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
a Covenant of grace while he fights for a Covenant of works and nature all along as he speaks of the non-elect or reprobate as * Fideles verò minimè decet Reproborum in gratiam Ecclesiam turbare inquit ipse Test The. 294 295. himself cals them Now I leave it to others to ravel his bottom and to exauthorize this Authour from the number of Classick and Orthodox Truth is not afraid to enter errours den because though it be dark truth carrieth a light with it to search it out I shall desire my Countrey-Reader to peruse all that I commend to him in the controversie with a Bible in his hand and with humility and self-deniall in his heart My learned Reader I intreat may have Testardus in his left-hand and the two Testaments in his right What is practicall will serve for all who have spirituall palats and can relish spirituall nourishment Let Jesus Christ be thy Pearl and Treasure and thou wilt not make him common Jesus Christ in his Birth Life Death Resurrection Ascention Session Intercession at Gods right-hand is not ordinary nor for all but for the man and Merchant that findes him hideth him joyeth in him and selleth all to make sure of him So we preach so ye have believed and so we shall and must still believe that we may be saved And for you M. Oates my Countrey-man as I have acquainted my Reader in generall so I must charge it upon you as the principall stickler in these parts with your new Gospel and Baptisme that you provok't me both to the preaching and printing of what here followeth in reference chiefly to the Parables and your Exposition First You preacht in the town and to some of my ordinary hearers and fellow-Members without my leave then you defended what you had preacht to him that noted from your mouth You returned me word from Colchester goal whither and when as thinking it a fit time and place for reflection I sent for your Recantation that you would fain see me in print And you seconded it at Chelmsford-Assizes to my face in the Market-place that if I came forth if you did not answer me you would procure one that would You may remember I then admonisht you as a Christian to forbear the spreading of your errour You told me you took it to be a truth but if you have no surer props to uphold it then you gave me at that time and place Actum est de tua causa For then and there you informed me you learnt this Doctrine of the Church of England and to my answer you were an apter Scholar then I who never suckt such milk from her brests and to my question where your Reply was Doth not the Catechisme in the Service-book teach it Where in Answer to the Question What dost thou chiefly learn in these Articles of thy belief It is said First I believe in God the Father c. Secondly I believe in God the Son who hath redeemed me and all man-kinde But remember what I left with you at a present parting upon those words partly out of your desire lest the people should flock about us partly out of my respect to what the holy Ghost saith Go from the presence of a foolish man when thou perceivest not in him the lips of knowledge That Book nor Catechisme never went for the Doctrine of the Church of England but as Prelaticall spirits might have framed those words or as you with them have wrested the sense so you did act the Prelats part For as I since finde in the Title of that Catechisme it was to be learned of every childe before he be brought to be confirmed by the Bishop It seems you learnt it from your childehood and it may be the Bishops hands have been upon you at Confirmation though not at Ordination You are a true sonne by this Confirmation it may be I am sure by your Doctrine of the Prelaticall Church and an Apocryphall text is good enough for Apocryphall doctrâ—ne A plainer text it was for your darling point That Christ died for the bulk of man-kinde then the mans buying of the field in the Parable you wot of from which you have as it were made your appeal to the Church of England To that you shall go But first we must agree What is the Church of England Dare you say the Prelaticall company or the profane multitude This were to speak against light Turn you rather to the 19. of the 39. Articles put out an 1562. and you wâ—ll finde what a visible Church is viz. A Congregation of faithfull men c. A Congregation of faithfull men in England is a Church in or of England Now what Church or company of faithfull men will you select as a pillar of your supposed truth that hath held out your doctrine of universal Redemption I shall call forth three witnesses as a sufficient enumeration 1. The company that agreed to the 39. Articles They * Art 