according to the different estate of that people to whom they were to preach to wit Some of the Jewes had a more speciall hand in betraying and crucifying the Lord of life Now in preaching to these Their endeavour was to convince them that this Jesus whom they had crucified was indeed the Sonne of God the very Christ that holy and just one whom God had raised from the dead and set him at his owne right hand there expecting untill all his enemies be made his foot-stoole And they did further teach them That there was no way for them whereby to obtaine remission of sins and life everlasting but onely by this Iesus whom they had crucified and therefore they did earnestly exhort them to returne to him and believe in him for remission of sins that so they might never any more be remembred against them Acts 2.22 to 39. and chapter 3.13 to 20. and chap. 4.10.11.12 and chap. 5.29.30.31.32.33 and chap. 7.51 to 57. And thus Christ preached himselfe to Saul chapt 9.4.5 Saul Saul why persecutest thou me And he said who art thou Lord And he said I am Jesus marke that I am Iesus whom thou persecutest Whilst he is smiting of him to the earth he declareth himselfe to be a Iesus now ready to give him salvation in himselfe through faith in him Againe the generallity of the Iewes made their boast of their priviledges of the Law that they were circumcised they were Abrahams seed and God had made choyce of them above all other Nations of the earth to be a people to himselfe They were very zealous in the observations of the Law and trusted that in the enjoyment of the Priviledges in the performance of the workes and in the observations of the customes and ordinances of the Law they should obtaine righteousnesse before God for the Scripture saith they went about to establish their own righteousnesse that is they sought righteousnesse by the priviledges and workes of the Law Now in preaching to these they did endeavour to bring them off from that opinion which they had of these things and that confidence which they put in these things declaring to them with much power and boldnesse that there was no righteousnesse nor salvation to be obtained any other way but onely by the righteousnesse and grace of another to wit the Lord Iesus through faith in him And that by him all that believe are justified from all things from which they could not be justified by the Law of Meses Acts 13.38.39 agreeable to that Rom. 10.4 Againe There were some from amongst the Gentiles who did feare God that is they were worshippers of God they preached and gave much Almes and were very devout in their conversation Of this ranke was Cornelius and all his house Acts 10.1.2 Such were they also to whom Paul speakes Acts 13.16.26 Where you may observe that besides the men of Israel the Children of the stocke of Abraham he speakes to another sort of men amongst these who did feare God that is They did come together amongst the Iewes to worship God Such a one also as I conceive was Lydia before Paul did preach to her The Scripture saith Shee worshipped God And such a one was that Ethiopian Eunuch before Philip was sent to him He had beene at Ierusalem for to worship Now in preaching to these they did endeavour to bring them off not from the things themselves orderly to be done but from putting confidence in these things preaching remission of sinnes and salvation to them onely through faith in Christ that so they might not look for peace and reconciliation with God by these workes of righteousnesse which they did though in themselves good and needfull for other ends but onely by Iesus Christ and faith in him This is evident from all the forementioned Scriptures Acts 8.35 and 10.36 to 44. and 13.26 to 40. and 16.14 and 17.17 Againe There were some amongst the Gentiles who were eminent for wordly wisedome prudence and learning they were great disputers and men of great abilities These did glory much in their wisedome and learning and accounted of most men besides themselves to be but fooles and as for the preaching of Christ crucified that was but a foolish thing in their apprehension These are commonly in the Scriptures called Greeks or Grecians such as are wise These are those of whom Paul speakes 1. Cor. 1.19 to 30. Now in preaching to these or in disputing with them They did endeavour to beat them off from that opinion which they had of themselves and from that esteeme which they had of their wisedome learning and prudence teaching them that to know Iesus Christ and him crucified is the greatest wisedome and that all is nothing except they know Jesus Christ and believe in him Jer. 9.23.24 Acts 9.29 and 18.4.5 Rom. 1.14.15.16 Againe The generality of the Gentiles were people that were given to grosse Jdolatry and other great impieties These are in Scripture called Barbarians Scythians and such as are unwise For they were not eminent for wordly Wisedome and learning as the others were Now in preaching to these They did endeavour to convince