Parable or any other Scripture to speak this way viz. That Christ did buy the creature for all men our Vniversalists will not rest there give them but an inch of this or other texts to hold out Christs temporall purchase for every man and they will take an ell of his spirituall purchase in with it witnesse the Texts c Joh. 4. 42. 1 Tim. 24. 6 c. fore-alleadged and vindicated all which doe speak expressely of spirituall and saving benefits and so farre doth our new Expositour carry it beyond a temporall common good even to a Redemption from all sinnes against the Covenant of works which indeed is but that one first sinne of Adam before the promise by the tenour of his Doctrine for all having sinned in Adam and a Covenant of grace entered with those all after his sinne it must needs follow that all sinnes of Adam and of all his posterity afterwards are sinnes against the Covenant of grace only and Christ being the Mediatour of this Covenant he mediates for all that all may have Adams sinne forgiven which is beyond all temporall benefits for it puts them into a blessed state of Justification and life which the Apostle Rom. 5. sets in opposition to the state of guilt and death wherein all are involved by Adams sinne And it may be some over-indulgent expressions of some reverend and godly learned Teachers in our Churches have encouraged our Adversaries by what they have preached or written to this effect That some common benefit comes in to all men by Christ and that Christ as a Lord hath bought and purchased all wicked men their lives and their reprievall all that time that here they live and all the blessings and dispensations of goodnesse which here they do enjoy That which is indulgent is for Christ as a Lord to allow wicked men common benefits c. That which I thinke over-indulgent is that Christ hath bought and purchased these men and the world for them And the stretching inferences which our Arminian-Novellists doe wier-draw from hence are That such acts of Gods mercy are effects of Christs Mediatour-ship And if Christ doth it as a Lord thinke they yea and as a Jesus too and if God hath given them their lives c. for a time Christ hath purchased these lives of theirs and if he hath purchased them it is upon some satisfaction which Christ hath made to his Father and from some generall pardon which he hath obtained of his Father for Adam's and all mens first fault in Adam But that the world and the lives of wicked men and the blessings of this life though the earth be given to the sons of men even into the hands of the wicked Job 9. 24. come not in to them by Christs purchase I think I may evince by these Demonstrations 1. Either such a purchase is by some satisfaction to Gods Demonstratiōs against Christs purchase of all men for the world of creatures or of the creatures for all mankinde justice or not If not by any satisfaction then something Christ doth and offereth to God is a price unsatisfactory or no 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or price of redemption at all which is the dotage and madnesse of Socinus and his followers If by some satisfaction where Christ satisfies in part he satisfieth wholly where he obtains one mercy he obtains all and wicked men even reprobates must have the rest of the purchase or God gives not Christ what he hath purchased we may safely conclude therefore he purchased nothing for them at all neither spirituals nor temporals but all and only for them for whom he obtained an eternall Redemption as 't is called Heb 9. 13. 2. Then would Gods love and favour be known by outward Demon. 2. benefits at the first view and by good events of providence without any other consideration it is enough Christ purchased the world for them and them for the world God loves them nor is there any hatred to be taken notice of from other notions contrary to Ecclesiastes chap. 9. 1. 3. Then all are under Grace and Gospel-grace and Gospel-Covenant Demon. 3. Nature is grace even naturall reason and will or nature endued with reason and will as Pelagius fancied for this was part of the purchase 4. Grant but all temporall things even of men excommunicate Demon. 4. and of Heathens to be founded in grace I mean Gospel-purchase and Gods free favour in Christ and you Daven deter q. 30. lay a foundation for the Popes Supremacy and his deposing of Princes for that being granted 't is founded in grace and many Princes denying Romes grace and faith they conclude such are to be deprived of their temporall dominions and dignities 5. This confounds the Kingdom of Power and the Kingdom Demon. 5. of Grace and brings all humane Powers and Magistrates States and Common-wealths immediately under Christs mediatory Kingdom and that as they are Magistrates and civil States As Mr Hussey * Plea for Christian Magist 36 would have Christ by his mediation obtain of the Father that he shall not judge any man according to rigour but as they are in or out of Christ all deferring of judgement from the wicked is in and for Christ which otherwise the justice of God would not allow Mr Gillespy a Malè audis 29. well infers Then Christ dieth for them and did thus farre make satisfaction in the behalf of the wicked that judgement might be deferred from them and thus farre he hath performed acts of mediation for Savages and Mahumetans who never heard of the Gospel and thereby hath obtained that they shall be judged not according to rigour but by the Gospel which intimateth That Christ hath taken away all their sinnes against the Law so that all men shall now go upon a new score c. being all of them immediately upon Adams fall under a new Covenant and in a Kingdome of grace which sutes well and jumps in with Mr Oats's opinion not as good wits use to doe but as bad counsellours and conspiratours against a good cause or two as well that of Church-government confounded with the civil as that of a Covenant of grace confounded with a Covenant of works But I ask M. Hussey or any rationall Doctour Cannot Gods power be exercised where his grace in Christ is denied and cannot God be just and patient too why should we set one Attribute of God against the other when none of them doe interfere Object Gen. 2. 17. It will be said The threatning was full and peremptory In the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt die the death Except Christ steps in Justice proceeds upon him immediately God shews not a drop of mercy but for his Sonne I answer 1. Justice did proceed upon Adam at the instant of his sinning he begins to die the death his body becomes mortall and obnoxious to death in which sense the Apostle saith The body is dead Rom.
