every where to repent Act. 17.30 To believe and yeeld obedience to the Gospel upon pain of eternall death Mark 16.16 Ioh. 12.48 1 Thes 1.8.2 10 11 12. Heb. 2.3 10 28 29. 1 Ioh. 5.10 Ioh. 3.18.36 Rom. 2.45 Now I cannot see how it can stand with that goodnes and sweetnes which dwells in God and that fulnesse and riches of mercies which the Scriptures manifest to be in him to require impossibilities of his creatures and then in flaming fire to render vengeance to them for not performance Obâ—ect God may do whatever hee will and who shall question him Answ It 's true God may doe whatever he will but he will do all things like himself suiteable to his nature For though God be infinite in power yet is his power so full of goodnes that it can effect nothing which is not agreeable to his goodnes and those that advance the power of God without his goodnes doe denie both his power and goodnes Now hee proclaimes himself in his Word to be love to the Sons of men love in the abstract to those which doe neither love him nor know him 1 Ioh. 4.8 gracious long suffering aboundant in goodnes and truth keeping mercie for thousands c. Exod. 34.6 7. Jonah 4.2 Numb 14.18 Slow to anger and plenteous in mercy Psal 103.8 ready to pardon and of great kindnes Nehemiah 9.17 31. full of compassion Psal 86.15 he delights to exercise loving kindnes Jer. 9.24 with him is mercy Nehem. 13.22 Psal 57.10.117.2 2 Sam. 24.14 1 Chron. 21.13 Psal 119.156 Dan 9.18 great goodnes Nehemiah 9.25.35 multitude of mercies Psal 5.7.106.7.45 manifold mercies Nehem 9.10.27 Lam. 3.32 a multitude of tender mercies Psal 51.1.69.1 he is rich in mercie Eph. 2.4 aboundant in mercie 1 Pet. 1.3 he delights in mercie Mich. 7.18 his tender mercies are over all his works Psal 145.9 the earth is full of his mercie Psal 119.64 he hath no pleasure in the death of him that dieth Ezek. 18.32 on the death of the wicked Ezek. 33.11 but that they should turn and live ver 11. he is not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance 2 Pet. 3.9 hee would have all men saved and come to the knowledge of the truth 1 Tim. 2.4 Here is a cloud of witnesses of the riches of the grace and love of God to lost men to miserable men and all the proceedings of God with his creatures are agreeable to it but how unsuteable hereunto it would be for him to require impossibilities of them upon pain of eternall death in Hell fire I leave the Reader to judge Object God is good and mercifull to lost men in that he sends them Raine and fruitfull seasons filling their hearts with joy and gladnes Act. 14. â—7 in that he bestowes many outward mercies on them and useth much outward means with them though he afford them not means sufficient to enable them to believe and live acceptably in the use of all Answ God requires these men to imploy all the mercies they receive in his service To feed the hungry cloath the naked visite the sick Marth 25.42.43 he requires an improvement of every Talent that he delivers to them Mat. 25 27.30 and as God accepts according to what men have 2 Cor. 8.12 so will he judge men according to what they have received from him where he gives much he will require much Luk. 12.48 and God requires inward and cordiall obedience where he affords such mercies and means as men call outward mercies which they not performing the curse of God is pronounced against them and so the more mercies and the more means they have had here the greater miseries and the greater torments hereafter the sweeter the blessings the more bitter the cursings for ever every short and fading mercy proves a lasting and eternall misery yea Christ himselfe the guift of God the mercy of mercies is to such men according to this Objection the greatest of all miseries and that of invincible and unavoydable necessity now that is strange mercy and goodnes which doth unavoidably bring misery on them that receive it that man is most happy that partakes least of it there being no fruit to be had therein seeing the end thereof is death Object God required men to keepe the Law which they could not doe and yet hee was as full of love and grace then as now Answ The Covenant of God in Christ was confirmed foure hundred and thirty yeares before the Law was given Gal. 3.17 Abraham believed God and it was accounted to him for righteousnesse Gen. 15.6 Rom 4.3 Neither did the comming in of the Law make void the promise Gal. 3.17 but still men were justified by faith during the time of the Law now the Law was holy just and good Rom. 7.12 and God made man just and good Eccles 7.29 Gen. 1.31 but hee falling in Adam from that primitive purity and perfection became prone to all kind of evill and subject to death Now the Law did not bring death upon us but did discover what we were lyable to if it had never bin given it did manifest what the Law of our creation did require It was not ordained to drowne men in Hell but to drive them to Christ Gal. 3.24 It was added because of transgression Gal. 3.19 to keep from sin to discover sinâ— to shew us our weaknes and inability to stand before God in our owne righteousnes Rom. 3.19 20 23. least we should trust in our selves and bee deceived that so we might trust in the mercie and grace of God alone so that Gods end in giving the Law was full of love and goodnes The Law was never alone in the World that a man must needs have stood or fell to that Master We might have appealed from the Law to the gospel but there is no appeal from the gospel the Law did onely pronounce that death upon us which we were lyable to before it was given but the gospel pronounceth eternall death in Hell fire on those that obey is not which punishment wee were not lyable to either in relation to Adams sin or the Law for the sentence on Adam was In dying thou shalt dye the death Gen. 2.17 Dust thou art and to dust thou shalt return and so death passed over all men Rom. 5.12 Chap. 3.19 And the Law went no further as the Scriptures doe evidently manifest where the penalties of the Law are expressed Not that I doe conceive that wicked men which dyed under the law shall escape the judgement of Hell but the Law will not pronounce it on them but the gospel Rom. 2.16 For to love God with all our hearts and our neighbour as our selves was the substance of the Law Now though men could not performe this so as to be justified in relation to the Law yet they might so perform it as to be righteous in relation to the gospel and grace of God in Christ even in the time of the Law
