be to himself and not to us which is wholly contrary to the Scripture which constitutes our duty and the reward of grace in performance thereof So Sovereignty saith p. 180. ther will have something to be done by themselves that Christ is not the doer of And if there is nothing to be done by us but what Christ does then it 's his work and not ours which ends all duty and reward 2. Whether we can find no better a way to honour God in this matter but by rendring men as brutes yea worse than brutes not so much as capable to will their own safety with the helps that God affords Or if so then to glory therein and dishonour God for if men glory in themselves they dishonour God and wrong themselves but certainly those who render men in this matter as the brutes viz. that if God rule not in and over them as if they were brutes they can do nothing nor will nor work do wonderfully dishonour both God and man rendering all men uncapable either of vice or virtue without a miracle which he could so rule in and over any other creatures if he so pleased so that from a supposition to avoid dishonouring God in a way that does indeed and in good earnest wonderfully dishonour him must needs be very dangerous 3. Is it either dishonourable unto God or any occasion of pride in those who in the power of his Gospel grace do their duty i. e. doth will and choose the good and forsake the evil When others abuse the same power and grace in refusing the good and choosing the evil does not God himself command the one and forbid the other Commend the one and blame the other Justifie the one and condemn the other Men humbly â—esolving to do the will of God when they know it â—â—ring their duty so to do as the Prophet Psa 119. â—3 34. And cannot this be without pride and dishonour 〈◊〉 God Has not Christ taught us in this matter Luk. 17. 10. When ye have done all those things that are Commanded you say we are unprofitable servants 4. And as for 1 Cor. 4. 7. Tho it 's a great truth that all distinguishing grace is from the Lord yet the difference there intended is the difference in gifts given after conversion for the Churches use as is appaâ—â—nt compared with v. 6. and not the difference made in the grace of saith and first conversion unto God Christ But do you not think that God worketh in â—â—e more than in others in order to rectifying the will is well as in affording the power or â—o you think he worketh alike in all in order to the work of faith and conversion Min. The manner and measure of Gods working in the Gospel in this matter in it self is a secret yet I doubt â—â—t but that he does exercise a liberty in this matter as it is capable to love some more and some less with his first love of pitty as before I shewed so he may and doubtless doth work in some more and in some less so likewise in the use of means on some he waits longer and useth greater means then with others some yielding to his means and workings sooner than others who in long waiting and much means submit to his call when others under the same means continue rebellious sâ—â—ll Yet in this matter it behoves us to understand two things 1 That whatever he works iâ— any it 's sutable to their rational capacities and not as brutes with freedom of will and liberty of choice the manner of working being by arguments from without prevailing upon the understanding and reason that in Judgment it makes its choice or else conversion might be effected by an immediate power without the word of the Gospel which I think was never yet done if any instance can be given of any person that has been converted to believe in Christ crucified that never heard of him this will be much answered but indeed it 's contrary to the Scripture Rom. 10. 14. and contrary to reason and experience because no man can possibly believe and be converted till he know what to believe and from what and to what to turn Act. 26. 18. 1 Thes 1. 9 10. It 's true God can possibly work without means which would be indeed miraculous but in this matter he has not nor does not but the Gospel is the only means designed of God for Gospel conversion and faith therefore Paul must have a ministry without him tho from the mouth of Christ for his conversion if an immediate work with out means might have done it Saul had been a sit subject for such a work tho through his Ignorant and Blind-Zealous Perversness he was without the reach of the ordinary means yet tho in a more than ordinary way Christ wrought upon him by his wordwithout him to his understanding within him Act. 9. 4 5 6. what he heard and saw affected his heart and the work was done 2. The manner and measure of the work is not so much material while he affords a sufficiency unto all and is before hand with all in this matter as the parable of the Talent does fully demonstrate to one he gave five to another two and to anothr one He worketh and giveth as he pleaseth and expecteth improvement in which way he will give more Mat. 25. 29. with Heb. 5. 12 13 14 and those who deny all ability of improvement do render men to be but as brutes Christ Does not the Apostle complain Rom. 7. 18. for want of power more than for want of will For me to wiâ— is present but how to perform that which is good I know not By which it seems to appear that the power is wanting more than the will want of power being the matter of complaint Min. This is no more in substance than what I said before viz. it 's not perfect obedience the Lord requireth or impowereth us to perform while here in the mortal and fallen state Ps 103. 14. but sincere and universal weakness being really upon us and by reason of our sinful and mortal estate it comes to pass that tho persons before conversion have more power than ordinarily they have will to improve yet after conversion in some cases they have more will than they have power to perform and this was the Apostles case they would serve the Lord as freely and universally so fully and perfectly without distraction or imperfection and this they cannot do and this experienced Christians find and feel by woful experience as the Apostle did and in this they will beyond their power yet they serve him as they should when their will and desires do really out-run their power in service tho they serve him not as they would i. e. perfectly without mixture distraction or imperfection Christ Eph. 1. 19. Is much used to prove an Almighty irresistible power in the work of conversion what say you to it Min. This Scripture is frequently
A Compendious DISCOURSE About some of the greatest matters of Christian Faith propounded and explained between a MINISTER and an enquiring CHRISTIAN designed for clearing the truths of the Gospel the honour of Christ and advantage of men And also may serve for an answer to two books one called The practical Discourse of the Sovereignty of God the other called The Death of Death by the Death of Christ written by J. O. Whereunto is annexed a very brief Appendix Written by T. Collier Gal. 〈…〉 To whom we gave place by subjection no not for an hour that the truth of the Gospel might 〈…〉 tinue with you 1 Tim. 6. 3. 4. If any man teach otherwise and consent not to wholsom words even the words of our Lord Jesus Christ and the Doctrine which is according to godliness he iâ— proud knowing nothing but doting about questions and strife of words whereof cometh envie strife railings evil surmisings perverse disputings of men of corrupt minds destituâ—â— of the truth c. Zec. 8. 19 Therefore love the Truth and Peace London Printed by H. H. for Tho. Fabian at the Sign of the Bible in St. Paul's Church-Yard a Corner sho◠〈◊〉 Châ—â—â—â—â—dâ— 168â— The Authors desire and end in the ensuing Discourse GO forth my Muse take Wings and flee Speak plain and true that all may see For none can see without a light Nor can they see without some sight All have some sight within them so As to discern what light do shew And when discerned to make choice Of what is spoke by the Lights voice But without Light no man can see Nor can in Truth instructed be Most true it is that God is Light The Fountain clear in whom 't is bright And from that Fountain it doth shine In ways of his that are Divine The Eye within in the true sence Has had three Books to learn from thence The Works the Law the Gospel pure The Book of Life that shall endure To turn away from this clear Sun Is the right way to be undone This is the Light discoursed on And calleth for reception It calls aloud and cries to men Let it not be rejected then And if that some do thee traduce That thou returnest with abuse Be not afraid what e're do come Nor yet dismaid for any doom 'T is Gospel Light does in thee shine Therefore none can thee undermine Thy Dress is plain thy Language sharp 'T is that thou mayst speak to the heart If the good end design'd by thee Shall in some part effected be Which is the common good of men Let God have all the glory then And then again my heart shalt sing With joy the praise of Sion's King And this also thy work shall be And that unto Eternity The Epistle DEDICATORY To the Learned Doctors Masters and Students of the two Universities of Oxford and Cambridge and to all the Learned in the Nation Learned SIRS IT 's the saying of the Wise man Prov. 4. 5. Get wisdom get understanding forget it not v. 7. Wisdom is the principle thing therefore get wisdom with all thy gettings get understanding v. 8. Exalt her and she shall promote thee she shall bring thee to honor when thou dost embrace her and chap. 16. 16. How much better is it to get wisdom than gold And to understanding rather to be chosen than silver Then surely it is not wisdom to get gold and silver but that which is far above it Which will give to thine head not a Crown of gold and silver but an Ornament of grace a Crown of glory shall she deliver to thee They are the great things of Divine wisdom as revealed in the Scriptures of truth that I have been exercised about and of which it 's said 2 Tim. 3. 15. They are able to make us wise unto salvation through faith in Christ Jesus And therefore I have no reason to suppose you 'le count it strange or presumption that I present the Dedication of the ensuing discourse to your learned and serious consideration 'T is true it 's a plain English Christian Discourse yet the things discoursed on are the great and high things of God and the Gospel and therefore am not willing to doubt but you will readily grant are such things as concern your most scrious Studies Though with some their Studies may be much if not too much about things of a lower and terrene concern as indeed all things are beneath the glorious Gospel of the blessed God yet I doubt not the lawfulness of endeavours for attainments in human learning and that both as to the Languages â—â— Philosophy both in the rational natural and moral parts thereof though my self have little or none of either in its artificial parts Yet it 's radically in all rational men though it has been and is too much debauched and defaced in most by sensual lusts Your learned and Philosophical studies may tend to make you men of parts and of use among men in things of torrene concern if not abused and if kept subject in its place may prove no hindrance to you but a help in your Divine studies though I acknowledge not Philosophy to be the Mother of Theology as some say Gal. 4. 26. yet this I dare say that without rational Philosophy in its root we could not be rational men and then we could not be Christian men without a miracle indeed as some say it being to the rational understanding part in man that the Gospel comes and by which it 's understood and believed Learned Sirs Whatever ends you design in your studies it concerns you all to take in Theology and the glory of God as the chief and glory of all things of Gospel concern being of highest of best and eternal concern and this I am sure your learning simply considered in it self will not hinder but help you in while you keep humble and improve your acquired Talents for God The blessed Gospel of his grace by Jesus being very much suted to the rational capacities of men or else it were in vain to publish it unto them Though the Gospel in it self being the Ministration of Peace by Jesus properly relating to the general restitution new world new state and life with all its Ordinances of divine worship faith and holy life in order to preparing us for and obtaining of the glory and as so is above the reach of reason and all the human Philosophy in the world without the Divine revelation thereof Rom. 10. 14. 1 Cor. 1. 21. 2. 7 8. but being by the Gospel revealed and brought down and opened 〈◊〉 Rom. 10. 6 7 8 9. to those who believe the Scripture to be the Divine Revelation it 's rational as well as divine to believe God in his word and love and cleave to him therein which is the great and saving Faith of the Gospel though over and above our rational capacities He has of his own grace ordered the Gospel which is the Divine Revelation thereof to be
the Ministration of the Spirit 2 Cor. 3. 8. and to minister the Spirit for our help therein Gal. 3. 2. Rom. 8. 26. yet it s so far from the Gospel to destroy our rational and moral capacities that it tends to help and lighten us therein though in a more Spiritual and sublime way Some talk of losing or laying aside our reason as if Christianity were an irrational thing if we lay aside our reason we must lay aside our humanity and our Christianity too Others talk of reasons being sanctified and that I like well it stands with the truth of the Gospel reason sanctified by the word and spirit of the Gospel Joh. 17. 17. Sanctifie them through the truth thy word is truth chap. 15. 3. Ps 119. 9. and I understand reason then to be sanctified when it understands believes loves and obeys the truth of the Gospel which I take to be regeneration begun here which being persevered in will issue in the perfect Regeneration in the world to come But I am afraid that under the notion of sanctified reason two evils are come in upon Christianity like a torrent even to the spoiling thereof 1. Some under the notion of the Spirit and sanctified reason do out and end the greatest part of the glorious Gospel of the blessed God in the great matters of Faith narrowing and denying thereof in the largeness of its extent contrary to the very letter and scope of Scripture alone from their supposed sanctified reason as will appear in the following discourse 2. And others make additions and change the Ordinances according to their own devices and all by supposed sanctified reason corrupted Philosophy and vain deceit after the will of men and not after Christ The Christian religion in it self as it 's the most divine so it s he mostrational Religion in the world or that ever was in the world being opened to us by the Divine Revelation though there are some things in it above the reach of reason to comprehend even with the Divine Revelation and Teachings of God therein yet we may understand the truth thereof and it 's rational for us to believe it because God has said it to instance in some particulars 1. That God should so love the world as to give his only begotten Son for its redemption and Christ so love the world as to give his Flesh for the life thereof are incomprehensible mysteries of grace Joh. 3. 16. 6. 51. Eph. 3. 17 18 19. 2. The Incarnation of our blessed Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ is in it self an incomprehensible mystery 1 Tim. 3. 16. 3. The Resurrection Judgment the greatness terribleness righteousness and justice thereof the restitution new world with the diversities of the glories and punishments thereof are all incomprehensible mysteries till the times come of effecting thereof 1 Cor. 13. 9. 10. 1 Joh. 3. 2. Ps 9. 11. yet by the Divine Revelation we may understand the truth of these unsearchable mysteries and it 's very rational as well as divine that we believe the truth thereof So that I say the Christian Faith and Religion is the most rational and to render it unreasonable in any of the parts thereof does open wrong to God Christ the Gospel and to men When in truth in its own simplicity and purity there is nothing irrational in it in this matter we may and must say if we say right as Prov. 8. 8 9. All the words of wisdoms mouth are righteous there is nothing froward or perverse in them they are all plain to him that understandeth and right to them that find knowledge ch 14. 16. a scorner seeketh wisdom and findeth it not but knowledge is easie to him that hath understanding God having given to men large Capacities that if rightly exercised about the works of God and word of life they might attain to the excellent knowledge of the most holy and to the precious faith and life of the Gospel through the Divine teachings therein which shall not be wanting to those that really desire and seek it Prov. 2. 1. to 6. Luk. 11. 13. Jam. 1. 5. God having in his wisdom and grace stated the things of the Gospel both in matters of Faith and Worship plain to the rational Capacities of men to the end that they might through a right industry obtain the saving knowledge of his will therein And it s only the irrational devices additions and contrary interpretations of men both in matters of Faith and practice that hath filled the world with irrational errours divisions and confusions which the Scripture if cleaved to in its own light and language which is but reason it should be so as well as divine would be the alone blessed way for us to arrive to unity in the great things of Gospel concern reason misled by Tradition Blind-zeal or captivated by sensual lusts has and doth make bad work in the world See from Scripture how reason and Christian Religion unites 1. It 's both rational as well as Religious that we believe God in the word of his grace 2 Thess 3. 2. where unbelievers are rendred to be unreasonable men as well as irreligious and 1 Pet. 3. 15. we are to give a reason of our hope to every one that shall ask Which can never be if our reason be useless nor can meerly rational men understand it when it is given them 2. It 's rational as well as Religious that we should serve and worship God according to his own revealed will in the Gospel and not after our own wills or the inventions and Traditions of men Rom. 12. 1. 2. the contrary is irrational as well as irreligious 3. The increase of divine grace received by faith in the Gospel is by the rational exercise of our selves therein Mat. 25. 29. with Heb. 5. 14. 4. The holy and honourable terms of the Gospel on which the life and glory thereof is promised and without which we may not expect it renders it to be very rational and credible to men no man in his right reason can conclude that God should seek to save a people in so wonderful away but in the way of holiness the contrary would render the Gospel incredible to all rational men 5. It 's rational as well as Religious that we abhor all moral evils sensual and brutish lusts and to love all moral vertues and duties and the contrary is irrational and immoral as well as irreligious The Moral law or Ten Commands given by Moses is commonly understood to be the same for substance as is written in nature or rational and moral Philosophy in men Rom. 2. 14 15. Which the Gospel destroys not but tends to perfect it in us as it 's administred to us by Christ Rom. 3. 31. and 8. 4. 1 Cor. 9. 21. not as from mount Sinai but as from mount Sion Heb. 2. 18. 22. the sum and substance of the Law and Prophets is to teach men to love God above all and their neighbours as
