Of the Eternity of GOD's Election, The Certainty of Saints Perseverance, Together with the Peculiarity of Christ's Redemption.  
IN ANSWER TO HENRY HAGGAR'S Order of Causes, Of God's Fore-knowledge, Election, and Predestination, &c.  
By John Bennett, a servant of Christ and his Church at Brentford-end in the County of Middlesex.  
Be not carried about with divers and strange doctrines: for it is a good thing that the heart be established with grace, &c. Heb. 13.9.  
Prove all things: hold fast that which is good. 1 Thess. 5.21.  
LONDON, Printed by I. C. for Livewel Chapman, at the Crown in Popes-head-Alley. 1655.   

To the Christian experienced READER.  
I Should have been loth to have appeared among the crowd of Antagonists in this contending Age, had not some kind of necessity thrust me forward. I know I am like to meet with variety of censures; but as the expectation of them afore-hand hath not prevented my writing, so I hope the hearing of them afterwards will not make me repent what I have done for the vindication of the Truth as it is in Jesus. judas adviseth me as well as others, in v. 3. of his Epistle, Earnestly to contend for the faith which was once delivered to the Saints. And Solomon, Pro. 23.23. bids me buy the Truth, and not sell it. Now I do not know any thing of a more inconsiderable value,( that can be laid down by me) then my Reputation with the men of the world; I am willing to venture that, and it is all the reason in the world that I should do so; considering it is for the honor of him, who( though he was the Lord of Glory) made himself of no reputation for such worthless creatures as I am. Now the occasion of this undertaking of mine, was this: A friend of mine showing me Henry Haggar's Book; and I suddenly upon the opening of it, casting my eye upon that expression, ( our obedience is the cause of our salvation) and afterwards, having red it, and found the glory of Gods Free-grace exceedingly darkened, while he seemed as if he was pleading for it; I could not satisfy myself, without doing somewhat toward the removing away of the veil which he had drawn over the face of truth;& that upon these particular grounds; first, for the satisfaction of my Friend who lent me the book to red. Secondly, out of that tender respect that I have towards those thousands of mis-led souls in this Nation, that have even lost themselves in the dark labyrinths of those errors that are packed together in that book; that so( if it be the will of the Lord) they may be enlightened. And then thirdly, that they that do own the truth( and particularly, that Church of Christ to whom I stand in more particular relation) may be more confirmed in the truth which they have received. I may likewise( as another ground) add some Considerations concerning the ill tendency of those Opinions that are maintained in that Book: viz. That they tend to the subjecting of the infinite unchangeable God, to the will of poor finite sinful changeable creatures; to the making the death of Christ voided, in that he affirms, that Christ died to save those that shall never be saved; and, to make voided the decree of God, and the Covenant of Grace, in that he affirms, that those that are at present believers, may fall from God,& so perish eternally which last consideration doth likewise tend to the great discouragement of believers, and to the hindering of them from giving God the glory of what he hath done and will do for them These are the grounds of my writing. And now I shall desire thus much of thee in the reading of my book, that thou wouldst red before thou do●st judge; and when thou dost judge, join together Scripture and experience; the word of God without, and the work of God within; the want of which experience, causeth men so generally to embrace those false Opinions. If thou dost look for eloquence, thou wilt be disappointed; but if plain truth will content thee, I hope thou wilt obtain thy desire; and I hope when thou hast found that, in this plain tract, thou wilt not reject it for the plainness of the style, or unworthiness of the Author. And now I shall commit thee to the onely wise God, to teach thee, who is able to make some use of the meanest instrument, and doth glory in manifesting his power in doing great things many times by very weak means, and is able to led thee from all error into all truth by his Spirit; and that God would vouchsafe to make some good use of this book,( which I now leave with thee) for that end, shall be the prayer of him who is  
Thine( though unworthy, yet) willing to serve thee in the Gospel of Christ, John Bennet.   

Of the Eternity of God's Election, the certainty of Saints perseverance; together with the peculiarity of Christ's Redemption; in answer to Henry Haggar, &c.  
HE begins his book with some Scriptures which he seems to close with, and yet makes it his business to deny them, while he seems to give a right interpretation of them, by comparing them with other Scriptures.  
The first Scripture that he mentioneth, is that in Ephes. 1.4. He hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy, and without blame before him in love, &c.  
And truly, I cannot but wonder that he should make such an entrance into his Book, seeing his design is to overthrow the Doctrine of Election, as it is laid down by the Apostle in that Scripture. But I confess, it is a matter of policy; for sure he could not think any other, but that this Scripture would follow him close at the heels; and therefore it seems to be the wisest course, to endeavour at least, to make peace with that, before he goes any further. But I confess it is strange to me, that he should have any hope of making this Scripture a Friend to his Opinion; for this Scripture is so irreconcilably bent against his Opinion, that it seems to be absolute labour in vain to endeavour to find out an umpire between them. For first, the Apostle speaks of an election or choice before the Foundation of the world: now if God saith by the Apostle, That we are chosen before the foundation of the world; who dare say, We are not chosen till we believe and obey the Gospel? Let God be true, and every man a liar. truly, for my own part, I do not know, but that a man may as well deny that Christ was Mediator, as deny that Saints are chosen in Christ before the foundation of the world; for the Scripture doth not anywhere speak more plainly to that, then it doth in this place to this.  
But again, there is another thing remarkable in this Scripture, and that is this: the Apostle tells us, that the end of this Election is, That we should be holy and unblameable before him in love. Now from hence I thus argue: If our holiness and unblamableness in love be the end of our Election,( as it doth appear by the Scripture that it is) then our Election cannot be the consequent of our holiness, as Henry Haggar doth seem to prove.  
But before we come to consider how to denies the Truth contained in this Scripture, let us a little take notice of his concession: when he hath mentioned this and some other Scriptures, which shall in their season be considered, he saith thus: From all which places we must needs conclude, that God hath chosen some to life and glory, even before or from the foundation of the world, because the Scripture saith it; and ( as Christ saith in another case) the Scripture cannot be broken.  
This is, I must confess, a very fair concession, so fair, that I know not what more need be desired; and it were well if he would stay here: but he goeth on, and tells us, That it is the wisdom of Christians, To labour to have judgments informed according to the Scripture. And truly, for my own part I can very well close with him here too: and I judge that the ready way to have our judgements in any one particular informed according to the Scriptures, is, to consider and weigh the plain expressions of Scripture, and to compare those Scriptures together that speak of the same thing. So that if he had considered what this Scripture speaks, and compared it with those other Scriptures which he mentioneth together with it, he might by that means have had his judgement better informed according to the Scriptures.  
But he thinks rather to help himself out by other Scriptures, and therefore he mentioneth Rom. 4.17. As it is written, I have made thee a father of many Nations before whom he believed, even God who quickeneth the dead, and calleth those things that are not, as though they were. This the Apostle quotes out of Gen. 17.5. Now Henry Haggar asks the question: Seeing Abraham had no child then, but Ishmael, how could God say, I have made thee a father of many Nations?  
Now he taketh the answer to his question from the very expression of the Apostle, namely, That it was so before God, who calleth things that are not as though they were.  
Now let us a little consider, what may the meaning of that expression be,( namely, before God) and I take it that it was the apostles meaning, that Abraham at that time when God spake to him in Gen. 17.5. was according to God's account a Father of many Nations; and it could be no more prevented,( God having from Eternity purposed it) then if he had been actually at that present a Father of all those Nations that came of him. And therefore it is that he gives him a Name at present, signifying what he shall be, Thou shalt no more be called Abram, but Abraham; for a father of many Nations have I made thee. As if God should say, It hath been my purpose from all Eternity that thou shouldst be a Father of many Nations; I now declare my purpose to thee; and therefore that thy faith may not fail, I will have thee from this time forward, called by a Name that shall put thee in mind of what I will do for thee; thy Name shall be no more called Abram, but Abraham shall be thy Name.  
Another Scripture which he thinks will help him, is that in Rev. 13.8. where Christ is said to be a Lamb slain from the foundation of the world; Yet( saith he) he was not slain many thousand yeers after.  
Now I conceive this Scripture is so far from affording him any help, that it gives him a deadly wound; for his design is to deny the Eternal counsel and purpose of God in reference to persons and things; and this Scripture doth very fully hold forth such an eternal purpose. True it is, Christ was not actually slain from the foundation of the world: but as Abraham was the Father of many Nations before God, even when he was not actually a Father, because God had decreed that he should be so; even so Christ is said to be the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world when before God, as man, he had not a being.  
Now that the death of Christ was by the decree and purpose of God, appears by those two plain Scriptures in the Acts of the Apostles, Acts 2.23. Him, being delivered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God, ye have taken, and by wicked hands have crucified and slain. The other is Acts 4.27, 28. For of a truth, against thy holy child Jesus whom thou hast anointed, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles, and the people of Israel, were gathered together, for to do whatsoever thy hand and thy counsel determined before to be done.  
But beside, Christ being a Lamb slain from the foundation of the world, and before the foundation of the world in the decree of God; Christ may be said to be slain from the foundation of the world in that promise of salvation by the death of Christ, which was given presently upon the fall of our first Parents, which was but a little after the laying the foundation of the world. And then again, Christ may be said to be slain in the Type; for the first Sacrifice that was slain, was a Type of that Sacrifice, namely, the Lamb of God, that was in God's time according to the purpose of God to be slain; so that Christ was slain before God in his Decree, and Christ was slain in the Promise, and Christ was slain in the Type; though not actually slain till afterward.  
But when Henry Haggar hath mentioned that of Abraham, and this of Christ; let us a little consider what it is that he would infer:  
By all which( saith he) it is clear, That as Christ was called a Lamb slain from the foundation of the world, and yet not slain nor touched till the day of his death; so also God calleth men Elect from the foundation of the world, yet they are not Elect nor chosen until the very day of their conversion, and turning from sin to God.  
Now let us consider who is most to be credited, he who saith, That men are not chosen till the day of their conversion; or God, who saith by the Apostle, That Saints are chosen in Christ before the foundation of the world, as is plain by that Ephes. 1.4. and besides that, in ver. 5, he speaks more plainly; Having predestinated us to the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will. From whence I argue thus: If the adoption of children, on sonship, by Jesus Christ, be that we are predestinated to, Then we are predestinated before we obtain the adoption of children, and so, by consequence, before we are converted and turned from sin to God.  
But, that we may leave this Scripture in the Ephesians for the present, let us briefly gather up the sum of it, and so proceed in our work.  
God knowing from eternity what he himself would do, and what he would suffer to be, did look upon man as made, and fallen; and did make choice of Christ to be the Redeemer of those whom he did intend to save:& therefore Christ is called Gods elect, or chosen one, Isa. 42.1. And likewise he did choose some in Christ; that is, that upon account of that interest that some should have in Christ, and the adoption of children which they( when born into the world, and believing) should receive by Christ, should become heirs of Salvation. And all this, saith the Apostle, was done according to the good pleasure of his will.  
The second Scripture which he mentioneth in the beginning of his book, is that in 1 Pet. 1.2. Elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through sanctification of the Spirit, unto obedience, &c. Now that which he concludes from this Scripture, is this: 
If the elect are chosen through the sanctification of the Spirit, then they were not chosen before they had the Spirit, and were sanctified by the Spirit.  
But they had not that sanctifying Spirit before they had a being, either in the world, or else in their mothers womb at leastwise:  
Therefore, not chosen before the foundation of the world, but only as aforesaid.   
Now in this Argument of his, it is worth the noting, that he leaves out obedience; which, if taken in, will help much to the clearing of the truth. Peter tells us, that they are elect according to the foreknowledge of God to obedience: which is as if he should say, They were elect, that through the sanctification of the Spirit, or through the operation of the Spirit of God sanctifying them, they might become obedient. Now what should hinder, but that God from eternity might in himself, according to the counsel of his own will, choose some to obedience; and make choice of this, as the way to bring them to obedience, namely, his own Spirit, in time to be given to them, and to work effectually in them, as to the sanctification of their hearts? So that H. H. mistake lieth here: He refers that expression of the Apostle, [ through sanctification of the Spirit] unto the word [ elect;] whereas it hath relation unto the expression following, namely, [ unto obedience.] So that it appears, that sanctification of the Spirit is the means whereby God makes men obedient; not a means whereby he elects them. From which Scripture, rightly understood, we may draw this Conclusion:  
If men are elected through sanctification of the Spirit unto obedience. Then they are not obedient before they are elected. And if Election be before obedience, what should hinder but that we may( according to the Scripture) conclude it to be before the foundation of the world?  
But I come to the next Scripture which he mentioneth in the beginning of his book and that is 2 Thess. 2.13. We are bound to give thanks alway to God for you, brethren beloved of the Lord, because God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit, and belief of the truth, whereunto you wer● called by our Gospel. Which Scripture speaks the same language with that, 1 Pet. 1.2. and therefore, as he concludes the same thing from this as from that, so may I. He argues thus:  
If Saints are chosen to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit, and believing of the truth, and were called to believe that truth by the hearing of the Gospel; then they were not chosen before they had believed the truth, and before they did hear the Gospel.  
Sure he hath no great mind here to take notice of [ from the beginning:] if he did mind that, it might possibly help him to frame a better Argument, thus:  
If Saints are from the beginning chosen to salvation, through sanctification of the Spirit and believing of the truth; then they were chosen before they were saved, nay, before they were sanctified, or did believe the truth: for it cannot be said that they are sanctified from the beginning.  
But his mistake in this Scripture, is the same that it was in the other Scripture lately mentioned: for he would have us believe, that we are chosen through believing; as if through our believing( which is the beginning of our salvation) we were chosen: which is a very absurd Conclusion; for then we are saved before we are chosen to salvation. For John tells us, Joh. 3.36. He that believeth on the Son, hath everlasting life. From whence I thus argue: If a man, when he first believes, hath everlasting life, but is not chosen to this life and salvation till he believe; then he hath the possession of the thing, before he be chosen to it,( and so by consequence, without God;) which is both absurd in itself, and also directly contrary to the truth laid down in this Scripture: for the Apostle tells us, that we are chosen to salvation from the beginning, through sanctification and belief of the truth. Which is thus to be understood, namely, that men through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth, are brought into the actual possession of that salvation( at least, an entrance thereinto) which from the beginning God had chosen them to.  
But he goeth on thus: According to the Scripture( saith he) they were chosen through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth: and if through it, then not without it. Moreover( saith he) they were called to this faith by the Gospel; which they never heard before they had a being.  
truly, what he himself saith, is a sufficient ground of arguing against that which he would infer. For I argue thus:  
If men are called to faith by the Gospel, and they neither believe nor hear the Gospel till they have a being,( which is most true) but yet these men that believe after they have heard the Gospel, were from the beginning, from the foundation of the world, nay before the foundation of the world, chosen to salvation; then they were not chosen to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth in his sense. For as it cannot be said that Election and Believing are contemporary; so, much less can it be said that believing doth go before election.  
Now whereas he thinks it is much to the purpose to say, If men are chosen through sanctification and belief of the truth, then not without it;( for he bids us observe that) I apprehended, it makes nothing at all for him. For here lies the distinction: We are chosen without it; for being chosen before we had a being, we could not then have sanctification or faith: but we are not chosen to be saved without it; for( as hath been already hinted) it is the will of God, in choosing men to salvation, that through sanctification of the Spirit, and belief of the Truth, they should be initiated, or make an entrance into the possession of that salvation( at leastwise in the promises of it) which they were chosen to.  
But Henry Haggar goeth back again to Ephes. 1.4. from whence he would( by comparing that with Ephes. 2.11, 12.) seem to draw another Argument: for the Apostle bids them( who are said in the first Chapter to be chosen in Christ before the foundation of the world that they should be holy) Remember, that they were in time past without Christ.  
Now from hence he argues: If at that time they were without God, and without Christ, then at that time they were not in him: for they could not be without him and within him both at one time: and if not in Christ, then not chosen in him, as( saith he) all rational men will grant.  
truly, I judge there is no such absurdity in the thing( the Gospel being a mystery) as he would make us believe there is. If things be rightly considered and weighed, I do not know but that the same man may at the same time be said to be in Christ, and out of Christ: for God from Eternity choosing Christ to be Mediator and Saviour, and choosing others in him, and together with him, in time to b● saved by him, though these men after they have a being in the world, may live a great while without Christ, that is, without being by faith actually engrafted into him,( as was the case of those Ephesians;) I know no reason, but we may say, These were in Christ,( before God) that is, upon account of God's Election: so that in one sense they may be said to be in Christ before they were converted, nay, before they were born; and yet, in another sense, be said to be without Christ till they believe in him.  
But he hath another Scripture yet, which seems plain to him, and that is Ephes. 1.11, 12.13. Being predestinated according to the purpose of him, who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will, that we should be to the praise of his glory, who first trusted in Christ; in whom ye also trusted, after that you heard the word of truth, the Gospel of your salvation.  
This Scripture( as plain as it is) is grossly mistaken by him; for he concludeth from thence, That they whom God did predestinate accordin to the counsel of his own will, were such as did first trust in Christ before they were predestinated: whereas, if the Scripture be rightly considered, it will appear, That it doth not, in the least, seem to look that way: For,  
First, when the Apostle speaks of their being predestinated, he saith, They were predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will: so that as God( when he doth work upon the hearts of people, to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God) doth act willingly; so that willing acting of his, is according to that counsel and purpose that was in himself from Eternity.  
In the next place, let us consider the end of this predestination, and you shall find it plainly expressed by the Apostle, namely, that the persons predestinated by God, should be to the praise of his glory. From whence it doth plainly appear, that Predestination doth go before the Souls acting to the glory of God.  
But thirdly, let us consider the persons here spoken of, and that will take off that strange interpretation, that he gives of the Scripture. Now the persons are set out by those two expressions, ( WE and YE) that is, We believing Jews, and Ye believing Gentiles; we that first trusted in Christ; and you, who afterward, when you had heard the Word of the Gospel, trusted in Christ too. So that the intent of the Apostle is not to show, That trusting in Christ goes before Predestination; but rather to show, that( though those that at any time believe in Christ among Jews and Gentiles, were from Eternity predestinated) yet some of the predestinated Jews did believe and trust in Christ before the Gospel( which is the means of working Faith) was preached to the Gentiles. Therefore this being the meaning of that expression, ( who first trusted in Christ) let any impartial Reader judge, whether there be any thing in this Scripture, to prove that which Henry Haggar would prove from it.  
But yet he is willing to try once more what service that place 1 Pet. 1.2. will do him, Elect according to the foreknowledge of God. Whence, saith he, it is plain, if God knew them before he elected them, then he knew the● as men in the flesh, and not as they were nothings: and if he knew them as men, they must needs be born: for of nothing, nothing can be known before time, nor chosen in time. Therefore, saith he, I conclude, that the real and absolute act of Election comes to pass in time, though known by God before time, who according to his foreknowledge calleth things that are not as though they were. Thus far he.  
Now let us consider first what he saith, and then what the Scripture saith.  
First, What he saith; and there we shall find a plain contradiction; for mind it, it is his design to prove Election according to the foreknowledge of God, and yet would have us think it an absurd thing that God should have any knowledge of men before they are born: For, saith he, of nothing, nothing can be known before time, or chosen in time. I must confess, if he speaks of creatures, they cannot know things before they are in being; and when the things are in being, they have but an imperfect knowledge of them: but to measure God by the Creature, and to say, God cannot know, because Man cannot; to me seems something unreasonable. For sure it is as consonant to reason, that persons as well as thoughts, may be known before they have a being,( both which are too hard for man) but God knows the thoughts before they are in being: Psal. 139.2. saith the Psalmist, Thou understandest my thoughts afar off: What then should hinder, but that God may know persons before they are actually in being in the world?  
But know let us consider what Paul saith,( Elect, saith he, according to the foreknowledge of God, &c.)  
Now that our way may be plain before us, we shall first consider, what is the meaning of the word, ( Foreknowledge) and then in the next place, what the meaning of the thing is, which is expressed by that word.  
First. What is the meaning of the word; and truly we need not stand long upon that: the meaning of it is obvious to mean capacities. Foreknowledge, that is a knowledge of things or persons before. Now if this be not a knowledge of the things or persons before they be, we can make nothing of the word at all. I cannot therefore but wonder, that this seems so strange to Henry Haggar.  
But we shall now come to consider the thing, what we are particularly and distinctly to understand by the foreknowledge of God. Now I judge there are these two things to be understood thereby: 1. a foreseing of persons and things; 2. fore-approving of persons and things.  
First, a foreseing of persons and things: and that is, that knowledge that was in God from Eternity, whereby he knew what should be, what he would do, and what he would suffer to be done in the world. Now according to this foreknowledge, God did know what men and women should be in the world, what their state would be by the fall, what way should be taken for the restoring of man fallen( namely, the death of Christ,) what means he would afford men to bring them to Christ, and what success he would give to that means, by the effectual work of his Spirit, so, as to bring them into a state of Salvation by Christ. So that we are not to think that this foreknowledge is an idle speculation of what would be done and acted in the world without God, or whether God will or no; but rather, that it is a foreknowledge or foresight of what God would do, and suffer to be done in the world,( as I have said) for the exalting of his own glory.  
But there is more in it then so; and therefore I come now in the next place to speak of the fore-approbation of God. Now that by knowledge sometime in Scripture we are to understand approbation;( so that fore-knowledge and fore-approbation may be judged all one) will easily appear by these Scriptures: Psal. 1.6. For the Lord knoweth the way of the righteous, but the way of the ungodly shall perish. Mat. 25.12. And he answered, and said, Verily, I say unto you, I know you not. And then again, Mat. 7.23. And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you. Now that in these several Scriptures is not understood knowledge, according to the common acceptation of the word; for so God knows the ways of wicked men as well as righteous men, and well were it for wicked men if they could hid their way from the Lord.  
But by knowledge we are to understand a knowledge of appropriation, and of approbation; for sure if those in Matthew knew Christ( as it seems they did,) for they call him Lord, and some of them say, They had preached in his name, and cast out devils in his name; yet Christ saith, He knew them not; nay, He never knew them, that is, he never owned them, nor approved of them.  
Now I judge, That Peter by foreknowledge, means such a foreknowledge as this, and then his meaning is, that God from Eternity did foresee mankind made and fallen, and did in his heart own and appropriate to himself some of the posterity of Adam; and according to this foreknowledge it is, that God did elect or make choice of men to be saved by Christ.  
So that you see, notwithstanding the fair flourish that Henry Haggar hath made, he hath not made good any thing which he took upon him to prove; and yet he tells us, That the great Objection about Gods election is answered, and the stumbling-block taken away.  
truly, this I shall say,( notwithstanding what he affims is a stumbling-block in the way of Truth) yet I hope Truth will in time prevail, to the removing all stumbling-blocks out of the way; that so, in God's time, the way of God may be so plain a way, that a fool shall not err.  
Well, he goes on yet, and tells us, That the same may also be considered of God's predestination or fore-appointing all obedient believers to life and salvation,( not without, but) according to his foreknowledge of all their words and actions from the foundation of the world. And so likewise he predestinateth or foreappointeth all disobedient unbelievers and apostates to death and damnation,( not without, but) according to his foreknowledge of all their words and actions from the foundation of the world. Thus far he.  
Now I judge, he might very well have spared his labour in speaking of Gods Predestination to life and salvation: for what may be said of Election, may be said likewise of Predestination; as what may be said of one synonyma, may be said of another: for I judge them to be one and the same thing; and therefore it is, that the Apostle doth use sometime one word, and sometime the other, but still to signify the same thing; as in Rom. 8.29. Whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate: here the Apostle doth not mention the word elect, or choose, but he intends the same thing that he intends in other places where he useth the word; and the same that Peter intends, when he saith, that men are elect according to the foreknowledge of God. But if there be any difference between Election unto salvation, and Predestination unto life, it seems to lye here: Election hath rather reference to that act of God in separating persons, and Predestination hath rather reference unto the end of Election, namely, the thing unto which they are chosen, or the good that these chosen ones are to enjoy.  
But now whereas he saith that Gods predestination is( not without, but) according to his foreknowledge of all their words and actions; I do not know any Scripture that speaks any such language, and therefore I wonder that he should affirm it, as if it were an unquestionable truth. But he goeth on, after this manner:  
Thus I do believe that God foresaw all men and things past, present, and to come, at once: I do believe that God foresaw Adam's fall long before he was a creature in being: for, nothing is hide from his eyes, but all things are naked and bare before him with whom we have to do. Thus far he.  
truly it is well that at last he will aclowledge the truth. In the same page. of his book he affirmed, that if God knew men before he elected them, then he knew them as men in the flesh; and if he knew them as men▪ they must needs be born first: and now, on a sudden, he believes that God foresaw all men and things. Now if a man had a mind to be of H. H. judgement, where should he fasten? whenas he saith that God did and did not foresee persons and things before they had a being.  
