before Him carried the Apostles meaning in the words the same way as they are cited and owned in their respective Interpretations by Musculus upon the place 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 tollens taking saith He is so expounded by Jerom as that it is declared by the Apostle that those Bodies which are made the Members of an Harlot are taken away and cut off from or out of the Body of Christ He takes saith He the Members of Christ i. e. He cuts Himself off from the Body of Christ who is joyned unto an Harlot Ambrose avoucheth the same when he saith He meaning the Apostle saith thus because such Members which adhere unto an Harlot cease to be the Members of Christ. Certainly it cannot be that a Member of Christ should be a Member also of an Harlot a Tollens ità exponitur à Hierōut indicetur ea corpora quae scorti Membra fiunt sublata esse abscissa è corpore Christi Tollit inquit membra Christi i. e. abscindit se à corpore Christi qui junctus est meretrici Idem ponit Ambr. cum dicit Ait quia meretrici adhaerentia membra desinunt esse membra Christi Certè non potest fieri ut membrum Christi sit membrum scorti c. c. And if it be no dishonour unto Christ to admit and take in such who have been the foulest and most deformed Members of the Devil upon their Repentance for Members of His Body which is nothing but what He doth dayly why should it be any disparagement unto Him to reject such from being Members of this His Body who by their wicked and abominable ways render themselves altogether unworthy the great dignity of such a Relation 3. And lastly for the frequent repetition of Regeneration it is of the same §. 29. consideration with the two former Particulars there is no inconvenience nothing unworthy God or of Christ in it and for men it is of a most happy and blessed accommodation unto them When the Scripture speaks of an impossibility of renewing some by Repentance in case they fall away b Heb. 6. 6. it plainly supposeth that there is such a thing incident unto men or whereof some men are capable as renewing again by Repentance And what is Regeneration being interpreted but a renewing again by Repentance And if men may dye twice spiritually as Jude speaketh of some that were twice dead Vers 12. why may they not live twice or twice receive the life of grace opposite hereunto As it is agreeable to the Righteousness and Holiness of God to denounce the sentence of exclusion from his Kingdom against men whoever they be or have been when they turn Adulterers Fornicators Idolaters c. yea and to execute this sentence accordingly in case they return not from these sins by Repentance before they dye and so to leave them no footing or foundation for their Faith I mean to beleeve or to expect Salvation by Jesus Christ but onely upon their Repentance so is it no less agreeable to the Mercy Patience and goodness of God to promise unto backsliding sinners a re-injoyment of his Favor and Love which is in Christ Jesus upon condition of their renewing again by Repentance and to exhibit unto them accordingly the full fruits thereof in the Salvation of their Souls if they persevere in a course of Repentance unto the end And how sad and deplorable above measure would the condition of many thousands of Saints be in case there were no reiteration of Regeneration I mean of all such who at any time fall into such ways and practises of sin which according to what we have lately heard from the Scriptures exclude from the Kingdom of God! Doubtless there is no more inconvenience for the same person to be twice regenerate then it was or would have been under the Law for the same man to have taken Sanctuary the second time in case He had the second time miscarried in slaying a man at unawares And for Regeneration it self according to the Grammatical and proper signification of the word it imports a reiteration or repetition of some generation or other It cannot import a repetition of the natural generation of men the sence of Nicodemus in John 3. 4. this point was orthodox who judged such a thing impossible therefore it must import a repetition of a spiritual generation unless we shall say which I know is the road Opinion that it signifies onely the spiritual generation with a kinde of reference unto or reflexion upon the birth natural But it is the common sence of Divines that the two generations mentioned the natural and spiritual are membra dividentia and contradistinguished the one unto the other and so the Apostle Peter seems to state represent them a 1 Pet. 1. 23. as also our Saviour Himself Joh. 3. 6. Now I suppose there can hardly any instance be given where the introducing of one contrary form or quality into the subject is termed a reiteration or repetition of the other Calefaction for example is never termed a repetition of frigefaction nor is albi-faction called a reiteration of nigri-faction nor when a regenerate or mortified man dyeth His natural death is He said to reiterate or repeat His spiritual death Therefore I rather conceive that Regeneration which the Scripture makes appropriable onely unto persons living to years of discretion who generally in the days of their youth degenerate from the innocency of their childhood and younger years and corrupt themselves with the Principles and ways of the world relates not unto the natural generation as such I mean as natural but unto the spiritual estate and condition of men in respect of their Natural generation and birth in and upon which they are if not simply and absolutely yet comparatively innocent harmless free from pride malice c. and in respect of these qualifications in grace and favor with God upon the account of the death and sufferings of Christ for them as we shall God willing prove more at large in the second part of this Discourse In the mean time what we now offer as most probable touching the Reason of the name and relation of Regeneration I conceive our Saviour Himself implieth in that Passage of His with His Disciples At the same time came the Disciples unto Jesus saying who is the greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven And Jesus called a little childe unto Him and set Him in the midst of them and said Verily I say unto you except ye be CONVERTED AND BECOME AS LITTLE CHILDREN ye shall not enter into the Kingdom of Heaven b Mat. 18. 1 2 3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 except ye be turned back as Calvin interpreteth i. e. unless ye recover and re-instate your selves in that estate or interest in the love and favor of God which you are in danger of losing by your ambition by returning to such an humility innocency and simplicity wherein whilest
Wisdome of God to determine §. 14. events before hand without determining meanes or instruments which shall infallibly produce or give being unto them Or doth he determine any thing the effecting whereof he leaveth in the Liberty and Power of men So that they may chuse whether it shall be effected or no I Answer 1. In the generall that God never determineth any thing but what he either provideth meanes himself or else knoweth himself sufficiently provided otherwise to bring to passe viz. according to the tenor manner and form of his Determination But 2. Whatsoever God determineth to do or to be done in case or upon such or such a supposition though his determination it self be absolute and independent upon any condition whatsoever yet the event or the thing determined upon such terms is suspended upon the condition included in the determination As for example it cannot be denied but that God had determined to destroy Niniveh within fourty dayes after warning given hereof Jona 3 4. by the Preaching of Jonah For doubtlesse if he had not purposed or determined the thing he would not have ingaged his Prophet to Preach and assert it in his Name But because the tenor and forme of this his determination was conditionall importing only a purpose in him to inflict the judgement determined in case they humbled not themselves within so many dayes after the denunciation of this judgement as determined by him their humiliation and repentance intervening within the time limited in the determination or Decree the judgement determined was not executed nor did the tenor of the determination import any other then the non-execution of the judgement determined in such a case A like instance we have 1 Sam. 2. 30. Wherefore the Lord God of Israel saith I said indeed i. e. I purposed or determined that thy house and the house of thy Father should walke before me viz. in the Office and Dignity of the Priestood for ever But now the Lord saith be it far from me for them that honour me I will honour and they that despise me shall be lighty esteemed The purpose or determination of God for vesting the Priest hood for ever i. e. during the use and continuance of it in the World in Elie's house was absolute not alterable or changeable by any intervention one or more of what nature or kinde soever But what then was the tenor or forme of this determination or purpose not categoricall or simply assertive as viz. That the Priest-hood should remaine in this house or family for ever how much soever it should at any time degenerate from it self in sin and wickednesse but Hypotheticall and Provisionall thus the Priest-hood shall remaine for ever in Elie's House provided that this house remaines faithfull and observant of the Law of their God concerning this dignity This purpose or determination of God I call absolute and unchangeable because neither Death nor Life nor Angels nor Principalities nor Powers nor things present nor things to come nor height nor depth nor any other creature by any interposition whatsoever could or should have hindered the said duration or continuance of the Priesthood in Elies house in case it had remained faithfull The Scriptures abound with instances of like consideration with these See 1 Cor. 6. 9. 10. Gal. 5. 21 c. § 15. 3. God may leave the execution or fullfiling of his determinations such as they may be at the free liberty and in the power of men and yet have assurance and certainty enough that they will be executed and fullfilled For being infinite in wisdom and so able to discerne and comprehend the most secret subtile and tickle Proportions and Connexions between causes and effects a Cognitio illa Dci Sapientialis omnino certa est et infallibilis sed non infallibilitate scientiae quae sumitur ab objâ—cta sed ab intellâ—ctu Divino perfâ—ctissime infallibiliter judâ—cante etiam de fallibilibus contingentibus Arrib Op. Conciliat lib. 1 ca. 9. Effectus causa vum creatarum videâ— quâ—dem Deus in ipsiâ— causis multo melius quam nos Aqu. Sum. part 1. Qu. 14. Art 7. Quccunque igitur pissunt per creaturam fieri vel cogitari vel dici etiam quaecunquâ— ipsâ— facâ—râ— poâ—â—st omnia cognoscit Deus etiamst actu non sunt Ibid. Art 9. Divina essentia est ratio cognoscendi intuitive quodcunque intelligibile etiamsi nullum existeret in se Rada Contr. 30. Art 3. such as are altogether undiscernable both unto Men and Angels as between the will of a man attended with such and such Principles and Notions of things in the understanding for her guide in her elections and againe with such and such objects circumstances and occasions about her and between all possible or imaginable elections or actions in such a case God I say thorough the infinitenesse of his wisdome being able to penetrate calculate and compute all and all manner of relations and aspects between all and all manner of causes and effects whatsoever is able infallibly without all possibility of error or mistake to foresee not only all mens actions and wayes what they will be from the beginning of the World to the end thereof being conscious to his own Modell Platforme and intentions for the government of the World but likewise what they would have been had himself been pleased to have carried the government of the World I meane in circumstances and occasions relating to it otherwise He did not only foresee that Saul would come down to Keilah which he did but also that the Lords of Keilah would have delivered David into Sauls hand in case he had stayed there till Sauls comming and demanding of him which yet they did not because they were prevented of the opportunity by Davids departure from them before 1 Sam. 23. 11 12. So that in this sence God may be said to determine what will or shall be done in the World by men not by determining or decreeing to bow or bend their wills by any immediate or physicall influx or acting of his Power upon them much lesse by necessitating or compelling them to their respective elections but by determining or decreeing either to suffer them to remaine so and so affected or inclin'd and under the Power and guidance of such and such Principles which he certainly foreseeth that they will drinke in or else to put new Principles of light into them by the influence whereof he also cleerly foreseeth that the tenor and frame of their wills and affections will freely alter and change and with all to give being to such and such circumstances providences and occasions which have such or such an aspect upon or reference unto them in such or such a Posture Upon these terms the hand and counsell of God might and did absolutely determine the giving up of his Son Jesus Christ to suffer death upon the Crosse and yet not determine either that Herod Pontius Pilate or any
