he so prayed for shall certainely bee saved To which I answer that God hath not in the Scriptures declared absolutely or peremptorily that he will save all men but he hath declared and that truly and sincerely that he would have all men to be saved he speaks in the Optative Mood he wills it he desires it And in this also we must understand that God speaks after the manner of men now what men desire they use means to accomplish so God wills and desires the salvation of men that is hee puts forth himself in waies means to accomplish it and suitable to this must our Prayers for men be that God would be pleased to manifest the Gospel of grace to them which is able to save their souls that hee would bring them that is that hee would use means to bring them from darknes to light from the power of Satan unto himselfe Mat. 9.37 38. Object Wee must pray for all that is for all sorts Answ If we are to pray for all sorts and not for all of all sorts then I say we cannot pray for one of any sort for that person whatsoever he be if any bee excepted may be the man for whom wee ought not to pray so this principle doth state a man in an impossibility of fullfilling the mind of Christ for he would have us pray for all and wee must pray in faith or we were better to hold our peace for we shall never obtaine any thing of God we must not doubt Iames 1. now if God leaves the thing dubitable and unresolved concerning persons in unbeliefe whom he would have saved and who not then I must be in doubt also unlesse I will be wiseabove that which is written and so I can pray for the salvation of no man whatsoever Againe 1 Ioh. 2.1 My little children these things I write unto you that you sin not but if any man sin we have an advocate with the Father Iesus Christ the righteous and hee is the propitiation for our sins and not for ours only but for the sins of the whole world The words are plaine onely be pleased to consider that this Epistle was written in generall to all beleevers such as had attained to the knowledge of the truth and he tells them that Christ is a propitiation for their sins and not for theirs onely but also for the sins of the whole world The spirit of God foreseeing that men would endevour to hide themselves under the mists and clouds of vaine interpretations labours to anticipate them by such full and evident expressions as may no way be avoided with any shew or colour of ground and therefore he puts in the whole world the world in an universall and individuall consideration so that no man can without offering great violence and injury to the Text put any other interpretation upon it Again in 1 Ioh. 5.10.11.12 it is said that he that beleeveth on the Son of God hath the witnesse in himselfe he that beleeveth not God hath made him a lyar because he beleeveth not the record that God gave of his Son and this is the record that God hath given to us eternall life and this life is in his Son he that hath the Son hath life he that hath not the Son hath not life Here we see that the Apostle affirmes that the unbeleever makes God a lyar in not beleeving that God hath given him eternall life Ob. If God hath given him eternall life he shall certainly live and not come into condemnation The answere to this objection is in the latter end of the 11. and 12 verses in these words And this life is in his Son c. As if he should have said he that beleeves not makes God a lyar in not beleeving that God hath given his Sonne as a meanes of eternall life to all men or in not beleeving that God hath given him eternall life in his Son All that God requires of us is to receive the Son in whom this life is to beleeve the record of God that he hath given us eternall life in him and he that receives the Son receives life and he that receives him not the wrath of God abides on him because he receives him not Ioh. 3.36 Againe 1 Ioh. 4 8.9 the Apostle saith He that loveth not knoweth not God for God is love In this was manifested the love of God towards us because that God sent his onely begotten Son into the world that wee might live through him Here are three things considerable in this Text first the description of the divine nature in these words God is love Secondly the manifestation thereof he sent his onely begotten Son into the world that wee might live through him and lastly a principall ground and reason of the want of love in those persons that love not God they know him not who is love and hath manifested the same in sending his Sonne into the world that they might live through him If it be objected That the Apostle wrote this to beleevers and therefore when hee saith he sent his onely begotten Son into the world that we might live through him hee therein hath relation onely to such I answere that the Apostle wrote this to Beleevers is true but when he saith hee that loveth not knoweth not God for God is love he hath relation to unbeleevers and intimateth such persons as are ignorant of God and of his love towards them manifested in the Gospel And if these words God sent his Son into the World that we might live through him should onely respect beleevers then would there bee no argument therein to convince those persons that doe not love God as is intended for of what force would it be with any man that doth not love God or reason to perswade him thereunto or to convince him of sinne in not loving to tell him that God is love and hath manifested the same in sending his Son into the world that other men but not that he might live through him wherefore we must understand the Apostle in this place as if he should have said thus There be many persons in the World that love not God but if they did but know and consider what he is and what love he hath manifested towards them in sending his onely begotten Sonne into the World that they through him might have life it would bee a strong motive and perswasion with them to love him To this purpose of Christs dying for all you may further consider these Scriptures 2 Pet. 2.1 where wicked men which perish are charged with denying the Lord that bought them Heb. 2.9 where it is said that Christ tasted death for every man Ioh. 12.48 where Christ is said to come into the world to save the word Ioh. 6.51 where it is said that he gave his flesh for the life of the world 1 Ioh. 4.14 where he is termed the Saviour of the world Ioh. 1.29 where he is called the Lambe of God
but vvhosoever hath not from him shall be taken away even that hee hath vers 12. And againe vers 13. not because seeing they might not see but because seeing they did not see nor understand that is they closed their eyes and would not see as it is expressed vers 15. so that this doth not prove any inability in men to believe the gospel vvhen it vvas preached to them but rather the contrary seeing they vvere blamed for not believing and counted unworthy to partake of further light who vvere so perverse and obstinate against the light they had Againe 1 Sam. 2.25 the latter part of the verse notwithstanding they harkened not to the voice of their Father because or for the Lord vvould or was willing to slay them Here it is conceived that Gods desire of their destruction vvas the cause of their not harkening unto the voice of their Father but this is contrary to what God professeth Ezek. 33.11 and the 18.32 that he hath no pleasure in the death of the vvicked in the death of him that dyeth but that he turne from his sinnes and live now if the repentance of a sinner be more pleasing to God and more vvilled and desired of him then his death then Gods desire or will to slay a sinner cannot be the cause of his not repenting but this word for or because is spoken only by way of demonstration of the truth of what preceeds like unto that which is spoken of Mary in the gospell that much was forgiven her for shee loved much Luk. 7.47 Not that her love was the cause or reason that her sins were pardoned but her love did demonstrate that she apprehended the pardon of many sins for to whom little is forgiven the same loveth little so in this place they harkened not to the voice of their Father because or for the Lord would or was willing to slay them this is the desire willingnes and resolution of God to destroy them vers 34. notwithstanding their Father had reproved and councelled them doth evidently demonstrate that they did not hearken unto their fathers voice for if they had harkened and turned from their wickednes they should have lived they should not have been destroyed according to Ezekiel 33.12 13 14 15 16. verses Againe it is objected from certaine places in Exodus viz. I will harden Pharaoh chap. 7.3 But Pharaoh shall not hearken unto you vers 4. And the Lord hardned the heart of Pharaoh that he hearkened not unto them chap. 9.12 From those and the like