(1) COncerning God, That he is. My design being not to Treat with Atheists; I shall only al­ledge this one Invincible Argument. Some Being was eternal, or some Being made it self. The later cannot be true, because it im­plies a Contradiction; for it suppo­ses a Thing to be, and not to be at the same Instant. The former then being true, 'tis inconsistent with Reason to ascribe Eternity to a mass of Corruption, rather than to an invisible, incomprehensible, and infinite Spirit. So that it being evi­dent that the World was created, by an Eternal Essence, the same Line of Reason still leads us for­ward to believe, that that Being, who gave Being unto all things, and that of nothing, must be infi­nite in all perfection. Upon which I assume this Second Proposition: That God is the Perfection of all Excel­lency, and the Excellency of all Per­fection; [Page 2]That God is all good, the high­est good, and nothing but what is so. [To this agrees the Scripture Job 11.7. Deut. 32.5. Psal. 92.15. Isa. 40, 28. Mark 10.18. 1 John 1.5.] And such as is his Nature and Essence, such are all the Revelations he hath made of himself, by his Word or Works, whe­ther of Creation, or Providence; such were all his Decrees and Purposes in Eternity, and such are all his Acts in Time. So that it may be truely said, Whatsoever is in God, or whatsoever procedeth forth from God, is Infi­nitely Glorious and Excellent in the Highest Degree of Perfection. And consequently there can be no error, no contrariety, no variableness or shaddow of Turning in him. Job 23.13. Deut. 32.39, 40. Jer. 17.10. James 1.15. Psal. 99.1, 2, 3, 4. From whence I advance a Third Pro­position, i. e. That all the Decrees and Purposes of God in Eternity, and all the Acts and Revelations of him­self in Time, are so intirely One, that the Later are none other than a Transcript or Declaration of the Former. As the Gift of his Son in [Page 3]time, declares his Decree to give him before time. So that this Notion right­ly taken in and prosecuted, by the fore­mentioned streight Line of Reason (to the which the Scripture always adhere, and frequently commends. Prov. 26.16. Isa. 1.18. Acts 18.4. Rom. 12.1.2. Thes. 3.2. 2 Pet. 3.15.) teacheth us to have recourse to the Revelati­ons that God hath made of himself to us in his Word and Works; to un­derstand his Purposes concerning us, before he made us. And such are the innumerable instances of his match­less Love and Bounty to all his Off­spring (as thereby declared) that it is next a Kin to an Hellish Phren­zie to imagine any severe or cruel Purposes, or Decrees, concerning us, or any of us, before he made us whatever obscure or unsearchable Depths we may meet withal, in any of his proceedures towards us, yet we must and ought constantly to believe, that all that proceeds from this Fountain of Goodness (which is all Light and no Darkness; all Love and no Hatred &c.) must [Page 4]therefore be designed of him, for the real good and happiness of his Creatures. And wherein any meet with any thing of a contrary. Aspect, yet may he with safety say, whatever my Maker means, by this or that Providence, or in this or that Portion of his Word; I am sure, (tho' I understand it not yet) it cannot intend me any infelicity, it comes from a boundless Ocean of Love, and cannot savour of a­ny thing of a contrary Nature; see 2 Chron. 36.15. Psal. 145.8, 9. Isa. 55.7, 8, 9. Lam. 3.32, 33. Ezek. 18.21, 22, 23, & 33.11. Jo­nah 4, 2, 10, 11. Mat. 23.37. 2 Pet. 3.9. Following then our fore­mentioned Guides, in order to our Information touching God's Decrees concerning us before we were, we are lead to believe, that the Decrees of God come under a Two-fold con­sideration: Such as are Absolute, Irresistible, and without all Condi­tion; As his making the World, and Man therein, and his giving him Laws to walk by, &c. Secondly [Page 5]Such as are Absolute and Irresisti­ble, on the considerations or con­ditions, by and in them proposed. As in case Man should Sin, to give his Son to Die for his Sin, and to en­ter into a New Covenant of Grace, &c. So that the Decrees of God touching his fallen Creature Man, respecting his Eternal State, were on the Conditions proposed by him in the Gospel; viz. That whosoever believeth, should be saved; and whosoever would not, should be damned. So that these Decrees of God, were not of persons under a meer Personal Consideration, but considered so and so qualified; that is all such as should believe in Christ and hold fast the beginning of their Confidence stedfast unto the End, they and only they were in the De­cree of Gods Election. Such who should live and die impenitent and unbelieving; they and only they were in his Decree of Reprobation, So that 'tis evident, men in this Life are capable of passing from under the State of Reprobation, in­to [Page 6]a State of Election, and from under a State of Election into a State of Reprobation. Jer. 12.7, 8. Ezek. 33.13. Rom. 11.20, 21, 22. 1 Cor. 9.27. 2 Cor. 11.3. 1 Tim. 19.1, 20. & 2 Tim. 2.11, 12, 13, 18. Heb. 3.12, 13. and 6.4, 5, 6. and 10.23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 38. 2 Pet. 1.10. Jude 12. Rev. 2.4, 5, 11, 16, 22, 23, 25, 26, and 3.2, 3, 4, 5, 11, 21. 'Tis the God­ly, God hath set apart by his Eternal Decree for his Favourites, 'tis the Ungodly that are set apart by Eter­nal Decree, for the Subjects of his Wrath; Psal. 4, 3. Jude 4. So that men ceasing from Sin, and turning to God, pass from under the De­cree of Reprobation, and men cea­sing from Godliness, and turning a­gain to Folly; pass from under God's Decree of Election: See 2 Tim. 2.20, 21. 1 John 3.14. E­zek. 33.13, 14, 15. Thus Man is mutable in his Nature and Acts, but God is immutable. He loveth Righteousness, and ha­teth Iniquity (or Persons for [Page 7]it; (where e're he finds it, Gen. 4.7. Psal. 5, 4, 5. Acts 10.35. Rom. 2.6, to 11. This Scripture and ratio­nal definition or Doctrine of Gods Decrees, is very helpful in o­pening and explaining the main Truths of the Gospel; but the Noti­on that teacheth, that God in E­ternity, Absolutely, Irresistibly, and Unconditionally decreed all things that are done in Heaven, Earth or Hell, from the beginning of time to the Days of Eternity; or that such a particular Number of Men on­ly, should believe and be saved, and that the rest should disbelieve and perish: darkens the whole Counsel of God, and makes all Religion a meer Fable; not only implying one, but a legion of Contradictions: For it declares against, or opposeth these following Truths, i. e. Inno­cent Man's Power of standing. (Man having sinned) the need of a Saviour. The necessity and utility of the Gospel, or any of its Pre­cepts, Promises or Threatnings. That Man's Eternal Felicity or Mi­sery [Page 8]depends upon his well or ill improvement of his Time and Ta­lents here: &c. It's attended also with these evils, It supposeth God to exalt the Devil and his Kingdom a­bove his own, in giving him the most Subjects. It makes God the Author of Sin, it supposeth him divided a­gainst himself, by having a secret Will opposite to his revealed. And so set his Precepts, Promises, and Threatnings, against his Decrees; making the one a Cover for the bet­ter Execution of the other. Impea­cheth God's Sincerity and Sove­raignty, as if he were afraid and a­shamed of what he had done, and therefore would, if he could, per­swade his Creatures into a good O­pinion of him, by deceitful illu­sions. Seems as it were transport­ed with Care and Zeal for their Welfare, and makes use of the most passionate and enamouring in­vitations, and all but like those Men, who for Divertisement pre­tend Courtship to them, whom they would abhor to marry. It o­pens [Page 9]a Door to all Prophaness and Abomination, and discourages or cuts the Sinews of all Industry and Diligence, in the Ways of Virtue and Piety; For what should invite a Man to strive for that, from which he knows, he is either Irreversibly shut up, or else so Infallibly sure of, that no negligence of his can prevent it. It drives Men from God, leads them into, and leaves them in Despair, destroys the Nature of Rewards and Punishment, and con­sequently declares the last Judg­ment a meer Delusion. All which is easy for any thinking Person sud­denly to discern. But there are Two Objections against this Notion of God's Decrees, which I would re­move: First, How can the Infallibi­lity of God's fore knowledge be sal­ved, in case Mens present Actions, and future State, depends upon the free-agency of Man's mutable Will? An­swer, Very well, because the Infallibi­lity of God's Knowledge, ariseth not from the necessity of the Actions of his Creature, but the Perfections of [Page 10]his Nature; because 'tis as visible to God, that they will do them before they do them, as 'tis they have done them, when they are done. Men will do what they do do, tho' they might do otherwise; or tho' God's Knowledge were not exercised about them: We grant a necessity supposed, but not made by Infallible Know­ledge, but this ariseth not from Knowledge it self, but from the Truth of a Proposition; As I must hear a Man Swear, before I can in­fallibly know that he sweareth; now my Knowledge supposeth, but lays no necessity on this Person's Swearing. His Swearing was the Cause of my Knowledge, not my Knowledge of his Swearing; for he would have sworn, if I had not heard him: And as our Knowledge of what is done, hath no influence to necessitate the doing thereof, no more has the Knowledge of God, for what Knowledge is in Man? Fore­knowledge is in God, and infinitely more, to all Perfection. Besides, 'tis considerable, that tho' God knows [Page 11]men will do such and such things, yet he likewise knows, that they may do otherwise. So that the doing or not doing of the Thing, grates not upon the perfection of his Know­ledge; but the ground of this mi­stake ('tis conceived) ariseth, for want of a due distinction, between the Knowledge and Decrees of God. Knowledge is an Act of the Under­standing, Decree is an Act of Will; we may know, but must not decree Evil; God must know, but cannot decree it, Yea, nothing is more evi­dent, than that God decreed a many things which he fore-saw would ne­ver be, or not be as he decreed them; (that is speaking of the Later sort of his Decrees) as he decreed a­gainst all Sin: and therefore made a Law against it, and decreed that this Law should preserve in Life the Keepers of it; Rom. 7.10. See al­so Isa. 24.5. Luke 7.30. 1 Cor. 9.14. So he fore-knew a many things, which he never decreed, as all the Sin and Misery in the World. We grant he decreed the permission of the one, [Page 12]and Fexecution of the other: but this was not the Antecedent, but Con­sequent Will or Decree of God; As a Father that wills the obedience and happiness of his Child, yet likewise wills him Stripes, in case he rebel. The 2d. Obj. is, That this Notion, diminisheth the Grace of God, exalts the Creature, makes him his own Savi­our, &c. Reply; This is a mistake, for, herein we do but suppose God, to act according to the Perfections of his Nature, and Man according to the Capacities of his, as given him of God: And this will appear by what follows, The Glory of Gods Grace, consists in the Freeness, Full­ness, and Efficacy thereof; as touch­ing which we hold, that whatsoever God hath contrived and decreed to do, or doth do in Time, for his Creature Man, is alone from the un­searchable Riches of his Free-Grace, not only without, but against the Merit of his Creatures. As to the fulness and effectualness of it, we believe, it is not only every way all-sufficient to bring his Creature Man [Page 13]to Happiness: but that 'tis not con­fined within the scanty compass of an handfull of Men in comparison, but (like the Sun in the Firmament) compasseth the whole Earth, and extendeth it self to every Creature. As to the Will of the Creature, we hold and teach, That it is not in the least naturally inclined unto, or capable of, either to do, or think any thing that is good, and if left to it self, would be most desperately wick­ed, and servile unto Sin: So that whatsoever good thing any Man doth, he doth it by the Assistance of the free grace of God alone; 'tis he that works in us both to will and to do of his good pleasure, and when ever any Soul is converted and turn'd to God, he hath not only Pow­er given him of God, but is mighti­ly assisted, or acted, by the concur­rence of Supernatural Grace, in the improvement of that Power in ef­fecting the same. And we believe that God gives a sufficiency of this Power to all men, and yet so that they may notwithstanding, so hide [Page 14]this Talent in a Napkin, as to mis­carry to all Eternity. Now where­in then is this any diminution to free grace, or exaltation of the Crea­ture; is it any other than what the Scripture every where declares: See Isa. 53.5, 6. John 1.29. & 3.15, 16, 17, 18. & 5.34.40. and 12.47. Rom. 5.14, 15, 16, 17, 18. and 8.32. Tit. 2.11. Heb. 7.25. and 1 John 5.11. Isa. 45.11. Mat. 11.28. Rev. 2.21. John 1.16. Rev. 22.17. But these Errors rightly calculated, appear most visible in the Meridian of our Opponents Judgment, but the further discovery thereof is decli­ned at present. There are, we grant, several Passages in Scripture, especi­ally in Paul's Epistle to the Romans, as Peter observeth, which seeming to look another way for want of due Consideration, were and are by many wrested, either to their own, or o­thers destruction: 2 Pet. 3.15, 16. A sad instance whereof we have up­on publick Record, of one Petrus Ilo­suanus a School-Master in Hungary, who going to hang himself, gave [Page 15]this dismal Account of the Reasons that prompted him thereunto, by a Writing left in his Closet. (1.) That he was of Calvin's Opinion, That men are not dealt withal according to their Works, good or Evil, but there are more hidden causes of mens Eter­nal Conditions. (2.) That he was of that woeful Company of Absolute Reprobates, and that therefore (tho' his Life had been none of the worst) he could not possibly be saved. (3.) That being unable to bear those dread­ful Apprehensions of Wrath, with which he was affrighted, he hang'd himself; these being some of his last Words, I go to those Infernal. Lakes, an Eternal Reproach to my Countrey, I commend you to God, whose mercy is denied to me. See Gods Love to Mankind: p. 212. Wherefore against these Horrible Concep­tions concerning God, I shall enveigh in the Words of that Learned, Author of that Book, called. The Recon­cileableness of God's Prescience of the sins of men, with the Wisdom and Sincerity of his Counsels, and Exhortations to prevent them, Pag. 39. Saith he, The Notion of the Good­ness and Righteousness of God, methinks [Page 16]should slick so close to our minds, that it shou [...] be infinitely dearer unto us, than all our Sens [...] and Powers; and that we should rath [...] have our Sight, Hearing, and motive Power [...] or what not besides, disputed or even tor [...] away from us, than ever suffer our selves t [...] be disputed into a Belief, that the Holy and good God (saith he) should irresistibly deter­mine the wills of men to, and punish the same thing; Say I) should irresistibly decree the Eternal damnation of any of his Crea­tures, before they had a Being, or had done any good or evil. So that where­ever we meet with any Scripture or Argu­ment, that seems to favour any such O­pinion, we should always say, if we can­not otherwise understand them, that for my part I acknowledge my Ignorance of the intent of them, but you shall as soon perswade me to believe that there is no God, or that I am no Creature, as to be­lieve any such thing of that God whom I adore and serve. Thus in the improve­ment of these Truths, we are as it were by the Hand lead to a right understand­ing of all the great Truths and Misteries of the Gospel; Whereas, that other Nation of Gods Decrees, is as it were, at every turn Thwarting and Opposing us in every Truth and Duty therein declared, I shall add no more at present, but recom­mend these Lines and all, into whose hands they may come, to the Guidance, and Blessing of the Almighty God; to whom be Glory for ever and ever. Amen.

