over our rebellions and yet God hath been pleased out of his unsearchable wisdome and to shew his own dominion and liberty so to order the matter that although the word cannot really promote our spirituall good which is a work far above the spheare of it's power and activity yet receiving it in vain though it be not in our power confessedly to receive it otherwise it will aggravate our condemnation for this cause I think it prudent to avoid the certain danger with the no-probable-good that according to those principles of the Synod will accrew by it Mr. Narrowgrace If you be of that minde we must leave you to the mercy of God and the use of your own praiers which are the only reserve we can commend to your assistance and benefit Tilenus Carnalis Alas Sir you are as much out of the story now as ever for the grace of praier without which the duty will be a vain oblation if not abominable must be derived from the same supernal fountain and we cannot pump it up our selves it comes freely and when it comes it is so impetuous and overflows the soul with such inundations of the spirit that 't is impossible to resist it And since you see me altogether silent to this office you may conclude that this silence begins in heaven and that God will not have me pray in that he denies me his grace to that effect But Sir you do well to take your leave of me for it is evident that God hath not imploy'd you as intending my amendment by your ministery since I find the confusion of your doctrine more apt to furnish a cushion for the secure and areless or a halter for the doubtfull and depairing then any sacred Amulet against the charmes and poison of impicty And yet because when the wheel is once in motion a little strength will be sufficient to continue it and the fire is easily blown up after 't is once kindled therefore you may please to make your third experiment upon Tilenus Tepidus And I am affraid you can produce no argument to quicken his remisness into a more thorow pace of devotion which the dexterous use of that buckler of the Synods doctrine will not be able to put by Let us heare therefore how you will urge him to a further progresse in Pietie Mr. Efficax Do but reflect upon Peter's redoubled exhortation 2 Pet. 1. 4. He supposeth that they had escaped the foul corruption that is in the world through lust And besides this saith he giving all diligence add to your faith virtue c. and vers 10. give diligence to make your calling and election sure Tilenus Tepidus If S. Peter had understood our calling and election in the same sense the Synod understands them in his exhortation had been to little purpose For in that sense 't is as sure already as the wisedome trueth and power of God or the blood of Christ or the seales of the divine decrees can make it The foundation of God standeth sure having this seal The Lord knoweth them that are his 2 Tim. 2. 19. It were arrogance to go about to lay any other foundation and a folly to imagine we are able to fortify it by our indeavours Mr. Simulans But Sir we should make a Conscience of the duty though there were no other necessity of it but necessitas praecepti because 't is the will of Almighty God Tilenus Tepidus I perceive Sir you have forgotten your own distinction though 't is so little while since you used it You told us God hath a two-fold will an outward revealed will and an inward secret will His outward will is signified by his commands but saith Piscator they are not properly God's will for sometimes he nills the fulfilling of them As for example Gen. 22. 2. with 12. He commanded Abraham to offer up Isaac yet he nill'd the execution of it but his secret will is the will of his good pleasure which he hath therefore decreed shall ever come to passe Whereupon one of your Divines concludes there is a kind of holy Simulation in God Vnde percipitur esse simulationem quandam sanctam c. Now whereas you urge me to give all diligence that I may grow in grace if this were the will of Gods Beneplaci ure he would move and impell me indeclinably to effect it but if it be onely his outward will and improperly so called Hee having by an irrevocable Decree predetermin'd my not doing of it though it be outwardly commanded then my not doing his outward will is the performance of his secret will and this being his proper will wherein consists his good pleasure my compliance therewith must needs be the more acceptable especially since to this he affords me his providential concurrence which he denies me towards the accomplishment of the other Mr. Knowlittle We are taught that there are degrees of glory One glory of the Sun another of the Moon and another of the starrs and so there shall be in heaven 1 Cor. 15. Now grant that you are secure as you presume as to the estate of glory yet you should be earnest in your endeavours to capacitate your self for the highest degrees of it Tilenus Tepidus There are some have made a question of those different degrees of glory In the parable every one at the end of the day received his penny as much they that wrought but one houre as they that had born the heat and burden of the day And the righteous