Man as such but of Believers and of such intentions as these he never faileth or suffers disappointment But of this we spake liberally in the third Chapter Besides if Christ died sufficiently for all Men either God intended this §. 40. sufficiency of his Death for or unto all Men or not If not then was the glory or sovereigne worth of this death of his besides the intentions of God God did not intend any such compleatnesse of merit or satisfaction in his death as were in it But this I presume tempteth no Mans thoughts or belief If then God did intend the sufficiency of his Death for or unto all Men why may it not be said that he intended his Death it self accordingly and so that Christ died intentionally on Gods Part for all Men The word sufficiently is no terminus diminuens no terme of diminution Therefore the argument followes roundly if God intended the sufficiency of Christs Death for all Men then he intended his Death it self for all Men and consequently Christ Died not sufficiently only but intentionally also for all Men. And so the distinction vanisheth Thirdly how can he who payeth nothing at all for a Man nor intends to §. 41. pay any thing be notwithstanding said to pay that which is sufficient for him Suppose a Man be in debt and in danger of imprisonment for it can a sufficient payment be said to be made for him whether any thing at all be payed for him or in order to the keeping of him from imprisonment or no when nothing at all is paid for a Man that is a great Debtor but that he remaines as much a Debtor and in as great danger as before can that which is sufficient or enough for him or for his discharge be said to be paied for him unlesse haply it be in a sence very delusory and deriding in which sence doubtlesse Christ did not pay any Ransome for any man Suppose a man should pay a great sum of money only for the redeeming of John and Peter being Captives by which money he might if he had pleased have ransomed me also and a thousand more being in the same condition of captivity with them can this man by reason of the payment of such a sum as this upon the terms specified be said to have payd that which is sufficient to Ransome me Or is that sufficient to Ransome me which was only paid for the Ransome of another Fourthly if there were a sufficiency in the Death of Christ for all Men or §. 42. for the Salvation of all Men and God not intend it for all Men but for a few a number inconsiderable only then will the Death of Christ be found rather matter of dishonour or disparagement unto him than of honour Suppose a Man were possest of a very great estate in Gold Silver and other the good things of this life whereby he is able to relieve the necessities of all his Neighbours round about him who are generally poore and that to such an extremity that without relief from him they must inevitably perish in case this Man should resolve to relieve only two or three of these indigent Persons with this his abundance and rather throw the rest of it into the midst of the Sea then minister unto any more of them though they be many thousands and these every whit as necessitous and as well-deserving as the other would not this great estate in such a case and upon such terms as these be a blot rather and reproach then an honour or matter of repute to this Man and declare him to be of a very unnaturall ignoble and inhumane spirit In like manner if God shall have satisfaction merit and attonement before him abundantly sufficient to save the whole World from perishing everlastingly and shall purpose rather to let it be like water spilt upon the ground which cannot be gathered up then dispose of it towards the Salvation of any more then only a small handfull of Men comparatively leaving innumerable soules to perish irrecoverably and without mercy would not this abundance of merit and satisfaction upon such an account as this be in the eyes of all considering men an obscuring vail over the Mercy Love Goodnesse and Bounty of God and occasion the Creature to judge of him as a God rather envying then desiring the Peace and Welfare of men And if God so deeply abhorred the fact of Onan in spilling the seed upon the ground lest he should give seed unto his deceased Brother that he slew him for it a Gen. 38 9. 10 how dare men present Him so neer unto communion in such a fact as the spilling interverting or non-consigning of the far greater part of the merit of the Death of Christ unto men lest they should be saved would render Him Fifthly if Christ died sufficiently for all men and not intentionally as viz. §. 43. not for Reprobates so called then he died as much for the Devils themselves as He did for far the greatest part of men Because His death in respect of the intrinsecall value and worth of it was sufficient to have redeemed the Devils as well as men Yea if the sufficiency of the Price paid by Christ be a sufficient ground to beare such a saying as this that He died sufficiently for all men He may be said to have died not only for Reprobates as Reprobates and so for Unbelievers as Unbelievers viz. sufficiently but for the Devils also quatenus Devils in as much as there is no defect imaginable in the price we speak of in respect of the absolute and inherent dignity value or worth of it but that all these even under the considerations mentioned might have been redeemed by it as well as the Elect. But that Christ died for Reprobates as Reprobates and for Devils as Devils in one sence or other were never yet I conceive the sayings or thoughts of any Man nor I suppose ever will be certaine I am cannot reasonably be Sixthly and lastly as yet there hath no sufficient ground been shewed §. 4. 4 either from the Scriptures or from Principles of Reason for the distinction under Contest nor I believe ever will be or can be Therefore they who distinguish between Christs dying for al men sufficiently and intentionally opposing the one to the other affirming the former and denying the latter do not only go about to set Lambs together by the eares which will not fight but also speak things most unworthy of God and which render him a far greater deluder or derider of his poore Creature Man then a Benefactor or well-willer to him in all his Declarations and Professions of love unto him in the gift of His Son Jesus Christ to make his attonement and procure Redemption for him Upon consultation had with the Premisses with other considerations haply of like import some of the greatest and most learned opposers of Universall Redemption Piscator and Beza by Name have
of the Companies in London of which they respectively consisted 40. yeares since yet are they the self same Companies which they were then So then the saying of Christ that the Gates of Hell shall not prevaile against His Church may stand clear and firme though many particular members thereof should be overcome Therefore there is nothing in this Scripture to evince that universall Perseverance of all Saints which is commonly taught and received amongst us 2. When our Saviour promiseth that the Gates of Hell shall not prevaile §. 4. against His Church his meaning questionlesse is this that death or the Grave which may very properly be called the Gates of Hell because they that goe or are sent to Hell enter by them thereinto or else that Hell it self shall not prevaile i. e. shall not have a full or finall conquest over those that shall die built upon the Rock he speaks of by Faith as by Reason of their most formidable strength they are like to have over all other Men. According to this interpretation his meaning only is that those that shall continue firmly built upon him by Faith shall in time be rescued and delivered out of the hand of all adverse Powers yea from death and the grave themselves the most formidable of all others This Exposition fully accords with what Chrysostome hath upon the place §. 5. If saith he Paraphrasing the words of Christ they shall not prevaile against it my Church much more shall they not prevaile against me Therefore he not troubled when thou shalt heare that I shall be Betrayed and Crucified a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 These words clearly imply that by the prevailing of the Gates of Hell the Author understands the finall prevailing of Death or the Grave and not the prevailing of Satan by subtilty or temptations in one kinde or other Amongst our late Protestant Divines Cameron who comonly strikes as §. 6. happy a stroake in opening the Scriptures which he undertakes as any man doth not only deliver but with an high hand asserts argues and evinceth this Interpretation This then saith he seemes to have been the minde of Christ in this place Let those who believe lie for a time dead let death have dominion over them let death exercise his right or execute his Law upon them hold them fast shut up in the Grave as in a Prison bound with bands or fetters yet shall he not alwayes have his will over them he may or shall doe much against them but shall never have a full conquest over them b Haec ergo Christi hoc in loco mens fuisse videtur Jaceant fideles ad tepus demortui mors in illos dominetur exerceat jus suum in Sepulchro veluti in carcere eos teneat conclusos vinculis quasi constrictâ—s haud tamen usque usque obtinebit valebit quidem certè at non prevalebit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This Exposition he confirmes 1. by instancing severall other places of Scripture as Job â—8 17. Psal 9. 13. Psal 107. 18. in all which by the Gates of Hell or of Death is clearly meant the Grave To which he add's Psal 18. 16. Psal 116. 3. as places of affinity with these 2. By shewing that the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 here translated Hell is never in Scripture except once used to signifie Hell properly so called i e. the place or state of the damned but constantly either the Grave or the state and condition of those that are dead 3. By minding us that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Grave and Death are elsewhere termed the enemies of the Church yea the last enemies as 1 Cor. 15. 26. to which he adds the consideration of their being cast into the Lake of Fire Revel 20. 14. 4. and lastly by particular arguments against every other interpretation offered by Expositors Musculus though by the Gates of Hell he understands as well the Policy §. 6. as Power and strength of the Devill yet by the Relative Particle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it a Mihi videtur certius ut ad Petram â—d est Ecclesiae fundamentum referamus non quod dâ—bitem de Ecclâ—siae soli ditate sed quâ—d ea si ex pâ—tra super quam aedificaâ—a est quae tam est robusta c. he doth not understand the Church but the Rock or Foundation of Doctrine on which the Church is built So that his sence of the place seemes to be this that that Doctrine on which the Church is built is so firme and strong that all the Policy and Power of Satan though joyning together shall never be able to prevaile against it so as either to evict it of falshood or otherwise to destroy and cast it out of the World None of all their interpretations suppose any such thing deducible from the place as this that those who are once Believers or Members of the Church of Christ shall never be seduced by Satan to destruction The place speaks nothing of Satan much lesse of his Subtilty Policy or Power to seduce the Church but supposing the exceeding great and formidable strength of Death and the Grave asserteth the glorious and finall conquest of his Church over them notwithstanding So that this passage of Scripture perfectly sembleth with these and the like He that believeth in me though he were dead yet shall he live and whosoever liveth and believeth in Me shall never die b Ioh. 11. 25 26. And againe And this is the Fathers Will that hath sent Me that of all which He hath given Me I should lose nothing but should raise it up againe at the last day c Ioh 6. 39. See also Joh. 5. 25. 28 29 c. That which is pleaded by some for such a sence of the place which carries §. 7. the Doctrine of Perseverance in it is weake and value lesse Whatsoever say these opposeth the building of the Church upon the Rock or the constant adhering of it unto Christ is meant by the Gates of Hell prevailing For in these words and the Gates of Hell shall not prevaile against it Christ must needs be supposed to remove whatsoever is contrary to that which he had asserted in those And upon this Rock will I build my Church But the politique and subtile tentation of Satan to seduce Believers are opposite to the building of the Church upon the Rock and to the constant adhering of it unto Christ Therefore by the Gates of Hell not prevailing against the Church must needs be meant the defeature or non-prevailing of the strategems or counsells of Satan against Believers and consequently their persevering unto the end For to this I answer 1. By denying the Major Proposition in the Argument For that which Christ takes away in this clause And the Gates of Hell shall not prevaile against it is not whatsoever opposeth the building of His Church upon the Rock but
of His Word the examples and converse of his Saints many providentiall opportunities apt and proper to prevaile with a rationall Creature to minde the things of God and of its own Peace c. but not by any necessitating administrations or applications of Himself whatsoever So that though Christ performes the office of a Saviour towards His Body upon the most faithfull carefull and honorable terms that can be imagined yet there must needs be a possibility at least left for any Member thereof to miscarry But 2. I rather conceive that Christ is here called the Saviour of His Body in respect of that protection which He affords unto it and to every particular Member of it as such and whilest it continues such or rather in respect of that great Salvation and Deliverance from Death and Hell and all manner of penall evills which He hath purchased for it with His Blood and with which He will actually invest the members of it in due time But this doth not prove that every present Member of His Body though it corrupts and putrifies and falls off from it should neverthelesse partake in Priviledges with the sound nor yet that every Member sound at present will never hereafter putrifie or corrupt Nor is it any whit more dishonour or disparagement unto Christ to have such Members relating to His Body which are capable of spirituall then which are liable to corporall putrifaction He that vouchsafeth to be the Head of a Body consisting either in whole or in part of flesh and blood in and by this very act of grace condescendeth to be an head of such Members which are very capable of sinning and therefore not uncapable of dismembring themselves through sin To that of Iude Verse 1. to them that are sanctified by God the Father and §. 39. preserved in Jesus Christ and called I answer 1. It is not denied but that Christ doth preserve His Saints and that with much care and tendernesse yea and watcheth over them for good The question is whether by His preserving them He imposeth an unconquerable necessity upon them of persevering in Faith unto the end The simple preservation of the Saints by Christ is all that can be concluded from this Scripture the manner of it or the terms on which it is performed are not at all so much as intimated here 2. The Participle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 preserved being of the Preterperfect-tense imports only that the Persons to whom he speaks had been viz. hitherto preserved or kept by Iesus Christ or for Iesus Christ for so the words will beare not that He intended whatsoever their after-misdemeanors in sin should be to preserve them in Faith unto the end Here is no Word Sylable Letter or Iota of any such thing as this And if His intent had been to informe them that they were so kept by Iesus Christ that there was no danger or possibility for them finally to miscarry He had laid a very slippery and incongruous foundation to build that serious exhortation upon wherein He addresseth Himself unto them Verse 3. viz. to contend earnestly for the Faith For what need they contend earnestly for the Faith who have assureance from God that they shall be preserved in the Faith whether they contend for it or no And if they were against all possible interveniencies whatsoever to be preserved by Christ in the Faith to what purpose or with what co-herence of discourse doth He re-mind them of the example of Gods Severity upon many unbelieving Israelites even after he had delivered them out of the Land of Egypt as likewise upon those Angels who kept not their first standings Verse 5. 