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AS some doe lose the use of their native tongue by long travelling in farre coun∣tries: so mindes too much ac∣customed to the Logician Dia∣lect,
without which there can bee no commerce with arts and sciences, oft-times forget the character of ordinarie speech, in matters of civill and com∣mon use.
In arts or sciences, divisions should be either formall, by di∣rect predicam••ntall line, as that, [Of creatures indued with sense, some have reason, some are reasonlesse:] or at least so exact, that the severall members of the division should exhaust the whole, or integrum divided. As if a Geographer should say, [Of the inhabitants of the earth, some are seat••d on this side the Li••e, others beyond it, or just under it;] this division were good: but
very imperfect if he should say, [Some are seated betweene the Tropick of Cancer and the Artick circle; others betwixt the Tropick of Capricorn and the circle Antar∣tick: for a great many are com∣modiously seated betwixt the Tropicks, (as experience hath taught later ages to reforme the errour of the Ancient:) and some likewise betwixt the Po∣lar circles and the Poles.
But in matters arbitrarie and contingent (as matters of com∣mon use for the most part are) to exact alike formall or accu∣rate divisions, is ridiculous; especially when as well the members of the division as the divident it selfe, are termes in∣definite.
As if a man should say of men, [Some are extraordinari∣ly good, some extraordinarily bad;] or of Academicks, [Some are extraordinarily acute, some are ex∣traordinarily dull;] though eve∣ry one will grant the division to bee indefinitely true, yet no man almost would acknow∣ledge himselfe to be contained under either member; as the most part of men are not in∣deed. Or if one should say, Eve∣ry Prince sheweth extraordinary f••vour to some of his subjects, and some he maketh examples of seve∣ritie; who could hence gather, that no part or not the greatest part were left to the ordinarie course of justice, or to the pri∣vileges
common to all free de∣nizons? Now wee are here to remember what was pr••mised in the entrie into this treatise; That albeit Gods will be most im∣mutable, yet is it immutably free, more free by much than the changeable will of man. So are the objects of this his free will more arbitrarie, than the de∣signes of Princes. The objects of his will in this our present ar∣gument, are mercie and indura∣tion: and these he awards to di∣vers persons; or to the same persons, at divers times, accor∣ding to a different measure. Whence, if wee take these termes, in that extraordinary measure which is included in
this division, the most part of men, with whom we shall usu∣ally have to deale, doe not fall within either member. The pro∣per, perhaps the only subject of this division in Moses time, were the Israelites and Egypti∣ans: in our Apostles time, the cast-away Iewes, and such of the Gentiles as were forthwith to bee ingraffed in their stead. If we take mercie and induration in a lesser measure, according to their lower degrees or first dis∣positions, scarce any man li∣ving of riper yeares but hath de∣volved from the one part of this division unto the other, oftner than hee hath eaten, dranke, or slept. Christs Disciples (saith 〈2 pages duplicate〉〈2 pages duplicate〉
Saint Mark, chap. 6. v. 52.) Con∣••idered not the miracle of the loaves, because their hearts were hardned; yet shortly after to bee mollified, that Gods mercie and Christs miracles might finde more easie entrance into them. Our habituall temper is for the most part mutable: how much more our actuall desires or ope∣rations? And whatsoever is mutably good or mutably evill in respect of its acts and opera∣tions, (which are sometimes de bono, sometimes de malo objecto) hath its alternate motions from Gods decree of hardning, towards his decree of shewing mercie, and è contra.
passage of Scripture will never sound well for the setling of the affections and consciences of such as be Novices in faith, un∣till they be taught to runne this division upon the same string: Hast thou beene enlightned and tasted of the heavenly gift, beene made partaker of the Holy Spirit? Thy sinne is great, and thou art sound a despiser of the riches of his bountie, unlesse thou em∣brace these illuminations (not∣withstanding thy inbred cor∣ruptions daily increase upon thee) as undoubted pledges of his favour, and assured testi∣monies of his good purpose to make thee heire of eternall life. Worthy thou art to bee num∣bred
among those perverse and wayward Jewes whom our Saviour compares to children playing in the market, if while those good motions and exul∣tations of spirit last, thou givest not more attentive care, than hee that danceth doth to him that pipeth or harpeth, unto that sweet voyce of our heaven∣ly Father encouraging thee in particular as hee did sometimes the host of Israel, Oh that there were such an heart in thee alwayes, that it might goe well with thee for ever.