places men do conclude that God doth positively harden the hearts of some so that they cannot believe and obey the truth for say they God was so farre from enabling Pharaoh to do what he required of him that on the contrary he hardned his heart that he might not do it For answer whereunto consider that as God tempts no man to sin so much lesse doth he harden any man in sin Againe where it is said I will harden Pharaohs heart chap. 7.3 But Pharaoh shall not hearken unto you vers 4. It may as truly and more properly be read And I shall hearden Pharachs heart But he will not hearken unto you for shall and will in this place are only signes of the Future Tence serving to expresse somwhat to come For God did not exercise any coercive power upon Pharaoh that kept him from hearkening to his word or from letting the people goe but only did declare what effect the meanes which God intended to use with Pharaoh would take upon him even to harden his heart though the means used did properly and naturally tend to soften it and so God might be said to harden Pharaohs heart because he did that for or before him whereby he knew Pharaoh would take occasion to harden his owne heart as appeares in this that when God sent Moses to Pharaoh to require him to let the people goe God tells Moses that he was sure that Pharaoh would not let them goe but by a mighty hand God knew that instead of obeying his command he would be hardened by it and yet bids Moses to goe and doe the Message Object How can this agree with that love and goodnesse in God which hath bin pleaded for for if God doe that which he knowes will indirectly or by accident make us worse and harden us he might with as much love and goodnes directly doe it Answ The case is farre different for if God had positively or directly hardened Pharaohs heart then so farre Pharaoh had been without fault because God did it and he could not help it and for God to have hardened him in this sence and then to punish him for his hardnes was inconsistent with the justice and goodnes of God But if God do that which is just and good which properly and naturally leads men to do the like is his goodnesse ever the lesse or should he forbeare to doe good because he sees that men will abuse his goodnesse then God must not act like God when men will not act like men but must goe out of his way and doe things unlike himself or cease to do what is suteable and agreeable to his excellent nature to comply with their wickednesse and stubbornesse and so instead of converting evill men and making them like himself he himself would become like to them But let us a little further consider what is here done to Pharaoh Pharaoh doth oppresse afflict and grieve the people of God and their cry and their groaning by reason of their bondage came up unto God and God had a respect unto them and resolves to deliver them out of the hand of the Egyptians and to bring them into a good and large Land flowing with Milke and Honey according to his Covenant and promise Now God sends Moses to Pharaoh to desire him to let the Hebrewes goe three dayes journey into the wildernesse to worship yet God knew that he should harden Pharaohs heart thereby or that Pharaoh would harden his heart thereupon which is all one should God have suffered his people to remaine in slavery and sorrow under their Task-masters and not have sent to tell Pharaoh of it because he knew hee would not hearken but be hardened Againe when Moses had delivered his message to Pharaoh and received that answere from him Who is the Lord that I should obey his voice and let Israel goe I know not the Lord neither will I let Israel goe should God now have lest Pharaoh and not by his miracles have manifested himselfe to be the Lord because he knew Pharaoh would be hardened and not set his heart to consider it or when the judgement did soften Pharaohs heart and he desires a removall of it promising to let Israel goe should God refuse to shew mercy to him on his repentance knowing that he would be hardened upon the receipt of it should God cease to bee or doe good because Pharaoh would abuse his goodnesse and thereby take
many wise not many mighty not many noble are called now if God had chosen the rich mighty and wise things of the World then many rich mighty and noble men would have imbraced the truth such things being suitable to them but on the contrary God hath chosen the foolish things of the World not the foolish men of the World that comes by accident to confound the wise and God hath chosen the weake things of the world to confound the things that are mighty and base things of the World and things that are despised hath God chosen and things that are not to bring to nought things that are and this is the reason that so few wise men after the flesh so few mighty so few noble doe yeeld obedience to the Gospel And this I conceive to bee the meaning of the place Againe 1 Cor. 2.14 But the naturall man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God for they are foolishnesse unto him neither can he know them because they are spiritually discerned A naturall man that is one that hath received the spirit of this world vers 11 12. and judgeth all things according thereunto one that is altogether carnall and walks according to men according to the men of this world chap. 3.3 imbracing things present that are seene felt and tasted such a one receiveth not the things of the spirit of God for they are foolishnesse to him that is there is an enmity between the spirit of this world which dwells in him and the spirit which is of God they are contrary one to the other what one esteemes wisdome the other accounts folly the spirit which is of God perswades us that the things wee see are vaine and therefore that wee should not looke on them not behold them not labour for them not desire to be richly possest of them not to trust in them but despise them to forsake them and to seeke those things which are above the things not seene vers 9. which are freely given to us of God vers 12. and to part with all here to be possest of those things hereafter The Spirit which is of God tells us that to strive for riches honour and esteeme in this world to set our affections on things here below to blesse our selves or to measure our happinesse according to our greatnesse in the things of this life is vaine and foolish the spirit of the world perswades us to cleave to the world to seek after the things thereof perswading us that it is a vaine thing to neglect and forsake things present which we see to seeke and embrace things which doe not appeare so that the naturall man cannot know that is cannot approve of the things of the Spirit of God for they are to be judged and discerned onely by faith by that spirit which he hath not received which dwells not in him which is contrary to him not but that a naturall man may reject and cast off the spirit of this World and so receive the things of the Spirit of God for we are all naturall untill we receive the things of the Spirit of God but he doth not receive them he cannot know them that is whilst he is naturall whilest he retaines hearkens unto and followes the dictates and suggestions of the spirit of this world The intent of the Apostle in this place is only to shew how contrary how incompatible the Spirit of God and the spirit of the World are how they cannot lodge under one roofe they are like God and Mammon hee that loves the one must hate the other he that cleaves to the one must despise the other and this I conceive is all that is intended in this place Thus have I briefly declared what I conceive to be the meaning of these hard places of Scripture To All Men IT was Pauls petition for the Ephesians that they might comprehend the large dimensions of the Love of GOD and so it should be our earnest petition and endevour to know and to make knowne the same When John describes the Divine Nature to bee Love he declares this as the most eminent manifestation thereof the giving his Sonne to death that we might live through him therefore it is of excellent use and concernment that the sonnes of men be rooted and grounded in the fulnesse of the glory of this truth of the full free universall and individuall Love of God towards them in Christ for that will fill their hearts with love to God The apprehension of his love begets love in us we love him because he loved us first and the reason why so few men love God is because so few men know him to be Love and those that have some affection and love to God if they saw more of his love would love him more and bee more establisht in his love they would not be so tossed too and fro with every wind of temptation for they might quench all the fiery darts of Sathan the grand enemy of their peace and comfort with this