accomplish'd his Ministry so far as concern'd his state of humiliation he could not possibly be out off and this he was assured of Securus Christ was certain that the Ministry committed to him should not want a happy success yet so as if he did diligently fulfill all the parts of his office and duty He was certain his death should be deferr'd even to that very houre which his Father had prefixt though some deny that houre to have been precisely determined of his Father if he took his frequent advantages to escape the hands and malicious machinations of his enemies which we find him careful to do upon all occasions And here that observation may take place of the truth of a logical connexion betwixt the Antecedent and the Consequent when both of them taken apart are false It was true certainly true that if Christ had fallen sooner into their malicious hands he had been sooner cut off but considering his care and prudence to avoid it that he should fall into their hands or be cut off sooner were both false Diotrephes However Sir 't is most certain God hath decreed the salvation of the Elect by tying the end and the means together for whom he predestinated them he also called whom he called them he also justified whom he justified them he also glorified Rom. 8. â—0 Therefore when it is objected to us say the Belgick professours that the ordination of means is supâ—rflâ—cus Synops Pur. Theol. Disp 24. Thes 19. if the Elect by some Antecedent act be absolutely destinated to salvation this ariseth from the meer ignorance of the Orthodox Doctrine for God did never choose any man absolutely unto salvation if by absolutely we exclude the means which God hath ordained for the obtaining of salvation but that ordination unto salvation in the purpose of God hath alwayes from Eternity in the very same act conâ—oyned with it a consideration of those means which are necessary unto salvation Whereupon Saint Paul also saith 2 Thes 2. 13. God hath from the beginning chosen you unto salvation through sanctifâ—cation of the Spirit and belief of the truth and Saâ—nt Peter 1 Pet. 1. 1 2. To the Elâ—ct according to the fore-knowledge of God the Father
through sanctification of the Spirit unto obedience and the sprinkling of the blood of Christ. Securus If the end be absolutely intended then either there are no means required or if they be required they are absolutely by an irresistible strength to be wrought by him who absolutely intends the end for if God absolutely intends an end and leaves it to be accomplished by contingent and fâ—llible means that means may be deficient and so God should fail of his end which were absurd Diotrephes This is that which the Synod of Dort affirmeth of Faith and the work of Regeneration for they say This is a work to the production whereof God employeth his omnipotent strength chap. 3. and 4. Reject 8. A work for the mightiness thereof not inferiour to the Creation of the World or raising up the dead which God worketh in us but not with us but without us an operation so carried on that when God hath done his part it remains not in mans choice to be or not to be regenerated to be or not to be converted Art 12. Reject 8. To this purpose Mr. Norton having laid it down for a Rule in his Orthodox Evangelist That Though the Decree be absolute yet the 〈◊〉 of the Decree in the Gospel is conditional Page 85 86. He adds yet here carefully observe That by a condition we are alwayes to understand not a condition properly so called but a consequent condition scilicet such a condition the performance whereof is not left unto the Elect but is undertaken for by the Elector and therefore is not only not opposite unto but is both an effect and argument of an absolute Dâ—cree and also of an absolute Covenant of Grace Securus These passages have reference to the infusion of faith and the work of our first conversion and perhaps this Doctrine looks no further and Am sii Coâ—onis pag. 258. f. Ex conditione proprie dicta qua aliquid confertur in casum dubium incertum eventum alienae voluntatis quae praestita movet velantatem judicis ad praemium ex tali conditione si pendeâ—ent promissiones Dei actum esset de nostra salute â—licet â—riremus then there is not sufficient provision made for the infallible accomplishment of an end that is absolutely intended though the Regeneration of the Elect be absolutely immediatly and irresistibly wrought by the strength of Gods Omnâ—potency yet if the work be left in the hands of the same Elect as their duty to be continued such is their frailâ—y and fallibility they may possibly mâ—scarry in it and so God should lose his end for all that which is very absurd to be affirmed of an end which he hath absolutely intended Diotrephes You need not fear this for as God begins the work so he carries it on irresistibly by the same power to the very last stage and period of our lives Hence Cornelius Dungan saith * Pacific p. 172. Such as the operation of grace is in the beginning such it is also in the progress And Dr. Twiss * Ubi supra p. 178. saith Gods Omnipotency no Creature is able to resist and therefore if God will have any man to believe repent do this or that good work it is impossible it should be otherwise and that God is he who worketh in us that which is pleasing in his sight is as true as the Epistle to the Hebrewes is a part of the New Testament And pag. 182. We do require that God should immediatly and irresistibly work all our good works in us and we acknowledge this to be necessary unto every good act and no grace without this sufficient ad velle agere though there may be without this a grace sufficient ad posse To this purpose 't is very remarkable what the * Thes Heterod quas rejicim 3. pag. 200. par 2. Brittish Divines who were accounted stuper mundi have delivered in their judgment concerning the fifth Article of perseverance at the Synod of Dort Falsum est say they Perseveraâ—tiam esse donum sub conditione oblatum 'T is false that perseverance is a gift offered upon condition for it is a gift absolutely promised of God without any respect of condition The Reason is this the promises of God some are concerning the end others concerning the means to that end The promises concerning the end for example â—akâ— concerning salvation are conditional Believe and thou shalt be saved be thou faithful or persevere unto the death and I will give thee a Crown of life But seeing no man is able to perform the conditions God hath also made most free and absolute promises for bestowing the vâ—ry conditions themselves which he effâ—câ—eth in us that by them as the means we might attain unto the end To this purpose they urge that Text Deut. 30. 6. The Lord thy God will circumcise thine heart to love the Lord thy God with all thine heart and with all thy soul that thou mayst live Upon which words they thus dilate The end here promised is life which the Israeliees could never attain but by the performance of this condition namely the loving of God but here God absolutely promiseth that he would give them that very condition Seeing therefore the promises of faith and perseverance in the faith are promises concerning the means they are promises of absolute gifts whereby God considering mens inability as well to attain the end without means as to perform those means or câ—nditions of themselves hath promised he would effect it that they should perform those condiâ—ions God promiseth life to those that constantly fear him the promise concerning life is conditionate but the promise concerning the constant fear of God is absolute I will put my fear in their hearts that they shall not depart from me Thus those Divines and the Canons of the Synod are of the same tenour and importance Securus I thank you Sir for this part of your Discourse wherein you have most clearly proved by the Doctrine of the Synod the Divines thereof and others that the opinion I have been all this while disputing for is exactly true that is to say 'T is altogether needless for any man to take care to do any thing for his salvation for though it be true that the end salvation is conditional yet the means to that end is granted absolutely and irresistibly to the Elect. 'T is true none but believers and Converts shall be saved but 't is as certainly true that all the Elect shall first or last at Gods appointed time one way or other by Gods appointed means be irresistibly brought to repâ—nt and believe But the Non-elect being past by in the state of sin as Adam left them and the saving grace of Faith and Repentance denied them they can never be saved first or last by one means or other God having appointed neither time nor means effectual to that purpose why then should they trouble themselves about it And
decreed that I shall live any longer I shall whether I eat and drink or not and if he have not decreed that I shall live it is not eating or drinking that will keep me alive What would you say to such a man but this That God decreeth no man to live but by the ordinary means of living and therefore ordinarily if you will give over eaâ—ing and drinking it is certain that you will give over living and that God hath made no Decree to save you alive whether you eat and drink or not So if a man should have a journey to go on life or death What would you think of that man that will say If God have decreed that I shall come to my journeys end I shall do it whether I go or not and if he have not decreed it I shall never come thither though I travel never so hard This is true but if you hence infer that therefore it is as good sit still as go you will shew your own folly and not pâ—ocure an excuse for your neglect Why even so it is in our present case if you will say if God have elected me I shall be saved and if he have not I shall not whatsoever I do and therefore I may spare my pains it is no wiser than to give over eating and drinking because God hath decreed how long you shall live or to give over travelling because God hath decreed whether you shall come to your journies end will you be thus mad about the matters of your Trades and Callings in the World why do not all the Weavers in this Town thâ—n give over their Trades and say If God have decreed that I shall live well and be rich I shall be so whether I labour or not and if he have not my labour will not serve Why do you not give over plowing and sowing and say If God have decreed that I shall have a Crop I shall have one whether I plow and sow or not and if he have not I shall not whatsoever I do If you will needs be Fools let it be about these worldly things which you may better spare Try your own opinion awhile and give over eating and drinking and working but do not befool your selves about thâ— One Thing Necessary and play nâ—t the mad men about the flames of hell and do not in such jest threw away your salvation it were an hundred times a wiser course for a man to set his house on fire and say If God have decreed the saving of it the fire shall not burn it if he have not it will perish whatsoever I do I tell you again God hath not ordinarily decreed the end without the means and if you will neglect the means of