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Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
love_n	john_n	love_v	true_a	4,911	5	5.7716	4	true

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A96425	The doctrines of the Arminians & Pelagians truly stated and clearly answered: or, An examination and confutation of their ancient errors, which by the Church of Christ in former ages were justly abhorred, but of late under the names of Comfortable truths to be embraced are newly published. Concerning I. The universality of Gods free-grace in Christ to mankind. II. Concerning election. III. Redemption. IV. Conversion. V. Perserverance. Wherein the principal arguments brought to maintaine the orthodox faith are propounded, and the principal objections against them answered. / By Thomas Whitfield, minister of the gospel at Bugbrook in Northampton-shire. The Tares of Arminian heresie showed in former times (and by the help of prelatical influence then given to them increasing) and now growing up so much in these; I conceive this book wherein the author doth learnedly state and confute those opinions, is very worthy the publike light. Joseph Caryll.	Whitfield, Thomas, Minister of the Gospel.; Carly, Joseph, 1602-1673.	1651 (1651)	Wing W2006; Thomason E646_7; ESTC R208798	87,011	101

are in Christ who may fall away Answ Branches are of two sorts either such as are truly engrafted into Christ or such as seem to be so that are branches onely by externall profession not by internal union this is to be understood not of true but seeming branches such as the Apostle calls Jews outwardly that are not Jews within who have received the circumcision of the flesh but not of the heart Rom. 2.28.29 that are Israelites only according to the flesh not truly Israelites Rom. 9.6 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in me may as well be referred to the words following as those that went before and then the sense will bee that every branch that bringeth not foorth fruit in Christ implying that some branches namely seeming branches bring forth fruit by the strength of their owne root and these cannot continue others namely true branches by vertue of the grace they suck and draw from Christ by faith and these shall be purged that they may bring forth more fruit So likewise is that to be understood which our Saviour speaks of the going out of the unclean spirit who returned again Mat. 12.43.44 namely such a going forth as was in appearance only there being an outward reformation but no inward sanctification for when he returned he found the room empty ver 44. And so is that of the Apostle to bee understood when he saith that some made shipwraeke of faith and put away a good conscience they forsake their profession of their faith and ceased to do those things that were agreeable to a good conscience 1 Tim. 1.19.20 and which St. Peter saith of some that had escaped the filthinesse of the World and yet afterwards returned with the dog to their vomit 2 Peter 2.19.20 they seemed to have been purged from that filthinesse which overspreads the impure World because for a time they did forbeare the practice of some foul grosse sinnes wherewith before they had been defiled but not doing this upon right grounds their hearts being never truly purged ere long they returned to their old vomit again Object 6 But some fall away not onely from outward profession but also from inward graces for the Apostle speaks of such that had been enlightned and made partakers of the Holy Ghost that tasted the good Word of God and felt the powers of the life to come yet afterwards fell away Heb. 6.4 5 6. Answ Men may be said to be made partakers of the Holy Ghost two waies either in regard of common gifts Bezaleel and Aholiah were filled with the spirit of God Exod. 31.3 much more such as have gifts of illumination and the like or in regard of saving graces as that faith which is called a pretious faith 1 Pet. 1.5 that love whereby they love the Lord Jesus in sincerity Ephe. 6. last that repentance which is a repentance unto salvation arising from Godly sorrow 2 Cor. 7.10 this is to be understood of the former only not of the latter for the Apostle speaks here only of an enlightning of a tasting he saith they were enlightned to see the truth he doth not say they loved the truth he saith they tasted the good Word of God he doth not say they digested it that they tasted of the power of the life to come they had some sense of the power of the promises and threatnings of the joyes of Heaven and pains of hell but they were not deeply and throughly affected with these things a man may taste of that which he puts out againe these are such things as may befall hypocrites and wicked men our Saviour speaks of some that received the Word with joy here was a taste and for a while beleeved Luk. 8.13 whom yet he makes no part of the good ground and the Scripture every where puts a difference betwixt common gifts and saving graces betwixt that which is called a forme of knowledge Rom. 2.20 a knowledge that puffs up 1 Cor. 3.13.1 and that knowledge which is the beginning of eternall life Ioh. 17.3 betwixt that faith which is called a dead faith that profits nothing Iam. 2.17 such a faith as Simon Magus had Act. 8.24 and that which is called an unfained faith 1 Tim. 1.5 the faith of Gods Elect Tit. 1.1 betwixt the hope of hypocrites