Proof X. Because Gods general goodness in the creation of the world is to all his creatures and also in his ordinary dispensation is towards and for the whole Universe of mankinde he hath provided room enough for all men and creatures and all good things for all the profit of the earth is for all Eccles. 5. 9. God hath commanded us to doe good to all he that hath two coats is to impart to him that hath none and he that hath meat must do so likewise Luke 3. 11. all which doth hold forth Gods good will and care to mankind he that would not have them suffer the torment of misery and want that taketh care to prevent that little and short misery will not impose a far greater never to end Proof XI Their opinion lesseneth the goodnesse of God and limiteth to a few whereas the Scripture declares it to be to all Romans 5. the creature it selfe shall bee delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the sons of God Romans 8. 19. the whole Creation and every creature is Angels and men Jewes and Gentiles verse 20. Mark 16. 15. in bondage to corruption subject to vanity Idolatry and delusion of the Devil that know not nor partake of the glorious liberty of the sons of God shall be delivered from this bondage into the said liberty for God was in Christ reconciling the world to himself 2 Corinthians 5. 19. this is spoken to perswade them to be reconciled to God verse 20. which shewes it to concern mankind the Protestants in Poland understand by every creature Angels and men they say there will come a time when the Angels and wickedest men shall be freed Origen one of the Fathers held that at last all should be saved men and Devils the generality of the Fathers held that all souls shall be purged by fire of the last Judgement and so passe to salvation Moulin pag. 135. see Rom. 11. 22 23 27. All flesh shall see the salvation of God Romans 8. 19. see 1 Timothy 2. 3 4 5. Isaiah 47. 17. The glory of the Lord shall be revealed and all flesh shall see it Isaiah 40. 5. the times of the restitution of all things God hath spoken by the mouth of his holy Prophets since the world began Acts 3. 21. they shall in time be delivered from their bondage for which deliverance they groan are not all Angels and men obedient or disobedient the creation of God if so the worst shall partake of the liberty of the Sons of God as the whole creation came from God or rather is in God for in him we live it shall be taken up into the same glory a good the larger it is the better if it be good to shew mercy to some is it not more good to have mercy on all Romans 5. 18. Plato could say God being a supreme good there was no envy in him to any of his creatures but rather a desire that all might be made like him this is so great and glorious a discovery of God and that all men are in God for in him we live and move and have our being as certain also of your own Poets have said for we are all his off-spring Acts 17. 28. I have wondred how the Heathen Poets came to know this truth sure God did manifest it to them if all men are in God all men are in Christ for Christ saith I and my Father are one John 10. 30. also if all men are in God for in him we live and move c. if so then all men are in Christ for God was in Christ reconciling the world to himself 2 Corinth 5. 9. all confess that all that are in Christ shall be saved as in Adam all die so in Christ shall all be made alive 1 Corinthians 15. 22. I see God is good and doth good and that it is suitable to the being of God to do good to all and that no such torment of such continuance any way agrees to the mind and will of God Romans 5. puts the second Adam in opposition to the first in saving to his sinning if all Nations be blessed as Gen. 22. 18. every pâ—rticular is comprehended in the generall word All it is a great lessening of the greatness and glory of the fulness and riches of Gods grace to say that God hath made this world for all who are many and the best world to come but for a very few shall the fruit of Christ the Son of Righteousness be more narrow and confined than the Sun in the firmament whose excellency is that its bright raies and beams are dispersed into every corner of the Universe Proof XII It doth no way agree to the spirit of a Saint we may know the mind of God by the mind of a Saint we have the mind of Christ 1 Cor. 2. 16. He that is turned to the Lord is one spirit 1 Corin. 1. 17. God is in them of a truth 1 Cor. 14. Christ in us Coloss. 1. 27. Stephen when stoned cryed Lord lay not this sin to their charge Acts 7. 58. Saints they are ever mercifull Psalm 36. 17. The desire of the righteous is onely good Prov. 11. 22. such torment of such continuâ—nce in the least agree not to the gracious mind and mercifull heart of a Saint he desires not any man nor creature to be in such torment an hour therefore it doth no way agree to the mind of God we find the more the Lord manifests himself in any the more their minds and spirits are humbled the more loving and mercifull they are even to their enemies and can do them good for evil Proof XIII Such torments do not in the least agree to the mind and will of Christ Christ is full of love and mercy to the worst men it was truly said of Christ He was a friend to Publicans and Sinners He the best friend to them that ever was when they crucified him he said Father forgive them Luke 23. 