salvation it is a certain mark that God hath not decreed you to salvation But you shall find that he hath left you no excuse because he hath no thus predesstiâ—aâ—ed you Treatise of Conversion pag. 292 293. Securus Sir I perceive this Discourse hath much inflam'd you you melt so much upon it and I believe you are pleased with it as a piece of Rheâ—orick that you hold convincing and irrefragable But for my part I must tell you seriously I never heard a more confident piece of impertinency in my whole life To reflect a little upon your last passage in the first place you say God hath not ordinarily decreed the end without the means What is this to the purpose yes for then as you go on If you neglect the means of salvatiâ—r it is a certain mark that God hath not decreed you to salvation And who can help it 't is your own doctrine out of the Synod and the Divines thereof lately mentioned that whom he was pleased to decree unto salvation he absolutely decreed to it at least he absolutely decreed to make the means of salvation irresistibly effectual unto them * Dei enim praedestinant is Decretum non in hanc formam concipitur Ego Petrum si contigerâ—t eum credere perseve rare eligam ad vitam aeternam Sed poti ùs hoc modo Ego eligo Petrum ad vitam aeternam quam ut infallibilitèr consequatur Egoâ—ci dabo fidem perseverantem Theol. Mag. Brit. Sentent De primo Artic. In Explicat Orth. Thes 4. Inter Acta Synod Par. 2. pag. 5. See the Ministers of Embden D. Gratiae Meriti Christi Unâ—vs sal Qâ—aest 7. ibid. pag. 121. ut supra for the rest of mankind poor wretches they are pass'd by and left in the common state of misery under the conduct of the Decree of Reprobation to be fitted for the Triumphs of Divine Justice at the great Assize and Day of Doom Well therefore may they play the mad men if they list about the flames of hell but 't is no more in their power to escape them than it is for them in jest to throw away salvation whereof they never had so much as a possibility As God decreed them to another end so doubtless by your Doctrine to other means for he hath not ordinarily decreed the end without the means you say and â—f you neglect this means you shallfind that he hath left you without excuse you say because he hath not thus predestinated you I pray of whom speak you this of the Elect Are they left without excuse Or can they neglect the means of salvation Then they may perish for all their predestination Or do you speak it of the Non-elect Are they predestinated thus Either to the end or to the means of salvation How came they to fall then from that end and how comes this means to be ineffectual to them But if God hath predestinated them neither to the one not to the other how shall they find that he hath left them no excuse because he hath not thus predestinated them But you demand why men do not try their opinion about their bodies states and secular affairs as well as about their souls Then you say they would soon perceive the folly and madâ—e â—s of it Shall I give you a Reason I think I need not you know the power of â—elf-love and interest and the advantage that sensual objects have to insinuate themselves through the neighbourhood of their abode and the sutableness of their pleasures to flesh and blood But in relation to eternal life self is to be denied and interest to be laid aside and lust to be mortified and pleasure to be abandoned many and great difficulties there are to be contested against and all this for an inheritance invisible at a great distance for a reversion laid up for us in another World You see Sir the state of the soul comes upon many disadvantages to engage a mans affections and endeavours after the use of means for her salvation in comparison of the body If Mr. Baxter this be not sufficient you may find perhaps better satisfaction in that Sermon of making light of Christ pag. 15 16. But the plain
Dogmatical Faith not a Saving Faith Praesumptuosus May not a Parent justly claim Baptism for his Child upon the profession of such a Faith Diotrephes Whatever Parents claim out of a pretended Right * Mr. Baxter Ministers may not baptize their Children upon the profession of any other Faith that comes short of Saving Faith Ibid. Disp 2. pag. 41 c. Praesumptuosus What is that Saving Faith you would have a man to profess Diotrephes I would have him seriously profess to believe all the essential Articles of Christian Religion and to consent to take Mr. Baxter God for his only God and Portion Christ for his only Red emer and the Holy Ghost for his Sanctifier renouncing the World Flesh and Divel Ibid. Disput 3. pag. 34â— Praesumptuosus Methinks this is all one with that Promise and Vow which was wont to be made by Godfathers and Godmothers in the behalf of those children for whom they were then Sureties For I remember that to this question of the Catechism in the English Liturgy What did your Godfathers and Godmothers then in your Baptism promise for you the Child is instructed to answer thus They did promise and Vow three things in my name 1. That I should forsake the Divel and all his Works the Pomps and Vanities of the wicked World and all the sinful lusts of the flesh 2. That I should believe all the Articles of the Christian Faith And 3. That I should keep Gods holy Will and Commandments and walk in the same all the dayes of my life * And in the charge to the Godfathers c. Seeing this Child hath promised by you to forsake the Divel c. to believe in God and to serve him And more distinctly concerning the Articles of the Christian Faith the Child being Catechâ—zed therein doth tell us he is taught 1. To believe in God the Father who hath made me and all the World 2. In God the Son who hath redeemed me and all Mankind 3. In God the Holy Ghost who sanctifieth me and all the Elect people of God Certainly this doth amount to as full a profession of Saving Faith as that you require with some alteration of words and phrases Diotrephes * Mr. Baxter If a man have made the same profession I mention'd and after long continuance in the Church doth offer his Child to Christ in Baptism and offer to renew that profession and enter his Child into the same Covenant I shall suppose his claim just till some sufficient Reason be brought to prove it unjust Ubi supra Disp 3. pag. 343. Praesumptuosus For the time of my continuance in the Church 't is sufficiently known the Diâ—ectory by which I was baptized if we may believe so late a Tradition was not born long before me And I hope you will not account my Baptism Nâ—ll for want of such a profession of Saving Faith as you intimate to be of necessity to make my claim of Baptism just on my Childs behalf If that profession made in my name were defective and came short of Saving Faith you cannot say that either I or my Parents sinned in it My father I presume was guided by the Minister and he observed the instructions in the Directory wherein if you are not satisfied I am contented to renew my Profession together with such enlargements as your Christian Prudence shall think fit to add for a fuller Explication Diotrephes When I asser the unlawfulness to admit persons to Baptism upon the profession of any Faith that comes short of Saving Faith I do not intend thereby to assert the Mr. Baxter Nullity of all such Baptism when performed though unlawfully for though it may be * N. â— Null or vain as to the special uses and benefits yet it followeth not that therefore it is Null as to the true Form and Being of the external Ordinances nor that this is to be reiterated Ubi supra Disp. 2 pag. 53. Praesumptuosus What hinders then but my Child may be admitted unto Baptism Diotrephes I am unsatisfied upon another account * Mr. Baxter If the Parents do either produce no Title to the baptizing of their Child that is if they do not seem Christians or godly or if they give us grounds of a violent presumption that their profession is false and counterfeit in either of these cases as we are to exclude them from Christian Communion so are we to refuse the baptizing of their Children that is we are to supsend both till such a Title be shewed or till the grounds of that strong presumption be removed Ubi supra Disput 3. pag. 340. Praesumptuosus Sir I hope such is your Charity you have a better opinion of me than to reckon me amongst the number of the ungodly I assent firmly to all the essential parts of Christian Religion and am able to give an account of them And I am ready if you please to call me to it to profess my consent to take God for my God Christ for my Saviour the Spirit for my Sanctifier the Word for my Rule I profess to esteem the Kingdom of heaven before this present World I do not deliberately venture on Gods displeasure much less profess I had rather forfeit my interest in heaven than forsake the pleasures of sin I thank God I am not so much in love with any gross sin but I can and do frequently pray against it and desire Almighty God not only to pardon but in his due time aâ—so to mortâ—fie it In the mean while I take it kindly at their hands that do in love and meekness admonish and reprove me It cannot be objected against me that ever I endeavoured the disgracing or extirpation of godliness neither is it my custom to deride or slander or persecute the generality of godly men about me for their apparent godly practices in matters of weight in Religion I am sufficiently convinced of the manifold advantages of a godly life and have adhered to the godly party and joyned with them in Fasting and Prayers and other holy duties both in publick and in private and 't is a trouble to me that you should now deny my Child the benefit of Gods Ordinance See Mr. Baxter of Right to Sacram. Disp 3. pag. 345 c. Diotrephes My judgment is * Mr. Baxter They that live constantly in the Commission of gross sins though they profess Repentance and promise Reformation yet if they have over and over broke their proâ—ise and still continue in the sin such mens words are not any more to be credited else all Discipline may be â—luded â—ill they actually reform Ibid. pag 347. Praesumptuosus Sir I have read in the Writings of a person not inferiour to yourself in point of reputation both for learning and godliness who certifieth the World upon his own personal knowledge to the great comfort of the godly who suffer infirmity through the violence of temptation in these words * Of Right to