Punishment of their former sins So he is said to raise up Pharaoh as a Punishment of his former sin in oppressing the People of God Ex. 1. 8. to 22. and 3. 7 8 9. So Dr. Usher ' s Substance of Christianity p. 58. It 's usual with God to Punish one sin with another as for Example the hardening of Pharaohs heart was a sin in Pharaoh and God brought it upon him not as a sin but as a Punishment of his former sin and this opens the whole matter in Rom. 9. and 11. chapters and otherwise to understand it maketh God the Author both of sin and Judgment contradicteth the Scriptures and draweth a black Clould over the blessed Gospel of Gods free Grace to men Christ I am well satisfied in what you have said in this matter the 2d Scripture I desire you to speak to is Act. 13. 48. As many as were ordained to Eternal life believed From hence some conclude that the Elect only obtained and the rest were by Predestination rejected Minist To this I shall say 1. That the words may be as well read as many as believed were ordained to Eternal life 2. As I have elsewhere said the word Ordained may be as properly read addicted From 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which may be rendered to Ordain Dispose set in Order or Addict So is the same word translated 1 Cor. 16. 15. They addicted themselves to the Ministry of the Saints it would be improper to say they Ordained themselves 3. To conclude that the rest were reprobated by Eternal Decree is very unscriptural and unchristian like for they that did not then believe might afterwards or at least some of them If a Minister should now come and Preach to a People that may be rebellious would he conclude them all or any of them to be reprobated by Eternal Decree and never Preach more to them If so Preaching for Conversion would quickly be at an end does not God wait long and use much means to overcome men by Rom. 10. 21. Luk. 13. 34. Christ The 3d. Scripture is 1 Pet. 2. 8. Those that stumbled at the word being disobedient whereunto they were appointed From hence some concludes that they were appointed to disobedience and therefore could not be saved Minist This is a great wrong to the Truth of God and to the true meaning of that Scripture they stumbled at the word whereunto they were set and so Tindal Translates it but take it set or appointed it 's all one they were set or appointed to the word to believe and obey it to which they were disobedient and not appointed to disobedience as some vainly and wickedly affirm Christ The 4th Scripture is 2 Pet. 2. 12. But these as natural Brute Beasts made to be taken and destroyed Hence some conclude that God made some Men on purpose to destroy them and such cannot be saved Minist This likewise is greatly misunderstood and applyed It was the Brute Beasts that was made to be taken and destroyed and not the People spoken of it being a Metaphor taken from Brute Beasts which are fatted to the day of slaughter so such men do brutishly destroy themselves Hos 13. 9. read the words and leave the Metaphor as in a Parenthesis and you may easily understand the true sence But these as Brute Beasts and speak Evil of things they understand not and shall perish in their own Corruption not because they were made to be destroyed it was the Brute Beasts that was so made But as Brute Beasts are prepared so they prepare themselves for destruction by speaking Evil of things they understand not and so perish in their own Corruption A word of Warning it should be to all especially of that Spirit and Principles to take heed and beware of speaking Evil of what they understand not lest they prove to be some of those here spoken of like Brute Beasts who are made to be destroyed knowing that brutish principles will as certainly end in destruction as brutish practices Christ The 5th Scripture is Prov. 16. 4. The Lord hath made all for himself yea even the wicked for the day of Evil. Hence some infer that God made the wicked to be Damned and therefore they cannot be saved Minst 1. It 's certain true that God hath Ordained and declared that wicked men who so live and dye shall have Condemnation 2. The Scriptures do not say that God made them wicked I think it would be an Evil saying against God so to affirm and if he did not make them wicked then he did not make them in the sence intended for the day of Evil. 3. Take it in their sence then all men must be damned for themselves affirm That all are born lyable to the second death and the Scripture saith that all before Conversion are wicked Rom. 3. 9. to 18. 23. So that if wicked men were made by the Lord to be damned then all must be damned 4. Therefore I understand the truth in that Scripture intended is that God made all for himself and such as go on wilfully in a way of Rebellion aâ—ainst him he hath determined and declared that such are for the day Evil i. e. shall meet with the Evil of Punishment and this stands in Unity with the whole Scripture yet probably in this Scripture not intending so much or only the Eternal Judgment or second death but the Temporary Judgments threatned and executed on that People for their sins altho they were his own People yet they had many such Evil days as a Punishment for their sin and that as they were wicked and for the Glory of his Justice Lam. 5. 16. Woe unto us that we have sinned but to infer from hence that God made men on purpose to damn them Eternally is a very untrue Conclusion and far from the words or intentions of the Text. Christ The 6th Scripture I shall mention is Mat. 13 11. to 16. and Luk. 20. 21. Where Christ speaking in Parables gives a reason thereof as a Judgment upon the Jews that it was not given to them to know the mysteries of the Kingdom And hence it 's inferred that they were reprobated by Eternal Decree And Luk. 10. 21. I thank thee O Father that thou hast hid these things from the Wise and Prudent c. Hence it 's concluded that those from whom God did hide the Gospel was reprobated from of old and could not be saved Minist It 's most evident in both that it 's the same as before I declared from Rom. 9. as a punishment of their former and present sins 2. There is not a word about the Eternal Decrees in either of the Scriptures but the present Judgment upon them for their past and present sins 3. They might and very probably many of them did afterward believe God having his times to work those that believe not at one time and oportunity of Grace may at another and it 's apparent the Jews time was not then come but afterwards
to be Wiser in our own Conceit than our Lord and Law-giver 4. Whoever fixeth the sin and damnation of the World on the eternal Decree of God and not on mans chosen and willful wickedness as the first just and deserving cause thereof but fathers both the sin and Judgment on the eternal Decree of God as the first cause of both denyeth the Scripture belieth the Lord and believeth a lie Ezek. 33. 11. Joh. 3. 16 19. 1 Tim. 2. 4. Rev. 22. 17. 5. Whoever denyeth the Love God to the world in the gift of his Son affirming that he loved but a few of the Elect only denieth the Scripture and believeth a lye Luk. 2. 10. Joh. 3. 16. 6. Whoever denieth that Jesus Christ gave himself for the life of the World a ransom for all a Propitiation for the sins of the World affirming that he died but for a few the Elect only denieth the Scripture and believeth a lye Joh. 6. 51. 1 Tim. 2. 6. 1 Joh. 2. 2. 7. Whoever affirmeth that men are no more capable to believe and obey the Gospel unto life than Bruit Beasts or Stones or a dead Corps and yet that God will damn them for not believing thereof it being both unscriptural irrational and dishonourable unto God denieth the Scripture and doth open wrong both to God and men and believeth a lye Ro 3. 3 4 5. 8. Whoever believeth and teacheth Salvation by an inconditional Covenant and Justification by faith without works denieth the Scripture and believeth a lye Mar. 16. 15 16. Rev. 22. 14. Jam. 2. 20. Christ Ro. 4 5. Is much made use of to prove Justification by faith without works But to him that worketh not but believeth on him that Justifieth the ungodly his faith is counted for righteousness Min. 1. If we hold Justification without works aâ— must then hold Salvation without works because every Justified person is in a saved state Ro. 8. 30. and so bid a due to works both as to Justification and Salvation 2. So to understand the Apostle in this or any other Scripture is to set him in direct opposition to Christ and all the Apostles which we may in no case do 1. Contrary to Christ Mat. 7. 21 24. and contrary to his Commission for Gospel Preaching and Salvation Mat. 16. 15 16. 2. Contrary to the rest of the Apostles Heb. 5. 9. 10. 36. 12. 14. Contrary to James ch 2. 24. Ye see then how that by works a man is Justified and not by faith only ch 1. 22. 25. Contrary to Peter 2 Pet. 1. 5. to 12. and Contrary to John 1 Joh. 2. 3 4 5 6. v. 17. he that doth the will of God abideth for ever 3. So to understand Paul in that Scripture not only sets Paul against Christ and all the Apostles but against himself and that in the same Epistle who Commonly states Salvation upon Obedience to the Gospel tho not as the deserving cause but as the Terms without which is no Obtaining thereof ch 2. 7 8 9 10. and we may not suppose the Apostle to be so inconsiderate as to contradict himself and that in the same Epistle 4. It 's most Aparent the Apostle intends not Gospel works in that place but the works of the Law as such compared with ch 3. 20 21. By the deeds of the Law there shall no Flesh be Justified v. 28. Therefore we conclude that a man is Justified by faith without the deeds of the Law but not without the deeds of the Gospel that contradicts the whole Gospel and the design of the Apostle as is most apparent 9. Whoever denieth the danger of believers falling from grace now in this imperfect state and holdeth and teacheth the impossibility thereof doth wrong to meâ— denieth the Scripture and believeth a lie Rom. 8 13 11. 20. Heb. 3. 12 4. 11. 2 Pet. 3. 17. 1 Tim. 1. 19 20. 10. Whoever denieth the restitution of all things the world to come and the eternal Kingdom and Glory of Christ and his Church therein denyeth the Scripture and believeth a lie Act. 3. 21. 2 Pet. 3. 13. Rev. 11. 15 22. 5. Mar. 10. 30. 11. Whoever believeth and teacheth that when Christ the Lord and Judge doth come again from Heaven to judge the world in righteousness Act. 17. 31. that he will â—urn up the world and not make it new and carrry away the saints with him to heaven and send all the world eternally to hell in their sense viz. that none of them shall have any advantage at all by the womans seed denieth the truth and glory of Christs undertaking for the world and a great part if not the whole of his kingdom and glory in the world to come and so denieth the Scripture and believeth a lie the truth of this see cleared in the next chapter 12. Whoever demeth the free operations of the Gospel Spirit in the word and work of Grace or in the ministerial gifts in prophesie and preaching as sufficient thereunto limiting Gospel ministerial gifts and offices in the Church of Christ to human acquired abilities denieth the sufficiency of the Gospel Spirit in the Gospel work introducing the human spirit instead thereof and is in the depth of the Apostacy 1 Cor. 2. 12 12. 4. 7. 13. Whoever setteth up the common light that is in all men instead of Christ and the Spirit of the Gospel is in the Apostacy and believeth a lye Christ Some saâ— that some of these things Especially the 4 5 6 7 8 9 particuars are the great Bulwarks against popery and that to assert such things as these tends to weaken the protestants and to strengthen the hands of the Papists Min. I hope these are not the best Bulwarks and strength of Protestants against Papists if it were it would surely fail in the time of need 2. If these things has been the strength of Protestants against Popery it 's no marvel so little is done for advantage to the Protestant interest and conviction of Papists if we lay the foundation in falshood and build thereupon it 's no marvel we are not blest of God and Popery gain upon us 3. Let Protestants fall in with the truth of the Gospel as it is in Jesus both in principle and practice Especially in these great and fundamental parts thereof and they will have enough to bear up with great authority from Scripture against Popery in all its parts 1. Hold firm to this both in principle and practice that the Scripture is in it self the alone sufficient ground and rule in all matters of Christian faith and Religion and needs not the Churches Authority for it's warrant nor the inventions traditions or additions of men which as it's a Christian so it 's a Protestant principle 2. Let the Express letter plain reason and scope of Scripture united in and with it self without the harsh and contradictory interpretations of men or consequences drawn contrary to and against the express light language and
what is written both in the Book of God and in the law of Nature especially when it tends to pervert and overthrow the express Letter and Truth of Scripture and the foundation of all our Faith and comfort God can and doth love and distinguish therein or we are all deceived who have believed his Word 1 Joh. 4. 16. We have known and believed the love that God hath to us But this principle saith in effect John thou art deceived in believing a lie there being no such thing as love in God out I believe he never did nor never will hate any either Angels or Men but for sin Christ This seems to be greatly contrary to Scripture indeed that there is no love in God to men tending to break the hearts of Christians and to destroy their Faith in God and in the truth of his Word but what say you to the truth of his Laws and will to men doth that likewise suffer violence under this abuse Min. It 's a common avowed principle in effect that God commandeth one thing and has Decreed another contrary thereunto which they call his revealed and his secret Will the secret they call his Absolute Decreed Will which must be done he commands men by his Word to believe and repent but Decreed the contrary Death of Death saith about the proffers of Grace pag. 190. If by proffers they understand his commands and promises Who told them that these things were declarations of his will purpose or intentions I thought always that Gods commands and promises had revealed our Duty and not his intentions what God would have us to do and not what he would do And in the same pag. So they think of all that 's new to them viz. That as Gods proffer is so is his intention that he intends what he saith in his Precepts and his Promises And indeed this is new Doctrine and needs some more than ordinary new miracles to confirm it it overthrowing the Doctrine of the Gospel that was confirmed by Miracles if neither his Precepts nor Promises be his purpose or intention but only declare our Duty and not his purpose or intention what he commands us to do not what he will do they being not declarative of his will purpose or intentions then we know not when we have the will or intention of God either in Precept or in Promise a secret will and intention may be contrary thereunto and if this be good and true Doctrine farewell all Scripture and Christian Religion Christ I desire you to proceed to other things wherein you apprehend the truth wronged for I think it 's of weighty concern to believe that God thinketh as he speaketh and that his Precepts and Promises are his intentions and that he will do what he has promised as he expects that we should do what he has commanded and that whoever saith the contrary are liers Rom. 3. 4. Or else our Faith and Religion is yet in vain it being fixed on God his Truth and Faithfulness in his Word which if it be not his Purpose nor intentions I think our Faith therein is ended Min. There are many things in Scripture affirmed and that God therein affirms of himself of Which men say there is no such thing as not only what has been already mentioned the Scripture not only saith that God is Love and doth Love but that he is angry with the wicked every day Psal 7. 11. And that he was angry with Moses Deut. 1. 37. And very angry with Aaron to have destroyed him Deut. 9. 20. And angry with Solomon 1 King 11. 9. And very angry with his People Psal 79. 5. The Scripture frequently declares God to repent Gen. 6. 6. Exod. 32. 12 13. Jer. 18. 7 10. Joel 2. 14. Jona 3. 9 10. Pittying and bemoaning his People Hos 11. 8. And wishing they had done otherwise when they sinned against him that so it might have been better â—ith them Psal 81. 13. Isa 48. 18. That God does â—â—ar and see that Heaven is his dwelling place and â—hrone with many other like sayings of which men say â—here is no such thing in God but words spoken to our â—pprehensions which if they are not true our appreâ—â—nsions are deluded thereby which we may not â—â—agine Christ Some say that if we apprehend such things â—â— be in God according to the Letter of the Scripture â—â— must then suppose him to be a Man like our selves subâ—â—ct to passions which is dangerous Exod. 15. 3. It 's â—â—d God is a Man of War and take it according to the atter it is not so Min. As for this saying Psal 78. 65. Isa 42. â—â— Explains it viz. He is like to or as a man of â—â—ar doing mighty things and so may Exod. 15. 3. be â—â—ry properly read is being added read as instead â—f is and then you will read it the Lord as a Man of â—â—r the Lord is his Name viz. He has done like a Man â—â— War verse 4. Pharoahs Chariots and his Hosts hath â—â— cast into the Sea And for all those Anthropical expressions in Scrixure with many more of like import it behoves us to â—elieve the truth thereof and not to say it is not so in â—â— doing we give God the lie All which we may betâ—â—â— understand than to suppose him to be a Man yea â—ight we not in all these Anthropical and manlike exâ—essions better understand him than to say it is â—ot so When God is said to love to hate to be angry â—â— repent to be grieved to pity and to bemoan for â—iscarriages to wish it had been otherwise to require â—nd desire that which may never be to hear and see â—â—at Heaven is his dwelling Place and Throne c. And that there is a truth in all and no delusion of our understandings and you does none of all these things as men do them and so be far enough from imagining him to be a man it being his perfection that he can do all these things with many more as God-like properties essential to him and therefore in a God-like way and not as created qualities and passions as in men and tho we cannot understand how it is as indeed is not meet we should yet let us not deny it and say it is not so in so doing we give God the lie Christ What may be the reason that men thus deny alter and change the express Divine and revealed declarations of God in his Word And what may be the danger thereof Min. We may well suppose the cause to be ignorauce and pride not liking to receive or to retain the knowledge of God as he hath made known himself in his Word unto us and to maintain some unscriptural Notions received by Tradition will be wiser than what is written supposing to get up into God to know him in his essential being and so deny him in his own revelation of himself in his Word unto us 2. As for the danger thereof