and this appeareth by what is written Iohn 3.16 God so loved the World that he gave his onely begotten Sonne that whosoever beleeved in him should not perish but have everlasting life God so loved the World that is all mankind that hee gave his onely begotten Son that whosoever of them beleeved in him should not perish but live eternally 1 Obj. By World is meant the World of the Elect I Answer that the Elect in their owne sense shall all believe but this word whosoever intimateth that many of this world here meant may not beleeve for if by World here you will understand the Elect onely then this will bee the sense of the words God so loved the world of the Elect that whosoever of this world of the Elect beleeves in him should not perish c. 2 Obj. By World is meant the whole lumpe of mankind but those that are not elect can never beleeve for God will never give them faith and therefore though God doth thus proclaime his love to all yet seeing it is impossible that any other then the elect should beleeve this Text doth not hinder but that the death of Christ may still bee limited to the elect Answ Then the love of God to the greatest part of the world may bee thus expressed such and so great is the love of God towards you that when you doe that which is impossible for you ever to performe viz. believe then you shall obtaine that from him which he cannot in justice bestow upon you viz. remission of sins and eternall life And that I may illustrate the absurdity of this Objection consider what is written in Rom. 3 25 26. whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood to declare his righteousnesse for the remission of sinnes that are past through the forbearance of God to declare I say at this time his righteousnesse that he might be just and the justifier of those that believe in Jesus in which words we may perceive that God doth proceed in the Gospel in such a way as hee may declare his righteousnesse in justifying of sinners and moreover that that God could not bee just and the justifier of the ungodly but through the death of his Sonne for without blood there is no remission Heb. 9.22 Now if God hath so loved the world that he hath given his Sonne that whosoever believes in him should not perish but have eternall life then the Son must die for all otherwise if those hee did not dye for should believe an hundred times yet must they die in their sinnes yea they are as farre from Salvation as ever they were and so this opinion doth contradict the word of God denying that God hath so loved men or so given Christ that all men may have life through saith for God is able no more nor no further to extend the glad tydings of life peace and remission of sinnes then the death of Christ which is the ground of the Gospell doth extend For he may as well pardon and remit the sins of all Men without relation to the blood and Sacrifice of his Son as he way preach and proffer remission of sins or eternall life to all or any man for whom Christ did not shed his blood but as God will not do that which is unjust so neither will he profer to doe it for in him justice and mercy are inseperable that is he is mercifull justice and just mercy therefore his mercy in proclaiming salvation to all must be just in the execution which could not be if offered not intended to all the justice of his mercie must extend as farre as the mercy of his justice so that he which maketh him mercifull to offer unto all and not as just to give where as he offereth destroies both justice and mercie which is a flat deniall of God Therefore I say that as the Serpent was lifted up in the Wildernes so must the Sonne of man be lifted up in the Ministery of the Gospel as a universall ground and object of faith for all men Ioh. 3.14 Another Text for this purpose is 1 Cor. 15.3 where the Apostle speaking to the Corinthians saith For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received how that Christ dyed for our sins according to the Scriptures In which words consider first what it was that he delivered to these Corinthians and that is that Christ dyed for their sins And secondly when he delivered this unto them and that was first of all Now if Christ had not died for all Paul could not have concluded that Christ had dyed for them for they were at that time Gentiles carried away with dumb Idolls 1 Cor. 12.2 Fornicators Adulterers Theeves Drunkards and the like 1 Cor. 6.9.10.11 And Paul spake not from any speciall Revelation of God concerning these men in particular but he spake according to the Scriptures which foretold the death of Iesus Christ Now if it be objected that Paul doth not say for your sins but for our sins joining himself with the rest who were believers at that time or with the Elect I answer First that this could be no glad tydings to the Corinthians that Christ dyed for Paul and others if they were not included if Paul were not able to prove by the Scriptures that Christ dyed for them whilest they were sinners then they could not receive it nor stand in it nor be saved by it as the former verses expresse for faith comes by hearing hearing by the Word of God for wee cannot believe that of which wee have not heard Againe 2 Cor. 5.4 It is said that if one dyed for all then were all dead Paul with the rest that sent that Epistle having in the former Verses spoken of being besides themselves towards God and sober for the Corinthians cause tells them that the love of Christ did constrain them and why so because they did judge that they were dead and how do they prove that they were dead they tell them that all were dead and therefore they were dead and that all were dead appeares in that Christ dyed for all and this I conceive to be the meaning of these words If one dyed for all then were all dead 1 Tim. 2.1 Wee are exhorted to make Prayers and supplication for all men the reason is declared in vers 4. God would have all to be saved that his desire is that all should be saved he hath fully manifested in giving Christ a ransome for all Vers 6. Now it is not the will of God that any should be saved for whom Christ did not die and our Praiers must be made according to the will of God therefore if Christ dyed not for all we cannot pray in faith for any much lesse for all If we have a ground in the Scriptures to pray for the Salvation of all men then if we do pray in faith for all or any man they or
