THE Fulneſs and Freeneſs OF GODS GRACE IN JESUS CHRIST, DECLARED In two general Points: Firſt, That Perſonal Election is no ground of the Saints perſeverance in the Grace of God by Jeſus Chriſt.
Secondly, In what ſenſe the Scriptures ſpeake the Saints Perſeverance in that Grace.
The Third Part.
By FRANCIS DUKE.
LONDON, Printed by T. N. for Wil. Milward, without Weſtminſter Hall Gate, and Miles Michael within the Gate, 1656.
IN my firſt Treatiſe are four grounds or principles in the first four Chapters: The first is our natural perfection in Adam by Creation: The ſecond is Gods Covenant with us in Adam, the onely and alone Covenant of works made with man: theſe two ſtates were diſtinct each from other, before the Fall. The third is the Fall of the whole World, by Adams one offence once committed. The fourth is the reſtauration of the fallen World by Jeſus Chriſt the ſecond Adam: And my ſecond Treatiſe handles this one general point, that is, In it is proved what is Gods final end, for which he made all things in Heaven and in Earth, and that he made choyce principally of ſeven meanes to accompliſh that end. This third Treatiſe principally treats of three things: Firſt, That Perſonal Election is no ground of the Saints perſeverance in the Grace of God by Jeſus Christ. The ſecond proves in what ſenſe the Scriptures ſpeake, the Saints Perſeverance in that Grace. The third is a diſproving of the falſe Doctrine of the Familiſts, and the Quakers; in particular againſt Lieutenant Colonel John Lilburn.
FIrſt, Againſt perſonal Election, theſe Scriptures following are opened, Rom. 1.9, 13. In this Paul repeats a Record, recorded by Malachy; and the thing recorded is expounded by God himſelf, that is, what his purpoſe was in that buſineſs. Pag. 1. 2. 3.
The ſecond Text, Acts 13.48. As many as were ordained to eternal life beleeved. p. 4, 5, 6.
A third Text is the 17. of John, opened from p. 6. to p. 18.
Fourthly, Theſe ſeveral Texts are opened. Jer. 31.3.31, 32, 33. Jer. 32.39, 40. Rom. 11.15, 27. Heb. 8.8, 9, 10. Heb. 10.16, 17. p. 19. 20. 21.
Alſo it is opened in what ſenſe the word Elect originally did ariſe in its uſe and application in the Old and New Teſtaments. p. 22. 23, 24.
Alſo the Text is opened, Eccleſ, 12.7. The words are theſe, Then ſhall the duſt return to the Earth as it was, and the Spirit ſhall return to God that gave it: This againſt the Familiſts, from p. 24. to 32.
Alſo againſt them, ſee p. 33. to 36. All theſe fall under the firſt head, as againſt perſonal Election.
Theſe following fall under the ſecond Head.
Firſt, It is opened, how a man that is no Saint, may become a Saint, and ſo to be in a capacity to the ſaid perſeverance. p. 41. to 46.
The firſt ground of the Saints perſeverance is the power of Gods Spirit, and the exerciſe of their Faith and other Graces.
The ſecond ground is the immortal Seed of Gods Word, ſown in their mindes by the hand of Gods Spirit.
Alſo here is opened a threefold diſtinction, as to the will of man, from p. 42. to 54.
A third ground of the Saints perſeverance ſo as they ſhall never totally nor finally fall, is Chriſts more full and conſtant manifeſtation of himſelf by his Spirit to the minde of beleevers, which ſo exerciſe their graces, as before is ſaid, by which he holds the will of a beleever to himſelf, actually or virtually at the leaſt, from p. 55. to 60.
To beleevers is peculiar a twofold righteouſneſs, and to no men elſe, wherein is briefly opened, how Abraham and Rahab were juſtified by works, or working out their own ſalvation, from p. 60. to 68.
How the nature of true love doth ariſe in the Saints minde. Alſo a definition of Love, and its natural properties, declared from p. 68. to 74.
Alſo the patience of the Saints, as to its perfect work, is opened from p. 75. to 80.
Alſo that God greatly afflicts ſome holy men, not for tryal, nor for chaſtizement, nor for ſin primarily, but for ſome eminent reſpects, from p. 80. to 92.
Chap. 13. In which is anſwered, Lieut. Col. John Lilburn his ſix particulars, as to the Doctrine of the Quakers.
FIrſt, That perſonal Election is no ground of the Saints perſeverance in the grace of God by Jeſus Chriſt.
Secondly, In what ſenſe the ſacred Scriptures ſpeaks the perſeverance of the Saints in that grace.
But I will firſt briefly touch upon two things, by way of Introduction.
And firſt, By Saints is meant no more but this,Rom. 5.17, 18. EPheſ. 1.1. John 1.12. Man that hath inherent righteouſneſs, or holineſs, and ſo doth by a right beleef receive abundance of grace, and the gift of righteouſneſs, which came upon all men to juſtification of life. Theſe are Saints in deed and truth, and none other are the Sons of God; for as many as received him, to them he gave prerogative to be the Sons of God; Even to as many as beleeve in his name.
Secondly, The perſonal Elections which are erroneous, are three; firſt, the Superlapſarian way.
Secondly, The Lapſarian way.
Thirdly, An Election of ſome mens perſons upon2 Gods fore-ſight of their perſeverance in faith and works.
The firſt is no more but this, That God elected ſome mens perſons infallibly to eternal life, without reſpect to Adam's ſin or their owne, onely upon his Soveraign right over his Creature; And in Reprobation, Not mans undeſerving is the cauſe of Reprobation, but the will of God to reprobate.
Secondly, the Lapſarian way is no more but this, That God conſidered all mankind as fallen in Adam, and elected ſome mens perſons out of that Fall infallibly unto eternal life, and left all the reſt of mankind in that miſery unrecoverably unto Eternity, without any means as effectual unto them.
Thirdly, Perſonal Election in this ſenſe is no more but as is ſaid, That God upon his foreſight of their perſeverance in faith and works unto the end, infallibly elected them unto Eternal life. So much for Introduction.
And as concerning the firſt general point, to carry it on clearly, I will follow this Method, to open the ſcope of thoſe Texts which is ſuppoſed do primarily prove the ſaid Elections; and the firſt text that I will pitch upon hath relation to Gen. 25.22,Gen. 25.22, 23. Mal. 1.1, 2, 3. Ezek. 16.3. Rom. 9.9, 10, 11, 12, & 13. 23. & Mal. 1.1, 1, 2, 3. And the Text that is grounded upon theſe two Texts is Rom. 9.13. The words are theſe; For the children being not yet born, neither having done any good or evil, that the purpoſe of God according to Election might ſtand, not of Works, but of him that calleth. It was ſaid unto her (that is, Rebecca) The elder ſhall ſerve the younger, as it is written, Jacob have I loved, but Eſau have I hated; Therefore when Rebecca had conceived (as God had promiſed) the children ſtrugling3 together in her wombe, thereupon ſhe ſaid, If it it be ſo, Why am I thus? wherefore ſhe went to enquire of Jehovah; whereupon concerning Eſau and Jacob God declares his purpoſe, That he conſidered thoſe two children in her wombe, not as two perſons individually, but as two roots univerſally, in National reſpects; For ſaith God unto Rebecca, Two Nations are in thy wombe, and two manner of people ſhall be ſeparated from thy bowels, and the one people ſhall be ſtronger than the other people, the elder ſhall ſerve the younger.
Now the ground why God elected one Nation in the younger childe Jacob, and rejected the other in the loyns of the elder childe Eſau, was to figure, that the children of the fleſh, as ſuch, ſhould not be counted as children unto God, but the children of the Promiſe, as leading to faith in Chriſt, and born again, not of the will of the Fleſh, but of the Spirit, ſhall be counted the Children of God, as faithful Abraham.
A ſecond ground why God elected that Nation in Jacob's loyns, was, to be his onely viſible Church in all the world, to uphold his Name till Shilo came in the fleſh, namely Chriſt.
A third ground why God did ſo at that time, was this, Becauſe when he declared this purpoſe to Rebecca, his name in Chriſt to deſtroy the works of the Devil,Gen. 11.8. & 10.32. & 12.1, 2, 3, 4. Joſh. 24.2 & 23.15 Ezek. 16.3, 4, 5, 6. was as it were extinguiſhed out of the world And the ground why it was ſo extinct, was this, For at that time all Nations and all the Families of the Earth were Apoſtates from the ſaid poſture by which they might receive eternal life: I ſay all Families except one, and that was the family of Sem, and that4 alſo began to Apoſtate to Idols, as appears in Terah Abraham's Father, therefore God commanded him to depart from his Fathers houſe, and then promiſed him (having no childe) this Nation to iſſue from his loyns and Iſaac's and Jacob's, and all comprehended in theſe words, So ſhall thy Seed be.
Again, God did not onely then at that time elect the Jews unborn to be the viſible Church of Chriſt, but alſo at the ſame time predeſtinated the Gentiles into the ſame poſture,Gal. 3.8. by which alſo they might receive eternal life by promiſe to Abraham; whence ſaith the Apoſtle,And what that poſtture is, is at larg declared in my ſecond Treatiſe. The Scriptures foreſeeing that God would juſtifie the Heathen through faith, preached the Goſpel before unto Abraham, ſaying, In thee ſhall all Nations of the Earth be bleſſed. So that the ſcope and drift of all theſe Texts is ſo far from maintaining the aforeſaid Elections, that it is againſt them all, for the Text onely ſpeaks of a National not a Perſonal Election; and of a National Rejection, not a Perſonal.
A ſecond Text which is ſuppoſed to ſpeak for Perſonal Elections, as a ground of the Saints perſeverance, are theſe words, As many as were ordained to eternal life, beleeved: But as before, ſo now, to find the true meaning of this Text,Acts. 13.98. is to keep cloſe to that which it aims at. Verſ. 42. The Apoſtle having preached Chriſt to the Jews in their Synagogue, thereupon ſome Gentiles then preſent, beſought the Apoſtles that theſe words might be preached to them the next Sabbath; whereupon the next Sabbath day, Verſ. 44. came almoſt the whole City together to hear the word of God. And then ſome of the ſaid Elect of God, namely the Jews, ſeeing the multitude they3 were filled with envy, and ſpake againſt thoſe things which were ſpoken by Paul, contradicting and Blaſpheming, Verſ. 45. whereupon the Apoſtle ſpake to the blaſpheming Jews, and ſaid, It was neceſſary that the Word of God ſhould firſt have been ſpoken to you; but ſeeing you put it away from you, and judge your ſelves unworthy of eternal life, (that is, of that poſture wherein you might have received eternal life) Lo, we turn to the Gentiles, Verſ. 47. For ſo hath the Lord commanded us, ſaying, I have ſet thee to be a light of the Gentiles, that thou ſhouldeſt be for ſalvation to the ends of the Earth. Verſ. 48. When the Gentiles heard this, that is, thoſe words of the prophecie concerning themſelves to be admitted into the poſture by which they might receive eternal life, then they were glad, and glorified the Word of the Lord; that is, in beleef of the ſaid prophecie, for they had been 1800 yeers excluded from the ſaid poſture, becauſe the Oracles of God were before confined only unto the Nation of the Jews, not at all to come amongſt the Gentiles until Chriſt came; yet did not all that multitude beleeve, for ſome were in the caſe of final. Impenitency, through their precedent obſtinacy; as alſo were ſome of the Jews, and therefore God denied them the ſpirit of faith to beleeve, verſ. 41. Behold ye deſpiſers, and wonder, and periſh, for I work a work in your dayes, a work which you ſhal in no wiſe beleeve, though a man declare it unto you. Therefore Verſ. 51. the Apoſtles ſhooke off the duſt of their feet to witneſſe againſt thoſe unbeleeving Jews that were his viſible members, and ſo his ſheep; but being denied the gift of faith, therefore not his ſheep,John 10.26. John 10. 26. Ye beleeve not, becauſe ye are not of my ſheep, as I ſaid unto you. So as the meaning of theſe6 words, (As many as were ordained to eternal life) is no more but this, That God predeſtinated or ordained by promiſe to Abraham that the Gentiles ſhould be called into that poſture by which they might receive eternal life; From this ground it was that the Scriptures did foreſee, that God would juſtifie the Heathen through faith, and upon this ground the Apoſtle doth apply to beleeving Gentiles, That Gods calling of them is according to his purpoſe, to be made like unto Chriſt, and the firſt born among many Brethren,Rom. 8.28, 29, 30. and to be juſtified and glorified, was now fulfilled; So that the ſcope of theſe Texts makes nothing for Perſonal Elections, but ſets forth the rejoycing of the Gentiles, in the demonſtration of Gods ordaining them to the ſaid poſture by promiſe to Abraham, and conveyed to them under this prophecie.
THis Chapter is ſuppoſed to prove theſe Perſonal Elections as the ground of the Saints perſeverance: Some of the words are theſe, which our Lord ſpake to his Father of himſelf; Thou haſt given him power over all fleſh, that he ſhould give eternal life to as many as thou haſt given him, &c.
Theſe words naturally divide themſelves into four branches:
Firſt, The power given him by his Father.
Secondly, The extent of that power, over all fleſh.
7Thirdly, The End wherefore, That he ſhould give Eternal life.
Fourthly, The Reſtraint or Bounds to which this Eternal life is limited, Not to all, but to ſome.
To the firſt:Deut. 6.4. This power was not given to him by his Father, as he is the one Jehovah, for ſo it was his owne, and therefore could not be given him;What is meant by that ſeventh means is at large declared in my ſecond Treatiſe. Matt. 28.18. Nor may it be ſaid to be given him as he is the ſecond Elohim in the one Jehovah, ſimply conſidered, for ſo he is not Chriſt: But moſt properly it was given him of his Father, the firſt Elohim in the one Jehovah, as he was perſonally God-man, the ſeed of the Woman, the ſecond Adam and ſeventh means to carry on his Fathers final end; for which very end his Father gave him all power both in heaven and in earth.
Secondly, the Extent of that power is over all fleſh, which reacheth all humane Nature, none excepted; for by this power all mankind ſhall be either ſaved or damned, according to the tenor of the Goſpel, as is at large proved in my ſecond Treatiſe, Chap. 12. Not by any power from the Covenant of the firſt Adam, nor by that ſuppoſed Law of Works delivered by God to Moſes; But all fleſh, ever ſince the Fall, ſtands under the univerſal grace of God in Jeſus Chriſt before faith; or elſe in the ſpecial grace of God through Jeſus Chriſt after faith, as is proved at large in my two former Treatiſes.
Thirdly, the End wherfore this power was given him is, That he ſhould be the only diſpenſer of his Fathers gift of Eternal life; wherefore he onely reacheth this gift of Eternal life in the ſacred Oracles of the Old and New Teſtament, by the hand of his Spirit in the Miniſtery, by the Apoſtles and others; for ſo onely8 this Eternal life comes expreſly to be known to man, that by beleef he may receive the gift thereof, as in his very next words to his Father is implyed, Verſ. 3. This is life Eternal, that they may know thee the onely true God, and Jeſus Chriſt whom thou haſt ſent; For man is onely capable of his deepeſt miſery, or his higheſt felicity, by his knowable powers; that is, as he is a reaſonable creature.
Fourthly, the reſtraint or limitation to which this eternall life is bound, that is, not unto all, but unto ſome, to as many as thou haſt given him, and no more, for that is implyed; Now there are ſeverall ſorts of men, which the Father hath given to Chriſt, and in ſeveral reſpects in order to his final end, but they may be all reduced to three heads:
Firſt, his Father gave him twelve men of all fleſh, and no more, primarily to be his diſpenſers under himſelfe of this gift of eternal life.
Secondly, the Father gave him all right beleevers to be the myſtical members of his body, and no more of all fleſh, except all dying in infancy or the like, for all ſuch are his myſtical members, as is proved in my firſt Treatiſe, Pag. 36, 37.
Thirdly, ſome part of all fleſh as have Apoſtatized ſo farr from this poſture, as to become dead in ſinnes and treſpaſſes, are given to Chriſt that he may give them eternal life, and ſome of them are not, nor ever ſhall; and thoſe that are given him, are given him ſome at one time, and ſome at another.
And firſt concerning the twelve, they were not created by him as he was Chriſt, and therefore were given him of his Father, as is proved by his own words, Verſ. 8. I have given them the words which thou gaveſt9 me. Verſ. 11. Holy Father, keep through thine own name thoſe that thou haſt given me. Verſ. 12. While I was with them in the World, I kept them in thy name, thoſe that thou gaveſt me. Verſ. 20. Neither pray I for theſe alone, but for them alſo which ſhall beleeve in me, through their word: Therefore it is clear, That theſe twelve Apoſtles were given him of his Father of all fleſh, and no more, To be primarily under him, the diſpenſers of his word to deſtroy the works of the Devil, out of the minds of men.
But I will propound foure Queries, for the further clearing of this 17th Chapter of John, in which will fall the other two heads formerly mentioned.
Firſt Quere, How can thoſe men which rightly beleeve, be one, even as Chriſt and his Father is one? I in them, they in me, That they may be made perfect in one, verſ. 23.
Anſw. That which made God, and all humane nature two, (I mean not in Eſſence; for ſo they were never one, nor could, not never ſhall be;) But that which made God and man two, was mans error, or ſinn, And ſo in the fall, the Apoſtate Angels and man were totally one in wills and operations; And on the contrary, God and man were perfect in one, before the fall; becauſe then, in relation to Gods will, mans will was created perfect, becauſe he was created perfect in holineſs and righteouſneſs, and during that eſtate, were perfect in one; But ſeeing they were diſjoyned, and made two by the fall, now Chriſt by his word and ſpirit, doth make the will of God and man perfect in one, in the perfection of parts in this life; but the perfection of degrees is reſerved for the life to come; and then the Fathers will, Chriſts will, and the10 will of the Saints ſhall be perfect in one, that is, the Fathers final end to his own glory.
This was Chriſts glory he had with the Father, before the World was, Verſ. 5. That God before the World was, did elect and ordain (as it were) that drop of humane Seed, to be in time aſſumed, and ſo to be perſonally God-man, that he might make God and man perfect in one;1 Pet. 1.20. Gen. 3.15. or elſe, That the Apoſtate Angels, and all ungodly men, ſhould be made one in miſery to all eternity. And thus Gods final end herein, is fully perfected upon all fleſh, as to that Text, It ſhall bruiſe thy head.
The ſecond Quere is verſe. 16. What meaneth our Lord by theſe words; They are not of the World, even as I am not of the World?
Anſw. As he was not of the World of men, which ſet down their content and happineſs in this Worlds good; but he uſed it, as if he uſed it not. So the Apoſtles, and all right Belleevers, were of the ſame mind in ſome degree; and therefore he ſaid, They are not of the World, as I am not of the World.
Secondly, The Apoſtles and right Beleevers are not of the World, as Chriſt was not of the World, becauſe they do receive, and obey the world of Chriſt, which the World does not; Chriſt perfectly, they imperfectly, but truly, Verſ. 14. I gave them thy word, and the World hated them, becauſe they are not of the World, as I am not of the World. And concerning the Apoſtles, he ſaith, Verſ. 8. I gave them thy words which thou gaveſt me, and they have received them, and have known aſſuredly, that I came out from thee, and they have beleeved that thou didſt ſend me.
Again, The Apoſtles were not of the World, as11 he was not of the World, becauſe he engaged himſelf in life and Doctrine, in oppoſition to the Apoſtate World, both men and Angels. And ſo in ſome degree did the Apoſtles and all Beleevers, and ſo they were not of the World, as he was not of the World; from this ground it is, that he ſaid to his Father, I pray not for the World, that is for them, as to their courſe of life and converſation, but for them which thou haſt given me out of the World, that is, Apoſtles and Beleevers, that thou wouldeſt keep them from the evil.
The third Quere; What meaneth our Lord by theſe words; for their ſakes, ſanctifie I my ſelf, that they alſo may be ſanctified through thy truth?
Anſw. He meaneth, that the Apoſtles ſhould be ſanctified by his word of truth, becauſe by it he did ſanctifie himſelf to his work, as it reſpected his Fathers final end. Therefore curſed be for ever that Doctrine of the ſneaking Quakers, and our Familiſtical ranting Popelings, by whom the Apoſtate Angels endevour to adulterate the moſt pure Oracles of God, the old and new Teſtaments.
Secondly, Although he thus prayes, that it might ſanctifie them in their work, as it had done him, yet we muſt note this by the way, he was not unholy before; for if we conſider him as the ſecond in the one Jehovah, ſo he was infinite in holineſs, or perſonally God-man; for ſo he was perfectly holy, becauſe that humane ſeed which was elect out of the fallen Maſſe, to be aſſumed in the courſe of nature, in the womb of the Virgin was totally ſeparated from the leaſt tincture of the nature of Devils, (ſin I mean) becauſe the Virgin was over-ſhadowed by the Holy Ghoſt, therefore that holy thing was called the Son of the moſt12 high,Luk. 1.35 that is, above all created natures, in a ſuperlative degree.
Queſt. If you ask me, how could he be ſanctified by the word of truth, who was ſo ſanctified in his divine and humane nature?
Anſw. Very well,Heb. 5.8. for as he did grow in ſtature and wiſdom, ſo he learned obedience by the things he ſuffered, that is,Luk. 2.40, 52. he did grow in degrees of heavenly wiſdom, in the ſacred Oracles of God, that is the old Teſtament, and alſo in the words which himſelf received from his Father, and gave them to his Apoſtles in the 8. v. of Jo: 17. which now to us is the new Teſtament, and as he did grow from Child-hood to a youth, or young man, to a perfect man, he ſtill kept cloſe to his Fathers words, from whence he was able to diſpute with the Doctors at 12. years age, & to diſpute with the Devils, alledging, It is written, and cuſtom makes another nature in good,Luk. 4.4.8. as well as in evil; for we ſee by his ſufferings, he learned obedi-ence, that is better and better.
Object. If it be objected,Object. That if he were more perfect then formerly, conſequently he was formerly leſſe perfect, conſequently, he ſinned, becauſe he fell ſhort of his Fathers will.
I anſwer,Anſw. Not ſo, for his Fathers Law requires man to love God, but with all his ſoul, and all his ſtrength, and his Neighbour as himſelf; but no more then is proper to his kinde: Therefore he ſinned not. And for his divine nature, it being without limits in its Eſſence, is without Law in his operations.
