Quakerism the Path-Way to Paganism, Chapter 15
CHAP. XV. Of Perseverance.
1. In his ninth thesis, he layeth down his judgment concerning that question, first brought upon the stage, by the subtile adversary of the grace of God, Pelagius, concerning the final Perseverance, or full and final Apostasie of the Saints; and hath since been agitated by Iesuites, Socinians, and Arminians: and he asserteth two things, first. They in whom the light, the seed, the gift of God, the inward sufficient grace, (for it hath many names) hath wrought something to their purifying, tending forward to a perfecting of them, may goe backward, and depart from it by disobedience, That is, in plainer termes (for these men must have liberty to speak in their owne dialect) They who are Regenerated, Purified and Sanctified, may Apostatize, and fall from that state of Regeneration and Sanctification: and in this he taketh part with Pelagians, Iesuites, Socinians & Arminians, against the orthodox. Next He asserteth, That some may attaine in this life, to such a measure of fixedness and stability in the truth, that they cannot fall away from it.
2. It is observable, that all such, who, in the doctrine of grace, erre from the right pathes of the Lord; and so speak and write of it, as to exalt Man, & Free will, and acknowledge nothing, in the way of grace's working in souls first and last, but what may consist with their project, and resolution of setting the crown upon mans head, as making himself to differ from others; do also, in correspondency with their o…her principles & positions, assert this full & final Apostacy of the Saints: for, as they put it in mans power to accept or reject grace when offered; so they put it in his power to stand in grace, or depart from it, as he pleaseth: that man may be Lord of the whole, and wear all the glory of it. And therefore as they would admit nothing to be said, concerning the Lords working of grace, in the souls of his people, that might in the least seem to encroach upon the Free Will of man (though the Gospel doctrine of the grace of God rather advantageth, than disadvantageth, true Free Will) so will they admit nothing to be said, concerning the further progress of the work of this grace, in the soul, to the end, that will not consist with Free Will's absolute Lordshipe. Smalcius hath said the matter fully, in few words, Refut. lib. de Error. nov. Arian. lib. 1. c. 1. p. 7. as it is free for all men (saith he) to beleeve, who before were infidels, when they have occasion to beleeve; so againe it is free to all men, after they have once beleeved, to fall from faith.
3. I cannot in the least wonder, why this man should be for the Apostasie of the Saints, when I consider what his Saints are, and what his Principles, formerly examined, savoure of. Nay, I rather wonder, how it cometh to passe that any of these, he calleth or supposeth to be saints, should ever come to that measure or fixedness of stability, in good, as not to depart therefrom. Only because, in his former Thesis, as we heard in the former Chapter, he asserted such a perfection attaineable, as might put men out of all hazard or possibility of sinning; he could not but now assert, that such a state and degree of perfection, that took away all possibility of sinning, would also exclude a possibility of defection; sin being that, which only can make souls stagger, and fall from their stability; and defection being only by sin. All the Grace & Regeneration & Sanctification, which his saints attaine unto, is, as we saw above, the pure and meer result of Natures Light, and of the power of Nature, without the least assistance, as necessary, of the outward sound and knowledge of the very letter of the declaration of God's minde, in the Gospel, or of the bare report of a crucified Saviour; let be of the effectual operation of the Spirit of grace, renewing the whole man, and working him up to an union and closeing with Christ, conforme to the tenor of the Gospel, that thereby he may come to the actual participation of the great and saving benefites which Christ hath purchased by his bloud. What can we then judge or say of this state, let us imagine it to be in its perfection, but that it is a pure state of Nature, and as the perfection of this state, formerly mentioned, can be nothing, but corrupt Nature (the constant and irreconcileable enemy of the grace of God, and of the Gospel,) in its strongest fort of opposition, and resistance to the Gospel-grace of God, and in its strongest citadel of security, wherein it is freest from the invasions and attacques of the grace of God: whence experience hath proven it true, that none have been greater enemies to the Gospel-grace of God, and furthest from a yeelding thereunto, than such as have attained unto the highest improvement of nature, as they supposed; and were accounted the wise men of their age; for to such wise men the preaching of the crosse was foolishness. And who seeth not, that even within the Church, such remaine most disobedient to the call of the Gospel, and unperswadable by all its Reasons, Motives and Allurements, who suppose themselves to have attained to some more then ordinary Improvement of the Light of nature, or correspondence, in their walk, with a Natural Conscience, and Principles of morality; especially if this be seconded, or attended with an outward compliance with the outward ordinances of the Religion they profess; for these, seeking to establish their owne righteousness (which is a piece of the heirshipe of corrupt nature, which all have from Adam) cannot, and will not submit themselves unto the righteousness of God Rom. 10:4. Wherefore, Perseverance in such a state, can be no advantage, but a manifest fixedness, in the way of death: and nothing can annul a perseverance in this state, and cause a falling therefrom, but the strong hand of the grace of God. And that state of stability, of which he talketh, and from which there is no falling away, can be nothing but the Lords holy and judicial giving up to blindness and unbeleefe, and closeing their eyes, that they should not see, and stoping their eares, that they should not heare, and hardning their hearts, that they should not beleeve, conforme to Esai 6:9. Ioh. 12 vers. 40. Math. 13: vers. 14, 15. Luk. 8: vers. 20. Act. 28: vers. 26. Rom. 11: vers. 8. Mark. 4: v. 12.