Son of Man shall come in his glory and all his holy Angels with him and shall sit upon the Throne of his glory then he shall pronounce the sentence of death on the wicked Goe yee Cursed into everlasting fire c. And that place Luk. 16. where Dives is said to be in Hell fire is a Parable and proves no more that there was any such thing then that which is written Iudges 9. doth prove that the Trees did walke and talke one to another or that which is written 2 Esdras 4. doth prove that the Trees tooke Councell to war against the Sea to make them more woods or the Floods of the Sea to subdue the Woods of the plaine to make them another Country And besides if wee reason from that parable of Dives that proved his body also to bee in Hell which all grant to remaine in the grave untill the Resurrection But the scope and end of a parable is onely to bee Considered and Reasoned from But if it should be granted that many men were in hell at that very time that Christ dyed yet were it not a foolish thing to believe that Christ died for them as some affirme for Christ was a Lambe slaine from the foundation of the world and all that grace meanes and mercy which God ever since the fall did extend to Adam and his posterity was in reference to Christ and the death of Christ doth declare the righteousnesse of God in all his love and goodnesse to sinfull men that are dead that hee was just though gracious loving and mercifull to them And besides seeing that men doe likewise affirme that there were many righteous in Heaven when Christ dyed as there were many wicked in Hell they may aswell affirm it to be a vaine thing to believe that Christ dyed for those that were in Heaven before as for those that were in Hell before but neither of these is true yet if they were both true the Objection from thence will vanish if we consider that the life and death of all men ariseth from the well using or abusing that mercy and favour which is afforded them in reference to the Blood of Christ Obj. If Christ had shed his blood for all surely he would have afforded the Gospel he would publish this glad tidings to all seeing without faith in his blood all men shall perish for whom he died for hee that believeth not shall be damned Mark 16.16 and there is salvation in no other neither is there any other name under Heaven given among men wherby we must be saved Acts 4.12 and without faith it is impossible to please God Heb. 11.6 and whatsoever is not of Faith is sin Rom. 14.33 First I Answer that Faith in Christ is not required of those that never heard of Christ for the justice of Gods mercy requires no man to doe that which is impossible for him to performe for in so doing God would be a hard master expecting to reape where hee hath not sowne and to gather where he hath not strawed now no Man can believe that of which hee hath not heard nor never could if he be considered in reference to that perfect state and condition wherein hee was made and if God should condemne men that never heard of Christ for not keeping the Law then hee would require most where he hath bestowed least contrary to that which is written Luke 12.48 where much is given much is required and to that Act. 17.30 where God is said in the times of ignorance to winke at that vanity and superstition which upon the preaching of the Gospel he required all men every where to repent of When I say men shall not be condemned for not keeping the law my meaning is that they shall not bee condemned because they are not perfectly holy just and good as the Law is for hee that failes in one tittle is uncapable of Justificaon by the Law so that the Law condems all men in that all are sinners and the Law admits of no repentance if it be considered alone without reference to Christ yet men are to be judged by the Law as it is qualified by the love and grace of God in Christ so the Iewes were to be judged by the Law which was given them of God and the Gentiles by the Law written in their hearts Rom. 2.12 for when God hath by the meanes which he affords discovered what is good and what is evill what is just and what is unjust if men apply themselves with sincerity and uprightnesse of heart in love and obedience to God and his truth to that which is holy just and good they shall surely bee accepted for God is no respecter of persons but in every Nation hee that feareth him and worketh righteousnesse shall bee accepted with him and the mercy of Gods Justice and the Justice of Gods mercy in Christ to lost men requires of them according to what he affords them and not according to what they have not although they once had it and in what hee affords them also If hee were not rich in mercy and ready to pardon no man would ever be justified or saved by him and for that which is written Marke 16.16 if we take notice of what precedes we may easily perceive that these words hee that believeth not shall be damned have respect only to such as have the gospell preached to them for in the former Verse hee gives commission to his Disciples to goe into all the World and preach the Gospell to every Creature and then when the gospel was plainly and powerfully declared hee that Believed and was Baptized should bee saved and hee that believed not should bee damned he that believeth not shall bee damned as he that believeth not makes God a lyar 1 John 5.20 novv hee that never heard of the Gospell doth not make God a lyer though hee doe not believe no more shall that man be condemned for unbeliefe that never heard of the gospel And for that which is written Acts the 4.12 that there is Salvation in non but Christ and that there is no other name under Heaven given amongst men whereby they must be saved the Apostles were to preach where ever they came Salvation by Christ alone neither was or is there salvation in or by any other name though men might and may be saved by that name that never came to the knowledge of it for that Hebr. 11.6 it speakes not of faith in Christ but of faith in God as the latter part of the vers doth evidently demonstrate the words are these for hee that commeth to God must believe that he is and that he is a Rewarder of them that diligently seek him so that without faith in God no man can be saved for that Rom. 14.23 the Apostle there concludes that whatever a man acts or performes conceiving it unlawful he sins in what he doth though the thing be lawfull in it self and might be done by a man that
