The spirit it self beareth witness with our spirit that we are the children of God and if children then heirs of God and joynt heirs with Christ The Holy Ghost we received which is the earnest of our inheritance and whereby we are sealed against the day of Redemption and having Christ's spirit we are sure to be his this spirit makes us call God our Father which is no lye for it is the Spirit of Truth it is the Spirit of Adoption which assures us that we are the children of God and consequently heirs of the Kingdom of Heaven which Christ is gone before to take possession of in his name and for us and if we may so speak after the manner of Men God the Father trusted the Son for the satisfaction to be given to Divine Justice till the time appointed to do 't was come in hope of the Resurrection of the Body the Souls of the redeemed were before Christ's death received into Abraham's bosom So for the possession of the purchase made by Christ's death namely eternal life if I may so say the Son doth trust the Father till the time of the whole and full purchased possession be come Yet this ought to be taken notice of how God not only hath promised but also for our Comfort and Assurance hath given us his holy spirit for earnest of performance of his promises And this holy spirit is given us not only as security but as a guide to direct and (a) Joh 16.13 lead us as our Saviour saith into all truth which he doth 1. with Illumination and shewing us the way 2. In his giving us strength and courage to go thorough Dark and Thorny ways 3. In removing obstructions and difficulties 4. In continuing his help to improve grace 5. In bringing us at last into eternal life Which truths the Soul of the Elect being convinced of they suffer themselves wholly and only to be guided by him with an absolute resignation unto his directions whereby we learn not to trust our selves to the guidance of our own natural reason or of our heart for in spiritual things our Light is but Darkness And (b) Prov. 28.26 he that trusteth in his own heart is a fool for neither our Reason nor our Heart can shew us a way to be delivered from sin and to give a satisfaction to God there being none but the righteousness of Christ which the holy spirit doth perswade us of and through Faith applies it to us to which end (c) Joh. 14.16 he doth abide with us for ever He is not come afterwards to leave us but saith our Saviour Ye know him for he dwelleth with you and shall be in you Vers 17 'T is upon the presence of this Holy and Blessed Spirit and the knowledge we have of him that we do ground the certitude of our Election which to deny is as much as in one lies to deprive the believing Soul of the sweetest comfort in this life and 't is that consideration that makes me insist so long upon this point wherein we do but follow St. Paul's steps in those Quotations we had of him just before out of those several verses of his 8. chap. to the Romans than the which nothing can be more fuâ—l and to the purpose to work an assurance and a study how in our lives and conversations to behave our selves as becometh the children of God to which for greater confirmation of this we shall add the three last verses of that Chapter where after he hath said before by way of defiance no body can lay any thing to the charge of God's Elect nor condemn them nor nothing in this World part them from God's love in Christ he concludeth in these words (a) Rom. 8.37 38 39. Nay in all these things we are more than conquerours through him that loved us for I am perswaded that neither death nor life nor Angels nor principalities nor powers nor things present nor things to come Nor height nor depth nor any other creature shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. After this he who will believe Scripture must believe there is a certitude of Election though in a different degree every true Believer hath assurance though every one hath not a full assurance (b) 1 Joh. 3.3 Yea every man that hath this hope of glory in him purifieth him self even as he God is pure Yet for all the clear Evidences of this Truth the Adversaries thereof will not be mute but better for them to say nothing than what they say First they corrupt a place of Scripture which Papists made use of against us upon the very same account (c) Eccl. 9.1 2 A man cannot tell whether he deserves love or hatred so he cannot be sure but according to the Original 't is thus No man knoweth what either love or hatred by all that is before them That is he knoweth not the causes of the things which in this world happen unto men for this he speaks of vers 2. as followeth All things come alike to all men there is one event to the righteous and to the wicked to the good and to the clean and to the unclean c. As is the good so is the sinner and he that sweareth as he that feareth an Oath So that hath no relation to his Eternal State or his Election and though Man cannot tell the reason of the several dispensations of God's Providence it doth not hinder but he may know his own Eternal State and Condition They object the saying of (d) Prov. 27.1 Solomon Boast not of to morrow for thou knowest not what a day may bring forth Which Text forbiddeth an over confident boasting of good successes in this Life and 't is not to the purpose of Election or Eternal Life As to that of St. Paul (a) Rom. 11 2â— thou standest by faith be not high minded but fear There the Apostle speaketh against carnal Security and a confidence in ones own strength Many say our Adversaries who think to be in favour with God deceive themselves consequently cannot be sure of their Election we own there are such ones but they have nothing of true Piety only an outward profession a vain name and only in appearance So they cannot be sure of that which is not But those who are elected indeed do attain to the certitude of it In time of temptation this assurance is shaken and somewhat disturbed but when through grace we have overcome the temptation the certainty is renewed and strengthned for in the temptation or out of it 't is never utterly lost We do not wonder some deny it to be had till the last breath if at all because the ordinary means of certitude as justifying Faith Justification Sanctification c. which are only the Childrens Bread they make common to Believers and Reprobates Thus much of Election now we must speak of Reprobation Of REPROBATION
the world And (g) John 3.16.16 God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son that whosoever believeth in him should have everlasting life And this (*) 1 John 2.2 He is a propitiation for our sins and not for ours only but also for the sins of the whole world Again God sent his son into the world not to condemn the world but that the world through him might be saved And some others to the same purpose whereof these are the chief whence they would conclude that the Lord Jesus died to take away the sins of every man in the world In answer to this we are first of all to observe that the word world and whole world have several significations in Scripture which I reduce chiefly to four First it is taken for the whole work of Creation (a) Heb 1.2 By his Son also God made the worlds in the plural so (b) John 1.10 the world was made by him Jesus Christ Heavens Earth and the Sea are meant by this Secondly It signifieth all men whether good or bad in this sence 't is taken by David (c) Psal 33.8 Let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of him of God in the beginning of the verse 't is called the earth as it is also in another place (d) Psal 96.13 The Lord cometh to judge the earth he shall judge the world with righteousness and in the Gospel 't is so taken (e) Matth. 13. the field is the world the good seed are the Children of the Kingdom but the Tares are the Children of the Wicked one So in several other places but these two significations are not very much to our purpose Thirdly 'T is taken restrictively and only for the reprobates and wicked of the world As thus (f) Luke 16.8 The children of this world are wiser in their generation than the children of light where you see the opposition between bad and good so in that place (g) John 1.10 and the world knew him not Jesus Christ we are to take notice that commonly when the word world signifieth the wicked the particle this is joyned to it as in the fore quoted Text and in the following (h) Rom. 12.2 be not conformed to this world (i) 1 Cor. 1.20 Chap. 2.6 Hath not God made foolish the wisdom of this world and in the next Chapter We speak not the wisdom of this world nor of the Princes of this world And therefore the world is opposed to God (k) â—am 4.4 Know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God c. And the Apostle saith the spirit (l) 1 John 4.3 4 5. Chap. 5.19 of Antichrist is in the world And again They are of the world therefore speak they of the world and the world heareth them And in the next Chapter he addeth the whole world lieth in wickedness Take notice it is called the whole world yet only of reprobates for to lie in wickedness is not by Scripture attributed to the Elect so when the word whole is used to represent the world of Believers it is to be restrained to them as here it is to the wicked But fourthly The word world in Scripture signieth only Believers and is more strictly taken either for the whole universal number of the Elect and Believers in all Ages dispersed all the world over divided into Jews and Gentiles Or for a particular company of them in some particular Ages or Places of the world and in this sence only it is used in all the objected Texts of Scriptures Thus the word world is sometimes used in the same sence as 't is taken in that place quoted before (a) 2. Cor. 7.19 God was in Christ reconciling the world to himself not imputing their trespasses unto them Surely none but Elect and Believers are reconciled to God and to them alone their sins are not imputed In the same sence 't is also taken when Abraham is called (b) â—om 4.13 the heir of the world And the following too in St. John's Gospel Christ faith he is (c) cha 9.5 Chap. 14.31 the light of the world not the world of wicked which lay in darkness But of the Elect and the world may know that I love the father they only they (d) John 17.7 8 23. have known that whatsoever the father had given Christ was of the father and they have known surely that the son came out from the father 'T is