may love God under the notion of the chiefest good and most desirable end in whose sight and fruition everlasting happiness consisteth And by common grace he may believe in Christ or desire him as a Saviour to free him from every sin and from sin as sin or as it is against God This is the Doctrine of a person * Mr. Baxter of great Note as you your self very well know and I pray what can a Regenerate man do more and how then shall he discriminate his saving grace from that common grace Diotrephes That person tells you withall in the same Treatise * Pag. 94. Prop. 13. That the Act of Love or Faith are considerable 1. Physically 1. In general as Faith and Love 2. In special as this Faith and Love about this object the Father and the Son And thus by common grace men may have true Faith and Love that is such as is physically a true or real Act. 2. They are considerable morally and that 1. Either as duty answering a precept believe and love God and thus they have an analogical defective morality in them and so are thus far sincere or true but not that same true Love or Faith in specie morali which the command requireth for it commandeth us to love God above all c. 3. They are considerable as conditions of the promises and evidences of spiritual life in the soul and thus wicked men by common grace are never made partakers of them They have not the things themselves their faith and love is not the same thing which hath the promises made to them in the Gospel and so are not true or sincere This is the full Declaration of that person you mention Desolatus Why Sir here is very cold comfort if this be the best you can administer this is the grand Objection I have against my self and makes me doubt the sincerity of my grace I love God and I believe in Christ and this belief and love are physically true they are real acts and have a being but they are morally defective and insincere not the same thing which hath the promises made to them in the Gospel and consequently are no evidences of spiritual life in my soul so that all you have done hath rather tended to cancel all my evidences for life and salvation than to clear them up for me Diotrephes The most certain judgment a man can make of his state and condition is to be collected from the end he propounds to himself in his designs and actions for every man hath one only prevalent ultimate end which is to be called finis Mr. Baxter is Propos 10. 11. hominis or is the chief ultimate end of the habitual predominant inclination or disposition of his soul and of the tenour or bâ—nt of his course of life All godly men make choice of God for this their end but all the wicked make choice of the Creature and Carnal-self for theirs so that we may judge best whether men be regenerated or carnal by the end that rules their hearts and hath the greatest interest in them Desolatus Sir I am now as much to seek as ever for you said even now That a man may so love God and Christ that he may verily think he sets more by them than any thing else and yet be mistaken Grant that I have accustomed my self to that easie yoke that Christ ordinarily lays upon the shoulders of his Disciples and can carry it to my thinking handsomly yet should Christ try me with a harder imposition as he did that young man in the Gospel * Mark 10. 16 17 18. How can I be able having never been call'd to the like trial formerly to secure my own sincerity in that case I may retreat and flinch back as he did and depart sorrowful from my Saviour How can I be assured * Many have shrunk in greater trials that past through less with resolution and honour Mr. Baxter ibid. of the strength of my grace and the proof of my sincerity if I should be call'd to suffer Mattyrdom Though I come off in my active I may fall in my passive obedience And yet suppose I should hold out here the Apostle doth at last insinuate That a man may give all that he hath unto the poor and his body to be burned and yet want charity And experience doth teach us that men may lay down 1 Cor. 13. their lives in justification of their Schisme and Rebellion and yet be confident of their state of grace and salvation so that all this while a man is not able to distinguish * Hereupon saith Mr. Baxter I much fear least many Learned Civil Orthodox men do take common grace to be special and so delude their own souls in the tryal of themselves Of saving faith pag. 49. whether it be common or special grace that he is acted by which makes the Apostle say I know nothing by my self yet hereby am I not justified but he that justifieth mâ— is the Lord 1 Cor. 4. 4. Diotrephes Although temporary believers and other unregenerate men may vainly deceive themselves with false hopes and carnal presumptions of being in the favour of God and state of salvation which hope of theirs shall perish yet such as truly believe in the Lord Jesus and love him sincerly endeavouring to walk in all good conscience before him may in this life be certainly assured that they are in the state of grace and may rejoyce in the hope of the glory of God which hope shall never make them ashamed So the Congregational Churches have determined in their Declaration chap. 18. n. 1. Desolatus No doubt while men walk in all good conscience they may be assured for the present that they are in a state of grace so much the Remonstrants will allow us but not that they are in such an indefectible state as is pretended to flow from an absolute Election and yet they will allow men in that state too to rejoyce in hope of the glory of God and that hope shall not make them ashamed But if they shew not the same diligence * Hebr. 6. 11. as at the beginning of their Conversion to the full assurance of hope unto the end if they leave their first * Rev. 2. 4. love as the Angel of the Church of Ephesus did their backsliding will make them ashamed though their hope does not And if they who were once inlightâ—ed and have tasted of the heavenly gift and were made Hebr. 6. 4 5 6. partakers of the Holy Ghost and have tasted the good Word of God and the powers of the World to come if they may fall away then let them who boast of a more special and insuperable grace not Rom. 11. 20. be high-minded but fear Remember what expressions the clear evidence of truth for matter of Fact hath extorted from the pen of Mr. Baxter * Disput of Right to Sacram pag. 337.