But in the next place, he goeth about to raise and answer an Objection; and his Objection riseth from his granting that God did foresee Adam's fall long before he was a creature in being. The Objection is this:  
If God did foresee that Adam would fall when he h●d created him, why then did he make him?  
To which Question or Objection, he gives a twofold answer: The former of them, I confess, is a good one; and it is by way of Query, thus: What have we to do to reply against our Maker? Shall the thing formed say to him that formed it, Why hast thou made me thus? Shall Adam say to his Maker, Why hast thou made me thus( subject to fall?) And truly I wish he would have stayed here: for the Apostle in Rom. 9. doth writ very fully, to stop the mouths of all curious Questionists, that inquire after that that belongs not to them; which Scripture we shall by and by take some more particular notice of. But in the mean time, there is something else in his answer which I cannot let pass without some consideration. He could not, it seems content himself with Paul's answer to such vain curious Questions but he must have an answer of his own, which is this: What is that to Adam, seeing God hath given him and his posterity means to rise again to as good or a better condition?  
truly Sir now I must tell you, that yourself, who are a son of fallen Adam, are a little too bold with your Maker. What, was God bound to Adam and his posterity, to put them in as good an estate after their fall, as they were in before their fall, or else must he be questioned for making Adam? What now becomes of the free grace of God? sure that is shut up and forgot. What shall we make of that Scripture, Joh. 3.16. God so loved the world, that he gave his onely begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life? If God in justice were bound to provide a state of happiness for fallen man, then sure our mouths may be stopped, and so might John's too, as to the declaring any thing concerning the love of God, as being the cause of God's sending Christ to be a Redeemer. But sure it was love, free love, without any other engagement lying upon God, that did move him to sand Christ into the world to become a Saviour. God, when he created man, gave him a stock; and he became a prodigal, wasting his estate by voluntary sinning against God: so that if all mankind had perished, it had been mans fault. Now that some are saved, and not all, this is that which we may conclude: Those that are saved, have cause abundantly to bless God, and to admire the riches of his grace; and they that God doth not save, have no cause to complain that God hath done them wrong.  
But H. H. tells us further, that the neglect of that means that God hath afforded, will rise up in judgement against all slothful disobedient ones, that will not make use of their talents of power, wisdom and understanding which God hath given them to work out their salvation with fear and trembling while they may.  
Now to this I answer, first, that it is a very great sin for a man to neglect or contemn any means of good that God doth afford; and this I grant is the great sin that doth as it were shut up men in other sins. Christ tells some, in Joh. 6.36. You also have seen me, and believe not? he doth aggravate the sin of unbelief in them, upon this consideration, that they had seen Christ, and they had seen great works done by Christ, and yet did not believe. And so, Joh. 5.40. Christ saith, You will not come to me, that you might have life: there Christ doth blame them, that their wills were so opposite against Christ, that though there were life in Christ; yet they would not come to Christ.  
But, in the next place, I would fain know what talents of power, wisdom, and understanding they are, which he would make us believe that God hath given to all the posterity of fallen Adam. If he means moral endowments, I believe there is something of that nature in all men and women; and by virtue of that, they do know that there is a God, and they know something of their duty to God, as they are creatures, and he their Creator; and something of their duty to men; and this according to that glimmering of light that remains still in the dim-sighted nature of fallen mankind. And I must confess, men are to be blamed, when they do come short( as I believe all men do) in the improving of their natural abilities. But take the utmost extent of these abilities; and grant, that a man should make the utmost improvement of them: yet these abilities, like a tired horse, would leave him short of his journeys end; they could never bring him to salvation, or to Christ.  
But let us consider what those gifts are which he mentioneth; and whether indeed there are any such gifts, since the fall given to man in general. Now the Names he gives them, are Power, Wisdom, and Understanding.  
The first thing then to be inquired into, is, Whether there be any power by God, given to all mankind fallen, whereby they may believe and be saved: for if he intends not such a power, he had as good say nothing. Now that there is not such a power in all men naturally, appears by what the Apostle affirms concerning the Ephesians, Ephes. 2.1, 5. where he affirms, That the believing Ephesians, before they did believe, were dead in sins and trespasses. It is not to be understood, that they were naturally dead; neither is it to be understood, that they were dead as to all moral actions: but, they were dead as to spiritual actions; and in particular, they could no more( by any power that they had) embrace the Gospel, and believe, then a man naturally dead, can walk and perform the actions of a living man.  
Object. But it may be some will say to me, If they be thus dead, what should the Gospel be preached for?  
Answ. Now to this I answer, The Gospel is therefore preached to them, because they are dead; for the Gospel is the means that God makes use of to make men spiritually alive; and therefore it is that the Gospel is called by the Apostle, Rom. 1.16. the power of God to salvation to every one that believeth; which is, as if the Apostle should have said, The power of God is manifest in the preaching of the Gospel, in that thereby, as by an instrument in his own hand, he causeth them to believe unto salvation. And this acting of God is according to that promise, John 5.25. Verily, verily, I say unto you, The hour is coming, and now is, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God, and they that hear shall live. Now this is a promise of good success, by hearing of the Gospel, to some that are dead in sin, but not to all; for he saith, They that hear shall live, that is, shall be saved. And those that shall live, were before in the same state of death; as those that shall not live. The case of men and women naturally, is like the case of Lazarus; he was dead, and bound up in grave-clothes, and butted; and there he had lain, had not Christ come to him to raise him; but now Christ coming to him, and saying, Lazarus, come forth, John 11.43. you may see in vers. 44. that he comes forth presently: now neither Grave-clothes nor Grave could keep him there any longer.  
Just thus it was with men and women in their natural condition; they are dead, and like to continue so, till Christ comes to them to make them alive. And then when Christ in the Gospel speaks a powerful word to the heart, neither lusts, nor men, nor devils can keep them in a state of death any longer.  
Object. Then it seems God doth exercise a power upon men to make them believe, whether they will or no.  
Answ. Now to this I answer, There is no such thing: but God when he works upon the hearts of men by his Spirit in the Gospel, he doth not onely make them believe, but he makes them believe willingly; according to that, Psal. 110.3. Thy people shall be a willing people in the day of thy power: so that the end why God puts forth his power, is, that his people may be made willing. I might tell you further, That the word which ordinarily in the New Testament, is translated, ( Faith) doth come from a word which signifieth to persuade; so that God doth in a powerful manner by the operation of his Spirit in the preaching of the Gospel, persuade men to believe; and in persuading of them, doth make them to believe. Believing being nothing else, but a persuasion of the heart to accept of, embrace, and in a self-denying manner rely upon the Testimony that God in the Gospel hath given concerning his Son.  
Object. Yet it may be some will be ready to say, If it be so, that men have not a power to believe when the Gospel is preached to them, then sure it cannot be justice in God to condemn men for not doing that which they have not a power to do.  
Answ. I know this is an Objection that is much made use of; but to me there seems no great weight in it. For God doth not condemn any man merely, because he cannot believe; but because he will not believe, that is, because he doth set his will against that which in the Gospel is held forth, as the way of obtaining salvation. Just as if a man should bid his son, being but a child, fetch him something which is much too heavy for the child to lift; though he cannot blame the child, because he is not able to do what he bids him, yet if the child( not knowing any thing to the contrary but that he may lift it) will not go to the place, nor try whether he can bring it to his father, or no, but obstinately refuse to obey his father's command; here the father may blame him, and that justly, though he know he is not able to do the thing. So it is in this case; God commands men to do that which they have no power of themselves to do; but they know nothing to the contrary, but they by God may beinabled to do it. However, they set themselves against it, and rebel wilfully and obstinately against the command of God. So that it cannot be counted injustice in God to command any thing what he please, seeing he hath an absolute power over the creature; neither is it injustice to condemn men for not doing that which they cannot of themselves do,( but might, for ought they know, receive strength from God to enable them to do it) if they do obstinately refuse and reject the command of God.  
Object. But is it not mere mockage in God to offer salvation to men in the preaching of the Gospel, and yet withhold that salvation( thus offered) from them?  
Answ. For answer to this, I would give this advice, that you would take heed of charging God foolishly. But,  
Secondly, I say, God doth not proffer more then he gives; he doth but proffer and make a tender of the Gospel to all men where it is preached; he doth not say, nor bid his Ministers say, That God will save all where the Gospel comes: for we find the contrary. But that which he makes a tender of, is the Gospel, namely, That he that believeth and is baptized, shall be saved; and he that believes not, shall be damned. Now God doth make use of this Gospel, when he pleaseth, to work faith in whom he pleaseth: and they that are thus saved, are saved by the Free-grace of God; and they which perish, perish by their own obstinacy: so that God is clear.  
Object. But it seems by what you say, that the Lord works effectually but upon a few, though the Gospel be preached to many; why then is it preached to them all? were it not better for God to sand the Gospel onely to those that he will save, and let others alone without tendering the Gospel to them, rather then by a tender alone, without enabling them( to embrace it) to aggravate their condemnation?  
Answ. First, That it is so, that the Gospel is preached to many more then do embrace it, and so believe, and be saved by it, appears by that Mat. 20.16. Many are called, but few chosen. But,  
Secondly, Whereas in the other part of the Objection it is demanded why the Gospel is preached to so many? why not rather to those persons alone whom God intends by the Gospel to save? I shall give you these several Answers:  
1. First, it is the will of God, that the Gospel should be thus preached; and who is it that dare ask God in an upbraiding manner, Why dost thou so? But,  
2. Secondly, It is not the will of God, neither doth it seem convenient, that men that are sent by God to preach the Gospel, should know who shall be saved, and who shall not be saved. And therefore when the Lord encouraged Paul to continue preaching at Corinth, he did not tell him what persons should be saved, and what persons should not be saved: but saith onely thus, I have much people in this city, Acts 18.10. and upon this Paul continued preaching among them three yeers and six months.  
3. Thirdly, the Gospel is preached to many, though but few are by God wrought upon, so as to embrace Christ in the Gospel; that so the peculiarity of the love of God to them, whom he doth save by the means of preaching the Gospel, may appear. For sure it cannot but tend to the exalting of the grace of God in a special manner toward some, and to the endearing of their hea●ts toward God, when they consider that the Gospel hath been preached by the same Messenger of God at the same time to many, and yet they have most of them got no good thereby; but God hath culled out some particular persons among the rest,& wrought effectually upon them by his Spirit, to cause them to believe, when others continue disobedient.  
4. And then in the last place, I conceive another reason may be, that all mouths may be stopped, and all flesh silent before God. For whenas the Gospel hath been preached amongst them, they cannot say, they have not heard of the terms of the Gospel; so that they cannot blame God, but themselves in that, notwithstanding what they have heard, they yet obstinately oppose the Gospel.  
But we shall come in the next place to consider whether there be any such wisdom and understanding in men before conversion, as Henry Haggar seems to hold forth to us; and I believe( when we have considered what he saith, with what the Scripture saith, and what the people of God have experience of, by comparing their unregenerate state, and their regenerate state together) we shall not find that men in their natural condition have any more wisdom and understanding of spiritual things, then they have strength to walk or act in a spiritual way.  
Now, for the clearing of this, I would desire you first to consider that full place in 1 Cor. 2.14. But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned. Now consider, first, who it is that is spoken of, and then what is said of him. The man spoken of, is the natural man, which may be translated according to the Greek, the soully man, that is, that man, whosoever he be, that hath no other light but the light of a reasonable soul, and a natural understanding.  
Now let us in the next place consider what it is that the Apostle saith of this soully man; and that is, that he doth not receive, neither can he know the things of the Spirit of God. As if the Apostle should say, Let a man be never so well accomplished with natural wisdom and understanding; consider him as complete a man,( as to his natural intellectuals) as you can; yet is he not able to reach or attain to the understanding of spiritual things.  
Quest. But what is the matter? what hinders, but that such a man may understand those things when he reads them, or when he hears them?  
Answ. I answer, with the Apostle, They are foolishness to him; that is, in the first place, they are too high for his understanding to reach to, so as to apprehended there is any wisdom in those things. And then secondly, he is further blinded by that prejudice that he hath taken up against them; he counts them mere folly. Besides this, I might give you another reason in regard of Satan; he blinds the eyes of men that are naturally blind, more and more, that so they may not apprehended those things which are of a spiritual nature, 2 Cor. 4.4. where the Apostle tells us that the God of this world hath blinded the mindes of them that believe not, lest the light of the glorious Gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine into them.  
But yet further, for the clearing of the thing in hand, take notice of what the Apostle saith concerning the Gospel, wherein the things of the Spirit of God are held forth to the sons of men; nay, concerning the choicest piece of the Gospel, the preaching of Christ crucified, namely, that it was a stumbling-block to the Jews, and to the Greeks foolishness, 1 Cor. 1.27.  
Now by Jews and Greeks, I conceive, in the first place, is understood all men;( that being the ordinary distinction that the Apostle doth make:) and then we may easily from thence conclude, that all men are naturally in the same condition of ignorance and blindness, as to the things contained and held forth in the Gospel; and particularly, and especially, as to a crucified Saviour.  
But then we may see something further into the truth, if we consider the Jews distinctly by themselves as one people, and the Greeks distinctly by themselves as another. And first, let us see who the Jews were; and we shall find that they were the people, nay the onely people of God by outward profession; they had the Ordinances of God, the Oracles of God among them. This was their original state; yet these Jews, though they were Legally wise, yet they stumble at a crucified Christ, and the things of the Gospel, because they could not understand them.  
Again, consider who the Greeks were; and you shall find that they were, as to natural things, very wise men; and they had as it were monopolised human learning to themselves: yet the Apostle saith of these, that a crucified Christ was to them foolishness.  
Away then with all high conceits of Legal righteousness, with the Jew; or of natural wisdom, and human learning, with the Greek: for if you have no more, you will never be able to reach to the understanding of the things of the Spirit of God. I confess, these things are both good in their place; but they cannot act above the sphere of their own activity: and therefore when a man goeth about by them to reach to the apprehension of spiritual things, here they will give out, and leave him short of his journeys end.  
But to go on: you shall find, that the natural man doth not onely come short as to the apprehending of spiritual things, as if his sight were too weak; but you shall further find, that there is an antipathy in his natural light against spiritual light: Rom. 8.7. The carnal mind is enmity against God. Now observe; the mind is the lightest part of the man; yet this light that is in him, is opposite to God, and the light of God: for it is enmity against God.  
Now upon these considerations I judge it is, that the Apostle writing to the Ephesians, and minding them of the condition that they were in before conversion, he saith, Ye were sometimes darkness, Eph. 5.8. he doth not say, Ye were dark, or blind; but, Ye were Darkness, in the abstract: he could not tell how to fit himself with a concrete expression, and therefore he tells them, Ye were Darkness; whereby he doth set forth thus much, That while they were in their unregenerate state, they were in an absolute incapacity of understanding that, to the understanding whereof real light was required: they had nothing to contribute to understanding of spiritual things, but mere darkness.  
Jesus Christ himself, likewise, tells us as much, that natural men, though wise men, cannot understand the things of God, the mysteries of the Gospel; they must be revealed by God, or they will not be known. And he( seeing his Father exceedingly honoured upon this account) cannot choose but be very thankful; as you may see in Matth. 11.15. I thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that thou hast hide these things from the wise and prudent, and revealed them to babes.  
But yet more plainly: whereas H. H. speaks of a talent of wisdom and understanding given to all the posterity of Adam, to be improved in reference to salvation; Christ tells us, that it is peculiarly given to his disciples, and not to others, to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, Matth. 13.11. So that from hence it doth very clearly appear,( let men say what they will) that notwithstanding all the wisdom and understanding that is in the whole lump of mankind, there must be some peculiar, choice, additional gift of undenstanding from God to the creature, or else he will not be able to understand the mysteries of the Gospel.  
And before I leave this, I shall appeal to the experience of all those whom God hath made wise to salvation, whether, before God shined by his Spirit into their hearts, they had any of that understanding in the mystery of the Gospel, which they have now.  
But if you do further take notice of H. H. expressions, you shall find that he goeth about in particular to tell you what may be done( as he conceives) by this power, and wisdom, and understanding, in slothful disobedient ones: for he tells us, that God hath given these talents to all slothful disobedient ones, that they may work out their own salvation with fear and trembling.  
Now I desire that this may be further taken notice of: for( though afterwards he seems to smooth over the business, by telling us that men have all from God, yet) here he doth attribute very much to man, upon a common account; namely, that all men, as men, even while they are disobedient, may, if they will, work out their own salvation.  
And that we may come to see whether this be a truth or no, let us consider whether the Scripture speaks of any such power in natural men, to work out their own salvation; or whether ever God doth in Scripture give any such command to men in their natural state so to do: and then let us consider what the meaning of the expression is, where the Scripture speaks of working out our own salvation with fear and trembling; and whether there be not sufficient in that very Scripture, to deny any such sense as he would put upon the words.  
Now that the Scripture doth nowhere speak of such a power in natural men, to work out their own salvation in his sense, or indeed in any sense; there hath been enough from plain Scripture already said to the contrary: and sure the Scripture doth not contradict itself.  
But again, let us consider whether the Scripture that speaks of working out our salvation with fear and trembling, doth in the least intend that exhortation to natural men; or whether it be not an exhortation to Saints: and that will appear, if you do consult with the words of the text at large, Phil. 2.12, 13. Wherefore, my beloved, as you have always obeied, not as in my presence onely, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling: for it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do, of his good pleasure.  
The Apostle gives this exhortation to the Saints in Christ Jesus at Philippi: Now to argue from hence, that because the Apostle writes to Saints, exhorting them to work out their salvation with fear and trembling; therefore all the sons and daughters of Adam have received power from God to work out their salvation, is to me a very strange kind of arguing. Nay, I should rather conclude, that being the Apostle doth exhort Saints to do it, therefore it is something peculiar to Saints, which doth not appertain to others; nor is it a thing within the verge of other mens power. But we shall have Arguments enough tending this way, from the very Scripture laid down before you. For,  
First, the Apostle calls them Beloved, to denote that they were persons beloved of God, and beloved of Saints; that he did very tenderly affect them: yea, we may conclude, that, in regard of the condition they were in, they were a lovely people. But,  
Again, the Apostle mindes that they were an obedient people; yea, that they were constantly obedient, not onely in his presence, but also in his absence. So that it doth appear, that the Apostle doth not now begin to exhort them to obedience; neither did they begin then to be obedient: for the Apostle doth bear witness in their behalf, that they had always obeied; which is to be understood, since the first time that the Apostle had had any acquaintance with them as Saints. I conclude from hence therefore, that this exhortation, whatever the meaning of it is, hath relation to Saints, beloved ones, obedient ones; and to none other.  
I shall therefore, in the next place, come to consider what the meaning of the exhortation is: and first, I shall tell you, that it is not to be understood to be a working out of salvation so, as that men thereby come to be in a state of salvation; for it is directed to such as were in a state of salvation at present, as hath been already clearly discovered: it must be therefore something that is proper to persons in a state of salvation; which I judge to be one of these two things: either,  
First, to endeavour in fear and trembling to know, or to come to a more full acquaintance with their state; and this may be one meaning of it: for many times it is so, that Saints are in a happy estate, and yet are full of doubts as to the full knowledge of that estate of theirs. Or else,  
Secondly, seeing holiness is part, and a great part of salvation; I conceive, that by working out salvation, he intends endeavouring after a high pitch of holiness, which also doth tend to the further discovering of their being in a state of salvation: and so I judge this exhortation to be much of the same nature with that of the Apostle to the Corinthians, 2 Cor. 7.1. Let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.  
But that it may not be thought that God doth by the Apostle exhort the believing Philippians, to work out their salvation( in this sense) by their own strength; he tells them further, That it is God that worketh in them, to will and to do, even of his own good pleasure. As if he should say, What I exhort you to, you have received strength in some measure from God, whereby you are able to do it: But seeing it is so, that you cannot live altogether upon the old stock, I tell you, You shall have, nay, you have, a constant supply from the Spirit of God, whereby your faith shall be strengthened, and your holiness increased, and the work of your salvation shall go on in your souls: For, saith he, it is God that worketh in you to will and to do of his own good pleasure. So that( without wronging of the Scripture, there cannot be such a construction made of this expression ( work out your salvation) as Henry Haggar would make of it.  
But however, when he hath  told us of these Talents, Whereby, he saith, disobedient ones may work out their salvation; he tells us, That this well considered, will give light into Rom. 9.10, 11, 20, 21, 22. and if men will needs understand, that God loved Jacob, and hated Esau before they were born, they should consider that God knew them both before they were born, and after they were born alike, according to his foreknowledge, as aforesaid.  
You see when it is for his own turn, he can tell us, That God knew men before they were born; though before he denied it. But whereas he saith, If men will needs understand, that God loved Jacob and hated Esau before they were born; I do not know how we can understand any other, being the Scripture is so clear.  
But, saith he, I know this is brought, to prove that Gods Election is not because of works foreseen.  
And truly well it may, if you do but consider seriously what the Astle saith in that Rom. 9. where his design is to declare, that there are, and still have been two sorts of men in the world; and he doth particularly instance two families, and they very eminent ones too, namely, Abraham's Family and Isaac's; first, Abraham's Family, and there was Ishmael and Isaac, wherein was a manifestation of a two-fold seed; a seed after the flesh, and a seed according to promise. The same you have likewise in the Family of Isaac; there was an Esau, a son after the flesh, and a Jacob, a son according to promise; and of these he saith, That the one was loved by God, and the other hated. Nay, further,( though in Jacob's Family he doth not particularly mention who were sons after the flesh, and who were sons according to promise, yet) he tells of a two-fold seed there; for he saith, They are not all Israel, which are of Israel.  
But because it is the family of Isaac, that is at present most in controversy, I shall speak something to that, and that according to what the Apostle layeth down in plain undeniable expressions.  
For the Apostle tells us plainly both what God did, and why he did it. First, what he did; and that is very plainly expressed, namely, that he loved Jacob, and hated Esau, and that before they were born, and before they did good or evil. And truly the expressions being so full, may very well serve to remove all Objections at once; being the Apostle doth not onely say, before they were born; but likewise, before they had done either good or evil; to show, that the obedience of the creature, is not at all a ground wherefore God loves him. But the Apostle tells us likewise why the Lord did love Jacob, and hate Esau before they were born, and before they had done good or evil; and that is, That the purpose of God according to election might stand, not of works, but of him that calleth. Which is as if the Apostle had said, God would not suspend his love till Jacob was born, and had acted in a way of obedience to him; but before he was born, God loved him, that the purpose of God according to Election, might stand upon the right Foundation, and not be built upon the works and obedience of Jacob or any other creature.  
But the Apostle well knowing what Objection might be made against this dealing of God, by men by corrupt mindes, doth lay down the Objection, and answer it himself▪ for the better clearing of the Truth in hand.  
The Objection is in vers. 14. Is there unrighteousness with God? As if the Apostle should now personate such men, and say, Sure this seems to be a strange dealing of God: how can it be thought that the righteousness of God should be kept without violation, if God doth hate men without any cause at all given by them, without their doing any evil?  
Now for answer to this Question, Whether there be unrighteousness with God? the Apostle gives this brief answer, God forbid; or, as it is in the Greek, Let it not be: As if he should say, Let there not be a thought of any such thing, as that there can possibly be any unrighteousness with God. Now whereas it was added in the Objection, that God cannot without violation of his justice, hate men without any cause given by themselves; Now to this I answer, God loves no men nor women, but Saints; nor hates he any men and women, but wicked ones: but yet he loves and hates before they are either actually Saints or sinners.  
But if it be minded what further answer the Apostle gives to the Objection, it will appear to be a full one indeed: for he brings a very clear Scripture as an answer thereto: For( saith the Apostle) he saith to Moses, I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion: which Scripture you shall find in Exod. 33.19. So that we may take notice from hence, that it is a Prerogative Royal that God doth reserve to himself, That he will have mercy on whom he will have mercy, and harden whom he will, as it is in vers. 18. of this Rom. 9. and that he will not be controlled by the creature, though he doth both love and hate, before good or evil are acted by the person thus loved or hated.  
But further, when the Apostle had been telling of us, that mercy and compassion are by God dispensed to the sons of men merely upon account of the will of God, he comes to lay down a notable Conclusion, vers. 16. So then, it is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that sheweth mercy. Which doth plainly deny, that either the will of the creature, or the utmost improving the ability of the creature,( for 't is well known, that in running, a man puts forth his whole strength) doth contribute any thing towards the salvation of the creature.  
