I his sonne But I hold this Position as evidently deducible out of the Text In the roughest and most bloudy dispensation of God toward Saints neither soule-trouble nor anxiety of spirit can be a sufficient ground to any why they should not beleeve or question their son-ship and relation to God as their Father It s cleare that Christ in his saddest condition beleeved and stood to it that God was his Father The onely question will be If sinfull and fleshly walking be a good warrant To which I answer If any be a servant of sin and walk after the flesh and be given up to a reprobate mind to commit sin with greedinesse such a one hath good warrant to beleeve that God is not his Father and that hee is not in Christ because 2 Cor. 5.17 If any man be in Christ hee is a new creature If any be risen with Christ he seeketh the things that are above where Christ is at the right hand of God Hee is dead and his life is hid with Christ in God And Hee mortifieth his members on earth Col. 3.1 2 3 4. Hee is redeemed from this present evill world Gal. 1.4 Hee is dead to sinnes and liveth to righteousnesse 1 Pet. 2.24 Hee is redeemed from his vaine conversation 1 Pet. 1.18 Hee is the Temple of the Holy Ghost hee is not his own but bought with a price and is being washed in Christ's bloud a King over his lusts a Priest to offer himselfe to God an holy living and acceptable sacrifice 1 Cor. 6.19 20. Revel 1.5 6. Rom. 12.1 But hee that remaineth the servant of sin and walketh after the flesh and is given up to a reprobate mind c. is no such man ergo such a man hath no claime to God as his Father and upon good grounds may and ought to question his being in Christ. Onely let these cautions be observed 1. It is not safe to argue from the quantity of holy walking for many sound beleevers may find untowardnesse in wel-doing yet must not cast away themselves for that A smoking flaxe is not quenched by Christ for that it hath little heat or little light and therefore ought not by us 2. Beware we lean not too much to the quality of walking holily to inferre I fast twice a weeke I give tithes of all I have then God I thanke him I am not an hypocrite as the Publican and a wicked man Sincerity is a sensible speaking grace it s seldome in the soule without a witnesse Lord thou knowest that I love thee saith Peter hee could answer for sincerity but not for quantity hee durst not answer Christ that hee knew that hee loved him more then these Sincerity is humble and walketh on positives Lord I love thee but dare not adventure on comparatives Lord I love thee more then others 3. There be certain houres when the beleever cannot make strong conclusions to inferre I am holy therefore I am justified because in darknesse wee see neither black nor white and Gods light hides our case from us that wee may be humbled and beleeve 4. Beleeving is surer then too frequent gathering warmnesse from our own hot skin Saltmarsh and other Libertines make three Doubts that persons have as sufficient grounds to question their being in Christ 1. Back-sliding 2. The mans finding no change in the whole man 3. Unbeleefe Give me leave therefore in all meeknesse to offer my thoughts in sifting and scanning this Doctrine This is then saith hee your first doubt that you are not therefore beloved of God or in Christ because you fell backe againe into your sin so as you did Suppose I prove to you that no sin can make one lesse beloved of God or lesse in Christ. Answer Then I shall conclude that sinne cannot hinder the love of God to my soule Question This I prove 1. The mercies of God are sure mercies his love his covenant everlasting Paul was perswaded that neither life nor death c. could separate him from the love of God The Lord changeth not in loving sinners 2. Whom the Lord loveth hee loveth in his Sonne hee accounts him as his Sonne for hee is made to us righteousnesse sanctification and redemption But God loveth his Sonne alwayes alike for hee is the same yesterday and to day and for ever ergo Nothing can make God love us lesse because hee loves us not for our selves or for any thing in our selves c. 3. God is not as man or the sonne of man Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God's chosen The foundation of God standeth sure God's love is as himselfe ever the same Answer 1. The thing in question to resolve the sinner whether hee be loved of God from eternity as one chosen to glory is never proved because no sinne can make one lesse beloved from eternity and sin cannot hinder the love of God non concluditur negatum for its true sinne cannot hinder the flowings and emanation of the love of election it being eternall else not any of the race of mankind God seeing them all as guilty sinners could ever have been loved with an eternall love But the consequence is nought ergo back-sliders in heart and servants of sinne have no ground to question whether they be loved with the love of eternall election or not 2. This Physician layes downe the conclusion in question which is to be proved to the resolving of the mans conscience that hee may be cured the thing to be proved to the sick man say hee were a Judas wakened in conscience is that notwithstanding his betraying of Christ yet God loved him with an everlasting love and hee is in Christ. Now hee cureth Judas thus God's love is everlasting his covenant everlasting no sin can hinder God to love Judas or separate a traitor to Christ from the love of Christ. Seperation supposeth an union lesse loving supposeth loving so he healeth the man thus no disease can overcome or hinder the Art of such a skilled Physitian to cure a dying man But what if this skilled Physitian will not undertake to cure the man nor to move his tongue for advice nor to stirre one finger to feel the mans pulse Ergo The man must be cured For if the man be a back-slider in heart and a servant of sinne Christ never touched his pulse He hath as yet sure grounds to question whether he be loved of God or be in Christ or no for except you prove the man to be loved with an everlasting love you can prove nothing And your argument will not conclude any thing for the mans peace except you prove him to be chosen of God which is his onely question But say that hee is loved from everlasting and that hee is in Christ by faith its easie to prove that his sinnes cannot change everlasting love nor make him lesse beloved of God nor separate him from the love of God You must then either remove the
mans doubting from signes inherent in the man and if hee be a back-slider in heart you fetch fire and water from beyond the Moone to cure him or you must fetch warrants to convince him from the mind eternall counsells of love and free grace within God and that is all the question between the poore man and you You cannot prove God hath loved him from everlasting because hee hath loved him from everlasting If Libertines in this Argument intend to prove that a chosen convert in Christ hath no ground to question that hee is not beloved of God and not in Christ 1. That is nothing to the Thesis of Antinomians maintained by all that sinners as sinners are to beleeve Gods eternall love in Christ to them and so all sinners elect or reprobate are to beleeve the same 2. It s nothing to the universall commandement that all and every one in the visible Church wearied and loaden with sin or not wearied and loaden are immediatly to come to Christ and rest on him as made of God to them their righteousnesse sanctification and redemption without any inherent qualification in them 3. It s nothing to the point of freeing all and building a golden bridge to deliver all who are oblieged to beleeve elect or reprobate from doubting whether they be in Christ or not that they may easily come to Christ and beleeve his eternall love and redemption in him though they be in the gall of bitternesse and bonds of iniquity and that immediatly Which golden Paradise to heaven and Christ Antinomians liberally promise to all sinners as sinners I cannot beleeve that it s so easie a step to Christ. For the second It 's a dreame that God loveth sinners with the same love every way wherewith hee loveth his owne Sonne Christ. And why Because God loveth us onely for his owne Sonne and for nothing in us Ergo Farre more it must follow it s a farre other an higher fountaine love wherewith the Father loveth his owne eternall and consubstantiall Sonne the Mediator betweene God and man and that derived love wherewith he loveth us sinners As the one is 1. Naturall the latter free 2. The love of the Father to the Sonne as his consubstantiall Son and so farre as it 's essentially included in his love to Jesus Christ Mediator is not a love founded on grace and free-mercy which might never have beene in God because essentially the Father must love his Sonne Christ as his Sonne and being Mediator he cannot for that renounce his naturall love to him which is the fundamentall cause why hee loveth us for Christ his Sonne as Mediator but the love wherewith the Father loveth us for his Sonne Christ is founded on free Grace and mercy and might possibly never have been in God For 1. as he could not but beget his Sonne he could not but love him nature not election can have place in either but it was his Free will to create a man or not create him 2. He cannot but love his Sonne Christ but God might either have loved neither man nor Angel so as to chuse them to Salvation and he might have chosen other Men and Angels then these whom he hath chosen God hath no such freedome in loving his owne Consubstantiall Sonne 2. It s an untruth that God loveth his chosen ones as he doth love his Sonne that is with the same degree of love wherewith he loves his Sonne I thinke that not farre from either grosse ignorance or blasphemie It possibly may bee the same love by proportion with which the Father tendereth the Mediatour or Redeemer and all his saved and ransomed ones but in regard of willing good to the creature loved he neither loveth his redeemed with the same love wherewith hee loveth his Sonne except blasphemously we say God hath as highly exalted all the redeemed and given to them a name above every name as he hath done to his owne Sonne nor doth he so love all his chosen ones as hee conferreth equall grace and glory upon all alike as if one starre differed not from anoâ—her starre in glory in the highest heavens Our owne good works cannot make our Lord love us lesse or more with the love of eternall election but they may make God love us more with the love of complâ—cency and a sweeter manifestation of God in the fruits and gracious effects of his love According to that John 14.23 Jesus said if a man love me he will keepe my words and my Father will love him and we will come unto him and make our abode with him The third reason is the same with the first and proveth nothing but a Major Poposition not denied by the disquieted sinner which is this Who ever is justified and chosen cannot be condemned whom ever the Lord once loveth to salvation he must alwaies love to salvation for his love is like himselfe and changeth not But the disquieted sinner is chosen and loved to salvation This Assumption is all the question and the truth of a Major Proposition can never prove the truth of the Assumption Saltmarsh Free Grace Chap. 4. Pag. 83.84 85. Because you feele not your selfe sanctified you feare you are not justified If you suppose that God takes in any part of your faith repentance new obedience or sanctification as a ground upon which he justifieth or forgiveth 1. you are cleare against the Word for if it be of Workes it is no more of Grace 2. It must then be the onely evidence you seeke for and you aske for sanctification to helpe your assurance of justification but take it in the Scriptures way 1. In the Scriptures Christ is revealed to be our sanctification Christ is made unto us righteousnesse sanctification I live yet not I but Christ liveth in me Yee are Christs but yee are sanctified but yee are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus He hath quickned us together with Christ. Wee are his workmanship created in Christ Jesus unto good workes Jesus Christ himself being the chiefe corner stone That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith that new man which after God was created in righteousnesse and true holinesse Wee are members of his body of his flesh and his bones And being found in him not having mine own righteousnesse I can dâ—e all things through Christ which strengthneth me But Christ is all in all Your life is hid with Christ in God Heb. 13.20 21. All these set forth Christ as our sanctification the fulnesse of his the all in all Christ hath beleeved perfectly for us he hath sorrowed for sinne perfectly he hath obeyed perfectly he hath mortified sinne perfectly and all is ours and we are Christs and Christ is Gods 2. The second thing is Faith about our owne sanctification we must beleeve more truth of our owne graces then we can see or feele the Lord in his Dispensation hath so ordered that here our life should be hid with Christ in God that we should
nor armes to climbe so high as to ascend to a throne But the naturall man neither will nor can chuse a kings life and be a follower of Christ nor is man any other then a naturall hater of Christ though many thinke they beare Christ at good will Joh. 15.24 But now they have seen and hated both me and my Father The reason why men thinke they love Christ is the luster that education and common literall report from the womb hath put upon Christ our fathers and teachers said ever Christ is the Saviour of man and a mercifull God and therefore we have that common esteeme of him but were wee borne of Jewish parents or among Jewes and taken from our parents and heard nothing from the womb of Christ but what the Jewes say and that is that hee is a false Prophet that hee rose not from the dead but that his disciples by night stole him away out of the grave wee should from the womb hate Christ as well as the Jewes And the like wee may see in Indians who love and adore the Devill from the womb but with this difference they love Satan truly because both nature now corrupt and education carries them thereunto but education can give no man a true love of Christ. 