1. It derogates from the perfection of God from which they pretend thereby to escape denying him to be capable to be what he hath said he is and his Throne and dwelling Place to be where he hath said it is and to do what he hath said he doth and will do which is his perfection in a God-like way to do 2. It 's that which tends to end the Scripture revelation as the truth of God tending to make us wholly at a loss concerning his mind and will relating to us rendering him to have two Wills contrary to each other and that he intends not what he speaks and so leaves us wholly at a loss about the Divine revelation â—â—ich is exceeding dishonorable unto God and perniâ—â—rs unto men Christ Christ saith in the institution of the Supâ—â— Mat. 26. 26 28. Of the Bread this is my Body â—â—â— of the Wine this is my Blood c. And if we take â—â—ccording to the Letter we know it is not so And it â—â—â—ise justifies the Popish Transubstantion Min. Much might be said to this but I shall in this â—â—ce only say this unto it viz. That both Christ and â—â— Apostle Paul fully explains these Words to be a fiâ—â—ative Speech 1. that Christ explains it Luk. 22. â—â— This do in remembrance of me to let them and us â—â—w that he did not intend that it was he himself but â—â— Ordinance instituted and left to the Church in reâ—â—mbrance of him viz. Of what he had suffered for â—â—m so the Apostle likewise from the mouth of â—hrist explains it 1 Cor. 11. 24 25 26. This do in â—â—membrance of me and this do in remembrance of me â—â—â— as often as ye Eat this Bread and Drink this Cup â—â— do shew the Lords Death till he come it was Bread all even when they eat it and the Cup viz. the â—ine was Wine still and it was to shew the Lords â—â—ath and not the Lords Death so that it 's fully exâ—â—ained in the Divine Record to be a remembrance a â—â—ure a shew and not the thing it self so that Tranâ—â—bstantiation is not only irrational but unscriptural and so irreligious Christ I shall at present enquire no further but deâ—re you to draw up the sum of the whole as briefly as you â—â—n and so to conclude the present discourse Min. I shall but before I so do and in order thereunto I shall briefly promise five things 1. That the Scriptures are the divine and revealed Word and Will of God and as so are our rule in all matters both of Gospel-Faith and Practice Isa 8. 20. 2 Tim. 3. 15. 1 Joh. 4. 6. and that whoever denieth this denieth the ground of all Christian Faith and Religion as likewise those who affirm that the promises and precepts are not God's intentions or purpose 2. That all matters of Faith especially of things fundamental viz. things to be believed and deâ—â— without which we cannot be saved are plainly set down in the Scripture and are to be understood according to the express Letter of the Scripture or the plain Scope and Reason thereof and not to build our Faith on mens interpretations and additions otherwise our Faith must be built on mens interpretations and additions and not on the Word of the Lord which must needs be an uncertain and unsafe building and if we so build our Faith how far we shall be from Rome in this matter is easie to be understood by the weakest capacity 3. That had we not had this Divine Revelation of Gospel grace by Christ we should have been as ignorant thereof as the Nations that are without it 4. And therefore it much concerns us to believe it on its own authority and to prize it and cleave to it without adding or diminishing by interpretationâ— or additions of failable men especially in things fundamental 5. I add That what I have said in this Discourse or shall further say is not so much by way of interpretation otherwise than by comparing and uniting the Scripture in its own light language and reason so as that I doubt not but the meanest capacity being wilâ—â—g may easily understand and the belief thereof impose on none further than it 's apprehended truth â—â—d worth takes place in the understandings and conâ—â—ences of men Having premised these things I shall result the whole â— briefly as possible I can in which if I am not very â—â—ch mistaken is comprehended most of the Fundaâ—entals of Gospel Doctrin and Christian Faith and â—â—ligion in order to salvation united in the plain â—â—ds sense and truth of Scripture as a golden â—â—in of which not one link may be broken without â—â—ger to the whole 1. That God is Heb. 11. 6. and that there is but one â—â—d the Father and one Lord Jesus Christ 1 Cor. 8. 6. â—â—d that this one God is an infinite incomprehensible â—â—rious and eternal Being most holy wise just good â—â—d gracious almighty omnipresent merciful and true â—â—d faithful in his sayings Deut. 33. 7. Isa 40. 28. 1 Sam. 1 Psal 139. 7. 2. That this almighty wise and good God made all â—â—â—ngs by Jesus Christ Joh. 1. 1 2 3. with Ephes 3. 9. â—â— 1. 16. Heb. 1. 2. and that he made all things good his own content Gen. 1. 31. and made man best of â—â—l viz. in his own Image or likeness Gen. 1. 26 â— 28. and so did not nor could not make any deâ—rdly to sin and be damned it being contrary to the â—â—dness of his nature and name and the truth of his â—ord and so impossible for so wise holy just and good God to make any of his Creatures designedly to so â—â— an end 3. That man by transgressing the Law of his Makerâ— seil from that good estate in which he was made into an estate of sin and death Gen. 2. 16 17. and 3. 6 and that death threatned and inflicted was only the first death Gen. 3. 16 17 18 19. 1 Cor. 1â— 21 2â— and that this death came into and passeth upon all men Rom. 5. 12 18. 4. That God of his own free goodness and mercy immediately aftâ—r the sin and fall set him upon promise of recovery and restitution out of this falâ— state by the â—â—â—d of the Woman that should brouâ—â— the head design of the Serpent Gen. 3. 15. and afterward frequently renewed the promise of this Gracâ— to Mankind Gen. 22. 18. and 26. 4. and 28. 14. Psaâ— 72. 11 17. Joh. 1. 45. with Act. 3. 21. 5. That according to the promise of this grace who the fulness of time was comes God sent forth this promised Seed and Son made of a Woman Gal. 4. 4. thâ— Seed of Abraham the Son of David and the Son God truly God and Man Matth. 1. 1. Luk. 1. 32 3. Rom. 9. 5. as a real demonstration of love to the World according to the foregoing promises thereof Luk. 2. 1 Joh. 2. 16. 6. That this Son and Saviour being come into â— World for this
thing mistaken I would gladly be informed therein from Scripture light and right reason Isa 8. 20. the things being of great if not of greatest concern and if I mistake not are all of them the revealed things of Divine wisdom and therefore it belongs to us to be enquiring thereinto and on these grounds I am not willing to doubt your ready and inoffensive reception of my poor endeavours in these great matters with this my Dedication Considering first that you know though all men are not skilled in the Langudges nor in artificial Philosophy yet it is radically in all rational men without which they could not be capable either of artificial attainments or of Divine teachings 2 That you know God is at liberty in his teaching and always has been so and therefore may as formerly he has done led the unlearned into truth asson as the learned and sometimes before them Luke 10. 21. 1 Cor. 1. 26. to 29. Therefore let not the Learned despise the unlearned nor the unlearned judge the learned but prize and own the teachings of God in each other let us be humble and self denying let us own truth and reject error where ere we find it and thus it will be where Christ and Grace rules O that none of us all may give the Lord cause to say of us as of his people of old Hos 8. 12. I have written to him the great things of my law and they were counted as a strange thing I desire that none of the great things God has written to us in his Gospel law of grace may be accounted strange by us And thus not to detain you any longer in this Dedication I commit the ensuing Discourse to your most serious considerations and the like unto all into whose hands it may come if any thing therein carry not Scripture authority in it let it not be credited but if it do take heed and beware how you contradict it this and no other is expected by him who longeth for the manifestation of the Gospel in its truth purity and power the glory of God and the good of all men Fare ye well T. C. THE PREFACE TO THE READER Christian Reader THis ensuing Treatise or Christian discourse as it s brought forth by special occasion so it s really designed for thy special profiting and spiritual advantage the name of God and Christ the truth of the Gospel the spiritual and Eternal good of men being greatly concerned in the matters discoursed on altho its true that by reason of the Apostacy and other occasions we may truly say that darkness yea gross darkness hath covered us and the vail and covering spread over all Nations hath very much bewildred us and that in the great things of the glorious Gospel of the blessed God And that which is most of all to be lamented is that we are willing to have it so if any glimmerings of light but begin to appear out of the darkness we cry out upon it as if some prodigious Comet or foul spirit had appeared and that it may be before we so much as admit of a serious search and due consideration whether it be true or false A wonderful perverse spirit seems to be in us on this account Many I am perswaded crying out on that they never saw and others on that they never read with deliberation and judgment seriously pondering it in the balance of the sanctuary and so speak evil of the things they understand not which necessarily may tend to bring under that wo. Isa 5 20. Wo to them that call evil good and good evil that put darkness for light and light for darkness If we are so averse in our minds as not to have patience to ponder ought but what our selves indulge be it right or wrong and cry down all that seems contrary thereunto we may cry down truth for errour and cry up errour instead of truth it s an old and known proverb the burnt child dreads the fire the sence of which laid to heart would tend to make us more wise For help and cure in this matter I shall premise a few things to serious consideration 1. That its a matter of highest concern to us all to understand believe and obey the truth to love the truth and peace it being truth that must intrest us in Gospel freedom and without the saving knowledge thereof we may not expect to obtain it Joh. 8 31 32. 2. That we all come short in our knowledge and understanding of the great things of the Gospel and may and must say if we say right even in this very matter that in many things we offend all and need the mercy of God in our Lord Jesus to pardon and cover our ignorances if not our wilfulness which on our repentance he is ready to do 3. That notwithstanding this vail of darkness and ignorance too much of wilfulness yet in the due and true sence thereof and as it s our great concern if we be duely and diligently searching and enquiring after the knowledg of the mind and will of God as revealed in the word of his Grace and that in all things relating to matters both of Faith and practice it s his promise that in this way knowledge shall be increased And then shall they know if they follow on to know the Lord. Dan. 12 4. Hos 6 3. 4. And as an encouragement herein and as it s generally in word acknowledged that matters of fundamental concern are plainly and not darkly stated in the Scriptures which is or should be of encouragement to us all to be enquiring thereinto and to strike dead that spirit and practice of putting harsh interpretations on the plain revealed will of God in the Gospel so darkening if not outing and ending even the fundamental truths thereof the divine revelation being the alone ground and rule of our faith and practice in all matters of Gospel concern 5. And yet that we are moderate in our notions and not impose our apprehensions and supposed light on others no otherwise than the apprehended truth thereof takes place in the understanding and conscience imposition any other ways being the Babylonish apostatised spirit and is far from the spirit of the Gospel where is most of Gospel light and truth obtained such are furthest from an imposing spirit on others 2 Cor. 1. 24. Phil. 3. 15 16. 1 Pet. 5. 3. and those who are most in the flesh and involved in darkness are ordinarily the greatest imposers of their supposed light upon others Joh. 16. 2. Gal. 4. 29. 2 Thes 2. 3 4. 6. And yet it concerns the children of light as to concrete in so earnestly to contend for the faith as it was once delivered to the Saints Jude v. 3. Tho all should be done in the Gospel spirit of love and peace which I hope I can say has been my design in all and would be my joy to see more of love and peace among all profest Christians as