themselves to do to others as they would they should do to them and the Gospel teaches the same Mat. 22. 37. to 40. and 7. 12. and this is written in all men by nature and is true rational and moral Philosophy and true Gospel Divinity and where it 's not effected it 's by the souls captivation by irrational immoral and sensual lusts and how would the Divine Law of Christ and in the Gospel united to our understandings and reason effect it if taken heed unto A sin and shame it is and dreadful will be the issue thereof that many Learned men who account themselves above others both in Philosophy and Divinity and yet are more immoral than many moral Heathens And as both moral Philosophy and Gospel Divinity unites in teaching the abhorrency of all ungodliness with the practice of all the contrary vertues and duties so would it teach us to abhor all persecution for Conscience sake if attended to it would teach us in this matter to do to others as we would they should do to us the contrary being not only unchristian but irrational No man in his right reason would be content to be forced to believe and worship God as others do contrary to his own light and conscience such in Justice reason it self and light of nature abhors and it 's likewise contrary to the Protestant Doctrine and Faith which is to make the Scriptures our rule in all matters of Faith and practice and not to be compelled to believe as the Church believeth which is condemned by Protestants to be the Popish Faith and not the Faith of Christ And strange it seems to be that Learned men who profess themselves to have most both of Philosophy and Divinity should be so great miscarriers herein I think it may be said without all just occasion of offence that throughout all ages of Christianity Learned men has lien at the bottom of most of the persecutions for Conscience sake surely it came not from their Philosophy or Divinity but from their enmity pride and prophaneness Ps 10. 2. or from some carnal and corrupt ends within themselves must be irrational and irreligious or at best from blind and ignorant zeal Joh. 16. 2. Phi. 3. 6. It 's true the Scripture warns us to take heed of being spoiled by Philosophy and vain deceit after the traditions of men and the rudiments of the World and not after Christ Col. 2. 8 i. e. When our reason turns us aside from the Gospel either in matters of Faith or practice being corruptly exercised and so becomes vain and deceitful and is not pure reason that submits it self to the Divine Law of Christ in all things so far as it understands it And although Rational and Moral Philosophy was and yet is excellent in its time and place and in itself in its degree spiritual being of and from God yet the Gospel is more spiritual and by it men formerly arrived to much of the knowledge of God and themselves and so to a good life in moral virtues and yet might arrive to the same and doubtless were then accepted of God and may yet be so where the Gospel is not known yet where the Gospel comes it will not serve or avail us without the true faith and life of the Gospel but if it being captivated by sensual lusts reject or neglect the Grace of life it renders such the more liable to the Judgment and damnation threatned therein Learned Sirs The Reasons of my dedicating the ensuing Christian discourse unto you are 1. Because the things discoursed on are matters of great if not of greatest concern to the name of God and Christ the glorious Gospel of the blessed God and the spiritual and eternal good of men and therefore of weighttest concern to have the precedency in your meditations 2. Because most of the things discoursed on are not Novel but the controverted things of the past and present times the Doctrine of the Sovereignty of God as exercised towards men the Doctrine of Election and reprobation the general and special grace of God c. being the substance of the discourse and that on which all depends The eighth chapter may at first probably with some seem most difficult yet I doubt not but is founded in and fully comports with the universal design of God and undertaking of Christ in the general grace to the World in the restitution and world to come in times to be effected and seems to be of very great weight to be understood and to have room in our Christian Faith as the top-stone and glory thereof and without which we shall lose the understanding of and Faith in the greatest if not the most glorious part of Scripture and Gospel truth In the discourse I sometimes mention what some others have said about some of the things discoursed on and especially two Books viz. The Practical Discourse of the Sovereignty of God and The Death of Death by the Death of Christ Not designing a particular answer to them nor had I at all mentioned them had they not been sent in by some designedly to lead us aside from that which we believe to be the truth of the Gospel but have stated the truth about these matters to the best of mine understanding from Scripture light which if true the substance of both are answered and must fall to the ground And let none count it strange or tautologies that I so often go over the same things in the discourse it is to shew the incongruity of those invented principles and practices with Scripture light and right reason in all the ways mentioned it likewise being the method of God in Scripture frequently to mention the same things over and over again designedly thereby to inculcate it on the memory and heart that it might not be forgotten 3. Because I think we have ground enough at least to suppose that the Apostasie from the Primitive faith as it was then delivered to the Saints has been too much ushered in by learned â—â—â—en I suppose that it will easily appear that in all the parts thereof whether the Papabor others some learned man or men lieth at the bottom thereof And likewise has been chief actors in its propagation and therefore it greatly concerns you now at last to be at work for God Christ the Gospel and good of men in good earnest for discovery thereof and reformation therein O that you might have your share in this matter how might you honour God and season the Nation with the truth of the Gospel both in faith and life having the greatest opportunities and advantages in order thereunto in the sincere endeavours of which you may expect Divine direction assistance and blessing and O that this little Essay may tend to encourage herein it being the common advantage and good of all I really design I hope I have not I am sure I would not follow cunning devised Fables for the world and if I am in any
condition than they were before but kept his real interest in them as his own and made provision for them Psal 145. 15 16. Act. 14. 17. and kept up his Sovereign rule over them at least by such laws as he ruled over them before he called Abraham out from them and expected that they should thereby feel after God if happily they might find him Act. 17. 27. and accepted such as did so feel after him as to find him Job 1. 1. Jona 3. 7. 10. and when he executed judgment upon them it was not from his Sovereign will distinct from sin as the deserving cause but for their sinning against him as their Sovereign Lord and from which Judgment they might have been and sometimes were delivered by repentance Jer. 18. 7 8. Jona 3. 7. 10. and when he used any of them as his Rod to chastise his own people and afterwards judged them for it it was not for doing thereof but for their ill doing of it Isa 10. 5. 7. 16. Amos 1. 11. I think it 's clear from Scripture that God never executed Judgment upon any of the Nations but sin was the cause thereof Gen. 15. 16. Levit. 18. 28. and 20. 23. 6. In the Gospel ministration which is the highest and most gracious in order to glory he keeps to the same method in his Sovereign Government where the Gospel comes it s carried on all according to the righteous Laws thereof not saving and damning from his own power and will without respect had to his Sovereign Laws therein exhibited to men but hath stated and will execute life and death according to those laws otherwise to affirm is dishonourable unto God and tends to end his Laws and Sovereign rule in the Gospel which Laws are exprest in these and the like Scriptures Mar. 16. 15 16. Rom. 2. 7. 10. Heb 5. 9. Rev. 22. 14. 7. And at the general Judgment he will judge and pass sentence not from an unlimited Sovereignty but according to his Sovereign Laws made known to men in that behalf Joh. 12. 47. 48. Rom. 2. 5. 10. 2 Cor. 5. 10. 2 Thes 1. 7. Rev. 22. 10. and 20. 12. and to assure us that the world shall be judged in righteousness he will not be the immediate visible Judg himself but by that man whom he hath ordained Act. 17. 31. So that it 's most apparent from these seven instances from holy Scripture that God has throughout all ages from the beginning of the world and will to the end thereof exercised and will exercise his Sovereign power over men according to his Sovereign Laws at several times given forth to them and not from his own immediate Sovereign will and power distinct from and contrary thereunto Christ I am greatly satisfied in what you have said in this matter as to the manner and method of Gods proceedings in his Sovereign Rule and Government over the world yet it being a matter of so great concern relating both to God and men if you have any further grounds to confirm the truth I desire to hear them Minist I have yet seven Scripture grounds and Arguments for the further confirmation thereof 1. That which is contrary to the whole name and nature of God as declared in his Word is irreligious to be asserted or imagined that God should from his own will without relation to sin as the deserving cause reprobate men to eternal death make them for that end is contrary to his name and nature as opened to us in his Word and therefore it 's irreligious to be asserted or imagined 1st It 's contrary to his goodness and love to men Psal 145. 9. he is good to all and his tender mercies are over all his works Christ To this it will be said that it intends temporary goodness relating to this world Minist In part I grant it but is this all the goodness they will allow to be in God towards men in general to allow them the goodness and mercies of this world only designedly to prepare them for eternal destruction as men fat their Cattle for the day of slaughter Are these the tender mercies they will allow to be in God to the world and no more The Scripture saith Prov. 12. 10. That the tender mercies of the wicked are cruel and those who thus render God in his tender mercies towards all do exceedingly wrong and dishonour him and render themselves to be very cruel and merciless for certainly it is not so Joh. 3. 16. Christ shews us the love of God to the world on the Gospel account 2. It 's contrary to his Wisdom and Justice 1st His Wisdom which is infinite and of which there is no searching Ps 147. 5. Isa 40. 28. that this infinite Wisdom should find out no more righteous a way to glorifie Justice but to make men designedly to sin and be damned is contrary to divine Wisdom and Justice and therefore is irreligious in the Assertors thereof And as for the righteousness of God the practical Discourse of the Sovereignty of God acknowledgeth Pag. 39. That his will is the rule of righteousness and righteousness the rule of his will The Saints of old were perfectly of this mind shall not the Judge of all the Earth do right And I heartily wish that all that profess Saintship now were of the same mind and not lay the sin and judgment of the world on the Sovereign will of God by eternal Decree the greatest unrighteousness that can possibly be fixed on the holy and righteous God therefore let men tremble in the thoughts thereof And further in the same Pag. saith he will not punish without a cause nor more than is deserved Which is the sum of all I plead for in this matter For then surely he decreed not the cause that being all one as to punish without a cause and methinks should sound very harsh in all good mens ears that love the righteous God who loveth righteousness 2d Reas That God from his decreed will should hate and reprobate the world before they were even from all Eternity as is affirmed by some is impossible and therefore irrational to be imagined that it was impossible is apparent 1st Because when God made man he made him good and so loved him or else he loved not that which he made though good and as the nature of all mankind was made in him so in him was all mankind alike good and beloved of God or all could not have faln from that good estate in him nor could have lost any thing by his Fall and that God should love the world in Adam and hate it too at the same time and before it even from eternity as some say is impossible and therefore irrational to be imagined 2. The Scripture lets us to know that God loved the world in the gift of his Son long since the Creation and Fall of men even such a◠shall be condemned for then sin and disobedience Joh. 〈◊〉 16. 19. and he
the rule of his will the truth of which rightly understood and believed would deliver us from such unrighteous Notions and establish us in this that his will is righteous righteousness being the rule thereof And as for that Job 33. 13. he giveth no account of his matters I say 1st that he hath and doth give us an account of his matters viz. of his will concerning men else to what end are the Scriptures written if not to give us an account of the matters of God Therefore thus to understand and apply that saying is very destructive to the whole design of God in his Word which is to give us an account of his matters and will concerning men 2. We being all in the faln state under sin and the sentence of Death are liable to the various dispensations of God relative to afflictions and prosperity in this world which was the present case in which God often acts out of our sight so as to understand the particular reasons thereof it being so that in this estate no man can be just with God Job 9. 1 2 3. and v. 22. he destroyeth the righteous and the wicked all being under sin and the sentence of Death it 's said v. 12. behold he taketh away who can hinder him who can say unto him what dost thou And in this sense it is he giveth no account of his matters viz. he sendeth Afflictions and Death how and when he pleaseth and that both to the righteous and the wicked yet in all keeps to the true rules of righteousness though to us oft times his way may be as it were in the Sea and his path in the deep waters and his footsteps not seen Psal 77. 19. yet in all he punisheth sin and rewardeth righteousness both in the righteous and the wicked Prov. 11. 31. Jer. 25. 9. Jona 3. 10. and so keeps to the true rules of righteousness in all and further he has diverse revealed ends in afflicting his people and all in the end shall work for good as it did in the case of Job 3. Because of the variety of the ways of God towards men in the faln state in which oft times we cannot find his way nor he gives any account thereof yet keeps to the rules of righteousness therein for men to draw up so horrid a conclusion from hence as that either 1st He gives us no account of his matters relative to our eternal Estate or 2dly That he will damn people eternally in another world meerly from his own Sovereign will that he made them for that end is so irreligious a conclusion as not to be named among men 4. Reas To render God unto men not only contrary to his Name Nature and Word but under such Notions as rationally tends to beget in them hatred and rebellion against him instead of love must needs be very irreligious and this manner of representing God unto men doth so either it makes them rebel against him which is more common than it may be some are aware of concluding that if they are appointed to be damned there is no hope nor help do what they can the Decree cannot be altered which if it were true is a very rational and true conclusion from the premises or else turn Atheists concluding that there is no God at all or a very bad one from these irreligious representations of our holy and good God to men it comes to pass that Atheists are found among profest Christians the law and light of nature teaches it not but those abusive God-dishonouring Gospel and soul-destroying Principles it is that is become the Nursery of such abominations and that by such who might learn to teach better things 5. That Doctrine that fathers all the sinful actions of men and Judgments of God inflicted or to be inflicted upon men for sin upon the eternal and immutable Decree of God before the world was is irreligious to be taught or imagined but this of the reprobation of the world before they were and making God the Decreer of all things whatsoever comes to pass doth so and therefore is very irreligious to be taught or imagined And that some doth so appears not only by what has been of late by some published as an Article of Christian Faith That God from all Eternity immutably and unchangeably decreed in himself all things whatsoever comes to pass But another that I could name but shall here forbear saith in his pag. 92. in Answer to some Questions about this matter 1st Is not sin the cause of Reprobation Ans No for then all men should be Reprobates 2. Quest Is there no cause then of Reprobation in the Reprobates Ans None at all in that they rather than others are passed by of God this is wholy from the unchangeable depth of his free-will and pleasure and pag. 93. That God in his free-will hath justly decreed the evil works of the wicked for if it had not so pleased him they had never been at all and that there is nothing sin as God decreed it neither is there any thing in it self absolutely evil that God forbiddeth nothing because they are in themselves first evil but therefore are they evil to men because God hath forbidden them and pag. 90. God from all Eternity and according to his free-will did from his own unchangeable purpose and Council fore-appoint and certainly determine all things together with their Causes and Effects their Circumstances and manner of being c. If this Sovereign Doctrine do not only tend to father all the sin and judgment of the world upon the holy and righteous God but to end all Religion I know not what doth See my Postscript to Confession of Faith where this is further cleared 6. That Doctrine that teacheth men not to glorifie God nor blame themselves in the Judgment but rather Eternally to curse God must needs be very irreligious but to teach people that God from his Sovereign will made them on purpose to damn them Eternally without hope or help must needs teach them not to blame themselves but curse God and not glorifie him in the Judgment if they should then believe as now they are taught but they shall then know the contrary and if they curse any it shall be themselves and such Teachers as Deceived them with False Doctrine and shall glorifie God Psal 64. 8. 1 Pet. 2. 12. 7. And finally that Doctrine which is not only contrary to the principles of Reason and law of Nature in man in which he was made in the Image of God but abuseth God in his Sovereign Government over men and the truth of his general Grace to men turning the truth thereof into a lye is very dangerous to be taught or imagined but this of his damning the world alone from his own Sovereign will doth so and therefore it must needs be very irreligious for any to teach or believe it That it doth abuse God in his Sovereignty and truth is most apparent not
