that are saved but of those also who through contempt of his goodnesse dye in their sins and perish as we may reade in Ezek. 33.11 As I live saith the Lord God I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked but that the wicked turne from his way and live Turne ye turne ye from your evill wayes for why will ye dye O House of Israel And herewithall accordeth the testimonies of his servants in the 2 Tim. 2.3 4. This is saith Paul good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour to wit That we should pray for all men vers 1 2. because he would have all men to be saved and come to the knowledge of the Truth And Peter in his Second Epistle the 3. chap. 9. to the same effect saith The Lord is not slack concerning his promise as some men count slacknesse but is long suffering to us wards not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance and consequently to Salvation as the end thereof Now as there is nothing more opposite than yea and nay which as the Apostle informeth us in the 2 Cor. 1.19 20. Is not in Jesus Christ or in the promises of God made in under the New Covenant so can there be nothing more repugnant to the Doctrine of Gods Love to mankinde expressed in sending his Son into the Word that the world through him might be saved and in his oath whereby he professeth that he would not have any thereof to perish c. Then this Doctrine which saith That God doth necessarily enforce some men to believe to the end they may bee saved and denieth sufficient meanes unto others to enable them to believe to the end they may be damned The First saith That he loveth and desireth the Salvation of all alike and would have none to perish The latter saith That he desireth but the Salvation of a few in speciall and willeth the damnation of many The first saith That through the mercy of God vouchsafed in Jesus Christ every man may possibly be saved The later saith That no man can possibly obtaine Salvation thereby without a speciall assistance vouchsafed unto him to enable him to believe c. and so deny Jesus Christ to be the Doore and way to eternall life and concludeth man-kinde whom he came into the world to save as incapable of obtaining the end of his comming as if he had not at all come into the world to be their Saviour And so in a word maketh the Death of Jesus Christ in relation to the Salvation of man-kinde of none effect And the solemne Oath of Almighty God as touching his desire of the Salvation of all and the death of none with reverence be it spoken worse then jesuiticall delusion and equivocation which alone may serve as a sufficient evidence against this Opinion CHAP. III. How the Doctrine of Gods enforcing men to believe leadeth the Reprobates to Blasphemy against God and maketh them excusable in their condemnation IF God should necessitate the Salvation of some men and not others it would fill the Reprobates with Blasphemy against him by reason of their condemnation contrary to the Scriptures From this consideration That in the point of Salvation he doth that for others which he refused to doe for them and yet professeth that he hath done as much for them in that behalfe as he could That God professeth that he hath done as much for the Reprobates to make them fruitfull to Salvation as he could The words of the Prophet Isay in his 5. chap. doe plainly declare I will sing to my wel-beloved saith he a Song of my beloved touching his Vineyard My wel-beloved hath a Vineyard in a very fruitfull hill and he fenced it and gathered out the stones thereof and planted it with the choisest Vine and built a Tower in the midst of it and also made a Wine-presse therein and he looked that it should bring forth Grapes and it brought forth wilde Grapes And now O Inhabitants of Jerusalem and men of Judah judge I pray you betwixt me and my Vineyard what could have been done more to my Vineyard that I have not done to it Wherefore when I looked that it should have brought forth Grapes it brought forth wilde Grapes And now go to I will tell you what I will doe to my Vineyard c. Under which similitude the Prophet declareth unto the Inhabitants of Iudah and Ierusalem whose destruction for their unfruitfulnesse disobedience towards God he denounceth in the following part of the chapter from the 8. v. c. That God to make them fruitfull unto all good workes to prevent their destruction and to bring them to eternall life had vouchsafed and granted unto them all convenient and necessary means conducing to those ends Insomuch that when hee appealeth unto them for judgement therein before he proceedeth to pronounce his definitive sentence against them they are left altogether speechlesse not having any thing to reply unto God in their owne behalfe whereas if their understandings had been informed that any necessary meanes had been wanting unto them without which they could not possibly render unto God that which he requireth of them or that he had not vouchsafed unto them as effectuall meanes as he did unto others in the like case their answer might have been ready in words to this effect Lord we are poore helplesse Creatures who alone by reason of thy decree in reference to Adams transgression which we could no wayes possibly prevent are made altogether uncapable by any such meanes as thou affordest unto us to doe any thing pleasing or acceptable in thy sight no not so much as to thinke one good thought and this Lord thou knowest and from the consideration thereof thou givest unto such and such men and women thy good Spirit whereby they are enabled to the doing of those things that thou requirest of us without which Spirit our inflicted condemnation is altogether unavoydable And therefore if that we must perish it 's only for thy wills sake and neither for omitting or misdoing any thing that we were able rightly to doe Whereas therefore the Scriptures informeth us that when the greatest enemies of Almighty God shal take into their most strict and severest examination all his sayings and proceedings against them that forth of their owne mouthes like unto those wicked Husband-men in the Gospel Matth. 21.40 41. they shall fully acquit and justifie him in them all Rom. 3.4 And that we are thereby also plainely informed That if our consciences doe not accuse and condemne us we have peace with God 1 Iohn 3.21 And so consequently that then he will not condemne us we are hereby necessarily led to this conclusion That Salvation is not confered upon men through necessity nor that it is any otherwise to be obteined than through mens improvement of the meanes granted unto them for that purpose Object Gods not doing so much for the Reprobates as he doth for