34. when the Disciples would have had fire to come down from Heaven to consume Christs enemies he rebuked them Luke 9. 54. he that will by no meanes suffer his enemies to suffer a short deâ—th by fire will not inflict upon them a more terrible fire never to end ye may know the mind of God by the mind of Christ for Christ is God a like equall Acts 28. Heb. 1. 3. and as one I and my Father are one Joh. 10. 30. Proof XIV Such punishments agree not to the fruits of the holy and blessed God the fruit of the spirit is love joy peace goodnesse c. Galatians 5. 22 23. the fruit of the spirit is in all goodnesse Eph. 5. 9. The words of the Lord are pure words Ps. 12. 6. The words of the pure are pleasant words Prov. 15. 25. good words comfortable words the holy Spirit is calâ—ed a Comforter not a tormenter the pure spiâ—it of love sends forth only love and sweetness Proof XV No
such torment no way agrees to the nature of God God is love 1 Iohn 4. 16. it is his nature there is no anger nor fury in love fury is not in me Isa. 27. 4. God wills us to love enemies that abuse wrong and hate us God will do so much more love his enemies Luke 6. 35. if God should only love them that love him doe not the Publicans the same Mat. 5. 46. all that is in God is God is infinite God is love love is infinite without bounds and limits though we in our shallownesse and nâ—rrowness have often set bounds and limits to infinitenesse there was never any beginning in God therefore no beginning of his love the infinite blessed God is one and ever the same I am the Lord I change not Mich. 3. 6. this love delights in mercy and love and not in punishing of sinne that is his strange act Isa. 28. 21. Christ died to answer the Law we brake Christ did not purchase the love of God he loved us before the world began and ever will Joh. 13. 1. God was never without his love nor is ever out of that love Christ saith thou hast loved them as thou hast loved me Joh. 17. 23. at what shall God be angry or unsatisfied for God was never angry with Christ nor his people nor at the being of sin nor at Christ taking our sins upon him for he laid them on him the iniquity of us all Isa. 53. 6. Proof XVI It is not suitable to the mercifulnesse of a father to his child of a Creator to his Creature the work of his hands to impose so great a punishment without end upon any of them that were worse then to forsake the works of his hands and is contrary to Ps. 148. 8. Your heavenly father is mercifull Luk. 6. 36. rich in mercy Eph. 2. 7. the Lord is gracious of great mercy the Lord is good to all and his tender mercies are over all his works all thy works shall praise thee and thy Saints shall blesse thee Psal. 145. 8 9 10. he is good to all he despiseth not any Job 36. 5. no Respecter of persons Acts 10. 34. Proof XVII Sin cannot overcome his love where sin hath abounded grace abounds much more Rom. 5. 20. this declares the mercy of God to be greater then sin if so the grace of God is to all to the worst for sinne abounds in them most and where sinne abounds grace abounds much more if so then all their sins shall be forgiven and if any were so to suffer how hath grace abounded to them much more where sinne hath abounded answer this if ye can with the Lord there is mercy Psal. 130. 7. the Lord is good to all therefore to the worst of men his tender mercies are over all his workes therefore to the worst of men also for they are the work of his hands Job 34. 14. Isa. 64. 8. therefore there is no punishment for any to endure never to end he that bids us not to be overcome with evil but to overcome evil with good he wil not be overcome with evil but will overcome all evil with his infinite goodnes that which is finite cannot possibly overcome that which is infinite Proof XVIII God he is just therefore he will not do any thing but that which is just and right the greatest punishment of the breach of his law is death he will not inflict another much less a worser punishment then he hath expressed in his Law Justice is in number weight measure God requires things equal ye may see the mind of God in his command in forbidding any thing to be done but that which is equal and suitable to the fact as eye for eye tooth for tooth hand for hand foot for foot stripe for stripe Exodus 21. 24 25 26. How much she hath glorified her selfe and livâ—d deliciously so much torment and sorrow give her Rev. 18. 7. what measure you mete to others shall be measured to you again murder an horrible and grievous sin yet it is punished with an equal punishment in this life life for life he that shed deth mans blood by man shall his blood be shed Gen. 9. 6. life for life is equal but to lose life for life and also to suffer so great torment never to end is not equal Proof XIX It is no profit nor pleasure to God for any to suffer such endless torment he hath no pleasure in the death of any Ezek. 18. 31 32. much less can it be any pleasure to him for any so to suffer he desires mercy and not sacrifice Mich. 6. 