But yet the great controversy, and that which men can hardly digest, is, That God should merely, at his own will, harden men. Now that this is so, likewise, the Apostle proves from Scripture, Exod. 9.6. where God speaking to Pharaoh, saith to him, Even for the same purpose I have raised thee up, that I might show my power in thee, and that my Name might be declared throughout all the earth. Therefore, saith Paul, hath he mercy on whom he will have mercy, and whom he will he hardeneth. The proof that the Apostle gives, is full; and the conclusion that he draws from it, is clear: and who dares now question whether God may do thus or no? God leaves Pharaoh under his natural hardness, and doth as it were deliver him fully up to the power of that innate corruption; and so he becomes hard-hearted indeed against the people of God, and God himself. Now if you would know why God( who could have softened his stony heart if he had pleased) doth thus deliver him up to hardness; God tells us himself why he did it, namely, That his power might be known, and that his Name might be declared thorough all the earth: as if God should say, I will deliver up this great King to hardness of heart, that so he( setting himself against me and my people) may feel my power; and that the whole world, that hears of the business, may know, that in power the God of Israel doth infinitely surpass the proud King of Egypt.  
Object. But it may be some will say, This that the Apostle mentions concerning Gods hardening Pharaoh, is but a hardening of him in reference to his outward destruction: but that God should merely upon his own will harden men unto final destruction of soul and body, this seems very harsh.  
Answ. Now to this I answer first, by concession: I confess, that which the Scripture doth particularly mention concerning Pharaoh and the Egyptians, is a temporal destruction. But yet I must say further, that we cannot say that was all.  
But then in the next place, if it will be granted that God may at pleasure bring a temporal destruction, I do not know but that upon the same we may conclude likewise, that he hath power and authority at pleasure to harden men unto final destruction of soul and body. For if we speak of the justice or injustice of an action, it is as really unjust to burn a man in the hand, or to inflict some petty punishment upon him without ground, and against Law, as to hang him. Now thus I argue: If by virtue of the unlimited will of God, he may harden Pharaoh as to the destruction of his body; by virtue of the same unlimited will, he may harden him or whom else he pleaseth, as to a final destruction: for there are no bounds to be set to that that is unlimited.  
But the Apostle, vers. 19. lays down a dreadful Objection, which he supposeth some may be ready to make: and truly too many have made it in these days.  
The Objection is this: Why doth he yet find fault? for who hath resisted his will?  
Oh sad! that ever it should enter into the heart, or proceed out of the mouth of any proud arrogant creature, thus to contend with God after this manner: for it is as if such a proud carnal heart should say, If it be the will of God that I should be hardened, and I am so, then it seems he hath his will; and why then doth he complain, and blame me for sinning against him?  
Now when the Apostle hath laid down this Objection, in stead of an answer, he gives a check in the first place to the carnal Objector; and that by putting a question to him, thus: Nay but O man, who art thou that repliest against God? As if he should say, What, art thou a man, a creature, and yet darest thou be so bold as to reply against thy Creator? Thy Objection hath been answered sufficiently to stop thy mouth, if thou hadst but the modesty that thou as a creature shouldst have; and yet darest thou reply?  
But besides this, the Apostle goeth about to convince such a perverse obstinate spirit, if it be possible, by telling him of the Potter making what use of the day he pleaseth; and so likewise of the vessels when he hath made them: and he seems to argue thus: O thou vain man! wilt thou grant more to the creature then to the Creator? Hath the Potter power to make what vessel he please, and design it to what use he please; and wilt thou deny God that authority, who made the Potter? It is an evil, to measure God by the creature; but to put God below the creature, must needs be a far greater evil.  
Now this Scripture in Rom. 9. having been thus far considered, I judge there may be sufficient ground of proof from thence( whatever H. H. thinks) that God's election is not because of works foreseen. But however, he endeavours to remove this block out of his own way, by distinguishing works, into works done while we are out of Christ, and works done when we are in Christ, thus:  
It is true, God doth not choose us because of any works of righteousness that we have done, or can do out of Christ: but it is because of works of righteousness that Christ himself hath wrought for us in his own person, and doth work by us and in us when we are believers.  
Now I desire it may be considered, whether this distinction of works will help him or no: and truly, for my part, I judge, that when the Apostle doth exclude works, he doth not shut out some, and take in some; but he shuts out all works, of what kind soever, and at what time soever they are performed; whether when we are out of Christ, or in Christ. Therefore I know no reason why we should distinguish, where God doth not. But however, it may be worth the inquiring, whether there be any ground from Scripture, to believe, that works performed by the creature when he is in Christ, and the Spirit of Christ in him, be the cause of our Election; nay, whether there be any shadow of ground to believe that what Christ hath wrought for us in his own person, be a ground or cause of Election.  
Now that it is not works done by us, that are the cause of Election; for works are excluded: and works done by us, when Christ is in us, are no less works then those that are done before Christ is in us, or we in Christ. But because these works are done by the power of the Spirit of Christ in us, and therefore may seem to contribute something of causality to our Election; I shall therefore add, that the works of Christ in us, are not a cause of our Election: for( as hath been already demonstrated) we were elected before we had the Spirit of Christ; and we are elected unto that obedience, and those good works which are by the Spirit of Christ wrought in us. Now that good wo●ks should be both the cause for which, and the end to which we are elected, is not to be imagined.  
But yet further, I say, Our Election is not because of those works that Christ hath wrought for us in his own person; and that I prove thus:  
Gods electing love, or Gods choosing of us in Christ before the foundation of the world, was the cause why he sent Jesus Christ: for, God so loved the world, that he gave his Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. Now Election being( as hath been proved) an eternal act in God; and the sending of Christ into the world, to perform actually the office of a Mediator, being an act performed in the fullness of time: it cannot be imagined that the act of Election in God, and the act of Mediatorship in Christ, should be mutual causes and effects of each other.  
But whereas H. H. himself doth in this distinction concerning Works seem wholly to shut out works done before conversion; I judge it is sufficient to overthrow whatever he saith concerning Works: but it doth more particularly mind me of one Contradiction, viz. whereas before he had spoken of talents that God had given to disobedient ones, for this end, that they might work out their salvation with fear and trembling; he now affirms that no works are required of unbelievers. Now whether this be a Contradiction or no, let any man judge.  
But I shall now come to another distinction that he makes, and that is concerning boasting in works; what works we may boast in, and what works we may not boast in. He doth grant, that boasting in the works of the Law, and boasting in works before believing, is reproved. But yet he brings a Scripture to prove that there may be a boasting of works done after believing, 2 Cor. 11.10. where Paul saith, As the truth of Christ is in me, no man shall stop me of this boasting in the regions of Achaia. Now I would desire that it may be considered seriously, whether there be any thing to boast of mentioned by the Apostle; or whether he doth declare any boasting in himself, as if he had done any thing that was a cause of his election. His boasting here, is a constrained boasting, occasioned by the vain boasting of those false teachers that were crept in among the Corinthians; and that the Apostle might vindicate the truth of the Gospel, and likewise the simplicity of it, he tells them, that though he have preached the Gospel in a very plain way, and so be by them counted rude; yet he was not rude in knowledge. But the main thing that he doth boast of, is, that he hath preached the Gospel freely to the Church of Corinth, though now they were drawn to undervalue him: nay, that he robbed other Churches to do them service,( whereas he might have been chargeable to them.) So that now( the Apostle having met with so much unkindness from them, from whom he might justly expect more then ordinary respect) he is forced to tell them what he hath done, out of tenderness to them.  
B●t H. H. go●th on, and tells us, that though Paul cried down 〈…〉 before faith in so many places, yet he preached up works after believing loud enough, in the 1 Tit. 8. This is a faithful saying, and these things I will that thou constantly affirm, that they which have believed in God, might be careful to maintain good works, for they are good and profitable, &c.  
Now truly I cannot but wonder why he speaks after such a manner, or why he brings this Scripture to prove that Paul did press good works; truly I judge that he might have brought many other places, if there had been need, to have proved that it is a duty to press good works upon Saints; or that it is duty for Saints to do good works: but this being not at all denied by us, I think he might very well have spared his labour. But must it follow, that therefore these good works must needs be the cause of Election?  
But I wonder why he could not as well mention the last word in the verse, as mention the rest; sure I am ready to believe that there is some deceit in it: the Apostle saith These are profitable to men; but H. H. saith they are profitable, and leaves men out. Now I conceive he would have us believe, that these good works are profitable to the man himself, in reference to his salvation; whereas the Apostle onely saith, these good works are good and profitable to men, that is, that other men will be benefited thereby.  
Another Scripture that he brings, is that formerly mentioned Phil. 2.12, 13. Work out your salvation, &c. Now here I cannot but again take notice of his deceitful contradicting of himself, for in the very same page. of his Book he had made use of this Scripture, as applicable to disobedient ones, and now he applieth it onely to believers; but I conceive there need no more at present be said to that Scripture.  
But he mentioneth some of the words of another Scripture yet, and that is 2 Cor. 6.1. We then as workers together with him, beseech you that you receive not the grace of God in vain. Now the Apostle in this place doth but declare himself and other ministers of the Gospel to be workers together with God in the work of the Gospel, not as if they were equal with God in doing the work, but rather that they are instruments in the hand of God, whereby he doth work upon the hearts of men. And that it may appear that it is his design to attribute to himself no more but the honour that is due to him as Gods Instrument, we may see by what he saith to the same thing in 2 Cor. 4.7. We have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, not of us. But all this makes nothing at all to the proof of the thing that he would prove thereby, viz. that good works which are performed by men after they believe, are the cause of Election.  
But what a deal ado he makes about that which he had spoken enough on before, though to little purpose, That although God saw Adam would fall, yet he saw him a creature first, or else he could not have foreseen, he would fall when he was a creature: therefore God is the God of order, and not of confusion, and forseeth all things orderly, and not confusedly.  
Much more he saith to the same purpose, which, he saith ( if well considered) would put an end to all the confused and distracted thoughts in men about these things.  
Now for my own part, I do not judge that there is any need to say any thing more then hath been said already to these things; onely this I shall add, that we need not trouble ourselves about Gods order of working; I am sure it doth not become us to prescribe him an order. It is sufficient for us, that we may see from clear Scripture what God hath done as to the matter of election, before the foundation of the world. Now as to that place which he quoteth( though he renders the words something false) 1 Cor. 14, 33. God is the God of order,( as he saith, though the Apostle saith peace) not of confusion; I conceive that this makes nothing for his purpose neither. For the design of the Apostle is to bring the Corinthians to an orderly walking, as you may see in the last verse of the Chapter; and in this 33 verse he saith, God is not the author, or the God( for I confess author is not in the greek) of confusion, but of peace, as in all Churches of the Saints.  
Now that the Apostle may prevail with them as to an orderly peaceable working, he tells them that God is the God of peace; and so by consequence, whatever discord and confusion was among them, came from Satan and corruption.  
But, saith H. H. It may be some will yet object, that I hold faith and obedience in us to be the cause of Gods electing or choosing us to life and Glory.  
For answer to which objection of his( before I come to take notice of his answer) I must say thus much: If this be not his design, he hath been hitherto at a great loss in finding out expression to set out his opinion. And I think no man that reads those six first pages of his book, can judge any other, but that he hath endeavoured by all the Scriptures and Arguments that he hath brought, to prove this; which now by his Objection he would seem to be a great injury if any should charge it upon him, as his opinion. Now that it may appear that we do not wrong him, if we do say, that he holds that our faith and obedience is the cause of God's electing us to life and glory; let us take a little notice what he saith presently after his own Answer to the Objection, in pag. 7. of his Book: Suppose I should affirm my Obedience to be the cause of my election to Salvation, &c. But it may be he will say, We may suppose that that is not our opinion,( for Arguments sake.) To which I answer, If it be but a bare supposition of that which he doth not hold as his Opinion, it seems strange to me, that he should build all that follows upon it, as he doth.  
But I shall now come to consider what Answer he gives to his Objection, which is in these words: That Faith in Christ, and Obedience to Christ is[ a cause] without which God chooseth none to Life and Salvation, I affirm, because we never red that God choose any disobedient unbeliever to Life and Glory, which lived and died so: but that it is[ the cause] for which he doth choose any, I shall utterly deny.  
There are two things in this Answer of his to the Objection, to be taken notice of: first, what he affirms; secondly, what he denies. First, he affirms, That Faith in Christ, and Obedience to Christ, is a cause without which God chooseth none to Life and Salvation. Now before I go any further, I must deny what he affirms; for the contrary to what he saith is clear in Scripture. I shall grant, that God chooseth none to Salvation, but before he bestows the fullness of Salvation and Glory upon them, he works faith in them, and makes them obedient; but that he chooseth them without Faith and Obedience is plain, in that they were choose( as hath been proved) before the foundation of the world; but they believe not, till God by his Spirit works upon their hearts, after, and sometimes, a great while after they are born.  
But whereas he tells us, That he doth utterly deny Faith and Obedience to be the cause for which he doth choose any to life and salvation; I cannot but wonder, that he should here deny it, and a little lower in the same seventh page. of his Book, affirm it; mark his words: Thus all men may see, that I do not hold that God choose any to Life& Salvation for any good in them, before he put it in them: intimating, that it is for the good that is in them, that they are choose; though he would have us think, that they had that good from God at first.  
Now I desire it may be taken notice of, that there is in this particular abundance of saying and unsaying; so that what he saith in other places, is to be the more narrowly looked into.  
I shall now come to consider his chain of Causes; and truly I must needs say, before I begin the particular examination of them, that though he makes a great flourish, yet there is no proof at all, by what he speaks, of that which he would infer; for the thing that he would infer, is, That man's Obedience is the Cause of his Election.  
For thus he begins: Suppose I should affirm my Obedience to be the cause of my election to Salvation. And truly, if you do suppose such a thing, I must needs say, You suppose that which is not to be supposed; for the Scripture will not warrant any such supposition, for the Scripture attributes all to Free-grace.  
But he goeth on: What then, saith he, is the cause of my Obedience? His answer is, My love to Christ. Now I would fain know, whether he doth attribute the power of efficiency to the love of the creature to Christ: if he do, I should desire to have seen the proof of it; if he doth not, I judge he had as good have said nothing. I grant that obedience to Christ, is the demonstration of our love to Christ; and our love to Christ, is that which is an inward motive in us to obedience: but if you would know what is the cause of our obedience; I say, it is the same which is the cause of our love to Christ, and that is, God's electing love: Ephes. 2.11. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained, that we should walk in them. From whence we may see, that God's fore-ordaining of men, is the cause of their doing good works. And that place, Ephes. 1.4. which hath been so much spoken to already, doth prove the same thing abundantly; According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and unblamable before him in love. Where Election before the foundation of the world, is said to be the cause both of our love and of our holiness.  
But he tells us in his next Question and Answer, That our Faith in Christ is the cause of our love to Christ. But I need not say much to this; it is enough, that you have heard already another cause of love; and likewise, that the Scripture nowhere saith, That our faith in Christ is the cause of our love to Christ: but rather, that our faith and love both, are wrought in us by that same Free-love of God which did elect us.  
But in the Answer to his next Question, he tells us, That the preaching of the Gospel of Christ is the Cause of Faith. Now to this I say, It is true, it is an instrument that Christ makes use of to work Faith in men: but that is all that( from what the Scripture speaks in this case) can be granted.  
But it is worth the considering, what he intends by preaching of the Gospel of Christ. Now this is the Gospel that he speaks of, viz. That Christ died for my sins, and rose again for my justification. Now I do not know any warrant, that any man hath from Christ to preach to men such a Gospel,( for the first working of faith in them,) That Christ died for them, and rose again for them. The Gospel which Christ commands his Disciples to preach to every creature, is, That he that believeth and is baptized shall be saved, and he that believeth not shall be damned: but that Christ died for the sins, and rose again for the justification of every particular man to whom this Gospel is preached, is not to be affirmed; for if all men are just●fied, then all men are saved; which cannot be affirmed. It is true, the Apostle, when he writes to the Corinthians, who did then believe in Christ, tells them, 1 Cor. 15.3 4. That he delivered to them first of all, which he also received, how that Christ died for their sins,( that is, for the sins of those that believe in him) according to the Scriptures; and, that he was butted, and rose again the third day according to the Scriptures. Now you have heard already what the Scripture saith as to this particular, namely, That they that believe shall be saved; not all that hear the Gospel preached: for then there need be no such word as this preached to them, [ he that believeth not shall be damned.]  
Again, in his Answer to the next Question, he tells us, That Christ dying for us is the cause of preaching the Gospel to us. Now for answer to this, I grant that the death of Christ for sinners is the matter of the Gospel; but the real and immediate cause of preaching the Gospel, is the anointing of Christ, as may be seen by what Christ saith himself, Luke 4.18. The spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the Gospel to the poor, &c. So that it is apparent from hence, that Christ his being anointed and designed by the Father to that work, was the cause both why Christ did preach the Gospel himself, and why he did and doth employ others at this day, and will do till his coming again to preach the Gospel to the sons of men.  
I confess at last he mentioneth one proper Cause, and that is this; he tells us, That God's great love of pity wherewith he loved us, even when we were dead in trespasses and sins, is the cause of Christ his dying for us.  
But I shall now come to consider his Causes in that order of descent wherein he lays them down, together with the Scriptures that he brings for proof, And  
First, he saith, God's love to the sons of men, as they were sinners against him, and enemies to him, was the cause of his sending his Son to die for sinners, for his enemies, for the ungodly, for the unjust, as appeareth( saith he) by these following Scriptures, John 3.16. Rom. 5.6.8, 10. 1 Pet. 3.8. And truly, I shall easily grant this to be a Truth: and indeed if he considers what hath been granted by me, and what is the Opinion generally of those that hold the Truth as it is in Jesus, he need not take pains to prove this; for it will be something difficult to meet with any that will oppose it, without it be some that are of the same Opinion with himself. But however, I shall a little consider one or two of the places that he mentioneth; and it will appear, that the love of God was not onely the cause of sending Christ to die for sinners; but likewise, that it was the cause of that Salvation, which men obtain by the death of Christ. First, we shall consider that in John 3.16, God so loved the world, that he gave his onely begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. From whence I conclude, that the love of God was as real a cause of Salvation by Christ, as of the sending of Christ. And when I say it is the cause of Salvation, I mean, it is the cause both of the end, and of the means tending to the end; so that when he hath said, That the love of God was the cause of sending his Son, he might have added the rest of those things which he calleth Causes, and so have said, That the love of God to sinners, is the cause of sending Christ to die, of preaching the Gospel, of working faith, love and obedience by his Spirit in the preaching of the Gospel; and at last, of that glory which the people of God are possessed at last withal. So that according to this Scripture,( which according to the extent of it, doth reach from Election to Glorification) he need have mentioned but one cause of man's Salvation.  
The other Scripture that I shall take notice of, is, 1 Pet. 3.18. For Christ also hath suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God. From whence I conclude, that God in sending his Son, and the Son in dying,( being sent) have both one design, viz. To carry on the work of Salvation, till those that are to be saved are put in possession of that Salvation that Free-love hath provided for them.  
But however, though I need take no further notice of his Causes, yet I shall go on. He saith, That Christ's dying for our sins, and rising again from the dead, is the cause of the Gospels being preached to sinners. But having spoken something to this already; I shall add the less now. Yet I judge it may not be amiss to consider whether the Scriptures that he brings, prove the thing in hand or no.  
The first Scripture mentioned( though false rendered by him) is Mat. 28.18, 19. And Jesus came and spake to them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth: Go ye therefore and teach all Nations, &c. Now let any one judge whether this Scripture be sufficient to prove what he would infer from it. I confess we may conclude from hence, That all power in Heaven and in Earth, was after the Resurrection of Christ( according to the designation and appointment of God) given unto Jesus Christ, and he by virtue of this power did sand Disciples forth to preach the Gospel; but still I say,( as I have said and proved from Luke 4.18.) That the anointing of Christ, or the designing of him to the Office of Mediator, is the cause of preaching the Gospel. And therefore it is, that Christ speaking of this authority of his, would have us know, that the authority, and the exercise of it, is by virtue of the decree God, Psal. 2.7. I will declare the decree, saith he. And sure I am ready to think, that H. H. hath some apprehension, that his inference will not come in full from the consideration of that Scripture that he mentioneth: and therefore( it seems) he altereth it a little, that it may be the more fit for his turn; and instead of saying, All power is given to me, he saith, All power is mine; as if his Death and Resurrection had been the efficient cause of that power and the exercise thereof in the preaching of the Gospel. The same that is said to Mat. 28.18. may be said to Mark 16.15, 16. But I go on.  
Another Scripture, which yet speaks as little to his purpose, is that in 1 Cor. 15.13, 14. where the Apostle is pleading for the Doctrine of the Resurrection of the dead; and he proves it by the Resurrection of Christ; as if he should say, If there be no Resurrection of the dead, then Christ( who did really die) is not risen: but Christ is risen; therefore there is a Resurrection of the dead. Now that Christ is risen, he appeals to themselves; as if he should say, Why do you hear the Gospel, which according to the Doctrine of it, doth hold forth a crucified risen Saviour? And why do you believe in Christ, if he be not risen? surely a dead Saviour can do you no good, so that your faith will of necessity be a vain thing. So that now if I should look upon the Text to see what it will afford us as to the business in hand, it seems to me onely to hold forth thus much, that to preach that Christ is risen,( if he be not) is to preach a lie; and to believe in Christ for Salvation,( if he onely died, and did not rise) is to believe in vain, or to trust in a vain help. For first, a dead lifeless Saviour cannot be looked upon as any Saviour at all. And secondly, it was the design of God, that Christ by dying and rising again, should be the means of procuring Salvation for us: and if the means be made voided, the end will be frustrate too. But neither this, nor any other Scripture that he mentioneth, doth prove that the death of Christ is the cause of preaching the Gospel to the sons of men.  
I come now to his third cause, which is this: The Gospel being preached to sinners, is the cause of their believing. Now the Scripture that he brings to prove this, is Rom. 10.14.15, 17. vers. but he mentioneth not the 16 vers. which might very well have served for the clearing of the truth. The words that he mentioneth are these: How then shall they call on him, in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher? and how shall they preach except they be sent? as it is written. So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. Now that which may be gathered from hence, is( not that the preaching of the Gospel, is properly the cause of believing, but) that preaching of the Gospel is the means that God makes use of, to work faith in men. And that this is the meaning of it, appears by the 16 vers. of the chapter,( which he seems purposely to leave out) but they have not all obeied the Gospel: for Isaias saith, Lord, who hath believed out report? From whence it appears, that all that hear the Gospel do not believe; nay, few that hear do believe: for the Prophet saith, Who hath believed our report?( and the Apostle here owns this report, to be Gospel-peaching) so that I conclude, that the preaching of the Gospel, is not the proper cause of mens believing: for if it were, then all that hear the Gospel should believe.  
That therefore which is most safe to conclude from hence, is this, that the preaching of the Gospel is a means appointed and made use of by God to work faith in a small number of those to whom it is preached. But enough of this.  
I come now to consider his fourth cause: he tells us, Mens believing is the cause of their justification from sin. Now for answer to this, me thinks it is not safe to affirm that which the Scripture doth nowhere affirm: therefore I judge we ought to be very wary in entertaining this as a truth; for the Scripture nowhere saith it. I confess the Spirit of the Lord doth enable the soul in believing, to appropriate to itself the righteousness of Christ for justification: and men are said to be justified by faith; but it is not to be understood, as if the very act of believing were the cause of our Justification,( as H. H. affirms) but the soul in believing doth lay hold upon him who is the Lord our righteousness.  
But however, let us examine the Scriptures that he brings; and the first is that in the 13 Acts 38, 39. vers. Be it known unto you, that through this man is preached to you the forgiveness of sins, &c. by him all that believe are justified from all things, &c. Now whereas the Scripture saith, that through this man, that is, Christ, is preached forgiveness of sins; for a man to infer from hence, that believing is the cause of forgiveness of sin, is so absurd, that I need say nothing to it. But I conceive H. H. doth most depend upon the other expression, viz. by him all that believe are justified from all things, &c. But this doth confer as little to the proof of the thing in hand,( viz. that believing is the cause of Justification) as the other expression. This rather tends to discover their persons, who they are that are Justified, then to show that which is but the qualification of the person justified to be the cause of Justification.  
The like mistake he hath, in that he would make the same conclusion from Rom. 3.26. vers. that he might be just, and the Justifier of him that believeth in Jesus: he mistakes likewise in the same manner, in his applying that in Rom. 4.24.25. vers. if we believe on him that raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead; who was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our Justification: still, I say, in these places, he takes the qualification of the person Justified, for the cause of justification.  
Another Scripture that he mentions, is Rom. 3.28. vers. therefore we conclude that a man is Justified by faith without the deeds of the Law. Now this Scripture speaks of faith in opposition to Legal righteousness onely; and so the meaning of it is this: there is now no justification to be expected upon account of Legal obedience performed by us: but Jesus Christ being become our righteousness, we by faith are to apply the death and Resurrection of Christ to ourselves for Justification.  
