come to him except the Father dravv him 3. When the Lord hath promised his people that he will give them a new heart and a new spirit Ezek. 36.26 which is a principal branch of the New Covenant this promise is made absolutely without any condition and in this promise Faith is included for a new heart is a believing heart though pardon of sin and salvation be promised upon our believing and repenting yet there is no such condition propounded in the promise of giving the first grace of giving a new heart which is a believing heart What condition or gracious qualification can we conceive of that should precede the first grace which is the ground whence all other graces do arise or if there could be any such gracious qualification yet this also would be a part of Christs purchase by whom we come to partake of all things that belong to life and godliness 2 Pet. 1.3 4. Although the performance of some conditions be necessary for those who will partake of salvation yet these were not necessary for the purchase of it for as Christ knew absolutely who should be saved so he did absolutely purchase both salvation it self and the conditions belonging to it for all these and these onely Hence it is said that he with one offering hath for ever perfected those that are sanctified Heb. 10.14 He hath made both perfect satisfaction and a perfect purchase of salvation and all things belonging to it for all those whom God in his eternal purpose hath set apart and severed from the rest of the perishing world whereby in due time they come to be made perfect To conclude There can be no condition on mans part but what is in nature and so pure Pelagianism for nothing but nature before faith and repentance and to say that Christ died for all men to purchase salvation for them upon condition they will do what they ought to do in receiving what he shall give is to resolve all into nature Christ by his death hath taken away all those things which are the great hinderances of our salvation Argument 5 as infidelity impenitency and such like therefore he absolutely intended the salvation of all those for whom he died This may be thus proved 1. Christ by his death hath taken away all sin Joh. 1.29 therefore these sins The blood of Jesus Christ cleanseth us from all sin 1 John 1.7 He hath redeemed us from all iniquity Tit. 2.14 2. If he did not take away all sin he should not be a perfect Savior he hath his denomination of Jesus from this that he should save his people from their sins Mat. 1. yea from all their sins He were not a perfect Redeemer if he should deliver us out of the power of some enemies and leave us in the hands of others our sinful lusts are our worst enemies 1 Pet. 2.11 It is said that he hath delivered us out of the hands of our enemies Luke 1.74 This is spoken indefinitely without limitation and therefore taken generally for all verse 71. and the end of this is That we might serve our God in righteousness and holiness which we cannot do so long as we remain under the power of any of them our enemies within being as hurtful and dangerous as those without 3. If he should not remove those hinderances that arise from our selves no man could be saved and so Christ should die in vain For as one man resists so would all men do it being the essential property of the flesh to resist the spirit and lust against it Gal. 5.17 and whatever is born of the flesh is flesh John 3.5 as before was shewed 4. Neither can Christ be said feriously to desire the salvation of those and to give his life to purchase it from whom he will not remove those things which he certainly knows will hinder their salvation when he hath power to do it It will therefore be in vain here to except that Christ would take away their unbelief if they would not resist for he takes away this resistance he takes away both careless neglect and proud contempt and what ever else can be thought of that may be a hinderance of the salvation of those whom he intends to save for he takes away all sin In the Covenant of Grace the Lord hath promised that he will take away the heart of stone This heart of stone includes in it not onely a senseless hardness but unbelief pride perversness stubbornness rebellion wilfulness or what ever else we can think of that is most contrary to the work of Grace in our souls as every valley shall be filled so every mountain shall be made plain Luke 3.3 so that all hinderances shall be removed All those whom Christ hath redeemed Argument 6 he purgeth them to be a peculiar people to himself zealous of good works Titus 2.14 he purgeth their conscience from dead works Heb. 9.14 But all are not made Christs peculiar people all have not their consciences purged Ergo. Object These and other like places are not to be understood of all those for whom Christ hath made satisfaction but onely of such as have made application of it to themselves by believing Answ But here is no mention at all of mans action in applying but onely of Christs action in purchasing and of the certain effect of it He hath given himself to redeem c. His blood purgeth the conscience c. 2. Application is a necessary effect of Redemption for all those for whom Christ hath made satisfaction shall in due time partake of the benefit of it and have this satisfaction applyed to them application being Christs work more then mans and for whom he hath done the first he will do the other also which is thus proved 1. If Christ onely should make satisfaction and leave it to man to make application this work would never be done and so his death would be in vain For application is made by believing and to believe is to come to Christ John 6.35 and man hath no power to do this as before was shewed No man can come c. verse 44. 2. The Apostle makes this to be the end why God sent his Son into the world namely that he might redeem those who were under the Law that they might receive the adâ—ption of sons and because they are sons God sends the Spirit of his Son into their hearts Gal. 4.4 5 6. Here the Spirit of adoption whereby we are enabled to make application is made the effect of adoption and adoption is made the effect of redemption and both these the effect of Gods sending his Son into the world 3. Satisfaction and intercession are inseparably joyned together We have an advocate even Christ the just who hath made propitiation for our sins 1 John 2.1 2. Why is he an advocate to plead for us but because he hath made propitiation for our sins by his suffering He prayes for all those and onely for those
