8. 10. his soul and spirit is void of the life of God and of the sense of Gods love he is under the power and regiment of sinne and Satan disabled to all spirituall good This spirituall death is the harbinger of eternall death to him an hell upon earth it was when God arraigned him he had no other I conceive then the sentence of death and hell in his conscience till the promise comes Gen. 3. 15. but observe it before that promise is revealed God is just and patient also just in bringing the degrees and pains of death upon Adam patient in forbearing the immediate and full execution even as God was and is just to the Angels that sinned 2 Pet. 2. 4. yet patient in that he reserveth them to a further judgement and gives them not all their torment before their time Math. 8. 29. and yet this patience is exercised to devils without a purchase or death of a Mediatour so God might deferre from Adam and doth from his posterity keep off judgement though not in and for Christ quâ Mediator And what though Gods dispensations towards Angels is not a rule in all cases for us to collect his transaction about man fallen and his dispensations towards him yet in this case the Apostle b 2 Pet. 2. 4. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vers 9. makes a clear inference If God spared not them but reserveth them unto judgement he knoweth v. 9. how to reserve the unjust to the day of judgement the same verb being used in ver 4 and 9. for reserving in the Passive and Active voice where he speaks of Angels and men as coming from the same act of Gods just patience and patient-justice And though we know not how this should be he knoweth how to be just and patient too how to be patient in wrath and justice Rom. 9. 22. and how to be just in his patience 2. The threatning Gen. 2. 17. against Adam and all men sinning in him is not taken off by the promise Gen. 3. 15. which is only to the woman and her seed nay that is a threatning too in reference to the Serpent and his seed which are not only evil Angels but wicked reprobates amongst men and that which is threatned is irreconcilable enmity with and conquest over Satan and all his serpentine brood which necessarily infers death and damnation to them as to himself it were strange then if vertually in and for Christ patience should be afforded to Adam and all in him before the promise is actually promulged when at and in the actuall promulgation here is nothing but wrath and enmity between the woman and the serpent Christ and the devil the devils brood and the generation of the righteous true Adam stands by trembling and hears this but if he gets any peace or patience or pardon of his first sinne 't is a personall favour only for himself not to descend upon all his posterity but such as should be the womans seed from their interest in a second Adam Christ Jesus not from any relation to him as the first Adam All therefore who are yet but in the first Adam and as branches of that root are under the sentence of death for that first sinne Christ hath not obtained pardon nor patience that I know for them one moment 3. No man denieth but all was forfeited upon Adam's fall his very life and all creature-comfort and subsistence but God takes not the forfeit for when Christ the promised seed steps in for that part of mankinde who are with Christ the seed of the woman the elect of God the patience mercy and bounty of God steps in for the rest of mankinde even the seed of the serpent and reprobates with whom yet he will carry on a Covenant of works and justice the foundation of which covenant Christ cannot be as Mediatour for then he should be the foundation of two Covenants contradistinct works and grace no a Reprieve only comes forth for them yet under and ever to be under a Covenant of works and justice this is no Redemption 4. This Reprieve is but for a very short time to many not at all to some of the serpents seed who being conceived in the guilt of the first sinne are stifled at first conception â—â— or being born in that guilt and the corruption of nature succeeding in the room of Gods image dead in sinnes and trespasses die corporally the day they are born or soon after in tender infancy and in their immortall souls die eternally as the children of the Sodomites then in the womb or newly crept out who with their parents or fathers of fornication an unclean diabolicall brood Jude v. 7. are suffering the vengeance of eternall fire Others live out their time allotted them in just-patience but are accursed in life and death Isa 65 20. And die as e Morte morieris Hebraismus est qua verboruÌ„ reduplicatione vehementia certitudo significatur morie morieris i. c. certissimè morieris Paulus Fagius in Gen. 2. 