flesh and the Father of the Spirits and when that which Adam begat which was dust even like himself Genes 3. did and shall return to dust then that which liveth or dwelleth in it returneuh to God the Father of Spirits who gave it but I pass to the next thing that which you say is David was conceived in sin and therefore there was Soul as well as body Answer And first you abuse the Text for it doth not read it as you have read it for it doth not say In sin was I conceived but I was shapen in iniquity and in sin did my mother conceive me This far differeth one sense implyeth as if David lay the sin in the time of conception upon his mother in whom he was shapen in and your sense would imply thus much that is that David did acknowledge sin in himself in the time of conception but the Text it self will not emply it see it and read it distinctly Behold I was shapen in iniquity and in sin did my mother conceive me Psal 51.5 The Text is thus to be understood as if David should have said O Lord it is true I have sinned against thee and dâ—ne that which is evil in thy sight but take notice or consider or behold this one thing even of the frailty and weakness and imperfection of the mould that I was shapen in meaning her which is the mother of all living and so Davids mother and therefore Lord cast away my sins from before thee David doth not confess sin in himself in the time of conception but rather doth desire God to behold the weakness of his nature from the mould in the which he was shapen and consider my frame and remember that I am but dust agreeing with the words of the Psalmist in the 103. 11 12 13 14 in these words For as the Heaven is high above the earth so great is his mercy towards them that fear him as far as the East is from the West so far he removeth our transgressions from us like as a Father pitieth his children so the Lord pitieth them that fear him for he knoweth our frame he remembreth that we are dust So that David useth his mothers frailty and the imperfection of the mould in which he was shapen an Argument to prevaile with the Lord to have his sins removed out of his sight because he knew God was a God of righteousness weighing every thing as they are and considereth that we are but dust and therefore saith David that thou maiest in mercy pass by my faults that I have committed against thee remember my subjection unto sin for behold or take notice I was shapen in a lump of iniquity and in sin did my mother conceive me take notice there is a difference in a person being sinful in the time of conception and being conceived a sinful lump or shapen in an imperfect mould But you will say Who can bring a clean thing out of unclean no not one Answer Object And where it is said who ean bring a clean thing out of unclean it speaketh of the subjection to mortality see Job 14.4 Jesus Christ was clean and yet was conceived in sinful flesh and in reference to what he was shapen or conceived in he was in a subjection not to be tempted onely but did fear death when he prayed that the cup of sufferings might pass from him if it was Gods Will although he came into the world for the same purpose and yet in respect of the matter of which Christs flesh was made of it could not be subject to the least imperfection in that nature it being the word which became flesh But my exposition of the 51 Psalm Will clear the matter more to you and by what is said there and here it standeth undenyably true and what you have said hath not so much as a good collour of an answer Again I pass to the Examination of what you say to my alledged Argument passing your other discourse that of Ezekiel which saith The Soul that sinneth shall die I have made a difference between Adams sin and ours as well as the punishment that is Adams sin as he was natural and not spiritual so his sin brought death upon the natural part but the son is not disabled in respect of the Soul by his Fathers sin but the Soul that sinneth shall die but the Argument that I did urge is this That no defiled creature is fit or can enter into the Kingdom of Heaven But children in their non-age are fit for the Kingdom of Heaven Therefore children not defiled To which you answer thus The Kingdom of Heaven say you is taken two wayes first the Kingdom of Heaven is taken for the Kingdom of Grace as Mark. 9.1 and Math. 11.12 There are some that stand here that shall not taste death till the Kingdom of God come in power till Christened Churches gathered Ordinances administred and children of beleeving Parents belong to this Kingdom though such as you barr them from the Ordinances of the Kingdom of Grace To which I answer and say in what you affirm there is these two things mainely to be considered the first is that the Kingdom mentioned Mark 9.1 in these words There be some that stand here that shall not taste of death till they have seen the Kingdom of God come with power is the Kingdom of Grace to wit the Gospel Church and Ordinances And secondly children are fit for that Kingdom as you say but the question is whether we may beleeve you or not but upon Examination I shall prove it to be a false doctrine And first to the first That the Kingdom coming in power is not meant of the Gospel Church or Ordinances but of the power and glory of the Church triumphant agreeing with or being the same with the words of Matthew Mat. 16.22 the which are thus read Verily Verily I say unto you there be some standing here which shall not taste if death till they sie the Son of man coming in his Kingdom Now that this is not a Gospel Church or Ordinances which is called the Kingdom of God coming in power or the Son of man coming in his Kingdom is evident because it is no where so called Secondly if he had meant the Gospel Church or Ordinances he need not have said Some of them that stand here shall not taste of death till the Kingdom of God come in power or more properly the Son of man coming in his Kingdom because none of them that stood there did taste of death till they saw the Gospel Church and Ordinances unless Judas Iscariot but I shall shew most evidently that it is not meant of the Gospel Church and Ordinances coming but of Christs coming in Glory But by the way it is possible you will say What then is not all the Apostles dead I might say somewhat to it but admit they were all dead many hundred years ago yet there was some that did