6. The very proposall of such examples unto them as these plainly enough supposeth that they also were liable to suffer the same severity from God upon the like terms The next place 2 Tim. 1. 12. acquaints us with the Apostle Pauls spirit as §. 40. far as these words will extend I know whom I have believed and I am perswaded that He is able to keep that which I have committed unto Him against that day I answer That this place of all the rest is eccentricall to the businesse in hand For it speaks only of the Power of God to keep whereas this never came within the verge of the question Or if the Will of God to keep be here included or supposed also neither was it ever questioned by me whether God be willing to keep His Saints or no. That which I oppose is that manner which some obtrude affirming that God preserves his Saints upon such terms after such a manner that he peremptorily hereby necessitates their Perseverance Certaine I am that the Scripture in hand gives no such sound as this Besides that depositum or thing committed by him unto God which the Apostle here speaks of was not his Faith this can in no very tolerable sence be said to be committed unto God but rather his Soul which he committed to the care and safe-keeping of God Nor is there the least doubt or question to be made but that God was both able and willing to keep this safe as long as the Apostle was desirous and willing to intrust him with it and to suffer it to lie in his hand But this proveth not but that the Apostle himself was at liberty to have recalled or taken back this his depositum out of the hand of God in which case he had been discharged from taking further care of it Whereas Heb. 12. 2. Christ is stiled the Author and Finisher of our Faith §. 41. or rather of the Faith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Particle ours is not in the Greek it doth not imply any acting of Christ in about or upon our Faith in a Physicall way or with any efficiency properly so called much lesse with any necessitating efficiency but that he was an absolute or perfect Captaine or Leader in that way of Faith wherein we all stand bound to follow him at the perill of our Souls He was dismayed discouraged danted at nothing which he was called to suffer or indure in his course but with an excellent and unconquerable spirit of Faith held on his way through the midst of those threatnings and devouring afflictions which incountred him untill he came where glory and blessednesse waited for him and attended his comming This to be the sence and meaning of the said words the carriage of the Context round about doth perfectly manifest we shall not need to argue for it So that Christ is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. the Arch-leader or Captaine of Faith not because by any Physicall or proper efficiency much lesse because by any irresistiblenesse of Power he worketh the begining of Faith in his Saints but because he marched as it were in the head of his Saints and like a valiant and resolute Captaine lead the way of Faith unto all that should believe in him and shewed them how to walk in
it And so 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Perfecter of Faith not because he actually consummates or perfecteth the work or grace of Faith in his Saints for this work is never brought to perfection in them in this life and though it be in a sence perfected in the life to come yet this perfection is extra speciem i. e. not by adding degrees to it of the same kinde but by a transmutation of it into vision but because by his most noble example he taught Men the very perfection of Faith or believing which consists in a quiet patient and contentfull suffering of all manner of Tentations and Tribulations which a Man is called to suffer in the World and the suffering whereof he cannot decline without sin out of setled and firme belief of receiving that incorruptible Crowne of blessednesse and glory in the end of his Race which God hath promised unto all those that are faithfull unto Death To the last of the Texts cited in favour of the argument in hand 1 Pet. 1. 5. plenty of light hath bin already given a Cap. 10. Sect. 18. whereby it fully appeares that it holds no correspondency at all with the opinion or Doctrine which pretends unto it in the argument A further argument advanced by some to promote the common Doctrine §. 42. of Perseverance uncapable of Preferment is this They who are sealed in their hearts by the Holy Ghost that they shall certainly be saved can neither totally nor finally lose their Faith But all true Believers are thus sealed Ergo they cannot but Persevere without any either totall or finall amission of their Faith For the proofe of the Minor these Scriptures are produced 2 Cor. 1. 21. Eph. 1. 13. 14. Eph. 4. 30. which all speake of the Obsignation of Believers by the Spirit of God To this also we Answer 1. By distinguishing the Major Proposition thus They who are sealed c. that they shall certainly be saved c. viz. with such a sealing which is unchangeable or irreversible by any interveniencies whatsoever as of sin wickednesse apostasie c. cannot lose their Faith But if the sealing be only such the continuance whereof depends upon the continuance of the Faith of the sealed and consequently may be reversed or withdrawn it no wayes proves that all they who are partakers of it must of necessity retaine their Faith without all possibility of any either totall or finall miscarriage of it Therefore 2. We answer further that the sealing with the spirit spoken of in the Scriptures specified is the latter kinde of sealing not the former i. e. such a sealing which depends upon the Faith of those that are sealed as in the beginning or first impression of it so in the duration or continuance of it ◠and consequently hath none other certainty of its continuance but only the continuance of the said Faith which as we have already proved in part and shall God willing further prove ere long being uncertaine the sealing depending on it must needs be uncertaine also and reversible That the sealing proveable from the Scriptures mentioned depends upon the Faith of the sealed is evident by the tenor of one and by the Contexts and plaine circumstances relating to them all In whom also saith the Apostle Eph. 1. 13. AFTER that yee BELIEVED yee were sealed with the spirit of Promise Nor can it reasonably be here objected that this indeed proves the dependance of the sealing spoken of upon the Faith of the sealed in the first act or impression but not in the duration of it for the answer hereunto is plain viz. that if it depends upon it in respect of the beginning or first act of it much more doth it thus depend in respect of the perpetuation of it The reason is because he that hath once believed and afterwards shall make shipwrack of his Faith is far more uncapable of this grace of sealing then he was before his believing If it be objected that Believers are said to be sealed by the Holy Spirit of §. 43. God against the day of Redemption a Eph. 4. 30. and God is said to give them the earnest of the Spirit in their hearts b 2 Cor. 1. 22. which gift of the Spirit is likewise said to be the earnest of their inheritance untill the Redemption of the purchased possession c Eph. 1 14. i. e. by an Hypallage untill the possession of the purchased Redemption meaning their full deliverance from sin and sorrow which expressions seeme to import that the sealing of the spirit once granted unto Believers is granted upon such terms that it shall continue in them and upon them untill their Resurrection unto life and glory to this I answer 1. By concession it is very true the sealing of the spirit granted unto Believers is granted with an intent or purpose on Gods Part that it should remaine perpetually with them So that if there be an interruption or cancelling of it it shall not arise from any variableness or mutability in him nor from any change of minde or affections in him from what he was in both when he first vouchsafed it unto them But 2. I answer further by way of exception that the sealing we speak of is never granted by God unto Believers themselves upon any such terms that upon no occasion or occasions whatsoever as of the greatest and most horrid sins committed and long continued in by them or the like it should never be interrupted or defaced For this is contrary to many plaine Texts of Scriptures and particularly unto all those where either Apostates from God or evill doers and workers of iniquity are threatened with the losse of Gods favour and of the inheritance of like Such are Heb. 10. Verse 26 27. and again Verse 38 39. Ezek. 18. 24. Eph. 5. 5. 6. 1 Cor. 6. 9 10. with many more of like import Therefore 3. Believers are said to be sealed by the Holy Spirit of God against or untill or for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the day of Redemption because that Holinesse which is wrought in them by the Spirit of God qualifies them puts them into a present and actuall capacity of partaking in that joy blessednesse and glory which the great Day of the Plenary and full Redemption of the Saints i. e. of those who lived and died and shall then be found such shall bring with it And it is called the earnest of their Inheritance because it is binding or obliging on Gods Part as well in respect of His Promise for He Promiseth Part and Fellowship in this Inheritance unto those that shall live holily and not turne aside into wayes of sin as of the nature of the thing it self being somewhat for kinde and Property of that undefiled inheritance which He hath Promised unto holy Persons and which is reserved for them in the Heavens But as earnests given and received amongst Men though they be ingaging and obliging on both
there are who being loth to see the cause of their long-magnified §. 10. Doctrine of Perseverance dying by the Hand of the Scripture yet before us and despairing of help for it by any or by all the fore-mentioned applications have thought it not amiss in a case of such imminent and extream danger to try conclusions by administring this Antidote unto it When God threatens say they the righteous man apostatizing that for the iniquity which He committeth He shall dye He speaks neither of the first Death properly so called nor yet of the second Death but of Afflictions Judgments and Calamities oft signified in Scripture by the word Death as Prosperity is by the word Life which God often brings upon truly good and righteouâ— men when they greatly provoke Him by their sins To this I answer 1. That this mist hath been already scattered and dispel'd by the strength of that light which shineth in Sect. 3. of this Chapter by which it clearly appeareth that by the Death threatened by God against a righteous man backsliding and persevering in His backslidings unto death which we there shew to be the case put by God in the Scripture in hand is meant Eternal Death Therefore not any temporal Judgments or Afflictions at least noâ— onely or principally these Yet here we add 2. That it ill becomâ— an Interpreter of Scripture to recede from the plain proper and best known signification of words save onely when necessitated by the exigency either of the Context and scope of the Place in hand or else of the nature and condition of the matter as viz. when the sence which the common signification of the word raiseth and exhibiteth is inconsistent either with the course of the Scriptures or with Principles of Reason Neither of which can be reasonably pretended in this Place 3. The express Tenor of the Context it self riseth up like an armed man against this Interpretation For the execution or infliction of that Death which is here threatened against the righteous man that shall apostatize is not threatened but upon his dying under His Apostacy in which case there is no opportunity for God to inflict any temporal Judgments upon men When a righteous man turneth away from His Righteousness and committeth iniquity and DYETH IN THEM for His iniquity that He hath done shall He dye a Ezek 18 26 4. When God threateneth at any time such and such sins or such and such sinners in one kinde or other with Death it is of very dangerous consequence and tending to allay and break the energy and Power and consequently to hinder the operation of such Threatenings upon the Consciences of men for any Man to put a qualified or mitigating sence upon the word death especially not being authorized by God Himself so to do 5. And lastly the Authors themselves of this Interpretation seeme to be half heartlesse and hopelesse of doing any great matters for their cause by it and in their Explication of themselves about it they distinguish themselves quite besides that which should relieve them The word Death they say in the Prophet doth not IN THE FIRST SENCE of it signifie eternall Death as neither doth the word life in the opposite part of the sentence signifie eternall life But what though the word Death doth not in the controverted Passage signifie eternall Death in the first sence or signification of it yet if it signifieth it in the second third or fourth sence or if it signifieth it at all it is of one and the same consideration for the eviction of what is claimed by us from the place which is that a Man truly righteous may so degenerate and Apostatize that God will inflict eternall Death upon Him I omit to demand of these Interpreters by what Authority or Confidence of genius they undertake thus particularly to range and marshall the severall sences which they say God intended in such and such words giving the Preheminence to such or such a sence and saying to another stand back or come behinde If we had meere ignorance or nescience of the Truth to encounter or satisfie §. 11. though in conjunction with the greatest parts of judgement and understanding on the one hand and with the greatest warinesse and scrupulousnesse of circumspection on the other hand the traversing of the Scripture already insisted upon were sufficient I conceive without any further labour of arguing to gaine credit and fullnesse of consent to that Truth which is now upon the advance But Prejudice and Paâ—tiality are hydropicall and hardly satisfiable and these are our chiefe adversaries in the businesse in hand Therefore to reconcile if Possible the diaffections of these with the truth we shall shew them more visions from Heaven of the same light and truth with the former And first upon this account we shall remember them of a Passage formerly argued and gather up at present onely so much of the substance of the Discussion and that with what brevity may be as we judge serviceable for our present Purpose referring the Reader to a review if he please of the largeâ— examination The tenor of the place is this Then His Lord after He had called Him said unto Him O thou wicked servant I forgave thee all the debt because thou desiredst Me shouldst not thou also have had compassion on thy fellow servant even as I had pity on thee And his Lord was wroth and delivered Him to the Tormentors till He should pay all that was due to Him So likewise shall My Heavenly Father doe also unto you if yee from your Hearts forgive not every one his Brother their Trespasses a Mat. 18. 32 33 c. Evident it is from our Saviours reddition or application of the Parable So likewise shall my Heavenly Father doe also unto you if c. speaking unto His Disciples Ver. 1. and to Peter more particularly Ver. 21. that Persons truly regenerate and justified before God for such were they to whom in speciall manner he addresseth the Parable and the application of it and indeed the whole carriage of the Parable sheweth that it was calculated and formed onely for such may through high misdemeanors in Sinning as for example by unmercifulnesse cruelty oppression c. turne themselves out of the justifying grace and favour of God quench the spirit of Regeneration and come to have their portions with Hypocrites and Unbelievers If Men will make any thing at all of the Parable in a clear and direct way without troubling or obscuring without wresting or straining the carriage scope and pregnant tendency of it such an inference cannot be avoided Further satisfaction herein may be had for the Price only of so much Paines as the Perusall of the 54. and 59. Sections of the 8. Chapter of this Discourse will require Nor doth the reversall of such acts of grace in God as we speak of argue §. 12. the least mutability or shadow of change in Him either in