But eschew these or the like inferences as cunning Sophismes of the great Tempter, that old and subtile Serpent, I thanke
God I have felt the good motions of the spirit, I perceive the pled∣ges of his good purpose toward mee: but his purpose is unchangeable. Therefore is my election sure e∣nough, I am a sealed vessell of mer∣cy, I cannot become a vessell of wrath. If such thoughts have at any time insinuated into thy heart, or be darted upon thee a∣gainst thy will; remember thy selfe in time, and thus repell them: If God harden whom hee will; if this will be immutably and eternally free; it is as free for him to harden mee as any other. And consider withall that albeit thou canst not make or prepare thy selfe to be a vessell of mercy: yet thy untimely presumption,
of it continue long, in the end will make thee, as in the begin∣ning it doth prepare thee, to be a vessell of wrath. This was the disease whereof the whole Na∣tion of the Iewes did perish.
Doest thou see thy brother, one baptized in the name of Christ, goe on stubbornly in his wicked courses? thou doest well to threaten him with the sentence of Death. Yet limit thy speeches by the Prophets rule, Ierem. 18. pronounce him not for all this an absolute reprobate or irrecoverable ves∣sell of wrath: give him not forthwith for dead; but rather use double diligence to prevent his death, and tell him, If God
shew mercy upon whom he will shew mercy, if this his will be eternal∣ly free: it is as free for him yet to shew mercy upon supposed Cast-awayes, and to harden uncharita∣ble and presumptuous Pharisees (for the present manifestation of his glory) as it was for him to re∣ject the Iewes and chuse the Gen∣tiles.
Perhaps the ingenuous and hitherto indifferent reader will here begin to distrust th••se last admonitions, and for their sakes, most of our former reso∣lutions, as prejudiciall to the doctrine concerning the cer∣tainty of salvation. But if it please him either to looke back ••nto some passages of the for∣mer
discourse, or to goe along with mee a little further; I shall acquaint him (though not with a surer foundation, yet) with a stronger frame or structure of his hopes, than hee shall ever attaine unto by following their rules, who I verily thinke were fully assured of their owne sal∣vation, but from other grounds than they have discovered to us.
Surer foundation can no man lay, than that whereon both parties doe build, to wit, the absolute immutability of Gods de∣cree or purpose. Now admitting our apprehension of his will or purpose to call, elect or save us, were infallible: yet hee that
from these foundations would reare up the edifice of his faith, after this hasty manner, [Gods purpose to call, elect and save mee, is immutable; Ergo, my present calling is effectuall, my election already ••ure, and my salvation most immuta••le,] becomes as vaine in his imaginations, as if hee expected that wals of loome, and rafters of reed co∣vered with ferne, should be able to keepe out Gun-shot, because seated upon an impregnable Rock.
For first, who can be longer ignorant of this truth, than it ••••••ll please him to consider it? That Gods purpose and will is most immutable in respect of
every object possible: that mu∣tabilitie it selfe, all the chan∣ges and chances of this mortall life, and the immutable state of immortality in the life to come, are alike immutably de∣creed by the eternall counsell of his immutable will. Now if mortalitie or mutabilitie have precedence of immortality in respect of the same persons by the immutable tenor of his irresistible decree: can it seem•• any paradox to say, [That or∣dinarily there should be in every one of us as true a possibility of living after the flesh, as of living after the spirit; before wee become so actually and compleatly spiri∣tuall, as utterly to mortifie all lusts
and co••cupiscences of the flesh?] Untill then our mortification be compleat and full, wee may not presume all possibilitie of living after the flesh to be final∣ly expired and utterly extinct in our soules. And whether this possibilitie can be in this life, altogether so little, or truly none, as shall be in the life to come, after our mortall hopes are ratified by the sentence of the almighty Judge, I cannot affirme, if any man perempto∣rily will deny it; nor will I con∣tend by way of peremptorie de∣niall, if it shall please any man upon probable reasons to affirme.