which shall perish Ioh 8.13 and the hope that makes not ashamed Rom. 5.3 Object 7 The Apostle saith of the Jewes who were naturall branches that were broken off through unbeliefe and tells the Romans to whom he writes that if they did not continue in that goodnesse which God had shewed to them they likewise should be broken off Rom. 11.20.22 Answ This is to be understood not of the particular persons of true believers but of the whole Nation or people either Jews or Gentiles as appeares because the Apostle in this whole Chapter sets one against another 2. Or of such persons as were branches only by outward profession not by inward insition and union Object 8 If a true believer cannot fall away then to what purpose are the precepts exhortations admonitions and the like why are they bidden if they stand to take heed lest they fall 1 Cor. 10.12 not to be high minded but feare Rom. 11.20 to work out our salvation with fear and trembling Phil. 2.13 what need such fear and taking heed of falling in them that cannot fall Answ 1. Though they cannot fall finally by reason of divine conservation yet they may fall dangerously and fearfully they may so fall through carelessenesse and presumptuous boldnes that by falling they shall contract on themselves the smart of many outward afflictions and crosses yea such inward anguish and wound of soule and spirit as will be like the breaking of their bones Psal 51.8 therefore they had need fear and take heed for if they forsake Gods laws and break his statutes he will visit their transgression with rods and their iniquities with strokes though he will not wholly take away his mercy and loving kindnesse from them nor falsifie his truth or breake his Covenant namely his promise of conservation Psal 89.31 32 33 34. 2. These caveats of fearing and taking heed are to very good purpose because as God will in his mercy preserve and uphold true believers from totall defection so he will doe this by means the inward meanes are holy feare watchfulnesse and the like the outward means are exhortations admonitions and warnings of his Word which serve to beget and stirre up the inward the more outward meanes assisted with blessing from God the more inward fear and watchfulnesse the more of these the more assurance of safety and fast standing Hence the Apostle having bidden the Phillippians to worke out their salvation with feare and trembling Phil. 2.12 tells them that it is God who works in them both to will and to do Verse 13. so that Gods worke and mans may very well stand together Gods promise and mans duty stablish each other Object 9 But if a man be perswaded that hee can never fall away this will much dull his endeavours of watchfulnesse if not make him altogether secure and carelesse Answ A false and presumptuous perswasion may doe this but not a true the doctrine of perseverance by accident may breed security in a carnall heart as the Gospell may bee the savour of death but it doth not so in a gracious heart the more true perswasion a believer hath of his firme standing the more is he likewise perswaded of the free and unchangeable love of God which is the ground of it now this is such a love as doth not putrifie the heart but purifies it hee that hath this hope purgeth himselfe 1 Iohn 3.3 the more feeling wee have of the free love of God the more it causeth us to love him again we love him because he loved us first 1 Iohn 4.19 the more wee love the more fearfull we are to offend and carefull to please and to perform duty a principall part whereof is to humble and watchfull Object 10 A man cannot be a member of Christ and a member of an harlot a true believer may commit fornication and so make himself a member of an harlot and therefore he may cease to be a member of Christ Answ The Apostle speaks not of what cannot be done but what ought not to bee done what is shamefull unseemly unreasonable for a Christian to doe shall I take the members of Christ and make them the members of an harlot 1 Cor. 6.11 our bodies are appointed to be members of Christ by committing fornication we imploy them to such actions as are proper to those who are members of an harlot now this is altogether unreasonable and intollerable that any should imploy to vile and base uses those things which are appointed for excellent and honourable purposes and this is all can be urged from this place Object Hee that is justly excommunicated is cut off from the visible Church and what is done in earth is ratified in heaven therefore he is like to be cut off from Christ Answ The end of excommunication is not to cut off a true believer wholly either from Christ or from the Church but onely to exclude him from those priviledges that belong to a member of the Church till they be truly humbled and fit to be received againe and this may bee ratified in heaven the sense of Gods favour may be withdrawne the inward consolations and operations of his spirit may for a time bee suspended and yet there be no totall nor sinall separation from Christ FINIS