17. certainly step by step as they that drop into hell out of their mothers womb And as malefactours who are but reprieved not redeemed and pardoned stay they never so long in Gaole yet they die the death or doe most surely suffer death at the day of full execution being dead men in law long before 5. What Christ the Sonne of God doth in this reprieve of the serpents seed as indeed he doth all that is done 't is as he is God and Lord of all in the Kingdom of his Power which he makes subservient to the Kingdom of his Grace for the saving benefit of the heirs of grace and glory As some great Lord intending to redeem one captive among and out of many prisoners in his fathers great house that he might marry her and make her his beloved Spouse and for whom he laies down a ransome to his father out of his generous and noble disposition common to him and his father also as a Lord and great Prince not as Husband or Bridegroom should throw away little and great summes of money with sutes of cloth upon the common prisoners and appoint them relief out of a common Almes-basket all to this end that these common prisoners might doe some service in the great family for his Spouses advantage So the Lord God and our Lord Iesus Christ so stiled Iude v. 4. being the only Lord God to all men and the Lord Iesus Christ but to a few he comes in the first promise and in the old Prophecies types and shadows and in the fulnesse of time in the substance of our nature among a world of Captives to wooe his Church his â—pouse and Bride to redeem and save her and her only by the ransome of his bloud paid down to his Fathers justice and out of his naturall pity and bounty being God and the Son of God and Lord of all like himself and his greatnesse he casts away life and health
service by Christs over-ruling power and for their advantage and yet not death it self but that service and advantage which death brings to them is purchased So not the wicked and the reprobate of the world but the benefit which the truly-godly have by them comes within the purchase And as for any benefit which the wicked have themselves by life or in life riches honour c. 1. It is a benefit in it self to live c. but not to them but as they make the better use of it 2. What is beneficiall to them comes in as we have shewed by a legall-Reprieve wherein there is justice all along predominantly mixed with mercy and patience and shier judgement or most just execution intended at the last not by a Gospel-Redemption which holds out every where especially in our times of the new Testament pure compleat free mercy and grace in Christ and brings in the accomplishment of an absolute free Covenant made with Christ for the free effectuall compleat salvation of all and onely God's chosen who being his chosen are his only redeemed ones his only espoused ones his reconciled ones his adopted ones his sanctified ones his glorified ones k Ephes 1. 6. To the praise of the glory of his grace wherein he hath accepted them in his beloved I Had thought here to have taken breath espying no enemy in the field but presently there meets me * Paulus Testardus de Natura Gratia a Champion Authour one who is for peace and sweet harmony of truth and hath happily cleared it in many particulars yet in this controversie of universall Redemption his musick jars and he holds up the weapons of an unhappy warre and thinkes to carry all before him because he is not point blanke of Arminius judgement in the stating of the Question For a Thes 95. he maintaineth that Christ died for all and every singular but he will not assert that he died aequè or alike for every one Christ died b The 78. he saith for all to prepare â—n apt and sufficient remedy and for the elect to apply to them what he had prepared for all Nor did he die c The 95. only that God might enter a Covenant with mankinde upon any condition but that he might most surely covenant with Christ the Surety under the condition of the Elects uniting and growing up by faith in him nor that salvation might only be possible for all but certain for some a seed to whom Christs bloud should be applied so as all are redeemed but not alike redeemed Christ died pro omnibus singulis that every one might be redeemed from the necessity of perishing for the infringed legall-covenant of nature in Adam and the want of satisfaction c. And that some certain ones beloved in Gods good pleasure above the rest might be actually freed c. still for more d The. 81. then for the sheep of Christ he would have Christ to die out of a more generall intention which he endeavours e The. 81 82 84 86 87. to prove from the generall expression world Joh. 3. 16. from the Parable of the Feast Math. 22. from 1 Tim. 2. 6. 2 Pet. 2. 1. 1 Joh. 2. 