The Saints Perseverance Asserted, Conclusion – Postscript
To Mr. Ives's Appendix.
UPon review of what I have already done, I find a few words will ſuffice. They that would be ſatisfied as to the Judgment of the Fathers, about the Saints perſeverance, may find Paſſages enough for that end, collected to their hands, in Dr. Kendal's Sancti Sanciti in Engliſh, and in Latin in Hier. Zanch. de Perſ. Sanct. in Miſcell. V. 3. Oper. And as for Auguſtin, 'tis well known that he wrote a whole Book de Perſever. Sanct. and diſtinguiſhes often between common and ſpecial Grace, as Mr. Fowler told Mr. Ives. And as for that worthy perſon Mr. Richard Baxter, he does not determine againſt the Point, as we hold it, but ſays, From Matth. 13.6, 21. it may well be inferred, that thoſe ſhall not fall away in time of temptation, in whom the Word of God hath taken deep rooting. In the 11th of his 32 Directions, pag. 107.
As for the Charge of Antinomianiſm, and the Paſſages he quotes out of Mr. Cottons Covof Grace, Mr. Bridges, Dr. Owen, however in ſome Particulars they may ſound, I think the Reverend Mr. Caryl (whom Mr. Ives reflects upon for writing a Commendatory Epiſtle to Mr. Cotton's Tract abovementioned) ſpeaks the ſenſe of them all, in his excellent Comment upon Job. 10.15. They put dangerous Suppoſitions oppoſite to theſe, who ſay, Let a godly man be never ſo wicked let him ſin as much as he will, yet it ſhall be well with him: [which is the language of ſuch as Dr. Criſp, whom Mr. Ives quotes, and we diſown.] Though there be a truth in it, that how much ſoever a godly man ſinneth, he ſhall be pardoned; yet the Scripture uſeth no ſuch language: and the Form of Wholeſom Words teacheth every man rather to ſpeak thus, If I be wicked, then woe unto me. Thus far Mr. Caryl, to whom I ſubſcribe. And as ſmoothly as Mr. Ives thinks to carry it, he forgets, or underſtands not, that Dr. Criſp ſpeaks of the Elect, but the other Divines of Believers, which are not convertible terms; for though all Believers are Elect, yet the Elect are not ipſo facto Believers as ſoon as they exiſt in the World. Now we who hold, that the Elect are Children of Wrath as well as others, during their ſtate of unbelief, do yet hold alſo, that to thoſe Elect, being once Believers, there is no condemnation, Rom. 8.1.
As for the denial of Conditions in the New Covenant by the other Divines abovementioned, I will not conteſt about Terms, if they will but grant, That the New Covenant is not abſolute, in oppoſition to any Means or Order which God hath appointed for obtaining the Benefits of it; though I ſee no harm in the term Condition, as applied to the New Covenant. As for Mr. Jer. Burroughs aſſerting of remiſſion of all ſins, paſt, preſent, and to come; I ſuppoſe he means with Ames, that ſins paſt are remitted formally; future ſins but vertually. Med. Theol. lib. 1. cap. 27. n. 24. Becauſe he that hath been forgiven one ſin, ſhall not be condemned for another. See Col. 2.13. I find not any thing elſe worth the taking notice of, but his Anſwers to two of our Arguments againſt their Doctrine of Saints Apoſtacy. 1. That it is deſtructive of Chriſtian Comfort. To which he anſwers out of Mr. Baxter, That a comfortable life may be led without Aſſurance. To which I reply, That the experience of Adams frailty gives us, who have remains of ſin in us, more cauſe to fear our ſtanding, if left (as he) to our ſelves. And 'tis the ſtrongeſt conſolation we are capable of, or can deſire in this life, that we ſhall be preſerved from every evil work to Gods heavenly Kingdom, 2 Tim. 4.17. The ſecond Argument which Mr. Ives pretends to anſwer, is, That the Saints Apoſtacy makes Gods love changeable. To which he anſwers, That Gods love is upon condition. I reply, Gods love is taken in Scripture two ways, which the Schools call Amor ordinativus & collativus, that is, for Gods purpoſe of doing men good, which is one and the ſame whilſt Unbelievers, or Believers; and of this Love there neither is nor can be any Condition (as under the ſixth Argument of Election I have proved.) And for the performance of this purpoſe, or actual collation of the benefits purpoſed; and thus Faith is a qualification of the Subject, neceſſary by the tenor of the Goſpel, to the participation of the benefits tender'd therein. And 'tis Gods Love in the former ſenſe, which we ſay were changeable; ſhould he damn any true Believer. As for his ſtory out of Dr. Pierce, That woman that believed not that Adultery had done her any hurt, nor was damnable in her, nor leſſen'd the favour of God, underſtood not our Doctrine, for the ſtain of Sin ſurely is an hurt; and the ſtate of Grace takes not away the demerit of Damnation, though it prevents that event; and though the ſins of Believers leſſen not the favour or love of God, in the firſt acception above-mentioned, i. e. makes not his purpoſe of no effect: Yet it does in the ſecond acception, for it procures God's with-drawing, &c. To conclude, I heartily wiſh and pray, That God would remove from Mr. Ives the way of Lying, and cloath him with Humility, and give him Repentance, to the acknowledging of the Truth, that he may not be more aſhamed to have his Ignorance known, then deſirous to have it cur'd.
POSTSCRIPT.
VVHat Mr. Ives relates at the cloſe, of the orderly behaviour of his own Party, and diſorderly of ours, is ſo evidently falſe, That if he had not a Brow of Braſs, he would not have dar'd to charge the innocent, and diſcharge the guilty. I appeal to all indifferent Auditors, whether Mr. Ives's Party's carriage at our Conference, did not confirm the common opinion of ſober Perſons, viz. That there is not a ruder ſort of People (the Quakers not excepted) than Arminian Anabaptiſts.
FINIS.
ERRATA. Pag. 3. l. 10. for Affidavit read Affirmative.
End of the text · Thomas Danson, The Saints Perseverance Asserted (1672)