that same world that knows that thou hast sent me in that same sence also 't is taken by St. Paul (e) Rom. 11.12 15. The fall of them Jews is the riches of the world and the casting away of them is the reconciling of the world And in his Epistle to the Colossians 'tis very full (f) Colo. 1.5 For the hope which is laid up for you in heaven is come unto you as it is in all the world The word all is in too Neither can the same expression be understood in any other way than this in that other place (g) 1 Tim. 3.16 Great is the mystery of godliness God was manifested in the flesh c. believed on in the world It must be then the world of Believers for it cannot be believed in the world of Unbelievers So then in Scripture the word world is taken for the whole world the greatest part the worst part or the best part of the world Now after this it is easie to answer their Objections out of the fore-quoted Texts of Scripture for in them by all are not understood all and every singular man whether Elect or Reprobate but only the Elect dispersed all the world over who at last receive the gift of Faith and through the application of Christ's satisfaction are saved And I hope this is made clear enough to any who impartially desireth to be informed of the truth However because they lay a great stress upon that place of 1 John 2.2 I shall now say in particular something to 't we already have taken notice how there is a world of Believers taken out of the general world who by these means is divided into the world of Believers and of Reprobates hence it is that our Saviour saith (a) John 15.19 I have chosen you out of the world And this number of chosen men though comparatively small as to the wicked world yet it is great enough to deserve the name of world which is a Scripture phrase restrictive as we read it in the Gospel (b) Luke 2.1 There went out a decree from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be taxed Not every part and corner of the world for many either never heard of or had any thing to do with the Roman Empire and the Pharisees said of our Saviour Behold the world is gone after him 'T was but a very small part of the Jewish world Thus in this place of St. John is to be
to move the Lord God to do them good Hence it is that Samuel saith to Israel (r) 1 Sam. 12.22 the Lord will not forsake his people and the reason he gives is this because it hath pleased him to make you his people Thus it is with God upon the account of any mercy he bestoweth upon the Creature of any nature whatsoever David declareth the same (i) Psal 44.3 for they got not the land in possession by their own sword neither did their own arm save them but thy right hand and thine arm and the light of thy countenance because thou hadst a favour unto them Thus we read in the Gospel when the Lord Jesus worked a Cure of any bodily or spiritual Disease he made it wholly depend upon his will as in the Miracle upon the Leper he said (k) Matth. 8.3 I will be thou clean and in the case of working Faith (l) chap 11.27 neither knoweth any man the Father save the Son and he to whomsoever the Son will reveal him So (m) Joh 5.21 the Son quickneth whom he will Thus as of our Election so of our Regeneration and Conversion there is no other cause but the will of God for (n) Jam. 1.18 of his own will begat he us with the word of truth In few words the whole work of Salvation is an effect of his free-grace (o) Ephes 2 â— ad vers 8. When we were dead in sin he hath quickned us the reason he giveth there is this by grace ye are saved in both verses for he repeats it three verses lower by grace ye are saved through faith and that not of our selves it is the gift of God We further say there was no foresight or consideration of any work faith or merit in us why God should Elect us (p) Ezck. 16.6 And when I passed by thee and saw thee polluted in thine own blood I said unto thee when thou wast in thy blood live yea I said unto thee when thou wast in thy blood live What sign of Faith or comeliness in that condition was there in us what ornaments in us there have been since they are the work of God in us whether repentance faith holiness or any other grace For after God said to us live he washed and anointed us clothed and decked us c. as may be seen in the following verses vers 8 9 10 11 12 13. We add that sin is the only cause of damnation as in St. Matthews (q) Matth 25.42 43. Gospel by me quoted already (r) Rom. 2.9 Tribulation and anguish upon every soul of man that doth evil In another place of Scripture he says positively (s) Rom. 6.23 the wages of sin is death But here by the by this I must take notice of how though Damnation be the reward for Sin it doth not follow that Salvation should be the reward of Faith or good Works the just reward of Sin is Death it is its due but the Apostle doth not say that Eternal Life is the wages of Faith or Righteousness as Death is of Sin (a) Ver. 23. but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. There is a great disparity between the rules and means of Justice and of Mercy as hereafter we shall have occasion to shew as also why God leaves and Elects one and not the other as in the ease of Esau and Jacob. (b) Malach. 1.2 3. I have loved you saith the Lord yet ye say wherein hast thou loved us Was not Esau Jacob's Brother yet I loved Jacob and I hated Esau of which no account but God's pleasure for St. Paul makes to the same purpose use of the place in Rom. 9. as already quoted But now we must come to the proof of our 3d. Article namely that the Elect do constantly obey God's call when the time is come when (c) Cant. 1.4 God draweth they follow nay they run draw me we will run after thee and (d) Lament 5.21 turn thou us unto thee and we shall be turned The Elect obey the call When St. Paul heard the voice from Heaven he said (e) Acts 9.6 Lord what wilt thou have me to do This inward call for St. Paul's was such as well as outward makes a great change in Man how willing how ready to obey (f) Gal. 1.16 he confered not with flesh and blood but submitted So did the Jailour he said to Paul and Silas (g) Act. 16 30. Sirs what must I do to be saved The new Converts willing to be directed said unto Peter and other Apostles * Acts. 2.37 men and brethren wha shall we do though at first all know not what to do ye are prepared to obey and desirous to be instructed when the Lord said unto Paul arise and go into the City and it shall be told thee what thou must do he complied and went So Samuel assoon as (h) 1 Sam. 3.4 6 8 10. the Lord called Samuel he answered Here I am and though he at first did not well know the nature of the voice nor whose it was yet he ran to the place whence he thought the voice came disposed to obey and when heat last was better informed then he said Speak Lord for thy servant heareth For though may be at first God's people do not distinctly understand the call yet God never gives over calling till we are come to him God makes known unto us the mystery of his will to this end saith St. Paul (i) Ephes 1.10 That in the dispensation of the fullness of times he might gather together in one all things in Christ both which are in heaven and which are on earth even in him But God is never disappointed of his ends he worketh effectually and unresistibly Ver. 19. wherefore this is called the exceeding greatness of his power to us ward who believe according to the working of his mighty power Observe the Emphasis This dealing of God in and towards Believers is in one and the same verse called the working of Gods power yea his Mighty Power and in the beginning of the verse not only his Power but the greatness and the exceeding greatness of his Power The effectual preaching of the Gospel to People or Persons is an effect of their Election as the Cause is known by the effect so a posteriori Election is by a powerful preaching of the Gospel (k) 1 Thes 1.4 5. Knowing beloved your election of God saith St. Paul for our Gospel came not you unto in word only but also in power and in the holy Ghost and in much assurance c. to the Elect ever it comes so in the due time and by its coming so they may judge themselves to be Elect for he saith also in much assurance We add further that the Elect neither do nor can finally and totally resist the inward powerful and effectually calling of God's spirit in the very
of Jews and Gentiles indefinitely to whom he gives hopes of Salvation through Faith in Christ for that is the scope of that whole Chapter so the sence is this God hath concluded under sin Jews and Gentiles to have mercy on both in Christ apprehended with Faith so that Jews and Gentiles may ascribe their Salvation only to God's mercy This Text compared with another (f) Gal 3.22 Scripture hath concluded all under sin that the promise by faith of Jesus Christ might be given to them that believe doth clear the point this last interpreting the other for as it appeareth that all are concluded under sin so it sheweth how special mercy reacheth only those who through the grace of God do believe and through Faith are elected to everlasting life To say that God hath from Eternity decreed to save all and every Man under this condition if they believe in Christ not only they find in Scripture nothing to ground it upon but withall intangle themselves in two very great difficulties First to God they attribute a vain and imprudent Decree for if from Eternity God hath foreseen that the condition of Faith in Christ shall not be performed by many to what purpose to make such a Decree of Salvation to depend upon such a condition Such a Decree doth not become the wisdom of any Man much less of God The Second inconveniency is this they submit and make faith a free gift of God to depend upon the free-will of man dead in trespasses and sins that it is in the power of Man to believe or not believe which is meer Pelagianism and wholly contrary to Scripture These considerations have so wrought upon some that they wave off the fore-sight of Faith but betake themselves to the fore-sight of the right use which Men would make of outward means of Conversion and Salvation as the serious saving hearing reading and meditation of the word of God receiving of the Sacrament frequenting of Churches c. But alas the first of these is the fruit of the Spirit not of corrupt Nature the saving hearing of the Word as well as Faith proceedeth from our Election For (a) 2 Cor. 2.15 16. the word is a Saviour of life unto life to none but the Elect but to others that perish it is the Saviour of death unto death And if going to Church and every hearing of the word of God could make a difference between chosen and reprobates and was necessarily joyned with Election all those that perform those duties would be Elect which we know to be false Experience teacheth us how sometimes the worst of Men most averse from hearing of the Word or walking in the way of Salvation are converted to God others who seemed better and fitter for the Kingdom of God being passed by and left so calling is sometimes for those who seemed the worst not for those who appeared the best Farther this opinion makes the rejecting of the grace of the Gospel outwardly offered the only cause of reprobation What then shall we say of those who from the beginning of the world to the birth of our Saviour were damned whereof the thousandth part never heard a word of Christ Now we proceed and say in the third place the lesser part òf sinners is elected and the greatest part left in their state of Damnation which Scripture clearly affirmeth (a) Rom. 9.29 Chap. 11.5 4. Except the Lord of Sabbath had lest us a seed 't is but a Seed a remnant a little one seven thousand amongst all the people of Israel our Blessed Saviour who knew it very well saith though (b) Matth. 