4. His saints then, being such as we have mentioned, and not such as we hold with the Scriptures to be saints indeed, that is, Such as being by nature children of wrath, and dead in trespasses and sinnes, Ephes. 2:1, 2, 3. are in due time effectually called out of nature, into grace, by the mighty power and operation of the grace of God, having their Mindes and Understandings graciously Illuminated by divine Light, and their Wills Renewed and powerfully Determined unto a closeing with Christ, offered in the Gospel, Ephes. 2: vers. 5. Phil 2:13. 1 Cor. 2:10, 12. Act. 26:18. Ezech. 11:19. & 36:26, 27. Ioh. 6:45. And hereupon are made partakers of the Spirit of Christ, that dwelleth in them, and reneweth their whole soul more and more, so that having a new Principle of life, and new spiritual supernatural Habites, whereby they become wholly new creatures, acting from new Principles, for new Ends, upon new Motives to the glory of God and their Redeemer Ephes. 2:6, 8, 10. Gal. 2:20. 1 Ioh. 5:12. 2 Cor. 5:17. 1 Ioh. 3:9. 1 Pet. 1:22, 23. And thus translated into a new state, from death to life Ephes. 2:2. 1 Ioh. 3:14. Col. 2:13. from darkness to light Act 26:…8. Ephes. 5: v. 8. 1 Thes. 5: v. 4. from sin to holiness 1 Cor. 6:11. Ezech. 36:25. Ephes. 5:6. Tit. 3:5. from enmity to friendshipe Ephes. 2:12, 13, 14, 15. Col. 1:21 being now Iustified, Accepted of God, having their sinnes pardoned, and b…ing Adopted as heires of the inheritance Rom. 5:1. & 8:1. Col. 2:10. Rom. 8:32, 33. Ioh. 1:12. 1 Ioh. 3:1, 2, And all this upon the account of the merites and purchase of Christ, the Mediator, in pursuance of the Covenant of redemption, betwixt Jehovah and the Mediator; & conforme to the Covenant of Grace, exhibited in the Gospel. The saints, whereof he speaketh, not being such as these, described to us in the Gospel of Christ, we need not think ourselves concerned in the vindication of their stability and perseverance; for we owne only the perseverance of such, as are thus effectually Called out of nature into grace, and endued with the Spirit of Christ. Esai 59:21. Rom. 5:5. 1 Cor. 6:9. Ioh. 14:16, 17. Gal. 5:22. Psal. 51:11. Ezech. 36:27. to lead, act and guide them, Rom. 8:9, 11. who differ far from his natural pagan-saints; and have no affinity with them, nor with natural, outward-Christians▪ And thus might we let this whole matter, whereof he treateth in this Thesis, and in his Vindication thereof, passe without any further animadversions.