2. Whence is it that the world hates the children of God It is from instinct and nature rather then from any imperated acts Joh. 15.19 Because yee are not of the world but I have chosen you out of the world therefore the world hates you Vers. 21. But all these things will they doe unto you for my Names sake To be chosen out of the world to carry any thing of Christ and his image and nature and to be borne againe and of another seed then the world is born of is no ground of arbitrary and elective hatred but of such hatred as comes from divers naturall instincts such as is the hatred between the Wolfe and the Lambe the Raven and the Dove If then the world hate the Saints as they doe Rom. 1.30 and hate Christ and hate the Saints upon this formall ground Because they have in them the nature of God the image of Christ some of the excellency of Christ then they must hate Christ farre more for Propter quodunumquodque tale id ipsum magis tale The world hated Christ for God for there was more of God in the Man Christ then ever was in any creature then they hated God more and with a higher hatred So Christ is the Sampler and Copy to all the Saints therefore Christ must be more contrary to the wicked world then the Saints are If you hate the servant for the masters sake then you hate the Master more If you love the nurse for the childs sake then you love the child more So the Jewes killed the servants the Prophets they stoned them and beat them Mat. 21.35 but they did more to Christ Vers. 39. They caught him slew him and cast him out of the vineyard and took the inheritance to themselves 3. Men naturally hate the wayes of God If there be holinesse in his wayes then it must be most eminently in God If they esteem his yoke soure and heavie and Reformation a burden then must they farre more esteeme so of himselfe 2. Men have a sort of satisfaction in their naturall condition A whole man desires no Physician A dead man hath some negative content to lie in grave hee can have no acts of sorrow for want of life 2. Wee doe not put forth any stirring of life or desire toward that which is naturally above us A child in the belly hath no acts toward a Crown or a Kingdome in this life because desires are bottomed and founded on nature As an Ape or a Horse hath no desire to be a man Pilate as if hee were burdened with Christ saith Mat. 27.22 What shall I then doe with Jesus that is called Christ What availeth my birth-right to me saith Esau seeing I die for hunger 3. When beasts and birds are allured by the snare and fishes by the bait death cometh to them in the garments of life for food is all their heaven and instinct helpeth them to prosecute their ends and there is a naturall similitude and inclination between their nature and what they desire bottomed on an instinct even when the object of their inclination is but dyed with the hew and apparency of good But there is no such instinct in the naturall man nor similitude between a cage of hell and the beauty and excellency of Christ between his sense and the hid manna or the banquetting house of wine 4. The naturall man cannot come to Christ. In that place Ioh. 6.44 there be four things considerable 1. The best of men is unapt to come to Christ No man what ever his parts and eminencie be had he a nature of gold he cannot come to Christ. 2. He saith not No man cometh as denying the act for so no man of himselfe is an excellent Philosopher but he denieth a power 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He cannot come 3. But help is much happily if his eyes were open the will is good he would gladly come to Christ if he were able Nay saith Christ he is unwilling and unable both He that cannot come except he be haled and drawn and some violence offered to his corruption hath no good liking of Christ. But 4. It is but little drawing possibly that will do the businesse some gentle blast or aire of golden words some morall suasion some breathings and spiration of fine reasonings from men or Angel can do much No but it is not so no lesse saith Christ can draw a sinner to me then the arm of the Father and a pull of his omnipotencie who is greater then all Ioh. 10. No man what ever mettall he be of the finest of men can come or hath power to come to me and to beleeve on the only begotten son of God except the Father who sent me draw him We know Christ was much to extoll his Father his Father was ever in his esteem an eminent one as Matth. 11.25 26 27. Mark 14. â—6 Luke 23.46 John 3.35 John 5.21 and 6.27 Matth. 10.32 c. 24.37 Iohn 2.16 and 5.43 and 10.29 c. 19.2 Rev. 2.27 Joh. 15.1 So is there a power alwayes denyed to the naturall man to close with Christ Rom. 8.7 2 Cor. â— 5 5. A will to beleeve and to submit to Christ is denyed to naturall men Joh. 5. â—0 Ye will not come to me that yee may bee saved 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Luke 19.14 The enemies of Christ say 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 We will not have this man to reigne over us Verse 27. But these mine Enemies that would not that I should reign over them bring hither and slay them before me 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 these to me seem to be allusions to Israels wearying of the Lord of old Isai. 43.23 I have
the time of love and I spread my skirt over thee and covered thy nakednes yea I sweare unto thee and entered into a covenant with thee saith the Lord God and thou becamest mine c. Christs passing by is as a traveller on his journey who findeth a child without Father or Mother in the open field dying and naked wallowing in bloud and then casting a covering of freelove and love hath broad skirts over his people and its an expression of much tendernesse and warmenesse of love Many articles in that place extoll free grace 1. Christ is brought in as a passing by-passenger to whom this fondling was no bloud-friend but a meere stranger so if humanity and man-kindnesse had not wrought on his heart he might have passed by us we are to Christ nothing of kinred or bloud by our first birth but strangers from the wombe to God going a whoring as soone as we are borne 2. Christ looked on forlorne sinners and there is love in his two eyes it may be that bowels of iron in which lodgeth nothing of a man or of naturall compassion would move a traveller to see and not see a young child dying in his bloud but saith he I saw thee my heart my bowels had eyes of love toward thee there was tender compassion in my very looke my bowels within me turned and swonned at the cast of mine eye when I saw thy misery 3. Behold and behold he would owne his owne mercy and love let Angels and Men wonder at it that the great and infinite Majestie of God should condescend to looke on such base sinners so farre below the free love and Majestie of God There is a behold a signe put upon this doore come hither Angels and Men and wonder at the condiscension 2. Tendernesse 3. Strength of heate and warmenesse 4. Freedome and unhired motions 5. Riches and aboundance 6. Efficacie and vertue 7. The bounty and reality of the free love of Christ. 4. Thy time was a time of loving What of loving it was a time of loathing a time of love when sinners were so base so poore wretched so sinfully despicable such enemies to God in their minde by wicked works Col. 1.21 Dead in sins and trespasses walking according to the course of this world â—n ill Compasse to stirre by according to the Prince of the power of the ayre the Spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience Was this a time of love Yea Christs love cannot be bowed or budded with any thing without Christ It s as strong as Christ himselfe and sinne and hell can neither breake nor counter-worke the love of Christ your hatred cannot countermand his imperious love 5. It was not a time of single love but it was a time of loves Thy time Christ hath a time and sinners have a time when they are ripe for mercy it was a time 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of loves of much loves of much love He loved us and shewed mercie on us Eph. 2.4 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for his great and manifold love Can. 7.12 there I wil give thee my loves Cant. 6.2 Thy loves are better then wine V. 4. We will remember thy loves more then wine It s a bundle a wood of many loves that is in Christ. Then V. 5. I spred my skirt over thee He is a warm-hearted passenger who in a cold day will take off his own garment to cloth a naked fondling that he finds in the way I saith Christ laid on thee a naked sinner the skirt of that love wherewith the Father loved me O what a strange word is that Joh. 17.26 I have declared unto them thy name and will declare it that the love wherewith thou hast loved me may be in them and I in them It s true Christ could not bee stript naked of the love wherewith his Father loved him and that love being essentiall to God cannot be formally communicated to us yet the fruit of it is ours and the Lord Jesus spreds over his redeemed ones a lap of the same love and bowels in regard of the fruits of free love which the Father did from eternity spread over himselfe 6. I covered saith Christ thy nakednesse O what a garment of Glory is the imputed righteousnesse of Christ Bring foorth the best robe and put on him This is the white raiment that cloatheth the shame of our nakednesse 7. Yea I sware unto thee and entred in covenant with thee Equals doe much if they swear and enter in covenant with equals But O humble Majestie of an infinite God who would enter in covenant with sinners wretched sinners at our worst condition and would quiet our very unbeleeving thoughts of sinfull jealousie with an oath of the most high who hath no greater to sweare by then himselfe 8. And thou becammest mine Hebr. thou wast for mee set a part for me Heere stouping and low condescending love to owne sinners and a claime and propriety on wretched and farre off strangers to name dying bleeding sinning and God-hating dust and guilty-perishing clay his owne proper goods 9. Vers. 9. Then washed I thee with water That Christs so faire hands should stoupe to wash such blacke-skinned and defiled sinners in either free justification or in purging away the rotten bloud and filth of the daughter of Sion in regeneration maketh Good that to the free love of Christ that which is blacke is faire and beautifull 10. And I annointed thee with oyle free grace and Christ dwelling by Faith Ephes. 3.17 in Saints that are the floure gold and marrow of the Church is a high expression of free love Sinners are worse then withered and dry clay without saving grace 11. And to all these Christ clothed his naked Church with broidered worke fine linnen and silke hee putteth bracelets on her hands a chaine of gold of grace about her necke a Jewel on her forehead eare-rings on her eares and a beautfull crown on her head the grace to professe Christ and carry on the forehead the name of the Father of the Lambe and of the new Jerusalem the bride the Lambs wife before Men and Angels is a faire ornament 12. Beside a name and the perfume of a sweet and precious report in the World addeth a luster to the Saints who are by nature the children of wrath as well as others Ezech. 16.10 11 12 13 14. Ephes. 2.1 2 3 4 5. Pos. 4. It s an abasement of Christ that he who gives such a ransome to justice for free grace should wait for a penny from sinners that sinners must bid and buy and ingage him to give and Christ say You must give me more I must sell not give grace for nothing Your penny worthes cannot roll about that everlasting wheele of free grace the decree of election or bow or breake Christs free heart to save you rather then another 2. There is no more proportion betweene wages and saving grace then between wages and eternall
saved yet the Lambe of God taketh away the sinnes of the world So Esai 6.7 Thine iniquity is taken away and thy sinne purged this is no halfe pardon such as Esaiah had before the Lord touched his lips 1 Joh. 3.5 And yee know that he was manifested to take away our sinnes Iohn speaketh of the taking away of the sinnes of us Iohn and the Saints who were loved Vers. 1. with a wonderfull love to bee called the Sonnes of God us whom the World knoweth not vers 2. us who shall be like Christ when he appeareth Arminians are obliged to give us parallel places where the redemption of all and every man and Christs naked power and desire to be friends with all men and to make any covenant of grace or works as he pleaseth is called the taking away the sinnes of the world and yet the whole world may possibly dye in their sinnes and not a man be saved the taking away of the worlds sinnes to us is the compleat pardoning of them Remission of sinnes in his bloud Ephes. 1.7 Col. 1.14 Blotting out of transgressions Esai 4â— 25 as a thicke cloud Esai 44.23 a not remembring of sinnes Isai 43.25 Ier. 31. â—4 Such a taking away of sinnes as is promised in the covenant of grace to the house of Iudah to the Church under the Messiah that heareth the Gospel Ier. 31.34 Hebr. 8.8 9 10 11 12. Rom. 11.26 27. Esai 59.20 This is the taking away of the sinnes of the world a new world in whose inner parts the Lord writeth his Law and with whom the Lord maketh an everlasting covenant never to turne away from them Jer. 31.33 34 5 36 37. in whom the Lord putteth his Spirit and in whose mouth he puteth his Word and in the mouth of their seed and their seeds seede Esai 59.20 21. The Arminian taking away of sins is of all and every one of Adams seed of such as never heard of a Covenant of a Word of a Spirit of a Seed a holy Seed of a new heart Finally the taking away of the sinnes of the world is the removing of them as farre from us as the East is from the West Psal. 103.12 bestowed on these that feare the Lord vers 11. and are pitied of the Lord as the Father pitieth the Sonne and the subduing of our iniquities and the casting of our sinnes in the depths of the Sea Mich. 7.19 â—0 a mercy bestowed only on the remnant of the Lords inheritance The Arminian taking away of sins is a broad pardon of sins to all the world let them shew Scripture for theirs as we doe for ours and cary it with them Object 15. Though Reconciliation bee purchased to all and every one yet it is not necessary that it bee preached to all and every one but onely it is required that God bee willing it bee preached to all now it is free to God before he be willing to make offer of the purchased reconciliation to all to require afore hand such acts of obedience and dueties which being performed hee may publish the Gospel to them or being not performed hee may bee unwilling to publish the Gospel to them Yea though reconciliation be purchased to all yet its free to God to communicate the benefits of his death upon what termes hee thinketh good And Christ died saith Master Moore to obtaine a lordship over all and a power to save beleevers and destroy such as will not have him to raigne over them as wee heard before Answ. 1. We have in this Doctrin that Argument yeelded God commanded to preach to all and every one Ergo Christ died for all and every one For 1. The consequence is true absolutely by the Arminians doctrine Christ absolutely died for all and every one without prescribing any condition to those for whom he dies he saith not my sonne dieth to purchase reconciliation to all upon condition all beleeve or perform some other dutie but beleeve they or beleeve they not the 〈◊〉 is payed and salvation purchased for all without exception but the antecedent is not true but upon condition God is not willing the Gospel bee preached to all but to such as perform such conditions 2. If they perform not the condition Christ should have said preach not the Gospel to all nations nor to every creature but onely to such as yee finde fit hearers of the Gospel and have performed such acts of obedience as I require for conditionall threatnings are set downe in the Gospel as well as conditionall promises he that beleeveth shall be saved he that beleeveth not shall bee damned But in Old or New Testament Arminians never shew us where the preaching of the word of Grace is referred to our free will Doe this O Ammonits O Indians and the glad tyding shall come to you if yee doe not this ye shall never heare the Gospel Arminians say God sendeth his Grace and Gospel both genti minus dignae indigniori negat to the unworthy Nation and denyeth both to the worthier 3. Arminians say in Script Synod Dordr pag. 6. Lex non lata aut non intellecta cum intelligi non possit non obligat a law not made or not understood when it cannot be understood doth not oblige then God cannot deny a salvation and the benefit of a preached Gospel to Indians though both were purchased in Christ if they never heard as hundreths of Nations could by no rumor heare or dreame of Christ and the Gospel of Christ. 4. How can God with the same naturall and half-will equally will that all bee saved when hee absolutly without merit or condition willeth the meanes of salvation to some and denyeth the meanes of salvation to the farre largest part of mankinde for want of a condition unpossible because it neither was nor could be known to them 5. By the Arminian way sinne originall is no sin it bringeth wrath and condemnation on no man God beginneth upon a new score and the reckoning of the covenant of Grace to count with all men and God is so reconciled to all mortall men and transacteth with them in such a way of free grace that hee will punish no man for any new breach except committed actually by such as are come to age as have the use of reason and are obliged to beleeve in Christ. pag. 285 286 287. Dordr scrip Synod Yet hath God decreed never to reveale any such gracious transactions to millions of men that better deserve to heare these secrets of grace then thousands to whom they are proclaimed in their ears ere they can discerne the right hand by the left This Arminians say was Gods dispensation Matth. 11. with Capernaum and Tyrus and Sidon But it will bee found that Arminians deny the prescience and foreknowledge of God 6. Most abominable and comfortlesse must the doctrine of the death of our Lord Iesus be if Christ died onely to bee a Lord and such a Lord as hee might have power without