at Dort * Ch. 1. Art 8. which declares That God hath chosen us from eternity both unto grace and glory both unto salvation and the way of salvation which he hath prepared that we should walk therein So that God hath not only immutably decreed the end but also the means by which it is to be insuperably accomplish't Desolatus I wonder not at all at their complacence in the opinion of such an absolute Election who as their Doctrine pretends are carried on by an irresistible operation to presume or rely upon it Who would not be glad of so much security that he might disband his fears and anxiety and care of duty and be able to sing a requiem to his soul and wrock her asleep with such a charm as this Soul thou hast sufficient provisions for thy eternal welfare laid up in the Decree of thiâ—e Election and this shall be infallibly disburs'd to serve all thy needs in thy several stages of Conversion Sanctification and Perseverance till thou dost arrive at glâ—ry But souls in the temper of mine conflicting with doubts and jealousies if God were pleased to reverse that absolute Decree might find more encouragement in a promise of acceptation in the Belovâ—d that is in an Election upon Faith and Repentance for then Gods ordinary concourse and gracious assistance continued the possibility of obtaining would put life into their hopes and their hopes would quicken them unto action But on the contrary the thoughts of an impossibility which the Decree of absolute Reprobation must needs suggest to the considerate do strike all hopes dead and put all good endeavours into a Lethargy or a state of languishing This is like a plucking off our Chariot Wheels and yet urging us with threatnings and severe Discipline to drive thorow the red Sea that we may gain a passage into Canaan As for that provision of means you mention what comfort can be reaped from it to a person that suspects himself debarr'd the end and that immutably Though the same showers fall providentially upon the Tares in regard of their commixture with the wheat yet this can as little prevent their doom as change their nature for all that They shall be bound up in bundles and be cast into the fire Matth. 13. 30. Diotrephes Your mind and discourse run altogether upon the account of Reprobates but what if they abuse the outward means imploy'd for their Conversion and perish for their contempt of it God hath his chosen whom he will compel to come in * Mr. Baxter's making light of Christ p. 4. That is in the good houre the Ministry of the Word shall be attended or seconded by an effectual * Declar of the Congregational Churches Chap. 20. n. 4. irresistible work of the Holy Ghost upon their whole soul for the producing in them a new spiritual life and being thus regenerated their estate as you cannot deny is then as to the object or thing immutably and infallibly certain Desolatus The new Birth or effectual Calling which is inseparable to a lively faith I perceive is the only Phial that contains the Aqua vitae to cure these fainting Fits of Fear and Desperation but grant a true Child of God shall never be permitted so far to play the Prodigal as to be disinherited what comfort will this aford him though his life be competently upright and regular who to deal ingenuously cannot boast of omnipotent infusions which he never felt nor pretend to any Reformation wrought in him irresistibly in an instant but to such only as the Holy Ghost in Scripture hath produc'd by rational Motives and Arguments and upon deliberate advisement too for that instantaneous and irresistible Regeneration I am perswaded there are very few that feel it even of those passionate disputers for it But were they reduced to a state of desolation as I am I am confident their Arguments would appear Sophistry to themselves and vanish into nothing Some loose and vitious persons finding themselves by some happy Providence brought on a sudden out of love with their crimes may possibly impute their change to such an irresistable operation of the Holy Ghost But this opinion many times betrayes them to new dangers while they conclude They are carried by the same or like impulsion when they make choice of some other By-way and run into new Exorbitances yet I will not deny but the Holy Ghost may use that short method upon some special occasions as in the Conversion of Paul and perhaps Austin But when he doth use it 't is very rare and extraordinary Otherwise being conscious to no such manner of production in my self I shall yet have more ground to disbelieve my own Regeneration Diotrephes God forbid I should go about to add wound to wound or affliction to affliction by raising new doubts in you I Dr. Twiss 〈◊〉 158. desire rather to be calme and satisfie such as are raised already However you may remember 't is the general opinion that this doubtfulness of your own sincerity may very well consist with the state of grace and 't is a very great sign you fear God and value his love and favour that you are so much troubled upon your jealousie that you want it Desolatus These marks Sir whatever assurance they may give us for the present they are not so infallible but they may deceive us yea and all other marks whatsoever I may have a notional knowledge of Christ and the necessity of his blood and of the excellency of salvation and yet perish I may weep at the History of his Passion when I read how he was Mr. Baxter's Sermon of making light of Christ p. 55 56 used by the Jewes and yet perish I may come desirously to his Word and Ordinances and yet perish I may in a fit of fear have strong desires after a Christ to ease me and save me from Gods wrath and yet perish I may obey him in many things so far as will not ruine me in the World and escape much of the pollutions of the World by his knowledge and yet perish I may suffer and lose much for him some parcels of my pleasures and profits I may part with in hope of salvation and yet perish I may be esteemed by others a man zealous for Christ and be loved and admired upon that account and yet perish I may be a zealous Preacher of Christ and Salvation and reprove others for their neglect of both and lament the sin of the World with most bitter and passionate expressions and yet perish I may verily think that I set more by Christ and Salvation than by any thing else whatsoever and yet be mistaken and perish everlastingly Again * See Mr. Baxter's additional sheet at the end of his Treatise of saving Faith By common grace a man may not only know but love God also and love him as merciful and gracious as better than the Creature as best for him yea he
