Selected quad for the lemma: mercy_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
mercy_n	jesus_n	sin_n	sinner_n	3,659	5	7.4408	4	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A77642	Scripture-redemption freed from men's restrictions: being an answer to a book lately published by Mr. William Troughton (who stiles himself a minister of the gospel at Onlep in Leicester-shire) intituled, scripture-redemption restrained and limited: as also the substance of several conferences and disputes had in England, Wales, and Scotland, with Mr. Heath, Mr. Bartley, Mr. Powel, Mr. Sam. Rutherford, and Mr. James Wood, two rectors of the university of S. Andrews, and many others, about the death of our most dear redeemer, and the controversies which are the constant concomitants of it. Together with a brief reply to Mr. Troughton's rayling accusations in his introduction. By J. Brown, sometimes of Orial Coll. in Oxford, afterwards a priest of the Church of England, and vicar of Tenbury in Worcester-shire; but now through mercy a preacher of the faith which once he destroyed.	Browne, James, 1616-1685.	1653 (1653)	Wing B5022B; ESTC R230501	118,497	139

next to speak in few words of Redemption in a stricter acceptation and to shew how some are in a special manner freed ransomed delivered or redeem'd by Jesus Christ and to that purpose shall first lay downe some Scriptures and to come to the clear understanding of this point Cast your eye then upon Eph. 1. 7. In whom we have redemption through his blood even the forgiveness of our sins and upon 1 Pet. 1. 18 19. Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things as silver and gold from your vain conversations received by tradition from your Fathers but with the pretious blood of Christ c. The great question here to be resolved is this How the Saints come to be redeemed from their vain conversation and to have remission of their sins For answer unto this I beseech you that read to remember what I have in part declared already that there was an offence though committed but by one in which all the world was reputed guilty before God so far as that if Adam for that offence had at the instant of his committing it gone to the grave the whole race of mankinde had perished in him to take away which the Lamb without spot offer'd up himself to God so that that sin imputed to all and so called the sin of the world and iniqnity of us all was by the pouring out of the blood of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world taken away and remitted so that none shall now dye eternally for it and herein appeared the free love of God who by the blood of his Son washed away sin no creature seeking of it But every individual man and woman when they come to years and know good and evil do themselves commit many sins and walk in a vain conversation by tradition c. and how they come to be redeem'd or delivered from this by the blood of Christ I shall by Scripture and experience briefly make manifest First God sends Christ or the light to them with manifestations of his grace and goodness to lead or perswade them to turn from their sins to God declares to them the sufferings of his Son for their sins and they who seriously consider these manifestations of mercy believe and lay to heart the kindness of God though before Prisoners to sin and Satan are loosed delivered or redeemed from their sins and vain conversions as the Apostle plainly proves Acts 10. 43. To him give all the Prophets witness that through his name whosoever believeth on him shall receive remission of sins So that through the application of the blood of the Lamb to their souls by believing they come to be delivered and have redemption from these sins of theirs and this redemption or pardon of sin is in time and conditional upon faith and repentance I shall indeavour further to illustrate this by a familiar similitude thus Suppose the servant of some mighty Emperor or General should commit an hainous offence to both the high displeasure and dishonour of his master and now conceiving in his heart that his Lord was full purposed to punish him with exquisite and exemplary torments should secretly depart to his masters greatest enemy and with him with a heart full of envy wrath and devilish despite contrive the destruction of him whom he had lately disobeyed in the mean time this mighty man having no such thoughts as his wicked servant imagin'd hearing that another potent person for some horrid crime had condemned his run-agate servant to dye gives his only Son to suffer death to preserve his live who yet still not knowing his Lords love with a perverse and inraged heart carries on the designe of his masters ruine but in the midst of his malice and fear having certaine intelligence of the transcendent kindness of one whom he had so highly incensed and of his own willingness to receive him even as a Son if he would return to him presently his soul begins to melt hatred le ts go the hold it had upon his heart and admiring such unexpected and undeserved love his bands of wickedness full off the rage rancour and wicked resolutions which possess'd him are all cast out the snare is broken and he is delivered not only from that death which his Masters Son quitted him of by dying for him But also by applying and considering his Lords love of those bloody sins and designes against his Master and begins to think of returning to him who had done such great things for him Thus stands the case betwixt God and man when Adam had sinned he ran away from his Maker and what spirit he was of towards him you may perceive by his Answers to him Gen. 3. who yet had thoughts of love and peace towards him and gave his onely Son to ransome him from the pit of which ransome or redemption all his posterity being in his loynes are partakers but they have all as I may say one by one departed from