only from all that has been said but in that he not only saith but sweareth Ezek. 18. 32. 33. 11. That he hath no pleasure in the death of the wicked but that he should turn from his way and live and 1 Tim. 2. 4. That he will have all to be saved and come to the knowledge of the truth and that he loved the world in the gift of his Son and sent him into the world not to condemn the world but that the world through him might be saved Joh. 3. 16 17. And that he gave his flesh for the life of the world Joh. 6. 51. and gave himself a ransom for all 1 Tim. 2. 6. And sent forth the Gospel of this grace to be Preached to all Mar. 16. 15. and calls upon and inviteth all with promise of life to all that believe and obey it Isa 55. 6 7. Rev. 22. 17. all which this Doctrine of the damnation of the world by the Eternal Decree alone from the Sovereign will and power of God turneth into a lie and endeth the truth thereof and therefore is very irreligious to be taught or believed Christ These things seems to me to be of weighty concern and I cannot see how it can stand either with Scripture or reason for God to declare so much love to man and willingness to have all saved and yet to Decree the damnation of the world before he made it and it seems to set the Scriptures at an irreconcileable variance yet there being several Scriptures urged to prove this Doctrine I desire you to speak something to those Scriptures for clearing them in this matter Minist What are those Scriptures you especially desire to be cleared in Christ The first is Rom. 9. 14. to 24. chap. 11. 7. which are much used to prove this Reprobation of the world before they were made so Sovereignty pag. 18. 19. the Sovereignty of God proclaims it self with a yet more astonishing glory in his Eternal dispose of mens Eternal condition to shew or not to shew mercy to persons equally dignified or rather indignified in themselves to make of the same lump one Vessel to honour and another to dishonour is the most sublimest Act and most apparent demonstration of Sovereign power concerning men and that from no other reason but that of right he may do what he will with his own pag. 166. one God was the Maker of all but all was not made for the same use and end he had a peculiar scope in making some which was not common to the whole yea the whole was made for the sake of those some some God raised up to be Monuments of his power and Justice called Vessels of wrath others are called Vessels of mercy whom he formed for himself and are therefore said to be afore-prepared to glory And that Christ died only for this some c. Minist 1. I thought we should find those glorious principles of truth before mention'd by the same Author subjected and contradicted viz. That righteousness is the rule of his will and that he will not command men to do right and not do so himself and that he will punish none without a cause nor more than is deserved and yet now has Eternally disposed of men from his own will made them to be Vessels of wrath in a word to sin and be damned that 's the true sense horrible abuse to God and contradiction of himself 2. He might well call it an astonishing glory were it true enough to astonish and affright all men were it laid to heart out of all their Reason and Religion too but it being not so but a device of men it 's so far from being an astonishing Glory that it 's an astonishing Falshood and to be rejected of all sober men 3. I still thought that God had made all for himself for his own glory and not that he had made the world for the sake of some and when and where he will prove that God made any for the sake of some I do not yet know I suppose you must take his word for it as for all the rest 4. And as to the whole of this matter I have often said enough to it elsewhere viz. that we may not understand one Scripture so as is contrary to the whole Word of God that speaks of the same matter where he saith that he loved the world in the gift of his Son and calleth upon all and inviteth all to accept the grace Rev. 22. 17. That he hath no pleasure in the Death of the wicked That men by sin destroy themselves Hos 13. 9. That he would have all men to be saved 1 Tim. 2. 4. it must needs be irreligious to understand Rom. 9. so as to contradict and give the lie to all those Scriptures and many more this is enough were there no more to be said in this matter Yet further I say that those Scriptures viz. Rom. 9. 11. Chap. contributes nothing at all to that Scriptureless Notion rightly understood but rather strongly confirms the truth of what is by me asserted and this appeareth 1st In that there is nothing said about the Eternal Decrees and Sovereign Will distinct from his Sovereign rule by his own declared Laws the Apostle in the whole Treating about the people of the Jews already made and under his present Sovereign Government who did wilfully sin away their mercy in rejecting the Gospel and as a punishment of this their sin God did or might give them up to blindness and hardness of heart not that he made them for that end by Eternal Decree but in the present exercise of his Sovereign power and Providence as a punishment of their former sins so he might make of the same lump of the Jews one Vessel to honour and another to dishonour and this he has usually done in like case and it 's that which will stand with his Sovereign rule in righteousness viz. to give men up to hardness of heart as a punishment of disobedience rejection or abuse of former mercy thus he did to the same people formerly Psal 81. 11. 12. or it was a Prophecy of what was fulfilled Rom. 9. But my people would not hearken unto my voice Israel would none of me so I gave them up to their own hearts lusts and they walked in their own Councils So likewise he dealt with the Gentiles Rom. 1. 21. Because when they knew God they glorified him not as God neither were they thankful v. 24. 28. Wherefore God gave them up unto uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts so likewise in the Apostacy fore-told 2 Thes 2. 10 11. Because they received not the love of the truth that they might be saved and for this Cause God shall send them strong delusions that they should believe a lie Thus God ordinarily punisheth one sin by giving up to another which was the present Case in Rom. 9. they sinned away their mercy in rejecting the Gospel and the
multitudes of them did believe Act. 2. 4. and 4. 4. and 6. 7. and 21. 20. Christ The 7th Scripture I shall mention is Jude v 4. Which speaks of certain men of old Ordained to this Condemnation Hence some conclude that some are Ordained to be damned and cannot possibly be saved Minist Tho it 's true that God hath Ordained that wicked men persisting in sin shall be damned yet the inference as drawn from this Scripture is a great abuse and wrong to the Text. The word in the Greek is of whom it was written in time past or of old unto this Judgment and so Tindal renders it that is God had of old or in time past threatened such Judgment unto such sinners as a just reward of their sin It was written of old v 14. not that he made or Ordained them for that End So that the truth stands clear from the word of truth that God exerciseth his Sovereignty over men in a way of Righteousness according to his word and not from his own will to save and damn whom he pleases distinct from his Laws given to men on that behalf the assertion of which being the highest abuse and dishonour to God the Sovereign Governour of the world as can possibly be put upon him and therefore is to be abhor'd of all sober men Christ I shall at present enquire no further about this matter being well satisfied in what has been said and likewise that there has been and yet is great mistakes about this matter that is of so great and weighconcern rightly to be understood I desire you to give me some inferences by way of instruction from the whole Min. 1. To know and be assuredly established in this that there is no decree of God for your destruction distinct from sin as the just and deserving cause persisted in without Repentance 2. Take heed and beware of sinning against this Gracious Holy and Righteous God who tho he made not men to sin and be damned yet he will by no means clear the guilty but will wound the head of his Enemies and the hairy scalp of such a one as goeth on still in his trespasses Ps 68. 21. Therefore let not the Rebellious exalt themselves Ps 66. 7. As he is Gracious and full of Compassion so he is just it 's his name his nature and word Exod. 34. 6 7. Therefore I say take heed and beware of all sin 3. Take heed and beware of entertaining such notions about the Sovereignty of God as are not suitable to his name and nature his Word and Will in which his Goodness Mercy Justice Wisdom Holiness Truth and Faithfulness is so much concerned lest you dishonor him in thinking and speaking that which is not right concerning him and his Wrath be kindled against you as it was against Job's three Friends because they spake not the things that were right of him as Job did Job 42. 7. He is very jealous of his name and honor and accepteth not those that plead wickedly for him Job 13. 8. That renders God to be more cruel to the Creatures that he hath made his own offspring Act. 17. 28 29. than any of the Creatures that he hath made which are naturally loving to their own yea more hard and cruel to his own offspring than the worst and most cruel of the Sons of Men more cruel and merciless than Pharaoh who laid heavy tasks on the Children of Israel requiring Brick without straw yet it 's apparent he thought it was possible for them to get straw and to make up their full tale of Brick for he said they were Idle by which it appears that he thought they might work the harder and do it Exod. 5. But this principle renders God not only to require Brick without straw but to require all Men every where to repent and believe the Gospel Act. 17. 30. Mar. 1. 15. and will damn them for not believing yet has allowed them no power so to do but Decreed the contrary In a word it renders the Holy and Good God who is Good to all to be worse to his own Creatures his own off-spring than it 's possible for the Devil to be who is the common Enemy of Mankind and goeth about like a roaring Lion seeking whom he may devour 1 Pet. 5. 8. But he can devour none but by temptations and delusions he can devour none without their own consent but this presents the Holy God by his Sovereign Will and Power to have devoured almost all Mankind by Eternal Decree that he made them for that very end Had they fixed such things on the Devil as they do on the Holy God they might have been credited had he power so to do but to render God to be worse to Men than it 's possible for the Devil to be is to be abhor'd of all that love and fear him therefore take heed and beware thereof He would be accounted no Man but worse than a Brute that would beget Children designedly to breed them up for the Gallows abhor such thoughts of God 4. Be encouraged from hence to believe and obey the Gospel that you may be saved and know and believe assuredly in so doing you shall be saved It 's the Sovereign Law of Christ your Lord which is unalterable Mar. 16. 15 16. He that believeth and is Baptized shall be saved Heb. 5. 9. He is become the Author of Eternal Salvation to all them that obey him this is the Gospel Law of Grace to Men against which there is nor can be no Decree 5. And finally be not afraid nor discouraged be not affrighted nor amazed with any amazement either as from God or Men in this matter 1. From God in the untrue representations of his Sovereign Power as if he would save and damn from his own Will as if he had reprobated the far greater part of Men to Eternal Perdition without hope or means of help an amazing Doctrine it is that hath sent many serious Souls with sorrow to their Graves and it 's to be feared hath sent many to Perdition but look up lift up your head and heart God has determined no Damnation to any Man but for sin as the deserving cause therefore believe and obey the Gospel and you shall be saved 2. Nor be afraid of Men in your Faithful following of your Lord the Sovereign Power and Providence is over you and for you Joh. 3. 31. He that cometh from above is above all therefore be not afraid of Men. Isa 51. 7 8. But sanctify the Lord of Hosts himself and let him be your fear and let him be your dread And he will be a Sanctuary unto you Isa 8. 11 12 13 He ruleth by his Power for ever his eyes behold the Nations therefore let not the Rebellious exalt themselves Psalm 66. 7. For the Rebellious shall dwell in a dry land Ps 68. 6. Zec. 14. 17. Isa 66. 24. CHAP. II. Treateth of Election Christ I Desire to enquire into the
I conclude that God never Elected any with design of wrong to the rest but rather of advantage if rightly improved Christ They say it 's no wrong to any but just and right he might have reprobated all and have been just in so doing and that it's mercy that he hath Elected any and that in this way he hath exalted both Justice and Mercy Min. As held by them it 's the greatest wrong imaginable For 1. They say that God Elected some and reprobated all the rest to Eternal death from his own will without any cause at all in them And 2. That notwithstanding he has by Decree laid a necessity of Perishing upon such yet the Gospel must be Preached to them designedly to damn them the deeper for that which they could not help nor was any Grace thereby intended to them a greater wrong cannot be done to men nor a greater wrong to God and the Gospel of his Grace to men Christ I think you have said enough to this for clearing this matter I have yet only one thing to enquire further viz. How you can clear this of personal Election before time from that which is commonly objected Act. 10. 34 35. That with God there is no respect of Persons Doth not this Election render God to be a respecter of Persons Min. 1. This Scripture in the proper intention thereof intends the breaking down of the middle wall of partition between Jew and Gentile that now there is no difference on the Gospel account And 2. It stands true and ever did that in every Nation he that feareth God and worketh Righteousness is accepted so was Cornelius before he knew the Gospel 3. Particular Election may stand without any contradiction at all to that Scripture or any other of like import whilst God doth notwithstanding accept of every one that doth fear him and work Righteousness for we may understand and must allow this Sovereign liberty in God which men rationally and rightfully claim to themselves viz. a freedom of love and choice whilst none are wronged thereby God had respect unto and loved Abraham and his feed above all the world besides Deut. 7. 6 7. And that rightfully too Yet without wrong or prejudice to any he loved Jacob more than Esau before they were born or had done either good or evil yet without any wrong at all to Esau he did and doth accept of whoever did or do fear him and work Righteousness And Christ loved one Disciple above the rest yet without any wrong or offence to any of the rest men do and Lawfully may fix love on particular objects and while it 's without wrong or hatred to others it 's no unlawful respecting of Persons CHAP. III. Of the extent of the love of God in the gift of his Son and the extent of the death of Christ with the variety of the ends thereof and the certain effecting thereof according to the designs of God therein Christ I Am willing to make some enquiry into those two great yet much controverted points of Religion namely the extent of the Fathers love to and of the death of Christ for the world Min. This is that I have had often occasion of late to speak to elsewhere and therefore may suppose it needless to speak any further to so plain Gospel Truths as these are Christ Yet notwithstanding it being of so weighty concern and that which I conceive on which the whole Gospel depends I desire you to speak something further to it with as much plainness and evidence from the Scripture as you can Min. Tho I have spoken so much of this matter elsewhere yet if meeting with so much opposition and being of so weighty concern it lying at the bottom and being indeed the Foundation of all Christian Faith and Religion I shall at your request make a little further Essay herein 1. Then as to the extent of the Fathers love in the gift of his Son the Son himself who best knew determines with that evidence and plainness that whoso runs may read and understand Joh. 3. 16. For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son that whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have everlasting life Christ This seems to be very plain and full to the matter yet those of the contrary opinion say that by world in this place is intended the Elect only or world of the Elect and that the word world as used in the Scripture doth not always intend all the world and in this place the Elect only Min. I know that this is the great plea to end the plain Truth of the Scripture and I could name several of the Persons concerned herein and I do easily grant that the word world doth not always intend all the world but often a part thereof yet when so a great part thereof is intended but that the word world in this place doth not intend the Elect or Church or Believers only is as apparent as the Sun when it shines at Noon and I yet never met with either Scripture or Reason sufficient to contradict it tho I think I have read as learned and able as any that has attempted it and that it does not nor cannot intend the world of Elect only I shall state some weighty grounds to the contrary 1. That the Elect are no where called the world in Scripture that 's not yet proved nor is never like to be but because the wicked are called the world when they are but a part thereof therefore the Elect may be so called and such like arguments to argue out the plain Truth of Scripture but till it can be proved that the Elect are called the world it must remain as a Scriptureless notion that 's the first 2. Because the word world in this place is the common word for the world in general 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which sometimes signifieth the Heavens and the Earth or whole Creation Mat. 13. 35. 25. 34. Or a multitude or world of Men Rom. 3. 19 The same as 1 Joh. 5. 19. The whole world lyeth in wickedness and is never applyed to the Elect that 's the second 3. It 's such a world as that whosoever of them do believe shall have Eternal life in which note 1. That it 's the world of unbelievers that he loved that whoever of them do believe might have life After they believe they are not of the world Joh. 15. 19. 2. It 's such a world as of which it's clearly implyed that some of them may perish through unbelief whosoever doth believe shall not perish clearly implying that whosoever of them doth not believe shall perish fully agreeing with the commission Mar. 16. 15 16. Go into all the world Preach the Gospel to every Creature he that believeth and is Baptized shall be saved he that believeth not shall be damned So here he or whosoever doth believe shall not perish i. e. shall not be damned so that it 's apparent