either by our Works or by our Faith but by Gods everlasting purpose concerning each of us By vertue whereof Christ being alive at the heart the violation of all his engagements to them by usurping over them as over Ibid. pag. 17. others made no difference in his estate towards God And this that execrable Regicide and Usurper Himself caused to be published Nay such is the power of this Doctrine it provides the Presumptuous Miscreant of a Charme to secure him even against Security it self For saith Rutherford * Exercit. Apol. p. 54. E. Securitatem non cadere in regenitum credimus quippe cui Deus ex foederis gratiosi promisso disertè promisit inditurum in cor ipsius timorem sui ut non recedat à Deo And he abuses the holy Text Jer. 32. 40. as if it were an absolute promise to make it good What care needs he take that beleeves 't is as possible for God to lye as for himself to fall into Security By the fifth Dialogue it appears impossible to improve the use of the Ministery for the satisfaction and comfort of a poor dejected and despairing soul that hath imbibed these Doctrines And this we may observe to be exemplified in the Relation of Franciscus Spira And now I must assure the Reader I have managed the Pretensions of our Opposites with all the fidelity and skill I could to make them serve those ends for which they have design'd them And if I have left out any thing that might be said to their advantage it was not want of will but memory I am sure they cannot justly accuse me of a Designe to render their Opinions odious by misreporting them For I produce nothing but what they have delivered in their publick writings And in their favour I think I have said somethings which they have not said with so much advantage for themselves What the issue of this undertaking will prove let the Reader judge But if I be not mistaken he will find that the Dagon of Error is fallen prostrate before the Arke of Truth and hath done deserved execution upon it self while the head and hands thereof have by a lawful kind of stratagem been imployed to co-operate to their mutual and irrecoverable destruction The Writings which I have most frequently made use of are those of Mr. Baxter and Dr. Twisse for That consideration of the Doctrine of the Synod of Dort and Arles reduced to practice though he hath not put his name to it and hath mistaken Arles for Alez as Tilenus writ it is undoubtedly his as appears by sundry Indications in the work it self These writings I say I have most frequently made use of to make it appear That the sharpest pens are not able to cut these Controversies by an even thred when they follow either the Supra-Lapsarians or the Sub-Lapsaâ—ians Method I have therefore added a sixth Dialogue wherein I have made use of a Systeme of more rational and solid principles to satisfie the doubts of the Disconsolate represented under the person of Desolatus and to rescue him from those sad affrights wherewith Mr. Calvin ' s Scheme of the Decree of Reprobation had astonisht him To this end the most considerable Texts of holy Scripture that afford matter of objection are likewise explain'd and cleared And all this is performed I trust in a way of Discourse so familiar and conteins so great a variety of matter that it will invite the Readers Fancie and give him ease and delight in the perusal and make a greater impression upon his judgment I have but onething more to do to end the Readers trouble and that is to enter my appeal to the Court of Heaven against all possible clamours of any prejudiced and engaged party and with it my Protestation That I have no design to continue the breaches of the Church much lesse to make them wider God knows 't is my grief to see them so wide as they are and mens spirits generally so averse and obstinate to all probable expedients for the healing of them My only aime is to vindicate 1. The honour of the Divine Attributes which are so much eclipsed and 2. The usefulnesse of the sacred Ordinances which are so much made frustrate and 3. The necessity of our Duty which is so much evacuated by the intervention and influences of these Doctrines And though Truth conveigh'd in such a way of intercourse comes like a Receipt with a Probatum est stampt upon it yet because some men may be so confidently quick-sighted as to imagine themselves in a capacity to wipe off that soile that hath falled upon those Perfections and to remove that contempt that lies upon these Dispensations and to recover and reinforce the life and vigour of Christian Duties and to performe all this upon the account of those opinions we contest against He is therefore earnestly invited whoever he be to apply himself to this great affair and to lay aside all Animosites and to pretermit all unhansome reflections that it may appear he consults nothing in this enterprize but the Glory of the ever blessed Trinity the peace of Christs Church and the interest of immortal Souls And he that gives not a fair reception and welcome to such a performance if it brings any degree of satisfaction with it I shall for my part look upon him as one that loves not the Lord Jesus Christ and therefore let him be Anathema Maranatha THE GENERAL ARGUMENT THose Articles of Religion which are unprofitable for Doctrine for reproof for correction for instruction in righteousnesse are not practicable in the exercise of the Ministerial Function not serviceable to the interest of souls not according to godliness The Articles of Religion concerning Gods Decrees with their appendages whether as drest up by the Supralapsarians or as they are after a little finer trimming espoused by the Sub-lapsarians are unprofitable for Doctrine for reproof for correction for instruction in righteousnesse Therefore The Articles of Religion concerning Gods Decrees with their appendages whether as drest up by the Supra-lapsarians or as they are after a little finer trimming espoused by the Sub-lapsarians are not practicable in the exercise of the Ministerial Function not serviceable to the interest of souls not according to goodlinesse The Major is evident from the Apostles enumeration of the several uses of Holy Scripture * 2 Tim The Minor is evidenced beyond all possible evasion in the ensuing Dialogues THE FIRST DIALOGUE BETWIXT DIOTREPHES and PAGANUS PAganus Good day to you Sir 't is now so long since your Arrival in these Parts that I hope it will not be unseasonable to ask you how the Climate agrees with you how you like this Soile and the situation of the Countrey and I shall add this request to you that you would take the freedom as if it were the place of your Nativiâ—y to acquaint me with your wants that I may take order for your further Accommodation Diorephes Sir I
