Simon Magus did as well as profane persons do as many an hypocrite do which is only Fides acqâ—isita and it is well known they believe many a vile legend But then he will say such a Faith shall never save them and I willingly confess saith he it shall not for it never brings forth any love of the Truth any conformity thereto in their lives yet are they never awhit the less inexcusable that refuse to believe Dr. Twisse Considerat of the Doctrine of the Synod of Dort and Arles reduced to the practice page 47. Paganus What benefit will this Historical Faith do me If I cannot be saved by it why should I embrace it Diotrephes By this you know the Object of Faith in General what you are to believe of God and Christ and the Holy Ghost what Christ hath done and will do for you and what he commands you to do for him and what you may expect from him and all this you assent to by an Historical Faith Paganus Will this Faith do me no hurt or disadvantage if â— obtain not the other which you call a saving Faith Diotrephes Yes it will make you guilty of a greater condemnation for it is better not to know the way of Truth than to turn from the holy Commandment delivered to you and the last state 2 Pet. 2. 19 2â—2 21 22 of such persons is worse than the first Paganus Are not this Saving and that Historical Faith alwayes assocâ—ated and link't together For if not then it were better if one cannot have the Saving Faith to be without the Historical too rather than have this alone to our greater condemnation Diotrephes They are not alwayes in Conjunction yet we must not neglect this when God affords us the Revelâ—tion and the Means of it for this makes way for the other whiâ—h cannot be had without it Paganus Are all men then to whom he is preached bound to believe in Christ the Redeemer Diotrephes Yes for when he sent out his Apostles to preach the Gospel he gave them this Commission Go ye into all Mar 16. 15 16. Do any of our Divines deny that God commands all in the Church all that hear the Gospel to believe whether Elect or Reprobates Dr. Twisse ibid. John 3. 35 36. the World and preach the Gospâ—l to every Creature He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved but he that believeth not shall be damned And again The Fathâ—r loveth the Son and hath given all things into his hands He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life Aâ—d he that believâ—th not the Son shall not see life but the wrath of God abideth on him Paganus Did the Son of God dye for all and redeem all that they should believe on him Diotrephes No but it pleased God to give unto Christ his Son from all Eternity a people to be his seed and to be by him in time redeemed called justified sanctified and glorified neither are any other redeemed by Christ. The Declaration of the Congregational Churches at the Savoy Chap. 8. n. 1. with Chap. 3. n. 6. Paganus How can God in justice oblige those to believe in Christas their Redeemer for whom he died not and therefore were not redeemed by him Does he tye them to believe a lye Diotrephes All men that live under the dispensation of the Gospel are tyed to believe in Christ but for several ends * Hence the Ministers of Emoden call this command in respect of the Elect Mandatum obedientiae but in respect of the Reprobate Mandatum probationis De Gratiae Meriti Christi Universal Quest 8. Act. Syn. Dor. Pag. 122. Part 2. his people and seed are tyed to believe that by believing they may be made partakers of the benefits of his death and obtain salvation through him The rest are tyed to believe that by not believing they may be the more inexcusable and liable to the greater condemnation Paganus This is a strange kind of Faith But suppose these men that are not of that seed you speak of should believe in Christ what would the issue of their Faith be For though they should in that case beliâ—ve in Christ they should not be rewarded because they believe a lye and yet they could not be justly condemned because in so believing they should obey Gods command Diotrephes You suppose a thing impossiblâ— to come to pass for those men you speak of cannot savingly believe grace sufficient and necessary to the production of such a Faith being denied them and yet they shall be punished for not believing Paganus I am not satisfied how it can consist with Gods justice to bind his Creatures to impossible performances And I should think his goodness would rather incline him to reward than punish them for refusing to believe a falshood But if you say God may lay such unreasonable commands upon us I shall not dispute against it though they seem to my apprehension to be a very great impeachment of his jusâ—ice and sinâ—erity But I pray may not I take a little more time to deliberate about the business I see 't is a business of great importance and I am loth to overshoot my self in it I hope it may be sufficient if I believe at the last moment of my life Diotrephes There is no more ready way to over-shoot your self as you speak than by your delayes Hereupon the Holy Ghost saith To day if ye will hear his voyce harden not your heart and To day while it is called to day lest your heart be hardned through Hebr. 3. the deceitfulness of sin wherefore he saith I have heard thee in an accepted time and in the day of salvation have I succoured thee 2 Cor. 6. 3. Behold now is the accepted time behold now is the day of salvation And if you read the disputations of right to Sacraments you will find * By Mr. Baxter Disp 2. pag. 43 that saving-faith is defined to be a sinners assent to the truth of the Gospel in the Essentials and a sincere consent that God be immediatly our only God and Christ our only Saviour and the Holy Ghost our only sanctifier and we his people in these Relations Isay immediatly that is at present because if it be only a consent to be such hereafter it is not saving And therefore in certain directions to prevent miscarrying in conversion * By Mr. Baxter p. 381. to 439. the advice that is given you Direct 11. is this If you would not have this saving-work miscarry Turn then this present day and houre without any more delay And this advice is backed and fortified with no less than * Mr. Baxter ib. pag. 381. pag. 439. fifty such moving Considerations and Reasons as will certainly conviâ—ce you if you be not unreasonable of the folly of delay and shew you that it concerneth you presently to return and believe Paganus Well then if the present time be Gods accepted time
did actually harden or had a will to harden any but such as had formerly rebelled against the fight abused his patience and despised his gracious dispensations * Rom. 1. 22 26 Because when they knew God they did not glorifie him as God c. for this cause God gave them up Rom. 1. 21. with 26. Psal 81. 11 12. But my people would not hear my voyce and Israel would See also Luke 7. 30. Acts 13. 26 40 41 45 46. Hebr. 2. 3. not obey me so I gave them up to their own hearts lusts We find that the Lord though he had fore-told what would be the issue of Moses Ministry to him is not said to have hardned Pharaoh till he had multiplied his Rebellions and dallied with five plagues The last whereof when Moses undertakes the removal of it he gives him a fair warning of his danger Exod. 8. 29. I will intreat the Lord but let not Pharaoh deal deceitfully any more And because he neglected to quit himself of the danger upon this hot Alarme therefore with the sixth plague this judgment came upon him also 't is said the Lord then hardned the heart of Pharaoh Exod. 9. 12. and ver 14. with the judgment following the Lord threatens I will at this time send all my plagues upon thine heart Therefore do not resemble God to a mad or â—nwise Potter that layes out his cost and skill in making up a Vessel for no other purpose but only to make ostentation of his power will and liberty to break it Perhaps the Apostle by that comparison takes upon him to demonstrate not what God will do but what he can for he saith What if God willing to shew his wrath c Besides God is compared to the Potter and men to the Mass or Lump of Clay but what men are they that are entred into this comparison not innocent men or men made guilty by imputation only as your Doctriâ—e supposes them but men corrupt through their own vâ—luntary pollutions as such This is evident from the Apostles Discourse in the three first Chapters of that Epistle He declares then that out of this Mass or Lump it is lawful for God according to his own Beneplaciture to select some unto life namely those who would believe in Christ upon his being tendred to them * Rom. 9. 30 31 32. Chap. 11. 20. See also John 3. ult and to harden the rest and reserve them to wrath that is to say those who would augment the number and mount the heap of their other sins by the addition of a wilful unbelief This to my sense is most clearly that liberty * 1 Cor. 1. 21. which the Apostle asserts and vindicates to Almighty God in that present juncture and current of his Providence over Jewes and Gentiles though the Jewes cryed it down with utter detestation as a violation * Rom. 11. 1. of those signal promises which he had anciently made unto their Nation For your other Allegation Matth. 20. 