2. to all which places alleadged and improved by Samuel Oates we have given our answer * In the SermoÌ„s long before Paulus Testardus came to our view what he writes in this case and how much wiser and more foundly he hath improved those Scriptures and what greater strength there is in his Arguments I shall leave to the full examen and censure of able judgemâ—nts and learned Pens But may I passe my vote without offence of the weak or strong it is this Amicus Testardus in his pursuit of peace and truth and in many excellent notions and harmonicall notes of free effectuall grace c. but in this plea Magis amica veritas for while he pleadeth that Christs death is for all and every singular he doth as I understand the Scripture and him nec sibi nec Scripturae constare neither agree with himself nor the Scripture And first to shew how inconsistent his Tenet is with Scripture Testardus tenetâ— inconsistent or that which will not stand with Scripture he neither doth nor can maintain it without the Assertion of such a generall intention such a generall Covenant such an universall call and such universall Grace as have no footing in all the book of God First For his generall intention I conceive it is not the 1. Not generall intention Inteâ—â—ere proprie est velle per aliquiâ— aâ— aliud pervenire Amesius Scripture intention upon these grounds 1. All the intention of Christs death which the Scripture holds forth is a proper and single intention by such a medium or mean to come to such an end viz. by Christs death wherein mankinde or the nature of man is made salvabilis to save some or many and bring them to perfect grace in glory this was the Fathers single and sole end Heb. 2. 10. And this was Christs Joh. 17. 19. Testardus f The 80. renders this intention double by making it common to all and every singular and yet speciall to and for the elect 2. The Scripture intention is absolute and strong for the justification and life of all those for whom Christ was sent and for whom he died 1 Joh. 4. 9. In this was manifested c. that we might live through him not a naturall but spirituall life of justification sanctification and glory Testardus g The. 102. makes it partly absolute partly conditionall a very weak intention in effect and irrationall if Christs death should be for those who never have a will to apply it to themselves nor that Christ meaneth to apply it unto 3. The Scripture intention is so successefull as to be satisfactory to the Father and the Sonne Isa 53. 10 11. The pleasure of the Lord about Christs death shall prosper in his sonnes hand He the Lord Jesus shall see of the travel of his soul and shall be satisfied Yea and to the som that hearkens after the Gospel-intention as well as invitation Isa 55. 2. 't is and shall be bread and marrow and fatnesse But Testardus generall intention is not satisfying to God himself and the Father or Christ unlesse God and Christ be satisfied when they complain and he h Ibid brings them in complaining Isa 5. 4. Math. 23. 37. for all this generall intention And if God complains and Christ mourneth this common intention will not settle the conscience Conscience will not be satisfied but with what God is satisfied When a poor soul hears that Christ died for all by a generall intention to prepare a remedy for all and or the elect by a speciall intention to justifie and save them he hath a stumbling block laid before him to reason thus I know not whether I be of the number of them that Christ more
that universal Redemption whereby he grants to poor sinners a faculty only of salvation that is the natural faculty and power of understanding which with the essential liberty of the will distinguisheth a man from a beast and a stock or stone so it seemeth Christ died to purchase that which sinne destroied not and God restoreth that which was not lost or rather Testardus â—â—avels in this Argument to stifle his own conceptions 3. No man e The 53 could justly charge God of injustice if he should have adjudged all men of years to eternall death for f The. 144. Adams first transgression And yet he will not have that first finde nor the actual sins of the Heathen against nature without their sinning as he supposeth also in some sort against a Covenant of grace to be the cause of their eternal condemnation and punishment and his reason is Vt justitiae divinae in iis puniendis habeatur ratio that regard may be had in our thoughts to divine justice in their punishment Is not this interfeering with the former clause and Thesis As if unlesse the Heathen had sinned some way against a Covenant of grace Gods justice might be called in question when he had granted before that God had been most just to have thrown all men into hell for the first sinne And the like self-contradiction he hath about children g The. 53. who dares challenge God for injustice if he should stifle and sting with eternal death the of-spring of sinfull parents for Adams sinne in ipso vita limine at their first stepping into this world And yet h The. 145. he thinks it difficult to define what became of the Heathens children nor doth it appear to him how they