any impartial person may understand in my healing Word or endeavour for peace annexed to my additional word tho hitherto I may truely say as the Apostle 2 Cor. 12. 15. the more I love the less am I loved and as Ps 120. 7. I am for peace but when I speak thereof they are for War I think I may safely say that those manifold divisions and by reason thereof through pride enmities and contentions for only by pride cometh contentions Pro. 13 10. ariseth from mens being wiser than what is written not submitting to the plain testimony of the Divine record but make human and harsh interpretations and inventions both in matters of faith and practise and then quarrel with those who in conscience to God dare not believe and do as they would impose upon them I think I may safely say that this has been and is the cause of almost all the contentions divisions enmities and persecutions among profest Christians ofttimes self-interest viz. profit honour and applause concurring therewith attended with pride and an itching desire after domination And the alone way for Christians to obtain more unity love and peace is humbly to submit themselves to the plain and express terms of the Divine record especially in all fundamental matters of faith and life without human inventions and interpretations in which way they might easily come to unite and if in any thing they conscientiously differ to bear with each other in love allowing the same liberty to each other as every one for himself rightfully claims the contrary being irreligious irrational and brutish My method in the ensuing discourse is in dialogue wise by way of Question and Answer as it were between a minister and an enquiring Christian the reason thereunto moving me is because as the things are in themselves of weighty if not of weightiest concern and that which many are inquiring into so in this method I have had the advantage to make things plain and familiar to the weakest capacity as likewise to answer such questions and objections about these maâ—ters as are most usual among men And my humble and earnest desire is that you kick not nor winch either at the instrument or the matter for the instruments sake God being at liberty to make use of whom he pleases in his work if the instrument has been running to and fro it may be more than some others and has been it may be sometimes out and sometimes in don't reproach it may be his industry has been blest of God with increase and may judge those who lie still being full as if they had obtained all judging and passing the sentence of Heresie on all that 's new to them tho it may be the good old truths of the Gospel My dâ—sign in the plainness and closeness of the ensuing discourse is not reproach to any but to ingage all concerned herein to search and trie and where they find just cause to turn from their errours to the truth Its Scripture light I have been prying into and that not dark harsh and forced interpretations nor from any single text of Scripture but the plain testimony of Divine record compared and united in the true harmony and unity of it self as I am yet greatly satisfied Yet notwithstanding I shall readily and thankfully imbrace any sober offers of information of any mistake if any be or of further light in these or any matters of Gospel concern and so I commit it to the judicious Reader praying the Lord he may not sin in rejecting truth nor in receiving errour desiring the God of all light and grace to lead into all needful truth Amen The things discoursed on in the ensuing treatise are as followeth Chap. 1. OF the sovereign power of God as exercised over men opened and cleared in opposition to the dishonourable abuses thereof Ch. 2. Treateth of Election Ch. 3. Of the Extent of the love of God to and death of Christ for the World Ch. 4. What the Gospel is and what is the faith of the Gospel to which the life thereof is promised Ch. 5. Of the power and will of Man to believe the Gospel Ch. 6. Of the Nature of man and the original defilement thereof and whether it brought us under the first death only or under the second death also as some affirm Ch. 7. Of the Apostasie from the Faith what it is and wherein it consists Ch. 8. Treateth of the General restitution and Salvation in the World to come and of the Kingdom of Christ therein Ch. 9. Sheweth that to hold truth in unity is honourable to God and safe for our selves Ch. 10. That God intendeth what he speaketh and will perform it and that its greatly dishonourable to him for any to speak or think the contrary Some of the greatest matters of Christian Faith propounded and explained by way of Question and Answer as it were between a Minister and an enquiring Christian CHAP. I. Of the Sovereignty of God as exercised over the World ever since the creation opened and cleared in opposition to the dishonourable abuses thereof Christ HAving this opportunity I desire to be enquiring into some of the great things of Christianity and matters of Faith that concerns the glory of God and our own eternal welfare if your time and opportunity will admit a discourse about such things as are of weighty concern Min. As for time and opportunity I think we cannot improve it better than for the glory of God and our own eternal welfare that being the great end of our Creation and Redemption and therefore I freely imbrace your motion What are the things you desire to enquire into Christ The things I desire to enquire into I think are of weightiest concern and yet are differingly understood and believed by men into which I desire to enquire really for satisfaction it being in my understanding of so great and weighty concern as that without steering right therein we can neither honour God nor be safe our selves Min. If it be so as its worthy our time which cannot be better spent so according to the best of my understanding in the word of lâ—ght and truth I shall endeavour your satisfaction what is the first thing you desire to enquire into Christ The first thing is about the Sovereignty of God over mankind whether it be a truth that God has Sovereign power over all and does dispose of all according to the counsel of his own will Min. That Sovereign power belongeth to God i e that the great God bleâ—sed for ever the great Creator of all hath the absolute right and power over all his creatures to determine and dispose of them as seemeth him good is without all juâ—â— ground of doubt that as he is the great Creator and God alone so he must needs have the Sovereign right and power to dispose of all according to the Counsel of his own will Isa 46. 9 10. Christ As for the Sovereign right and power in God
it 's the same world that God loved to whom the Gospel is by Commission to be Preached and that is to all And such a world as of which many if not most may perish through unbelief which the Elect world in the owners own sense cannot do which clearly contradicteth their notion in this matter 4 It appeareth from v. 17. 19. God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world but that the world by him might be saved It 's the same world he still speaks of that he was not sent to condemn but to save and that it 's evident that some of this world that God loved and Christ was sent to save as before I said may be condemned v. 19. This is the Condemnation that light is come into the world and men love darkness rather than light because their deeds are evil God loved the world and gave his Son to save the world the world loves darkness rather than this light of Love and Salvation and this is and will be the Condemnation not want of love in God nor want of a Saviour but because they loved the darkness of ignorance and sin more than this light of Love Life and Salvation and surely this is not the Elect world who love Darkness more than Light and be Condemned 5. Not only because the express terms and scope of that Scripture clears it not to intend the Elect only but the whole Scope of the whole Scriptures clears it likewise the design of Love to the world in this matter being included in that promise Gen. 3. 15. The head design of the Serpent being the destruction of Mankind the Fathers design herein being as large for prevention So Gen. 22. 18. In thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed and sutable to and answering of these promises with many more to the same effect Ps 72. 17. 22. 27 28. The Lord who best knew his Fathers will and Love herein states his Fathers Love and Good Will to the world sutable to the promises thereof the love and good will was to the world the special Grace and Life is to such as believe and obey the Gospel and sutable to this is the Angels tidings Luk. 2. 10. Behold I bring you tidings of great joy which shall be to all people and surely the Elect be not all People but because the word all doth not always intend all therefore it must not hero but this Foundation of all relating to this matter last mentioned clears it and indeed there is neither Scripture nor right Reason to limit it to a few only it being contrary to the love and design of Gods Grace to the world in the Redemption work made manifest ever since the first sin and fall 2. Of the extent of the Death of Christ and that must be as large as the Fathers Love in sending him into the world or else it answers not his end in sending him for himself saith That he came down from Heaven not to do his own will but the will of him that sent him And that he died for the world is most apparent Joh. 1. 29 Behold the Lamb of God that taketh away the sins of the world 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the same world as was mentioned before which the Father loved in sending of him and this is to be noted that when he is said to take away sin as the Lamb of God it is as he was a Sacrifice for sin the substance of that Type the Paschal Lamb the Passover 1 Cor. 5. 7. Christ our Passover was Sacrificed for us Joh. 6. 51. The bread that I will give is my Flesh that I will give for the life of the world 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the same world as before 1 Tim. 2. 6. Who gave himself a Ransom for all to be Testified in due time 1 Cor. 5. 14 15. If one died for all then were all dead and in that he died for all c. v. 19 God was in Christ reconciling the world to himself Heb. 2. 9. That he by the Grace the love of God should tast death for every man That he by the Grace and Love of God to all should tast death for all 1 Joh. 2. 2. He is a Propitiation for our sin and not for ours only but for the sins of the whole world 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the same world as ch 5. 19. The whole world lieth in wickedness In all which Scriptures the death of Christ for the world as by a Cloud of Witnesses is asserted and confirmed Christ The Scripture seems wonderful plain and apparent in this matter yet some say that by world and all is not intended all the world but that in all these Scriptures the Elect only are intended Min. What I have already said about the love of God to the world doth in substance clear this matter By which it appears that it intends the world and not the Elect only they being never so called Christ Some say that Joh. 1. 29. cannot intend the sins of the world in general but of the Elect only because the sins of the world are not taken away but the whole world lyeth in wickedness and therefore their sins are not taken away Min. For answer to this I shall refer you to the 3d. particular to be spoken to in this Chapter namely the varieties of the ends of the death of Christ And as for the word all tho it doth not always intend all in many other cases yet in this it does proved not only from the reason before given viz. the design in the Gospel of good will to all which is the Fundation of all the general expressions in the Scriptures about the Redemption work by Christ as world and all but 1 Tim. 2. 6. giveth us further and full light in all such like expressions about the same matter Who gave himself a ransom for all to be testified in due time Now the great question is whether all in this Scripture intends the Elect only or all the world I suppose it will be granted by all that it intends one or both of them I say both but that it intends not the Elect only apparently appears Which I shall endevour to clear as followeth Vers 1. Is an Exhortation that first of all Prayers Intercession and giving of Thanks be made for all Men. Vers 2. For Kings and for all that are in Authority This being the Foundation of all that follows to vers 6. as arguments to inforce the Exhortation of Praying for all and if the first all for whom we are to Pray be not the Elect only then the other that follows is not The first argument seems to arise as the reason of the Exhortation of Praying for all in the word therefore I Exhort therefore vers 1. which relates to something spoken before as a reason of the Exhortation and most probably to ch 1. 15. This is a Faithful saying and Worthy of all acceptation that Jesus Christ
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