understand it as I have said unless they will have the Roman unity to be the matter intended Which such as it is is maintained by persecutions massacres and blood a union more suting brutes than christian men But we shall one day know that the dreadful divisions among profest Christians is not for wans of a mediator but from our own sinful selves Christ I am well satisfied in the truth of what you have said about this matter in all the parts thereof I desire you to give me some further instructions by way of inference for my learning herein Min. 1. You may learn what bad and sad work they make who deny the general grace of God to men and the general sacrifice of Christ for the world casting contempt and reproch thereupon calling and accounting them adversaries that believe and own it when themselves it is that teach a doctrine and lay a foundation the Scripture knows not viz. that God loved but a few only in the gift of his son and that Christ died only for a few and reprobated all the rest to eternal destruction so denying the Scripture and root up the foundation of Gospel faith and salvation 2. Of the impossibility for any person thereby to have any gospel ground of faith and hope of salvation tho they talk high from fancy and imagination but not from Scripture grounds for from that notion no man can have a Scripture ground of hope it being so exceeding contrary to the gospel and saith thereof the saith of the gospel being that to which the promise is made as I shall shew in the next Chapter there can be no grounded hope of salvation out of the faith thereof 3. It justifieth the practice and taketh off the reproach cast upon such as are instructed in the doctrine of the general grace of God to men viz. that they are adversaries to the truth and are all for that doctrins and discourse as if their religion consisted wholly therein I say it 's no marvel it is so being the foundation of all Gospel faith and without it can be none in the truth thereof even those who oppose it are beholding to it if they held to their own principles without contradiction it would appear to be the most irreligious and ridiculous in the world called Christian but they cannot preach to the world without the help of general grace tho they preach it in the highest contradiction to their own principles which if plainly preached to the people as held and printed would affright the people and shame themselves out of their work If they should tell the people that they bring them tidings of great joy to all people that Christ dyed for the World but it was but for a very few the elect World only and that all the rest were reprobated before the world was that they were made to sin and be damned and that they have no more power to believe unto life than brute Beasts than a stock or a stone or a dead corps and yet for all this it 's their duty to believe and they must be damned the deeper in hell if they do not believe and yet if they do believe if they be not Elect they are but Hypocrites and must be damned This being the spirit and life of that principle and of their gospel in the plain truth thereof which if they dealt honestly with their hearers they ought to preach it being their gospel and faith as in Print and discourse is fully manifest so that did they not mix their doctrine with general grace tho not in love thereto standing in direct opposition thereof to make it savory without which it would appear to be loathsome unto all And therefore the doctrine of the general grace of God by Jesus Christ being the alone foundation savory and saving doctrine of the gospel Christians instructed therein have no cause to be ashamed of the reproach thereof but to glorifie God in this behalf and others may learn to be silent for shame and will when they understand the truth and worth of this glorious doctrine 4. You may learn from hence where the difference about salvation and damnation lyeth and why all are not saved a matter it is of great and weighty concern unto all and that is in believing or not believing the gospel it 's faith and unbelief that makes the difference and not the eternal decrees of Election and Reprobation and want of a Saviour as some unjustly and untruly assert to the dishonour of God the Gospel and wrong of men The condemnation will not be for want of love in God or for want of a sacrifice and Saviour â— but for mens wilful and chosen wickedness and that they shall one day know Joh. 3. 16 19. And therefore let the fomenters of this unholy doctrine be ashamed any more to lay the sin and damnation of the World on the holy and righteous God it being so apparent from the word of the God of truth that it's obedience and disobedience to the Gospel that makes the difference and not the want of a sacrifice and Saviour 3. It gives us to understand the vanity of that doctrine that teaches Justification and Salvation by an inconditional Covenant It 's true that the general parts thereof are wholly inconditional both in promise and performance as before has been shewed and that part only that assureth salvation to sinners with Eternal glory is conditional which is alone pleaded for to be inconditional I may safely say there 's no man on Earth can shew any promise of salvation in the Gospel that is wholly inconditional but that the condition iâ— either exprest or implyed Mar. 16. 15 16. which is the commission for gospel preaching and salvation and carryeth in it the sum of the whole according to which all promises may and should be understood and was so by the Apostles Act. 2. 38. 16. 31. Jam. 1. 25. Rev. 2. 7 11 17 26. 3. 5 12 21. 21. 7. 22. 14. so that this inconditional covenant in the sense pleaded for is that which the doctrine of the Gospel is altogether unacquainted with Christ Some will grant that there are conditional promisses in the Gospel but withal there are absolute inconditional promises for performance thereof as Sovereignty Pag. 295. called conditional promises and promises of the condition those named are Ezek. 36. 25. Jer. 31. 32. Ezek. 11. 19. 36. 26. with others of like import Min. I doubt not but fully believe that God grants a sufficiency of power for performance of what he requiers or I must be like that evil servant that said he was a hard Master Math. 25. 24 28. Yet 2. I believe it to be a great mistake in the application of those absolute promises to the present time and state which are all promises to the house of Israel and to be performed at their restitution and redemption in the World to come when they shall all return to the Lord
of our Nature thereby whatever it be without act or consent to sin shall bring under the guilt and punishment of the second Death the contrary being unscriptural and irrational to be imagined CHAP. VII Of the Apostasie spoken of in Scripture Christ I Desire to enquire into the Apostasie spoken of in Scripture what you understand it is and wherein it does consist Min. That there is an Apostasie from the Faith prophetically foretold in Scripture I think is that which few do doubt or question but what it is and wherein it does consist I fear but few do rightly enquire into but all are willing to excuse themselves and put it upon others as Adam upon the Woman and the Woman upon the Serpent so it is put all upon the Pope and upon the Devil far enough from our selves neither Papist nor Protestant will have any share therein but put it upon each other thou art the Man and not I. Christ The case being so on what particular Sort or Sect of People by Name may it be fixed Min. I shall not fix it only on any particular Sort or Sect of People by name but give some account what it is and wherein it consists and where the Marks thereof are found there it 's likely to be tho I cannot leave out the Turkish Alkoran and Mahometan Religion nor the Papal profession as chief and head in this Apostasie the one professing to own Christ but only as a great Prophet but Mahomet to be greater the other to own Christ really in word but the Pope â—â— be his Vicar great High Priest and head of the Church and so truly and really in act and deed to be above him as is manifest by all his doings but in as much as it has spread it self so universally and containeth such variety of parts I shall only endeavour its discrimmation leaving the application to all concerned therein 1. Then I conclude that the Apostasie spoken of in Scripture consists in departing from the truth of the Gospel both in matters of Faith and practice but chiefly in matters of Faith because Faith includes practice and practice followeth Faith and that it 's stated in these and the like Scriptures 2 Thes 3. to 12. Let no man deceive you by any means for that day shall not come except there be a falling away first c. Which falling away as it 's explained to relate to the Man of sin so it is to believe lies vers 3 11. 1 Tim. 4. 1 2 3. Now the Spirit speaketh expresly that in the latter times some shall depart from the Faith 2 Tim. 3. 1 to 9. This know also that in the latter days perillous times shall come and vers 8. They are reprobate or of no judgment concerning the Faith ch 4. 4. They shall turn away their Ears from the truth and be turned unto Fables Now our search must be to find out where these things really are and there the apostasie is where ever lies are believed in stead of truth and the truth thereby denyed such are in the apostasie that consisting in believing lies 1. Whosoever denieth Jesus Christ crucified for our sins raised and ascended to be the Son of God and the Son of David truly God and man and as so to be the alone foundation of Gospel faith grace and glory denyeth the gospel and the faith thereof and is in the Apostasie 1 Cor. 3. 11. 2. 2. 15. 3. 4. Luk. 2. 32. 2. Who ever denyeth in word or deed Jesus Christ crucified raised and ascended to be the alone head Lord and Lawgiver of and to his Church and that subjection in all things does not of right belong to him is deeply in the apostasie Eph. 5. 23 24. Col. 1. 18. Act. 3. 22. Luk. 19. 14. 27. Christ But few profest Christians will in word deny these things but all profess to own him as the Foundation Head and Lord of his Church Min. Notwithstanding persons may in word confess him so to be yet whoever layeth any other foundation of faith and life than Jesus Christ crucified or chooseth to themselves or submitteth to any other Lord or Law giver in things truly divine and Spiritual viz in matters of Gospel saith and Worship besides Christ the Lord whether Papal or others do really and indeed deny Christ to be the foundation of Christian faith or to be the Head and Lord of his Church and whoever accepteth such a headship Executing thereof usurpeth his Authority of whom the papal Head has been chief and leader in this matter the exercise of human coercive power in things properly belonging to Jesus Christ viz. all matters of faith and worship wherein conscience toward God and our Lord Jesus Christ alone is concerned being that which does really out and end his Lordship and rule in this matter and in this the Scripture seems to place the head of the apostasie at which door most of the errours both in faith and Worship has been ushered in 2 Thes 2. 4. gives us a full discription of this Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God or that is Worshipped so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God shewing himself that he is God viz he setteth himself and sitteth where God alone should rule viz in and over the conscience in divine things which is proper only to Jesus Christ giving Laws to men on this account which must be submited to whatever Jesus Christ the Lord has said to the contrary and wherever and as long as this Spirit liveth and worketh the Pope nor Apostasie will not die 3. Who ever denyeth the Holy Scriptures to be the alone ground and rule of Christian faith in all matters of Gospel faith and Worship and that it is not sufficient in it self to wise and instruct us therein without mens inventions additions and harsh interpretations is deeply in the Apostasie The reasons there of are 1. Because it being the divine Revelation of the will of God it 's sufficient in it self for our instruction To make us Wise unto Salvation Isa 8. 20. Ps 119. 98 99. 2 Tim. 3. 15 16 17. 2. Because otherwise our faith and obedience must depend on human Authority and not on the divine word and will of God and so must be a human faith and Worship and not divine and how far this is from the Popish faith to believe as the Church believeth and Worship as the Church requireth is easie to be understood by a weak capacity 3. Because without the divine Revelation of the will of God in these matters we must have been as other Gentile Nations that are without it and never heard thereof and therefore in reason we ought to submit thereto in all things according to our knowledge therein having no other rule to submit unto that is divine in things of Gospel concern so that if we turn away from this we turn away from Christianity it self in the truth thereof thereby declaring our selves
