Peradventure they will save us a live So do ye although ye have but a May be we shall be hid Zeph 2. 3. Minde your Duty and leave the issue to God Believe above hope and against hope Follow God in the dark as your father Abraham did Not knowing whether He would lead him Thus to do is To give Glory to God Therefore Fear the Lord and Obey the voice of His Servant even then when ye are in Darkness and have noe light Namely of His special Favour and love to you in perticular And though never so great discouragements are afore you from the Guilt of sins Committed the power of Indwelling Corruption and your present Aversness to Beleiveing and hear withall That Faith is the Great Commandment let your heart answer Is it my Duty my Duty to believe Nay then I must Remember His Greatness His absolute Dominion The â—ncontrollableness of His Matters That He hath concluded All in unbelief That He might have mercy upon All Rom. 11. 32. that is That the Salvation of Those who shall be saved might appear to be of Mercy and be so acknowledged To him therefore Commit your Cause and Commit it to Him as your Sovereign Lord and so leave it with Him And see that you take it not out of His hand again by your doubting the issue of it And know that then is your Soul nearest to Peace and settle ment when brought to this Submission Be in subjection unto the Father of Spirits Heb 12. 9. and live But let not the Word be misconstrued I do not mean by Submission That you should be satisfied under a denial of Mercy on the accompt of God's Absolute Dominion I cannot think That a Necessary term or qualification in your â—reating with God for Salvation For 1. I do not find That God requires such a Submission as the Condition of obtaining Mercy Nor that He hath made any Promise to give such a Submission in order to that end Nor any Instance in scripture of Mens having or indeavouring such a frame of spirit in that business Nor yet That Men are any where tax'd for-Not attâ—ning to it They are blamed indeed and that worthily For not submitting to the Righteousness of God that is For not Renouncing their own and flying to That of Christ And this blame-worthiness you cannot escape if finding your self lost and undone you will not presently run to Christ without first finding in your self Something that may seem to commend you to him 2. Such a Submission seems Repugnant to God's revealed Will For if this be the Will of God even our sanctification That we should believe in His Son and love Him with our whole heart Then it cannot be his Will That we should be willing to Remain in an unsanctified estate in unbelief and enmity against Him which are the inseperable Conjux of Willingness to be Seperated from God 3. Because the promise of Ease and Rest is made to the Weary and Laden coming to Christ Not to a Contentedness to be divided from him And the promise of Satisfaction is to your bungring and thirsting after Righteousness Not to the Câ—ssation of your desire without the Thing which onely can satisfie 4. Because To be satisfied without obtaining Mercy is to be satisfied with an utter incapacity to Glorify the Grace of God and to enjoy Communion with Him which are the principal End and Duty of Men. 5. It is Crosse to the Genius and Concreated Principle of the Reasonable Creature which is to seek its own happiness In any thing short of which it ought not to acquiesce 6. Such a submission cannot be Requisite in Preparatory work because That would suppose the highest pitch of Grace attain'd if yet it be a Grace and attainable before you beleive and consequently That it is not a Grace out of Christ's fullness for ye are supposed to have it before ye go to Him And therefore when I say ye must submit without Capitulating or making terms my meaning is ye are not to Treat upon terms of your own Making Nor propound any thing to God but What Sovereign Mercy propounds to you as the Way and Means of obtaining your Great End And great Reason ye have for this Submission for herein lies your Interest Those being in truth the onely Terms by which a lost and sinfull Creature can be rendred salvable or capable of being saved as may further appear in the Sequel of this discourse I think with humble Submission That if any Point of time may be supposed before the Decree It was Then that Absolute Dominion borâ— sway But ever since Election came in It is Grace that Reignes Not That Sovereignty is Ceased but Transferr'd Before it was in Power but Now in Grace In Grace as touching the Elect and in Justice as touching the Rest Grace is the Attribute God delights to honour And all the Other are if I may so speak Subjects of This Even Christ Himself was made a Servant to perform the pleasure of His Grace So then That you are to Submit unto is the good pleasure of God's will as held forth in the Covenant of Grace undertaking for and perfectly able to save you and as having His Sovereign Power engaged to make it good Which seems the scope of that passage in Moses his prayer for the people Numb 14 17 18 19. when they had highly provoked God Let the power of my Lord be Great according as Thou â—ast spoken c. It was to pardon and still Own them for His people And to this agree all those Scriptures which hold forth the Power of God as the ground of Faith as that by which He is Able to pardon sin Isa 27. 5. To subdue miquity and to hold your Souls in life you are therefore directed If ye will have peace with God to take hold of His strength Which cannot be meant of Contentedneâ—sâ— in having that strength put forth to destroy but as being perfectly Able and engaged by His Covenant to Save you As to the time When He will manifest His love to you As also touching the manner and measure of His dispensing it the good pleasure of God's Will is expressly and with all quietness of spirit to be Submitted unto But as to the Thing it self You ought not to be said Nay but as he who had power with God and prevail'd Hos 12. 14. Gen. 32. 26. He wept and made supplication but still resolv'd I will not let thee 〈◊〉 except thou bless me 2. As for the other nearest Concernment touching your Children deal in like manner for them by submitting them to the same Mercy It is true That next to your own personal salvation there cannot be a greater evidence of God's love to you than to Choose your Children after you Nor any thing more desireable to you Therefore Command them Gen. 18. 19. and Instruct them to keep the way of the Lord That He may bring on them the
Eccles. 3. 14. taking it still for a Rule That all the wayes of God are perfect Nothing can be put to them Nor any thing taken from them 'T was a good Reâ—olution in Job Job 9. 15. Job 13 15. That though he were Righteous yet would he not answer God but make supplication to his Judge And though he should slay him yet will he trust in Him And this he would do even whiles he thought he might maintain his own wayes before Him Be Patient therefore Jam. 5. 7. Ps 9. 8. Tbe coming of the Lord draweth nigh who will judge the World with Righteousness Let neither the wickeds prosperity nor the daily Chastenings of His own People Ps 73 17. be an offence to thee Go up into the Sanctuary of God There thou shalt know the end It shall not alwaies be carried thus There will be a Reckoning for the good things they had in their life time when those that have lived in pleasure will wish that their Souls had been in thy Souls stead under all its pressures And it shall be no grief of heart to thee to remember thy Morta ' and momentany sufferings Rom 8. 18. Heb. 12. 11. when thou â—eest such peaceable â—ruits of Righteousness brought forth thereby When thou shalt be wrapt up with an holy amazement and shalt say in thy heart Isa 49. 21. Ch. 60. I lost my Children and was desolate A Captive and Removing to and fro had no abiding place who hath begotten me these Whence came they What root sprang they from 2 Cor. 4. 17 My Light afflictions were not worthy to be compared with this Glory He 'l never repent that he sowed in tears who brings home his Sheafs with such Joy But as you go along to this your blessed home and sweet Place of Eternal Rest Eccles 8. 12 13 it may be worth the while to Ruminate such Scriptures as these Though a Sinner do evil an hundred times and his dayes be prolonged he goes unpunished yet surely it shall be Well with them that fear God But it shall not be Well with the wicked Ps 58. 11. Verily There is a Reward for the Righteous Verily He is a God who judgeth in the Earth And His judgement is according to Truth Rom. 2. 2. And blessed are they that wait for Him Isa 30. 18. Inference 6. Lastly All the Objections that are levied and brought against the Doctrine of Election as to the Absoluteness Personality and Eternity of it The Peculiarity of Redemption The Efficaeious Predominance of Grace in Calling And Believers invincible Perseverance in Faith and Holiness Would all be disbanded and sent to their own Place Were but this One Truth which none in words will deny truly believ'd and Receiv'd in Love viz. That God hath an absolute Right of Dominion over His Creatures to dispose and Determine of them as seemeth Him good and that In the Doing thereof He cannot but do Right And so I come to the Matter firstly intended OF ELECTION THe Doctrine of Election in the latitude of it containeth the whole Summ and Scope of the Gospel And our Mindes if honestly subdued to the Doctrine of God's Sovereignty cannot be employed about a more excellent Subject It is called The Foundation of God not onely because of the Supereminency of it but as a Foundation of His Own laying which God Himself and Alone is the Author of and the Basis whereof is Himself It is that Foundation which standeth sure and keeps them All sure who stand upon it ELECTION is the pitching of Everlasting love Or the Good Pleasure of God-Choosing and Decreeing to Eternal life It is the Great Charter of Heaven God's special and Free-Grace Deed of Gift to His Chosen Ones Made over in trust unto Jesus Christ for their use and benefit Now in Deeds of Gift to make them Authentick there must be inserted 1 The name of the Donor or Person that gives 2 The Name of the Donee or person to whom 3 The quality and extent of the Thing that is Given 4 The time when it was done 5 The Consideration that moved thereto 6 In case of Impotency it is usual and necessary to ordain some Friend as Feoffee in trust who is to stand seized or Possessed of the Gift for the Donee's use All which are evidently found in Scripture Election and may be Summ'd into this Proposition That there is a Peculiar People who were personally chosen of God in Christ according to His own good pleasure and ordain'd to Eternal Life before the World began Before I come to a down-right proof of the Proposition Proposition I shall First Explain the Terms And Secondly Produce a few Instances of a lower kind of Election sâ—il To Matters of a lower Concern than That of Eternal Life which yet might be intended for a Type and Shadow of it I. For Explanation This word Peculiar denotâ—s the Exemption or Privileging of a Person or Thing from the power of another in whose jurisdiction it was or seem'd to be It sometimes signifies Riches or Substance which is of a Man 's own proper getting by Labour and Industry It is also used to denominate such part of a Man's Estate as he keeps in his own hands which our Law calls his Demesne Lands In all which respects the Elect are aptly term'd a Peculiar People For 1 Though Satan be Prince of the world and rules on every side yet as touching the Elect it is but an usurp'd and temporary jurisdiction that he hath over them They do indeed belong to another Prince to whom their Chief Lord hath given them who therefore in the appointed time will reseue them from that usurpation 2 They are the Lord's Treasure oâ— Inheritance obtained by labour indeed with Sweat and Blood Than which nothing is more a Man 's own nor hardlier parted with Such was the portion bestowed by Jacob on his beloved Joseph Gen. 48. 22. even That which he gâ—t with his Sword and with his Bow And 3 They are the Lordâ—â— Demesnes He keeps them in His own hands Tenâ—â—rs them as the Apple of His eye He will not betrust them in the hands of others No not of their own selves To Ordain is used here in the sameâ—sense as to Predestinate Appoint Prepare Decree or Predetermine things to come Which is done in such sort and manner that the Event shall certainly succeed and that just as was Fore-intended and Designed In this sense Men cannot be said to Predestinate because they cannot with any certainty Determine of things not yet in being But all things were present with God from Eternity And His Decree the Cause of their Futurition or Stanâ—ing forth By Eternal life I understand Not onely the Saints Actual possession of Blessedness and Glory which consists in their perfect Conformity to God and Communion with Him but also Whatever is Requisite thereto by way of Right Preparation or Otherwise wherein are comprehended The Mediation