Possibility of their finall fall by the dim light of some sensuall Principles and Apprehensions and in an overly and superficiall manner as it were at a distance are much troubled at it as if it were a Doctrine of an Anti-evangelicall spirit that would bring them into a Bondage of fear and torment them Which Doctrine notwithstanding would they look upon it narrowly and with an unprejudiced attention and this by the clear light of such considerations which exhibit it like it self unto them they would then soon confesse to be a Doctrine which was set not at all to curse but to blâ—ss them altogether The sole undertaking of this Chapter is to commend the said Doctrine unto §. 2. Argum. 1. the Judgements and Consciences of Men for a Truth by a Proposall of such worthy things which relate to it either by way of causality or affinity in Truth In the first place I pleade the cordiall sympathy it hath with that righteousness of God which the Scripture calls 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or a non-acceptation of Persons thus That Doctrine which rendereth God free from that unrighteousness which the Scripture calls a respecting the Persons of Men is a Doctrine of perfect consistency with the Scriptures and the Truth The Doctrine which teacheth a Possibility of the Saints declining and this unto death is a Doctrine of this import Ergo. The reason of the former Proposition is plaine in as much as the Scriptures frequently assert that Principle of non-respecting Persons most worthy the judge of all the Earth unto God Deut. 10. 17. Gal. 2. 6. 1 Pet. 1. 17. c. The latter Proposition needeth no labouriousnesse of Proof neither Evident it is that the Doctrine here spoken of representeth God as a non-respecter of Persons in as much as it rendreth him a Judge of the same righteous severity against the enormous transgressions of his own Children and Friends which he exerciseth towards his enemies and those that are strangers unto Him upon the like Provocations This Doctrine subjecteth Saints as well as others to this righteous Law of God Neither Fornicators nor Idolaters nor Adulterers nor Effeminate nor abusers of themselves with Mankinde nor Theâ—ves nor Covetous nor Drunkards nor Revilers nor Extortioners shall inherit the Kingdome of God a 1 Cor. 6. 9. meaning as is evident from other Scriptures without Repentance Whereas the common Doctrine of Perseverance exempteth all such who have at any time been true Believers or Children of God from the penalty or doome of this Law teaching that though such as these should turne Fornicators Idolaters Adulterers c. and continue never so long in these abominations without Repentance yet they retaine their Right and Title of Inheritance in the Kingdome of God and that they remaine under the greatest love that God can shew or beare towards Men the love of Election and of Children even in the midst of these deep and desperate Provocations And thus it maketh God the greatest accepter of Persons in the World rendring Him implacably severe towards lesser sinners and indulgent above measure to the greater For that such who have or have had the knowledge of God and have believed in Jesus Christ and made Profession of love and service to Him when they turn Fornicators Idolaters Adulterers c. are far greater sinners then Men committing the same sins in ignorance and unbeliefe is I think no Mans doubt or question Certaine I am that the Scripture still representeth God as more severe in punishing where greater means of Righteousnesse and well doing have been vouchsafed You said He to His own People the Children of Israel of old onely have I knowne of all the Families of the Earth Therefore I will punish you for all your iniquities b Am. 3. 2. In the Gospell And that servant which knew His Lords will and prepared not himself neither did according to His Will shall be beaten with many stripes But he that knew not and did commit things worthy of stripes shall be beaten with few stripes For unto whom much is given of him shall much be required c Luk. 12. 47 48. c. It cannot be denied and confessed it is by our Adversaries themselves as hath been formerly observed but that true Believers have fallen into the Practise of the foule transgressions mentioned yea and have remained impenitent in them for a long season Therefore if during the time of such Practise and impenitency they should not be in the same or worse condition to God-ward and Salvation-wise then ignorant Persons and such who were alwayes strangers unto God are when they live in the same impieties God must needs be an accepter of Persons in the highest and shew a thousand times more favour to grand and signall Delinquents then to ordinary and lighter Offendors in comparison So that to pretend though true Believers may and oft doe fall into the fore-named sins and continue for a time in them without Repentance yet God alwayes reneweth them by Repentance before their death though this was never yet proved nor ever will be it doth not at all salve the honour of the said Doctrine Because such a supposall notwithstanding the Persons contended about may and doe according to the tenor of the Premises lately Proved suffer a totall eclipse and intercision of the grace and favour of God in the mean season Secondly for a Possibility of the Saints defection either totall finall or §. 3. both I thus argue If the common Doctrine of Perseverance rendereth the Ministry of the Gospell Argum. 2 so far as it concerneth the Perseverance of the Saints vaine impertinent and voyd then is it not a Doctrine of God but of Men and consequently that which opposeth it is the Truth But certaine it is that the said Doctrine is of this un-Christian tendency and import Ergo. The consequence in the Major Proposition is pregnant of truth in as much as the Preservation of the Saints in Faith and Holinesse unto the end is one of the most considerable ends of the Ministry of the Gospell about the effecting whereof it is mainly conversant Therefore if God who hath ordained the Ministry of the Gospell for the advancement of this end should assert any such Doctrine which rendereth it unnecessary and impertinent in Reference to this end He should be divided in Himself and pull down with one hand what He buildeth up with another The Minor Proposition is demonstrable thus That Doctrine which rendreth the labour and faithfulnesse of a Minister in pressing such Exhortations Threatnings and Promises which tend to the Preservation of the Saints in Faith and Holinesse unto the end uselesse rendereth the Ministry of the Gospell as far as it concerns the incouragement or inabling of the Saints to Persevere needless and vaine but guilty of such a tendency as this is the commonly-received Doctrine of Perseverance Ergo. The truth of the Major Proposition here shineth clearly enough with its own light or however
and brimstone which is the second death a Rev. 21. 8. or in saying that no unclean thing shall enter into it the new Jerusalem neither WHATSOEVER worketh abomination b Verse 27. or that without are Dogs and Sorcerers and Whoremongers and Murtherers c Verse 15. c. Certainly blood desileth a Person as well as a Nation or Land d Num. 35. 33 when it is unrighteously spilt in it and maketh as well the one as the other unclean until it be attoned And for the sin of Adultery it is sufficiently known that the Holy Ghost presents it almost every where as polluting and defiling So that David during His impenitency aforesaid was cut off from all right of entering into the new Jerusalem both by the general irregularity of uncleanness as also by the particular incapacities of Murther and Adultery 5. If David were a true Beleever during the time of His departure and §. 4. absence from God then may the testimony of former and by-past works of righteousness be accepted by way of proof for the truth and soundness of any mans Faith against the testimony of later and more-present fruits of unrighteousness against it If so then 1. No man that hath approved himself a good Christian formerly ought upon any change whatsoever upon the most Unchristian miscarriages that can be imagined to be judged an Apostate from Christ or consequently be upon any justifiable grounds cast out by the sentence of Excommunication from any Church of Christ whatsoever Which supposed No Church duly and regularly deporting it self in the admission of Members are in any capacity of using the said spiritual Sword in any case or upon any occasion whatsoever For certain it is that no person who either is or ought to be judged by the Church a true Member of Christ ought by this Church to be cut off from his Body or to be delivered unto Satan and as certain it is that no person ought to receive admission into any Church which is not looked upon by this Church as a true Member of Christ 2. The said Position admitted for truth whereas the Apostle James demandeth What doth it profit my Brethren though a man say He hath Faith and HAVE not Works e James 2. 14. He might as well or rather have said and hath not had works For by the Tenor of the said Doctrine though a man wants present works or works of a later edition or performance whereby to shew or manifest the truth of his Faith unto men yea though his later works give never so pregnant or loud a testimony against the truth of his Faith yet if he can but say and make proof that formerly though never so long before he hath been fruitful in well doing this must be looked upon as sufficiently demonstrative of his Faith Which is notoriously contrary to the manifest bent and scope of the Apostles discourse in that place 3. If the case were so that mens former works if good must be heard against their later works though never so bad there is no place or possibility left either for Hypocrisie or Apostacy amongst men especially not for this latter For no man is to be judged an Apostate but He that declines from the Faith of Jesus Christ which sometimes He professed and gave sufficient ground unto men by his works to conceive and judg that He really was possessed of and held So then if such a mans former good works be still to be judged valid in their testimony concerning the goodness of his Faith how evil and vile soever his after-works shall be evident it is that such a man ought not to be esteemed an Apostate but a Perseverer in the Faith though his ways and actions should degenerate into the highest strain of wickedness or ungodliness that can be imagined 4. And lastly for this that Passage from God Himself by His Prophet Ezekiel formerly opened But when the righteous turneth away from His righteousness and committeth iniquity and doth according to all the abominations that the wicked man doth shall He live All His righteousness that He hath done shall not be mentioned in His TRESPASS that He hath trespassed and in His SIN that He hath sinned in them shall He dye a Ezek. 18. 24 this passage I say plainly evinceth that the estimate which is to be made of men in point of righteousness and unrighteousness and consequently of Faith and Unbelief is not to be made by the import or rule of their former works but of their latter no not though the former have been many and the latter but few For the Text saith In His Trespass in the singular number that He hath trespassed shall He dye implying that any one sin of that kinde of sins which the Scripture calls abominations whilest unrepented of translateth him from life unto death casteth Him into the state and condition of an Unbeleever 6. And lastly If Davids Repentance after the Perpetration of the foul and horrid sins mentioned was not simply necessary to His Salvation and consequently Himself during His impenitency a man of death Gods sending His Prophet Nathan unto Him to awaken Him and raise Him up by Repentance will be found to have little Grace Love or Mercy in it or at least far less then such a necessity of His Repentance supposed would derive upon it Evident it is from the Tenor of the Message which the Prophet brought from God unto Him that His Repentance did not exempt Him from Temporal Judgments Wherefore hast thou despised the Commandment of the Lord to do evil in His sight Thou hast killed Uriah the Hittite with the sword and hast taken his wife to be thy wife and hast slain Him with the sword of the children of Ammon Now therefore the Sword shall never depart from thine House Thus saith the Lord Behold I will raise up evil against thee out of thine own House and I will take thy Wives before thine eyes and give them unto thy Neighbor and He shall lie with thy Wives in the sight of this Sun For thou didst it secretly but I will do this thing before Israel and before the Sun b 2 Sam. 12 9 10 c. From whence together with the event every ways answering as the process of Davids History makes manifest it is clear that Davids Repentance did not sanctuary Him from troubles in the flesh and outer man no not from such which were very sore and grievous to be suffered Nor can it be said that it did deliver Him from the wrath which is to come in case it be supposed that He was a true Beleever immediately before and at the time of His Repentance because this supposed He was not liable unto this wrath nor in danger of suffering it in which case His Deliverance from it is to be ascribed not to His present Repentance but to His precedent Faith Nor can it be said that Gods sending Nathan unto David upon such §.