15. Is it not lawful for me to do what I will with my own It can conclude nothing but that God may distribute equal portions of reward to those whose labours in his Vineyard have been unequal for when he that hath done most receives the utmost they did contract for why should he repine at the Lords bounty which is no injury to him though a benefit to others But what is all this to the vindication of Gods justice when he invites men to a new Covenant wherein he promiseth to proceed with them upon a gentler account and tyes them to new conditions and yet denies abilities sufficient to perform those conditions though he binds them to that performance under the commination and peril of a soarer penalty And I ask't you further in what sense this Covenant with Mankind could be properly called a Covenant of Grace which demand and I conceive it a material one you were pleased to take no notice of in your last Reply Diotrephes You must know Sir that your natural Reason without a supernatural illumination is no competent Judge of the sense of holy Scripture which contains the mind of God yet I shall not now reply to your interpretations but address my self to give you satisfaction to your lâ—st demand which is in what sense the Covenant which God hath sealed to us in the blood of Christ is styled a Covenant of Grace To this end you must understand that there are a certain number of persons predestinated unto life and glory and these are called the Elect These Elect God Almighty before the foundation of the World was laid according to his eternal and immutable purpose and the secret The Declaration of the Congregational Churches at the Savoy Chap. 3. n. 5 6 7. counsel and good pleasure of his will hath chosen in Christ unto everlasting glory out of his meer free grace and love without any foresight of faith or good works or perseverance in either of them or any other thing in the Creature as conditions or causes moving him thereunto and all to the praise of his glorious grace And as God hath appointed these Elect unto glory so hath he by the eternal and most free purpose of his will fore-ordained all the means thâ—â— unto wherefore they who are elected being faln in Adam are redeemed by Christ are effectually called unto faith in Christ by his Spirit working in due season are justified adopted sanctified and kept by his power through faith unto salvation All these benefits are infallibly and irresistibly conveyed to those Elect by vertue of the said Covenant and upon this account I hope you will allow it to be very fitly intitled a Covenant of Grace Paganus I do readily allow of the title in respect to those Elect you speak of but I pray satisfie me in this particular what interest have the rest of mankind in Christ and this Covenant Do not the benefits you have now mentioned belong to them Diotrephes For your satisfaction you may assure your self it is the Determination and PUBLICK FAITH of the new Congregational Churches in England * Ibid. n. 6. agreed upon and consented to by their Elders and Messengers That not any other are redeemed by Christ or effectually called justified adopted sanctified and saved but these Elect only Paganus I pray to what end did God create the rest and what Acts hath he passed against them and what Providence doth he exercise towards them Diotrephes There is a Text of holy Scripture that saith thus Before the children were born and when they had neither done good nor evil that the purpose of God according to Election might stand Rom. 9. 11 1â— 13. not of works but of him that calleth it was said The elder shall serve the younger as it is written I have loved Jacob and have hated Esau Out of which words a Renowned Divine doth conclude That Gods ordaining men unto salvation proceeds meerly according to
active Faith not a dead one and such we ought to conclude his to be who lives in gross sins I nothing doubt saith Dr. Twiss * Ubi supra p. 102. but a Carnal Christian may be Orthodox throughout and perswade himself of a Dr. Twiss true Faith But if his life be not answerable we will be bold to tell him that his Faiâ—h is vain for true Faith worketh by love Gal. 5. And Faith working by love is as much as a new Creature Gal. 6. And whosoever is in Christ is a new Creature 2 Cor. 5. And they that are Christs have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts Gal. 5. 24. Therefore where such such a new Creature is wantng where the flesh is not crucified with the affections and lusts they are not Christs nor in Christ nor have any faith working by love Praesumptuousus Whatever Dr. Twiss saith in his passion against his Adversary I am confident he is far from affirming That the Children of God do lose their Faith as often as they commit the works of flesh The Divines of Drent * De persev examen Thes 4. p. 275. par 3. at the Synod of Dort tell us very roundly it is false and that not only in respect of the habit of faith but in respect of the act of faith too Ille saepe manet etiam dum hâ—mo pecâ—at The Act of Faith doth oftentimes remain even then when a man sins And a little after Quid vetat quo minus sancti dum ipsa actualia peâ—cata quidem crassiora committuâ— simul actum fidei sentiant What hinders the Saints that they should not feel the effect and acting of their faith at the same time when they commit the grossest sins Diotrephes Sure you cannot think they can believe unto salvatiâ—r at that time of their gross sinning when they contract such a guilt and incapacity of coming to Heaven that if it be not removed by Repentance they cannot be saved as you had it before from the Divines of England * Reatum damnabilem contrahunt praesentem ad Regnum Coelorum ingrediendum aptitudinem amâ—ttunt De persâ—ver quoad ipsos Electos Thes 3. vid. etiam Thes 4. 5. inter Acta Syn. Nat. Dord pag. 192 193. par 2. at the same Synod Praesumptuosus Sir I wonder you or they should offer to say That the Saints or Godly may fall into such a state wherein they cannot be saved when there is such an absolute Decree past for their salvation as neither themselves nor sin nor hell nor Divel can frustrate nay the power of God himself is not able to rescind it This is the judgment of the Hassien * De persever Aphor. 5. pag. 215. par 2. Divines at the Synod of Dorâ—â— They say It is Gods immutable Counsel to preserve his Elect in the true Faith even unto the end and through that Faith to bring them ad aeternam salutem necessariò infallibilitèr infallibly and necessarily to eternal salvation which Counsel of God cannot be made void by any Creature Nec ab ipso Deo propter ipsius immutabilitatem revocari unquam poterit no nor ever be revoked in regard of his immutability by God himself And this Sir is the only Sanctuary that I flee unto for Refuge this the only Rock that my hope anchors on Diotrephes But you must first be sure to be set upon this Rock before you can prudently build your hopes and confidence upon it Praesumptuosus Sir I have good assurance that I am of the number of the Elect and the Decree of Election layeth a certain ground of perseverance and the faithfulness of God is by his promise engaged for it on their behalf Account of persever * By Mr. Baxter pag. 3 3 37. Diotrephes I would not have you too confident of your own state 't is the advice of the Apostle Let him that thinketh he 1 Cor. 10. 1â— standeth take heed lest he fall Praesumptuosus Such as have no other evidence * Amâ—sius saith Non ad timorem rejectionis exhortatur Scriptura veros fideles quamvis nonnullos professione fideles qui videntur stare 1 Cor. 10. 12. hortatur ne nimis fidant suae professioni externae Bel. Ener Tom. 4. l. 6. c. 3. th 1. n. 2. p. 173. but their own conjectures and seemings that they are in a state of grace have reason to be jealous But I hope you will not offer to lead me into an opinion that the Elect can fall totally and finally from the state of salvation for * Mr. Baxter that is an Errour of dangerous consequence against the grace and fidelity of God if not against his wisdom and his power and against the peace of the Saints and therefore is to be carefully avoided and resisted by those that would not wound their faith Ubi supra pag. 14. Diotrephes That is not the thing I tempt you to I am certain if you be elected you shall be saved but I would have you be upon sure grounds before you pretend to so great an assurance of your Election that you have obtain'd this assurance by an immediate Revelation and Testimony of the Spirit I hope you will be more modest than to affirm Praesumptuosus Sir I do not pretend to any Enthusiastical assurance a certainty of Election may be had and the Synod of Dort at least most of the Divines thereof do conclude That every Elect person hath it sooner or later before his death * See the Apology for Tilenus pag. 493. and 't is the Faith of the Congregational Churches expressed in their late Declaration * Chap. 3. n. 8. That men attending the Will of God revealed in his Word and yielding obedience thereunto may from the certainty of their effectual vocation be assured of their eternal election So also say the Westminster Assemblers Diotrephes I shall not dispute that with you I know it is the general Tenent of the Orthodox But you must remember the Apostles Exhortation Give diligence to make your Calling and Election sure Your effectual Calling make that sure first and then you need not doubt your Election for none are effectually called but the Elect only as the Congregational Churches * Ch. 3. N. 6. Syn. Dort Cap. 2. Art 8. have declared Praesumptuosus Sir I am able to tell you not only the man but the very Text he preach'd upon with the day and houre when I was effectually called I confess time was when I lay among those loose corns that were very fit to have been blown off but such a Fast Sermon did I hear from N. N. as melted my heart and spirit into that frame and temper that I shall never forget it This Sermon was a preparation to the Solemn League and Covenant and I was so fit for the impression at that time that I made no objection or scruple at it And having upon this Call espoused the Good