Another Scripture mentioned, is Rom. 4.3. vers. For what saith the Scripture? Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness. Now this justification or reckoning righteousness to Abraham, was not founded upon his believing, but rather upon that grace which wrought this faith in him: which is so clearly to be gathered from the 4 and 5 vers. of the chapter. Now to him that worketh is not the reward reckoned of grace, but of debt; but to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness.  
There are three things that I desire may be taken notice of from hence.  
First, that the Apostle doth disclaim all works in reference to justification.  
Secondly, that he doth plainly hold forth God to be the justifier.  
Thirdly, that he calls the persons justified by God, ungodly ones.  
I shall speak something briefly to these three things; and I hope thereby the truth will appear, and the mistake of H. H. about justification will be manifest.  
First, the Apostle, I say, doth disclaim all works: and if he disclaim all works, he must among them disclaim believing too( as it is an act of the creature) from having any causality in the justification of a sinner. I confess, if we consider faith as an instrument, and believing as an ordinance of God appointed for that end) to lay hold upon that which is our righteousness, then faith may be said( in a sense) to justify, because it doth appropriate that which is it's own object, and the means of our justification, viz. the death and resurrection of a crucified Saviour as held forth in the Gospel.  
But secondly, here God is said to justify ( he that believeth on him that justifieth) so that it is indeed the proper act of God to justify: as the Apostle speaks in plain terms, Rom. 8.33. Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God's elect? it is God that Justifieth: where there are two things observable; first, That God doth justify: and it must needs be so; for to whom can it belong to acquit a man from an offence committed against him, but he against whom it is committed? Now it is God against whom the sins are committed; as David saith, Against thee onely have I sinned: therefore God, and God alone, can justify.  
But the other thing considerable in that Scripture, is, that God is said to justify the elect: who shall lay any thing to the charge of Gods elect? it is God that justifieth: by which the Apostle doth lay the foundation of justification upon election. But yet further, God is not onely the efficient cause of justification; but he doth perform this, as he doth all other acts toward his people, merely of his grace, Rom. 3.24. being justified freely by his grace, through the redemption that is in Jesus Christ. In which Scripture you have the efficient,& that is the free grace of God: Secondly, the means that this free grace doth make use of, for the making over of righteousness for the justification of men; and that is the redemption that is in Christ Jesus: But here is not a word of believing being the cause of it. Indeed, if faith be considered according to the proper nature of it, it doth appear to be such a grace as will not nor cannot attribute any thing to itself.  
The very voice of faith, as any thing whereby the Soul is or may be advantaged, is, It is not in me, but in him upon whom I depend for all.  
But the third thing to be considered from that Scripture mentioned by me in Rom. 4. is the persons justified, and they are said to be ungodly ones; from whence I thus argue: if God justifieth ungodly ones, or if they be ungodly when God doth justify them, then they are not believers; and if they are not believers before they are justified, then believing is not the cause justification; so that Henry Haggar's fourth Cause is come to as little as the rest of his Causes.  
I come now to his fifth Cause, and that is this, Our knowing ourselves justified from our sins by faith in the blood of Christ, is the cause of our love to Christ. Now I do not know how to close with him here neither. I must confess, justification from sin doth go before our love to Christ. But I cannot believe, nay, I must deny, That the knowledge of our justification must needs go before our love to Christ. For there are many poor souls in the world that are justified, and yet do not certainly know it; but go complaining as if they were not justified;& yet they love Christ, and by reason of their love to him, they have their hearts pant after him, and they are willing to do any thing that Christ will have them do. I do not say they are altogether ignorant of the love of God, nor of justification by the blood of Christ; but as to their particular interest in that blood, they may be much at a stand, and yet their affection is much to Christ.  
Again, I confess, after a man is justified, and doth know himself to be justified, the more knowledge he hath of the love of God, the more he loves Christ, and cannot choose: but there may be, and is,( as I have said) love, and sometimes a great and strong affection to Christ, when the soul dares not affirm himself to be a justified person.  
Now the Scripture he brings to prove what he saith, is 1 Joh. 4.10, 19. Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins. We love him, because he first loved us. Which Scripture proves, that God loves Saints, and that Saints love God, and that God's love is first; yea, that it is the cause of the love of Saints to God: but it doth not prove that the knowledge of our justification is the cause of our love to Christ; as if there could be no love at all to Christ, till our particular justification be certainly known by us.  
I now come to his sixth Cause, and that is, Our love to Christ is the cause of our obeying Christ. I confess, as I have already done, that obedience is a discovery of love; nay more, that our obedience is the very acting of love: and to this do those Scriptures mentioned by him tend, 1 John 5.3. For this is the love of God, that we keep his Commandments, and his Commandments are not grievous. And so John 14.15, 21, 23. If ye love me keep my Commandments; and he that hath my Commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me, &c. But this I shall say withal, that as God doth kindle love in the soul at first, so it is, and that doth blow up that love into a flamme, and cause it to be active in obedience.  
But I come now to his 7th Cause, which is, our obeying of Christ is the cause of his giving us eternal life.  
And now any one that is not dim-sighted may see what his drift hath been all along. The other things that are called Causes by him, are laid down for no other end but to usher in this. He hath indeed kept a great ado to little purpose. Now thus I say, If this that he now in the last place lays down so positively, and affirms so confidently, be a Truth,( as he would have us believe that it is) what need so many things go before, to make way for it? Truth is able to make way for itself. Sure I believe he was fearful, that this last would not be received, if the other had not gone before: and truly I must needs say,( as to me) He hath lost his labour; for I am so far from receiving the last because of his former flourishes, that I judge it as much, if not the more to be suspected.  
But I shall come now to examine the thing itself, namely, that our obeying of Christ, is the cause of his giving us eternal Life: which affirmation of his, I must needs say is false. For if eternal Life be a gift, as he doth affirm, then our obeying Christ cannot be the cause of it: for if we should grant our obedience to be the cause of it, then God doth rather sell then give eternal Life. But the Scripture doth constantly affirm it to be a gift, yea, to be the freest gift, so free, as that nothing can be freer, Rom. 6. ult. The wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. Ephes. 1.11. In whom we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him, who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will. Now thus I argue: If God doth work all things after the counsel of his own will, then upon the same account he giveth Salvation and eternal Life. But yet more plain, Ephes. 2.8. For by grace are ye saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God. John 10.28. I give unto them eternal life, and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. Abundance more testimonies might be brought in to witness to this Truth, that eternal Life is a gift of God, nay, that it is such a gift as cannot admit of any thing in us, or any thing done by us to be the cause of it; but I shall at present onely name one Scripture more, and that is very full indeed, Tit. 3.4 5. But after that the kindness and love of God our Saviour toward man appeared: not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the holy Ghost. This Scripture needs no interpretation, it is so plain; nor no other to be added to it, it is so full: and sure if H. H. did but seriously consider these Scriptures that I have mentioned, and those many other which I might have mentioned, he would not be able to affirm our obedience to be the cause of God's giving us eternal Life.  
But let us now see what Scriptures he brings to prove it; and the first is that in Mark 16.16. He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved. Now this Scripture doth show who shall be saved, namely, those that believe; but it doth not tell us, that believing is the cause of Salvation. That Salvation is a gift, H. H. himself doth grant, though he would fain have something done by the creature to procure it; and so doth indeed deny it in a proper sense to be a gift. But if besides this, we find by Scripture, that Faith is the gift of God, as well as that Salvation which follows believing, I hope then it will be granted that no act performed by us can be the cause of eternal Life being given us by God.  
Now that Faith, which doth go before our being possessed with eternal Life, and whereby God doth actually instate us in eternal Life, ( for he that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life) that this Faith, I say, is the gift of God will, appear by these Scriptures: first, that in Phil. 1.29. For unto you it is given, in the behalf of Christ, not onely to believe, but to suffer for his sake. Now it appears from hence, that not onely the power whereby men are enabled to suffer for Christ, but likewise the power whereby they are enabled to believe in Christ, is given them by God. And so you may see in Act. 18.27. it is said of Apollos, that he helped them much which had believed through grace. So that it appears, it was through the grace and love of God that they believed.  
Object. But it may be it will be objected, That I let baptism pass, as if that were not to be taken notice of in the Text, though it be joined with believing.  
Answ. To which I answer, first, I am not willing to let it pass altogether, seeing God hath taught me that it is the duty of man, when God hath wrought Faith in him, to be baptized. And truly, I cannot but lament that darkness that is yet remaining upon very many Professors,( nay, many whom I believe that they are real Believers, and that they are possessed with that precious Faith, which is called the Faith of God's Elect) that they do not as yet see this to be their duty. And I should much rejoice, if the Lord would dispel that thick darkness that is in the world, and in many societies of the Saints, as to this particular; that they may see this to be as real a duty to be performed by them, as to pray, or obey any other Command of Christ whatsoever; nay, that it is a duty that should have been performed by them, when first they did believe.  
2. But in the next place, I say, that I cannot affirm Baptism nor any other act of obedience; no, not Baptism, together with all other acts of obedience to Christ, to be the cause of our Salvation. First, I say, Baptism cannot be the cause of Salvation, for then we must condemn all those that have not obeied that Command; which I cannot, nor dare not, do. For I believe there are many that have not practised this duty, who would practise it, if they did know it to be a duty. But though I would not condemn any that do not see it to be their duty, yet I would give this caution to all Believers, to take heed lest they shut their eyes against any light, that doth in these dayes of light shine forth before them.  
Again, as to baptism, that that cannot be the cause of Salvation, because a man is not to be baptized; this duty is not required of him before h● be a Believer: and if he be a Believer, he hath( as I have said) the beginning of Salvation.  
And then in the next place, if we consider the nature of the duty, it will appear not to be a cause of Salvation: for when a man is baptized, he doth by this act of his, profess before the world, that he doth onely rely upon the Death and Resurrection of a crucified Saviour for Life and Salvation.  
But yet further, Christ would not have us to think, that the neglect of Baptism is the cause of damnation; he onely saith, He that believeth not, shall be damned; but speaks nothing of Baptism. From whence I argue, If believing be not the cause why God gives us eternal Life, much less can Baptism be looked upon as a cause of it.  
Now that no other act or acts of obedience is the cause why God gives us eternal Life, I shall show, when I come to the last Scripture mentioned by Henry Haggar, for the cleared of his cause; and in the mean time I shall consider his second Scripture.  
And that is Rev. 22.14. Blessed are they that do his Commandments, that they may have right to the three of life, and may enter in through the gates into the City. Now that it may appear whether this Scripture proves the thing that he would prove by it, namely, that our obeying of Christ is the cause of God's giving us eternal Life, we shall look a little into the Scripture, to see what may be the meaning of it.  
By the three of life, I understand Jesus Christ; and by the City, that is here mentioned, I understand the Church of Christ, in that most excellent State wherein it shall enjoy the presence of Christ in such a maner as they may truly say, The tabernacle of God is with men. Now by having right to the three of Life, I judge is to be understood, having a privilege of enjoying sweet lively communion with Christ; and by entering thorough the gates into the City, we understand an orderly entrance into, and communion with the Church of Christ. So that the meaning of all together, is to show who they are that have a real interest in Christ, and to whom the privilege of having communion with the Church of Christ in her best state doth belong; and that is, they that keep the Commands of Christ; such as these may come in at the gate, they need not seek a by-way to come in and not be seen: it is the City of their habitation, and they may come in boldly.  
But the great question lies here; Whether or no their keeping the Commands of Christ doth give them a right to these privileges? To which I answer, No. And my reason is,( besides all those Scriptures that have been mentioned) because the Apostle doth attribute all spiritual blessings to God as the Author of them, and that upon account of the relation wherein Jesus Christ stands to him; and doth therefore bless God for all, Ephes. 1.3. Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly things in Christ. Now if by our obedience to the Commands of Christ, we do procure a right and title to ourselves of enjoying union and communion with Christ and with the Church of Christ, then we may thank ourselves, and not God, for what we attain to. But if any should say, We have our first ability from God, and therefore we have cause to be thankful; I say, Then it appears from hence, that onely the Stock is from God, but the Improvement from ourselves: so that the happiness of the creature is not to be attributed to God alone, but to God in part, and to the creature in part. Again, the Apostle in 1 Cor. 3.22, 33.( speaking of the privileges of Saints, lays all upon the love of God in Christ, and upon the interest that Christ hath in God: All( saith he) are yours, and you are Christs, and Christ Gods.  
But again, to lay the foundation of our right to these privileges upon our obedience,( let men say what they will) is to make voided the death of Christ, whereby all these privileges were purchased.  
But in the next place, it is apparent, that we have not our right to these gospel-privileges by our obedience, because it is granted even by H. H. himself, that men cannot obey till they are believers: and certain it is, when they are believers, they have a right to all the privileges of Saints. Now thus I argue: If they have their right before they keep the commands of God, then the keeping the commands of God doth not give them their right.  
But it may be H. H. will say, That a man hath no right to these things before he doth believe; and believing is in Scripture called obedience.  
To which I answer, Believing is not keeping the commands of Christ; for that is but one command. But then again I say, It is not our believing that doth give us a right to Christ, but rather the electing love of him, by whose power we are enabled to believe; by which electing love, the soul hath a real interest in Christ: and it cannot be, but that in time he shall be possessed with Christ, though his interest doth not appear to himself or others till he do believe.  
I come now therefore to show what the meaning of this expression is: and I do conceive, that keeping of the commands of Christ, is a badge whereby those that by the free grace of God have an interest in Christ, and so a right to have communion with Christ and his Church in the greatest privileges thereof, are discovered. And all the obedience of the people of God to the commands of God, seems to be no other but as tickets that are given to men that are invited to a feast. Now no man will say that these tickets are that which gives them a right to come to the feast( though without these tickets they cannot come in;) but it is the loving invitation of the Master of the Feast, that gives them a right; and these tickets. declare that they are invited guests. So it is in this case▪ obedience to the commands of Christ, is the ticket, or the mark of God upon Saints, whereby they are discovered to be persons that by free-grace have an interest in Christ; and now these persons may come with boldness to Christ, to maintain Spiritual communion with him: and they may challenge admittance into the Church of Christ, to partake of all privileges there: and the inhabitants of the City of God( seeing these marks and characters of an interest in Christ upon them.) cannot keep them out from partaking of any of their birth-right-priviledges.  
But I now come to the consideration of H. H. third Scripture that he brings to prove that our obeying of Christ is the cause of his giving us eternal life; and that is Heb. 5.9. where the author to the Hebrews tells us, that Christ being made perfect through sufferings became the Author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him. And truly now I cannot but wonder that he should bring a Scripture not onely that cannot help him, but that is directly against what he would prove. H. H. saith, our obeying of Christ is the cause; but the Apostle saith, the suffering of Christ is the cause of eternal life: for, Christ being made perfect though sufferings, became the Author of eternal life.  
But I know that it will be objected by some, Though Christ be the Author of eternal Salvation yet it is onely to those that obey him.  
N●w 〈◇〉 this I answer, If they will but grant the thing, I shall not opp●se th●m as to the persons: But this I must say, that this doth not prove that man by his obedience doth procure eternal life to himself; but rather that man by his obedience doth manifest to the world that Jesus Christ is Author of eternal salvation for him. Now that mans obedience cannot be the cause of Christ his being the Author of eternal salvation for him, appears thus:  
Jesus Christ by suffering became the Author of Salvation for men: but he did not actually receive his Authority to give fo●th commands for men to obey, till he had finished his suffering, and was risen again from the dead: therefore, mans obedience could not be the cause of Christs being the Author of eternal Salvation.  
Nay further, if our obedience be the cause of Christ his being the Author of salvation for us, then we ourselves are a primary, and Jesus Christ but a Secondary cause of our salvation.  
Thus I hope the matter in controversy, according to what is laid down by H. H. in his seventh cause, is cleared. I confess I have been something larger upon this then upon the others,( and larger indeed then I thought to have been) because this is the main thing aimed at by him in the other causes that went before; namely, to lay a foundation for this; And because that which in this seventh Cause is affirmed by him, is so derogatory to the free grace of God, and so diametrically opposite to the covenant of grace, and the whole current of the Gospel.  
Now when he hath done, he tells us, Thus are the causes of Gods election and mans salvation laid down in order so clearly, that the meanest capacity may understand them. To which I shall say no more but this: I judge that the experience of the meanest Saint in the world( without he be already drawn into a snare) may apprehended a great deal of deceit in what he saith is so clear.  
But it seems, though he affirms so much clearness in what is laid down already, yet he goes over his causes again, forward, and backward, and then concludes after this manner: Thus it appears, that it is not for any works of righteousness that we have done, but of his love and mercy he saved us by sending a Saviour.  
Now I would have all that desire to be acquainted clearly with the mind of God, to consider how he doth by this endeavour to obscure the Truth, though he would have us believe that he aims at clearness. For when he hath expressed, himself in the manner as I have related, he quotes Tit. 3.4, 5. as if what he had written had been the words of that Scripture, whereas there is a manifest difference: Not for any works of righteousnes● which we have done, saith H. H. But Paul saith, Not by works of righteousness which we have done. See now how he endeavours to muzzle the Scripture: he is contented that it should say, It is not for our works of righteousness that we are saved; but he would not have it speak out, and say it is not by works of righteousness: so that you see he rather endeavours to bring the Scripture to his Opinion, then his Opinion to the Scripture.  

But though he hath now done with his Causes,( as going under that name of Causes) yet he cannot leave them; and therefore he turns his seven Causes into eight Necessities. And in the first place he tells us, There was a necessity of God's love in sending his Son to die for us. Now methinks it is strange, that he should say there was a necessity, as if God were bound to sand Christ to die for his enemies; methinks another expression might have served better.  
But he goes on, and tells us, There was a necessity of Christ his love in dying for us; and, a necessity of the Gospels being preached; and, of our beliving the Gospel; and, of our being justified; and of knowing the love of God; and, of our loving Christ; and, of our keeping the commands of Christ.  
To all which I answer, In a sense it may be granted, that there is a necessity of these things that he mentions; but not a necessity of them all, as Causes of our Salvation,( as hath been alrea●● sufficiently declared.) It is sufficient for us to say, That the love of God to sinners, is the cause of sending of Christ to die for us, and to rise for us, and to sand the Gospel to us, and to make it effectuael by his Spirit working Faith in us,( for he is said to be the Author and Finisher of our Faith) to make us love and obey him; and last of all, to put us into the possession of the glory that is provided for us.  
Now I confess that there is a necessity by virtue of a decree of God,( and no otherwise) that these several things should follow one another in their proper order. As first, God having decreed the Salvation of some of the Sons and Daughters of fallen Adam, and having decreed that this Salvation should be procured by the death of Christ, and that men appointed to Salvation should accept of the Testimony that God hath given concerning his Son, and that believers should love and obey the commands of Christ; and that after all this, they should be received into glory: it cannot be but that all things must succeed thus; for God worketh all things after the counsel of his own will. But now to conclude any of these things which are the products of God's eternal decrees( except it be the death of Christ) to be the causes of our Salvation, doth seem to be directly contrary to the current of Scripture.  
Now when H. H. is upon his last necessity, namely, Of obedience to the commands of Christ is a cause of Salvation; he brings divers Scriptures, some whereof have been spoken to already, and none of them do prove that which he would infer from them; and therefore because I would endeavour to avoid tediousness, I will forbear mentioning of them. The design of the Spirit of God in those Scriptures, is to show who shall be saved, and who shall not be saved; and what God works in the hearts of men before he saves them; and that where God doth not work those works, Salvation is not to be expected: but his design is not to sh●w that any of those works that are performed by the creature( of what nature soever they are) are the cause of his Salvation.  
The Truth now being thus far cleared, I hope I need say nothing to that sad conclusion of his, That there is as great a necessity of our keeping the Commandments and Ordinances of Christ, as there was of God's sending his Son to die for us, and as there was of Christ's dying for our sins, and rising again for our justification. I say, I hope I need say nothing to this: for any ●ntelligent Reader may easily see, that he puts the same weight upon man's obedience, as upon Christ's satisfaction; nay, as much upon man's obedience, as upon the love of God: and this is in plain terms to make man his own Saviour.  
But the next thing that he doth, is to apply what he hath laid down, and that by way of reproof to three sorts of people: and the first sort that he reproves, are they who are ignorant, and know not Christ nor his commands, what they are; and are content with their ignorance, and think to make that a cloak for their sins.  
Now I confess such men are to be reproved, that think ignorance, which is a wound that man hath brought upon him by sin, should excuse him from sin. But are there no more ignorant ones in the world, but such as these? I fear there are a great many in these dayes of light, that are ignorant of the mystery of the Gospel, though they pretend very much to the letter of Scripture, and would have it thought, that they are fit to be made use of, as eyes for poor blind Creatures. For such, I shall desire that the Lord would open their eyes, that they may be able to see the Truth as it is in Jesus, and to discern between things that differ.  
But methinks it is strange, that he should mention persons that do not know Christ nor his commands what they are. Sure now he seems to have forgot those Talents of wisdom and understanding given to disobedient ones. If all men have received a Talent of wisdom and understanding from God in reference to spiritual things( as he would have us believe) what hinders, but that all men, upon the receiving of this Talent, should know Christ and his commands? But it is no wonder, when a man is out of the way of Truth, if he be sometimes fain to endeavour to help himself by affirming the same thing in one place, and denying it in another, when it will not serve his purpose.  
But the second sort of people that he doth reprove, are those which are careless, and when they know God, and Christ, and his Commandments, will not do them; but presume upon mercy and salvation without obeying Christ.  
Now I must needs say, such as these deserve to be reproved too, those that do in any measure know the will of God, and yet not act according to what they know; as now, when a man knows that salvation is onely upon account of the Free-grace of God in Christ, and yet will not come to Christ, nor will not depend upon that grace alone, but will add their own works as causes of Salvation.  
And truly these are not onely careless and wilful, but they are Ignorant too; as may be seen by what the Apostle saith in Rom. 10.3. concerning the boasting Jews: For they being Ignorant of Gods righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves to the righteousness of God. Here is a mixture of Ignorance and wilfulness, and I fear this doth too much abound in men in these days.  
But I would fain know what the persons are which he means, that know God and Christ, and the commands of Christ, and will not do them. If he means unbelievers, he hath  told us already that God requires nothing of them; if he means believers, I shall pled for them thus: Though I must confess many believers, nay all believers are comparatively disobedient, because it cannot be denied but they come short of their duty in many things; yet they cannot be said absolutely to be disobedient, for they have obeied the great command of the Gospel, in that they do believe in Christ; and in their measure they are obedient to other commands of Christ.  
Now I perceive these are the persons whom he doth reprove, namely the people of God, who do indeed know Christ and believe in him and know the commands of Christ, and act according to them; but dare not fetch any comfort or encouragement as to their Salvation, from any thing that is done by them. Of these I judge it is, that he saith that they presume upon mercy and Salvation without obeying Christ; and th●nk to be saved by faith onely, without doing the will and work of God in their generation. truly if any should pled for faith, and in the mean while shut out works, so as not to let them be in their own place, it is by no means allowable. But I fear Henry Haggar's design is to debase the self-denying acting of Faith upon the Free-grace of God, and to exalt works above their proper place. And that he may do so, he doth make a separation between Faith and Works, as if Faith might possibly be in a man, and yet good Works be altogether absent. And therefore he doth seem to bring James to prove what he saith: but because he cannot make James speak what he would have him, he endeavours to make us believe that he speaks that which he doth not. And truly it may to any indifferent Judge appear, that he hath a bad cause, by his bringing so many false witnesses,( I mean, Scriptures wrong rendered) to prove what he would have men believe.  
That of James, is in James 2.14.17 20, 21, 22. First, we shall take notice of what a strange alteration he hath made of the words in vers. 14. he renders it thus: What doth it profit if they have faith and not works? can faith save them? whereas the words of the Scripture are, What doth it profit, my brethren though a man say he hath faith, and have not works? can faith save him?  
Now it seems it would not serve his turn, to say, Though a man say he hath faith; and therefore he saith, If they have faith and not works; whereas there is a vast difference. For though it may easily be granted that many men may say, They have Faith, when they have neither Works, nor Faith; yet it cannot be granted, that a man may have Faith and not have works too. James can indeed suppose an imaginary Faith,( that which a man may perhaps call Faith, and so say he hath Faith) without Works, and that he after calls a dead Faith, that is, no Faith, no more Faith, then a dead man is a man, which more properly is called a carcase, then a man: But James doth not speak of a living Faith, a real Faith without Works; for such a Faith will be operative, and so declare by the working of it, that it is of the right stamp, as a man by acting declares himself a man.  
