against those that love them would if they had power bite yea devour such as they hate and count enemies for telling them the truth And if Mr. Trough did not hate us he would never cry out so to the Magistrates and bring railing accusations against us and shun conference with us but would endeavour to debate soberly the points in difference render a reason of his hope and hear ours But I leave this to the Lord and the impartial readers consideration because I hasten to the work only I shall add a saying of Solomons He that is first in his own cause seemeth just but his neighbour cometh and searcheth him Prov. 18. 17. Pag. 41. through a mistake called pag. 40. lin 7. for Justification read Sanctification The literal or figural faults I desire the Readers to pass by or correct with their pens SCRIPTURE-REDEMPTION freed from Restraint I Have heard and read some Conferences and Controversies concerning the death of Christ and the effects of it but remaining dis-satisfied in part with what men have said and written on both sides I have put forth this to publike view that so they who have any thing to say for or against what I have held forth may publish also their approbation or dislike in order to the investigation of the clear and soul-establishing truth in this point For my part I am satisfied that we shall be judged at the last day by the Word that Christ hath spoken which some call the Letter of the Scriptures and which I say are able to make us wise to salvation 2 Tim. 3. 15. and not according to the Comments and Glosses which men have put upon them I know also that Christ died for our sins according to be Scriptures 1 Cor. 15. 3. and therefore by the conduct of that Spirit which gave them to us shall begin to prove by these That Christ died or tasted death for all and every man and after give my Reasons why I so judge Yet before I come to lay down these I shall shew you how I hold this point and what Christ dying hath done for every man The first Scripture which I shall present to your consideration is Isai 53. 6. All we like sheep have gone astray we have turned every one to his own way and the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all Now indeed if there be any that have not gone astray or any that have not turned to their own way then Christ bare not their iniquity But if the contrary be true and all men yea all mankinde have gone out of the way it will undoubtedly follow that the burden of their iniquity was laid on Jesus Christ A second text of Scripture is Joh. 1. 29. Behold the Lamb of God which taketh or beareth away the sin of the world By iniquity of us all and sin of the world in these two texts mentioned I understand the sins against the first Testament sins of ignorance sins committed before conversion or before we knew good or evil the one or first offence of Adam which some call Original Sin as I shall in this ensuing Discourse by the Lords assistance endeavour to make plain to each impartial and humble soul Another text for the proof of this is Joh. 3. 16. God so loved the world that he gave his onely begotten Son that whosoever believeth on him should not perish but have eternal life Compare this with Acts 10. 34. A fourth plain and positive proof of this truth is Joh. 6. 51. latter part And the bread that I will give is my flesh which I will give for the life of the world Sutable to this is that 1 Joh. 4. 9. The next place of Scripture to be considered is 2 Cor. 5. 14. 15. The love of Christ constraineth us because we thus judge that if one died for all then were all dead and that he died for all that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves but to him that died for them and rose again Where it is evident that the great love of Jesus Christ constrained the Apostle to judge two things viz. that All were dead and that he died for all The Apostle Paul 1 Tim. 2. 5. 6. says thus There is one God and one Mediator between God and man the man Christ Jesus who gave himself a ransome for all to be testified in due time The seventh place of Scripture plainly proving the truth of this glad tidings is Tit. 2. 11. For the grace of God that bringeth salvation to all men hath appeared A clear proof of this we have also Heb. 2. 9. later part That he by the grace of God should taste death for every man or every one In the ninth place you have an evident testimony to this truth 1 Joh. 2. 2. Who is the propitiation for our sins and not for ours onely but for the sins of the whole world The tenth and last positive proof of this great love of God in Christ lies in two texts viz. Joh. 10. 15. I lay down my life for the sheep and 2. Pet. 2. 1. But there were false prophets among the people as there shall be false teachers among you who shall privily bring in damnable heresies even denying the Lord that bought them and bring upon themselves swift destruction And thus in stead of fallible Arguments which men make by mis-understanding the Scriptures I have produced ten positive Proofs which we finde written in the Word of Truth in express terms declaring that Christ died laid down his life tasted death for and bought all and every man the world the whole world the sheep and those that deny him and shall be destroyed And whether you that read these things will believe Mr. Troughton's ten Arguments or the express Word of the eternal God chuse ye But perchance some may say Though these Scriptures say that Christ died for all c. yet they mean otherwise I answer first by a Querie Whether we shall be judged by the Word as it speaks or as men say it means Secondly if the Word in this means otherwise then it speaks we make God like the worst of men which God forbid and withal men are to blame for reading it to us otherwise then it means Object But all and every man do not always signifie every individual Answ Although the words all and every man do not everywhere intend every individual yet in many places it doth and that it so signifies when the death of Christ is treated of I shall hereafter by the assistance of Jehovah prove by undeniable Reasons Secondly although all and every and the word world are sometimes taken for a part of the whole yet the whole world is never taken but for all sinners as 1 Joh. 2. 2. and 1 Joh. 5. 19. But how comes it to pass may some say if this be so clear a truth that so many godly learned men are of another opinion and maintain that Christ did not die for all
return When a Judge shall condemn a man to be burnt in the hand for some offence if the standers by shall go away and report that he condemned him to be burnt at a stake to ashes it would be both bold and ridiculous yea perhaps punishable and if so to mis-report the judgement of a man that must die how much more to mis-interpret or mis-represent the Sentence of a righteous and immortal God Thirdly we read Rom. 14. 12. Every man shall give an account of himself to God and 2 Cor. 5. 10. All must appear before the judgement-seat of Christ and receive according to the things done in their own body according to what they have done whether good or bad Read and consider Joh. 5. 29. 1 Pet. 1. 17. Rev. 20. 12 13. Fourthly the Lord hath sworn that the childe shall not die for the iniquity of the father Jer. 31. 29. 30. Ezek. 18. 4. In the resurrection we all believe that infants even dying a day old shall have their part who cannot be said by any sober spirit to have any sin to answer for but what was through Adam imputed to them and if they shall then die the second time or second death for that sin then the Lords oath is in vain which God forbid I had rather believe the Lords oath then mans vain words yea let God be true and every man a lyer who by their ignorance hold forth as if God doth condemn infants twice for Adam's sin first to the grave then to the second death Fifthly from the second death there is no redemption or deliverance see Luke 16. 26. Between us and you there is a great gulf fixed so that they who would pass from hence to you cannot neither can they pass to us that would come from thence which quite crosseth that fond opinion of some who think that at the day of judgement men shall come out of the place of torments to stand in the presence of God to receive their doom I know that hell i. e. the grave shall then give up her dead and the dead shall rise and stand before the throne but it 's not said they shall come out of the second death to be judged Sixthly if Adam and all his posterity were for the first offence by some called Original sin condemned to the second death then to redeem him from it Christ must die the second death or by his death prevent something that Adam brought upon himself and his posterity The one he could not the other he did not and I challenge the whole world to prove either of them by Scripture though I know there be that boldly affirm such things viz. That Christ to save the world endured the torments which the damned shall for ever endure in hell Lastly the Scripture doth nowhere make mention of any other death for eating of the prohibited tree but the first death and therefore the second death comes not for that transgression That which is written is for our learning but men not content with this have sought out many Arguments to prove their judgements and so have clouded up the truth from themselves and others and have affirmed that Adam was a spiritual man his paradise spiritual his state spiritual and a state of salvation the tree spiritual and many such unwritten things contrary to the Scriptures which affirm that the first man was natural or earthly 1 Cor. 15. 46 47. and that there is no salvation in any other but Christ Acts 4. 14. who was not promised when Adam fell with many other places directly opposing their fancies However some that would fain be wise above what is written have raised so much dust and darkness that they cannot see how it 's possible that Christ should die for all men seeing all receive not spiritual life and eternal salvation by his death which they think Adam lost And indeed I see not how they can until they see what Adam was a natural man and what he lost a precious pleasant garden and whither he was condemned viz. to the dust And if they would but open their eyes to see these things they might easily discern the truth of the other although spiritual life and eternal glory be not enjoyed by all Adam's posterity And for the further clearing up of this I proceed by the help of God to shew you as before resolved what the Word of Truth holds forth concerning Election Creation c. under a twofold consideration Universal and Special Cast not away these things because strange but prove them whether they be true I begin first with Election which is God's loving regarding or setting his heart upon lost mankinde and ordaining or appointing them to serve him and such as serve him to be saved and is General or Particular General thus When Angels and Men were fallen from their first estate he chose neither the disobedient Angels in whom folly was found nor any other creature but he set his heart upon man Job 7. 