to dispose of all the creatures that he hath maâ—e I am well satisfied in but the matter I most question and desire to enquire into is about the manner and method of the exercise and execution of this his right and power viz. Whether God has from his own will and power as some say reprobated the greatest part of the World to damnation by an eternal decree before the world was without respect to sin as the first and just deserving cause but meerly from his own will which they say was to glorifle his justice Min. Altho I believe reverence and adore the Sovereignty of God over all and his proper right to dispose of all his creatures yet I do not believe that he hath or ever will so exercise his Sovereignty as some affirm viz. to damn whom he please from his own will and power distinct from sin as the cause thereof but that he hath doth and will exercise this his Sovereign power according to the excellency of his name and nature and righteous Laws given to men on that behalf as the boundary of his rule and Government over men and that in way both of judgment and mercy and not to destroy whom he please from his own will and power without respect had to those Laws otherwise to understand I believe it both dishonourable unto God and pernicious unto men Christ Can you prove from Scripture the manner and method of the exercise of the Sovereign power of God over men Min. I can Ps 62. 11. God hath spoken once yea twice have I heard this that power belongeth to God here is the Sovereign power stated v. 12. is the manner of its exercise and execution Also to thee O Lord belongeth mercy for thou renderest to every man according to his works The exercise of this his Sovereign power is in a way of justice and mercy to render to every one according to his works and according to his righteous Laws given to men Ps 101. 1. I will sing of mercy and judgment unto thee O Lord will I sing Christ What instances can you give from Scripture to confirm this manner and method of Gods proceedings with men viz. by his righteous Laws given to men and not from his own Sovereign will and power as distinct from and contrary to those Laws Min. 1. When he first made man he gave a Law as it was most meet it should be so wherein he stated his Sovereign rule over his creature man according to which he exactly ruled and man transgressing thereof he according to his Law as the great Sovereign Lord executes the penalty on man for breach thereof Gen. 2. 16 17. with ch 3. 6 13 19. Rom. 5 12. he did not throw down man from his first estate from his own will and power distinct from the breach of his Sovereign Law as the cause thereof 2. And after the sin and fall of man into a state of death in which he might have exercised his power either to have made a present end both of man and the world or have exercised his rule over men in this estate at a distance and distinct from all Law and rule but he from his own Sovereign love and good will to man set him upon a promise of recovery and restitution by the Womans seed Gen. 3. 15. wherein mercy met with Judgment in a needful time and since its apparent that he keeps to the true rules of his own Laws in this matter Tho probably the world might be without law written as by Moses yet not without Law both of nature and creation Ps 19. 1 2 3 4. Rom. 1. 20. And probably some teachings from God instrumentally as Jude v. 14. Enoch the seventh from Adam prophesied c. and Kain and Abel offered sacrifice probably by some Law from God but Rom. 5. 13 14. puts it out of doubt that they were not without Law For until the Law sin was in the world but sin is not imputed where there is no Law therefore there was some Law that being the design of the Apostle to prove that they had some Law or there had been no sin The next great execution of Judgment upon the world was in the deluge or flood which was not executed from the Sovereign will and power of God distinct from sin against his Laws as the cause thereof Gen. 6. 5 6 7. and in this they not only transgressed his laws but resisted his spirit v. 3. my spirit shall not always strive with man c. And he gave them further warning by Noah in making the Ark waiting for their repentance an Hundred and Twenty years 1 Pet. 3. 20. with Gen. 6. 3. and without doubt would have been well pleased with their repentance so as to have prevented the Judgment sutable to Jer. 18. 7 8. and the example of the Ninivites Jon. 3. 10. and accordingly he saved Noah not from his Sovereign will distinct from his Sovereign law but as unrighteous person that walked with God Gen. 6. 8 9 7. 1. 3. Instance is Sodom and Gomorah God brought not the Judgment upon them from his own will distinct from sin as the cause wherein he exercised his Sovereign power not only as a righteous law-maker but as a righteous law-executor Gen. 18. 20 21. I will go down now and see whether they have done altogether according to the cry of it Yea and so tender was he that if there had been but ten righteous persons he would have spared it for their sakes v. 32. and finding but one righteous Lot he spared him and for his sake would have spared all his relations if they had believed Gen. 19. 12 13. by which it 's manifest that the exercise of Sovereign power was according to the right of Law by the law-maker and executor and ready to have been mixed with mercy had there been any footing for it and Lot was saved not only from the Sovereign will and power distinct from all Law but as a righteous person 2 Pet. 2. 7 8. 4. When God called Abraham out from all the world as an act of Sovereign love will and power and owned him and his as his peculiar people nearer to him in Covenant than all the world besides he exercised his Sovereignty over them according to his righteous laws and promises in that behalf and no otherwise the contrary would be very wicked for any man to assert and in keeping thereof they had great reward Psal 19. 11. and on the wilful breach thereof great punishment as Levit. 26. 3. c. and Deut. 28. 1. c. with Lamentations of Jeremiah throughout and this was his method throughout that ministration punishing them for their sins yet less than they deserved Ezra 9. 13. and delivered them many a time upon their repentance Psal 78. 38. and 106. 43. 5. Though God left all the Nations in this choice yet he did not so reject them as to leave them at a further distance or in a worse
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
I conclude that God never Elected any with design of wrong to the rest but rather of advantage if rightly improved Christ They say it 's no wrong to any but just and right he might have reprobated all and have been just in so doing and that it's mercy that he hath Elected any and that in this way he hath exalted both Justice and Mercy Min. As held by them it 's the greatest wrong imaginable For 1. They say that God Elected some and reprobated all the rest to Eternal death from his own will without any cause at all in them And 2. That notwithstanding he has by Decree laid a necessity of Perishing upon such yet the Gospel must be Preached to them designedly to damn them the deeper for that which they could not help nor was any Grace thereby intended to them a greater wrong cannot be done to men nor a greater wrong to God and the Gospel of his Grace to men Christ I think you have said enough to this for clearing this matter I have yet only one thing to enquire further viz. How you can clear this of personal Election before time from that which is commonly objected Act. 10. 34 35. That with God there is no respect of Persons Doth not this Election render God to be a respecter of Persons Min. 1. This Scripture in the proper intention thereof intends the breaking down of the middle wall of partition between Jew and Gentile that now there is no difference on the Gospel account And 2. It stands true and ever did that in every Nation he that feareth God and worketh Righteousness is accepted so was Cornelius before he knew the Gospel 3. Particular Election may stand without any contradiction at all to that Scripture or any other of like import whilst God doth notwithstanding accept of every one that doth fear him and work Righteousness for we may understand and must allow this Sovereign liberty in God which men rationally and rightfully claim to themselves viz. a freedom of love and choice whilst none are wronged thereby God had respect unto and loved Abraham and his feed above all the world besides Deut. 7. 6 7. And that rightfully too Yet without wrong or prejudice to any he loved Jacob more than Esau before they were born or had done either good or evil yet without any wrong at all to Esau he did and doth accept of whoever did or do fear him and work Righteousness And Christ loved one Disciple above the rest yet without any wrong or offence to any of the rest men do and Lawfully may fix love on particular objects and while it 's without wrong or hatred to others it 's no unlawful respecting of Persons CHAP. III. Of the extent of the love of God in the gift of his Son and the extent of the death of Christ with the variety of the ends thereof and the certain effecting thereof according to the designs of God therein Christ I Am willing to make some enquiry into those two great yet much controverted points of Religion namely the extent of the Fathers love to and of the death of Christ for the world Min. This is that I have had often occasion of late to speak to elsewhere and therefore may suppose it needless to speak any further to so plain Gospel Truths as these are Christ Yet notwithstanding it being of so weighty concern and that which I conceive on which the whole Gospel depends I desire you to speak something further to it with as much plainness and evidence from the Scripture as you can Min. Tho I have spoken so much of this matter elsewhere yet if meeting with so much opposition and being of so weighty concern it lying at the bottom and being indeed the Foundation of all Christian Faith and Religion I shall at your request make a little further Essay herein 1. Then as to the extent of the Fathers love in the gift of his Son the Son himself who best knew determines with that evidence and plainness that whoso runs may read and understand Joh. 3. 16. For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son that whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have everlasting life Christ This seems to be very plain and full to the matter yet those of the contrary opinion say that by world in this place is intended the Elect only or world of the Elect and that the word world as used in the Scripture doth not always intend all the world and in this place the Elect only Min. I know that this is the great plea to end the plain Truth of the Scripture and I could name several of the Persons concerned herein and I do easily grant that the word world doth not always intend all the world but often a part thereof yet when so a great part thereof is intended but that the word world in this place doth not intend the Elect or Church or Believers only is as apparent as the Sun when it shines at Noon and I yet never met with either Scripture or Reason sufficient to contradict it tho I think I have read as learned and able as any that has attempted it and that it does not nor cannot intend the world of Elect only I shall state some weighty grounds to the contrary 1. That the Elect are no where called the world in Scripture that 's not yet proved nor is never like to be but because the wicked are called the world when they are but a part thereof therefore the Elect may be so called and such like arguments to argue out the plain Truth of Scripture but till it can be proved that the Elect are called the world it must remain as a Scriptureless notion that 's the first 2. Because the word world in this place is the common word for the world in general 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which sometimes signifieth the Heavens and the Earth or whole Creation Mat. 13. 35. 25. 34. Or a multitude or world of Men Rom. 3. 19 The same as 1 Joh. 5. 19. The whole world lyeth in wickedness and is never applyed to the Elect that 's the second 3. It 's such a world as that whosoever of them do believe shall have Eternal life in which note 1. That it 's the world of unbelievers that he loved that whoever of them do believe might have life After they believe they are not of the world Joh. 15. 19. 2. It 's such a world as of which it's clearly implyed that some of them may perish through unbelief whosoever doth believe shall not perish clearly implying that whosoever of them doth not believe shall perish fully agreeing with the commission Mar. 16. 15 16. Go into all the world Preach the Gospel to every Creature he that believeth and is Baptized shall be saved he that believeth not shall be damned So here he or whosoever doth believe shall not perish i. e. shall not be damned so that it 's apparent
to the world in the Law of Creation Rom. 1. 20 21. Act. 17. 26 27. And so to Israel of old and so in the Gospel Mar. 16. 15 16. Israel of old often became strangers to the Law and sometimes lost it and after found it again 2 King 2. 8. And tho the world was more large unto whom the Gospel was sent than the house of Israel to whom the Law was sent yet God had so ordered it over and above the general Commission for publishing thereof that at the first pouring down of the Spirit in order thereunto there were present some out of every Nation under Heaven Act. 2. 5. Which doubtless tended much to the publishing of the Gospel among the Nations Col. 1. 23. And if the Nations have lost it or be Apostatized from the truth thereof the fault is in themselves and not in God nor does it at all argue that Christ died not for them nor that if they perish it is for want of a Sacrifice or Saviour what God has done doth or may do for Particular Nations Persons or for the world to cure this defect must be from his Grace over and above the general and unlimited Commission for publishing thereof to the world 2. It 's as good an argument to assert that the greatest part of the world was not lost by Adam's transgression because they did not nor do not know it nor can they know it without the Divine and Scripture Revelation as to affirm that the second Adam died not for them because they did not or do not know it or to affirm that he dyed not for all or any part of the world that was dead and past before his sufferings because they did not nor could not hear thereof and know it All shall hear thereof and know it in the end 1 Tim. 2. 16. Phil. 2. 9 10. Rev. 5. 13. Christ It 's strongly asserted in Death of death that for whom Christ dyed for them he interceeds and that they shall certainly be saved and that he dyed for none else unless we will Blasphemously ascribe want of Wisdom Power and Efficiency of working to the Agent the sum of all is that for whom he dyed for them only he interceeds and they shall certainly be saved and none else He being heard in what ever he interceeds for Joh. 11. 41 42. And therefore he died and interceeds for the Elect only and they only shall be saved Min. The answer to this will lead us into the Third particular mentioned viz. The varieties of the ends designed by this one Sacrifice with the certain effecting of all the ends designed thereby which will further confirm the truth of his being a Sacrifice for the sins of the world those who are of the narrow principle and Spirit can see but one end designed in this undertaking viz. To dye for the Elect only and to damn all the world besides But we shall find in Scripture varieties of Glorious ends intended thereby some of which must go before the Salvation of the Elect. And without which there had been no Election or Salvation to any But this I would should be especially noted that Gods love to the World in the gift of his Son and Christ giving himself a Sacrifice for the life of the World is the Basis and Foundation of all Christian Faith and whatever things were designed thereby is founded upon and must have its spring and effecting from this general Love and general Sacrifice the denial of which tends to root up the Foundation of Gospel Faith and Salvation as you may understand in that which followeth Now I come to shew the variety of the ends designed by this one Sacrifice and the sutable advantages thereof according to those ends designed thereby 1. By this one Sacrifice Mankind and the whole World was continued and preserved in order to the Restitution of all things which was designed thereby without which Sacrifice as lying in promise and virtually taking place Gen. 3. 