capable of working righteousnesse thereby under the promises of Adoption of reward of good workes and of raigning together with God and Christ for ever and ever It doth not therefore follow That because men obtain Justification and Adoption through Faith and are rewarded for their good workes that therefore all these things are not obtained through Grace seeing that it is from the unspeakable Grace of God that we who were dead doe live that we enjoy such precious promises and upon such gracious termes whereby we are or may be made partakers of them And yet although that Justification and Salvation are thus founded upon the Grace of God yet hath every man through the performance of those things whereunto the same is promised as just a right and claime thereunto as our first Father Adam could have had unto life by obedience to the Law as the words of the Apostle in Hebr. 6.10 doe plainly witnesse God is not unfaithfull saith he to forget your worke and labour of love the righteousnesse of God is engaged to performe whatsoever forth of his goodnesse he hath promised And as for the pretence of some gathered from these and such like Scriptures 1 John 5.10 11. Luke 27. That Salvation is freely bestowed upon men without any thing required on their part thereunto their mistake therein is clearly discovered from these grounds 1. That the Apostles of Jesus Christ who handled not the Word of God deceitfully but commended themselves to every mans conscience as in the sight of God 2 Cor. 4.2 doe every where in Answer to the Question What men should doe to be saved Declare That men must repent and believe Acts 2.37 38. Acts 16.30 31. 2. From the practice of the Apostles themselves who being fully instructed in the knowledge of the Grace of God Acts 20.27 yet strove to obtain the Crown of eternall life And not un-necessarily as men beating the Aire 1 Cor. 9.25 26 27. with 2 Tim. 2.5.12 3. From the tenure of the promises which all runne conditionally I will give to him that is a thirst of the water of life freely Rom. 20.6 Be thou Faithfull unto death and I will give thee a Crown of life Rev. 2.10 I have fought a good fight I have finished my course I have kept the Faith henceforth there is laid up for me a Crown of righteousnesse which the Lord the righteous Judge will give me at that day and not to me only but unto all those that love his appearing 2 Tim. 4.6 7. Rev. 3.11 Rev. 3.24 4. And lastly from hence that Salvation it self is intituled The inheritance of reward Col. 3.24 Forasmuch as reward doth alwaies presuppose something either done or to be done in recompence whereof the same is given Moses chose to suffer with the people of God because he had respect to the recompence of reward Hebr. 11.25 26. 5. And although in 1 John 5.10 11. It is said that God hath given us eternall life yet in vers the 12. it is also said That this life is in his Son and that he that hath it must have the Son And the same Apostle in his 2 Epist v. 9 plainly declareth That whosoever transgresseth and abideth not in the doctrine of Christ hath neither the Father nor the Son He is the author of Salvation to those that obey him Hebr. 5.9 And as for Luke 1.77 where it is prophesied That John the Baptist should give knowledge of Salvation to the Jewes by the remission of sinnes The meaning thereof is best interpreted by the tenour of his own preaching unto them whereby they are taught not to expect either remission of sins or Salvation otherwise then through repentance and amendment of life Luk. 3.3 Mat. 3.8 9 10. Luke 3.8 according to that in Acts 3.19 Object Faith being the gift of God Eph. 2.8 Salvation in reference whereunto it is given is the gift of God also Answ First It is not clear in this Text that the Apostle doth intend Faith to be the gift of God but rather that salvation is the gift of God and in what nature Salation is given by him hath been shewed before 2. But admit that Faith is the gift of God it doth not therefore follow that Faith whereunto Salvation is promised is the gift of God for Faith in the Scriptures is diversly taken As first it is taken for the Doctrine of Faith in which respect they that have preached the same are said to preach the Faith Galat. 1.23 and those to whom it was preached are said to hear the Faith Gal. 3.5 and those that received and subjected themselves thereunto are said to be obedient to the Faith Acts 6.7 Secondly it is taken for the bare credence and belief of the Doctrine of Christ in which respect The Rulers that loved the praise of men more than the praise of God are said to believe in Christ John 12.42 43. And thus the Devils are also said to believe and tremble James 2.19 Thirdly It is taken for the knowledge love and obedience of the Doctrine of Christ In which respect those that have departed from the love and obedience thereof are said to make Shipwrack of Faith and a good conscience 1 Tim. 1.19 And lastly it is taken for an assured hope and expectation of eternall life begotten in men through a conscientious privity of the truth of their repentance sincerity of their obedience and the gracious promises of God made thereunto according as the words of the Apostle in 2 Tim. 4.7 8. before rehearsed do declare Now although that Faith in the first and second acceptation whereunto the Apostle in these words viz. It is the gift of God may have respect be acknowledged the gift of God and be after a sort necessarily imposed upon men especially when as the Doctrine of Christ is clearly and evidently demonstrated unto them by the miraculous power of God as it was by the Ministery of the Apostles Yet in the third acceptation by which alone men are intituled to Salvation it cannot from hence be concluded to be the gift of God it being begotten in men only through a due and serious consideration of the truth certainty worth and excellency of the Doctrine therof discovered unto them For like as a soft answer turneth away wrath and a soft tongue breaketh the bone according to Prov. 15.1 and 25.15 Even so the unspeakable love and goodnesse of God appearing unto men received into and laid up in their hearts as it is required in Deut. 6.6 11 18. Prov. 4.4 begetteth in them a love towards God obedience to his Word crucifieth them to the world casteth downe imaginations and every high thing that exalteth it self against the knowledge of God and bringeth into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ 2 Cor. 10.4 5. Eph. 6.16 17. From whence it is that those persons who have had the mercy and goodnesse of God demonstrated unto them in a more abundant measure than others and have not thereby