blinde man sits he can see never the more for the help of these so let Evangelical Truths be propounded never so perspicuously and clearly to one that is spiritually blinde yet he is not able to see them in a spiritual maner to see them so as to be affected with them As the bodily eye cannot apprehend rational things so the rational eye cannot apprehend spiritual things for there must be a sutable proportion betwixt the faculty and the object the light that comes by the spirit to those who are spiritually enlightned is as specifically different from the light of natural reason as the light of reason in man is differing from light of sense in brutes 2. It supposeth that a natural man hath free will to good which is contrary to Scripture which telleth that God worketh in us both to will and to do Phil. 2.13 It is true indeed that a natural man hath a remota potentia a remote power of understanding and believing spiritually because he is a subject capable of saving knowledge and faith but this is no more then the power that a blinde man hath to see and a lame hath to walk which they are never the better for till the blindness of the one and lameness of the other be removed and they be enabled to act according to those faculties and organs wherewith mans nature is furnished Thus we have seen that the Doctrine of a Conditional and General Redemption is such as cannot agree with Scripture it follows now to give answer to such Objections as are brought against an Absolute and a Particular Redemption AN ANSVVER TO THE OBJECTIONS That are brought against the DOCTRINE OF Particular Redemption AGainst the Doctrine of Particular or Special Redemption Mr. P. thus objects Cap. 3. page 84. Object Vniversal redemption is exhibited to us in Scripture by all expressions of Vniversality by Vniversal Collective Christ is said to be the Savior of all men 1 Tim. 4.10 By Vniversal Distributive he tasted death for every man Heb. 2.9 By Vniversal Indefinite he is the Savior of the world John 4.42 Vniversal Objective he made propitiation for the sins of the whole world 1 John 2.2 Vniversal Negative not willing that any should perish 2 Pet. 3.9 by an universal Command to all to believe Now if these places be not taken in the proper signification of the words then the plainest places will be made most obscure then how shall we be able out of Scripture to prove the Sunday Sabbath Baptism yea or the Trinity of persons for which there cannot be brought so many direct Affirmations of Scripture as may be brought for Vniversal Redemption Answ 1. It is a very weak way of arguing to argue from the signification of words especially such words as have various significations as these have which are brought to express the Universality of Redemption as all men every man world whole world and the rest which are oft-times used not to signifie every particular man and woman living in the world but a part of them onely as when it is said that all flesh shall be saved Joel 2.28 Luke 3.6 That Jerusalem and all Judea and all the region about Jordan were baptized of John Mat. 3.5 6. That all that were in the synagogue were filled with wrath against Christ Luke 4.28 That if he were let alone all men would believe in him John 11.48 That if he were lift up from the earth he would draw all men unto him John 12.32 That all that came before him were thieves and robbers Cap. 10.8 That every one saith I am of Paul I am of Apollos 1 Cor. 3.4 That every man shall have praise of God 1 Cor. 4 5. That all the world wondred after the beast Rev. 13.5 That the devil deceived the whole World cap. 12.9 That the whole world lyes in wickedness 1 Joh. 5.19 to which many other might be added that sound in the same maner and yet signifie no Universality 2. Scripture must be interpreted by Scripture and though we are not to recede from the literal sense when it will agree with other Scriptures and with the Analogy of Faith yet when it is defective both these ways we are not bound to adhere to the letter Now for those Scriptures that carry with them a sound of Universality and Generally we are enforced if we will understand them aright to take them in a limited and restrained sense because else they will clash with other Scriptures which tell us that Christ laid down his life for his sheep John 10.11 That he died to gather in one the sons of God that were scattered cap. 11.53 That he gave himself for his Church Eph. 5.25 That he will not pray for the world but for those whom the Father had given him out of the world John 17.9 That for their sakes he sanctified himself verse 19. That he hath redeemed us out of every people kinred and nation Rev. 5.9 That there are some to whom he will say at the last day he never knew them Mat. 7.23 Now all are not Christs sheep all are not the sons of God all Nations in the world are not his Church he will not pray for all and therefore did not die for all for Redemption and Intercession are of equal extent if he hath redeemed us out of every people and nation then he hath not redeemed all people and nations If there be some to whom he will say that he never knew them then he never died for them for he did more then know those for whom he died he loved them and that with a peculiar love 1 John 3.16 therefore we must take those Scriptures which speak in a general way in a restrained sense else they will not agree with these neither will they agree with the Analogy of Faith For if Christ hath died for all then he hath paid a perfect price for all if he hath paid a perfect price for all then he hath made perfect satisfaction for all if he hath made perfect satisfaction then perfect justice requires it should be accepted if perfect satisfaction be made and accepted then perfect justice cannot require a double payment of the same debt therefore by this Doctrine all Sinners should be discharged and no man should suffer in hell for his own sin for his debt is paid by that perfect satisfaction which is both made and accepted Besides it cannot stand with Christs wisdom and the infinite worth of his precious blood that he should die in vain and suffer that blood to be spilt to no purpose for when he gave himself to death he certainly knew that thousands and ten thousands to whom he should be offered would reject him and persevere to the end in doing so and therefore that his death would do them no good But if the former Scriptures be taken in a limited sense they will very well agree both with other Scriptures and with the grounds of Faith as 1. When it is said that God
the Apostle here is not to shew for how many Christ died but what is the duty of those for whom he died namely to live to him because they were in the state of death when he died for them 2. We willingly grant that Christ died for all if this word all be taken in the same sense the Apostle takes it as he takes it in the former verse namely those whom Christs love constrained to duty The love of Christ saith he constraineth us and therefore we thus judge that if Christ died for all of us then all of us were in the state of death as well as others and he died for us that we which live should no longer live to our selves but to him But it follows not hence that Christ died for all men for all men are not so affected with the sense of Christs love as thereby to be constrained and carried on with a holy violence as it were to the performance of duty 3. The Apostle here speaks of such for whom Christ not onely died but also rose again now it is no where said in Scripture that Christ rose again for all besides if he died and rose again for all then all shall certainly be justified It is God that justifieth who shall condemn it is Christ that died or rather that is risen again Romans 8.33 34. Object 4. It is further objected That all men in the world receive benefit by Christ therefore he died for all Answ 1. It doth not follow that Christ died for wicked men who perish in the end because they receive many benefits by his death for all creatures in the world are some way or other the better for Christs death We may well