72.12 All Nations 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 shall serve him it s meant of Christ and in the letter cannot be true if many refuse him to be their King Psalm 2.9.2.3 Lâ—k 19 14. Psal. 110.1 So is it said Psal. 22.27 All the ends of the world shall remember and turne to the Lord and all the kindreds of â—he Nations shall worship before thee Now that he meaneth of spirituall turning to God and of Repentance is cleare Vers. 18. For the Kingdome is the Lords and he is the Governour among the Nations Vers. â—3 A seed shall serve him it shall be counted to the Lord for a Generation Except there be a restriction of this All how will Arminians eschew this that all and every man of the heathen shall repent and be a holy seed devoted to the Lord as his Righteous ones For sure the same expression of all Nations Esai 40.16 are taken for all and every one of mankinde Psalm 66 9. All Nations whom thou hast made shall come and worship before thee O Lord and shall glorifie thy name Esai 66.23 And it shall come to passe that from one new Moone to another and from one Sabbath to another shall all flesh come â—o worship before me saith the Lord. Let Arminians speake if all flesh that commeth before God from Sabbath to Sabbath under the New Testament to worship be as large and comprehensive as the same expression Esai 40.6 All flesh is grasse Sure the latter comprehendeth all Adams Sonnes without exception even including infants the former cannot beare so wide a sense So Gen. 12.3 In thee shall all the Families of the earth be blessed Gen. 22.18 If the meaning be that without any figure or exception all and every family be blessed in Christ then shall I inferre that all the families of the earth without exception are justified by faith in Christ Gal. 3.10 11 12 13.14 And that the Nations of the earth without exception are heires of the promise have right to strong consolation are fled for refuge to lay hold on the hope laid before them and have anchored thâ—ir hope up within the veilo whither the fore-runner Christ hath entred for of these Nations the Apostle expoundeth the promise Hebr. 6.13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20. So Esai 27.6 Israel shall blossome and bud and fill the face of the world with fruit then shall there bee none on earth but the blossoming Iâ—rael of God Rom. 11.26 And so all Israel shall be saved as it is written there shall come out of Sion a deliverer c. These that Paul calleth all Israel Esaiah 69.20 21. calleth Jaakob and the seed and the seeds seed Esaiah 59.19 So shall they feare the name of the Lord from the West and his glory from the rising of the Sunne Mal. 1.11 For from the rising of the Sunne even to the going downe of the same any name shall be great among the Gentiles and in every place incense shall be offered unto my name and a pure offering for my name shall bee great among the heathen saith the Lord of Hosts If from the East to the West and in all places of the Gentiles men feare the name of the Lord then sure the whole inhabitants of the earth between the rising of the Sunne to the going downe of the same must bee converted to Christ and offer prayers prayses spirituall service to Christ except some restriction be made the most part from the East to the West are enemies to the Gospel And how would Arminians triumph if so much were said for universall Redemption as here is said for universall Regeneration and Conversion of all except we say there must be a figure a Senechdoche of All for many Or Christs all and universalitie of converted ones must bee here meant Joh. 1.9 That was the true light that inlighteneth every one that commeth into the world What Even infants who come into the world and all and every one of Adams Sonnes it cannot bee true in any sense except it be meant of the light of the Gospel that yet never came to the halfe part of the world For Vers. 10. The world knew him not and Vers. 6. There was a man sent from God whose name was John ver 7. the same came for a witnesse to beare wâ—tnesse of the light that all men through him might beleeve Can any divinity teach that God intended that all and every mortall man should beleeve by him that is by the Ministery of John the morning starre which was to fall and disappeare and shine no more at the rising of Christ the Sunne of righteousnesse 1 Joh. 2.27 Yee need not that any teach you but the anointing that yee have received teacheth you all things Why should then fewer have the Spirit of holy unction in them then the world for whom Christ is a propitiation and all the visible Saints that John writeth unto 1 Joh. 1 2. 2.1.2 4.9 God sent his onely begotten Sonne to the world that we through him might live nor need we flee to that exposition ever and anone that Christ dyed for all that is all ranks of men For All is put in Scripture ordinarily for many as Deut. 1.21 Psal. 71.18 Ier. 15.10 and 19.9 and 20.7 and 23.30 and 49.17 Ezech. 16.27 Exod. 33.10 Col. 1.28 Isai. 61.9 Gen. 41.57 Mark 14.4 Joh. 3.26 Acts 17.31 and 10.38 Mark 1.37 2 Cor. â— 2 Luke 24.47 and 4.15 Isai 2.2 3. Otherwise I could say Christ died for no man because the Scripture ascribeth an universality to the wicked Jer. 6.28 c. 9.2 Mic. 1.7 1 Iohn 2.15 16. and 1 Iohn 5.19 And surely that election and redemption move both in the same spheare and or be of the free love of God is cleare to me from that place Ioh. 3.16 on which Arminians confide much for Gods love to save mankinde by the death of Christ is the very love of election to glory of such certaine persons as the Lord therefore gives grace to beleeve because they are ordained to life eternall so that the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as many and the number of beleevers and of the chosen to life are equall Acts 13.48 Ioh. 10.26 Rom. 8.29.30 1. That love cannot bee a generall confused antecedent conditionall love offered to all the world on condition they beleeve for that the Scripture freeth thousands of the sinne of unbeliefe of that love if Christ come not to them and speake not Ioh. 15.22 and Paul saith Rom. 1.14 How shall they beleeve in him of whom they have not heard Now the loved world Ioh. 3.16 is obliged to beleeve 2. That love that is the cause of Christs death is Ioh. 15.13 the greatest love that is it is such a giving love whereby Christ gives his Sonne that with him hee cannot but give his Holy Spirit faith and salvation yea and all things Rom. 8.32 But the conditionall generall love is not the greatest love for the Lord beareth not the greatest
Testimonies to Israel and Jaakob and dealt not so with every nation Psal. 147.19 20. Every Page almost in the old Testament and the Lords Spirit and all Divines argue that the Lord chose Israel and loved them and saved them and with a higher and more peculiar love as his chosen people then he loved all the Nations Deut. 7.7 Psal. 132.12.13.14 Psal. 135.3 4. Because he bestowed on them the meanes of salvation his Law and his Testimonies which he denyed to the Nations then the Nations were not his beloved and chosen ones 10. That will of God called voluntas signi the revealed will of God that precepts promises and threatnings hold forth doe not expresse to us the decree intention and purpose of God that he willeth the thing commanded to be but onely that hee approves of the thing commanded as just and good whether it be or be not what ever the event bee then Gods revealed will is no more formally but his approbation of the morall goodnesse and obedience of elect and reprobate whether they obey or not 11. These that Christ offered his body for as a Priest for these as a Priest he intercedes and prayes for these two cannot be separated but he prayes not for all not for the world Joh. 17.9 I pray for them I pray not for the world 12. These for whom Christ is a Priest to offer his body for them he is a King to make them Kings and to save thâ—m and a Prophet to teach them but he is not King and Prophet to any but to his people kingdome conquest disciples seed children subjects 13. These that Christ dyed for cannot be condemned Rom 8.33 34. but are chosen and cannot be impeached but the reprobate can be condemned and impeached 14. Those whom God wills to save and whom he redeemed to these hee willed the meanes of salvation but he wills not the meanes nor that the Gospel bee preached to the Gentiles Matth. 10.5 Nor to Asia nor Bithynia Acts 16.6 7. 15. All that Christ dyed for are justified and reconciled by his death and shall much more be saved by his life Rom. 5.9 1 Joh. 1.7 And God requireth not one debt twice if Christ sustained the person of all the elâ—cted as hee dyed for his friends Joh. 15.13 for his Sheep Joh. 10.11 For his Church Ephes. 5.25 For many Mat. 20.28 For his enemies Rom. 5.10 For the ungodly and unjust 1 Pet. 3.18 For his brethren Hebr. 2. 1 Joh. 3.16 and not for their good onely so as they might all and every one have perished eternally that Christ dyed for then cannot they dye eternally for then Christ should first have payed their debt and they must pay for that debt over againe eternally in hell then might Christ be a Redeemer a King a Priest a Husband a Saviour and head and have no ransomed ones no subjects no Israel that he interceds for and offers his soule no Spouse no saved people no memhers no Church Artic. 4. Places of Scripture seeming to favour universall attonement vindicated For the fourth particular and the clearing of places alledged We are 1. to consider if the place John 3.16 prove any thing against us 2. If all men and all the world that are said to be redeemed be concludent against us 3. There be some particular places to be considered 1. The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 World must bee a figurative speach the whole for the part otherwise in its latitude it comprehends the Angels Acts 17.24 Rom. 3.6 1 Cor. 6.2 Rom. 1.20 Joh. 17.5 Now its certaine God hath not so loved Angels good and bad that he hath given his onely begotten Sonne for them Hebr. 2.16 therefore it must sometime signifie a great part of the world as John 12.19 The world goes after him 1 Ioh. 5.19 Yhe whole world lyes in evill The Adversary yeeldeth that the world here is not all and every one of mankind without exception I deny not but it signifieth so Rom. 3.13 That all the world may become guilty before God But the Arminians take on them a hard taske duram proviciam to prove that it is so taken here For 1. the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 God so loved the world is the highest love that ever was above Gods love to the Angels Heb. 2.16 So God must carry the most superlative love that is then which there is none greater Iohn 15.13 Such a love as is manifested to us to the beloved Iohn the Apostle and all the Saints 1 Ioh. 49. to Cain Iudas and all the heathen and God love giving his Sonne differenceth men from Angels but not one man from another the contrary of which Paul saith Gal. 2.20 and must Paul say no more Who loved me and gave himselfe for me then Iudas Pharaoh all the lost heathen who never heard of Christ can and may say beleeve it who will it sounds not like Christs love 2. They have two sorts of love in Christs dying for men to make out two Redemptions one generall one potentiall or halfe a Redemption where life is purchased never applyed standing with the eternall destruction of the greatest part of mankind another speciall in which men are Redeemed from sinne preached to few applyed to farre fewer 3. Two Reconciliations two non-imputations of sinne one 2 Cor 5. another Rom. 4. and so two justifications one Rom 5. and two blessednesses and two salvations or deliveries from wrath and the curse of the Law 4. This giving love with which God must give all other things faith the Gospel Rom. 8.32 must bee bestowed on heathen that never heard such a thing 5. God by this must intend life eternall as an end to all the heathen Faith as a meane which are clearely intended to this loved world and yet God forbids Paul and his Apostles to preach the word of faith to them Acts 16.6 7. Math. 10.5 and contrives businesses so that the hearing of the word of faith and of this highest love and rarest gift and given Redeemer shall be simply unpossible to them 6. Therefore better by the World understand the elect of Jewes and Gentiles opposed every where in the New Testament to the narrow Church of Judea the Gospel-world the Messiahs-world larger then the little world of Moses yea all Nations Math. 28.19 Every creature that is most of all the Nations Mark 16.15 all the world the hearing world almost all the Nations Colloss 1.6 sure not every individuall person as they would have this loved world to include Ob. But 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that every one that beleeves c. these words limit and draw narrow the world and so divides it in beleevers and not beleevers and by your exposition some of the elect world beleeves and are saved some beleeves not and perishes which is absurd therefore the world must bee comprehensive of all elect and reprobate Anâ—w 1. I shall deny that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whosoever is here a distributive or dividing