15. Both Man and the World had been ended by the first sin and fall Psal 75. 3. The Earth and all the inhabitants thereof are dissolved I bear up the Pillars thereof It 's not spoken of the Father that is plain vers 2 3. Then it must be of the Prophet or of Christ not of the Prophet for he could not bear up the Pillars of the Earth and therefore it must intend Christ by whom are all things 1 Cor. 8. 6. And by whom all things consist Col. 1. 17. Who lighteth every Man that cometh into the World Joh. 1. 9. And that not only upon the account of Creation as it was made by him but on the account of Redemption when by sin it was dissolved if the promise of Christ a Sacrifice had not intervened and therefore it 's said Rev. 13. 8. That he was a Lamb slain from the Foundation of the World viz. His Sacrifice then to come virtually took place to bear up the World and by vertue thereof 〈◊〉 has been and shall be preserved to the Restitution of all things Act. 3. 21. So that not only the Being of Mankind and the whole World is continued by this one Sacrifice but likewise all the good that Men possess and enjoy in this World is by vertue of this one Sacrifice so that I may say in this matter as the Apostle in a differing case behold I shew you a mystery Yet revealed by the Sacrifice himself Joh. 6. 53. Verily verily I say unto you except ye eat the Flesh of the Son of Man and drink his Blood ye have no life in you and that not only by Faith unto life Eternal but unless we enjoy all the good things of this life as coming to us by the Blood of Christ this one general Sacrifice we have not the Gospel light and life in us This is the first end and Effect of general Grace by the general Sacrifice that the sin of the World is safer taken away thereby as that Mankind and the whole World is and shall be preserved and continued to the times of the Restitution of all things and this was so great an end as without which there could have been no Election or Salvation of any 2. And as an effect of this first design was designed and effected the Reconciliation of the World to God and that not only to enjoy good things from God here on the temporal account but so far as that nothing stands in the way to hinder the special Reconciliation and Salvation but unbelief and disobedience to the Gospel where the Gospel comes Joh. 3. 16 19. That there is such a universal Reconciliation thereby See Col. 1. 20 And having made peace by the Blood of his Cross by him to Reconcile all things to himself I say whether things in Heaven or things in Earth 2 Cor. 5. 19. God was in Christ Reconciling the World to himself not imputing their sins All Men are so far Reconciled to God by this one Sacrifice as that
the Christ the seed of Abraham in whom all the Nations of the Earth shall be blessed The Son of God and the Son of David the true Messias promised that God in love sent him and that he in love gave himself a Sacrifice for the life of the World and is Raised and Ascended into Heaven in performance of his Mediatory office for Men and shall come again from thence to judg the quick and the dead and to perfect the Restitution of all things and to bring in the New and Restored World in and over which shall be his Eternal Kingdom and Glory and that whoever do sincerely believe and obey him in this his Grace shall Live and Reign with him in his Glory Mar. 16. 15 16. Heb. 5. 9. This is the substance of the Doctrine and Faith of the Gospel to which the Salvation thereof is promised which was once delivered to the Saints which Doctrine and Faith should be more precious to us than our Lives Or more briefly thus Whoever comes right in the Faith and Life of the Gospel shall be saved this is the sum of all I seek or plead for it being that which deeply concerns every one to come right in which life is called a life of Faith Heb. 10. 38. A life of holiness 1 Pet. 1. 15. A life of Humility 1 Pet. 5. 5. A life of love both to God and Men 1 Joh. 4. 16 20 21. Mat. â— 44 to 48. Which Faith and Life shall certainly issue a Glory CHAP. V. Of the Power and Will of Man to believe and obey the Gospel of this Grace and of Regeneration and whether there be any possibility of falling from Faith and Grace after Believing Christ IN as much as there are differing Apprehensions about the Power and Will of Man to believe and obey the Gospel some affirming a Power to â—e in Man to believe and some denying thereof I desire your apprehension therein it being I suppose of weighty concern to be rightly understood Min. In as much as there are differing Apprehensions about the Power and Will of Man tho I think I have said enough to it elsewhere yet it being a matter of weighty concern I shall on this occasion say something further to it 2. Touching the Power that there is a power in Man to believe with the common helps by God afforded especially where the Doctrine of the Gospel comes I â—â—â—ert as a great Truth tho in this me-thinks should be â—o room for a difference in this I think all agree that all Power is of God that it 's in him we live move and have our being Act. 17. 28. We cannot live nor act think nor speak without him all Natural and all Spiritual Power both of Motion and Action being of him and from him in and by Jesus Christ there being but one Holy Spirit Eph. 4. 4. Who had his Operation and Work in the Creation Gen. 1. 1 2. Job 26. 13. Ps 104. 30. And is the influencer thereof still by Jesus Christ the Redeemer 1 Cor. 8. 6. And the same Spirit it is that Influenceth the Gospel to the work of Regeneration and impowers Man thereunto Joh. 3. 3 5. And so the Gospel is truly the Power of God to Salvation to all that do believe Rom 1. 16. And in this I suppose that all agree that there is no Power but is of God Christ I suppose that the great question about this matter is whether God in the Gospel affords a sufficiency of Power where it 's published in the truth thereof to believe and obey it unto Life Min. To this I say That we have sufficient grounds so to believe excepting Infants Idiots and distracted Persons who have not the use and exercise of Reason tho no Scripture saith it in express terms yet the Reason and Truth of the Scripture speaks it in fulness and plainness as appeareth 1. From the constant converse of God with Men ever since the Creation not only in the perfect but in the fallen state in making known his Will and giving Laws to Men both Precepts and Promises especially under the Gospel which is most to our case and for us to imagine Men not to be sutably Influenced by him with understanding and Power to answer his will therein no more than Brutes as some affirm I think are Brutish thoughts of God as well as of Men it would be greatly dishonorable to Men to give Laws to Brutes of which they are not capable much more dishonorable is it to God to affirm that he gives Laws to Men that are by him made no more capable to perform them than Brutes 2. It appeareth in that he blameth and punisheth and will punish those that wilfully transgress his Will and pittieth and bemoaneth those that Rebel against him Psal 81. 13. Luk. 13. 34. And has made great promises to those that believe and obey him all which are rendred to be incredible if Persons be not capacitated by him to answer his will therein 3. The contrary renders God to be unjust and unrighteous in the Judgment to punish Men for not doing what they could not possibly do through impotency and weakness which are hard and untrue thoughts of the Righteous and Holy God Impossible commands constituting no Duty nor can the not performance thereof justly incur any punishment either from God or Man Christ But you know what is usually said in this matter viz. That Men had once a power in Adam and list it by transgression so that tho Man hath lost his power to obey yet God hath not lost his right to command Min. This I know is a common Plea but hath nothing at all of weight in it For 1. Tho Adam had a power to have yielded perfect obedience to the Law of his maker in his first and sinless estate yet he had not power then to believe and obey the Gospel which is our command neither was he capable thereof having no need of a Saviour it being no part of the Law given to him neither could he obey it therefore he could not lose that which he had not nor we in him but indeed after his sin and fall and the promise of a Saviour it being sutable to his fallen needy Estate he had power to believe the truth thereof so that it 's a vain pretence of Adams loss of what he had nor and if we must needs have our power in him to believe and obey the Gospel at all it must be after his sin and fall when he needed a Saviour and if so let it be proved when he lost it and that we lost it in him 2. If this suffice not let it be proved that since the first sin and fall God has given or giveth his commands to the lost power and that he will Judge and Condemn Men for not improving a power which they had not but as they say was lost long before When this is done it will be of weight but not till then 3.
to be Wiser in our own Conceit than our Lord and Law-giver 4. Whoever fixeth the sin and damnation of the World on the eternal Decree of God and not on mans chosen and willful wickedness as the first just and deserving cause thereof but fathers both the sin and Judgment on the eternal Decree of God as the first cause of both denyeth the Scripture belieth the Lord and believeth a lie Ezek. 33. 11. Joh. 3. 16 19. 1 Tim. 2. 4. Rev. 22. 17. 5. Whoever denyeth the Love God to the world in the gift of his Son affirming that he loved but a few of the Elect only denieth the Scripture and believeth a lye Luk. 2. 10. Joh. 3. 16. 6. Whoever denieth that Jesus Christ gave himself for the life of the World a ransom for all a Propitiation for the sins of the World affirming that he died but for a few the Elect only denieth the Scripture and believeth a lye Joh. 6. 51. 1 Tim. 2. 6. 1 Joh. 2. 2. 7. Whoever affirmeth that men are no more capable to believe and obey the Gospel unto life than Bruit Beasts or Stones or a dead Corps and yet that God will damn them for not believing thereof it being both unscriptural irrational and dishonourable unto God denieth the Scripture and doth open wrong both to God and men and believeth a lye Ro 3. 3 4 5. 8. Whoever believeth and teacheth Salvation by an inconditional Covenant and Justification by faith without works denieth the Scripture and believeth a lye Mar. 16. 15 16. Rev. 22. 14. Jam. 2. 20. Christ Ro. 4 5. Is much made use of to prove Justification by faith without works But to him that worketh not but believeth on him that Justifieth the ungodly his faith is counted for righteousness Min. 1. If we hold Justification without works aâ— must then hold Salvation without works because every Justified person is in a saved state Ro. 8. 30. and so bid a due to works both as to Justification and Salvation 2. So to understand the Apostle in this or any other Scripture is to set him in direct opposition to Christ and all the Apostles which we may in no case do 1. Contrary to Christ Mat. 7. 21 24. and contrary to his Commission for Gospel Preaching and Salvation Mat. 16. 15 16. 2. Contrary to the rest of the Apostles Heb. 5. 9. 10. 36. 12. 14. Contrary to James ch 2. 24. Ye see then how that by works a man is Justified and not by faith only ch 1. 22. 25. Contrary to Peter 2 Pet. 1. 5. to 12. and Contrary to John 1 Joh. 2. 3 4 5 6. v. 17. he that doth the will of God abideth for ever 3. So to understand Paul in that Scripture not only sets Paul against Christ and all the Apostles but against himself and that in the same Epistle who Commonly states Salvation upon Obedience to the Gospel tho not as the deserving cause but as the Terms without which is no Obtaining thereof ch 2. 7 8 9 10. and we may not suppose the Apostle to be so inconsiderate as to contradict himself and that in the same Epistle 4. It 's most Aparent the Apostle intends not Gospel works in that place but the works of the Law as such compared with ch 3. 20 21. By the deeds of the Law there shall no Flesh be Justified v. 28. Therefore we conclude that a man is Justified by faith without the deeds of the Law but not without the deeds of the Gospel that contradicts the whole Gospel and the design of the Apostle as is most apparent 9. Whoever denieth the danger of believers falling from grace now in this imperfect state and holdeth and teacheth the impossibility thereof doth wrong to meâ— denieth the Scripture and believeth a lie Rom. 8 13 11. 20. Heb. 3. 12 4. 11. 2 Pet. 3. 17. 1 Tim. 1. 19 20. 10. Whoever denieth the restitution of all things the world to come and the eternal Kingdom and Glory of Christ and his Church therein denyeth the Scripture and believeth a lie Act. 3. 21. 2 Pet. 3. 13. Rev. 11. 15 22. 5. Mar. 10. 30. 11. Whoever believeth and teacheth that when Christ the Lord and Judge doth come again from Heaven to judge the world in righteousness Act. 17. 31. that he will â—urn up the world and not make it new and carrry away the saints with him to heaven and send all the world eternally to hell in their sense viz. that none of them shall have any advantage at all by the womans seed denieth the truth and glory of Christs undertaking for the world and a great part if not the whole of his kingdom and glory in the world to come and so denieth the Scripture and believeth a lie the truth of this see cleared in the next chapter 12. Whoever demeth the free operations of the Gospel Spirit in the word and work of Grace or in the ministerial gifts in prophesie and preaching as sufficient thereunto limiting Gospel ministerial gifts and offices in the Church of Christ to human acquired abilities denieth the sufficiency of the Gospel Spirit in the Gospel work introducing the human spirit instead thereof and is in the depth of the Apostacy 1 Cor. 2. 12 12. 4. 7. 13. Whoever setteth up the common light that is in all men instead of Christ and the Spirit of the Gospel is in the Apostacy and believeth a lye Christ Some saâ— that some of these things Especially the 4 5 6 7 8 9 particuars are the great Bulwarks against popery and that to assert such things as these tends to weaken the protestants and to strengthen the hands of the Papists Min. I hope these are not the best Bulwarks and strength of Protestants against Papists if it were it would surely fail in the time of need 2. If these things has been the strength of Protestants against Popery it 's no marvel so little is done for advantage to the Protestant interest and conviction of Papists if we lay the foundation in falshood and build thereupon it 's no marvel we are not blest of God and Popery gain upon us 3. Let Protestants fall in with the truth of the Gospel as it is in Jesus both in principle and practice Especially in these great and fundamental parts thereof and they will have enough to bear up with great authority from Scripture against Popery in all its parts 1. Hold firm to this both in principle and practice that the Scripture is in it self the alone sufficient ground and rule in all matters of Christian faith and Religion and needs not the Churches Authority for it's warrant nor the inventions traditions or additions of men which as it's a Christian so it 's a Protestant principle 2. Let the Express letter plain reason and scope of Scripture united in and with it self without the harsh and contradictory interpretations of men or consequences drawn contrary to and against the express light language and