Such a perfect Knowledg as we speak of of all cases that are before him in all the World with all and every particular circumstance relating to every of them 2. An absoluteness and perfection of Wisdom also 1. To interpret every particular circumstance relating to every particular action and case in the World according to true Principles of Justice and Equity so as to be able to say how much better or how much worse such or such an action is by reason of such or such a circumstance one or more 2. To raise or frame such a sentence and to administer and execute it accordingly which shall be made up as it were of the equitable results of all and every of those circumstances which are to be taken into consideration in every award Now the Wisdom which God maketh use of in both these ways in and about the Government of the World hath so many unfathomable depths in it is so rich above measure so unconceivable incomprehensible in the discerning abilities and estimative worth of it that those judiciary acts and ways which proceed from it and are molded and formed by the spirit and strength of it are greater then all created understanding above all comprehension either by Men or Angels By the light of what hath been now argued it fully appeareth 1. That all such men who turn the Grace of God in those worthy means of Salvation which he vouchsafeth unto them into wantonness and are not in conclusion saved by them but perish so much the more grievously are notwithstanding as much obliged in point of thankfulness unto him for them as they could have been in case they should be saved by them 2. That the vouchsafement and bestowing of such means upon them by God notwithstanding the certainty of his foreknowledg as foreknowledg is attributable unto him that they will not prove saving unto them in the end are yet Arguments and Pledges of as much Grace Love and Mercy unto them as they would or could be in case he had as certainly foreknown that they would be of a saving consequence unto them 3. That God his infinite Wisdom considered and the obligements thereof upon him goeth as far doth as much to render the means of Grace exhibited unto those who perish effectual to their Salvation as is possible for him to do 4. And lastly That that foreknowledg which is in God of the future abuse and miscarrying of the means of Salvation in those to whom they are exhibited or vouchsafed by him doth not precede that act of his by which they are exhibited unto them this being eternal or from Eternity as well as that CHAP. XVII Declaring in what sence the former Passages of Scripture asserting the Vniversality of Redemption by Christ are as to this Point to be understood and consequently in what sence the said Doctrine of Vniversal Redemption is maintained in the present Discourse ALthough an intelligent and observant Reader may from several Passages §. 1. occasionally inserted here and there in the Precedure of this Discourse clearly enough perceive and understand in what sence and with what Explications and Proviso's the said Doctrine of Universal Redemption by Christ is asserted and maintained herein and consequently in what sence the Author understandeth all those Texts of Scripture which hold forth the said Doctrine unto the World many of which have been formerly produced upon the account yet that the Reader may readily without either burthening His Memory or spending time in turning over Leaves know where to finde his minde and sence concerning both fully explained I judged it not amiss to devote one entire Chapter unto his service herein Therefore 1. To express our Meaning in the said Doctrine negatively or rather our non-meaning When with the Scriptures we affirm and teach that Christ dyed for all Men i. e. for the Redemption and Salvation of all men without exception of any for we do not finde in Scripture that He dyed for any for whose Salvation He dyed not we do not mean or suppose either 1. That He dyed sufficiently onely for all Men i. e. onely that there was price or merit enough in his Death for the Redemption of all Men Or 2. That God or Himself did every ways or in every respect as viz. both antecedently and consequently intend the Redemption or Salvation of all Men in or by His Death Nor 3. do we mean or suppose in the said Doctrine that Christ dyed so or upon such terms for all Men that all Men shall in time or at last be actually redeemed from sin and misery or eternally saved by His Death Nor 4. do we suppose that God or Christ as God intends the Salvation of all Men or of any Man or Men by Christs Death with Intentions formally or properly so called or such as are found in Men. Nor 5. do we mean or suppose in the Doctrine avouched that Christ by His Death purchased or procured the infusion or gift either of Faith or Repentance for all Men or indeed for any Man or numbers of Men personally considered Nor 6. and lastly for our Negative that by His said Death He purchased or procured Pardon or Forgiveness of sins for all Men or for any Man or number of Men simply considered or as such and such Men by Name But 1. For our sence and Meaning in the Affirmative We hold and mean in the Doctrine specified that there was a reality of Intention on Gods part in such a sence as reality of Intention is appropriable unto Him which sence we opened at large formerly a Cap. 3. Sect. 17. and shall briefly again declare in this Chapter that as there was a valuable consideration or worth of merit in the Death of Christ fully competent and sufficient for the Ransom or Redemption of all Men so it should be equally and upon the same terms erogable or appliable unto all Men in order to their Redemption without any difference or special contraction or limitation of it unto some more then others 2. We hold and mean in and about the Premisses that God did onely antecedently intend the actual Redemption and Salvation of all Men in and by the Death of Christ but consequently the Redemption and Salvation onely of some viz. those who shall beleeve What it is to will or intend a thing antecedently and what consequently hath been shewed formerly b Cap. 6. Sect. 16. and shall God willing be somewhat further opened in this Chapter 3. When we teach that Christ dyed for all Men we intend and mean that there is a possibility yea a fair and gracious possibility for all Men without exception considered as Men without and before their voluntary obduration by actual sinning to obtain actual Salvation by his Death so that in case any Man perisheth his destruction is altogether from himself there being as much and as much intended in the Death of Christ for and towards the procuring of his Salvation as there is for
wonderful Humiliation and Condescension saith he God hath even highly exalted Him and given him a Name above every name c. Philip. 2. 6 7 8 9 c. Hence it is that the Scriptures still mention that glorious investiture of his which we speak of Headship over Men and Angels as conferred upon him not till after his rising again from the dead according to the working of His mighty Power which He wrought in Christ when He raised Him from the dead and set Him at His right Hand in Heavenly places Far above all Principality and Power and Might and Dominion and every name that is named not onely in this world but in that also which is to come And hath PVT ALL THINGS UNDER HIS FEET and GAVE Him to be the HEAD over all things to the Church c. Eph. 1. 19 20 21 22. From these last words And hath put c. it is observable that though God hath by a strong hand subjected all things whatsoever under and unto Christ yet He hath GIVEN Him to his Church and to His Church onely consisting of Men and Angels Colos 2. 10. for an Head From whence it follows 1. That neither Men nor Angels are necessitated or compelled by God to accept of Christ for their Head or in the â—â—lation of an Head though they be necessitated and compelled with all other Creatures to subject to his will and pleasure in the exercise of his Power For that which is properly given to a man he is not forced to accept or take but receives it freely If Men or Angels be unwilling or shall refuse to be or to continue Members of his Church as they are at liberty to do for their Wills in this kinde are not compell'd or necessitated by God they shall discharge themselves though to their infinite loss and misery from their relation or subjection unto Christ as their Head 2. That Christ stands in the relation of an Head and so performs the Offices of an Head onely unto such whether Angels or Men who are Members of that Body which is called his Church So that though the nature and compass of Gods great Projection by Christ and his Death was as we heard the Apostle expressing it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. to head or rehead all things whatsoever viz. that are headable as we interpreted whether in Heaven or on Earth i. e. all Men without exception and all standing Angels yet it doth not follow from hence that all Men without exception ever will or shall be actually headed by Christ and so be saved by him because many will not accept of or submit unto those terms upon which onely the declared Will and Purpose of God is to interess his Creature actually in so great and blessed a Priviledg For though Gods Purpose and Design was to head All Men without exception with or in Christ as well as all his good Angels i. e. so to give and contrive his Christ that all of both sorts of these Creatures without â—xception might be put into a capacity and have opportunity of being brought into the relation of Members under so glorious an Head yet it was no part of either that any one particular whether of the one kinde of creature or of the other should actually come into this relation otherwise then by a free and voluntary acceptation of Christ for their Head So that as the Pharisees and Lawyers rejected the Counsel or Projection of God intended by him for good unto them in Baptism against themselves i. e. to their own great damage and loss in refusing to be baptized by John x Luke 7. 30. â—n like manner the greatest part of Men voluntarily reject that great Counsel of God for the reducing of them under so infinitely desirable an Head as the Lord Christ is to their own unconceivable misery by refusing to subject themselves unto him in the relation of Members Nor doth it follow from such a rejection of that Counsel of God we speak of by Men that therefore this Counsel of his or his Intention in it should be frustrated or made voyd because as hath been said the tenor frame or import of this Counsel was not that all Men without exception should absolutely and without condition be actually invested with the benefit or blessing therein intended unto Men but that all such Men without exception and such onely who should beleeve in Christ and freely submit unto him as an Head were they all without exception or were they never so few or never so many should actually partake of the said benefit Therefore from neither of the two Passages of Scripture cited towards the beginning of this Section can any such conclusion be evinced That all men without exception shall first or last be saved by Christ because it cannot be evinced from either of them that all Men without exception will beleeve in him first or last without which there is no Salvation supposed in either of them That neither of the places speak of any such Reconcilement of all things unto God which was actually to take place in any Person of Man without the intervening of Faith nor yet again that either of them supposeth an absolute necessity that all Men or that any Man should beleeve so as to be actually and compleatly reconciled unto God by means of the projected Reconciliation here spoken of is evident from this applicatory discourse of the Apostle subjoyned to the latter of them And you that were sometime alienated and enemies in your minde by wicked works yet now hath he reconciled In the body of his flesh through death to present you holy and unblameable and irreprovable in his sight If ye continue in the Faith grounded and setled and be not moved away from the hope of the Gospel c. In this clause If ye continue in the Faith grounded c. he clearly supposeth 1. That their present Reconciliation unto God was obtained by the intervention of their Faith And 2. that the perfecting and compleating of it in Glory did depend upon their Perseverance in this Faith unto the end Which latter clearly implyeth that notwithstanding that Reconciliation which God made of all things to himself by Christ yet they might very possibly not have been reconciled unto him or saved in the end We formerly observed from Doctor Prideaux That such Conditional sayings upon which Admonitions Promises or Threatenings are built do at least suppose something in Possibility how ever by vertue of their tenor and form they suppose nothing in Being y Cap. 12. §. 7. 2. For those words in the former of the said places that in the Dispensation of the fulness of times he might gather together all c. they no ways import any such time yet to come wherein all Men should be actually gathered together in one or be saved by Christ but onely that God made choyce of the most convenient time as viz. when many ages and generations of the