are to be punished with the eternal torments of hell when as The. 53. he had made it evident by a similitude of the Serpents egges or young ones which if poor man may crush beriâ—es for their in bred propensity and poison why may not the Creatour and Lord of heaven and earth doe the like to Infants by nature prone to sinne against him before they put it forth in act 4. i The. 113. Sustentation of nature suspension of divine vengeance c. are fruits and testimonies as he thinks of a Covenant of grace and that with all men And yet k The. 18. elswhere he doubts not but God the Creatour and Preserver of Nature instained Adam and his faculties hiâ— sight hearing minde will appetite hand and teeth also in the very act of his sinning and as a fundamental proof thereof he â—iâ—eth that in Act. 17. 28. In him we live move â—â—e which to serve his purpose at another time he l The. 162. expounds of God as a Redeemer God can and did saith Testurdus as preserver of nature sustain Adam in to actu qâ—o peccavit in that act wherein he sinned and why may he not sustain his posterity say I in and under the guilt of that sin and in the actual fruits of that sin as Creatour and Preserver of nature suspending some of his own acts of highest justice for a time And yet that sustentation be no more a fruit of redemption then Adams was in the first act of sinning And so Gods being the Saviour of all men 1 Tim. 4. 10. which Testardus m The. 97. applieth to redemption be no more then what is in Job 7. 20. O thou preserver of men and what we have in Psal 36. 6. O Lord thou preservest man and beast A common act of providence 5. Christ offered himself he n The. 55. saith pro peccatis mundi for the sins of the world and quotes that in 1 Joh. 2. 2. for it whence elswhere o The. 87. he infers that Christ died pro omnibus singulis for all and every one and yet p The. 194. declaring and laying forth the peculiar benefit of Justification he dare not affirm it as belonging to any other but to the elect beleevers and the sheep of Christ who are united to Christ their surety and professedly saith Haec duo conjungit Apostolus The Apostle 1 Cor. 1. 30. joyneth these two together union and justification Now how can that cohere with his doctrine of separating the imputation of sin from the imputation of righteousnesse All mens sinnes are imputed to Christ and yet Christs righteousnesse first or last is imputed but to some Either he must let goe the Doctrine of singular and sole imputation of Christs righteousnesse to the elect which is a glorious truth to be adhered unto for ever or he must desert the opinion of universall imputation of the sins of the non elect unto Christ which is an errour worthy to be exploded and abandoned for ever 6. Man however a sinner q The. 45. hath reliquias quâ—sâ—am primigeâ—ia lucia some common notions of God naturally Imprinted in the heart c. and hath withall extrinsecally a light set before him and added to that imbred quâ—lity of his minde viz. Arguments of the God-head his power and goodnesse easily to beperceived in the Creation and administration of the world for proof whereof he quotes Rom. 1. 19 20. Act. 17. 26 27. And r Eatenâ—s tantum c The. 141. the utmost power exerted or put forth by this naturall light he holds according to Scripture Rom. 2. 14 15. Rom. 1. 21. that having the work or effect of the Law written in their hearts the Heathenish Gentiles did many things according to that Law as to acknowledge God in part to be powerfull good c. to worship him after their manner follow the shadow of vertue feel their consciences excusing and accusing c. Thus farre we have a fair pail of milk but doth he not spill it within a Thesis or two Å¿ Clarum est gratiam Christi ipsius sub Evangelij quibusdam velut rudimentis illis aliquâ—tenùs oblatam The 143. Where he cals these Reliques of natures light as it were certain rudiments of the Gospel offering and holding forth to blinde Heathen The grace of Iesus Christ Is not this a clashing with what he had said before of the whole power of nature Is it not a disparagement to the grace of Christ who it seems by this passage begins with Adams leavings We read of Scripture rudiments the ceremonies Gods positive institutions yet these are but beggarly in the point of justification Gal. 4. 7. And natures-reliques are as beggarly in the work of faith and sanctification but in the office of revelation and manifestation of Christ for righteousnesse and life much more beggarly Now if you will beleeve Testardus in this place where he saith Christ was presented and tendered to the Heathen by those most beggarly rudiments of nature and that every testimony of mercy in a way of providence is the grace of Christ where he speaks unsoundly you must not beleeve him in another place t The. 235. that faith depends