Again, he being not created, as was the firſt Adam, a perfect man at once; but being born of Woman, came to it by degrees, as is formerly proved, yet in every degree, he did (as himſelf ſaith) alwayes13 thoſe things that pleaſed his Father,Jo. 8.29. therefore he ſinned not. Again, Our Lord did not thus ſanctifie himſelf onely to accompliſh his Fathers final end himſelf, but alſo for his Apoſtles ſake; for ſaith he, for their ſakes ſanctifie I my ſelf, that is, to give them example, how to go on miniſterially, in that which himſelf hath done fundamentally; whence in the 18th verſe, he ſaith, As thou haſt ſent me into the World, even ſo I have ſent them into the World; that is, to a World of Heathens, and to a world of proud formal profeſſors, the Jewes, his Elect Spouſe; for he came to his own, and his own received him not. To this end he gave his Commandement to the Apoſtles, to go forth to the World,Jo. 1.11. ſaying, Goe ye therefore, and teach all Nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghoſt, teaching them to obſerve whatſoever I have commanded you; and loe, I am with you alwayes, that is,Mat. 19.28 by my ſpirit; for that is implyed.
Again, He ſanctified himſelf for all beleevers, that he that ſanctifieth, & they that are ſanctified, may be one, not only in ſufferings, but in holineſs inſome degree in this life, and to be perfect in one in the next,Heb. 2.11 as is proved; for he did know, as ſatans lies believed by our firſt Parents, & we in them, was und is the univerſal ground of all unholineſs and ungodlineſs; ſo on the contrary, he did know that his Fathers truth beleeved and obeyed, is the univerſal ground of all true holineſs and godlineſs, and therefore prayed, ſanctified them with the truth, thy word is truth; that is, the only & alone truth, ſo to do by the ſpirit of truth, which goes along with that word, which the world that lives in weakneſs knowes not.
Therefore O you friends of the Bride-groom, keep cloſe to the pure truth of the Oracles of God, for the14 grounds of your Doctrines, expoſitions and applications, and be content with the ſimplicity thereof, and look not too much upon this, or that mans expoſitions, as to put too much ſtreſſe upon any mans wit or learning; for their miſtakes are numerous. But above all, keep to the four grounds manifeſted in the Oracles of God; for in themſelves they are infallible:
The firſt is, Mans pure naturals as he was created by God; for in holineſs and righteouſneſs created he him.
The ſecond ground is the Covenant of works between God and Adam, and theſe two States were diſtinct, and each did ſtand alone, before mans fall.
The third ground is the fall of man.
The fourth ground is the reſtauration of the whole Creation by Chriſt the ſecond Adam.
The which four grounds in ſome meaſure are opened in the four firſt Chapters of my firſt Treatiſe: upon which grounds that firſt Book, my ſecond Book, and this third Book are built, by him who makes uſe of the fooliſh things of the World,1 Cor. 1.27. to condemn the wiſe; and when you ſee a Bee work beyond his wit, then know there is a greater efficient than it.
Again, The Father gave not only twelve men of all fleſh to be Chriſts Apoſtles, nor only all right beleevers of all fleſh, to be his myſtical members here; but if they continue to the end, to be triumphant in Heaven to eternity; But alſo he gave him ſome part of all fleſh, which by Apoſtacie are become dead in ſins and treſpaſſes to that poſture, in which once they might have received life: yet ſome of theſe men are15 given to him at one time, and yet given him at another; and ſome of them are denyed him for ever; and theſe various reſpects are the grounds of our Saviours words in theſe cond verſe, That he ſhould give eternal life to as many as thou haſt given him.
Thus God denied the Gentiles to Chriſt, about 1800. years, being dead in ſins and in treſpaſſes, excepting ſome few as is proved in the 7th Chapter of my firſt Treatiſe, and denied them the reſidence of his Oracles, the ſaid time for their Apoſtacy at Babel, until Chriſt was come in the fleſh.
Again, When Chriſt came in the fleſh,Jo. 12. God gave him many of thoſe Gentiles, dead in ſins, to hear the voyce of the Son of God, and live in that poſture in which they might receive eternal life: yet ſome are denyed him to this day, and remain Heathens, and ſhall, till the fulneſs of the Gentiles come in; in the interim, many periſh, becauſe denyed to Chriſt.
Again, When God called us Gentiles to come to receive life in the ſaid poſture, or to be either, as is proved; for before there was no way but death to moſt men, yet at that time he denyed the Jews to Chriſt, for crucifying the Lord of glory, and his blood is upon them; for to this day they remained dead in ſins and treſpaſſes; for in Holland, where the Goſpel is preached, it is no Goſpel to them, becauſe God (as yet) denies them the ſpirit of faith, as he hath done theſe 1600. years, except it may bee to ſome few.
Again, Thus were ſome of thoſe denyed the gift of Faith, while our Lord lived amongſt them, wherefore he ſaid unto them, Ye are not my ſheep; that is, although my Sheep as from Abrahams fleſh,Jo. 1.16.25, 26. yet16 not my Sheep, as in Abrahams ſpirit of faith.
And although the whole body of that Church Elect, ſtill ſtands cut off for their unbeleef, yet there will come a time, when they ſhall be given to Chriſt. The Apoſtle ſaith, Rom. 11. If the caſting away of them be the reconciliation of the World,Rom. 11.8.12, 15, 16, 20, 25. what ſhall the receiving be, but life from death?
Now I come to the fourth Quere. How is it, that Rom. 5.18. The Text affirms, as by the offence of one Judgement came upon all men to condemnation; even ſo by the righteouſneſs of one, the free gift came upon all men to juſtification of life? And yet this 17th of John reſtrains that gift of life but to ſome.
I anſwer, That juſtification was univerſal to all man-kind, and to all alike, and the extent of the imputation of that righteouſneſs was to the whole Creation, from whence it was put into a poſture of travail from that bondage of corruption, which it fell into by Adam, to be partakers of the glorious liberty of the Sons of God, and it travelleth until now, as ſaith the Text.
Again, I anſwer, That the gift of eternal life in the 17th of John, is particular, and peculiar to him that receives that gift of righteouſneſs by Faith, in two reſpects, which that univerſal juſtification was not.
As firſt, He that receives this imputed gift of righteouſneſs, God pardons that mans ſins, although numerous againſt the mercy of God in Jeſus Chriſt, which that univerſal juſtification did not; for it onely pardoned the gift and puniſhment of Adams one offence, once committed, to him and all his poſterity, but it pardoned no more.
Secondly, That man which by beleef receives17 that imputed gift of righteouſneſs, is poſſeſſed of eternal life, in this World; for the Text ſaith, he that beleeveth hath eternal life, which that univerſal juſtification did not give: it onely gave right to eternal life, but no more.
And the truth is, the Apoſtle in the fifth of the Romans, points out this particular juſtification, and that univerſal juſtification.
The particular juſtification in theſe words; for if by one mans offence death reigned by one, much more they which receive abundance of grace, and of the gift of righteouſneſs, ſhall reign in life, by one, Jeſus Chriſt: But mark the Text; It refers this particular Juſtification onely to Beleevers, that receive that gift of righteouſneſs, Verſ. 17. and in the 18. Verſe, the Apoſtle layes down that univerſal Juſtification in theſe words: Therefore as by the offence of one, Judgement came upon all men to condemnation, even ſo by the righteouſneſs of one, the free gift came upon all men to Juſtification of life.
Obj. It will be objected,Object. our Lord ſaith, Father, I will that thoſe which thou haſt given me be with me, even where I am, that they may behold my glory which thou haſt given me, for thou loveſt me before the foundations of the world, Verſ. 24. Therefore thoſe that are given by the Father to Chriſt, cannot but be infallibly brought to behold that his glory to Eternity; For it is impoſſible but that Chriſts prayer muſt be granted, becauſe he alwayes did that which was pleaſing in his Fathers ſight.
Anſw. True it is,Anſw. that Chriſt did alwayes ſo, and therefore ſo in this prayer; and therefore it ſhall be granted: But the queſtion in hand is not, whether his18 prayer ſhall be granted, but in what ſenſe he prayed; for it cannot be in the ſenſe alledged, becauſe it is proved in this Chapter, that the Father gave him 12. men of all fleſh, and yet one of them which his Father gave him, ſhall not behold that glory, becauſe our Lord affirmes, it had been good for him, he had never been born; and in this Chapter, he ſaith, one of them is loſt, and became the ſon of perdition.
Again, right beleevers of all fleſh are given by the Father to Chriſt, to be his myſtical members and himſelf to be head to that body, from which ground he made this prayer in behalf of them, that they might behold that his glory; but we muſt mark the reaſon and ground of his prayer, why his Father ſhould grant it, In theſe words, Thou loveſt me before the foundations of the world. And of his members he ſaith; Thou haſt loved them as thou haſt loved me. V. 23. Now it is already proved in what ſenſe our Lord himſelf was loved of his father before the world was, namely to be the ſeaventh meanes, or ſecond Adam infailibly to accompliſh his Fathers final end; Therefore it neceſsarily followes, That all his members are loved with the ſame love as they adhere to Chriſt in reſpect of his Fathers final end to his glory and not otherwiſe; This is expreſſed by our Lord himſelf, John 12.26. If any man ſerve me, let him follow me, for where I am, there ſhall alſo my ſervant be; If any man ſerve me, him will my Father love, otherwiſe not, for that is implyed, becauſe our Lord puts it upon if and if, If any man ſerve me &c. For if our Lord himſelf be loved unto the ſaid reſpect of his Fathers glory, as to be compleated in his final end by him; Conſequently this his prayer is according to that level and not otherwiſe, as plainly19 appears in the comparing the 26th Verſ. of the 12. of John, with this 24th Verſ. in the 17th of John; But what Gods final end is, here, I paſs it over, becauſe it is proved in the firſt and 12th Chapter, of my ſecond Treatiſe.
So much for the opening of the 17th Chapter of John; which proves, that the Saints perſeverance hath no dependance upon the ſuppoſed perſonal Elections, which neither this Chapter nor any other doth own.
BEhold the dayes come, ſaith the Lord,Jer. 31.3.31, 22, 33 That I will make a new Covenant with the houſe of Iſrael, and with the houſe of Judah, Not according to the Covenant I made with their Fathers, &c. But this ſhall be the Covenant that I will make with the houſe of Iſrael, After thoſe dayes, ſaith the Lord; I will put my Law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts, &c. By that word, in thoſe dayes is meant, as is expreſſed in the 17. Verſe: There is hope in the latter end, ſaith Jehovah, that thy Children ſhall come to their own border, that is, their own Land, and return into that poſture, wherein they may receive eternal life, as is implyed in theſe words, I will write my Law in their hearts, further implying, that formerly they were dead in ſins and treſpaſſes. To the ſame purpoſe he ſaith, I will give them one heart and one way, that they may fear me for ever, for the good of them and their Children20 after them. Jer. 32.39, 40.And I will make an everlaſting Covenant with them, and I will not turn away from them, to do them good. In the next words, he ſhewes wherein principally their good conſiſts, I will put my fear in their hearts, that they ſhall never depart from me: onely note this by the way, That this fearing of God for ever, and a Covenant that ſhall laſt for ever, and that they ſhall never depart from him, is in no ſenſe ſpoken in reference to perſonal election, as the ground of the Saints perſeverance in the grace of God, by Jeſus Chriſt; for all this ſtory points onely at the Jews, Gods elect viſible Church, and theſe words as to them imply two things;
Firſt, That God had formerly turned away from them, from doing of them good many years, yet he continued them to be, and ſo to be diſtinguiſhed in all Ages, and Generations, as that they are known by the name of Jews, as Abrahams off-ſpring, to this day.
Secondly, Theſe words further point out, That although they are now no viſible Church of Chriſt, yet after their converſion into the ſaid poſture, they ſhall never totally depart from being Chriſts viſible Church, unto the Worlds end, as they have been many hundred years, and are at this day; and that is meant, when God ſaith, I will make an ever laſting Covenant with thee, as to the ſame effect in the 3. Verſe, And in that he ſaith,Rom. 11.15.27. Heb. 8.8, 9, 10. Heb. 10.16, 17. I will give them one heart, and one way, that they may fear me for ever: And to this point the Apoſtle ſpeaks, Rom. 11.15, 27. and to the ſame purpoſe, Heb. 8.8, 9, 10. and Heb. 10.16, 17. So that it is clear, theſe Texts ſpeak nothing to the maintenance of perſonal Election, as I ſaid•efore. Onely I21 marvail, that ſo many godly learned men, ſhould be ſo bold to infer from the Apoſtles words,Rom. 9.13. Eſau have I hated: That Eſau was perſonally reprobated to eternity; for the Apoſtle doth onely repeat a Record, as it is written by Malachy, and Malachy followes God, declaring his purpoſe to Rebecca, concerning thoſe Children, That they were the Roots of two Nations, and he purpoſed the one Nation ſhould be his viſible Church, and the other (being the elder Brother) ſhould not, that no fleſh as fleſh ſhould glory in his ſight; and in this ſenſe he ſaith, Eſau have I hated, as is formerly proved in this, and both my other Treatiſes.
Again, For further clearing of the truth, againſt thoſe threefold erroneous Elections, I will prove the original uſe of the word Elect, and in what ſenſe that word is applyed in the old and new Teſtament; For inſtance, many hundreds of years after Eſau and Jacob were dead, came the burthen of the word of Jehovah by Malachy, I have loved you, ſaith Jehovah; yet ye ſay, wherein haſt thou loved us? was not Eſau Jacobs Brother, ſaith Jehovah? yet I loved Jacob, and hated Eſau, and laid his Mountains, and his Heritage waſte; And to Jacobs Nation, Verſ. 5. he ſaith, your eyes ſhall ſee, and you ſhall ſay, Jehovah will be magnified from the border of Iſrael. And to Iſraels Nation Jſaiah applies the word Elect, which, as to them,Iſa. 44.1, 2. was the original uſe of this word: Yet hear now, O Jacob my Servant, and Iſrael whom I have Elect; Thus ſaith Jehovah, that made thee, and formed thee from the womb, he will help thee; fear not, O Jacob my Servant, and thou righteous whom I have Elect. But thou Iſrael art my Servant,Iſa. 41.8, 9. Jacob, whom I have Elect, the ſeed of Abraham my22 friend. And in the 9th Verſe, Thou whom I have taken from the ends of the Earth, and called thee from the chief men thereof, and ſaid unto thee, thou art my Servant, I have elected thee, and not caſt thee away. From this ground our Saviour (ſpeaking of the deſtruction of this viſible Church Elect after his death, he concludes thoſe dayes of vengeance ſhall be ſhortened: except thoſe dayes ſhould be ſhortened, there ſhould be no fleſh ſaved. Mat, 24.2. and from 15. to 22.But for the Elects ſake, thoſe dayes ſhall be ſhortened; implying no fleſh, otherwiſe of Abraham his friend, whould be reſerved for a future call, to the ſaid poſture in which they might receive the gift of eternal life. Dan. 11.15. 1 King. 3.8.So the Prophet ſaith, thy Servant is in the midſt of thine Elect people, whom thou haſt elected: likewiſe, O ſeed of Jacob his Servant, ye Children of Jacob his Elect ones:1 Chron. 16.13. ſo that in the old Teſtament, we ſee the original of this word Elect, and the application of it, hath not the leaſt ſenſe to any perſonal Elections; but to a viſible Church, or to its individual members under the ſame capacity.
Secondly, It is applyed to the ſame ſenſe, and none other in the new Teſtament. To the viſible Church of Coloſ. the Apoſtle ſaith, Put on therefore as the Elect of God,Col. 3.12. 1 Theſ. 1.4.7. bowels of mercy, &c. likewiſe to the viſible Church he ſaith, knowing Brethren beloved, your election of God, for our Goſpel came not unto you in word onely, but alſo in power. Verſ. 7. So that you were an example to all that beleeve in Macedonia and Accaia, that is, that beleeve according to the judgement of charity; for of ſuch onely the viſible Churches under the Goſpel were conſtituted, being admitted by Baptiſme. So Peter applyes the word Elect, to the viſible members23 of Chriſt, ſcattered throughout Pontus, Galatia, Aſia,1 Pet. 1.1, 2. and Bithinia, Elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through ſanctification of the ſpirit, unto obedience, &c.
So Paul ſtileth the Goſpel, whoſe moſt proper reſidence is in the viſible Churches of Chriſt, and their beleeving there in the faith of Gods Elect, Paul,Tit. 1.1. a Servant of God, and a Servant of Jeſus Chriſt, according to the Faith of Gods Elect, and acknowledging of the truth which is after godlineſs: likewiſe ſaith Paul, I endure all things for the Elects ſake,2 Tim. 2.2.10. that they may alſo obtain the ſalvation which is in Chriſt Jeſus, with eternal glory.
Sometimes this word Elect is applyed to particular members of the viſible Church,2 Joh. 1.13. the elder unto the Elect Lady and her Children,1 Joh. 1.13. whom I love in the truth, the Children of thine Elect Siſter great thee, Amen.
Sometimes this word Elect is applyed to the univerſall viſible Church of Chriſt; but moſt particularly, to all right beleevers therein; And ſhall not God avenge his own Elect,Luk. 18.7. which cry day and night unto him, though he bear long with them? I tell you, he will avenge them ſpeedily; and ſo he did avenge divers times the viſible Church of the Jews upon their Adverſaries, as he now doth on the behalf of the Church of the Gentiles, againſt their enemies. And ſometimes this word Elect is applyed more cloſe, as to the inviſible members of Chriſt, which are thoſe that purely worſhip him in ſpirit and in truth; And the Pſalmiſt ſaith, Thou chooſeſt to thy ſelf the godly man;Pſal. 4. for theſe are ſuch as are known to God onely, and not to men infallibly: Hence ſaith the Apoſtle, the foundation24 of God ſtandeth ſure, the Lord knoweth thoſe that are his infallibly (for thats implyed.) 2 Tim. 2.19.To this point our Saviour ſpeaks, Then ſhall he ſend his Angels, and gather together his Elect from the four winds,Mark 13.27. Mat. 24.31. from the utmoſt part of Heaven; And he ſhall ſend his Angels with the great ſound of Trumpet, and they ſhall gather together his Elect from the four winds, from one end of Heaven to the other. So that the ſcope of the new Teſtament concerning Election, runs according to the ſcope of the old; but neither ſpeaks for the foreſaid threefold erroneous elections.
FOr they deny all Elections and rejections of mankind, as well thoſe that are true, as thoſe that are falſe, both from ſeveral Texts which I have anſwered in my ſecond Treatiſe,Eccleſ. 12.7. and from Eccleſ. 12.7. the words are, Then ſhall the duſt return to the Earth, as it was, and the ſpirit ſhall return to God that gave it; that is (ſay they) the body being returned to his duſt, the ſpirit returns to God, to be eſſentially his nature; and therefore there ſhall be no individuals of men, to be ſaved or damned to eternity; for all ſhall be God.
This Objection takes for granted, that to be a truth,Anſw. 1which is a lye, and unpoſſible; for Pſal. 147.5. The Text affirms,Pſal. 147.5. God is infinite, and the Heathen man could ſay, He is all Center, and no circumference, and an infinite admits of no diminition,25 nor addition; for then it ceaſeth to be infinite.
Secondly, I anſwer; according to the being of a thing ſuch is its operation: therefore if the ſpirit which is in man be infinite, let it produce ſuitable operations, and wee'l beleeve it, as did our Lord that was perſonally God-man: yet the divine nature did not animate a humane body, as doth the ſoul and ſpirit of man (as theſe men dream;) and he did produce ſuitable actions, for he laid down his humane body in death, and took it up again: he walked on the waters with the ſoals of his feet, and in an inſtant turned water into wine, and gave the man ſight that was born blind. And if they be God, why do they not cauſe the Sun to go back ſo many degrees as pleaſeth them, and command the Seas and the winds to obey them; for Chriſt by his heavenly Doctrine, confirmed by numerous miracles, was mightily declared to be the Son of God:Rom. 1.4. 2 Tim. 3.12, 13. but you are declared to be as you are (as ſaith the Apoſtle) that is, evill men and ſeducers ſhall wax worſe and worſe, deceiving and being deceived.
Again I anſwer, 'Tis true, The ſpirit returneth to God who gave it; but it is one thing, that it returns to God, another thing, that it returns to be God, which is impoſſible, as is proved.
But you will demand of me, in what ſenſe, according to the Text, doth the ſpirit of man return to God that gave it?
I anſwer negatively and affirmatively:
Negatively thus; The Spirit is no neerer in its nature, to the nature of God, when it is out of the body, than when it is in the body; for both body and ſpirit do live, and move, and have their being in his eſſence,26 for the Text ſaith,Act. 17.28. In him we live, and move, and have our being.
Again I anſwer, As that being, which all created natures have, is bottomed in the being and eſſence of God, on which it depends, ſo as it cannot move the breadth of a hair, further or neerer, by its own local motion, nor by death, neither by annihilating it ſelf: for even wicked men are ſo bottomed upon his being, that they may be, to be tormented to eternity, although they ſeek death, or annihilation, ſo ſaith the Text. They ſhall ſeek death,Rev. 6. and ſhall not find it, and ſhall deſire to die, and death ſhall flye from them: and the ground why he will thus continue men and Angels to eternity, is for his final ends ſake, for which he made all, that they might be Veſſels of honour, or diſhonour, according to their works.
Secondly, Affirmatively I anſwer, the ſpirit of man returns neerer to God, in its own apprehenſion of him when it is out, then when it was in the body, both of good and bad men: for while it is in the body, there are ſeveral mediums that do interpoſe its apprehenſions of God: but when it hath left the body, theſe mediums do vaniſh, and therefore it hath then a more immediate apprehenſion of God.
But you will ask me, what are theſe mediums?
I anſwer, they are primarily three:
The firſt is, its body of ſenſe, in which it is involved, and the ſpirit while it lives in it, receives all objects by its five ſenſes, as doth a Bruit.
The ſecond medium, is the frame of this inferior World, it being alſo but an object of ſenſe; but being out of the body, this alſo vaniſheth, as to the reaſonable ſoul, for then the ſpirit of man ſeeth by its27 own light, a light ſuitable to its own nature: but what it is we know not; for although the light and darkneſs of this World is light and darkneſs to our ſenſe, yet to God they are neither; for darkneſs and light are both alike to thee, ſaith the Pſalmiſt:Pſal. 139.11, 12. ſo is it to the ſpirits of all good and bad men and Angels, being the next created nature to the uncreate nature of God.
How,Queſt. and by what light doth God ſee and perceive thing?
I anſwer, by his own light. If you ask me what that light is, I anſwer, it is his Eſſence. And if you ask me what his Eſſence is, I anſwer, none, but himſelf can tell; no created nature, either of men or Angels.
The Text ſaith, God is light, and in him is no darkneſſe at all, who only hath immortality, and dwelleth in that light which no man can approach unto,1 Joh. 1.5. 1 Tim. 6.16. whom no man hath ſeen, nor can ſee, To whom be honour and power everlaſtingly, Amen.