their God and rebelled against him that redeemed them and continue long ignorant of the loving kindness of the Lord at length the Lord by his teachings as himself pleaseth makes known his goodness and riches of grace and as many as believe or lay to heart what he hath done for their souls how he gave the Son of his love to dye yea to destroy the power of death for them that they might live by him and through him rise from the grave and that they have this redemption or deliverance through the blood of Jesus shed for them and have clear evidence of this by the Spirit in the Scripture of truth they begin to loath and leave their sins the love of God known casts out their base fear his mercy manifested destroyes their malice pride lust covetousness c. cuts in sunder all the cords of vanity in which they were held carries them quite out of their prison wherein their souls were pent up though sin tugs hard yet at last it is fain to remit its hold and though before they hug'd sin as a friend they now let it go as an enemy and so in the end through the applying of that blood which was shed for them they are redeemed out of the hand of the enemy and by the application of the blood of Christ they receive remission of THEIR sins as they before had by the effusion of it the remission and redemption from Adams sin which as I before hinted was absolute unsought for free and universal This is conditional and especial And if any shall demand Why all have not this redemption I answer Because they believe not they lay not the blood of Christ to heart if they did it were impossible that they should be so carried away with lust pride ignorance lying swearing cheating drunkenness gaming covetousness formality lukewarness ildeness and all manner of disobedience for if men did consider the grace of God if they knew the gift of God and his kindness which

of universal salvation viz. that none shall be punished or perish in the lake of fire my soul abhors as also Mr Troughtons Doctrine that any shall be punished or perish there meerly because it is the pleasure of the Lord so to have it or because they were by Jehovah appointed to be disobedient and to be damned or because there was never a Saviour that dyed for them or because Adam eat of the forbidden tree my soul also abominates and it is the griefe of thousands to heare that God is dishonoured by such Declarations Though once I confeffe it was my judgement but the Lord hath had mercy upon my soul and now I see that every mans destruction is of himselfe and that the vengeance of eternall fire comes on men through their omitting some good that they might have done or their committing some evill that they might have avoided for rejecting some light that they might have received or turning from what they had received for trampllng under foot the blood of the Covenant wherewith they were sanctified and denying the Lord that bought them c. Object But saies Mr. Troughton if it we should preach that Christ dyed for all this would bolster up men in a prophane course or at best in a generall dead faith Answ The contrary to which is true for one constant use that we make of this Doctrine is to diswade deter and dehort sinners from prophanenesse and all manner of sinne and to perswade them therefore to hate that which is evill to die to sinne to live to righteousnesse to love and live to the Lord Jesus because he dyed for them and rose againe and we declare unto all men that if they do not leave sinne repent and live to Christ but deny his word despise his Spirit and slight his blood they shall be sure to be damned for ever because they live not to him that dyed for them and rose againe and that although Christ bought them or layed down a sufficient price for them yea though they professe that truth yet if in their works they deny him and follow not those further manifestations of light which he appeares to them in but refuse his words and so receive him not they shall be destroyed at the last day Secondly This Doctrine cannot be the Nurse of a dead faith if truly preached and received for this teaches men to know first by the Scriptures that Christ dyed for them and what a man knows infallibly he may believe comfortably undoubtedly and without wavering yea all faith that is not groundupon knowledge is but a meere fancy and very uncertaine when men believe they know not what But one the contrary Mr. Troughtons Doctrine is the nursery of prophanesse and deadness of faith or at least of sadness of soul yea dispaire of mercy How many poore wretches hearing that God did appoint a certain number of persons onely to believe and so to be saved and the rest to disobedience and so to be damned have desperately concluded if I am appointed to believe and be saved I shall be saved live how I will and others when they commit sinne sooth up themselves with this conceit it is Gods will that they should commit such sinnes God did decree and appoint them to be disobedient and it could not be avoided with many such devillish conclusions tending to all lewdness loosnesse and prophaneness that can be imagined And hence it is there is so much bitternesse wrath hatred revenge and strife amongst men for did they but know and seriously lay to heart that Christ shed his blood for those poore Creatures that injure them and which they so maligne their heart would melt towards them they would not hate their persons nor seeke to ruine their Estates onely abhor their vices and seek to draw them out of the sinck of their sins It must of necessity also be the root of a dead faith for what life can that faith have which is grounded upon our own qualifications For thus Mr. Troughton teaches men to Argue Christ dyed for beleevers sheep saints but I am a beleever a sheep a saint therefore Christ dyed for me but the Scripture proves neither of his propositions but teaches us better