8. 10. his soul and spirit is void of the life of God and of the sense of Gods love he is under the power and regiment of sinne and Satan disabled to all spirituall good This spirituall death is the harbinger of eternall death to him an hell upon earth it was when God arraigned him he had no other I conceive then the sentence of death and hell in his conscience till the promise comes Gen. 3. 15. but observe it before that promise is revealed God is just and patient also just in bringing the degrees and pains of death upon Adam patient in forbearing the immediate and full execution even as God was and is just to the Angels that sinned 2 Pet. 2. 4. yet patient in that he reserveth them to a further judgement and gives them not all their torment before their time Math. 8. 29. and yet this patience is exercised to devils without a purchase or death of a Mediatour so God might deferre from Adam and doth from his posterity keep off judgement though not in and for Christ quâ Mediator And what though Gods dispensations towards Angels is not a rule in all cases for us to collect his transaction about man fallen and his dispensations towards him yet in this case the Apostle b 2 Pet. 2. 4. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vers 9. makes a clear inference If God spared not them but reserveth them unto judgement he knoweth v. 9. how to reserve the unjust to the day of judgement the same verb being used in ver 4 and 9. for reserving in the Passive and Active voice where he speaks of Angels and men as coming from the same act of Gods just patience and patient-justice And though we know not how this should be he knoweth how to be just and patient too how to be patient in wrath and justice Rom. 9. 22. and how to be just in his patience 2. The threatning Gen. 2. 17. against Adam and all men sinning in him is not taken off by the promise Gen. 3. 15. which is only to the woman and her seed nay that is a threatning too in reference to the Serpent and his seed which are not only evil Angels but wicked reprobates amongst men and that which is threatned is irreconcilable enmity with and conquest over Satan and all his serpentine brood which necessarily infers death and damnation to them as to himself it were strange then if vertually in and for Christ patience should be afforded to Adam and all in him before the promise is actually promulged when at and in the actuall promulgation here is nothing but wrath and enmity between the woman and the serpent Christ and the devil the devils brood and the generation of the righteous true Adam stands by trembling and hears this but if he gets any peace or patience or pardon of his first sinne 't is a personall favour only for himself not to descend upon all his posterity but such as should be the womans seed from their interest in a second Adam Christ Jesus not from any relation to him as the first Adam All therefore who are yet but in the first Adam and as branches of that root are under the sentence of death for that first sinne Christ hath not obtained pardon nor patience that I know for them one moment 3. No man denieth but all was forfeited upon Adam's fall his very life and all creature-comfort and subsistence but God takes not the forfeit for when Christ the promised seed steps in for that part of mankinde who are with Christ the seed of the woman the elect of God the patience mercy and bounty of God steps in for the rest of mankinde even the seed of the serpent and reprobates with whom yet he will carry on a Covenant of works and justice the foundation of which covenant Christ cannot be as Mediatour for then he should be the foundation of two Covenants contradistinct works and grace no a Reprieve only comes forth for them yet under and ever to be under a Covenant of works and justice this is no Redemption 4. This Reprieve is but for a very short time to many not at all to some of the serpents seed who being conceived in the guilt of the first sinne are stifled at first conception â—â— or being born in that guilt and the corruption of nature succeeding in the room of Gods image dead in sinnes and trespasses die corporally the day they are born or soon after in tender infancy and in their immortall souls die eternally as the children of the Sodomites then in the womb or newly crept out who with their parents or fathers of fornication an unclean diabolicall brood Jude v. 7. are suffering the vengeance of eternall fire Others live out their time allotted them in just-patience but are accursed in life and death Isa 65 20. And die as e Morte morieris Hebraismus est qua verboruÌ„ reduplicatione vehementia certitudo significatur morie morieris i. c. certissimè morieris Paulus Fagius in Gen. 2. 17. certainly step by step as they that drop into hell out of their mothers womb And as malefactours who are but reprieved not redeemed and pardoned stay they never so long in Gaole yet they die the death or doe most surely suffer death at the day of full execution being dead men in law long before 5. What Christ the Sonne of God doth in this reprieve of the serpents seed as indeed he doth all that is done 't is as he is God and Lord of all in the Kingdom of his Power which he makes subservient to the Kingdom of his Grace for the saving benefit of the heirs of grace and glory As some great Lord intending to redeem one captive among and out of many prisoners in his fathers great house that he might marry her and make her his beloved Spouse and for whom he laies down a ransome to his father out of his generous and noble disposition common to him and his father also as a Lord and great Prince not as Husband or Bridegroom should throw away little and great summes of money with sutes of cloth upon the common prisoners and appoint them relief out of a common Almes-basket all to this end that these common prisoners might doe some service in the great family for his Spouses advantage So the Lord God and our Lord Iesus Christ so stiled Iude v. 4. being the only Lord God to all men and the Lord Iesus Christ but to a few he comes in the first promise and in the old Prophecies types and shadows and in the fulnesse of time in the substance of our nature among a world of Captives to wooe his Church his â—pouse and Bride to redeem and save her and her only by the ransome of his bloud paid down to his Fathers justice and out of his naturall pity and bounty being God and the Son of God and Lord of all like himself and his greatnesse he casts away life and health
together but with untempered morter In the next place Who is the man that found the Treasure and Pearl and sels all to buy c. Was it the Lord Christ as he affirmed What though God be said to finde his people and Christ came to seek and to save the lost sheep groat and Prodigall Those Parables Luk. 15. are of one scope these of another The man thought it may be he had been opening Luk. 15. 3 c. not Math. 13. 44 c. and so lost himself and the true sense of this present Text which holds forth as you will perceive more afterwards the joyes and priviledges of a Christian finding Christ in the Gospel not Christs priviledges and joyes finding a Christian in the rubbish of the world of man-kinde Lastly By selling all saith our new Expositour is understood Christs selling all he had his parting with his glory his riches of this world his life and the sweet beams of his Fathers love to purchase the whole world and his people therein These words are fair and specious and will take with the fancies of weak men and silly women because of some truth therein as if they were the truth of the Text but as before upon one absurdity presumed as the proper sense he swalloweth many more And though he thinks he hath found the life and marrow of this parabolicall speech yet it is but the marrow of his own fancy That Gods people are like treasure hid in the field which when Christ hath found he parted with all he had to buy this field for if it hath appeared already that 1. By the Kingdom is not meant the Church nor 2. By the Treasure here spoken of is meant the Christian nor 3. By the field the world of men nor 4. By the Pearl either the world or Church nor 5. By the man or merchant finding c. Christ Jesus then cannot the selling of all be Christs purchase of his people by the parting with all he had to that end But Secondly Let us examine his Observations and see how 2. His impertinent observations impertinent they were Were the Exposition right most of the observations would be right and proper enough but that foundation being false the building falleth to the ground As 1. The peculiar people of God are Gods treasure and jewels A truth but not here to be found 2. God is found of those that sought him not A truth but not here primarily intended only presupposed the Parables speak of mans finding of God in Christ and of Christ in the Gospel and only presupposeth that God cometh in the Gospel of the Kingdom and findes him first by the preventing light of his Spirit 3 The providence of God is a strong Tower But this tower not built upon this Text. 4. Gods love is abundantly put forth towards his elect We grant it but not as the man intended it here to obscure set by and take no notice of the abundant love of Gods elect towards Christ which