But it will be objected, the Text ſaith,1 Joh. 3.2. we ſhall know him as he is: As it is in the Text, it is true, that is, when Chriſt who is God-man ſhall appear, we ſhall ſee him as he is, and every man that hath this hope in him, purifieth himſelf, even as he is pure; and thus we ſhall know him as he is, that is, as he ſhall be pleaſed to manifeſt himſelf according to our meaſure or capacity; the which manifeſtations are three, the Scripture ſpeaks of no more.
Queſt. What is the firſt?
It is this inferior World,Anſw. as travelling by the force of Chriſts imputed righteouſneſs (as is proved) whence it is, That his tender mercies are over all his works. Pſal. 147.6.From this ground ariſeth his kindneſs to the28 juſt and unjuſt,Mat. 5.45. Acts 17.27. that they ſhould ſeek the Lord, if happily they might feel after him, and find him, though he be not far from every one of us, and this is the firſt manifeſtation.
Queſt. What's the ſecond?
Anſw. His ſacred Oracles, the old and new Teſtament, a far more neer and clear manifeſtation of God, yet this is dark,1 Cor. 13.12. and thorough a glaſſe in compariſon of the third.
What's the third manifeſtation? Queſt.
It is the Heaven of Heavens,Anſw. a place purpoſely created by God the moſt immediate expreſſions of himſelf, in moſt ſplendide luſtre of divine glory, that Angels or man made perfect in a ſpirituallized body, can be capable of in their ultimate comprehenſions: I ſay, a place created, becauſe whatſoever is a Creature, is limited in its Eſſence, and therefore confinable to place, and this is according to our meaſure; for no Creature is able to behold the naked Eſſence of the infinite Jehovah, wherein our comprehenſions would be confounded or ſwallowed up; for it is only proper to his infinite Eſſence, to be without circumference. Hence we may obſerve, the ſilly and ſhallow ſeducements of theſe worms, I mean, the Familiſtical crew, who dreamingly think that they are he.
But you will ask this Queſtion,Queſt. How the infinite Eſſence of God can be both out and in the natures, motions and lives of perſons and things, and not He to be their Eſſence, nor they his by mixture of natures?
That in regard the Text affirms, That in him, we live,Anſw. move, and have our being, it is unqueſtionably true in it ſelf, he being infinite, and the word him29 points out he, as not we; and the word we, points out we as not he; and it is one thing that it is ſo, and another thing for men and Angels, piercingly to know the manner how it is; for although the Angels know it much more than we can, that are in an Elementary body of ſenſe and ſin, yet there is ſuch a diſproportion betwixt a finite and an infinite, that they can never reach the manner how. That ſecret efflux by which the Divine nature continues the being of Creatures in himſelf, that they can never reach, it being ſo immediate, and they know not how themſelves live and move; for they cannot know beyond their created meaſure received from their maker. But as for us, we muſt beleeve it, becauſe the Text ſaith it, and there reſt: and as for the manner how, it is only known to God himſelf; for the truth is, we know little or nothing; we know not the manner how a pile of graſſe groweth, or how one hair of our head, nor the manner how our ſtature is increaſed; for it is one thing to know we are increaſed, and another thing to know the manner how: in which we can do no more than the Mother knowes how the bones of her Infant growes in her womb, or whether it be male or female, till it be born. And the Text ſaith, Loe, theſe are parts of his wayes, but how little a part is heard of him;Job 26.14. Eccleſ. 11.5. as thou knoweſt not what is the way of the ſpirit, nor how the bones do grow in the womb of her which is with Child: even ſo thou knoweſt not the works of God which maketh all.
Again, The ſpirit of man returns to God who gave it, that is, for an enjoyment of his preſence and love, which is better than life: thus the Apoſtate Angels went out from God,Pſal. 63.3. for they left their own habitation30 and were puffed up, they did aſpire to be God himſelf, as did we in our firſt Parents, to be as Gods: and thus do the Familiſtical Quakers, and fall into the condemnation of the Devil, but the ſpirit of man may return to God that gave it. Jud. v. 6. 1 Tim. 3.6.As the ſpirit of right beleevers do, and enjoy his love, which is better than life: but this is not the returning to God meant in the Text.
In your ſecond Treatiſe,Object. and in this it is affirmed, that whatſoever is in God, is he: therefore that potency, and radical vertue which you ſay was in God himſelf, out of which he produced all Creatures, conſequently that vertue and all Creatures are as God himſelf, eſpecially the ſpirit of man is Gods own Eſſence, and ſhall (as the Familiſts ſay) return into the ſame Eſſence, conſequently there ſhall remain no individuals exiſtently to be damned, or ſaved in bliſſe or torments to eternity.
This concluſion thus drawn from the premiſes,Anſw. ariſes from their ignorance of two things: the one is, not knowing or beleeving the Scriptures; for if the Scriptures were known and beleeved, this Objection would have died in its conception, and never come to its birth, becauſe it poſitively denies what the Scripiture affirms, that is, Gods final end, for which he made both men and Angels, and all things ſubſervient to them and their uſe; And in this end, the whole Ocean of all his glory terminates; conſequently denies Angels and Spirits, and the Reſurrection, as did the Sadduces: but to thoſe ſeduced ſpirits, our Lord anſwered, and ſaid unto them, Ye do erre, not knowing the Scriptures. And this error is the firſt ground upon which this Objection is built: But our Lord ſtayed not31 there, but ſaid, neither do ye know the power of God,Mat. 22.29. Act. 23.8. that is, not knowing or beleeving his infiniteneſs, and the Text affirms he is infinite: therefore your ignorance of this is a ſecond ground of your objection: And you meaſure him by your reaſon, or your reaſoning, which is as if you would empty the Ocean into an Egg-ſhe: therefore you cannto but erre. And for further explanation, how Gods potency and vertue which was eſſentially in himſelf, and ſpirited out of himſelf by Creation, yet is not now himſelf, I refer the Reader to my ſecond Treatiſe, pag. 104, 105, 106.
But ſecondly I anſwer, that all Creatures in Heaven and in Earth, principally men and Angels are but a remote ſhadow of his being, and not his being which is the fountain of life; for they are all but meer dependents upon his Eſſence, as Job affirms of the Earth. It hangs by nothing, that is, no created thing but dependent upon him, as an accident to a ſubſtance: as for example, witheneſs upon a wall depends on the wall, yet the wall was a wall before, and will be when that whiteneſs ſhall be waſhed off: ſo God was before all things were created in its dependence upon him.
And he will be the ſame, though he ſhould pleaſe to waſh away the whole Creation by an annihilation; but for his final ends ſake, he will never do this, as is proved: And thou O man, who thus diſputeſt to be he, art but a remote ſhadow of him, and canſt thou imagine the ſhadow of thy body to be thee, or to comprehend what thou art? much leſſe art thou he, or ever wilt be, nor able to comprehend him. But do thou diſpute, and beleeve thine own diſputings,2 Chron. 20.20. And I will beleeve the Lord and his Prophets, ſo ſhall I ſurely proſper32 but he that will not ſo beleeve ſhall be damned. Mark 16.16.And in that word he points at thee, if thou repent not; for the wanton deſpiſing, and ſuch diſputing out thy precious time againſt Gods long patience, which (as by a hand of mercy) would lead thee to return unto himſelf, to be happy for ever; for at the end of our lives, when the duſt returns to the Earth as it was, the ſpirit ſhall return to God that gave it, and can do no other; for then it will be ſtripped of all thoſe mediums which did interpoſe its naked approach to God in its apprehenſion, and ſhall ſee it ſelf returned to the alone diſpoſing of God; and this is the meaning of the Text, and the ſpirit ſhall return to God that gave it; that is, to be ſent to its place of weal or woe,Luk. 12. •7. according to his works, as is figuratively laid down between Dives and Lazrus. So much for anſwer to the blaſphemous abuſe of this Text.
ANd in the firſt place, take notice from what ground theſe men deny the ſacred Oracles of God, and prayer to him as our heavenly Father, and all Ordinances as tending to mans ſalvation, that is, from the ſame ground that the Angels fell, which is, that they abode not in the truth of God, and from the ſame ground that we in our firſt Parents fell, beleeving not his word of truth. So this ſort of men forſake the33 truth and beleeve a lie, that is a fancy, which they name a light within them, and the divine nature and Chriſt, they call their light by the name of Chriſt. But what ſaith our Lord to theſe men? Joh. 8.44.Ye are of your Father the Devil, and the luſts of your Father ye will do; and concludes, he is a lyer, and the Father of lies.
But you wil ſay, your own grounds imply,Object. you need not pray, as it is in that which you call the Lords Prayer, your Father in Heaven, becauſe you affirm, you are in his Eſſence, and cannot be out of it. Then if he be ſo neer you, what need you pray to him at all? much leſſe as in Heaven a great way off?
Though it be true, that he is ſo near us,Anſw. yet that is falſe which you infer form thence, That we need not pray; for we need to pray, becauſe of the foreſaid mediums between our ſpirit and he, and it is formerly proved, thoſe mediums are three;
That is, this World being but an object of ſenſe, and the body of man being but a ſenſitive thing, and the ſpirit of it ſelf involed in a body of ſin, and of errors and miſtakes,
Therefore although he be ſo neer, we have great cauſe to pray unto him, to manifeſt himſelf unto our ſpirits, as did he, that ſaid, Lord I beleeve, help my unbeleef.
Again I anſwer, The nature of ſin in our mind, carries in it enmity to God, and therefore our minde being conſcious to our ſin, in our apprehenſions keeps at a diſtance from him: therefore (as neer as he is unto us) we had need to pray unto him, to ſhew himſelf to us; for it is one thing that he is ſo neer, and another thing to beleeve that he is ſo neer; as for example, If a man be as neer to one that is blind, as poſſible34 may be, if he neither feel him nor hear him, he is to him as if he were 1000. miles off; and this is our caſe, by reaſon of theſe three mediums before ſpecified: therefore we have need to pray to God to draw neer to us, not in his Eſſence, for neerer he cannot be, but in the manifeſtation of his mercy and goodneſs he may.
Again, Our Lord taught us to pray to our Father, as in Heaven, becauſe it is the ultimate manifeſtation of his tranſcendent glory, that Men and Angels can be capable of, and a place created purpoſely for that end, in which we ſhall center in him to all eternity: therefore we begin our Lords Prayer with Our Father which art in Heaven, and conclude it with Thine is the Kingdom, power and glory.
Again, Becauſe it is Jehovah that makes a barren Wilderneſs fruitful, and a fruitful Land barren, therefore he (being ſo neer us) we may the rather pray, Give us this day our daily bread, that is, a competent maintenance for us and ours, during this life, which is our day.
Again, Becauſe the Apoſtate Angels do multiply and advance their Kingdom of darkneſs, by mens beleeving lies, and lying vanities, ſo forſaking their own mercies, and principally this Familiſtical Crew, ſeemingly Angels of light to deceive: therefore in regard God is ſo neer unto us, I ſay we may the rather pray, Let thy Kingdom come, and will be done, by removing thoſe numerous errors and blaſphemies, which darken his glorious Oracles, not in themſelves, but as to men.
Again, In regard the heart of man at the beſt, is as a Fountain of error, he being ſo neer unto us, we may35 the rather pray him to purifie our hearts, that we may by a ſimplified beleef ſee where we are, even in himſelf.
Again, In regard Jehovah is ſo neer unto us, from this ground it is, the Apoſtle exhorts all that are truly godly, ſaying, Let your moderation be known to all men. The Lord is at hand, be careful for nothing, but in every thing by prayer and ſupplication with thankſgiving, let your requeſts be made known unto God.
Therefore the Objection is frivolus, that we need not pray, becauſe God is ſo neer us.
From this ground, that Jehovah is ſo neer, did ariſe that ſingular moderation in Moſes, as to this ſenſitives Worlds glory;Heb. 11.24.27. for he refuſed to be called the Son of the Kings Daughter, eſteeming the reproach of Chriſt greater riches than the Treaſures of Egypt, and endured, as ſeeing him which is inviſible; and David when he was in his right mind, beheld Jehovah, (which is inviſible to ſenſe) ſaying,Pſal. 23.4. Though I walk through the vale of the ſhadow of death, yet I will fear none evil, for thou art with me; And having done with the Familiſts till I meet with them again, I return to the clearing of the point of univerſal Election, by anſwering of foure Quere's.
Was not Election out of the fallen Maſſe,Quere. 1perſonal, for the fall was acted by two individual perſons, Adam and his Wife?
Although the fall was of two individuals,Anſw. male and female, yet the fall was not perſonal, but univerſal, and that of the whole kind.
How can that be? Queſt.
36Very well;Anſw. for as God rejected Eſau, and elected Jacob in the womb, yet neither perſonally rejected, nor elected, although they had a perſonal exiſtence, as appeares by their ſtrugling in the womb: He calls them two Nations, and two manner of people to be ſeparated from her bowels, ſo in this male and female God conſidered all mankind radically in the Seed: from this ground the Text ſaith, In Adam all die; yet note this by the way, our firſt Parents (in this caſe) were onely the Root materially, but not formally, for the formal cauſe why all mankind might tranſgreſs in that one offence, was Gods Covenant with Adam, for life and death eternal, as is proved in my firſt Treatiſe, page 22. Therefore the fall was not perſonal but univerſal, conſequently ſo was the Election. In the Seed of the Woman Chriſt the Lord as comprehending the whole Maſſe.
If the whole Maſſe were elected,Quere. 2then no part was rejected, and Election is altogether improper, where there is no rejection.
We muſt conſider the Apoſtate Angels and man,Anſw. in that fall, as two diſtinct natures in one reſpect, and yet but one nature in another reſpect; For inſtance, as they were Angelical and humane natures, ſo they were two diſtinct; but as both natures in the fall were totally diabolical, ſo they were but one: therefore when they both were thus one in the fall, then God elected the humane nature out of that diabolical nature, to mercy in the promiſed Seed; but left the Angelical nature in that diabolical nature, rejected from all mercy for ever. And all comprehended in theſe words to the Serpent their Inſtrument, I will put enmity between thee and the Woman,Gen. 3.1 5 and between thy37 Seed and her Seed, it ſhall bruiſe thy head, &c. For he in no wiſe took the nature of Angels: but here we ſee, he did take the Seed of the Woman to mercy, ſo that here is a proper rejection, conſequently a proper Election.
From what did that Univerſal Election,Quere. 3free all mankind?
It freed all mankind from three things,Anſw.
Firſt, from thoſe dreadful defections, croſſe operations, and hideous repreſentations, which by the juſtice of God in the fall, was to come upon the whole Creation, as is proved in the third Chapter of my firſt Treatiſe.
Secondly, It freed all mankind from the total nature of Devils; for in mercy it was reduced, but to a Seed, and is called rightly, the Seed of original ſin, for two reaſons; Firſt, becauſe this Seed is derived to all men, in their natural Generations, and ſo remains in this life, in the very beſt of men, Chriſt only excepted; becauſe all may know the total nature of it, through mercy, was reduced to be but a Seed, and ſo may magnifie Gods mercy, for that univerſal Election, and for freedom from ſo great an evil, and to a poſſibility of all their good.
A ſecond reaſon is this; for without this Seed of Devils (ſin I mean) thus iſſuing in humane nature, it is not capable of eternal life in Gods gift, through Chriſts imputed righteouſneſs; for the whole needed not the Phyſitian, but the ſick, and he came not to call the righteous, but ſinners to repentance: therefore all thoſe that fancie themſelves to be without ſin and righteous, as do that pack of Familiſts, or Quakers, or to obtain eternal life by their own merits, as joyned38 with the righteouſneſs of Chriſt, or by works of ſuper-erogation, as do the Romaniſts, are all quite out of any capacity to be ſaved by him; but not out of a capacity to be damned by their own error, if they repent not.
A third thing from which all mankind are freed by the ſaid Univerſal Election, is from that joynt condemnation with the Devils in torment, and reprobation to eternity. So as for Adams one offence, never any man periſhed, as at large is proved in the fourth Chapter of my firſt Treatiſe.
Quere. 4After what manner was that Univerſal Election, out of that fallen Maſſe?
It was after this manner,Anſw. Firſt, it was purpoſed by God, before the World or Man did exiſt, as is proved in the firſt Chapter of my ſecond Treatiſe;Eph. 1.3, 4. And the Text affirms, that all ſpiritual bleſſings which beleevers have, it is according as he hath choſen us in Chriſt, before the foundations of the World.
Again, It was after this manner, the foundation of this Election out of the fallen Maſſe, was laid in the ſeed of the woman, perſonally God-man; for the Text ſaith, he choſe us in him, wherefore he did not aſſume the perſon of any man into perſonal union, but the nature of every man, which contains the univerſal nature of all men; for he aſſumed it in the womb of the Virgin, as already is proved, and will yet more fully appear in due place.
Again, This Election was after this manner, God conſidered not man, without all reſpect to works, good or evil, nor upon his foreſight of mans faith and works; but he conſidered man in the fallen Maſſe, unholy and under blame, and not loved; for the Text39 ſaith, He choſe us in him, that we might be holy, and without blame before him in love. Now this word choſe us in its full drift, is to be underſtood, in a twofold reſpect, that is, reſtrictively and univerſally: reſtrictively thus, He choſe us beleevers among men, which receive his gift of righteouſneſs into the poſſeſſion of eternal life in this World, and to the adoption of Sons; for (as the Text ſaith) God elected to himſelf a godly man, ſo it alſo ſaith,Pſal. 4.3. Joh. 1.1 2. He that beleeveth hath eternal life. And to as many as beleeved in his name, he gave prerogative to be called the Sons of God, that is, by adoption; And thus the word choſe us reſtrictively conſidered, is onely beleevers, as were they to whom this Epiſtle was written.
Secondly, This word, He choſe us, is to be underſtood univerſally of humane nature, as ſuch in oppoſition to the nature of fallen Angels, and ſo it comprehends all in the fallen Maſſe, as unholy, and under blame, and not loved, ſave in the ſeed of the woman. And thus in after times, when man did univerſally apoſtate into perdition with the Apoſtate Angels, then, as a continued act of this univerſal Election, and as a continued act of the Apoſtate Angels rejection, he taketh hold on mankind, to ſtay him from ſinking, but left the Angels ſtill to ſink; And hence it is, the Text ſaith, That he in no wayes taketh hold of the nature of Angels, but of the Seed of Abraham he taketh hold, that is, in electing a viſible Church of humane nature, as ſuch, in the loins of Jacob in his Mothers womb. This point is further amplified in my ſecond Treatiſe, page 24, 25, 26, 27. Now the rule of truth leads me to two concluſions from the premiſes.
Firſt, To give a right judgement of the ſuppoſed40 Elections,Nota. that is, being ſimply conſidered in themſelves, they are neither more nor leſſe than three lies, becauſe the truth of God owns none of the three, neither ought we.
Secondly, To give a right judgement of the godly learned, touching this controverſie, that in them it is an error of love, as to Gods glory, and not that they love to erre, they being at the leaſt friends of the Bridegroom.
But if you ſay unto me (as it hath been ſaid by ſome) that I may erre,Queſt. in underſtanding the Scriptures, as well as others, eſpecially being illiterate.
1. True it is,Anſw. I am illiterate, and he that thinks he can ſo ſpeak or write, that he cannot erre, he erres in ſo thinking of himſelf.
2. Secondly I anſwer, If I or any man elſe keep cloſe to the ſimplicity of the ſacred Scriptures in their drift or ſcope (according to mine or his Talent,) Then Gods ſpirit will keep me, or any man elſe to his truth, and ſo from error, as he ſaith unto the Church of Philadelphia, Becauſe thou haſt kept the word of my patience,Rev. 3.10 I alſo will keep thee from the houre of temptation. And as before, so I ſay again, when you ſee a Bee work beyond its wit, then know, there is a greater efficient than it.
THis point falls aſunder into two general parts, the one remote, and leſſe proper, ſerving only for introduction: the ſecond is the very point it ſelf.
The firſt is no more but this, how a man may attain to, or become a Saint? one means remote is, the Univerſal Election before ſpoken of; for until then it was as poſſible for the Devil to become a Saint, as any Son of Adam.
Another remote meanes, is the taking away of the guilt and puniſhment of Adams one offence, from the whole Creation in general, and from man in particular, by the univerſal imputation of the righteouſneſs of Chriſt the ſecond Adam; for till then, the damned in Hell were as capable to be Saints as any Son of Adam.
A third remote means is, That in regard man totally loſt all righteouſneſs and holineſs in that fall, therefore if God had not written his Law in the minde of man by the ſpirit of Chriſt, from whence man by nature does the things contained in the Law, or Oracles of God, man had been utterly uncapable ever to become a Saint.
A fourth remote meanes is this,Rom. 2. To becom a Saint, man muſt do as did thoſe heathens, Rom. 2. they haveing not the Law or Oracles of God reſident with them? Queſt. what did they or what could they do that42 knew not Chriſt, the Text anſwers, they did by a patient continuance in wel doing, ſeeke glory, honour, Immortality and eternal life, that is, implicitly and virtually, they came towards Chriſt whom they knew not, for they could not know him expreſly, haveing not the Oracles of God.
Then what could thoſe Heathens find,Queſt. though they did ſo ſeek, certainly they did find, for Chriſt hath promiſed, thoſe that ſeek ſhall find.
But what did thoſe Heathens find? Anſw.
Two things which made good the promiſe of Chriſt unto them. Queſt.
The firſt was Circumciſion,Anſw. which was by nature, Rom. 2.26. By nature, that is, by the force of the Law, written in their nature, and the voyce of God in Chriſt, ſpeaking kindly to man in the whole frame of nature, from whence they became Saints, Verſ. 29. that is, they were holy; for ſaith the Text, their Circumciſion is that of the heart in the ſpirit, not in the letter, whoſe praiſe is not of men but of God.
But doth the Text affirm,Queſt. that theſe Heathens were ſaved?
Yes,Anſw. As certainly as were the Jewes; for God would render unto every man according to his deeds; to them, who by a patient continuance in well doing, ſeek glory and honour, immortality, eternal life, to the Jew firſt,Rom. 2.6, 7. from 10. to 15. and alſo to the Gentile; for there is no reſpect of perſons with God.
What can men that live within the ſound of the Goſpel,Queſt. do more to become Saints, than they that never heard the Goſpel preached.