Mediatour it is as much as if it had been said one God only one Mediatour only because in other places all other are excluded besides this one So when it is said Christ laid down his life for his sheep it is as much as if he had said for his sheep only because all are not Christs sheep he will not give Eternall life to all And by this reason here objected when the Apostle bids husbands love their wives as Christ loves his Church Ephes 5.25 some might except and say but he doth not bid them love their wives onely therefore they may love others Object But if in other places the word all must be taken in a generall sense as when it is said that all men have sinned and that death is come over all men why not as well in this he gave himselfe a Ransome for all Answ 1. Because these places have no restraint nor limitation put upon them as those of Christs dying have as already hath been shewed 2. Because all shall not be saved and the end of Redemption is Salvation Luk. 1.69.70 neither will Christ pray for all Iohn 17.9 Object 2 Against the argument drawn from the love of God that he loves not all with a speciall peculiar love therefore hee hath not given his Son to die for all Tho. More objects 1. That he loves all with a love of pity though not with a love of complacency or delight Answ But this love of pity is not a speciall peculiar love it is not the greatest love as that is which caused him to die greater love then this hath no man to give his life Christ may pity his enemies whom hee meanes to destroy it is not that unchangeable everlasting love which causeth him to love to the end it is such a love as may be turned into hatred therefore not the greatest love The Lord hates all the workers of iniquity Object God hates no man before he hath sinned in rejecting the offer of Christ Answ He hated Esau before he was born or had done either good or evill Rom. 9.13 Object This must be understood of a lesse love then that wherwith Iacob was loved as when we are bidden to hate Father and Mother this cannot be understood of any positive hatred but of a lesse love then wherewith we are to love Christ Answ But the love which caused Christ to lay downe his life is the greatest love therefore hee died for none but whom he loved with this love whereas hee loves the objects of hatred such as Esau with a lesse love for hatred as they make it signifies lesse love 2. Though hatred sometimes signifies lesse love yet when God saith Esau have I hated it cannot be so understood for here love and hatred are one set in opposition against another and therefore cannot be severall degrees of the same thing They are here made membra dividentia ejusdem generis such contraries as can never bee conjoyned The purpose of God is here distinguished into a purpose of love whereof Iacob was the object and a purpose of hatred whereof Esau was the object and they are the same with election and rejection the Apostle makes the love to Iacob to be the same with election ver 11. therefore hatred which is contrary to it is the same with rejection neither can we imagine a choosing of some but there must be a refusing of others Object I have hated Esau and laid his mountains waste for the Dragons of the wildernes Mal. 1.3 By this it appears that the hatred wherwith God hated Esau consisted only in regard of outward things in denying those priviledges to Esau which he granted to Iacob as the inheritance of the Land of Canaan and preservation from desolation which is threatned to Esau Answ Though there was a difference betwixt Iacob and Esau in regard of outward things yet neither the only nor principall difference did consist in these so as one is said to be loved and another to bee hated in regard of a difference in these for 1. The Land of Canaan was a type of the heavenly Canaan therefore Esaus rejection from the one was a sign of his rejection from the other Hence the selling of his birth-right is made a note of his prophanenesse Heb. 12.16 That he slighted this priviledge and for filling his belly passed away all his right and title to the heavenly inheritance whereof the inheritance of Canaan was a type 2. Esaus serving of Iacob and Gods hating of him could not bee fulfilled in regard of any outward inferiority wherby he was beneath Iacob for Esau in outward respects was a greater man then Iacob so that Iacob bowed to him and called him his lord And he possessed a fairer inheritance in Mount Seir then ever Iacob did in the land of Canaan wherein he lived as a stranger Neither was the excellency of the land of Canaan so much in the pleasantnesse or fertility of it in the last of which the land of Egypt and Caldaea did equall if not exceed it but because it was symbolum divini favoris as Calvin cals it a pledge of the favour of God and a place which he had consecrated to himselfe and to his elect people whom he had set his love upon Deut. 7.7 3. As the mountains of Esau were layd waste so were the mountains of Iudaea yea the whole land First by the Assyrians then by the Caldeans and at last by the Romans and so it continues still and should ever do so were it not for the promise and covenant of mercy which God made wit● Abram Isaac and Iacob of which this promise of loving Iacob when hee hated Esau was a principall branch Object God loves the righteous but all men were righteous in Adam therefore he loves all Answ That love which is the ground of redemption is the love of Election but with this love he loves not all for he hath not chosen all besides this love hath no respect to mans righteousnes for God loved Jacob before hee had done good or evill God loves men with this love not because they are righteous but therefore they become righteous because he loves them Hee hath not chosen us because wee were holy but he hath chosen us to be holy Eph. 1.4 2. He could not execute or actually put forth any effects of this love upon Adams posterity before his fall because they had no actuall being Object 3 Against the Argument drawne from the Ransome which Christ paid for all and the satisfaction which thereby he hath made the effect of which is certain redemption and salvation being justified by his bloud we shall be saved from wrath by him Rom. 5.9 neither can a just God require a double payment of the same debt Tho. More objects that it is a most notorious untruth to say that all those for whom Christ dyed and payd their ransome are justified by his death P. 95. Answ But how then will he free the Apostle from