given unto them or conferred upon them upon the performance of such and such Conditions as the Covenant specifies And this clearly and without controversie is the end I mean the proper and immediate end for there are several ends besides this of the Covenant of Grace established in the Blood of Jesus Christ viz. to give Assurance unto the Sons and Daughters of Men that upon their Faith and Repentance and their Perseverance in both unto the end they shall have Salvation and Eternal Life conferred upon them If so be a man hath an absolute unlimited and right-out Purpose or Intent to confer such or such things upon men a Covenant is but an unsavory and superfluous thing because a man may confer or give what he pleaseth to another without it So if God had a simple and absolute Intention to confer the Great things of Heaven upon Men I mean without the performance of such and such Articles or Conditions as we speak of the making of a Covenant with them had been in vain Therefore the proper end of a Covenant is to assure or to secure those that are Covenanted with that upon the performance of the Articles of the Covenant the good things mentioned therein if it be a Covenant of Good things shall be exhibited and given unto them Now then this being the end of a Covenant if the Persons interessed and concerned in it or Covenanted with should not be known who they are they cannot partake of this end nor be any whit the better or more secure in their mindes touching the enjoyment of the good things mentioned in the Covenant upon any performance whatsoever because the good things mentioned in a Covenant cannot be claimed or expected by any but onely by the Persons Covenanted with though they should perform the terms or conditions specified in the Covenant ten times over If the Trumpet saith the Apostle give an uncertain sound who shall prepare 1 Cor. 14. 8. Himself to the Battel In like manner if the Covenant of Grace speaks unto Persons unknown both to themselves and others and holds forth Life and Salvation onely unto such both men and women as no man can say or tell who they be how shall any man or woman be excited provoked or engaged either by the tender of the Covenant unto them or by the great and excellent things therein promised conditionally to take hold of the Covenant as the Scripture speaketh i. e. to perform the Conditions therein required If it be said Yes the Covenant is to be preached and tendered unto all §. 3. without exception of any and assurance is therein given unto all that upon performance of what is there required the good things there promised shall be given unto them So that there is ground and encouragement enough howsoever for every man and woman without exception to beleeve To this I answer It is true the Covenant is to be preached and tendered unto all without exception and there is ground and encouragement enough for every man without exception to beleeve but both these clearly suppose that the Covenant is made with all Men without exception of any and consequently that the Death or Blood of Christ which is the ground work and foundation of this Covenant extendeth unto all No Covenant offereth any thing insureth any thing upon what terms soever but onely unto those that are Covenanted with and comprehended in the Covenant When a man covenanteth with such or such a work-man to give him so much or so much as suppose five or ten shillings by the day this Covenant doth not binde him to give the like wages to another What is the reason why the Covenant of Grace or the Gospel doth not offer or insure Grace and Salvation to the Devils as well as to all manner of men whatsoever upon their beleeving Doubtless because the Devils are not within the number of the Covenanted ones nor of those unto whom Grace and Mercy were intended upon the terms of the Gospel and this because the Death of Christ which is the ground of the Covenant doth not in the attoning vertue of it reach unto them the sphere of whose activity in this kinde is limited and bounded by the Will and Pleasure of God And certainly if Reprobates so called amongst men I mean such who in fine perish everlastingly had no more interest then the Devils have in the Death of Christ there were no more ground or reason why the Covenant or the Grace thereof should be more preached unto them then to the Devils nay there were less reason of the two why it should be preached unto them then why it should be preached to the Devils at least according to the Principles of that Opinion which we oppose because if preached to the Devils though it did them no good it would do them no harm it would not increase their condemnation whereas the preaching it to such men as we speak of can onely encrease their misery and torment This for our first Argument If Christ dyed not for all then is the Covenant in his Blood made but with some men and these altogether unknown even to themselves which as hath been shâ—wed is contrary to the nature end and scope of a Covenant I shall not trouble the Reader with that impertinent Objection and uncouth Notion of Christ being the onely Person with whom the Covenant is made What other Covenant soever may be found to have been made by God with Christ certainly that Covenant we speak of viz. wherein Remission of Sins and Deliverance from the Wrath to come are promised upon Repentance and beleeving in Christ was not made with Christ himself God never said unto Christ Repent and beleeve and thou shalt have thy sins forgiven and be saved Therefore the Covenant made with Christ if any such thing be or were is altogether irrelative to our present Argument Nor doth that of the Apostle Galat. 3. 16. prove that Christ in a personal consideration is the onely Person or indeed any person at all with whom the Evangelical Covenant is made The Tenor of the place is this Now to Abraham and his seed were the Promises made He saith not and to seeds as of many but as of one And to thy seed which is Christ First It is evident from this place that Christ is not the onely Person to whom the Promises here spoken of are made because they are expresly said to be made to Abraham as well as to Christ Now TO ABRAHAM and His seed were the Promises made c. Therefore 2. The word Christ in the latter clause is to be taken Metonymically for those who spiritually descend from him and are born of him by Faith in such a sence as the words Jacob and Israel frequently signifie Jacobs seed or posterity i. e. the whole Nation of the Jews in the Old Testament In such a sence the same word also Christ is to be understood 1 Cor. 12. 12. For as the
righteousnesse were the objects of Gods Love who is frequently in Scripture said to love the righteous a Psal 146. 8. to blesse the righteous b Psal 5. 12. with his favour to compasse the righteous as with a Shield c Ibid. c. Therefore all this while I meane during their innocency and integrity in Adam there was none of them that could possibly be the Objects of Gods hatred or consequently of his Reprobation So that if any of them be reprobated it must be afterwards and in time for upon the said supposition which is manifestly true viz. that they were all the Objects of his Love whilest they were righteous and innocent it could not be from eternity And besides if God loved them personally considered it is impossible that without a change in his affection which is absolutely inconsistent with the Perfect actuality of his Nature and Being he should ever hate them or reprobate them under the same consideration or under any other then as changed personally from righteousnesse unto sin from innocency unto transgression In which case God may be said to hate them though he loved them formerly without the least shadow of a change either in himself or in his affection as was lately proved Fourthly and lastly from that compleat Actuality of the Divine Essence §. 33. which hath been argued and asserted it plainely followes that all Gods Counsells Purposes and Decrees are absolute unchangeable irreversible upon any terms suppositions or conditions whatsoever Any change or possibility of change in any of these supposeth a change or possibility of a change in him either of which are diametrally inconsistent with a compleat Actuality which excludeth all Potentiality and capacity of change in what kinde soever It is true many of the Purposes and Decrees of God have conditions essentially included in them and which are parts of them but taking the whole body or systeme of the Decree they are all absolute irrevocable indispensable It is one of the great Purposes and Decrees of God that if Men believe they shall be saved Here is a condition viz. believing essentially included in the Decree But this condition doth not make the Decree conditionall in reference to execution nor any whit lesse absolute then those Decrees are which have no condition at all framed into them For let the World stand or fall let Men Angels and Devils interpose and oppose their utmost this Decree of God shall stand and be put toties quoties in execution if men believe they shall be saved There is the same reason of all others which are of like tenor and frame And thus from the Perfection of the Divine Nature we have evinced 1. The Simplicity thereof 2. The most Pure and absolute Actuality thereof and from both these in a way of lawfull cleer and evident deduction inferred severall considerations and conclusions for the support and strengthening of our maine building in this Discourse We have only one thing further to argue from the Infinite Perfection of the Nature of God Therefore Thirdly and lastly if God in his Nature and Essence be absolutely §. 34. and infinitely Perfect then can He act nothing Order Decree nothing to the Prejudice or hurt of any Creature whatsoever but only in a way of righteousnesse and equity i. e. upon the consideration of some demerit or sin Preceding For not only to act but to be able to act unrighteously or to intend evill to or against the innocent argues imperfection and that in a very high degree Because as Job reasoneth and demandeth on the one hand who can bring a cleane thing out of an uncleane and concludeth not one * Job 14 4. so may we on the other who can bring an uncleane thing out of that which is Perfectly cleane Surely not one If the Nature of God be infinitely Perfect there can be nothing in it there can nothing proceede from it or be done by it that is unjust nothing unequall nothing hard nothing that any wayes bendeth or inclineth to the hurt or damage of the Creature being yet innocent And if so then can there be no such purpose no such Decree in him as men commonly call Reprobation or an irreversible Decreeing or Ordaining of men much lesse far the greatest part of Men to eternall destruction from eternity no nor yet any such Preterition of men whether we conceive it under the Notion of an act or of a meere Negation which even Lenitate verbi tristiciam rei mitigante Cic. Offic. in the sence of those Men who think to qualifie the harshnesse of the matter with the softnesse of such a terme tendeth every whit as infallibly as unavoydably to the everlasting ruine and misery of the Creature as a Positive Reprobation could do And indeed the exchange of the word Reprobation for a Preterition no more easeth God or vindicates the honour of his Grace Goodnesse Love Bounty towards the Creature then it would the justice or clemency of a Judge to pleade on his behalf that though he sentenceth guiltlesse men unto death yet he takes speciall care that execution shall not be done upon them with hempen but with silken Halters For as not to feede a mans enemy when he is an hungry or when he is thirsty not to give him to drink is interpreted by God to be an avenging of a mans selfe Rom. 12. vers 19. compared with vers 20. in like manner for God to leave Men in such a condition or upon such terms in and under which it is simply unpossible for them to escape the vengeance of eternall fire is constructively and as we use to say neither better nor worse then to Ordaine or Decree him in a Positive way to the suffering of this vengeance But here it is commonly pleaded on Gods behalf and said yea but it is no §. 35. unrighteous thing no unequall or hard thing in God to Reprobate or Predestinate to destruction and that from eternity which or how many of his Creatures he pleaseth without any consideration of sin at all This is his lawfull and just Prerogative as he is the absolute Lord of his Creatures and if he useth it in reference to such or such of them who can say unto him why dost thou so Or however if he be conceived to have looked upon Men as lapsed in Adam and so sinfull when he Passed by so many of them and left them in the hand of eternall ruine without all possibility of an escape is there so much as any appearance of unrighteousnesse or hardnesse in this I Answer 1. As some men importunely officious unto Kings and Princes and desirous to make their faces to shine above their native lustre in the World have attempted to vest such Prerogatives as they call Prerogative in them as a lawfulnesse of Power to impose what taxes they please upon their Subjects to take away any mans estate they have a minde unto to exempt such Malefactors
from death which by the Law of God ought to die with many the like which have proved snares of dishonour and of danger unto them otherwise in like manner some men desirous to commend themselves unto God as men zealous for his glory more then others study and invent Notions and Senses of some Scripture expressions to bestow upon him in the name of Prerogatives which they presume are much for his honour and glory in the World which yet upon due consideration are found most unworthy of him and of a broad inconsistency with his glory indeed For what relish or savour of honor or glory unto God can there be in bringing him upon the great Theater of the World speaking thus I will cast out of my favour and devote to everlasting burnings to torments Endlesse Easlesse Intolerable Insupportable thousand thousands and ten thousand times ten thousands of my most excellent Creatures Men Women and Children though they never offended me otherwise then Children may offend many thousands of yeers before they are born yea though I thus in the secret of my Counsell intend to leave them irrecoverably to the most exquisite torments that can be endured and these to be suffered by them to the dayes of eternity without all possibility of escaping though they shall do the uttermost they are able to please Me and to reconcile themselves unto Me yet will I in words speak to their hearts Proclaime and Professe my Self unto them to be a God mercifull and gracious long suffering and abundant in Goodnesse and Truth keeping mercy for thousands forgiving iniquity and transgression and sinne a Exod. 34. 6 7. I will entreate them with bowells and great compassions and Professe my Self aggreived in Soul because of their impenitency I will allure them to Repentance with all my great and Precious Promises of Pardon of sin of life and glory and all the Great things of the World to come yea I will most seriously and solemnly Protest and Sweare unto them by the greatest Oath that is even by my own Life and Being that I desire not their Death b Ezek. 33. 11 Can Men indued with reason and understanding or that know in the least what belongeth to matters of honour and glory resent or savour any thing in such Proceedings as these that is like to make a Prerogative worthy the Name Glory and Super-Transcendent Holinesse and Excellency of God Most certaine it is that there is nothing in God nothing that proceeds from him but what is both Divisim and Conjunctim and that according to the Principles of Reason and that light of understanding which Himself shineth in the hearts and consciences and inward Parts of Men just matter of Praise Honour and Glory unto Him of which more ere long But 2. That Prerogative or Prerogative-Will as some call it which §. 