2. acknowledge That Christ suffered was crucified dead and buried to reconcile his Father to us and to be a sacrifice not only for originall guilt but also for all actuall sins of men But t is one thing for Christ to be a sacrifice for all sins of men originall actuall another thing for him to die for all mens sins or to dâ—e for the expiating of the sins of every singular man 2. The company of * Confession of the faith of 7 Anabaptist Churches in London 7. Congregations of your own way of Anabaptisme who though they be distinct in respect of their particular bodies for conveniency sake yet are all one in Communion They a Sect. 5. acknowledge The elect which God hath loved with an everlasting love are receemed c. And that b Sect 17 See also Sect. 21 Christ being consecrated c. hath fully performed and suffâ—red all those things by which God through the bloud of that his Crosse in an acceptable Sacrifice might reconcile his Elect only 3. The company or companies of faithfull men who differ only or chiefly in point of Baptisme from you and those fore-named in London but are with joynt-consent united and knit together in fellowship of the Apostles doctrine breaking of bread and praiers Produce me any of them who for these 100. years and upwards have in England held forth your doctrine of universal Redemption as the Doctrine of the Church of England or of the Churches in England No they have ever been more pure in Doctrine what-ever pollutions too many we have had the Lord humble us and make us ashamed for them in Discipline I hope by this time you will be ashamed with a shame and sorrow that brings forth repentance not to be repented of And my hearts desire to God for you and the rest of my seduced Countrey-men in Norfolk Norwich Lin is that they may be reduced with you and saved with you For I bear you record that you have a zeal
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.
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
Scripture Testardus with all of that opinion will be to seek for generall Redemption Secondly Such a generall Covenant he holds forth as agreeth 2. Not a generall Covenant not with the Scripture-tenour how loud soever may be the sound 't is a jarring string or instrument when brought into Gods quire and consort 1. The Scripture-Covenant of grace is founded in that seed of the woman Christ Jesus and in him made with the woman and a speciall rank or company contradistinct to the seed of the serpent Gen. 3. 15. Gal. 3. 16 17. But q The. 54 77 112. Testardus represents it as made not only with Adam but in Adam with all mankinde with Noah and in him with all mankinde 1. How doth it appear by Scripture that the Covenant of grace was made so much as with Adams person with Eve it was expressely enmity being put between her and the Serpent and therefore actuall reconciliation between her and God promised and obtained but grant it that as he had the conditionall offer of the Mediatour then preached so he had grace given him to accept it 2. How made in Adam who is no more a publike person representative after his fall but as a sinner and a broken bankrupt not entrusted with the new stock All the new stock is put into Christs hands 3. As for that Covenant made rather then renewed with Noah Gen. 9. 't is not the Covenant Gen. 9. 9 10. of Grace and that made in him again as Testardus exprest it of Adam with all mankinde but a Covenant of a terrene and common benefit made with beasts and every animal in the air or upon the earth v. 9. 10. as well as with men And though to beleevers every earthly benefit is an appendix to the promise of Christ and so was that blessing to Noah r Dei benedictio erga Noaâ—hum filios ejus i. e. erga ecclesiam cujus causa mundus restitutus est Jun. Aâ—al in Gen 9. 1. and that for the Churches sake yet what is this to prove the Covenant of universall Redemption and that in spirituals as far as Testardus carrieth it 2. The Scripture-Covenant of Grace is absolute entire and unchangeable in all Gods agreements and transactions with Christ as a surety to pay the debt forfeiture and principall also And as a publike person or root to provide a new stock and give a new nature and to lose none of those whom God and Christ have agreed upon to be saved God saith Psal 2. 7. Thou art my sonne this day have I begotten thee Christ saith I will declare the decree God saith Thou art a Priest Psal 110. 3. Thou shalt be the Sacrifice Thou shalt be my salvation Isa 49. 6. And I will give thee for a Covenant a Covenant-founder and ratifier by thy bloud Heb. 13. 20. Christ agreeth Psal 40. 7 8. Loe I come Joh. 17. 19. I delight to doe thy will Joh. 17. 