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

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God hath given to his Son to give to whom he will and he will give it to such as hear his voice and follow him so that it is plain to me and many thousands more that there was before time an election or appointment of all men to the means of grace and also of such as in time do believe through the Spirit to everlasting glory Object But faith is the gift of God and men cannot believe except God give Faith Answ In this poor souls lye sadly in the dark because their Teachers have not rightly divided the word of truth to them That I may therefore shew you how faith is the gift of God I must desire you to consider that faith is taken chiefly two wayes in the Scripture First For the doctrine of Christ the Gospel so 't is taken Jud. 3. ver Contend earnestly for the Faith once delivered to the Saints so t is taken Gal. 1. 23. so also Gal. 3. 23. Before faith came we were kept under the Law shut up unto the Faith that was afterwards to be reveal'd Rom. 10. 8. the Apostle speaking of the Gospel sayes This is the word of Faith So it is taken Eph. 2. 8. By grace are ye saved through faith and that not of your selves it is the gift of God not of works c. As if he had say'd Our salvation is not by the Law of works but by the Gospel which is the gift of God and is called the Gospel of our salvation Eph. 1. 13. and salvation Act. 28. 28. God hath given three great gifts to men Christ Faith and Life and these three are as fully and freely the Gifts of God one as the other onely by faith so taken as a gift I understand the truth or Gospel of God Secondly Faith is taken for the duty of believing as Heb. 11. throughout Rom. 10. 17. Jam. 3. 2. with many other places and it imports the act of the creature enabled by the Lord to believe Obj. Is it not said To you it is given on the behalf of Christ not onely to believe but also to suffer for his sake Answ I know God doth give or grant men to believe and suffer he gives the power or ability to believe or suffer or else it were impossible that men should do either all our sufficiency is of God he gives the object of Faith Christ or the Word of Truth and he gives power or ability to believe this truth But to say that God gives the duty or act of faith is not common sense for that were all one as to say that God believes and obeys for he that acts a thing is said to do it and he that acts faith is the believer He worketh in his creatures to will and to do and then it 's their duty to work out their salvation with fear c. not with fear lest God should fail them but lest they should come short c. For the fuller discovery of this consider seriously what is said Isai 43. 9 10. Let all the nations be gathered together let all the people be assembled who amongst them can declare this and shew us former things let them bring for their witnesses that they may be justified or let them hear and say It is truth Ye are my witnesses saith the Lord and my servant whom I have chosen that ye MAY know and believe me and understand that I am he Before me there was no God formed neither shall there be after me Whence I see first when men hear truth they may and must acknowledge it Secondly that all Nations may know and believe God and that there is none but he c. Thirdly that all people are and shall be witnesses against themselves and Christ is and shall be witness that they MAY know and believe God and indeed nothing hinders men from doing these things but self-will the Devil and false Teachers who say that God hath not given all men ability and understanding to know and believe God and people are very glad of such doctrine that they may lye in their sins and yet lay the fault upon God and say that he doth not give them power to do what he requires of them and if he would give them more grace then they would do better and so blessing themseves in their hearts go on in their wickedness hoping to finde an excuse in the last day that God was wanting to them contrary to Isa 5. 4. where the Lord enquires What could have been done more to his Vineyard which he had not done for it to which Mr. Troughton and the rest which hold such principles might reply that God might have done more for he might have brought forth good grapes for them or force them to bring forth good grapes by an unresistable power which he never did nor ever will though poor ignorant creatures have so taught and believed contrary to Rom. 1. 19 20. and chap. 2. 15 16. where it's clear that God hath furnished every man with so much means for the knowledge and obeying of him as will leave them without excuse which is granted by all Object But say they though it may leave them without excuse yet it may not be sufficient to salvation Answ This is most unbeseeming the mouth of a sober man for if the means of grace extended by the Lord to men be sufficient for the glorifying of him it is not too little for the glorifying of them Againe those means which men afford their servants for the doing of their work will not leave them without excuse if not sufficient to effect that which is expected from them through those means and will men still make God an austere master reaping where he did not sow God forbid He was called a wicked and slethful servant Mat. 25. 