AND here I shall proceed in this Building upon the fore­mentioned Foundation, to wit. The Infinite Perfections of that Being, up­on Whom all our Beings and Religi­on, or Well-Being doth depend; where­fore:

First, God doth unfeignedly will the Eternal Felicity of every of [...]his Off-spring Man: Because the Infinite Perfections of his Nature move, or oblige him thereunto. For they are [Page 2]an Eternal Law unto him in all h [...] proceedings. I shall not enlarge o [...] all the Attributes of God, becau [...] of my design'd Brevity, but com­mend that fore-mentioned Book cal­led God's Love to Mankind, to b [...] perused on this Account. And brief­ly hint at these, (i. e.) The Wis­dom, The Goodness, The Justice, and the Truth of God. First, The Wisdom of God, moves him to will the Felicity of, &c. No Wise Artificer, will be careless of any Noble and Excellent Piece, which his hands hath made, much less put it to Base and Ignoble use. No Prudent Parent, but will con­cern himself for the Felicity of his Children, and can we conceive the Infinitely Wise God, can be uncon­cern'd for the Felicity of any of his Off spring. Doth the Spirit of God, (Job 39.13, 14, 15, &c.) reflect upon the Unnaturalness of the Os­trich, in being unconcern'd for her Young, as being dest [...]tute of Wis­dom; and can we conceive, that the Infinitely Blessed Pattern of all [Page 3]true Wisdom, should be more Un­natural to his Off-spring? Second­ly, Consider his Goodness, and is not the Infinite Perfection there­of, so abundantly demonstrated in the Book of God's Word and Works, that it is Matter of Astonishment, any Soul should harbour any severe Notions concerning him. Heaven is not fuller of Stars, nor the Earth of Creatures, than all the Dispen­sations of God to Men are, of Proofs, that he is Infinitely propens'd and inclin'd in Love and Goodness, to Pitty, Relieve, and Succour every one of them. Seriously peruse these Scriptures, Gen. 6.6. Exod. 34.6. Neh. 9.17. Job 37.23. Psal. 103.8. and 119.64. and 130.3, 4. and 136 at large, and 145.8, 9. Num. 14.17, 18. Isa. 56.7, 8, 9. Jer. 9.24. Lam. 3.22, 23,32, 33. Micah 7.18. Jam. 2.13. and 3.17. We esteem it an Indignity, to have any cruel Act ascribed unto us, and shall we offer to cast the like Indig­nity upon the Almighty? Is the narrow scanty Bowels of Man, more [Page 4]extensive and free, than the Infinit [...] Compassions of God? And are ther [...] not many Men, who would offe [...] themselves (if possible) to a Thousand Deaths, could they thereby procure the Eternal Salvation of all their Fellow Creatures; Rom. 9.1, 2. And shall we imagine, God de­lights to see the greatest Part of his Creatures miserable, Yea, by un­avoidable Decree, determine them thereunto. This is to represent Man more merciful than his Maker, which is far more absurd than to say, the least glimmering Sun-beam, hath more of Light and Heat there­in, than the Sun it self. (3.) The Justice of God moves on in the same Sphear, for that directs to an impar­tial and equal distribution, whether of Favours or Punishments, to all Ob­jects under one and the same Cir­cumstances, that is not for depressing the One, and exalting the Other; when both alike, are either Inn [...] ­cent or Criminal; and such are all Mankind, whether considered be­fore, or since the Fall; and to this [Page 5]agrees the clear Testimony of Scrip­ture; Gen. 18.23, 2 Chron. 19, 7. 2 Sam. 14, 14. Acts 10.34, Rom. 2.11. Ephes. 6.9. Col. 3.25. 1 Pet. 1.17. James 3.17. Fourth­ly, The Truth of God obligeth him hereunto, he hath in his Word possitively affirmed, That 'tis his Will all Men should be saved, 1 Tim. 2, 4. And that 'tis against his Will any should Perish, 2 Pet. 3.9. And God cannot deny himself, or falsify his Word, or so much as seem to be willing to that, which in Reallity he is not; and we have as much Reason to question the Truth of every Word of God as that, that testifieth his unfeigned desire of all his Creatures Happiness; because no one Truth of God, is more fully (if so fully) revealed in the Scriptures, and for the which we have not only the Word, but the Oath of the Living God. Ezek. 33.11. Yea, he plainly testifieth himself really concern'd for the Infelicity and Misery, which his Rebel Creatures, by their final Sin [Page 6]and Impenitency, unavoidably bring upon themselves. With what Pathetick and Bowel-like Expressi­ons, doth the Infinitely Gracious God, bewail their Loss and Ruine. From which nothing can be more e­vident, than that God did really desire the Eternal Felicity, even of those very Persons, that are now Irreversibly sunk into the Pit of E­ternal Misery. Worthy to be writ­ten in Letters of Gold, are these and such like Texts of Scriptures, 2 Chron. 36.15, 16. Psal. 81.12, 13. Ezek 33.11. Mat. 23.37, 38. Luke 19.41, 42.

Secondly, God hath given Infal­lible Testimony, of his unfeigned desire of the Salvation of every of his Creatures, in that he hath gi­ven his Son to shed his Precious blood for every one of them; As the Apostle argues Rom. 8.32. Now that Christ Died for all Men Uni­versally, is with the greatest evi­dence imaginable, made manifest in the Scripture. The Tongue of Men or Angels cannot possibly declare any [Page 7]Matter, with more Universal Ex­pressions, than is made use of by the Spirit of God, to set forth the extent of his Sons Death for the World. As First, By an Univer­sal Collective. He is the Saviour of all Men, 1 Tim. 4.10. Secondly, By an Universal Distributive. He tasted Death for every Man, Heb. 2.9. Thirdly, By an Univer­sal Affirmative or Express, and that in opposition to a particular In­stance. He is the Propitiation for our Sins, and not for our Sins only, but also for the Sins of the whole World; 1 John 2, 2. Fourthly, By an U­niversal Negative. He is not willing that any should Perish. 2 Pet. 3.9. Fifthly. By an Universal Command. He commands all Men, every where, to repent. Sixthly and Lastly. By Universal Promises and Threatnings. John 3.14, 15, 16, 17, &c. So that whosoever denies this Truth, speaks as much in Contradiction to the Word of God: as 'tis possi­ble for any Man to oppose any Truth withal. Universal Creati­on, [Page 8]is not asserted to us in Scrip­ture, by so great a Variety of Ex­pression, as is Universal Redempti­on; and upon the same Terms we disbelieve God in this, we may dis­believe him in every thing he says. I might further demonstrate this Truth, by a multitude of Argu­ments, but I shall content my self, with the Four following, the First is. Adam standing the whole Worlds Representative when he sinned, 'tis unreasonable to suppose, that he did not so stand, when he was re­deem'd. Were all Men in him when he fell, and were not all Men in him, when he was restor'd? Was not the Plaister as large as the Wound? If Reason will bear no sway herein, consult the Scripture, 1 Cor. 15.22. Rom. 5.11, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19. Secondly, Christ either Died for all, or his Death was a far greater Curse to the World, than it was a Blessing; for had not Christ Died, our first Parents had been immediately sent to the Con­fines of Eternal Death, & so they had [Page 9]had no Race to have succeeded them, and consequently, not having had a Being could never have sinned; and so never have suffer'd Eternal Torments. But now by the Medi­ation of Jesus, these Criminals are not only pardon'd themselves, but permitted to bring forth a Nume­rous Off-spring, of which by our Op­ponents Doctrine, the far greater Part, it may be a Thousand to One, are by the implacable Hatred of God, left Irreversibly to Sin and Suffer his In­supportable Wrath to Eternal Ages. So that this Notion, doth with most manifest clearness, totally sub­vert the Work of Redemption, and renders it the most cruel of Un­dertakings, so that we may safely hence invert the Words of our Saviour, John 1.16. and read them thus, God so hated the World, that he gave his only begotten Son, that so Millions of Millions of Poor Souls, (which never else had been) might be brought into Being, and so necessitated to Sin and Perish, without a possibility of Escape. Too [Page 10]black a Notion to be cast upon the Father of Lights; which yet leads me to the Third Argument, which is yet more (if possible) convincing. Christ must Die for all Men Univer­sally, or God must Eternally con­demn and punish the greatest Part of Men: for not believing a Lie. For nothing is more plainly revealed in Scripture, than these Two Truths: First, That God requires all Men to believe in Jesus Christ, and that as their Saviour, or One Dying for their Sins; John 6.29. & 8.24. & 10.42. & 16.9. &c. Secondly, That this is the Ground of Man's Eternal Condemnation, because he doth not, nor will believe in the only begotten Son of God. John 3.18.38. So that I see not which Way 'tis possible to clear God from such a Dreadful Asper­sion, as before Noted, but by ac­knowledging the Death of Christ, for all Men Universally. The Fourth and Last Argument, is from the Apostle Paul, and I hope it will prove Authentick, if the other fail; [Page 11]and 'tis from 2 Cor. 5.14. Where, the Apostle designing to set forth the Necessity all Men had of a Savi­our, by their being dead in Sins and Trespasses, proves it by this To­pick or Medium, to wit, the Univer­sallity of Christ's Death for all men; for his Argument runs thus, If One Died for all, then were all Dead. Now sure none will affirm the Apostle so Unskilful or Deceitful a Logician, as to lay down a False and Imper­fect Premisee to build his Conclusion upon; for all (e're a whit) skill'd in Argument, know, that the Major Proposition must always compre­hend and include the Conclusion, and no doubt the Corinthians, they were not such Fools; but they would have reply'd, had they not be­lieved the Truth of the Apostles Proposition, Ay Brother Paul, we grant if Christ had Died for all, they must all have been Dead; but thou knowest, he did not Die for all, therefore what doth thy Argu­ing prove. But having been some­what large in these foregoing Parti­culars, [Page 12]I shall be constrained; but to hint at the following things in Order to contain all I shall say at present within my designed Confines.