doth not suffer but is rather enlarged by exhalation Yet is there great halting in these comparisons because though the soule cannot be sick when the body is distempered for there is nothing of the Elementary nature nor any contemperation of Physicall humours in it because of a more sublime and pure constitution yet there is such alliance and intire society between the soule and the body that the soule through concomitancie and sympathy does suffer as the In-dweller is put to the worse if the house be rainy and dropping The soule findeth smoke and leakings of paine in that it s pinned in a lodging of sick clay and so put to wish an hole in the wall or to escape out at doore or window as often our spirits are over-swayed so with distaste of life because of the foure accidents that doe convey it that they think the gaine of life not so sweet as it can quit the cost But the blessed God-head united to the Man-hood cannot so much as for companies cause be sick pained or suffer nor can the God-head be weary of an union with a troubled soule Wee conceive in the grave and death that glorious fâ—llowship was never dissolved Secondly Many things may suffer by invasion of contraries as shoot an arrow against a wall of brasse some impression may remaine in the wall to witnesse the violence that has been there and wee know that They shall fight against thee but they shall not prevaile But the blessed God-head in Christ is uncapable of an arrow or of repercussion there is no action against God hee is here not so much as a coast a bank or bulwurke capable of receiving one spitting or drop of a sea-wave onely the Man Christ the Rose of heaven had in his bosome at his root a fountaine Oh how deep and refreshing that kept the Flower greene under death and the grave when it was plucked up it was faire vigorous green before the sunne and thus plucked up and above earth blossomed faire Thirdly Not onely the influence and effects of the glorious God-head did water the Flower and keep strength in Christ so I think God can keep a damned man in the doubled torments of everlasting wrath with strength of grace courage faith the love of Christ for ever as hee could not be overcome by hell and devils but there was the fulnesse personall of the God-head that immediatly sustained the Man Christ it was not a delegated comfort nor sent help nor a message of created love nor a borrowed flowing of a sea of sweetnesse of consolation but God in proper person infinite subsistence the personality of the Sonne of God bottomed all his sufferings the Man-hood was imped and stocked in the subsistence of the tree of life It s true God is a present help to his Saints in trouble but his helping is in his operation and working but hee is not personally united to the soule It s abominable that some Famulists teach that as Christ was once made flesh so hee is now first made flesh in us ere wee be carried to perfection Because not any Saint on earth can be so united personally to God as the Son of Man for hee being made of a woman of the seed of David the Son of Man hee and not any but hee is the eternall Son of God God blessed for ever The Child born to us is the mighty God the Father of age the Prince of peace Isai. 9.6 Rom. 9.5 Gal. 4.4 There is a wide difference between him the second Adam and all men even the first Adam in his perfection 1 Cor. 15.47 If Christ suffered without dissolving of the union God keeping the tent of clay and taking it to heaven with him in a personall union then God can in the lowest desertion dwell in his Saints We complaine in our soule-trouble of Christs departure from us but hee is not gone our sense is not our Bible nor a good rule there is an errour in this Compasse The third Particular was the Cause What cause was there Papists say there was no reason of Christs soule-suffering except for sympathy with the body Wee beleeve that Christ becoming Surety for us not his body onely but his soule especially came under that necessity that his soule was in our soules stead and so what was due to our soules for ever our Surety of justice behoved to suffer the same Isai. 53.10 Hee made his soule an offering for sinne Sure for our sin Nor must wee restrict the soule to the body and temporary life seeing hee expresseth it in his owne language And now is my soule troubled Secondly There was no reason of Christs bodily sufferings when in the garden hee did sweat bloud for us nor had any man at that time laid hands on him and all that agonie hee was in came from his soule onely Thirdly Nor can it be more inconsistent with his blessed person being God and Man and the Sonne of God that hee suffered in his soule the wrath of God for our sinnes then that his soule was troubled and exceeding sorrowfull heavie to the deaths in an agonie and that hee complained My God my God why hast thou forsaken me And the cause of this soule-trouble was for sinners this was Surety-suffering The choicest and most stately piece that ever God created and dearest to God being the Second to God-man was the Princely soule of Christ it was a Kings soule yet death by reason of sinne passeth upon it and not a common death but that which is the marrow of death the first-borne and the strongest of deaths the wrath of God the innocent paine of hell voyd of despaire and hatred of God If I had any hell on me I should chuse an innocent hell like Christs Better suffer ill a thousand times than sinne Suffering is rather to be chosen than sinne It was pain and nothing but paine Damned men and reprobate devils are not capable of a godly and innocent hell they cannot chuse to suffer hell and not spit on faire and spotlesse Justice because Christs bloud was to wash away sin hee could not both fully pay and contract debt also But if it be so that death finding so precious a Surety as Christs Princely and sinlesse soule did make him obey the law of the Land ere hee escaped out of that Land what wonder that wee die who are born in the Land of death No creature but it travelleth in paine with death in its bosome or an inclination to Mother-Nothing whence it came God onely goeth between the mightiest Angel in heaven and Nothing All things under the Moone must be sick of vanity and death when the Heire of all things coming in amongst dying creatures out of dispensation by Law must dye If the Lords soule and the soule of such a Lord dye and suffer wrath then let the faire face of the world the heavens look like the face of an old man full of trembling white haires
bloud of atonement checks and love-terrors or love-feavers that Christs Princely head was wet with the night-raine while hee was kept out of his owne house and suffered to lodge in the streets and feare that the Beloved withdraw himselfe and goe seek his lodging elsewhere as Cant. 5.4 5. Psal. 5.9 10 and that the Lord cover himselfe with a cloud and return to his place and the influence of the rayes and beames of love be suspended are sweet expressions of filiall bowels and tendernesse of love to Christ. Libertines imagine if the hazard and feare of hell be removed there is no more place for feare soule-trouble or confession Therefore they teach that there is no assurance true and right unlesse it be without fear and doubting 2. That to call in question whether God be my deare Father after or upon the commission of some hainous sinnes as murther incest c. doth prove a man to be under the covenant of works 3. That a man must be so farre from being troubled for sin that hee must take no notice of his sin nor of his repentance Yea Dr. Crisp vol. 3. Serm. 1. pag. 20 21 22. saith There was no cause why Paul Rom. 7. should feare sin or a body of death because in that place Paul doth saith hee personate a scrupulous spirit and doth not speak out of his owne present câ—se as it was at this time when hee speaks it but speaks in the person of another yet a beleever and my reason is Paul in respect of his owne person what became of his sin was already resolved Chap. 8.1 There is now no condemnation c. hee knew his sins were pardoned and that they could not hurt him Answ. Observe that Arminius as also of old Pelagius exponed Rom. 7. de semi regenito of a halfe renewed man in whom sense which inclines to veniall sins fights with reason that so the full and perfectly renewed man might seeme to be able to keep the Law and be free of all mortall sin And Crisp doth here manifestly free the justified man of all sin why because hee is pardoned So then there is no battell between the Flesh and the Spirit in the justified man by the Antinomian way to heaven which on the Fleshes part that lusteth against the Spirit deserveth the name of sin or a breach of the Law Onely its Asinus meus qui peccat non ego as the old Libertines in Calvin's time said The flesh does the sin not the man for the man is under no Law and so cannot sin But that Paul Rom. 7. speaks in the person of a scrupulous and troubled conscience not as its the common case of all the regenerate in whom sin dwells is a foule and fleshly untruth 1. To be carnall in part as Vers. 14. to doe which wee allow not to doe what wee would not and what wee hate to doe is the common case not peculiar to a troubled conscience onely but to all the Saints Gal. 5.17 2. Paul speaketh not of beleeving as hee must doe if hee speak onely of a scrupulous and doubting conscience but hee speaketh of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of working vers 15. doing 17 18. willing 15 19. not of beleeving onely or doubting Now it is not like the Apostle does personate a scrupulous soule of whom hee insinuates no such thing 3. A scrupulous and troubled conscience will never yeeld so long as hee is in that condition that hee does any good or that hee belongs to God as is cleare Psal. 88. Psal. 38. Psal. 77.1 2 3 4. c. but Paul in this case yeeldeth hee does good hates evill delights in the Law of the Lord in the inner man hath a desire to doe good hath a law in his mind that resisteth the motions of the flesh 4. Yea the Apostle then had no cause to feare the body of sinne or to judge himself wretched this was his unbeleefe and there was no ground of his feare because hee was pardoned hee knew that he was freed from condemnation It was then Paul's sinne and is the sinfull scrupulosity of unbeleevers to say being once justified Sinne dwells in me and there is a law in my members rebelling against the law of my mind and bringing me into captivity unto the law of sinne and I am carnall and sold under sin and I doe evill even that which I hate for all these are lies and speeches of unbeleefe The justified man sinneth not his heart is clean hee doth nothing against a law But I well remember that our Divines and particularly Chemnitius Calvin Beza prove against Papists that concupiscence is sin after baptisme even in the regenerate and it is called eleven or twelve times with the name of sin Rom. c. 6. c. 7. c. 8. and they teach that of Augustine as a truth Inest non ut non sit sed ut non imputetur So we may use all these Arguments against Libertines to prove wee are even being justified such as can sin and doe transgresse the Law and therefore ought to confesse these sins be troubled in conscience for them complaine and sigh in our fetters though wee know that we are justified and freed from the guilt of sin and the obligation to eternall wrath But sin is one thing and the obligation to eternall wrath is another thing Antinomians confound them and so mistake grosly the nature of sinne and of the Law and of Justification Some imprudently goe so farre on that they teach That beleevers are to be troubled in heart for nothing that befalls them either in sinne or in affliction If their meaning were that they should not doubtingly and from the principle of unbeleefe call in question their once sealed Justification wee should not oppose such a tenent but their reasons doe conclude That wee should no more be shaken in mind with sinne then with afflictions and the punishments of sin and that notwithstanding of the highest provocation wee are guilty of wee are alwayes to rejoyce to feast on the consolations of Christ. 1. Because trouble for sin ariseth from ignorance or unbeleefe that beleevers understand not the work of God for them in the three Persons the Fathers everlasting decree about them the Sons union with them and headship to them his merits and intercession the holy Spirits inhabitation in them and his office toward them to work all their works for them till hee make them meet for glory 2. Because such trouble is troublesome to Gods heart as a friend's trouble is to his friends but especially because the Spirit of bondage never returnes againe to the justified Rom. 8.15 But I crave leave to cleare our Doctrine touching soule-trouble for sin in the justified person Asser. 1. No doubting no perplexity of unbeleefe de jure ought to perplexe the soule once justified and pardoned 1. Because the Patent and Writs of an unchangeable purpose to save the elect and the subscribed and resolved
nor is faith in any sort diminished but put to a farther exercise And the same sad fruits follow from the sins of the Saints under the New Testament as may be cleared from Revel 2.5 16 22. Revel 3.3 17 18. 2 Cor. 1.8 9 10. 2 Cor. 2.7 2 Cor. 7.5 6 7. Revel 3.20 Joh. 14.1 Nor can wee thinke that the strictnesse of the Law gave those under the Law an indulgence not to be a whit troubled in soule for sin as it over-clouded the influence and slowings of divine love suppose they had assurance of freedome from the wrath to come as is evident in the Spouse Cant. 5.1 2 3 4 5 6. and chap. 2.16 17. chap. 4.7 Nor is it true that Gospel-grace and liberty entitleth the Saints now to such wantonnesse of peace as that persons fully assured of deliverance from the curse of the Law are never to be troubled for sins committed in the state of free justification nor are they any more to mourn nor grone under sins captivity nor to confesse sin in regard that Christs bloud hath washed soul eyes and faces from all tears and the salvation of the Saints in this life is not in hope onely as wheat in the blade but actuall as in the life to come and therefore holy walking and good works can no more be meanes or the way to the Kingdome as M. Towne and other Antinomians say then mâ—tion within the City can be a way to the City in regard the man is now in the City before hee walk at all Asser. 5. If Jesus Christ had soule-trouble because of divine wrath for our sin and was put to a sweat of bloud God roasting Christ quick in a furnace of divine justice though every blobe of sweat in the Garden was a sea of free grace not his eyes onely but his face and body did sweat out free love from his soule Luk. 22.44 Heb. 5.7 what must soule-trouble be in a fired conscience It s no wonder that wicked men wrestling with everlasting vengeance cannot endure it The Devill 's predominant sin being blasphemous despaire hee tempts most to his owne predominant sin the issue and finall intent of all his temptations is despaire because Devills are living and swimming in the sphere and element of justice they cannot beare it they cry to Christ the whole company and family making the despiting of Christ a common cause Art thou come hither 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to torment us before the time Mat. 8.29 Pro. 18.14 The spirit of a man will beare his infirmity the spirit is the finest mettall in the man but a wounded spirit who can beare that So the Hebrew readeth Any thing may be borne but breake the mans soule and breake the choycest peece in the soule the conscience who can then stand As conscience is the sweetest bosome-friend of man so it is the sorest enemy David is persecuted by his Prince and hee beareth it Jeremiah cast in the dungeon by the Rulers Priests and Prophets and hee overcometh it Job persecuted by his friends and hee standeth under it Christ betrayed and killed by his owne servants and kinsmen and hee endureth it the Apostles killed scourged and imprisoned by the Jewes and they rejoyce in it But Judas is but once hunted by a Fury of hell in his owne brest and hee leaps over-board in a sea of infinite wrath Cain Saul Achitophel cannot endure it Spira roareth as a Beare and cryeth out O that I were above God though wee may hope well of his eternall state Nero after to his other blouds hee had killed his Mother Agrippina hee could not sleep hee did often leap out of the bed and was terrified with the visions of hell Eternity the resurrection and the judgement to come are virtually in the conscience 2. What is feare A tormenting passion To hang a living man by an untwisted threed over a river of unmixt pure vengeance and let the threed be wearing weaker and weaker what horrour and palenesse of darknesse must be on the soule 3. What sorrow and sadnesse when there is not a shadow of comfort But 4. positive despaire rancour and malice against the holy Majesty of God when the soule shall wish and die of burning desire to be above and beyond the spotlesse essence of the infinite Majesty of God and shall burne in a fire of wrath against the very existence of God and blaspheme the Holy One of Israel without date Job saith of such chap. 27.20 in this life Terrors take hold of him as waters and a tempest stealeth him away in the night But consider what it is to the Saints Job complaineth chap. 14.16 Doest thou watch over my sinne V. 17. My transgression is sealed up in a bag and thou sewest up mine iniquity Vatabl. Thou appearest to be a watchfull observer of mine iniquity and addest as Ari. Monta. punishment to punishment sewing sin to sin to make the bag greater then it is Now though there be a mis-judging unbeleefe in the Saints yet it is certaine God doth inflict penall desertions as reall peeces of hell on the soules of his children either for triall as in Job or punishment of sin as in David whose bones were broken for his adultery and murther Psal. 51.10 and whose moisture of body was turned into the drought of summer through the anger of God in his soule till the Lord brought him to the acknowledgement of his sin and pardoned him Psal. 32.3 4 5 6. But some will say Can the Lord inflict spirituall punishment or any of hell or the least coale of that black furnace upon the soules of his owne children To which I answer It s but curiosity to dispute whether the paines of hell and the flames and sparkles of reall wrath which I can prove to be really inflicted on the soules of the Saints in this life be penalties spirituall different in nature Certaine there be three characters sealed and engraven on the paines of the damned which are not on the reall soule-punishments of divine wrath on the soules of the Saints As 1. What peeces of hell or broken chips of wrath are set on upon the soules of deserted Saints are honied and dipped in heaven and sugared with eternall love Gods heart is toward Ephraim as his deare child and his bowels turned within for their misery even when hee speaks against them Jer. 31.20 21. But the coals of the furnace cast upon reprobates are dipt in the curse of God yea so as in a small affliction even in the mis-carrying of a basket of bread and the losse of one poore oxe there is a great Law-curse and intolerable vengeance Deut. 27.26 Chap. 28.17 31. And againe in in the in-breaking of a sea and floud of hell in the soule of the child of God a rich heaven of a divine presence Psal. 22. V. 1 89. Psal. 18.4 5 6. 2. The hellish paines inflicted on reprobates are Law-demands of satisfactory vengeance and payment
