only a Temporal Death from that in Gen. 3. 19. Dust thou art and to the Dust thou shalt return But this being as ridiculous as the former I shall not spend much time upon it for certainly all that know any thing of God as they ought know him to be infinite and eternal both in his Essence and Attributes and that the breach of his Law must inevitably procure and deserve eternal wrath which Adam himself had found sure enough had not he by faith laid hold upon Jesus Christ that Tree of Life But that the vanity of this conceit may appear to all men I shall leave them to consider an Argument or two Arg. 1 That which is the portion of the godly as well as wicked of saints as well as sinners cannot be the only punishment of sin But Temporal death is the portion of godly as well as wicked of Saints as well as sinners Ergo Temporal death is not the only reward and punishment of sin Arg. 2 If Temporal death had been the only reward and punishment due to Original sin then Christ need not to have dyed at all to free us from it every man had been then able to pay his owne debt Arg. 1 Where the effects remain the cause is not removed But the effects of Adam's transgression remain to this day Ergo The cause viz. the transgression is not taken away If the guilt of Adam 's transgression be taken away 1. How is it we dy daily especially if this were the only punishment due to it as the opinion saith it is 2. Why do women still travel in pain and sorrow 3. What 's the reason of all diseases aches pains that befal us in this life Do not men still live by labour Doth not the ground naturally produce Thorns and Thistles 4. Whence are all our actual Transgressions Are they not branches of that old stem If the Tree had been digged up by the roots so many thousand yeers ago and cast into the fire surely it would not bring forth fruit so plentifully as by woful experience we see this doth to this day But to pass this also The third opinion being the master-piece about which the curious Artists of our times are so much busied both to prop and paint I shall speak more largely to In the unmasking and refuting whereof the other two must needs fall to the ground viz. That Jesus Christ hath freed all mankinde by his death from the eternal condemnation due to Adam's sin and hath set all men into a state of innocency and integrity The absurdities attending this error are not few it 's a many headed monster the belly whereof is ready to burst with its prodigious propagations some of which I shall lay down by way of Argument as followeth Arg. 1 That exposition that is unreasonable is false But this exposition of Scripture is unreasonable Ergo False Arg. 2 That Doctrine that destroys the harmony of Scripture is false But this Doctrine destroys the harmony of Scripture Ergo False Arg. 3 That Doctrine that is contrary to the analogie of Faith is erroneous But this Doctrine is contrary to the analogie of Faith Ergo Erroneous Arg. 4 That Doctrine that magnifies the creature and vilifies the blood of Christ is false But this Doctrine magnifies the creature and vilifies the blood of Christ Ergo False Arg. 5 That Doctrine that derogates detracts or denies the omnipotency of God is erroneous and blasphemous But this Doctrine detracts from and denies the omnipotency of God Ergo False and blasphemous Arg. 6 That Doctrine that tramples under foot the eternal Decree of God and denies his Soveraignty over the creature is heretical and blasphemous But this Doctrine tramples under foot the eternal Decree of God and denies his Soveraignty over the creature Ergo Heretical and blasphemous Arg. 7 That Doctrine that holds forth salvation by a law of works and not of grace is false But this Doctrine holds forth salvation by a law of works c. Ergo False Arg. 8 That Doctrine that destroys the end of Christs coming in the flesh is erroneous But this Doctrine destroys the end of Christ's coming in the flesh Ergo Erroneous 1. It 's Vnreasonable For 1. Hereby Christ becomes an half Saviour shedding his blood for the Original sin of millions of men that perish in their actual Transgressions Whereas the blood of Christ clenseth from all sin He never purchases half a 1 Iohn 1. 7. pardon for any If any man eat of this Bread he shall live for ever now the bread that Christ gives is his flesh John 6. 51. His Redemption is an everlasting Redemption Heb. 9. 12. 2. Unreasonable to think that Jesus Christ should pay as great a price for those that perish as for his own people for a company of damned wretches preordained to condemnaetion before the world was Will any man give a Jude 4. thousand pounds for a trifle a gewgaw a Bartholomew Baby One drop of Christ's blood being worth a thousand worlds surely he would not shed it to so little purpose 3. Unreasonable For if the end of Christ's death were only to free men from the guilt of Adam's transgression By what means then are the actual sins of the Elect. done away Christ died but once and without shedding of blood there can be no remission Heb. 9. 