otherwise been according to the saying of Christ though here they had gained the Dominion of the whole World good for them that they had never been born Mat. 16.26 In which regard there cannot possibly be any thing of greater concernment unto men than to be informed what it is that God requireth of them in this World to the aforesaid end and how they may be inabled to the doing thereof because that what a man knoweth not or knoweth not how to performe he can in no wise dispose or apply himselfe to the performance thereof And yet there is not any thing wherein most men are more wanting than in this so necessary knowledge to the great disquietnesse and perplexity of their mindes all their dayes apprehending themselves in the greatest danger and not understanding how or by what meanes they may avoid the same which misery as may justly be supposed happeneth unto them chiefly by reason of their dependance for information in the things of this nature upon those persons only who unduely arrogate unto themselves to be the infallible teachers of the ignorant and dispensers of the Oracles of God appointed and sent into the World for all men to aske counsel of in their Spirituall affaires Whose principals are such as these First That by Adams transgression all men were brought under the guilt of Temporall Spirituall and Eternall death The first consisting in the miseries of this life and the dissolution of mans nature in the end thereof The second in the depravation of the inward man whereby al men are disabled from descerning spirituall things or choosing the things that are good or doing any thing pleasing or acceptable unto God The third in the destruction and perdition of the whole man body and Soul in hell fire for ever and ever Secondly That of man-kinde thus considered God in his eternall counsell was pleased to choose and elect for his sons and daughters onely some few persons in comparison of the whole whom also he decreed to deliver from the fore-said guilt to call them to the knowledge of himselfe to worke in them faith by the effectuall operation of his Spirit and in the end to give them salvation But decreed to leave all the rest of man-kinde in that estate wherein they were fallen and that although by the doctrine of the Gospel he decreed outwardly to cal them to repent believe c. yet to the intent that they might not escape the damnnation of hel whereunto they were design'd by reason of Adams transgression by answering his call giving obedience thereunto he further decreed not onely to deny them the benefit of such meanes which he knew to be necessary to enable them to repent believe c. but he also decreed to blinde their eyes harden their hearts and to make their ears dul of hearing least at any time they should see with their eyes hear with their eares and understand with their hearts come unto him and be healed or be converted and have their sins forgiven them By which opinions pressed received as fundamental points in Divinity men are generally brought to believe that as the damnation of some persons is altogether impossible God having decreed so as of necessity to worke in them faith c. and to bring them to eternall life so on the contray That the salvation of the greatest part of men is as impossible to be obtained God having denyed unto them all necessary meanes for that purpose The evill of which belief so necessarily diverting and disabling all men from the prosecution and obtaining of these ends that God proposeth unto them to wit an exemption from everlasting death and from the enjoyment of eternall life discovereth unto us the errour and false-hood of these doctrines before recited whereby these opinions are begotten and fostred in them in regard that it may not be conceived that God who is truth it self should require all men to believe his love and favour towards them manifestly implyed in his frequent fervent and pathetical exhortations unto them in the Scriptures to hearken unto wisedome to choose his feare to choose life to worke out their own salvation with feare and trembling c. When as in his eternall counsell for Adams offence he hath utterly excluded them from his love and irrecoverably sealed them to everlasting destruction And also although it be a most certaine truth that God before the World did elect and choose some men unto salvation appoint others to be punished yet this may justly leade us to conceive that neither the one sort were elected nor the other rejected upon the grounds that these men pretend or upon any other than those grounds whereupon God in the Scriptures promiseth unto men adoption and salvation and denounceth unto them death and reprobation or those where-upon Christ at the last day will graciously reward some men with eternall happinesse and punish others with everlasting paines except we will set the secret and revealed minde of God at an irreconcilable variance or fancy two mindes in God opposite each unto the other one whereby he hateth and abhorreth in time those persons whom he loved and elected before time and the other whereby he loveth in time those persons whom he hated and abhorred before time which may not be imagined And therefore originally or as men were considered under the fall of Adam we are to conceive that God maketh no difference or distinction betwixt them but of his great and abundant grace in Christ Jesus maketh and openeth unto them all a doore of salvation excluding none who through their own wilfull and voluntary disobedience and contempt of his goodnes exclude not themselves nor saving any but those who from a thankfull apprehension of his rich mercy revealed unto them in his Word and workes or both doe chearfully and willingly submit themselves to the obedience of his will known and understood by them For the Probation of which two general heads joyntly discoursed the detection of the contrary opinions exhibited in sundry objections reasons and texts of Scripture the summe of that which followeth is applyed beginning with the first CHAP I. That God being no respecter of persons cannot choose one man in his disobedience and reject another or enforce one man to believe and not another IF that God should necessitate the salvation of some men and not others then he should be a respecter of persons contrary to the Scriptures As will appeare by severall texts thereof As first by Acts 10.34 Where Peter when he perceived that God had received unto adoption Cornelius a Gentile as well as himselfe and others that were Jewes he thus expresseth himselfe Now I perceive of a truth that there is no respect of persons with God but in every Nation he that feareth him and worketh righteousnesse is eccepted of him Arguing plainly that if God should accept of one person working righteousnesse and not of another as righteous and just as he that