They that are under the Goſpel may do more than the other,Anſoe. becauſe the difference is much; for the43 things that they ſeek, which are under the Goſpel, are much more clearly manifeſted: therefore God will much more circumciſe their hearts, as he did Lydia's, opening her underſtanding to what Paul preached; and as to Paul himſelf ſeeking immortality, and eternal life in a patient well doing; for he ſaith, he lived unblameable, that is, in the truth of God, though through ignorance he perſecuted that truth under the notion of error; but ſaith he, I did it ignorantly, and therefore obtained mercy. Thus the young man in the Goſpel, by a patient continuance in well doing, did ſeek to Chriſt, ſaying, Good Maſter, what ſhall I do to obtain eternal life; and he anſwered to what our Lord ſaid, All this have I done from my youth: but mark what entertainment our Lord gave him in two particulars; firſt, he looked on him, that is, ſeriouſly, and loved him, ſaith the Text. Secondly, He put him upon this, that it was not in the power of his own ſeeking, to finde what he ſought, but in his to give, therefore he put him upon that which he was never able to do. That was, to ſell all he had, and follow him; ſo he led him to become a fool in himſelf, that he might ſubmit to Chriſt, to make him wiſe: from this ground it is, that God commands man to plow up the fallow grounds of his heart,Deut. 10.16.30. Jer. 4.3, 4. and to circumciſe his heart, and then promiſes, that himſelf will circumciſe it; and thus man becomes a Saint.
How could Chriſt look upon him,Queſt. and be ſo pleaſed with man before faith, when another Text affirms, Without faith it is impoſſible to pleaſe God.
It is one thing for God to be ſo pleaſed with man before faith,Anſ. comming to Chriſt, and another thing for God to be ſo pleaſed with man, as to give him poſſeſsion44 of eternal life, as to all right beleevers he doth, becauſe it lies in the nature of the thing, that is, of right beleef to poſſeſs it ſelf of eternal life, in receiveing Chriſts righteouſneſs, as the eye poſſeſſes it ſelf of the light, which a man, before faith can never do, and ſo theſe Texts are reconciled.
What if theſe men ſo ſeeking honour and glory,Queſt. &c. die before faith? ſhall theſe mens caſe be no better then thoſe that ſit down contented in this Worlds good, and ſeek no further, nor no better then men openly prophane?
The Univerſal Juſtification;Anſw. it did not only pardon Adams ſin to all men, but alſo gives every man a right to eternal life, and no man can looſe that right, but by refuſing to come to Chriſt, which thoſe that ſo ſeek, as is deſcribed, do not, therefore they looſe not their right.
It may be objected,Object. that they dying without poſſeſsion of it by faith, do looſe their right, and conſequently, they periſh for ever.
If they do die without poſſeſsion of it by faith,Anſw. yet die ſo ſeeking, as is deſcribed, actually, or but virtually, they ſhall hold their right, and have poſſeſsion to eternity when they die; for God hath not only ſaved all mankind without faith, from the damnation due unto them in Adams ſin; but alſo all mankind dying in infancy, notwithſtanding original ſin, ſhall be ſaved, and be poſſeſſed of eternal life, as is proved in my firſt Treatiſe, p. 36, 37.
Again, To binde mans eternal life to faith, it is to make an Idol of our faith; as for example, becauſe my eye which is a dark body, which receives the light, ſhall I therefore prefer this dark body before45 the light; And I will ask any beleever this queſtion, if it were Abraham himſelf, what gives him right to eternal life? Is it not pardon of ſin, and that gift of eternal life, as included in the imputation of Chriſts righteouſneſs, in which he is the light of life to man? or is it the dark body of his own faith or beleef?
FIrſt, A word or two for introduction, That although there be a difference between men that ſeek honour and glory, as is diſcribed, and betwixt thoſe that are dead in ſins, and in treſpaſſes, before the gift of faith: yet after, there is no difference, but both are alike poſſeſſed of eternal life; for he that rightly beleeveth hath eternal life, whatſoever he was before.
A ſecond thing premiſed is this, what is meant by the grace of God in Jeſus Chriſt?
I anſwer, Two things, the firſt is Gods merciful acceptance of a beleevers perſon, as a myſtical member of the body of his Son, and to be his adopted Son in him, and ſo to no men elſe.
Secondly, By grace is meant his endowing of them by the work of his ſpirit, with inherent righteouſneſs, every man according to his meaſure, as of Faith, and love, and patience, &c. and theſe men are called new Creatures, and none elſe.
46If you ask me,Queſt. why I diſtinguiſh between right beleevers, and true beleevers? I anſwer, An ungodly may beleeve truly, but never rightly, in order to his own eternal life. So Balaam beleeved that Oracle truly which the ſpirit of God dropped from his lips, but not rightly; Firſt, Becauſe his mind creeped on the earth, or earthly contentments, like the Serpent which God curſed, for they run greedily after the error of Balaam for reward. Secondly, Becauſe he leaped over a ſanctified life,Epiſt. Jude 11. onely deſiring to die the death of the righteous: Thus did the proud and covetous Prieſts, Phariſees and Scribes, the great profeſſors of thoſe times, truly beleeve the Oracles of God, delivered them by Moſes, to be the word of God: but they did not beleeve rightly for if ſo, they would have embraced the Lord of glory, and never imbrewed their hands in his blood: therefore I diſtinguiſh between right beleevers, and true beleevers; ſo now I come to the point;
The Saints perſeverance. And in the firſt place it is grounded upon that which may ever be diſtinguiſhed, but never ſeparated in this buſineſs, that is, the power of Chriſts ſpirit, and the Saints exerciſe of their graces already received. And thus they are kept by the power of God; through faith unto ſalvation, that is, in perſeverance unto ſalvation. 1 Pet. 1.5.9. Receiving the end of your Faith, even the ſalvation of your ſouls, Wherefore gird up the loines of your mindes, be ſober, and hope to the end, Verſ. 13.7. The trial of your Faith being much more precious than of Gold, which periſheth. Verſ. 1.21. That your Faith and hope may be in God: from this ground it is, the Apoſtle gives them this rule, Gird up the loins of your47 minds for the Grace which is brought unto you, ſeeing you have purified your ſelves in obeying the truth through the ſpirit unto unfaigned love of the truth, ſee that you love one another with a pure heart fervently: in this work of the Saints perſeverance, the power of Chriſts ſpirit, and the exerciſe of their graces formerly received, may ever be diſtinguiſhed, but never ſeparated, as is formerly ſaid.
Again Peter in his ſecond Epiſtle,2 Pet. 1.3. comes more cloſe to the point of perſeverance, even to be eſtabliſhed immoveably according as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain to life and Godlineſſe: thereupon he enforces the exhortation; Giving all diligence, adde to your faith virtue, and to your virtue knowledge, add to your knowledge temperance, and to your temperance patience, and to your patience godlineſs, and to godlineſs brotherly kindneſs, and to brotherly kindneſs charity; and then renders them this reaſon, why they ſhould ſo do; for if theſe things be in you, and abound, they make you, that you ſhall neither be barren, nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jeſus Chriſt,Joh. 13.17, 13. wherefore the rather Brethren, give diligence to make your Calling and Election ſure. Verſ. 11. whereupon he drawes up a peremptory concluſion, If you do theſe things ye ſhall never fall, that is, neither totally nor finally, from the grace of God in Jeſus Chriſt. Thus our Lord himſelf to his eleven Apoſtles, excluding Judas, ſaith, If ye know theſe things, happy are, ye if ye do them, I ſpeak not of you all, I know whom I have choſen; for he chuſeth to himſelf a godly man, his myſtical member.
A ſecond ground of the Saints perſeverance is this,Pſal. 4.3. the ſeed of Gods word, by the hand of his ſpirit ſowne in their hearts, being born again, not of a corruptible48 ſeed, but of immortal by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever, Verſ. 23, 25. The word of the Lord endureth for ever. And this is the word which by the Goſpel is preached unto you, and the ground why the word is immortal to the mind of beleevers is this, that although the word as printed or preached by the Tongue of man to man, be no more but a humane expreſſion, or dead letter, yet the thing therein contained, is to man the unchangeable minde of Jehovah, and he will make it good upon them, according to the tenor of the Goſpel, for the works which they have done in the body, whether they be good or evill to eternity. And thus the word of God is a ſeed that periſheth not, but is immortal in both reſpects; for it is in this caſe (in ſome ſort) as it is with ſeed in natures production of bodies, which in one reſpect; is periſhable; for all humane bodies return to the duſt; and in another reſpect, it is not periſhable, for that ſeed hath continued its kind from the Creation, and ſo ſhall to the worlds end, becauſe the ſeed carrieth in it a ſpirit of life virtually. To this alludes Peter, calling Gods word an immortal ſeed; and hence ſaith our Saviour, The words that I ſpeak unto you are ſpirit and life. Joh. 6.55, 63.It is the ſpirit that quickeneth, the fleſh profiteth nothing. And as it is in the natural ſeed, ſo it is in the ſpiritual ſeed in ſome ſort: if it be not ſowne, or do not fall in a right place, or on a proper ſubject, it looſeth its natural force or life to produce its effect: ſo is it in this caſe, as to the perſeverance of the Saints, never totally, nor finally to fall away; for although by their inherent righteouſneſs (or circumciſion of the heart) the ſpirit of Chriſt hath made their mindes a fit ſubject to receive that ſeed,Gal. 5. 2 Cor. 2.14, 15, 16. and ſo to grow: yet if the49 Saints afterwards do quench the ſpirits force, not as to it ſelf, but as to them in their perſeverance; for in the mind of a wicked man, the ſeed of Gods word hath its force as to its ſelf; but it hath not its force, as to that mans happineſs. Hence it is, that the word is a ſweet favour unto God, in them that periſh, in the demonſtration of his merciful juſtice to eternity, for all are damned by the tenor of the Goſpel. And that the ſeed of Gods word doth thus take various effects, according to the mindes of men in which it falls, is affirmed by our Lord himſelf, in his expoſition of the parable of the ſeed; for when he hath ſaid, the ſeed is the word of God, thereupon he explains its various effects in the mindes of good and bad men, and thereupon, to his Apoſtles he ſaith,Luk. 8. from 4. to 18. Take heed therefore how you heare.
But if it be objected,Queſt. That this is no general Rule becauſe unto ſome it was given to underſtand the myſteries of the Kingdom, Verſ. 10. to others not.
It is a general Rule ordinarily,Anſw. and the ſeed of Gods word doth take effect, according to the ſubject it falls into, according as they do improve their Talent, either to come to Chriſt before faith, as is deſcribed, or after faith, as you have it here. Our Lord ſaith unto ſuch, as well as unto others, Take heed how you hear; and this is a general rule, except in caſes extraordinary, ſuch is that in the 10. Verſe, Unto you it is given to underſtand the myſteries of the Kingdom, &c. And thus our Lord when he aſcended, he gave gifts unto men, ſome to be Apoſtles, &c. Not for their own ſake, but for the ſake of his Fathers final end to his glory, in carrying on the aforeſaid particular branch againſt the50 deſign of the Apoſtate Angels, what this particular branch is, is amplified in my ſecond Treatiſe; and therefore it was given to the Apoſtles, but not to others, to underſtand the myſteries of the Kingdom, clearly and infallibly; and it is clear, that this is meant by the Apoſtles; for the firſt verſe of the Chapter ſaith, the twelve were with him, and in the 9th Verſe, they put a queſtion, which drew this anſwer from him in the 10. Verſe, therefore this makes nothing againſt the aforeſaid ordinary rule.
Here we muſt remember two things, as to the perſeverance of the Saints, to the foreſaid ſtability, that is, they ſtand in relation to a twofold contingency, until they have arived to that ſtability, not to fall; the firſt is, the tenor of the Goſpel, the rule of mercy and juſtice, according to which, if they do not exerciſe their graces, they may fall away totally; but if they do, they may go on from ſtrength to ſtrength in Sion, or be eſtabliſhed as is proved; And this is the firſt contingency. And the ground why the Lord in this caſe hath put all mankind and the Saints thus upon contingency is, it ſuits with his final end, for which he made both men and Angels, as formerly is proved.
The ſecond Contingency is, the natural liberty of the will, purpoſely ſo created by God, and that alſo with reſpect to his final end: ſo any man, let him be what he will, or can be (Chriſt excepted) or any Saint, not yet attained to that ſtability, may be a Veſſel of honour, or diſhonour to eternity.
But to clear this point concerning the will of man, we muſt alwayes conſider it under three diſtinctions.
51The firſt is its natural liberty, and that is, it chooſeth or refuſeth all Objects, or things preſented to it, as it likes, or diſlikes them, and this remains in good and bad men on Earth, and alſo in Heaven and in Hell, becauſe it is the very nature of the reaſonable ſoul.
The ſecond diſtinction is, the natural property of mans will, which is this, to look to good, either as it appears good, or as it is indeed the very true good. And as the eye doth naturally follow light, ſo this natural property of mans will doth follow good, according as it apprehends it to be ſo. This alſo is natural to the very eſſence of the ſoul, and neither of theſe can be loſt, but by annihilation of the reaſonable ſoul, which God will never annihilate, becauſe it will make void his final end: therefore neither of theſe were loſt in Adams fall.
The third diſtinction is, as concerning the freedom of the will to righteouſneſs, that is, rightly to chooſe Gods word, and God himſelf as his cheefeſt good, and rightly to refuſe whatſoever is contrary to this.
Man in the fall loſt all this totally, and whatſoever elſe did tend to bleſſedneſs; for although God created his nature in righteouſneſs and holineſs, yet holineſs and righteouſneſs was not his nature; for if it had been ſo, it could not have been loſt in the fall; for the being of the Creature depended not upon the ſtanding or falling of Adam, but upon the Eſſence of God onely. Now that which did depend upon his ſtanding or falling, was every thing that any way tended to his happineſs, and nothing elſe: therefore the Lord Jeſus Chriſt, by all his works, does no way extend to the being, but to the bleſſedneſes of the Creatures;52 wherefore if man would have bleſſedneſs, he muſt look only to Chriſt, and keep to his rules; for he is the Authour of eternal ſalvation, to all that obey him, otherwiſe not, for that's implyed.
If it be objected,Object. that conſequently it followes, that the ſalvation of the Saints is altogether uncertain, and ſo there is a poſſibility, that none ſhall be ſaved.
'Tis true,Anſw. there is ſuch a poſſibility in the nature of the two foreſaid Contingencies; as alſo in the nature of original ſin, to byas the will to evil; and in theſe three reſpects, it is poſſible that all the Saints may fail of ſalvation: yet notwithſtanding, the Contingencies pronounced by the tenor of the Goſpel, that is, He that beleeves, and continues to the end ſhall be ſaved, that's implyed, if not, ſhall be damned. And notwithſtanding the wills natural liberty, or the wills being thus byaſſed by original ſin, yet it is far more poſſible for all the Saints to be ſaved, then it is poſſible for them to be damned; for the Goſpel-tenor pronounces ſalvation to beleevers, and they are by faith poſſeſſed of the chiefeſt good: therefore the wills natural liberty hath more reaſon to keep to the higheſt good, which it hath poſſeſſion of, becauſe it is ſuitable to the natural property of the will to follow good, as the eye to follow light: therefore much more this true good of which it is poſſeſſed before any other ſeeming good. And whereas the will is byaſſed by original ſin to evil, the will in the Saints is much more byaſſed according to the degrees of their graces, to that which is good by Regeneration, becauſe Regeneration in the nature of it, contains (virtually at leaſt) the ſpirit of love, of power, and a ſound minde: therefore it is more poſſible, that all the Saints ſhall be ſaved, then any53 of them ſhould fail of ſalvation, by the three Contingencies aforeſaid.
If it be objected,Object. That Satans temptations and the Worlds alurements, do forcibly draw out original ſin, to a cuſtom in actual ſin; and ſo it is likewiſe poſſible, that the Saints may fall totally from good to evil.
If they exerciſe that degree of their ſpirit of love,Anſw. of power, and a ſound minde, then they ſhall finde, that he that is in them, is ſtronger then a world of Devils, and wicked men, and their own corruptions, to carry them on from ſtrength to ſtrength in Syon, to that ſtability as never to fall, as is formerly proved.
If it be objected,Object. The Saints through negligence in exerciſe of their graces, may looſe their firſt love, and make ſhipwrack of that faith and conſcience that was once good, and ſo may fall totally away.
In this caſe there is far more danger,Anſw. then in the former contingencies, except they return in time; but if they do timely return, although their ſtrength be brought very lowe and weak, yet if they do return in that ſmall ſtrength which remains, they may be ſaved for two reaſons,
Firſt, Becauſe, then God will pardon their ſin; for to the Saints it is, that the Text ſaith, If any man ſin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jeſus Chriſt, the righteous, who is the propitiation for our ſins, &c.
Secondly, If they return in time, in that ſmall ſtrength which remains, Chriſt by his ſpirit will aſſiſt and comfort them in that return, if their ſtrength be but as a bruiſed Reed, or ſmoaking Flax; for to ſuch54 he ſaith, Come unto me all ye that are weary and heavy laden, and I will refreſh you.
Thus he did to David and Peter, and ſo he will to any other; for he is the ſame God to the Saints which ſuffer ſhip-wrack by their own negligence, now, as then.
But they muſt thus come and return, which is repentance; for God forceth, or compelleth the will of no man, for then mans will is no will, no more then he doth make a man to be man, without a reaſonable ſoul, for ſo he is no man.
Again I anſwer, If the Saints do give diligence, and ſhake off negligence, adding to their faith vertue, as is deſcribed, then God will make his word of an immortal force, by the power of Chriſts ſpirit, and keep them through faith unto ſalvation, and eſtabliſh them as Mount Sion, that ſhall never be moved: therefore it is far more poſſible, that all the Saints may be ſaved, then to fail of ſalvation.
Now the ground of the point is this, To the Saints that ſo exerciſe as a reward of their works, and labor of love through divers temptations, God will habitually manifeſt himſelf virtually to the will, which will draw the will habitually, and hold it to himſelf, virtually at leaſt, and on this particular, depends their ſtability: But what this manifeſtation is, ſhall be proved in the next Chapter.
FIrſt, It is written, Luke 24. Luk. 24.13.Our Lord appeared to the eleven Apoſtles, and the two men that went to Emmaus, and opened to them the Oracles of God, which ſpake of himſelf. Ver. 44. And the Text ſaith, Then he opened their underſtanding, that they might underſtand the Scriptures, that is, more clearly, the myſtery of his ſufferings and Reſurrection. Verſes 45, 46, 47. This further clearing of the underſtanding in the Saints, in order to their perſeverance, and to the Apoſtles, in order to their Miniſtery, contains in it two things; The one is right information to the underſtanding of the word of God, as here we ſee Chriſt to theſe two men, informs them of his ſufferings and Reſurrection. The other is, He illuminates their minds by his ſpirit, to a more right underſtanding of his word; and ſo this illumination adds more light to the underſtanding of the truth of God in his holy Oracles, and ſo the will is rightly drawn to God: for as ſin and error ſhuts up the underſtanding and will of the Saints, hindering their perſeverance: ſo this information and illumination carries them on to the ſaid ſtability: for the underſtanding, from the force of this illumination and information, brings God in Chriſt to the will, as its cheefeſt good: wherefore the will by its natural liberty, cannot but freely chooſe it; nor by its natural property cannot but follow it, as the eye followeth light. Thus the will is forcibly56 drawn according to its own natural liberty and property.
Secondly,Joh. 14.21. Our Lord ſpeaks to this point, as it is written, John 14.21. He that hath my Commandements and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me; and he that loveth me, ſhall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifeſt my ſelf to him, that is, virtually and habitually to keep his minde to Chriſt,Rev. 3.10 Rev. 3.10. Becauſe thou haſt kept the word of my patience, I will alſo keep thee in the houre of temptation, &c. likewiſe 1 Theſ. 5.14. to Verſ. 24. The Apoſtle having laid down many particulars, concludes upon the Saints obſervance of them, Faithful is he who calleth you, who alſo will do it; and the Saints having inwardly left in part, the force of this drawing of their mindes to Chr•ſt, they cry out, Draw us O Lord, and we will follow thee. And this is it when God ſaith,Hoſ. 11.4 Cant. 1.1.13. I draw them with the cords of a man, and bowels of love.
If the will of the Saints cannot refuſe God thus manifeſted,Obj. but according to the degrees of their ſanctification freely follow him; How came it to paſſe, that the Angels refuſed a greater manifeſtation of God, voluntarily? for they forſook their own habitation.
It is hard to clear this Objection,Anſw. becauſe in the order of nature, God hath as it were, locked up the excellency of every ſuperior Creature, from the Creature inferior. As all Vigitables apprehend not the nature of the excellency of ſenſitives, ſo the excellency of ſpirits is not apprehended by ſenſitives: therefore it is, that mans body cannot apprehend his reaſonable ſoul, although it animates it: neither does the reaſonable ſoul apprehend the nature and excellency of57 Angels, much leſſe do the Angels apprehend the infinite God, but as he is pleaſed to ſtoop down to their capacities, in manifeſtation of himſelf; but what that manifeſtation was, we know not, nor how the Angels did forſake it, becauſe it is proved, that this is locked up from us; but whatſoever that manifeſtation was, it ſtood for a time contingent, that they might, or they might not fall; for the Text ſaith, He found not ſtability in the Angels.
And the ground why it muſt thus ſtand upon a contingency for a time, is this, That they could not be eſtabliſhed in any condition of weale or woe, but according as they did exerciſe what they had, either right or wrong, and the ground of that is this, God made the Angels as well as men, with reference to his final end, That they might be made Veſſels of honour or diſhonour to eternity, according to their works.
But after what manner God proceeded ſo to make them Veſſels of honour or diſhonour, is darkly pointed at, as by a Law ſuitable to them, and what that Law was, and that they did tranſgreſs that Law, and for the grounds and reaſons why God hath elected ſome Angels to ſtability in eternal felicity, and rejected the reſt irrevocably to eternal miſery, I refer the Reader to the 13th Chapter of my ſecond Treatiſe.
From the premiſes thus proved, obſerve, why God by the Prophets and the Apoſtles, and by our Lord himſelf, in commending or blaming men for their actions, principally refers it to the will, as, ye will do this, and ye will not do this. One reaſon thereof is58 this, Man from his own Counſel and voluntary choyce produces all his deliberate actions, therefore they properly proceed from the liberty of his own will, and this is the firſt ground why God charges the will with this or that, You will not do this, or you will not do that.
A ſecond ground why God doth approve, or diſapprove of mens workings with ſuch ſpecial reference to the will, is not only that the will hath the immediate production of, and inforceth all actions: but alſo the ſtriving of the ſpirit of Chriſt to aſſiſt the wills of the Saints more eminently, then any man in all the World, to good works: therefore the good, and alſo the evil actions of all men, eſpecially the Saints are by Chriſt imputed to the will; hereof the ſeaven Churches of Aſia are an example.