before the time and we never read of any cast into that lake before the judgement day but I pass to the examination of what is said in way of contradiction the which is say you Sodom are new suffering the vengeance of eternal fire from Jude 7. your words are these Iude telleth us say you that Sodom and Gomorrah are suffering the vengeance of eternal fire that is now in misery now the former fire is out which destroyed their bodie Because I have not found you deal fairly with the Scriptures but have wrested them and said that which they say not I shall examine whether Jude 7. say as you say that Sodom and Gomorrah are suffering the vengeance of eternal fire and upon examination I do not find the word ARE in the Verse to that purpose for which ye bring it the Text doth not say they ARE suffering the vengeance of Eternal fire but the Text faith thus Even as Sodom and Gomorrah and the Cities about them in like manner giving themselves over to Fornication and going after strange flesh are set forth for an example suffering the vengeance of eternal fire Now you may see the Text doth not say they ARE suffering of eternal fire but the strength of you reason why they ARE now suffering in Hell is because it faith they ARE 〈◊〉 forth for an example Sâ—V FFERING the vengeance of Eternal fire and because the Text faith Sâ—V FFERING the vengeance that therefore they are now Sâ—V FFERING and in order to a clear answer consider these few things First whether the word Sâ—V FFERING in Scripture may not respect 〈◊〉 the preterperfecttence and not the present 〈◊〉 some place And Secondly whether it was the suffering of the Sodomites in the destroying of their bodies by that fire and brimstone that God rained on them from Heaven be that which is called the example And Thirdly Where you can find any other suffering mentioned that the Sodomites were under save that suffering mentioned in Gen. 19. and Recorded for an example Iude 7. And first to clear this thing see the word SUFFERING in some places of scripture respecteth the Preterfecttence Heb. 2.9 and not the Presenttence James 5.10 for Christs death is said to be a suffering of death a long time after he was dead and alive again and glorified at the right hand of the Father The word suffering sometimes respects not the presenttence but the preterimperfecttence the Prophets are said to be set out for an example of SUFFERING and of pâ—tience long after their Sâ—V FFERING was over so that the word Sâ—V FFERING is of no strength for you to build your conceit on and the Text in Iude doth not say as you said that they ARE suffering that word you put in to help you but it will not cover you And Secondly that it was the sufferings of the Sodomites bodies by that fire that came down from Heaven is evident because Iude faith that they are set forth for an example now if it be meant of the suffering of the Soulin Hell as you say then I pray what example is it for unusuall judgements are alwayes used for examples but it is no unusuall thing for the souls of ungodly to suffer in Hell now or hereafter according to both our opinions but to see God rain down Fire and Brimstone to destroy a Nation or City that is not usual but a remarkable judgement and therefore set forth for an example and such was that of Sodoms SUFFERING And Thirdly You can never prove any other suffering that was inflicted on Sodom but that on their bodies the which if you can I shall wait on you to see it and so shall pass taking no notice of your Authors supposing that they may possibly be as ignorant as your self And whereas you say in your twentieth page that Jude tells us that they are now suffering I say you do not almost but altogether give the Scripture the lye for the Text doth not say that they ARE now suffering but you say that if the Devills now suffer in hell then it is also plain that Sodom suffereth in hell but you would prove one if you could and include the other that the Devil is not in torments is plain Why art thou come to torment us before the time peradventure you will say that they were not in the depth of torments but you will say they were in some the which I deny that they were in any torments onely cast out of Heaven First The Devil not in Hell viz. the lake which is the second death for then they could nor compass the earth and come before the Lord the which they did because if they had been in hell viz. the lake that they shall in future be put in then they could not have walked to and sâ—o in the earth nor appeared before God when the Sons of God met together for there is such a gulf that they that are there cannot come before God and when once they come there they shall not have their liberty to walk to and fro but shall be tormented day and night