before in the 9. verse as it is pretended he had concluded that God in his eternall purpose had decreed to necessitate and enforce his faith and salvation for where it is known there is no danger of miscarriage there is no ground to exhort to beware or to admonish him to hold fast when both the admonisher and the admonished understand that God hath decreed not to suffer him to let goe his hold if that he would Object If that God doth not inforce men to believe and so inforce their salvation thereby then man is the author of his owne salvation This consequence is badly collected As well might it be said that man is the author of his owne subsistance in this life because the food wherewith his life is mainteyned and preserved is not brought unto his hand minced and violently put into his mouth by the immediate hand of God There are two things required to the Salvation of men viz. Gods Grace in Jesus Christ and mans obedience thereunto as no man is saved by the former without the later so neither can any man be saved by the later without the former That no man can be saved without the Grace of God in Christ appeares in this That no man is able to deliver himself from the curse of the Law raise himselfe from corruption to immortality create and set up that Glorious Fabrick of the World to come or that Heavenly Jerusalem which is to bee possessed therein for these as also for his owne being the meanes of his Salvation the promises of Adoption Justification c. through Faith and obedience every man must acknowledge himselfe to be infinitely engaged to the unspeakable mercy and goodnesse of God in Christ And that no man is saved by the Grace of God without his obedience and conformity thereunto appeareth from hence That men are punished with damnation for turning the Grace of God into wantonnesse Jude 4. For neglecting Salvation Heb. 2.3 And walking in darknesse when light is come into the World John 3.19 Upon which ground it is that Paul to Timothy thus exhorteth 1 Tim. 4.16 Take heed unto thy selfe and to thy doctrine continue therein for in so doing thou shalt both save thy selfe and them that hear thee And yet notwithstanding forasmuch as we our selves the meanes which is improved and the end thereof which is Salvation is all of God we are by the Scriptures instructed to attribute the honour and glory thereof wholly unto him He giveth us saith the Apostle 2 Tim. 6.17 speaking of the things of this life procured no otherwise than through a laborious industry in the use of meanes richly all things to enjoy CHAP. II. That it cannot stand with the love of God unto all to enforce some men to believe and not all IF that God should necessitate the Faith and Salvation of some men and not others it would argue a repugnancy in the Doctrine of his love to man-kinde unto whom he hath expressed an equall affection in giving his Son a Saviour for all and in desiring the salvation of all First That God sent his Sonne into the World to save the World appeareth by severall plaine Texts of Scripture as John 3.17 God sent not his Son in to the World to condemne the World but that the World through him might be saved and John 6.11 I am saith Christ the living Bread which came down from Heaven If any man eate of this Bread he shall live for ever And the bread that I shall give is my Flesh which I will give for the life of the World Againe in John 12.47 If any man saith he heare my words and believe not I judge him nor for I came not into the world to judge the world but to save the world And in the 1 Tim. 2.5 6. the Apostle saith There is one God and one Mediator between God and men the Man Christ Jesus who gave himselfe a Ransome for all And whereas it is by some objected That by the World here spoken of is not to be understood the whole lumpe of man-kinde but only the Elect a part thereof and that by this terme all is not meant every particular man and woman in the world but only some of all sorts c. The Scripture as it were foreseeing this objection addeth in Hebr. 2.9 That Christ tasted death for every man And in the 2 Pet. 2.1 That as there were false prophets among the people even so there shall be false teachers amongst you who privily shall bring in damnable heresies even denying the Lord that bought them and bring upon themselves swift destruction And Rom. 14.15 Destroy not with thy meat him for whom Christ dyed And 1 Cor. 8.11 Through thy knowledge shall the weake brother perish for whom Christ dyed Plainly intimating that Christ dyed not only for the Elect as they use to say but for every man for those that deny him are destroyed perish and are damned And furthermore whereas it is objected That the persons here spoken of were not really of the number of those for whom Christ dyed only in the judgement of charity were so reputed The Scriptures affordeth unto us divers evident grounds to prove that Christ came into the World to save every particular person therein without exception As First the Gospel is declared to be glad tydings unto all Luke 2.10 And Secondly is commanded therefore to be preached unto all Matth. 28.19 Marke 16.15 And Thirdly all men to whom it is preached are required to believe it Marke 16.16 Matth. 11.20 And Fourthly Such as doe not believe and give obedience unto it are threatned with damnation Mat. 10.4 Joh. 3.8 And Fiftly those that have had it preached unto them and refused to give obedience thereunto are declared to judge themselves unworthy of everlasting life Acts 13.46 and to neglect Salvation Hebr. 2.3 Now forasmuch as the Gospel in generall is none other than the fruits of Christs death that Salvation in particular is otherwise altogether impossible it could not in the nature thereof be glad tydings unto all nor in equity or justice be proclamed unto all nor the obedience thereof be required of all nor disobedience thereunto be punishable in all nor could it truly be said That those that are damned for their disobedience unto it have neglected Salvation if that Christ had not shed his Bloud for all And furthermore whereas it is replyed by some That although Christ dyed for all yet his death was intended only to save the Elect. It is by God declared that he sent his Son into the world forth of his love to man-kinde to the end that thereby they might be saved for so saith the Scripture God so loved the world that he sent his only begotten Son c. John 3.16 And for the further confirmation of all mens Faith in this behalfe he most solemnly professeth yea and having no other to swear by he sweareth by Himselfe That he desireth nor only the Salvation of those
been subdued to the love and obedience of him are charged with forgetting God their Saviour and maker with forgetting his workes Psalm 106.21 13. Deut. 32.18 With forgetting that they were purged from their old sinnes 2 Pet. 1.9 Are called forgetfull hearers of the word Jam. 1.25 and resembled to a man beholding his naturall face in a glasse and straight way forgetteth what manner of man he was Jam. 1.23 24. plainly arguing that the consideration of the love and goodnesse of God towards men is the only and effectual means to beget the love and obedience of God in them 3. But let it be granted That the Apostle in these words doth conclude that faith whereunto Salvation is given is the gift of God yet it will not from thence follow That it is by him necessarily begotten or enforced in any men 1. Because that in the Scriptures that is declared to be given which is only offered to mens acceptation to receive or refuse as themselves shall please So Ephron the Hittire gave the field of Machpelah and the Cave that was therein to Abraham Gen. 23.11 And the souldiers that crucified Christ gave him to drink wine mingled