can we be sayed to be actually constituted freed and prepared for eternall life before beleeving when as faith is the first thing that fits us for life 4. The word here used is in the praeterperfect tense and doth not signifie any present condition or disposition in them but something which had beene done long before so many as were ordayned to eternall life long before this time of their hearing Paul preach Object 6 To the argument drawne from the equall extent of Christs offices that to whom Christ is a priest he is also a prophet to teach them and a Prince to rule them but these offices pertaine onely to his Church and chosen therefore the other also T. M. replyes that in all Christs offices there is something more generall which belongs to all something more speciall which belongs to the elect pag. 125. Answ But that great worke of his priestly office whereby he hath offered himself as a ransome for sinne which Tho. More makes common and generall pag. 192. to all is the foundation of all the rest being not onely satisfactory but meritorious such whereby he hath not onely satisfyed for sinne but purchased righteousnesse and life and therefore those who have their part in this shall have their part in all the rest as hath been already shewed He that spared not to give his owne sonne how shall he not together with him freely give all things also Rom. 8.32 Object 7 To the argument drawne from Gods denyall of giving to a great part of men the meanes of comming to the knowledge of Christ and therefore he hath not given Christ for them Tho. More replies that God doth use some meanes toward all to bring them to knowledge Answ But whether hath he given to all men since the beginning of the world sufficient meanes to bring them to the saving knowledge of Christ if he hath not then what he saith of giving them some means of knowledge is nothing to the purpose If he hath how then can that hold true that the Gospell was a mystery which had been hid from all ages and generations Col. 1.26 That the Gentiles before Christs comming were strangers from the life of God through ignorance Eph. 4.18 That they were strangers from the covenant without Christ without God in the world Eph. 2.12 that in times past he suffered all nations to walke in their owne wayes Act. 17.30 this was a night time a time of darkenesse with them Eph. 5.8 Rom. 12.12 2 Cor. 4.6 If the Reader desires further satisfaction touching this point of Christs dying for all let him passe on to the next treatise and looke into the Article of redemption where he shall finde that handled which here is omitted An Examination and Confutation of the Arminian erronious Tenets concerning ELECTION IN the Article of election the principall question is whether it be absolute or conditionall that is whether it ariseth meerly from Gods free purpose his gracious good will and pleasure or whether it ariseth both from the foresight of mans fall as also of his faith repentance and the like To this the Arminians answer negatively denying Gods election or decree of mans salvation to be absolute and affirming that both the foresight of sinne as also of faith and perseverance doe go before not onely mans salvation but also Gods purpose and decree whereby he hath appointed him unto salvation For in the decree of mans salvation they make God to proceed in this order 1. That upon foresight of the fall God decrees to give Christ 2. To save beleevers and damne unbeleevers 3. To give to all men sufficient meanes of faith 4. To save such particular persons as he foresees will beleeve and to damne the other That such a foresight as this doth not go before election or Gods decree touching the salvation of particular persons may appeare by these reasons Argument 1 We are elected unto faith and unto beleeving therefore election is not out of the foresight of faith neither doth faith goe before election either as a cause or condition but follows it as an effect or fruit of election In order of nature the effect alwayes followes the cause That we are elected unto faith the Apostle shewes plainly when he saith that we are chosen before the foundation of the world to be holy and without blame Eph. 1.4 Now faith is a part of sanctification being one of the fruits of the spirit yea a principall one And Saint Petor saith we are elected unto obedience and sprinkling of the bloud of Christ 1 Pet. 1.2 Now Christs bloud is sprinkled on us by faith and all true obedience ariseth out of faith being therefore elected to the one we are elected to the other also and the Apostle tels the Thessolonians that God had chosen them to salvation through the sanctification of the spirit and