Two Treatises, Treatise 1 · Section 4
SECT. 4.
But before I further pro…eed, A digreſſion further clearing, and juſtifying the aforeſaid diſtinction from the imput…iō of Libertiniſme.it will be needfull to …indicate what hath beene …ught from ſuch inferences …s ſome miſtaking or rather …avelling at this Doctrine …nd difference of the pro…niſes, may make, yea have …lready made; As if becauſe it is ſaid (as ſhall be proved anon) that the graces of Faith, repentance, &c. are promiſed abſolutely, without Iffs and Ands, or without reſpect to Conditions in man, that therefore a dore is hence opened to Libertiniſme and Swenckfel…dianiſme, whereby the foundations of Chriſtianity are overthrown, in aſmuch as men are thus taught to neglect the hearing of Gods Word and of the Goſpell preached, not to regard meekeneſſe in receiving the Word and Humility, unto which grace is promiſed▪ Yea even as they would have it, the grace of Election.
I anſwer: No ſuch thing… can rightly without wilful… cavilling be inferred hence.
For firſt, That life is not premiſed but upon condition, doth exclude all neglect of means.(not to ſpeake that none oppoſe Libertiniſme, Familiſme, and contempt or neglect of the meanes of the hearing and reading of the Goſpell more then thoſe that uſe this diſtinction of the promiſes) this very Doctrine (that the promiſe of ſalvation is made upon condition, and made good to none (being otherwiſe capable) but to thoſe that carefully uſe all the meanes ordained …nd appointed to ſalvati…n) excludes all careleſſenes …nd neglect of meanes, one …r other, ſeeing wee teach …en according to the …criptures; Gal. 6.7.8.9.That whatſoever … man ſoweth, that ſhall hee …ap, &c. And that we are …t to bee weary of weldoing. Without which conſtancy …o reaping can be expected; …nd that wee ought to give …rneſt heed to the things wee …are, for how elſe can we eſ…pe if we neglect ſo great Sal…tion? &c. Heb. 2.1.2.3.This we ſhall …rther ſhew and urge in …e Concluſion of all.
2 But now chiefly con…rning the abſolute pro…iſe of giving the meanes …d effecting the Conditi…ns, 2concerning the abſolute promiſes of the meanes.on which bleſſedneſſe …d Salvation is promiſed. … I ſay, 1. Seeing ſalvation and bleſſedneſſe is the mai… end inſtanced in, and the chiefe end reſpecting ma… that the meanes appointe… of God thereunto, The meanes being many, muſt not be divided.bein… many, are not to bee ſevered and divided one fro… another, but to be conſid… red conjoynedly and all… them, with relation to the… maine end, and that ther… fore as they are meanes … Salvation, (whether the have a nearer connexi… with life, as Faith, Repe… tance…, Juſtification, &… Or be further off, as t… Goſpell it ſelfe, our heari… of it, and common and g… nerall grace wrought by … they all of them conjoy… edly and with reſpect … their maine end, are p… miſed abſolutely and wit… out condition, though … … ſelfe, as mans chiefe end, …e not promiſed in the Goſpell, but upon ſuch …onditions.
2 Wee may yet conſider …hat theſe ſame conditions, Yet they may and muſt be compared, & ſo ſome graces may be conſidered as Ends & effects of former & more common graces ſuch as is the Goſpell, &c.which all of them have …heir reference to Salvati…n, as the Meanes thereof, …ay yet be compared one …ith another; And ſo ſome, … regard of ſuch relation, …ay be conſidered as par…ular & Meane Ends, and …ffects of ſome preceding …uifts, which God hath or …ained as Meanes more im…ediately of ſuch graces, …t as meanes alſo more re…otely of the maine End, …d of ſalvation: So Faith, …epentance, Holineſſe, …erſeverance, which are …eanes of bleſſedneſſe and …lvation, and Conditions of eternall Life, may be… conſidered alſo as the End… and effects of other grace… and guifts of God; and … not given or promiſed b… upon ſome Conditions which muſt be uſed … meanes more immediately reſpecting thoſe mean… ends, and which have reference not onelyonly further o… to the maine end, Salvat… on, but more nearly to the… intermidle ends, of Fait… Repentance, &c. For L… gick and nature teache… us, that there is the le… and utmoſt end, which … chiefly intended & ayme… at, Finis ultimus, foreign; or foreign andunto which all mean… are ordained, and there an intermidle end: a mai… end, & a meane end, whi… is the Act and inſtrument … the efficient cauſe, by whi… …e in tends to attaine to the maine and laſt end.
The former in this buſi…eſſe now in hand, Finis intermedius ro finis ad finem, fine propter finem.is eter…all Life, unto which wee …re elected; The latter are …aith, and other graces …named, which as they are …meanes of Life and bleſſed, …eſſe, ſo are they effects and …nds intended, which God workes and intends by the Goſpell and word ſent, preached, and received, or …ttended to: So that the Goſpell is the meanes by which we attaine firſt to theſe graces, and then to Salvation, by which God …rings us to, and worketh Faith, Rom. 10.17 Ioh 17.17. Luke 3.5.1 Cor. 10.4.5.(for Faith commeth by …earing, and hearing by the Word of God,) and ſo Sanctification; So ſaith Chriſt: Sanctify them through thy truth, thy word is truth. And ſo Humility, for it is God… voyce in and by the Miniſtery, whereby every m… taine and hill is brough… low, &c.