absence to say nothing of everlasting huggings and embracings Asser. 7. Nor is this a good reason I find sinne rottennesse and so a deserved curse in all my workes of sanctification therefore why should I make them any bottome for assurance but I must take in Christ heere for Sanctification for if workes of this kind be not done in Faith to the knowledge of the doer they can witnesse nothing but beare a false testimony of Christ nor doe we ever teach that Christ is to bee decourted from our workes of Sanctification but even faith it selfe which is a bottome of peace to Antinomians by this reason must be cashiered for as the love of Christ our prayers humility are not formally sinnes but onely concomitantly in regard that sinne adhereth to them as muddy water is not formally clay and mudde but in mixture its clayie and muddie so our Faith is concomitantly sinnefull both because often its weake and so wanting many degrees and mixed with sinne deserves a curse as well as works of Sanctification but it apprehendeth Christ and righteousnes in him and so it bottometh our assurance If by apprehending you meane to bring to you certaine knowledge and assurance that Christ is made my righteousnesse then you beg the question if you deny this to works of Sanctification For 1 John 2.3 Hereby we know that we know him if we keep his commandements Ver. 5. And who so keepeth his word in him verily the love of God is perfected hereby that is by keeping his word called twise before vers 3.4 The keeping of his Commandements and vers 6. Walking as he walked Hereby saith he know wee that we are in him in Christ our propitiation and righteousnesse and thus are we justified by keeping the Commandements of God because by this we apprehend and know that we are justified 2. But then all that are justified must bee fully perswaded of their justification and that faith is essentially a perswasion and assurance of the love of God to me in Christ it s more then I could ever learne to bee the nature of Faith a consâ—quent separable I beleeve it is 3. If by apprehending Christ and his righteousnesse be understood a relying and fiduciall acquiescing and recumbencie on Christ for salvation It is granted in this sense that Faith is a bottome to our assurance of our being in Christ but that it breedeth assurance in a reflect knowledge alwaies that a beleever is in Christ is not true for 1. I may beleeve and be justified and not know yea positively doubt that I beleeve and am justified as thousands have pardon and have no peace nor assurance of their pardon and have faith in Christ and in his free love and have no feeling of Christ and of his free love For we beleeve more truth of our owne graces and so of our faith and assurance of our pardon then we can see or feele which is Gods dispensation that our life should be hid with Christ in God Ergo the life of Faith by which the just doth live is hid and above the reach of feeling at all times 2. As Faith which is the direct act of knowing and relying on Christ for pardon is a worke of the Spirit above the reach of reason so also the reflect act of my knowing and feeling that I beleeve and am in Christ which proceedeth sometime from Faith and the immediate Testimony of the Spirit sometime from our walking in Christ 1 John 2.3 4. 1 Joh. 3.14 is a supernaturall work above the compasse and reach of our Free-will and is dispensed according to the spirations and stirrings of the free grace of God and as the keeping of his Commandements actu primo and in it selfe giveth Testimony that the soule is in Christ and justified even as the act of beleeving in it selfe doth the same yet that wee actu secundo efficaciously know and feele that we are in Christ from the irradiation and light of Faith and sincere walking with God is not necessary save onely when the winde of the actuall motion and flowing of the Spirit concurre with these meanes just as the Gospel-promises of themselves are life and power but they then onely actually actu secundo animate and quicken whithered soules when the Lord is pleased to contribute his influence in the shininâ— of his Spirit Otherwise I may walke in darkenesse yea bâ—â—eeve pray love die for paine of love and have no ligh◠〈◊〉 reflect knowledge and feeling that I am in Esayâ—0 â—0 10 I may be sicke of love for Christ call knock pray conferr with the watchmen and daughters of Jerusalem and be at a low ebbe in my own sense yea the beloved may to my feeling and actuall assurance have withdrawne himselfe Cant. 3.1 2 3 4 5. Cant. 5.5 6 7 8. and all my inherent evidences cannot quicken me in any tollerable assurance It 's true Sanctification may bee darkned yea and Faith also when there is nothing to the faith-failing and outer dying but this onely of Christ the head all the life of a Saint retyring not to his faint heart but to his strong head I have prayed for you that your faith faile not but the darke evening of Davids both Faith and Sanctification and of Peter in his denying of his Master and his Judaizing Gal. 2. When he and others ver 14. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 do crook and halt betweene Grace and the Law as the people did between Jehovah and Baal their profession of Jehovah and Christs grace being long and their practise short and inclining too much to Baal and salvation by the Law as halting is a walking with a long and a short legge the body unevenly inclining to both sides of the way this darkening I say was in the second acts of Faith and Sanctification but life and sap was at the roote of the Oake-tree when it was lopt hewed and by winter stormes spoyled of the beauty of its leaves Wee doe not say that Sanctification doth at all times actually beare witnesse or a like sensibly and convincingly that the soule is justified is in Christ there be degrees and intermission and sicke dayes both of Faith and Sanctification But we say roses and flowers have been ever since the creation and shall be to the end of the world because though they vanish in winter yet in their causes they are as eternall as the earth so is Faith and the bloomings and greene blossomings of Sanctification alwaies but there is a Sommer when they cast forth their leaves and beautie Asser. 8. To presse duties out of a principle of Faith is to presse Christ upon soules nor can the seeing of beames and light in the ayre or of Wine-grapes on the tree be a denying of the Sunne to be in the firmanent or of life and sap to be in the Vine-tree to see and feele in our selves grapes and fruits of righteousnesse except we make the grace of Christ a bastard
after drawing bloud and cutting a veine more commeth in the place and after a great Feaver and decay of strength in a recovery Nature repaireth it selfe more copiously And often in our sad troubles wee have that complaint of God which he rebuketh his people for Esayâ—0 â—0 27 Why sayest thou O Jaakob and speakest O Israel my way is hid from the Lord and my judgement is passed over from God that is the Lord takes no notice of my affliction and hee forgets to right me as if I were hid out of his sight and David Psal. 31.22 I said in my hast I am cut off from before thine eyes It s not unlike a word which Cain spake with a farre other mind Gen. 4.14 From thy face shall I be hid But this is 1. To judge God to be faint and weake as if hee could doe no more but were expiâ—ing Esay 40. vers 28. He will bee both weake and wearied if he forget his owne and our darkenesse cannot rob the Lord of light and infinite knowledge he cannot forget his office as Redeemer God is not like the Storke that leaves her egges in the Sand and forgets that they may be crushed and broken When Christ goes away hee leaves his heart and love behind in the soule till hee returne againe himselfe if the young creation be in the soule he must come backe to his nest to warme with his wings the young tender birth Asser. 16. Nor is Christ so farre departed at any time but you may know the soule he hath been in yea hee stands at the side of the sicke bed weeping for his pained childe yea your groanes pierceth his bowels Jer. 31.20 For since I spoke against him saith the Lord I doe earnestly remember him it s not the lesse true that the head of a swoning sonne lyeth in the bosome and the two armes of Christ that the weake man beleeveth that he is utterly gone away Asser. 17. Nor will Christ more reckon in a Legall way for the slips mis-judgings and love-rovings of a spirituall distemper then a Father can whip his childe with a rod because he mis-knoweth his Father and uttereth words of folly in the height of a feavor Christ must pardon the fancie and sinnes of sicke love the errors of the love of Christ are almost innocent crimes though unbeliefe make love-lyes of Jesus Christ. There be some over-lovings as it were that foames out rash and hasty jealousies of Christ when acts of fiery and flaming desires doe out-runne acts of faith as hunger hath no reason so the inundations and swellings of the love of Christ flow over their banks that we so strongly desire the Lord to returne that we beleeve he will never returne Asser. 18. Though hid Jewels be no Jewels a losed Christ no Christ to sense yet is their an unvisible and an undiscerned instinct of heaven that hindered the soule to give Christ over Shall we upon all this extend all these Spirituall considerations to all men whether they bee in Christ or not Some teach us this as the great Gospel-secret concerning Faith That none ought to question whether they beleeve God to be their Father Christ their Redeemer or no but are to beleeve till they bee perswaded that they doe beleeve and feele more and more of the truth of their faith or beliefe righteousnesse being revealed from faith to faith The 1. ground of this is Christs command to beleeve now commands of this nature are to be obeyed not disputed But this is so farre from being a Gospel-secret that it is not a Gospel truth and sends poore soules to seeke honey in a nest of Waspes the path-way to presumption For though these who truly beleeve ought not to doubt of their beliefe yet these who have lamps of faith and no oyle ought to question whether there be oyle in their lamps or no and true faith with their profession else the foolish Virgines were not farre out who never questioned their faith till it was out of time to buy oyle and that these Virgines should beleeve they had oyle in their lamps when they had none till they should bee perswaded that empty lamps were full lamps and a bastard faith true faith were to oblige them to feed upon the East-winde till there should be a faith produced in the imagination that the East is the West 2. All the Scriptures that charge us to trie our selves 1 Cor. 11. â—8 To examine our selves whether we be in the faith and to know our selves that Jesus Christ is in us except we be reprobats 2 Cor. 13.5 and to know the things that are freely given us of God 1 Cor. 2.12 and so to know our faith Phil. 1.29 doe evince that wee are to trie and so farre to question whether we beleeve or not as multitudes are obliged to acknowledge their faith is but fancy and that there is a thing like faith which is nothing such and that we are not to deceive our selves with a vaine presumption which looketh like faith and is no faith And James 2. many who beleeve there is a God and imagine they have faith being voide of good works and of love in which the life and efficacie of faith is much seene have no more faith then Devils have Vers. 18 â—9 20. â— It is true that we are to beleeve on the name of his Sonne Jesus Christ without any disputing concerning the equity of the command of beleeving or of our obligation to beleeve For both are most just And to dispute thâ— holy and just will of God is to oppose our carnall reason to the wisdome of God but we are noâ— because wee cannot dispute the holy command of God nor to reason our duty not to examine whether that which wee conceive wee doe as a dutie be a bastard and false conception or a true and genuine dutie nor because I may not reason the precept of beleeving given by Jesus Christ am I therefore to beleeve in any order that I please and to come to Christ whether I bee weary and laden with sinne or not weary and laden Christ commandeth mee to beleeve Ergo remaining in my wickednesse regarding iniquity in my heart without despairing of salvation in my selfe I am to beleeve I shall deny this câ—nsâ—quence It is all one as if Antinomians would argue thus All within the visiblâ— Church are obliged to beleeve and râ—st on Christ for salvation whether they be elect or reprobate whether their whoorish heart be broken with the sense of sinne or whole Ergo they are obliged to presume or to rest on Christ their righteousnesse whether they distrust their owne or not Object 2. Wee find not any in the whole course of Christ's preaching or the Discioles that asked the question whether they beleeved or not or whether their faith were true faith or no. It were a disparagement to the Lord of the feast to aske whether his dainties were reall or delusions The
