their own freedome and to their own power of Beleeving and repenting and Persevering and then it may readily be decided to which doctrine the world is most beholden we are on both sides agreed that Christ died for all men on condition of their faith in him we say that every man shall be pardoned that beleeveth and you will not say that any man shall be pardoned and saved whether he beleeve or no. Thus far we differ not But when it cometh to the question on Whether the Son of God did merit for us the grace of Faith and Regeneration and Perseverance we maintain that he merited these for his elect and you utterly denie that he merited these for any and then it may easily be decided after all the idle and emprie words that are commonly taken up who they are that most straiten the merits of Christ and who are most forward to denie the benefits of his passion But the Text in Isai 5. is often alledged and insisted on and by you twice in this chapter What could have been done more to my vineyard that I have not done Where First you are to note that it is an enclosure it is a vineyard that is spoken of there fore no Universalist must draw this beyond the bounds of the Church or make use of it to prove that all men have sufficient help to salvation The vineyard of the Lord of hosts is the house of Israel and he dealeth not so with every nation as he did with that nation Secondly It is granted there could no more be done then was done for external means and helps exhibited to a visible national constituted Church namely for Doctrine Sacraments Prophets Pastours Miracles and manifold mercies and encouragements But is there nothing more to be done or could there nothing more be done towards the bringing forth fruit to life eternal Paul may plant Apollos may water but God giveth the encrease If it pleased God whose will is always just though it may be secret to us at that time by the ministerie of his servants and mercies of divers kinds to plant and to water the Church of Judah and Ierusalem and not to give encrease must it needs be indeed because he could not do it yes at least so we are told He may be allowed to be able to force an ordinarie natural vineyard to bring forth good grapes but to a Rational vineyard he could not do it So that the Question is not now what God doeth or hath done for his Church or lost mankinde that is a modest inquiry but it is affirmed broadly He could not do more than he hath done I think we may boldly say A few such propositions as this is are competent to blast and dcfame any cause that stands in need of such supporters We have often heard it affirmed to this purpose That God could not create Adam in a state free from danger and possibilitie of falling into sin because this had been to make him unchangeable which God onely is Whereas there is nothing can be imagined but God can do it if it please him to do it both in heaven and earth unless such things as do import either impotence in the Creatour or contradiction in the creature but what had there been of the one or the other if by his Grace and Power he had kept the understanding of Adam from being overclouded with errour his will and affections in perfect and entire obedience no more than there was in the Angels that fell not or than there shall be in preserving the elect for ever in heaven God is onely wise and onely hath immortality we may add and immutability of himself and independently perfectly and infinitely yet he hath by Communication made the Angels and spirits of men wise and immortal so he might have made Adam unchangeably good though not unchangeable as He himself is And such Doctrine as you here deliver and some others teach agreeably hereunto is no way consonant to Christian belief for as it doth too plainly denie Gods omnipotence contained in the first Article of our Creed so doth it also directly â—run counter to those many promises where God hath said he will do that which you say he cannot do as namely that in Ieremy 32.40 I will put my fear in their hearts that they shall not depart from me At the end of this chapter You desire to adore Gods goodness power and wisdome There be other Attributes of God to be thought on and to be adored as his unchangeableness and his justice commonly called in Scripture Wrath whereby he punisheth sinners Which though you named not here yet you might well have named them in your Catechisme where I scarce finde any more than these three in that description of God which you set down Qu. 12. What souldst thou remember minde or consider in God A. His Power Wisdome and Goodness exercised for and about me his will concerning me and end to which he made me There be few Catechists if there be any that speaking of Gods Attributes reckon up so few as these or that make mention of Goodness but none of Justice or some thing equivalent The Apostle Rom. 11.22 propoundeth the Goodness and the Severity of God equally to be considered and adored and Marcion as Tertullian witnesseth lib. 1. â—25 Removit à Deo severitates considered onely in God his Goodness and nothing over against it all Goodness no Severity I lay not this opinion to you but thus much I say This dealing of yours looks more like Marcion than any thing