he speaks to in this place 5. Christ parted with all his glory for the good of his elect The Observation is good and pious but not proper to the place but in that Christ did part with all as we finde it in other Scriptures and that only for the elect This indeed makes the Lord Jesus a Pearl and Treasure to every true believer for obtaining of which treasure the believer parteth with all his basenesse and glory too in himself or in the world 6. The Lord Christ did give himself for the world that is the whole world or number of men in the world This is the Observation which the Observatour called a Doctrine hardly born and that which I called at first a false Doctrine added to his impertinent Observation And which is the Third thing to be exâ—mined by the Scriptures to which 3. His false Dâ—ctrine touchstone assoon as it is brought we shall finde it hath neither true footing in the Text nor foundation elswhere in the written Word rightly understood 1. Not in these Parables of the Text For 1. If we cannot finde it in the Exposition or meaning of the words we cannot draw out a Conclusion where there are no premises 2. Parabolicall Texts prove nothing beyond their scope 2. Not in other Scriptures although the late Interpreters light as he said gave him that Christ did die for the whole world yet when we come to the Law and to the testimony if he or any man speaks not according to the Word in the sound sense thereof it is because there is no light in him but upon proof and triall his light will be found darknesse and how great that darknesse is we shall judge better with the Candle in our hands or the Sun beams of Truth before our eyes In the search after the falshood of this his Doctrine That the Lord did give himself for all the world of mankinde though with a principall eye to his elect We will follow the Authours method first examine his positive Scriptures as he termed them and then such as are like them and favour the Doctrine which he produced for proofs And first as touching his positive Scriptures we will not forget his Caution Take this by the way that positive Scriptures must not be overthrown by mans reason or consequence Heb. 2. 9. vindicated 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ubi annotandum particâ—lam universalem non complecti singulos homines sed omnia Christi membra in unum corpas conjungere Bez. ann in loc a Caution that if himself had remembred he might then have been silent or since that have recanted his rash reasonings and collections His first Scripture was that in Heb. 2 9. where Christ is said to taste death for every man I answer This universall particle reacheth not to every individuum or singular man but to every member of Christs body not to every man as a man but as a member of Christ which appears 1. From that precedent clause by the grace of God to every man that Gods grace extends unto Christs death extends 2. That all or every man is expounded by and confined to many v. 10. 3. Those many or all are sonnes adopted and to be adopted 4. Those adopted sons shall all come to glory whom Christ is there said to taste death for 5. Christ is the Captain of their salvation for whom he died all this in verse 10. 6. They are the sanctified and to be sanctified v. 11. 7. They are his Brethren v. 11. and 12. 8. They are all the children of Gods election and regeneration v. 13 14. Besides In how many places of Scripture do we finde the particle all or every one or every man taken not for a simple and absolute universall but a meer indefinite expression or note of so many men or of so many of mankinde as are of that stamp and spirit which that Scripture speaks of as for instance in one place for many Luk. 16. 16. 't
is affirmed by our Lord Every man presseth into the Kingdom which compared with Mat. 11. 12. you will finde but to be equivalent with the indefinite the violent or so many as are violent not every singular man and woman for it was but from Johns time there was such crouding and even then many of the Pharisees and Scribes gave way stood at a distance were farre from pressing in for they despised c. Luke 7. 30. but numbers and all those and only those numbers of the violent who by faith offered violence to their carnall reasonings and corrupt hearts and took hold of the promise of the Kingdom pressed into it and yet the expression is every man So here Christ tasted death or died for every man that is every one of the number of those many whom God bears a speciall favour unto and in due time endueth with his speciall grace of Sonneship and sanctification unto whom God is and will be a father Christ a Captain and Elder brother Now judge ye who have any enlightened reasons and consciences whether this his first positive Scripture speaks positively and peremptorily of Christs dying for all the world and not rather respectively of every one whom God intends salvation unto and of those only who are very many in themselves and peculiar ones by themselves A second Scripture followeth 1 Joh. 2. 2. He is the propitiation 1 Joh. 2. 2. opened by the scope for our sins and not for ours only but also for the sinnes of the whole world that is said the Expositour for the whole bulk of men For answer whereunto And context 1. The Apostle writes not of no more then to every singular man in the world but of and to all believers among the Jews as is demonstrable from v. 7. where he saith Brethren I write no new commandment unto you but an old commandment which ye had from the beginning and have heard from the beginning Now though the Gentiles had something of the Commandment written in their hearts before Christs coming yet only the Jew had it written in books and had heard of it by teachers sent of God 2. Lest it should be thought that Christ died only for the believing Jews The Apostle enlargeth his assertion as farre as Christ himself enlargeth it Joh. 10. 15 16. to the Gentiles spread all over the world farre and near or as Calvin whose Exposition you may take assoon as a Catabaptists the death of Christ belongs not to Jews only a part of the Church but toti Ecclesiae to the whole Church or the Church in the whole world in all ages Nations c. And I shall prove it to be the true sense of the words and the Arminian sense a false one by these four Reasons And vindicated by reasons 1. From a parallel acception of the word world Rom. 11. 12. where the phrase Gentiles in the later clause explains the phrase world in the former If the fall of them the Jews be the riches of the world viz. of Gentiles and yet when S. Paul cals the Gentiles the world he doth not mean every singular Gentile much lesse every singular man and woman what or wheresoever no more doth S. John here in the place we are opening and vindicating but he meaneth that Christ is a propitiation for the sins of all that did or should believe or were of Gods number among the world of Gentiles as also the phrase is used in the same sense 1 Tim. 3. 16. preached unto vers 1. the Gentiles believed on in the world 2. The Apostle speaks here of that world for which Christ is an Advocate as well as a Propitiation Now he is not an Advocate for all the world or the whole bulk of men but for those that shall beleeve Joh. 17. 20. and that come unto God by him Heb. 7. 25. Nay he praied not for the world at all being contradistinct to those that God had given him Joh. 17 9. 3. As the whole world in some places is taken for the worser Cùm mundus totus pejorem hominum partem solam denotat 1 Joh. 5. 19. Apoc. 12. 9. Cur non ad potiorem etiam applicari possit ego quidem nullus video Ames Cor. p. 139. part of men alone by themselves 1 Joh. 5. 19. Revel 12. 9. why may it not why ought it not be applied in this and other Scriptures to the better part or sort of men alone by themselves 4. The immediate scope of the Apostle is to comfort believers falling into sin which comfort is peculiar to them not of one Nation only but of every Nation under heaven If any man sin vers 1. We have an Advocate for whom for all no for any man of us the children of God begotten by the Apostles Ministery who is our and all others propitiation and Advocate that are come in by the Ministery of the Gospel as we are Thus you see that this Scripture which seemeth to be most positive and point blank for the Arminian-Anabaptist is a blank and saith nothing in true interpretation but what is destructive to their errour of universall Redemption A third witnesse must be heard speak and that is 2 Cor. 5. 2 Cor. 5. 14 15 vindicated 14. 15. 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 unto him which died for them and rose again This Scripture was set upon the rack the other day and made to speak for that which it doth not intend by putting a new scope upon the words as if they came in to answer such a question as this Whether all were dead or no A new fancy where findes he it that the Corinthians were in such mistakes But in his own fancy-full opinion that all were not dead in sinnes by Adam even the elect as well as others The Arminian saith all did not die in Adam nor are they dead in sins c. The Apostle saith All were dead and his scope is from vers 9. to excite others with himself to be ambitious of pleasing God though it be with the displeasing of our selves one reason hereof is drawn from the generall judgement ver 10 11. A second from the speciall constraining love of Christ who died for those that were as dead as others even all of them that Christ died for were dead that is not question'd but taken for granted what then shall Christs death for any that he died for be fruitlesse No a two-fold fruit comes forth 1. They live a new life 2. That life is no more to themselves but unto him which died for them They must needs deny themselves and the carnall applause of men as we do saith the Apostle and study to be pleasing to God So that if you take the scope of the words along with you it is not to hold forth a generall atonement but speciall