20.16 Chap. 7.13.14 many are called yet few are chosen and broad is the way that leadeth to destruction and many there be that go in thereat But strait is the gate and narrow is the way which leadeth unto life and few there be that find it They are called the little Flock whereof the Members at certain times are so few as thereby invisible to man's eye some times in God's not one Fourthly Kings 19.14 Ezek. 22.30 We say that these few ones are chiefly chosen out of those that are low and contemptible in the world for which we have that famous Text (c) 1 Cor. 1.26 27 28. For ye see your calling brethren how that not many wise men after the flesh not many mighty not many noble are called but God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise and the weak to confound the mighty and base things of the world and things which are despised hath God chosen c. Hence we learn two considerable things First Not to judge of the love of God or his special grace out of humane Wisdom Power or Nobleness The Second patiently to bear the lowness meanness weakness and despicableness before the world for they are signs rather of Grace than of Wrath. To that purpose also is that passage in the Gospel (d) John 7.48 49. Have any of the Rulers or of the Pharisees believed on him But this people who knoweth not the law are cursed These learned and wise High-priests and Pharisees in their own conceit would not go into Heaven nor suffer others to enter into it Ver. 47 not only they called the people cursed but also the Officers they had sent deceived are ye also deceived But upon occasion our Saviour plainly tells them the truth ye who think your selves so wise and righteous are fools in comparison of those whom you despise For (e) Matth. 21.31 Publicans and Harlots go into the Kingdom of God before you As every wise Agent proposeth an end to himself in every thing he doth so likewise the only wise God in our Election purposed the manifestation of his mercy in his gracious Salvation of some sinners this St. Paul speaks of when after having said (a) Ephes 1.4.6 We are elected in Christ he addeth to the praise of the glory of his Grace Hence it is that the Elect be called (b) Rom. 9.23 Vessels of mercy Which mercy when God gives us grace to depend upon then we are grounded on the rock of Eternity but Man's Pride makes him desire to be loose from the Rock and stand on his own bottom which is meer quick Sand and Mud. So at last he must needs sink into it if God leaves him Now two things belong to the Decree of Election and are inseparable from it which do afford us matter of unspeakable comfort they are Eternity and Immutability for our Election is eternal and unchangeable First Eternal (c) Ephes 1.4 chap. 3.9 God hath chosen us in Christ before the foundation of the world which in the same Epistle is called the mystery which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God And in another place (d) 2 Tim. 1.9 Grace was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began And in another the same Epistle calls it (e) Rom. 16.25
far from a Free will to receive good as evil This I shall conclude with an observation upon the remedy which God proposeth to prevent their death and ruin namely to repent v. 30. and to make them a new heart and a new spirit Here God speaks as one who insists upon performance of Articles thus Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thine heart and with all thy soul Deut. 6.5 and with all thy might But saith God that ye have not done wherefore make you a new heart and a new spirit to enable you to perform what hitherto hath been wanting for why will ye die O house of Israel He commands them to do 't themselves which they are able to do no more than to repent because all is a gift of God Psal 51.19 which David knew well when he prays thus Create in me a clean heart O God and renew a right spirit within me Let us take notice of two different methods of God upon this account here God commandeth things to be done as they ought as performance of conditions but he promiseth nothing Do your duty which for them 't is impossible to perform wherefore he hath another way of speaking for those whom he is graciously pleased to favour he doth not command to do but promiseth himself to do for them (a) Ezek. 11.19 And I will give them one heart and I will put a new spirit within you and I will take the stony heart out of their flesh and I will give them an heart of flesh Which is repeated with this addition (b) Chap. 36.27 And I will put my spirit within you and cause you to walk in my statutes and ye shall keep my judgments and do them To the same effect speaks another Prophet (c) Jer. 32.39 And I will give them one heart and one way that they may fear me for ever Here are the most gracious promises of a Gospel-Covenant what we cannot do our selves he will do for us he will give us that heart and that spirit whereby we shall be enabled to keep and do his judgments and fear him for ever hereby we are secured from the danger of a final Apostasie The same Prophet just the Chapter before saith (d) Vers 33. I will put my Law in their inward parts and write it in their hearts and will be their God and they shall be my people and they shall not teach c. and that this is the true Evangelical sence of the place it appears out of the application of it made by the Author of the Epistle to the Hebrews who doth quote the very same words and concludes all in these (c) Heb. 8. from 6. to 13. For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness and their sins and their iniquities will I remember no more This is God's way with those whom he is pleased to save from dying and perishing as all must do whom he leaves to make themselves a new heart and a new spirit for Man's Will far from being free and able to contribute to Conversion the new Creation and Salvation is a perfect Slave to Sin till God be pleased to work upon and turn it which once being effected there is no danger of a final Apostacy for thereby we are secured against a total falling from grace and that is the Subject of the following Chapter CHAP. VIII About Amissibility of GRACE AS one depth calleth to another so doth one Error to another our Adversaries are not satisified to make Man if he be willful and obstinate stronger than God when he hath a mind to take possession of a Soul but they go farther and assert That after God is actually in possession of that Soul he may be turned out of possession which is their true sence of the point we are now going upon The Question is Whether a Man truly converted and regenerated can to the end persevere in the state of Salvation he is actually in And whether it be possible for such a one who is Elected in Christ called with an effectual Calling totally and finally to fall from God and be Damned This is the true state of the case and not whether the Elect and true Believers can fall into great sins which they do too often as it appeareth out of Scripture and Experience We say That God makes to persevere and go on to the end all the Elect and true Believers whether their Faith be strong or weak provided it be true that when once they are in the right way of Grace they shall infallibly come to Glory it being not possible for the Elect to become Reprobates to Apostatize and finally fall to Damnation Our Adversaries affirm the contrary though Arminius himself finding the stream of Scriptures and Fathers run so strong against the total and final Apostasie of Saints durst not openly declare for it yet his Followers have strongly set themselves against this Article which is the chief ground of all the comfort the Soul hath in this World to know 't is not in the power of the Devil or any other creature whatsoever to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord. Now to prove this Doctrine we can begin no better than with that place of St. Paul's who in (a) Rom. 8.30 ver 31. that Chapter from verse 28. to the last giveth us the greatest grounds of assurance that can possibly be expected grounded upon our Election Calling Justification c. whence he proceedeth to a defiance to all (b) Vers 33 34. which is taken out of Isai 50.7 8 9. If God be for us who can be against us And (c) Ver. 32. who shall lay any thing to the charge of God's Elect It is God that justifieth who is he that condemneth Now if Christ hath loved us which is clear in that he hath given himself for us and (d) Ver. 35. God delivered him up for us all After this the Apostle argueth from a thing impossible Who shall separate us from the love of Christ shall tribulation or distress or persecution or famine or nakedness or peril or sword (e) Vers 37 38 39. Nay in all these things we are more than conquerors Take notice with what assurance he speaketh in the two next verses for I am perswaded that neither death nor life nor Angels nor principalities nor powers nor things present nor things to come nor height nor depth nor any other creature shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord I would be loth to lose one word of these wherein the Apostle speaks so fully so clearly and so much to the purpose that if to confirm this Doctrine we had had the penning of the words we could not have done it with so good effect to prove that God's Elect and Believers cannot finally fall and totally be separated from Christ and we know (f) Joh. 13. whom Christ loveth them