way to be sure of the truth of good things is tasting and feeling Eat O friends drinke yea drink abundantly O beloved Answ. This reason would inferre that there is not a Saint on earth capable of such a sinne as to doubt whether they beleeve or not because wee read not of it in any of the hearers of Christ or the Apostles This is a bad consequence except you say All the various conditions of troubled consciences are set down in particular examples in the New Testament Which is contrary to all experiences of the Saints 2. It is one thing to doubt of the truth of the promises and another thing to doubt whether my apprehension of the promise be true or false The latter is not alwayes sin for it may be my apprehension of the truth of the promises be beside the line and off the way and then I question not Christ's dainties which to doe were unbeleefe but my owne deluded fancie which may appeare to be faith and is nothing lesse the former is indeed unbeleefe not the latter 3. It s true tasting makes sure the truth of the Lord 's good things that are inclosed in the promises but then an unconverted sinner who is void of spirituall senses cannot be the beloved nor the friend that Christ speaketh to Cant. 5.1 Wee doe not say a beleever ought to doubt whether hee hath true faith or no but because the command of beleeving obliegeth the non-converted as well as the converted shall the naturall man eat as a friend and a beloved hee remaining in nature and not yet converted and this man in nature ought not to doubt whether his fancie be faith or not but hee is oblieged to beleeve that is to imagine that his fancie is faith 4. I see not how if the faith of the Saints be tried as gold in the fire they may not through the prevalencie of temptation be shaken in their faith as Peter was when hee denyed his Saviour and Paul who 2 Cor. 1 8. was pressed out of measure above strength despaired of life had the sentence of death 2 Cor. 7.5 was troubled on every side fightings without and feares within and the sonnes of God who may feare that they have received the spirit of bondage to feare againe opposite to the Spirit of adoption Rom. 8.15 but that they may faint in their tribulations Ephes. 3.13 and may be surprised with feare which hath torment and must be cast out 1 Joh. 4.18 and may be ready to faint and die Revel 3.2 and turne luke-warme be wretched miserable poore blind naked and yet beleeve the contrary of themselves Revel 3.16 17. All these may come and often doe come to that low condition of spirit after Justification as to say and think that all men are liars their faith is no faith that they are forsaken of God to their own sense and cast out of his sight and question whether they ever did beleeve or no And why would the Apostle say Patience bringeth forth experience and experience hope and hope maketh not ashamed Rom. 5.4 if experience that ever God loved me or that ever I beleeved to my present sense cannot be removed But this is but the Doctrine of Famulists who teach That after the revelation of the Spirit neither devill nor sinne can make the soule to doubt And To question whether God be my deare Father after or upon the committing of some hainous sinnes as murther incest c. doth prove a man to be in the Covenant of works Doe not they then teach us a way of despairing who say that Wee find not in the whole course of Christ's preaching or the Disciples that any asked the question whether they beleeved or no whether their faith were true faith or no What then shall thousands of smoking flaxes and weak reeds doe who often ask this question and say and think Ah I have no faith my faith is but counterfeit mettall And then by this Doctrine of despaire beleevers ought to conclude I am not under Grace but under the Law and a Covenant of works and so not in Christ yea whatever lusters were in me before I am in no condition of any wee read of in the New Testament who were hearers of Christ and the Apostles for Libertines never true beleevers doubted whether their faith was true or not Object 3. For any to doubt whether they beleeve or no is a question that Christ onely can satisfie who is the Author and Finisher of our faith Who can more properly shew one that hee sees then the Light which enlightens him Answ. Christ solves not questions that no man ever made S. thinkes that beleevers never doubt whether their faith be true faith or not which is a strong way of beleeving and those must be so strong in the faith who doubt not of this as they are above all temptations But this will be found against the experience of all beleevers It is most true none can work faith but the onely Creator and Author of faith but will the Author hence inferre no man the most wicked nor any that ever heard Christ or his Apostles preach doubted of their faith 2. The sunne with all its light cannot perswade a blind man who seeth not that hee seeth beleevers often think they see when they see not and think they are blind when they see as experience and Scripture Revel 3.16 17. Joh. 9.38 39. teach us Object 4. Faith is truly and simply this A being perswaded more or lesse of Christ's love and therefore it is called a beleeving with the heart Now what infallible signe is there to perswade any that they are perswaded when themselves question the truth of their perswasion God onely shall perswade Japhet Who can more principally and with clearer satisfaction perswade the Spouse of the good will of him shee loves but himselfe Can all the love-tokens or testimoniall rings and bracelets They may concurre and help in the manifestation but it is the voyce of the beloved that doth the turne My beloved spake and said unto me Rise my love my faire one saith the Spouse Answ. 1. Faith may be a perswasion in some sense but that it is a perswasion that my faith or perswasion is true not counterfeit and so formally is utterly denyed How many beleeve and love Christ with the heart who are not perswaded that they doe so yea much doubt whether they beleeve with the heart and would give a world to know if it were possible that they truly love God No Divine who knoweth that a direct act of faith and to beleeve is when there is no reflexe act can deny this 2. Arguments or signes in accurate speech are not called infallible actu secundo the word of God is in it selfe infallible actu prâ—â—o But to Aristotle this In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth is not infallible actu secundo nor are the promises Hee that beleeveth
though darkened to shine as day-light if men would open their eyes and see Psal. â—7 5 Roll over thy way upon the Lord and trust in him and hee shall bring it to passe But flesh and bloud saith Innocencie lieth in the dark and weepeth in sack-cloth in the dungeon and is not seen The Lord answereth Vers. 6. And hee shall bring forth thy righteousnesse as the light and thy judgement as the noon-day It is true 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies to goe from one place to another it s here applied to the sun and elsewhere to things that grow out of the earth Judg. 13.14 The sun in the night seems dead and lost as if there were no such thing yet the morning is a new life to the day and the sunne The grape of the wine tree sowne in the earth is a dead thing yet it springeth in some dayes and cometh to be a fruitfull tree Christ was crucified and buried yet the Wine-tree grew againe and Rom. 1.4 Hee was declared to be the Son of God with power according to the Spirit of sanctification by the resurrection from the dead The Gospel and a good cause seems buried and weeps in a dungeon Joseph in the prison and a sold stranger yet in the eyes of his brethren hee is exalted The Lord cleared Daniels cause Psal. 97.11 Light is sowne for the righteous and joy for the upright in heart The light and joy of the Saints are often under the clods of the earth 1. The Reformation of Religion goes vailed under the mask of Rebellion and of subverting Fundamentall Lawes but God must give to this work that is now on the wheels in Britain the right name and call it The building of the old waste places The rearing up of the Tabernacle of David and cause it come above the earth 2. The crosse is that great stumbling block for which many are offended at Christ and the Gospel It is a sad and offensive Providence to see joy weep glory shamed this is the gall the worm-wood the salt of the crosse that the Lord of life should suffer in his owne person yet here is heaven and the Father speaking and returning a comfortable answer to Christ in that which hee most feared The crosse maketh an ill report of the Gospel and Christ for this the Apostles are made a theatre a gasing-stock to Men and Angels a worlds wonder and Paul would take this away Ephes. 3.13 Wherefore I desire that yee faint not at my tribulation Then Saints may fall a swooning at the very sight of the crosse in others And Peter 1 Pet. 4.12 saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Be not stricken with wonders or astonished as at new things and miracles Acts 17.20 when yee are put to a fiery triall The comforts of the crosse are the sweet of it and the honey-combs of Christ that drop upon that soure tree 3. That the Father saith from heaven There shall grow the fairest and most beautifull Rose that ever higher or lower Paradise yeelded out of this crabbed thorne was much consolation to Christ. Here growes out of the side and banks of the lake of that river of fire and wrath that Christ was plunged in many sweet flowers as 1. A victorious Redeemer who overcame hell sinne devils death the world 2. A faire and spotlesse righteousnesse 3. A redeemed a washed and sanctified Spouse to the Lamb. 4. A new heaven and a new earth behold Hee hath made all things new and hath cast heaven and earth in a new mould 5. A new Kingdom a new Crown to the Saints a choiser Paradice then the first that Adam lost 6. Riches of Free-grace unsearchable treasures of mercie and love all these blossome out of the Crosse. 4. The Crosse is bought by and in its nature much altered to the Saints It s true it s become a necessâ—ry in-let and an inevitable passage and a bridge to heaven but the Lord Jesus not Satan keeps the passe and commandeth the bridge and letteth in and leteth out Passengers at his pleasure But 1. Christ hath strawed the way to heaven with bloud and warres and forbids us to censure his sad Patrimony in that the servants are no worse then the Lord and floure of all the Martyrs though bloud hath been and must be the Rent and In-come of the Crowne of the noble King of Kings and the consecrated Captaine of our salvation Yet it is short and for a moment and Christ hath a way of out-gate that none of his shall be buried under the Crosse Revel 7.14 Psal. 4.19 2. Christ hath broken the iron chaines of the Crosse and the gates of brasse that the Crosse hath but a number of free Prisoners who have faire quarters and must goe out with flying colours and be ransomed from the grave John 16.33 Hos. 13.14 3. When you are in glory and in a place above death there shall be neither marke nor print no ceatrix of the sad crosse on backe or shoulder but the very furrow of teares wiped away and perfectly washen off the face with the water of life For the former things shall be away Revel 21.4 Yea the saddest of Crosses the utmost and last blow that the Crosse can inflict is death I should thinke that Christ is the Saints factor in the land of death He was there himselfe and though hee will not adjourne death yet hath our Factor made it cheap and at an easie rate all tole and custome is removed and he hath put a negation upon death Joh. 11.26 He that beleeveth shall not die John 14.19 Much dependeth on our wise husbanding of the rod of God yet if Christ did not manage order and oversee our furnace it could not be well with us I have both glorified it and will glorifie it againe This is the fourth considerable point the matter of the Answer Here is a Lord-Speaker from heaven testifying that the Lords name shall be and was glorified As 1. In Christs person and incarnation Joh. 1.14 The word was made flesh dwelt amongst us and we beheld his glory So the Angels did sing at his birth Luke 2.14 Glory to God on the highest Christs laying aside of his glory and his emptying of himself for us was the glory of rich mercy 2. His Miracles glorified God Joh. 2.11 This first miracle did Jesus to manifest his glorie When he cured the Paralytick man Luk. 2.12 they were amazed and glorified God When hee raised Jairus his daughter Luke 7.16 There came a feare on all and they glorified God 3. In all his life he went about doing good and sought Iohn 8.49 to glorifie his Father 4. In his death God was in singular maner glorified When the Centurion Luk. 23.49 saw what was done he glorified God The repenting Theife preached him on the Crosse to be a King and this was a glorifying of Christ in his greatest abusement and shame Yea his glory was preached by the Sunne when it
It s a place that holds forth to us how ignorant we are of God and of the Gospel-way Consider what was in this Answer 1. It was the Gospel In what language it was spoken belike not in a known language cannot be determined out of the Text. 2. It was a cleare expression of that Communion between Christ and his Father 3. What God meanes or what is his sense in his word or works is unknown to us 4. That they say the Gospel is a thunder and a work of nature is a meere imagination and a dreame Yet these wayes are among themselves all false and they doe not agree one with another Consid. 1. The Gospel is the will of God from heaven yet it is a riddle a parable not understood Mat. 13.14 In the Law it is written With men of other tongues and other lips will I speak to this people 1 Cor. 14.21 And Isai. 29.11 And the vision of all is become unto you as the words of a book that is sealed which men deliver to one that is learned saying Read this I pray thee And hee saith I cannot for it is sealed Vers. 12. And the book is delivered to him that is not learned saying Reade this I pray thee And hee saith I cannot I am not learned 1 Cor. 1.18 For the preaching of the crosse is to them that perish foolishnesse Consid. 2. God reasoneth not only with mens minds to convince them but also with their will and affections Act. 9. Christ from heaven proposeth a Syllogisme to Saul's fury It s hard for thee to kick against pricks God hath Logick against anger which hath neither cares nor reason for if hee could not out-argue Laban's hatred and the haters of the Saints to whom hee saith Touch not mine anointed and doe my Prophets no harme Psal. 107. hee would not speak to their affections nor would it be said that in their affections they repute Christ and the Gospel foolishnesse if there were not a contrariety between the affections and the Gospel Consid. 3. The understanding is a dark-lanthorne that hath some light within but casts none at all out to apprehend things above hand and as the will is irony and stiffe to heaven so is it waxy and apt to receive the impressions of the flesh except Christ draw-by the curtaine of the flesh to let you see the glory of the Gospel Otherwise God speaks and Samuel saith Eli here am I for thou calledst me To the woman of Samaria Jacob is greater then Christ and Jacob's Well as good as the water of life Justice often puts one seale on the Gospel and another on the mans two eye-lids that the vision is as dark as mid-night Consid. 