19. For their sakes I sanctifie my self I addresse my self to â—uffer for them and as it pleased the Father that in him all fulnesse should dwell Col. 1. 19. So it pleaseth the Son that all that God hath given him to die for Be sanctified through the truth and receive out of his fulnesse grace for grace Joh. 1. 16. This is the Fathers will that of all which he giveth his Son nothing i. e. none of the elect Jewels be lost Joh. 6. 39. And this is the will of the Son Joh. 17 24. Father I will that they also whom thou hast given me be where I am c. Thus stands the sole and absolute agreement between God and Christ but Testardus will have the Covenant of Grace Å¿ The. 102. conditionall and t The. 112. Mox sinens c. changeable and that u The 93. as made in Christ with all men or with Christ for all men although he yeeldeth an absolute agreement about the elect yet the would have another agreement and that between God and Christ about the rest of mankinde Qui non sunt Christi oves who are not the sheep of Christ for whom x The. 75 76 77. Christ is Vaâ— sponsor a surety and undertaker but not as for the elect a pledge but no sure pledge an undertaker but no absolute undertaker in the worlds behalf which is as good as none at all I am sure the Scripture doth not thus disparage Christ his suretiship but it makes him a compleat righteous person for whom Christ is a surety As sure as Christ was his surety and took the sinners debt upon himself so the sinner is and must be accounted righteous in his surety And as much Testardus a The. 56. somewhere seemingly affirmeth according to that of the Apostle 2 Cor. 5. ult He hath made him to be sinne for us that we might be made the righteousnesse of God in him But b The. 65. in his sense of these words he first wresteth and stretcheth the meaning of the Apostle and would have the sin of all the world imputed to Christ as to a surety and undertaker for every man by reason of his Sacrifice propitiatory and satisfaction of divine justice And afterwards straimeth the meaning of that place and applieth it only to c The. 194. beleevers who only have Christs righteousnesse imputed to them as if the Father and his Son had agreed that Christ should have an universall imputation of sin or the sins of all men charged upon him to expiate and satisfie for but only some men should have the particular or speciall and sole imputation of his righteousnesse which must needs make an Argument or Paralogisme of quatuor termini in the Apostles reason For he hath made him c. taking the persons for whom he was made sin us in a larger sense of all mankinde and the persons who are made righteous we in a stricter of beleevers and elect But let God be true and every man in his own unbeleeving sense aliar 3. In the Scripture covenant of grace as Gods justice is satisfied on Christs part so nothing but meer mercy without any revenging wrath fals to be the portion of them that are reconciled and for whom a price is paid that all their trespasses being forgiven Col. 2. 13. they might have knowledge of their salvation thereby Luk. 1. 77 78. through the tender mercy of our God But Testardus draught of the Covenant is such as that notwithstanding the death of Christ and satisfaction for all yet d The. 150. justice and wrath seizeth upon a world of sinners in their just hardening to all eternity and that e The. 280 294. according to a decree of justice 4. The Scripture covenant of grace is altogether of grace hangs nothing upon works Rom. 11. 6. nothing upon the will of the creature Rom. 9. 16. Testardus makes a mixture of grace and works grace and will and so confounds the Covenant of grace and of works
a few Arguments for the due order of election before redemption and for the sole redemption of the elect as a fruit of their election That the decree of election is in order of nature before the decree of redemption 1. The Father hath the first right as he is first in order of subsistence The Son hath it given him from the Father Joh. 17. 6. Thine they were in the first purpose and choice and thou gavest them me to own as mine and being lost not fallen out of election but into a state of non-communion to redeem and bring to God 2. Election is first to glory and election to glory is before the fall and therefore before redemption which comes in after sinne as a means to bâ—ing to glory by such grace to the praise of the glory of Gods most free grace Eph. 1. 4 5 6. 3. Creation was for Christ Col. 1. 16. and therefore Christ first thought upon as a head of elect Angels and men and as he is before all created things in the counsel of God all things are made for his glorious ends upon his elect had there been no fall but for the further manifestation of Gods love the fall is permitted and ordered to bring in not only God-incarnate but God crucified 3. Love is in order before mercy Eph. 2. 