scope of Scripture be adhered to especially in the greatest matters of faith and practice otherwise our faith and practice must be built on mens Interpretations and not on Scripture Revelation and further admit we of mens Interpretations of plain and express Scriptures or of the more dark so as to contradict that which is plain as it 's the ready way to make an end of the truth of Scripture so in reason one mans Interpretation is as good to himself as anothers is to himself and so in Infinitum which fill us with divisions meerly from Interpretations of men and not from any obsâ—urity or contradiction in the Scripture 4. And so as an effect hereof maintain Christian Scripture and Protestant liberty in Religion in opposition to the Popish Scriptureless Principle and protested against by Protestants as exercised by Papists viz. by human power to compel to believe as the Church believeth which perverteth the Scripture denyeth the headship of Christ and the Scripture and Christian liberty of Christians and establisheth the Pope in his Persecutions to the great blame and shame of Protestants 5. That Jesus Christ as he was the alone Sacrifice for the sins of the World so he is the alone foundation of Christian Faith and the alone Mediator between God and Man that he shall come again from Heaven to raise and judg the quick and the dead at his coming and Kingdom and to perfect the Adoption and Redemption the Restitution of all things the great ends of his undertaking 6. That whoever do believe and obey the Gospel shall be saved and that Gospel-Faith and Works are so united by the Lord in order to both Justification and Salvation as without which it cannot be obtained tho not as the cause but as the Holy terms thereof 7. These things being thâ—s fixed to by Protestants and pleaded out both by word and deed would root up Popery Root and Branch all the rest of their Scriptureless and Fabulous inventions and devices as Transubstantiation Image-worship multiplicity of Mediators Sacrifices of the Mass and Eucharist for quick and dead Pardons Pilgrimages and Purgatory with all the rest of their human inventions would fall to the ground if these forementioned Christian and Scripture Principles were soundly pleaded out and lived to by Protestants Christ I perceive that the Apostasie has been very great and more universal than has been imagined and likewise that the danger thereof is very great Min. I take it to be a matter of highest concern to all to lay these things to heart in time and not to make light thereof it being the great things of the Gospel and of weighty concern it is to come right herein and I doubt not but that oy a due and true enquiry we may come to know better where we are and what to do in the great matters of God and the Gospel wherein his name and honour the honour of Christ the Gospel the good of all Men and our own safety is so much concerned Christ Your self have been sometimes differingly minded about some of these things do you think you are wholly gotten out and free from the Apostasie Min. I do not so think much less so say but repent of my former ignorance and mistake in any of these things taken up by Tradition blessing God for any of his teachings waiting on him for further light and leading in the right understanding of his mind and will in his word and that what I understand I may be Faithful to him therein in which way I may expect his further teachings Hos 6. 3. Joh. 7. 17. My real desire being to attain unto the Faith that was once delivered to the Saints Jude vers 3. Which is the great concern of all that make mention of and call upon the name of the Lord Jesus and in a humble and self-denying way of seeking and waiting they may and shall obtain Ps 25. 4 5 9 14. The sum of all I desire is to come right in the Faith Love and Life of the Gospel which is the great concern of all that do expect to Glorfie God here and to be Glorified with him hereafter CHAP. VIII Sheweth that there shall be not only a special but a general Salvation effected by Christ in the Restitution and World to come in and over which shall be his Eternal Kingdom Christ IN chap. 3. You shewed the general Love of God to the World in the gift of his Son and the general Love of Christ in dying for the World with the varieties of the ends thereof all certainly to be effected in the times appointed I desire you in this to speak something further of the great mystery of the Restitution and Salvation in the World to come and of the Eternal Kingdom of Christ therein Min. What is it in particular you desire to enquire into Christ That you clear from the Scripture the truth concerning the World to come and what it is Min. This I have largely spoken to in my answer to Mr. Coxe ch 7. Yet I shall at present say something briefly further to it for your present satisfaction 1. That there is a World to come is so plainly stated in the Scripture as that I think none dare deny it Mat. 12. 32. Mar. 10. 50. Eph. 1. 21. Heb. 2. 5. 2. What this world to come is or shall be 1. Negatively what it is not 1. It is not heaven above which is Gods throne as some vainly think and teach The reasons are 1. Because that is already and probably has been from Eternity Psa 11. 4. and 93. 2. but this is not but is a world that is yet to come and shall be in the times appointed 2. Because heaven is in Scripture no where called the world to come nor indeed could be so called because it has been and is in being but the World to come is not yet in being otherwise than in purpose and promise nor is heaven above which is called Gods throne at all called world or any part of the created world 3. Christ when he came into the world is not said to come out of or down from the world to come but that he came out from God and down from heaven Joh. 6. 38. 16. 30 17. 8. 4. When he ascended he is not said to ascend up into the World to come but that he ascended into heaven and up where he was before Mar. 16. 19. Joh. 6. 62. 2. It is not this present world as others do as vainly imagin that it is the Gospel day of Grace now in this world that this is not it the reasons are 1. This world was in being long before the world to come was spoken of and promised but that is a world that is not yet in being but is to come 2. Because that where the world to come is spoken of it's clearly in way of distinction from this world viz. this world and that which is to come clearly distinguishing them into two worlds
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
cases are any of his sayings denyed or perverted Min. Not only in all the cases before mentioned but 1. That there is no such thing as love in God at all that that which is called love in God is but a meer act of his will as in Death of Death p. 92. That God hath any natural or necessary inclination by his goodness or any other property to do us good we deny every thing that concerns us is an act of his free will p. 201. on Joh. 3. 16. God so loved the World c. he saith Our Adversaries agree that a natural affection and propensity in God to the Creature lost under sin in general is intended by love we on the contrary that by love here is not meant an inclination or propensity of his nature but an act of his will wherein his love is sealed an eternal purpose to do good to men p. 203. If the Lord should not shew mercy and be carried out to the creuture meerly upon his own distinguishing will but should be naturally moved to shew mercy to the miserable he should first be no more merciful to men than to devils nor secondly to those that are saved than to those that are damned for that which is natural must be equal in all its operations and that some look on love in God as an unchangeable â—ffection but the truth is as an affection or passion it hath no place at all in God certainly then in God his love is but a pure act of his will his good pleasure not a natural affection to the creature no such affection is in God If this contradicts not and gives not the lie to all the Scriptures that declare the love of God to men and strikes not a death on them all I know not what does What! no love no affection in God towards men No natural affection propensity or inclination from his goodness or any other property to do good to men That this has no place in God but only will and purpose but no love Had he said so much of the Devil I think he had said right for he has no love no affection or inclination to do good to men and had he power as God to make men he might as the saying is be good to some from his will tho' no propensity or inclination in him moving him thereunto thus the love of God to men is ended and the Scriptures that speaks thereof belyed the Scriptures being so far from this for ever to be rejected Doctrin that it saith Joh. 3. 16. That God so loved the World that he gave his Son c. And Ephes 2. 4. But God who iâ— rich in mercy for his great love wherewith he loved us c. 1 Joh. 4. 9. In this was manifest the love of God c. See v. 10 11. yea and v. 8. 16. God is love he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God and God in him And 2 Cor. 13. 11. He is called the God of Love and Peace as the original thereof but this asserts no love at all to be in him either to the World or to his Elect either to Angels or to Men but will save some because he will and damn the rest because he will it 's a hundred to one as I said but that the Devil had he power to have made a World might have done as much as this And doubtless this Gospel-destroying Doctrin was devised to maintain the reprobation of the World by the Eternal Decree for the apprehension of any love to be in God to men would end that Principle it being impossible for one that has any goodness or love in him to bring forth an off-spring on purpose to damn them Act. 17. 26 27 28 29. And this the reasons mentioned to prove it does demonstrate viz. Because then he must love the Devil as well as men and could be no more merciful to those that are saved than to those that are damned because that which is natural must be equal in all its operations Goodly Arguments to end the love of God to men 1. Then doubtless God loved the Devils before they sinned 2. As if God could not from reasons in himself love Men after they had sinned with the love of pity and design to do them good tho' he give us no account of his reasons moving him so to do that he has loved the one and not the other is a great Scripture truth the reasons thereof are in himself and our mercy it is that it is so let us believe it and not deny it lest he deny us and for his love to men that he is capable to love some more than others has been before proved he loved and loveth all with the love of pity and compassion Joh. 3. 16. and such as believe and obey the Gospel with the love of relation and delight Joh. 14. 21 23. And to assert that which is natural must be equal in all its operations is neither Divine nor Rational 1. It 's not Divine or Scriptural for God did and does naturally love his Son and our Saviour or he did not which I am willing to hope that none are so graceless as to deny tho' this Principle does so and then there is natural love in God to his Son and that his love is not equal â—â—d alike tho' natural for he loved and loveth his holy Child and Son Jesus above all and most of all in whom he loves others Matth. 3. 17. John 17. 24. Col. 1. 13. He loved his people of old Deut. 7. 7 8. And he loveth his people now Joh. 14. 21 23. Yet not with the same love for measure as he loved and loveth his Son Joh. 17. 23. And he loved and loveth the World but not with the same love as he loveth those that believe and obey the Gospel but with the love of pity and compassion desiring their spiritual and eternal welfare Joh. 3. 16. Isa 55. 6 7. Rev 22. 17. By all which it appears that it is Divine that God can and does not only love but distinguish in his love and not only so but that he is love it is his nature 1 Joh. 4. 8 16. And this the Scripture assures us of thereby to confirm us in the truth of his love to men to his people and that if we love him his people and all men we are therein most like him who is love 1 Joh. 4. 7 12. Matth. 5. 44 45. And that those who are in the hatred are most like the Devil 1 Joh. 2. 9 11. 2. It 's irrational For it 's natural for Parents to love their own Children yet frequently they love some more than others and often on grounded occasions and likewise to love others and the like in varieties of cases there is a lawful difference in natural love and therefore it 's irrational to affirm that natural love must be equal in all its operations but I think it 's dangerous to be wise above and against