with myrrhe but neither the one nor the other of them were thereby possessed with that which was so given unto them because they refused to accept thereof Genesis 23.12 13 17. Mark 15.23 2. That in the Scriptures is said to be given by God unto men which is no otherwise obtained then through a free voluntary use and improvement of such means which he hath vouchsafed unto them for those ends These are the children saith Jacob Gen. 33.5 which God hath graciously given unto thy servant he giveth food to all flesh Psal 136.25 He gave the Israelites their corn and their wine and multiplied their silver and their gold Hos 2.8 He giveth us saith the Apostle richly all things to enioy 2 Tim. 6.17 And thus God hath given eternal life to all men in his Son 1 Joh. 5.10 11. So God being said to give faith unto men when he only affordeth unto them the means thereof Act. 17.31 That faith which is obtained by the use of that means must needs be acknowledged to be his gift also And therefore as the Scriptures testimony that salvation is of grace and the gift of God is no sufficient evidence to prove that therefore it is conferred upon men any otherwise then in the nature of a reward and recompence of their obedience repentance c. So neither is the Scriptures evidence That faith is the gift of God a sufficient ground to prove that therefore it is either infused into mens hearts by the Spirit of God or intruded upon them by the irresistable operation thereof or that it is any otherwise obtained by them then through the voluntary use and improvement of the means that God hath vouchsafed unto them for that purpose It is declared That God gave the Israelites bread from heaven and fed them thereby Psal 78.25 Joh. 6.31 Deut. 8.3 And yet none will from thence affirm That he either inspired them therewith or enforced them to eat thereof or that their sustentation thereby did not wholly depend upon their own voluntary gathering and applying the same thereunto according as the Lord commanded Exodus 16.16 Numb 11.8 To conclude therefore this Argument seeing as it was shewed before that God only regardeth the hearts of men And that his love and displeasure is directed towards them according to that which he observeth to be chosen or refused therein vertue and vice life and death proceeding from thence * Life and death is therefore said to be in the power of the tongue Prov. 18.21 And that by our words we shall be justified and by our words we shall be condemned Mat. 12.37 because that the tongue is presupposed to be the infallible Interpreter of the heart and that nothing is uttered by the one which is not first chosen and determined in the other Mat. 12.34 which plainly argueth That all vertue and vice proceedeth from thence and that every mans judgement in the day of Christ shall be not according to such thoughts or actions whereunto they were enforced but according to that which was freely chosen embraced and accepted by them in their own hearts Pro. 4. 23. If that faith and repentance did not proceed from the free and voluntary choice of mans will as thereby in the sight of God he should not be distinguished from the impenitent and disobedient so neither should he finde any favour or acceptation with God by reason thereof or receive any reward from him at the last day for the same If I doe this thing willingly saith Paul I have a reward 1 Cor. 9.17 but otherwise not as his words doe clearly imply And therefore to the end that all men may obtain eternal life life and death being by Almighty God set before them Deut. 30.19 it concerneth them to hearken diligently to wisdoms voice calling upon them to choose the fear of the Lord Prov. 1.29 And from a thankfull apprehension of his goodnesse discovered unto them with uprightnesse of heart to apply themselves to the obedience of him and that whatsoever they doe to doe it willingly and not grudgingly nor of necessity knowing that he only loveth the chearfull giver from whence the widdows mite being offered with affection becometh a most acceptable sacrifice unto him He desireth not to reap where he hath not first sowed yet he expecteth from us according to the talents delivered unto us the which therefore every man ought faithfully to improve And in so doing when the Lord shall return to take an account of his servants he may assuredly conclude That he will graciously imbrace and receive him with this heavenly Eulogy Well done good and faithfull servant enter thou into the joy of thy Lord when the wicked and slothfull servant shall be cast into outer darknesse CHAP. VIII Serveth for the clearing of such Texts of Scripture which seem to imply a disability in men to improve the means vouchsafed unto them for their salvation AGainst that which hath been said there are two main Objections which require some further Answer to be given unto them The first of which is grounded upon such Scriptures which seem to imply a disability in men to improve the means vouchsafed to their salvation The second is grounded upon such other Scriptures which seem to import repentance faith c. to be necessitated in men by the irresistable power of God The Scriptures appertaining to the first of these Objections are these and such like Ephes 2.1 2 3. 1 Cor. 2.14 John 6.44 2 Cor. 3.5 which in order I shall endeavour to clear and so proceed to those which belong to the second 1. From the first of these Ephes 2.1 2 3. the words whereof are as followeth And you hath he quickned who were dead in trespasses and sins Where in times past ye walked according to the course of this world
friend to the world he must be an enemy unto God James 4.4 Joshua having put it to the Israelites choice whether they would serve the Lord or the gods that their Fathers had worshipped Chap. 24.15 And they having in answer thereunto declared That they would serve the Lord only vers 18. He replieth unto them vers 10. in these words Ye cannot serve the Lord wherein his meaning is not that it was impossible for them to serve the Lord for then he would not have put it to their choice whether they would serve him or not but his meaning is that they could not serve him acceptably unlesse they did wholly cleave unto him and reject Idols vers 14.19 So likewise in this place when the Apostle saith That this natural man cannot receive the things of the Spirit of God that is to say approve and subject himself to the wisdome and instruction of God contained in the doctrine of the Gospel we may not suppose that thereby he concludeth it absolutely impossible for them so to do but impossible only so long as they retain and nourish in themselves the vicious wisdome of the world whereby they are instructed to gain-say resist and oppose all godlinesse vertue and honesty The third Text is Ioh. 6.44 The words whereof are these No man can come unto me except the Father that sent me draw him From whence it is ordinarily supposed That no man can believe in Jesus Christ except that he