Logick thus Christ dyed for sinners for the ungodly for all for the whole world and those that deny him therefore for me and this shews gracious humility the other vaine ostentations this gives sweet and certaine assurance of Gods love to any poore soul the other when his qualifications are absent as often they are leaves the Creature in a doubtfull dispaire whether God loved it at all this engageth the soul to love God who loved him first and gave his Sonne to dye for him the other saddens the heart with feare shakes the foundation causing a distressed soul to question whether ever Christ dyed for him or her If a faithfull Gospel preacher should perswade a prophane wretch to repent and turn to God and the sinner should aske What should move him to change his life The messenger of the Lord must answer That the goodnesse of the Lord should lead them to repentance if the other should reply Wherein God shewed his goodness towards him The Embassador of the Lord must rejoyne in that he gave his Sonne to dye for him a miserable wretched sinner and that there is a doore of salvation open for him upon his repentance through the blood of Jesus or he sayes nothing for if he should onely tell him of the goodness of God as to this life or tell him of some wild uncertain hopes of mercy without assuring him that Christ was Curcified for him it would leave but a slender impression upon his spirits and to perswade exhort require and beseech a company of exorbitant sinners to amend their lives and love the Lord Jesus is but a lost labour if we declare not unto them the certainty of his kindness and love to them first according to the Scriptures for a soul will never truly love Christ except he be assured that the Lord Christ first loved him or at best if by a preaching of the Gospel at randome as many do any poor soules are fallen in love with Christ yet their spirits are full of feare and perplexing anxieties till they know and are assured of his love to them and wherein that consists the Apostle Paul shews us Rom. 5. 8. 1 Joh. 4. 9. 10 19. Herein is love not that we loved God but he loved us first and sent his Sonne to be a propitiation for us You would blame that man exceedingly who should use his utmost endeavour by all means to perswade his Neighbour being but a mean man to set his affections upon some great Lady admired for vertue beauty birth and riches being not able to assure his friend first that she loves him and desires to bestow her selfe upon him but if he heare it from her mouth or have it made under her hand that she loves such

a man and desires to be joyned to him in Marriage he may boldly and withall earnestness stirre up his friend to affect her and seeke her love who is every way so worthy and withall so loving to him that is to far below her Of no lesse folly are they guilty that spend their spirits in calling and crying unto sinners to love the Lord Jesus and seeke his face and yet either cannot or will not assure them that Christ loved them and layed down his life for them thereby to move them to place their affections upon him Nay it s impossible they should know it and much more impossible they should make others know it that say Christ dyed onely for a small number If a wicked prophane wretch should meet a man and were about to offer some injury to him if another should come and make it evident that this man whom he is about to wrong ransomed him with a great summe out of Captivity or when he was condemned to dye by giving his own onely Child to dye for him delivered him from death this might allay his fury after the resolution and melt the heart of the most cruel hard-hearted and injurious person or if it did not it would render him the most odious of Creatures the most ungrateful of men and unworthy of any further pitty And therefore it is that where-ever we meet with prophane persons that are treading under foot the Sonne of God and crucifying the Lord of life afresh by swearing lying drunkenness persecuting the Saints c. and so injuring and denying the Lord that bought them we acquaint them that he whom they wrong and persecute is Jesus the Saviour of the World the redeemer of mankind that gave himselfe a ransome for all bought them with his precious blood and dyed for their sinnes according to the Scriptures that thereby we may perswade them from their impious persecuting principles and prophane practises or else leave them without excuse but whilest men continue ignorant of this great love of Christ and do not certainly know by the Scriptures that Christ dyed for them they are seldome restrained from prophanenesse and all sorts of impiety or at least are filled with frequent doubtings and tremblings of heat not knowing whether the Lamb was slaine for them yet knowing that forsaking of sin and following of righteousnesse can doe no good to that soul for whom Christ dyed not no precepts can be available or promises applicable to those for whom the blood of Christ Jesus was not shed and so they stand staggering at both and though sometimes through the mercy of a long suffering God they have some sweet tasts of mercy yet by attending to false Teachers and Satans temptations they begin to question whether Christ dyed for them and then all their unstable hopes vanish and their unsettled hearts are hurried into a Labyrinth of soul dstempering confusions the Lord pitty these poor Creatures and deliver them from all self contradicting yea God contradicting Teachers who hold the truth in unrighteousness And whereas Mr. Troughton sayes That men will argue that if Christ dyed for all men then for me I shall be saved though I go on and injoy my lusts c. It s nothing so and they that hold that Christ dyed for all men according to the Scriptures raise no such Arguments knowing that they that deny to serve him that bought them shal be destroyed but they argue