the beleefe of the truth 2 Thes 2.13 Sanctification and beliefe of the truth are made meanes whereby they were to come to salvation therefore in order of nature the purpose of salvation must go before these they being meanes that tend to it none can deny that faith is the gift of God and a grace which he workes for the Apostle affirmes it Eph. 2.8 Now if God workes faith he must needs do this to some end and what can this be but that whereto faith tends and which at last it effects and brings forth namely salvation receiving the end of your faith the salvation of your soules 1 Pet. 1.19 Argument 2 The Apostle makes Gods election and rejection to be acts of his free will and pleasure he hath mercy on whom he will have mercy Rom. 9.15 But if election and rejection be out of the foresight of faith and infidelity and preseverance in these then they are acts of justice not of will and pleasure For if God makes a covenant with man to give him salvation if he believes on Christ and perseveres in doing so and on the other side to condemne him if he rejects Christ and persists in unbeleefe he cannot in truth and justice deny him salvation if he sees him persevering in the faith nor purpose to give it him if he sees him persevering in unbeliefe So that this way he should be led to elect or reject by a necessity of nature not a freedome of will Besides they make election to depend upon prescience and this prescience to be necessary and so upon this ground also election to be necessary Argument 3 If election be out of foreseen faith then God chuseth such as have chosen him before and loveth such as have loved him first contrary to that which Saint John sayth we love him because he loved us first 1 John 4.19 the love whereby we love God immediately flowes from faith for faith worketh through love and by this faith and love we chuse God to be our God cleaving to him as our chiefe Good Whether therefore upon foresight of our faith he purposeth to chuse us or

in Christ by believing because those who these are types of are called Children of the flesh and Children of the promise That these answers cannot stand with the mind of the Apostle Replication nor scope of the place appears 1. If Election or Reprobation be out of fore seen works yet they are out of works which is the thing that the Apostle here denies giving this as a reason why it was said of Esau and Iacob before they were yet born the one have I loved the other have I hated that Gods purpose according to Election might stand Rom. 9.11 not of works but of him that calleth The purpose of God according to Election is the same with Election for it is all one as if he had said the purpose of God Electing and calling here must needs be calling according to purpose such a calling as Isaacks was not Ismaels because the Apostle makes it here to answer to the purpose of God Electing and sets it in opposition against works so that fore-seen works as well as works already done are here excluded as such things as cannot stand with Gods free Election besides Infants that were to die presently after they were born might be elected or reprobated of whom yet there could be no works fore-seen 2. Esau was a type of those who are called Children of the flesh but Children of the flesh are not here such as seeke righteousnesse by the Law but such who were borne of Abraham according to the course of natural generation these being opposed to the children of promise who in Isaac were called to the heavenly benediction ver 7.8 for the Apostle shews plainly that the promise made to Abraham did not indifferently belong to all his seed to all that should be borne of him according to the course of nature but only some of them namely such as God did chuse to himself of his owne will and pleasure as he did Isaac and Iacob besides the seed of Abraham without any thing adjoyned is never so taken namely for children of the flesh that seeke righteousnesse by the Law but generally for such as are borne of Abraham according to the course of nature and if it had been taken in this sense the Apostle should not have answered as he did all who are of Israell are not Israel or all who are Abrahams seed are not Children but all who follow the Law are not the true Israel to whom God tied himself by promise 3. How can Esau as here he is brought in considered without works be a type of those who should seeke righteousnesse by the Law or Iacob as he is here considered without having done either good or evil be considered as a type of those who are chosen when God fore-sees them to beleeve and to persevere therin or how can this agree to Pharaoh whom the Apostle here brings in as one that was rejected in the same manner that Esau was how can this I say agree to him who neither knew the Law nor the works of the Law nor sought after righteousnesse by the works of the Law or any waies else 4. No godly faithfull ones could thinke the word of God falsified if such as sought ●ighteousnesse by the works of the Law were rejected but this was a doubt whereat even the best of them all stumbled namely how the Israelires the ancient people of God could be rejected and the Gentiles called Neither is there any appearance of injustice even to mans reason if God doth decree to reject such as reject Christ when he is offered and cleave to their own righteousnesse and to save such as receive Christ and that out