them of the vanity and sinfulnesse of these practises exhorting them earnestly to forsake these vanities and to turne to the living and true God and to believe in his Sonne Jesus Christ whom they did endeavour to make knowne vnto them Acts 14.13 to 19. and 17.18 to the end and 26.27 to 24.1 Thes 1.5 to the end Thus we see That the Preachers of the Gospell of whom the Scriptures make mention in preaching to the World they did preach that one and the same Gospel in a divers manner or method according to the different estate of that people to whom they did declare the same But in all this we doe not find neither is it elsewhere found in the Scriptures that they did declare to them that Iesus Christ suffered for the sins of all persons But they did call upon them in the Name of Iesus Christ to turne to him to believe in him for remission of sinnes declaring to them that there is no way whereby men can obtaine salvation but onely through Iesus Christ and that by him whosoever believeth in him shall receive remission of sinnes and evelasting life What I have said herein is agreeable to the words of Christ in Luke 24.46.47 It behoved Christ to suffer and to rise from the dead the third day And that repentance and remission of sinnes should be preached in his Name among all Nations beginning at Jerusalem From whence we learne That to preach the Gospel to the World or to the men of the world it is to preach repentance and remission of sinnes to them in the Name of Iesus Christ Answ Now to preach repentance and remission of sins to the world in the Name of Christ it is to declare to them and to call upon them in the behalfe of Christ that they forsake and cast away all fleshly confidence superstitious
vanities and wicked practises and turne to Iesus Christ believe in him onely for remission of sinnes further declaring That by him onely whosoever believeth in him shall have remission of sins But it must be observed That such as preach repentance as relating to the Law as a legall worke or duty as a condition of righteousnesse life and salvation as a preparation or qualification to Christ or as something to be done by us before we can have Christ or believe in him unto remission of sins Such doe not preach repentance and remission of sins in the Name of Christ they rather seeke to drive men from Christ and bottom them upon some other foundation then Iesus Christ Now of the things which we have spoken this is the summe To preach the Gospel to the World it is to declare to them the death and resurrection of Iesus Christ and the authority which God hath given him to judge the quicke and dead at his appearing calling upon them and beseeching them in the behalfe of Christ to forsake all fleshly confidence superstitious vanities and sinfull practises to turne to Iesus Christ and believe in him onely unto remission of sins and everlasting life further declaring to them that there is no way for them whereby to escapethe wrath of God but onely through faith in Christ and that through his Name whosoever believeth in him shall receive remission or sins and the wrath of God â—yeth upon him neither is there any other way for him to escape the same What I have said herein we shall find agreeable to many Scriptures Mat. 4.17 Mark 1.14.15 Mark 6.12 compared with Luke 9.6 John 3.14.15.16 Acts 2.38 and 3.18.19 and â—0 42.43 and 13.38.39 and 17.30.31 and 24.24.25 and 26.15 to 21. and 28.23 Now when the Preachers of the Gospel have done this when they have preached to the World Christ crucified and risen from the dead and have called upon men to turne to Iesus Christ and believe in him for remission of sins and have declared to them that there is no other Name whereby we must be saved or whereby we can escape the wrath of God but onely the Name of that Iesus which was crucified and is risen againe from the dead I say when they have done this they must leave the issue to the Lord who onely makes this Ministery powerfull to whom he pleaseth giving them repentance that is turning them from their iniquities unto Iesus Christ inabling them to believe in him unto remission of sins and everlasting life And surely God hath appointed the Ministery especially for this end that by means thereof he might worke faith in all those whom he hath ordained vnto eternal life Luke 10.6.7 Acts 3.26 and 5.30.31 and 10.44 and 11.18 and 13 47.48 and 16.14 and 28.24.28 And thus as the Lord hath helped me I have briefly declared from the Scriptures what it is for the Messengers of Christ to preach the Gospel to the World But that Christ hath suffered for the sins of all persons that he hath redeemed all persons that he hath taken away the sins of all persons that he hath redeemed all persons that he hath wrought reconciliation for all persons as they say I find no where in the Gospel neither is it a agreeable to the Scriptures And therefore to preach this is not to preach the Gospel of Christ but something which men have added to the Gospel