17. and Psal 144. 3. What is man that thou takest knowledge of him or the son of man that thou makest account of him Now what account did he make of man Why thus he so regarded that poor lost creature that he chose or appointed him to live in this world to stand in his sight and serve him but withal mark this that the affection he bare to him and the account he made of him was by and through Christ the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world in or by whom he chose man to be holy and without blame before him in love If any shall say that that 's spoken of the Apostle Paul and the Saints at Ephesus I grant it but withal I would willingly know whether he hath chosen appointed or ordained any man to be unholy and blameable c. or whether there be a middle choice or appointment of God If there be shew it Sure I think there is no man that hath not parted with his Reason that will so far dishonour him that gave it to him as to say that God hath fore-ordained chosen or appointed any to be unholy or unclean as they were men and women onely when they reject his counsel he gives them up to their own hearts lusts and leaves them many times to themselves having waited long to be gracious yea upon some a very long time But some have I heard affirm most confidently that God did appoint men to be disobedient that as he appointed some to the means of salvation so he appointed others to the means of damnation which is sin and that all the unbelief and disobedience of men is committed by the decree and appointment of God as well as foreknown to him To whom I answer Surely these are some of those hard speeches and ungodly words spoken of Jude vers 15. which God will one day come to convince men of and punish for if they repent not For first I querie Whether unbelief and disobedience
towards man appeared and thoughts of peace he harbours even towards them that are in rebellion against him yea how he was Reconciled to them who yet are enemies they even they would harbour sweet thoughts of God no longer look upon him as an enemy But throwing away the weapons of wickedness their sins would consider him as the chief of friends and so be reconcil'd to him as the Apostle speaks 2 Cor. 5. 20. and of which the prophet Isaiah speaks Chapter 27. 5. This reconciliation also is special and proper to believers Thus have I as briefly as I could and more briefly then the matter indeed will well allow spoken of redemption and reconciliation how general and how special I come in the next place by Jehovahs help to treat of Justification which is also universal and special The one is by the effusion or pouring out of the blood of Christ the other by the application of it of the one mention is made Rom. 5. 9. Being now justified by his blood c. and thus God is said to Justifie the ungodly Rom. 4. 5. but that this may be the better understood we must consider that there is a twofold sin or offence That which some call original which the Scriptures call one offence or offence of one even Adam and theâ—e innumerable transgressions which every man and woman commit From the former only I finde that all are justified by the pouring out of the blood of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world from the latter none is or shall be but through the applying of that blood by believing The former of these is absolutely free sutable to this is Rom. 3. 24. without any condtion and is universal as you may see Rom. 5. 18. The latter is also free on Gods part but upon condition of believing on ours as you may find Act. 13. 39. For the further clearing of this thing I desire the reader with me to reveiw that lately-recited text Rom. 5. 18. and I shall lay it down according to the Original Therefore as by one offence or sin condemnation came upon all men even so by one justification to life came upon all men But having handled this point partly before upon another occasion I shall only reminde the reader that these texâ—s hold forth this cleerly to us that as sin came upon or was imputed to all men by Adam so righteousness came upon or was imputed to all men by Christ and as for that sin all men were condemned to dye so from that death all shall through Christ be made alive and this is agreeable to the Scriptures 1 Cor. 15. 22. and all divine justice and reason for had not Christ justified mankind from that offence Adam and all his posterity had been banished from God for ever as you may plainly perceive by that which is written 2 Sam. 14. 14. I would gladly know whether any man hath life here or can rise from the grave but by Christ by whom are all things or whether we could by any means enjoy these if we were not justified from that which deprived us of it and so quitted from that prison the grave which without a Christ dying and rising again would have kept Adam and in him all his posterity under its power but the day shall come when all that sleep in the dust shall rise and shall give an account before the Lord not of Adams sin but of the things done in their own bodies so that it seems that when every creature shall stand before the Judge of the world they shall not be look'd upon as unrighteous persons because Adam did offend If any affirme they shall let them prove it by the Scriptures and I shall willingly assent to them In the mean space I propound this to my self and others that either men shall at the day of judgement be damned for Adams sin or they shall not if they shall then God hath somwhere revealed it in his word for he will do nothing but he revealeth his secrets to his servants the Prophets if they shall not then they shall be considered righteous and justified from it which is cleerly sutable to Rom. 5. 19. As by one mans disobedience many were made sinners so by the Obedience of one shall many be made righteous And this is that which I understand by the justification of all men even Gods acquitting of them from Adams sin and the suffering which came by it at the day of judgement then which nothing is more cleer to me and thousands more in all the holy Scriptures and agreeable to all the revealed will of God in this case declaring that every soul shall bear his own burden and dye for his own offence But now a word or two of special justification and so I shall conclude this point That which I call special Justification or the Justification of some particular persons is when God is pleased to look upon his poor creatures which through believing in Jesus Christ turn from sin to serve him as righteous in his Son which I desire further to explaine thus God having in the purpose of his own will freely justified mankind from that sin of Adam and granted them to live in this world they all commit many grievous offences against that loving God that gave them life breath and all things by lying swearing drunkenness theft murder adultery fornication pride ambition coveteousness idleness cozening envy by evil thoughts and evil words from which the law of Moses is too weak to justifie them for let poor creatures annoyed imcumbred and compass'd about with these sins read the Law of Moses or offer up sacrifices according to that Law yet that will not drive sin out of the soul but tâ—â— blood of Christ applyed by faith the blood of Christ sprinkled upon the conscience will purge out sin When a poor soul doth know and believe that Jesus Christ shed his blood for him or her they begin to hate iniquity and abhor every sin and at length through faith i. e. the constant application of the blood of Christ to their hearts they who formerly were servants of sin and free from righteousness become quit justified freed from sin and servants of righteousness for with the heart man believes unto righteousness Rom. 10. 10. so that by believing they become justified righteous and cleered from those sins from which they could not be justified by the Law of Moses as that before I hinted from the mouth of the Apostle Paul Acts 13. 39. So that which I find in the Scripture concerning this is that though God hath freely through the pouring out of the Lambes blood taken away the sin of the world I understand Adams sin yet none ever did or can get free or justified from the sins which they themselves have committed in their own bodies but through believing or laying to heart the goodness kindness grace mercy or love of God which towards man appeared in Christ Jesus before the
will see that he prefers mercy before Sacrifice the Gospell before the Law faith before works the believers or children of the promise before the natural seed that he regardeth not but hateth such as seek for righteousnesse by the Law as the Jews did and loveth or chooseth such as seek for the righteousness of the Gospell of Jesus Christ as the Gentiles did Isa 1. 14. saith the Lord thus your new Moons and your appointed Feasts my soul hateth yet once these were appointed by God all things that were written of old concerning Ismael Isaac Esau Jacob Pharoah c. were directly as they are written but the Apostle we see draws out the Allegory and shews what they did typifie to us as you may see if you diligently search this nineth to the Romanes and resoâ—ve and roll up all that is here written as the Apostle doth in the 30. and 31. verses but the time will not give me leave to treat largely of these things in this place if God give oportunity I shall declare more of this matter in my Generation as the great God shall give opportunity and utterance either by preaching conference or writing in the mean space every sober man will see that it is not proper to draw positive conclusions from allegoricall expressions and so these words I have hated Esau i.e. refus'd righteousness by the Law or Covenant of works doth not at all prove that Christ did not die for all and withall I desire the Reader to consider that M. Tro. hath not yet produced one Scripture that says he died only for a small number but some few consequences which are too weak ever to overthrow the faith of Gods Elect. But saith M. Trough Christ did not die for all because he did not satisfie his Fathers wrath and justice for the sins of every man and woman in the world for the reprobates go down to hell but he made a plenary satisfaction for the sins of those for whom he died and the Holy God saith he cannot nor will not exact double payment for the same debt or punish twice for the same sin Answer first That which he speaks last is true and it is from this that I conclude that Infants shall not be cast into the lake of fire and brimstone which is the second death for if they should then they must be punisht twice for one fault viz. Adams offence as some call it originall sin and that Rebrobates that is wicked men shall be cast into hell is as true Psa 9. 