gave him some part of all flesh which by Apostacie are become dead in sins and trespasses to that posture in which once they might have received life yet some of these men are given to him at one time and yet given him at another and some of them are denyed him for ever and these various respects are the grounds of our Saviours words in these cond verse That he should give eternal life to as many as thou hast given him Thus God denied the Gentiles to Christ about 1800. years being dead in sins and in trespasses excepting some few as is proved in the 7th Chapter of my first Treatise and denied them the residence of his Oracles the said time for their Apostacy at Babel until Christ was come in the flesh Again When Christ came in the flesh Jo. 12. God gave him many of those Gentiles dead in sins to hear the voyce of the Son of God and live in that posture in which they might receive eternal life yet some are denyed him to this day and remain Heathens and shall till the fulness of the Gentiles come in in the interim many perish because denyed to Christ Again When God called us Gentiles to come to receive life in the said posture or to be either as is proved for before there was no way but death to most men yet at that time he denyed the Jews to Christ for crucifying the Lord of glory and his blood is upon them for to this day they remained dead in sins and trespasses for in Holland where the Gospel is preached it is no Gospel to them because God as yet denies them the spirit of faith as he hath done these 1600. years except it may bee to some few Again Thus were some of those denyed the gift of Faith while our Lord lived amongst them wherefore he said unto them Ye are not my sheep that is although my Sheep as from Abrahams flesh Jo. 1.16.25 26. yet not my Sheep as in Abrahams spirit of faith And although the whole body of that Church Elect still stands cut off for their unbeleef yet there will come a time when they shall be given to Christ The Apostle saith Rom. 11. If the casting away of them be the reconciliation of the World Rom. 11.8.12 15 16 20 25. what shall the receiving be but life from death Now I come to the fourth Quere How is it that Rom. 5.18 The Text affirms as by the offence of one Judgement came upon all men to condemnation even so by the righteousness of one the free gift came upon all men to justification of life And yet this 17th of John restrains that gift of life but to some I answer That justification was universal to all man-kind and to all alike and the extent of the imputation of that righteousness was to the whole Creation from whence it was put into a posture of travail from that bondage of corruption which it fell into by Adam to be partakers of the glorious liberty of the Sons of God and it travelleth until now as saith the Text. Again I answer That the gift of eternal life in the 17th of John is particular and peculiar to him that receives that gift of righteousness by Faith in two respects which that universal justification was not As first He that receives this imputed gift of righteousness God pardons that mans sins although numerous against the mercy of God in Jesus Christ which that universal justification did not for it onely pardoned the gift and punishment of Adams one offence once committed to him and all his posterity but it pardoned no more Secondly That man which by beleef receives that imputed gift of righteousness is possessed of eternal life in this World for the Text saith he that beleeveth hath eternal life which that universal justification did not give it onely gave right to eternal life but no more And the truth is the Apostle in the fifth of the Romans points out this particular justification and that universal justification The particular justification in these words for if by one mans offence death reigned by one much more they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one Jesus Christ But mark the Text It refers this particular Justification onely to Beleevers that receive that gift of righteousness Vers 17. and in the 18. Verse the Apostle layes down that universal Justification in these words Therefore as by the offence of one Judgement came upon all men to condemnation even so by the righteousness of one the free gift came upon all men to Justification of life Obj. It will be objected Object our Lord saith Father I will that those which thou hast given me be with me even where I am that they may behold my glory which thou hast given me for thou lovest me before the foundations of the world Vers 24. Therefore those that are given by the Father to Christ cannot but be infallibly brought to behold that his glory to Eternity For it is impossible but that Christs prayer must be granted because he alwayes did that which was pleasing in his Fathers sight Answ True it is Answ that Christ did alwayes so and therefore so in this prayer and therefore it shall be granted But the question in hand is not whether his prayer shall be granted but in what sense he prayed for it cannot be in the sense alledged because it is proved in this Chapter that the Father gave him 12. men of all flesh and yet one of them which his Father gave him shall not behold that glory because our Lord affirmes it had been good for him he had never been born and in this Chapter he saith one of them is lost and became the son of perdition Again right beleevers of all flesh are given by the Father to Christ to be his mystical members and himself to be head to that body from which ground he made this prayer in behalf of them that they might behold that his glory but we must mark the reason and ground of his prayer why his Father should grant it In these words Thou lovest me before the foundations of the world And of his members he saith Thou hast loved them as thou hast loved me V. 23. Now it is already proved in what sense our Lord himself was loved of his father before the world was namely to be the seaventh meanes or second Adam infailibly to accomplish his Fathers final end Therefore it necessarily followes That all his members are loved with the same love as they adhere to Christ in respect of his Fathers final end to his glory and not otherwise This is expressed by our Lord himself John 12.26 If any man serve me let him follow me for where I am there shall also my servant be If any man serve me him will my Father love otherwise not for that is implyed because our Lord puts it upon if and if If any man