consideration God is Love Love affords us an excellent argument to prevail with our hearts to trust God in every strait and to cloze with him in every promise what can hee deny us that spared not his Sonne but gave him to death for us The apprehension of this love will fill us with joy and contentment in all conditions it will make us to doe and suffer with delight Love makes us one with God it quickneth and enlargeth us adding fulnesse and perfection to all our services making us fervent in Spirit serving the Lord but where there is little love there is little life in what is done for love is the soule love is the substance of Religion Knowledge puffes up Love builds up knowledge makes a man seem to bee but love makes a man to be indeed for he that is full of Love is full of God for God is Love hee is the fountaine and Father of Love love will teach us to deny all ungodlinesse and worldly lusts and to live righteously and holily in this present world for love will doe nothing unpleasing to the thing it loves Therefore seeing this truth is so excellent how should we labour to preserve it in its fullnesse beauty and glory it is the ground and foundation of all our hopes it is our life all our springs are in it and all our expectation from it it is the truth of God and the God of truth for God is love Now considering what excellent effects this truth would produce were it knowne and embraced among the sons of Men and withall considering what strange dark and dismall doctrines are preached and published by those which professe themselves Ministers of the gospel and grace of God in Christ yea by the most zealous of them as that God did from eternity decree the ruine and damnation of the most part of men without respect to any evil which he knew they would commit or as the more moderate that
THE FULNESSE OF GODS LOVE Manifested OR A Treatise discovering the Love of God in giving Christ for All and in affording meanes of Grace to All Wherein also the 9. Chapter to the Romans and other places of Scripture usually urged against the universality of Gods Love to Mankind are cleared And divers Objections of the like nature answered By L. S. 1 John 4.8 9. He that loveth not knoweth not God for God is love In this is manifested the Love of God toward us because that God sent his onely begotten Sonne into the world that we might live through him Printed in the yeare 1643. To the READER MY endeavour in this little Treatise is to manifest to thee both by Scripture and Reason the full free universall and individuall Love of God to Mankinde is giving his Sonne to death for then that they might live and in affording abundant meanes to discover himself full of Love Grace and Goodnesse to them And notwithstanding many Bookes have beene written wherein this Love of God hath been evidently manifested yet doth this truth still finde many enemies and opposers even of such as have a zeale of God but not according to knowledge and the ground of this their errour I finde to be a mis-understanding of certaine places of Scripture which seemingly contradict this Doctrine which Scriptures have not beene answered in any Booke that I have seene written on this subject of Gods Love Therefore according to my abilitie I have not onely proved this Doctrine by the testimony of divers plaine places of Scripture but have also cleared those other places which are more difficult from being confederate with the opposers of the fore mentioned truth Not that I assume any infallibility in the expesition of those hard places of Scripture but onely declare my thoughts And therein I have not onely satisfied the Letter and I hope the scope and meaning of the places which the contrary expositions have failed to doe but have also done it without any the least derogation from or impeachment to the Excellent Nature and most glorious Attributes of the Almighty God as his Mercy Iustice sincerity Love grace and goodnesse all which the contrary Expositions and Opinions doe directly fight against For there is an inseparable unity betweene the Attributes of GOD which men not considering and so going about to advance one without the rest destroy all For instance to advance power without justice goodnesse love and mercy is not to advance the power of God but to attribute that to God which neither is nor can be in him And the like may be said of all his Attributes And as they all are inseparable in God so doe they inseparably concurre in all his actions and dispensations towards his creatures Now I desire thee for thine owne good seriously to peruse this ensuing Treatise without prejudice or partiality too much in use in these times for generally men see with other mens eyes and heare with other mens eares and not their owne yet wee know that every man must give an account to God for himselfe and therefore that every man should try and judge for himselfe is necessary equall and excellent Wee should not prostrate and debase our understandings to the judgements and opinions of others and thereby suffer them to bee adulterate and corrupted Wee should preserve in our selves a naturall freedome and Nobilitie of spirit in this respect like the noble Bereans unto whom though Paul preached a new Doctrine a Doctrine every where spoken against and persecuted yet did they with all readinesse of minde receive it and searched the Scriptures daily whether the things were so as Paul had told them If wee receive or beleeve any thing because it is in authority credit or practice in the countrey or place where we were borne or bred or reject any thing from the contrary reason it matters not what wee beleeve or what we reject Doe any of the Rulers beleeve in him was the old and corrupt Plea of the proud and hypocriticall Pharises who would neither receive the truth themselves nor suffer others they would seeke and receive honour one from another and reject that truth which had the testimony and honour of God alone The world was never unfurnished of men possest with this Antichristian spirit that having concluded certaine Principles and prescript Formes would subject all other mens judgements consciences and practices thereunto upon the greatest penalties without further triall or examination it being ever a marke and politicke practice of false Religions so to doe for they know that upon due tryall their Doctrines would bee found vaine and groundlesse therefore tryall is to them as the shadow of death Whereas it is proper naturall and Christian-like for us to weigh try and examine all things all the reasons for and against with freedome and ingenuity of spirit and hold fast that onely which is good and nothing is good to us but what wee finde good upon tryall Therefore I say try all things and so try what is here written and embrace or reject it as thou shalt finde it consonant or dissonant to truth which is the desire of him that desires thy increase in the truth and thy good in all things L. S. THE FULLNESSE OF GODS LOVE Manifested in giving Christ for All. THat God is infinite in Love in Goodnesse and in Mercy the Scriptures plainely declare the daily dispensations of God towards his Creatures manifestly demonstrate and all Men confesse but if the love of God be limited to a few it is far from being Infinite he that doth good or shewes mercy to one in misery and passeth by another in the like condition in every respect the defect must be in his heart or in his ability now we know that it is not for want of ability of God shew not mercy to all and to ascribe it to his heart his disposition will or pleasure is to blaspheme his excellent name and nature for what God is in his attributes or what wee attribute to bee inseparable from his nature as Justice mercy love sincerity faithfullnes and goodnesse he must be to all he that is love it selfe goodnesse it selfe must needs be loving and good to all So that it is not suitable to God to pick and chuse amongst men in shewing mercy for he may as well cease to be as to withhold mercy from any one in misery so farre as it is consistent with his other attributes this universall love of God is that which I intend to Write of which I shall manifest by proving these two particulars First that God gave his Sonne to death that all through him might have life And secondly that he affords all men sufficient meanes to discover himself good and gracious to them thereby to beget goodnesse and grace in them And first I shall begin with the first of these That the love of God manifested in giving his onely begotten Son to death was to the whole lump of mankind