5. Yet, lest he, according to the Genius and usual manner of that Seck, should boast, and say, that we durst not contend with him, upon this head, and so triumph among his admirers; we shall examine h…s doctrine with patience. The truth, which we owne, is shortly and fully set downe, in our Confes. of faith, Chap. 17. thus, They, whom God hath accepted in his beloved, effectually called, and sanctified by his Spirit, can neither totally, nor finally fall away from the state of grace: but shall certainly persevere therein to the end, and be eternally saved (Phil. 1:6. 2 Pet. 1:10. Ioh. 10:28, 29. 1 Ioh. 2:9. 1 Pet. 1:5, 9) This perseverance of the Saints depends not upon their owne free will, but upon the immutability of the decree of election, flowing from the free and unchangeable love of God, the Father (2 Tim. 2:18, 19▪ Ier. 31:3.) upon the efficacy of the merite and intercession of Iesus Christ (Heb. 10:10, 11. & 13:20, 21. & 9:12, to 15. Rom. 8:33, &c. Ioh. 17:11, 24. Luk. 12:32: Heb. 7:25.) the abideing of the Spirit and seed of God within them (Ioh 4▪ 16, 17. 1 Ioh. 2:27. & 3:9.) and the nature of the Covenant of grace (Ier. 31:40.) from all which ariseth also the certainty and infallibility thereof (Ioh. 10:28 2 Thes. 3:3. 1 Ioh. 2:19.) Nevertheless they may, through the temptations of Satan and of the world, the prevalency of corruption remaining in them, and the neglect of the means of their preservation, …all into grievous sins (Mat. 26:70, 72, 74.) and for a time continue therein (Psal. 51. title with v 14. whereby they incurre God's displeasure (Esai 64:5, 7, 9. 2 Sam, 11.27.) and grieve his Holy Spirit (Ephes. 4:30.) come to be deprived of some measure of their graces & comforts (Psal. 51:8, 10, 12 Rev. 2:4. Cant. 5:2, 3, 4, 6▪) have their hearts hardned (Esai 63:17. Mark. 6:52▪ & 16:14) and their consciences wounded (Psal. 37:3, 4. & 51:8.) hurt and scandalize others (1 Sam. 12:14.) and bring temporal judgments upon themselves (Psal. 89:31, 32. 1 Cor. 11:32.
6. Whence we may take notice of these things remarkable (1.) That we assert not the Perseverance of any, that are not truely Regenerated, & Sanctified by the Spirit, whatever faire profession they may have, in the eyes of the world; whatever rare and excellent Gifts and Enduements, or Common graces of the Spirit, that are not saving, they may be endued with, Heb. 6:4. What ever Inward, and Real change, they may feel, that is not saving, and the work of Regeneration, such as Illumination of the Minde, wordly Sorrow, Legal Repentance, a temporary Faith, and an outward Amendement of life 1 Sam: 10:10. 2 Pet. 2:20. 1 King. 21:27. 2 Cor. 7:10. Mat. 13:20. & 17:3; 4, Mark. 6:20. 2 Tim. 2:20. (2.) We assert not such a stoical inevitable necessity of Perseverance, as adversaries suppose; as if persons were to persevere though unwilling, and lying in sin and carnal security, and resolved to continue in sin; but such a necessity as joyneth end and meanes together. (3.) Nor do we assert an Absolute Impossibility of falling away, like that Impossibility, whereby God cannot lie; but Conditional, in regard of the decree, and firme purpose of God, &c. (4.) We assert not a Perseverance, depending upon the will of man. Nor (5.) do we say, that beleevers, con…idered in themselves, can not fall a way finally and totally; but upon the account of the Decree of God, Purchase of Christ &c. (6.) We speak not here of a falling away from Duty, and work commanded, for it is confessed, they may fall from that, into many and grievous sins; but of a falling from State. (7.) Nor speak we of a falling away from State, as to what is not of the essence thereof, but belong to it, as concomitants, or consequences thereof; such as Sense of grace, and of the Favour of God, Inward Assurance and Perswasion of our good state, sweet and easy Actings of grace, Strong Habites, Comfort, and Peace of conscience; for as to these there may be a remitting, as to some; & a privation, as others: but of a falling away from a state, as to what is essential thereto; that is, a falling out of the favour of God, and state of Reconciliation with him, and a falling from a State of Holiness and Sanctification, by a total privation of the Spirit, and of all his gracious Workings. (8.) We speak not of a Perseverance for a certain time, but unto the end. (9.) Nor do we acknowledge, with some Lutherans, a Total Apostasie, though not final; as if the saints could wholly and totally fall from their state of Reconciliation and grace, though not for any long time, far less to the end. But (10.) We maintaine such a Perseverance, as is opposite to both a Total Apostasie, & a Final Apostasie.