Whereas you peremptorily affirm,Obj. that the ſufferings and righteous works of the Saints, do not in any reſpect extend to eternal glory, either to the thing, or the degrees thereof, onely their works extend to the degrees of grace here, ſo far as to eſtabliſh them ſo, that they ſhall never fall away: yet our Lord himſelf ſaid expreſly the contrary;Luk. 6.22, 23. Bleſſed are ye when men ſhall perſecute you, and when they ſhall ſeparate you from their company, and ſhall reproach you, and caſt out your name as evil, for the Son of mans ſake, rejoyce in that day, and leap for joy, behold your reward is great in Heaven; ſo that heavenly glory, and the degrees thereof are the great reward of the Saints ſufferings and righteous works.
Firſt,Anſw. as concerning the ſufferings and beſt works of the Saints, our Lord hath given a right judgement, That when they have done their beſt, they are unprofitable59 Servants, and admoniſheth them ſo to judge of theſe works, that is, as to attain the heavenly glory, for thats implyed: yet in other reſpects, he puts a worth upon their works, Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bring forth much fruit, ſo ſhall ye be my Diſciples,Joh. 15.8. Mat. 5.16 Let your light ſo ſhine before men, that they may ſee your good works, and glorifie your Father which is in Heaven, yet in Luke 17. after ſome diſcourſe, he gives a right judgement of their beſt works; for when he had told the Saints, It is impoſsible but that offences will come, but woe unto them by whom they come. He exhorts them, ſaying, Take heed to your ſelves, Verſ. 2. And if thy Brother treſpaſſe againſt thee, rebuke him, and if he repent, forgive him, and ſo to ſeventy times ſeaven. Verſ. 3, 4. whereupon they ſayd, Lord increaſe our Faith, whereupon he opened to them the force of faith, Verſ. 5, 6. and then goes on to give them an example, as to the point of the worth of their works. Verſ. 7, 8, 9. The example is this, Which if you having a Servant ploughing, or feeding Cattel, will ſay unto him, by and by, when he is come home from the field, go and ſit down to meat, and will not rather ſay unto him, make ready, wherewith I may ſup, and gird thy ſelf, and ſerve me till I have eaten and drunken, and afterwards thou ſhalt eat and drink? doth he thank that Servant, becauſe he did the things commanded him? I trow not. And to the Saints he ſaith likewiſe, ye when ye ſhall have done all thoſe things which are commanded you, ſay, we are unprofitable Servants, &c. Therefore if the Saints works, either in doing or ſuffering,Iſa. 64.6. Iſa. 6.5. are unprofitable in any reſpect, it muſt be in attaining that great reward of eternal life, which is only attained by our Lord himſelf, as formerly is proved; And the Saints affirm of themſelves,60 ſelves, That they are all as an unclean thing, and all their righteouſneſs as filthy rags: Iſaiah ſaith, I am a man unclean, becauſe I am a man of unclean lips. And the Pſalmiſt ſaith, I will take heed unto my wayes, that I ſin not, Verſ. 1. yet Verſ. 5. concludes, Verily, every man at his beſt eſtate, is altogether vanity: therefore this objection at the beſt is of no force, becauſe no weight of truth in it.
But ſecondly, I anſwer to that Text, which is the ground of the Objection, becauſe their ſufferings is for the Son of mans ſake, therefore they are to leap for joy, in reſpect of their great reward in Heaven, and much to the ſame effect in the 10. Verſe. Bleſſed are they that are perſecuted for righteouſneſs ſake.
It is one thing that our Lord comforts the Saints with preſenting them with the heavenly glory,Anſw. as the great reward of the gift of eternal life, to leap for joy in all their ſufferings; and another thing that he ſhould intend, that their ſufferings and works ſhould be the efficient cauſe to procure that weight of glory, man being in his beſt eſtate, meerly vanity as is proved: wherefore Chriſt gave them this as to comfort them, as Paul in the like caſe to comfort the Saints in a ſuffering condition. Our light afflictions which are but for a moment, worketh for us a far more excellent and eternal weight of glory, that is, worketh this good effect in us, to ſettle our mindes the more upon that glory to come, and the leſſe upon this worlds glory, as the next words imply; while we look not at things which are ſeen, but at things which are not ſeen; for the things which are ſeen are temporal, but the things which are not ſeen are eternal. But to avoid miſtakes in this point of the Saints works, it will be neceſſary,61 to lay down this ground, that the Saints in this World have a twofold righteouſneſs, which are to be handled in the next Chapter.
THe firſt righteouſneſs is this, namely, the imputed righteouſneſs of Chriſt.
The ſecond is their inherent righteouſneſs.
As concerning the firſt,Queſt. How can that be theirs onely, which is extended, not onely to the whole Creation, but to all mankind, the chief part thereof, as before is proved?
I anſwer;
It is one thing, That all had a right to eternal life,Anſw. and another thing, to be poſſeſſed of it; for ſo it is the Saints onely by faith, they therefore may leap for joy, in all their ſufferings, which none elſe can.
The ſecond righteouſneſs which is inherent, is their ſanctification, or Circumciſion of the heart, and this righteouſneſs is theirs, and theirs onely. The firſt righteouſneſs is wrought by Chriſt onely and alone, perſonally conſidered, and is received by the Saints, as the Eye receives the light, and ſo their own.
The ſecond righteouſneſs is their own, actually wrought in their own perſon, and not by Chriſts perſon, onely his ſpirit doth aſſiſt them rightly to operate but the operation is their own, as proceeding from their own counſel, and voluntary choyce, and ſo far62 forth righteous, as agrees with the word of God, and no further.
The Apoſtle commands the Saints to work out their own ſalvation,Object. that is, ſalvation as to themſelves, with fear and trembling:Ph•l. 1.12, 13. therefore their own works attain to eternal life, which is their ſalvation.
Salvation in the object is one thing,Anſw. but in the ſubject another thing. Salvation in the object is Gods gift of eternal life, and pardon of ſin, reached to man in the word of truth.
Salvation in the ſubject is, when a man by faith or beleef, is poſſeſſed of that gift of imputed righteouſneſs, in which is contained pardon of ſin, and eternal life onely: therefore all the works of the Saints, is but to be more and more poſſeſſed of that gift of eternal life, by the increaſe of their graces, and in Union and Communion with God, and to their Brethren under the ſame capacity.
But if it be objected,Object. that James affirms, that Abraham and Rahab were juſtified by works.
I anſwer,Anſw. James enveighing againſt thoſe that bragged of their faith without works, as to the fruits of righteouſneſs he concludes their faith to be dead, and becauſe the ſaid twofold righteouſneſs in the Saints are ever diſtinct, and yet never ſeparated: therefore of Abraham and Rahab, and all right beleevers, James might ſafely conclude, they are juſtified by works, as Abraham in offering up Iſaac, and Rahab by receiving the ſpies; but to avoid miſtakes in this Doctrine of works, becauſe the Scripture ſometimes promiſcuouſly attributes juſtification to the Saints works, ſometimes to faith, and ſometimes to Chriſt: therefore we muſt remember this rule as a ground in this63 point for our direction, That theſe things are ſpoken according to the rule of communication of properties, as for example, our Lord attributes that to the eye, which is not proper to it, ſaying, The Eye is the light of the body, yet the Eye hath no light in it ſelf, to enlighten the body; but he attributes that to the eye, which is onely proper to the light, becauſe the eye receives the light into the body: ſo in this ſenſe it is ſaid, that works ſaves faith ſaves, and Chriſt ſaves, attributing that to one thing, which is proper to another, by reaſon of that connexion in this point of juſtification, by this rule of communication of properties: ſo it is ſaid, that God redeemed the Church with his blood, yet God bleeds not; but that which is proper to the humane nature, is attributed to the Divine, by reaſon of the perſonal union: ſo in this point, by reaſon of the neer connexive relation between Chriſt and his righteouſneſs, which is the object, and the wills and underſtandings of the Saints; together, with the motions of the whole man to Chriſt; therefore it is thus promiſcuouſly attributed each to other; wherefore Cardinal Bellarmine from the force of divine truth, while he endeavoured to prove juſtification by the Saints own works, yet concludes, That to cleave to Chriſts righteouſneſs, as to juſtification, is the ſafeſt way, as is affirmed by Divines: And the truth is, that right aſpect of Chriſts imputed righteouſneſs, which he laboured to make void in thoſe dark times: It may be, that implicite Aſpect might ſtand him in as much ſtead to pardon of his ſin and ſalvation, as but a glimps of the Braſen Serpent, to the ſalvation of mans body, which had been bitten with the fiery Serpent, he rendering this64 ingenious acknowledgement of the divine truth.
Whereas you affirm, Faith ariſes as a particular branch of the new Creature,Object. or Saints inherent righteouſneſs, yet it is affirmed by others, that Faith is the firſt, and Mother of all graces.
I anſwer, It is one thing that Faith is included in the general nature of the Saints inherent righteouſneſs wrought by the word and ſpirit of Chriſt,Anſw. and another thing, that in the exerciſe of their graces, in order to perſeverance, That Faith is the firſt mover; for in this caſe it is true, Faith ſets all graces a work, and I ſuppoſe this is it they mean, and I have proved in my ſecond Book, pag. 71.72.
That mans beleef is the general ground of all his deliberate actions, as to the avoiding of any danger, and attaining any good hopeful; And this is bottomed in the nature of the thing, and not in the excellency of faith, above the nature of other graces; for juſtifying Faith, ſimply conſidered in it ſelf, as to juſtification of a ſinner, is but a dark body, till it hath received Chriſt and his righteouſneſs, which is the light of life eternal: As is the eye a dark body, till it receive the light: And as by the Saints exerciſing all their graces, all graces do grow: ſo faith growes up with the reſt: Hence ſaith James, thou ſeeſt that Faith was the helper of Abrahams works, and by works Faith was brought to its end, that is, by offering up Iſaac, which figuratively was Chriſt to Abraham; for ſaith our Lord, Abraham ſaw my day and rejoyced. Thus Chriſt is the Authour of eternal ſalvation, to all that obey him, otherwiſe not; for that is implyed, as to thoſe profeſſors in whom Faith dyed, mentioned by James. Jam. 2.22.
65If it be objected, what I affirm in my firſt Book,Object. pag. 55. That Chriſt is the Authour of ſalvation to them that diſobey him, as old Eli, and Miriam, and Aaron and Moſes, whoſe carcaſes fell with others in the wilderneſs, by the wrath of God,1 Cor. 1.29, 30. and in the Church of Corinth, for contempt of the Sacrament, wherefore Chriſt ſmote ſome with ſickneſs, and ſome with death.
Moſes and all the Saints that dye under a relaps,Anſw. or back-ſliding condition: yet if any ſeed of Gods word ſowne by the hand of Chriſts ſpirit, remain in any degree of inherent righteouſneſs, though never ſo ſmall, then there is in them a virtual tendency by faith, to Chriſts imputed righteouſneſs, as to the brazen Serpent, the ſmalleſt tendency of ſight that beheld it, ſaved that mans body from death: ſo that virtual tendency to Chriſts righteouſneſs, doth likewiſe ſave that man from the guilt and puniſhment of his ſins, and renders him eternal life, after his departure out of this World: yet the death of theſe Saints is under a Cloud of obſcurity, as to themſelves and to others, in reſpect of their eternal life: as Salomon and Eli, and thoſe Corinthians which Chriſt ſtroke with death; yet as for Moſes, although he dyed under a Cloud, yet he dyed not as a barren and fruitleſs Chriſtian; but being filled with the fruits of righteouſneſs, although he diſobeyed Chriſt eminently in one particular of unbeleefe, for which Chriſt ſlew him, his Carkaſſe falling in the Wilderneſs with the reſt, yet God rendered him this honour and comfort, in his paſſage from this Vale of miſery to eternal felicity; for before he deſtroyed his body, he led him to the top of a Mountain, to let him ſee the figure of his eternal felicity,Deut. 34.5, 6, 7. the66 promiſed Land of Earthly Canaan, ſtill proving that Chriſt is the Authour of eternal ſalvation, to them that obey him, as is formerly proved, thoſe that obey him moſt, according to their meaſure of grace, receive moſt.
To thoſe Saints he moſt manifeſts himſelf to their ſecret minde, and they that obey him leaſt, according to their meaſure, he manifeſts himſelf leaſt to their ſecret mindes; for onely the pure in minde ſee God: therefore the more purity of ſpirit, the more ſight of God, and the leſſe, the leſſe; for the ſanctified minde of the Saints, is the onely Temple of the Holy Ghoſt, and not the Saints perſons, as perſonally elected; for as perſonally elected, Chriſts humane body and ſoul was only the Temple of the holy Ghoſt, as formerly is proved, and therefore it is ſaid, the God-head dwelt bodily in that perſon, or humane body, but of none elſe; for the Text ſaith, In him dwelleth the fulneſs of the God-head bodily,Col. 2.9. that is, the fulneſs of the one Jehovah, for that moſt properly is the God-head: therefore the ſecond in the one Jehovah to carry on his Fathers final end, was perſonally elected God-man, and his ſoul and body receives not the ſpirit by meaſure, as doe the Saints; but without meaſure, as ſaith the Text.
FOr having formerly ſpoken of the works of the Saints, whereof Faith is the firſt mover, It were neceſſary that I ſhould now treat what faith is, but in regard I have handled it in my firſt Treatiſe, here I paſſe it over; for there I have proved that in juſtifying faith there are three degrees, and ſhew the difference between that Faith and other Faiths, and then I have proved what juſtifying Faith in its own nature is definitively, and defined what its perfection is, and alſo proved how God doth bring the Saints to that perfection, and alſo that juſtifying Faiths perfection and diſſolution, are both in this life,Pag. 128. to the 140 from pag. 128. to the 140.
And becauſe Faith works by love, it is requiſite to treat upon the nature of love, and how that love doth ariſe in the mindes of beleevers, and in a word all love in general in the minde of man, ariſes from that ſuitable agreeableneſs between the ſubject and the object; and ſo in this caſe of juſtifying Faith; for no man can love that which is not ſuitable, nor agreeable to his minde. From this ground Jacob could not love Leah ſo well as Rachel, but becauſe there was a ſuitable agreeableneſs between the ſubject and the object: therefore Jonathans love to David was more than the love of women: ſo much to ſhew, how love ariſeth in the minde of man; but the queſtion will be,
What is love in its own general nature? Queſt.
68In a word,Anſw. It may be definitively thus laid down: It is in the minde of man, a liking, and an uniting affection; but the point will be more cleared by its natural properties, the which are two:
What is the firſt property? Queſt.
It is to endevour as neer an Union and Communion with the thing loved,Anſw. as poſſible may be: therefore it was that Jonathan and David kiſſed one another, and wept one with another, until David exceeded, and that David ſaid concerning Jonathan, I am diſtreſſed for thee my Brother Jonathan,2 Sam. 1.26. 1 Sam. 18.1. very pleaſant haſt thou been to me, thy love to me was wonderful.
Thus it is with love in the Saints, which worketh by Faith, according to their meaſure to God in Chriſt, endevouring as neer an Union and Communion, as may be,Cant. 1, 2. Cant. 1.2. Let him kiſſe me with the kiſſes of his mouth. Verſ. 13. He ſhall lie all night betwixt my breaſts: and thus John leaned on Jeſus boſom; And thus David,Joh. 13.23. Pſal. 86.11. Unite my heart to fear thy name. So Paul defires to be diſſolved to be with Chriſt, meaning in Heaven, yet names not Heaven: implying, Heaven were no Heaven to him,Phil. 1.23 if Chriſt were not there, whom his ſoul loved. And this love is the ſum of the firſt Table of the Law; ſo much for the firſt property of love.
What is the ſecond property that naturally ariſes from true love? Queſt.
It is no more but this,Anſw. to do good, or to adde to the perfection of the thing loved: thus did Jonathan to David, he ſaved his life with the hazard of his own; and himſelf being Heire apparent to the Crown,1 Sam. 18.4. yet he endeavoured to lay aſide himſelf, and to prefer David to the Crown, and ſtripped himſelf of the Robe69 that was upon him, and gave it to David,Rom. 4.20. Jam. 2.21. and his Garments, even to his ſword, and to his bow, and to his girdle. Thus Abrahams love added to Gods extrinſicall glory; for his Faith was the helper of his love, to offer up Iſaac his onely Sonne; for he was ſtrong in beleef and love giving glory to God.
Thus Moſes, when he came to years, out of Faith and love to God, refuſed to be called the Sonne of Pharaohs Daughter,Heb. 11.24, 25, 26 chuſing rather to ſuffer afflictions with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleaſures of ſin for a ſeaſon; eſteeming the reproach of Chriſt, greater riches than the Treaſures of Egypt; and in this he was faithful in his meaſure of grace received: but he did not adde to the perfection of Gods glory, in the point of circumciſion; for it came to paſſe by the way, in the Inne that Jehovah met him,Exod. 4.24. and ſought to kill him: ſo David when he was in his right minde in faith and love, according to his meaſure, did adde to the perfection of Gods glory,2 Sam. 17.45, 46, 47. in the deſtruction of Goliah; but being not faithful in his meaſure of faith and love, he greatly diminiſhed the glory of God, by his Adultery with Bathſheba, and the murther of Uriah. 2 Sam. 11.Thus Mary, to whom much was forgiven, loved much, therefore added to the perfection of Chriſts praiſe,Luk. 7.43. by odoriferous and coſtly Oyntments, anointing his feet, wiping them with the hairs of her head. Thus the poor Widow honoured God with her ſubſtance, rendering him all her livelihood,Mar. 12.44. although but two mites.
Again, True love to God in beleevers, doth not onely endeavour to adde to the perfection of his praiſe, according to the firſt Table of the Law, but alſo according to the ſecond; that is, they love the70 brethren, that is, each loves other according to their meaſure received, and not onely endeavouring Union and communion as Saints, but alſo to adde to the perfection and good of each other: hence, ſaith David, I am a Companion of all them that fear thee,Pſal. 119.63. and ſuch as keep thy Statutes. And Abraham, out of love to the righteous that he ſuppoſed might be in the Cities of Sodom, humbly prayed of God, to ſpare thoſe Cities for their ſakes. Thus Paul from love endevoured to preſerve Peter and others from the danger of his diſſembling,Gal. 2.11, 12. therefore openly reproved him to his face. And thus to adde to the good of thoſe that they loved, the Brethren ſent to the Elders by the hands of Barnabas and Saul, releef to the Saints which dwelt in Judea.
If all love ariſeth from that ſuitable agreeableneſs which is between the ſubject and the object,Obſerv. then hence all you that beleeve your ſelves to be Saints, look how far your ſecret minde is ſuitable to Gods word; for ſo far forth you are ſuitable to him, and no further: and on the contrary, hence we may give a right judgement, what thoſe mens mindes are ſuitable unto, that would extinguiſh the ſacred Scriptures, that is, to the minde of the Devil, whoſe children they are.
Secondly obſerve, Is love in it ſelf a liking and uniting affection? Then you that are Saints, look to your affections, leſt with Lot you love the plains of Sodom too much; but with Abraham, affect the mighty poſſeſſor of Heaven and Earth much more, and ſo your mindes will lye looſe to the wealth and glory of this World, as it did his; for he left Lot to chooſe the rich ſoil of Sodoms plains, and took to himſelf what he71 refuſed. And ſo Moſes affecting him that was inviſible, his minde lay looſe to the Treaſures and pleaſures of Egypt, he being faithful in his meaſure received: but on the contrary, if by adulterous affections to this preſent World, you return not ſpeedily, you may fall to deſpiſe the Commandements of the Lord, yea God himſelf, as did David; for you muſt remember,2 Sam. 9.10, 12. your ſanctified minde is the Temple of God, and while you detain that, he is neer to you, by a liking and uniting affection: therefore increaſe the degrees of your graces, as before is laid down, and beware of backſliding by affecting other things ſo far, that you deſtroy the Temple of God; for it is to the Saints he ſaith by the Apoſtle, Know ye not that ye are the Temple of God, and that the ſpirit of God dwelleth in you. If any man deſtroy the Temple of God, him ſhall God deſtroy,2 Cor. 6.16. 1 Cor. 3.16, 17. for the Temple of God is holy, which ye are, Let no man deceive himſelf, &c.
Again obſerve, Is it the firſt property of love to endeavour union with the thing loved as neer as may be? then it will be your wiſdome to endeavour as cloſe an union with God from degree to degree as may be; for there is no union ſo cloſe or neer unto God in this world, but it may be neerer, for although the perfection of parts may grow high as in Moſes to God, and John to Chriſt, yet it is but the perfection of parts, but not of the degrees, but beware you dream not, that you have attained to the perfection of degrees, as do the Familiſts, Quakers and Papiſts; for when you ſo think of your ſelves, that is your very houre and power of darkneſs, to fall into temptation and all abominations.
The Apoſtle affirms, that by his righteous works72 and ſufferings, he filled up the meaſure of Chriſts in his body, and that is the ground from whence the Romaniſts ſay, that their righteouſneſs and Chriſts do attain eternal life.
I anſwer,Anſw. It is one thing, that Chriſts imputed righteouſneſs is received by the Saints inherent righteouſneſs as in the particular branch of beleef, and ſo make a conjunction, as the eye with the light: yet the light is one thing, and the dark body of the eye that receiveth it, is another thing, and ever diſtinguiſhed as diſtinct in their natures, ſo it is between Chriſts righteouſneſs received by beleef, and that particular branch of their inherent righteouſneſs which receives it in their natures, are ever diſtinct; for Chriſts righteouſneſs, which is by God imputed, and by beleevers received, is in the perfection of degrees, otherwiſe eternal life could never have been attained by it, but every branch of the Saints inherent righteouſneſs, is but in the perfection of parts, and as filthy rags, as is proved: then what fellowſhip can there be between Chriſts perfect righteouſneſs, and the Saints imperfect, as to the attaining of eternal life, even as much as is betwixt Chriſt and Belial; yet nevertheleſſe, I grant by the way of ſimilitude, and by virtue of that union between the head and the members, there is a conformity betwixt Chriſts righteouſneſs, and the righteouſneſs of the Saints; and therefore Chriſt as the head, is ſenſible of the ſufferings of the members, therefore when Saul perſecuted the Saints, Chriſt called to him, and ſaid, Saul, Saul, why perſecuteſt thou me?
Again obſerve, Is it the ſecond property of love, to adde to the perfection of the thing loved? then you73 that know your ſelves to be Saints, every one according to your meaſure received, adde to the perfection on of Gods prayſe, by being filled with the fruits of your inherent righteouſneſs, adding to your faith virtue, as is deſcribed; for then, as ſaith the Text, Ye ſhall not be barren, nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jeſus Chriſt; for this in you is it, which doth adde to the perfection of Gods glory, as ſaith our Lord: Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bring forth much fruit; and this will demonſtrate to your ſecret mind, that you love God; for ſaith our Lord, He that hath my Commandements and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me, and then Chriſt will manifeſt to your mind, that he loveth you, and this will be your honour; for God ſaith, I will honour them that honour me: And thus he did honour David, while he was upright in his meaſure received, by ſtrengthening him to the deſtruction of the Lion and the Beare, and Goliah, and ſo advanced him to be King; ſo on the contrary, thoſe Saints that diſhonour him, he will diſhonour them, and cauſe them to be deſpiſed, as he did David, for the matter of Batſheba and Uriah, by delivering up his Son Abſolom to his wicked mind, to attempt the thruſting of David out of the Kingdom, that he might be King in his Fathers room: as alſo to commit filthineſs with Davids Concubine, in the ſight of the Sunne and all Iſrael.
