for them both and being graciously invited he is without further dispute or delay to cast his soule upon the promises of mercy and come unto Christ that he might be refreshed But they are in vaine commanded to believe if Christ died not for them because they cannot believe Is it then in vaine that the obstinate and rebellious are commanded and invited to believe who as such cannot believe Was it in vaine that God commanded Pharoah to let Israel goe that our Saviour would have gathered Jerusalem when the things concerning her peace were hid from her eyes Might not men argue by the same reason that it was in vaine for God to intreate and perswade them to believe when he did fore-know that by such invitation they would not be allured to come unto him And if they cannot believe it is not through the unreasonablenesse or absurdity of the thing commanded which doth excuse nor impotency of weaknesse as if they would believe but cannot which is to be pitied but impotency of wilfulnesse and prave affection the more unable to believe the more wilfull to refuse which is inexcusable And though I cannot say God hath given to every man to believe if he will Yet sure God is not wanting to any man in that which either in justice or promise he is bound to give and did men deny themselves nourish the motions of Gods Spirit and earnestly desire to believe without question they should find the Lord gracious If men believe it is of grace not only that whereby they are inabled to believe but whereby they are discerned from other men if they believe not it is of themselves of their own pravity and they be not further from believing then from desire to believe It is objected further that Christ as he died to impetrate remission of sins for me in particular is the object of justifying faith The mercy of God reaching to the pardon of sin in and through Jesus Christ is the object of faith justifying as it is proffered unto us in the word of life but it is one thing to believe that mercy is to be had through the death of Christ and that it is offered unto us in the Gospell and we called to imbrace it another to believe that Christ according to the compleate and full will of God hath laid downe his life for us in particular to purchase for us both grace and glory Proportionable to the perswasion a man hath of Gods willingnesse to be mercifull is his perswasion of the sufficiency of Christs satisfaction and proportionable to his perswasion that God is mercifull to him in the pardon of his sin is his perswasion that Christ died for him in particular Justifying faith is not without an apprehension of mercy in Christ to be obtained but implieth not an apprehension of mercy reaching to the pardon of sin already obtained It is not without an application of recumbency reliance or imbracing which presupposeth the offer oâ— mercy in and through Jesus Christ to be received but the application of particular perswasion that Christ died for me in particular as well as for any other or hath purchased for me grace and glory is Corvin in Mol. cap. 29. Sect. 24. not required in justifying faith Some have affirmed that faith whereby I believe that Christ died for me is the foundation of faith whereby I believe in Christ but I should desire better proof than their bare word for it seeing the Scripture makes the mercifull offer of salvation in Christ to the burdened hungry and thirsty the ground of this affiance and that perswasion according to their positions may be in good and bad them that never shall be justified neither will nor can rest upon Christ for salvation To believe that Christ is an all-sufficient Saviour and that salvation is offered to me in his name is lesse then to believe in Christ for remission of sins and in order of nature goeth before it But to believe that according to the purpose of God Christ is my Redeemer who hath purchased for me in particular grace and remission of sins and eternall redemption and hath actually reconciled me unto God this is the consequent of resting upon Christ for salvation and cannot be believed according to the Scripture unlesse a man doe first believe in Christ and according as men rest upon Christ superficially or soundly with a soveraigne and well-rooted affiance so they believe the other For when we reade in Scripture that Christ tasted of death for every man Heb. 2. 9. died for all 2 Cor. 5. 15. is the reconciliation for the sins of the whole world 1 Joh. 2. 2. shed his bloud for many Mat. 26. 28. gave his life for the ransome of many Mat. 20. 28. Mar. 10. 45. purchased the Church by his blood Act. 20. 28. Ephes 5. 25. gave himselfe for us all Tit. 2. 14. Rom 8 32. for his people Mat. 1. 21. for his sheepe Joh. 10. 15. for them that were given unto him of the Father Joh. 17 9 19. In these and such like passages by All the World Many and Vs are meant men in Covenant partakers of the benefits of Christ redeemed from all iniquity and purified unto him as a peculiar people delivered from this present evill world Gal. 1. 4. that they might live unto God 2 Cor. 5. 15. Peter Act. 3. 26. saith to the Jewes that crucified Christ Vnto you first God having raised up his Sonne Jesus sent him to blesse you in turning away every one of you from your sinnes But he spake to them who were in Covenant the children of the Prophets and of the Covenant and as they were in Covenant so God raised up Christ for them which cannot be referred to the impetration of righteousnesse but the application of Christs death in some sort Otherwise if it be observed that the Apostle speaks of the Jews according to the present state when Christ was incarnate or actually raised from the dead I thinke the greatest Patrons of universall redemption will not affirme that Christ died for every man good and bad believer or Infidell obstinate and rebellious to purchase for them actuall reconciliation on Gods part according to that state wherein they stood when Christ came into the world or was raised from the dead Once againe it is objected that if this proposition Christ died for all men be not the ground of particular affiance it can have no ground at all neither promise of mercy absolute nor conditionall generall nor speciall But already it hath been shewed that bare assent or belief that Christ died for all men cannot be the ground much lesse the only ground of justifying faith and it may further be made evident by these reasons First That is the foundation of faith whereupon particular affiance leaneth or is immediately grounded But no mans particular affiance on Christ for salvation can be grounded on his generall belief that Christ died for all men because this