26 27. that taxed the most High with such dealings And the hard speeches of men who say that God expects more from men then he gives them ability to do and that he will punish them with eternal damnation to whom he gives not means sufficient to salvation will one day be rewarded as that servant was Matth. 25. 28 30. if they repent not Shall not the judge of all the earth do right Gen. 18. 25. I beseech the Reader to weigh well that which the Spirit of God speaks Job 34. 23. for he will not lay upon man more then right that should enter into judgement with God Surely if all men shall be left without excuse it shall be by having sufficient means for the doing of that which God expected from them in their generation and for not doing whereof they shall be damn'd Read Matth. 25. 45 46. and 2 Thes 1. 8. chap. 2. 10. 11 12. But if they had not what was sufficient for enabling them to know God and believe the truth unto salvation they will have an excuse viz. that now they must be damn'd but it is because God gave them not sufficient means to know him and believe his
they who shall be damn'd might have been saved had they received the love of the truth if the Apostle may be believed 2 Thes 2 11 12. Ob. But saith M. Tro. many dangerous consequences will follow if we should grant that Christ died for all as first it riseth up against the power of God as M. Tro. says that he should give his Son to die for the salvation of thousands and yet all not be saved Ans 1. To which I answer first by wa● of the distinction used by the Apostle 1 Tim. 4. 10. he is the Saviour of all men especially of them that believe and from hence observe that God who gave his Son and Christ who gave himself a ransome for all hath saved or delivered every man from the power of the grave but God never gave his Son to save or deliver any from the wrath to come or to bring any to eternall glory but such as believe and obey as I have often proved Ans 2. Secondly it doth not impeach the power of God in that we maintain that what God did intend to bring to passe by his own sole soveraign power through the death of his Son is effected viz. the breaking of the Serpents head the continuance of life to mankind here making way for light and salvation and the raising up all men from the grave but that God did ever purpose to bring men to eternall life whether they believe or no by an absolute power we deny for the Saints themselves are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation 1 Pet. 1. 5. Ob. But says M. Tro. it makes the salvation of the creature to depend on the contingency of his own will and naturall ability Ans 1. Answer first that salvation I mean everlasting glory with God or eternall life is Gods gift as I have formerly proved by the Scriptures Ans 2. Secondly that none shall enjoy this gift of his but such as walk as he hath injoyned them in that Law which he manifested to them is the eternall infringeable and unresistable Decree of God and M. Tro. page 45. confesseth that though the precepts of God do not shew what God hath done for us yet they determine mans duty and the rule of his obedience what God approves as good in it self and what is our duty to do there being a sweet harmony and connexion between the end and the means which is fully as much as I hold in this point viz. that they who would be saved which is the end they must believe and obey as God hath enabled them which is the means or at least one means But says M. Tro. it s contrary to the wisdom justice and love of God that he should give his Son to die for all and not give them faith and repentance c. Ans 1. To which I answer as before that indeed if God had given his Son to die for all with an intent to save all that is give eternall life to all or any without faith and obedience then if any had come short of it it might have seemed to reflect on the wisdom justice and mercy of Jehovah but the Scriptures never reveal any such purpose in God as you may see by Joh. 3. 16. H●b 5. 9. with many other places Ans 2. Secondly so far as God did intend by his Sons death to save or deliver men he did doth and will fully effect ●t and whether men believe it or no they shall one day be saved from the grave by him that died and rose again Ans 3. Thirdly that God so put men in a sav●●ble condition that if any come short of eternal life their destruction is of themselves their rejecting light and loving darknesse will be their condemnation Ans 4. God doth not give faith and repentance as M. Tro. dreams viz. make men to believe by an irresistable power for I have shew'd before that God is said to give faith and repentance when by his Word or Spirit he perswadeth men to believe and repent or depart from evill when he gives the Gospell which is the Word of Faith and frequently in the Scriptures is called faith thus Faith is the gift of God and so when by the Gospel or goodnesse of God any soul is led to repentance God is said to give repentance yet the act or duty of believing and repenting is never call'd Gods gift work or act for then they that shall be damn'd for unbelief and impenitency shall perish because God gave them not the means yea because God did not perform his act or work in the creatures contrary to all the revealed will of God so that it appears to me and thousands besides that M. Tro. doctrine doth highly scandalize and impeach and restrain the power wisdom justice and love of God For if Christ did not die for all or redeem all from the power of the grave at least which is that I hold and which M. Tro. cries down under the name of universall redemption it was either because he could not or because he would not I am certain it is not the later for he will raise up all men at the last day 1 Cor. 15. 