and of the World is as clearly and fully stated in the Scriptures as the special Salvation of Believers viz. the world 〈◊〉 general as Israel I say not all but the Majority a very full and large generality after they are raised and have past the Judgment and born their Punishment shall as Israel obtain a mitigation of their Punishment and some Degrees of blessing and Salvation by the seed of the Woman the seed of Abraham by whom they have been Redeemed to a new life and world in whom all the Nations of the Earth shall be blessed which Salvation shall not only wonderfully come short of the Salvation of believers but shall be inferiour to and differ from the common Salvation of the Jews God in the degrees of his Grace to men in the Restitution designing to keep up an Eternal distinction between the World and the natural seed of Abraham in their various and respective distinctions and degrees yet the World shall Enjoy some favour blessing and Salvation in times to be Effected which is one part of the mystery of the Gospel Eph. 1. 9 10. My further grounds are 1. Because God alwaies retained his propriety in the World as in the Jews tho more remote he â—ever Elected Abraham and his seed so as to lose his right and propriety in all or any of the World besides tho Abraham and his seed had the preheminency above all the World they were the chief or first fruits among the Nations Amos 6. 1. and so shall be in the new World Isa 60. 14. but in this choise he losed not his real Propriety in the World Deut. 10. 14 15. and hence he was and still is good to all and made and maketh provision for all Ps 145. 9 15 16. Mat. 5. 45. 2. Because the Womans seed according to promise Gen. 3. 15 hath undertaken and will Effect the breaking of the head design of the Serpent for all mankind in recovering all in the resurrection to a new life and World Joh. 6. 51. Heb. 2. 14 15. Rom. 5. 18. 1 Cor. 15. 21 22. and the Generality shall in time reap some advantage thereby Ps 96. 10. 11. 12. 13. 98. 4. to 9. Rev. 5. 13. 3. And Especially as an effect of this undertaking of Christ for the life of the world because there are as manifold Promises to the Nations in general as to the Jews and that as distinct from blessedness and the Tribes of Israel tho they shall be chief among the Nations and that not only of some believers but a return is Promised to the Nations at that day as fully as to the Tribes of Israel tho they are and shall be chief Jer 12. 14 15. Thus saith the Lord to all mine evil Neighbours that touch the inheritance that I have caused my People Israel to inherit behold I will pluck them out of their Land and pluck out the House of Israel from among them and it shall come to pass after that I have plucked them out I will return and have compassion on them and will bring them again every man to his Heritage and every Man to his Land vers 16. And it shall come to pass if they will diligently learn the ways of my People to swear by my name the Lord liveth as they taught my People Israel to swear by Baal then shall they be built in the midst of my People What is intended to swear by the Lord see Isa 19. 18. 45. 23. With Rom. 14. 10 11 12. And sutable to this promise is Zec. 9 1. The burden of the word of the Lord in the Land of Hadrach and Damasciâ— shall be the rest thereof when the eyes of Man shall be towards the Lord as the eyes of all the Tribes of Israel This will be a universal Restitution and Reformation indeed when the eyes of Man in general shall be towards the Lord as the eyes of all the Tribes of Israel in their restored estate according to ch 8. 20 21 22. When the Earth shall be full of the knowledg of the Lord as the Waters cover the Sea and as I have frequently elsewhere shewed especially in my Answer to Mr. Coxe the manifold promises to the Nations at that day as that they shall serve the Lord with gladness and joy which cannot be but in the enjoyment of some good by and from him Psal 67. 3 4 5. 100. 1 2. 22. 27 28 29. 86 9. And promises to particular Nations which will be made good to all as to Egypt and Assyria Isa 19. 17 to 25. Jer. 48. 47. is a particular promise to Moab yet will I bring again the Captivity of Moab in the latter days saith the Lord. And to Ammon ch 49. 6. And of Elam vers 39. But it shall come to pass in the latter days that I will bring again the Captivity of Elam saith the Lord. compared with Ezek. 32. 24 25. And Ezek. 16. 53 61. Is a promise of Sodoms return at that day as full and firm as to Judah and all these promises to the Nations refer to and are to be fulfilled in the latter days as those to the house of Israel Isa 2. 2 3 4. Mic. 4. 1. The last and latter days in Scripture sense frequently relating to the Judgment and new World to come Jam. 5. 1 2 3. 1 Pet. 1. 5. 4. Because the New Testament fully falleth in with the same truth as an explanation of those Prophesies and Promises thereof as the Restitution of all things Act. 3. 21. the uniting of all things in Christ the Head and Lord of his Church and the then visible Lord of the World and shall be so acknowledged and Worshipped Phi. 2. 9 10 11. Rev. 5. 13. Isa 5. 45. Of this general Salvation we read 1 Tim. 4. 10. He is the Saviour of all Men but especially of them that believe It 's true it 's God the Father that is here intended but he saves no otherwise than by Jesus Christ Act. 4. 12. 13. 47. So he is called the Saviour of the World Joh. 4. 42. 1 Joh. 4. 14. And that all flesh shall see his Salvation Luk. 3. 6. And Jude v. 3. calls it the common publick or general Salvation I know that there it is Objected that the Faith of the Gospel is called the common Faith Tit. 1. 4. Which Faith is so called because it 's the common Faith of all true believers and so is the Salvation called common as the Faith is i. e. common to all true believers To this I say if this common and universal Salvatition is included in the Doctrine of the Commission for Gospel Preaching as indeed it is Preach the glad tidings to all the Creation Mar. 16. 15. Which do undoubtedly intend the common or general Salvation and if the Faith to which the special Salvation is promised is to believe the general and common Salvation as it 's most apparent it is Mar. 16. 16. And that there is but this
now exercise the same Sovereign Power over them viz To shew mercy to whom of them he would shew mercy even of those who had alike sinned and whom he would he would give up to their own hardness of heart in which his Sovereign Power and Will was and still is exercised towards Men in like capacity And as for Vers 21. Of the Potters Power over the Clay of the same lump to make one Vessel to honour and another to dishonour It 's likewise taken from the Lords former dealing with the same People when they had Rebelled against Him Jer 18. 2. to 6. the Vessel the Potter made was marred in his hand so he made it again another Vessel as seemed good unto the Potter v. 6. O house of Israel cannot I do with you as the Potter saith the Lord And it still holds true that this or any other People that hath or shall Rebel against the Lord and his good will towards them it suits with his Sovereign Government to have mercy on whom he will have mercy he may have mercy on some such and others he may give up to hardness of heart he may do as the Potter viz. break them if he please and make another Vessel of them as he pleased as he did with them of old to which the Apostle refors and in so doing none have cause to find fault or to say unto him who hath resisted his will if they do they find fault with the Just and Sovereign rule of God over men it being in this way he makes known his Sovereign Power and Rules by enduring with much long suffering the Vessels of Wrath fitted to destruction v. 22. and to this agreeth and cleareth the whole matter to us Isa 63. 17. and 64. 8 9. and on this account it is they could not believe Joh 12. 29. Christ Have you any thing further to say for clearing this matter Minist I have yet five things further to say 1. It appears that the Apostle did not intend in his whole discourse their Reprobation by eternal decree any otherwise than as has been minded because v. 1 2 3. He declares his great heaviness and sorrow of heart for them and could wish himself accursed from Christ for their sakes And certainly he would not have been so heavily grieved and sorrowful at the Eternal Decree of God which so it must flow from his dislike thereof but it was for their obstinacy and unbelief as Christ himself was Luk. 19. 41 42. 2. Speaking of these very same People that rejected and for whom he was so grieved saith v. 4. that the Adoption and the Covenants and the Promises did belong unto them i. e. in right it did all belong unto them if they did not forfeit their right by unbelief Adoption Covenants and Promises including not only the old then ended but the new according to Act. 3. 