be necessarily enforced thereunto by an immediate exercise or operation of the power of God upon his soul For answer whereunto I desire that it may be observed that this word draw whereupon the whole weight of this Objection standeth is diversly understood in the Scriptures and is not alwaies taken for a necessary compultion as it is here supposed but ordinarily for an argumentative perswasion only as appeareth by Act. 5.37 Where speaking concerning one Judas a seducer of the people it is said That he drew away much people after him As also by the words of the Apostle in Act. 20.30 where he declareth to the Church That from amongst themselves men should arise speaking perverse things and should draw away Disciples after them And that God only draweth men to the love of himself the Faith and Obedience of Christ by the discovery of his goodnesse towards them and of the danger of their ingratitude towards him doth evidently appear by these following Scriptures Hosea 11.3 4. where concerning backsliding Israel whose goodnes like the morning dew passed away the Lord thus speaketh I taught Ephraim also to goe taking them by their arms but they know that I healed them I drew them with cords of a man with bands of love and I was to them as one that taketh of the yoke on the jaws and I laid meat unto them And in Heb. 10.38 39. The just shall live by faith but if any man draw back saith the Lord my soul shall have no pleasure in him But we are not of those saith the Apostle that draw back to perdition but of those that believe to the saving of their soul In which Scriptures are discovered besides the means whereby God draweth men these two things 1. That God draweth all men the backsliding and those that draw back to perdition as well as those that believe to the saving of their souls And 2. That he so draweth none but that possibly they may draw back to perdition as Ephraim and those others supposed in the later Text it being otherwise to no purpose to present men with the danger of drawing back nor would it be any matter of commendations either in the Apostle or that number wherewith he joyneth himself that they did not draw back as well as others For what praise is it not to draw back when as it is impossible so to do Secondly The words of the Text compared with the former and following verses doe clearly import That the drawing of the Father whereof Christ speaketh consisteth only in external means and doctrinal instruction delivered unto men by his preaching In vers 41. Christ declaring himself to be the living bread or bread of life come down from heaven which giveth life unto the world and that by eating thereof a man should live for ever of which he had spoken before vers 33.35 And the Jews carnally weighing his words therein and not considering that he spake not unto them concerning material bread wherewith their natural lives should be sustained In vers 41 42. Murmur against him saying Is not this Iesus the son of Ioseph whose father and mother vve know How then saith he I came down from heaven Whereupon in vers 43 44 45. Christ that he might remove from before them the occasion of their stumbling at him by reason of his parentage and instruct them by vvhat means they should attain to the Belief and Obedience of his Doctrine answereth them to this effect Although that my father and mother be known unto you yet notwithstanding murmur not against me because I said I am the bread which came down from heaven to give life unto the vvorld For it is not my bodies descending from heaven but the promised Grace of God touching your Redemption Resurrection and eternal Salvation thorow my Death and Obedience to my doctrine which I intend vvhen I so spake unto you the vvhich you cannot receive except my Father vvhich sent me draw you according as it is vvritten in the Prophets They shall be all taught of God Every man therefore which hath heard and learned of the Father viz. received his instruction and submitted themselves thereunto cometh unto me And then in vers 46. least that he should be mistaken in vvhat he had here said concerning the Fathers drawing and teaching and be thought thereby to affirm That none could believe him to be the bread of life Saviour of the vvorld except that the Father immediately in his own person or by his spirit should instruct them therein enforce them thereunto He subjoyneth these vvords Not that any man hath seen the Father at any time save he that is of God he hath seen the Father intimating thereby That although that the Father teacheth men yet he teacheth them not personally or immediately but mediately by the Ministery of his Sonne vvho is God vvith us Mat. 1.23 and sent into the vvorld to the end that we may be taught of God by him according to these plain Scriptures Ioh. 1.18 Heb. 1.2 Ioh. 7.16 Ioh. 12.49 50. So that when it is said That none can come unto Christ except that he be drawn thereunto by the teaching of the Father The meaning thereof is only this That no man can receive Jesus Christ to be the Saviour of the vvorld and become obedient unto him except that he hear and learn be drawn and perswaded thereto by the instruction of the Father in the Ministery of his Son The fourth Text alleadged to prove men incapable of improving the
to be justified by workes For where workes such as are within a mans power are wanting integrity is wanting and where integrity is wanting faith is dead verse 17 26. Unprofitable Gal. 5.6 And not to be distinguished from that of the Devil Jam. 2.19 And seeing then that all such workes which are within mens power to performe are required of them to their Salvation It must needs be granted when the Apostle saith That it is not of workes that his meaning therin is none other then that it is not of workes of perfection according to the law of our creation which are impossible for any man to performe so as to be justified thereby Gal. 2.16 And that the difference betwixt Workes and Grace or the Law and the Gospel standeth only in this viz. That the first requireth unto life that which is impossible unto men in their fallen estate the later no more then what is possible unto them therein and so consequently that life and Salvation which could not be obtained by any through the covenant of workes may be obtained by all through the covenant of Grace which will more evidently appear if it be considered First That the only and speciall reason why the first Covenant was repealed and the second vouchsafed is declared to be this viz. That the first could not give life unto men that is to say in their fallen estate for in the estate of innocency it must needs be acknowledged it could If there had been a Law that could have given life saith the text Gal. 3.21 verily righteousnesse had been by the Law but in regard it could not therefore as the words of the Apostle in Hebr. 8.6 7. doe plainly intimate the Lord found fault therewith abolished it and gave unto men a more excellent