cause Joh. 6 78. and 12. â—7 did free in love lay down his life a sacrifice for the World a â—â— som forâ—all Joh. 10. 17 18. and 6. 51. 1 Tim. 2. Heb. 2. 9. 1 Joh. 2. 27 and was raised again from deaâ— by his Father's and his own power Act. 2. 24 32. Jâ—â— 10. 17 18. no more to return to corruption Act. 1â— 3 Rom. 6. 9. and is ascended into heaven to the right hâ— of the Majesty on high in performance of his mediatory Office for men Mar. 16. 19. Heb. 1. 3. 1 Tim. 2. 5. made Head Lord and Law-giver to and of his Body the Church Eph. 5. 23 24. Col. 1. 18. and Head over all things to and for the Church Eph. 1. 22. 7. That after his resurrection and before his ascention having received all power from the Father he sent forth the Gospel by commission in the authority of the Father Son and holy Spirit in unity to be published to the World without respect of persons that whoover do believe and obey him therein may be saved and whoever do neglect or reject it shall be damned Matth. 28. 18 19. Mark 16. 15 16. Luk. 24. 47. 2 Tim. 2. 10. and that the promise of life is to Gospel-Faith and Works as the terms thereof and not to Faith alone without Works Works Matth. 7. 21 24. Jam. 2. 20. to 24. and that whoso do thus believe are the Elect and chosen of God 1 Thess 1. 4. to 8. 2. Thess 2. 13. Rom. 9. 29 24. and shall be saved Act. 16. 31. 8. That he hath and doth impower all by the Gospel where it comes in the light and truth thereof to believe and obey him therein this being so great and fundamental a truth that has not only the reason light and whose scope of Scripture for it but the contrary draws a black cloud and line over the Gospel of the free Grace of God to men nulling and ending thereof as all would easily understand and conclude were it tendred to Brutes on the terms it is to men and renders the righteous God to be unrighteous in the Judgment to sentence men for what they could not do through weakness and debility tho' God is at liberty in the degrees of his operations to conversion while he doth enough for all Matth. 25. 14 15. the promise of the Spirit being to believers after believing Joh. 7. 38 39. Act 2. 38. and 5. 32. Ephes 1. 13. and to be obtained by promise in the way of Faith and Prayer Luk. 11. 13. And likewise that believers while in this mortal sinful and imperfect estate are in danger through temptation to fail of and fall from the Grace of God Heb. 3. 12. and 12. 15. and 4. 11. the knowledge of which tends much for their safety in keeping up their watch and war Luk. 21. 36. Rom. 11. 20. and the contrary is a dangerous way to usher in carnal security presumption and apostasie from the Faith Rom 11. 20. 1 Cor. 10. 12 and that the certain way of security and preservation to the glory promised is by constancy in the faith and obedience of the Gospel in doing and suffering the will of God 1 Pet. 1. 5. and 4. 19. 2 Pet. 1. 10. Matth. 10. 22. Heb. 10. 36. and for our assistance in this way we have the promise of Christ if we diligently seek it Matth. 7. 7 8 11. Luk. 11. 13. 9. That Jesus Christ raised and ascended shall come again from Heaven at the time appointed in power and great glory Matth. 24. 30. to raise and judge both the quiâ—k and dead at his appearing and kingdom Joh. 5. 28. 2 Tim. 4. 1. which Judgment shall be universal Zeph. 3. 8. Matth. 25. 32. Râ—v 3. 13. just and righteous Act. 17. 31. Rom. 3. 5 6. Rev. 22. 12. very great terrible and eternal Jâ—el 2. 3â— Rev 6. 15 16 17. Heb. 6. 2. yet mixed with mercy 2 Tim. 1. 18. Act. 3. 19. Jude v. 21. 10. That then and after this glorious appearing resurrection and Judgment he will effect the restitution of all things Act. 3. 21. bring in the new and restored World wherein shall dwell righteousness 2 Pet. 3. 13. called in Scripture the world to come Ephes 1. 21. Heb. 2. 5. in and over which shall be his Eternal Kingdom and Glory with his Church Dan. 7. 14. Rev. 11. 15. and 22. 5. Under which Kingdom and Government the generality of Mankind shall after the Judgment enjoy sonâ—e blessing and favour and acknowledge worship and serve the Lamb the Lord Jesus for ever by whom they have been redeemed to this new life and world Gen. 22. 18 Psal 22. 27. Zeph. 3. 9. Phil. 2. 9 10. Rev. 5. 13. And the whole Creation that was brought under curse and vanity by the sin of man shall with man be restored and have their sharâ— sutable to their then capacities in the glorious restitution new World and liberty of the sons of God Act. 3. 21. Rom. 8. 21. this being the glorious issue designed of God by Christ in the Gospel the sum and substance of all the Scriptures spoken of by all the holy Prophets since the World began Act. 3 21. and will be the â—â—â—shing thereof as declared by the Prophets and Apostles of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ Rev. 10. 7. with 11. 15. O therefore let us believe it and not spurn against it lest we miss of the Faith of the Gospel to which the life thereof is promised Mark â—6 15 16. there is no Gospel without it in the Doctrine it 's glad or good tydings to all the Creation and this must be our faith which brings us under the promise of life and faithful is he that promised and will not deceive us if we deceive not our selves with a false faith Heb. 10. 23. 2 Pet. 3. 13. Therefore I say let us believe it rejoyce in it and pray for it as the holy Prophet as one overcome in the deep contemplation of this very glory the whole Psalm does demonstrate unto us and with whose Words I shall at present conclude this Discourse Psal 72. 18 19. Blessed be the Lord God the God of Israel who only doth wondrouâ— thâ—ngs and blessed he his glorious Name for ever and let the whole Earth be filled with his glory Amen Amen THE Appendix WHerein is presented 1. Certain Queries of weighty concern relative to the foregoing Discourse 2. The general and special or particular expressions as stated in the Scripture about the general and special Grace of God to Men. Querie 1. Whether to believe that God reprobated any of Mankind by an Eternal Decree to sin and be damned is not contrary to the whole Scripture Name and Nature of God in which it's expresly said that he made all Good Gen. 1. 31. And that it was sin brought in and will bring in the condemnation as the deserving cause thereof and whether we have not grounds to believe it to be impossible for so Wise Holy
the Ministration of the Spirit 2 Cor. 3. 8. and to minister the Spirit for our help therein Gal. 3. 2. Rom. 8. 26. yet it s so far from the Gospel to destroy our rational and moral capacities that it tends to help and lighten us therein though in a more Spiritual and sublime way Some talk of losing or laying aside our reason as if Christianity were an irrational thing if we lay aside our reason we must lay aside our humanity and our Christianity too Others talk of reasons being sanctified and that I like well it stands with the truth of the Gospel reason sanctified by the word and spirit of the Gospel Joh. 17. 17. Sanctifie them through the truth thy word is truth chap. 15. 3. Ps 119. 9. and I understand reason then to be sanctified when it understands believes loves and obeys the truth of the Gospel which I take to be regeneration begun here which being persevered in will issue in the perfect Regeneration in the world to come But I am afraid that under the notion of sanctified reason two evils are come in upon Christianity like a torrent even to the spoiling thereof 1. Some under the notion of the Spirit and sanctified reason do out and end the greatest part of the glorious Gospel of the blessed God in the great matters of Faith narrowing and denying thereof in the largeness of its extent contrary to the very letter and scope of Scripture alone from their supposed sanctified reason as will appear in the following discourse 2. And others make additions and change the Ordinances according to their own devices and all by supposed sanctified reason corrupted Philosophy and vain deceit after the will of men and not after Christ The Christian religion in it self as it 's the most divine so it s he mostrational Religion in the world or that ever was in the world being opened to us by the Divine Revelation though there are some things in it above the reach of reason to comprehend even with the Divine Revelation and Teachings of God therein yet we may understand the truth thereof and it 's rational for us to believe it because God has said it to instance in some particulars 1. That God should so love the world as to give his only begotten Son for its redemption and Christ so love the world as to give his Flesh for the life thereof are incomprehensible mysteries of grace Joh. 3. 16. 6. 51. Eph. 3. 17 18 19. 2. The Incarnation of our blessed Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ is in it self an incomprehensible mystery 1 Tim. 3. 16. 3. The Resurrection Judgment the greatness terribleness righteousness and justice thereof the restitution new world with the diversities of the glories and punishments thereof are all incomprehensible mysteries till the times come of effecting thereof 1 Cor. 13. 9. 10. 1 Joh. 3. 2. Ps 9. 11. yet by the Divine Revelation we may understand the truth of these unsearchable mysteries and it 's very rational as well as divine that we believe the truth thereof So that I say the Christian Faith and Religion is the most rational and to render it unreasonable in any of the parts thereof does open wrong to God Christ the Gospel and to men When in truth in its own simplicity and purity there is nothing irrational in it in this matter we may and must say if we say right as Prov. 8. 8 9. All the words of wisdoms mouth are righteous there is nothing froward or perverse in them they are all plain to him that understandeth and right to them that find knowledge ch 14. 16. a scorner seeketh wisdom and findeth it not but knowledge is easie to him that hath understanding God having given to men large Capacities that if rightly exercised about the works of God and word of life they might attain to the excellent knowledge of the most holy and to the precious faith and life of the Gospel through the Divine teachings therein which shall not be wanting to those that really desire and seek it Prov. 2. 1. to 6. Luk. 11. 13. Jam. 1. 5. God having in his wisdom and grace stated the things of the Gospel both in matters of Faith and Worship plain to the rational Capacities of men to the end that they might through a right industry obtain the saving knowledge of his will therein And it s only the irrational devices additions and contrary interpretations of men both in matters of Faith and practice that hath filled the world with irrational errours divisions and confusions which the Scripture if cleaved to in its own light and language which is but reason it should be so as well as divine would be the alone blessed way for us to arrive to unity in the great things of Gospel concern reason misled by Tradition Blind-zeal or captivated by sensual lusts has and doth make bad work in the world See from Scripture how reason and Christian Religion unites 1. It 's both rational as well as Religious that we believe God in the word of his grace 2 Thess 3. 2. where unbelievers are rendred to be unreasonable men as well as irreligious and 1 Pet. 3. 15. we are to give a reason of our hope to every one that shall ask Which can never be if our reason be useless nor can meerly rational men understand it when it is given them 2. It 's rational as well as Religious that we should serve and worship God according to his own revealed will in the Gospel and not after our own wills or the inventions and Traditions of men Rom. 12. 1. 2. the contrary is irrational as well as irreligious 3. The increase of divine grace received by faith in the Gospel is by the rational exercise of our selves therein Mat. 25. 29. with Heb. 5. 14. 4. The holy and honourable terms of the Gospel on which the life and glory thereof is promised and without which we may not expect it renders it to be very rational and credible to men no man in his right reason can conclude that God should seek to save a people in so wonderful away but in the way of holiness the contrary would render the Gospel incredible to all rational men 5. It 's rational as well as Religious that we abhor all moral evils sensual and brutish lusts and to love all moral vertues and duties and the contrary is irrational and immoral as well as irreligious The Moral law or Ten Commands given by Moses is commonly understood to be the same for substance as is written in nature or rational and moral Philosophy in men Rom. 2. 14 15. Which the Gospel destroys not but tends to perfect it in us as it 's administred to us by Christ Rom. 3. 31. and 8. 4. 1 Cor. 9. 21. not as from mount Sinai but as from mount Sion Heb. 2. 18. 22. the sum and substance of the Law and Prophets is to teach men to love God above all and their neighbours as
only from all that has been said but in that he not only saith but sweareth Ezek. 18. 32. 33. 11. That he hath no pleasure in the death of the wicked but that he should turn from his way and live and 1 Tim. 2. 4. That he will have all to be saved and come to the knowledge of the truth and that he loved the world in the gift of his Son and sent him into the world not to condemn the world but that the world through him might be saved Joh. 3. 16 17. And that he gave his flesh for the life of the world Joh. 6. 51. and gave himself a ransom for all 1 Tim. 2. 6. And sent forth the Gospel of this grace to be Preached to all Mar. 16. 15. and calls upon and inviteth all with promise of life to all that believe and obey it Isa 55. 6 7. Rev. 22. 17. all which this Doctrine of the damnation of the world by the Eternal Decree alone from the Sovereign will and power of God turneth into a lie and endeth the truth thereof and therefore is very irreligious to be taught or believed Christ These things seems to me to be of weighty concern and I cannot see how it can stand either with Scripture or reason for God to declare so much love to man and willingness to have all saved and yet to Decree the damnation of the world before he made it and it seems to set the Scriptures at an irreconcileable variance yet there being several Scriptures urged to prove this Doctrine I desire you to speak something to those Scriptures for clearing them in this matter Minist What are those Scriptures you especially desire to be cleared in Christ The first is Rom. 9. 14. to 24. chap. 11. 7. which are much used to prove this Reprobation of the world before they were made so Sovereignty pag. 18. 19. the Sovereignty of God proclaims it self with a yet more astonishing glory in his Eternal dispose of mens Eternal condition to shew or not to shew mercy to persons equally dignified or rather indignified in themselves to make of the same lump one Vessel to honour and another to dishonour is the most sublimest Act and most apparent demonstration of Sovereign power concerning men and that from no other reason but that of right he may do what he will with his own pag. 166. one God was the Maker of all but all was not made for the same use and end he had a peculiar scope in making some which was not common to the whole yea the whole was made for the sake of those some some God raised up to be Monuments of his power and Justice called Vessels of wrath others are called Vessels of mercy whom he formed for himself and are therefore said to be afore-prepared to glory And that Christ died only for this some c. Minist 1. I thought we should find those glorious principles of truth before mention'd by the same Author subjected and contradicted viz. That righteousness is the rule of his will and that he will not command men to do right and not do so himself and that he will punish none without a cause nor more than is deserved and yet now has Eternally disposed of men from his own will made them to be Vessels of wrath in a word to sin and be damned that 's the true sense horrible abuse to God and contradiction of himself 2. He might well call it an astonishing glory were it true enough to astonish and affright all men were it laid to heart out of all their Reason and Religion too but it being not so but a device of men it 's so far from being an astonishing Glory that it 's an astonishing Falshood and to be rejected of all sober men 3. I still thought that God had made all for himself for his own glory and not that he had made the world for the sake of some and when and where he will prove that God made any for the sake of some I do not yet know I suppose you must take his word for it as for all the rest 4. And as to the whole of this matter I have often said enough to it elsewhere viz. that we may not understand one Scripture so as is contrary to the whole Word of God that speaks of the same matter where he saith that he loved the world in the gift of his Son and calleth upon all and inviteth all to accept the grace Rev. 22. 