to be Wiser in our own Conceit than our Lord and Law-giver 4. Whoever fixeth the sin and damnation of the World on the eternal Decree of God and not on mans chosen and willful wickedness as the first just and deserving cause thereof but fathers both the sin and Judgment on the eternal Decree of God as the first cause of both denyeth the Scripture belieth the Lord and believeth a lie Ezek. 33. 11. Joh. 3. 16 19. 1 Tim. 2. 4. Rev. 22. 17. 5. Whoever denyeth the Love God to the world in the gift of his Son affirming that he loved but a few of the Elect only denieth the Scripture and believeth a lye Luk. 2. 10. Joh. 3. 16. 6. Whoever denieth that Jesus Christ gave himself for the life of the World a ransom for all a Propitiation for the sins of the World affirming that he died but for a few the Elect only denieth the Scripture and believeth a lye Joh. 6. 51. 1 Tim. 2. 6. 1 Joh. 2. 2. 7. Whoever affirmeth that men are no more capable to believe and obey the Gospel unto life than Bruit Beasts or Stones or a dead Corps and yet that God will damn them for not believing thereof it being both unscriptural irrational and dishonourable unto God denieth the Scripture and doth open wrong both to God and men and believeth a lye Ro 3. 3 4 5. 8. Whoever believeth and teacheth Salvation by an inconditional Covenant and Justification by faith without works denieth the Scripture and believeth a lye Mar. 16. 15 16. Rev. 22. 14. Jam. 2. 20. Christ Ro. 4 5. Is much made use of to prove Justification by faith without works But to him that worketh not but believeth on him that Justifieth the ungodly his faith is counted for righteousness Min. 1. If we hold Justification without works aâ— must then hold Salvation without works because every Justified person is in a saved state Ro. 8. 30. and so bid a due to works both as to Justification and Salvation 2. So to understand the Apostle in this or any other Scripture is to set him in direct opposition to Christ and all the Apostles which we may in no case do 1. Contrary to Christ Mat. 7. 21 24. and contrary to his Commission for Gospel Preaching and Salvation Mat. 16. 15 16. 2. Contrary to the rest of the Apostles Heb. 5. 9. 10. 36. 12. 14. Contrary to James ch 2. 24. Ye see then how that by works a man is Justified and not by faith only ch 1. 22. 25. Contrary to Peter 2 Pet. 1. 5. to 12. and Contrary to John 1 Joh. 2. 3 4 5 6. v. 17. he that doth the will of God abideth for ever 3. So to understand Paul in that Scripture not only sets Paul against Christ and all the Apostles but against himself and that in the same Epistle who Commonly states Salvation upon Obedience to the Gospel tho not as the deserving cause but as the Terms without which is no Obtaining thereof ch 2. 7 8 9 10. and we may not suppose the Apostle to be so inconsiderate as to contradict himself and that in the same Epistle 4. It 's most Aparent the Apostle intends not Gospel works in that place but the works of the Law as such compared with ch 3. 20 21. By the deeds of the Law there shall no Flesh be Justified v. 28. Therefore we conclude that a man is Justified by faith without the deeds of the Law but not without the deeds of the Gospel that contradicts the whole Gospel and the design of the Apostle as is most apparent 9. Whoever denieth the danger of believers falling from grace now in this imperfect state and holdeth and teacheth the impossibility thereof doth wrong to meâ— denieth the Scripture and believeth a lie Rom. 8 13 11. 20. Heb. 3. 12 4. 11. 2 Pet. 3. 17. 1 Tim. 1. 19 20. 10. Whoever denieth the restitution of all things the world to come and the eternal Kingdom and Glory of Christ and his Church therein denyeth the Scripture and believeth a lie Act. 3. 21. 2 Pet. 3. 13. Rev. 11. 15 22. 5. Mar. 10. 30. 11. Whoever believeth and teacheth that when Christ the Lord and Judge doth come again from Heaven to judge the world in righteousness Act. 17. 31. that he will â—urn up the world and not make it new and carrry away the saints with him to heaven and send all the world eternally to hell in their sense viz. that none of them shall have any advantage at all by the womans seed denieth the truth and glory of Christs undertaking for the world and a great part if not the whole of his kingdom and glory in the world to come and so denieth the Scripture and believeth a lie the truth of this see cleared in the next chapter 12. Whoever demeth the free operations of the Gospel Spirit in the word and work of Grace or in the ministerial gifts in prophesie and preaching as sufficient thereunto limiting Gospel ministerial gifts and offices in the Church of Christ to human acquired abilities denieth the sufficiency of the Gospel Spirit in the Gospel work introducing the human spirit instead thereof and is in the depth of the Apostacy 1 Cor. 2. 12 12. 4. 7. 13. Whoever setteth up the common light that is in all men instead of Christ and the Spirit of the Gospel is in the Apostacy and believeth a lye Christ Some saâ— that some of these things Especially the 4 5 6 7 8 9 particuars are the great Bulwarks against popery and that to assert such things as these tends to weaken the protestants and to strengthen the hands of the Papists Min. I hope these are not the best Bulwarks and strength of Protestants against Papists if it were it would surely fail in the time of need 2. If these things has been the strength of Protestants against Popery it 's no marvel so little is done for advantage to the Protestant interest and conviction of Papists if we lay the foundation in falshood and build thereupon it 's no marvel we are not blest of God and Popery gain upon us 3. Let Protestants fall in with the truth of the Gospel as it is in Jesus both in principle and practice Especially in these great and fundamental parts thereof and they will have enough to bear up with great authority from Scripture against Popery in all its parts 1. Hold firm to this both in principle and practice that the Scripture is in it self the alone sufficient ground and rule in all matters of Christian faith and Religion and needs not the Churches Authority for it's warrant nor the inventions traditions or additions of men which as it's a Christian so it 's a Protestant principle 2. Let the Express letter plain reason and scope of Scripture united in and with it self without the harsh and contradictory interpretations of men or consequences drawn contrary to and against the express light language and
Holiness Justice Mercy and Wisdom as is inconsistent with that Holy Name and as I may safely say is such as neither Men nor Angels can reconcile and therefore is not likely to be either true or safe 4. That there is a sufficiency of power in man given to him by the Lord to will and to do what he requireth under his several Ministrations with the helps afforded Gen. 3. 6. Prov. 1. 23. especially under the Gospel this stands in unity with the whole scope of Scripture which lets us to know that mens condemnation is of themselves and is and shall be for wilfulness and not for weakness for what they might have done and would not and not for what they could not else their damnation could not be just this being most scriptural and most rational is therefore most likely to be both true and safe But to believe and teach that Men have no power at all to believe and obey the Gospel with the common means and helps afforded without a Miracle and yet that God will damn them eternally for not believing for not doing what they could not is both unscriptural and irrational tending to null both the Truth of the Gospel and the Righteousness of God in the Judgment and therefore is not likely to be either true or safe 5. To understand Justification by Faith and Worâ—s as the holy â—terms thereof on which God freely justifieth by his Grace in Christ Jesus and as that without which men can have no right thereunto Faith without Worâ—s nor Works without Faith bringeth us not under the Gospel-promise Jam. 2. 20. to 26. Rev. 22. 14. And so it is because God designed to save men by his Son in the way of holiness Heb. 12 14. And this stands â—â— unity thorugh the whole Gospel of this salvation without any contradiction at all and therefore is most likely to be both true and safe But those who affirm Justification to be either from Eternity as some say otherwise than a purpose to justifie in time on the Gospel terms as declared in the Gospel or actually at the death of Christ as others say otherwise than the general justification of all from the first death to be effected in time Rom. 5. 18. Or by Faith without Works as others say or by Works without Faith or Faith and Works yea through Gospel Faith and Works as the meritorious and deserving Cause as others say are all contradictory not only one to another but to the whole Scripture that speaks thereof and therefore is not likely to be either true or safe 6. To understand the Scripture so as that believers may and some shall be preserved in the Gospel way of faith and holiness to the glory promised and yet believers may and some have through their own default miscarried and so come short of the glory This stands in unity through the whole Scripture and therefore is most likely to be true and safe 1 Pet. 1. 5. 1 Tim. 1. 19. 2 Pet. 2. 20. But those who affirm an impossibility of falling from saith and grace it being contrary to the whole Scripture that speaks thereof and dangerous unto men to beget in them carnal security carelesness fearlesness and presumption contrary to Rom. 11. 20. Heb. 3. 12. 1 Pet. 3. 17. And therefore is not likely to be either true or safe 7. To understand the eternal Judgment so as may comport with the truth of all the Promises relating to the World in the World to come and the glory of Christ's Kingdom therein and so to understand the Promises as may comport and agree with the Judgment and not to understand either so as to violate and make null the other this stands in unity and holds the Scripture in unity and therefore is most likely to be both true and safe But to understand the eternal Judgment so as to contradict and null all the great Promises relating to the World in the World to come and the glory of Christ's Kingdom therein as has been explained in â—â— 8. and so as to derogate from the glorious undertaking of Christ in the restitution in bringing in a â—ew State Life and World seems to hold the Scripture greatly in contradiction and to out and end the great revealed glory of the Gospel and design of God and Christ therein and therefore is not likely to be either true or safe That the Judgment shall be eternal upon all wilful transgressors against the Gospel according to the Scriptures that speak thereof and that Judgment shall be executed upon the World in general according to the Scripture Zeph. 3. 