came into the world to save sinners i. e. Sinners in general without exception or limitation if they believe and obey the Gospel I Exhort therefore that Prayers be made for all Men. In that which follows The 1. Argument to enforce the Exhortation is v. 3. This is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour A great encouragement it is to Pray for all it being good and acceptable in the sight of God The 2 is vers 4. Who will have all men to be saved and come to the knowledge of the Truth It 's the same all that we are to pray for and a great encouragement it is to Pray for them if God willeth to have them saved And the 3. Argument is vers 5. From the Mediatory office of Christ for there is one God and one Mediator between God and Men the Man Christ Jesus a great encouragement it is to Pray for all men Jesus Christ being upon his Mediatory Office and Work for men in general The 4th Argument is vers 6. He gave himself a ransom for all and therefore it 's no marvel he Mediates for all and commands us to Pray for all it being the same all that we are to Pray for that he dyed for and for whom he Mediates and that he will have to be saved now let us consider whether this be all the Elect only Two things declare the contrary First It 's for all Men for Kings and for all in authority And surely all Men and all in Authority are not the Elect only especially in those days when the most of men were Heathen Idolaters and almost all that were in Authority the same and yet this is the all that God will have us Pray for that he willeth to be saved and for whom Christ died and for whom he mediates And if this all be the Elect only then there are more Elect than they will grant or I think any else and by this way the other Scriptures that assures us of Christ dying for all be understood And further the Scripture lets us to know that some denied the Lord that bought them 2 Pet. 2. 1. I know men exercise their wits to get off from the weight of this Scripture which as a Talent of Lead sinks them in this matter as Death of â—ath p. 251. 252. That the word translated Lord is not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is given to Christ but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 commonly given to the Father so that it 's a doubt whether it is Christ or the Father that is intended in the word Lord. 1. I think there is no ground of doubt in the matter but that it is Christ that is intened For I think we rarely if at all find any mentioned that did deny God the Father for all the world confesseth that there is a God but the Anti-Christs and Hereticks were such as after they had owned Christ denyed him 1 Joh. 2. 22 23. 4. 3. 2 Pet. 2. 20. 2. The matter is all one 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieth Lord Ruler Master and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the same but be it the Father or the Son it 's all one in this matter if it be the Father that bought it was the Son sure enough that was the Price of our Redemption 1 Cor. 6. 20. seems to attribute the buying to the Father ye are bought with a Price therefore Glorifie God in your Bodies and in your Spirits which are his That is his by purchase so that let the word Lord intend the Father or the Son it 's all one in the true sense thereof the Blood of Christ being the Price Another shift is There is no mention of Blood in the Text and therefore a doubt whether it was with the purchase of the Blood of Christ that they were bought No more is Blood mentioned 1 Cor 6. 20. the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 properly intendeth to buy purchase or procure and is the same as 2 Pet. 2. 1. 1 Cor. 7. 23. And I suppose none dare say that the Price was not the Blood of Christ tho Blood is not mentioned in either and I think I may safely say that in the New Testament where-ever the Redemption work is spoken of as by purchase the Price is the Blood of Christ And further he saith there is no purchase but a deliverance from the blindness of Judaism in escaping the pollutions of the world It 's true that was the effect of the purchase the same as to hem that were not fallen but were in the precious Faith of the Gospel ch 1. vers 4. Having escaped the corruptions that are in the world through lust the same that is spoken of of them that were fallen ch 2. 18. They were such as had clean escaped from them who live in Errour and vers 20. They had escaped the Pollutions of the world through the knowledg of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ where is as much said of them if not more as of them that were still in the precious Faith of the Gospel ch 1. vers 4. And further he saith The Apostle speaks of Wolves and Hypocrites in respect of that estimation others had assumed and of the profession themselves made to be purchased by him Whereas it appears and is apparent that the greatness of their sin lay in this in denying the Lord that bought them had he not bought them they could not have committed that sin but to deny the Lord that bought them was the greatness of their sin especially having profest Faith in him and indeed to deny that the Lord hath bought the world if it be not the same sin yet it 's very near of kin to it These are some of the devices of the wise and learned to out the great purchase of the Blood of Christ Namely that he gave not his flesh for the life of the world Joh. 6. 51. Christ If so why then are not all saved Min. See the fourth inference from this matter Christ The Opposites to this say that Christ Prayed not for the world and he died not for those for whom be would not Pray Min. I know that this is a common and great argument in their esteem for their cause but indeed has nothing at all in it for were there no more to be said in this matter but this suppose it true which is far from it that Christ did not Pray for the world yet that proves not that he died not for the world And that 1. Because no Argument or Inference drawn from any Scripture can possibly be true nor may be admitted of that is contrary to the express Letter and Scope of Scripture as this is as before has been plainly proved 2. Because Christ died for and will save those for whom he Prayed not viz. Abraham Isaac and Jaâ—â— and all the Prophets and Righteous men that dyed before he came in the flesh or made that Prayer Joh. 17. Unless they will deny that he dyed for
And now in performance Gal. 4. 4. 2. That Jesus Christ being sent for that end Joh. 6. 38. Heb. 10. 7. did in love freely lay down his life a sacrifice for the sins of the World Joh. 1. 29. 6. 51. 1 Joh. 2. 2. and this is called Gospel or good tidings 1 Cor. 15. 1. the Apostle calls it the Gospel that he preached unto them ver 34. explains this Gospel what it is i. e. that Christ died for our sins and was raised again the third day according to the Scriptures and indeed if he had not been raised again there had been no glad tidings in his dying for our sins Christ How shall we account it glad tidings Was it not sad tidings rather that the prince of life the Lord of Glory should be crucified and killed for our sins Min. 1. It 's true it was sad that man by sin was faln into such an estate of sin and death as that nothing short of the life and blood of the Son of God the Prince of life and Lord of Glory could help him out thereof the due sense of which it concerns us to keep duly and daily upon our hearts to keep us humble and thankfully to prize the mercy 2. It was sad that when he was come into the world that the World viz. both Jews and Gentiles should be so bad as to unite to put him to death Yet 3. It stands true that it was and is the best tidings that ever came to the world that God should so love the world as to send his Son and that Christ should so love the World as to give himself for the life of the world is the greatest Mystery of grace and the best tidings that possibly could come to the world so that it may well be called glad tidings it being the foundation of all Gospel doctrine and so of all Gospel faith of all Gospel grace and of all Gospel glory it 's all built on this one Sacrifice for sin on this foundation all is built pardon peace acceptation in service preservation too and the glory to come it 's all founded here Rom. 1. 16. Eph. 1. 14. 3. And as the effect of this foundation glad tidings of the fathers love and the sons giving himself for the life of the world as the glad tidings of the restitution of all things which was the great design of God and Christ in this wonderful undertaking the recovery of mankind out of that state of death faln into by the first transgression Act. 4. 2. 1 Cor 15. 21 22. and with man the whole creation shall be restored Act. 3. 21. Rom. 8. 19 20 21. 2 Pet. 3. 13. Which shall be the new and restored world called in Scripture the World to come Heb. 2. 5. Rev. 21. 1 5. in and over which the Kingdom and Government of Christ shall be eternally Rev. 11. 15. And from hence is the Gospel so frequently called the Gospel of the Kingdom Mat. 4. 23. 9. 35. 24. 14. Mar. 1. 14. so called not only because it opens the Kingdom to us and prepares us for it but because the restitution new world and the kingdom of Christ therein is so great a part thereof as that all before it and without it can be no glad tidings at all Cor. 15. 19. Christ Is there nothing else in Scripture called Gospel the word seems to be general and to be given to the whole Scripture of the New Testament especially the four Evangelists which contains precepts and threats as well as promises and soâ—â— say that it 's all Gospel Min. Although the grace the blessing the restitution the glory is properly the glad tidings yet in a right and true sense all things concurring thereunto may be called Gospel viz. the holy precepts directing us in the way to obtain the glory and the threats of Judgment and damnation to those who reject or neglect it considered as designed to prevent the damnation and as a help to obtain the salvation viz. so far as it 's designed to work us from sin to Christ and a constant cleaving to him it 's Gospel and good tidings that being the Prime and proper end thereof viz. Salvation and not damnation but to deliver and preserve from it and mens destruction is and will be of themselves by wilful transgressing the good Laws of the Gospel which 〈◊〉 not the prime design of those Laws but salvation yet the penalties must be executed on the wilful transgression thereof It 's human good tidings when those in human poâ—er make good laws with strict and severe penalties for preservation of human society order and property among men their design in so doing is not punishment primarily but the peace preservation and safety of all if men wilfully transgress and come under the penalty the fault is in themselves and not in those good laws and so it is in the present case Hos 13. 9. Christ I desire you would speak something of the faith of the Gospel viz. what faith it is to which the salvation thereof with eternal glory is promised Min. True faith ever has been and still is to believe God and to cleave to him and obey him sutable to the ministration under which men have lived in all ages This was Abrahams faith Rom. 4. 3. Abraham believed God and it was counted to him for righteousness Jam. 2. 22. this being Abrahams faith the father of the faithful the faith of his children must needs be the same So then to believe the truth of the doctrine of the Gospel in all its parts and to cleave to the Lord therein is the faith of the Gospel to which the life thereof is promised What the Gospel preacheth to us that we ought to believe and that is the faith thereof The doctrine of the Gospel consisteth especially in these particulars 1. That Jesus Christ is the Messias promised the Son of God and the son of man the son of David of the seed of Abraham according to the Scripture Luk. 1. 32. Joh. 20. 31. 2. That God in love to the World sent him Joh. 3. 16. and that he in love gave himself a sacrifice and ransom for the life of the world Joh. 6. 51. 1 Tim. 2. 6. 3. That by virtue of his death and resurrection all shall be raised and restored to a new life and world when he shall come again to raise and judge both the quick and dead 1 Cor. 15. 21 22. 2 Tim. 4. 1. at which time or times shall be the restitution of all things Act. 3. 21. the new and restored world to come in and over which with his saints shall be his eternal Kingdom and glory which will be the finishing of the Mystery spoken of by the holy Prophets and then the time of this world shall be no more Rev. 10. 6 7. with chap. 11. 15. 22. 5. 4. That those who believe and obey the Gospel of this his grace and glory shall be saved and
As it 's unscriptural and irrational so to affirm so it 's greatly dishonorable unto God and his Gospel-Grace to Men and indeed nulls and ends it rendering it to be no Grace at all to suppose that after such provision and declarations of Gospel-Grace to Men in so wonderful a way that he should state the obtaining an interest therein to a power lost for some thousands of Years before which is indeed to state it on impossible terms is dishonorable unto God rendering his design in the Gospel of his Grace to Men to be but a Fable and of none effect yea to be pernicious as a Trap or Snare to catch Men instead of free Grace to damn them for what they could not do which dishonorable dreadful and dangerous Notions are to be abhor'd by all that Love the Name and Honor of God so that a power in Man to believe and obey the Gospel with the helps therein afforded which is all of God is without all just ground of doubt Christ Some affirm that the reason why Men believe not is not because they cannot tho they cannot but because they will not viz. If they could yet they will not therefore their damnation is just Min. It 's true they will not who wilfully refuse and reject the Grace on the Holy terms thereof and therefore their damnation is just Yet 2. To say the reason why Men believe not is not because they cannot tho they cannot is all one as to say the reason why a blind Man doth not see is not because he is blind and cannot but because he will not and the reason why a dead Man doth not live move and act as living Men do is not because he cannot tho he cannot but because he will not especially their Opinion being that Men by Nature are as dead blind and uncapable to understand move or act in Spiritual things as a dead Corps a stock or a stone is in Natural things and also that God hath destinated them that believe not by an Eternal and unchangeable Decree thereunto which imports an impossibility for any such to believe and be saved being by Eternal Decree determined to Sin and be Damned but that all Men are capable with the common helps afforded of God to believe and be saved is most apparent or else they could not in Justice be capable to be damned Christ I am well satisfied in this matter but it being so that God affords a sufficiency of Power to do his will whence is it that Mens unbelief and disobedience ariseth if not from want of Power Min. All unbelief and disobedience to the Gospel 〈◊〉 from the wilfulness of the will and not from want of power to will for the case is the same if the defect lay in want of Power to Will Joh. 5. 40. Ye will not come to me that ye might have life It 's wilfulness and not weakness that will prove to Condemnation Joh. 3. 19. As all Power is of God the Power of all actions both Natural and Spiritual so in all the Will is left free and not forced by any coercive Power but by voluntary choice as in the lowest so in the highest things the Will determins the choice which I think has been the understanding of Christians throughout all Ages since the Primitive time of the Gospel and is indeed both Divine and Rational I know many cry out upon this as free Will as if it were reproach enough to use that term in way of reproach but rightly understood viz. That Men have a power from God to Will and are left free for its exercise by him and that it is his Will that they should improve their power in Willing the best good not that they do Will it then the work would be done this is most apparent from Scripture to this purpose read and ponder well Isa 55. 6 7. Rev. 22. 17. Those calls and invitations would be to no purpose but indeed Mockinvitations had not Men power and freedom of Will to answer them And not only the Scripture which is plain and clear for it But tho I am not versed in History yet I shall here relate what I have taken out of a Modern Author on this same account and I suppose credible and not to be contradicted viz. The Discourse of Natural and Moral impotency pag. 58. Speaking of the Ancients near the Primitive time saith All Men verst in their Writings know and confess that all the Fathers and whole Church Nemine Contradicente of the purest Ages next after the Apostles after a Controversie was moved concerning it in the second and third Century did maintain free Will as a foundation Principle of all Religion against the Manichees and other Hereticks that denied it And indeed the following Ages did also maintain it whatever any say to the contrary And pag. 52. That Augustin lib. 2. De Precat Merit Remiss Cap. 6. Affirmeth it as undoubted that God commandeth no Man any thing which he cannot do and pag. 53. He calleth it Blasphemy to say that God commandeth any thing that Men in particular cannot do Ser. 191. De tempore And pag 153. That Augustine tells us lib. 2. De Precat Merit chap. 18. That it was the great care of every Orthodox Teacher in his time to take heed lest they did so defend Grace as to deny free Will and lest they should so defend free Will as to deny Grace and a good care it was And further the Author saith Neither is there I think to be found one of the ancients accounted Orthodox that doth maintain in the strict sense opposed that God commandeth Men what they cannot do but all abhorr'd it as an Opinion laying a high accusation upon God till after many hundred Years of this Age of Augustine By all which it appears That it 's no new Notion that the miscarriage of Men is from their own wilfulness and not from weakness they shall blame themselves and not God in their Cendemnation that free Grace and free Will must stand together and indeed to deny the power and freedom of Will is to deny all Grace for it 's no Grace but a mock if there be no power possibly to accept it and that those that were contrary minded in the more purer times were accounted Hereticks and Blasphemers and how they will acquit themselves therefrom that now own and maintain the same it behoves themselves well to consider and indeed were there no power in Men to believe and obey the Lord which his common helps afforded they could then be capable of neither Vice nor Virtue but must be as the Brutes without Sin and how honourable this is either to God or Man is easie to be understood by the weakest capacity Yet in this matter two things had need prudently to be considered 1. That it 's not perfect and sinless obedience that is required or that Men are impowered to perform but universal and sincere to the best of their knowledg and