in the lake of Fire and Brimstone and as yet they are called the Prince of the aire and the god of this World but they shall be cast down into the earth and also bound a thousand years and afterwards loosed again before they be cast into that Lake and whereas Peter faith that they were cast down into hell and reserved unto the judgement of the great day I Answer Psal 16.10 Exod. 2.27 and 3.1 Jona 2.2 Isa 5.14 Hell in Scripture is taken several wayes sometimes for the Earth and sometimes for the Sea as Ionah cryed to the Lord out of the belly of Hell the which is meant the sea or the Whale take it which way you please and sometimes it is taken for captivity and whereas you cite the Greek word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hell is variously â—aken see Mat. 5.29 and ca. 10.28 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it may be read hill or valley or dale it will not so fully prove the matter as you seem to suppose because if we consider that high place that they did enjoy and the place in which they were cast that is to say without the gate it might fitly be called a deep place or hell and yet not be in that Lake which is the second death no they were reserved in chains to receive their torments at the great day of judgement that is their time as they well know and not before therefore they believe and tremble to consider of their day that is coming and again you conclude that children are guilty of the second death because that Iohn saw small and great stand before God to be judged a very poor reason are all that stand before God to be judged guilty of the second death then all the godly are guilty of the second death for we must all appear before the judgement seat to give an
Eccles 3.18 19 in these words I said in my heart concerning the estate of the sons of men that God might manifest them and that they might see that they themselves are beasts for that which befalleth the sons of men-befalleth beasts even one thing befalleth them as the one dyeth so dyeth the other yea they have all one breath so that a man hath no preheminency above a beast for all is vanity all go to one place all are of the dust and shall return to dust again From whence we may see that man considered as of himself there is no difference between him and the beast onely there is something that is in man which is not of or from man the which maketh him to differ allthough the Soul in Scripture is frequently taken for the mortal part as in the book of Joshua and so Christ is said to pour out his Soul to death and made his Soul an offering for sins But when you write again show what it is that is the Soul and what it consisteth of And whereas you tell me a story of Levi paying of Tithes in Abraham Answer it was imputed to Levi because the matter that Levies body did consist of Job 31.15 Zach. 12.1 sprang from the loins of Abraham but it is the Lord that formeth and fashioneth us in the womb and createth the Spirit or Soul in us that which Abraham did was imputed to Levi because it might teach us that there was a time that Tithes was to be taken from Levi and given to Christ or that of proper right Tithes doth belong to Christ as I have already hinted at Again You charge me with one errour worse then Pilagius that is because I deny as you say that children were lost or indangered to be Eternally lost in Adam To which I answer Adam and all his posterity was in danger to be lost in the dust had not Christ saved them in delivering from the power of the grave and say in your sense I do deny that children were lost or in danger to be lost in Adam that is to say to be lost as men now shall be lost that die in their sins namely to die the second death in the lake of fire and brimstone but I do beleeve that children were in danger to be lost as in the first death that is if Christ had not come and saved us and them from the sting of death which is the power of the grave we had been kept there and for ever had been deprived from the presnce of God and the Holy Angels and been like water spilt upon the ground and thus they were in danger to be lost from whence Christ hath saved all men for he is the Saviour of all men but especially of them that beleeve and thus we all were in danger to be lost by Adams sin in Paradice but to be lost in your sense by Adams sin that I positively deny and I know or am fully perswaded there is not a man under the Sun that can prove it from the Scriptures Again in your fourteenth page you seem to hint at this That Adam had the promise of Eternal life upon his obedience That natural life that God gave to Adam in Paradice was a free gift and not upon condition To which I answer that the life which God gave to Adam in paradice was free without condition in respect of the gift of it for God breathed him the breath of life and put him into his inheritance freely and afterwards telleth him what he should do there and also sheweth him that if he did sin and transgress his Law that then he must die the death God never told Adam that if he would obey him that there was a further life and happiness in future to be enjoyed but sheweth that the life that then he did enjoy the which was but a natural life should be taken from him and the like But if it be Objected and said Object That the Lord told Adam that in the day that he eat of that tree he should surely die or in dying he should die the which he did not in body the same day To this I answer God calleth things that shall be as if they were and say that according to Gods decree and in Gods account