17. That he hath no pleasure in the Death of the wicked That men by sin destroy themselves Hos 13. 9. That he would have all men to be saved 1 Tim. 2. 4. it must needs be irreligious to understand Rom. 9. so as to contradict and give the lie to all those Scriptures and many more this is enough were there no more to be said in this matter Yet further I say that those Scriptures viz. Rom. 9. 11. Chap. contributes nothing at all to that Scriptureless Notion rightly understood but rather strongly confirms the truth of what is by me asserted and this appeareth 1st In that there is nothing said about the Eternal Decrees and Sovereign Will distinct from his Sovereign rule by his own declared Laws the Apostle in the whole Treating about the people of the Jews already made and under his present Sovereign Government who did wilfully sin away their mercy in rejecting the Gospel and as a punishment of this their sin God did or might give them up to blindness and hardness of heart not that he made them for that end by Eternal Decree but in the present exercise of his Sovereign power and Providence as a punishment of their former sins so he might make of the same lump of the Jews one Vessel to honour and another to dishonour and this he has usually done in like case and it 's that which will stand with his Sovereign rule in righteousness viz. to give men up to hardness of heart as a punishment of disobedience rejection or abuse of former mercy thus he did to the same people formerly Psal 81. 11. 12. or it was a Prophecy of what was fulfilled Rom. 9. But my people would not hearken unto my voice Israel would none of me so I gave them up to their own hearts lusts and they walked in their own Councils So likewise he dealt with the Gentiles Rom. 1. 21. Because when they knew God they glorified him not as God neither were they thankful v. 24. 28. Wherefore God gave them up unto uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts so likewise in the Apostacy fore-told 2 Thes 2. 10 11. Because they received not the love of the truth that they might be saved and for this Cause God shall send them strong delusions that they should believe a lie Thus God ordinarily punisheth one sin by giving up to another which was the present Case in Rom. 9. they sinned away their mercy in rejecting the Gospel and the
matter of Election that being stated upon the Eternal Decree as some affirm that Election and Reprobation of Persons was equivalent and both determined in the Eternal Decree I desire to hear what you say to it Min. As to this I have said enough to it elsewhere yet now on this occasion I shall add something further what is it you desire satisfaction in Christ Whether you do really own Election of Persons before time and if so your Scripture grounds for it Min. That God Elected or gave some to his Son from of old as the most special peculiar and certain reward of his undertaking in behalf of Men whom he hath doth and will in time call justify and supply with persevering Grace through the Gospel till they come to Glory I believe and own my Scripture grounds are Joh. 6. 37 39. Rom. 8. 29 30. and indeed it suits not only with Scripture and so is Divine but with reason also it 's rational that God in his wonderful undertaking for men by his Son designing an especial espowsed relation to reign with him in the special Glory should not leave it altogether contingent and at uncertainty but determin some without fail for that Relation and Glory 2. That this peculiar gift to Christ is a secret known only to God 2 Tim. 2. 9. all must be saved by the Law of Gospel Grace persevering therein to the end Mar. 16. 16. Rev. 2. 10. and leaves no room for boasting or neglect to any 3. Nor doth this personal Election in the least derogate from the general Grace of God to Men nor does it in the least import or imply that all the rest or any are Decreed from the Sovereign and Eternal will of God to be damned otherwise than as for transgressing his Laws persevering therein to the end that I take to be a great mistake and wrong both to God and Men but that the general love of God to the world as Proclaimed in the Gospel stands free and clear notwithstanding this Election and that all that truly beleive and obey the Gospel persevering therein to the end are the Elect and chosen of God and shall be saved and that the finally unbelievers and disobedient are therefore reprobated and must be damned Christ This is the great matter I desire to be cleared in viz. how particular Election of Persons and general Grace may stand together and therefore do desire you to give your grounds for this with as much evidence of light from the word as possible you can Min. If it be granted that God was and is capable of such a personal Election before-time which I suppose none dare deny then 2. That he was capable to elect some Persons without any wrong at all to his general Grace to all and this I shall evince from his manner and method of Electing Persons throughout all ages in which it will appear that there was no Election attended with the reprobation of the rest and in this I shall give 1. Instances more remote as that which may tend to help and clear in this matter And 2. such as are more immediate and full to the matter in hand Christ What are your more remote Instances to illustrate this thing Min. 1. The Election of Persons to particular offices and works as Jeremiah the Lord said to him before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee and before thou camest out of the womb I sanctified thee and ordained thee to be a Prophet to the nations Jer. 1. 5. this preordaining and setting a part of Jeremiah before he was born to be a Prophet to the nations did not in the least imply that there should be no other Prophets besides Jeremiah neither did it at all derogate from the Prophesies of other Prophets of the Lord of whom we read nothing of such a Preordaining neither may we affirm they were so ordained the Scripture being silent herein So the like of Cyrus who was Ordained by name to a great and noble work long before he was born Isa 44. 28. and 45. 1 yet this Decree no whit hindered others that had a heart to set a hand to the same work of whom we read of no such preordination thereunto as not only Cyrus Ezra 1. but Darius ch 6. and Artaxerxes ch 7. So that particular Decrees is no hinderance to others in that which is good So the like of Paul who saith Gal. 1. 15. that he was separate to his Apostleship from his Mothers womb Yet others of whom the Scripture gives no such Testimony were not at all prohibited from Preaching the same Gospel I might instance among the Lords chosen People of old there were several Elections yet without wrong but rather to the advantage of the rest As David was his chosen King Ps 78. 68. and his posterity till the Kingdom came to Christ the Son of David Ps 89. 29 to 36. And the Tribe of Levi set apart for Priests and Ministers in the service of God to come nearest to him yet in all it was without any wrong but for advantage to the rest These were Elections more remote and of another kind yet of use to Illustrate in this matter Christ What are your more immediate Instances and full to the matter in hand Min. The first Election and choice we read of in Scripture is that of Abraham and his seed who were chosen out from all the world besides to be a peculiar People to the Lord yet this Election did not reprobate all the world besides to Eternal death yet I am sure there is more said of the specialness and peculiarity of this Election as distinct from all the world than is of his Personal Election under the Gospel Gen. 17. 7 19. Exod. 19. 5 6. Deut. 7. 6 7 8. Yet notwithstanding this special and personal choice alone from free Grace and Love was without any wrong at all to or reprobation of the rest of the world only left out of that choice For 1. The world was left in no worse condition than before this Election of Abraham and his seed 2. A liberty was left for any others to become profelites and so partake in the same covenant and priviledges and many of them did so Act. 2. 10. 13. 43. 10. 27. A lively pattern of Gospel Election take it in what sence you will it hinders none but rather furthers the Salvation of others 3. Notwithstanding this Election God still retained his real property in the world as his own as much as before Abraham was chosen out from them and that not to destroy and damn them but to do them good Ex. 9. 5. Ps 145. 9 15 16. If God in this Election had reprobated all the world to the second death wo bad been to us sinners of the Gentiles there could then have been no such thing as Gospel Grace or Election to us and this Controversie had been over and ended 4. And it 's apparent that God had many precious People in the
world out of that Election as Job of whom was not the like on the earth Job 23. Who was of the land of 〈◊〉 in the East and might be of Abrahams posterity of one of the Sons he had by Keturak whom he sent Eastward into the East Country Gen. 25. 6. And likewise his three Friends of the same Country Job 2. 11. And Elihu which made a fourth ch 32. 2. And Lo◠who was not within this Election And Rahab the harlot Canonized for a Saint for hideing the spies with others that might be mentioned 5. And Abraham himself that was first and chief in this Election was so far from monopolizing all to himself and to his natural seed that it 's apparent he expected many Righteous Persons to be in the world besides himself as appears in his Prayer for Sodom Gen. 18. He began at fifty Righteous supposing that to be but a few tho in his love to Lot he descended by degrees to ten accounting that so few that he durst not mention a lesser number 6 And more than this he believed for the world in thy seed shall all the Nations of the earth be blessed Gen. 1. 2 3. 15. 5 6. 18. 18. 22. 18. If he had not believed this promise of a Son and seed in whom all the Nations should be blessed I know no ground to conclude that he could have arrived to the Dignity of being the Heir of the world or Father of the Faithful Rom. 4. 11 12 13. And how they will prove themselves to be his Children or Heirs of the world with him as all true believers are Rom. 4. 16. who are so far from his Faith as that they believe the damnation of the world by Eternal Decree it behoves them to consider in time 2. To prosecute this Election when it must pass upon Isaac and Ishmael is left out it was without any wrong to him God making large provision for him elsewhere Gen. 21. 13 18. Besides those two with their Mothers were an Allegory of the two Covenants with their seeds Gal 4. 22 25. And Ishmael's rejection was not to the second death but from being Heir with Isaac Gen. 21. 10. Gal. 4. 30. So likewise Esau when Jacob was fixed on and Esau left it was not with any wrong to him the promise hitherto residing in the free will and pleasure of God and not by successive inheritance upon the elder while it was conferr'd on Abraham's seed the promise was exactly performed and that without any wrong at all to Esau especially God making large provision for him elsewhere Gen. 36. 6 7. His rejection from the Covenant and Promise being not to the second death which I suppose none dare to affirm it was Tho on Jacob and all his posterity God setled the promise Gen. 26. 2 3 4. So that this Election was so far from reprobating the world or any part thereof to the second death or to any other wrong that it was of very great advantage to the world And that 1. Thereby a liberty and advantage was given to the Gentiles to come to know and worship God in becoming proselites 2. He made large provision for the world in common and Temporal blessings and by the common means and light afforded to the world had many precious People therein And 3. One must come of Abrahams seed that should be the Saviour of the world 1 Joh. 4. 14. In whom all the nations of the earth shall be blessed Gen. 22. 18. So that the world losed nothing but gained by that Election And for any to imagin an Election in the Gospel by Eternal Decree so as to reprobate all the world besides to Eternal Damnation is both unscriptural and irrational tending to undo the Gospel and to render the design of God therein to be more for Damnation than for Salvation and to render this his Election therein to be contrary to any sort of his Elections from the beginning of the world all his actings towards men in such cases having been in it self for good to men and not for hurt what of hurt comes to men being of themselves 4. Election in the New Testament taken in the strictest sense is no where so stated as to give us any ground of supposition that a'l the rest must be damned but it keeps the Door wide open for all commers that come rightly Mar. 16. 15. Joh. 3. 16 17. 6. 40. Rev. 22. 17. Whence it is that this wide Door should be so strangely shut up and bar'd against the world we may easily understand that it 's not from God 2 Cor. 5. 19 20. But from the Prince and power of darkness 2 Cor. 4 3 4. 5. Tho I own particular and personal Election as before I said yet I do not believe it as some Sovereign Discourse p. 55. That the Doctrine of Election containeth the whole sum and scope of the Gospel And p. 69. That Election is the great Fundamental institute of the Gospel the Supreme Law I say as held by him viz. With the absolute reprobation of all the world besides it 's no Gospel at all nor any part thereof if we believe the Scripture and call that Gospel which the Scripture so calls Luk. 2. 10. Behold I bring you glad tidings of great joy which shall be to all People Mar. 16. 15. Preach the Gospel to every Creature c. This is Gospel but I am sure that Election as pleaded for is no where called Gospel nor mentioned at all in the Scriptures no if it were which is far from it it would be the sadest tidings that ever came to the world worse than the sin and fall of the first Man which brought the world under the first death only if the second came only to raise the world to Eternal Damnation the second death which is far worse than the first O wo would be to the world that ever Christ came which is indeed the best tidings that ever came to the world And if men lose the advantage thereof it 's their own fault Joh. 3. 19. Nor do I know where it is that Election is called a Gospel Law either in terms or in the true sense thereof much less the Supreme Law especially as held if so it would be a Law of Damnation far more than of Salvation but the Supreme Law of the Gospel is that whoso believeth and obeyeth the Gospel shall be saved and he that believeth not shall be damned Mar. 16. 16. this is the Supreme Law of the Gospel by which we must all at last stand or fall And against which there is nor can be no Decree Joh. 12. 48. I have often thought that those who are so merciless as to damn the world by Eternal Decree think themselves sure by their Law of Election but I do earnestly advise them to see they stand clear in the true Faith and Life of the Gospel without which there is nor can be no safety 6. And so from the whole