power which answereth the Gospel-Law and is accepted of God in Christ 2 Nor is it meritorious obedience imperfect cannot be meritorious but such as the Gospel requires as the terms of life and way in which we must walk to Glory so that Salvation is wholly of Grace Christ Tho I am well satisfied in what is said yet there being some Scriptures much urged against it I desire to enquire into them for mine own and others satisfaction the first is Joh. 6. 44. No man can come to me except the Father which sent me draw him Min. There are three cannots mentioned in Scripture The 1. Is an Ignorant cannot viz. For want of the means of Faith the Doctrine of the Gospel without which Men cannot believe and obey it Rom. 10. 14. How shall they believe on him of whom they have not heard God always working by means and sutable to it no Man can believe the Gospel that never heard thereof The 2. Is a Customary and Traditional cannot Jer. 13. 23. Can the Ethiopâ—an change his skin or a Leopard his sports then may ye also do good that are accustomed to do evil Custom in sin makes it to become habitual and natural and begets a cannot next of kin to a will-not custom in Principles and Practice receiv'd by Tradition is very hard to be left woful experience declares the truth thereof The 3. Is a downright will-not a wilful cannot a resolvedness to cleave to sin and self inventions Joh. 50. 40. You will not come to me that you might have life Jer 2. 25. But thou saidst there is no hope no for I have loved strangers and after them will I go And ch 18. 12. But thou saidst there is no hope but we will walk after our own devices and will do every one the imaginations of his evil heart Now the cannot Christ speaks of must needs come under one or some of these three and that is Custom and Tradition wilfulness united by reason of which the cannot takes place 2. The manner of the Lords drawing is by the Gospel and that the next Verse explains every man therefore that hath heard and learned of the Father cometh to me Gods drawing is by means and Ministry they must first hear and learn and then come to Christ but whose will not both hear and learn cannot come to Christ which was the present case with the Jews who instead of learning murmured against his Doctrine vers 41. 43. Hos 11. 4. I drew them with the Cords of a Man with the bands of Love I laid meat before them God lays the good things of the Gospel before Men which has a natural tendency to draw Souls to Christ and it 's the wilful cannot that hinders It being so far from truth to affirm that Man has no power to will his own good distinct from ignorance of what is for his good customariness or wilfulness or some other great temptation that he has not power really to will his own hurt God having placed that Law in nature not only of Men but of all sensitive Creatures to will their own good and safety so far as they understand it and have not power from God to Will the contrary but in the cases mentioned and with the helps afforded by God to cure the ignorance and wilfulness or any other hinderance Men might Will the best good Christ The 2. Scripture is 1 Cor. 2. 14. But the Natural Man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God for they are foolishness to him neither can he know them because they are Spiritually discerned Min. 1. It 's true that Natural Men by reason without Gospel Revelation cannot understand or discern the Spiritual things of the Gospel this is an ignorant cannot vers 8. Or 2. They do not like love or favour the things of the Gospel when they hear it it 's foolishness to them and so they will none of it and this is a wilful cannot because they have no mind to it while they account it foolishness they cannot receive it 3. And most probably the Apostle intends the Corinthians to whom he writes who as he saith were Carnal and what difference in this place we may conceive between Natural and Carnal I do not understand apparent it is that the Corinthians were very Carnal and ignorant in the great things of the Gospel vers 12. 13. The Apostle speaks of himself and those Ministers with him see how vers 14. of ch 2 and ch 3. vers 1 2 3. will unite ch 2. 14. But the Natural Man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God for they are foolishness to him neither can he know them because they are Spiritually discerned ch 3. 1. And I Brethren could not speak to you as unto Spiritual but as unto Carnal even as unto Babes in Christ I fed you with Milk c. For ye are yet Carnal It 's not only possible but too common for prosest Christians through their Naturalness and Carnalness i. e. Resolving to follow their own Natural Carnal and Customary notions in the things of the Gospel to account many of the Spiritual Gospel things of Jesus to be foolishness and while it is so they cannot understand those Spiritual Gospel things and yet may be high in other Gifts which was the case of the Corinthians see 1 Cor. 1. 5 6 7. with ch 3. 1. 2. Christ The 3. Scripture is Phil. 1. 13. It is God that worketh in you to Will and to do of his good pleasure This Scripture is much urged by some in this matter Min. It may be as properly râ—ad it is God that worketh in you and will work for his good pleasure so that the intention of the words plainly iâ— to encourage to the duties exhorted to viz. Do you your duty and God will assist you therein up and be dâ—â—â—g and the Lord will be with you he worketh and will work willing Christians shall not want Divine assistance this is the sum of this matter Christ If God only give the power of Willing and â—â—t the Will it self have not those that do will and obey the Gospel cause of Glorying in themselves that they had better Wills than others that obey not and sâ— give not the Glory of Willing is will aâ— the power to Will unto God and so 〈…〉 of Willing to themselves the Scripture 〈…〉 maketh thee to differ And what 〈…〉 thou not received 1 Cor. 4. 7. Min. Here seems with sâ—me to â—e the great streight in this matter 〈◊〉 Then if God has 〈◊〉 nothing for us to do in his power nor 〈◊〉 nor 〈◊〉 then cannot any thing done by 〈◊〉 be truly sâ—â— to 〈◊〉 our duty or our work in any sense nor can there be any reward of grace for any thing done or saâ—â—ered by us nor cause of humiliation for any failing for as this notion supposeth it 's God that does all himself and his work being perfect there is no need of grace and the reward must
used to prove that which it does not at all intend it being so apparent that the Apostle speaks of the givings down of the Spirit in it's mighty works after believing and not in the first work of conversion it being the promise and was performed that the spirit should be given down abundantly upon believers after believing as clearly distinct from it's sacred work in the Gospel in begetting souls to the faith see for this Joh. 7. 38 39 Act. 2. 38 39. Eph. 1. 13. so that to apply the giving down of the Spirit according to promise after believing to the first work of faith and conversion is a very great weakness and mistake 2. The Apostle in that place intends not the giving down of the Spirit upon the Ephesians to whom he wrote much less to persons in the first work of faith it being evident that the Apostle throughout this chapter keeps the distinction between himself the ministers with him and the Church as was usual in his other Epistles from v. 1. to 13. he speaks to but not of the church but of themselves distinguished by We Us and Ye and v. 13. speaks of the church and from v. 16. to 19. speaks of themselves and lets the church to know the exceeding greatness of his power to us ward who believe i. e. to the Apostles in the mighty gifts of the spirit and works done by them for confirmation of the truth of the Gospel according to Mar. 16. 17 18. Heb. 2. 3 4. 3. I conclude that the work of faith and conversion of sinners is so far from being a mâ—racle as some pretend that it 's rather a marvel that so few believe and are converted certainly our Lord would not have marvelled at their unbelief Mar. 6. 6. nor grieved for their hardness of heart if they could not have believed without a miraculous work which he was able to have effected Mar. 3. 5. It 's true many believed on the sight of miracles done without them but we read not of any miracle done within them to work faith nor is the work of faith and turning to God at all called a miracle 4. And from the whole we have great cause to fear that the Spirit is much more talked of by us all than known and enjoyed either in it's operations in the Gospel to conversion or in its gifts according to promise and cause we have to mourn in the sense thereof that he should be so much amongst us in word and so little in Power If the Spirit of the Gospel were a spirit of Ignorance errour and pride a spirit of Worldlyness oppression envy hatred and division Were this the Spirit of the Gospel we have enough and too much of this But if the Spirit of Christ is indeed in its operations and effects the Spirit of Power of Love and of a sound mind 2 Tim. 1. 7. If it be the Spirit of Love Joy Peace long Suffering Gentleness Goodness Faith â—eckness Temperance Gal. 5. 22. 23. Then surely we have cause to complain as the Prophet Isa 24. 16. My leanness my leanness wo unto me Christ What think you of the work of Regeneration relative to the matter in hand I desire to enquire 1. What it is and 2. How it is effected Min. Without doubt it carryeth the sum of the matter in it and includes Faith Repentance and the whole of Gospel Conversion and turning to God But more particularly 1. Negatively what it is not it 's not any Conversion then a Conversion only from â—in might be it there may be many Convictions and Conversions too that may be far short of Regeneration and Persons may be and it 's to be feared that many are deceived herein 2. Affirmative what it is the word Regeneration I find but twice used in the New Testament in the terms thereof and not at all in the Old it being most proper to the New tho I doubt not but that the true sense thereof is often exprest Joh. 3. 3 5. And it implyeth and importeth a renewing returning or restoring to a new Estate And those two Scriptures in which it 's mentioned teâ—ds much to give us a tight understanding therein The 1. I shall mention is Tit. 3. 5. According 〈◊〉 his mercy he saved us by the washing of Regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit Which Regeneration here consisteth in our being by the Power of the Gospel begotten to believe the Truth of the glad tidings thereof relating to the Restitution and World to come our Faith must be in the Regeneration to come or else it 's none of the Faith of the Commission or of Regeneration Mar. 16. 15 16. Nor brings us under the promise of a share in the Regeneration to come it not being the Faith of Regeneration Regeneration begun here being a preparation to the Glory of the perfect Regeneration of and in the new and restored World The 2. Scripture is Mat. 19. 28. Ye which have followed meâ—n the Regeneration when the Son of Mâ—â— shall â—it on the Thâ—one of his Glory ye also shall sit upon twelve Thâ—â—nâ—â— uâ—â—gâ—â—g the twelve Tribes of Israel That this Regeneration relates to the New life in the New World at and after the Resurrection I think is by the Learned generâ—â—ly owned that the true reading and sense of the Words is ye that have followed me shall in the Râ—genâ—â—aâ—â—en sit upon twelve Thrones c. That is in the new and restored World see Wilson's Scripture Dictionary on the Word the day and time of the last Judgment when our whole Nature being restored both Body and Soul shall enjoy the Heavenly inheritance Mat. 19 28. You which have followed me shall in the Regeneration sit upon twelve Thrones and the English Greek Lexicon on the Word the last day of the World and it 's so called because in it God will create a new Heaven and a nâ—w Earth and will perfectly ingender again a Man that is chosen Mat. 19. 28. And indeed this is properly the Regeneration time and state when all things shall be renewed restored and return to a new and better estate So that Regeneration may be thus defined When a Man doth truly believe the truth of the glad tidings reported in the Gospel by Jesus Christ Crucified for our sins raised and ascended into Heaven and shall come again from thence to perfect the Redemption viz. The Resurrection Regeneration and new World and to perfect his People with Himself therein and is in this Faith effectually turned to the Lord in heart and life according to the Gospel This iâ— Regeneration begun here which if persevered in will certainly issue in the perfect Regeneration and Glory in the World to come 2. How it 's effected and that is 1. For us by Jesus Christ Crucified Raised and Ascended in and by him the whole work is and shall be effected Act. 3. 21. Rev. 21. 5 12. 2. In us here the Lord begets us by the word of his Grace to
to be Hypocrites 2. We may not understand John so as to contradict himself who plainly states the danger and the way of safety and preservation 1 Joh. 2. 28. 2 Joh. vers 8. In which he speaks very much as Christ did iâ— the same matter 3. Therefore we may understand John to intend either 1. That they were not of them when they went out from them if they had they would no doubt have continued with him he saith not that they were not at all of them Or 2. If they were not at all of them but Hypocrites which is not affirmed he might speak in an infallible Spirit as sometimes Peter did of Ananias Act. 5. 3 4. Which is no common rule for us but that Persons have and may fall from Grace in this imperfect state is so apparent if we believe the Scripture that it 's past all just ground of doubt and may warn us not to be high minded but fear Ro. 11. 20. 1 Tim. 1. 19. 2 Pet. 2. â—8 20 21. 3. 17. 3. Yet notwithstanding there is a way of safety and certain preservation to the Glory promised stated in the Scripture viz. If we with purpose of heart cleave to the Lord in the Faith Love and Life of the Gospel in this way he will accept us assist and preserve us to the Glory His Grace and our duty uniting will be our safety there being no promise of Preservation out of but in the way of Gospel-Faith and Obedience Christ Some will say this is Nonsense it 's as much as to say keep and preserve your selves and you shall be preserved continue your selves in the Faith and Obedience of the Gospel and you shall be kept Min. This reproach lighteth on Christ and Scripture who will take it all away Joh. 15. 7. If ye abide in me and my words abide in me and my words abide in you c. Verse 5. He that abideth in me and I in him the same bringeth forth much fruit Verse 6. If a Man abideth not in me he is cast forth as a Branch that withereth And vers 10. Sheweth us the way to abide in Christ If ye keep my Commandments ye shall abide in my love not else 1 Pet. 4. 19. Let them that suffer according to the will of God commit the keeping of their Souls to him in a way of well doing and in this way he will keep them Jude vers 21. Keep your selves in the love of God And the way so to do see Joh. 15. 10. 14. 21 23. So that the Scripture justifieth this great and needful truth to be known and taketh away the reproach The sum of the whole is let us look to our duty therein looking for and believing Divine acceptance and assistance therein and God will not fail us Psal 125. 1. 1 Pet. 1. 5. But keep us safe to the Glory promised Joh. 10. 27 28 29. Where Christ states the certainty of our preservation in hearing his voice and following of him such shall never perish It stands both with Scripture and Reason that Gods Grace and our Duty unite there being no promise of safety or Salvation out of the way of Gospel-Duty Rev. 22. 14. Blessed are they that do his Commandments that they may have right unto the Tree of life c. Without this there can be no right by any Gospel-Law of Grace and as Faith and Obedience constitutes right by Divine Ordination so Perseverance therein continueth that right by the same Law of Grace without which can be no entrance Mat. 10. 22. Luk. 9. 62. And mercy it is that God has assured us of Acceptance Assistance and Preservation in his Son in this way of Gospel-Faith and Obedience Isa 64. 5. Heb. 5. 9. CHAP. VI. Of the Nature of Man and the Original Defilement thereof Christ IN as much as there are differing Notions about the Defilement of our Nature some affirming the Nature of Man to be so Defiled by the first transgrassion as that simply from its Original it 's a sink of filth and abomination and layeth liable to the second Death others think Nature in it self to be a pure and undefiled thing I desire your apprehension in this matter Min. That there is a Defilement in the Nature of Men I suppose is most Evident and that both from Scripture and Reason 1. From Scripture Job 14. 4. 15. 14. Psal 71. 5. 2. From Reason which will tell us that in as much as by the first transgression we are fallen into a state of weakness mortality and death our nature must needs be weak and Defiled and so more liable to sin than before yet what the Defilement is and how far it extends it self is that which I think none can truly determine yet I believe it 's not wholly free from Original Defilement from the grounds mentioned nor that it is distinct from all occasions of further Defilement so bad as some do render it Christ I desire you to give your apprehension herein with as much light and evidence as you can Min. 1. I doubt whether any are capable to determine of Adams nature before his fall and so of our nature in him for as his was so was ours or else we could not have fallen in him nor have suffered loss by his sin and fall tho it 's granted by all that he was created in an upright sinless estate and so we in him yet that his nature was capable of defilement and sin is likewise apparent else he had not sinned 2. What Acts he did in resisting the temptation before be sinned or whether the first temptation was not too hard for him we find not in Scripture record but most probably that he fell by the first temptation 3. What we find in Scripture of the badness of his nature after his fall more than before or of the badness of his actions I think we find nothing of either and if so Whether we may not in charity suppose that he learned by his sin and fall to be more wise and â—eedful than he was before as David Peter and other holy men have done and so did better after his fall then before 4. If the nature of man in its original defilement did become such a heap of filth and sin as some pretend Then whence it is that Christ had so much respect to little Infants and direct us to become as such Mat. 18. 3 4. and that of such is the kingdom of Heaven Mat. 19. 4. If the nature was thus defiled what pattern does the Lord direct us to in order to the obtaining of the kingdom And further they are said to be innocent Jer. 19. 4 5. they have filled the place with the blood of Innocents and chap. 2. 34. in thy skirts is found the blood of the poor Innocents Then they were not such a sink of filth and abomination as some pretend but such aâ— God accounted innocent Yet 5. Doubtless there is something in this matter something of defilement