in a little corner of Germany and upon occasion only of Indulgences at first how suddenly upon new inquiries and new discoveries notwithstanding the rage and craftiness of those that held it in unrighteousness did it spread abroad almost all Europe over So that the Lilly though amongst Thorns by the dew from Heaven the heat of the Sun of righteousness and the fatness of the Soil watered with the Blood of so many thousands of Martys became extraordinary fruitful Germany Bohemia Hungary Sweden Denmark Poland England Scotland Ireland the Low Countries France Swisserland generally and for the most part and some Persons in Italy received it But since whilest the Protestant Reformed Churches though in some of their Members lying under Persecution from Worldly Powers were undisturbed amongst themselves and agreed upon these Points the Enemy again sowed Tares which out of Flanders spread into Holland whence not just presently but soon after that Poyson crept over hither where it was opposed and condemned as contrary to the professed Doctrine of the Church as by the Grace of God I shall clearly make it appear Though upon these Matters several Books have been written in Defence of Truth yet 't is long since so that many of them are almost out of Print and those that remain do not fall into every one's hands wherefore it will not be amiss sometimes and upon occasion for some to publish their thoughts to assert and vindicate Matters of God's Grace and Providence in opposition to what Adversaries do write or say against it in their Discourses and in the Pulpits and upon that same account I now do bring in my Evidence That which chiefly engages me upon this present Design is to hear upon all occasions these unsound Doctrines ring out of the Pulpits which for the most part they have been in possession of for several years they having taken effectual care to keep those that are for the Truth from going up to such publick Places so that they would create a belief in People that what they teach is the Doctrine of the Gospel received by the Church and by those means infuse into common capacities those evil Principles which do puff up Men with the Opinion of their Natural Strength which must needs produce dangerous practises We teach how God from Eternity hath freely Decreed our Salvation in the fulness of time Christ purchas'd it and in time 't is promised and offered us in the Word and thereby we are called to come in to Christ upon his own terms Sacraments do seal it the Holy Ghost applieth it Faith receives it and Holiness with other good Works do bear Witness to it In few Words out of the whole corrupt lump of Mankind God hath freely chosen some to be Objects of his Mercy and hath elected them to eternal life through Faith in Christ our Lord which Faith and other necessary means to come to Glory in execution of his Decree he doth in time give us till at last through these means of Grace we are brought into eternal life and all this meerly out of his Mercy and only through his free Grace the rest of Mankind he leaves in their Natural corruption at last to have his Justice executed upon them We attribute our whole Salvation to God's free Grace and they to Natural Strength and Free-will which is clearly made out But a further reason to engage me upon this Design is the great affinity between Socinians and Arminians for in some things they border so near one upon the other and in others are so united that specially they agreeing with Papists in most of those Points wherein they differ from us I am afraid of the production of some new Monstrous Opinion now when Socinians increase come fast upon us and even in Print without any check grow bolder every day God knows what the effect of such an Vnion may prove and how pernicious to the Souls of many as some of them formerly turned Papists so now others may happen to become rank Socinians Once Arminianism had very near brought in Popery and now 't is a-pace ushering in Socinianism these are great Judgments though most Men seem not to be sensible thereat which at last may happen to deprive us of the light of the Gospel all this danger and evil if it doth befal us we do and shall owe to Arminianism Here we have a large Field to bring in the Evidence and Authority of several of the Ancient Fathers of the Church engaged in the Defence of the same Cause with us which have spoken clearly fully and to the purpose but because the Rule I mean the Word of God is so clear I think it were needless to borrow the Authority of Man which we may believe no farther than it agrees with Scripture after God hath declared his Holy Will and Mind neither are there such difficulties as do need the interpretation of most or many Ancient Doctors Besides it would be tedious for common capacities which I desire to make these Matters intelligible to as mach as I can and the subject will admit to run over several passages of the Fathers for 't is not material chiefly for a kind of Readers to know what Austin Hilary Prosper Fulgentius Hierom and so many others with Bertram Bernard c. have written upon the matter as what the Word of God saith about it wherefore for Proofs we shall stick chiefly to the Law and to the Testimony The Church like the Ship in the (a) Marth 8.24 25 26. Gospel is tossed up and down with Winds and Waves exposed to Rocks Sands and many other Dangers in such a case what 's to be done In Storm time like the Disciples we must go to the Lord Jesus with Cries and Prayers awake him and say Lord save us we perish for our Comfort we must not go far he is in the Ship and though he be asleep and to make us call the louder seems to be so for (b) Psal 121.4 he that keepeth Israel doth neither slumber nor sleep yet in good time he will awake arise and rebuke the Winds and the Sea and there shall be a great Calm may the Lord do so in his due time Yet sometime some Jonah who is the cause of the Tempest must be cast over-board some are by Christ (c) Rev. 3.16 spued out of his Mouth and (d) 1 Tim. 1.2 delivered unto Satan that they may learn not to blaspheme This is the end of many a disturber of the Peace of the Church which we are sure cannot miscarry but shall at last come to a good Harbor for though sometimes the Body be under Water as long as its Head is above it there is no danger of being drowned TO THE READER THE following Sheets I once intended to Dedicate to my Lord Carteret thereby to shew my singular esteem for his Piety Virtue and Merits But God By a late untimely Death and much to be lamented having taken him to
and eternal life are called the Kingdom by way of Excellency which Kingdom is not any purchase of ours but the gift of God to give you to the Elect to the little Flock and to no others upon no other motive than God's Will and meer Good-pleasure for it is your fathers good-pleasure 't is not said your God which is also true but your Father is a more tender word to express love for in a special manner he is Father to the Elect whom God hath chosen and adopted in Christ Jesus our Lord who himself is the Author of these words and did speak them upon sure grounds and out of his certain knowledge thus he saith elsewhere I appoint unto you a Kingdom as my Father hath appointed unto me Luke 22 29. All done by way of preordination and fore-appointment But before I conclude this matter of our Election I must speak of the Effects and Consequences thereof which are the means whereby to attain unto the end for as we said before the most wise God hath not ordained us to Glory and everlasting Happiness and left us to seek how to come there but also he hath appointed the way that every thing belonging to Salvation the grounds and beginning the progress and end may all be of his own so that we may be sure of it to the praise of the riches of his Grace Hence it is that our Blessed Saviour is called not only (a) Heb. 2.10 Chap. 5.9 the captain of our Salvation and the author of eternal Salvation unto all that obey him but also the author and finisher of our Faith which is the way and means conducing to it The most Holy and Blessed Trinity did purpose and resolve it In the execution Christ is the Captain and Leader and he will finish it for he will never give over till (b) Joh. 17.24.11 those whom the Father hath given him his elect be with him where he is that they may behold his glory and that they may be one as the Father and he are Now the means appointed for the execution in time of the Decree of Election are our Vocation to and in the Church thorough the ministry of the Word our Conversion Regeneration Faith in Christ Justification Sanctification which are all grounded upon our Lord and Mediator Jesus Christ These means that are between our Election and Glorification are as the Chain that links it together and spoken of by St. Paul in the place already quoted (c) Rom. 8.30 Whom he did predestinate them he also called and whom he called them he also justified and whom he justified them he also glorified No danger of breaking or miscarrying it is so sure that he speaketh of it not as a thing to come but as passed and already done The Consideration of these means is part of the Decree of Election as well as Glory and Salvation for 't is but one single and individual act of Election to Glory by the means of Grace for neither Glory was decreed without relation to Grace nor Grace without relation to Glory Another fruit and effect of our Election is the certainty we have of it within us whereby (a) This affirmed in Rogers Analysis Pag. 76. we know and are sure we are elected to everlasting life This certitude ariseth out of the sence and feeling we have of the means appointed to execute Election every Elect after his Conversion having faith in Christ may certainly know whether he be elected If upon examination of himself he may say I by the word of God am called to the Church and to eternal life I have the gift of Faith in Jesus Christ that is I believe my sins are forgiven me for the merits of Christ the Mediator God and Man Furthermore with a real and sincere desire and endeavour I worship God according