and this appeareth by what is written Iohn 3.16 God so loved the World that he gave his onely begotten Sonne that whosoever beleeved in him should not perish but have everlasting life God so loved the World that is all mankind that hee gave his onely begotten Son that whosoever of them beleeved in him should not perish but live eternally 1 Obj. By World is meant the World of the Elect I Answer that the Elect in their owne sense shall all believe but this word whosoever intimateth that many of this world here meant may not beleeve for if by World here you will understand the Elect onely then this will bee the sense of the words God so loved the world of the Elect that whosoever of this world of the Elect beleeves in him should not perish c. 2 Obj. By World is meant the whole lumpe of mankind but those that are not elect can never beleeve for God will never give them faith and therefore though God doth thus proclaime his love to all yet seeing it is impossible that any other then the elect should beleeve this Text doth not hinder but that the death of Christ may still bee limited to the elect Answ Then the love of God to the greatest part of the world may bee thus expressed such and so great is the love of God towards you that when you doe that which is impossible for you ever to performe viz. believe then you shall obtaine that from him which he cannot in justice bestow upon you viz. remission of sins and eternall life And that I may illustrate the absurdity of this Objection consider what is written in Rom. 3 25 26. whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood to declare his righteousnesse for the remission of sinnes that are past through the forbearance of God to declare I say at this time his righteousnesse that he might be just and the justifier of those that believe in Jesus in which words we may perceive that God doth proceed in the Gospel in such a way as hee may declare his righteousnesse in justifying of sinners and moreover that that God could not bee just and the justifier of the ungodly but through the death of his Sonne for without blood there is no remission Heb. 9.22 Now if God hath so loved the world that he hath given his Sonne that whosoever believes in him should not perish but have eternall life then the Son must die for all otherwise if those hee did not dye for should believe an hundred times yet must they die in their sinnes yea they are as farre from Salvation as ever they were and so this opinion doth contradict the word of God denying that God hath so loved men or so given Christ that all men may have life through saith for God is able no more nor no further to extend the glad tydings of life peace and remission of sinnes then the death of Christ which is the ground of the Gospell doth extend For he may as well pardon and remit the sins of all Men without relation to the blood and Sacrifice of his Son as he way preach and proffer remission of sins or eternall life to all or any man for whom Christ did not shed his blood but as God will not do that which is unjust so neither will he profer to doe it for in him justice and mercy are inseperable that is he is mercifull justice and just mercy therefore his mercy in proclaiming salvation to all must be just in the execution which could not be if offered not intended to all the justice of his mercie must extend as farre as the mercy of his justice so that he which maketh him mercifull to offer unto all and not as just to give where as he offereth destroies both justice and mercie which is a flat deniall of God Therefore I say that as the Serpent was lifted up in the Wildernes so must the Sonne of man be lifted up in the Ministery of the Gospel as a universall ground and object of faith for all men Ioh. 3.14 Another Text for this purpose is 1 Cor. 15.3 where the Apostle speaking to the Corinthians saith For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received how that Christ dyed for our sins according to the Scriptures In which words consider first what it was that he delivered to these Corinthians and that is that Christ dyed for their sins And secondly when he delivered this unto them and that was first of all Now if Christ had not died for all Paul could not have concluded that Christ had dyed for them for they were at that time Gentiles carried away with dumb Idolls 1 Cor. 12.2 Fornicators Adulterers Theeves Drunkards and the like 1 Cor. 6.9.10.11 And Paul spake not from any speciall Revelation of God concerning these men in particular but he spake according to the Scriptures which foretold the death of Iesus Christ Now if it be objected that Paul doth not say for your sins but for our sins joining himself with the rest who were believers at that time or with the Elect I answer First that this could be no glad tydings to the Corinthians that Christ dyed for Paul and others if they were not included if Paul were not able to prove by the Scriptures that Christ dyed for them whilest they were sinners then they could not receive it nor stand in it nor be saved by it as the former verses expresse for faith comes by hearing hearing by the Word of God for wee cannot believe that of which wee have not heard Againe 2 Cor. 5.4 It is said that if one dyed for all then were all dead Paul with the rest that sent that Epistle having in the former Verses spoken of being besides themselves towards God and sober for the Corinthians cause tells them that the love of Christ did constrain them and why so because they did judge that they were dead and how do they prove that they were dead they tell them that all were dead and therefore they were dead and that all were dead appeares in that Christ dyed for all and this I conceive to be the meaning of these words If one dyed for all then were all dead 1 Tim. 2.1 Wee are exhorted to make Prayers and supplication for all men the reason is declared in vers 4. God would have all to be saved that his desire is that all should be saved he hath fully manifested in giving Christ a ransome for all Vers 6. Now it is not the will of God that any should be saved for whom Christ did not die and our Praiers must be made according to the will of God therefore if Christ dyed not for all we cannot pray in faith for any much lesse for all If we have a ground in the Scriptures to pray for the Salvation of all men then if we do pray in faith for all or any man they or
that taketh away the sinnes of the word and divers other places there are to the same effect Further consider these reasons or arguments God hath commanded that the Gospel be preached to all men Mark 16.15 Goe preach the gospell saith he to every creature and the Gospel is glad tidings of good things Rom. 10.15 viz. remission of sinnes Luk. 24.47 Salvation Heb. 2.3 and everlasting life Ioh. 5.40 Now if the glad tidings which are to be preached to every creature be the Gospel in beleeving which we have life and for refusing of which we perish then Christ must dye for all for there is no reconciliation without a propitiation without blood no remission without death no life for sinfull creatures for God hath no peace nor remission for that man for whom Christ did not dye and God would not proffer with reverence be it spoken more then he hath to bestow Therefore seeing the gospel is to be preached to all God hath strengthened himselfe in Christ accordingly in giving him for all Againe if God command the gospel to be preached to all and Christ dyed onely for some the gospel being Christ crucified for their sinnes 1 Cor. 15.1 3. then God commands a lie to be preached to the most part of men which were blasphemy to affirme Againe if Christ dyed not for all and God doe not discover for whom he did die then the Gospel viz Christ crucified canot be preached to any man Object The Gospel is to bee preached among all but not to all nor any in particular in unbeliefe wee must tell them Christ died for sinners and no more Answ If Christ died for sinners and by sinners wee understand onely some selected ones then no man hath ground from the Gospel of grace to believe that Christ died for him and so cannot establish his soule in the love and grace of God For Faich comes by hearing and if the Gospel say no more but Christ died for some then all wee can believe is but that Christ died for some which may be and we perish in our sinnes now how shall we believe the grace of God in the Gospel if the Gospel give so uncertaine a sound for as we cannot believe that of which we have not hear'd so neither can we believe more of any thing then what we have heard Obj. Its further objected that we may tell them all that if they believe they shall bee saved Answ Then I would desire an answer to this one Question what men are to believe Some say that we are to believe that Christ died for us if so then as the blind-man said to Christ Joh. 9.36 who is hee that I may believe in him so may wee say where hath God so spoken that Christ hath dyed for us that we may believe They tell us that if we believe