Covenant instead thereof that is to say a covenant wherby salvation might be obtained by them in their fallen estate for seeing that the goodnesse of God and his desire of mens Salvation was such as caused him to abolish the first Covenant because it could not give life unto them no reasonable man can conceive that his said goodnesse and love towards them would suffer him to give unto them a second Covenant as faulty and unable to give life unto them as that abolished and if not Then forasmuch as by the later workes are required to be performed by men to their Salvation as well as by the former the excellency of the later above the former must needs be acknowledged to consist only in this viz. That the workes required thereby and the conditions upon which life is promised therin are performable by men in their fallen estate whereas those required thereunto by the other were not In which respect it is that in the 6 verse the Apostle declareth that the later is established upon better promises then the former Secondly That those that endeavoured to reduce men from the Doctrine of the Gospel to the observation of the Law are by the Apostles Acts 15.10 charged with tempting God by putting a yoak upon the necks of the Disciples which they were not able to bear And to the Galathians which were perverted by those false teachers Paul in Gal. 3.1 3. thus writeth O foolish Galathians who hath bewitched you that ye should not obey the truth Are ye so foolish that having begun in the Spirit are ye made perfect by the Law which plainly argueth that the Doctrine of the Gospel which they preached was no such yoak because that then they themselves in preaching the Gospel turning men from Moses to Christ should have bin liable to the same reproof which they laid upon others And as foolish should the Galathians have been in hearkening to them preaching the Gospel as they were in hearkening to the false Apostles preaching the Law For of two yoaks alike intollerable wisdome directeth a man to choose the one as soon as the other and not to prefer the one before the other and therefore unlesse that we will suppose the Apostles to be guilty of tempting God in the same nature wherein they accuse and censure others and thereby to make themselves inexcusable both before God and men Rom. 2.1 we must needs conclude that the yoak or precepts of the Gospel which they endeavoured to impose upon men were not intollerable or grievous 1 John 5.3 Like unto those of the Law but easie and light Mat. 11.30 and so consequently that righteousnesse life and salvation impossible by the former is possible and may be attained by the later 3. That Paul in the 2 Cor. 3.7 9. speaking of the Law calleth it the Ministration of death and of condemnation And contrariwise speaking of the Gospel or New Testament he calleth it the ministration of righteousnesse and in verse the 6 saith That the first killeth but the later giveth life Now forasmuch as the Law in it's own nature is neither the ministration of death nor condemnation being holy just and good promising life and would assuredly bring us to the possession thereof could we but observe what it requireth or attain unto that originall innocency and purity in which we were created therefore it is so called only in respect that in the necessary consequence therof by reason of our inability to fulfill the same it becommeth such unto us And therefore if that the conditions of the new Covenant were no more performable then those of the Law the Gospel could not be called the ministration of righteousnesse and life any more then the Law because it is the savour of death unto death unto all those that disobey it as well as the Law John 3.19 Hebr. 10.28 29. and conferreth neither righteousnes nor life unto any that observe it not any more then the Law therefore whereas it is called the ministration of righteousnesse and life in opposition to the Law it must needs be understood in this respect That righteousnesse life and Salvation impossible by the Law may be obtained by it 4. The same Apostle likewise discoursing of the two Covenants in the ninth and tenth chapters of the Romans and having in the 32 verse of the 9. chapter after a large discourse concerning the same concluded righteousnesse not to be attainable by the Law in the 8 verse of the 10. chapter he declareth That the righteousnesse that is by the Gospel is nigh unto us even in our mouthes and in our hearts then which nothing can be more near unto us And in Deut. 30.11 12 13 14. whereunto he hath allusion to prevent all objections concerning this thing Moses thus speaketh The commandment that I command thee this day it is not hidden from thee neither is it farre off It is not in Heaven that thou shouldst say who shall go up for us to Heaven and bring it unto us that we may hear it and do it Neither is it beyond the Sea that thou shouldst say who shall goe over the Sea for us and bring it unto us that we may hear it and doe
under two or three witnesses Of how much sorer punishment suppose ye shall he be thought worthy who hath troden under foot the Son of God and hath counted the blood of the Covenant wherewith he was sanctified an unholy thing and hath done despite unto the Spirit of Grace Now forasmuch as where God hath absolutely promised to doe all for men which is any waies necessary to be done to bring them to an end there remaineth not any thing to be done by them for that purpose and that not only all danger but the very least supposition of miscarriage or possibility of failing thereof is thereby wholly taken away so neither can there reasonably be any thing required of them thereunto or any danger of falling be justly suggested unto them the power and truth of God being thereby directly impeached of impotency and falshood and therefore seeing that the Apostle who in all such things which dependeth altogether for their accomplishment upon the faith and omnipotency of God alone as the resurrection of the dead and the reward of Faith with Christ in the world to come instructeth men according to the example of Abraham Rom. 4. not to stagger at the promise of God through unbelief but against hope to believe in hope to be strong in faith giving glory to God being fully perswaded that whatsoever in that nature he hath promised he is able and will bring it to passe and that neither death nor life nor Angels nor principalities nor powers nor things present nor things to come nor heighth nor depth nor any other creature shall be able to prevent or hinder the same doth notwithstanding this covenant or promise of God made unto the Hebrews to put his Lawes in their hearts and write them in their mindes c. so earnestly exhort them to draw near unto God in purity of heart conscience and conversation verse 22 to hold fast the profession of their faith without wavering verse 23 and for that end not to forsake the assembling themselves together but to exhort and provoke one another unto