Again obſerve, you that are Saints, If you love him which did beget, you will alſo love them that are begotten, not by the will of the fleſh, but by Gods word of truth; for here you ſee the property of true love is to adde to the perfection of the thing loved: then look what affection you bear to the godly, becauſe74 they are ſuch, whether you compaſſionate their miſery, be they mighty or mean in the World, if they are loſt in fooles Paradiſe, and vain proſperity, as was David, eſteeming his Molehill as a Mountain: If you have opportunity and ability, adde to the perfection of their godlineſs, and from divine truth, blaſt their pride and fooliſhneſs, or according to you own intimacy with God, procure ſome merciful chaſtizement upon them, that they may not periſh with the world of ungodly; ſo in this caſe God did withdraw his wonted preſence from Davids ſecret minde; and this was his trouble and the occaſion of his return to God; or to your Brethren that are mean in the world, to adde to their perfection according to their neceſſity, and your ability. Alſo by your example, abounding in the fruits, of righteouſneſs, and ſo lead them into paths of true, godlineſs, then this will evidence to your ſecret minde, that you do adde to the perfection of the thing loved: conſequently, that you do love God and your Brethren, not onely in word and in tongue, but in deed and in truth.
IN brief, Patience in its perfect work is no more but this, a quiet ſufferance in bitter croſſes unto the end, liking it, as iſſuing from the ſacred hand of God; Aaron went ſomething neer to the perfection of patience: for when Jehovah ſlew his Sonnes,Levit. 10.2, 3. Aaron held his peace. So Eli anſwered, It is Jehovah, let him75 do what ſeemeth him good; ſo David,1 Sam. 3.13, 18. Pſal. 9, 9. I was dumb, I opened not my mouth becauſe thou diddeſt it.
But as for Job, in him patience had her perfect work; for he quietly ſuffered his bitter and tranſcendent croſſes to the end thereof, as iſſuing to him from the hand of God, to the loſſe of his whole eſtate, and all his Children, by fierce winds, by robbers, and fire from Heaven: for then he aroſe, and rent his mantle, and ſhaved his head, and fell down upon the ground, and worſhipped, and ſaid,Jo: 1. from the 3. to the 22. Naked came I out of my Mother womb, and naked ſhall I return thither: Jehovah hath given, and Jehovah hath taken away, and bleſſed be the name of Jehovah. And the Text concludes, In all this Iob ſinned not, nor charged God fooliſhly; that is, patience had her perfect work, as formerly is deſcribed: wherefore the Scriptures layes this down, as the onely pattern of patience, Chriſt excepted, that is, under the execution of Satans firſt Commiſſion upon him, and alſo in the entrance of the ſecond, he did detain his patience for a time; for when Satan had ſtroke him with boiles, from the ſole of his foot to his crown; he ſate down among the aſhes, took him a pot-ſheard to ſcrape himſelf withall, whereupon ſaid his wife unto him, Doſt thou ſtill retain thine integrity? Job 2. v. 3.7, 8, 9, 10.Curſe God and die. But he ſaid, Thou ſpeakeſt as one of the fooliſh Women ſpeaketh: What, ſhall we receive good at the hand of God, and ſhall we not receive evil? and the Text concludes, In all this Iob ſinned not with his lips, that is, though his minde did begin to boyle and riſe, yet he did reſtrain it: implying, here was patience, but not to her perfect work as before.
76But when Iob came off, ſuffering under the firſt Commiſſion, ſaith Iehovah to Satan, Haſt thou conſidered by Servant Job, that there is none like him in the Earth, a perfect and an upright man, one that feareth God, and eſcheweth evil? and ſtill he holdeth faſh his integrity, although thou moveſt me againſt him, to deſtroy him without cauſe.
The firſt Commiſſion in theſe words, Iehovah ſaid unto Satan,Jo. 1.12. Behold, all that he hath is in thy power, onely upon himſelf, put not forth thine hand.
The ſecond Commiſſion in theſe words, and Iehovah ſaid unto Satan,Job 2.6. Hehold, he is in thine hand, but ſave his life.
If it be demanded,Object. why God gave the ſecond Commiſſion againſt Iob, in regard patience had her perfect work in the firſt?
As every Efficient is delighted the ultimate excellency of his work:Anſw. ſo God in this caſe delights in the ultimate tryal of grace,1 Pet. 1.6, 7. in them that excel therein, and therefore ſo in Iob.
Again, God delights in the tryal of the Saints inherent righteouſneſs, becauſe by their ſo exerciſing, he will enlarge their graces: hence it is, the Text ſaith, That where the ſpirit of the Lord is, there is liberty, that is, more liberty from degree to degree, and ſo he rewards their labor of love: and hence it is, That the tryal of the Saints Faith, is much more precious than gold, that periſheth, though it be tryed with fire.
Again, God is delighted to put the Saints upon tryal, to the utmoſt meaſure of inherent righteouſneſs, which they have received, to the rebound of his glory, by a weak humane Creature over the proud and envious Apoſtate-Angels, as in Iobs caſe in the firſt77 Commiſſion; He ſaith to Satan, Yet he continueth in his uprightneſſe, although thou moveſt me, &c.
If God delights thus in the tryal of the Saints righteouſneſs,Object. why did he put Job upon the ſecond Commiſſion, he knowing that Job would fall foul therein?
It is true, God did know it,Anſw. and yet put him upon it: as for example, all the actions of men and Angels, in all their arbitrary contingencies, were not onely known to him before the World or man did exiſt; but now they are, none of their actions are paſt, or to come, but preſent to him; for it appeares, he knew what the Apoſtate Angels would do,1 Pet. 1.18, 19, 20. namely, tempt Adam, and that Adam would yeeld and fall, I ſay, it appeares, he knew all this before the World was, becauſe he verily ordained Chriſt to redeem man out of that fall; And although he knew all this before, yet he put them all, that is, Men and Angels upon the tryal of what they had received, as being delighted ſo to do; and therefore his knowing of a thing before, is no ground of an hindereance to proceed.
Again I anſwer, This Objection ariſeth from ignorance of what is revealed in ſacred Scripture; for as it ſaith, He worketh all things after the counſel of his own will, ſo the Scriptures evidence he wills ſome things infallibly, and ſome things contingently,Eph. 1.11 with a poſſibility to infallibility, that which he purpoſed infallibly, he refuſed to put upon the contingent faculty of the wills of men or Angels, but onely upon the immutable power of Chriſt perſonally God-man, that is, to carry on his final end, as formerly is proved; and amongſt thoſe things which carries a contingency with78 a poſſibility to infallibility is the increaſe of the Saints graces, as to ſtability: therefore the Text puts that ſtability upon two thngs, that is, the power of Chriſts ſpirit, and the Saints own Faith: And although Faith carries in it ſelf an ebbing an flowing, and conſequently a contingency: yet if they exerciſe their graces under divers tryals, they ſhall then be kept by the power of God, through Faith unto ſalvation, that is, infallibly to the ſaid ſtability, otherwiſe not. If they conſult with fleſh and blood, and quench the ſpirit, as did Job in this ſecond Commiſſion; for as in the firſt Commiſſion he did voluntarily chooſe affliction, rather than iniquity, ſo in the ſecond he did chooſe iniquity rather than affliction. Job 36.2.But this muſt be remembred, that God never layes more weight of afflictions upon the Saints, in point of tryal, than that preſent meaſure of inherent righteouſueſs already received is able to bear, that is, and to work thorough it to him, if it be improved, or exerciſed by them, as did Job, under the firſt Commiſsion; but when they leave the exerciſe of their Faith and grace, and follow the wiſdom of the fleſh, then in ſtead of poſſeſsing their ſouls by patience, they fall into diſtempers, and diſtractions, through impatience, as did Job under the ſecond Commiſsion.
How doth this great impatience or diſtemper appear in Job? Queſt.
In anſwer,Anſw. That although there were ſome divine droppings of his patience, love and faith, he beleeving that his Redeemer lived, yet from the anguiſh of his fleſh, and his bones, which Satan had laid upon him, his impatience did tranſcend, and that made his bitter afflictions tranſcend much more, then that Satan had79 laid upon him; for becauſe Chap. 3. He not onely curſed the day of his birth, but alſo the dayes which God had allotted him to live: And upon this, Eliphas, Bildad, & Zophar his three friends diſpute againſt him, implicitly concluding him to be a wicked man, and this raiſed his impatience againſt God himſelf, ſaying, He teareth me in wrath who hateth me, he gnaſheth upon me with his teeth, mine enemy ſharpeneth his eyes upon me, God hath delivered me up to the ungodly, and turned me over into the hands of the wicked. I was at eaſe, but he hath broken me aſunder, he hath alſo taken me by my neck, and hath ſhaken me to peeces, and ſet me up for his mark, and then he cries out,Job 16.9, 10, 11, 12, 21. O that one might plead for a man with God! and this his impatience ſtirred up the ſpirit of Elihu againſt him; for he ſaith, Behold I am according to thy wiſh in Gods ſtead, doubtleſs thou haſt ſpoken in mine eares, and I have heard the voyce of thy words, I am clean without ſin, I am innocent, and there is no iniquity in me, he hath found occaſion againſt me,Job 33.6.9, 10, 11, 12. and counteth me for his enemy, he hath put my feet in the ſtocks, and looketh narrowly to all my paths: and Elihu concludes, Behold in this thou haſt not done right.
Again Chap. 34. Job had ſaid, I am righteous, God hath taken away my judgement, ſhould I lie in my right, the would of the Arrow is grievous without my ſin. Chap. 34.5, 6, 7. and 37. Verſes, whereupon ſaith Elihu, What man is like Job, that drinketh ſcornfulneſs like water, he addeth rebellion to his ſin, and clappeth his hands among us, and multiplies words againſt God. And here note this by the way, that although Job diſputed againſt his other three friends, yet to this young man his reply was onely ſilence.
Again, This his impatient diſtemper, moved God80 to manifeſt himſelf againſt him,Job 38.1.2, 3. then Jehovah anſwered Job out of the Whirl-wind, and ſaid, Who is this that darkeneth Counſels by words without knowledge? gird up thy loins like a man; for I will demand of thee, and anſwer thou me: where waſt thou when I laid the Foundations of the Earth? Declare if thou haſt underſtanding, &c.
Again, Chap. 39. from the 1. to the 8. Verſe, Moreover, Jehovah anſwered Job and ſaid, Shall he that contendeth with the Almighty inſtruct him? he that reproveth him, let him anſwer it. Then Job anſwered Jehovah, and ſaid, I am vile, what ſhall I anſwer thee? I will lay my hand upon my mouth, once have I ſpoken, but I will not anſwer, yea twice, but I will proceed no further.
Then anſwered Jehovah unto Job the ſecond time, out of the Whirl-wind, and ſaid, Gird up thy loins now like a man, I will demand of thee, declare thou unto me, Wilt thou diſannul my judgement, wilt thou condemn me, that thou mayſt be righteous, & c? To which Job anſwered Jehovah, and ſaid, I know that thou canſt do every thing, and that no thought can be withheld from thee? who is he that hideth counſel without knowledge? therefore have I uttered that, which I underſtand not, things too wonderful for me, which I knew not; heare I beſeech thee, and I will ſpeak, I will demand of thee, anſwer thou unto me. I have heard of thee by the hearing of the eare, but now mine eyes ſee thee,Job 44. from the 1. to the 8. verſ. wherefore I abhorre my ſelf, and repent in duſt and aſhes, that is, Anſwer thou me in much mercy, for now I ſee I have exceedingly erred, concerning thy proceedings towards me; for I perceive, if I had been faithful to thee, according to the meaſure of my graces, in this ſecond Commiſsions execution upon me, then thou81 wouldeſt have aſsiſted me in this, as thou diddeſt in the firſt: therefore ſhame belongeth to me, but prayſe and glory to thee.
In the firſt place here appeares, Jobs moſt perfect patience, as to the firſt Commiſsion.
Secondly, Hence it alſo appears by his ſeven dayes ſilence to his three friends, and theirs to him, they being in a proſperous condition, and he reflecting upon his own miſery, not in faith and love to God, as formerly, but in conſultation with the wiſdom of fleſh and blood, was the ground of his great impatience.
Thirdly, Hence it alſo appeares, that his impatience augmented his miſery, for above what God limited Satan, to lay upon him to the torment of his minde, from his three friends, and from Elihu, who rightly charged him with his impatience, and Jehovah charged him more deeply, and dreadfully twice out of a Whirl-wind.
Fourthly, Hence it alſo appeares, that in his minde he unfainedly returned to God, from whom he went out by his impatience, and frowardneſs, by his unfeigned acknowledgment of his error to God the firſt time; but yet his minde was not come cloſe enough, as it was before: but when God had appeared the ſecond time againſt him in the Whirl-wind, then his minde returned to its former neerneſs to God, and then God returned to his former neerneſs of his manifeſtation of his love and favour to Job. Firſt, he gave him this honour, as to make his three friends that wronged him, to come into Gods favour by Jobs Mediation. Secondly,Job 42.7.9, 10, 12. He gave him twice as much of all proſperity, as he had before, and ſaith the Text, So Jehovah bleſſed the latter end of Iob, more than his beginning.
82Hence obſerve, all you that are Saints of God, in regard that patience in its perfect work, is a quiet ſufferance of bitter croſſes, to the end thereof liking it as proceeding from Gods will. Hence you may give a right judgement of your ſelves; I ſay, your ſelves, for this concerns none but Saints, as capable of this bleſſed qualification, and ſo far forth as you like your bitter croſſes, in a quiet ſufferance thereof, of what nature ſoever they be, becauſe ſent by God to you: ſo far forth you may comfortably conclude, you are truly patient, as Iob here in the loſſe of his whole Eſtate and Children, he never mentioned the Sabeans, nor Caldeans, nor the fierce windes, nor fire from Heaven, but God onely was his object, Jehovah hath given, and Iehovah hath taken, &c. And this is the onely ground of the nature of right patience, as in Iob, ſo in any elſe.
Again obſerve, Whatſoever your afflictions be from men or Devils, the finger of God, limits it, as well as ſends it; for the extent of it, either in weight or length, as in the firſt Commiſsion againſt Iob: it was to extend but to his whole Eſtate, and all his Children, but not to Jobs perſon, whatſoever inſtruments Satan did imploy.
And in his ſecond Commiſsion reſtrained but to his fleſh and his bone, but Satan in all his power could not take away his life: therefore Oh you Saints of God, whatſoever you are, in your deepeſt miſeries of want of meanes, health, or whatever, if you look for help and comfort, do as Iob did, look onely to God, as he that hath taken all that ye want from you, and he alone to reſtore all to you, for here you ſee ſecond cauſes, either for good or evil, they come and goe at Gods Commands.
83Again, You that think your ſelves to be Saints, hence obſerve alſo, that here you may give a right judgement, wherefore God layes bitter afflictions upon you; for if it be for tryal of your grces, then he ſends it unto you, when you flouriſh in the fruits of righteouſneſs, as here upon Job, the uprighteſt man in the earth; but if he ſends you bitter croſſes for your failings, and being looſe and careleſs, then it is for chaſtizement at the leaſt, as here to Job: for all his afflictions under Satans ſecond Commiſsion above the touch of his fleſh and bones, God laid it upon him for chaſtizement, that is, as I ſaid before, which he ſuffered from his three friends, and Elihu, and from Gods twice dreadful apparitions in the Whirl-wind; and thus God chaſtized the Saints at Corinth, for abuſes of the Sacrament, ſome by ſickneſs, and ſome he ſlew. So Eli, ſo David in the matter of Uriah, ſo Miriam, Aaron and Moſes, he ſlew them in the Wilderneſſe.
Again, Hence obſerve, That when you are laden with bitter croſſes, then as Elihu counſelled Job, humbly ſeek unto God for releef, by your craving deſires, which indeed are your prayers, not your words. And ſo far forth as your craving deſires are primarily to bring Gods will to yours, you prayers are naught, as thoſe whom James reproved; but ſo far forth as your craving deſires primarily are to bring your will to Gods will, your prayers are good, and ſhall never want an anſwer in due ſeaſon; for, ſaith John, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us, that is, he will give a ſeaſonable anſwer, and give quietneſs of minde in the interim, to wait upon him.
Object. You in general termes point at what as the ground84 of Iobs miſcarriage under the ſecond Commiſsion, as his conſultation with the wiſdom of fleſh and blood, but certainly there was ſome other particular.
I anſwer,Anſw. It is true, in this ſecond Commiſsion, he did not with that faith and love receive the touch of his fleſh and bones with that reverence from God, as he did the loſſe of his Children, and his whole Eſtate, as he did in the firſt Commiſsion.
Another particular was this, he had too high an eſteem of his own uprightneſs, wrought by the ſpirit of Chriſt in him, who alſo aſsiſted him to perfect patience under the firſt Commiſsion: conſequently, he did too much undervalue the glorious imputed righteouſneſs of Chriſt, in which was comprehended the pardon of his ſin, and eternal life, included in the ſacrifices which he daily offered: therefore O ye Saints of God that are eminent in the fruits of righteouſneſs, beware you ſtumble not at this Rock, but endevour with Paul to be found in Chriſts righteouſneſs, more and more, in a ſole dependencie onely on it for pardon of ſin and eternal life: And though ye endevour to grow in the fruits of inherent righteouſneſs, and at the beſt as compared to his, eſteem yours but as filthy rags, or as droſſe and dung, as did Paul.
Formerly you affirm,Object. That man in order to become a Saint, did in a patient ſeeking, &c. But now you affirm, none have true patience but Saints.
According to the being or nature of a thing, ſuch is its workings,Anſw. therefore that former patient ſeeking was but a ſhadow of this true patience, or as to its perfect work; for this patience in the Saints ariſeth from85 the root of their inherent righteouſneſs, or ſanctification which the former hath not, but onely a previous diſpoſedneſs towards it, from a remote principle, from whence they do by nature the things contained in the Law of Chriſt: therefore the objection is without ground.
IF it be objected, The Apoſtle ſaith,Object. He that feareth God, and worketh righteouſneſs, is accepted of him: therefore the Saints are accepted of God for their own works of righteouſneſs, as to ſalvation.
Although this point be formerly anſwered,Anſw. and alſo that I grant that their own works of righteouſneſs is the ground of their acceptance, yet I deny it in the ſenſe objected; for although Chriſts righteouſneſs imputed is the Saints own righteouſneſs, and that upon a double ground; the one is, That righteouſneſs is Gods free gift to all mankind, as formerly is proved, and ſo theirs with others, and ſo accepted as others: the other ground is this, That work of Chriſts righteouſneſs is by beleeving received by them,Rom. 5.17. and in it abundance of grace, and ſo a particular ground of their acceptance with God, and no men elſe.
Again, The Saints inherent work of righteouſneſs in one particular branch, doth act and work in the receiving of Chriſts righteouſneſs, namely Faith, and ſo86 Chriſts righteouſneſs is brought to be their own, as the eye, by its operation brings that light to be its own, which was not its own. Hence ſaith our Lord, this is the work of God that ye beleeve: ſo that the one righteouſneſs, as in it ſelf is an external object of bleſſedneſs: the other righteouſneſs in this particular branch is the bleſſed act of reception, and from this union with the ſubject and object, according to the Text, He that worketh righteouſneſs is accepted of him; and that in two reſpects;
Firſt, That mans perſon is accepted of God, a member of Chriſts myſtical body, whereof he is the head.
Secondly, That mans perſon is accepted the Son of God by adoption, as ſaith the Text, To as many as received him he gave this prerogative, to be called the Sons of God, even to as many as beleeved in his name.
You affirm formerly,Object. the reward from God, proper to the works of the Saints, is onely in this life, by the increaſe of their graces: conſequently, a more neerer and clearer union and Communion with God: then what ſay you to Heman, that holy man, whoſe dayes of life from his youth were in dolor, terror and horror? Saith he to God, Thy terrors have cut me off, &c. where was the increaſe of his graces,Pſal. 88.16. either of Faith or love, or the quiet fruits of righteouſneſs, the reward of his righteous works?
Queſtionleſs,Anſw. He was a moſt holy man, as appeares by his heavenly breathings from his woful minde thoroughout the Pſalm: therefore it is a hard caſe to give a right judgement in this particular, whether his afflictions were for tryal, or chaſtizement, or for neither; for this caſe is very rare, and not ordinary; for87 the ſacred Scriptures, as I remember, doth not ſpeak of one man the like, as to the whole life of any: therefore this is beſides our point in hand, as to Gods ordinary courſe of the Saints reward, as is proved: yet nevertheleſs, in Scriptures we finde one extraordinary proceeding of God, in the affliction of a particular man for a time, as John 9. God denyed from the womb, one man the light of this World, being born blind, whereupon the Diſciples put the queſtion to our Lord, Who did ſin, this man or his Parents, that he was born blind? Jeſus anſwered, Neither hath this man ſinned, nor his Parents, that is, not to ſo tranſcendent a heighth, as to draw on this judgement; for that's implyed, but he was ſo born with reſpect to Gods glory, that Chriſt might prove himſelf to be he, that was ſent of God to give ſight, and light to man, ſitting in the ſhade of death and darkneſs; and accordingly, Chriſt and he met together, and the man born blind, received ſight, as never man the like: So doubtleſs, as this man, ſo Heman was in ſome eminent reſpect to the glory of God; for although God thus deeply afflicted him in ſorrow and troubles of minde, yet it is apparent, God ſecretly preſerved him, and his minde to himſelf, Verſ. 1. He ſaith, Oh Jehovah Elohim of my ſalvation, I have cryed day and night, &c. For God ſometimes brings men to a low ebbe of diſtraction, ſome in reſpect of Eſtate, ſome in body, and ſome in minde;Pſal. 9.3. Pſ. 116 3. but we read not at ſo great a length as this man, as to a troubled minde. And then God ſaith to ſuch men, Return again ye Sons of men; The Pſalmiſt ſaith, The ſorrows of death compaſſed me, the pangs of Hell got-hold ▪ upon me, I found trouble and ſorrow, whereupon Verſ. 4. He prayed to God to deliver his ſoul, and88 Verſ. 8. His ſoul was delivered. So without doubt, God granted Hemans unfeigned prayers, either delivering his ſoul out of thoſe great troubles of minde, in the latter end of his dayes, or elſe over and above what he could think or ſpeak, ſecretly preſerved him to his Heavenly Kingdom, whereof his deep afflictions were but light, in compariſon of that glory now revealed.