Thirdly, All the Commands God hath given forth to be observed by all men, plainly bespeaks his unfeigned desire of their Salvation. For they declare, that God would have all his Creatures obey them, and why would he have them obey­ed, if not for their Sakes, and that for their good? For he hath no need of Man's Service: Seriously peruse these Scriptures, Deut. 5.29. and 6.17, 18.24, and 11.26. Rev. 22.14. Joh 22.2, 3.

Fourthly, All the Promises and Threatnings published in Gods Word, declare this Truth; For, for what End are they there Recorded, but to excite men to Obedience, and de­ter men from Sin? See Psal. 1.1. Psal. 128.1. Deut. 30.16, 17, 18, & Prov. 8.34, 35, 36. Rom. 2.8, 9. And if. God would not have any men to Sin, then he would not have any [Page 13]men to suffer; for Sin is the alone Cause of any Man's Infelicity; Psal. 107.17. Rom. 6.23.

Fifthly, All the outward Acts of God's Providence in the World, whether of Mercies or Judgement, plainly Preach the same Doctrine. He draws and drives, by these Cords of his Love. See Job 7.17, 18, and 33.26, 27, 28, 29, 30. Psal. 8.4. Psal. 145.9.16. Acts 14.17. Rom. 2.5. 2 Pet. 3.15, &c.

Sixthly, The Eternal Rewards and Punishments, which God will be­stow and inflict at last on men; plainly declare they had a Time, and means of Grace afforded them, to mind the things or their Eter­nal Peace, and consequently, that God did unfeignedly desire their Salvation. See 2 Thes. 1.8. Jude 4 2 Cor. 5.10, 11.

7thly. The Commissions that God hath given to the Ministers of the Gospel, do likewise join Testimony to this Truth, otherwise they are bound to tell Lies in the Name of God. See Ezek. 3.18, 19, 20, &c. [Page 14]and 33.6, 7, 8, 9, &c. Mark 16.15. 2 Cor. 5.18, 19, 20.

Eighthly and Lastly, The stri­vings of the Spirit of God, upon the Hearts of every Creature, plainly bespeaks the unfeigned desire he hath of their Salvation, unless we can imagine God solicitous, and active about that, which he hath no desire to accomplish (which one would think) any Rational Crea­ture should dread to assert. No, God never affords any means, in or­der to effect any End; but he always affords sufficient to accomplish the same. Consider the following Scrip­tures, Psal. 24.7, 8. Isa. 63.10. Acts 7.51. Rev. 3.20, and Gen. 6.3. compared with 1 Pet. 3.18, 19, 20. Thus having finished my first Head, I shall proceed to what fol­lows. But I would first remove an Objection, which is always rea­dy at hand to oppose this Truth withal. Say some, If God doth unfeignedly desire the Salvation of all Men, how comes it to pass all Men are not saved.

Reply, The Answer is easie and ready. Because the impure Will of degenerated Man is opposite to the Pure and Holy Will of God; so that what the Will of God desireth, the Will of Man opposeth; and this is none other Doctrine then is plenti­fully revealed in the Scriptures; 2 Chron. 36.15, 16. Prov. 1.22, to 30. Jer. 15, 18, and 51.9. Ezek. 24.13. Mat. 27, 37, 38. John 5.40. But to help the meanest Under­standing, God wills the Salvation of every of Mankind, but then it is on­ly in his own Way; or on the Terms of his own Proposing. And the In­finite Perfections of God's Nature, do (as it were) set to himself Bounds, which he cannot pass. So that what God proposeth concerning his Vine­yard. Isa. 5.3, 4. is truly appli­cable to the Vine-yard of the whole World, that is, what could have been done more for it, that he hath not done; the Meaning is not, that with the Respect to the Power of God, nothing more could have been done, but God's Power being limited [Page 16]by his Will, and his Will being guided by his Wisdom, and his Wis­dom directing consonant to all the Perfections of his Nature; it follows, that what is possible to his Power, may be repugnant to his Wisdom and Holiness; and so on that Considera­tion, cannot be done by him. The Almightiness of his Power, is al­ways, and only put forth with Judge­ment; Psal. 99.4. So that (tho') respecting the Power of God distinct­ly or seperately considered, he could have forc'd all his Creatures into an Universal Obedience to him, and given to them Eternal weights of Glo­ry, yet considered, as a God In­finite in Wisdom, Holiness, &c. as well as Power, it may be truly af­firmed of him, That he could not save one Soul more than he hath done. And I Retort upon my Adversaries, by this Interogation, is it not every whit as Rational to conclude, God cannot convert any more men than he doth, because they are not converted, as 'tis to say, he was not willing to save any more than he doth, because [Page 17]they are not saved? But as none will assert the Former, but on the Fore­mentioned Consideration, so in like manner. I assent to the Later, upon a due Interpretation. For as hath been already hinted, tho' it was the Original and antecedent Will of God, that all men should be saved, yet it was as really and truly his Secondary or Consequent Will, that every Im­penitent, Unbelieving, and Unper­swadeable Sinner should be damned. So that, tho' the Will of God was frustrated in the Former yet it was accomplished in the Later, and it was impossible it could be so in both: besides, God's main Design, to wit, his own Glory, is as truly effected, in the Sinner's Condemnation, as it would have been in his Justification and Salvation. I might enlarge, but I hasten to the Second Head, wherein I hope yet further to e­vince the Truth, for which, I have been Pleading. I then advance to declare (according to the Guidance of Scripture Light) what are the Methods, which God hath ordained [Page 18]to effect the Eternal Felicity of these his Off spring by. And here I shall divide them into Two Parts, First, Such as have a Peculiar and singular Respect unto God himself, (that is) what he hath done, and will do on his Part, in order to bring every Son and Daughter of Adam to Eternal Feli­city. And Secondly, What he hath Indispensibly ordained for Man to do (on his Part) in order to effect the same. And here, notwithstanding the Copiousness of the Subject, I in­tend to confine my self (at least for present) in the few following Pa­ges, not pretending to speak all, that may or can be said thereon; but so much, as I conceive (by the Blessing of God) may lead every Wil­ling and Rational Mind, so far into the Knowledge of Gods Will and their Duty therein; as that no Soul mak­ing a due Improvement thereof, need ever miscarry as to its Eternal Concerns.

It may not be unnecessary, as to the first of these, that we shew, what God did for Man, at his first Creation, in order to secure his E­ternal [Page 19]Felicity. And here we find, God created him a Pure and Innocent Creature, invested him with many Noble Endowments especially, Know­ledge and Holiness, Enters into a Co­venant of Life and Peace with him, and his Posterity in him: And this Covenant comprehended the Law of the Ten Commandments, as a Rule, Boundary, and Conveyance of Life and Blessing. For had Man ob­served the same, according to the Will of his Maker, and the Capaci­ties he was created with by him, he had never tasted the least Infeli­city or Misery; but have for ever enjoy'd sweet Fellowship and Com­munion with his Maker; but to the Eternal Reproach and Shame of himself and his Off-spring, he soon broke Covenant with God, and so forfeited all his Blessings, yea, procu­red to himself and all his Off-spring Eternal Wrath and Misery; Gen. 1.26. Col. 3.10. Rom. 3.19. and 7, 10. Cor. 15.56. Gal. 3.10, 12. Psal. 75.3, &c. But this being a Doctrine general­ly [Page 20]believ'd, and largely Treated on by many Worthies, I proceed.

This then being the Case of our first Parents, and is the Case of every one of us by Nature; God in further Demonstration of his real Delight in, and unfeigned desire after, the Eter­nal Felicity of every one of his Off­spring Man; out of the Unsearch­able Treasures of his Grace, takes Pitty on them, Contrives, finds out, and accomplisheth a Way and Means, by which we are redeem'd, restored, and reinvested with the Enjoyments of his special Favour and Blessing; and by which we may be Eternally Happy, in the never ceasing Enjoy­ments thereof. Now, what God hath done for all the Off-spring of Adam on this Account, and what he requires to be done by them, in order to compleat the same, I shall further proceed to shew. And here First Negatively, what God doth not do? (in Opposition to the Pretensions or Fancies of some) Viz. God doth not act in any meer Arbitrary, or Irresistible Way and Manner: So as [Page 21]to make his Creature Happy, nolens volens, whether they will or no. See Gen. 6.3. 2 Chron. 14, 15, 16. Psal. 81.12. Isa. 5.1, 2, 3, 4, 5. Ezek. 24.13. 2dly. Affirmatively, and here,

First, God hath contrived, or­dered, made plain and Publick, whatsoever is Necessary on this Ac­count. He hath not laid, nor left Man under any Care or Concern, to contrive and find out a Way to reco­ver and Relieve himself. He hath made it only the Concern of his Crea­ture, to walk in the Way prescribed and appointed for him. See 1 Sam. 14.14. Tit. 2.10. John 14.6.

Secondly, And more Particular­ly, God has provided a Ransom, a Mediator or Peace-maker between God and Man; he hath given and sent forth his only begotten Son into the World, to take upon him our Nature, and therein our Sin and Punishment, who likewise Freely, Fully, and Actually performed and Compleated the same: by bearing the heavy Wrath and Curse of God, [Page 22]for us and in our stead, and thereby Reconciling God and Man again to­gether. See Gen. 3.5. 2 Sam. 14.14. Gal. 3.13. 1 Cor. 15.22. Rom. 5.14, 15, 16, &c. 2 Cor. 5.19. 1 John 2, 2. 1 Tim. 2.5. Dan. 9.24. Isa. 53.5, 6. John 1.29.

Thirdly, God hath proposed Faith in his Son, or the Promises of his Grace in and through him; as the One and only Duty, of every Person, that is arrived to the Years of Discretion, and have committed actual Sin against God, to be per­formed on Man's Part, in order to his perfect Deliverance from Sin and Misery, and procure him Justifica­tion and Peace with God. Mark 16, 16. John 3.16. Rom. 3.26. and 5.1. And thus Faith (which if unfeigned) comprehends all Chri­stian Duties, as sincere Repentance, Mortification of Sin, and Sanctifica­tion or Newness of Life, Acts 5.9. Gal. 5, 6. By Faith we lay hold on Eternal Life, enter into a Real, Actu­al, and Solemn Covenant with God, become Betreathed and Espoused, to [Page 23] Father, Son and Spirit, in an E­verlasting Covenant; John 1.12. Gal. 3.26. But it may be here further Queried, how shall fallen Man beget and compleat this Grace in his Soul, seeing the Scripture tells us, Faith is the Gift of God, and no one can be­lieve but such, to whom it is given them of God, Ephes. 2.8. John 15.5.