wealth honour and riches poor f Turcicum imperium quantuÌ„ quantum est mica tantum est Luth. crums or if you conceit it great morsels gobs and cantels upon the men of this world Gods great house now turned into a prison and appoints them ordinary relief out of the common basket of his bountifull providence which might lead them to repentance or will leave them without excuse and all this he doth for his Spouse the Church of the elect for whose sake he ordereth all men in the world or these common prisoners to be serviceable to her whom himself serves in not only with grace but with all outward mercifull supplies how mean or course soever in the great silver Charger of the Covenant as a Brother * M Tho. Case his Model of Thankfulnes in a Ser. before the Parl. upon Psa 107. 30 31 expresseth it Now who may not discerne a vast difference between the New-gate prisoners common basket and the Princes silverplates and chargers and who that will not shut his eyes seeth it not one thing to be reprieved and spared under the dominion of God's and Christ's power which is all the Serpents seed are capable of and another thing to be redeemed and bought out of the hands of sin and Satan into the Kingdome of Christs grace and glory yea and to have all things here come in by purchase and promise one thing for God to be the Saviour of all men or preserver of man and beast in the waies of his generall providence as Psal 36. 6. Another thing for God in Christ to provide for believers and his chosen ones from speciall purchase to serve them in with all things out of speciall love and to convey all unto them by a speciall promise 1 Tim. 4. 10. 6. Although this reprieve of the wicked is for the elects Demon. 6. sake and for Christs sake yet it follows not that it is by purchase for all that is for Christ and for the elect is not by purchase as to instance the creation of the world was for Christs sake All things were created by him and for him Col. 1. 16. yet he purchased not that creation The elect Angels are for him and he makes use of them for the good of elect men yet he purchaseth them not And the Reprobate Angels the devils are serviceable in the Kingdom of his power for the good of his Church to afflict and try them yet are they farre from being purchased so God can shew many drops of mercy to further on his Sons designes in a common way of providence and yet not put his Son to shed one drop of bloud for a reprobate mans preservation or livelihood that drop would make it too pure and shiere mercy which no serpentine seed tasts of but hath a cup of wrath and justice with every drop of mercy Lastly which may serve for our last demonstration and Last Demonstration and Answer last answer also to the grand Objection As Christs Kingdom of power and grace must not be confounded so his Redemption by price and his Redemption by power may not be separated They are only bought for whom the price is laid down 1 Cor. 7. 23. Ye are bought with a price who are there distinguished from men as men for whom the price is not so much as tendered but they who are bought with a price are h 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Col. 1. 13. brought out by a strong hand from the power of darknesse and are translated into the kingdom of love and of the Sonne of Gods love yea and the creature shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the sonnes of God Rom. 8. 21. As it shall be the glorious liberty of the sonnes of God to give homage and service of praise to God and their Father Redeemer and Sanctifier for ever So it shall be the glorious liberty of the creature to minister matter of praise to the elect who shall improve the creature to its full and perfect use and raise it up to its honour and dignity for which it was made to be instrumentally helpfull to mans praising and glorifying of his Creatour as the nurse i Wâ—llet upon Rom. 8. qu. 34. out of Chryso to a Kings sonne and heit-apparant to the Crown when the Prince comes to his fathers Kingdom the is made partaker of some choice preferment with the Prince she nursed But what is this to Christs purchase of the world for the men of the world or of all men in the world for worldly enjoyments When as 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the creature it self Rom. 8. 