rightâ—oâ—s but sinnâ—rs to Repenâ—ance And what sinners were they think you but such as found themselves weary and heavy laden nay â—â—st and at the very point of perishing and therefore altering his phrase though he speaks of persons under the same qualification He saith 〈◊〉 Son of mâ—n came tâ— seeâ—â—nâ— to save that which was loâ—â— * Matth. 18. 11. 'T is no discouragement to me but rather an invitation and inducement to minister to the needs of his soul God himself hath profest He delights to dwell nowhere sooner than in the poor and empty receptacles of an humble and broken heart * Isa 57. 15. 66. 2. A broken and contrite heart O God thou wiâ—t not dâ—spisâ— * Psal 51. 17. But Sâ—r that I may gain a little better notice of his condition give me leave to enquire further after him I am confident your charity that brought you thus far to me on his bâ—half did also prompt you to suggest such wholsome directions as you thought most sutable to his capacity in reference to the temptations he lies under Samaritâ—nus Sir Had my Abilities been answeraâ—le to my Compassion my Applications for his recovery out of this sad estate might have been much more effectual than they were But you may assure your self his wounds were drest with the best wine and oyle my stock afforded Diotrephes You are so well principled in general and especially so well vers'd iâ— Cases of Conscience and the practical parâ— of Christianity that you are able to speak a word in season But seeing as I conceive he lies under the Arrest of the soiâ—it of bondâ—ge it may be a question whither it be yet seasonable or convenient to give him Baile Humiliation is the ground work of Conversion and the deeper the foundation is digged the stronger will be the building that is erected upon it None are conducted to Heaven with more assurance than they that have pass'd by the Gates of Hell and the longer he stands at those Gates the greater will be his affrightment from the wayes that lead thither and the greater his thirst after the joyes of Heaven when they are offeâ—'d to sollicite him into the ways of Righteousness If it be upon the surprizal of some late wasting sin or the reflexion upon former â—oul crimes that this present tempest is raised iâ— his conscience let him be toss'd a while till he takes in a little more salt water â—nd bâ—â—ome more Sea sick that being tumultuated in the hurry of his own distracted thoughts he may be driven to act the Physitians part upon himself or with those Marinâ—rs to cast lots to find out the Criminâ—l in whose proâ—â—cution that storm was sent out by the Divâ—ne Displeasure that so Jonah being thrown over-board the Wind and Sea may be becalmed and the Passage made secure for the time ensuing It is fit the Law â—â—ould â—â—y on her full load upon soul sinners till their shoulders be wrung and pinch't and force them to cry out 'T is the severity of that Ushâ—r that makes men willing to subâ—it to the Discipline of Jesus Christ Sâ—mariâ—aâ—us I am not satisfied that this is the best method for the cure of Dâ—â—â—latus gentler applications may be more proper to reâ—â—â—â—ie and â—ettle the â—umours that are stirred in him It is not a draught of deadly pâ—yson lately swallowed that hath brought these â—â—â—s upon him nor the fresh apparition of long buried crimes newly raised up from the dead by the power of an espâ—câ—â—l Providence though 't is most certainly true and verified in his complaints that every little sin will fall a buffeting the conscience when it is too weak and â—eeble â—o make resistance yet I say it is no such horrid spectre of guilt but on a sudden he sinks in his hopes and is at a loss for his assurance and doubts his sincâ—rity and consequently his interest in the merits of Chriâ—t and in Gods love and favour And the temptation heightned by the subtilty of the Tempter taking advantage of his own fears and jealousies is grown so strong and violent that he is hardly perswaded to the patience to have it undermin'd or opposed And I perceive it is the Apostâ—sie of these present Times that hath given him this scandal and betrayed him to that dissatisfaction that afflicts him Diotrephes Why what doth he infer from these sad emergencies of Providence Samaritanus He makes sad reflexions upon them and then applies them to his own discouragement insomuch that whereas he was wont formerly to discourse of the Doctrine of the certain perseverance of all the sanctified with much feeling and consolation saying It was to his spirits as a Well of water springing up to everlasting life Now on the other side having such examples before his eyes he apprehends the same Doctrine as the waters of Ezek or Marah he can find nothing but matter of strife and relish nothing but a taste of bitterness in it For saith he if I could have any assuranâ—e that I am truly sanctified the Doctrine of certain perseverance of all such would be comfortable to me but I am brought now into such doubts of Mr. Baxter's Account of persev p. 25 26 it that I fear I shall never attain to such assurance being rather induced to conclude myself certainly unsanctified For I never reached so high as some that I have known that have fallen away I have known divers that have been judicious and effectionate and constant and lively in duty and of very up ight careful lives and so great contemners of the World that they would not have omitted an opportunity for their souls for wordly gain yea theywere persecuted and suffered very much for godliness in evil times and in the sharpest tryals never shâ—uâ—k when others did and laid out themselves almost altogether in doing good Their prayers and conferences were very holy and heavenly and affectionate and their lives agreeable so that they were incomparably beyond me in all these qualifications * One would have thought it next to an impossibility that such men the highest Professours of Religion and so many of them could ever have been drawn to do that against the Church against that Gospel Ministry and Ordinances of God which once seemed dearer to them than their lives which hath since been done and which yet we fear Mr. Baxter's Directions for peace of Conscience in the Epistle to the poor in spirit and yet some of them now do deny the Godhead of Christ and the Holy Ghost some deny the Scripture and that there is any Church or Ministry some are turned Quakers and some Licentious if not Infidels and therefore certainly have now no saving grace Now before I can ever be sure that I am justified I must be sure that I go further than any of these did or any other that ever fell away whereas I find my self far short of many of them And I am in a manner certain that some of
heart answers Lord I am willâ—ng I will accept of Christ and be thankful why then the match is made between Christ and you and the Marriage Covenant is truly entre ' which none 〈◊〉 dissolve If Christ were not first willing â—e would not be the Sâ—itoâ— and make the motion and 〈◊〉 he be willing and you be willing what can break the match To this he answers he is much unsatisfied that I seem to make it so easie a matter to believe when others of the Orthodox do heighten the diffiâ—ulâ—y of the duty Iâ— it implies no more than an accâ—ptâ—nce of Christ and life how come so many that Mr. Norton Orthod Evang. p. 206 c. pretend to Christ and rely upon him and câ—aim an interest in him which sure they would not do if they did not consent to have him how come so many of them saith he to be deceived and disclaimed at last â—nd their faith to perish with them Mat. 7. 21 22. All may seem fair saith Dr. Twiss * Pag. 102. no reigning sin appearing whereby the Conversation is deâ—â—led yet a man may deceive himself O how many have thought that Christ was most dear to them and that the hopes Mr. Baxter's Direct for peace of consc in the Epist Dedicat. of heaven were their chiefest hopes who have left Christ though with sorrow when he bid them let go all as Mr. Baxter hath observed who doth hereupon conclude I shall never be so confident of any mans â—idelity to Christ as not withall to suspect that he may possibly forsake him nor shall I boast of any mans service for thâ— Gospel but with a jealousie that he may Ibid. drawn to do as much againstâ— it Alas Sir your saving faith is not of a common extraction 't is a special Donative merited by Christ but for a very few as Dr. Twiss * Vbi supra pag. 152. tells us and peculiar to the Elect as our Divines conclude from Tit. 1. 1. 7. I have told him That God hath under his Hand and Seal made a full and free Deed of gift to him and all sinners of Mr. Baxter ib. pag. 43. Christ and with hâ—m of pardon and salvation and all this on condition of his acceptance or consent That it was comfort to know â—e might have Christ if he would and to find this to be the sum of the Gospel Rev. 22. 17. Whosoâ—ver will lâ—t â—im take of the water of life freely To this he readily answers out of Dr. Twiss That till a man believes â—t is not known either to himself or any other Ibid. pag. 164. man that he shall have any benefit by the death of Christ only God knows from everlasting who shall have benefit by the death of Christ and who not forasmuch as he hath determined to give faith in Christ to some and not to others and accordinâ—ly hath sent Christ into the World for their sakes 8. I have told him That the Scripture it self by the plainness and fulness of its expression makes it as clear as the light Mr. Baxter ib. pag. 32. that Christ died for all At this he cries ouâ— What hath the death of Christ to do with my Election or Reprobation Dr. Twiss tells us That Dr. Twiss ubi supra pag. 139. God in his Dâ—cree did no more consider the death of his Son than the faith of the Elect. 9. Here I expostulated with him in these words Is it Mr. Baxter ib. p. 42. nothing that a sufficient Sacrifice and Ransome is given for you This is the very foundation of all solid peace I think this is a great comfort to know that God looks now for no satisfaction at your hand and that the number or greatness of your sins as such cannot now be your ruine To this he confronts that of Dr. Twiss If Christ made satisfaction for all the sins of all and every one in such sort Dr. Twiss ibid. pag. 141. that Gods justice is thereby satisfied I demand how it can stand with Gods justice to exact satisfaction at the hands of so many as he doth for their sins and that by eternal damnation in hell-fire For whether Christs death and passion be satisfactory for all sins for all and every one by its own nature or by the constitution of God or by both I comprehend not with what justice God can put the damned persons to satisfie for their own sins in the flames of hell-fire c. 10. I have told him of a world of comfort which even the graceless may gather from universal or general mercy To this purpose I find that Scripture alledged John 3. 16. God Mr. Baxter ib. pag. 38 43. so loved the World that he gave his only begotten Son that whosoever believeth â—n him should not perâ—sts but have everlasting lâ—fâ— Here he interposeth a distinction of Dr. Twissâ—'s The love of God and of Christ to all goes no further saith he then this That whosoever believeth in him shall not perish but have everlasting Dr. Twiss ib. p. 164. life But Gods special love to his Elect is to send Christ into the World to merit not that only for them which is to be coâ—fer'd upon the condition of faith but to merit faith also for them which is confer'd upon them absolutâ—ly and upon no condition 11. I have advised him to get clear apprehensions of the freeness fulness and universality of the New Covenant or Law of Mr. Baxter ib. p. 33. Grace No man on Earth is excluded in the tenour of this Covenant and therefore said I certainly you are not excluded and if not excluded then you must needs be included But he returns this Answer he understands not how the Covenant of Grace can extend to such as God did implacably hate upon the account of Adams sin and decreed to pass them by in the communication of grace sufficient and necâ—ssary to Faith and Repentance without which there is no Adoption or Pardon 12. I told him God invites all without exception to mercy and salvation and therefore there was no reason why he should doubt of it He replies Gods invitation is no other than by professing that by Faith and Repentance they shall be saved without Faith and Repentance they shall be damned * Ib. pag. 54. as Dr. Twiss resolveth and he tells * Pag. 51. us moreover that Austin hath long ago professed that to say God would have all to be saved and none to perish is to deny the First Article of our Creed concerning Gods Omnipotency 13. I have represented what abundance of Comfort General Mercy or Grace may afford the soul before it perceive yea or receive any special grace for Mr. Baxter ubi supra p. 46 47. 1. All the terrifying temptations which are grounded on misrepresentations of God as if he were a cruel destroyer to be fled from are dispelled by the due consideration of his goodness and the