of his meere pleasure which yet seems to appear by the Apostles doctrine of his loving Iacob and hating Esau as his words shew when he saith Is there any unrighteousnesse with God vers 14. yea in clearing this doubt and removing this objection the Apostle was bound for preserving of the honour of God and clearing of his justice to have expressed this consideration and have answered that God might justly decree to reject those who would refuse Christ and stick to their owne works of which yet he mentions not a word but answers both this objection of unrighteousnesse in God ver 14. and also that others of our inability to resist Gods will ver 19. by resolving all into his meere will and pleasure and there rests ver 15.16.21.22 I will have mercy on whom I will c. these words hold forth absolute will and the forme of them excludes all other things not causes onely but all occasions of Gods decree Argument 9 For upholding this platforme of predestination they are forced to excogitate and devise such wills and decrees in God and such an order of them as can neither agree with Scripture nor with the nature of God as 1. An Antecedent will and a consequent will both which they make to agree properly unto God and yet by one of these he wills the salvation of all by the other the damnation of some 2. Such a decree of salvation as hath not for his object persons but things 3. A conditionall and an absolute or peremptory decree touching the same persons one succeeding the other as that Peter shall be saved if he doth believe and when he doth believe that he shall certainly be saved 4. And for the order they make the decree of giving Christ to go before any decree of mans salvation and the decree of saving believers to go before the saving of any particular persons that these things cannot stand nor agree with the Scriptures nor the excellent nature of God appears by these reasons To begin first with the order How can God be sayd to decree the giving of Christ before he had any intention or determination of mans salvation when as the end why he gave Christ is this that he might save sinners 1 Tim. 1.15 and this was the reason of the name given him by the Angel you shall call his name Jesus for he shall save my people from their sinnes Mat. 1.21 Looke for what end Christ came into the world for that end God sent him and for that end he appointed to send him but he came to save sinners how then can the determination of giving Christ go before the determination of mans salvation besides our Saviour makes the love of God to be the ground of giving his sonne God so loved the world that he gave his sonne John 3.16 Now this is such a love as tends to salvation therefore the intention of salvation cannot follow the intention of giving Christ for though mans salvation be not the last end of giving Christ yet it is such as can never be severed from the last the greatest glory of God appearing in that salvation of man which is purchased by Christ 2. How can the salvation of believers be decreed before the salvation of particular persons because then the object of Gods decree must be not persons but

make all men believe when he commands them to believe Object But this implies an ill agreement betwixt the Wil of Gods purpose and the Will of his precept or command requiring what he will not effect Answ No such thing necessarily follows hence for Gods purpose of not giving power to all men to believe may stand well enough with his command whereby he enjoynes all to do their duty As Gods purpose of not having Isaack killed did agree well enough with the command that he gave touching killing of him 2. Gods purpose of not giving all men effectuall Grace without which he knowes certainely they will not believe which themselves grant doth as much disagree from his command of believing as his purpose of not giving sufficient Grace without which they cannot believe Object 12 But if God gives not all men power to believe whom hee commands to believe then there should be no other end of his command but making men inexcusable Answ It follows not for there may be other ends as to draw them to some outward conformity that so thereby their punishment may be so much lesse as also that the elect who do truly repent and believe may see that it was not of themselves but of the meer mercy of God that they do believe because others that had the same means are left still in their unbeliefe 2. Of some it may bee said that one principall end not of the meanes of Grace which in themselves alwayes tend to life but of GOD in causing them to be dispensed to them was the making of them more inexcusable for look what is at last effected by these means God intended at first should be effected by them but the principall effect which these means do at last bring forth in some is the making of them more inexcusable therefore this was at first intended by God namely that the having of the meanes should bereave them of all excuse An Examination and Confutation of the Arminian erronious Tenets concerning PERSEVERANCE IN the article of Perseverance the principall question is whether a true beleever such as by a living justifying faith is united to Christ and made a true member of him may fall away that is so fall as he wholy loseth his faith ceaseth to be a member of Christ and so comes to perish in the end to this Arminians answer that a true beleever is