received by the Saints inherent righteousness as in the particular branch of beleef and so make a conjunction as the eye with the light yet the light is one thing and the dark body of the eye that receiveth it is another thing and ever distinguished as distinct in their natures so it is between Christs righteousness received by beleef and that particular branch of their inherent righteousness which receives it in their natures are ever distinct for Christs righteousness which is by God imputed and by beleevers received is in the perfection of degrees otherwise eternal life could never have been attained by it but every branch of the Saints inherent righteousness is but in the perfection of parts and as filthy rags as is proved then what fellowship can there be between Christs perfect righteousness and the Saints imperfect as to the attaining of eternal life even as much as is betwixt Christ and Belial yet neverthelesse I grant by the way of similitude and by virtue of that union between the head and the members there is a conformity betwixt Christs righteousness and the righteousness of the Saints and therefore Christ as the head is sensible of the sufferings of the members therefore when Saul persecuted the Saints Christ called to him and said Saul Saul why persecutest thou me Again observe Is it the second property of love to adde to the perfection of the thing loved then you that know your selves to be Saints every one according to your measure received adde to the perfection on of Gods prayse by being filled with the fruits of your inherent righteousness adding to your faith virtue as is described for then as saith the Text Ye shall not be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ for this in you is it which doth adde to the perfection of Gods glory as saith our Lord Herein is my Father glorified that ye bring forth much fruit and this will demonstrate to your secret mind that you love God for saith our Lord He that hath my Commandements and keepeth them he it is that loveth me and then Christ will manifest to your mind that he loveth you and this will be your honour for God saith I will honour them that honour me And thus he did honour David while he was upright in his measure received by strengthening him to the destruction of the Lion and the Beare and Goliah and so advanced him to be King so on the contrary those Saints that dishonour him he will dishonour them and cause them to be despised as he did David for the matter of Batsheba and Uriah by delivering up his Son Absolom to his wicked mind to attempt the thrusting of David out of the Kingdom that he might be King in his Fathers room as also to commit filthiness with Davids Concubine in the sight of the Sunne and all Israel Again observe you that are Saints If you love him which did beget you will also love them that are begotten not by the will of the flesh but by Gods word of truth for here you see the property of true love is to adde to the perfection of the thing loved then look what affection you bear to the godly because they are such whether you compassionate their misery be they mighty or mean in the World if they are lost in fooles Paradise and vain prosperity as was David esteeming his Molehill as a Mountain If you have opportunity and ability adde to the perfection of their godliness and from divine truth blast their pride and foolishness or according to you own intimacy with God procure some merciful chastizement upon them that they may not perish with the world of ungodly so in this case God did withdraw his wonted presence from Davids secret minde and this was his trouble and the occasion of his return to God or to your Brethren that are mean in the world to adde to their perfection according to their necessity and your ability Also by your example abounding in the fruits of righteousness and so lead them into paths of true godliness then this will evidence to your secret minde that you do adde to the perfection of the thing loved consequently that you do love God and your Brethren not onely in word and in tongue but in deed and in truth CHAP. XI Wherein is treated of Patience as to its perfect work IN brief Patience in its perfect work is no more but this a quiet sufferance in bitter crosses unto the end liking it as issuing from the sacred hand of God Aaron went something neer to the perfection of patience for when Jehovah slew his Sonnes Levit. 10.2 3. Aaron held his peace So Eli answered It is Jehovah let him do what seemeth him good so David 1 Sam. 3.13 18. Psal 9 9. I was dumb I opened not my mouth because thou diddest it But as for Job in him patience had her perfect work for he quietly suffered his bitter and transcendent crosses to the end thereof as issuing to him from the hand of God to the losse of his whole estate and all his Children by fierce winds by robbers and fire from Heaven for then he arose and rent his mantle and shaved his head and fell down upon the ground and worshipped and said Jo 1. from the 3. to the 22. Naked came I out of my Mother womb and naked shall I return thither Jehovah hath given and Jehovah hath taken away and blessed be the name of Jehovah And the Text concludes In all this Iob sinned not nor charged God foolishly that is patience had her perfect work as formerly is described wherefore the Scriptures layes this down as the onely pattern of patience Christ excepted that is under the execution of Satans first Commission upon him and also in the entrance of the second he did detain his patience for a time for when Satan had stroke him with boiles from the sole of his foot to his crown he sate down among the ashes took him a pot-sheard to scrape himself withall whereupon said his wife unto him Dost thou still retain thine integrity Job 2. v. 3.7 8 9 10. Curse God and die But he said Thou speakest as one of the foolish Women speaketh What shall we receive good at the hand of God and shall we not receive evil and the Text concludes In all this Iob sinned not with his lips that is though his minde did begin to boyle and rise yet he did restrain it implying here was patience but not to her perfect work as before But when Iob came off suffering under the first Commission saith Iehovah to Satan Hast thou considered by Servant Job that there is none like him in the Earth a perfect and an upright man one that feareth God and escheweth evil and still he holdeth fash his integrity although thou movest me against him to destroy him without cause The first Commission in these words Iehovah said unto Satan Jo. 1.12 Behold
been to me thy love to me was wonderful Thus it is with love in the Saints which worketh by Faith according to their measure to God in Christ endevouring as neer an Union and Communion as may be Cant. 1 2. Cant. 1.2 Let him kisse me with the kisses of his mouth Vers 13. He shall lie all night betwixt my breasts and thus John leaned on Jesus bosom And thus David Joh. 13.23 Psal 86.11 Unite my heart to fear thy name So Paul defires to be dissolved to be with Christ meaning in Heaven yet names not Heaven implying Heaven were no Heaven to him Phil. 1.23 if Christ were not there whom his soul loved And this love is the sum of the first Table of the Law so much for the first property of love What is the second property that naturally arises from true love Quest It is no more but this Answ to do good or to adde to the perfection of the thing loved thus did Jonathan to David he saved his life with the hazard of his own and himself being Heire apparent to the Crown 1 Sam. 18.4 yet he endeavoured to lay aside himself and to prefer David to the Crown and stripped himself of the Robe that was upon him and gave it to David Rom. 4.20 Jam. 2.21 and his Garments even to his sword and to his bow and to his girdle Thus Abrahams love added to Gods extrinsicall glory for his Faith was the helper of his love to offer up Isaac his onely Sonne for he was strong in beleef and love giving glory to God Thus Moses when he came to years out of Faith and love to God refused to be called the Sonne of Pharaohs Daughter Heb. 11.24 25 26 chusing rather to suffer