22. Rom. 6. 10. Heb. 9. 28. If any shall reply the Elect or those that are saved are saved by Faith I grant that but yet give them to know Faith is only instrumental not meritoricus the blood of Christ being the proper object of Faith which if only shed to acquit from Original guilt then our Faith becoms Rom. 3. 35. of no effect Rom. 3. 3. 4. Unreasonable Because then Original sin is pardoned without Faith we know as all little children are uncapable of that grace so thousand thousands of men in the world are destitute of it also yet the Scripture tells us that 2 Thes 3 2 except the blood of Christ be drunk by Faith it cannot profit John 6. 53. 5. Unreasonable Because it derogates from the nature of Christ's blood for whom he pardons he purifies His blood clenseth from all sin therefore it 's impossible for any man to perish for whom his blood is shed for whom he justifies he sanctifies yea and glorifies Rom. 8. 30. 2. It crosses and destroys the harmony of Scripture For 1. The Scripture tells us that no man can receive benefit by the blood of Christ but those that drink it by faith John 6. 53. as meat cannot nourish except we eat it so none can receive either life or strength by the blood or flesh of Jesus Christ that eats and drinks it not by faith 2. That without Faith and Repentance there is no remission Acts 3. 19. 3. That all men are born yea the best are conceived and born in sin as holy Iob and David both confess Iob 15. 14. 25. 4. Psalm 51.
men to the justification of life John 4. 42. This indeed is the Christ the Saviour of the world John 1. 29. Behold the Lamb of God which taketh away the sins of the world Mark 16. 16. He that believes and is baptised shall be saved he that believes not shall be damned John 3. 15 16. God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son that whosoever believes in him should not perish but have everlasting life He that believes not is condemned already John 1. 5 19. The whole world lies in wickedness John 7. 7. The world cannot hate you but me it hateth 1 John 4. 14. And we have seen and do testifie that the Father sent the Son to be the Saviour of the world 1 John 2. 2. And not for ours only but for the sins of the whole world 2 Cor. 5. 9. That God was in Christ reconciling the world unto himself Gal. 3. 8. In thee shall all the nations of the earth be blessed John 3. 17. That the world through him might be saved John 6. 33 51. Ana giveth life unto the world Which I will give for the life of the world Other Scriptures of like concernment John 12. 47. 15. 18 19. Rom. 4. 13. 11. 12 15. 8 32. Acts 3. 16 25. Gal. 3 28. 2 Pet. 3 9. Ezek. 18. 32. 33. 11. Prov. 1 30. Mat. 23. 57. Luke 1. 7. 1 Tim. 2. 4. 2 Pet. 3 9. c. John 14. 17. Whom the world cannot receive John 17. 2 9. Thou hast given him power over all flesh that he should give eternal life to them thou hast given him I pray not for the world but for them thou hast given me out of the world Mat 15 24. I am not sent but to the lost sheep of Israel Rom 11 7 Then Israel hath not obtain'd but the election Rom 9 27 Though Israel be as the sand yet but a remnant shall be saved Eph. 1. 4 5. Chosen us in him before the foundation of the world John 10. 15. I lay down my life for my sheep Jude 4. Men of old pre-ordained to destruction Other concern'd Scriptures Mat. 20. 16. 24. 22 24. 29. 34. Luke 13. 23. 1. 68. 18. 17. Mar. 13. 20 22 27. Act 13. 18. Rom. 8 29 30 33 9 11 23. 11. 5. Tit. 1. 1 2. 1 Pet. 1. 2 20. 2 Pet. 1. 10. Eph. 3. 11. 1. 4 9. 2 Tim. 1. 9 Rev. 14. 4. Gal. 5 17. Forasmuch as that 1 Cor. 15. 22. first mentioned to maintain that pernicious doctrine of Universal Redemption hath no relation at all to the doctrine of Redemption but of the Resurrection I shall not speak much to it only this It 's true that by the power of Christ's death and resurrection all men both godly and wicked shall arise at that great and terrible day of the Lord but withal consider that as some shall arise to the resurrection of life so also others to the resurrection of condemnation the day of resurrection is so far from being any benefit to unbelievers as that it 's only the taking them out of prison to receive their last and dreadful doom and so to be hurried to the place of execution But as for all other Scriptures that seem to plead this heresie if we compare them with others we shall finde them directly opposite to that