who calls things that shall be as if they were in being as saith the Apostle save Adam and all his prosperity dead they were dead in Gods account that same day and so soon as Christ was promised God therow him looked upon all alive again in a state of Resurrection as you may see when God appeared to Moses in the bush Exod. 3.6 Mat. 22.31 32. he saith I am the God of Abraham the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob and our blessed Saviour maketh use of it to prove the Resurrection shewing that in Gods account Abraham and Isaac and Jacob were alive in a state of a Resurrection to God And again the word will bear it from the Hebrew as in our English margen note in dying thou shalt die Job 14.1 2. that is Adam and all the sons of men are dying from the womb till they be dead never continuing in one stay but in the midst of life we are in death and so go from the womb to the grave and so in dying we do die or we be in a dying estate and condition till we fall into the dust Again in answer to what you say of our Souls being in Adam in essense and not in substance I say that then it is clear that Adam is the Father of our Spirits and not God for if it be so that our Spiritual Souls essentially be in and of Adam and not distinct then Adam must bear the name not onely of being the Father of our flesh but also of our spirit But if it should be Objected and said Object That God may bear the name of the Father of Spirits because he created or formed the Spirit in Adam Then we may as well say that God is the Father of flesh because he created and formed that but you say God may be called the Father of Spirits because he is Father of regeneration and sanctification The which is no answer There is three that bear witness in Heaven and three that bear witness in earth as I conceive at all for as much as there is not such a thing in Scripture to assist the answer as God is distinguished in three as in respect of his diversity of his operation the Spirit is that which begetteth newness of disposition so may be called the Father of regeneration and sanctification because the Spirit is that which sanctifieth and reneweth the Soul yet but one God and Father although thus distinguished and this hath more Scripture to countenance it and yet but a consequence But however there is in man or of man two parts viz. the flesh and Spirit and there is two Fathers the Father of the
reward for their sins for shall I not visit for these things saith the Lord and shall not my soul be avenged of such a people so that the great men and richmâ—n and chief Captains and mighty men shall hide themselves as prisoners in the Rocks and holes of the earth saying to the Rocks fall on us and hide us but yet for all this the Lord will bring them thence and visit them for their sins with the Rod or his wrath I could speak much to it but I studdy brevity and come to shew you that although I say there shall be a Restauration and the Sun shall be seven degrees lighter and the light of the Moon shall be as the light of the Sun and yet also say the earth shall be dark or the place of their punishment shall be utter darkness yet there is no contradiction in the words for I say that Christ shall Reign a thousand years before the last and general Resurrection and then shall all things be restored in which time of Christs Reign the Sun and Moon shall be restored into their primitive glory and brightness for all that was for mans use was cursed for mans sake but after this state of Christs Reign then shall the Saints have only the glory of God to be their light and so I pass to examine your examination of my Arguments of Original Sin and so to the first although it be laid down more fully in my Treatise Rev. 20 6 7 8. yet I shall take it for brevity sake as you have laid it down in yours which is That if Adam had decreed against him eternal death Argum. 1 and all in his Lines upon his disobedience and that not inflicted on them then is God changeable But God changeth not Therefore Your Answer is If God 's threatnings work not Repentance it breaks out into punishments God never decreed that Adam and his should eternally perish and yet you say that the death that God said they should dye for that sin committed in Paradice was eternal death now that death that God threatned to bring on Adam if he sinned he did decree to bring it on him and accordingly did being it on him and all his the which death was only the first death as I have already proved and I am very confident that all the opposites in the world can never prove that it was the second death but read my Syons Redemption and see your answer is no whit to the purpose I have also shewed what is meant in the Ephesians and were by nature the children of wrath as well as others and whereas you ask me whether Adams Fall was decreed I Answer God never did decree man should sin God did fore see man would but never did decree he should yet God did decree to send Christ seeing Adams Fall we agree in this that God did never intend or decree Adams eternal ruine but did decree him to the dust for that sin and when he had brought him there his Justice was satisfied and had God been onely Justice and not mercy there he must have hin for ever their Justice to him and their Mercy for him to bring some again from the dead and so saith the Scripture 2 Sam. 14.14 We must needs dye and be like water spilt upon the ground for God hath decreed it yet he hath used a means that his banished shell not be for ever expelled from him and whereas you say all School-men do