This is one of thoſe weapons, if not chiefe, which puls downe ſtrong hold… and caſts downe imaginations, and every high thing which exalteth it ſelfe againſt the knowledge … God.
Thus then the Goſpelli… a meanes of theſe and othe… graces, as the next end thereof, as of Salvation i… ſelfe more remotely; and theſe graces being conſidered as the next and more immediate Ends of the Goſpell, have their conditions, which muſt not bee… neglected, as the hearing of …he word, and attending …ereunto, &c. Yet the ſame …aces of Faith, &c. are to …e conſidered alſo, and …hiefly as meanes of eter…all Life, and as Conditi…ns thereof; which there…re as meanes of Life and …eſſedneſſe, and as Condi…ons of the new Covenant … Life, are promiſed by …od abſolutely and with…t condition; though as …bordinate & intermidle …ds, they depend alſo (or…narily) on their Meanes …d Conditions.
Thirdly, I ſay, Yet the promiſes of the end, whether maine end or meane end, …s … end, are ever Conditionall. And the promiſes of the mean…s as meanes ever abſolute, whether they be remote or nearer.yet that …hether we ſpeake of the …iefe and laſt end, or of …e meane and midle end, …at it is true which was …d: That the promiſe of …e end, as it is the end, is …th Condition; and the promiſe of the Meane (whether nearer or furthe… off) as meanes is abſolute and without condition; S… that let the Condition b… what it will be, whether… the maine end, or meane… midle ends, yet God do… both freely promiſe, an… freely give and effect i… and that whether it have more neceſſary and infa… lible connexion with i… end, as true Faith, Remi… ſion & Sanctification have or doubtfull onelyonly and uncertaine (inregard of us) a… the preaching of the Go… pell) by which yet all and each are not converted which yet in regard o… Gods Elect, and of h… chiefe intent in ſending it is made effectuall by God, and ſo promiſed withou… condition.
Fourthly, then I avow …oncerning the Goſpell, The Goſpell it ſelfe is abſolutely. Rom 10.17 1 Ioh. 1.9. Iames 2.6the …earing, and receiving of …, (as alſo concerning all …uch things as may be called …ore remote meanes of …fe, or conditions of Faith, which hearing; is of Remiſ…on, which Confeſſion is; …f more grace, which Hu…ity is, &c.) that it (as …eſe other) is both freely …omiſed, and freely given, …th in regard of the outa…d means, and of the in…a…d work and effect of it.
1 The Goſpell and out…ard meanes are freely and …ſolutely promiſed (even … was Chriſt himſelfe the …eſſed Seed, Gen. 3.15.) 1 Promiſed.and … the calling of us Gentiles, … partake of it. In the laſt …yes the mountaine of the …rds Houſe ſhall be eſtabliſhed in the top of the Mountaines; I…a. 2, 2, 3.and all Nations ſhall flow unto it, &c. So Chriſt is promiſed to be given for a Covenant of the people: For a light to the Gentiles, Iſa. 2.6, 7 & 49.5, 6. &c. …. 66.18.13.20.to open the blinde eyes, &c. I will gather all Nations and Tongues, and they ſhall com… and ſee my glory; and I wi… ſet a ſigne among them; an… they ſhall bring all your brethren for an offring unto th… Lord out of all Nations, &c.
Secondly, Freely given … … the out w…rd min…ſtery. R…. 10 1… 1….the Goſpel… and the preaching there… is freely given of God and ſent, without which, how ſhould men come to Faith or calling upon God, or ye… any other grace? For h… ſhall they call on him in who… they have not beleeved? & he… ſhall they beleeve in him, … whom they have not heard … …nd how ſhall they heare with…ut a preacher? and how ſhall …ey preach, except they bee …nt?
Therefore ſaith our Saviour to his Apoſtles: Mat. 28, 19 20. Mare. 16, 15,Goe …e and teach all Nations, &c. …nd goe ye into all the World, …d preach the Goſpell to eve… Creature.
Yet this is done, Which is directed by ſpeciall choyce, and ſent to ſome, not to all.both …eely (in regard of the firſt …oving cauſe, Gods onelyonly …mpaſſion and love,) and …th choyce, in regard of …e Nations, to which in …eir ſeverall and fit times …e Goſpell is ſent, not to …ch Nation at once, and … ſome ſcarce at all. Yet …hoſoever they are that at …y time enjoy the Goſpell …d outward meanes, they …ve them from the free …ercies and goodneſſe of God, they were not mo… worthy then others; Neither is it becauſe God di… foreſee they would prof… by the Goſpell more the… others. Why was it the… ſent and preached firſt t… Iſrael, a gainſaying people (otherwiſe then for the… further conviction,) & n… to the Tyrians and Sydon… ans, who (if like migh… works, which were wrough… to confirme the Goſpe… had beene done amon… them which were done… Corazin and Bethſaid… would have repented lo… agoe; Math. 1….21.Which yet Iſrael d… not.