opinion For as it is said the Lord Christ bealed all sicknesses and diseases and evert one possessed with divels c. in like sense he dyed for all and becomes a Saviour to all to wit all that are given to him and come to him by Faith For as millions of men in the world never received cure by Christ of their corporal diseases that neither came nor were brought to him so millions perish that never lay hold upon Christ by faith his blood being beneficial to none but such as come to him and eat his flesh and drink his blood by faith It 's unreasonable contrary to harmony of Scripture derogatory to the excellency of the blood and merit of Christ overthrows the omnipotency and very being of God denies his soveraignty over the creature tramples under foot that precious doctrine of election and predestination makes the eternal decree of God of no effect destroys the doctrine of free grace and instead thereof sets up free-will or a Law of works as already hath been plainly manifested with many other gross absurdities attending to hold that Christ shed his blood for all universally and indefinitely that he hath freed all from the guilt of Adam's transgression and puts every man into a state of innocency that all men have power to stand or fall to repent and believe c. But that Christ laid down his life for his sheep for those whom God the Father hath given him out of the world for all that believe that many are called but few chosen that Christ's flock is a little flock that none but the elect nay the elect of Israel obtain mercy that but a remnant even of Israel shall be saved that certain men are elected and chosen to be vessels of honour and some pre-ordained to condemnation before the world was that no man can come to Christ unless drawn to him by God the Father that we are not able of our selves to think a good thought that it's God that works in us both to will and to do of his good pleasure that we are all by nature children of wrath and disobedience dead iâ— trespasses and sins that faith is the gift of God and that without faith none can receive the least benefit by the death resurrection or intercession of Christ that all men dying in a state of unbelief perish eternally that the ungodly and hypocrite shall be in hell tormented for ever while the godly and such as believe in the Lord Christ shall reignâ— with him eternally in glory This Scripture clearly holds forth as by comparing one Scripture with another he that runs may read The main cause of this error as aforesaid is a misconstruction and mis-interpretation of the words all and world which are severally accepted for even the elect may be called the world not unaptly considered in themselves being very many Rev. 7. 4. read there of an hundred forty and four thousand of the Tribes of Israel sealed and verse 9. a great multitude whom none could number and yet all these compared with those that perish but a remnant a little flock and in this sense is the word world to be taken in 1 John 29. and 2 Cor. 5. 19. and divers other places And whereas it is said As in Adam all dy even so in Christ shall all be made alive If that Scripture had any reference at all to the doctrine of Redemption it should be thus interpreted That as all that dy eternally dy in Adam so all that live eternally live in Christ the way and cause of salvation being there intended not the number that are to
who damned what good will all the Preaching in the world do a man All his hearing reading and praying is in vain if not elected and if elected then if he should never hear a Sermon in all his life yet he should go to heaven Answ 1 I deny not but God doth save some whom he hath chosen by extraordinary means while many living in the midst of that means of grace perish to teach us that he is not limitted and tyed to this or that dispensation But for answer know as I have formerly said where God ordains the end he ordains the means and if thou be an elect vessel thy delight will be to wait upon God in the use of means the ordinances of God being the ordinary way to life and salvation Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the Word of God Rom. 10. 17. and therefore is the Gospel called the word of Faith Rom. 10. 8. 