shall all shine as the Sun in the kingdom of the Father and every one shall enter into the joy of the Lord which is fulnesse of joy But besides this if a sparrow falleth not to the ground without God's Providence and if the hairs of our heads be all numbred as our Saviour saith they are shall we not think as well that every degree of happinesse and every beam of glory and spark of joy are likewise apportioned and predetermined for all the Elect Dr. Absolute 'T is true the state of eternal bliss as to all the degrees of joy and glory in it is firmly and irreversibly decreed to all the Elect but yet through your remisness and especially if that betrayes you to any wasting sin you may damp your hopes and lose the sense and comfortable apprehension of the influences and effects thereof which you know was David's case Psal 6. O Lord rebuke me not in thine anger neither chasten me in thy hot displeasure Have mercy upon me O LORD for I am weak O Lord heal me for my bones are vexed My soul is also sore vexed but thou O Lord how long Return O Lord deliver my soul O save me for thy mercies sake and restore to me the joy of thy salvation Psal 51. For in death there is no remembrance of thee From hence you see there is ground enough for the Apostles exhortation Hebr. 6. 11. We desire that every one of you do shew the same diligence to
the full assurance of hope firme unto the end Tilenus Tepidus I know Mr. Diodati in his Annotations upon the 5. verse of that 6. Psalm saith Hereby is shewen the fear of Gods children anguished and pressed by the feeling of his wrath lest they should die out of his grace unreconciled and by that means be excluded and debarred from their desired aim to be everlastingly instruments of his glory But 't is probable David had no intelligence of that comfortable Doctrine defined by the Synod in this last age as appears by his fearfull complaint and expostulation if that Psalme were his Psal 77. I remembred God and was troubled I complained and my spirit was over whelmed My soul refused to be comforted will the Lord cast off for ever and will he be favourable no more Is his mercy clean gone for ever doth his promise fail for evermore Hath God forgotten to be gracious Hath be in anger sbut up his tender mercies There could not have been this conslict of diffidence and anxietie in him if he had been established in the principles of the Synod for annexing the Lords Publick declarations by the mouth of Samuel touching him I Sam. 13 14. c c. 16. 6. 7. to the conscience of his own integrity he might have collected a certainty of his present regeneration when he was anointed King and from thence have concluded undeniably his election from all eternitie and consequently the impossibility of his rejection from God's favour But there is some likelyhood He thought that in the designation of his everlasting mercy towards them God considered men as faithfull according to the way of the Arminians and as persevering in their faithfulnesse For he saith Psal 4. 3. Know that the Lord hath set apart him that is godly for himself If that text will not serve the turn yet there is one unavoidable Psal 103. 17 18. The mercy of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting Vpon them that fear him To such as keep his Covenant and to those that remember his commandements to do them And to him that ordereth his conversation aright will I shew the salvation of God Psal 50. the last And governing his persuasions by these principles there is no wonder he was so exceedingly transported with a fear of God's displeasure And that such were his principles may be collected also from hence in that when the Paroxisme of the temptation was somewhat over he doth not make his recourse to the immutable decree of God's Election to cure the remanent palpitation of his spirits but onely to former experience of God's mercifull despensations towards his people Psal 77. 11. 15. I will remember the works of the Lord thou hast redeemed thy people c. But since the cleering up of this soul-setling doctrine by the great judgement and pietie of the Synod He that hath once tasted the graciousness of the Lord in his effectuall vocation and firmly believes that the things concerning his everlasting happiness are so established and carryed on by the irresistible power of an irrespective Decree as is there taught he may cast away all anxiety and care and repose himself with confidence under the wings of that security Dr. Absolute But the Synod declares fidelibus perpetuò esse vigilandum orandum ne in tentationes inducantur That the faithfull must watch and pray lest they fall into temptations and that when they grow remiss and torpid quit their guard and neglect their duty as you do they are many times surprized of the flesh and the world and carried captive into hainous and enormous sinnes whereby they offend God and grieve the Holy Spirit and incurre the guilt of death and the like Tilenus Tepidus 'T was well you stopt there Mr. Doctor But I had thought your worship had been better versed in this point For my part such Mormo'es and bugg-beares never trouble me I am taught by the Synod to believe that all the sins in the world shall never be able to separate an Elect person from the love of God but rather make for his greater advantage Mr. Indefectible But suppose by your sins you should provoke God to anger so far forth that he should cut you off as our Saviour threatens the Jewes Ye shall die in your sins And Ezek. 18. 