25. Ye are the Children of the Prophets and of the Covenant which God made with your Fathers saying unto Abraham and in thy seed shall all the kindreds of the Earth be blessed This is the new Covenant in the fulness thereof of which they were the Children the first right belonged to them by promise as they were the natural seed of Abraham if they did not forfeit and lose their right by unbelief Act. 13. 46. Luke 24. 47. And therefore could not be Reprobated therefrom by eternal decree and yet be the Children thereof till they lost their right by unbelief and disobedience to the Gospel 3. If their sin and rejection had been the fruit of the Eternal Decree then it must have been well pleasing unto God for I think it 's little less than Blasphemy against God to say he is not well pleased with the fulfilling of his Decreed will and then there could not have been so much long suffering in God while they were doing his Decreed will as it is said there was v. 22. What if God endured with much long suffering the Vessels of Wrath c. But the much long suffering in God was while they were doing that which was contrary to his Will Men are not said to suffer long while those they wait upon are doing their will and work unless they are too long about it or do it not to their minds 4. The Apostle saith Rom. 10. 1. Brethren my hearts desire and Prayer to God for Israel is that they might be saved And v. 2. For I bear them Record they have a zeal of God but not according to knowledg And we cannot Religiously imagin that the Apostle would pray against the Eternal Decree of God no no he then could not Pray in Faith on any account and it would have argued that he liked not the decree but was willing to have it altered which we may not imagin but that he was grieved for the obstinacy of his Brethren and Prayed the Lord to turn their hearts having some hopes that they were not arrived to the highest Degree of wilfulness but that their disobedience did arise much from Ignorant and Blind zeal v. 2 3. On which account he had some hope that on Repentance they might obtain mercy tho he had so spoken of them before in ch 9. else he would not have Prayed for them 1 Joh. 5. 16. 5. The Foundation cause of their rejection so far as it was is by the Apostle resulted and concluded ch 9. 32. and 10. 3. to be because they sought it not by Faith but as it were by the works of the Law for they stumbled at that stumbling-stone And ch 10. 3. They being ignorant of God's Righteousness and going about to establish their own righteousness have not submitted themselves to the Righteousness of God This was the true cause of their fall and not that God made them for that end any otherwise than has been before declared and therefore those unscriptural Conclusions unduly and untruly drawn from hence viz. that God from his own will made them and the greatest part of Mankind on purpose to damn them Eternally are to be Exploded by all true Christians And it being urged much from the Potters Power over the Clay it 's most apparent the Potter did not make his Vessel on purpose to mar it but it was marred in his hand Jer. 18. 4. and so he made another Vessel of the same Clay as seemed him good So when People mar themselves in the hand of the great Potter he is at liberty to do with them as he pleases and Men of this Principle are pleased to set forth their Scriptureless notions by other things as some by a Watch-maker who having made a Watch tho good yet hath Power to break it when he hath made it so God hath Power over Men to make them for what end he pleases It 's easily granted that he hath Power so to do but it stands not with his Will Wisdom Mercy and Justice nor with his Truth and Faithfulness in his Word so to do any otherwise than as a
can be no worse among the Heathen yet â—â—d will in time be pacified towards them and return â—â—â—n when he returns his sinning People Judah and Isâ—â—â—l Ezek. 16. 53 61. Zeph. 3. 8. Where is declared â—â— universal Judgment of the World and when that â—â— finished verse 9. Then will I turn to the People a â—â— Language that they may all call upon the Name of the Lord and serve him with one consent The same Judged People shall afterward serve the Lord he saith not my People but the People which fully agreeth with other Scriptures of the same import Psal 102. 22. When the People are gathered together and the Kingdoms to serve the Lord and 22. 27. 86. 9. And many more that might be mentioned and Luk. 12. 48. The servant that miscarried through ignorance shall be beaten little so the word is tho much in it self yet little compared with wilful Transgressors and little fully imports an end of beating and Eternal beating and striping can in no sense be said to be little or few stripes so that an end of or Redemption from the penal part of the second Death though not of loss to the generality of the World both of Jews and Gentiles in times to be effected is most apparent from the Scriptures of truth and I verily believe it 's nothing else but a Traditional Reception contrary thereunto that makes it so strange unto us And as for the threefold state of the World at that day by some so much stumbled at it 's likewise as apparent not only from Psal 64. 8 9 10 verse 8. are the Eternally Condemned ones verse 9 the generality of the World all men verse 10. are the Righteous with the Lord and Isaiah 66. is first a description of the Church in its Glory with Christ verse 10 11 12. 2. The gathering of all tongues and all flesh to worship verse 18 23. 3. The Eternally Condemned ones verse 24. But if our eyes were but half open we might read as much in Mat. 25. 32 c. Where we may necessarily understand three states two mentioned and a third not mentioned but implied 1. All Infants so dying are not there mentioned not being capable of such a sentence either to life or death viz. on the same â—â—ounds for feeding or not feeding the Members of Christ which are not a small part of the World 2. All the Heathen World that never heard of Christ or his â—embers and as they have not been nor are capable to â—ew mercy to Christ in his Members so are they â—ot capable of such a sentence it being proper only to Gospel-Professors but indeed that World may not only admit of a threefold state but of three thousand â—a infinite as to us if it be true according to Scriâ—ure that God will render to every man according to â—s Works 1 Cor. 5. 10. Rev. 22. 12. Christ Some cry out against this Doctrine as grieâ—â—â— Heresie and scandalous to the Gospel Min. To this I shall say but little tho I could say much 1. For truth to be accounted Heresie is no 〈◊〉 and therefore no strange thing 2. After the â—â—y they call Heresie so believe I and worship God 3. I â—eartily desire they may repent of this in time it being â—â—oful sin to call good evil and evil good 4. To â—nder it Heresie and scandalous is to render the whole â—ord and design of God by Christ in the Gospel to â— Heresie and scandalous relative to the Judgâ—ent and World to come according to the true declaraâ—on thereof as has been plainly and plentifully proâ—d before 5. Suppose it true that it were Heresie â—hich it 's far from I query of them whether it â—ould possibly be any more than as a drop to the Ocean â—â— respect of the Errours and Heresies held by themâ—â—ves as has been before unvailed 6. And as for â—â—s being scandalous to the Gospel I say 1. If to asâ—â—t that God will Judge the World in Righteousness by 〈◊〉 Christ and render to every man according to his â—â—rks penal punishment both for measure and time sutable to the Facts of men that he will punish none without a cause nor more than is deserved if this be in good earnest scandalous either to God or Man then I acknowledge I am guilty of this scandal and shall I hope till I dye I conclude this with the saying of Tertullian which I think is true viz. Good things offend none but such as have ill minds Christ Some say suppose all you say about these matters be true yet they question what advantage may be supposed in publishing thereof especially it being an offence to many Min. 1. If there were no worth at all nor advantage in the knowledge of the Glorious design of God to the World by Jesus Christ in the Restitution and World to come certainly he would not have filled his word with the discoveries thereof as he has he would not have made it the work of all his holy Prophets since the World began to speak thereof but to the end that we might understand and believe it to his praise things revealed belonging to us Deut. 29. 29. There being no truth in the Scripture more fully and frequently declared than the Restitution and World to come with the Glories thereof I think I may say the Scriptures abounds and excels in this Act. 3. 