potters wheele of restoration and for to effect the Creation there needed none to suffer but our Saviour Christ to effect the restoration of all men for the pacifying of the Fathers justice was necessitated to suffer even death it selfe in a most terrible manner for rebellious mankind who will not be so much compliable to his gratious working and good intention towards them as patients passively to submit and yield themselves unto the dispose of the Physitian but he hath to deale with a world of men that as they are all by nature born spiritually blinde so they are all very well pleased with that their blindnesse all of them being by naturall descent from polluted Adam so far inchanred by Sathan that they doe count it injurious to be brought out of the darknesse of that spirituall imprisonment so that our Saviour Christ in obedience to performe his Fathers will who is not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance 2 Pet. 3.9 and to help all men that they may repent he absolutely will have all men saved and brought or to come unto the knowledge of the truth 1 Tim. 2.4 6. And also Christ to testifie his own love in performing that his Fathers will for all men is necessitated how crosse soever or how rebelliously soever all men wilfully act against that his gratious worke yet to compell all men to come to the knowledge of the truth according to his Fathers will as is before he will have it so there is no remedy by mens hanging backe in this cause it must be so for our good God will not nor indeed cannot be so unjust as to take advantage against any one of Adams posterity by their being unavoidably fallen into darkness by another mans actuall transgression when another hath feld the tree down it is not suitable to his glorious greatnesse and goodness to hack off the boughs Nay further he will extend his mercy in Christ also even to Adam himselfe also in his darknesse who was the personall occasion of the fall of all for Christ inlightneth every man all men are to come unto the knowledge of the truth for his Father by free grate sent him not only to open the blind eies and to open the spiritual prison doors but also to bring out the prisoners from the prison house Christ is not only to inlighten them that sit in darknesse but he is necessitated in his obedience to his Fathers will whether men be willing or not willing to part with their naturall darknesse to bring those that sit in darknesse out of the darknesse of the prison house Isa 42.7 these being by nature all mens conditions Thus you see how our good and mercifull God will not have that saying used that the fathers have eaten sowre grapes and the childrens teeth are set on edge Ezek 18.2 3 4. This spirituall preaching of the Gospell by Christs word or beleeving servants or creatures to all men is called the Kingdome of Heaven which is within you Luke 17.21 which appeareth by comparing mat 3.2 with Mark 1.15 And from such expressions by likening divers things to the Kingdome of Heaven our Saviour uttered many parables as is instanced by the parable of the sower and his seed and of the drag-net and of the leaven and of the Feast Wherein note that to declare the compulsion of all men internally to receive the infranchisement aforesaid in the common salvation Christ sets forth the same seeds-man sowing of the same seed even the word of the Kingdome upon foure sorts of ground representing thereby all the sorts of ground or of men which were compelled all alike to receive the sowing or falling of the seed upon them for the simile holds not nor maintains not that any of those sorts of ground no not the best sort of ground used any means or desired that the seed should be cast upon them yet it is said in effect that all those grounds were by the act of sowing the seed upon them made to hear the word and also some of the bad grounds did receive it with joy Mat 13.19 23. and also some of the bad grounds sprang up Luke 8.6 which shewes that there is an ability given by the seed sowing even on the bad grounds for they had no such ability of their own but they by one means or other in that ability suffered one interruption or other to fasten upon them so that only that ground called the good ground did bring forth good fruit thereby But still note here with that the goodnesse thereof is not attributed to a surmounting Almighty power of God extended to that ground over and above or more than the other grounds but it is attributed as in the simile in effect to the due obedience of the ground or of men being found well acting in the ability by grace restored to all men by Christ the seeds-man by sowing the same seed upon it which seed he also soweth on all persisting disobedient men for if the goodnesse thereof were not attributed to its own wel acting in ability of will by grace so restored but to a surmounting Almighty power of God unresistibly overpowring it more then was granted to the other grounds then it