But this is from Gods fre… choyce, who (according … his wiſe and juſt Counſel… ſendeth it to this or th… place (where he hath mu… people, Act. 18.9, 10.at leaſt ſome, to call and gather by it) and purpoſely as hee pleaſeth, will not, (or will not as yet) have it come to ſome other people.
Thus when Paul and Sylas had gone throughout Phrygia, Act. 16.6 7.and the region of Gallatia, (preaching the Goſpell,) they were forbidden of the holy Ghoſt to preach the Word in Aſia; after they were come to Miſia, they aſſayed to goe into Bithinia, but the Spirit ſuffred them not.
3 Among thoſe, And for th' inwa… work & ower of…whither the Goſpel is ſent, God giveth grace effectually to receive, and with meeke, humble, and good hearts, to entertaine it, not to all, but to whom he pleaſeth. Thus among thoſe that heard Paul preach at Philippi, Act. 16.14its noted (onelyonly) of Lydia, that the Lord opened her heart, that ſhe attended unto the things which were ſpoken of Paul.
And who are called effectually (as being veſſels of mercy, which God had a fore prepared unto glory,) not all Iewes, not all Gentiles, but us, ſaith Paul, whom he hath called of the Jewes and of the Gentiles, and not of the Iewes onelyonly, but alſo of the Gentiles.
Therefore the Light of the Goſpell, Rom. 9 23. …and ſaving revelation of the myſtery of it, and the giving of wiſedome by it is made to bee the guift of Gods free grace by Chriſt: In whom we have redemption through his bloo…, …he forgiveneſſe of ſinnes, Eph. 1.7, 8, 9.according to the riches of his grace, wherein he hath abounded towards us in all wiſdome and prudence, having made known to us the myſtery of his will, according to his good pleaſure, which he hath purpoſed in himſelfe, &c. So, Mat. 11.25, 26.I thanke thee, Oh Father, ſaith Chriſt, becauſe thou haſt hid theſe things from the wiſe and prudent, and haſt revealed them to Babes; Even ſo Father, for ſo it ſeemed good in thy ſight.
Now if Gods Word prove fruitfull, L…k. 8.15. Iam. 1.17and the effect of it ſhew it ſelfe onelyonly in thoſe who receive and heare it in an honeſt and good heart. I would aske from whom is this good heart? Is it not from him from whom is every good guift, and every perfect guift, &c.?
Wee conclude then this digreſſion (occaſioned by an unjuſt cavill) and ſay, What God requires as a Condition, he alſo workes in the Elect.that though Gods promiſe of Salvation, yea and of Faith, and other graces, wrought ordinarily by the miniſtery, bee propounded with Condition, yet the Conditions themſelves and the Meanes of Salvation whether more immediate as our effectuall calling, Repentance, Faith, regeneration, juſtification, &c. or mediate and remote, are both promiſed and effected in us, without Condition, as being not made to depend upon man, Mediaſalutis immediata, & u…dis mediorum.either for the giving or the working and effecting of them in him, and ſo for other like particulars; God promiſeth forgiveneſſe of ſinne, to ſuch as doe confeſſe, forſake, and repent thereof; but who giveth repentance, &c. doth not God? Ezek. 36.26.31. and Zach. 12 10. God requires our prayers, and will ſcarce give us any good thing, unleſſe we ask it, Matt. 7.7. Aske and it ſhall be given you; As Confeſſion. 1 Ioh. 1.9And Ezek. 36. after a moſt free and gracious promiſe made by God of working all grace in our hearts, and giving both Spirituall and Temporall Bleſſings. Verſ. 25.26. and 27. &c. Yet thus ſaith the Lord: Prayer. Rom. 10.14. & 8.26.I will yet for this be enquired of by the houſe of Iſrael to do it for them. But who gives this gift of prayer? onelyonly hee that gives Faith, out of which prayer flowes, onelyonly God by his Spirit; Zach. 12.10. Rom. 8.26. We know not what we… ſhould pray for as we ought; but the ſpirit it ſelfe maketh interceſſion for us, &c.
Laſtly, God gives grace … the humble; that is, more grace, Iames 4.6. But whe… gives the grace of Humility? Humility.Doth not the Spirit … Gal. 5.22. Of which more afterwards.
I ſay then of all theſe though God promiſe not good things to his Church but upon Conditions, and in the uſe of Meanes, which to neglect, and yet to expect the end, were preſūption and to tempt God, yea to come ſhort of it, yet Gofreely and abſolutely promiſeth to give, Heb. 4▪ 1.2.and make effectuall the Condition and Meanes themſelves.
Let this ſuffice for the preſent, till wee make it more evident anon.