7. What are the grounds, whereupon this truth is built, was briefly declared in the Confess. of faith, formerly cited. We shall reduce what might be said in confirmation of this, unto a few heads. And first. If we consider God the Father in this matter, we shall see it clear: for (1.) He is unchangeable in his electing Love, his Decrees and Purposes are unalterable, & his Will is irresistible. See Mal. 3:6. Iam. 1:16, 17, 18. Rom. 11:29. Esa. 40:27, 28, 29, 30, 31. & 44:1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8. & 46:3, 4. & 50.6. Rom. 8:28, 29, 30. Ier. 31:3. 2 Tim. 2:19. Rom. 9:11. Esai. 46:9, 10, 11. Psal. 33:9, 10, 11. Ioh. 6: v. 37, 38, 39, 40. Esa. 42:1. Mat. 24:24. Ephes. 1:3, 4, 5. 2 Thes. 2:13, 14. (2.) He is True and Faithfull, his Veracity stands engaged, having made so many promises hereof. Deut. 30:8. Ezek. 36:27. Iosh. 1:5. Heb, 13:5. 1 Sam. 12:22. Psal. 23:4, 6. & 125. throughout & 37:28. Esai. 54:7, 8, 9, 10. Hos. 2:19, 20. Mat. 16:18, Ier. 32:38, 40. 1 Cor. 1:8, 9. 1 Thes. 5:28. Phil. 1:6. Mat. 12:20. 2 Thes. 3:3. 1 Cor. 10:13. (3.) His Omnipotency and Power is engadged to through and perfect his saints, and finally save them Ioh. 10:28, 29. Rom. 8:35, 37, 38, 39. Iud. vers. 24. 1 Pet. 1:5. 2 Tim. 1:12. Ephes. 1:19. 2 Cor. 12.9. & 13:4. Deut. 33:3. (4.) His Oath Heb. 6:17, 18. is engadged.
8. Secondly, If we consider, what Christ hath done, and doth for them, this point will be clear: For (1.) He hath Redeemed them by his bloud, and bought them out of the hand of Justice, having made full and compleat satisfaction, for what could be required of them; & so hath taken away sin & guilt, that caused the alienation, & feud betwixt God & them Heb. 9:12. Ephes. 1:7. Col. 1:14. Dan. 9:24. (2.) He hath Redeemed them out of Satans hands, Heb. 2:14. Col. 2:15. & 1:16. Rom. 16:20. 1 Ioh. 3:8. Mat. 12:19. (3.) He hath Redeemed them from sin and the power thereof, 2 Pet. 1:18, 19. Rom. 6:5, 6, 7, 8. (4.) He is absolute Dispensator of all the good things, purchased & promised; for he rose againe for their Justification, Rom. 4:25. and all the promises are in him yea, and in him amen, 2 Cor. 1:20. and all power in heaven & earth is given unto him, Mat. 28:18. (5.) He hath Purchased and will Bestow the Crowne of life, Gal. 3:29. & 4:7. Rom. 8:17. (6.) His Power keepeth them Ioh. 10:28, 29. (7.) His Love continueth unchangeable towards them, Ioh. 13.1. (8.) He is gone to pepare a place for them, Ioh. 14:2, 3. (9.) He hath taken possession of glory, in their name, and they are said to sit with him in heavenly places, Ephes. 2:6. (10.) He Interceedeth for them, Heb. 7:25. 1 Ioh. 2:1. Ioh. 11:42. Rom. 8:34. Heb 9:24, 25, 26. Ioh. 17:11▪ 12, 13, 14, 15, 20, 21, 22:23, 24. Luk. 22:32. (11.) He standeth in several Relations unto them assuring this; He is a Husband, and must have a wife; He is an Head and must have a body; He is a King and must have subjects; He is made unto them of God Wisdom, Righteousness, Sanctification and Redemption, 1 Cor. 1:30. (12.) He hath Purchased a…d Promised the Spirit, Ioh. 15:26. & 14:16, 17. and this Spirit abideth, to perfect his work Ioh. 14:16. 2 Cor. 1:22. Esai. 59:21.
