and given into he will of man by Jesus Christ in which so much liberty is given into the will of man that according to the declarations and tenders made in things naturally and morally good and the declaration of Gods love to mankinde in his works and in his word the mediums to discover supernatural and spiritual good things when attended to and believed he might incline to and chuse to minde attend to and imbrace such natural and moral good and such outward mediums for spiritual good as are set before him in which is attendance to that better freedom which in such attention should be met with of this and this onely is the question and the affirmative I have testified to in such a sense and so far as is affirmed in the four last mentioned particulars and I suppose fully and clearly proved in the Scriptures fore-cited in the three last of the five considerations of the natural man And yet for more satisfaction I will instance proofs more distinctly 1 Proof The Apostle professeth that the word of faith which he preached and that which the righteousness of faith saith and which Moses spake is the word that is nigh thee in thy mouth and in thy heart and that nightness and being in thee the testimonie of the word it self now this word which they preached was neither Adam nor Adam-like and natural things nor a Law of works but the word made flesh the Lord Jesus Christ and remission of sins and life in him to be received by believing and testified by confession and this word saith he is not so far out of sight and reach but it is very nigh thee in thy heart that thou maiest believe In thy mouth that thou maiest confess as is evident compare Rom. 10.4 10. with Deut. 30.11 15. And upon this ground Moses professeth to have set life before them and exhorts them to chuse life verse 15 19. Surely this testimonie is true in some plain and full sense without wresting dominition or addition and it cannot hold forth less than what is before affirmed in the last four fore-mentioned particulars To take it in such a fantastical sense as if the personal body of Christ were in us and dying rising and ascending in us is contrary to the whole testimonie of Scripture and the foundation of our faith and the drift of the place it self To take Nigh and In for his spiritual in-being in the hearts of believers by his word and Spirit and the riches of the mysterie in forgiveness righteousness c. By and in which manner he is in believers the hope of glorie is against Scripture which makes that peculiar to believers and against the place it self which affirms this nightness not because but that men might believe Yet sure a truth there is in the affirmation and that in a full and plain sense whether 1. We take in for for as it will well bear and signifie and is sometime so used yet then the first word Nigh implies a redemption for man and made known and fit and this implies good will to him and so for him and he so far made capable that he might so attend that he might believe or 2. If we take In for in or within as being added to Nigh it seems to be taken then we must take In for such a being in as may be in an unbeliever that he might believe and that can be no less than by virtue of his propitiation made and mediation continued extending such mercie and light into men as through him they live and move and have understanding above the beasts and so an eye to discern and such motion in their will that upon his tenders of life in the means they might chuse to behold and attend to him in them and then though they have no power to save themselves yet he would save them Isai 45.22 And both these senses are true and answer to the words fully and plainly and less than both these cannot be taken without injurie to the words and he that denieth this preacheth not the Gospel the Apostle preached but runs at an uncertain and this holds forth as much as I have affirmed 2. Proof It is affirmed plainly in the Scripture that Jesus Christ lighteth every man that cometh into the world John 1.9 and so that there is a spirit in man c. Prov. 20.27 Job 32.8 and 35.10 11. and that they have eyes and ears that they might see and hear though they refuse in seeing to see c. the wonders in the works and word of God Jer. 5.21 as is before shewn and this is as much as I have affirmed 3. Proof The Lord calleth upon men to look to him to hear his voice to understand to turn at his reproof to repent to believe to chuse life c. Isai 42.1 and 45.22 Prov. 8.4 7. and 1.23 Acts 2.38 and 16.31 Deut. 30.15 19. If any say that such exhortations imply not power in the exhorted to turn c. I answer I say not that it doth but implies power and will in the exhorter he being the Lord and a capacity given by him to the exhorted to hear and see and understand and so to attend and incline which if they do according to what they may by his gift he will add more and save as his word assures a wicked servant he is that saith the Lord gathers where he hath not sown c. If any say they say not God doth so for he gave them power in Adam which they have lost and he may justly require that of them he once gave them power for I answer he gave power to Adam to as much as the Law of ten words requires and that power he lost and this Law serves to discover sin and sentence to death which use was not for Adam in his innocency and I hope such as know the Gospel know that Christ will judge according to it himself having been judged for us according to the Law but the power to acknowledge sin repent and believe in Christ and so chuse life that way was not in Adam in his innocencie and so not lost by him and so as the first power men never had in themselves though in Adam so this they never had in him and if God graciously give not forth some power in which men might look to and receive his power he should require of men absolute impossibilities and then his yoke were not easie but in Gospel declarations he gives that by which men might hear the end of his declaring calling being that men might repent and be saved John 5.24 and 34. which will evidence as much as I have affirmed 4. Proof God every way by his word cleares himself from being the cause of mens destructions either in his will or pleasure taking in their death Ezek. 33.11 or tempting them to evil Jam. 1.12 or in want of any means used for their good that may stand with his wisdom and holiness and
