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
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
recompence all their diligence with full assurance of hope unto the end Heb. 6. 11. The Heathen could say That the gods sold all for sweat and we can say most truly of our God That when a Christian sweats in self-denial mortification sufferings c. he shall have from him as sure as he is just and faithfull what he sweats for 3. God is able to put a soul into possession and that everlastingly of what it laies out pains and diligence for Ioh. 10. 28 29 30. Christs and his Fathers power is united for the assurance of life to his sheep and for their preservation unto life Use 1 Aword of confutation Hence we inferre the certainty of salvation by Christ and Gospel-grace against all that doubting Doctours or doubting hearts can say to the contrary for it is as sure as any thing here can be made sure and more sure then any earthly purchase there being more in the substance of this parabolicall merchandize then in the shadow yet every expression in the shadowy resemblance speaks assurance a treasure found a treasure hidden a treasure joyed in and a treasure bought a pearl found and bought That the treasure was found hidden by God and is hidden by God and is hidden again by the finder and joyed in all this makes towards assurance but when that field for the treasures sake and the treasure with the field and the pearl and all is bought and all sold that all might be bought here is assurance upon assurance Then is Christ surely a mans own the propriety known enjoyed and used Are not you sure of that which you have bought and purchased and have deeds and evidences to shew for it after the true title is tried and proved and the false claim disproved The true beleever you see is a great purchaser he hath deeds and evidences in the promises to shew and he hath the witnesse in himself Our Gospel 1 Joh. 5. 10. saith the Apostle to the Thessalonians came not unto you in word only but in power and in the holy Ghost and in â— Thess 1. 5. much assurance And when the tempter came to tempt them though cap. 3. 10. there was something lacking in their faith in regard of degrees yet sensible they were and sure of what they had as of what they lacked and wanted The same Apostle to the Romans speaks of a double witnesse Rom. 8. 15. Gods Spirit witnessing with the Spirit or renewed conscience of a beleever Yea the Apostle Iohn makes report of â— Joh. 5. 7 8. three Witnesses in heaven and of three upon earth in the heart The Spirit equall with the Father and Son in heaven and above bloud and water on earth ratifying the acts and reflections of faith about our justification shining upon his own work of sanctification and ever teaching the soul in and after self-denying diligence to be assured never to doubt of what they have found as theirs Object 1 But some doubting Doctour will say There can be no assurance without extraordinary revelation Familists and Libertines say the like with the Papists in effect who are all for an immediate Testimony of the Spirit without evidence of grace within them or a life-testimony without them or without Scripture-evidence and verdict upon them Answ 1 1. Assurance is first found where it is founded without us in Gospel-grace Gods free-love giving Christ c. 2. Faith finding assurance in it's object more then in it's own acts and reflections by closing with a sure word of promise an unchangable Covenant becomes sure in it's acts and reflexions through the Spirit 3. More firm and full assurance comes daily in by this Christian selling and buying As the experience of thousands speak it By self-denial and diligent use of the ordinances and meanes of salvation they have ordinarily obtained sure hold possession and use of Christ have known they have had him and shall be saved eternally by him But with the tenets of Rome the Doctrine of doubting agreeth well enough viz. That a man is not justified by imputation of Christs righteousnesse but by inherent holinesse That a man must make some temporal satisfaction to Gods justice here and the rest in Purgatory That his general faith resolved into the testimony of the Church virtuall the Popes brest is enough to salvation That by the power of free-will and nature he may and must concur with Gods grace in conversion c. The Roman faith of these and such like tenets will never assure a man that he is in the state of grace or shall be in the state of glory Nor will Arminian grounds bring home assurance viz. That Christ died for all as for one That God hath not absolutely elected any That all things put into the balance which may be considered in Christs death yet none may be saved That all operations put which may be put in as ingredients to conversion yet grace may be resisted and if gotten yet lost it may be at last and put away But from the true Gospel-faith preached and the true Gospel-treasure in Christ discovered infallible and absolute promises Christs righteousnesse imputed to justification Faith and holinesse wrought irresistably by the Spirit who is given to discover and seal up grace given and glory promised and who carrieth on the beleever in the means and ordinances keepeth him to them and makes them effectuall for the obtaining of what he seeks after Assurance and evidence unquestionable may be is and shall be had and enjoyed for ever Object 2 But saith the doubting heart mans heart is deceitfull above all things and I cannot finde such and such evidences as you speak of by all the diligence and self-denying pains that I have yet laid out for the Gospel-pearl and Treasure Answ 1. I am very jealous whether thou hast denied that deceitfull heart from bearing any witnesse at all about thy estate If the heart be deceitfull as it is in the best so farre as unregenerate good reason it should not be heard speak at all 't is a false witnesse and will give in false evidence I agree with thee the old deceitfull heart and every piece of it must be sold away denied 2. The heart so farre as beleeving a faithfull promise Conscience as justified by Christs bloud and sanctified by the Spirit is not deceitfull The Spirit is truth and too holy to deceive 1 Joh. 5. 6 and too wise to be deceived in this great point of a Christians assurance when he certifieth Gods love and love-tokens to the soul 3. It is and will be more sure then any earthly purchase if that may be wrangled away this cannot if an heir may be cheated of his inheritance in his minority the childe of God cannot He who selleth all sels all his deceitfull heart away and all false evidences and dictates to consult with the Word and Spirit of truth to hearken to Gods bargain to read his writings to view and hold out