deep setled apprehensions of his gracious merciful lovely nature which indeed is the first work of true Religion and the very Master Radical Act of true Grace and the chief maintaiâ—er of spiritual life and motion 2. All these temptations are yet more effectually dispelled by considering this merciful Divine Nature dwelling in flesh becoming man by condescending to the assumption of our humane nature and so come near us and assuming the office of being the Mediatour the Redeemer the Saviour of the World 3. All our doubts and fears that proceed from our former sins have all a present rememdy in the fulness and sufficiency of Christs satisfaction even for all the World so that no sin is so great but it is fully satisfied for c. 4. All our doubts and fears that arise from an apprehension of Gods unwillingness to shew us mercy and to give us Christ and life in him arise from the misapprehension of Christs unwillingness to be ours or at least from the uncertainty of his willingness these have all a sufficient remedy in the general extent and tenour of the New Covenant From which principles our Divines do infer 1. A possibility of your salvation Ib pag. 43. 2. Nay though you were yet graceless you have now this comfort that your salvation is probable as well as possible you are very fair for it The terms be not hard in themselves on which it is tendred for Christs yoke yoke is easie his burden light and his commands are not grievous 3. Yea this exceeding comfort there is even for them that are graceless that their salvation is conditionally certain and the condition is but their own willingness But all this gives Desola us no satisfaction As to the greatest part of Mankind he finds in God a general unwillingness of their salvation for as if he were a cruel destroyer according to the Synod of Dort he cast them off without any vincible fault of theirs for the sin of Adam and out of an immutable hatred against them he decreed to with-hold from them all grace sufficient unto Faith and Repentance and hence it follows that Christ procured no such grace for them and consequently that his merit is insufficient * Distinctio qua Christus dicitur mortuus sufficienter non efficaciter pro omnibus vana est nom illud aut notat vice aut bono omnium mori sed nec hoc nec illud Ergo nullo modâ— c. Maccovius in Thâ—ol polem cap. 14. Qust 15. mihi pag. 98. And therefore if pardon and salvation be tendred to them it cannot be done seriously and in earnest but in mockery and delusion Hereupon he concludes that pardon and salvation being offer'd only upon such condiâ—ions as are impossible the obtaining them is so far from being certain that it is neither probable nor possible Lastly I have conjured him not to think of Gods mercifulness Mr. Baxter ib. pag. 18. with distinguishing extenuating thoughts nor to limit it by the bounds of our frail understandings for the Heavens are not so far above the Earth as his thoughts and wayes are above ours I bid him still-remember that he must have no low thoughts of Gods goodness but apprehend it as bearing proportion with his power As it is blasphemy to limit his power so it is to limit his goodness I advised him to consider that even under the terrible Law when God proclaims to Moses Ibid. pag. 17. his own Name and therein his Nature Exod. 34. 6 7. the first and greatest part is The Lord God merciful and gracious long-suffering and abundant in goodness and truth keeping mercy for thousands forgiving iniquity transgression and sin And he hath sworn that he hath no pleasure in the death of a sinne but rather that he return and live For this he finds an evasion too out of Dr. Twiss where in Answer to the Text now alledged he replies thus As for that of swearing by himself that he wiâ— not for so the Translatour Vbi supra pag. 52 53. of Tilenus had rendred it the death of a sinner there is no such Text at all saith he the most Authentical Translation of our own Church reads it I have no pleasure in the death of a sinner And as Piscator observes A man may will that wherein he takes no pleasure like as a sick man takes no pleasure in a bitter Potion yet he is willing to take it to recover his health So is a man willing to lose a Limb though he takes no pleasure in it to save his life And then again as the words lie they are directly contrary to Christian reason for doth not God inflict death on thousands and doth not the Scripture testifie That God works all things according to the counsel of his will Ephes 1. 11. And albeit he takes no pleasure in the death of the sinner yet the Scripture is as express in acknowledging that God delights in the execution of judgment as well as in the execution of mercy I am the Lord which sheweth mercy judgment and righteousness in the Earth for in these things I delight saith the Lord Jer. 9. 24. Having proceeded thus far I saw so little probability of success that I resolved to have him treated with the best advantage I could and therefore I have call'd in your assistance that the Authority of your Office may add some weight and force to such Arguments as you shall think sit to produce for his Restitution And now Sir that you are acquainted as well with the Disease as with the Patient I beseech you to bestow a charitable visit upon him Diotrephes I will bear you company to his Chamber Samaritanus I am as good as my word you see my Desolatus my friendship is so fast and so unfeigned it will not suffer me to be long from you But here is another worthy friend of yours Mr. Diotrephes come to visit you I hope his Company and Conference will administer a great deal of satisfaction and comfort to you to his Charity therefore I commend you for a while Diotrephes Being inform'd that you lay under some pressures upon your spirit I took this opportunity to shew my readiness to do you the best office of kind ess I am able and now my prayer is That the God of hope would fill you with all joy and peace in believing that you may abound in hope through the power of the Holy Ghost Rom. 15. 13. Desolatus Sir you are very kindly welcome and I heartily thank you for your presence and your prayers though I have too much Reason to conclude that I shall reap no fruit or benefit by them Diotrephes Do not draw such uncomfortable Conclusions against your self I cannot think you have any premises from which such a Conclusion doth necessarily follow You know what the Psalmist saith of Almighty God He healeth the broken in heart and giveth medicine to heal their sickness and he lifteth up them that
be bowed down And one end of the institution of our office is that we should be helpers towards the joy of Gods people 2 Gor. 1. 24. and that as well to blow it up to a recovery when it is lost as to kindle it at first where it is wanting Be of good cheer therefore for I doubt not there will come a comfortable voyce out of this Cloud to give you notice that God will own you as he did our Saviour* though as the Disciples then so you at this present be amazed to find your self overshadowed and fear as you * Luk. 9 34 35. enter into the Cloud Though it be thus with you at this instant yet I say there will come a voyce out of the Cloud saying This is my Beloved Son God will say unto your soul I am thy salvation Desolatus Oh Sir time was when I had the same resentments of Gods favour with your self I could as I flatter'd my self by the eye of faith discover the chearful countenance of a Father looking upon me through the most dismal Cloud that overshadowed me and I have been able to say with the Prophet This was my comfort in my affiction that thy Word hath quickned Psal 119. me I had received such a measure of illumination from Heaven I thought my self able to afford eyes to the blind and light to such as sate under the darkest shades of desertion But now 't is my sad fate to suffer a total Eclipse of comfort Gods Rod hath smitten the waters of my Cistern and turn'd them into blood and it is become a frightful serpent to me Diotrephes I beseech you do not call it your fate there is a gracious Providence in this Dispensation you lie under and Hebr. 12. 11. though it be grievous for the present as all afflictions are being design'd for your humiliation yet the fruit of it being an Isa 32. 17. increase of righteousness will be attended with peace and assurance for ever In the mean while consider though the waters of your Cistern be turned into blood yet those in the fountain are sweet and clear still God can turn them into wine for you though your Cistern be quite dry the Rock that should supply it is inexhaustible and out of that Rock God will satisfie you with a Breuvage as sweet as honey Your Sun will gradually get up and Psal 81. ult overlook the dark umbrage of this interposition and when the Eclipse is over his influences will return upon your soul with interest in a satisfactory duplication of your comfort Desolatus As my feeling of the refreshments of the Spirit is gone so are all my hopes departed with it if there be but so much as a smoak we may conjecture at least that 't is possible there may be some fire but Diotrephes Give me leave good Sir to interrupt you to my apprehension there is so much smoak and heat too that I must conclude the fire cannot be extinguished If we should determine men to be dead upon every depravation of sense in them we should become not only unchristian but inhumane and bury many men alive Because the night is very dark should we put out the Candle too and instead of betaking our selves to our natural rest in Bed should we â—ep into our Coffin out of an opinion that the Day-spring will never return to visit us And because we observe that the Trees are uncloath'd in Winter and have lost their Verdure and their Beauty were it not madness therefore to take an Axe and cut them down for Fuel as if it were impossible the Sap should everascend to make them bud and blossom and become fruitful any more Were you not alive in your mothers womb and in a thriving condition yet sure you will not pretend then to have had any sense of it I pray therefore be you satisfied this is but a Lâ—thargy not a Death 't is but your Winter Summer is a coming on 't is but your night your heaviness will march away with it and then joy will come upon you in the morning Though the poor sheep may be bewildered and lost in a state of desolation yet such is the care and compassion of the good Shepherd he will seek it and fetch it home Luke 15. upon his own shoulders Desolatus Sir were I sure I did belong to his Fold I should not doubt of his care over me for he hath promised in behalf of all his sheep That he will give them eternal life and that they shall John 10. 