17. but what he means by plenary satisfaction to the Fathers justice given for some I know nor in that I find no such terms in the holy Scriptures if there be why did not M. Tro. produce them did he think that his bare word is a sufficient warrant for us to believe by surely it is not and the word of truth testifies that false teachers who bring in damnable heresies deny Christ and bring upon themselves destruction were bought by the Lord whom they deny and that others trample under foot the bloud of the Covenant wherewith they were sanctified Heb. 10. 29. Answer secondly if M. Tro. means that Christ did so satisfie for the sins of some that none of the punishment due for that sin shall come upon them but that it is wholly by the powring or offering of the bloud of Christ prevented I shall desire him to prove it in the mean space I shall desire the impartiâ—ll Reader to remember first that the Elect the choicest 〈◊〉 must diâ— I mean go to the dust the wise man as well as the fool by reason of Adams transgression so that the punishment which came through that fault is not plenarily satisfied for if it had been so indeed God requires double payment which he will never by M. Tro. own confession do for if by the death of the Lamb this debt had been fully paid the Elect should never have gone to the grave and thus you see how M. Tro. is contrary to himself his light is darknesse and he wearieth himself to bring others to the same condition with himself Secondly consider that amongst all the sons of Adam none shall receive remission of their sins I mean which themselves have acted but believers Mark 16. 16. Act. 10. 43. so that he did not so satisfie as to take away mens actuall sins whether they believe or no. Thirdly consider that if any draw back from the Lord he will take no pleaâ—ure in them Heb. 10. 38. and the best of Saints if they sin must confesse and forsake their sins if they will find mercy and pardon Prov. 28. 13. Joh. 1. 9. but I pray read the whole verse for M. Tro. leaves out in his book the former viz. if we confess our sins as Apocriphal pag. 21. and so deals with us as the Devil did with Christ Luk. 4. 10. 11. conceal that which would make against him Lastly consider and call to mind what I have in this preceding discourse manifested that Christ hath so died that all do live by him and injoy light by him Jo. 1. 9. Jo. 6. 33. and that whosoever believeth on him should not perish Jo. 3. 15. 16. and that all men through him might believe Jo. 1. 7. and that as sin hath raigned unto death even so might grace raign through righteousnesse unto eternall life by Jesus Christ our Lord Christ hath so died that all shall â—ise again by him Jo. 5. 28 29. I beseech you read and consider that the just and unjust shall all be called out of the grave by the Lord Jesus he died and rose and revived that he might be Lord of quick and dead Rom. 14. 9. that they which live should live to him 2 Cor. 5. 15. But we never read that Christ died to satisfie for sin whilest men continue in them without repentance but to manifest his love to all mankind thereby to perswade them to leave sin and love him who loved them first he was set forth to be a propâ—tiation through faith in his bloud Rom. 3. 2â— 26. and that the world through him might be saved Io. 3. 17. not by the works of the Law but the words of Jesus Christ God never appointed that righteousness and salvation should be by the Law for then Christ had died in vain Thus you see what the form of sound words speak concerning the death of Christ who took or bare away the sin of the world viz. the sin of Adam in whom the whole world of men were involv'd that so lost mankind through him might have liberty to serve the living God and through believing on the light be delivered from their actuall sins committed before conversion and by confessing and craving pardon might be cleansed from their infirmities after their coming into Christ by the intercession mediation and eternall Priesthood of him whose bloud speaketh better things then that of Abel But he laid down his life or the sheep Jo. 10.
Answ Letting alone their godliness and learning I answer That they who hold the truth in righteousness are and ever were the smaller number Secondly some have taken up their judgements on trust without searching the Scriptures others have searched them partially to maintain an opinion before taken up from others And some few searching seriously and sincerely have been mistaken in that they have not rightly divided the word of truth neither distinguished betwixt the first and second man the first and second Testament the offence of Adam and our actual sins the first and second death but affirm that by Adam's one offence the second death came on him and all mankinde they divide not betwixt life and life justification and justification sanctification and sanctification nor have they opened the nature of Election Redemption Reconciliation and Salvation according to the Scriptures I shall therefore by the help of God endeavour as briefly as possibly I can to discover what death came through Adam's offence and to handle these Scripture-terms Election Redemption c. so as that men may come clearly to see the foundation of that darkness ignorance and errour that hath been amongst the sons of men about the death of Christ for most men following the steps of their fellow-creatures have jogged on in the common road of Tradition not weighing well what the Word of Truth speaks concerning these most weighty matters And that I may the more profitably clear up these things and make the way to them the more plain I shall desire the Reader to consider what by all is acknowledged who truely confess the Deity That there is a twofold manifestation of the love of God to and amongst men the one universal and the other particular or special answerable to his general and special presence and providence the former is called the good will of God Sutable to this is that Luk. 2. 14. Good will towards men and that Psal 145. 9. The Lord is good to all c. not willing that any should perish 2 Pet. 3. 9. The other is that love by which he is said to delight and take pleasure in some as Prov. 11. 20. The upright in their way are his delight and Psal 147. 11. The Lord taketh pleasure in them that fear him and such as hope in mercy The first is called the good will or his love of good will the later his delight or love of delight The former is every way free and every man and woman as the Scripture and experience shews are partakers of it the latter is conditional and onely they that fear the Lord have interest in it According to the former there is Election Creation Redemption Reconciliation Justification Sanctification Vocation and Salvation of and to every man and woman according to the latter onely of and to a part of the sons and daughters of Adam And let me desire the Reader to forbear rash censures and prejudice till he hath considerately perused and pondered what I shall here present concerning these things But before I come to treat of these precious words I shall endeavour according to that light and strength which the Lord hath lent to me to remove one grand obstruction which doth hinder many from understanding how Christ died for all and that is that conceit and received opinion that for the first offence God condemned Adam and all his posterity to the second death which is the lake of fire and brimstone For the doing whereof I shall lay before you the principal proofs that men produce for their judgement in this point Secondly their mis-interpretations of those proofs contrary to Scripture and sound Reason Thirdly what the Word of the eternal God saith concerning the sin of Adam in eating and the punishment that was inflicted for eating the forbidden fruit The first testimony they bring forth is Eph. 2. 1 2 3. You hath he quickned who were dead in trespasses and sins wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world according to the prince of the power of the air the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience among whom also we all had our conversation in time past in the lusts of our flesh fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the minde and were by nature children of wrath even as others From whence some conclude as formerly I have done that Adam and all his posterity through his eating of the forbidden tree were condemned to the second death And to confirm this their conclusion they say that by Nature is meant nativity or birth and by wrath the second death not considering that wrath is often taken for the anger of God denounced and inflicted here against sin and sinners as Psal 78. 49. and so 't is used above fourty times in Scripture or that nature is never taken for nativity neither is it mentioned as a thing that is evil vile or sinful of it self but a help to the doing of things contained in the Law Rom. 2. 14. a teacher of good things 1 Cor. 11. 14. I confess men do corrupt and abuse Nature sin against it and transgress her laws so they do the Word of God 2 Cor. 2. 17. yet the Word of God is not therefore evil because it is corrupted by men And truely if Nature had been so vile a wicked thing as some say Christ would never have taken our natures upon him Take briefly what I judge the Scriptures hold forth clearly for the opening of this text which in the least props not up their opinion By wrath I understand Gods anger or displeasure against sin so Heb. 3. 11. And by nature I understand partly the substance or the matter of which God hath made us and the members of which are written in his book which though through Adam's sin they are subject to corruption death or perishing in the grave yet they are not vile and wicked in themselves for even the matter and form of them being from God by way of creation and appointment are good But principally by nature the Scriptures hold forth the light which God hath placed in man as it 's clear from Rom. 1. 26. they did things against nature and Rom. 2. 14. when they do by nature the things contained in the Law that is by that light or law which is written in their hearts And withal considering that the text now under consideration speaks of some dead in trespasses and sins wherein they had walked following the devil and fulfilling their lusts we may conclude that by nature is not meant birth neither can it comprehend all mankinde forasmuch as infants have not so walked But this may be evidently seen in the text that whilst Paul or the Ephesians or any others walked in sins followed the course and counsel of the devil fulfilled the desires of the flesh and of the minde they were dead in trespasses and sins children of disobedience and by nature children of wrath even as others Nature