yet he bare the curse of the Law for such as are not elect which if he did hold according to Scripture he must proceed with St Paul and affirm that which is peculiar to the elect Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the Law that the blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles through Iesus Christ Gal. 3. 13 14. Behold here a Gospel-blessing comes upon all those who are freed from the Legall-curse and if then the non-elected by this mans doctrine have the one he must yeeld the other also if freed from the curse they are blessed justified and saved ones this is worse then non-sense even impure blasphemy against the truth That world is here meant from whom sin in the latitude and utmost extent is taken away viz. Sin originall sin actuall sinne in the guilt and sinne in the power and who shall certainly be saved perfectly as inchoatively But all men never had nor shall have their sin originall and actuall in the guilt and power and in all it's dimensions and damnable consequences taken away therefore not all and every singular person in the world is here understood Take the true meaning of the words thus as I conceive 1. That which is the common sinne of the world so it be not the sin of the holy Ghost totall and finall apostacy and the sinne of the devils and damned totall and finall despair Christ taketh away from whom from those to whom he is a lamb and for whom he was sacrificed And he totally and finally giveth out this vertue of his death to any one in the world who takes hold of him as an All-sufficient expiation 2. And again there is not any one sinne taken away but by him there much of the emphasis lieth nor any one sinner in the world pardoned but by his satisfaction to the Father Look not upon me as if Iohn Baptist should have said nor upon the water of Baptisme as if the Minister or sacramentall sign did or could take away sin but behold and behold him with the eye of faith as of sense who taketh away the sin of all who have their sins taken away in the whole world Object It may be replied 't is of the world not in the world Answ And why because in themselves they are exceeding many whose sinne Christ taketh away reckon them up if you can in all ages and countreys c. so the world is used Ioh. 12. 19. Obj. It may be argued and urged further the Greek word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 who beareth and so Christ bare all the worlds sinne though all be not saved by him Answ 1. Christ so bare the sins of men as he takes them away from them by pardon mortification salvation and that is the full signification of the word he so beareth sin as a Surety another mans debt which he taketh off the debtours shoulders and sets him at liberty Christ so bare the sin of men upon the Crosse as to abolish guilt and enmity and to obtain eternall redemption for us Heb. 9. 12. 2. His bearing of the worlds sin mentioned here in Iohn is limited to the sin of many Isa 53. ult though being very many in themselves they are called the world here and elswhere This Scripture we see favours not the errour of universall atonement but the truth of Christs bearing away the sins only of his people and of no more A third followeth Joh. 4 42. We know that this is indeed Joh. 4 42. answered and cleared the Christ the Saviour of the world what say you to that Answ Beloved the light we have given you into the fore-cited Texts might suffice for answer here and save me a further labour but that the Expositour bestowed much pains to pull down the truth and it were a shame if I should not work as long and longer then two hours to build up the breaches which this plunderer of the Scripture hath made amongst you I observe also that some are staggered at his glosses upon one Scripture some upon another First then Consider who spake these words Samaritans newly converted to the faith who if they had not apprehended him to be the Saviour of more then beleeving Jews could not tell where to have set their foot but we Samaritans of the Gentiles have heard him and doe know that this is indeed the Christ the Saviour of Iews and Gentiles all over the world Secondly The Saviour they call him what an imperfect or perfect one If he saveth all the world take it in the Arminian sense yet it is but imperfectly and what blasphemy is this again to render him but an imperfect Saviour yea but a titular Saviour not so in truth For thus I argue Either he saveth in truth and perfectly and that is but some or all in title and shew and that is not at all and so in making him a generall Saviour they make him none at all Thirdly I cannot see though I desire to be as charitable as I may but that the Arminians and their followers in alleadging this place must fight against their own light for they say though Christ died for all yet he saveth not all why then is this Scripture mentioned which speaketh not of Christs death but of the fruit of it Salvation to Iews and Samaritans and to any other of the world who shall hear and believe as they did A fourth place Luke 2. 10. Fear not for behold I bring you tidings of great joy which shall be to all people that Luk. 2 10. vindicated a Saviour is borne c. How could it be great joy to hear that Christ was come and yet not dye for all people Answ 1. To the shepherds of Bethlem being Iews is this Gospel of Christs birth and of salvation by his birth and death published as Act. 10. 36. The word which God sent to the children of Israel and sent and spoke it first to them Act. 13. 46. Yet not only to them but to all people or to all Nations afterward in Asia Africa Europe France Spain England As Saint Iohn enlargeth Caiaphas Joh. 11. 51 52. speech when he prophecied that one man should die for that Nation viz. of the Jews and not for that Nation only c. Where I beseech you observe his limitation with his enlargement his enlargement in these words Not for that Nation only but that also he should gather together in one his restriction or limitation in these the children of God that were scattered abroad Whence a second answer Though the Gospel or good tidings comes to all people yet it comes with this limitation that Christ died intentionally and only for the children of Gods election scattered in all Nations Whosoever of any Nation hearing this Gospel shall beleeve it will be matter of great joy and because there will be some of every Nation that are the chosen of God and believers who shall finde this true Treasure and precious Pearl it shall
