A learned and very useful commentary on the whole epistle to the Hebrews wherein every word and particle in the original is explained ... : being the substance of thirty years Wednesdayes lectures at Black-fryers, London / by that holy and learned divine Wiliam Gouge ... : before which is prefixed a narrative of his life and death : whereunto is added two alphabeticall tables ...

§. 135. Of Objections against the certainty of Saints Perseverance.

1. SOme object against the immutability of Election, as if the very Elect mig•…•… fall. Their Objections are of four sorts.

Object. 1. Christ threatneth to take away ones part out of the book •…•… life,

Answ. In Scripture a man is said to be written in the book of life: either i•…•… the judgement of certainty (as Revel. 21. 27.) or in the judgement of 〈◊〉〈◊〉 and that by reason of their profession. To take away the part of such 〈◊〉〈◊〉 of the book of life, is to manifest, that he never had any part therein.

Obj. 2. David maketh this imprecation, Let them be blotted out of the bo•…•…k of is living, Psal. 69. 28.

Answ. This imprecation was by divine inspiration made against Iudas, 〈◊〉〈◊〉 others like him, whose names are said to be written in the book of life by 〈◊〉〈◊〉 of their profession, only in the judgement of charity.

Obj. 3. Christ promiseth not to blot out of the book of life the name of him 〈◊〉〈◊〉 overcometh, Rev. 3. 5.

Answ. His name was indeed written in the book of life, and Christ here 〈◊〉〈◊〉 miseth to manifest as much.

Obj. Moses thus prayeth concerning himself, If thou wilt not forgive 〈◊〉〈◊〉 blot me out of thy book, Exod. 32. 32.

Answ. That was a matter which in a rapture of zeal for Gods glory, a•…•… love to his people, he * 1.1 could have wished. It is not to be taken for a simple 〈◊〉〈◊〉 absolute prayer. It was like Pauls wish, Rom. 9. 3. where God saith to 〈◊〉〈◊〉

whosoever hath sinned against me, him will I blot out of my book, it is to be taken of Gods manifesting him never to be written therein.

2. Others object sundry suppositions, as this, When the righteous man turneth away from his righteousnesse, &c. he shall not live, Ezek. 18. 24.

Answ.

• 1. A supposition doth not inferre a necessity or certainty of a thing; only it declareth a necessity of the consequence: as if we should say, When God fails of his promise he is not faithfull. See §. 60.
• 2. By righteous man there may be meant one that is righteous only in professi∣on, and in the judgement of charity.

3. Exhortations to hold out: Admonitions to take heed of falling away, (Heb. 12. 15.) and threatnings against such as fall away, (Heb. 10. 38.) are also ob∣jected.

Answ. These and such like are used as means to make men look to their stand∣ing, and to make them watchfull against falling away; but do not necessarily imply that they may fall: especially totally and finally.

4. Sundry instances of such as have fallen are alleadged: as,

1. The Angels that fell, and Adam.

Answ. These are nothing to the purpose. For the question is of Beleevers in Christ, who are established by him. Angels and Adam stood by their own strength.

2. Saul, Iudas and such others as clean fell away. See §. 131.

Answ. These were hypocrites, and never had any true sanctifying grace. Such were they who are said to have no root in them, (Luke 8. 13.) and the branch that is said to be taken from the Vine, Iohn 15. 2. and they whose love is said to wax cold, (Matth. 24. 12.) and they who are said to be fallen from grace, (Gal. 54.) and to have made shipwrack of faith, (1 Tim. 19.) and to depart from the faith, (1 Tim. 4. 1.) and to erre from the faith, (1 Tim. 6. 14.) and to turn like a dog to his vomit, and like a swine that was washed to her wallowing in the mire, (2 Pet. 2. 22.) and to fall away, (Heb. 6. 6.) and to sinne wilfully after they have received the knowledge of the truth, (Heb. 10. 26.) None of these, nor any like to them had true saving grace in them. Of them all it may be said, If they had been of us, they would no doubt have continued with us, 1 Joh. 2. 19.

3. Paul, Peter, and such others as were elect and effectually called.

Answ. Though these fell into very great sinnes: yet they did not sinne in such a manner as to be accounted totally to depart from God, or to lose all grace. The arguments alleadged in the former §, do prove as much. How farre such may fall shall be shewed in the next §.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Votum affe∣ctus non effectus