Now the main ground why God doth ſo deeply ſink ſome holy men in ſorrows, terrors, and troubles of conſcience, as Heman is for the redundancy of his glory, that maugre Satan, I mean the Apoſtate Angels, by all their power, and houre of darkneſs upon this diſtreſſed Creature ſitting in darkneſs, and can ſee no light: yet God for his glory ſake, ſecretly preſerves the minde ſo to himſelf, That when Satan thinks himſelf ſureſt of his prey, God then will ſet the ſoul at liberty by his word and ſpirit in this life, and then will, in effect ſay to Satan as of Job, What ſayeſt thou to my Servant Job? &c. or elſe by taking him into eternal glory, and ſo Satan looſeth his prey for ever.
Doth not Heman mean,Queſt. when he ſaith, Thy terrors hath cut me off, as did Job, I chooſe ſtrangling, rather then to live: then if Heman or Iob had ſtrangled themſelves, had not God then loſt his glory, in that Satan had got the prey?
I anſwer,Anſw. Satan had not got his prey, though he had hanged himſelf, nor God loſt the glory of his grace, but the redundancy thereof to eternity.
How is this poſſible to be true? Queſt. for they which do ſo die in an act of ſin which nature abhorrs, that is, the deſtruction of it ſelf.
89I anſwer, You muſt conſider what capacity Heman and Iob were in, namely, right beleevers: therefore not in an eſtate of unbeleef, as was Achitophel and Judas, that hanged themſelves; for dying ſuch they are cut off from all pardon of ſin, becauſe the ſin of unbeleef in ſuch, cuts off all hope of pardon.
And whereas you ſay they died in the act of ſin, it is true, yet it is as true in this caſe, they are not themſelves, by reaſon of their deep trouble and diſtemper of minde: therefore if Iob had hanged himſelf, yet it might be ſaid of him, as Paul in another caſe, That which I do I allow not, for what I would, that I do not; but what I hate that do I. If I do that which I would not, I conſent to the Law that it is good. Now then it is no more, I that do it, but ſin that dwelleth in me. So might Iob in this caſe ſay, It is not I,Rom. 7.15. but my moſt deep diſtemper that dwells in me, which ſtrangled me.
Again, Whereas you ſty, that in this caſe he had departed this world in the act of ſin, I anſwer, it is true, a ſin in a tranſcendent degree; for if God forbids to murther another man, much more a mans ſelf: yet ſaith our Lord,Mat. 12.31. All manner of ſin and blaſphemy ſhall be forgiven unto men, but the blaſphemy againſt the holy Ghoſt ſhall not be forgiven: therefore this being not the ſin againſt the holy Ghoſt, in Iob a beleever, would have been pardoned unto him; for there is no man in Heaven, nor never ſhall, but Chriſt himſelf, but came thither by a pardon of his ſin.
Again I anſwer, It is proved that all men, who by a patient well-doing, ſeek for honour and glory, immortality and eternal life, having not as yet the gift of faith, and dying without it, they aſcend to the heavenly glory, through the univerſal imputation of Chriſts90 righteouſneſs, notwithſtanding the univerſal imputation of Adams one ſin one committed, nor notwithſtanding their own ſin againſt Chriſt; for they aſcend to Heaven in the ſame right that all mankind do, dying in infancy, which have the ſeed of original ſin in them: therefore much more a right beleever, as in this caſe of Iob is preſuppoſed; for this particular act of ſin ſo committed, cannot totally extinguiſh the internal habit of inherent righteouſneſs, wherof juſtifying faith is one branch, which cannot be extinguiſhed, but by a cuſtom in ſin, which in the minde of man produces another nature: therefore this internal habit did detain in it ſelf a virtual tendency to Chriſt, its moſt proper Object, although but as ſmoaking flax, or a bruiſed Reed: therefore in the very act of ſtrangling, Faiths virtual force will move to Chriſt its own objects, as Ionas in the deep Seas from out the Whales belly, the motions of his minde moved to Chriſt the true Temple then ſtanding at Ieruſalem; ſo holy men in this diſconſolate condition, in the depth of ſorrows and diſtractions, their memory is renewed in beleef to receive comfort in the ſatisfactory righteouſneſs of Ieſus Chriſt: as for example, in London at the Counter in the Poultry, Mr. Mercer being arreſted, in his paſſion ſlew the Sergeant, and was hanged in the place. The godly Miniſters and his friends, deſired him when he was turned off the ladder, during the time of his ſtrangling, if he did finde any divine conſolation from God, to give them ſome manifeſtation thereof, the which he did, by lifting up both his hands three times to his head, notwithſtanding his former deep ſorrowes, and his preſent pain, his body ſo hanging, yet he had the uſe of his minde and memory, to give91 them the foreſaid ſign. Doubtleſs, ſo it is in this caſe, concerning godly men, that when Satan thinks himſelf ſureſt of his prey, he is furtheſt from attaining his deſired end: And thus God turns the rebound of his glory to himſelf, in the ſalvation of holy men, from ſo great a miſery. Alſo I remember Mr. Fox, in the Acts and Monuments of the Church, of a Martyr, ſaith, His godly friends deſired him when he was in the flames, that if ſuch a ſharp diſſolution were ſufferable with comfort, to give ſome ſign to them; And notwithſtanding the ſharpneſs of the flame, he being much burnt, and their expectation, as it were paſt hope, yet then his comfort was internally ſo clear, that his minde remembred the promiſe to his friends, and gave a ſign by lifting up both his hands three times to his head in thoſe fierce flames, to the great amazement of the people, and the eſtabliſhment of the godly: at the which, the people gave a great ſhout.
Is it ſo that the Saints of God by not improving their graces, according to their meaſure received, may turn that affliction which God inflicts on them, for an honourable tryal, into a diſhonourable ſharp chaſtizement, as did Job under the execution of Satans ſecond Commiſſion? Then hence obſerve, that this caſe carries along in it a contingency, as to the Saints of God, and not an immutable current, which cannot be turned by them another way; for here we ſee Iob altered its courſe, wherefore God proceeded againſt him for his fault, as is proved: therefore ye Saints of God, keep to the exerciſe of your graces, according to your meaſure or degrees given you by the word and Spirit of truth, and be ſure to operate according to the92 Scriptures direction; for, as from thence did ariſe the truth of your grace: ſo from thence muſt ariſe your growth in grace and perſeverance therein: therefore make not the conſultations with fleſh and blood, nor your vain imaginations, your Religion, as do thoſe Saints which fall away to be Quakers and Familiſts, not onely to the deſtruction of themſelves, but to the deſtruction of the Faith of many others, by calling their fleſhly wiſdom and vain, imaginations by the name of Chriſt, and the divine nature, not meaning thoſe former graces wrought in them by the word and Spirit of God. But they fanſie themſelves to be the divine Eſſence eſſentially the one Iehovah: this they name alſo by a light within them; but do you be ſure to make Chriſt your Religion, who is perſonally Godman, and none other, and depend upon his righteouſneſs imputed, onely for Gods gift of eternal life. Alſo beware ye deſtroy not that inherent righteouſneſs which is in you; for that is the Temple of the Holy Ghoſt: Wherefore give all diligence to make your Calling and Election ſure, becauſe God (if you ſo do) by an act of merciful juſtice, will eſtabliſh you, and keep you, that you ſhall never fall totally nor finally, to be ſeemingly deified Angels of light; but indeed and in truth, Angels of darkneſs, the Children of the Devil, a curſed crew of Familiſts, who ſcornfully deſpiſe the ſacred Miniſtery of Jeſus Chriſt, ſtilling the holy Miniſters Prieſts, and the godly which wait at wiſdoms gates, to be taught by Chriſt, by their Miniſtery, they ſtile them Prieſt-ridden fellows, and ſtile the ſacred Oracles of God, to be but a dead letter, and from beneath: therefore, O you Saints of God, which yet rightly beleeve, take heed of turning your graces93 which God hath endued you with, into wantonneſs, by a filthy greedy covetouſneſs, & under a proud formality in Religion, to walk after the fleſh; for by the juſt judgement of God at this time, upon the Churches of Chriſt for ſo doing, from amongſt you, and of you, do ariſe theſe monſtrous, blaſphemous Beaſts, the moſt dangerous Antichriſt that ever was within the confines of Chriſtendom: therefore, I ſay, take heed, for there may a time come upon you, that yet ſtand for quenching the Spirit, and looſing your firſt love, and for making ſhip-wrack of that Faith and Conſcience that once was good, and for deſtroying the Temple of God, which is holy, which Temple ye are, he will deſtroy you. And the Text ſubjoynes theſe words, ſpeaking to the Saints, Let no man deceive himſelf, becauſe then you are in the high way to the impardonable ſin, and then ye ſhall never beleeve more the ſacred truth of God, though never ſo cleared unto you; for then God will deny you the gift of faith, and then your damnation ſleepeth not; though you ſhould deny, as do the Familiſts, No man ſhall be damned or ſaved, Judas ſhall be in as good a caſe as Peter; for, ſay they, all ſhall be turned into the divine Eſſence of the one Jehovah: yet know this, that the one Jehovah will not deny himſelf in his word of truth, but make his final end good, upon all fleſh (except as is excepted) that is, the caſe of dying in infancy, that is, every man according to his works that he hath done in the body, whether it be good, or whether it be evil; that is, ſome to be Veſſels of diſhonour to eternity, and ſome to be for honour to eternity. And Heaven and Earth ſhall fail, before one jot or tittle of this truth ſhall fall ſhort of what God hath94 ſaid; for the mouth of the Lord hath ſpoken it, as at large is proved in the 12. Chapter of my ſecond Treatiſe.
FIrſt, You deny the Trinity.
Secondly, You deny the Scriptures to be the word of God.
Thirdly, You deny there is any word of God, but that light which is in man.
Fourthly, You affirm in your Book, Pag. 16. that that light in man, is as the light is in God himſelf, in whom is no darkneſs at all.
Fifthly, You affirm, the Scriptures are true, as a witneſs-bearer, or declarer of that light in man, which you call Chriſt.
Sixthly, You affirm Gods word, the light in man, was long before the Scriptures.
To the firſt I anſwer, and thus I prove the Trinity, Hear O Iſrael, the Lord our God is one Lord, Deut. 6.4. and I told you the word Lord,Deut. 6.4. twice in this Text, was by the care of the Tranſlators of the Bible, ordered to be printed in Capital letters, purpoſely to notifie unto the people, that the word Lord in the Original was Jehovah, as I have heard Doctor Gouge unfold many years agoe, whereupon I told you, that you muſt read the Verſe thus, Hear O Iſrael, Jehovah our Elohims is one Jehovah, ſo that here is Trinity in Unity, and Unity in Trinity. Alſo I told you, Gen. 1.26. the Elohims ſpake each to other, and ſaid, Let us make man,95 &c. and John in his firſt Epiſtle, the 5th and the 7th ſaith, There are three that bear record in Heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghoſt, and ſaith he, Theſe three are one: here alſo is Trinity in Unity, and Unity in Trinity, ſuitable to that of Moſes, Jehovah our Elohims is one Jehovah, as Mr. John Brain moſt learnedly unfolds againſt M. John Biddle's moſt groſſe Doctrine of the Trinity; and as he ſayes to him, ſo ſay I to you, Deny this if you can.
As to the ſecond, I will prove the Scriptures to be Gods word, which is that which declares the minde of God to man, as amongſt men our words convey one mans minde to another. It is written, Heb. 1.1, 2. God who at ſundry times,1 Joh 5.7 Heb. 1.1, 2. in divers manners ſpake in time paſt unto the Fathers by the Prophets, hath in theſe laſt times ſpoken unto us by his Sonne.
Again, When the Elohims had ſpake each to other, ſaying, Let us make man, &c. Here note by the way, that becauſe the Elohims thus ſpake each to other, the Trinity cannot be as ſome dream, that is, Diſtinctions and Relations onely, but really Exiſtencies in the Eſſence of Jehovah; for Diſtinctions and Relations are ſuch as cannot ſpeak.
Man being thus made, God conveys his minde to mans minde by his word, and ſaid unto them, Be fruitful and multiply: likewiſe he ſaid,Gen. 1.1, 26, 28, 29 Gen. 2.16 Gen. 3.9. Gen. 4.4., 6, 9, 15. Gen. 6.13. Behold I have given you every Herb, &c. Likewiſe Gen. 2.16. Jehovah Elohim commanded the man, ſaying, &c. Likewiſe after the fall, Jehovah Elohim called to Adam, and ſaid unto him, &c. Likewiſe he conveyed his minde to Cains minde, three times by his word. Likewiſe Elohim ſaid to Noah, The end of all fleſh is come before me. So alſo he conveyed his minde to Noah, and to his Sons with96 him,Gen. 9.8. Gen. 13.13, 14. Gen. 12.1. ? Numb. 15.30. ſaying, &c. And ſo to Abraham; Are not theſe words which theſe Scriptures ſpeak, Gods own words? by which he conveyed his minde, to the minde of theſe men; but I pray you hearken what God ſpeaks to all ſuch as you are. The ſoul that doth, ought preſumptuouſly, whether he be born in the Land, or a ſtranger, the ſame reproacheth Jehovah; and do not you reproach Jehovah, when you deny theſe and other Scriptures to be his word. Yet he further ſaith, That ſoul ſhall be cut off from amidſt his people, I but mark the reaſon and ground, becauſe he hath deſpiſed the word of Jehovah, and hath broken his Commandement: Here note that God concludes his word, and his Commandements to be one and the ſame thing, and concludes, That ſoul ſhall be utterly cut off, his iniquity ſhall be upon him,Exo. 9.20. that is, it ſhall never be forgiven him, except God in mercy grant repentance: the truth is, you are worſe than the Heathen; for they beleeved the word ſpoken unto them by Moſes, to be the word of Jehovah. He that feared the word of Iehovah,Exo. 2.23. among the Servants of Pharaoh, made his Servants and his Cattel flee into the Houſes: Likewiſe he conveyed his minde by his word, to the minde of the Iſraelites; for to them he ſpake all theſe words, ſaying I am Iehovah thy Elohims,Deut 4.2. which have brought thee out of the Land of Egypt, out of the houſe of bondage, thou ſhalt have no other Elohims before me.
Moreover, he ſaith, Ye ſhall not adde unto the word which I command you, neither ſhall ye diminiſh ought from it. Here take notice of this, That this Scripture God ownes to be his word; therefore admits of no addition, or diminution; then it is certain, it is the ſpirit of the Devil in you. I do not ſay, doth adde or diminiſh,97 but that which is much worſe; for you endevour utterly to diſſolve the Scriptures.
Again, The Apoſtle Peter affirms two concluſions of the old Teſtament:
Firſt, That the then written Scripture in his dayes, (namely, the old Teſtament) was to the Churches of Chriſt, a more ſure word of Prophecie, than that excellent ſpeech that came from Heaven to Jeſus Chriſt upon the Mount, becauſe that was a private and peculiar reſpect to him alone: He renders this reaſon why; Knowing this firſt, ſaith he, that no Prophecie of Scripture is of any private interpretation, as all your quaking Doctrines are, being bottomed upon your light within, which neither you nor any man elſe knowes what it is.
Secondly,2 Pet. 1.17, 18, 19, 20. Your Doctrines are of a private interpretation, becauſe they are not owned by the publick Oracles of Gods word, neither do you own them to be his word.
The Apoſtles ſecond concluſion to the Churches (as to the old Teſtament) is, you do well that ye take heed, as to a light that ſhineth in a dark place, until the day-dawn, and the day-Starre ariſe in your hearts; and in the 21. Verſe, he renders a reaſon thereof; for (ſaith he) the Prophecie came not in old time by the will of man, as your quaking Doctrines do; but holy men of God ſpake as they were moved by the holy Ghoſt.
Now the reaſon why the ſhining of the old Teſtament was in a dark place, is becauſe it was under types and ſhadows, and Prophecies, as to them that had not beleeved the Goſpel, though then unveiled, and by the dawning of the day, and the day-ſtarre, ariſing in98 their hearts, is meant the preaching of the Goſpel without that veile ſo beleeving in Chriſt, more clearly manifeſted to their mindes by his ſpirit, that was the day-ſtarre, which was to ariſe in their hearts.
Again, Our Lord Jeſus Chriſt himſelf proves the Scriptures to be the word of God:Mark 7.8, 13. when he had charged them that they had laid aſide the Commandements of God, as do you more directly then ever they did: then in the 13. Verſe he affirms, that Commandement written in the Scriptures to be the word of God. Likewiſe he affirms the Goſpel preached to be the word of God;Luk. 8.11 for, ſaith he, (expounding the parable) the Seed is the word of God, and it appeares alſo to be the word of God preached, Verſ. 18. ſaying, Take heed how you hear. And from this ground I told you, that a wiſer man than you did affirm the Scriptures to be the word of God, that is, the Lord Jeſus Chriſt.
Likewiſe he ſaith unto them,Joh. 10.34, 35. It is written in your Law, I ſaid ye are Gods; if ye call them Gods, to whom the word of God came, and the Scripture cannot be diſſolved. Here our Lord alſo affirms the word of God to be the Scripture. And in John 17.8. Our Lord to his Father concerning his Apoſtles, ſaith, I have given them thy words which thou gaveſt me, and they have received them, and have known ſurely that I came out from thee, and they have beleeved that thou diddeſt ſend me. Obſerve here, that Gods word which the Father gave to Chriſt, & Chriſt to his Apoſtles, and they beleeving thoſe words, preached them to the World, the ſubſtance whereof is in their Goſpels and Epiſtles, and the Scriptures is unto us theſe words of God, and the ground of our Faith.
But you endevour to diſſolve this ground, and to99 lay a foundation of your own making, a thing that you call a light within, and tell us, that that is Gods word, and that there is none other but that; and you call this thing the everlaſting word of God, and your Chriſt and your ſpiritual King Jeſus, and this lye is the ground of your Faith. But our Lord Jeſus Chriſt in the houre of his Temptation, kept his minde cloſe to the word of God, in the Scriptures that were written by Moſes, to repel the Tempter and his temptations, ſaying to the Devil, It is written, that man ſhall not live by bread alone, but by every word of God; that is, his minde ſhall live by beleeving the Scriptures, as his body does by bread; as in Verſ. 8. Deur. 6.16. Chap. 10.Get thee behinde me Satan, for it is written, thou ſhalt worſhip the Lord thy God, and him onely ſhalt thou ſerve; and this word was then written. And here our Lord applies thoſe Scriptures to the Devils, that were ſpoken to the Iſraelites, they being his Creatures as well as man. Thus the word of God in the Scriptures, was the ground of Chriſts Faith, and ſo are to all that are his; that is, that are truly godly: therefore becauſe you deny the Scriptures to be Gods word, and alſo the ſacred Trinity, conſequently you deny God himſelf; for it is proved, that Jehovah is in the Elohims, and the Elohims in Jehovah: wherefore I told you, becauſe you deny principles, you ought to be ſerved, as they ſerve ſuch in the Schools, that is, they kick them out, and ſo ought you to be kicked out of the School of Chriſt, and the company of all Gods people; yet nevertheleſs, I did then grant, that the Scriptures as a humane expreſſion, as printed in Inck and paper, was not the word of God; for that may be burnt in the fire, as the King did the Roll; yet that which was expreſs'd to the King in that Roll,Jer. 26.29, 30. was100 the word of God, and God made it good upon him, and ſo he will make good his word upon you, and your Companions, though you endevour to diſſolve that word, as did that King, that all men muſt ground upon a lye, and nothing elſe; for you deny the increate word of God, the ſecond Elohim in Trinity,Joh. 1.1. Who in the beginning was the word, and the word was with God, and the word was God.
And ſecondly, You deny the Scriptures to be the word of God, and ſo you leave the World no word of God, but the light forſooth that is within you: ſo much for your ſecond point.
Thirdly, you affirm, There is no word of God, but that light which is in man.
To this I need give no anſwer, having proved a twofold word of God; but becauſe you did affirm your light within to be the word of God, I deſired you to prove it; thereupon you alleaged the 1. of Iohn, and the 1. Verſ. In the beginning was the word, &c. To which I anſwered, That word which was with God, and was God, was the ſecond Elohim in Iehovah, or in the Trinity, and he did create all things; and without him was not any thing made that was made; but what I pray you did that light within you create, what were the things which it created and made? for the Lord Jeſus Chriſt himſelf, who is perſonally God-man, ſimply ſo, created nothing, that is, as he is Chriſt: yet you would have your light which you call Chriſt, to be a creator of you know not what. And becauſe I affirm, that the word that was with God, and was God, being the ſecond perſon in Trinity, this ſtirred up the light within you to deny the Trinity: therefore I conclude, that the light in you is darkneſs. Yet nevertheleſſe,101 I do grant that the Lord Jeſus Chriſt as perſonally God-man: the ſecond Adam after the fall of the World by the firſt Adam, immediately did, as the faithful and true witneſs of God, againſt the Apoſtate-Angels lies,Rev. 3.14. as it were put a new Creation upon the works which God had made, by virtue of his imputative righteouſneſs interpoſing the imputative unrighteouſneſs of Adam, put the whole Creation in a travell until now, from that bondage of corruption,Rom. 8. to which it fell, to be partakers of the glorious liberty of the Sons of God: And this firſt Chapter of Iohn ſpeaks to both, that is, what he did, as he is the ſecond Elohim in Iehovah; and alſo to what he did, as he was perſonally God-man, Jeſus Chriſt. But what is all this to your Idoll light within, which is your ſpiritual King Jeſus and your Chriſt; I, and the ſame light which is in God himſelf: I pray you let me ask you this queſtion, is not this to reproach Ichovah? for you alſo attribute Creation to your light within: ſo much to the third point.
Fourthly, You affirm in your Book pag. 16. That that light in man is, as the light is, in God himſelf, in whom is no darkneſs at all.
I anſwer, This word light is a metaphor allluding to the light of this inferior Elementary World, which light is not ſuitable to the reaſonable ſoul of man, nor ſpirits, as Angels, but to the eye of fleſh, as to man and beaſt, yet no man certainly knowes what it is, but in probability, whether it be a quality, a ſubſtance, or a ſpirit: therefore for its excellency, the eſſence or nature of Iehovah is compared unto it; the words are theſe, God is light,1 Tim. 6.16. 1 Joh. 1.5. in whom is no darkneſs at all, who onely hath immortality, dwelling in the light, which102 no man can approach unto, which no man hath ſeeen, nor can ſee, to whom be honour and power everlaſting, Amen.