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
dissemble and Consequences tried cut off preach a lie telling them that Christ died for them when he did not Answ 1. When we according to Scripture preach Christ crucified to the world not yet believing we do not we dare not say that Christ died for them but that Christ died for sinners that they might believe in him And doe we here dissemble or is this a lie Is it not a true and faithfull saying c. 1 Tim. 1. 15. And hath it not worth and weight in it 2. If upon our preaching and mens hearing faith be wrought we say to such and of such Christ died for them and doe we here dissemble or is this a lie to say Christ died for thee and me beleeving in him 3. Is not the dissimulation and lie the result of such stuff as this Christ died for all and every singular person when by the event it plainly appears he did not let Deut. 18. 2â— be the judge Cons 2. If we deny Christ died for all the world we may as well say God made a people on purpose to damn them as if you or I should marry a wife on purpose by the blessing of God to have children and then when God hath bestowed them you or I should go and cut the throat of one and hang another up by the tongue and throw a third at the fires back were it not a woefull thing then much more that a mercifull tender-hearted God should deal thus with the workmanship of his own hands Ans What have we here but great swelling words of vanity and the foam of a distempered fancy yea daring and desperate words against the truth 1. Let us examine the Consequence Doth it follow at all that because we say the one Christ died not for all therefore we may say the other that God made a people to damn them He would indeed teach us to blaspheme but we will not learn of him The Scripture tels us Eccles 7. ult God made man upright but they have sought out many inventions waies enough to damn themselves yea that one invention of eating the forbidden fruit was sufficient to have damned the elect of God with all the rest of mankinde but that Christ stept in for them the devil shall not swallow all Again the Scripture tells us Prov. 16. 4. The Lord hath made all things for himself yea even the wicked for the day of evil He made them not wicked but if men make themselves wicked God who would not permit the evil but for a greater good his own glory c. makes or orders these wicked ones to suffer their just punishment on the execution day 2. Because God will not lose his elect but purchase them at a dear rate Is he bound to doe as much for others as he freely doth for them Who art thou that repliest thus against God as if because man takes delight in sinning God should take delight in meer damning no no 'T is the sinner cuts his own throat and throws himself into the fire and when upon offers and entreaties the sinner will not return and live but sinne and die the mercifull God will shew no mercy He that made them will shew them no favour Isa 27. after his patience is abused his mercie sleighted and his tender bowels grieved justice breaks forth and fury ceaseth upon the poor sinner 3. Here is nothing but jugling and delusion in this pretended Consequence and plea for even they that plead Christ died for all doe not dare not say he died on purpose to save all or to take away from all sinners their purpose of sinning And if notwithstanding such universall grace and Redemption as the Adversaries boast of men will and do go on with their purpose of sinning shall not God go on with his purpose of punishing the works of the devil in his own workmanship Cons 3. It implieth and concludeth as true believers under condemnation as any that are saved for the truest believer doth but believe what is reported to him and if it be reported to some that Christ died not for them they believe it and so perish Ans 1. None that believeth and comes under condemnation can never be said to be a true believer in a true Theologicall but only metaphysicall sense as copper is true copper but standing for gold 't is not gold e're the more or true gold so the faith of a temporary believer is a right copper-faith not faith of Gods elect or a golden faith 2. A true believer indeed receiveth the whole testimony of God about his Son not a part only 3. In all the report of the Doctrine there is no such Doctrine as this taught Christ died not for these particulars or Christ died for every singular person He therefore who believes upon this ground Christ died for every one therefore for me beleeveth a false Proposition and his faith is false And he that beleeveth Christ died not for him because he is told â—o without book believeth without book and so if he perisheth he perisheth by and for beleeving his own heart or Satan a lying spirit in the mouth of his heart not for believing truly This is a meer scandall they would cast upon the true Gospel with the rest Cons 4. The grace of Christ is straitned for they speak of free grace and upstart nothing but a plea for one of a hundred or one of a thousand Answ 1. Is it nothing to have one of a hundred or one of a thousand written in the Lambs book of life Though who taught him or any other this Arithmetick The Lord only knoweth who and how many are his he is an upstart nothing who puts this reproach upon Gods diminutives and his little flock 2. The freenesse of grace is magnified and manifested the more by Christs dying for a certain number given to him of his Father whom he thanketh and praiseth Math. 11. 25 6 7. for this free reservation of grace to a few Contracted beams of the Sunne have the greater strength in a burning Glasse to warme and fire and so have the raies of divine favour contracted into a narrow compasse Rom. 9. 28. 3. Our plea for Gods elect will hold and come to something in the end none of the Lords people but shall obtain the fruit of Christs death when as their plea for all the world besides the elect will fail them in the experimentall issue and come to nothing Cons 5. God will damn men they hold because he will damn them and so they make damnation Gods Ordinance not mans sin the cause of it And in this we may go so farre as to justifie the devil who taught Cain and Julian and Spira to despair and Judas to hang himself Now you will conclude the devil to be a lier from the beginning and that he cannot teach a truth and on the contrary you will conclude none ought to despair c. Ans 1. It is a double reproach either that