9. 24. God for them he doth also make request for them But Christ prayed not for all men professeth that he prayed not for the world Joh. 17. 9. He prayed for beleevers and them that should beleeve hereafter and testified that he would not pray for the rest And it must be observed that he prayeth for them that beleeve and shall beleeve as they were Gods and of God given to Christ which formally is not the same with beleevers though it be materially Joh. 6. 37 39. They answer to this argument that there is a two-fold intercession of Christ one generall for all men that they might beleeve The other speciall for beleevers that they might be glâ—ified If you aske the ground of this distinction they say Christ upon the Crosse prayed for his persecutours and them that put him to death Father forgive them they know not what they doe But if we search the Scripture we shall find no passage that saith Christ Luk. 23. 34. prayed for every man that he might beleeve nor is probable For if he aske faith for all men then absolutely or conditionally not absolutely for then all men should obtaine faith because Christ was absolutely heard in whatsoever he absolutely prayed for If upon condition doth he then pray to his Father that they might not resist the first grace offered or that they might beleeve if they doe not resist the first grace But if absolutely he pray that they might not resist then they doe not resist grace if conditionally that they might beleeve if they doe not resist then he prayeth that they might beleeve if they beleeve for not to resist the first grace is to obey it that is to beleeve Besides if Christ pray for all men that they might beleeve then also that they might enjoy the Gospell which is the meanes of faith and that either absolutely and they should enjoy the Gospell which we know they doe noâ— or upon condition as the right use of their naturall gifts or the piety of their progenitours or the like And then these conditions our Saviour doth pray for absolutely or upon condition or not at all If absolutely then all men should use their naturall gifts well because he is alwayes heard in that which he doth aske absolutely if not at all then it is not of grace that men use their naturall gifts well or some grace is given to men without the intercession of Christ And when the Gospell is vouchsafed to some that abuse their naturall gifts to others not did our Saviour pray that some should have the Gospell absolutly some conditionally or is the Gospell granted to some for the intercession of Christ to others without it although he make intercession equally for all men And if the Gospell be vouchsafed to some that abuse their naturall gifts why doth not God give the grace of faith also without that condition under which only Christ asked faith for them Moreover if Christ pray for all men that they may beleeve he asketh this for the vertue and merit of his passion or not If not then faith should not be given for the merit of Christ if he aske for the merit of his passion then he asketh it without any condition for Christ dâ—ed absolutely without conditioÌ„ for all men as they teach what Christ hath merited for all men that God giveth absolutely to every man Christ upon the crosse prayed for them that crucified him Luk. â—3 34. But that might be of private duty as man who subjected himselfe to the Law of God which requires that we forgive our enemies and pray for them that persecute us not of the proper office of a Mediatour who was to intercede for his people by suffering death and making request It behoved Christ as he subjected himselfe to the Law to fulfill all righteousnesse and so to pray for his enemies but that was not out of his proper office as Mediatour which was to offer up himselfe a Sacrifice or make intercession as our high Priest If any shall contend that this is to be referred to the proper Mediatorie intercession of Christ it will not prove the matter in hand for he prayed not for all and every man but for them that crucified him and that indefinitely not universally for them that were present at his crucifying and in simplicity of heart and not of affected ignorance resisting the evidence of the Spirit speaking by Christ and by miracles giving testimony to his doctrine in obedience to the commandement of the Superiours did crucifie him but not for all them that had any hand in his death He prayeth not that they might beleeve if they were not wanting to themselves but prayeth for forgivenesse for them that had abused naturall gifts and supernaturall meanes of grace so that it cannot be referred to that generall Intercession they speake of with any shew of reason Some answer the sense of the words is only this Father seeing they have sinned of ignorance let them not be punished with that punishment which the thing they have done deserveth which was without all hope to be blinded hardened and cast off but let them not for this sin be in this state but shew mercy on them that they may be in possibility of repentance pardon and grace which intercession answereth Christs dying as it respecteth all which was to possibilitate their Salvation But this exposition is new and straitned and cannot be confirmed by any circumstance of the place or signification of the word forgivenesse and if it be granted will not sute with their purpose For Christ died not to possibilitate the Salvation of every man that had or should abuse naturall gifts and supernaturall meanes as the rulers of the people which stirred up the people to desire Jesus that he might be crucified nor prayed for every man that had so fearfully abused the meanes of grace by wilfull and affected ignorance if not worse that he should not be given up to blindnesse and hardnesse of heart If any man shall be bold to affirme either of these we must desire better proofe then his bare word before we can yeeld assent If it be said the persons for whom Christ prayed were not in a state capable of remission or pardon because they were impenitent Corvin in Mol. cap. 27. pag. 7. and unbeleevers Corvinus answereth that we must understand the condition if they repent And by the same reason he might aske salvation for all men scil if they repent and beleeve And how then doth this Intercession differ from that which they say was speciall for the Salvation of beleevers Surely to aske the pardon of their sinnes that repent doth rather pertaine to speciall Intercession whereby the salvation of them that beleeve is prayed for then to the generall wherein the faith of all men is craved An example of this generall Intercession wherein Christ prayeth that all men might beleeve in him we have they say in that
of Adam by the Law of nature written in his heart Confidence in God through Christ or the Messiah was required of the Israelites by the Law published upon the Mount Adam was to performe obedience to the Lord immediately without a Mediatour being himselfe pure and innocent But the Israelites being in themselves sinnerâ— â—ould not in their own names performe service pleasing and acceptable unto the Lord. Adam knew he was beloved of the Lord so long as he continued in obedience but had no warrant to wait upon his mercy when he had broken the Covenant of works But to the Israelites God bound himselfe in Covenant upon Mount Sinai promising to be their God and take them for his people notwithstanding they were sinners in themselves which could not be without forgivenesse and this Covenant they might and did renew by repentance after transgression The Law is not to be confounded with the Gospell but the sacred and inviolable knot of the one with the other is to be maintained unlesse we shall make God contrary to himselfe The Law doth not so directly and expressely teach faith in When Paul saith Faith came by the Gospell it is to be understood of the manner of propounding vvithout the invvrappings of types that the Doctrine vvas â— taught plainly vvithout types and figures Rom. 8. 