in the worship of God And from all these things I conclude that Adam with all his knowledge before his fall and all his posterity as they are living souls do not neither can they perceive with the eye or contain in their understandings the nature glory and excellency of that Kingdome Mansion City and inheritance which is prepared for such as obey God Nay there are many pretious Saints in our generation that apprehend little or nothing of them The Corinthians were very ignorant of these insomuch that there were some among them said there was no Resurrection Paul prays for the Ephesians that they might know this Eph. 1. 18 19 20. Nay Paul himself did not fully apprehend or receive it Phil. 3. 12 13 14. But there is a time when this natural man shall be raised up a spiritual man 1 Cor. 15. 43. and then shall we know as we are known and see him as he is 1 John 3. 2. Tell the most of men of the reign of Christ the restitution of all things the Kingdome of the Saints the paradise of God the Tree of life the new heavens and earth the new Jerusalem with its height bredth length and glory c. they will either turne it to a hidden mystery and an empty Allegory or look on it as a foolish carnal conceit though God by his Spirit in the word hath revealed these things to us for our comfort Secondly I answer that by the things of the Spirit are not here intended the duties of faith and repentance for these have been and still are received by natural men who by the receiving of them become spiritual for unnatural men are far from them and enemies to them a natural man may hear the word and come to believe and obey and yet not perceive the Kingdome and City which God hath prepared Thirdly Neither by the natural man is here meant simply a wicked man except you will say that every natural man is a wicked man which God forbid for Adam even as he was created by Jehovah was a natural man as hath been proved Again if it should be imagined that it is impossible to hear know and believe the word which is spirit and life Joh. 6. 63. then men will conclude that God commands things impossible which is also most absurd for he commands both Job 5. and last Mark 1. 9. Rev. 2. 7. He that hath an ear let him hear c. And I would further desire any sober spirited man to consider whether it shall be reckon'd to any man as his sin that he did not perceive that which was impossible for him to perceive Lastly you may see that the scope of the Apostle is to prove the Corinthians for though he had in the power of the Spirit declared to them the riches of the grace and glory of God the Resurrection of the dead and the eternal Judgement yet they were gone but very little above their natural light in these things were but babes in Christ and in some respect carnal and so could not perceive the things which God had prepared for them although by the Spirit manifested in the Gospel and to that purpose writes Epistles to them to raise them higher in spiritual light and learning that being by the truth in Christ become more spiritual they might receive and comprehend the great things which God had prepared for such as love him Thus after some little digression I come to conclude this point of Creation which is general through one blood even of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world or special of such as believe on his name and so receive priviledge to become the Children of God by adoption or the new creation as before shew'd I come now to treat of redemption or buying again which is also general or special general of all lost mankind by the pouring out of the blood of the Lamb slain from the beginning or special of such as believe on him who was slain for them For the unfolding of the truth of this point I intreat the Reader to consider First from what state with what price and to what end Christ bought or redeemed all mankind For the first they are redeemed from the suffering that came by Adams sin I mean the first death as I have before shew'd so that that punishment did not presently seize upon all mankinde and send them to the grave in one who had sinned neither shall it for ever keep any one of Adams posterity under its power but all do live by Jesus Christ here and see the goodness of the Lord and all shall live hereafter I mean rise from the dust and see his glory onely here 's the difference they who saw his goodness here yet did not imbrace it shall see his glory hereafter but shall not injoy it and this will be a never-dying worm to their accusing consciences not that they were not redeemed but that they despised the riches of his grace when they might have had it but would not and now are shut out of glory when they would have it but cannot Secondly Consider the price by which we were ransomed bought or redeemed is onely the blood of Christ though some through over-hastiness affirm the contrary and by this there was a reconciliation made for the whole race of Adam thus far that whereas they were all reputed offenders in one and justly out of favour the Lord for the sake of Christ was at one with them in reference to that sin of the world which the Lamb of God took away by whom God was so appeased that fury is not in him Isa 27. 4. except men set the thornes and bryers against him c. vers 5. according with that 2 Cor. 5. 19. God was in Christ reconciling the world to himself Objection But say some that 's meant of the Elect onely It s true if you mean of mankinde in opposition to the fallen Angels chosen appointed and ordain'd to live here and seek God which is the first acceptation of Election But if you mean of the Elect i. e. such as were chosen to eternal life then it seems these were once out of favour or else what need a reconciliation Though it be granted to be of the Elect yet it doth not follow that it is of the Elect onely for if God will judge men according to their works and not punish the child for the father as he hath sworn he will not then surely he is reconcil'd to more then such as you call the Elect in reference to the first sin or one offence of Adam See how incongruous it is to say that this is meant onely of the Elect or such as shall be eternally saved First in it self for if God be reconcil'd to them in respect to Adams offence then some shall not onely in the first death but also in the second death be sufferers for that one offence and how contrary that is to all the reveal'd
will yea Oath of God I have already shew'd Secondly all rational and unbyassed men that fear God know that the world in Scripture-phrase is opposite to the Lords chosen ones as John 15. 19. John 17. 9. Thirdly It is inconsistent with the Tenents of Mr. Tro. and others with him for they say the Lord chose a certain number of men to everlasting life without reference to any faith and obedience from which Election they could never fall and if so what need of reconciliation therefore it must needs be of some that were not in favour for it 's very improper to say that God was in Christ reconciling the beloved of his soul to himself which never did nor ever could lose his favour But this will be more plain when we consider into what state mankind was bought and brought by the blood of Christ and that is not to eternal life for he did not buy all men or any man that by the pouring out of his blood only without faith repentance they or any one of them being come to yeers of discretion should be saved for if redemption and reconciliation had been such and so fully absolute as to this what need the Apostle have besought the Corinthians so earnestly that they would be reconcil'd to God 2 Cor. 5. 20. And if some men shall be saved in glory onely and alone because Christ dyed for them then those many melting invitations tender intreatings with all the exhortations admonitions reprehensions instructions and other teachings of the Lord might have been spared But therefore I hold that men even all men were delivered redeemed or bought out of the hands of their enemies that they might live through Christ here in this world Secondly that they might live to him that dyed for them and rose again 2 Cor. 5. 15. i. e. through him believe Joh. 1. 7. and serve God in holiness and righteousness before c. Thirdly That they who for nought had sold themselves to death and the devil might rise again from the dead In a word as God through Christ chose or appointed all men to serve him and by Christ created or made all Nations of men to seek him as the Scriptures say so by the blood of his Son he bought again or redeem'd lost mankinde And if it be true that all men without a Christ were once dead and now living by him are bound in duty to live to him it 's as true that he dyed for or bought all And that these things are true you may clearly see if you read and seriously consider 2 Cor. 5. 14 15. where the Apostle being proving that all were dead a thing it seems somewhat strange to the Corinthians doth it thus If one dyed for all they were all dead And that he dyed for all that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves but to him that dyed for them and rose againe It seems that they onely are bound to live to Christ for whom he dyed and rose againe That all are bound to live to him none dare deny that all men shall be rais'd by Jesus at the last day is true as I have before shew'd And that Christ bought or redeemed all men See John 10. 15. and 2 Pet. 2. 