But if to such as finally perish,
no true or reall possibilitie of repentance during the whole course of this mortall life, be allotted by the everlasting irre∣sistible decree; in what true sense can God be said to allow them a time of repentance? How doth our Apostle say, that the bountifulnesse of God doth lead or draw them to repentance, if the doore of repentance be perpetually mured up against them by his irresistible will?
If in such as are saved, there never were from their birth or baptisme any true or reall pos∣sibility of running the wayes of death, not what sinnes soever they commit, the feare of Hell, or the declaration of Gods just
judgements (if at any time they truly feared them) is but a vaine imagination, or groundlesse fancie, without any true cause or reall occasion presented to them by the immutable decree. Or if by his providence, they be at any time brought to feare hell, or the sentence of everla∣sting death: ••et hath God used these but as bug-beares in res••ect of them, though truly terrible to others. And Bug-beares, when children grow once so wise as to discerne them from true terrors, doe serve their pa∣rents to very small purpose.
For mine owne part, albeit I feare not the state of absolute reprobation, yet so conscious
am I to mine owne infirmities, that I would not for all the hopes, or any joy, or any plea∣sure which this life can afford, abandon all use of the feare of hell, or torments of the life to come.
Upon this reall possibilitie of becomming vessels of wrath, doth our Apostle ground those admonitions, Hebr. 3. 12. 13. Take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evill heart of un∣beleefe, in departing from the li∣ving God: But exhort one another daily, while it is called to day, lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulnesse of sin. And againe, chapt. 4. verse 1. Let us there∣fore feare lest a promise being left
us of entring into his rest, any of you should seeme to come short of it. These and the like admonitions frequent in the Prophets and the Gospell, suppose the men whom they admonish to be as yet not absolutely reprobated, but in a mutable state; in a state subject to a mutable possibility of becomming vessels of wrath, or vessels of mercy; and by conse∣quence, not altogether uncapa∣ble of that height of impietie unto which onely the eternall and immutable decree hath al∣lotted absolute impossibility of repentance, or of salvation.
Upon the true and reall pos∣sibilitie of becomming vessels of mercy supposed to be awar∣ded
to all partakers of the word and Sacraments, doth Saint Peter ground that exhortation, Brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if yee doe these things, yee shall never fall. For so an entrance shall be ministred unto you abundantly into the everlasting kingdome of our Lord and Saviour Iesus Christ: 2 Peter, 1. 10, 11. The end of this exhortation was to bring his Auditors unto that full growth in grace and good workes in this life, unto which absolute impossibilitie of A∣postasie is as irresistibly assig∣ned, by the eternall immutable decree, as finall induration or impossibilitie of repentance is
unto the full measure of iniqui∣tie.
In what proportion these two contrarie possibilities may bee mixt in all or most men be∣fore they arrive at the point of absolute impossibilitie either of Apostasie or of repentance; wee leave it to every mans private conscience to guesse or examine gr••sso modo, and to infi∣nite and eternall wisdome ex∣actly and absolutely to deter∣mine. Unto whose examination wee likewise referre it, whether the impossibilitie of repentance bee absolute or equall in all that perish; or the impossibilitie of Apostasie be absolute and equall in all that are saved, at one time
or other before they depar•• hence: or whether the mutuall possibilities of becomming ••es∣sels of mercie or vessels of wrath•• may not, in some degree or o∣ther, continue their combina∣tion in some men untill the very last act or exercise of mortal•• life.
God alwayes speakes, (whe∣ther by his word preached or o∣therwise by his peculiar provi∣dence) as unto two: because every such man hath somewhat of the flesh, and somewhat of the spirit. For men as they ar•• the sonnes of Adam are carnall; and Gods words are all spiri∣tuall, and alwayes leave some print or touch behinde them,
••hereby the soule, in some de∣••ree or other, is presently hard∣••ed, or presently mollified; or •••• least disposed to mollifica∣••ion or induration. Continuall 〈◊〉〈◊〉 frequent calcitration against ••••e edge of this fierie sword ••••eeds a Callum or compleat ••ardnesse; or (as the Apostle ••peakes) it seares the conscience. But where it entereth, it causeth the heart to m••lt, and mak••s way for abundant mercie to ••ollow after.