28. rever perish neither shall any pluck them out of his hand Diotrephes Why should you doubt your relation to him his Fold is his Church and his sheep are said to be those that hear his voyce and follow him they are known by that ear-mark and John 10. 27. by the strait path they walk in after his precepts and example Desolatus I know Sir that his Church is his Fold but there are many in it that are not of it and though they hear his voyce and fellow him for a season yet they draw back at last Hebr. 10. 38. John 6. 66. unto perdition as many did that are said to have believed on him they only are secured in point of Christs care and custody who have an interest in his promises Diotrephes You know it is the promise of the Gospel That whosoever believes in Christ crucified should not perish but have life John 3. 16. everlasting And it is the resolution of that famous Synod at Dort That this promise together with the injunction of Repentance and Faith ought promiscuously and without distinction to be declared and published to all men and people to whom God in his good pleasure sends the Gospel In the Chapter of Redempt Art 5. Desolatus I am not ignorant Sir that the Gospel is Gods revealed will and that the promises thereof are general at least promiscuously to be preached but the Decree concerning every mans salvation is not made or calculated according to the Revelations thereof which are not Gods will in a strict and proper sense but according to his secret Will or Beneplacâ—ture so that many yea most to whom those promises are declared are not at all concern'd in the benâ—fit that is promised Diotrephes Though that Synod hath not expresly defin'd any thing in this question yet some of the Members of it and Martinius by name saith That the Redemption by Christ is universal and that the benefit is not only sufficient bâ—t a so truly Act. Syn. Dord 2. par pag. 104 105. De morte Christi pro omnibus Th. 10 11. intended and destin'd for every ore otherwise saith He we could not infer a Necâ—ssity of every Mans Believing that it belongs to him and this would exempt most men from the chief duty of the Gospel Desolatus But Sir I find even that man that goes so far falls back again and spills all the Milk
of Consolation he had given down in those Theses for soon after he puts in his excepâ—ions and enters such a Caveat against the greatest part of Mankind See Thes 16 c. as doth infallibly keep them out of possession of the benefit for saith he this universal Redemption must be very circumspectly handled as to point of satisfaction and merit and a double exception he propounds to limit them One respecting the things another the persons Christ he saith hath not satisfied for a permanent impenitency much less for a persevering contumacy and hence it comes to pass that the wrath of God abides upon unbelievers and all their sins original actual against Law and Gospel are imputed to them And yet O strange subtilty he hath merited grace for all even for the impenitent and unbelievers But what grace why Remission of sins and Eternal life under the condition of faith and repentance but not grace sufficient and necessary unto that faith and repentance From hence you will conclude that he must put in another exception a Caveat against persons too and it is this That although Christ hath promiscuously so satisfied for all men that their sins may be remitted viz. if they repent and believe that is when they are invited to take Christs easie yoke if they perform an impossible condition yet in truth he hath procured the sins of the Elect only in whom that condition is effected by an irresistible grace and operation to be remitted eventually So that Christ having made no satisfaction for the sin of final impenitency and having decreed to let them fall inevitably into that state by withholding grace sufficient and necessary to keep them from it what advantage I beseech you do these poor wretches receive from his merits and satisfaction Diotrephes But the Synod declares their sense more fully in this Article That many being called by the Gospel do not repent nor believe in Christ but perish in infidelity this comes not to pass say they through any insufficiency of Christs Sacrifice for that is a most perfect sacrifice and satisfaction for Chapt. of Redempt Art 3 4 5 6. sins of infinite price and value abundantly sufficient to expiate the sins of the whole World and that 't is therefore of so great value because the person that was offer'd up was the only begotten Son of God and because his death was joyned with a feeling of Gods wrath and of the curse which we had deserved by our sins and they declare this to be Gospel That whosoever believes shall not perish but have life everlasting Desolatus 'T is true if they believe upon that condition Mr. Baxter's Preface to the Grot. Relig. sect 9. Syn. Dord ib. A t. 8. But did God purpose* to cause in men this condition or not In the Elect he did upon whom only it was the most free counsel gracious will and intention of God the Father that the efficacy of that Sacrifice should stream â—orth to the production of faith in them by an irresistible operation as that Synod hath more at large declared So that a man must have the work of special grace wrought in him and the Spirit of Christ abiding with him before he can have assurance of his interest in Christ Diotrephes 'T is very true They that have not the Spirit of Christ are none of his * Rom. 8. 9. but you could not so much as say That Jesus Christ is the Lord but by the Holy Ghost * 1 Cor. 12. 3. yet this I know is your stedfast profession and because ye are sons God hath sent the Spirit of his Son into your hearts crying Abba Father Can you not pray to God too as well as profess to believe in him Desolatus 'T is most certain we should not have believed Christ to have been the Messiah and the Son of God if the Holy Ghost had not sealed the Revelation to us and confirm'd it with a world of miracles But having this Revelation by us Christ may be acknowledged to be the Lord without the special inhabitation of his Spirit to prompt us to it and his influences may be sufficient to move us unto prayer when they are insufficient to renâ—w us unto salvation and therefore not every one that saith Lord Lord not every Supplicant shall enter into the Kingdâ—m of heâ—ven but he that doth the will of the Father which is in heâ—ven Mâ—â— 7. 21. Diotrephes Hold you close to this principle that heaven shall be alotted for a portion to him that doth the will of God for the Lâ—rd loveth judgment and forsakâ—th not â—is Saints or his Psal 37. 28. that be godly they are prâ—served for ever Desolatus 'T is not enough to do Gods will for the substance of the work that may be done by the unsanctified But it must be done after a spiritual and gracious manner also * Dr. Twiss ib. p. 48. and so â—one but the Saints and truly godly do it and they are called his by a peculiar â—â—â—le of Election and are sure to be preserved for ever Diotrephes I remember you have been look't upon as a person eminent for godâ—â—ness and forward not only to do the will of God but when the will of God requir'd it to suffer also for your well-doing Now St. Peter tells you and he prefixeth a kind of Oath to his Asseveration saying Of a truth I perceive that God is no respecter of persons but in â—very Nation he that feareth Acts 10. 34 35. him and worketh righteousness is accepted with him Desolatus Sir the sense of that Text must admit of a limitation for as the Synod at Dort hath declared God hath chosen in Christ unto salvation a set number of certain men Cb. 1. Art 7. with 15. neither better nor more worthy than others but equally lost and lying in the common misery with others whom he passed over unto everlasting destruction And therefore Deodati tells us in his Annotation upon that Text that Peter speaketh not here of that Original of the will and pleasure of God by which he taketh into favour one who of himself is as unworthy as the other Rom. 9. 11. 1 Cor. 4. 7. * Do these Texts serve the interests of the Sullapsarians or Supralapsarians or both or neither But of that consequent degree of his love toward the work of his grace in what Nation or quality of person soever it be found to maintain increase and make it up This is his sense Diotrephes But that learned man does conclude you see that where God hath begun his work of grace he will not fail to maintain increase and make it up and this is that very thing whereof the Apostle is so confident That he which hath begun a good work in you will perform or finish it untill the day of â—esus Phil. 1. 6. Christ Desolatus This perswasion of the Apostle is but the result of his charity towards those Philippians as
at Dort * Ch. 1. Art 8. which declares That God hath chosen us from eternity both unto grace and glory both unto salvation and the way of salvation which he hath prepared that we should walk therein So that God hath not only immutably decreed the end but also the means by which it is to be insuperably accomplish't Desolatus I wonder not at all at their complacence in the opinion of such an absolute Election who as their Doctrine pretends are carried on by an irresistible operation to presume or rely upon it Who would not be glad of so much security that he might disband his fears and anxiety and care of duty and be able to sing a requiem to his soul and wrock her asleep with such a charm as this Soul thou hast sufficient provisions for thy eternal welfare laid up in the Decree of thiâ—e Election and this shall be infallibly disburs'd to serve all thy needs in thy several stages of Conversion Sanctification and Perseverance till thou dost arrive at glâ—ry But souls in the temper of mine conflicting with doubts and jealousies if God were pleased to reverse that absolute Decree might find more encouragement in a promise of acceptation in the Belovâ—d that is in an Election upon Faith and Repentance for then Gods ordinary concourse and gracious assistance continued the possibility of obtaining would put life into their hopes and their hopes would quicken them unto action But on the contrary the thoughts of an impossibility which the Decree of absolute Reprobation must needs suggest to the considerate do strike all hopes dead and put all good endeavours into a Lethargy or a state of languishing This is like a plucking off our Chariot Wheels and yet urging us with threatnings and severe Discipline to drive thorow the red Sea that we may gain a passage into Canaan As for that provision of means you mention what comfort can be reaped from it to a person that suspects himself debarr'd the end and that immutably Though the same showers fall providentially upon the Tares in regard of their commixture with the wheat yet this can as little prevent their doom as change their nature for all that They shall be bound up in bundles and be cast into the fire Matth. 