1. Now none will deny that he bought the sheep that is such as confess him hear his voyce and follow him and Peter saies There shall be false teachers c. denying the Lord that bought them so that he bought them also who deny him and are destroyed Object But the Lord that bought them is not the Lord Jesus say some Answ They that shall say so and teach men to say so are in this some of those false teachers who deny the onely Lord even our Lord Jesus Christ If they shall say 't is the Father Answ Christ and his Father are one shew another Lord. Object But saith the Objector The price wherewith they were bought was some other price then the blood of Christ Answ 1. When he shall shew me what that other price is with which false teachers are bought I shall believe him and not before for it 's not exprest in Scripture 2. He may as well say that the Saints at Corinth were not redeem'd or bought by the blood of Christ because it s not mentioned 1 Cor. 6. 20. and 7. 23. Object But the word in the Original signifies to buy without a price or acquire men into the Profession of Gods service I Answer first This is utterly false and though it be not alwaies meant to buy or acquire with blood yet whatsoever men purchase buy or acquire they lay out study labour industry health friends strength mony or some other means or price by which they get or compass their desires Object But is it not sayd Come buy c. without money and without price Isa 55. 1. Answ First we cannot buy spiritual things with mony or silver as some Translations render it But Secondly He that comes to the Lord to obtain any mercy if he come without the blood of Christ upon his soul be sure he will acquire or get none And whereas it hath been said that Christ doth acquire men into the profession of his service I demand whether he doth acquire them to serve him or profess his service really or seemingly If really then it 's the same that I say Christ did really buy men that they might really serve him and because some serve Satan and others serve God in hypocrisie they shall together have their portion with their Father and Master the Devil in the lake of fire If seemingly then Christ by their doctrine acquires or gets men to be Hypocrites for seeming service or the profession of service which is not real is all one and both abhor'd Hypocrisie The Lord in mercy yet grant men space to repent of these their hard sayings Object It s true say some that Christ dyed for all and bought all in a sense but dyed not for all alike I Answer The question is not in what sense Christ dyed for all or bought all but whether the thing be true and if he dyed for all in any sense as you call it it is true that he ransomeed all But say others All were bought by Christ to live by him and shall rise by him But not as a Mediator These poor cavils and senseless shifts are not worth answering I shall onely say this to them That when the Objectors can prove what they say by the Scriptures viz. that Christ dyed two waies I shall heed their sayings in the mean space such expressions are so far from the form of sound words that I fear they flow rather from a critical then conscientious spirit that seeketh truth in the love of it I have shew'd you what the Scriptures say and how according to them Christ dyed for all so that all live by him and ought to live to him I desire not to be wise above what is written I come
next to speak in few words of Redemption in a stricter acceptation and to shew how some are in a special manner freed ransomed delivered or redeem'd by Jesus Christ and to that purpose shall first lay downe some Scriptures and to come to the clear understanding of this point Cast your eye then upon Eph. 1. 7. In whom we have redemption through his blood even the forgiveness of our sins and upon 1 Pet. 1. 18 19. Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things as silver and gold from your vain conversations received by tradition from your Fathers but with the pretious blood of Christ c. The great question here to be resolved is this How the Saints come to be redeemed from their vain conversation and to have remission of their sins For answer unto this I beseech you that read to remember what I have in part declared already that there was an offence though committed but by one in which all the world was reputed guilty before God so far as that if Adam for that offence had at the instant of his committing it gone to the grave the whole race of mankinde had perished in him to take away which the Lamb without spot offer'd up himself to God so that that sin imputed to all and so called the sin of the world and iniqnity of us all was by the pouring out of the blood of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world taken away and remitted so that none shall now dye eternally for it and herein appeared the free love of God who by the blood of his Son washed away sin no creature seeking of it But every individual man and woman when they come to years and know good and evil do themselves commit many sins and walk in a vain conversation by tradition c. and how they come to be redeem'd or delivered from this by the blood of Christ I shall by Scripture and experience briefly make manifest First God sends Christ or the light to them with manifestations of his grace and goodness to lead or perswade them to turn from their sins to God declares to them the sufferings of his Son for their sins and they who seriously consider these manifestations of mercy believe and lay to heart the kindness of God though before Prisoners to sin and Satan are loosed delivered or redeemed from their sins and vain conversions as the Apostle plainly proves Acts 10. 43. To him give all the Prophets witness that through his name whosoever believeth on him shall receive remission of sins So that through the application of the blood of the Lamb to their souls by believing they come to be delivered and have redemption from these sins of theirs and this redemption or pardon of sin is in time and conditional upon faith and repentance I shall indeavour further to illustrate this by a familiar similitude thus Suppose the servant of some mighty Emperor or General should commit an hainous offence to both the high displeasure and dishonour of his master and now conceiving in his heart that his Lord was full purposed to punish him with exquisite and exemplary torments should secretly depart to his masters greatest enemy and with him with a heart full of envy wrath and devilish despite contrive the destruction of him whom he had lately disobeyed in the mean time this mighty man having no such thoughts as his wicked servant imagin'd hearing that another potent person for some horrid crime had condemned his run-agate servant to dye gives his only Son to suffer death to preserve his live who yet still not knowing his Lords love with a perverse and inraged heart carries on the designe of his masters ruine but in the midst of his malice and fear having certaine intelligence of the transcendent kindness of one whom he had so highly incensed and of his own willingness to receive him even as a Son if he would return to him presently his soul begins to melt hatred le ts go the hold it had upon his heart and admiring such unexpected and undeserved love his bands of wickedness full off the rage rancour and wicked resolutions which possess'd him are all cast out the snare is broken and he is delivered not only from that death which his Masters Son quitted him of by dying for him But also by applying and considering his Lords love of those bloody sins and designes against his Master and begins to think of returning to him who had done such great things for him Thus stands the case betwixt God and man when Adam had sinned he ran away from his Maker and what spirit he was of towards him you may perceive by his Answers to him Gen. 3. who yet had thoughts of love and peace towards him and gave his onely Son to ransome him from the pit of which ransome or redemption all his posterity being in his loynes are partakers but they have all as I may say one by one departed from their God and rebelled against him that redeemed them and continue long ignorant of the loving kindness of the Lord at length the Lord by his teachings as himself pleaseth makes known his goodness and riches of grace and as many as believe or lay to heart what he hath done for their souls how he gave the Son of his love to dye yea to destroy the power of death for them that they might live by him and through him rise from the grave and that they have this redemption or deliverance through the blood of Jesus shed for them and have clear evidence of this by the Spirit in the Scripture of truth they begin to loath and leave their sins the love of God known casts out their base fear his mercy manifested destroyes their malice pride lust covetousness c. cuts in sunder all the cords of vanity in which they were held carries them quite out of their prison wherein their souls were pent up though sin tugs hard yet at last it is fain to remit its hold and though before they hug'd sin as a friend they now let it go as an enemy and so in the end through the applying of that blood which was shed for them they are redeemed out of the hand of the enemy and by the application of the blood of Christ they receive remission of THEIR sins as they before had by the effusion of it the remission and redemption from Adams sin which as I before hinted was absolute unsought for free and universal This is conditional and especial And if any shall demand Why all have not this redemption I answer Because they believe not they lay not the blood of Christ to heart if they did it were impossible that they should be so carried away with lust pride ignorance lying swearing cheating drunkenness gaming covetousness formality lukewarness ildeness and all manner of disobedience for if men did consider the grace of God if they knew the gift of God and his kindness which