20 21 if M. Tro. says it is because he could not wise men will a●hor such savings both therefore are true he is willing and able and also will do it all mankind are and shall be freed in due time from whatsoever Adam brought on them and whosoever affirms the contrary debaseth the power of the omnipotent God seen ●sp●cially in raising up Iesus from the dead Eph. 1. 20. that so he might be Lord of the quick and dead as hath before been manifelled of which dom●nion Lordship or power M. Iro and others though I hope not knowingly have endeavoured to devest Jesus Christ except they will say that our Lord will exercise authority over those whom he never purchased the very thought whereof is abominable to every knowing sincere h●aits seeing the Scriptures ●re so p●ain that to this 〈◊〉 Christ both died and rose again and revived that he might be Lord both of the dead and the living they that oppose this disparage the power of Christ scandalize his Scepter which is a Scepter of righteousness and make Christ an arbitrary usurper the name whereof 〈◊〉 amongst all and at least in words exploded by us in this Island And as for the wisdome of the Lord which is infinite Mr. Troughtons Doctrine detracts from it for he confesseth that the tenders of mercy by the Lords commands are and must be to all where the Gospel comes though not really and in good earnest as one saith yet Christ dyed not for all saith Mr. Troughton Now I beseech thee O impartiall soul that readest this judge what is right and see whether it suits with the wisdome of God to invite perswade beseech and stretch out his hands unto stubborn gain-saying wretches having never given Christ for them nor Christ any right to
against those that love them would if they had power bite yea devour such as they hate and count enemies for telling them the truth And if Mr. Trough did not hate us he would never cry out so to the Magistrates and bring railing accusations against us and shun conference with us but would endeavour to debate soberly the points in difference render a reason of his hope and hear ours But I leave this to the Lord and the impartial readers consideration because I hasten to the work only I shall add a saying of Solomons He that is first in his own cause seemeth just but his neighbour cometh and searcheth him Prov. 18. 17. Pag. 41. through a mistake called pag. 40. lin 7. for Justification read Sanctification The literal or figural faults I desire the Readers to pass by or correct with their pens SCRIPTURE-REDEMPTION freed from Restraint I Have heard and read some Conferences and Controversies concerning the death of Christ and the effects of it but remaining dis-satisfied in part with what men have said and written on both sides I have put forth this to publike view that so they who have any thing to say for or against what I have held forth may publish also their approbation or dislike in order to the investigation of the clear and soul-establishing truth in this point For my part I am satisfied that we shall be judged at the last day by the Word that Christ hath spoken which some call the Letter of the Scriptures and which I say are able to make us wise to salvation 2 Tim. 3. 15. and not according to the Comments and Glosses which men have put upon them I know also that Christ died for our sins according to be Scriptures 1 Cor. 15. 3. and therefore by the conduct of that Spirit which gave them to us shall begin to prove by these That Christ died or tasted death for all and every man and after give my Reasons why I so judge Yet before I come to lay down these I shall shew you how I hold this point and what Christ dying hath done for every man The first Scripture which I shall present to your consideration is Isai 53. 6. All we like sheep have gone astray we have turned every one to his own way and the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all Now indeed if there be any that have not gone astray or any that have not turned to their own way then Christ bare not their iniquity But if the contrary be true and all men yea all mankinde have gone out of the way it will undoubtedly follow that the burden of their iniquity was laid on Jesus Christ A second text of Scripture is Joh. 1. 29. Behold the Lamb of God which taketh or beareth away the sin of the world By iniquity of us all and sin of the world in these two texts mentioned I understand the sins against the first Testament sins of ignorance sins committed before conversion or before we knew good or evil the one or first offence of Adam which some call Original Sin as I shall in this ensuing Discourse by the Lords assistance endeavour to make plain to each impartial and humble soul Another text for the proof of this is Joh. 3. 16. God so loved the world that he gave his onely begotten Son that whosoever believeth on him should not perish but have eternal life Compare this with Acts 10. 34. A fourth plain and positive proof of this truth is Joh. 6. 51. latter part And the bread that I will give is my flesh which I will give for the life of the world Sutable to this is that 1 Joh. 4. 