were grosse absurdity with men much more for us to conceive of our impartiall good God who is no respecter of persons Acts 10.34 Deut. 10.17 Rom. 2.11 That he should esteem of that ground and that he should so partially and highly prefer that ground as being good rather than the other grounds considering that if those bad grounds had been so over-powred they could not have avoided it but they must perforce have brought forth as good fruit as that ground accounted good ground did But These grounds to say as the truth is do represent the rationall man consisting of body and soule in all men which rationall man is set forth distinct from the Old and New man in the latter part of my 1 Distinction the rationall man being in all men inthralled in an utter unability in respect of Saving Acts by Adams fall yet are all in due season Thus by this generall seeds-man that as you see pro ed sowes his seed or the word of the Kingdome on all grounds or all men so that so that all were infranchised in their naturall dease condition so as to heare the word with the ears of internall minds as Mat. 13.19 23. plainly declareth that all the sorts of ground did And herein is represented some rationall men so inlightned by the title of the good ground as found well acting or fruitfully by faithfull indeavours acting in the use of that their infranchisment when the other grounds also so inabled by the same seeds-man and seed yet are found rebelliously acting and for secondary carnall ends casting oft the benefits by that grace given unto them and therefore are called bad grounds And yet observe that though one ground is imputatively by grace commended to be good
inferred in the same Chapter as sinne abounded by the Law there grace did much more abound ver 20. and the reason thereof is there given to be this that as sin had raigned unto death even over all men as appears ver 12. by the Law ver 20. even so largely might Grace reigne through righteousnesse by Jesus Christ our Lord ver 21. by his costly establishing the Gospell intended on Gods part for the benefit of all men And to say as the truth is the Apostles very frequently in their Epistles doe lay downe in plain words these and such like generall grounds of a common salvation wherefrom they do very often frame their following discourses though indeed this their generall ground-plot though being declared by them the Apostles agreeable to the Prophets and also our Saviour Christs own plain words hath been by many Godly and Learned men overlooked which oversight hath not only as it were buried the most ready the most sure and most comfortable foundation of faith and repentance which is that Christ dyed for all and hath thereby saved them from the curse of the Law and first death bringing all men to the knowledge of truth inabling all men so that in their good use thereof they might also of ape the danger of the second death all which is herein proved but also it hath bred and nursed up and doth nourish many variable noisome contentions even in the Christian world by men blasting as much as in them lies those plain words that Christ is the Saviour of all men 1 Tim. 4.10 that he dyed for all 2. Cor. 5.15 that he is the propitiation for the sins of no fewer than the sins of the whole world 1 John 2.2 But hereto I doe intreat you to take notice that whereas in Scripture is mention made of the Oldman Rom. 6.6 Eph. 4.22 Col. 3.9 and of the New man Eph. 4.24 Col. 3.10 that the common salvation is in no for hespefull either to the Old or New man nor indeed can be for the Old man is the body of sin Rom. 6.6 the old man is corrupt through deceiveable lusts Eph. 4.22 This corrupt qualification in man is devilish and from the Devill issueth naturaily into all men by Adams fall and is nourished by Sathans continuall operations thereto annexed and cannot nor is in any mannar capable to receive any benefit or be any waies bettered by the common salvation And on the other de the New man is renewed in knowledge after the Image of him that Created him Col. 3.10 and after God is crected in righteousnesse and true holinesse Eph. 4.24 And by its thus proceeding from God who is perfect perfection it no way needeth neither can it any waies be helped mended or made better by the common salvation or any other meanes Therefore we are to know that the common salvation is by grace in Christ established and by him perfected for all men whether any man doe beleeve it or not that by the help of the holy and good spirituall New man the Rationall man consisting by vertue of the Creation of the substances of soule and body might be assisted on Gods part against the continuall evill attempts and suggestions of the Sathanically deluding Old man for both the New man and the Old man do strive against each other in the person of the Rationall mean to obtaine his consent either to good by the New mans solicitation or to evill by the Old mans instigation From whence the Apostle