may love God under the notion of the chiefest good and most desirable end in whose sight and fruition everlasting happiness consisteth And by common grace he may believe in Christ or desire him as a Saviour to free him from every sin and from sin as sin or as it is against God This is the Doctrine of a person * Mr. Baxter of great Note as you your self very well know and I pray what can a Regenerate man do more and how then shall he discriminate his saving grace from that common grace Diotrephes That person tells you withall in the same Treatise * Pag. 94. Prop. 13. That the Act of Love or Faith are considerable 1. Physically 1. In general as Faith and Love 2. In special as this Faith and Love about this object the Father and the Son And thus by common grace men may have true Faith and Love that is such as is physically a true or real Act. 2. They are considerable morally and that 1. Either as duty answering a precept believe and love God and thus they have an analogical defective morality in them and so are thus far sincere or true but not that same true Love or Faith in specie morali which the command requireth for it commandeth us to love God above all c. 3. They are considerable as conditions of the promises and evidences of spiritual life in the soul and thus wicked men by common grace are never made partakers of them They have not the things themselves their faith and love is not the same thing which hath the promises made to them in the Gospel and so are not true or sincere This is the full Declaration of that person you mention Desolatus Why Sir here is very cold comfort if this be the best you can administer this is the grand Objection I have against my self and makes me doubt the sincerity of my grace I love God and I believe in Christ and this belief and love are physically true they are real acts and have a being but they are morally defective and insincere not the same thing which hath the promises made to them in the Gospel and consequently are no evidences of spiritual life in my soul so that all you have done hath rather tended to cancel all my evidences for life and salvation than to clear them up for me Diotrephes The most certain judgment a man can make of his state and condition is to be collected from the end he propounds to himself in his designs and actions for every man hath one only prevalent ultimate end which is to be called finis Mr. Baxter is Propos 10. 11. hominis or is the chief ultimate end of the habitual predominant inclination or disposition of his soul and of the tenour or bâ—nt of his course of life All godly men make choice of God for this their end but all the wicked make choice of the Creature and Carnal-self for theirs so that we may judge best whether men be regenerated or carnal by the end that rules their hearts and hath the greatest interest in them Desolatus Sir I am now as much to seek as ever for you said even now That a man may so love God and Christ that he may verily think he sets more by them than any thing else and yet be mistaken Grant that I have accustomed my self to that easie yoke that Christ ordinarily lays upon the shoulders of his Disciples and can carry it to my thinking handsomly yet should Christ try me with a harder imposition as he did that young man in the Gospel * Mark 10. 16 17 18. How can I be able having never been call'd to the like trial formerly to secure my own sincerity in that case I may retreat and flinch back as he did and depart sorrowful from my Saviour How can I be assured * Many have shrunk in greater trials that past through less with resolution and honour Mr. Baxter ibid. of the strength of my grace and the proof of my sincerity if I should be call'd to suffer Mattyrdom Though I come off in my active I may fall in my passive obedience And yet suppose I should hold out here the Apostle doth at last insinuate That a man may give all that he hath unto the poor and his body to be burned and yet want charity And experience doth teach us that men may lay down 1 Cor. 13. their lives in justification of their Schisme and Rebellion and yet be confident of their state of grace and salvation so that all this while a man is not able to distinguish * Hereupon saith Mr. Baxter I much fear least many Learned Civil Orthodox men do take common grace to be special and so delude their own souls in the tryal of themselves Of saving faith pag. 49. whether it be common or special grace that he is acted by which makes the Apostle say I know nothing by my self yet hereby am I not justified but he that justifieth mâ— is the Lord 1 Cor. 4. 4. Diotrephes Although temporary believers and other unregenerate men may vainly deceive themselves with false hopes and carnal presumptions of being in the favour of God and state of salvation which hope of theirs shall perish yet such as truly believe in the Lord Jesus and love him sincerly endeavouring to walk in all good conscience before him may in this life be certainly assured that they are in the state of grace and may rejoyce in the hope of the glory of God which hope shall never make them ashamed So the Congregational Churches have determined in their Declaration chap. 18. n. 1. Desolatus No doubt while men walk in all good conscience they may be assured for the present that they are in a state of grace so much the Remonstrants will allow us but not that they are in such an indefectible state as is pretended to flow from an absolute Election and yet they will allow men in that state too to rejoyce in hope of the glory of God and that hope shall not make them ashamed But if they shew not the same diligence * Hebr. 6. 11. as at the beginning of their Conversion to the full assurance of hope unto the end if they leave their first * Rev. 2. 4. love as the Angel of the Church of Ephesus did their backsliding will make them ashamed though their hope does not And if they who were once inlightâ—ed and have tasted of the heavenly gift and were made Hebr. 6. 4 5 6. partakers of the Holy Ghost and have tasted the good Word of God and the powers of the World to come if they may fall away then let them who boast of a more special and insuperable grace not Rom. 11. 20. be high-minded but fear Remember what expressions the clear evidence of truth for matter of Fact hath extorted from the pen of Mr. Baxter * Disput of Right to Sacram pag. 337.
and stones Animalis 'T is true they say Grace doth not work upon men as stocks and stones because it finds them endued with a will and understanding but if you observe it they tell us also that that will and understanding do contribute as little to the work as if God should of stones raise up children unto Abraham therefore they compare our Regeneration to that powerful work of God whereby he giveth being to this our natural life ib. Article 17. Now in conferring our natural life God imposeth no duty upon us towards the possession of it and 't is absurd and a contradiction to say we should address our selves by any way of preparation or disposition to the production of our own being God indeed makes a providential use of our parents but they say Marriages are made in heaven and the whole process of the affair in order to our natural birth is extrinsecal to us and because it is impossible we should either resist or further it therefore it is no part of our duty to regard it So we are taught also to believe concerning our Regeneration or new birth for when God worketh true conversion in the Elâ—ct He provideth that the Gospel may be outwardly preacked to them and powerfully inlightneth their minds by the Holy Ghost that they may understand aright and judge of the things of the Spirit of God and not only so but by the efficaâ—y of the same regenerating Spirit he also pierâ—â—th into the most inward parts of man whâ—se heart being close shut up he openâ—th it being hard â—e â—oftneth it being uncircumcised he circumciseth it and as for the will he iâ—fâ—seth new qualities into it and maketh it of a dead heart lively of an evil good ib. Art 11. Art 14. God doth not only give a power of believing and then expect the consent or act of believing from the will of man but he works the willingness and act it self of belief and this he worketh in nobis sine â—obis in us without us Art 12. Irresistibly by his Omnipotent strength Reject 8. So that this operation for the mightiness thereof is not infâ—riour to the Creation of the World or raising up the dead ib. Artic. 12. And therefore all the actual resistance a man can or doth make cannot prevail to the defeating of his own Regeneration ibid. Reject 8. This Sir is the express Doctrine of the Synod of Dort in submission and reverence to whose Determination I must conclude That this regenerating grace of the Hely Ghost comes so freely that I should but disparage its freedom in being at any cost or charge to make provision for it for the Holy Ghost brings his own entertainment and having a power Soveraign and Paramount he will wheresoever he comes make his own welcome Diotrephes Well! whatever be the opinions of that Synoâ— and the Assembly at Westminster and the Messengers of the Congregational Churches in their meeting at the Savoy I am very well satisfied that common grace is truly preparative and dispositive to saving grace not as one degree of the same species in morality disposeth to another degree for this we are agreed against But 1. As it is a less unpreparedness and undisposedness Mr. Baxter than a worse estate 2. As it removeth many and great impediments 3. As it is a use of the means appointed by God for obtaining his saving grace 4. As it is in tantum or secundum quid a thing pleasing to God and loved by him yea and as he loveth such as have it more than those that are without it with the love of complâ—cency and acceptation so as it is a state much nearer Christ than other mens of obstinate wickedness are in in these five respects I think it prepareth and disposeth to saving grace Of saving faith p. 45. 