mortification or dying to a mans self and living unto Christ who died for him and I adde what the Apostle addeth and rose again implying he hath no purpose to extend Christs death for any further then he doth his resurrection the fruit whereof goeth along with the fruit of his death the proper and immediate fruit of his death being to kill and crucifie self-esteem and to die unto creature-applause vers 12. 16. And the proper and immediate fruit of his resurrection in all that he died for being to make them non-Creatures and to live to him which died and rose again for them A fourth Scripture-witnesse called in was Rom. 5. 14. Who viz. Adam is the figure of him that was to come Now Rom. 5. 14. vindicated Adam was an universall person and all died in him therefore the second Adam Christ redeemed all else the type was greater then the substance Answ 1. Every man and woman sinned and died in Adam because they were all in him as in a common root and stock and accordingly all and every one who are in Christ the common root and stock of branches truly ingraffed into him and so you must understand vers 18. The free gift comes upon all who are in Christ the second Adam to justification of life 2. In this true sense of the Apostle The figure is not greater ver 20. then the substance for take the Apostle not only as he meaneth but as he speaketh and it is a sure truth That where sinne abounded grace did much more abound though it abounds not to moe persons nor reacheth to half so many yet in this Christ redeemed as much and more then Adam lost that Adam lost but the righteousnesse of the Law and of a meer man Christ restoreth his own righteousnesse the Gospel-righteousnesse of him that is God we are condemned by the sinne of man but justified by the obedience and bloudshed of God Act. 20. 20. And all who are in Christ receive this abounding grace Rom. 5. 17. Thus you see these four positive Scriptures called in as witnesses speak nothing for but rather much against universall Redemption It is a strange boldnesse to call forth Scripture to witnesse against it self may any man take that boldnesse No let their mouths first be stopped and silenced for ever who are such false criers and intelligencers as to bring an evil report upon the Scriptures Now let us examine those which are like the former and seem as he said to favour that which he cals truth and we errour and heresie too First That in John 3. 14 15 16. The Question was whether Moses did lift up the serpent to all or not if to all then Joh. 3 14 c. Christ not dying for all the type will be more then the substance therefore it cannot be but he must die for all Answ 1. The scope of that type is given by the Lord himself the Serpent was lifted up to hold out Christ lifted up vindicated on the crosse and in the Gospel and as the Serpent was lifted up to all who should lift up their eyes and look upon it to be healed So Christ is lifted up to and for all which shall lift up the eyes of their faith that they may be saved we here agree that as none are healed but those that looked up so none are saved but such as believe still as in all such Scriptures take it for the adulâ—i or those of years and in this respect the type is not more then the substance 2. What gets he by saying The Serpent was lifted up to all in the wildernesse Were not all in the wildernesse the Church typicall And who denieth that Christ gave himself for the Church or his whole body mysticall Ephes 5. 23 26 Act. 7. 38. This text then in John favours beleevers and Christs dying for them not the c. of all the world But to v. 16. what doe we say even what we have said before unto 1 Joh. 22. that the world of Iews and Gentiles are so loved that whosoever he be Iew or Gentile and beleeveth he shall not perish c. Suppose it so will some say as our adversary said in his discourse in granting that there is nothing lost Yes but there is on his part 1. In that he gets nothing for the upholding of his opinion by such an Exposition he loseth 2. He loseth by being convinc't this is an Exposition stands with good sense the Noun partitive whosoever strengthening and attending the distributive sense of the word world into Iew and Gentile whosoever viz. of the world be he Jew or be he Gentile and beleeveth And if this be good sense and most agreeable to other Scriptures neither he nor any man is forc't for the avoiding of non-sense to run to the Arminian interpretation of world for every singular man of every kinde or sort of men for it is neither said nor meant that God loved every man and gave his son for him but God so loved the world or common nature and kinde of men or mankinde indefinitely taken and found among Jews and Gentiles that he gave his Son that every believer or every one that beleeveth so the Greek strictly in him should not perish c. Observe it Gods love 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is in order and reference to the gift of Christ and the gift of Christ in order and reference to the gift of faith and that in reference to salvation there is no separating of these links of the golden chain which they do who would make Gods love and the gift of Christ common to those to whom faith and salvation is not common A second favourable Scripture which the man imagined to smile upon his opinion is in Ioh. 1. 29. Behold the lamb of Joh. 1. 29. vindicated God which taketh away the sinne of the world Yet this is a place of as great fears to him as hopes for putting forth the Question What is meant here by the world he answered himself thus If not as we exprest before that is for the whole bulk of men we are left in the briars Now to examine and answer to it a little first take notice that in this Scripture Iohn Baptist speaketh not of Christs death expresly but of the fruit thereof Taking away sin So that if any will prove Christs dying for all from hence he must hold with all that by that death of his the sin of all men is expiated and satisfied for and here indeed the man hath brought himself into the briars get out how he can for he did peremptorily affirm That though Christ did not bear the unbelief of any but of the elect * Nor is he stedfast in that faith but is of opinion unles he be changed since he was here that all the satisfaction the father demands and accepts for the elects sinnes against the Gospel is the sense of his wrath upon their consciences
founded in him but in the seed of the woman the Lord Jesus nor is Adams enmity with Satan and reconciliation with God there mentioned but only the womans and her seed partly exprest partly implied 3. All died as they sinned in Adam before this promise but the promise is not made of or to all mankinde who died vertually in him only of and to the woman is it spoken and her seed the principall whereof should be the redeemer and the rest of her seed the redeemed ones of the Lord between whom and the old Serpent Satan and his seed there should be irreconcilable enmity 4. If you would know who and who only and what number they are for whom if you speak of the certain individuals the Lamb was a ransome from the beginning you must wait till the Lambs book of life be opened of which we read Revel 13. 8. and 17. 8. where plainly you may learn That 1. He was not slain for any first or last but for such whose names are in his book 2. Comparing those Texts with Rev. 13. 