exhorts not the spirituall new man that needeth no exhortation to good nor the diabolicall Old man that cannot possibly act any otherwise but to do evill but he perswades the Rationall man in whose person they both do strive to get the supremacy in his acceptation and affection to put off the Old man which is corrupt and to put on the New man which is after God created in righteousnesse Eph. 4.22 24. And from hence also the Apostle accounteth our yielding up our bodies a living sacrifice holy and acceptable unto God our reasonable or rationall service Rom. 12.1 Which Rationall man or substances of body and soule being considered of without the sinne by themselves contracted to and in them are in themselves good for sinne doth not null those created substances which were by Creation good but doth pollute them And not only the good substances of men as in reference to the Creation but of the Devils also are not offensive being considered of apart from the sinne thereto by themselves contracted And further to confirme this necessary point Note what Paul said But I see another law in my members rebelling against the law of my mind Rom. 7.22 Herein the Apostle Paul sheweth distinctly that the Rationall man is the spectator and is the place or person in whom that combate is fought for in effect he saith I see Note that I the Rationall man do see the contest betwixt the flesh and the spirit or the Old man and the New man making war one against the other in me one of them in my mind the other in my members Againe he saith the flesh lusteth against the spirit and the spirit against the flesh so that ye cannot doe that ye would Gal. 5.17 Herein also the word yee cannot doe the things that yee would because of the strong contest of the Old man against the New man or the flesh against the spirit maintained in their persons sets sorth the Rationall man distinct from the Old and New man which rationality hath reference to Rom. 12.1 before cited And although this combate of the flesh and the spirit or the Old man and New man be very often in the conscience of every man that hath attained to years of understanding and judgement yet this distinction is either not knowne or but little discerned by any untill he become a confiding believer neither doe any yield to the new mans part but such yet I believe that no man being capable of understanding will deny but that he hath often felt such conflicts in his conscience and in his judgement although he hath persisted in resisting the good motions of the holy spirit and hath not followed much lesse accepted of that Gospell-light and so in time it may be his conscience is grown seared and then given up of God spiritually insensible of all accusations or good instructions of the spirit or New man dictated in his conscience therefore we are to understand that by the rationall man is meant every man or the substances of every mans soule and body and their faculties And that every man thus considered is totally by nature corrupt by Adams fall originally and so is Sathanically deluded and captived in darknesse and rebellious dispositions Psal 14.2 3. Rom. 3.10 18. So that before any one of mankind can attaine to be able to know or choose light or life upon necessity he the rationall man must be inabled and set free by grace in the inward man their hearts eies
ground yet know that no man though being found well acting by faith and obedience in his infran hisement represented by the seed sowne on all when as some other men being so inabled also are found rejecting those works of grace or seed sown on them also yet as the Angels that never fell nor Adam if he had remained in his created innocency could not have merited reward as due debt from the Creators hand otherwise than he is pleased to maintain his second Covenant by his free grace given so much lesse doth this ground or those men here called or accounted or imputed good merit any reward at Gods hand but as God is pleased by grace according to his second Covenant to account and to impute them to be good that beleeve in him that justifyeth the ungodly Rom. 4.5 by Christ Againe the Kingdome of Heaven is compared to a net cast into the sea which gathereth together every kind which when it was full they drew to shore and sate down and gather d the good into vessels and cost the bad away Mat. 13.47 48. Note herein that all men represented by the fishes good and bad are inforced to receive the word of the Kingdome in this sence here by the simile of the drag-net called the Kingdome of Heaven for all both good and bad will they nill they were compelled to partake of the same condition in the net though some was found in that drag-net compared to the Kingdome of Heaven that in their continued badnesse were cast away Note that no man is or was created bad but as he makes himselfe bad as is often proved in this tract And now consider how lively both these parables represent the common salvation where