But that which seems to be somewhat for him, is, James his asking this Question, Can Faith save him? But truly, there is no great matter in it( as to his purpose) if it be rightly considered. For, though whosoever believeth shall certainly be saved; and as Christ said to some in John 5.9. This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent; yet it cannot be imagined, that that which a man may be ready to call Faith,( if it be alone without Works) is Faith, or will stand him in any stead: for that Faith, that is of the right stamp, doth work by love, according to that, Gal. 5.6. For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision, but faith which worketh by love. So that( for the more clear understanding of this Truth) we may draw this conclusion, That Faith alone( as an instrument) doth justify; but not that Faith which is alone, for that is a dead Faith, no Faith at all: and this is certain, whosoever are justified, are sanctified in some measure likewise, 1 Cor. 6.11. And such were some of you; but you are washed, but you are sanctified, but you are justified, in the Name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God.  
But James makes an Objection, and answers it himself; and the Objection is this, in vers. 21. Was not Abraham our Father justified by works, when he had offered up his son Isaac?  
Now the Answer that James makes to this Objection, is in vers. 23. And the Scripture was fulfilled which saith, Abraham believed God, and it was imputed to him for righteousness: and he was called the Friend of God. So that James doth here intimate to us, that it was Abraham's believing that was imputed to him for righteousness, and that it was his work that did give him the title of a Friend of God. So that the meaning of it farther may be this, Abraham( as a sinner) was justified by the Free-grace of God, in a way of believing; but Abraham( as a Believer) was justified by his works, and particularly that work of offering up his Son. Abraham was justified by Faith, and Abraham's Faith was justified by Works.  
I come now to Henry Haggar's third reproof, or to his reproof to the third sort of people, and that is, They, who after they have known the Truth, and walked therein, do yet fall from it.  
Now for answer to this, I shall briefly speak something to these three things:  
1. First, That a man may have knowledge, and something like Faith, and yet not have that which the Scripture calls the Faith of Gods Elect; nay, he may have that which the Scripture sometimes calls Faith, that which James calls a dead Faith; and yet not have a living, lively, active Faith.  
2. Secondly, A man may fall away from the highest attainments that are below this precious Faith, this Faith of God's Elect.  
3. Thirdly, That a man cannot, nor shall not fall away from that which is the Faith of God's Elect; but if he have that, he shall certainly be saved.  
First, that men may have knowledge, and something like Faith, and that that in Scripture is sometimes called Faith, and yet not be real Believers; so as to encourage themselves, or conclude themselves to be in a saving state. Now such as these they were that Peter speaks of, 2 Pet. 2. from vers. 9. to the end of the Chapter: They did seem to be Believers they were among Believers, as may be seen, if we compare the first ver. of the first Chapter, and the fi●st ver. of the second Chapter together. They had the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour, by hearing the Gospel preached to them; and they did escape the pollutions of the world; they left off their former practices, and joined with the people of God, and yet were not right Believers; and that may appear by what Peter saith of them: He saith, They are unjust; therefore they were not justified ones, and so by consequence not Believers. He saith, They were men that walked after the flesh; and therefore had not the Spirit of God in them, nor could not be judged to be Believers; for the Apostle tells us who they be that are Believers and are in Christ, viz. They that walk not after the flesh but after the spirit: Again, Peter compares them to bruit Beasts. But the main thing that I mind, is, that he saith, They are wells without water empty vessels; which is, as if he had said, No●withstanding their knowledge and profession, they have no inward work of the Spirit, they have not drunk of the water that Christ gives: if they had, it should have been in them a well of water springing up unto everlasting life; but these are wells without water wells that never had any living water in them.  
besides this, we may find such mentioned by the Apostle in Heb. 6.4, 5. That were enlightened by the preaching of the Gospel▪ and had tasted of the heavenly gift,( though they had not taken any of it down; as a man may ●aste wine, and yet drink none, and so receive no nourishment thereby; and a man may taste poison, and yet not swallow it, nor be hurt by it: so these men had a taste in the notion, of spiritual and heavenly things, but that was all) and they were made partakers of the holy Ghost: God was so bountiful to them, as to give extraordinary g●●ts of the Spirit to them, and yet they were not right Believers; an● that appears, in that they did afterwards oppose Christ, as we see in vers. 6.  
Again, t●e same apostle speaks of the same sort of people in Heb. 10.29. such as did seem to be S●ints; for they were among them in the Ch●●ch of Chr●st, and yet it is said of them, That they counted the blood of the Covenant an unholy thing, and that they did despite to the spirit of grace: they were men of such a temper, as did scorn to be beholden to the Free-grace of God to save them.  
Obj. But sure those cannot be judged to be other then believers, for it is said, They were sanctified by the blood of the Covenant.  
Answ. To which I answer, the Scripture doth sometimes call things not as they are, but as they seem to be; as James calls that faith, which indeed is no faith, being without life; and men in Scripture are called Saints and believers upon account of their profession: now these men did profess themselves( at least for a while) to be believers, and to be sanctified ones, and they were taken by others to be such, and so the Apostle calls them Sanctified ones too. But further, they were really Sanctified as to the out-side: for( as we have declared) they had escaped the Pollutions of the world; and so were like the Pharisees, clean on the outside, though foul within; as doth appear clearly, in that their inward pollution did afterward break forth and slain their outward profession; the poison that lay close within, at length did break forth.  
Many more instances might be given of persons seeming to be believers, and yet are not.  
But I scar there are many in these days that do very sadly confirm this truth. I shall therefore desire that men would look into their own hearts, and see what God hath wrought there: seeing it is possible to deceive others, let all take heed that they do not deceive themselves with a bare profession and no more. Let Churches therefore take care who they receive in, and look narrowly to them when they are amongst them; and let every Member of a Church of Christ, and every high Notionist( that looks upon the Churches of Christ as below him) look to himself, lest his great profession prove no more but a bare profession.  
I come now the second thing that I propounded to speak to, and that is, That a man may fall from the highest attainments that are below the faith of Gods elect: though a man have never so large a profession, if he hath no more, he is very like to fall from that in time: if a man be but like a Christian, it is no great wonder to see that paint in time wear off. And this doth clearly appear,. by those several instances that have been mentioned: they made a profession, and a very eminent one too; yet being it was but a profession in time they left that too, So it was with Judas; he did for a while hid his covetousness& wickedness under a cloak of profession, but at last it broken out, and he was discovered to be what he was. Thus it was with those that John speaks of, 1 Joh. 1.19. They went out from us, but they were not of us: for if they had been of us, they would no doubt have continued with us; but they went out, that it might be made manifest that they were not all of us. Where John doth not onely tell us of a profession, and a falling from that profession; but likewise tells us of the ground of it, namely, that it might appear that they were not real believers. While hypocrites are in the Church among believers, it may be a hard thing to discover them; bu● when they leave their profession, then they discover themselves. Such they are likewise of whom Christ speaks, Luke 9.62. who having put their hand to the Plough, look back. And Christ speaks of such likewise in John 15.2. Every branch in me that beareth not fruit, he taketh away. The meaning whereof is this: Whosoever doth profess himself to be a believer, and so is in Christ by profession, if he hath not real faith, and so be a living branch in Christ really, Christ taketh away, that is, he will not suffer it alway to appear to be a believer, a branch in Christ. So that it is not onely possible that such should fall away from their profession, but it is certain they shall fall from it in time: Fruitless trees, though they may have very faire leaves for a time, yet they shall  shed them. The mystery of this is manifested( though in a seeming dark expression,) in Luke 19.26. compared with Luke 8.18. where in one place Christ tells us, that from him that hath not, shall be taken away that which he hath; and in the other place, he tells us, from him shall be taken away even that which he seemeth to have. I confess the expressions seem to be something dark; yet if they be well considered, they give great light into the thing in hand. For first, you have Christ clearly pointing out to us some that seem to be believers and are not: and then he tells us in the next place, what will become of them; and that in these two expressions: First, from him shall be taken away that which he hath: but what is that? I conceive that is a real enjoyment of Christ.  
Object. But if he hath not a real enjoyment of Christ, how can it be taken from him?  
Answ. To which I answer, It is as proper to speak of taking away that which he hath not, as to speak of enjoying that which he hath not: so that the meaning of it seems to be this; God doth at length discover, that a man may clearly see, that he is without Christ; and so the enjoyment is taken away from him, when it is discovered not at all to be his. Just as an Inheritance may be said to be taken away from a man, when it is cleared by law that the right of enjoyment doth not belong to him, though it were never actually in his possession. But if we consider what Christ saith in Luke 8.18. it is yet clearer: there the man seems to have something, some counterfeit evidences for an estate, a seeming enjoyment of Christ. But, saith Christ, from him shall be taken away that which he seemeth to have; that is, as he doth but seem to have an interest in Christ, and hath not; so he shall not always seem to have that which he now doth but seem to have: counterfeit stones shall not always keep their lustre.  
Hence we may clearly see, that a profession of Christ, without a real enjoyment of him, is but a fading thing; it is of no certain continuance: therefore let none content themselves with it. But sad it is to consider, that there are many( as we may justly fear) even amongst us now, as were in the Church of Sardis, Rev. 3.1. that have a name to live, but are dead: But let not any such content themselves with such a name; for as they are now without life, so their name to live( if there be no more) will not long continue.  
And then again we may see from hence, that God hath a special reserve of comfort for his people; it may be they are troubled at present in regard of some that make a profession of Godliness, and they have a jealousy of them, and know not what to conclude. Well, if it be so with you, wait upon God, judge nothing before the time. Here is your comfort; if they be hypocrites, it is very like God will discover them in time; and then when you see them lay aside their profession, or fall from their seeming Godliness, then you know what to judge of them. And if we should see thousands fall off from profession, we need not be troubled; they are not Stars, they are but Comets; and that appears by their ceasing to shine: true Stars shall both keep their place and lustre. And that leads me to the consideration of the third thing propounded; And that is, that a man cannot, nor shall not fall from that which is the faith of Gods elect, but shall certainly be saved.  
Now the first Scripture that I shall mention for the proof of this, is that in John 3.36. He that believeth on the Son, hath everlasting life. Now thus I argue: If every believer hath life, and the life that he hath be everlasting; then none that do believe can miss of the everlastingness of that life which is everlasting in its nature.  
Again, that place is very considerable in John 11.26. Whosoever liveth and believeth in me, shall never die. Now if this be not the meaning of it, that whosoever at any time doth believe in Christ, shall certainly be secured from eternal death; I do not know what comfort it could be to Martha, or to any other believer, to believe that promise. For though I be a believer now, and so be in a state of Salvation; if I cannot by a word from God assure myself of continuing in that State, I can have no comfort, at least, till the very last gasp: but sure it was the design of Christ to encourage Martha and all other believers by this word of promise, else he would not have asked her, Believest thou this?  
Another Scripture worth the noting, is Heb. 10.38. Now the just shall live by faith: but if any man draw back, my Soul shall have no pleasure in him. Where the Apostle writing to a Church consisting of visible Saints, that is, men and women professing Christ; and knowing( according to what hath been mentioned from this Epistle already) that there were real believers, and seeming believers; and knowing withal, that seeming believers were very like to appear at last, and to discover themselves by their apostatising from their profession; he endeavours to give every one their portion, and to believers thus he doth speak; The just shall live by faith, or, the just by faith shall live: as if he should say, You that are true believers, need not fear but that you shall continue in that State of life wherein you are; but for you that are onely professors at best, and do apostatise from your profession, I tell you, you are vessels wherein is no pleasure; the Lords Soul hates you he can take no delight in you.  
Beside this, consider that in John 6.5, 8. He that eateth of this bread, shall live for ever: by eating the bread is understood believing in Christ. Now he doth not say, He that eateth this bread is alive while he is eating; that were needless,( for who doth not know that eating is a clear demonstration of life, and that dead men cannot eat?) but he saith, He that eateth of this bread shall live for ever; more then which, cannot be said for the encouragement of poor believers.  
But yet there seems to be rather more in that John 14.19. where Christ speaking to his disciples, saith, Because I live, you shall live also: as if he should say, Your life depends upon me; and as sure as I live, so sure shall you be of life: you shall never die, till I cease to live.  
But yet more particularly, for the proof of the thing in hand, namely, that Believers cannot nor shall not miscarry, so as to miss of Salvation; I shall argue thus:  
If he that doth believe in Christ, may yet miss of Salvation, the cause must be either in himself, in his enemies, or in God, or else in Christ as Mediator: but there is nothing in himself, in any of the enemies of his Salvation, or in God, or in Christ, to hinder him of Salvation: therefore he shall not be hindered.  
First, I say, There is nothing in himself can hinder him; for if we should suppose any thing in himself, it must be weakness or wilfulness; but neither of these can hinder him: therefore nothing in himself can do it.  
First, I say, Weakness cannot do it; for if any weakness could, it would be weakness of Faith; for by Faith we stand, and we shall be sure to keep our standing, as long as Faith hath a being in us: and that Faith shall continue, we may see by what Christ saith to Peter,( taking in likewise the rest of his Disciples) Simon, Simon, Satan hath desired to have you, that he may sift you as wheat: but I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not, Luke 22.31, 32. As if he should say. If thy Faith fail, thou art undone; But I have prayed for thee that thy Faith fail not; and I know that God heareth me always; and therefore thou mayst be sure that thy Faith shall never fail. But if this should be looked upon, as that that doth onely concern Peter,( though there be no ground for it) I shall add further, the experience of all the people of God in Scripture, that though some of them have been in fainting fits,( as David, when he said, I shall one day perish; and Jonah, who was ready to conclude that he was cast out of God's sight; and Asaph, who( as may be seen by some expressions in some of the Psalms penned by him) was almost quiter hopeless) yet none of these died in their fainting fits; the seed of God abiding in them.  
But again, as weakness cannot be the cause of miscarrying eternally; so neither can wilfulness in a Saint be a cause. And here I would not be mistaken in either of these two things:  
First, I would not that any should think that I deny that a Saint can fall into any act of sin; for to say so, were to speak both against the Scripture and Experience. Nor  
Secondly, Would I be thought to encourage Saints to sin, when I say their wilfulness shall not hinder them of Salvation: and I hope no Saint will make so bad a construction of so comfortable a Truth, so as to turn the grace of God into wantonness, and to sin, because grace abounds. For a Saint should be so hedged in with the consideration of the Free-love of God to him, that he should not dare to sin; especially, considering, that if he doth make bold with sin, he may lose his sensible communion with Christ,( at least, in a great measure) though he cannot lose his union. And he may be brought into such a condition as David was brought into, to complain of broken bones, and of the want of the joys of God's Salvation.  
But that which I aim at, is to prove, that God will not suffer his people whom he hath made willing in the day of his power, to become so wilful, as by their wilfulness to depart quiter from God and Salvation, Jer. 32.40. where God promiseth them with whom he makes his Covenant, that he will put his fear into them, that they shall not depart from him: and besides this, in the Covenant God doth as well engage himself for his people, as for himself: I will be your God,( saith he) and you shall be my people; that is, I will take order, that you shall walk as my people ought to walk: therefore they shall not be so wilful as to turn quiter from God.  
But I proceed to show that nothing in God can hinder Believers of Salvation.  
1. There is no want of power in God, for he is Almighty, and therefore there is no work too hard for him, and he doth put forth his power that way; for Peter tells us, We are kept by the power of God through faith to salvation, 1 Pet. 1.5. Now if Almighty power hath the keeping of Believers, sure they shall not miscarry; but must needs have that verified upon them in Psal. 125.1. They that trust in the Lord shall be as mount Sion, which cannot be removed but abideth for ever.  
Again, in the next place, There is no want of love in God; for his love is everlasting; and sure everlasting love,( when set upon any creature) will not suffer that creature to be everlastingly miserable.  
But beside this love of God, there is a Covenant that God hath made with his people, and every Believer is one of that people that God hath taken into Covenant with himself, as the Apostle saith, Gal. 3. ult. If you be Christ's, then you are Abraham's seed, and heirs according to promise: if you be Believers, you are in Covenant with God, and the inheritance of Sons belongs to you. Now it cannot be imagined that the unchangeable God should change so as to take men in a state of sonship and heirship; and afterward dis-inherit them especially when as God saith himself, Mal. 3.6. I am the Lord, I change not; therefore you sons of Jacob are not consumed.  
Again, If we consider that act of God in justifying men, it will appear, that God will not, nay,( being it is so contrary to the nature of God to lie and repent) Go● cannot, condemn a man whom he hath justified; and therefore it is that the Apostle, Rom. 8.1. saith, There is no condemnation to them that are in Christ: and in the same Chapter, vers. 33. he saith, Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God's elect? it is God that justifieth. Hence I conclude, that there can be nothing charged upon a Soul, much less can that Soul be condemned, and so perish everlastingly, when God hath once justified him and acquitted him from sin. Now; that every Believer in the World is justified, appears, in that Faith is the Instrument whereby the righteousness of Christ is apprehended for Justification, and Faith and Justification cannot be separated, according to that in Rom. 5.11. Being justified by faith, we have peace with God, through our Lord Jesus Christ.  
One thing more I shall say as to this particular, viz. That God cannot hinder the Salvation of Believers; and that is this, If he should, he would make voided his own Decree of election: but God cannot do that, for he hath said, His counsel shall stand: nay, more then that, he should then make voided his own design in sending Christ into the World; for God sent his Son into the World for this end, that they that believe should be saved.  
But in the third place, I shall declare further, That all the enemies of the salvation of the people of God shall not hinder: the devil shall not hinder; for his head is broken by the death of Christ, that now his power as to the overcoming of believers is nothing at all: it is true, he can trouble believers,( if God permit him so to do) but he cannot destroy them; nay, God hath not only by the death of Christ taken away the power of Satan, but he hath put the Devil under the power of Believers, and therefore it is that we have that promise, James 4.7. Resist the Devil, and he shall fly. Again, As the Devil is an enemy, so the World is an enemy; but it can do nothing to hinder the Salvation of Believers, for it is a conquered enemy: Be of good cheer, saith Christ to his believing Disciples, I have overcome the world. But that which may be looked upon as most to be feared, is corruption within; those lusts that Peter speaks of that war against the Soul: but these shall not hinder neither. For Christ came as to subdue Satan, so likewise to destroy the works of Satan; and we have a promise, That sin shall not reign in us when under grace, that is, when we are Believers, Rom. 6.14.  
But that which I shall further add, is, that all powers combined together are too weak to hinder the Salvation of any poor Believer; and for that I would desire that what Christ speaks in Joh. 10.28, 29, 30. where Christ speaking of his Sheep, that is, Believers, saith thus: And I give unto them eternal life, and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. My Father which gave them me, is greater all, and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father's hand. I, and my Father are one; so that Jesus Christ doth here declare, that all the power that he hath, and all the power that the Father hath, is engaged against any opposition that comes in to hinder the Salvation of the Sheep of Christ: so that now every Believer may triumph over all enemies, and encourage himself against all hindrances, as the Apostle doth in Rom. 8.38, 39. For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor Angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.  
But there is yet one thing more to be added, and that is, That Jesus Christ, who is Mediator between God and Believers, will not hinder them of their Salvation: for first, he doth not want power; all power is given to him, and he made a full satisfaction for them, that so they might not onely believe, but be saved. Hence it is that Christ is said in Heb. 12.2. to be both the Author and Finisher of our Faith. And then again, Christ doth not want love; and that appears by what he was willing to suffer for Believers: And sure, if his love did carry him out to die for them at first, it will carry him out to improve his death for their benefit at last: Christ hath not changed his mind; as it was his intent to own them at first when they came to him, so is he not willing now to reject them: John 6.37. All that the Father giveth me, shall come to me; and him that cometh to me, I will in no wise cast out. I cannot leave this Scripture without speaking a little to it: First, you have the Father giving. Secondly, Christ receiving. Thirdly, his retaining them, and entertaining them, when he hath received them.  
First, I say, here is the Father giving, and that by decree; God having chosen them in Christ, he delivers them up to the care of Christ, that he should save them.  
Secondly, You have Christ receiving them: and truly, it could be no otherwise, Christ being so full both of love and obedience to his Father, and so loving to those that his Father gives him, and so much in love with the work and business that he came into the World about, in reference to them, for whose sake, as he saith, he did sanctify himself; he could not, I say, but receive them. But here is a promise, that these persons thus given to Christ, whom he is so willing to receive, shall come to Christ: which doth clearly prove believing to be the fruit of election. All that the Father giveth me, saith Christ, shall come to me: As if he should say, As the Father hath before the foundation of the world chosen them to be saved by me; so in time he will draw them to me, that they may be made partaker of that Salvation which I have to bestow upon them, according to that that is historically laid down in Acts 13.48. As many as were ordained to eternal life, believed.  
But that that serves for the present purpose, is, that which is last in the Verse, viz. The entertainment that Christ gives to those that are thus received by him: he will not part with them; he will not shut them out of doors: Him( saith he) that cometh to me, I will in no wise cast out. It is a very full negation in the Greek, by a double negative; which is, as if Christ should say, There is nothing more against my mind and resolution, then to reject or cast out any one that comes to me believing in me; I will be sure to keep safe all that the Father gives into my hand: and this Christ doth, to fulfil the will of his Father, which was, that he should bring every one to Salvation that he gave him. Now, that this was the will of the Father, appears by what we have in John 6.39. And this is the Father's will that sent me, that of all which he hath given me, I should lose nothing. And then in vers. 40. This is the will of him that sent me, that every one that seeth the Son, and believeth on him, may have everlasting life.  
Object. But is it not said, in John 17.12. that though Judas the Son of perdition was given to Christ, yet he was lost? Whence it appears, that a man may be given to Christ, and yet be lost.  
Answ. Now for answer to this, I say, First, this giving is another manner of giving, then the other that I mentioned before. Judas indeed was given to Christ to be one of his Family, one of the twelve; and that must needs be, because the Scripture had foretold that it should be one that did eat bread with Christ that should betray him: but Judas was not given to Christ that he should save him; and that appears, in that he is here called the Son of perditon. But yet further, I shall say this, that Christ makes the exception of Judas himself; and we ought to make no more exceptions then Christ makes. For we know none that in any sense are said to be given to Christ,( Judas onely excepted) but shall be saved by Christ: and this exception is not contrary to the Scripture, but that the Scripture might be fulfilled.  
Obj. But yet some may be ready to say, It seems according to Scripture, that Salvation is not given to men as believers, but as continuers in believing and in obedience. Now if a man, though he be a believer now, yet if he cease to be a believer, he must needs miss of Salvation.  
Answ. First, that a man that is a belieaver at any time, should cease to be a believer, cannot be granted; nay, the contrary hath been already clearly proved. And then in the next place,( as to those Scriptures that promise Salvation upon continuance in beliveing and obedience,) they do by that manifest the difference between true faith and false: true faith continues, but false faith at length discovers itself to be indeed nothing at all, and so leaves a man at last. And for that end, that the truth of this may appear, I shall consider one or two of those Scriptures.  
The first place I shall take notice of, is that Matth. 10.22. But he that endureth to the end, shall be saved: another is Matth. 24.13. But he that shall endure to the end, the same shall be saved. In both which Scriptures, Jesus Christ doth speak of great sufferings; and we know that great sufferings are great trials. Now if faith be not of the right stamp, it will be discovered at such a time; and though the man hath, it may be, made a faire show for a time, yet at length he falls from his profession, rather then engage in suffering for Christ: but they that have that precious faith which is wrought in the heart by the Spirit of God, that man shall hold out to the end, and shall be saved.  
Another Scripture is that in Heb. 3.6. Whose house are we, if we hold fast the confidence, and the rejoicing of the hope firm unto the end. From which Scripture cannot be gathered that any that are the house of Christ, and that have the Spirit of Christ dwelling in them, shall not hold fast the confidence to the end; but rather the contrary, that they, and they onely, do hold their confidence firm to the end: So that none of these places( being rightly understood) do in the least infringe, but rather abundantly confirm the truth in hand; namely, that the true believer shall not fall from that state he is in, nor miss of Salvation at last: specially if you consider what promises of perseverance believers have from God, and what encouragements they have in Scripture to believe that they shall not miss of their desired happiness. John 13.11. Having loved his own that were in the world, he loved them to the end, Now it will clearly follow, that if the love of Christ continue, the happiness of Saints continues too. And so likewise we have a notable encouragement for Saints, in 1 Cor. 1.8. Who shall also confirm you to the end, that you may be blameless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. And so likewise the Apostle writing to the Philippians, encourageth them, and that with a great deal of confidence, that they hold out, Philip. 1.6. Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you, will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ.  
Object. But it may be some may say, If it be so that God will keep Saints from falling, and that he that is a believer now, shall continue so; what need those exhortations to perseverance? as that in 1 Pet. 1.13. Wherefore gird up the loins of your minds, be sober, and hope to the end, for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the Revelation of Jesus Christ. And that in Rev. 2.10. Be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a Crown of Life: from whence it seems, that the Crown of life is given upon Faithfulness to death. And then again, it seems by what we have in Rev. 3.11. that a man may, notwithstanding his Faithfulness,( if he do not hold fast) lose his Crown.  