Reply, 'Tis true, wherefore I grant the Solution of this Question is of great Importance, and needs the Guidance and Assistance of God's Word and Spirit; the which I crave, and doubt not of its Aid herein, and in the Resolution hereof, I in­tend to conclude. Wherefore, First, I would premise, or lay down this Position, Viz. That God doth really give true Faith unto all Men, that arrive to Years of Discretion. But here I must explain my self, for my Meaning is, God gives it to every Man, in the Use of Means on­ly. There is no One Soul under the whole Heavens, which is not by the Supernatural enlightenings of God's Grace, lead unto such a Faith as [Page 24]will please God. To wit, a Be­lief that God is, and that he is the Rewarder of them that diligently seek him; Heb. 11.6. Rom. 1.19, 20. and 2.15, 16, and 10.6, 7, 8.18. Acts 14.17. and 17.26, 27, 28. God is said to do that which is never done; for as much as he did all that was proper for him to do in order to effect it; Ezek. 24.13. God is never said to do any thing, where­in he himself is singly concern'd, and yet the Thing never done. 'Tis not meet God should lose the Glory of his Acts, because Man falls short in his Duty. In like manner, 'tis not meet God should lose the Glo­ry of his Goodness, in giving Eter­nal Life to men, because they will not accept of it. He may be truly said to give a Thing, that sincerely offers it, whether it be accepted or no. In this Sense, God gives Eternal Life to all men, and Faith as One necessary Ingredient to bring men thereunto. This is plainly declared by the Apostle, Acts 17.30, 31. Where, all men every where [Page 25]are commanded to repent (which in­cludes Faith) and assures us, God hath given assurance (our Transla­tion reads it but more significantly as the Margine or Original imports, hath offer'd or given Faith) unto all Men, by the Resurrection of Christ from the Dead So [...]hat now I pro­ceed to declare. What God hath done on his Part, to beget Faith in the Souls of every Son and Daughter of Man, and what he expects Man should do on his Part, in order to compleat the same. And to the First,

(1.) God of the Riches of his Grace, through the Mediation of Jesus, doth infuse into the Soul of every Creature, a Power or Capacity of Believing, and this is apparent, (1.) Because 'tis evident Man hath his Being of Grace given and continued to him; Psal. 75.3. and 'tis Irrational to suppose, that God hath not given to men Pow­ers and Capacities suitable to their Being. (2.) The Scripture testifi­eth a compleat Renovation by Josus Christ, of whatever Man lost in A­dam; Rom. 5.14, 15, 16, 17, [Page 26]18. & 8.3. 2 Cor. 5.14, 15. and consequently a Power and Capacity of Believing. (3.) 'Tis testified con­cerning Christ, John 1.8. That he enlightens every one that cometh into the World. There is a Spirit in every Man, and the Inspiration of Super­natural Grace giveth him Understan­ding, and with the Understanding or Heart Man believeth unto Salvati­on; Job 32.8. Rom. 10.10. The Spirit of Man is the Candle of the Lord; Prov. 20.27. And can any think, God hath any useless Can­dles, such as he never lighteth, (4.) The many Commands, Promises, and Threatnings, which God hath given forth in his Word, requiring all men every where to believe, plain­ly demonstrate that men are some way or other (and I know of none but by Grace) in a Capacity of be­lieving. (5.) Several things are done by the Appointment of God, that so all men might believe; John 1.7. & 17.21. & 30, 31. And he appoints nor approves of any fruit­less Labour. (6.) 'Tis Sin in every [Page 27]one not to believe; John 16.9. Which it could not be, were not every one in a Capacity of Believing; Faith (i. e. in a Mesias) being not an Old, but New Covenant Duty. (7) Our Blessed Saviour is said to marvel at the Faith of some, and Unbelief of others; Mat. 8.10. & Mark 6.6. Which declares at least, the Capa­city all men are put into to believe. (8) 'Tis said, Luke 8.12. That the Devil takes away the Word from some, least they should believe, which plainly implies, the Devil was sensible they were in a Capacity of Believing. (9) Our Blessed Saviour, who certainly never upbraided any Man without a Cause, yet is said to upbraid some men for their Im­penitence and Unbelief; Mat. 11.20. Mark 16.14. Which plainly inti­mateth men may have, yea, have by Grace, Power, and Capacity gi­ven them of God to repent and be­lieve, who notwithstanding, yet continue Impenitent and Unbelieving. So that I refer my Reader for a Con­clusion of this Head, to the Apostles [Page 28]Words; Rom. 3.3, 4. and pass wherefore.

(2) God not only of his Grace, in­fuseth into his Creatures a Power and Capacity of Believing, but proposeth proper Objects to exercise Faith upon, or beget Faith in the Soul: As the Riches of his Grace, the Death of his Son, the faithfulness of his Word, Promise, Oath, &c. John 3.14, 15, 16. 1 Pet. 1.17, 18, 19, 20, 21. Mark 16.16, &c. Heb. 6.17, 18, 19.

(3) God of his Grace, by his Word and Ministers, maketh use of most Proper and Rational Arguments to convince the Understanding of every Reasonable Soul, of the Necessity and Equity of their Duty; Isa. 1.18. & 5.4. Deut. 32.47. Psal. 4.2, 4. Prov. 5.1, 2.7.11, 12, 13, &c. John 12.35. 1 John 5.4, to 14. So that it may be truly said, 'tis the most unreasonable thing in the World, not to believe the Record God hath given of his Son, 2 Thes. 3.2.

(4) God of his Grace, by his Word and Ministers, and constant, [Page 29]and common Providences, makes use of the most Powerful and Attra­cting Allectives, to allure and draw the Affections of every of his Crea­tures, that so they may repent and believe the Gospel; Deut. 5.29. & 32.29. Mat. 23.37. Luke 19.41, 42. Isa. 55.1, 2. Rev. 22.17, Rom. 2.4, 5. 2 Pet. 3.15. And when the Cords of his Love will not draw us, he useth Cords in Love to drive us. He sends his Terrours to awaken us, and his Rod to heal us; Job 33.14, to 30. Prov. 29.15. Mi­cah 6.9. He sends his Judgements into the Earth, that the Inhabitants thereof may learn Righteousness; Isa. 26.9. He puts a Price of Infinite value into his Creatures Hands; Prov. 17.16. He is unto them as they that take the Yoke from off the Jaws, and lays Meat unto them, yet notwith­standing, they must eat or Perish. Thus he draws them with the Cords of a Man, and with the Bonds of Love; Hosea 11.3, 4, 5. And seems pas­sionately concern'd when this his Grace is abused; Micah 6.1, 2, 3. &c.

(5) God of his Grace, sends his Holy Spirit, to the Doors of his Crea­tures Hearts, and he comes not emp­ty Handed, or narrow Hearted. He cries, Open ye Everlasting Doors, that the King of Glory may come in. He knocks at the Doors of the Hearts of Sinners, but he doth it not, as some will do at their Friends or Neigh­bours Doors; very softly on purpose they might not be heard, only that they might have excuse to say, that they were there. No; he knocks in good Earnest, and with Autho­rity, yea, he commands Entrance, C [...]ies out Fire, Fire, yea, tells them they shall for ever burn in unquen­chable Fire, if they will not awake, and arise, &c. Promises them Eter­nal Rewards, if that they will but let him come in and Sup with them, &c. John 16.9. Psal. 24.7.9. Rev. 3, 20. Yea, he takes not a speedy De­nial, is not as Proud as we are Coy; but waits, till his Locks are (as it were) Wet with the Dew of the Night. He waits long, on some, 20, 30, 40, 50, 60 Years and more. Come­ing [Page 31]and knocking again, and a­gain, Crying out with most mel­ting Expressions, How long, how long, how long, Ye Simple, will ye love Simplicity? Ye Scorners delight in your Scorning, and ye Fools hate Knowledge? Turn ye at my Reproof, and I will pour out my Spirit unto you, and make known my Words unto you; Prov. 1.22, 23. Turn ye, turn ye, why will ye die? Ezek. 33.11. Now can any Soul be so destitute of Rea­son and Grace, as to think all this is nothing but a Pack of Deceit and Falsehood. Imagine the Spirit of God thus Striving for Victory, but with no Design to conquer. Dare any resent the most upright Being, compara­ble to the vilest of Hyrocrites? Such whose Words of their Mouths are smoo­ther than Butter, whil'st War is in their Hearts; Psal. 55.21. Prov. 12.10. For such must all these Deal­ings of God be with Men, if he de­signs not their Salvation by them.

(6) an [...]astly, God of his Grace, in and [...] your Lord Jesus, stands always ready to lend his Helping Hand, [Page 32]whenever the Soul of any Sinner shall move one Step forward in the Way of Believing. We grant the Duties of Religion are great and Weighty, and require more Strength to man­nage, than Sinners either have of themselves, or immediately have from God; but he whose Eyes run to and fro, throughout the whole Earth, beholds the Motions and Inclinations of the Hearts of every Creature And no sooner doth the Soul of any Pro­digal Sinner, come to its self, and entertain any serious thought of Re­turning unto his Maker, but this Fa­ther of Mercy not only runs to meet him, but is at hand to Aid and En­courage him. Much like a Loving and Tender Parent, who may put his Child upon lifting an Hundred Pound Weight, which notwithstand­ing, he knows it cannot do it of it self; yet the Child being willing to try its Strength, and shew its Willingness to obey its Parent, the Father to encourage it, lends his Helping Hand, and [...] both lifting together, it is enable [...] to do that, [Page 33]which otherwise it could not possibly have done. 'Tis easier for a Camel to go through the Eye of a Needle, then for a Rich Man (yea, or a Poor Man, or indeed any Man, by his own Natural Skill, Will, or Pow­er) to enter into the Kingdom of Heaven. But what is impossible with Men, is possible unto God; Mark 10.27. So that Rich and Poor may all enter in at Heavens Gate, if they will implore and improve the Divine Aids of Grace, which either they have, or may have at his Hands. God deals with his Creature Man, much like a Prudent Parent with his Bankrupt Son; who having squan­dered away a large Stock, will yet try him again, but with a little Stock at first; yet withal promises him, in case he improves and manages that well, he shall have more, and more, still as his Occasions requires: bids him come to him (on those Terms) as often as he please, and he will not send him empty away. In like manner, God hath dealt with his Bankrupt Off spring Man, he re­solves [Page 34]to try him yet Once more, hath provided a Stock for him no ways inferiour, but much larger than what he had before; but he will not now put it all into his Crea­tures Hands at Once, he will have the keeping of it himself, and see or know of the laying of it out. He gives him a little at first (yet suffici­ent for his need) tells him, if he im­proves and manages that well, he shall have more; but lets him know, he must come to him for it; and tell him for what he wants it, &c. And so doing (in the well in manage­ment thereof) he promises to give supplies of Grace, in all things suit­able to his Need. Is not then the Case of Man by Grace, much bet­ter than it was by Nature? Is it not better to have such a Friend and Father, to go to at all times as our Need requires, than to have all our Stock in our own Hands. Yet such a Friend and Father, hath every Man and Woman in the World; but ei­ther they do not know it, or will not believe it, or knowing and be­lieving [Page 35]it, will not practically im­prove this their Knowledge, to the Glory of their Maker, and their own Spiritual and Eternal Advantage. If any question the Truth hereof, let them search the Scriptures, it is so visible throughout the whole of them, that he that runs may read it; yet I shall cite a [...]ew of such as oc­cur to Mind; Psal. 75.1.119. & 151. & 145.18. Isa. 55.6. Luke 15.17, 18, 19. Mat. 11.28. Rom. 10 6, 7, 8, 9. Mark 10.27, 28. Heb. 7.25. So that as God begins a good Work, in the Soul of every Creature (by the Communications of Divine Grace) he will carry on that Work (on his Part, and in his Way) unto the Day of Christ. God ever did, doth, and will give to every Man, a sufficiency of Light and Grace to carry him to Happiness, (in case he improves it) and this Ir­resistibly, whether he will or no; but he never will'd to carry on this Work of his Grace unto Perfection: but by the concurrence of the Will and Power (or putting forth of the [Page 36]same into Act) of his Creature, suitable to the Capacities, which they have of Free Grace, received in order thereunto. The first Acts of God's Grace or Gifts of his Love to Fallen Men, are purely in a Way of Grace, without any Respect to any thing Lovely in the Creature, for his Son's sake; but all the Af­ter Gifts of God are purely in a Way of Reward, to the well Improve­ment of his first Gifts, and the well Managery of Succeeding Ones; yet must we not esteem this any other than a Reward of Grace, not a Re­ward of Debt. See Phil. 2.12, 13. Rom. 4.3, 4, 5. Thus having brief­ly finished, what I conceive necessa­ry at present to shew, what God on his Part doth do, and will do to beget and carry on a Saving Faith in the Hearts of every Creature, I now proceed briefly to declare what God hath ordained Man to do (on his Part) in order to secure his Eternal Happiness: And notwith­standing the Duties are great and Weighty (as before noted) yet all [Page 37]things considered, they are as no­thing, being Infinitely beneath the things which God hath done for us, to procure and secure the said Fe­licity. The Afflictions of this pre­sent Life (the most difficult part of our Duty to God) are in the Apo­stle's Judgment, not worthy to be com­pared to the Glory that is to be re­vealed? All that God requires of us, is but to make use of what he gives, and accept of what he offers. 'Tis but to believe what he says, and o­bey what he commands, and as he proposeth nothing but Truth to be believed, so he requireth nothing but what is for our Good, Profit, Ho­nour, and Pleasure; to be obeyed. He is no hard Master, he is not mo­rose or difficult to be pleased; if their be first a Willing Mind, he accept­eth according to what a Man hath, and exacteth not, what he hath not; he is not Cruel in his Laws, nor Niggardly in his Aids; if we be­lieve and obey him, we shall spend our Days in Pleasures; Job 36.11. All the Senses and Faculties of our bo­dies [Page 38]and Souls shall be sweetly satis­fied, yea ravished; with most pro­per Objects for Delight and Pleasure. Had God commanded us to live up­on nothing but Bread and Water: yea, to eat and drink always that which were most distastful to our Appetites. Had he commanded us to cloath our selves with Crowns of Thorns, and Garments of Thistles, to tread bare-foot upon Brambles, or Red Hot B [...]rs of Iron; to lead a life of the most exquisite miseries and Torments, that could be inflicted or endured in this World. We had been bound to obey him, and admired he would have rewarded a short Life of such Sorrows and Miseries (which we had Justly merited) with never ceasing Weights of Glory; but this is not our Case, we are only requi­red to walk in Pleasant and Peaceful Paths, with assurance that we shall meet with no Harm nor want any thing that is good for us therein. That we shall gain more by one Minutes true Service of God, than we can gain in a Thousand Years, in the [Page 39]Serving of our selves in this World seperate from the Service of God: Yea, tho' God should bless us with the Confluence of all Earthly Bles­sings, above the ordinary Method of his Providence all that time. Men little think what Enemies and Rob­bers they are to themselves, whilst they say unto God (tho' it be but in the Language of Practice) Depart from us, we desire not the Knowledge of thy Ways; for following after their present Profits, Honours or Pleasures; these Lying Vanities, they forsake their own Mercies. For if a Cup of Cold Water given to a Disciple of Christ (from a right Principle, and to a right End) shall not lose its Reward, Viz. a Particular and Eternal Re­ward in Heaven for it; Oh how great! How Inconceiveably great, is the Loss which every Man sustains, whilst he is not in the true Ser­vice of God. Surely it must be the most Incredible Madness, the first born of Folly, to neglect our Duty and Interest here. Wherefore in hopes that some Soul or other, Will [Page 40]mind what 'tis the Lord his God doth require of him, I proceed to inform him in the few following Particulars.