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
the application and that by gift of all other good things from the gift of Redemption and of the Redeemer himself Rom. 8. 32. 3. That of Christs satisfaction for all men and obtaining the pardon of all sinnes against the Covenant of works for all them and his satisfaction for and pardon of the sinnes against the Covenant of Grace only for the elect whereas all men originally and actually hanging upon a Covenant of works for life and yet continually breaking that Covenant are actually in all ages and in this present age as in the Apostles age under the curse Gal. 3. 10. And they who have any sin forgiven have all sins forgiven them Col. 2. 13. Zach. 13. 1. which are the elect only Christs peculiar people Mat. 1. 21. Tit. 2 14. 4. That of the Gospel and of the promise of life the former being as our new teacher said * After his Lecture to a brother of ours for all the promise of life for believers only Whereas at the first dawning of the Gospel the promise of life and immortality comes to light 2 Tim. 1. 10. whoever have the Gospel preached to them that they might believe have the promise of life also preached to them that they might believe and before a man doth believe he hath no more interest in the Gospel or in Christs death then in the promise of life Joh. 3. ult 5. It makes Christs death not at all the execution of Gods election or if at all but of a conditionall election producing but a conditionall Redemption for all not absolute for any hence 6. It frames Gods intention after mans fancy and Christs love to be no more to Peter then to Iudas as some have confest it 7. It imagines the grace of God to be for all or none and Christs death to be for none certainly but contingently 8. It shuts out Infants from any benefit by Christs death but what say they is common to Reprobates as freedome from originall sinne bodily life and Resurrection The first we deny that any Reprobate hath or shall have As for present life and future Resurrection if Infants have no more advantage by Christs death then have they not so much either as a benefit or not as by his death if they have more why do the Assertours of such grace deny them the seal thereof in Baptisme 9. It leads to other errours as pernitious and pestilent I 'le instance in three 1. That of free will for Christs death for all obtains but of God by their Doctrine a possibility that men may be saved converted c. If they will and that will left in their common Nature is Grace Gospel-grace they must make it or they make nothing of it a Gospel-will let it be then contributing to mans conversion what just nothing saith the Scripture Ioh. 5. 40. 6. 44. All say they in effect for let all operations of grace be put that may be put into the balance will must cast the scales and determine the case whether the man shall be converted or no saved or no. And what the vote of the will is in that case reade Psalm 81. 11 12. Jeremy 44. 17. Oh slavish will as Luther call'd thee and Oh Legall will may I call thee continually in bondage What is the pride of that opinion which would exalt thee such a bond-slave above a promise above the Spirit above God and his decrees c 2. That of falling away from Grace for if Christ died for all and that to obtain remission of sinnes for all and a will for all to be converted then all men are not only fallen in the first Adam but are and shall fall in Christ the second Adam from a pardon'd state and a state of free-will and of free-grace in their sense who are not elected yea but when the Scripture a Luk. 1. 77. Joh. 6. 44 45. attributeth remission of sinnes and a will to be regenerate or a will set at liberty for the receiving and acting of grace onely to the Elect such falling away from such grace is an imputation by Arminian Doctrine cast upon the Elect of God such Doctrine and Doctours therefore to be abandoned 3. That which issueth from both the former deniall of the Spirits efficacy first and last They that teach Christ died for all doe grant he gives his Spirit but to some here they plainly separate Christs death and the Spirit of his death and when the Spirit is given hee workes but at the courtesie of the will how farre and how long it willeth and pleaseth Can that Doctrine be for Christs honour that tends to the dishonour of his Spirit 10. And lastly It engenders unto that conceit That the damned may in time be saved b As since these Sermons were preached I have met with a Pamphlet not worthy confutation entituled Divins Light per antiphrasin it should be diabolicall darknesse manifesting it should be smoking out of the bottomlesse pit the love of God unto the whole world and to his Church wherein six times at least that place in Zach. 9. 11. As for thee also by the bloud of thy Covenant I have sent forth thy prisoners out of the pit wherein there is no water is applied beyond some of the old Doctours expolitions to Limbus patrum or of Bellarmines to Purgatory a part of hell as he dreams even to the deepest place of the damned men and devils too who shall saith the namelesse notelesse Authour by vertue of the Covenant of Generall Redemption be delivered from thence and rewarded too for all their torments and losses in grace and glory Much Atheisme and blasphemy there is in such an hereticall assertion and this contradiction in adjecto that eternity of hell-tormenting fire as is expresly threatned Math. 25 ult Mark 9 45. shall have an end doth alone call aloud to have that Pamphlet condemned to and consumed in some Cheap-side or kitchin fire or if not so yet as Arminius and Vorstius dreamed it promiseth Levamen aliquod some easement and mitigation of their pains for ever in hell I should now proceed to the true Exposition pertinent Observations and Applications of the Text but there lieth a rub and remora or two in my way which I shall endeavour to remove viz. Quest May not the former Exposition stand in some founder sense then that of this Seducer viz. Although Christ did not redeem all mens souls yet he did buy the world of creatures for the common good of all men Answ 1. Suppose he did buy the world of creatures for the common good of all men yet it is not the scope of the Parables or either of them in the Text to affirm or illustrate any such matter 2. Our late Expositour took not the Field for the structure and store of other creatures but for the whole bulk of mankinde and every singular man and woman and mothers childe as we say 3. Grant that he or any man should draw the
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.