love and to good workes vers 24 25. To looke diligently that no man fail or fall from the Grace of God chap. 12.15 And least there be in any of them a heart of unbelief hardened through the deceitfulnes of sin in departing from the living God chap. 2.12 13. And all this from the ground and consideration of the danger of sinning wilfully against the truth verse 26 and falling into the hands of God by trampling his Son under their feet and counting his bloud the bloud of the Covenant given unto them rehearsed in verse 16 17. whereby they were sanctified an unholy thing and doing despite unto the Spirit verse 29 30. which witnessed and confirmed him unto them to be the Son of God and that the principles of this Doctrine viz. repentance from dead workes c. chapter 1. and chapter 6.1 with chapter 2.3 4. were of God must of necessity argue unto us That neither he nor yet the Hebrews themselves did understand this Covenant as now ordinarily it is taken or as in this Objection it is urged For if they had then doubtles he would not having no reason for the same have exhorted and cautioned them in this manner but contrariwise would have encouraged them wholly to have rested themselves upon the faith and power of God engaged unto them to do for them and work in them whatsoever was necessary to their Salvation to prevent all such things that might any waies possibly hinder them thereof nor would they themselves ever have regarded any thing that he should have spoken unto them to the contrary any more then if he should have exhorted them after death to raise themselves from thence upon the danger of perishing for ever and ever in the Grave Which shall serve for answer to this Objection The Conclusion THe consideration of this discourse may serve First as a means to remove out of all mens mindes all prejudiciall and evil thoughts as concerning the decrees and precepts of Almighty God It having been shewed That in his Election he respecteth not the persons of any nor prefereth one man before another therein but extendeth and vouchsafeth the same freely and indifferently to every one who doth not voluntarily knowingly and of malicious wickednes debar themselves thereof his decree of Reprobation being grounded only upon the known wilfull and stubborn disobedience against his Commandments and means of Grace used and vouchsafed for their repentance and reformation Ierem. 6.30 with the 28 29. And his Commandments having been shewed not to be grievous but easie and light for every man to observe and practice 2. It may serve to admonish every man to take heed and beware of all kinde of disobedience against God and that they doe not approve or allow themselves in any or the least thing which they know to be displeasing unto him either forth of a conceit of their Election or of an opinion of impossibility of falling away totally and finally forth of his love and favour seeing it appeareth that he only chooseth unto himself the man that is godly the rich in faith And that he will not justifie the righteous in the day that he turneth away from his unrighteousnes to commit iniquity nor necessarily prevent him therein nor will know the works of iniquity in the day of Account 3. It may also administer sound comfort and consolation to all simple hearted sincere and godly affected persons against all their scruples fears doubts and jealousies as concerning their ignorances weaknesses and infirmities wherewith their mindes are ordinarily perplexed It having been shewed that God will never lay any of these things to their charge or any whit the lesse esteem of them by reason thereof but doth and will alwaies behold and judge of them through the riches of his grace in Jesus Christ according to the integrity purpose of heart and sincerity of affection which he observeth in them towards his name 4. And lastly The consideration hereof doth also abundantly serve to beget in all men an unfeigned love and obedience towards God I will love the Lord saith David because he hath heard my voice c. Psal 116.1 And being but advanced from the sheepfold to an earthly Crown and receiving a promise for the continuance thereof to his house hath his heart thereby exceedingly filled with affection towards him how much more then may the consideration of his goodnes before expressed in advancing us not from a sheep-fold but from death it self the fold of Satan Hebr. 2.14 Nor to a terrestial and corruptible crown but to a glorious estate of immortality even when we were his enemies Rom. 5.8 10. and neither asked nor desired any such thing of him serve to kindle and inflame our hearts with an unfained love and sincere affecton towards him especially if we consider what an heavenly City immortal crown and weight of Glory he hath therein prepared to bestow upon us for an inheritance and crown of reward even for that love service and obedience which of bounden duty we owe unto him The consideration of this Grace caused S. John to love God 1 Joh. 4.19 with the 9 10. chap. 3.16 And constrained Paul to the obedience of him 2 Cor. 5.14 15. FINIS Postscript BEcause I would not be mistaken in my meaning concerning that which I have spoken in the favour of ignorance I thought it necessary more clearly to discover That my intention therein is not to patronize any mans voluntary and wilfull ignorance such as that mentioned by S. Peter in his 2 Epist chap 3.4 5. or that of the Jews discovered in John 9.9 to the end of the chapter For for men to refuse to know because they would not obey or wilfully to oppose evident grounds of reason and light appearing unto them whether forth of a hatred against it or a love to walke in darknesse John 3.19 And so in effect to say unto God Depart from us for we desire not the knowledge of thy waies Job 21.14 can be no more excusable then stubborn rebellion and disobedience against the truth clearly known and understood But the ignorance for which I plead excuse is that only which befalleth men either through imbecility in nature or want of means For as it cannot be required of an ideot to understand reason nor of a childe to distinguish betwixt good and evill naturall internity having hidden those things from their eies and no talent given to them to enable them thereunto So neither by the like reason can the particular knowledge and faith of the Gospel or any thing else whatsoever be required of those to whom the necessary means thereof is not offered Vpon which ground Christ declareth That if he had not come and spoken unto the Jews and done amongst them such works which did evidently demonstrate unto them the truth and excellency of his doctrine and that he was the Messias promised to come they had not had sin in rejecting either him or it John 15.22 23. with the 10 27. And therefore ignorance in this nature cannot be concluded any greater sin then Uriah his carrying of the Letter to take away his own life 2 Samuel 11.14 15. which will never be laid to his charge