teach Themselves Rom. 2 from 17 ver to 21. And in Rom. 3. where they are Ranked together he proves them to be All under Sin None Righteous None that understandeth None that seeketh after God None that doth good No not One Yea This depravement of Nature was so deep and indelibly fixed That the Lord Himselfe tells them The Blackmoor might as soon change his skin as they learn to do well All which with abundantly more be speaks a condition extreamly remote from yielding a Cause of this blessed Election IV. If God's love to Men had its Rise and Beginning from their love to Him it would not have that singular eminency in it Joh. 3. 16. that is justly ascribed to it So God lâ—ved the World So as not to be exprest So as not to be paralel'd So as not to be understood until we come to that State wherein we shall know as we are known By this it is 1 Cor. 13. 12. that God's love to Men is so highly celebrated in 1 Joh. 4. 10 Herein is love Not that we loved God but that God loved us And Behold what manner of love the Father hath bestowed up on us 1 Joh. 3. 1. Which surely then is not after the manner of Men Matth. 6. 46. For even Publicans do so Luke 6 32 35. and Sinners love those that love them But to love Enemies and whiles Enemies as to love a Woman a Wife that is an Adulteress this is according to God's love to His Chosen But Notwithstanding these Scriptures with others seem purposely written to obviate such conceptions as would feign our loving of God to be the ground and Motive of His love to us Yet great endeavours there are to Father Election upon foreseen faith and works which That They call the Covenant of Grace has they Say qualified and capacitated all Men for and which certain more pliant ingenuous and industrious persons as they speak would attain unto by the helps they have in common with other Men But this pedigree of Election is excepted against as being not rightly deduced For 1. Men having in Adam devested themselves of all that was holy and good the Lord could not foresee in them any thing of Worth or Desirableness but what Himself should work in them Anew and that of pure Grace and favour For sin and deformity could not be motives of love And that the Elect of themselves were in no wise better than other Men is evident by the Scriptures late-quoted where the Holy Ghost asserting the universal depravement of humane nature exâ—empts not one But if such excellent and distinguishing qualifications as Faith and Holiness had been foreseen and so imputable to them the Spirit of Truth would not have Rank'd them Even with the Children of wrath as He doth Eph. 2. 3. But 2. If they were otherwise what could they add unto God Job 37. 24. Ch. 35 7. Ch. 41. 11. Or whereby could they oblige Him He respecteth not any that are wise of heart If thou be Righteous what givest thou Him And who hath prevented Me says the Lord that I should repay him i. e. Who is he that is a fore hand with God Deut. 10. 17. in doing ought that might induce His favour He regardeth not Persons nor taketh Rewards He is not propitious to any for what they can do for Him or bring to Him Take Paul for an Instance He walked up to the light he had Was blameless lived in all good Conscience knew no evil by himself a rare degree of legal Righteousness But that it was not this moved God to make him a Chosen Vessel he thankfully acknowledgeth with self-abasement upon every occasion Tit. 3. 5. Tin 1. 14. 15. 2. Tim. 1. 9. 3. Faith follows Election God respects the person before his offering you 'l say perhaps Abel was respected as a Believer and his offering for his Faith True But that Faith of his was not the primary cause of God's respecting him If Abels Person had not been respected first he had never been a Believer For Faith is the work and gift of God and according to the course of all judicious Agents he that will work must first pitch on the Subject He will work upon and he that gives on the person he will give unto Heb. 11. 6. Besides Rom. 14. 23. Abel could do nothing before he Believed that might move God to give him Faith therefore it could not be Abel's foreseen Faith that was the Cause of his Election The Scripture speaks often of iron-sinew'd-Necks and Brazen Brows and of Men's being in their blood when the Lord said They should live As also that God loved Jacob before he had done any good thing and that the Saints love God because He loved them first But no-where of Foreseen Faith and Holiness as the Cause and Ground of God's love to Men. 4. Faith and Holiness are Middle things They are neither the Foundation nor Top-stone of Election They are to Sovereign Grace as Stalks and Branches are to a Root by which the Root conveyes its virtues into its principal fruit Ephes 2. 8 By Grace ye are saved through Faith 2. Thes 2. 13 Chosen to Salvation through Sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the Truth They are no more the Cause of Election than the Means of an End are the first Cause of Purpose Nay no more than Tatnai's propension to build the Temple and to provide Sacrifices for the God of Heaven was the Cause of Darius his Decree that those things should be done Ezra 5. and 6. Chapters 5. If men be Predestinate to Faith and Holiness as they are according to Rom. 8. 38 â—9 and 1. Pet. 1. 2. Then they were not seen to be such before their Predestination Or if they were then their Election as to that particular would seem impertinent There can no Rational account be given why Men foreseen to be such should be so solemnly predestinate thereto So likewise If Salvation be the inseparable product of Faith and Holiness according to John 5. 24 He that believeth hath everlasting life and shall not come into condemnation 1. Pet. 1. 9. Receiving the End of your Faith the Salvation of your Souls Then to ordain to Salvation those foreseen to be so qualified would seem a thing both needless and insignificant It would look like the sending of Men where they would have gon of Themselves Such sapless irregular and injudicious Notions are very unworthy that Celebrious and for ever Adorable Act of Predestination And if duely weighed would set us further off from the doctrine of Self-advancement which stands in so point-blank opposition to the Doctrine of God's Grace V. Arg. 5. It could not stand with the wisdom and Goodness of God to found the Salvation of His People on a failable bottom Which it must be said to be if dependent on any thing besides His own Immutable Will For whatever it was that Election had being from
if left to the wisdom of Men. But I shall not doubt to affirm That this Doctrine of Election's Absoluteness is much afore-hand with that which teacheth it to be Conditional both in point of Encouragement and otherwise And that as well Afore believing as Afterwards 1. Before a Man comes to believe supposing him to be Notionally instructed therein Before For being under conviction of the Greatness and Multitude of his Sins and finding the power of indwelling corruption so Insuperable Having also a sight of the Holiness of God It needs must prove a difficult Matter to believe that there is Mercy and Pardon for such a One as he Or that ever those domineering lusts should be made to submit But then considering 1. That Electing Love pitches on the Chief of Sinners 2. That it flowes not from nor is sounded upon any condition to be performed by Men And 3. That Election has in it All that conduceth to life and Godliness These things I say considered it cannot but have a farr greater influence on the Soul to cleave unto God and follow hard after Him than if his Election were suspended upon his Doing that which he finds in himself no power to pâ—rform For he sees by woful and yet through Grace happy Experience That as the Law is made weak through the weakness of the flesh so also setting aside the Absoluteness of Electing love all the meanes of Grace which are given in Common among Men would be wholly ineffectual to Salvation Which difficulties Electing love in the Absoluteness of it will Supersede and set him above them all 2. After a man comes to Believe this Doctrine of Absolute Election is of singular use and benefit to him both as tending to keep him on his feet and to raise him when he is down 1 It is a great Preservative in time of Temptation The Remembrance of that love which looked upon him when he was in his blood and said he should live and hath now also made good its Word to him must needs operate strongly with a gratious heart against what ever might be unworthy of such love Let the bait be never so aptly suited he will turn from it in a holy disdain as good Joseph did How can I do this Wickedness Gen 39. 9. and sin against God who hath dealt so bountifully with me 2 Nothing more tends to Recovery after a fall than the Consideration of the Freeness of God's Love at first and His Mighty Power in Quickening when altogether dead And that both these viz. This Love and this Power are engaged by an Absolute Covenant to bring every one that takes hold thereof unto Glory and therefore will receive him not only After upon his Return to his Duty but in the Midst of his backslidings He will come and heal him The Lord's way of dealing with Ephraim ver 17 18. ver 21 22. set down in the 57. of Isaiah is an instance pertinent to the case in hand And in the 44. Chap. He doth as it were Clench and fasten this Nail in a sure place Remember O Jacob I have formed thee Thou shalt not be forgotten of Me I have bloted out thy sins Therefore return unto Me And Jer. 3. 14. Return O backsliding Children for I am married unto you to wit by His Covenant of Election To this purpose also is the edge of Samuel's Argument applied in 1 Sam. 12. 20 22 Fear not ye have done all this wickedness yet turn not aside from following the Lord As if he had said your wickedness indeed is great ye have highly provoked the Lord by your casting Him off yet be not discouraged as if the Lord would therefore cast off you For the Lord will not forsake His people But why Because it hath pleased the Lord to make you His people And in ver 24. he further backs it with the remembrance of the great things God had done for them aforetime Than which there is nothing of stronger tendency to a Soul's recovery III. From the Personality of Election and IV. From the Eternity of its Original I gather in general That since the Scriptures have so highly Renouned these two Circumstantial parts of Election Inference by so frequent a mentioning of them and that on occasions of the solemnest import We ought not to pass them by as things of indifferent notice But as being diversly Instructive Worthy to be kept and soberly contended for The Holy Ghost doth not use to inculcate matters of Ordinary observance or little import But as Noting to us some great importancy in them as taxing also our sloth and aptness to neglect them and to stir up our minds to make the more diligent search What and what manner of things they are and how to be improv'd In particular From the Personality of Election I Infer I. Inference That it ought to be minded as matter of the highest honour to the Parties concern'd The Lord illustrates Moses at no ordinary rate when He tells him I know thee by name and doubtless intended that Moses himself should so account of it and be highly sâ—tisfied therewith though deny'd in some other things he would fain have had Thuâ— also Paul signalizeth those eminent Saints who were his fellow-Labourers in the Gospel Phil. 4. 3. That their names were in the Book of Life And our Saviour propounds it to His Disciples as matter of highest Exultation That their names were written in Heaven That our poor insignificant names should be written in God's book and lâ—id up among His Treasures in Heaven when the Generality of Names even Names of Note are written in the Dust let it not seem a light matter to us Isa 56. 5. For this is that Everlasting Name which never shall be cut-off II. Inference The knowledge of this thing namely that God has thus taken Notice of our Names is a great Priviledge It enlarges the heart to higher expectations it gives boldness or freedom of speech towards God as if Nothing were too great for such a One to ask See how Moses grows upon it No sooner Exod. 33. 17. sayes God I know theeby name But Moses as rapt into the Second and fain would be in the Third Heaven presently replies I beseech thee shew me thy Glory III. Inference As it is matter of Honour and Priviledge So it will prove one of your best Titles to your Heavenly inheritance It will signifie something one day however by some too lightly esteemed Now when it shall be the great distinguishing character between you and the World Whoever he be that derives not his Genealogie from this Register Nehe. 7. 64. will be put from the Heavenly Priest-hood The New Jerusalem admits None Rev. 20 15. but whose Names are written in the Book of life yea every One that is not found written there Ch. 21 27. shall be cast into a lake of fire Therefore Give all diligence to make yâ—ur Election sure IV.