6. if so he desires not any should be so sacrificed in a torment never to end God abhors cruelty Amos 1. 3 6 13. and casting off pity Proof XX It is not for the glory of God to impose such a punishment upon any glory lieth not in imposing great and terrible punishments that belongs to cruelty is abhorred by the light of nature Glory lieth in great mercy and forgivenesse Exod. 34. 6 7. the greater mercy and forgiveness the greater is the grace and the more is it to the glory of God love covereth all sins Prov. 10. 12. he that covereth transgreâ—sion seeketh love Pro. 17. 9. if man his glory is to passe over transgression Prov. 19. 11. it is for the glory of God to do so much more God made all things and doth all things for his glory he seeketh hâ—s glory in his exceeding greatness and riches of his grace Ephes. 2. 7. it is more for his glory to save all then to save a few the righteousness of one the free gift came upon all men unto justification of life Rom. 5. 18. sin could not hinder Manasses Mary Magdalen persecutors wicked prodigals to find mercy I cannot admit to think any thing that is cruel to be in God in love whose goodness is unsearchable past finding out farre above all we can ask or think there is such a confused noise among men of the grace love of God so many several voices that we are in confusion and know not what to make of it look above and hearken to the sweet voice above in the Region of love what is the voice in Heaven they agree in one there is no voice comes from Heaven but love peace and good will to man let men say what they will I rest satisfied in the voice above that is onely a voice of love and good will it s enough to satisfie any in this doubt and suddenly there was with the Angel a multitude of Heavenly Hosts praising God saying glory be to the highest on earth peace good will to men Luk. 2. 13 14. not onely to some men but to all people v. 10. this is glad tidings indeed good news from Heaven the best news that ever was that God hath good will to men there is no ill will all is good will to men this causeth peace and praise glory be to the highest for his sweet peace and good will to men to all people Conclusion in reading the Scriptures we are not to understand any text in such sense as is not plain in Scriptures or contrary to Scriptures or contrary to the Law of nature or against the general goodness of God to mankind or to lessen the goodness of God or contrary to the gracious spirit and mercifulness of a Saint or contrary to the mind of Christ which he declared when on earth or contrary to the fruits of the blessed Spirit the nature of the love goodness and mercy of God or that shall tend to contradict or lessen the glory of God or lessen the greatness and riches of his grace for it is not to be imagined that God who is onely wise should doe and teach contrary things Sure I am from hence arise no inconveniency to the Gospel nor is it any dishonour to God nor any grief nor hinders faith and love in any good man nor any discouragement to any in serving of God that there is not to be a punishment for any to endure that shall never end There is not any thing more plaine then that which hath been said to him that will agree to truth some will not agree to any thing though never so plain and certain if contrary to the tradition of their Fathers this their way is their folly and their posterity approve their saying Psal. 49. 13. who hath believed our report and to whom is the arm of the Lord revealed Isa. 53. 1. Some believed the things that were spoken and some believed not Acts 28. 29. they make a man an offender for a word and lay a snare for him that reproveth in the gate and turn away the just for a thing of nought Isa. 29. 21. O God the Lord the strength of my salvation thou hast covered my head in the day of battel Psal. 140. 7.
be understood Mr. Aiâ—sw on Psal. 16. 10. saith that place through custome is taken for the place of the damned but is not so to be understood the word being Sheol Maâ—olat on Apoc. pag. 282. saith the Fire of Gehenna is the place of the damned others of them deny it M. Leigh saith Dives proves it D. Fulk and others deny it See ye not the great doubting and uncertainty they are at among themselves they grope in the dark without light Job 22. 5. by their Reeling Staggering and Stumbling that they are so drunke they can finde no ground to stand upon they understand not whereof they affirm yet each of them hugs his own apprehension It is very strange that in a thing so signall of which they say they see it in the Word of God that they can no way agree concerning it O ye learned in the 7 liberal Sciences tell us how to reconcile these things in point of truth or tell us in as much as ye speak contraries as yea and nay which of you we are to believe Have we not all cause to say herein Where is the Scribe where is the disputer of this world hath not God made foolish the wisdome of this world 1 Cor. 1. 20. he frustrateth the tokens of liars and make diviners mad and turneth wise men backward and maketh their knowledge foolishnesse Isaiah 44. 