3. there are a world of people whose names are not written in his book therefore not slain in the Arminian sense for all the world nor must this last place in Timothy nor any of the former be so understood We have now done with the Scriptures alleadged and abused by him and vindicated by us which I desire you to hold fast in the true sense not in a perverted interpretation these were his out-works which we have taken and possesse we them for the Truth Come we at length to batter down the enemies Forts and strong-holds of his carnall-reasonings and confident arguments Two Reasons and two Arguments were brought to prove his Doctrine That Christ gave himself for the whole world Now such as have studied Logick or artificiall reasoning know no difference between Reasons and Arguments for it they be Reasons and do not argue they are irrationall Reasons and if they be Arguments without reason they are unreasonable Arguments But to follow him in his own method and to deal with him at his own weapon If we have taken the Scriptures out of his mouth we shall not doubt but to take his weaponâ— of Reason and Argument out of his hand or leave him a bare Sceleton of reason without flesh or substance much lesse having any soul or life of faith or divine truth in his assertions And first of the two Reasons Reason 1. Reasons disproved The whole harmony of the Scriptures such as he had proved his point withall are they not enough and do they not sound all one way Answ 1. Call to minde every of those Scriptures but remember their sense as well as their sound He is a foolish man who thinkes as the bell tinks Nor yet do the Scriptures give an uncertain sound but in opening and examining of them with the context and scope and with other Scriptures you hear with one consent they speak not absolutely of Christs dying for all but of and for such an all and such a world as is the all and the whole world of believers elect Gods people his true Israel some of all sorts of people out of all Nations some 2. Search and consult with other Scriptures which neither he nor I have yet mention'd and you will be more fully convinc't that we have the truth with us and that this Doctrine of Christs dying for the whole bulk of men is another Gospel from that which Christ and his Apostles or we from them have ever preached I shall instance but in three places the first in Joh. 15. 10. Greater love hath no man then this that a man lay down his life for his friends and presently to shew whom he laid down his life for he addeth v. 11. Ye are my friends c. It is most true what the Apostle saith Rom. 5. 10. When we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Sonne But 1. What We meaneth he there Not all men but such as are justified by faith and have peace with God by faith v. 1. 2. Though the elect of God are enemies as considered in themselves and in their naturall estate yet being loved of God from eternity with the love of good pleasure they have a price laid down for them by Christs death to bring them under the love of friendship and when they do actually believe they are actually reconciled and of enemies are made friends so that Christ laid down his life for such as were in Gods choice and love his friends and by Christs death and the fruits of it brought into a state of actuall friendship A second follows John 10. 15. And I lay down my life for the sheep whom in the verse precedent he had called his sheep See here I beseech you ye that love the truth and love not to be seduced though that is a weak property of sheep to wander yet if you be Christs sheep hear the voice of the good shepherd and not of strangers for whom doth Christ himself say that he died he best knows and is only able to resolve this doubt why if you will believe him who is truth it self I lay down my life for my sheep he doth not say for goats at all but for the sheep behold and hearken after the harmony 'tween this and the fore-alleadged Scriptures certainly where Christ or his Apostles speak in larger tearms of all and world and whole world must not these tearms be limited to Christs sheep It was a subtill counsel your new Lecturer gave you that other Scriptures which he cited in the second place as but favouring his opinion should be expounded by the positive Scriptures but be you as wise as he was subtle and learn to reduce all his positive Scriptures which yet had Synecdoches in them of the whole for a part or of the generall for the speciall to and by this main Position of our Lord a fundamentall truth Let this be first laid down I lay down my life for my sheep and whosoever shall after so plain a foundation laid by Christ himself in his Word and by his Spirit in your hearts teach universall Redemption or Christs dying for the bulk of mankinde tell him he doth nothing else but build hay and stubble upon the foundation nay he doth yet more wickedly even lay another foundation with Christ or besides his purpose A third and last is in these words Ioh. 17. 19. For their sakes I sanctifie my self Christs sanctifying himself is his preparation for death setting himself apart to die for whom for their sakes his eleven Apostles not Iudas v. 12. and for those which should and shall believe on him through the Apostles doctrine this is not for the sake of all men that he so much as prepares to die much lesse that he died for them for whom he fitted not himself to die in their behalf So as you see to make up the harmony and consent
and ineffectually called but as called and that effectually and according to purpose And so this Heretick is forc't being 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 convinc't and condemn'd in himself as I gather by this Use to apply his comfort to the elect alone and to that end quoted the 2. of Col. 2. The Apostles praier for them that they might have the full assurance of understanding which he interpreted to be That they might see their particular assurance of life in a generall promise and not their generall assurance in a particular promise for we desire no more then a particular and personall assurance in and from a generall promise such as Pauls 1. Tim. 1. 15. and yet this generall is not so universall as that Christ died for all the world of men But not hurting us in all this Use of Comfort hitherto at last he thought he would strike home and wound us deeply with this blow A man may preach seven years of particular Redemption and not comfort a distressed conscience to which I say two things 1. What means he by a distressed conscience a childe of light walking in darknesse or a childe of darknesse blowing up the sparks of his own fire-sticks but almost smothered and stifled with the smoke thereof 2. We preach a choice and speciall Redemption in a generall offer to what sinner soever that is distressed and will be directed As Paul Believe and thou shalt be saved and Act. 16. immediately the Jailor is comforted he staied not seven years for it His third Use was To teach us abundance of love to Examination of his third Uâ—e Christ Answ I demand whom he means by us if the people of God and the elect and believers how is this a direct inference from Christs buying the whole world if all men be meant by us how shall they love who doe not believe but if he understood Gods peculiar people because he mention'd the Spouse afterwards no wonder her love is so carried after her espoused husband Christ let him know that the hearts of the Saints are touched and taken with the speciall love of Christ it is that which constrains them to love him in a speciall manner and that the more abundantly because they know in part and shall yet further know Christ died for them not only out of a generall love which he bears to mans nature but out of a speciall and singular love which he bears to their persons and to theirs onely Thus have we followed his Counsell to search the Scriptures and we finde them of weight for speciall Redemption and love but weighing the man and his Doctrine and Uses too of universall Redemption we have found them too light Let me but adde a few Arguments as Antidotes against the poyson which some of you may have suck't in of late and preservatives from the infection of this hereticall tenet of Christs buying the world of men and dying for them all and we have done with the Anasceuastique part of our discourse which tends to the weakning ruine and destruction Antidotes or Counter poison of so grand an errour First Gods Attributes are hereby wronged and scandalized as 1. Gods power is called into Question as if a generall benefit were merited by Christ which by reason of mans wickednesse he cannot apply 2. His wisdome is eclipsed for it puts upon him such an intention as yet by proper and direct means he attains not unto 3. His justice is rendered unjust for he receiveth a full satisfaction of his Sonne for all men and yet neither first nor last receiveth them into the favour of communion and friendship 4. His highest love is undervalued for it holds forth Gods love to give his Sonne but not so as to give them faith for whom he gave his Sonne and it speaks of Christs sweating and dying for them whom yet he lets die and perish in their sins Secondly If he died for all then he died in their stead and as their surety he discharged the whole debt and so it is not only unjust but impossible that any should perish here the Remonstrants Arminians so calling themselves at the Hague conference had a subtle distinction of Christs dying Non loco vice omnium not in the room and stead of all sed bono tantum but for their good only whereas the Scriptures which own not such a distinction hold out Christ as dying in the room and stead of sinners that they might not die eternally but live for ever so is a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rom. 5. 6. b 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 where 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is as much as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and so rendered Philem. v. 13 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that in tâ—y stead in another case and about the Question in hand the word in 1 Tim. 2. 6 is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a ransome in the room and stead of all or pro onnis ordinis electis which compared with Mat 20 28. is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for many and but for many indivduals or in stead of many singulars chosen of God one choice-singular-Jesus suffered 1 Pet. 3. 