2. Consider how srivolous ridiculous and destructive to thy self this conclusion of thine is Knowest thou not that man's days are determined beyond which none passeth neither do any dy before their time appointed Thou mayst as well conclude well I know I shall not dy before my time be come therefore I le neither care to eat or drink or to use any means to preserve life why all the means in the world will not lengthen out my life one hour Shouldest thou do thus would'st thou not be guilty of thine own blood Yea doubtless Even so while thou concludest because some are ordained to life some to condemnation therefore thou wilt live in the neglect of means Judge whether thy destruction be not of thy self It 's thy duty whatsoever God hath decreed to wait upon him in the use of means and leave the success to God And this know for thy comfort never any man conscientiosluy thus waited upon God or had true desires of heaven was disappointed of his hopes The Lord fulfils the desires of all such as fear him Object But me-think it 's very strange that God should create any man with a purpose to destroy him How can it stand with his Justice to elect some and to reject others all being of one and the same lump and all the works of his own hand Answ This objection being sufficiently answered in the preceding discourse I shall not speak much more to it only add that the main end why God created the whole world was his own glory and so consequently mankinde now the glory of God shineth in nothing more eminently then in this of his Prerogative Royal in electing some and rejecting others his free grace and mercy exceedingly manifested in the one and his Justice in the other and yet as before no unrighteousness in God as hath formerly been cleared For 1. He gave us power in Adam to stand after he had created us holy and innocent 2. He denies not the means of grace to those that perish 3. There is a sufficient price paid for all and for a thousand worlds more 4. In all that perish there is a desperate heart of unbelief implacably bent against God and all means of grace and although God give such men up to their own hearts lusts though he give men up to a reprobate mind he gives no man such a heart although as before he with-hold the bestowing of his graces he being a free Agent 5. Such as thus dispute with God and call in question his soveraignty the Apostle answers Rom. 9. 20 21. Who art thou oh man c but of this heretofore Object But the Scripture is full of such Texts as these That Christ came into the world to save all as John 11. 29. Behold the Lamb of God that taketh away the sins of the world Called also the Saviour of the world John 4. 42. and many such like Answ The mis-interpretation of the two words all and world with the not comparing Scripture with Scripture is the principal ground of the mistake for no Scripture is of private interpretation neither are many Texts to be taken literally the Scripture being full of Figures and Allegories To prevent the evils attending such interpretation take notice 1. How diversly the word world is to be accepted in Scripture 1. For the created Fabrick as Psal 90. 2. Isa 62. 11. Jer. 10. 12. 1 Sam. 2. 8. Psal 19. 4. Luke 1. 70. John 17. 5. 11. 2. 7. c. 2. For the people of the world as Psal 9. 8. 96. 3. 98. 9. John 3. 16. c. 3. For the wicked of the world as Matth. 18. 7. Isa 13. 11. 1 Cor. 11. 32. John 7. 7. 14. 17. 15. 18. 17. 9. 16. 29. 1 Cor. 6. 2. c. 4. For the elect the godly party as Matth. 5. 14. John 1. 29. 3. 17. 4. 42. 6. 33. 12. 47. 2 Cor. 5. 19. 1 John 2. 2. c. 5. For the honours pleasures and profits of the world as Mat. 16. 26. Mark 8. 36. Luke 9. 25. Matth. 4. 8. 2 Tim. 4. 10. James 1. 27. 1 John 2. 15. 6. For a part of the people of the world as Luke 2. 1. John 12. 19. 18. 20. Acts 19. 27. 1 Cor. 4. 9. c. 7. For the whole race of mankinde in their natural condition as John 15. 18. 14. 17. 7. 7. 8. 26. 16. 20. 1 John 5. 19. c. 8. For a part of the created Fabrick Continent or Dimensions of the earth as Acts 11. 28. John 21. 25. Matth. 4. 8. 9. For the Manners Customs Governments or Corruptions of men in the world as Acts 17. 6. Gal. 1. 4. 6. 14. c. Likewise the word all is also diversly accepted 1. It refers to the whole race of mankinde as Gen. 3. 20. Rom. 5. 12. 3. 9 23. 15. 22. 2 Cor. 5. 10. c. 2. For a considerable part of that to which it relates as Gen. 12. 3. 24. 36. 28. 14. 41. 57. Iohn 11. 48. 1. 7. Exod. 18. 8. Ier. 9. 2. Mat. 2. 3. 8. 16. 3. 5 6. 21. 6. Mark 1. 5. Iohn 4. 29. 6. 45. Isa 54. 13. 1 Cor. 6. 12. Phil. 2. 21. c. 3. For the Elect as Gal. 3. 8 26. Acts 3. 25. 1 Cor. 10. 4. Luke 20. 38. Heb. 8. 11. Gen. 12. 3. c. 4. For the wicked of the world as Rev. 1. 7. Mic. 7. 2. Isa 34. 2. c. 5. For some of all sorts Countries and Nations 1 Tim. 2. 6. Rev. 1. 7. Psal 75. 11 17. 86. 9. Mat. 24. 9. c. 6. For all in a large and literal sense as well in relation to persons as things as Matth. 28. 18. Isa 26. 12. Psal 146. 6. Eccl. 3. 20. Rom. 3. 9 10. John 5. 28. Acts 15. 14. 2 Cor. 5. 10. Gal. 3. 22. Now it 's an easie matter for men either peevish selfish ignorant or profane wedded to their own opinions to draw very dangerous and pernitious