3. Christ but require obedience yet doth it leade us to Christ and more obscurely command faith in him The Gospell doth more fully reveale Christ and the grace of God in him commanding faith by name but it doth also urge presse and exact obedience Thus sweetly doe the Law and Gospell consent together But here it is to be noted that faith is commanded in the Law which exacteth every thing that is good but it is given to us not by the Law but of the holy Ghost The distinction of the Law and Gospell as they are opposed one to another is cleare and evident but as the Law was given to the Jewes it is not opposite but subordinate to the Gospell The Law in it selfe considered exacted perfection of works as the cause of life but when that was impossible to man by reason of the infirmity of his flesh it pleased the Lord to make knowne to his people by the ministery of Moses that the Law was given not to detaine men in confidence of their own works but to leade them unto Christ Whatsoever the Law teacheth whatsoever it promiseth whatsoever it commandeth alwayes it hath Christ for the scope thereof For though the Law of righteousnesse promise a reward to the keepers thereof yet after it hath shut up all men under sinne it doth substitute another righteousnesse in Christ which is received by faith not purchased by the merit of works And therefore the Apostle doth reprehend the Jewes as perverters of the true sense and meaning Rom. 10. 4 5 6 c. of the Law when they sought to be justified by their works and sheweth that Moses taught them to look for Salvation in the Messiah and seek for that righteousnesse which is by faith Whereby it is manifest that the Law was given 〈◊〉 be a manuduction unto Christ in whom we have Redemption from all things from which by the Law of Moses we could not be justified and a rule to the faithfull according to which they must frame their conversation For what word was that which Moses saith was neere even in their hearts but the Law which the Lord gave upon Mount Sinai and promised to write in the hearts of his people under the Covenant of Grace And from this ground it is not hard to answer what is further objected against this truth as If faith be commanded in the Law then being justified by faith we are justified by the works of the Law For faith is not a work of the Law nakedly and absolutely considered as it exacteth perfect obedience of man in his own person but of the Law as it was given to the Jewes to direct them unto Christ who is the soule and life of the Law And though it be commanded in the Law as it is in the Gospel or new Covenant yet it justifieth not as a part of Regeneration or an act of obedience and work of Grace by it worth or dignity but in respect of that office whereunto it is assigned of God and as it receiveth the promises of mercy It is a sâ—phisticall forme of reasoning to say Faith is commanded in the Gospell therefore if we be justified by faith we are justified by the works of grace The arguments are like and both faultie For justification by faith in Christ is opposed to justification by the works of the Law because he only is justified before God by the Law whose acts being examined by the Law are found just and righteous according to that which the Law requireth but he is justified by faith who being in himself ungodly believeth in Christ for salvation So that according to the Apostles meaning wheresoever faith be commanded he is justified by faith without the works of the Law who is acquitted from sin by the meer and rich grace of God in Jesus Christ received by faith And to seek justification by works is to rest upon our works for salvation as they that answer in all things to that righteousnesse personall which the Law requireth Justification by faith and justification by workes are opposite and so is faith and workes but faith is not opposed to one act commanded whereby the promise is received for then it should be contrary to it selfe but to works whereby the Law is fulfilled in our owne persons to workes I say not to one work because no one worke can justifie but all are necessary If it be said the Apostle doth every where oppose the Law and the Gospel or the old and new Testament The answer is from the same ground that in the Scriptures of the new Testament the Law as well Ceremoniall as Morall is opposed to faith or the Gospel and yet the Ceremonies of the Law did prefigure Christ as all men acknowledge Therefore the Apostle doth not perpetually and absolutely oppose the Law and the Covenant of grace for he teacheth expresly that faith establisheth Rom. 3. 31. the Law For he understood the force and sentence of the Law to consist in faith but because the Jews addicted to the latter of the Law did pretermit the force and life of it Paul proves the Law so taken and separated from faith to be the cause not of life but of death as that which did not only want Christ who is the soul of the Law but is opposite to him And therefore Paul doth this because the Jews faith being let passe did seek righteousnesse in the dead works of the Law and did oppose the Law to the Gospel and Christ who was the end and scope of the Law This will be more plain if we shall examin the particular passages of Scripture wherein this matter is handled
be commanded to beleeve in him The Authours of the Synod cap de Election A Law not given or when it cannot be understood See Synod de fens sent pag. 33â— Non repugnat c doth not bind Whosoever is bound to beleeve in Christ must have the rule of new life which is the Covenant which was purchased by the blood of the Mediatour as they dispute And then he which is not in Covenant nor ever had the rule of new life how should he be bound to beleeve in Christ The second caution is that he that goeth on in an evill way and maketh a pastime of sinne is not called immediately to beleeve in Christ nor hath received grace sufficient as such a man to rest upon him for Salvation Before they will or can come unto Christ it must be otherwise with them they must be prepared of God who draweth men to Christ but first as they say drawes them to mind their soules seriously A wicked man living within the pale of the Church is bound to beleeve as to repent and cease from his evill way for the neglect of one duty doth not exempt a man Synodal ubi Supr arg 30. Arm. priv disp de fide from another but so long as he goeth on in an evill course he cannot lay hould on the promises of mercy nor embrace Christ as his only Saviour The hungry thirsty and burdened not they which wallow in iniquity are invited to come unto Christ that they might be eased and refreshed They are called to beleeve in Christ for pardon not that they are already the children of God and restored into favour A thirsty and weary man as such can no more beleeve that he is the child of God then a wounded man as wounded can that he is cured or the man stung with the fiery Serpent that he was healed before he looked up to the brasen Serpent Thirst is opposed to water and weatinesse to refreshing A man must believe before he can be in the state of grace and know he doth beleeve before he can beleeve that he is the child of God neither of which can be affirmed of the weary as simply such Thus then I grant all men are bound to beleeve in Christ but thence it will not follow that Christ died for all men equally to purchase for them actuall reconciliation on Gods part and with full and compleate will and purpose quantum in se to save them but only that Christ died for them as an all-sufficient and efficient Saviour so that in the Covenant of grace salvation might be and is tendered unto them upon condition of true repentance and faith unfained For they to whom the Gospell is preached and by whom it is professed