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
Or though it leads to repentance all are not of Testardus minde that the Apostle meaneth it of saving repentance but if he doth as I rather incline to thinke so because it is the most significant and full word for repentance 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 used in the new Testament how the goodnesse of God leads a sinner to it is worthy our understanding Verily not as an ordinance instituted of purpose which I gather from Act. 17. 30. the times of meer goodnesse and patience in the midst of Gentilish ignorance God winked at but now commandeth now that his word is sent amongst the Gentiles now the goodnesse of God is an inducement to repentance when once Christ is discovered in the Gospel for that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 did not in any age of it self reveal 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that goodnesse and bounty of God in providence never revealed Christ and that which revealeth not somewhat of him of it self and directly by some order from God cals not to him To such the Apostle speaketh whether Jew or Gentile as had the Gospel preached to them even at Rome where affluence and abundance of the creature was conferred upon them Now presuppose a pardon published in the Gospel and Christ revealed in the Word then Gods common goodnesse out of Christ invites to Christ or is a great motive to a poor sinner would he know would he consider it thus to reason with himself What have I taken and what have I forsaken God hath offered me the creatures in his ordinary providence and I have greedily fastned upon them but he hath offered Christ among a company of lost undone sinners whereof I am one and I have to this day carelesly refused him And how have I taken the creatures not only meat and drink but husband wife childe friends wealth successes of labours c. with unclean hands with an impure conscience came they in never so lawfully before men and with outward temporall right before God yet while my minde and conscience is spiritually defiled through unbelief all is unclean to me But did I goe to Christ I might have all clean to me and be accepted in all that God who freely giveth me the creature without Christ would as freely bestow Christ upon me if I did take him he that gives food and raiment for the body would as freely give Christ for food and raiment to the soul he that lets the Sunne shine upon good and bad will give the shines of his favour to one to me coming in to Christ he that gives a reprievall to all for a time by common patience doth give to some and will if I beleeve the Gospel to me give out a pardon under seal by speciall and singular grace Why should I not beleeve Why should I not repent Thus I say occasionally as a poor sinner meets first with the Gospel-tidings he may and ought to be induced to faith and repentance from the consideration of what common benefits he shares in although he cannot nor can I tell him his warrant why he should look upon Gods ordinary or extraordinary bounty in the creature as purchased by Christ and his death till he beleeveth nor can he have any such 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or change of minde which is an act and part of sanctification till he hath faith as u The. 211. Testardus also most rightly ranketh repentance in order after faith and justification so as according to his judgement that the Apostle in this place of Romans intendeth the best and choisest repentance and that repentance not to be repented of coming in after faith the common goodnesse of God must first lead to faith before it leads to repentance but that it cannot without a former discovery of the Word the Gentiles therefore who had no word or promise of Christ discovered had no call to Christ and saving repentance by the creatures and a naked providence nor can the Apostle be construed or interpreted as intimating such a generall call by the creatures extra verbum without the Word as x The 121. Testardus would have it and that grounded upon a generall Covenant as the Covenant is grounded upon generall redemption and that upon a generall intention but the ground-worke and the superstructure already shaketh we go on to weaken this frame a little more I shall desire others that succeed or shall assist in this work may not leave a stone upon a stone a The. 119. c. It is pleaded for this calling universally by the creatures that it agreeth with the call by Gods Word and Spirit in seven particulars Object 1. As the call by the Word and Spirit depends upon the merit of Christs most sufficient death so the present well-being of the creature for without that death of his there had been no place for long-suffering and patience towards sinners which appeareth from the punishment of devils c. but the present world had been upon Adams sin turned into a hell in an instant Ans To what b Pag. 32 33. hath been answered before I adde 1. The world was made by Christ and for him Col. 1. 16. and as 't is kept and upheld Heb. 1. 3. by him so for him and his glorious ends viz. to raise up the humane nature first into personall union by assumption of it into the unity of himself the second person and then into mysticall union by redemption of all their persons from sinne and wrath whom God had chosen and given him to redeem Joh. 17. 2. Now that these may be redeemed the Father and his work of Creation and Providence must go on nor did sin destroy the being of the creature the elect must have time to be and breathe And as Sodom should have been spared for ten righteous mens sakes so for the elects sake as sometimes evil daies are shortned time is lengthened out the Sunne and all things in it's revolution have natures course the reprobate have their being preservation allowance of earthly commons c. 2. What necessity of this worlds being turned into a hell immediately upon the coming in of sin If Christ had not mâ—rited for all c Or what necessity of Christs generall satisfaction that the elect might have this world to live and breathe in His sole and single satisfaction for the elect will purchase time and all other needfull creatures for them and the world shall stand and continue for them while God hath provided a hell in another place for those that Christ hath not ransomed 3. What if God willing to shew his wrath and the more to manifest his justice after patience and bounty endureth with much long-suffering the vessels of wrath fitted for destruction and a world of them never called to salvation so much as by an outward call Obj. 2. But the Apostle takes away all scruple and puts it quite out of doubt and question when as Rom. 2. 1. with 4. charging and accusing the
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.