not lose it as some would give the sense had been a Comfortless and empty Notion and an injudicious way of speaking This is yet further confirmed by John 5. 24 He that believeth is passed from death to life and shall not come into condemnation The Reason of all which is that their Faith is founded on a Rock Math. 7 15. which Wind and Waves may beat and break themselves against But never the Rock it self nor That which is built upon it He that trusteth in the Lord is as Mount Zion which cannot be moved No Not so much as One of the stakes of that Tabernacle shall be removed Psalm 125. 1. Isa 33. 20. Chap. 45. 17 1 Pet. 2. 6. and that for ever They shall not be ashamed nor confounded World without End It would very much allay that superlative cause of Rejoycing That our Names are written in Heaven If possibly they might be blotted out agen since we find in our selves such a proneness to Revolt which every one acquainted with his own heart must acknolwedge But we are sure Christ would not propound to us a failable ground of rejoycing For that would have been an inviting us to lean on a breakable staff which kind of dependence He is evermore calling us from Believers indeed are sometimes foyl'd but never overcome Though they fall and that seaven times in a day as was said As often do they rise agen And it 's no disparagement to their leader yea it is the Glory of a General to give his enemy advantages and take them agen at his pleasure to his enemies greater confusion and overthrow Satan got nothing by his Winnowing Peter Peter lost some of his Chaff which well might be spared and the Tempter lost many an after-advantage For the World of Believers have been the warier ever since To this second sort of evidence I shall onely add That of the Holy Apostle in Rom. 8. He was perswaded that is He was throughly swayed in his faith to believe it for himself and deliver it down to the Ages to come as a Truth infallible That neither Height nor Depth Nor any other Creature shall be able to separate from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. Rom. 8. 38 39. He reckons up all that can be named and lest any thing might have slipt him he brings in Height and Depth as being those two extreams that take in All and more than Men can think and then resolves That even These shal not be able to do it And surely if the super-celestial height of God's Holiness Nor the infra-infernal Depth of sin shall separate from that day of Glory which the sons of God were Predestinated to and for which they were both made and Redeemed called into and groan for then are Believers Roundly secur'd against final Apostacy III. A third sort of evidence for Confirmation are certain Arguments or Reasons why the Saints must needs Persevere in Faith and Holiness By this word Needs must I do not understand any other kind of necessity than well consists with perfect freedom such a Necessity as was upon Paul to preach the Gospel which was a work he rejoyced in such as was upon Jesus Christ to bring-home his sheep and to lay down his life for them Luke 12. 50. How was He streightned till it was accomplished That it was written in his heart was no hindrance to the freedom of his will The expression is well warranted also where it is said That the Scripture speaking of Judas his fact must needs be fulfilled Acts 1. 16. The first Argument Arg. I. John 1. 13. in proof of Perseverance is founded on the Saints Extract or Original They are born of God And this hath the force of a double Argument 1. As God is their Father and Eternal Root Our Saviour holds forth this Relation as the ground of our Faith in prayer Math. 6. 9. And He begins with it Himself when He prayes for His own Glory and that His Disciples might be partakers of it John 17. 1. To the same end He frequently useth that style of Father in the Gospel of John as in particular That He ascends to His Father and our Father John 20. 17. It is to strengthen our Faith in God thro' Himself on the account of His Fatherhood to us The Father loveth the Son John 3. 35. And He loves His Believers as He loveth Christ Himself Iohn 17. 23. On which ground the Apostle concludes That He cannot but give us all things else Rom. 8. 32. Believers are in truth the product of His love both in respect of Election and Regeneration and being so He cannot but have a paternal affection for them to administer to them what-ever tends to their sustentation and growth and to keep-off what ever would intercept or weaken His gracious influences towards them Having once loved them John 13. 1. He loves them for ever They may therefore be confident That what He hath begun in the Spirit He will not let end in the flesh That having begun a good work in them Phil. 1. 6. He will also perform it For As they have their spiritual Being from Him as the Father of it so 't is Natural to Him to derive his virtues into them without intermission as for a Vine to send up its sap into its own branches or the Sun to cherish the plants of its own production All the natural affections that are in Creatures towards their own are but drops of His Immense fullness A Mother may possibly forget the Child of her Womb but the Lord cannot forget His Off-spring That none may hurt them nor they themselves He will keep them night and day Isaiah 27. 3. chap. 46. 3 4. and water them every moment They are born by Him from the Belly and carried from the Womb and even to their old age He will carry them and deliver them 2. The new Creature as it comes from God so it exists in Him and lives upon Him and it is Natural to it to seek its nourishment where it had its Original Nothing can satisfie it but that great Deep from whence it sprang As a New-born child that has not the use of Reason will hunt for the breast by natural instinct and not be qulet without it As soon as ever Paul was converted Behold he prayes Acts 9. 11. Having once received the Spirit of Christ they cannot but incline after Him as Elisha did Elijah upon the casting of his Mantle on him It is natural to them 1 K. 19. 19 20. as for sparks to fly upwards They are said To be baptized with fire Not onely because of the purifying Nature of fire but in respect of its Aspiring quality it will be Mounting and not rest till it come to its own element Obstructions many it meets withall but still it presseth onwards and by degrees bears-down all afore it and carries that with it in which it
by Ahab and the people A prophet is one that is inspired by the Holy Ghost which those Men were not but by a lying spirit Now Simon Magus was no more a true Believer ver 22. than those true Prophets Nor his faith any more of the right kind than their predictions true prophecies We also find that the Scripture makes the Coming-to-pass of the thing foretold to be the evidence of a true prophet According to which Rule Persâ—verance to salvation is to demonstrate the truth of faith and where-ever this follows not there faith was but pretended They profess to know God Tit. 1. 16. 2 King 17. 32. ver 34. but in deeds do deny Him As of those Samaritans before mentioned It is said They feared the Lord and presently after that They feared not the Lord They feared him in shew but not in truth 4. The Foundation of God standeth sure having this seal The Lord knoweth them that are His 2 Tim. 2. 19. He brings it in to comfort believers touching the Sureness of their standing when others of as glorious out-sides make Shipwreck of the faith It stands sure because the Lord knoweth them that are His He knows whom He hath Chosen For whom He hath received the Attonement whom He hath Called and caused to take hold of His Covenant And these shall surely be kept Notwithstanding the wofull backslidings of others If one that believes not Now may have faith hereafter Then one that is Now a Believer may lose his faith and turn Apostate It followes not That because Christ can bind Satan and cast him out therefore Satan can do so by Christ He can come into the Devil's Nursery when He will Take a Crab-stock and transplant it and Graff it with a Noble Cyons But Satan cannot come into God's Vinyard which is a Garden enclosed and take thence What him pleaseth One who is now dead in sin may be quickened but being once alive can dye no more It is Christ's own Assertion He that liveth Joh. 11. 26. and believeth in Me shall never dye Which cannot be meant of any other but a spiritual death which is all one with losing his faith A Righteous Man may turn away from his Righteousness and that so that he shall dye for it Ezek. 18. 24. There is a twofold Righteousness 1. Moral Such as Paul had before his Conversion This a Man may continuein to the last and yet not be Saved 2. There is a Gospel Righteousness 1 Imputed This is the Righteousness of Christ by which we are Justified 2 Infused This is the Divine Nature communicated by the Spirit of Chriâ—t whereby we are Sanctified These two go inseparably and can never be lost But The Righteousness spoken of in the place objected seems to be of the former Sort viz. Moral or Outward Righteousness For Outward Conformity to the Law was the Condition of their possessing the land of Canaan with long life and prosperity in it This if they retain'd it gave them a legal Right to those Promises If they turn'd from it they ran into a forfeiture And lose it they might for they had no promise That they should abide in it But the New Covenant undertakes for That as is evident by comparing Jer. 31. 31-33 with chap. 32. 40. But if any will yet suppose The Righteous Man spoken of in that 18. of Ezek. to be meant of a true Believer there is I hope in the Answers foregoing to Solve it If any should alledg But suppose a Believer be taken away in his Sin as perhaps Josiah was and hath not time to Repent of it I Answer 1. It cannot be proved that this was the case with Josiah He probably had time sufficient between his Wounding and his Death For he was carried from Megiddo to Jerusalem before he dyed But 2. There was That in him that would have Repented and God reckons of a Man according to what he would Do It being in David's heart to build him an House it was accepted as if he had done it The Root of the matter is in every Regenerate person which if it had time would put-forth it self in fruits and therfore They shall not be dealt with as barren trees which have not that substance in them The Promise of Perseverance is not made to Faith that That shall not fail but in reference to the favour of God viz. That if Men go-on to Believe they shall abide in his love Thus to give the sense of the Promise is 1. To enervate it to make it speak but according to the Covenant of works It bereaves it wholly of that Bâ—tternes the Scripture ascribes to it in Heb. 8. 6. 2 It renders the Promise as speaking fallaciously as making shew of That it intends not It would be but as if he had said You shall keep the favour of God if you do not lose it 3. Faith is the Soul 's Coming to God Unbelief its departing from Him The Promise therefore that secures against departing from God secures your Continuance in Believing He that undertakes you shall be Crown'd doth virtually undertake for your holding-out to the end of your Race Others agen dispose Otherwise of those Promises recorded in the 36 of Ezek. and 32 of Jeremy touching Men's notdeparting from God Restraining them to the Jewish Nation and to the last Dayes To this may readily be answered 1. That the Time which then was when the Apostles wrote is called The last time 1 John 2. 18. Acts 2. 17. 2. Albeit that some particular times and persons are more peculiarly concerned in the Promises of the old Testament especially such as refer to temporal things yet is there no one Promise but in the spirituality of it belongs to Every one that belongs to Christ that is Jews in spirit No Scripture is of private Interpretation and therefore Not to be Confin'd to those particular times or persons when and to whom they were delivered They were written for the use of All 1 Cor. 10. 11. And 3. We find them accordingly apply'd in the New Testament The Promise made to Joshua touching the success of his Warfare in Canaan Josh 1. 5. with is by the Apostle applyed to Believers in general Heb. 13. 5. as an Argument against overmuch carefulness in a Married'state and for Contentedness with our present condition Isa 29. 13. with So likewise the Prophesie of Isaiah touching the hypocrites of his time is by Christ applyed to the Pharisees Math. 15. 7 8 And the Promises made to the Iews in Isa 54 13. and Ier. 31. 33 are applied to the Gentiles in John 6. 45. and Rom. 4. 15. 16. This Doctrine of Absolute Perseverance lays the Reigns of Security on the Neck of the flesh and of the old man in believers 1. This Objection is in effect the same with the first Only it speaks broader which shews That the farther Men go in opposing the Truth the worse language they give it That Many