(1) God doth Indispensibly require that we employ, or set apart, a Por­tion of our time every Day to think of Heaven and Heavenly things. That so we may acquaint our selves with our selves, and with our Maker, to Ex­amine, Ponder, Weigh, Consider and Determine, how Matters stand, between God and us. Peruse these Scriptures, Deut. 4.39, 40. & 5.29. & 8.5. & 32.29. 1 Sam. 12.24. Job 34.27. Psal. 1.2. & 10.4. & 32.9. & 50, 22. Prov. 6.6. Eccles. 5.1. & 7.13, 14. Isa. 1.3. & 5.12. Jer. 8.6. Ezek 12.3. & 18.14.28. Hos. 7.2. Hag. 1.5.7. 2 Cor. 13.5. Phil. 4.8. 2 Pet. 1.13.15. No Duty more pressed in Scripture. Consideration is the first Step to any Worthy Enterprise; Luke 14.28. to 33. and it implies not a Slight, Superficial, or Transient View of things in our Mind; but a Serious, Settled, Upright and Impartial Ex­amining, Trying, Judging, Sen­tencing [Page 41]of them. It signifies laying of Matters close to our Hearts, or our Hearts and Ways close togethor; as it is Translated, Eccles. 7.2. It was by Inadvertency, or for want of due Consideration, in our first Parents, that Sin and Misery came into the World; and it must be by the due Exercise of our thinking Fa­culty, if ever we come to be really restored to Life and Peace; Ezek. 18.28. Wherefore it is necessary, that we set apart some time every Day (if be but a Quarter of an Hour) retiredly to converse about the Matters of our God and our Soul; and you need not want Matter for Considera­tion, God and the things of God and our Souls, are not only an Un­searchable Deep, but stored with Variety of Soul Charming, and Soul Satisfying Objects. Compare things and things together, ask your Souls these and such like Questions. Hath God given me my Being? And is it not meet that my Being be devoted un­to his Honour? Cannot I live or continue in Being One Moment without God? [Page 42]Why then should I live One Moment but to God? Is all I have and Enjoy from God? And shall not all I have and Enjoy, be employed for God? How Surpassingly Vile and Incongruous to Common Reason, must then that be, to employ God's Blessings and Favours to his Dishonour. 'Tis as if a Friend should lend me his Sword to defend me from my Enemy, and I should Sheath it in his own Bowels. Most Horrid Ingratitude! and yet such is the Case of every Wilful and Obstinate Sinner. Every Sin is a Vertual Murder of God, for in eve­ry such Act by the Language of Pra­ctice we say. We would not have God to be because he controuls us in our Will. Ask thy Soul then, is Sin a Reasonable or Unreasonable thing? Can I serve a better Lord and Master than my Maker? Which had I better serve God or the Devil? (I know of no Medium) Whether an Holy and Pi­ous, or a Debaucht and Wicked Life be the most Amiable? To act like a Rational or a Bruit Creature most be­coming? Whether is Heaven or Hell, [Page 43]the best Habitation to take up with­al for an Eternal Abode? Surely any Rational Understanding need not be long resolving these and such like Questions, where there is so Vast a Disproportion. Having thus alarm'd thy Soul, and awak­ened it, proceed yet further to make Enquiry, How the Case stands with thy own Soul? Call it to an Account. Say, O my Soul, whence camest thou? Who gave thee thy Being? Where and What hast thou been? What hast thou done? What hast thou received? What Returns hast thou made? What Improvements? What Loss, or what Gain? How hath thy Time, thy Health, thy Strength, thy Reason and Understanding, and all the Fa­culties and Powers, with which thou art entrusted, been employed? Cast up thy Receipts, Debts, Payments, see if thou canst tell what thou hast run upon the Score. Think how you will be able to answer your Judge at the great Tribunal, what will be his Final Sentence; and take with you the Holy Scriptures, that [Page 44] Book of Life, by which you must be Judged; remember what hath been told you, God is a God of all Per­fection, a God of Truth and Justice, as well as Clemency and Goodness; wherefore, whatever he hath de­clared in his Word, he will fulfil to a Tittle. The Wicked shall be turned into Hell, and all the Nations that forget God; Psal. 9.17. He'll pour out his Wrath upon the Heathen, and all the Families of the Earth, that call not on his Name; Jer. 10.25. And how men should do otherwise than forget God, and neglect to call upon his Name, who will not Seriously take Matters into Consi­deration, is undeterminable by Hu­mane Reason. Wherefore, take these things now into your Consi­deration. 'Tis Infinitely better to to see and know thy Case now, then to put it off till the Day of Judge­ment. 'Tis better to come to a Rec­koning now, then to let it alone till then. Now if thou hast run upon [...]he Score more than thou art able to pay, more than thou art worth, [Page 45]or all the World beside (as no doubt but thou hast) yet now thou mayst, by Sincere Repentance, and Faith in our Lord Jesus, sue out and ob­tain a Pardon, but thou canst not do it, when once thine Eyes are clo­sed, and there is a Seperation made between thy Soul and Body; Ecles. 9.10. Thus in due Examination and expostulation with thy own Soul. Thou wilt be (as it were) by hand lead, to fix upon some choice, come to some purpose and Resolve. You may see what the Prodigal did, when he came to himself, that is, when he call'd home his Roving, Wandering thoughts, and falls upon a serious Treaty with his own Heart, he soon came to this Re­solve. I will arise and go to my Fa­ther. I now am in Want and Penury, I there shall be supply'd, this also if rightly prosecuted, will induce and ingage thee to do the same, and consequently puts thee upon falling in with that, which as a Second Step to the Security of thy Eternal Peace, I, by the Cuidance of Gods [Page 46]Word, am lead to direct thee unto: Wherefore,

(2) God expects, thou seeing thy Misery, wilt make Application to him, requires it at thy Hand. 'Tis a small Favour is not worth the Ask­ing. He ha [...]h bidden you ask, and hath promis'd you shall receceive. He hath provided Pardon of Sin, Justification, Sanctification and E­ternal Life, and Glory for you; but he hath laid it all up in his Son. And except we go to him for these Invaluable Treasures, these best of blessings, we shall never have them, and so shall be never the better for them, but much the worse; because they will be as so many Weights to sink the Soul down to the bottom of the bottom­less Pit. See and consider these Scriptures, Isa. 45.22. Mat. 11.27. John 3.14, 15, 16. Rom. 6.23. & 8.32. 2 Pet. 1.3. 1 John 5.11. Ezek. 36, 37. John 5.40. & 6.53. Luke 12.48. & 10.15. Rom. 2.4, 5. Heb. 2.3. but have a care you go not forth by your own Skill, or in your [Page 47]own Strength. Many a Soul hath spht it self upon this Rock, of self Exaltation. The Spirit or God by the I salmist, Psal. 5.2.7. very Em­phatically sets forth the Folly of such an One, wherefore when thy Soul is allarmed and warmed by the fore-mentioned Considerations, as no doubt but it will be, if thy Me­ditations have been serious; Psal. 39.3. & 119.59, 60. then think not to overcome your Corruptions, to resist your Temptations, to perform Religious Duties, by your own Skill, and Strength; or that Will, Skill, and Strength you have already receiv­ed from God; but take the Advice al­ready give [...], and frequently press'd in the Scripture Go to God by Prayer, and Supplication, and go in the Name of Jesus. And for as much as you know not, what to pray for as you ought; Rom. 8.26. beg the Ass [...]ance and I [...]ach­ings of the Spirit of God. If you will but ask it, God hath promis­ed to give it; Luke 11.13. and what may not a Poor Soul do, that hath the [...]uidance, and Assistance [Page 48]of the Spirit of God. Dost thou want Wisdom, that searcheth the deep things of God, 1 Cor. 2.10. That leads into all Truth; John 16.13. and consequently, out of all Er­rour. Dost thou want an Heart to Duty the Spirit of God? (by the Word) Will create a new Heart, and renew a right Spirit within thee; Ezek. 36.25, 26, 27. Dost thou want Power and Strength to over­come Sin? Vanquish Satan, run in the Way of Gods Commandments. This Spirit will strengthen thee, with might in thy inward Man; Ephes. 3.16. Wherefore go, I say to God, by Sincere and Earnest Prayer, and go Humbly and Sensibly, from the True Apprehensions of thy own Wants and Misery; and be sure you ask in Faith, nothing wavering; for he is Faithful that hath promis­ed, and in so doing, he will not, he cannot deny you; James 1.5, 6. Heb. 10.23. 1 Cor. 1.20. 1 John 1.9. Yea, if thy Heart remains Un­believing, or thou art weak in the Faith; pray to God to give thee [Page 49] to encrease thy Faith, to help thee a­gainst Unbelief; and as nothing is too hard for God to do, so in nothing is he unwilling to do thee good, his Power is not larger than his Good­ness, nor his Goodness than his Pow­er, as hath been already sh [...]wn; wherefore go with an Holy Boldness unto the Throne of Grace for Grace to help you in every time and Case of your Need; Heb. 4.16. and in so do­ing, he expects and requires, that you pro [...]eed to observe and follow, what in the next Place is proposed unto you, as that which lies on your Part to do, in order to secure your E­ternal Happiness, wherefore,