4. The decree of election is an act of meer love That of redemption an act of pure mercy and consequentiall upon love in the decree And in the execution all the tender mercies of redemption are fruits of that love which gave being to election as election gives a Redeemer and redemption 2. That Redemption by Christs death is solely and only of and for the elect as a fruit of their election 1. Christ died for them and them only whom he represented whose names were in the bond of agreement or in the Covenant of his Suretiship and that were virtually in him upon the crosse Some were virtually in him upon the crosse for he was there as a publike person all were not virtually in him but such as are in due time spiritually and powerfully united to him if any more but they then Christs death and crosse loseth some of its vertue Christs power is lesse then Adams for as all sinned in Adam the imputation of his sin is put upon all their persons whom he represented Now not any but true beleevers and the elect seed are in time spiritually and powerfully united to Christ even by Testardus doctrine * The 192 194. nor doe any but such partake of Christs satisfactory righteousnesse by spirituall propagation or union and bond of the Spirit and faith as they that are in Adam by naturall propagation and bond of nature are partakers of his condemning guilt which Testardus proâ—eth from Rom. 5. 16 c. as we use to prove it By proportion of the first and second Adam virtuall and actuall union and imputation goe together Now who will say Christ represented more then the elect c 3. If Christ died for more then the elect more then the elect must beleeve in him as an effectuall Saviour or he must be beleeved on as an ineffectuall Saviour by some or other Now not Testardus nor any such Vniversalist will say that his death is or was ever intended to be savingly efficacious to all only such a grosse Atheist or distracted brain as he that put out * A pamphlet sentenced before p. 30. as unworthy of any light but the light fire Divine Light And that which is not nor was intended is not to be beleeved Nor will or dare any bid men beleeve in Christ for half or half a quarter of salvation who are in their found mindes But beleeve we say in Christ for all or nothing when we take the Scripture-scope along with our preaching 3. Christ died for those and those only who shall finde their election by beleeving in his death none can finde their Act. 13. 38. election who first had it not in Gods counsel That representation therefore of Christs death which Testardus makes in some respects common to more then Gods elect doth weaken the hands and hearts of true beleevers shake the faith of Gods elect and obscure Gods election as well as the reasonings of Sam. Oates and I hope with Gods elect at last the doctrine of the one will be received for Orthodox no more then the other but both be rejected as Heterodox Let those who preach hear write reade of Christs death and Redemption beleeve in him for all actuall union and effieacy of communion and the assurance of their election thereby as the cause is known and assured by the effect and you shall finde the Treasure and the Pearl for which the Christian man and merchant sold all he had and bought it As it followeth in the Parables CHRIST THE Gospel-Treasure AND PEARL MATH 13. 44 45. â—â—ain The Kingdom of heaven is like unto treasure hid in a field the which when a man hath found he hideth and for joy thereof goeth and selleth all that he hath and buyeth that field â—gain The Kingdom of heaven is like unto a Merchant man seeking goodly pearls c. IT is high time that we come in the wisdom and Part. 2. strength of Christ to set out the right and genuine Scope Explication and Use of these Parables 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for the repairing and edifying of your judgements which have been shaken and staggered by the perverting abuses of the late novel The true scope of these two Parables Exposition The Scope for the doctrinall part is to teach and set forth the worth and excellency of Christ and Grace and the Gospel of Grace with a Christians affectionatenesse strongly carried out to him and it And for the Vse it is to advise and excite all that read and hear hereof to be like unto this man and merchant in the Text in affection and action The particular and punctuall Exposition according to this The sense and meaning general scope is as followeth In these two Parables as in all