9. The next place of Scripture to be considered is 2 Cor. 5. 14. 15. The love of Christ constraineth us because we thus judge that if one died for all then were all dead and that he died for all that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves but to him that died for them and rose again Where it is evident that the great love of Jesus Christ constrained the Apostle to judge two things viz. that All were dead and that he died for all The Apostle Paul 1 Tim. 2. 5. 6. says thus There is one God and one Mediator between God and man the man Christ Jesus who gave himself a ransome for all to be testified in due time The seventh place of Scripture plainly proving the truth of this glad tidings is Tit. 2. 11. For the grace of God that bringeth salvation to all men hath appeared A clear proof of this we have also Heb. 2. 9. later part That he by the grace of God should taste death for every man or every one In the ninth place you have an evident testimony to this truth 1 Joh. 2. 2. Who is the propitiation for our sins and not for ours onely but for the sins of the whole world The tenth and last positive proof of this great love of God in Christ lies in two texts viz. Joh. 10. 15. I lay down my life for the sheep and 2. Pet. 2. 1. But there were false prophets among the people as there shall be false teachers among you who shall privily bring in damnable heresies even denying the Lord that bought them and bring upon themselves swift destruction And thus in stead of fallible Arguments which men make by mis-understanding the Scriptures I have produced ten positive Proofs which we finde written in the Word of Truth in express terms declaring that Christ died laid down his life tasted death for and bought all and every man the world the whole world the sheep and those that deny him and shall be destroyed And whether you that read these things will believe Mr. Troughton's ten Arguments or the express Word of the eternal God chuse ye But perchance some may say Though these Scriptures say that Christ died for all c. yet they mean otherwise I answer first by a Querie Whether we shall be judged by the Word as it speaks or as men say it means Secondly if the Word in this means otherwise then it speaks we make God like the worst of men which God forbid and withal men are to blame for reading it to us otherwise then it means Object But all and every man do not always signifie every individual Answ Although the words all and every man do not everywhere intend every individual yet in many places it doth and that it so signifies when the death of Christ is treated of I shall hereafter by the assistance of Jehovah prove by undeniable Reasons Secondly although all and every and the word world are sometimes taken for a part of the whole yet the whole world is never taken but for all sinners as 1 Joh. 2. 2. and 1 Joh. 5. 19. But how comes it to pass may some say if this be so clear a truth that so many godly learned men are of another opinion and maintain that Christ did not die for all
next to speak in few words of Redemption in a stricter acceptation and to shew how some are in a special manner freed ransomed delivered or redeem'd by Jesus Christ and to that purpose shall first lay downe some Scriptures and to come to the clear understanding of this point Cast your eye then upon Eph. 1. 7. In whom we have redemption through his blood even the forgiveness of our sins and upon 1 Pet. 1. 18 19. Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things as silver and gold from your vain conversations received by tradition from your Fathers but with the pretious blood of Christ c. The great question here to be resolved is this How the Saints come to be redeemed from their vain conversation and to have remission of their sins For answer unto this I beseech you that read to remember what I have in part declared already that there was an offence though committed but by one in which all the world was reputed guilty before God so far as that if Adam for that offence had at the instant of his committing it gone to the grave the whole race of mankinde had perished in him to take away which the Lamb without spot offer'd up himself to God so that that sin imputed to all and so called the sin of the world and iniqnity of us all was by the pouring out of the blood of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world taken away and remitted so that none shall now dye eternally for it and herein appeared the free love of God who by the blood of his Son washed away sin no creature seeking of it But every individual man and woman when they come to years and know good and evil do themselves commit many sins and walk in a vain conversation by tradition c. and how they come to be redeem'd or delivered from this by the blood of Christ I shall by Scripture and experience briefly make manifest First God sends Christ or the light to them with manifestations of his grace and goodness to lead or perswade them to turn from their sins to God declares to them the sufferings of his Son for their sins and they who seriously consider these manifestations of mercy believe and lay to heart the kindness of God though before Prisoners to sin and Satan are loosed delivered or redeemed from their sins and vain conversions as the Apostle plainly proves Acts 10. 