CXLV expository sermons upon the whole 17th chapter of the Gospel according to St.…

The Scripture intends a full impossibility and not a difficulty, because brought in to aggravate, and indeed it would be frigid and jejune to make this the sense, They shall come with such lying wonders, that they shalt difficultly and very hardly seduce the Elect; Besides the Arminian, who holds that indifferency in a mans power, that when all pre-requisites on Gods part are put, yet he can will or not will, cannot say it's difficult, at least so difficult, as that phrase imports; Do they not say? David by his Fall did wholly shake off all grace branch and root, and yet there was no such difficulty to that? How easily did one sin draw on another? So that it would have been absurd to have said that Bathsheba (who was merely passive at first) did so strongly tempt David, that if it were possible he would have fallen into Adultery: And if further you say, The godly may fall into fundamental errors though Elected; Even the disciples did not believe Christs Resurrection and his spiritual Office as a Messiah, We answer, they may a while, but God will graciously recover them; These Vipers shall not stick upon them till they die; Though they have swallowed these deadly things yet they shall at last vomit them up; As God though he suffered Christs body to be dead and buried in the grave, yet he would not let it see corruption; Thus it is here, Though the Godly may err dangerously, and fall foully, yet they shall not see corruption: Lastly▪ It is answered, that the Elect before their conversion may lie in all sin, and be deceived by all kind of errors, Therefore there cannot be any strength from this because Elected; But the Reply is easy; By elect are meant such who do not only partake of that mercy, but such who find the effects of this upon their soul, Elected and converted; And that this is included is plain, because it is said, If it be possible to deceive even the Elect: Now he is said to be deceived that was in the right and Truth, it's improper to say, They shall deceive such as are already in a plain deceived way, So that this necessarily inferreth, That it is meant of Elected persons who find the mighty power of this upon their hearts.

The Scripture intends a full impossibility and not a difficulty, because brought in to aggravate, and indeed it would be frigid and jejune to make this the sence, They shall come with such lying wonders, that they shalt difficultly and very hardly seduce the Elect; Besides the Arminian, who holds that indifferency in a mans power, that when all pre-requisites on Gods part are put, yet he can will or not will, cannot say it's difficult, at least so difficult, as that phrase imports; Do they not say? David by his Fall did wholly shake off all grace branch and root, and yet there was no such difficulty to that? How easily did one sinne draw on another? So that it would have been absurd to have said that Bathsheba (who was meerly passive at first) did so strongly tempt David, that if it were possible he would have fallen into Adultery: And if further you say, The godly may fall into fundamentall errours though Elected; Even the disciples did not beleeve Christs Resurrection and his spiritual Office as a Messiah, We answer, they may a while, but God will graciously recover them; These Vipers shall not stick upon them till they die; Though they have swallowed these deadly things yet they shall at last vomit them up; As God though he suffered Christs body to be dead and buried in the grave, yet he would not let it see corruption; Thus it is here, Though the Godly may erre dangerously, and fall fouly, yet they shall not see corruption: Lastly It is answered, that the Elect before their conversion may lie in all sinne, and be deceived by all kinde of errours, Therefore there cannot be any strength from this because Elected; But the Reply is easie; By elect are meant such who do not only partake of that mercy, but such who finde the effects of this upon their soul, Elected and converted; And that this is included is plain, because it is said, If it be possible to deceive even the Elect: Now he is said to be deceived that was in the right and Truth, it's improper to say, They shall deceive such as are already in a plain deceived way, So that this necessarily inferreth, That it is meant of Elected persons who finde the mighty power of this upon their hearts.