similitudes there are two parts 1. The Proposition holding forth the resemblance 2. The Reddition applying the thing resembled to the resemblance 1. The Proposition or resemblance is drawn forth two waies First of a Treasure hid and found and hid again rejoyced in and purchased by him that found it with all that he had Secondly Of a Pearl found by a Merchant man c. 2. The Reddition so is the Kingdom of heaven as is a Treasure and Pearl in the discovery and purchase of it so is the Kingdom or the Kingdom of heaven is like unto c. that is there is that worth in it and that transaction and management of affairs about it as if a man should finde a treasure in a field or seeking many pearls he should finde one of great price and having found this Treasure this Pearl he goeth and selleth all that he hath and buyeth
2. Ioying which is nothing else but the joy of faith in the knowledge and apprehension of what is certainly attainable in the Gospel and precious promises 3. Selling and selling all his selling is 1. His consent to part with what he hath he goeth to that end 2. His actuall parting with what is his as and when God calleth and enableth All That is all that he hath of his own that may be truly called his what ever stands in competition with or opposition to Christ and his Gospel-grace As 1. His sins and sinfull-self the body of sinne and earthly members 2. His common gifts naturall and morall of understanding reason wit usuall competitours with and opposers of grace 3. His own righteousnesse of outward duties civil religious frames of heart 4. His worldly profits pleasures honours preferments friends c. 5. His self-ends in profession dependency or confidence of strength to mortifie a lust 6. All his externall Church-priviledges in point of dependance 7. Life it self Though skin for skin c. yet he consents to the parting with this also and doth it actually when called to lay it down for Christ and the Gospel-truth and grace 4. Buying the field and treasure and pearl this is the last effect of finding whereby he gets firm assurance and clear evidences written and sealed which is more then the first act of beleeving even a giving diligence to make his calling and election sure heaven Christ and grace sure to his person and clear to his spirit and conscience Of such a buying the Scripture speaks Isa 55. 1. Revel 3. 18. alibi Thus then take up the summe of all Christ and the Gospel-grace in the preaching and administration of it is a most rich treasure and pretious pearl hidden in a field of promises and Gospel-dispensations which when any of Gods elect at the time of their effectuall calling minding other things is prevented with by Gods light and love and drawn to beleeve it attainable for himself he doth humbly hopefully and highly esteem of it and in love and holinesse purposeth to make sure of it And from the joy that he hath and conceives to have in a further enjoyment sets upon the work of extreme self-deniall and poverty of spirit consents to part with all his sinnes all his pride of parts and gifts all his self-justifying righteousnesse all his shackles and snares in the creature his self-ends dependencies on his own strength or Church-priviledges le ts goe life and all as called to it and thereby gives diligence to get full assurance and firm evidence of Christ and all heavenly treasure as his own According to and out of which Paraphrase we shall have contract them as I can seven pertinent and usefull Doctrines 1. Christ and Gospel-grace is a precious treasure hidden in Gospel-promises and dispensations 2. Every one of Gods elect as others they wander up and down in their minds and endeavours after imaginary mediums and waies of happinesse 3. In Gods good time his elect are prevented with his light and love and drawn to beleeve the attainablenes of this treasure for themselves 4. There is in every true beleevers heart an humble hopefull loving high esteem of Christ and his grace and a holy purpose to make out for assurance of him and it 5. The Christian who findes Christ rejoyceth in him 6. The joy of a beleever worketh him to utmost self-deniall 7. Extreme poverty of spirit and thorow self-deniall will so possesse a soul of Christ and of the treasure of his Kingdome as he shall have full assurance and firm evidence that Christ is his and he is Christs that heaven is reserved for him and he for heaven Doct. 1. Christ and Gospel grace is a precious hidden Doct. 1 Treasure Which Doctrine brancheth it self out into three Christ a precious hidden treasure Propositions 1. He is a treasure 2. Precious treasure 3. Hidden treasure Branch 1. Christ and his Gospel-grace is a Christians treasure Branch 1. The f Col. 3. 