thus Christ dyed for me among the rest of men therefore I ought to live to him love serve and obey him to forsake my lusts pride swearing coveteousnesse and prophanenesse to dye to sinne and live to righteousnesse because he dyed for me and rose againe But Mr. Troughton saies That Christs dying for all is a ground of dispaire to many to which I answer First Here Mr. Troughton miserably contradiccts himselfe for he holds that they whom Christ dyed for can never dye in dispaire and for others there was never any hopes of eternall life layed up But here it seemes that there was something to be enjoyed even by them who dispaire of it but I shall not dwell upon any advantages but Secondly I answer That Mr. Troughtons suggestions is very false for seeing that Christ dyed for all seeing he so loved the World as to give his life for man-kind much more will he be found willing to receive and save poor sinners that come to him But Satan hath subtilly circumvented men by a great sleight in perswading them through the Doctrine of the false Ministers who are transformed as the Ministers of Christ that God will save some men that live and dye in sinne and that others who so live and dye shall be damned that one lyar shall be saved and another be damned one swearer shall be saved and another damned one Adulerer shall be saved and another damned that God is angry with one drunkard murtherer whoremonger and not with another though neither of them repent for they hold that it is Christ's w●rk to act faith and repentance In the Creature they hold that God was never angry with his Elect and hence it that some say God was no more angry with David after he had perpetrated those horrid sinnes of murther and adultery then he was at any other time others hold which is all one in effect that he forceth some to beleeve and be saved and appointeth others to sinne and be damned and this they call the distinguishing love of God which makes M. Troughton ask page 56. Where is the distinguishing love of God if Christ dyed for all I answer first in that he gave Christ to dye for all Men and not for the fallen Angels Secondly In that he will delight in abide with and save such as repent and obey him as you may see Psal 147. 11. Jo. 14. 21 13. Heb. 5. 9. and not others when he might have required men to have done an hundred times as much as he hath and yet have made no such promise of further manifestations of love or life eternall he gave himselfe a ransome for all yet he giveth more or a further addition of grace He resisteth the proud who deny the Lord that bought them and giveth grace to the humble Isai 4. 9. so here is distinguishing grace First He manifests his goodnesse grace or favour to men yea all men yea to the wicked men and they who humbly receive his mercy and truth shall have more even an increase every way as I have in the foregoing part of this Treatise prov●d from Jo. 14. 21. An other railing Accusation that Mr. Troughton brings against the truth is this If saith he we shall hold that Christ dyed for all this will be a ready way to reconcile us to Rome I conceive he meanes the Papists but the Papists generally hold that Christ dyed sufficiently but not efficiently for all and they hold directly as Mr. Troughton doth in this point that is That his blood in respect of

Scripture-Redemption freed from Men's Restrictions Being An ANSWER TO A Book lately published by Mr. William Troughton who stiles himself a Minister of the Gospel at Onlep in Leicester-shire INTITULED Scripture-Redemption restrained and limited As also the substance of several Conferences and Disputes had in England Wales and Scotland With Mr. Heath Mr. Bartley Mr. Powel Mr. Sam. Rutherford and Mr. James Wood Two Rectors of the University of S. Andrews and many others About the death of our most dear Redeemer and the Controversies which are the constant concomitants of it Together with a brief Reply to Mr. Troughton's rayling accusations in his Introduction By J. Brown sometimes of Oriel Coll. in Oxford afterwards a Priest of the Church of England and Vicar of Tenbury in Worcester-shire but now through mercy a Preacher of the faith which once he destroyed YE are my witnesses and my servant whom I have chosen that ye MAY know and believe me Isai 43. 10. London Printed by J. C. for Will Larnar at the signe of the Blackmoor neer Fleet-bridge 1653. To all those precious souls who receive the Gospel and follow the Lord Jesus in the way of righteousness to whose view this small Treatise shall by providence be presented Increase of all spiritual riches from the Father of mercies are unfeignedly desired IT is no new thing blessed souls for the God and men of this world to call the sweet saving and most soul refreshing doctrines of the Gospel Heretical opinions and the way of God even that way of Worship which Christ and his Apostles walked in Heresie that so by raising foul though false reports against the Truths of the true and eternal God they and their false Merchandise corrupt Doctrines I mean may seem fair in the eyes of their followers Let it not then seem strange to you neither be discouraged if it be so in our generation but as our God hath imparted to you a great measure of the knowledge of his love in the Lord Jesus let it be your care I beseech you by the mercies of God to walk worthy of the Lords love in all well pleasing and abounding in every good work that you may shine as lights in this world and in the world to come as the sun in the kingdom of our Father for ever and ever You have known and believed the love of God to your souls you know and are assured by the Scriptures that Christ died for you when other poor creatures going about to prove it by their qualifications a most inconstant and crooked rule are oft-times at least very uncertain whether Christ died for them and so through the instability of their sad