so upheld by Christ in all his temptations that by no force or fraud of Satan or any outward enemy he shall be taken out of Christs hand but by his owne negligence and abuse of his free-will he may wholy make shipwracke of faith and a good conscience fall from grace cease to be a member of Christ c. because all promises touching support are conditionall and the fullfilling of these promises depends upon our performance of the condition and doing the duty that God requires of us To this we answer on the other side that howsoever such a one by reason of the remainders of corruption within and enemies without be subject to fall yea may fall both frequently and dangerously yet he is so upheld partly by a principle of grace within partly by divine assistance and support from without that he shall never fall totally and finally it not being possible that the elect should be deceived or a member of Christ should perish the truth of this appears Argument 1 From the nature of Gods love which is the fountaine whence all true grace flowes all saving graces are effects of the speciall and peculiar love of God but this love is an everlasting love an unchangeable love I have loved thee with an everlasting love therefore with loving kindenesse have I drawne thee Jer. 31.3 those whom hee loves he loves to the end Joh. 13.1 therefore all that are loved with this can never wholy f●ll away and perish otherwise the same persons might be the objects of everlasting love and everlasting hatred hence it is said that the gifts and calling of God are without repentance Rom. 11.29 what calling and gifts these are appeares in the former verse namely such as flow from election If man by his abuse of these gifts should cause God to take them away then there should be no difference betwixt these and common gifts which may be lost Then as God is said to repent of making Saul King when he tooke his Kingdome from him so he might be said to repent of giving these gifts which the Apostle here denyes then it had been needfull he should have put in some limitation to this proposition telling us that the gifts and calling of God are without repentance unlesse man makes him to repent which he doth not whatever cause makes God to repent if he doth repent of giving these kinde of gifts still this contradicts the Apostle who saith that these are without repentance Argument 2 From the nature of the Covenant which God hath made with his people all true beleevers are within the compasse of this Covenant and this Covenant is an everlasting Covenant Jer. 32.40 by this Covenant God hath bound himselfe to put away their iniquities and to remember their sinnes no more Jer. 31.34 and this being a branch of the everlasting Covenant all true beleevers to whom it belongs shall ever enjoy the benefit of it therefore they shall never perish never have their sinnes so laid to their charge as they shall all wayes ly under the guilt and punishment of them yea this is one branch of this everlasting Covenant that God will write his lawes in the hearts of his people therefore they shall remaine and abide there and that he will put his feare into their hearts so as they shall never depart from him Jer. 32.40 which wholy excludes all totall and finall defection Argument 3 From the promise of Christ he hath promised to build the Church upon the rocke that is himselfe and being thus built the gates of hell shall not prevaile against it Mat. 16.18 all true beleevers are built upon this rocke 1 Pet. 2.6 therefore the gates of hell that is the power of hell shall not prevaile against them therefore they shall never perish for when men are cast into hell the power of hell prevailes over them all true beleevers are the sheep of Christ they heare his voice and follow it and to these he hath promised that he will give them eternall life Joh. 10.27 and that none shall take them out of his hands if these miscarry by what meanes soever it be whether by Satans malice or their owne corruptions so as in the end they misse of eternall life how is Christs promise fulfilled If any of Christs sheep such whom the Father hath given him and for whom he hath laid down his life should perish it would argue that either Christ were not willing and carefull to keep them or not able to keep them either of which is blasphemy to speak or think of him that is so great and faithfull a

dyed for all Christ is so skilfull and carefull a Phisitian as he hath not onely provided a soveraigne medicine for us but also applies it unto us if we be his else he should provide it to no purpose we being not only extreame sicke and weak but also dead in sinnes and trespasses Eph. 2.5 and therefore as unable to apply it to our selves as a dead man to take a potion that is ready tempered for him untill Christ quickens us by putting his spirit into us the Apostle saith that we are quickned in and by Christ and that we are saved by grace Eph. 2.5.8 this must needs be such a grace as Christ hath purchased for us but the purchase of this grace onely will neither quicken nor save us unlesse it be applyed and given to us therefore for whom he hath purchased grace to them he applyes it Argument 2 For whom Christ hath dyed he hath shewed greatest love to them for greater love then this hath no man Joh. 15.13 But he hath not shewed greatest love to all Ergo he hath not dyed for all If Christ hath dyed for all