that he died for us then he did die for us as if faith did beget truth and not truth beget Faith The thing to be beleeved must be true before I believe it for it is the Gospel of truth that begets faith in us and it alwaies begets a faith in its owne likenesse therefore although Christ died for Sinners if all be not included there is no sufficient ground for any man from the word of truth to believe that Christ dyed for him and so whereas the Gospel is to bee Preached to every man this doctrine will not enable the Ministers thereof to preach it to any man for the Gospel being Christ crucified extends no further then the Crosse extends and when they come to a company of people without faith to preach Christ to them they know not whether Christ dyed for any one of them or not and therefore are unable to say to any one of them that Christ died for their sinnes and there is no other name given under Heaven whereby men can have life therefore this Doctrine of Christs dying onely for some shuts up the Gospel of grace from the World and stops the mouthes of men from declaring the same Obj. The Gospell must not be preached to men absolutely but with this condition if they be converted and repent for before they repent wee must presse the law upon them and tell them that the benefit of Christ doth not pertaine to them Answ We find in the second of the Thessalonians 1. and 8 that Christ in flaming fire will render vengeance to such as obey not the Gospell and Joh. 3.18 he that believeth not is said to be condemned already and that because he doth not believe in the name of the onely begotten Sonne of God and so when Christ gave Commission to Preach the Gospell to all the World Marke 16.16 he addes he that beleeveth not shall bee damned now if such men as are never converted are to bee condemned for not believing then certainely the Gospell belongs to them and is a truth in reference to them before they repent and be converted and what they are bound to believe the Ministers of Christ-are bound to declare to them and besides the Gospell is to convert men and to turne them from darkenes to light to teach them to deny ungodlinesse and worldlines and therefore is to bee preached to men unconverted men in blindnesse and darknes Besides if it told men that if they repent they may and ought to believe that Christ dyed for them it is all one in effect as if they should be told that they may and ought to believe that Christ dyed for them though they never repent for what Christ did was done before they repented and their repenting makes it never the more to be and if Christ did not die for them when they were unconverted it were a vaine thing for them to believe in him though they should repent and be converted Obj. If men were able to repent when they would then we could not preach the Gospell to all men upon this condition if they repent and be converted but repentance is the guift of God and men cannot turne themselves therefore wee may tell them that if they repent and be converted they may believe that Christ dyed for them seeing we we know that God will give Repentance to none but such as CHIRST dyed for Answ Then we should speake to the most of men to this effect doe that which is impossible for you ever to performe to wit Repent and then you may believe that which is not true to wit that Christ dyed for your sinnes a very poore incouragement to or ground of repentance And for pressing the Law on men unconverted I would faine know how they can presse it upon others and exempt themselves from the sentence of it for if the Law be alive considered alone without reference to Christ then all must perish small sinners as well as great seeing all are sinfull and unjust and this pressing the Law before Faith and exhorting penitents only as penitents to believe doth teach men to lay the ground and foundation of their faith in
Son of Man shall come in his glory and all his holy Angels with him and shall sit upon the Throne of his glory then he shall pronounce the sentence of death on the wicked Goe yee Cursed into everlasting fire c. And that place Luk. 16. where Dives is said to be in Hell fire is a Parable and proves no more that there was any such thing then that which is written Iudges 9. doth prove that the Trees did walke and talke one to another or that which is written 2 Esdras 4. doth prove that the Trees tooke Councell to war against the Sea to make them more woods or the Floods of the Sea to subdue the Woods of the plaine to make them another Country And besides if wee reason from that parable of Dives that proved his body also to bee in Hell which all grant to remaine in the grave untill the Resurrection But the scope and end of a parable is onely to bee Considered and Reasoned from But if it should be granted that many men were in hell at that very time that Christ dyed yet were it not a foolish thing to believe that Christ died for them as some affirme for Christ was a Lambe slaine from the foundation of the world and all that grace meanes and mercy which God ever since the fall did extend to Adam and his posterity was in reference to Christ and the death of Christ doth declare the righteousnesse of God in all his love and goodnesse to sinfull men that are dead that hee was just though gracious loving and mercifull to them And besides seeing that men doe likewise affirme that there were many righteous in Heaven when Christ dyed as there were many wicked in Hell they may aswell affirm it to be a vaine thing to believe that Christ dyed for those that were in Heaven before as for those that were in Hell before but neither of these is true yet if they were both true the Objection from thence will vanish if we consider that the life and death of all men ariseth from the well using or abusing that mercy and favour which is afforded them in reference to the Blood of Christ Obj. If Christ had shed his blood for all surely he would have afforded the Gospel he would publish this glad tidings to all seeing without faith in his blood all men shall perish for whom he died for hee that believeth not shall be damned Mark 16.16 and there is salvation in no other neither is there any other name under Heaven given among men wherby we must be saved Acts 4.12 and without faith it is impossible to please God Heb. 11.6 and whatsoever is not of Faith is sin Rom. 14.33 First I Answer that Faith in Christ is not required of those that never heard of Christ for the justice of Gods mercy requires no man to doe that which is impossible for him to performe for in so doing God would be a hard master expecting to reape where hee hath not sowne and to gather where he hath not strawed now no Man can believe that of which hee hath not heard nor never could if he be considered in reference to that perfect state and condition wherein hee was made and if God should condemne men that never heard of Christ for not keeping the Law then hee would require most where he hath bestowed least contrary to that which is written Luke 12.48 where much is given much is required and to that Act. 17.30 where God is said in the times of ignorance to winke at that vanity and superstition which upon the preaching of the Gospel he required all men every where to repent of When I say men shall not be condemned for not keeping the law my meaning is that they shall not bee condemned because they are not perfectly holy just and good as the Law is for hee that failes in one tittle is uncapable of Justificaon by the Law so that the Law condems all men in that all are sinners and the Law admits of no repentance if it be considered alone without reference to Christ yet men are to be judged by the Law as it is qualified by the love and grace of God in Christ so the Iewes were to be judged by the Law which was given them of God and the Gentiles by the Law written in their hearts Rom. 2.12 for when God hath by the meanes which he affords discovered what is good and what is evill what is just and what is unjust if men apply themselves with sincerity and uprightnesse of heart in love and obedience to God and his truth to that which is holy just and good they shall surely bee accepted for God is no respecter of persons but in every Nation hee that feareth him and worketh righteousnesse shall bee accepted with him and the mercy of Gods Justice and the Justice of Gods mercy in Christ to lost men requires of them according to what he affords them and not according to what they have not although they once had it and in what hee affords them also If hee were not rich in mercy and ready to pardon no man would ever be justified or saved by him and for that which is written Marke 16.16 if we take notice of what precedes we may easily perceive that these words hee that believeth not shall be damned have