21. And what may we conceive from hence but the greatness of the truth thereof and the greatness of our concern to understand and believe it 2. If it be the Faith to which the promise of life in the World to come is made as has been before proved then certainly it concerns us to understand and believe it and the publishing thereof should be no oâ—ence unto any but rather their joy and though Christ sometime said Joh. 16. 12. I have many things to say unto you but ye cannot bear them now which is by some urged in this matter To this I say that the times before and after the sufferings of Christ much differed afterwards Christ did not forbear the publishing of that to them which they were not capable to bear before he suffered nor did the Apostle forbear the publishing of further truth to them that were dull of hearing Heb. 5. 11. with ch 6. 1 2 3. And the Apostle complains that he was become or esteemed an Enemy because he told them the truth Gal. 4. 16. And indeed a sin and a shame it is that any profest Christians should be offended at the Doctrine of the Restitution of all things the World to come with the Glories thereof it being the Crowning part of the Glorious Gospel of the Blessed God And if men will now be offended at the truth I know no help for it Christ Some say that the World to come is a Mystery and none are capable to understand the perfection of the Glories thereof yet you have undertaken to declare what it is and so have presumed beyond
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
condition than they were before but kept his real interest in them as his own and made provision for them Psal 145. 15 16. Act. 14. 17. and kept up his Sovereign rule over them at least by such laws as he ruled over them before he called Abraham out from them and expected that they should thereby feel after God if happily they might find him Act. 17. 27. and accepted such as did so feel after him as to find him Job 1. 1. Jona 3. 7. 10. and when he executed judgment upon them it was not from his Sovereign will distinct from sin as the deserving cause but for their sinning against him as their Sovereign Lord and from which Judgment they might have been and sometimes were delivered by repentance Jer. 18. 7 8. Jona 3. 7. 10. and when he used any of them as his Rod to chastise his own people and afterwards judged them for it it was not for doing thereof but for their ill doing of it Isa 10. 5. 7. 16. Amos 1. 11. I think it 's clear from Scripture that God never executed Judgment upon any of the Nations but sin was the cause thereof Gen. 15. 16. Levit. 18. 28. and 20. 23. 6. In the Gospel ministration which is the highest and most gracious in order to glory he keeps to the same method in his Sovereign Government where the Gospel comes it s carried on all according to the righteous Laws thereof not saving and damning from his own power and will without respect had to his Sovereign Laws therein exhibited to men but hath stated and will execute life and death according to those laws otherwise to affirm is dishonourable unto God and tends to end his Laws and Sovereign rule in the Gospel which Laws are exprest in these and the like Scriptures Mar. 16. 15 16. Rom. 2. 7. 10. Heb 5. 9. Rev. 22. 14. 7. And at the general Judgment he will judge and pass sentence not from an unlimited Sovereignty but according to his Sovereign Laws made known to men in that behalf Joh. 12. 47. 48. Rom. 2. 5. 10. 2 Cor. 5. 10. 2 Thes 1. 7. Rev. 22. 10. and 20. 12. and to assure us that the world shall be judged in righteousness he will not be the immediate visible Judg himself but by that man whom he hath ordained Act. 17. 31. So that it 's most apparent from these seven instances from holy Scripture that God has throughout all ages from the beginning of the world and will to the end thereof exercised and will exercise his Sovereign power over men according to his Sovereign Laws at several times given forth to them and not from his own immediate Sovereign will and power distinct from and contrary thereunto Christ I am greatly satisfied in what you have said in this matter as to the manner and method of Gods proceedings in his Sovereign Rule and Government over the world yet it being a matter of so great concern relating both to God and men if you have any further grounds to confirm the truth I desire to hear them Minist I have yet seven Scripture grounds and Arguments for the further confirmation thereof 1. That which is contrary to the whole name and nature of God as declared in his Word is irreligious to be asserted or imagined that God should from his own will without relation to sin as the deserving cause reprobate men to eternal death make them for that end is contrary to his name and nature as opened to us in his Word and therefore it 's irreligious to be asserted or imagined 1st It 's contrary to his goodness and love to men Psal 145. 9. he is good to all and his tender mercies are over all his works Christ To this it will be said that it intends temporary goodness relating to this world Minist In part I grant it but is this all the goodness they will allow to be in God towards men in general to allow them the goodness and mercies of this world only designedly to prepare them for eternal destruction as men fat their Cattle for the day of slaughter Are these the tender mercies they will allow to be in God to the world and no more The Scripture saith Prov. 12. 10. That the tender mercies of the wicked are cruel and those who thus render God in his tender mercies towards all do exceedingly wrong and dishonour him and render themselves to be very cruel and merciless for certainly it is not so Joh. 3. 16. Christ shews us the love of God to the world on the Gospel account 2. It 's contrary to his Wisdom and Justice 1st His Wisdom which is infinite and of which there is no searching Ps 147. 5. Isa 40. 28. that this infinite Wisdom should find out no more righteous a way to glorifie Justice but to make men designedly to sin and be damned is contrary to divine Wisdom and Justice and therefore is irreligious in the Assertors thereof And as for the righteousness of God the practical Discourse of the Sovereignty of God acknowledgeth Pag. 39. That his will is the rule of righteousness and righteousness the rule of his will The Saints of old were perfectly of this mind shall not the Judge of all the Earth do right And I heartily wish that all that profess Saintship now were of the same mind and not lay the sin and judgment of the world on the Sovereign will of God by eternal Decree the greatest unrighteousness that can possibly be fixed on the holy and righteous God therefore let men tremble in the thoughts thereof And further in the same Pag. saith he will not punish without a cause nor more than is deserved Which is the sum of all I plead for in this matter For then surely he decreed not the cause that being all one as to punish without a cause and methinks should sound very harsh in all good mens ears that love the righteous God who loveth righteousness 2d Reas That God from his decreed will should hate and reprobate the world before they were even from all Eternity as is affirmed by some is impossible and therefore irrational to be imagined that it was impossible is apparent 1st Because when God made man he made him good and so loved him or else he loved not that which he made though good and as the nature of all mankind was made in him so in him was all mankind alike good and beloved of God or all could not have faln from that good estate in him nor could have lost any thing by his Fall and that God should love the world in Adam and hate it too at the same time and before it even from eternity as some say is impossible and therefore irrational to be imagined 2. The Scripture lets us to know that God loved the world in the gift of his Son long since the Creation and Fall of men even such a◠shall be condemned for then sin and disobedience Joh. 〈◊〉 16. 19. and he
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