18. and other places to be understood Christ died for the wicked that is in their stead The just in the room of the unjust The good the all or any of the benefits that comes from Christs death floweth from this that he suffered in the room of those who have that good and benefit by his death and if as themselves acknowledge he died not in the room and stead of all they weave but a spiders web to say it was for their good how can the surety do the debtour any good if he neither be bound in his stead nor paies the debt in his room Thirdly If he died for all he rose again for all ascended sits at Gods right-hand and makes intercession for all for the Scriptures joyn his death and resurrection together Rom. 4. ult and his death ascension sitting interceding with the Father all together Rom. 8. 34. and more particularly with his intercession 1 Joh. 2. 1 2. and if so that he riseth ascendeth sits and pleads for all he is either heard or not heard for all if heard for all then all must be saved if not heard for all then Christ intercedeth in vain and the Father doth not hear him alwaies crosse to Scripture Joh. 11. 42. Fourthly This loose opinion puts all that hold it upon such distinctions as have no ground from Scripture but are contrary to it as 1. That but even now named or refuted of loco and bono not in stead of all but for the good of all 2. That of impetration and application which the Gospel holds forth as inseparable acts of Christs mediation to whom Christs death is or shall be applied for them he obtained remission of sinnes and for whom he did impetrate to them he applieth Isa 53. 11. Joh. 10. 15 28. Heb. 9. 12 15. Yea the Apostle inferreth
generally or more specially intended in his death And if he comes to Testardus for resolution of this doubt he cannot be resolved by his Doctrine because i Ibid. by the more generall redemption and intention God doth not mean to bestow actuall salvation upon the sinner but conditionally And if you ask him upon what condition he will not tell you it is upon a faith of Gods irresistible working which yet he k The 243 244. granteth to some and ingenuously acknowledgeth peculiar to the elect but in effect l The. 102. their own 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 velle to make use of Gods 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 passe their naturall will to make use of Gods common supernaturall light Is this satisfactory or that which somewhere m The 97. he asserteth that God granteth a faculty of salvation to miserable sinners in the generall redemption but the use of that faculty he indulgeth only to believers in the speciall redemption T is yet but common and unsatisfying to the miserable sinner I fear I beleeve 4. All the Scripture intention of Christs death is coincident Nos mortem resurrectionem ascensionem sessionem intercessionem aequè conjungendas esse dicimus in fine ac intentione ac in Christi personâ conjungebantur de facto Ames Cor. Art 1. de Red. c. 1. Armin. Disp. Prin. The. 40. Confess Pastorum Remâ—n c. 8. with that of his Resurrection and Intercession viz. as for the beginnings so for the compleatings of salvation in and upon the same persons Rom. 8. 29. Whom he did fore-know vers 30. Whom he hath predestinated c. reade on to the end of vers 34. Now all that I know of Heterodox with Orthodox have agreed in this That Christs resurrection and intercession are peculiar in their intentions and fruits for the faithfull only But Testardus n Testard The. 100. adventures not only to make Christs death common but his resurâ—ection and intercession and the fruit which he would have appertain to all and every one is an asking and obtaining leave for so I may sometime english his facultas of God that they may be saved and this leave or faculty call it what you will is but a salvation by halves nay not half the beginnings of salvation for it is farre short of the infusion of faith which himself cals the first application of salvation As for that impertation of leave to save those who never shall be saved he brings no proof from Scripture that either it is the fruit of Christs resurrection or intercession or of his death But to anticipate and enervate the Argument not more usually then truly raised from Christs praier Ioh. 17. viz. whom Christ included only in that his praier which is the canon of his intercession in heaven by Arminias own concession he only intended in his death our Antagonist gives his Reader a squint-eyed hint that when Christ saith vers 9. I pray not for the world c. he respecteth not the aforesaid impetration of a leave or faculty nor yet the first application of salvation by the infusion of faith Sed custodiam in fide cum Christo unione but the Fathers keeping of the believer in faith and union with Christ Let us because we seek the harmony of one truth with another yeeld it to him and others that 't is not Christs scope all along that praier nor any where else that I know to petition for a bare impetration of leave or faculty for him to save or for all men to be saved this is easily proved from the Chapter that Christ prayed for the first application of salvation by infusion of faith and by first union with Christ as well as for perseverance in faith and union 1. His main scope is to seek his own glory that his Father might have glory v. 1. Now this is one means of his Fathers glory as a fruit of his glorification the gift of eternall life to as many as God had given him which eternall life begins in the knowledge of the true God even in those Gentiles and Heathens who had worshipped the creature in stead of the Creatour and never would come to the saving knowledge of God but by the knowledge of Christ Christ is not to be made known to the Gentiles till he be glorified he praieth therefore that he be glorified that the knowledge of God in him sent of God might be disposed verse 3. So as they who never knew God might know him rightly and savingly and what is this or how is this but by the infusion of faith hence to know God in Christ and to believe in God through Christ from the very first act is one and the same and so understood vers 3. 2. He petitioneth for all that should believe v. 20. that they might be one which is for their first union and entrance into communion implicitely as for their perseverance more expressely 3. He praieth that as many as God had given him v. 2. might see his glory v. 24. now they are an innumerable company besides the present Apostles and believing Jews who are to see his glory as well those who are yet to believe as those who were then to believe and yet he praied not then nor doth now make intercession for the world according to vers 9. and as he included not nor intended the world contradistinct to the dati electi à patre those given and chosen of the Father in his praier but his intention and eye was solely upon these so was it in his death vers 19. 5. And lastly All the Scripture intention of Christs death maketh not a separation or distinction between the sufficiency and efficiency thereof upon the same subject the blessed sufficiency and efficacy of Christ as Prophet Priest and King go together and are inseparably linked for ever in him and upon his Psal 45. 2. Nor can we say though Christs death be sufficiens remedium in se a sufficient remedy in it self for all that he died sufficienter for any but for those to whom he is willing his death should be efficacious Testardus distinction of common and speciall intention holds up the distinction of sufficiency and efficacy nay he will have the remedy o The. 78. Plusquam sufficiens more then sufficient for all and so intended and prepared but p The. 140 141 146 147 148. the efficacy none or as good as none at all But as we finde in Scripture that Christs will is the chief ingredient in his sufferings and in a true sense more then his act or passion Psal 40. 6 7 8. with Heb. 10. 9 10. So we finde not that life is prepared and offered for any but for whom efficacy is prepared I cannot for my heart separate life and efficacy when the Scripture doth not separate but ever joyn them together Joh. 5. 39 40. cap. 10. 10. 1 Joh. 5. 11 12. If generall intention then cannot be found in