to the rule of his word and I love my Neighbour out of this he may conclude I am elected to life everlasting All this depends upon a true examination and the Consequence is drawn à posteriori where are fruits there is a Tree when we find heat and motion in a Man we safely conclude there is Life Now all this examination is grounded upon that Text of Rom. 8.30 which I quoted but a little before but the calling is inward proper to Believers that answer and obey the call which our Saviour speaks of (b) John 5.25 the hour is coming and now is when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God and they that hear shall live for they were dead in their sins the call is inward and spiritual whereby the blind mind is enlightened by the Word applyed by the Spirit and the obstinate and perverse will is brought under to obedience they who make Faith and Justification common to Believers and Reprobates cannot have this certitude of Election but others can according to St. Paul (c) 1 Thes 1.4 Knowing brethren beloved your election of God Hence we conclude it may be known This certitude and assurance of Election and so of Salvation for if I can but make my Election sure then I am sure of my Salvation is no motive to softness neglect and carelessness he who is sure of Salvation is sure to perform the Condition Salvation is the end of Election and Repentance Faith Holiness perseverance are the effects thereof Grace is the way to Glory God promising to save the Elect promised also to preserve them in that without which is no Salvation and when sometimes Believers do so much forget and are so senseless to themselves as to sin offend and leave Gods ways God wants no Scourges or other means to bring them in again This certitude of our unchangeable Election doth not as our Adversaries would have it breed in us Prophaneness and carnal Security on the contrary as we already said 't is the greatest motive and incentive we have to Piety for which St. Peter is my Witness (a) 2 Pet. 1.10 Wherefore the rather brethren give diligence to make your calling and election sure For if ye do these things ye shall never fall If it were not possible to attain unto it it were in vain for the Apostle to exhort us thereunto When once Men have that assurance they will endeavour to answer it in the study and practice of holiness and become worthy of it with their upright walking knowing they are elected and called thereunto For (b) Tit. 3.8 they which have believed in God must be careful to maintain good works And they will take care of their ways so that they can never fall finally For (c) Psal 37.24 God upholdeth them with his hand St. Paul saith the same with St. Peter For (d) Rom. 8.14 15 16 17. as many as are led by the spirit of God they are the Sons of God For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear but ye have received the spirit of adoption whereby we cry Abba father
of God Secondly We ought to put our trust and confidence in God as a Father who takes a special care of all his Thirdly In adversity we must not look so much upon Second Causes as upon the first and whatsoever we suffer we must own it to come from the hand of God and in prosperity we must acknowledge and praise God as the Author of every good thing we enjoy (a) Job 2.10 For at the hand of God we receive both good and evil Then we ought to fear and reverence so potent a God in whose hands is every Creature which he can arm all against us David saith Fire and hail snow and vapour stormy winde fullfilling his word Psal 148.8 So we may say of every other Creature they all are his Servants Psal 119.91 Further more we must love God who out of his Fatherly care watcheth for and promoteth our good and hereby ought to be excited a mutal love amongst us who are Children of the same Father This also layes an obligation upon us when there is occasion to make use of the means God hath prescribed yet not so as to put our trust in them neither are we to despair in case they fail us knowing how God is not so tyed to them but that he may help us without so that upon all occasions of whatsoever nature they be we ought to submit to trust and depend upon God's providence and in conformity to God we ought to follow our Work and Duty The Psalmist in the whole 107. Psalm having exhorted the redeemed of the Lord to praise God for his manifold providence as over Travellers Captives Sick-men Seamen and several other varieties of life in the last verse of all to bring them into a serious consideration of the right use they ought to make of it saith Who so is wise and will observe those things even they shall understand the loving-kindness of the Lord. We must not be as idle and unconcerned Spectators for such are not wise But it is a part of wisdom in us to take a special notice of all effects of God's wise mighty and gracious Providence CHAP. V. Of GRACE WIth corrupt Men 't is natural to have too good an opinion of themselves and too mean of God therefore they are pleased with what exalteth humane strength and Free-will though Free-grace be thereby abased the more a Doctrine is suitable with Holy Scripture the less 't is acceptable to humane affections People must not dispute about these matters as some do to try their Wits and make a shew of their Parts but to find out the truth as revealed in God's word and then receive adhere to and profess it About this important matter of grace several parts are controverted between Arminians and us As first About Resistiblity of it Secondly About the Amissibility Thirdly About universal grace Fourthly About Faith the chief Gospel Grace which hath several branches By the grace of God we intend of every one of these to speak in its due place but in order thereunto we must endeavour first to beat down Free-will opposite to grace Here I put them together not by reason of their affinity but of their contrariety about this matter though in some different degrees we have for Adversaries Pelagians Papists and Arminians CHAP. VI. Of FREE-WILL THE Word Free-will doth properly denote the faculty of the Soul called the Will but in the present Question the Understanding and other faculties of the Soul are also understood thereby in as much as the Will is enlightned by the Intellect and followeth the last Dictates of it so that it is the guide of Will and Affections Now the Question is about the power of all Natural faculties of Man how far they may go in promoting of his own Salvation This is called Free-will and we are to see how much Nature which here is opposed to Grace can promote or hinder our Salvation Pelagians do say that by Obedience to the Law of Nature through the direction of right Reason Men may be saved that is by Nature without Grace So that the right use of Nature by infallible dependence draws the Grace of Regeneration which is to settle a soundness of Nature so contrary to what is expressed in the whole course of Scripture But these I pass by to come to others Papists who go not so far yet in matter of Salvation give Nature too much for in part they attribute it to Nature and in part to Grace Sin say they hath not taken away the Power of the Understanding and of the Will of Man to obey God and to believe but only the exercise of that Power that the power of Man's Soul to all good Works is not dead but only chained up and bound and in the act of Conversion the effect of it doth depend part upon Grace and part upon Man's own Strength About this part of farthering our Salvation Arminians do mince the matter and are sometimes on and off if not wholly yet in part but as to the other point of Man's natural power to hinder Grace and Salvation they highly and altogether are for it as it will appear when we speak about resistibility of Grace But as neither Free-will nor any natural faculty hath any power to purchase the beginning or progress of our Salvation for both Grace and Glory as after David I said before Psal 84.11 come from God who alone quickeneth Nature dead in Sin so Nature cannot hinder the Almighty power of God in the Conversion of Sinners except one will affirm the power of Men to be greater than that of God which is downright Blasphemy We say First That Man through his Fall is so corrupt that by Nature there is not in him any power at all to any Spiritual good rather a propensity and inclination to all kind of Spiritual evil so that our Will instead of being free is a Servant and a Slave to sin The consideration whereof made Luther give a Book he did write upon this Subject the Title de Servo Arbitrio the Will Slave or Servant The first Part that is our unableness is clear (a) Joh. 6.44 No man can come to me except the Father draw him (b) Jer 13.23 Can the Aethiopian change his skin or the Leopard his spots then may ye also do good that are used to do evil St. Peter speaks of those who (c) 2 Pet. 2 19. promise others liberty whilest they themselves are the servants of corruption for of whom a man is overcome of the same he is brought in bondage How far this Text is appliable to those who boast of a Power of Free-will in themselves and promise it to others I leave it to God and their Consciences sure I am the best of us (d) Eph. 2.3 5. are by nature Children of wrath even as others and dead in Sins This Natural and Moral impotency is by St. Paul clearly set down (e) 1 Cor. 2.14 The natural Man receiveth