think that the whole Creation had long since been turned into a Chaos and confusion if Christ by his death had not made an atonement for some of mankinde The Apostle saith that the whole Creation grones under the burthen of mans sin and that there is an earnest expectation in the creature waiting when it shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption to the glorious liberty of the sons of God Rom. 8.21 22. This glorious liberty of the sons of God is a benefit which Christ hath purchased and this all the creatures shall fare the better for which makes them to have such an earnest expectation after it yet none can hence infer that Christ died for all the creatures 2. The devils themselves have some benefit by Christs death for if he had never come into the world it is likely that they had been confined to the great deep and not been suffered to range up and down in the world as now they do And when he was in the world he was pleased at their entreaty to suffer them to enter into the herd of swine and not to send them into the great deep which was some benefit to them yet who will say that Christ died for devils 3. It was the act of greatest love for Christ to lay down his life Greater love then this hath no man to lay down his life John 15.13 and can we think that Christ will shew as great love to those that are damned as to those that are saved to the reprobate as to the elect to strangers and such as he never knew yea to his enemies and such as will not suffer him to reign over them as to his friends and faithful subjects yea to his fellow brethren and the members of his own body for there can be no greater love then the greatest and the greatest is the laying down his life which he hath done for all alike according to this Doctrine 4. What ever comes from Love works for good but all things in the end work together for hurt unto wicked men that have no part in Christ Their table shall be a snare and that which should have been for their prosperity shall be a trap Psal 69.22 Their riches are reserved for their hurt Eccles 5.9 The goodness of God hardens their hearts and so fits them for wrath Rom. 2.4 5. 5. For whom Christ hath purchased a right to the things they enjoy he hath also purchased a Grace that fits them for the right use of them for in and through him all things are given to us that pertain to Life and Godliness 2 Pet. 1.3 Object 5. But we may say to any man even the worst that lives if thou wilt believe thou shalt be saved which we could not say truly if Christ did not die for all Answ 1. The scope of such conditional promises and propositions is to shew the inseparable joyning together of the means and the end of Faith and Salvation of Repentance and Pardon of Sin and the truth of them lies not in the truth of the parts but in the necessary and strong connexion and joyning of them together As when I say if a man be a lion then he hath four feet if he be a bird then he can flie in the air here though the parts be false yet the propositions are true because of the necessity of the consequence so when I say to any man believe and thou shalt be saved here this proposition is true though the man never believes nor never be saved for let this Hypothetical be turned into a Categorical and it is no more but this Every Believer shall be saved which is true though Christ never died for all and though all men never be saved for it shews onely the absolute and necessary connexion betwixt Faith and Salvation as that all Believers and they onely shall be saved and not that all men shall be Believers or that all men shall be saved or that Christ died for all and it doth no more imply that there is a will in God of saving all then when on the other side it is said that he who believeth not shall be damned it doth imply that there is a will in him of damning all 2. The weakness of this way of arguing may appear from instances of other like propositions in Scripture when the yong man came to our Savior Christ and asked him what he should do that he might have eternal life he answers him If thou wilt have life keep the commandments Matthew 19.15 did not Christ here speak truly yet it was not true that either he could keep the commands or ever should have life by keeping them Did not the Apostle speak truly when he said If there be no resurrection then Christ is not risen and if there be hope onely in this life then we are of all men most miserable 1 Cor. 15.18 19. yet in both these propositions the parts are false for both Christ is risen and there shall certainly be a resurrection and the Saints have better hopes then in this life neither are they of all men the most miserable So this proposition If a man believe he shall be saved is true though God hath never determined his salvation nor Christ died to purchase it for
whit infringe the liberty of mans will or take away the contingency of the second causes to which he hath given no answer 3. If he hath forgotten or will take no notice of what was spoken of this subject in the Observations which Mr. Barly prefixed before his Book the same things shall be told him again with some addition That the Will and Decree of God doth not violate the liberty of mans will may appear upon these following grounds Christs death was decreed Argument 1 for he was delivered by the determinate counsel of God Acts 2.23 yet he died most freely for he saith that he laid down his life when no man had power to take it from him John 10.17 18. Besides if Christs death had not been voluntary it had not been meritorious if it had not been an act of most free and perfect obedience it could have merited no reward at the hands of God either for himself or us The firm standing of the good Angels is a free act Argument 2 they are not enforced to it yet this was decreed for they are called Elect Angels 1 Tim. 5.21 The obedience and service which the Saints perform in heaven they perform most freely and willingly without any constraint or necessity hence we are taught to pray that the will of God may be done on earth as it is done in heaven and when the Saints on earth repent believe and obey they do it freely they are not carried to it by any natural or violent necessity yet all these things are decreed for it is said he hath chosen us before the foundation of the world to be holy and without blame before him in love Eph. 1.4 And that God hath from the beginning chosen us to salvation through the sanctification of the Spirit and the belief of the truth 2 Thes 2.13 In all our natural motions and actions Argument 3 in our eating and drinking sitting walking discoursing talking we act freely so also in our civil affairs in our journeying buying selling and all other businesses belonging to our several Callings we act freely without any compulsion or necessity this I suppose Mr. P. will not deny and will he deny that these things are appointed and determined by God What a kinde of Governor of the world will he make him to be when the greatest part of things that are done in the world all the actions of men and angels and all contingent events what ever are excluded from the compass of his Decree How doth this agree with Scripture-Doctrine which teacheth that mans goings are ordered of the Lord Prov. 20.24 That the way of man is not in himself Jer. 10.23 