Answ. To which Scriptures I shall give a brief answer particularly. First, that in Peter doth onely set forth what is the duty of believers; and that is, to continue believing. And that in Rev. 2.10. doth declare the persons who they are that shall have the Crown of life, and that is they that are kept by the power of God through faith to Salvation, and by the same power are kept faithful even unto death. And then for that in Rev. 3.11. Let no man take thy Crown; I do not conceive that by Crown there is meant the Crown of life, but a crown that they have in this life. Now the crown of a Saint is activity and zeal for God; and this Church of Philadelphia was very Famous for that; there is none of the other six Churches that were so blameless as this. Now, saith Christ, Take heed you do not grow could and cowardly; if you do, you lose your crown, your renown among the Churches.  
But if you would have me give you a General answer to all these Scriptures, or any other that have such exhortations in them; I shall tell you the reason of them. God doth exhort Saints to continue in their Faithfulness, not to show that they may possibly cease to be what they are,& so miss of Salvation; nor to show that they do continue faithful by their own power: But this is the means that he who is the author and finisher of the faith of his people doth use, to make them continue in the state wherein they are. For as Christ makes men believe, by setting home the command of the Gospel upon their hearts; so he causeth them to continue in believing, by such Gospel-exhortations as these are. And thus I hope the truth of believers continuance in believing, and at last receiving the end of their Faith, the Salvation of their Souls, is sufficiently cleared.  
Object. But if any should say, This is a Doctrine that tends to the making of believers careless;  
Answ. To this I answer, first, Let men be careful of casting an aspersion upon any truth of God. It it apparent, it is a truth, and it hath had sufficient confirmation from Scripture; and it is not safe to say that the Scripture leads men to carelessness.  
But again, I judge that it doth rather encourage Saints to make use of all the strength they have, and to act their graces to the uttermost, knowing themselves to be in a sure state, that they shall not miss of Salvation. And truly I do not know with what comfort a Saint could do any thing, if he were always in doubt and fear of losing that which at present he hath: he cannot surely perform that duty of his, to rejoice in hope of the Glory that shall be revealed, if there a possibility for him to lose his interest in that Glory.  
Thus far I have proceeded in the Doctrine of perseverance, in opposition to that opinion of falling away from grace, which H. H. doth give some hints at in divers places of his Book, and particularly in that use of reproof to persons that fall from real Spiritual enjoyments( as he apprehends) though indeed it be but falling from profession; and that may appear, not onely by what I have laid down already more at large, but also by what he concludes that use of reproof with, out of 2 Pet. 2.22. The dog is turned to his own vomit again; and the sow that was washed, to her wallowing in the mire. Now truly I cannot but wonder that he should judge this to intend falling away from grace; for it is very apparent, these persons here spoken of by Peter, never had grace, though they had gifts. For let us but mind what Peter calls them; they are Dogs still, and they were Dogs before, even when they were in their best condition. The dog, saith he, is turned to his ow● vomit again. It is true, he had upon some account vomited up some of the most filthy lusts, they would not digest with him, they would not serve for his particular purpose at that time; for it is like he aimed at credit with the people of God, or some outward advantage by them; and now these lusts are in the way, and up they must: but he doth not vomit up his dogged nature, he is a dog still; nay, the fawning nature of a dog is more visible at that time, then before, but that he hath got a little credit for the present, and so is not suspected. But times turn, and the stream of advantages runs another way; and now he licks up his vomit again, and betakes himself to his old way of lusts; and they are as natural to him as ever. And then again, Peter calls such apostates by no better name then washed Swine: The sow that was washed, turns to her wallowing in the mire. If you wash a sow never so clean, she is a sow still, and she will wallow when she hath an opportunity: So it is with these men; though they are outwardly washed, yet there was never a change of nature; they are of the same disposition as ever they were: and though they have for some outward advantages refrained wallowing, yet still keeping the wallowing nature, they naturally return to their wallowing employment again. So that these men that Peter speaks of, are not in a capacity of falling from a state of Salvation; for they were never in it.  
But H. H. goes on, and takes occasion to answer two Objections concerning persons that live without the means of grace: and he goes about to prove that which will easily be granted, That all men know enough to leave them without excuse: and upon this he concludes that the dispute is at an end. But he must know, that the dispute will not be so soon ended, without he will yield to truth; and then it will be ended: for it is truth that we pled for. But I think there is yet a better way to end the controversy; and that is, to consider what the Scripture saith as to persons that are saved, and to persons that perish. Let him but suffer the Scripture to be Umpire between us, and there may be quickly an end of the controversy. And truly I judge that that Scripture in Hos. 13.9. may very well do the business for us: O Israel, thou hast destroyed thyself, but in me is thy help. Which is as if he had said, Whoever they are that perish may blame themselves; but they that are saved, have cause to bless God: God may justly condemn man for sinning wilfully against light, though their light be not sufficient to led them to Salvation. The wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life, through Jesus Christ our Lord.  
But I have done with what H. H. saith as to Predestination and Election; and shall now give some answer to what he saith concerning Universal redemption.  
And the Question that he states, is, Whether Christ dyed for all, or but for some?  
Now if it were my work( without considering any further what he saith) to give an answer to this question; I must propound a question to him; and that is, What he means by Christ dying for all, or for some; because the question is something ambiguous, insomuch that I may both grant and deny that Christ dyed for all men. First, I may in a sense grant that Christ dyed for all; for sure their being is preserved, and they do all enjoy all those outward enjoyments that they have, by Christ; the world is by him established: nay, the very unreasonable creatures have a benefit purchased for them, and they shall in time enjoy it, and that by Christ, as we may see in Rom. 8.19, 20, 21, 22.  
But if the question be concerning Salvation, whether Christ dyed to save all( which appears to be his meaning) I must deny that Christ did thus die for all.  
But though he states his Question, yet he doth for the present give no direct Answer; but tells us, He shall answer by the Scriptures, showing, 1. The testimony of all the Prophets. 2. Of the Angel of God. 3. Of Christ himself. 4. Of the holy Apostles of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To which I say thus much: I confess it is the best way to answer Questions and to resolve doubts by Scripture. And truly if he doth clear the business in hand, and prove by Scripture, that Christ died for this end, that every particular man should be saved by him it is our duty to believe it: but if he doth but say he will or doth prove it, I must account that but a sorry Answer. But however, I shall consider those Scriptures that he brings; and the first thing that he would have us believe, is, that all the Prophets give in a testimony to this that he now affirms; and the first Prophet that he mentions is Isaiah, Isai. 53.4, 5, 6. Surely he hath born our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him strike, smitten of God, and afflicted. But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities, and the chastisement of our peace was upon him: and with his stripes we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray: we have every one turned to his own way: and the Lord hath laid on him the iniquities of us all. Now I desire a little to look into this Scripture, and see whether there be any such thing in it as he would have us believe.  
The Prophet Isaiah in this Chapter doth personate Jesus Christ himself, as you may see in John 12.38. where the words of the first Verse of this Chapter are made use of by Christ himself, and applied to the unbelieving jews. And the Prophet doth not onely personate Christ, but others likewise, whom Christ did, as it were, join in commission with himself in preaching the Gospel: and that which the Prophet, and Christ, and other Ministers of the Gospel say, is, Who hath believed our report? who gives entertainment to the Gospel, and the report that we give concerning salvation alone by Iesus Christ? But when as he saith, Who hath believed our report, and to whom 〈◇〉 the arm of the Lord revealed? the meaning is not, that none believe; but that onely they believe to whom the Lord revealeth his arm, and makes known what he can do: all do not believe, nay, few believe, in comparison of those that remain in unbelief. Now it is apparent, that the Prophet in those three Verses laid down by H. H. doth not intend all those unbelievers, I mean, those that continued in unbelief; nay, he intended none of them: but he intends those to whom the arm of the Lord was revealed.  
And that there are two sorts people intended in this Chapter by the Prophet, some remaining in unbelief, and some at length( by the power of God) believing in Christ, appears by what the Prophet saith in vers. 3. of that Chapter: He is despised and rejected of men, a man of sorrows, and acquainted with griefs: there is one sort of men, and they are said to be such as reject Christ. But then there is another sort of persons mentioned in the later part of the Verse: and we hide as it were our faces from him,( mark it well) he was rejected by men, and we esteemed him not. As if he should say, We to whom the arm of the Lord is revealed, we that have made this report of Christ, we that have both preached& embraced Christ,& pressed others to embrace him too, we have not esteemed him as we ought, and we have as it were hide our faces from him; we were almost afraid& ashamed to own Christ,( which was apparent in Nicodemus his coming to Jesus by night, and in Peter's denying of him.) Nay further, he goeth on in making his distinction; He was despised( saith the Prophet) and we esteemed him not; that is, we that( upon the consideration of those things that follow) had more cause to esteem of him then others had, yet we have not esteemed of him as we ought. Which complaint may very well be taken up by all the people of God; for before conversion, they did esteem as lightly of Christ as other men do; and when they have received good from Christ, they come far short in their esteem of him. And now it being considered from whom those words proceed, or who are the persons intended in vers. 4, 5, 6. of the Chapter, there will be no difficulty in the understanding the words; specially if we do but seriously consider, that( as Christ doth apply what is said here as to the rejecting of Christ, to the unbelieving jews in that joh. 12.38.) so the Apostle Peter in 1 Pet. 2.24, 25. doth appropriate what is contained in vers. 5, 6. of this 53 of Isaiah to the elect: Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the three, that we being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness, by whose stripes ye were healed; for ye were as sheep going astray, &c.  
But if this will not satisfy, we shall find enough in the Prophet's own words for the clearing of the Truth; for first, the Prophet speaks of such as have obtained peace and healing from Christ; The chastisement of our peace was upon him, and with his stripes we are healed. Now if all have peace, which was a Legacy particularly bequeathed by Christ to his Disciples, and if all be healed of all their spiritual diseases, then Isaiah means all: but neither of these can be granted; for Justification and Peace go together, Rom. 5.1. Being justified by faith, we have peace with God. And the cure of diseases, and the pardon of sin go together, Psal. 103.3. Who forgiveth all thine iniquities, who healeth all thy diseases. But who will say, That all are justified? Who will say, That all have all their iniquities forgiven?  
But further, if we look into the last Verse of the Chapter, the Prophet tells us, That it was the sins of many that Christ did bear; so that it was not the sins of all men in the world: and if you look back into vers. 8. there he tells us, That it was for the transgression of Gods people that he was strike. So that now it is apparent that H. H. doth charge Isaiah falsely, when he tells us, That Isaiah sheweth plainly that the iniquities of all those that went astray were laid upon Christ. He doth( I confess) show, that all they whose iniquities were laid upon Christ, did go astray: but not, that all that went astray, had their iniquities laid upon Christ.  
But H. H. goeth on; and, that he may make his work short, he goes about to bring in a Relation of the joint Testimony of all the Prophets at once, and that out of Acts 10.43. To him give all the Prophets witness, that through his Name whosoever believeth in him shall receive remission of sins.  
Now to this I answer: This Truth of remission of sins to all Believers, is so clear both from what the Prophets, and Apostles, and Christ himself speaks, that it need not be brought into question. But I desire that it may be seriously considered, whether the mentioning of this Scripture be a proof, and that from all the Prophets, of Christ his dying to save all. Here is not a word particularly expressed concerning the death of Christ, I confess here is mention made of the remission of sins, which is an eminent effect of the death of Christ; but that is not applied to all, but onely to Believers.  
But in the next place he brings the testimony of John the Apostle, John 1.7. and tells us, that it, is the testimony of that great Prophet John Baptist. I wonder he should be so much mistaken; I confess John doth there speak concerning John the Baptist; but they are the words of John who wrote the Gospel,( as may appear, if we red the 6 and 7 vers. together,) There was a man sent from God whose name was John; the same came for a witness, to bear witness of the light, that all men through him might believe. Now the meaning of it seems clearly to be this: John tells us, that John Baptist being sent of God to bear witness to Christ, did bear witness, that all men, or to the end that all men through him might believe. This was that that John in his preaching did aim at, that all men where he came preaching might believe. And this is the desire of others that are sent by Christ to preach the Gospel, that( if it were the will of God) all that hear may believe, according to that saying of Paul to Agrippa, Acts 26.29. I would to God, that not onely thou, but all that hear me this day, were both almost and altogether such as I am, except these bonds. Thus John tells us it was with John the Baptist. But this doth not prove that all did believe that John preached to; or, if they had all believed, it doth not follow, that all other men believe; for he did preach but to few, in comparison of mankind: so that this proves nothing as to the death of Christ for all, specially seeing there is not a word spoken of the death of Christ in this place.  
But though H. H. did mistake in his last testimony, declaring it to be the testimony of John Baptist, when it was not; yet he doth afterward tell us what testimony John saith that John Baptist did give of Christ, and that is in John 1.29. Behold the Lamb of God that taketh away the sin of the world. Now I desire that we may consider whether this Scripture doth prove that Christ died for all. And if we do take notice what John speaks, it is onely, That Christ was the Lamb of God that takes away the sin of the world. Now he doth not say, That he took away the sin of every one of the men and women in the world. Nay, I believe that H. H. himself doth not believe, that Christ hath taken away the sins of every man; for then every man should be saved.  
But I come now to consider the Angels testimony that he speaks of, and that is in Luke 2.10, 11. I bring you glad tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people: for unto you is born in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord. Now when the Angel saith, I bring you glad tidings of great joy; and tells them, that it was to all people as well as to them, he means, that this glad tidings was not only to the Jews, but to the Gentiles, all Nations as well as the Jews; and this was made good when the Gospel was preached, first to the Jews, and afterward( by commission from Christ) to all Nations, as we may see by that in Mat. 28.19.  
But I proceed now to the consideration of the testimony that H. H. brings from Christ himself, and that is Joh. 3.14 15, 16, 17. As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God so loved the world, that he sent his onely begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not his Son to condemn the world, but that the world through him might be saved. Now H. H.'s Conclusion from hence is this: Thus( saith he) we see the words of Christ agree with the words of the Prophets; therefore it must needs be owned for a Truth, That Christ died for all.  
But I believe if the Scripture be well weighed, there will no such thing( but rather the contrary) be proved from thence; and first, I shall consider what is in the 14 and 15 vers. concerning the Serpent in the Wilderness, and Christ; and there we may see, that Christ doth declare that there was a very great resemblance between the Serpent in the Wilderness, and Christ: he shows, that that was the Type, and he himself the Antitype. Now that we may see what is in the Antitype, it is good to consider what was in the Type. We know that the Children of Israel were stung with fiery Serpents while they were in the Wilderness, and God commanded that there should be a brazen Serpent made and set upon a pole, that they that were stung might be cured by looking upon it. Now it is worth the noting, that this brazen Serpent was not set up for all the people, but for those that were stung; nor for all that were stung, if any of them would not look up to it: but for those that did look up to it. Now thus it is with Christ the Antitype to this brazen Serpent,; he is lifted up upon the across, so that he died; and he was exalted to be a Prince and a Saviour: but it was onely to those that look to him, and believe on him; and so Christ saith plainly, So must the Son of man be lifted up, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. So that I judge there need be no plainer nor fuller Scripture to prove that Christ did not die for all men,( so as to save them) then this. And so likewise what we have in vers. 16. He gave his Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. Now when Christ tells us, That onely they that believe shall be saved, and that God intended no more in giving his Son; who dare say, It was the Father's end, and Christs end, that all men should be saved by his death? But that in v. 17. I believe H. H. thinks there is some weight in, viz. That God sent not his son to condemn the world, but that the world through him might be saved. But truly, to me there seems to be nothing in it, as to his purpose: it is easily granted that God sent not his Son for this end; it was not his main business of coming into the world, to condemn the world; the world was in a state of condemnation before; but that the world through him might be saved. Christ came to be a Saviour to the world, that is, to persons of all Nations and conditions in the world, or to that world that he was to be the head of, as Adam was the head of all mankind. Now that the word World in this vers. 17. is to be taken in no larger sense then this, viz. Believers in the World, appears thus: Christ in this vers. 17. speaks of such a World, as he was sent to save. And in this vers. 16. we see that Salvation belongs onely to Believers. He was sent, That they that believe in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.  
Now I hope it doth appear, by this testimony from the mouth of Christ, that what H. H. as to the death of Christ for all men, doth affirm, is false.  
But I come now to consider, what testimonies he brings from the Apostles. And the first testimony is of Paul, 2 Cor. 5.14, 15. The love of Christ constraineth us, because we thus judge, that if Christ died for all, then were all once dead: and that he died for all, that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves, but to him that died for them and rose again.  
The first thing that I would take notice of, from this Scripture, is, who it was written to; and we shall find that it was to a Church of Christ, who were to be judged according to their profession to be Believers; and thus considering them, viz. as Believers, He doth acquaint them with these three things: 1. That Christ died for them all; and that was a sweet word of encouragement. 2. He tells them what their condition was before; namely, they were all dead in sins and trespasses. 3. He doth acquaint them with the end of Christ in dying for them; and that was, that they having received life from Christ, should live to Christ; that they which live, should not henceforth live unto themselves, but to him that died and rose again. And that which further we may gather, is this, That they for whom Christ died, are alive; and, that it is his design, that they should all live to him: but all men do not live to Christ; Therefore it cannot be judged to be the apostles meaning, that Christ died for every particular man.  
The next Scripture that he mentioneth, is, 1 Tim. 2.5, 6. For there is one God, and one Mediator between God and man, the Man Christ Jesus; who gave himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time.  
Now for the answering of this Scripture, it is worth our noting, That in the beginning of this Chapter the Apostle doth exhort, That Supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all men, that is, for all sorts of men as we may see afterward: He doth particularise one sort v. 2. For Kings, and for all that are in authority: and the Apostle tells us, That this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour. Now the Argument that he makes use of, is, first, that God will have all men to be saved, and come to the knowledge of the Truth, that is, that God doth by the Gospel call upon all sorts of men to accept of Salvation, and doth in reference thereunto call them to the knowledge of the Truth. Where note, That the [ all] that God will have saved, is no more then the [ all] who come to the knowledge of the Truth; and that is not every particular man: for besides what the Scripture saith, H. H. tells us of some that are ignorant; and we find it to be a real Truth. But this is certain, some of all sorts come to the knowledge of the Truth, and are saved; and it is for these, that Christ is a Mediator; and it is for these, that he gave himself a ransom. Whereunto I am ordained a Teacher of the Gentiles, saith the Apostle in the next Verse. As if he should say, It is not Jews onely, but Gentiles also, to whom Christ is a Mediator, and for whom Christ gave himself a ransom; and therefore I am sent to preach to the Gentiles.  
But if this interpretation will not be taken, but that he will needs understand every individual man; I say, If Christ gave himself a ransom for all men, then all men must of necessity be saved: for it cannot be thought, that the righteous God will accept of a ransom for any one, and yet damn him afterwards. It is good then to consider what other Scriptures speak concerning this business, that so, by comparing Scripture with Scripture, the Truth may more plainly appear; for the Scripture( if rightly understood) doth not contradict itself. Now in Mat. 20.28. Christ saith thus: Even as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister,& to give his life a ransom for many. Here it is worth the noting, Christ saith not, That he gave his life a ransom for [ all,] but for [ many.] And so in Mat. 26.28. For this is my blood of the New Testament, which is  shed for many for the remission of sins. Many have remission of sins( but not all) by the shedding of the blood of Christ. Now I hope we may not judge Paul to be so unfaithful,( seeing he is so thankful to Christ in the 12 vers. of the 1 chapter of this Epistle to Timothy; for that he counted him faithful) as to have it in his heart to affirm concerning the death of Christ, that which Christ would not affirm himself. So that( though H. H. thinks that he hath got some great matter by this Scripture; and therefore saith, If we may understand the Scripture, as it is written, that there is one God and one Mediator; so also we may understand from the same Scripture, that the same Mediator gave himself in due time a ransom for all) yet I say there is no such thing to be drawn from this Scripture; but rather, that Christ did in due time give himself a ransom for all those, and none but those, to whom he is a Mediator; and he is a Mediator to none but those for whom he doth perform the full Office of Mediatorship, that is, bringing of them into the full possession of glory, which he by giving himself a ransom did procure for them. Now this is not the portion of all men; for there shall be Goats on Christ's left hand, to whom he shall say, Depart ye cursed; as well as Sheep on his right hand, to whom he shall say, Come ye blessed of my Father. Sure then Christ is not a Mediator to those cursed ones.  
But I proceed to the next Scripture that he mentioneth, and that is 1 Tim. 1.15. This is a Faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am chief. But what doth he conclude from the Scripture? If, saith he, He came to save the chief of sinners, then sure he left none without a Saviour and means of Salvation.  
But what makes so much in the conclusion, that is not in the premises? how comes means of Salvation in? if he can fasten an universal conclusion upon the text quoted, it must be this, That Christ came to save all sinners. But it may be he though that would be something too gross, and therefore he brings in the means of Salvation by head and shoulders; whereas the Apostle doth not speak a word of it.  
The next Scripture mentioned, is Tit. 2.11. For the grace of God that bringeth Salvation hath appeared unto all men. But H. H. will have it translated thus: The grace of God that bringeth Salvation to all men, hath appeared. Now if it should be so translated, it will not help him at all, if we consider the Apostles scope: He had been minding of persons of their duty in particular relations; and now he tells them of the appearing of the grace of God in the Gospel, or the Gospel of grace, and tells them that this Gospel brings tidings of Salvation, and therefore that they should act in their relations according to the Rules of the Gospel. Now this cannot be denied, but that the Gopel of Grace, wherever it comes, brings tidings of Salvation by Jesus Christ with it; nay more then that, it is a means of bringing real Salvation to persons in all relations and conditions, old and young, Male and Female, Masters and Servants; as the Apostle mentions in this chap. But we cannot conclude that all men, of all sorts, are saved by the Gospel; and that appears, not onely by other Scriptures, but even by the Restrictions that the Apostle himself makes in this Chapter: First, in the 12 verse: Teaching us, that denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live Soberly, righteously, and Godly, in this present world. From whence I must conclude one of these two things; either first, that we are to understand by the grace of God bringing Salvation, the Doctrine of the Gospel bringing tidings of Salvation; and that, because in this 12 verse other teachings of the Gospel( in reference to practise) are laid down: and in this sense we can easily grant that the Gospel brings Salvation to all men, viz. that all men where the Gospel comes, have the tidings of Salvation sounded in their ears. Or else, Secondly, if he will needs understand bringing Salvation really to men; then by all men we must understand all those whom the Gospel doth teach to deny ungodliness, and worldly lusts; and that is that peculiar redeemed people of God that are mentioned in the 14. verse: Who gave himself for us, that he might redeemn us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.  
The next Scripture mentioned, is Heb. 2.9. That he by the Grace of God should taste death for every man. Now if by tasting death for every man he doth understand that every man hath outward benefit by the death of Christ, there hath been something spoken to that already; and I shall not at all oppose him in that. But if by tasting death for every man, he doth intend that every individual man hath an eternal benefit by the death of christ; or that Christ had any such end propounded to himself when he laid down his life, I must deny; and must likewise deny that the Apostle in this place intends any such thing. Now if you would know whom the Apostle means, you may see in the 10 verse: For it became him for whom are all things, and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons to Glory, to make the Captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings.  
By all then we understand many; and by many we understand sons; and they are onely Sons, which are by Christ brought to Glory; and Christ is a Captain of Salvation only to them. And then these many are said in the 11 verse to be sanctified ones, and to be Christs brethren: and this( according to the Apostles words) is all the all for whom Christ dyed, when he saith, he tasted death for every man; without we will make the Apostles words quarrel one with another.  