he loveth unto the end Christ prayed to the Father (g) Luk. 22.32 that the faith of his believers fail not as we see in the case of Peter and the success sheweth he was heard for St. Peter came again to himself and Christ saith to the Father (h) Joh. 11.42 and I know thou hearest me always but our Saviour's Prayer was not for Peter only and the other Disciples but (i) Joh. 17.20 for them also which shall believe on me through the Word So that he prayed for all Believers Now for Believers and Elect naturally to fall from God and (k) Mat. 24.24 to be seduced 't is not possible for the expression if possible importeth an impossibility not for all the Wonders of Antichrist the most pregnant means that Men and Devils can use to make the Elect fall away do not prevail Christ saith (f) Joh. 10.28 29. He giveth his sheep eternal life and they shall never perish neither shall any man pluck them out of his hand no man is able to pluck them out of his fathers hand who is greater than all Nothing can be more positive upon the present Question christ's Sheep are those who believe he assureth them all of life Eternal and they shall never perish because kept by his strong hand the Father having put them in the hand of the Son to be kept and the Fathers hand is also about them so they cannot miscarry except there be some enemy stronger than God If such a thing were possible for the Elect to perish what would become of God's truth when he saith by the Prophet (g) Jer. 32.38 39 40. I will be their God and they shall be my people And I will give them one heart and one way that they may fear me for ever And I will make an everlasting covenant with them that I will not turn away from them to do them good but I will put my fear in their hearts that they shall not depart from me Here God promiseth to all whom the new Covenant is made with that is Believers that he will give them an heart to fear him not only for a time but for ever that the Covenant shall not be broken of either side he assureth not only for himself that he shall never change but for them also for he will put his fear in their hearts that they shall never leave or depart from him So that we are sure on both sides for God saith (h) Heb. 13.3 He will never leave us nor forsake us the reason is by Malachy drawn from his Immutability I (i) Mal. 3.6 the Lord change not Not only in his Nature but also in his Gifts such as Effectual calling for (k) Rom. 11.29 The gifts and calling of God are without repentance One Text more I will make use of which can afford us a reason against any instance out of Scripture of any said to be fallen from the Truth or to have denied the Faith this is it (l) 1 Joh. 2.19 They went out from us but they were not of us for if they had been of us they would no doubt have continued with us but they went out that they might be manifest that they were not all of us Who are those that do not persevere but fall away from Truth and Grace They who never had it for if they had been true Members of Christ they certainly would have always continued so but God let them go to let Men know they were not sound nor build by Faith on the Rock for if they had been they would have continued stedfast amidst temptations and the Gates of Hell could not have prevailed against them like those fiery vapours in the Air which the Eye would take to be Stars but by their fall they shew what they were Thus God not only publickly punisheth those Hypocrites but makes them an example for others to take warning by and let this be a rule that they who fall so either they never were Elect nor had true Grace or else they are not fallen finally but God will restore them again 2 Tim. 2.19 Ephes 1.13 Jer. 32.40 Ps 37.23 24. Joh. 6.14.39.40 1 Joh 3.9 Many other places of Scripture I could bring to confirm this Doctrine but because I already made use of some before which would be sit for our purpose I omit it only I set some in the Margin to be perused by the Reader Against this Truth 't is objected If the Elect cannot perish then they need not forbear sinning to avoid everlasting Death let them take what course they please they are sure of Heaven This Argument is grounded upon Impiety 't is rather of a Reprobate than of an Elect if the Saints should against their conscience obstinately continue in sin no doubt but they should perish but God who will not suffer his chosen to perish doth not leave them to continue in impenitency but through repentance brings them again to himself and restraineth them with putting them in mind of their Duty for a final obstinacy in sin and impenitence do no more consist with Election and true saving Grace than a final perseverance in Faith doth consist with Reprobation In the 2d place they object the examples of David Solomon and Peter who fell into abominable sins of Adultery and Murder of Idolatry and the denying of Christ We ever granted corruption to be so strong in the best of God's People that if for a while he withdraweth the exercise of his Graces they are apt to fall into the worst of sins however we deny that the three named did wholly and totally fall from Grace only for a time Grace did still continue in them like fire under Ashes Two reasons we have to believe they did not finally fall the first Because they sinned out of weakness and human frailty not with a full consent of the Will Secondly Because they seriously repented which is a true sign of Faith As to the repentance of (b) 2 Sam. 12.13 Psal 51 Mat. 26.75 David and Peter it is expresly set down in Scripture as to Solomon most Divines are of opinion that for a token of repentance he did write his Book of Ecclesiastes They argue farther our Saviour saith (c) Luk. 8.13 Some for a while believe and in time of temptation fall away therefore some may fall from the Faith The question is not about temporal but saving and justifying Faith which temporal Faith is not Now in this place 't is clear our Saviour speaks of temporal Faith They believe but for a time And out of the Parable it appears that of the four several sorts of ground which the Seed falls into there is but one that is good so of four kinds of hearts there is none good but the honest and good heart which having heard the Word keepeth it and brings forth Fruit. Now such hearts as these keep Grace do continue and persevere in it and never lose it totally
heareth us 1 John 5.14 which confidence doth not leave those to whom God hath given the earnest of the spirit that is believers (g) 2 Cor. 5.6 we are always confident saith St. Paul which argues it to be essential to faith St. John also calleth it boldness (h) 1 Joh 4.17 herein is our love made perfect that we may have boldness in the day of Judgment Such a frame ariseth out of faith without which no true and well grounded boldness and confidence nor being hearty and chearful as our Saviour saith to his disciples they ought to be Be of good cheer I have overcome the world Peter as St. John saith makes certitude and assurance go along with Faith for in his name and of the disciples he declares thus (i) Joh. 16.33 John 6.69 We believe and are sure that thou art that Christ the son of the living God to believe and be sure is the same neither could they or any other believe except they were sure it is true but it is more or less for as there are degrees of faith so of assurance which is an essential part thereof (k) Heb. 6.11 chap. 10.22 As Scripture speaks of a full assurance of hope so it doth of a full assurance of faith we are fully assured there is a promise for those who do their duty and the promise is from the God of truth of all this there is a full assurance he heareth us These words certainly go beyond common knowledge and assent and let this be the first reason Farther Christ is received by Faith (l) Joh. 1.12 But as many as received him to them he gave power to become the sons of God even to them that believe in his name bare knowledge and assent are not enough or else Devils and Reprobates could be made Sons of God Again they who truly believe in Christ know they have eternal life (m) 1 Joh. 5.13 These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God that ye may know that ye have eternal life out of bare knowledge and assent no man can know he hath eternal life for despair may consist with both 't is so in all Devils and in many Reprobates Lastly (n) Habak 2.4 By faith we live (o) Rom 11.20 By faith we stand (p) Rom. 5.1 By faith we are justified (q) Eph. 2.8 By faith we are saved and through faith we obtain forgiveness of sins heavenly Blessings Adoptions Victory over all spiritual Enemies in a word Christ and all his benefits we receive by faith which cannot be an effect of bare knowledge and assent Several other Texts I omit which are much to may purpose but this is sufficient Now followeth the question between Papists Arminians and us Whether saith be common to all Elect and Reprobates which they affirm but we say 't is given only to believers and 't is proper to them But still we mean true justifying faith Scripture speaks clearly for us in the case for it is called (a) Tit. 1.1 the faith of God's elect God's Elect and Christ's Sheep are one and the same but none believe but Christ's Sheep he saith to the unbelieving Jews (b) Joh. 10.26 but ye believe not because ye are not of my sheep Faith is an effect of Election for it is said (c) Acts 13.48 as many as were ordained to eternal life believed as many and no more And seeing (d) Rom. 8.30 only the Elect are justified and glorified they only have faith because believers only are justified and they only that are justified are glorified none but the Elect are members of Christ and we become such only through faith Now God hath (e) Eph. 1.5 predestinated none but the elect unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ There must be a certain mark of distinction between good and bad or else the one could not be known from the other Now faith is the characteristical note of God's children and our election is known to us a posteriori only by the effect whereof faith is the chief and it is so essential that it gives a general denomination the whole world being divided into believers and unbelievers this is of so high a concernment that St. Paul earnestly exhorteth the Corinthians to (f) 2 Cor. 13.5 examine themselves whether they be in the faith prove your own selves know ye not your own selves how that Jesus Christ is in you except ye be reprobates Now Christ is in us by faith for 't is the instrument whereby we receive and apprehend him and not otherwise Against this they would have something to say out of that Text where St. Paul (g) Rom. 11.17 speaketh of some branches broken off the tree whence they conclude that some reprobates had been engrafted in Christ through faith but if any for unbelief were ever cut off from the tree of life we deny that ever they were in Christ indeed by true faith but only outwardly they seemed to be so they are said to be broken-off when by reason of unbelief and hypocrisie either they are fallen off themselves or have been put out of the society of the Church as it formerly happened to the Jews whom the Apostle speaks of in that place Let this be observed that when in Scripture faith is attributed to reprobates 't is not meant true saving faith which they never had but only historical or temporal an outward and hyp critical prosession of faith or of the doctrine of the Gospel and this calls to my mind that place of Scripture about the parable of the talents the talent was taken from the man when 't is said (a) Matth. 25.29 from him that hath not shall be taken away even that which he hath How can that man have that which he hath not or that be taken away which he hath not The matter is explained by another Evangelist thus (b) Luke 8.11 whosoever hath not shall be taken away even that which he seemeth to have he had it in appearance but not in reallity so reprobates have faith but in a shew and when they have lost it 't is only that which they seemed to have but never had it really They lost the outward shew and profession Another point concerning faith wherein we differ is this about the certitude of faith They deny believers can know whether or not they have true faith we say they can know it and begin to prove it with that Text already quoted 2 Cor. 13. Upon examination they may find and know whether Christ be in them he would not have advised them to that examination except they could have found out the truth of it Which truth we are aâ—â—ured of by our Saviour when he saith to his Disciples (c) Joh. 14.20 ye shall know that you are in me and I in you Seeing then we are in Christ and Christ in us by faith and they