9. Thirdly, If we consider the Spirits work and Interest in carrying those sons unto glory, we will see this truth confirmed: For (1.) He is Promised to his people Ezech. 11:19. & 36:27. Esai. 59:21. Ioh. 4:14. comp. with Ioh. 7:38, 39. (2.) It is affirmed, that he is in them, and abideth in them, Psal. 51:11. Rom. 8:9, 11, 15. 1 Cor. 2:12. Gal. 4:6. 1 Tim. 3:14. 1 Ioh. 2:27. Rom. 5:5. (3.) He Sealeth them unto the day of redemption, Ephes. 1:23. & 4:30. 2 Cor. 1:21. (4.) He is a Spirit of Adoption, Rom. 8:15. Gal. 4:5, 6.
10. Fourthly, If we consider the Covenant of Redemption, betwixt Iehovah and the Lord Mediator, this will be abundantly evinced: For (1.) The Father hath given a number to Christ to save, Ioh. 17:2, 9, 11, 12. & 6:37, 39. And Christ hath undertaken to save them, Ioh. 6:37, 39, 40. (2.) The Father hath undertaken, that Christ shall see his seed, Esa. 53:10. and see of the travel of his soul, & be satisfied, Esa. 53:11. Psal. 72:8. (3.) Christ had a commission to goe about this work, & to bring many sones unto glory & was qualified for this end, Esai. 61:1, 2, 3. Esa. 42:6, 7. & 49:9. Heb. 2:10. (4. The Fath…r hath promised to give Christ what he asketh Psal. 2:8. & 89:2…, 27, 28. (5.) Yea, He hath sworne, that he shall have an issue, Psal. 89:35, 36. Act. 2:30, 31. Psal 132:11, 12. 2 Sam. 7:12. 1 King. 8:25. Luk. 1:61.
11. Fiftly, The consideration of the nature of the Covenant of Grace will con…rme this: for that is an everlasting and unchangable Covenant, and ha…h the promise of Perseverance in its bosome, Gen. 17: vers. 7. Ier. 31: vers. 31, 32, 33. & 32: vers. 38, …9, 40. Ezech 11:17, 18, 19, 20. Hos 2:19, 23. Ioh 6:54, 56. Esai. 54:10.
12. Sixtly, The Grace infused in souls, according to the Covenant of grace, is of an enduring nature; especially considering how it is Watered, Preser…ed, and Cared for: It is a remaining seed 1 Ioh. 3:9. sowne in good ground Luk. 8.15. by the rivers of water Psal. 1:3. And watered every moment Esai. 27.3. See Ioh. 4:14. & 7:38. And so is differenced from Gifts and Common graces, and from temporary Faith, and grace that evanisheth in the day of tryal 1 Ioh. 2:19. Luk. 8:18. Ioh 2:23, 24. Mat 13:21. Ioh. 17:9. what this true faith is, see Tit. 1:1. 1 Tim. 1:5 Gal. 5 6. 2 Pet. 1:1.
13▪ Seventhly, The consideration of the hurt and dammage, that the Asserting of the Apo…tasie of the Saints, bringeth necessar…ly with it unto Christians, may have its owne weight here: For (1) Then they could not in faith and confidence pray for it; for what is purely in the power of mans Free will, and is not the sole work of God and of his grace, we cannot, we need not pray for, contrare to Ioh. 14:13, 14. Ephes. 3▪ 17, 18. 1 Thes. 5:23, …4. and the Lords prayer teacheth us to pray, that his Name be hallowed, that his Kingdom come, and that his Will be done in earth, as in heaven. (2.) This would destroy their Hope and Confidence in God for preservation, in the times of tryal and temptation, contrare to Rom. 8: vers. 35, 38, 39. (3.) This would take away their joy of the holy Ghost, an… Consolation; and give ground of continual Anxiety, Doubts, Feares, &c.