then hath he shewed as great love to Pilate and Judas as to Peter and John to Kain and Pharoah as to Abraham and David to the reprobates in hell as to the Saints in heaven which is fearfull to thinke The Apostle makes Christs speciall and peculiar love belonging to his Church onely for he bids husbands love their wives as Christ loved his Church Ephes 5.25 but husbands are to love their wives with a peculiar love above others for a man must leave father and mother and cleave to his wife If here shall be said that the greatest love of al is not only to merit salvation but to bestow it for answer of this it is plain by Christs words that the greatest act of love is to merit salvation by laying downe his life and where he hath performed this act of love he will performe the other in giving salvation However if they never be saved it stands firme that he hath performed an act of greatest love for them Una est dilectio quae nostram fidem praecedit altera quae fidem nostram et dilectionem erga Deum subsequitu● Coll. Hagiens p. 194. Or if it shall be answered by distiguishing betwixt the antecedent and consequent love of Christ and saying that the purchase of salvation is an act of antecedent love and the giving of salvation an act of consequent love which is the greatest neither will this stand with Christs speech for what ever kinde of love it is that caused Christ to give himselfe to death it is the greatest because greater love then this hath no man to lay downe his life for his friend besides the Apostle comparing these two loves together the love which goes before justification and that which follows makes that which goes before to be the greater Rom. 5.8 10. God setteth out his love towards us that while we were yet sinners Christ dyed for us much more then being justified by his bloud shall we be saved from wrath for if when we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Sonne much more being reconciled wee shall be saved by his life That love whereby Christ loves men before they were beleevers and whereby he loves them after are not two kindes of loves but one and the same love of which the first is the greater both by the comparison of the Apostle as also because in manifestation it is the cause of the Second Argument 3 Christ doth not pray for all therfore he hath not died for all Iohn 17.9 I pray not for the world but for those whom thou hast given me out of the world The World here is opposed to those who are given to Christ of the Father and for this World he prayes not now for whom he wil make no intercession for those he hath made no satisfaction for both of these are parts of the same perfect Sacrifice of Christ and therfore unseparably joyned together Iohn 17.19.20 and how do we think that Christ should refuse to poure out a prayer for them for whom he hath powred forth his bloud it being an act of greatest love to lay down his life as hath been shewed and where he hath done the greater he will do the lesser Object To this the Arminians answer by distinguishing of Christs intercession for they make a double intercession one common to all Collat. Hagiens pag. 198. Corvin contra Molin cap. 27. part 7. whereby Christ prayes that they may believe repent c. Luk. 23.34 the other proper to the faithfull whereby he prayes that they may be saved that they may be one c. Ioh. 17.20 Answ 1. To this it may be answered that this is a newly coyned distinction which hath neither ground in Scripture nor any sound writer but framed purposely for evading the strength of the former Argument 2. For that place Luk. 23.34 where Christ prayed for his persecutors it may be answered 1. That he made that prayer as a man subject to the Law as he yeelded subjection and perfect obedience to the Law in all other things so in this that he would pray for his enemies and in the act of suffering seek mercy for those who were instruments of his suffering Mark 5.44 teaching us both by precept and example what we ought to do 2. If he made this prayer as a Mediator yet it will not follow that Christ made this prayer for all and every one of those that crucified him but only for those who did it of ignorance and whose sins afterward were remitted Acts 3.17.2.37 because Christ is alway heard in what he prayes for Ioh. 11.42 and he knowing what is in man Iohn 2.25 and that some of these had sinned that sinne for which prayer is not to be made 1 Iohn 5.16 It is not likely hee would pray for these 3. If Christ desires and prayes that all may repent and believe then he desires and prayes also that all may be saved for Salvation is the end whereto faith tends Ephes 2.8 we are saved by faith 1 Peter 1.19 receiving the end of your faith even the salvation of your souls and to what end should Christ pray that men might have faith to believe if he did not desire the salvation of their souls 4. If Christ make intercession for all that they may repent and believe then all should repent and believe for he is heard in what he prayes for Ioh. 11.42 Object To this they answer that this is with condition if they do not reject the first grace when it is offered Answ But if he prayes that all may believe then he prayes that they may not resist for when God by the Gospell calls men to believe not to resist this call is to obey and to obey the call or command of believing what is it else but to believe 5. If Christ prayes for all that