The next Scripture mentioned, is 1 John 2.2. He is the propitiation for our sins; and not for ours onely, but also for the sins of the whole world: and then he brings in that in 1 John 4.14. We have seen and do testify, that Father sent the Son to be the Saviour of the world. Now for the answering of these Scriptures, in the first place, it is worth the considering, that the word World is divers ways taken in Scripture; yea, and divers ways taken by John himself;& that in this Epistle, and in the Gospel written by him. Sometime the word world is taken in the most common and general sense, as when God is said to create the world, wherein we are to understand the Heaven, Earth, and Sea, and all things contained in them: Sometimes by world is understood the world containing, and principally the earth; and thus believers are said to be in the world, John 17.11. And now I am no more in the world, but these are in the world, &c. Sometimes it is taken for the world contained, and so we are to understand by world, all men and women in the world, Act. 17.31. He hath appointed a day in the which he will judge the world in righteousness, by that man whom he hath ordained, &c. Sometimes we are to understand a great many, but not all in the world, John 12.19. The Pharisees therefore said among themselves, Perceive ye how ye prevail nothing? behold, the world is gone after him. Sometimes by world we may understand most of the men and women in the world, and yet not all neither: it is said in Heb. 11.7. that Noah prepared an ark for the saving of his house, by the which he condemned the world: and Peter speaking concerning the same thing, saith, 2 Pet. 1.5. that God spared not the old world; and yet there were some spared, for there were eight persons in the ark. Again, sometimes by world is understood the wicked in the world, Satans world; and so we have it in 1 Joh. 5.19. And we know that we are of God, and the whole world lieth in wickedness; where you have the whole world, and yet mention made of some others who are of God: and this is the world that is said to hate Christ and his Disciples, John 15.18. and his is the world that Christ preys not for, John 17.9. and this is the world that must be condemned, 1 Cor. 11.32. and of this world it is said that Satan is the Prince of, Joh. 14.30. The Prince of this world cometh. Again, by world sometimes you are to understand believers, Christ his world; and this world it is that is spoken of in John 6.33. Giveth life to the world: and of this world Christ speaks, when he saith, He came to save the world, John 12.47. and of this world it is that the Apostle speaketh, 2 Cor. 5.19. God was in Christ reconciling the world to himself: and in divers other places, we have this believing world, this living world, this saved world, this reconciled world, spoken of. But the last acceptation of the word world, that I shall name at present, is the world in a way of distinction from the Jews, people of other Nations that were called in a way of distinction from the Jews, The world: and that is very clear in Rom. 11.12. where the Apostle doth first call the Gentiles( distinguished from the Jews) the world; but also explains his meaning afterward, in the verse, that so he might not be mistaken: Now if the fall of them( that is, the Jews) Be the Riches of the world; and the diminishing of them, the riches of the Gentiles; how much more their fullness? and then again in the 15. verse, For if the casting away of them be the reconciling of the world, &c. Now in this sense it is, that the world is taken by John, where he saith, Christ is a Propitiation for our sins; and not for ours onely, but for the sins of the whole world: which is as if he should say, Not onely for the sins of us believing Jews, but for the sins of Gentiles too, for the sins of believers of all Nations.  
Now whenas the word world hath so many various acceptations in Scripture, and is not always taken in Scripture for all men without exception; I wonder why H. H. would bind us to take it so universally, when we have a restriction of the word( as to the same thing) in many other Scriptures? Now( as to this particular) let any rational man judge( if the world be condemned, and the world saved and both these plainly affirmed in Scripture) whether the word be to be understood in the same sense in both expressions; without he will say, the same persons are both condemned and saved too. For my own part, I do not know but any man upon this ground may as well affirm that no men are saved by Christ, because the world is said to be condemned, and Christ preys not for the world; as to say all men are saved, because Christ is said to be a propitiation for the sins of the whole world, and that the Father sent the Son to be the Saviour of the world: and there is as much ground from Scripture for one conclusion, as for the other.  
Now I cannot but take notice of the great flourish that H. H. makes of making up a harmony of Scripture in reference to the thing that he would( but cannot) prove: and among the rest, That all the Apostles agree together in one, that Christ died for all mankind: and yet( besides these of John) he brings none but out of the Epistles of Paul: and truly the consideration of those expressions in Paul's Epistles mentioned by H. H. which are dark to him, and to divers others, doth put me in mind of what Peter saith of Paul's writings, 2 Pet. 3.15, 16. And account that the long suffering of the Lord is Salvation, even as our beloved brother Paul also, according to the wisdom given to him, hath written unto you: As also in all his Epistles, speaking in them of these things; in which are some things hard to be understood, which they that are unlearned and unstable wrest, as they do also the other Scriptures, unto their own destruction. The Scripture is plain; I leave it to consideration.  
And I shall now come to take a little notice of the word all, because H. H. saith that the common objections that oppose his Opinion of Christ his dying for all, are raised against the word all men, and the word every man, the word world, and the word whole world: and these expressions( he saith) are understood by us concerning all the elect, and the world of elect, &c. Now, I say, having made it appear, that there is sufficient ground of exception against his acceptation of the word world, I shall in the next place consider whether he be not as much mistaken in the word all; and see whether we may not have ground from Scripture to take it another sense then he will take it.  
I do confess that the word all, is sometimes taken for all universally, without any exception; but it is not taken so always, nor in all places of Scripture where it is mentioned.  
But secondly, sometimes by all is understood many, and yet not all universally, Matth. 3.5, 6. Then went out to him Jerusalem and all Judea, and all the Region round about Jordan, and were baptized of him in Jordan, confessing their sins. And yet it is said in Luke 7.30. that the Pharisees and Lawyers rejected the counsel of God against themselves, being not Baptized of him. Now thus I argue: If the Pharisees and Lawyers were not baptized, then every individual man in Judea was not baptized by John.  
But that which is most for my purpose at present, is, that the word all, as it is used with exception, so it is used with restriction to persons& things spoken of, either in that place where the word is used, or in some other place that speaks of the same business. And I put this in, because though the restriction be not( in every place where the word is used) plainly expressed; yet if we will aclowledge the Scripture to be harmonious, and universally true, we cannot but aclowledge, that wherever we find a restriction of the word, it is as sufficient as if we found it in the very place where the word is expressed. I shall now therefore come to mention some Scriptures that are so plain, that he that runs may red, and understand too, that there is a restriction of the word all; yea, that it is frequent in Scripture: Psal. 145.14. The Lord upholdeth all that fall, and raiseth up all those that be bowed down. Now this seems to be as universal an expression as any in the Scripture; but that it is not without it's restriction, you may see in the 20. verse of the very same Psalm: The Lord preserveth all them that love him, but the wicked will he destroy. So that though before, the Psalmist had said that the Lord upholdeth all that fall, he will have you understand it concerning those that love him, those that are his people. And lest any should yet think that the Psalmists meaning was absolutely universal, and that is was those that love him, and others too, that were supported by God; the Psalmist adds in the close of the 20 verse, But the wicked will he destroy.  
Another Scripture which I shall take notice of, is, John 10.8. where Christ saith, All that ever came before me, are thiefs and robbers. Now it is not to be imagined, that Christ intends that all that were born and that came into the world before him, were Thiefs and Robbers; but that all that ever pretended to be a door for the sheep to enter in at, or a way to bring them to Christ; all that ever pretended to be the chief shepherd of the sheep before Christ himself came, were Thiefes and Robbers.  
And so we may take notice of the same kind of expression in Gen. 9.5. At the hand of every mans brother will I require the life of man. Now it cannot be imagined that it is the intent of God, that if a man be murdered, his brothers life must needs go for his; but the meaning of it is, God will have blood for blood, life for life, though a mans own brother be the murderer: but it cannot be thought that every mans brother must die for his brother, though another murder him.  
Now as the word all and every is restrained in these particular places in reference to these particular things mentioned, so it is to be restrained where it is made use of in reference to the death of Christ for men; as in Rom. 8.32. He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him freely give us all things? Now that this all is to be restrained to believers, to those that shall be saved, appears, if you consider the drift of the Apostle in the whole Chap. and particularly what is in this verse; for they are here expressed to be such as have or may have assurance of receiving all things from God; and in the close of the chapter it appears, that they are such as shall never be separated from the love of God in Christ; and therefore they are believers. And so the Apostle makes use of such an all in 2 Cor. 3.18. We all with open face beholding as in a glass the Glory of the Lord, are changed. Now will any man imagine that all mankind, every son of Adam, doth thus behold the Glory of the Lord, and are thus changed? no surely, I think there is not any man will affirm it.  
But there is much( if rightly understood) for the clearing of thing in hand, in Rom. 5.18.19. Therefore as by the offence of one, judgement came upon all men to condemnation; even so by righteousness of one, the free gift came upon all men, to justification of life: for as hy one mans disobedience, many were made sinners; so by the obedience of one, many be made righteous. The main controversy is, how we shall understand all in the 18 verse; but the controversy is pretty well ended in the 19 v. there the Apostle saith many. But there is restriction enough in the 18 verse: So by the righteousness of one, the free gift came upon all, to justification of life: So that the all here, is but all justified ones, all believers; and that you may see more clearly in the 19 verse, where the Apostle saith, Many are made righteous; which is as if he had said. Many are justified.  
Object. But is not here a plain parallel between Adam and Christ? and all sinned in Adam, therefore all are restored by Christ.  
Answ. Now for answer to this, I confess there is a parallel between Adam and Christ, and they considered as two public persons, between whom all mankind is shared. Adam is a head of some, and Christ is a head of some. I confess, all men were originally in Adam;& we are all sinners( as considered in him) as the Apostle saith, We are all by nature children of wrath even as others. But God did( according to his foreknowledge) by decree, in election; and afterwards actually by the death of Christ, transplant some of Adams posterity into a new stock, into Christ; and now all that remain in Adam, are condemned;& all that are implanted into Christ, are justified. So that both these Alls in the 18 verse of that Rom. 5. are clearly restrained: here is Adam's all, and Christ's all: Adam's All( I mean, all that remain in Adam) are condemned, as we have it in joh. 3.36. The wrath of God abides on them; But Christ's all( I mean those that are transplanted into him as a head, are justified and saved. So that I know not why we should say that all universally are saved, any more then we can say all universally are condemned.  
I shall not now be any further troublesone in reckoning up any more Scriptures, wherein this word [ all] is restrained: But I shall now lay down this general Rule, That wherever this word is used in Scripture, referring unto the death of Christ for the Sons of Men, or Redemption, or Justification, or Life, or the Love of God, or the like; there it is to be restrained, though there be no note of restriction expressed in the very place; and that upon this account, because else there will not be a harmony of Scripture. And these Scriptures may serve to help us in the business, Ephes. 5.2. Christ hath loved us, and given himself for us. But who are these? let us look back into vers. 1. and we shall find, that it was they that were God's dear Children. John 10.15. I lay down my life for the sheep. Now I would fain know( if Christ's Sheep his Disciples, Believers, which is all one, had no more interest in the death of Christ then other men) why Christ should encourage his Disciples, in telling them particularly, that he did lay down his life for them? And then one Scripture more I would desire to note, Ephes. 5.25. where Christ is said to give himself for the Church. Now if Christ did die and give himself as much for others as for his Church, then Christ doth not perform that Office of a Husband to the Church, as he would have men perform the Office of a Husband to their Wives, and that is, to love them with a peculiar love.  
Now H. H. goeth about to answer all that can be objected at once, thus: That Christ died for the elect( saith he) I freely gaunt, because he died for all men, every man, and the whole world: but that he died for the ●lect, as they were elect, or because they were elect, I utterly deny. Thus far he.  
Now to this I need not say much, onely I shall retort upon himself thus: I have already proved by Scripture, that Christ died for the elect, as elect, as persons given to him by the Father, that he should take care of them, and lay down his life for them; and therefore Christ did not( in his sense) die for all, for every man, for the whole world.  
But again, he considering what may be objected against what he affirms concerning the death of Christ for the whole world, frames an Argument, thus: 
If the Scripture nowhere speaks of a world of Believers and elect persons, then we have no ground to believe that Christ died for a world of believers and elect persons.  
But the Scripture nowhere speaks of such a world:  
Therefore we have no ground to believe that Christ died for such a world.   
Nay, further( saith he) the Scripture is so far from calling believers and elect persons a world, that they are opposed against the world.  
This is his Argument; and I would now answer it, but that I have done it already, and have clearly manifested from Scripture, that it is no other then a world of Believers that Christ died for; and have shewed, that it is no more absurdity to call Believers a World, then to call wicked men a World, though one be opposite to the other.  
But he goes on, and tell us, That if it should be granted that Christ died for a world of elect, it would destroy our own Principle, which is, That none of the elect can perish.  
But now though I have clearly proved this already to be a Truth, that no elect man can perish, nor any that is in a state of Salvation, fall from it; yet I shall take notice of a Scripture that he objecteth against us; and that is, 1 Cor. 8.11. And so shall thy weak brother perish, for whom Christ died. But saith H. H. If Christ died for none but the world of the elect, then some of the elect may perish.  
Now for answer to this, I shall in the first place say, That this being a single Scripture, and relating to a particular case, and having some ambiguity in the term, is to be referred for interpretation to those many Scriptures that speak plainly of the persons for whom Christ died, and the stability of their state, that they shall never perish, but have everlasting life; and, that none shall take them out of Christ's hand; and the like: we are not to bring many clear testimonies from Scripture to judge of them, by comparing them with one or a few obscure ones; but rather the contrary.  
This being premised, I shall come to answer this Scripture: The Apostle in this Chapter doth exhort the Corinthians to make good use of their Liberty in eating or not eating meats offered to Idols; and he doth wish them to take heed of offending any weak Brother: as if he should say, Though you have knowledge, yet others may be more dark in their understanding, and yet they may by your example be drawn to do that that you do, though it be against their consciences: And so( saith the Apostle) through thy knowledge, shall thy weak brother perish for whom Christ died. Which the Apostle( according to my apprehension) doth speak to aggravate the sin of those, who( being strong) abuse their Liberty; rather then set out the misery of weak ones: and so it is, as if the Apostle had said, If thou dost thus draw thy weak Brother into a snare, thou dost what in thee lieth to cause him to perish. But if the speech of the Apostle be referred unto the weak Brother, then we may consider him as a Brother onely in profession, being a Member of the Church, and so in charity judged to be one that Christ died for: and such a one may perish finally; he may fall from his profession, and so be discovered to be nothing,( as I have already declared) and this falling away, may be first occasioned by his being thus ensnared to sin against conscience: for one sin against light, doth make way for many sins; and when a man doth once begin to fall,( if he be not built upon a sure foundation) none knows how low he may fall. But if we consider this that is called a weak Brother, as one that is a real Believer, for whom Christ died that he might live, then by perishing we must not understand an eternal perishing: but I shall render it thus: So shall thy weak Brother be lost, that is, he shall be at a loss in his judgement, not knowing what to do; his judgement being against that that his strong brother doth, and yet he knows not how to avoid doing of it, when he seeth another that is stronger then himself do it. The word that is translated [ perish.] is sometimes taken in a more moderate sense then for an absolute everlasting perishing Luk. 15.6. I have found my sheep which was lost. Now it is apparent that this sheep was not perished; if it had, there would have been no cause of joy; and yet the same word is used there, as is in that place of the Apostle; and so there is the same word( though otherwise translated) in John 18.14. where Caiaphas said, That it was expedient that one man should die for the people. Now it was not expedient that that one man should perish; for then all others should perish too. Now if the word that is here translated perish, be sometimes in Scripture taken in a more moderate sense; and if to take it in the most harsh sense, namely, for eternal perishing, be contrary to many plain Scriptures; then we must bring this Scripture to them, rather then them to this; and conclude,( according to the whole current of Scripture) that no man for whom Christ died and gave his soul a ransom, shall or can perish eternally.  
Object. But it may be it will be objected, That this Scripture in the Corinthians, is not alone; for the Apostle in Rom. 14.15. saith, Destroy not him thy with meat, for whom Christ died. So that it appears a man may be destroyed, though Christ died for him.  
Answ. But for answer to this, I shall say thus much: I am persuaded, that the Apostle had no such intent, as to conclude, That any man for whom Christ died might be destroyed: for he doth in his Epistles decare himself against any such Opinion. I confess, if we understand by [ destroying] killing the man, there may be some Truth in the expression, as it is translated; for a man may by grief be brought to the grave; and Paul's eating, or anothers eating of meat, contrary to the judgement of a weak Brother, might occasion a great deal of grief. But it is not to be imagined that Paul means eternal destruction from the presence of the Lord, and that for these Reasons.  
First, Because there are so many Scriptures against this interpretation: but enough of that.  
Secondly, Because I do not find anywhere in Scripture, that the word that is here translated [ destroy] is anywhere else so taken; and being nowhere else in Scripture so taken, we may very well( that there may appear to be a harmony in Scripture) refuse to take it so here.  
But thirdly, I find the same word in Scripture used in a different, yea, in a contrary sense to [ destroying,] namely, for [ forgiving] Luk. 6.37. Judge not, and ye shall not be judged; condemn not, and ye shall not be condemned; forgive, and ye shall be forgiven. Where the same word is translated [ forgive,] as is in this Rom. 14. translated [ destroy.]  
But fourthly, I find that it is used in Scripture in a sense that will better svit with the Apostles purpose, then the sense wherein it is taken in our English Translations; as for instance, sometimes it is taken for loosening or setting at liberty, Luke 13.12. where Christ useth the same word in reference to the cure of the woman: Thou art loosed, or set at freedom from thine infirmity. Now I desire it may be minded; the woman was not destroyed, but cured. And truly, if we take the word( as it is used by the Apostle) in the same sense, it may not be amiss: Do not loosen, or set thy Brother free from that tenderness of conscience that is in him at present, by thy using thy liberty before him that is too weak to know distinctly what may be done, and what may not be done.  
But methinks there is another sense,( and yet not absolutely another, but something agreeing with this) that will well suite with the apostles meaning, and that is, as the word is used, Mat. 1.19. concerning Joseph and Mary: Then Joseph her husband being a just man, and not willing to make her a public example, was minded to put her away privily. Now it is not to be understood, that Joseph was minded to destroy her privily; no, he was minded to sand or put her away privately. And this sense suits well with the Scripture in hand; Do not put, or sand away thy Brother, or alienate thy Brother from thee, for whom Christ died.  
And now I hope that it doth appear sufficiently, that neither that Scripture, 1 Cor. 8.11. nor any other Scripture which seems to be of the same signification, doth in the least prove, that any one for whom Christ died,( with an intent to save him) can or shall perish eternally.  
But H. H. tells us, That he shall show us by the Scriptures, what world Christ died for. And thereupon he mentions divers Scriptures, which( being they have been sufficiently spoken to already, I shall forbear to name. But that which he gathers from them, is, That Christ died for the world of ungodly, for the world of sinners, for the world of enemies, yea, for the world of unjust; and lastly, for the world that John speaks of, 1 John 5.19. We know that we are of God, and the whole world lieth in wickedness.  
Now to give him a brief answer to these expressions, I shall very readily grant, as he himself saith in our behalf in his next Objection, That those that shall be saved were once sinners as well as others: But if he speaks of a world of sinners and ungodly ones, that live so, and die so, and that never come to be Saints,( which is the thing he should prove, or else he had as good be silent) I must deny,( and the Scripture will abundantly bear me out in it) that Christ died to save and any such. And therefore I cannot but wonder, that he should( so contrary to Scripture) affirm, that that world spoken of by John, when he saith, The whole world lieth in wickedness, is to be understood of persons that Christ died for, seeing John makes an absolute distinction between those that are of God, those that were God's people,( and Christ died for none but those that were God's, the Father gave them to him) and that wicked world that lieth and liveth in wickedness.  
Object. But H. H. hath another shift yet,( though it will not stand him in much stead) and that is, That Christ died not for the elect, as they were elect in Christ: and he tells us, That to affirm that Christ died for the elect, or believers, as they were, and because they were elect and believers, is absolute nonsense.  
Answ. First, I answer, If Christ died for any, it must be as they were elected; and as they were elected in Christ( though this election as hath been shewed, were before either Saints, or Christ, as actual Mediator, had a being:) for Christ's coming to die, was to fulfil a Decree, and to do the will of the Father; and therefore he saith, lo, I come to do thy will, O God. Now if you would know what is the will of the Father, it is very plain, Joh. 6.39. That of all which the Father gave Christ, he should lose nothing. And then again in the very next vers. And this is the will of him that sent me, that every one that seeth the Son, and believeth in him, may have everlasting life. Now mind it, Christ being an elect Saviour from eternity, and some of mankind being chosen in him, to be saved by him; from hence it is, that Christ hath his Warrant for his laying down his Life for them. Those that in time come to be Believers, were God's own from eternity, as they were chosen in Christ; and these being by Decree given to Christ, they become his, according to that in John 17.10. And all mine are thine, and thine are mine, &c. and upon this account it is, that Christ, when come actually to perform the Office of a Mediator, knowing what persons were chosen in him from eternity to be saved, lays down his Life freely for them.  
But secondly,( whereas H. H. saith, That to affirm that Christ died for elect and believers, as they were, and because they were elect and believers, is absolute nonsense; I answer, here he doth not deal fairly, to put election and believing together; nay, to put believing before election, as he seems to do in some of his Answers following: for this is to father his own Opinion upon us,( which we abhor;) namely, That men are chosen when they are, and because they are Believers.  
But to give a clear Answer to the Objection of nonsense; this I have already proved, that Christ did die for elect, as elect, and as chosen in him; and those thus chosen in Christ, do all of them in time become Believers by Christ; for he is, as the Apostle saith, Heb. 12.2. The Author and Finisher of our faith. But I do not say, That Christ death for them as Believers, and because they are Believers: but this I affirm,( and have already made it appear by Scripture) that Christ died for them as sinners that were before the foundation of the world chosen in Christ, that he should die for them, and by his Spirit work Faith in them, and at last, bring them to glory.  
But H. H. thinks it seems to put some foul absurdity upon us, thus: They( saith he) which hold that God intended to sand his Son to die onely for the world of Believers, must of necessity hold that there was a world of Believers before God intended to sand his Son to die; and they were the cause of God's sending his Son.  
Now I need say nothing to this, having explained myself sufficiently as to that already, that God's purpose was to sand his Son to die for some of the posterity of Adam, that should be born sinners, and live sinners; but afterwards by the operation of the Spirit of God, should become Believers, and so be saved by the death of Christ.  
I shall therefore only retort this upon himself, and leave the rest of his absurd conclusions of the same nature, without saying any thing to them. And his Argument may be retorted upon him thus: They which hold that God intended to sand his Son onely to die for the world of sinners, must as necessary hold, that there was a world of sinners before God intended to sand his Son. Now either it must be concluded, that it was an absurd thing for him, without any ground to endeavour to fasten an absurdity upon us; or else, if it be an absurdity, it falls as much upon his Opinion as on ours.  
But he goes on to end the controversy,( as he saith) and for that end commits several things to consideration●, and that from what the Scripture saith. And because the Considerations have received a full answer already, I shall pass them over very briefly.  
He tells us, That the Scripture saith Christ came to seek and to save that which was lost; and, that he came to call not the righteous, but sinners to repentance; and, that in due time Christ died for the ungodly; and that he died for the unjust; and, that he came to preach deliverance to the captives; and to give sight to the blind; and, to quicken them that are dead in trespasses and sins. But( saith he) the elect, as they bear the name of elect, are not so. Therefore he concludes, Christ died not for the elect, as they were elect: for that had been to quicken them that were alive before, to make them near to God that were near before.  
To all which considerations, I shall very briefly answer, thus: First, That Christ died for those that were lost, and for ungodly ones, and unjust ones▪ &c. is true: but that Christ died for all such, hath been sufficiently proved to be false.  
Secondly, I do affirm,( whatever H. H. or all the men in the world say to the contrary) that the elect( notwithstanding their election) are sinners, ungodly ones, in a lost state, captives, blind, dead in sins and trespasses; and continue so, till Faith be wrought in them by the Spirit of the Lord Jesus, according to the eternal purpose of God in electing of them. And though I confess they are not such when their election is discovered by the work of Faith in them; yet it doth not in the least infringe the Truth in hand, viz. That Christ died for the elect, as they were elect.  
I conceive H. H.'s great mistake lieth here; he cannot distinguish between election and vocation: when they are called, they are not unrighteous, they are not dead in sins and trespasses; but they were so, notwithstanding their election, till they were effectually called by the power of God in the Gospel: and this is clear by what the Apostle writes to the Ephesians; he tells them in the beginning of the first Chapter, that they were chosen in Christ before the foundation of the world; and yet in the second Chapter he tells them, That before Christ quickened them, they were dead in sins and trespasses. And then the same Apostle writing to the Corinthians, who were elect persons, as well as the Ephesians, in 1 Cor. 6. after he hath reckoned up many sorts of foul sinners, doth in vers. 11. add, And such were some of you: but you are washed, but you are sanctified, but you are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God. Now mind it, he doth not say, that their election was the immediate cause of the change in them,( though it cannot be denied to be the foundation of all) but that that makes the difference, is, their washing, their justification, and their sanctification by the Spirit of the Lord Jesus.  
But H. H. judging, that he hath sufficiently discovered our contradictions, tells us, That he shall prove by undeniable Reasons, that it must of necessity be a Truth, that Christ died for all men.  
And truly, before I begin with his Reasons, I must needs say thus much: If the Reasons on his side hath no more strength, then the discoveries of the Contradictions( as he calls them) on our side, have clearness, he had as good have spared his labour, and not mentioned them at all. But let us see what they are.  
His first Reason is, Because( if we may take his word) all the Prophets, the Angel of God, the Lord himself, and his holy Apostles do testify it with one consent.  
I have answered this already, and therefore shall let it pass.  
His second Reason is, Because( saith he) there is not one Scripture from the beginning of Genesis to the end of the Revelation, that doth deny it, either negatively, in saying that he did not die for all; nor yet affirmatively, in saying he did die but for some.  
For answer to this, I say, H. H. is too bold with God, in that he doth take upon him to limit the holy One of Israel, that he must express himself in such terms as he would have him, or else he will not believe.  