13. 30. Diotrephes Your mind and discourse run altogether upon the account of Reprobates but what if they abuse the outward means imploy'd for their Conversion and perish for their contempt of it God hath his chosen whom he will compel to come in * Mr. Baxter's making light of Christ p. 4. That is in the good houre the Ministry of the Word shall be attended or seconded by an effectual * Declar of the Congregational Churches Chap. 20. n. 4. irresistible work of the Holy Ghost upon their whole soul for the producing in them a new spiritual life and being thus regenerated their estate as you cannot deny is then as to the object or thing immutably and infallibly certain Desolatus The new Birth or effectual Calling which is inseparable to a lively faith I perceive is the only Phial that contains the Aqua vitae to cure these fainting Fits of Fear and Desperation but grant a true Child of God shall never be permitted so far to play the Prodigal as to be disinherited what comfort will this aford him though his life be competently upright and regular who to deal ingenuously cannot boast of omnipotent infusions which he never felt nor pretend to any Reformation wrought in him irresistibly in an instant but to such only as the Holy Ghost in Scripture hath produc'd by rational Motives and Arguments and upon deliberate advisement too for that instantaneous and irresistible Regeneration I am perswaded there are very few that feel it even of those passionate disputers for it But were they reduced to a state of desolation as I am I am confident their Arguments would appear Sophistry to themselves and vanish into nothing Some loose and vitious persons finding themselves by some happy Providence brought on a sudden out of love with their crimes may possibly impute their change to such an irresistable operation of the Holy Ghost But this opinion many times betrayes them to new dangers while they conclude They are carried by the same or like impulsion when they make choice of some other By-way and run into new Exorbitances yet I will not deny but the Holy Ghost may use that short method upon some special occasions as in the Conversion of Paul and perhaps Austin But when he doth use it 't is very rare and extraordinary Otherwise being conscious to no such manner of production in my self I shall yet have more ground to disbelieve my own Regeneration Diotrephes God forbid I should go about to add wound to wound or affliction to affliction by raising new doubts in you I Dr. Twiss 〈◊〉 158. desire rather to be calme and satisfie such as are raised already However you may remember 't is the general opinion that this doubtfulness of your own sincerity may very well consist with the state of grace and 't is a very great sign you fear God and value his love and favour that you are so much troubled upon your jealousie that you want it Desolatus These marks Sir whatever assurance they may give us for the present they are not so infallible but they may deceive us yea and all other marks whatsoever I may have a notional knowledge of Christ and the necessity of his blood and of the excellency of salvation and yet perish I may weep at the History of his Passion when I read how he was Mr. Baxter's Sermon of making light of Christ p. 55 56 used by the Jewes and yet perish I may come desirously to his Word and Ordinances and yet perish I may in a fit of fear have strong desires after a Christ to ease me and save me from Gods wrath and yet perish I may obey him in many things so far as will not ruine me in the World and escape much of the pollutions of the World by his knowledge and yet perish I may suffer and lose much for him some parcels of my pleasures and profits I may part with in hope of salvation and yet perish I may be esteemed by others a man zealous for Christ and be loved and admired upon that account and yet perish I may be a zealous Preacher of Christ and Salvation and reprove others for their neglect of both and lament the sin of the World with most bitter and passionate expressions and yet perish I may verily think that I set more by Christ and Salvation than by any thing else whatsoever and yet be mistaken and perish everlastingly Again * See Mr. Baxter's additional sheet at the end of his Treatise of saving Faith By common grace a man may not only know but love God also and love him as merciful and gracious as better than the Creature as best for him yea he
may love God under the notion of the chiefest good and most desirable end in whose sight and fruition everlasting happiness consisteth And by common grace he may believe in Christ or desire him as a Saviour to free him from every sin and from sin as sin or as it is against God This is the Doctrine of a person * Mr. Baxter of great Note as you your self very well know and I pray what can a Regenerate man do more and how then shall he discriminate his saving grace from that common grace Diotrephes That person tells you withall in the same Treatise * Pag. 94. Prop. 13. That the Act of Love or Faith are considerable 1. Physically 1. In general as Faith and Love 2. In special as this Faith and Love about this object the Father and the Son And thus by common grace men may have true Faith and Love that is such as is physically a true or real Act. 2. They are considerable morally and that 1. Either as duty answering a precept believe and love God and thus they have an analogical defective morality in them and so are thus far sincere or true but not that same true Love or Faith in specie morali which the command requireth for it commandeth us to love God above all c. 3. They are considerable as conditions of the promises and evidences of spiritual life in the soul and thus wicked men by common grace are never made partakers of them They have not the things themselves their faith and love is not the same thing which hath the promises made to them in the Gospel and so are not true or sincere This is the full Declaration of that person you mention Desolatus Why Sir here is very cold comfort if this be the best you can administer this is the grand Objection I have against my self and makes me doubt the sincerity of my grace I love God and I believe in Christ and this belief and love are physically true they are real acts and have a being but they are morally defective and insincere not the same thing which hath the promises made to them in the Gospel and consequently are no evidences of spiritual life in my soul so that all you have done hath rather tended to cancel all my evidences for life and salvation than to clear them up for me Diotrephes The most certain judgment a man can make of his state and condition is to be collected from the end he propounds to himself in his designs and actions for every man hath one only prevalent ultimate end which is to be called finis Mr. Baxter is Propos 10. 11. hominis or is the chief ultimate end of the habitual predominant inclination or disposition of his soul and of the tenour or bâ—nt of his course of life All godly men make choice of God for this their end but all the wicked make choice of the Creature and Carnal-self for theirs so that we may judge best whether men be regenerated or carnal by the end that rules their hearts and hath the greatest interest in them Desolatus Sir I am now as much to seek as ever for you said even now That a man may so love God and Christ that he may verily think he sets more by them than any thing else and yet be mistaken Grant that I have accustomed my self to that easie yoke that Christ ordinarily lays upon the shoulders of his Disciples and can carry it to my thinking handsomly yet should Christ try me with a harder imposition as he did that young man in the Gospel * Mark 10. 16 17 18. How can I be able having never been call'd to the like trial formerly to secure my own sincerity in that case I may retreat and flinch back as he did and depart sorrowful from my Saviour How can I be assured * Many have shrunk in greater trials that past through less with resolution and honour Mr. Baxter ibid. of the strength of my grace and the proof of my sincerity if I should be call'd to suffer Mattyrdom Though I come off in my active I may fall in my passive obedience And yet suppose I should hold out here the Apostle doth at last insinuate That a man may give all that he hath unto the poor and his body to be burned and yet want charity And experience doth teach us that men may lay down 1 Cor. 13. their lives in justification of their Schisme and Rebellion and yet be confident of their state of grace and salvation so that all this while a man is not able to distinguish * Hereupon saith Mr. Baxter I much fear least many Learned Civil Orthodox men do take common grace to be special and so delude their own souls in the tryal of themselves Of saving faith pag. 49. whether it be common or special grace that he is acted by which makes the Apostle say I know nothing by my self yet hereby am I not justified but he that justifieth mâ— is the Lord 1 Cor. 4. 4. Diotrephes Although temporary believers and other unregenerate men may vainly deceive themselves with false hopes and carnal presumptions of being in the favour of God and state of salvation which hope of theirs shall perish yet such as truly believe in the Lord Jesus and love him sincerly endeavouring to walk in all good conscience before him may in this life be certainly assured that they are in the state of grace and may rejoyce in the hope of the glory of God which hope shall never make them ashamed So the Congregational Churches have determined in their Declaration chap. 18. n. 1. Desolatus No doubt while men walk in all good conscience they may be assured for the present that they are in a state of grace so much the Remonstrants will allow us but not that they are in such an indefectible state as is pretended to flow from an absolute Election and yet they will allow men in that state too to rejoyce in hope of the glory of God and that hope shall not make them ashamed But if they shew not the same diligence * Hebr. 6. 11. as at the beginning of their Conversion to the full assurance of hope unto the end if they leave their first * Rev. 2. 4. love as the Angel of the Church of Ephesus did their backsliding will make them ashamed though their hope does not And if they who were once inlightâ—ed and have tasted of the heavenly gift and were made Hebr. 6. 4 5 6. partakers of the Holy Ghost and have tasted the good Word of God and the powers of the World to come if they may fall away then let them who boast of a more special and insuperable grace not Rom. 11. 20. be high-minded but fear Remember what expressions the clear evidence of truth for matter of Fact hath extorted from the pen of Mr. Baxter * Disput of Right to Sacram pag. 337.