your Adversaries have said doth look like the Manichees CHAP. XII Of Universal Redemption IN the differences that are about the point of Universal Redemption I had some hope that you and I should have been upon a reasonable good accord But it falls out quite otherwise for as you tell me page 60. that I beleeve it because the Church beleeves it for the veneration of the Church So now you will not hold it because I hold it but you argue diversly against it page 57. But if you bring arguments against your own opinion you must answer them yourself because I know no bodie will do it for you and then the solutions will please you the better because they are your own Sect. 3. In adding that as the reason why the ransome is not profitable to all men to eternal life because it is not given to all men to beleeve he innovates from the Scripture which no where assignes that as the cause but mens not receiving the grace of God Divers things may concur to one effect and it may be said because one of them is wanting the effect is not produced A souldier may die of a dangerous but curable wound received in the field that is the true cause of his death but may it not be said truly that he lost his life because he wanted a Chirurgeon and a traytour is executed because he wanted a pardon Mans infidelitie is the
and unto his secret counsels and though they might labour in vain and spend their strength for nought yet were they well assured that their judgement was with the Lord and their work with their God Fourthly suppose that not onely Ministers and Preachers of the word did beleeve it but they could moreover make all their hearers beleeve it firmly that Christ died for all without any difference and loved them all not preferring one before another would it work much upon the disobedient I think not If you go about to wash a raw brick you do nought but turn it all to mire tell an obstinate and hardned sinner of mercie that is in store for him and the Gospel and bloud of Christ he will but turn this grace into wantonness and be so much the more dissolute You think all the world might be brought home to God by preaching his love to them and telling men of his goodness and kindness to sinners But have you never known many undutifull children who have yet been tenderly beloved of their parents and have known so much too Absolom was not ignorant how dearly his Father affected him and desired his good above any thing yet still he continued an ungracious rebell And what if he had made him partaker yea wholly possessour of his Kingdome Government in his life time The Chronicles of after Ages have recorded what have come to pass in like case and may teach us to conjecture whether that would have brought him to any further sense of his dutie who knows not how little good is done by doing good to ill natures Kindness will never alter kinde nor will an ill-disposed man be gained to the friendship of another whom he hates through a natural antipathy by courtesies and entreaties and significations of good will towards him Every mans experience can witness so much and how little policie it is to heap benefits upon the ungratefull out of hope to win them Fit deterior qui accipit saith Cicero Men are the worse for endearments and obligations Understand it of those that are bad and ill-affected of themselves or to such an one But so are all men naturally to the most righteous God and it is not common kindness nor ordinarie knowledge of his love that will reclaim them Lastly It may reasonably be demanded of you how it comes to pass that this general love ot God towards men should do so much with them and prevail so far with them and yet his special love should do so littles yea should rather be prejudicial to holiness So those of your partie use to crie out that absolute election special and eternal love do cause men ro cast off all care of their salvation and of walking in the way that leadeth to life and do serve onely to make men proud and haughtie And in your Funeral Sermon 1648. The Pharisee say you thought he could not have been so good as he was if God had not had special and eternal love and favour towards him But will not a special love and that considered comparatiuely too do as much as the general love it enflamed Davids zeal that he was chosen and preferred before Saul 2 Sam. 6.21 And arguments are often brought to move the Israelites to obedience from the favour and good will that God did bear towards them more then towards any other nation He that beleeveth the special love beleeveth the general also and receiveth as much benefit from the appearance of Gods love declared in the Gospel as any others do for what is there that should any way hinder them Now because you think that you must maintain some sins are forgiven absolutely as of due debt because otherwise universal Redemption presupposeth two payments of the same debt one from the Saviour of the world another from the person impenitent or unbeleeving pag. 61. It is unjust to require two payments of the same debt I desire your attention to what I shall now say The work of the Son of God in behalf of lost mankinde is set forth to us diversly under the term and likeness of Reconciliation or