(3) God hath ordained or ap­pointed as your Indispensible Duty, in order to secure your Eternal Peace and Happiness, That you accept and receive from him, what you pray for, and what he offers and tenders to you, above and beyond your exp [...]ctations and desires; Psal. 81.8, 9, 10, 11, 12, &c. Prov. 1.3.24, 25.30. & 2.1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, &c. & 4.13. & 8.10.33. & 19.19. John 1.12. James [Page 50]1.21. 2 Cor. 11.4. Is it not most apparently manifest, that no Man perisheth for lack of sufficient sup­plies provided for him by his Maker, purchased for him by his Redeemer,, offered unto him by the Holy Spirit his Sanctifier. Doth not the Spirit and the Bride, say come, yea, to whomsoever will, let him come and take of the Water of Life freely; Rev. 22.17. and can any Sober, Serious and Thinking Mind, harbour such a thought, as to imagine; that either Father, Son, or Spirit, doth make offers of more than they are a­ble or willing to give? Surely not. No, God in and by his Word, de­clares himself so solicitous to commu­cicate of the good things of Heaven, Spiritual and Eternal Life and Hap­piness, to his needy and miserable Creatures, that he stoops below the ordinary Sphear and Method of the most Munificent and Bountiful of Mankind, in the Distribution of them; Prov. 9.1. to 6. Isa. 55.1, 2, 3. he acts as if the Commodities of Heaven were a Drug and Burthen [Page 51]to him, as if the Bread and Water of Life, or the Banquets of Heaven, were like to be spoil'd for want of Guests. But know ye, O ye Obsti­nate and Ungrateful Sinners, these are only most merciful Condescenti­ons in the God of Heaven, to speak unto you in your own Dialect, that so, if by any means, he may pre­vail upon you, to be Friends to your own Souls, and not suffer them to perish Eternally, seeing there is such Rich Provision made by the King of Heaven for you. But if you will chuse Death rather than Life; Eternal Misery, before Eter­nal Happiness, you shall know one day to your never ceasing Confusion and Lamentation, that the Blessings of Heaven were no such inconsidera­ble things, as you esteemed them to be. That God had no occasion to have been so importune and solicitous, to have put off the Commodities of Heaven to you. No, whatsoever God doth do of this Kind, proceeds alone from the boundless compassions of his own Nature; being infinitely incli­ned [Page 52]and propens'd, to relieve his Needy Off-spring. Wherefore, what God doth of this Kind, is only for his Creatures good, he hath no need of them; nor can they be any Advan­tage or Profit to him: No, no, He is so infinitely happy in himself, that 'tis beyond the Capacities of all his Creatures, by all they can do for or against him, to add to, or dimi­nish ought from, his Essential Glo­ry; Job 22, 23. & 35.6, 7, 8. Yea, so choice is God of his Heaven­ly Treasures, that he will not im­prudently cast them away, or force them upon any Person (he is not for casting Pearls to Swine) Men must (as hath been already shewn) return to their Maker, by the exer­cise of those Noble Endowments and Faculties, which they have receiv'd of Grace; they must consider, re­pent, return, and humbly implore their Heavenly Father to be merciful unto them, and pardon their Sins, and reconcile them unto himself, in his own Way, and on his own Terms; and having so done, they must not [Page 53]think the work is over, No, they must wait at the Gates or Posts of Wisdom, to receive the Almes of Heaven. The Wind bloweth when and where it listeth; John 3.8. and as eve­ry Mariner must wait upon its motion (that stands in need thereof) till it is fair for them, so must every Hea­ven-bound Soul, that would safely arrive in the Spiritual Canaan, (that Heavenly Countrey) wait the sweet moveing Gales of the Spirit of God blowing upon it; and as no Man ever wanted a fair Wind, at one time or other, to carry him to his de­sired Port, so no Soul waiting on God, for the supplies of his Grace, shall ever want sufficient for his Need, to carry him to Heaven; but as the Wind will carry no Man to his de­signed Port, unless he be active, take the Opportunity, and set up his Sails, &c. so no more will the Gales of the Spirit of God, carry men to the Heavenly Countrey, unless they fall in with the same, take the Opportunity whil'st it lasteth, re­ceive and imbrace the same. Where­fore [Page 54]be always in a Waiting Po­sture, to hear what God shall say, and receive what God shall give, pray, and look after your prayers, pray, and watch unto Prayer; Psal. 5.3. Ephes. 6.18. Pray not as if you cared not whether you were heard or not, nor be so regardless of your prayers, as if you matter'd not whether they were answer'd or not. Do not, as (it is to be feared) too many do, pray for Sin-mortify­ing and Renewing Grace, but with (a secret reserve, not yet Lord, as Augustine confesseth, he himself had used to do, when Praying for the Gift of Continenoy) By which means, God is mocked, and the Blessing, when it comes is rejected. We pray to be delivered from all Iniquity, &c. and yet are so in Love with our Sins, or some one Darling Corruption, that totally to depart there-from, we are not willing, we nourish and cherish the same in our Bosom, and perpe­trate and prosecute the same in our Lives; the which repells or drives back the Spirit of God from the Soul. [Page 55]For 'tis impossible any beloved, al­lowed, cherished, and repeat­ed Sin, and the Spirit of God, should dwell together in one and the same Soul; Psal. 5.3. & 68.18. Isa. 59.2. Hab. 1.13. 2 Tim. 2.19. So that this leads me to the next, which is the Fourth and Last Particular, which I shall lay down, and all which I conceive is absolutely necessary for me to do, in order to give full; plain, and safe directions, as to what lies as an Indispensible Duty on e­very Son and Daughter of Adam, to do on their Part, in order to se­cure their Eternal Happiness, and the which lies within the compass of their Power to do (as they are resto­red by Grace) and the which doing, they shall infallibly obtain their de­sired End. Wherefore, you must not only enter into a Treaty with your own Souls, by serious and timely Consideration; and by the influence thereof, with the Blessing of God thereon, humbly return unto your Maker by Sincere Application to him for whatsoever he hath promis­ed, [Page 56]in the unfeigned Belief and re­al Expectation thereof; yea, not only wait for, and receive (hum­bly and thankfully) at the Hands of God, whatsoever he of his Grace, through his Son, communicates to you; but

(4) and Lastly, You must re­solve upon, and practically perform a Mortification of all your Corrup­tions, a Departure from every Ini­quity, and a living soberly, righte­ously, and Godlily in this present World, by an intire and compleat closing in with, and actual improve­ment of all the Teaching, Convin­cing, Reproving, and Assisting Op­erations of the Grace of God, by his Word and Spirit, or any other Method of his Providences. These Heavenly Visitants and Friends, you must not only give them Entrance, but kind Entertainment; and that not as Transient Guests, only for a Night and away; but as the most Affectionate Lovers, resolve to live and die together, take their Coun­sel and Advice in all things, and [Page 57]yield a ready and hearty consent to whatever they propose unto thee. 'Tis not sufficient to have many Ta­lents, if we hide them in a Napkin; no, every one must give an Account of himself to God, and if we are not good Stewards of the manifold Grace of God, which he here com­municates to us, we shall be able to give but a very sad account of our selves to him, when all the secrets (as well as visibles) of men shall be judged according to the Gospel; seriously peruse these Scriptures, Mat. 25.14. to the End, 1 Cor. 12.7. 1 Pet. 4.10. Tit. 2.11, 12. Rom. 2.6. to the End. The whole Body of the Scriptures is filled with Coun­sels, Exhortations, and Warnings of this Nature, wherefore peruse them diligently, and let them be as your Intimate Companions and Counsellors at all times; they are the Treasury of all true and Heaven­ly Wisdom, they are able by the Blessing of God upon them (and that none shall want in the upright use of them) to make every Son and [Page 58] Daughter of Mankind wise unto Sal­vation: they are an Inestimable Jew­el sent from Heaven, and as such to be prized and improved by every one, that either hath or can obtain them. They need no Encomiums to win our Esteem, the Sublime Pleasure, Pro­fit and Honour, which they confer upon every serious and diligent Per­user of them, do infinitely and be­yond all compare, declare the Inesti­mable Value of them; wherefore I say, make use of them as such, in the whole Course of your Conversa­tion, towards your God, your Neigh­bour, and your Self; and especi­ally for your help in all the fore-men­tioned Informations and Directions. Thus sincerely observing and practi­cally performing the forementioned Directions, I dare be bold on Gods behalf, to give thee the Pledge of my own Soul for thine, that God will im­brace thee in the Arms of his most tender Affection, and Entitle thee to, and Enrich thee with the best and highest Blessings which God can give, or thy Soul receive; for when­ever [Page 59]any Soul thus heartily consents to the Terms of the Covenant of Gods Grace, the Match is made, the Mar­riage Knot is ty'd; thou art then entred into an Everlasting Covenant with thy Maker: with Father, Son, and Spirit. Thou art become his, and he thine. And this thy Friend, thy Father, thy Husband, will prove faithful unto thee, to thy Death. He that hath compleated this Work in thy Soul to this Degree, will car­ry it on until the Day of Christ. Thou may'st be as sure of Heaven and Happiness, and Eternal Weights of Glory, as thou art that God is true. He to whom thou art thus u­nited, is both able and willing to de­fend thee, from all Injury and Harm. He that is on thy side, is greater, than all that are or can rise up a­gainst thee. So that every such Soul, may Warrantably say, in the Lan­guage of the Psalmist, Jehovah is my Shepherd, my Refuge and Strength; I know, I shall want no good thing; Psal. 23.1, 2. I will not fear tho' I walk through the Valley of the [Page 60]Shadow of Death: tho' the Earth be removed, and the Mountains carried into the midst of the Sea; Psal. 46.1, 2, 3. Yea, tho' all the Men on Earth, and all the Devils in Hell, should combine together, to de­stroy my Soul, or do me any hurt, yet will I not be terrified at them; I have the Word, yea Covenant Promise of an Almighty and all Faithful Being: One that never did, never will, nor yet ever can break Covenant with his People; Therefore thy main and only Care must be to keep Covenant with him, to keep your selves in the Love of God, to hold fast the beginning of your Con­fidence steadfast unto the End; for Perseverance, or holding out to the End, in the Way of Piety and Reli­gion, is as absolutely and indispensibly necessary to be performed on thy Part, in order to thy Salvation, or the E­ternal Security and Peace of thy Soul, as is any of the fore-mentioned Par­ticulars, Faith is not more necessa­ry to thy Justification and Peace with God, than Perseverance or Continu­ance [Page 61]and Growth therein, is unto thy Salvation. The Scriptures is full of Testimonies in Proof hereof, I shall cite a few of them, 1 Chron. 28.9. John 8.31. & 15.2. to 9. Acts 14.22. Col. 1.23. 1 Tim. 2.13. Heb. 3.14. & 10.35, 36. & 12, 13, 14, 15. And what is indispensibly necessary unto Salvation, by the Vote of Gods Word, must needs declare that a Final comeing short therein, will cause the Soul to miscarry to all Eternity. 'Tis granted on all hands, that 'tis possible for the Soul, after a real and true Conversion, or Turning to God, yet to fall into many great, grievous, and enormous Sins and so to provoke God thereby, as total­ly to withdraw his Holy Spirit, and with-hold the Light of his Countenance from them; and that living and dy­ing in the same unrepented of, they must inevitably perish. But 'tis que­stioned by some, whether 'tis possi­ble, for any truely converted and renewed by Grace, so to sin, as to provoke God totally to leave them to perish in their Sins, by final Impeni­tence [Page 62]and Unbelief. Wherefore con­ceiving it a Matter of great Concern, in the Exercise of a Christian Life, to be rightly instructed herein, I shall prosecute my Conceptions already laid down, Part the 1st. Page the 6th. of this Book, Viz. That 'tis possi­ble for a Person truly converted to God, by and of his Grace, so to depart from him by Unbelief, and other provoking Sins, as to cause God totally, and fi­nally to give them up to the Capti­vity of Satan and their own Hearts Lust; and Eternally to perish in and for the same. Now before I enter up­on any further Proof (for several Scrip­tures have been cited already) I shall endeavour to remove Two main Stumbling Blocks that lie in the Way, very much impeading or hindering many Persons from the Chearful Re­ception of and closing in with this Truth of God.