yea that in him we live move and have our being Acts 17. in all our natural motions and actions what we do he doth and what he doth in time he hath determined before all time otherwise he should not work by counsel Gods Decree is actus ad intra an act within himself Argument 4 and of those kinde of actions the rule holds true that they do nihil ponere in objecto Gods Decree alone never works any thing upon the creature till it comes to execution till he puts forth his inward purpose by some outward action Unless therefore it can be shown how God by some outward action upon man doth necessitate mans will his inward purpose and decree alone will never do it And we finde by dayly experience that we sin as freely as we eat or drink or do any other thing in the world Besides Gods inward purpose and decree is altogether unknown to a sinner and ignoti nulla cupido therefore this can never move him to any sinful act The Decree of God is so far from necessitating mans will and infringing the liberty of the second causes Argument 5 as it is the ground and foundation of all freedom and liberty for he doth not onely decernere rem ipsam sed modum rei he doth not onely determine the thing it self that shall be done but the maner how it shall be done for the modi rerum are not really distinguished from the things themselves but so nearly conjoyned as they cannot be severed as therefore some things come to pass necessarily because God hath decreed they shall come to pass necessarily so other things come to pass contingently because he hath decreed they shall come to pass contingently for he hath decreed that all things shall come to pass either necessarily or contingently and the effect of his decree must be as certain in the one as the other Necessity and contingency arise from the intrinsecal nature of the things and not from any thing extrinsecal Argument 6 In things that come to pass necessarily there is such a near and strong connexion betwixt the cause and the effect that if the cause go before the effect must needs follow after as if fire be fire it must needs have the property of burning if a stone be a stone it must needs have the property of descending but in contingent effects though the thing shall certainly come to pass upon supposal of Gods Decree yet there is no such necessary connexion betwixt the cause and effect but in regard of the nature of the things they might have been otherwise then they are It is said The Lord holds the winds in his fist Prov. 30.4 therefore the motion of them is according to his appointment when he caused a strong East winde to blow upon the head of Jonah Jon. 4.8 this was according to his appointment and decree yet this was not out of any natural necessity planted in the winde for that was equally disposed to have blown out of the West or any other quarter if it pleased God so to order it for the winde bloweth where it listeth John 3. Object But if things may come to pass otherwise then they do then Gods Decrees may be frustrated Answ It follows not because as before was shewed he hath decreed that they shall come to pass in the same maner that they do namely that necessary things shall come to pass necessarily and contingent things contingently and his Decree can no more be frustrated in the one then in the other For though it be necessary that what God hath decreed should come to pass yet it is not necessary it should come to pass necessario modo necessariis mediis God had decreed that Christs bones should not be broken therefore it was necessary this should take effect yet the Soldiers were not hindred by any necessity from doing it but did as freely abstain from breaking them as they did freely break the Thieves bones God had decreed the birthright and blessing to Jacob yet this came to pass by as contingent means as might be for there was no necessity that Esau should come hungry from hunting that Jacob should have his pottage in a readiness that he should propound them as a price for the birthright that Esau should accept of the bargain that Isaac should
mistake Jacob for Esau and his savory meat for Esaus Venison there was no necessity in any of these things but all was done most freely yet all was guided by a secret and certain providence so as the event should not fail to come to pass as God had determined Every necessary truth is an eternal truth for it is a true rule Quod necessarium est semper verum est nec falsum esse potest A necessary proposition is that which is alway true and can never be false That Cain should kill his brother was no necessary truth before the thing was done that man should be a reasonable creature was a necessary truth before man was created It was no necessary truth that Adam should eat the forbidden fruit before he had eaten it and though then it was a truth yet no necessary truth for no circumstance can change the nature of things so as to make a necessary truth to become contingent or a contingent truth to become necessary True it is that when a thing is done it cannot be undone for a thing cannot be and not be both at one time but it was not necessary it should be done if it be a thing of a contingent nature What I now speak or write is necessary should be thus spoken or written but before it was not necessary I should speak or write any thing these being acts of liberty and freedom so it is in all actions of like nature in all contingent actions This for the second Objection Object 3. A third thing objected against the Absolute Decree is That it is against Gods Justice for if the Decree of Reprobation go before the foresight of sin then the innocent creature is designed to destruction which cannot agree with the Justice of God Answ For answer of this Two things are needful to be proved 1. That it is no injustice in God to punish the innocent creature 2. That by the Decree of Reprobation no innocent creature is designed to destruction For the first it may be proved these ways Argument 1 Mr. P. asserts Infants to be innocent creatures Cap. 4. Page 25. because they never did hurt any man in thought word or deed and these are subject to death and he cannot deny death to be a punishment for it is the wages of sin Rom. 6.23 And though death differs in degree from damnation yet it is a punishment and God cannot be unjust in any degree It may be Mr. P. may finde out some answer to this therefore we add further Christ Jesus was the most innocent person that ever was in the world Argument 2 one that knew no sin neither was any guile found in his mouth one that fulfilled all righteousness one in whom the Father was well pleased for he had done all his pleasure yet he laid on him the iniquities of us all he was wounded for our iniquities and broken for our transgressions Isa 53. The just suffered for the unjust 1 Pet. 3.18 Yea he suffered such a measure of his Fathers wrath as was answerable to that which all those who are saved by him should have suffered in hell for he being their surety it was necessary that he should fully discharge their debt by making full satisfaction in paying that which they should have paid Mr. P. knows well that many innocent creatures dayly suffer for his sake Argument 3 and are put to divers kindes of deaths some have their throats cut some are strangled some are knockt on the head