46. Animalis Sir what are your own Reasons though assisted by the concurrent judgment of some Protestant Divines I say what are they that they should turn the scale against the deâ—isions of a Synod * Mr. Baxter's Pref. Sect. 11. of so many truly learned and worthy men aâ—d an Assembly and the Declaration of so many Congregational Churches But to gratifie your opinion and zeal I shall in this subscribe to your Reasons and those alledged by some of the Divines of the fore-mentioned Synod rather than pay a blind obedience to the others naked votes and prooflâ—ss Propositions I pray what advantage will you make of this concession Diotrephes By this means I shall be able to demonstrate that all the unconverted are inexâ—â—sable and as their impeâ—itency and unbeliâ—f are wilful so their damnation also is just Animalis That will be some advantage to your Ministry indeed if you can make it good but how can you make that evident to us Dioâ—rephes I remember Christ hath assured me that of the many that are called few are chosen and that most men perish Mr. Baxter for all the mercy that is in God and for all that Christ hath done and suffered and fâ—r all the grace that is offered them in thâ— Gospel and I consider the Reaâ—on even becauâ—e they will not receive this grace nor entertain Christ and the mercy of God as it is offered to them Treat of Convers pag. 2. Animalis I pray Sir were those few chosen because they did receive this grace and entertain Christ and the mercy of God as it was offer'd to them when they were called and was the refâ—sâ—l of grace and the non-reception of Christ and mercy the Reason of their Non-election who do finally perish Dioâ—rephes I do not affirm it Animalis You cannot unless you turn Remonstrâ—nt according to your principles Election is the Fountain of all saving grace and Non-election the denial of it How then will you as you have undertaken to do render the unconverted inexcusable and their impâ—nitâ—nâ—y wilful and consequently their damnation just and all upon this account because common grace is preparative and dispositive to special grace Dâ—oâ—rephes Why their impenitency is wilfâ—l and therefore in xâ—â—â—able and their damnation just because they receive the grace of God in vain Animalis How is this possible to speak properly for what grace is it you mean If you mean saving grace which is called effâ—ctual then if this may be received in vain it is resistible and this being peculiar to the Elect if they have none but resistible grace to work upon them they may receive it in vain and may finally perish But I am taught otherwise by one of your Mr. Baxterâ— perswasion when you keep to your principles who saith That God is pleased by effectual grace to draw the Elect to his Son and make the Gospel successful to their Conversion insupâ—râ—bly teaching and charging them by his Spirit and causing them to repent and believe in Christ and to perform the conditions of his promises that love that brought the Lord on Earth that cloathed him with flesh that lifted him
holinâ—ss imports a state of sepâ—â—â—ion which doth not alwayes imply an infusion of good qualities or any inherency of them But 1. A sequestration from common use as the Temple and the Vessels that did belong to it were said to be holy 2. A sâ—paration from that danger wherein others are inevitably involved as the word seems to be used Rev. 20. 6. Now I am apt to understand the Text Ephes 1. 4. in this sense That God hath chosen us in Christ that we should be holy that is Thâ—t we should be separated from the danger of eternal destruct oâ— through his free love and have 〈◊〉 blame laid upon us for cur sins and this agrees very well with the benefit we have in Chrâ—st Jesus as the Apostle sets it down Col. 1. 14. In whom we have redemption through his blood even the forgiveness of sins As 't is impossible we should be profitable to him a Job 22. 2. because he stands in no need of our service b Ecclus. 15. 12. Luk. 17. â—10 so 't is impossible he should pâ—â—pâ—se to put trouble upon whom he intirely loves c Lam. 3. 33. because he delighteth in mercy d Micah 7. 18. Therefore unless you can give me some good Reason why God should injoyn us so strictly as you pretend to be holy in all manner of Conversation and rich in good works seeâ—ng he hath elected us without any intuition or consideration of them and through the satisfaction of Christ he may actually save us and put us into possession of glory without any impeachment to his justice I must conclude there is no such necessity of an industrious qualitative holiness as you imagine nay that it would more derogate from the freeness of his grace then any way contribute to the advancement oâ— it Diotrephes Sir we need seek no further for a Reason hereof than the holy Nature of God which the Prophet hath respect unto when he saith * Habac. 1. 13. Thou art of purer eyes than to behold evil and canst â—ot look on iniquity and the Psalmist to like purpose * Psal 5. 4 5. For thou art not a God that hath pleasure in wickedness neither shall evil dwell with thee the foolish shall not stand in thy sight thou hatest all workers of iniquity Securus Sir I perceive you have been too conversant with the Remonstrants Writings and you are very apt to slide into their opinions ere you are aware of 〈◊〉 Indeed they say though God loved us before he gave his Son for us as it is exprest John 3. 16. yet he did not will us eternal life by that love but he wilâ—'d us that in consideration of believing in his Son On the contrary the Orthodox say That the Election of men to Eternal life is the willing of Eternal life to them and that this Election is made of persons to whom Christ is not given but as and after they are elected and what manner of persons are they when they are elected Qualium est Electio saith Bucan * Loc. Com. de praedest qnaest 20. Immundorum impiorum in conspectu Dei The Election is made of persons unclean and wicked in the sight of God and so Spanhemius alledged even now by your self Christ saith he is not the cause of that love where with God embraceth us unto â—â—ernal salvation The holy Nature of God therefore which could not only brook us so well but also embrace us wiâ—h so flagrant and immutable a love at our Elect on that certainly cannot obstruct the way to our salvation requiring that our multitude of good works should make a tâ—rong and crowd in to open the door for us Diotrephes I am sure Sir whatever you think of the holy Nature of God the holy Will of God and the Gospel of Jesus Christ require it as a condition and means of our salvation Securus 'T is somewhat strange since we make the Decree of Election to be absolute and inconditionate and irrevocable * Election is Decretum est dâ—finitum inconditionatum completum irrevocabile immutabile Theol. Magn. Brit. Sentent de primâ— Artic. Thes Ortho. 4 Inter Acta Syn. Dor. pag 5. par 2. that we should stand so much upon a subordination of means in order to the execution of it To my apprehension 't is very absurd to say such a thing is done absolutely and then to affirm that such and such means are prescrib'd for the accomplishment of it It is as if one should say That Titius had absolutely given Radulphus an inheritance but he bath tyed Radulphus to perform certain conditions upon which it is suspended he must do him faithful service by the space of forty or fifty years for it But I would fain learn how the subordination of such a conditional Decree to that absolute and inconditionate Decree can consist with Gods immutability Do they not make God inconstant one while destinating men unto salvation absolutely presently willing not to save them unless the condition of faith and holiness be perfor med I see nor as I said how Gods purpose according to the Election can stand with this variation that you make betwixt the Eternal Decree and the final execution of it Diotrephes To salve the immutability and constancy of God I suppose it may be considerable That though Election unto salvation and the means of salvation may be distinctly considered * Synops Pur. Theol. Disp 24. Thes 18. yet our Divines say they are not diverse acts in the Decree of God because God by one only and simple act did de termine all these things even as by one only and simple act he knew all things from all Eternity * I do not affirm That in any moment of nature the Decree of salvation doth go before the consideration of faith and obedience The Decrees of giving faith and crowning it with salvation I make to be not subordinate one to another but simultaneous and co-ordinate oâ—e with another Dr. Twiss ubi supra pag. 13. We propound them distinctly after our manner of consideration in regard of the mulâ—itude of objects which are comprehended in this one act of electing and some order is to be acknowledged amongst those objects too from all Eternity But God determined all at once and therefore there could be no mutability or inconstancy in him herein Securus Sir you seem to say something towards satisfaction in this difficulty but it doth not remove it for to elect Peter unto salvation is to will to save him Now that God should in one and the same simple act will to save Peter an unbeliever unclean ungodly and yet will not to save him but as a believer holy and obedient I say that God should will both these in one and the same simple act looks so like an implication of contradiction * Vide Grevinch Dissertatio Theologica De Duab. quaest ag 188 c. that the wit of man can hardly reconcile