respect only to such as have the gospell preached to them for in the former Verse hee gives commission to his Disciples to goe into all the World and preach the Gospell to every Creature and then when the gospel was plainly and powerfully declared hee that Believed and was Baptized should bee saved and hee that believed not should bee damned he that believeth not shall bee damned as he that believeth not makes God a lyar 1 John 5.20 novv hee that never heard of the Gospell doth not make God a lyer though hee doe not believe no more shall that man be condemned for unbeliefe that never heard of the gospel And for that which is written Acts the 4.12 that there is Salvation in non but Christ and that there is no other name under Heaven given amongst men whereby they must be saved the Apostles were to preach where ever they came Salvation by Christ alone neither was or is there salvation in or by any other name though men might and may be saved by that name that never came to the knowledge of it for that Hebr. 11.6 it speakes not of faith in Christ but of faith in God as the latter part of the vers doth evidently demonstrate the words are these for hee that commeth to God must believe that he is and that he is a Rewarder of them that diligently seek him so that without faith in God no man can be saved for that Rom. 14.23 the Apostle there concludes that whatever a man acts or performes conceiving it unlawful he sins in what he doth though the thing be lawfull in it self and might be done by a man that
that God by one meanes or other doth discover himself to every man to be good and gracious Now whereas it is urged that men cannot beleeve they that so affirme say in effect that men have no ground to beleeve for did they apprehend a ground for faith they would never perswade themselves nor others that they could not beleeve but if they would have men to beleeve that the truth of which they cannot evidence or demonstrate to them then it is a very proper and ready way for them to anticipate their understandings and prevent them from inquiry by telling them that they cannot beleeve and that faith is beyond reason and that God must perswade their hearts and so cause them to cease to exercise their understandings that they may worke their affections to receive and embrace it upon trust and when they have so done to tell them that God hath perswaded their hearts Men say that faith is supernaturall but how can it bee above nature to beleeve that which we see sufficient ground to beleeve and to beleeve any thing of which we have no plaine ground and reason is so far from being above nature that it is below it and proper to fooles and not to reasonable men It is true that faith is the evidence or assurance of things not seene but the certainty of the things not seene must be evidenced or manifested to us by things that doe appeare or wee cannot beleeve them the meanes of grace which we now have is not so great nor so cleare as the meanes which was afforded in the time of Christ and his Apostles and some others enjoy not so great meanes as we but God requires of every man according to what he hath and not according to what he hath not When the Authour to the Hebrewes doth declare to the Jews the danger of neglecting the Gospel he urgeth it from this Reason that it was evidently declared confirmed to them being first spoken by the Lord himself and then confirmed to them by those which heard him God also bearing them witnesse that they spake truth with signes and wonders and divers miracles and gifts of the holy Spirit according to his owne will Now how can we thinke that those men could not beleeve that had the Gospel so evidenced and confirmed before their eyes or how could the signes and miracles be an aggravation of their sinne in not beleeving if they had not been a sufficient meanes to procure their beleeving and if they were a sufficient meanes it must be so in reference to their naturall faculties as Act. 8.16 the Samaritans gave heed with one accord to the things which Philip spake hearing and seeing the miracles which hee did And againe Acts 9.33.34.35 When Peter had healed Aeneas who had been sicke of the Palsie eight yeares all that dwelt at Lidda and Saron saw him and turned to the Lord. Againe when Peter raised Dorcas from the dead it was knowne throughout all Ioppa and many beleeved in the Lord vers 42. and therefore the Disciples which Christ sent out to preach were commanded to tarry in Jerusalem untill they were endued with power from on high Luk. 24.49 which power was the gifts of the holy Spirit enabling them by signes and miracles to evidence and demonstrate to every mans understanding and conscience where they came the truth of the things they declared as Acts 1.4.5.8 compared with chap. 2. vers 3.4 so that with great power did the Lord give witnesse to the things spoken by Christ and his messengers which miracles had been needlesse if faith had been a supernaturall gift immediately infused by God We have the Scriptures we see the wonderfull works of God and partake of his goodnesse every moment and yet can we not beleeve and from thence be perswaded to love serve and obey the Lord to love serve and obey him I say for to beleeve that Christ was sent of God to dye for our sinnes or to beleeve God to be good and gracious if I am not thereby perswaded to love serve and obey him my faith is nothing it is dead being alone Now let us further consider what is written Rom. 10.14 how shall they beleeve in him of whom they have not heard and how shall they heare without a Preacher and how shall they preach except they be sent plainly intimating that there is a possibility for men to beleeve in Christ when they heare him preached by the Messengers of God and therefore in the 17. verse he concludes that faith comes by hearing and hearing by the Word of God so the gospell is termed the Word of faith Rom. 10.8 the preaching of the gospel the preaching of faith Gal. 1.23 hearing of the gospel the hearing of faith preached Gal. 3.2.5 and when the gospel was preached to the gentiles God is said to have opend the door of faith unto them Acts 14.27 and where God affoords the gospel he affoords faith as Paul speakes in the like case Act. 17.31 whereof he hath afforded faith to all men c. Againe the gospel is termed the power of God to salvation Rom. 1.16 the power of God and the wisdome of God 1 Cor. 1.18.24 and God is said to save those which beleeve by the foolishnesse of preaching vers 21. Now if the Word of God the gospel be declared unto men and yet they thereby not enabled to beleeve then how is it the power of God to their salvation they being to perish if they beleeve not Mark 16.16 for that meanes which is the power of God to an end must needs be sufficient for that end Oh. You see it was not sufficient for all did not beleeve Ans It was powerfull enough to enable all that heard to beleeve and yeeld obedience to it and so powerfull in none that it was impossible they should reject it and so the same meanes which proves inefectuall to one may cause another to believe as appeares Mat. 11.21 Object It is the power of God onely to those that are called 1 Cor. 1.24 Answ Paul speaks in this place what acceptation the gospel had amongst the sons of men how different their thoughts were of it in the 18. verse he saith it is to them that perish foolishnesse to us which are saved the power of God In the 23.24 verses he saith the unbelieving Iews did stumble at it and the unbelieving Greekes accompted it foolishnesse but the believing both of Iewes and Greekes did esteeme it the wildome of God and the power of God the unbelievers did not esteeme rightly of it the believers did but if the gospel were the power of God onely to believers and to unbelievers a dead Letter then unbelievers were as right in their thoughts to whom it was foolishnesse as Believers to whom it was the wisdome and power of God yea it had bin foolishnesse in unbelievers to have esteemed it any other then foolishnes in point of their salvation as a meanes unto which end it