had knowledge as that was which Paul spake of in that place but the place speaks not of faith in Christ onely it would have men to be fully perswaded in their hearts of the lawfullnes of what they doe and likewise to refraine things lawfull in themselves rather then to be a stumbling block to their weak Brother and so much for this Objection Object Christ dyed for all but not intentionally he taking the nature of man upon him his death must needs extend to all of that nature in the sufficiencie of it but neither God in giving Christ nor Christ in giving himself ever intended the benefits of his death remission of sins and eternall life to any but the Elect. Answ First I answer by way of concession that God never intended the benefits of Christs death to any but the Elect if we take Election according to the Scriptures for it is the will of the Father that those and none but those that believe should have eternall life and believers only are the objects and Subjects of Gods Election for Election looks not on men in Adam but in Christ I speak only of such as have the Gospell plainely and powerfully preached to them but seeing most men doe conceive that God doth elect some men to life in unbelief and leaves the rest we shall state the Question thus Whether God did ever really intend that those men which perish and are damned should have believed and so have come to life And to this I answer affirmatively for it was shewed before that God commanded all men to believe in his Son that they might be saved Mark 16.15 16. Ioh 12.36.37 That he threatneth all those which believe not with everlasting destruction from his presence and the glory of his power 2 Thes 1.7 8. and that because they belive not Joh. 3.18 and because they received not the truth in the love thereof that they might besaved but had pleasure in unrighteousnesse as 2 Thes 2.10.12 That hee pittieth those that perish through the abuse of his grace extended towards them Psal 81.8.13 Matth. 23.37 Luke 19.41.42 Therefore it evidently appeares that he intended the benefits of his death viz. remission of sins and eternall life to those who by trusting inlying vanities for sake their own mercies Jonah 2.8 and drawing back to perdition Heb. 10 39. as well as to those who believe to the saving of their souls Heb. 10.39 But yet further consider these Scriptures Joh. 3.17 God sent not his Son into the world to condemne the world but that the world through him might be saved This Scripture which sets forth the act of Gods love in sending his Son into the World declareth also his end and intention therein negatively not to condemne the World affirmatively but that the World through him might be saved Againe Iohn 12.47 If any man heare my words and believe not Iudge him not for I came not into the world to judge the world but to save the World Why will not Christ judge those men that heare his words and believe not because he came to save them Againe Ioh. 5.34.40 Christ speaking to the obstinate Iewes saith unto them these things speak I unto you for what end that yee may be saved And yee will not come to me that yee may have life Neither doth Christ herein expresle his owne desires and intentions of the salvation of those obstinate Iewes but the will and intention of his Father also For he came not downe from Heaven to doe his owne will but the will of the Father which sent him therefore it appeares that as the death of Christ was extended to all so likewise the benefits therof were both by the Father and the Son intended for all Object If God sent his Son and it be his desire to save all men and yet all men are not saved then God misseth his end and is disappointed of his desire which is very unsuiteable to him Answ If God had sent his Sonne with an absolute and peremptory resolution to save all men whether they did receive him or reject him then all must be saved or God disappointed which cannot be for he doth whatsoever he will and if he work in this sence who can hinder but God in sending of his Sonne did intend he should be a sufficient means to save all and so to save them if they did not resist and dispise this grace of his which if they did he resolved to condemne them and not to save them by his Sonne And whereas it is said that God is unwilling that any should perish and that he desires the salvation of all I conceive it is thus to be understood he is not willing that any should perish for want of sufficient means of recovery and he desires the salvation of all as they are in a lost condition unable to helpe themselves but not as they are considered malicious contemnen of all grace and savour means and mercies for that were to set his attributes at variance and divide God in himself the mercy of whose justice is to afford means of help to that which cannot help it self and the justice of whose mercie is to condemne him that refuseth such helpe and to save him that receiveth it so that his mercie cannot desire the salvation of all but his justice must afford the means of accomplishment and when his justice affordeth means his mercie is said to desire for as what men desire they use means to accomplish so what God useth means to accomplish he is said to desire neither is God disappointed if men neglect this means for the justice of Gods mercie is to render to every man according to his deeds whether good or evill as the mercie of his justice is to provide means of life or salvation so that God is not disappointed in the condemnation of any for his mercie affordeth them means and his justice condemnes them for contempt thereof so that as God cannot worke against himself so therein he is neither crossed nor contradicted but remaineth in his attributes intire and compleat The next thing I shall speak of is the sufficiencie of the means of grace or the sufficiencie of the means which God affords to worke grace or faith in every man That the Gospell was never published to men with plainesse and power but they were thereby enabled to believe and yeeld obedience That God doth enlighten invite perswade and draw all men to himself so farre and so sufficiently that did they improve the Talent and price that God puts into their hands they should certainely come to life and glory It will be needfull before I proceed further to declare what I meane by grace and what I meane by the sufficiency of the meanes of grace Grace I conceive to bee an humble and thankefull apprehension of the free love favour and goodnesse of God and when I speake of the sufficiency of the meanes which God affoords to worke grace in every man I meane