1. Mat 5 21. 19 20. Scriptures quoted in the Explication and margent prove it for 1. That which a Christian must seek and set his heart upon must needs be his treasure this is Christ and his Kingdome 2. That which is brought in earthen vessels Paul and the despised frail Ministers of the Gospel that is our treasure which is Christ and his riches 2 Cor. 4. 7. I adde 3. That which hath abundance and enough to enrich and Copia sacultatum supply all that finde it with all that their hearts doe or can desire is surely our treasure In Christ there is abundance of all good of all the fulnesse of the Godhead which dwelleth in him bodily Col. 2. 9. If he gives life he gives it in abundance Joh. 10. 10. If righteousnes it is given and received too in abundance Rom. 5. 17. If grace and the Spirit he sheds it forth abundantly Tit. 3. 6. And the Gospel hath a fulnesse of blessing in it Rom. 15. 29. Branch 2. It is not abundance of dirt or drosse but all Branch 2. precious And in that respect Christ and Gospel-grace is as well set out here by a Pearl as by a Treasure a Treasure for quantity a Pearl for quality one Pearl for the single sole compleatnesse of his grace The preciousnesse is evident by two properties in the Text. 1. The value and price not ordinary but great 2. The rarity and peculiar one-nesse but one such in all the world First The value and price great and dear * Pretiosissimi praetij according to the Syriack Trem. we may take the estimate hereof in three weighty considerations 1. Of what price Christ is with the Father of highest esteem with his Father no question his elect servant in whom Gods soul delighteth Isa 42. 1. His beloved Son in whom he is well pleased Mat. 3. ult The Son of his dearest love Col. 1. 13. Amongst many demonstrations these are convincingly set before us in Scripture 1. It pleased not the Father that any or all men and Angels should be the store-house of grace but that in him all fulnesse Col. 1. 19. should dwell 2. The Father hath given all into his hands All dispensations Joh 3. 35. of the Fathers love from election to glorification are through Jesus Christ 3. The Father hath set him at his own right hand of Heb. 1. 13. Majesty and Glory till he hath made all his enemies his footstool 2. Of what price considered in himself his Person 2. Of what price considered in himself his Offices 1. In his Person The Son of God co-essentiall with the Verbum in carne margarita in concha Father and Spirit Emmanuel the Word made flesh What a pearl is here God and man united in one person of the Son of God That mystery which the Angels desire to gaze upon as men gaze upon a jewell or pearl and which they stoop to pry into as men
recompence all their diligence with full assurance of hope unto the end Heb. 6. 11. The Heathen could say That the gods sold all for sweat and we can say most truly of our God That when a Christian sweats in self-denial mortification sufferings c. he shall have from him as sure as he is just and faithfull what he sweats for 3. God is able to put a soul into possession and that everlastingly of what it laies out pains and diligence for Ioh. 10. 28 29 30. Christs and his Fathers power is united for the assurance of life to his sheep and for their preservation unto life Use 1 Aword of confutation Hence we inferre the certainty of salvation by Christ and Gospel-grace against all that doubting Doctours or doubting hearts can say to the contrary for it is as sure as any thing here can be made sure and more sure then any earthly purchase there being more in the substance of this parabolicall merchandize then in the shadow yet every expression in the shadowy resemblance speaks assurance a treasure found a treasure hidden a treasure joyed in and a treasure bought a pearl found and bought That the treasure was found hidden by God and is hidden by God and is hidden again by the finder and joyed in all this makes towards assurance but when that field for the treasures sake and the treasure with the field and the pearl and all is bought and all sold that all might be bought here is assurance upon assurance Then is Christ surely a mans own the propriety known enjoyed and used Are not you sure of that which you have bought and purchased and have deeds and evidences to shew for it after the true title is tried and proved and the false claim disproved The true beleever you see is a great purchaser he hath deeds and evidences in the promises to shew and he hath the witnesse in himself Our Gospel 1 Joh. 5. 10. saith the Apostle to the Thessalonians came not unto you in word only but in power and in the holy Ghost and in â— Thess 1. 