considered not his owne body now dead when he was about 100. yeares old neither yet the deadnesse of Sarahs womb he staggered not at the promise through unbelief but was strong in faith giving glory to God and all from this rationall consideration or conclusion that what God had promised he was able to persorme Rom. 4.19 20 21. So also when he was commanded to offen up his Sonne Isaac the child of promise in whom his seed was to be called yet he doth it readily from this rationall consideration that God was able to raise him up even from the dead from whence also he had received him in a figure Heb. 11.17 18 19. The service of God is a reasonable service Rom. 12.1 and Christ tells the lewes that if he had not done amongst them the works which none other man did they had not been to blame in not believing in him Joh. 15.24 and therefore their condemnation lay in this that they had seen and yet hated him and his Father when Christ blames the unbelief of his Disciples Mat. 16.8 he doth it by argument and reason O yee of little faith why reason yee amongst your selves because yee have brought no bread doe yee not understand nor remember the five loaves of the five thousand and how many Baskets full took yee up neither the seven of the foure thousand and how many Baskets yee took up how is it that yee understand not that I speak not to you concerning bread when God would perswade his servants to rest on him for Food and Raiment he bids them to consider how God feeds the foules of the aire and how he cloathes the grasse of the field when we are affrighted with our adversaries he sets before us their vanity and his almighty power Isa 51.12 13. thus I say God doth alwaies endeavour to establish men upon sound and solid arguments to work on their judgments not on their fancies and God speaks not to men in a Language which they doe not understand and so onely makes a noise in their eares but in a language which is plaine easie and very suteable to them which will manifest it self to their hearts and consciences and prevaile with them if they do not resist and rebell against it If these men which perished in unbelief in the midst of means were dead and blind in such sort as men generally conceive they are how could they then be said to cloze their eyes lest they should see who were altogether blind in respect of the object they did shut their eyes against or how could they harden their hearts against the truth if the truth did not manifest it self unto or strive with their hearts how could their evill and sinfull hearts hate the light if they did not discover the purity of it Joh. 3.19 20. It were a needles thing for Satan to blind the eyes of naturall men lest the light of the glorious Gospell of Iesus Christ should shine unto them if they had no eyes to see and receive this glorious light of the gospel when it was declared to them for if it were impossible for men to receive the light of the glorious Gospel of Jesus Christ when it was preached to them then they were as blind as the Divell could make them in point of receiving the gospel and the Divell needed not to adde this second blindnes lest the light of the gospel should shine unto them But indeed men are not blind for want of eyes but for want of light and when light or truth is discovered to them they have faculties so suteable fit and apt to receive it that unlesse the God of this World 2 Cor. 4.4 the love of this Would and pleasure in unrighteousnesse 2 Thes 2.12 blind the eyes of their understandings and possesse them with prejudice that they will not heare nor consider nor shew themselves men Isa 46.8 Heb. 13.22 2 Tim. 4.3 4. Act. 7.57 or unlesse they willfully reject and put from them what they apprehend and see they cannot but submit yeeld obedience to it and therefore the Word of God the truth of God is full of light and power in it self where ever it comes how slightly soever men esteem of it and how meanly soever they through their ignorance speak of it as to call it a dead letter and the like it being none other then the wisdome of God Again God proceeds in such a way which the Sons of Men that are fallen even with Heathens those that never heard of the gospel that they may be without excuse For Gods doing good to men giving them Raine from Heaven and fruitfull seasons filling their hearts with food and gladnes is an evident testimonie of his love and goodnesse Act. 14.17 and Gods eternall power and God-head is clearly seen by the workes which he hath made so that all men were and are without excuse in these respects Rom. 1.20 But if when men had Christ preached to them they were unable to believe then they were not without excuse under that which was the greatest means for God required those which heard the gospel to believe it and not giving them faith they had this excuse that they could not believe and this was such an excuse as would not admit of an accusation from a God of mercie much lesse of such severe punishment as is to be inflicted on such as have disobeyed the gospel Object All men are without excuse in relation to what God gave them in Adam Answ God doth not afford men meanes now they are fallen to leave them without excuse in relation to what hee gave them before they were fallen for all the meanes which God useth with them being fallen leaves them never the more excuselesse in that respect so that the means used to such an end would be vaine and to no purpose Further consider if the losse of Adams Innocency leave all men without excuse that is bring all under the curse of condemnation in Hell then there could be no redemption for any For to the transgression of what the severity of his justice is referred to the obedience of that the goodnes of his mercy must be confined for both respect one object his mercy the obedience his severity the disobedience thereof else God would be divided in himself or rob'd of his Attributes for should he save some in respect of Christ and damne others in respect of Adam simply without respect to the denyall of Christ there could neither be mercy in the one nor justice in the other for both would be void of equity It is unequall to save for that the denyall whereof is not the object of condemnation or to damne for that the obedience whereof cannot be or salvation by it So that if the losse of the state of innocency be the cause for which the equity of his justice leaveth all without excuse and for which its severity executes eternall damnation in Hell then there can be no salvation at all for
any because the thing is not nor can be by which salvation should be to wit Innocency recalled and all fallen equally from it as all were equally in the loynes of the transgressor Therefore the lost state of innocency in respect of Adam can render us neither excusable nor inexcusable in respect of Christ for the objects are different Adam hath his doom on himself and his posterity to wit mortallity the which the comming of Christ did not prevent but it must passe over all and then comes in Christs Redemption an endlesse immortallity which hath its own extrems Salvation by obedience condemnation by disobedience as the other had continuance of that state if he forbore the forbidden fruit Death in the day that he did eat thereof So that the clemencie of his mercie and the severity of his justice was and is ever versant in the obedience or disobedience of one and the same thing therfore every one whose restored immortality is eternally condemned in Hell that condemnation is of himselfe and not of Adam Concerning the torments of the damned in Hell many conceive that the paine of losse which they shall indure will be greater then the pain of sence but if those that perish had not such sufficiency of means afforded them as that they might have come to life and happines then there can be no pain of losse to any of them for that which a man never had nor never was in possibility to obtaine he can in no sense be said to lose the consideration of all that glory the Saints injoy affords them no ground to check or blame themselves for seeing they themselves by all the means which was afforded could not attaine unto it they cannot blame themselves for not being possessed of it yea instead of trouble of conscience and anguish of soul in this respect they may have some comfort and ease from this consideration that their miserie was unavoidable and the others glory not attainable by them But it may be objected that they lost what God gave them in Adam and this may be horror of conscience to them Answ No man shall ever perish in Hell for Adams sin as is already manifested but if they should yet still the case would be alike for they were lost before they were born and they have no more reason to blame themselves for what Adam did before they were borne then an Heire hath reason to blame himself because his father spent his inheritance before he was borne Now I shall speake somewhat of those Scriptures which are usually urged against the universallity of Gods love some of them speaking of Gods hardening of men so that they could not believe others of his withholding that meanes from them without which they could not attaine unto faith and so unto eternall life And first I shall begin with those Scriptures which speak of Gods hardning of men amongst them with the 9. chapter of the Romans from the 11 vers to the 23. from whence the great and main Objections are gathered the words are these For this is the word of promise at this time will I come and