confess that the Saints i. e. they who receive the word whereunto they were appointed are partakers of this special calling or vocation I shall onely add this That as they who are called but contemn the call of God partake not of his choice mercies taste not of his supper but bring upon themselves destruction so Behold what manner of love the Father hath shew'd us such as receive the word the light of Christ that they should be called the sons or children of God! 1 Joh. 3. 1. compared with John 1. 12. And so I come to the last term propounded to be treated on Salvation which is a delivering of the creature from danger death and destruction and is general or special as you may see 1 Tim. 4. 10. For this cause we both labour and suffer reproach because we trust in the living God who is the Saviour of all men specially of them that believe But say some to this as to what hath been spoken before this is not meant of Christ but of the Father I answer hereto first consider what Christ saith John 5. 19. Whatsoever things the Father doth the same doth the Son likewise 2. That the Father gave Christ his work to do John 17. 4. so that the Father redeemeth reconcileth and saveth by Christ and Christ redeemeth reconcileth and saveth by laying down his life and humbling himself to death 3. Jesus Christ is not a dead God but God blessed for ever Rom. 9. 5. and received into glory 1 Tim. 16. and one with the Father and they that deny it deserve to be blamed And if any shall say that the word in the Original signifies not a Saviour but a preserver and so conclude that the Father is the preserver of all men I Answer first that the Father doth preserve by the Son who beareth up the pillars of the earth Psal 75. 3. and by whom all things consist and to whom all power in heaven and earth is given Matth. 28. Of him and for him are all things For consider God without a Christ and you cannot see safety or preservation for any creature onely justice and swift destruction for sin It s manifest then that the preservation and subsistance of all men through a crucified Christ the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world so that if the gloss which men put upon this pretious truth were truth yet it makes nothing against that holy truth of God which I desire to vindicate but it 's as notorious an untruth and falsehood as ever came from the mouth or pen of any man for wheresoever you finde the word Saviour used in the New Testament relating to Jesus Christ you shall finde the same word for it in the Original as is here used by the Apostle and which is used Eph. 5. Tit. 2. 3. and all they that can but read greek will testifie the same Neither is the greek word Soter ever rendered preserver in the whole book of God but alwaies Saviour Lastly It is the common practise of the enemies of the truth when any thing crosses their tenents to make people believe if they can that either the Scriptures mean otherwise then it speaks or that the Translation though given by men of their owne judgements is not right as for example where the word of truth saies that Christ dyed for all and that God would have all men to be saved and that the free gift came unto all men to the justification of life they say it means otherwise and that the text Heb. 2. 9. He by the grace of God tasted death for every man and this word who is the Saviour of all men c. are not well translated for say they it should be for every Son and he is the preserver or saviour of some men c. But I would propound two or three questions to such men First If these things be not truly but falsely Translated why have they many of them an hundred times at least read such false things to us Secondly Why do not they read them to us according to that which they say is the true Translating of the word viz. that Christ dyed but for some and the free gift came only upon some men to the justification of life and that God would have some men to be saved that Christ tasted death only for every son and that the Father is the preserver of some men Thirdly and lastly Whether we shall be judg'd by that which some in a slight way and through mistake call the letter or by that which the Papists Prelates Presbyterians in their Councels Comments and Synods say is the meaning of the word But leaving to speak of the fancies of these men I come by Gods assistance to shew how God in Christ and Christ through God for these in the great work of mans salvation must not be severed is the Saviour of all men And that I may perform this I shall endeavour as in those things before treated rightly to divide the word of truth which holds forth salvation to us under several considerations there is salvation as to this life as Exod. 14. 13. Stand still and see the Salvation of God so Acts 27. 20. and 31. All hope that we should be saved was taken away There is salvation preached Act. 28. 28. The salvation of God is sent to the Gentiles and they will hear it But more plainly Hebr. 2. 3. How shall we escape if we neglect so great salvation which at first began to be spoken or preached by the Lord himself And there is salvation promised called eternal salvation Heb. 9. 5. and salvation to the uttermost Heb. 7. 25. The first is a deliverance from that death that came by Adams sin the second is deliverance from death in sins and trespasses by reason of every mans actual sins the last is that great deliverance from the wrath to come or second death The former of these onely is universal and hath in it two things considerable First what all men are delivered or saved from Secondly what they enjoy First our gratious God hath saved all mankinde from that death which came by Adams offence in that he by the ransome which himself found out delivered Adam and so all men then in his loynes from present going downe to the pit so that by Jesus Christ we subsist and by him also he wrought our resurrection or deliverance from the grave from which all men shall one day be freed and made alive by Christ 1 Cor. 15. 22. But some it may be will say If Christ hath saved all men from the grave how comes it to pass that any dye I answer first Christ was never sent to prevent men from going to the grave but to deliver or save them out of or from it from the power of it Secondly If the resurrection from death be a deliverance or saving from the power of the grave which I think none that fear God will deny and some onely partake of
that Infants are to be baptized and added to the Church before they either repent or believe and that God doth decree the unbelief and disobedience of men and that he will damn some eternally for Adams fault and others for not doing that which since they came to discern betwixt good and evill they had never ability from the Lord to perform therefore are we call'd Heretiques and because we are willing that our Doctrine should be tried by the word of truth both publikely an privately and desire by the same Touchstone to prove what others teach for doctrine and will not be deluded by Philosophy and vain deceit not stung with the tail of the old Serpent I mean the Prophet who teacheth lies Isa 9. 15. with Rev. 12. 4. therefore are we counted the troublers of Israel such as turn the world upside down ring-leaders of Sects c. as our Brethren of old were neither are we grieved by these things for our sakes but for theirs even our countrymen and brethren after the flesh who rage at us and incense the Rulers against us because we believe and speak what is written and will not receive nor practise the Doctrines and Traditions which are not written witnesse M. W. T. who though he hath not one word of Scripture speaking that which he affirms yet he raves and rails publikely and privately because his Arguments are not held Authentick accounted Canonicall and received as Maxims of divine truth when indeed they are but the thoughts of his own heart and collections thaâ— he hath made from men that must die If I should go from place to place and say Christ did not die for all and he died only for a few men and women and God commanded men to do no more then he hath enabled them to do and that he hath appointed some even from the beginning to be disobedient to his commands might not men say where is this written might they not justly say that here is no light in these things and that these things not being written are not for our learning doubtless they might Ob. But if Christ died for all then all shall be saved All are and shall be saved or deliver'd from the first death as I have declared and iâ— shall be testified in due time 1 Tim. 2. 6. only the Elect the Saints that is such as receive the light held forth to them shall escape the second death they that believe and obey him shall enjoy eternall salvation through him Rev. 2. 11. 1 Thes 1. 10. Heb. â— 9. Ob. All prophane ignorant persons will say that Christ died for them I answer first they speak truth though they know not what they say for put such prophane persons to prove it by Scripture and to give you the text in which their evidence is contained and they come short of assurance then they say they believe he died for them and at last when they are put to shew the ground of their faith or what their faith was built on they will tell you they hope he died for them and he died for all that believe on him and serve him Secondly I answer 't is one thing for a poor soul to say that Christ died for him and another thing to know it by an infallible testimony and therefore we endeavour to prove this to every man by the Scriptures which hold forth the dying of Christ for all that so they may know certainly that Christ shed his bloud for them and by the knowledge hereof either be drawn to love and live to the Lord Jesus or be left vvithout excuse Ob. But cannot men be left without excuse without the preaching of this Doctrine to them Ans They cannot when and where this doctrine may be preached and heard indeed where the Scriptures are not people shall not be accused for not reading searching and preaching them or for their not knowing the vvords that are vvitten in them for God will at the last day require according to what he gave Luk. 12. 48. but vvhere this is fully made knovvn that Christ tasted death for every man they vvho imbrace it and bind it to their hearts by believing find abundance of consolation and they vvho receive it not shall not at the last day be able to plead ignorance Oh then hovv sad vvill it be at that time for such Preachers as deny preach vvrite pray and rail against this foundation truth of the Gospell Ob. Is it not said Rev. 5. 9. 14. 3. 4. Thou hast redeemed us is God and these were bought from amongst men c. Ans These precious texts are true but yet they do not say that there vvere no more bought to God from amongst men for if vve vvill 〈◊〉 the Apostle Peter there are some that dâ— deny the Lord that bought them 2 Pet. 2. 1. to say that because 144000. vvere redeem'd or bought from amongst men therefore there vvere no more redeemed is bad Logick and vvorse Divinity and is 〈◊〉 one â—s â—f a man had redeemed a thousand men out of Turky meeting vvith three or four of them should receive an acknowledgment of their deliverance that he had redeemed them the standers by should argue that he redeemed no more Ans Secondly I have before shew'd that redemption is consider'd two ways first by the effusion of the bloud of Christ from the first sin or originall offence secondly by the application of that bloud by which the Elect such as walk in Gospell-obedience receive Redemption or deliverance from their sins which they have committed in their own bodies since they knew good and evill for no sooner is the bloud of Christ closely laid to the heart of a sinner but he presently begins to loath and leave sin and at length by a constant application of it becomes fully redeemed freed or delivered from his bondage of these later the texts by M W. T. alledged are especially to be understood and so the word of truth being rightly divided is kept from clashing and seeming contradiction all men left without excuse and the justice and mercy of God cleared against the calumnies of imperious sinners But there are some whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world It 's most certain that these words Rev. 13. 8. are a prophecy of the great Antichrist vvho shall exercise his power for a time times and the dividing or half of time Dan. 7. 25. two and forty moneths or 1260. dayes Rev. 11. 2. 3. with chap. 3. 5. or three years and a half and many shall follow his pernitious ways idolizing him and worshipping him as a God and it is as certain that such as worship him are not written in the Book of Life for God hath of old ordain'd to condemnation ungodly men turning the grace of God unto wantonnesse and all Idolatâ—rs but this proves not that Christ never died for them but rather that he did die