to reveal His purposes concerning this lower world as appears by many Scriptures They are His Chariots Ps 68. 17. His Reapers Mat. 13. 39 49. The Executioners of His Judgments 2. Sam. 24. 16 2 K. 19. 35. and Christs attendants at His coming Math. 25. 31 The Apostate Angels or wicked spirits though the testimony we have from them is not from love or good will yet is it as great an evidence of Gods Sovereiguty as any other in that being enemies to God proud and imperious they are yet over-awed and constrained to submit we find them subject to His rebukes Zech. 3. 2. And hence it was that the Devil answerd not again when that dreadful sentence was pronounced upon him for seduceing our first Parents we have him also presenting himself before the Lord to give account of his actions and touch Job Job 2. 1 6. or any thing he had he durst not without leave from God nor vary a jotâ— from the rule prescribed him In the Evangelists are many instances of Christs commanding them forth with authâ—rity yea a whole legion at once Luke 8. 30. 32 33. Nor could they so much as enter into the Swine without his leave Mark 5 12. And which is more they were subject to the Apostles who had but a delegated or second-hand power committed to them Luk 10. 17. Fifthly we have the Lord himself asserting His Sovereign Prerogative In how lofty a stile and with what Imperial authority doth He utter himself to Pharaoh And in very deed for this cause have I raised thee up for to shew my power on thee Exod. 9. 1â— The Apostle quotes the place to prove that God may raise up men and appoint them to what use and service he will Rom. 9. 17. Who hath made the seeing or the blind have not I the Lord Exod. 4. 11. I kill and I make alive Deut. 32. 39. I will shew mercy on whom I will shew mercy Exod. 33. 19. I am the first and I am the last and besides me there is no God and who as I shall call and shall declare it and set it in order before me since I appointed the ancient people and the things that are coming and shall come Isa 44. 6 7. My Councel shall stand I will do all my pleasure ch 46. 10. ch 40. 12. to the end My word shall accomplish that which I please it shall prosper in the thing whereto I send it Isa 55. 11. And if the Prophet be deceived I the Lord have deceived that Prophet and I will destroy him Ezek. 14. 9. A remarkable story to the same purpose we have in the 1 Kings 22. touching the lying spirit and the effectual Commission he had from God to perswade and also to prevail How should we tremble before God at the hearing of such a word But yet I do not reckon the last two as acts of pure Sovereignty but rather as punishing one sin by leaving to another Because that when they kneâ— God they glorified Him not as God Nor liked to retain Him in their knowledge God gave them over to a Reprobate minde Rom 1. 21 28. Notwithstanding which there is an impression of Sovereignty in that he deals not so with all who are alike obnoxious to it Sixthly Another Ensign is form'd of those several Acts and Institutes which cannot be derived at least so properly and immediately from any other Attribute as that of Sovereignty I shall instance a few viz. The putting of Man's everlasting condition upon his eating or Not-eating the fruit of such a Tree Gen. 2. 16 17. In not destroying Adam presently upon his disobedience And in the free promise of a Saviour unsought unto for it Gen. 3. 15. In protecting Cain when he had forfeited his life to Justice Gen. 4. 15. In Preserving Ham from the deluge though as wicked as those that perished ch 7. 13 16. In ordering the blessing to Jacob who sought it unduly and denying it to Esau who sought it diligently and to whom it belong'd of natural Right Gen 27. 19 34 38. In the sudden turning of Esau's heart to love Iacob whom he had inveterately hated and came with full purpose to destroy him yet in a trice his heart is melted he weeps on his Neck and offers himself and soldiers to be his Convoy Gen. 27. 4â— with chap. 32. 6. and ch 33. 4 12. In causing a fear to fall on the Amoriâ—es that they did not pursue Iacob when highly provoked by his Sons cruelty on the Men of Sechem Gen. 35. 5 In sending to Sihon a message of peace when He had determin'd to cut him off and to that end had hardened his spirit and made him obstinate Dâ—ut 2. 26 27 28 29 30. In causing those nations to destroy one another who came leagued to destroy His people 2 Chron. 20. 1 22 23 verses In destroying Esau's mount Irrepairably and for ever when as Israel whose land also was full of sin shall not be forsaken Obad. ver 9 16 18 21. and Mal 1 4. Especially considering that these were the several effects of His loving the One and hating the other and that before they had done either good or evil ver 2 3. and Rom. 9. 11 13. In sending Ezekiel to a rebellious house that would not hear and not sending him to them that would Math. 11 21. Acts 16. 6 7. Mark 4. 11 12. Luke 8 10. Ezek. 3. 6 7. ch 12. 2 and 3. In hiding the Mysteries of His kingdom from the wise and prudent and revealing them to Babes Math. 11. 25. And speaking in parables to the Multitude lest they should be converted In punishing sometimes for lesser trespasses and that sâ—verely and in his own whiles winking at those oâ— a greater magnitude in other men Moses is excluded Canaan for a hasty word though smartly provoked when Jonah's but mildly reproved for passionately expostulating Vzzah dies for but touching the Ark 1 Sam. 5. 1. 1 Chr. 13 9 10. when the Philistims bore it away in triumph Hezekiah but shews the Ambassâ—dours from Babylon his house and treasures 2 K. 20. 13 17. and for this his sons and all must go into captivity Not that any sin is little in it self or punished beyond the demerit of it but the Lord is pleased thus to doe partly to shew his displeasure against sin and that will not bear with it even in those that are dearest to Him but partly also if not chiefly in such like cases to set forth His Sovereign Greatness Job 33. 18. and the uncontroulableness of His matters The 73 Psalm is full to the same purpose That also of Job and the manner of God's dealings with him is much to be remark'd He had lived a very strict and holy life Not a Man like Job Job 1. 8. in all the earth the Lord himself seems to glory in him unto which all outward blessings were promised and freedom from such sufferings and when bereft of all Job
he puts the Lord in mind of His promise to their Fathers Of His Mercy in pardoning them â—forâ—time what reflection it would have on His honour among the Egyptians If He should now destroy them c. Not a word of Complaint That first to promise and then to threaten is a senseless thing It had been senseless in Moses thus to do and in no wise consistent with His duty But more directly It were no senseless part in a Father to purchase an Office for his Son and so to settle it on him that it sâ—all not be in his own power to Reverse it And yet keeping to himself the knowledge of that Settlement propose the injoyment thereof conditionally viz. upon terms of obedience to his fathers Commands The tendency of all which is but to prove himself the Son of such a father and to Meeteâ— him for his place And the more to oblige his Son to a studious preparing himself for it to lay before him the evil and danger of a Negligent course by which if persisted in he might render himself uncapable But surely supposing this Father to have the same power over his Son as God hath over the heart and Spirit of His people He will so order him by Instruction discipline and good principles that he shall not run into a Forfeiture Besides Threatnings of Damnation are not properly appliable to Believers who know themselves so to be For he that believeth Joh. 5. 24. is passed from death to life and shall not come into Condemnation However at times for want of a thorow knowing their State unthankfulness for it or some other miscarriage they bring themselves under doubtings of it But for such as have Compleat assurance under God's hand and seal as the Objection speaks They are sealed up to the Day of Redemption Eph. 4. 30. Rom. 8. 15. with a Seal that never shall be loosed In case any person were so adjudged to Eternal life from Eternity that there is no possibility of miscarrying then there was no necessity of Christs dying for him The Assertors of Absolute Election do hold with the Scriptures That Election is in and through Christ The same Decree that ordained to Salvation ordained also the death of Christ in order thereto That God might be Just in Justifying He hath appointed us to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ 1 Thes 5. 9 10. It might be inferr'd with as much shew of Reason That if such an End be appointed to be wrought by such a Means then that Means is unnecessary to that end That if God hath Chosen Men to salvation through Sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the Truth then holiness and faith are Needless things These are absurd reasonings which the Truth never Owns We judge such an Election to be an open Enemy to Godliness For who will strain and toil himself for that which he knows he shall obtain by an easie pace The Doctrine of Conditional Election can be no friend to Godliness whatever it may pretend since all that a Man doth on that account ultimately ends in self Godliness is to Aim at God as our Chief End in all that we do Now One that holds the Elect sure of Salvation and believes himself to be one of them and yet goes on to fear God and obey Him Glorifies God more than he that performs the same duties for kind and perhaps greater in bulk in expectation of life thereby The Pharisees fasted oftner than Christ's Disciples but were not such real friends to Godliness as they Long prayers fastings and Alms-deeds are all Nothing without Love and who do you think will Love God more he that believes himself sure of God's Love unchangeably or One that holds That after all his toiling and straining he may possibly have Run in vain and lose all at last And who would think that a Master in Israel should Reason so absurdly who counts it a toil to eat his Meat when Nature requires it especially when 't is most agreeable both to his palate and constitution All the wayes of God are pleasantness to them that walk in them And these would not leave them again although their future happiness were not concerned in it If they be grievous to any it is from their unacquaintedness with His Love 1. John 5. 3. It must needs make men very remiss and loâ—se in the Service of God Christ knew that the Angels had charge over Him and that He should not dash His foot against a stone yet ne'r the less careful of His own preservation Paul was sure of the Crown of Righteousness and yet as diligent in beating down his body andâ— strain'd as hard in Running his Race as any of those who lay the stress of Salvation upon their works Such a Notion of Election layes the honour and necessity of that great Ordinance of Preaching the Gospel in the dust For if the Elect so called shall as certainly be saved by a weak simple or Corrupt Ministry and this it may be enjoyed but a day or two in all a Mans life or loosely attended upon wherein is the Ministry of the Gospel to be esteemed That peremptory Decree That Summer and Winter Day and Night shall not cease takes not away the Necessity of the Sun 's being in the World Gen 8. 22. Nor of its daily Risings Settings and various Revolutions For by these as the Necessary Means thereof must the Decree be made good So The Absoluteness of that other part of the promise That Seed time and Harvest shall not cease doth no whit discharge the Husbandman either of his ufefulness or duty but evinceth the One and inforceth the Other Giving also Encouragement to him in his Work The force of this Answer will not be evaded by alledging That God affords them Means proper and sufficient for seed time and harvest that is they have fitting Seasons with Seed-corn horses plows and other Utensils of husbandry and that 's all the Promise intends and if they improve them not the fault 's their own True it is so and they shall smart for their Neglect But what will become of the Promise and Sureness of the Covenant Therefore this is not All that God doth for Men in this point He that Decreed How long the Earth shall endure and what number of Men He will raise up upon it Did also Decree His own upholding thereof during that time and by what Means those Men should be propagated and kept alive and did accordingly put into Mankind the Principles of Self-preservation by which they are Naturally prompted to the use of them as they are to Eat Drink and Sleep He hath set the World in their heart Eccles 3. 11. As the Elect shall certainly be saved and also prepared for that Salvation so hath the Lord appointed them such a Ministry and for so long a time and their attendance thereon in such manner as best agreeth to His Own intent and which He will bless and