And now in performance Gal. 4. 4. 2. That Jesus Christ being sent for that end Joh. 6. 38. Heb. 10. 7. did in love freely lay down his life a sacrifice for the sins of the World Joh. 1. 29. 6. 51. 1 Joh. 2. 2. and this is called Gospel or good tidings 1 Cor. 15. 1. the Apostle calls it the Gospel that he preached unto them ver 34. explains this Gospel what it is i. e. that Christ died for our sins and was raised again the third day according to the Scriptures and indeed if he had not been raised again there had been no glad tidings in his dying for our sins Christ How shall we account it glad tidings Was it not sad tidings rather that the prince of life the Lord of Glory should be crucified and killed for our sins Min. 1. It 's true it was sad that man by sin was faln into such an estate of sin and death as that nothing short of the life and blood of the Son of God the Prince of life and Lord of Glory could help him out thereof the due sense of which it concerns us to keep duly and daily upon our hearts to keep us humble and thankfully to prize the mercy 2. It was sad that when he was come into the world that the World viz. both Jews and Gentiles should be so bad as to unite to put him to death Yet 3. It stands true that it was and is the best tidings that ever came to the world that God should so love the world as to send his Son and that Christ should so love the World as to give himself for the life of the world is the greatest Mystery of grace and the best tidings that possibly could come to the world so that it may well be called glad tidings it being the foundation of all Gospel doctrine and so of all Gospel faith of all Gospel grace and of all Gospel glory it 's all built on this one Sacrifice for sin on this foundation all is built pardon peace acceptation in service preservation too and the glory to come it 's all founded here Rom. 1. 16. Eph. 1. 14. 3. And as the effect of this foundation glad tidings of the fathers love and the sons giving himself for the life of the world as the glad tidings of the restitution of all things which was the great design of God and Christ in this wonderful undertaking the recovery of mankind out of that state of death faln into by the first transgression Act. 4. 2. 1 Cor 15. 21 22. and with man the whole creation shall be restored Act. 3. 21. Rom. 8. 19 20 21. 2 Pet. 3. 13. Which shall be the new and restored world called in Scripture the World to come Heb. 2. 5. Rev. 21. 1 5. in and over which the Kingdom and Government of Christ shall be eternally Rev. 11. 15. And from hence is the Gospel so frequently called the Gospel of the Kingdom Mat. 4. 23. 9. 35. 24. 14. Mar. 1. 14. so called not only because it opens the Kingdom to us and prepares us for it but because the restitution new world and the kingdom of Christ therein is so great a part thereof as that all before it and without it can be no glad tidings at all Cor. 15. 19. Christ Is there nothing else in Scripture called Gospel the word seems to be general and to be given to the whole Scripture of the New Testament especially the four Evangelists which contains precepts and threats as well as promises and soâ—â— say that it 's all Gospel Min. Although the grace the blessing the restitution the glory is properly the glad tidings yet in a right and true sense all things concurring thereunto may be called Gospel viz. the holy precepts directing us in the way to obtain the glory and the threats of Judgment and damnation to those who reject or neglect it considered as designed to prevent the damnation and as a help to obtain the salvation viz. so far as it 's designed to work us from sin to Christ and a constant cleaving to him it 's Gospel and good tidings that being the Prime and proper end thereof viz. Salvation and not damnation but to deliver and preserve from it and mens destruction is and will be of themselves by wilful transgressing the good Laws of the Gospel which 〈◊〉 not the prime design of those Laws but salvation yet the penalties must be executed on the wilful transgression thereof It 's human good tidings when those in human poâ—er make good laws with strict and severe penalties for preservation of human society order and property among men their design in so doing is not punishment primarily but the peace preservation and safety of all if men wilfully transgress and come under the penalty the fault is in themselves and not in those good laws and so it is in the present case Hos 13. 9. Christ I desire you would speak something of the faith of the Gospel viz. what faith it is to which the salvation thereof with eternal glory is promised Min. True faith ever has been and still is to believe God and to cleave to him and obey him sutable to the ministration under which men have lived in all ages This was Abrahams faith Rom. 4. 3. Abraham believed God and it was counted to him for righteousness Jam. 2. 22. this being Abrahams faith the father of the faithful the faith of his children must needs be the same So then to believe the truth of the doctrine of the Gospel in all its parts and to cleave to the Lord therein is the faith of the Gospel to which the life thereof is promised What the Gospel preacheth to us that we ought to believe and that is the faith thereof The doctrine of the Gospel consisteth especially in these particulars 1. That Jesus Christ is the Messias promised the Son of God and the son of man the son of David of the seed of Abraham according to the Scripture Luk. 1. 32. Joh. 20. 31. 2. That God in love to the World sent him Joh. 3. 16. and that he in love gave himself a sacrifice and ransom for the life of the world Joh. 6. 51. 1 Tim. 2. 6. 3. That by virtue of his death and resurrection all shall be raised and restored to a new life and world when he shall come again to raise and judge both the quick and dead 1 Cor. 15. 21 22. 2 Tim. 4. 1. at which time or times shall be the restitution of all things Act. 3. 21. the new and restored world to come in and over which with his saints shall be his eternal Kingdom and glory which will be the finishing of the Mystery spoken of by the holy Prophets and then the time of this world shall be no more Rev. 10. 6 7. with chap. 11. 15. 22. 5. 4. That those who believe and obey the Gospel of this his grace and glory shall be saved and
28. 29 46. yet ch 32. 36. is a promise to the same people of an end which indeed includes both the Judgment and the Mercy the Lord shall judge his People and repent himself for his Servants c. 1. Judge them compared with Heb. 10. 30. And afterwards repent himself for his Servants Jer. 17. 4. The Judgment is called a fire that shall burn for ever viz. a fire that shall not be quenched perpetual desolations Jer. 25. 9. yet a time of deliverance is promised vers 11 12 29 10. And hence it is the Prophet in the true sense of the Scripture prayed for deliverance from the perpetual desolations Psal 74. 2 3. Remember thy Congregation c. Lift up thy feet to the perpetual desolations viz make hast to deliver from the perpetual desolations I might instance the promise of the Land of Canaan everlasting Gen. 17. 8 48. 4. Covenant everlasting Gen. 17. 7 13. Priesthood everlasting Exod. 40. 15. Num. 25. 13. Deut. 18. 5. So likewise temporary Statuteâ— and Ordinances said to be for ever Lev. 16. 34. Num. 10. 8. 18. 8. And not only time to come is frequently called Eternal and Everlasting when it intends but a time But the time past and of old since the Creation is likewise in Scripture called Eternity and from Everlasting see some Margent Bibles As Jos 24. 2. Your Fathers dwelt in the other side of the Flood in old time Hebrew Meolam that is from Everlasting 1 Sam 27. 8. Those of old were the Inhabitants of the Land Heb. those from Eternity the same as Mich 5. 2. Isa 63. 11. Then he remembred the days of old Moses and his People Heb. days of Eternity Jer 5. 15. I will bring upon you an ancient Nation Heb. a Nation from Eternity Ezek. 36. 2. The Enemy said against you aha even the ancient High places are ours in possession Heb. High places of Eternity Mal. 3. 4. As in the days of old Heb. days of Eternity Rom. 16. 25. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Eternal translated from the Foundation of the World And that properly or from the beginning all which Scriptures do not intend from Eternity in the common received sense but a long time before in some longer and in some lesser time is intended which tends with the multitude of other Scriptures that speaks of time to come under the same expressions yet limited to time to direct us to such an understanding in this matter as is sutable and agreeing to the Analogy of Scripture and the mind of the Lord therein and likewise help us to a right understanding of 2 Tim. 1. 9. and Tit. 1. 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 translated before the World began properly Eternal agreeing with the forementioned Scriptures of old there being no promises of or in Christ Jesus that we are capable to take knowledge of but such as have been made since the World began and Recorded in the Scriptures 3 The Judgment will be truly and properly in Scripture sense Eternal For 1. Take it according to the Analogy of Scripture and common sense thereof if it be a long time it 's accounted Eternal as has been fully manifested 2. One sentence may determine all to their Eternal estate with the various measures and times of penal punishment sutable to the various facts of Men according to 2 Cor. 5. 10. Rev. 22. 