minds either hurried away by dangerous presumption or hurled into deep despair and other soul-distracting distempers Their condition I much commiserate having my self been somewhat buffeted by Satan under it for at best they are frequently tossed to and fro by doubts and fears whether ever God gave his Son to lay down his life for them and so are kept from the enjoyment of that abiding consolation which you partake of by believing what is plainly written in the Word of Truth and rejecting the dark consequences and deductions of men Oh pity those that are ignorant of that truth which you are acquainted with endeavour to impart it to them but despise them not in that you know Christ died for them Be not weary of well doing The Lord is at hand and if you persist in holiness he will requite your short pains with everlasting pleasures and your work in the day of grace with an eternal and exceeding weight of glory And now brethren I commend you to God and to the word of his grace which is able to build you up to make you wise unto salvation to make you perfect and throughly furnished to every good work desiring the Lord of glory to preserve you blamless in body soul and spirit till he appears the second time without sin unto salvation that you may be presented faul●lest before the throne of his glory with exceeding joy and be made partakers and possessors of that rich and glorious Crown and those precious promises which now by saith and patience we inherit in which most blessed state I trust on the Lords day to meet you and in the mean space whilst the Lord holdeth my soul in life here shall remain Your faithful servant and brother though unworthy in the way and work of Christ J. Brown To all the people in the world who shall peruse this plain Discourse especially such as setting their faces towards Sion have their souls sadned through the uncertainty that is in them about Christs dying for them the Author sincerely wisheth those cordial consolations which which flow from the knowledge and acknowledgment of the Truth in this point according to the Scriptures KNowing by sad experience what a miserable condition they are in who are ignorant of the love of God and how chearfully they are drawn out to serve him who know and are assured that he gave his Son to be a Propitiation for them I have here presented to each impartial Reader a familiar Discourse concerning the death of our Redeemer wherein I shall by the help of Jehovah prove 1. That Jesus Christ did die for all and every man 2. How far this extends to all or what he hath done for all men dying for them and this I shall do by the express Word of the Lord as it is ministred to us by his own Spirit without sophistical Syllogisms dark Deductions Consequences and Inferences the onely proofs of those who assert the contrary 3. I shall also by the assistance of the Lord produce the reasons which I have found in the Scripture confirming this truth 4. I shall as I have met with them answer the Objections brought against it 5. I shall make some Application of the whole wherein I shall take opportunity to shew the soundness and profitableness of this Doctrine the sad consequences and absurdities of the contrary and endeavour to discover some reasons why so few receive it and why there is so great opposition made against it I confess they lie deep but the Lord in time will help us to a more full manifestation The occasion of my undertaking of this work was partly from a nameless Paper received from some Parish Ministers living about Bishops Castle in Shrop-shire to which because I knew not to whom to write I was not careful to return any Reply But especially from the reading of ten printed Arguments set out by one M. Troughton though suckt from others together with several Conferences had providentially with many learned men as they are accounted in England and Scotland about the death of Christ and the controversies which are the constant concomitants of it My resolution is to be plain without Rhetorical flourishes and the wisdom which man teacheth The glory of God is that which I chiefly aim at my conscience bearing me witness and

calls forth any soul he furnisheth that creature with every thing necessary for the doing of what he expects from him For the better understanding of this consider that for the enabling of creatures to act there is a twofold power requisite yet both from God through Christ The first is that he hath given to men and women as they are his creatures for as such they can hear see know understand walk c. And the second comes forth from him to them when they are able to discerne betwixt good and evil and this is the law light or motions of the Spirit of God presenting his goodness love or grace to them by this to lead them towards him forbidding them to do evil and bidding them do well The former fits us to do or act the latter to do well and till this latter I mean the law light or teachings of God come in some dispensation or other the creature cannot neither is it required to act according to the rule of Obedience to God but when this is come and the Lord layes truth before them they may know and believe him cease from evil and learn to do well according to the light law or power appearing as I have before shewed from Isa 43. 9 10. But some perhaps may say that I detract from the free grace of the Creator and attribute something to the creature as if he could contribute somthing towards his coming to God and his eternal happiness I hear there are many that talk much of free grace understanding neither what they say neither what they affirme for though the love grace mercy goodness or kindness of Jehovah being all but one and the same be ever free yet it is not alwayes without a conditian for Gods appointing of creating redeeming justifying sanctifying and calling of all men to live here to seek and serve him be so free that God required nothing of the creature to do these things for him he ask't no price made no bargain no man sought to him in the business but he alone moved by his own love towards a miserable lost creature finished the fore-mentioned works from the foundation of the world for all mankind yet they that believe not shall not enter into rest For the Lords sake read and consider Heb. 4. 