Atonement of parties that are at distance of a Sacrifice offered to propitiate the Deitie of Adoption whereby not onely pardon for malefactours but further the state of sons and heirs is procured of Redemption whereby captives are ransomed by some price paid of one that is punished in anothers stead or for anothers fault or that doth satisfie or discharge the debt which some other oweth These particulars with divers others being of a different nature one from another cannot all of them perfectly agree to the work of mans salvation that Jesus Christ wrought With men ordinarily there is a numerical punishment applyed to a numerical or individual fault But when Christ was smitten for our sins the punishment was one but of infinite value applicable to the sins of all men were there more than there are or ever will be In this similitude therefore the respect of punishing the same fault twice must be forborn so must that also touching a double payment of the same debt But take the other similitudes Reconciliation there may be and Adoption there may be which may come to nothing for want of the condition and a general ransom may be many ways defective as to some persons and a Sacrifice may be offered and the God not appeased according as the Latines make a difference betwixt Sacrificare and Litare to your argument therefore I answer when the payment or satisfaction is absolute as to all effects then there is no other satisfaction to be expected But when it is absolute as to some effect and conditional as to some other then it is neither against reason nor justice nor custome but that a payment pardon or satisfaction may be twofold The General ransome is absolute thus far that Gods justice or wrath is appeasable All sins are venial and way made for pardon the Covenant of works notwithstanding But thus far it is conditional that it shall not be actually beneficial for any to life eternal but according to the tenour of the Covenant of Grace namely upon Repentance and Belief in the Son of God I gave you the similitude of a general pardon granted from the King to which you say not one word to the purpose but most impertinently betake your self to the point of Free-will in the fourth Section of your former chapter And as for the injustice you speak of I answer had we our selves of our own paid these our debts or had our Suretie and Redeemer paid them and satisfied for them so as that all men should by vertue of his sacrifice have been instantly discharged from all their sins and admitted to possession of life no condition whatsoever intervening or had Almighty God made any such promise or agreement with his son our Saviour to bestow faith and repentance upon all those for whom he was to lay down his life in any of these cases
whereof is Christ Jesus the Redeemer And although the end and the means towards it be thought upon together by every wise agent at the same time yet the intention of the end doth precede the means in nature or as others call it in signo rationis in reason because the end propounded is the true Reason and the true Cause why the Means are such as they are When you described Election to be the choise of the man Christ to be united with the Word I told you it was an innovation and I should think it â—o till I knew some one or other that herein went before you In stead of naming any such you tell me of some that lay aside Christ in the doctrine of election I send you now a kinde of second challenge to name them that do so and now if you can you may answer both the challenges together But then say you Christ should not have the preeminence in all things To this I answer That our Saviour Christ is not now in this inquirie to be considered absolutely as the second person of the Trinitie coequal with the Father God blessed for ever But as he was incarnate and did take upon him mans nature in the fulness of time and suffered As he is the most high God and Creatour of us and all things so we and all things are for him Coloss 1.16 yet though all things were made by him and for him nevertheless as it is in the Nicene Creed For us men and for our salvation he came down from heaven and was incarnate His incarnation was for the sake of his Passion therefore did he take upon him our flesh that he might be capable of so mean an office as to die for us Hebr. 2.14 And can you think that both these his Incarnation and his Passion with other parts of his mediation were in nature or reason first thought upon as being the end why the Church was If our Saviour Christ must have the preeminence in all things as you mean even of Gods purpose in sending him then man was to be saved that Christ might come The Son of God is rightly preferred before us and all creatures yet is not every thing that he did or suffered so far to be preferred before mans benefit but that mans salvation may as the end be preferred in the reason or order of causalitie before that action or passion of his He was foreordained of God for our Redemption 1 Pet. 1.19 20. And he is to be considered as the instrumental cause by which we are brought to life as the chosen servant of God by whom his will and pleasure doth prosper and take effect Isa 53. v. 10 11. You seem to fear