that universal Redemption whereby he grants to poor sinners a faculty only of salvation that is the natural faculty and power of understanding which with the essential liberty of the will distinguisheth a man from a beast and a stock or stone so it seemeth Christ died to purchase that which sinne destroied not and God restoreth that which was not lost or rather Testardus â—â—avels in this Argument to stifle his own conceptions 3. No man e The 53 could justly charge God of injustice if he should have adjudged all men of years to eternall death for f The. 144. Adams first transgression And yet he will not have that first finde nor the actual sins of the Heathen against nature without their sinning as he supposeth also in some sort against a Covenant of grace to be the cause of their eternal condemnation and punishment and his reason is Vt justitiae divinae in iis puniendis habeatur ratio that regard may be had in our thoughts to divine justice in their punishment Is not this interfeering with the former clause and Thesis As if unlesse the Heathen had sinned some way against a Covenant of grace Gods justice might be called in question when he had granted before that God had been most just to have thrown all men into hell for the first sinne And the like self-contradiction he hath about children g The. 53. who dares challenge God for injustice if he should stifle and sting with eternal death the of-spring of sinfull parents for Adams sinne in ipso vita limine at their first stepping into this world And yet h The. 145. he thinks it difficult to define what became of the Heathens children nor doth it appear to him how they are to be punished with the eternal torments of hell when as The. 53. he had made it evident by a similitude of the Serpents egges or young ones which if poor man may crush beriâ—es for their in bred propensity and poison why may not the Creatour and Lord of heaven and earth doe the like to Infants by nature prone to sinne against him before they put it forth in act 4. i The. 113. Sustentation of nature suspension of divine vengeance c. are fruits and testimonies as he thinks of a Covenant of grace and that with all men And yet k The. 18. elswhere he doubts not but God the Creatour and Preserver of Nature instained Adam and his faculties hiâ— sight hearing minde will appetite hand and teeth also in the very act of his sinning and as a fundamental proof thereof he â—iâ—eth that in Act. 17. 28. In him we live move â—â—e which to serve his purpose at another time he l The. 162. expounds of God as a Redeemer God can and did saith Testurdus as preserver of nature sustain Adam in to actu qâ—o peccavit in that act wherein he sinned and why may he not sustain his posterity say I in and under the guilt of that sin and in the actual fruits of that sin as Creatour and Preserver of nature suspending some of his own acts of highest justice for a time And yet that sustentation be no more a fruit of redemption then Adams was in the first act of sinning And so Gods being the Saviour of all men 1 Tim. 4. 10. which Testardus m The. 97. applieth to redemption be no more then what is in Job 7. 20. O thou preserver of men and what we have in Psal 36. 6. O Lord thou preservest man and beast A common act of providence 5. Christ offered himself he n The. 55. saith pro peccatis mundi for the sins of the world and quotes that in 1 Joh. 2. 2. for it whence elswhere o The. 87. he infers that Christ died pro omnibus singulis for all and every one and yet p The. 194. declaring and laying forth the peculiar benefit of Justification he dare not affirm it as belonging to any other but to the elect beleevers and the sheep of Christ who are united to Christ their surety and professedly saith Haec duo conjungit Apostolus The Apostle 1 Cor. 1. 30. joyneth these two together union and justification Now how can that cohere with his doctrine of separating the imputation of sin from the imputation of righteousnesse All mens sinnes are imputed to Christ and yet Christs righteousnesse first or last is imputed but to some Either he must let goe the Doctrine of singular and sole imputation of Christs righteousnesse to the elect which is a glorious truth to be adhered unto for ever or he must desert the opinion of universall imputation of the sins of the non elect unto Christ which is an errour worthy to be exploded and abandoned for ever 6. Man however a sinner q The. 45. hath reliquias quâ—sâ—am primigeâ—ia lucia some common notions of God naturally Imprinted in the heart c. and hath withall extrinsecally a light set before him and added to that imbred quâ—lity of his minde viz. Arguments of the God-head his power and goodnesse easily to beperceived in the Creation and administration of the world for proof whereof he quotes Rom. 1. 19 20. Act. 17. 26 27. And r Eatenâ—s tantum c The. 141. the utmost power exerted or put forth by this naturall light he holds according to Scripture Rom. 2. 14 15. Rom. 1. 21. that having the work or effect of the Law written in their hearts the Heathenish Gentiles did many things according to that Law as to acknowledge God in part to be powerfull good c. to worship him after their manner follow the shadow of vertue feel their consciences excusing and accusing c. Thus farre we have a fair pail of milk but doth he not spill it within a Thesis or two Å¿ Clarum est gratiam Christi ipsius sub Evangelij quibusdam velut rudimentis illis aliquâ—tenùs oblatam The 143. Where he cals these Reliques of natures light as it were certain rudiments of the Gospel offering and holding forth to blinde Heathen The grace of Iesus Christ Is not this a clashing with what he had said before of the whole power of nature Is it not a disparagement to the grace of Christ who it seems by this passage begins with Adams leavings We read of Scripture rudiments the ceremonies Gods positive institutions yet these are but beggarly in the point of justification Gal. 4. 7. And natures-reliques are as beggarly in the work of faith and sanctification but in the office of revelation and manifestation of Christ for righteousnesse and life much more beggarly Now if you will beleeve Testardus in this place where he saith Christ was presented and tendered to the Heathen by those most beggarly rudiments of nature and that every testimony of mercy in a way of providence is the grace of Christ where he speaks unsoundly you must not beleeve him in another place t The. 235. that faith depends