1 2 3. so that now if men will injoy further manifestations of the love of God they must fulfill the conditions which God requires of all such as would have such enjoyments for therefore hath the Great Jehovah done all those things for men freely that men through consideration had of his love might love him that loved them first and hereupon he will yet love them and shew more of his kindness to them Weigh the words of our Saviour well Joh. 14. 21. He that hath my commandments and keepeth them he it is that loveth me and my Father will love him and I will love him and will manifest my self to him It is not to be doubted but the Father and Christ did love those that keep his commands before their Obedience yea before they were born yea so well as to redeem sanctifie and justifie them by the blood of the Lamb from the power or extent of suffering that came by Adams sin or else they had never been born and so could never have been obedient yet here he says My Father will love him and I will love him c. according to that Psal 147. 11. His delight is in them that fear him This further manifestation of love is upon condition and this was the way and purpose of God from the beginning If thou dost well thou shalt be accepted The Lord is with you whilst ye are with him and if seek ye him he will be found of you 2 Chr. 15. 2. He that confesseth and forsaketh his sin shall finde mercy Pro. 18. 13. Hear and your soul shall live Isa 55. 3. see vers 7. He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved Mark 16. 16. Behold I stand at the door and knock if any man hear my voice and open unto me I will come in to him and sup with him and he with me Rev. 3. 20. And if any man doth his will he shall know the doctrine shall be the mother brethren and sisters of Christ God will hear him and he shall enter into the Kingdome of Heaven Joh. 7. Mark 3. 35. Joh. 9. 31. Mat. 7. 21. But can the grace of God be said to be free when there is a condition of something to be done by us for the obtaining of it I answer Very well it may be free though it be our duty to receive and obey the giver For first God shews man what he would have done Mica 6. 8. and made all the promises of grace freely none moving him thereto nor any as men excluded from them Secondly It is he that gives all the ability by which we do what he layes before us Thirdly He might require us to do more then he hath yet have made no promises of further grace or of eternal life which is the gift of God and if this last were well understood and explained it would overthrow all the Popish doctrines of merits both of condignity and congruity for without controversie all the obedience of the whole race of mankind is not able to conterpoise much less deserve the least of the mercies which we enjoy as to this life and if God had laid more labour upon us and yet given us only what is here below we could not have said he had been a hard master If he had not pleased to have declared unto us by his Spirit the grace that shall be brought at the revelation of Jesus Christ we should never have heard or thought of it It must of necessity be then that the mercy of God to eternal life and his continued manifestation of grace in Order thereunto are most free for Fourthly Hearing the word of God faith repentance baptism prayer praising of God and other works of Gospel-obedience which God enables us to do stand us in nothing they are not like the costly and Burdensom ceremonies of the Jews the Lord onely requires that we should worship him in Spirit and in truth that is as the word of Christ which is Spirit and truth and life teacheth us Lastly our receiving or believing of light truth love and mercyes of God is so far from making it not to be a free gift that this makes it to be so to each particular for though God gave his Son the Gospel and eternal life freely yet no man hath either of these to himself as his proper right to his everlasting happiness except he receive it If a man leave as a legacie two hundred pound to be divided equally by his steward between twenty persons by him named the steward sending for those persons declares his Lords love and gift offers it to them and to their benefit who reject what was bequeathed it becomes a free gift

that Infants are to be baptized and added to the Church before they either repent or believe and that God doth decree the unbelief and disobedience of men and that he will damn some eternally for Adams fault and others for not doing that which since they came to discern betwixt good and evill they had never ability from the Lord to perform therefore are we call'd Heretiques and because we are willing that our Doctrine should be tried by the word of truth both publikely an privately and desire by the same Touchstone to prove what others teach for doctrine and will not be deluded by Philosophy and vain deceit not stung with the tail of the old Serpent I mean the Prophet who teacheth lies Isa 9. 15. with Rev. 12. 