The first is, some assert. That this Notion is a less Peace-ful, and more Uncomfortable Doctrine, than is that Doctrine that tells us, That 'tis impossible for any Soul, once really u­nited, [Page 63]to Christ by Faith, ever to sin it self out of Gods Favour, or by any means miscarry, in respect to its Eter­nal Happiness.

(2) They alledge, that this La­ter Opinion hath a Greater Tendancy to draw forth the Soul in Love to God and Admiration of his Goodness, &c. than that we plead for. Now that these are only the Vain Imaginations of Man's Mind, or Delusions of Satan to shipwrack the Souls of Men, I shall, I trust, plainly discover. wherefore to the first,

(1) Whatever Peace, or Com­fort, the Doctrine of the Impossibility of the Saints final Miscarrying by Sin, affordeth more than that for which I plead; it is only such a Comfort as men may have in the Way of Sin and Death, such a Peace as we find mentioned, Deut. 29.19. which is not true, being not the Peace of God; Isa. 48.22. for the same Notion, that comforts me, by telling me, that in the Way of Sin, I cannot to­tally, or finally miscary, will or may afford me the same Comfort, whil'st [Page 64]captivated, and enslaved, by Cor­ruption, and Temptation; as it doth, whil'st I keep close to God, in the Way of Faith, and Obedience; if not, what betterness, or what more Peace­ful and Comfortable Doctrine is it, than that we hold; for we believe, and teach, that in the Way of Righteousness (i. e.) Faith, Hope, and Love; there is no possibility of miscarrying, and so no discomfort.

(2) 'Tis most apparent, that the Principal Cause of that Breach, that is made in the Peace of Gods Children, ariseth, either by their being Inactive in some Grace, Remiss in some Duty, or Indulgent to some Corruption; where­fore that Doctrine, that hath the Greatest Tendency to reduce the Saints of God, to such a Course of living in any kind, must needs be the less Peaceful, and most Uncomfortable Do­ctrine; and that such is the Genius of that Notion we oppose, is most visi­ble to every Unprejudiced Mind.

(3) Nothing is more evident, than that that Doctrine, not only leads to Sin and Apostacy, but like­wise [Page 65]involves many a Poor Soul, in deep Distress and Despair; for being overcome by Temptation, or grow­ing Cold and Life-less, in the Things of God, as the best of Gods Children are too prone unto. This Notion se­cretly thus treats the Soul, Surely my Profession is nothing, I am none of the Elect, if I were, I should not live as I do, or as I have done; and so tends to drive the Soul wholly from God, and his Ways, and hath caused some to wish themselves in Hell, that they might know the worst of their Misery; and likewise provoked them to put an un­timely End unto their Days.

(4) Nothing is more evident than that there is few of the Pretenders to this Doctrine, that can in their most serious and retired thoughts, tell their own Souls, I am so sure of my E­lection, Vocation, and Adoption, that for my part, I never fear falling a­way; for if I do fall into Sin, yet I am sure, I shall not, I cannot miscarry therein. Now if there be few, or none, that have arrived to this Confidence, what good can this [Page 66]Doctrine do them? For certainly (if true, yet) it can do none any good, but such as can apply it unto them­selves.

(3) We are not to judge of the truth of any Doctrine, by the Comforta­bleness of it (especially when it speaks Comfort to Persons in a Way of Sin) but by the Assurance we have of its Foundation in the Word of God. Sup­pose One should come and Preach this Doctrine, That God will save all men without Exception. Sinners as well as Saints, and that the Saints do as truely and as highly please God, in their Rebellion against him, as in the Way of their Duty. This Do­ctrine must needs be very Pleasing and Comfortable to our Corrupt Nature; but would any therefore imbrace it, Nay, I am perswaded, should God send an Angel from Heaven, with such a Message as this, to any true Child of God, I am come to tell thee, if thou pleasest God will now en­ter into such a Covenant with thee, that he will make sure thy Eternal Salvation to thee, tho' thou livest [Page 67]in never such Rebellion and Disobedi­ence against him; fulfil the Desires of the Flesh and of the Mind; grati­fie the Devil and his Temptations. I say, I am perswaded no Child of God would dare accept of such an Offer; but would rather say, No Lord: I desire not Heaven, but in the Way of Faith and Holiness, I desire not thy Love; but in the Way of Love and Obedience to thee. How then can we admire and espouse such a Do­ctrine or Decree, which had we been at the making of, we would have rejected, as unbecoming the Perfecti­ons of Gods Nature, and as no ways suitable to the New Nature he hath created in us by his Word and Spirit.

6. It must needs be dishonourable to God to go out of the way and me­thod of his own appointment, for any incouragement or consolation, to heark­en to a Spirit of Errour and Delu­sion, to encrease our Comforts, or supply the Wants of our inward Man: Yet such I conceive the No­tion pleaded against, will be suffici­ently demonstrated to be.

(7) The blessed Angels continue the Favourites of God in a Way of Perfect Holiness and Intire Obedi­ence, yet I suppose none dare ima­gine, that their Condition is ever the less Comfortable, because no Allow­ance is given them in the least, to prevaricate from the Law of their Creator. Yea, are obliged to an Uniform, Constant, and Intire O­bedience, upon the Forfeiture of their Eternal Happiness.

I shall now briefly take notice of the Second Consideration to wit, that the contrary Notion is supposed to have a greater Influence upon the Soul, to engage it to love God, and admire his Goodness, &c.

Reply, (1) As hath been noted, God will esteem that no Real Admi­ration of this Grace, which supposeth him a Lover or Favourer of Sinners in their Sins; for indeed, it is an Ad­miring of that which is not; and so Creating a False idea of God in our Understandings, which is Gross and Impious; for 'tis a changing the Glo­ry of the Incorruptible God, into an [Page 69]Image made like to corruptible Man, which is not only highly dishonouring; but mightily provoking to the Eyes of his Glory. But,

(2) This Doctrine is so far from advancing the Glory of God, that it supposeth him to act below that Prudence he hath imparted unto his Creature. For as no Rational Un­derstanding, whether Parent or Friend; will promise Love or Favour to any Child or Person, let them behave themselves as they will against them; so no One considerate and enlightened Mind, would really com­mend such a Disposition in any Per­son, or love and admire them e're the better for it, Were it to be found in any Mortal.

(3) This Notion cannot have a greater influence upon the Soul, to draw forth its Love to God, than that we plead for; because the Ar­gument of the former is not so Strong and Powerful, as is that of the La­ter Notion; for every enlightened understanding doth readily appre­hend, that every Action and Thing, is [Page 70] [...] so much the more desireable and enforcing, by how much the greater good shall appear to depend upon it. He that shall perswade me to love serve, or depend upon such a Person or Friend; because in so doing I shall find him a Loving and faithful Friend unto me, lays me under a greater Obligation thereunto, than he that shall tell me that he will love me ne­vertheless, whether I respect or love him, or not.

(4) If such a Notion hath any such proper, convincing, and enga­ging Nature in it, as Powerfully to perswade the Soul to love God. What Reason can be given, Why God hath not revealed this Truth to Sinners, as well as Saints; to men Carnal, as when renewed; or why do not Ministers Preach this Comfortable and Engaging Doctrine to them; especially seeing this Doctrine is more properly adapted to men in such a Condition, than to men, whose minds are sanctisfied by the Blood of Jesus. This Doctrine as hath been already shewed, hath no Relish or Savour to their Spiritual Palates. [Page 71]Well, but some are affrighted at this Doctrine, to wit, the possibili­ty of a true Believers falling away; because of the supposed discomfort that there is in it, by being in con­tinual danger of miscarrying. I shall therefore remove this Objection like­wise, by doing these Two things, First, Make it appear that that Do­ctrine, that supposeth a possibility of a Total and Final Perishing, is the most safe and surest Doctrine. Se­condly, That no true Believer, is in any such possibility of Falling; as that any need to disturb his Spiritual Peace, and Comfort on that Account.

First, The Doctrine that suppo­seth a Possibility of Falling (as before-Noted) is the safest, &c. because we all grant a Possibility of our being un­der a Mistake in the Matters of our Faith; we do not pretend to Infal­libity. And One would think, no one should be over confident here­in, that shall consider the many Warnings and Cautions God hath given in his Word, to preserve Men from Falling; and the many Exam­ples [Page 72]we have in Scripture and Common Experience, of those that have so fallen. So then, supposing but a Possibility of a Mistake, in our Notion on this Account; that Doctrine must needs be the safest, which supposeth a Believer may so Sin as to fall, and perish; for no Rational Understand­ing can deny, but where there is a Real Danger, the Knowledge and Belief thereof, is more probable to prevent it, than a Total Ignorance of the same. He that shall know, that in such a Way there is a Dangerous Pit, into which he may fall, if he take not good heed; certainly is in less danger of falling in thereunto, than he that doth not know, or will not believe, there is any such in the Way. 'Tis good to be sure, is a Good Pro­verb, and therefore we add, fast bind and fast find. If we do but sus­pect a Danger it produceth Care, whether it be real or no; and where there is but a bare possibility of Dan­ger, 'tis good to be on the safest side; so that suppose our Notion be [Page 73]false, viz. That a Child of God may sin it self out of God's Fa­vour, and so perish eternally yet it can do us no harm in re­spect to our eternal Condition, our misapprehensions of God cannot make any alteration in his De­cree. But on the other hand, if so be, after that we have been once enlightened and have tasted of the Heavenly Gift, and been made Partakers of the Holy Spi­rit, &c. if we shall adventure in the way of Sin, on a belief that we cannot thereby miscarry, in respect to the eternal concerns of our Souls, and so go on, and add Sin to Sin, till our Iniquities provoke God to cut us off there­in, and he swear in his Wrath, we shall never enter into his Rest. Our Opinion of a non-possibility of Miscarrying, will be of no service or benefit to us at that day, when all the Earth shall be Judged according to the Gospel, but will administer infinite and eternal Cause of Grief and Sor­row [Page 74]to us, in that we hearken­ed to such a Delusion. And that too many Souls have been by this Device of Satan so lull'd asleep in Sin, as never to awake thence, till they have found themselves irrevokably sunk in Eternal Mise­ry, is a Subject that deserves ra­ther matter of Lamentation and Grief, than the least Hesitation or Doubt; but,

2dly, Our Opinion is the safest Doctrine on the Account of our present Spiritual Comfort and Peace, for all our differing mind­ed Brethren grant, Men may sin away their Comforts and E­widences for Heaven, cause God to hide his Face, &c. wherefore then that Doctrine which is most properly adapted to prevent a Believers falling into Sin, must needs be the most safe and effe­ctual, to preserve the Soul in Spiritual Peace and Joy, and that our Doctrine of the dangerous Nature of Sin, is more proper­ly so adapted; hath been before [Page 75]shewed; but further, Our Do­ctrine is no such frightful Levia­than (as some imagine) that it must needs disturb the Peace and Quiet of the Soul of any true Christian: For,

(1.) 'Tis certain there is a great deal of difference between a meer possibility, and an emi­nent danger, a thing may possibly be, which yet we are not invemi­nent danger of, nor do we live in continual dread and fear in our mind about. We may possibly be drown'd, or come to some sudden Death, or by laying vio­lent hands on our selves, deprive our selves of Life, yet this admi­nisters no anxiety or trouble of mind to well regulated Under­standings; so that tho' we hold a possibility of sinning and fulling away, yet we likewise hold! we are in no eminent danger so to do, we are guarded from any servile or slavish Fears on this account, by the faithful Promise of an Almighty and Immutable God [Page 76] a God that cannot lie: We know and may improve this knowledge, that we are as sure and safe for Heaven, as if we were there al­ready, in case we do not wilfully run away from God, and chuse our own Destruction, if we act but according to the Principles of that Divine Nature that is in­dwelling in us, we may in an holy Triumph and full Assurance of Faith, sing such a Requiem unto our Souls, as did the Apo­stle. Rom. 8.31. I am perswaded that neither Death nor Life, nor An­gels, nor Principalities, nor Pow­ers, nor things present, nor things to come nor heighth, nor depth nor any other Creature, shall be able to separate us from the Love of God that is in Christ Jesus. Yet not­withstanding we ought with him to keep under our Body, and bring it into subjection, least that by any means (tho' we have been never so instrumental to save o­thers) we our selves should be­come cast-aways, 1 Cor. 9.27. [Page 77]'Tis the most unreasonable thing in the World for a Child of God to live under perplexing Fears and Doubts, Psal. 42.5.11. It argues we do not believe that God whom we own and serve, to be as good as his word; if we did, and liv'd in the lively Exer­cise thereof, we might always with joy draw water out of this Well of Salvation. We might continually make our boast in God, and say, God is on our side, who can be against us; that is, who can harm us; He'll be a Sun to comfort us, and a shield to de­fend us; He'll give us Grace here, and Glory, Immortality, and Eternal Life hereafter, Isa. 12.3. Psal. 84.8. Rom. 8.31. Psal. 84.11. Wherefore I'le not fear what Men or Devils can do against me. I might here en­large, but I forbear, where­fore,