afflictions with the people of God than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the Treasures of Egypt and in this he was faithful in his measure of grace received but he did not adde to the perfection of Gods glory in the point of circumcision for it came to passe by the way in the Inne that Jehovah met him Exod. 4.24 and sought to kill him so David when he was in his right minde in faith and love according to his measure did adde to the perfection of Gods glory 2 Sam. 17.45 46 47. in the destruction of Goliah but being not faithful in his measure of faith and love he greatly diminished the glory of God by his Adultery with Bathsheba and the murther of Uriah 2 Sam. 11. Thus Mary to whom much was forgiven loved much therefore added to the perfection of Christs praise Luk. 7.43 by odoriferous and costly Oyntments anointing his feet wiping them with the hairs of her head Thus the poor Widow honoured God with her substance rendering him all her livelihood Mar. 12.44 although but two mites Again True love to God in beleevers doth not onely endeavour to adde to the perfection of his praise according to the first Table of the Law but also according to the second that is they love the brethren that is each loves other according to their measure received and not onely endeavouring Union and communion as Saints but also to adde to the perfection and good of each other hence saith David I am a Companion of all them that fear thee Psal 119.63 and such as keep thy Statutes And Abraham out of love to the righteous that he supposed might be in the Cities of Sodom humbly prayed of God to spare those Cities for their sakes Thus Paul from love endevoured to preserve Peter and others from the danger of his dissembling Gal. 2.11 12. therefore openly reproved him to his face And thus to adde to the good of those that they loved the Brethren sent to the Elders by the hands of Barnabas and Saul releef to the Saints which dwelt in Judea If all love ariseth from that suitable agreeableness which is between the subject and the object Observ then hence all you that beleeve your selves to be Saints look how far your secret minde is suitable to Gods word for so far forth you are suitable to him and no further and on the contrary hence we may give a right judgement what those mens mindes are suitable unto that would extinguish the sacred Scriptures that is to the minde of the Devil whose children they are Secondly observe Is love in it self a liking and uniting affection Then you that are Saints look to your affections lest with Lot you love the plains of Sodom too much but with Abraham affect the mighty possessor of Heaven and Earth much more and so your mindes will lye loose to the wealth and glory of this World as it did his for he left Lot to choose the rich soil of Sodoms plains and took to himself what he refused And so Moses affecting him that was invisible his minde lay loose to the Treasures and pleasures of Egypt he being faithful in his measure received but on the contrary if by adulterous affections to this present World you return not speedily you may fall to despise the Commandements of the Lord yea God himself as did David for you must remember 2 Sam. 9.10 12. your sanctified minde is the Temple of God and while you detain that he is neer to you by a liking and uniting affection therefore increase the degrees of your graces as before is laid down and beware of backsliding by affecting other things so far that you destroy the Temple of God for it is to the Saints he saith by the Apostle Know ye not that ye are the Temple of God and that the spirit of God dwelleth in you If any man destroy the Temple of God him shall God destroy 2 Cor. 6.16 1 Cor. 3.16 17. for the Temple of God is holy which ye are Let no man deceive himself c. Again observe Is it the first property of love to endeavour union with the thing loved as neer as may be then it will be your wisdome to endeavour as close an union with God from degree to degree as may be for there is no union so close or neer unto God in this world but it may be neerer for although the perfection of parts may grow high as in Moses to God and John to Christ yet it is but the perfection of parts but not of the degrees but beware you dream not that you have attained to the perfection of degrees as do the Familists Quakers and Papists for when you so think of your selves that is your very houre and power of darkness to fall into temptation and all abominations The Apostle affirms that by his righteous works and sufferings he filled up the measure of Christs in his body and that is the ground from whence the Romanists say that their righteousness and Christs do attain eternal life I answer Answ It is one thing that Christs imputed righteousness is
Again The Apostles were not of the World as he was not of the World because he engaged himself in life and Doctrine in opposition to the Apostate World both men and Angels And so in some degree did the Apostles and all Beleevers and so they were not of the World as he was not of the World from this ground it is that he said to his Father I pray not for the World that is for them as to their course of life and conversation but for them which thou hast given me out of the World that is Apostles and Beleevers that thou wouldest keep them from the evil The third Quere What meaneth our Lord by these words for their sakes sanctifie I my self that they also may be sanctified through thy truth Answ He meaneth that the Apostles should be sanctified by his word of truth because by it he did sanctifie himself to his work as it respected his Fathers final end Therefore cursed be for ever that Doctrine of the sneaking Quakers and our Familistical ranting Popelings by whom the Apostate Angels endevour to adulterate the most pure Oracles of God the old and new Testaments Secondly Although he thus prayes that it might sanctifie them in their work as it had done him yet we must note this by the way he was not unholy before for if we consider him as the second in the one Jehovah so he was infinite in holiness or personally God-man for so he was perfectly holy because that humane seed which was elect out of the fallen Masse to be assumed in the course of nature in the womb of the Virgin was totally separated from the least tincture of the nature of Devils sin I mean because the Virgin was over-shadowed by the Holy Ghost therefore that holy thing was called the Son of the most high Luk. 1.35 that is above all created natures in a superlative degree Quest If you ask me how could he be sanctified by the word of truth who was so sanctified in his divine and humane nature Answ Very well Heb. 5.8 for as he did grow in stature and wisdom so he learned obedience by the things he suffered that is Luk. 2.40 52. he did grow in degrees of heavenly wisdom in the sacred Oracles of God that is the old Testament and also in the words which himself received from his Father and gave them to his Apostles in the 8. v. of Jo 17. which now to us is the new Testament and as he did grow from Child-hood to a youth or young man to a perfect man he still kept close to his Fathers words from whence he was able to dispute with the Doctors at 12. years age to dispute with the Devils alledging It is written and