4. therefore are we counted the troublers of Israel such as turn the world upside down ring-leaders of Sects c. as our Brethren of old were neither are we grieved by these things for our sakes but for theirs even our countrymen and brethren after the flesh who rage at us and incense the Rulers against us because we believe and speak what is written and will not receive nor practise the Doctrines and Traditions which are not written witnesse M. W. T. who though he hath not one word of Scripture speaking that which he affirms yet he raves and rails publikely and privately because his Arguments are not held Authentick accounted Canonicall and received as Maxims of divine truth when indeed they are but the thoughts of his own heart and collections tha● he hath made from men that must die If I should go from place to place and say Christ did not die for all and he died only for a few men and women and God commanded men to do no more then he hath enabled them to do and that he hath appointed some even from the beginning to be disobedient to his commands might not men say where is this written might they not justly say that here is no light in these things and that these things not being written are not for our learning doubtless they might Ob. But if Christ died for all then all shall be saved All are and shall be saved or deliver'd from the first death as I have declared and i● shall be testified in due time 1 Tim. 2. 6. only the Elect the Saints that is such as receive the light held forth to them shall escape the second death they that believe and obey him shall enjoy eternall salvation through him Rev. 2. 11. 1 Thes 1. 10. Heb. ● 9. Ob. All prophane ignorant persons will say that Christ died for them I answer first they speak truth though they know not what they say for put such prophane persons to prove it by Scripture and to give you the text in which their evidence is contained and they come short of assurance then they say they believe he died for them and at last when they are put to shew the ground of their faith or what their faith was built on they will tell you they hope he died for them and he died for all that believe on him and serve him Secondly I answer 't is one thing for a poor soul to say that Christ died for him and another thing to know it by an infallible testimony and therefore we endeavour to prove this to every man by the Scriptures which hold forth the dying of Christ for all that so they may know certainly that Christ shed his bloud for them and by the knowledge hereof either be drawn to love and live to the Lord Jesus or be left vvithout excuse Ob. But cannot men be left without excuse without the preaching of this Doctrine to them Ans They cannot when and where this doctrine may be preached and heard indeed where the Scriptures are not people shall not be accused for not reading searching and preaching them or for their not knowing the vvords that are vvitten in them for God will at the last day require according to what he gave Luk. 12. 48. but vvhere this is fully made knovvn that Christ tasted death for every man they vvho imbrace it and bind it to their hearts by believing find abundance of consolation and they vvho receive it not shall not at the last day be able to plead ignorance Oh then hovv sad vvill it be at that time for such Preachers as deny preach vvrite pray and rail against this foundation truth of the Gospell Ob. Is it not said Rev. 5. 9. 14. 3. 4. Thou hast redeemed us is God and these were bought from amongst men c. Ans These precious texts are true but yet they do not say that there vvere no more bought to God from amongst men for if vve vvill 〈◊〉 the Apostle Peter there are some that d● deny the Lord that bought them 2 Pet. 2. 1. to say that because 144000. vvere redeem'd or bought from amongst men therefore there vvere no more redeemed is bad Logick and vvorse Divinity and is 〈◊〉 one ●s ●f a man had redeemed a thousand men out of Turky meeting vvith three or four of them should receive an acknowledgment of their deliverance that he had redeemed them the standers by should argue that he redeemed no more Ans Secondly I have before shew'd that redemption is consider'd two ways first by the effusion of the bloud of Christ from the first sin or originall offence secondly by the application of that bloud by which the Elect such as walk in Gospell-obedience receive Redemption or deliverance from their sins which they have committed in their own bodies since they knew good and evill for no sooner is the bloud of Christ closely laid to the heart of a sinner but he presently begins to loath and leave sin and at length by a constant application of it becomes fully redeemed freed or delivered from his bondage of these later the texts by M W. T. alledged are especially to be understood and so the word of truth being rightly divided is kept from clashing and seeming contradiction all men left without excuse and the justice and mercy of God cleared against the calumnies of imperious sinners But there are some whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world It 's most certain that these words Rev. 13. 8. are a prophecy of the great Antichrist vvho shall exercise his power for a time times and the dividing or half of time Dan. 7. 25. two and forty moneths or 1260. dayes Rev. 11. 2. 3. with chap. 3. 5. or three years and a half and many shall follow his pernitious ways idolizing him and worshipping him as a God and it is as certain that such as worship him are not written in the Book of Life for God hath of old ordain'd to condemnation ungodly men turning the grace of God unto wantonnesse and all Idolat●rs but this proves not that Christ never died for them but rather that he did die