contend for the Grace of God would so order their words as becomes the gravity of such a Subject Eccles 5 1. And much more that they come not so near to a Down-right reproaching that Glorious Grace of which we cannot have apprehensions awfull enough The men who thus speak had need to try their spirits whether they be of God Since from the same premisses they draw Conclusions quite contrary to Those who we know spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost In Scripture account 't is no deâ—ogation to the Grace of God that He called Abraham alone leaving Millions besides to their perishing condition Nor can I believe that Moses understood it a Disparageing of God's love to Mankinde when he tells us That He chose that Nation alone for His own peculiars who yet were the Fewest of any People One of a City and two of a Family were less in proportion than One or Two of Ten Thousand yet no complaint upon it by those interessed in that Grace It 's the property of God's Children to admire that He loves any and especially themselves and not to find fault because He loves not All alike Who am I says David that thou hast brought me hitherto And Christ's Disciples Lord why wilt thou manifest thy self to us us Twelve and not to the World 'T is therefore the more strange to consider Why and how any that call themselves of the Brotherhood came so to espouse the quarrel of those without and that with such Eagerness as to strive and fall-out among themselves about the others Concerns But to Answer more directly 1. This Remnant is not so contemptibly to be spoken of Rev. 5. 11. They are Ten thousand times Ten thousand and thousands of Thousands And how small soever the number be if it were but One it were more by One than the whole Creation could deserve But I say How few soever the Number be no Man knowes but himself may be One of them unless by despising the Grace of God in Election he have proved it otherwise to himself 2. To pitch on a Few whiles in their blood and Enmity against God and Resolve even then to make them everlastingly happy and that against the Natural bent of their own will was a Grace much more high and Sovereign than to save them for their own better improvement of what they have in common with other Men For that would not be of Grace but of Debt Or if the Lord should bring Ten Thousand times that number into a Salvable condition as they speak but so as that very possibly Not one of them shall ever be saved it would not bring the Thousandth part of that Glory to His Grace as to Save a Few invincibly 3. If the Lord did foresee That but Few would believe and yet Resolv'd to save nâ—ne but such as should believe Then the Objection as to Fewness falls on the Objectors Doctrine as much as ours 4. As for Godly sorrow Faith and Repentance they are the Gift of God and proper to the Elect And so no Reason to suppose the interveniency of these in them that are left Or to fear an implacable Resolution to punish and tâ—rment Any in whom these Possibilities go forth into Act. Other allegations they have against the Doctrine of Election which will admit of as plain a Solution as those above But it being my purpose to collect what I should find in the Scriptures for it and not to controvert the Point I proceed no farther but go on to the Usefulness of the Doctrine Only by the way let me premise a Caution or two 1. Caution 1. Let no Man Tax God with Injustice or Partiality because He takes not All Or because Not Those of highest esteem among Men Do not the Princes of the World exercise Dominion over Men like themselves Or is there a Subject so mean but will think himself wrong'd if Question'd for disposing his own which yet is his own but as borrowed And shall vain Man presume to aâ—raign his Sovereign Lord Isa 45. 9. Woe to him that striveth with his Maker If you must be Medling let it be with pot-sheards of Earth like your selves 2. Caution 2. Let no Man disvalue this Doctrine of Election because it takes-in but a Remnant Why are they stiled The little flock but to heighten the Mercy and Priviledge of it in their Esteem Noah did not contemn the Grace of God to himself and his Sons because the World of Ungodly were excluded the Ark Nor the Remnant that escaped the Sword in Egypt Jer. 44. 28. did not reckon their own Deliverance e'r the less Mercy because the Rest of their Countrymen had not a Share in it Men do not use to slight their own Immunities for other's Not-being interessed in them But rather to value themselves the more upon it And now as a Means to Prevent or Remove the evil Surmises Caution'd against with those other sinister Deductions which carnal Reason may be apt to suggest Let us draw up a few of those Many and Worthy Improvements this Doctrine is capable of above and beyond that of the contrary tenour As also of those Laws of Duty which it layes upon us And here I would see first what fruit may be gather'd from the several branches of the Proposition and Then what from the Cross or whole of it promiscuously 1. Inference Since there is an Election of Men to Salvation Put you in for a part and interest in it Though their Number be but Small Cast-in your Lot and make One among them My meaning is That tho' never so few are the Objects of Election you will make it your business to prove your self of that Few If but Two in the whole World who knows but thou mayest be One of them It 's our Saviour's Argument They are but Few that go in at the strait gate Therefore strive The Ninevites had not that ground to believe God would accept them that you have for their Ruin was pronounced in peremptory words and no room expresly left for Repentance and yet they humbled themselves and turn'd from their evil wayes upon this only consideration Who can tell if God will turn away his fierce anger Jonah 3. 9 10. that we perish not It 's a happiness worth your Venturing for For 1 you can lose nothing by endeavouring 2 You can hardly have a more solid evidence of your being Elected than to have your heart taken with Electing love and casting your self upon it And 3 never did any perish who ventur'd on thâ—s Bottom II. Inference From the Doctrine of Election's Absoluteness is evidenced the exceeding Riches of the grace of God in that He hath not left this great Concern to humane contrivance but hath laid it more sure and safe than Men themselves would have done For 't is too evident by the Reasonings that are used to make Election Dependent and Conditional how it would have gon
Inference It also imports Matter of Duty from us When Princes conferr titles of honour lands or Immunities They use to reserve some kind of Rent or other acknowledgment To mind their Subjects though Favourites of whom they hold You have no such way of Owning your great Benefactour Nor no such Means of being Considerable in the World as by bearing the badge and impress of Him who gave you this Name of honour Let His Name therefore be Named upon you Carry His Name in your bosom bear it on your Shoulders and the Palms of your hands Let the Choyce of your Affections The Chief of your Strength and the whole of your Activity be employed for His honour Let every thing you do bear an Impression of Him whose Name is Holy Then from the Antiquity of Election I. Inference Let the Ancientness of Electing love draw up our hearts to a very dear and honourable esteem of it Pieces of Antiquity though of base Mettal and otherwise of little use or value how venerable are they with learned Men And ancient Charters how carefull are Men to preserve them although they contain but Temporary priviledges and sometimes but of Trivial Moment How then should the Great Charter of Heaven so much Elder than the World and Containing Matters of Eternal Weight and Glory Which also hath been confirm'd by so many Promises Exemplified by Multitudes of Cases with a Seal affix'd more precious than Heaven it self All which proclaim The Eternal Validity of it How should this I say be had in everlasting Remembrance and the thoughts thereof be very precious to us Lying down Rising up and all the day long Accompanying of us And how carefull should we be Not onely to keep this Charter uncancelled but also to keep it clean from all sorts of Dust and soil by which the legibleness thereof might any way be obscured to our selves or Others II. Inference Let Election's Eternal Origine be an Argument for Its Eternal Duration and so of the Saints Invincible Perseverance to Glory That which is from Everlasting shall be to Everlasting If the Root be Eternal so are the Brancâ—es Surely For this good End among others is it twice recorded in the Revelation Rev. 13. 8 That Their Names were written in the book of life from the foundation of the World Namely Ch 17. 8. To signifie and assure That the Elect shall be safely and surely kept from those dreadful Apostacies which the Rest of the world shall fall into And hence perhaps it is That we read of Nothing done in Eternity but Election and things peculiar thereto as the Promise of Eternal life The Lamb slain The Kingdom prepared c. Election is an Eternal Fountain that never leavs Running whiles a Vessel is empty or capable of holding more and it stands open to all Comers Therefore come and if ye have not sufficient of your own Go and borrow Vessels Empty Vessels not a Few Pay your debts out of it and live on the Rest to Eternity V. From the Doctrine of Choâ—sing in Christ I. Inference It is an high Demonstration of God's love to His Chosen Ones We may say of it as Huram to Solomon Because the Lord loved His People 2 Chr. 2. 11. He set His Son over them It is also an eminent proof of His Manifold Wisdom To Contrive the blessedness of His people in such a Manner as should most Certainly secure their obtainment of it Most signally illustrate His love to them and so most affectionately winn upon their hearts and oblige them to Himself for ever We may hence also discern somthing of that Immense Greatness and Holiness of God That though He so loved His Elect Joh 17. 21. as to make them One in Himself That Union could not be admitted without a Mediatour equal with Himself II. Inference Gather hence your stability and safety What ever streight or difficulty you are Entring upon Drink of this Brook in the way and lift up your head What ever pertains to life and Godliness Grace and Glory This life and That to come is all layed up in Christ As all sorts of Food in the Ark for those who found Grace in His sight All Fullness dwells in him and that for you He is not onely a Root stable in himself but stablishing to you Communicating sap and spirit to all his Branches Whiles there is life in Him you cannot die This is That makes the Saints stand Firm and sacred in the midst of dangers 1 Joh 5. 18. The evil one touchâ—th them not Let all the Rebell-Crew of adversaries Satan the World your own evil hearts associate themselves and take Counsel together it all comes to nought Let their Asaults be Renewed again and again they are still beaten off They gird themselves and are broken in pieces They gird again and again they are broken in pieces Thus it is and thus it shall be Isa 8. 9. to the end of our Warfare For God is with us This was it made David fearless even in the valley of the shadow of death Ps. 23. 4 The Lord was with him And those three Noble Confessors they walked secure in the fiery furnace Dan. 3. 25. 27. because the Son of God was Among them Therefore Do All Suffer All and Expect All as being in Christ and not otherwise But woe to him that is alone who when he falls hath not Christ to help him up III. Inference Let this your Relation to Christ be evidenced by your Likeness to him He that is joyned to the Lord is one Spirit The holy Oyl that was poured on your Head runs down to the Skirts of His Garmâ—nâ—s i. e. to the very meanest of His Followers and they carry a-long the precious scent with them where ever they go or should do as Paul did 2 Cor. 2. 14. It is natural to those married to Christ to bring forth fruit unto God and see it be such as will abide the Test Rom 7. 4. Endure all sorts of weather and be bettered by it IV. Inference This Doctrine illustrates That of Justification as shewing Wherein the true Matter of Justfying Righteousness doth consist and How it comes to be Ours Our Faith or Act of Believing cannot be the Matter of it for that it is an imperfect thing and so cannot be Reckoned in the place of perfect Righteousness For It must be a Righteousness perfectly perfect that Justifies as it was a sin sinfully sinfull that Condemn'd This Righteousness also must be our own and is in a way of Right as Adam's sin also was though perform'd in the person of Another Christ and Adam being Paralels in their Head-ship the imputation of the One's Guiltiness and of the other's Righteousness are Righteously applyed to their respective seeds And this was a Main end of the Lord 's Putting Those He would Justifie into Christ That He being made sin and a Curse for them They