nothing stands in the way to hinder their Salvation but themselves Who ever will may come and take of this Water of Life freely Rev. 22. 17. And by vertue of the same Sacrifice who ever hath feared God and wrought Righteousness since the first sin and fall hath been accepted before the Gospel Grace was known in the World as it 's now made manifest Act. 10. 34 35. Thus far the sin of the World is taken away 3. The whole is so far Reconciled to God by this one Sacrifice and sin not imputed so as not to hinder the Resurrection of all and the Restitution this being the great and universal end of God in this matter sin would have buried all in Oblivion for ever but by this means shall be a universal deliverance 1 Cor. 15. 21 22. Rom. 5. 18. And with Mankind the Renovation and Restitution of all things that fell by the sin of the first Man That as all fell by the Sin of the first Man so shall all be Restored by the second which shall be the new World or World to come Heb. 2. 5 8 12. Pet 3. 13. Rev. 21. 5. And on this account He gave his Flesh for the Life of the World Joh. 6. 51. In and over which shall be his Eternal Kingdom and Glory with his Saints Rev. 11. 15. 22. 5. And in this sense also he hath taken away the sins of the World 4. He dyed for the Elect for the Sheep for the Church Act. 28. 20. Eph. 5. 25. And as he dyed for them so they shall have the special Benefit Blessing and Salvation thereby he is the Saviour of all but especially of them that believe 1 Tim. 4. 10. But this Salvation of the Elect of Believers as it 's certain so it 's founded in the general Grace and in the general Sacrifice so that we may safely conclude that had there been no such general Grace nor general Sacrifice there had been no such thing as Election or special Grace to any had not God compassed the World in this wonderful design of Grace all had been lost by the first sin and fall and buried in Oblivion and this universal design of Grace to the World compasseth and includeth all particulars and that is it I say that special Grace is founded in general Grace that had there been no such general Grace to the World there had been no special Grace and Salvation to any therefore to out this general Grace and Sacrifice is in it self really to out and end all the Grace and Salvation of the Gospel 5. By the Death and Resurrection of Christ was designed and is and shall be effected the Lordship of Christ over all It 's true he was Lord of all by right of Creation Col. 1. 16. But this Lordship by right of Redemption must be arrived to by his suffering as a Sacrifice for the Redemption of the World because all was lost both Man and the World by the sin of Man and therefore without a Redemption there would have been no Men nor World to be Lord of Rom. 14. 9. For this end he dyed and rose and revived that he night be Lord both of the Dead and of the Living This was one end of his death and such and so great an â—nd thereof as if we suppose it left out we may well suppose he had never dyed for the World and on this account it is that this Dignity is conferr'd upon him by the Father as worthy thereof by right of purchase Phil. 2. 10 11. Rev. 5. 12 13. 2. That all those designed ends of this general Love by the general Sacrifice are and shall be certainly effected it being that for which he dyed and for which he Mediates most of them being absolute and inconditional as to Men viz. the Preservation of this present World till the times of Restitution the general Reconciliation Restitution and common Salvation only a right to the special Reconciliation Justification and Salvation is stated and must be obtained on the terms and conditions of the Gospel all must come in and obtain by Faith Obedience and Perseverance Mar. 16. 15 16. Col. 1. 22 23. Jam. 1. 25. Rev. 22. 14. And all depends upon and shall be effected by vertue of the Death Resurrection and Mediation of our Lord Jesus he dyed for all and Mediates for all 1 Tim. 2. 5 6. And that he Mediates for all further appears in that he has made it our Duty to pray for all Men 1 Tim. 2. 1 2. For Enemies Persecutors and them that hate us that so we may be the Children of our Heavenly Father Mat. 5. 44 45. And surely all Men Enemies and Persecutors are not the Elect only and we have no ground to believe that Christ has made it our Duty to Pray or interceed for any things or Persons for which he will not Interceed for because if we pray for any thing he will not interceed for how can we expect him to present such prayers as acceptable to the father Rev. 8. 3. he died for the Elect his Church and mediates for them Rom. 8. 34. Joh. 14. 16. he died for the World that he might be the visible Lord thereof and mediates for the effecting of it Psa 2. 8 9. tho this is ignorantly enough applied to his meditation for the Elect by some professing themselves to be wise which if so and they should prove to be some of those Elect they would much miss of their expectation it being to break them with a red of Iron and to dash them in pieces like a potters vessel The same as Rev. 2. 26 27. where the Elect Overcomers shall be with Christ in this breaking work it being the Worlds portion in the Judgment to be thus broken before they obtain what of grace may be designed for them Psa 82. 8. you may see more of this in Chap. 8. And as for his being heard in all things he mediates for it 's already fully granted only this we are to understand that in his mediation for men here in order to believing and persevering in grace it is for a sufficiency of means and power for Effecting the end and that he is heard therein tho the end may not be Effected his mediation being an official mediation and having to do with capable subjects and not with brutes and those who assert that what ever he mediates for shall be Effected in their sense do really tho not intentionally end all faith Election and the mediation of Christ in as much as by this assertion there are now no believers in the world for he prayed for such a visible unity among all believers as that the world might behold it and be converted thereby Joh. 17. 20 21 23. but there is no such visible union among all believers but rather such visible divisions that tends to harden and stumble sinners so that there are none of the believers yet in the world for whom Christ interceeds or we must
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.
1. It derogates from the perfection of God from which they pretend thereby to escape denying him to be capable to be what he hath said he is and his Throne and dwelling Place to be where he hath said it is and to do what he hath said he doth and will do which is his perfection in a God-like way to do 2. It 's that which tends to end the Scripture revelation as the truth of God tending to make us wholly at a loss concerning his mind and will relating to us rendering him to have two Wills contrary to each other and that he intends not what he speaks and so leaves us wholly at a loss about the Divine revelation â—â—ich is exceeding dishonorable unto God and perniâ—â—rs unto men Christ Christ saith in the institution of the Supâ—â— Mat. 26. 26 28. Of the Bread this is my Body â—â—â— of the Wine this is my Blood c. And if we take â—â—ccording to the Letter we know it is not so And it â—â—â—ise justifies the Popish Transubstantion Min. Much might be said to this but I shall in this â—â—ce only say this unto it viz. That both Christ and â—â— Apostle Paul fully explains these Words to be a fiâ—â—ative Speech 1. that Christ explains it Luk. 22. â—â— This do in remembrance of me to let them and us â—â—w that he did not intend that it was he himself but â—â— Ordinance instituted and left to the Church in reâ—â—mbrance of him viz. Of what he had suffered for â—â—m so the Apostle likewise from the mouth of â—hrist explains it 1 Cor. 11. 24 25 26. This do in â—â—membrance of me and this do in remembrance of me â—â—â— as often as ye Eat this Bread and Drink this Cup â—â— do shew the Lords Death till he come it was Bread all even when they eat it and the Cup viz. the â—ine was Wine still and it was to shew the Lords â—â—ath and not the Lords Death so that it 's fully exâ—â—ained in the Divine Record to be a remembrance a â—â—ure a shew and not the thing it self so that Tranâ—â—bstantiation is not only irrational but unscriptural and so irreligious Christ I shall at present enquire no further but deâ—re you to draw up the sum of the whole as briefly as you â—â—n and so to conclude the present discourse Min. I shall but before I so do and in order thereunto I shall briefly promise five things 1. That the Scriptures are the divine and revealed Word and Will of God and as so are our rule in all matters both of Gospel-Faith and Practice Isa 8. 20. 2 Tim. 3. 15. 1 Joh. 4. 6. and that whoever denieth this denieth the ground of all Christian Faith and Religion as likewise those who affirm that the promises and precepts are not God's intentions or purpose 2. That all matters of Faith especially of things fundamental viz. things to be believed and deâ—â— without which we cannot be saved are plainly set down in the Scripture and are to be understood according to the express Letter of the Scripture or the plain Scope and Reason thereof and not to build our Faith on mens interpretations and additions otherwise our Faith must be built on mens interpretations and additions and not on the Word of the Lord which must needs be an uncertain and unsafe building and if we so build our Faith how far we shall be from Rome in this matter is easie to be understood by the weakest capacity 3. That had we not had this Divine Revelation of Gospel grace by Christ we should have been as ignorant thereof as the Nations that are without it 4. And therefore it much concerns us to believe it on its own authority and to prize it and cleave to it without adding or diminishing by interpretationâ— or additions of failable men especially in things fundamental 5. I add That what I have said in this Discourse or shall further say is not so much by way of interpretation otherwise than by comparing and uniting the Scripture in its own light language and reason so as that I doubt not but the meanest capacity being wilâ—â—g may easily understand and the belief thereof impose on none further than it 's apprehended truth â—â—d worth takes place in the understandings and conâ—â—ences of men Having premised these things I shall result the whole â— briefly as possible I can in which if I am not very â—â—ch mistaken is comprehended most of the Fundaâ—entals of Gospel Doctrin and Christian Faith and â—â—ligion in order to salvation united in the plain â—â—ds sense and truth of Scripture as a golden â—â—in of which not one link may be broken without â—â—ger to the whole 1. That God is Heb. 11. 6. and that there is but one â—â—d the Father and one Lord Jesus Christ 1 Cor. 8. 6. â—â—d that this one God is an infinite incomprehensible â—â—rious and eternal Being most holy wise just good â—â—d gracious almighty omnipresent merciful and true â—â—d faithful in his sayings Deut. 33. 7. Isa 40. 28. 1 Sam. 1 Psal 139. 7. 2. That this almighty wise and good God made all â—â—â—ngs by Jesus Christ Joh. 1. 1 2 3. with Ephes 3. 9. â—â— 1. 16. Heb. 1. 2. and that he made all things good his own content Gen. 1. 31. and made man best of â—â—l viz. in his own Image or likeness Gen. 1. 26 â— 28. and so did not nor could not make any deâ—rdly to sin and be damned it being contrary to the â—â—dness of his nature and name and the truth of his â—ord and so impossible for so wise holy just and good God to make any of his Creatures designedly to so â—â— an end 3. That man by transgressing the Law of his Makerâ— seil from that good estate in which he was made into an estate of sin and death Gen. 2. 16 17. and 3. 6 and that death threatned and inflicted was only the first death Gen. 3. 16 17 18 19. 1 Cor. 1â— 21 2â— and that this death came into and passeth upon all men Rom. 5. 12 18. 4. That God of his own free goodness and mercy immediately aftâ—r the sin and fall set him upon promise of recovery and restitution out of this falâ— state by the â—â—â—d of the Woman that should brouâ—â— the head design of the Serpent Gen. 3. 15. and afterward frequently renewed the promise of this Gracâ— to Mankind Gen. 22. 18. and 26. 4. and 28. 14. Psaâ— 72. 11 17. Joh. 1. 45. with Act. 3. 21. 5. That according to the promise of this grace who the fulness of time was comes God sent forth this promised Seed and Son made of a Woman Gal. 4. 4. thâ— Seed of Abraham the Son of David and the Son God truly God and Man Matth. 1. 1. Luk. 1. 32 3. Rom. 9. 5. as a real demonstration of love to the World according to the foregoing promises thereof Luk. 2. 1 Joh. 2. 16. 6. That this Son and Saviour being come into â— World for this