are bound to beleeve what is offered in the Gospell as it is offered there in viz. if they hunger and thirst deny themselves and be wearie of their sinnes But it is one thing to deny our workes and relie upon the free mercy of God in Christ another to beleeve that Christ died for our redemption in particular Whosoever is bound to beleeve hath Christ as an all-sufficient and efficient Saviour in and through whom Salvation might be obtained and undoubtedly shall be obtained by him if he renounce his owne works and flie to the sole mercy of God in Christ as the object of faith in order of nature before either the act of faith or proposall of the commandement to beleeve He hath also the rule of new life and is admitted into the Covenant according to the externall administration wherein Christ is offered as a sufficient and efficient Mediatour so that pardon of sin adoption and eternall happinesse shall redound to all and every one by his death if they doe believe and as a Mediatour by merit and saving efficacy to reconcile them actually unto God that be in Covenant effectually The word of truth is the foundation of faith in nature before it true as it is promised not made true by faith but that faith cannot be given to the promise unlesse the thing promised be truly existent and made good before faith is strange in Divinity One thing is true because it is promised another because it is fore-told another because it is simply declared Those things which are true as related those things have been whether we believe them or not and those things which are fore-told as true those in like manner shall come to passe whether we believe or believe not But those things which are true as promised it is not necessary that they be unlesse we believe For the narration and Arm. priâ— disp thes 43. prediction is absolute but the promise conditionall requiring faith in the hearer There is this mutuall respect betwixt the promise and stipulation that the promise is as an argument which God useth that he might obtaine of man what he requireth and the performance of the thing required is a condition without which man cannot obtaine the promise of God But leaving further dispute of this matter faith in Christ and the commandment to believe in him hath a subject word true in it selfe not made true by faith whereupon it is builded as true firme and certaine as any ground of faith in Christ can be desired or conceived There is one act of faith whereby we believe that sins are pardonable this is builded upon this ground that Christ is an all-sufficient and efficient Saviour in whose name Salvation is freely offered by faith to be received There is another act of faith whereby we rest upon Christ for salvation this is grounded upon these and Mat. 11. 28. Isa 55. 1. such like promises Come unto me all yâ— that labour and be heavie laden and I will refresh you Hoe every one that thirsteth come ye to the waters Let him that is a thirst come unto me and drinke There is a third whereby we believe that our sins are already pardoned and this is grounded upon these and such like He that believeth shall be saved It is objected if Christ died not for all men then a man may doubt whether he should believe or no But that scruple is not removed by the contrary perswasion that Christ died for all mankind in the common lapse for so Christ died for many men that neither can nor ought as such to believe and he that questioneth whether he should believe doth it in respect of former transgressions abuse of grace neglect of the meanes and conscience of his owne unworthinesse in which case it affords small comfort and lesse resolution to informe him that Christ died for all men as sinners but not as impenitent or unbelievers But the direct way and course to comfort the distressed and doubting soule in that perplexity is to informe him that his sins are pardonable because in Christ forgivenesse is offered unto him that he is particularly called being hungry thirstie burdened finding himselfe destitute both of grace and comfort to come unto Christ
notwithstanding it may be he is not allowed he cannot rest upon Christ for salvation Againe That is the ground of faith which doth fully and satisfyingly answer to this question why doe you and how know you that you are allowed to rest upon Christ for salvation But the bare beliefe of this proposition that Christ died for all men to save c. is not a satisfying and full answer to this Question Againe This categoricall proposition Christ died for all men sheweth what is done whether men believe or not but doth not warrant every man as such to rest upon Christ nor promise upon condition of faith what cannot be obtained without beliefe in Christ The ground of particular affiance is some word or promise made to man not yet believing whereby he is assured that as such he is allowed to believe and that believing he shall receive the free forgivenesse of his offences which promise is in order of nature before faith tendered to him that beleeveth not holding forth free remission upon condition of faith and is made good to him that beleeveth What some speake of a conditionall promise made to beleevers I cannot comprehend for if the person must be a beleever before the promise be offered unto him then faith must hang in the aire and not be built upon the word neither can faith be the condition required in the promise but somewhat else for a conditionall promise the condition being fulfilled is conditionall no longer but absolute the condition being performed the thing promised is applied and possessed and not barely promised upon condition What hath been answered to former passages of Scripture doth open the true meaning of another much urged in this matter God our Saviour will have all men to be saved and to come unto the 1 Tim. 2. 4 5 6. knowledge of the truth For there is one God and one Mediatour between God and men the man Christ Jesus who gave himselfe a ransome for all to be testified in due time But All in this place doth not signifie universally every man in every age and condition but All opposed to the Jews only all indefinitely and that in the times of the new Testament of which the Apostle speaketh For those All whom God willeth to be saved he willeth that they come to the knowledge of the truth scil the saving truth of God he vouchsafeth the Gospell unto them and word of reconciliation But the word of reconciliation was not vouchsafed to every Nation under heaven in every age much lesse to every man Nor to all Nations in any age specially since the distinction of Jew and Gentile before the times of the Gospell It will be replied that God was ready to have communicated the Gospell unto them if they had used well what they had received but abusing what he had given it was just to with-hold further meanes from them But this answer will in no sort fit this place because the Lords willing that all men be saved and the actuall 1 Tim. 2. 7. communication of the Gospell unto all men are plainly conjoyned and so is Christs actuall giving of himselfe a ransome for all both in this and other passages of Scripture Besides it is most evident those All which in this place are meant are such as 2 Cor. 5. 