21. or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 every creature ver 23. or totus mundus conditus as Beza the whole substantiall structure and frame of the heaven and the earth is not there to be understood of every individuum or singular of every kinde nay 't is disputable whether every species shall be restored and continued And 2. not one individuall-non-elected man woman or childe hath any part of spirituall liberty here which they had if they were under the liberty of Christs purchase nor shall have any share in the glorious liberty of the sonnes of God and of the creature hereafter but as they are now in the common prison of this great house the habitable earth so they shall be all shut up in the close prison of hell their souls at death till the day of generall judgement and their bodies with their souls after that great day for ever and ever No ground can I finde for asserting that Christ hath purchased heaven or earth or any saving or any temporall benefit at all for any of the sonnes of men whose bodies and souls are not purchased as the elect-sonnes and daughters of God All is theirs not the menâ— of this world whether things present or things to come by purchase by promise by firm title and everlasting possession in Christ or all in all while here and in God our all in all in heaven for ever Object If any offer to object yet further The world 1 Cor. 3. 22. is the Saints and wicked men are a part of the world and so a part of Christs purchase as the chaff is purchased with the wheat for the wheats sake which when the wheat is severed from it is burnt up and cast into the fire I shall offer this Answ 1. Mans similitudes prove not a truth of God but illustrate onely and Gods similitudes Christs Parables as those of our Text or that of wheat and chaffe Math. 3. 12. have no such scope and they prove nothing beyond their scope 2. There is no Basis by any firm proposition of the Word to build such an illustration upon for all the world and even wicked men may be the Saints for use and benefit and yet they are not purchased but the benefit by them As death 1 Cor. 3. 22. is said to be the Saints i. e. at their
putting off First Here is the beleevers consent to part with what should be parted with for Christ implied in the mans going he goeth vers 44. And vers 46. in that 't is said of the merchant he went The word in v. 44. is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 subducit sese he withdrew himself Clam discedit as Beza noteth he went away secretly which can hold forth nothing better nothing else then the tacite consent of the minde and will to be at any 〈◊〉 for the purchase of what was found he goeth he is not thrust on and forc't he went of his own accord he is not driven â— Such an expression we have at Zacheus conversion He stood forth c Luk. 19. 8. which showed his consent and willingnesse before he fell upon action And St Paul no sooner hath Christ met with him and he with Christ upon the way to Damascus but he is at that point of consent d Act. 9. 6. Lord what wilt thou have me to doe Secondly This consent is brought into act the man and the Christian Merchant here he revoketh not his consent or steps back when a going but he gooth and selleth viz. â—â—â—ally pâ—â—teth with as God calleth and enableth what is to be parted with This actuall sale is actuall self-deniall and soul-impoverishing or soul-emptying and the liberty and limits or the free bounds of this mart is as God proclaims it and cals to it and strengthens in it which in some things that a Christian hath is presently done and in other things at certain times and by certain steps and degrees as opportunity is offered which better will be understood by opening Secondly The matters vendible or things here to be sold â— Matters vendible or to be sold that a man hath and all that a man hath He went and sold all that he had all that a man hath is either that which is his own from his own workings and earnings and that is sinne and the effects of it or that which is given him of God which is no part of the Treasure or Pearl or if it be it is but by way of evidence and sign which he lets go in some respeâ—â— for the thing it self especially when that which he hath â—â— but in supposition he put 's off all for Christ for whom I have suffered e Phil. 3. 8. saith Paul the losse of all things c. that is all things which stand in direct opposition to or comparative competition with the Lord Jesus Christ So the merchant here sets upon selling 1. All his sinnes he consents to let them goe would be rid of originall inherent corruption and is willing to part with all actuall iniquity whether open or secret of thought word or deed and he doth endeavour hereunto because God presently cals for it 1. By inward mortification of the old man from the power or Christs death through faith applied and by grief hatred and self-judging improved 2. By outward cestation and forsaking of those sinfull waies and courses wherein formerly he lived and traded as â—â— clear in Paul who was a persecutour is no more so 1 Tim. 1. and in the Corinthians they werâ— so and so f 1 Cor. 6 9 11 but are washed sanctified c. And in the Colossians who had put off the body of the sinnes of the flesh * Col. 2. 11. inward habits in their regency and strength and for outward acts they sometimes had walked g Col. 3. 