making men willing of the good which they rejected Direct to Prev Miscar p. 266. Animalis Now Sir you begin to put me in some good hopes that it is possible for me to obtain a cure of these diseases which I brought into the World with me and have much heightned by my own neglect and custom of evil doing I pray therefore proceed to acquaint me further what are the most considerable motives to perswade this willingness Diotrephes No other than the signal benefits procured for us the advancement of our nature by its union unto the person of Christ his meritorious Sacrifice and Conquest over Satan the Mr. Baxter World and our other enemies his Soveraign power to rule us and deal with us on terms of grace upon which account he daily puts by the stroaks of justice from us and restores forfeited mercies to us the offer of Christ and life so freely to us on condition we will accept them his imploying a Ministry to make this offer by the promulgation of the Gospel which affords most excellâ—nt precepts and instructions and exhortations and other helps to bring us to a willingness that salvation may be ours To which also is added abundance of outward providential helps to further the working of the Gospel as seasonable afflictions and mercies of divers sorts and with these is usualâ—y concurrent some inward motions and assistance of the Holy Ghost as knocking at the door where he is not yet let in and entertained Ibid. p. 243 c. Animalis These are all excellent moral inducements and Topicks of perswasion to which you have added some concurrent motions of the Holy Ghost But Sir have you a Commission to tender these in order to my souls benefit or is your design hereby only to aggravate my sin and condemnation Dâ—otrephes It is Life and not Death that is the first part of our Message to you our Commission is to offer salvation Mr. Baxter certain salvation a speedy glorious everlasting salvation to every one of you to the poorest Beggar as well as the greatest Lords to the worst of you even to Drunkaâ—ds Swearers Worldlings Thieves yea to the Despisers and Reproachers of the holy way of salvation We are commanded by the Lord our Master to offer you a pardon for all that 's past if you will but now at last return and live We are commanded to beseech and intreat you to accept the offer and return to tell you what preparation is made by Christ what mercy stayes for you what patience waiteth on you what thoughts of kindness God hath towards you and how happy how certainly and unspeakably happy you may be if you will A Call to the Unconverted p. 70 71. Animalis But Sir I am told by a great Divine no other than Dr. Twiss That when God sent Ezâ—kâ—el to his people Ubi supra pag. 128. it seems by that we read Ezek. 2. 3 4 5. He sent him not to better them but that they might not say they had no Prophet among them and to cut off that excuse Diâ—trephes I tell you We are not only tyed by our Commission to offer you life but to shew you the grounds Mr. Baxter on which we do it and call you to believe that God doth mean indeed as he speaks that the promise is true and extendeth conditionally to you as well as others and that Heaven is no fancy but a true felicity If you ask where is our Commission for this offer among an hundred Texts of Scripture I will shew it you in these few First you see it in Ezek. 33. 11. Say unto them As I live saith the Lord God I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked but that the wicked turn from his way and live Turn ye turn ye from your evil wayes for why will ye dye O house of Israel And the following verses and in the 18th of Ezekiel as plain as can be spoken and 2 Cor. 5. 17 18 19 20 21. you have the very summe of our Commission If any man be in Christ he is a new creature old things are past away behold all things are become new and all things are of God who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ and hath given to us the Ministry of Reconciliation to wit that God was in Christ reconciling the World unto himself not imputing their trespasses to them and hath committed to us the Word of Reconciliation Now then we are Ambassadors for Christ as though God did beseech you by us we pray you in Christs stead be ye reconciled unto God for he hath made him to be sin for us who knew no sin that we might be made the righteousness of God in him c. You see by this time that we are commanded to offer life to you all and to tell you from God that if you will turn you may live Here you may safely trust your souls for the love of God is the Fountain of this offer John 3. 16. And the blood of the Son of God hath purchased it the faithfulness and truth of God is engaged to make the promise good Miracles have sealed up the truth of it Preachers are sent through the World to proclaim it the Sacraments are instituted and used for the Solemn Delivery of the Mercy offered to them that will accept it and the Spirit doth open the heart to entertain it and is it self the earnest of the full possession so that the truth of it is past controversie that the worst of you all and every one of you if you will but be converted may be saved Mr. Baxter ubi supra pag. 75. to 78. Animalis Are these glad tydings with the motions of Gods Spirit which you speak of administred in such a serious congruous and energetical manner as is sufficient to cure those diseases of blindness and wilfulness fore-mentioned Diotrephes Why Do you think that man who after all this shall refuse to turn to God and after all this shall remain unconverted will have any just excuse before the Lord Or Mr. Baxter's Treat of Convers pag. 225. will he not be left speechless and under the condemnation of his own conscience for ever Is it any pity to cast away that man that wil without al pity cast away himself and no saying will serve him and no reason will satisfie him or when he is convinced and silenced yet for all that will not be converted when it is their own doing and they were their own undoing and when God did not spare for cost and perswasion to have done them good and when he shall say after all as in Isa 5. 4. What could have been done more to my Vineyard that I have not done in it Now I hope you may satisfie your self from Gods own mouth Animalis I can satisfie my self well enough of Gods meaning but not of yours for if we speak of such as live under the Ministry of the Gospel I doubt