that they might discern and attend the means in which his goodness is testified and his Spirit working And he knoweth that if such mediums abide unclouded and unperverted before them and that if they according to the light given them do in seeing see and attend to that discovered in the means The grace discovered would enlighten their mindes draw their attentions and work willingness and desires in their hearts to receive and God would convert and heal them Therefore this enemy of Mankinde exerciseth his malice in many wiles to withdraw men from beholding and attending the truth as presented in those mediums especially in the Gospel And this he doth sometime like himself as an Angel of darkness with presentation of necessities or worldly honours and riches or persecutions but sometime counterfeiting as if he were an Angel of light pretending light holiness and greater attainment and for this cause hath his Ministers appearing as Ministers of righteousness to oppose the Testimony of Christ as set forth in the plain sayings of the Gospel also in the extent of it knowing if that be hid from men the door of saving knowledge the foundation of sound repentance and faith the medium to set their will at liberty and make free to choose life is hidden from them then they are liable to be taken in his snares and seducements But that he 's mischievous end may not be seen and that he may prevail to put men by attending to such plain declaration of the Gospel he will colour over his business with a pretence of magnifying free and particular grace in a more excellent way and cry down the plain Testimony of the Gospel if received in the plain import of the words as exalting the nature of Man and attributing free-will thereto to the derogation or abating the honour of the grace of God and so scare men from attending that in which they might meet with life For the preventing of which mischievous design and removing that false aspersion cast on the truth and lovers thereof I have writ these ensuing lines which I desire may be read and the homeliness of the stile pardoned but the things themselves tried and received so far as they appear consonant to the Testimony and sayings of the Gospel and no farther The Lord in mercy sill us with the blessing of the Gospel and make us of one minde therein as prayeth the Well-willer in Christ THO MOOR A TREATISE About the will in Man and what freedom is in it to any thing truly good and whence that comes THe great love of God to fallen mankinde in giving his own Son to take the nature of man yea to be the publick man and under the law for and in the room of all men and so to dye for them all that first and accursed Death in which all mankinde had else for ever perished And Gods being so well pleased with this Death of one for all that he hath raised and exalted him and made him Lord of all and given them all over into his dispose and born witness of him and set him forth in the Gospel to be the propitiation for the sins of the whole world that whosoever believeth in him may receive forgiveness of sins and have eternal life and that such as when means are used towards them rebell willingly against him may be justly judged by him This is fully and plainly recorded in Scripture and declared as the ground and foundation of repentance faith love to God and men of preaching the Gospel to all of asserting the Resurrection of all and of Christ his judging all as is plain in the Scripture and hath thereby been clearly proved by many Yet by some and such also as are in esteem both for learning and godliness this truth is not onely opposed with many subtilties cavils and invention of absurdities to fasten on it but even the clear contrary Assertion affirmed as to say that God never loved all men Christ did not dye for all men he is not the propitiation for the sins of the whole world of mankinde calling these their negations Truth and the contrary affirmations of the holy Ghost Error and Heresie and although the best of them can finde but carnal weapons as misreporting the words they should answer wrong and cloudy stating the question multiplying queries scholastical flourishes Rhetorical chidings scoffings pervertion and wresting of Scripture-sayings not one plain saying of the holy Ghost to avouch and countenance their negation withall but such expositions limitations and exceptions as tend as much to deny Gods creation of all men by Christ his making all men righteous in the first publick man that all have sinned that there is any cause for or door of repentance for all men That there is any real truth in the Gospel to be preached to all men that all men are obliged to Jesus Christ for any saving good why they should live to him or that they shall all rise and come to judgement before him nor have they any clearer testimony in the Scripture for these or any of these than for that which they deny I hope God will one day give them to see so bring them from opposing to acknowledging the truth and for that cause I have writ these few lines if it may be to remove one of their great pretended stumbles in answer to a groundless slander which is this that such as believe Jesus Christ to have dyed for all men do also therewith hold that men have free will by nature and so magnifie the nature of man and free will in man Derogating thereby from the honour of the rich and free grace of God By what reason or learning this should be raised to be a consequent of the belief of Christ his having dyed for all men I know not nor believe that any can shew but I shall endeavour to clear that part of opposed truth from giving any cause at all or having so much as any shew for such an absurdity to be cast upon it and I am sure many believing the truth are slandered And for the clearing the truth and them I desire that these four things may be considered and what the Scripture saith of them may be believed 1. The distinction the Scripture holdeth forth between that which Jesus Christ as the publick man distinct from all other men undertook to do and hath done in his own personal body with God for men without reference to the knowledge will or acting of other men and as and while they were enemies and that which as the publick man by virtue of that done in his own bodie being filled with power authority offices and spirit he hath undertaken to do doth and will do for to and in men that they might know will act and enjoy the virtue and blessing of that he hath done in his own body The first of these being done perfect compleated without the knowledge will or act of any other man in his