36. God stands upon in the Scriptures and claimes to Himself as a Royalty annexed to the Crown of Heaven and Earth either in the ninth to the Romans or elsewhere in reference to the condemnation and eternall destruction of his Creature standeth not in any Liberty or Power claimed by him to leave what Persons he pleaseth to inevitable ruine only upon consideration of Adams sin much lesse before or without any such consideration but to make the Lawes Terms and Conditions as of life so of death as of Salvation so of Condemnation and these indifferently and equally respecting all Men not such as Men are apt to think meet and fitting for him to doe but what Himself Pleaseth i. e. Such as the Counsell of his own Will adviseth and leadeth Him unto For He is said not to act or Worke all things or any one thing simply according to his own Will but to work all things according to the Counsell of his own Will c Eph. 1. 11. So that in whatsoever God acteth or willeth we are to look not only for Will but Counsell i. e. Wisdom and Tendency unto ends worthy of him and these discernable enough as was lately said by Men to be such if they were diligent and impartiall in the consideration of them As for example the Jewes thought it most equall reasonable and best becomming God that he should constitute and ordain the observation of Moses his Law to be the Law of Justification Life and Salvation unto Men and the neglect or non-observation of this Law to be the Law of condemnation and of death God here interposeth with his Prerogative and declares to them that his Will and Pleasure is otherwise and that he Constitutes and Ordaines Faith in his Son Jesus Christ to be the Law of Justification and Life whether joyned with the observation of Moses Law or without it and on the other hand unbelief to be the Law of condemnation and of death though in conjunction with the strictest observation of Moses Law This Prerogative indeed God Himself pleads and asserts to Himself with a majestique and God-like authority speaking thus to Moses I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy and I will have compassion an whom I will have compassion a Rom. 9. 15. as if he should say Men shall not prescribe unto Me Lawes or Terms of shewing Mercy I will not be advised or obliged by them whom i. e. what manner of persons or how qualified I shall justifie and save I mean to follow and to keep close to the Counsell of mine own Will in these great and most important affaires which concern the Life and Death the Salvation and Destruction of my Creature The same prerogative The Apostle also vindicateth unto him afterwards in the same Chapter in the similitude of a Potter Hath not the Potter power over the Clay of the same lump to make one Vessell unto honour and another unto dishonor b Rom. 9. 21. meaning that God had a like equitable Power or Prerogative over the great masse of Man-kind in Adam to make what Lawes of Life and Death unto them he pleased and to appoint who or what manner of persons should be saved and what manner of persons should be condemned which the Potter hath over the lump of Clay which is before him to make what Vessells he pleaseth for honour and what again he pleaseth for dishonour But of this passage as also of that vers 18. we shall speak more at large towards the close of the Discourse where we intend an intire Explication of the 9th to the Romans from the beginning of vers 6. to the end of the 23. In the mean time let this be taken along by way of caution about what hath been delivered in this Section viz. that though the Jewes thought it most equitable and most beseeming God to justifie Men by the works of the Law rather then by Faith in Jesus Christ which notwithstanding was the Counsell and good pleasure of God about Justification yet this Counsell and good pleasure of God especially being from time to time so signified unto them by
Elsewhere comparing the Lamb offered in the Levitical Sacrifices with Christ the Lamb of God concerning the former He saith that it never took away any one mans sin so much as once whereas the latter taketh away the sin of all the World and that when it was in danger of perishing it presently delivered it from the wrath of God h 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Idem in Joh. 1. 29. To reserve many other Testimonies offered by this Author in the case in hand to another occasion in case it be offered upon Rom. 4. 25. He hath these words That thou mayst not say how can we being under the guilt of so many and such great sins be justified he sheweth thee Him that hath abolished or cancelled all sins i 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Idem in Rom. 4. 25. Hom. 9. Athanasius lived somewhat above an hundred years before Augustin and yet was full of the spirit of that Doctrine concerning the Redemption by Christ which we contend for Since saith He the Debt due from All Men was meet to be payd for All Men ought to have dyed for this cause chiefly he came as it were on pilgrimage to us and after the demonstration of his Godhead by His Works it remained that he should offer up a Sacrifice FOR ALL delivering up his Temple unto Death for all Men that so he might discharge and free ALL MEN from that old Transgression k 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Athanas De Incarn Verbi Elsewhere With the Blood of his Passion or Mactation he simply redeemed all Men l Mactatus non interiit sed sanguine suae mactationis omnes simpliciter redemit Athan. in Passionem Salvatoris In another place There was need of Death and it was requisite that Death should be endured for all that what was due from all might be satisfied Wherefore the Word for that it could not dye for it was immortal assumed to it self a Body capable of dying that he might offer that as his own FOR ALL MEN and that suffering FOR ALL by means of his coming thereunto He might destroy him that had the Power of Death that is the Devil m 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Athan. De Incarnat Verbi Dei c. In another Tractate the same Author thus It became the Lord being desirous to make a Renovation to make new the first Adam that his Sin being dissolved he might take away Sin on all hands FROM THE UNIVERSE OF MANKINDE n Oportâ—bat enim Dominum renovare cupientem primum Adam renovare ut soluto illius peccato peccatum undique tolleret ab universo hominum genere Athan. in Passionem Domini Segment t. 2. p. 626. Edit Paris In another thus For the coming or presence of the Saviour in the Flesh was the Solution of Death and the Safety or Salvation of every Creature o 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Idem In Epist ad Adelphium contra Arianos If the Reader desires to know more of the minde of this Author touching the Point in question He may please to peruse his learned Tract entituled De Incarnatione Verbi Dei wherein He hath frequent occasion to declare his Judgment therein Hilarius another Orthodox Father who lived not long after the former writeth upon Matthew to this effect He Christ admonished them to learn what this meaneth I will have Mercy and not Sacrifice viz. that the Law bound up or consisting onely in the observation of Sacrifices could afford no help unto Men but that Safety or Salvation was reserved FOR ALL MEN WHATSOEVER in the Indulgence of Mercy And presently after speaking of Christ He came unto or for ALL MEN how then doth he say that he came not to or for the Righteous p Admonuit vt scirent quid esset miserecordiam volo non Sacrificium Legem scilicet Sacrificiorum observatione devinctam opem ferre non posse sed salutem universis in miserecordiae indulgentiâ reservari Omnibus venerat quomodo ergo non se justis venisse dicat c. Hilar. in Mat. can 9. His Answer is that there were none such but all were Sinners Elsewhere He discourseth thus The Son of God was born of a Virgin for the sake of Mankinde and the Holy Ghost himself assisting Him in this operation and overshadowing with His Power being the Power of God He planted the beginnings of a Body for Himself that being made Man of a Virgin He might receive that Nature of Flesh in or upon Himself and that by the fellowship of this Conjunction the whole Body of Mankinde might be sanctified that as ALL MEN WERE HID or built IN HIM by means of His willingness to assume a Body so again He might be related unto ALL MEN or carryed back into all Men by that which was invisible in Him q Humani enim generis causâ Dei filius natus ex Virgine est Spiritu Sancto ipso sibi in hac operatione famulante suâ videlicet Dei inumbrante virtute corporis sibi initia consevit exordia carnis instituit vt homo factus ex Virgine naturam in se carnis acciperet perque cujus admixtionis societatem sanctificatum in eo universi generis humani corpus existeret vt quemadmodum omnes in se per id quòd corporeum esse voluit conderentur ita rursum in omnes ipse per quod ejus est invisible referretur Hilar. de Trinit l. 2. meaning His Divine Nature Once more For He did this once offering Himself a Sacrifice unto God being to redeem or recover the WHOLE SALVATION OF MANKINDE by the Oblation of this holy and perfect Sacrifice r Hoc enim fâ—cit semel scipsum offerens hostiam Deo omnem humani generis salutem oblatione sanctae hujus perfectae hostiae redempturus Idem in Psal 53. Lastly because this Testimony being somewhat more emphatical then its fellows would not be omitted For He took the flesh of sin that in the assumption of our flesh He might forgive sins being made a Partaker hereof by assumption not by sinning by His Death blotting out the sentence of Death that BY A NEVV CREATION OF MANKINDE He might ABOLISH THE CONSTITVTION OF THE FORMER DECREE suffering Himself to be crucified that by the curse of the Cross He might strike through dissolve or make voyd all the curses of that terrene or earthly Damnation s Carnem enim peccati recepit vt in assumptione carnis nostrae delicta donaret dum ejus fit particeps assumptione non crimine delens per Mortem sententiam Mortis ut novâ in se generis nostri creatione constitutionem Dec eti anterâ—oris aboleret crucifigi se permittens vt maledicto crucis obliterata terrenae Damnationis maledicta configeret omnia Idem de Trinit cap. 1. Whether He calleth that Damnation whereunto Men became subject by Adams Transgression Earthly because He judged the extent of the penalty of
it to consist onely in the dissolution of the Body by Death as if the Punishment of Hell fire came in upon the account of the Gospel in case it should be rejected which is the Judgment of some amongst us I shall not dispute nor undertake to determine but pass on to hear the sence of other learned orthodox and pious Fathers much about the same time with the former Cyril of Jerusalem much about the same times delivereth His Sence about the Redemption of Christ thus The Crown of the Cross is this it led by a light those that were blinde through ignorance it set at liberty those that were detained under sin and REDEEMED THE WHOLE WORLD OF MEN. And wonder not that the WHOLE WORLD should be redeemed since He was not a bare man but the onely begotten Son of God that dyed for it t 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Cyril Hierosolym Catech. 13. And again Knowest thou why or for what end the Kinde Lord did not decline Death It was that the whole World might not be destroyed through sin u Scisnè quamobrem non fugit mortem benignus Dominus Vt ne totus peccatis perderetur Mundus Ibid. i. e. as appears from the former sentence and the scope of the place that the whole World might be saved by Him In another place the same Author saith Heaven and Earth are full of His Glory the ends of the World are full of His Goodness full of His Praise the WHOLE NATVRE OF MAN is full of His Condescention c. A little after speaking of Christ He saith He that is the Offerer is the same that is offered up FOR THE WORLD And not long after Let Adam rejoyce saying unto Christ by Simeon Lord now lâ—ttest thou thy servant depart in peace according to thy Word Now dest thou dismiss or loose me from eternal bands now dost thou deliver me from corruption now dischargest thou my sorrow x 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Cyril Hierosolym De Propheta Simeone c. Paulò post de Christo loquens 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Et posteà 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Evident it is that in this last Testimony He bringeth in Adam speaking not onely nor so much in His own Name personally considered but in the Name of His whole Posterity also Eusebius another Author of note about these times attesteth the same Doctrine by affirming that the Saints of old by the Teachings of the Divine Spirit came to learn long before that there was a certain Venerable and Great Sacrifice that should be highly accepted with God which should in time come unto Men and which would be the EXPIATION OF THE WHOLE WORLD And a little after This was the Christ of God concerning whom it was said of old that He should come unto men and should be slain after the manner of a beast or sheep FOR ALL MANKIND And again not long after According to the Testimonies of the Prophets there was found that Great and greatly to be esteemed Price for the redeeming both Jews and Grecians I mean that Expiation or Attonement FOR THE WHOLE WORLD that Sacrifice for the Souls OF ALL MEN that Offering for EVERY SPOT AND FOR EVERY SIN that Lamb of God y Qui venerabilem quandam Deoque acceptaÌ„ mâ—gnam hostiam venturam olim ad homines Divino indicante Spiritu tantò anté didicerant quae totius Mundi expiatio existeret c. Euseb De Demonstrat Evangel lib. 1. c. 10. Et mâ—x Hic autem fuit Christus Dei is de quo antiquitus à primis usque temporibus dictum est quòd ad homines esset venturus atque instar pecudis pro toto genere humano interficiendus Et mox Quando secundum Testimonia Prophetarum inventum est magnum magnique estimandum pro redimendis Judaeis pariter Graecis pretium illud videlicet pro toto Mundo Piaculum illud pro anima cunctorum hominum Sacrificium illa pro omni maculâ peccato purissima hostia ille vtique Agnus Dei c. c. Elsewhere He saith speaking of Christ that He took care for the Salvation OF ALL MEN THAT HAD BEEN BORN FROM THE BEGINNING OF THE WORLD and to destroy Him by His Death who had the Power of Death the Devil z Quandoquidem omnium quicunque à condito aevo fuissent salutem ipse curabat nec non vt suâ Morte deleret eum qui imperium Mortis habebat c. Euseb De Demonstrat Evang. l. 4. c. 12. This Author abounds with Sayings of like import Arnâ—bius another Christian Writer about the same times of good account bringeth in the Heathen arguing and demanding of Christians thus If the Saviour of Mankinde be come as you Christians affirm why doth He not by the same bounty deliver all Men He doth not deliver all alike who calleth all alike He doth not keep back or reject any person from His soveraign Grace or indulgence who affords the same power unto high lâ—w servants women children of coming unto Him To this this Author answereth The Fountain of Life is open FOR ALL MEN nor is any man denyed the right or power of drinking nor driven away from it If your pride or disdain be such that you reject the benefit of the Gift offered nay if your wisdom be so great as to call those things which are offered by Christ pastime and toys how doth He offend who inviteth you notwithstanding who hath onely this to do viz. to expose the fruit or blessing of his bounty to the arbitrement or free choyce of that right or power of chusing which is givâ—â— you a Si generis humani inquitis conservator advenit Cur omninò non omnes aequali munificentia liberat Non aequaliter liberat qui aequaliter omnes vocat haud ab indulgentiâ Principali quenquam repellit aut respuit qui sublimibus infimis servis faeminis pueris uniformiter potestatem veniendi ad sâ— facit Patet inquit omnibus Fo rs vitae neque ab jure potandi quisquam prohibetur aut pellitur Si tibi fastidium tantum est vt oblati respuâ—s beneficium Muneris quin imò si sapientiâ tantum praevales vt ea quae offâ—râ—ntur à Christo ludum atqueâ—nâ—ptiaâ— nomines quid invitans peccat cujus solae sunt hae partes vt sub tui juris arbitrio fructum suae benignitatis exponat Arnob. lib. 2. contra gentes Didâ—mus another Author of note in this Century and who was Jeroms §. 4. Tutor in his third Book concerning the Hoâ—y Ghost writeth to this purpose Wherefore the Father even for their Salvation â—â—t sparing His own Son delivered Him up unto Death that by the Death of His Son He being destroyed who had the Power of Death that is the Devil He might REDEEM ALL THOSE that were held in the bands of captivity by Him Not long after speaking of the Jews They saith He rising