allow of a concealed will and a revealed will the former is unchangeable not the latter that is his revealed will is changeable First Because God threatned Niniveh Adam and Hezekiah and yet did not punish them so as he threatned And secondly commanded Pharoah to let Israel go and Abraham to sacrifice his Son and herâ— God changeth his sentence To which I answer and first to the first that is that Gods revealed will is changeable the which if it be true as you say then although he have commanded us to obey the Gospel and in so doing promised salvation yet we know not whether he speak as he means or whether his mind will change yea or nay this and much of this nature I might say which is your opinion of God and how much less than bla sphemy it is I leave the Reader to judge of And Secondly as touching that of Hezekiah that when he told him that he should dye and not live and yet notwithstanding added unto his dayes fifteen years we know that God hath promised to turn away punishment from such as humble themselves before him hence he spared Ahab when he humbled himself and much more will he spare his own people when they humble themselves as Hezekiah did with tears yet Gods will altereth not though he do will to alter the dispensation of Mercy or Justice according to the Cretures obedience or disobedience as already proved Thirdly As touching Niniveh if God had destroyed them in forty dayes according as he said he would God had been changeable in his Decree considering their Repentance Gods will altereth not although he do will to change in dispensation of Mercy or Justice according to the creatures obedience or disobedience and Humiliation for before God sent Jonah to Niniveh to proclaim yet forty dales and Niniveh shall be destroyed he had decreed and declared it that in what instant he spake of a people to destroy thon if that people against whom he pronounced the judgement did repent he also would repent of the evil that he said he would bring upon them and Nineveh did repent of their evill and then if the Lord should not have repented of the evil of punishment that he said he would bring on them then he had been changeable that is he had said one thing and had done another but Gods revealed will changeth not although he do will to change as beforesaid And Fourthly God did bring the full summe of punishment upon Adam that he threatned and more than we find Recorded for all that was threatned was that he should dye or in dying he should dye the which is meant that he should be in a dying condition from the time of his sin till he fell into the dust from whence he was taken and so in the midst of lise to be in death or a dying condition till death never continuing in one stay but the earth being cursed for his sake we do not find there ended yet we see it was in the sentence and also the Womans conception to be in sorrow the which are as Pendicts or appurtenances to death Man is in a dying condition from the Womb till he falls into the dust and hat is meant by the Lords threatning him in dying thou shalt dye Gen. 2. all shewing Gods revealed will altereth not and so I come to the second Head which is Gods commands that is say you God doth command men to do that in his revealed will the which in his
secret will never intends they should do as first he commanded Pharoah to let Israel go and secondly commanded Abraham to offer up Isaac and did not intend they should do it Answer And to the first that is God did command Pharaoh to let Israel go and yet did not intend he should let them go To which I say God did intend that Pharoah should let them go although God knew that Pharoah at the first would not let them go but Gods fore knowledge that men will do evill is not the cause that they do evil God knew that Cain would stay Abel yet he was not the cause of his so doing But you will say that God hardened Pharoahs heart Answ So he might justly do as I shall shew the cause in the exposition of the Ninth of the Romans if the Lord please but that is not our question but our question is Whether God did intend Pharoah should let Israel go we argue noâ— the case whether he should have let them go-sooner or later but singly thus whether Pharoah should let Israel go the which I do affiâ—me that God did intend that Pharaoh should let Israel go and the Lord said that he knew that he would let them go although not at the first as you may see Exod. 3.19 20. and if Pharoah had let them go at the first be had not sinned in so doing yet it pleased God to shew to Moses that he would harden his heart bee use he had hardened himself against him so that Israel must not expect to go presently and yet the Lord sheweth Moses that he would so weary him with his signes that he would make him willing to let Israel go at the last these two things observe First That God intended when he had tryed Pharoah by his signes that he should let Israel go God did not harden Pharoahs heart on purpose to keep Israel from going but because Pharoah had slited the Lord in saying who is the Lord I will not obey his voice and let you go that therefore the Lord did harden Pharoah when first Pharoah had hardened The Scripture saith that Pharoah hardened his heart against the Lord. himself that he might know that the Lord was stronger than he I might spend much time in running thorow the causes of things but of that anon And Secondly take notice this was not Gods secret will namely in appointing Pharoah not to let Israel go when he had commanded him to let them go but it was his revealed will made known to Mosis