Rom. 6. 14. the Spirit which is given them at their new birth abides with them for ever * John 14. 16 and where the Spirit of the Lord is there is liberty 2 Cor. 3. 178 Diotrephes He that hath not more hatred than love to any sin and that had not rather be rid of it even in the use Mr. Baxter of Gods means then keep it in regard of the habituated state of his will is under the dominion of sin and in a state of damnation Account of persever ubi supra Praesumptuosus 1. Is this consistent with such a man as David his having two contrary ultimate ends 2. There is a combate betwixt the inward and the outward the spiritual and the carnal the new and the old man which they only do understand who feel it in themselves Et vim peccati etiam sanctissimas actiones aliquo modo polluentis vitae suae telam totam longè latè que pervadentis experiuntur and have experience of the power of sin polluting in some measure their most holy actions and spreading over the whole course of their lives saith Mr. D. Dicson * Ad Rom. 7. 22 23. 3. But such as are under such conflicts you say will use Gods means c. What are Gods means Are they not his holy Ordinances He that doth diligently frequent thâ—se that hears the Word and delights in Religious Conferences and is constant at his Devotions and Prayers doth use Gods means and thus did David saith Mr. Baxter * Pref. to the Grot. Relig. sect 19. I verily think that after his sin David went on in his ordinary course of Religion and Obedience in all things else abating in the degrees and blessed be God so do I and this is evidence sufficient of the habituated state of the will 4. If a man cannot get rid of his sins upon this account at least he may comfort himself as to the event that God sends them for fatherly chastisements as Mr. Perkins speaketh and raise his soul up with this meditation Lapsu non tolli fidem gratiam sed illustrarâ— sin serves rather to furbush our faith and the divine grace in us than to expell it To this purpose Dr. Twiss saith That all things work together for the good of them that love God is as true as the Apostle Pauls Epistle to the Vbi supra pag. 103 104. Romans is the Word of God And Bishop Cooper a Scottish Bishop saith he applies this to mens sins amongst other things shewing how they also do work for a mans good And in another place speaking of himself the Dr. hath these words I take notice of Gods hand sometimes hardning me against Pag. 95. his fear yet God knows I take no comfort in it but rather in this that God knowes how to work it for my good according to that of Austin Audeo dicere utile est superbis in aliquod apertum â—anif stumque cadere peccatum c. And when I find that my sins do not make a final or a total separation between my soul and God this may well tend to the Corroboration of my faith and perswade my soul that nothing shall be able to separate me from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord and I have good cause to take comfort in this saith that learned Dr. 5. But suppose a man should feel some pleasure in the act of sin as to the flesh and outward man yet he hath no need to fear the dominion of sin or state of damnation * Mr. Baxter saith that David chose flesh-pleasing for it self as his ultimate end Of saving faith ubi supra if he carries a hatred towards it in his spirit and inward man for this is exactly the case of the regenerate if you will allow with our Divines that the Apostle speaketh for â—hâ—ir comfort no otherwise then as he found by experience in his own person Rom. 7. 14 c. I am carnal saith he sold under sin for that which I do I allow not for what I would that do I no but what I hate that do I which he would not have done had he not found some pleasure in it If then I do that which I would not I consent unto the Law that it is good Now then it is no more I that do it but sin that dwelleth in me for I know that in me that is in my flesh dwelleth no good thing For to will is present with me but how to perform that which is good I find not for the good that I would I do not but the eâ—il which I would not that I do Now if I do that I would not it is no more I that do it but sin that dwelleth in me From which Discourse of the Apostle Mr. D. Dicson * Ad locum draws several Arguments of Consolation From the 16. verse he saith the Apostle comsorts himself and other combatants with these Arguments 1. Ego ipse Apostâ—lus c. I my self an Apostle am in the number of thâ—se who bewail the Lactaâ—ius brings in a person thus excusing himself Lib. 4. Cap. 24. Volo equidem non peccare sed vincorâ— indutus sum enim carne fragili imbecilla haec est quae concupiscit quae irascitur quae dolet quae mori timet Itaque ducor invitus pecco non quia volo sed quia cogor imperfection of their holiness and feel in my self the same combate and trouble with thâ—m from the imperfection of my obedience therefore such as bâ—wail the imperfection of their holiness have consolation seeing they suffâ—r nothing but what other Saints yea and the Apostles themselves are subject unto A second Argument of Consolation is this That out of this conflict there ariseth a sign of Sanctification begun in such a Combatant and a consent to the Law of God that it is good and holy For if I do what I would not then I consent to the Law of God that it is good And all that bewail the imperfection of their obedience have the same sign of their Sanctification A third Argument of Consolation to all such Christian Combatants he draws from ver 17. 20. in that the sin which they commit who do thus bewail their imperfection and disallow of it and condemn it shall not be imputed unto them but to the corruption of their nature and to that habitual sin that dwells in them c. Thus Mr. Dicson Thus it was in the Falls of David and Peter that David hated sin habitually and so many other sinners do as well as he for all his Aâ—ulâ—ery and Murder we may conclude from his indignation against the Oppressour expressed at the hearing of Nathan's Parable * 2 Sam. 21. 5. Hâ—reupon you know how favourably some of our Godly Reforming Divines have declared their Judgement It is not imaginable saith one * Mr. Baxter in his Pref to the Gâ—oâ— Relig. sect 19. of them
them did not dissemble both by my observation of their whole course being intimately acquainted with them and by the plainness and openness of some of their hearts which they manifest even to this day in the way that they are in being unapt for dissimulation This Sir is the ground of his dejection Diotrephes And I pray what Antidotes have you given him against these infusions Samaritanus I have fortified him as prudently as I could by those Apostolical Counsels 1. To be wise unto sobriety and not to lean too much to his own understanding 2. I have added that of St. John Beloved believe not every spirit but try the spirits whether they are of God because 1 John 4. 1. many false Prophets are gone out into the World And that of St. Peter Ye therefore Beloved seeing ye know these things before 2 Pet. 3. 17. beware lest ye also being led away with the â—râ—our of the wisked fall from your own stedfasiness But grow in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ And that of St. Paul Now I besâ—ech you Brethren Mark them which cause divisions Rom. 16. 16. and offences contrary to the Doctrine which ye have leaâ—ned and avoid thâ—m for they that are such serve not the Lord Jesus Christ but their own belly and by good words and fairspeeches deceive the hearts of the simple I have advised him further 3. As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord so walk ye in him rooted and built up in him and established Col. 2. 6 7. in the faith as ye have been taught To which end I have commended to him that of the Authour to the Hebrewes Remember them which are the Guides that have the Rule over you who Hebr. 13. 7 17. Vide D. Hammond Dissert 1. cap. 12. sect 13. p. 40. Hebr. 10. 23 25 have spoken to you the Word of God whose faith follow considering the end of their Conversation Obey them and submit your selves for they watch for your souls as they thâ—t must give account And let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering not forsaking the assembling of our selves together But building up our selves on our most holy faith which was once delivered unto the Saints praying in the Holy Ghost and Ep. Jud. ver 4. 