8. Rev. 3. 10. Act. 17. 31. And yet those manifold Promises to the World in the times of the restitution to be accomplished by the Woman's seed the seed of Abraham in whom all the Nations of the Earth shall be blessed to stand firm and unviolated renders the whole Scriptures in these things to stand in unity suits with the whole name of God rendering it to be honourable and glorious in the restitution â—ork and capable to be understood by Christian men But those Notions which for the most part are contrary thereunto setting the Scripture at an irreconcileable variance and contradiction are unlikely to be either true or safe and therefore it concerns us to relinquish them and to adhere to Principles of Truth Unity and Safety CHAP. X. Sheweth That God intendeth what he speaketh and will perform it and that it 's his Perfection and not his Impersection to speak and do after the manner of Men. Christ IN as much as God in his Word has made known his mind to Men and therein speaketh much after the manner of Men I desire to inquire Whether we may understand that he thinketh and intendeth what he speaketh and is what he has declared himself to be and will really perform what he has promised and threaâ—nâ—d â—n his Word Min. I shall answer you in the words of Dr. Usher in his S. C. or B. D. pag. 71. 1. He thinketh as he speaketh 2. He doth both as he thinketh and speaketh 3. There is no one part of his word contrary to another 4 He loveth truth and hateth those that are lyers Christ If this be true then his Word is a sure and stable Ground and Rule for us to fix upon and cleave unto in all matters of Gospel Faith and Practice according to Psal 93. 5. Thy Testimonies are very sure And Psal 119. 140. Thy Word is very pure therefore thy servant loveth it And Joh. 17. 17. Thy Word is truth Min. That the Word of God is true and a sure Ground and Rule both for Faith and Practice is that which I suppose but few profess'd Protestants will in word deny and that in his Word he has condescended to us declaring his will and mind therein sutable to our capacities and understandings but that we are to understand and believe him as he speaketh is in substance denyed by many Christ In what particular
Just and Good a God to make Creatures designedly for so bad an end And whether this Principle of Christian Faith do not destroy the very Foundation of the Gospel Being contrary to the whole manifested design of God therein Quer. 2. Whether to believe that God loved not the World in the gift of his Son but a few only And that Christ gave not himself for the life of the World nor a ransom for all but for a few only iâ— not contrary to the express Letter Reason and Scope of the Scripture Joh. 6. 51. 1 Tim. 2. 6. And whether so to believe do not root up the Foundation of gospel-Gospel-Faith 2 Cor. 2. 2. 15. 3 4 11. Quer. 3. Whether we have not sufficient ground to believe that the general love of God to the World in the gift of his Son and the general Sacrifice of Christ for the World is the alone Foundation of the general Commission for Preaching the Gospel to the World If so it being granted by all that the Commission Mar. 16. 15. is general and ought not to be limited then whether to understand the Commission for Preaching the Gospel to be larger than the Foundation and Basis thereof viz. The Fathers Love and the Sons Sacrifice without which could have been no such Commission tends not to null and make void the Commission it self for Gospel Preaching it out-running of and being larger than the Foundation thereof or at least to render the Lord inconsiderate in stating so large a Commission on so narrow a Foundation it behoves those who deny the general Love and Sacrifice to ponder this Quer. 4. Whether to believe that Men have no power to believe and obey the Gospel with its own helps without a mighty miraculous and irresistible power which God does not effect and yet will damn People Eternally for not believing be not contrary to the whole Reason Light and Truth of Scripture and contrary to the whole Name and Nature of God and contrary to the whole Light and Law of Nature and Reason placed in Man by God Then whether these things are not meet to be exploded by all true Christians Quer. 5. Whether to believe any other terms between the Father and the Son about the work of Gospel Redemption and Salvation than what are the exprest terms thereof in the Gospel does not tend to null and make void the Gospel it self Or at least and best render it uncertain if we suppose any other secret terms besides and contrary to what is exprest or a secret will contrary to his revealed Will. Quer. 6. Whether to deny Jesus Christ in his Person to be the Son of God and the Son of David the true Messias promised and as Crucified Raised and Ascended to be the alone Foundation of Gospel-Faith head Lord and Lawgiver to his Church without mens inventions or additions And whether to deny him in Word or Deed in any of these be not deeply dangerous Quer. 7. Whether to assert there is no such thing in God as Love or a natural propensity to do us Good from his Goodness or any other property And that he intends not as he speaketh either in his precepts or his promises that they declare our Duty not his intentions is not wholly contrary to the Scripture And the Right and Reverend thoughts we ought to have of God And whether it does not tend to root up the Foundation of all Christian Faith and Religion of all hope and trust in God And whether it does not really make God a lier if his Commands and promises be not his intentions Quer. 8. Whether to believe that when Christ the Lord and Judge of the World comes again from Heaven to raise and Judge the Quick and the Dead and when that is over will burn up the World so as not to restore it and make it new and carry away the Saints with him to Heaven and send all the World besides to Hell with the Devil there to be tormented Eternally is not contrary to the whole Body of Scripture contradicting the Restitution World to come and the Kingdom and Glory of Christ therein with his Church and the Glory of his great undertaking for the World And if so Whether this Faith be right or vain Quer. 9 Whether those who grant the thousand years reign and limit the Restitution World to come and the Glory of that Estate to the thousand Years are not much mistaken And whether the Kingdom and Glory of Christ and the Saints in the World to come shall not be Eternal Dan. 7. 14 27. Mar. 10. 30. And whether they do well to confine the Eternal Kingdom Life and Glory within the compass of a thousand Years There being no other World Life and Glory promised beyond that in the World to come Quer. 10. Whether those who grant that after the Conflagration of the World by fire that there shall be new Heavens and new Earth follow wherein dwelleth Righteousness after the Judgment according to the Scripture 2 Pet. 3. 13. And yet affirm that Christ will send away all the wicked of the World to Hell with the Devil eternally to be tormented and carry away all the Saints with him to Heaven I say whether they have considered who shall be the inhabitants of this New and Restored World wherein shall dwell Righteousness or whether it shall be the habitation only of Birds and Beasts or of nothing And whether it it does not concern us prudently to consider whether the Traditional Faith of going away to Heaven has not led us besides and so in our Faith lost the true inheritance and heirship promised in the World to come Quer. 11. Whether it is to any sort of Faith that owns Christ in Name to which the promise of Life is made or to the true Faith and Life of the Gospel If to any Faith that owns the Name of Christ then why may not all the World called Christian be saved as well as any If not but that the Life of the Gospel is promised to the true Faith thereof called the Faith of God's Elect. Then whether it does not greatly concern all without delay to endeavour to come right in the Faith and Life of the Gospel to which the promise is made And not to content our selves with any sort of Faith and Life Quer. 12. Whether bad and corrupt Principles of Faith tho attended with a good life be not as dangerous and pernicious as good Principles of Faith attended with a bad life Rom. 10. 2. Phi. 3. 4 5 6. Quer. 13. Whether some of those Principles of Faith before mentioned viz. the reprobation of the World by Eternal Decree both to sin and Judgment does not really tend to render God to be most Cruel most Unholy most Unrighteous and most False c. in Decreeing and so in being the first and Foundation cause of all the Cruelties Unholiness Unrigheousness Falseness and Wickedness either in Devils or Men It being a maxim that the
themselves to do to others as they would they should do to them and the Gospel teaches the same Mat. 22. 37. to 40. and 7. 12. and this is written in all men by nature and is true rational and moral Philosophy and true Gospel Divinity and where it 's not effected it 's by the souls captivation by irrational immoral and sensual lusts and how would the Divine Law of Christ and in the Gospel united to our understandings and reason effect it if taken heed unto A sin and shame it is and dreadful will be the issue thereof that many Learned men who account themselves above others both in Philosophy and Divinity and yet are more immoral than many moral Heathens And as both moral Philosophy and Gospel Divinity unites in teaching the abhorrency of all ungodliness with the practice of all the contrary vertues and duties so would it teach us to abhor all persecution for Conscience sake if attended to it would teach us in this matter to do to others as we would they should do to us the contrary being not only unchristian but irrational No man in his right reason would be content to be forced to believe and worship God as others do contrary to his own light and conscience such in Justice reason it self and light of nature abhors and it 's likewise contrary to the Protestant Doctrine and Faith which is to make the Scriptures our rule in all matters of Faith and practice and not to be compelled to believe as the Church believeth which is condemned by Protestants to be the Popish Faith and not the Faith of Christ And strange it seems to be that Learned men who profess themselves to have most both of Philosophy and Divinity should be so great miscarriers herein I think it may be said without all just occasion of offence that throughout all ages of Christianity Learned men has lien at the bottom of most of the persecutions for Conscience sake surely it came not from their Philosophy or Divinity but from their enmity pride and prophaneness Ps 10. 2. or from some carnal and corrupt ends within themselves must be irrational and irreligious or at best from blind and ignorant zeal Joh. 16. 2. Phi. 3. 6. It 's true the Scripture warns us to take heed of being spoiled by Philosophy and vain deceit after the traditions of men and the rudiments of the World and not after Christ Col. 2. 