according to the will and pleasure of those by whom they are killed and these are such as never offended or deserved any ill at his hands and may not God use the same liberty with creatures of his own making as man doth with those creatures which he never made He would think it ridiculous if any should clamor against him for cruelty and injustice when he treads a worm under his foot or crusheth a fly sitting on the wall yet there is not so great a disproportion betwixt him and the smallest worm as there is betwixt him or the greatest King in the world and the great Creator Man compared with God being but as a drop that hangs on a bucket or as the dust that cleaves to the ballance which swayes it neither one way nor another Argument 4 Isa 40.15 May not the Potter do what he will with the vessel which he hath made without any imputation of injustice yea though he breaks it in pieces or puts it to the basest uses the Apostle makes Gods power over his Creature to be full as large as the Potter hath over the Vessel that he hath made and gives this answer to the like Objection Rom. 9.21 God was not bound to preserve man in his being after he was made for he might have annihilated him as he made us of nothing so he might bring us to nothing and some deaths are less then annihilation Neither was he bound to preserve man from a sinful being as he did some of the Angels but he might suffer him to fall as he did some of them and then deal with him accordingly Thus we see it is no injustice in God to inflict sufferings upon innocent creatures 2. That by the Decree of Reprobation innocent creatures are not designed to destruction appears Because Reprobation is that everlasting purpose of God Argument 1 whereby he hath decreed to glorifie his justice in the just condemnation of sinful men here sin goes before condemnation though it goes not before Gods Decree for condemnation is the execution and is in time whereas the Decree is before all time It is a true rule that Deus vult hoc esse propter hoc sed non vult hoc propter hoc the one hath reference to the execution the other to the decree though there be a cause of the being of a thing yet there is none of Gods will It is the Tenet of the Schoolmen Nullamdari posse causam decreti divini ex parte volentis sed tantùm ex parte volitorum There can be no cause given of the Will and Decree of God as it is his act but onely of the things willed by him none of the Decree but onely of the Execution Mr. P. seems sometimes to grant this and if he would stand to it the controversie might soon be at an end for nothing is needful to go before the effect but the cause that which hath efficiency in some kinde or other in producing it and if there can be no kinde of cause going before Gods Decree his Decree may be without it God doth condemn no man in time but for sin Argument 2 therefore he determined to condemn no man but for sin for he doth things in time in that maner and order that he determined to do them before all time He actually condemns no man but for sin actually existing till after men have sinned but sin exists in time therefore if he should determine nothing touching mans everlasting estate
5.45 but his special Grace and Mercy he extends onely to those who are the proper objects of it namely those whom he hath chosen to be vessels of Mercy Why may not God have his Favorites as well as Kings have theirs Hence it is said that he will be gracious to whom he will be gracious Exod. 33.19 which argues that he will not be gracious alike and there are some spoken of in Scripture who were made to be taken and destroyed 2 Pet. 2.12 who before of old were ordained to condemnation Jude 4. therefore all are not alike objects of mercy And herein appears the excellency of free Grace and special Mercy namely in regard of the peculiarity of it it is as rare as precious it were no great priviledge to be Favorite of a Prince if all Subjects were favored alike or none were favored but according to their deserts therefore special Grace is not confusedly scattered amongst all by a general offer take it who will but confined to a few hence Christs people are called a peculiar people Titus 2.14 and his flock is said to be a little flock Luke 12.32 and though the number of Israel be as the sand of the sea yet a remnant onely shall be saved for the Lord will finish his work and cut it short in righteousness Rom. 9.27 28. Object Cap. 3. page 83. But for special Grace Mr. P. tells us It is so called because it serves ad speciales habitus actus to every habit or act or thought of good that is done by man Answ This is such a notion of special Grace as I think but few have been acquainted with but let him tells us whether these special acts and habits be effects of that special Grace which is given to some onely to such whom God loves with a special and peculiar love or imparted to all men indifferently If the former then it is called special in reference to some special persons to whom it is communicated and those special effects which it produceth in these more then in others If the latter which Mr. P. seems to intend what a choice and special Grace hath he found out for us which is bestowed as largely upon Judas as upon Peter upon the damned in hell as those who are saved in heaven When Judas preached and cast out devils he did it by a Grace that served for those special acts and habits whereby he was enabled to do these things When others called Christ Lord Lord yea not onely made an outward profession of him but prophesied and cast out devils in his name they did it by vertue of a Grace that served for these special acts and habits yet Christ will say to them at the great Day I know you not depart from me ye workers of iniquity Matth 7.22 What comfort can a man take in such a special Grace as he may carry with him to hell Doth not Scripture-language found in another kinde of strain then this as when our Savior gives thanks to his Father that he had hid the mysteries of his kingdom from the wise and prudent and revealed them to babes Matth. 11.25 and tells his Disciples that it was given to them to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven and not to others cap. 13.11 and the Apostle Not many Wise not many mighty not many noble whom God hath called 1 Cor. 1.26 and saith of himself that when he was a blasphemer and a persecuter yet he found mercy and the grace of the Lord was exceedingly abundant towards him 1 Tim. 1.13 14. Object 5. A fifth Objection which makes a great noise is That this Doctrine cannot stand with the truth of God for he hath said He hath no pleasure in the death of wicked men and confirms this with an oath Ezek. 33.11 and saith expresly That he would not that any should perish 2 Pet. 3.9 Answ 1. For that place of Ezekiel the answer is by distinguishing of that which is called in Scripture by the name of the will of God It signifies either his secret will or his revealed will the will of his purpose or the will of his precept and command this place is not to be understood of the will of his purpose which onely is properly his will but of the will of his precept or command whereby he enjoyns men to do those things that tend to life and to decline all those things that tend to death and therefore may be said not to will their death