boasted than felt * Mr. P. Baine profess'd he never felt any of those Suavities when we set those who were once enlightned and have tasted of the heavenly gift and wâ—re made partakers of the Holy Ghost and have tasted the good Word of God and the powers of the World to come * Heb. 6. 4 5 6 may and do fall away totally and finally whereupon we are taught according to our Doctrine to believe they lay under the immutable Decree of Reprobation How can we if it be not made so by Gods Decree already by our industry make our Calling and Election sure And therefore I think it prudent quietly and patiently to submit the event of our lives and souls with the same resolution they submitted the event of the Apostles expedition to Jerusalem saying * Acts 21 14. The will of the Lord be done Diotrephes Remember Sir it is a part of Gods will that you should work * Phil. 2. 12. Cap. 1. Art 13. out your salvation And the Synod of Dâ—rt having set down the nature of Gods free Election with the excellent fruits thereof they add That out of sense and certainty of this Election the children of God daily draw more and more matter of humbling themselves before God of adâ—â—ing the depth of his merciâ—s of purifying themselves and of loving him fervemly who first loved them so much Securus What sense and certainty men that pretend to it have of their Election I know not but if they have it whatever they draw out of it will afford no less matter of ease carelessness and security ordinarily than of gratitude for the certainty of the end excludes the use at least all care of the means Diotrephes I deny that Doctrine and we find the contrary by plain Scripture Practice and Experience * Jer. 29. 10 c. Dan. 9. 2. Was not Daniel inform'd of the Jewes deliverance by Gods Word and Promise and Christ * John 8. 20. certain his death should be deferr'd till the final accomplishment of his Office and Ministry in his state of humiliation and Peter * Luke 22. 32. propped up in his hopes by our Lords prayer and promise that his faith should not fail Did they therefore neglect the means nay did they not forthwith address themselves earnestly to the use of them Securus Though the instant deliverance of the Jâ—wâ—s from captivity was revealed to Jeremiah yet uncertain to begin the computation as is observed by Commentators upon Dan. 9. Daniel knew not whether those seventy years were yet expired or whether God might not defer the Redemption of the people for their sins for Daniel knew by the same Jeremiah That at what instant God speaks concerning a Nation and concerning a Kingdom to build and to plant it if it doth evil and obey not his voyce then he will repent of the good wherewith he said he would benefit them Jer. 18. 9 10. He had read the oath of God in the Book of Numbers Ye shall not come into the Land concerning which I sware to make you dwell therein save Caleb the son of Jephunneh and Joshua the son of Nun but ye shall know my breach of promise Numb 14. 30 34. Daniel therefore had good reason to make prayers unto Almighty God out of a holy fear least God for their sins should lengthen out the term of their captivity and thus when ever an end is intended conditionally and a promise made to that purpose the performance of the promise being suspenced upon the performance of the condition in this case the means is to be puriued with diligence that having fulfill'd the condition we may have a title to the promise but when the end is intended and the promise of it made absolutely that gives us a supersedeas to all further care about it Diotrephes In Peâ—ers case I suppose the end That his fâ—iâ—h should not fail was absolutely iâ—tended and the promise and prayers of our Saviour of that import Securus You may as well conclude the promise and prayer of our Saviour did import he should not sin at all for our Saviour prayed though not that his Father should not take him out of the World yet that he would keep him from the evil of it John 17. 15. Yet we see he was not so kept but he fell into evil and fell under it too Our Saviours prayer therefore and his promise were conditional his faith should not fail if he did repent and bewail his fall hence the Lord said to him And thou when thou art converted strengthen thy Brethren Luke 22. Diotrephes But this is not applicable to our Saviours own case the end was absolutely intended His preservation to the last period till he had accomplish'd his Ministry so far as concern'd his state of humiliation he could not possibly be out off and this he was assured of Securus Christ was certain that the Ministry committed to him should not want a happy success yet so as if he did diligently fulfill all the parts of his office and duty He was certain his death should be deferr'd even to that very houre which his Father had prefixt though some deny that houre to have been precisely determined of his Father if he took his frequent advantages to escape the hands and malicious machinations of his enemies which we find him careful to do upon all occasions And here that observation may take place of the truth of a logical connexion betwixt the Antecedent and the Consequent when both of them taken apart are false It was true certainly true that if Christ had fallen sooner into their malicious hands he had been sooner cut off but considering his care and prudence to avoid it that he should fall into their hands or be cut off sooner were both false Diotrephes However Sir 't is most certain God hath decreed the salvation of the Elect by tying the end and the means together for whom he predestinated them he also called whom he called them he also justified whom he justified them he also glorified Rom. 8. â—0 Therefore when it is objected to us say the Belgick professours that the ordination of means is supâ—rflâ—cus Synops Pur. Theol. Disp 24. Thes 19. if the Elect by some Antecedent act be absolutely destinated to salvation this ariseth from the meer ignorance of the Orthodox Doctrine for God did never choose any man absolutely unto salvation if by absolutely we exclude the means which God hath ordained for the obtaining of salvation but that ordination unto salvation in the purpose of God hath alwayes from Eternity in the very same act conâ—oyned with it a consideration of those means which are necessary unto salvation Whereupon Saint Paul also saith 2 Thes 2. 13. God hath from the beginning chosen you unto salvation through sanctifâ—cation of the Spirit and belief of the truth and Saâ—nt Peter 1 Pet. 1. 1 2. To the Elâ—ct according to the fore-knowledge of God the Father