Now that we were not to have perished in Hell fire in relation to Adams sinne or the Law Consider we all dyed in Adam and Christ to redeeme nor to prevent us from death suffered death he hung on a Tree and so was made a curse for us and delivered us from the curse of the Law Gal. 3.13 Deut. 21 23. That we through him might receive the blessing Gal. 3.14 And if wee had bin to suffer in Hell in relation to Adam or the Law then Christ also should have suffered in Hell for us to have redeemed us from thence which hee did not The resurrection of the dead comes by Christ 1 Cor. 15.21 22. who by death overcame him that had the power of death Heb. 2.14 So that we should for ever have perished in the grave had not Christ dyed and rose againe and never have risen from the dead to receive the sentence of a second death And this may serve for answer to this Objection about our inability and Gods requiring of us to keep the Law Againe if the most of men where the Gospel came were unable to believe then the Gospel or Christ crucified could not be a Gospel of grace bringing salvation to all men Tit. 2.11 and 3 4. nor glad tydings of great joy to all people Luk. 2.10 11. For if men could have no benefit by Christ unlesse they came to him and their condemnation were aggravated for not comming and God gave them not where with all to come the case I say being so with the most of them the love of God towards them in the Gospel was no other then such as the charity which Iames speaks of Iam. 2.15 16. If a Brother or a Sister be naked and destitute of daily food and one of you say unto them depart in peace be yee warmed and filled notwithstanding yee give them not those things that are needfull to the body what doth it profit Now if God injoined them to love in deed and in truth and not in word and in tongue 1 Joh 3.18 It is farre from God himself so to doe if he would not have us to bid a man be cloathed and warmed and not give him wherewithall how much lesse will he in the gospel of his love and grace to the Sons of Men bid them to repent and believe that they may be saved and give them not wherewithall Yea further where it is said God so loved the World Joh. 3.16 It were then more proper to say God so hated the world and whereas God proclaimes himself in the gospel to be love to be gracious and mercifull to lost men this Doctrine proclaimes him to be wrath hatred anger c. to the Sons of men for if salvation were not to be had by Christ but through faith and condemnation came upon them through unbelief and the condition of men were such that they could not believe and God afforded them no power then the eternall ruine and damnation of the most part of them was an inevitable effect of the death of Christ so that this Doctrine tends to the subversion of the free grace of God in the gospel Againe God sent his Son and the Sonne in obedience to the Father came to save men even those which perish Ioh. 3.17.12.47 Act. 3 26. now it were absurd to thinke that Christ was sent and came to doe that which being come he used not meanes sufficient to accomplish for that were to deny the wisdome of God which alwayes maketh choice and use of meanes sufficient to effect the ends proposed by it yet this must needs be concluded if men could not beleeve the gospel when it was preached and published to them by Christ for faith is held as absolutely necessary to salvation as the blood of Christ seeing God requires those that heare the gospel to beleeve it upon pain of condemnation in hell fire now if Christ hath given himselfe for any to whom he hath not given meanes sufficient to beget faith their condition is as desperate as if he had never given himselfe for them according to the old Proverbe As good nothing as never the nearer for if I know two things equally and individually absolute by me to be performed to effect one and the same end if I doe the one and leave the other undone it is as impossible the thing should be effected as if I had done nothing at all but when ever God propounds meanes to effect an end the meanes is sufficient to accomplish the same But God did propound meanes to save those which notwithstanding did perish Therefore the means used was sufficient to accomplish their salvation though they perished through the wilfull neglect of it Ioh. 5.34.40 2 Thess 2.10 but if all the means used with those that perish were insufficient to save them then the end of God in using the meanes could not be to save them as the Scriptures plainly declare it was for that end which the means cannot possibly produce cannot be the end of God in the meanes and seeing God having sent his Son requires all men unto whom he is preached with power to beleeve upon pain of damnation in hell it being unpossible for the most of those that heare him preached to beleeve hell-fire must needs follow the giving of Christ as hath been already declared and therefore the ruine and destruction of the most of men may be more truly and properly said to be Gods end in giving Christ unto them according to this doctrine then the salvation of them as the Scriptures evidently demonstrate Againe men are charged with the neglect of salvation now how can that bee neglected which was impossible to bee obtained Againe those that reject the gospel or meanes of grace are said to be guilty of the blood of their soules Act. 18.6 whereas if the meanes used with them were not every way sufficient to bring them to life their rejecting of it could not make them guilty of their owne death and ruine Again God bemoanes and laments men that perish because they did not make use of the means which he affoorded them for their recovery O that my people had hearkened unto me and that Israel had walked in my wayes but my people would not hearken unto me and Israel would none of me Psal 81. O Ierusalem wilt thou not be made cleane when shall it once be Jer. 13.27 O that thou hadst knowne in this thy day the things that belong to thy peace how often would I have gathered thy children as a hen gathereth her chickens and ye would not Luke 19.41 42. Matth. 23.37 These things have I spoken unto you that ye might be saved and ye will not come unto me that ye may have life Joh. 5.34.40 yea moreover God protests and sweares that he hath no pleasure in the death of the wicked Ezech. 33.11 in the death of him that dyeth Ezech. 18.32 Now what can uphold the sincerity of God which were blasphemy to question in these