14. Eightly, The consideration of the blow that this doctrine would give unto many articles of our Faith, and undoubted truths of our Religion, may confirme us against it: As (1) It would render the Obedience and Sufferings of Christ null and useless: for he should then suffer and die, and no man might be saved or healed by his stripes and death. (2.) It would also render his Resurrection, Ascension and Sitting at the Fathers right hand ineffectual: For notwithstanding thereof, no man might be saved. (3.) It destroyeth his Death, as the Death of a Cautioner; for no man can be said to have died with him, risen with him, and to sit with him in heavenly places, contrary to Rom. 6:3, 4, 5, 8. Eph. 2:5, 6. Col. 3:1. nor can he be said to prepare mansions for an…, contrare to Ioh. 14:2, 3. (4.) It maketh the grand promise of the Spirit null, & of no effect. (5.) It taketh away the Catholick Church, that shall certainly come to mount Zion, and to the innumerable company of angels, &c. Heb. 12:22, 23, 24. (6.) It would null that Christian Communion, and sweet Fellowship of Saints. (7.) It would make Remission of sins of little comfort. (8.) And take away the faith of Life Everlasting.
15. Having premised these things, for clearing and confirming of the truth; we come to examine what he sayes against it Pag. 167. §. 2. He reasoneth from Iud vers. 4. and supposeth. that these, that turned the grace of God into lasciviousness, had once grace; not knowing, that this was not grace inherent, or the true grace of God placed and planted in the soul, and wrought there by the Spirit of grace; but external grace, held forth in the Gospel offer, even that grace, that shou…d have taught them to deny ungodliness and worldly lusts; and to have lived soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world Tit. 2:12. It is that grace, which is outwardly spoken and preached Act. 14:3. Ephes. 3:2. 1 Pet. 4:10. Next, He reasoneth from 1 Tim. 1:19. supposing, that that faith, which some made shipewrak of, was true and saving faith. contrare to 2 Tim. …:17. & 4:14. while as it was nothing but the doctrine of faith; as the word also is taken 1 Tim. 3:9. & 4:1. Gal. 1:23. & 3:2, 5, 23, 25. Act. 6:7. Rom. 1:5, 8. In the third place, he reasoneth from Heb. 6:4, 5. Not so much as noticeing, that the words are but Conditional, and not Absolute; if they fall away: And that there is nothing here, no not one expression, that is necessarily to be understood of true and sa…ing grace, and not of meer gifts and common graces, given in a more than ordinary measure: no one expression here of Regeneration, of true Sanctification, of Closeing with Christ, of their being Justified, or Adopted, or Elected, &c. Nay, the Apostle compareth them to ground, upon which the raine falleth, and yet beareth nothing, but thornes and briars vers. 8. & distinguisheth them from those, to whom he wrote, & of whom he expected better thing… ▪ that accompany salvation vers. 9. and from true beleevers vers. 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 17, 18, 19. When our Quaker, out of his friends, the Socinians & Arminians, shall say any thing, to prove that these expressions import true and saving grace, we may then think it time to sp…ak more of this; but seing he is pleased to give us no more here, but his naked assertion, we have said enough, and so proceed.
16. The next thing he alleigeth against this truth, is a supposition, that he hath undermined the ground thereof, viz. Election; But how superficially this was attempted, we have seen. But he sayes, that this our doctrine is contradicted by daily experience. Wherein? In that preachers (saith he) exhort many to beleeve, and lay hold upon salvation, who cannot, if they be reprobate. Ans. But do Ministers know certainly who are reprobate? What if their designe be most to save the elect? But then, sayes he, their preaching is vaine, for these shall certainly be saved. Ans. Where is it said, that they …hall certainly be saved without the meanes? Knoweth he not, that by the foolishness of preaching, God saveth them tha… beleeve? Knoweth he not, that God hath appointed the meanes, to keep his Elect beleevers constant and stedfast in the faith? He tels us that Vossius Hist Pelag lib. 6 p. 587. saith, that this was the common opinion of the ancients. Answ. But I finde the contrare manif…stly made out by D Owen, in his preface to his book of Perseverance; from Clemens Epistle to th… Corinthians a piece of undoubted antiquity, fro… Ignatius, from Tertullian ▪ from Macarius Aegyptius, from Chrys…stome; and from the Opposers of the Pelagians and Semipelagians, such as Prosper, and chiefly Augustine, with whom accorded Hilary and Fulgentius. So from Gregory, from Bradwardine, yea and from Thomas Aquinas. These h… may be pleased to consider at his leasure.
