First, That the Prophet speaks not of a truly righteous man, but a pharisaical, bragging man, who hath a conceit of his righteousness, without any reality at all; and such a feigned righteousness may quickly melt away; but this may seem too much forced (though learned men insist on it) partly, because the opposition is made of a righteous man to one really wicked; partly, because it is such a righteousness, which if a man had continued in, would have saved him, he should have lived by it. Others therefore say, The expression is only conditional, and by supposition, if he do this, which doth only imply a posse, if a man be left to himself, not an esse, or that indeed he will do so; yea God useth these conditional comminations, as a sanctified means to keep a righteous man from falling. This is a good Answer: but there are others with whom I join, that say, The Scripture doth here consider a man as of himself, and what he is in his own power, not what he is by a Covenant of Grace (which is only per accidens, and ex hypothesi) a mere extrinsical and accidental thing to a man. And now, speak ⟨p. 236⟩of a godly man thus, we may say, that he may fall, and lose the favour of God; for although in respect of Gods predestination and Covenant of Grace, he cannot, yet that is merely external, and from without. So that the Scripture speaks of a godly man, sometimes in respect of his external, relative condition, as elected and federated: Thus he is made unchangeable in respect of his state. Again, in other places it speaks of him, in respect of his internals, and what is dwelling in him; and in this sense, He that stands, must take heed lest he fall. And that this is the right interpretation, is plain by the opposition in a wicked mans estate; for there saith the Text, If the wicked leave his wickedness, and do that which is righteous, he shall live. Here is no mention of Grace at all; Can any from hence infer therefore, a wicked man without Gods Grace, is able to turn to God? No. Other places demonstrate the necessity of that. So that it is plain, these Texts do not at all relate to any thing external and extrinsical to a man.
First, That the Prophet speaks not of a truly righteous man, but a pharisaical, bragging man, who hath a conceit of his righteousness, without any reality at all; and such a feigned righteousness may quickly melt away; but this may seem too much forced (though learned men insist on it) partly, because the opposition is made of a righteous man to one really wicked; partly, because it is such a righteousness, which if a man had continued in, would have saved him, he should have lived by it. Others therefore say, The expression is only conditional, and by supposition, if he do this, which doth only imply a posse, if a man be left to himself, not an esse, or that indeed he will do so; yea God useth these conditional comminations, as a sanctified means to keep a righteous man from falling. This is a good Answer: but there are others with whom I joyn, that say, The Scripture doth here consider a man as of himself, and what he is in his own power, not what he is by a Covenant of Grace (which is only per accidens, and ex hypothesi) a meer extrinsecal and accidental thing to a man. And now, speak ⟨p. 236⟩of a godly man thus, we may say, that he may fall, and lose the favour of God; for although in respect of Gods predestination and Covenant of Grace, he cannot, yet that is meerly external, and from without. So that the Scripture speaks of a godly man, sometimes in respect of his external, relative condition, as elected and federated: Thus he is made unchangeable in respect of his state. Again, in other places it speaks of him, in respect of his internals, and what is dwelling in him; and in this sense, He that stands, must take heed lest he fall. And that this is the right interpretation, is plain by the opposition in a wicked mans estate; for there saith the Text, If the wicked leave his wickednesse, and do that which is righteous, he shall live. Here is no mention of Grace at all; Can any from hence infer therefore, a wicked man without Gods Grace, is able to turn to God? No. Other places demonstrate the necessity of that. So that it is plain, these Texts do not at all relate to any thing external and extrinsecal to a man.