comfort to such as want a true Gospel-faith for the morality of it But grant I have an interest in Christ so far forth as concerns the impetration of grace that is of pardon and salvation upon this condition If I repent Vid. Act. Syn. Dord par 2. pag. 4. thes 7 c. pag. 117. thes 2 3 4. and believe as Martinius and Ludovicus Crocius do acknowledge because they saw the glory of God his veracity in calling his equity in commanding his justice in threatning could not be defended otherwise yet if I have no interest in his merit and intercession as to the application of it that is for procuring grace sufficient and necessary unto the begetting of that Faith and Repentance as they say Reprobates have not what will it avail me Diotrephes That impetration being made for all in general as the greatest Divines do confess to whose Judgement I must subscribe for many weighty Reasons the application you know is to be accomplished by means What the ordinary means is you are not ignorant you must attend upon that and wait the good houre with patience you have many comfortable expressions for your encouragement Christ came to seek and to save that which was lost If you be amongst that number and sensible of your lost condition you have encouragement from that passage Christ came not to call the righteous but such lost persons sinners to Repentance Desolatus That I am amongst the number of those lost souls I am sufficiently sensible but that Christ came intentionally to seek and save me is not so evident yet I have been taught to believe that he came to save all upon condition that is if they repent and believe Diotrephes And not only so but he hath appointed a Ministry to make a general offer of Christ Pardon and Salvation upon that condition and to call upon them seriously and earnestly to perform it that is to repent and believe that they may actually receive forgiveness of their sins and an inheritance amongst them that are sanctified Desolatus 'T is somewhat strange how he should seriously offer life and pardon or seriously call to Faith and Repentance such persons as he was pleased for the glory of his Soveraign Power to Decree from all Eternity to with-hold his mercy from to pass them by in the Decree of communicating grace sufficient and necessary to Faith and Repentance and to permit them efficaciously to fall into sin and to ordain them to dishonour and wrath for their sin to the praise of his glorious Justice as the Congregational Churches have declared How can it consist I say with Gods sincerity equity and justice to call command and threaten unto Chap. 3. n. 7. See ch 5. n. 4. The Doctrine of the Assembly and that of Dort differ but little from this in effect though it be somewhat more plauble in appearance Faith and Repentance upon promise of pardon and salvation those very persons whom his own immutable and everlasting Decree hath put under an inevitable necessity of impenitency and unbelief that he may have an opportunity to glorifie his justice in their eternal condemnation A dejected soul cannot cast anchor upon such deluding offers and invitations I shall therefore trouble you no further good Mr. Diotrephes but sum up the grounds of my present doubts and disconsolation and leave them to be more deliberately weighed in the balance of your mature judgment 1. 'T is most certain there is no man shall be saved without Regeneration 2. 'T is resolved Do a man what he can to the uttermost in the improvement of common grace yet there is no promise extant to assure him that special grace shall be conferr'd upon him but only 3. Certain Revelations that this work of Regeneration shall be accomplish't irresistibly in a set number of persons called the Elect. And 4. Because those persons are design'd and cull'd out already without respect or fore-knowledge whether of Faith or Repentance or any good quality whatsoever in them as antecedent to their election therefore I am sure no performance of mine can procure me to be elected 5. It is impossible upon these grounds to come to the knowledge of it à priori whether I be elected or no without such a special Revelation as is granted very seldom and if ever to very few 6. It is so difficult likewise to collect any certainty à posteriori the sins and duties of the Elect and Reprobate are so symbolical and alike the first their sins proceeding from the common infirmity and corruption of nature which hath infected all And the second their duties being the effects of that grace common or special respectively which whatever it be in the political or moral capacity is but gradually distinguished in the physical or natural and especially seeing that degree of grace which is saving in one perhaps is not so in another 7. We observe even in the purest times whiles the Holy Apostles those foundations * Rev. 21. 14. of the new Hierusalem were yet alive that many who shin'd as glorious stars in that Firmament were notwithstanding drawn out of heaven by the tayle of the Red Rev. 12. 4. Dragon and cast down to the Earth which event as we are taught to believe is a sufficient indication they never had a real interest in Christs merits and intercession to procure saving grace for them and for abusing that common grace which had advanced them so high though higher it was not able they were cast so much the lower into shame and torments Lastly This absolute Election being as some of the Synod at Dort affirm * Deput Syn. Geld. Act. Syn. N. Dord pag. 30. par 3. the foundation of Christianity and salvation and the Root * Suffrag Genevens ibid. pag. 57. par 2. or Fountain of solid consolation in this miserable life and my self not able to make out my interest in it but finding much objection to the contrary Hinc illae lachrymae it seems for all such miserable comforters * Job 16. 2. and Physitians of no value * Chap. 13. 4. I must sit down in my confusion by these waters of Babylon and weep bitterly Lam. 1. 16. For these things I weep mine eye mine eye runneth down with water because the Comforter that should relieve or bring back my soul is far from me THE SYLLOGISM THAT Doctrine that can afford no solid grounds of hope to encourage a desolate spirit in the wayes of godliness That Doctrine is nor serviceable to the interest of souls nor practicable in the exercise of the Ministerial Function nor according to godliness The Doctrine as well of the Sublapsarians as that of the Supralapsarians can afford no solid grounds of hope to encourage a desolate spirit in the wayes of godliness Therefore The Doctrine as well of the Sublapsarians as the Supralapsarians is not serviceable to the interest of souls nor practicable in the exercise of the Ministerial Function
that a harmless person be made miserable and then to will that he be made a sinner that he may be made miserable as it were in a way of justice and far be it from us to ascribe such proceedings to the righteous Judge of all the World Desolatus If this be all the account you can give of the Decree of Reprobation I pray what will you make that power and liberty to consist in which the Apostle doth assign to Almighty God in the Act of Election and Reprobation under that similitude of a Potter Samaritanus A liberty to dispose of the same lump for several ends and uses as he finds it more stubborn or pliant under his hand upon a second working for we must conceive the Apostle speaks of such a lump of Clay as was first marr'd in the hands of the Potter Jer. 18. 4. * Read that Chapter throughout Rom. 3. 23. Ver. 12. Hence he concludes that all have sinned and come short of the glory of God Sinned I say not in the loins of Adam only but personally and actually for he saith They are all gone out of the way they are together become unprofitable there is none that doth good no not one Now in the disposal of this lump God declares his Power and Soveraignty 1. By assigning glory to some part of it that is to Believers for it pleased God to save them that believe 1 Cor. 1. 21. and this is the Election of grace Rom. 11. 5. And 2. By awarding shame and destruction to others viz. to unbelievers who are therefore said to be broken off because of unbelief Rom. 11. 20. And this is exactly consonant to the resolution of our Saviour to whose hands the Regiment of the Church is committed John 3 35. 36. The Father loveth the Son and hath given all things into his hand he that believeth on the Son hath everlasting lifâ— and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life but the wrath of God abideth on him And indeed this is the very Key that the Apostle hath put into our hands to open his meaning in those Chapters to the Roman chap. 9. 30 31. What shall we say then or what shall we conclude That the Gentiles which followed not after righteousness have â—ttained to righteousness even the righteousness which is oâ— faith but Israel which followâ—d after the Law of righteousness hath not attained to the Law of righteousness wherefâ—re because they sought it not by Faith c. Desolatus The Apostle speaking of the Elect saith God hath predestinated them unto the Adoption of Children by Jesus Christ according to the purpose and good pleasure of himself who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will Eph. 1. 