7. with in fornication uncleannesse inordinate affection evil concuplscence and covetousnesse h vers â— and But now you i vers 8. and 9. also put off all these saith the Apostle anger wrath malice blasphemy filthy communication lying seeing ye have put off the old man with his deeds what they had done already in part about some sinnes more eminently he exhorts them to go on in this work of repentance as touching all sin whatsoever yea and they are resolved upon it For they have put on the new man k vers 10. which being acted and set on work will further mortifie and disable the old man In every true Christian the purpose love and practice of sinne is laid a side he trades not in it but by putting off off as last as he can he laies not in provision for the flesh to fulfill the lusts of it as his consent holds on so his endeavours hold out to be selling selling all this old lumber to his dying day 3. All his gifts of nature and morality wit and parts learning and knowledge in nature civil or humane affaires yea whatsoever is beneath the knowledge of Christ 1. From these his heart it removed in case of love confidence or high esteem he doâ—es not upon them affects them not confides not in them for one piece of his happinesse or that which will contribute in the least to help to Christ or his knowledge but as denied and subordinated to him and it 2. He is farre from using them against the Lord or against his Scripture and the understanding thereof nay 3. He is willing that their property and use should be â—ltered and converted from himself to the Lord and for the Lord and the best service he can doe him with such parts and gifts as he hath now receiving a new stamp by sanctifying grace St Paul is a most eminent example for us He was brought up at the feet of Gamaliel and taught according to the perfect manner of the law of the fathers emploied before his conversion as a man of parts against Christ but after he hath found that Pearl he fels all his parts and abilities to and for Christ denies his wisdome and learning where it opposeth the knowledge and spreading of the Gospel When be came to the Corinthians He came not with excellency of speech or of wisdome l 1 Cor. 2. 1. His speech and his preaching was not with the entising words of manâ— wisdome but in demonstration of the Spirit and power m vers 4. He preached Christ crucified in a crucified phrase he preached not to shew himself but the Spirit Although when there was some fruitfull and necessary use of it he could and did to convince the ignorant erring and gain-saying hearer or inform the teachable produce the testimonies of forraign Authours as of Aratus n Act. 17. â—8 Menander o 1 Cor. 15. 33. and Epimenidâ—s p Tit. 1. 12. yet he is very rare in such quotations and when any other way men would set up their humane parts and abilities in competition with the plain preaching of the Gospel he did wholly cry them down 1 Cor. 1. 19 20. Yea and as touching spirituall gifts of tongues and miracles c. when among the Corinthians some used their knowledge and gift of tongues in an unedifying way he reproveth them for it 1 Cor. 14 26. And when some with their working of miracles among the Galatians would being in
Parable or any other Scripture to speak this way viz. That Christ did buy the creature for all men our Vniversalists will not rest there give them but an inch of this or other texts to hold out Christs temporall purchase for every man and they will take an ell of his spirituall purchase in with it witnesse the Texts c Joh. 4. 42. 1 Tim. 24. 6 c. fore-alleadged and vindicated all which doe speak expressely of spirituall and saving benefits and so farre doth our new Expositour carry it beyond a temporall common good even to a Redemption from all sinnes against the Covenant of works which indeed is but that one first sinne of Adam before the promise by the tenour of his Doctrine for all having sinned in Adam and a Covenant of grace entered with those all after his sinne it must needs follow that all sinnes of Adam and of all his posterity afterwards are sinnes against the Covenant of grace only and Christ being the Mediatour of this Covenant he mediates for all that all may have Adams sinne forgiven which is beyond all temporall benefits for it puts them into a blessed state of Justification and life which the Apostle Rom. 5. sets in opposition to the state of guilt and death wherein all are involved by Adams sinne And it may be some over-indulgent expressions of some reverend and godly learned Teachers in our Churches have encouraged our Adversaries by what they have preached or written to this effect That some common benefit comes in to all men by Christ and that Christ as a Lord hath bought and purchased all wicked men their lives and their reprievall all that time that here they live and all the blessings and dispensations of goodnesse which here they do enjoy That which is indulgent is for Christ as a Lord to allow wicked men common benefits