12. Which as it's most Righteous and Godlike and that which he requires among men and likewise most rational so it 's all I plead for in this matter and that without which all those great promises to the World in the World to come cannot be effected 3. The Judgment and Punishment of loss will be Eternal to all that come short of the Glory with Christ to all that must be purged by fire and hurt of the second Death and this renders the Judgment to be really Eternal and in no case intrenches on the Eternal Judgment 4. Christ the Lord and Judg shall be the eternal Lord King and Judge of the renewed State and World to come and so his Judgment shall be Eternal in this sense Magistrates have been and are called Judges so were the rulers of Israel of old 1 Sam. 15. 16 17. And in this sense shall the Lord Christ be the Eternal visible Judg of the new and restored World who will rule and Judg by such Laws as himself shall then give else what meaneth 1 Chro. 16. 33 Ps 96. 10 13. Say among the Heathen the Lord reigneth the World also shall be established that it shall not be moved he shall Judg the People Righteously vers 13. He cometh he cometh to Judg the Earth he shall judge the World with Righteousness and the People with his truth Psal 98. 4 9. 67. 4. For thou shalt judge the People Righteously and govern the Nations upon the Earth Isa 2. 4â— Psal 86. 9. 102. 22. To which agreeth Act. 17. 31. He will judge the World in Righteousness by that Man whom he hath ordained and Rev. 11. 15. He will reign and judge the World Eternally in its renewed Estate according to those many promises thereof and it shall be when the World is Established when it cannot be moved 1 Chro. 16. 30. Psal 93. 1. 96. 10. 5. It concerns us so to understand the Judgment as may comport and agree with all those promises to the World at that day lest we derogate from the truth of the Scripture Record both concerning the Judgment it self and the Glory of Christs undertaking for the World and the Glory of his Kingdom in the World to come all which stands clear and in unity in Scripture Record had we but eyes to see and understand it 6. And so from the whole I conclude that my â—otions about this matter are so far from overthrowing the Fundamentals of the Eternal Judgment as that they are the most Scriptural Righteous Rational and true Discoveries thereof in which the whole Scriptures unite in which the whole name of God as opened to us in his Word agreeth and in which his wonderful design by Christ in the Gospel will Issue Phi. 2. 9 10 11. Rev. 5. 13. 10. 7. with 11. 15. Christ If so that which Men say they fear is that the knowledg hereof will take off People from fearing the Judgment to come supposing an end of the penal part will grow careless or fearless Min. 1. Were there any ground so to suppose as rightly understood there is not must not truth be declared for fear Men will abuse it to their own destruction Did the Apostles refrain to publish the mysteries of Gospel-Grace to men for fear they would â—buse it Rom. 5. 20 21. 6. 1 2. And this Doctrine now discoursed on is but a more remote strain of the same Gospel-Grace to the World both of Jews and Gentiles of which God has filled his Word that men might understand and believe it without fearing the event thereof and must we be afraid to
publish it 2. Those who seem to be most under this complaint and fear have indeed least cause were the danger so great as is surmised their own declared principles of Faith being that which tends really and truly to teach People not to fear the Judgment viz. That God reprobated the World in general both to sin and Judgment by an Eternal and unchangeable Decree before the World was that he made men to be Vessels of wrath that neither the hope of Heaven nor fear of Hell can alter it which truly teaches People to be Atheists and not to fear the Judgment to conclude there is no such thing as sin in the World as many have done if all are the Decreed Acts of God then it must be well pleasing to him and that for which there can be no Judgment Or 2. If both the sins and Judgment were Decreed it must needs be unrighteous and that of which there is no avoiding by fear thereof and the most I have yet heard in Answer to this is that the fear of Judgment may prevent them from gross sins and so their Damnation may be the less and they thereby rendered the better Neighbours among Men but this is a contradiction their Principle of Gods Decreeing of all acts whatsoever comes to pass kills and ends this for if that were true neither hope of Heaven nor fear of Hell could possibly prevent one sin either against God or Men therefore such may learn shame so much to cry out on this when their own Notions tends to end both Sin and Judgment or to render the most Holy and Righteous God to be most unholy and unrighteous in the Judgment 3. Rightly understood were not Men perverse it is in it self so far from tending to occasion any negligence or fearlesness in this matter as that it would rather tend to warn and awaken all sorts of People under the Gospel which is our concern to look about themselves there being no hope nor help for wilful Transgressors so pâ—rsisting to the end under the Gospel all the most Eternal Judgments and Damnation threatened in the Gospel being against such and if any gâ—ow careless and wilful their Damnation will become thereby the greater and Eternal The reason is because the greater mercy and means of Light and Life is afforded unto any here it being rejected or neglected the greater will their Damnation be To whomsoever much is given of them shall much be required Luk. 12. 47. Mat. 11. 20 to 24. Christ Do you suppose that this general Grace is only to the Heathen World that neâ—eâ—â—â—â—rd of Christ Nay no sinners under the Gospel partaâ—e theâ—eof Min. 1. As before I said no wilful Transgressors may expect any share therein Prov 1. 23 10 31. Yet 2. I do not question but that many under the Gospel may as have need thereof so have share therein or else woe woe woe will be the case of many Gospel-Professors at that day but there may be many Gospel-Professors among all sorts that may have high confidence of their good estate and yet may meet with great Judgment at that day that may in timeâ— partake of deliverance that must to the fire and yet be saved 1 Cor. 3. 15. If any mans work shall be burnt he shall suffer loss but himself shall be saved yet so as by fire here is both the Judgment by fire and the loss which loss without doubt will be Eternal yet the person saved when he hath past the Judgment I know there are several Opinions contrary to and Objectionâ— against this plain truth in this Scripture as 1. Thaâ— it intends Ministers building of false Doctrine upon the true Foundation and not Members or Gospel Professors 1. I easily grant it yet if Ministers works must be burnt that are not right and yet themselves saved so as by fire then certainly the Members built and led by them shall suffer the same loss and Judgment with them if the blâ—nd lead the blind both must fall into the ditch 2. The Ministers first and Principally intended as the cause of these words we have more than probable ground to conclude were those bad ones of or belonging to the Church of Corinth of whom the Apostle so much complains 2 Cor. 11. 13. Calling them false Apostles deceitful Workers the Devils Ministers vers 15. Yet it 's apparent vers 4. that they kept to and built upon the same Foundation the Apostle had laid they Preached not another Jesus nor another Spirit nor another Gospel but the same as Paul did tho to bad ends yet these and such as these shall be saved by fire 2. Obj. That it intends not the day of the Lords coming to Judgment but some other day of Gospel-Grace in this World to brun up the Wood Hay and Stubble by the fire of the Word and Spirit bofore the dâ—y of Judgment comes because it 's said the day shall declare it not the day of the Lord as the coming of Christ and the Judgment is usually called the day of the Lord Joel 2 31. 1 Thes 5. 2. 2 Pet. 3. 10. To this I say 1. That the coming of Christ is called the day as well as the day of the Lord Mal. 4. 1. To which probably the Apostle may have respect Behold the day cometh that shall burn as an Oven And Rom. 13. 12. It 's called the day The day is at hand and Eph. 4. 30. the day of Redemption Heb. 10. 25. Exhorting one another and so much the more as you see the day approaching so that it 's called the day as frequently as the day of the Lord and indeed it is all one And it is likewise called that day 1 Thes 5. 4. 2 Thes 2. 3. 2 Tim. 1. 18. 4. 8. 3. Others say That if it do intend the day of the Lord yet it intends the burning up of things but not of Persons To this I say 1. It 's true it intends the burning up of things viz. Of all things built on the Foundation contrary to the Doctrine of the Gospel both in matters of Faith and practice but the Persons must to the fire as well as their works they shall be saved yet so as by fire 2. Else all bad Ministers and Christians that have built bad matter and made bad work must be saved suffering only the loss of their building without any personal or penal suffering for the Apostle saith that those who come under this consideration shall be saved so as by fire and if so this Notion opens the Door wider than the Scripture or themselves will grant and therefore necessarily we must understand it in the sense by me asserted which is likewise plain without any harsh interpretation or wresting and wiâ—h this Rev. 2. 11. seems fully to agree he that overcometh shall not be hurt of the second Death which imports not only a security to overcomers but that some may be hurt of the second Death that may not be Eternally swallowed