17. But Pag. 168. §. 3. He replieth to that answere, given to 1 Tim. 1:19. Saying, that it must be true faith, that is there meaned. As if we said, that the doctrine of faith were a false faith. But he supposeth, that we meaned an hypocritical faith, that was not in truth, but in shew only: And yet he must know, that a Temporary faith is not properly a false faith, but is true, in its kinde: It is true, it is not a saving faith; and yet is distinguished from a false faith: But the faith, we said, that was there spoken of, is the doctrine of Faith, which they should not have put away, but adhered to, and preached faithfully, with all good conscience. But, when it is said, they put away a good conscience, (saith he) it is supposed, they had a good conscience, which cannot be without true faith. Ans. Paul saith Act. 23:1. that he had lived in all good conscience before God, unto that day; taking in, (as is very probable) even the time that he was a pharisee, and so without true faith in Christ: see Phil. 3:6. (2.) The word foreign there used, doth not signifie alwayes a putting away what we have; as we see Act. 7:27, 39. & 13:46. And so it only importeth that they did not serve Christ in the Gospel, in truth and in sincerity; but for filthy luc…e, or such like corrupt ends: and hence it came to passe, that at length they cast the profession of the truth over board, and would follow that doctrine no more.
18. To our proofs from Phil. 1:6. & 1 Pet. 1:5. he Answereth. These can no otherwayes be understood, than in so far; as we fulfil the condition, upon which salvation is offered. Ans. But these texts speake expresly of God's beginning and perfecting the condition, the good work, and keeping by faith. So that, the man knoweth not what he sayes, when he thinks this answere can be made use of here.
19. He cometh next Pag. 169. §. 4 to speak of the second thing, as…erted in his Thesis, to wit, That there is such a measure of grace attainable, from which there is no Apostasie; and in this, he leaveth his friends, the Socinians & Arminians, and thinketh hereby to answere all the arguments, whereby Perseverance is proved; but in this his folly is too manifest: for all our arguments conclude for such, as have the least measure of true and saving grace: and upon the other hand, answere all that is brought against Perseverance, by alleiging that these cannot reach such, as are attained to this highest degree: But as this will not satisfie the Adversaries, so it is but loose and groundless work, having no foundation in the word. And if he will interpret that Heb. 6:4, 5, 6. of true and saving grace, he will finde difficulty to limite it to beginners, & not to meane it especially of such, as have attained unto an higher measure of perfection, than ordinary.
20. But Pag. 170. from that place 1 Cor. 9: vers. 27. he saith that Paul supposeth here a possibility, that he might become a reprobate. Whereby he destroyeth what he is about to assert; for he cannot with any colour of reason deny, that Paul was advanced above many, & arrived at as high a degree of perfection, as any Quaker is capable of; seing himself saith, that Paul was come to that state…, from which he knew, he could not fall; and the mater is clear Rom. 8:38. 2 Tim. 1:12. & 4:7, 8. But he mistaketh the import of that word foreign, 1 Cor. 9:27. which only signifieth, not approven, or not accepted of, in the service he was imployed about, as the whole scope an… context cleareth: and though it were taken in his worst sense; what can he hence inferre? will the carefull use of meanes to provent such a thing, prove that such a thing was possible, not only in it self, but also in respect of God? The Lord's determination and purpose kniteth the ends with the meanes, & secureth the end together with the meanes leading thereto. But it is an ordinary mistake with Arminians, to think that if the end be secured, meanes are needless. Was not the life of Christ secured until the time appointed? did he for all that neglect the use of meanes for his life? or did he hearken to Satan, tempting him to cast himself headlong from the pinacle of the temple? did Hezekiah neglect to eat & drink &c. notwithstanding of the full assurance he had of living fifteen years longer?
21. What he saith afterward of assurance, which some attaine unto, though I judge it not clearly proven from Revel. 3:12. that place being meant rather of what the Lord will give hereafter in glory: Yet I assent unto the truth, & shall recommend the Reader unto Chap. 18 of our Confess. of Faith, where he shall finde the matter fully explained & confirmed, so that he needeth not take any notice of what this Quaker saith, on that head.