43. To him give all the Prophets witness that through his name whosoever believeth on him shall receive remission of sins So that through the application of the blood of the Lamb to their souls by believing they come to be delivered and have redemption from these sins of theirs and this redemption or pardon of sin is in time and conditional upon faith and repentance I shall indeavour further to illustrate this by a familiar similitude thus Suppose the servant of some mighty Emperor or General should commit an hainous offence to both the high displeasure and dishonour of his master and now conceiving in his heart that his Lord was full purposed to punish him with exquisite and exemplary torments should secretly depart to his masters greatest enemy and with him with a heart full of envy wrath and devilish despite contrive the destruction of him whom he had lately disobeyed in the mean time this mighty man having no such thoughts as his wicked servant imagin'd hearing that another potent person for some horrid crime had condemned his run-agate servant to dye gives his only Son to suffer death to preserve his live who yet still not knowing his Lords love with a perverse and inraged heart carries on the designe of his masters ruine but in the midst of his malice and fear having certaine intelligence of the transcendent kindness of one whom he had so highly incensed and of his own willingness to receive him even as a Son if he would return to him presently his soul begins to melt hatred le ts go the hold it had upon his heart and admiring such unexpected and undeserved love his bands of wickedness full off the rage rancour and wicked resolutions which possess'd him are all cast out the snare is broken and he is delivered not only from that death which his Masters Son quitted him of by dying for him But also by applying and considering his Lords love of those bloody sins and designes against his Master and begins to think of returning to him who had done such great things for him Thus stands the case betwixt God and man when Adam had sinned he ran away from his Maker and what spirit he was of towards him you may perceive by his Answers to him Gen. 3. who yet had thoughts of love and peace towards him and gave his onely Son to ransome him from the pit of which ransome or redemption all his posterity being in his loynes are partakers but they have all as I may say one by one departed from their God and rebelled against him that redeemed them and continue long ignorant of the loving kindness of the Lord at length the Lord by his teachings as himself pleaseth makes known his goodness and riches of grace and as many as believe or lay to heart what he hath done for their souls how he gave the Son of his love to dye yea to destroy the power of death for them that they might live by him and through him rise from the grave and that they have this redemption or deliverance through the blood of Jesus shed for them and have clear evidence of this by the Spirit in the Scripture of truth they begin to loath and leave their sins the love of God known casts out their base fear his mercy manifested destroyes their malice pride lust covetousness c. cuts in sunder all the cords of vanity in which they were held carries them quite out of their prison wherein their souls were pent up though sin tugs hard yet at last it is fain to remit its hold and though before they hug'd sin as a friend they now let it go as an enemy and so in the end through the applying of that blood which was shed for them they are redeemed out of the hand of the enemy and by the application of the blood of Christ they receive remission of THEIR sins as they before had by the effusion of it the remission and redemption from Adams sin which as I before hinted was absolute unsought for free and universal This is conditional and especial And if any shall demand Why all have not this redemption I answer Because they believe not they lay not the blood of Christ to heart if they did it were impossible that they should be so carried away with lust pride ignorance lying swearing cheating drunkenness gaming covetousness formality lukewarness ildeness and all manner of disobedience for if men did consider the grace of God if they knew the gift of God and his kindness which
fellow-creatures with all which their minds and consciences yea their lives and conversations become defiled and as many of these as ●●ke notice of the goodness of God entertain the true light that lighteth every man that cometh into the world embrace the counsel of God apply the blood of the Lamb believe on the Lord Jesus and take heed to their waies according to his word these are led to repentance or a change come to see the sinfulness of sin turn from it have their consciences purged from dead works and their waies cleansed so that at length they come to be holy in heart and all manner of conversation and so are partakers of that special sanctification which I am here treating of viz. by the Word and Spirit For the declaring of this more fully I shall lay down this Querie What is the reason that men dye in their sins and are not purged from their filthiness If I should as many do say that it was Gods appointment he so ordain'd it or that God did not shew them his light of truth or that he did not do this really or that he did not give them ability to receive it as it was manifested and