through sanctification of the Spirit unto obedience and the sprinkling of the blood of Christ. Securus If the end be absolutely intended then either there are no means required or if they be required they are absolutely by an irresistible strength to be wrought by him who absolutely intends the end for if God absolutely intends an end and leaves it to be accomplished by contingent and fâ—llible means that means may be deficient and so God should fail of his end which were absurd Diotrephes This is that which the Synod of Dort affirmeth of Faith and the work of Regeneration for they say This is a work to the production whereof God employeth his omnipotent strength chap. 3. and 4. Reject 8. A work for the mightiness thereof not inferiour to the Creation of the World or raising up the dead which God worketh in us but not with us but without us an operation so carried on that when God hath done his part it remains not in mans choice to be or not to be regenerated to be or not to be converted Art 12. Reject 8. To this purpose Mr. Norton having laid it down for a Rule in his Orthodox Evangelist That Though the Decree be absolute yet the 〈◊〉 of the Decree in the Gospel is conditional Page 85 86. He adds yet here carefully observe That by a condition we are alwayes to understand not a condition properly so called but a consequent condition scilicet such a condition the performance whereof is not left unto the Elect but is undertaken for by the Elector and therefore is not only not opposite unto but is both an effect and argument of an absolute Dâ—cree and also of an absolute Covenant of Grace Securus These passages have reference to the infusion of faith and the work of our first conversion and perhaps this Doctrine looks no further and Am sii Coâ—onis pag. 258. f. Ex conditione proprie dicta qua aliquid confertur in casum dubium incertum eventum alienae voluntatis quae praestita movet velantatem judicis ad praemium ex tali conditione si pendeâ—ent promissiones Dei actum esset de nostra salute â—licet â—riremus then there is not sufficient provision made for the infallible accomplishment of an end that is absolutely intended though the Regeneration of the Elect be absolutely immediatly and irresistibly wrought by the strength of Gods Omnâ—potency yet if the work be left in the hands of the same Elect as their duty to be continued such is their frailâ—y and fallibility they may possibly mâ—scarry in it and so God should lose his end for all that which is very absurd to be affirmed of an end which he hath absolutely intended Diotrephes You need not fear this for as God begins the work so he carries it on irresistibly by the same power to the very last stage and period of our lives Hence Cornelius Dungan saith * Pacific p. 172. Such as the operation of grace is in the beginning such it is also in the progress And Dr. Twiss * Ubi supra p. 178. saith Gods Omnipotency no Creature is able to resist and therefore if God will have any man to believe repent do this or that good work it is impossible it should be otherwise and that God is he who worketh in us that which is pleasing in his sight is as true as the Epistle to the Hebrewes is a part of the New Testament And pag. 182. We do require that God should immediatly and irresistibly work all our good works in us and we acknowledge this to be necessary unto every good act and no grace without this sufficient ad velle agere though there may be without this a grace sufficient ad posse To this purpose 't is very remarkable what the * Thes Heterod quas rejicim 3. pag. 200. par 2. Brittish Divines who were accounted stuper mundi have delivered in their judgment concerning the fifth Article of perseverance at the Synod of Dort Falsum est say they Perseveraâ—tiam esse donum sub conditione oblatum 'T is false that perseverance is a gift offered upon condition for it is a gift absolutely promised of God without any respect of condition The Reason is this the promises of God some are concerning the end others concerning the means to that end The promises concerning the end for example â—akâ— concerning salvation are conditional Believe and thou shalt be saved be thou faithful or persevere unto the death and I will give thee a Crown of life But seeing no man is able to perform the conditions God hath also made most free and absolute promises for bestowing the vâ—ry conditions themselves which he effâ—câ—eth in us that by them as the means we might attain unto the end To this purpose they urge that Text Deut. 30. 6. The Lord thy God will circumcise thine heart to love the Lord thy God with all thine heart and with all thy soul that thou mayst live Upon which words they thus dilate The end here promised is life which the Israeliees could never attain but by the performance of this condition namely the loving of God but here God absolutely promiseth that he would give them that very condition Seeing therefore the promises of faith and perseverance in the faith are promises concerning the means they are promises of absolute gifts whereby God considering mens inability as well to attain the end without means as to perform those means or câ—nditions of themselves hath promised he would effect it that they should perform those condiâ—ions God promiseth life to those that constantly fear him the promise concerning life is conditionate but the promise concerning the constant fear of God is absolute I will put my fear in their hearts that they shall not depart from me Thus those Divines and the Canons of the Synod are of the same tenour and importance Securus I thank you Sir for this part of your Discourse wherein you have most clearly proved by the Doctrine of the Synod the Divines thereof and others that the opinion I have been all this while disputing for is exactly true that is to say 'T is altogether needless for any man to take care to do any thing for his salvation for though it be true that the end salvation is conditional yet the means to that end is granted absolutely and irresistibly to the Elect. 'T is true none but believers and Converts shall be saved but 't is as certainly true that all the Elect shall first or last at Gods appointed time one way or other by Gods appointed means be irresistibly brought to repâ—nt and believe But the Non-elect being past by in the state of sin as Adam left them and the saving grace of Faith and Repentance denied them they can never be saved first or last by one means or other God having appointed neither time nor means effectual to that purpose why then should they trouble themselves about it And