5 11. where he attributes the Election and Adoption of such persons to Gods meer good pleasure purpose and the counsel of his own will and the counsel of God that shall stand Samaritanus To satisfie you in this there is no more to be considered but wherein this good pleasure purpose and counsel of God consists and 't is in this That whereas mankind was â—nthral'd to Satan sin and death Christ establish't to be a Mediatour and Saviour in the execution of those Offices of King Priest and Prophet had Commission to proclaim a great spiritual Jubilee for the liberty and salvation of as many as were willing upon his terms to accept of their Redempâ—ion To this purpose you may at your leisure consult these Scriptures Isa 42. 1 2 3 4 6 7. chap. 49. 1. to 10. chap. 61. 1 2 3. Zach. 6. 12 13. Hence the Apostle saith There is no condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus Rom. 8. 1. Colos 1. 27. Christ in you the hope of glory And because the terms which Christ propounds or the condition which he requires of us in order to our actual Liberty and Redemption is Faith in the Gospel-sense * See and compare these three parallel places Gal. 5. 6 Jam. 2. 22. 1 Cor. 7. 19. Gal. 6. 15. therefore the same Apostle saith Ye are all the Children of God by faith in Christ Jesus Gal. 3. 26. For as many as received him to them gave he power to become the Sons of God even to them that believe on his name John 1. 12. who are therefore said to be chosen in him Eph. 1. 4. But on the other side such as despise the Benefit of this Jubilee or Acceptable year and will not have Christ to reign over them but being fond of their old Master and Service continue in the obedience of his laws and lusts they shall die and perish in their thraldom Exodus 21. 5 6. Rom. 6. 16. 2 Pet. 2. 19. Luke 19. 14. with 27. This is clearly Gods whole pleasure purpose and counsel in the Gospel and This shall stand Whereupon the Apostle saith If an Angel from Heaven preacheth any other lâ—t him be accursed Gal. 1. 8 9. Desolatus What will you say to that of the Apostle ascribing all to God's Will Rom. 9. 18. Therefore hath he mercy on whom he will have mercy and whom he will he hardneth Samaritanus I shall not insist to tell you in what sense God is said to harden It will be sufficient to enquire a little further into God's Will in these particulâ—rs of shewing mercy * Proâ—sâ—s cuâ—us vult miseretur â—uâ—m vult inducat Sed haec voluntas Dei injusta esse non potest venit enim dâ— acculâ—issâ—â—nis meritis quia ipsi peccatores cum propâ—er geâ—erâ—â—e peccatum unam mâ—ssâ—m fâ—cerinâ— non tamen null â—â—st inâ—er â—os diversitas praec dit â—â—go aliquid in pec catoribus quo quâ—mvis nondum sinâ— justificati digni efficiantur justificatione item â—reâ— dit in aliâ—s peccatoribus quo digni sint obtusionâ— Aug. Lib. quaest 83. Quaest 68. and hardening respectively And as was declared even now it is God's absolute Will to have mercy upon Believers as such and to harden Vnbelievers as such So the Apostle Rom. 11. 7. What then Israel hath not obtained that which he seeketh for but the election that is Believers represented by those who had not bowed the knee to Baal vers 4. hath obtained it mercy unto justification and life and the rest unbelievers * See Rom. 3. 3. who going about to establish their own righteousness did not submit themselves to the righteousness of God Ch. 10. 3. The righteousness which is of God through the faith of Christ as it is stiled Phil. 3. 9. These were blinded or hardned See Rom 9. 30 31 32. Desolatus But forasmuch as Faith is a work as our Saviour witnesseth John 6. 29. the Apostle seems to exclude that utterly in this Election of Grace For he Argues thus Rom. 11. 6. If by grace then is it no more of works otherwise Grace is no more Grace But if it be of Works then is it no more Grace otherwise work is no more work Samaritanus
use to his Glory in obedience to his commandements and resist His and our enemy the Devil we most traiterously siding with Satan have abused His gifts to His Dishonor God did the part of a Creator we of Rebels A man lives intemperately God gave him not strength to this purpose he necessitated not the man to this intemperancy Man therefore onely sinned God is dishonoured The King made his Subject able to rebel against him by delivering his military furniture unto him the verier miscreant he that did rebell against him So God made Adam indeed able to sin but he never intended that he should sin with that ability God then is the cause of all those things in which we sin and yet whatsoever he doth is exceeding good he is not the cause that we intend any sin but the cause that we are able to commit those sins we intend and yet he intended not our abilities for sin but for his Service Of all our good actions he is the first cause we are the second of all our sins we are the proper cause he is onely the Conditio sine qui non But here some man may say That choice or election of an unlawful object upon which we misplace our actions is that which maketh us sinners now this being an act of our will it must suppose also the concourse of God how then doth our opinion clear the point The same Answer abundantly sufficeth God made Adam able to be willing to sin but he made him not to will sin God set before him life and death that he did choose death it was by the strength of will given him of God but God did not bind him to choose death for that were a contradiction a necessitated choice Briefly whatsoever we choose we do it by the power by which we are voluntary Agents yet if we choose death God is Object ult not to be blamed for he made us voluntary and therefore it was as possible for us to have chosen life If the nature of a voluntary Agent be well observed this point will be most evident The last objection is this Gods fore-knowledge of all futures is most infallible and necessary Ergo All futures in respect of him fall out necessarily otherwise it is possible God may be deceived yea if many things fall out contingently Gods fore-knowledge of them can be but contingent depending after a sort on mans free-will This Argument is plausible at the first view but if it be touched it falls to shatters It is one thing to know that a thing will necessarily be done and another to know necessarily that a thing will be done God doth necessarily and certainly foreknow all that will be done but he doth not know that those things which shall be done voluntarily will be done necessarily he knoweth that they will be done but he knoweth withall that they might have fallen out otherwise for ought he had ordered to the contrary So God necessarily knew that Adam would fall and yet he knew that he would not fall necessarily for it was as possible for him not to have fallen It was the antient and is still the true opinion That Gods Praescience is not the cause of Events he fore-knoweth all things because they will be done things are not done because he fore-knoweth them The infallibility of his knowledge consisteth not in the immutability of his decree but in the prerogative of his Deity it is impossible therefore that any man by his voluntary manner of working should delude Gods fore-sight not because God doth necessitate his will to certain effects for this were indeed to take it away but because his fore-knowledge is infinite Let our hearts therefore be never so full of Mazes and Meanders turning and winding yet 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to use the Poets language the al-seeing Eye of God cannot but espy them long before not because he himself contrived them for then it were no wonder if he were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but because to Him who is every way infinite all things cannot be but present and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is the significant word of the Author to the Hebrews signifying open by a metaphor or similitude drawn from a word that signifies having the faces laid upwards because such as lye so have their face exposed to the sight of all men FINIS Books Printed or sold by William Leake as the sign of the Crown in Fleetstreet between the two Temple-gates Yorks Heraldry fol. A bible of a very fair large Roman Letter 4. Orlando Furioso fol. call is learned readings on the Statute 21 H. 8. Cap. 5. of Sewers Perkins on the Laws of England Wilkinsons Office of Sheriffs 8. The book of Fees Parsons Law 8. Mirror of Justice 8. Topicks in the Laws of England 8. Skene de significatione verborum 4. Delamans use of the Horizontal Quadrant Mathematical Recreations Wilbeys second Set of Musick 3 4 5 and 6 parts 4. Coâ—â—â—â—ius in English 8. Dr. Fulk's Meteors Nyes Gunnery and Fireworks Cato Major with Annotations by William Austin Esquire Mel Heliconium by Alex. Ross 8. Nosce te ipsum by Sir John Davis 8. Animadversions on Lillies Grammer 8. The History of Vienna and Paris The History of Lazarillo de Tormes Hero and Leander by George Chapman and Christopher Marlow Mayer's Catechism 8. Exercitatio Scholastica Bishop Andrews Sermons Adams on Peter Posing of the Accidence Amadis de Gaule Guillims Heraldry fol. Herberts Travels fol. 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