fast his Integrity Job 13. 15. This is a Love more Noble and of an higher Extract than those are acquainted with who Conclude That upon their doing This and That which they suppose every Man hath power to do they shall be saved For such kinde of love is Mercenary He will not stirr Nor look towards the Vinyard until he have agreed for his penny which yet he is not Content with when he has it The Other goes in and falls to his Work and leaves to his Master to give him What is meet which also he leaves to his Master's Judgment Mat. 20. 2 7 and 10. and not his Own and truly he speeds ne'r the worse for his so doing But I would not be taken to intend a Contentation or Willingness to be destroyed This I hope is cleared afore under the first general Head 2 Do you Own God's Sovereign Commands without disputing Abraham did thus in the business of Isaac although he could not see how the Promise of God and the killing of his Son could stand together And so will Abraham's Children do They know that their Lord is a Great King hath absolute Dominion and giveth accompt of none of his Matters What He is pleas'd to Command their duty is to obey without asking a Reason Why Or how will these things Consist Such demands they know become not the lips of those who live upon Grace 3 Doth your love towards God hold the same Course that His love hath done towards you All that God hath done or will do for His Chosen it is the Product of Electing love Does all your Obedience Rise from Love And does this love of yours grow out of His Is His Electing love the Root of it Is all that you do towards God in a way of Gratitude and with Designe to Glorifie His Grace And when the Lord seems to go from you Do ye follow the harder after Him As He for a long time followed you waiting That He might be Gracious unto you This is truly a God-like Love The eminency whereof lies in this That He loved us when enemies to Him and loved us into a likeness to Himself Answerable whereto we shall love Him Job 13. 15. even whiles our fears may apprehend Him to be our enemy And through the power of His Love secretly working in our hearts go on to love Him until the Glory of the Lord be Risen upon us You could not thus love God 1 Joh. 2. 19. if He had not loved you first 4 Do you Rejoyce in the thoughts of Electing love What it is and Whence it came What it hath designed you for and will bring you unto at last Is it your delight to Converse with the Book of Life And do you Rejoyce more That your Names are written in Heaven than if Devils were Subject to you When your flesh and your heart fail you do you look to Electing Love as your Strength and Portion and Count it a Goodly heritage Do you aim at That which Electing Love hath defigned you for and because so Designed If by any Means you may attain to it And are you better Satisfied to be at the Good Pleasure of God than at your own And bless his Wisdom and Grace for undertaking the disposure of your Eternal Interest Such fruit could not be but from that Seed of God Let me add a few Tokens more of True love according to the Carriage of it among Men. 1. He that loves Another will delight in his presence and seek Occasions of Conversing with him 2. Being absent he thinks much upon him and gives welcome entertainment to whatever may be a Remembrance of him 3. He will seek the Well-pleasedness of him who is the object of his love 1 By presenting things lovely to him 2 By avoiding whatever may disgust him 3 By a wary preventing or speedy removing what might give the Other occasion to be jealous of his love to him 4. He will Candidly Interpret whatever might seem a declining of the Others love to him And not be satisfied until it be recover'd or better understood II. Inference If you be of this happy Remnant of Election Then look for ill usage from the World Esau you know hated Jacob because of the blessing and so will the World you so soon as it comes to be discern'd Think it not strange John 15. 18 19. but take it as an Appendix of Election As a part of That you were Chosen unto And as That by which partly you must be fitted for the main End Heb 2 10. Your Lord Himself was made perfect through Sufferings And Those Foreknown were Predestinated to be Conformed to their Head Rom. 8. 38. ch 6. 5 in Suffering as well as Glory III. Inference Having trusted Electing love for Eternal Salvation see you distrust it not for things of lesser Moment When the Lord Ordained you to life He Ordained also All those various occurrences Windings and Turnings you should be exercised with in your way thither And 't is sure He does nothing in vain There is need of all sorts of weather for the Earth's good All-Fair would destroy it Know it therefore of a Truth that all your Concerns were Fore-determin'd of God and that so well as all your Prudence and love to your selves could not Mend it Nor can all your Care and Solicitude alter any of them either as to Matter or Form No Not to change the colour of an hair Matth. 6. 25. Therefore Take no thought But whence is it That Believers who have trusted God for their Souls should yet make so difficult of Trusting Him for their Outward Man And so Comber themselves with unprofitable burden Earthly things are nearer our Senses and thence we are more sensible of the Comfort of them as also of their want They also seem more within our line and Compass and so we Reach more earnestly after them and are answerably troubled when we fall shoâ—t Whereas we should carry it for Temporals as we do or should do rather for our Souls and Spiritual portion That is look to our present Duty Be diligent in our place and Content with such things as we have Heb. 13. 5. Bearing our selves as becomes the Children of such a Father so Rich Wise Bountiful Tender and Faithful to us Who always gives the best supply and That in the best Proportion Manner and Time Have therefore your Faith exercised As about the Greatest so also about the Smallest and Commonest Matters Use Grace and have Grace It is want of Vse makes lame of your right hand and Much using renders more useful Faith is the head of your Spiritual senses And if That be Active the Rest cannot be idle Nor much at a loss Faith also is a plain Dealer It represents things as they are Shews them in their true Dimensâ—ons with their use and end See therefore that you never hold a Consultation unless Faith be present yea and President
too Else All will be in disorder at once One Act of Faith shall sooner Remove the Mountain than all the Cattle on a Thousand hills Lastly Inference You that have closed with this Truth and having made diligent search do finde in your selves those Marks of God's Elect sit down and take the Comfort of it Let this Joy of the Lord be your strength Eat your bread and drink your wine or Water either with a Merry heart since God hath accepted you If David's heart was so taken with that love which chose him to be King afore the house of Saul how should our Souls be rapt into the third Heaven That We poor unworthy wretched We should be taken into that peculiar favour in which the generality of Men have nothing to do How should it affect our hearts Art thou of those who are Wise or Noble according to the flesh Be filled with an holy Amazement and exultation Rejoyce with trembling That the Great GOD to whom thou wast no more than others thy Consorts that are left and who commonly Chooses the base and foolish thereby to Magnifie His Grace should thus go out of His way to call in thee And hath also made His Call effectual to thee even then when thou wast inviron'd with a world of temptations to obstruct it And if thou be a Man of low degree poor weak foolish of no account among Men even as one that is Not and hath the Lord regarded thee in thy low estate and Magnified thee by setting His love upon thee Hath He taken thee from the dunghill to set thee among Princes even the Princes of the World to come This is that Exaltation which the poor should always Rejoyce in according to James 1. 9. Were you the head instead of being the tail Were the Necks of your enemies under your feet yea were the Devils themselves made subject to you It could not afford you the thousandth part of that Cause of Rejoycing as that your Names are written in Heaven Are other men prosperous in the world and free from trouble whiles you are reduc'd to a low estate and chastened every Morning Have perhaps but an handful of Meal and a little oyl in a Cruze c. yet think not your Portion Mean or hardly dealt out your good things are to come They are growing in the other World And at the time of harvest the Lord will send his Angels for you yea your Lord Himself will come and fetch you thither And you shall be for ever with Him In whose presence is fulness of joy and at whose Right hand are Rivers of pleasures for evermore And then you will Sing The lines are fallen to me in pleasant places At least say so Now. As Abraham dealt by his Concubines children so doth God by the Ishmaels of the world He gives them portions and sends them away But the Inheritance He reserves for His Isaacs To them He gives all that He hath yea even Himself And what can we have more OF REDEMPTION IN this Point we are equally concern'd with that of Election as the Great Comprehensive Means of bringing-about the Greatest End viz. the Glory of God in the Salvation of His Chosen That our Lord Jesus Christ hath a Body or Church to whom He is Head and Saviour is not supposed a Question But Who they are that do make-up this Body Whether the Whole of Mankind universally or Some particular Persons Whether He had in His death the same respect to All as to Some And whether Any of those he died for may miss of the benefits accruing by His death are questions of great Import and worthy a serious deliberation To Resolve which is the scope of the present Discourse The Substance whereof is in three Positions I. That the Body or Church of Christ consists of Elect Persons II. That for These it was that He laid down His life III. That the intent of His death cannot be frustrate For the I of These By this Body or Church of Christ I understand the Designed Subjects of his Spiritual Kingdom or Members of His Mystical Body to whom He was appointed by the Father to be Head and Saviour and They to stand related to Him as their Prophet Priest and King Which threefold office He bears peculiâ—rly towards the Elect The Church of the First-born and heirs of the World to come And of These doth His Body consist i. e. It is made-up of These exclusive to Others Their number is certain and intire and cannot be broken either by Addition or Diminution Of this the Tabernacle was a figure 1. In respect of its Symmetry or Proportion of parts which induced a singular beauty upon it Towards which Nothing could be added nor any thing abated 2. In that all the parts and Dimensions thereof were predetermined of God and not left in the least to humane Arbitrement or Contingency And these are expresly said to be Patterns of things in the Heavens Heb. 9. 23. ch 12. 23. that is Of the Heavenly Temple or Church of the First-born which are written There This Couclusion is drawn from sueh premises as these 1. In that our Lord and Saviour so manifestly shews Himself concern'd for the Elect as having some peculiar Interest and Propriety in them and charge of them With These his delights were from Everlasting Prov. 8. And as soon as they were actually in being He began His actual Converses with them and therein did even confine Himself to the Elect Seed With what unbelievable Patience and Goodness did He superintend the Church or Elect Nation Aâ—ts 7. 46 48. fourty years together in the Wilderness bearing them as on Eagles wings and tendring them as the Apple of His eye And when he dwelt upon Earth He went not beyond the bounds of the Holy Land where also all His delight was among the Saints Ps 16. 3. These He made his Consorts and Men of His Councel And when ye find Him with others it was for the Elect's sake that were among them How frequently and with what well-pleasedness doth He speak of These Professing His love to them and that according to the highest patern John 15. 9. As the Father bath loved Me so have I loved you And how great things He would do for them Not to the Halfing of His Kingdom Joh. 10. 15 16. ch 6. 40. but the laying down of His life for them Gathering them in Raising them up and giving them to sit with Him in His Throne Rev. 3. 21. But for the World He takes litle notice of them except with a kind of contempt and comination Let them alone Shake off the dust off your feet Joh. 7. 34. Give not that which is holy unto dogs c. Yea though they seek Him they shall not find Him Isa 65. 1. But for His Elect He is found of them even whiles they think not of Him The Instances of Matthew the Woman of Samaria the possessed