that inasmuch as the end is more honourable and valuable than the means if we be the end why Christ was chosen to be Gods servant then we should be more honourable than Christ is But you are mistaken for that rule doth hold onely in those means which having no absolute goodness or worth of their own are onely valuable by that relation which they bear unto their ends otherwise it holdeth not for the Angels are more worthy and honourable then men yet are sent forth as ministring spirits for the good of men The Angels are superiour to men yet may mans benefit be above and preferred before some actions ministeriall of the Angels The King may condescend to do some action for his meanest subject yea to signe a pardon for a rebellious subject or a traytour in which case he valueth the life of his subject before the setting to his own hand or seal otherwise he would not do it And yet I hope the King hath still the preeminence in all things There is no just cause of your distast in this matter nor of any mans dissent if it be well considered how they who teach that the end or fruit of Christs Incarnation is the salvation of Gods elect not onely in general but in particular for whose respect and benefit it was that Christ was sent do withall readily acknowledge that the end or fruit of mans salvation is that Christ may have the honour of it and that it may be as the Apostle faith Eph. 1.12 To the praise of his glory So that our Saviour is no way disparaged or undervalued but still and ever Of him and To him are all things Many of them who seem to honour Christ more than others do in beginning with him and making him the foundation of election do indeed most dishonour him for they make him a foundation possibly without any building upon it a head possibly without any bodie a King without any subjects For while we suppose all means necessarie to salvation afforded to all men it may be according to what they teach that not one shall beleeve or if he do he may fall away While you tell us That Christ having the preeminence in all things is worthy to have it in election too page 71. I pray take heed lest it be indeed you that would have the preeminence and that while you seem to honour Christ you do not indeed honour your self your own power and natural abilities If your Adversaries doctrine prevail then all the glorie redounds to God and his grace But if God doth choose his Son Jesus Christ send him into the world and then chooseth all those that beleeve in him if any there be that will beleeve in him for all may if they will then if you be chosen it is because you beleeve you are worthy and fit to be chosen because you are in Christ and then you may thank your self and not say with the Pharisee one of the pretended Orthodox God I thank thee I am not as other men are If he chose us in him then not but with respect to him It is granted not without respect to him if you mean not without respect had to Christs Passion by which our Redemption is wrought and our election is completed in the execution of it But it is denied if you mean thus not without respect to him as the cause why we were elected For though the means be the cause of producing the effect yet are they not the cause why the effect is determined and resolved upon to be produced For example God destinated food and medicine to be the means to maintain mans corporal life and health so that food and medicine are in some sort the cause of mans life and health yet are they not the cause why God was moved to give to man life and health Page 74. The election of his Church well-said that 's not of uncalled They may be the Church of God in his counsel of election before they be his called and gathered Church Matth. 1.21 He shall save his people from their sins Ephes 5.25 Christ loved the Church and gave himself for it that he might sanctifie it Christ had his people as yet uncalled and a Church as yet unsanctified I
cause why he receives not benefit by Christs death but may it not be said withall that he receives not benefit by it because it is not given him to beleeve But I innovate from Scripture I wish you would once leave your wonted manner of making people think you keep your self more punctually to Scripturd than others do Let the words of Moses be considered Deut. 29.4 The Lord hath not given you ◠heart to perceive and eyes to see Though great signes and miracles were wrought before their eyes yet they perceived them not because God gave them not to perceive Let those words of our Saviour be considered giving the reason why his heavenly doctrine was revealed to some and not to others it was not onely because some gave better ear then others did but So it seemed good in thy sight Matth. 