Just and Good a God to make Creatures designedly for so bad an end And whether this Principle of Christian Faith do not destroy the very Foundation of the Gospel Being contrary to the whole manifested design of God therein Quer. 2. Whether to believe that God loved not the World in the gift of his Son but a few only And that Christ gave not himself for the life of the World nor a ransom for all but for a few only iâ— not contrary to the express Letter Reason and Scope of the Scripture Joh. 6. 51. 1 Tim. 2. 6. And whether so to believe do not root up the Foundation of Gospel-Faith 2 Cor. 2. 2. 15. 3 4 11. Quer. 3. Whether we have not sufficient ground to believe that the general love of God to the World in the gift of his Son and the general Sacrifice of Christ for the World is the alone Foundation of the general Commission for Preaching the Gospel to the World If so it being granted by all that the Commission Mar. 16. 15. is general and ought not to be limited then whether to understand the Commission for Preaching the Gospel to be larger than the Foundation and Basis thereof viz. The Fathers Love and the Sons Sacrifice without which could have been no such Commission tends not to null and make void the Commission it self for Gospel Preaching it out-running of and being larger than the Foundation thereof or at least to render the Lord inconsiderate in stating so large a Commission on so narrow a Foundation it behoves those who deny the general Love and Sacrifice to ponder this Quer. 4. Whether to believe that Men have no power to believe and obey the Gospel with its own helps without a mighty miraculous and irresistible power which God does not effect and yet will damn People Eternally for not believing be not contrary to the whole Reason Light and Truth of Scripture and contrary to the whole Name and Nature of God and contrary to the whole Light and Law of Nature and Reason placed in Man by God Then whether these things are not meet to be exploded by all true Christians Quer. 5. Whether to believe any other terms between the Father and the Son about the work of Gospel Redemption and Salvation than what are the exprest terms thereof in the Gospel does not tend to null and make void the Gospel it self Or at least and best render it uncertain if we suppose any other secret terms besides and contrary to what is exprest or a secret will contrary to his revealed Will. Quer. 6. Whether to deny Jesus Christ in his Person to be the Son of God and the Son of David the true Messias promised and as Crucified Raised and Ascended to be the alone Foundation of Gospel-Faith head Lord and Lawgiver to his Church without mens inventions or additions And whether to deny him in Word or Deed in any of these be not deeply dangerous Quer. 7. Whether to assert there is no such thing in God as Love or a natural propensity to do us Good from his Goodness or any other property And that he intends not as he speaketh either in his precepts or his promises that they declare our Duty not his intentions is not wholly contrary to the Scripture And the Right and Reverend thoughts we ought to have of God And whether it does not tend to root up the Foundation of all Christian Faith and Religion of all hope and trust in God And whether it does not really make God a lier if his Commands and promises be not his intentions Quer. 8. Whether to believe that when Christ the Lord and Judge of the World comes again from Heaven to raise and Judge the Quick and the Dead and when that is over will burn up the World so as not to restore it and make it new and carry away the Saints with him to Heaven and send all the World besides to Hell with the Devil there to be tormented Eternally is not contrary to the whole Body of Scripture contradicting the Restitution World to come and the Kingdom and Glory of Christ therein with his Church and the Glory of his great undertaking for the World And if so Whether this Faith be right or vain Quer. 9 Whether those who grant the thousand years reign and limit the Restitution World to come and the Glory of that Estate to the thousand Years are not much mistaken And whether the Kingdom and Glory of Christ and the Saints in the World to come shall not be Eternal Dan. 7. 14 27. Mar. 10. 30. And whether they do well to confine the Eternal Kingdom Life and Glory within the compass of a thousand Years There being no other World Life and Glory promised beyond that in the World to come Quer. 10. Whether those who grant that after the Conflagration of the World by fire that there shall be new Heavens and new Earth follow wherein dwelleth Righteousness after the Judgment according to the Scripture 2 Pet. 3. 13. And yet affirm that Christ will send away all the wicked of the World to Hell with the Devil eternally to be tormented and carry away all the Saints with him to Heaven I say whether they have considered who shall be the inhabitants of this New and Restored World wherein shall dwell Righteousness or whether it shall be the habitation only of Birds and Beasts or of nothing And whether it it does not concern us prudently to consider whether the Traditional Faith of going away to Heaven has not led us besides and so in our Faith lost the true inheritance and heirship promised in the World to come Quer. 11. Whether it is to any sort of Faith that owns Christ in Name to which the promise of Life is made or to the true Faith and Life of the Gospel If to any Faith that owns the Name of Christ then why may not all the World called Christian be saved as well as any If not but that the Life of the Gospel is promised to the true Faith thereof called the Faith of God's Elect. Then whether it does not greatly concern all without delay to endeavour to come right in the Faith and Life of the Gospel to which the promise is made And not to content our selves with any sort of Faith and Life Quer. 12. Whether bad and corrupt Principles of Faith tho attended with a good life be not as dangerous and pernicious as good Principles of Faith attended with a bad life Rom. 10. 2. Phi. 3. 4 5 6. Quer. 13. Whether some of those Principles of Faith before mentioned viz. the reprobation of the World by Eternal Decree both to sin and Judgment does not really tend to render God to be most Cruel most Unholy most Unrighteous and most False c. in Decreeing and so in being the first and Foundation cause of all the Cruelties Unholiness Unrigheousness Falseness and Wickedness either in Devils or Men It being a maxim that the
first cause of that which is bad is worst of all as a bad Life has a worse Heart because both Words and Works flow from and shew the badness of the Heart which is the first cause Mar. 7. 21 22 23. And then whether it do not deeply concern men principally concerned in these Notions speedily to relinquish them Quer. 14. And tho probably the persons concerned in these things may deny some of the bad things so essentially included therein yet whether it does not very greatly concern them now to consider and deeply to ponder that if to deny one fundamental truth of the Gospel namely that of the Resurrection 1 Cor. 15. 12. did by consequence end all Faith and Christian Religion vers 13. to 17. tho very probably they intended it not nor understood the dangerous Consequences couched in their Opinion till the Apostle informed them therein then whether to deny or at best corruptly to hold almost all the Principles of Christian Faith and Religion is not more abundantly dangerous to the persons concerned herein and whether it concerns not all to look well to themselves in time about these great matters of Faith to come right therein seeing no man can rightly claim an interest in the grace of life from Gospel grounds whose faith is not right in the substantial things thereof And although I take most of the things mentioned to be in themselves deeply heretical yet I shall not pass the Sentence of Hereticks on those that hold them nor dare I have so foul a Mouth let themselves look to that I had rather they pass the Sentence of Heretick on me than I on them tho I desire neither because I really desire the good of all and I know it will not be to their honour in the end but I hope I have learned better things from Christ I find none in Scripture stigmatized with that foul Name but those that denied the Lord that bought them 2 Pet. 2. 1. and that too after they had profess'd Faith in him it 's a black Name and let them use it that delight in it I think it 's learnt from the great high Priest and Apostate at Rome who stigmatizeth all for Hereticks that believe not as his Church believeth and well were it if those who profess to be come quite away did not walk too much in the same steps Quer. 15. Whether we have not cause well to consider whether those manifold and great Miscarriages in the greatest matters of the Gospel arise not very much from Traditional Receptions from Forefathers by reason of which our Eyes are blinded that we cannot see into the great and plain things of the Gospel it being most apparent that not only the Jews in general but the better sort of them even the Disciples of Christ received by tradition that Christ was to come as a King to restore the Kingdom to Israel which was a truth in it self and shall be effected at his next coming by reason of which they understood not his first coming and suffering in order thereunto nor could they believe it being blinded by their former received Notion tho true in it self viz. that he should reign but not suffer tho Christ instructed them therein at least three times and if it be so that the reception of one truth may through corruption blind persons in another part of truth which I fear is too common Whether it do not concern us all to look well to our selves in this matter lest we for ever miss of truth and spend our time and strength to maintain our Traditional Receptions the devices of others that have gone before us directly contrary to the Word of Truth and so endanger to lose our selves eternally Quer. 16. Finally Whether those Scriptures that exhorts us to lay up our treasure in Heaven and that the inheritance is reserved in heaven for believers will not all be performed in the new Jerusalem that shall come down from God out of Heaven and Heaven shall be on Earth viz. in the new Jerusalem in the new Earth and World And so the Scriptures stand in unity in this matter and Peter explains it 1. Pet. 1. 5. It 's ready to be revealed in the last time i. e. revealed from Heaven v. 13. 2 Thess 1. 7. which fully agrees with Rev. 21. 2. 2. I shall give some Account of the General and Particular Expressions in the Scripture about the General and Special Grace of God to Men. 1. Of the General 1. OF the General Love of God to the World in the Gift of his Son Luk. 2. 10. Joh. 3. 16. Tit. 2. 11. 1 Joh. 4. 14. 2. The General Sacrifice of Christ for the World Joh. 1. 29. and 6. 51. 2 Cor. 5. 14 15. 1 Tim. 2. 6. Heb. 2. 9. 1 Joh. 2. 2. 3. The General Reconciliation and Peace effected by this one Sacrifice Rom. 5. 10. 1 Cor. 5. 19. Col. 1. 20. 4. The General Justification unto Life thereby in the Resurrection and Restitution Rom. 5. 18. 1 Cor. 15. 21 22. 5. The General Judgment at and after the Resurrection Joh. 5. 28. Act. 17. 31. Rev. 3. 10. Chro. 20. 12. Matth. 25. 32. 6. The General Restitution and Uniting in and under Christ the Head and Lord and the General Salvation that shall follow Act. 3. 21. Ephes 1. 9 10. 1 Tim. 4. 10. Rev. 22. 2. 1 Joh. 4. 14. 7. The General Commission for Publishing this glad Tydings to the World grounded on the General Love and General Sacrifice Mark 16. 15. Luke 24. 47. 8. The General Worship and Service of the World in the World to come Psal 22. 27 28 29. and 72. 11. and 86. 9. Isa 66. 23. Phil. 2. 9 10 11. Rev. 5. 13. and 21. 24. 2 Of the Particular Expressions of the Special Grace of God to Men. 1. THat God gave some to Christ as a Particular and certain Reward of his Undertaking before his Suffering for the World Joh. 6. 37 39. Rom. 8. 29 30. 2. Christ laid down his Life for the Sheep for the Church Joh. 10. 15. Act. 20. 28. Eph. 5. 25. 3. A Special Justification by Faith in Christ Rom. 5. 1. Act. 13. 38 39. Rom. 4. 5. 4. A Special Reconciliation and Peace with God Rom. 5. 1. 11. 2 Cor. 5. 20. Eph. 2. 13 14. Col. 1. 21. 5. Special Relation to Christ as his Spouse and Members of his Body 2 Cor. 11. 2. Ephes 5. 23. 1 Cor. 12. 27. and to the Father in Christ as his Children Gal. 3. 26. 1 Cor. 6. 17 18. Joh. 1. 12. 6. Special Preservation to the Glory promised in the way of Gospel-Faith and Obedience 1 Pet. 1. 5. 2 Pet. 1. 10. Jude v. 21. Joh. 10. 27 28 29. 7. Special Salvation and distinct Glory with Christ in the World to come 1 Tim. 4. 10. 2 Tim. 1. 10. Mark 10. 30. Coloss 3. 4. Rev. 14. 4. Thus have I mentioned some of the Expressions in Scripture relating both to the General and Special Grace of God to Men by Jesus Christ in the Gospel of his Grace that the prudent may consider whether it be not safe for us to conclude that there is something of Divine Wisdom in these multitude and varieties of Expressions in both cases and whether we may not both rationally and religiously conclude that it declares the manifold Wisdom as well as the manifold Grace of God to men Ephes 3. 10. Tit. 2. 11 12. Ephes 1. 10. 1 Tim. 4. 10. 1 Pet. 4. 10. And then whether it may be safe for us to inâ—rpose our own Wisdom and Devices in these â—eat Matters so as either to null and make â—oid the General Grace by the Special or to â—â—trench upon the Special Grace by the Geneâ—al knowing that we may so own one truth â—s to out and end another as the Jews did and â—et do as before I shewed and therefore whether it 's not our Wisdom and Safety as well as Honourable unto God and that whereâ—n we shall shew our selves to be Wisdom's Children to let these and every Truth of God stand in the Latitude of the Scripture's own Expressions so Justifying Divine Wisdom as Wisdom's Children Luke 7. 25. And whether the contrary may not be deemed presumption in a high measure to alter and change Wisdom's Words according to our own Will and Wisdom as if the Lord knew not best how to utter his own mind but needs our Wit and Wisdom to alter and change it as we please making it speak what it does not and whether we may not fear of falling under that Judgment threatned for adding to or diminishing from the Worâ— of God Rev. 22. 18. and that Sin anâ— Judgment Rom. 1. 22. professing themselveâ— to be wise they becâ—me fools but that it be ouâ— greatest care to glorifie the Lord now in this day of Gospel-Grace in believing the truth thereof in all its parts and living sutable thereunto that so we may live and reign with him in the day of glory Amen FINIS â—hese BOOKS following are Printed for Thomas Fabian at the Sign of the Bible in St. Paul ' s Church-Yard THE Works of Josephus with Cuts Folio The Packet of Letters Quarto The Gentleman's Recreation with Cuts Octavo Drummond's History of Scotland Containing the Lives and Reigns of James the First the Second the Third the Fourth the Fifth with several Memorials of State during the Reigns of James the Sixth and Charles the First with their Effigies Oâ—tavo A Discourse of Friendship Octavo Vincent's Discourse of Christ's certain and â—uddain Appearance to Judgment Octavo Flavell's Navigation Spiritualized Octavo Esop's Fables in English Twelves The Downfal of several Great Men or Popish Plottings not to be parallel'd in forme Ages being a Seasonable Warning foâ— the Times Twelves Robinson's Learning-Foundation teaching to Spell and to Read English Twelves A Sermon Preached at the Ordination of â—â— Elder and Deacons in a Baptized Congregation in London By. N. C.