8 i. e. When our reason turns us aside from the Gospel either in matters of Faith or practice being corruptly exercised and so becomes vain and deceitful and is not pure reason that submits it self to the Divine Law of Christ in all things so far as it understands it And although Rational and Moral Philosophy was and yet is excellent in its time and place and in itself in its degree spiritual being of and from God yet the Gospel is more spiritual and by it men formerly arrived to much of the knowledge of God and themselves and so to a good life in moral virtues and yet might arrive to the same and doubtless were then accepted of God and may yet be so where the Gospel is not known yet where the Gospel comes it will not serve or avail us without the true faith and life of the Gospel but if it being captivated by sensual lusts reject or neglect the Grace of life it renders such the more liable to the Judgment and damnation threatned therein Learned Sirs The Reasons of my dedicating the ensuing Christian discourse unto you are 1. Because the things discoursed on are matters of great if not of greatest concern to the name of God and Christ the glorious Gospel of the blessed God and the spiritual and eternal good of men and therefore of weighttest concern to have the precedency in your meditations 2. Because most of the things discoursed on are not Novel but the controverted things of the past and present times the Doctrine of the Sovereignty of God as exercised towards men the Doctrine of Election and reprobation the general and special grace of God c. being the substance of the discourse and that on which all depends The eighth chapter may at first probably with some seem most difficult yet I doubt not but is founded in and fully comports with the universal design of God and undertaking of Christ in the general grace to the World in the restitution and world to come in times to be effected and seems to be of very great weight to be understood and to have room in our Christian Faith as the top-stone and glory thereof and without which we shall lose the understanding of and Faith in the greatest if not the most glorious part of Scripture and Gospel truth In the discourse I sometimes mention what some others have said about some of the things discoursed on and especially two Books viz. The Practical Discourse of the Sovereignty of God and The Death of Death by the Death of Christ Not designing a particular answer to them nor had I at all mentioned them had they not been sent in by some designedly to lead us aside from that which we believe to be the truth of the Gospel but have stated the truth about these matters to the best of mine understanding from Scripture light which if true the substance of both are answered and must fall to the ground And let none count it strange or tautologies that I so often go over the same things in the discourse it is to shew the incongruity of those invented principles and practices with Scripture light and right reason in all the ways mentioned it likewise being the method of God in Scripture frequently to mention the same things over and over again designedly thereby to inculcate it on the memory and heart that it might not be forgotten 3. Because I think we have ground enough at least to suppose that the Apostasie from the Primitive faith as it was then delivered to the Saints has been too much ushered in by learned â—â—â—en I suppose that it will easily appear that in all the parts thereof whether the Papabor others some learned man or men lieth at the bottom thereof And likewise has been chief actors in its propagation and therefore it greatly concerns you now at last to be at work for God Christ the Gospel and good of men in good earnest for discovery thereof and reformation therein O that you might have your share in this matter how might you honour God and season the Nation with the truth of the Gospel both in faith and life having the greatest opportunities and advantages in order thereunto in the sincere endeavours of which you may expect Divine direction assistance and blessing and O that this little Essay may tend to encourage herein it being the common advantage and good of all I really design I hope I have not I am sure I would not follow cunning devised Fables for the world and if I am in any
matter of Election that being stated upon the Eternal Decree as some affirm that Election and Reprobation of Persons was equivalent and both determined in the Eternal Decree I desire to hear what you say to it Min. As to this I have said enough to it elsewhere yet now on this occasion I shall add something further what is it you desire satisfaction in Christ Whether you do really own Election of Persons before time and if so your Scripture grounds for it Min. That God Elected or gave some to his Son from of old as the most special peculiar and certain reward of his undertaking in behalf of Men whom he hath doth and will in time call justify and supply with persevering Grace through the Gospel till they come to Glory I believe and own my Scripture grounds are Joh. 6. 37 39. Rom. 8. 29 30. and indeed it suits not only with Scripture and so is Divine but with reason also it 's rational that God in his wonderful undertaking for men by his Son designing an especial espowsed relation to reign with him in the special Glory should not leave it altogether contingent and at uncertainty but determin some without fail for that Relation and Glory 2. That this peculiar gift to Christ is a secret known only to God 2 Tim. 2. 9. all must be saved by the Law of Gospel Grace persevering therein to the end Mar. 16. 16. Rev. 2. 10. and leaves no room for boasting or neglect to any 3. Nor doth this personal Election in the least derogate from the general Grace of God to Men nor does it in the least import or imply that all the rest or any are Decreed from the Sovereign and Eternal will of God to be damned otherwise than as for transgressing his Laws persevering therein to the end that I take to be a great mistake and wrong both to God and Men but that the general love of God to the world as Proclaimed in the Gospel stands free and clear notwithstanding this Election and that all that truly beleive and obey the Gospel persevering therein to the end are the Elect and chosen of God and shall be saved and that the finally unbelievers and disobedient are therefore reprobated and must be damned Christ This is the great matter I desire to be cleared in viz. how particular Election of Persons and general Grace may stand together and therefore do desire you to give your grounds for this with as much evidence of light from the word as possible you can Min. If it be granted that God was and is capable of such a personal Election before-time which I suppose none dare deny then 2. That he was capable to elect some Persons without any wrong at all to his general Grace to all and this I shall evince from his manner and method of Electing Persons throughout all ages in which it will appear that there was no Election attended with the reprobation of the rest and in this I shall give 1. Instances more remote as that which may tend to help and clear in this matter And 2. such as are more immediate and full to the matter in hand Christ What are your more remote Instances to illustrate this thing Min. 1. The Election of Persons to particular offices and works as Jeremiah the Lord said to him before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee and before thou camest out of the womb I sanctified thee and ordained thee to be a Prophet to the nations Jer. 1. 5. this preordaining and setting a part of Jeremiah before he was born to be a Prophet to the nations did not in the least imply that there should be no other Prophets besides Jeremiah neither did it at all derogate from the Prophesies of other Prophets of the Lord of whom we read nothing of such a Preordaining neither may we affirm they were so ordained the Scripture being silent herein So the like of Cyrus who was Ordained by name to a great and noble work long before he was born Isa 44. 28. and 45. 1 yet this Decree no whit hindered others that had a heart to set a hand to the same work of whom we read of no such preordination thereunto as not only Cyrus Ezra 1. but Darius ch 6. and Artaxerxes ch 7. So that particular Decrees is no hinderance to others in that which is good So the like of Paul who saith Gal. 1. 15. that he was separate to his Apostleship from his Mothers womb Yet others of whom the Scripture gives no such Testimony were not at all prohibited from Preaching the same Gospel I might instance among the Lords chosen People of old there were several Elections yet without wrong but rather to the advantage of the rest As David was his chosen King Ps 78. 68. and his posterity till the Kingdom came to Christ the Son of David Ps 89. 29 to 36. And the Tribe of Levi set apart for Priests and Ministers in the service of God to come nearest to him yet in all it was without any wrong but for advantage to the rest These were Elections more remote and of another kind yet of use to Illustrate in this matter Christ What are your more immediate Instances and full to the matter in hand Min. The first Election and choice we read of in Scripture is that of Abraham and his seed who were chosen out from all the world besides to be a peculiar People to the Lord yet this Election did not reprobate all the world besides to Eternal death yet I am sure there is more said of the specialness and peculiarity of this Election as distinct from all the world than is of his Personal Election under the Gospel Gen. 17. 7 19. Exod. 19. 5 6. Deut. 7. 6 7 8. Yet notwithstanding this special and personal choice alone from free Grace and Love was without any wrong at all to or reprobation of the rest of the world only left out of that choice For 1. The world was left in no worse condition than before this Election of Abraham and his seed 2. A liberty was left for any others to become profelites and so partake in the same covenant and priviledges and many of them did so Act. 2. 10. 13. 43. 10. 27. A lively pattern of Gospel Election take it in what sence you will it hinders none but rather furthers the Salvation of others 3. Notwithstanding this Election God still retained his real property in the world as his own as much as before Abraham was chosen out from them and that not to destroy and damn them but to do them good Ex. 9. 5. Ps 145. 9 15 16. If God in this Election had reprobated all the world to the second death wo bad been to us sinners of the Gentiles there could then have been no such thing as Gospel Grace or Election to us and this Controversie had been over and ended 4. And it 's apparent that God had many precious People in the
world out of that Election as Job of whom was not the like on the earth Job 23. Who was of the land of 〈◊〉 in the East and might be of Abrahams posterity of one of the Sons he had by Keturak whom he sent Eastward into the East Country Gen. 25. 6. And likewise his three Friends of the same Country Job 2. 11. And Elihu which made a fourth ch 32. 2. And Lo◠who was not within this Election And Rahab the harlot Canonized for a Saint for hideing the spies with others that might be mentioned 5. And Abraham himself that was first and chief in this Election was so far from monopolizing all to himself and to his natural seed that it 's apparent he expected many Righteous Persons to be in the world besides himself as appears in his Prayer for Sodom Gen. 18. He began at fifty Righteous supposing that to be but a few tho in his love to Lot he descended by degrees to ten accounting that so few that he durst not mention a lesser number 6 And more than this he believed for the world in thy seed shall all the Nations of the earth be blessed Gen. 1. 2 3. 15. 5 6. 18. 18. 22. 18. If he had not believed this promise of a Son and seed in whom all the Nations should be blessed I know no ground to conclude that he could have arrived to the Dignity of being the Heir of the world or Father of the Faithful Rom. 4. 11 12 13. And how they will prove themselves to be his Children or Heirs of the world with him as all true believers are Rom. 4. 16. who are so far from his Faith as that they believe the damnation of the world by Eternal Decree it behoves them to consider in time 2. To prosecute this Election when it must pass upon Isaac and Ishmael is left out it was without any wrong to him God making large provision for him elsewhere Gen. 21. 13 18. Besides those two with their Mothers were an Allegory of the two Covenants with their seeds Gal 4. 22 25. And Ishmael's rejection was not to the second death but from being Heir with Isaac Gen. 21. 