the wickednesse of the Edomites and Gods anger against them especially from the 9. verse to the end of the chapter And thy mighty men O Teman shall bee dismayed to the end that every one of the Mount of Esau may be cut off by slaughter for thy violence against thy brother Jacob shame shall cover thee and thou shalt bee cut off for ever In the day that thou stoodest on the other side in the day that the strangers carried away captive his forces and forreiners entred into his gates and cast lots upon Jerusalem even thou wast as one of them But thou shouldest not have looked on the day of thy brother in the day that hee became a stranger neither shouldst thou have rejoiced over the children of Judah in the day of their destruction neither shouldest thou have spoken proudly in the day of distresse thou shouldest not have entred into the gate of my people in the day of their calamity neither shouldst thou have stood in the crosse way to cut off those of his that did escape neither shouldst thou have delivered up those of his that did remaine in the day of distresse for the day of the Lord is neare upon all the heathen as thou hast done it shall be done unto thee thy reward shall returne upon thine owne head c. The evill and unkind carriage of the Edomites towards their brethren the Israelites is more fully declared in the 20 chapter of Numbers the 14 15. 16. 17. 18. 19. 20 and 21 verses And Moses sent messengers from Kadesh unto the King of Edom saying Thus saith thy brother Israel thou knowest all the travell that hath befallen us how our fathers went downe into Egypt and we have dwelt in Egypt a long time and the Egyptians vexed us and our Fathers and when wee cryed unto the Lord he heard our voice and sent an Angel and hath brought us forth out of Egypt and behold we are in Kadesh a City in the uttermost of thy border let us passe I pray thee thorow thy countrey wee will not passe thorow the fields or thorow the vineyards neither will wee drinke of the water of the wells we will go by the Kings high way wee will not turne to the right hand or to the left untill we have passed thy borders And Edom said unto him Thou shalt not passe by me lest I come out against thee with the sword And the children of Israel said unto him Wee will goe by the high way and if I and my cattell drinke of thy water then I will pay for it I will only without doing any thing else goe thorow on my feet And he said Thou shalt not goe thorow And Edom came out against him with much people and with a strong hand and Edom refused to give Israel passage thorow his border wherefore Israel turned away from him Here we see how hardly the Edomites dealt with their brethren in the day of their distresse for which cause the Lord was displeased with them and so Paul would have the Jewes to understand that God would be displeased with them and punish them and destroy them notwithstanding Abraham was their Father and notwithstanding any promise he had made to them if they were rebellious and disobedient Ob. If Paul had thought that the hatred of God towards Esau or the Edomites had beene for his or their wickednesse hee would have so expressed himselfe and not have left the matter so obscure Ans The Jewes pleaded for their justification that they were the children of Abraham Paul proves that some of the children of Abraham were hated of God and to have told them wherefore had been superfluous and not pertinent to the argument in hand But if that purpose and election which Paul laboured to establish amongst the Jewes had been this That God did elect and chuse out some of them to life and hate or leave as some interpret the word hate the residue to destruction without respect to any good or evill in them and that that counsell of his did alway take effect he would not have had such great heavinesse and continuall sorrow of heart for them as vers 2. for then he should have sorrowed because the purpose and counsell of God took effect he could not then so love them as cordially to desire their salvation chap. 10.1 if he had known that God in his eternall and unalterable counsell had so hated them as to leave them for destruction Besides God reasons with Iacobs posterity Mal. 1. that he loved them that is all of them and yet many yea the most of them perished notwithstanding this love as in chap. 9. 27. therefore it was no such love as would save them unlesse they were thankfull and obedient and seeing it would not infallibly save all those that were so loved it was not such a love of election as some men conceive Further consider God is not willing that any of the lost sonnes of Adam should perish he desires not the death of him that dieth he doth not delight in tormenting his creatures he is excellent in judgement and in plenty of justice he will not afflict Iob 37.23 He doth not willingly afflict nor grieve the children of men Lam. 3.33 but if God should hate men with an eternall and unchangeable hatred before they had done evill where then were his unwillingnesse to afflict his slownesse to wrath his goodnesse to all and the like Then hee proceeds in the 14. verse to make an objection What shall we say then or what doe we say then that there is unrighteousnesse with God God forbid saith Paul for wee in thus expounding and interpreting the Scriptures say no more then God himselfe saith to Moses Exod. 33.19 I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion The Israelites had made them a molten Calfe and worshipped it and sacrificed thereunto and said These be thy gods O Israel that brought thee out of the land of Egypt chap. 32.4.8 wherefore the Lord was angry with them and willed Moses to let him alone that hee might consume them and he promised to make of Moses a great Nation but Moses still entreats for the Israelites and in the 32 verse he is so earnest for them that he desires God to blot him out of the book which he had written if so that he would forgive their sinnes but the answere of God is Whosoever hath sinned against me him will I blot out of my booke chap. 33.13 Moses desires that God would consider that this Nation was his people in the 19 verse God tells Moses that he would proclaime his name before him which name was I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious so that this is Gods name his power to shew mercy to such as seeke him in his owne way and to punish the stiff-necked and rebellious even of the Iewes as well as others But if the meaning of Paul