20 21. by this means keep our selves in the love of God looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life And to take off the scandal I have wish't him to remember that our Lord Jesus Christ hath foretold how much the temptations of the world and flesh would prevail upon the hearts of many professours and that false Prophets and factious Teachers should arise and draw many Lisâ—â—ples after them and by their fair shewes and specious pretences should deceive if it were possible the very Elect. If he observed these Predictions and followed these Rules I told him I was very well assured he should find such an assistance and establishment as might give him encouragement to say with the Apostle We are not of them who draw back unto pâ—râ—ition but of them that believe to the saving of the soul Hebr. 10 39. Diotrephes Your advice was good and seasonable had you sorborn your insiâ—uâ—tion that the old way is the safest to be insisted on for that may hinder or at least retard the intended Reformation But what satisfaction did he find in your Discourse Samaritanus He harp'd much upon that passage They should deceive of it were possible the very Elect. Ai the Elect saith he they are the only men that shall be preserved from seduction for they have a special aiffer â—oing grace conser'd upon them by an irâ—â—sistible operation â—nd that is preserved to them by the same omnipotent strength that did at first 〈◊〉 it I demanded of him why he might not assure himself of such a grace His Answer was That seeing many great and 〈◊〉 Professours whose vertues were fat more eminent than any he could or durst pretend to have fall'n so low that their condition was reputed hopeless this made him more carefully to bring his grace unto the test and balance to examine it and if true yet he must conclude it many grains and â—cruplâ—s too light and this saith he begets so great a jealousie of mine own sincerity If those saith he whom I have look'd upon as stars of the first Magnitude have made all that lustre by the emissions and beams of common grace which God in the Decree of Reprobation hath associated with the efficacious permission of sin to make up one perfect Medium to carry that Decree on to its final execution in them what presumption were it in me to think that that grace in me is of a higher pitch or nobler extraction And if it be not what is become of that certain perseverance which I have thus long claim'd a title to Thus the miserable Desolatus divides his time betwixt his complaints and doubts and thinks there is no balm so soveraign as to heal his bruises Diotrephes Have you applied no salve to this soar in him Samaritanus Yes 1. I have expostulated with him to this purpose Must the Lord set up love and mercy in the work of Redemption to be equally admired with his Omnipotency Mr. Baxter's Directions for peace of conscience in the Epistle to the poor in spirit manifested in the Creation And call forth the World to this sweet employment that in secret and in publick it might be the business of our lives And yet shall it be so overlook'd or question'd as if you lived without love and mercy in the World Providence doth its part by heaping up Mountains of daily mercies and these it sets before your eyes The Gospel hath eminently done its part by clear describing them and fully assuring them and this is proclaimed frequently in your ears and yet is there so little in your hearts and mouths Do you see and hear and feel and taste mercy and love Do you live wholly oâ— it and yet do you 〈◊〉 doubt of it and think so meanly of it and so hardly acknowledge it To this he a swers that for Gods gâ—â—â—â—al mercy which concerns not the life to come he readily acknowledgeth it is oâ—er all his works but for his saving mercy tâ—at is restrained to a certain number whom he hath chosen to glory without respect to any qualification in them And this Dt. â—wiâ—s * Ubi supra p. 51 Rom. 9. 15. concludes from those words of the Apostle He hath mercy on whom he will have mercy for the rest he hardens them and that for the meer pleasure of his will 2. I have represented to him the advice of Sâ— James If any of you mark any of you do lack wisdom leâ— him ask it of Mr. Baxter ib. pag. 39 40. God who giveth to all men liberally without desert and â—phraâ—deth not with our unworthiness or former faults and it shall be
heart answers Lord I am willâ—ng I will accept of Christ and be thankful why then the match is made between Christ and you and the Marriage Covenant is truly entre ' which none 〈◊〉 dissolve If Christ were not first willing â—e would not be the Sâ—itoâ— and make the motion and 〈◊〉 he be willing and you be willing what can break the match To this he answers he is much unsatisfied that I seem to make it so easie a matter to believe when others of the Orthodox do heighten the diffiâ—ulâ—y of the duty Iâ— it implies no more than an accâ—ptâ—nce of Christ and life how come so many that Mr. Norton Orthod Evang. p. 206 c. pretend to Christ and rely upon him and câ—aim an interest in him which sure they would not do if they did not consent to have him how come so many of them saith he to be deceived and disclaimed at last â—nd their faith to perish with them Mat. 7. 21 22. All may seem fair saith Dr. Twiss * Pag. 102. no reigning sin appearing whereby the Conversation is deâ—â—led yet a man may deceive himself O how many have thought that Christ was most dear to them and that the hopes Mr. Baxter's Direct for peace of consc in the Epist Dedicat. of heaven were their chiefest hopes who have left Christ though with sorrow when he bid them let go all as Mr. Baxter hath observed who doth hereupon conclude I shall never be so confident of any mans â—idelity to Christ as not withall to suspect that he may possibly forsake him nor shall I boast of any mans service for thâ— Gospel but with a jealousie that he may Ibid. drawn to do as much againstâ— it Alas Sir your saving faith is not of a common extraction 't is a special Donative merited by Christ but for a very few as Dr. Twiss * Vbi supra pag. 152. tells us and peculiar to the Elect as our Divines conclude from Tit. 1. 1. 7. I have told him That God hath under his Hand and Seal made a full and free Deed of gift to him and all sinners of Mr. Baxter ib. pag. 43. Christ and with hâ—m of pardon and salvation and all this on condition of his acceptance or consent That it was comfort to know â—e might have Christ if he would and to find this to be the sum of the Gospel Rev. 22. 17. Whosoâ—ver will lâ—t â—im take of the water of life freely To this he readily answers out of Dr. Twiss That till a man believes â—t is not known either to himself or any other Ibid. pag. 164. man that he shall have any benefit by the death of Christ only God knows from everlasting who shall have benefit by the death of Christ and who not forasmuch as he hath determined to give faith in Christ to some and not to others and accordinâ—ly hath sent Christ into the World for their sakes 8. I have told him That the Scripture it self by the plainness and fulness of its expression makes it as clear as the light Mr. Baxter ib. pag. 32. that Christ died for all At this he cries ouâ— What hath the death of Christ to do with my Election or Reprobation Dr. Twiss tells us That Dr. Twiss ubi supra pag. 139. God in his Dâ—cree did no more consider the death of his Son than the faith of the Elect. 9. Here I expostulated with him in these words Is it Mr. Baxter ib. p. 42. nothing that a sufficient Sacrifice and Ransome is given for you This is the very foundation of all solid peace I think this is a great comfort to know that God looks now for no satisfaction at your hand and that the number or greatness of your sins as such cannot now be your ruine To this he confronts that of Dr. Twiss If Christ made satisfaction for all the sins of all and every one in such sort Dr. Twiss ibid. pag. 141. that Gods justice is thereby satisfied I demand how it can stand with Gods justice to exact satisfaction at the hands of so many as he doth for their sins and that by eternal damnation in hell-fire For whether Christs death and passion be satisfactory for all sins for all and every one by its own nature or by the constitution of God or by both I comprehend not with what justice God can put the damned persons to satisfie for their own sins in the flames of hell-fire c. 10. I have told him of a world of comfort which even the graceless may gather from universal or general mercy To this purpose I find that Scripture alledged John 3. 16. God Mr. Baxter ib. pag. 38 43. so loved the World that he gave his only begotten Son that whosoever believeth â—n him should not perâ—sts but have everlasting lâ—fâ— Here he interposeth a distinction of Dr. Twissâ—'s The love of God and of Christ to all goes no further saith he then this That whosoever believeth in him shall not perish but have everlasting Dr. Twiss ib. p. 164. life But Gods special love to his Elect is to send Christ into the World to merit not that only for them which is to be coâ—fer'd upon the condition of faith but to merit faith also for them which is confer'd upon them absolutâ—ly and upon no condition 11. I have advised him to get clear apprehensions of the freeness fulness and universality of the New Covenant or Law of Mr. Baxter ib. p. 33. Grace No man on Earth is excluded in the tenour of this Covenant and therefore said I certainly you are not excluded and if not excluded then you must needs be included But he returns this Answer he understands not how the Covenant of Grace can extend to such as God did implacably hate upon the account of Adams sin and decreed to pass them by in the communication of grace sufficient and necâ—ssary to Faith and Repentance without which there is no Adoption or Pardon 12. I told him God invites all without exception to mercy and salvation and therefore there was no reason why he should doubt of it He replies Gods invitation is no other than by professing that by Faith and Repentance they shall be saved without Faith and Repentance they shall be damned * Ib. pag. 54. as Dr. Twiss resolveth and he tells * Pag. 51. us moreover that Austin hath long ago professed that to say God would have all to be saved and none to perish is to deny the First Article of our Creed concerning Gods Omnipotency 13. I have represented what abundance of Comfort General Mercy or Grace may afford the soul before it perceive yea or receive any special grace for Mr. Baxter ubi supra p. 46 47. 1. All the terrifying temptations which are grounded on misrepresentations of God as if he were a cruel destroyer to be fled from are dispelled by the due consideration of his goodness and the