10. Gal. 4. 30. So likewise Esau when Jacob was fixed on and Esau left it was not with any wrong to him the promise hitherto residing in the free will and pleasure of God and not by successive inheritance upon the elder while it was conferr'd on Abraham's seed the promise was exactly performed and that without any wrong at all to Esau especially God making large provision for him elsewhere Gen. 36. 6 7. His rejection from the Covenant and Promise being not to the second death which I suppose none dare to affirm it was Tho on Jacob and all his posterity God setled the promise Gen. 26. 2 3 4. So that this Election was so far from reprobating the world or any part thereof to the second death or to any other wrong that it was of very great advantage to the world And that 1. Thereby a liberty and advantage was given to the Gentiles to come to know and worship God in becoming proselites 2. He made large provision for the world in common and Temporal blessings and by the common means and light afforded to the world had many precious People therein And 3. One must come of Abrahams seed that should be the Saviour of the world 1 Joh. 4. 14. In whom all the nations of the earth shall be blessed Gen. 22. 18. So that the world losed nothing but gained by that Election And for any to imagin an Election in the Gospel by Eternal Decree so as to reprobate all the world besides to Eternal Damnation is both unscriptural and irrational tending to undo the Gospel and to render the design of God therein to be more for Damnation than for Salvation and to render this his Election therein to be contrary to any sort of his Elections from the beginning of the world all his actings towards men in such cases having been in it self for good to men and not for hurt what of hurt comes to men being of themselves 4. Election in the New Testament taken in the strictest sense is no where so stated as to give us any ground of supposition that a'l the rest must be damned but it keeps the Door wide open for all commers that come rightly Mar. 16. 15. Joh. 3. 16 17. 6. 40. Rev. 22. 17. Whence it is that this wide Door should be so strangely shut up and bar'd against the world we may easily understand that it 's not from God 2 Cor. 5. 19 20. But from the Prince and power of darkness 2 Cor. 4 3 4. 5. Tho I own particular and personal Election as before I said yet I do not believe it as some Sovereign Discourse p. 55. That the Doctrine of Election containeth the whole sum and scope of the Gospel And p. 69. That Election is the great Fundamental institute of the Gospel the Supreme Law I say as held by him viz. With the absolute reprobation of all the world besides it 's no Gospel at all nor any part thereof if we believe the Scripture and call that Gospel which the Scripture so calls Luk. 2. 10. Behold I bring you glad tidings of great joy which shall be to all People Mar. 16. 15. Preach the Gospel to every Creature c. This is Gospel but I am sure that Election as pleaded for is no where called Gospel nor mentioned at all in the Scriptures no if it were which is far from it it would be the sadest tidings that ever came to the world worse than the sin and fall of the first Man which brought the world under the first death only if the second came only to raise the world to Eternal Damnation the second death which is far worse than the first O wo would be to the world that ever Christ came which is indeed the best tidings that ever came to the world And if men lose the advantage thereof it 's their own fault Joh. 3. 19. Nor do I know where it is that Election is called a Gospel Law either in terms or in the true sense thereof much less the Supreme Law especially as held if so it would be a Law of Damnation far more than of Salvation but the Supreme Law of the Gospel is that whoso believeth and obeyeth the Gospel shall be saved and he that believeth not shall be damned Mar. 16. 16. this is the Supreme Law of the Gospel by which we must all at last stand or fall And against which there is nor can be no Decree Joh. 12. 48. I have often thought that those who are so merciless as to damn the world by Eternal Decree think themselves sure by their Law of Election but I do earnestly advise them to see they stand clear in the true Faith and Life of the Gospel without which there is nor can be no safety 6. And so from the whole
came into the world to save sinners i. e. Sinners in general without exception or limitation if they believe and obey the Gospel I Exhort therefore that Prayers be made for all Men. In that which follows The 1. Argument to enforce the Exhortation is v. 3. This is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour A great encouragement it is to Pray for all it being good and acceptable in the sight of God The 2 is vers 4. Who will have all men to be saved and come to the knowledge of the Truth It 's the same all that we are to pray for and a great encouragement it is to Pray for them if God willeth to have them saved And the 3. Argument is vers 5. From the Mediatory office of Christ for there is one God and one Mediator between God and Men the Man Christ Jesus a great encouragement it is to Pray for all men Jesus Christ being upon his Mediatory Office and Work for men in general The 4th Argument is vers 6. He gave himself a ransom for all and therefore it 's no marvel he Mediates for all and commands us to Pray for all it being the same all that we are to Pray for that he dyed for and for whom he Mediates and that he will have to be saved now let us consider whether this be all the Elect only Two things declare the contrary First It 's for all Men for Kings and for all in authority And surely all Men and all in Authority are not the Elect only especially in those days when the most of men were Heathen Idolaters and almost all that were in Authority the same and yet this is the all that God will have us Pray for that he willeth to be saved and for whom Christ died and for whom he mediates And if this all be the Elect only then there are more Elect than they will grant or I think any else and by this way the other Scriptures that assures us of Christ dying for all be understood And further the Scripture lets us to know that some denied the Lord that bought them 2 Pet. 2. 1. I know men exercise their wits to get off from the weight of this Scripture which as a Talent of Lead sinks them in this matter as Death of â—ath p. 251. 252. That the word translated Lord is not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is given to Christ but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 commonly given to the Father so that it 's a doubt whether it is Christ or the Father that is intended in the word Lord. 1. I think there is no ground of doubt in the matter but that it is Christ that is intened For I think we rarely if at all find any mentioned that did deny God the Father for all the world confesseth that there is a God but the Anti-Christs and Hereticks were such as after they had owned Christ denyed him 1 Joh. 2. 22 23. 4. 3. 2 Pet. 2. 20. 2. The matter is all one 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieth Lord Ruler Master and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the same but be it the Father or the Son it 's all one in this matter if it be the Father that bought it was the Son sure enough that was the Price of our Redemption 1 Cor. 6. 20. seems to attribute the buying to the Father ye are bought with a Price therefore Glorifie God in your Bodies and in your Spirits which are his That is his by purchase so that let the word Lord intend the Father or the Son it 's all one in the true sense thereof the Blood of Christ being the Price Another shift is There is no mention of Blood in the Text and therefore a doubt whether it was with the purchase of the Blood of Christ that they were bought No more is Blood mentioned 1 Cor 6. 20. the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 properly intendeth to buy purchase or procure and is the same as 2 Pet. 2. 1. 1 Cor. 7. 23. And I suppose none dare say that the Price was not the Blood of Christ tho Blood is not mentioned in either and I think I may safely say that in the New Testament where-ever the Redemption work is spoken of as by purchase the Price is the Blood of Christ And further he saith there is no purchase but a deliverance from the blindness of Judaism in escaping the pollutions of the world It 's true that was the effect of the purchase the same as to hem that were not fallen but were in the precious Faith of the Gospel ch 1. vers 4. Having escaped the corruptions that are in the world through lust the same that is spoken of of them that were fallen ch 2. 18. They were such as had clean escaped from them who live in Errour and vers 20. They had escaped the Pollutions of the world through the knowledg of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ where is as much said of them if not more as of them that were still in the precious Faith of the Gospel ch 1. vers 4. And further he saith The Apostle speaks of Wolves and Hypocrites in respect of that estimation others had assumed and of the profession themselves made to be purchased by him Whereas it appears and is apparent that the greatness of their sin lay in this in denying the Lord that bought them had he not bought them they could not have committed that sin but to deny the Lord that bought them was the greatness of their sin especially having profest Faith in him and indeed to deny that the Lord hath bought the world if it be not the same sin yet it 's very near of kin to it These are some of the devices of the wise and learned to out the great purchase of the Blood of Christ Namely that he gave not his flesh for the life of the world Joh. 6. 51. Christ If so why then are not all saved Min. See the fourth inference from this matter Christ The Opposites to this say that Christ Prayed not for the world and he died not for those for whom be would not Pray Min. I know that this is a common and great argument in their esteem for their cause but indeed has nothing at all in it for were there no more to be said in this matter but this suppose it true which is far from it that Christ did not Pray for the world yet that proves not that he died not for the world And that 1. Because no Argument or Inference drawn from any Scripture can possibly be true nor may be admitted of that is contrary to the express Letter and Scope of Scripture as this is as before has been plainly proved 2. Because Christ died for and will save those for whom he Prayed not viz. Abraham Isaac and Jaâ—â— and all the Prophets and Righteous men that dyed before he came in the flesh or made that Prayer Joh. 17. Unless they will deny that he dyed for