custom makes another nature in good Luk. 4.4.8 as well as in evil for we see by his sufferings he learned obedi-ence that is better and better Object If it be objected Object That if he were more perfect then formerly consequently he was formerly lesse perfect consequently he sinned because he fell short of his Fathers will I answer Answ Not so for his Fathers Law requires man to love God but with all his soul and all his strength and his Neighbour as himself but no more then is proper to his kinde Therefore he sinned not And for his divine nature it being without limits in its Essence is without Law in his operations Again he being not created as was the first Adam a perfect man at once but being born of Woman came to it by degrees as is formerly proved yet in every degree he did as himself saith alwayes those things that pleased his Father Jo. 8.29 therefore he sinned not Again Our Lord did not thus sanctifie himself onely to accomplish his Fathers final end himself but also for his Apostles sake for saith he for their sakes sanctifie I my self that is to give them example how to go on ministerially in that which himself hath done fundamentally whence in the 18th verse he saith As thou hast sent me into the World even so I have sent them into the World that is to a World of Heathens and to a world of proud formal professors the Jewes his Elect Spouse for he came to his own and his own received him not To this end he gave his Commandement to the Apostles to go forth to the World Jo. 1.11 saying Goe ye therefore and teach all Nations baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost teaching them to observe whatsoever I have commanded you and loe I am with you alwayes that is Mat. 19.28 by my spirit for that is implyed Again He sanctified himself for all beleevers that he that sanctifieth they that are sanctified may be one not only in sufferings but in holiness insome degree in this life and to be perfect in one in the next Heb. 2.11 as is proved for he did know as satans lies believed by our first Parents we in them was und is the universal ground of all unholiness and ungodliness so on the contrary he did know that his Fathers truth beleeved and obeyed is the universal ground of all true holiness and godliness and therefore prayed sanctified them with the truth thy word is truth that is the only alone truth so to do by the spirit of truth which goes along with that word which the world that lives in weakness knowes not Therefore O you friends of the Bride-groom keep close to the pure truth of the Oracles of God for the grounds of your Doctrines expositions and applications and be content with the simplicity thereof and look not too much upon this or that mans expositions as to put too much stresse upon any mans wit or learning for their mistakes are numerous But above all keep to the four grounds manifested in the Oracles of God for in themselves they are infallible The first is Mans pure naturals as he was created by God for in holiness and righteousness created he him The second ground is the Covenant of works between God and Adam and these two States were distinct and each did stand alone before mans fall The third ground is the fall of man The fourth ground is the restauration of the whole Creation by Christ the second Adam The which four grounds in some measure are opened in the four first Chapters of my first Treatise upon which grounds that first Book my second Book and this third Book are built by him who makes use of the foolish things of the World 1 Cor. 1.27 to condemn the wise and when you see a Bee work beyond his wit then know there is a greater efficient than it Again The Father gave not only twelve men of all flesh to be Christs Apostles nor only all right beleevers of all flesh to be his mystical members here but if they continue to the end to be triumphant in Heaven to eternity But also he
therefore neither of these were lost in Adams fall The third distinction is as concerning the freedom of the will to righteousness that is rightly to choose Gods word and God himself as his cheefest good and rightly to refuse whatsoever is contrary to this Man in the fall lost all this totally and whatsoever else did tend to blessedness for although God created his nature in righteousness and holiness yet holiness and righteousness was not his nature for if it had been so it could not have been lost in the fall for the being of the Creature depended not upon the standing or falling of Adam but upon the Essence of God onely Now that which did depend upon his standing or falling was every thing that any way tended to his happiness and nothing else therefore the Lord Jesus Christ by all his works does no way extend to the being but to the blessedneses of the Creatures wherefore if man would have blessedness he must look only to Christ and keep to his rules for he is the Authour of eternal salvation to all that obey him otherwise not for that 's implyed If it be objected Object that consequently it followes that the salvation of the Saints is altogether uncertain and so there is a possibility that none shall be saved 'T is true Answ there is such a possibility in the nature of the two foresaid Contingencies as also in the nature of original sin to byas the will to evil and in these three respects it is possible that all the Saints may fail of salvation yet notwithstanding the Contingencies pronounced by the tenor of the Gospel that is He that beleeves and continues to the end shall be saved that 's implyed if not shall be damned And notwithstanding the wills natural liberty or the wills being thus byassed by original sin yet it is far more possible for all the Saints to be saved then it is possible for them to be damned for the Gospel-tenor pronounces salvation to beleevers and they are by faith possessed of the chiefest good therefore the wills natural liberty hath more reason to keep to the highest good which it hath possession of because it is suitable to the natural property of the will to follow good as the eye to follow light therefore much more this true good of which it is possessed before any other seeming good And whereas the will is byassed by original sin to evil the will in the Saints is much more byassed according to the degrees of their graces to that which is good by Regeneration because Regeneration in the nature of it contains virtually at least the spirit of love of power and a sound minde therefore it is more possible that all the Saints shall be saved then any of them should fail of salvation by the three Contingencies aforesaid If it be objected Object That Satans temptations and the Worlds alurements do forcibly draw out original sin to a custom in actual sin and so it is likewise possible that the Saints may fall totally from good to evil If they exercise that degree of their spirit of love Answ of power and a sound minde then they shall finde that he that is in them is stronger then a world of Devils and wicked men and their own corruptions to carry them on from strength to strength in Syon to that stability as never to fall as is formerly proved If it be objected Object The Saints through negligence in exercise of their graces may loose their first love and make shipwrack of that faith and conscience that