(2.) Our Doctrine of a possi­bility of falling from Grace, hath not any thing terrible or [Page 78]frightful in it, unless the true Fear of God and care of our Souls be a terrible and frightful thing; which if it be so, we may, and ought to Pray to be more and more possessed with such Fears and Terrors; for we can have no ground to be afraid of the Do­ctrine, unless we have a mind to be fearless of God, and careless of our Souls. He that shall de­sire long Life, and purely out of love to Life it self, would not e­steem his Life ere the more burthensome, in case God should grant him a Lease thereof for a Thousand Years, and yet with this limitation, that he would not wilfully destroy himself, by thrusting a Sword into his own Bowels, leaping down some high Pinacle, or the like; but in case he were desirous not only of the Security of his Life, but ex­travagantly to shew desperate Tricks without fear or danger, as to leap into Fiery Furnaces, or Caldrons of boyling Lead; run [Page 79]into the mouth of Lyons, or live without the use of Food, Sleep, or Rayment, then indeed ano­ther kind of grant or lease were necessary for him. In like man­ner, he that shall singly desire the Eternal Security and Life of his Soul, is sufficiently confirmed therein, and guarded from all disquieting Fears and Terrors, by such a conditional Promise made unto him by God, as that it shall certainly be his Portion, provided he will not desperately run upon the bosses of God's Buckler; will not leap down from the Pallace of Life, into the Chambers or Dungeon of Death, &c. But if he should moreover desire a liberty to let the Reins of his Flesh loose, to fall in with Satan and the Chil­dren of his Kingdom, to fight under his Banner, against the God of Heaven, &c. then in­deed such an absolute Decree for his Salvation, against all inter­vention and opposition whatsoever, [Page 80](as is by our Opponents fancied) were much better accommodated, yea absolutely necessary in his case. But as no Child of God can possibly desire any such grant from his Heavenly Fa­ther, so 'tis as impossible that God should make any such grant to any of his Children; for what God decreed to do, may be lawfully pray'd for at his hands; but,

(3.) That Doctrine must needs be most frightful and dis­affecting, if weighed in the bal­lance of an unprejudic'd and thinking Mind, which supposeth an impossibility for persons to sin themselves out of God's Fa­vour, because it secretly gives liberty, if not enticeth the Soul unto sin; and Scripture, and Experience assures, sin is the ori­ginal and fountain of all Misery; nothing so formidable or rightful as sin; yea nothing freally frightful or prejudicial, but as it becomes so by means [Page 81]thereof. Death which is the King of Terrors, yet hath [...]o­thing Terrible or Frightful in it, but what our Sins have made so. Now the Notion which we plead for, is most clearly and powerfully adapted, to the bridling of Cor­ruption, to the beating down our Bodies, to beget in the Soul an hatred to, and a continual War against all the remainders of Sin, and Assaults of Tempta­tion, is visible to every rational Mind. Are not such Cautions as these more likely to banish Sin out of the dominion of the Soul; Take heed, Brethren, lest their be in any of you an evil Heart of Unbelief, in departing from the Living God, lest ye be hardened by the Deceitfulness of Sin, lest sin­ning wilfully after ye have received the knowledge of the Truth, there remain no more sacrtfice for sin, no­thing but a fearful looking for of Judgment, and fiery Indignation, that shall devour the Adversaries; then such smooth and bewitch­ing [Page 82]Language as this, Chear up, Soul, art thou a Member of Christ, her is Comfort for thee, thou can [...]st never sin thy self out of his Favour; He Loves thee as truly and fully, tho' thou commit never so many and great Sins, as he would in case thou livedst the Life of the most Vertuous and Pious Christian. Which Do­ctrine is most to be regarded, that which we find recorded in the Sa­cred Sriptures, which are the Di­ctates of Eternal Verity, or those which only we hear from the Lips and Pens of fallible Mortals. God in his Word is not yea and nay.

Another Obstruction to the Truth pleaded for; Is, a misunder­standing of Scripture Promises, ta­king those for absolute and uncondi­tional, which are not so. For nothing being more frequent than for the Lord in his Word to make his Pro­mises absolute, and without any condition exprest, when, yet a con­dition must be implied; as for in­stance, our Savior saith, Mat. 10.32, 33. He that confesseth me before Men, [Page 83]him will I confess before my Father which is in Heaven; and he that de­nieth me before Men, him will I de­ny before my Father which is in Heaven: now both Promise and Threaning are absolute, and with­out any exprest condition; yet no­thing is more evident than that a condition must be implied in them, (viz. their persevering in either state unto the end) for Judas con­tessed Christ before Men, yet will not Christ confess him before his Father, because he continued not to confess him to the Death. In like manner Peter denied Christ be­fore Men, yet will not Christ deny him before his Father in Heaven, because he did not persist or pre­severe to the end in denying of him: So that whenever God makes promise of Eternal Life and Blessings into Men, or threat­ens them with Eternal Death, we are always to unlerstand, God includes and intends therein, their continuance and perseverance in such state unto the Death; For it is the end always that Crowns the Action; 'tis as the Tree falleth that it lieth; 'tis not what we were, [Page 84]but what we are when Judgment finds us. The Thief on the Cross remained a vile sinner, and so a reprobate wretch until his dying hour; but leaving this World a Penitent, was immediately transmitted into Paradice, and became a precious Vessel of Election an [...] Heir of Glory, Luk. 23.43. So likewise that servant of Christ, and thereby Heir of Glory, that after a long time spent in the Vineyard of his Lord, shall turn an evil one, and say in his heart, his Lord delayeth his coming, and begin to smite his fellow-servants, and to eat and [...]rink with the Drunken; the Lord of that sevant shall come in a day when he looketh no for him, and shall cut him asunder, and [...]point him his portion with the Hypocrites, there shall be weeping and gnashing of teth, Mat. 24.48, 49, &c. so that we are to understand all the Promises and Theatnings of God in Scripture, according to that plain and positive Light and Gude, which God hath given to us, When I say to the Righteous he shall surely live. That is as much as if God shoud say, Tho' I make my Promise never so absolute express, and without all condition, yet ye must always understand a condition is intended, and to be understood in them, For if that Righteous Man turn from his Righteousness, and commit Iniqui­ty, &c. all his Righteousness shall not be remembred; but for his Iniquity that he hath committed, he shall die for it: so [Page 85]when God says to the Wicked, He shall surely die, yet if he turn from his Wicked­ness, and do that w [...] is lawful and right, he shall [...]ely live, &c, Ezek. 33.18 to 20. Now that the Scripture speaks here of such as are real Godly, and real Wick­ed; of Eternal Life, and Eternal Death, were not Men perverse and wilfully blind; the whole Text and Context is so plain, that it will admit of no ra­tional contradiction. Is not the Wicked plainly opposed unto the Righteous? Will God say to any one, but one truly Righteous, with a well pleased Righteousness in the sight of God, he shall surely live? This would contradict the whole drift and body of Scriptures, and would render God inconsistant with, and di­vided against himself, and that this must intend eternal Life, is evident, because 'tis of such a Life and Death he is here speaking, as will appear if it be minded, that he saith to the returning sinner, He shall live, he shall not die; the which must re­spect a spiritual and eternal Life and Death, because no Man whether Righ­teous or Wicked, is exempted from a natural and temporal Life and Death; and this interpretation is fully evinc'd by the Prophet, Jer. 18.7, 8, 9, 10. to which I refer the Reader, and beg him yet further to consider, That the Promises of God are every whit as full [Page 86]and express to preserve his People from all sin, as they are to give them eter­nal Life, see [...] 11.74, 75. Rom. 6.14. Phil. 1.6. T [...]. 2.14. John. 3.6, 9. and 15.18. And yet notwith­standing many of God's Precious Chil­dren (Experience as well as Scripture testifies) have fallen into many gross and foul Iniquities, yet must we not charge God either with their sins, nor with breach of Promise, because how­ever absolute his Promise was to them, yet a condition was implied in it, viz. their performing that part of their Duty, which was obligatory on them, in order thereunto. God performed; doth and will perform his part (as hath been shewn already) not only in turn­ing them from sin to righteousness, but in keeping them in the way thereof unto the end; so that none of their Foot-steps shall slide, if they continue to live by Faith upon, and in the use of the means prescribed by him, in order thereunto. So that as Men, (or as a True Believer) may sin; that is, willingly and wickedly depart from God, notwithstanding the Promise of God to the contrary; so likewise they may perish in and by their sin, not­withstanding all the assurances God hath made of giving Eternal Life unto them. In further proof of this Truth, I shall urge a few Considerations, and so conclude.

Con. 1. Men may make Shipwrackf Faith, and a good Conscience, 1 Tim. [...] 19. have it overthrown, 2 Tim. 2.18

2. Men enlightened by Grace, [...]aster of the Heavenly Gift, and of the Word o [...] God, and Powers of the World to come partakers of the Holy Spirit, clean escape [...] from the pollutions of the World, thro' the knowledge of Jesus Christ, being Sancti­fied by the Blood of the Covenant, &c. (The highest and truest Ch [...]racter [...] that are any where given of true. Be­lievers in Scripture.) These may fal [...] away and s [...]; to that degree, Tha [...] there is no renewing them again to R [...] ­pentance; nothing to be look'd for [...]y them, but a fearful and fiery Indigna­on. Their latter end will be worse [...]th them then their beginning, 2 Pet. 2. [...]8, 19, 20. Heb. 6.4, 5, 6. and 10.26, 27, 28, 39.

(3.) Whatsoever the Scripture sup­poseth to be, may possibly be Now 'tis plain, the Scripture suppoeth a True Believer may fall away and pe­rish. (1.) Because the Apostle speaking of himself and to other True Believers, Heb. 10.19. to 29. saith, Yf, we sin wilfully, &c. (2.) The Promise; and Threatnings which God hath made to, or concerning True Believers in case they continue, or continue not un­to the end; plainly [...] speaks a posi­bility of their fall and ruin; for God sets not up meer Nulities to afrig [...] [Page 88]or allure his Children with; see Mat. [...]4.13. John 8.31. Rom. 11.21, 22, [...]3. Heb. 10.38. Rev. 3.11.

(4.) The tenour and tendancy of [...]he contrary Notion (as hath been in part shewed) viz. To rob God of his Glory in many, if not in most of his Divine Attributes, as Wisdom, Truth, Holiness, Impartiality, &c. as also to dispirit and chfeeble men in the practick part of Godliness, and encourage them in the way of sin and death; as also [...]he clear tendancy, that the Doctrine we plead for, hath to advance all the [...]erfections of God's Nature in the [...]th and purity of them and real [...]dlikness in the Hearts and Lives of M [...]n; these do abundantly justifie an confirm us in our Faith therein: For such is the property and tendancy of [...]at Divine Principle of the Love of God, where it is shed abroad in the heart of any Creature, that it e­e [...]steens and prosecutes the Honour of God, and the promotion of Godliness in the [...]earts and lives of Men, above all secular Interests and Advantages whatever. Wherefore my unfeigned Desire and Prayer unto God is, That this my poor Endeavours may be by his special Blessing made in some sort instrumental toward the accomplish­ment of that [...]cer-Day-Glory, where­in The [...]nowledge of God shall cover the [...], as the Waters cover the Sea.