of Consolation he had given down in those Theses for soon after he puts in his excepâ—ions and enters such a Caveat against the greatest part of Mankind See Thes 16 c. as doth infallibly keep them out of possession of the benefit for saith he this universal Redemption must be very circumspectly handled as to point of satisfaction and merit and a double exception he propounds to limit them One respecting the things another the persons Christ he saith hath not satisfied for a permanent impenitency much less for a persevering contumacy and hence it comes to pass that the wrath of God abides upon unbelievers and all their sins original actual against Law and Gospel are imputed to them And yet O strange subtilty he hath merited grace for all even for the impenitent and unbelievers But what grace why Remission of sins and Eternal life under the condition of faith and repentance but not grace sufficient and necessary unto that faith and repentance From hence you will conclude that he must put in another exception a Caveat against persons too and it is this That although Christ hath promiscuously so satisfied for all men that their sins may be remitted viz. if they repent and believe that is when they are invited to take Christs easie yoke if they perform an impossible condition yet in truth he hath procured the sins of the Elect only in whom that condition is effected by an irresistible grace and operation to be remitted eventually So that Christ having made no satisfaction for the sin of final impenitency and having decreed to let them fall inevitably into that state by withholding grace sufficient and necessary to keep them from it what advantage I beseech you do these poor wretches receive from his merits and satisfaction Diotrephes But the Synod declares their sense more fully in this Article That many being called by the Gospel do not repent nor believe in Christ but perish in infidelity this comes not to pass say they through any insufficiency of Christs Sacrifice for that is a most perfect sacrifice and satisfaction for Chapt. of Redempt Art 3 4 5 6. sins of infinite price and value abundantly sufficient to expiate the sins of the whole World and that 't is therefore of so great value because the person that was offer'd up was the only begotten Son of God and because his death was joyned with a feeling of Gods wrath and of the curse which we had deserved by our sins and they declare this to be Gospel That whosoever believes shall not perish but have life everlasting Desolatus 'T is true if they believe upon that condition Mr. Baxter's Preface to the Grot. Relig. sect 9. Syn. Dord ib. A t. 8. But did God purpose* to cause in men this condition or not In the Elect he did upon whom only it was the most free counsel gracious will and intention of God the Father that the efficacy of that Sacrifice should stream â—orth to the production of faith in them by an irresistible operation as that Synod hath more at large declared So that a man must have the work of special grace wrought in him and the Spirit of Christ abiding with him before he can have assurance of his interest in Christ Diotrephes 'T is very true They that have not the Spirit of Christ are none of his * Rom. 8. 9. but you could not so much as say That Jesus Christ is the Lord but by the Holy Ghost * 1 Cor. 12. 3. yet this I know is your stedfast profession and because ye are sons God hath sent the Spirit of his Son into your hearts crying Abba Father Can you not pray to God too as well as profess to believe in him Desolatus 'T is most certain we should not have believed Christ to have been the Messiah and the Son of God if the Holy Ghost had not sealed the Revelation to us and confirm'd it with a world of miracles But having this Revelation by us Christ may be acknowledged to be the Lord without the special inhabitation of his Spirit to prompt us to it and his influences may be sufficient to move us unto prayer when they are insufficient to renâ—w us unto salvation and therefore not every one that saith Lord Lord not every Supplicant shall enter into the Kingdâ—m of heâ—ven but he that doth the will of the Father which is in heâ—ven Mâ—â— 7. 21. Diotrephes Hold you close to this principle that heaven shall be alotted for a portion to him that doth the will of God for the Lâ—rd loveth judgment and forsakâ—th not â—is Saints or his Psal 37. 28. that be godly they are prâ—served for ever Desolatus 'T is not enough to do Gods will for the substance of the work that may be done by the unsanctified But it must be done after a spiritual and gracious manner also * Dr. Twiss ib. p. 48. and so â—one but the Saints and truly godly do it and they are called his by a peculiar â—â—â—le of Election and are sure to be preserved for ever Diotrephes I remember you have been look't upon as a person eminent for godâ—â—ness and forward not only to do the will of God but when the will of God requir'd it to suffer also for your well-doing Now St. Peter tells you and he prefixeth a kind of Oath to his Asseveration saying Of a truth I perceive that God is no respecter of persons but in â—very Nation he that feareth Acts 10. 34 35. him and worketh righteousness is accepted with him Desolatus Sir the sense of that Text must admit of a limitation for as the Synod at Dort hath declared God hath chosen in Christ unto salvation a set number of certain men Cb. 1. Art 7. with 15. neither better nor more worthy than others but equally lost and lying in the common misery with others whom he passed over unto everlasting destruction And therefore Deodati tells us in his Annotation upon that Text that Peter speaketh not here of that Original of the will and pleasure of God by which he taketh into favour one who of himself is as unworthy as the other Rom. 9. 11. 1 Cor. 4. 7. * Do these Texts serve the interests of the Sullapsarians or Supralapsarians or both or neither But of that consequent degree of his love toward the work of his grace in what Nation or quality of person soever it be found to maintain increase and make it up This is his sense Diotrephes But that learned man does conclude you see that where God hath begun his work of grace he will not fail to maintain increase and make it up and this is that very thing whereof the Apostle is so confident That he which hath begun a good work in you will perform or finish it untill the day of â—esus Phil. 1. 6. Christ Desolatus This perswasion of the Apostle is but the result of his charity towards those Philippians as
hath begotâ—en me again unto a lovely hope through the universal b Rom. 3. 22 23 24. Redemption that is in Christ Jesus whereby I am now restored to my peace and comfort and enabled to rejoyce with joy unspeakable and full of glory c 1 Pet. 1. 8. Samaritanus And Blessed be God even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ the Father of mercies and the God of all comfort who comforteth us in all our tribulation that we may be able 2 Cor. 1. 3 4. to comfort them which are in any trouble by the comfort wherewith we our selves are comforted of God This is our duty upon our Emergency out of any other sadness as well as out of grievous lapses by vertue of that obligation laid on Peter And thou when thou art converted strengthen thy brethren I shall add no more but this Exhortation See that you walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing and as beâ—omes the Gospel of Col. 1. 10. Phil. 1. 27. Ephes 4. 1. Phil. 3. 14. Jude epist vers 20 21. Gal. 6. 9. 1 Cor. 15. the last Christ and the price of your high calling Building up your self on your most holy faith praying in the holy Ghost keep your self in the love of God looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life And be not weary in well-doing for in due season you shall reap if you faint not Therefore my beloved Desolatus be you stedfast unmovable always abounding in the work of the Lord forasmuch as you know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord. And the very God of peace sanctifie you wholly and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless 1 Thess â— 23 24. unto the comming of our Lord Jesus Christ Faithful is he that calleth you who also will do it Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling and to present you faultlesse before the presence of his glory with exceeding Judes epist vers 24 25. joy to the onely wise God our Saviour be glory and majesty dominion and power now and ever Amen S. Luk. 10. 30 31 32 33 34. A certain man fell among theeves which wounded him and departed leaving him half dead But a certain Samaritan had compassion on him and went to him and bound up his wounds pouring in oyl and wine 1 Tim. 4. 8. Godliness is profitable unto all things 2 Cor. 4. 