up therein that may to the fire and yet be saved so 1 Cor. 11. 30 31 32. we read of some that were judged of the Lord that they might not be condemned wâ—the the World which clearly imports if they had oâ— been so Judged of the Lord here they must have beeâ— condemâ—ed with the World at that day and that whoever â—â— like case is not Judged here must meet with condâ—mnation then so 1 Tim. 5. 24. Some mens sins are open before hâ—nd gâ—ing before to Judgment and some they follâ—â— after not oâ—â—y to be Judged by the Church but by the Lord as 1 Coâ— 11. 32. They are juâ—ged and chastened of the Lord and Mat. 18. 23 to 35. Christ the Lord and Judge lets us to know that some whose sins are forgiven may by their unmeâ—â—â—fulness to others forfeit all and be Judged to punishment till full satisfaction to Jâ—â—tâ—ce iâ— made vers 35. a warning and an awakening word it should be to all merciless men in Gospel-Profession Mat. 25. 41. Jam. 2. 12 13. And this is so far from mâ—nâ—â—tring any any occasion of sinful neglect that if rightly ponâ—erâ—d it would 1 Be a warning word to all soâ—s of Gospel-Professors to take heed and beware what they build both in matters of Faith and Life lest they come short of the Glory and meet with the fiery Judgment and be hurt of the second Death it 's that which â—ends to season all with the fear of the Judgment to come and a sutable preparation thereunto which being so much wanting herein some of those that â—â—ll so much thereof for others expect not ever to come to it themselves which renders them the more in danger thereof and 2. If any wilfully neglect on this account they may suffer the Etâ—rnal punishment aâ—cording to the Scrâ—pture threats thereof Christ Some cry out against this as if they were like to be undone thereby because say they you own a Redemption from Hell and a threefold state in the World to come Min. This ariseth much from Tradition and ignorance of the Restitution and World to come while the Faith of the Gospel is lost as to the Glorious design of God to the World by Jesus Christ in the Restitution it 's no marvel they are all for Hell and burning in another World while they conclude themselves to have no share therein tho it 's true there will be sire and burning enough and that to those who have the least share therein Luk. 12. 48. And good it will be to all to look well to themselves in time and come right in the Faith and Life of the Gospel lest their own fire devour them 2. Let men come right in the Faith as to the Restitution World to come and Kingdom of Christ therein without which we have not the Faith of the Gospel and the difference in this will quickly end when that is believed the difference only remains about the various states of men in that World which I suppose may well be born withal in each other especially it being so that we all must come short in the knowledge thereof till the time comes 3. And concerning Redemption from Hell the word translated Hell frequently in the old Testament and sometimes in the New intends the Grave and from thence shall be a universal Redemption of all it being one of the proper ends of the Death and Resurrection of Christ Rom. 5. 18. 1 Cor. 15. 21 22. And is called the day of Redemption Rom. 8. 23. Eph. 4. 30. 2. Sometimes Hell intends great and deep asslictions and sorrows Psal 18. 4 5. 116. 3. From which has been and may be deliverance Psal 116. 8. 86. 3. 3. The Whales belly is called Hell which is rarely mentioned in the Old Testament probably because the old Covenant as such could not bring in the second life without which could have been no second Death and it 's called Death Metaphorically and not properly the first Death being properly Death the second not so but a life in misery called Death and Hell which great and deep afflictions pains and sorrows called Hell do most sutably represent And as there has been and shall be a Redemption from Hell in all the first mentioned respects viz. Out of great and deep afflictions pains and sorrows of Jonah out of the Fishes belly and all shall be Redeemed from the Grave called Hell why we should be so incredulous of and affrighted with a Redemption from the pains and sorrows of the second Death called Hell to me seems strange especially the Scripture being so abundantly full and clear in the matter in the true sense thereof as before has been shewed and as for the Kings of the Earth at that day relative to this matter read and ponder Isa 24. 21 22. And as for the Redemption of the World or deliverance after Judgment which includes the Redemption from Hell besides what has been already said we may read as much in that wonderfully mistaken Scripture Psal 2. 8 9. Ask of me and I will give thee the Heathen for thine inheritance and the uttermost parts of the Earth for thy possession where is 1. Christs mediatory office respecting the World ask of me 2. A promise I will give thee the Heathen for thine inheritance for thy possession Inheritance and Possession in Scripture sense being generally taken for good for advantage for riches for honour Deut. 4. 21. â—â—ad very probably this saying as it sutes with may â—â—er to Lev. 25. 44 45 46. As a Figure thereof â—ere the Lord allows his People to buy of the Heathen â—â—â—d-men and Bond-women and they should be their â—â—d-servants possession and inheritance for ever A â—â—ely resemblance of Christ's purchasing possessing and â—â—eriting the Heathen World for ever as his subjects â—â—d servants sutable to Isa 49. 18. As I live saith the â—â—d thou shalt cloath thee with them all but verse 9. â—â— is to break them with a rod of Iron and dash them â— pieces like a Potters Vessel True it is so he must â—ge dash and break them first that so they may be â— for his Inheritance Possession and Service they are â—â—en to him on such terms as first to dash and break â—â—m and so conquer them to himself Psal 18. 42 â—â—n did I beat them small as the dust before the wind â—â— and verse 43 44 45. follows the service of the same â—â—ken and conquered People which relates to the very â—â—e matter or to David as a Figure thereof and Psal â— 8. agrees fully hereto Arise O God judge thou â—â— Earth for thou shalt inherit all Nations 1. Thou â—â—lt Judge break them to pieces and then Inherit â—â—mâ— and further we read in Scripture that God will â—â—me be pacified toward his People when they have â—n the punishment of their sin in the Judgment who â—â—e as great sinners against God as any of the Heaâ—â—â— Ezek. 16. 47 48 63. And Sodom and Gomorrah â—â— which there
9. Joh. 6. 51. to reign over almost all his Subjects in Wrath under eternal torments And how would this render the fifth Kingdom and Monarchy so much spoken of in Scripture and talked of â— men but little understood to be far worse much â—â—e merciless and miserable except to a very few faâ—â—ites only than any of the four that went before it â— figures thereof whereas it shall in times as far exâ—â—d them all as the new World shall exceed the old â—â— as the Lord thereof exceeds all that ever went beâ—â—e him and further If it were not so how should â—â—ey then sing unto him and glorifie his Name as it 's â—â—d they shall Psal 66. 4. 96. 7 13. 98. 4. â—v 5. 13. If the Lord by his blood redeemed them â—â—m death to a new life for no other end but to torâ—â—nt them for ever how shall they then sing his praise â—â—d glorifie his Name The sum of all I say about this matter is 1. That God made all good yea very good and man â— his own Image 2. That man by sin lost himself and all came under the â—â—se and death with him 3. That the great design of God made manifest is â—y the second Nan the Lord from heaven to recover â—â—an and all with him that fell by his sin out of that â—â—ate of curse and death to a new life and world eterâ—ally 4. That all must come to Judgment for the things â—one in the body which Judgment shall be just and â—ighteous according to the various dispensations under which they have lived and against which they have transgressed Rom. 2. 12. Joh. 12. 48. Jam. 2. 12. â—â— 1. 25. Rev. 20. 