19 20 had fearfully abused the common grace received and with-held the truth of God in unrighteousnesse and for which many of them were given up unto a reprobate sence Of these the Apostle speaking of the times of grace saith God willeth that they should come to the knowledge of the truth not that he willeth to vouchsafe the Gospell unto them if they should use the common graces well for they had fearefully abused them already but actually to vouchsafe the word of reconciliation notwithstanding such their abuse Those all whom God willeth to be saved are they that have ver 5. God to be their God and Christ to be their Mediatour but all men in every age have not God for their God Is he the God of Rom. 3. 29. the Jewes only Is he not of the Gentiles also Yes of the Gentiles also But of the world of Jew and Gentile he is the God in times of the new Testament and not of the old The place is much like that of the same Apostle for God hath concluded them all Rom. 11. 32. in unbeliefe that he might have mercy upon all that is not upon the Jews alone but all beleevers both Jewes and Gentiles because there is neither Jew nor Greek bond nor free male nor female but in Christ Jesus they are all one This was meant of the daies of salvation and the acceptable yeare which was fore-prophesied 2 Cor. 6. 2. and began from the ascension of Christ to receive generall execution Act. 13. 46 47. when according to promise all should be taught of God Joh. 6. 45. and Christ would draw all men unto him Joh. 12. 32. Thus Arminius himselfe the place Arm. in Perk. intreats of the amplitude of grace exhibited in Christ under the new Testament and concludes his answer thus that throughout all ages God hath willed that all men severally should come to the knowledge of the truth and be saved as they are comprehended in the Covenant of God but not as they are fallen from it in themselves or their parents It is objected That God willeth that all they should be saved for whom we are to pray But we must pray for all men But the Apostles argument is otherwise that we must pray for all men because God willeth that all should be saved that is Gods will it is that the Gentiles should be called and added unto the Church the Gospell should be preached amongst all Nations therefore now pray ye for all men specially for Kings because by the good affection of Kings to Gods Church the Church of God is like to prosper farre better then by the conversion of meane persons But it no way followeth that God willeth their salvation because we pray for their salvation The child prayeth for the Fathers health and recovery when God willeth he shall die If God should leave us to our owne desires peradventure we should desire not only that all that now live but that all that ever lived might have been converted and saved yea that the Angels that fell might have been kept from sin or having sinned might have been brought to repentance and saved To desire that every one that now liveth might be saved with submission to the will of God is no incongruity But we cannot inferre thereupon that it is the will of God to save every man now living in the world or to grant them meanes sufficient to come to the knowledge of the truth Neither will it follow that we must pray for every man in the world in every age knowne and unknowne unto us such as we never heard of by relation because we must pray for All men
unto Israel And seeing repentance Act. 5. 31. Act. â—1 18. is not to desperation but to life and Salvation it cannot be without all respect of Christ in whom only we have deliverance from the condemnation and dominion of sin Repentance is the effect of Christs death and intercession As he hath purchased pardon of sin for us so repentance also otherwise we should be Isai 53. 5. partakers of some saving grace or blessing which Christ did not purchase for us The Spirit of God is not undeservedly called the Spirit of Christ as Mediatour convincing the Conscience of sin and unrighteousnesse and discovering unto the heart the grace of the Gospell The Word of the Kingdome or Covenant is the instrument of repentance as that which discovereth sin and holdeth forth hope of pardon and intreateth perswadeth and encourageth the weary and burdened to draw nigh to God by Jesus Christ FINIS A Table directing to some principall things in the foregoing Discourse A ABraham how the father of the faithfull page 50. who meant by Abrahams seed ibid. and p. 51 Adam whether to be translated into heaven if he had stood p. 10 Though he had been rewarded in justice yet not of merit ib. A double obedience required of Adam viz. naturall and symbolicall p. 10 why God forbade Adam the eating of the tree of knowledge ibid. whether Adams perfection in Innocency were naturall or supernaturall p. 11. Gods Covenant with Adam a Covenant of friendship not of reconciliation ib. Adam how he could be secure seeing his condition was mutable p. 13. Adam in Innocency whether he had power to believe p. 44 Adoption the Jewes partakers of it yet had it tempered with servitude p. 35 Acceptilation whether Christ satisfied not Gods justice fully but by divine Acceptilation only seeing he suffered but for a time 291 Affiance the ground of particular affiance is some word or promise made to a man not yet believing p. 229 Agony of Christ without any sinfull distemper 282. the effects of it 283 284. Betwixt his desires in his agony a diversity but no contrariety ib. All in Scripture sometime signifies neither all precisely nor the most part 208 B BEcause what it signifieth p. 57 The phrase from the beginning or the beginning what it imports p. 42 Believe whether every man be bound to believe that Christ died for him in particular p. 222 223. c. He that goeth on in an evil way is not immediately called to believe in Christ 223. Things that are true as promised it is not necessary that they be unless we believe 225. That man cannot believe is not through impotency of weakness but impotency of wilfulnesse 226. Belief that Christ died for all men cannot be the ground of justifying faith 228. what signe God gives of his willingnesse to have men believe when he gives them not power 245 Believers and Christs sheep how they differ 255 Bellarmine confuted who saith the faith whereby Abraham was justified was justice p. 72 But not ever an exceptive but oft an adversative 302 C CAnaan how said to be an everlasting possession p. 55 Caphar what it signifieth 279 Carnall Christians their priviledge 55 Carnall reasonings to be avoided in divinity 249 Cause an immediate or next cause what p. 70. A morall cause though not present in act yet if supposed future may have effects p. 31 Circumcision why with bloud and why ordained seeing both sexes not capable of it p. 90. what it was a seal of ibid. Circumcision not unprofitable to those that were not partakers of the spirituall blessings 91 Christ more darkly revealed in the Covenant of promise and why p. 32. Christ Mediator and Testatour both 203. for whom he died and rose again whether for all and every man with a purpose to save or for all in respect of the sufficiency of the price not efficiency 204 205 206 c. No man hindred from comming to him by any cause efficient or deficient out of himself 244. Both natures concurre in him necessarily as a formall beginning in the works of Mediation 269. How he is inferiour to the Father 271. our sins layd upon him 276 277. and he substituted for the sins of the faithfull 279. Satisfaction made by him and that reall and not by acceptilation ib. and 280 281. How the Church is said to have Christ 287. His appearing before his Father for us what it imports 296. How he is King 306. In Christs person a threefold fulnesse 317. How Christ was Mediatour before his Incarnation p. 27. Christ the common store-house in which every thing is first placed that is to be imparted to believers p. 38 Church members the Covenant externally made with every one parents and their children p. 24. 