24. When the righteous turneth away from his righteousnesse and committeth iniquity and doth according to all the abominations that the wicked man doth shall he live All his righteousnesse that he hath done shall not be mentioned in his trespass that he hath trespassed in his sin that he hath sinned in them shal he die Tilenus Tepidus I did not expect such a supposition or objection from you of all men living for to speak properly God is never angry but with the Reprobates and I know 't is your avowed opinion that the Elect can neither fall finally nor totally and all the Synodists are of the same judgement They distinguish therefore of righteousness into that which is inherent or the righteousness of works and that which is imputed or the righteousness of faith And they confess the Elect may forsake his inherent righteousness and fall into most foul and horrid sins but yet he doth not fall from his imputed righteousness the righteousness of Christ which he hath by faith They do also distinguish between death temporal and death Eternal affirming that the sins of the Elect though never so many or heinous do not incur the guilt of eternal death but only temporal which is never inflicted upon them neither as a curse nor before their restitution for if you ask them what doom David had layn under if death had surprized him in his murther and adultery they will tell you roundly it was impossible he should die without repentance Dr. Dubius I suppose David's case was extraordinarie and a special reason is given by them of the Synod why he could not die before repentance viz. because after his sin he was to beget a son of whom the Messias should descend Tilenus Tepidus I conceive that ground is too loose to bear the superstructure the men of that opinion would raise upon it for they are not all saints in our Saviour's Genealogie neither did David's sin bereave him of the facultie of generation The son of Jesse might have propagated a stem for the Messias to branch out of and yet have died in his sin afterwards the impossibilitie therefore of his dying without repentance is grounded upon a more solid and impregnable foundation viz. the eternal decree and love of God which equally concerns all the Elect. That immutable love wherein God elected them doth exert it self and prompt him infallibly to confer the grace of repentance upon them first or last how great and how many sins soever they run into And if men had the will to improve this most excellent comfortable doctrin the advantage of it would be unspeakable Men do beat their brains and exhaust their treasure
the foreknowledge of God the Father through sanctification of the spirit unto obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ Rom. 8. 29. Whom he did foreknow he also did predestinate Rom. 9. 23. with 2 Tim. 2. 21. If a man therefore purge himself from these he shall be a vessel of mercy unto honour c. See Psal 4. 3 103. 17 18. Rom. 10. 10 11. and all those texts cited above under these heads Who should believe and persevere See Rom. 11. 4 5. not bowed And the consideration of this or that man who should die in unbelief c. Exod. 32. 33. Whosoever hath sinned against me him will I blot out of my book Numb 14. 21 to 35. As truly as I live saith the Lord †The very form of actual Reprobation because all those men which have seen my glory and my miracles and have tempted me now these ten times and have not hearkned to my voice surely they shall not see the land which I sware unto their fathers neither shall any of them that provoked me see it And ye shall know my breach of promise Heb. 3. 18 19. And to whom sware he that they should not enter into his rest but to them that believed not So we see that they could not enter in because of unbelief Now these things happened unto them for types see the application Heb. 4. 11. or ensamples unto us 1 Cor. 10. 6 11. Rom. 11. 20 21 22 23. Because of unbelief they were broken off and thou standest by faith Be not high minded but fear for if God spared not the natural branches take heed lest he alse spare not thee Behold therefore the goodnesse and severity of God on them which fell severity but towards thee goodnesse if thou continue in his goodnesse otherwise thou also shalt be cut off 1 Chron. 28. 9. If thou seek him he will be found of thee but if thou forsake him he will cast thee off for ever 2 Tim. 2. 12. If we deny him he will deny us Ioh. 12. 46 47 48. He that rejecteth me hath one that judgeth him Iude v. 6 7. 2 Pet. 2. 4. 2 Thess 2. 12. The Angels which kept not their first estate and Sodom giving themselves over to fornication are set forth for an ensample Vngodly men turning the grace ef our God into lasciviousnesse Were before of old ordained to this condemnation to whom is reserved the blacknesse of darknesse for ever verse 4 13. See 1 Pet. 2. 