12. Which Judgment as it will be very great and terrible suitable to the greatness of the Majesty against whom all sin has been so in the true Analogy and sense of Scripture it will be Eternal â—nto all and will be wonderful dreadful and amazing to all that meets with the least portion of penal punishment therein yet in this matter God will not proceed contrary to all rules of Justice he has given to men nor contrary to the method of his own dealings with men in like cases he always having kept and will keep to measure and times in the Judgment which is most righteous Psal 80. 5. Isa 27. 8. Jer. 30. 11. 46. 28. Nor contrary to his Name Nature and Promises at that day Jer. 12. 15. Ezek. 16 61 62 63. Luke 12. 47. 48. And so that mentioned before from Sovereignty will undoubtedly stand true He will not punish without a cause nor more than is deserved but rather less Ezra 9 13. To this righteous proceeding of God See Gen. 18. 25. Deut. 32. 4. Psal 116. 5. 145. 17. Rom. 3. 5 6. It 's true God saith to his people of old That he would punish their iniquity and sin double Jer. 16. 18. But that I taâ—â— to relate to times and not to measure it not standing with the Justice of a righteous God to punish sin double for measure but double may relate to times 1. Then by destruction temporal by their enemies And 2. At the day of Judgment and then will he be pacified towards them Ezek. 16. 63. And afterwards shall they inherit the promises Jer. 16. 14 15. But first he will punish them double Isa 40. 1. 3 Hence you may learn two good Lessons further 1. To be preparing for this great and glorious day O it will be a great and terrible day and it 's your great concern now to be preparing and making ready for it to get right in the saith and life of the Gospel in order thereunto it 's called the great and terrible day of the Lord Joel 2. 31. because the Judgment will be great and very terrible Mal. 3. 2. Who may abide the day of his coming and who shall stand when he appeareth The terribleness of the Judgment then to be executed â— described under varieties of dreadful Expressions â—ereby to discover the dreadfulness thereof it 's called â—â—ll utter darkness a lake of fire the second death â—erlasting shame and contempt c. attended with â—â—ping and wailing and gnashing of teeth whoever â—â—ets with the least Portion therein both for measure â—â—d time will find it to be of sinking and dreadful â—oncern and therefore deceive not your self with a â—â—in conceit from self-confidence as I fear many do â—â—e those Isa 28. 15. who said they had made a coveâ—â—nt with death and were at agreement with hell â—â—ey feared not the judgment it should not come nâ—gh â—hem v. 18. All their confidence was disannulled and â—â—t to stand it 's true some men talk much of the â—edgment but expect not to come to it themselves tho â—â—e Scripture tells us 2 Cor. 5. 10. That we must all â—ppear before the Judgment-seat of Christ and receive â—â—cording to the things done in our bodies whether it be â—udor bad v. 11. Knowing therefore the terror of the â—ord we persuade men yea believers and the Apostle â— Pet. 3. having declared the Conflagration of the â—orld by fire being reserved thereunto against the day â—f Judgment and perdition of ungodly men v. 7. Which is enough to amaze men in the thoughts thereâ—f were there no other or further Judgment but to â—e burnt up with the World at that day Mal. 4. 1. when â—e lake of fire must be eternal from whence the Aâ—ostle draws this result or conclusion v. 11. Seeing â—hen all these things shall be dissolved what manner of â—rsons ought we to be in all manner of holy conversaâ— and godliness that so we may escape the fire of that â—ay and v. 13 14. from the expectation of the new â—â—eavens and new Earth that shall succeed exhorteth saying Wherefore beloved seeing ye look for such things be diligent that ye may be found of him in peace without spot and blameless And it 's the Exhortation of the Lord and Judge himself Luke 21. 36. Watch ye therefore and pray always that ye may be accounted worthy to escape alâ—â—â—ose things that shall come to pass and to stand before the Son of man And chap. 12. 40. Be ye also ready for the Son of man cometh at an heâ— that ye think not Mat. 25. 10. And they that were ready went in with him to the Marriage and the door was shut O! therefore I say be preparing every day for your Lord 's appearing lest it come upon you as a snare as it will upon all the World and all that are unprepared for it read and ponder well Luke 12. 35 36 37. 2. Being ready look and wait for him love and long for his appearing to such he will appear a second time without sin unto salvation Heb. 9. 28. It is to those that love him and look for his appearing that the crown of righteousness shall be given 2 Tim. 4. 8. And none can really and rightly look for and love his appearing and say
Come Lord Jesus come quickly but such as are prepared for him nor can any assure themselves that they love him if they long not and wait not for his appearing that they may be with him and then when he comes you shall be able to say as Isa 25. 9. Lo this is our God we have waited for him and he will save us this is the Lord we have waited for him we will rejoyce and be glad in his salvation This has been the long look'd for day by all the Saints instructed therein Tit. 2. 13. Looking for the blessed â—ope 1 Thess 1. 9 10. It will be the day of Marriage to the Saints Now is the day of Espousal 2 Cor. 11. 2. Then will be the day of Marriage Rev. 19. 7. It will be the day of joy and gladness to the Church who shall â—e and reign with him eternally in the World to come â—â—ho that loves him doth not say with John Rev. â— 20. Amen even so come Lord Jesus Does the â—â—ole Creation wait for and groan after this time of â—â—rty and restitution Rom. 8. 22. and shall not those â—o profess to be the Children of that glorious liberty â— shall say no more but this Prepare rightly for it â— always ready love and look for his appearing be â—â—stant therein to the end and you shall inherit the â—ory when the time is come 2 Tim. 4. 8. Christ Some say that if all these things be truth â— they are too high that you exercise your self in â—ings that are too high for you contrary to the sayâ—g of the Prophet Psal 131. 1. he did not exercise â—mself in great matters or in things too high for â—m Min. 1. In one sense it 's true consider we the matâ—ers themselves and consider we our own weakness and â—worthiness they are indeed too high for us even the â—â—h things of God and so is the Gospel in all its â—rts of which these are not the least yet others do â—ddle about the high things of the Gospel without â—uple or offence 2. They being the revealed things of God and in â—s sense they are not too high reâ—ealed things beâ—ging to us and so it 's our concern to inquire thereâ—â—o Deut. 29. 29. And as it was God's end in revealâ—g thereof that we might understand and believe â— so it 's our duty to be humbly inquiring thereinâ—â— 3. The Prophet who spake those words I think I â—â—y safely say pryed into and was exercised about â—â—se very things viz. The Mysteries of the World to come The General Grace and Glory thereof withâ— the Kingdom of Christ therein as much as any if noâ— as all the Prophets besides and obtained as great and â— large an understanding therein and probably God would have it so because his seed and Son was by promise to be the Heir universal King Lord and Governour thereof Psal 72. 1 2 11 17. Heb. 1. 2. CHAP. IX Sheweth That to hold Truth in Vnity is honourable to God and safe for our selves Christ WHat think you of the harmony and unity of the Scriptures do you suppose it to hold unity and harmony with it self without any contradiction if so then whether it do not concern us so to understand it as may hold in unity and not in contradiction Min. The Scripture being the Word of one God given by one Spirit and one Lord Jesus stands in unity and so it concerns us to understand it to hold truth in contradiction being next of kin to holding it in unâ—â—ghteousness If any thing I have herein said or do hold stand not in unity with the body of Scripture or with it self I shall gladly understand it and lay it down as an Error my desire and design being so to â—â—derstand the Scripture and mine own Principles from â—â—â—ce as may stand in unity it being that which is â—â—th honourable to God and satisfactory and safe for â—â— self and accountable to others This is really my â—â—re tho I dare not say or think that I have in all â—â—gs so obtained nor deny or hide what I have through â—â—ce obtained Christ Wherein stands the unity of the things â—â—ursed on with the Scripture and the contradiction â—â— the other notions thereunto I desire to understand â—â— something further about this matter Min. 1. As touching the Sovereign Power and Will â— God so to understand the exercise thereof towards â—â— as is before declared viz according to his own â—â—s in that behalf proved from the Creation to the â—â—gment stands in unity with the whole truth of â—â—ripture and Name of God and to understand it â—â—erwise viz. That God from his own decreed Will â—â—ore the World was determined the greatest part of â—â—n by far to no other end but to sin and be damned â—ttradicteth not only the plain revealed method of â— proceedings in this matter but the substance of his â—â—ealed Will in his Word Ezek. 33. 