Men as yet not com••e to ful∣••••sse either of iniquitie, or of ••••owth of faith, are but chi∣••ren in Christ: and God speaks 〈◊〉〈◊〉 his children, while they are children, as wise and loving
parents doe to theirs. Now if a kinde loving father should say to one of his sonnes, whom hee had often taken playing the wag, Thou shalt never have pen∣nie of what is mine; and to ano∣ther whom hee observed to fol∣low his booke or other good exercises well pleasing to him, Thou shalt bee mine heire: a man of discretion would not con∣strue his words (though affe∣ctionately uttered) in such a strict sense, as Lawyers would doe the like clauses of his last Will and Testament; but ra∣ther interpret his meaning thus; that both continuing in their contrary courses, the one should bee disinherited, and the other
made heire. Though God by an Angell or voice from hea∣ven should speak to one man •••• his devotions, Thou shalt bee ••••••ed; and to another at the ••••me time, Thou shalt be damned: his speeches to the one were to bee taken as a good encourage∣ment to goe forward in his service; his speeches to the o∣ther, as a faire warning to desist from evill: and not as rati∣fications of immutabilitie in either course, not as irrevoca∣ble sentences of salvation or d••mnation in respect of their individuall persons, but in respect of their present qualifi∣••••tions in whomsoever con∣stantly continued. Saul the Per∣secutor
was a reprobate, or ves∣sel of wrath: but Paul the Apo∣stle, a Saint of God, a chosen vessell. It is universally true; The seed of Abraham or Israel was Gods people: yet it is true, that the Jewes (though the seed of Abraham and sonnes of Israel) were not partakers of the pro∣mise made to Abraham. For they became those Idumaeans, thos•• Philistines, those Egyptians, a∣gainst whom Gods Prophets had so often threatned his judgements, whom they them∣selves had excluded from Gods temple. One principall cause of their miscarriage•• was their ignorance of the Propheticall•• language, whose threats or pro∣mises
are alwayes immediately terminated not to mens per∣sons, but to their qualifications. In their Dial••ct, only true Con∣fessors are true Iewes; every hy∣pocrite or back••slider is a Gentile, an Idumaean, a Philistine. None to whom God hath spoken by his Prophets, were by birth such obdurate Philistines, as had no possibilitie of becomming Israelites or true Confessors. The children of Is••ael were not by nature so undegenerate sonnes of Abraham as to be without all possibility of becomming Amo∣••ites.
The true scantling of our A∣postles up-shot, [Hee will have mercy upon whom hee will have 〈4 pages duplicate〉〈4 pages duplicate〉
mercie, and whom he will he hard∣neth,] rightly taken, reacheth exactly to these points follow∣ing, and no farther.
First, to admonish these Iewes by Gods judgements on Pha∣raoh, not to strive with their Ma∣ker, not to neglect the warnings of their peace, upon presumpti∣on that they were vessels of mercy by inheritance: seeing they coul•• not pretend any privilege abl•• to ex••mpt them from Gods g••∣nerall jurisdiction of hardni•••• whom he would, (as well of th•• Sonnes of Abraham, as of th•• AEgyptians,) of diverting tho•••• beames of glory which ha•• shined on them, upon some o∣ther nation.