Yet in your Book pag. 15. you affirm, that this light which in the Text is the infinite Eſſence of God, is the living and quickning, holy, or tender part of man, the everlaſting word of God, by whom all things were made. But herein you fall juſt with the Familiſts, that the Eſſence of God is the tender part of man; but as to thoſe your elder Brethren in evill, I have anſwered this point formerly, in this very Treatiſe, Pag. 19.27. And alſo in my ſecond Treatiſe, from pag. 104. to 108. Nevertheleſs, I will ſay ſomething of this point to you alſo. And firſt I grant, that this increate light, the Eſſence of Jehovah, our Elohims is in all men, and in all things; but not in your ſenſe, as to be any part of the nature of man, or of any thing elſe; for it is in him, that we and all things elſe do live, and move, and have our being; for as nothing is able to include him, ſo is it impoſſible, that he ſhould be excluded by any thing.
But I pray you here take notice, That although the ſacred Eſſence of God be within and without all men, yet this no way conduces to the happineſs of man, as you ignorantly affirm in ſeveral places of your Book, and in pag. 19. it is affirmed to be the very principle of all true Religion: I pray you, is it ſuch a principle to the Devills, and all damned Creatures? for their being, life, and motion is in him. He that is being it ſelf, is the bottom of the being of all created nature, and ſo it is of good and bad men, to continue them to be happy, or to be tormented to eternity, otherwiſe they would all fall to nothing by an annihilation. But God for his final ends ſake, will ſo continue them for103 ever: now what that final end is, I refer you to my ſecond Treatiſe: and thus for his final ends ſake, he upholds the Earth, which hangs by nothing, as ſaith the Text, that is, by no created thing; and the Text ſaith, He ſitteth upon the Circle of the Earth; and the truth is, his infinite Eſſence is not only in and thorough all created Natures and Worlds; but alſo his intrinſicall glory extends far beyond them all, and he is where they are not, nor any created thing ever were; for in his intrinſical glory, they all adde nothing unto him, who is Jehovah our Elohims, our own Jehovah; and is this that which you call the tender part of man? and ſo his happineſs, as you childiſhly affirm, not knowing what you ſay.
Again, I anſwer and grant, It is a great happineſs unto a godly mind, to know and poſſeſs this infinite light, which is both within, and without us, as he is pleaſed to ſtoop to our capacities, as appeares Joh. 1.1. ſpeaking of the Lord Jeſus Chriſt, perſonally Godman, he ſaith, That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have ſeen, which wee have looked upon, and our hands have handled of the word of life. Here note, that John had heard, and ſeen Chriſt looking upon him, and handled Chriſt by being in his Company. But your Idoll Chriſt, your light, your everlaſting word, that ſame tender part of man, was never viſible, but inviſible; for you ſay it is within, ſo that you, nor any man elſe can ſay what it is, except a whimſey.
But in the ſecond verſe Iohn complains himſelf further, ſaying, the life was manifeſted, we have ſeen it, and beare witneſs, ad ſhew unto you that eternal life which was with the Father, and was manifeſted to us;104 and Verſ. 3. That which we have ſeen and heard, declare we unto you, that ye alſo may have fellowſhip with us; and truly our fellowſhip is with the Father, and with his Sonne Jeſus Chriſt. And theſe things write we unto you, that your joy may be full. And Verſ. 5. concludes, This then is the meſſage which we have heard of him, that is, of Chriſt, and declare unto you, namely, That God is light, in whom is no darkneſs at all. Thus it is a great happineſs to a godly minde, to know the infinite God, as he hath manifeſted himſelf by Jeſus Chriſt; for Iohn writ theſe things to the faithful, that their joy might be full.
Again, Take ſpecial notice of this, that it is one thing that the infinite Eſſence of Jehovah thus poſſeſſes man, and all things elſe, as is foreſhewn; and another thing for man to poſſeſs him, as to his happineſs; for ſo man onely poſſeſſes God by his rules, which he hath made ſuitable to mans underſtanding, and will ſo to move or work, to enjoy him as a reaſonable Creature, and this is to walk in the light, and his light to be in us,Pſal. 119.106.130 as ſaith the Text. The entrance of thy word giveth light, it giveth underſtanding to the ſimple, thy word is a Lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path; and this is implyed by Iohn in 1 John 6.7. If we ſay we have fellowſhip with him, and walk in darkneſs, we lye and do not the truth; and if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowſhip one with another, and the blood of Ieſus Chriſt his Sonne cleanſeth us from all ſin. 2 Joh. 3.Hereby we know that we know him, if we keep his Commandements; but I am ſure you know him not, but deny his Commandements to be his word, and refuſe to walk by his rules: you will have his Eſſence as a tender part of you, and thats your105 word, and thats your rule; but what ſaith the next Verſe, He that ſaith, he knoweth him, and keepeth not his Commandements, is a lyar, and the truth is not in him. And in the next Verſe, he calls Gods Commandements his word; Whoſoever keepeth his word, in him verily is the love of God perfected; and hereby we know, ſaith St. John, We know that we are in him: therefore becauſe you do not keep his word, we know that you are not in him; for all your ſwelling words of vanity in your 4th page; for when you had ſpoken of your ſingle ſol'd, your ſingle-hearted Shoomaker. I ſtand ready (ſay you) to hear and obey all things that the lively voyce of God (which is your light within) ſpeaking in my ſoule ſhall require of me, as page 5. you quote one John Jackſon for a tall Cedar in the profeſſion of Religion; but you vaunt your ſelf a taller man of your hands, than any ſpeaks with tongue, Page 19. for, ſay you, I lay down this as a poſitive poſition, which through the ſtrength of God, viz. your lying light within, I ſhall not onely be able by letter or witneſs without me, viz. the Scripture or declaration of the word of God, or your lying light within, clearly to maintain againſt the ableſt man whatſoever, that ſpeaks with a tongue, that can or ſhall oppoſe it, &c. yet nevertheleſs, here is a poor Idiot, whom Jehovah hath taught in his Law, is able to encounter you, and your Companions, and alſo your Emiſſaries, whom you ſend out to preach your lying light in the Countries, and ſtile them the Miniſters of the everlaſting Goſpel: but of this light, namely, the true light, I will give you a definition what light is, from the Apoſt: Eph. 5.13. whatſoever doth make manifeſt is light: this he layes down as a definitive rule,106 what Light is, as to us men: yet note this, he doth not define Light in its nature, but as it is in its effects to us, ſo he defines it, whatſoever doth make manifeſt that is Light, God doth manifeſt himſelf to us in foure things, every of which, to us is Light.
The firſt is the Fabrick of the Creation in all its parts,Rom. 1.19, 20. man himſelf the chief, the Text ſaith, That which may be known of God is manifeſt in them, that is, the Creatures, for God had ſhewed it to them: for the inviſible things of him, from the Creation of the World, are clearly ſeen, being underſtood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and God-head. Hence the Pſalmiſt ſaith, O Jehovah, how wonderful are thy works,Pſal. 104. v. 24. Pſal. 107. v. 43. in wiſdom haſt thou made them all, the Earth is full of thy righteouſneſs; who ſo is wiſe, and will obſerve thoſe things, even they ſhall underſtand the loving kindneſs of the Lord: therefore this manifeſtation was light to theſe godly men.
A ſecond manifeſtation of God to lead men to know the inviſible God, is his Word written in the Scriptures, which as formerly is proved, giveth light to the ſimple, being a Lamp unto their ſteps, and a light unto their paths; and this is the ſecond light.
But thirdly, That which doth moſt of all manifeſt, and is therefore Light, is the Spirit of God, being the third Elohim in Jehovah, that is, even the ſpirit of truth;Joh. 14.17. Joh. 16.13. Joh. 17.17. And when the ſpirit of truth is come, he will guide you into all truth: Sanctifie them through thy truth, thy word is truth, that is, the Spirit of God enlightens the minde to love, and obey God in his Word of truth; according to the deſire of David, Open thou my underſtanding, that I may ſee the wonders of thy Law; and in another place, Teach me, and lead me in thy truth. And the107 Apoſtle ſpeaking of right beleevers, ſaith,Rom. 8.26. The Spirit helpeth our infirmities; for we knew not what we ſhould pray for as we ought; but the Spirit it ſelf maketh interceſſion for us with ſighes and groans, that cannot be expreſſed, that is, the third Elohim, diſcovering to us by the Word of God, ſome depth of our imperfections to any thing that is right in Gods ſight, from thence ariſe ſighes and grones that cannot be expreſt; and not that the third Elohim himſelf doth ſigh and groan, but becauſe his ſilent and ſecret efficiency doth frame a ſanctified minde to this bleſſed diſpoſition, therefore it is attributed to him, and not to us: ſo it is attributed to him, to make interceſſion for us; not that he doth actually make interceſſion for us, not that he doth actually make interceſſion himſelf, but becauſe he teacheth us how to pray aright, according to Gods Word; for ſaith the Text,2. Cor. 2.10. God hath revealed this to us by his Spirit, for the Spirit ſearcheth all things, yea the deep things of God: therefore this manifeſtation is the moſt neer and cleareſt light to the minde of man, and therefore Light: for ſaith the definition, Whatſoever doth manifeſt, that is light.
Fourthly, There is in all men a light within, but not in your ſenſe: for although in Adams fall we were all totally darkneſs it ſelf, yet I ſay there is a light which enlighteneth every man which commeth into the World, which is the Spirit of God the third Elohim, and he doth write the effect of the Law of God in the hearts of all men, from whence they do by nature the things contained in the Law, which (as ſaith the Text) ſhew the effect of the Law written in their hearts, and it was written to this end, that from this Light within, ſuitable to that Light without Gods Word, namely, the108 Scriptures, they might come to Chriſt, that he might give them life: or on the contrary, if then by cuſtom in ſin extinguiſh this light within, this will leave them in their own Conſciences without excuſe, as is at large amplified in all my three Treatiſes: but your light within you is a lye, and you have extinguiſhed that good light which was written within you. And you are become dead in ſins and treſpaſſes to come to Chriſt, for you deny him, and ſay the light in you is Chriſt, and you deny the Scriptures to be Gods word: you alſo deny the Trinity, and conſequently you deny God himſelf: and therefore (as our Saviour ſaith) If the light that is in thee be darkneſsMat. 6.23 how great is that darkneſs?
And now I come to the fifth general point, which is you affirm the Scriptures, are true as a witneſs-bearer, or declarer of that light in man, which you call Chriſt: in anſwer to which, I deny that the Scriptures are a witneſs-bearer to your light within, which is your Idoll, ſtiled by the ſeveral names aforeſaid: for if it ſhould beare witneſs to your foolery, it ſhould witneſs it ſelf to be no word of God, and alſo that the Lord Jeſus perſonally God-man, bleſſed for ever more, is not the Son of God, and ſo it ſhould contradict what it ſelf affirms: Alſo it ſhould deny what it ſelf affirms, that is, that Jehovah our Elohims is one Iehovah, as doth your light within, which Myſtery of Iniquity, you varniſh over with the words of the Scriptures, in an injurious and uncouth ſenſe, as do our Gipſeys and Canting-beggars, who leave their native language, as do you the native ſenſe of the Scriptures, and onely uſe the termes; and you had need put glorious titles upon it, and when you have done all, it is nothing elſe but a painted Sepulchre, and nothing109 but ſtench and rottenneſs, wherefore you gild it over with your ſufferings and impriſonments, writing your ſelves perſecuted Saints: truly, if you and your Companions be Saints, you are of the Pope or the Devils canonizing; for I am ſure that God never owned any man to be holy, that ever denyed the holy Scriptures to be his word, or that denyed the ſecond Elohim to aſſume humane nature, and ſo became perſonally God-man, and to be his ſeventh meanes, as is proved in my ſecond Treatiſe; or that ever denyed the Trinity, which is to deny God himſelf, Jehovah our Elohim to be one Jehovah.
And if the Lord Jeſus Chriſt commanded Peter, who was a Saint, get thee behinde me Satan, in reference to the temptation, which Peter unawares tempted him unto, then much more will he judge you to be the Children of the Devil, whoſe works ye will do, as did your Father the Devil, when he alleaged the Scriptures to Chriſt, tempting him to throw himſelf off from the Temple, that he might deſtroy himſelf: ſo you bring in the Scriptures a witneſs-bearer to the lying light within you, but it is to deſtroy, and diſſolve the Scriptures from being Gods word, to make that good, that there is no ſure word of God, but that lying light of yours within you: for you deny the ſecond perſon in Trinity, to be the increate word mentioned in 1 John 1. and the Scriptures to be Gods word: alſo you deny the Trinity, conſequently you deny Jehovah our Elohims to be one Jehovah: conſequently you leave no God at all, but your light within, which you call by the name of God, in divers places of your Book.
110Laſtly you affirm, That Gods Word the Light in man, was long before the Scriptures; but having ſo largely proved this Word of God within you, to be no more nor leſſe then a lye, this laſt point of yours needs no anſwer at all: nevertheleſs, I grant your Word of God to be long before the Scriptures were, For your Father the Devil was a lyer from the beginning: and it was long after the Devil was firſt a lyer,Joh. 8.44. that Moſes began the Scriptures: and your quotations of Scripture in the margent of your Book are numerous, and all is but to guild over your Idol, Light within, and although you give us number, yet you give us no weight of truth; even as you give us antiquity, but no verity.
And although you undervalue the Antiquity of the Scriptures, yet it declares a truth unto us, more ancient then you or your Fathers lies, that is, what the Elohims ſpeak each to other, and ſaid, Let us make man in our Image. Alſo it tells what God ſaid to man, having made him, the Elohims ſaid unto him, Be fruitful and multiply: and the Elohims ſaid, Behold I have given unto you every Tree bearing ſeed,Gen. 1.26, 27, 28, 29. Gen. 2.16 &c. Jehovah Elohim commanded the man, ſaying, Of every Tree of the Garden, &c. Alſo the Scriptures tell us of divers things, long before themſelves were written, That the Word of God after the fall was manifeſted to Adam and his Wife:Gen. 3.8, 9. and alſo that Jehovah manifeſted himſelf to Cain, by his Word three times: and alſo that the Word of Jehovah came to Noah,Gen. 4.6.9, 13. and ſo to Abraham and others: I would ask you this Queſtion, Can your Light within tell you any of all this, if the Scriptures had not told it firſt? and yet you would fain make us beleeve that, that Light is the onely word of God and Scripture, and that is the reaſon you endevour ſo much to diſſolve111 our Scriptures; but in all this, you do but waſh the Blackamore, and make a night-cap for the Moon: for that which our Lord Jeſus Chriſt ſaith, ſhall ſtand firm, Heaven and Earth ſhall paſſe away, but my word ſhall not paſſe away. And as he ſaith in the forecited Text,Luk. 24.33. and the Scriptures cannot be diſſolved: And for all your Light within, which you call your God, and unbeleeve the Scriptures, yet God will make his Word good upon you, and all your Companions, He that beleeveth ſhall be ſaved, He that beleeveth not ſhall be damned. Mar. 16.16.And truly, whereas you put this title upon your Book, The Reſurrection of John Lilburn, you ſhould rather have put it thus, The perverting of John Lilburn, in order to his deſtruction, if God in mercy prevent it not.
Again, I met with one of your elder Brethren in evil, a Familiſt, and he objected unto me againſt the Scriptures, becauſe to King Iames, learned Broughton made it appear, that many places in the Scripture were falſly tranſlated, not agreeable to the original Copy; therefore the Scriptures to us was altogether uncertain; thus he ſaid, although he did know, that King (by the godly learned) mended thoſe defects, and cauſed the Bible to be new printed, and it is judged to be the beſt Tranſlation that is extant; but his end in all this is the ſame as is yours, to have us beleeve that that Light within to be the only true Scriptures, which you call the tender part of man: but he then further objected, that the Scriptures are altogether uncertain to us; for who knowes that original Copy that Broughton alleages, were that of the Apoſtles, for ſince their time, they have paſt through many corrupt hands, generation after generation.
I anſwer, So did the old Teſtament in Moſes dayes,112 for many hundreds of years Generation after Generation paſt thorough corrupt hands; for the Iſraelites themſelves ſometimes fell to Idolatry, ſometimes in their Captivity ſcattered among the Heathens, yet the Apoſtles took it for granted, the original Copies of Moſes and the Prophets were ſo ſound, as to be a ground of truth to the Churches; for to them he ſaith, Whatſoever things were written before time, were written for our learning,Rom. 15.4. that we through patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope. And our Lord Jeſus Chriſt, he took it for granted alſo; for he makes uſe of the Scriptures,Luk. 4. that were written by Moſes, and ſo through patience and comfort of the Scriptures, repelled the Tempter and his temptations.
If ye demand of me what I mean by the internal or intrinſical glory of Jehovah. 198
I mean his unmeaſurable,Anſw. or infinite Eſſence, or his eſſential glory in the internal relations of the Elohims Father, Word and holy Ghoſt, and theſe three are one, ſaith St. John. And to this internal eſſential glory, no created nature can approach, nor comprehend what it is: therefore not the glorified humane body of the Lord Jeſus Chriſt; now glorified in Heaven, although in perſonal Union with the ſecond Elohim; much leſſe the glorified Saints. And this eſſential glory in Jehovah, is not more glorious in any place or thing in one than another; but is as glorious in himſelf, and to himſelf, beyond all Worlds, where no created things are.
If ye object, That Heaven is his Throne, and his higheſt glory, wherein is the Lord Jeſus Chriſt, and glorified Saints and Angels.
Anſw. All this is true, if it be rightly underſtood,113 that all this is but his external glory, reſulting from his Creatures, in relation to his final end; for which he made all things in order to glorifie himſelf in the Veſſels of honour or diſhonour, to eternity, as at large is proved in my ſecond Treatiſe: but all this no way adds to his internal divine glory; for infinite as ſuch admits of no addition nor diminution: therefore your dreames, and your Brethren the Familiſts, that the Eſſence of God is the tender part of man, as ſay you; the ſame light that is in God and his Eſſence, as ſay they, that all ſhall return into his Eſſence, and no individuals to be damned, or ſaved to eternity, both theſe from hence appeares to be a moſt blaſphemous whimſey.
And for concluſion, take this obſervation, that you Quakers, and your elder Brethren in evil the Familiſts, are not onely Atheiſts, becauſe your Tenents lead to beleeve there is no God; for you deny Jehovah our Elohims to be one Jehovah, but alſo do deny mans reaſonable ſoul, as animating his body, ſince you fanſie a thing in man, which you call your God, your Chriſt, as before is proved: wherefore from your Tenents, one asked this Queſtion, If you incloſe a living man in a Veſſel, that the Aire cannot enter, and opening it, finde him dead, then tell me what you can ſee therein, more than his dead Corps; what then is the reaſonable ſoul in man you ſo much talk of?
To this man I anſwer, If the reaſonable ſoul be there together with his Corps, you cannot ſee it: therefore you know not whether it be there or no; for your eyes ſee not the Wind, nor Aire, nor the Angels good or bad, nor God himſelf, although he be ſo neer to us, as is proved: and the reaſon of all this is, that your114 eye, or the eye of any man elſe, cannot ſee any thing, but that which is of ſome Colour, for Colours are the proper object of our ſight: therefore becauſe the Wind, the Aire, mans Soul, Angels good or bad, and Gods Eſſence being all without colour, your eye cannot diſcern them, for they are inviſible to it: will you therefore conclude, there is no Wind, no Aire, no reaſonable Soul, no Angels good or bad, nor no God, you may as well infer, you have no Face; for you never ſaw it, but by a Glaſſe, or ſome ſuch help.
PAg. 13. Line 24. read and, p. 14. l. the laſt, adde the word not, p. 16. l. 29. for the word gift, r. gilt, p. 18. l. 15. adde the word for, p. 30. l. 13. leave out the word as, p. 56. l. 13. for left, r. felt, p. 46. l. 2. add the word man, p. 103. l. 30. for complains, r. explains, p. 108. l. 2. for then, r. they.
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Created by converting TCP files to TEI P5 using tcp2tei.xsl, TEI @ Oxford.
EEBO-TCP is a partnership between the Universities of Michigan and Oxford and the publisher ProQuest to create accurately transcribed and encoded texts based on the image sets published by ProQuest via their Early English Books Online (EEBO) database (http://eebo.chadwyck.com). The general aim of EEBO-TCP is to encode one copy (usually the first edition) of every monographic English-language title published between 1473 and 1700 available in EEBO.
EEBO-TCP aimed to produce large quantities of textual data within the usual project restraints of time and funding, and therefore chose to create diplomatic transcriptions (as opposed to critical editions) with light-touch, mainly structural encoding based on the Text Encoding Initiative (http://www.tei-c.org).
The EEBO-TCP project was divided into two phases. The 25,363 texts created during Phase 1 of the project have been released into the public domain as of 1 January 2015. Anyone can now take and use these texts for their own purposes, but we respectfully request that due credit and attribution is given to their original source.
Users should be aware of the process of creating the TCP texts, and therefore of any assumptions that can be made about the data.
Text selection was based on the New Cambridge Bibliography of English Literature (NCBEL). If an author (or for an anonymous work, the title) appears in NCBEL, then their works are eligible for inclusion. Selection was intended to range over a wide variety of subject areas, to reflect the true nature of the print record of the period. In general, first editions of a works in English were prioritized, although there are a number of works in other languages, notably Latin and Welsh, included and sometimes a second or later edition of a work was chosen if there was a compelling reason to do so.
Image sets were sent to external keying companies for transcription and basic encoding. Quality assurance was then carried out by editorial teams in Oxford and Michigan. 5% (or 5 pages, whichever is the greater) of each text was proofread for accuracy and those which did not meet QA standards were returned to the keyers to be redone. After proofreading, the encoding was enhanced and/or corrected and characters marked as illegible were corrected where possible up to a limit of 100 instances per text. Any remaining illegibles were encoded as <gap>s. Understanding these processes should make clear that, while the overall quality of TCP data is very good, some errors will remain and some readable characters will be marked as illegible. Users should bear in mind that in all likelihood such instances will never have been looked at by a TCP editor.
The texts were encoded and linked to page images in accordance with level 4 of the TEI in Libraries guidelines.
Copies of the texts have been issued variously as SGML (TCP schema; ASCII text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable XML (TCP schema; characters represented either as UTF-8 Unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless XML (TEI P5, characters represented either as UTF-8 Unicode or TEI g elements).
Keying and markup guidelines are available at the Text Creation Partnership web site.
This keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the Early English Books Online Text Creation Partnership. Searching, reading, printing, or downloading EEBO-TCP texts is reserved for the authorized users of these project partner institutions. Permission must be granted for subsequent distribution, in print or electronically, of this EEBO-TCP Phase II text, in whole or in part.