5. much assurance And when the tempter came to tempt them though cap. 3. 10. there was something lacking in their faith in regard of degrees yet sensible they were and sure of what they had as of what they lacked and wanted The same Apostle to the Romans speaks of a double witnesse Rom. 8. 15. Gods Spirit witnessing with the Spirit or renewed conscience of a beleever Yea the Apostle Iohn makes report of â— Joh. 5. 7 8. three Witnesses in heaven and of three upon earth in the heart The Spirit equall with the Father and Son in heaven and above bloud and water on earth ratifying the acts and reflections of faith about our justification shining upon his own work of sanctification and ever teaching the soul in and after self-denying diligence to be assured never to doubt of what they have found as theirs Object 1 But some doubting Doctour will say There can be no assurance without extraordinary revelation Familists and Libertines say the like with the Papists in effect who are all for an immediate Testimony of the Spirit without evidence of grace within them or a life-testimony without them or without Scripture-evidence and verdict upon them Answ 1 1. Assurance is first found where it is founded without us in Gospel-grace Gods free-love giving Christ c. 2. Faith finding assurance in it's object more then in it's own acts and reflections by closing with a sure word of promise an unchangable Covenant becomes sure in it's acts and reflexions through the Spirit 3. More firm and full assurance comes daily in by this Christian selling and buying As the experience of thousands speak it By self-denial and diligent use of the ordinances and meanes of salvation they have ordinarily obtained sure hold possession and use of Christ have known they have had him and shall be saved eternally by him But with the tenets of Rome the Doctrine of doubting agreeth well enough viz. That a man is not justified by imputation of Christs righteousnesse but by inherent holinesse That a man must make some temporal satisfaction to Gods justice here and the rest in Purgatory That his general faith resolved into the testimony of the Church virtuall the Popes brest is enough to salvation That by the power of free-will and nature he may and must concur with Gods grace in conversion c. The Roman faith of these and such like tenets will never assure a man that he is in the state of grace or shall be in the state of glory Nor will Arminian grounds bring home assurance viz. That Christ died for all as for one That God hath not absolutely elected any That all things put into the balance which may be considered in Christs death yet none may be saved That all operations put which may be put in as ingredients to conversion yet grace may be resisted and if gotten yet lost it may be at last and put away But from the true Gospel-faith preached and the true Gospel-treasure in Christ discovered infallible and absolute promises Christs righteousnesse imputed to justification Faith and holinesse wrought irresistably by the Spirit who is given to discover and seal up grace given and glory promised and who carrieth on the beleever in the means and ordinances keepeth him to them and makes them effectuall for the obtaining of what he seeks after Assurance and evidence unquestionable may be is and shall be had and enjoyed for ever Object 2 But saith the doubting heart mans heart is deceitfull above all things and I cannot finde such and such evidences as you speak of by all the diligence and self-denying pains that I have yet laid out for the Gospel-pearl and Treasure Answ 1. I am very jealous whether thou hast denied that deceitfull heart from bearing any witnesse at all about thy estate If the heart be deceitfull as it is in the best so farre as unregenerate good reason it should not be heard speak at all 't is a false witnesse and will give in false evidence I agree with thee the old deceitfull heart and every piece of it must be sold away denied 2. The heart so farre as beleeving a faithfull promise Conscience as justified by Christs bloud and sanctified by the Spirit is not deceitfull The Spirit is truth and too holy to deceive 1 Joh. 5. 6 and too wise to be deceived in this great point of a Christians assurance when he certifieth Gods love and love-tokens to the soul 3. It is and will be more sure then any earthly purchase if that may be wrangled away this cannot if an heir may be cheated of his inheritance in his minority the childe of God cannot He who selleth all sels all his deceitfull heart away and all false evidences and dictates to consult with the Word and Spirit of truth to hearken to Gods bargain to read his writings to view and hold out