them would Christ ever have been grieved for the hardnesse of the Jewes hearts had he not laid down his life for them we account it folly to grieve for that which cannot be helpt so men ignorantly tax Christ of no lesse when they say God had appointed them to be har hearted and disobedient and yet Christ grieved for it Object Oh but God could have softned their hearts if he would have had it so Answ But I say God never did purpose to soften any hearts otherwise then by the teachings of his Spirit and Prophets and his Son these being rejected he leaves men to themselves and they bring upon themselves destruction Doth it suit with the wisdom justice and love of a man to command his servants to do that which he knows they cannot or are not able to performe Mr. Troughton confesseth that God commands all to repent and believe and 't is certain many shall be damn'd for unbeliefe yet he sayes that its impossible that all should believe nay he saies That God appointed them to be disobedient if this were true as it is most false where were the wisdome justice and goodnesse of God when he shall command them to believe whom he had appointed to unbelief yea damn men for being such viz. disobedient as he had appointed them to be but especially doth not this traduce the unfathom'd boundlesse love of God when men shall say as Mr. Troughton doth that Christ did not die for all and yet the greatest number of men and women shall be damned for not believing on him who payed no ransome for them and doth not this highly impeach the power and truth of God the holy Word of the glorious Gospell when men shall so andaciously affirme that Christ dyed onely for some and but for a few and that he dyed not for all And whereas the word of Faith saith plainly that Christ dyed for all gave himselfe a ransome for all for every man for the sheep and those that deny him for the living and for the dead for the world yea the whole World When men I say denyes these plain texs and like the Papists suffer not poor souls to read them but by their Gloss what do they but vilifie and falsifie the Scriptures and give the truth of God the lie The good Lord judge between us for his own truth sake Let Mr. Troughton produce but one Text of Scripture for all his assertions and wee 'l believe him but the Reader may see he hath not one but instead of Scriptures brings his own reasons and sophisticall Arguments Object But sayes Mr. Troughton if Christ dyed for all then Christ is but halfe a Saviour and man must actually save himselfe c. I Answer first I have proved already that he is the Saviour of all men and how he is so in that he hath saved and delivered all men by his death and resurrection from the Grave so as that none shall die there eternally for Adams sin Secondly He hath prepared and propounded eternall life or salvation freely when none desired it of him and hath provided and given lawes for every soul that will be saved to walk in as the Ministers about B. Castles in their namelesse Paper confesse and through Christ bestowed light to walke and work by and what could God do more except you would have him repent and believe or force some to obey and decree others to disobey and to be a respecter of persons which he will never be I mean to respect persons personally considered the Lord is good to all and extends his goodnesse to all and thereby they who turn to him shall be built up Of a truth God is no respecter of persons saith Peter Act. 10. But in every Nation he that feareth him and worketh righteousnesse is accepted of him Cornelius never heard of Christ as some heard of him yet he was accepted with God serving him according to the light he had which was not without Christ though as yet he knew him not for none are accepted without him But Mr Troughton finds fault with us that we should ever thinke that Christ shed his blood for those that never heard the Gospel To which I answer If by the Gospell he meanes those precious sayings and writings of Christ and his Apostles as he doth for he calls it the voice of the Gospel and word of Faith I think he hath no reason to except against us for none of the Patriaks Prophets and holy men of old so heard it much lesse did Jethro Ruth the Eunuch and many more mentioned in the Scriptures yet I hope Mr. Troughton will confesse that he dyed for them I doubt not but that servant who imployes his one Talent well shall receive the reward of one Talent Thirdly The Scripture sayes Save your selves from this untowardly Generation Act. 2. 40. and worke out your salvation with fear and trembling Phil. 2. 12. which I understand to be but thus repent believe obey or use the meanes which God hath appointed you for salvation and this no sober man will deny to be our duty yet when we have done that and if it were possible ten thousand times more we are but unprofitable servants and do no more merit or procure salvation then a poor begger stretching out his hand to receive a purse of Money if any were so free as to give it doth merit procure or coyne that Gold or Silver which is given him as I have before shewed God might have required all dutifull obedience from us and yet at last have sent us to the Grave for ever and as for universall salvation which Mr. Troughton terrifies himselfe and others with I have often shewed how I hold it to wit that all were saved or delivered by Christ dying rising from the miseries that came by Adam so that they shall not for ever lye under them and for any other universall salvation of fallen Angels and Reprobates I know nothing for Christ dyed not for Angels and as for Reprobates that deny the Lord that bought and resist the spirit of God and violate the Law of Nature that know not God and obey not the Gospel they shall be destroyed for ever yet I beleeve that for want of a right dividing and so of a right understanding of the word of truth in the things by me insisted upon many have runne into grosse absurdities about universall salvation not being able to distinguish between salvation or deliverance which is by the death of Christ from Adams sin and sufferings for it and salvation which is through believing on him or comming to him Heb. 7. 25. from our sins which without repentance will damne man eternally in the second death They thought and that rightly that all are and shall be saved or delivered from something but not seriously weighing the word and distinguishing concluded that none shall be damned or consumed forever at the last day of Judgement which is most absurd and such a Doctrine
a man and desires to be joyned to him in Marriage he may boldly and withall earnestness stirre up his friend to affect her and seeke her love who is every way so worthy and withall so loving to him that is to far below her Of no lesse folly are they guilty that spend their spirits in calling and crying unto sinners to love the Lord Jesus and seeke his face and yet either cannot or will not assure them that Christ loved them and layed down his life for them thereby to move them to place their affections upon him Nay it s impossible they should know it and much more impossible they should make others know it that say Christ dyed onely for a small number If a wicked prophane wretch should meet a man and were about to offer some injury to him if another should come and make it evident that this man whom he is about to wrong ransomed him with a great summe out of Captivity or when he was condemned to dye by giving his own onely Child to dye for him delivered him from death this might allay his fury after the resolution and melt the heart of the most cruel hard-hearted and injurious person or if it did not it would render him the most odious of Creatures the most ungrateful of men and unworthy of any further pitty And therefore it is that where-ever we meet with prophane persons that are treading under foot the Sonne of God and crucifying the Lord of life afresh by swearing lying drunkenness persecuting the Saints c. and so injuring and denying the Lord that bought them we acquaint them that he whom they wrong and persecute is Jesus the Saviour of the World the redeemer of mankind that gave himselfe a ransome for all bought them with his precious blood and dyed for their sinnes according to the Scriptures that thereby we may perswade them from their impious persecuting principles and prophane practises or else leave them without excuse but whilest men continue ignorant of this great love of Christ and do not certainly know by the Scriptures that Christ dyed for them they are seldome restrained from prophanenesse and all sorts of impiety or at least are filled with frequent doubtings and tremblings of heat not knowing whether the Lamb was slaine for them yet knowing that forsaking of sin and following of righteousnesse can doe no good to that soul for whom Christ dyed not no precepts can be available or promises applicable to those for whom the blood of Christ Jesus was not shed and so they stand staggering at both and though sometimes through the mercy of a long suffering God they have some sweet tasts of mercy yet by attending to false Teachers and Satans temptations