7 8. 2 Pet. 2. 7. c. See also the texts cited above under this head Such as would not believe c. V. Christ is not only the executor of election but the foundation of the decree it self Proofs out of Scripture The executor c. Iohn 3. 16. So God loved the world that he gave his only begotten son Acts 4. 12. Neither is there salvation in any other Iohn 17. 3. This is life eternal to know thee and Jesus Christ whom thou hast sent Iohn 14. 6. I am the way the truth and the life Iohn 15. 4. Abide in me and I in you as the branch cannot bear fruit of it self except it abide in the Vine no more can ye except ye abide in mee Col. 1. 27. Christ in you the hope of glory See 1 Cor. 2. 2. But the foundation c. Ephes 3. 11 12. According to the eternal purpose which he purposed in Christ Jesus our Lord 2 Tim. 1. 9 10. According to his own purpose and grace which was given us in Christ Iesus before the world began Iohn 1. 16 17. Grace and truth came by Iesus Christ and of his fulness See Col. 1. 19 20. 2 Cor. 5. 19. God was in Christ reconciling the world unto himself Rom. 5. 2. By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand See Ephes 3. 11. 12. and Ephes 1. 3 4 5 6 7 11. Blessed with all spiritual blessings in Christ chosen in him predestinated us by him made us accepted in him In whom we have redemption forgiveness and an inheritance Ephes 2. 20 21 22. Jesus Christ being the Corner stone 1 Cor. 3. 11. Other foundation can no man lay See the Text cited above under this head made a sacrifice and suffered death What the Remonstrants do utterly denie Concerning Predestination I. They do utterly denie that God decreed to elect some to eternal life and to reprobate others from the same before he decreed to create them The Reason of this Not to elect some c. For he hath chosen us in Christ Ephes 1. 4. But in Christ we cannot be unless we be considered 1. As sinners 2. As believers and therefore Creatures 1. As sinners For 1 Tim. 1. 15. Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners See Mat. 1. 21. Iohn 1. 29. Mat. 18. 11. Luke 19. 10. John 6. 51. Heb. 2. 14. c. 2 Cor. 5. 19. c. See all the places cited for salvation by faith 2. As believers For John 1. 12. They that receive him are they that believe in his name See Ephes 3. 17. Not to reprobate others c. For reprobation is an act of Gods hatred who hateth nothing but sin and for sin which the creature could not be guilty of before it had a being Exod. 32. 33. See Ezek. 18. 23. Chap. 33. 11. Whosoever hath sinned him will I blot out Ezek. 18. 4 20. The soul that sinneth it shall die See all those places where damnation is said to be for sin especially for infidelitie See also those places cited to shew Gods hatred of sin and his inclination to mercy as Exod. 33. 18 19. Chap. 34. 6 7. Lam. 3. 33. Psal 145. 8 9. Ezek. 33. 11. 2 Pet. 3. 9. Ezek. 18. 23 32. Mat. 25. 41. Hell made for Devils II. They do not hold that any such decree in order before the decree of Creation was made for the demonstration of the glory of Gods mercy and justice or power and absolute dominion The Reason of this 1. Ier. 18. 4. The vessel that he made of clay was marred in the hand of the potter so he made it again another vessel as seemed good to the potter to make it See to the 10 1◠vers See Isa 27. 11. last part Hos 9. 15. 2. Isa 49. 8 6. verses I will give thee for a Covenant of the people to restore Israel and inlighten the Gentiles And verse 〈◊〉 Thou art my servant O Israel Christ in whom I will be glorified See Iohn 15. v. 8 Proverbs 14. 28. Consider what is noted before and what followeth for further evidence of this III. They do utterly denie that God did with this intent create all men in Adam ordain the fall and permission thereof withdraw from Adam grace necessary and sufficient or procureth the Gospel to be preached and men to be externally called and bestoweth certain gifts of the Holy Ghost upon them and all this with this intent that these should be means
whereby he would bring some unto life and disappoint others of the benefit thereof according to such decree The reason hereof in the several branches is to be collected from the proof of the foregoing and following articles yet that it may further appear 1. That God did not create c. Consider that He made man after his own image Gen. 1. 27. 2. Gave him the tree of life Gen. 2. 9. 3. That he hates sin Psalm 5. 4 5. Hab. 1. 13. 4. And cannot be tempted with evil James 1. 13 14 15 17. 5. And desireth not the death of a sinner Ezek. 18. 31. c. 33. 11. 6. That sin was from the suggestion of the Devil Gen. 3. 1. 7. And mans voluntary compliance with him Eccles 7. 29. 2. That he procureth not the Gospel c. Consider 1. He is merciful to all Psalm 145. 8 9. Acts 14. 16 17. Chapter 17. 26 27. Would not that any should perish Ezek. 18. 23 31. Cha. 33. 11. See John 3. 17. 2 Chron. 24. 19. But that all should come to faith and repentance 1 Tim. 2. 4. 2 Pet. 3. 9. And 2. Christ having died for all 2 Cor. 5. 19 20. Heb. 2. 9. He invites all Mat. 11. 28. And upbraids such as wilfully refuse to embrace his offered grace and salvation Iohn 5. 