but vvhosoever hath not from him shall be taken away even that hee hath vers 12. And againe vers 13. not because seeing they might not see but because seeing they did not see nor understand that is they closed their eyes and would not see as it is expressed vers 15. so that this doth not prove any inability in men to believe the gospel vvhen it vvas preached to them but rather the contrary seeing they vvere blamed for not believing and counted unworthy to partake of further light who vvere so perverse and obstinate against the light they had Againe 1 Sam. 2.25 the latter part of the verse notwithstanding they harkened not to the voice of their Father because or for the Lord vvould or was willing to slay them Here it is conceived that Gods desire of their destruction vvas the cause of their not harkening unto the voice of their Father but this is contrary to what God professeth Ezek. 33.11 and the 18.32 that he hath no pleasure in the death of the vvicked in the death of him that dyeth but that he turne from his sinnes and live now if the repentance of a sinner be more pleasing to God and more vvilled and desired of him then his death then Gods desire or will to slay a sinner cannot be the cause of his not repenting but this word for or because is spoken only by way of demonstration of the truth of what preceeds like unto that which is spoken of Mary in the gospell that much was forgiven her for shee loved much Luk. 7.47 Not that her love was the cause or reason that her sins were pardoned but her love did demonstrate that she apprehended the pardon of many sins for to whom little is forgiven the same loveth little so in this place they harkened not to the voice of their Father because or for the Lord would or was willing to slay them this is the desire willingnes and resolution of God to destroy them vers 34. notwithstanding their Father had reproved and councelled them doth evidently demonstrate that they did not hearken unto their fathers voice for if they had harkened and turned from their wickednes they should have lived they should not have been destroyed according to Ezekiel 33.12 13 14 15 16. verses Againe it is objected from certaine places in Exodus viz. I will harden Pharaoh chap. 7.3 But Pharaoh shall not hearken unto you vers 4. And the Lord hardned the heart of Pharaoh that he hearkened not unto them chap. 9.12 From those and the like places men do conclude that God doth positively harden the hearts of some so that they cannot believe and obey the truth for say they God was so farre from enabling Pharaoh to do what he required of him that on the contrary he hardned his heart that he might not do it For answer whereunto consider that as God tempts no man to sin so much lesse doth he harden any man in sin Againe where it is said I will harden Pharaohs heart chap. 7.3 But Pharaoh shall not hearken unto you vers 4. It may as truly and more properly be read And I shall hearden Pharachs heart But he will not hearken unto you for shall and will in this place are only signes of the Future Tence serving to expresse somwhat to come For God did not exercise any coercive power upon Pharaoh that kept him from hearkening to his word or from letting the people goe but only did declare what effect the meanes which God intended to use with Pharaoh would take upon him even to harden his heart though the means used did properly and naturally tend to soften it and so God might be said to harden Pharaohs heart because he did that for or before him whereby he knew Pharaoh would take occasion to harden his owne heart as appeares in this that when God sent Moses to Pharaoh to require him to let the people goe God tells Moses that he was sure that Pharaoh would not let them goe but by a mighty hand God knew that instead of obeying his command he would be hardened by it and yet bids Moses to goe and doe the Message Object How can this agree with that love and goodnesse in God which hath bin pleaded for for if God doe that which he knowes will indirectly or by accident make us worse and harden us he might with as much love and goodnes directly doe it Answ The case is farre different for if God had positively or directly hardened Pharaohs heart then so farre Pharaoh had been without fault because God did it and he could not help it and for God to have hardened him in this sence and then to punish him for his hardnes was inconsistent with the justice and goodnes of God But if God do that which is just and good which properly and naturally leads men to do the like is his goodnesse ever the lesse or should he forbeare to doe good because he sees that men will abuse his goodnesse then God must not act like God when men will not act like men but must goe out of his way and doe things unlike himself or cease to do what is suteable and agreeable to his excellent nature to comply with their wickednesse and stubbornesse and so instead of converting evill men and making them like himself he himself would become like to them But let us a little further consider what is here done to Pharaoh Pharaoh doth oppresse afflict and grieve the people of God and their cry and their groaning by reason of their bondage came up unto God and God had a respect unto them and resolves to deliver them out of the hand of the Egyptians and to bring them into a good and large Land flowing with Milke and Honey according to his Covenant and promise Now God sends Moses to Pharaoh to desire him to let the Hebrewes goe three dayes journey into the wildernesse to worship yet God knew that he should harden Pharaohs heart thereby or that Pharaoh would harden his heart thereupon which is all one should God have suffered his people to remaine in slavery and sorrow under their Task-masters and not have sent to tell Pharaoh of it because he knew hee would not hearken but be hardened Againe when Moses had delivered his message to Pharaoh and received that answere from him Who is the Lord that I should obey his voice and let Israel goe I know not the Lord neither will I let Israel goe should God now have lest Pharaoh and not by his miracles have manifested himselfe to be the Lord because he knew Pharaoh would be hardened and not set his heart to consider it or when the judgement did soften Pharaohs heart and he desires a removall of it promising to let Israel goe should God refuse to shew mercy to him on his repentance knowing that he would be hardened upon the receipt of it should God cease to bee or doe good because Pharaoh would abuse his goodnesse and thereby take