29 Church of the elect only one p. 30. sometimes the bounds of it narrower sometimes larger 203. In the latter dayes it is probable the bounds of it will be larger then heretofore ib. Commandment Gods Commandments shew whatour duty is not what God will work in every man 134 Conditions of two sorts 133 Conversion though not a bare morall perswasion yet not effected without perswasion 328. Conversion of a sinner called conviction and why 333. what is that effectuall help whereby a man comes to God 335. wherein stands the efficacie of grace effectuall to conversion 336. whether God a cause of mans non-conversion 344 Covenant severall derivations of the originall word p. 1. Covenant of salt what p. 2. Acceptions of the word Covenant p. 3 4. The essence of the Covenant wherein it consisteth 4. Covenant and law how differ ib. There may be a Covenant without verball expressions p. 5. yet there have been alwayes expressions in the Covenant with the reasonable creature ibid. The Covenant is one thing and the name of the Covenant is another p. 5. Causes why God is pleased to deal with the reasonable creature in a Covenant way p. 6. A Covenant with man in Innocency though the word Covenant not to be found p. 6. The Covenant betwixt God and man in generall described p. 7. The Authour of the Covenant God not God and man ib. The Covenant is of grace even where reward is promised of justice ib. p. 9. The subject of the Covenant is man and how 8. Covenant of works and grace no where in Scripture totidem syllabis 9. Covenant of God with man not one but manifold and sundry wayes whereby they are distinguished 8. Of the Covenant with man in Innocency p. 9. Covenant of works whether still on foot in the posterity of Adam in respect of temporall good things p. 13. Covenant of grace what 14. Impossible to be under the Covenant of works and grace at once 15. Covenant of grace divers in administrations one in substance 23. Covenant of nature and grace how they agree and differ ib. Covenant of grace to be considered as promised and as established p. 27. Covenant of promise what 28. Covenant of promise and the new
consideration is the subject of the Covenant as it is divided for kinds or altered for circumstances and degrees but man is the subject of the Covenant without such particular considerations The Lord having respect to the mutability and weaknesse of mans nature was pleased as to try his obedience by Symbolicall precepts so to evidence the assurance of his faithfull promise by outward seales but when the creature shall grow to absolute perfection and unchangeablenesse such symbolicall precepts and outward seales shall cease as needlesse The good promised is eternall blessednesse with all good things that doe accompany it or belong thereunto the good required is obedience to the just and righteous Commandement of God which he as our Soveraigne Lord doth claime and call for according as he shall prescribe and appoint The end thereof is the glory of God viz. the praise of his wisedome justice and bountie And in all these things the Covenants howsoever divided in kinds or varied in degrees and circumstances doe sweetly consent and agree But seeing the Covenant is not one but manifold both in kinds and degrees we must distinguish it and weigh more diligently what doth agree to every kind and wheâ—ein they agree and wherein they differ one from another Some distinguish thus the Covenant is either of Nature or of Grace or subservient to both which is called the Old Testament Others thus the Covenant is Legall or Evangelicall of works or of grace The Covenant of workes wherein God covenanteth with man to give him eternall life upon condition of perfect obedience in his owne person The Covenant of Grace which God maketh with man promising eternall life upon condition of beleeving And this distinction is one for substance with the former and with that which may be taken from the speciall consideration of the subject with whom it was made scil the Covenant made with Adam in the state of Innocencie or with man after the Fall We reade not in Scripture the Covenant of works or of grace totidem syllabis the neerest we come to it is Rom. 3. 27. the Law of works opposed to the Law of faith which holds out as much as the Covenant of workes and the Covenant of Grace For there the Apostle is disputing about justification and by consequent eternall Salvation which is Gods part to give under a Covenant But of this hereafter The Covenant which God made with our first parents is that mutuall contract or agreement wherein God promised eternall happinesse to man upon condition of intire and perfect obedience to be performed in his owne person The Author of this Covenant was God his Creator and Soveraigne who had bestowed many and great blessings upon man furnished him with excellent abilities and enriched him with singular priviledges This Covenant God made in Justice yet so as it was of Grace likewise to make such a free promise and to bestow so great things upon man for his obedience God did in strict justice require obedience promise a reward and threaten punishment but yet as bountifull and gratious unto his creature intire and perfect if he should so continue God did in justice proportion the reward and the worke the weight of the blessing promised and the work of obedience required but yet I cannot thinke it had been injustice in God to have given lesse or not to have continued so great things to man so long as he continued his obedience No God was pleased to manifest his goodnesse to man continuing in obedience no lesse then his justice as formerly in creation he had shewed himselfe exceeding gratious to man above other visible and corporall creatures This Covenant God made with man without a Mediatour for there needed no middle person to bring man into favour and friendship with God because man did beare the image of God and had not offended nor to procure acceptance to mans service because it was pure and spotlesse God did love man being made after his Image and promised to accept of his obedience performed freely willingly intirely according to his Commandement The forme of this Covenant stood in the speciall Promise of good to be received from justice as a reward for his work Doe this and live and the exact and rigid exaction of perfect obedience in his own person without the least spot or failing for matter or manner The good that God promised was in it kind a perfect systeme of good which was to be continued so long as he continued obedient which because it might be continued in the eye of creating power for ever we call it happinesse life and everlasting happinesse But upon a supposition of Adams persisting in a state of obedience to say that God would have translated him to the state of glory in Heaven is more then any just ground will warrant because in Scripture there is no such promise And if we must not presume above what is written we may say Adam should have continued in that blessed estate in which he was created but as for his translation after some number of yeares spent on earth we reade it not In this state and condition Adams obedience should have been rewarded in justice but he could not have merited that reward Happinesse should have been conferred upon him or continued unto him for his works but they had not deserved the continuance thereof for it is impossible the creature should merit of the Creator because when he hath done all that he can he is an unprofitable servant he hath Luke 17. 