was once good and so may fall totally away In this case there is far more danger Answ then in the former contingencies except they return in time but if they do timely return although their strength be brought very lowe and weak yet if they do return in that small strength which remains they may be saved for two reasons First Because then God will pardon their sin for to the Saints it is that the Text saith If any man sin we have an advocate with the Father Jesus Christ the righteous who is the propitiation for our sins c. Secondly If they return in time in that small strength which remains Christ by his spirit will assist and comfort them in that return if their strength be but as a bruised Reed or smoaking Flax for to such he saith Come unto me all ye that are weary and heavy laden and I will refresh you Thus he did to David and Peter and so he will to any other for he is the same God to the Saints which suffer ship-wrack by their own negligence now as then But they must thus come and return which is repentance for God forceth or compelleth the will of no man for then mans will is no will no more then he doth make a man to be man without a reasonable soul for so he is no man Again I answer If the Saints do give diligence and shake off negligence adding to their faith vertue as is described then God will make his word of an immortal force by the power of Christs spirit and keep them through faith unto salvation and establish them as Mount Sion that shall never be moved therefore it is far more possible that all the Saints may be saved then to fail of salvation Now the ground of the point is this To the Saints that so exercise as a reward of their works and labor of love through divers temptations God will habitually manifest himself virtually to the will which will draw the will habitually and hold it to himself virtually at least and on this particular depends their stability But what this manifestation is shall be proved in the next Chapter CHAP. VIII In which is proved what is that manifestation that so drawes the will to keep to God virtually at the least FIrst It is written Luke 24. Luk. 24.13 Our Lord appeared to the eleven Apostles and the two men that went to Emmaus and opened to them the Oracles of God which spake of himself Ver. 44. And the Text saith Then he opened their understanding that they might understand the Scriptures that is more clearly the mystery of his sufferings and Resurrection Verses 45 46 47. This further clearing of the understanding in the Saints in order to their perseverance and to the Apostles in order to their Ministery contains in it two things The one is right information to the understanding of the word of God as here we see Christ to these two men informs them of his sufferings and Resurrection The other is He illuminates their minds by his spirit to a more right understanding of his word and so this illumination adds more light to the understanding of the truth of God in his holy Oracles and so the will is rightly drawn to God for as sin and error shuts up the understanding and will of the Saints hindering their perseverance so this information and illumination carries them on to the said stability
ingenious acknowledgement of the divine truth Whereas you affirm Faith arises as a particular branch of the new Creature Object or Saints inherent righteousness yet it is affirmed by others that Faith is the first and Mother of all graces I answer It is one thing that Faith is included in the general nature of the Saints inherent righteousness wrought by the word and spirit of Christ Answ and another thing that in the exercise of their graces in order to perseverance That Faith is the first mover for in this case it is true Faith sets all graces a work and I suppose this is it they mean and I have proved in my second Book pag. 71.72 That mans beleef is the general ground of all his deliberate actions as to the avoiding of any danger and attaining any good hopeful And this is bottomed in the nature of the thing and not in the excellency of faith above the nature of other graces for justifying Faith simply considered in it self as to justification of a sinner is but a dark body till it hath received Christ and his righteousness which is the light of life eternal As is the eye a dark body till it receive the light And as by the Saints exercising all their graces all graces do grow so faith growes up with the rest Hence saith James thou seest that Faith was the helper of Abrahams works and by works Faith was brought to its end that is by offering up Isaac which figuratively was Christ to Abraham for saith our Lord Abraham saw my day and rejoyced Thus Christ is the Authour of eternal salvation to all that obey him otherwise not for that is implyed as to those professors in whom Faith dyed mentioned by James Jam. 2.22 If it be objected what I affirm in my first Book Object pag. 55. That Christ is the Authour of salvation to them that disobey him as old Eli and Miriam and Aaron and Moses whose carcases fell with others in the wilderness by the wrath of God 1 Cor. 1.29 30. and in the Church of Corinth for contempt of the Sacrament wherefore Christ smote some with sickness and some with death Moses and all the Saints that dye under a relaps Answ or back-sliding condition yet if any seed of Gods word sowne by the hand of Christs spirit remain in any degree of inherent righteousness though never so small then there is in them a virtual tendency by faith to Christs imputed righteousness as to the brazen Serpent the smallest tendency of sight that beheld it saved that mans body from death so that virtual tendency to Christs righteousness doth likewise save that man from the guilt and punishment of his sins and renders him eternal life after his departure out of this World yet the death of these Saints is under a Cloud of obscurity as to themselves and to others in respect of their eternal life as Salomon and Eli and those Corinthians which Christ stroke with death yet as for Moses although he dyed under a Cloud yet he dyed not as a barren and fruitless Christian but being filled with the fruits of righteousness although he disobeyed Christ eminently in one particular of unbeleefe for which Christ slew him his Carkasse falling in the Wilderness with the rest yet God rendered him this honour and comfort in his passage from this Vale of misery to eternal felicity for before he destroyed his body he led him to the top of a Mountain to let him see the figure of his eternal felicity Deut. 34.5 6 7. the promised Land of Earthly Canaan still proving that Christ is the Authour of eternal salvation to them that obey him as is formerly proved those that obey him most according to their measure of grace receive most To those Saints he most manifests himself to their secret minde and they that obey him least according to their measure he manifests himself least to their secret mindes for onely the pure in minde see God therefore the more purity of spirit the more sight of God and the lesse the lesse for the sanctified minde of the Saints is the onely Temple of the Holy Ghost and not the Saints persons as personally elected for as personally elected Christs humane body and soul was only the Temple of the holy Ghost as formerly is proved