11. Joh 3. 16. â— 12. 47. 1 Tim. 2. 4. and therefore is not likely to be â—her true or safe 2. To deny the general love of God to the World â—â—d Christ giving himself for the life of the World beâ—â—use the Scripture saith he laid down his life for the â—â—ep for the Church which is in it self a truth conâ—adicteth the whole Scripture in this matter as has been â—â—ly proved and therefore is not likely to be either true â— safe But that he died both for the World and for the â—hurch is the truth of Scripture which being understood holds Scripture and Truth in unity and harmony without any contradiction at all but what men devise from their own heads at a distance from any Scripture ground or right reason the general and special grace of God to men being thereby understood and therefore is most likely to be both true and safe 3 To understand the Scripture so as to render not only the Scripture but the holy Name of God to stand in unity is most likely to be true and safe viz. to understand and believe that he loved the World in the gift of his Son and that Christ died for the World and will save all thaâ— do believe and obey the Gospel and judge and condemn those that obey him not as the just and deserving cause Rom. 6. 23. and not from his decree of reprobation as the first cause of sin and damnation this stands in unity with the whole Name and Word of God without any contradiction at all and therefore most likely to be true and safe But to understand the Scripture so as to limit the love of God to a very few only and the death of Christ to as few and yet that he will damn people for not believing that which was never intended to them nor was it possible for them by any means to obtain being reprobated therefrom is so great a contradiction to the whole Word and Name of God in all his attributes which stand in unity viz. his Goodness Love Truth
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
as I shall fully shew in Chap. 8. to make the promises that are proper to that people and to be performed in their restitution applicable to us gentiles before that time and state as it has been common is dangerous being a perversion of the intent and design of God therein And further it 's ridiculous to apply those promises made to the house of Israel as such to unconverted persons among the gentiles under the notion of Election as promises of conversion So that if any will yet apply those promises to the present time and state which in the largeness thereof cannot truly be yet the persons to whom they are thus applyed must be of the house of Israel viz. true Jews either by nature or grace before any of these promises can be applyed to them they are not to the sinners of the gentiles who by nature before conversion are children of wrath and not of the house of Israel to whom these promises belong nor can they take place according to the true intention of them till the time of Israels redemption is come it 's true they are grounds of faith and consolation to true believers that such a time shall come Christ It 's usually objected that if there is any condition for us to perform on which salvation depends it renders the salvation not to be of grace makes it uncertain tends to destroy free grace and turns the Gospel into a covenant of works Min. 1. We may not to satisfie our own imaginations turn away from the whole and holy word of God in this or any other matter if the Lord has so stated it as is undeniable let men be silent before him and learn to know there duty looking to God for divine assistance in which way the certainty of obtaining is assured Jam. 1. 5. Math. 10. 22. 2. The performance of the holy terms of the Gospel on which salvation is dispensed no whit derogates from the freeness of the grace and salvation thereof it 's a vain if not a prophane imagination so to think What now maketh the difference in all sober mens apprehensions but faith and unbelief obedience and disobedience holiness and unholiness If there are no conditions on which Gospel Grace and life is dispensed Why then are not the unbelieving prophane and unholy as freely and fully enrighted therein as any Which 〈◊〉 contrary to the Scriptures and the common principles of all sober men 3. The holy terms of interest in and obtaining of the salvation of the gospel no whit derogates from the freeness thereof nor renders it to be a covenant of works because there is something for us to do in order to the obtaining thereof and this is fully demonstrated from the parable of the marriage of the Kings son Math. 22. 1 2. c. which is apparent and I think by most is so understood does intend the tenders of the Gospel first to the Jews and their invitation to the Gospel marriage supper with their refusing the invitation Act. 1â— 46. Now the question is 1. Whether God and Christ were real in this invitation or did mock with them Which I suppose none will be so graceless as to deny the one or affirm the other but that if they had accepted the invitation there was life for them and in their wilful refusal they lost it 2. Then whether the life being tendered to them on the terms of their acceptance thereof did any whit derogate from the grace of the Gospel Or cast any cloud thereon Or render it to be a Covenant of works because it was tendered to them on terms of their acceptance thereof It 's a wonderful mistake among men not to allow that to be free grace which the Scripture so calls viz. that which is free for all commerce Rev. 22. 17. whoever will let him come and take of the water of life frely Joh. 7. 37. This is free grace if the Scripture may determine what ever God worketh in some more than in others Is a secret and comes rather under the muchness of grace than the freeness thereof Rom. 5. 17. while he does enough for all and as one saith more 〈◊〉 enough viz. more than men could in reason deâ—â— his grace being open and free to all that will accept 〈◊〉 The holy terms no whit derogate from the freeness â—â—ereof but renders it the more credible to all rational â—ersons It no whit derogates from a Princes grace in â—â—doning Malefactors on terms they accept thereof and become good subjects for time to come so it derogates not from the freeness of the grace of God by Jesus â—â—rough faith and holiness as the terms thereof it being â—â—e holy prudence of God to have it and the contrary would render it irrational and incredible unto men Christ I thing you have spoken fully to this but some 〈◊〉 that your self was sometimes of another mind in these matters Min. 1. It 's easily granted which demonstrates that we are men and liable to failings in the great things of the Gospel 2. We have read and heard of the apostasie from the faith foretold in the Scripture 2. Thes 2. and as it 's our great concern so it will be our great mercy to get see therefrom which is not so easily nor suddenly arrived to as is by some supposed it being learnt by tradition and so is become habitual and natural to us 3. As it 's no loss the change of a bad principal for a â—â—tter and errour for a truth so in it self it 's no shame or dishonour but a virtue and a glory And I am greatly of the mind that there are very many that need such a change and I pray it may be before it is to late if men change not both in principle and practice in these â—â—d the like matters what will be the issue I leave to the Lord and Judge to determine CHAP. IV. What the Gospel is and what is the faith thereof to which the life and glory therein is promised Christ I Desire to make some further enquiry about the Gospel and 1. I desire to know what the Gospel is Min. To this I think I may say it 's generally understood that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 intends a joyful message glad or good tidings and so it 's frequently translated as Luk. 2. 10. Rom. 10. 15. from Isa 52. 7. Nah. 1. 15. so Act. 3 33. And we declare unto you glad tidings c. which is commonly translated Gospel i. e. glad or good tidings and the truth is that there is no sad or bad tidings in the Gospel till rejected or neglected or not believed and lived to according to the truth thereof and design of God therein Christ What is the glad tidings of the Gospel and wherein does it consist Min. That God sent his Son in love to the World to all people Joh. 3. 16. Luk. 2. 10. the entrance of this glad tidings lay 1. in promise Gen. 3. 15. 12. 3. 22. 18.