when he will We litle think how much presumption and carnal security derive from this Root whereas Peculiar Redemption in the vigour and latitude of it viz. as procuring us a Right to Faith and Holiness with the Spirit of Christ to work them effectually in us is a far greater incouragement to apply our selves to Christ for them as a part of His purchase Phil. 1. 29. and that without which we cannot partake the other benefits of His death And I cannot but think that any Man in His right mind upon a due enquiry and thorow considering the Matter would rathet depend upon such a Redemption as redeems from all iniquity though the persons concern'd in that Redemption be but few than on that which is supposed to Redeem All universally upon condition of Faith and Repentance but does not Reedeem from impenitency and unbelief In That Redemption let my part be that saves from Sin That slayes the enmity That Reconciles to God effectually that makes an end of sin and brings-in everlasting Righteousness that does not onely bring iuto a Savable state conditionally but works also and maintains those Conditions and Qualifications that have Salvation at the End of them II. Since your propriety in Redemption is founded on your Interest in Electing love Infer 2. Give all diligence to make your Election sure Spare not for pains It 's fruit will be worth all the cost and labour you can bestow upon it If cleer in this point the whole body will be full of light And among other Evidences of Election Look over those specified afore under that head Then Make out your Interest in Redemption by walking worthy of Redeeming love which cannot be done but by being and doing fomething more than others Some singular thing it must be that must warrant your claim to that singular Priviledge Hold-forth therefore in your life the effects of your Union with Christ in His death As he gave Himself for you so give up your self to Him As He is for you so be you for Him for Him only and not for another 2 Cor. 8. 5. Hosea 3. 3. 1. Determine to know nothing but Jesus Christ and Him Crucified Count all things else not worth your knowing for in truth all knowledge without this will come to Nothing Let all therefore be loss and dung for the excellency of the Knowledge of Christ Jesus our Lord Phil. 3. 8. 2. Let nothing be so dear to you as not to part with it for God when 't is called for and rise early to do it This is love 2 Joh. 6. that we walk after His Commandments The Lord parted with His delight for you from Eternity There 's nothing more Reasonable Nothing more Natural to an heart rightly placed than that you should love and live to Him who died for you And whoever hath known the Grace of God and the love of Christ in truth cannot but so judge 3. Let not Christ be Divided Know Him for your Lord aswell as your Redeemer Take Orders from Him as your Captain General Receive your Law from His Mouth What ever He bids you do Do it Follow Him where ever He goes and Carry it so as becomes His Attendants The Armies in Heaven follow Him upon white Horses Rev 19. 14. and arrayed in white Be not your own Director in any thing Nor over-hasty Stir not up your Beloved until He please But Await His Counsel and Conduct as preferring His knowledge of times and Seasons with the manner and method of His Working and prescribing before your own 4. Let Nothing divide you from Christ Let Nothing but death yea let not death it self separate between you and Him Nothing you see could separate Him from you yea 1 Cor. 6. 20. had it not been for you and such as you are He had not dyed We are not our own we are bought with a price which is the highest engagement in every state and Duty whether living or dying Rom. 14. 8. to be the Lord's III. Christs giving Himself a Ransom for you Infer 3. warrants your largest expectation of Good things from Him What Sins too great to be pardoned or iniquities so stubborn as not to be subdued Heb. 9. 14 or Graces so precious as not to be obtained The Lord delights in nothing more than Mercy The only Bar was Sin which being dissolved by the bloud of Christ Grace and Glory run freely The making us Kings and Priests unto God yea One in the Father and Himself being the thing He dyed for Joh. 17. 21. no inferiour good thing can be withholden from us Faith and Holyness are great things indeed and highly to be valued yet let me say That even these and all other good things when layed to-together will be but a very little heap to that Grace which put us into Christ 1 Joh. 4 10. the honour and priviledge of Union with Him and the price He hath paid for our Ransom Herein is Love that God sent His Son to be the Propitiation for our Sins The Purchase is paid Releafes are Sealed and He in possession All things are ready It is now but His Giving forth the Revenue that lies by Him which also He delights to do IV. This Doctrine also prepares a Chief corner Stone for the Saints Perseverance They for whom Christ died died with Him and if dead with Him they shall live with Him Rom. 6. 8. Even the Righteousness of God is engaged to Save them and then He must either prevent Remove or Over-rule what ever would hinder that Salvation Therefore unto Him that loved us and washed us from our sins in His own blood Rev. 1. 5 6. be glory and dominion for ever and ever Amen III That the purpose and end of Christ's death cannot be frustrate Or Those whom Christ dyed for cannot miss of the benefits accruing by His death All the Councels of God from eternity All His promises and Declarations holding forth those Councels and all His Dispensations in order to their accomplishment have a special relation to Christ as dying for His people and their actual Salvation thereby as the end thereof Now the End of a Thing is that for which the Thing it self is and but for which it had not been 't is that the Chief Agent principally proposeth and aimes at and if he be wise he will certainly use and appoint such Means and Order them in such manner that the thing designed shall not miscarry Men indeed may miss of their End They aim at This and That 's produced as in building the Tower of Babel But this is still from some imperfection in themselves Either the Thing it self is not feasible Or the way to it is imprudently contriv'd or the Means unduely applyed their minds alter or they are made to desist by a power above them c. But God only wise and Almighty it is not so with Him None of those things which impede the designs of Men
head and you intend him an honour or office which he never will be capable of without the full use of his Reason Is it not meeter and doth it not argue an higher degree of love Prudence and Justice to cure his distemper though in a way contrary to his present mind than to Wait his complying with your prescriptions which as he is he 'l never understand And what hinders but that God may do so by his People Even give them an heart to know Him and to fear Him for ever Save only that this Quaggy principle of Man's freedom of Will will not Comport with it But if a sufficiency of Means to Repent and Believe be not afforded to All how shall God be just in punishing for Neglects The Justice of God will not need our Salving especially by a balm of our own making Whether He judge or justifie He is Just in what He doth tho' purblind Reason sees not How His Judgments are a great Deep and it follows not That there 's no bottom because our line will not Reach it God dealt not so in respect of Means with any Nation as with Israel And the Men going with Paul to Damascus the Lord would not give them to see His face nor to hear His voyce both which He vouchsafed to Paul and yet He needs no vindication or Apologie for punishing their unbelief Rom. 2. 12. They that have sinned without law shall perish without law 2. Men are justly obnoxious to punishment for Neglecting or Not-improving the means they have albeit those Means when made the best of that Nature can will not save them They are punishable for Not-feeding and not-clothing and yet by doing these Men are not justified The least transgression layes open to wrath and you cannot by keeping some Commands compensate the breach of Others Where it is said I will write my law in their hearts and cause them to walk in my Statutes c. There is no more intended by it but the Giving of Things or Means proper to such an End if they will but Improve them The sense objected cannot be the mind and limit of that most gracious promise Deut. 10. 16. with 30. 6. Ezek. 18. 31. with ch 36. 26. For the Promise is as broad as the Command And if the Command carries in it as much as the words of it do import then also doth the Promise But the Command doth not enjoyn only a Using the Means that tend to such a duty but the actual and perfect performance of the Duty it self Therefore doth likewise with Promise Besides the heart and Will are One And if the law be written in the Will then is the Will Compliant with what the Law commands To write it in the heart is to make it Natural and so 't is more than a Means It is the Thing it self 2. That Doctrine is hardly bestead and not much to be credited which for its support must put such a construction on the highest Rev. 22. 18 19. and most absolute Promises that God hath made as will render them weak and fruitless Things 3. Where God hath absolutely said That such a thing He will do For Men to put-in Conditions or Limitations is To raze or interline a Record which is a Felonious act And how He will deal with those who add-to or take-from the words of His prophecy you have recorded in the last Chapter of His book It is ill trifling with Sacred things 4. A Physician that undertakes to cure a Man of his phrensie and to keep him in his right mind is not said to have done his Work or made-good his Word what ever Means have been applied to him if the Patient continue his former distraction or Relapse into it 5. There is no need or Reason why the Lord should Promise or make shew of Promising more than He intends to perform for That would be as a broken staff Or Why He should express himself in terms of a fuller or more absolute Engagement than might in all points consist with His Wisdom Justice Holiness c. 6. Lastly The Objection is further excepted against and rejected Not onely as it makes Man the chief Agent in his own salvation but as denying That God doth any thing more for them that are Saved than for them that perish If Men make themselves to differ the Gospel-designe of Magnifying Grace is dash'd at once But is it not said To him that hath shall be given i. e. He that Improves what he hath shall have more If they use Common Grace well they shall have Special 1. The well-using of Common-Grace is a duty that lies upon all but is no way Meriting or Moving God to bestow the special He is above all humane Motives and is not wrought upon by them as Men are This is seen by Paul whom special Grace took hold-upon even whiles in the heat of misusing that which is Common 1 Tim. 1. 13. with Acts 9. 4. There was no space of time between his being a Persecutour and his obtaining Mercy 2. What proportion is there in value between an handfull of Clay and a Talent of Gold Infinitely more is the disproportion between the Grace of Faith and all that a Natural Man can do for the obtaining of it 3. Whatsoever is not of Faith is Sin but a Man's Sin cannot be a Motive for his Good Remember who it was and what condition he was in Act. 8. 18 19 that profer'd money for the Gift of the Holy Ghost Improvements for Faith is but the same 4. It would not become the Wisdom Power or Grace of God to build on a Foundation made-ready to His hand He needs it not nor will it Sort with His Design which is to have His Grace acknowledged the Alpha and Omega of Mens Salvation 5. Lastly A Will to improve is as much from God as the Thing to be Improved A Man can receive nothing except it be Given him from above Joh. 3. 27. The thing given and power to receive or improve it are both from Thence And things from Above are not fetch'd down by Men but they Come-down When and upon whom Jam. 1. 17. the Father of lights pleaseth Men are commanded To make them a New heart which must imply an Ability So to do For how can it be just to require things impossible And that under so severe a penalty Whatever is implyed in the Command such Allegations do surely imply that the framers of them are much unacquainted with the Scriptures or extreamly Rash in drawing Conclusions from them There are Reasons enough and holy ends which do justly warrant such Commands without supposing those to whom they are given Able Now to perform them As 1. Perhaps the Lord speaks it Ironically Deriding their vain confidence 1 King 18. 27. as Elijah did the Priests of Baal when he bids them Cry aloud for he is a God Will you hence inferr That Baal was a God Isa 41.