1 2. Therefore seeing we have this Ministry as we have received mercy we faint not But have renounced the hidden things of dishonesty not walking in craftiness nor handling the word of God deceitfully but by manifestation of the truth commending our selves to every mans conscience in the sight of God Prosper ad objectionem Vincentii septimam quae sic habet Quod haec sit voluntas Dei ut magna pars Christianorum salva esse nec velit nec possit Respondit Si de his hoc dicitur qui pictatem Christianae conversaâ—ionis fidei deserentes in profanos errores aut in damnabiles mores irrevocabilitèr transierunt non dubâ—â—m est quod talem voluntatem habentes salvi esse nolunt quamdiu salvi esse nolunt salvi esse non possunt Sed nullo modo credendum est hujusmodi homines in hanc desperationem ex Dei voluntate cecidisse cum potiùs allevet Dominus omnes qui corruunt erigat omnes elisos Nemo enim nisi illius Gratiâ erigitur Nemo nisi illius Gratiâ stabilitur Dei ergo voluntas est ut in bonâ voluntate maneatur qui priùs quam deseratur neminem deserit multos desertores saepe convertit Certissimè noverimus nullum fidelium à Deo non discedentem relinqui neque cujusquam ruinam ex divinâ esse constitutione dispositam sed multis qui jam iudicio rationis utuntur ideo Liberum esse discedere ut non decessisse sit proemium ut quod non potest nisi cooperante spiritu Deifieri eorum meritis deputetur quorum id potuit voluntate non fieri quae voluntas in malis actionibus sola esse potest in bonis autem sola esse non potest Scriptor de vocat Gentium lib. 2. cap. 12. A BRIEF ACCOUNT Of the SYNOD at DORT Taken out of the Letters of Mr. Hales and Mr. Belcanqual written from Dort to the Right Honourable Sr. D Carleton Lord Embassador then at the Hague Out of which the Reader may observe with me 1. THAT generally speaking the Synod were an adverse Party to the Remonstrants and their Doctrine the evidences 1. hereof are so many I know not well where to begin my calculation I will content my self with some few Testimonies 1. The Presidents jealousie which without all question proceeded from some guilt in himself that this was the sense of the Remonstrants and made them so unwilling to submit their cause to so unequal a Decision The Presidents words are these Pretend you what you will the true cause of this your indisposition is this That you take the Synod for the adverse part and account your selves in equal place with them this conceit hath manifested it self in all your actions Letter of 5 15 Jan. pag. 62. 2. The Dean of Worcester discovered no less in his Latine Sermon in the Synod-house wherein he came at last to exhort them to stand to the former determinations which had hitherto most generally past in the reformed Churches in these points and told them it was a special part of his Majesties Commission to exhort them to keep unalter'd the former Confessions Here Mr. H. referrs it to the Ambassador saying How fit it was to open so much of their Commission and thus to expâ—ess themselves for a party against the Remonstrants your Honour can best judge Letter of Novemb. 19 29 pag. 11. 3. 'T is probable the Lord Embassador gave them a check for this betraying their Commission for we find them standing more carefully upon their guard afterwards It was proposed that there should be amongst some others Scriptum Didacticum a plain and familiar Writing drawn wherein the doctrine of the five Articles according to the intent and meaning of the Synod should be perâ—picuously exprest for the capacity of the common sort But the English were altogether against it their reason was Because it seemed inâ—ongruous that any writing concerning the Doctrine of the Articles should be set forth before the Synod had given sentence And indeed I must confesse saith Mr. Hales I see no great congruity in the proposal whilst matters are in controversie Judges walk suspensly and are indifferent for either party and whatsoever their intent be yet they make no overture of it till time of Sentence come All this businesse of Citing Inquiring Examining must needs seem onely as acted on a stage if the Synod intempestively before-hand bewray a resolution But notwithstanding any reason allegible against it the thing is concluded And a
Sacram. Disput 3. pag. 29 30. Mr. Baxter We know many that we sâ—e great signs of grace in and that are well reputed of as eminent for godliness that do frequently comâ—it as great sins as some kind of rash swearing seems to be For example It is too rare to mâ—et with a person so conscionable that will not frequently baâ—kbite and with sâ—me malice or eâ—vy speak evil of thoâ—e that differ from them in judgment or that they take to be against them or that they are falâ—n out with they will ordinarily censure them unjustly and secretly endeavour to disgrace them and take away their good names and love those that â—oyn with tâ—em in iâ— So how many Professours will rashly rail and lye in their passions How few will take well a Reproof but rather deâ—end their sin How many in these times that we doubt not to be godly have been guilty of disobedience to their Guides and of Schiâ—m and doing much to the hurt of the Church A very great sin The same person * Mr. Baxter saith also That a man may be oâ—t drunk and oft commit fornication he knows not justly how oft and yet have true grace * Ib. pag. 329. Nay he doth conclude though he subjoyns some Cautions to avod scandal That Solomon whose sin was more heinous than Drunkenness Forâ—ication yea or Murder it self as he confesseth * Ib. p. 327 328 was not unsanctified but had true grace and norwithstanding his Sensuality and Idolatry that he did in other things continâ—e his worship of the true God I hope I am not in a worse state than Solomon Diotrephes Had we such a man as Solomon in his sin to dâ—al with we ought to use him as an ungodly man I think saith the same Party whose Authority you insist upon * Mr. Baxter ib. pag. 347. So those that have lately committed scandalous notorious sin and will not on sufficient perswasion manifest any satisfactory Repentance for it we must presume them ungodly till they will manifest Repentance for we know except they repent they shall perish and an undiscovered Repentanâ—e is to us as none And our Divines at Dort conclude That though a godly man lose not his Justification by gross sinning yet he contracts such an incapacity of coming to heaven in that state that that must be removed or else he could not be saved Praesumptuosus It seems strange to me that persons who for the present have a real actual interest in Christ as all justified persons are supposed to have should at the same time have no Right to his Institutions and be in an incapacity of salvation Is Christ Theirs and are not his Sacraments Theirs too Are the Ordinances more sacred and precious than the Redeemer But they are uncapable of salvarion you say Doth not this make a foul flaw in the Apostles Chain Rom. 8. 30. Whom he justified them he also glorified But Sir though your words sound that way I hope you do not hold that a Child of God can fall totally from the state of grace Diotrephes We do not maintain that the Children of Dr. Twiss ubi supra p. 29 30. God cannot fall from grace albeit they should let the Reins loose to their lusts to commit sin and that with greediness but to the contrary we teach that God keepeâ—h them from falling away by putting his fear into their â—earts according to that Jer. 32. 40. I will put my fear in their hearts that they shall never depart away from me So that the right state of ouâ— Tenet is not that God will keep them from falling away in spight of their presumptuous courses but that he will keep them by him through an holy fear which is as much as to say he will hold them fast by him by keeping them from presumptuous courses and accordingly David after he had prayed that God would cleanse him from his secret faults he entreats God that as touching presumptuâ—us sins he would keep him from them that so he might be innocent from the great offence And as this was Davids prayer so answerable hereunto was Pauls Faith He will deliver me from every evil 2 Tim 4. 17. work to wit either by Obedience or by Repentance or else from every presumptuous course and preserve me to his heavenly Kingdom And accordingly the Saints of God as they are styled his called ones his sanctified ones so likewise are they denominated his reserved ones in the Epistle of Jude for his course is to make them meet partakers of the inheritance of the Saints in light not to save them in spight of their unfitness for it but to make them first fit for it by holiness and then to make them partakers of it Thus Dr. Twiss Praesumptuosus The Children of God then are alwayes free from at least a course of presumptuous sins Pauls Faith and Davids Prayer which are theirs too do secure them from sins of that nature But should they commit such sins as would make so foul a â—law in their state of salvation as to put them into an incapacity of Heaven I doubt whether it could be soader'd up again by Repentance Repentance is a metal so hetâ—rogeneous and different I am afraid it would never hold for as nothing in the World but Christ and that Evangelical Grace of his procuring can put us into the state of salvation so certainly nothing elâ—e can restore us to it if we make a recession from it Diotrephes Why Repentance is a part of the Gospel and one of the conditions of the Covenant of Grace Praesumptuosus I am taught otherwise by the Deputies of the Synod of Gelders and their Judgment is recorded amongst the Acts of the Synod at Dort * De Artic. secundo pag. 100. par 3. wherein they declare That Repentaâ—ce is not alwayes prescribed with an intention of salvation that it hath not Câ—râ—st for its foundation and that to be called unto Repentance is not the grace of the Gospel Nam haec in solo Christo propter solum Christum offertur cum intentione semper salutis aeternae for this grace of the Gospel is offeâ—ed in Christ alone and for Christ aâ—onâ— and alwayâ—s with intention of eternal salvation So is not Repentance as they say Diotrephes It is not sufficient to consider how the grace of the Gospel is offered but we must consider withall how it is to be received and hoâ— to be kept Praesumptuosus I suppose there is little dispute about that amongst the Ortâ—odox Faith is concluded to be the sole instrument or condition of receiving and presâ—rving this grace To this purpose it is delivered with great approbation as a Branch of Modern Divâ—nity * The Marrow of Modern Divâ—nity pag. 119 Edit 3. That In the Covenant betwixt Christ and his there is no more for man to do but only to know and believe that Christ hath done all for them Diotrephes This must be a lively