so follow it or else for that he gave not his Son to dye for them neither was it his will that they should repent and be sanctified but that they should dye in disobedience and so be damn'd Sure If I should say thus all good men would abhor me for such speeches and well they might yet these are the tenents and sayings of those men against whose opinions I have appeared and surely I judge that as a man said to Joab in another case I may positively conclude in this that themselvs would set themselves against me if I should go about and preach that God did appoint men to disobedience and to sin and not willing that all should come to repentance but that some men even as they are men should despise the riches of his grace and perish These hard speeches I have heard some men to utter Others are more moderate that God did onely leave men to themselves Whereto I say first that God never left any man in that state whereunto Adam brought them for he brought them to the earth and was not able to shew them any means of grace or so much as a resurrection from the grave but God left not any man there but afforded them such manifestations of his love as will leave all inexcuseable before God Secondly I Answer That God did never nor ever will forsake any poor creature till they reject him 2 Chron. 15. 2. But more of this elsewhere onely I add this that when men have and still do refuse God he leaves them and will have nothing to do with them This may suffice for evidence to this truth that it is not because God would have it so that men are still polluted in their conversations and unsanctified in their lives But as you shall hear in the next place it is because they believe not Joh. 8. 24. I said therefore unto you that you shall dye in your sins for if yee believe not that I am he ye shall dye in your sins Secondly Because they will not be purged Ezek. 24. 13. Because I have purged thee and thou wast not purged thou shalt not be purged from thy filthiness any more till I have made my fury to rest upon thee Thirdly Because they receive not the word into their hearts neither take heed to their waies according to it Psal 119. 9 and 11. And if any shall alleadge that when God comes to sanctifie a soul he will do it by an unresistible power I answer There 's neither promise or example of such a thing and they who so affirme make themselves wise above what is written 'T is true there are many works which the Lord doth absolutely of himself without calling for the creatures duty in any respects as in the Creation Redemption and Salvation of mankinde from that misery that Adam brought them so as in and under that free universal and unlimitted consideration which I have spoken of so when God will destroy his enemies none shall deliver out of his hands he will work and none can let it Isa 43. 13. and there are many works which he will bring to pass conditionally as the redemption justification sanctification c. of creatures from their own sins and these he will effect upon receiving and believing the truth as I have also shew'd you in the treating of these things under that special consideration which I have presented to you and as you have heard from Act. 10. 34. Acts 13. 39. and many other places in which you may see that the Lords work and the duty or endeavour of his creatures by him furnished with ability to do what he requires must and ever did go together God purifies the heart by faith see Act. 15. 9. God it is that purifies the creatures duty is to believe The Lord doth and will ever work according to the counsel of his owne will which also he hath revealed in his word and he hath sanctifi'd us from the first offence by his Sons blood which otherwise would have caused our eternal banishment from the Lord yet will not sanctifie us from our vain courses but through belief of the truth which cleanseth the souls that receive it in the love of it for when a poor creature who long hath serv'd sin and Satan comes to know the love of God in Christ and believe it his heart is so purified and his conversation cleansed that he cannot indure sin but hates every false way denies ungodliness and worldly lusts and lives soberly righteously and godly in this present world And thus having treated of Sanctification also under a twofold consideration I shall by the gratious assistance of God next speak something of Vocation which is the call of God or God's calling of his poor creatures to believe in the light which he gives them and leave off their sins it is his inviting or perswading men to do well the stretching out of his hands as it were to beseech men to come to him i. e. to conform to his light or revealed will And this is Universal for as he chose or appointed created deliver'd justified and sanctified mankinde to seek and serve him so he calleth all men everywhere to know him obey him and glorifie him according to that power or ability that he hath given them or the light or commands which he holds forth to them He calleth the Stubborn and rebellious Isa 65. 2. the refusers Prov. 1. 24. them that perish and put from them the word of God and eternal life Act. 13. 41 46. such as spend mony for that which is not bread and their labour for that which satisfieth not who thirst after unprofitable things Isa 55. 1. Ho● every one that thirsteth come and the Spirit and the Bride say Come and let him that