this life l Armin Desp. prin The. 4â— â— 8 Arminius reckons the Word and Spirit for the proper appointed means of faith and salvation m Testard The 16â— â—â—â— 277 281 â—â—5 Testardus every where assigneth the good things of this life as means apt and in themselves sufficient where the Word and Spirit are not afforded Arminius with the â—ona the good things of this life putâ— in the mala the afflictions and corrections of Gods hand the benefit whereof is purchased for the elect is the use and benefit of life and health c. But Testardus reckons the good things temporall to be testimonies of Christ and grace by themselves which I doe not finde Arminius to averre no more then of the mala or evil events of providence by themselves but as they are elevated and sanctified beyond their proper element and sphere so they both shall work together with the proper means of salvation for good to those that love God and are loved of him and called according to his purpose Rom. 8. 28. But in these three particulars above others I finde Testardus and Arminius mainly to conspire and jump into one minde 1. That Christ did intentionally die for every singular make satisfaction to justice for all 2. They doe both exceedingly set up and magnifie nature and naturall parts which will never doe the reprobate any good for they are flesht enough in self-conceits of will and wisdome from their own hearts but it hath and will doe hurt unto and among the elect of God for a time to lose their waking thoughts and admirations of free-grace and to fall into a dream of free-will as if that were the umpire of grace and of a strange liberty unknown to a right-principled Christian as if because God leaves the non-elect in justice to their own wils therefore Gods children dealt with in rich mercy should have their wils and swinge also whence many are ready to turn the Doctrine of Grace especially of such grace and such a Doctrine into wantonnesse Not to speak of that which is so obvious trite and common yet true their putting of titles upon nature as calling it grace and a testimony of grace doe savour strongly n Naturam gratiae titule ornare aut velo ejus palltare Pela gianum est Act. â—ynod Dord par â— p. 178. of old Pelagianisme This is a wonder to me how Testardus could stile his book A Synopsis de Natura Gratia when as all along the book he confounds the one with the other but my wonder ceaseth when as I consider the title must be in his sense inconsistent as well as the contents of the book 3. They place the decree of Christs death in order of nature before the decree of election as perceiving that if redemption by Christs death be brought in as â— fruit of election then as election iâ— but of some out of the whole lump of mankinde â—o redemption must be affirmed to be but of those some or that certain number whom God had elected only with some difference Arminius frames a predestination of beleevers Testardus foundeth election upon Christ not as yet received by faith but as given and destinated of God for faith Arminius giveth that to the will of man in beleeving which Testardus gives to the efficacy of grace beyond a morall swasion and hangs not the faith of Gods elect upon the contingency of the will nor doth he make faith an antecedent condition of election as Arminius But he is me thinks as wide in another notion as Arminius in the former That Christ being first decreed to be given as a common victima or sacrifice propitiatory he represents Gods thoughts as waiting not for time but order on the courtâ—sie of the rest of the world o The. 80. Ac tandem cum pravideret Deus c. and at length or then next in order when God foreseeth all will not receive his Sonne prepared and offered for all then and not before in Testardus thoughts comes out Gods purpose of saving some and that from an absolute choice of them to faith and the fruits of it infallibly necessarily c. Absolute p The 87. because not out of fore-seen faith c. as Arminius but not so absolute as to be the foundation of our Redemption for Christ and that q The 288. with 282. as the immaculate Lambs satisfying justice is the foundation of our election and not only of election but of the whole gracious predestination as he calleth it and so he makes Christ a foundation of so much of Gods predestination as in the common Covenant call and grace which we have discovered to be inconsistent with Scripture belongs to reprobates Here are new notions that may please some mens fancies but they are very cloudy to me while I apprehend they cloud and eclipse the glory of election which although r The. 286. he saith it is purae particularis misericordia belongs to meer and speciall mercy yet the notion of the Scripture goes higher for as it excludes faith from being either cause or condition of election and brings it in as the effect thereof Act. 13. 38. So it assigns not Christ as the fundamentall cause of election when we speak or reade of him as a Redeemer offering up himself a Sacrifice but as that gift of God Joh. 4. 10. sent as Gods great love-token for manifestation of his mercy and love to those who are the chosen people of God Math. 1. 21. and the children of Gods election whom he should by his death gather together Joh. 11. 52. And when the Scripture saith We are chosen in him Ephes 1. 4. It is neither to be understood with Arminius That he chose us as fore-seen beleevers on him nor with Testardus as redeemed first to God by Christ his sacrifice and upon fore-sight of what all the world the elect as others would doe left to themselves reject Christ and of what himself would doe for some for this is to build election upon works though they be Christs works partly for us partly in us But as blessed Baines upon that place in him as a Head The grace of election beginneth first with Christ our head and descendeth to us in him And Christ being primarily chosen as an head of men and Angels too then such men as are chosen in him being fallen as others when as none of the elect Angels fell with the rest by force of that former choice of a head to the end appointed The glory of free-grace he is secondarily chosen upon the coming in of sin unto the means of bringing many sons unto glory viz. his death and as these sons and heirs of glory were chosen in Christ to that end without a first consideration of the fall So upon a second consideration as we may so speak of their fal they are chosen in Christ to the means viz. Vocation Justification c. I shall adde as a Corollary
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