Sarah shall have a Sonne and not onely this but when Rebecka also had conceived by one even by our Father Isaac for the children being not yet borne neither having done any good or evill that the purpose of God according to election might stand not of works but of him that calleth it was said unto her the elder shall serve the younger as it is written Iacob have I loved but Esau have I hated what shall we say then is there unrighteousnesse with God Godforbid for he saith to Moses I will have mercie on whom I will have mercie and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion so then it is not of him that willeth nor of him that runneth but of God that sheweth mercie for the Scripture saith unto Pharoah even for this purpose have I raised thee up that I might shew my power in thee and that my name might be declared throughout all the earth therefore hath he mercie on whom he will have mercie and whom he will he hardeneth Thou wilt say then unto me why doth he yet find fault for who hath resisted his will Nay but O man who art thou that replyest against God shall the thing formed say to him that formed it why hast thou made me thus hath not the Potter power over the clay of the same lump to make one Vessell unto honour and another unto dishonour What if God willing to shew his wrath and to make his power known indured with much long suffering the Vessells of wrath ficted to destruction and that he might make knowne the riches of his glory on the Vessells of mercie whom he hath afore prepared unto glory Now if we say that God would the salvation of all they tell us that God did hate the most part before they had done evill as he did Elau If we say that God useth means to soften all mens hearts to bring them to repentance they say that as he shewes mercie to some in this kind so he hardens others and that meerly of his will he hath mercie on whom he will and whom hee will he hardeneth If we say that it is unsuteable to God who is love 1 Ioh. 4.8 to the gospel which brings salvation to all Tit. 2.11 which is glad tydings of great joy to all people Luk. 2.10 to all the la mentations Protestations and professions of God in the gospel they tell us we must not dispute with God and though we cannot make it out we ought to believe it They say Paul himself was at a stand in this thing and could give no other answer but that God might doe with us as the Potter with the clay make some of us for Heaven and others for Hell and that we ought not to say unto him what doest thou so that men from a misunderstanding of this Chapter doe strengthen themselves against the most plainest and evidentest arguments that are or can be drawn from what the Scriptures speak of the nature of God or of the gospel answering all in the words of Paul Nay but O man who art thou that disputest with God Yet we know that it was usuall with the Saints in former times to draw conclusions and arguments from the Attributes of God so Abraham shall not the Judge of all the Earth dee right Gen. 18.25 But if God be bound to no law how can he be unjust or if Abraham could not have comprehended what had bin just and what unjust for God to doe he would not in the presence of God have so determined as he did The Author to the Hebrewes having spoken of the promise and Oath of God to blesse the Heires of promise adds these words That by two immutable things in which it was impossible for God to lye we might have strong consolation who are fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope
if so then there is a rationall ground for their faith in the Word of GOD or there is not if there bee then it is as well every mans ground as any mans and as possible for every man to believe as any man if there be not then they doe not believe for God himself cannot make a man believe without ground the things whereon they ground their peace and comfort and wherein they glory and rejoice as that God perswaded and overpowred their hearts to believe such a promise made this or that Scripture theirs spake to them in it gave them aboundance of comfort from it at such a time in such a place in such a manner after they had been so long in a despairing distracted condition in bondage under the Law are vaine For now though that Scripture or promise be made theirs as they conceive and they doe believe it as they say and comfort themselves in it that God loves them and that they shall certainly live yet can they give no ground or reason from their principles why that Scripture or Promise belongs to them much lesse that it should more belong to them then to others onely they say that God perswaded their hearts but if he perswaded them he perswaded their understandings and judgements by some evident and rationall demonstration or conclusion from the Scripture or promise so believed and if not then the things they speak of are but pleasing fancies and golden dreams Againe from this Doctrine of limiting the love of God to a few the love of the most religious men of our times is also limited to a few to love those that love them to do good to those that do good to them to salute their Brethren onely wheras Christ tells them plainly that there is nothing singular in it they doe no more then others then sinners then Publicans whereas if God indeed were the Patterne of their love their love would be universall like the love of God love is a debt due to all men and wee shall never be freed from that debt in this World Rom. 13.8 It appeares by the words of Christ Luk. 10.30 That every man we see in misery or in need of our helpe and relief is our Neighbour and wee must love our Neighbour as our selves in deed and in truth without dissimulation so that we ought to love all men the evill and unthankfull our enemies those that hate curse and persecute us and nothing can beget such a Spirit in us but the Spirit of this Doctrine of the free and universall love of God to us when we were enemies sinfull lost creatures evill and unthankfull As God by the discovery of his love and goodnesse to us did turn us from evill to good so should we endeavour to overcome the evill of men by good to prevaile with them by love for love is very powerfull whereas mens disposing and rejecting such as are not so good as they would have them or such as suit not with them in judgement and opinion makes them to be despised and hated yea many men despise Religion it self Seeing these things doe appeare in those which professe themselves to be most religious though indeed Religigion teacheth no such thing but the contrary as the Scriptures plainly manifest the substance of Religion is almost lost and there is little else then the shew or name of it remaining unlesse Religion bee a rigid A practice not suitable to the Gospel of grace and love but to policy and sensuality not comming from above but from beneath whether it tends and is therefore to be shund and abhord of all men blind and preposterous zeal in seeking dominion over the faith of our brethren and fellow-servants and by humane and positive lawes inhumanely Rev. 13.15 16 17. to compell their judgements and consciences to conformity to our dictates and determinations in matters of the worship of God We have much hearing much praying much talking amongst men but little love whereas all the means that God useth with us is to manifest his love to us that so we may love him and one another To do good and to shew mercy are services well pleasing to God better then all burnt Offrings and Sacrifices 1 Sam. 15.22 hearing praying and discoursing is no further beneficiall then it tends to edification in love yea it is abomination if love be wanting Pure Religion and undefiled before God and the father is this To visite the fatherlesse and the Widdowes in their affliction and to keepe our selves unspotted in the world and who so hath this worlds goods and seeth his brother hath need and shutteth up his bowells of compassion from him how dwelleth the love of God in him all his Religion is vaine and to no purpose If any Object that this doctrine of Gods rich and abundant grace to all tends to loosenesse I Answer as formerly that the grace of God which bringeth salvation to all men appearing teacheth us to deny all ungodlines and worldly lusts and to live righteously and godlily in this present world Tit. 2.11 12. But if any abuse this grace of God and turne that into wantonnesse which naturally leads to holinesse the Judgment of God is just against those that so doe now I desire you to consider what is here written in love and that the love of God may be shed abroad in our hearts that we may dwell in love walke in love and doe whatever wee doe in love shall bee the prayer and indeavour of him who while hee lives never ceaseth to remaine The Servant of all men in Love L. S. FJNJS