him but for their ill doing of it Isa 47. 6. 7. Amos. 1. 11. Ob. v. 10. to 15. Zec. 1. 15. 4. And after all and as an Effect of this continued Relation interest and pitty in and towards them he has made to them many great and precious promises of their return and Salvation in the times appointed and that to the very same sinning and Judged People the same that he owned loved and pittied when he Judged them for their sins and not only their seed or posterity that might be of them some Thousands of years after as has been Imagined but to the same People to whom the promises were made after he had recompensed them double for their sin Jer. 16. 16 17. 18. v. 14 15. is a promise of deliverance yea to all of them Ezek. 20. 40. For in mine Holy mountain in the mountain of the height of Israel saith the Lord shall the House of Israel all of them serve me ch 39. clears it so plain as may silence all Objections ch 36. 10. I will multiply men upon you all the House of Israel even all of it and ch 30 about this matter and that both as to the persons concerned and the time of Effecting thereof 1. The persons concerned and that is the same that fell by the Sword for their Iniquities v. 23. For their Iniquities so fell they all by the Sword v. 25. Now will I bring again the Captivity of Jacob and have mercy upon the whole House of Israel v. 26. After they have born their shame and all their Trespasses whereby they have Trespassed against me when they dwelt in their own Land and none made them afraid So that they are the very same People that sometimes dwelt safely in their own Land and for their sins were destroyed by the Sword and not their posterity only that never dwelt safely there that are here intended and this is remarkable that the promise is to the whole House of Israel not of Abraham nor of Isaac because Ishmael and Esau went out from thence but to the whole House of Israel whose whole posterity was under the Promise Gen. 26. 2 3 4. 2. And as for the time of this return and Salvation it shall be at and after the destruction of Gog. the last and great Enemy Ezek. 38 39 Chapters And of this Salvation we may see Amos 9. 3. Tho they be Sifted among all Nations yet not one Grain or stone shall be lost Hos 11. 10 11. Isa 43. 5 6 7. with many more which relates to this universal Salvation of Israel 5. And then it 's no marvel the Apostle saith Rom. 11. 26. That all Israel shall be saved Of which I have spoken in my Answer to Mr. Coxe ch 7. To which Salvation of all Israel not only all the Scriptures Mentioned agree but Isa 45. 17. Jer. 30. 10. c. Ezek. 37. 21 22 23. with many more to which Promises we may conclude the Apostle relates when he saith v. 27. This is my Covenant with them when I shall take away their sins this is the Covenant after they had born their Punishment for their sins Ezek. 16. 52 58. 37. 26. 6. This universal Salvation shall be after the Resurrection and Judgment is over or else it could not reach them all but it shall be when they are raised up and come all of them and in this the Scripture is as express as to the Salvation it self Isa 25. 8. The time when God will take away the rebuke of his People from off all the Earth is when he doth swallow up Death in victory Which words the Apostle applyeth to the Resurrection 1 Cor. 15. 54. Then shall he bring to pass that saying that is written Death is swallowed up in Victory Isa 26. 19 20 21. Thy dead Men shall live together with my dead Body shall they arise awake and sing ye that dwell in the dust for thy dew is as the dew of Herbs and the Earth shall cast out the dead ch 49. 6. It is a light thing that thou shouldest be my Servant to raise up the Tribes of Jacob and to restore the preserved or desolations of Israel And Ezek. 37. 10 11 14. and 39. 23 25. plainly declares the time thereof So Zech. 10. 9. They shall live with their Children and turn again So Hos 13. is 1. A discovery of their Sin and Judgment vers 2 to 9. 2. A promise of help vers 9 vers 10. I will be thy King c. But how can this be when he had destroyed them See the time when it should be vers 14. I will ransom them from the power of the Grave I will Redeem them from Death O Death I will be thy Plague O Grave I will be thy Destruction Repentance shall be hid from mine Eyes Here is an absolute promise to those People of which God will not repent and this Scripture the Apostle applyeth to the Salvation of all Israel Rom. 11. 29. The gifts and callings of God are without Repentance viz. He will never repent of the Promises and Salvation made to those People and the same Apostle applyeth the same Scripture to the Resurrection 1 Cor. 15. 54. All which makes Ezek. 37. 10 to 14. plain unto us So that the time of this general Salvation of all Israel is plainly and fully stated in the word of Truth to be at and after the Resurrection and Judgment when the deliverer shall come from God out of Sion and turn away ungodliness from Jacob this is the Covenant with them when he shall take away their sins Rom. 11 26 27. 1. To them then shall be Repentance for sin Ezek. 16. 61. Then shalt thou remember thy ways and be ashamed vers 63. That thou mayest remember and be confounded and never open thy mouth any more because of thy shame 20. 43. 36. 31. 2. To them then shall be purging and cleansing of sin Isa 1. 25. I will turn mine hand upon thee and purely purge away thy Dross and take away all thy sin ch 4. 4. When the Lord shall have washed away the filth of the Daughter of Sion and shall have purged the Blood of Jerusalem from the midst thereof by the Spirit of Judgment and by the Spirit of burning see ch 7. 9. Jer. 33. 8. Ezek. 36. 25 33. Joel 3. 21. Mal. 3. 2 3. 3. To them then shall be pardon of sin Isa 43. 25. I even I am he that blotteth out thy transgressions for mine own sake and will not remember thy sins Jer. 31. 34. I will forgive their iniquities and will remember their sins no more and 33. 8. I will pardon all their iniquities whereby they have sinned and whereby they have transgressed against me See Mic. â— 19 20. 4. And in this way of Repentance Pardon and Purging will God be pacified towards them Ezek. 16. 63. That thou mayest remember and be confounded and never open thy mouth any more because of thy shame
when I am pacified toward thee for all that thou hast done And when he is thus pacified towards them after he has raised up and gathered them he will be no more angry with them nor hide his face from them Isa 12. 1. Ezek. 39. 29. But will dwell in the midst of them Zec. 8. 3. And reign over them for ever Mic. 4. 7. Ezek. 37. 24. 25. 5. And all shall be effected by the new Covenant Jer. 31. 31. 3. 16. Ezek. 16. 61. It shall be by the Blood of thy Covenant I will send forth the Prisoners out of the Pit wherein is no Water Zec. 9. 11. And thus shall Salvation come to Israel from God out of Siâ—n Psal 14. 7. And all Israel shall be saved this is the Covenant when he shall take away their sin and it behoves us to believe it and not oppose it but to pray for the effecting thereof and to give the Lord no rest until he hath made and Established Jerusalem a praise in the Earth Isa 62. 6 7. Jer. 31. 7 8. Christ What you have said in this matter seems very plain from Scripture but are you not singular and alone herein Min. If I were as to the present apprehensions of Men it 's not material while I have all the Holy Prophets and Apostles even the whole and Holy Divine Revelation and Record for it yet I am not alone but many are for the Redemption of Israel one of which I shall mention viz. Mr. Jucreas Mather teacher to a Church in Boston in New-England on the Mystery of Israels Redemption from Rom. 11. 26. saith Pag. 5. Some think that by all Israel is meant some few of all Israel but that cannot be the meaning of the words for the note of universality all Israel will no bear such a particular restrained interpretation surely the Scripture is not wont to use such harsh improprieties of Speech as to say all when not all but a few only are intended and the Apostle opposeth the Salvation of all Israel to the Salvation of a Renmant vers 5. pag. 6. Others think that by the Salvation of all Israel is meant the Elect only which saith he tho that be true yet there is a Carnal and Natural Israel i. e. those that are by Generation the seed of Jacob who was afterward called Israel hence we read of Israel after the flesh as well as after the Spirit 1 Cor. 10. 18. Rom. 9. 4 5. Gal. 4. 23. Now of this Israel doth the Apostle here speak Rom. 11. 14. Nor indeed had he declared such a mystery as he speaks of vers 25. If only he had said the Elect should be saved doubtless the Romans knew that before whereas the Salvation of all Israel was a mystery they little thought of and I fear it 's a mystery too little thought of or believed still pag. 7. Others there are that understand all and every one of the Natural Posterity of Jacob Sic Thomas Cajetanus Dominicus Asoto that every Person among the Children of Israel should partake of this Salvation which he likewise thinks is a mistake pag. 9. Others think that by all Israel is intended the body of the Israelitish Nation as Mr. Strong in his Sermons on Rom. 11. 26. And that seems to be the Genuine interpretation of the words for in other places all is used to signifie many Mat. 3. 5. All noteth a multitudinous number and so is all to be taken Isa 66. 23. Joel 2. 28. All Israel shall be saved i. e. very many Israelites shall be saved yea all here noteth not only many but most it signifieth not only a majority but a very full and large Generality pag. 10. Their rejection was not of every particular person nor yet of a few only but of the body of the Nation so shall their Salvation be pag. 12. The Salvation of the world to come is comprehended under this saying all Israel shall be saved for the words may well have reference unto a speech that the Hebrews made frequent use of that every Israelite should have a part in the World to come therefore everlasting life which shall be vouchsafed in the World to come is here intended Mar. 10. 30. Thus far Mr. Mather with many more like sayings to the same purpose that I might mention but these are enough to demonstrate a harmony with the truth by me asserted Christ The matter seems very plain only one thing seems to lie in the way that is Isa 10. 22. Tho the number of the Children of Israel be as the sand of the Sea a Remnant shall be saved and ch 6. 13. But yet in it shall be a tenth and it shall return and be eaten and the holy seed shall be the substance thereof by which the Salvation of Israel seems to be restricted to a few and â—â—t to be so general as you speak of Min. This doubt or objection I think is cleared in my answer to Mr. Coxe ch 7. p. 56 57. That the Remnant shall be saved with the first and special Salvation of the Gospel so the Election a Remnant only obtains 2 I think Mr. Mather is full and plain in this matter viz. That the Salvation of all Israel intends the Natural Israel and not the Elect but as distinct from the Remnant vers 5. So that the Salvation of all Israel and the Salvation of the Remnant as it 's differing and both positively stated in the Scriptures so it necessarily must be differing Salvations as for the first and special Salvation by Faith now in the day of Grace so a Remnant only obtains it the Holy seed are the substance thereof the Glory thereof and had it not been for this Remnant they had been as Sodom and should have been like unto Gomorrah Isa 1. 9. Rom. 9. 29. viz. To have partaked of the Judgment as Sodom and of no other Salvation than what is promised them with Sodom at that day Ezek. 16. 53. 61. Which Salvation will be a lower and lesser Salvation than the Remnant shall obtain and that too after they have past the Judgment and born the punishment of their sins Ezek. 39. 26. 16. 58. And all shall be as the effect of the ancient love of God and promise to their Fathers Rom. 11. 28. And by that one sacrifice for sin Zec. 9. 11 12. Which intends not the Remnant but the Captivated Prisoners throughout their Generations Christ I am now well satisfied concerning the general Salvation of Israel I desire you to declare you grounds likewise for the general Salvation of the World and that with as much Evidence as from the Scripture you can Min. This I have spoken to in my additional word and more fully in my answer to Mr. Coxe ch 7. And in Confession of Faith Article 7. But it being a truth almost lost out of the world and by reason thereof accounted strong almost by all tho I may safely say as I said before that the general Salvation of Israel
28. 29 46. yet ch 32. 36. is a promise to the same people of an end which indeed includes both the Judgment and the Mercy the Lord shall judge his People and repent himself for his Servants c. 1. Judge them compared with Heb. 10. 30. And afterwards repent himself for his Servants Jer. 17. 4. The Judgment is called a fire that shall burn for ever viz. a fire that shall not be quenched perpetual desolations Jer. 25. 9. yet a time of deliverance is promised vers 11 12 29 10. And hence it is the Prophet in the true sense of the Scripture prayed for deliverance from the perpetual desolations Psal 74. 2 3. Remember thy Congregation c. Lift up thy feet to the perpetual desolations viz make hast to deliver from the perpetual desolations I might instance the promise of the Land of Canaan everlasting Gen. 17. 8 48. 4. Covenant everlasting Gen. 17. 7 13. Priesthood everlasting Exod. 40. 15. Num. 25. 13. Deut. 18. 5. So likewise temporary Statuteâ— and Ordinances said to be for ever Lev. 16. 34. Num. 10. 8. 18. 8. And not only time to come is frequently called Eternal and Everlasting when it intends but a time But the time past and of old since the Creation is likewise in Scripture called Eternity and from Everlasting see some Margent Bibles As Jos 24. 2. Your Fathers dwelt in the other side of the Flood in old time Hebrew Meolam that is from Everlasting 1 Sam 27. 8. Those of old were the Inhabitants of the Land Heb. those from Eternity the same as Mich 5. 2. Isa 63. 11. Then he remembred the days of old Moses and his People Heb. days of Eternity Jer 5. 15. I will bring upon you an ancient Nation Heb. a Nation from Eternity Ezek. 36. 2. The Enemy said against you aha even the ancient High places are ours in possession Heb. High places of Eternity Mal. 3. 4. As in the days of old Heb. days of Eternity Rom. 16. 25. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Eternal translated from the Foundation of the World And that properly or from the beginning all which Scriptures do not intend from Eternity in the common received sense but a long time before in some longer and in some lesser time is intended which tends with the multitude of other Scriptures that speaks of time to come under the same expressions yet limited to time to direct us to such an understanding in this matter as is sutable and agreeing to the Analogy of Scripture and the mind of the Lord therein and likewise help us to a right understanding of 2 Tim. 1. 9. and Tit. 1. 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 translated before the World began properly Eternal agreeing with the forementioned Scriptures of old there being no promises of or in Christ Jesus that we are capable to take knowledge of but such as have been made since the World began and Recorded in the Scriptures 3 The Judgment will be truly and properly in Scripture sense Eternal For 1. Take it according to the Analogy of Scripture and common sense thereof if it be a long time it 's accounted Eternal as has been fully manifested 2. One sentence may determine all to their Eternal estate with the various measures and times of penal punishment sutable to the various facts of Men according to 2 Cor. 5. 10. Rev. 22. 12. Which as it's most Righteous and Godlike and that which he requires among men and likewise most rational so it 's all I plead for in this matter and that without which all those great promises to the World in the World to come cannot be effected 3. The Judgment and Punishment of loss will be Eternal to all that come short of the Glory with Christ to all that must be purged by fire and hurt of the second Death and this renders the Judgment to be really Eternal and in no case intrenches on the Eternal Judgment 4. Christ the Lord and Judg shall be the eternal Lord King and Judge of the renewed State and World to come and so his Judgment shall be Eternal in this sense Magistrates have been and are called Judges so were the rulers of Israel of old 1 Sam. 15. 16 17. And in this sense shall the Lord Christ be the Eternal visible Judg of the new and restored World who will rule and Judg by such Laws as himself shall then give else what meaneth 1 Chro. 16. 33 Ps 96. 10 13. Say among the Heathen the Lord reigneth the World also shall be established that it shall not be moved he shall Judg the People Righteously vers 13. He cometh he cometh to Judg the Earth he shall judge the World with Righteousness and the People with his truth Psal 98. 4 9. 67. 4. For thou shalt judge the People Righteously and govern the Nations upon the Earth Isa 2. 4â— Psal 86. 9. 102. 22. To which agreeth Act. 17. 31. He will judge the World in Righteousness by that Man whom he hath ordained and Rev. 11. 15. He will reign and judge the World Eternally in its renewed Estate according to those many promises thereof and it shall be when the World is Established when it cannot be moved 1 Chro. 16. 30. Psal 93. 1. 96. 10. 5. It concerns us so to understand the Judgment as may comport and agree with all those promises to the World at that day lest we derogate from the truth of the Scripture Record both concerning the Judgment it self and the Glory of Christs undertaking for the World and the Glory of his Kingdom in the World to come all which stands clear and in unity in Scripture Record had we but eyes to see and understand it 6. And so from the whole I conclude that my â—otions about this matter are so far from overthrowing the Fundamentals of the Eternal Judgment as that they are the most Scriptural Righteous Rational and true Discoveries thereof in which the whole Scriptures unite in which the whole name of God as opened to us in his Word agreeth and in which his wonderful design by Christ in the Gospel will Issue Phi. 2. 9 10 11. Rev. 5. 13. 10. 7. with 11. 15. Christ If so that which Men say they fear is that the knowledg hereof will take off People from fearing the Judgment to come supposing an end of the penal part will grow careless or fearless Min. 1. Were there any ground so to suppose as rightly understood there is not must not truth be declared for fear Men will abuse it to their own destruction Did the Apostles refrain to publish the mysteries of Gospel-Grace to men for fear they would â—buse it Rom. 5. 20 21. 6. 1 2. And this Doctrine now discoursed on is but a more remote strain of the same Gospel-Grace to the World both of Jews and Gentiles of which God has filled his Word that men might understand and believe it without fearing the event thereof and must we be afraid to