11.26 and those words of his Joh. 10.26 You beleeve not because you are not of my sheep as I said unto you Sheep that is say you elswhere meekened and made docible then look to the 16. verse Other sheep I have which are not of this fold the I must bring Were the Gentiles yet uncalled meekned and made docible already No. By sheep therefore are meant elect such as belonged to God by election without reference to any sheep-like disposition found in them before they were brought In Gods counsel they appertained to his flock according as the elect in Corinth are called his people Acts 18.10 I have much people in this citie not with reference to any frames or qualities they had before they were called And I pray marke those words as I said unto you but where was that said that we may the better gather the meaning of what is said here I will refer you who would be thought not to swerve the least from what you finde in Scriture to Joh. 8.47 and Joh. 6.36 Ye have seen me and beleeve not All that the Father giveth me shall come unto me To come is to beleeve and they come whom God doth give and none else and they whom God giveth were his Joh. 17.6 Thine they were and thou gavest them me These be the causes you finde in Scripture no other frames and dispositions why one beleeveth and another not Sect. 3. You lay down considerations touching Gods giving Faith The sum is this He giveth Faith to all that hear the word as well to them that beleeve not as to theem that beleeve as he gave the Israelites Manna lying before them upon the ground they might take it if they would if they would not take it they might leave it Man 's not having doth not argue Gods not giving The sluggard cannot say God gave him not provision when he might have had it would he have laboured for it And where is now that malicious and standerous Adversary that dareth to accuse you as if you taught that Faith is not Gods gift God gave Faith to Judas but he would not take it as he giveth the slothfull man bread that starveth for want of it because he will not stretch forth his hand to labour He likewise gave Faith to Peter as he giveth to the diligent hand that maketh rich With you or in your doctrine To give is no more than to offer but in good common and ordinary sense That which is offered may be rejected but that which is not received cannot be said to be given And still you presuppose that man hath always spiritual life and can come when he is called and can take what is tendred to him and can eat what is set before him Whereas if you did not innovate from Scripture you might learn and teach others How Faith which is said to be Gods gift is the chief part of that spiritual life by which a Christian liveth and that very hand by which he receiveth and layeth hold of Gods promises and that appetite of the soul by which it longeth after the heavenly bread And untill this be obtained all that is said or done or propounded by way of Object to mans heart is no other than appositiones epularum circumpositae sepulchro as messes of meat set upon a grave or a banquet that is offered to an idol that can neither eat nor smell I am sure you innovate and invert the Apostles words who saith thus It is not of him that willeth but of God that sheweth mercy But you say to this effect That this man is saved and not another it is not of God that sheweth mercie for he sheweth mercie to all but it is of man that willeth and accepteth his mercie It is not of God that giveth but of man that taketh for God giveth to all that will take And when the Apostle Paul saith thus to Timothy if God peradventure will give them repentance his meaning must be but this If it pleaseth God to propound to their minds such reasons and arguments that would prevail with those that are disposed as they ought to be A thing which Timothy himself might do well enough But when he saith Sifortè if peadventure he intendeth some singular and rare matter and of great difficulty scarce to be hoped for not a common gift vouchsafed to all that hear and are outwardly called It is well said it is given to you to beleeve or suffer but it follows not that God either did not or would not have given the same to others in the serious listening to him in the means and Spirits concomitancie therewith given All that come are drawn it follows not all that are drawn come But who giveth the serious listening you speak of Who giveth eyes to see and ears to hear and a heart to perceive Whatsoever your concessions be or how far soever you yeeld you take care not to endanger nor part with your beloved Principle though never so rotten It must be of man that willeth and of man that listeneth why one beleeveth and another not The Spirits concomitancy therewith given they should speak of this that hold any such thing needfull beside the word for producing faith but you draw so deep of the Socinian lees as to count them breeders of Fanaticks that hold it I deny not but there is a working of the spirit of God which causeth some degree of illumination and conviction in the hearts of the hearers ordinarily but not universally for some hear and understand not their hearts being like the high way the seed that is sowen the wicked one catcheth away and it taketh no manner of place at all and in the Acts of the Apostles some beleeved others doubted a third sort mocked But though there be ordinarily such a working of the spirit accompanying the word yet I utterly denie that this is always accompanied with that saving and quickning power or efficacie which causeth true faith and is sufficient to salvation for it were sufficient and universal if it were able to remove mans rebellious disposition and were granted to all then all men would be saved