and Aaron and in the next place I come to examine the matter as touching Gods commanding of Abrahams offering up Isaac and so shall pâ—ss from this particular to the second Argument I shall be very brief saying that in a sense as beforesaid Abraham did offer up Isaac and also this is not a secret thing because the Scripture saith it was but to try Abraham as I have before proved therefore I pass to the third Argument the second you grant to be true And the third is If Adam in his best condition as he stood in Paradice before the fall were but an earthly Adam In his best estate was but an earthly man man and all his enjoyments earthly then he could loose no more then what he had to loose which was but earthly but Adam in his best condition was and enjoyed but as beforesaid Ergo all that he lost was but earthly enjoyments Your answer seems very weak in my opinion which is say you All sinned in Adam to condemnation or damnation and hence Insants by nature are children of wrath or otherwise say you what is meant by the Hebrew Text in dying thou shalt dye 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the which is guilt or cause of punishment or judgment the which may be taken for the first or second death as the Scripture offereth it unto us ndifferently To which I answer and first to the first which is All sinned in Adam say you to condemnation it is very true that for Adams sin all men were condemned for saith God Dust thou art and to dust thou shall return meaning not only Adam but all his Lines and therefore it is appointed once for men to dye for we must needs dye and be like water spilt upon the ground and as I have said the word condemnation will not help you because there is the very same in Luke 23.40 and yet it is only a temporal death and so I am come to the next thing which is That Infants say you are children of wrath by nature If you mean they are children of wrath as in respect to outward punishment we differ not because Gods Justice must be satisfied for God thereupon to inflict it if he sinned but he did sin therefore it must of necessity be punished otherwise Justice not satisfied because there was no Repentance given or required as in reference to that sin but if you suppose that Infants be children of wrath as in respect of punishment to the second Death we much differ and I will give you seven years time to prove it in which time prove it if you can And whereas you ask me what is meant by the Hebrew word in dying thou shalt dye I answer as beforesaid that so soon as Adam had eaten he was in a dying condition and so are all men dying untill they be dead so that in the midst of life we are in death continuing not in one stay and so I come to examime what you say to my fifth Argument which is That opinion which in the extent of it will make the Devil to speak true and God to lye is anabsurd blasphemous opinion but such is the opinion that saith that the Death that God threatned to Adam was the second Death and yet that second Death not inflicted for that sin on Adam and all his Lines so he saith God speaketh falsely and the Devil truth Ergo that opinion an obhor'd blasphemous opinion but the minor is false as you say for say you Although God threatned Adam with eternal death yet he lyed not in inflicting it because his threatens was to dehort Adam from sin not his peremptory resolution but as to Hezekiah and Niniveh To which I answer you have said nothing at all to prove my minor false for as I have said that God did say that if Adam did eat he should dye and that eternally say you but the Devill said that he should not dye viz eternally but Adam did eat now if Adam and his Lines did nor so dye aâ— God said they should viz eternally as you say then who it was that spake true God or the Devill I leave the Reader to judge God said they should dye but the Devil said they should not surely dye All men did dye the first death or shall be changed which is as death as God did say and so its plain that
the Devil was a lyer from the beginning and this Death say you was the second death and also you confess tâ—at Adam and all his Lines did not dye the second Death so that if your opinion be true the Devil spake true and not God see your self I tremble to write so of the worthy name of God as your ignorant blasphemous opinion leads me to write in reference to discover your absurdities but you say That although God threatned it yet he did not peremptorily resolve it but sent Christ To which I answer as beforesaid that is but to make the Devils words true for God had said and decreed they should dye but the Devil perswaded them to believe a lye that they should not dye that the Devil might be a true Prophet say you God sent Christ that they might not dye and as to the case of Nineveh and Hezekiah I have already answered And again whereas you would have me say Either Christ brought not justification of life by his obedience or else conclude Adam brought evernal condemnation by disobedience or say there is no sence in the Apostles arguing Rom. 5.18 To which I answer there is good reason in the Apostles reasoning and yet his words imply not that which you would infer from them for I have already proved that the condemnation there mentioned is but to the dust viz. the first death Adams sin caused God to judge and condemn him and his posterity to the dust but in a short word take this as the Apostles reasoning from Rom. 5 18. that as by the offence of the first Adam judged or condemned all to the dust and so brought them all under the power of the Grave to