Secondly, I affirm that the Scripture doth speak as fully as it need speak in this case, and that from Genesis to the Revelation. First, the Covenant that God made with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and their posterity; which Covenant was sealed by Circumcision, and the blood of Bulls and Goats; was made with a separated people, a chosen people; you onely( saith God) have I known of all the Nations of the earth: hence may be concluded, that that Covenant that was sealed by the death of Christ, and the blood of that covenant, was not for all the men and women in the world, but for a separated people. But if this be too dark, I shall come to Scriptures plain enough. First, it is said, Christ laid down his life for his sheep, that is, for those that in time successively become the sheep of Christ, Joh. 10.15.  
But in the next place, that parallel of the Serpent in the wilderness, and Christ, is very clear: As the serpent was lifted up in the wilderness, so must the son of man be lifted up; but for what end? As the Serpent was lifted up, that all that were stung, and looked up to it, might be healed; so Christ was lifted up, that whosoever believeth in him might not perish, but have everlasting life. Besides this, it is said in 1 Pet. 3.18. Christ hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God: whence I conclude, that Christ suffered onely for the sins of those whom he brings to God: Again, John Baptist looking upon Christ as that Lamb slain from the foundation of the world for the sons men, saith, John 1.29. Behold the lamb of God that taketh away the sins of the world. Now thus I argue: If Christ were a lamb slain for that end, to take away sin from those for whom he was slain, then he was not slain for those whose sins he never taketh away. To which I may add that in Rev. 1.5. where you have mention made of the fruit of the death of Christ, thus; Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood. Whence I conclude, that whom Christ loved, he died for; and whom he died for, he washed from sin. Now it cannot be imagined that Christ loved those that he will condemn, or that ever Christ washed those that live and die in their defilement: and therefore I say, Those things that God hath put together, let no man separate.  
Again, there is much in that prophesy of Caiaphas concerning the persons that Christ was to die for, John 11.51, 52. That Christ should die for that Nation( that is, for some in the nation) and that he should gather together in one the children of God that were scattered abroad: So that it is apparent, that it is the children of God, believers scattered about in all Nations, that Christ dyed for. Again, there is a every plain place discovering who they are that Christ dyed for, in Heb. 9.15. And for this cause he is the mediator of the new Testament, that by means of death for the redemption of the transgressions that were under the first Testament, they which are called might receive the promise of eternal inheritance: there are none said to have any benefit by the death of Christ, but they that are called. I might name many more Scriptures, but I shall at present onely name one double testimony; that in Matth. 28. and that in Mark 16. where you may take notice, that when Christ was risen from the dead, and had a design now to have the benefit of his death declared in the world( for what is the Gospel else, but a preaching of Christ crucified?) he onely commands his disciples to declare this as the fruit of his death, that he that believeth shall be saved, and he that believeth not shall be damned: and therefore he doth not bid them acquaint any others with the duties that the death of Christ engageth them to, but onely his disciples: Make disciples in all nations, Baptizing them, teaching them to observe whatsoever I have commanded you. So that I judge the Scripture is so clear, that neither H. H. nor any other need ask us for any more proof of the thing in hand, namely, that Christ dyed for some, to save some, not all the sons of Adam.  
His third reason is, Because as Christ died for every man, Heb. 2, 9. So he commanded the Gospel to be preached to every creature, Mark 16.15, 16.  
For answer to this, I need say no more, but discover the deceitful dealing that is in him, and hath been all along in his Book discovered: he quotes Mark 16.15, 16. but the 16 being not for his purpose, he can let that pass without mentioning the words at all: for indeed ( as I have clearly shewed in my answer to his second reason) this is sufficient to prove that Christ dyed onely for believers, in that he will have his disciples preach that Salvation is onely for them: He that believeth shall be saved, and he that believeth not, shall be damned.  
His fourth reason is, Because God calleth all men everywhere to repentance( as he saith) and he quotes Act. 17.30. and reads it thus: At the time of this ignorance God winked; but now he calleth all men everywhere to repentance.  
Now for answer to this, in the first place I cannot but take notice, that he follows his old trade of perverting Scripture still, to make it speak what he would have it speak. The words of the Scripture are: And the times of this Ignorance God winked at; but now he commandeth all men everywhere to repent It seems the Scripture would not serve his turn, if he had taken it as it is; and therefore he alters it, and saith, But now he calleth all men everywhere to repentance: which, according to Scripture-expression, is as if he should say, Now he works repentance in all men everywhere; which I confess( if it were true) might be a good and a full proof that Christ dyed for all; for those whom by his call he brings to repentance, are the persons that he dyed for. But the Scripture saith no more, but, Now he commandeth all men everywhere to repent. I confess this Gospel-command is an outward call; but the Scripture tells us, that many are called, but few chosen: so that this reason of his( the Scripture being rightly taken) falls to the ground.  
His fifth reason is, Because those that are damned, are damned because they believe not in Christ the onely begotten son of God: Joh 3.18. He that believeth not, is condemned already, because he believeth not in the name of the onely begotten son of God: which,( saith he) could not be, except Christ had dyed for them.  
Now for answer to this, I desire that we may consider, what sins against the law do contribute, and what unbelief doth contribute toward the condemnation of a man. The Apostle tells us, that the wages of sin is death, Rom. 6. last, and the Scripture tells us likewise, that all unrighteousness is sin. And the Apostle having been dehorting the Ephesians from many foul sins against the letter of the Law, tells them. Ephes. 5.6. Because of these things cometh the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience. And the Apostle hath an expression of shutting up, which he applies to unbelief: so that as the sins against the Law bring a man into a state of condemnation, and that deservedly; so unbelief doth shut him up in that state, according to that in John 3.36. He that believeth not the son, shall not see life, but the wrath of God abideth on him. Mark it; it is not said, The wrath of God cometh on him, no, it was on before; but, it abideth on him. As he was a breaker of the law, he was in a state of condemnation; and now he hears the Gospel preached( that he that believes in Christ, and receives and embraceth the testimony that God hath given of his Son, and doth depend upon the Free-grace of God in Christ, shall be saved) but he will not accept of Salvation upon these terms: this man doth deserve double condemnation; not onely as a breaker of the law, but as an opposer of that offer of grace which is made to sinners in the Gospel. Now whereas it will be asked, How can he believe, if he hath not a power so to do. Now for answer to that, I say,( as I have already hinted) his condemnation is, because he will not, not because he cannot believe. Now though H. H. tells us that Gospel-condemnation could not come upon a man except Christ dyed for him; I say, If Christ had dyed for him, he should not have been condemned at all; for he is the Author of eternal Salvation by his death; and unto those for whom he dyed, he is the Author and finisher of their faith; and there is no condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus.  
His sixth reason is, Because( saith he) those that are damned might have been saved, 2 Thes. 2.10, 11. They received not the love of the truth that they might be saved; therefore God shall sand them strong delusions to believe a lie, that they all might be damned. Thus he renders the Apostles words, though with some variation; and leaves out some words following, which might have holpen to clear the truth in the 12 vers. and that is, Who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.  
Now for answer to this, I say, These men might have been saved, if they had believed; nay if they had believed, they should have been saved. But they continuing in their unrighteousness, their sins against the law, and wilfully opposing the Gospel; God gives them up to sin& unbelief, according to that joh. 12.39, 40. Therefore they could not believe, because that Isaias said again, He hath blinded their eyes, and hardened their heart, that they should not see with their eyes, nor understand with their heart, and be converted, and I should heal them. So that there can be no more said of these, then may be said of all; They might have been saved if they had believed, but without the power of God they could not believe. And this may be said more of these then of some others, viz. that God had given them up to sin.  
His seventh reason is, Because some deny the Lord that bought them, 2 Pet. 2.1.  
Now for answer to this, I say, Christ hath in a sense bought all men, yea, and the very Devil too; that is, Christ hath purchased an Authority over all things, and therefore it is that Christ saith after his Resurrection, All power is given to me in heaven and in earth: yea, and the Devils themselves were in a sense subject to Christ before his death; but afterward he had a full power over them, and he can bind and lose Satan when he please: and therefore though the strong man( that is, the devil) keeps possession of the soul till Christ comes; when he comes, he binds him: and all this Christ got by his death. And as for men, viz. Christ his purchasing an Authority over them by his death; I shall lay down one plain Scripture, Rom. 1.4.9. For to this end Christ both dyed and rose, and revived, that he might be Lord both of the dead and living. And thus I confess all men were bought by Christ: and hence it comes to pass, that all men shall be at the last judged by Christ. But this I think will not help him at all.  
His eighth reason is, Because they that follow after lying vanities, forsake their own mercy, Jonah 2.8. but what mercy( saith he) can they forsake, for whom Christ died not?  
Now to this I answer, They for whom Christ dyed, shall not forsake their own mercy: for God hath promised to put his fear into their hearts, that they shall not depart from him. Again, I say, properly men cannot forsake that which they have not in possession. But this is an expression suitable to that where Christ saith, He that hath not, from him shall he taken even that which he hath, or which he seemeth to have: so these men seemed to have mercy near them; it was so near, that it seemed to be their own: but seeing they turn their backs upon God, while they embrace lying vanities with both hands, they are said to forsake their own mercies. And this answer, I conceive, may serve very well, to his ninth reason, that some men may and do neglect their own Salvation.  
His tenth Reason is, Because we are commanded to pray for all men, and to give thanks for all men: but to what end should we or how can we in faith pray for all men, if Christ did not die for all men?  
Now for answer to this, I say, We are to pray for all sorts of men, but not for every particular man; for those that sin against the Holy Ghost, we are not to pray for. And when we do pray for spiritual enjoyments for any, we are to do it with submission to the will of God,( as Christ prayed, If it be thy will, let this Cup pass from me;) and then we may pray in Faith, and we shall have our Petitions granted; for the will of God shall be done.  
But H. H. comes in the next place( as he saith) to show the dreadful absurdities which follow their judgements which believe that Christ died for none, but the elect. And though he makes a great many of them, they may be reduced to a smaller number, he onely varying his expressions, but speaking to the same purpose in divers of them. But the absurdities are: If( saith he) Christ died not for all, then despair is no sin; and, it would be a sin for some men to believe that Christ died for them; and, they that are damned, are not damned because of unbelief; and, Satan doth no evil in persuading men that Christ died not for them; and, the devil deceiveth none; and, it is a virtue in some men to be unbelievers.  
Now these are some of the things that he calls absurdities; and truly I judge that it is very absurd in him to mention such things: for I must needs conclude, that the ground of it is, because he is ignorant what Faith is. I perceive he judgeth this to be Faith, and the onely Faith, To believe that Christ died for all. And indeed,( though afterwards he mentions some other absurdities, which do reflect upon the Ministers of the Nation, baptizing all, and giving the Sacrament( as they call it) to all, and taking tithes of all; which I have nothing to say for, but should rejoice if the Lord would open their eyes, that they might see their mistakes in these things; yet I say, I do not know, but the same thing that is first mentioned as a fault of the Ministers of the Nation, may reflect upon H. H. himself; for( according to his Principle) I do not know what should hinder, but that upon this ground he may baptize the worst in the Nation; for they are very ready to believe, that Christ died for all: and truly,( though I would not pled for sin in any) yet I cannot but wonder, that he should cast absurdities upon others, that do so naturally recoil upon himself. But I say, it doth appear, that he is ignorant of the nature of true Faith, which in Scripture is called, looking to Christ, and trusting in Christ, and leaning upon Christ, and coming to Christ, and eating and drinking Christ's flesh and blood; and divers other expressions of the like nature, which do denote a particular act of the Soul toward Christ: and this Faith is wrought in men by the mighty power of God drawing men, who naturally are unwilling to come to come to Christ, John 6.44. No man can come to me, except the Father draw him. And though this be not a drawing against the will of men, or saving of men whether they will or no,( as some do very vainly object) yet it is such a work, as doth require the might of God's power to be put forth; it is such a power as was put forth in raising Christ from the dead, Ephes. 1.19, 20. Now the nature of this Faith( according to Scripture) doth not consist in a bare assent to the Truth of the Scripture;( much less in believing that which is contrary to Scripture) for the devils believe and tremble: but in a self-denying dependency upon the freeness and all-sufficiency of the Grace of God in Christ to save: and he that doth thus believe, shall not be confounded; but shall certainly be saved. And it is this Faith, that the corruption in the hearts of men doth oppose, and it this Faith that the devil doth oppose, and deceives men by keeping them from thus depending upon Christ; and that by these two ways, either by contenting them with believing onely that Christ died to save all; or else by telling them another lie, that the Free-grace of God in Christ is not sufficient to save them. So that it is a sin( and there is a great slight in Satan to persuade men) thus to despair, as if God were not able to save, or as if God were not faithful, who hath said, He that believeth shall be saved.  
Another of his absurdities is, If Christ died not for all men▪ then it is no heresy to teach some men to deny that Christ bought them, 2 Pet. 2.21, 22.  
Now for answer to this, I say, first, there is no such thing in the Scripture, as denying that the Lord bought them; but, denying the Lord that bought them. Now in what sense men may be said to be bought by Christ, I have shewed already: and to deny the Lord that bought them, is to renounce Jesus Christ, and not to aclowledge him to be a Saviour. Now to teach men thus to deny Christ, must needs be a sin; for it is directly contrary to the Gospel.  
Another absurdity is this, If Christ died not for all men, then the Apostles and those which do preach the Gospel, preach lies to most men.  
Now to this I say, I cannot but wonder at the ignorance and boldness of H. H. in this; first, his boldness, in that he dare speak this concerning the Apostles: but most of all, at his ignorance, that he should be so little acquainted with the Gospel. True it is, the Gospel was commanded to be preached to every Creature: but who dare say, that Christ commanded any man to preach that Christ died for all men? no, the Gospel that is to be preached doth clearly prove the contrary; for it is not, that all men shall be saved by Christ; but, he that believeth and is baptized, shall be saved; and he that believeth not, shall be damned.  
His next absurdity I have answered already, concerning God's calling all men everywhere to repentance; and shewed that there is no such Scripture.  
His last is, If Christ died not for all, why then doth the Lord say, 2 Pet. 3.9. that he is not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance?  
Now for answer to this, I say, there is a two-fold will of God mentioned in Scripture; first, there is the secret will of God, or God's purpose in himself; and this will we have nothing to do to look into, till it be discovered by God's acting according thereunto: Secret things, belong to the Lord our God; but things revealed, to us. And of this will of God I must say thus much, That it is not the will of God that all men should be saved; for then, all should certainly be saved: for God's counsel must stand, and he will do all his pleasure. But then there is the revealed will of God, the will of command; and this is to all men where the Gospel comes, to believe and repent, that they may be saved: and when men do oppose this command, they do deservedly perish. And who dares be so bold as to question God, why he doth not work Faith and Repentance in them, seeing God is bound to no Creature?  
But he comes in the next place to ask the question, Why all men are not saved, if Christ died for all. And he answers thus: Because God called, and they refused.  
Now for answer to this, I do in the first place grant that that is the cause of the damnation of men: But in the next place, this I must say too, That if Christ had died for them, they should have been saved; for certain it is, that whosoever Christ died for with a purpose to save them, must either be saved according to his intent, or else Christ loseth his end in dying; which would be wickedness to affirm.  
He comes in the next place to raise an Objection, That some may say, that he holds Free-will. And he answers, That he holds nothing but what the Scripture saith. But whether we may believe him, or no, let any man that considers what I have laid down all along in my Answer to his Book judge.  
But he asks, What should hinder, but a man may be saved, if he be willing?  
Now to this I answer, All men are not willing to accept of the testimony that God hath given of his Son; all men are not willing, in a self-denying maner, to cast themselves upon the free-Grace of God in Christ; and whosoever is willing, is made willing by God; and whosoever is made willing by God, doth believe; and he that believeth shall be saved. But let H. H. say what he will, It is not in him that willeth, nor in him that runneth, but in God that sheweth mercy: no running, no improvement of natural strength, or of any talent that a man hath in common with mankind, can stand him in stead: for this is for a man to be saved by his own works.  
But I wonder what these men aim at in their great contention concerning the death of Christ for all: if they would have us believe, that all are saved, why do they not say so in plain terms? if they do not believe that all are saved, why do they tell us( in such a sense as they lay it down) that Christ is a propitiation for the sins of the whole world, and that Christ gave himself a ransom for all, and that God sent his Son to be the Saviour of the world, and the like? for these Scriptures( as he applieth them) do seem to import an universal Salvation; and I believe many poor souls are drawn away to believe as much, viz. That God is so merciful,& Christ so loving, that all men shall be saved, and none perish.  
Now I say, If this be not his meaning, that all men shall be saved, he doth delude men, in holding forth these Scriptures in such a sense: and if this be his meaning, that all shall be saved, I would know why he affirms, that some men may fall away and perish? But if he tells us, that he doth not intend that all are saved by the death of Christ, but that all have the means of Salvation by the death of Christ; I shall grant, that all where the Gospel comes, do enjoy it by virtue of the death of Christ; but it is not made effectual,( as hath been already declared) but by the operation of the Spirit of Christ. And yet when men do obstinately reject that Salvation held forth to sinners in the Gospel, they do deservedly perish, because they wilfully oppose that Gospel-command of believing in Christ crucified, as the onely means of saving sinners.  
But H. H. and those that are of his judgement, would have men believe that they hold forth the love of God and the death of Christ more fully then we do: but let any man judge whether it be so or no, whenas they hold, that notwithstanding the love of God& the death of Christ, yet those that have an interest in that death may yet perish; nay, though they be now in a state of salvation by virtue of the death of Christ yet they may fall from that state. If this be to exalt the love of God and to honor the death of Christ, I know not what is to dishonour it; for that which doth set forth the death of Christ indeed, according to the worth and excellency of it, is, that those who have an interest in it, shall never depart from Christ, nor be plucked out of his hand, nor rejected by him, but shall have an everlasting Salvation.  
Now therefore, that none may be discouraged by any thing that hath been laid down by me concerning election, and concerning the peculiarity of the love of God, and concerning the death of Christ onely for some; I say, First, That the Gospel in the publication of it doth not shut out any particular man or woman in the world, For, it is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; yea, the chief of sinners: and there is no particular man or woman in the world hath any warrant from Scripture to say he is not the man that Christ died for;& therefore he may with comfort attend upon the means of Grace, and wait at the posts of wisdom's gates; and though he cannot step into the pool himself, that so he may be healed; yet he may wait for Christ, by his own power to work Faith in him, and to save him. The voice of Christ in the Gospel, is Fear, not onely Believe; and, all things are possible to him that believeth, and the like: and why now should any poor soul discourage himself, and say, Christ died not for me, and, There is no Salvation for me? This is from corruption within, and from Satan's temptations; God saith, He that believeth shall be saved; and, look unto me, and be ye saved; and, he that trusteth in the Lord shall be as Mount Sion, that can never be removed. But if you say, You cannot believe, nor you cannot trust Christ; I say, for your encouragement, There is some hope that God hath begun a good work in you, in that you are sensible of the greatness of the work of believing;& if God hath begun a good work in you he will perform it; or if he hath not begun it, yet you have no great cause to mistrust, considering what Christ saith, in John 5.25. That the time shall come, yea, now is, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God, and they that hear shall live. God can( though men themselves can do nothing; nay, though he that preacheth the Gospel is not able to reach the heart, yet I say, God is able in an instant to) make men live, that came in a dead state to hear the Gospel preached; though they were rebellious, he can make them willing in the day of his power; though they were blind, he can anoint their eyes with eye-pleasing, and make them see. And for that we may take notice of what the Apostle saith of the Ephesians in Ephes. 2.4, 5. But God who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ.  
It might be judged a very strange thing, That Christ should go to the Grave, and call the body of Lazarus to come out: Alas! what could a lifeless carcase do? it could not hear Christ speak, nor it could not stir hand nor foot: but it is sufficient, Christ gives Lazarus a powerful call▪ and Lazarus cometh forth. The power of God is sufficient to make dry bones stand up as an Army; and therefore there is no cause for any poor Creature to be discouraged in regard of sin, as if his sin were too great for the Free-grace of God to pardon,( considering how great sinners have been saved, as Mary Magdalen, and Paul, and many of those who put Christ to death) nor there is no reason that any should be discouraged in regard of their own weakness, or the seeming weakness of the means; but rather that they should be encouraged in the power of God, for whom nothing is too hard: Who as he was able to make the Walls of Jericho fall down by the sounding of Rams-horns, so is able by the foolishness of preaching( as many men judge it) to save men. We have this treasure( saith the Apostle) in earthen( or in shell) vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, not of us.  
What I speak, I speak according to the experience of all that do believe; they know that naturally they were weak, unable to do any thing in reference to their own salvation, and that they were wilful too, and were ready to take any other course, then in a self-denying way to cast themselves upon the Free-grace of God for Salvation. Oh! they found it the hardest matter in the World, to be persuaded to trust Christ with their Souls. But when it pleased God to put forth his power to draw them to Christ, then in that day of God's power, they became a willing people.  
I desire therefore that men would not take the word of any man whatever; but search the Scriptures: and when they find that the Scripture saith, That it is God that works the will and the dead even of his own good pleasure; let him now look into his heart, to see whether God hath made him willing. And I am confident, That there is no experienced Saint in the world, but( if he mind his own experience) may be able to confute Henry Haggar, or any man( though never so subtle) that saith there is a power in all men to believe if they will. I shall therefore now leave it to Saints experience.  
But if what hath been spoken concerning Election be a trouble to any, this I shall say, That the consideration of that, doth not belong to men and women in their natural condition. I confess the devil doth sometimes make use of truths to trouble men, ●elling them that if they be elected, they shall be saved; but if they be not elected, there is no hope for them.  
Now I say, This is a truth, but it is a thing which God hath kept within his own breast, and it doth not at present at all concern them; but that which doth concern them, is, to believe in Christ, to accept of the testimony that God gave concerning his Son, That he that believes in him shall not perish, but have everlasting life. It is indeed a great trouble to a man, to be studying and musing concerning that that is quiter out of his reach, as the knowledge of Election is to a man while he is in a natural condition; but it is a very comfortable Doctrine to a man, when he doth believe in Christ: for the certainty of his salvation is built upon it, and a man may conclude by the work upon him, in enabling him to believe the testimony that God hath given concerning his Son, and to cast himself upon the Free-grace of God in Christ for salvation, that he was chosen to believe and to be saved. Now when a man believes, he can with comfort look back to behold the eternal counsel of God concerning him, which he knew not before; and he can now look comfortably forward, and conclude, that eternal life and glory is his portion; he may now look up, and see Christ at the right hand of the Father making intercession for him; and he can expect that Christ should in time put him into the possession of that happiness and joy, and those Rivers of pleasure at the right hand of God for evermore, which Jesus Christ by his death hath purchased for him. So that though the Doctrine of Election be a troublesone, disquieting, needless Doctrine to sinners, while sinners, in a state of nature; yet it is that which is a ground of very great comfort to Saints. And therefore it is that the Apostle in his Epistles doth lay it as a foundation of firm consolation to the Churches to whom he writes.  
But I confess there is no great cause to wonder that H. H. denys Election, whenas he holds that men may perish notwithstanding they were once believers; for the assurance that men have of salvation, comes by the eyeing of their election, upon the knowledge of their calling. But having said enough to this, I shall add no more, but leave what hath been said to the blessing of him, who is onely able to make men wise to salvation; and to the consideration of all those who experimentally know a saving work of God upon their own hearts.  
FINIS.    

The Postscript to the READER.  
I Have taken notice of the faults escaped, and have here endeavoured to help thee in some of them, especially those where the sense is most wronged. If therefore thou art at any time at a loss in reading the book, turn thy eye here, and thou mayst meet with some help.  
page. 2. line 18. for to, red he. p. 3. l. 34. when before God, as man, r. before God, when, as man. p. 4. l. 29. on, r. or. p. 9. l. 23. know, r. now. p. 11. l. 12. affims, r. affirms. p. 27. l. 23. that, r. then. p. 30. l. 35. expression, r. expressions. p. 37. l. 18. their, r the. p. 39. l. 10. as, r. as to. p. 40. l. 18. and, r. he. p. 47. l. 37. is, r. as. p. 62. l. 1. leave out if. p. 75. l. 11. Father, r. the Father. p. 76. l. 1. his, r. this. p. 76. l. 3. add it. p. 76. l. 16. leave out also. p. 77. l. 28. add in. p. 80. l. 33. gaunt, r. grant. p. 83. l. 6. thy with, r. with thy. l. 11. decare, r. declare. p. 84. l. 32. leave out and.  
There are some other faults, which I hope will not hinder thee in reading; and therefore I have not mentioned them here. I shall therefore once more take my leave of thee, leaving thee to red, and desiring the Lord to teach thee to profit thereby.  
J. B.