them or beneficiall to them yea they were not only empty of good if wee consider them in every respect but the end of them was full of bitternesse and death And besides if the words should bee so taken then God could not bee said to doe all those things for and before them that they might know him to bee the Lord their God as it is verse 6. for God never propounds meanes insufficient to effect the end for which hee propounds it therefore it must needs be taken according to the first interpretation and in the same sense must those words bee taken 2 Tim. 2.25 In meeknes instructing those that oppose themselves if God peradventure shall give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth that is if peradventure the means which God useth may prevaile with them to repent and to acknowledge the Truth Againe Phil. 2.13 For it is God that worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure whence it is inferred that it pleaseth God to worke in some men to will and to do and not in others and that men cannot will nor do more or lesse but according as God works in them But this interpretation is not suteable to the scope of the place for he exhorts them to worke out their salvation with feare and trembling vers the 24. urging this reason it is God which worketh in you both to will and to doe but according to this explication hee might rather have exhorted them to sit still for it is God that doth all it is he which worketh in you both to will and to doe but the meaning of the place is this worke out your salvation with feare and trembling for it is God which of his goodnes and mercie worketh in you both to will and to doe as if hee should have said he is not wanting to you he enableth worketh and disposeth you and therfore be incouraged and be very carefull that you are not wanting to your selves in working out your owne salvation with fear and trembling 1 Cor. 1.26 For yee see your calling Brethren how that not many wise men after the flesh not many mighty not many Noble are called but God hath chosen the foolish things c. For the better understanding of these words let us a little consider the scope of the place Paul declares that he was sont to preach the Gospel vers 17. that the gospel had a different acceptation among men some did esteem it foolishnesse and others the wisdome and power of God vers 18. and those that did esteem lightly of it were such as had much of the wisdome and understanding of this world the disputers of this world wise men after the flesh vers 19 20.26 And the reason was because God in saving men by the Gospel went in such a way that he did destroy bring to nothing and make foolish their wisdome vers 19 20. For the gospel told them that Jesus the Sonne of Joseph a Carpenter was the Sonne of God that by his death he had purchased remission of sins and being now alive whosoever believes in him should not perish but have everlasting life and if they would be his Disciples they must deny themselves forsake all and follow him they must have the same mind in them towards others that he had towards them who though he was rich yet for their sakes he became poor that they through his poverty might be made rich so should they be full of bowells of mercie visiting the fatherlesse and Widdowes in their affliction doing good to all giving to every man that asketh loving their enemies as themselves returning good for evill blessing for cursing not resisting evill but overcomming evill with good not to lift up themselves above their Brethren not to mind high things but to condescend to mean things to men of Iow estate esteeming others better then themselves carrying themselves towards the meanest and poorest both in word and deed as to their Brethren and fellow-Servants striving more to minister unto others then to be ministred unto or served by others not being solicitous what to eate or what to drinke and wherewith to be clothed but to cast all their care on God who careth for them and knoweth they want these things and having Food and Raiment therewith to be content to look upon all they have and all that they are as Christs who hath bought them and to imploy all in his service using all to his glory and honour promoting whatsoever things are true whatsoever things are honest whatsoever things are just whatsoever things are pure whatsoever things are lovely whatsoever things are of good report though with the losse of all they have and are counting all things but drosse and dung that the love of Christ may be manifested and the will of Christ performed in doing these things though men did despise them God would honour them though men did hate them he would love them and though they did forsake and lose all here they should find and enjoy all hereafter to all eternity even a Kingdome a Crowne of life with unspeakable riches and glory But their wisdome taught them to love the World to live unto it to walke by sence imbracing things present and despising things that could not be seen felt nor tasted judging all things according to outward appearance esteeming it a vaine thing to lose or forsake the life present the life in possession for a life which doth not appeare heaping up riches and trusting in them striving to partake of the pompe and greatnesse of this World to be admired served and worshipped of men to Lord it over their Brethren to look on them at a distance to sort themselves with men like themselves to love and feast their friends and rich neighbours doing good to those that doe good to them to crush their enemies to meddle no more with truth or religion then will stand with the pompe greatnesse and credit of this word not to be singular but to doe as the most and those of most esteeme doe to with-hold their hands from giving lest they should want themselves to preferre the lust of the flesh and pride of life before doing good and shewing mercy Now though the Gospel were the wisdome and power of God yet the wise men the rich men and mighty men did esteeme it foolishnesse and madnesse for saith the Apostle when God had manifested his wisdome evidently by the workes of Creation which things did appeare to the wise men of the World so that therein they might plainly see the eternall power and Godhead and yet by this they did not so know God as to worship him as God neither were thankfull then it pleased God to save men by preaching and declaring things which doe not appeare which the World accounts foolishnesse and that this is so saith the Apostle you may see by the men that embrace the Gospel for you see your calling brethren hovv that not