and therefore it is said the God-head dwelt bodily in that person or humane body but of none else for the Text saith In him dwelleth the fulness of the God-head bodily Col. 2.9 that is the fulness of the one Jehovah for that most properly is the God-head therefore the second in the one Jehovah to carry on his Fathers final end was personally elected God-man and his soul and body receives not the spirit by measure as doe the Saints but without measure as saith the Text. CHAP. X. Briefly touching upon the point of Faith but at large upon the point of Love FOr having formerly spoken of the works of the Saints whereof Faith is the first mover It were necessary that I should now treat what faith is but in regard I have handled it in my first Treatise here I passe it over for there I have proved that in justifying faith there are three degrees and shew the difference between that Faith and other Faiths and then I have proved what justifying Faith in its own nature is definitively and defined what its perfection is and also proved how God doth bring the Saints to that perfection and also that justifying Faiths perfection and dissolution are both in this life Pag. 128. to the 140 from pag. 128. to the 140. And because Faith works by love it is requisite to treat upon the nature of love and how that love doth arise in the mindes of beleevers and in a word all love in general in the minde of man arises from that suitable agreeableness between the subject and the object and so in this case of justifying Faith for no man can love that which is not suitable nor agreeable to his minde From this ground Jacob could not love Leah so well as Rachel but because there was a suitable agreeableness between the subject and the object therefore Jonathans love to David was more than the love of women so much to shew how love ariseth in the minde of man but the question will be What is love in its own general nature Quest In a word Answ It may be definitively thus laid down It is in the minde of man a liking and an uniting affection but the point will be more cleared by its natural properties the which are two What is the first property Quest It is to endevour as neer an Union and Communion with the thing loved Answ as possible may be therefore it was that Jonathan and David kissed one another and wept one with another until David exceeded and that David said concerning Jonathan I am distressed for thee my Brother Jonathan 2 Sam. 1.26 1 Sam. 18.1 very pleasant hast thou
serve me c. For if our Lord himself be loved unto the said respect of his Fathers glory as to be compleated in his final end by him Consequently this his prayer is according to that level and not otherwise as plainly appears in the comparing the 26th Vers of the 12. of John with this 24th Vers in the 17th of John But what Gods final end is here I pass it over because it is proved in the first and 12th Chapter of my second Treatise So much for the opening of the 17th Chapter of John which proves that the Saints perseverance hath no dependance upon the supposed personal Elections which neither this Chapter nor any other doth own CHAP. III. In which are opened several other Texts to the purpose aforesaid BEhold the dayes come saith the Lord Jer. 31.3.31 22 33 That I will make a new Covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah Not according to the Covenant I made with their Fathers c. But this shall be the Covenant that I will make with the house of Israel After those dayes saith the Lord I will put my Law in their inward parts and write it in their hearts c. By that word in those dayes is meant as is expressed in the 17. Verse There is hope in the latter end saith Jehovah that thy Children shall come to their own border that is their own Land and return into that posture wherein they may receive eternal life as is implyed in these words I will write my Law in their hearts further implying that formerly they were dead in sins and trespasses To the same purpose he saith I will give them one heart and one way that they may fear me for ever for the good of them and their Children after them Jer. 32.39 40. And I will make an everlasting Covenant with them and I will not turn away from them to do them good In the next words he shewes wherein principally their good consists I will put my fear in their hearts that they shall never depart from me onely note this by the way That this fearing of God for ever and a Covenant that shall last for ever and that they shall never depart from him is in no sense spoken in reference to personal election as the ground of the Saints perseverance in the grace of God by Jesus Christ for all this story points onely at the Jews Gods elect visible Church and these words as to them imply two things First That God had formerly turned away from them from doing of them good many years yet he continued them to be and so to be distinguished in all Ages and Generations as that they are known by the name of Jews as Abrahams off-spring to this day Secondly These words further point out That although they are now no visible Church of Christ yet after their conversion into the said posture they shall never totally depart from being Christs visible Church unto the Worlds end as they have been many hundred years and are at this day and that is meant when God saith I will make an ever lasting Covenant with thee as to the same effect in the 3. Verse And in that he saith Rom. 11.15.27 Heb. 8.8 9 10. Heb. 10.16 17. I will give them one heart and one way that they may fear me for ever And to this point the Apostle speaks Rom. 11.15 27. and to the same purpose Heb. 8.8 9 10. and Heb. 10.16 17. So that it is clear these Texts speak nothing to the maintenance of personal Election as I said â—efore Onely I marvail that so many godly learned men should be so bold to infer from the Apostles words Rom. 9.13 Esau have I hated That Esau was personally reprobated to eternity for the Apostle doth onely repeat a Record as it is written by Malachy and Malachy followes God declaring his purpose to Rebecca concerning those Children That they were the Roots of two Nations and he purposed the one Nation should be his visible Church and the other being the elder Brother should not that no flesh as flesh should glory in his sight and in this sense he saith Esau have I hated as is formerly proved in this and both my other Treatises Again For further clearing of the truth against those threefold erroneous Elections I will prove the original use of the word Elect and in what sense that word is applyed in the old and new Testament For instance many hundreds of years after Esau and Jacob were dead came the burthen of the word of Jehovah by Malachy I have loved you saith Jehovah yet ye say wherein hast thou loved us was not Esau Jacobs Brother saith Jehovah yet I loved Jacob and hated Esau and laid his Mountains and his Heritage waste And to Jacobs Nation Vers 5. he saith your eyes shall see and you shall say Jehovah will be magnified from the border of Israel And to Israels Nation Jsaiah applies the word Elect which as to them Isa 44.1 2. was the original use of this word Yet hear now O Jacob my Servant and Israel whom I have Elect Thus saith Jehovah that made thee and formed thee from the womb he will help thee fear not O Jacob my Servant and thou righteous whom I have Elect. But thou Israel art my Servant Isa 41.8 9. Jacob whom I have Elect the seed of Abraham my friend And in the 9th Verse Thou whom I have taken from the ends of the Earth and called thee from the chief men thereof and said unto thee thou art my Servant I have elected thee and not cast thee away From this ground our Saviour speaking of the destruction of this visible Church Elect after his death he concludes those dayes of vengeance shall be shortened except those dayes should be shortened there should be no flesh saved Mat 24.2 and from 15. to 22. But for the Elects sake those dayes shall be shortened implying no flesh otherwise of Abraham his friend whould be reserved for a future call to the said posture in which they might receive the gift of eternal life Dan. 11.15 1 King 3.8 So the Prophet saith thy Servant is in the midst of thine Elect people whom thou hast elected likewise O seed of Jacob his Servant ye Children of Jacob his Elect ones 1 Chron. 