especially all his outward dispensations towards men tending to the same end with his command namely to procure life not death Object Against this Mr. P. replies That the revealed will of God or the will of his command is propriè voluntas properly the will of God for the whole word of God revealed in Scripture is properly his will Answ For answer of this two things are needful to be proved First That the revealed will of God or his command is not properly his will Secondly That all those whom God wills to be saved voluntate propriè dicta◠with the will of his purpose with his internal will are or shall be certainly saved 1. For the first when two things are attributed to God that are contrary one to the other both of them cannot possibly be taken properly as when it is said that it repented the Lord that he made Saul king 1 Sam. 15.11 and that the Strength of Israel cannot lie nor repent verse 29. Both these cannot be taken properly for then there would be a contradiction that onely therefore is to be taken properly which agrees to the nature of God he is unchangeable and therefore cannot repent the other is to be taken figuratively he is said to repent because he doth the same thing that a repenting man he changeth his action as a repenting man doth he never changeth his minde So when it is said that God wills not the death of a sinner and that he hardens whom he will and makes some vessels to dishonor Rom. 9.18.21 Both these cannot be taken properly therefore that must be taken properly which agrees with the nature of God and the other to be taken figuratively now it properly agrees to the nature of God that his will should be accomplished because he is Omnipotent therefore when he is said not to will the death of a sinner and yet many sinners die everlastingly this cannot be understood of his will properly taken namely the will of his Purpose and Decree but of the will of his precept and command and of his outward dispensations towards men all which in themselves tend to the preserving from death 2. The same name cannot be properly given to two things whose nature doth really differ as for instance when Christ saith Let the dead bury the dead this cannot be properly taken in both places because in the first it is spoken of those who are spiritually dead in the other of those who are naturally dead Now that the
in those that are saved but in those that are lost 2 Cor. 2.21 Mr. P. boldly asserts That there is an intention in God to save all men without exception if by the wickedness of their wills they did not frustrate his intention But doth not this exceedingly derogate from Gods omnipotency and infinite wisdom Cap. 3. Pag. 81. From his Omnipotency in that he seriously desires that which he is not able to effect from his Wisdom in that he seriously intends that which he knows shall never be effected AN EXAMINATION AND CONFUTATION Of the Doctrine of Conditional and Vniversal Redemption NOt onely the old Arminians but some who seem to disclaim their Doctrine yet hold That Christ hath died for all mankinde and by his death hath made satisfaction for all and purchased pardon and salvation for every particular man and woman in the vvorld upon condition they vvill believe That this Doctrine is not agreeable to Scripture may thus be proved IT hath been already proved Argument 1 That there is no Conditional Election of all Novv if there be no Conditional Election of all there is no Conditional Redemption of all for both these are commensurate and of equal extent one vvith another having one and the same adequate object Christ hath redeemed none but those vvhom the Father hath Elected Redemption being the proper effect and fruit of Election and the effect cannot exceed the vertue of the cause If therefore the Father hath not elected all upon any condition neither hath the Son redeemed all upon any condition vvhatever That Redemption is the effect of Election may thus be proved 1. Our Savior saith That the Father had given him power over all flesh to give eternal life to those whom he had given him Joh. 17.2 this giving must be understood either of giving by election or effectual calling but it cannot be understood of calling because that follows election as a fruit of it Those whom he predestinated those he hth called Rom. 8.30 And our Savior saith afterwards that he had declared his Name to those whom the Father had given him verse 6. and hereby called them As this must be understood as of the elect so of them onely otherwise our Savior would have said Thou hast given me power over all flesh to give eternal life to all flesh but he saith not so but to give eternal life to those whom thou hast given me 2. It is said that we are elected in Christ Ephes 1.4 In Christ not the cause of our Election but of our Redemption this being in effect the same with that 2 Thes 3.9 We are appointed to obtain salvation by Jesus Christ So that not onely our salvation but Christ also the Author of it are made subordinate to our election and as our salvation so also the giving of Christ and all those benefits which he hath purchased are made the effects of our election and therefore can reach no further nor be extended to no more persons then to the objects of Gods electing love 3. It is said that by Christ we have Redemption through his blood according to his rich grace Ephes 1.7 which rich grace is the same which before he called the good pleasure of his will He hath predestinated us to be adopted through Jesus Christ according to the good pleasure of his will verse 5. Election therefore is the first fountain whence all the benefits belonging to our salvation do flow and both Adoption Redemption and all the rest are included in that 4. Our Savior saith That God so loved the world that he gave his Son John 3. Here Gods love is made the cause of his giving his Son and that this must be understood of his electing love appears 1. Because it is more then a common love it is a special peculiar love for it is said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he so loved and this particle denotes a peculiar special love as when it is said if God hath so loved us 1 John 4.11 if he hath so loved us more then others we ought to love one another And when he tells the Israelites that he had given them his Statutes and Ordinances and had not dealt so with any Nation Psal 147. last here is something held forth peculiar to them above other Nations 2. It is such a love as tends to eternal life therefore electing love 3. Such a love as caused Christ to lay down his life and this is the greatest love John 15.13 therefore elelecting love Object But the world is here made the object of this love therefore it cannot be understood of electing love Answ This place is indeed usually made to be one of the strong holds for the Arminian Doctrine but being rightly examined it shall I hope appear to be otherwise 1. If the world be taken in a general sense we shall make every particular man and woman living in the world to be objects of Gods special love which crosseth that which the Apostle saith of Esau that he was an object of hatred and denies that there are any vessels of wrath in Gods everlasting purpose 2. There is no necessity at all why this word should be taken in a general sense including all the men and women