of torment to have wit and will and discursive faculty c. about them therefore a meer non destruction of nature or natural powers in the soul is not grace nor a call of and unto the grace of God in Christ This brings us to the fourth inconsistency of Testardus with Scripture touching general grace but before I can discover it something I finde as a stronger string to his bow then the call by the creatures namely Object 8. The calling by the Word which will surely evince Christs death to be more general then we make it t The. 88. for there is none so forlorne and farre gone whom a Minister of the Gospel may not call and that seriously unto repentance and salvation by faith in Christ in this manner Christ died for thee be hath prepared life for thee in his death Beleeve Repent and thou shalt be saved c. And again v The 89. there is none of whom justifying faith is not required both in our publike Sermons and private exhortations therefore Christ must needs die for more at least then for his sheep Aâ—s 1. Aâ—â— poor sheep of Christ what envying at your peculâ—ar priviledge that more must needs be redeemed then youâ— As if Gods love and Christs were not great and infinite enough in the redemption of a little flock what straining what yeelding and giving in So that more then Christs sheep may be but purchased but 1. This is not all and every â—ingular 2. This is asserted but with an ira and a saltemâ— he so died and he died at least to procure life c. take these expressions in Testardus sense and they are extenuating but who taught him or any Minister to preach with such extenuations I had thought the Gospel should be preached fully with a tantùm dilexit so and so greatly God loved the world c. as himself hath it x The. 81. elswhere And indeed there is as much in these words tatenus and ita he so died and so farre as to procure life or prepare it as I would desire for sâ— to die is as * Pag. 57. I have urged it before to prepare efficacy with sufficiency of grace And the tenour of the Gospel is to offer and give power where God pleaseth of justifying faith as to command faith for justification But 2. To enlarge this offer and call to any individuals yea and that absolutely to every singular man in Testardus words Christ died for thee c. Beleeve is a preaching of his own and makes his Argument to be no other then PeÌ„titio principij a begging of the Question For as the Scripture speaks to the elect themselves but conditionally If thou bâ—lâ—evest thou shalt be saved and tels him not Christ died for any individual person before he beleeveth â—ho it is a presumption for any preacher of the Gospel to say he knoweth not what 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to expresse himself in absolute terms Christ died for thee for thee unbeleever drunkard adulterer what 〈◊〉 Christ died for thee a fine easie cradle it is to rock the 〈◊〉 asleep but no proper and right evangelicalâ— call out of his sinnes 3. It doth not follow although the Word be preached never so warily rightly and indefinitely â—s in 1 Tim. 1. 15. Christ died for sinners and all sinners who 〈◊〉 of that proposition are commanded to beleeve in Christ who died for sinners that therefore Christ died for all and every of these no more then it followeth that all those are chosen of God from eternity because they have an external call in time God hath other ends of his outward calling of men by the Word â—s our acute and exquisite Indagator veriâ—â—ris a Coronis ad Col Hag. Art 1 de elect c. 6. Dr Anies hath lâ—id them forth 1. For the elects sake whose eyes are opened and hearts drawn by the Word while as the 〈◊〉 are bearing upon blinde men the same Word doth but outwardly beat upon then on elected and after a manner iâ—â—diate them 2. Because the non-eleâ—t converse in common with the elect in the world and in publike Assemblies 3. That the elect and true beleevers might learn by seeing others who partake of the same outward call yet left in sin that their faith is not of themselves or of humane strength but of free grace and divine peculiar power 4. That the non-elected by such a call may be rendered the more usefull to humane societies as to the Church in external services 5. God would hereby manifest bâ—th his own grace and mans guilt guilt that he cals many but outwardly grace that he cals others effectually which me thinks should serve for abundant satisfaction to the mindes of all elect ones â—s for the rest they will never be convinc't of Gods proceedings till Christ comes with ten thousands of his Saints as St Jude from Enoch's prophesie to execute judgement upon them all and to convince all that â—â—e ungodly of all their hard speaches which they have spoken against him The fourth inconsistency with Scripture followeth 4. Not universall grace Our Authour to shore up his tenet of universal Redemption or to grace the building and make it seem very fair doth varnish it â—ver with the doctrine of an universal Grace which the Scripture knoweth not for Gospel grace viz. b The. â—5 The Grace of universal satisfaction to justice c The. 125 155 â—6â— 277. The Grace of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 posse the ability given to all men Et abundanter datum and abundantly given to all under the Word to be saved if they would c. d The 143. The Grace of outward kindenesses life food and raiment c. e The. 155. The Grace of reasonâ— light and of natural powers Ans 1. The Scripture-grace of Christs satisfaction to divine Justice is 1. But for some of mankinde Isa 53. ult Heb. 9. ult He was offered to bear the sinnes of many 2. That which obtaineth or meriteth eternal Redemption Heb 9 12. for all those for whom he died 3. Such a grace as is wrought out vice loco in the room and stead of the sinner Rom. 5. 8. Christ died for us that is in our room and stead as v. 7. to die for a righteous man is to die in his stead as when David said Would God I had died FOR THEE O Absolom my sin the meaning is In thy place and stead that thou might'st have lived 4. Such a satisfaction it is as never leaveth them to revenging justice or to be dealt with by God in a Covenant of justice and according to a decree of justice for then were the satisfaction doubled and twice paid by Christ the surety and by the sinner yet in debt notwithstanding the sureties engagement and paiment no such matter They for whom Christ was made a curse are redeemed from the curse Gal. 3. 13. The whole curse Yet Testardus f The. 95.
a few Arguments for the due order of election before redemption and for the sole redemption of the elect as a fruit of their election That the decree of election is in order of nature before the decree of redemption 1. The Father hath the first right as he is first in order of subsistence The Son hath it given him from the Father Joh. 17. 6. Thine they were in the first purpose and choice and thou gavest them me to own as mine and being lost not fallen out of election but into a state of non-communion to redeem and bring to God 2. Election is first to glory and election to glory is before the fall and therefore before redemption which comes in after sinne as a means to bâ—ing to glory by such grace to the praise of the glory of Gods most free grace Eph. 1. 4 5 6. 3. Creation was for Christ Col. 1. 16. and therefore Christ first thought upon as a head of elect Angels and men and as he is before all created things in the counsel of God all things are made for his glorious ends upon his elect had there been no fall but for the further manifestation of Gods love the fall is permitted and ordered to bring in not only God-incarnate but God crucified 3. Love is in order before mercy Eph. 2. 4. The decree of election is an act of meer love That of redemption an act of pure mercy and consequentiall upon love in the decree And in the execution all the tender mercies of redemption are fruits of that love which gave being to election as election gives a Redeemer and redemption 2. That Redemption by Christs death is solely and only of and for the elect as a fruit of their election 1. Christ died for them and them only whom he represented whose names were in the bond of agreement or in the Covenant of his Suretiship and that were virtually in him upon the crosse Some were virtually in him upon the crosse for he was there as a publike person all were not virtually in him but such as are in due time spiritually and powerfully united to him if any more but they then Christs death and crosse loseth some of its vertue Christs power is lesse then Adams for as all sinned in Adam the imputation of his sin is put upon all their persons whom he represented Now not any but true beleevers and the elect seed are in time spiritually and powerfully united to Christ even by Testardus doctrine * The 192 194. nor doe any but such partake of Christs satisfactory righteousnesse by spirituall propagation or union and bond of the Spirit and faith as they that are in Adam by naturall propagation and bond of nature are partakers of his condemning guilt which Testardus proâ—eth from Rom. 5. 16 c. as we use to prove it By proportion of the first and second Adam virtuall and actuall union and imputation goe together Now who will say Christ represented more then the elect c 3. If Christ died for more then the elect more then the elect must beleeve in him as an effectuall Saviour or he must be beleeved on as an ineffectuall Saviour by some or other Now not Testardus nor any such Vniversalist will say that his death is or was ever intended to be savingly efficacious to all only such a grosse Atheist or distracted brain as he that put out * A pamphlet sentenced before p. 30. as unworthy of any light but the light fire Divine Light And that which is not nor was intended is not to be beleeved Nor will or dare any bid men beleeve in Christ for half or half a quarter of salvation who are in their found mindes But beleeve we say in Christ for all or nothing when we take the Scripture-scope along with our preaching 3. Christ died for those and those only who shall finde their election by beleeving in his death none can finde their Act. 13. 