debt of any other by dying whereas amongst the Sons of Men our Lord Jesus alone was found in whom all Men â—ere crucified all Men dyed all Men were buried yea and all Men rose again g Singulares quippe in singulis mortes fuerunt nec alterius quisquam debitum sâ—o funere sâ—lvit cum inter filios hominuÌ„ solus Dominus nostor Iesus extiterit in quo omnes crucifixi omnes mortui omnes sepulti omnes etiam sint suscitati Leo. Serm. 12. de Passione Domini Elsewhere thus That general and deadly Hand-writing of our being sold under sin and death was cancelled and made voyd and the bargain of our captivity passed into a right of Redemption h Evacuatum igitur est illud generale venditionis nostrae lethale chirographum pactum captivitatis in jus transiit Redemptionis Idem Serm. 10. de Passione Domini Once more That He Christ might repair the life of ALL MEN He took on Him the cause of all Men and that which He of all Men was not bound to do He made voyd the force of the old hand writing by making payment of the debt due thereby FOR ALL MEN i Vt autem repararet omnium vitam recepit omniuÌ„ causam vim veteris chirographi quod solus inter omnes non debuit pro omnibus solvendo vacuavit Idem Epist 72. Fulgentius about the year 500 succeeded His Predecessors in the inheritance of their Judgment concerning the Universality of Redemption by Christ. As the Devil saith He smote or wounded whole man by deceiving him so God by assuming whole man saved him that so one and the same might be acknowledged both the Maker and REDEEMER OF THE WHOLE CREATVRE or Creation who was able both to make that which was not and to REPAIR or restore THAT WHICH WAS FALLEN k Sicut totum hominâ— Diabolus decipiendo percussit ita Deus totum suscipiendo salvavit vt agnosceretur idem creaturae totius Conditor Redemptor qui potuit quod non erat facere quod dilapsum est reparare Fulgent ad Thrasimund l. 1. c. 14. Primasius who lived somewhat more then an hundred years after Augustin §. 11. helped to keep the Doctrine we plead alive in the World As Christ saith He suffered reproach from his own he means the Jews whom He CAME TO REDEEM when they said unto Him Thou hast a Devil and offered Him all other indignities even to his Passion it self l Sicut enim Christus improperiuÌ„ sustinuit à suis quos vâ—nerat reâ—mere quadâ— ei dixerant Damonium haâ—es catera maâ—â— ei intulerâ—nt usque ad Passionem c. Primas ad Heb. c. 11. so did Moses likewise c. If Christ came to redeem those who charged Him with having a Devil with casting out Devils through Beel-zebub and who maliciously prosecuted Him with all manner of injuries and evil entreaties and this unto death doubtless He came not to redeem the Elect onely or such who in conclusion repent beleeve and are saved for some of these and particularly those that said He had an unclean spirit were charged by Him with that sin which He saith shall not be forgiven neither in this World nor in the World to come Matt. 12. 32. compared with Mark 3. 28 29 30. The same Author elsewhere saith that Christ as much as lay in Him DYED FOR ALL MEN how ever his Death profiteth none but onely those who are willing to beleeve in him m Ita Christus quantum in se fuit pro omnibus mortuus est quanquam non profit ejus Passio nisi soluÌ„modo iis qui in eum credere volunt Idem ad Heb. c. 2. And yet again The Father Son and Holy Ghost is or are the God of all Men and therefore desireth that ALL THAT HE HATH MADE SHOVLD BE SAVED A little after The Blood of Christ hath verily been shed FOR ALL MEN benefiteth them that beleeve n Pater Filius Spiritus Sanctus omniuÌ„ hominum Deus est ideo cupit omnes salvari quos fecit Et paulò post pro omnibus quidem effusus est sanguis Christi sed credâ—ntibus prodest c. Idem in 1. ad Tim. c 2. c. Gregory sirnamed the Great about the year 570 counted it neither Heresie nor Error to teach the same Doctrine The Father then saith he being just and punishing him who was just meaning Christ disposeth all things justly because upon this account HE JVSTIFYETH ALL or all things because he condemneth him for Sinners who was without sin o Pater ergo cum justus sit justuÌ„ puniens omnia justé disponit quia per hoc cuncta justificat quòd eum qui sine peccato est pro peccatoribus damnat c. Greg. Mag. Moral l. 3. c. 11. Elsewhere he termeth Christ THE REDEEMER OF MANKINDE p Redemptor quippe humani generis Mediator Dei hominis per carnem factus c. Idem Moral lib. 9. c. 21. vid. lib. 33. c. 10. and in another place expresly saith that Christ REDEEMED ALL MEN by his Cross but yet that it remaineth that he that endevors to be redeemed i. e. to enjoy the Redemption purchased for him by Christ and to reign with God be crucified q Remansit quidem quia non omnia nostra Christus explevit Per crucem suam quidem omnes redimit sed remansit vt qui redimi regnare cum Deo nititur crucifigatur Idem in 1. Reg. cap. 9. 24. Bede somewhat above an hundred years after Gregory propagated the same Doctrine in the World for Truth Joseph saith he in the Egyptian language signifieth Saviour of the World This is manifest in Christ since under the figure of Joseph He is declared to be the SAVIOUR not of the one onely Land of Egypt but also of the WHOLE WORLD And soon after But in our Joseph meaning Christ the WHOLE WORLD deserved to receive increase r Vocaturque Joseph linguâ Egyptiacâ Salvator Mundi Manifestum est de Christo quando sub figurâ Joseph Salvator ostenditur non tantum unius terrae Egypti sed totius Mundi Bed in Gen. c. 41. Et mox In nostro verò Joseph augmentum habere Mundus omnis meruit Theophylact who lived more then two hundred of years after him viz. about the year 930 as some of our best Chronologers calculate the time of his mortality is a sufficient witness that the same Doctrine was alive in the Church in his time He verily saith he speaking of Christ dyed FOR ALL MEN and canst not thou endure to pray for them s 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Theophylact in 1 Tim. c. 2. 6. Elsewhere we have words to this effect from his Pen As by the offence or fall of one the curse came upon all Men that which before he called judgment or condemnation he now calleth an offence that is the sin of
Adam even so by the Righteousness of one Christ Grace is come unto ALL MEN giving UNTO THEM both JVSTIFICATION in stead of Sin AND LIFE in stead of Death t 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Idem ad Rom. 5. 18. In another place he saith that the Apostle shewed how that all Men were indeed condemned from or by Adam but were saved from or by Christ u 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Idem ibid. in vers 20. Oecumenius somewhat above an hundred years after him savored the same §. 12. Doctrine as Truth Judgment saith he i. e. Condemnation came from or by one Adam upon all Men but the free gift and donation of God prevailed so far that it even abolished or blotted out the sin of Adam and not this sin alone but all others likewise which men sinned after that sin yea and did not this onely but also brought them into an estate of Justification that is unto Righteousness x 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Oecum ad Rom. c. 7. Anselm not long after the last mentioned Author appeared in defence of the same Doctrine He alone saith he speaking of Christ as by dying payd or discharged so did he blot out cancel and make voyd that Hand-writing which in a kinde of Hereditary way passed along from our Protoplast Adam through ALL GENERATIONS y Solus Chirographum quod ex Protoplasto per omnes generationes haereditario jure veniebat vt moriendo solvit sic moriendo delevit Anselm in 1. ad Cor. c. 15. Elsewhere he exhibiteth God inviting all Men to come unto Him and declaring that NO PERSON whatsoever NEEDS FEAR A REPVLSE since he desireth not the death of a sinner but that he should live z Venite ergo OMNES NVLLVS TIME AT REPELLI quia nolo Mortem peccatoris sed vt convertatur vivat Idem in Medit. de Passione Christi In another place he saith that Christ is become a means of safety and this not of any inferior kinde but of that which is eternal and this not to a few but TO ALL a Christus factus est causa salutis non cujuslibet sed aeternae nec paucis sed omnibus hoc tamen conditione vt â—b temperent ei Idem ad Heb. 5. And again that God the Mediator which God hath placed between Himself and Men underwent Death for all Men that he might redeem all Men from Death b Mediator Deus quem Deus inter se homines posuit Mortem pro omnibus sustinuit vt omnes à Morte redimeret Idem 1. ad Tim. c. 2. Bernard somewhat after the year 1100 followed the tract of the same Doctrine In one place he saith that Christ wept for the Sins of the SONS OF ADAM and afterwards shed His Blood for them c Christus FILIORVM ADAE pecâ—ata deplorat câ—rté pro quibus nunc lachrymas fundit posteà fundet Sanguinem In another having repeated the words of the Apostle If one dyed for all then were all dead he glosseth thus That namely the satisfaction of one might be IMPVTED UNTO ALL as this one bare the sins OF ALL d Nam si unus inquit pro omnibus mortuus est ergo omnes mortui sunt vt videlicet satisfactio unius omnibus imputetur sicut omnium peccata unus ille portavit c. Idem Epist 90. pòst medium Once more And this is the Profession of a Christians Faith that he which liveth should not now live unto himself but unto him who dyed FOR ALL. Nor let any man say unto me I will live unto him but not unto thee since he did not onely live unto all Men but even dyed FOR ALL MEN also e Et haec professio Fidei Christianae vt qui vivit jam non sibi vivat sed ei qui pro omnibus mortuus est Nec mihi dicat quis Ei vivam sed tibi non quando quidem ille non solum pro omnibus vixit sed pro omnibus mortuus est Idem Serm. in verba Psal 23. Quis ascendit c. Nor hath the Doctrine asserted by us been thus fully and clearly attested onely by that successive generation of orthodox and learned Antiquity which we have heard speaking as it were with one mouth the same things with us therein in their particular and respective Writings but hath received credit and countenance also from All Councils and Synods of any ancient date as far as my Reading and Memory are able to inform me which have had occasion to take cognizance thereof or of that which is contrary to it The first General Council after the Apostles days was that assembled at §. 13. Nice about the year 325 by the Authority of Constantine the Great in the twentieth year of his reign a Council that hath always been of soveraign esteem in all Christian Churches This Council in that Symbol of Faith or Creed composed by the Members of it make this Profession or Confession of their Faith in the Point we speak of We beleeve that the Lord Jesus Christ the Son of God for US MEN not for us Elect or for us Beleevers Saints or the like but for US MEN and for our Salvation descended and was incarnate and made Man suffered and rose again f 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Symb. Nicen. vid. Athanas in Epist ad Iovianum de Fide c. Evident it is that the Council drew up this form or Confession of Faith for the use of the generality of those who professed or should afterwards profess Christianity with an intent and desire that every Christian respectively should make the same Profession with them Now then if their meaning in the said Symbol were that Christ was incarnate made Man suffered c. onely for such Persons who were Elect as some call Election such I mean who should be actually saved and not for the generality of Men one of the two must necessarily be supposed Either 1. That they judged all Professors of Christianity to be Elect in this sence and consequently such as should be saved Or else 2. That they intended that men should make Profession of their Faith at peradventure and profess that they beleeved that which they knew not whether it was true or no and so could have no sufficient ground to beleeve it Yea and that many should make such a Profession wherein the event would certainly prove them to have lyed both unto God and Men when they made it For certain it is and demonstrable from the Scriptures that all that profess Christianity in the World will not at last be saved When therefore any of these shall profess and say I beleeve that Christ the Son of God was made Man and suffered for me in case He did not suffer for him which say our Adversaries the event of his Non-salvation will evince in that profession of his he must needs be found to have been a lyar