4. The communion between Christ and the soule as here between the Son Christ and the Father is quid pro quo a thunder a work of nature or any thing to the naturall man God speaking to the heart is a mystery to him Joh. 6.52 The Jewes say among themselves How can this man give us his flesh to eat Very hardly according to their Papisticall fancy of a bodily eating 2. The high esteeme of Christ above other Beloveds is a mystery to naturall Saints in so farre as they are naturall It s a strange question for Professors of the Gospel to say What more is in Christ then other Well-beloveds Yet they say it Cant. 5.9 3. The naturall understanding is the most whorish thing in the world There is a variety of fancied gods there According to the number of thy cities were thy gods O Judah Jer. 2.29 They have made them molten images of their silver and idols according to their owne understanding Hos. 13.2 The understanding even in the search of truth amongst the creatures is a rash precipitate and unquiet thing and like a Silk-worme first makes a work of many threds and then lies fettered and intangled in that which came out of its owne bowels The mind spins and weaves out of it selfe fancies dreames lies and then its work must be spent on these and so creates its own chaines and fetters But in the matters of God it runs mad playes the wanton in the Gospel-knowledge it turnes frantick and when it comes to move and act within the sphere of supernaturall truths it but laughs and sports till it come out againe 1 Cor. 1.23 If Christ preached be foolishnesse then Christ himselfe must be a foole to the Grecians the excellentest wits in the world 1 Cor. 2.14 The Gospel cannot come within the brain of a naturall man but as a notionall fancie a chymera Yea when the greatest wits came to the borders of divine truth to look on the out-side of Divinity called Theologia naturalis to look on the Lords back-parts and contemplate and behold God in his works they knew not what to make of God Rom. 1.23 Some thought God to be a dainty Bird of Paradise nay said other great wits hee is a foure-footed Beast nay said another but hee is a creeping thing and the most eminent of them even head of wit among them said hee was a corruptible man yea all of them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 They turned vaine foggie reasonlosse and stark nought in their finer discourses and reasonings in weighing and poyzing things Gen. 6.5 The frame of the heart of man is onely evill 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Gen. 8.21 signifies a Potters vessel Esay 29.16 Your turning of things up-side-down shall be reputed as the clay 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the potter From the root 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to thinke desire to forme a thing of clay as the potter doth From this is the potter named 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Zach. 11.13 Gen. 2.7 Deut. 31.21 I know their imaginations or earthen pots that be in the heart mind and head of men Many vaine frames are in our heads as there be variety of pots bottles and earthen vessels in the potters house Many wind-mills many pitchers and clay-frames are in the vaine heart but they are evill wicked and onely evill from the womb But especially how many devices and new moulds of Religions and sundry gods are in the heart of men How many sundry opinions of Christ are in mens braines for concerning Christ Mat. 16.14 Some said he was John Baptist some Elias and others Jeremiah 4. The love and affections are most whorish light and wanton if Martha seek not one thing shee seeks many things no one God is the naturall mans God It may be maintained that an unrenewed man hath not one predominant but indefinitely sin is his king and as many sins as many kings Rom. 5.14 17. Rom. 6.7 8 9. It s true pride covetousnesse or some particular sins may come to the throne by turnes as either complexion strength of corrupt nature or times beare sway for as Satan is not divided against Satan so not any naturall man will be a Martyr for a false god or a predominant lust in
eternall life to all and every one upon faire conditions if their free will play the game of salvation and damnation handsomely as if Christ were not free wills choisest tutor 4. All and every man are received in this covenant in the new state of reconciliation grace and favour and justification from any breach of the Law or the first covenant all are once fairely delivered both young and old from damnation and wrath all the heathen are reconciled and justified by Christ in his blood and all sinnes now are against the 1. Covenant of grace Christ and all mankinde now beginne to reckon on a new score 2. Though the ship be broken and all mankinde sent to Sea to die there yet so are they cast over board as Christ the surety of a better Covenant is made the great vessell that ship-broken men may if it seeme good to Lord free will swimme unto and so come safe the second time to land 3. So as there be two Redemptions in Christ two Justifications by grace 4. Yet neither the tydings of this new covenant made with all men nor this state of reconciliation or justification are ever revealed to the thousand part of mankind and though all and every one be under this Law of Faith and Covenant of Grace yet is this obliging and supernaturall Law never promulgate to millions of mankind whom it obligeth to obedience so farre forth as by the good industry and improving of common gifts of nature or rather the hire and merit of men out of Christ to make a conquest of the preached Gospell and Christ free will doing its best 5. All and every Mothers sonne and children of Adam are called and invited yea and Christ by our Text draweth all and every man though they will not be drawn say they the sole cause of election reprobation of salvation damnation lying on mans free will 6. All and every one are furnished with all externall meanes of salvation with sufficient grace and absolute indifferenciâ— and power of free will to say ay or no to the drawing of Christ and purchase by industrious improvement and carefull husbanding of the common gifts or relicts of nature and their new sufficient grace if they could give it a name to us a farther degree of grace while they conquesse the Preaching of the Gospell and the grace of conversion Yet so are they let Christ doe his best as all may be converted or not any one at all but all lost and all may persevere in grace and be saved as not one men shall be damned and all may so totally and finally fall away from grace as not one man may persevere but all be eternally lost if free will use his owne liberty notwithstanding of the Lords eternall decrees of Election or Reprobation or of Christs death the strength of free grace the intercession of Christ at the right hand of God the unchangeable love of God for all these can doe nothing to marre the absolute and independent free will of men to worke as it listeth for either wayes Propos. 1. Election is the decree of free grace setting apart certaine definite individuall and particular men to glory 1. The men chosen and drawne are by head designed Jaakob not Esau before the children had done good or evill though Esau be elder Isaak must be the Sonne of the promise father and mother were free grace rather 〈…〉 of Abraham and Sarah now paâ—led natures 〈…〉 Eâ—mael Peter and John not Judas the Sonne of 〈…〉 Abraham and his house worshipping Idols beyond the 〈◊〉 is singled out not any other the Lord sets his love on 〈◊〉 Jews because he loved them Deut 7.7 When their Father 〈…〉 Amorite and their mother an Hittite and they dy◠〈…〉 bloud Ezech. 16.3.4.5.6.7 not any one of the rest of the Canaanites the Tribes of Judah is the King by Tribe not any of the rest of the Families Low Jephtahs Family not anâ— of the rest of the sonnes of that Family None of the seven sonnes but the dispised shepheard the ruddy Boy singing after the Ew's David forgotten by all as none of the number 2. They are pointed out with the finger with pronownes Psalm 87.5 And of Sion its said this man Hebr 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 man and man shall be born in Sion Esai 49.1 The Lord hath called me from the womb from the bowels of my mother hath hee made mention of my name Thou art head or member or of which the Prophet spake it s all one in the mouth of God by name from eternity John Anna c. Esai 43.1 O Israel feare not for I have redeemed thee I have called thee by thy name thou art mine So the Lord points them out with the finger Esai 49.12 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Behold these shall come from farre and behold these from the North. North-land men and from the Sea Ilanders or from the West West-land men so it may be read and these from the land of Shimin Ezech. 36.20 These are the people of the Lord. Hebr. 11.13 All these 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 died in the Faith they are named and told by the head Revel 14.4 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 these are thrise in one Verse These are they that are not defiled with women these are they that follow the Lambe whithersoever he goeth These were redeemed from amongst men 3. They are defined by their countrey Esai 19.18 Five Cities of the land of Egypt shall speake the Language of Canaan Vers. 24. In that day Israel shall bee the third part with Egypt and Assyria even a blessing in the midst of the Land Vers. 25. Whom the Lord of Hosts shall blesse saying blessed be Egypt my people and Assyria the worke of my hand Zephan 3.10 From beyond the river of Ethiopia my suppliants even the daughters of my dispersed shall come .4 Their names are particularly inrolled in the Lambes booke of life Luk. 10.20 Revel 13.8 Revel 20.15 As Citizens of some famous incorporation or Senators that governes a Citie are written in the booke of Records of the King or Citie so these that are to follow the Lambe cloathed in white are booked in the publike Register of heaven in the minde of God to be members of the heavenly Society 5. It was no blind bargaine that Christ made hee knew what he gave hee knew what he got Christ told downe a definite and certaine Ransome as a told summe of money every penny reckoned and layed and he knew who was his own and whom and how many by the head and name he bought there is no hazard that one come in in the lieu and roome of another Joh. 10.14 I am the good Shepherd how is that made good He hath particular care of all the flock by the head he knowes how many and who are his if any bee not his if any be sicke or lost or wandered away that proves a good Shepherd I know my sheepe
when your soule shall be loaden with glory and thousands of souls blowing and spitting out blasphemies on the Majesty of God out of the sense of the torment of the gnawing worm that never dies and yee consider the soule of Iudas might have been in my soules stead and my soule in the same place of torment that his is now in what wonder then Iohn cry out behold what love 4. How much love for extention and intention for one man and every one in covenant Psal 106.45 multitudes of mercies and Ps. 130.7 plentious redemption one David must have multitude of tender mercies Psal. 51.1 Psal. 69.13.16 It s not one love but loves many loves Ezech. 16.8 Cant. 1.2 He gives many salvations to one as if one heaven and one crown of glory were not enough Ephes. 2.4 he is rich in mercy and he quickned us when we were dead in sinnes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 For his multiplyed love every man has a particular act of love a particular act of atonement bestowed on him can ye multiply figures with a pen and write from the east to the west and then begin again and make the heaven of heavens all circular lines of figures it should wearie the arm of Angels to write the multiplyed loves of Christ. Christs love desires to engage many how many millions be there of elect Angels and men every one of them for his own part must have a heaven of love and Christ thinks it little enough that the first-bornes love be on them all and that they all be first-borne Col. 1.20 It pleased the Father by Christ to reconcile all things in heaven and in earth to himself All the Angels are Christs vassals and he is their head Col. 2.10 then Christ must have two eyes you seven eyes to see for every one and two legs for every Angel to walk withall Christ must have a huge hoast and numerous troups in his familie 2 Who then can number the sums of all the debts of free grace that Angels and me now Christ and when they shall be paid though sinnes shall be acquitted yet debts of undeserved love shall stand for ever and ever O how unsearchable is the riches of Christs grace Know yâ— O Angels O gloryfied Spirits where is the Brim or where is the bottom of free grace Yet not one sinner can have lesse grace then hee has hee has need of all he has no oyl to spare to lend to his neighbourâ— Matth. 25. Our deep diseases and festered wounds could have no lesse to cure them then infinite love and free grace passing all knowledge It was a broad wound that required a plaister as long and broad as infinite â—esus Christ. Paul bows his knee to the Master of the families of heaven and earth for this act of grace to weigh the love of Christ Ephes. 3.18 I pray saith he that ye may comprehend or overtake the love of God 2. How many are set on work to compasse that love as if one man could not be able to do it Yet I pray that ye with all the Saints may comprehend what is the bredth it s broader then the Sea or the earth and what is the length of it its longer then between East and West though ye could measure between the extremity of the higest ciâ—cle of the heaven of heavens and then it hath depth and heigth more then from the center of the earth to the circle of the Moon and up through all the orbes of the sâ—ven Planets and to the orbe of Sâ—atrreâ— and highest heavens who can comprehend either the diameter or circumâ—â—rence of so great a love Love is an Element that all the Elect Men and Angels swim in the the banks of the river swell above the circle of the Sunne to the highest of the highest heavens Christs love in the Gospel takes all alive as a mighty Conqueror his seed for multitude is like the drops of dew that come out of the womb of the morning Psal. 110. and they are the dew of the youth of Christ for Christ as a strong and vigorous young man full of strength who never fails through old age brings in the forces of the Gentiles like the flocks of Kedar Esai â—0 5 6. 5 Christs love outworks Hell and Devils Can yee seale up the Sunne that it cannot rise or can ye hinder the flowing of the Sea or lay a Law upon the Windes that they blow not farre lesse can ye hinder Christs wildernesse to blossom as a Rose or his grace to blow to flow over banks oâ—â—o flee with Eagles wings O how strong an agent iâ— Christs love that beares the sinnes of the world â—oh 1.29 It woâ—ks as fire doth by nature rather then by will and none can bind up Christs heart or restraine his bowels but he must work all to heaven that he has loved Vse 2. We are hence taught to acknowledge no love to be in God which is not effectuall in doing good to the creaâ—ure there is no lip-love no raw wel-wishing to the creature which God doth not make good we know but three sorts of love that God has to the creature all the three are like the fruitfull womb there is no miscarrying no barrennesse in the womb of divine love he loves all that he has made so farre as to give them a being to conserve them in being as long as he pleaseth hee had a desire to have Sunne Moone Starres Earth Heaven Sea Clouds Ayr hee created them out of the womb of love and out of goodnesse and keeps them in being hee can hate nothing that hee made now according to Arminians he wishâ—d a being to many things in then seed and causes as he wished the earth to be more fruitfull before the fall then now it is so that against Gods will and his good will to the creatures he comes short of that naturall antecedent love that he beareth to creatures he could have wished death never to be noâ— sicknesse nor old age say Arminians nor barrennesse of the earth nor corruption Nay but though these have causes by rule of justice in the sins of men yet we have no cause to say God falls short of his love and wished and desired such and such a good to the creature but things mscarried in his hand his love was like a mother that conceiveth with many children but they die in the womb so God willed and loved the being of many things but they could not be the love of God was like the miscarrying womb that parts with the dead child we cannot acknowledge any such love in God 2. There is a second love and mercy in God by which he loves all Men and Angels yea even his enemies makes the Sun to shine on the unjust man as well as the just and cauâ—eth dew and raine to fall on the orchard and fields of the bloody and deceitfull man whom the Lord abhors as Christ teacheth us Matth.