34 40. IV. They do utterly denie that Christ the Mediator is only the executor of the decree of Election and not the foundation thereof The places cited above in proof of the affirmative is sufficient reason hereof And note here once for all that whensoever the Affirmative is sufficiently proved the Negative is thereby utterly overthrown because both parts of a contradiction can never be true V. They do utterly deny that the cause why some are effectually called justified persevere in faith and are glorified is because they are absolutely elected to eternal life The Reason Acts 10. 34 35. See Gen. 4. 6 7. God is no respecter of persons but in every nation he that feareth him and worketh righteousness is accepted with him Rom. 10. 11 12. For the Scripture saith Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him See Jam. 2. 5. 2 Thes 2. 13. and all the rest of those places cited above for the affirmative conditional Election VI. They do utterly deny that the cause why others are left in the lapse and Christ not given to them and that they are not at all or uneffectually called and so hardened and damned is because they are reprobated from eternal life by an antecedent decree The Reason Prov. 5. 22. See Mic. 7. 18. His own iniquities shall take the wicked himself and he shall be holden with the cords of his sin Isa 59. 2. But your iniquities have separated between you and your God and your sins have hid his face from you See the places cited above for the affirmative viz. for respective reprobation Also the Texts cited for Christs satisfaction and the administration of necessary and sufficient means unto salvation VII They do utterly deny that God did decree without respect unto actual sins coming between to leave in the fall of Adam the far greater part of mankinde shut out of all hope of salvation The Reason Gen. 3. 15. ch 9. 8 9. Isa 49. 8. Christ is promised and given for a Covenant and means of restauration Gen. 22. 16 18. See Rom. 1. 18. chap. 2. 8. Deut. 24. 16. 2 King 14. 6. Eph. 5. 7 11. See the Texts cited for his satisfaction Ezek. 18. 2 3 4. What mean ye that ye use this proverb The Fathers have eaten sowr grapes and the childrens teeth are set on edge As I live saith the Lord God ye shall not haâ—e occasion any more to use this Proverb Behold all souls are mine as the soul of the father so also the soul of the son is mine the soul that sinneth it shall die Ier. 31. 29 30. They shall say no more The fathers have eaten a sowr grape and the childrens teeth are set on edge But every one shall die for his own iniquity every man that eateth the sowr grape his teeth shall be set on edge See Isa 27. 11. It is a people without understanding therefore he that made them will have no pity on them Gen. 4. 6 7. Eph. 5. 5 6. The wrath of God cometh upon the children of disobedience Prov. 1. 24. c. Because I have called and ye refused c. 1 Cor. 9. 27. I keep under my body and bring it into subjection lest that by any means when I have preached to others I my selfe should be a cast-away See Prov. 5. 22. Isa 59. 2. VIII They do utterly deny that God did destin by an absolute decree to give Christ a Mediator only to the Elect and to give faith to them alone by an effectual calling to justifie and continue them in the faith and glorifie them alone The reason of this appears in the Texts cited above for Christs satisfaction and those which follow for the universality of his merit in the Second Article or Question To which nothing is needful to be added IX They do utterly deny that many even all the reprobates are rejected from eternal life and means lufficient thereunto by an absolute and antecedent decree so as neither the merit of Christ nor vocation nor any gift of the spirit can or do avail unto their Salvation The Reason Because God created man after his own image and approved him to be very good Gen. 1. 27 31. and to the judge of all the earth the righteous are not dealt with as the wicked Gen. 18. 25. For he is good to all and his tender mercy is over all his works Psal 145. 8 9. He will not the death of a sinner Ezek. 18. ch 33. almost throughout See Iob 34. 23. 1 Tim. 2. 4. 2 Pet. 3. 9. Mans destruction is of himself Hos 13. 9. Rom 6. 23. ch 1. 32. for he despiseth mercy Rom. 2. 4 5. Luk. 7. 30. Acts 13. 46. See Mat. 22. 2. to the 15. Luke 14. 24. Hebr 10. 26. c. Iohn 3. 19. See 2 Chron. 24. 19. and 36. 15 16. This is the condemnation that light is come into the world and men love darkness rather then light because their deeds are evill Ezek. 24. 13. In filthiness is lewdness because I have purged thee and thou wast not purged thou shalt not be purged from thy filthiness any more till I have caused my fury to rest upon thee 2 Thess 2. 10 11 12. See Prov. 1. 29 30 31. Rom. 2. 8. c. 1. 18. Because they received not the love of the truth that they might be saved For this cause God shall send them strong delusions that they should believe a lye That they all might be damned who believed not the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness See likewise all the places cited for the affirmative viz. respective reprobation X. They do utterly