Come Lord Jesus come quickly but such as are prepared for him nor can any assure themselves that they love him if they long not and wait not for his appearing that they may be with him and then when he comes you shall be able to say as Isa 25. 9. Lo this is our God we have waited for him and he will save us this is the Lord we have waited for him we will rejoyce and be glad in his salvation This has been the long look'd for day by all the Saints instructed therein Tit. 2. 13. Looking for the blessed â—ope 1 Thess 1. 9 10. It will be the day of Marriage to the Saints Now is the day of Espousal 2 Cor. 11. 2. Then will be the day of Marriage Rev. 19. 7. It will be the day of joy and gladness to the Church who shall â—e and reign with him eternally in the World to come â—â—ho that loves him doth not say with John Rev. â— 20. Amen even so come Lord Jesus Does the â—â—ole Creation wait for and groan after this time of â—â—rty and restitution Rom. 8. 22. and shall not those â—o profess to be the Children of that glorious liberty â— shall say no more but this Prepare rightly for it â— always ready love and look for his appearing be â—â—stant therein to the end and you shall inherit the â—ory when the time is come 2 Tim. 4. 8. Christ Some say that if all these things be truth â— they are too high that you exercise your self in â—ings that are too high for you contrary to the sayâ—g of the Prophet Psal 131. 1. he did not exercise â—mself in great matters or in things too high for â—m Min. 1. In one sense it 's true consider we the matâ—ers themselves and consider we our own weakness and â—worthiness they are indeed too high for us even the â—â—h things of God and so is the Gospel in all its â—rts of which these are not the least yet others do â—ddle about the high things of the Gospel without â—uple or offence 2. They being the revealed things of God and in â—s sense they are not too high reâ—ealed things beâ—ging to us and so it 's our concern to inquire thereâ—â—o Deut. 29. 29. And as it was God's end in revealâ—g thereof that we might understand and believe â— so it 's our duty to be humbly inquiring thereinâ—â— 3. The Prophet who spake those words I think I â—â—y safely say pryed into and was exercised about â—â—se very things viz. The Mysteries of the World to come The General Grace and Glory thereof withâ— the Kingdom of Christ therein as much as any if noâ— as all the Prophets besides and obtained as great and â— large an understanding therein and probably God would have it so because his seed and Son was by promise to be the Heir universal King Lord and Governour thereof Psal 72. 1 2 11 17. Heb. 1. 2. CHAP. IX Sheweth That to hold Truth in Vnity is honourable to God and safe for our selves Christ WHat think you of the harmony and unity of the Scriptures do you suppose it to hold unity and harmony with it self without any contradiction if so then whether it do not concern us so to understand it as may hold in unity and not in contradiction Min. The Scripture being the Word of one God given by one Spirit and one Lord Jesus stands in unity and so it concerns us to understand it to hold truth in contradiction being next of kin to holding it in unâ—â—ghteousness If any thing I have herein said or do hold stand not in unity with the body of Scripture or with it self I shall gladly understand it and lay it down as an Error my desire and design being so to â—â—derstand the Scripture and mine own Principles from â—â—â—ce as may stand in unity it being that which is â—â—th honourable to God and satisfactory and safe for â—â— self and accountable to others This is really my â—â—re tho I dare not say or think that I have in all â—â—gs so obtained nor deny or hide what I have through â—â—ce obtained Christ Wherein stands the unity of the things â—â—ursed on with the Scripture and the contradiction â—â— the other notions thereunto I desire to understand â—â— something further about this matter Min. 1. As touching the Sovereign Power and Will â— God so to understand the exercise thereof towards â—â— as is before declared viz according to his own â—â—s in that behalf proved from the Creation to the â—â—gment stands in unity with the whole truth of â—â—ripture and Name of God and to understand it â—â—erwise viz. That God from his own decreed Will â—â—ore the World was determined the greatest part of â—â—n by far to no other end but to sin and be damned â—ttradicteth not only the plain revealed method of â— proceedings in this matter but the substance of his â—â—ealed Will in his Word Ezek. 33. 11. Joh 3. 16. â— 12. 47. 1 Tim. 2. 4. and therefore is not likely to be â—her true or safe 2. To deny the general love of God to the World â—â—d Christ giving himself for the life of the World beâ—â—use the Scripture saith he laid down his life for the â—â—ep for the Church which is in it self a truth conâ—adicteth the whole Scripture in this matter as has been â—â—ly proved and therefore is not likely to be either true â— safe But that he died both for the World and for the â—hurch is the truth of Scripture which being understood holds Scripture and Truth in unity and harmony without any contradiction at all but what men devise from their own heads at a distance from any Scripture ground or right reason the general and special grace of God to men being thereby understood and therefore is most likely to be both true and safe 3 To understand the Scripture so as to render not only the Scripture but the holy Name of God to stand in unity is most likely to be true and safe viz. to understand and believe that he loved the World in the gift of his Son and that Christ died for the World and will save all thaâ— do believe and obey the Gospel and judge and condemn those that obey him not as the just and deserving cause Rom. 6. 23. and not from his decree of reprobation as the first cause of sin and damnation this stands in unity with the whole Name and Word of God without any contradiction at all and therefore most likely to be true and safe But to understand the Scripture so as to limit the love of God to a very few only and the death of Christ to as few and yet that he will damn people for not believing that which was never intended to them nor was it possible for them by any means to obtain being reprobated therefrom is so great a contradiction to the whole Word and Name of God in all his attributes which stand in unity viz. his Goodness Love Truth
1. It derogates from the perfection of God from which they pretend thereby to escape denying him to be capable to be what he hath said he is and his Throne and dwelling Place to be where he hath said it is and to do what he hath said he doth and will do which is his perfection in a God-like way to do 2. It 's that which tends to end the Scripture revelation as the truth of God tending to make us wholly at a loss concerning his mind and will relating to us rendering him to have two Wills contrary to each other and that he intends not what he speaks and so leaves us wholly at a loss about the Divine revelation â—â—ich is exceeding dishonorable unto God and perniâ—â—rs unto men Christ Christ saith in the institution of the Supâ—â— Mat. 26. 26 28. Of the Bread this is my Body â—â—â— of the Wine this is my Blood c. And if we take â—â—ccording to the Letter we know it is not so And it â—â—â—ise justifies the Popish Transubstantion Min. Much might be said to this but I shall in this â—â—ce only say this unto it viz. That both Christ and â—â— Apostle Paul fully explains these Words to be a fiâ—â—ative Speech 1. that Christ explains it Luk. 22. â—â— This do in remembrance of me to let them and us â—â—w that he did not intend that it was he himself but â—â— Ordinance instituted and left to the Church in reâ—â—mbrance of him viz. Of what he had suffered for â—â—m so the Apostle likewise from the mouth of â—hrist explains it 1 Cor. 11. 24 25 26. This do in â—â—membrance of me and this do in remembrance of me â—â—â— as often as ye Eat this Bread and Drink this Cup â—â— do shew the Lords Death till he come it was Bread all even when they eat it and the Cup viz. the â—ine was Wine still and it was to shew the Lords â—â—ath and not the Lords Death so that it 's fully exâ—â—ained in the Divine Record to be a remembrance a â—â—ure a shew and not the thing it self so that Tranâ—â—bstantiation is not only irrational but unscriptural and so irreligious Christ I shall at present enquire no further but deâ—re you to draw up the sum of the whole as briefly as you â—â—n and so to conclude the present discourse Min. I shall but before I so do and in order thereunto I shall briefly promise five things 1. That the Scriptures are the divine and revealed Word and Will of God and as so are our rule in all matters both of Gospel-Faith and Practice Isa 8. 20. 2 Tim. 3. 15. 1 Joh. 4. 6. and that whoever denieth this denieth the ground of all Christian Faith and Religion as likewise those who affirm that the promises and precepts are not God's intentions or purpose 2. That all matters of Faith especially of things fundamental viz. things to be believed and deâ—â— without which we cannot be saved are plainly set down in the Scripture and are to be understood according to the express Letter of the Scripture or the plain Scope and Reason thereof and not to build our Faith on mens interpretations and additions otherwise our Faith must be built on mens interpretations and additions and not on the Word of the Lord which must needs be an uncertain and unsafe building and if we so build our Faith how far we shall be from Rome in this matter is easie to be understood by the weakest capacity 3. That had we not had this Divine Revelation of Gospel grace by Christ we should have been as ignorant thereof as the Nations that are without it 4. And therefore it much concerns us to believe it on its own authority and to prize it and cleave to it without adding or diminishing by interpretationâ— or additions of failable men especially in things fundamental 5. I add That what I have said in this Discourse or shall further say is not so much by way of interpretation otherwise than by comparing and uniting the Scripture in its own light language and reason so as that I doubt not but the meanest capacity being wilâ—â—g may easily understand and the belief thereof impose on none further than it 's apprehended truth â—â—d worth takes place in the understandings and conâ—â—ences of men Having premised these things I shall result the whole â— briefly as possible I can in which if I am not very â—â—ch mistaken is comprehended most of the Fundaâ—entals of Gospel Doctrin and Christian Faith and â—â—ligion in order to salvation united in the plain â—â—ds sense and truth of Scripture as a golden â—â—in of which not one link may be broken without â—â—ger to the whole 1. That God is Heb. 11. 6. and that there is but one â—â—d the Father and one Lord Jesus Christ 1 Cor. 8. 6. â—â—d that this one God is an infinite incomprehensible â—â—rious and eternal Being most holy wise just good â—â—d gracious almighty omnipresent merciful and true â—â—d faithful in his sayings Deut. 33. 7. Isa 40. 28. 1 Sam. 1 Psal 139. 7. 2. That this almighty wise and good God made all â—â—â—ngs by Jesus Christ Joh. 1. 1 2 3. with Ephes 3. 9. â—â— 1. 16. Heb. 1. 2. and that he made all things good his own content Gen. 1. 31. and made man best of â—â—l viz. in his own Image or likeness Gen. 1. 26 â— 28. and so did not nor could not make any deâ—rdly to sin and be damned it being contrary to the â—â—dness of his nature and name and the truth of his â—ord and so impossible for so wise holy just and good God to make any of his Creatures designedly to so â—â— an end 3. That man by transgressing the Law of his Makerâ— seil from that good estate in which he was made into an estate of sin and death Gen. 2. 16 17. and 3. 6 and that death threatned and inflicted was only the first death Gen. 3. 16 17 18 19. 1 Cor. 1â— 21 2â— and that this death came into and passeth upon all men Rom. 5. 12 18. 4. That God of his own free goodness and mercy immediately aftâ—r the sin and fall set him upon promise of recovery and restitution out of this falâ— state by the â—â—â—d of the Woman that should brouâ—â— the head design of the Serpent Gen. 3. 15. and afterward frequently renewed the promise of this Gracâ— to Mankind Gen. 22. 18. and 26. 4. and 28. 14. Psaâ— 72. 11 17. Joh. 1. 45. with Act. 3. 21. 5. That according to the promise of this grace who the fulness of time was comes God sent forth this promised Seed and Son made of a Woman Gal. 4. 4. thâ— Seed of Abraham the Son of David and the Son God truly God and Man Matth. 1. 1. Luk. 1. 32 3. Rom. 9. 5. as a real demonstration of love to the World according to the foregoing promises thereof Luk. 2. 1 Joh. 2. 16. 6. That this Son and Saviour being come into â— World for this
first cause of that which is bad is worst of all as a bad Life has a worse Heart because both Words and Works flow from and shew the badness of the Heart which is the first cause Mar. 7. 21 22 23. And then whether it do not deeply concern men principally concerned in these Notions speedily to relinquish them Quer. 14. And tho probably the persons concerned in these things may deny some of the bad things so essentially included therein yet whether it does not very greatly concern them now to consider and deeply to ponder that if to deny one fundamental truth of the Gospel namely that of the Resurrection 1 Cor. 15. 12. did by consequence end all Faith and Christian Religion vers 13. to 17. tho very probably they intended it not nor understood the dangerous Consequences couched in their Opinion till the Apostle informed them therein then whether to deny or at best corruptly to hold almost all the Principles of Christian Faith and Religion is not more abundantly dangerous to the persons concerned herein and whether it concerns not all to look well to themselves in time about these great matters of Faith to come right therein seeing no man can rightly claim an interest in the grace of life from Gospel grounds whose faith is not right in the substantial things thereof And although I take most of the things mentioned to be in themselves deeply heretical yet I shall not pass the Sentence of Hereticks on those that hold them nor dare I have so foul a Mouth let themselves look to that I had rather they pass the Sentence of Heretick on me than I on them tho I desire neither because I really desire the good of all and I know it will not be to their honour in the end but I hope I have learned better things from Christ I find none in Scripture stigmatized with that foul Name but those that denied the Lord that bought them 2 Pet. 2. 1. and that too after they had profess'd Faith in him it 's a black Name and let them use it that delight in it I think it 's learnt from the great high Priest and Apostate at Rome who stigmatizeth all for Hereticks that believe not as his Church believeth and well were it if those who profess to be come quite away did not walk too much in the same steps Quer. 15. Whether we have not cause well to consider whether those manifold and great Miscarriages in the greatest matters of the Gospel arise not very much from Traditional Receptions from Forefathers by reason of which our Eyes are blinded that we cannot see into the great and plain things of the Gospel it being most apparent that not only the Jews in general but the better sort of them even the Disciples of Christ received by tradition that Christ was to come as a King to restore the Kingdom to Israel which was a truth in it self and shall be effected at his next coming by reason of which they understood not his first coming and suffering in order thereunto nor could they believe it being blinded by their former received Notion tho true in it self viz. that he should reign but not suffer tho Christ instructed them therein at least three times and if it be so that the reception of one truth may through corruption blind persons in another part of truth which I fear is too common Whether it do not concern us all to look well to our selves in this matter lest we for ever miss of truth and spend our time and strength to maintain our Traditional Receptions the devices of others that have gone before us directly contrary to the Word of Truth and so endanger to lose our selves eternally Quer. 16. Finally Whether those Scriptures that exhorts us to lay up our treasure in Heaven and that the inheritance is reserved in heaven for believers will not all be performed in the new Jerusalem that shall come down from God out of Heaven and Heaven shall be on Earth viz. in the new Jerusalem in the new Earth and World And so the Scriptures stand in unity in this matter and Peter explains it 1. Pet. 1. 5. It 's ready to be revealed in the last time i. e. revealed from Heaven v. 13. 2 Thess 1. 7. which fully agrees with Rev. 21. 2. 2. I shall give some Account of the General and Particular Expressions in the Scripture about the General and Special Grace of God to Men. 1. Of the General 1. OF the General Love of God to the World in the Gift of his Son Luk. 2. 10. Joh. 3. 16. Tit. 2. 11. 1 Joh. 4. 14. 2. The General Sacrifice of Christ for the World Joh. 1. 29. and 6. 51. 2 Cor. 5. 14 15. 1 Tim. 2. 6. Heb. 2. 9. 1 Joh. 2. 2. 3. The General Reconciliation and Peace effected by this one Sacrifice Rom. 5. 10. 1 Cor. 5. 19. Col. 1. 20. 4. The General Justification unto Life thereby in the Resurrection and Restitution Rom. 5. 18. 1 Cor. 15. 21 22. 5. The General Judgment at and after the Resurrection Joh. 5. 28. Act. 17. 31. Rev. 3. 10. Chro. 20. 12. Matth. 25. 32. 6. The General Restitution and Uniting in and under Christ the Head and Lord and the General Salvation that shall follow Act. 3. 21. Ephes 1. 9 10. 1 Tim. 4. 10. Rev. 22. 2. 1 Joh. 4. 14. 7. The General Commission for Publishing this glad Tydings to the World grounded on the General Love and General Sacrifice Mark 16. 15. Luke 24. 47. 8. The General Worship and Service of the World in the World to come Psal 22. 27 28 29. and 72. 11. and 86. 9. Isa 66. 23. Phil. 2. 9 10 11. Rev. 5. 13. and 21. 24. 2 Of the Particular Expressions of the Special Grace of God to Men. 1. THat God gave some to Christ as a Particular and certain Reward of his Undertaking before his Suffering for the World Joh. 6. 37 39. Rom. 8. 29 30. 2. Christ laid down his Life for the Sheep for the Church Joh. 10. 15. Act. 20. 28. Eph. 5. 25. 3. A Special Justification by Faith in Christ Rom. 5. 1. Act. 13. 38 39. Rom. 4. 5. 4. A Special Reconciliation and Peace with God Rom. 5. 1. 11. 2 Cor. 5. 20. Eph. 2. 13 14. Col. 1. 21. 5. Special Relation to Christ as his Spouse and Members of his Body 2 Cor. 11. 2. Ephes 5. 23. 1 Cor. 12. 27. and to the Father in Christ as his Children Gal. 3. 26. 1 Cor. 6. 17 18. Joh. 1. 12. 6. Special Preservation to the Glory promised in the way of Gospel-Faith and Obedience 1 Pet. 1. 5. 2 Pet. 1. 10. Jude v. 21. Joh. 10. 27 28 29. 7. Special Salvation and distinct Glory with Christ in the World to come 1 Tim. 4. 10. 2 Tim. 1. 10. Mark 10. 30. Coloss 3. 4. Rev. 14. 4. Thus have I mentioned some of the Expressions in Scripture relating both to the General and Special Grace of God to Men by Jesus Christ in the Gospel of his Grace that the prudent may consider whether it be not safe for us to conclude that there is something of Divine Wisdom in these multitude and varieties of Expressions in both cases and whether we may not both rationally and religiously conclude that it declares the manifold Wisdom as well as the manifold Grace of God to men Ephes 3. 10. Tit. 2. 11 12. Ephes 1. 10. 1 Tim. 4. 10. 1 Pet. 4. 10. And then whether it may be safe for us to inâ—rpose our own Wisdom and Devices in these â—eat Matters so as either to null and make â—oid the General Grace by the Special or to â—â—trench upon the Special Grace by the Geneâ—al knowing that we may so own one truth â—s to out and end another as the Jews did and â—et do as before I shewed and therefore whether it 's not our Wisdom and Safety as well as Honourable unto God and that whereâ—n we shall shew our selves to be Wisdom's Children to let these and every Truth of God stand in the Latitude of the Scripture's own Expressions so Justifying Divine Wisdom as Wisdom's Children Luke 7. 25. And whether the contrary may not be deemed presumption in a high measure to alter and change Wisdom's Words according to our own Will and Wisdom as if the Lord knew not best how to utter his own mind but needs our Wit and Wisdom to alter and change it as we please making it speak what it does not and whether we may not fear of falling under that Judgment threatned for adding to or diminishing from the Worâ— of God Rev. 22. 18. and that Sin anâ— Judgment Rom. 1. 22. professing themselveâ— to be wise they becâ—me fools but that it be ouâ— greatest care to glorifie the Lord now in this day of Gospel-Grace in believing the truth thereof in all its parts and living sutable thereunto that so we may live and reign with him in the day of glory Amen FINIS â—hese BOOKS following are Printed for Thomas Fabian at the Sign of the Bible in St. Paul ' s Church-Yard THE Works of Josephus with Cuts Folio The Packet of Letters Quarto The Gentleman's Recreation with Cuts Octavo Drummond's History of Scotland Containing the Lives and Reigns of James the First the Second the Third the Fourth the Fifth with several Memorials of State during the Reigns of James the Sixth and Charles the First with their Effigies Oâ—tavo A Discourse of Friendship Octavo Vincent's Discourse of Christ's certain and â—uddain Appearance to Judgment Octavo Flavell's Navigation Spiritualized Octavo Esop's Fables in English Twelves The Downfal of several Great Men or Popish Plottings not to be parallel'd in forme Ages being a Seasonable Warning foâ— the Times Twelves Robinson's Learning-Foundation teaching to Spell and to Read English Twelves A Sermon Preached at the Ordination of â—â— Elder and Deacons in a Baptized Congregation in London By. N. C.