was but for my part I think such Doctrine is most horrid and dismall the sinck of sinne and the enemy to all close walking with God the decay and ruine of the power of godlinesse and a little will reconcile the brochers of it to the Ranters I am of Christ's mind Except ye repent ye shall likewise perish Luk. 13. 3. And of the Prophet Ezekiel's When a righteous man tnrneth away from his righteousnesse and committeth iniquity c. all his righteousnesse which he hath done shall not be mentioned in his tresp●sse that he hath trespassed and his sin which he hath sinned in them shall he die Ezek. 18. 24. And of Pauls mind If any man draw back the Lord will have no pleasure in them Heb. 10. 38. Lastly I do not say that Mr. Troughton may fall from a state of grace but I pray with all my soul that he may come up to it and continue in it therefore he need not be offended and I am certaine no soule that truly feares God will dislike that Doctrine which perswades to perseverance and disswades from carelessenesse and Apostacy Object Lastly sayes Mr. Troughton if we hold that Christ dyed for all this may be an occasion to vilifie and debase the Scriptures for they that so hold do affirme that the Sun Moon and Stars and fruitfull seasons reveale Christ as a mediator savingly c. Ans 1. God hath given unto men three principall wayes of Teaching nature teacheth 1 Cor. 11. The heavens declare or preach Psal 19. 1. and his written Word declared by Moses and the Prophets Christ and his Apostles Now there are no men upon the face of the earth but have the two former and where the Lord affords those onely he expects obedience accordingly these leave men without excuse for mans eternall wel-fare stands not upon how much light or truth is manifested but how that which is manifested is obeyed and followed Ans 2. Where these are if the word of truth and peace preached by Jesus Christ may be enjoyed and is rejected then the others will not suffice Ans 3. As under the Law there was a dark discovery of Jesus yet sufficient as to that dispensation so in the teachings of nature and the creatures there is some discoveries of mercy and goodnesse in and from God which is not without Christ and will be found sufficient to those who have no other means For God accepts where there is a willing mind not according to what men have not but ac●rding to what they have 2 Cor. 8. 12. and will require according to what he gives if Christ may be judge Luk. 12. 43. I see some very inquisitive what shall become of Heathens Turks and Jewes c. others insulting over them judging and censuring them as a people of whom God hath no regard but who art thou that judgest another mans Servant look not how little they have and what shall become of them but how much thou hast and what is required of thee and know that God will expect of thee a suitable improvement taking this withall for the debellation of thy haughty thoughts of thy riches that as he that hid his one Talent is condemned and he that imployed well his ten Talents commended so whoever makes his own Talent two shall be rewarded when thou that boastest with thy great light and many Talents if not improved according to the Doners will and bounty maist be receive the greater condemnation it shall be easier for Tyre Sidon Sodom and Gomerrha at the great day of the Lord then for Chorazin Bethsayda and Capernaum Neither let any man think that anothers improvement will excuse him or that he may build his faith or what men have written in these things of which I have treated but on the Rock of ages and the Doctrine of the Prophets and Apostles whose pure rule and perfect prophesies discover to us the truth of these things wherein men differ Mr Troughton would perswade men that it s but a fiction to say that Christ dyed for all because it is not said in the Scripture that Christ dyed by name for thee John Thomas Robert c. their is no such particular Scripture revelation I grant there is no such particular revelation and therefore we affirme with the Scripture that Christ dyed for all that to John Thomas Robert or any other man may have a ground to believe that Christ dyed for every one of them 't is true if Christ did not dye for all then no man can certainly know that Christ layed down his life for him except he could finde both his names written in the Scpriptures And I appeal to every wise and impartial man whether Mr. Troughtons Argument doth not evidently conclude against himselfe for what need is there that every mans name should be recorded in Scripture seeing Christ gave himselfe a ransome for all But if that were true that Christ bought only a small number then its requisite that their names should be expressed or else no man can positively conclude that Christ dyed for him as for example If a pardon should be sent to all the prisoners in a prison there is no need of nominating them but if it be onely for two or three amongst many their names being not mentioned in the pardon the bringer of the pardon cannot tell who to call for nor the Keeper of the Prison whom to release nor the prisoners to whom it relates for if a man should come to a place where a thousand prisoners lay bound and should pretend that he comes with joyfull tydings to them and then at last tell them that two or three of them are onely redeemed though every one of them may have some hopes yet no man can know who it is till their names are manifested but if the act of Grace be sealed to them all every one hath a certaine ground of serious rejoycing by this you that love the truth and peace may see the bottome of Mr. Troughtous errors and depth of his wisdome Who teacheth men in the next place to argue thus Whosoever beleeveth on Christ shall be saved But I beleeve in Christ therefore I shall be saved For Answer hereto Consider how improper it is for men to tell men they must beleeve in Christ before they know who he is and what he hath done for their soules except you would have men beleeve they know not what and to walk by an implicit faith as Mr. Trovghton doth and then you will soon be reconciled to Rome The Scriptures teach us another Doctrine Ye may know and believe Isai 43. 10. They that know thy name will put their trust in thee Psal 9. 10. we have knowne and believed the love that the Father hath to us Jo. 4. 16. Let all the house of Israel know assuredly c. Act. 2. 36. after they have escaped the pullutiont of the world through the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour 2 Pet. 2 20. I know