in the world For 1. The world most properly signifies the whole work of Creation the frame of heaven and earth as when it is said that God made the world 2. All mankinde living in the world so it is said God will judge the world yea thus it includes not onely men but spirits 3. It signifies not onely the whole but a part of mankinde and because the worst part is the greatest part it is frequently taken for the worst part thus Christ tells his Disciples that the world would hate them because he had chosen them out of the world John 15.19 And if the worst part be often called the world why may not the better part be sometime so called We usually call that a heap of Wheat wherein there is more chaff then Wheat Doth not our Savior speak of a world to which he gives life John 6.33 Doth not the Apostle speak of a reconciled world Rom. 11.15 of a world that shall not have their sins imputed to them 2 Cor. 5.19 If Satan be called the Prince of this world may there not be a world whereof Christ is Prince Why may there not be a world of godly as well as a world of ungodly 2 Pet. 2.5 as there is a whole world that lies in the state of wickedness 1 John 5.19 Why may not there be a whole world that is brought into the state of righteousness Why may not the better part though the lesser be called the world as well as they are called all flesh Joel 2.28 Luke 3.6 All nations Psal 72.11 All the earth Tract 87. in Johan Zech. 14.9 Mundus Ecclesia est totus mundus perditionis odit mundum redemptionis saith Aâ—stin The world is the Church and the whole perishing
world hates the redeemed world There may therefore be a redeemed world as well as a perishing world a believing world as well as an unbelieving Object But World is here distributed into believers and unbelievers and if it signifies the elect and the elect believers onely have everlasting life what shall become of the other Answ The words do not enforce any distribution for our Savior speaks indefinitely 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 every believer every elect one when he comes to be a believer 2. If a distribution be granted there is no such absurdity in it as J. G. would make it For are there not two sorts of elect in the world some uncalled others called Those that are uncalled do yet remain in the state of unbelief those who are called have faith wrought in them whereby they are fitted for everlasting life those who are uncalled our Savior calls by the name of the world because they are like the rest of the world as yet remaining in the state of unbelief yet then are they the objects of Gods love and sheep of Christ John 10.16 the other he calls believers in the first he shews what condition men are in when God is pleased first to manifest his love to them in the other he shews what condition they shall be in when they come to partake of everlasting life they shall be believers they shall be called and so have effectual faith wrought in them Thus we see how this Scripture may be vindicated from Arminian quirks and cavils There are many to whom Christ will profess at the last day that he never knew them Mat. 7.23 Argument 2 If he never knew them he never died for them for this knowledge cannot be understood of a knowledge of apprehension because so he knew all men in the world but of a knowledge of approbation and affection a knowledge of love and liking such a knowledge as the Psalmist speaks of when he saith The Lord knoweth the way of the righteous Psal 1.6 Now if he never loved them he never died for them For Christs love is the ground of giving himself for any he hath loved his Church and given himself for it Ephes 5.25 Yea the laying down of his life is the act of the greatest love John 15.13 Yea thoughs they had prophecyed and cast out devils and done many other good works yet he tells them that he never owned them for his If Christ died to purchase salvation for all Argument 3 upon condition that they would believe then he came to purchase salvation for many who were already damned when he died to purchase salvation for them But is there any possibility for those who are actually damned to believe and be saved and is it not ridiculous to say that Christ died to purchase heaven for them who were already in hell upon condition that they would believe Object Why might not Christ purchase salvation for those who were actually damned upon condition they would have believed as well as purchase salvation for some who were actually saved Answ The case is altogether unlike for the salvation of those who were actually saved was decreed of God and that from all eternity for he decreed that all his elect should be saved and that his Son by his death should purchase salvation for them and that his death and suffering should be effectual to that end even for those of them who should die before Christ himself actually dyed he being in Gods decree the Lamb slain from the beginning of the world whereas it was quite contrary with those who were damned for according to their own doctrine these were absolutely decreed to be damned before they were actually damned and this decree was grounded upon the foresight of their final infidelity and impenitency So that it was very congruous that Christ should die to purchase salvation for all those whom God had decreed should be saved whether they died before or after Christs coming but altogether absurd that he should do this for those who were actually damned and this by an absolute decree for the conditional decree as they teach is always expired before execution of the abfolute decree If Christ died to purchase faith Argument 4 and all other things needful for the salvation of those for whom he died then he did not die to purchase salvation for them upon condition that they would believe and do other things to 〈◊〉 themselves for it for as he absolutely determined to give himself to death so also he absolutely determined to purchase salvation it self and all things belonging to it for those for whom he died That Christ hath purchased both faith and all other things needful for salvation is clear from Scripture The Apostle saith that God the Father hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in and through Christ Ephes 1.3 That for Christ it is given to us to believe Phil. 1.29 and it is said that he was raised up to give not onely remission of sin but repentance to his people Acts 5.31 and that the Father who hath not spared to give his Son to death together with him will give all things also Rom. 8.32 That Christ by his Divine power hath given us all things which belong to life and godliness 2 Pet. 1.3 Object Though Christ hath purchased Faith and other graces for us yet he hath not done this absolutely but upon condition we will do that which we ought to do in receiving what he shall give Answ There can be no condition devised or thought upon on which Christ hath purchased or God will give faith to those that want it but it will be the same cum re conditionata with the thing conditioned for the same in effect with believing when they say that God will give a man faith upon condition that he will not resist his call to believe that he will not disdain to do what he commands that he will bend his minde and will to believe What are all these in effect but to believe For where there is a yielding to his call a right regard of his command a bending of the minde and will to do what he would have us there are some degrees of faith there is some measure of believing So that it is as much a◠if they should say God will give them faith upon condition that they have it already or if men do believe God will give them the grace whereby they may believe And is not this ridiculous 2. How can it stand with the wisdom of Christ to purchase faith or salvation for men upon condition that they will do that vvhich he knovvs is as impossible for them to do as it is for a Blackmore to change his skin or a Leopard his spots All these are vital actions and therefore not possible to be performed by one that lies dead in sins and trespasses all these are degrees of coming to Christ and himself saith that no man not onely doth but can