grat cap. 6. Anselm in Rom. 8. Bradward causa dei lib. 1. cap. 40. Margin Now we must come to the third thing The perseverance of Saints and certainty of Salvation wherein we do agree with the Doctors of the Primitive Church That (e) Trenae lib. 5. cap. 9. 10. 11. the Temple of God which is inhabited by the Spirit of the Father and that the members of Christ should not be partakers of Salvation how is it not a most great blasphemy c. (a) Cyprian de mâ—râ— lit de â—rat domin nam 6. It is written saith Cyprian the just shall live by faith if thou art just and livest by faith if thou truly believest in God why since thou art to live with Christ and art sure of the Lords promise Doest thou not rejoice that thou art called by death unto Christ And elsewhere He that hath believed in his name and is made the Son of God from that time must begin both to give thanks and to profess himself the Son of God Another saith He (b) Clemenâ— Alex. paedag lib. 1. cap. 6. that believeth in the Son hath eternal life if then we who have believed have eternal life what remaineth beyond the possession of life eternal Again He saith thou art no more a Servant but a Son if a Son then also an Heir thorough God what then wanteth to a Son when he is an Heir This certainty of Salvation worketh an assurance and comfort which makes one say (c) Hilar. de trin lib. 1. The soul knowing her own safety resteth in quietness rejoycing in her hopes so much not fearing death that she accounts it as the way to eternal life Let us hear what saith another upon the matter (d) Ambr. in 2 Cor. 1. Serm. 15. He hath sealed us by giving his spirit to us for an earnest that we may not doubt of his promises for if when we were in the state of death he gave us his spirit it is not to be doubted but that to us being made immortal he will add glory And in another place He saith well I am confident for confidence is the strength of our hope and an authority of hoping Therefore hope still and no man can make thee ashamed of thy expectation Our expectation is life eternal As for Austin he hath written at large upon this Subject in his Book De Perseverantiâ Sanctorum De Correptione Gratia But here we shall only quote few words (e) August in Psal 122. 123. For we are saved by hope but because our hope is certain it is so spoken of us as if it were already done Hereunto we do joyn what another saith (f) Bernard Epist. 107. O man thou hast the justifying spirit for a teacher of this secret and in the same witnessing to thy spirit that thou also art the Son of God Take notice of the counsel of God in thy justification for the present justification of thee is both a revelation of God's counsel and a certain preparation unto future glory The Doctor called profound having argued and proved perseverance to be a free gift of God concludes thus For these and the like motives it seems more probable to me and more to agree with reason and Catholick Doctrines that perseverance is not given to merits but is freely given of God according to his free grace free-predestination and free-purpose as the first working grace that justifieth a sinner Lastly to make an end of this one having spoken of the Elect and Believer saith (a) Ferus in 1. Joan. 5. Satan cannot touch him He may indeed dare to tempt the godly so likewise he durst to tempt Christ Yea sometimes he drives just men unto a fall as we see in David and Peter But finally as in Christ he could have nothing so neither can he prevail over the Saints for none can take Christ's sheep out of his hands wherefore going to his passion he recommended all that believed in him unto his Father The words of others I omit to quote only their (b) Basilus de Spiritu Sancto cap. 15. Prosper in Psal 114. Cyrill Alex. Comment in Isa lib. 3. in Joan. lib. 9. cap. 44. Gregor in Job lib. 11. cap. 20. lib. 16. cap. 2. Aâ—selm in Rom. 8. Names and places I set down in the Margin I think I have done enough in this kind to prove that in the matters of grace we have the Doctors of the Primitive Church with us and others in some of the late Ages and consequently Calvin is not the Author of such Doctrines and that we brought no Innovation into the Church which aspersion we may justly retort upon our Adversaries And to shew the more that conformity we have with the antient Catholick Church I must say in short how the very same aspersions by Arminians cast upon us were by Pelagius and his followers laid to the charge of St. Austin and they are these First That they take away free-will and bring in a Stoical fatality Secondly That the make God the author of sin Thirdly They open a gap to despair and slothfulness Fourthly They take away all use of Precepts Promises Threatnings yea and Prayer it self Fifthly That they make God an Impostor seeing he commands men to repent and believe yet doth not seriously will their repentance and faith nor their Salvation unto which only faith and repentance can entitle them Sixthly That their whole opinions are against the stream of Antiquity These were falsely fathered upon the Doctrine of Austin and other Orthodox Doctors of the Church as easily I now can and upon occasion shall ever be ready to prove out of their own writtings but this I now omit not to fill up so much Paper with Quotations neither thinking it so material to know what those Father 's believed as what the word of God which we have not been wanting to make use of doth declare upon the matter Nay to go up higher I have shewed how it was against St. Paul's Doctrine objected Rom. 9. and the Objections by him answered of making God unjust and men excusable out of the necessity of God's Decree and as these were falsly fathered upon St. Paul's afterwards on Austin's Doctrine So with the very same the truths we teach are aspersed by our Adversaries who are men of the same Principles as the others were Indeed 't is very sad that whilst a considerable Body of Papists followers of Jansenius Bishop of Ypres joyned with us in defence of those matters of grace a Party of our own should make a desertion and joyn with Papists against us And some of them with as much gall in the Heart and bitterness against us in Tongues and Pens as if we were the greatest Unbelievers and Miscreants in the World and all this for no other cause than our asserting of the truths plainly and fully contained in God's Word CHAP. XIV Of the absurd and dangerous consequences necessarily
Faith their perseverance their good use of grace received their original and actual sins and final impenitency why one man is predestinated to salvation not another So it unveils to them those high and unsearchable mysteries of Gods decrees which put St. Paul to a nonplus or else he had not been strucken with such amazing admiration as made him cry out (a) Rom. 11.33 O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are his judgments and his ways past finding-out Surely he wanted that universal grace or else he would not have thought those judgments so incomprehensible though I would have the Adversaries of the truth to know that St. Paul wanted no grace he had a sufficient grace (b) 2 Cor. 12 9. My grace is sufficient unto thee But that sufficient grace in Paul was for another end it never went so far as Arminians pretends theirs doth yet they must give us leave to think he was inferiour in grace to none of them nor David who saith (c) Psal 36.6 thy judgments are a great deep I shewed how Arminians have renewed several of Pelagius his Errors but I did not fasten upon them his denying Original Sin which I must now do (d) Contra Tilen pag. 388. Corvinus one of their great men saith that with Arminius orginal sin hath not the nature of sin or fault properly so called and Arminius himself affirmeth that it is wrongfully said (e) Pag. 174. That original sin makes a man guilty of death And one of our own who is highly esteemed by his own Party in his Book Vnum Necessarium doth expressly deny original sin and the imputation thereof and takes a great deal of pains to answer arguments drawn out of Scripture and experimental reasons to prove it and what he had written he goes about to justifie in his answer to the then Bishop of Rochester's Letter which he had written to shew him his Error Here and there I shewed how about these matters Arminians do joyn with Papists and Pelagians against us Now I say they do so with Socinians so no wonder if they have and still usher in Socinianism For both Arminians and Socinians do affirm that the causes of predestination are not in God but in us That he doth not predestinate to Salvation any certain or particular persons and that predestination may be changed and frustrated also that theâ—e is a free-will to good in us And as to Providence that God hath not determined contingencies nor foreseen future contingents and such others as Arminians have borrowed from Socinians as in the mistakes concerning the high point of justification Christ's satisfaction c. Then they deny the knowledge and confession of the mystery of the Trinity to be absolutely necessary to Salvation and that the Doctrine of the three persons of the Godhead specially of Christ's being God from Eternity are not a fundamental Article of our Faith as affirmed in