or no and it is true faith and willeth all within the visible Church to believe God loved them with an everlasting love and its true they are all chosen to salvation and that Christ died for all and that opinion makes it true that Christ died for them all and they are all justified in Christ blood there is here strong power in opinions 3. Saltmarsh Den Town sâ—y mortification is not in personall abstinence from worldly lusts but in faith apprehending that Christ dying on the Crosse satisfied for the body of sinne then if they abstaine from adultery murther perjâ—ry being once justified it s of meer curtesie and of no obligation to either Law or Gospel command and if they commit such fleshly sinnes they are only sinnes to their weak flesh and opinion not in themselves and if they lay aside that opinion and carnall sense by the which they believe these to be sinnes and believe that Christ has abolished them then these sinnes are no sinnes but perfectly mortified and abolished that I doe them no wronge I repeat Mr Eaton's words Honey-Combe chap. 8. pag. 165. The Holy Ghost seeth us not properly mortifying cleansing and purifying our sinnes out of the sight of God our selves for then he should see us robbing Christ of that glory which his blood hath freely done before we begin but when the wedding garment wrought by his blood hath freely purified them out of Gods sight then the spirit we being thus first clean in his sight enters into us to dwell in us which otherwise he would not doe but being entered and dwelling in us he inableth us by walking holily and righteously to avoyd and purifie out of our own sight and out of the sight of other men that sin which the wedding garment hath purified and abolished before out of the sight of God and so we meerly declare before the Spirit that he himself and Christs righteousnesse have originally and properly cleansed and purified away and utterly abolished them out of Gods sight freely But this holy walking they talk of is not opposed to sinning or walking after the flesh it is but a removing of the sinfull sense and feeling or knowledge of unbeliefe by which we apprehended sin pardoned to be sinne when it was no such thing but our erroneous sense or opinion as the taste of the forbidden apple remaining could not rightly judge of these sinnes because our life of justification is hid with Christ in God and we apprehended our selves to be under a Law and our lying adulteries swearing c. to bee sinnes before God and contrary to his holy Law when they were no such thing for we being justified are under no Law and so as clean from sinne as Christ himselfe but our dreaming sense judged so but erroneously and falsly for abolished sinnes are no sinnes Parallel 4. Libertines taught that regeneration was a cleane Angelicke state in which they were voyde of sinne and when they were rebuked for sinne they answered non ego sum qui pecco sed asinus meus It s not I but my asse or sinne dwelling in me doth the sinne and they cited the same Text that Antinomians doe now 1 Ioh. 3. He that is borne of God sinneth not So Antinomians Mr Eaton frequently especially Honey Combe chap. 6. châ—p 7. saith being justified we are made perfectly holy and righteous from all spot of sinne in the sight of God Saltmarsh flowings par 2. chap. 29. pag. 140. The Spirit of Christ sets a believer as free from hell the Law and bondage here on earth as if he were in heaven nor wants he any thing to make him so but to make him believe he is so for Sathan sinfull flesh and the Law are all so neare and about him in this life that he cannot so walk by sight or in the clear apprehension of it but the just doe live by faith So Sal. abets nothings of what Libertines say he will not have sinne dwelling in the Saints but will have the justified as clean from sinne both the guilt and obligation to eternall wrath which we yeeld and from the bondage and in-dwelling of sinne of which Paul complaineth so sadly Rom. 7. as the glorified in heaven 2. If the â—justified sinne only he doth not really sinne but only in the dreamings and lying imaginations of his sinfull flesh because Sin Sathan and the Law are near him so that it is the Devillâ— and the living flesh the asse not Paul that makes him Rom. 7. complaine he was sold undâ—r sinne Crisp saith Paul lyed when he saith so If Peter walk by faith then Peter shall see his denyall of Christ and David his adultery and murther to be no sinnes for they want nothing to make them as free from sinne death as these that are now in heavenâ— but believe it is so believe adultery and murther in these justified persons to be no sinâ— and they are no sinners this looketh as lâ—ke the Devilish mortifiâ—tion of David Georgius and Libertines and the casting off of their sense of discerning good and ill and the banishing common honesty and the principels of a naturall conscience as milke is like milke Yea Mr Town contendeth for a compleat perfection not only of persons justified in Christ but also of performances so that saith heâ— pag 73 I believe there is no sinne no male â—ction no death in the Church of God for they that believe in Christ are no sinners and hee will have a perfection not of parts but also of degrees pag. 77. This he pâ—oveth from Luthers words perverted Parall 5. Libertines saith Calâ—ineâ— because the Scripture saith we are freed from the curse of the Law and made free in Christ without all distinction will have the whole Law abolished and that we are to have no regard of â—he Law aâ— all Now I need not cite Mr Town and others Antinomians who will have believers freed not only from the curse rigor of the Law but from the Law as a rule of righteousnes its obvious to all that read their writings to which Calvine Answers well There is not saith he any Epistle of Paul in which he doth not send believers to the Law as to a rule of holy living to the which they all must coâ—form their life Yet Antinomians are not ashamed to pretend Calvins name and authority for their opiniâ—n wâ—en Calvine in a learned Treatisâ— refuting the Libertines of his time doth clearly condemn the Antinomians of our time and proveth from the necessity of sanctification that we are not fâ—eed from the Law Some a little legally biassed saith Saltmarsh are caried to mortifie sinne by vowes promises shunning occasions removing temptations strictnesse and severity in duties what aileth him at wâ—lking 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 strictly Ephes. 5.15 Psal. 16.4 Iud· v. 23 feare of hell and judgement watchfulnâ—sse scarce rising so hâ—gh for thier mortification as Christ but pure spirituall mysticall mortification
Scripture for the conversion and salvation of all and every one as for the redemption of all and every one Drag-net p. 80 81. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Drâ—g-net p. 8â— 8â— How all flesh see the salvation of God Denne Drag-net pag. 96. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 All ordinarily is put for many in scripture The 〈◊〉 Iohn 3.16 disâ—â—â—ssed that love â—s a particular love proper to the 〈◊〉 only What the love of God is Arminian election faint and weak for the salvation of one more then another Gods love in Christ efficacious All redeemed from wâ—ath to come are redeemeâ— from all iniquitie and this present evill world Christ purchased saith to us by his death All graces in Christ are peculiar to the elâ—ct â—nly how can then Redemption be universall The promises of the Gospel not properly conditionall in relation to God What is neveâ— done is not Gods will simply The revealed will of God called voluntas signi is not simply Gods will but onely so called by a figure What can in shaddow of vain reason be objected against absolute elâ—ction and reprobation and particular redemption fall with equal strength upon conditionall universall â—lâ—ction and redemption The place Ioh 3.16 favours not universall Redemption The loved world cannot mean all and every individuall person of the world Whosoever or everyone 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â—oldeth not forth a dâ—strubation ever See Amesius in his Anti-synodala One elect worldu Scriptâ—re The 1. rule for expounding the particle all Omnes videntur sacere vel patâ— quod 〈◊〉 major pâ—â—s Pandeâ—t § quod major Arminians have as good reason to say all and every one are saved and eternally glorifâ—ed in Christ aâ— all and every one are Redeemed in him The plaâ—â— 1 Tim. â— God will have all men to be saved He gave himselfe a ransome for all men discussed The place 2. Pet. 3.9 The Lord will have noâ—e to perish â— opened Calvin CoÌ„ment in loc â—e Aâ—l the raâ—somed are saved Rule 5. Christ saves and redeemes all because none are saved and redeemed but by him The common nature of man proves not Christ to redeeme all and every one Vniversality of free grace cap 1â— pag 63.64.65 The place Heb. 2.9 He tasted death for every man opened The place Rom. 5 discâ—ssâ—d Compare the heires of first Adam and the heires of the second and the place Rom. 5. is for us much 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Arminius Antiperkins The place 1 Cor. 15. in Christ all shall be made alive cleared The place 1 Iohn 2.1 2. cleared The place 2 Pet 2.1 cleared 1 Tim. 4 10. opened Christ hath a serious good will to save and draw sinners to himselfe How low and near Christ came to save Doubts of those that our of weaknesse cannot beleive To be â—mongst visâ—ble professors gives a faire hâ—nt of laying hold on Christ by faith How low down and to what generall tearmes to take all in the Gospel descendeth 1. To indefinite termes of beleevers 2. To larger to sinners 3 To visible Saints 4. To men 5. To most comprehensive of all 6. To the world How wisely the Gospel is contrived in giving to none ground to despaire and taking in mâ—ny in Christs bosome Nota. Grace gâ—eth along with the most dâ—sperate sinners 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The sâ—rrâ—w of Chrâ—sts â—ove tâ—â—t wâ— come not to hâ—m 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ah omnis sitieâ— sâ—â—e 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 What the reveaâ—eâ— wiâ—l of God is Nota. A will to save all thâ—t comâ—s short of the salvation â—f all it contrary to the Lords attributes The Lords wishes expâ—sâ—alations and crying bold forth how eaâ—nest hee is in drawing sinners to himselfe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 How Christ draweth All. Christ hath an all which he saveth Christ removeth all exceptions that mâ—n have against their owne beleeving The place Ezeâ—h 33 1â— and c. 18. explâ—â—ned The exception that it was not sâ—rethâ—â—â—â—t love in Christ to savâ— â—emovâ—d The place Pro 8.30 I was by him as one brought up with him c. opened Christ most willing to die for sinners The difficulty of beleeving the Gospel 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Piscator Obfirmavâ—t faciem suam Christ had a strong good will to die for sinners 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The last and speciall doubt Doth Christ love me by name Antinomians dreame that faith is an apprehension of the eternall love of election Saltmarsh part ◠§. 5â— p. 191 192. Page 193 194 Page 199 â—0â— 201 202. Page 202 203 The Gospel obligeth none to beleeve an untruth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The faithfulnesse of God in saving one of the objects of saving faith The second object of faith is Gods mercy in saving all thâ—t beleeve Election of some persons to glory is a divine truth but it s neither precept promise nor threatning of the Gospel Arminians lay dâ—â—ble dealing on God by the faith they enjoyn to all God may obliege all to rest on Christ as their Saviour though salvation 〈◊〉 not purchased to all The Gospel as the Gospel revealeth not Gods intention touching the salvation and damnation of certaine men from eternitie the Gospel as finally obeyed or refused revealeth such intentions All in the visible Churuh are obliged to rest on Christ as the Saviour of all that beleeve but they are not al obliged to beleeve that he intendeth salvation to them proved by clearâ— instaâ—ces Arminians expound the word world as fitteth most for their owne ends in contrary senses How Christ dies for the world and the rebellious world conditionally How God dealeth sincerly with all whom he commandeth to believe Gospel invitations oâ—â—en to intentions of God to us Gods wise framing of the Gospel invitations in not eâ—pressing the â—â—mes of any The sufficiency of pâ—wer in Christ to save is the object of that faith for the want of which Reprobaâ—es within the visible Church are damned The objâ—ct of fiducial resting on Christ. That I am sinfull and not excluded by name is a good warrant to me to believe indefinite promises and to rest on Christ for salvation The Arminian argument against particular redemption from the hope assuranâ—e and comfort of all proposed with all its nerves and strength Vniversall Redeâ—â—â—ion furnishâ—th no grouâ—ds of assuâ—aâ—ce hope câ—mforâ— to all (a) â—reder 〈…〉 de Reprobat The Title of Thomas Moâ—â—â—s 〈◊〉 â—eathenish and â—uggests câ—mâ—oâ—t aâ—â— hopâ— of salvation in Christs death to 〈◊〉 Tâ—rtarians Indians Turks and Pagans also never hard of Christs death The hope of assurance and comfort flowing from universal redemption vain and fruitlesse and false Anti Perkins God intends not his ends ever according to certaine knowledge say Arminians Arminians fancy God to hang pendulous uncertain between two â—nds Arminians hope and comfort is that all mankinde must hang between hope and dispaire Armâ—nians fancy God to be expelled from his far best â—nd and compelled against his will to