is the Savior of all men there is no necessity that word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Savior should be understood of eternal salvation but rather of temporal preservation and the foregoing words shew that it should be so which speak not of Christ as Mediatâ—r but of God in general therefore we labor and suffer reproach because we trust in the living God who is the Savior or Preserver of all especially of those that believe 1 Tim. 4.10 and this well agrees with that the Lord preserveth both man and beast Psal 36.6 2. When it is said that Christ gave himself a ransom for all the former words shew of whom this is to be understood namely of all sorts of all ranks degrees and orders of men high and low rich and poor 1 Tim. 2.6 compared with verse 2. Kings and princes were then the greatest persecutors and therefore Christians might doubt whether they should be prayed for or not this gave occasion to the Apostle to bid them to pray for kings and princes and all that are in Authority because c. 3. When it is said that Christ tasted death for every man the following words shew of whom this every man is to be understood namely of every one of the sons of God Heb. 2.9 compared with verse 10. 4. When it is said that he is the propitiation for the sins of the whole world it hath been shewed before of what world this is meant namely the world both of Jews and Gentiles the whole saved world that consisted of both these In what sense all men are commanded to believe shall be shewed by and by 5. When it is said that God would have none to perish 2 Pet. 3.9 the former words shew hovv it is to be understood vvhere the Apostle saith that the Lord is long-suffering towards us speaking of himself and those elect ones to vvhom he vvrites that had obtained like precious faith vvith himself cap. 1. verse 1. vvhom he opposeth to those scoffers mentioned verse 3. and says that though there shall be a day of destruction of ungodly men ver 7. yet the Lord is long-suffering toward us for it is so long before some of Gods ovvn elect come to repentance that they have need he should exercise much patience and long-suffering over them and of these he speaks vvhen he vvould have them account the long-suffering of the Lord to be salvation verse 15. a means to bring them to salvation Here now if we were furnished with Mr. P. his faculty in rhetoricating we might retort his reason upon himself and by the same maner of Argumentation we might tell him that if every particular man and woman in the world be not saved if every man and woman in Judea and the coasts round about were not baptized of John Baptist if every man in the world be not drawn to Christ if every man in the world hath not praise from God if every man in the world be not deceived by the devil if every man in the world lyes not in wickedness Cap. 3. Pag. 86. 87 88. then we shall make the plainest Scriptures most obscure and teach that God doth not speak in his word as he means and so teach the people to misbelieve him because these things are set forth by all expressions of universality as all men every man world yea whole world and the like so that we see this swelling Argument is but a bladder full of winde which being a little pricked it presently puffs out and vanisheth to nothing Object 2. All men are commanded to believe in Christ but they are not commanded to believe a lye therefore it is true that Christ died for all Answ 1. All men are not commanded to believe but those onely to whom the Gospel is preached which is the least part of the world 2. The work of believing is opus complexum such a work as to the right performance whereof many acts are required as 1 to believe that we are lost sinners and must perish for ever without we have a Savior 2. That there is no savlation to be had but onely in Jesus Christ the Son of God that became man 3. That it is our duty to deny our selves and to rest on Jesus Christ as our onely Savior and resign up our selves to him as our onely Lord. 4. To believe that he died for our sins and shall be our Savior Now though the Gospel requires the doing of all these things it requires they should be done certo ordine in a certain order It doth not require we should do the last without the first yea if we do the last before we have done all the former our believing would be a false believing for if we will truly believe in Christ we must so believe in him as the Gospel holds him forth to us otherwise we have no sure ground for our faith the Gospel no where bids us believe that Christ died for all men But Christ is held forth in the Gospel onely to repenting sinners to lâ—st sinners to sick sinners to humbled sinners when Christ calls those onely to come to him who labor and are heavy laden who are wearied with the burthen of their sins and are willing to take his yoke on them and to them onely he promiseth rest if an hard-hearted rebellious sinner such an one as is resolved to walk after his lusts and go on in his wicked ways should strongly perswade himself that Christ died for him his strong perswasion were no better then a strong presumption the Gospel yielding no ground at all for such perswasion but rather the contrary telling us that Christ is the Anthor of eternal Salvation onely to those that obey him Heb. 5.9 and that he will render vengeance to all those that obey not the Gospel 2 Thess 1.8 Hence John the Baptist Christs Fore-runner and Christ himself when they began to preach call upon men to repent for the kingdom of heaven is at hand Mat. 3.2.4.17 to repent and believe the Gospel Mark 1.16 so that some acts of repentance are to go before believing that Christ died for us which is the last and highest act of faith Besides our Savior tells us that this is the condemnation of the world that men hate the light that is come into the world because their deeds are evil John 3.19 there is no unrepenting sinner but in some degree hates the light so far as he loves his evil deeds so far he hates the light which is contrary to them and this is the ground of his condemnation Object 3. But Mr. P. objects with much confidence that of the Apostle Cap. 4. page 28. 2 Cor. 5.14 15. where as he saith the Apostle thus argues If one died for all then were all dead but one died for all therefore all were dead Here the Apostle doth not onely plainly assert that Christ died for all but brings this as a medium to prove that all were dead Answ 1. The scope of