Christ The o 1 Cor. 2. 14. naturall man 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is not capable of them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 nor is he able to know the things of the Gospel and of the Spirit because as the Apostle saith They are spiritually discerned 2. Not commonly known or but known of a few in every age that are Gods elect at what time God makes out the discovery in the Gospel insomuch as the Prophet admireth their paucity and complaineth of their slender company p Isa 53. 1. Lord who hath beleeved our report and to whom is the arm of the Lord revealed 3. Never known of reprobates Gospel-treasure is ever hid to them though Apostles open and unfold it q 2 Cor. 4. 3. If grant it our Gospel be hid it is hid to them that are lost 4. Known of the elect Preachers and beleevers but r 1 Cor. 13 9. in part though their knowledge is a growing knowledge yet as something is more made known something is ever hidden 5. Known but in a * 1 Cor. 2. 7. 1 Cor 13. 12. mystery while here and through a Glasse and in a Riddle in comparison of what shall be seen face to face and understood plainly as speech is when it is uttered in proper and plain expressions Then shall the riches of Christ be told over cast and summed up and we shall know the perfect value that it amounts unto but here while we preach and you hear of this riches all is Å¿ Ephes 3. 8. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 unsearchable beyond the search and reach of all humane learning naturall wit or spirituall understanding to trace or finde out Christ and Gospel-treasure is hid in the Scripture-field or 2 Where hid in that part of the Word which is called the Gospel or the Covenant of grace and the many great and precious promises which are as a field 1. For the large and spatious ground the Gospel t Tit. 1. 2 3. 2 Pet. 1. 4. promises are capacious and carty in the womb of them all the excellency and worth of Christ all the precious pardons and graces all the hopes comforts and assurances of a Christians heaven upon earth and in heaven 2. For the limiting hedge and boundary the promises were first made to Christ and all of them are Gal. 3. 16. 2 Cor. 1. 20. yea and Amen in him to them that are Christs and are in Christ Christ and all his grace is wrapt up in promises a promise cannot be had without Christ nor Christ out of a promise Now Christ and all his worth is hid in the Gospel-promises in a two-fold consideration 1. Till they be opened therefore x Luk. 24. 27. the Lord began at Moses and all the Prophets and expounded to the two Disciples in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself And the Apostle y Rom. 16. 25 26. tels the Romans and us that mystery was kept secret in the Scriptures of the Prophets which now by the preaching of Jesus Christ is made manifest for the obedience of faith 2. Till our understandings be opened which our Lord z Luk. 14. 45 46. did for the Disciples many of them together Then opened he their understandings saith the Text that they might understand the Scriptures The Scriptures about Christ may be opened long enough and clear enough and yet he lieth there unseen till mens eyes be opened and cleared but there he is and precious is that field of Scripture-promises which hideth and holdeth such a treasure Let this Doctrine of the full Treasure and fair Pearl of rich price hid and wrapt up in full and precious promises 1 Use of instruction and conviction serve for the full conviction of those who question the fulnesse of Christ and Gospel-grace or when they are told of it prize it not and slight the Word and Ministery where it is to be found Three sorts are here to be informed and convinced about the weaknesse of their judgements and affections and oÌ„ that they might be cured as discovered First Such who doubt of the all-sufficiency of Christ and Gospel-grace for their poorsouls they acknowledge not nay they see not enough in that which is preached and offered to them for their justification and pardon or for their sanctification and qualification for heaven Now what is that you have heard of in these Parables was it not of a treasure and a treasure that hath all the fulnesse of God and of his Spirit above measure in him and is not here enough for thee and the filling up of thy empty soul 1. In the want of a justifying righteousnesse to take off thy guilt and fears of death be convinced there is more righteousnesse in one Lord Jesus Christ then guilt in all the sinfull sons of Adam if thou hadst sinned from Adam to this day above 5500. years sinning for length of time and besides the guilt of that first sinne hadst the guilt of the greatest sins upon thee that ever were committed and in every act of sin hadst come near the sin against the holy Ghost that sin excepted which yet thou art not fallen into there is fulnesse of righteousnesse and forgivenesse for thee or any sinner that doth or shall beleeve which cannot but overcome and break an heart full of unbelief for and from it were it seriously weighed and considered 2. In the want of sanctification and good frame of heart and life All treasures of wisdome holinesse strength are in this one Treasure to supply thy emptinesse and enrich thy poverty Yea there is that in Christ which will enable thee to sell all thou hast to buy himself the pearl and Gospel-treasure with Christ will put money in thy purse if thou wilt accept him and it to make sure of him for thine for he is the Authour and finisher of faith and of all that appertain to faith not beleeving therefore of Christs sufficiency will be inexcusable Secondly Such as do not prize this Gospel-treasure and Pearl of great price I beleeve let Arminians old and new â—eâ—ch what they will by a policy and stratagem of Satan to draw off mens eyes from looking upon Christ our treasure in this Text yet so brightly hath the light shined by the true Application of it unto Christ and his grace that even many a naturall conscience is enlightned and convinc't that it is meant of him as the treasure of treasures and the pearl of pearls but here now is the sin of these persons that their wils and affections are not carried after Christ nay something yet in their judgements is better then Christ for them and prefer'd before him in their fancies Is it not so with many here and every where As the a Rom. 1. Gentiles of old withheld the light of nature and truths of God in unrighteousnesse imprison'd and â—nother'd it and did not glorifie God according to the knowledge they had of him So the Gentiles or