have lain there eternally had not mercy been provided so by the righteousness of the Second Adam the free gift came upon all men to deliver or justifie them from that power of Death viz. the sting thereof so that it might be said in the promise as in the person of Christ O Death I will be thy death and thus the free gift came upon all men to justification of life that as in or by Adam all dyed even so in or by Christ all are made alive viz. raised from the dead it being done in Gods account from the foundation of the world so then the first Adam by his sin made all men liable to the power of the first death so that the sting of death did as we may say attach them but mercy through the Righteousness of Christ stepped in and jus tified man from that attachment and destroyed the power of it and brought life and immortality to light for although God did peremptorily Decree that Adam should go to the dust for that sin Dust thou art and to dust thou shalt return yet he did not decree either in his threatning or in his sentence that he should lye there eternally yet the sting of Death viz. the power of the Grave would have seized on or surprized him had not mercy in the Promise justified man from it and thus the free gift came upon all men to justification of life I might say much more to it but I pass to that of Jude where you say They were of old ordained to Condemnation To which I answer and say that it is true that God of old did in his Decree ordain and appoint some to condemnation It is not denied that God did of old ordain ungodly men to condemnation although it be denied that God of old did ordain men to be ungodly that thereby they might come to condemnation namely such as did refuse the grace of Salvation in the tenderness of it and put away eternal life and glory and turn the grace of God into wantonness and such were they that Jude speaks of there are certain men crept in saith he who of old were ordained to this condemnation and then tels us what disposed men they are and that is saith he ungodly men turning the grace of God mark that to wantonness I could shew you what is meant by the word this Condemnation but I pass And whereas you say That Children might be made liable in Adam to eternal Death Answer If you mean eternal Death as before promised that is to lye eternally in the Grave under the sting oâ— Death as beforesaid then we differ not but if by Eternal Death you mean â—he second Death they could not be liable to that by the sin in Paradice because the punishment of the second Death must pre-suppos a second Life that is a person must be said to be twice alive before he can be said to be twice dead or in danger to be twice dead and therefore the Lord sheweth that as there was a first Death that all mâ—n must taste of for that sin in Paradice so there is a lake of fire and brimstone the which God calls the second Death and where ever the word second is used it presupposeth a first otherwise there cannot be a second but the Death spoken in Genesis could not be the second unless there had been a Death proposed before it the which was not for by one man sin entred into the world and death mark that by sin so then sin brought death into the world and secondly in Christ is hid our second life the which we loose by loosing of him and Christ and that life in him which is opposed to the second death was never ours before the Fall and I could give many sound Reasons to prove both these but I pass it may be needless because no man upon due consideration can deny it and so pass But before I shall examine or try your lawful Ministry I shall through Gods assistance unfold unto you the mystery contained in the Ninth Chapter to the Romans partly because many poor Souls stand as it were amazed to know what God means in his Word for say they God sometimes saith He would have all men come to Repentance and swears he desires not the death of him that dyes but rather that they would return and live and therefore exhorted men to strive to enter in at the strait gate and to be diligent to make their calling and election sure and to beware lest any fail of the grace of God but so to run that they may obtain and the like and yet saith It is not in him that willeth or runneth but hated Esau before he was born as some say and makes persons vessels of dishonour from a Decree before they were born or had done good or evil in a word elect some and reprobate others before born and yet saith he would not their death but would have them turn and yet appoints them to run on in evill these and many more of this nature do persons conclude is in God and stâ—â—â— when they are brought in question as touching this their conceit they fly to the Ninth of the Romans as a refuge the which thorow Gods help I shall shew will