25. Mr. Edward Leigh Esquire and Master of Magdalene Hall in Oxford presents his reasons to prove Hell-torments or punishment after this life for some to endure never to end let them be considered Prov. 18. 17. Mr. Leigh saith the conscience of man hath a fear of some punâ—shment after this life provâ—s it Answ. If they have that doth not prove it because the consciences of men are as they are instructed according to the Proverb Such Doctor such Scholar hâ—nce it is that the conscience of a Papist tells him it is not lawfull to eat flesh in Lent nor of a Friday And whoso killeth you will think he doth God good service Joâ—. 16 2. that is his conscience the consciences of some men are almost if not altogether for some evill therefore that proves it not Mr. Leigh the Heathen held there was a Hell a being and place for wicked men after this life Answ. Why did ye not say and prove that they hold that they shall be in torment never to end The Heathens do not believe that there is to be such a punishment after this life for they deny the Resurrection of the body therefore they burn the body and save the ashes in an urn for a memorial they believe as Pithagoras the Phiâ—osopher â—aught that the soul goeth from one body into another man or beast that some of the Philosophers grew so tender that they would not kill any beast nor fowl for they said it may be it is my brother or my sister These Heathen Greek Poets were long before the coming of Christ in their treble division of the world they fain three Gods Jupiter the god of Heaven Neptune the god of the Sea and Plâ—to the god of the Earth in which they say he keeps his Court Palace no word of torment that would make it a poore Court and Palace so Homer and Noninus Greek Poets Homer wrote of the destruction of Troy which was neare a thousand yeares before the birth of Christ Homer is one of the most ancient Records extant it seems in his time there was no mention of a hell of torments never to end the said Poets call Pluto Summanus as being chief of the Maunes or Spirits below to pacifie these ill spiriâ—s a feast was kept in February with wax candles burning to Pluto called Candlemas-day so Mr. Jess in his Almanack the Cretians are alwaies lyars Titus 1. 12. the greatest lyars in the world that will fancy fain and say any thing is it a thing possible that wax candles above the earth should give light thousands of miles into the earth to pacifie those ill spirits there it seemes they are not in any great torment if a little light will pacifie them the Poets say hell is twice as deep as heaven is high Astronomers say Jupiter the second plannet is 72. millions of miles above the earth if hell be twice as deep it is a hundred and fifty four millions of miles to hell which is Fabulous so there Cerebrus three heads and Charons boat to row men to Pluto so the phantasy of Purgatory did spring first from the Heathen Poets long beâ—ore the coming of Christ as appears by Plato and Virgil who have described at large the whole Common-wealth and all the orders and degrees of Purgatory these with their Elisium Fields and many other of their barbarisms by long use became venerable Your opinion is fitter for Heathens than for Christians if the Heathens do hold as you do are we to believe in Religion as the Heathen I passe not what they nor any else say unless they can read it me in the Word of God we cry To the Law and to the Testimony if they speak not according to this word it is because there is no light in them Isa. 8. 20. Mr. Leigh saith clear reason proves it God is just many abominable sinners enjoy more prosperity in this life than those that live far more innocently must be punished hereafter according to the multitude and hainousness of their sins Psal. 73. 17. Answ. I see you are more bold to affirm than able to prove doth reason deny the punishment to be just except it never end the Scripture you alledge say they have an end and you say they shall never have an end that is your clear reason to say some are worse than others therefore they are to suffer a punishment never to end so you exclude Mary Maâ—dalen and the poor Prodigal bâ—t it is but your bare affirmation without proof your reason is that God should shew mercy to little sinners but none to the great sinners they must not be saved but this your clear reason is clear against the will and wisdom of God who is pleased to sâ—ve of the worst of sinners as appears Luke 7. 47. 1 Tim. 1. 19. Acts 9. 13. if some enjoy more prosper prosper ty then others must they therefore suffer a punishment â—ever to end outward prosperity is a great blessing and you make it a great curse if that you say were true there is no cause in the day of prosperity to rejoyce Ecl. 7. 24 nor to say O Lord I beseech thee send me now prosperity Psa. 115. 25. in saying greater sinners you judge according to outward appearances both for sin and punishment and may be mistaken in both what they are in the inner man for sin punishment you know not the heart of unbelief and rebellion of spirit in others nor how God punisheth them in their spirits sin is punished in this life Mr. Leigh saith its just they should suffer for ever who if they had