c. That which I thinke over-indulgent is that Christ hath bought and purchased these men and the world for them And the stretching inferences which our Arminian-Novellists doe wier-draw from hence are That such acts of Gods mercy are effects of Christs Mediatour-ship And if Christ doth it as a Lord thinke they yea and as a Jesus too and if God hath given them their lives c. for a time Christ hath purchased these lives of theirs and if he hath purchased them it is upon some satisfaction which Christ hath made to his Father and from some generall pardon which he hath obtained of his Father for Adam's and all mens first fault in Adam But that the world and the lives of wicked men and the blessings of this life though the earth be given to the sons of men even into the hands of the wicked Job 9. 24. come not in to them by Christs purchase I think I may evince by these Demonstrations 1. Either such a purchase is by some satisfaction to Gods Demonstratiōs against Christs purchase of all men for the world of creatures or of the creatures for all mankinde justice or not If not by any satisfaction then something Christ doth and offereth to God is a price unsatisfactory or no 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or price of redemption at all which is the dotage and madnesse of Socinus and his followers If by some satisfaction where Christ satisfies in part he satisfieth wholly where he obtains one mercy he obtains all and wicked men even reprobates must have the rest of the purchase or God gives not Christ what he hath purchased we may safely conclude therefore he purchased nothing for them at all neither spirituals nor temporals but all and only for them for whom he obtained an eternall Redemption as 't is called Heb 9. 13. 2. Then would Gods love and favour be known by outward Demon. 2. benefits at the first view and by good events of providence without any other consideration it is enough Christ purchased the world for them and them for the world God loves them nor is there any hatred to be taken notice of from other notions contrary to Ecclesiastes chap. 9. 1. 3. Then all are under Grace and Gospel-grace and Gospel-Covenant Demon. 3. Nature is grace even naturall reason and will or nature endued with reason and will as Pelagius fancied for this was part of the purchase 4. Grant but all temporall things even of men excommunicate Demon. 4. and of Heathens to be founded in grace I mean Gospel-purchase and Gods free favour in Christ and you Daven deter q. 30. lay a foundation for the Popes Supremacy and his deposing of Princes for that being granted 't is founded in grace and many Princes denying Romes grace and faith they conclude such are to be deprived of their temporall dominions and dignities 5. This confounds the Kingdom of Power and the Kingdom Demon. 5. of Grace and brings all humane Powers and Magistrates States and Common-wealths immediately under Christs mediatory Kingdom and that as they are Magistrates and civil States As Mr Hussey * Plea for Christian Magist 36 would have Christ by his mediation obtain of the Father that he shall not judge any man according to rigour but as they are in or out of Christ all deferring of judgement from the wicked is in and for Christ which otherwise the justice of God would not allow Mr Gillespy a Malè audis 29. well infers Then Christ dieth for them and did thus farre make satisfaction in the behalf of the wicked that judgement might be deferred from them and thus farre he hath performed acts of mediation for Savages and Mahumetans who never heard of the Gospel and thereby hath obtained that they shall be judged not according to rigour but by the Gospel which intimateth That Christ hath taken away all their sinnes against the Law so that all men shall now go upon a new score c. being all of them immediately upon Adams fall under a new Covenant and in a Kingdome of grace which sutes well and jumps in with Mr Oats's opinion not as good wits use to doe but as bad counsellours and conspiratours against a good cause or two as well that of Church-government confounded with the civil as that of a Covenant of grace confounded with a Covenant of works But I ask M. Hussey or any rationall Doctour Cannot Gods power be exercised where his grace in Christ is denied and cannot God be just and patient too why should we set one Attribute of God against the other when none of them doe interfere Object Gen. 2. 17. It will be said The threatning was full and peremptory In the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt die the death Except Christ steps in Justice proceeds upon him immediately God shews not a drop of mercy but for his Sonne I answer 1. Justice did proceed upon Adam at the instant of his sinning he begins to die the death his body becomes mortall and obnoxious to death in which sense the Apostle saith The body is dead Rom.