their Apolog. Vindic. Respons ad except Leyd nay in vindic cap. 7. lib. 1. pag. 37 38. With Socinians and some Anabaptists they falsely say that the Doctrine of the Trinity began in the time of the Council of Nice and they are so good friends that in the same Apol. Vindic. they affirm Socinians to be Pious nay most Pious Men whom all Protestants ought to take for example of Piety wherefore no wonder if they say we ought to keep Communion with them that is Socinians Some of them say the Father to be Essentiantem and the Son Essentiatum and subordinate to the Father In few words that most of the Arminian Doctors do in the Article of the Trinity which they make to be of no great moment go hand in hand with Socinians hath clearly been made out by Vedclius Part 2. Arcanorum Armin. and what I have here charged them with and other things too I am able to make good out of their publick writings as the Apology Vindic. and out of the works of their most approved eminent Authors as Worstius whom they would have had promoted to be Divinity Professor at Leyden after Arminius's death Episcopius the chief manager of their Affairs in the Synod of Dort Curcelaeus c. But all these and more too ill consequences in matters of Doctrine I now must conclude with the bad influence it hath upon life and conversation It is too true as we find it by experience that there are multitudes of wretches kept in their carnal security by a perswasion that there is an universal grace offered unto all by which they may repent and believe when they will this makes them resolve to enjoy the pleasures of sin a little longer and then they will receive and entertain grace and so easily get to Heaven which is a great encouragement to all wickedness but it suits with the nature and desire of wicked presumptuous and prophane sinners who though they were not fully perswaded of it yet for them t is a pretence to continue in sin 'T is said of one Thompson a great propagator of Arminianism that when he was in his fits of intemperance if any one minded him of the wrath of God threatned against such courses he would answer I am a child of the devil to day but I have free-will and to morrow I will make my self a child of God Jansenius hath made this general observation that the Pelagians were generally loose in their lives which he taketh abundance of good Pains to prove and I conceive it cannot be too much considered in this controversie because Pelagius urged nothing more vehemently than this that the extolling of the grace of God and lessening the liberty of man's will is the readiest way to destroy all Piety By those that for a considerable time have conversed amongst Papists 't is observed how the Jansenists are the best moral livers amongst them of a much better life and conversation than the rest so it cannot but be taken notice of that amongst us the greatest sticklers for Arminianism even amongst some of the Clergy are the proudest most vicious Ambitious Voluptuous Drunkards prophane livers of any making little or no conscience to seek the glory of God to feed their flocks amongst which they seldom are resident except in sheering time for to feed they care not so much as to fleece the Flock making not much conscience of performing Pastoral Duties being more for wealth and preferment than for the good of souls If their Doctrine be good why are their lives and actions so vicious I speak for the generality their practice contradicteth what they would have us to believe of their Doctrine their bad lives they would shelter under the notion of a good Doctrine the goodness of their Religion must be a cloak but we with a good life would as much as the frailty and corruption of our nature can permit endeavour to credit the doctrine we profess and because we will not run into the same excesses
and love of God whereby he chose us for his before he made the world after that he granted us to be called by the preaching of the Gospel of Jesus Christ when the spirit of the Lord is poured into us by whose guidance and governance we be led to settle our trust in God ... From the same spirit also cometh our sanctification the love of God and our Neighbour justice and uprightness of life finally whatsoever is in us or may be done of us honest pure true and good that altogether springeth out of this most pleasant Rock from this most plentiful fountain the goodness love choice and unchangeable purpose of God he is the cause the rest are the fruits and effects .... It is meant thereby that faith or rather trust alone doth lay hand upon understand and perceive our righteous making to be given us of God freely That is to say by no desert of our own but by the free grace of the Almighty Father .... For not by the worthiness of our deservings were we either heretofore chosen or long ago saved but by the only mercy of God and pure grace of Christ our Lord whereby we were in him made to do these good works that God hath appointed for us to walk in ... And fol. 68. Immortality and blessed life God hath provided for his chosen before the foundation of the world was laid To what hath been said out of fol. 7 8 12. I shall add few words more The image of God in man by original sin and evil custom was so obscured that man himself could not sufficiently understand the difference between good and bad between just and unjust c. And from these and other actions of Christ two benefits do accrue unto us one that whatsoever he did he did it all for our profit so that they are as much ours if so be we cleave fast to them with a firm and lively faith as if we our selves had done them .... Out of all this I made it appear Arminian Tenets to be contrary to the Doctrine of the Church and upon occasion I shall be ready to make enlargements not only out of all the same Springs and Authentick Records but out of others too which now for brevities sake I do not mention tho' they be considerable however before I make an end of this point I must not omit taking notice of the Catechism of Predestination or some certain Questions and Answers about that matter in opposition to Arminianism and as a preservative against it when here it began to appear in the Year 1607 they were Licensed by Authority and Printed by Robert Barker which then were bound up and sold with the Bibles I shall take notice only of three or four things in it The answer to the question What is the reason why men do so much vary in matters of religion Is this Because they only believe the Gospel and Doctrine of Christ which are ordained unto eternal life And to the next question Are not all ordained to eternal life The Answer is Some are vessels of wrath ordained unto destruction as others are vessels of mercy prepared to glory And to the question How standeth it with God's justice that some are appointed to damnation The Answer is Very well because all men have in themselves sin which deserveth no less and therefore the mercy of God is wonderful in that he vouchsafed to save some of that sinful race and to bring them to the knowledge of the truth And to the following question If God's ordinance and determination must of necessity take effect then what need any man to care For he that liveth well must needs be damned if he be thereunto ordained And he that liveth ill must needs be saved if he be thereunto appointed The answer is this Not so for it is not possible that either the Elect should always be without care to do well or that the Reprobate should have any will thereunto for to have either good will or good work is a testimony of the spirit of God which is given to the Elect only whereby faith is so wrought in them that being grafted in Christ they grow in holiness to that glory whereunto they are appointed c. And as to another question Cannot such perish as at some time or other feel these spiritual motions within themselves 'T is answered It is not possible that they should for as Gods purpose is not changeable so he repenteth not of the gifts and graces of his adoption neither doth he cast off those whom he hath once received If we had had the penning of these words we could not have set them down otherwise than they are Hence appeareth the sweet and perfect harmony between these publick Records of the Faith and Religion of the Church of England let those that have a mind to look farther there into among the 39 Articles to peruse the 9th about Original Sin the 11th of the Justification of Man and the 18th of obtaining eternal Salvation only by the name of Christ With Mr. Roger's Exposition upon every one of them specially the 17th about Predestination I hope we hitherto have out of Publick and Authentick Records sufficiently demonstrated Arminianism to be contray to the Doctrine of the Church We ought to take notice how these 39 Articles Common-Prayer-Book c. were compiled before Arminius and his errors were heard of here for I make no doubt but if they had been spread before we should have had other things more directly and positive against them for certainly the spirit of the first Reformers was altogether for free-grace against free-will wherefore to prosecute my Argument I now must shew how strongly and generally Arminianism was opposed here when it first appeared Which can more and more confirm it to be against the Doctrine of the Church But this affordeth matter enough for another Chapter CHAP. XVI How Arminianism did meet with a strong and general opposition here when it began to appear HEre the sparkles of that unhappy Fire did at first except once which I shall have occasion to mention break out in Cambridge where one Doctor Baroe a Divinity Professor and one Barret in a Sermon of his having published some Arminian Tenets a speedy course was taken to suppress it for the Vice-Chancellor and Heads of the University-Colleges met together and declared those opinions to be Innovations and contrary to the Doctrine of the Church professed in that University Whereupon they sent up Doctor Whitaker and Tindal two Members of their own to Archbishop Whitgift who forthwith called to him several learned and worthy Divines amongst whom were the then Bishop of London the Elect Bishop of Bangor and others in and about the City and upon due Examination and Debate upon the matter on the 20th of November 1595 drew up unanimously the 9 Articles called the Lambeth Articles wherein they also had the concurrence of the Archbishop of York and of several Divines of that