of Iesus Christ And thus I have declared the chiefe mistakes and absurdities which I find expressed by them in their severall bookes advising themseives to consider what snares they are entangled in and exhorting others to be ware least they be ensnared with these or the like things The conclusion And now in the conclusion of this Treatise I shall briefly propound some few reâ—sons further to prove that this opinion of Christs suffering for all persons or redeeming all persons is not the doctrine of Jesus Christ First For whomsoever Christ died for them also he rose againe and for them he sits at the right hand of God and maketh intercession for them This foure-fold golden chaine is so sure and strong that it can in no wise be broken or divided It may and is and must be destingvished but it neither may nor must be broken This fore-fold glorious worke of the Son of God Paul linketh together in one golden chaine Rom. 8.34 Who is he that condemneth It is Christ that died yea rather that is risen againe who is even at the right hand of God who also maketh intercession for us And upon this ground he triumpheth in behalfe of himselfe and others who have a part in the same love of Christ saying Who shall seperate us from the love of Christ And Esaiah saith He powred out his soul unto death Esa 53. and he was numbred with transgressors and he beare the sin of many and made intercession for the transgressors wheâ—e the prophet linketh these together He beare the sin of many and made intercession for the transgressors Those whose sins he bare for them also he made intercession And the Apostle Iohn teacheth us that those for whom Christ is the propitiation he is for them also an Advocate with the Father 1 Iohn 2.1.2 saith he My little children if any of us do sin though let us take heede of sinning We have an Advocate with the Father Jesus Christ the righteous how doth he prove that saith he He is the propitiation for our sins that is He who is the propitiation or reconciliation for our sins he is without doubt our Advocate also with the Father And indeed propitiation and advocation are inseperable benefits he that hath an interest in the one hath an interest in the other also Propitiation is the ground of advocation and advocation is a fruit necessarily and inseperably flowing from propitiation Neither is advocation without propitiation neither doth propitiation go alone to any persons without the power and benefit of advocation And therefore those who go about to divide advocation from propitiation they pervert the Scriptures and divide Christ And againe Paul witnesseth that those who have a part in the death of Christ they have a part in his resurrection also Rom. 4.25 He was delivered for our offences and was raised againe for our justification From all this that hath been said it is manifest that whosoever have a part in the death of Christ they have a part in his resurrection in his sitting at the right hand of God and in his intercession also And is this any lesse then salvation Those who have a part in these things are they not saved Hence I conclude that seeing all persons have not a part in the benefit of his resurrection advocation or intercession at the right hand of God neither have they a part in the benefit of his death or sufferings for these benefits are inseparably linked together they that have a part in the one have a part in the other also Secondly
Psalm 67. throughout Rom. 15.11 Reade Psalm 67. throughout Rom. 15.11 In this place of Luke then I conceive the holy spirit doth teach us thus much to wit that the exceeding riches of the grace of God was now ready to be magnified and manifested to all nations of people not to Israel onely but to the Gentiles also in bringing light and salvation and glory to them by the death of Christ This is that which was foretold by the Prophet Esa 42.6.7 I will give thee for a Covenant of the people for a light of the Gentiles To open the blinde eyes to bring out the prisoners from the prison and them that sit in darknesse out of the prison house And chapter 49.6 And he said It is a light thing that thou shouldest be my servant to raise up the tribes of Iacob and to restore the dissolations of Israel I will also give thee for a light to the Gentiles that thou mayest be my salvation to the end of the earch This latter Scripture doth agree almost word for word with that place of Luke And this is the summe to wit That God formerly promised and hath now performed to magnifie and manifest the exceeding riches of his grace to all nations of people without any difference in bringing or giving light salvation and glory to them by the manifestation and suffering of Christ in the flesh The which mystery was not in being untill the time appointed of Christs personall manifestation and suffering in the flesh These things being well considered it will be manifest to the understanding Reader that it is a perverting and darking of this Scripture to conclude