16.13 so that in the old Testament we see the original of this word Elect and the application of it hath not the least sense to any personal Elections but to a visible Church or to its individual members under the same capacity Secondly It is applyed to the same sense and none other in the new Testament To the visible Church of Colos the Apostle saith Put on therefore as the Elect of God Col. 3.12 1 Thes 1.4.7 bowels of mercy c. likewise to the visible Church he saith knowing Brethren beloved your election of God for our Gospel came not unto you in word onely but also
darken his glorious Oracles not in themselves but as to men Again In regard the heart of man at the best is as a Fountain of error he being so neer unto us we may the rather pray him to purifie our hearts that we may by a simplified beleef see where we are even in himself Again In regard Jehovah is so neer unto us from this ground it is the Apostle exhorts all that are truly godly saying Let your moderation be known to all men The Lord is at hand be careful for nothing but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God Therefore the Objection is frivolus that we need not pray because God is so neer us From this ground that Jehovah is so neer did arise that singular moderation in Moses as to this sensitives Worlds glory Heb. 11.24.27 for he refused to be called the Son of the Kings Daughter esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the Treasures of Egypt and endured as seeing him which is invisible and David when he was in his right mind beheld Jehovah which is invisible to sense saying Psal 23.4 Though I walk through the vale of the shadow of death yet I will fear none evil for thou art with me And having done with the Familists till I meet with them again I return to the clearing of the point of universal Election by answering of foure Quere's Was not Election out of the fallen Masse Quere 1 personal for the fall was acted by two individual persons Adam and his Wife Although the fall was of two individuals Answ male and female yet the fall was not personal but universal and that of the whole kind How can that be Quest Very well Answ for as God rejected Esau and elected Jacob in the womb yet neither personally rejected nor elected although they had a personal existence as appeares by their strugling in the womb He calls them two Nations and two manner of people to be separated from her bowels so in this male and female God considered all mankind radically in the Seed from this ground the Text saith In Adam all die yet note this by the way our first Parents in this case were onely the Root materially but not formally for the formal cause why all mankind might transgress in that one offence was Gods Covenant with Adam for life and death eternal as is proved in my first Treatise page 22. Therefore the fall was not personal but universal consequently so was the Election In the Seed of the Woman Christ the Lord as comprehending the whole Masse If the whole Masse were elected Quere 2 then no part was rejected and Election is altogether improper where there is no rejection We must consider the Apostate Angels and man Answ in that fall as two distinct natures in one respect and yet but one nature in another respect For instance as they were Angelical and humane natures so they were two distinct but as both natures in the fall were totally diabolical so they were but one therefore when they both were thus one in the fall then God elected the humane nature out of that diabolical nature to mercy in the promised Seed but left the Angelical nature in that diabolical nature rejected from all mercy for ever And all comprehended in these words to the Serpent their Instrument I will put enmity between thee and the Woman Gen. 3.1 5 and between thy Seed and her Seed it shall bruise thy head c. For he in no wise took the nature of Angels but here we see he did take the Seed of the Woman to mercy so that here is a proper rejection consequently a proper Election From what did that Universal Election Quere 3 free all mankind It freed all mankind from three things Answ First from those dreadful defections crosse operations and hideous representations which by the justice of God in the fall was to come upon the whole Creation as is proved in the third Chapter of my first Treatise Secondly It freed all mankind from the total nature of Devils for in mercy it was reduced but to a Seed and is called rightly the Seed of original sin for two reasons First because this Seed is derived to all men in their natural Generations and so remains in this life in the very best of men Christ only excepted because all may know the total nature of it through mercy was reduced to be but a Seed and so may magnifie Gods mercy for that universal Election and for freedom from so great an evil and to a possibility of all their good A second reason is this for without this Seed of Devils sin I mean thus issuing in humane nature it is not capable of eternal life in Gods gift through Christs imputed righteousness for the whole needed not the Physitian but the sick and he came not to call the righteous but sinners to repentance therefore all those that fancie themselves to be without sin and righteous as do that pack of Familists or Quakers or to obtain eternal life by their own merits as joyned with the righteousness of Christ or by works of super-erogation as do the Romanists are all quite out of any capacity to be saved by him but not out of a capacity to be damned by their own error if they repent not A third thing from which all mankind are freed by the said Universal Election is from that joynt condemnation with the Devils in torment and reprobation to eternity So as for Adams one offence never any man perished as at large is proved in the fourth Chapter of my first Treatise Quere 4 After what manner was that Universal Election out of that fallen Masse It was after this manner Answ First it was purposed by God before the World or Man did exist as is proved in the first Chapter of my second Treatise Eph. 1.3 4. And the Text affirms that all spiritual blessings which beleevers have it is according as he hath chosen us in Christ before the foundations of the World Again It was after this manner the foundation of this Election out of the fallen Masse was laid in the seed of the woman personally God-man for the Text saith he chose us in him wherefore he did not assume the person of any man into personal union but the nature of every man which contains the universal nature of all men for he assumed it in the womb of the Virgin as already is proved and will yet more fully appear in due place Again This Election was after this manner God considered not man without all respect to works good or evil nor upon his foresight of mans faith and works but he considered man in the fallen Masse unholy and under blame and not loved for the Text saith He chose us in him that we might be holy and without blame before him in love Now this word chose us in its full drift is to be understood