them did not dissemble both by my observation of their whole course being intimately acquainted with them and by the plainness and openness of some of their hearts which they manifest even to this day in the way that they are in being unapt for dissimulation This Sir is the ground of his dejection Diotrephes And I pray what Antidotes have you given him against these infusions Samaritanus I have fortified him as prudently as I could by those Apostolical Counsels 1. To be wise unto sobriety and not to lean too much to his own understanding 2. I have added that of St. John Beloved believe not every spirit but try the spirits whether they are of God because 1 John 4. 1. many false Prophets are gone out into the World And that of St. Peter Ye therefore Beloved seeing ye know these things before 2 Pet. 3. 17. beware lest ye also being led away with the â—râ—our of the wisked fall from your own stedfasiness But grow in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ And that of St. Paul Now I besâ—ech you Brethren Mark them which cause divisions Rom. 16. 16. and offences contrary to the Doctrine which ye have leaâ—ned and avoid thâ—m for they that are such serve not the Lord Jesus Christ but their own belly and by good words and fairspeeches deceive the hearts of the simple I have advised him further 3. As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord so walk ye in him rooted and built up in him and established Col. 2. 6 7. in the faith as ye have been taught To which end I have commended to him that of the Authour to the Hebrewes Remember them which are the Guides that have the Rule over you who Hebr. 13. 7 17. Vide D. Hammond Dissert 1. cap. 12. sect 13. p. 40. Hebr. 10. 23 25 have spoken to you the Word of God whose faith follow considering the end of their Conversation Obey them and submit your selves for they watch for your souls as they thâ—t must give account And let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering not forsaking the assembling of our selves together But building up our selves on our most holy faith which was once delivered unto the Saints praying in the Holy Ghost and Ep. Jud. ver 4. 20 21. by this means keep our selves in the love of God looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life And to take off the scandal I have wish't him to remember that our Lord Jesus Christ hath foretold how much the temptations of the world and flesh would prevail upon the hearts of many professours and that false Prophets and factious Teachers should arise and draw many Lisâ—â—ples after them and by their fair shewes and specious pretences should deceive if it were possible the very Elect. If he observed these Predictions and followed these Rules I told him I was very well assured he should find such an assistance and establishment as might give him encouragement to say with the Apostle We are not of them who draw back unto pâ—râ—ition but of them that believe to the saving of the soul Hebr. 10 39. Diotrephes Your advice was good and seasonable had you sorborn your insiâ—uâ—tion that the old way is the safest to be insisted on for that may hinder or at least retard the intended Reformation But what satisfaction did he find in your Discourse Samaritanus He harp'd much upon that passage They should deceive of it were possible the very Elect. Ai the Elect saith he they are the only men that shall be preserved from seduction for they have a special aiffer â—oing grace conser'd upon them by an irâ—â—sistible operation â—nd that is preserved to them by the same omnipotent strength that did at first 〈◊〉 it I demanded of him why he might not assure himself of such a grace His Answer was That seeing many great and 〈◊〉 Professours whose vertues were fat more eminent than any he could or durst pretend to have fall'n so low that their condition was reputed hopeless this made him more carefully to bring his grace unto the test and balance to examine it and if true yet he must conclude it many grains and â—cruplâ—s too light and this saith he begets so great a jealousie of mine own sincerity If those saith he whom I have look'd upon as stars of the first Magnitude have made all that lustre by the emissions and beams of common grace which God in the Decree of Reprobation hath associated with the efficacious permission of sin to make up one perfect Medium to carry that Decree on to its final execution in them what presumption were it in me to think that that grace in me is of a higher pitch or nobler extraction And if it be not what is become of that certain perseverance which I have thus long claim'd a title to Thus the miserable Desolatus divides his time betwixt his complaints and doubts and thinks there is no balm so soveraign as to heal his bruises Diotrephes Have you applied no salve to this soar in him Samaritanus Yes 1. I have expostulated with him to this purpose Must the Lord set up love and mercy in the work of Redemption to be equally admired with his Omnipotency Mr. Baxter's Directions for peace of conscience in the Epistle to the poor in spirit manifested in the Creation And call forth the World to this sweet employment that in secret and in publick it might be the business of our lives And yet shall it be so overlook'd or question'd as if you lived without love and mercy in the World Providence doth its part by heaping up Mountains of daily mercies and these it sets before your eyes The Gospel hath eminently done its part by clear describing them and fully assuring them and this is proclaimed frequently in your ears and yet is there so little in your hearts and mouths Do you see and hear and feel and taste mercy and love Do you live wholly oâ— it and yet do you 〈◊〉 doubt of it and think so meanly of it and so hardly acknowledge it To this he a swers that for Gods gâ—â—â—â—al mercy which concerns not the life to come he readily acknowledgeth it is oâ—er all his works but for his saving mercy tâ—at is restrained to a certain number whom he hath chosen to glory without respect to any qualification in them And this Dt. â—wiâ—s * Ubi supra p. 51 Rom. 9. 15. concludes from those words of the Apostle He hath mercy on whom he will have mercy for the rest he hardens them and that for the meer pleasure of his will 2. I have represented to him the advice of Sâ— James If any of you mark any of you do lack wisdom leâ— him ask it of Mr. Baxter ib. pag. 39 40. God who giveth to all men liberally without desert and â—phraâ—deth not with our unworthiness or former faults and it shall be