10. done but his duty The obedience that God required at his hands was partly naturall to be regulated according to the Law engraven in his heart by the finger of God himselfe consisting in the true unfained and perfect love of God and of his Neighbour for the Lords sake and partly Symbolicall which stood in obedience to the Law given for his probation and triall whether he would submit to the good pleasure of God in an act of it selfe meerely indifferent because he was so commanded Though God had put many abilities and honourable priviledges upon man yet he remained his Soveraigne which by an act of restraint he was pleased to make man thus exalted to know which he did by requiring and commanding his creature to abstain from one fruit in it selfe pleasant to the eye and good for meat This was mans Homage-penny a thing before the command indifferent unto which he had a naturall inclination from which he was now to abstaine because God who had before given to man as part of his patrimony and not as reward of his obedience to this particular restraint liberty to eat of every tree of the Garden here interposed himselfe and reserved this as an Homage unto himself God in his Soveraignty set a punishment upon the breach of this Gen. 2. 16. his Commandement that man might know his inferiority and that things betwixt him and God were not as between equals The subject of this Covenant
equall to us Christians in all substantiall graces of the Covenant Fourthly and from the same grounds we may conclude that the soules of the faithfull who departed this life before the comming of Christ in the flesh were immediately received into Heaven For they were taken to glory and saved as we Now such as are taken to glory are taken to Heaven For the Scripture knoweth Act. 15. 11. no place in which God doth ordinarily display his glory but Heaven And what should hinder their translation into the heavenly Jerusalem when they are removed out of this earthly tabernacle Not their sinnes for they which could not hinder them from Sanctification fitting them for Heaven could not hinder them from Heaven Not want of Faith who now have that faith which Abraham and many of them had No want of efficacie in Christ he was the Lambe slaine from the beginning of the world he was yesterday to day and for ever his death was effectuall to cause them to find pardon and the Spirit of Sanctification Not any priviledge of Christ for not simply to ascend into Heaven was Christs priviledge but to ascend soule and body as heire of all things and the Authour of Salvation to all that obey him David is said not to have ascended into Heaven but that is spoken Act. 2. 34. in respect only that he was not raised in body and gone into Heaven body and soule as the heire of all things and person who was to sit at Gods right hand It is also said The Fathers received Heb. 11. 39. not the Promise scil of Christs comming in the flesh to performe the worke of our Redemption but as they received the promise of forgivenesse and of the Spirit of Sanctification so after their death they were taken into Heaven They whose Pilgrimage and sojourning ceased with this life they could not but be in their Countrey at home after this life But Heaven is the Countrey of the Saints for where their Father is there is their Countrey Those who walked as strangers here on earth because they looked Heb. 11. 13 14 15 16. Heb. 11. 5. 2 King 2. 11. Luke 9. 31. for an heavenly Jerusalem a City whose Maker was God they leaving this earth were translated thither The translating of Enoch Moses and Elias seeme to figure out no other thing Christ was the fore-runner of Enoch not in act in respect of the assumption of his humanity into Heaven but in vertue and merit From the beginning of the world a place was prepared for all whom God had chosen in Jesus Christ Matth. 25. 31. and 20. 23. but a place was to be prepared of Christ for us in respect of the promised paiment by the force and efficacy whereof the effect was before obtained but with respect to future labours which were both certaine and present with God For a morall cause though it be not present in act if it be supposed as future may have its effect The faithfull before Christ when they removed out of these earthly tabernacles were received into everlasting habitations Luke 16. 9. Now if the godly at the instant departed were bestowed in any place but Heaven they then did goe to mansions which they were to leave in a short time even then when Christ did ascend Our Saviour promised to the penitent Theefe upon the Crosse This day shalt thou be with me in Paradise which if it was not Luke 23. 43. into Heaven but into Limbus it was but for a short time for that was to be broken up within a few houres space But to returne to the matter in hand The Covenant of Promise and the new Covenant are so one for substance that what is in the first for weight and essentiall is in all the degrees following and to be understood though not mentioned and whatsoever in any after degree appeares as substantiall to the Covenant that was included in the first propounding of it but in sundry accidents which nothing hinder their substantiall unity they are distinguished First on the part of the Object Christ exhibited in the New 1 Ioh. 1. 1 2. 4. 14. Mal. 3. 1. Isai 59. 15. Covenant is promised as to come in the Covenant of promise For it was meete the promise should goe before the Gospell and be fulfilled in the Gospell that so great a good might earnestly be desâ—red before it was bestowed and that the expectation of them that waited for the consolation of Israel might not be frustrated Secondly In the manner of administration and measure of faith For the knowledge of Christ and faith in him to come was more obscure and darke then the knowledge of him already come and faith which doth behold him present The manner of Christs Mediation was more sparingly and obscurely revealed his person the manner of execution of the office of Mediatour and the benefits that we receive in him more darkly unfolded sometimes propounded in generall words sometimes shadowed in types and figures seldome more specially described And the reason why these things at first were more darkely delivered may be first because things present or past are seene more clearely then things to Heb. 11. 17. come prophesies be obscure before the accomplishment 2. The Church was then in her Infancy and rude not come to her ripe age the Lord in his infinite wisdome so disposing the matter 3. It was meete the cleare and full revelation of this mystery should be reserved to Christ the chiefe Prophet The Authour of life was to lay open and make manifest the way to life Till the way into Heaven was really entred by the true high Priest after the order of Melchisedech it was not fully manifested Heb. 9. 8. Under the Old Testament the way into the Holiest was not absolutely shut but vailed not altogether untraced but not fully laid open because our true and reall high Priest had not made satisfaction by the offering up of himselfe a sacrifice once for all nor consecrated that new and living way through the vaile that is to say his flesh 4. The minds of men were to be held in a longing desire and expectation of Christ and the obscure revelation of Christ and his benefits did serve to raise their hearts to an earnest desire of his comming in respect of the cleare revelation and great and glorious blessings they might then expect But in this obscurity we may observe some degrees Before the Law given by Moses the promise was more obscure the Law being given even to the times of the Prophets lesse cleare in the times of the Prophets even to Iohn the Baptist more cleare Even from the first giving forth of the promise untill the comming of Christ in the flesh the revelation was more cleare distinct ample as the comming of the Messiah did approach neerer and neerer For the Church by how much it was neerer to her beginnings by so much it was the ruder and therfore to be instructed