they begin to question whether Christ dyed for them and then all their unstable hopes vanish and their unsettled hearts are hurried into a Labyrinth of soul dstempering confusions the Lord pitty these poor Creatures and deliver them from all self contradicting yea God contradicting Teachers who hold the truth in unrighteousness And whereas Mr. Troughton sayes That men will argue that if Christ dyed for all men then for me I shall be saved though I go on and injoy my lusts c. It s nothing so and they that hold that Christ dyed for all men according to the Scriptures raise no such Arguments knowing that they that deny to serve him that bought them shal be destroyed but they argue thus Christ dyed for me among the rest of men therefore I ought to live to him love serve and obey him to forsake my lusts pride swearing coveteousnesse and prophanenesse to dye to sinne and live to righteousnesse because he dyed for me and rose againe But Mr. Troughton saies That Christs dying for all is a ground of dispaire to many to which I answer First Here Mr. Troughton miserably contradiccts himselfe for he holds that they whom Christ dyed for can never dye in dispaire and for others there was never any hopes of eternall life layed up But here it seemes that there was something to be enjoyed even by them who dispaire of it but I shall not dwell upon any advantages but Secondly I answer That Mr. Troughtons suggestions is very false for seeing that Christ dyed for all seeing he so loved the World as to give his life for man-kind much more will he be found willing to receive and save poor sinners that come to him But Satan hath subtilly circumvented men by a great sleight in perswading them through the Doctrine of the false Ministers who are transformed as the Ministers of Christ that God will save some men that live and dye in sinne and that others who so live and dye shall be damned that one lyar shall be saved and another be damned one swearer shall be saved and another damned one Adulerer shall be saved and another damned that God is angry with one drunkard murtherer whoremonger and not with another though neither of them repent for they hold that it is Christ's wâ—rk to act faith and repentance In the Creature they hold that God was never angry with his Elect and hence it that some say God was no more angry with David after he had perpetrated those horrid sinnes of murther and adultery then he was at any other time others hold which is all one in effect that he forceth some to beleeve and be saved and appointeth others to sinne and be damned and this they call the distinguishing love of God which makes M. Troughton ask page 56. Where is the distinguishing love of God if Christ dyed for all I answer first in that he gave Christ to dye for all Men and not for the fallen Angels Secondly In that he will delight in abide with and save such as repent and obey him as you may see Psal 147. 11. Jo. 14. 21 13. Heb. 5. 9. and not others when he might have required men to have done an hundred times as much as he hath and yet have made no such promise of further manifestations of love or life eternall he gave himselfe a ransome for all yet he giveth more or a further addition of grace He resisteth the proud who deny the Lord that bought them and giveth grace to the humble Isai 4. 9. so here is distinguishing grace First He manifests his goodnesse grace or favour to men yea all men yea to the wicked men and they who humbly receive his mercy and truth shall have more even an increase every way as I have in the foregoing part of this Treatise provâ—d from Jo. 14. 21. An other railing Accusation that Mr. Troughton brings against the truth is this If saith he we shall hold that Christ dyed for all this will be a ready way to reconcile us to Rome I conceive he meanes the Papists but the Papists generally hold that Christ dyed sufficiently but not efficiently for all and they hold directly as Mr. Troughton doth in this point that is That his blood in respect of
will pardon them through Christ according to the promise Isai 1. 16. 17. and that Isai 55. 7. Let the righteous forsake his way and the wicked man his thoughts and turne to the Lord for he will have mercy on him and our God for he will abundantly pardon The Lord is not wanting to convert us or to doe whatsoever he hath promised for the turning of us to himselfe They that come to the Lord must beleeve that he is and that he is a bountifully rewarder of them that diligently secke him Heb. 11. 6. They must constantly apply the sufferings of Christ to their hearts and their hearts and mindes bodyes and soules to his statutes alwaies believe their Resurrection from the dust and those glorious joyes and songs of Triumph and peace which are in the mansions of blisse this will purifie the Saints 1 Jo. 3. 3. 2 Cor. 7. 1. Thus believing they become eighteous through Christ and are justified from what they could not be justified by the Law of Moses Act. 13. 39. And being justified by beleeving they have peace with God through Jesus Christ our Lord Rom. 5. 1. Exercising themselves in these things as the Apostle Paul did himselfe Act. 24. 14. 15. 16. they come to have a conscience void of offence toward God and men They are to believe that God hath freely redeemed justified sanctified and saved them through the blood of his dear onely spotlesse Son from that destruction which Adam brought on all man-kind by his sinne that fury is not in God in reference to that offence and the believing of this great and infinite love with the heart will so cleanse and sanctifie poore soules that they will thereby come to deny all ungodlinesse and worldly lusts and to live soberly righteously and godly in this present world for with the heart men believeth unto righteousnesse Yea this love known and believed will constraine sinners to confesse the Lord that bought them and so with the mouth confession is made unto salvation Rom. 10. 10. which salvation also they are to believe and wait for knowing certainly that our Redeemer Jesus Christ will come and will not tarry Thus have I answered Mr. Troughtons Question and shewed what men who know that Christ dyed for them are to believe for the peace of their consciences Much more might be added but I proceed to speak a word or two to the conclusion of Mr. Troughtons Book that I may also draw towards the conclusion of this worke We declare unto you in our Mimistry saith he That Christ dyed for all for all the world for every man and woman that shall believe on him and accept of him upon the termes of the Gospel and is not here encouragement to poore sinners be their sinnes never so great Thou art not excluded by name and why shouldst thou exclude thy self through unbeliefe This Mr. Troughton calls the conclusion he might rather call it the confusion of his small Tract as he termes it For as I shewed you before he pul'd downe the maine building of his opinion in his 61. page By confessing that there is a generall offer of Grace and page 62. where he confesseth there it an umversalitâ—ie of the offer of Christ which offer none that regard the honour of God will doubt to be reall and here he razes the very foundation of his contradictious Doctrine in that he acknowledgeth that they who misse of mercy exclude themselves through unbeliefe and like men refusing helpe when they are almost drowned bring destruction to themselves through their neglect or refusall not striving to lay hold of mercy that they might be saved but questioning whether Christ were offered them with an intent to save them From whence these Coclusions do very freely flow 1. That there was mercy for them to lay hold on by faith who perish through unbeliefe 2. That they who enjoy not this mercy exclude themselves from it 3. That it is beyond doubt and question that Gods offer of Christ to men is with a purpose of his part to save them 4. That they who would be saved by Christ must strive to lay hold on him all which are pure heavenly and eternall truth and comes from Mr. Troughton as blessings from Balaam his heart dissenting from his hand and tongue For another while you shall find Mr. Troughton peremptorily concluding that God never intended his Sonne or mercy by him to all as Page 52. of his Booke where he speakes these very words in effect that it was not the purpose of God to give his Sonne to dye for all and that his death should be a sufficient price for all was never intended by God Now how should God send down his Sonne to save that which was lost and yet not give him to dye for them or that he should offer his Sonne to more then he gave him to dye for is senslesse to imagine except we should make God a mocker of his poore undone Creatures as Mr. Tronghton and others sometimes do In another place you shall heare him say That God appointed or decreed men to be disobedient How then can their destruction be of themselves yea how can their sin be of themselves if God appointed them to be disobedient Another while that Christ meriteth faith for the Saints and that he worketh or acteth faith in the Creatures how then can that be true which he sayes here that men must strive to lay hold on Christ and they that do not perish through unbeliefe Can there be any possibility that they should believe for whom Christ meirteth not faith seeing all that do believe had faith merited for them and it was not they that believed but Christ in them or that they believed at least by an unresistable power Sure then they laid not hold of the rope as Mr. Troughton sayes drawing men out to doe not asking questions much lesse did they strive so to doe but the rope laid hold on them and pluckt them up whether they would or no. And thus you see that Mr. Troughtons Doctrine is but like ropes of Sand it holds not together none can lay any sure hold of it it wil not hold his own weight for what he fastens in one place he breaks in another and what truth he speaks in one leaf oâ— his Book he leaves yea denyes in another what he buildes in a moneth he throwes downe in a minute For how is it possible that any soule can beleeve in God or Christ through his Teaching for he sayes that God did not give his Sonne to dye for all yet he offers grace to all that Redemption is not universall but the tenders of Christ are universal That God did let or send downe Christ to save lost man and they are not to question it but yet he appointed the greatest part of men to be disobedient That men exclude themselves by unbeliefe yet there was never a Christ for them to believe except they would believe on one that