given him Jam. 1. 4. If you that are evâ—l can give good gifts to your Children how much more shall your heavenly Father give his Holy Spirit to them that ask iâ— Luke 11. 13. Suppose your life were in the hands of your own husband or your childrens life in your hands would it not exceedingly comfort you or them to consider whose hands they are in though yet you had no further assurance how you should be used God is a Father even to the wicked and to convince men of his fatherly mercy to them he often so stileth himself He saith by Moses Deut. 32. 6. to a wicked Generation whose spot was not the spot of his Children Do ye thus requite the Lord O foolish people and unwise Is not he thy Father that bought thee Hath he not made thee and establish't thee And the Prodigal could call him Faâ—her for his encouragement before he returned to him Luk. 15. 16 17 18. For my own part I must needs profess that my soul hath more frequent support from the consideration of Gods gracious and merciful nature than from the promise it self To this he returns a ready Answer That God is the Father of the rain Job 38. 28. and of all Creatures as he is their Maker Ephes 3. 14 15. But if we speak with reference to salvation Dr. Twiss * Vbi sâ—pra p. 53 saiâ—h The dealing of God is with his Children he means the Elect only Father-like not with others 3. I have signified to him That this disquietness in him doth manifesâ—ly arguâ— a desire to believe as Dr. Twiss * Ibid. p. 138. observes and God hath promised to fulfill the desire of them that fear him Ibid. p. 158. And seeâ—ng aâ—â—iction especially when it is of a spiritual nature is the ordinary introduction into the state of grace in the coarse of Gods Pâ—ovidence like as the Valley of Acâ—or was a door of hope uâ— to the Children of Israel and our Saviour in going to Jerusalem the vision of peace did continually take Bethany the house of mourning in his way we have cause to conceive good hope that these pangs may be as the pangs of Child-birth unto an afflicted soul To this he replies That common grace will carry a man so far as to be abased in the feeling of his sin and misery and to be humbled by attrition as the â—Papâ—sts call it and to cry Mr. Baxter of saving saith p. 43 44. out of their sin and folly and day and night to beg for grace and mercy He may like the Word and wayes of God and think Gods servants the best and happiest men and have many a wish that he were such himself he may avoid gross and wilful sinning and continue in hearing reading the Word enquiring consideration he may have a desire after Christ and holiness and heaven he may have love to God and the Redeemer and the Saints and withall he may have either a knowledge that he is yet short of true Christianity or at least be much afraid of it and therefore be under a prudent impatiency till saving grace comes in and the Spirit hath sealed him up to the day of Redemptiâ—n and he cry out What shall I do to be saved This a man may be brought unto by common grace which hath no promise of saving grace made to it nor any necessary connexion with it and consequently saith he these pangs may be but the beginning of greater sorrows 4. I have assured him that if he doth believe in Christ a Fountain of Consolation is then opened to him * Dr. Twiss p. 148. In this case we can assure him not only of the favour of God for the present but also of final perseverance therein and of Election and of Salvation as Dr. Twiss * Ib. p. 150. affirmeth To this he replies in the words of the same Dr. * Ibid. pag. 47 48. That a man may believe by an acquired faith * How can such a Faith cloathed with all moral vertues be distinguish't from an infused Faith and perform the acts of all moral vertues and have an exteriour conformity to the means of grace and so proficere ad exteriorem vitae emendationem and yet not be acceptable to God for all this Nothing but a Divine Faiâ—h will save us 5. I have told him Albeit he hath not this Faith to day notwithstanding he may have it in good time * Dr. Twiss ib. 150 and that there is no cause of desperation or to conceive himself to be a Reprobate Ib. 138. forasmuch as his condition is no worse than Sauls was before his calling yea and the holiest servant Mr. Baxteâ—'s Directions for peaee of Conscience pag. 463. of God Therefore said I what if you have no grace Do you not hear God daily offering you Christ and grace Doth he not entreat and beseech you to be reconciled unto him 2 Cor. 5. 19 20. And would he not compell you to come in Matâ—h 22. Do you not feel some unquietness in your sinful condition and some motions and strivings at your heart to get out of it Certainly though you should be one that hath yet no grace to salvation yet these continued offers of grace and strivâ—ngs of the Spirit of Christ with your heart doth shew that God hath not quite forsaken you and that your day of grace and visitation is not past To this he finds an answer to and tells me the question is whether there be any such day of visitation alotted for him or no. He is sure those sâ—rivings betwixt the flesh and natural conscience portend no such forasmuch as there may be such a conflict in the very Reprobate He wonders I should say that God doth bâ—seech him to be reconciled and would compell him to come in for his Conversion must be if ever it be at all of Gods irresistible working and saving grace of his immediate infusing and he being omnipotent if he were pleased to have it so it must needs be accomplâ—sh't in him presently 6. I have intreated him after this manner When the Divel clamours in your ears Christ and Salvation is none of thâ—ne let that voyce of God be in your memory O take Christ Mr. Baxter â—bi supra pag. 37. and life in him that thoâ— mâ—â—st be saved When you would fain have Christ and life and you are afraid that God will not give them to you remember then that God stands by beseeching you to accept the same thing which you are beseeching to give God is the first Suitour and Sollicitour God prayes you to take Chrâ—â— and you pray him to give you Christ what have you now to do but to take him And here understand that this taking is no impossible business it is no more but your hearty câ—â—seâ—ting And pag. 56. when God in the Gospel bids you take Jesus Christ and beseecheth you to be reconciled Ibid. pag. 56. to him if your