walked the more humbly and warily all his dayes He was also the more intent on that great duty of Teaching sinners the way of God Psal 51. 13. Peter he also got ground by denying his Master Thereby he came to see his own weakness the need he had of Christ's support and continuall prayer for him and we hear no more of his carnal confidence after that But What a clamour and out-cry does he make against our adversary the Devil 1 Pet. 5. 8. to warn others by his own example what danger they are in And doubtless what the Tempter got by Peter's fall he lost the double of it by the after-watchfulness of Others For that 's the designed end Luke 2â— 32. viz. To strengthen stablish settle them ver 10. Paul had a Messenger of Satan let looss upon him to buffet him The end of which was to humble him and To shew him the sufficiency of the Grace of Christ 'T is likely also That he got as much by that thorn in his flesh as by his Rapture and Revelations To be sure they did well together and poized him the better for his work Job 23. 10 with ch 40. 4. ch 42. 6. The like effect upon Job Mary Magdalen the remembrance of the seven devils that once possess'd her and of that love which cast them out How did it heighten her love to Christ and keep her heart in a melting frame She loved much because much was forgiven her The People's fourty years travel thro' that great and terrible wilderness Deut. 8. 15 16. among fiery Serpents and scorpions It was To prove them and to doe them good in the latter end They were also sent into captivity for their good Jer. 24. 5. Isa 27. 9. This was all the fruit intended To take away their sin and to make them partakers of His holiness Heb. 12. 10. I grant indeed These things are Physick which Nature desires not Yet let me say They are as needfull in their season as our food and in very Faithfullness we must have them which also appears by the scope of the new Covenant Of which more afterwards Upon all which It is safely inferred That all these things worketh God with Man Not to destroy him but To bring-back his soul from the pit Job 33. 29. 30. They are all made to turn to their Salvation They have alwaies triumphed over them Rom. 8. 37. and been more than Conquerors through Him that loved them And if this be the fruit and Result of all that doth or can befall a Believer whiles in this World and ther 's no more of evil or danger when this is done then welcom let them be as another Demonstration of their INVINCIBLE PERSEVERANCE Ps 107. 43. Who so is wise and will observe these things even they shall understand the loving-kindness of the Lord. IV. A fourth Argument for the Saints Perseverance Arg. IV. is built on their Union with Christ Which is of that Intimateness that the Scripture sets it forth by terms of nearest Relation as Foundation and Building Vine and Branches Father and Children Husband and Spouse Head and Members Yea They are both called interchangeably by the same Name He is called Jacob Psal 24. 6. And they are called Christ 1 Cor. 12. 12. And which is more if more can be He communicates to them that title which one would think Incommunicable viz. The Lord our Righteousness Jer. 23. 6. with chap. 33. 16. And this Union is such as can never be broken It is no more possible than for the Union which is between God and Christ to be dissolv'd For the same Oneness for kinde is between Christ and them as between the Father and Christ which is plain by that passage of His prayer in the 17 John ver 21. That they all may be One How one as thou Father art in Me and I in Thee That they may be One in Vs They are so near to Him that they are said to be Of His flesh and of His bones Eph. 5. 30. as also That they are one Spirit i. e. 1 Cor. 6. 17. He and They are Actuated by the same Spirit as the head and members of the same Body are by One Soul And this is the true reason why Believers cannot walk after the flesh because The Spirit of life which is in Christ Iesus as their root rules in them Rom. 8. 2. Jude ver 2. They are preserved in Christ as Noah was in the Ark or as branches in their own stock For this difference is still to be Noted That Believers have not this life in themselves as Christ hath but they have it in him which is better for them than if in their own keeping For being in Him as in a Root It is natural to Him to Communicate and as natural to them by virtue of the Divine Nature communicated to them to Derive from Him And so Because and whiles He lives Joh. 14. 19. 1 Joh 5. 12. They shall live also He that hath the Son hath life and they have it in a way of Right as he that is possest of the soil has right to all that grows upon it All that is Christ's is theirs There is a happy Commutation of Interests Their debts with the consequences thereof are devolv'd upon Him and all that was His in imputed to them And His care of them is such that He will be able to say at the latter day Of All that Thou hast given Me I have lost nothing Joh. 18. 9. 17. 12. Jer. 22. 24. He will not leave an hoof behind The signet on his right hand Men of shineing outsides may possibly be plucked thence but the least joint of His finger shall not No man who is Compos mentis will suffer the meanest part of himself to Gangrene and perish if it be in his power to help it How then should our Lord Christ Eph. 5. 25. Who besides the naturall affection He hath to those of His own Body hath also received a Commandment from the Father Joh. 6. 40. to keep them safe and is perfectly qualified in all respects to make it good On this account Col. 2. 10. as well as others they are complete in Him Believers are so One with Christ that whatsoever he did they are said to doe it with Him vers 11. Rom. 6. 6. ver 4. 5. Eph. 4. v. 8. Chap. 2. 6. Gal. 2 20. Circumcised with Him Crucified with Him Buried with Him Rose with Him Ascended with him And they sit in Heaven with him It is no more possible for Believers to miscrary finally than for Christ Himself to be held under the power of the grave There is one law for them both It 's a faithfull saying 2 Tim. 2. 11. If we be dead with Him Rom. 8. 17. Chap 6. 9. we shall also live with him If we suffer with him
you all the service it can even the whole of what it was ordained-for But shall I say That Faith will then be dissolv'd and go-to-nothing I would rather express it as the Apostle doth the state of the saints that shall be found alive at Christ's coming 1 Thes 4. 17. They shall not die but they shall be changed Faith shall Then be turned into Sight and we shall have the Real presence Full possession and Perfect immixed fruition of that Blessedness we have believed and hoped-for 7. Gather hence Phil. 1. 23. both the Reason and Rationality of the Saints desires to be dissolv'd They knew that when this Earthly Tabernacle went-down 2 Cor. 5. 1 2. they had a better and more capacious building in Heaven They also found That spirits whiles dwelling in Flesh are too-much streightned and infirm either to bear the Glory they were made-for or to express an answerable thankfulness for it And for this they groned Not to be unclothed as weary of their present state but to be Clothed-upon with their House from Heaven 1 Joh. 3. 2. They were NOW the sons of God but what they should be and fain would be-at did not appear to them Nor could till the vail were Rent which hung as yet twixt them and the Holy of Holies Rom. 8. 23. 2 Cor. 1. 22. Eph. 1. 14. Rom. 8. 21. The first-fruits of the Spirit which were both an Earnest and Foretast of future Glory inspired them with servent desires of liberty that glorious liberty which belong'd to them as being the Sons of God They had by faith laid-hold on Eternal life This they had still in their eye and earnestly pursued And so intent they were upon it that they even forgot what was behind tho very Memorable in its time The Much they had attain'd they counted for Nothing to what was coming Nor reckon'd for any Cost to gain that inestimable Pearl viz. The prize of the high Calling of God in Christ Phil. 3. 14. This they knew was a thing too-big for Mortal senses tho as highly Refin'd and sublimated as capable of whiles Mortal and therfore long'd for that day when Immortality should be their clothing The love of God shed-abroad in their hearts had given such a Divine Tincture Rom. 5 5. Cant. 5. 4. and so Transform'd and Wid'ned their souls as nothing could satisfie but that Immense Deep from whence it came Coll. 3. 4. They knew That when Christ their life should appear they should see Him as He is Not under shadows as of old Nor in a state of humiliation as when upon earth nor as since under Memorials and Representtations but in His state of glory The sight of which would make them like himself till Then they could not say It is enough They knew that the very Quintessence of Heavenly beatitude consists in the vision of God and that Heaven it self with all that Innumerable company of Angels and spirits of just Men made perfect tho' a very glorious and desirable society would not satisfie Heaven-born Souls if their Lord Himself were not there in His Glory Hence those holy exclamations and out-cries Psal 73. 25. Psal 42. 2. Whom have I in Heaven but Thee and When shall I come and appear before God! Good Jacob would go and see his Beloved afore he died and These would die to go and see Theirs This is the second time that the Kingdom of Heaven suffers violence from the heirs of Salvation Math. 11. 12. They know it is theirs and that they were wrought for that self same thing 2 Cor. 5. 5. and being theirs they might lawfully take it by force 8. Infer VIII 2 Pet. 3. 12. And for a close of all ye have seen what Paul and others did Go you and do likewise Hasten to the day of God and wait for it as they that watch for the Morning 1. Affectionately as a thing greatly desirable especially after a dark and toilsom night 2. Patiently and with Quietness Not precipitating but as knowing it will come and that in the duest season 3. Attentively as not willing to loose the smallest sound of your Master's feet 4. With Diligence also and Preparedness that neither Oyl nor Lighting may be to-seek when the Cry is made Be always Ready and Then Grone Grone I say for that day of Glory when life and Immortality shall be brought to light in Perfection When your self with all the Elect of God meeting in that Great and General Assembly Heb. 12. 23. the Church of the first-born which are written in Heaven may be intirely vniversally and everlastingly taken-up in admiring Electing love which so gloriously and happily shall have wrought all our works for us and brought us to the ultimate End it designed us for which was To be ever with the Lord To see Him as He is and to experiment the sum of that great Petition in the 17. Joh. 17. 21. Iohn That they may be One in us And in your way thither Carry this assurance still afore you That the same hands which laid the Foundation will also lay the Top-stone and that with shoutings And you shall lift-up to Eternity Zach. 4. 7 9. Deut. 33. 29. that loud and joyfull acclamation Grace Grace unto it Happy art thou O Israel who is like unto thee O People saved by the Lord the shield of thine help and the sword of thine Excellency 2 Sam. 22. 1 7. All thine enemies shall be found lyars unto thee and thou shalt tread upon their high places And which is more than Angels and Men can utter besides GOD shall be all in All 1 Cor. 15. 28. To proclaim which was the End of this work Amen FINIS