be inseparable And this doth take away the objection which they raise from the words following And hath committed vers 19 20 unto us the word of reconciliation Now therefore we beseech you we pray you in Christs stead be ye reconciled to God For not to say the Apostle speakes to the Corinthians at that time beleevers and in the state of persons reconciled hath not God committed the word of reconciliation to the Ministers who are to beseech mankind actually restored into grace and admitted into the new Covenant to be reconciled The word of reconciliation is of use both to them that be not restored into grace that they might be called and to them that be reconciled that they might continue and be builded forward That passage of the Apostle 1 Joh. 2. 1 2. If any man sinne we have an Advocate with the Father Jesus Christ the righteous And he is the propitiation for our sinne and not for ours only but also for the sinnes of the whole world is like to the former as all men confesse and hath the same answer For as Christ is our Advocate by office to plead our cause and defend us against the accusation of all our enemies so is he our propitiation But Christ is not the Advocate of every man simply but of his people And as he is the propitiation of the beleeving Jewes so he is of the whole world 1 Joh 4. 10. but he is the propitiation of the beleeving Jewes in that God is propitious unto them in Christ and not propitiable or reconcileable only He is their propitiation through faith in his bloud Rom. 3. 25. by whom their sinnes are covered not coverable and Cyril in Ioh. â— 11. cap. 19. Aug. tract 87. in Iob. Autor de vocat Gent. l. 2. c. 1. Euseb Hist l. 4. c. 15. Estius in 1 Ioâ— 2. 2. expiated and done away not expiable only Therefore the Apostle speakes of the application of Christs death and by the whole world man-kind in common considered as under the fall cannot be understood but the whole world of the Gentiles now called to the faith and admitted into Covenant Thus Vorstius himself though in his common places upon this Chapter he would understand these words as if Christ sufficiently and efficiently quantum in se was the propitiation for the sinnes of all mankind yet in his paraphrase he giveth this sence of the Text Where fore let Vorst in 1 John 2. 2. him consider that the Lord Jesus is the propitiation for our sins as who hath purchased full remission of them all for us And not only for us who at this time embrace his doctrine but for all men of the whole world as many as by faith receive or appehend the blessing of the Gospell offered unto them In this sence the world is taken as they themselves confesse Rom. 11. 12 15. Their fall is Scrip. Syn. pag. 307 308. See Chemnit Har. Evang. cap. 8. Quod gaudium erit omni populo the riches of the world and their casting off the reconciliation of the world that is of the Gentiles converted to the faith which did make a great part of the world and before conversion were worldly and profane men The rejection of the Jewes was an occasion by which the Gentiles hitherto without that gratious communication was made rich and being converted to the faith did returne into favour with God And the same argument they bring out of the former Text to confute the distinction of Christs death effectually for some sufficiently for all because then the adversative particle doth loose his emphasis if the Apostles words be thus understood Christ died effectually for us and not only so but sufficiently for the sinnes of the whole world doth confirme the other interpretation for the adversative should loose it weight if the sentence be thus resolved Christ is our propitiation by faith in whom God is actually reconciled and not only so but he is reconcileable to the whole world that lieth not in infidelity The maintainers of universall redemption thinke it may strongly be proved by this reason All men are bound to beleeve in Christ but Christ died for all men that are bound to believe in him which some propound in this forme Every man is bound to beleeve that Christ died for him but whatsoever a man is bound to beleeve that is true therefore he died for every man But if by beleeving in Christ they understand nothing but bare assenting to this proposition that Christ died for all men and for me as a man for the impetration of righteousnesse quantum in se or to purchase the grace of the Father and pardon of sinnes no man is bound to beleeve it because it is not revealed in Scripture much lesse made knowne to every man in the world by meanes sufficient Every man called whether he hearken to God calling or not is bound to beleeve that Christ is offered unto him as a Saviour so as if he beleeve he shall be saved but that Christ died for him in particular for the impetration of righteousnesse and for every particular man in the world that he is not bound to beleeve because it is not found in Scripture nor can he beleeve it according to their grounds that urge this argument neither can such perswasion be the ground of justifying faith I say every man in the world good or bad cannot beleeve it as they teach For either they be considered as in the common Masse as all Infants and then they be actually restored into grace or as impenitent and unbeleevers fallen from the Covenant themselves or as Arminius addeth in their parents and then Christ died not for them as such If they be admitted into Covenant and continue therein Script Rem advers coll Hag. art 2. Christ died for them in respect of application if they be fallen from that state by impenitency obstinacy rebellion Christ died not for them as such If they be cast off and not so much as outwardly called how can they beleeve that Christ died for them specially when by transgression they have departed from that Covenant and fallen from that state unto which they say they were admitted Neither can this perswasion be the ground of faith justifying for many ungodly men are perswaded that Christ died for all mankind that neither will nor can nor ought as such to beleeve in Christ or rest upon him for Salvation and many beleeve it not that beleeve truly in Christ and know they beleeve and that they ought to beleeve If by beleeving in Christ be meant faith justifying the proposition may be granted with two limitations First that under this terme they be not comprehended who never heard of Christ or had possible at least probable meanes to come to the knowledge of Christ or were admitted into Covenant So Vorstius seemes to limitit unlesse saith he Christ had died for all that are called in vaine should they all