the Christ the seed of Abraham in whom all the Nations of the Earth shall be blessed The Son of God and the Son of David the true Messias promised that God in love sent him and that he in love gave himself a Sacrifice for the life of the World and is Raised and Ascended into Heaven in performance of his Mediatory office for Men and shall come again from thence to judg the quick and the dead and to perfect the Restitution of all things and to bring in the New and Restored World in and over which shall be his Eternal Kingdom and Glory and that whoever do sincerely believe and obey him in this his Grace shall Live and Reign with him in his Glory Mar. 16. 15 16. Heb. 5. 9. This is the substance of the Doctrine and Faith of the Gospel to which the Salvation thereof is promised which was once delivered to the Saints which Doctrine and Faith should be more precious to us than our Lives Or more briefly thus Whoever comes right in the Faith and Life of the Gospel shall be saved this is the sum of all I seek or plead for it being that which deeply concerns every one to come right in which life is called a life of Faith Heb. 10. 38. A life of holiness 1 Pet. 1. 15. A life of Humility 1 Pet. 5. 5. A life of love both to God and Men 1 Joh. 4. 16 20 21. Mat. â— 44 to 48. Which Faith and Life shall certainly issue a Glory CHAP. V. Of the Power and Will of Man to believe and obey the Gospel of this Grace and of Regeneration and whether there be any possibility of falling from Faith and Grace after Believing Christ IN as much as there are differing Apprehensions about the Power and Will of Man to believe and obey the Gospel some affirming a Power to â—e in Man to believe and some denying thereof I desire your apprehension therein it being I suppose of weighty concern to be rightly understood Min. In as much as there are differing Apprehensions about the Power and Will of Man tho I think I have said enough to it elsewhere yet it being a matter of weighty concern I shall on this occasion say something further to it 2. Touching the Power that there is a power in Man to believe with the common helps by God afforded especially where the Doctrine of the Gospel comes I â—â—â—ert as a great Truth tho in this me-thinks should be â—o room for a difference in this I think all agree that all Power is of God that it 's in him we live move and have our being Act. 17. 28. We cannot live nor act think nor speak without him all Natural and all Spiritual Power both of Motion and Action being of him and from him in and by Jesus Christ there being but one Holy Spirit Eph. 4. 4. Who had his Operation and Work in the Creation Gen. 1. 1 2. Job 26. 13. Ps 104. 30. And is the influencer thereof still by Jesus Christ the Redeemer 1 Cor. 8. 6. And the same Spirit it is that Influenceth the Gospel to the work of Regeneration and impowers Man thereunto Joh. 3. 3 5. And so the Gospel is truly the Power of God to Salvation to all that do believe Rom 1. 16. And in this I suppose that all agree that there is no Power but is of God Christ I suppose that the great question about this matter is whether God in the Gospel affords a sufficiency of Power where it 's published in the truth thereof to believe and obey it unto Life Min. To this I say That we have sufficient grounds so to believe excepting Infants Idiots and distracted Persons who have not the use and exercise of Reason tho no Scripture saith it in express terms yet the Reason and Truth of the Scripture speaks it in fulness and plainness as appeareth 1. From the constant converse of God with Men ever since the Creation not only in the perfect but in the fallen state in making known his Will and giving Laws to Men both Precepts and Promises especially under the Gospel which is most to our case and for us to imagine Men not to be sutably Influenced by him with understanding and Power to answer his will therein no more than Brutes as some affirm I think are Brutish thoughts of God as well as of Men it would be greatly dishonorable to Men to give Laws to Brutes of which they are not capable much more dishonorable is it to God to affirm that he gives Laws to Men that are by him made no more capable to perform them than Brutes 2. It appeareth in that he blameth and punisheth and will punish those that wilfully transgress his Will and pittieth and bemoaneth those that Rebel against him Psal 81. 13. Luk. 13. 34. And has made great promises to those that believe and obey him all which are rendred to be incredible if Persons be not capacitated by him to answer his will therein 3. The contrary renders God to be unjust and unrighteous in the Judgment to punish Men for not doing what they could not possibly do through impotency and weakness which are hard and untrue thoughts of the Righteous and Holy God Impossible commands constituting no Duty nor can the not performance thereof justly incur any punishment either from God or Man Christ But you know what is usually said in this matter viz. That Men had once a power in Adam and list it by transgression so that tho Man hath lost his power to obey yet God hath not lost his right to command Min. This I know is a common Plea but hath nothing at all of weight in it For 1. Tho Adam had a power to have yielded perfect obedience to the Law of his maker in his first and sinless estate yet he had not power then to believe and obey the Gospel which is our command neither was he capable thereof having no need of a Saviour it being no part of the Law given to him neither could he obey it therefore he could not lose that which he had not nor we in him but indeed after his sin and fall and the promise of a Saviour it being sutable to his fallen needy Estate he had power to believe the truth thereof so that it 's a vain pretence of Adams loss of what he had nor and if we must needs have our power in him to believe and obey the Gospel at all it must be after his sin and fall when he needed a Saviour and if so let it be proved when he lost it and that we lost it in him 2. If this suffice not let it be proved that since the first sin and fall God has given or giveth his commands to the lost power and that he will Judge and Condemn Men for not improving a power which they had not but as they say was lost long before When this is done it will be of weight but not till then 3.
As it 's unscriptural and irrational so to affirm so it 's greatly dishonorable unto God and his Gospel-Grace to Men and indeed nulls and ends it rendering it to be no Grace at all to suppose that after such provision and declarations of Gospel-Grace to Men in so wonderful a way that he should state the obtaining an interest therein to a power lost for some thousands of Years before which is indeed to state it on impossible terms is dishonorable unto God rendering his design in the Gospel of his Grace to Men to be but a Fable and of none effect yea to be pernicious as a Trap or Snare to catch Men instead of free Grace to damn them for what they could not do which dishonorable dreadful and dangerous Notions are to be abhor'd by all that Love the Name and Honor of God so that a power in Man to believe and obey the Gospel with the helps therein afforded which is all of God is without all just ground of doubt Christ Some affirm that the reason why Men believe not is not because they cannot tho they cannot but because they will not viz. If they could yet they will not therefore their damnation is just Min. It 's true they will not who wilfully refuse and reject the Grace on the Holy terms thereof and therefore their damnation is just Yet 2. To say the reason why Men believe not is not because they cannot tho they cannot is all one as to say the reason why a blind Man doth not see is not because he is blind and cannot but because he will not and the reason why a dead Man doth not live move and act as living Men do is not because he cannot tho he cannot but because he will not especially their Opinion being that Men by Nature are as dead blind and uncapable to understand move or act in Spiritual things as a dead Corps a stock or a stone is in Natural things and also that God hath destinated them that believe not by an Eternal and unchangeable Decree thereunto which imports an impossibility for any such to believe and be saved being by Eternal Decree determined to Sin and be Damned but that all Men are capable with the common helps afforded of God to believe and be saved is most apparent or else they could not in Justice be capable to be damned Christ I am well satisfied in this matter but it being so that God affords a sufficiency of Power to do his will whence is it that Mens unbelief and disobedience ariseth if not from want of Power Min. All unbelief and disobedience to the Gospel 〈◊〉 from the wilfulness of the will and not from want of power to will for the case is the same if the defect lay in want of Power to Will Joh. 5. 40. Ye will not come to me that ye might have life It 's wilfulness and not weakness that will prove to Condemnation Joh. 3. 19. As all Power is of God the Power of all actions both Natural and Spiritual so in all the Will is left free and not forced by any coercive Power but by voluntary choice as in the lowest so in the highest things the Will determins the choice which I think has been the understanding of Christians throughout all Ages since the Primitive time of the Gospel and is indeed both Divine and Rational I know many cry out upon this as free Will as if it were reproach enough to use that term in way of reproach but rightly understood viz. That Men have a power from God to Will and are left free for its exercise by him and that it is his Will that they should improve their power in Willing the best good not that they do Will it then the work would be done this is most apparent from Scripture to this purpose read and ponder well Isa 55. 6 7. Rev. 22. 17. Those calls and invitations would be to no purpose but indeed Mockinvitations had not Men power and freedom of Will to answer them And not only the Scripture which is plain and clear for it But tho I am not versed in History yet I shall here relate what I have taken out of a Modern Author on this same account and I suppose credible and not to be contradicted viz. The Discourse of Natural and Moral impotency pag. 58. Speaking of the Ancients near the Primitive time saith All Men verst in their Writings know and confess that all the Fathers and whole Church Nemine Contradicente of the purest Ages next after the Apostles after a Controversie was moved concerning it in the second and third Century did maintain free Will as a foundation Principle of all Religion against the Manichees and other Hereticks that denied it And indeed the following Ages did also maintain it whatever any say to the contrary And pag. 52. That Augustin lib. 2. De Precat Merit Remiss Cap. 6. Affirmeth it as undoubted that God commandeth no Man any thing which he cannot do and pag. 53. He calleth it Blasphemy to say that God commandeth any thing that Men in particular cannot do Ser. 191. De tempore And pag 153. That Augustine tells us lib. 2. De Precat Merit chap. 18. That it was the great care of every Orthodox Teacher in his time to take heed lest they did so defend Grace as to deny free Will and lest they should so defend free Will as to deny Grace and a good care it was And further the Author saith Neither is there I think to be found one of the ancients accounted Orthodox that doth maintain in the strict sense opposed that God commandeth Men what they cannot do but all abhorr'd it as an Opinion laying a high accusation upon God till after many hundred Years of this Age of Augustine By all which it appears That it 's no new Notion that the miscarriage of Men is from their own wilfulness and not from weakness they shall blame themselves and not God in their Cendemnation that free Grace and free Will must stand together and indeed to deny the power and freedom of Will is to deny all Grace for it 's no Grace but a mock if there be no power possibly to accept it and that those that were contrary minded in the more purer times were accounted Hereticks and Blasphemers and how they will acquit themselves therefrom that now own and maintain the same it behoves themselves well to consider and indeed were there no power in Men to believe and obey the Lord which his common helps afforded they could then be capable of neither Vice nor Virtue but must be as the Brutes without Sin and how honourable this is either to God or Man is easie to be understood by the weakest capacity Yet in this matter two things had need prudently to be considered 1. That it 's not perfect and sinless obedience that is required or that Men are impowered to perform but universal and sincere to the best of their knowledg and