from hence that Jesus Christ died or suffered for the sins of all persons or every person from first to last Another Scripture propounded by them is â—he fourâ—centh â—cripture Iohn 11.50.51 52. The words are these following Ye consider not that it is expedient that one man should die for the people and that the whole nation perish not And this he spake not of himselfe but being high Priest that yeere he prophesied that Iesus should die for that nation And not for that nation onely but that he should gather together in one the children of God that were scattered abroad Wherefore they alledge this Scripture to justifie their opinion I know not I shall briefly discover what I conceive to be the minde of God in it â—he â—eaning of it The 51. and 52. verses do interpret the 50. â—ow myâ—â—eries in â—â—e words verse In which two verses there are two great mysteries declared by way of prophesie to wit First that Jesus Christ should die for all nations of people â—oth Jewes and Gentiles for when he saith in the 51. verse That he should die for that nation he meaneth the Jewish nation And when he saith in the following verse And not for that nation onely but that he should gather together in one the children of God that were scattered abroad he meaneth the outcast Gentiles for such a scattered dispersed outcast hopelesse people were they as I have before proved untill they were gathered to the Lord and into the fellowship of his body by the death of Christ And if any shall aske why they are here called the children of God I answer They are so called in this place as I conceive not according to what they were for present as though they were the children of God before they were gathered unto him by the power of the death of Christ but according to what they should be hereafter as a blessed fruite flowing from the power of the death of Christ And so we are to understand as I conceive those words of Christ in Iohn 10.15.16 and those of Paul Ephes 5.25 The second mystery declared in these words is the glorious saving power of the death of Christ for when he saith in the 51. verse That he should die for that nation he meaneth that he should save them that he should bring them to God that they perish not And the words following do teach so much for he there saith And not for that nation onely but that he should gather together in one the children of God that are scattered abroad The force of the words lyeth in that expression of gathering together whereby we are taught that such is the glorious and saving power of the death of Christ to gather together scattered and lost and out-cast ones And we are here further taught That to die for them and to gather them together in one is one and the same thing as is plaine by comparing the 51. and 52. verses together So that in the Scripture sense to die for them it is to save them it is to bring them to God it is to gather them from their scattered lost estate into an Estate of fellowship with God and one with another in him For it is impossible to separate betweene Christs dying for lost men and his gathering of lost men to God by the power of his death This Scripture being thus cleared is of sweet consideration but in no wise tending to justifie their opinion Two other Scriptures The two last Scriâ— tures propounded by them are Acts 13.47 Esa 46 9. I put both these together because in summe they are both one The one set down by way of prophesie the other by way of performance The words in Esaias are these following I will also give thee for a light to the Gentiles that thou mayest be my salvation unto the end of the Earth In the Acts the words are I have set thee to be a light of the Gentiles that thou shouldest be for salvation unto the ends of the Earth I shall briefly open the words and then it will appear how unfitly they urge them to justifie their opinion I have set thee or given thee speaking concerning Christ to be a light to or of the Gentiles that is Thou shalt be a light in them revealing in them and giving to them remission of sinnes salvation life everlasting through faith in Christ Thou shalt cause the light of the glorious Gospell of Christ to shine into their hearts I have before proved and so much is taught in the words now in hand that untill the death of Christ the Gentiles did wholly sit in darknesse being denied of God all those Lawes Ordinances Oracles Priviledges Miracles which the Jewes enjoyed by the appointment of God as so many meanes whereby Christ did gloriously for the time present shine forth among them But now â—om 5.15 as it is written To whom he was not spoken of they shall see and they that have not heard shall understand So that the people which sate in darknesse saw great light and unto them which sate in the region and shadow of death light did spring forth And whereas it is said in the next words That thou shouldest be for â—alvation unto the ends of the earth These words doe justifie the interpretation of the former