expresseth his heart for their coversion and appealeth to their conscience what could have been done more that he hath not done Isai 5.2 6. which had been easily answered if he had not done as much for and in them as I have affirmed 5. Proof God that is mercifull wise and holy will not look for that in his creatures for which he never gave them any power or fitness or means by which it might be brought about he would not look down from heaven upon the sons of men to see if they did understand c. If he had done nothing for them by which they might understand c. Psal 4.2 3. nor would he look for fruits if he had not done that by which fruits might have been brought forth Isai 5.3 4. which could be no less than I have affirmed 6. Proof God in convincing reproving and condemning men as sinners in this respect chargeth them neither with Adams fall nor weakness and inability in that sense but with willfulness and gross neglect or rejecting his word Prov. 1.24 29 30. Ezek. 24.13 And saith not they were chained in or necessitated to but chose their own ways Isai 66.3 And are in this foolish having eyes and see not Jer. 5.21 which argues as much as I have affirmed 7. Proof The convinced that are convinced by the holy Ghost shall experiment and acknowledge as much when they shall see it their sin that they have not believed in Christ which could not be if there were nothing in Christ for them to believe in him for nor that done by Christ to them by which they might have believed John 16.8 9. which proves as much as I have affirmed 8. Proof The complaint or reproof of or lamentation for the fool Prov. 17.16 wherefore is there a price put in the hand of a fool seeing he hath no heart There is a price and the price is put in his hand and he values and loves it not and herein he is a fool not that he hath no eyes or ears or hand and so cannot see or hear or receive but that he having these neglects to use them when so good occasion is given not that there is no price for him or that it is far out of his reach but the price is put in his hand and he wants wisdom or a heart to set such price on it as to part with his lust c. For it is this is folly Jer. 5.21 Hos 11.3 4 7. And this also carries forth as much as I have affirmed 9. Proof And to come to right reason subdued to and ordered by the word of God this affirmed tends more to the glory of God and the abasement and good of men than that opinion that denieth this let them be weighed together That all the preservation of mans life is by virtue of the death of Christ and that God hath provided life for them in Christ and that he useth means to bring them to the knowledge of it and that he gives them an understanding that they might discern his goodness in those means and that he gives so much freedom to them that they might incline to attend those means and so look to him and turn at his reproof and that in so looking and turning he will give them supernatural and spiritual light and save them that they for all this not minding his goodness nor turning to him he should not onely forbear tumbling them down into destruction but also strive with more means and more force of spirit so stretching forth his hand as to remove the yoke from their jaws setting their will in some seasons at such liberty that they might chuse life and he in such seasons also laying meat before them and calling them what saith all this to us doth it not say that God is infinit in love wisdom and mercy to give such a Saviour by whom such mercie is procured that his love and bounty to mankinde yea his patience forbearance and long suffering is very great the revelation of his minde that all might be saved very true and doth it not say likwise that God is just and righteous and his ways equal in condemning such for and to whom he hath done so much and they so willingly rebell against him refuse such salvation doth it not also speak forth the truth of Gods words that he wills not the death of the wicked that dyeth but rather that he turn and live and that those that perish do forsake their own mercies loose their own souls and in their calamity eat the fruit of their own ways and for such as believe they may herein see all the mercies they have from first to last the free gift of God by Christ and doth not this say likewise that men were wholly lost corrupt and dead that by Christ a restoration is wrought and mercy extended that they are beholding to him and his bloud and spirit for all the good motions that come to them that he having so freely dyed for them and now doing so much to them it is their own fault and a foul and inexcusable fault that they remain impenitent unbelieving and disobedient yea and speaketh not this also for the good of man of believers to preach the Gospel and therein to use reproofs and exhortations seeing that they may speak to men in their own language in a tongue that God giveth men to understand and it speaks good for others to encourage men to hearken to the word of God and attend to his Ordinances and yield up to his teachings and motions according to the light and strength vouchsafed and to watch to all opportunities and lay hold on the seasons of Gods visitations seeing he is nigh to them therein and much blessing to be met within them and great danger in neglecting them yea yet again this truth about so much grace extended by God to men would if believed free men from those evil thoughts of God as that his will is the prime cause of most mens destruction that he sends Gospel and useth means and proclaims love to men and calls them to repent but neither intends good to them nor gives them any power or freedom by which they might come to repentance yea it would free them from those vain excusings of themselves when they neglect to hear the Word to attend the Ordinances of God to shew mercy to men or to forbear such evil courses as they run into by pleading we have no power of our selves and God hath given us none and were it his will we should do these things and repent c. He would not onely use outward means and put in a motion but overcome us with an almighty and unresistable power and till he so do we had as good sit still as strive to no purpose we are blinde and deaf and dead and nothing it is God that doth all therefore the blame is not ours from all which unsavorie stuff this truth believed would free yea