account of all that which is done by us whether good or evill for he that hath improved his talent must come and stand before his Lord as well as he that hath not improved it to receive the sentence so that the small standing before God maketh not for you and again you say I deny that there is any yet in glory in the four and thirtieth Page of my Book Answer You do somewhat abuse me and my Book in saying I do deny any yet in glory Some Saints in glory as Enoch Elijah and Christ and possibly Moses and others although David be not yet ascended into Heaven I have not such an expression in the four and thirtieth page as I know of for I am perswaded that Enoch and Elijah and Christ and possibly Moses are at this time in glory although David be not yet ascended into Heaven the summ of what I say in the four and thirtieth page of my Treatise is That although the spirit of man returneth to God that gave it yet without the body is not in capacity or capable of joy this is my judgement or thoughts concerning man before the Resurrection that the Righteous go to sleep in peace and when they awake out of the dust of the Earth All the time of their sleep although they lye many years in the dust it will be but as it were a moment and also the wicked shall lye down in trouble and horror and their troubles will come fresh on them so soon as they awake out of the dust and their time will be also as a moment because there is no remembrance of time or any thing amongst the dead but if any be otherwise minded provided they hold fast the Foundations they may do well for this is nor so material for this we agree in that we shall all arie at the general Resurrection and shall come to judgement and then receive according to what we have done in the body whether it be good or evil and whereas you cite Christs words to the Thief on the Cross which is I say unto thee this day shalt thou be with me in Paradiâ—e To which I say that all that may be safely gathered from these words is that Christ gave him a promise of Paradice that day not that Christ and the Thief were to be both together in Heaven that same day for Christ dâ—d not ascend in many dayes after Although Christ said that day to the Thief that he should be with him in Paradice yet it doth not follow that Christ and the Thief were that day to be together in Paradice because he Thief not dead nor Christ ascended that day and it cannot be proved that the Malefactor was dead that day but as to these things I have spoken before both in private conference with you and also I have discovered it in publick and therefore at present shall insist on the next thing only say as to the Saints lying under the Altar Table if you please to resolve this question without doubt What the 〈…〉 is that cryeth for vengeance because the soul is variously taken in Scripture and because Abels blood is said to cry for vengeance and Christ poured out his Soul to death and made his Soul an offering for sin and we know that Christs blood is that which is the offering for sin for without it there were no remission of sins and might also ask you what the Altar Table is and mach more I could say to it but I pass to the next but by the way I cannot but take notice of your merry conceit where you say you could laugh tel me that if Sodom fire wire eternal it must be eternal as God is and then some Creature coeternal with the Creator or to last for ever and then Hell fire and is will becken to each other Although a Fools mouth be full of laughter you have no great cause to laugh at me for saying that the fire that the Sodomiter were destroyed withall was an eternal fire because that Iude faith It was the vengeance of eternal fire that they suffered and also if we consider that God ever was a consuming fire and his breath as a devouring flame and when Tophet is set on fire it shall be by the breath of the Lord. I could say very much as to both these particulars Psal 18.8 Isa 30.27 Dan. 7.10 Heb. 12.29 Psal 97.3 only I leave you to peruse the Scriptures in the margent and so I shall pass to what you say in answer of that of Is 24. of the Kings of the earth being punished on the earth which is say you some were purishedby Assirians and by Babylonians by Persians and Grecians and then hell is past and if this be meant hell how can they be rejected again say you To which I answer and first that this Chapter is a Prophecy of the destruction of the habitations of the earth and of the last Judgement is plain to him that hath his eyes in his head because the Prophet spake of the general Resurrection before he makes an end of his speech and we know order of words proveth nothing in many places and that the Prophet doth carry on his discourse to the state of the general Resurrection see Chapter 25.8 and also Paul speaking of the general Resurrection to the Corinthians Whereas the Prophet spake of punishing of the host of high ones and Kings on the earth and after speaâ—s of gathering them as prisoners into the plâ— is not another thing but the method of the punishment before-mentioned and order of word proves nothing referreth them to this Text saying As it is written Death is swallowed up in victory O death where is thy sting O grave where is thy victory and whereas you by order of word would prove a visitation after their punishments to be the Gospel in respect of whose glory the Sun and Moon are dim To which I say there is not so much as a colour of truth in it as I conceive and whereas the Text speaketh of gathering them as prisoners into a pit and after many dayes to visit them After he hath spoak of punishing them on the earth therefore you conclude that the visitation is after the punishment To which I answer and say it is no such thing for first he speaks of punishing of them and the place where and then the manner how he will punish them First punish them he will to wit the hoast of high ones that are on high although happily they may think they are too high or out of the wrath of punishment and the Kings of the earth who have lived there in pleasure shall there be punished and as he saith he will punish them and where he will punish them so he sheweth the method of their punishment that is they shall be gathered as prisoners into the pit and then after wards shall be visited that is the Lord will visit them with a due recompence of