to be Hypocrites 2. We may not understand John so as to contradict himself who plainly states the danger and the way of safety and preservation 1 Joh. 2. 28. 2 Joh. vers 8. In which he speaks very much as Christ did iâ— the same matter 3. Therefore we may understand John to intend either 1. That they were not of them when they went out from them if they had they would no doubt have continued with him he saith not that they were not at all of them Or 2. If they were not at all of them but Hypocrites which is not affirmed he might speak in an infallible Spirit as sometimes Peter did of Ananias Act. 5. 3 4. Which is no common rule for us but that Persons have and may fall from Grace in this imperfect state is so apparent if we believe the Scripture that it 's past all just ground of doubt and may warn us not to be high minded but fear Ro. 11. 20. 1 Tim. 1. 19. 2 Pet. 2. â—8 20 21. 3. 17. 3. Yet notwithstanding there is a way of safety and certain preservation to the Glory promised stated in the Scripture viz. If we with purpose of heart cleave to the Lord in the Faith Love and Life of the Gospel in this way he will accept us assist and preserve us to the Glory His Grace and our duty uniting will be our safety there being no promise of Preservation out of but in the way of Gospel-Faith and Obedience Christ Some will say this is Nonsense it 's as much as to say keep and preserve your selves and you shall be preserved continue your selves in the Faith and Obedience of the Gospel and you shall be kept Min. This reproach lighteth on Christ and Scripture who will take it all away Joh. 15. 7. If ye abide in me and my words abide in me and my words abide in you c. Verse 5. He that abideth in me and I in him the same bringeth forth much fruit Verse 6. If a Man abideth not in me he is cast forth as a Branch that withereth And vers 10. Sheweth us the way to abide in Christ If ye keep my Commandments ye shall abide in my love not else 1 Pet. 4. 19. Let them that suffer according to the will of God commit the keeping of their Souls to him in a way of well doing and in this way he will keep them Jude vers 21. Keep your selves in the love of God And the way so to do see Joh. 15. 10. 14. 21 23. So that the Scripture justifieth this great and needful truth to be known and taketh away the reproach The sum of the whole is let us look to our duty therein looking for and believing Divine acceptance and assistance therein and God will not fail us Psal 125. 1. 1 Pet. 1. 5. But keep us safe to the Glory promised Joh. 10. 27 28 29. Where Christ states the certainty of our preservation in hearing his voice and following of him such shall never perish It stands both with Scripture and Reason that Gods Grace and our Duty unite there being no promise of safety or Salvation out of the way of Gospel-Duty Rev. 22. 14. Blessed are they that do his Commandments that they may have right unto the Tree of life c. Without this there can be no right by any Gospel-Law of Grace and as Faith and Obedience constitutes right by Divine Ordination so Perseverance therein continueth that right by the same Law of Grace without which can be no entrance Mat. 10. 22. Luk. 9. 62. And mercy it is that God has assured us of Acceptance Assistance and Preservation in his Son in this way of Gospel-Faith and Obedience Isa 64. 5. Heb. 5. 9. CHAP. VI. Of the Nature of Man and the Original Defilement thereof Christ IN as much as there are differing Notions about the Defilement of our Nature some affirming the Nature of Man to be so Defiled by the first transgrassion as that simply from its Original it 's a sink of filth and abomination and layeth liable to the second Death others think Nature in it self to be a pure and undefiled thing I desire your apprehension in this matter Min. That there is a Defilement in the Nature of Men I suppose is most Evident and that both from Scripture and Reason 1. From Scripture Job 14. 4. 15. 14. Psal 71. 5. 2. From Reason which will tell us that in as much as by the first transgression we are fallen into a state of weakness mortality and death our nature must needs be weak and Defiled and so more liable to sin than before yet what the Defilement is and how far it extends it self is that which I think none can truly determine yet I believe it 's not wholly free from Original Defilement from the grounds mentioned nor that it is distinct from all occasions of further Defilement so bad as some do render it Christ I desire you to give your apprehension herein with as much light and evidence as you can Min. 1. I doubt whether any are capable to determine of Adams nature before his fall and so of our nature in him for as his was so was ours or else we could not have fallen in him nor have suffered loss by his sin and fall tho it 's granted by all that he was created in an upright sinless estate and so we in him yet that his nature was capable of defilement and sin is likewise apparent else he had not sinned 2. What Acts he did in resisting the temptation before be sinned or whether the first temptation was not too hard for him we find not in Scripture record but most probably that he fell by the first temptation 3. What we find in Scripture of the badness of his nature after his fall more than before or of the badness of his actions I think we find nothing of either and if so Whether we may not in charity suppose that he learned by his sin and fall to be more wise and â—eedful than he was before as David Peter and other holy men have done and so did better after his fall then before 4. If the nature of man in its original defilement did become such a heap of filth and sin as some pretend Then whence it is that Christ had so much respect to little Infants and direct us to become as such Mat. 18. 3 4. and that of such is the kingdom of Heaven Mat. 19. 4. If the nature was thus defiled what pattern does the Lord direct us to in order to the obtaining of the kingdom And further they are said to be innocent Jer. 19. 4 5. they have filled the place with the blood of Innocents and chap. 2. 34. in thy skirts is found the blood of the poor Innocents Then they were not such a sink of filth and abomination as some pretend but such aâ— God accounted innocent Yet 5. Doubtless there is something in this matter something of defilement
scope of Scripture be adhered to especially in the greatest matters of faith and practice otherwise our faith and practice must be built on mens Interpretations and not on Scripture Revelation and further admit we of mens Interpretations of plain and express Scriptures or of the more dark so as to contradict that which is plain as it 's the ready way to make an end of the truth of Scripture so in reason one mans Interpretation is as good to himself as anothers is to himself and so in Infinitum which fill us with divisions meerly from Interpretations of men and not from any obsâ—urity or contradiction in the Scripture 4. And so as an effect hereof maintain Christian Scripture and Protestant liberty in Religion in opposition to the Popish Scriptureless Principle and protested against by Protestants as exercised by Papists viz. by human power to compel to believe as the Church believeth which perverteth the Scripture denyeth the headship of Christ and the Scripture and Christian liberty of Christians and establisheth the Pope in his Persecutions to the great blame and shame of Protestants 5. That Jesus Christ as he was the alone Sacrifice for the sins of the World so he is the alone foundation of Christian Faith and the alone Mediator between God and Man that he shall come again from Heaven to raise and judg the quick and the dead at his coming and Kingdom and to perfect the Adoption and Redemption the Restitution of all things the great ends of his undertaking 6. That whoever do believe and obey the Gospel shall be saved and that Gospel-Faith and Works are so united by the Lord in order to both Justification and Salvation as without which it cannot be obtained tho not as the cause but as the Holy terms thereof 7. These things being thâ—s fixed to by Protestants and pleaded out both by word and deed would root up Popery Root and Branch all the rest of their Scriptureless and Fabulous inventions and devices as Transubstantiation Image-worship multiplicity of Mediators Sacrifices of the Mass and Eucharist for quick and dead Pardons Pilgrimages and Purgatory with all the rest of their human inventions would fall to the ground if these forementioned Christian and Scripture Principles were soundly pleaded out and lived to by Protestants Christ I perceive that the Apostasie has been very great and more universal than has been imagined and likewise that the danger thereof is very great Min. I take it to be a matter of highest concern to all to lay these things to heart in time and not to make light thereof it being the great things of the Gospel and of weighty concern it is to come right herein and I doubt not but that oy a due and true enquiry we may come to know better where we are and what to do in the great matters of God and the Gospel wherein his name and honour the honour of Christ the Gospel the good of all Men and our own safety is so much concerned Christ Your self have been sometimes differingly minded about some of these things do you think you are wholly gotten out and free from the Apostasie Min. I do not so think much less so say but repent of my former ignorance and mistake in any of these things taken up by Tradition blessing God for any of his teachings waiting on him for further light and leading in the right understanding of his mind and will in his word and that what I understand I may be Faithful to him therein in which way I may expect his further teachings Hos 6. 3. Joh. 7. 17. My real desire being to attain unto the Faith that was once delivered to the Saints Jude vers 3. Which is the great concern of all that make mention of and call upon the name of the Lord Jesus and in a humble and self-denying way of seeking and waiting they may and shall obtain Ps 25. 4 5 9 14. The sum of all I desire is to come right in the Faith Love and Life of the Gospel which is the great concern of all that do expect to Glorfie God here and to be Glorified with him hereafter CHAP. VIII Sheweth that there shall be not only a special but a general Salvation effected by Christ in the Restitution and World to come in and over which shall be his Eternal Kingdom Christ IN chap. 3. You shewed the general Love of God to the World in the gift of his Son and the general Love of Christ in dying for the World with the varieties of the ends thereof all certainly to be effected in the times appointed I desire you in this to speak something further of the great mystery of the Restitution and Salvation in the World to come and of the Eternal Kingdom of Christ therein Min. What is it in particular you desire to enquire into Christ That you clear from the Scripture the truth concerning the World to come and what it is Min. This I have largely spoken to in my answer to Mr. Coxe ch 7. Yet I shall at present say something briefly further to it for your present satisfaction 1. That there is a World to come is so plainly stated in the Scripture as that I think none dare deny it Mat. 12. 32. Mar. 10. 50. Eph. 1. 21. Heb. 2. 5. 2. What this world to come is or shall be 1. Negatively what it is not 1. It is not heaven above which is Gods throne as some vainly think and teach The reasons are 1. Because that is already and probably has been from Eternity Psa 11. 4. and 93. 2. but this is not but is a world that is yet to come and shall be in the times appointed 2. Because heaven is in Scripture no where called the world to come nor indeed could be so called because it has been and is in being but the World to come is not yet in being otherwise than in purpose and promise nor is heaven above which is called Gods throne at all called world or any part of the created world 3. Christ when he came into the world is not said to come out of or down from the world to come but that he came out from God and down from heaven Joh. 6. 38. 16. 30 17. 8. 4. When he ascended he is not said to ascend up into the World to come but that he ascended into heaven and up where he was before Mar. 16. 19. Joh. 6. 62. 2. It is not this present world as others do as vainly imagin that it is the Gospel day of Grace now in this world that this is not it the reasons are 1. This world was in being long before the world to come was spoken of and promised but that is a world that is not yet in being but is to come 2. Because that where the world to come is spoken of it's clearly in way of distinction from this world viz. this world and that which is to come clearly distinguishing them into two worlds