It secondly reacheth to us Gentiles, and forewarns all and every one of us, by Gods feare∣full judgements upon these Iewes, not to tie the immutabi∣litie of Gods decree for Electi∣on unto any hereditarie, amia∣ble, nationall disposition; but to fasten one eye as stedfastly upon Gods severitie towards the Iew, as we doe the other up∣on the riches of his glorie and mer∣cie towards our selves. For if he spared not the naturall branches, let •••• take heed lest he also spare not ••••, who have beene hitherto the flower and bud of the Gentiles. Behold therefore the goodnesse and severitie of God: on them which fell, severitie; but towards thee,
goodnesse, if thou continue in ••u goodnesse: otherwise thou also shalt be cut off. And they also, if they bide not still in unbeleef••, shal•• bee graffed in: for God is able to graffe them in againe. The one aspect breed••th feare, the other bringeth forth hope: and in th•• right counterpoise of hope and feare consists that uprightnesse of minde and equabilitie of af∣fections, without which no man can direct his course ar••ght unto the Land of promise. This manifestation of Gods mercie to one people or other, after •• kinde of equivalent vicissitud•• perpetuated from the like revo∣lution of his severitie toward•• others, was the object of tha••
profoundly divine contempla∣••••on, out of which our Apostle awaking, as out of a pleasant sleepe, c••yes out, O the depth of the riches both of the wisdome and knowledge of God! how unsearch∣able are his judgements, and his wayes past finding out! Rom. 11. 33.
Hee that desires to have his heart filled with such a measure of joyfull admiration as will seeke a vent in these or the like unaffected serious exclamati∣ons, must feed his thoughts with contemplation of divine attributes; specially with those of infinite duration or eternitie, of infinite wisdome, of infinite good∣nesse and love to man. In all 〈2 pages duplicate〉〈2 pages duplicate〉
which I have adventured to tread a path for others to cor∣rect o•• follow upon triall; be∣ing assured of this, that withou•• the knowledge of these genera∣lities, nothing can be said to any purpose in the particulars thu•• farre prosecuted, or in the like to bee prosecuted more at large, when God shall grant leasure and opportunitie.
These present disquisition•• (though seeming curious, as th•• resolution•• is truly difficult) have a vulgar and immediate use; yet not so vulgarly plain•• or common to all, as profitabl•• to every particular Christia•• not fully perswaded in the cer∣tainty of his salvation.
The speciall aime of my in∣tentions in this argument is, first, to deterre my selfe and o∣thers from all evill wayes what∣soever; but specially from those peculiar and more dangerous sinnes, which make up the full measure of iniquitie with grea∣ter speed: Secondly, to encou∣rage mine owne soule and o∣thers with it, to accomplish those courses unto which the im∣mutabilitie or absolute certain∣tie of election it selfe (which must in order of nature and ••••me goe before our infallible apprehensions of it) is inevita∣bly predestinated by the eter∣nall and irresistible decree.
These exhortations are more
fit for popular sermons, than such points as hitherto have beene discussed: whose discus∣sion neverthelesse hath seemed unto me very expedient, as well for warranting the particular uses which I purpose (if God permit) to make out of the chapter following, as for giving such satisfaction to my best friends as God hath enabled me to give my selfe, concerning the Apostles intent and mea∣ning in this ninth chapter.
If what I have said shall hap∣pen to fall into any man•• hands, which hath a logicall head, and beares a friendly heart to truth (though otherwise no friend to mee:) yet I presume
hee will not bee so uncharitable towards mee, as to suspect I have intended these premises to inferre any such distastfull con∣clusions as these; That election should be ex fide aut operibus prae∣visis, for our faith or workes sakes; That any man should be more than meerly passive in his first conver∣sion; That the working of saving grace might be resisted; or lastly, That in man before his conversion, ther•• should bee any sparke of free will remaining, save onely to doe evill. Whosoever will grant me these two proposi••ions, [That the unregenerate man hath a true freedome in doing evill,] and [••he eternall Creator a freedome in do∣ing good:] I will engage my∣selfe
to give him full satisfacti∣on, that no difference betwixt Reformed Churches concerning Predestination or Reprobation, is more than verball, or hath any other foundation besides the ambiguitie of unexplicated termes. The errors on all sides grow onely from pardonable mistakings, not so much of truth it selfe•• as of her proper seat or place of resi∣dence.
The ••our••h generall part.
This divi∣sion i•• not formall, nor so ex∣act as is required in arts and sciences.
That ma∣ny men are not com∣prehended under ei∣ther mem∣ber of this division.
That one and the same man according to the di∣versitie of time or qualifica∣tion may be the true and pro∣per subject of both parts of this divi∣sion.
That this doctrine delivered is no way prejudici∣all to the certainty of salvation; but rather di••ects us how to make our election sure.