in a twofold respect that is restrictively and universally restrictively thus He chose us beleevers among men which receive his gift of righteousness into the possession of eternal life in this World and to the adoption of Sons for as the Text saith God elected to himself a godly man so it also saith Psal 4.3 Joh. 1.1 2. He that beleeveth hath eternal life And to as many as beleeved in his name he gave prerogative to be called the Sons of God that is by adoption And thus the word chose us restrictively considered is onely beleevers as were they to whom this Epistle was written Secondly This word He chose us is to be understood universally of humane nature as such in opposition to the nature of fallen Angels and so it comprehends all in the fallen Masse as unholy and under blame and not loved save in the seed of the woman And thus in after times when man did universally apostate into perdition with the Apostate Angels then as a continued act of this universal Election and as a continued act of the Apostate Angels rejection he taketh hold on mankind to stay him from sinking but left the Angels still to sink And hence it is the Text saith That he in no wayes taketh hold of the nature of Angels but of the Seed of Abraham he taketh hold that is in electing a visible Church of humane nature as such in the loins of Jacob in his Mothers womb This point is further amplified in my second Treatise page 24 25 26 27. Now the rule of truth leads me to two conclusions from the premises First To give a right judgement of the supposed Elections Nota. that is being simply considered in themselves they are neither more nor lesse than three lies because the truth of God owns none of the three neither ought we Secondly To give a right judgement of the godly learned touching this controversie that in them it is an error of love as to Gods glory and not that they love to erre they being at the least friends of the Bridegroom But if you say unto me as it hath been said by some that I may erre Quest in understanding the Scriptures as well as others especially being illiterate 1. True it is Answ I am illiterate and he that thinks he can so speak or write that he cannot erre he erres in so thinking of himself 2. Secondly I answer If I or any man else keep close to the simplicity of the sacred Scriptures in their drift or scope according to mine or his Talent Then Gods spirit will keep me or any man else to his truth and so from error as he saith unto the Church of Philadelphia Because thou hast kept the word of my patience Rev. 3.10 I also will keep thee from the houre of temptation And as before so I say again when you see a Bee work beyond its wit then know there is a greater efficient than it CHAP. VI. In which is begun the second general point that is in what sense the Scripture speaks the Saints perseverance in the grace of God by Jesus Christ THis point falls asunder into two general parts the one remote and lesse proper serving only for introduction the second is the very point it self The first is no more but this how a man may attain to or become a Saint one means remote is the Universal Election before spoken of for until then it was as possible for the Devil to become a Saint as any Son of Adam Another remote meanes is the taking away of the guilt and punishment of Adams one offence from the whole Creation in general and from man in particular by the universal imputation of the righteousness of Christ the second Adam for till then the damned in Hell were as capable to be Saints as any Son of Adam A third remote means is That in regard man totally lost all righteousness and holiness in that fall therefore if God had not written his Law in the minde of man by the spirit of Christ from whence man by nature does the things contained in the Law or Oracles of God man had been utterly uncapable ever to become a Saint A fourth remote meanes is this Rom. 2. To becom a Saint man must do as did those heathens Rom. 2. they haveing not the Law or Oracles of God resident with them Quest what did they or what could they do that knew not Christ the Text answers they did by a patient continuance in wel doing seeke glory honour Immortality and eternal life that is implicitly and virtually they came towards Christ whom they knew not for they could not know him expresly haveing not the Oracles of God Then what could those Heathens find Quest though they did so seek certainly they did find for Christ hath promised those that seek shall find But what did those Heathens find Answ Two things which made good the promise of Christ unto them Quest The first was Circumcision Answ which was by nature Rom. 2.26 By nature that is by the force of the Law written in their nature and the voyce of God in Christ speaking kindly to man in the whole frame of nature from whence they became Saints Vers 29. that is they were holy for saith the Text their Circumcision is that of the heart in the spirit not in the letter whose praise is not of men but of God But doth the Text affirm Quest that these Heathens were saved Yes Answ As certainly as were the Jewes for God would render unto every man according to his deeds to them who by a patient continuance in well doing seek glory and honour immortality eternal life to the Jew first Rom. 2.6 7. from 10. to 15. and also to the Gentile for there is no respect of persons with God What can men that live within the sound of the Gospel Quest do more to become Saints than they that never heard the Gospel preached They that are under the Gospel may do more than the other Ansoe because the difference is much for the things that they seek which are under the Gospel are much more clearly manifested therefore God will much more circumcise their hearts as he did Lydia's opening her understanding to what Paul preached and as to Paul himself seeking immortality and eternal life in a patient well doing for he saith he lived unblameable that is in the truth of God though through ignorance he persecuted that truth under the notion of error but saith he I did it ignorantly and therefore obtained mercy Thus the young man in the Gospel by a patient continuance in well doing did seek to Christ saying Good Master what shall I do to obtain eternal life and he answered to what our Lord said All this have I done from my youth but mark what entertainment our Lord gave him in two particulars first he looked on him that is seriously and loved him saith the Text. Secondly He put him upon this that it was