our Saviour saith and I if I be lifted up will draw all men unto me John 12.32 He will not only by his spirit invite all men to come unto him but he will draw as in the drag-net not only some men but all men unto him not in the least measure on his part for destructive ends to any one of all men so drawn to him but for saving ends on his part for every man for his Father sent not his Sonne into the world to condemn the world but that the world through him might be saved John 3.17 Which yet appears more clearely where it is said that God doth reconciledly gather together in one to himselfe not only all men but all things by the blood of his Crosse in him even in him as Col. 1.20 and Eph. 1.10 being compared together doe plainly render Thus this reconciled gathering or drawing together of all men in Chri8st even in him includeth all men good and bad reconciledly gathered to God in him though some men being so gratiously gathered together in him in the common salvation will notwithstanding by their wilfull persisting in the abuse of the benefit thereof be cast out or cast a way But how comes it to passe that no fewer than all men good and bad are in that sence drawn to or are made partakers of the word of the Kingdome or Kingdome of Heaven or the knowledge of the truth 1 Tim. 2.4 In answer to this the means how is shewed by our Saviours comparing the large and secret working of the spirit to Leaven our Saviour saying the Kingdome of Heaven is like leaven which a woman tooke and hid in three measures of meale untill no lesse than all was leavened Note that untill no lesse than all was leavened Herein is the Kingdome of Heaven or the word of the Kingdome as it is called in the same Chapter Mat. 13.19 comparatively set forth to be as Leaven infusing it selfe effectually not only into some part but into all parts of the meale similizing thereby that light and therewith ability to know the truth and choose it is effectually by a secret yet powerfull operation of the spirit infused into all men as in John 1.7 9. and 1 Tim. 2.4 is proved Againe our Saviour saith the Kingdome of Heaven is like unto a certaine King which made a marriage for his sonne Mat. 22.2 Unto which Feast the first that were compelled or made to know thereof by invitation having refused he commanded to gather together bad and good and the wedding was thereby furnished with guests ver 10. Note that this gathering together of all by command is rendered to be no lesse than a compelling of them all good and bad to come into in the aforesaid sence into a terrestriall Kingdome of Heaven or thereto likened compell them to come in Luke 14.23 or gather together good and bad and bring them in no man can conceive that all good and bad were to be brought together into one locall place or into Gods celestiall Kingdome but into one condition of ability to see and to know of the truth and reality of Gods goodnesse and mercy extended by the slaying of Christ the unspotted Lamb that by faith they might feed thereon for none of them were further compelled to feed thereon as by the words of the Text is cleared and the first refusers were so farre compelled by invitation But beloved this compelling or bringing in of all men good and bad to come into the terrestriall Kingdome of Heaven so called or likened to in this Scripture sence or to receive the word of the Kingdome so called Mat. 13.19 doth no way countenance that opinion which some men have vainely hatched from those words affirming that there is no man saved eternally but only such men as are compelled by an Almighty power of God more than some other men are not only to know the truth as is proved that all men are according to 1 Tim. 2.4 But also that those men are compelled to abide in the truth by beleeving so that infallibly whether they will or no they shall not faile nor be able to resist against their eternall salvation in Gods Celestiall Kingdome whereas in truth there is no such matter maintained in Scripture for herein by comparing Scripture with Scripture we find the clean contrary that is that in a common salvation all men good and bad are compelled in and gathered in to receive the word of the Kingdome or the knowledge of the Feast of Gods goodnesse not only intended but also prepared for them by the self same mens as the forcibly inclosing and drawing of all good and bad in the parable of the drag-net doth discover And thereby some gathered together and by command compelled in were found there not having on a wedding garment therefore cast out as those that followed Christ for the loaves sake John 6.2 whereas no bad or unclean person no tpurifyed by faith can be compelled in neither can possibly enter into Gods celestiall eternall blessed habitation represented Rev. 1.8 27. nor any being once there can be cast out and though some men for an evading shift have reply thereto saying that it was but one person that was found there compelled in who had not on