38. election who first had it not in Gods counsel That representation therefore of Christs death which Testardus makes in some respects common to more then Gods elect doth weaken the hands and hearts of true beleevers shake the faith of Gods elect and obscure Gods election as well as the reasonings of Sam. Oates and I hope with Gods elect at last the doctrine of the one will be received for Orthodox no more then the other but both be rejected as Heterodox Let those who preach hear write reade of Christs death and Redemption beleeve in him for all actuall union and effieacy of communion and the assurance of their election thereby as the cause is known and assured by the effect and you shall finde the Treasure and the Pearl for which the Christian man and merchant sold all he had and bought it As it followeth in the Parables CHRIST THE Gospel-Treasure AND PEARL MATH 13. 44 45. â—â—ain The Kingdom of heaven is like unto treasure hid in a field the which when a man hath found he hideth and for joy thereof goeth and selleth all that he hath and buyeth that field â—gain The Kingdom of heaven is like unto a Merchant man seeking goodly pearls c. IT is high time that we come in the wisdom and Part. 2. strength of Christ to set out the right and genuine Scope Explication and Use of these Parables 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for the repairing and edifying of your judgements which have been shaken and staggered by the perverting abuses of the late novel The true scope of these two Parables Exposition The Scope for the doctrinall part is to teach and set forth the worth and excellency of Christ and Grace and the Gospel of Grace with a Christians affectionatenesse strongly carried out to him and it And for the Vse it is to advise and excite all that read and hear hereof to be like unto this man and merchant in the Text in affection and action The particular and punctuall Exposition according to this The sense and meaning general scope is as followeth In these two Parables as in all similitudes there are two parts 1. The Proposition holding forth the resemblance 2. The Reddition applying the thing resembled to the resemblance 1. The Proposition or resemblance is drawn forth two waies First of a Treasure hid and found and hid again rejoyced in and purchased by him that found it with all that he had Secondly Of a Pearl found by a Merchant man c. 2. The Reddition so is the Kingdom of heaven as is a Treasure and Pearl in the discovery and purchase of it so is the Kingdom or the Kingdom of heaven is like unto c. that is there is that worth in it and that transaction and management of affairs about it as if a man should finde a treasure in a field or seeking many pearls he should finde one of great price and having found this Treasure this Pearl he goeth and selleth all that he hath and buyeth
stake and stood as a gazing stock for half the day during which time many came and perswaded him to recant the truth and if he regarded not life and countrey goods nor possessions yet he should somewhat respect his wife that he loved so well and his young children but nothing could stirre his setled minde he knew he was not to know nor own a wife in Christs cause nor children smiling or crying all is one when the creature is laid in one scale and Christ in the other which thinke you must weigh down the judgement and sway the affections of a Christian He can with Mr Rogers his self-deniall k M. Fox vol. 3. 131. passe by his wife and eleven children one whereof was sucking on the mothers brest and be more unmoveable then the stake to which he was fastned till consumed to ashes 5. All self-sufficiency and strength for service or sufferings When once God hath enlightned a soul where his strength lieth not in himself but in Christ and as habits are infused so acts of grace must be had from him alone and that strength enough there is in Christ away then with conceits of self-strength for duty or against since When he is weak he is strong as Paul l 2 Cor. 12. 10 11. and a very nothing he is in and of himself I laboured yet not I m 1 Cor. 15. 10 I live yet not I n Gal. 2. 20. but Christ this is his language and this is the account he hath of himself even as it was prophecied of one and another of all the seed of Israel who should shame themselves and glory in the Lord Surely in the Lord is all righteousnesse and strength o Isa 15. 24. and in him I have what I have and am what I am in point of strength as righteousnesse 6. All externall Church-priviledges as Pauls being circumcised the eighth day an Hebrew of the Hebrews p Phil. 3. 7. and in his zeal for the Jewish-Nationall-Church persecuting the Christian he was and might have been more advantaged but what was gain in that as other cases and might have been gain to him he counted losse for Christ. So if descent from religious parents and birth-priviledge as the seed of beleevers hath been rested on when Christ is discovered all confidence in this and any other Church-priviledge is rejected and put away And if a man hath upon such relations thought himself to be some-body he comes now in his ownesteem to be a no-body a nothing 7. All self-ends and aims in profession of Christ and the Gospel in duties and undertakings these are denied and laid aside yea abhorred when they offer to step into Gods place and would put by his glory and the publike good and are ever made underlings to what is for God and the publike A beleever now seeks himself no further nor any other way then God allows it that is as one sweetly expresseth it q M. Reynolds Serm. of self-denial seeking our selves out of our selves in Christ and in the prosecution of his not our own glorious designs Paul was excellent at this 1 Thess 2. 4 5 6. 1 Cor. 9. 22 23. chap. 10. ult And such a self-denying spirit he found and discovered to the Philippians to be in Timothy his naturall true born Sonne in mortification as in the faith For I have no man like-minded who will naturally care for your state r Phil. 2. 20. While every man was seeking himself and his own things to compasse his own ends Timothy is caring for the publike and seeking the things of Iesus Christ and his Masters honour and advancement And the Apostle to the Corinthians Å¿ 2 Cor. 5. 14 25. professeth there is a principle for it in all true Christians Christs death for us that were as dead as others will teach us to die to self and self-ends that we may live to him which died to us All a beleevers ends when he comes rightly to know Christ are that he may be to the praise of the glory of free grace 8. Life and all c. That is not esteemed or thought dear t Act. 10. 24. even that a Christian is prepared with some free consent to lay down for Christ and Gospel-treasure I am ready said that eminent patern of self-deniall not to be bound only but also to die at Ierusalem for the name of the Lord Iesus How many thousands and millions I may say of the Martyrs of Iesus have not only consented but actually parted with their lives for the treasure of the Kingdom of heaven Christ and eternall life Besides all that suffered in the Apostles times and in the nine first persecutions in the 10th persecution v Martyr-book vol. 1. p. 10â— there were certain thousands burnt together in one Church a hundred in one day seventeen thousand in one moneth three hundred at another time in Alexandria And p. 104. six thousand six hundred sixty six at another time a hundred and twenty at another three hundred sixty at another time when as the tormentours were wearied and the persecutours tired out And Christians with more greedy desire pressed and sought for martyrdome then others did for Bishopricks And what a cloud of such Witnesses have been in the firmament of the Church since Antichrist acted his Tragedies the Histories of the German French Spanish Italian and English Martyrs doe sufficiently evidence that all such merchants have not loved but sold away their lives unto the death Reason generall Reason In generall is that in the Text and Observation for joy thereof the joy of finding the treasure and of the Treasure found and the joy of the Pearl of great price once truly found this brings the man and merchant to consent to the selling of all and this brings his consent into act For joy he parts with his sins one and another one as another in an absolute-hatred of them never to have to doe with them again For joy of the treasure he parts with his parts and gifts so as they shall be new molded and cast and have a new stamp out of the mint and treasury of Christs holinesse For joy of the riches of Christs righteousnesse he lets goe his own and for joy of greater profits sweeter pleasures higher honours and better friends which come in by the Gospel-pearl he fits loose from all worldly advantages and creature-engagements and for joy of inward spirituall priviledges he lets go confidence in outward For joy of Christ the root of all spirituall life strength and activenesse he renounceth his own supposed sufficiencies For joy of the glory of free-grace he hates his own ends and for joy of an eternall life which is begun in the right knowledge of God in Christ he gives up this temporall life Observe it in Paul if upon rejoycing in Iesus Christ he doth not renounce confidence in the flesh a Phil 3. 3. and in the Ephesians when the